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Deuteronomy 28:46 — Word Study

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WLCוְהָי֣וּ בְךָ֔ לְא֖וֹת וּלְמוֹפֵ֑ת וּֽבְזַרְעֲךָ֖ עַד־ עוֹלָֽם׃

BSAThese curses will behâyâh [disasters, calamities, remain, come to be] a signʼôwth [miraculous token, beacon] and a wondermôwphêth [miracle, display of God's power] and your descendantszeraʻ [seed, offspring] foreverʻad [always, eternally]

Word
Listen & take awayDeuteronomy 28
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 46 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 (o.Lam) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
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Deuteronomy 28:46quick helps
In a sentenceThese curses will serve as a lasting sign and wonder for you and your descendants.
What is happeningCurses are described as both a sign and a wonder.
Who is affectedThe curses will impact you and your descendants.
The hard wordאוֹת
Take awayThe sign and wonder will endure forever.
5 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbהָיָה The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.

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

Deep Study — Deuteronomy 28:46

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 Consequences of Disobediencegenerated

45All these curses will come upon you. They will pursue you and overtake you until you are destroyed, since you did not obey the LORD your God and keep the commandments and statutes He gave you.
46These curses will be a sign and a wonder upon you and your descendants forever.
47Because you did not serve the LORD your God with joy and gladness of heart in all your abundance,
48you will serve your enemies the LORD will send against you in famine, thirst, nakedness, and destitution. He will place an iron yoke on your neck until He has destroyed you.

Deuteronomy 28:46 outlines the consequences of failing to obey God's commandments, emphasizing that the resulting curses will serve as a perpetual reminder of disobedience. This section of Deuteronomy details the blessings for obedience and the curses for disobedience, serving as a warning to the Israelites about the importance of faithfulness to God.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Deuteronomy 28:37–59You will become an object of horror, scorn, and ridicule among all the nations to which the LORD will drive you.
2Deuteronomy 29:20–28The LORD will never be willing to forgive him. Instead, His anger and jealousy will burn against that man, and every curse written in this book will fall upon him. The LORD will blot out his name from under heaven
3Isaiah 8:18Here am I, and the children the LORD has given me as signs and symbols in Israel from the LORD of Hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion.
4Jeremiah 19:8I will make this city a desolation and an object of scorn. All who pass by will be appalled and will scoff at all her wounds.
5Jeremiah 25:18to make them a ruin, an object of horror and contempt and cursing, as they are to this day—Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, its kings and officials;

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 9 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word אוֹת, ve.Khagenerated

The Hebrew word אוֹת (owth) signifies a sign or miraculous token, often used to indicate God's power or presence. It can refer to various forms of divine communication, such as miracles or omens, and is frequently associated with significant events in the biblical narrative.

This word captures the essence of a miraculous sign, serving as a reminder of God's intervention in human affairs. It appears in contexts that highlight God's promises and His ability to perform wonders, reinforcing the importance of recognizing His signs.


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 finite verb וְהָי֣וּ, and they will become, governs the entire verse. The structure includes a prepositional phrase indicating the subject of the curses and two noun phrases describing their function as a sign and a wonder.

The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the curses as the subject, followed by their roles as a sign and a wonder, which highlights their significance in the context of divine communication.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates אוֹת as σημεῖα, which means 'sign' in Greek. This choice reflects the original Hebrew meaning while also emphasizing the miraculous aspect of the sign.

The use of σημεῖα suggests a focus on the signs as indicators of God's presence and action, aligning with the Hebrew understanding of miraculous tokens.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Deuteronomy 28:46 states that the curses resulting from disobedience will serve as a sign and wonder for both you and your descendants forever. This emphasizes the lasting impact of these curses as reminders of God's power and the consequences of turning away from His commands.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that these curses will be a sign?

The curses serve as a visible reminder of the consequences of disobedience, highlighting God's power and His expectations for His people.

How long will these curses last?

The verse indicates that the effects of these curses will endure forever, impacting future generations.

What is the significance of the word 'wonder'?

The term 'wonder' emphasizes the miraculous nature of the curses, showcasing God's ability to intervene in the lives of His people.

How does this verse relate to the overall message of Deuteronomy?

This verse encapsulates the theme of blessings and curses in Deuteronomy, illustrating the consequences of obedience versus disobedience to God's commandments.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways can I recognize the signs of God's presence in my life?
  2. How can I ensure that I am living in obedience to God's commandments?
  3. What lessons can I learn from the consequences described in this verse?
  4. How can I share the message of God's power and signs with others?

Commentators on this verse — 5 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Deuteronomy 28:46 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

And they shall be upon thee for a sign and for a wonder,.... That is, those curses before pronounced, Deuteronomy 27:15, and what follow, should rest and remain upon them, continue with them, and be

Read John Gill on Deuteronomy 28 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Moreover all these curses shall come upon thee, and shall pursue thee, and overtake thee, till thou be destroyed; because thou hearkenedst not unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his

Read Robert Jamieson on Deuteronomy 28 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

They shall be, i.e. these curses now mentioned. For a wonder, i.e. signal and wonderful to all that hear of them.

Read Matthew Poole on Deuteronomy 28 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Deuteronomy 28:46 And they shall be upon thee for a sign and for a wonder, and upon thy seed for ever.Ver. 46. For a sign.] Of God’ s heavy displeasure.

Read John Trapp on Deuteronomy 28 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

15–46. The Curses The opening Deuteronomy 28:15-20, correspond to the blessings in Deuteronomy 28:1-7, except that there are no antitheses to Deuteronomy 28:1 b and Deuteronomy 28:2 b, and that the curse on basket and kneading-bowl precedes that on fruit of thy body, etc. Then the Discourse leaves the limits it had observed in the remainder of the blessings, Deuteronomy 28:8-14, and while here and there it gives the exact contrast of these blessings (cp. Deuteronomy 28:23 f. with Deuteronomy 28:12 a, Deuteronomy 28:25 with Deuteronomy 28:7 b, Deuteronomy 28:37 and Deuteronomy 28:46 with Deuteronomy 28:10, Deuteronomy 28:43 f. with Deuteronomy 28:12 b, Deuteronomy 28:13 a), the rest is a…

Read Cambridge on Deuteronomy 28 →

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

These curses will be a sign and a wonder upon you and your descendants forever.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

They will be for a sign and for a wonder to you and to your offspring forever.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

These curses will be a sign and a wonder upon you and your descendants forever.

NETBNew English Translation2006

These curses will be a perpetual sign and wonder with reference to you and your descendants.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And they shall be upon thee for a sign and for a wonder, and upon thy seed for ever.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

and they shall be upon thee for a sign and for a wonder, and upon thy seed for ever.

RVARevised Version, American1894

and they shall be upon thee for a sign and for a wonder, and upon thy seed for ever:

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And they shall be upon thee for a sign and for a wonder, and upon thy seed for ever.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

And they shalbe vpon thee for signes and wonders, and vpon thy seede for euer,

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And they shall be upon thee for a sign and for a wonder, and upon thy seed for ever.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

and they have been on thee for a sign and for a wonder, also on thy seed — to the age.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

and they have been on you for a sign and for a wonder, also on your seed—for all time.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And they shall remain on thee for a sign and for a token, and on thy seed, for ever.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

These curses will be on you as signs and wonders, and on your descendants forever.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And they shall be as signs and wonders on thee, and on thy seed for ever.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

They will be lasting evidence, visible signs of what happened to you and your descendants.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

These things will come on you and on your seed, to be a sign and a wonder for ever;

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.

וְandclauseverbהָי֣וּthey.will.becomeprepositional phrase · prepositionalprepositional phraseלְ(into).aא֖וֹתsignוּand.(into)prepositional phraseלְaמוֹפֵ֑תwonderprepositional phrase · prepositionalprepositional phraseבְamongךָ֔youוּֽandprepositional phraseבְamongnoun phraseזַרְעֲoffspringךָ֖yourprepositional phrase · prepositionalעַדuntilעוֹלָֽםperpetuity

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


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

The Masoretic Text is supported by the Septuagint, which matches the Hebrew word-for-word, and the Samaritan Pentateuch, which agrees exactly with the Masoretic Text. The Dead Sea Scrolls contain a partially restored text that aligns with the overall message but lacks complete preservation.

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

וְהָי֣וּ בְךָ֔ לְא֖וֹת וּלְמוֹפֵ֑ת וּֽבְזַרְעֲךָ֖ עַד־ עוֹלָֽם׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וְהָי֣וּἔσταιבְךָ֔σημεῖαלְא֖וֹתκαὶוּלְמוֹפֵ֑תσοὶוּֽבְזַרְעֲךָ֖σουעַד־ἕωςעוֹלָֽם׃αἰῶνος

7 of the 7 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.

Samaritan Pentateuchthe Torah as the Samaritan community kept it

והיו בך לאות ולמופת ובזרעך עד עולם

Agrees with the Masoretic Text here, word for word.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 1Q5a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[והיו] [ב׳ך] [לאות] [ולמופת] [ובזרע׳ך] [עד] עולם

nothing on the leather here — 1 partly restored, 6 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.

Deuteronomy 28:46הָיָהand they wiand they will bהָיָהךָּamong youamong youךָּאוֹתa signa signאוֹתמוֹפֵתand a wondeand a wonderמוֹפֵתזֶ֫רַעand among oand among offspזֶ֫רַעעַדuntiluntilעַדעוֹלָםperpetuityperpetuityעוֹלָםזָרַעto sowto sowזָרַעאוּתto consentto consentאוּתיָפָהbe beautifbe beautifulיָפָהעַדperpetuityperpetuityעַדעָלַםto concealto concealעָלַםהָוָאto fallto fallהָוָאמוֹפֵתwonderwonderמוֹפֵתבַּ֫יִןbetweenbetweenבַּ֫יִןאוֹתsign: mirasign: miraculouאוֹתחָזָקstrongstrongחָזָקמָתַיhowhowמָתַיעֶ֫רֶבeveningeveningעֶ֫רֶבדּוֹרgenerationgenerationדּוֹר
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 Deuteronomy 28:46

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 they will become among you a sign and a wonder and among offspring your until perpetuity
וְהָי֣וּve.ha.Yu and they will become H1961 Verb · Qal · sequential perfect third person common plural
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
disasters, calamities, remain, come to be
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-3cp — Verb · Qal · sequential perfect third person common plural
Hc/Vqq3cp
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

be-kum':

(1) Greek ginomai, used in New Testament for a change of state, corresponding to Hebrew hayah of Old Testament. Compare Mt 18:3 with De 27:9.

(2) For what is fitting, suitable, proper, in New Testament: "prepei" (Mt 3:15; Eph 5:3; 1Ti 2:10); in Old Testament, na'awah, na'ah, Ps 93:5: "Holiness becometh thy house." in this sense, the adverb "becomingly" must be interpreted: "Walk becomingly toward them that are without" (1Th 4:12), i.e. in a way that is consistent with your profession.

and they will become among you a sign and a wonder and among offspring your until perpetuity
בְךָ֔ve.Kha among you H9031 Preposition · suffix
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

ךָּ (ka) — you.

Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 2nd person masculine singular

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HRd/Sp2ms — Preposition · suffix
HRd/Sp2ms
and they will become among you a sign and a wonder and among offspring your until perpetuity
לְא֖וֹתle.'ot a sign H226 Preposition · noun common feminine singular absolute
80× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A miraculous sign or wonder, like a beacon or monument. In the Bible, it appears in books like Genesis and Isaiah. It means a signal or token of God's power.
Amplified meaning
miraculous token, beacon
Tyndale gloss
sign: miraculous
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אוֹת (owth) means 'sign' and encompasses a range of meanings including a token, miracle, or omen. It can refer to distinguishing marks, banners, and memorials, as well as signs of divine presence or prophetic promises. The term is used in contexts related to covenants and changes in weather. Notably, it appears in Exodus 4:8.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אוֹת n.m. 79 Ex 4:8 (f. Jos 24:17) sign

sign, pledge, token

signs, omens promised by prophets as pledges of certain predicted events

sign, symbol of prophets

signs, miracles, as pledges or attestations of divine presence & interposition

signs, memorials

sign, pledge of covenant

ensigns, standards

signs, tokens of changes of weather & times

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H226 אוֹת sign . sign, pledge, token

. signs, omens promised by prophets as pledges of certain predicted events

. sign, symbol of prophets

. signs, miracles, as pledges or attestations of divine presence & interposition

. signs, memorials

. sign, pledge of covenant

. ensigns, standards

. signs, tokens of changes of weather & times

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

226 'owth oth

probably from 225 (in the sense of appearing); a signal

(literally or figuratively), as a flag, beacon, monument,

omen, prodigy, evidence, etc.:--mark, miracle, (en-)sign,

token.

see HEBREW for 0225

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אוֹת (ot) — sign: miraculous.

: miraculous

1) sign, signal

1a) a distinguishing mark

1b) banner

1c) remembrance

1d) miraculous sign

1e) omen

1f) warning

2) token, ensign, standard, miracle, proof

אוֹת (ot) — sign: indicator.

: 2_indicator

1) sign, signal

1a) a distinguishing mark

1b) banner

1c) remembrance

1d) miraculous sign

1e) omen

1f) warning

2) token, ensign, standard, miracle, proof

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-cs — Preposition · noun common feminine singular absolute
HR/Ncfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

sin ('oth "a sign" "mark" mopheth, "wonder"' semeion, "a sign," "signal," "mark"): A mark by which persons or things are distinguished and made known. In Scripture used generally of an address to the senses to attest the existence of supersensible and therefore divine power. Thus the plagues of Egypt were "signs" of divine displeasure against the Egyptians (Ex 4:8 ff; Jos 24:17, and often); and the miracles of Jesus were "signs" to attest His unique relationship with God (Mt 12:38; Joh 2:18; Ac 2:22). Naturally, therefore, both in the Old Testament and the New Testament, "signs" are assimilated to the miraculous, and…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A token, pledge, or proof, Ge 9:12,13 17:11 Ex 3:12 Isa 8:18. Also a supernatural portent, Lu 21:11; and a miracle, regarded as a token of the divine agency, Ex 4:7-9 Mr 8:11. The "signs of heaven" were the movements and aspects of the heavenly bodies, from which heathen astrologers pretended to obtain revelations, Isa 44:25 Jer 10:2. See SHIP.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ A miracle to confirm faith Mt 12:38; 16:4; 24:3,30; Mr 8:11,12; 13:4; Joh 2:11; 3:2; 4:48

→ Asked for by, and given to

Abraham Ge 15:8-17

Moses Ex 4:1-9

Gideon Jud 6:17,36-40

Hezekiah 2Ki 20:8

Zacharias Lu 1:18

→ Given to Jeroboam 1Ki 13:3-5

→ A token of coming events Mt 16:3,4; 24:3

→ See MIRACLES

and they will become among you a sign and a wonder and among offspring your until perpetuity
וּלְמוֹפֵ֑תu.le.mo.Fet and a wonder H4159 Conjunction · preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
36× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means wonder or miracle, a special display of God's power. It describes a sign or token, like the miracles performed by prophets. The Bible uses it to convey a sense of awe.
Amplified meaning
miracle, display of God's power
Tyndale gloss
wonder
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מוֹפֵת (mowpheth) refers to a wonder, sign, or portent, often associated with a display of God's power. It is derived from the concept of conspicuousness and can imply a miracle or token of a future event. The term captures the idea of something remarkable that signifies divine intervention.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מוֹפֵת n.m. wonder, sign, portent

wonder, as special display of God’s power

sign or token of future event

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4159 מוֹפֵת wonder, sign, portent

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4159 mowpheth mo-faith'

or mopheth {mo-faith'}; from 3302 in the sense of

conspicuousness; a miracle; by implication, a token or

omen:--miracle, sign, wonder(-ed at).

see HEBREW for 03302

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מוֹפֵת (mo.phet) — wonder.

1) wonder, sign, miracle, portent

1a) wonder (as a special display of God's power)

1b) sign, token (of future event)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Prep | N-ms — Conjunction · preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
HC/R/Ncmsa
and they will become among you a sign and a wonder and among offspring your until perpetuity
וּֽבְזַרְעֲךָ֖u.ve.zar.'a.Kha and among offspring your H2233 Conjunction · preposition · noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
229× 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 seed or offspring, like in Genesis where God promises Abraham many descendants. It can also mean a plant or sowing time, as in Isaiah 55:10. This concept is central to God's plan for humanity.
Amplified meaning
seed, offspring
Tyndale gloss
seed
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

זֶ֫רַע (zera`) means seed, sowing, or offspring. It can refer to literal seed, such as in agriculture, or figuratively to descendants and moral qualities of individuals or communities. The term encompasses concepts like sowing time and can denote a practitioner of righteousness. There is a consistent emphasis on both physical and moral implications of the word.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

זֶ֫רַע n.m. sowing, seed, offspring

lit.:

a sowing

sowing as regularly recurring at its season

seed

seed = semen virile

seed = offspring

seed as marked by moral quality = persons (or community) of such a quality

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2233 זֶ֫רַע sowing, seed, offspring . lit.: . a sowing

. sowing as regularly recurring at its season

. seed

. seed = semen virile

. seed = offspring

. seed as marked by moral quality = persons (or community) of such a quality

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2233 zera` zeh'-rah

from 2232; seed; figuratively, fruit, plant, sowing-time,

posterity:--X carnally, child, fruitful, seed(-time), sowing-

time.

see HEBREW for 02232

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

זֶ֫רַע (ze.ra) — seed.

: seed/sowing

1) seed, sowing, offspring

1a) a sowing

1b) seed

1c) semen virile

1d) offspring, descendants, posterity, children

1e) of moral quality

1e1) a practitioner of righteousness (fig.)

1f) sowing time (by meton)

זֶ֫רַע (ze.ra) — seed: children.

: children/descendants

1) seed, sowing, offspring

1a) a sowing

1b) seed

1c) semen virile

1d) offspring, descendants, posterity, children

1e) of moral quality

1e1) a practitioner of righteousness (fig.)

1f) sowing time (by meton)

זֶ֫רַע (ze.ra) — seed: semen.

: semen

1) seed, sowing, offspring

1a) a sowing

1b) seed

1c) semen virile

1d) offspring, descendants, posterity, children

1e) of moral quality

1e1) a practitioner of righteousness (fig.)

1f) sowing time (by meton)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Prep | N-ms | Suff — Conjunction · preposition · noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HC/R/Ncmsc/Sp2ms
and they will become among you a sign and a wonder and among offspring your until perpetuity
עַד־'ad- until H5704 Preposition
1,261× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means until or as far as, describing a point in time or space. It's used in the Bible to set boundaries or limits, like in Exodus when describing the Israelites' journey.
Amplified meaning
always, eternally
Tyndale gloss
till
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עַד (ad) primarily functions as a preposition, adverb, or conjunction meaning 'until,' 'up to,' or 'as far as.' It can denote spatial, temporal, or degree-related contexts, such as 'even to' or 'while.' The entries indicate its use in poetry and in various combinations, but there is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עַד, in poetry עֲדֵי prep. as far as, even to, up to, until, while

prep.

of space

Of time

Of degree

conj.

until

While

Of degree, to the point that, so that even (rare)

עַד לְ, a strengthened form for עַד. Thus

of space

Of time

Of degree

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5704 עַד, in poetry עֲדֵי as far as, even to, up to, until, while . prep. . of space

. Of time

. Of degree

. conj. . until

. While

. Of degree, to the point that, so that even (rare)

. עַד לְ, a strengthened form for עַד. Thus . of space

. Of time

. Of degree

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5704 `ad ad

properly, the same as 5703 (used as a preposition, adverb or

conjunction; especially with a preposition); as far (or long,

or much) as, whether of space (even unto) or time (during,

while, until) or degree (equally with):--against, and, as,

at, before, by (that), even (to), for(-asmuch as),

(hither-)to, + how long, into, as long (much) as, (so) that,

till, toward, until, when, while, (+ as) yet.

see HEBREW for 05703

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עַד (ad) — till.

prep

1) as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as

1a) of space

1a1) as far as, up to, even to

1b) in combination

1b1) from...as far as, both...and (with 'min' -from)

1c) of time

1c1) even to, until, unto, till, during, end

1d) of degree

1d1) even to, to the degree of, even like

conj

2) until, while, to the point that, so that even

Aramaic equivalent: ad (עַד "till" H5705)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Preposition
HR
and they will become among you a sign and a wonder and among offspring your until perpetuity
עוֹלָֽם׃o.Lam perpetuity H5769 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
438× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means forever or always, describing something that lasts an eternity. It is used in the Bible to describe God's eternal nature and his lasting promises.
Tyndale gloss
forever: antiquity
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עוֹלָם (owlam) refers to concepts of long duration, antiquity, and futurity, encompassing meanings like eternity and perpetual existence. It is derived from a root meaning 'concealed' or 'the vanishing point.' The term is used to describe both ancient times and an indefinite future, indicating continuity and everlastingness.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עוֹלָם 439 n.m. long duration, antiquity, futurity

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5769 עוֹלָם long duration, antiquity, futurity

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5769 `owlam o-lawm'

or lolam {o-lawm'}; from 5956; properly, concealed, i.e. the

vanishing point; generally, time out of mind (past or future),

i.e. (practically) eternity; frequentatively, adverbial

(especially with prepositional prefix) always:--alway(-s),

ancient (time), any more, continuance, eternal, (for,

(n-))ever(-lasting, -more, of old), lasting, long (time), (of)

old (time), perpetual, at any time, (beginning of the) world

(+ without end). Compare 5331, 5703.

see HEBREW for 05956

see HEBREW for 05331

see HEBREW for 05703

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עוֹלָם (o.lam) — forever: enduring.

: enduring/eternal

1) long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, old, ancient, world

1a) ancient time, long time (of past)

1b) (of future)

1b1) for ever, always

1b2) continuous existence, perpetual

1b3) everlasting, indefinite or unending future, eternity

עוֹלָם (o.lam) — Everlasting.

This name means long duration, everlasting, perpetual

Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)

עוֹלָם (o.lam) — forever: any time.

: any_time

1) long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, old, ancient, world

1a) ancient time, long time (of past)

1b) (of future)

1b1) for ever, always

1b2) continuous existence, perpetual

1b3) everlasting, indefinite or unending future, eternity

עוֹלָם (o.lam) — forever: antiquity.

: old/ancient

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcmsa — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
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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