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2 Kings 4:18 — Word Study

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WLCוַיִּגְדַּ֖ל הַיָּ֑לֶד וַיְהִ֣י הַיּ֔וֹם וַיֵּצֵ֥א אֶל־ אָבִ֖יו אֶל־ הַקֹּצְרִֽים׃

BSAAndhâyâh the childyeled [youth, young person] grewgâdal [to magnify, became great] and one dayyôwm [a certain day, a specific time] he went outyâtsâʼ [to come out, leave] toʼêl his fatherʼâb [parent, guardian] who was withʼêl [toward, in the company of] the harvestersqâtsar [reapers, those gathering grain]

Word
Listen & take away2 Kings 4
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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 (ha.ko.tze.Rim) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
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2 Kings 4:18quick helps
In a sentenceA child grows and one day goes to his father, who is working with the harvesters.
Who is speakingThe narrator describes the child and his actions.
Where we areThe narrative describes a moment in the life of a child and his family.
The hard wordגָּדַל
Take awayGrowth is a natural part of life, leading to new experiences.
7 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, Ellicott & more — read them › clause verbגָּדַל 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 4:18

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 Story of Elisha and the Shunammite Womangenerated

17But the woman did conceive, and at that time the next year she gave birth to a son, just as Elisha had told her.
18And the child grew, and one day he went out to his father, who was with the harvesters.
19“My head! My head!” he complained to his father. So his father told a servant, “Carry him to his mother.”
20After the servant had picked him up and carried him to his mother, the boy sat on her lap until noon, and then he died.

2 Kings 4:18 describes a significant moment in the life of a child born to a woman who had previously been barren. The narrative shows the child's growth and his interaction with his father during the harvest season. This passage highlights the fulfillment of God's promise and the everyday life of a family in Israel, reflecting themes of growth and familial relationships.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Ruth 2:4Just then Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and said to the harvesters, “The LORD be with you.” “The LORD bless you,” they replied.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 1 reference, hung on the phrase they belong to

to the reapersRuth 2:4

The Key Word גָּדַל, vai.yig.Dalgenerated

The verb גָּדַל (gadal) means to grow up or become great. It implies a process of magnification or increase in stature, importance, or power. In this context, it indicates the child's physical and possibly emotional development.

This verb is in the Qal stem, indicating a simple action of growing, and is in the sequential imperfect tense, suggesting an ongoing process. The use of this word emphasizes the natural progression of life and the child's development within the family structure.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

The translations agree here, using variations like grew (BSB, KJV, ASV) and became great (YLT, WEB, BBE) to convey the child's development.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The finite verbs יִּגְדַּ֖ל (he grew), יְהִ֣י (and it was), and יֵּצֵ֥א (he went out) govern the main actions of the verse. The structure presents a sequence of events: first the child's growth, then a specific day, and finally his action of going out.

The sentence flows from the subject, the child, to the actions he undertakes, emphasizing the child's development leading to his interaction with his father.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates גָּדַל as ἡδρύνθη, which conveys the idea of being strengthened or made great. This choice highlights a potential interpretative nuance, suggesting that the child's growth is not just physical but also in strength or significance.

This translation aligns with the Hebrew meaning but adds a layer of interpretation that emphasizes the child's importance in the narrative.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

2 Kings 4:18 tells us that a child grew and one day went to his father, who was working with the harvesters. This moment highlights the child's development and the everyday life of a family in Israel.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that the child grew?

It signifies the natural process of development, both physically and in the context of his family and community.

Why is the child's interaction with his father important?

It illustrates the familial relationships and the everyday life of people during that time, emphasizing the significance of parental roles.

What can we learn from the child's growth?

The child's growth reflects the fulfillment of God's promises and the importance of nurturing relationships within a family.

How does this verse connect to the overall story of Elisha?

It sets the stage for the unfolding events that follow, highlighting the miraculous nature of the child's birth and the significance of his life.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways have I experienced growth in my own life?
  2. How do family relationships shape our development?
  3. What role does faith play in the growth and development of a child?
  4. How can I support the growth of those around me, especially children?

Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on 2 Kings 4:18 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

And when the child was grown,.... Perhaps was six or seven years of age, or more: it fell on a day that he went out to his father to the reapers; it was harvest time, and the men were reaping the

Read John Gill on 2 Kings 4 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And he said, What then is to be done for her? And Gehazi answered, Verily she hath no child, and her husband is old. No JFB commentary on these verses.

Read Robert Jamieson on 2 Kings 4 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

2 Kings 4:18 And when the child was grown, it fell on a day, that he went out to his father to the reapers.Ver. 18. Went out to his father to the reapers.] This Shunammite, though rich, yet had himself the oversight of his harvest labourers: so had Boaz. This was good husbandry.

Read John Trapp on 2 Kings 4 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(18) It fell on a day.—See Note on 2 Kings 4:8.

Read Charles John Ellicott on 2 Kings 4 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 18. When the child was grown] We know not of what age he was, very likely four or six, if not more years; for he could go out to the reapers in the harvest field, converse, &c.

Read AdamClarke on 2 Kings 4 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

18–37. The child of the Shunammite dies, and is restored to life by Elisha (Not in Chronicles) 18. And when the child was grown] During the years which had elapsed since the birth of the child the journeys of the prophet between Samaria and Carmel had no doubt still continued, and the feeling of reverence felt by the Shunammite at first, had grown, as we see from the subsequent narrative, into complete trust, a trust which sends her to Carmel when her sorrow comes, and makes her cling to Elisha as her chief hope for relief. ‘As the Lord liveth and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee’. to his father to the reapers] The whole picture is of a well-to-do home, where all was abundant. The…

Read Cambridge on 2 Kings 4 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

18. When the child was grown — Large enough to go out by himself. To the reapers — In the neighbouring grain-fields. In June (16th, 1838,) Dr.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on 2 Kings 4 →

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

And the child grew, and one day he went out to his father, who was with the harvesters.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

When the child was grown, one day he went out to his father to the reapers.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

And the child grew, and one day he went out to his father, who was with the harvesters.

NETBNew English Translation2006

The boy grew and one day he went out to see his father who was with the harvest workers.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

¶ And when the child was grown, it fell on a day, that he went out to his father to the reapers.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And when the child was grown, it fell on a day, that he went out to his father to the reapers.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And when the child was grown, it fell on a day, that he went out to his father to the reapers.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And when the child was grown, it happened on a day, that he went out to his father to the reapers.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

And when the childe was growen, it fell on a day, that he went out to his father, and to the reapers.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And the child grew, and it came to pass one day, that he went out to his father to the reapers.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And the lad groweth, and the day cometh that he goeth out unto his father, unto the reapers,

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And the boy grows, and the day comes that he goes out to his father, to the reapers,

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And the child grew up; and it happened one day, that he went out to his father to the reapers.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

When the child had grown, he went out one day to his father, who was with harvesters.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And the child grew. And on a certain day, when he went out to his father to the reapers,

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

The child grew up, but one day when he went out to see his father who was with the reapers,

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Now one day, when the child was older, he went out to his father to where the grain was being cut.

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.

וַandclauseverbיִּגְדַּ֖לhe.grew.upnoun phrase · subjectהַtheיָּ֑לֶדchildוַandclauseverbיְהִ֣יit.wasnoun phrase · subjectהַtheיּ֔וֹםdayוַandclauseverbיֵּצֵ֥אhe.went.outprepositional phrase · prepositionalאֶלtonoun phraseאָבִ֖יfatherוhisprepositional phrase · prepositionalאֶלtonoun phraseהַtheקֹּצְרִֽיםharvesters

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 וַיִּגְדַּ֖ל הַיָּ֑לֶד and the subsequent actions, showing consistency in the depiction of the child's growth and his relationship with his father.

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

וַיִּגְדַּ֖ל הַיָּ֑לֶד וַיְהִ֣י הַיּ֔וֹם וַיֵּצֵ֥א אֶל־ אָבִ֖יו אֶל־ הַקֹּצְרִֽים׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיִּגְדַּ֖לἡδρύνθηהַיָּ֑לֶדπαιδάριονוַיְהִ֣יἐγένετοהַיּ֔וֹםἡνίκαוַיֵּצֵ֥אἐχῆλθενאֶל־πρὸςאָבִ֖יוαὐτοῦאֶל־πρὸςהַקֹּצְרִֽים׃θερίζοντας

9 of the 9 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 4:18גָּדַלand he grewand he grew upגָּדַליֶ֫לֶדthe childthe childיֶ֫לֶדהָיָהand it wasand it wasהָיָהיוֹםthe daythe dayיוֹםיָצָאand he wentand he went outיָצָאאֶלtotoאֶלאָבfather hisfather hisאָבאֶלtotoאֶלקָצֵרthe harvestthe harvestersקָצֵריָלַדto begetto begetיָלַדגְּדִלִיםtasseltasselגְּדִלִיםהָוָאto fallto fallהָוָאפָּלַלto prayto prayפָּלַליִרְמְיָ֫הJeremiahJeremiahיִרְמְיָ֫היֶ֫לֶדyouthyouthיֶ֫לֶדתָּמִידcontinuallcontinuallyתָּמִידלֵאָהLeahLeahלֵאָהגָּדַלto magnifyto magnifyגָּדַלשְׁבִיעִיseventhseventhשְׁבִיעִישַׁבָּתSabbathSabbathשַׁבָּתקָרָאto encountto encounter: mקָרָאגּוֹרָלallottedallottedגּוֹרָלקָבַרto buryto buryקָבַראֵםmothermotherאֵםזָרַעto sowto sowזָרַעקָצִירharvestharvestקָצִיר
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 4:18

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 he grew up the child and it was the day and he went out to father his to the harvesters
וַיִּגְדַּ֖לvai.yig.Dal and he grew up H1431 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
117× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To make something or someone great, important, or powerful. This Hebrew word means to magnify or grow, and is used in the Bible to describe God's power and greatness. The KJV translates it as 'magnify' or 'great'.
Amplified meaning
to magnify, became great
Tyndale gloss
to magnify
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

גָּדַל (gadal) is a Hebrew verb meaning to grow up or become great. It encompasses a range of meanings including to magnify, promote, and make powerful. The word has various forms, such as Qal, Piel, and Hiphil, indicating different nuances of growth and greatness. Notably, it can also imply self-magnification.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

גָּדַל 115 vb. grow up, become great

Qal

grow up

become great

to be magnified

Pi.

cause to grow

make great, powerful

magnify

Pu. brought up

Hiph.

make great

magnify

do great things

Hithp. I will magnify myself

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1431 גָּדַל grow up, become great .. grow up

. become great

. to be magnified

. . cause to grow

. make great, powerful

. magnify

. brought up

. . make great

. magnify

. do great things

. I will magnify myself

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1431 gadal gaw-dal'

a primitive root; properly, to twist (compare 1434), i.e. to

be (causatively make) large (in various senses, as in body,

mind, estate or honor, also in pride):--advance, boast, bring

up, exceed, excellent, be(-come, do, give, make, wax),

great(-er, come to...estate, + things), grow(up),increase,

lift up, magnify(-ifical), be much set by, nourish (up), pass,

promote, proudly (spoken), tower.

see HEBREW for 01434

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

גָּדַל (ga.dal) — to magnify.

1) to grow, become great or important, promote, make powerful, praise, magnify, do great things

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to grow up

1a2) to become great

1a3) to be magnified

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to cause to grow

1b2) to make great, powerful

1b3) to magnify

1c) (Pual) to be brought up

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to make great

1d2) to magnify

1d3) to do great things

1e) (Hithpael) to magnify oneself

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
and he grew up the child and it was the day and he went out to father his to the harvesters
הַיָּ֑לֶדhai.Ya.led the child H3206 Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
89× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word refers to a young person, like a child or teenager, such as the youth who helped David in 1 Samuel 20:1. It can also mean offspring or descendants, like the children of Israel in Exodus 12:37.
Amplified meaning
youth, young person
Tyndale gloss
youth
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יֶ֫לֶד (yeled) refers to a child, son, or youth, encompassing meanings like offspring and young man. It can also figuratively denote apostate Israelites. The word is derived from a root meaning something born, indicating its connection to birth and lineage.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יֶ֫לֶד 89 n.m. child, son, boy, youth

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3206 יֶ֫לֶד child, son, boy, youth

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3206 yeled yeh'-led

from 3205; something born, i.e. a lad or offspring:--boy,

child, fruit, son, young man (one).

see HEBREW for 03205

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יֶ֫לֶד (ye.led) — youth.

1) child, son, boy, offspring, youth

1a) child, son, boy

1b) child, children

1c) descendants

1d) youth

1e) apostate Israelites (fig.)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-ms — Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
HTd/Ncmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Child

This word has considerable latitude of meaning in Scripture. Thus Joseph is called a child at the time when he was probably about sixteen years of age (Gen. 37:3); and Benjamin is so called when he was above thirty years (44:20). Solomon called himself a little child when he came to the kingdom (1 Kings 3:7).

The descendants of a man, however remote, are called his children; as, “the children of Edom,” “the children of Moab,” “the children of Israel.”

In the earliest times mothers did not wean their children till they were from thirty months to three years old; and the day on which they were weaned was kept as a festival day (Gen. 21:8; Ex. 2:7, 9;

and he grew up the child and it was the day and he went out to father his to the harvesters
וַיְהִ֣יvay.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 he grew up the child and it was the day and he went out to father his to the harvesters
הַיּ֔וֹםhai.Yom the day H3117 Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
2,306× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word 'yom' refers to a day, which can be a literal 24-hour period or a figurative space of time. It is used in the Bible to describe a wide range of time periods, from a single day to a year or a lifetime. The word 'yom' is used in many different contexts throughout the Bible.
Amplified meaning
a certain day, a specific time
Tyndale gloss
day
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יוֹם (yowm) means 'day' and refers to a division of time, contrasting with night. It can denote a literal 24-hour period, a general time span, or even a year. The term is used in various contexts, including the 'day of Yahweh,' which signifies a time of divine judgment. It also appears in phrases indicating temporal references like today, yesterday, and tomorrow.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יוֹם 2285 n.m. day

day, opp. night

Day as division of time

יוֹם י׳ day of Yahweh, chiefly as time of his coming in judgment, involving often blessedness for righteous

Pl. days of anyone

Days

יוֹם = time

Phrases

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3117 יוֹם day . day, opp. night

. Day as division of time

. יוֹם י׳ day of Yahweh, chiefly as time of his coming in judgment, involving often blessedness for righteous

. Pl. days of anyone

. Days

. יוֹם = time

. Phrases

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3117 yowm yome

from an unused root meaning to be hot; a day (as the warm

hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one

sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by

an associated term), (often used adverb):--age, + always, +

chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to)

day, (now a, two) days (agone), + elder, X end, + evening, +

(for) ever(-lasting, -more), X full, life, as (so) long as

(... live), (even) now, + old, + outlived, + perpetually,

presently, + remaineth, X required, season, X since, space,

then, (process of) time, + as at other times, + in trouble,

weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), X whole

(+ age), (full) year(-ly), + younger.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יוֹם (yom) — day.

: day/when/time/period

1) day, time, year

1a) day (as opposed to night)

1b) day (24 hour period)

1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1

1b2) as a division of time

1b2a) a working day, a day's journey

1c) days, lifetime (pl.)

1d) time, period (general)

1e) year

1f) temporal references

1f1) today

1f2) yesterday

1f3) tomorrow

יוֹם (yom) — day: old.

: old/(full/many)[days]

1) day, time, year

1a) day (as opposed to night)

1b) day (24 hour period)

1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1

1b2) as a division of time

1b2a) a working day, a day's journey

1c) days, lifetime (pl.)

1d) time, period (general)

1e) year

1f) temporal references

1f1) today

1f2) yesterday

1f3) tomorrow

יוֹם (yom) — day: year.

: year[of_days]

1) day, time, year

1a) day (as opposed to night)

1b) day (24 hour period)

1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1

1b2) as a division of time

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-ms — Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
HTd/Ncmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

da (yom; hemera): This common word has caused some trouble to plain readers, because they have not noticed that the word is used in several different senses in the English Bible. When the different uses of the word are understood the difficulty of interpretation vanishes. We note several different uses of the word:

(1) It sometimes means the time from daylight till dark. This popular meaning is easily discovered by the context, e. g. Ge 1:5; 8:22, etc. The marked periods of this daytime were morning, noon and night, as with us. See Ps 55:17. The early hours were sometimes called "the cool of the day" (Ge 3:8). After the exile the day. or daytime was divided into twelve hours and the night into twelve (see

Day

The Jews reckoned the day from sunset to sunset (Lev. 23:32). It was originally divided into three parts (Ps. 55:17). “The heat of the day” (1 Sam. 11:11; Neh. 7:3) was at our nine o’clock, and “the cool of the day” just before sunset (Gen. 3:8). Before the Captivity the Jews divided the night into three watches, (1) from sunset to midnight (Lam. 2:19); (2) from midnight till the cock-crowing (Judg. 7:19); and (3) from the cock-crowing till sunrise (Ex.…

The variable length of the natural day at different seasons led in the very earliest times to the adoption of the civil day (or one revolution of the sun) as a standard of time. The Hebrews reckoned the day from evening to evening, (Leviticus 23:32) deriving it from (Genesis 1:5) "the evening and the morning were the first day." The Jews are supposed, like the modern Arabs, to have adopted from an early period minute specifications of the parts of the natural day. Roughly, indeed, they were content to divide it into "morning, evening and noonday," (Psalms 55:17) but when they wished for greater accuracy they pointed to six unequal parts, each of which was again subdivided. These are held to have been -- "the dawn." "Sunrise."…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The day is distinguished into natural, civil, and artificial. The natural day is one revolution of the earth on its axis. The civil day is that, the beginning and the end of which are determined by the custom of any nation. The Hebrews began their day in the evening, Le 23:32; the Babylonians at sunrise; and we begin at midnight. The artificial day is the time of the sun’s continuance above the horizon, which is unequal according to different seasons, on account of the obliquity of the equator. The sacred writers generally divide the day into twelve hours. The sixth hour always ends at noon throughout the year; and the twelfth hour is the last hour before sunset. But in summer, all the hours of the day were longer than in winter, while those of night were shorter. See HOURS, and THREE.

and he grew up the child and it was the day and he went out to father his to the harvesters
וַיֵּצֵ֥אvai.ye.Tze' and he went out H3318 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
1,067× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means to go out or come out, and it's used in many different ways, like leaving a place or starting a new journey, as seen in Genesis and Exodus.
Amplified meaning
to come out, leave
Tyndale gloss
to come out: come
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָצָא (yatsa') is a Hebrew verb meaning to go or come out, with various applications including departure, escape, and emergence. It can refer to both animate and inanimate subjects and emphasizes the idea of origin or source. The verb appears in different forms, such as Qal, Hiphil, and Hophal, indicating actions like leading out or being brought forth.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָצָא 1068 vb. go or come out

Qal

go or come out or forth

from (מִן) a place

go forth from (the presence of) a person

in technical senses

of flight, involving escape

depart

of inanimate things

with especial emphasis on idea of origin, source

of children as going forth from loins (of father)

go forth to a place

go forward, proceed to or toward something

come or go forth, with esp. ref. to purpose or result

of combinations

Hiph.

cause to go or come out, bring out, lead out

fig. obj. persons, bring out of (מִן) distress, etc.

bring out animals

inanimate obj.

fig. subj. י׳, bring forth from (מִן)

Hoph. be brought forth

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3318 יָצָא go or come out .. go or come out or forth . from (מִן) a place

. go forth from (the presence of) a person

. in technical senses

. of flight, involving escape

. depart

. of inanimate things

. with especial emphasis on idea of origin, source

. of children as going forth from loins (of father)

. . go forth to a place

. go forward, proceed to or toward something

. come or go forth, with esp. ref. to purpose or result

. of combinations

. . cause to go or come out, bring out, lead out

. fig. obj. persons, bring out of (מִן) distress, etc.

. bring out animals

. inanimate obj.

. fig. subj. י׳, bring forth from (מִן)

. be brought forth

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3318 yatsa' yaw-tsaw'

a primitive root; to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great

variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct

and proxim.:--X after, appear, X assuredly, bear out, X

begotten, break out, bring forth (out, up), carry out, come

(abroad, out, thereat, without), + be condemned,

depart(-ing, -ure), draw forth, in the end, escape, exact,

fail, fall (out), fetch forth (out), get away (forth, hence,

out), (able to, cause to, let) go abroad (forth, on, out),

going out, grow, have forth (out), issue out, lay (lie) out,

lead out, pluck out, proceed, pull out, put away, be risen, X

scarce, send with commandment, shoot forth, spread, spring

out, stand out, X still, X surely, take forth (out), at any

time, X to (and fro), utter.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָצָא (ya.tsa) — to come out: come.

: come/go_out/escape

1) to go out, come out, exit, go forth

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go or come out or forth, depart

1a2) to go forth (to a place)

1a3) to go forward, proceed to (to or toward something)

1a4) to come or go forth (with purpose or for result)

1a5) to come out of

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to cause to go or come out, bring out, lead out

1b2) to bring out of

1b3) to lead out

1b4) to deliver

1c) (Hophal) to be brought out or forth

יָצָא (ya.tsa) — to come out: send.

: send/take_out/release

1) to go out, come out, exit, go forth

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go or come out or forth, depart

1a2) to go forth (to a place)

1a3) to go forward, proceed to (to or toward something)

1a4) to come or go forth (with purpose or for result)

1a5) to come out of

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to cause to go or come out, bring out, lead out

1b2) to bring out of

1b3) to lead out

1b4) to deliver

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
and he grew up the child and it was the day and he went out to father his to the harvesters
אֶל־'el- to H413 Preposition
5,518× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means 'to' or 'toward', showing direction or movement. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus, to indicate where someone is going. The KJV translates it in various ways, like 'about', 'according to', or 'against'.
Tyndale gloss
to(wards)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֶל (el) is primarily a preposition indicating motion towards or direction to a person or place. It can also imply entering a limit, presence at a location, or a hostile direction (against). Additionally, it may express concepts such as concerning, in addition to, or according to. The entries highlight its versatility in both physical and metaphorical contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph),

prep. denoting motion to or direction towards (whether physical or mental).of motion to or unto a person or place

Where the limit is actually entered, into

Of direction towards anything

Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against

Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to

Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

Of rule or standard according to (rare)

Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion

Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H413 אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph), . of motion to or unto a person or place

. Where the limit is actually entered, into

. Of direction towards anything

. Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against

. Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to

. Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

. Of rule or standard according to (rare)

. Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion

. Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

413 'el ale

(but only used in the shortened constructive form sel {el});

a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but

occasionally used of a quiescent position, i.e. near, with or

among; often in general, to:--about, according to ,after,

against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and,

by, concerning, for, from, X hath, in(- to), near, (out) of,

over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether,

with(-in).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶל (el) — to(wards).

1) to, toward, unto (of motion)

2) into (limit is actually entered)

2a) in among

3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion)

4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character)

5) in addition to, to

6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of

7) according to (rule or standard)

8) at, by, against (of one's presence)

9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Preposition
HR
and he grew up the child and it was the day and he went out to father his to the harvesters
אָבִ֖יו'a.Viv father his H1 Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
1,213× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In Hebrew, this word means father, whether literal or figurative. It is used to describe God as the father of his people, as well as human fathers like Abraham. The word is about a paternal relationship or authority.
Amplified meaning
parent, guardian
Tyndale gloss
father
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָב (av) means 'father' and encompasses various roles such as the literal father of an individual, God as the father of His people, and the head of a household or clan. It can also refer to an ancestor, originator of a profession, or a figure of respect and protection. Notably, it can imply a ruler or chief in later contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָב 1101 n.m. father

father of individual

of God as father of his people

head of household, family or clan

ancestor

originator or patron of a class, profession, or art

fig. of producer, generator

fig. of benevolence & protection

term of respect & honor

specif., ruler, chief (late)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1 אָב father . father of individual

. of God as father of his people

. head of household, family or clan

. ancestor

. originator or patron of a class, profession, or art

. fig. of producer, generator

. fig. of benevolence & protection

. term of respect & honor

. specif., ruler, chief (late)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1 'ab awb

a primitive word; father, in a literal and immediate, or

figurative and remote application):--chief,

(fore-)father(-less), X patrimony, principal. Compare names

in "Abi-".

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָב (av) — father.

1) father of an individual

2) of God as father of his people

3) head or founder of a household, group, family, or clan

4) ancestor

4a) grandfather, forefathers - of person

4b) of people

5) originator or patron of a class, profession, or art

6) of producer, generator (fig.)

7) of benevolence and protection (fig.)

8) term of respect and honour

9) ruler or chief (spec.)

Also means: av (אַב "father" H0002)

אָב (av) — (Huram)-abi.

A man living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ki.7.13; also called Huram-abi (KJV: "Huram my father's") at 2Ch.2.13; 4.16;

Combined with chi.ram (חִירָם "Hiram" H2438H)

אָב (av) — father of.

The father of Gibeon, also known as Abiel - a man of the tribe of Benjamin living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Sa.9.1;

son of: Zeror (H6872C); married to Maacah (H4601N);

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HNcmsc/Sp3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hiz: Used often in the King James Version with reference to a neuter or inanimate thing, or to a lower animal (Ge 1:11, "after his kind"; Le 1:16, "pluck away his crop"; Ac 12:10, "of his own accord"; 1Co 15:38, "his own body"), etc. the Revised Version (British and American) substitutes "its."

and he grew up the child and it was the day and he went out to father his to the harvesters
אֶל־'el- to H413 Preposition
5,518× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means 'to' or 'toward', showing direction or movement. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus, to indicate where someone is going. The KJV translates it in various ways, like 'about', 'according to', or 'against'.
Amplified meaning
toward, in the company of
Tyndale gloss
to(wards)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֶל (el) is primarily a preposition indicating motion towards or direction to a person or place. It can also imply entering a limit, presence at a location, or a hostile direction (against). Additionally, it may express concepts such as concerning, in addition to, or according to. The entries highlight its versatility in both physical and metaphorical contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph),

prep. denoting motion to or direction towards (whether physical or mental).of motion to or unto a person or place

Where the limit is actually entered, into

Of direction towards anything

Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against

Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to

Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

Of rule or standard according to (rare)

Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion

Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H413 אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph), . of motion to or unto a person or place

. Where the limit is actually entered, into

. Of direction towards anything

. Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against

. Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to

. Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

. Of rule or standard according to (rare)

. Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion

. Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

413 'el ale

(but only used in the shortened constructive form sel {el});

a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but

occasionally used of a quiescent position, i.e. near, with or

among; often in general, to:--about, according to ,after,

against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and,

by, concerning, for, from, X hath, in(- to), near, (out) of,

over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether,

with(-in).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶל (el) — to(wards).

1) to, toward, unto (of motion)

2) into (limit is actually entered)

2a) in among

3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion)

4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character)

5) in addition to, to

6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of

7) according to (rule or standard)

8) at, by, against (of one's presence)

9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Preposition
HR
and he grew up the child and it was the day and he went out to father his to the harvesters
הַקֹּצְרִֽים׃ha.ko.tze.Rim the harvesters H7114 Particle · verb qal participle (active) masculine plural
49× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to reap or harvest, like cutting down grain or grass. It is used in the Bible to describe the act of harvesting, and also to describe being discouraged or grieved.
Amplified meaning
reapers, those gathering grain
Tyndale gloss
be short
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

קָצֵר (qatsar) is a Hebrew word that primarily means 'to be short' or 'to reap.' It is built from a primitive root that conveys the idea of curtailing or harvesting, applicable in both literal and figurative contexts. The entries indicate that it can express feelings of impatience or grief, as well as the act of harvesting crops.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[קָצֵר], I. קָצַר vb. be short

Qal be short

Pi. shorten

Hiph. id.

base

[קָצַר] vb. reap, harvest

Qal reap

Hiph. Jb 24:6 Kt

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7114a קָצֵר, קָצַר be short H7114b קָצַר reap, harvest

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7114 qatsar kaw-tsar'

a primitive root; to dock off, i.e. curtail (transitive or

intransitive, literal or figurative); especially to harvest

(grass or grain):--X at all, cut down, much discouraged,

grieve, harvestman, lothe, mourn, reap(-er), (be, wax)

short(-en, -er), straiten, trouble, vex.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קָצֵר (qa.tser) — be short.

1) to be short, be impatient, be vexed, be grieved

1a) (Qal) to be short

1b) (Piel) to shorten

1c) (Hiphil) to shorten

קָצַר (qa.tsar) — to reap.

1) to reap, harvest

1a) (Qal) to reap, harvest

1b) (Hiphil) to reap, harvest

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | V-Qal — Particle · verb qal participle (active) masculine plural
HTd/Vqrmpa
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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