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Genesis 37:19 — Word Study

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WLCוַיֹּאמְר֖וּ אִ֣ישׁ אֶל־ אָחִ֑יו הִנֵּ֗ה בַּ֛עַל הַחֲלֹמ֥וֹת הַלָּזֶ֖ה בָּֽא׃

BSAHerehinnêh comesbôwʼ [behold, see] thathallâzeh dreamerbaʻal [man of dreams, the one with prophetic visions] they saidʼâmar [spoke, told] toʼêl oneʼîysh anotherʼâch [each other, brothers]

Word
Listen & take awayGenesis 37
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 19 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 (Ba') — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Genesis 37:19quick helps
In a sentenceJoseph's brothers mockingly identify him as the dreamer.
Who is speakingJoseph's brothers, speaking among themselves.
Where we areIn the narrative of Joseph's early life, as his brothers plot against him.
The hard wordבַּעַל
Take awayThe brothers see Joseph's dreams as a threat.
8 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 37:19

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 Plot Against Josephgenerated

18Now Joseph’s brothers saw him in the distance, and before he arrived, they plotted to kill him.
19“Here comes that dreamer!” they said to one another.
20“Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits. We can say that a vicious animal has devoured him. Then we shall see what becomes of his dreams!”
21When Reuben heard this, he tried to rescue Joseph from their hands. “Let us not take his life,” he said.

Genesis 37:19 occurs in the story of Joseph, where his brothers, filled with jealousy, plot against him. They recognize him from a distance and express their disdain by calling him a dreamer. This moment sets the stage for the conflict that will unfold as they consider drastic actions against him. The narrative illustrates the tension within Joseph's family and foreshadows the events that lead to his eventual rise in Egypt.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Genesis 37:5–11Then Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more.
2Genesis 28:12And Jacob had a dream about a ladder that rested on the earth with its top reaching up to heaven, and God’s angels were going up and down the ladder.
3Genesis 49:23The archers attacked him with bitterness; they aimed at him in hostility.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 3 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word בַּעַל, Ba.'algenerated

The word בַּעַל (ba'al) means 'master' or 'owner', and in this context, it refers to Joseph as 'the master of dreams'. This term suggests authority or control over dreams, hinting at Joseph's prophetic abilities. The parsing indicates it is a noun in the masculine singular, emphasizing a specific individual.

In this verse, the use of בַּעַל highlights how Joseph's brothers perceive his dreams as a source of power and a challenge to their own status. They mock him by labeling him with this term, reflecting their contempt and jealousy.


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 יֹּאמְר֖וּ (they said) governs the sentence, with the phrase הִנֵּ֗ה (behold) acting as an attention-grabbing interjection. The structure emphasizes the brothers' disdain as they refer to Joseph.

The sentence's flow indicates a direct address among the brothers, showcasing their conspiratorial tone as they label Joseph, which is central to the unfolding narrative.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, the word used for יֹּאמְר֖וּ is εἶπαν (eipan), meaning 'they said'. This choice reflects a straightforward translation of the Hebrew without additional nuance.

The Greek term ἕκαστος (hekastos) for אִ֣ישׁ suggests a focus on individuality, which aligns with the Hebrew meaning but emphasizes the personal nature of their mockery.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Genesis 37:19 shows Joseph's brothers seeing him from a distance and mocking him as that dreamer. They are filled with jealousy and contempt, which leads them to plot against him. This moment is crucial in the story of Joseph as it sets the stage for the conflict that follows.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean to call Joseph 'that dreamer'?

It reflects the brothers' scorn and jealousy towards Joseph's dreams, which they perceive as a threat to their own status.

How do Joseph's dreams play a role in the story?

Joseph's dreams foreshadow his future rise to power, which his brothers cannot accept, leading to their plot against him.

Why were Joseph's brothers so jealous of him?

They were jealous because Joseph was favored by their father and had dreams that suggested he would have authority over them.

What is the significance of the phrase 'to one another'?

It indicates that the brothers were conspiring together, emphasizing their collective disdain and intention to harm Joseph.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. How do jealousy and favoritism impact relationships in my life?
  2. In what ways can I recognize and address feelings of envy in myself?
  3. What can I learn from Joseph's response to his brothers' actions?
  4. How does this story challenge me to consider my own treatment of others?

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Genesis 37:19 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

And they said one to another,.... According to the Targum of Jonathan, Simeon and Levi said what follows: nor is it unlikely, since they were hot, passionate, cruel, and bloody minded men, as appears

Read John Gill on Genesis 37 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him. When they saw him afar off.

Read Robert Jamieson on Genesis 37 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Heb. This master of dreams, this crafty dreamer, that covers his own ambitious designs and desires with pretences or fictions of dreams.

Read Matthew Poole on Genesis 37 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Genesis 37:19 And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh.Ver. 19. Behold, this dreamer.] This captain dreamer, or, this architect of dreams. A lewd scoff, and, by it, a cruel calumny. Envy, so it may gall, or kill, cares not how true or false it be, that, it allegeth: it usually aggravates the matter beyond truth, to do mischief, as here. Their hearts were so big, swollen with spite and spleen, that they could not call him by his name, but "this dreamer." So the Pharisees called our Saviour, "this fellow." And "the Jews sought him at the feast, and said, Where is he?" - εκεινος - They could not find in their hearts to say, Where is Jesus? as Saul asked not for David, but for…

Read John Trapp on Genesis 37 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(19) This dreamer.—Heb., this lord of dreams, a phrase expressive of contempt.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Genesis 37 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 19. Behold, this dreamer cometh.] בעל החלמות baal hachalomoth, this master of dreams, this master dreamer. A form of speech which conveys great contempt.

Read AdamClarke on Genesis 37 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

19. this dreamer] Heb. master of dreams. This and the following verse are from E. Joseph’s brethren speak derisively of this “master (Heb. baal) of dreams” (cf. Genesis 49:23, “archers” = “masters of arrows”; 2 Kings 1:8, “a hairy man” = “a master of hair”). They will kill him, and so stop his dreams from coming true.

Read Cambridge on Genesis 37 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

19. This dreamer — Heb, this master (or lord) of the dreams. We may suppose Joseph seeing them afar with joy, glad to find them after his long journey and searching. But they see him with malicious envy.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Genesis 37 →

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

“Here comes that dreamer!” they said to one another.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

They said to one another, “Behold, this dreamer comes.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

“Here comes that dreamer!” they said to one another.

NETBNew English Translation2006

They said to one another, “Here comes this master of dreams!

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer is coming.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

For they sayd one to another, Behold, this dreamer commeth.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And they said one to another, Behold, there comes that dreamer!

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And they say one unto another, 'Lo, this man of the dreams cometh;

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And they say to one another, “Behold, this man of the dreams comes;

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And they said one to another, Behold, here comes this man of dreams.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

His brothers said to one another, “Look, this dreamer is approaching.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And said one to another: Behold the dreamer cometh.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

“Look, here comes the Lord of Dreams!” they said to each other.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Saying to one another, See, here comes this dreamer.

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.

וַandclauseverbיֹּאמְר֖וּthey.saidnoun phrase · adverbialאִ֣ישׁeachprepositional phraseאֶלtonoun phraseאָחִ֑יbrotherוhisclauseclauseהִנֵּ֗הthere!clausenoun phrase · subjectnoun phraseבַּ֛עַלthe.masternoun phraseהַof.(the)חֲלֹמ֥וֹתdreamsהַלָּזֶ֖הthisverbבָּֽא[is].coming

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


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

The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint align closely, with eight of the nine words matching. The Samaritan Pentateuch differs by one word, using הלז instead of the Masoretic הַלָּזֶ֖ה, indicating a slight variation in phrasing but not in meaning.

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

וַיֹּאמְר֖וּ אִ֣ישׁ אֶל־ אָחִ֑יו הִנֵּ֗ה בַּ֛עַל הַחֲלֹמ֥וֹת הַלָּזֶ֖ה בָּֽא׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיֹּאמְר֖וּεἶπανאִ֣ישׁἕκαστοςאֶל־πρὸςאָחִ֑יוαὐτοῦהִנֵּ֗הἰδοὺהַחֲלֹמ֥וֹתהַלָּזֶ֖הἐκεῖνοςבָּֽא׃ἔρξεται

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

ויאמרו אישׁ אל אחיו הנה בעל החלמות הלז בא

1 word differs from the Masoretic Text: הלז (this)

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 37:19אָמַרand they saand they saidאָמַראִישׁeacheachאִישׁאֶלtotoאֶלאָחbrother hisbrother hisאָחהִנֵּהthere!there!הִנֵּהבַּעַל[the] maste[the] master ofבַּעַלחֲלוֹםdreamsdreamsחֲלוֹםהַלָּזֶהthisthisהַלָּזֶהבּוֹא[is] coming[is] comingבּוֹאחָלַםbe healthybe healthyחָלַםבָּעַלrule: to mrule: to marryבָּעַלאֱנוֹשׁhumanhumanאֱנוֹשׁאִשָּׁהwomanwomanאִשָּׁהאָבfatherfatherאָבהֵןlook!look!הֵןהָֽ֫לְאָהfurtherfurtherהָֽ֫לְאָהזֶהthisthisזֶהכֹּהthusthusכֹּהיהוהYHWH/GodYHWH/Godיהוהרֵעַneighborneighborרֵעַפָּלַלto prayto prayפָּלַליִרְמְיָ֫הJeremiahJeremiahיִרְמְיָ֫העֵשָׂו(Mount) Es(Mount) EsauעֵשָׂויוֹסֵףJosephJosephיוֹסֵףנֶ֫גַעplagueplagueנֶ֫גַעחֲלוֹםdreamdreamחֲלוֹםמִלּוֹאמִלּוֹא
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 37:19

One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.

Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.

and they said each to brother his there! [the] master of dreams this [is] coming
וַיֹּאמְר֖וּvai.yo.me.Ru and they said H559 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
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'.
Amplified meaning
spoke, told
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-3mp — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
Hc/Vqw3mp
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and they said each to brother his there! [the] master of dreams this [is] coming
אִ֣ישׁ'ish each H376 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
1,664× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for man, referring to a male person or individual, is used in the Bible to describe humans in contrast to God or animals, as seen in Genesis and Psalms. It can also mean husband or servant. In the KJV, it is translated as man or male.
Tyndale gloss
man
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אִישׁ (iysh) means 'man' and can refer to an individual male, a husband, or a human being in general. It encompasses various meanings, including champion and great man, and can also imply 'whosoever' or 'each.' The word is built from a root suggesting existence and is used throughout the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אִישׁ 2166 n.m. man (= vir)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H376 אִישׁ man (= vir)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

376 'iysh eesh

contracted for 582 (or perhaps rather from an unused root

meaning to be extant); a man as an individual or a male

person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and

in such cases frequently not expressed in

translation):--also, another, any (man), a certain, +

champion, consent, each, every (one), fellow, (foot-,

husband-)man, (good-, great, mighty) man, he, high (degree),

him (that is), husband, man(-kind), + none, one, people,

person, + steward, what (man) soever, whoso(-ever), worthy.

Compare 802.

see HEBREW for 0582

see HEBREW for 0802

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אִישׁ (ish) — man.

: man

1) man

1a) man, male (in contrast to woman, female)

1b) husband

1c) human being, person (in contrast to God)

1d) servant

1e) mankind

1f) champion

1g) great man

2) whosoever

3) each (adjective)

אִישׁ (ish) — man: husband.

: husband

1) man

1a) man, male (in contrast to woman, female)

1b) husband

1c) human being, person (in contrast to God)

1d) servant

1e) mankind

1f) champion

1g) great man

2) whosoever

3) each (adjective)

אִישׁ (ish) — man: anyone.

: anyone/someone

1) man

1a) man, male (in contrast to woman, female)

1b) husband

1c) human being, person (in contrast to God)

1d) servant

1e) mankind

1f) champion

1g) great man

2) whosoever

3) each (adjective)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and they said each to brother his there! [the] master of dreams this [is] coming
אֶל־'el- to H413 Preposition
5,518× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means 'to' or 'toward', showing direction or movement. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus, to indicate where someone is going. The KJV translates it in various ways, like 'about', 'according to', or 'against'.
Tyndale gloss
to(wards)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph),

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

Where the limit is actually entered, into

Of direction towards anything

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

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

Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

Of rule or standard according to (rare)

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

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

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

. Where the limit is actually entered, into

. Of direction towards anything

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

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

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

. Of rule or standard according to (rare)

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

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

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

413 'el ale

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

a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but

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

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

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

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

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

with(-in).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶל (el) — to(wards).

1) to, toward, unto (of motion)

2) into (limit is actually entered)

2a) in among

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

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

5) in addition to, to

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

7) according to (rule or standard)

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

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Preposition
HR
and they said each to brother his there! [the] master of dreams this [is] coming
אָחִ֑יו'a.Chiv brother his H251 Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
630× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means a brother or male sibling, but it can also refer to a close relative, friend, or someone with a similar relationship. It is used to describe the bond between brothers, like the relationship between Cain and Abel in Genesis.
Amplified meaning
each other, brothers
Tyndale gloss
brother: male-sibling
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָח (ach) means 'brother' and encompasses a broad range of relationships, including literal siblings, half-brothers, and metaphorical kinship. It can refer to any male relative or compatriot, and it may also imply resemblance or reciprocal relationships. The term is used in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, highlighting both familial and figurative connections.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָח 630 n.m. brother

brother, born of same mother (& father)

indef. = relative

fig. of resemblance

in phr. one … another

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H251 אָח brother

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

251 'ach awkh

a primitive word; a brother (used in the widest sense of

literal relationship and metaphorical affinity or resemblance

(like 1)):--another, brother(-ly); kindred, like, other.

Compare also the proper names beginning with "Ah-" or "Ahi-".

see HEBREW for 01

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָח (ach) — brother: male-sibling.

: male-sibling

1) brother

1a) brother of same parents

1b) half-brother (same father)

1c) relative, kinship, same tribe

1d) each to the other (reciprocal relationship)

1e) (fig.) of resemblance

אָח (ach) — brother: male-relative.

: male-relative

1) brother

1a) brother of same parents

1b) half-brother (same father)

1c) relative, kinship, same tribe

1d) each to the other (reciprocal relationship)

1e) (fig.) of resemblance

אָח (ach) — brother: compatriot.

: compatriot

1) brother

1a) brother of same parents

1b) half-brother (same father)

1c) relative, kinship, same tribe

1d) each to the other (reciprocal relationship)

1e) (fig.) of resemblance

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 they said each to brother his there! [the] master of dreams this [is] coming
הִנֵּ֗הhi.Neh there! H2009 Particle
843× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word is an expression that means 'behold' or 'look', often used to draw attention to something. It appears in Genesis and Isaiah, and is translated as 'behold' or 'lo' in the KJV.
Tyndale gloss
behold
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הִנֵּה (hinneh) is a Hebrew word meaning 'behold' or 'lo!' It serves as a demonstrative particle used to draw attention, appearing in contexts such as Genesis 19:2. The word is derived from a prolongation of another Hebrew term, but the entries do not provide further details on its usage beyond this.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הִנֵּה, once הִנֶּה־ Gn 19:2, demonstr.part. lo!, behold!

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2009 הִנֵּה, הִנֶּה־ lo!, behold!

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2009 hinneh hin-nay'

prolongation for 2005; lo!:--behold, lo, see.

see HEBREW for 02005

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הִנֵּה (hin.neh) — behold.

behold, lo, see, if

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part — Particle
HTj
and they said each to brother his there! [the] master of dreams this [is] coming
בַּ֛עַלBa.'al [the] master of H1167 Noun common · masculine singular construct
84× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Means master or owner, often referring to a husband or leader, as seen in the book of Genesis and Exodus.
Amplified meaning
man of dreams, the one with prophetic visions
Tyndale gloss
master
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בַּעַל (ba`al) means owner or lord, and can refer to a husband, citizens, or rulers. It is derived from a root meaning 'to own' and is used in various contexts, including relationships and leadership. The term also appears as a divine name, Baal, in the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בַּעַל 166 n.m. owner, lord

owner

husband

citizens, inhabitants

rulers, lords

n. of relation

Esp. lord, specif. as divine name, Baal.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1167 בַּעַל owner, lord . owner

. husband

. citizens, inhabitants

. rulers, lords

. n. of relation

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1167 ba`al bah'-al

from 1166; a master; hence, a husband, or (figuratively)

owner (often used with another noun in modifications of this

latter sense):--+ archer, + babbler, + bird, captain, chief

man, + confederate, + have to do, + dreamer, those to whom it

is due, + furious, those that are given to it, great, + hairy,

he that hath it, have, + horseman, husband, lord, man, +

married, master, person, + sworn, they of.

see HEBREW for 01166

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בַּעַל (ba.al) — master.

: master/leader

1) owner, husband, lord

1a) owner

1b) a husband

1c) citizens, inhabitants

1d) rulers, lords

1e) (noun of relationship used to characterise-ie, master of dreams)

בַּעַל (ba.al) — master: husband.

: husband/groom

1) owner, husband, lord

1a) owner

1b) a husband

1c) citizens, inhabitants

1d) rulers, lords

1e) (noun of relationship used to characterise-ie, master of dreams)

בַּעַל (ba.al) — master: men.

: men/comrades

1) owner, husband, lord

1a) owner

1b) a husband

1c) citizens, inhabitants

1d) rulers, lords

1e) (noun of relationship used to characterise-ie, master of dreams)

בַּעַל (ba.al) — master: owning.

: owning/having

1) owner, husband, lord

1a) owner

1b) a husband

1c) citizens, inhabitants

1d) rulers, lords

1e) (noun of relationship used to characterise-ie, master of dreams)

בַּעַל (ba.al) — master: [master of].

: [master_of](DESCRIPTOR)

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

ov:

(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Lamentations 3:1.

The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.

Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.

That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.

Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…

and they said each to brother his there! [the] master of dreams this [is] coming
הַחֲלֹמ֥וֹתha.cha.lo.Mot dreams H2472 Particle · noun common feminine plural absolute
65× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means a dream, which can be ordinary or have a prophetic meaning, as seen in the Bible where God communicates through dreams. It appears in the story of Joseph in Genesis. The word is also used in Joel 2:28.
Tyndale gloss
dream
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word חֲלוֹם (chalowm) means 'dream' and can refer to both ordinary dreams and those with prophetic significance. It is derived from a root that suggests a connection to dreaming. The Aramaic equivalent is חֵ֫לֶם (chelem).

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חֲלוֹם n.m. dream

ordinary dream of sleep

dreams with prophetic meaning

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2472 חֲלוֹם dream

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2472 chalowm khal-ome'

or (shortened) chalom {khal-ome'}; from 2492; a

dream:--dream(-er).

see HEBREW for 02492

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חֲלוֹם (cha.lom) — dream.

1) dream

1a) dream (ordinary)

1b) dream (with prophetic meaning)

Aramaic equivalent: che.lem (חֵ֫לֶם "dream" H2493)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTd/Ncfpa — Particle · noun common feminine plural absolute
HTd/Ncfpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Smith's Bible Dictionary

The Scripture declares that the influence of the Spirit of God upon the soul extends to its sleeping as well as its waking thoughts. But, in accordance with the principle enunciated by St. Paul in (1 Corinthians 14:15) dreams, in which the understanding is asleep, are placed below the visions of prophecy, in which the understanding plays its part. Under the Christian dispensation, while we read frequently of trances and vision, dreams are never referred to as vehicles of divine revelation. In exact accordance with this principle are the actual records of the dreams sent by God. The greater number of such dreams were granted, for prediction or for warning, to those who were aliens to the Jewish covenant. And where dreams are recorded as means of God’s revelation to his chosen servants, they are almost always referred to the periods…

Torrey's New Topical Textbook

- Visions in sleep

Job 33:15; Da 2:28

- Often by imaginary

Job 20:8; Isa 29:8

- Excess of business frequently leads to

Ec 5:3

- God's will often revealed in

Nu 12:6; Job 33:15

- FALSE PROPHETS

. Pretended to

Jer 23:25-28; 29:8

. Not to be regarded in

De 13:1-3; Jer 27:9

. Condemned for pretending to

Jer 23:32

Thompson Chain Reference topics

(1) General References to

Nu 12:6; Job 7:14; Ec 5:3,7; Jer 23:28; Joe 2:28

(2) Notable

Ge 28:12; 37:5; 40:5; 41:1; Jud 7:13; 1Ki 3:5; Da 2:1; 4:5

Mt 1:20; 2:12,19,22; 27:19

--SEE Visions, REVELATIONS

(3) Interpretation of

Ge 40:12; 41:25; Da 1:17; 2:28…

and they said each to brother his there! [the] master of dreams this [is] coming
הַלָּזֶ֖הha.la.Zeh this H1976 Particle
2× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means this very thing, emphasizing something specific. It's used in the Bible to draw attention to a particular point, like in Exodus where God says this is the way you should worship me.
Tyndale gloss
this
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הַלָּזֶה (hallazeh) means 'this' or 'this one,' indicating a specific item or person. It is derived from other Hebrew roots, specifically H1973 and H2088. The term is straightforward, with no significant disagreements among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1976 הַלָּזֶה this

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1976 hallazeh hal-law-zeh'

from the article (see 1973) and 2088; this very:--this.

see HEBREW for 01973

see HEBREW for 02088

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הַלָּזֶה (hal.la.zeh) — this.

this, this one (without subst), yonder

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Pron — Particle
HTm
and they said each to brother his there! [the] master of dreams this [is] coming
בָּֽא׃Ba' [is] coming H935 Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine singular
2,573× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to go or come, and is used in many contexts, such as entering a place or approaching someone, as seen in the book of Genesis. It can also mean to abide or apply, and is translated in various ways in the KJV Bible. This term is related to the name Lebo Hamath.
Amplified meaning
behold, see
Tyndale gloss
Lebo
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

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

Qal

come in

come (approach, arrive)

go, i.e. walk, associate with

go from speaker, but with limit of motion given

Hiph.

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

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

Hoph.

be brought in (of pers. and things)

be brought

be introduced, put

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

. come (approach, arrive)

. go, i.e. walk, associate with

. go from speaker, but with limit of motion given

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

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

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

. be brought

. be introduced, put

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

935 bow' bo

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בּוֹא (bo) — to come (in): come.

: come/go_in

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

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to enter, come in

1a2) to come

1a2a) to come with

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

1a2c) to come to pass

1a3) to attain to

1a4) to be enumerated

1a5) to go

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to lead in

1b2) to carry in

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

1b4) to bring to pass

1c) (Hophal)

1c1) to be brought, brought in

1c2) to be introduced, be put

לְב֥וֹא (bo) — Lebo-(Hamath).

This name means to go in, enter

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

בּוֹא (bo) — to come (in): towards.

: towards/entrance

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

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to enter, come in

1a2) to come

1a2a) to come with

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

1a2c) to come to pass

1a3) to attain to

1a4) to be enumerated

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

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