Menu

Genesis 27:26 — Word Study

Depth

WLCוַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֵלָ֖יו יִצְחָ֣ק אָבִ֑יו גְּשָׁה־ נָּ֥א וּשְׁקָה־ לִּ֖י בְּנִֽי׃

BSAThen his fatherʼâb [parent, ancestor] IsaacYitschâq [he laughs, son of Abraham] saidʼâmar to himʼêl Pleasenâʼ [I pray, if you will] come nearnâgash [approach, draw close] and kissnâshaq [touch, show affection] my sonbên [child, descendant]

Word
Listen & take awayGenesis 27
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 26 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 (be.Ni) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Genesis 27:26quick helps
In a sentenceIsaac asks Jacob to come close and show him affection.
Who is speakingIsaac, the father of Jacob.
Where we areIn the midst of a significant family moment.
The hard wordגְּשָׁה
Take awayThe request is intimate and personal.
5 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbאָמַר 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 27:26

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 — Isaac Blesses Jacobgenerated

25“Serve me,” said Isaac, “and let me eat some of my son’s game, so that I may bless you.” Jacob brought it to him, and he ate; then he brought him wine, and he drank.
26Then his father Isaac said to him, “Please come near and kiss me, my son.”
27So he came near and kissed him. When Isaac smelled his clothing, he blessed him and said: “Ah, the smell of my son is like the smell of a field that the LORD has blessed.
28May God give to you the dew of heaven and the richness of the earth— an abundance of grain and new wine.

Genesis 27:26 captures a pivotal moment where Isaac, feeling the need to bless his son, invites Jacob to come closer. This act is part of a larger narrative involving deception and family dynamics, reflecting the complexities of familial relationships and blessings in the biblical context.


Cross References


The Key Word גְּשָׁה, ge.shahgenerated

The verb גְּשָׁה (ge.shah) is an imperative form of נָגַשׁ (nagash), meaning 'to draw near' or 'to approach.' It conveys a sense of invitation and intimacy, urging Jacob to come closer to Isaac.

This word is used in contexts that often imply a physical movement towards someone or something, and in this case, it highlights the personal and affectionate nature of Isaac's request.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

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


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb וַיֹּ֥אמֶר (vai.Yo.mer) governs the entire sentence, indicating Isaac's speech. The structure is straightforward, with a command followed by the object of the command.

The imperative גְּשָׁה־ emphasizes Isaac's request for Jacob to approach him, while the additional phrases clarify the context and relationship.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates וַיֹּ֥אמֶר as εἶπεν (eipen), which carries the same meaning of 'he said.' This choice reflects a direct correspondence in the act of speaking.

For גְּשָׁה, the translators chose ἔγγισόν (enggisón), which also means 'draw near,' maintaining the intimate invitation present in the Hebrew.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Genesis 27:26 shows Isaac asking Jacob to come closer and kiss him. This moment is filled with intimacy as Isaac seeks to bless his son, highlighting the significance of family bonds and the act of blessing in their culture.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does Isaac mean by 'come near'?

Isaac is inviting Jacob to approach him closely, indicating a personal and affectionate moment between father and son.

Why does Isaac ask for a kiss?

The kiss is a sign of affection and intimacy, reflecting the close relationship between Isaac and Jacob.

What is the significance of this blessing?

In biblical times, blessings were significant and often carried spiritual weight, impacting the future of the recipient.

How does this moment reflect family dynamics?

This interaction highlights the complexities of family relationships, especially in the context of Isaac's intentions and Jacob's actions.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What does it mean to approach someone with affection in my own relationships?
  2. How can I express love and intimacy in my family?
  3. What role do blessings play in my life and the lives of those around me?
  4. How can I navigate complex family dynamics while maintaining love and respect?

Commentators on this verse — 5 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Genesis 27:26 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

And his father Isaac said unto him,.... After he had eat and drank, and the repast was over, and all were took away: come near now, and kiss me, my son; which was desired either out of affection to

Read John Gill on Genesis 27 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And he came unto his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I; who art thou, my son? He came unto his father.

Read Robert Jamieson on Genesis 27 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Which he did, either that he might more fully satisfy himself concerning the person, or rather as a mark of that special favour and affection wherewith he bestowing the blessing. Compare .

Read Matthew Poole on Genesis 27 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Genesis 27:26 And his father Isaac said unto him, Come near now, and kiss me, my son.Ver. 26. Come near now, and kiss me, my son.] Kissing is a symbol of sweetest love: and those that "love out of a pure heart fervently," do therefore kiss, as desiring to transfuse, if it might be, the souls of either into other, and to become one with the party so beloved, and, in the best sense, kissed.

Read John Trapp on Genesis 27 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(26) Come near now, and kiss me, my son.—This was the solemn preparation for the giving of the blessing. Isaac’s suspicions had now quite passed away. He had eaten and drunk, and the time had now come for the decision which son was to inherit the promise.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Genesis 27 →

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

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

Modern formal

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

Then his father Isaac said to him, “Please come near and kiss me, my son.”

WEBWorld English Bible2000

His father Isaac said to him, “Come near now, and kiss me, my son.”

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Then his father Isaac said to him, “Please come near and kiss me, my son.”

NETBNew English Translation2006

Then his father Isaac said to him, “Come here and kiss me, my son.”

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And his father Isaac said unto him, Come near now, and kiss me, my son.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And his father Isaac said unto him, Come near now, and kiss me, my son.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And his father Isaac said unto him, Come near now, and kiss me, my son.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And his father Isaac said to him, Come near now, and kiss me, my son.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Afterward his father Izhak sayd vnto him, Come neere nowe, and kisse me, my sonne.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And his father Isaac said to him, Come near, now, and kiss me, my son.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And Isaac his father saith to him, 'Come nigh, I pray thee, and kiss me, my son;'

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And his father Isaac says to him, “Please come near and kiss me, my son”;

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And Isaac his father said unto him, Come near, I pray thee, and kiss me, my son.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Then his father Isaac said to him, “Come near now and kiss me, my son.”

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

He said to him: Come near me, and give me a kiss, my son.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Afterwards he said to Isaac, “Come here and kiss me, my son.”

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And his father Isaac said to him, Come near now, my son, and give me a kiss.

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.

וַandclauseverbיֹּ֥אמֶרhe.saidprepositional phrase · prepositionalאֵלָ֖יtoוhimnoun phrase · subjectיִצְחָ֣קIsaacnoun phraseאָבִ֑יfatherוhisclauseclauseclauseverb phrase · verbגְּשָׁdrawהnearadverbialנָּ֥אpleaseוּandclauseverb phrase · verbשְׁקָkissהprepositional phrase · prepositionalלִּ֖(to)יmeclausenoun phraseבְּנִֽmy.sonיmy

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 Samaritan Pentateuch agree word for word in this verse, confirming the consistency of the text across these traditions. The Septuagint matches 8 of the 9 words from the Hebrew, demonstrating a close translation while maintaining its own structure.

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

וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֵלָ֖יו יִצְחָ֣ק אָבִ֑יו גְּשָׁה־ נָּ֥א וּשְׁקָה־ לִּ֖י בְּנִֽי׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיֹּ֥אמֶרεἶπενאֵלָ֖יוαὐτῷיִצְחָ֣קισαακאָבִ֑יוαὐτοῦגְּשָׁה־ἔγγισόνוּשְׁקָה־φίλησόνלִּ֖יμεבְּנִֽי׃τέκνον

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

Samaritan Pentateuchthe Torah as the Samaritan community kept it

ויאמר אליו יצחק אביו גשׁה נא ושׁקה לי בני

Agrees with the Masoretic Text here, word for word.

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 27:26אָמַרand he saidand he saidאָמַראֶלto himto himאֶליִצְחָקIsaacIsaacיִצְחָקאָבfather hisfather hisאָבנָגַשׁdraw near !draw near !נָגַשׁנָאpleasepleaseנָאנָשַׁקand kiss !and kiss !נָשַׁקנִיmemeנִיבֵּןO son myO son myבֵּןצָחַקto laughto laughצָחַקבָּנָהto buildto buildבָּנָהשָׂלַקto kindleto kindleשָׂלַקחָזַקto strengtto strengthen: חָזַקכֹּהthusthusכֹּהיהוהYHWH/GodYHWH/Godיהוהפָּלַלto prayto prayפָּלַליִרְמְיָ֫הJeremiahJeremiahיִרְמְיָ֫האַבְרָםAbrahamAbrahamאַבְרָםיַעֲקֹבJacobJacobיַעֲקֹבקָבַרto buryto buryקָבַראֵםmothermotherאֵםמִנְחָהofferingofferingמִנְחָהחֵןfavorfavorחֵןעַתָּ֫הnownowעַתָּ֫הבָּכָהto weepto weepבָּכָהקֶ֫שֶׁתbowbowקֶ֫שֶׁתעַמּוֹןAmmonAmmonעַמּוֹן
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 27:26

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 said to him Isaac father his draw near ! please and kiss ! me O son my
וַיֹּ֥אמֶרvai.Yo.mer 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 said to him Isaac father his draw near ! please and kiss ! me O son my
אֵלָ֖יו'e.Lav to him H413 Preposition · suffix
5,518× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means 'to' or 'toward', showing direction or movement. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus, to indicate where someone is going. The KJV translates it in various ways, like 'about', 'according to', or 'against'.
Tyndale gloss
to(wards)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph),

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

Where the limit is actually entered, into

Of direction towards anything

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

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

Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

Of rule or standard according to (rare)

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

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

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

. Where the limit is actually entered, into

. Of direction towards anything

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

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

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

. Of rule or standard according to (rare)

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

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

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

413 'el ale

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

a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but

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

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

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

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

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

with(-in).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶל (el) — to(wards).

1) to, toward, unto (of motion)

2) into (limit is actually entered)

2a) in among

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

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

5) in addition to, to

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

7) according to (rule or standard)

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

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | Suff — Preposition · suffix
HRd/Sp3ms
and he said to him Isaac father his draw near ! please and kiss ! me O son my
יִצְחָ֣קyitz.Chak Isaac H3327 Noun proper masculine
108× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Isaac, son of Abraham and Sarah, means 'he laughs' and is the father of Esau and Israel. He is first mentioned in Genesis 17:19. Isaac is a key figure in the Bible, playing a role in the patriarchal stories.
Amplified meaning
he laughs, son of Abraham
Tyndale gloss
Isaac
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יִצְחָק (Yitschaq) refers to Isaac, the son of Abraham and Sarah, whose name means 'he laughs.' The entries indicate that he is a significant figure in the Old Testament, mentioned first in Genesis 17:19, and is the father of Jacob and Esau. The word is built from the root associated with laughter or mockery.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יִצְחָק 108, יִשְׂחָק 4 n.pr.m. Isaac, son of Abr. and Sarah (he laugheth)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3327 יִצְחָק, יִשְׂחָק Isaac, son of Abr. and Sarah (he laugheth)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3327 Yitschaq yits-khawk'

from 6711; laughter (i.e. mochery); Jitschak (or Isaac), son

of Abraham:--Isaac. Compare 3446.

see HEBREW for 06711

see HEBREW for 03446

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יִצְחָק (yits.chaq) — Isaac.

A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.17.19;

son of: Abraham (H0085) and Sarah (H8283);

half-brother of: Ishmael (H3458), Zimran (H2175), Jokshan (H3370), Medan (H4091), Midian (H4080), Ishbak (H3435) and Shuah (H7744); married to Rebekah (H7259);

father of: Esau (H6215) and Israel (H3478)

§ Isaac = "he laughs"

son of Abraham by Sarah his wife and father of Jacob and Esau

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

i'-zak:oIT- (CS:HebrewIT+`iruIT-/CS): Eldest son of Caleb (1Ch 4:15); probably to be read Ir, the syllable "-u" being the conjunction "and" belonging to the following word.

I. NAME

1. Root, Forms, Analogues

2. Implication

II. FAMILY AND KINDRED

1. Birth and Place in the Family

2. Relation to the Religious Birthright

3. Significance of Marriage

III. STORY OF LIFE

1. Previous to Marriage

2. Subsequent to Marriage

IV. BIBLICAL REFERENCES

1. In the Old Testament

2. In the New Testament

V. VIEWS OTHER THAN THE HISTORICAL

I. Name.

1. Root, Forms and Analogues:

This name has the double spelling, yitschaq, and yitschaq (Isaak), corresponding to the two forms in which appears the root meaning "to laugh"--a root that runs through nearly all the Semitic languages. In Hebrew both tsachaq and sachaq have their cognate nouns, and signify, in the simple stem, "to…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Isaac

Laughter. (1) Israel, or the kingdom of the ten tribes (Amos 7:9, 16).

(2.) The only son of Abraham by Sarah. He was the longest lived of the three patriarchs (Gen. 21:1-3). He was circumcised when eight days old (4-7); and when he was probably two years old a great feast was held in connection with his being weaned.

The next memorable event in his life is that connected with the command of God given to Abraham to offer him up as a sacrifice on a mountain in the land of Moriah (Gen. 22). (See ABRAHAM.) When he was forty years of age Rebekah was chosen for his wife (Gen. 24). After the death and burial of his father he took up his residence at Beer-lahai-roi (25:7-11), where his two sons, Esau and Jacob, were born (21-26), the former of whom seems to have been his favourite son…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(laughter), the son whom Sara bore to Abraham, in the hundredth year of his age, at Gerar. (B.C. 1897.) In his infancy he became the object of Ishmael’s jealousy; and in his youth the victim, in intention, of Abraham’s great sacrificial act of faith. When forty years old he married Rebekah his cousin, by whom, when he was sixty, he had two sons, Esau and Jacob. Driven by famine to Gerar, he acquired great wealth by his flocks but was repeatedly dispossessed by the Philistines of the wells which he sunk at convenient stations. After the deceit by which Jacob acquired his father’s blessing Isaac sent his son to seek a wife in Padan-aram; and all that we know of him during the last forty-three years of his life in that he saw that GOD, with a large and prosperous family, return to him at Hebron. (Genesis 36:27) before he died there, at…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Laughter, Ge 17:17 18:12 21:6, one of the patriarchal ancestors of the Hebrew nation and of Christ, son of Abraham and Sarah, B. C. 1896-1705. His history is related in Ge 21:1-34 24:1-28:22 35:27-29. He is memorable for the circumstances attending his birth, as a child of prophecy and promise, in the old age of his parents. Even in childhood he was the object of dislike to his brother Ishmael, son of the bondwoman; and in this, a type of all children of the promise, Ga 4:29. Trained in the fear of God to early manhood, he showed a noble trust and obedience in his conduct during that remarkable trail of faith which established Abraham as the "father of the faithful;" and in his meek submission to all the will of God…

and he said to him Isaac father his draw near ! please and kiss ! me O son my
אָבִ֑יו'a.Viv father his H1 Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
1,213× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In Hebrew, this word means father, whether literal or figurative. It is used to describe God as the father of his people, as well as human fathers like Abraham. The word is about a paternal relationship or authority.
Amplified meaning
parent, ancestor
Tyndale gloss
father
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָב (av) means 'father' and encompasses various roles such as the literal father of an individual, God as the father of His people, and the head of a household or clan. It can also refer to an ancestor, originator of a profession, or a figure of respect and protection. Notably, it can imply a ruler or chief in later contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָב 1101 n.m. father

father of individual

of God as father of his people

head of household, family or clan

ancestor

originator or patron of a class, profession, or art

fig. of producer, generator

fig. of benevolence & protection

term of respect & honor

specif., ruler, chief (late)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1 אָב father . father of individual

. of God as father of his people

. head of household, family or clan

. ancestor

. originator or patron of a class, profession, or art

. fig. of producer, generator

. fig. of benevolence & protection

. term of respect & honor

. specif., ruler, chief (late)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1 'ab awb

a primitive word; father, in a literal and immediate, or

figurative and remote application):--chief,

(fore-)father(-less), X patrimony, principal. Compare names

in "Abi-".

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָב (av) — father.

1) father of an individual

2) of God as father of his people

3) head or founder of a household, group, family, or clan

4) ancestor

4a) grandfather, forefathers - of person

4b) of people

5) originator or patron of a class, profession, or art

6) of producer, generator (fig.)

7) of benevolence and protection (fig.)

8) term of respect and honour

9) ruler or chief (spec.)

Also means: av (אַב "father" H0002)

אָב (av) — (Huram)-abi.

A man living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ki.7.13; also called Huram-abi (KJV: "Huram my father's") at 2Ch.2.13; 4.16;

Combined with chi.ram (חִירָם "Hiram" H2438H)

אָב (av) — father of.

The father of Gibeon, also known as Abiel - a man of the tribe of Benjamin living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Sa.9.1;

son of: Zeror (H6872C); married to Maacah (H4601N);

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HNcmsc/Sp3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hiz: Used often in the King James Version with reference to a neuter or inanimate thing, or to a lower animal (Ge 1:11, "after his kind"; Le 1:16, "pluck away his crop"; Ac 12:10, "of his own accord"; 1Co 15:38, "his own body"), etc. the Revised Version (British and American) substitutes "its."

and he said to him Isaac father his draw near ! please and kiss ! me O son my
גְּשָׁה־ge.shah- draw near ! H5066 Verb qal imperative second person masculine singular · suffix
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
approach, draw close
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
V-Qal-Impv-2ms | Suff — Verb qal imperative second person masculine singular · suffix
HVqv2ms/Sh
and he said to him Isaac father his draw near ! please and kiss ! me O son my
נָּ֥אna' please H4994 Particle
404× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word 'nâ'' is used to express a polite request, like 'please' or 'I pray', and is often added to verbs to make them more polite. In the Bible, it appears in passages like Ezra's reading of the law to the people.
Amplified meaning
I pray, if you will
Tyndale gloss
please
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נָא (na') is a Hebrew particle used primarily for entreaty or exhortation, meaning 'I pray,' 'now,' or 'please.' It often appears attached to verbs in the imperative or future forms, and can also modify interjections, adverbs, or conjunctions. The entries consistently emphasize its role in expressing a plea or request.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נָא part. of entreaty or exhortation, I (we) pray, now (enclitic)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4994 נָא I (we) pray, now (enclitic)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4994 na' naw

a primitive particle of incitement and entreaty, which may

usually be rendered: "I pray," "now," or "then"; added mostly

to verbs (in the Imperative or Future), or to interjections,

occasionally to an adverb or conjunction:--I beseech (pray)

thee (you), go to, now, oh.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָא (na) — please.

1) I (we) pray, now, please

1a) used in entreaty or exhortation

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part — Particle
HTj
and he said to him Isaac father his draw near ! please and kiss ! me O son my
וּשְׁקָה־u.she.kah- and kiss ! H5401 Conjunction · verb qal imperative second person masculine singular · suffix
35× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To kiss or touch, also to equip with weapons, as seen in armed men or rulers. It appears in various forms, including a romantic kiss or a mode of attachment. In the Bible, it is used to describe intimate touch.
Amplified meaning
touch, show affection
Tyndale gloss
to kiss
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נָשַׁק (nashaq) primarily means 'to kiss,' with various forms indicating gentle touching or equipping with weapons. The exact meaning can be uncertain, possibly extending to handling or being equipped. It appears in contexts related to affection and attachment, as well as in descriptions of armed individuals.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נָשַׁק vb. kiss

Qal kiss

Pi. kiss

Hiph. of wings of cherubim, gently touching each other

base

[נָשַׁק] vb. exact meaning uncertain; prob. either handle or be equiped with

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5401a נָשַׁק kiss H5401b נָשַׁק exact meaning uncertain; prob. either handle or be equiped with

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5401 nashaq naw-shak'

a primitive root (identical with 5400, through the idea of

fastening up; compare 2388, 2836); to kiss, literally or

figuratively (touch); also (as a mode of attachment), to equip

with weapons:--armed (men), rule, kiss, that touched.

see HEBREW for 05400

see HEBREW for 02388

see HEBREW for 02836

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָשַׁק (na.shaq) — to kiss.

1) to put together, kiss

1a) (Qal) to kiss

1b) (Piel) to kiss

1c) (Hiphil) to touch gently

נָשַׁק (na.shaq) — to handle.

1) to handle, be equipped with

1a) (Qal) to be equipped

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-Impv-2ms | Suff — Conjunction · verb qal imperative second person masculine singular · suffix
HC/Vqv2ms/Sh
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

(nashaq; phileo, kataphilo, philema): The kiss is common in eastern lands in salutation, etc., on the cheek, the forehead, the beard, the hands, the feet, but not (in Pal) the lips (Cheyne, E B, under the word "Salutations"). In the Bible there is no sure instance of the kiss in ordinary salutation. We have in the Old Testament naschaq, "to kiss," used

(1) of relatives (which seems the origin of the practice of kissing; compare So 8:1, "Oh that thou wert as my brother .... I would kiss thee; yea, and none would despise me"); Ge 27:26,27 (Isaac and Jacob); 29:11 (Jacob and Rachel); 33:4 (Esau and Jacob); 45:15 (Joseph and his brethren); 48:10 (Jacob and Joseph's sons); 50:1 (Joseph and his father); Ex 4:27 (Aaron and Moses); 18:7…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Kiss

Of affection (Gen. 27:26, 27; 29:13; Luke 7:38, 45); reconciliation (Gen. 33:4; 2 Sam. 14:33); leave-taking (Gen. 31:28,55; Ruth 1:14; 2 Sam. 19:39); homage (Ps. 2:12; 1 Sam. 10:1); spoken of as between parents and children (Gen. 27:26; 31:28, 55; 48:10; 50:1; Ex. 18:7;

Kissing the lips by way of affectionate salutation was customary among near relatives of both sexes, in both patriarchal and later times. (Genesis 29:11; Solomon 8:1) Between individuals of the same sex, and in a limited degree between those of different sexes, the kiss on the cheek as a mark of respect or an act of salutation has at all times been customary in the East, and can hardly be said to be extinct even in Europe. In the Christian Church the kiss of charity was practiced not only as a friendly salutation, but as an act symbolical of love and Christian brotherhood. (Romans 16:16; 1 Corinthians 16:20; 2 Corinthians 13:12;

This salutation was customary in the East, to express regard and reverence, as well as affection, Gen 29.13; Ru 1.14; Acts 20.37. Sometimes the beard was kissed, 2Sa 20:9; and in token of humble affection, the feet, Lu 7:38. Images and the heavenly bodies were worshipped by kissing the hand towards them, 1Ki 19:18 Job 31:27 Ho 13:2. The expression, "Kiss the Son," Ps 2:12, may be illustrated by 1Sa 10:1, where king Saul receives the kiss of allegiance from Samuel. This salutation being customary in those days…

and he said to him Isaac father his draw near ! please and kiss ! me O son my
לִּ֖יli me H9030 Preposition · suffix
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נִי (ni) — me.

Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 1st person singular

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HRd/Sp1bs — Preposition · suffix
HRd/Sp1bs
and he said to him Isaac father his draw near ! please and kiss ! me O son my
בְּנִֽי׃be.Ni O son my H1121 Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
4,943× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word means a son or descendant, and can also refer to a grandson, nation, or quality. It appears in 1 Chronicles 24, describing a Levite named Beno. The word is used to show family relationships and inheritance.
Amplified meaning
child, descendant
Tyndale gloss
son: child
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בֵּן (ben) means 'son' or 'male child' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including descendants, young animals, and even figurative uses like sparks or arrows. It can refer to members of a tribe or class and is used in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, such as in 1 Chronicles 24:26. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to build' and implies a connection to family or lineage.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בֵּן 4870 n.m. son

son, male child, born of a woman

children (male and female)

youth, young men

the young of animals

of plant shoots

fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows

member of a guild, order or class

of animals son of (the) herd

ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.

n. relat. of age

base

בְּנוֹ 1 Ch 24:26, 27 as n.pr.m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son, cf. VB & Be Öt.

done

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1121a בֵּן son . son, male child, born of a woman

. children (male and female)

. youth, young men

. the young of animals

. of plant shoots

. fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows

. . member of a guild, order or class

. of animals son of (the) herd

. ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.

. n. relat. of age

H1121b בְּנוֹ as n. pr. m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1121 ben bane

from 1129; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the

widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship,

including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition,

etc., (like 1, 251, etc.)):--+ afflicted, age, (Ahoh-)

(Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-)ite, (anoint-)ed one, appointed to,

(+) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-)ian, one born,

bough, branch, breed, + (young) bullock, + (young) calf, X

came up in, child, colt, X common, X corn, daughter, X of

first, + firstborn, foal, + very fruitful, + postage, X in, +

kid, + lamb, (+) man, meet, + mighty, + nephew, old, (+)

people, + rebel, + robber, X servant born, X soldier, son, +

spark, + steward, + stranger, X surely, them of, + tumultuous

one, + valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.

see HEBREW for 01129

see HEBREW for 01

see HEBREW for 0251

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בֵּן (ben) — son: child.

: child/son

בְּנוֹ (be.no) — Beno.

A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ch.24.26;

son of: Jaaziah (H3269);

brother of: Shoham (H7719), Zaccur (H2139I) and Ibri (H5681)

§ Beno = "his son"

the sons of Jaaziah and the sons of Merari by Jaahziah (his son)

בֵּן (ben) — son: descendant/people.

: descendant, people, tribe, nation

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

§ : child/son

בֵּן (ben) — son: young animal.

: calf/lamb/young(ANIMAL)

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

§ : descendant

בֵּן (ben) — son: type of.

: rebel/son(Belial)

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

§ : people/men/nation/tribe

בֵּן (ben) — son.

: [inheriting]son/heir

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

בֵּן (ben) — son: warrior.

: warrior/son(strong)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HNcmsc/Sp1bs
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.

Everything we make is available for free because of a generous community of supporters.

Donate