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Exodus 37:4 — Word Study

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WLCוַיַּ֥עַשׂ בַּדֵּ֖י עֲצֵ֣י שִׁטִּ֑ים וַיְצַ֥ף אֹתָ֖ם זָהָֽב׃

BSAThen he madeʻâsâh [crafted, formed] polesbad [staves, bars] of acaciashiṭṭâh woodʻêts [shittim wood, a strong and firm tree] and overlaidtsâphâh [covered, plated] themʼêth with goldzâhâb [a valuable and brilliant metal]

Word
Listen & take awayExodus 37
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 4 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 (za.Hav) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Exodus 37:4quick helps
In a sentenceThe verse describes the crafting of poles from acacia wood and their overlaying with gold.
Who is speakingThe narrator, detailing the work done for the Tabernacle.
Where we areThis verse is part of the instructions for constructing the Tabernacle.
The hard wordעָשָׂה
Take awayThe poles are both functional and beautifully adorned.
4 commentators on this verse Jamieson, Ellicott, Cambridge, Whedon & more — read them › clause verbעָשָׂה 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 37:4

Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.

Context — The Construction of the Tabernaclegenerated

3And he cast four gold rings for its four feet, two rings on one side and two on the other.
4Then he made poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold.
5He inserted the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark in order to carry it.
6He constructed a mercy seat of pure gold, two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide.

Exodus 37:4 describes the process of making poles from acacia wood and covering them with gold, part of the detailed instructions for constructing the Tabernacle. This section emphasizes the care and craftsmanship involved in creating the sacred items that would be used in worship, reflecting the importance of beauty and functionality in the service of God.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Numbers 4:14–15and place on it all the vessels used to serve there: the firepans, meat forks, shovels, and sprinkling bowls—all the equipment of the altar. They are to spread over it a covering of fine leather and insert the poles.
2Acts 9:15“Go!” said the Lord. “This man is My chosen instrument to carry My name before the Gentiles and their kings, and before the people of Israel.
31 Peter 1:7–18so that the proven character of your faith—more precious than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 3 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word עָשָׂה, vai.Ya.'asgenerated

The verb עָשָׂה (asah) means to make or do, and is widely used throughout the Hebrew Bible, appearing over 2,600 times. It encompasses a range of actions from creating physical objects to performing tasks. The parsing indicates it is in the sequential imperfect tense, showing ongoing action in the past.

This verb captures the essence of craftsmanship, as seen in the context of constructing the Tabernacle, where skilled artisans are called to create sacred objects. The use of עָשָׂה here highlights the intentionality and care taken in the work.


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 verbs עָשָׂה and צָפָה govern the actions in the verse, with the first verb indicating the making of the poles and the second indicating their overlaying with gold. The structure emphasizes the sequence of actions: first, the crafting, and then the covering.

The sentence flows logically, with the main actions clearly delineated, allowing the reader to understand the process of creating the poles and their adornment.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint does not provide a direct Greek translation for this verse, but it typically uses words that convey similar meanings for crafting and overlaying, indicating a consistent understanding of the actions described in the Hebrew.

The lack of specific words in the Septuagint suggests a focus on the overall narrative rather than a word-for-word correspondence, which is common in translations aiming for readability.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Exodus 37:4 tells us that poles were made from acacia wood and covered with gold. This shows the care and detail that went into the construction of the Tabernacle, emphasizing both functionality and beauty in the items used for worship.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What type of wood was used for the poles?

The poles were made from acacia wood, known for its strength and durability.

Why were the poles overlaid with gold?

The gold overlay was meant to enhance the beauty of the poles and signify their importance in the sacred context of the Tabernacle.

What does the act of making and overlaying signify?

It signifies the care and craftsmanship involved in creating items for worship, reflecting the reverence for God in the construction of the Tabernacle.

How does this verse connect to the overall theme of the Tabernacle?

This verse highlights the attention to detail and the importance of beauty in worship, which is a recurring theme throughout the instructions for the Tabernacle.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What does this verse teach us about the importance of craftsmanship in our own lives?
  2. How can we apply the principle of beauty and functionality in our daily tasks?
  3. In what ways can we honor God through the work we do, just as the artisans did in the Tabernacle?
  4. What other examples can we find in Scripture that emphasize the importance of creating beautiful and functional items for worship?

Commentators on this verse — 4 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Exodus 37:4 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And he overlaid it with pure gold within and without, and made a crown of gold to it round about. No JFB commentary on these verses.

Read Robert Jamieson on Exodus 37 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

XXXVII.(1-24) This passage corresponds with Exodus 37:10-29 of Exodus 25, and contains an account of the construction of the holy furniture: (1) That of the Holy of Holies: viz., the ark (Exodus 37:1-5), the mercyseat (Exodus 37:6-9); (2) that of the Holy Place, viz., the table of shewbread (Exodus 37:10-16) and the golden candlestick (Exodus 37:17-24). Exodus 37:1-5 correspond to Exodus 25:10-14 of Exodus 25 Exodus 37:6-9 correspond to Exodus 25:17-20 of Exodus 25 Exodus 37:10-16 correspond to Exodus 25:23-29 of Exodus 25 Exodus 37:17-24 correspond to Exodus 25:31-39 of Exodus 25

Read Charles John Ellicott on Exodus 37 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

1–9. (Exodus 25:10-20). The Ark. Exodus 25:15 f., 21 f. not repeated.

Read Cambridge on Exodus 37 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

THE ARK OF THE , Exodus 39:1-9. See notes on Exodus 25:10-22. THE TABLE OF , Exodus 39:10-16. See notes on Exodus 25:23-30. THE GOLDEN , Exodus 39:17-24. See notes on Exodus 25:31-40. THE ALTAR OF INCENSE, Exodus 39:25-28.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Exodus 37 →

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

Then he made poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

He made poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Then he made poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold.

NETBNew English Translation2006

He made poles of acacia wood, overlaid them with gold,

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And he made staves of shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And he made staves of acacia wood, and overlaid them with gold.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And he made staves of acacia wood, and overlaid them with gold.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And he made staffs of shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Also he made barres of Shittim wood, and couered them with golde,

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And he made staves of acacia-wood and overlaid them with gold.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

and he maketh staves of shittim wood, and overlayeth them with gold,

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

and he makes poles of shittim wood, and overlays them with gold,

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And he made staves of shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

He made poles of acacia wood and covered them with gold.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And he made bars of setim wood, which he overlaid with gold,

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

He made poles of acacia wood and covered them with gold.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And rods of the same wood plated with gold.

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.

וַandclauseverbיַּ֥עַשׂhe.madenoun phrase · objectבַּדֵּ֖יpolesnoun phraseעֲצֵ֣יof.wood(s)שִׁטִּ֑יםof.acaciaוַandclauseverbיְצַ֥ףhe.overlaidnoun phrase · objectאֹתָ֖םthemadverbialזָהָֽבgold

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


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

The Masoretic Text is supported by the Septuagint, which matches all seven words in the Hebrew text. However, the Samaritan Pentateuch differs in two words, using 'in' and 'sufficiency' instead of the standard constructions found in the Masoretic Text.

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

וַיַּ֥עַשׂ בַּדֵּ֖י עֲצֵ֣י שִׁטִּ֑ים וַיְצַ֥ף אֹתָ֖ם זָהָֽב׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיַּ֥עַשׂ’’בַּדֵּ֖י’’עֲצֵ֣י’’שִׁטִּ֑ים’’וַיְצַ֥ף’’אֹתָ֖ם’’זָהָֽב׃’’

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

ויעשׂ בדי עצי שׁטים ויצף אתם זהב

2 words differ from the Masoretic Text: ב (in), די (sufficiency)

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 37:4עָשָׂהand he madeand he madeעָשָׂהבַּדpoles ofpoles ofבַּדעֵץwood ofwood ofעֵץשִׁטָּהacaciaacaciaשִׁטָּהצָפָהand he overand he overlaidצָפָהאֵתthe object the object markאֵתזָהָבgoldgoldזָהָבבָּדַדbe alonebe aloneבָּדַדעָצָהto shutto shutעָצָהאוֹתsign: mirasign: miraculouאוֹתשֹׁטֵטשֹׁטֵטבֵּיתבֵּיתצָפָהto watchto watchצָפָהשִׁטָּהacaciaacaciaשִׁטָּהצָפָהto overlayto overlayצָפָהמְלָאכָהworkworkמְלָאכָהתּוֹעֵבַהabominatioabominationתּוֹעֵבַהתָּמִידcontinuallcontinuallyתָּמִידאֶ֫רֶזcedarcedarאֶ֫רֶזעֵץtree: woodtree: woodעֵץוָוhookhookוָומִגְרָשׁpasturepastureמִגְרָשׁכֶּ֫סֶףsilver: mosilver: moneyכֶּ֫סֶף
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 37:4

One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.

Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.

and he made poles of wood of acacia and he overlaid the object marker them gold
וַיַּ֥עַשׂvai.Ya.'as and he made H6213 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
2,629× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to make or do something, and is used over 2,600 times in the Bible. It is first used in Genesis 1:7 to describe God's creation of the world and is also used in Exodus 31:5 to describe the work of skilled craftsmen.
Amplified meaning
crafted, formed
Tyndale gloss
to make
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עָשָׂה (asah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to do or make, encompassing a wide range of actions such as producing, preparing, and observing. It can refer to both concrete and abstract activities, including making offerings and attending to tasks. The verb also has forms indicating passive meanings, such as being made or offered. Notably, the Piel form refers to pressing or squeezing.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עָשָׂה 2622 vb. do, make

Qal 2524

do (1560 t.)

deal with

oft. in phr. do kindness with

abs. act, act with effect

make (670 t.)

produce, yield

prepare, esp. of dressing and cooking food

make offering

attend to, put in order

observe, celebrate, religious festival

acquire property of various kinds

appoint priests

bring about of י׳’s effecting a deliverance

use

spend, pass, days of life

Niph.

97be done

be made, of concr. things

be produced from vine

be prepared, of food

be offered

be observed, passover

be used

Pu. I was made

base

[עָשָׂה] vb. Pi. press, squeeze

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6213a עָשָׂה do, make .. . do (1560 + t.)

. deal with

. oft. in phr. do kindness with

. abs. act, act with effect

. . make (670 + t.)

. produce, yield

. prepare, esp. of dressing and cooking food

. make offering

. attend to, put in order

. observe, celebrate, religious festival

. acquire property of various kinds

. appoint priests

. bring about of י׳’s effecting a deliverance

. use

. spend, pass, days of life

. . be done

. . be made, of concr. things

. be produced from vine

. be prepared, of food

. be offered

. be observed, passover

. be used

. I was made

H6213b עָשָׂה Pi. press, squeeze

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6213 `asah aw-saw'

a primitive root; to do or make, in the broadest sense and

widest application (as follows):--accomplish, advance,

appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth,

bruise, be busy, X certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal

(with), deck, + displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in)

execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, + feast, (fight-)ing man, +

finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go

about, govern, grant, great, + hinder, hold ((a feast)), X

indeed, + be industrious, + journey, keep, labour, maintain,

make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, + officer, pare,

bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure,

provide, put, requite, X sacrifice, serve, set, shew, X sin,

spend, X surely, take, X thoroughly, trim, X very, + vex, be

(warr-)ior, work(-man), yield, use.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עָשָׂה (a.sah) — to make: do.

: do/perform

1) to do, fashion, accomplish, make

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to do, work, make, produce

1a1a) to do

1a1b) to work

1a1c) to deal (with)

1a1d) to act, act with effect, effect

1a2) to make

1a2a) to make

1a2b) to produce

1a2c) to prepare

1a2d) to make (an offering)

1a2e) to attend to, put in order

1a2f) to observe, celebrate

1a2g) to acquire (property)

1a2h) to appoint, ordain, institute

1a2i) to bring about

1a2j) to use

1a2k) to spend, pass

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be done

1b2) to be made

1b3) to be produced

1b4) to be offered

1b5) to be observed

1b6) to be used

1c) (Pual) to be made

עָשָׂה (a.sah) — to press.

(Piel) to press, squeeze

עָשָׂה (a.sah) — to make.

: make(OBJECT)

1) to do, fashion, accomplish, make

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to do, work, make, produce

1a1a) to do

1a1b) to work

1a1c) to deal (with)

1a1d) to act, act with effect, effect

1a2) to make

1a2a) to make

1a2b) to produce

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 he made poles of wood of acacia and he overlaid the object marker them gold
בַּדֵּ֖יba.Dei poles of H905 Noun common · masculine plural construct
200× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word 'bad' can mean alone, apart, or a separate part of something, like a branch or a bar. It's used to describe something that's only or except for something else.
Amplified meaning
staves, bars
Tyndale gloss
alone: pole
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בַּד (bad) refers to separation or being alone, often indicating a part or branch of something. It can denote physical separation, such as limbs or bars, as well as figurative uses like 'chief of a city.' The entries consistently highlight meanings related to being apart or alone, with no significant disagreement among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בַּד, בָּ֑ד n.m. separation, concr. part

prop. in a state of separation, alone, by itself

concr. part

parts, specif. extended from something

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H905 בַּד, בָּ֑ד separation, concr. part . prop. in a state of separation, alone, by itself

. concr. part

. parts, specif. extended from something

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

905 bad bad

from 909; properly, separation; by implication, a part of the

body, branch of a tree, bar for carrying; figuratively, chief

of a city; especially (with prepositional prefix) as an

adverb, apart, only, besides:--alone, apart, bar, besides,

branch, by self, of each alike, except, only, part, staff,

strength.

see HEBREW for 0909

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בַּד (bad) — alone: pole.

: pole

1) alone, by itself, besides, a part, separation, being alone

1a) separation, alone, by itself

1a1) only (adv)

1a2) apart from, besides (prep)

1b) part

1c) parts (eg limbs, shoots), bars

בַּד (bad) — alone.

: alone

1) alone, by itself, besides, a part, separation, being alone

1a) separation, alone, by itself

1a1) only (adv)

1a2) apart from, besides (prep)

1b) part

1c) parts (eg limbs, shoots), bars

בַּד (bad) — alone: each.

: each

1) alone, by itself, besides, a part, separation, being alone

1a) separation, alone, by itself

1a1) only (adv)

1a2) apart from, besides (prep)

1b) part

1c) parts (eg limbs, shoots), bars

בַּד (bad) — alone: besides.

: besides/apart from

1) alone, by itself, besides, a part, separation, being alone

1a) separation, alone, by itself

1a1) only (adv)

1a2) apart from, besides (prep)

1b) part

1c) parts (eg limbs, shoots), bars

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural construct
HNcmpc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ov:

(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Lamentations 3:1.

The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.

Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.

That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.

Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…

and he made poles of wood of acacia and he overlaid the object marker them gold
עֲצֵ֣י'a.Tzei wood of H6086 Noun common · masculine plural construct
330× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word for tree or wood refers to a strong and firm object, like a tree or a wooden plank, as seen in the carpentry work of Jesus' earthly father Joseph in Matthew 13:55.
Amplified meaning
shittim wood, a strong and firm tree
Tyndale gloss
tree: wood
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עֵץ (ets) refers to a tree or wood, encompassing various forms such as timber, sticks, and planks. It can denote both singular and plural trees, as well as specific uses like gallows and firewood. The word is derived from a root meaning firmness, indicating its solid nature.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עֵץ 329 n.m. tree, trees, wood

(c. 150 t.)

a standing tree

coll. trees

(c. 175 t.; c. 120 t. pl., to denote pieces [or articles] of wood)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6086 עֵץ tree, trees, wood . (c. 150 t.) . a standing tree

. coll. trees

. (c. 175 t.; c. 120 t. pl., to denote pieces [or articles] of wood)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6086 `ets ates

from 6095; a tree (from its firmness); hence, wood (plural

sticks):--+ carpenter, gallows, helve, + pine, plank, staff,

stalk, stick, stock, timber, tree, wood.

see HEBREW for 06095

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עֵץ (ets) — tree: wood.

: wood

1) tree, wood, timber, stock, plank, stalk, stick, gallows

1a) tree, trees

1b) wood, pieces of wood, gallows, firewood, cedar-wood, woody flax

עֵץ (ets) — tree.

: tree

1) tree, wood, timber, stock, plank, stalk, stick, gallows

1a) tree, trees

1b) wood, pieces of wood, gallows, firewood, cedar-wood, woody flax

עֵץ (ets) — tree: stick.

: stick/log

1) tree, wood, timber, stock, plank, stalk, stick, gallows

1a) tree, trees

1b) wood, pieces of wood, gallows, firewood, cedar-wood, woody flax

עֵץ (ets) — tree: stake.

: stake/shaft

1) tree, wood, timber, stock, plank, stalk, stick, gallows

1a) tree, trees

1b) wood, pieces of wood, gallows, firewood, cedar-wood, woody flax

עֵץ (ets) — tree: carpenter.

: carpenter/wood(worker)

1) tree, wood, timber, stock, plank, stalk, stick, gallows

1a) tree, trees

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural construct
HNcmpc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ov:

(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Lamentations 3:1.

The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.

Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.

That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.

Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…

and he made poles of wood of acacia and he overlaid the object marker them gold
שִׁטִּ֑יםshi.Tim acacia H7848 Noun common · masculine plural absolute
28× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The acacia tree, known for its thorns, is described by this word, which is also used to describe the wood used to build the Tabernacle in Exodus.
Tyndale gloss
acacia
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שִׁטָּה (shittah) refers to the acacia tree and its wood. It is a feminine noun, primarily appearing in the plural form שִׁטִּים (shittim), which denotes sticks of wood. The entries consistently identify this word with the acacia, known for its thorns.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שִׁטָּה 27 n.f. acacia, tree and wood

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7848 שִׁטָּה acacia, tree and wood

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7848 shittah shit-taw'

feminine of a derivative (only in the plural shittiym

{shit-teem'}; meaning the sticks of wood) from the same as

7850; the acacia (from its scourging thorns):--shittah,

shittim. See also 1029.

see HEBREW for 07850

see HEBREW for 01029

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שִׁטָּה (shit.tah) — acacia.

acacia tree, acacia wood

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fp — Noun common · masculine plural absolute
HNcmpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

a-ka'-sha (shiTTah, the shittah tree of the King James Version, Isa 41:19, and `atse-shiTTah, acacia wood; shittah wood the King James Version, Ex 25:5,10,13; 26:15,26; 27:1,6; De 10:3.): ShiTTah (= shinTah) is equivalent to the Arabic sant which is now the name of the Acacia Nilotica (NO, Leguminosae), but no doubt the name once included other species of desert acacias. If one particular species is indicated in the Old Testament it is probably the Acacia Seyal--the Arabic Seyyal--which yields the well-known gum- arabic This tree, which has finely leaves ular flowers, grows to a height of twenty feet or more, and its stem may sometimes reach two feet in thickness. The tree often assumes a characteristic umbrella-like form. The…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Acacia

(Heb. shittim) Ex. 25:5, R.V. probably the Acacia seyal (the gum-arabic tree); called the “shittah” tree (Isa. 41:19). Its wood is called shittim wood (Ex. 26:15,26; 25:10,13,23,28, etc.). This species (A. seyal) is like the hawthorn, a gnarled and thorny tree. It yields the gum-arabic of commerce. It is found in abundance in the Sinaitic peninsula.

and he made poles of wood of acacia and he overlaid the object marker them gold
וַיְצַ֥ףvay.Tzaf and he overlaid H6823 Verb · Piel · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
47× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Tsaphah can also mean to overlay or cover something, often with metal. It involves laying something over another material, like plating or coating.
Amplified meaning
covered, plated
Tyndale gloss
to overlay
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

צָפָה (tsaphah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to lay out, overlay, or cover. It can refer to actions like plating or laying over materials, particularly metals. The entries suggest a focus on the physical act of covering or overlaying, with examples including pillars overlaid with gold. There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[צָפָה] 47 vb. lay out, lay over

Qal they lay out the rug!

Pi. overlay, plate

Pu. impure silver laid over a sherd; pillars overlaid with gold.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6823 [צָפָה] lay out, lay over .they lay out the rug!

. overlay, plate

. impure silver laid over a sherd; pillars overlaid with gold.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6823 tsaphah tsaw-faw'

a primitive root (probably identical with 6822 through the

idea of expansion in outlook, transferring to action); to

sheet over (especially with metal):--cover, overlay.

see HEBREW for 06822

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

צָפָה (tsa.phah) — to overlay.

1) to lay out, lay over, overlay, cover

1a) (Piel) to overlay, plate, stud

1b) (Pual) to be laid over

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Piel-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Piel · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vpw3ms
and he made poles of wood of acacia and he overlaid the object marker them gold
אֹתָ֖ם'o.Tam the object marker them H853 Particle · suffix
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
DirObjM | Suff — Particle · suffix
HTo/Sp3mp
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he made poles of wood of acacia and he overlaid the object marker them gold
זָהָֽב׃za.Hav gold H2091 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
389× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Gold is a valuable metal, also used to describe something yellow or brilliant, like oil or a clear sky. It is often mentioned in the Bible as a precious resource.
Amplified meaning
a valuable and brilliant metal
Tyndale gloss
gold
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

זָהָב (zahab) means gold and is derived from an unused root that conveys the idea of shimmering. It encompasses various aspects of gold, including its value as a precious metal, its use as a measure of weight, and its figurative brilliance. The term appears in contexts related to wealth, merchandise, and gifts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

זָהָב 385 n.m. gold

= gold-ore, gold in raw state

gold as wealth

gold as spoil of war

gold as merchandise

gold as costly gift

gold as material

gold described by its source

gold defined by var. adj. and pts.

as measure of weight and value

= golden oil, from colour

often named with

the chief vbs. used

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2091 זָהָב gold

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2091 zahab zaw-hawb'

from an unused root meaning to shimmer; gold, figuratively,

something gold-colored (i.e. yellow), as oil, a clear sky:--

gold(-en), fair weather.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

זָהָב (za.hav) — gold.

1) gold

1a) as precious metal

1b) as a measure of weight

1c) of brilliance, splendour (fig.)

Aramaic equivalent: de.hav (דְּהַב "gold" H1722)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

gold (zahabh; chrusos):

1. Terms:

No metal has been more frequently mentioned in Old Testament writings than gold, and none has had more terms applied to it. Among these terms the one most used is zahabh. The Arabic equivalent, dhahab, is still the common name for gold throughout Palestine, Syria and Egypt. With zahabh frequently occur other words which, translated, mean "pure" (Ex 25:11), "refined" (1Ch 28:18), "finest" (1Ki 10:18), "beaten" (1Ki 10:17), "Ophir" (Ps 45:9).

Other terms occurring are: paz, "fine gold" (Job 28:17;

Gold

(1.) Heb. zahab, so called from its yellow colour (Ex. 25:11; 1 Chr. 28:18; 2 Chr. 3:5).

(2.) Heb. segor, from its compactness, or as being enclosed or treasured up; thus precious or “fine gold” (1 Kings 6:20; 7:49).

(3.) Heb. paz, native or pure gold (Job 28:17; Ps. 19:10; 21:3, etc.).

(4.) Heb. betzer, “ore of gold or silver” as dug out of the mine (Job 36:19, where it means simply riches).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Gold was known from the very earliest times. (Genesis 2:11) It was at first used chiefly for ornaments, etc. (Genesis 24:22) Coined money was not known to the ancients till a comparatively late period; and on the Egyptian tombs gold is represented as being weighed in rings for commercial purposes. Comp. (Genesis 43:21) Gold was extremely abundant in ancient times, (1 Chronicles 22:14; 2 Chronicles 1:15; 9:9; Daniel 3:1; Nahum 2:9) but this did not depreciate its value, because of the enormous quantities consumed by…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A well-known valuable metal, found in many parts of the world, and obtained anciently in Ophir, Job 28:16; Parvaim, 2Ch 3:6; Sheba, and Raamah, Eze 27:22. Job alludes to gold in various forms, Job 22:24 28:15-19. Abraham was rich in it, and female ornaments were early made of it, Ge 13:2 24:22,35. It is spoken of throughout Scripture; and the use of it among and ancient Hebrews, in its native and mixed state, and for the same purposes as at present, was very common. The Ark of the Covenant was overlaid with pure gold; the mercy seat, the vessels and utensils belonging to the tabernacle, and those also of the house of…

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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