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Exodus 2:22 — Word Study

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WLCוַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּ֔ן וַיִּקְרָ֥א אֶת־ שְׁמ֖וֹ גֵּרְשֹׁ֑ם כִּ֣י אָמַ֔ר גֵּ֣ר הָיִ֔יתִי בְּאֶ֖רֶץ נָכְרִיָּֽה׃ פ

BSAAnd she gave birth toyâlad [bore a son] a sonbên [a male child, descendant] and [Moses] named himqârâʼ [called] GershomGêrᵉshôm [a sojourner, stranger] sayingʼâmar I have becomehâyâh [been] a foreignergêr [sojourner, stranger] in a foreignnokrîy [strange, unfamiliar] landʼerets [country, territory]

Word
Listen & take awayExodus 2
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 22 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 (na.khe.ri.Yah) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Exodus 2:22quick helps
In a sentenceMoses was born to a Hebrew woman, and he was named Gershom, reflecting his status as a foreigner.
Who is speakingMoses, who names his son.
Where we areThe narrative of Moses' early life, focusing on his birth and naming.
The hard wordגֵּר
Take awayMoses identifies himself as a foreigner in a foreign land.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, Ellicott & more — read them › clause verbיָלַד 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 2:22

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 — Moses' Birth and Naminggenerated

21Moses agreed to stay with the man, and he gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses in marriage.
22And she gave birth to a son, and Moses named him Gershom, saying, “I have become a foreigner in a foreign land.”
23After a long time, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned and cried out under their burden of slavery, and their cry for deliverance from bondage ascended to God.
24So God heard their groaning, and He remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Exodus 2:22 recounts the birth of Moses, a significant figure in Israel's history. His mother gave birth to him during a time of oppression, and he was named Gershom, a name that reflects his experience of being a foreigner in a land that was not his own. This moment sets the stage for Moses' future role as a leader of the Israelites in their exodus from Egypt.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
11 Chronicles 23:14–17As for Moses the man of God, his sons were named among the tribe of Levi.
2Exodus 2:10When the child had grown older, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. She named him Moses and explained, “I drew him out of the water.”
3Exodus 18:3along with her two sons. One son was named Gershom, for Moses had said, “I have been a foreigner in a foreign land.”
4Exodus 22:21You must not exploit or oppress a foreign resident, for you yourselves were foreigners in the land of Egypt.
51 Chronicles 16:20they wandered from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 10 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word גֵּר, gergenerated

The Hebrew word גֵּר (*ger*) means a sojourner or foreigner. It refers to someone who resides temporarily in a place, lacking the rights of native inhabitants. This word emphasizes the transient status of individuals living in a land that is not their own, capturing the essence of Moses' experience.

In this verse, Moses names his son Gershom, indicating his own feelings of displacement and alienation in a foreign land. The use of this term highlights the challenges faced by those who are not native to a place, as well as the broader theme of identity and belonging in the biblical narrative.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses foreign to translate the Hebrew word נָכְרִי.

Where translations differ, they do so over the rendering of נָכְרִי. The BSB, ASV, and others use foreign, while the KJV and others opt for strange.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The verse consists of multiple clauses, with the main action centered on the verbs: וַתֵּ֣לֶד (*and she bore*) and וַיִּקְרָ֥א (*and he called*). These verbs govern the narrative, detailing the birth of Moses and the naming of his son.

The structure emphasizes the sequential actions: first, the birth of the son, followed by the naming, and concluding with Moses' declaration of his identity as a foreigner. The arrangement of these clauses highlights the significance of Moses' experience in relation to his heritage.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates וַתֵּ֣לֶד as ἔτεκεν (*she bore*), which maintains the focus on the act of giving birth.

For the name Gershom, the Greek rendering γηρσαμ reflects the Hebrew meaning of the name, emphasizing the theme of being a stranger.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Exodus 2:22 tells us that Moses was born to a Hebrew woman during a difficult time. He was named Gershom, which means 'foreigner,' highlighting his feelings of being out of place in a foreign land. This naming reflects the challenges he faced as he grew up in Egypt, setting the stage for his later role in leading the Israelites.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does the name Gershom mean?

Gershom means 'foreigner' or 'sojourner,' reflecting Moses' experience of living in a land that was not his own.

Why is Moses' identity as a foreigner significant?

Moses' identity as a foreigner highlights the themes of displacement and belonging, which are central to the narrative of the Israelites' exodus from Egypt.

How does this verse connect to the larger story of Moses?

This verse sets the stage for Moses' future leadership and his role in delivering the Israelites from slavery, as it emphasizes his origins and the challenges he faced.

What can we learn from Moses' experience as a foreigner?

Moses' experience can teach us about empathy towards those who are displaced and the importance of understanding one's identity in relation to community and belonging.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What does it mean to feel like a foreigner in your own life?
  2. How can we support those who are experiencing displacement or alienation?
  3. In what ways does your identity shape your experiences and interactions with others?
  4. How does understanding Moses' background help us appreciate his leadership in the Exodus?

The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it

Early commentary on this verse highlights the significance of Moses' name, Gershom, as a reflection of his status as a stranger, emphasizing the themes of identity and belonging.

Richard Challoner 1691–1781
Gersam: Or Gershom. This name signifies a stranger there: as Eliezer signifies the help of God.
Early Church Fathers on Exodus 2 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Exodus 2:22 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

And she bare him a son, and he called his name Gershom,.... Which signifies a "desolate stranger"; partly on his own account, he being in a foreign country, a stranger and sojourner; but not by way

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

Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters: and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father's flock.

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

Exodus 2:22 And she bare [him] a son, and he called his name Gershom: for he said, I have been a stranger in a strange land.Ver. 22. I have been a stranger.] So we are all, while here. Our own place is paradise; haste to it.

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

(22) Gershom.—Almost certainly from ger, “a stranger,” and shâm, “there.” So Jerome, who translates it advena ibi. (Comp. Josephus and the LXX., who write the name Gersam.)

Read Charles John Ellicott on Exodus 2 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 22. Called his name Gershom] Literally, a stranger; the reason of which Moses immediately adds, for I have been an ALIEN in a strange land. The Vulgate, the Septuagint, as it stands in the Complutensian Polyglot, and in several MSS., the Syriac, the Coptic, and the Arabic, add the following words to this verse: And the name of the second he called Eliezer, for the God of my father has been my help, and delivered me from the hand of Pharaoh. These words are found in Exodus 18:4, but they are certainly necessary here, for it is very likely that these two sons were born within a short space of each other; for in Exodus 4:20, it is said, Moses took his wife and his SONS, by which it is…

Read AdamClarke on Exodus 2 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

22. Gershom] The name might conceivably be derived from âøù, and mean expulsion. The writer, however, thinking, as in v. 10, of an assonance, rather than of an etymology, explains it as though it were equivalent to gêr shâm, ‘a sojourner there.’ It was through a descendant of this Gershom that the priests of Dan claimed in later days descent from Moses (Judges 18:30). in a foreign land] This was the meaning of ‘strange’ (from Lat. extraneus), when the AV. was made in 1611; and the old rendering has been often retained in RV. But ‘strange’ has changed its meaning now, and is no longer a sufficiently clear and unambiguous rendering of the Heb. For other cases of ‘strange’ in the same now…

Read Cambridge on Exodus 2 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Gershom - The first syllable “Ger” is common to Hebrew and Egyptian, and means “sojourner.” The second syllable “Shom” answers exactly to the Coptic “Shemmo,” which means “a foreign or strange land.”

Read Albert Barnes on Exodus 2 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

21, 22. The Egyptian prince is content to become the shepherd of an humble Arab priest, whose daughter, a child of the desert, becomes the Zipporah (little bird) of his wilderness home.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Exodus 2 →

The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company

Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.

Modern formal

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

And she gave birth to a son, and Moses named him Gershom, saying, “I have become a foreigner in a foreign land.”

WEBWorld English Bible2000

She bore a son, and he named him Gershom, for he said, “I have lived as a foreigner in a foreign land.”

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

And she gave birth to a son, and Moses named him Gershom, saying, “I have become a foreigner in a foreign land.”

NETBNew English Translation2006

When she bore a son, Moses named him Gershom, for he said, “I have become a resident foreigner in a foreign land.”

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And she bare him a son, and he called his name Gershom: for he said, I have been a stranger in a strange land.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And she bare a son, and he called his name Gershom; for he said, I have been a sojourner in a foreign land.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And she bare a son, and he called his name Gershom: for he said, I have been a sojourner in a strange land.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And she bore him a son, and he called his name Gershom: for he said, I have been a stranger in a strange land.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

And she bare a sonne, whose name he called Gershom: for he said, I haue bene a stranger in a strange lande.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And she bore a son, and he called his name Gershom; for he said, I have been a sojourner in a foreign land.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

and she beareth a son, and he calleth his name Gershom, for he said, 'A sojourner I have been in a strange land.'

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

and she bears a son, and he calls his name Gershom, for he said, “I have been a sojourner in a strange land.”

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And she bore a son, and he called his name Gershom; for he said, I have been a stranger in a foreign land.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

She bore a son, and Moses called his name Gershom; he said, “I have been a resident in a foreign land.”

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And she bore him a son, whom he called Gersam, saying: I have been a stranger in a foreign country. And she bore another, whom he called Eliezer, saying: For the God of my father, my helper hath delivered me out of the hand of Pharao.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

She had a son, and Moses named him Gershom, for he said, “I'm an exile living in a foreign country.”

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And she gave birth to a son, to whom he gave the name Gershom: for he said, I have been living in a strange land.

Word by word, the decisions they made

נָכְרִיָּֽה׃ פna.khe.ri.Yah foreign H5237 2 different renderings
foreignASV BSB DBY DRA FBV ILT MSB NETB ULB WEB
strangeBBE GNV KJV LSV NWB RVA YLT

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.

וַandclauseverbתֵּ֣לֶדshe.boreobjectבֵּ֔ןa.sonוַandclauseverbיִּקְרָ֥אhe.callednoun phrase · objectאֶת(et)noun phraseשְׁמ֖nameוֹhissecond objectגֵּרְשֹׁ֑םGershomכִּ֣י(dm)clauseverbאָמַ֔רhe.saidclauseobjectגֵּ֣רa.sojournerverbהָיִ֔יתִיI.have.becomeprepositional phrase · prepositionalבְּinnoun phraseאֶ֖רֶץa.landנָכְרִיָּֽהforeign

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


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

The Masoretic Text (MT) records that Moses named his son Gershom, stating, 'I have become a foreigner in a foreign land.' The Samaritan Pentateuch agrees with the MT word for word. The Dead Sea Scrolls (4Q11) also support the MT's reading, although parts of the text are restored by an editor. The Septuagint's word-by-word correspondence matches 10 of the 12 words found in the MT, indicating a close alignment, though it presents the text with different word order and articles. Overall, the MT, Samaritan Pentateuch, and Dead Sea Scrolls align closely, while the Septuagint shows significant agreement but with some variations in structure.

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

וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּ֔ן וַיִּקְרָ֥א אֶת־ שְׁמ֖וֹ גֵּרְשֹׁ֑ם כִּ֣י אָמַ֔ר גֵּ֣ר הָיִ֔יתִי בְּאֶ֖רֶץ נָכְרִיָּֽה׃ פ

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַתֵּ֣לֶדἔτεκενבֵּ֔ןυἱόνוַיִּקְרָ֥אἐπωνόμασενשְׁמ֖וֹαὐτοῦגֵּרְשֹׁ֑םγηρσαμאָמַ֔רλέγωνגֵּ֣רπάροικόςהָיִ֔יתִיεἰμιבְּאֶ֖רֶץγῇנָכְרִיָּֽה׃ פἀλλοτρίᾳ

10 of the 12 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

ותלד בן ויקרא את שׁמו גרשׁם כי אמר גר הייתי בארץ נכריה

Agrees with the Masoretic Text here, word for word.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q11a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[ותלד] [בן] [ויקרא] [את] שמ׳ו גרשום [כי] [אמר] [גר] [הייתי] [בארץ] [נכריה]

nothing on the leather here — 2 partly restored, 10 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.

Exodus 2:22יָלַדand she borand she boreיָלַדבֵּןa sona sonבֵּןקָרָאand he calland he calledקָרָאאֵתthe object the object markאֵתשֵׁםname hisname hisשֵׁםגֵּרְשֹׁםGershomGershomגֵּרְשֹׁםכִּיforforכִּיאָמַרhe saidhe saidאָמַרגֵּרa sojournera sojournerגֵּרהָיָהI have becoI have becomeהָיָהאֶ֫רֶץin a landin a landאֶ֫רֶץנָכְרִיforeignforeignנָכְרִיבָּנָהto buildto buildבָּנָהאוֹתsign: mirasign: miraculouאוֹתשׂוּםto set: mato set: makeשׂוּםגּוּרto sojournto sojournגּוּרנֶ֫כֶרmisfortunemisfortuneנֶ֫כֶרקָרָאto encountto encounter: mקָרָאגֵּרְשׁוֹןGershonGershonגֵּרְשׁוֹןהָוָאto fallto fallהָוָאשֶׁ֫לַחShelahShelahשֶׁ֫לַחהָרָהto conceivto conceiveהָרָהעַמּוֹןAmmonAmmonעַמּוֹןרְאוּבֵןReubenReubenרְאוּבֵןצוֹםfastfastצוֹםשֵׁםnamenameשֵׁםמִגְרָשׁpasturepastureמִגְרָשׁקָרָאto call: cto call: call tקָרָאיָדָהto give thto give thanksיָדָהלִבְנִיLibniLibniלִבְנִי
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 2:22

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 she bore a son and he called the object marker name his Gershom for he said a sojourner I have become in a land foreign
וַתֵּ֣לֶדva.Te.led and she bore H3205 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person feminine singular
496× 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 to give birth or beget a child, like when Eve gave birth to Cain in Genesis 4:1. It can also mean to help someone give birth, like a midwife. This word is used in many KJV translations, including Genesis and Isaiah.
Amplified meaning
bore a son
Tyndale gloss
to beget
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word יָלַד (*yalad*) means to bear, bring forth, or beget, and it encompasses various forms of childbirth and lineage declaration. It can refer to both the act of giving birth and the role of a midwife. The entries also note its use in contexts of distress and wicked behavior, as well as in reference to birthdays.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָלַד 497 vb. bear, bring forth, beget

Qal

bear, bring forth

less often beget

of both parents

Niph. be born

Pi. cause (or help) to bring forth, viz., assist or tend as midwife

Pu. be born

Hiph.

beget (a father a child)

bear

Hoph. day of one's being born = birthday

Hithp. declared their pedigree

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3205 יָלַד bear, bring forth, beget .. bear, bring forth

. less often beget

. of both parents

. be born

. cause (or help) to bring forth, viz., assist or tend as midwife

. be born

. . beget (a father a child)

. bear

. day of one's being born = birthday

. declared their pedigree

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3205 yalad yaw-lad'

a primitive root; to bear young; causatively, to beget;

medically, to act as midwife; specifically, to show

lineage:--bear, beget, birth((-day)), born, (make to) bring

forth (children, young), bring up, calve, child, come, be

delivered (of a child), time of delivery, gender, hatch,

labour, (do the office of a) midwife, declare pedigrees, be

the son of, (woman in, woman that) travail(-eth, -ing woman).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָלַד (ya.lad) — to beget.

1) to bear, bringforth, beget, gender, travail

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to bear, bring forth

1a1a) of child birth

1a1b) of distress (simile)

1a1c) of wicked (behaviour)

1a2) to beget

1b) (Niphal) to be born

1c) (Piel)

1c1) to cause or help to bring forth

1c2) to assist or tend as a midwife

1c3) midwife (participle)

1d) (Pual) to be born

1e) (Hiphil)

1e1) to beget (a child)

1e2) to bear (fig. -of wicked bringing forth iniquity)

1f) (Hophal) day of birth, birthday (infinitive)

1g) (Hithpael) to declare one's birth (pedigree)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3fs — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person feminine singular
Hc/Vqw3fs
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

bor: According to the Book of the Covenant (Ex 20:20-23:33) a slave whom his master had purchased was to be released after six years. Should he choose to remain in his master's service a religious ceremony was necessary to ratify his decision. "Then his master shall bring him unto God" (better than "unto the judges" of the King James Version), "and shall bring him to the door, or unto the doorpost; and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl" (Ex 21:6). It is highly improbable that "unto God" means "to a sanctuary"; for there was no special reason for performing this ceremony near the door of a sanctuary. On the other hand the entrance to a private house was a sacred spot. According to primitive thinking near the door dwelt the household gods whose function it was to…

and she bore a son and he called the object marker name his Gershom for he said a sojourner I have become in a land foreign
בֵּ֔ןBen a son H1121 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
4,943× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word means a son or descendant, and can also refer to a grandson, nation, or quality. It appears in 1 Chronicles 24, describing a Levite named Beno. The word is used to show family relationships and inheritance.
Amplified meaning
a male child, descendant
Tyndale gloss
son: child
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בֵּן (ben) means 'son' or 'male child' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including descendants, young animals, and even figurative uses like sparks or arrows. It can refer to members of a tribe or class and is used in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, such as in 1 Chronicles 24:26. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to build' and implies a connection to family or lineage.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בֵּן 4870 n.m. son

son, male child, born of a woman

children (male and female)

youth, young men

the young of animals

of plant shoots

fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows

member of a guild, order or class

of animals son of (the) herd

ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.

n. relat. of age

base

בְּנוֹ 1 Ch 24:26, 27 as n.pr.m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son, cf. VB & Be Öt.

done

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1121a בֵּן son . son, male child, born of a woman

. children (male and female)

. youth, young men

. the young of animals

. of plant shoots

. fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows

. . member of a guild, order or class

. of animals son of (the) herd

. ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.

. n. relat. of age

H1121b בְּנוֹ as n. pr. m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1121 ben bane

from 1129; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the

widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship,

including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition,

etc., (like 1, 251, etc.)):--+ afflicted, age, (Ahoh-)

(Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-)ite, (anoint-)ed one, appointed to,

(+) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-)ian, one born,

bough, branch, breed, + (young) bullock, + (young) calf, X

came up in, child, colt, X common, X corn, daughter, X of

first, + firstborn, foal, + very fruitful, + postage, X in, +

kid, + lamb, (+) man, meet, + mighty, + nephew, old, (+)

people, + rebel, + robber, X servant born, X soldier, son, +

spark, + steward, + stranger, X surely, them of, + tumultuous

one, + valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.

see HEBREW for 01129

see HEBREW for 01

see HEBREW for 0251

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בֵּן (ben) — son: child.

: child/son

בְּנוֹ (be.no) — Beno.

A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ch.24.26;

son of: Jaaziah (H3269);

brother of: Shoham (H7719), Zaccur (H2139I) and Ibri (H5681)

§ Beno = "his son"

the sons of Jaaziah and the sons of Merari by Jaahziah (his son)

בֵּן (ben) — son: descendant/people.

: descendant, people, tribe, nation

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

§ : child/son

בֵּן (ben) — son: young animal.

: calf/lamb/young(ANIMAL)

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

§ : descendant

בֵּן (ben) — son: type of.

: rebel/son(Belial)

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

§ : people/men/nation/tribe

בֵּן (ben) — son.

: [inheriting]son/heir

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

בֵּן (ben) — son: warrior.

: warrior/son(strong)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Smith's Bible Dictionary

The term "son" is used in Scripture language to imply almost any kind of descent or succession, as ben shanah , "son of a year," i.e. a year old; ben kesheth , "son of a bow," i.e. an arrow. The word bar is often found in the New Testament in composition, as Bar-timaeus.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Sometimes denotes a grandson, or any remote descendant, Ge 29:5 2Sa 19:24. At other times a son by adoption is meant, Ge 48:5; or by law, Ru 4:17; or by education, 1Sa 3:6 20:35; or by conversion, as Titus was Paul’s "son father the common faith," Tit 1:4. And again it denotes a mental or moral resemblance, etc., Jud 19:22 Ps 89:6 Isa 57:3 Ac 13:10. In a…

Nave's Topical Bible

→ FIGURATIVE

Of a person' s relation to God Ex 4:22

See ADOPTION

See GOD, FATHERHOOD OF

See JESUS, SON OF GOD

See JESUS, SON OF MAN

and she bore a son and he called the object marker name his Gershom for he said a sojourner I have become in a land foreign
וַיִּקְרָ֥אvai.yik.Ra' and he called H7121 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
733× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to call out to someone or something, often by name. It's used in many situations, like calling for help or reading aloud. In Genesis, God calls out to Adam in the Garden.
Amplified meaning
called
Tyndale gloss
to call: call to
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word קָרָא (qara') is a primitive root meaning to call, proclaim, or read. It encompasses a range of actions including calling out, crying for help, reading aloud, and summoning. The word can also imply being called or named in various contexts. There are no significant disagreements among the lexicons regarding its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

קָרָא 724 vb. call, proclaim, read

Qal

call, cry, utter a loud sound

call, cry

call unto some one

cry for help

proclaim

read aloud

read to oneself

summon

call = name

Niph.

reflex.

pass. be called

Pu. be called

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7121 קָרָא call, proclaim, read .. . call, cry, utter a loud sound

. call, cry

. . call unto some one

. cry for help

. proclaim

. . read aloud

. read to oneself

. summon

. call = name

. . reflex.

. pass. be called

. be called

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7121 qara' kaw-raw'

a primitive root (rather identical with 7122 through the idea

of accosting a person met); to call out to (i.e. properly,

address by name, but used in a wide variety of

applications):--bewray (self), that are bidden, call (for,

forth, self, upon), cry (unto), (be) famous, guest, invite,

mention, (give) name, preach, (make) proclaim(- ation),

pronounce, publish, read, renowned, say.

see HEBREW for 07122

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קָרָא (qa.ra) — to call: call to.

: call_to/invite/entreat

1) to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to call, cry, utter a loud sound

1a2) to call unto, cry (for help), call (with name of God)

1a3) to proclaim

1a4) to read aloud, read (to oneself), read

1a5) to summon, invite, call for, call and commission, appoint, call and endow

1a6) to call, name, give name to, call by

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to call oneself

1b2) to be called, be proclaimed, be read aloud, be summoned, be named

1c) (Pual) to be called, be named, be called out, be chosen

קָרָא (qa.ra) — to call: call by.

: call_by/name

1) to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to call, cry, utter a loud sound

1a2) to call unto, cry (for help), call (with name of God)

1a3) to proclaim

1a4) to read aloud, read (to oneself), read

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
and she bore a son and he called the object marker name his Gershom for he said a sojourner I have become in a land foreign
אֶת־'et- the object marker H853 Particle
10,946× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the original Hebrew, this word points out the object of a verb or preposition, like 'namely' or 'even'. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus. It's not directly translated in English, but helps clarify the meaning of sentences.
Tyndale gloss
[Obj.]
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֵת (eth) is primarily a grammatical marker in Hebrew, indicating the definite direct object of a verb. It is not translated into English and typically precedes nouns that are definite. The word is derived from a demonstrative sense of entity, related to the Hebrew word for 'self.' Its Aramaic equivalent is יָת (yat).

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

853 'eth ayth

apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of

entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more

definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or

namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).

see HEBREW for 0226

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵת (et) — [Obj.].

sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative

Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTo — Particle
HTo
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and she bore a son and he called the object marker name his Gershom for he said a sojourner I have become in a land foreign
שְׁמ֖וֹshe.Mo name his H8034 Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
864× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, a name represents a person's identity, honor, and character, like God's name symbolizing His power and authority. It appears in Genesis and other books, often referring to God's name or a person's reputation. This concept is central to understanding biblical identity.
Tyndale gloss
name
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שֵׁם (shem) means 'name' and encompasses various meanings such as reputation, fame, and glory. It can refer to the designation of God and is often associated with memorials or monuments. The word is built from a primitive root and highlights individuality and honor. There is a mention of its use in relation to false gods, which is forbidden.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שֵׁם 864 n.m. name (√ unknown)

of river, beasts, city, i.e. exact designation of it

usu. of pers.

= reputation

esp. as giving a man a kind of posthumous life, esp. in his sons

name, as designation of God

of false gods, use forbidden

= memorial, monument

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8034 שֵׁם name (√ unknown)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8034 shem shame

a primitive word (perhaps rather from 7760 through the idea

of definite and conspicuous position; compare 8064); an

appellation, as a mark or memorial of individuality; by

implication honor, authority, character:--+ base,

(in-)fame(-ous), named(-d), renown, report.

see HEBREW for 07760

see HEBREW for 08064

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שֵׁם (shem) — name.

1) name

1a) name

1b) reputation, fame, glory

1c) the Name (as designation of God)

1d) memorial, monument

Aramaic equivalent: shum (שֻׁם "name" H8036)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcmsc/Sp3ms — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HNcmsc/Sp3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hiz: Used often in the King James Version with reference to a neuter or inanimate thing, or to a lower animal (Ge 1:11, "after his kind"; Le 1:16, "pluck away his crop"; Ac 12:10, "of his own accord"; 1Co 15:38, "his own body"), etc. the Revised Version (British and American) substitutes "its."

and she bore a son and he called the object marker name his Gershom for he said a sojourner I have become in a land foreign
גֵּרְשֹׁ֑םge.re.Shom Gershom H1647 Noun proper masculine
13× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Gershom was the name of several Israelites, including the son of Moses and Zipporah, who played important roles in the Bible. The name means 'foreigner' and is mentioned in books like Exodus and Ezra.
Amplified meaning
a sojourner, stranger
Tyndale gloss
Gershom
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

גֵּרְשֹׁם (Gershom) refers to several individuals in the Old Testament, primarily the firstborn son of Moses and Zipporah, and also a son of Levi. The name is associated with the meaning 'foreigner.' The entries note that Gershom is mentioned in contexts related to the Exodus and the priestly lineage, including references in Exodus and Ezra.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

גֵּרְשֹׁם n.pr.m.

son of Moses and Ṣipporah

a son of Levi

a son of Phinehas

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1647 גֵּרְשֹׁם . son of Moses and Ṣipporah

. a son of Levi

. a son of Phinehas

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1647 Gershom gay-resh-ome'

for 1648; Gereshom, the name of four Israelites:--Gershom.

see HEBREW for 01648

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

גֵּרְשֹׁם (ge.re.shom) — Gershom.

A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Exo.2.22;

son of: Moses (H4872) and Zipporah (H6855);

brother of: Eliezer (H0461H);

father of: Jonathan (H3083)(?) and Shebuel (H7619)

§ Gershom = "foreigner"

1) firstborn son of Moses and Zipporah

2) firstborn son of Levi

3) a son of the priestly family of Phinehas who returned from exile with Ezra

גֵּרְשֹׁם (ge.re.shom) — Gershom.

A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Gen.46.11;

son of: Levi (H3878);

brother of: Kohath (H6955), Merari (H4847) and Jochebed (H3115);

father of: Libni (H3845G) and Shimei (H8096G); also called Gershom at 1Ch.6.16,17,20,43,62,71; 15.7;

Another spelling of ge.re.shon (גֵּרְשׁוֹן "Gershon" H1648)

§ Gershom = "foreigner"

1) firstborn son of Moses and Zipporah

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

gur'-shom (gereshom, from garash, "to cast out"; explained, however, in Ex 2:22 and 18:3 as from gur, "For he said, I have been a sojourner in a foreign land"):

(1) Firstborn son of Moses and Zipporah. The only details of his life contained in the Pentateuch are the account of his circumcision (Ex 4:25), and his remaining under the care of Jethro, while Moses was in Egypt leading the Exodus. His descendants were numbered among the tribes of Levi (1Ch 23:14). One of them apparently was the Jonathan who officiated as priest of the idolatrous sanctuary at Dan, and whose descendants held the office until the captivity. The Massoretic Text inserts a suspended nun, "n," in the name of Moses (mosheh), causing it to be lead Manasseh…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Gershom

Expulsion. (1.) The eldest son of Levi (1 Chr. 6:16, 17, 20, 43, 62, 71; 15:7)=GERSHON (q.v.).

(2.) The elder of the two sons of Moses born to him in Midian (Ex. 2:22; 18:3). On his way to Egypt with his family, in obedience to the command of the Lord, Moses was attacked by a sudden and dangerous illness (4:24-26), which Zipporah his wife believed to have been sent because he had neglected to circumcise his son. She accordingly took a “sharp stone” and circumcised her son Gershom, saying, “Surely a bloody husband art thou to me”, i.e., by the blood of her child she had, as it were, purchased her husband, had won him back again.

(3.) A descendant of Phinehas who returned with Ezra from Babylon (Ezra 8:2).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(a stranger or exile). The first-born son of Moses and Zipporah. (Exodus 2:22; 18:3) (B.C. 1530.) The form under which the name GERSHON--the eldest son of Levi--is given in several passages of Chronicles, viz., (1 Chronicles 6:16,17,20,43,62,71; 15:7) The representative of the priestly family of Phinehas, among those who accompanied Ezra from Babylon. (Ezra 8:2) (B.C. 536.)

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A stranger there, one of the two sons of Moses and Zipporah, in the land of Midian, Ex 2:22; 18:3. Moses appears to have given them no rank or emoluments but those of simple Levites, 1Ch 23:15.

and she bore a son and he called the object marker name his Gershom for he said a sojourner I have become in a land foreign
כִּ֣יki for H3588 Particle
4,483× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A conjunction used to show cause or connection, as in Genesis 2:23 where Adam says the woman is bone of his bone because she was taken out of him. It is often translated as 'for', 'because', or 'since'.
Tyndale gloss
for
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כִּי (ki) is a conjunction primarily meaning 'that,' 'for,' or 'when.' It indicates causal relationships and can express conditions like 'if' or 'though.' The word is versatile, appearing in various contexts to convey certainty, exception, or concession. Notably, it can combine with other particles to modify its meaning, such as in the phrase כִּי אם־ (ki im), meaning 'that if.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כִּי conj. that, for, when

that

Of time, when, of the past

elsewhere כִּי has a force approximating to if, though it usu. represents a case as more likely to occur than אִם

when or if, with a concessive force, i.e. though

Because, since

base

כִּי אם־

each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause:

that if

for if

(About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause—

limiting the prec. clause, except

the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but

after an oath, surely

base

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3588a כִּי that, for, when . that

. . Of time, when, of the past

. elsewhere כִּי has a force approximating to if, though it usu. represents a case as more likely to occur than אִם

. when or if, with a concessive force, i.e. though

. Because, since

H3588b כִּי אם־ . each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause: . that if

. for if

. (About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause— . limiting the prec. clause, except

. the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but

. after an oath, surely

H3588c כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3588 kiy kee

a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional

prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent

or consequent; (by implication) very widely used as a relative

conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by

other particles annexed:--and, + (forasmuch, inasmuch,

where-)as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else,

even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, +

nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then,

therefore, + (al- )though, + till, truly, + until, when,

whether, while, whom, yea, yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כִּי (ki) — for.

1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since

1a) that

1a1) yea, indeed

1b) when (of time)

1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force)

1c) because, since (causal connection)

1d) but (after negative)

1e) that if, for if, indeed if, for though, but if

1f) but rather, but

1g) except that

1h) only, nevertheless

1i) surely

1j) that is

1k) but if

1l) for though

1m) forasmuch as, for therefore

כִּי [אם] (ki im) — that if: except.

1) except if

1a) but if

1b) even though

כִּי [עַל כֵּן] (ki [al ken]) — for as that: since.

1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since

1a) that

1a1) yea, indeed

1b) when (of time)

1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force)

1c) because, since (causal connection)

1d) but (after negative)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTc — Particle
HTc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

for (ki (conjunction), le, from 'el (preposition), and various other words. In the New Testament also the words are various, chiefly gar, kai gar, hoti (conjunctions); anti apo eis dia (accusative), epi (dative and accusative), peri (genitive), pros (genitive and accusative), huper (genitive) (prepositions)): the English Revised Version and the American Standard Revised Version give in many cases more literal or more accurate renderings than those in the King James Version.

In the New Testament the most important preps. from a doctrinal point of view are anti, "face to face," "over against," "instead," "on behalf of," peri, "around," "about," "concerning," huper, "over," "on behalf of." The first has been claimed as stating the substitutionary nature of Christ's sacrifice as contrasted with huper and peri, more frequently used of it. But, although anti in the New Testament often means…

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and she bore a son and he called the object marker name his Gershom for he said a sojourner I have become in a land foreign
אָמַ֔ר'a.Mar he said H559 Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singular
5,309× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to say or speak, and it's used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to command, promise, or think, and it's translated in the KJV as 'answer', 'appoint', or 'command'.
Tyndale gloss
to say
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָמַר 5287 vb. utter, say

Qal

Say

Say in the heart (= think)

Promise

Command (esp. late)

Niph. be said, told

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

Hithp. act proudly, boast

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H559 אָמַר utter, say .. Say

. Say in the heart (= think)

. Promise

. Command (esp. late)

. be said, told

. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

. act proudly, boast

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

559 'amar aw-mar'

a primitive root; to say (used with great

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

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

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

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

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

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

utter, X verily, X yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָמַר (a.mar) — to say.

1) to say, speak, utter

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

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

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

1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-3ms — Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singular
HVqp3ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and she bore a son and he called the object marker name his Gershom for he said a sojourner I have become in a land foreign
גֵּ֣רger a sojourner H1616 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
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

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

See STRANGER AND SOJOURNER.

and she bore a son and he called the object marker name his Gershom for he said a sojourner I have become in a land foreign
הָיִ֔יתִיha.Yi.ti I have become H1961 Verb · Qal · perfect first person common singular
3,562× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for to be means to exist or come into being. It is used to describe something that happens or comes to pass, like in Genesis where God creates the world.
Amplified meaning
been
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.

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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

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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-Perf-1cs — Verb · Qal · perfect first person common singular
HVqp1cs
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 she bore a son and he called the object marker name his Gershom for he said a sojourner I have become in a land foreign
בְּאֶ֖רֶץbe.'E.retz in a land H776 Preposition · noun common feminine singular absolute
2,504× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The land or earth refers to the soil or ground, and can also mean a country, territory, or region. In the Bible, it is used to describe the earth and its inhabitants, and is often translated as 'land' or 'country'.
Amplified meaning
country, territory
Tyndale gloss
land: soil
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֶ֫רֶץ (erets) is a feminine noun meaning 'earth' or 'land.' It encompasses various meanings, including the whole earth, specific territories like Canaan, and even inhabitants of the land. It can refer to soil, ground, or regions, and is used in phrases related to distance and the living. There is a note on the plural form אֲרָצוֹת, which mainly appears in later texts to denote multiple lands.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶ֫רֶץ n. f. & (seld.) m. earth, land

earth, whole earth (opp. to a part)

earth, opp. to heaven, sky

earth = inhabitants of earth

land =

country, territory

district, region

trial territory

piece of ground

specif. land of Canaan, or Israel

= inhabitants of land

used even of Shᵉʼôl

ground, surface of ground

soil, as productive

אֶרֶץ in phrases

people of the land

in measurements of distance

the country of the plain, level or plain country

land of the living

end(s) of the earth

pl. אֲרָצוֹת is almost wholly late; it denotes lands, countries, often in contrast to Canaan, lands of the nations, etc.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H776 אֶ֫רֶץ n. f. & (seld.) m. earth, land . . earth, whole earth (opp. to a part)

. earth, opp. to heaven, sky

. earth = inhabitants of earth

. land = . country, territory

. district, region

. trial territory

. piece of ground

. specif. land of Canaan, or Israel

. = inhabitants of land

. used even of Shᵉʼôl

. . ground, surface of ground

. soil, as productive

. אֶרֶץ in phrases . people of the land

. in measurements of distance

. the country of the plain, level or plain country

. land of the living

. end(s) of the earth

. pl. אֲרָצוֹת is almost wholly late; it denotes lands, countries, often in contrast to Canaan, lands of the nations, etc.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

776 'erets eh'-rets

from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth

(at large, or partitively a land):--X common, country, earth,

field, ground, land, X natins, way, + wilderness, world.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶ֫רֶץ (e.rets) — land: country/planet.

: country/field

1) land, earth

1a) earth

1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part)

1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven)

1a3) earth (inhabitants)

1b) land

1b1) country, territory

1b2) district, region

1b3) tribal territory

1b4) piece of ground

1b5) land of Canaan, Israel

1b6) inhabitants of land

1b7) Sheol, land without return, (under) world

1b8) city (-state)

1c) ground, surface of the earth

1c1) ground

1c2) soil

1d) (in phrases)

1d1) people of the land

1d2) space or distance of country (in measurements of distance)

1d3) level or plain country

1d4) land of the living

1d5) end(s) of the earth

1e) (almost wholly late in usage)

1e1) lands, countries

1e1a) often in contrast to Canaan

אֶ֫רֶץ (e.rets) — land: soil.

: soil

1) land, earth

1a) earth

1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part)

1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven)

1a3) earth (inhabitants)

1b) land

1b1) country, territory

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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

((1) 'erets;

(2) 'adhamah;

(3) sadheh,

"a piece of land";

(4) ge, "earth";

(5) agros, "field";

(6) chora, "region";

(7) chorion, diminutive of chora;

(8) xeros, "dry land";

(9) 'ezrach, "native" the King James Version "born in the land," "born among you," the Revised Version (British and American) "home-born" (Le 19:34; 14:16; Nu 15:30); "like a green tree in its native soil" (Ps 37:35)):

'Erets occurs hundreds of times and is used in much the same way as 'adhamah, which also occurs often: e.g. "land of Egypt," 'erets mitsrayim (Ge 13:10), and 'adhmath mitsrayim (Ge 47:20). The other words occur less often, and are used in the…

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Appeared on the third creative day Ge 1:9

→ Original title to, from God Ge 13:14-17; 15:7; Ex 23:31; Le 25:23

→ Bought and sold Ge 23:3-18; 33:19; Ac 4:34; 5:1-8

→ Sale and redemption of, laws concerning Le 25:15,16,23-33; 27:17-24; Nu 36:4; Jer 32:7-16,25,44; Eze 46:18

and she bore a son and he called the object marker name his Gershom for he said a sojourner I have become in a land foreign
נָכְרִיָּֽה׃ פna.khe.ri.Yah foreign H5237 Adj
45× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word describes something or someone foreign or unfamiliar, including people, women, or things. It can also mean wonderful or outlandish. In the Bible, it is often translated as alien or foreigner.
Amplified meaning
strange, unfamiliar
Tyndale gloss
foreign
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נָכְרִי (nokriy) means foreign or alien, covering a range of meanings from a foreign person to something unfamiliar or strange. It can also refer specifically to a foreign woman or harlot. The word is built from a root that suggests strangeness in various contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נָכְרִי adj. foreign, alien

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5237 נָכְרִי foreign, alien

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5237 nokriy nok-ree'

from 5235 (second form); strange, in a variety of degrees and

applications (foreign, non-relative, adulterous, different,

wonderful):--alien, foreigner, outlandish, strange(-r,

woman).

see HEBREW for 05235

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נׇכְרִי (nokh.ri) — foreign.

1) foreign, alien

1a) foreign

1b) foreigner (subst)

1c) foreign woman, harlot

1d) unknown, unfamiliar (fig.)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Adj
HAafsa
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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