Exodus 5:6 — Word Study
WLCוַיְצַ֥ו פַּרְעֹ֖ה בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֑וּא אֶת־ הַנֹּגְשִׂ֣ים בָּעָ֔ם וְאֶת־ שֹׁטְרָ֖יו לֵאמֹֽר׃
BSAThat samehûwʼ [very] dayyôwm [period of time, 24-hour cycle] PharaohParʻôh [the king of Egypt, a powerful leader] commandedtsâvâh▸ [gave orders, appointed] the taskmastersnâgas [overseers, those who exact or harass] of the peopleʻam [a nation, Israel] and their foremenshôṭêr [officials, high-ranking officers]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וַיְצַ֥ו | and he commanded | Verb, Piel, sequential imperfect third person masculine singular |
| פַּרְעֹ֖ה | Pharaoh | Noun |
| בַּיּ֣וֹם | on the day | Preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| הַה֑וּא | that | Particle, pronoun |
| אֶת־ | the object marker | Particle |
| הַנֹּגְשִׂ֣ים | the taskmasters | Particle, verb qal participle (active) masculine plural |
| בָּעָ֔ם | over the people | Preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| וְאֶת־ | and the object marker | Conjunction, particle |
| שֹׁטְרָ֖יו | foremen its | Verb qal participle (active) masculine plural common, suffix |
| לֵאמֹֽר׃ | saying | Preposition, verb qal infinitive construct common |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | That same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their foremen: |
| KJV | And Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying, |
| ASV | And the same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying, |
| YLT | And Pharaoh commandeth, on that day, the exactors among the people and its authorities, saying, |
| WEB | The same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their officers, saying, |
| BBE | The same day Pharaoh gave orders to the overseers and those who were responsible for the work, saying, |
Where they part company is in the use of וַיְצַ֥ו — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence is structured around a main clause with several phrases detailing the timing and subjects of Pharaoh's command.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectפַּרְעֹה
verbצָוָה
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 5:6
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 — Pharaoh Commands the Taskmastersgenerated
Exodus 5:6 describes a pivotal moment when Pharaoh, asserting his authority, commanded the taskmasters and foremen of the Israelites. This command is part of a broader narrative where Pharaoh seeks to intensify the oppression of the Hebrew people, reflecting the escalating conflict between the Egyptians and the Israelites as they labor under harsh conditions.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Exodus 5:10–13 | So the taskmasters and foremen of the people went out and said to them, “This is what Pharaoh says: ‘I am no longer giving you straw. |
| 2 | Exodus 1:11 | So the Egyptians appointed taskmasters over the Israelites to oppress them with forced labor. As a result, they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh. |
| 3 | Proverbs 12:10 | A righteous man regards the life of his animal, but the tender mercies of the wicked are only cruelty. |
| 4 | Numbers 11:16 | Then the LORD said to Moses, “Bring Me seventy of the elders of Israel known to you as leaders and officers of the people. Bring them to the Tent of Meeting and have them stand there with you. |
| 5 | Deuteronomy 1:15 | So I took the leaders of your tribes, wise and respected men, and appointed them as leaders over you—as commanders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens, and as officers for your tribes. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 9 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — וַיְצַ֥ו, vay.Tzavgenerated
The verb צָוָה (tsavah) means to command or give orders. It is derived from a primitive root and is primarily used in the Piel form, indicating actions like appointing or charging someone with a task. In this verse, it emphasizes Pharaoh's authoritative role as he issues commands to those in charge of the labor.
The parsing as a sequential imperfect third person masculine singular indicates that Pharaoh is actively commanding at this moment. This verb conveys a sense of ongoing authority and control, as Pharaoh directs his taskmasters to enforce his will over the people.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verb וַיְצַ֥ו governs the entire verse, with a prepositional phrase indicating the time of the command and two noun phrases detailing the subjects of Pharaoh's orders. The structure highlights Pharaoh's direct action and the objects of his command.
The word order places emphasis on Pharaoh's command, establishing him as the subject who is taking decisive action in the narrative.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates וַיְצַ֥ו as συνέταχεν (synetachen), which also means 'he commanded.' This choice maintains the authoritative tone of Pharaoh's orders, reflecting the same sense of power and control present in the Hebrew text.
The use of a verb that conveys authority in the Greek further emphasizes the role of Pharaoh as a commanding figure in the narrative.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Exodus 5:6 tells us that on the same day, Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters and foremen of the people. This action is part of his effort to control the labor of the Israelites, reflecting the oppressive conditions they faced under Egyptian rule.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Pharaoh's command signifies his authority and determination to maintain control over the labor of the Israelites, reflecting the oppressive measures he was willing to take.
The taskmasters are overseers responsible for enforcing Pharaoh's orders, while the foremen are officials who directly supervise the laborers, ensuring the quotas are met.
This command is part of the larger narrative of Israel's oppression in Egypt, setting the stage for the eventual liberation under Moses.
The term 'Pharaoh' implies a powerful leader with absolute authority in Egypt, representing the ruling class that oppresses the Israelites.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What can we learn about authority and leadership from Pharaoh's command?
- How do the roles of taskmasters and foremen reflect the structure of oppression in society?
- In what ways can we recognize similar dynamics of power and control in our own context?
- What lessons can we draw from the Israelites' experience of oppression and their eventual liberation?
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Exodus 5:6 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAnd Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people,.... Who were Egyptians, and whom Pharaoh sent for the same day, to give them orders to oppress them yet more and more, so far was he
Read John Gill on Exodus 5 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying, Pharaoh commanded.
Read Robert Jamieson on Exodus 5 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleThe task-masters were Egyptians, and the officers were Israelites, under-officers to them, ,15,19.
Read Matthew Poole on Exodus 5 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsExodus 5:6 And Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying,Ver. 6. And Pharaoh commanded.] He raged the more for the message of dismission: so, wholesome admonitions make ill men worse. Corruptions increase and get bigger by the law.
Read John Trapp on Exodus 5 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(6) Taskmasters . . . officers.—Three grades of officials are mentioned as employed in superintending the forced labours of the Hebrews—(1) “lords of service” (sarey massim), in Exodus 1:11; (2) “taskmasters” (nogeshim), here and in Exodus 5:10; Exodus 5:13-14; and (3) “officers”—literally, scribes (shoterim), here and in Exodus 5:11-21. The “lords of service” were probably a small body who exercised a general superintendence, and determined the works in which the Hebrews should be employed. They were, no doubt, native Egyptians. The nogeshim, or “taskmasters,” were their subordinates—Egyptians like themselves—comparatively numerous, and serving as intermediaries between the “lords” and the…
Read Charles John Ellicott on Exodus 5 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 6. The task-masters of the people and their officers] The task-masters were Egyptians, (See Clarke on Exodus 1:11), the officers were Hebrews; See Clarke on Exodus 5:14. But it is probable that the task-masters Exodus 1:11, who are called שרי מסים sarey missim, princes of the burdens or taxes, were different from those termed taskmasters here, as the words are different; נגשים nogesim signifies exactors or oppressors - persons who exacted from them an unreasonable proportion either of labour or money. Officers. - שטרים shoterim; those seem to have been an inferior sort of officers, who attended on superior officers or magistrates to execute their orders. They are supposed to have been…
Read AdamClarke on Exodus 5 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges6–9. The Pharaoh commands the Egyptian ‘taskmasters’ (whom he must be supposed—see v. 10—to have summoned to his presence) to increase the tasks imposed upon the Israelites: they are to find their straw themselves, and yet to make the same number of bricks. Bricks in Egypt (which in the earlier periods were much larger than our bricks, generally about 15 × 7 × 4½ in.) were made (on Exodus 1:14) from the mud of the Nile, mixed usually with chopped straw or reed, to give it coherence and prevent cracks while drying, and then dried in the sun (EB. i. 609; cf. L. and B. i. 165). These bricks remained black. Burnt red brick was first introduced into Egypt by the Romans.
Read Cambridge on Exodus 5 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleTheir officers - Or scribes. Hebrews able to keep accounts in writing, appointed by the Egyptian superintendents, and responsible to them for the work; see Exodus 5:14.
Read Albert Barnes on Exodus 5 →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
That same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their foremen:
The same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their officers, saying,
That same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their foremen:
That same day Pharaoh commanded the slave masters and foremen who were over the people:
Tyndale line
And Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying,
And the same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying,
And the same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying,
And Pharaoh commanded the same day the task-masters of the people, and their officers, saying,
Therefore Pharaoh gaue commandement the same day vnto the taskemasters of the people, and to their officers, saying,
Strictly literal
And Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying,
And Pharaoh commandeth, on that day, the exactors among the people and its authorities, saying,
And on that day Pharaoh commands the exactors among the people and its authorities, saying,
And Pharaoh commanded on the same day the taskmasters of the people, and its officers, saying,
On that same day, Pharaoh gave a command to the people's taskmasters and foremen. He said,
From the Latin
Therefore he commanded the same day the overseers of the works, and the taskmasters of the people, saying:
Simplified
That very day he ordered the slave drivers and those in charge of the people:
The same day Pharaoh gave orders to the overseers and those who were responsible for the work, saying,
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 Masoretic Text aligns closely with the Septuagint, with 7 out of 10 words matched. The Samaritan Pentateuch differs in one word, using שׁוטריו (shoterim) instead of שֹׁטְרָיו (shotraiv), which also means foremen or officers. The Dead Sea Scrolls show variations in the number of supplied words but generally agree with the Masoretic Text.
וַיְצַ֥ו פַּרְעֹ֖ה בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֑וּא אֶת־ הַנֹּגְשִׂ֣ים בָּעָ֔ם וְאֶת־ שֹׁטְרָ֖יו לֵאמֹֽר׃
7 of the 10 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.
ויצו פרעה ביום ההוא את הנגשׂים בעם ואת שׁוטריו לאמר
1 word differs from the Masoretic Text: שׁוטריו (register)
[ויצו] פרעה ביום ההוא [את] [הנגשים] [בעם] [ואת] [שטרי׳ו] [לאמר]
2 words on the leather — 1 partly restored, 7 supplied entire by an editor.
ויצו פרעה ביום ההוא את הנוגשים בעם [ואת] שטרי׳ו לאמור
9 words on the leather — 1 supplied entire by an editor.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Exodus 5:6
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.
צָוָה (tsavah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to command or give orders. It is built from a primitive root and primarily used in the Piel form, indicating actions like appointing or charging someone with a task. The entries highlight its various applications, including laying charges and sending messengers. There are no noted disagreements among the lexicons.
[צָוָה] 485 vb. Pi. lay charge (upon), give charge (to), charge, command, order
base
H6680 צָוָה Pi. lay charge (upon), give charge (to), charge, command, order
6680 tsavah tsaw-vaw'
a primitive root; (intensively) to constitute,
enjoin:--appoint, (for-)bid, (give a) charge, (give a, give
in, send with) command(-er, -ment), send a messenger, put,
(set) in order.
צָוָה (tsa.vah) — to command.
1) to command, charge, give orders, lay charge, give charge to, order
1a)(Piel)
1a1) to lay charge upon
1a2) to give charge to, give command to
1a3) to give charge unto
1a4) to give charge over, appoint
1a5) to give charge, command
1a6) to charge, command
1a7) to charge, commission
1a8) to command, appoint, ordain (of divine act)
1b) (Pual) to be commanded
Conj | V-Piel-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Piel · sequential imperfect third person masculine singularHc/Vpw3ms
The Hebrew word פַּרְעֹה (*par'oh*) means 'Pharaoh,' which is a title for Egyptian kings. It is derived from Egyptian and is commonly associated with various rulers mentioned throughout the Old Testament, including those during the time of the Patriarchs and the Divided Monarchy. The term translates to 'great house,' reflecting its significance in ancient Egypt.
פַּרְעֹה 275 n.m. Pharaoh, title of Egyptian kings
base
H6547 פַּרְעֹה Pharaoh, title of Egyptian kings
6547 Par`oh par-o'
of Egyptian derivation; Paroh, a general title of Egyptian
kings:--Pharaoh.
פַּרְעֹה (par.oh) — Pharaoh.
A man of the Egyptians living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.12.15
§ Pharaoh = "great house"
the common title of the king of Egypt
פַּרְעֹה (par.oh) — Pharaoh.
A man of the Egyptians living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.37.36
Also named: Pharaō (Φαραώ "Pharaoh" G5328)
§ Pharaoh = "great house"
the common title of the king of Egypt
פַּרְעֹה (par.oh) — Pharaoh.
A man of the Egyptians living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Exo.1.11
Also named: Pharaō (Φαραώ "Pharaoh" G5328H)
§ Pharaoh = "great house"
the common title of the king of Egypt
פַּרְעֹה (par.oh) — Pharaoh.
A man of the Egyptians living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Exo.3.10
Also named: Pharaō (Φαραώ "Pharaoh" G5328I)
§ Pharaoh = "great house"
N-proper — NounHNtmsa
fa'-ro, fa'-ra-o (par`oh; Pharao); Egyptian per aa, "great house"):em; the King James Version Pharacim): One of the families of temple-servants who returned with Zerubbabel (1 Esdras 5:31; not found in Ezra or Nehemiah).
1. The Use of Name in Egypt:
Many and strange differences of opinion have been expressed concerning the use of this name in Egypt and elsewhere, because of its importance in critical discussions (see below). Encyclopaedia Biblica says "a name given to all Egyptian kings in the Bible"; it also claims that the name could not have been received by the Hebrews before 1000 BC. HDB (III, 819) says that a letter was addressed to Amenhotep as "Pharaoh, lord of," etc. According to Winckler's theory of a North Arabian Musri, it was the Hebrews alone in ancient times who adopted the term Pharaoh from the Egyptians, the name not being found even in the Tell el-Amarna Letters or…
Pharaoh
The official title borne by the Egyptian kings down to the time when that country was conquered by the Greeks. (See EGYPT.) The name is a compound, as some think, of the words Ra, the “sun” or “sun-god,” and the article phe, “the,” prefixed; hence phera, “the sun,” or “the sun-god.” But others, perhaps more correctly, think the name derived from Perao, “the great house” = his majesty = in Turkish, “the Sublime Porte.”
(1.) The Pharaoh who was on the throne when Abram went down into Egypt (Gen. 12:10-20) was probably one of the Hyksos, or “shepherd kings.” The Egyptians called the nomad tribes of Syria Shasu, “plunderers,” their king or chief Hyk, and hence the name of those invaders who conquered the native kings and established a strong government, with Zoan or Tanis as their capital. They were of…
the common title of the native kings of Egypt in the Bible, corresponding to P-ra or Ph-ra "the sun," of the hieroglyphics. Brugsch, Ebers and other modern Egyptologists define it to mean ’the great house," which would correspond to our "the Sublime Porte." As several kings are mentioned only by the title "Pharaoh" in the Bible, it is important to endeavor to discriminate them: The Pharaoh of Abraham . (Genesis 12:15) --At the time at which the patriarch went into Egypt, it is generally held that the country, or at least lower Egypt, was ruled by the Shepherd kings, of whom the first and moat powerful line was the fifteenth dynasty, the undoubted territories of which would be first entered by one coming from the east. The date at which Abraham visited Egypt was about B.C. 2081, which would accord with the time of Salatis the head of…
Is properly an Egyptian word adopted into the Hebrew, and signifies king; so that when we find this name it means everywhere the king. Thus, also, Pharaoh Hophra is simply king Hophra.
Of the kings of Egypt, there are not less than twelve or thirteen mentioned in Scripture, all of whom bore the general title of Pharaoh, except four. Along with this title, two of them have also other proper names, Necho and Hophra. The following is their order. Some of them have been identified, by the labors of Champollion and others, with kings whose proper names we know from other sources, while others still remain in obscurity. Indeed, so brief, obscure, and conflicting are the details of Egyptian history and ancient chronology, which no name before that of Shishak can be regarded as identified beyond dispute.
יוֹם (yowm) means 'day' and refers to a division of time, contrasting with night. It can denote a literal 24-hour period, a general time span, or even a year. The term is used in various contexts, including the 'day of Yahweh,' which signifies a time of divine judgment. It also appears in phrases indicating temporal references like today, yesterday, and tomorrow.
יוֹם 2285 n.m. day
day, opp. night
Day as division of time
יוֹם י׳ day of Yahweh, chiefly as time of his coming in judgment, involving often blessedness for righteous
Pl. days of anyone
Days
יוֹם = time
Phrases
base
H3117 יוֹם day . day, opp. night
. Day as division of time
. יוֹם י׳ day of Yahweh, chiefly as time of his coming in judgment, involving often blessedness for righteous
. Pl. days of anyone
. Days
. יוֹם = time
. Phrases
3117 yowm yome
from an unused root meaning to be hot; a day (as the warm
hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one
sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by
an associated term), (often used adverb):--age, + always, +
chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to)
day, (now a, two) days (agone), + elder, X end, + evening, +
(for) ever(-lasting, -more), X full, life, as (so) long as
(... live), (even) now, + old, + outlived, + perpetually,
presently, + remaineth, X required, season, X since, space,
then, (process of) time, + as at other times, + in trouble,
weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), X whole
(+ age), (full) year(-ly), + younger.
יוֹם (yom) — day.
: day/when/time/period
1) day, time, year
1a) day (as opposed to night)
1b) day (24 hour period)
1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1
1b2) as a division of time
1b2a) a working day, a day's journey
1c) days, lifetime (pl.)
1d) time, period (general)
1e) year
1f) temporal references
1f1) today
1f2) yesterday
1f3) tomorrow
יוֹם (yom) — day: old.
: old/(full/many)[days]
1) day, time, year
1a) day (as opposed to night)
1b) day (24 hour period)
1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1
1b2) as a division of time
1b2a) a working day, a day's journey
1c) days, lifetime (pl.)
1d) time, period (general)
1e) year
1f) temporal references
1f1) today
1f2) yesterday
1f3) tomorrow
יוֹם (yom) — day: year.
: year[of_days]
1) day, time, year
1a) day (as opposed to night)
1b) day (24 hour period)
1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1
1b2) as a division of time
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHRd/Ncmsa
da (yom; hemera): This common word has caused some trouble to plain readers, because they have not noticed that the word is used in several different senses in the English Bible. When the different uses of the word are understood the difficulty of interpretation vanishes. We note several different uses of the word:
(1) It sometimes means the time from daylight till dark. This popular meaning is easily discovered by the context, e. g. Ge 1:5; 8:22, etc. The marked periods of this daytime were morning, noon and night, as with us. See Ps 55:17. The early hours were sometimes called "the cool of the day" (Ge 3:8). After the exile the day. or daytime was divided into twelve hours and the night into twelve (see
Day
The Jews reckoned the day from sunset to sunset (Lev. 23:32). It was originally divided into three parts (Ps. 55:17). “The heat of the day” (1 Sam. 11:11; Neh. 7:3) was at our nine o’clock, and “the cool of the day” just before sunset (Gen. 3:8). Before the Captivity the Jews divided the night into three watches, (1) from sunset to midnight (Lam. 2:19); (2) from midnight till the cock-crowing (Judg. 7:19); and (3) from the cock-crowing till sunrise (Ex.…
The variable length of the natural day at different seasons led in the very earliest times to the adoption of the civil day (or one revolution of the sun) as a standard of time. The Hebrews reckoned the day from evening to evening, (Leviticus 23:32) deriving it from (Genesis 1:5) "the evening and the morning were the first day." The Jews are supposed, like the modern Arabs, to have adopted from an early period minute specifications of the parts of the natural day. Roughly, indeed, they were content to divide it into "morning, evening and noonday," (Psalms 55:17) but when they wished for greater accuracy they pointed to six unequal parts, each of which was again subdivided. These are held to have been -- "the dawn." "Sunrise."…
The day is distinguished into natural, civil, and artificial. The natural day is one revolution of the earth on its axis. The civil day is that, the beginning and the end of which are determined by the custom of any nation. The Hebrews began their day in the evening, Le 23:32; the Babylonians at sunrise; and we begin at midnight. The artificial day is the time of the sun’s continuance above the horizon, which is unequal according to different seasons, on account of the obliquity of the equator. The sacred writers generally divide the day into twelve hours. The sixth hour always ends at noon throughout the year; and the twelfth hour is the last hour before sunset. But in summer, all the hours of the day were longer than in winter, while those of night were shorter. See HOURS, and THREE.
הוּא (hu) is a third-person singular pronoun meaning he, she, or it, used for emphasis or when no verb is present. It can also refer to oneself or serve as a demonstrative pronoun. The word has various nuances, including resuming the subject with emphasis or expressing it unobtrusively. It can indicate 'that' or 'those' when used with the definite article.
הוּא m. הִיא f., pron. of the 3rd ps. sing. he, she, used also (in both genders) for the neuter it
an emph. he (she, it, they), sometimes equivalent to himself (herself, itself, themselves), or (esp. with the art.) that (those)
It resumes the subj. with emph.
Where, however, the pron. follows the pred., its position gives it the minimum of emphasis, and it expresses (or resumes) the subject as unobtrusively as possible
It anticipates (as it seems) the subject
As an emph. predicate, of God
In a neuter sense, that, it (of an action, occurrence, matte, etc.)
With the art.: so regularly when joined to a subst. defined itself by the art.
base
H1931 הוּא, הִיא he, she, used also (in both genders) for the neuter it . an emph. he (she, it, they), sometimes equivalent to himself (herself, itself, themselves), or (esp. with the art.) that (those)
. It resumes the subj. with emph.
. Where, however, the pron. follows the pred., its position gives it the minimum of emphasis, and it expresses (or resumes) the subject as unobtrusively as possible
. It anticipates (as it seems) the subject
. As an emph. predicate, of God
. In a neuter sense, that, it (of an action, occurrence, matte, etc.)
. With the art.: so regularly when joined to a subst. defined itself by the art.
1931 huw' hoo
of which the feminine (beyond the Pentateuch) is hiyw {he}; a
primitive word, the third person pronoun singular, he (she or
it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also
(intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same;
sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally
(instead of copula) as or are:--he, as for her, him(-self),
it, the same, she (herself), such, that (...it), these, they,
this, those, which (is), who.
הוּא (hu) — he/she/it.
pron 3p s
1) he, she, it
1a) himself (with emphasis)
1b) resuming subj with emphasis
1c) (with minimum emphasis following predicate)
1d) (anticipating subj)
1e) (emphasising predicate)
1f) that, it (neuter) demons pron
2) that (with article)
Art | Pron — Particle · pronounHTd/Pp3ms
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).
אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
base
H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
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
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)
HTo — ParticleHTo
The Hebrew word נָגַשׂ (nagas) is a primitive root meaning to press, drive, or oppress. It covers a range of actions including exacting tribute and tyrannizing others, with related forms indicating a driver or taskmaster. The Niphal form suggests being hard pressed, often in contexts of suffering or oppression.
[נָגַשׂ] vb. press, drive, oppress, exact
Qal
press, drive to work
exact
Pt. (= subst.) driver, taskmaster
Niph. hard pressed by enemy; treated harshly of suffering servant of י׳; recipr. tyrannize over each other
base
H5065 נָגַשׂ press, drive, oppress, exact .. press, drive to work
. exact
. Pt. (= subst.) driver, taskmaster
. hard pressed by enemy; treated harshly of suffering servant of י׳; recipr. tyrannize over each other
5065 nagas naw-gas'
a primitive root; to drive (an animal, a workman, a debtor,
an army); by implication, to tax, harass,
tyrannize:--distress, driver, exact(-or), oppress(-or), X
raiser of taxes, taskmaster.
נָגַשׂ (na.ga.s) — to oppress.
1) to press, drive, oppress, exact, exert demanding pressure
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to press, drive
1a2) to exact
1a3) driver, taskmaster, ruler, oppressor, tyrant, lord, exactor of tribute (participle)
1b) (Niphal) to be hard pressed
Art | V-Qal — Particle · verb qal participle (active) masculine pluralHTd/Vqrmpa
עַם (am) primarily means 'people' or 'nation,' referring to a collective group, often in the context of tribes such as those of Israel. It can also denote kinsmen or compatriots. The term appears in various contexts, including military and familial references. There is a mention of a specific individual named Ammi in Song of Solomon 6:12.
עַם, עָם 1810 n.m. people
a people, nation
= smaller units
= common people
people in gen., persons
phrases
base
[עַם] n.[m.] kinsman (on father's side)
base
H5971a עַם, עָם people H5971b עַם kinsman (on father's side)
5971 `am am
from 6004; a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a
tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or
attendants; figuratively, a flock:--folk, men, nation,
people.
see HEBREW for 06004
עַם (am) — people.
: people/nation
1) nation, people
1a) people, nation
1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men
עַם (am) — kinsman.
kinsman, kindred
עַם (am) — Ammi.
A man living at the time of United Monarchy, only mentioned at Sng.6.12
§ kinsman, kindred
עַם (am) — People's (Gate).
§ kinsman, kindred
עַם (am) — (Ibleam)-am.
Combined with yiv.le.am (יִבְלְעָם "Ibleam" H2991)
§ kinsman, kindred
עַם (am) — Amaw.
This name means nation, people
עַם (am) — people: soldiers.
: soldiers/army
1) nation, people
1a) people, nation
1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men
עַם (am) — people: creatures.
: creatures
1) nation, people
1a) people, nation
1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHRd/Ncmsa
pe'-p'-l: In English Versions of the Bible represents something over a dozen Hebrew and Greek words. Of these, in the Old Testament, `am, is overwhelmingly the most common (about 2,000 times), with le'om, and goy, next in order; but the various Hebrew words are used with very little or no difference in force (e.g. Pr 14:28; but, on the other hand, in Ps 44 contrast verses 12 and 14). Of the changes introduced by the Revised Version (British and American) the only one of significance (cited explicitly in the Preface to the English Revised Version) is the frequent use of the plural "peoples" (strangely avoided in the King James Version except Re 10:11; 17:15), where other nations than Israel are in question. So, for instance, in Ps…
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).
אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
base
H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
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
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)
HC/To — Conjunction · particleHC/To
שֹׁטֵר (shoter) refers to an official or officer, with possible roots in the concepts of writing or organization. The term is described as an active participle, suggesting roles such as a scribe or magistrate. The entries do not provide significant disagreement, focusing instead on its administrative connotations.
שֹׁטֵר n.m. official, officer (prop. scribe, secretary? or fr. original meaning as arranger, organizer?)
base
H7860 שֹׁטֵר official, officer (prop. scribe, secretary? or fr. original meaning as arranger, organizer?)
7860 shoter sho-tare'
active participle of an otherwise unused root probably
meaning to write; properly, a scribe, i.e. (by analogy or
implication) an official superintendent or
magistrate:--officer, overseer, ruler.
שֹׁטֵר (sho.ter) — official.
(Qal) official, officer
V-Qal | Suff — Verb qal participle (active) masculine plural common · suffixHVqrmpc/Sp3ms
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)
HR/Vqcc — Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct commonHR/Vqcc