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2 Kings 3:5 — Word Study

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WLCוַיְהִ֖י כְּמ֣וֹת אַחְאָ֑ב וַיִּפְשַׁ֥ע מֶֽלֶךְ־ מוֹאָ֖ב בְּמֶ֥לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

BSABut afterhâyâh the deathmâveth [passing away, end of life] of AhabʼAchʼâb [a king of Israel who lived a long time ago] the kingmelek [ruler, monarch] of MoabMôwʼâb [a land and descendants of Lot's son] rebelledpâshaʻ [transgressed, broke away] against the kingmelek [leader, ruler] of IsraelYisrâʼêl [the symbolic name of Jacob, referring to his descendants]

Word
Listen & take away2 Kings 3
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 5 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (Yis.ra.'El) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
2 Kings 3:5quick helps
In a sentenceAfter Ahab's death, the king of Moab revolted against Israel.
Who is speakingThe narrator recounts events following the reign of Ahab.
Where we areThis verse describes a political shift in the region after Ahab's death.
The hard wordפָּשַׁע
Take awayThe rebellion marks a significant change in Moab's relationship with Israel.
7 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectאַחְאָב verbהָיָה The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.

Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.

Deep Study — 2 Kings 3:5

Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.

Context — The Rebellion of Moabgenerated

4Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheep breeder, and he would render to the king of Israel a hundred thousand lambs and the wool of a hundred thousand rams.
5But after the death of Ahab, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.
6So at that time King Jehoram set out from Samaria and mobilized all Israel.
7And he sent a message to Jehoshaphat king of Judah: “The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you go with me to fight against Moab?” “I will go,” replied Jehoshaphat. “I am like you, my people are your people, and my horses are your horses.”

2 Kings 3:5 describes the aftermath of King Ahab's death, highlighting the rebellion of Moab against Israel. This rebellion signifies a critical moment in the history of Israel and its neighboring nations, reflecting the instability that often followed the death of a king. The context sets the stage for the ensuing conflict as King Jehoram of Israel prepares to respond to this challenge, as detailed in the following verses.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
12 Kings 1:1After the death of Ahab, Moab rebelled against Israel.
22 Kings 8:20In the days of Jehoram, Edom rebelled against the hand of Judah and appointed their own king.
32 Chronicles 21:8–10In the days of Jehoram, Edom rebelled against the hand of Judah and appointed their own king.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 3 references, hung on the phrase they belong to

But it came to pass, when Ahab was dead, that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.2 Kings 1:1 2 Kings 8:20 2 Chronicles 21:8–10

The Key Word פָּשַׁע, vai.yif.Sha'generated

The verb פָּשַׁע (pasha') means to rebel or transgress, indicating a break from authority. It suggests an intentional act of disobedience or revolt, as seen in various contexts throughout the Old Testament.

In this verse, the king of Moab's rebellion against Israel is a direct challenge to the authority of the Israelite king, reflecting the political tensions of the time. This act of rebellion is significant as it sets in motion the events that follow, illustrating the fragile nature of political alliances in the ancient Near East.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The verse contains one main clause governed by the verb וַיִּפְשַׁ֥ע, and he rebelled, with two phrases preceding it: a temporal phrase indicating the time of the action and a noun phrase identifying the subject. The Hebrew word order emphasizes the rebellion as the focal action following Ahab's death.

The structure highlights the sequence of events: first, the death of Ahab, and then the immediate response of the Moabite king, showcasing the cause-and-effect relationship typical in narrative forms.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates וַיִּפְשַׁ֥ע as ἠθέτησεν, which conveys a sense of setting aside authority or rejecting it. This choice indicates a strong emphasis on the act of rebellion as a deliberate and conscious decision.

The use of this particular Greek term suggests a nuanced understanding of rebellion, framing it not just as a revolt but as a rejection of the established order.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

2 Kings 3:5 tells us that after Ahab died, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel. This rebellion was a significant event, showing the political instability that often followed the death of a ruler.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that Moab rebelled against Israel?

Moab's rebellion signifies a breakdown in relations and authority between the two kingdoms, indicating a desire for independence or resistance against Israel's control.

Why is Ahab's death significant in this context?

Ahab's death created a power vacuum, leading to instability and the opportunity for Moab to assert its independence from Israel.

How does this rebellion relate to the broader narrative of Israel's history?

This event reflects the ongoing conflicts and power struggles between Israel and its neighbors, which are central themes throughout the historical books of the Old Testament.

What role does the king of Moab play in this story?

The king of Moab represents the challenges Israel faced from neighboring nations, illustrating the geopolitical tensions of the time.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What are some modern examples of political rebellion or conflict that mirror the situation in this verse?
  2. How can understanding the historical context of Ahab's reign help us interpret this rebellion?
  3. In what ways do power struggles in ancient times reflect the dynamics of authority and rebellion today?
  4. What lessons can we draw from the consequences of Ahab's death and the ensuing rebellion?

Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on 2 Kings 3:5 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

But it came to pass, when Ahab was dead, that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.

Read John Gill on 2 Kings 3 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

But it came to pass, when Ahab was dead, that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel. King of Moab rebelled.

Read Robert Jamieson on 2 Kings 3 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

See of this . It is here repeated to make way for the following story. Ahaziah did not attempt the recovery of Moab, either because he was a man of a low spirit and courage; or because his sickness, or the shortness of his reign, gave not opportunity for it.

Read Matthew Poole on 2 Kings 3 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

2 Kings 3:5 But it came to pass, when Ahab was dead, that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.Ver. 5. When Ahab was dead.] Elephanti mortuo vel mus insultat. But besides the death of Ahab, Ahaziah his son and successor was weak; and hence this revolt of Moab from him.

Read John Trapp on 2 Kings 3 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(5) But.—And.When.—So some MSS. The ordinary text has, “about the time of Ahab’s death” (ke for be). Rebelled—i.e., refused payment of the annual tribute.

Read Charles John Ellicott on 2 Kings 3 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

5. when Ahab was dead] The sickness of Ahaziah had no doubt prevented him from taking any step during his brief reign to suppress the revolt of Moab. It is probable that during Ahaziah’s time all those reconquests, that are mentioned in the Mesha tablet, were made by the Moabites, the king of Israel being able to offer no resistance.

Read Cambridge on 2 Kings 3 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

5. When Ahab was dead — Immediately after the death of Ahab Mesha had thrown off the yoke, but not until the reign of Jehoram was an effort made to subdue the revolt. Ahaziah’s sickness was the cause of this delay.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on 2 Kings 3 →

The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company

Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.

Modern formal

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

But after the death of Ahab, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

But when Ahab was dead, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

But after the death of Ahab, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.

NETBNew English Translation2006

When Ahab died, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

But it came to pass, when Ahab was dead, that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

But it came to pass, when Ahab was dead, that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.

RVARevised Version, American1894

But it came to pass, when Ahab was dead, that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

But it came to pass, when Ahab was dead, that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

But when Ahab was dead, the king of Moab rebelled against the King of Israel.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And it came to pass when Ahab was dead, that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

and it cometh to pass at the death of Ahab, that the king of Moab transgresseth against the king of Israel.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

and it comes to pass at the death of Ahab, that the king of Moab transgresses against the king of Israel.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And it came to pass, when Achab was dead, that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

But after Ahab died, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And when Achab was dead, he broke the league which he had made with the king of Israel.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

But after Ahab died, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

But when Ahab was dead, the king of Moab got free from the authority of the king of Israel.

Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.


The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank

This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.

וַandclauseverbיְהִ֖יit.wasprepositional phrase · prepositionalכְּjustclauseverbמ֣וֹתas.diedsubjectאַחְאָ֑בAhabוַandclauseverbיִּפְשַׁ֥עhe.rebellednoun phrase · subjectמֶֽלֶךְthe.kingמוֹאָ֖בof.Moabprepositional phrase · prepositionalבְּagainstnoun phraseמֶ֥לֶךְthe.kingיִשְׂרָאֵֽלof.Israel

Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.


The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran

The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree on the wording of this verse, with all eight words matched. This consistency indicates a shared understanding of the events described, reinforcing the historical narrative of Moab's rebellion against Israel.

Masoretic TextLeningrad Codex, c. AD 1008 — the text this page is built on

וַיְהִ֖י כְּמ֣וֹת אַחְאָ֑ב וַיִּפְשַׁ֥ע מֶֽלֶךְ־ מוֹאָ֖ב בְּמֶ֥לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיְהִ֖יἐγένετοכְּמ֣וֹתἀποθανεῖνאַחְאָ֑בαξααβוַיִּפְשַׁ֥עἠθέτησενמֶֽלֶךְ־βασιλεὺςמוֹאָ֖בμωαβבְּמֶ֥לֶךְβασιλεῖיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ισραηλ

8 of the 8 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.


The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

2 Kings 3:5הָיָהand it wasand it wasהָיָהמָ֫וֶתwhen diedwhen diedמָ֫וֶתאַחְאָבAhabAhabאַחְאָבפָּשַׁעand he rebeand he rebelledפָּשַׁעמֶ֫לֶךְ[the] king [the] king ofמֶ֫לֶךְמוֹאָבMoabMoabמוֹאָבמֶ֫לֶךְagainst [thagainst [the] kמֶ֫לֶךְיִשְׂרָאֵלIsraelIsraelיִשְׂרָאֵלמָלַךְto reignto reignמָלַךְמוּתto dieto dieמוּתאָחbrother: mbrother: male-sאָחשָׂרָהto striveto striveשָׂרָההָוָאto fallto fallהָוָאפָּשַׂעto stepto stepפָּשַׂעאָבfatherfatherאָבנְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּרNebuchadneNebuchadnezzarנְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּראַשּׁוּרAsshurAsshurאַשּׁוּרשְׁאוֹלhell: Sheohell: SheolשְׁאוֹליְהוֹרָםJoramJoramיְהוֹרָםיִזְרְעֶאל(Valley of(Valley of) JezיִזְרְעֶאללִבְנָהLibnahLibnahלִבְנָהאֱדוֹםEdomEdomאֱדוֹםעֲרָבָהplainplainעֲרָבָהעַמּוֹןAmmonAmmonעַמּוֹןשֵׁ֫בֶטtribetribeשֵׁ֫בֶטקָדוֹשׁholyholyקָדוֹשׁ
meets it a little oftener than chancemeets it far oftener than chancebuilt from the same roottwo words of the verse share ita word of this versea related word

Lexicons — every word in 2 Kings 3:5

One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.

Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.

and it was when died Ahab and he rebelled [the] king of Moab against [the] king of Israel
וַיְהִ֖יvay.Hi and it was H1961 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
3,562× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for to be means to exist or come into being. It is used to describe something that happens or comes to pass, like in Genesis where God creates the world.
Tyndale gloss
to be
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word הָיָה (hayah) is a primitive root meaning to exist or become, and it encompasses a range of meanings including to happen, occur, and come to pass. It is often used in narrative contexts, particularly in phrases like "and it came to pass." The word can also denote a state of being or existence, and it appears frequently in various forms throughout the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הָיָה 3570 vb. fall out, come to pass, become, be

Qal

Fall out, happen

occur, take place, come about, come to pass

esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass

וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)

rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה

less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)

Come into being, become

abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come

sq. prep.

become

sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)

sq. pred. adj.

become like

sq. pred. לְ pers.

sq. לְ pred.

oft. c. לְ pred. לְ pers.

with עַל and לְ

sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of

Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming)

exist, be in existence

abide, remain, continue

with word of locality, be in or at a place, be situated, stand, lie

as copula, joining subj. & pred.

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1961 הָיָה fall out, come to pass, become, be .. . . Fall out, happen

. occur, take place, come about, come to pass

. esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass . . וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)

. rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה

. less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)

. Come into being, become . . abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come

. sq. prep.

. become . sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)

. sq. pred. adj.

. become like

. sq. pred. + לְ pers.

. sq. לְ pred.

. oft. c. לְ pred. + לְ pers.

. with עַל and לְ

. sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of

. Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming) . exist, be in existence

. abide, remain, continue

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1961 hayah haw-yaw

a primitive root (compare 1933); to exist, i.e. be or become,

come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or

auxiliary):--beacon, X altogether, be(-come), accomplished,

committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint,

fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit

(one-)self, require, X use.

see HEBREW for 01933

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הָיָה (ha.yah) — to be.

1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out

1a) (Qal)

1a1) ---

1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass

1a1b) to come about, come to pass

1a2) to come into being, become

1a2a) to arise, appear, come

1a2b) to become

1a2b1) to become

1a2b2) to become like

1a2b3) to be instituted, be established

1a3) to be

1a3a) to exist, be in existence

1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time)

1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality)

1a3d) to accompany, be with

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to occur, come to pass, be done, be brought about

1b2) to be done, be finished, be gone

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
and it was when died Ahab and he rebelled [the] king of Moab against [the] king of Israel
כְּמ֣וֹתke.Mot when died H4194 Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
156× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word refers to death, whether natural or violent, and is used in books like Genesis and Isaiah. It can also mean the place of the dead, or a state of ruin. This concept is seen in the story of Moses, where death is a punishment for disobedience.
Amplified meaning
passing away, end of life
Tyndale gloss
death
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מָ֫וֶת (maveth) means 'death' and encompasses various aspects such as natural or violent death, the state of being dead, and the realm of the dead (hades). It can also refer to pestilence or ruin. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to die' and has an Aramaic equivalent, מוֹת (mot).

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מָ֫וֶת 161 n.m. death

death, opp. life

death by violence

state of death or place of death

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4194 מָ֫וֶת death

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4194 maveth maw'-veth

from 4191; death (natural or violent); concretely, the dead,

their place or state (hades); figuratively, pestilence,

ruin:--(be) dead((-ly)), death, die(-d).

see HEBREW for 04191

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מָ֫וֶת (ma.vet) — death.

1) death, dying, Death (personified), realm of the dead

1a) death

1b) death by violence (as a penalty)

1c) state of death, place of death

Aramaic equivalent: mot (מוֹת "death" H4193)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
HR/Ncmsc
and it was when died Ahab and he rebelled [the] king of Moab against [the] king of Israel
אַחְאָ֑ב'ach.'Av Ahab H256 Noun proper masculine
93× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Ahab was a king of Israel who lived a long time ago. He was married to a queen named Jezebel and did many bad things. The prophet Jeremiah also wrote about a different man named Ahab.
Amplified meaning
a king of Israel who lived a long time ago
Tyndale gloss
Ahab
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אַחְאָב (*Ach'ab*) refers to Ahab, a name associated with a king of Israel and a false prophet during the time of Jeremiah. It is derived from the words for 'brother' and 'father,' meaning 'father's brother.' The entries highlight Ahab's lineage, including his marriage to Jezebel and his role in the Divided Monarchy.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אַחְאָב 91 n.pr.m. Ahab (father’s brother)

son of Omri, king of Isr.

false prophet, time of Jerem.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H256 אַחְאָב

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

256 'Ach'ab akh-awb'

once (by contraction) oEchab (Jer. 29:22) {ekh- awb'}; from

251 and 1; brother (i.e. friend) of (his) father; Achab, the

name of a king of Israel and of a prophet at Babylon:--Ahab.

see HEBREW for 0251

see HEBREW for 01

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אַחְאָב (ach.av) — Ahab.

A king of the Kingdom of Israel, living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ki.16.28;

son of: Omri (H6018); married to Jezebel (H0348);

father of: Joash (H3101H), Ahaziah (H0274), Joram (H3141H), Athaliah (H6271)

§ Ahab = "father's brother"

1) king of Israel, son of Omri, husband of Jezebel

2) false prophet executed by Nebuchadrezzar, time of Jeremiah

אַחְאָב (ach.av) — Ahab.

A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at Jer.29.21;

son of: Kolaiah (H6964H)

§ Ahab = "father's brother"

1) king of Israel, son of Omri, husband of Jezebel

2) false prophet executed by Nebuchadrezzar, time of Jeremiah

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper masculine
HNpm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

a'-hab ('ach'abh, Assyrian a-cha-ab-bu; Septuagint Achaab, but Jer 29:21 f, Achiab, which, in analogy with '-h-y- m-l-k, (')-h-y-'-l, etc., indicates an original 'achi'abh, meaning "the father is my brother"): The compound probably signifies that "the father," referring to God, has been chosen as a brother.

1. Ahab's Reign:

Ahab, son of Omri, the seventh king of Israel, who reigned for twenty-two years, from 876 to 854 (1Ki 16:28 ff), was one of the strongest and at the same time one of the weakest kings of Israel. With his kingdom he inherited also the traditional enemies of the kingdom, who were no less ready to make trouble for him than for his predecessors. Occupying a critical position at the best, with foes ever ready to take advantage of any momentary weakness, the kingdom…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Ahab

Father’s brother. (1.) The son of Omri, whom he succeeded as the seventh king of Israel. His history is recorded in 1 Kings 16-22. His wife was Jezebel (q.v.), who exercised a very evil influence over him. To the calf-worship introduced by Jeroboam he added the worship of Baal. He was severely admonished by Elijah (q.v.) for his wickedness. His anger was on this account kindled against the prophet, and he sought to kill him. He undertook three campaigns against Ben-hadad II., king of Damascus. In the first two, which were defensive, he gained a complete victory over Ben-hadad, who fell into his hands, and was afterwards released on the condition of his restoring all the cities of Israel he then held, and granting certain other concessions to Ahab. After three years of peace, for some cause Ahab renewed war (1 Kings 22:3) with…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(uncle). Son of Omri, seventh king of Israel, reigned B.C. 919-896. He married Jezebel, daughter of Ethbaal king of Tyre; and in obedience to her wishes, caused temple to be built to Baal in Samaria itself; and an oracular grove to be consecrated to Astarte. See (1 Kings 18:19) One of Ahab’s chief tastes was for splendid architecture which he showed by building an ivory house and several cities. Desiring to add to his pleasure-grounds at Jezreel the vineyard of his neighbor Naboth, he proposed to buy it or give land in exchange for it; and when this was refused by Naboth in accordance with the Levitical law, (Leviticus 25:23) a false accusation of blasphemy was brought against him, and he was murdered, and Ahab took possession of the coveted fields. (

and it was when died Ahab and he rebelled [the] king of Moab against [the] king of Israel
וַיִּפְשַׁ֥עvai.yif.Sha' and he rebelled H6586 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
41× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To transgress means to break away from authority, like rebelling or revolting against God or others, as seen in Psalm 51:1. It involves intentional disobedience. This concept is key in understanding sin and guilt.
Amplified meaning
transgressed, broke away
Tyndale gloss
to transgress
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

פָּשַׁע (pasha`) means to rebel or transgress, indicating a break from authority. It encompasses actions like revolt and apostasy, and can also refer to being offended in a relational context. The term appears in various forms, including Qal and Niphal, suggesting both active rebellion and passive offense.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

פָּשַׁע vb. rebel, transgress

Qal

rebel, revolt, of nations

transgress against

Niph. a brother (who has been) offended

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6586 פָּשַׁע rebel, transgress

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6586 pasha` paw-shah'

a primitive root (identical with 6585 through the idea of

expansion); to break away (from just authority), i.e.

trespass, apostatize, quarrel:--offend, rebel, revolt,

transgress(-ion, -or).

see HEBREW for 06585

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

פָּשַׁע (pa.sah) — to transgress.

1) to rebel, transgress, revolt

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to rebel, revolt

1a2) to transgress

1b) (Niphal) to be rebelled against

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
and it was when died Ahab and he rebelled [the] king of Moab against [the] king of Israel
מֶֽלֶךְ־Me.lekh- [the] king of H4428 Noun common · masculine singular construct
2,526× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a king or royal person, like King David or King Saul. It can also describe something related to a king, like the King's Valley in Genesis. The Bible often uses this word to talk about the rulers of Israel.
Amplified meaning
ruler, monarch
Tyndale gloss
King's
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word מֶ֫לֶךְ (*melek*) means 'king.' It is derived from a root that suggests royalty. The term appears in various contexts, including references to specific kings and locations, such as the 'King's Highway' in Numbers 20:17 and the 'King's Valley' in Genesis 14:17. The lexicons note its Aramaic equivalent and mention its use in the context of individuals like Hammelech in Jeremiah.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מֶ֫לֶךְ 2513 n.m. king

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4428 מֶ֫לֶךְ king

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4428 melek meh'-lek

from 4427; a king:--king, royal.

see HEBREW for 04427

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — king.

1) king

Aramaic equivalent: me.lekh (מֶ֫לֶךְ "king" H4430)

הַמֶּלֶךְ (me.lekh) — `the king`.

'the king' or a name, Hammelech in KJV of Jer.36.26; 38.6- a man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at Jer.36.26;

father of: Jerahmeel (H3396I) and Malchijah (H4441H); also translated "the king";

§ A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at Jer.36.26;

father of: Jerahmeel (H3396I) and Malchijah (H4441H); also translated "the king";

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — King's.

King's (Highway) (Num.20.17)

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — King's.

Another name of she.lach (שֶׁ֫לַח "Shelah" H7975A)

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — Milcom.

Another name of mo.lekh (מֹ֫לֶךְ "Molech" H4432)

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — King's.

King's (Valley) (Gen.14.17)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular construct
HNcmsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ov:

(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Lamentations 3:1.

The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.

Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.

That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.

Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…

and it was when died Ahab and he rebelled [the] king of Moab against [the] king of Israel
מוֹאָ֖בmo.'Av Moab H4124 Noun proper
181× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Moab refers to the land and descendants of the son of Lot, who was born out of an incestuous relationship. The land of Moab is mentioned in the book of Numbers and the book of Ruth.
Amplified meaning
a land and descendants of Lot's son
Tyndale gloss
(Plains of) Moab
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מוֹאָב (Moab) refers to both a person and a territory. It denotes Moab, the son of Lot by his eldest daughter, and the nation and land descended from him. The name means 'of his father,' highlighting the incestuous origins of Moab. The term appears in various contexts in the Old Testament, including references to the Moabites and their territory.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מוֹאָב, מֹאָב 180 n.pr.gent. et terr. Moab

Moab as son of Lot by his elder daughter

Moab:

= nation of which Lot’s son is represented as ancestor

= territory of Moab

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4124 מוֹאָב, מֹאָב Moab

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4124 Mow'ab mo-awb

from a prolonged form of the prepositional prefix m- and 1;

from (her (the mother's)) father; Moab, an incestuous son of

Lot; also his territory and descendants:--Moab.

see HEBREW for 01

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מוֹאָב (mo.av) — Moab.

Moab = "of his father"

the nation descended from the son of Lot

Also named: mo.a.vi (מוֹאָבִי "Moab" H4125)

מוֹאָב (mo.av) — Moab.

A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.19.37;

son of: Lot (H3876) and his first daughter (H3876H);

half-brother of Ben-ammi (H1151);

§ Moab = "of his father"

1) a son of Lot by his eldest daughter

2) the nation descended from the son of Lot

3) the land inhabited by the descendants of the son of Lot

מוֹאָב (mo.av) — (Plains of) Moab.

Combined with a.ra.vah (עֲרָבָה " Plains" H6160I)

§ Moab = "of his father"

the land inhabited by the descendants of the son of Lot

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper
HNpl
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Moab

The seed of the father, or, according to others, the desirable land, the eldest son of Lot (Gen. 19:37), of incestuous birth.

(2.) Used to denote the people of Moab (Num. 22:3-14; Judg. 3:30; 2 Sam. 8:2; Jer. 48:11, 13).

(3.) The land of Moab (Jer. 48:24), called also the “country of Moab” (Ruth 1:2, 6; 2:6), on the east of Jordan and the Dead Sea, and south of the Arnon (Num. 21:13, 26). In a wider sense it included the whole region that had been occupied by…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(of his father), Mo’abites. Moab was the son of the Lot’s eldest daughter, the progenitor of the Moabites. Zoar was the cradle of the race of Lot. From this centre the brother tribes spread themselves. The Moabites first inhabited the rich highlands which crown the eastern side of the chasm of the Dead Sea, extending as far north as the mountain of Gilead, from which country they expelled the Emims, the original inhabitants, (2:11) but they themselves were afterward driven southward by the warlike Amorites, who had crossed the Jordan, and were confined to the country south of the river Arnon, which formed their northern boundary. (Numbers 21:13; Judges 11:18) The territory occupied by Moab at the period of its greatest extent, before the invasion of the Amorites, divided itself…

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

of his father

Nave's Topical Bible

1. Son of Lot Ge 19:37

2. Plains of

Israelites come in De 2:17,18

Military forces numbered in Nu 26:3,63

The law rehearsed in, by Moses Nu 35; 36; De 29; 30; 31; 32; 33

The Israelites renew their covenant in De 29:1

The land of promise allotted in Jos 13:32

and it was when died Ahab and he rebelled [the] king of Moab against [the] king of Israel
בְּמֶ֥לֶךְbe.Me.lekh against [the] king of H4428 Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
2,526× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a king or royal person, like King David or King Saul. It can also describe something related to a king, like the King's Valley in Genesis. The Bible often uses this word to talk about the rulers of Israel.
Amplified meaning
leader, ruler
Tyndale gloss
King's
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word מֶ֫לֶךְ (*melek*) means 'king.' It is derived from a root that suggests royalty. The term appears in various contexts, including references to specific kings and locations, such as the 'King's Highway' in Numbers 20:17 and the 'King's Valley' in Genesis 14:17. The lexicons note its Aramaic equivalent and mention its use in the context of individuals like Hammelech in Jeremiah.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מֶ֫לֶךְ 2513 n.m. king

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4428 מֶ֫לֶךְ king

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4428 melek meh'-lek

from 4427; a king:--king, royal.

see HEBREW for 04427

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — king.

1) king

Aramaic equivalent: me.lekh (מֶ֫לֶךְ "king" H4430)

הַמֶּלֶךְ (me.lekh) — `the king`.

'the king' or a name, Hammelech in KJV of Jer.36.26; 38.6- a man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at Jer.36.26;

father of: Jerahmeel (H3396I) and Malchijah (H4441H); also translated "the king";

§ A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at Jer.36.26;

father of: Jerahmeel (H3396I) and Malchijah (H4441H); also translated "the king";

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — King's.

King's (Highway) (Num.20.17)

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — King's.

Another name of she.lach (שֶׁ֫לַח "Shelah" H7975A)

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — Milcom.

Another name of mo.lekh (מֹ֫לֶךְ "Molech" H4432)

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — King's.

King's (Valley) (Gen.14.17)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
HR/Ncmsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ov:

(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Lamentations 3:1.

The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.

Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.

That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.

Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…

and it was when died Ahab and he rebelled [the] king of Moab against [the] king of Israel
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃Yis.ra.'El Israel H3478 Noun proper
2,508× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Israel is the symbolic name of Jacob, also referring to his descendants. Jacob, son of Isaac and Rebekah, had 12 sons who became the tribes of Israel, as told in Genesis 25:26. His story is crucial to the Bible's narrative.
Amplified meaning
the symbolic name of Jacob, referring to his descendants
Tyndale gloss
Israel
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisra'el) refers to both the second name of Jacob, meaning 'God prevails,' and the name of the Hebrew nation descended from him. It is derived from roots meaning 'to rule' and 'God.' The term encompasses Jacob's descendants and is used historically for the northern kingdom of Israel and the nation as a whole after the Babylonian exile.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יִשְׂרָאֵל 2507 n.pr.m. et gent. Israel (Ēl persisteth, persevereth)

n.pr.m. second name of Jacob

n.pr.gent. name of Hebrew nation

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3478 יִשְׂרָאֵל Israel (Ēl persisteth, persevereth) . n. pr. m. second name of Jacob

. n. pr. gent. name of Hebrew nation

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3478 Yisra'el yis-raw-ale'

from 8280 and 410; he will rule as God; Jisrael, a symbolical

name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity:

--Israel.

see HEBREW for 08280

see HEBREW for 0410

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יִשְׂרָאֵל (yis.ra.el) — Israel.

A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.25.26;

son of: Isaac (H3327) and Rebekah (H7259);

brother of: Esau (H6215); married to Rachel (H7354), Leah (H3812), Zilpah (H2153) and Bilhah (H1090A);

father of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Judah (H3063), Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074), Dinah (H1783), Joseph (H3130) and Benjamin (H1144); also called Jacob frequently

§ Israel = "God prevails"

1) the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel

2) the name of the descendants and the nation of the descendants of Jacob

2a) the name of the nation until the death of Solomon and the split

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper
HNpl
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

iz'-ra-el.

See JACOB.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Israel

The name conferred on Jacob after the great prayer-struggle at Peniel (Gen. 32:28), because “as a prince he had power with God and prevailed.” (See JACOB.) This is the common name given to Jacob’s descendants. The whole people of the twelve tribes are called “Israelites,” the “children of Israel” (Josh. 3:17; 7:25; Judg. 8:27; Jer. 3:21), and the “house of Israel” (Ex. 16:31; 40:38).

This name Israel is sometimes used emphatically for the true Israel (Ps. 73:1: Isa. 45:17; 49:3;

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(the prince that prevails with God). The name given, (Genesis 32:28) to Jacob after his wrestling with the angel, (Hosea 12:4) at Peniel. Gesenius interprets Israel "soldier of God." It became the national name of the twelve tribes collectively. They are so called in (Exodus 3:16) and afterward. It is used in a narrower sense, excluding Judah, in (1 Samuel 11:8; 2 Samuel 20:1; 1 Kings 12:16) Thenceforth it was assumed and accepted as the name of the northern kingdom. After the Babylonian captivity, the returned exiles resumed the name Israel as the designation of…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Who prevails with God, a name given to Jacob, after having wrestled with the Angel-Jehovah at Penuel. Ge 32:1,2,28,30 Ho 12:3. See JACOB. By the name Israel is sometimes understood all the posterity of Israel, the seed of Jacob, 1Co 10:18; sometimes all true believers, his spiritual seed, Ro 9:6; and sometimes the kingdom of Israel, or the ten tribes, as distinct from the kingdom of Judah.

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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