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2 Samuel 2:20 — Word Study

Depth

WLCוַיִּ֤פֶן אַבְנֵר֙ אַֽחֲרָ֔יו וַיֹּ֕אמֶר הַאַתָּ֥ה זֶ֖ה עֲשָׂהאֵ֑ל וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אָנֹֽכִי׃

BSAAnd AbnerʼAbnêr [looked behind him, turned around] glancedpânâh backʼachar and saidʼâmar Is thatzeh youʼattâh AsahelʻĂsâhʼêl [God-made, nephew of King David] It isʼânôkîy [I am, yes] Asahel repliedʼâmar [nephew of King David, swift runner]

Word
Listen & take away2 Samuel 2
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Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration ('a.No.khi) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
2 Samuel 2:20quick helps
In a sentenceAbner turns to see who is pursuing him and recognizes Asahel.
Who is speakingAbner, addressing Asahel, who is pursuing him.
Where we areIn the midst of a chase, where Abner is trying to evade Asahel.
The hard wordוַיִּ֤פֶן
Take awayAbner acknowledges Asahel's pursuit and identifies him.
3 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectאַבְנֵר verbפָּנָה 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 2:20

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 Pursuit of Abnergenerated

19and he chased Abner, not turning to the right or to the left in his pursuit.
20And Abner glanced back and said, “Is that you, Asahel?” “It is,” Asahel replied.
21So Abner told him, “Turn to your right or to your left, seize one of the young men, and take his equipment for yourself.” But Asahel would not stop chasing him.
22Once again, Abner warned Asahel, “Stop chasing me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How could I show my face to your brother Joab?”

2 Samuel 2:20 describes a moment during a chase where Abner, the commander of Saul's army, turns to see Asahel, who is pursuing him. This interaction highlights the tension of the moment, as Asahel is known for his speed and determination. The surrounding verses provide context for the conflict between the factions of Saul and David, emphasizing the stakes of this encounter.


Cross References


The Key Word וַיִּ֤פֶן, vai.Yi.fengenerated

The Hebrew verb פָּנָה (panah) means 'to turn' or 'to face,' suggesting a physical act of turning around or changing direction. In this verse, it indicates Abner's action of looking back to identify Asahel, showing a direct engagement with his pursuer.

This verb appears in various contexts throughout the Hebrew Bible, often signifying a change in focus or direction. The parsing as a sequential imperfect indicates that this action is ongoing, capturing the immediacy of the moment.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

The verse is presented in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses the phrase glanced back.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb וַיִּ֤פֶן (and he turned) governs the sentence, with a direct object following it. The structure emphasizes Abner's action first, which is central to the narrative.

The sentence includes a dialogue that follows Abner's action, indicating a direct interaction between him and Asahel. This layout reflects the immediacy and tension of the chase.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates וַיִּ֤פֶן as ἐπέβλεψεν (he looked back), which captures the same action but may imply a broader sense of observation. This choice suggests a slight interpretive nuance, emphasizing not just the act of turning but also the act of seeing.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

2 Samuel 2:20 recounts how Abner, while being chased, turns around to see who is pursuing him. He recognizes Asahel, who responds affirmatively. This brief exchange highlights the tension of the chase and the characters involved.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

Who is Asahel?

Asahel is known as the nephew of King David, recognized for his speed in battle, which ultimately leads to his tragic fate.

What is the significance of Abner's response?

Abner's acknowledgment of Asahel indicates the personal stakes involved in the conflict, as he knows Asahel is a relative of his adversary.

Why is this moment important?

This moment underscores the tension and conflict between the factions of Saul and David, illustrating the personal relationships intertwined with the broader political struggles.

What happens after this exchange?

Following this exchange, Abner attempts to persuade Asahel to stop pursuing him, highlighting the danger of the chase and the familial ties at play.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What can we learn from Asahel's determination in pursuing Abner?
  2. How do personal relationships affect conflicts in our lives?
  3. In what ways can we recognize the motivations behind someone's actions, as Abner does with Asahel?
  4. How does this moment reflect the larger themes of loyalty and conflict in the narrative?

Commentators on this verse — 3 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on 2 Samuel 2:20 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Then Abner looked behind him,.... Perceiving one at his heels, and making haste up to him. And said, [art] thou Asahel?

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

Then Abner looked behind him, and said, Art thou Asahel? And he answered, I am. No JFB commentary on these verses.

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

2 Samuel 2:20 Then Abner looked behind him, and said, [Art] thou Asahel? And he answered, I [am].Ver. 20. Art thou Asahel?] Abner had no mind to meddle with any son of Zeruiah, David’ s sister: he therefore first turneth querist to this currist, - Luther’ s words, - and then twice adviseth him to retreat from pursuing his own peril. But quisque suos patitur manes.

Read John Trapp on 2 Samuel 2 →

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 Abner glanced back and said, “Is that you, Asahel?” “It is,” Asahel replied.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Then Abner looked behind him and said, “Is that you, Asahel?” He answered, “It is.”

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

And Abner glanced back and said, “Is that you, Asahel?” “It is,” Asahel replied.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Then Abner turned and asked, “Is that you, Asahel?” He replied, “Yes it is!”

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Then Abner looked behind him, and said, Art thou Asahel? And he answered, I am.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Then Abner looked behind him, and said, Is it thou, Asahel? And he answered, It is I.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Then Abner looked behind him, and said, Is it thou, Asahel? And he answered, It is I.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Then Abner looked behind him, and said, Art thou Asahel? And he answered, I am .

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Then Abner looked behind him, and said, Art thou Asahel? And he answered, Yea.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Then Abner looked behind him, and said, Art thou Asahel? And he said, I am.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And Abner looketh behind him, and saith, 'Art thou he — Asahel?' and he saith, 'I [am].'

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And Abner looks behind him and says, “Are you he—Asahel?” And he says, “I [am].”

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And Abner turned round and said, Art thou 'Asahel? And he answered, I am.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Abner looked behind him and said, “Is that you Asahel?” He answered, “It is I.”

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And Abner looked behind him, and said: Art thou Asael? And he answered: I am.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Abner looked back and asked, “Is that you, Asahel?” “Yes, it's me,” Asahel replied.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Then Abner, looking back, said, Is it you, Asahel? And he said, It is I.

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.

וַandclauseverbיִּ֤פֶןhe.turnedsubjectאַבְנֵר֙Abnerprepositional phrase · prepositionalאַֽחֲרָ֔יbehindוhimוַandclauseverbיֹּ֕אמֶרhe.saidclauseהַ?clausepredicateאַתָּ֥הyousubjectזֶ֖ה[is].thisclauseעֲשָׂהאֵ֑לO.Asahelוַandclauseverbיֹּ֖אמֶרhe.saidobjectאָנֹֽכִיI

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 closely in this verse, with 9 of the 9 words matched. The Septuagint's rendering aligns with the Hebrew, maintaining the narrative's integrity without introducing significant variations.

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

וַיִּ֤פֶן אַבְנֵר֙ אַֽחֲרָ֔יו וַיֹּ֕אמֶר הַאַתָּ֥ה זֶ֖ה עֲשָׂהאֵ֑ל וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אָנֹֽכִי׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיִּ֤פֶןἐπέβλεψενאַבְנֵר֙αβεννηρאַֽחֲרָ֔יוαὐτοῦוַיֹּ֕אמֶרεἶπενהַאַתָּ֥הσὺזֶ֖הαὐτὸςעֲשָׂהאֵ֑לασαηλוַיֹּ֖אמֶרεἶπενאָנֹֽכִי׃ἐγώ

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 Samuel 2:20פָּנָהand he turnand he turnedפָּנָהאֲבִינֵרAbnerAbnerאֲבִינֵראַחַרbehind himbehind himאַחַראָמַרand he saidand he saidאָמַראַתָּ֫ה¿ you¿ youאַתָּ֫הזֶה[is] this[is] thisזֶהעֲשָׂהאֵלO AsahelO Asahelעֲשָׂהאֵלאָמַרand he saidand he saidאָמַראָֽנֹכִ֫יIIאָֽנֹכִ֫יאָבfatherfatherאָבאָחַרto delayto delayאָחַרעָשָׂהto maketo makeעָשָׂהזֶהthisthisזֶהזֹהthisthisזֹהכֹּהthusthusכֹּהיהוהYHWH/GodYHWH/GodיהוהצָפוֹןZaphonZaphonצָפוֹןנֵרNerNerנֵריוֹאָבJoabJoabיוֹאָברָדַףto pursueto pursueרָדַףזָנָהto fornicato fornicateזָנָהיָרַשׁto possessto possess: posיָרַשׁאַיwhere?where?אַיהֶ֫בֶלvanityvanityהֶ֫בֶלזְבַדְיָהוּZebadiahZebadiahזְבַדְיָהוּצָוָהto commandto commandצָוָהמִצְוָהcommandmencommandmentמִצְוָה
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 2:20

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 turned Abner behind him and he said ¿ you [is] this O Asahel and he said I
וַיִּ֤פֶןvai.Yi.fen and he turned H6437 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
135× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to turn or face something, like looking at a corner or a gate. It appears in descriptions of daily life and interactions, like in Genesis and Psalms. It's about changing direction or focus.
Tyndale gloss
Corner (Gate)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

פָּנָה (panah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to turn, with various implications such as turning toward, away, or doing something. It can refer to both physical and figurative actions, like looking or regarding something. The entries indicate it can also mean to decline or approach, and it has different forms, including Qal, Piel, and Hiphil, each with specific nuances.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

פָּנָה 135 vb. turn

Qal 117

turn toward

turn from

turn and do a thing

turn, decline

turn toward, approach

turn and look, look

of inanimate things, face

esp. fig. look at, regard

look for = expect

fig. look at = consider

Hiph.

turn

make a turn, shew (signs of) turning

Hoph. be ye turned back!

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6437 פָּנָה turn .. . turn toward

. turn from

. turn and do a thing

. turn, decline

. turn toward, approach

. . turn and look, look

. of inanimate things, face

. esp. fig. look at, regard

. look for = expect

. fig. look at = consider

. . turn

. make a turn, shew (signs of) turning

. be ye turned back!

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6437 panah paw-naw'

a primitive root; to turn; by implication, to face, i.e.

appear, look, etc.:--appear, at (even-)tide, behold, cast

out, come on, X corner, dawning, empty, go away, lie, look,

mark, pass away, prepare, regard, (have) respect (to),

(re-)turn (aside, away, back, face, self), X right (early).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

פָּנָה (pa.nah) — to turn.

1) to turn

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to turn toward or from or away

1a2) to turn and do

1a3) to turn, decline (of day)

1a4) to turn toward, approach (of evening)

1a5) to turn and look, look, look back or at or after or for

1b) (Piel) to turn away, put out of the way, make clear, clear away

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to turn

1c2) to make a turn, show signs of turning, turn back

1d) (Hophal) to be turned back

פָּנָה (pa.nah) — Corner (Gate).

This name means corner, to turn, to turn back

Another spelling of pin.nah (פִּנָּה "Corner( Gate)" H6438)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
and he turned Abner behind him and he said ¿ you [is] this O Asahel and he said I
אַבְנֵר֙'av.Ner Abner H74 Noun proper masculine
63× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Abner was a prominent Israelite, cousin of King Saul, and army captain, who played a key role in the book of 1 Samuel.
Amplified meaning
looked behind him, turned around
Tyndale gloss
Abner
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֲבִינֵר (*Abner*) refers to a man from the tribe of Benjamin, specifically a cousin of Saul and a captain in his army. The name is derived from elements meaning 'father' and 'light,' suggesting 'my father is a lamp.' Abner is first mentioned in 1 Samuel 14:50 and is noted for being treacherously killed by Joab.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֲבִינֵר n.pr.m. (my father is Nêr, or is a lamp)—cousin of Saul, and captain of host

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H74 אֲבִינֵר

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

74 'Abner ab-nare'

or (fully) nAbiyner {ab-ee-nare'}; from 1 and 5216; father of

light (i.e. enlightening); Abner, an Israelite:--Abner.

see HEBREW for 01

see HEBREW for 05216

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֲבִינֵר (av.ner) — Abner.

A man of the tribe of Benjamin living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Sa.14.50;

son of: Ner (H5369);

father of: Jaasiel (H3300H)

§ Abner = "my father is a lamp"

Saul's cousin and army captain, treacherously slain by Joab

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

ab'-ner ('abhner; in 1Sa 14:50 the Hebrew has the fuller form, 'abhiner, Abiner; compare Abiram by the side of Abram; meaning, "my father is a lamp"): Captain of the host under Saul and Ishbosheth (Eshbaal). He was Saul's cousin; Ner the father of Abner and Kish the father of Saul being brothers, the sons of Abiel (1Sa 14:50 f). In 1Ch 8:33; 9:39 the text appears to be faulty; read: And Ner begat Abner, and Kish begat Saul. According to 1Ch 27:21 Abner had a son by the name of Jaasiel. Abner was to Saul what Joab was to David. Despite the many wars waged by Saul, we hear little of Abner during Saul's lifetime. Not even in the account' of the battle of Gilboa is mention…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Abner

Father of light; i.e., “enlightening”, the son of Ner and uncle of Saul. He was commander-in-chief of Saul’s army (1 Sam. 14:50; 17:55; 20:25). He first introduced David to the court of Saul after the victory over Goliath (1 Sam. 17:57). After the death of Saul, David was made king over Judah, and reigned in Hebron. Among the other tribes there was a feeling of hostility to Judah; and Abner, at the head of Ephraim, fostered this hostility in the interest of the house of Saul, whose son Ish-bosheth he caused to be proclaimed king (2 Sam. 2:8). A state of war existed between these two kings. A battle fatal to Abner, who was the leader of Ish-boseth’s army, was fought with David’s army under Joab at Gibeon (

(father of light). Son of Ner, who was the brother of Kish, (1 Chronicles 9:36) the father of Saul. (B.C. 1063.) Abner, therefore, was Saul’s first cousin, and was made by him commander-in-chief of his army. (1 Samuel 14:51; 17:57; 26:5-14) After the death of Saul David was proclaimed king of Judah; and some time subsequently Abner proclaimed Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, king of Israel. War soon broke out between the two rival kings, and a "very sore battle" was fought at Gibeon between the men of Israel under Abner and the men of Judah under Joab. (1 Chronicles 2:16) Abner had married Rizpah, Saul’s concubine, and this, according to the views of Oriental courts, might be so interpreted as to imply a design upon the throne.…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The son of Ner, Saul’s uncle, and the general of his armies, 1Sa 14:50. For seven years after Saul’s death, he supported Ish-bosheth; but being reproved by him for his conduct towards Rizpah, he undertook to unite the whole kingdom under David. He was, however, treacherously slain by Joab, either to revenge the death of Asahel, Joab’s brother, who Abner had formerly killed, or more probably from jealousy. David abhorred this perfidious act, and composed an elegy on his death, 2Sa 2:8 3:33. He also charged Solomon to punish the crime of Joab with death, 1Ki 2:5,6.

and he turned Abner behind him and he said ¿ you [is] this O Asahel and he said I
אַֽחֲרָ֔יו'a.cha.Rav behind him H310 Suffix
716× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Achar means backwards or after, used to describe something that happens later or in the rear. It is used in various senses in the Bible, including in 1 Kings 12:18.
Tyndale gloss
after
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אַחַר (*achar*) primarily denotes the concept of 'after' or 'behind' in both spatial and temporal contexts. It functions as a substantive, adverb, preposition, and conjunction, indicating a following part or time. The related form אַחֲרַי (*acharai*) refers to a person who turns backwards. There is a reference to Proverbs 28:23 in relation to the latter.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אַחַר prop. subst. the hinder or following part

adv.

of place, behind

of time, afterwards

prep.

of place, behind, after

of time, after

conj. after that.

base

אַחֲרַי adj. Pr 28:23 a man that turneth backwards.

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H310a אַחַר prop. subst. the hinder or following part . adv. . of place, behind

. of time, afterwards

. prep. . of place, behind, after

. of time, after

. conj. after that.

H310b אַחֲרַי a man that turneth backwards.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

310 'achar akh-ar'

from 309; properly, the hind part; generally used as an

adverb or conjunction, after (in various senses):--after

(that, -ward), again, at, away from, back (from, -side),

behind, beside, by, follow (after, -ing), forasmuch, from,

hereafter, hinder end, + out (over) live, + persecute,

posterity, pursuing, remnant, seeing, since, thence(-forth),

when, with.

see HEBREW for 0309

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אַחַר (a.char) — after.

1) after the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time)

1a) as an adverb

1a1) behind (of place)

1a2) afterwards (of time)

1b) as a preposition

1b1) behind, after (of place)

1b2) after (of time)

1b3) besides

1c) as a conjunction

1c) after that

1d) as a substantive

1d1) hinder part

1e) with other prepositions

1e1) from behind

1e2) from following after

אַחֲרַי (a.cha.ray) — backwards.

backwards (of a man that turns backwards)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | Suff — Suffix
HAcmpc/Sp3ms
and he turned Abner behind him and he said ¿ you [is] this O Asahel and he said I
וַיֹּ֕אמֶרvai.Yo.mer and he said H559 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
5,309× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to say or speak, and it's used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to command, promise, or think, and it's translated in the KJV as 'answer', 'appoint', or 'command'.
Tyndale gloss
to say
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָמַר (amar) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to say' or 'to utter,' with a broad range of uses including to promise, command, or even boast. It appears in various forms, such as in the Qal (to say), Niphal (to be told), and Hiphil (to avow). The entries highlight its versatility in both spoken and internal contexts, though no specific verse is noted.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָמַר 5287 vb. utter, say

Qal

Say

Say in the heart (= think)

Promise

Command (esp. late)

Niph. be said, told

Hiph. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

Hithp. act proudly, boast

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H559 אָמַר utter, say .. Say

. Say in the heart (= think)

. Promise

. Command (esp. late)

. be said, told

. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

. act proudly, boast

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

559 'amar aw-mar'

a primitive root; to say (used with great

latitude):--answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call,

certify, challenge, charge, + (at the, give) command(-ment),

commune, consider, declare, demand, X desire, determine, X

expressly, X indeed, X intend, name, X plainly, promise,

publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), X still, X

suppose, talk, tell, term, X that is, X think, use (speech),

utter, X verily, X yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָמַר (a.mar) — to say.

1) to say, speak, utter

1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend

1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called

1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly

1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch

Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he turned Abner behind him and he said ¿ you [is] this O Asahel and he said I
הַאַתָּ֥הha.'a.Tah ¿ you H859 Particle · pronoun
1,094× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
You is the translation of a Hebrew word used to address someone directly, like when God says you to someone in the Bible. It can be singular or plural, and is often translated as thee, thou, or ye.
Tyndale gloss
you(m.s.)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אַתָּ֫ה (attah) is a second-person pronoun in Hebrew, used to address someone directly. It has masculine and feminine forms: אַתָּה for singular masculine, אַתְּ for singular feminine, אַתֶּם for plural masculine, and אַתֵּן for plural feminine. The entries indicate variations in form and usage, reflecting the pronoun's grammatical complexity.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אַתָּ֫ה, אָ֑תָּה pron. 2 s. m. thou

base

אתי, i.e. אתִּי, the older & more original form of אַתְּ thou (fem.)

base

אַתְּ, אָ֑תְּ pron. 2 s. f. thou (fem.)

base

אַתֶּם pron. 2 m. pl. you (masc.)

base

אַתֵּן pron. 2 f. pl. you (fem.)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H859a אַתָּ֫ה, אָ֑תָּה pron. 2 s. m. thou H859b אתי, i.e. אתִּי, the older & more original form of אַתְּ thou (fem.) H859c אַתְּ, אָ֑תְּ pron. 2 s. f. thou (fem.) H859d אַתֶּם pron. 2 m. pl. you (masc.) H859e אַתֵּן pron. 2 f. pl. you (fem.)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

859 'attah at-taw'

or (shortened); aatta {at-taw'}; or wath {ath}; feminine

(irregular) sometimes nattiy {at-tee'}; plural masculine attem

{at- tem'}; feminine atten {at-ten'}; or oattenah

{at-tay'naw}; or fattennah {at-tane'-naw}; a primitive pronoun

of the second person; thou and thee, or (plural) ye and

you:--thee, thou, ye, you.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אַתָּ֫ה (at.tah) — you(m.s.).

you (second pers. sing. masc.)

אתִּי (ti) — you(f.s.).

you (second pers. sing. fem.)

A grammatical form of at.tah (אַתָּ֫ה "you(m.s.)" H0859A)

אַתְּ (at.te) — you(f.s.).

you (second pers. sing. fem.)

A grammatical form of at.tah (אַתָּ֫ה "you(m.s.)" H0859A)

אַתֶּם (at.tem) — you(m.p.).

you (second pers. pl. masc.)

Aramaic equivalent: an.tun (אַנְתּוּן "you" H0608)

אַתֵּן (at.ten) — you(f.p.).

you (second pers. pl. fem.)

A grammatical form of at.tah (אַתָּ֫ה "you(m.s.)" H0859A)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part | Pron — Particle · pronoun
HTi/Pp2ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he turned Abner behind him and he said ¿ you [is] this O Asahel and he said I
זֶ֖הzeh [is] this H2088 Particle
1,180× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word is a pronoun meaning this or that, used to point out a specific person or thing. It appears in many contexts, including Genesis and Psalms, to indicate something specific. The KJV translates it as he, here, or it.
Tyndale gloss
this
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

זֶה (zeh) is a demonstrative pronoun meaning 'this' or 'here.' It can stand alone, be used appositively, or function as a predicate. The word can also attach enclitically to interrogative pronouns, adding emphasis and directness. In poetry, it may serve as a relative pronoun, though this usage is rare.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

זֶה demonstr.pron. and adv.; fem. זֹאת, once זֹאתָה; this, here

standing alone

In appos. to subst.

More oft. as pred.

It is attached enclitically, almost as an adv., to certain words, esp. interrog. pronouns, to impart, in a manner often not reproducible in Engl. idiom, directness and force, bringing the question or statement made into close relation with the speaker.

In poetry, as a relative pron. (rare)

With prefixes (in special senses)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2088 זֶה demonstr. pron. and adv.; fem. זֹאת, once זֹאתָה; this, here . standing alone

. In appos. to subst.

. More oft. as pred.

. It is attached enclitically, almost as an adv., to certain words, esp. interrog. pronouns, to impart, in a manner often not reproducible in Engl. idiom, directness and force, bringing the question or statement made into close relation with the speaker.

. In poetry, as a relative pron. (rare)

. With prefixes (in special senses)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2088 zeh zeh

a primitive word; the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this

or that:--he, X hence, X here, it(-self), X now, X of him, the

one...the other, X than the other, (X out of) the (self) same,

such (a one) that, these, this (hath, man), on this side...on

that side, X thus, very, which. Compare 2063, 2090, 2097,

2098.

see HEBREW for 02063

see HEBREW for 02090

see HEBREW for 02097

see HEBREW for 02098

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

זֶה (zeh) — this.

1) this, this one, here, which, this...that, the one...the other, another, such

1a) (alone)

1a1) this one

1a2) this...that, the one...the other, another

1b) (appos to subst)

1b1) this

1c) (as predicate)

1c1) this, such

1d) (enclitically)

1d1) then

1d2) who, whom

1d3) how now, what now

1d4) what now

1d5) wherefore now

1d6) behold here

1d7) just now

1d8) now, now already

1e) (poetry)

1e1) wherein, which, those who

1f) (with prefixes)

1f1) in this (place) here, then

1f2) on these conditions, herewith, thus provided, by, through this, for this cause, in this matter

1f3) thus and thus

1f4) as follows, things such as these, accordingly, to that effect, in like manner, thus and thus

1f5) from here, hence, on one side...on the other side

1f6) on this account

1f7) in spite of this, which, whence, how

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Pron — Particle
HTm
and he turned Abner behind him and he said ¿ you [is] this O Asahel and he said I
עֲשָׂהאֵ֑ל'a.sa.h.'El O Asahel H6214 Noun proper masculine
24× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Asahel was a man in the Bible whose name means 'God-made'. He was the nephew of King David and was known for his speed, but was tragically killed by Abner in battle, as told in 2 Samuel 2:23.
Amplified meaning
God-made, nephew of King David
Tyndale gloss
Asahel
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עֲשָׂהאֵל (Asahel) means "God-made" and refers to several individuals in the Old Testament, primarily a nephew of David and brother of Joab and Abishai. He is noted for his swiftness in battle, ultimately leading to his death at the hands of Abner. Other mentions include Levites during the reigns of Jehoshaphat and Hezekiah, and a priest during the time of Ezra.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עֲשָׂהאֵל 18 n.pr.m.

brother of Joab and Abishai

Levites

post-exil. name

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6214 עֲשָׂהאֵל

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6214 `Asah'el as-aw-ale'

from 6213 and 410; God has made; Asahel, the name of four

Israelites:--Asahel.

see HEBREW for 06213

see HEBREW for 0410

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עֲשָׂהאֵל (a.sa.h.el) — Asahel.

A man living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 2Sa.2.18; his mother was Zeruiah (H6870);

brother of: Abishai (H0052) and Joab (H3097);

father of: Zebadiah (H2069K)

§ Asahel = "God-made"

1) nephew of David, son of David's sister Zeruiah, and brother of Joab and Abishai; swift of foot he was killed by Abner when he pursued him in battle and caught him

2) a Levite in the reign of king Jehoshaphat of Judah who went through the kingdom giving instruction in the law

3) a Levite in the reign of king Hezekiah of Judah in charge of the tithes and dedicated things in the temple

4) a priest, father of Jonathan, in the time of Ezra

עֲשָׂהאֵל (a.sa.h.el) — Asahel.

A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 2Ch.17.8

§ Asahel = "God-made"

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

as'-a-hel (`asah'el, "God hath made"; Asael):

(1) The brother of Joab and Abishai. The three were sons of Zeruiah, one of David's sisters (1Ch 2:15,16; 2Sa 2:18, etc.). The three brothers seem to have been from the beginning members of David's troop of strangely respectable brigands. Asahel was distinguished for his swift running, and this fact brought misfortune upon him and upon Israel. When Abner and the forces of Ish-bosheth were defeated near Gibeon, Asahel pursued Abner. Abner knew that he could outright Asahel, though he could not outrun him. He also knew that the time had come for making David king, and that a blood feud among the leaders would be a calamity. He expostulated with Asahel, but in vain. It came to a fight, and Abner slew Asahel (

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(made by God). Nephew of David, being the youngest son of his sister Zeruiah. He was celebrated for his swiftness of foot. When fighting under his brother Joab at Gibeon, he pursued Abner, who was obliged to kill him in self-defence. (2 Samuel 2:18) ff. [ABNER] (B.C. 1050.) One of the Levites in the reign of Jehoshaphat, who went throughout the cities of Judah to instruct the people in the knowledge of the law. (2 Chronicles 17:8) (B.C. 910.) A Levite in the reign of Hezekiah, who had charge of the tithes and dedicated things in the temple. (2 Chronicles 31:13) (B.C. 927.) A priest, father of Jonathan, in the time of Ezra. (Ezra 10:15) He is called AZAEL in 1Esd 9:14.…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Son of David’s sister Zeruiah, and brother of Joab; one of David’s thirty heroes, and extremely swift of foot; killed by Abner, at the battle of Gibeon, 2Sa 2:18,23.

and he turned Abner behind him and he said ¿ you [is] this O Asahel and he said I
וַיֹּ֖אמֶרvai.Yo.mer and he said H559 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
5,309× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to say or speak, and it's used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to command, promise, or think, and it's translated in the KJV as 'answer', 'appoint', or 'command'.
Amplified meaning
nephew of King David, swift runner
Tyndale gloss
to say
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָמַר (amar) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to say' or 'to utter,' with a broad range of uses including to promise, command, or even boast. It appears in various forms, such as in the Qal (to say), Niphal (to be told), and Hiphil (to avow). The entries highlight its versatility in both spoken and internal contexts, though no specific verse is noted.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָמַר 5287 vb. utter, say

Qal

Say

Say in the heart (= think)

Promise

Command (esp. late)

Niph. be said, told

Hiph. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

Hithp. act proudly, boast

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H559 אָמַר utter, say .. Say

. Say in the heart (= think)

. Promise

. Command (esp. late)

. be said, told

. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

. act proudly, boast

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

559 'amar aw-mar'

a primitive root; to say (used with great

latitude):--answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call,

certify, challenge, charge, + (at the, give) command(-ment),

commune, consider, declare, demand, X desire, determine, X

expressly, X indeed, X intend, name, X plainly, promise,

publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), X still, X

suppose, talk, tell, term, X that is, X think, use (speech),

utter, X verily, X yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָמַר (a.mar) — to say.

1) to say, speak, utter

1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend

1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called

1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly

1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch

Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he turned Abner behind him and he said ¿ you [is] this O Asahel and he said I
אָנֹֽכִי׃'a.No.khi I H595 Pronoun
359× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This simple Hebrew word just means 'I', referring to the speaker, like in Genesis 27 where Esau says 'I' when talking to his father Isaac.
Amplified meaning
I am, yes
Tyndale gloss
I
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אָֽנֹכִ֫י (*anokiy*) is a first-person singular pronoun meaning 'I' or 'me.' It is a variant spelling of אֲנִי (*ani*), which also means 'I.' The entries confirm its use as a personal pronoun without significant disagreement among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָֽנֹכִ֫י, אָנֹ֑כִי pron. 1s. comm. I

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H595 אָֽנֹכִ֫י, אָנֹ֑כִי I

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

595 'anokiy aw-no-kee'

sometimes {aw-no'-kee}; a primitive pro.; I:--I, me, X

which.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָֽנֹכִ֫י (a.no.khi) — I.

I (first pers. sing.)

Another spelling of a.ni (אֲנִי, אָֽנֹכִ֫י "I" H0589)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Pron — Pronoun
HPp1bs
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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