Exodus 4:13 — Word Study
WLCוַיֹּ֖אמֶר בִּ֣י אֲדֹנָ֑י שְֽׁלַֽח־ נָ֖א בְּיַד־ תִּשְׁלָֽח׃
BSABut Moses repliedʼâmar▸ Pleasebîy [Oh, I pray thee] LordʼĂdônây [Adonay, a title of reverence] sendshâlach [dispatch, commission] someone elseyâd [by the hand of him whom thou wilt send, if you will, by anyone whom it seems good to you to send]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּ֖אמֶר | and he said | Verb, Qal, sequential imperfect third person masculine singular |
| בִּ֣י | pardon me | Particle |
| אֲדֹנָ֑י | O Lord | Noun proper |
| שְֽׁלַֽח־ | send | Verb, Qal, imperative second person masculine singular |
| נָ֖א | please | Particle |
| בְּיַד־ | by [the] hand of | Preposition, noun common both singular construct |
| תִּשְׁלָֽח׃ | [whoever] you will send | Verb, Qal, imperfect second person masculine singular |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | But Moses replied, “Please, Lord, send someone else.” |
| KJV | And he said, O my Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send. |
| ASV | And he said, Oh, Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send. |
| YLT | and he saith, 'O, my Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand Thou dost send.' |
| WEB | Moses said, “Oh, Lord, please send someone else.” |
| BBE | And he said, O Lord, send, if you will, by the hand of anyone whom it seems good to you to send. |
There are no significant differences among the translations regarding the key phrases in this verse.
The sentence structure consists of a main clause followed by a direct address and an imperative command, highlighting Moses' plea to God.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbאָמַר
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Exodus 4:13
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 — God's Commission to Mosesgenerated
Exodus 4:13 captures Moses' reluctance to accept God's call to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Despite God's assurance, Moses pleads for someone else to be sent, highlighting his feelings of inadequacy. This moment reflects a broader theme of divine calling and human hesitation found throughout the biblical narrative.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Exodus 4:1 | Then Moses answered, “What if they do not believe me or listen to my voice? For they may say, ‘The LORD has not appeared to you.’” |
| 2 | Exodus 23:20 | Behold, I am sending an angel before you to protect you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared. |
| 3 | Genesis 24:7 | The LORD, the God of heaven, who brought me from my father’s house and my native land, who spoke to me and promised me on oath, saying, ‘To your offspring I will give this land’—He will send His angel before you so that you can take a wife for my son from there. |
| 4 | Genesis 48:16 | the angel who has redeemed me from all harm— may He bless these boys. And may they be called by my name and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac, and may they grow into a multitude upon the earth.” |
| 5 | Judges 2:1 | Now the angel of the LORD went up from Gilgal to Bochim and said, “I brought you up out of Egypt and led you into the land that I had promised to your fathers, and I said, ‘I will never break My covenant with you, |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 12 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — שְֽׁלַֽח, she.lachgenerated
The verb שְֽׁלַֽח (shalach) means 'to send' and is used in various contexts throughout the Bible. It can refer to sending someone away or dispatching a message. In this verse, it is an imperative, indicating a direct command to God from Moses to send another.
The Qal form indicates a simple action, while the imperative mood reflects urgency in Moses' request. This highlights his desire to delegate the responsibility of leadership, emphasizing his reluctance to take on the role God has chosen for him.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses the phrase send someone else.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verb וַיֹּ֖אמֶר (vai.Yo.mer), meaning 'and he said', governs the entire sentence. Following it is a series of phrases that express Moses' plea to God.
The structure emphasizes Moses' direct speech to God, showcasing his emotional state and reluctance through the imperative command to send someone else.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates וַיֹּ֖אמֶר as εἶπεν, meaning 'he said', maintaining the directness of Moses' speech. This choice reflects a straightforward rendering of the Hebrew.
The use of κύριε for אֲדֹנָי shows reverence, aligning with the Hebrew's intent to address God with respect.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Exodus 4:13 shows Moses responding to God's call by asking Him to send someone else. This moment reveals Moses' hesitation and feelings of inadequacy regarding the task ahead.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Moses feels unworthy and inadequate for the task of leading the Israelites out of Egypt, prompting him to request that God choose another messenger.
'Adonay' is a title of reverence used to address God, showing respect and devotion in the context of prayer.
Moses' plea indicates his humility and self-doubt, highlighting his struggle with accepting the leadership role God has assigned to him.
Moses' reluctance serves as a reminder that even those chosen by God can feel inadequate, and it encourages us to trust in God's calling despite our fears.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What fears or doubts do I have about my own calling or responsibilities?
- How can I respond to God's call with more confidence, like Moses eventually did?
- In what ways can I support others who feel unworthy of their tasks?
- What does it mean to trust God when I feel inadequate?
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Exodus 4:13 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAnd he said, O my Lord,.... Acknowledging his dominion, his sovereignty, his power to do the above things: or "on me, O Lord" (u), be the blame for making such objections; or on me let this work be
Read John Gill on Exodus 4 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd Moses said unto the LORD, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. I am not eloquent.
Read Robert Jamieson on Exodus 4 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleBy one who is fitter for the work than I am. Heb. Send by the hand of him whom thou wilt send, i.e. should send; for the future tense oft signifies what one should do. See 34:7 2:7. Thou usest according to thy wisdom to choose fit instruments, and to use none but whom thou dost either find or make fit for their employment, which I am not. Others, Send by the hand of Messias, whom thou wilt certainly send, and canst not send at a fitter time, nor for better work. Moses and the prophets knew that Christ would come, but the particular time of his coming was unknown to them. See .
Read Matthew Poole on Exodus 4 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsExodus 4:13 And he said, O my Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand [of him whom] thou wilt send.Ver. 13. By the hand of him whom thou wilt.] Or, shouldst send: by that excellent speaker the Messiah, cuius dicere est facere. Thus when God had answered all Moses’ s objections, he frowardly denies to go notwithstanding, and bids him send by his son, as one that was better fitted for the service. That which made Moses so unwilling, was, whatever he pretended, the fear of his life: which rub when God had once removed, he went on his journey.
Read John Trapp on Exodus 4 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(13) Send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send.—Rather, pray send by whom thou wilt. A curt, impatient, and scarcely reverent speech. Moses means that he will undertake the task if God insists; but that God would do far better to send another. Hence the “anger of the Lord” against him (Exodus 4:14), which led to Aaron’s association with him as joint leader of the people.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Exodus 4 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 13. Send - by the hand of him whom thou wilt send.] Many commentators, both ancient and modern, have thought that Moses prays here for the immediate mission of the Messiah; as if he had said: "Lord, thou hast purposed to send this glorious person at some time or other, I beseech thee send him now, for who can be sufficient to deliver and rule this people but himself alone?" The Hebrew שלח נא ביד תשלח shelach na beyad tishlach literally translated is, Send now (or, I beseech thee) by the hand thou wilt send; which seems to intimate, Send a person more fit for the work than I am. So the Septuagint: Προχειρισαιδυναμενοναλλον, ὁναποστελεις· Elect another powerful person, whom thou wilt…
Read AdamClarke on Exodus 4 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges13. Send, I pray thee, him whom thou wilt send, whoever it may be (for the idiom, see on Exodus 33:19). Moses assents, but unwillingly and ambiguously (cf. W. R. Smith [p. 40 n.], p. 163).
Read Cambridge on Exodus 4 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleAnd he said - The reluctance of Moses is in accordance with the inner law of man’s spiritual development, and specially with his own character; but, under the circumstances, it indicated a weakness of faith.
Read Albert Barnes on Exodus 4 →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
But Moses replied, “Please, Lord, send someone else.”
Moses said, “Oh, Lord, please send someone else.”
But Moses replied, “Please, Lord, send someone else.”
But Moses said, “O my Lord, please send anyone else whom you wish to send!”
Tyndale line
And he said, O my Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send.
And he said, Oh, Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send.
And he said, Oh Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send.
And he said, O my Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send.
But he saide, Oh my Lord, sende, I pray thee, by the hande of him, whome thou shouldest sende.
Strictly literal
And he said, Ah Lord! send, I pray thee, by the hand [of him whom] thou wilt send.
and he saith, 'O, my Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand Thou dost send.'
and he says, “O my Lord, please send by the hand [of another that] You send.”
And he said, Pardon, O Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wouldst send.
But Moses said, “Lord, please send anyone else, anyone whom you wish to send.”
From the Latin
But he said: I beseech thee, Lord send whom thou wilt send.
Simplified
“Please, Lord, send someone else!” Moses responded.
And he said, O Lord, send, if you will, by the hand of anyone whom it seems good to you to send.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Samaritan Pentateuch agrees with the Masoretic Text here, word for word. The Septuagint, however, shows some differences in word order and structure, though three of the seven words match the Hebrew.
וַיֹּ֖אמֶר בִּ֣י אֲדֹנָ֑י שְֽׁלַֽח־ נָ֖א בְּיַד־ תִּשְׁלָֽח׃
3 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.
ויאמר בי אדני שׁלח נא ביד תשׁלח
Agrees with the Masoretic Text here, word for word.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Exodus 4:13
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.
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.
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
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
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.
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)
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singularHc/Vqw3ms
בִּי (biy) is a particle used in entreaties, expressing a request or plea, often directed towards a superior. It conveys meanings like 'I pray,' 'please,' or 'excuse me,' and is typically used adverbially in contexts of asking for permission.
בִּי part. of entreaty, craving permission to address a superior, I pray, excuse me
base
H994 בִּי part. of entreaty, craving permission to address a superior, I pray, excuse me
994 biy bee
perhaps from 1158 (in the sense of asking); properly, a
request; used only adverbially (always with "my Lord"); Oh
that!; with leave, or if it please:--alas, O, oh.
see HEBREW for 01158
בִּי (bi) — please.
1) if it please, pray excuse me, excuse me please
1a) used to introduce an entreaty or request
Part — ParticleHTj
אֲדֹנָי (Adonay) means 'Lord' and is an emphatic form of another Hebrew word for lord. It is used specifically as a title for God, often in place of Yahweh to show reverence. Variations include אֲדֹנִי and אֲדֹנַי, which help distinguish divine from human references.
אָדוֹן n.m. lord (אֲדֹנִי, אֲדֹנַי, אֲדֹנָי are variations of Mass. pointing to distinguish divine reference fr. human. Pl., with few exc. an intens. pl. of rank; word takes sf. as pl. in all other pers.; so doubtless here. Orig. reading prob. in all cases אֲדֹנַי; אֲדֹנִי now found in J 51 t.)
base
H136 אָדוֹן lord (אֲדֹנִי, אֲדֹנַי, אֲדֹנָי are variations of Mass. pointing to distinguish divine reference fr. human. Pl., with few exc. an intens. pl. of rank; word takes sf. as pl. in all other pers.; so doubtless here. Orig. reading prob. in all cases אֲדֹנַי; אֲדֹנִי now found in J 51 t.)
136 'Adonay ad-o-noy'
am emphatic form of 113; the Lord (used as a proper name of
God only):--(my) Lord.
see HEBREW for 0113
אֲדֹנָי (a.do.nai) — Lord.
Lord - a title, spoken in place of Yahweh in Jewish display of reverence
Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)
N-mp | Suff — Noun properHNpt
Lord
There are various Hebrew and Greek words so rendered.
(1.) Heb. Jehovah, has been rendered in the English Bible LORD, printed in small capitals. This is the proper name of the God of the Hebrews. The form “Jehovah” is retained only in Ex. 6:3; Ps. 83:18; Isa. 12:2; 26:4, both in the Authorized and the Revised Version.
(2.) Heb. ‘adon, means one possessed of absolute control. It denotes a master, as of slaves (Gen. 24:14, 27), or a ruler of his subjects (45:8), or a husband, as lord of his wife (18:12).
The old plural form of this Hebrew word is ’adonai. From a superstitious reverence for the name “Jehovah,” the Jews, in reading their Scriptures, whenever that name…
[GOD]
This name belongs to God by preeminence; and in this sense ought never to be given to any creature. Jesus Christ, as the Messiah, the Son of God, and equal with the Father, is often called Lord in Scripture, especially in the writing of Paul. The word LORD, in the English Bible, when printed in small capitals, stands always for JEHOVAH in the Hebrew. See JEHOVAH.
The Hebrew word שָׁלַח (shalach) is a primitive root meaning 'to send' with a wide range of applications. It can refer to sending away, stretching out (especially a hand), or letting go. The entries indicate various forms, including sending off, casting out, and setting free. Notably, it can also imply divorce or being sent away in a marital context.
שָׁלַח 814 vb. send
Qal
send: human subj.
send: subj. י׳ (God)
stretch out, esp. acc. hand
rarely send away: human subj.
let loose
Niph. letters were sent
Pi.
send off, away, human subj.
send away, subj. י׳
give over
cast out
send out, forth
let go, set free
shoot forth branches
let down
shoot
Phrases
Pu. be sent off (started on journey); be put away, divorced, of wife; be impelled(?)
Hiph. and I (י׳) will send
base
H7971 שָׁלַח send .. send: human subj.
. send: subj. י׳ (God)
. stretch out, esp. acc. hand
. rarely send away: human subj.
. let loose
. letters were sent
. . send off, away, human subj.
. . send away, subj. י׳
. give over
. cast out
. send out, forth
. let go, set free
. shoot forth branches
. let down
. shoot
. Phrases
. be sent off (started on journey); be put away, divorced, of wife; be impelled(?)
. and I (י׳) will send
7971 shalach shaw-lakh'
a primitive root; to send away, for, or out (in a great
variety of applications):--X any wise, appoint, bring (on the
way), cast (away, out), conduct, X earnestly, forsake, give
(up), grow long, lay, leave, let depart (down, go, loose),
push away, put (away, forth, in, out), reach forth, send
(away, forth, out), set, shoot (forth, out), sow, spread,
stretch forth (out).
שָׁלַח (sha.lach) — to send: depart.
: depart/send
1) to send, send away, let go, stretch out
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to send
1a2) to stretch out, extend, direct
1a3) to send away
1a4) to let loose
1b) (Niphal) to be sent
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to send off or away or out or forth, dismiss, give over, cast out
1c2) to let go, set free
1c3) to shoot forth (of branches)
1c4) to let down
1c5) to shoot
1d) (Pual) to be sent off, be put away, be divorced, be impelled
1e) (Hiphil) to send
שָׁלַח (sha.lach) — to send: let go.
: let_go/free
1) to send, send away, let go, stretch out
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to send
1a2) to stretch out, extend, direct
1a3) to send away
1a4) to let loose
1b) (Niphal) to be sent
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to send off or away or out or forth, dismiss, give over, cast out
1c2) to let go, set free
1c3) to shoot forth (of branches)
1c4) to let down
1c5) to shoot
V-Qal-Impv-2ms — Verb · Qal · imperative second person masculine singularHVqv2ms
נָא (na') is a Hebrew particle used primarily for entreaty or exhortation, meaning 'I pray,' 'now,' or 'please.' It often appears attached to verbs in the imperative or future forms, and can also modify interjections, adverbs, or conjunctions. The entries consistently emphasize its role in expressing a plea or request.
נָא part. of entreaty or exhortation, I (we) pray, now (enclitic)
base
H4994 נָא I (we) pray, now (enclitic)
4994 na' naw
a primitive particle of incitement and entreaty, which may
usually be rendered: "I pray," "now," or "then"; added mostly
to verbs (in the Imperative or Future), or to interjections,
occasionally to an adverb or conjunction:--I beseech (pray)
thee (you), go to, now, oh.
נָא (na) — please.
1) I (we) pray, now, please
1a) used in entreaty or exhortation
HTj — ParticleHTj
יָד (yad) means 'hand' and can also refer to strength or power in a figurative sense. It encompasses various technical uses, such as a sign or monument, parts or shares, and even specific components in construction, like axle-trees and supports for the laver. The word is versatile, appearing in both literal and metaphorical contexts.
יָד 1604 n.f. hand
hand
Fig. = strength, power
Fig. = side
יָד is used in various special, technical senses:—
sign, monument
part, fractional part or share
time, repetition
axle-trees
stays, supports for laver
tenons on sides of boards of tabernacle
a (beckoning) hand
יַד with prep.
base
H3027 יָד hand . hand
. Fig. = strength, power
. Fig. = side
. יָד is used in various special, technical senses:— . sign, monument
. part, fractional part or share
. time, repetition
. axle-trees
. stays, supports for laver
. tenons on sides of boards of tabernacle
. a (beckoning) hand
. יַד with prep.
3027 yad yawd
a primitive word; a hand (the open one (indicating power,
means, direction, etc.), in distinction from 3709, the closed
one); used (as noun, adverb, etc.) in a great variety of
applications, both literally and figuratively, both proximate
and remote (as follows):--(+ be) able, X about, + armholes,
at, axletree, because of, beside, border, X bounty, + broad,
(broken-)handed, X by, charge, coast, + consecrate, +
creditor, custody, debt, dominion, X enough, + fellowship,
force, X from, hand(-staves, -y work), X he, himself, X in,
labour, + large, ledge, (left-)handed, means, X mine,
ministry, near, X of, X order, ordinance, X our, parts, pain,
power, X presumptuously, service, side, sore, state, stay,
draw with strength, stroke, + swear, terror, X thee, X by
them, X themselves, X thine own, X thou, through, X throwing,
+ thumb, times, X to, X under, X us, X wait on, (way-)side,
יָד (yad) — hand.
: hand/arm[anatomy]
1) hand
1a) hand (of man)
1b) strength, power (fig.)
1c) side (of land), part, portion (metaph.) (fig.)
1d) (various special, technical senses)
1d1) sign, monument
1d2) part, fractional part, share
1d3) time, repetition
1d4) axle-trees, axle
1d5) stays, support (for laver)
1d6) tenons (in tabernacle)
1d7) a phallus, a hand (meaning unsure)
1d8) wrists
יָד (yad) — hand: power.
: hand/arm[anatomy]
1) hand
1a) hand (of man)
1b) strength, power (fig.)
1c) side (of land), part, portion (metaph.) (fig.)
1d) (various special, technical senses)
1d1) sign, monument
1d2) part, fractional part, share
1d3) time, repetition
1d4) axle-trees, axle
1d5) stays, support (for laver)
1d6) tenons (in tabernacle)
1d7) a phallus, a hand (meaning unsure)
1d8) wrists
יָד (yad) — hand: themselves.
: hand/arm[anatomy]
1) hand
1a) hand (of man)
1b) strength, power (fig.)
Prep | N-cs — Preposition · noun common both singular constructHR/Ncbsc
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.
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…
The Hebrew word שָׁלַח (shalach) is a primitive root meaning 'to send' with a wide range of applications. It can refer to sending away, stretching out (especially a hand), or letting go. The entries indicate various forms, including sending off, casting out, and setting free. Notably, it can also imply divorce or being sent away in a marital context.
שָׁלַח 814 vb. send
Qal
send: human subj.
send: subj. י׳ (God)
stretch out, esp. acc. hand
rarely send away: human subj.
let loose
Niph. letters were sent
Pi.
send off, away, human subj.
send away, subj. י׳
give over
cast out
send out, forth
let go, set free
shoot forth branches
let down
shoot
Phrases
Pu. be sent off (started on journey); be put away, divorced, of wife; be impelled(?)
Hiph. and I (י׳) will send
base
H7971 שָׁלַח send .. send: human subj.
. send: subj. י׳ (God)
. stretch out, esp. acc. hand
. rarely send away: human subj.
. let loose
. letters were sent
. . send off, away, human subj.
. . send away, subj. י׳
. give over
. cast out
. send out, forth
. let go, set free
. shoot forth branches
. let down
. shoot
. Phrases
. be sent off (started on journey); be put away, divorced, of wife; be impelled(?)
. and I (י׳) will send
7971 shalach shaw-lakh'
a primitive root; to send away, for, or out (in a great
variety of applications):--X any wise, appoint, bring (on the
way), cast (away, out), conduct, X earnestly, forsake, give
(up), grow long, lay, leave, let depart (down, go, loose),
push away, put (away, forth, in, out), reach forth, send
(away, forth, out), set, shoot (forth, out), sow, spread,
stretch forth (out).
שָׁלַח (sha.lach) — to send: depart.
: depart/send
1) to send, send away, let go, stretch out
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to send
1a2) to stretch out, extend, direct
1a3) to send away
1a4) to let loose
1b) (Niphal) to be sent
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to send off or away or out or forth, dismiss, give over, cast out
1c2) to let go, set free
1c3) to shoot forth (of branches)
1c4) to let down
1c5) to shoot
1d) (Pual) to be sent off, be put away, be divorced, be impelled
1e) (Hiphil) to send
שָׁלַח (sha.lach) — to send: let go.
: let_go/free
1) to send, send away, let go, stretch out
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to send
1a2) to stretch out, extend, direct
1a3) to send away
1a4) to let loose
1b) (Niphal) to be sent
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to send off or away or out or forth, dismiss, give over, cast out
1c2) to let go, set free
1c3) to shoot forth (of branches)
1c4) to let down
1c5) to shoot
HVqi2ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect second person masculine singularHVqi2ms