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Genesis 21:15 — Word Study

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WLCוַיִּכְל֥וּ הַמַּ֖יִם מִן־ הַחֵ֑מֶת וַתַּשְׁלֵ֣ךְ אֶת־ הַיֶּ֔לֶד תַּ֖חַת אַחַ֥ד הַשִּׂיחִֽם׃

BSAWhen the watermayim [liquid refreshment] inmin the skinchêmeth [leather bottle] was gonekâlâh [completely consumed, used up] she leftshâlak [abandoned, cast away] the boyyeled [youth] undertachath [beneath] oneʼechâd [a single] of the bushessîyach [small plants, shrubs]

Word
Listen & take awayGenesis 21
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 15 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.si.Chim) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Genesis 21:15quick helps
In a sentenceHagar, having run out of water, leaves her boy under a bush.
Who is speakingThe narrator describes Hagar's actions in a moment of desperation.
Where we areIn the wilderness, after Hagar has been sent away by Abraham.
The hard wordכָּלָה
Take awayThe situation is dire; Hagar is alone with her son, having exhausted their resources.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbכָּלָה 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 21:15

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 Story of Hagar and Ishmaelgenerated

14Early in the morning, Abraham got up, took bread and a skin of water, put them on Hagar’s shoulders, and sent her away with the boy. She left and wandered in the Wilderness of Beersheba.
15When the water in the skin was gone, she left the boy under one of the bushes.
16Then she went off and sat down nearby, about a bowshot away, for she said, “I cannot bear to watch the boy die!” And as she sat nearby, she lifted up her voice and wept.
17Then God heard the voice of the boy, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven, “What is wrong, Hagar? Do not be afraid, for God has heard the voice of the boy where he lies.

Genesis 21:15 describes a critical moment for Hagar and her son Ishmael. After being sent away by Abraham, they find themselves in the wilderness of Beersheba. The water has run out, and in despair, Hagar leaves her son under a bush, indicating a moment of hopelessness. This passage highlights the struggles faced by Hagar and the divine intervention that follows in the subsequent verses.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Genesis 21:14Early in the morning, Abraham got up, took bread and a skin of water, put them on Hagar’s shoulders, and sent her away with the boy. She left and wandered in the Wilderness of Beersheba.
2Exodus 15:22–25Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea, and they went out into the Desert of Shur. For three days they walked in the desert without finding water.
3Exodus 17:1–3Then the whole congregation of Israel left the Desert of Sin, moving from place to place as the LORD commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink.
42 Kings 3:9So the king of Israel, the king of Judah, and the king of Edom set out, and after they had traveled a roundabout route for seven days, they had no water for their army or for their animals.
5Psalm 63:1O God, You are my God. Earnestly I seek You; my soul thirsts for You. My body yearns for You in a dry and weary land without water.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 7 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word כָּלָה, vai.yikh.Lugenerated

The verb כָּלָה (*kalah*) means to finish or end something. It conveys the idea of something being completely consumed or used up, as it is in this context where the water is gone.

This word's parsing as a sequential imperfect verb indicates that the action of finishing is ongoing, emphasizing the urgency of Hagar's situation as the water in the skin has run out.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

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


Sentence Structuregenerated

The finite verb וַיִּכְל֥וּ, and they were finished, governs the entire verse, with a series of phrases detailing the circumstances: a prepositional phrase indicating the source of the water, a noun phrase describing the object, and another verb indicating Hagar's action.

The sentence structure emphasizes the sequence of events, showing that the depletion of water is the catalyst for Hagar's subsequent action of leaving her son under the bush.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates כָּלָה as ἐχέλιπεν, which means 'was lacking' or 'was left behind'. This choice implies a sense of absence or loss, aligning with the dire circumstances Hagar faces.

This rendering emphasizes the severity of the situation, as it suggests not just the end of water but a critical lack of resources.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Genesis 21:15 tells us that when the water in the skin was gone, Hagar left her son Ishmael under one of the bushes. This moment shows her desperation as she tries to find a way to survive in the wilderness.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that the water was gone?

It signifies a critical moment of desperation for Hagar and Ishmael, highlighting their vulnerability in the wilderness.

Why did Hagar leave her son under a bush?

Hagar left Ishmael under the bush to protect him from the sun and to distance herself as she could not bear to watch him suffer.

What happens next in the story?

God hears the boy's cries and sends an angel to comfort Hagar, assuring her that Ishmael will be cared for.

What does this passage teach about God's care?

It illustrates that even in dire circumstances, God is aware of our struggles and provides help when we are in need.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. How do I respond in moments of desperation, like Hagar?
  2. What does this passage reveal about God's provision in difficult times?
  3. In what ways can I support others who are going through tough situations?
  4. How can I trust God to provide for my needs when I feel overwhelmed?

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

Jerome comments on this passage, discussing Hagar's actions as she seeks to protect her son in a moment of despair.

JeromeVerse 15, 16. c. 347–420
And she put the boy under a tree, and went and sat opposite him, as if shooting an arrow. She said, 'I will not see the death of my child.' And she sat opposite him.
Early Church Fathers on Genesis 21 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Genesis 21:15 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

And the water was spent in the bottle,.... It was all drank up by them, being thirsty, having wandered about some time in a wilderness, where they could not replenish their bottle: the Jewish writers

Read John Gill on Genesis 21 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs.

Read Robert Jamieson on Genesis 21 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Not as if she carried him in her arms, or upon her shoulders, for he was now about eighteen years old; but being weak and faint, and no doubt much dejected in spirit upon the prospect of his desolate and distressed condition, she was forced to support and lead him by the hand; but now, despairing of his life, she lays him down under a shrub.

Read Matthew Poole on Genesis 21 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Genesis 21:15 And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs.Ver. 15. And the water was spent in the bottle.] All creature comforts will fade and fail us; as the brook Cherith dried up while the prophet was drinking of it; as those pools about Jerusalem, that might be dried up, with the tramplings of horse and horsemen. But they that drink of Christ’ s water shall never thirst; for it shall be in them (as the widow’ s oil, or Aaron’ s ointment) "a well of water springing up to eternal life". She cast the child, &c.] Whom till then she had led in her hand, faint, and ready to die for thirst; who while he lived at the full in his father’ s house, but…

Read John Trapp on Genesis 21 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(15) She cast the child under one of the shrubs.—The act was one of despair. Ishmael, though seventeen years of age, had not yet come to his strength, and at a time when human life was so prolonged that forty was the usual age for marriage, was probably not as capable of bearing fatigue as a young man nearly grown up would be in our days. He thus became exhausted, and apparently fainted; and his mother, after trying in vain to support him, cast him down in anguish, and abandoned herself to her grief.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Genesis 21 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 15. And she cast the child] ותשלך את הילד vattashlech eth haiyeled, and she sent the lad under one of the shrubs, viz., to screen him from the intensity of the heat. Here Ishmael appears to be utterly helpless, and this circumstance seems farther to confirm the opinion that he was now in a state of infancy; but the preceding observations do this supposition entirely away, and his present helplessness will be easily accounted for on this ground: 1. Young persons can bear much less fatigue than those who are arrived at mature age. 2. They require much more fluid from the greater quantum of heat in their bodies, strongly marked by the impetuosity of the blood; because from them a much…

Read AdamClarke on Genesis 21 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

15. cast the child] This expression taken with the mention of the child in Genesis 21:14; Genesis 21:18 (“hold him in thine hand”), 20 (“and he grew”) implies that Ishmael is regarded in this story as a little boy, who could be carried by his mother. under one of the shrubs] We should probably understand by this word the low scrub such as grows in the desert, like the broom, under which Elijah rested, 1 Kings 19:4. The word used occurs also in Genesis 2:5 in a general sense; see note.

Read Cambridge on Genesis 21 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

15. Cast the child — From this it has been inferred that Ishmael could not have been a youth of over fifteen years.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Genesis 21 →

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

When the water in the skin was gone, she left the boy under one of the bushes.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

The water in the container was spent, and she put the child under one of the shrubs.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

When the water in the skin was gone, she left the boy under one of the bushes.

NETBNew English Translation2006

When the water in the skin was gone, she shoved the child under one of the shrubs.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And the water in the bottle was spent, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And the water in the bottle was spent, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

And when the water of the bottell was spent, she cast the childe vnder a certaine tree.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And the water was exhausted from the flask; and she cast the child under one of the shrubs,

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

and the water is consumed from the bottle, and she placeth the lad under one of the shrubs.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

and the water is consumed from the bottle, and she places the boy under one of the shrubs.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And the water was spent from the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

When the water in the waterskin was gone, she abandoned the child under one of the bushes.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And when the water in the bottle was spent, she cast the boy under one of the trees that were there.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

When the water ran out, she left the boy under one of the bushes.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And when all the water in the skin was used up, she put the child down under a tree.

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.

וַandclauseverbיִּכְל֥וּthey.were.finishednoun phrase · subjectהַtheמַּ֖יִםwater(s)prepositional phrase · prepositionalמִןfromnoun phraseהַtheחֵ֑מֶתskinוַandclauseverbתַּשְׁלֵ֣ךְshe.threwnoun phrase · objectאֶת(et)noun phraseהַtheיֶּ֔לֶדboyprepositional phrase · prepositionalתַּ֖חַתundernoun phraseאַחַ֥דonenoun phraseהַofשִּׂיחִֽםthe.bushes

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 agree closely, with the Septuagint matching 9 of the 10 words. However, the Samaritan Pentateuch differs slightly, using different words for 'throw' and 'bush', indicating some variation in the textual tradition.

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

וַיִּכְל֥וּ הַמַּ֖יִם מִן־ הַחֵ֑מֶת וַתַּשְׁלֵ֣ךְ אֶת־ הַיֶּ֔לֶד תַּ֖חַת אַחַ֥ד הַשִּׂיחִֽם׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיִּכְל֥וּἐχέλιπενהַמַּ֖יִםὕδωρמִן־ἐκהַחֵ֑מֶתἀσκοῦוַתַּשְׁלֵ֣ךְἔρριψενהַיֶּ֔לֶדπαιδίονתַּ֖חַתὑποκάτωאַחַ֥דμιᾶςהַשִּׂיחִֽם׃ἐλάτης

9 of the 10 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Samaritan Pentateuchthe Torah as the Samaritan community kept it

ויכלו המים מן החמת ותשׁליך את הילד תחת אחד השׂחים

2 words differ from the Masoretic Text: תשׁליך (throw), שׂחים (shrub)

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 21:15כָּלָהand they weand they were fכָּלָהמַיthe waterthe waterמַימִן־fromfromמִן־חֵ֫מֶתthe skinthe skinחֵ֫מֶתשָׁלַךְand she thrand she threwשָׁלַךְאֵתthe object the object markאֵתיֶ֫לֶדthe boythe boyיֶ֫לֶדתַּחַתunderunderתַּחַתאֶחָדone ofone ofאֶחָדשִׂיחַthe bushesthe bushesשִׂיחַאוֹתsign: mirasign: miraculouאוֹתיָלַדto begetto begetיָלַדחָדַדto go eithto go either waחָדַדשִׂיחַto museto museשִׂיחַמֵןstringstringמֵןחוֹמָהwallwallחוֹמָהתּוֹחַתּוֹחַקָצִירharvestharvestקָצִירחֵמָהragerageחֵמָהרָחַץto wash: wto wash: washרָחַץשָׁתָהto drinkto drinkשָׁתָהרָחַקto removeto removeרָחַקיָתַרto remainto remainיָתַרמַיWater (GatWater (Gate)מַיאֵת[Obj.][Obj.]אֵתנְבֵלָהcarcasscarcassנְבֵלָהבּוֹרpitpitבּוֹרמִגְרָשׁpasturepastureמִגְרָשׁ
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 21:15

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 they were finished the water from the skin and she threw the object marker the boy under one of the bushes
וַיִּכְל֥וּvai.yikh.Lu and they were finished H3615 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
208× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to finish or end something, like completing a task or using up a resource, as seen in Genesis 2:2 where God finished creating the heavens and earth.
Amplified meaning
completely consumed, used up
Tyndale gloss
to end: finish
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word כָּלָה (*kalah*) is a primitive root meaning to end or finish. It encompasses a range of meanings, including to complete, accomplish, perish, and destroy. The entries indicate various uses in both intransitive and transitive forms, covering actions like finishing a task or causing something to cease. Notably, it can also imply negative connotations, such as plotting or destruction.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כָּלָה 204 vb. be complete, at an end, finished, accomplished, spent

Qal

be complete, at an end, of a period of time

be completed, finished, of a work

be accomplished, fulfilled

be idealy complete, be determined, always in a bad sense, plotted

be spent, used up (prop. come to an end), of water

waste away, be exhausted, fail

come to an end, vanish = perish, be destroyed

Pi.

complete, bring to an end, finish, a thing, task, work, etc.

complete a period of time

finish doing a thing

make an end, end

accomplish, fulfil, bring to pass

accomplish in thought, determine

put an end to, cause to cease

cause to fail, exhaust, use up, spend

destroy, sts. exterminate

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3615 כָּלָה be complete, at an end, finished, accomplished, spent .. . be complete, at an end, of a period of time

. be completed, finished, of a work

. be accomplished, fulfilled

. be idealy complete, be determined, always in a bad sense, plotted

. . be spent, used up (prop. come to an end), of water

. waste away, be exhausted, fail

. come to an end, vanish = perish, be destroyed

. . . complete, bring to an end, finish, a thing, task, work, etc.

. complete a period of time

. finish doing a thing

. make an end, end

. accomplish, fulfil, bring to pass

. accomplish in thought, determine

. . put an end to, cause to cease

. cause to fail, exhaust, use up, spend

. destroy, sts. exterminate

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3615 kalah kaw-law'

a primitive root; to end, whether intransitive (to cease, be

finished, perish) or transitived (to complete, prepare,

consume):--accomplish, cease, consume (away), determine,

destroy (utterly), be (when ... were) done, (be an) end (of),

expire, (cause to) fail, faint, finish, fulfil, X fully, X

have, leave (off), long, bring to pass, wholly reap, make

clean riddance, spend, quite take away, waste.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כָּלָה (ka.lah) — to end: finish.

: finish

1) to accomplish, cease, consume, determine, end, fail, finish, be complete, be accomplished, be ended, be at an end, be finished, be spent

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to be complete, be at an end

1a2) to be completed, be finished

1a3) to be accomplished, be fulfilled

1a4) to be determined, be plotted (bad sense)

1a5) to be spent, be used up

1a6) to waste away, be exhausted, fail

1a7) to come to an end, vanish, perish, be destroyed

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to complete, bring to an end, finish

1b2) to complete (a period of time)

1b3) to finish (doing a thing)

1b4) to make an end, end

1b5) to accomplish, fulfil, bring to pass

1b6) to accomplish, determine (in thought)

1b7) to put an end to, cause to cease

1b8) to cause to fail, exhaust, use up, spend

1b9) to destroy, exterminate

1c) (Pual) to be finished, be ended, be completed

כָּלָה (ka.lah) — to end: destroy.

: destroy

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
Hc/Vqw3mp
and they were finished the water from the skin and she threw the object marker the boy under one of the bushes
הַמַּ֖יִםha.Ma.yim the water H4325 Particle · noun common masculine plural absolute
581× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means water, referring to a liquid or a source of refreshment. It appears in the Bible as a literal and figurative term, including references to wasting or urine. The word is used in various contexts, such as in Genesis and Leviticus.
Amplified meaning
liquid refreshment
Tyndale gloss
Water (Gate)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מַי (mayim) is a Hebrew word meaning 'water' and is used in the plural form. It encompasses various meanings, including literal water, urine, and metaphorical uses related to refreshment or danger. The entries indicate it is derived from a primitive noun and is primarily referenced in contexts involving water.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[מַי] 580 n.m. only pl. מַ֫יִם waters, water

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4325 מַי only pl. מַ֫יִם waters, water

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4325 mayim mah'-yim

dual of a primitive noun (but used in a singular sense);

water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen:--+

piss, wasting, water(-ing, (-course, -flood, -spring)).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מַי (ma.yim) — water.

1) water, waters

1a) water

1b) water of the feet, urine

1c) of danger, violence, transitory things, refreshment (fig.)

מַי (ma.yim) — Water (Gate).

This name means water, refreshment

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-mp — Particle · noun common masculine plural absolute
HTd/Ncmpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

wo'-ter (mayim; hudor):

(1) The Greek philosophers believed water to be the original substance and that all things were made from it. The Koran states, "From water we have made all things." In the story of the creation (Ge 1:2) water plays an elemental part.

(2) Because of the scarcity of water in Palestine it is especially appreciated by the people there. They love to go and sit by a stream of running water. Men long for a taste of the water of their native village (1Ch 11:17). A town or village is known throughout the country for the quality of its water, which is described by many adjectives, such as "light," "heavy," etc.

(3) The rainfall is the only source of supply of water for Palestine. The moisture is carried up from the sea in clouds and falls on the hills as rain or snow.…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

See CISTERN and WELLS.

In Isa 35:7, the Hebrew word for "parched ground" that shall become a pool of water, is the same with the Arabic term for the mirage, a peculiar optical illusion by which travelers in hot and dry deserts think they see broad lakes and flowing waters; they seem to discern the very ripple of the waves, and the swaying of tail trees on the margin in the cool breeze; green hills and houses and city ramparts rise before the astonished sight, recede as the traveler advances, and at length melt away in the hot haze. Not so the blessings of the gospel; they are no alluring mockery, but real waters of everlasting life, Isa 55:1 Joh 4:14 Re 22:1. Compare

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Creation of Ps 148:4,5

→ Covered the whole earth Ge 1:9

→ Daily allowance of Eze 4:11

→ City waterworks 2Ki 20:20

→ Vision of, by Ezekiel Eze 47:1-5

→ Of separation Nu 19:2-22

→ Libation of 1Sa 7:6

→ Irrigation with

See IRRIGATION

→ Miraculously supplied

To the Israelites Ex 17:1,6; Nu 20:11

To Samson Jud 15:19

Torrey's New Topical Textbook

- One of the elements of the world

Ge 1:2

- GOD ORIGINALLY

. Created the firmament to divide

Ge 1:6,7

. Collected into one place

Ge 1:9

. Created fowls and fishes, &c from

Ge 1:20,21

- Necessary to vegetation

Ge 2:5,6; Job 14:9; Isa 1:30

- Some plants particularly require

Job 8:11

- Necessary to the comfort and happiness of man

Isa 41:17; Zec 9:11

- COLLECTED IN

. Springs

and they were finished the water from the skin and she threw the object marker the boy under one of the bushes
מִן־min- from H4480 Preposition
1,189× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means a portion or part of something, and is often used to show the relationship between things, like from or out of something.
Tyndale gloss
from
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word מִן־ (*min*) is a preposition meaning 'from' or 'out of,' indicating separation or origin. It covers various uses, including temporal references, comparisons, and causal relationships. Additionally, it can denote a portion when used as a noun מֵן (*men*). The entries highlight its versatility in expressing different nuances of separation and position.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מִן־, and מִ, before יְ, prep. expressing the idea of separation, hence out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not

with verbs expressing (or implying) separation or removal

from, against

מן also, without a verb of similar significance, sometimes expresses the idea of separation, away from, far from

of position, off, on the side of, on

Out of, Gk. ἐκ, Lat. ex

Partitively

Of time—

as marking the terminus a quo, the anterior limit of a continuous period from, since

as marking the period immediately succeeding the limit after

towards, to

(וְעַד) עַד … מִן from … even to

In comparisons, beyond, above

מן is prefixed to an infin.:

with causal force, from, on account of, through

after verbs implying restraint, prevention, cessation, etc.

with a temporal force, since, after

Once as a conj. before a finite verb. that

In compounds:

base

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4480a מִן־, מִ, prep. expressing the idea of separation, hence out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not . with verbs expressing (or implying) separation or removal . from, against

. מן also, without a verb of similar significance, sometimes expresses the idea of separation, away from, far from

. of position, off, on the side of, on

. Out of, Gk. ἐκ, Lat. ex

. Partitively

. Of time— . as marking the terminus a quo, the anterior limit of a continuous period from, since

. as marking the period immediately succeeding the limit after

. towards, to

. (וְעַד) עַד … מִן from … even to

. In comparisons, beyond, above

. מן is prefixed to an infin.: . with causal force, from, on account of, through

. after verbs implying restraint, prevention, cessation, etc.

. with a temporal force, since, after

. Once as a conj. before a finite verb. that

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4480 min min

or minniy {min-nee'}; or minney (constructive plural)

{min-nay'}; (Isaiah 30:11); for 4482; properly, a part of;

hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many senses (as

follows):--above, after, among, at, because of, by (reason

of), from (among), in, X neither, X nor, (out) of, over,

since, X then, through, X whether, with.

see HEBREW for 04482

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מִן־ (min) — from.

prep

1) from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than

1a) from (expressing separation), off, on the side of

1b) out of

1b1) (with verbs of proceeding, removing, expelling)

1b2) (of material from which something is made)

1b3) (of source or origin)

1c) out of, some of, from (partitively)

1d) from, since, after (of time)

1e) than, more than (in comparison)

1f) from...even to, both...and, either...or

1g) than, more than, too much for (in comparisons)

1h) from, on account of, through, because (with infinitive)

conj

2) that

Aramaic equivalent: min (מִן־ "from" H4481)

מֵן (men) — portion.

n.m.

portion

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Preposition
HR
and they were finished the water from the skin and she threw the object marker the boy under one of the bushes
הַחֵ֑מֶתha.Che.met the skin H2573 Particle · noun common feminine singular absolute
3× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a leather bottle or waterskin, used to carry liquids. It is mentioned in Psalm 119 as a symbol of spiritual nourishment.
Amplified meaning
leather bottle
Tyndale gloss
bottle
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חֵ֫מֶת (chemeth) refers to a waterskin or bottle, specifically a skin bottle that is tied up. The entries consistently emphasize its use as a container for liquids, particularly in the context of ancient practices.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חֵ֫מֶת, חֶ֑מֶת n.[m.] waterskin

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2573 חֵ֫מֶת, חֶ֑מֶת waterskin

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2573 chemeth klay'-meth

from the same as 2346; a skin bottle (as tied up):--bottle.

see HEBREW for 02346

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חֵ֫מֶת (che.met) — bottle.

bottle, waterskin

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-fs — Particle · noun common feminine singular absolute
HTd/Ncfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

(`or, geledh, "human skin" (Job 16:15), basar, "flesh," in the sense of "nakedness" (Ps 102:5 the King James Version); derma):

Literal:

The word `or designates the skin of both men and animals, the latter both raw and in tanned condition: "Yahweh God made for Adam and for his wife coats of skins (`or), and clothed them" (Ge 3:21); "She put the skins (`or) of the kids of the goats upon his hands, and upon the smooth of his neck" (Ge 27:16); "Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots?" (Jer 13:23). The Hebrew geledh is found in the sense of human skin: "I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and have laid…

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Clothes of Ge 3:21

→ For covering the tabernacle Ex 25:5; Nu 4:8-14

→ Diseases of Le 13:38,39; De 28:27; Job 7:5

→ See BOILS

→ See LEPROSY

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and they were finished the water from the skin and she threw the object marker the boy under one of the bushes
וַתַּשְׁלֵ֣ךְva.tash.Lekh and she threw H7993 Verb · Hiphil · sequential imperfect third person feminine singular
125× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To throw or cast away is the meaning of this Hebrew verb. It is used in various contexts, including throwing lots or casting out something unwanted. The word appears in stories like Jonah being thrown into the sea.
Amplified meaning
abandoned, cast away
Tyndale gloss
to throw
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׁלַךְ (shalak) is a Hebrew verb meaning to throw, cast, or fling. It can be used literally or figuratively, covering actions like throwing away or casting lots. The Hiphil form indicates an active throwing, while the Hophal form suggests being thrown or cast. The entries collectively emphasize various nuances of throwing and casting.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[שָׁלַךְ] 125 vb. Hiph. 112 throw, fling, cast

Hoph.

be thrown, cast

be cast forth, out

be cast down

metaph., be cast

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7993 שָׁלַךְ Hiph. throw, fling, cast

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7993 shalak shaw-lak

a primitive root; to throw out, down or away (literally or

figuratively):--adventure, cast (away, down, forth, off,

out), hurl, pluck, throw.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁלַךְ (sha.lakh) — to throw.

1) to throw, cast, hurl, fling

1a) (Hiphil)

1a1) to throw, cast, throw away, cast off, shed, cast down

1a2) to cast (lots) (fig)

1b) (Hophal)

1b1) to be thrown, be cast

1b2) to be cast forth or out

1b3) to be cast down

1b4) to be cast (metaph)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Hiphil-ConsecImperf-3fs — Verb · Hiphil · sequential imperfect third person feminine singular
Hc/Vhw3fs
and they were finished the water from the skin and she threw the object marker the boy under one of the bushes
אֶת־'et- the object marker H853 Particle
10,946× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the original Hebrew, this word points out the object of a verb or preposition, like 'namely' or 'even'. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus. It's not directly translated in English, but helps clarify the meaning of sentences.
Tyndale gloss
[Obj.]
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֵת (eth) is primarily a grammatical marker in Hebrew, indicating the definite direct object of a verb. It is not translated into English and typically precedes nouns that are definite. The word is derived from a demonstrative sense of entity, related to the Hebrew word for 'self.' Its Aramaic equivalent is יָת (yat).

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

853 'eth ayth

apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of

entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more

definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or

namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).

see HEBREW for 0226

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵת (et) — [Obj.].

sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative

Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTo — Particle
HTo
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and they were finished the water from the skin and she threw the object marker the boy under one of the bushes
הַיֶּ֔לֶדhai.Ye.led the boy H3206 Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
89× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word refers to a young person, like a child or teenager, such as the youth who helped David in 1 Samuel 20:1. It can also mean offspring or descendants, like the children of Israel in Exodus 12:37.
Amplified meaning
youth
Tyndale gloss
youth
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יֶ֫לֶד (yeled) refers to a child, son, or youth, encompassing meanings like offspring and young man. It can also figuratively denote apostate Israelites. The word is derived from a root meaning something born, indicating its connection to birth and lineage.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יֶ֫לֶד 89 n.m. child, son, boy, youth

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3206 יֶ֫לֶד child, son, boy, youth

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3206 yeled yeh'-led

from 3205; something born, i.e. a lad or offspring:--boy,

child, fruit, son, young man (one).

see HEBREW for 03205

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יֶ֫לֶד (ye.led) — youth.

1) child, son, boy, offspring, youth

1a) child, son, boy

1b) child, children

1c) descendants

1d) youth

1e) apostate Israelites (fig.)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-ms — Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
HTd/Ncmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

(yeledh, "child," na`ar, "lad," "youth"; ho pais and he pais): Refers to a child of any age, and is sometimes used of either sex: Joe 3:3; Zec 8:5; Mt 17:18; Lu 2:43; 8:51,54 fem.; Lu 9:42. In the East the word applies also to an adult who is a servant (Mt 8:6 the Revised Version, margin). The boy occupied a place of special importance in the family life of all ancient people. In Syria the father even was called by the name of his son. He was known as the father of Joseph, or whatever the n ame might be. As is true among all oriental people, while the father had absolute…

and they were finished the water from the skin and she threw the object marker the boy under one of the bushes
תַּ֖חַתTa.chat under H8478 Noun common · masculine singular construct
505× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means underneath or below, often used to describe physical locations or positions. It appears in various books, including Genesis, Exodus, and Psalms, to indicate something is under or beneath something else. The word has several related meanings.
Amplified meaning
beneath
Tyndale gloss
underneath: under
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

תַּחַת (tachath) refers to the concept of being underneath or below. It can function as a noun meaning 'the under part,' or as an adverb and preposition indicating position or substitution, such as 'instead of' or 'for the sake of.' The word encompasses various uses, including physical placement and metaphorical meanings related to subjection or exchange.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

תַּחַת n.[m.] the under part, hence as adv. accus. and prep. underneath, below, instead of

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8478 תַּחַת the under part, hence as adv. accus. and prep. underneath, below, instead of

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8478 tachath takh'-ath

from the same as 8430; the bottom (as depressed); only

adverbially, below (often with prepositional prefix

underneath), in lieu of, etc.:--as, beneath, X flat,

in(-stead), (same) place (where...is), room, for...sake, stead

of, under, X unto, X when...was mine, whereas, (where-)fore,

with.

see HEBREW for 08430

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

תַּחַת (ta.chat) — underneath: under.

: under/below

1) the under part, beneath, instead of, as, for, for the sake of, flat, unto, where, whereas n m

1a) the under part adv accus

1b) beneath prep

1c) under, beneath

1c1) at the foot of (idiom)

1c2) sweetness, subjection, woman, being burdened or oppressed (fig)

1c3) of subjection or conquest

1d) what is under one, the place in which one stands

1d1) in one's place, the place in which one stands (idiom with reflexive pronoun)

1d2) in place of, instead of (in transferred sense)

1d3) in place of, in exchange or return for (of things mutually interchanged)

conj

1e) instead of, instead of that

1f) in return for that, because that in compounds

1g) in, under, into the place of (after verbs of motion)

1h) from under, from beneath, from under the hand of, from his place, under, beneath

תַּחַת (ta.chat) — underneath: instead.

: instead/in_place/exchange

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Noun common · masculine singular construct
HNcmsc
and they were finished the water from the skin and she threw the object marker the boy under one of the bushes
אַחַ֥ד'a.Chad one of H259 Adj
971× 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 one or united, and is used to describe something that is single or unique. It is often translated as one, first, or alone. For example, in Genesis 1:5, God calls the light day and the darkness night, and separates them into one thing from another.
Amplified meaning
a single
Tyndale gloss
one
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֶחָד (echad) means 'one' and is derived from a numeral. It encompasses meanings such as each, every, a certain, and can serve as an indefinite article. It is also used as an ordinal to denote 'first' and appears in various combinations, including eleven. The entries consistently emphasize its numerical and qualitative aspects.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶחָד 972 adj.num. one

one

= each, every

= a certain

= indef. art.

only, & (fem.) once

one … another, one … the other

as ordinal first

in combin.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H259 אֶחָד one . one

. = each, every

. = a certain

. = indef. art.

. only, & (fem.) once

. one … another, one … the other

. as ordinal first

. in combin.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

259 'echad ekh-awd'

a numeral from 258; properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an

ordinal) first:--a, alike, alone, altogether, and,

any(-thing), apiece, a certain, (dai-)ly, each (one), +

eleven, every, few, first, + highway, a man, once, one, only,

other, some, together,

see HEBREW for 0258

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶחָד (e.chad) — one.

1) one (number)

1a) one (number)

1b) each, every

1c) a certain

1d) an (indefinite article)

1e) only, once, once for all

1f) one...another, the one...the other, one after another, one by one

1g) first

1h) eleven (in combination), eleventh (ordinal)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Adj
HAcfsc
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 they were finished the water from the skin and she threw the object marker the boy under one of the bushes
הַשִּׂיחִֽם׃ha.si.Chim the bushes H7880 Particle · noun common masculine plural absolute
4× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word describes a small plant or bush, like the ones found in the wilderness, as mentioned in the book of Exodus.
Amplified meaning
small plants, shrubs
Tyndale gloss
bush
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שִׂיחַ (siyach) refers to a bush, shrub, or plant. It is derived from a root meaning to put forth or utter, suggesting growth. The term is consistently used across lexicons to denote various types of vegetation.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שִׂיחַ n.[m.] bush, shrub, plant

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7880 שִׂיחַ bush, shrub, plant

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7880 siyach see'-akh

from 7878; a shoot (as if uttered or put forth), i.e.

(generally) shrubbery:--bush, plant, shrub.

see HEBREW for 07878

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שִׂיחַ (si.ach) — bush.

bush, plant, shrub

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-mp — Particle · noun common masculine plural absolute
HTd/Ncmpa
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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