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Exodus 12:49 — Word Study

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WLCתּוֹרָ֣ה אַחַ֔ת יִהְיֶ֖ה לָֽאֶזְרָ֑ח וְלַגֵּ֖ר הַגָּ֥ר בְּתוֹכְכֶֽם׃

BSAThe sameʼechâd [one, united] lawtôwrâh [instruction, Torah] shall applyhâyâh to both the nativeʼezrâch [born, homeborn] and the foreignergêr [sojourner, stranger] who residesgûwr [sojourns, lives] among youtâvek [in your midst]

Word
Listen & take awayExodus 12
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 49 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 (be.tokh.Khem) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Exodus 12:49quick helps
In a sentenceThe same law applies equally to both native-born Israelites and foreigners living among them.
Who is speakingThe LORD, through Moses, addressing the Israelites.
Where we areIn the context of the Passover regulations, emphasizing inclusion.
The hard wordתּוֹרָ֣ה
Take awayGod's law is universal, applying to everyone in the community.
7 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, Ellicott & 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 — Exodus 12:49

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 — Laws for the Passovergenerated

48If a foreigner resides with you and wants to celebrate the LORD’s Passover, all the males in the household must be circumcised; then he may come near to celebrate it, and he shall be like a native of the land. But no uncircumcised man may eat of it.
49The same law shall apply to both the native and the foreigner who resides among you.”
50Then all the Israelites did this—they did just as the LORD had commanded Moses and Aaron.
51And on that very day the LORD brought the Israelites out of the land of Egypt by their divisions.

Exodus 12:49 is part of the instructions regarding the Passover, where God emphasizes that His laws apply equally to both the native-born Israelites and the foreigners living among them. This inclusion highlights the importance of community and shared responsibility in observing God's commandments, as seen in the preceding and following verses that establish the significance of the Passover celebration for all members of the community, regardless of their origin.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Leviticus 24:22You are to have the same standard of law for the foreign resident and the native; for I am the LORD your God.’”
2Numbers 9:14If a foreigner dwelling among you wants to observe the Passover to the LORD, he is to do so according to the Passover statute and its ordinances. You are to apply the same statute to both the foreigner and the native of the land.’”
3Numbers 15:15–16The assembly is to have the same statute both for you and for the foreign resident; it is a permanent statute for the generations to come. You and the foreigner shall be the same before the LORD.
4Galatians 3:28There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
5Colossians 3:11Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, or free, but Christ is all and is in all.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 5 references, hung on the phrase they belong to

One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you.Leviticus 24:22 Numbers 9:14 Numbers 15:15–16 Galatians 3:28 Colossians 3:11

The Key Word תּוֹרָה, to.Rahgenerated

The word תּוֹרָה (to.Rah) signifies law or instruction, derived from the root that conveys the idea of direction or guidance. It encompasses the legal and moral teachings found in the first five books of the Bible, particularly the commandments given to the Israelites.

In this verse, it indicates that the same divine instruction applies to both groups, reinforcing the concept that God's laws are not exclusive but rather inclusive for all who dwell in His community.


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 יִהְיֶ֖ה governs the entire verse, indicating a state of being or existence. The structure emphasizes that the law is a singular, unified directive applicable to both groups.

The phrase תּוֹרָ֣ה אַחַ֔ת serves as the subject, clearly stating that there is one law, followed by two prepositional phrases that specify the subjects to whom this law applies.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint uses the word νόμος (nomos) to translate תּוֹרָה, which also means law but carries a broader connotation of legal principles. This choice reflects the translators' understanding of the law as a guiding principle for both Israelites and foreigners.

The use of ἐγξωρίῳ for אֶזְרָח emphasizes the concept of belonging to a community, reinforcing the idea that the law applies equally to all who reside within the community.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Exodus 12:49 states that the same law applies to both native-born Israelites and foreigners living among them. This means that everyone in the community is expected to follow God's laws, emphasizing equality and shared responsibility in worship and observance.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that the same law applies to both the native and the foreigner?

It signifies that God's commandments are for everyone, regardless of their background, promoting unity and equality in the community.

Why is it important for the law to apply to foreigners?

This inclusion reflects God's desire for all people to be part of His covenant community and to participate in His worship.

How does this verse relate to the overall theme of the Exodus?

It underscores the idea of liberation and belonging, as the Israelites were once foreigners in Egypt and now are called to treat others with the same fairness.

What can we learn from this verse about community?

It teaches that a just and inclusive community is one where all members, regardless of origin, are held to the same standards and responsibilities.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways can I promote inclusivity in my community, following the example set in this verse?
  2. How do I understand the concept of shared responsibility in observing God's laws today?
  3. What does it mean for me personally that God's law applies equally to everyone?
  4. How can I better support those who may feel like outsiders in my community?

Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Exodus 12:49 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

One law shall be to him that is homeborn,.... A proper Israelite, one that is so by descent: and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you; that becomes a proselyte to the true religion; these were

Read John Gill on Exodus 12 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you. One law shall be to him that is home-born, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you.

Read Robert Jamieson on Exodus 12 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Exodus 12:49 One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you.Ver. 49. And unto the stranger.] The proselyte, who is Peregrinus iustitiae, non solum peregrinus portae, as the Rabbins distinguish,

Read John Trapp on Exodus 12 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

FURTHER THE .(43-51) This is the ordinance.—These directions, together with those which follow with respect to the sanctification of the firstborn (Exodus 13:1-16), seem to have been given to Moses at Succoth, and were consequently recorded at this point of the narrative. They comprise three principal points:—(1) The exclusion of all uncircumcised persons from the Passover (Exodus 12:43); (2) the admission of all full proselytes (Exodus 12:48-49); and (3) the injunction that no bone of the lamb should be broken (Exodus 12:46).

Read Charles John Ellicott on Exodus 12 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 49. One law shall be to him that is home-born, c.] As this is the first place that the term תורה torah or LAW occurs, a term of the greatest importance in Divine revelation, and on the proper understanding of which much depends, I judge it best to give its genuine explanation once for all. The word תורה torah comes from the root ירה yarah, which signifies to aim at, teach, point out, direct, lead, guide, make straight, or even and from these significations of the word (and in all these senses it is used in the Bible) we may see at once the nature, properties, and design of the law of God. It is a system of INSTRUCTION in righteousness; it teaches the difference between moral good and…

Read AdamClarke on Exodus 12 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

49. Cf. Leviticus 24:22, Numbers 9:14; Numbers 15:15-16; Numbers 15:29.

Read Cambridge on Exodus 12 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

, Exio 12:43-50. This additional ordinance, defining the character of the participants in the passover feast, now became necessary, since aliens and strangers of various nations attached themselves to Israel. Exodus 12:38.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Exodus 12 →

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

The same law shall apply to both the native and the foreigner who resides among you.”

WEBWorld English Bible2000

One law shall be to him who is born at home, and to the stranger who lives as a foreigner among you.”

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

The same law shall apply to both the native and the foreigner who resides among you.”

NETBNew English Translation2006

The same law will apply to the person who is native-born and to the foreigner who lives among you.”

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

One law shall be to him that is home-born, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you.

RVARevised Version, American1894

One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

One law shall be to him that is home-born, and to the stranger that sojourneth among you.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

One lawe shalbe to him that is borne in the land, and to the stranger that dwelleth among you.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

One law shall be for him that is home-born and for the sojourner that sojourneth among you.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

one law is to a native, and to a sojourner who is sojourning in your midst.'

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

one law is to a native, and to a sojourner who is sojourning in your midst.”

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

One law shall be to him that is home-born, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

This same law will apply to both the native born and to the foreigner who lives among you.”

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

The same law shall be to him that is born in the land, and to the proselyte that sojourneth with you.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

The same rule applies to both the native and the foreigner who lives among you.”

BBEBible in Basic English1949

The law is the same for him who is an Israelite by birth and for the man from a strange country who is living with you.

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.

clausenoun phrase · subjectתּוֹרָ֣הlawאַחַ֔תoneverbיִהְיֶ֖הit.will.belongprepositional phrase · prepositionalprepositional phraseלָֽtonoun phrasetheאֶזְרָ֑חnative-bornוְandprepositional phraseלַtonoun phrasethenoun phraseגֵּ֖רsojourneradjective phraseהַ[who]adjective phraseclauseverbגָּ֥רsojournsprepositional phrase · prepositionalבְּamongnoun phraseתוֹכְmidstכֶֽםyou

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 consistent with the Septuagint and the Samaritan Pentateuch, which agree word for word with the Hebrew text. The Dead Sea Scrolls show some variations in the restoration of words, but they also affirm the core message of the verse.

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

תּוֹרָ֣ה אַחַ֔ת יִהְיֶ֖ה לָֽאֶזְרָ֑ח וְלַגֵּ֖ר הַגָּ֥ר בְּתוֹכְכֶֽם׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
תּוֹרָ֣הνόμοςאַחַ֔תεἷςיִהְיֶ֖הἔσταιלָֽאֶזְרָ֑חἐγξωρίῳוְלַגֵּ֖רτῷהַגָּ֥רπροσελθόντιבְּתוֹכְכֶֽם׃ὑμῖν

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

תורה אחת יהיה לאזרח ולגר הגר בתוככם

Agrees with the Masoretic Text here, word for word.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q140a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

תורה אחת תהיה [להאזרח] [ולהגר] הגר בתוכ׳כמה

3 words on the leather — 2 partly restored, 2 supplied entire by an editor.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q37a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[תורה] [אחת] [יהיה] [לאזרח] ולגר הגר [בתוכ׳כם]

2 words on the leather — 5 supplied entire by an editor.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q128a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[תורה] [אחת] [יהיה] [לאזרח] [ולגר] [הגר] בתוכ׳כמה

1 word on the leather — 6 supplied entire by an editor.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q136a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[תורה] [אחת] [יהיה] [לאזרח] [ולגר] הגר בתוכ׳כם

2 words on the leather — 5 supplied entire by an editor.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 8Q3a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

תורה [אחת] [יהיה] [לנוכרי] ולגר הגר בתוכ׳כם

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

Dead Sea Scrolls — Xq1a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

תורה אחת יהיה לאזרח ולגר הגר בתוכ׳כם

7 words on the leather.

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.

Exodus 12:49תּוֹרָהlawlawתּוֹרָהאֶחָדoneoneאֶחָדהָיָהit will be[it will be[longהָיָהאֶזְרָחto the natito the native-bאֶזְרָחגֵּרand to the and to the sojoגֵּרגּוּרwho sojournwho sojournsגּוּרתָּ֫וֶךְin midst ofin midst of youתָּ֫וֶךְיָרָאto shootto shootיָרָאחָדַדto go eithto go either waחָדַדזָרַחto riseto riseזָרַחהָוָאto fallto fallהָוָאגּוּרto sojournto sojournגּוּרגֵּרsojournersojournerגֵּרסֵ֫פֶרscroll: doscroll: documenסֵ֫פֶרכָּתַבto writeto writeכָּתַבכֶּ֫בֶשׂlamblambכֶּ֫בֶשׂאַ֫יִלramramאַ֫יִלאֶזְרָחbornbornאֶזְרָחתּוֹשָׁבsojournersojournerתּוֹשָׁבתָּ֫וֶךְmidstmidstתָּ֫וֶךְ
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 Exodus 12:49

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.

law one it will be[long] to the native-born and to the sojourner who sojourns in midst of you
תּוֹרָ֣הto.Rah law H8451 Noun common · feminine singular absolute
219× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for instruction or law, referring to the Ten Commandments or the first five books of the Bible, guiding human behavior and moral code.
Amplified meaning
instruction, Torah
Tyndale gloss
instruction
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

תּוֹרָה (towrah) encompasses concepts of direction, instruction, and law, particularly relating to divine or human guidance. It refers to legal directives, customs, and teachings, including the Decalogue and the Pentateuch. The entries highlight its use in various contexts, such as prophetic and priestly instruction, but do not present significant disagreement among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

תּוֹרָה n.f. direction, instruction, law

instruction

law (prop. direction)

custom, manner

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8451 תּוֹרָה direction, instruction, law . instruction

. law (prop. direction)

. custom, manner

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8451 towrah to-raw'

or torah {to-raw'}; from 3384; a precept or statute,

especially the Decalogue or Pentateuch:--law.

see HEBREW for 03384

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

תּוֹרָה (to.rah) — instruction.

1) law, direction, instruction

1a) instruction, direction (human or divine)

1a1) body of prophetic teaching

1a2) instruction in Messianic age

1a3) body of priestly direction or instruction

1a4) body of legal directives

1b) law

1b1) law of the burnt offering

1b2) of special law, codes of law

1c) custom, manner

1d) the Deuteronomic or Mosaic Law

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absolute
HNcfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Law

A rule of action. (1.) The Law of Nature is the will of God as to human conduct, founded on the moral difference of things, and discoverable by natural light (Rom. 1:20; 2:14, 15). This law binds all men at all times. It is generally designated by the term conscience, or the capacity of being influenced by the moral relations of things.

(2.) The Ceremonial Law prescribes under the Old Testament the rites and ceremonies of worship. This law was obligatory only till Christ, of whom these rites were typical, had finished his work (Heb. 7:9, 11; 10:1; Eph. 2:16). It was fulfilled rather than abrogated by the gospel.

(3.) The Judicial Law, the law which directed the civil policy of the Hebrew nation.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

The word is properly used, in Scripture as elsewhere, to express a definite commandment laid down by any recognized authority; but when the word is used with the article, and without any words of limitation, it refers to the expressed will to God, and in nine cases out of ten to the Mosaic law, or to the Pentateuch of which it forms the chief portion. The Hebrew word torah (law) lays more stress on its moral authority, as teaching the truth and guiding in the right way; the Greek nomos (law), on its constraining power as imposed and enforced by a recognized authority. The sense of the word, however, extends its scope and assumes a more abstracts character in the writings of St. Paul. Nomos , when used by him with the article, still refers in general to the law of Moses; but when used without the article, so as to embrace any manifestation of "law," it includes all powers which act on…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

In the Bible, signifies sometimes the whole word of God, Ps 19:7-11 119:1-176 Isa 8:20; sometimes the Old Testament, Joh 10:34 15:25, and sometimes the five books of Moses, which formed the first of the three divisions of the Hebrew Scriptures, Lu 24:44 Ac 13:15. The Pentateuch was probably "the law," a copy of which every king was to transcribe for himself and study, and which was to be made known to young and old, in public and in private, De 6:7 17:18,19 31:9-19,26. In other places the Mosaic institutions as a whole are intend by "the law," in distinction from the…

Nave's Topical Bible

→ General scriptures concerning Ps 19:7-9; 119:1-8; Pr 28:4,5; Mt 22:21; Lu 16:17; 20:22-25; Ro 2:14,15; 7:7,12,14; 13:10; 1Ti 1:5,8-10; Jas 1:25; 1Jo 3:4; 5:3

→ See LITIGATION

→ See COMMANDMENTS

→ See DUTY TO GOD

→ OF MOSES

→ (Contained in the books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy)

Given at Sinai Ex 19; De 1:1; 4:10-13; 33:2; Hab 3:3

law one it will be[long] to the native-born and to the sojourner who sojourns in midst of you
אַחַ֔ת'a.Chat one H259 Adj
971× 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 one or united, and is used to describe something that is single or unique. It is often translated as one, first, or alone. For example, in Genesis 1:5, God calls the light day and the darkness night, and separates them into one thing from another.
Amplified meaning
one, united
Tyndale gloss
one
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֶחָד (echad) means 'one' and is derived from a numeral. It encompasses meanings such as each, every, a certain, and can serve as an indefinite article. It is also used as an ordinal to denote 'first' and appears in various combinations, including eleven. The entries consistently emphasize its numerical and qualitative aspects.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶחָד 972 adj.num. one

one

= each, every

= a certain

= indef. art.

only, & (fem.) once

one … another, one … the other

as ordinal first

in combin.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H259 אֶחָד one . one

. = each, every

. = a certain

. = indef. art.

. only, & (fem.) once

. one … another, one … the other

. as ordinal first

. in combin.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

259 'echad ekh-awd'

a numeral from 258; properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an

ordinal) first:--a, alike, alone, altogether, and,

any(-thing), apiece, a certain, (dai-)ly, each (one), +

eleven, every, few, first, + highway, a man, once, one, only,

other, some, together,

see HEBREW for 0258

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶחָד (e.chad) — one.

1) one (number)

1a) one (number)

1b) each, every

1c) a certain

1d) an (indefinite article)

1e) only, once, once for all

1f) one...another, the one...the other, one after another, one by one

1g) first

1h) eleven (in combination), eleventh (ordinal)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Adj
HAcfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

wun.

See NUMBER.

law one it will be[long] to the native-born and to the sojourner who sojourns in midst of you
יִהְיֶ֖הyih.Yeh it will be[long] H1961 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
3,562× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for to be means to exist or come into being. It is used to describe something that happens or comes to pass, like in Genesis where God creates the world.
Tyndale gloss
to be
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word הָיָה (hayah) is a primitive root meaning to exist or become, and it encompasses a range of meanings including to happen, occur, and come to pass. It is often used in narrative contexts, particularly in phrases like "and it came to pass." The word can also denote a state of being or existence, and it appears frequently in various forms throughout the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הָיָה 3570 vb. fall out, come to pass, become, be

Qal

Fall out, happen

occur, take place, come about, come to pass

esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass

וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)

rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה

less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)

Come into being, become

abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come

sq. prep.

become

sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)

sq. pred. adj.

become like

sq. pred. לְ pers.

sq. לְ pred.

oft. c. לְ pred. לְ pers.

with עַל and לְ

sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of

Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming)

exist, be in existence

abide, remain, continue

with word of locality, be in or at a place, be situated, stand, lie

as copula, joining subj. & pred.

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1961 הָיָה fall out, come to pass, become, be .. . . Fall out, happen

. occur, take place, come about, come to pass

. esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass . . וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)

. rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה

. less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)

. Come into being, become . . abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come

. sq. prep.

. become . sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)

. sq. pred. adj.

. become like

. sq. pred. + לְ pers.

. sq. לְ pred.

. oft. c. לְ pred. + לְ pers.

. with עַל and לְ

. sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of

. Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming) . exist, be in existence

. abide, remain, continue

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1961 hayah haw-yaw

a primitive root (compare 1933); to exist, i.e. be or become,

come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or

auxiliary):--beacon, X altogether, be(-come), accomplished,

committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint,

fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit

(one-)self, require, X use.

see HEBREW for 01933

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הָיָה (ha.yah) — to be.

1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out

1a) (Qal)

1a1) ---

1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass

1a1b) to come about, come to pass

1a2) to come into being, become

1a2a) to arise, appear, come

1a2b) to become

1a2b1) to become

1a2b2) to become like

1a2b3) to be instituted, be established

1a3) to be

1a3a) to exist, be in existence

1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time)

1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality)

1a3d) to accompany, be with

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to occur, come to pass, be done, be brought about

1b2) to be done, be finished, be gone

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
HVqi3ms
law one it will be[long] to the native-born and to the sojourner who sojourns in midst of you
לָֽאֶזְרָ֑חla.'ez.Rach to the native-born H249 Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
17× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to something or someone that is native or born in a place, like a tree that grows naturally or a person born in a certain country, as seen in the Bible when describing native Israelites.
Amplified meaning
born, homeborn
Tyndale gloss
born
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֶזְרָח (ezrach) refers to a native, someone or something that arises from the soil, indicating a sense of belonging to a place. It can describe native Israelites or trees that are indigenous to Israel. The word is built from the concept of spontaneous growth, as noted in the entries.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶזְרָח n.m. a native (one arising from the soil = ‘free tribesman’)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H249 אֶזְרָח a native (one arising from the soil = ‘free tribesman’)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

249 'ezrach ez-rawkh'

from 2224 (in the sense of springing up); a spontaneous

growth, i.e. native (tree or persons):--bay tree, (home-)born

(in the land), of the (one's own) country (nation).

see HEBREW for 02224

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶזְרָח (ez.rach) — born.

1) a native (one rising from the soil)

1a) of man, native Israelites

1b) of tree, native (to Israel)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
HRd/Ncmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

See BORN.

law one it will be[long] to the native-born and to the sojourner who sojourns in midst of you
וְלַגֵּ֖רve.la.Ger and to the sojourner H1616 Conjunction · preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
92× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A sojourner is a foreigner or temporary resident, lacking inherited rights, but often given concessions in Israel. This term appears in the Bible to describe outsiders living among God's people.
Amplified meaning
sojourner, stranger
Tyndale gloss
sojourner
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

גֵּר (ger) refers to a sojourner or foreigner, indicating someone who temporarily resides in a place without inherited rights. It encompasses the idea of a guest or stranger, particularly in the context of foreigners living in Israel who are granted certain rights. The term is derived from the root meaning 'to dwell'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

גֵּר 92 n.m. sojourner

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1616 גֵּר sojourner

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1616 ger gare

or (fully) geyr (gare); from 1481; properly, a guest; by

implication, a foreigner:--alien, sojourner, stranger.

see HEBREW for 01481

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

גֵּר (ger) — sojourner.

1) sojourner

1a) a temporary inhabitant, a newcomer lacking inherited rights

1b) of foreigners in Israel, though conceded rights

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Prep | N-ms — Conjunction · preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
HC/Rd/Ncmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

soj'-er-ner, so'-jur-ner, suj'-er-ner.

See STRANGER AND SOJOURNER.

law one it will be[long] to the native-born and to the sojourner who sojourns in midst of you
הַגָּ֥רha.Gar who sojourns H1481 Particle · verb qal participle (active) masculine singular
97× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to fear or dread something, like the fear of God. It implies a sense of awe or reverence, like the fear that the disciples felt during the storm on the lake in Matthew 8:24. It can also mean to be a stranger or sojourner in a place.
Amplified meaning
sojourns, lives
Tyndale gloss
to sojourn
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

גּוּר (gur) is a Hebrew verb with a range of meanings including to sojourn, abide, and seek hospitality, as well as to stir up strife or quarrel, and to dread or fear. It is built from a primitive root that conveys the idea of turning aside from a path, often for lodging. The lexicons indicate that it can imply both positive and negative interactions, such as hospitality and conflict.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

גּוּר vb. sojourn

Qal

sojourn

abide

Hithpol. seek hospitality with

base

[גּוּר] vb. stir up strife, quarrel

Qal.

stir up strife

quarrel

Hithpol. they excite themselves, but unlikely

base

[גּוּר] vb. dread

Qal

be afraid of

stand in awe of

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1481a גּוּר sojourn .. sojourn

. abide

. seek hospitality with

H1481b גּוּר stir up strife, quarrel H1481c גּוּר dread

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1481 guwr goor

a primitive root; properly, to turn aside from the road (for

a lodging or any other purpose), i.e. sojourn (as a guest);

also to shrink, fear (as in a strange place); also to gather

for hostility (as afraid):--abide, assemble, be afraid, dwell,

fear, gather (together), inhabitant, remain, sojourn, stand in

awe, (be) stranger, X surely.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

גּוּר (gur) — to sojourn.

1) to sojourn, abide, dwell in, dwell with, remain, inhabit, be a stranger, be continuing, surely

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to sojourn, dwell for a time

1a2) to abide, stay, temporarily dwell

1b) (Hithpolel)

1b1) to seek hospitality with

1b2) to assemble oneself

גּוּר (gur) — to quarrel.

1) to stir up trouble, strife, quarrel, gather together

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to stir up strife

1a2) to quarrel

1b) (Hithpolel) to excite oneself

גּוּר (gur) — to dread.

1) to dread, fear, stand in awe, be afraid

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to fear, be afraid

1a2) to be in awe, stand in awe

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | V-Qal — Particle · verb qal participle (active) masculine singular
HTd/Vqrmsa
law one it will be[long] to the native-born and to the sojourner who sojourns in midst of you
בְּתוֹכְכֶֽם׃be.tokh.Khem in midst of you H8432 Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
418× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to the middle or center of something, such as a group of people or a physical space. It can also mean among or between things, as seen in various Bible translations.
Amplified meaning
in your midst
Tyndale gloss
midst
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

תָּ֫וֶךְ (tavek) means 'midst' or 'middle,' indicating a central position or location. It can also imply being 'among' or 'between' things, particularly in contexts involving separation or division. The term appears in various forms, such as 'into' or 'through,' especially after verbs of motion.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

תָּ֫וֶךְ 416 subst. midst

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8432 תָּ֫וֶךְ subst. midst

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8432 tavek taw'-vek

from an unused root meaning to sever; a bisection, i.e. (by

implication) the centre:--among(-st), X between, half, X

(there- ,where-), in(-to), middle, mid(-night), midst (among),

X out (of), X through, X with(-in).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

תָּ֫וֶךְ (ta.vekh) — midst.

1) midst, middle

1a) midst, middle

1b) into, through (after verbs of motion)

1c) among (of a number of persons)

1d) between (of things arranged by twos)

1e) from among (as to take or separate etc)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms | Suff — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HR/Ncmsc/Sp2mp
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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