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Genesis 18:23 — Word Study

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WLCוַיִּגַּ֥שׁ אַבְרָהָ֖ם וַיֹּאמַ֑ר הַאַ֣ף תִּסְפֶּ֔ה צַדִּ֖יק עִם־ רָשָֽׁע׃

BSAAbrahamʼAbrâhâm [the father of faith] stepped forwardnâgash [drew near, approached] and saidʼâmar Will You reallyʼaph [also, indeed] sweep awayçâphâh [snatch, consume, destroy] the righteoustsaddîyq [just, upright, made right with God] withʻim [together, in the same manner as] the wickedrâshâʻ [morally wrong, sinful, guilty]

Word
Listen & take awayGenesis 18
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 23 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 (ra.Sha') — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Genesis 18:23quick helps
In a sentenceAbraham approaches God to question whether the righteous will be destroyed alongside the wicked.
Who is speakingAbraham, the father of faith.
Where we areAbraham stands before the LORD, interceding for the righteous in Sodom.
The hard wordתִּסְפֶּ֔ה
Take awayAbraham's plea highlights the justice of God.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectאַבְרָהָם verbנָגַשׁ 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 — Genesis 18:23

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 — Abraham's Intercession for Sodomgenerated

22And the two men turned away and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before the LORD.
23Abraham stepped forward and said, “Will You really sweep away the righteous with the wicked?
24What if there are fifty righteous ones in the city? Will You really sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous ones who are there?
25Far be it from You to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Will not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?”

Genesis 18:23 shows Abraham stepping forward to speak with God about the fate of Sodom, expressing concern for the righteous who might be caught up in the judgment of the wicked. This passage illustrates Abraham's role as an intercessor and his deep commitment to justice, which is a recurring theme in the biblical narrative.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Psalm 73:28But as for me, it is good to draw near to God. I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, that I may proclaim all Your works.
2Jeremiah 30:21Their leader will be one of their own, and their ruler will arise from their midst. And I will bring him near, and he will approach Me, for who would dare on his own to approach Me?” declares the LORD.
3Hebrews 10:22let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
4James 5:17Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.
5Genesis 18:25Far be it from You to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Will not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?”

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 12 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word תִּסְפֶּ֔ה, tis.Pehgenerated

The verb סָפָה (safah) means to sweep away or snatch. It conveys the idea of destruction or removal, indicating a forceful action. The parsing as an imperfect verb suggests an ongoing or future action, as Abraham asks God about the potential for such an act.

This verb's usage in the context of divine judgment raises questions about God's justice and mercy, as Abraham seeks to understand how the righteous will be treated in light of the wicked's fate.


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. The BSB uses sweep away, which aligns with the KJV and ASV.

Where others part company with the BSB is in the rendering of צַדִּ֖יקjust (DRA) and upright (BBE) reflect different nuances of righteousness.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb of the verse is יִּגַּ֥שׁ, he drew near, which governs the action of Abraham approaching God. This sets the stage for the dialogue that follows.

The structure is straightforward, with Abraham's approach leading directly into his question about the fate of the righteous, emphasizing his role as an intercessor.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates תִּסְפֶּ֔ה as συναπολέσῃς, which means to destroy together. This choice emphasizes the totality of the action Abraham is concerned about — the complete destruction of both groups.

This translation reflects a direct engagement with the themes of justice and mercy in the context of divine judgment.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Genesis 18:23 shows Abraham approaching God to ask if the righteous will be swept away with the wicked. This moment highlights Abraham's concern for justice and his role as an intercessor.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does Abraham's question reveal about his understanding of God's justice?

Abraham's question indicates that he believes God is just and would not treat the righteous the same as the wicked, reflecting his deep faith and concern for justice.

Why does Abraham intercede for the righteous?

Abraham intercedes because he cares for the righteous and wants to ensure that they are not destroyed along with the wicked, showcasing his compassion.

How does this passage relate to the themes of justice in the Bible?

This passage emphasizes the balance between God's justice and mercy, as Abraham seeks to understand how God will act in judgment.

What can we learn from Abraham's approach to God?

Abraham's approach teaches us about the importance of intercession and the courage to ask difficult questions in the pursuit of understanding God's nature.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways can I approach God with my concerns about justice in the world?
  2. How can I be an intercessor for those who are vulnerable or in need?
  3. What does it mean to me that God is just and merciful?
  4. How can I reflect Abraham's faith in my own life?

The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it

The earliest commentary on this passage comes from Bede, who discusses Abraham's intercession and the implications of his question about God's justice.

BedeCommentary on Genesis (Hexaemeron) c. 673–735
And they turned themselves from there and went towards Sodom; but Abraham still stood before the Lord, and approaching he said: Will you indeed destroy the righteous with the wicked? If fifty righteous are in the city,
Early Church Fathers on Genesis 18 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Genesis 18:23 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

And Abraham drew near,.... To the Lord; he approached nearer to him, to have more close and intimate conversation with him on the subject of the destruction of Sodom, which he perceived, by what had

Read John Gill on Genesis 18 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked? And Abraham drew near.

Read Robert Jamieson on Genesis 18 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

i.e. He approached unto God to inquire of him, and to pray unto him; for so the phrase of drawing near to God is used, .

Read Matthew Poole on Genesis 18 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Genesis 18:23 And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?Ver. 23. And Abraham drew near.] A privilege proper to such as have "a true heart," "full assurance of faith," and "a good conscience". "The hypocrite shall not come before him" He must stand without as a vagrant at the gate, that knows not whether the master is providing for him an alms, or a cudgel. But the upright comes into the parlour; yea, "dwells in God’ s presence," in the light of his countenance. Wilt thou also destroy the righteous?] Single suits speed not: we must back them with sound arguments, and reason the case with God concerning his judgments.

Read John Trapp on Genesis 18 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(23) Abraham drew near.—As Jewish commentators remark, this word is especially used of prayer, and Abraham’s intercession is unspeakably noble. Nor must we suppose that he thought only of Lot. Doubtless he remembered the day when he had restored the persons and spoil to the king of Sodom. He had then seen their human affection; the joy of parent meeting with child, and friend with friend; and he hoped that there were good people among them, and that so marvellous a deliverance would work in many of them a true repentance. Neither must we suppose that Abraham adroitly began with a large number, with the intention of lessening it. It was the readiness with which each prayer was heard which…

Read Charles John Ellicott on Genesis 18 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 23. Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?] A form of speech similar to that in Genesis 18:17, an invariable principle of justice, that the righteous shall not be punished for the crimes of the impious. And this Abraham lays down as the foundation of his supplications. Who can pray with any hope of success who cannot assign a reason to God and his conscience for the petitions he offers? The great sacrifice offered by Christ is an infinite reason why a penitent sinner should expect to find the mercy for which he pleads.

Read AdamClarke on Genesis 18 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

23. Abraham drew near] Abraham’s intercession comes as a reply to Jehovah’s statement in Genesis 18:20-21, from which the doom of the cities might be inferred. It forms one of the most striking and pathetic passages in the book. It expresses the generous instincts of the patriarch’s nature. Nothing can exceed the dignified simplicity and deference in the utterance of his submissive expostulation. What adds to the effect, is that the servant of Jehovah, the nomad sheikh, pleads on behalf of the people of the Plain, dwellers in cities, sunk in iniquity. His concern for Lot, doubtless, forms the motive of the intercession, though Lot’s name and relationship are not put forward in extenuation…

Read Cambridge on Genesis 18 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

23. Abraham drew near — He perceived the purpose of wrath, and was moved with the thought of a whole city, or group of cities, perishing, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Genesis 18 →

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

Abraham stepped forward and said, “Will You really sweep away the righteous with the wicked?

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Abraham came near, and said, “Will you consume the righteous with the wicked?

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Abraham stepped forward and said, “Will You really sweep away the righteous with the wicked?

NETBNew English Translation2006

Abraham approached and said, “Will you sweep away the godly along with the wicked?

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

¶ And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou consume the righteous with the wicked?

RVARevised Version, American1894

And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou consume the righteous with the wicked?

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Then Abraham drewe neere, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also cause the righteous to perish with the wicked?

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And Abraham draweth nigh and saith, 'Dost Thou also consume righteous with wicked?

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And Abraham draws near and says, “Do You also consume righteous with wicked?

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou then destroy the righteous also with the wicked?

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Then Abraham approached and said, “Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked?

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And drawing nigh he said: Wilt thou destroy the just with the wicked?

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Abraham came to him and asked: “Are you really going to wipe out the good people along with the wicked?

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And Abraham came near, and said, Will you let destruction come on the upright with the sinners?

Word by word, the decisions they made

צַדִּ֖יקtza.Dik [the] righteous H6662 2 different renderings
justDRA
uprightBBE

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.

וַandclauseverbיִּגַּ֥שׁhe.drew.nearsubjectאַבְרָהָ֖םAbrahamוַandclauseverbיֹּאמַ֑רhe.saidclauseהַ?clauseאַ֣ףalsoclauseverbתִּסְפֶּ֔הwill.you.sweep.awayobjectצַדִּ֖יק[the].righteousprepositional phrase · prepositionalעִםwithרָשָֽׁע[the].wicked

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


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

The Masoretic Text, the Septuagint, and the Samaritan Pentateuch all agree word for word on this verse. The Dead Sea Scrolls contain the same words, though they were supplied by an editor due to damage.

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

וַיִּגַּ֥שׁ אַבְרָהָ֖ם וַיֹּאמַ֑ר הַאַ֣ף תִּסְפֶּ֔ה צַדִּ֖יק עִם־ רָשָֽׁע׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיִּגַּ֥שׁἐγγίσαςאַבְרָהָ֖םαβρααμוַיֹּאמַ֑רεἶπενהַאַ֣ףμὴתִּסְפֶּ֔הσυναπολέσῃςצַדִּ֖יקδίκαιονעִם־μετὰרָשָֽׁע׃ἀσεβοῦς

8 of the 8 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Samaritan Pentateuchthe Torah as the Samaritan community kept it

ויגשׁ אברהם ויאמר האף תספה צדיק עם רשׁע

Agrees with the Masoretic Text here, word for word.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 8Q1a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[ויגש] [אברהם] [ויאמר] [האף] [תספה] [צדיק] [עם] [רשע]

nothing on the leather here — 8 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.

Genesis 18:23נָגַשׁand he drewand he drew neaנָגַשׁאַבְרָםAbrahamAbrahamאַבְרָםאָמַרand he saidand he saidאָמַראַף¿ also¿ alsoאַףסָפָהwill you swwill you sweep סָפָהצַדִּיק[the] right[the] righteousצַדִּיקעִםwithwithעִםרָשָׁע[the] wicke[the] wickedרָשָׁעאָבfatherfatherאָבצָדֵקto justifyto justifyצָדֵקעָמַםto darkento darkenעָמַםרָשַׁעbe wickedbe wickedרָשַׁעמִנְחָהofferingofferingמִנְחָהיִצְחָקIsaacIsaacיִצְחָקשָׂרָהSarahSarahשָׂרָהכֹּהthusthusכֹּהיהוהYHWH/GodYHWH/Godיהוהבַּלnotnotבַּלפֶּן־lestlestפֶּן־חַטָּאָהsinsinחַטָּאָהרָשָׁעwickedwickedרָשָׁעעָ֫וֶלinjusticeinjusticeעָ֫וֶלשָׁכַבto lie dowto lie down: laשָׁכַבקָבַרto buryto buryקָבַרצַדִּיקrighteousrighteousצַדִּיקאָבַדto perishto perishאָבַד
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 Genesis 18:23

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 drew near Abraham and he said ¿ also will you sweep away [the] righteous with [the] wicked
וַיִּגַּ֥שׁvai.yi.Gash and he drew near H5066 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
125× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To approach or draw near, like Moses to the burning bush, and can also mean to worship or present an argument, as in Genesis 18:23.
Amplified meaning
drew near, approached
Tyndale gloss
to approach: approach
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נָגַשׁ (nagash) is a Hebrew verb meaning to draw near or approach. It can refer to humans or inanimate subjects and includes various forms such as causing to approach or being brought near. The term also has euphemistic uses, including sexual intercourse. The entries indicate a range of applications, from physical proximity to religious worship.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[נָגַשׁ] 125 vb. draw near, approach

Qal draw near or come near

Niph. draw near

Hiph. cause to approach, bring near, bring

Hoph. thy feet have not been brought near (put into) fetters; it (impers.) is offered to my name

Hithp. draw near!

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5066 [נָגַשׁ] draw near, approach .draw near or come near

. draw near

. cause to approach, bring near, bring

. thy feet have not been brought near (put into) fetters; it (impers.) is offered to my name

. draw near!

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5066 nagash naw-gash'

a primitive root; to be or come (causatively, bring) near

(for any purpose); euphemistically, to lie with a woman; as an

enemy, to attack; relig. to worship; causatively, to present;

figuratively, to adduce an argument; by reversal, to stand

back:--(make to) approach (nigh), bring (forth, hither,

near), (cause to) come (hither, near, nigh), give place, go

hard (up), (be, draw, go) near (nigh), offer, overtake,

present, put, stand.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָגַשׁ (na.gash) — to approach: approach.

: approach

1) to draw near, approach

1a) (Qal) to draw or come near

1a1) of humans

1a1a) of sexual intercourse

1a2) of inanimate subject

1a2a) to approach one another

1b) (Niphal) to draw near

1c) (Hiphil) to cause to approach, bring near, bring

1d) (Hophal) to be brought near

1e) (Hithpael) to draw near

Also means: na.gash (נָגַשׁ ": bring" H5066H)

נָגַשׁ (na.gash) — to approach: bring.

: bring/offer

1) to draw near, approach

1a) (Qal) to draw or come near

1a1) of humans

1a1a) of sexual intercourse

1a2) of inanimate subject

1a2a) to approach one another

1b) (Niphal) to draw near

1c) (Hiphil) to cause to approach, bring near, bring

1d) (Hophal) to be brought near

1e) (Hithpael) to draw near

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
and he drew near Abraham and he said ¿ also will you sweep away [the] righteous with [the] wicked
אַבְרָהָ֖ם'av.ra.Ham Abraham H85 Noun proper masculine
175× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Abraham was a key figure in the Bible, the later name of Abram, and father of many children, including Ishmael and Isaac. He is first mentioned in Genesis 11:26 and his story is told throughout the book of Genesis. Abraham's life and faith are still studied today.
Amplified meaning
the father of faith
Tyndale gloss
Abraham
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אַבְרָם (*Abram*) refers to the biblical figure later known as אַבְרָהָם (*Abraham*), meaning 'father of a multitude.' He is first mentioned in Genesis 11:26 as the son of Terah and is notable for being the patriarch of the Hebrew nation through God's covenant. The name reflects his role as a significant ancestor.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אַבְרָם n.pr.m. (id., Thes al. exalted father) Abram = אַבְרָהָם Abraham

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H85 אַבְרָם Abram = אַבְרָהָם Abraham

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

85 'Abraham ab-raw-hawm'

contracted from 1 and an unused root (probably meaning to be

populous); father of a multitude; Abraham, the later name of

Abram:--Abraham.

see HEBREW for 01

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אַבְרָהָם (av.ra.ham) — Abraham.

A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.11.26;

son of: Terah (H8646);

brother of: Nahor (H5152H), Haran (H2039) and Sarah (H8283); married to Sarah (H8283), Hagar (H1904) and Keturah (H6989);

father of: Ishmael (H3458), Isaac (H3327), Zimran (H2175), Jokshan (H3370), Medan (H4091), Midian (H4080), Ishbak (H3435) and Shuah (H7744); also called Abram at Gen.11.26--17.5; 2x

§ Abraham = "father of a multitude" or "chief of multitude"

friend of God and founder of Hebrew nation via God's elective covenant

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

a'-bra-ham:

I. NAME 1. Various Forms 2. Etymology 3. Association II. KINDRED III. CAREER 1. Period of Wandering 2. Period of Residence at Hebron 3. Period of Residence in the Negeb IV. CONDITIONS OF LIFE 1. Economic Conditions 2. Social Conditions 3. Political Conditions 4. Cultural Conditions V. CHARACTER 1. Religious Beliefs 2. Morality 3. Personal Traits VI. SIGNIFICANCE IN THE HISTORY OF RELIGION 1. In the Old Testament 2. In the New Testament 3. In Jewish Tradition 4. In the Koran VII. INTERPRETATIONS OF THE STORY OTHER THAN HISTORICAL 1. The Allegorical Interpretation 2. The Personification Theory 3. The Mythical Theory 4. The "Saga" Theory

I. Name.

1. Various Forms:

In the Old Testament, when applied, to the patriarch, the name appears as 'abhram, up to Ge 17:5; thereafter always as 'abhraham. Two other persons are named 'abhiram.…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Abraham

Father of a multitude, son of Terah, named (Gen. 11:27) before his older brothers Nahor and Haran, because he was the heir of the promises. Till the age of seventy, Abram sojourned among his kindred in his native country of Chaldea. He then, with his father and his family and household, quitted the city of Ur, in which he had hitherto dwelt, and went some 300 miles north to Haran, where he abode fifteen years. The cause of his migration was a call from God (Acts 7:2-4). There is no mention of this first call in the Old Testament; it is implied, however, in Gen. 12. While they tarried at Haran, Terah died at the age of 205 years. Abram now received a second and more definite call, accompanied by a promise from God (Gen.…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Father of a multitude, Ge 17:4,5; the great founder of the Jewish nation. He was a son of Terah, a descendant of Shem, and born in Ur, a city of Chaldea, A.M. 2008, B. C. 1996, Ge 11:27,28. Here he lived seventy years, when at the call of God he left his idolatrous kindred, and removed to Haran, in Mesopotamia, Ac 7:2-4, accompanied by his father, his wife Sarai, his brother Nahor, and his nephew Lot. A few years after, having buried his father, he again removed at the call of God, with his wife and nephew, and entered the land of promise as a nomad or wandering shepherd. Sojourning for a time at Shechem, he built here, as was his custom, an alter to the Lord, who appeared to him, and promised that land to his seed. Removing…

and he drew near Abraham and he said ¿ also will you sweep away [the] righteous with [the] wicked
וַיֹּאמַ֑רvai.yo.Mar and he said H559 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
5,309× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to say or speak, and it's used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to command, promise, or think, and it's translated in the KJV as 'answer', 'appoint', or 'command'.
Tyndale gloss
to say
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

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.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

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)

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 drew near Abraham and he said ¿ also will you sweep away [the] righteous with [the] wicked
הַאַ֣ףha.'Af ¿ also H637 Particle · particle
134× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for 'also' or 'addition', used to connect ideas or show a relationship between them, as seen in Genesis and Exodus. It can also mean 'though' or 'yet', indicating a contrast. This word is often used to add emphasis or provide more information.
Amplified meaning
also, indeed
Tyndale gloss
also
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אַף (aph) is a conjunction that indicates addition, often implying something greater. It can mean 'also,' 'yea,' or 'though,' and is used to connect ideas in a sentence. The entries highlight its use as both an adverb and conjunction, with a focus on its additive nature.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אַף conj. denoting addition, esp. of something greater, also, yea

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H637 אַף conj. denoting addition, esp. of something greater, also, yea

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

637 'aph af

a primitive particle; meaning accession (used as an adverb or

conjunction); also or yea; adversatively though:--also, +

although, and (furthermore, yet), but, even, + how much less

(more, rather than), moreover, with, yea.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אַף (aph) — also.

conj (denoting addition, esp of something greater)

1) also, yea, though, so much the more

adv

2) furthermore, indeed

Aramaic equivalent: aph (אַף "also" H0638)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part | Adv — Particle · particle
HTi/Tj
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ol'-so: In the Greek kai, when it is equivalent to "also" or "even," is always placed before the word or phrase which it is intended to emphasize (e.g. Ac 12:3; 1 Joh 4:21). Mt 6:14 should therefore read, "Your heavenly Father will forgive you also"; Lu 6:13, "Whom also he named apostles"; Heb 8:6, "The mediator of a better covenant also"; and 1Th 4:14, `If we believe that Jesus died and rose again, so also (we believe that) those who are fallen asleep in Jesus, God will bring with Him.'

and he drew near Abraham and he said ¿ also will you sweep away [the] righteous with [the] wicked
תִּסְפֶּ֔הtis.Peh will you sweep away H5595 Verb · Qal · imperfect second person masculine singular
19× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to snatch or sweep something away, like destroying or consuming it. It can also mean to gather or catch up something. The KJV translates it as consume, destroy, or add.
Amplified meaning
snatch, consume, destroy
Tyndale gloss
to snatch
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

סָפָה (safah) is a Hebrew verb that conveys the idea of sweeping or snatching away. It can refer to both the act of gathering or increasing something and the act of scattering or destroying it. The entries describe various forms of the verb, including its uses in different grammatical aspects, such as Qal, Niphal, and Hiphil, indicating actions like being snatched away or caught up.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[סָפָה] vb. sweep or snatch away, catch up

Qal

intrans. be snatched away

trans. sweep away

Niph.

be swept away, destroyed

be caught up, captured

Hiph. I will catch up against them calamities

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5595 סָפָה sweep or snatch away, catch up

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5595 caphah saw-faw'

a primitive root; properly, to scrape (literally, to shave;

but usually figuratively) together (i.e. to accumulate or

increase) or away (i.e. to scatter, remove, or ruin;

intransitively, to perish):--add, augment, consume, destroy,

heap, join, perish, put.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

סָפָה (sa.phah) — to snatch.

1) to sweep or snatch away, catch up, destroy, consume

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to be snatched away

1a2) to sweep or snatch away

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be swept away, be destroyed

1b2) to be caught up, be captured

1c) (Hiphil) to catch up, gather

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-2ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect second person masculine singular
HVqi2ms
and he drew near Abraham and he said ¿ also will you sweep away [the] righteous with [the] wicked
צַדִּ֖יקtza.Dik [the] righteous H6662 Adj
206× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Means being just or righteous, as seen in government, personal conduct, or character, often describing someone made right with God. It appears in descriptions of King David and other biblical leaders. The concept is central to the Bible's teachings on morality and ethics.
Amplified meaning
just, upright, made right with God
Tyndale gloss
righteous
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

צַדִּיק (tsaddiyq) means just or righteous, covering various aspects such as lawful behavior, moral conduct, and being justified by God. It is derived from a related root and is used to describe individuals who are upright in character and actions.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

צַדִּיק 206 adj. just, righteous

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6662 צַדִּיק just, righteous

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6662 tsaddiyq tsad-deek'

from 6663; just:--just, lawful, righteous (man).

see HEBREW for 06663

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

צַדִּיק (tsad.diq) — righteous.

1) just, lawful, righteous

1a) just, righteous (in government)

1b) just, right (in one's cause)

1c) just, righteous (in conduct and character)

1d) righteous (as justified and vindicated by God)

1e) right, correct, lawful

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Adj
HAamsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Nave's Topical Bible

→ MISCELLANY OF MINOR SUB-TOPICS

Compared with

The sun Jud 5:31; Mt 13:43

Stars Da 12:3

Lights Mt 5:14; Php 2:15

Mount Zion Ps 125:1,2

Lebanon Ho 14:5-7

Treasure Ex 19:5; Ps 135:4

Jewels Mal 3:17

Gold Job 23:10; La 4:2

and he drew near Abraham and he said ¿ also will you sweep away [the] righteous with [the] wicked
עִם־'im- with H5973 Preposition
1,052× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means with or together, like when God is with his people in Exodus 33:14-15. It's used to describe accompaniment or association, and can also mean against or beside. The word is used to convey a sense of relationship or proximity between people or things.
Amplified meaning
together, in the same manner as
Tyndale gloss
with
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עִם (im) is a preposition meaning 'with' and covers a range of relationships, including companionship, locality, and possession. It can imply actions done jointly, equality, or even opposition in contexts like combat. The related form מֵעִם (me.im) means 'from with' or 'beside.' The entries reflect various nuances but do not present significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עִם prep. with

of fellowship and companionship

of aid

Of actions done jointly with another

If the common action be of the nature of a contest or combat, with in the sense of against

Of dealing with a person, or of the relation in which one stands with, or towards, another

Of a common lot together with the wicked

Of equality or resemblance generally aid

Of time, as long as

Of a locality, close to, beside

Of persons, עִם is spec.

in the house or family or service of

In possession of

In the custody or care of

Beside = except

With = friendly with

Idiom. of a thought or purpose present with one

Metaph. together with = in spite of, notwithstanding

base

מֵעִם 72 from with or beside

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5973a עִם with . of fellowship and companionship

. Of a locality, close to, beside

. Of persons, עִם is spec. . in the house or family or service of

. In possession of

. In the custody or care of

. Beside = except

. With = friendly with

. Idiom. of a thought or purpose present with one

. Metaph. together with = in spite of, notwithstanding

H5973b מֵעִם from with, beside

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5973 `im eem

from 6004; adverb or preposition, with (i.e. in conjunction

with), in varied applications; specifically, equally with;

often with prepositional prefix (and then usually

unrepresented in English):--accompanying, against, and, as (X

long as), before, beside, by (reason of), for all, from

(among, between), in, like, more than, of, (un-)to,

with(-al).

see HEBREW for 06004

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עִם (im) — with.

1) with

1a) with

1b) against

1c) toward

1d) as long as

מֵעִם (me.im) — from with.

1a) beside, except

1b) in spite of

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Preposition
HR
and he drew near Abraham and he said ¿ also will you sweep away [the] righteous with [the] wicked
רָשָֽׁע׃ra.Sha' [the] wicked H7563 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
263× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word describes someone who is morally wrong, a bad person who is guilty of crime or sin against God or others. It is used to describe the wicked in biblical stories, such as in the book of Genesis.
Amplified meaning
morally wrong, sinful, guilty
Tyndale gloss
wicked
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רָשָׁע (rasha`) refers to someone who is wicked or criminal, encompassing meanings such as guilty and ungodly. It is derived from a root that implies moral wrongdoing. The term is used to describe individuals who are hostile to God or guilty of sin against others.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רָשָׁע 263 adj. wicked, criminal

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7563 רָשָׁע wicked, criminal

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7563 rasha` raw-shaw'

from 7561; morally wrong; concretely, an (actively) bad

person:--+ condemned, guilty, ungodly, wicked (man), that did

wrong.

see HEBREW for 07561

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רָשָׁע (ra.sah) — wicked.

1) wicked, criminal

1a) guilty one, one guilty of crime (subst)

1b) wicked (hostile to God)

1c) wicked, guilty of sin (against God or man)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
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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