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Ezekiel 23:44 — Word Study

Depth

WLCוַיָּב֣וֹא אֵלֶ֔יהָ כְּב֖וֹא אֶל־ אִשָּׁ֣ה זוֹנָ֑ה כֵּ֣ן בָּ֗אוּ אֶֽל־ אָֽהֳלָה֙ וְאֶל־ אָ֣הֳלִיבָ֔ה אִשֹּׁ֖ת הַזִּמָּֽה׃

BSAAnd they sleptbôwʼ [had intimate relations, went in unto] with herʼêl as withbôwʼ a prostituteʼishshâh [a woman who plays the harlot, a loose woman] they slept withbôwʼ [had sex, went in unto] OholahʼOhŏlâh [the tent of her, Samaria] and OholibahʼOhŏlîybâh [the tent of my father, Judah] those lewdzimmâh [wicked, immoral] womenʼishshâh [females, wives]

Word
Listen & take awayEzekiel 23
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 44 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 (ha.zi.Mah) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Ezekiel 23:44quick helps
In a sentenceEzekiel describes the unfaithfulness of Samaria and Judah through the metaphor of prostitution.
Who is speakingThe prophet Ezekiel, conveying God's message.
Where we areA condemnation of the actions of two symbolic women, Oholah and Oholibah.
The hard wordזוֹנָ֑ה
Take awayThe imagery of infidelity highlights the seriousness of turning away from God.
6 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbבּוֹא 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 — Ezekiel 23:44

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 Allegory of Two Sistersgenerated

43Then I said of her who had grown old in adulteries: ‘Now let them use her as a prostitute, for that is all she is!’
44And they slept with her as with a prostitute; they slept with Oholah and Oholibah, those lewd women.
45But righteous men will sentence them to the punishment of those who commit adultery and bloodshed, because they are adulteresses with blood on their hands.
46This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Bring a mob against them and consign them to terror and plunder.

Ezekiel 23:44 uses the metaphor of prostitution to illustrate the spiritual unfaithfulness of Israel, represented by Oholah (Samaria) and Oholibah (Judah). This passage follows a series of condemnations against these two entities, emphasizing their immoral actions and the consequences they face. The broader context reveals God's displeasure with their idolatry and infidelity, as seen in the preceding verses.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Ezekiel 23:3–9and they played in Egypt, prostituting themselves from their youth. Their breasts were fondled there, and their virgin bosoms caressed.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 1 reference, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word זוֹנָ֑ה, zo.Nahgenerated

The term זוֹנָה (zanah) refers to a woman who engages in sexual immorality, often translated as 'prostitute.' It can encompass a range of actions, including adultery and idolatry, indicating unfaithfulness in relationships, particularly in a spiritual sense.

In this verse, it underscores the gravity of the actions of Oholah and Oholibah, portraying them as not just unfaithful women but as symbols of the nations' betrayal of God. The verb form indicates ongoing action, emphasizing their habitual unfaithfulness.


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 יָּב֣וֹא (vai.ya.Vo') governs the sentence, indicating the action of going in. This verb is followed by a prepositional phrase that describes the direction of the action, leading to a noun phrase that identifies the subjects involved.

The structure emphasizes the sequential actions of the subjects as they engage in immoral relations, aligning with the overall theme of unfaithfulness depicted in the passage.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates יָּב֣וֹא as εἰσεπορεύοντο, which carries a similar meaning of entering or going in. This choice reflects the same action but may imply a more formal or ritualistic connotation in the Greek context.

The LXX's use of πόρνην for זוֹנָה indicates a direct connection to the concept of prostitution, reinforcing the metaphor of unfaithfulness in a cultural context familiar to Greek-speaking audiences.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Ezekiel 23:44 describes how the nations of Israel (represented by Oholah and Oholibah) acted like unfaithful women. They engaged in immoral relationships, symbolizing their betrayal of God. This imagery highlights the seriousness of their actions and the consequences they face.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that Oholah and Oholibah acted like prostitutes?

This metaphor signifies their unfaithfulness to God, engaging in idolatry and immoral practices.

Why does Ezekiel use the imagery of women in this passage?

The use of women symbolizes the nations' betrayal and infidelity, reflecting their relationship with God.

What are the consequences mentioned for their actions?

The passage indicates that they will face judgment and punishment for their unfaithfulness.

How does this passage relate to the overall message of Ezekiel?

It serves as a warning against idolatry and unfaithfulness, emphasizing God's desire for His people to remain loyal.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways can I identify unfaithfulness in my own life and seek to correct it?
  2. How can understanding the metaphor of unfaithfulness help me in my relationship with God?
  3. What actions can I take to ensure I remain faithful in my commitments?
  4. How do the themes in this passage resonate with the challenges I face in today's world?

Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Ezekiel 23:44 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Yet they went in unto her,.... Made a league with one another, and joined in idolatrous worship: as they go in unto a woman that playeth the harlot; with the same heat of lust, with the same

Read John Gill on Ezekiel 23 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

The LORD said moreover unto me; Son of man, wilt thou judge Aholah and Aholibah? yea, declare unto them their abominations; A summing up of the sins of the two sisters, especially those of Judah.

Read Robert Jamieson on Ezekiel 23 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

This resolves the doubt of the former verse. In this metaphor the prophet expresseth the confederacy of the Jews, against God’ s express command, with the nations round about them. The Jews enter league with these robbers, and admit their idols, and so commit whoredom with them; and these Sabeans probably admit some of the Jews’ idols too, and so commit whoredom with her, expressed in the last words of the 43rd verse.

Read Matthew Poole on Ezekiel 23 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Ezekiel 23:44 Yet they went in unto her, as they go in unto a woman that playeth the harlot: so went they in unto Aholah and unto Aholibah, the lewd women.Ver. 44. Yet they went in unto her.] They committed idolatry without mean or measure, being woefully hardened and habituated therein.

Read John Trapp on Ezekiel 23 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(44) Unto Aholah and unto Aholibah.—From Ezekiel 23:11-35 the discourse has been altogether of Aholibah, as the one now immediately concerned; but from Ezekiel 23:36-44, in the enumeration of their sins, both are included, though in the greater part of these verses the singular number is used, because Aholibah was most prominent in the prophet’s thoughts. In the denunciation of judgment, with which the prophecy closes (Ezekiel 23:45-49), both are again spoken of in the plural, because, although Aholah had long since suffered, it was important to show that common sin involved both in common punishment.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Ezekiel 23 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

44. Yet they went] and they. The verse sums up all that precedes. the lewd women] The form of plur. “women” does not occur again, though the usual one in Assyr. LXX., to work lewdness.

Read Cambridge on Ezekiel 23 →

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

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

Modern formal

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

And they slept with her as with a prostitute; they slept with Oholah and Oholibah, those lewd women.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

They went in to her, as they go in to a prostitute. So they went in to Oholah and to Oholibah, the lewd women.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

And they slept with her as with a prostitute; they slept with Oholah and Oholibah, those lewd women.

NETBNew English Translation2006

They had sex with her as one does with a prostitute. In this way they had sex with Oholah and Oholibah, promiscuous women.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Yet they went in unto her, as they go in unto a woman that playeth the harlot: so went they in unto Aholah and unto Aholibah, the lewd women.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And they went in unto her, as they go in unto a harlot: so went they in unto Oholah and unto Oholibah, the lewd women.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And they went in unto her, as they go in unto an harlot: so went they in unto Oholah and unto Oholibah, the lewd women.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Yet they went in to her, as they go in to a woman that playeth the harlot: so they went in to Aholah and to Aholibah, the lewd women.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

And they went in vnto her as they goe to a common harlot: so went they to Aholah and Aholibah the wicked women.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And they went in unto her, as they go in unto a whorish woman: so went they in unto Oholah and unto Oholibah the lewd women.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And they come in unto her, As the coming in unto a whorish woman, So they have come in unto Aholah, And unto Aholibah — the wicked women.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And they come in to her, || As the coming in to a whorish woman, || So they have come in to Aholah, || And to Aholibah—the wicked women.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

But men went in unto her, as they go in unto a faithless wife: thus went they in unto Aholah and unto Aholibah, the incestuous women.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

They went in to her and slept with her as men go in to be with a prostitute. In this way they slept with Oholah and Oholibah, who were immoral women.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And they went in to her, as to a harlot: so went they in unto Oolla, and Ooliba, wicked women.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

So they had sex with her like a prostitute. They had sex with Oholah and Oholibah, those immoral women.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And they went in to her, as men go to a loose woman: so they went in to Oholibah, the loose woman.

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.

וַandclauseverbיָּב֣וֹאhe.wentprepositional phrase · prepositionalאֵלֶ֔יintoהָherprepositional phrase · prepositionalכְּasclauseverbב֖וֹאgoesprepositional phrase · prepositionalאֶלintonoun phraseאִשָּׁ֣הa.womanזוֹנָ֑הa.prostituteclauseadverbialכֵּ֣ןsoverbבָּ֗אוּthey.wentprepositional phrase · prepositionalprepositional phraseprepositional phraseאֶֽלintoאָֽהֳלָה֙Oholahוְandprepositional phraseאֶלintoאָ֣הֳלִיבָ֔הOholibahprepositional phrasenoun phraseאִשֹּׁ֖תthe.womennoun phraseהַof.(the)זִּמָּֽהlicentiousness

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


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

The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint largely agree in their wording, with 13 of the 14 words matched. The Dead Sea Scrolls show some restoration, with four words partially preserved, indicating a high degree of consistency among these ancient witnesses.

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

וַיָּב֣וֹא אֵלֶ֔יהָ כְּב֖וֹא אֶל־ אִשָּׁ֣ה זוֹנָ֑ה כֵּ֣ן בָּ֗אוּ אֶֽל־ אָֽהֳלָה֙ וְאֶל־ אָ֣הֳלִיבָ֔ה אִשֹּׁ֖ת הַזִּמָּֽה׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיָּב֣וֹאεἰσεπορεύοντοאֵלֶ֔יהָαὐτήνכְּב֖וֹאεἰσπορεύονταιאֶל־πρὸςאִשָּׁ֣הγυναῖκαזוֹנָ֑הπόρνηνכֵּ֣ןοὕτωςבָּ֗אוּεἰσεπορεύοντοאֶֽל־πρὸςאָֽהֳלָה֙οολανוְאֶל־πρὸςאָ֣הֳלִיבָ֔הοολιβανהַזִּמָּֽה׃ἀνομίαν

13 of the 14 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.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q73a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

ויבאו אלי׳ה כבוא אל אשה [זונה] [כן] [באו] [אל] [אהלה] [ואל] [אהליבה] [אשת] [הזמה]

4 words on the leather — 1 partly restored, 9 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.

Ezekiel 23:44בּוֹאand he wentand he wentבּוֹאאֶלinto herinto herאֶלבּוֹאas goesas goesבּוֹאאֶלintointoאֶלאִשָּׁהa womana womanאִשָּׁהזָנָהa prostituta prostituteזָנָהכֵּןsosoכֵּןבּוֹאthey wentthey wentבּוֹאאֶלintointoאֶלאָהֳלָהOholahOholahאָהֳלָהאֶלand intoand intoאֶלאָהֳלִיבָהOholibahOholibahאָהֳלִיבָהאִשָּׁה[the] women[the] women ofאִשָּׁהזִמָּהlicentiousnlicentiousnessזִמָּהאֹ֫הֶלtenttentאֹ֫הֶלאִישׁmanmanאִישׁאֱנוֹשׁhumanhumanאֱנוֹשׁכּוּןto establito establish: pכּוּןאָהֳלָהOholahOholahאָהֳלָהזָמַםto planto planזָמַםפָּלַלto prayto prayפָּלַליִרְמְיָ֫הJeremiahJeremiahיִרְמְיָ֫השֶׁ֫מֶשׁsunsunשֶׁ֫מֶשׁטַףchildchildטַףנָכְרִיforeignforeignנָכְרִיאֶתְנַןwageswagesאֶתְנַןזְנוּנִיםfornicatiofornicationזְנוּנִיםכֹּהthusthusכֹּהאָדוֹןLordLordאָדוֹןאָהֳלִיבָהOholibahOholibahאָהֳלִיבָהשֵׁםnamenameשֵׁםאָחוֹתsistersisterאָחוֹת
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 Ezekiel 23:44

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 into her as goes into a woman a prostitute so they went into Oholah and into Oholibah [the] women of licentiousness
וַיָּב֣וֹאvai.ya.Vo' and he went H935 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
2,573× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to go or come, and is used in many contexts, such as entering a place or approaching someone, as seen in the book of Genesis. It can also mean to abide or apply, and is translated in various ways in the KJV Bible. This term is related to the name Lebo Hamath.
Amplified meaning
had intimate relations, went in unto
Tyndale gloss
Lebo
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בּוֹא (bo) is a Hebrew verb meaning to come or go in, with a wide range of applications including entering, arriving, and bringing in. It can refer to both physical movement and abstract concepts like events coming to pass. The verb appears in various forms, such as Qal (to come), Hiphil (to cause to come), and Hophal (to be brought). There is no significant disagreement among lexicons regarding its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בּוֹא 2569 vb. come in, come, go in, go

Qal

come in

come (approach, arrive)

go, i.e. walk, associate with

go from speaker, but with limit of motion given

Hiph.

cause to come in, bring in (conduct, lead, obj. persons and animals)

cause to come, bring, bring near, etc. (animate obj.)

Hoph.

be brought in (of pers. and things)

be brought

be introduced, put

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H935 בּוֹא come in, come, go in, go .. come in

. come (approach, arrive)

. go, i.e. walk, associate with

. go from speaker, but with limit of motion given

. . cause to come in, bring in (conduct, lead, obj. persons and animals)

. cause to come, bring, bring near, etc. (animate obj.)

. . be brought in (of pers. and things)

. be brought

. be introduced, put

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

935 bow' bo

a primitive root; to go or come (in a wide variety of

applications):--abide, apply, attain, X be, befall, +

besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, X

certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out,

upon, to pass), depart, X doubtless again, + eat, + employ,

(cause to) enter (in, into, -tering, -trance, -try), be

fallen, fetch, + follow, get, give, go (down, in, to war),

grant, + have, X indeed, (in-)vade, lead, lift (up), mention,

pull in, put, resort, run (down), send, set, X (well) stricken

(in age), X surely, take (in), way.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בּוֹא (bo) — to come (in): come.

: come/go_in

1) to go in, enter, come, go, come in

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to enter, come in

1a2) to come

1a2a) to come with

1a2b) to come upon, fall or light upon, attack (enemy)

1a2c) to come to pass

1a3) to attain to

1a4) to be enumerated

1a5) to go

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to lead in

1b2) to carry in

1b3) to bring in, cause to come in, gather, cause to come, bring near, bring against, bring upon

1b4) to bring to pass

1c) (Hophal)

1c1) to be brought, brought in

1c2) to be introduced, be put

לְב֥וֹא (bo) — Lebo-(Hamath).

This name means to go in, enter

Combined with cha.mat (חֲמָת "Hamath" H2574)

בּוֹא (bo) — to come (in): towards.

: towards/entrance

1) to go in, enter, come, go, come in

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to enter, come in

1a2) to come

1a2a) to come with

1a2b) to come upon, fall or light upon, attack (enemy)

1a2c) to come to pass

1a3) to attain to

1a4) to be enumerated

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he went into her as goes into a woman a prostitute so they went into Oholah and into Oholibah [the] women of licentiousness
אֵלֶ֔יהָ'e.Lei.ha into her H413 Preposition · suffix
5,518× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means 'to' or 'toward', showing direction or movement. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus, to indicate where someone is going. The KJV translates it in various ways, like 'about', 'according to', or 'against'.
Tyndale gloss
to(wards)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֶל (el) is primarily a preposition indicating motion towards or direction to a person or place. It can also imply entering a limit, presence at a location, or a hostile direction (against). Additionally, it may express concepts such as concerning, in addition to, or according to. The entries highlight its versatility in both physical and metaphorical contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph),

prep. denoting motion to or direction towards (whether physical or mental).of motion to or unto a person or place

Where the limit is actually entered, into

Of direction towards anything

Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against

Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to

Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

Of rule or standard according to (rare)

Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion

Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H413 אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph), . of motion to or unto a person or place

. Where the limit is actually entered, into

. Of direction towards anything

. Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against

. Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to

. Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

. Of rule or standard according to (rare)

. Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion

. Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

413 'el ale

(but only used in the shortened constructive form sel {el});

a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but

occasionally used of a quiescent position, i.e. near, with or

among; often in general, to:--about, according to ,after,

against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and,

by, concerning, for, from, X hath, in(- to), near, (out) of,

over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether,

with(-in).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶל (el) — to(wards).

1) to, toward, unto (of motion)

2) into (limit is actually entered)

2a) in among

3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion)

4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character)

5) in addition to, to

6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of

7) according to (rule or standard)

8) at, by, against (of one's presence)

9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | Suff — Preposition · suffix
HR/Sp3fs
and he went into her as goes into a woman a prostitute so they went into Oholah and into Oholibah [the] women of licentiousness
כְּב֖וֹאke.Vo' as goes H935 Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
2,573× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to go or come, and is used in many contexts, such as entering a place or approaching someone, as seen in the book of Genesis. It can also mean to abide or apply, and is translated in various ways in the KJV Bible. This term is related to the name Lebo Hamath.
Tyndale gloss
Lebo
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בּוֹא (bo) is a Hebrew verb meaning to come or go in, with a wide range of applications including entering, arriving, and bringing in. It can refer to both physical movement and abstract concepts like events coming to pass. The verb appears in various forms, such as Qal (to come), Hiphil (to cause to come), and Hophal (to be brought). There is no significant disagreement among lexicons regarding its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בּוֹא 2569 vb. come in, come, go in, go

Qal

come in

come (approach, arrive)

go, i.e. walk, associate with

go from speaker, but with limit of motion given

Hiph.

cause to come in, bring in (conduct, lead, obj. persons and animals)

cause to come, bring, bring near, etc. (animate obj.)

Hoph.

be brought in (of pers. and things)

be brought

be introduced, put

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H935 בּוֹא come in, come, go in, go .. come in

. come (approach, arrive)

. go, i.e. walk, associate with

. go from speaker, but with limit of motion given

. . cause to come in, bring in (conduct, lead, obj. persons and animals)

. cause to come, bring, bring near, etc. (animate obj.)

. . be brought in (of pers. and things)

. be brought

. be introduced, put

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

935 bow' bo

a primitive root; to go or come (in a wide variety of

applications):--abide, apply, attain, X be, befall, +

besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, X

certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out,

upon, to pass), depart, X doubtless again, + eat, + employ,

(cause to) enter (in, into, -tering, -trance, -try), be

fallen, fetch, + follow, get, give, go (down, in, to war),

grant, + have, X indeed, (in-)vade, lead, lift (up), mention,

pull in, put, resort, run (down), send, set, X (well) stricken

(in age), X surely, take (in), way.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בּוֹא (bo) — to come (in): come.

: come/go_in

1) to go in, enter, come, go, come in

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to enter, come in

1a2) to come

1a2a) to come with

1a2b) to come upon, fall or light upon, attack (enemy)

1a2c) to come to pass

1a3) to attain to

1a4) to be enumerated

1a5) to go

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to lead in

1b2) to carry in

1b3) to bring in, cause to come in, gather, cause to come, bring near, bring against, bring upon

1b4) to bring to pass

1c) (Hophal)

1c1) to be brought, brought in

1c2) to be introduced, be put

לְב֥וֹא (bo) — Lebo-(Hamath).

This name means to go in, enter

Combined with cha.mat (חֲמָת "Hamath" H2574)

בּוֹא (bo) — to come (in): towards.

: towards/entrance

1) to go in, enter, come, go, come in

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to enter, come in

1a2) to come

1a2a) to come with

1a2b) to come upon, fall or light upon, attack (enemy)

1a2c) to come to pass

1a3) to attain to

1a4) to be enumerated

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a — Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
HR/Vqcc
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he went into her as goes into a woman a prostitute so they went into Oholah and into Oholibah [the] women of licentiousness
אֶל־'el- into H413 Preposition
5,518× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means 'to' or 'toward', showing direction or movement. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus, to indicate where someone is going. The KJV translates it in various ways, like 'about', 'according to', or 'against'.
Tyndale gloss
to(wards)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֶל (el) is primarily a preposition indicating motion towards or direction to a person or place. It can also imply entering a limit, presence at a location, or a hostile direction (against). Additionally, it may express concepts such as concerning, in addition to, or according to. The entries highlight its versatility in both physical and metaphorical contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph),

prep. denoting motion to or direction towards (whether physical or mental).of motion to or unto a person or place

Where the limit is actually entered, into

Of direction towards anything

Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against

Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to

Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

Of rule or standard according to (rare)

Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion

Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H413 אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph), . of motion to or unto a person or place

. Where the limit is actually entered, into

. Of direction towards anything

. Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against

. Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to

. Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

. Of rule or standard according to (rare)

. Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion

. Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

413 'el ale

(but only used in the shortened constructive form sel {el});

a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but

occasionally used of a quiescent position, i.e. near, with or

among; often in general, to:--about, according to ,after,

against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and,

by, concerning, for, from, X hath, in(- to), near, (out) of,

over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether,

with(-in).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶל (el) — to(wards).

1) to, toward, unto (of motion)

2) into (limit is actually entered)

2a) in among

3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion)

4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character)

5) in addition to, to

6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of

7) according to (rule or standard)

8) at, by, against (of one's presence)

9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR — Preposition
HR
and he went into her as goes into a woman a prostitute so they went into Oholah and into Oholibah [the] women of licentiousness
אִשָּׁ֣ה'i.Shah a woman H802 Noun common · feminine singular absolute
781× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for woman, used to describe a female person, wife, or animal, appears in many biblical passages, including Genesis and Exodus, and is often translated as woman, wife, or female.
Amplified meaning
a woman who plays the harlot, a loose woman
Tyndale gloss
woman
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אִשָּׁה (ishshah) means 'woman,' 'wife,' or 'female.' It can refer to a woman in general, a wife in relation to a man, or the female of animals. The term also has distributive and reciprocal uses, indicating 'each woman' from her neighbor. The word is derived from the masculine forms אִישׁ (ish) and אִישָׁה (ishah), indicating a broad range of meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אִשָּׁה 773 n.f. woman, wife, female

woman

Wife (woman belonging to a man, usually cstr. or sf.)

Female of animals

With distrib. & recipr. sense, each woman from her neighbor; each one

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H802 אִשָּׁה woman, wife, female . woman

. Wife (woman belonging to a man, usually cstr. or sf.)

. Female of animals

. With distrib. & recipr. sense, each woman from her neighbor; each one

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

802 'ishshah ish-shaw'

feminine of 376 or 582; irregular plural, nashiym

{naw-sheem'}; a woman (used in the same wide sense as

582):--(adulter)ess, each, every, female, X many, + none,

one, + together, wife, woman. Often unexpressed in English.

see HEBREW for 0376

see HEBREW for 0582

see HEBREW for 0582

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אִשָּׁה (ish.shah) — woman.

: woman

1) woman, wife, female

1a) woman (opposite of man)

1b) wife (woman married to a man)

1c) female (of animals)

1d) each, every (pronoun)

אִשָּׁה (ish.shah) — woman: wife.

: wife/widow

1) woman, wife, female

1a) woman (opposite of man)

1b) wife (woman married to a man)

1c) female (of animals)

1d) each, every (pronoun)

אִשָּׁה (ish.shah) — woman: another.

: another

1) woman, wife, female

1a) woman (opposite of man)

1b) wife (woman married to a man)

1c) female (of animals)

1d) each, every (pronoun)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absolute
HNcfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

woom'-an ('ishshah, "a woman" (feminine of 'ish, "a man"]; gune, "a woman" "wife"):

I. IN THE CREATIVE PLAN

II. IN OLD TESTAMENT TIMES

1. Prominence of Women

2. Social Equality

3. Marriage Laws

4. Inheritance

5. Domestic Duties

6. Dress and Ornaments

7. Religious Devotion and Service

(1) in Idolatry and False Religion

(2) in Spiritual Religion

III. INTER-TESTAMENTAL ERA

IV. IN NEW TESTAMENT TIMES

1. Mary and Elisabeth

2. Jesus and Women

3. In the Early Church

4. Official Service

5. Widows

6. Deaconesses

IV. LATER TIMES

1. Changes in Character and Condition

2. Notable Examples of Christian Womanhood

3. Woman in the 20th Century

The generic term "man" includes woman. In the narrative of the creation (Ge 1:26,27) Adam is a collective term for mankind. It may signify human being, male or female, or humanity entire. "God said, Let us make man .... and let them"…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Woman

Was “taken out of man” (Gen. 2:23), and therefore the man has the preeminence. “The head of the woman is the man;” but yet honour is to be shown to the wife, “as unto the weaker vessel” (1 Cor. 11:3, 8, 9; 1 Pet. 3:7). Several women are mentioned in Scripture as having been endowed with prophetic gifts, as Miriam (Ex. 15:20), Deborah (Judg. 4:4, 5), Huldah (2 Kings 22:14), Noadiah (Neh. 6:14), Anna (Luke 2:36, 37), and the daughters of Philip the evangelist…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Is spoken of in Scripture as the beloved and honored companion and helpmeet, not the servant, of man, Ge 2:23,24, created as the necessary completion of man, Ge 3:16 1Co 11:3,8,9 14:34,35 1Ti 2:11-14, yet specially qualified for that sphere, and as necessary in it as man in his. Man and woman are indeed essentially one, the natural qualities of each so responding to those of the other as to lay the foundation of the most tender and abiding unity. The Bible thus raised the Jewish woman high above the woman of heathenism; and the Old Testament contains some of the finest portraitures of female character. But still greater is the contrast between the women of heathenism and…

Torrey's New Topical Textbook

- Origin and cause of the name

Ge 2:23

- ORIGINALLY MADE

. By God in his own image

Ge 1:27

. From one of Adam's ribs

Ge 2:21,22

. For man

1Co 11:9

. To be an helpmeet for man

Ge 2:18,20

. Subordinate to man

1Co 11:3

. To be the glory of man

1Co 11:7

- Deceived by Satan

Ge 3:1-6; 2Co 11:3; 1Ti 2:14

- Led man to disobey God

and he went into her as goes into a woman a prostitute so they went into Oholah and into Oholibah [the] women of licentiousness
זוֹנָ֑הzo.Nah a prostitute H2181 Verb · Qal · participle (active) feminine singular
94× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To fornicate means to commit adultery or be unfaithful, often used to describe idolatry in the Bible. It can also refer to a person being a cult prostitute or causing others to be unfaithful.
Tyndale gloss
to fornicate
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

זָנָה (zanah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to commit fornication or to be a harlot. It encompasses a range of actions, including adultery and idolatry, with a focus on unfaithfulness, particularly in a figurative sense regarding one's relationship with God. The entries indicate that it can also refer to cult prostitution and moral defection, with various grammatical forms expressing different nuances of the term.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

זָנָה vb. commit fornication, be a harlot

Qal

be or act as a harlot

fig. of improper intercourse with foreign nations

of intercourse with other deities

of moral defection

Pu. fornication was not done (in going) after thee

Hiph.

cause to commit fornication

commit fornication

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2181 זָנָה commit fornication, be a harlot

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2181 zanah zaw-naw'

a primitive root (highly-fed and therefore wanton); to commit

adultery (usually of the female, and less often of simple

fornication, rarely of involuntary ravishment); figuratively,

to commit idolatry (the Jewish people being regarded as the

spouse of Jehovah):--(cause to) commit fornication, X

continually, X great, (be an, play the) harlot, (cause to be,

play the) whore, (commit, fall to) whoredom, (cause to) go

a-whoring, whorish.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

זָנָה (za.nah) — to fornicate.

1) to commit fornication, be a harlot, play the harlot

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to be a harlot, act as a harlot, commit fornication

1a2) to commit adultery

1a3) to be a cult prostitute

1a4) to be unfaithful (to God) (fig.)

1b) (Pual) to play the harlot

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to cause to commit adultery

1c2) to force into prostitution

1c3) to commit fornication

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVqrfsa — Verb · Qal · participle (active) feminine singular
HVqrfsa
and he went into her as goes into a woman a prostitute so they went into Oholah and into Oholibah [the] women of licentiousness
כֵּ֣ןken so H3651 Adverb
771× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means 'so' or 'thus', often used to show agreement or confirmation, like in the book of Genesis. It can also mean 'rightly' or 'justly', as in doing something the correct way. It appears in various forms throughout the Old Testament.
Tyndale gloss
right
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word כֵּן (*ken*) is built from the root meaning 'set upright.' It functions as an adjective meaning 'right,' 'veritable,' or 'honest,' and as an adverb meaning 'so,' 'therefore,' or 'thus.' It appears in various contexts, often indicating manner or relation, and is used in phrases like 'forasmuch as.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כֵּן adj. right, veritable, honest

right

veritable, true

pl. concr. honest (men)

base

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

base

כֵּן adv. so

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3651a כֵּן adj. right, veritable, honest H3651b כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as H3651c כֵּן so

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3651 ken kane

from 3559; properly, set upright; hence (figuratively as

adjective) just; but usually (as adverb or conjunction)

rightly or so (in various applications to manner, time and

relation; often with other particles):--+ after that

(this, -ward, -wards), as ... as, + (for-)asmuch as yet, + be

(for which) cause, + following, howbeit, in (the) like

(manner, -wise), X the more, right, (even) so, state,

straightway, such (thing), surely, + there (where)-fore, this,

thus, true, well, X you.

see HEBREW for 03559

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כֵּן (ken) — right.

adv

adj

1) right, just, honest, true, veritable

1a) right, just, honest

1b) correct

1c) true, veritable

[כִּי עַל] כֵּן ([ki al] ken) — as.

adv

forasmuch as, since

כֵּן (ken) — so.

adv

1) so, therefore, thus

1a) thus, so

1b) just so

1c) therefore

1d) so...as (paired with adv)

1e) then

1f) forasmuch as (in phrase)

1g) (with prep)

1g1) therefore, this being so (specific)

1g2) hitherto

1g3) therefore, on this ground (general)

1g4) afterwards

1g5) in such case

Aramaic equivalent: ken (כֵּן "thus" H3652)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HD — Adverb
HD
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

so (co', although the Hebrew might be pointed cewe'; Assyrian Sib'u; Septuagint Segor, Soa; Manetho, Seuechos; Latin Sevechus; Herodotus (ii. 137 ff), Sabakon): In all probability the "Sabaeo" of Herodotus, the Shabaka, who founded the Ethiopian dynasty, the XXVth of Egyptian kings. His date is given as 715-707 BC (Flinders Petrie, History of Egypt, III, 281 ff), but we may suppose that before his accession to the throne he was entitled to be designated king, as being actually regent. To this So, Hoshea, king of Israel, made an appeal for assistance to enable him to throw off the yoke of the Assyrian Shalmaneser IV (2Ki 17:3). But Hoshea's submission to So brought him no advantage, for Shalmaneser came up throughout all the land and laid siege to Samaria. Not long after the fall of Samaria, So ventured upon an eastern campaign, and…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

So

(Nubian, Sabako), an Ethiopian king who brought Egypt under his sway. He was bribed by Hoshea to help him against the Assyrian monarch Shalmaneser (2 Kings 17:4). This was a return to the policy that had been successful in the reign of Jeroboam I.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

"So, king of Egypt," is once mentioned in the Bible -- (2 Kings 17:4) So has been identified by different writers with the first and second kings of the Ethiopian twenty-fifth dynasty, called by Manetho, Sabakon (Shebek) and Sebichos (Shebetek).

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

King of Egypt, made an alliance with Hoshea king of Israel, and promised him assistance; but was unable to prevent Shalmaneser king of Assyria from taking Samaria and subverting the kingdom, B. C. 721, 2Ki 17:4. See PHARAOH.

So is believed to have been the Servetus or Sabaco II of secular history, the second king of the Ethiopian or twenty-fifth dynasty, and the predecessor of Trihakah. A singular fact has been brought to light by the recent explorations at Nineveh, corroborating the Scripture record the more forcibly, because unexpected and direct. The Bible shows that Egypt and Assyria, though remote, were often in conflict during the height of the Assyrian ruins power, and that So was at war with Shalmaneser. After war comes the treaty of peace; and as the Bible prepares us to suppose such treaties were made, the Assyrian ruins…

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he went into her as goes into a woman a prostitute so they went into Oholah and into Oholibah [the] women of licentiousness
בָּ֗אוּBa.'u they went H935 Verb · Qal · perfect third person common plural
2,573× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to go or come, and is used in many contexts, such as entering a place or approaching someone, as seen in the book of Genesis. It can also mean to abide or apply, and is translated in various ways in the KJV Bible. This term is related to the name Lebo Hamath.
Amplified meaning
had sex, went in unto
Tyndale gloss
Lebo
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בּוֹא (bo) is a Hebrew verb meaning to come or go in, with a wide range of applications including entering, arriving, and bringing in. It can refer to both physical movement and abstract concepts like events coming to pass. The verb appears in various forms, such as Qal (to come), Hiphil (to cause to come), and Hophal (to be brought). There is no significant disagreement among lexicons regarding its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בּוֹא 2569 vb. come in, come, go in, go

Qal

come in

come (approach, arrive)

go, i.e. walk, associate with

go from speaker, but with limit of motion given

Hiph.

cause to come in, bring in (conduct, lead, obj. persons and animals)

cause to come, bring, bring near, etc. (animate obj.)

Hoph.

be brought in (of pers. and things)

be brought

be introduced, put

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H935 בּוֹא come in, come, go in, go .. come in

. come (approach, arrive)

. go, i.e. walk, associate with

. go from speaker, but with limit of motion given

. . cause to come in, bring in (conduct, lead, obj. persons and animals)

. cause to come, bring, bring near, etc. (animate obj.)

. . be brought in (of pers. and things)

. be brought

. be introduced, put

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

935 bow' bo

a primitive root; to go or come (in a wide variety of

applications):--abide, apply, attain, X be, befall, +

besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, X

certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out,

upon, to pass), depart, X doubtless again, + eat, + employ,

(cause to) enter (in, into, -tering, -trance, -try), be

fallen, fetch, + follow, get, give, go (down, in, to war),

grant, + have, X indeed, (in-)vade, lead, lift (up), mention,

pull in, put, resort, run (down), send, set, X (well) stricken

(in age), X surely, take (in), way.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בּוֹא (bo) — to come (in): come.

: come/go_in

1) to go in, enter, come, go, come in

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to enter, come in

1a2) to come

1a2a) to come with

1a2b) to come upon, fall or light upon, attack (enemy)

1a2c) to come to pass

1a3) to attain to

1a4) to be enumerated

1a5) to go

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to lead in

1b2) to carry in

1b3) to bring in, cause to come in, gather, cause to come, bring near, bring against, bring upon

1b4) to bring to pass

1c) (Hophal)

1c1) to be brought, brought in

1c2) to be introduced, be put

לְב֥וֹא (bo) — Lebo-(Hamath).

This name means to go in, enter

Combined with cha.mat (חֲמָת "Hamath" H2574)

בּוֹא (bo) — to come (in): towards.

: towards/entrance

1) to go in, enter, come, go, come in

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to enter, come in

1a2) to come

1a2a) to come with

1a2b) to come upon, fall or light upon, attack (enemy)

1a2c) to come to pass

1a3) to attain to

1a4) to be enumerated

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-3cp — Verb · Qal · perfect third person common plural
HVqp3cp
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he went into her as goes into a woman a prostitute so they went into Oholah and into Oholibah [the] women of licentiousness
אֶֽל־'el- into H413 Preposition
5,518× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means 'to' or 'toward', showing direction or movement. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus, to indicate where someone is going. The KJV translates it in various ways, like 'about', 'according to', or 'against'.
Tyndale gloss
to(wards)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֶל (el) is primarily a preposition indicating motion towards or direction to a person or place. It can also imply entering a limit, presence at a location, or a hostile direction (against). Additionally, it may express concepts such as concerning, in addition to, or according to. The entries highlight its versatility in both physical and metaphorical contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph),

prep. denoting motion to or direction towards (whether physical or mental).of motion to or unto a person or place

Where the limit is actually entered, into

Of direction towards anything

Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against

Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to

Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

Of rule or standard according to (rare)

Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion

Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H413 אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph), . of motion to or unto a person or place

. Where the limit is actually entered, into

. Of direction towards anything

. Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against

. Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to

. Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

. Of rule or standard according to (rare)

. Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion

. Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

413 'el ale

(but only used in the shortened constructive form sel {el});

a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but

occasionally used of a quiescent position, i.e. near, with or

among; often in general, to:--about, according to ,after,

against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and,

by, concerning, for, from, X hath, in(- to), near, (out) of,

over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether,

with(-in).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶל (el) — to(wards).

1) to, toward, unto (of motion)

2) into (limit is actually entered)

2a) in among

3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion)

4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character)

5) in addition to, to

6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of

7) according to (rule or standard)

8) at, by, against (of one's presence)

9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR — Preposition
HR
and he went into her as goes into a woman a prostitute so they went into Oholah and into Oholibah [the] women of licentiousness
אָֽהֳלָה֙'o.ho.Lah Oholah H170 Noun proper feminine
5× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Oholah was a symbolic name for Samaria, representing a woman who was unfaithful to God, like an adulteress. It means 'her own tent', highlighting Samaria's separate ways.
Amplified meaning
the tent of her, Samaria
Tyndale gloss
Oholah
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָהֳלָה (Oholah) refers to a woman symbolizing Samaria, described as an idolatrous sanctuary and an adulteress with Assyria. The name means 'her own tent' and is linked to the concept of worship at a tent-shrine. It first appears in Ezekiel 23:4 and is related to the name Oholibah (H0172). The word is derived from a feminine form of another Hebrew word for 'tent'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָהֳלָה n.pr.f. Ohŏla (she who has a tent, tent-woman, i.e. worshipper at tent-shrine) of Samaria, adulteress with Assyria

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H170 אָהֳלָה

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

170 'Oholah o-hol-aw'

in form a feminine of 168, but in fact for .Oholahh

{o-hol-aw'}; from 168; her tent (i.e. idolatrous sanctuary);

Oholah, a symbol. name for Samaria:--Aholah.

see HEBREW for 0168

see HEBREW for 0168

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אׇהֳלָה (o.ho.lah) — Oholah.

A woman living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at Ezk.23.4;

sister of: Oholibah (H0172)

§ Aholah = "her own tent"

Samaria as an adulteress with Assyria (metaph)

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

o-ho'-la ('oholah; the King James Version Aholah): The exact meaning is a matter of dispute. As written, it seems to mean a tent-woman, or the woman living in a tent. With a mappik in the last consonant it could mean "her tent." The term is used symbolically by Ezekiel to designate Samaria or the kingdom of Israel (Eze 23:4,5,36,44).

See OHOLIBAH.

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he went into her as goes into a woman a prostitute so they went into Oholah and into Oholibah [the] women of licentiousness
וְאֶל־ve.'el- and into H413 Conjunction · preposition
5,518× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means 'to' or 'toward', showing direction or movement. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus, to indicate where someone is going. The KJV translates it in various ways, like 'about', 'according to', or 'against'.
Tyndale gloss
to(wards)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֶל (el) is primarily a preposition indicating motion towards or direction to a person or place. It can also imply entering a limit, presence at a location, or a hostile direction (against). Additionally, it may express concepts such as concerning, in addition to, or according to. The entries highlight its versatility in both physical and metaphorical contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph),

prep. denoting motion to or direction towards (whether physical or mental).of motion to or unto a person or place

Where the limit is actually entered, into

Of direction towards anything

Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against

Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to

Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

Of rule or standard according to (rare)

Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion

Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H413 אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph), . of motion to or unto a person or place

. Where the limit is actually entered, into

. Of direction towards anything

. Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against

. Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to

. Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

. Of rule or standard according to (rare)

. Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion

. Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

413 'el ale

(but only used in the shortened constructive form sel {el});

a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but

occasionally used of a quiescent position, i.e. near, with or

among; often in general, to:--about, according to ,after,

against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and,

by, concerning, for, from, X hath, in(- to), near, (out) of,

over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether,

with(-in).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶל (el) — to(wards).

1) to, toward, unto (of motion)

2) into (limit is actually entered)

2a) in among

3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion)

4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character)

5) in addition to, to

6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of

7) according to (rule or standard)

8) at, by, against (of one's presence)

9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HC/R — Conjunction · preposition
HC/R
and he went into her as goes into a woman a prostitute so they went into Oholah and into Oholibah [the] women of licentiousness
אָ֣הֳלִיבָ֔ה'o.ho.li.Vah Oholibah H172 Noun proper feminine
6× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Oholibah, meaning 'woman of the tent', is a symbolic name for Judah in the Bible, particularly in Ezekiel 23:4. It represents Jerusalem as an unfaithful wife, and is often used to describe a place of worship or a community of believers.
Amplified meaning
the tent of my father, Judah
Tyndale gloss
Oholibah
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָהֳלִיבָה (Oholiybah) is a proper noun meaning 'tent is in her' or 'woman of the tent.' It symbolizes Jerusalem as an adulterous wife of God, first mentioned in Ezekiel 23:4. The name is derived from a root meaning 'tent,' and it is closely related to the name Oholah (H170).

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָהֳלִיבָה n.pr.f. Ohŏliba (= tent in her) of Jerusalem as adulterous wife of י׳

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H172 אָהֳלִיבָה

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

172 'Oholiybah o''-hol-ee-baw'

(similarly with 170) for hOholiybahh {o''-hol-e-baw'}; from

168; my tent (is) in her; Oholibah, a symbolic name for

Judah:--Aholibah.

see HEBREW for 0170

see HEBREW for 0168

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אׇהֳלִיבָה (o.ho.li.vah) — Oholibah.

A woman living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at Ezk.23.4;

sister of: Oholah (H0170)

§ Aholibah = "woman of the tent" or "the tent is in her"

(metaph) Jerusalem as adulterous wife of Jehovah

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

W. W. Davies

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he went into her as goes into a woman a prostitute so they went into Oholah and into Oholibah [the] women of licentiousness
אִשֹּׁ֖ת'i.Shot [the] women of H802 Noun common · feminine plural construct
781× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for woman, used to describe a female person, wife, or animal, appears in many biblical passages, including Genesis and Exodus, and is often translated as woman, wife, or female.
Amplified meaning
females, wives
Tyndale gloss
woman
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אִשָּׁה (ishshah) means 'woman,' 'wife,' or 'female.' It can refer to a woman in general, a wife in relation to a man, or the female of animals. The term also has distributive and reciprocal uses, indicating 'each woman' from her neighbor. The word is derived from the masculine forms אִישׁ (ish) and אִישָׁה (ishah), indicating a broad range of meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אִשָּׁה 773 n.f. woman, wife, female

woman

Wife (woman belonging to a man, usually cstr. or sf.)

Female of animals

With distrib. & recipr. sense, each woman from her neighbor; each one

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H802 אִשָּׁה woman, wife, female . woman

. Wife (woman belonging to a man, usually cstr. or sf.)

. Female of animals

. With distrib. & recipr. sense, each woman from her neighbor; each one

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

802 'ishshah ish-shaw'

feminine of 376 or 582; irregular plural, nashiym

{naw-sheem'}; a woman (used in the same wide sense as

582):--(adulter)ess, each, every, female, X many, + none,

one, + together, wife, woman. Often unexpressed in English.

see HEBREW for 0376

see HEBREW for 0582

see HEBREW for 0582

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אִשָּׁה (ish.shah) — woman.

: woman

1) woman, wife, female

1a) woman (opposite of man)

1b) wife (woman married to a man)

1c) female (of animals)

1d) each, every (pronoun)

אִשָּׁה (ish.shah) — woman: wife.

: wife/widow

1) woman, wife, female

1a) woman (opposite of man)

1b) wife (woman married to a man)

1c) female (of animals)

1d) each, every (pronoun)

אִשָּׁה (ish.shah) — woman: another.

: another

1) woman, wife, female

1a) woman (opposite of man)

1b) wife (woman married to a man)

1c) female (of animals)

1d) each, every (pronoun)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fp — Noun common · feminine plural construct
HNcfpc
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 into her as goes into a woman a prostitute so they went into Oholah and into Oholibah [the] women of licentiousness
הַזִּמָּֽה׃ha.zi.Mah licentiousness H2154 Particle · noun common feminine singular absolute
29× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word refers to a wicked or evil plan, and can include things like adultery, incest, and idolatry. It is used to describe the bad intentions or schemes of people in the Bible.
Amplified meaning
wicked, immoral
Tyndale gloss
wickedness
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

זִמָּה (zimmah) refers to a plan or device, particularly one that is wicked or malicious. It encompasses meanings related to evil intentions, such as lewdness and mischief. The term is derived from a root meaning to plot or devise, and it captures various forms of moral wrongdoing, including adultery and idolatry.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

זִמָּה n.f. plan, device, wickedness

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2154 זִמָּה plan, device, wickedness

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2154 zimmah zim-maw'

or zammah {zam-maw'}; from 2161; a plan, especially a bad

one:--heinous crime, lewd(-ly, -ness), mischief, purpose,

thought, wicked (device, mind, -ness).

see HEBREW for 02161

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

זִמָּה (zim.mah) — wickedness.

1) plan, device, wickedness, evil plan, mischievous purpose

1a) plan, purpose

1b) evil device, wickedness

1c) not chaste, incest, licentiousness, adultery, idolatry, harlotry

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-fs — Particle · noun common feminine singular absolute
HTd/Ncfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Nave's Topical Bible

→ See ADULTERY

→ See LASCIVIOUSNESS

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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