Ecclesiastes 10:9 — Word Study
WLCמַסִּ֣יעַ אֲבָנִ֔ים יֵעָצֵ֖ב בָּהֶ֑ם בּוֹקֵ֥עַ עֵצִ֖ים יִסָּ֥כֶן בָּֽם׃
BSAThe one who quarriesnâçaʻ [removes, sets out] stonesʼeben [rocks, precious gems] may be injuredʻâtsab▸ [hurt, grieved] and he who splitsbâqaʻ [breaks, cleaves] logsʻêts [trees, wood] endangers himselfçâkan▸ [puts in danger, impovershes]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| מַסִּ֣יעַ | [one who] quarries | Verb, Hiphil, participle (active) masculine singular |
| אֲבָנִ֔ים | stones | Noun common, feminine plural absolute |
| יֵעָצֵ֖ב | he will be hurt | Verb, Niphal, imperfect third person masculine singular |
| בָּהֶ֑ם | by them | Preposition, suffix |
| בּוֹקֵ֥עַ | [one who] cleaves | Verb, Qal, participle (active) masculine singular |
| עֵצִ֖ים | wood | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
| יִסָּ֥כֶן | he will be endangered | Verb, Niphal, imperfect third person masculine singular |
| בָּֽם׃ | by them | Preposition, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | The one who quarries stones may be injured by them, and he who splits logs endangers himself. |
| KJV | Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby. |
| ASV | Whoso heweth out stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood is endangered thereby. |
| YLT | Whoso is removing stones is grieved by them, Whoso is cleaving trees endangered by them. |
| WEB | Whoever carves out stones may be injured by them. Whoever splits wood may be endangered by it. |
| BBE | He who gets out stones from the earth will be damaged by them, and in the cutting of wood there is danger. |
Where they part company is יֵעָצֵ֖ב — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence contains two main clauses, each describing a different activity and its associated risk.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbנָסַע
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
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 — Ecclesiastes 10:9
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 — Wisdom on Labor and Risksgenerated
Ecclesiastes 10:9 reflects on the perils associated with certain types of work. The verse emphasizes that those who quarry stones or split logs may encounter injury or danger, highlighting the inherent risks in manual labor. This passage is part of a broader discourse in Ecclesiastes that addresses the unpredictability of life and the importance of wisdom in navigating daily activities.
Cross References
The Key Word — יֵעָצֵ֖ב, ye.'a.Tzevgenerated
The verb יֵעָצֵ֖ב (ye'atzeb) is in the Niphal form, indicating a passive or reflexive action. It suggests that the subject will experience hurt or grief, emphasizing the potential consequences of one's actions. This word captures both physical injury and emotional distress, reflecting the dual nature of the risks involved in labor.
The parsing as imperfect third person masculine singular indicates that this is a general statement about those who engage in certain activities, rather than a specific individual. The implications of this word extend beyond mere physical harm to encompass the broader theme of caution in one's endeavors.
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 main verb יֵעָצֵ֖ב governs the first clause, indicating the potential for injury. This is followed by a second main clause with another verb יִסָּ֥כֶן, which indicates danger, creating a parallel structure that highlights the risks in both activities mentioned.
The sentence structure emphasizes the actions of quarrying and splitting, with each verb leading a clause that describes the consequences. This parallelism serves to reinforce the theme of caution in labor.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates יֵעָצֵ֖ב as διαπονηθήσεται, which suggests a broader interpretation of suffering or being distressed. This choice indicates a possible emphasis on emotional or psychological harm, expanding the understanding of the risks involved in the activities described.
The use of διαπονηθήσεται may reflect an interpretation that encompasses both physical and emotional consequences, aligning with the wisdom literature's focus on the complexities of human experience.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Ecclesiastes 10:9 warns that those who quarry stones or split logs may face injury or danger. It highlights the risks involved in physical labor, reminding readers to be cautious in their work.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
To quarry stones means to extract or remove stones from the ground, often involving physical labor that can be dangerous.
Injuries can occur due to falling stones, accidents with tools, or other hazards associated with heavy labor.
To split logs refers to the act of cutting or breaking wood into smaller pieces, which also carries risks such as accidents with axes.
The verse emphasizes the importance of being aware of the dangers associated with manual labor and the potential consequences of one's actions.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What are some risks I face in my daily work or activities?
- How can I apply wisdom to avoid potential dangers in my life?
- In what ways can I be more cautious in my endeavors?
- How does this verse relate to the concept of diligence and care in our work?
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Ecclesiastes 10:9 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleWhoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith,.... That carries them from the quarry, where they are dug; or takes them from a heap, where they lie; or that attempts to pull them out of a building,
Read John Gill on Ecclesiastes 10 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryWhoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby. Whoso removeth stones - namely, of an ancient building, or his neighbour's landmarks, or from the quarry.
Read Robert Jamieson on Ecclesiastes 10 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleWhoso removeth stones; either, 1. The stones which belong to others, and limit or distinguish their grounds, of which see . Or, 2. Great stones too heavy for them; which rashly attempt things too high and hard for them; which seems better to agree with the following clause than the former interpretation doth. Shall be hurt therewith; may easily receive hurt by the stones falling unexpectedly and violently upon him. He that cleaveth wood, with an iron instrument, as the manner is, he being unskilful in that art. Possibly he designs a man who causeth discord and mischief among friends, or in a family, or kingdom. Shall be endangered thereby; may peradventure cut himself.
Read Matthew Poole on Ecclesiastes 10 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsEcclesiastes 10:9 Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; [and] he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby.Ver. 9. Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith.] So he that attempteth to loose and remove the joints and pieces of a settled government, there is danger that, like Samson, he will be crushed in the ruin. So one gives the sense of it: He that goeth about to remove a ruler out of his place, and to divide a settled government that is at unity in itself, undertaketh a dangerous piece of business. As he undertaketh a desperate work, such shall his reward be. It is evil meddling with edged tools, &c., saith another interpreter. Some by "stones" here understand…
Read John Trapp on Ecclesiastes 10 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(9) Removeth.—The nearest parallel Isaiah 1 Kings 5:17, where the word is used with regard to the quarryings, not the removing of stones. For the latter sense, however, there is countenance in 2 Kings 4:4, where the word is translated “set aside.” Cleaveth wood.—Or, cutteth down trees, an operation not free from danger (Deuteronomy 19:5).
Read Charles John Ellicott on Ecclesiastes 10 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 9. Whoso removeth stones] This verse teaches care and caution. Whoever pulls down an old building is likely to be hurt by the stones; and in cleaving wood many accidents occur for want of sufficient caution.
Read AdamClarke on Ecclesiastes 10 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges9. Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith] The words are referred by some commentators to an act like that of the previous verse, by others to hewing stone in the quarry. In the former case, however, we get but a tame repetition, in the latter there is nothing in the act that deserves retribution. We get a more natural meaning, if we think of the curse pronounced on him who “removes his neighbour’s landmark” (Deuteronomy 19:14; Deuteronomy 27:17). Such landmarks often consisted of cairns or heaps of stones, as in Genesis 31:46-48, or a pillar, and the act of removing it would be one of wrongful aggression. For the stone to fall on a man so acting would be once more an instance of the…
Read Cambridge on Ecclesiastes 10 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible9. Whoso removeth stones — This removing of stones is probably to be referred to the tearing down of buildings, etc., which is always attended with some danger.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Ecclesiastes 10 →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
The one who quarries stones may be injured by them, and he who splits logs endangers himself.
Whoever carves out stones may be injured by them. Whoever splits wood may be endangered by it.
The one who quarries stones may be injured by them, and he who splits logs endangers himself.
One who quarries stones may be injured by them; one who splits logs may be endangered by them.
Tyndale line
Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby.
Whoso heweth out stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood is endangered thereby.
Whoso heweth out stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood is endangered thereby.
Whoever removeth stones shall be hurt by them; and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered by it.
He that remooueth stones, shall hurt himselfe thereby, and hee that cutteth wood, shall be in danger thereby.
Strictly literal
Whoso removeth stones is hurt therewith; he that cleaveth wood is endangered thereby.
Whoso is removing stones is grieved by them, Whoso is cleaving trees endangered by them.
Whoever is removing stones is grieved by them, || Whoever is cleaving trees endangered by them.
Whoso removeth stones will be hurt through them; and he that cleaveth wood will be endangered thereby.
Whoever cuts out stones can be hurt by them, and the man who chops wood is endangered by it.
From the Latin
He that removeth stones, shall be hurt by them: and he that cutteth trees, shall be wounded by them.
Simplified
If you quarry stone, you could be injured. If you split logs, you could be hurt.
He who gets out stones from the earth will be damaged by them, and in the cutting of wood there is danger.
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.
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 all eight words matched. This consistency suggests a shared understanding of the risks associated with manual labor, as articulated in both texts.
מַסִּ֣יעַ אֲבָנִ֔ים יֵעָצֵ֖ב בָּהֶ֑ם בּוֹקֵ֥עַ עֵצִ֖ים יִסָּ֥כֶן בָּֽם׃
8 of the 8 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Ecclesiastes 10:9
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.
נָסַע (naca`) means to pull out or up, particularly in the context of setting out on a journey. It encompasses actions like departing, marching, and removing, with nuances related to both physical movement and the wind. The word can also imply causing someone or something to set out or be led away.
נָסַע 147 vb. pull out or up, set out, journey
Qal 137
pull out or up
hence (from pulling up tent-pegs),
set out
depart
journey, march (by stages)
of wind
Niph. be pulled up, removed
Hiph.
cause to set out, lead out
remove
base
H5265 נָסַע pull out or up, set out, journey .. pull out or up
. hence (from pulling up tent-pegs), . set out
. depart
. journey, march (by stages)
. of wind
. be pulled up, removed
. . cause to set out, lead out
. remove
5265 naca` naw-sah'
a primitive root; properly, to pull up, especially the
tent-pins, i.e. start on a journey:--cause to blow, bring,
get, (make to) go (away, forth, forward, onward, out), (take)
journey, march, remove, set aside (forward), X still, be on
his (go their) way.
נָסַע (na.sa) — to set out.
1) to pull out, pull up, set out, journey, remove, set forward, depart
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to pull out or up
1a2) to set out, depart
1a3) to journey, march
1a4) to set forth (of wind)
1b) (Niphal) to be pulled up, be removed, be plucked up
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to cause to set out, lead out, cause to spring up
1c2) to remove, quarry
V-Hiphil — Verb · Hiphil · participle (active) masculine singularHVhrmsa
kwor'-iz (pecilim (Jud 3:19,26, "graven images"), shebharim (Jos 7:5, "Shebarim," the Revised Version margin "the quarries")):
Pesilim is elsewhere translated "graven images" (De 7:5; Ps 78:58; Isa 10:10; Mic 5:13, etc.) and is a plural form of pecel, "graven image" (Ex 20:4, etc.), from pacal, "to carve." It occurs in the story of Ehud and Eglon and refers to images or hewn stones in the vicinity of Gilgal, Shebharim is plural of shebher, "breach," "fracture," more often "destruction" (e.g.
Quarries
(1.) The “Royal Quarries” (not found in Scripture) is the name given to the vast caverns stretching far underneath the northern hill, Bezetha, on which Jerusalem is built. Out of these mammoth caverns stones, a hard lime-stone, have been quarried in ancient times for the buildings in the city, and for the temples of Solomon, Zerubbabel, and Herod. Huge blocks of stone are still found in these caves bearing the marks of pick and chisel. The general appearance of the whole suggests to the explorer the idea that the Phoenician quarrymen have just suspended their work. The supposition that the polished blocks of stone for Solomon’s temple were sent by Hiram from Lebanon or Tyre is not supported by any evidence (comp. 1 Kings 5:8). Hiram sent masons and stone-squarers to Jerusalem to assist Solomon’s workmen in their great…
→ General scriptures concerning Jud 3:19,26
The Hebrew word אֶ֫בֶן (*eben*) means 'stone' and encompasses various types, including common stones, precious stones, and stones used as weights or tools. It can also refer to metaphorical uses, such as a hardened heart or sinking in water. The entries highlight its physical and symbolic significance, with no notable disagreements among lexicons.
אֶ֫בֶן 274 n.f. stone
in natural state
stone, as material
precious stone, gen. with modifying word
stone containing metal, = ore
a weight, as orig. stone
plummet
objects like stone
in sim. (mostly poet.) of sinking in water
In topogr. terms
base
H68 אֶ֫בֶן stone . in natural state
. stone, as material
. precious stone, gen. with modifying word
. stone containing metal, = ore
. a weight, as orig. stone
. plummet
. objects like stone
. in sim. (mostly poet.) of sinking in water
. In topogr. terms
68 'eben eh'-ben
from the root of 1129 through the meaning to build; a
stone:--+ carbuncle, + mason, + plummet, (chalk-, hail-,
head-, sling-)stone(-ny), (divers) weight(-s).
see HEBREW for 01129
אֶ֫בֶן (e.ven) — stone.
: stone
1) stone (large or small)
1a) common stone (in natural state)
1b) stone, as material
1b1) of tablets
1b2) marble, hewn stones
1c) precious stones, stones of fire
1d) stones containing metal (ore), tool for work or weapon
1e) weight
1f) plummet (stones of destruction) also made of metal
1g) stonelike objects, eg hailstones, stony heart, ice
1h) sacred object, as memorial Samuel set up to mark where God helped Israel to defeat the Philistines
1i) (simile)
1i1) sinking in water, motionlessness
1i2) strength, firmness, solidity
1i3) commonness
1j) (metaph)
1j1) petrified with terror
1j2) perverse, hard heart
אֶ֫בֶן (e.ven) — stone: weight.
: weight
1) stone (large or small)
1a) common stone (in natural state)
1b) stone, as material
1b1) of tablets
1b2) marble, hewn stones
1c) precious stones, stones of fire
1d) stones containing metal (ore), tool for work or weapon
N-fp — Noun common · feminine plural absoluteHNcfpa
Besides the ordinary uses to which stones were applied, we may mention that large stones were set up to commemorate any remarkable event. (Genesis 28:18; 35:14; 31:45; Joshua 4:9; 1 Samuel 7:12) Such stones were occasionally consecrated By anointing. (Genesis 28:18) Heaps of stones were piled up on various occasions, as in token of a treaty, (Genesis 31:47) or over the grave of some notorious offender. (Joshua 7:26; 8:29; 2 Samuel 18:17) The "white stone" noticed in (
The Hebrew word עָצַב (atsab) has dual meanings: it can refer to causing hurt, pain, or grief, and it can also mean to shape or fashion. It is built from a primitive root that conveys both negative emotions and the act of creating. The entries indicate that it can be used in various forms, such as causing pain (Hiphil) or shaping (Piel).
[עָצַב] vb. hurt, pain, grieve
Qal his father had not pained him
Niph. be pained for
Pi. they vexed his holy spirit
Hiph. they used to cause him [י׳] pain.
Hithp. and he was vexed to his heart
base
[עָצַב] vb. Pi. shape, fashion
Pi. thy hands shaped me, etc.
Hiph. to fashion her, i.e. make images of her
base
H6087a עָצַב hurt, pain, grieve H6087b עָצַב Pi. shape, fashion
6087 `atsab aw-tsab'
a primitive root; properly, to carve, i.e. fabricate or
fashion; hence (in a bad sense) to worry, pain or anger:--
displease, grieve, hurt, make, be sorry, vex, worship, wrest.
עָצַב (a.tsav) — to hurt.
1) to hurt, pain, grieve, displease, vex, wrest
1a) (Qal) to hurt, pain
1b)(Niphal) to be in pain, be pained, be grieved
1c) (Piel) to vex, torture
1d) (Hiphil) to cause pain
1e) (Hithpael) to feel grieved, be vexed
Aramaic equivalent: a.tsav (עֲצַב "to pain" H6088)
עָצַב (a.tsav) — to shape.
1) to shape, fashion, make, form, stretch into shape, (TWOT) worship
1a) (Piel) to shape, form
1b) (Hiphil) to form, copy, fashion
V-Niphal-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Niphal · imperfect third person masculine singularHVNi3ms
hurt: The term (noun and verb) represents a large number of Hebrew words, of which the chief are ra` (verb ra`a`), "evil" (Ge 26:29; 1Sa 24:9; Ps 35:4, etc.), and shebher or shebher (from shabhar), "a fracture" or "breaking" (Jer 6:14; 8:11,21; 10:19; compare Ex 22:10,14). In Greek a principal verb is adikeo, "to do injustice" (Lu 10:19; Re 2:11; 6:6, etc.); once the word "hurt" is used in the King James Version (Ac 27:10, story of Paul's shipwreck) for…
הֶם (hem) — them.
Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 3rd person masculine plural
HRd/Sp3mp — Preposition · suffixHRd/Sp3mp
בָּקַע (baqa`) is a Hebrew verb meaning to cleave or break open. It encompasses a range of actions, including splitting, tearing, and breaking through, with various grammatical forms indicating different nuances, such as being cleft or bursting open. The entries highlight its use in contexts like breaking into or through something, but do not provide specific verse references.
בָּקַע vb. cleave, break open or through
Qal
cleave, cleave open
break through or into
Niph.
be cleft, rent open
be broken into
Pi. cleave, cut to pieces, or rend open
Pu. be ripped open
Hiph. break into
Hoph. the city was broken into
Hithp. burst (themselves) open, of wine-skins; cleave asunder, of valleys
base
H1234 בָּקַע cleave, break open or through
1234 baqa` baw-kah'
a primitive root; to cleave; generally, to rend, break, rip
or open:--make a breach, break forth (into, out, in pieces,
through, up), be ready to burst, cleave (asunder), cut out,
divide, hatch, rend (asunder), rip up, tear, win.
בָּקַע (ba.qa) — to break up/open.
1) to split, cleave, break open, divide, break through, rip up, break up, tear
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to cleave, cleave open
1a2) to break through, break into
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be cleft, be rent open, be split open
1b2) to be broken into
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to cleave, cut to pieces, rend open
1c2) to break through, break down
1d) (Pual)
1d1) to be ripped open, be torn open
1d2) to be rent
1d3) to be broken into
1e) (Hiphil)
1e1) to break into
1e2) to break through
1f) (Hophal) to be broken into
1g) (Hithpael) to burst (themselves) open, cleave asunder
V-Qal — Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine singularHVqrmsa
עֵץ (ets) refers to a tree or wood, encompassing various forms such as timber, sticks, and planks. It can denote both singular and plural trees, as well as specific uses like gallows and firewood. The word is derived from a root meaning firmness, indicating its solid nature.
עֵץ 329 n.m. tree, trees, wood
(c. 150 t.)
a standing tree
coll. trees
(c. 175 t.; c. 120 t. pl., to denote pieces [or articles] of wood)
base
H6086 עֵץ tree, trees, wood . (c. 150 t.) . a standing tree
. coll. trees
. (c. 175 t.; c. 120 t. pl., to denote pieces [or articles] of wood)
6086 `ets ates
from 6095; a tree (from its firmness); hence, wood (plural
sticks):--+ carpenter, gallows, helve, + pine, plank, staff,
stalk, stick, stock, timber, tree, wood.
see HEBREW for 06095
עֵץ (ets) — tree: wood.
: wood
1) tree, wood, timber, stock, plank, stalk, stick, gallows
1a) tree, trees
1b) wood, pieces of wood, gallows, firewood, cedar-wood, woody flax
עֵץ (ets) — tree.
: tree
1) tree, wood, timber, stock, plank, stalk, stick, gallows
1a) tree, trees
1b) wood, pieces of wood, gallows, firewood, cedar-wood, woody flax
עֵץ (ets) — tree: stick.
: stick/log
1) tree, wood, timber, stock, plank, stalk, stick, gallows
1a) tree, trees
1b) wood, pieces of wood, gallows, firewood, cedar-wood, woody flax
עֵץ (ets) — tree: stake.
: stake/shaft
1) tree, wood, timber, stock, plank, stalk, stick, gallows
1a) tree, trees
1b) wood, pieces of wood, gallows, firewood, cedar-wood, woody flax
עֵץ (ets) — tree: carpenter.
: carpenter/wood(worker)
1) tree, wood, timber, stock, plank, stalk, stick, gallows
1a) tree, trees
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural absoluteHNcmpa
wood.
See BOTANY; FOREST; TREES.
Wood
See FOREST.
[FOREST]
The Hebrew word סָכַן (sa.khan) has meanings related to danger and poverty. It can mean to incur danger or to be poor, with specific forms indicating self-endangerment or being impoverished. The entries reference Ecclesiastes 10:9 and Isaiah 40:20, where these meanings are applied.
H5533a סָכַן incur danger (late) H5533b סָכַן (so most) be poor
5533 cakan saw-kan'
probably a denominative from 7915; properly, to cut, i.e.
damage; also to grow (causatively, make) poor:--endanger,
impoverish.
see HEBREW for 07915
סָכַן (sa.khan) — to endanger.
1) to incur danger
1a) (Niphal) to endanger oneself
סָכַן (sa.khan) — to impoverish.
1) to be poor
1a) (Pual) to be impoverished
V-Niphal-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Niphal · imperfect third person masculine singularHVNi3ms
הֶם (hem) — them.
Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 3rd person masculine plural
HRd/Sp3mp — Preposition · suffixHRd/Sp3mp