Menu

Genesis 34:10 — Word Study

Depth

WLCוְאִתָּ֖נוּ תֵּשֵׁ֑בוּ וְהָאָ֙רֶץ֙ תִּהְיֶ֣ה לִפְנֵיכֶ֔ם שְׁבוּ֙ וּסְחָר֔וּהָ וְהֵֽאָחֲז֖וּ בָּֽהּ׃

BSAYou may settleyâshab [live, dwell] among usʼêth and the landʼerets [country, territory] {will} behâyâh open to youpânîym [before you, at your command] Live hereyâshab [dwell, reside] move about freelyçâchar [travel, trade] and acquire your own propertyʼâchaz [get, take possession of, possessions, inheritance]

Word
Listen & take awayGenesis 34
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 10 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 (Bah) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Genesis 34:10quick helps
In a sentenceShechem offers a proposal for Dinah's family to settle and thrive in the land.
Who is speakingShechem, addressing Dinah's family.
Where we areThe negotiation between Shechem and Dinah's family concerning intermarriage and settlement.
The hard wordאִתָּ֖נוּ
Take awayShechem invites Dinah's family to dwell and prosper in the land.
5 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbיָשַׁב 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 34:10

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 Proposal of Shechemgenerated

9Intermarry with us; give us your daughters, and take our daughters for yourselves.
10You may settle among us, and the land will be open to you. Live here, move about freely, and acquire your own property.”
11Then Shechem said to Dinah’s father and brothers, “Grant me this favor, and I will give you whatever you ask.
12Demand a high dowry and an expensive gift, and I will give you whatever you ask. Only give me the girl as my wife!”

Genesis 34:10 presents Shechem's offer to Dinah's family, suggesting they settle among him and his people. This request is part of a larger narrative where Shechem desires to marry Dinah and seeks to establish a relationship with her family. The context highlights the cultural practices of intermarriage and land sharing in ancient times, reflecting the social dynamics of the era.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Genesis 34:21–23“These men are at peace with us. Let them live and trade in our land; indeed, it is large enough for them. Let us take their daughters in marriage and give our daughters to them.
2Genesis 13:9Is not the whole land before you? Now separate yourself from me. If you go to the left, I will go to the right; if you go to the right, I will go to the left.”
3Genesis 20:15And Abimelech said, “Look, my land is before you. Settle wherever you please.”
4Genesis 42:34But bring your youngest brother back to me so I will know that you are not spies but honest men. Then I will give your brother back to you, and you can trade in the land.’”
5Genesis 47:27Now the Israelites settled in the land of Egypt, in the region of Goshen. They acquired property there and became fruitful and increased greatly in number.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 5 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word אִתָּ֖נוּ, ve.'i.Ta.nugenerated

The Hebrew word אִתָּ֖נוּ (ve.'i.Ta.nu) is a combination of a conjunction and a preposition with a suffix, meaning 'with us.' It indicates a close relationship or proximity, suggesting that Shechem is inviting Dinah's family to join him in a communal life.

This word is commonly used throughout the Hebrew Bible to express companionship and association, emphasizing the connection between individuals or groups. In this verse, it underscores Shechem's desire for Dinah's family to integrate into his community.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

The translations agree on the rendering of אִתָּ֖נוּ as 'among us' or 'with us,' maintaining the sense of community in Shechem's proposal.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The finite verb governing the verse is תֵּשֵׁ֑בוּ, you will dwell, which is followed by a series of phrases: a noun phrase indicating the subject, a prepositional phrase specifying the location, and additional clauses detailing actions to be taken.

The structure highlights Shechem's invitation, emphasizing the verbs that describe the actions of settling, moving about, and acquiring property, which collectively outline the terms of his proposal.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, the Hebrew אִתָּ֖נוּ is rendered as ἡμῖν (hēmin), meaning 'with us.' This choice reflects a direct invitation to join the community, similar to the Hebrew.

The translation maintains the relational aspect of Shechem's offer, ensuring the sense of inclusion is preserved in the Greek text.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Genesis 34:10 shows Shechem asking Dinah's family to live among his people. He offers them the land and invites them to settle, move freely, and acquire their own property. This reflects the customs of the time regarding marriage and land ownership.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does Shechem mean by 'settle among us'?

Shechem is inviting Dinah's family to live in his community, suggesting a close relationship and integration into his people.

Why is land ownership significant in this context?

Land ownership indicates stability and prosperity, which Shechem is offering to Dinah's family as part of his proposal for marriage.

What cultural practices are reflected in this verse?

The verse reflects ancient customs of intermarriage and land sharing, which were common practices for establishing alliances and community ties.

How does this proposal impact Dinah's family?

The proposal presents an opportunity for Dinah's family to gain land and security, but it also raises questions about their autonomy and the implications of intermarriage.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What does it mean to dwell in a community, and how does that affect relationships?
  2. How can we understand the significance of land and property in our own lives?
  3. In what ways do we seek to integrate with others while maintaining our identity?
  4. What lessons can we draw from Shechem's proposal about negotiation and community building?

Commentators on this verse — 5 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Genesis 34:10 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

And ye shall dwell with us,..... Peaceably and quietly, not as sojourners only, but as inhabitants: and the land shall be before you; to choose what part of it they pleased to dwell in, and which

Read John Gill on Genesis 34 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And ye shall dwell with us: and the land shall be before you; dwell and trade ye therein, and get you possessions therein.

Read Robert Jamieson on Genesis 34 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Before you, i.e. in your power, to dwell where you please, and to have the same rights and privileges in it which we enjoy. See . Get you possessions therein; or, take possession in it, i.e. in any vacant part of it; use it for pasture or tillage, as you think good, and take the benefit to yourselves.

Read Matthew Poole on Genesis 34 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Genesis 34:10 And ye shall dwell with us: and the land shall be before you; dwell and trade ye therein, and get you possessions therein.Ver. 10. And ye shall dwell with us, &c.] Thus the world tempts the saints, by offer of profits, pleasures, and preferments. Sed surdo cantilenam. For they answer the world, as here, "We,cannot do this thing"; or, as the children of Israel bespake the king of Edom, "Let us pass, I pray thee, through thy country: we will not pass through the fields of profit, or vineyards of pleasure, &c.; we will go by the king’ s highway," chalked unto us in the Holy Scriptures: we will not turn to the right hand, or to the left, for any allurement or affrightment of…

Read John Trapp on Genesis 34 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(10) Ye shall dwell with us.—Hamor proposes that Jacob’s family shall abandon their nomad life, and settle among the Hivites. and trade with them, and get possessions, not merely of cattle and movable goods, but of immovable property. He wished the two clans to coalesce into one community.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Genesis 34 →

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

You may settle among us, and the land will be open to you. Live here, move about freely, and acquire your own property.”

WEBWorld English Bible2000

You shall dwell with us, and the land will be before you. Live and trade in it, and get possessions in it.”

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

You may settle among us, and the land will be open to you. Live here, move about freely, and acquire your own property.”

NETBNew English Translation2006

You may live among us, and the land will be open to you. Live in it, travel freely in it, and acquire property in it.”

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And ye shall dwell with us: and the land shall be before you; dwell and trade ye therein, and get you possessions therein.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And ye shall dwell with us: and the land shall be before you; dwell and trade ye therein, and get you possessions therein.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And ye shall dwell with us: and the land shall be before you; dwell and trade ye therein, and get you possessions therein.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And ye shall dwell with us: and the land shall be before you; dwell and trade ye therein, and get you possessions therein.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

And ye shall dwell with vs, and the lande shalbe before you: dwell, and doe your businesse in it, and haue your possessions therein.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And dwell with us, and the land shall be before you: dwell and trade in it, and get yourselves possessions in it.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

and with us ye dwell, and the land is before you; dwell ye and trade [in] it, and have possessions in it.'

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

and you dwell with us, and the land is before you; dwell and trade [in] it, and have possessions in it.”

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And with us shall ye dwell; and the land shall be open before you; dwell and trade ye therein, and acquire possessions therein.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

You will live with us, and the land will be open to you to live and trade in, and to acquire property.”

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And dwell with us: the land is at your command, till, trade, and possess it.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

You can live among us and settle down wherever you like. You can go where you want and buy land for yourselves.”

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Go on living with us, and the country will be open to you; do trade and get property there.

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.

וְandclauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalאִתָּ֖withנוּusverbתֵּשֵׁ֑בוּyou.will.dwellוְandclausenoun phrase · subjectהָtheאָ֨רֶץ֙landverbתִּהְיֶ֣הit.will.beprepositional phrase · prepositionalלִbeforenoun phraseפְנֵיכֶ֔םyouclauseverbשְׁבוּ֙dwellוּandclauseverbסְחָר֔וּgoadverbialהָabout.in.itוְandclauseverbהֵֽאָחֲז֖וּhave.possessionsprepositional phrase · prepositionalבָּֽinהּit

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


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

The Masoretic Text is supported by the Septuagint, which matches eight out of nine words in this verse. The Samaritan Pentateuch presents two variations: סחרו (go about) and אחזו (seize), differing from the Masoretic Text. The Dead Sea Scrolls contain significant gaps, with nine words supplied by an editor.

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

וְאִתָּ֖נוּ תֵּשֵׁ֑בוּ וְהָאָ֙רֶץ֙ תִּהְיֶ֣ה לִפְנֵיכֶ֔ם שְׁבוּ֙ וּסְחָר֔וּהָ וְהֵֽאָחֲז֖וּ בָּֽהּ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וְאִתָּ֖נוּἡμῖνתֵּשֵׁ֑בוּκατοικεῖτεוְהָאָ֙רֶץ֙γῆלִפְנֵיכֶ֔םὑμῶνשְׁבוּ֙κατοικεῖτεוּסְחָר֔וּהָαὐτῆςוְהֵֽאָחֲז֖וּἐγκτήσασθεבָּֽהּ׃αὐτῇ

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

ואתנו תשׁבו והארץ תהיה לפניכם שׁבו סחרו ואחזו בה

2 words differ from the Masoretic Text: סחרו (go about), אחזו (seize)

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q576a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[ואת׳נו] [תשבו] [והארץ] [תהיה] [לפני׳כם] [שבו] [וסחרו׳ה] [והאחזו] [ב׳ה]

nothing on the leather here — 9 supplied entire by an editor.

Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.


The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

Genesis 34:10אֵתand with usand with usאֵתיָשַׁבyou will dwyou will dwellיָשַׁבאֶ֫רֶץand the lanand the landאֶ֫רֶץהָיָהit will beit will beהָיָהפָּנֶהbefore youbefore youפָּנֶהיָשַׁבdwelldwellיָשַׁבסָחַרand go abouand go about inסָחַראָחַזand have poand have possesאָחַזהָin itin itהָאָנָהto meetto meetאָנָהפָּנָהCorner (GaCorner (Gate)פָּנָההָוָאto fallto fallהָוָאבֶּ֫טַחsecuritysecurityבֶּ֫טַחכְּנַעֲנִיCanaanitesCanaanitessכְּנַעֲנִירִיבto contendto contendרִיבבְּרִיתcovenantcovenantבְּרִיתכְּנַ֫עַןCanaanCanaanכְּנַ֫עַןמִצְרַ֫יִם(Sea of) E(Sea of) Egyptמִצְרַ֫יִםסָתַרto hideto hideסָתַרנוּסto fleeto fleeנוּסקֹוֶהKueKueקֹוֶהרֹבabundanceabundanceרֹברַ֫עַדtremblingtremblingרַ֫עַדצִירenvoyenvoyצִיר
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 34:10

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 with us you will dwell and the land it will be before you dwell and go about in it and have possessions in it
וְאִתָּ֖נוּve.'i.Ta.nu and with us H854 Conjunction · preposition · suffix
929× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew preposition means 'with' or 'near', indicating a close relationship or physical proximity. It's used in Genesis 1:26 to describe God's relationship with humanity, and in many other places to show connection or closeness.
Tyndale gloss
with
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֵת (eth) is a preposition indicating nearness or proximity, often translated as 'with' or 'near.' It conveys a sense of companionship or association, distinguishing itself from similar terms by expressing closer relationships. The entries highlight its use in various contexts, including possession and memory, but do not provide specific verse references.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵת, prep. with—prep. denoting proximity

Of companionship, together with

Of localities

אֵת פּ׳ denotes specially

in one's possession or keeping

in one's knowledge or memory

מֵאֵת from proximity with

Note. אֵת expresses closer association than עִם: hence while מֵעִם sts. denotes hardly more than from the surroundings or belongings of, מֵאֵת expresses from close proximity to.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H854 אֵת with—prep. denoting proximity . Of companionship, together with

. Of localities

. אֵת פּ׳ denotes specially . in one's possession or keeping

. in one's knowledge or memory

. מֵאֵת from proximity with

Note. אֵת expresses closer association than עִם: hence while מֵעִם sts. denotes hardly more than from the surroundings or belongings of, מֵאֵת expresses from close proximity to.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

854 'eth ayth

probably from 579; properly, nearness (used only as a

preposition or an adverb), near; hence, generally, with, by,

at, among, etc.:--against, among, before, by, for, from,

in(-to), (out) of, with. Often with another prepositional

prefix.

see HEBREW for 0579

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵת (et) — with.

1) with, near, together with

1a) with, together with

1b) with (of relationship)

1c) near (of place)

1d) with (poss.)

1e) from...with, from (with other prep)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Prep | Suff — Conjunction · preposition · suffix
HC/Rd/Sp1bp
English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

US, pronoun objective case of we.

Give us this day our daily bread.

Us , pron. [OE. us, AS. s; akin to OFries. & OS. s, D. ons, G. uns, Icel. & Sw. oss, Dan. os, Goth. uns, L. nos we, us, Gr. we, Skr. nas us. . Cf. Nostrum, Our.] The persons speaking, regarded as an object; ourselves; — the objective case of we. See We. “Tell us a tale.” Chaucer.

Give us this day our daily bread. Matt. vi. 11.

Us, pron. oblique case of we

and with us you will dwell and the land it will be before you dwell and go about in it and have possessions in it
תֵּשֵׁ֑בוּte.She.vu you will dwell H3427 Verb · Qal · imperfect second person masculine plural
1,079× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to sit or dwell, and can also mean to remain or abide. It's used in the Bible to describe people living in a place or staying with someone, like in the book of Genesis.
Amplified meaning
live, dwell
Tyndale gloss
to dwell
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָשַׁב (yashab) is a Hebrew verb meaning to sit, remain, or dwell. It encompasses a range of actions from simply sitting down to more complex ideas like establishing a home or causing a place to be inhabited. The entries indicate various forms, including Qal (to sit), Niphal (to be inhabited), and Hiphil (to cause to dwell). There is an Aramaic equivalent, יְתִב (ye.tiv), meaning 'to dwell'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָשַׁב 1090 vb. sit, remain, dwell

Qal

sit

sit, sit down

sit down

sit = be set (as a jewel)

remain, stay, tarry

with special emphasis of qualifying phr.

dwell, have one’s abode

of a land or city, sit, abide, seated in its place, fig. for be inhabited

Niph. be inhabited, of land

Pi. and they shall set their encampments in thee

Hiph.

cause to sit

cause to abide

cause to dwell

cause cities to be inhabited

marry (prop. give a dwelling to)

Hoph. and ye be made to dwell alone in the midst of the land

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3427 יָשַׁב sit, remain, dwell

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3427 yashab yaw-shab'

a primitive root; properly, to sit down (specifically as

judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to

remain; causatively, to settle, to marry:--(make to)

abide(-ing), continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-ing), ease

self, endure, establish, X fail, habitation, haunt, (make to)

inhabit(-ant), make to keep (house), lurking, X marry(-ing),

(bring again to) place, remain, return, seat, set(- tle),

(down-)sit(-down, still, -ting down, -ting (place) -uate),

take, tarry.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָשַׁב (ya.shav) — to dwell.

1) to dwell, remain, sit, abide

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to sit, sit down

1a2) to be set

1a3) to remain, stay

1a4) to dwell, have one's abode

1b) (Niphal) to be inhabited

1c) (Piel) to set, place

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to cause to sit

1d2) to cause to abide, set

1d3) to cause to dwell

1d4) to cause (cities) to be inhabited

1d5) to marry (give an dwelling to)

1e) (Hophal)

1e1) to be inhabited

1e2) to make to dwell

Aramaic equivalent: ye.tiv (יְתִב "to dwell" H3488)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-2mp — Verb · Qal · imperfect second person masculine plural
HVqi2mp
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

dwel:

(1) In the Old Testament "dwell" is a translation of 9 words, of which by far the most frequent is yashabh, "to sit down," translated "dwell" over 400 times (Ge 4:20; Jos 20:4; 1Ch 17:1,4,5, etc.); also very frequently "sit," and sometimes "abide," "inhabit," "remain." Another word often rendered "dwell" is shakhan or shakhen ("to settle down"), from which is derived the rabbinic word shekhinah (literally, "that which dwells"), the light on the mercy-seat which symbolized the Divine presence (Ex 25:8, etc.). In order to avoid appearing to localize the Divine Being, wherever God is said to "dwell" in a place, the Targum renders that He "causes His Shekinah to dwell"…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Dwell

Tents were in primitive times the common dwellings of men. Houses were afterwards built, the walls of which were frequently of mud (Job 24:16; Matt. 6:19, 20) or of sun-dried bricks.

God “dwells in light” (1 Tim. 6:16; 1 John 1:7), in heaven (Ps. 123:1), in his church (Ps. 9:11; 1 John 4:12). Christ dwelt on earth in the days of his humiliation (John 1:14). He now dwells in the hearts of his people (Eph.…

and with us you will dwell and the land it will be before you dwell and go about in it and have possessions in it
וְהָאָ֙רֶץ֙ve.ha.'A.retz and the land H776 Conjunction · particle · noun common feminine singular absolute
2,504× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The land or earth refers to the soil or ground, and can also mean a country, territory, or region. In the Bible, it is used to describe the earth and its inhabitants, and is often translated as 'land' or 'country'.
Amplified meaning
country, territory
Tyndale gloss
land: soil
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֶ֫רֶץ (erets) is a feminine noun meaning 'earth' or 'land.' It encompasses various meanings, including the whole earth, specific territories like Canaan, and even inhabitants of the land. It can refer to soil, ground, or regions, and is used in phrases related to distance and the living. There is a note on the plural form אֲרָצוֹת, which mainly appears in later texts to denote multiple lands.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶ֫רֶץ n. f. & (seld.) m. earth, land

earth, whole earth (opp. to a part)

earth, opp. to heaven, sky

earth = inhabitants of earth

land =

country, territory

district, region

trial territory

piece of ground

specif. land of Canaan, or Israel

= inhabitants of land

used even of Shᵉʼôl

ground, surface of ground

soil, as productive

אֶרֶץ in phrases

people of the land

in measurements of distance

the country of the plain, level or plain country

land of the living

end(s) of the earth

pl. אֲרָצוֹת is almost wholly late; it denotes lands, countries, often in contrast to Canaan, lands of the nations, etc.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H776 אֶ֫רֶץ n. f. & (seld.) m. earth, land . . earth, whole earth (opp. to a part)

. earth, opp. to heaven, sky

. earth = inhabitants of earth

. land = . country, territory

. district, region

. trial territory

. piece of ground

. specif. land of Canaan, or Israel

. = inhabitants of land

. used even of Shᵉʼôl

. . ground, surface of ground

. soil, as productive

. אֶרֶץ in phrases . people of the land

. in measurements of distance

. the country of the plain, level or plain country

. land of the living

. end(s) of the earth

. pl. אֲרָצוֹת is almost wholly late; it denotes lands, countries, often in contrast to Canaan, lands of the nations, etc.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

776 'erets eh'-rets

from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth

(at large, or partitively a land):--X common, country, earth,

field, ground, land, X natins, way, + wilderness, world.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶ֫רֶץ (e.rets) — land: country/planet.

: country/field

1) land, earth

1a) earth

1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part)

1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven)

1a3) earth (inhabitants)

1b) land

1b1) country, territory

1b2) district, region

1b3) tribal territory

1b4) piece of ground

1b5) land of Canaan, Israel

1b6) inhabitants of land

1b7) Sheol, land without return, (under) world

1b8) city (-state)

1c) ground, surface of the earth

1c1) ground

1c2) soil

1d) (in phrases)

1d1) people of the land

1d2) space or distance of country (in measurements of distance)

1d3) level or plain country

1d4) land of the living

1d5) end(s) of the earth

1e) (almost wholly late in usage)

1e1) lands, countries

1e1a) often in contrast to Canaan

אֶ֫רֶץ (e.rets) — land: soil.

: soil

1) land, earth

1a) earth

1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part)

1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven)

1a3) earth (inhabitants)

1b) land

1b1) country, territory

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Art | N-cs — Conjunction · particle · noun common feminine singular absolute
HC/Td/Ncfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

((1) 'erets;

(2) 'adhamah;

(3) sadheh,

"a piece of land";

(4) ge, "earth";

(5) agros, "field";

(6) chora, "region";

(7) chorion, diminutive of chora;

(8) xeros, "dry land";

(9) 'ezrach, "native" the King James Version "born in the land," "born among you," the Revised Version (British and American) "home-born" (Le 19:34; 14:16; Nu 15:30); "like a green tree in its native soil" (Ps 37:35)):

'Erets occurs hundreds of times and is used in much the same way as 'adhamah, which also occurs often: e.g. "land of Egypt," 'erets mitsrayim (Ge 13:10), and 'adhmath mitsrayim (Ge 47:20). The other words occur less often, and are used in the…

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Appeared on the third creative day Ge 1:9

→ Original title to, from God Ge 13:14-17; 15:7; Ex 23:31; Le 25:23

→ Bought and sold Ge 23:3-18; 33:19; Ac 4:34; 5:1-8

→ Sale and redemption of, laws concerning Le 25:15,16,23-33; 27:17-24; Nu 36:4; Jer 32:7-16,25,44; Eze 46:18

and with us you will dwell and the land it will be before you dwell and go about in it and have possessions in it
תִּהְיֶ֣הtih.Yeh it will be H1961 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person feminine singular
3,562× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for to be means to exist or come into being. It is used to describe something that happens or comes to pass, like in Genesis where God creates the world.
Tyndale gloss
to be
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word הָיָה (hayah) is a primitive root meaning to exist or become, and it encompasses a range of meanings including to happen, occur, and come to pass. It is often used in narrative contexts, particularly in phrases like "and it came to pass." The word can also denote a state of being or existence, and it appears frequently in various forms throughout the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הָיָה 3570 vb. fall out, come to pass, become, be

Qal

Fall out, happen

occur, take place, come about, come to pass

esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass

וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)

rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה

less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)

Come into being, become

abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come

sq. prep.

become

sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)

sq. pred. adj.

become like

sq. pred. לְ pers.

sq. לְ pred.

oft. c. לְ pred. לְ pers.

with עַל and לְ

sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of

Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming)

exist, be in existence

abide, remain, continue

with word of locality, be in or at a place, be situated, stand, lie

as copula, joining subj. & pred.

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1961 הָיָה fall out, come to pass, become, be .. . . Fall out, happen

. occur, take place, come about, come to pass

. esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass . . וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)

. rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה

. less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)

. Come into being, become . . abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come

. sq. prep.

. become . sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)

. sq. pred. adj.

. become like

. sq. pred. + לְ pers.

. sq. לְ pred.

. oft. c. לְ pred. + לְ pers.

. with עַל and לְ

. sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of

. Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming) . exist, be in existence

. abide, remain, continue

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1961 hayah haw-yaw

a primitive root (compare 1933); to exist, i.e. be or become,

come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or

auxiliary):--beacon, X altogether, be(-come), accomplished,

committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint,

fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit

(one-)self, require, X use.

see HEBREW for 01933

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הָיָה (ha.yah) — to be.

1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out

1a) (Qal)

1a1) ---

1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass

1a1b) to come about, come to pass

1a2) to come into being, become

1a2a) to arise, appear, come

1a2b) to become

1a2b1) to become

1a2b2) to become like

1a2b3) to be instituted, be established

1a3) to be

1a3a) to exist, be in existence

1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time)

1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality)

1a3d) to accompany, be with

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to occur, come to pass, be done, be brought about

1b2) to be done, be finished, be gone

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-3fs — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person feminine singular
HVqi3fs
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

See TESTAMENT.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ THE MENTAL FACULTY

Freedom of, recognized by God Ge 4:6-10; De 5:29; 1Ki 20:42; Isa 1:18-20; 43:26; Jer 36:3,7; Joh 7:17

See BLESSINGS, CONTINGENT UPON OBEDIENCE

See CHOICE

See CONTINGENCY

→ OF GOD, THE SUPREME RULE OF DUTY Mt 6:10; 12:50; 26:39,42; Mr 3:35; 14:36; Lu 11:2; 22:42; Joh 4:34; 5:30; 6:38-40; Ac…

and with us you will dwell and the land it will be before you dwell and go about in it and have possessions in it
לִפְנֵיכֶ֔םlif.nei.Khem before you H6440 Preposition · noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
2,127× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means face or presence, like being in front of someone or something. It's used in many contexts, like in Genesis, Exodus, and Psalms, to describe interactions and relationships.
Amplified meaning
before you, at your command
Tyndale gloss
face
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word פָּנֶה (*pāneh*) is a noun meaning 'face' or 'presence,' and it appears in various contexts, including the faces of seraphim and animals, as well as the surface of the ground. It can also function as an adverb meaning 'before' or 'in front of.' The word is built from a root that suggests turning or facing, and it encompasses a wide range of applications, both literal and figurative.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[פָּנֶה], pl. פָּנִים 2123 n.m. face, also faces

face, faces

presence, person

technically, see one's face, i.e. appear before one, in one's presence

face of seraphim

face of animals

face (= surface) of ground

as adv.loc. before

for other phrases

with prepositions

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6440 פָּנֶה, pl. פָּנִים face, also faces . . face, faces

. . presence, person

. technically, see one's face, i.e. appear before one, in one's presence

. face of seraphim

. face of animals

. face (= surface) of ground

. as adv. loc. before

. for other phrases

. with prepositions

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6440 paniym paw-neem'

plural (but always as singular) of an unused noun (paneh

{paw-neh'}; from 6437); the face (as the part that turns);

used in a great variety of applications (literally and

figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a

preposition (before, etc.):--+ accept, a-(be- )fore(-time),

against, anger, X as (long as), at, + battle, + because (of),

+ beseech, countenance, edge, + employ, endure, + enquire,

face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-part), form(-er

time, -ward), from, front, heaviness, X him(-self), +

honourable, + impudent, + in, it, look(-eth) (- s), X me, +

meet, X more than, mouth, of, off, (of) old (time), X on,

open, + out of, over against, the partial, person, + please,

presence, propect, was purposed, by reason of, + regard, right

forth, + serve, X shewbread, sight, state, straight, + street,

X thee, X them(-selves), through (+ - out), till, time(-s)

Read the full entry →
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

פָּנֶה (pa.neh) — face: before.

: before/to/front

1) face

1a) face, faces

1b) presence, person

1c) face (of seraphim or cherubim)

1d) face (of animals)

1e) face, surface (of ground)

1f) as adv of loc/temp

1f1) before and behind, toward, in front of, forward, formerly, from beforetime, before

1g) with prep

1g1) in front of, before, to the front of, in the presence of, in the face of, at the face or front of, from the presence of, from before, from before the face of

פָּנֶה (pa.neh) — face.

: face

1) face

1a) face, faces

1b) presence, person

1c) face (of seraphim or cherubim)

1d) face (of animals)

1e) face, surface (of ground)

1f) as adv of loc/temp

1f1) before and behind, toward, in front of, forward, formerly, from beforetime, before

1g) with prep

1g1) in front of, before, to the front of, in the presence of, in the face of, at the face or front of, from the presence of, from before, from…

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-cp | Suff — Preposition · noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
HR/Ncmpc/Sp2mp
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and with us you will dwell and the land it will be before you dwell and go about in it and have possessions in it
שְׁבוּ֙she.Vu dwell H3427 Verb · Qal · imperative second person masculine plural
1,079× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to sit or dwell, and can also mean to remain or abide. It's used in the Bible to describe people living in a place or staying with someone, like in the book of Genesis.
Amplified meaning
dwell, reside
Tyndale gloss
to dwell
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָשַׁב (yashab) is a Hebrew verb meaning to sit, remain, or dwell. It encompasses a range of actions from simply sitting down to more complex ideas like establishing a home or causing a place to be inhabited. The entries indicate various forms, including Qal (to sit), Niphal (to be inhabited), and Hiphil (to cause to dwell). There is an Aramaic equivalent, יְתִב (ye.tiv), meaning 'to dwell'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָשַׁב 1090 vb. sit, remain, dwell

Qal

sit

sit, sit down

sit down

sit = be set (as a jewel)

remain, stay, tarry

with special emphasis of qualifying phr.

dwell, have one’s abode

of a land or city, sit, abide, seated in its place, fig. for be inhabited

Niph. be inhabited, of land

Pi. and they shall set their encampments in thee

Hiph.

cause to sit

cause to abide

cause to dwell

cause cities to be inhabited

marry (prop. give a dwelling to)

Hoph. and ye be made to dwell alone in the midst of the land

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3427 יָשַׁב sit, remain, dwell

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3427 yashab yaw-shab'

a primitive root; properly, to sit down (specifically as

judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to

remain; causatively, to settle, to marry:--(make to)

abide(-ing), continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-ing), ease

self, endure, establish, X fail, habitation, haunt, (make to)

inhabit(-ant), make to keep (house), lurking, X marry(-ing),

(bring again to) place, remain, return, seat, set(- tle),

(down-)sit(-down, still, -ting down, -ting (place) -uate),

take, tarry.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָשַׁב (ya.shav) — to dwell.

1) to dwell, remain, sit, abide

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to sit, sit down

1a2) to be set

1a3) to remain, stay

1a4) to dwell, have one's abode

1b) (Niphal) to be inhabited

1c) (Piel) to set, place

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to cause to sit

1d2) to cause to abide, set

1d3) to cause to dwell

1d4) to cause (cities) to be inhabited

1d5) to marry (give an dwelling to)

1e) (Hophal)

1e1) to be inhabited

1e2) to make to dwell

Aramaic equivalent: ye.tiv (יְתִב "to dwell" H3488)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Impv-2mp — Verb · Qal · imperative second person masculine plural
HVqv2mp
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

dwel:

(1) In the Old Testament "dwell" is a translation of 9 words, of which by far the most frequent is yashabh, "to sit down," translated "dwell" over 400 times (Ge 4:20; Jos 20:4; 1Ch 17:1,4,5, etc.); also very frequently "sit," and sometimes "abide," "inhabit," "remain." Another word often rendered "dwell" is shakhan or shakhen ("to settle down"), from which is derived the rabbinic word shekhinah (literally, "that which dwells"), the light on the mercy-seat which symbolized the Divine presence (Ex 25:8, etc.). In order to avoid appearing to localize the Divine Being, wherever God is said to "dwell" in a place, the Targum renders that He "causes His Shekinah to dwell"…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Dwell

Tents were in primitive times the common dwellings of men. Houses were afterwards built, the walls of which were frequently of mud (Job 24:16; Matt. 6:19, 20) or of sun-dried bricks.

God “dwells in light” (1 Tim. 6:16; 1 John 1:7), in heaven (Ps. 123:1), in his church (Ps. 9:11; 1 John 4:12). Christ dwelt on earth in the days of his humiliation (John 1:14). He now dwells in the hearts of his people (Eph.…

and with us you will dwell and the land it will be before you dwell and go about in it and have possessions in it
וּסְחָר֔וּהָu.se.cha.Ru.ha and go about in it H5503 Conjunction · verb qal imperative second person masculine plural · suffix
21× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to travel around, often for trade or business. It can also describe a person who goes around buying and selling goods. In the Bible, it is used to describe merchants or traders.
Amplified meaning
travel, trade
Tyndale gloss
to trade
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

סָחַר (sachar) means to go around or travel about, particularly in the context of trade. It can refer to a trader or trafficker, emphasizing movement in business. The root suggests both the act of trading and a sense of palpitation, though the latter is less commonly emphasized.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[סָחַר] vb. go around, about, travel about in

Qal

go about, to and fro

Pt. = subst. a trafficker, trader (who goes about with wares, etc.)

Pilp. my heart palpitates

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5503 סָחַר go around, about, travel about in

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5503 cachar saw-khar'

a primitive root; to travel round (specifically as a pedlar);

intensively, to palpitate:--go about, merchant(-man), occupy

with, pant, trade, traffick.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

סָחַר (sa.char) — to trade.

1) to go around, go about, travel about in, go about in trade

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go about to and fro (in business)

1a2) trader, trafficker (participle)

1b) (Pilpel) to palpitate

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-Impv-2mp | Suff — Conjunction · verb qal imperative second person masculine plural · suffix
HC/Vqv2mp/Sp3fs
and with us you will dwell and the land it will be before you dwell and go about in it and have possessions in it
וְהֵֽאָחֲז֖וּve.he.'a.cha.Zu and have possessions H270 Conjunction · verb niphal imperative second person masculine plural
68× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word means to grasp or take hold of something, often holding it in possession. It can also mean to be caught or settled. This verb is used in various forms throughout the Bible, including in the books of Exodus and Psalms.
Amplified meaning
get, take possession of, possessions, inheritance
Tyndale gloss
to grasp
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אָחַז (achaz) means to grasp, take hold of, or seize. It has various forms, including Qal (to grasp), Niphal (to be caught), Piel (to enclose), and Hophal (to be fastened). The entries highlight its use in contexts of possession and holding, but do not provide specific verse references.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָחַז 68 vb. grasp, take hold of, take possession

Qal grasp, take hold of

Niph. be caught

Pi. enclose, overlay

Hoph. fastened

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H270 אָחַז grasp, take hold of, take possession .grasp, take hold of

. be caught

. enclose, overlay

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

270 'achaz aw-khaz'

a primitive root; to seize (often with the accessory idea of

holding in possession):--+ be affrighted, bar, (catch, lay,

take) hold (back), come upon, fasten, handle, portion, (get,

have or take) possess(-ion).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָחַז (a.chaz) — to grasp.

1) grasp, take hold, seize, take possession

1a) (Qal) to grasp, take hold of

1b) (Niphal) to be caught, grasped, be settled

1c) (Piel) to enclose, overlay

1d) (Hophal) fastened

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Niphal-Impv-2mp — Conjunction · verb niphal imperative second person masculine plural
HC/VNv2mp
and with us you will dwell and the land it will be before you dwell and go about in it and have possessions in it
בָּֽהּ׃Bah in it H9034 Preposition · suffix
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הָ (ha) — her.

Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 3rd person feminine singular

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HRd/Sp3fs — Preposition · suffix
HRd/Sp3fs
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