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2 Samuel 13:38 — Word Study

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WLCוְאַבְשָׁל֥וֹם בָּרַ֖ח וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ גְּשׁ֑וּר וַיְהִי־ שָׁ֖ם שָׁלֹ֥שׁ שָׁנִֽים׃

BSAAfter AbsalomʼĂbîyshâlôwm [the son of King David] had fledbârach [run away quickly, escaped] to GeshurGᵉshûwr [a district in Syria, a land in north Transjordania] he stayedhâyâh [remained, was present] thereshâm [in that place, at that time] threeshâlôwsh [a period of thrice, a set of three years] yearsshâneh [a cycle of time, a period of 12 months]

Word
Listen & take away2 Samuel 13
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 38 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 (sha.Nim) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
2 Samuel 13:38quick helps
In a sentenceAbsalom fled to Geshur after his actions against his brother, and he remained there for three years.
Who is speakingThe narrator recounts the events surrounding Absalom, the son of King David.
Where we areThis verse is part of the narrative detailing Absalom's flight and the aftermath of his actions.
The hard wordגְּשׁ֑וּר
Take awayAbsalom's time in Geshur marks a significant period of separation from his family.
6 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, Ellicott & more — read them › clause subjectאַבְשָׁלֹום verbבָּרַח 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 Samuel 13:38

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 Flight of Absalomgenerated

36And as he finished speaking, the sons of the king came in, wailing loudly. Then the king and all his servants also wept very bitterly.
37Now Absalom fled and went to Talmai son of Ammihud, the king of Geshur. But David mourned for his son every day.
38After Absalom had fled and gone to Geshur, he stayed there three years.
39And King David longed to go to Absalom, for he had been consoled over Amnon’s death.

2 Samuel 13:38 recounts the aftermath of Absalom's revolt against his father, King David, and the murder of his half-brother Amnon. Following these events, Absalom fled to Geshur, a region in Syria, where he remained for three years. This period of exile reflects the tension and division within David's family, as well as the consequences of Absalom's actions.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Deuteronomy 3:14Jair, a descendant of Manasseh, took the whole region of Argob as far as the border of the Geshurites and Maacathites. He renamed Bashan after himself, Havvoth-jair, by which it is called to this day.
2Joshua 12:5He ruled over Mount Hermon, Salecah, all of Bashan up to the border of the Geshurites and Maacathites, and half of Gilead to the border of Sihon king of Heshbon.
32 Samuel 14:23–32So Joab got up, went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem.
42 Samuel 15:8For your servant made a vow while dwelling in Geshur of Aram, saying: ‘If indeed the LORD brings me back to Jerusalem, I will worship the LORD in Hebron.’ ”

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 4 references, hung on the phrase they belong to

A. M. 2974-2977. B.C. 1030-1027. GeshurDeuteronomy 3:14 Joshua 12:5 2 Samuel 14:23–32 2 Samuel 15:8

The Key Word אַבְשָׁלֹום, ve.'av.sha.Lomgenerated

The name אַבְשָׁלֹום (Absalom) means 'my father is peace.' He is a significant figure in the narrative, known for his rebellion against King David and his complex family dynamics. The parsing shows that he is a masculine proper noun, indicating his status as a specific individual.

Absalom's actions lead to his flight, which is a pivotal moment in the story, highlighting themes of conflict, family, and the consequences of choices made.


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 sentence features a main clause with a sequence of actions: בָּרַ֖ח (he fled) and וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ (and he went), followed by a description of his state of being: וַיְהִי־ (and he was). This structure emphasizes the sequence of events leading to Absalom's prolonged stay.

The use of adverbials like גְּשׁ֑וּר (Geshur) and שָׁ֖ם (there) provides essential context, indicating both location and duration.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates אַבְשָׁלֹום as αβεσσαλωμ, maintaining the name's significance across translations. This consistency underscores the importance of Absalom's character in the narrative.

The verb בָּרַח is rendered as ἀπέδρα, which conveys the same sense of fleeing, emphasizing the urgency of Absalom's actions.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

2 Samuel 13:38 tells us that after Absalom fled from his father King David, he went to Geshur, where he stayed for three years. This exile was a significant time for Absalom, reflecting the consequences of his actions against his brother Amnon.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

Why did Absalom flee to Geshur?

Absalom fled to Geshur to escape the consequences of murdering his half-brother Amnon and to avoid his father's wrath.

What does Absalom's stay in Geshur signify?

His stay in Geshur signifies a period of separation from his family and the turmoil within King David's household.

How long did Absalom remain in Geshur?

Absalom remained in Geshur for three years, indicating a significant time of exile and reflection.

What events led to Absalom's flight?

Absalom's flight was primarily due to his revenge against Amnon for the rape of his sister Tamar, which led to a series of familial conflicts.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What can we learn from Absalom's actions and their consequences in our own lives?
  2. How do periods of exile or separation shape our character and relationships?
  3. In what ways can we seek reconciliation after conflict, as seen in the story of Absalom?
  4. What lessons can we draw from King David's response to Absalom's actions?

Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on 2 Samuel 13:38 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

So Absalom fled,.... This is the third time it is mentioned, and the reason of it here Abarbinel thinks is, that when he first fled to his grandfather, he used to stand openly in the court of his

Read John Gill on 2 Samuel 13 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

So Absalom fled, and went to Geshur, and was there three years. No JFB commentary on this verse.

Read Robert Jamieson on 2 Samuel 13 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

2 Samuel 13:38 So Absalom fled, and went to Geshur, and was there three years.And David mourned for his son every day,] i.e., For his son Amnon. This was a long while to mourn for a lost son - viz, every day for three years’ time. The grief was, - (1.) For that he was so basely butchered by his own brother (we had a like example lately here ia England in the family of Sir George Sandys); (2.) For that he died in his drunkenness, having never soundly repented of his incest, though Hugo thinketh he did, and was therefore spared by his father.

Read John Trapp on 2 Samuel 13 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(38) Was there three years.—This is the third time the flight of Absalom has been mentioned; but, after the custom of Scripture narrative, each repetition has been for the purpose of introducing some additional fact. In 2 Samuel 13:34 the simple fact of his flight is stated; in 2 Samuel 13:37 it is added that he went to his grandfather, and here that he remained with him three years.

Read Charles John Ellicott on 2 Samuel 13 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

38. “If the text of these verses is sound, they afford a curious specimen of Hebrew narrative. In 2 Samuel 13:34 we read Absalom fled; in 2 Samuel 13:37, Absalom fled and went to Talmai, the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur; in 2 Samuel 13:38, Absalom fled and went to Geshur and was there three years. At each step of the narrative only the fact is brought out which is wanted, (1) the flight; (2) the place whither he fled; (3) the duration of the absence; but with each new fact the old ones on which it depends are repeated.” Speaker’s Comm.

Read Cambridge on 2 Samuel 13 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

38. Three years — During which time, as we learn from the next verse, David became reconciled to the loss of Amnon and yearned to see Absalom again. His undue paternal affections involved him in additional and greater sorrows.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on 2 Samuel 13 →

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

After Absalom had fled and gone to Geshur, he stayed there three years.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

So Absalom fled and went to Geshur, and was there three years.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

After Absalom had fled and gone to Geshur, he stayed there three years.

NETBNew English Translation2006

After Absalom fled and went to Geshur, he remained there for three years.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

So Absalom fled, and went to Geshur, and was there three years.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

So Absalom fled, and went to Geshur, and was there three years.

RVARevised Version, American1894

So Absalom fled, and went to Geshur, and was there three years.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

So Absalom fled, and went to Geshur, and was there three years.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

So Absalom fled, and went to Geshur, and was there three yeeres.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Now Absalom fled, and went to Geshur, and was there three years.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And Absalom hath fled, and goeth to Geshur, and is there three years;

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And Absalom has fled, and goes to Geshur, and is there [for] three years;

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

So did Abshalom fly, and go to Geshur, and he remained there three years.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

So Absalom fled and went to Geshur, where he was for three years.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And Absalom after he was fled, and come into Gessur, was there three years.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

After Absalom had run away to Geshur, he remained there for three years.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And the king was sorrowing for his son all the time.

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.

וְandclausesubjectאַבְשָׁל֥וֹםAbsalomverbבָּרַ֖חhe.fledוַandclauseverbיֵּ֣לֶךְhe.wentadverbialגְּשׁ֑וּרGeshurוַandclauseverbיְהִיhe.wasadverbialשָׁ֖םtherenoun phrase · adverbialשָׁלֹ֥שׁthreeשָׁנִֽיםyears

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 in their wording for this verse, with the Dead Sea Scrolls showing partial restoration but aligning closely with the Masoretic Text in the key elements. This consistency across witnesses reinforces the historical reliability of the account.

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

וְאַבְשָׁל֥וֹם בָּרַ֖ח וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ גְּשׁ֑וּר וַיְהִי־ שָׁ֖ם שָׁלֹ֥שׁ שָׁנִֽים׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וְאַבְשָׁל֥וֹםαβεσσαλωμבָּרַ֖חἀπέδραוַיֵּ֣לֶךְἐπορεύθηגְּשׁ֑וּרγεδσουρוַיְהִי־ἦνשָׁ֖םἐκεῖשָׁלֹ֥שׁἔτηשָׁנִֽים׃τρία

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.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q51a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[ואבשלום] ברח וילך גשור ויהי [שם] [שלש] [שנים]

3 words on the leather — 1 partly restored, 4 supplied entire by an editor.

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 Samuel 13:38אֲבִישָׁלוֹםand Absalomand Absalomאֲבִישָׁלוֹםבָּרַחhe fledhe fledבָּרַחהָלַךְand he wentand he wentהָלַךְגְּשׁוּרGeshurGeshurגְּשׁוּרהָיָהand he wasand he wasהָיָהשָׁםtherethereשָׁםשָׁלֹשׁthreethreeשָׁלֹשׁשָׁנָהyearsyearsשָׁנָהאָבfatherfatherאָבשָׁנָהto changeto changeשָׁנָההָלַךְto walkto walkהָלַךְהָוָאto fallto fallהָוָאאֲשֶׁרwhichwhichאֲשֶׁרשָׁלִthirdthirdשָׁלִאֲבִישָׁלוֹםAbsalomAbsalomאֲבִישָׁלוֹםחוּשַׁיHushaiHushaiחוּשַׁיאֲחִיתֹ֫פֶלAhithophelAhithophelאֲחִיתֹ֫פֶלנָגַדto tellto tellנָגַדדֶּ֫רֶךְway: roadway: roadדֶּ֫רֶךְחֻקָּהstatutestatuteחֻקָּהתַּלְמַיTalmaiTalmaiתַּלְמַינָדַחto banishto banishנָדַחגּוּרto sojournto sojournגּוּרמֵאָהhundredhundredמֵאָהפַּ֫עַםbeatbeatפַּ֫עַםמָלַךְto reignto reignמָלַךְ
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 Samuel 13:38

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 Absalom he fled and he went Geshur and he was there three years
וְאַבְשָׁל֥וֹםve.'av.sha.Lom and Absalom H53 Conjunction · noun proper masculine
111× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Absalom was a son of King David, mentioned in 2 Samuel 3:3, and had several half-brothers. He is also referred to as Abishalom in some translations. Absalom played a significant role in the United Monarchy period.
Amplified meaning
the son of King David
Tyndale gloss
Absalom
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֲבִישָׁלוֹם (Abiyshalowm) means 'my father is peace.' It refers to Absalom, the third son of David, known for his revolt against his father and the murder of his half-brother Amnon. The name is also associated with his father-in-law, Rehoboam. The entries note that Absalom is sometimes called Abishalom.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֲבִישָׁלוֹם n.pr.m. (my father is peace)

Rehob.’s father-in-law

3rd son of Dvd

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H53 אֲבִישָׁלוֹם (my father is peace) . Rehob.’s father-in-law

. 3rd son of Dvd

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

53 'Abiyshalowm ab-ee-shaw-lome'

or (shortened) bAbshalowm {ab-shaw- lome'}; from 1 and 7965;

father of peace (i.e. friendly); Abshalom, a son of David;

also (the fuller form) a later Israelite:--Abishalom,

Absalom.

see HEBREW for 01

see HEBREW for 07965

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֲבִישָׁלוֹם (a.vi.sha.lom) — Absalom.

A man of the tribe of Judah living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 2Sa.3.3;

son of: David (H1732) and Maacah (H4601I);

half-brother of: Amnon (H0550), Chileab (H3609), Adonijah (H0138), Shephatiah (H8203), Ithream (H3507), Shammua (H8051H), Shobab (H7727), Nathan (H5416), Solomon (H8010), Ibhar (H2984), Elishua (H0474), Nepheg (H5298H), Japhia (H3309I), Elishama (H0476H), Eliada (H0450), Eliphelet (H0467), Tamar (H8559H), Elpelet (H0467I), Nogah (H5052) and Jerimoth (H3406N);

father of: Tamar (H8559I); also called Abishalom at 1Ki.15.2,10;

§ Absalom or Abishalom = "my father is peace"

1) father-in-law of Rehoboam

2) third son of David, killer of first-born son Amnon, also leader of revolt against his father-David

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | N-proper — Conjunction · noun proper masculine
HC/Npm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Absalom

Father of peace; i.e., “peaceful” David’s son by Maacah (2 Sam. 3:3; comp. 1 Kings 1:6). He was noted for his personal beauty and for the extra-ordinary profusion of the hair of his head (2 Sam. 14:25,26). The first public act of his life was the blood-revenge he executed against Amnon, David’s eldest son, who had basely wronged Absalom’s sister Tamar. This revenge was executed at the time of the festivities connected with a great sheep-shearing at Baal-hazor. David’s other sons fled from the place in horror, and brought the tidings of the death of Amnon to Jerusalem. Alarmed for the consequences of the act, Absalom fled to his grandfather at Geshur, and there abode for three years (

Only son of David by Maacah, 2Sa 3:3. He was remarkable for his beauty and for his fine head of hair, 2Sa 14:25, which being cut from time to time when it incommoded him, used to weigh 200 shekels by the king’s standard, that is, probable about thirty ounces, an extraordinary, but not incredible weight. Ammon, another of the king’s sons, having violated his sister Tamar, Absalom caused him to be slain, and then fled to Geshur, where Talmai his grandfather was king. After three years, at the intercession of Joab, David permitted him to return to Jerusalem, and at length received him again into favor, 2Sa 14:1-33. Absalom, however, grossly abused his father’s kindness; he soon began to play the demagogue, and by many artful…

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

father of peace

and Absalom he fled and he went Geshur and he was there three years
בָּרַ֖חba.Rach he fled H1272 Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singular
65× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To flee means to run away quickly, as seen in the Bible when people escaped from danger or pursued others, like in the story of David and Absalom.
Amplified meaning
run away quickly, escaped
Tyndale gloss
to flee
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בָּרַח (barach) is a Hebrew verb meaning to flee or run away. It can also imply going through or hastening, with different nuances in its forms, such as causing someone to flee in the Hiphil stem. The entries highlight its use in various contexts, including sudden flight or urgency.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בָּרַח vb. go through, flee

Qal

go or pass through, of bar

flee

flee = hasten, come quickly

Hiph.

pass through

cause to flee, put to flight

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1272 בָּרַח go through, flee

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1272 barach baw-rakh'

a primitive root; to bolt, i.e. figuratively, to flee

suddenly:--chase (away); drive away, fain, flee (away), put to

flight, make haste, reach, run away, shoot.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בָּרַח (ba.rach) — to flee.

1) to go through, flee, run away, chase, drive away, put to flight, reach, shoot (extend), hurry away

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go, pass through

1a2) to flee

1a3) to hasten, come quickly

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to pass through

1b2) to cause to flee, put to flight

1b3) to drive away

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-3ms — Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singular
HVqp3ms
and Absalom he fled and he went Geshur and he was there three years
וַיֵּ֣לֶךְvai.Ye.lekh and he went H1980 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
1,549× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Means to walk or go, used in many different contexts in the Bible. It can describe physical movement, but also spiritual or emotional journeys. Appears in various forms, such as 'to go' or 'to walk'.
Tyndale gloss
to go: walk
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הָלַךְ (halak) means 'to go,' 'come,' or 'walk,' and covers a wide range of literal and figurative uses, including aspects of life and death. It can describe physical movement, moral conduct, and even influence on character. The verb appears in various forms, such as Qal, Piel, and Hithpael, indicating different nuances like leading or traversing.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הָלַךְ 1546 vb. go, come, walk

Qal Impf. usually (629 t.) as if from ילך

lit.

of persons

Also of animals, in similar meanings and combinations

in like manner of inanimate things

The inf. abs. is often used

as in other vbs., quite independently

to intensify meaning of finite form

most noteworthy is the joining of the Inf. abs.

with a following Inf. abs. denoting a simutaneous action or process, and so emphasizing duration or continuance

with a foll. vb. fin. c. ו consec. (rare)

in cases where vb. fin. is foll. by Inf. abs. adj. denoting progress, advance

twice, where vb. fin. is not הלך, but another vb. denoting motion

quite by itself

13 t. the Inf. abs. = Imv. & is followed by Pf. consec.

akin to the use of Inf. abs. are some instances of Pt.

In combination with other verbal forms

Fig.; the most common uses follow; in most the origin in a literal meaning is evident:

pass away, die

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1980 הָלַךְ go, come, walk .Impf. usually (629 t.) as if from ילך . lit. . of persons

. Also of animals, in similar meanings and combinations

. in like manner of inanimate things

. The inf. abs. is often used . as in other vbs., quite independently

. to intensify meaning of finite form

. most noteworthy is the joining of the Inf. abs. . with a following Inf. abs. denoting a simutaneous action or process, and so emphasizing duration or continuance

. with a foll. vb. fin. c. ו consec. (rare)

. in cases where vb. fin. is foll. by Inf. abs. + adj. denoting progress, advance

. twice, where vb. fin. is not הלך, but another vb. denoting motion

. quite by itself

. 13 t. the Inf. abs. = Imv. & is followed by Pf. consec.

. akin to the use of Inf. abs. are some instances of Pt.

. In combination with other verbal forms

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1980 halak haw-lak'

akin to 3212; a primitive root; to walk (in a great variety

of applications, literally and figuratively):--(all) along,

apace, behave (self), come, (on) continually, be conversant,

depart, + be eased, enter, exercise (self), + follow, forth,

forward, get, go (about, abroad, along, away, forward, on,

out, up and down), + greater, grow, be wont to haunt, lead,

march, X more and more, move (self), needs, on, pass (away),

be at the point, quite, run (along), + send, speedily, spread,

still, surely, + tale-bearer, + travel(-ler), walk (abroad,

on, to and fro, up and down, to places), wander, wax,

(way-)faring man, X be weak, whirl.

see HEBREW for 03212

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: went.

: went/go[away]

1) to go, walk, come

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away

1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to walk

1b2) to walk (fig.)

1c) (Hithpael)

1c1) to traverse

1c2) to walk about

1d) (Niphal) to lead, bring, lead away, carry, cause to walk

הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: come.

: come[nearer]

1) to go, walk, come

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away

1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to walk

1b2) to walk (fig.)

1c) (Hithpael)

1c1) to traverse

1c2) to walk about

1d) (Niphal) to lead, bring, lead away, carry, cause to walk

הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: walk.

: walk/move

1) to go, walk, come

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away

1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to walk

1b2) to walk (fig.)

1c) (Hithpael)

1c1) to traverse

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Hc/Vqw3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
and Absalom he fled and he went Geshur and he was there three years
גְּשׁ֑וּרge.Shur Geshur H1650 Noun proper
9× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Geshur refers to a district in Syria, also known as a land in north Transjordania. It's mentioned in the Bible as a place with a distinct people and culture.
Amplified meaning
a district in Syria, a land in north Transjordania
Tyndale gloss
Geshur
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

גְּשׁוּר (Gshuwr) refers to Geshur, a district in Syria, possibly meaning 'bridge' or 'land of bridges.' It is associated with the Geshurites, a people from this region. The lexicons suggest it may denote both a geographical area and its inhabitants.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

גְּשׁוּר n.pr.m. (bridge? or land of bridges?).

of people

of land

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1650 גְּשׁוּר

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1650 Gshuwr ghesh-oor'

from an unused root (meaning to join); bridge; Geshur, a

district of Syria:--Geshur, Geshurite.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

גְּשׁוּר (ge.shur) — Geshur.

Geshur or Geshurites = "proud beholder"

a land in north Transjordania

Also named: ge.shu.ri (גְּשׁוּרִי "Geshurite" H1651)

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

ge'-shur (geshur, "bridge"): An Aramean kingdom (2Sa 15:8) of no great size which lay probably to the South of Maacah, and formed with it the western boundary of the land of Bashan (De 3:14; Jos 12:5; 13:11). The territory of these two probably corresponded roughly with modern Jaulan. It may not have reached quite to the Jordan on the West; in which case the Geshurites literally dwelt "in the midst" of Israel (Jos 13:13), since they were not expatriated by the half-tribe of Manasseh, and they retained their independence. David married Maacah, daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur, who became the mother of Absalom and Tamar (2Sa…

Geshur

Bridge, the name of a district or principality of Syria near Gilead, between Mount Hermon and the Lake of Tiberias (2 Sam. 15:8; 1 Chr. 2:23). The Geshurites probably inhabited the rocky fastness of Argob, the modern Lejah, in the north-east corner of Bashan. In the time of David it was ruled by Talmai, whose daughter he married, and who was the mother of Absalom, who fled to Geshur after the murder of Amnon (2 Sam. 13:37).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(a bridge), a little principality of Syria, northeast of Bashan. (3:14; 2 Samuel 15:8) It ia highly probable that Geshur was a section of the wild and rugged region now called el-Lejah , still a refuge for criminals and outlaws. [ARGOB]

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

Geshuri, sight of the valley; a walled valley

and Absalom he fled and he went Geshur and he was there three years
וַיְהִי־vay.hi- and he 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.
Amplified meaning
remained, was present
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
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ha: The fifth letter of the Hebrew alphabet; transliterated in this Encyclopedia as "h." It came also to be used for the number 5. For name, etc., see ALPHABET.

and Absalom he fled and he went Geshur and he was there three years
שָׁ֖םsham there H8033 Adverb
834× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word sham means there or then, often used to describe a location or point in time. It can also mean thither or thence, indicating movement or direction. This word is used frequently in the Bible to provide context and clarify the setting of a story.
Amplified meaning
in that place, at that time
Tyndale gloss
there
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׁם (sham) is a Hebrew adverb meaning 'there' or 'thither,' indicating a location or direction. It can also refer to a point in time, translating to 'then.' The word is derived from a relative pronoun and is used in various contexts, including movement and temporal references.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁם adv. there, thither

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8033 שָׁם there, thither

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8033 sham shawm

a primitive particle (rather from the relative pronoun, 834);

there (transferring to time) then; often thither, or

thence:--in it, + thence, there (-in, + of, + out), +

thither, + whither.

see HEBREW for 0834

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁם (sham) — there.

1) there, thither

1a) there

1b) thither (after verbs of motion)

1c) from there, thence

1d) then (as an adverb of time)

Aramaic equivalent: tam.mah (תַּמָּה "there" H8536)

שָׁם (sham) — (Jerusalem) Is There.

Combined with ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)

This name means there, thither

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adv — Adverb
HD
and Absalom he fled and he went Geshur and he was there three years
שָׁלֹ֥שׁsha.Losh three H7969 Noun common · both singular absolute
432× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means three or thrice, and is used to describe quantities or repetitions in the Bible. It appears in various forms, including three, third, and thirteen.
Amplified meaning
a period of thrice, a set of three years
Tyndale gloss
three
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word שָׁלֹשׁ (*shalosh*) means 'three' or 'triad.' It can also refer to the ordinal 'third' and is used in various contexts, including multiplication as 'thrice.' The entries consistently define it as a primitive number without significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁלֹשׁ, שָׁלוֹשׁ, שְׁלֹשָׁה 430 n.m. et f. a three, triad

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7969 שָׁלֹשׁ, שָׁלוֹשׁ, שְׁלֹשָׁה a three, triad

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7969 shalowsh shaw-loshe'

or shalosh {shaw-loshe'}; masculine shlowshah {shel-o-shaw'};

or shloshah {shel-o-shaw'}; a primitive number; three;

occasionally (ordinal) third, or (multipl.) thrice:--+ fork,

+ often(-times), third, thir(-teen, -teenth), three, + thrice.

Compare 7991.

see HEBREW for 07991

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁלֹשׁ (sha.losh) — three.

1) three, triad

1a) 3, 300, third

Aramaic equivalent: te.lat (תְּלָת "three" H8532)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Noun common · both singular absolute
HNcbsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

(shalosh; treis).

See NUMBER.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The phrase "three days and three nights," Mt 12:40, was equivalent in Hebrew to the English "three days;" the Jews employing the expression "a day and a night" to denote our "day" of twentyfour hours. Nor did "three days," 1Sa 30:13, literally "this third day," according to their usage, necessarily include the whole of three days, but a part of three days, a continuous period including one whole day of twenty-four hours, and a portion of the day preceding it and the day following it. Compare Ge 7:12,17 1Sa 30:12-13.

and Absalom he fled and he went Geshur and he was there three years
שָׁנִֽים׃sha.Nim years H8141 Noun common · masculine plural absolute
877× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word also means a year, like when Abraham was 100 years old in Genesis 21. It is used to describe a period of time, age, or a lifetime.
Amplified meaning
a cycle of time, a period of 12 months
Tyndale gloss
year
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׁנָה (shaneh) means 'year' and is derived from the root meaning to change or revolve. It encompasses various aspects of time, including divisions of time, measures of age, and even a lifetime. The Aramaic equivalent is שְׁנָה (she.nah), also meaning 'year'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁנָה 877 n.f. year (etym. v. √[v.ek.aa])

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8141 שָׁנָה year (etym. v. √[8138a])

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8141 shaneh shaw-neh'

(in plura or (feminine) shanah {shaw-naw'}; from 8138; a year

(as a revolution of time):--+ whole age, X long, + old,

year(X -ly).

see HEBREW for 08138

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁנָה (sha.neh) — year.

1) year

1a) as division of time

1b) as measure of time

1c) as indication of age

1d) a lifetime (of years of life)

Aramaic equivalent: she.nah (שְׁנָה "year" H8140)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fp — Noun common · masculine plural absolute
HNcmpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Torrey's New Topical Textbook

- The sun and moon appointed to mark out

Ge 1:14

- Early computation of time by

Ge 5:3

- DIVIDED INTO

. Seasons

Ge 8:22

. Months

Ge 7:11; 1Ch 27:1

. Weeks

Da 9:27; Lu 18:12

. Days

Ge 25:7; Es 9:27

- Length of, during the patriarchal age

Ge 7:11; 8:13; 7:24; 8:3

- Commencement of, changed after the exodus

Ex 12:2

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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