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Exodus 4:29 — Word Study

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WLCוַיֵּ֥לֶךְ מֹשֶׁ֖ה וְאַהֲרֹ֑ן וַיַּ֣אַסְפ֔וּ אֶת־ כָּל־ זִקְנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

BSAThen MosesMôsheh [the Israelite leader, born to Amram and Jochebed] and AaronʼAhărôwn [the first high priest of the Israelites, brother of Moses] and assembledʼâçaph [gathered together, to bring people or things together] allkôl [everything, the whole] the elderszâqên [old, elderly, respected leaders] of the IsraelitesYisrâʼêl [the descendants of Jacob, the symbolic name of Jacob]

Word
Listen & take awayExodus 4
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 29 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 (Yis.ra.'El) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Exodus 4:29quick helps
In a sentenceMoses and Aaron gathered the elders of the Israelites to share God's message.
Who is speakingMoses, the leader of the Israelites, and Aaron, his brother.
Where we areThe moment when Moses and Aaron begin their mission to the Israelites.
The hard wordאָסַף
Take awayThe leaders are united in their purpose to convey God's message.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbהלך 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 4:29

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 Gathering of the Eldersgenerated

28And Moses told Aaron everything the LORD had sent him to say, and all the signs He had commanded him to perform.
29Then Moses and Aaron went and assembled all the elders of the Israelites,
30and Aaron relayed everything the LORD had said to Moses. And Moses performed the signs before the people,
31and they believed. And when they heard that the LORD had attended to the Israelites and had seen their affliction, they bowed down and worshiped.

Exodus 4:29 describes how Moses and Aaron took action by assembling the elders of the Israelites. This moment is pivotal as it sets the stage for the Israelites to receive God's message through Moses. Earlier in the chapter, God had instructed Moses to return to Egypt and deliver His word to the people, highlighting the importance of leadership and community in the fulfillment of God's plans.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Exodus 3:16Go, assemble the elders of Israel and say to them, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—has appeared to me and said: I have surely attended to you and have seen what has been done to you in Egypt.
2Exodus 24:1–11Then the LORD said to Moses, “Come up to the LORD—you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of Israel’s elders—and you are to worship at a distance.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 2 references, hung on the phrase they belong to

And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel:Exodus 3:16 Exodus 24:1–11

The Key Word אָסַף, vai.Ya.'as.Fugenerated

The verb אָסַף (asaf) means 'to gather' or 'to bring together.' It is used in various contexts throughout the Bible, often referring to assembling people for a common purpose, such as worship or decision-making. The parsing as a Qal verb in the sequential imperfect indicates that the action is ongoing and emphasizes the collective effort of the leaders.

This word encapsulates the act of uniting individuals, which is crucial in this context as Moses and Aaron come together to rally the elders. The gathering signifies not only a physical assembly but also a spiritual and communal response to God's call.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb of the verse is וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ (vai.Ye.lekh), and he went, which governs the entire action of the sentence. It is followed by another verb וַיַּ֣אַסְפ֔וּ (vai.Ya.'as.Fu), and they gathered, indicating the sequential nature of their actions.

The structure highlights the actions of both Moses and Aaron as they move from one place to another and then gather the elders, emphasizing their leadership and the collective effort in responding to God's command.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, אָסַף is rendered as συνήγαγον (synēgagon), which also means 'to gather.' This choice maintains the focus on the act of bringing people together, aligning with the Hebrew meaning while reflecting the Greek linguistic style.

The use of this term in the Septuagint indicates a continuity of meaning and purpose, emphasizing the importance of community in the fulfillment of God's plans.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Exodus 4:29 tells us that Moses and Aaron went to gather all the elders of the Israelites. This is an important moment as they prepare to share God's message with the people. It shows the leadership of Moses and Aaron and the unity of the elders in responding to God's call.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What is the significance of Moses and Aaron gathering the elders?

Gathering the elders signifies the importance of leadership and community in fulfilling God's plans. It shows that Moses and Aaron are acting together to lead the people.

Why are the elders important in this context?

The elders are respected leaders within the Israelite community, and their support is crucial for the acceptance of Moses' message.

What does the act of gathering imply about the community?

The act of gathering implies a collective response to God's call, highlighting the importance of unity and cooperation among the leaders.

How does this verse connect to earlier events in Exodus?

This verse connects to earlier events where God instructed Moses to return to Egypt and deliver His message, emphasizing the continuity of God's plan for His people.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What does it mean to gather as a community in response to God's call?
  2. How can I support the leaders in my community, similar to how the elders supported Moses and Aaron?
  3. In what ways can I actively participate in gathering others for a common purpose?
  4. What lessons can I learn from Moses and Aaron's leadership in this passage?

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Exodus 4:29 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

And Moses and Aaron went,.... Set forward for Egypt: and being come thither, gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel; the heads of tribes and families, as many as they could

Read John Gill on Exodus 4 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel: Moses and Aaron went - toward Egypt, Zipporah and her sons having been sent back (cf. Exodus 18:2). Gathered ... all the elders.

Read Robert Jamieson on Exodus 4 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

All of them whom they could easily and quickly bring together, or all that were in those parts. Of those elders, see 24:1,9 Numbers 11:16.

Read Matthew Poole on Exodus 4 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Exodus 4:29 And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel:Ver. 29. And Moses and Aaron.] So Zerubbabel and Jehoshua; Paul and Barnabas; the other disciples "by two and two"; the two faithful witnesses; both for more authority, and for mutual help and comfort.

Read John Trapp on Exodus 4 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

THE RETURN TO EGYPT.(29) Moses and Aaron went.—The two brothers returned together from the Sinaitic region to Egypt. No particulars of the journey are narrated, nor can we even tell what was the route which they followed. On their arrival, they at once set themselves to carry out the charge committed to them (Exodus 3:16). The Israelites in Egypt, though suffering under severe oppression, had an organisation of their own, jurisdiction attaching probably to the heads of tribes, or of chief families. (Comp. Numbers 1:4-16.) These persons are here called “elders,” which the LXX. render τὴνγερουσίαν, “the senate.” Moses and Aaron could have no power to convoke them; but they invited them to a…

Read Charles John Ellicott on Exodus 4 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

27–31. Moses and Aaron together communicate their commission to the people in Egypt, and are readily believed by them.

Read Cambridge on Exodus 4 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

All the elders - The Israelites retained their own national organization; their affairs were administered by their own elders, who called a public assembly Exodus 4:31 to hear the message brought by Moses and Aaron.

Read Albert Barnes on Exodus 4 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

29-31. Gathered… the elders — This points to an organization of the people under chiefs of their own, and their reverent acceptance of Moses and Aaron shows that they had not forgotten the God and

Read Daniel Denison Whedon 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

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

Then Moses and Aaron went and assembled all the elders of the Israelites,

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Then Moses and Aaron went and assembled all the elders of the Israelites,

NETBNew English Translation2006

Then Moses and Aaron went and brought together all the Israelite elders.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

¶ And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel:

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel:

RVARevised Version, American1894

And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel:

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And Moses and Aaron went, and assembled all the elders of the children of Israel:

GNVGeneva Bible1599

So went Moses and Aaron, and gathered all the Elders of the children of Israel.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And Moses and Aaron went and gathered all the elders of the children of Israel;

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And Moses goeth — Aaron also — and they gather all the elders of the sons of Israel,

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And Moses goes—Aaron also—and they gather all the elderly of the sons of Israel,

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And Moses and Aaron went and assembled all the elders of the children of Israel:

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Then Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the Israelites.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And they came together, and they assembled all the ancients of the children of Israel.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Moses and Aaron traveled to Egypt. There they had all the Israelite elders gather together.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Then Moses and Aaron went and got together all the chiefs of the children of Israel:

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.

וַandclauseverbיֵּ֥לֶךְhe.wentnoun phrase · subjectמֹשֶׁ֖הMosesוְandאַהֲרֹ֑ןAaronוַandclauseverbיַּ֣אַסְפ֔וּthey.gatherednoun phrase · objectאֶת(et)noun phraseכָּלallnoun phraseזִקְנֵ֖יthe.eldersnoun phraseבְּנֵ֥יof.the.peopleיִשְׂרָאֵֽלof.Israel

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


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

The Masoretic Text aligns with the Septuagint in most of the wording, confirming the central action of Moses and Aaron gathering the elders. However, the Samaritan Pentateuch differs slightly by using the word ילכו (yilku), meaning 'they will walk,' indicating a different nuance in the action described.

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

וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ מֹשֶׁ֖ה וְאַהֲרֹ֑ן וַיַּ֣אַסְפ֔וּ אֶת־ כָּל־ זִקְנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיֵּ֥לֶךְἐπορεύθηמֹשֶׁ֖הμωυσῆςוְאַהֲרֹ֑ןααρωνוַיַּ֣אַסְפ֔וּσυνήγαγονבְּנֵ֥יυἱῶνיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ισραηλ

6 of the 9 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

וילכו משׁה ואהרן ויאספו את כל זקני בני ישׂראל

1 word differs from the Masoretic Text: ילכו (walk)

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q1a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[וילך] [משה] [ואהרן] ויאספו את כל זקני [בני] [ישראל]

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

Dead Sea Scrolls — Mur1a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

וילך משה ואהרן ויאספו את כל זקני בני ישראל

9 words on the leather.

Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.


The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

Exodus 4:29הָלַךְand he wentand he wentהָלַךְמֹשֶׁהMosesMosesמֹשֶׁהאַהֲרֹןand Aaronand Aaronאַהֲרֹןאָסַףand they gaand they gatherאָסַףאֵתthe object the object markאֵתכֹּלallallכֹּלזָקֵן[the] elder[the] elders ofזָקֵןבֵּן[the] peopl[the] people ofבֵּןיִשְׂרָאֵלIsraelIsraelיִשְׂרָאֵלמָשָׁהto drawto drawמָשָׁהאוֹתsign: mirasign: miraculouאוֹתכָּלַלto perfectto perfectכָּלַלזָקֵןbe oldbe oldזָקֵןבָּנָהto buildto buildבָּנָהשָׂרָהto striveto striveשָׂרָההָלַךְto walkto walkהָלַךְדֶּ֫רֶךְway: roadway: roadדֶּ֫רֶךְחֻקָּהstatutestatuteחֻקָּהאַהֲרֹןAaronAaronאַהֲרֹןצָוָהto commandto commandצָוָהאֶלְעָזָרEleazarEleazarאֶלְעָזָרמֹשֶׁהMosesMosesמֹשֶׁהזָקֵןoldoldזָקֵןקָבַץto gatherto gatherקָבַץמִגְרָשׁpasturepastureמִגְרָשׁעֵדָהcongregaticongregationעֵדָהעֲבֹדָהserviceserviceעֲבֹדָה
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 4:29

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 went Moses and Aaron and they gathered the object marker all [the] elders of [the] people of Israel
וַיֵּ֥לֶךְvai.Ye.lekh and he went H1980 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
1,549× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Means to walk or go, used in many different contexts in the Bible. It can describe physical movement, but also spiritual or emotional journeys. Appears in various forms, such as 'to go' or 'to walk'.
Tyndale gloss
to go: walk
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הָלַךְ (halak) means 'to go,' 'come,' or 'walk,' and covers a wide range of literal and figurative uses, including aspects of life and death. It can describe physical movement, moral conduct, and even influence on character. The verb appears in various forms, such as Qal, Piel, and Hithpael, indicating different nuances like leading or traversing.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הָלַךְ 1546 vb. go, come, walk

Qal Impf. usually (629 t.) as if from ילך

lit.

of persons

Also of animals, in similar meanings and combinations

in like manner of inanimate things

The inf. abs. is often used

as in other vbs., quite independently

to intensify meaning of finite form

most noteworthy is the joining of the Inf. abs.

with a following Inf. abs. denoting a simutaneous action or process, and so emphasizing duration or continuance

with a foll. vb. fin. c. ו consec. (rare)

in cases where vb. fin. is foll. by Inf. abs. adj. denoting progress, advance

twice, where vb. fin. is not הלך, but another vb. denoting motion

quite by itself

13 t. the Inf. abs. = Imv. & is followed by Pf. consec.

akin to the use of Inf. abs. are some instances of Pt.

In combination with other verbal forms

Fig.; the most common uses follow; in most the origin in a literal meaning is evident:

pass away, die

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1980 הָלַךְ go, come, walk .Impf. usually (629 t.) as if from ילך . lit. . of persons

. Also of animals, in similar meanings and combinations

. in like manner of inanimate things

. The inf. abs. is often used . as in other vbs., quite independently

. to intensify meaning of finite form

. most noteworthy is the joining of the Inf. abs. . with a following Inf. abs. denoting a simutaneous action or process, and so emphasizing duration or continuance

. with a foll. vb. fin. c. ו consec. (rare)

. in cases where vb. fin. is foll. by Inf. abs. + adj. denoting progress, advance

. twice, where vb. fin. is not הלך, but another vb. denoting motion

. quite by itself

. 13 t. the Inf. abs. = Imv. & is followed by Pf. consec.

. akin to the use of Inf. abs. are some instances of Pt.

. In combination with other verbal forms

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1980 halak haw-lak'

akin to 3212; a primitive root; to walk (in a great variety

of applications, literally and figuratively):--(all) along,

apace, behave (self), come, (on) continually, be conversant,

depart, + be eased, enter, exercise (self), + follow, forth,

forward, get, go (about, abroad, along, away, forward, on,

out, up and down), + greater, grow, be wont to haunt, lead,

march, X more and more, move (self), needs, on, pass (away),

be at the point, quite, run (along), + send, speedily, spread,

still, surely, + tale-bearer, + travel(-ler), walk (abroad,

on, to and fro, up and down, to places), wander, wax,

(way-)faring man, X be weak, whirl.

see HEBREW for 03212

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: went.

: went/go[away]

1) to go, walk, come

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away

1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to walk

1b2) to walk (fig.)

1c) (Hithpael)

1c1) to traverse

1c2) to walk about

1d) (Niphal) to lead, bring, lead away, carry, cause to walk

הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: come.

: come[nearer]

1) to go, walk, come

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away

1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to walk

1b2) to walk (fig.)

1c) (Hithpael)

1c1) to traverse

1c2) to walk about

1d) (Niphal) to lead, bring, lead away, carry, cause to walk

הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: walk.

: walk/move

1) to go, walk, come

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away

1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to walk

1b2) to walk (fig.)

1c) (Hithpael)

1c1) to traverse

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Hc/Vqw3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
and he went Moses and Aaron and they gathered the object marker all [the] elders of [the] people of Israel
מֹשֶׁ֖הmo.Sheh Moses H4872 Noun proper masculine
766× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Moses, the Israelite leader, was born to Amram and Jochebed and led the Exodus from Egypt. He received the law from God and is considered a key figure in the Bible. Moses means 'drawn' in Hebrew.
Amplified meaning
the Israelite leader, born to Amram and Jochebed
Tyndale gloss
Moses
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מֹשֶׁה (Mosheh) refers to Moses, the prominent Hebrew leader, prophet, and lawgiver. The name is derived from the root meaning 'drawing out,' indicating his rescue from water. He is a key figure in the Old Testament, first mentioned in Exodus 2:10, and is known for leading the Israelites during the Exodus.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מֹשֶׁה 767 n.pr.m. Moses, the great Hebrew leader, prophet and lawgiver

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4872 מֹשֶׁה Moses, the great Hebrew leader, prophet and lawgiver

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4872 Mosheh mo-sheh'

from 4871; drawing out (of the water), i.e. rescued; Mosheh,

the Israelite lawgiver:--Moses.

see HEBREW for 04871

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מֹשֶׁה (mo.sheh) — Moses.

A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Exo.2.10;

son of: Amram (H6019) and Jochebed (H3115);

brother of: Aaron (H0175) and Miriam (H4813); married to Zipporah (H6855);

father of: Gershom (H1647) and Eliezer (H0461H); also called Manasseh at Jdg.18.30(?)

§ Moses = "drawn"

the prophet and lawgiver, leader of the exodus

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

mo'-zez, mo'-ziz (mosheh; Egyptian mes, "drawn out," "born"; Septuagint Mouse(s)). The great Hebrew national hero, leader, author, law-giver and prophet.

I. LIFE

1. Son of Levi

2. Foundling Prince

3. Friend of the People

4. Refuge in Midian

5. Leader of Israel

II. WORK AND CHARACTER

1. The Author

2. The Lawgiver

3. The Prophet

LITERATURE

The traditional view of the Jewish church and of the Christian church, that Moses was a person and that the narrative with which his life-story is interwoven is real history, is in the main sustained by commentators and critics of all classes.

It is needless to mention the old writers among whom these questions were hardly under discussion. Among the advocates of the current radical criticism may be mentioned Stade and Renan, who minimize the historicity of the Bible narrative at this point. Renan thinks the narrative "may be very probable." Ewald, Wellhausen…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Moses

Drawn (or Egypt. mesu, “son;” hence Rameses, royal son). On the invitation of Pharaoh (Gen. 45:17-25), Jacob and his sons went down into Egypt. This immigration took place probably about 350 years before the birth of Moses. Some centuries before Joseph, Egypt had been conquered by a pastoral Semitic race from Asia, the Hyksos, who brought into cruel subjection the native Egyptians, who were an African race. Jacob and his retinue were accustomed to a shepherd’s life, and on their arrival in Egypt were received with favour by the king, who assigned them the “best of the land”, the land of Goshen, to dwell in. The Hyksos or “shepherd” king who thus showed favour to Joseph and his family was in all probability the Pharaoh Apopi (or Apopis).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(Heb. Mosheh , "drawn," i.e. from the water; in the Coptic it means "saved from the water"), the legislator of the Jewish people, and in a certain sense the founder of the Jewish religion. The immediate pedigree of Moses is as follows: Levi was the father of: Gershon -- Kohath -- Merari Kohath was the father of: Amram = Jochebed Amram = Jochebed was the father of: Hur = Miriam -- Aaron = Elisheba -- Moses = Zipporah Aaron = Elisheba was the father of: Nadab -- Abihu -- Eleazar -- Ithamar Eleazar was the father of: Phineas Moses = Zipporah was the father of: Gershom -- Eliezer Gershom was the father of: Jonathan The history of Moses naturally divides itself into three periods of 40 years each. Moses was born at Goshen, In Egypt, B.C. 1571. The story of his birth is thoroughly Egyptian in its scene. His mother made extraordinary efforts for his preservation from the general destruction of…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The name of the illustrious prophet and legislator of the Hebrews, who led them from Egypt to the Promised Land. Having been originally imposed by a native Egyptian princess, the word is no doubt Egyptian in its origin, and Josephus gives its true derivation—from the two Egyptian words, MO, water, and USE, saved. With this accords the Septuagint form, MOUSES. The Hebrews by a slight change accommodated it to their own language, as they did also in the case of some other foreign words; calling it MOSHIE, from the verb MASHA, to draw. See Ex 2:10. Moses was born about 15.71 B. C., the son of Amram and Jochebed, of the tribe of Levi, and the younger brother of Miriam and Aaron. His history is too extensive to permit insertion here, and in general too well known to need it. It is enough simply to remark, that it is divided into three…

and he went Moses and Aaron and they gathered the object marker all [the] elders of [the] people of Israel
וְאַהֲרֹ֑ןve.'a.ha.Ron and Aaron H175 Conjunction · noun proper masculine
347× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Aaron was the brother of Moses and the first high priest of the Israelites. He was a leader in the Exodus from Egypt and played a key role in the early history of the Israelites. His story is told in Exodus and Leviticus.
Amplified meaning
the first high priest of the Israelites, brother of Moses
Tyndale gloss
Aaron
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אַהֲרֹן (Aharon) refers to Aaron, the elder brother of Moses, from the tribe of Levi. He is first mentioned in Exodus 4:14 and is known as the first high priest. Aaron is the son of Amram and Jochebed, and he had four sons: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. The name is of uncertain derivation but is associated with the meaning 'light bringer.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אַהֲרֹן 346 n.pr.m. Aaron, elder brother of Moses

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H175 אַהֲרֹן Aaron, elder brother of Moses

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

175 'Aharown a-har-one'

of uncertain derivation; Aharon, the brother of

Moses:--Aaron.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אַהֲרֹן (a.ha.ron) — Aaron.

A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Exo.4.14;

son of: Amram (H6019) and Jochebed (H3115);

brother of: Moses (H4872) and Miriam (H4813); married to Elisheba (H0472);

father of: Nadab (H5070), Abihu (H0030), Eleazar (H0499) and Ithamar (H0385)

Also named: Aarōn (Ἀαρών "Aaron" G0002)

§ Aaron = "light bringer"

brother of Moses, a Levite and the first high priest

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | N-proper — Conjunction · noun proper masculine
HC/Npm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ar'-un, sometimes pronounced ar'on ('aharon--Septuagint Aaron, meaning uncertain: Gesenius suggests "mountaineer"; Furst, "enlightened"; others give "rich," "fluent." Cheyne mentions Redslob's "ingenious conjecture" of ha-'aron--"the ark"--with its mythical, priestly significance, Encyclopedia Biblica under the word):

1. Family:

Probably eldest son of Amram (Ex 6:20), and according to the uniform genealogical lists (Ex 6:16-20; 1Ch 6:1-3), the fourth from Levi. This however is not certainly fixed, since there are frequent omissions from the Hebrew lists of names which are not prominent in the line of descent. For the corresponding period from Levi to Aaron the Judah list has six names (

Aaron

The eldest son of Amram and Jochebed, a daughter of Levi (Ex. 6:20). Some explain the name as meaning mountaineer, others mountain of strength, illuminator. He was born in Egypt three years before his brother Moses, and a number of years after his sister Miriam (2:1,4; 7:7). He married Elisheba, the daughter of Amminadab of the house of Judah (6:23; 1 Chr. 2:10), by whom he had four sons, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. When the time for the deliverance of Isarael out of Egypt drew nigh, he was sent by God (Ex. 4:14,27-30) to meet his long-absent brother, that he might co-operate with him in all that they were required to do in bringing about the Exodus. He was to be the “mouth” or “prophet” of Moses, i.e., was to…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(a teacher, or lofty), the son of Amram and Jochebed, and the older brother of Moses and Miriam. (Numbers 26:59; 33:39) (B.C. 1573.) He was a Levite, and is first mentioned in (Exodus 4:14) He was appointed by Jehovah to be the interpreter, (Exodus 4:16) of his brother Moses, who was "slow of speech;" and accordingly he was not only the organ of communication with the Israelites and with Pharaoh, (Exodus 4:30; 7:2) but also the actual instrument of working most of the miracles of the Exodus. (Exodus 7:19) etc. On the way to Mount Sinai, during the battle with Amalek, Aaron with Hur stayed up the weary hands of Moses when…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The son of Amram and Jochabed, of the tribe of Levi, and brother of Moses and Miriam, Ex 6:20; born about the year B. C. 1574. He was three years older than Moses, Ex 7:7 and was the spokesman and assistant of the latter in bringing Israel out of Egypt, Ex 4:16. His wife was Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab; and his sons, Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. He was 83 years old when God summoned him to join Moses in the desert near Horeb. Cooperating with his brother in the exodus from Egypt, Ex 4:1-16:36, he held up his hands in the battle with Amalek, Ex 17:1-16; and ascended Mount Sinai with him to see the glory of God,

and he went Moses and Aaron and they gathered the object marker all [the] elders of [the] people of Israel
וַיַּ֣אַסְפ֔וּvai.Ya.'as.Fu and they gathered H622 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
200× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To gather means to bring people or things together, often for a purpose like worship or community. It can also mean to take away or remove something, like gathering a harvest. This word appears in books like Genesis and Psalms.
Amplified meaning
gathered together, to bring people or things together
Tyndale gloss
to gather
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָסַף (acaph) is a Hebrew verb meaning to gather or remove. It encompasses a range of actions including collecting, assembling, and withdrawing. The verb appears in various forms, such as Qal, Niphal, Piel, and Hithpael, indicating different nuances like gathering individuals or being gathered. There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָסַף 209 vb. gather, remove

Qal

gather, collect

gather an individual into company of others

bring up the rear of

gather and take away, remove, withdraw

Niph.

assemble, be gathered, reflex.

pass. of Qal 2

Pass. of Qal 4; be taken away, removed, perish

Pi.

gather harvest

take in, receive into

as subst. rearguard, rearward

Pu. be gathered, of men

Hithp. gather themselves

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H622 אָסַף gather, remove

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

622 'acaph aw-saf'

a primitive root; to gather for any purpose; hence, to

receive, take away, i.e. remove (destroy, leave behind, put

up, restore, etc.):--assemble, bring, consume, destroy,

felch, gather (in, together, up again), X generally, get

(him), lose, put all together, receive, recover (another from

leprosy), (be) rereward, X surely, take (away, into, up), X

utterly, withdraw.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָסַף (a.saph) — to gather.

1) to gather, receive, remove, gather in

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to gather, collect

1a2) to gather (an individual into company of others)

1a3) to bring up the rear

1a4) to gather and take away, remove, withdraw

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to assemble, be gathered

1b2) (pass of Qal 1a2)

1b2a) to be gathered to one's fathers

1b2b) to be brought in or into (association with others)

1b3) (pass of Qal 1a4)

1b3a) to be taken away, removed, perish

1c) (Piel)

1c1) to gather (harvest)

1c2) to take in, receive into

1c3) rearguard, rearward (subst)

1d) (Pual) to be gathered

1e) (Hithpael) to gather oneself or themselves

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
Hc/Vqw3mp
and he went Moses and Aaron and they gathered the object marker all [the] elders of [the] people of Israel
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 he went Moses and Aaron and they gathered the object marker all [the] elders of [the] people of Israel
כָּל־kol- all H3605 Noun common · masculine singular construct
5,415× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for 'all' or 'everything' is used throughout the Bible, like in Genesis 1:31, where God sees all He has made as very good. It encompasses the entirety of something, whether people, things, or situations.
Amplified meaning
everything, the whole
Tyndale gloss
all
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כֹּל (kol) means 'all' or 'the whole.' It can refer to totality, including every person or thing, and is often used with a following genitive to specify what is included. The term can also denote a broader sense of everything in existence or all circumstances of life. The lexicons do not show significant disagreement on its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כֹּל once כּוֹל n.m. the whole, all

with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

Absolutely:

without the art., all things, all

with the art. הַכֹּל

where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3605 כֹּל once כּוֹל the whole, all . with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

. Absolutely: . without the art., all things, all

. with the art. הַכֹּל . where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

. in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3605 kol kole

or (Jer. 33:8) kowl {kole}; from 3634; properly, the whole;

hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a

plural sense):--(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any

(manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as

many as, (no-)thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole,

whoso(-ever).

see HEBREW for 03634

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כֹּל (kol) — all.

1) all, the whole

1a) all, the whole of

1b) any, each, every, anything

1c) totality, everything

Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)

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

ol: Used in various combinations, and with different meanings.

(1) All along, "Weeping all along as he went" (Jer 41:6), i.e. throughout the whole way he went, feigning equal concern with the men from Shiloh, etc., for the destruction of the Temple, so as to put them off their guard.

(2) All in all, "That God may be all in all" (1Co 15:28, Greek: panta en pasin, "all things in all (persons and) things"). "The universe, with all it comprises, will wholly answer to God's will and reflect His mind" (Dummelow).

(3) All one, "It is all one" (Job 9:22), "it makes no difference whether I live or die."

(4) At all, "If thy father miss me at all" (1Sa 20:6), "in any way," "in the least."

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he went Moses and Aaron and they gathered the object marker all [the] elders of [the] people of Israel
זִקְנֵ֖יzik.Nei [the] elders of H2205 Adj
178× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means old or elderly, as in the case of the elderly men who appeared to Abraham in Genesis 18:11. It can also refer to those in positions of authority, like the elders who helped Moses in Exodus 24:1. The term is used to describe respect and leadership.
Amplified meaning
old, elderly, respected leaders
Tyndale gloss
old
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

זָקֵן (zaqen) means 'old' and is used to refer to human beings, often as a noun for 'old man' or 'elder.' It encompasses meanings related to age and authority, indicating both age and leadership roles. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to be old,' and it is consistently associated with the concept of elders in various contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

זָקֵן adj. old

old, of human beings

usu. as subst.

old man (or woman)

elder

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2205 זָקֵן old . old, of human beings

. usu. as subst. . old man (or woman)

. elder

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2205 zaqen zaw-kane'

from 2204; old:--aged, ancient (man), elder(-est), old (man,

men and...women), senator.

see HEBREW for 02204

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

זָקֵן (za.qen) — old: elder.

: elder/leader

1) old

1a) old (of humans)

1b) elder (of those having authority)

זָקֵן (za.qen) — old.

: old

1) old

1a) old (of humans)

1b) elder (of those having authority)

Also means: za.qen (זָקֵן ": elder" H2205)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Adj
HAampc
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 went Moses and Aaron and they gathered the object marker all [the] elders of [the] people of Israel
בְּנֵ֥יbe.Nei [the] people of H1121 Noun common · masculine plural construct
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.
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
HNcmpc — 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 went Moses and Aaron and they gathered the object marker all [the] elders of [the] people of Israel
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃Yis.ra.'El Israel H3478 Noun proper
2,508× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Israel is the symbolic name of Jacob, also referring to his descendants. Jacob, son of Isaac and Rebekah, had 12 sons who became the tribes of Israel, as told in Genesis 25:26. His story is crucial to the Bible's narrative.
Amplified meaning
the descendants of Jacob, the symbolic name of Jacob
Tyndale gloss
Israel
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisra'el) refers to both the second name of Jacob, meaning 'God prevails,' and the name of the Hebrew nation descended from him. It is derived from roots meaning 'to rule' and 'God.' The term encompasses Jacob's descendants and is used historically for the northern kingdom of Israel and the nation as a whole after the Babylonian exile.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יִשְׂרָאֵל 2507 n.pr.m. et gent. Israel (Ēl persisteth, persevereth)

n.pr.m. second name of Jacob

n.pr.gent. name of Hebrew nation

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3478 יִשְׂרָאֵל Israel (Ēl persisteth, persevereth) . n. pr. m. second name of Jacob

. n. pr. gent. name of Hebrew nation

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3478 Yisra'el yis-raw-ale'

from 8280 and 410; he will rule as God; Jisrael, a symbolical

name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity:

--Israel.

see HEBREW for 08280

see HEBREW for 0410

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יִשְׂרָאֵל (yis.ra.el) — Israel.

A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.25.26;

son of: Isaac (H3327) and Rebekah (H7259);

brother of: Esau (H6215); married to Rachel (H7354), Leah (H3812), Zilpah (H2153) and Bilhah (H1090A);

father of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Judah (H3063), Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074), Dinah (H1783), Joseph (H3130) and Benjamin (H1144); also called Jacob frequently

§ Israel = "God prevails"

1) the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel

2) the name of the descendants and the nation of the descendants of Jacob

2a) the name of the nation until the death of Solomon and the split

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Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper
HNpl
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

iz'-ra-el.

See JACOB.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Israel

The name conferred on Jacob after the great prayer-struggle at Peniel (Gen. 32:28), because “as a prince he had power with God and prevailed.” (See JACOB.) This is the common name given to Jacob’s descendants. The whole people of the twelve tribes are called “Israelites,” the “children of Israel” (Josh. 3:17; 7:25; Judg. 8:27; Jer. 3:21), and the “house of Israel” (Ex. 16:31; 40:38).

This name Israel is sometimes used emphatically for the true Israel (Ps. 73:1: Isa. 45:17; 49:3;

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(the prince that prevails with God). The name given, (Genesis 32:28) to Jacob after his wrestling with the angel, (Hosea 12:4) at Peniel. Gesenius interprets Israel "soldier of God." It became the national name of the twelve tribes collectively. They are so called in (Exodus 3:16) and afterward. It is used in a narrower sense, excluding Judah, in (1 Samuel 11:8; 2 Samuel 20:1; 1 Kings 12:16) Thenceforth it was assumed and accepted as the name of the northern kingdom. After the Babylonian captivity, the returned exiles resumed the name Israel as the designation of…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Who prevails with God, a name given to Jacob, after having wrestled with the Angel-Jehovah at Penuel. Ge 32:1,2,28,30 Ho 12:3. See JACOB. By the name Israel is sometimes understood all the posterity of Israel, the seed of Jacob, 1Co 10:18; sometimes all true believers, his spiritual seed, Ro 9:6; and sometimes the kingdom of Israel, or the ten tribes, as distinct from the kingdom of Judah.

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
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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