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Genesis 38:21 — Word Study

Depth

WLCוַיִּשְׁאַ֞ל אֶת־ אַנְשֵׁ֤י מְקֹמָהּ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר אַיֵּ֧ה הַקְּדֵשָׁ֛ה הִ֥וא בָעֵינַ֖יִם עַל־ הַדָּ֑רֶךְ וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ לֹא־ הָיְתָ֥ה בָזֶ֖ה קְדֵשָֽׁה׃

BSAHe askedshâʼal [inquired, sought information from] of that placemâqôwm [location, region] Whereʼayêh [in what location] is the shrine prostituteqᵉdêshâh [cult prostitute, temple worker] whohûwʼ was besideʻal [near, adjacent to] the roadderek [path, way] at EnaimʻÊynayim [double spring, a city in Judah's lowlands] Nolôʼ [not, none] shrine prostituteqᵉdêshâh [female temple worker] has beenhâyâh herezeh [in this place, present] they answeredʼâmar [replied, spoke]

Word
Listen & take awayGenesis 38
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 21 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 (ke.de.Shah) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Genesis 38:21quick helps
In a sentenceJudah inquires about a cult prostitute he believes was near the road at Enaim, but the locals deny her presence.
Who is speakingJudah, asking the men of the place.
Where we areIn a narrative about Judah's actions and his search for the woman.
The hard wordקְדֵשָׁה
Take awayThe inquiry reveals the social dynamics and the stigma around cult prostitution.
7 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, Ellicott & more — read them › clause subjectקָדֵשׁ verbשָׁאַל 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 38:21

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 — Judah and Tamargenerated

20Now when Judah sent his friend Hirah the Adullamite with the young goat to collect the items he had left with the woman, he could not find her.
21He asked the men of that place, “Where is the shrine prostitute who was beside the road at Enaim?” “No shrine prostitute has been here,” they answered.
22So Hirah returned to Judah and said, “I could not find her, and furthermore, the men of that place said, ‘No shrine prostitute has been here.’”
23“Let her keep the items,” Judah replied. “Otherwise we will become a laughingstock. After all, I did send her this young goat, but you could not find her.”

Genesis 38:21 describes Judah's search for a cult prostitute after failing to find her. This incident highlights the complexities of Judah's character and the cultural practices of the time. The narrative unfolds as Judah interacts with the men of the place, seeking information about the woman he had encountered earlier, revealing both the societal norms and the consequences of his actions.


Cross References


The Key Word קְדֵשָׁה, ke.de.Shahgenerated

The term קְדֵשָׁה (qdeshah) refers to a female cult prostitute associated with sacred practices, often engaging in ritual prostitution. This practice is condemned in the Bible, particularly in the book of Deuteronomy, where such activities are viewed negatively.

This word is derived from the masculine form קָדֵשׁ (qadesh), indicating a male counterpart. The use of this term in the context of the verse underscores the social and religious implications of such roles in ancient Israel.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

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


Sentence Structuregenerated

The finite verb יִּשְׁאַ֞ל, he asked, governs the main clause, with a noun phrase and a prepositional phrase providing the object and location of the inquiry. The structure indicates a straightforward inquiry, with the verb leading the sentence.

The following clauses detail the inquiry, with the men responding to Judah's question about the cult prostitute's whereabouts. The use of direct speech emphasizes the interaction and the denial of her presence.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates וַיִּשְׁאַ֞ל as ἐπηρώτησεν, which conveys the act of asking or inquiring, similar to the Hebrew. This choice reflects a direct translation of the action.

The term for cult prostitute is rendered as πόρνη, which broadens the understanding of her role beyond the Hebrew context, potentially emphasizing the moral implications of her profession.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Genesis 38:21 shows Judah asking the men in the area about a cult prostitute he thought he had seen. They respond that no such woman has been there. This exchange highlights the social norms and stigma surrounding such figures in ancient society.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does the term 'cult prostitute' mean?

A cult prostitute, or קְדֵשָׁה, was a female temple worker who engaged in ritual prostitution, a practice that was condemned in ancient Israel.

Why did Judah inquire about the cult prostitute?

Judah was looking for the woman he had encountered earlier, indicating a personal interest in her and the cultural practices of the time.

What does this verse reveal about societal attitudes?

The verse reflects the stigma attached to cult prostitution and the social dynamics at play when Judah seeks information about the woman.

How does this narrative connect to the larger story of Judah and Tamar?

This incident is part of the larger narrative that explores themes of deception, morality, and familial relationships within Judah's story.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What can we learn about the cultural practices of ancient Israel from this verse?
  2. How does Judah's inquiry reflect his character and the societal norms of his time?
  3. What implications does the presence of a cult prostitute have for our understanding of religious practices in ancient cultures?
  4. In what ways can we see the consequences of Judah's actions unfold in this narrative?

Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Genesis 38:21 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Then he asked the men of that place,.... Or "of her place" (d), of the woman's place, supposing that she dwelt somewhere thereabout: saying, where [is] the harlot that [was] openly by the wayside?

Read John Gill on Genesis 38 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Then he asked the men of that place, saying, Where is the harlot, that was openly by the way side? And they said, There was no harlot in this place. Where is the harlot?

Read Robert Jamieson on Genesis 38 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Genesis 38:21 Then he asked the men of that place, saying, Where [is] the harlot, that [was] openly by the way side? And they said, There was no harlot in this [place].Ver. 21. Where is the harlot?] The holy whore, as the Hebrew word importeth; such as committed that filthiness, under a pretence of holiness. Such, among the heathens, were the lewd worshippers of Priapus (this is thought to be Baalpeor); and Venus at Cyprus; where the maids, in honour of their goddess, prostituted their chastity to all that would, once a year. So in their Lupercals and Bacchanals at Rome, in quibus discurrebatur ad publicos concubitus, for like reason. Of such unclean persons, even by God’ s house, we read…

Read John Trapp on Genesis 38 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(21) Where is the harlot . . .?—Heb.,Whercisthe kedeshah (see Genesis 38:15) that was at Enajim by the wayside? “Enajim (the two founts) by-the-wayside,” seems to have been the full name of the village. (See Genesis 38:14.)

Read Charles John Ellicott on Genesis 38 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 21. Where is the harlot that was openly by the wayside?] Our translators often render different Hebrew words by the same term in English, and thus many important shades of meaning, which involve traits of character, are lost. In Genesis 38:15, Tamar is called a harlot, זונה zonah, which, as we have already seen, signifies a person who prostitutes herself for money. In this verse she is called a harlot in our version; but the original is not זונה but קדשה kedeshah, a holy or consecrated person, from קדש kadash, to make holy, or to consecrate to religious purposes. And the word here must necessarily signify a person consecrated by prostitution to the worship of some impure goddess. The…

Read AdamClarke on Genesis 38 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

21. harlot] Heb. ḳ ?edêshah, that is, a woman dedicated to impure heathen worship: see Deuteronomy 23:17; Hosea 4:14. The Heb. word denotes “a woman dedicated to the service of some god, or goddess.” Her dedication consisted in the sacrifice of her chastity. This repulsive and strangely degrading custom prevailed generally among Semitic races, and was associated with the impure and immoral rites of the Phoenician, Syrian, and Babylonian worship.

Read Cambridge on Genesis 38 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

21. Openly by the wayside — Rather, at Enajim on the way. See on Genesis 38:14.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Genesis 38 →

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

He asked the men of that place, “Where is the shrine prostitute who was beside the road at Enaim?” “No shrine prostitute has been here,” they answered.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Then he asked the men of her place, saying, “Where is the prostitute, that was at Enaim by the road?” They said, “There has been no prostitute here.”

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

He asked the men of that place, “Where is the shrine prostitute who was beside the road at Enaim?” “No shrine prostitute has been here,” they answered.

NETBNew English Translation2006

He asked the men who were there, “Where is the cult prostitute who was at Enaim by the road?” But they replied, “There has been no cult prostitute here.”

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Then he asked the men of that place, saying, Where is the harlot, that was openly by the way side? And they said, There was no harlot in this place.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Then he asked the men of her place, saying, Where is the prostitute, that was at Enaim by the wayside? And they said, There hath been no prostitute here.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Then he asked the men of her place, saying, Where is the harlot, that was at Enaim by the way side? And they said, There hath been no harlot here.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Then he asked the men of that place, saying, where is the harlot that was openly by the way-side? and they said, There was no harlot in this place.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Then asked he the men of that place, saying, Where is ye whore, that sate in Enaim by the way side? And they answered, There was no whore here.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And he asked the men of her place, saying, Where is the prostitute that was at Enaim, by the way-side? And they said, There was no prostitute here.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And he asketh the men of her place, saying, 'Where [is] the separated one — she in Enayim, by the way?' and they say, 'There hath not been in this [place] a separated one.'

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And he asks the men of her place, saying, “Where [is] the separated one—she in Enayim, by the way?” And they say, “There has not been in this [place] a separated one.”

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Then he asked the men of her place, saying, Where is the harlot, that was at the cross-road on the highway? And they said, There hath been no harlot in this neighborhood.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Then the Adullamite asked the men of the place, “Where is the cultic prostitute who was at Enaim by the road?” They said, “There has not been a cultic prostitute here.”

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Asked the men of that place: Where is the woman that sat in the cross way? And when they all made answer: There was no harlot in this place,

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Hirah asked the men there, “Where's the cult prostitute that sits by the entrance road to Enaim?” “There's no cult prostitute here,” they answered.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And he put questions to the men of the place, saying, Where is the loose woman who was in Enaim by the wayside? And they said, There was no such woman 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.

וַandclauseverbיִּשְׁאַ֞לhe.askednoun phrase · objectאֶת(et)noun phraseאַנְשֵׁ֤יthe.mennoun phraseמְקֹמָher.placeהּ֙herprepositional phrase · prepositionalלֵ(cmp)clauseverbאמֹ֔רsayingclausepredicateאַיֵּ֧הwhere?noun phrase · subjectהַ[is].thenoun phraseקְּדֵשָׁ֛הcult.prostituteclausesubjectהִ֥ואsheprepositional phrase · predicateבָ[was].atnoun phrase(the)עֵינַ֖יִםEnaimprepositional phrase · prepositionalעַלatnoun phraseהַtheדָּ֑רֶךְroadוַandclauseverbיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּthey.saidclauseadverbialלֹאnotverbהָיְתָ֥הshe.wasprepositional phrase · prepositionalבָinזֶ֖הthis.[place]subjectקְדֵשָֽׁהa.cult.prostitute

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


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

The Masoretic Text (MT) of Genesis 38:21 reads, "He asked the men of that place, 'Where is the shrine prostitute who was beside the road at Enaim?' 'No shrine prostitute has been here,' they answered." The Septuagint (LXX) corresponds closely to the MT, with 13 of the 16 words matching, though it presents the text with its own word order and articles. The Samaritan Pentateuch differs from the MT in two words: it uses 'מקום' (place) instead of 'מְקֹמָהּ' (her place) and 'היא' (she) instead of 'הִ֥וא' (she). The Dead Sea Scrolls do not provide a relevant variant for this verse, confirming the MT's reading in this instance.

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

וַיִּשְׁאַ֞ל אֶת־ אַנְשֵׁ֤י מְקֹמָהּ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר אַיֵּ֧ה הַקְּדֵשָׁ֛ה הִ֥וא בָעֵינַ֖יִם עַל־ הַדָּ֑רֶךְ וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ לֹא־ הָיְתָ֥ה בָזֶ֖ה קְדֵשָֽׁה׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיִּשְׁאַ֞לἐπηρώτησενאַנְשֵׁ֤יἄνδραςמְקֹמָהּ֙τοὺςאַיֵּ֧הποῦהַקְּדֵשָׁ֛הπόρνηבָעֵינַ֖יִםαινανעַל־ἐπὶהַדָּ֑רֶךְὁδοῦוַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּεἶπανלֹא־οὐκהָיְתָ֥הἦνבָזֶ֖הἐνταῦθαקְדֵשָֽׁה׃πόρνη

13 of the 16 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

וישׁאל את אנשׁי המקום לאמר איה הקדשׁה ההיא בעינים על הדרך ויאמרו לא היתה בזה קדשׁה

2 words differ from the Masoretic Text: מקום (place), היא (she)

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 38:21שָׁאַלand he askeand he askedשָׁאַלאֵתthe object the object markאֵתאֱנוֹשׁ[the] men o[the] men ofאֱנוֹשׁמָקוֹםplace herplace herמָקוֹםאָמַרsayingsayingאָמַראַיֵּהwhere?where?אַיֵּהקָדֵשׁ[is] the cu[is] the cult pקָדֵשׁהוּאshesheהוּאעֵינַיִם[was] at En[was] at Enaimעֵינַיִםעַלatatעַלדֶּ֫רֶךְthe roadthe roadדֶּ֫רֶךְאָמַרand they saand they saidאָמַרלֹאnotnotלֹאהָיָהshe wasshe wasהָיָהזֶהin this [plin this [place]זֶהקָדֵשׁa cult prosa cult prostituקָדֵשׁאַיwhere?where?אַיאוֹתsign: mirasign: miraculouאוֹתאָנַשׁbe incurabbe incurableאָנַשׁלֵב(Leb)-kama(Leb)-kamaiלֵבקָדֵשׁmale cult male cult prostקָדֵשׁדָּרַךְto treadto treadדָּרַךְעַ֫יִןeyeeyeעַ֫יִןעַלheightheightעַלהָוָאto fallto fallהָוָאזֶהthisthisזֶהזֹהthisthisזֹהכֹּהthusthusכֹּהיהוהYHWH/GodYHWH/Godיהוהזֶהthisthisזֶהלֹאnotnotלֹאשְׁאֵלָהpetitionpetitionשְׁאֵלָהמִגְרָשׁpasturepastureמִגְרָשׁבְּלִיַּ֫עַלBelial: woBelial: worthleבְּלִיַּ֫עַל
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 38:21

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

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

and he asked the object marker [the] men of place her saying where? [is] the cult prostitute she [was] at Enaim at the road and they said not she was in this [place] a cult prostitute
וַיִּשְׁאַ֞לvai.yish.'Al and he asked H7592 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
171× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To ask or inquire, this Hebrew word is used in the Bible to describe seeking information or requesting something. It can also mean to beg or borrow, and is used in many different contexts throughout the Old Testament. The KJV translates it as ask, beg, or borrow.
Amplified meaning
inquired, sought information from
Tyndale gloss
to ask
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׁאַל (sha'al) means to ask or inquire, often in the context of requesting a favor or borrowing. It covers a range of uses, including seeking counsel, consulting deities, and even begging. The verb can appear in different forms, such as asking for oneself or granting requests. There is a noted Aramaic equivalent, שְׁאֵל (she.el), meaning 'to ask'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁאַל 170 vb. ask, inquire

Qal

ask, ask for

specif. ask as a fovour, for temporary use, i.e. borrow

in weakened sense, seek, desire (late)

inquire of

inquire of, consult, deity, oracle, etc.

in weakened sense, seek, desire (late)

Niph. ask for oneself

Pi.

inquire carefully

beg, practise beggary

Hiph. (prop. let one ask [successfully], give, or lend, on request, then) grant, make over to (as a favour, with or without request)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7592 שָׁאַל ask, inquire .. . ask, ask for

. specif. ask as a fovour, for temporary use, i.e. borrow

. in weakened sense, seek, desire (late)

. . inquire of

. inquire of, consult, deity, oracle, etc.

. in weakened sense, seek, desire (late)

. ask for oneself

. . inquire carefully

. beg, practise beggary

. (prop. let one ask [successfully], give, or lend, on request, then) grant, make over to (as a favour, with or without request)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7592 sha'al shaw-al'

or shael {shaw-ale'}; a primitive root; to inquire; by

implication, to request; by extension, to demand:--ask

(counsel, on), beg, borrow, lay to charge, consult, demand,

desire, X earnestly, enquire, + greet, obtain leave, lend,

pray, request, require, + salute, X straitly, X surely, wish.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁאַל (sha.al) — to ask.

1) to ask, enquire, borrow, beg

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to ask, ask for

1a2) to ask (as a favour), borrow

1a3) to enquire, enquire of

1a4) to enquire of, consult (of deity, oracle)

1a5) to seek

1b) (Niphal) to ask for oneself, ask leave of absence

1c) (Piel)

1c1) to enquire, enquire carefully

1c2) to beg, practise beggary

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to be given on request

1d2) to grant, make over to, let (one) ask (successfully) or give or lend on request (then) grant or make over to

Aramaic equivalent: she.el (שְׁאֵל "to ask" H7593)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
and he asked the object marker [the] men of place her saying where? [is] the cult prostitute she [was] at Enaim at the road and they said not she was in this [place] a cult prostitute
אֶת־'et- the object marker H853 Particle
10,946× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the original Hebrew, this word points out the object of a verb or preposition, like 'namely' or 'even'. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus. It's not directly translated in English, but helps clarify the meaning of sentences.
Tyndale gloss
[Obj.]
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

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

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

853 'eth ayth

apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of

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

definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or

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

see HEBREW for 0226

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵת (et) — [Obj.].

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

Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTo — Particle
HTo
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he asked the object marker [the] men of place her saying where? [is] the cult prostitute she [was] at Enaim at the road and they said not she was in this [place] a cult prostitute
אַנְשֵׁ֤י'an.Shei [the] men of H582 Noun common · masculine plural construct
566× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Enosh refers to a human or mankind in general, used to describe individuals or people as a whole in the Bible.
Tyndale gloss
human
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֱנוֹשׁ (enowsh) refers to man or mankind, often used in a poetic context. It denotes a mortal individual, distinguishing humans from more dignified terms for man. The word encompasses both singular and collective meanings, indicating people or persons in general. Its Aramaic equivalent is אֱנָשׁ (e.nash), also meaning 'man'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֱנוֹשׁ n.m. man, mankind, mostly poet.

of individ.

coll. men

man, mankind

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H582 אֱנוֹשׁ man, mankind, mostly poet.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

582 'enowsh en-oshe'

from 605; properly, a mortal (and thus differing from the

more dignified 120); hence, a man in general (singly or

collectively):--another, X (blood-)thirsty, certain,

chap(-man); divers, fellow, X in the flower of their age,

husband, (certain, mortal) man, people, person, servant, some

( X of them), + stranger, those, + their trade. It is often

unexpressed in the English versions, especially when used in

apposition with another word . Compare 376.

see HEBREW for 0605

see HEBREW for 0120

see HEBREW for 0376

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֱנוֹשׁ (e.nosh) — human.

1) man, mortal man, person, mankind

1a) of an individual

1b) men (collective)

1c) man, mankind

Aramaic equivalent: e.nash (אֱנָשׁ "man" H0606)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcmpc — Noun common · masculine plural construct
HNcmpc
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 he asked the object marker [the] men of place her saying where? [is] the cult prostitute she [was] at Enaim at the road and they said not she was in this [place] a cult prostitute
מְקֹמָהּ֙me.ko.Mah place her H4725 Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
401× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Maqom means a place or location, like a city or a region. It can also refer to a condition of the body or mind. This term is used to describe a wide range of locations and situations.
Amplified meaning
location, region
Tyndale gloss
place
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מָקוֹם (maqom) means 'place' and encompasses a variety of contexts, including a standing place, station, or post. It can refer to human abodes, localities, regions, and even figurative conditions of body or mind. The term is derived from a root meaning 'standing' and is used broadly in the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מָקוֹם, מָקֹם 399 n.m. standing-place, place

standing-place

station, where soldiers are placed

post, office

place where a thing belongs

esp.

place of human abode

of י׳’s abode

place

in gen. place, locality, spot

space, room

space, distance, between

region, quarter, direction

peculiar uses

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4725 מָקוֹם, מָקֹם standing-place, place . . standing-place

. station, where soldiers are placed

. post, office

. . place where a thing belongs

. esp. . place of human abode

. of י׳’s abode

. place

. in gen. place, locality, spot

. . space, room

. space, distance, between

. region, quarter, direction

. peculiar uses

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4725 maqowm maw-kome'

or maqom {maw-kome'}; also (feminine) mqowmah {mek-o-mah'};

or mqomah {mek-o-mah'}; from 6965; properly, a standing, i.e.

a spot; but used widely of a locality (general or specific);

also (figuratively) of a condition (of body or

mind):--country, X home, X open, place, room, space, X

whither(-soever).

see HEBREW for 06965

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מָקוֹם (ma.qom) — place.

1) standing place, place

1a) standing place, station, post, office

1b) place, place of human abode

1c) city, land, region

1d) place, locality, spot

1e) space, room, distance

1f) region, quarter, direction

1g) give place to, instead of

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HNcmsc/Sp3fs
and he asked the object marker [the] men of place her saying where? [is] the cult prostitute she [was] at Enaim at the road and they said not she was in this [place] a cult prostitute
לֵאמֹ֔רle.Mor saying H559 Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
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
replied, spoke
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 — Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
HR/Vqcc
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he asked the object marker [the] men of place her saying where? [is] the cult prostitute she [was] at Enaim at the road and they said not she was in this [place] a cult prostitute
אַיֵּ֧ה'ai.Yeh where? H346 Particle
45× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for where, used to ask for the location of someone or something. It appears in various biblical contexts, including rhetorical questions.
Amplified meaning
in what location
Tyndale gloss
where?
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אַיֵּה (*'ayeh*) means "where?" and is used as an interrogative adverb. It can refer to the location of persons or things and may also be used rhetorically. The word is derived from a prolonged form of another root, but the entries do not provide further details on its usage in specific verses.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אַיֵּה 46 interr.adv. Where?

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H346 אַיֵּה Where?

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

346 'ayeh ah-yay'

prolonged from 335; where?:--where.

see HEBREW for 0335

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אַיֵּה (ay.yeh) — where?.

1) where?

1a) of persons, things

1b) rhetorical

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part — Particle
HTi
and he asked the object marker [the] men of place her saying where? [is] the cult prostitute she [was] at Enaim at the road and they said not she was in this [place] a cult prostitute
הַקְּדֵשָׁ֛הha.ke.de.Shah [is] the cult prostitute H6948 Particle
5× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A cult prostitute, or qedesha, was a female temple worker who engaged in ritual prostitution in ancient times. This practice is condemned in the Bible, particularly in the book of Deuteronomy.
Amplified meaning
cult prostitute, temple worker
Tyndale gloss
cult prostitute
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

קְדֵשָׁה (qdeshah) refers to a female temple prostitute or cult prostitute, associated with sacred practices. It is derived from the masculine form קָדֵשׁ (qadesh), which denotes a male counterpart. The term is consistently linked to the idea of harlotry in religious contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

קָדֵשׁ n.m. temple-prostitute (man); also f. קְדֵשָׁה (woman) = harlot

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6948 קָדֵשׁ temple-prostitute (man); also f. קְדֵשָׁה (woman)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6948 qdeshah ked-ay-shaw'

feminine of 6945; a female devotee (i.e.

prostitute):--harlot, whore.

see HEBREW for 06945

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קְדֵשָׁה (qe.de.shah) — cult prostitute.

female temple prostitute, harlot

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-fs — Particle
HTd/Aafsa
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he asked the object marker [the] men of place her saying where? [is] the cult prostitute she [was] at Enaim at the road and they said not she was in this [place] a cult prostitute
הִ֥ואhi' she H1931 Pronoun
1,879× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word is a pronoun meaning 'he', 'she', or 'it', used to refer to a person or thing. It is used in the Bible to emphasize a subject or make it clear who is being talked about.
Tyndale gloss
he/she/it
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הוּא (hu) is a third-person singular pronoun meaning he, she, or it, used for emphasis or when no verb is present. It can also refer to oneself or serve as a demonstrative pronoun. The word has various nuances, including resuming the subject with emphasis or expressing it unobtrusively. It can indicate 'that' or 'those' when used with the definite article.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הוּא m. הִיא f., pron. of the 3rd ps. sing. he, she, used also (in both genders) for the neuter it

an emph. he (she, it, they), sometimes equivalent to himself (herself, itself, themselves), or (esp. with the art.) that (those)

It resumes the subj. with emph.

Where, however, the pron. follows the pred., its position gives it the minimum of emphasis, and it expresses (or resumes) the subject as unobtrusively as possible

It anticipates (as it seems) the subject

As an emph. predicate, of God

In a neuter sense, that, it (of an action, occurrence, matte, etc.)

With the art.: so regularly when joined to a subst. defined itself by the art.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1931 הוּא, הִיא he, she, used also (in both genders) for the neuter it . an emph. he (she, it, they), sometimes equivalent to himself (herself, itself, themselves), or (esp. with the art.) that (those)

. It resumes the subj. with emph.

. Where, however, the pron. follows the pred., its position gives it the minimum of emphasis, and it expresses (or resumes) the subject as unobtrusively as possible

. It anticipates (as it seems) the subject

. As an emph. predicate, of God

. In a neuter sense, that, it (of an action, occurrence, matte, etc.)

. With the art.: so regularly when joined to a subst. defined itself by the art.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1931 huw' hoo

of which the feminine (beyond the Pentateuch) is hiyw {he}; a

primitive word, the third person pronoun singular, he (she or

it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also

(intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same;

sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally

(instead of copula) as or are:--he, as for her, him(-self),

it, the same, she (herself), such, that (...it), these, they,

this, those, which (is), who.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הוּא (hu) — he/she/it.

pron 3p s

1) he, she, it

1a) himself (with emphasis)

1b) resuming subj with emphasis

1c) (with minimum emphasis following predicate)

1d) (anticipating subj)

1e) (emphasising predicate)

1f) that, it (neuter) demons pron

2) that (with article)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Pron — Pronoun
HPp3fs
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he asked the object marker [the] men of place her saying where? [is] the cult prostitute she [was] at Enaim at the road and they said not she was in this [place] a cult prostitute
בָעֵינַ֖יִםva.'ei.Na.yim [was] at Enaim H5879 Preposition · noun proper
3× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Enam means double spring, a city in Judah's lowlands. It is also referred to as Enaim in some Bible translations, such as Genesis 38:21.
Amplified meaning
double spring, a city in Judah's lowlands
Tyndale gloss
Enam
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עֵינַיִם (‘Eynayim) refers to a location in the Shephelah of Judah, identified as a city called Enam, meaning "double spring." This term is derived from the dual form of עַיִן (‘ayin), meaning "fountain" or "eye." It is mentioned in Joshua 15:34.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עֵינָם n.pr.loc. in the Shephelah of Judah, הָע׳ Jos 15:34 = עֵינַיִם

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5879 עֵינַיִם = following עֵינָם in the Shephelah of Judah

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5879 `Eynayim ay-nah'-yim

or mEynam {ay-nawm'}; dual of 5869; double fountain; Enajim

or Enam, a place in Palestine:--Enaim, openly (Genesis

38:21).

see HEBREW for 05869

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עֵינָם (e.na.yim) — Enaim.

§ Enam = "double spring"

a city in the lowlands of Judah

עֵינָם (e.na.yim) — Enam.

§ Enam = "double spring"

a city in the lowlands of Judah

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-proper — Preposition · noun proper
HRd/Npl
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

e-na'-im (`enayim, "place of a fountain"; Ainan; Ge 38:14 (the King James Version "in an open place"; Ge 38:21 the King James Version "openly")):

A place which lay between Adullam and Timnath; probably the same as Enam (Jos 15:34). Also mentioned in close connection with Adullam. It was in the Shephelah of Judah. The Talmud (Pesik. Rab. 23) mentions a Kephar Enaim. Conder proposes Khurbet Wady `Alin, which is an ancient site, evidently of great strength and importance, lying between Kh. `Ain Shems and the village of Deir Aban. The ruins crown a lofty and almost isolated hill; the greatest objection to the identification is that there is no fountain at all in the immediate neighborhood. There may have been one in earlier…

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he asked the object marker [the] men of place her saying where? [is] the cult prostitute she [was] at Enaim at the road and they said not she was in this [place] a cult prostitute
עַל־'al- at H5921 Preposition
5,774× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means on or above something, like a physical object or a situation. It can also imply a sense of responsibility or accountability, as in being on behalf of someone.
Amplified meaning
near, adjacent to
Tyndale gloss
upon
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עַל (*al*) is a preposition meaning 'upon' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including 'on account of,' 'beside,' 'above,' and 'against.' It can indicate physical placement, emotional burdens, or duties imposed on a person. The entries also note its use in idiomatic expressions and with verbs of motion. There is a mention of its function as a conjunction in certain contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

base

עַל, עָ֑ל

subst. height

As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against

Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed

of clothing, etc., which any one wears

With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it

Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him

Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him

על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him

חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5921a עַל, עָ֑ל . As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against . Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed . — . of clothing, etc., which any one wears

. With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it

. Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him

. Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him

. על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him

. חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5921 `al al

properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the

singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a

particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always

in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great

variety of applications (as follow):--above, according

to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because

of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both

and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in

(that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-)on, over, than,

through(-out), to, touching, X with.

see HEBREW for 05920

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עַל (al) — upon.

prep

1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against

1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards

1b) above, beyond, over (of excess)

1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence)

1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition)

1e) over (of suspension or extension)

1f) by, adjoining, next, at, over, around (of contiguity or proximity)

1g) down upon, upon, on, from, up upon, up to, towards, over towards, to, against (with verbs of motion)

1h) to (as a dative)

[כִּי] עַל [כֵּן] ([ki] al [ken]) — as.

conj

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Preposition
HR
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he asked the object marker [the] men of place her saying where? [is] the cult prostitute she [was] at Enaim at the road and they said not she was in this [place] a cult prostitute
הַדָּ֑רֶךְha.Da.rekh the road H1870 Particle · noun common both singular absolute
708× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Derek refers to a road or path, and can also mean a way of life or manner of action. It is often used to describe a journey or direction, and can be used figuratively to describe a person's character or moral path.
Amplified meaning
path, way
Tyndale gloss
way: road
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

דֶּ֫רֶךְ (derek) means way, road, or journey, and can refer to both literal paths and figurative courses of life or actions. It encompasses various aspects such as direction, manner, and moral character, often highlighting the nature of one's conduct. The term is used in both positive and negative contexts, reflecting the moral implications of one's path.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

דֶּ֫רֶךְ 715 n.m. way, road, distance, journey, manner

way, road, path

journey

of direction, almost or quite = toward

way, manner

fig. of course of life, or action, undertakings

of moral action and character

of duty

specif.: in good sense

oftener in bad sense

way of י׳

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1870 דֶּ֫רֶךְ way, road, distance, journey, manner . way, road, path

. journey

. of direction, almost or quite = toward

. way, manner

. fig. of course of life, or action, undertakings

. . of moral action and character

. of duty

. specif.: in good sense

. oftener in bad sense

. way of י׳

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1870 derek deh'-rek

from 1869; a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of

life or mode of action, often adverb:--along, away, because

of, + by, conversation, custom, (east-)ward, journey, manner,

passenger, through, toward, (high-) (path-)way(-side),

whither(-soever).

see HEBREW for 01869

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

דֶּ֫רֶךְ (de.rekh) — way: conduct.

: conduct/lifestyle

1) way, road, distance, journey, manner

1a) road, way, path

1b) journey

1c) direction

1d) manner, habit, way

1e) of course of life (fig.)

1f) of moral character (fig.)

דֶּ֫רֶךְ (de.rekh) — Way.

This name means way, road

דֶּ֫רֶךְ (de.rekh) — (King's) Highway.

This name means way, road

Combined with me.lekh (מֶ֫לֶךְ "King's" H4428I)

דֶּ֫רֶךְ (de.rekh) — way: direction.

: direction

1) way, road, distance, journey, manner

1a) road, way, path

1b) journey

1c) direction

1d) manner, habit, way

1e) of course of life (fig.)

1f) of moral character (fig.)

דֶּ֫רֶךְ (de.rekh) — way: road.

: road/route

1) way, road, distance, journey, manner

1a) road, way, path

1b) journey

1c) direction

1d) manner, habit, way

1e) of course of life (fig.)

1f) of moral character (fig.)

דֶּ֫רֶךְ (de.rekh) — way: journey.

: journey

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-cs — Particle · noun common both singular absolute
HTd/Ncbsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Road

(1 Sam. 27:10; R.V., “raid”), an inroad, an incursion. This word is never used in Scripture in the sense of a way or path.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

This word occurs but once in the Authorized Version of the Bible, viz. in (1 Samuel 37:10) where it is used in the sense of "raid" or "inroad." Where a travelled road is meant "path" or "way" is used, since the eastern roads are more like our paths.

and he asked the object marker [the] men of place her saying where? [is] the cult prostitute she [was] at Enaim at the road and they said not she was in this [place] a cult prostitute
וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּvai.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'.
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
Hc/Vqw3mp — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
Hc/Vqw3mp
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he asked the object marker [the] men of place her saying where? [is] the cult prostitute she [was] at Enaim at the road and they said not she was in this [place] a cult prostitute
לֹא־lo'- not H3808 Particle
5,170× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Amplified meaning
not, none
Tyndale gloss
not
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לֹא or לוֹא adv. not

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3808 lo' lo

or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often

used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,

ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,

no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out

of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +

of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לֹא (lo) — not.

1) not, no

1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)

1b) not (with modifier-negation)

1c) nothing (subst)

1d) without (with particle)

1e) before (of time)

Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part — Particle
HTn
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he asked the object marker [the] men of place her saying where? [is] the cult prostitute she [was] at Enaim at the road and they said not she was in this [place] a cult prostitute
הָיְתָ֥הha.ye.Tah she was H1961 Verb · Qal · perfect 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-Perf-3fs — Verb · Qal · perfect third person feminine singular
HVqp3fs
and he asked the object marker [the] men of place her saying where? [is] the cult prostitute she [was] at Enaim at the road and they said not she was in this [place] a cult prostitute
בָזֶ֖הva.Zeh in this [place] H2088 Preposition · particle
1,180× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word is a pronoun meaning this or that, used to point out a specific person or thing. It appears in many contexts, including Genesis and Psalms, to indicate something specific. The KJV translates it as he, here, or it.
Amplified meaning
in this place, present
Tyndale gloss
this
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

זֶה (zeh) is a demonstrative pronoun meaning 'this' or 'here.' It can stand alone, be used appositively, or function as a predicate. The word can also attach enclitically to interrogative pronouns, adding emphasis and directness. In poetry, it may serve as a relative pronoun, though this usage is rare.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

זֶה demonstr.pron. and adv.; fem. זֹאת, once זֹאתָה; this, here

standing alone

In appos. to subst.

More oft. as pred.

It is attached enclitically, almost as an adv., to certain words, esp. interrog. pronouns, to impart, in a manner often not reproducible in Engl. idiom, directness and force, bringing the question or statement made into close relation with the speaker.

In poetry, as a relative pron. (rare)

With prefixes (in special senses)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2088 זֶה demonstr. pron. and adv.; fem. זֹאת, once זֹאתָה; this, here . standing alone

. In appos. to subst.

. More oft. as pred.

. It is attached enclitically, almost as an adv., to certain words, esp. interrog. pronouns, to impart, in a manner often not reproducible in Engl. idiom, directness and force, bringing the question or statement made into close relation with the speaker.

. In poetry, as a relative pron. (rare)

. With prefixes (in special senses)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2088 zeh zeh

a primitive word; the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this

or that:--he, X hence, X here, it(-self), X now, X of him, the

one...the other, X than the other, (X out of) the (self) same,

such (a one) that, these, this (hath, man), on this side...on

that side, X thus, very, which. Compare 2063, 2090, 2097,

2098.

see HEBREW for 02063

see HEBREW for 02090

see HEBREW for 02097

see HEBREW for 02098

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

זֶה (zeh) — this.

1) this, this one, here, which, this...that, the one...the other, another, such

1a) (alone)

1a1) this one

1a2) this...that, the one...the other, another

1b) (appos to subst)

1b1) this

1c) (as predicate)

1c1) this, such

1d) (enclitically)

1d1) then

1d2) who, whom

1d3) how now, what now

1d4) what now

1d5) wherefore now

1d6) behold here

1d7) just now

1d8) now, now already

1e) (poetry)

1e1) wherein, which, those who

1f) (with prefixes)

1f1) in this (place) here, then

1f2) on these conditions, herewith, thus provided, by, through this, for this cause, in this matter

1f3) thus and thus

1f4) as follows, things such as these, accordingly, to that effect, in like manner, thus and thus

1f5) from here, hence, on one side...on the other side

1f6) on this account

1f7) in spite of this, which, whence, how

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | Pron — Preposition · particle
HR/Tm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

plas: Normally for maqom, Old Testament, and topos, New Testament, but in the King James Version "place" represents a great number of Hebrew and Greek words, often used with no difference in force (e.g. 2Ch 35:10,15). the Revised Version (British and American) has made few changes, but occasionally has attempted to specialize the meaning (Ge 40:13; Job 37:8; Ac 8:32; Jas 3:11, etc.).

and he asked the object marker [the] men of place her saying where? [is] the cult prostitute she [was] at Enaim at the road and they said not she was in this [place] a cult prostitute
קְדֵשָֽׁה׃ke.de.Shah a cult prostitute H6948 Adj
5× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A cult prostitute, or qedesha, was a female temple worker who engaged in ritual prostitution in ancient times. This practice is condemned in the Bible, particularly in the book of Deuteronomy.
Amplified meaning
female temple worker
Tyndale gloss
cult prostitute
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

קְדֵשָׁה (qdeshah) refers to a female temple prostitute or cult prostitute, associated with sacred practices. It is derived from the masculine form קָדֵשׁ (qadesh), which denotes a male counterpart. The term is consistently linked to the idea of harlotry in religious contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

קָדֵשׁ n.m. temple-prostitute (man); also f. קְדֵשָׁה (woman) = harlot

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6948 קָדֵשׁ temple-prostitute (man); also f. קְדֵשָׁה (woman)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6948 qdeshah ked-ay-shaw'

feminine of 6945; a female devotee (i.e.

prostitute):--harlot, whore.

see HEBREW for 06945

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קְדֵשָׁה (qe.de.shah) — cult prostitute.

female temple prostitute, harlot

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Adj
HAafsa
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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