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Genesis 4:1 — Word Study

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WLCוְהָ֣אָדָ֔ם יָדַ֖ע אֶת־ חַוָּ֣ה אִשְׁתּ֑וֹ וַתַּ֙הַר֙ וַתֵּ֣לֶד אֶת־ קַ֔יִן וַתֹּ֕אמֶר קָנִ֥יתִי אִ֖ישׁ אֶת־ יְהוָֽה׃

BSAAnd Adamʼâdâm [the first human, created by God] had relations withyâdaʻ [knew, was intimate with] his wifeʼishshâh EveChavvâh [the mother of all living] and she conceivedhârâh [became pregnant, was with child] and gave birth toyâlad [brought forth, delivered] CainQayin [the firstborn son] With the help ofʼêth [assistance, aid] the LORDYᵉhôvâh [Yehovah, the covenant God] I have brought forthqânâh [gotten, acquired] a manʼîysh [a male child, a son] she saidʼâmar

Word
Listen & take awayGenesis 4
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 1 opens the 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 (Yah.weh) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Genesis 4:1quick helps
In a sentenceAdam and Eve's intimate relationship leads to the birth of Cain, who is acknowledged as a gift from God.
Who is speakingEve, expressing gratitude for her firstborn son.
Where we areThe beginning of humanity's story, focusing on the first family.
The hard wordיָדַע
Take awayThe act of knowing is deeply personal, marking the beginning of human life.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbיָדַע 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 4:1

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 Birth of Caingenerated

1And Adam had relations with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain. “With the help of the LORD I have brought forth a man,” she said.
2Later she gave birth to Cain’s brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, while Cain was a tiller of the soil.
3So in the course of time, Cain brought some of the fruit of the soil as an offering to the LORD,
4while Abel brought the best portions of the firstborn of his flock. And the LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering,

Genesis 4:1 narrates the intimate moment between Adam and Eve, leading to the conception and birth of their son Cain. This verse marks a significant point in the biblical narrative, introducing the firstborn of humanity and setting the stage for the unfolding story of human relationships and conflict. Eve's declaration reflects both joy and recognition of divine assistance in the gift of life, echoing the themes of creation and family found throughout Genesis.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Numbers 31:17So now, kill all the boys, as well as every woman who has had relations with a man,
2Genesis 4:25And Adam again had relations with his wife, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, saying, “God has granted me another seed in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.”
3Genesis 3:15And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel. ”
4Genesis 5:29And he named him Noah, saying, “May this one comfort us in the labor and toil of our hands caused by the ground that the LORD has cursed.”
51 John 3:12Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did Cain slay him? Because his own deeds were evil, while those of his brother were righteous.

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


The Key Word יָדַע, ya.Da'generated

The Hebrew verb יָדַע (yada`) means 'to know' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including perception and intimacy. In this context, it specifically refers to Adam's intimate relationship with Eve, which leads to the conception of their child. This word highlights the personal and relational aspect of their union, indicating a deep connection.

The usage of יָדַע here is significant as it implies more than mere knowledge; it suggests a profound intimacy, which is foundational to the concept of family in the biblical narrative. This intimate knowing is the precursor to the creation of life, emphasizing the importance of relationships in the unfolding story of humanity.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses had relations to convey the intimate connection between Adam and Eve.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb in this verse is יָדַע, he knew, which governs the entire clause describing Adam's relationship with Eve. The subsequent verbs וַתַּ֙הַר֙ (and she conceived) and וַתֵּ֣לֶד (and she bore) follow in sequence, detailing the progression from intimacy to conception and birth.

The sentence structure emphasizes the actions taken by Eve following the intimate relationship, culminating in her declaration. The use of sequential verbs highlights the natural progression of events leading to the birth of Cain.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates יָדַע as ἔγνω, which carries a similar meaning of knowing, but may imply a more formal acknowledgment rather than the intimate connotation found in the Hebrew. This choice reflects a slight shift in emphasis from personal intimacy to recognition.

The Greek translation captures the essence of the relationship while adapting it to a Hellenistic audience, who may interpret the nuances of intimacy differently.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Genesis 4:1 describes how Adam and Eve had a close relationship that led to the birth of their son Cain. Eve expresses that with God's help she has brought forth a man, highlighting the significance of this moment in their lives.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that Adam 'knew' Eve?

In this context, 'knew' refers to the intimate relationship between Adam and Eve, which is foundational for the conception of their children.

Why is Eve's statement about Cain significant?

Eve's declaration acknowledges God's role in her ability to bear a child, emphasizing the divine aspect of creation and the joy of motherhood.

What does Cain's name signify?

Cain's name is associated with the idea of acquisition or possession, reflecting Eve's recognition of having brought forth a man with God's assistance.

How does this verse connect to the broader themes in Genesis?

This verse introduces the concept of family and relationships, setting the stage for the unfolding narrative of humanity's challenges and triumphs.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What does this verse teach us about the importance of relationships in our lives?
  2. How can we recognize and appreciate the role of divine assistance in our achievements?
  3. In what ways can we reflect on our own experiences of new beginnings and the joy they bring?
  4. How does understanding the intimate nature of Adam and Eve's relationship inform our view of family?

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

Early church fathers comment on this verse, discussing the significance of Eve's declaration regarding Cain's birth and the implications of human relationships post-Eden.

JeromeChapter 4, Verse 1 c. 347–420
And she conceived and gave birth to Cain, and said, I have gained a man from God. Cain, meaning acquisition or possession, is interpreted as κτῆσις in Greek, and expressing its etymology, it is said, Canithi,
Early Church Fathers on Genesis 4 →
John ChrysostomHOMILIES ON Genesis 18.12 c. 347–407
After his disobedience, after their loss of the garden, then it was that the practice of intercourse had its beginning. You see, before their disobedience they followed a life like that of angels, and there was not mention of intercourse.
Early Church Fathers on Genesis 4 →
Augustine of HippoCity of God 15.17 354–430
Note that the name Cain means "ownership," which explains what was said at the time of his birth by his father or mother: "I have come into possession of a man through God."
Early Church Fathers on Genesis 4 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Genesis 4:1 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

And Adam knew Eve his wife,.... An euphemism, or modest expression of the act of coition.

Read John Gill on Genesis 4 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD. And Adam knew Eve his wife - Murphy translates 'the man;' but there is no good reason for this change.

Read Robert Jamieson on Genesis 4 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

GENESIS CHAPTER 4 The birth of Cain and Abel, and their employment, . Cain’ s offering, . Abel’ s sacrifice, and God’ s acceptance, . Cain’ s rejected; his discontent, . God expostulates it with him, . He murders Abel, . God makes inquiry after Abel, . The cry of his blood, . God’ s curse upon Cain, . His complaint, . God mitigates it, . Its execution, . Cain’ s posterity, . Lamech’ s two wives, . They bear unto him sons, who dwell in tents, ; invent musical instruments, ; have skill in brass and iron, . His boasting, . The birth of Seth, . His son; the revival of religion, . This modest expression is used both in Scripture and other authors, to signify the conjugal act or carnal knowledge.…

Read Matthew Poole on Genesis 4 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Genesis 4:1 And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD.Ver. 1. I have gotten a man from the Lord.] Or, that famous man, the Lord; as if she had brought forth the man Christ Jesus. These were words of hope not of substance ; for "Cain was of that wicked one," the devil, as all reprobates are. Cain the author of the city of the world, saith Augustine, is born first, and called Cain, that is, a "possession," because he buildeth a city, is given to the cares and pomp of the world, and persecutes his brother that was chosen out of the world. But Abel, the author of the city of God, is born second, called "vanity," because he saw the…

Read John Trapp on Genesis 4 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

IV. THE OF THE FAMILY, AND OF THE NON- LIFE.(1) She . . . bare Cain, and said . . . —In this chapter we have the history of the founding of the family of Cain, a race godless and wanton, but who, nevertheless, far outstripped the descendants of Seth in the arts of civilisation. To tillage and a pastoral life they added metallurgy and music; and the knowledge not only of copper and its uses, but even of iron (Genesis 4:22), must have given them a command over the resources of nature so great as to have vastly diminished the curse of labour, and made their lives easy and luxurious. I have gotten a man from the Lord.—Rather, who is Jehovah. It is inconceivable that eth should have here a…

Read Charles John Ellicott on Genesis 4 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

CHAPTER IV The birth, trade, and religion of Cain and Abel, 1-7. Cain murders his brother Abel, 8. God calls him into judgment for it, 9, 10. He is cursed, 11, 12. He despairs, 15, 14. A promise given him of preservation, and a mark set on him to prevent his being killed, 15. He departs from God's presence, 16. Has a son whom he calls Enoch; and builds a city, which he calls after his name, 17. Cain has several children, among whom are Lamech, the first bigamist, 18, 19. Jobat, who taught the use of tents and feeding cattle, 20. Jabal, the inventor of musical instruments, 21. Tubal-cain, the inventor of smith-work, 22. Strange speech of Lamech to his wives, 23, 24. Seth born to Adam and Eve…

Read AdamClarke on Genesis 4 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

1. Cain … gotten] Heb. ḳ ?anah, to get. The word “Cain” does not mean “gotten”; but Eve’s joyful utterance gives a popular etymology, which derived the proper name from the verb whose pronunciation it resembled. The word “Cain” (Ḳ ?ayin) means in Hebrew “a lance”; and by some the name is interpreted to mean “a smith.” Its relation to Tubal-Cain “the artificer” is doubtful (see Genesis 4:24). That the name is to be identified with that of the nomad tribe of the “Kenites” (cf. Numbers 24:22, Judges 4:11) is a view which has been strongly maintained by some scholars. But the evidence seems to be very slight. The Kenites were not traditionally hostile to Israel, and did not play any important…

Read Cambridge on Genesis 4 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

- Section IV - The Family of Adam - Cain and Abel 1. קין qayı̂n, Qain (Cain), “spear-shaft,” and קנה qānah, “set up, establish, gain, buy,” contain the biliteral root קן qan, “set up, erect, gain.”

Read Albert Barnes on Genesis 4 →

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

And Adam had relations with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain. “With the help of the LORD I have brought forth a man,” she said.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

The man knew Eve his wife. She conceived, and gave birth to Cain, and said, “I have gotten a man with Yahweh’s help.”

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

And Adam had relations with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain. “With the help of the LORD I have brought forth a man,” she said.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Now the man had marital relations with his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. Then she said, “I have created a man just as the Lord did!”

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And the man knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man with the help of Jehovah.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And the man knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man with the help of the LORD.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bore Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Afterward the man knew Heuah his wife, which conceiued and bare Kain, and said, I haue obteined a man by the Lord.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And Man knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bore Cain, and said, I have acquired a man with Jehovah.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And the man knew Eve his wife, and she conceiveth and beareth Cain, and saith, 'I have gotten a man by Jehovah;'

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And the man knew his wife Eve, and she conceives and bears Cain, and says, “I have acquired a man by YHWH”;

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And the man knew Eve his wife: and she conceived, and bore Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

The man slept with Eve his wife. She conceived and gave birth to Cain. She said, “I have produced a man with Yahweh's help.”

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And Adam knew Eve his wife: who conceived and brought forth Cain, saying: I have gotten a man through God.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Adam slept with his wife Eve and she became pregnant. She gave birth to Cain, and said, “With the Lord's help I have made a man.”

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And the man had connection with Eve his wife, and she became with child and gave birth to Cain, and said, I have got a man from the Lord.

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.

וְandclausenoun phrase · subjectהָ֣theאָדָ֔םmanverbיָדַ֖עhe.knewnoun phrase · objectאֶת(et)noun phraseחַוָּ֣הEvenoun phraseאִשְׁתּ֑wifeוֹhisוַandclauseverbתַּ֨הַר֙she.conceivedוַandclauseverbתֵּ֣לֶדshe.borenoun phrase · objectאֶת(et)קַ֔יִןCainוַandclauseverbתֹּ֕אמֶרshe.saidclauseverbקָנִ֥יתִיI.have.acquiredobjectאִ֖ישׁa.manprepositional phrase · prepositionalאֶתwithיְהוָֽהYahweh

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


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

The Samaritan Pentateuch agrees with the Masoretic Text word for word, affirming the accuracy of the Hebrew rendering. The Septuagint, while matching 11 of the 14 words, presents a different word order, reflecting its own stylistic choices. The Dead Sea Scrolls contain fragments that support the Masoretic Text's wording but are incomplete.

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

וְהָ֣אָדָ֔ם יָדַ֖ע אֶת־ חַוָּ֣ה אִשְׁתּ֑וֹ וַתַּ֙הַר֙ וַתֵּ֣לֶד אֶת־ קַ֔יִן וַתֹּ֕אמֶר קָנִ֥יתִי אִ֖ישׁ אֶת־ יְהוָֽה׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וְהָ֣אָדָ֔םαδαμיָדַ֖עἔγνωחַוָּ֣הευανאִשְׁתּ֑וֹαὐτοῦוַתַּ֙הַר֙συλλαβοῦσαוַתֵּ֣לֶדἔτεκενקַ֔יִןκαινוַתֹּ֕אמֶרεἶπενקָנִ֥יתִיἐκτησάμηνאִ֖ישׁἄνθρωπονיְהוָֽה׃θεοῦ

11 of the 14 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

והאדם ידע את חוה אשׁתו ותהר ותלד את קין ותאמר קניתי אישׁ את יהוה

Agrees with the Masoretic Text here, word for word.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q2a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[את] [יהוה]

2 words of the verse are on this fragment — 2 supplied entire by an editor.

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


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

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

Genesis 4:1אָדָםand the manand the manאָדָםיָדַעhe knewhe knewיָדַעאֵתthe object the object markאֵתחַוָּהEveEveחַוָּהאִשָּׁהwife hiswife hisאִשָּׁההָרָהand she conand she conceivהָרָהיָלַדand she borand she boreיָלַדאֵתthe object the object markאֵתקַ֫יִןCainCainקַ֫יִןאָמַרand she saiand she saidאָמַרקָנָהI have acquI have acquiredקָנָהאִישׁa mana manאִישׁאֵתwithwithאֵתיהוהYahwehYahwehיהוהאוֹתsign: mirasign: miraculouאוֹתאָדֹםto reddento reddenאָדֹםחָוָהto explainto explainחָוָהאֱנוֹשׁhumanhumanאֱנוֹשׁאָנָהto meetto meetאָנָההָיָהto beto beהָיָהאִישׁmanmanאִישׁקַ֫יִןspearspearקַ֫יִןקָנָהto buyto buyקָנָהאִשָּׁהwomanwomanאִשָּׁהמִגְרָשׁpasturepastureמִגְרָשׁדְּמוּתlikenesslikenessדְּמוּתבְּהֵמָהanimalanimalבְּהֵמָהאֲנִיIIאֲנִיבִּיןto understto understandבִּיןטַףchildchildטַףנָכְרִיforeignforeignנָכְרִילֵאָהLeahLeahלֵאָה
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 4:1

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 the man he knew the object marker Eve wife his and she conceived and she bore the object marker Cain and she said I have acquired a man with Yahweh
וְהָ֣אָדָ֔םve.Ha.'a.Dam and the man H120 Conjunction · particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
551× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Adam was the first human, created by God and mentioned in Genesis 2:19, who married Eve and had sons including Cain, Abel, and Seth.
Amplified meaning
the first human, created by God
Tyndale gloss
the man (Adam)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָדָם (adam) refers to 'man' or 'mankind,' encompassing both individual humans and the species as a whole. It is also the name of the first man in the Bible, Adam, who is mentioned in various verses, including Genesis 2:19. The term can denote a city in the Jordan valley as well. The entries indicate a range of meanings, but there is no significant disagreement among them.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָדָם 560 n.m. Gn 1:27 man, mankind

a man = human being

coll. man, mankind

n.pr.m. Adam, first man (without art.)

n.pr.loc. city in Jordan valley (as built?)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H120 אָדָם man, mankind . a man = human being

. coll. man, mankind

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

120 'adam aw-dawm'

from 119; ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the

species, mankind, etc.):--X another, + hypocrite, + common

sort, X low, man (mean, of low degree), person.

see HEBREW for 0119

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָדָם (a.dam) — man.

1) man, mankind

1a) man, human being

1b) man, mankind (much more frequently intended sense in OT)

1c) Adam, first man

1d) city in Jordan valley

אָדָם (a.dam) — the man (Adam).

The first named man living at the time before the Flood, first mentioned at Gen.2.19;

married to Eve (H2332);

father of: Cain (H7014B), Abel (H1893) and Seth (H8352); also translated "man" at Gen.2.19,21,23; 3.8,9,20; 5.2; "mankind" at Deu.32.8; "others" at Job.31.33;

Another spelling of a.dam (אָדָם "Adam" H0121)

man, human being

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Art | N-ms — Conjunction · particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
HC/Td/Ncmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

See ANTHROPOLOGY.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Man

(1.) Heb. ‘Adam, used as the proper name of the first man. The name is derived from a word meaning “to be red,” and thus the first man was called Adam because he was formed from the red earth. It is also the generic name of the human race (Gen. 1:26, 27; 5:2; 8:21; Deut. 8:3). Its equivalents are the Latin homo and the Greek anthropos (Matt. 5:13, 16). It denotes also man in opposition to woman (Gen. 3:12; Matt. 19:10).

(2.) Heb. ‘ish, like the Latin vir and Greek aner, denotes properly a man in opposition to a woman (1 Sam. 17:33;

→ CREATED Ge 1:26,27; 2:7; 5:1,2; De 4:32; Job 4:17; 10:2,3,8,9; 31:15; 33:4; 35:10; Ps 8:5; 100:3; 119:73; 138:8; 139:14; Ec 7:29; Isa 17:7; 42:5; 43:7; 45:12; 64:8; Jer 27:5; Zec 12:1; Mal 2:10; Mr 10:6; Heb 2:7

See CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF GOD, below

and the man he knew the object marker Eve wife his and she conceived and she bore the object marker Cain and she said I have acquired a man with Yahweh
יָדַ֖עya.Da' he knew H3045 Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singular
945× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for to know means to ascertain by seeing, and is used in many senses, including to learn, perceive, and recognize, as seen in various KJV translations.
Amplified meaning
knew, was intimate with
Tyndale gloss
to know
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָדַע (yada`) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to know,' encompassing a wide range of senses including perception, recognition, and experience. It can refer to knowing someone intimately or being skilled in a task. The word has various forms, indicating actions such as making known or being made known. Lexicons note its use in both literal and figurative contexts, but there is no significant disagreement among them.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָדַע 943 vb. know

Qal

know, learn to know

perceive

perceive and see; find out and discern

discriminate, distinguish

know by experience

recognize, admit, acknowledge, confess

consider

not know = not expect

know a person, be acquainted with

know a person carnally, of sexual intercourse

know how, to do a thing, be able to do it

be skilful in

abs. have knowledge, be wise

Niph.

be made known, be or become known, of things

make oneself known of pers.

be perceived

be instructed

Pi. cause to know

Pu. known

Hiph. make known, declare

Hoph. made known

Hithp. make oneself known

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3045 יָדַע know .. . know, learn to know

. perceive

. perceive and see; find out and discern

. discriminate, distinguish

. know by experience

. recognize, admit, acknowledge, confess

. consider

. not know = not expect

. know a person, be acquainted with

. know a person carnally, of sexual intercourse

. . know how, to do a thing, be able to do it

. be skilful in

. abs. have knowledge, be wise

. . be made known, be or become known, of things

. make oneself known of pers.

. be perceived

. be instructed

. cause to know

. known

. make known, declare

. made known

. make oneself known

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3045 yada` yaw-dah'

a primitive root; to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing);

used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally,

euphemistically and inferentially (including observation,

care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation,

punishment, etc.) (as follow):--acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted

with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware,

(un-)awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, X

could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to)

discern, discover, endued with, familiar friend, famous, feel,

can have, be (ig-)norant, instruct, kinsfolk, kinsman, (cause

to let, make) know, (come to give, have, take) knowledge, have

(knowledge), (be, make, make to be, make self) known, + be

learned, + lie by man, mark, perceive, privy to, X

prognosticator, regard, have respect, skilful, shew, can (man

of) skill, be sure, of a surety, teach, (can) tell,

Read the full entry →
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָדַע (ya.da) — to know.

1) to know

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to know

1a1a) to know, learn to know

1a1b) to perceive

1a1c) to perceive and see, find out and discern

1a1d) to discriminate, distinguish

1a1e) to know by experience

1a1f) to recognise, admit, acknowledge, confess

1a1g) to consider

1a2) to know, be acquainted with

1a3) to know (a person carnally)

1a4) to know how, be skilful in

1a5) to have knowledge, be wise

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be made known, be or become known, be revealed

1b2) to make oneself known

1b3) to be perceived

1b4) to be instructed

1c) (Piel) to cause to know

1d) (Poal) to cause to know

1e) (Pual)

1e1) to be known

1e2) known, one known, acquaintance (participle)

1f) (Hiphil) to make known, declare

1g) (Hophal) to be made known

1h) (Hithpael) to make oneself known, reveal oneself

Aramaic equivalent: ye.da (יְדַע "to know" H3046)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-3ms — Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singular
HVqp3ms
and the man he knew the object marker Eve wife his and she conceived and she bore the object marker Cain and she said I have acquired a man with Yahweh
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 the man he knew the object marker Eve wife his and she conceived and she bore the object marker Cain and she said I have acquired a man with Yahweh
חַוָּ֣הcha.Vah Eve H2332 Noun proper feminine
2× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Eve, the first woman, was created by God and became the wife of Adam, mother of Cain, Abel, and Seth. Her name means life or living. In Genesis 3:20, Adam named her Eve, symbolizing her role as the mother of all living.
Amplified meaning
the mother of all living
Tyndale gloss
Eve
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חַוָּה (Chavvah) means 'life-giver' and refers specifically to Eve, the first woman in the Bible. The entries indicate that she is the wife of Adam and the mother of Cain, Abel, and Seth. The name is associated with the concept of life or living, and she is first mentioned in Genesis 3:20.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חַוָּה n.pr.f. (life)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2332 חַוָּה

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2332 Chavvah khav-vaw'

causatively from 2331; life-giver; Chavvah (or Eve), the

first woman:--Eve.

see HEBREW for 02331

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חַוָּה (chav.vah) — Eve.

A woman living at the time before the Flood, first mentioned at Gen.3.20;

married to Adam (H0121);

mother of: Cain (H7014B), Abel (H1893) and Seth (H8352)

Also named: Eua (Εὖα "Eve" G2096)

§ Eve = "life" or "living"

the first woman, wife of Adam

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper feminine
HNpf
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Eve

Life; living, the name given by Adam to his wife (Gen. 3:20; 4:1). The account of her creation is given in Gen. 2:21, 22. The Creator, by declaring that it was not good for man to be alone, and by creating for him a suitable companion, gave sanction to monogamy. The commentator Matthew Henry says: “This companion was taken from his side to signify that she was to be dear unto him as his own flesh. Not from his head, lest she should rule over him; nor from his feet, lest he should tyrannize over her; but from his side, to denote that species of equality which is to subsist in the marriage state.” And again, “That wife that is of God’s making by special grace, and of God’s bringing by special providence, is likely to prove a helpmeet to her husband.” Through the subtle temptation…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(life), the name given in Scripture to the first woman. The account of Eve’s creation is found at (Genesis 2:21,22) Perhaps that which we are chiefly intended to learn from the narrative is the foundation upon which the union between man and wife is built, viz., identity of nature and oneness of origin. Through the subtlety of the serpent Eve was beguiled into a violation of the one commandment which had been imposed upon her and Adam. The Scripture account of Eve closes with the birth of Seth.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The first mother of our race, and the cause of our fall. Her history is so closely connected with that of Adam that the remarks made in the article ADAM apply also to her. Her name Eve is from a word signifying life, Ge 3:20. She was made, we are told in Ge 2:18-22, both for man and of him; subordinate and weaker, and yet to be loved as his own body. The history of woman in all ages has been a striking fulfillment of the distinct penalties pronounced upon her, Ge 3:16.

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

living; enlivening

and the man he knew the object marker Eve wife his and she conceived and she bore the object marker Cain and she said I have acquired a man with Yahweh
אִשְׁתּ֑וֹ'ish.To wife his H802 Noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
781× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for woman, used to describe a female person, wife, or animal, appears in many biblical passages, including Genesis and Exodus, and is often translated as woman, wife, or female.
Tyndale gloss
woman
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אִשָּׁה (ishshah) means 'woman,' 'wife,' or 'female.' It can refer to a woman in general, a wife in relation to a man, or the female of animals. The term also has distributive and reciprocal uses, indicating 'each woman' from her neighbor. The word is derived from the masculine forms אִישׁ (ish) and אִישָׁה (ishah), indicating a broad range of meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אִשָּׁה 773 n.f. woman, wife, female

woman

Wife (woman belonging to a man, usually cstr. or sf.)

Female of animals

With distrib. & recipr. sense, each woman from her neighbor; each one

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H802 אִשָּׁה woman, wife, female . woman

. Wife (woman belonging to a man, usually cstr. or sf.)

. Female of animals

. With distrib. & recipr. sense, each woman from her neighbor; each one

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

802 'ishshah ish-shaw'

feminine of 376 or 582; irregular plural, nashiym

{naw-sheem'}; a woman (used in the same wide sense as

582):--(adulter)ess, each, every, female, X many, + none,

one, + together, wife, woman. Often unexpressed in English.

see HEBREW for 0376

see HEBREW for 0582

see HEBREW for 0582

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אִשָּׁה (ish.shah) — woman.

: woman

1) woman, wife, female

1a) woman (opposite of man)

1b) wife (woman married to a man)

1c) female (of animals)

1d) each, every (pronoun)

אִשָּׁה (ish.shah) — woman: wife.

: wife/widow

1) woman, wife, female

1a) woman (opposite of man)

1b) wife (woman married to a man)

1c) female (of animals)

1d) each, every (pronoun)

אִשָּׁה (ish.shah) — woman: another.

: another

1) woman, wife, female

1a) woman (opposite of man)

1b) wife (woman married to a man)

1c) female (of animals)

1d) each, every (pronoun)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs | Suff — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
HNcfsc/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 the man he knew the object marker Eve wife his and she conceived and she bore the object marker Cain and she said I have acquired a man with Yahweh
וַתַּ֙הַר֙va.Ta.har and she conceived H2029 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person feminine singular
43× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To conceive or become pregnant, as seen in the story of Sarah and Abraham in Genesis 17, where Sarah conceives Isaac in her old age. This word is used to describe the miracle of birth and new life.
Amplified meaning
became pregnant, was with child
Tyndale gloss
to conceive
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word הָרָה (*harah*) primarily means to conceive or become pregnant, as noted in various lexicons. It can refer to both literal and figurative conception, and includes nuances such as bearing a child or devising something. The entries also indicate different grammatical forms, including Qal, Pual, and Poel, which reflect various aspects of the root meaning.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הָרָה vb. conceive, become pregnant

Qal

lit. conceive, become pregnant

metaph.

Pu. a man hath been conceived

Po. conceive, contrive, devise

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2029 הָרָה conceive, become pregnant

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2029 harah haw-raw'

a primitive root; to be (or become) pregnant, conceive

(literally or figuratively):--been, be with child, conceive,

progenitor.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הָרָה (ha.rah) — to conceive.

1) to conceive, become pregnant, bear, be with child, be conceived, progenitor

1a)(Qal) to conceive, become pregnant

1b) (Pual) to be conceived

1c) (Poel) to conceive, contrive, devise

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3fs — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person feminine singular
Hc/Vqw3fs
and the man he knew the object marker Eve wife his and she conceived and she bore the object marker Cain and she said I have acquired a man with Yahweh
וַתֵּ֣לֶדva.Te.led and she bore H3205 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person feminine singular
496× 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 to give birth or beget a child, like when Eve gave birth to Cain in Genesis 4:1. It can also mean to help someone give birth, like a midwife. This word is used in many KJV translations, including Genesis and Isaiah.
Amplified meaning
brought forth, delivered
Tyndale gloss
to beget
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word יָלַד (*yalad*) means to bear, bring forth, or beget, and it encompasses various forms of childbirth and lineage declaration. It can refer to both the act of giving birth and the role of a midwife. The entries also note its use in contexts of distress and wicked behavior, as well as in reference to birthdays.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָלַד 497 vb. bear, bring forth, beget

Qal

bear, bring forth

less often beget

of both parents

Niph. be born

Pi. cause (or help) to bring forth, viz., assist or tend as midwife

Pu. be born

Hiph.

beget (a father a child)

bear

Hoph. day of one's being born = birthday

Hithp. declared their pedigree

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3205 יָלַד bear, bring forth, beget .. bear, bring forth

. less often beget

. of both parents

. be born

. cause (or help) to bring forth, viz., assist or tend as midwife

. be born

. . beget (a father a child)

. bear

. day of one's being born = birthday

. declared their pedigree

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3205 yalad yaw-lad'

a primitive root; to bear young; causatively, to beget;

medically, to act as midwife; specifically, to show

lineage:--bear, beget, birth((-day)), born, (make to) bring

forth (children, young), bring up, calve, child, come, be

delivered (of a child), time of delivery, gender, hatch,

labour, (do the office of a) midwife, declare pedigrees, be

the son of, (woman in, woman that) travail(-eth, -ing woman).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָלַד (ya.lad) — to beget.

1) to bear, bringforth, beget, gender, travail

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to bear, bring forth

1a1a) of child birth

1a1b) of distress (simile)

1a1c) of wicked (behaviour)

1a2) to beget

1b) (Niphal) to be born

1c) (Piel)

1c1) to cause or help to bring forth

1c2) to assist or tend as a midwife

1c3) midwife (participle)

1d) (Pual) to be born

1e) (Hiphil)

1e1) to beget (a child)

1e2) to bear (fig. -of wicked bringing forth iniquity)

1f) (Hophal) day of birth, birthday (infinitive)

1g) (Hithpael) to declare one's birth (pedigree)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3fs — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person feminine singular
Hc/Vqw3fs
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

bor: According to the Book of the Covenant (Ex 20:20-23:33) a slave whom his master had purchased was to be released after six years. Should he choose to remain in his master's service a religious ceremony was necessary to ratify his decision. "Then his master shall bring him unto God" (better than "unto the judges" of the King James Version), "and shall bring him to the door, or unto the doorpost; and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl" (Ex 21:6). It is highly improbable that "unto God" means "to a sanctuary"; for there was no special reason for performing this ceremony near the door of a sanctuary. On the other hand the entrance to a private house was a sacred spot. According to primitive thinking near the door dwelt the household gods whose function it was to…

and the man he knew the object marker Eve wife his and she conceived and she bore the object marker Cain and she said I have acquired a man with Yahweh
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 the man he knew the object marker Eve wife his and she conceived and she bore the object marker Cain and she said I have acquired a man with Yahweh
קַ֔יִןKa.yin Cain H7014 Noun proper masculine
19× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Cain was the first child of Adam and Eve, and the first murderer, as told in Genesis. The name also refers to a place and a tribe in Palestine. The word is about a person and a place.
Amplified meaning
the firstborn son
Tyndale gloss
Kenite
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

קַ֫יִן (Qayin) refers to both Cain, the eldest son of Adam and Eve and the first murderer, and a tribe associated with Moses' father-in-law, the Kenites. The word encompasses a personal name, a geographical location in southern Judah, and a tribal identity, with connections to the meanings of 'possession' and 'smiths'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

קַ֫יִן n.pr.

gent. tribe of Moses’ father-in-law

loc. in S. Judah

base

קַ֫יִן n.pr.m. Cain, eldest son of Adam and Eve

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7014a קַ֫יִן . gent. tribe of Moses’ father-in-law

. loc. in S. Judah

H7014b קַ֫יִן Cain, eldest son of Adam and Eve

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7014 Qayin kah'-yin

the same as 7013 (with a play upon the affinity to 7069);

Kajin, the name of the first child, also of a place in

Palestine, and of an Oriental tribe:--Cain, Kenite(-s).

see HEBREW for 07013

see HEBREW for 07069

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קַ֫יִן (qa.yin) — Kain.

§ Kenite = "smiths"

n pr gent

the tribe from which the father-in-law of Moses was a member and which lived in the area between southern Palestine and the mountains of Sinai

קַ֫יִן (qa.yin) — Cain.

A man living at the time before the Flood, first mentioned at Gen.4.1;

son of: Adam (H0121) and Eve (H2332);

brother of: Abel (H1893) and Seth (H8352);

father of: Enoch (H2585)

Also named: Kain (Κάϊν "Cain" G2535)

§ Cain = "possession"

eldest son of Adam and Eve and the first murderer having murdered his brother

קַ֫יִן (qa.yin) — Kenite.

Ancestors of Heber (H2268H) or Hobab (H2246), first mentioned at Gen.15.19

Group of qe.ni (קֵינִי "Kenite" H7017)

§ Cain = "possession"

eldest son of Adam and Eve and the first murderer having murdered his brother

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

kan (qayin, "spear" or "smith," resembling in sound the root qanah, "get," "acquire," Ge 4:1 the Revised Version, margin, but not necessarily derived from that root; Septuagint Kain):

1. The Scripture Narrative:

(1) In Ge 4:1-24 Cain is the first son of Adam and Eve. His birth is hailed as a manifestation of Yahweh's help. He becomes "a tiller of the ground," and brings to Yahweh an offering of the produce of the soil, his brother Abel, the shepherd, bringing at the same time the fat of the first-born of his own flock. From Cain and from his offering Yahweh withholds the sign of acceptance which he grants to Abel. That the ground of this difference of treatment is to be found (so Heb 11:4) in Cain's lack of right disposition toward…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Cain

A possession; a spear. (1.) The first-born son of Adam and Eve (Gen. 4). He became a tiller of the ground, as his brother Abel followed the pursuits of pastoral life. He was “a sullen, self-willed, haughty, vindictive man; wanting the religious element in his character, and defiant even in his attitude towards God.” It came to pass “in process of time” (marg. “at the end of days”), i.e., probably on the Sabbath, that the two brothers presented their offerings to the Lord. Abel’s offering was of the “firstlings of his flock and of the fat,” while Cain’s was “of the fruit of the ground.” Abel’s sacrifice was “more excellent” (Heb. 11:4) than Cain’s, and was accepted by God. On this account Cain was “very wroth,” and cherished feelings of murderous hatred against his brother, and was at length guilty of the desperate outrage of…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

one of the cities in the low country of Judah, named with Zanoah and Gibeah. (Joshua 15:57)

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The first-born of the human race, Ge 4:1, and the first murderer. See ABEL. His crime was committed against the warnings of God, and he despised the call of God to confession and penitence, Ge 4:6-9. The punishment inflicted upon him included an increase of physical wants and hardships, distress of conscience, banishment from society, and loss of God’s manifested presence and favor, Ge 4:16. But God mingled mercy with judgment; and appointed for Cain some sign that he should not suffer the death penalty he had incurred at the hand of man, thus signifying that God only was his judge. He withdrew into the land of Nod, east of Eden, and built a city that he named Enoch, after one of his sons.

and the man he knew the object marker Eve wife his and she conceived and she bore the object marker Cain and she said I have acquired a man with Yahweh
וַתֹּ֕אמֶרva.To.mer and she said H559 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person feminine singular
5,309× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to say or speak, and it's used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to command, promise, or think, and it's translated in the KJV as 'answer', 'appoint', or 'command'.
Tyndale gloss
to say
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָמַר (amar) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to say' or 'to utter,' with a broad range of uses including to promise, command, or even boast. It appears in various forms, such as in the Qal (to say), Niphal (to be told), and Hiphil (to avow). The entries highlight its versatility in both spoken and internal contexts, though no specific verse is noted.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָמַר 5287 vb. utter, say

Qal

Say

Say in the heart (= think)

Promise

Command (esp. late)

Niph. be said, told

Hiph. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

Hithp. act proudly, boast

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H559 אָמַר utter, say .. Say

. Say in the heart (= think)

. Promise

. Command (esp. late)

. be said, told

. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

. act proudly, boast

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

559 'amar aw-mar'

a primitive root; to say (used with great

latitude):--answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call,

certify, challenge, charge, + (at the, give) command(-ment),

commune, consider, declare, demand, X desire, determine, X

expressly, X indeed, X intend, name, X plainly, promise,

publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), X still, X

suppose, talk, tell, term, X that is, X think, use (speech),

utter, X verily, X yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָמַר (a.mar) — to say.

1) to say, speak, utter

1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend

1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called

1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly

1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch

Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3fs — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person feminine singular
Hc/Vqw3fs
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and the man he knew the object marker Eve wife his and she conceived and she bore the object marker Cain and she said I have acquired a man with Yahweh
קָנִ֥יתִיka.Ni.ti I have acquired H7069 Verb · Qal · perfect first person common singular
84× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to buy or acquire something, and is used to describe God's redemption of His people. It emphasizes ownership and possession, as seen in the stories of God's creation and redemption.
Amplified meaning
gotten, acquired
Tyndale gloss
to buy
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word קָנָה (*qanah*) primarily means to get, acquire, or buy. It can also imply creating or procuring something, often in a poetic context. The entries indicate various usages, including God acquiring His people and Eve acquiring knowledge. There is an Aramaic equivalent, קְנָא (*qe.na*), which also means 'to buy.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

קָנָה 84 vb. get, acquire

Qal 81

get, acquire (all poet.)

elsewhere buy

Niph. be bought

Hiph. caused (one) to purchase me, i.e. made me a bondman

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7069 קָנָה get, acquire .. get, acquire (all poet.)

. elsewhere buy

. be bought

. caused (one) to purchase me, i.e. made me a bondman

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7069 qanah kaw-naw'

a primitive root; to erect, i.e. create; by extension, to

procure, especially by purchase (causatively, sell); by

implication to own:--attain, buy(-er), teach to keep cattle,

get, provoke to jealousy, possess(-or), purchase, recover,

redeem, X surely, X verily.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קָנָה (qa.nah) — to buy.

1) to get, acquire, create, buy, possess

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to get, acquire, obtain

1a1a) of God originating, creating, redeeming His people

1a1a1) possessor

1a1b) of Eve acquiring

1a1c) of acquiring knowledge, wisdom

1a2) to buy

1b) (Niphal) to be bought

1c) (Hiphil) to cause to possess

Aramaic equivalent: qe.na (קְנָא "to buy" H7066)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-1cs — Verb · Qal · perfect first person common singular
HVqp1cs
and the man he knew the object marker Eve wife his and she conceived and she bore the object marker Cain and she said I have acquired a man with Yahweh
אִ֖ישׁ'ish a man 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.
Amplified meaning
a male child, a son
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
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

See ANTHROPOLOGY.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Man

(1.) Heb. ‘Adam, used as the proper name of the first man. The name is derived from a word meaning “to be red,” and thus the first man was called Adam because he was formed from the red earth. It is also the generic name of the human race (Gen. 1:26, 27; 5:2; 8:21; Deut. 8:3). Its equivalents are the Latin homo and the Greek anthropos (Matt. 5:13, 16). It denotes also man in opposition to woman (Gen. 3:12; Matt. 19:10).

(2.) Heb. ‘ish, like the Latin vir and Greek aner, denotes properly a man in opposition to a woman (1 Sam. 17:33;

→ CREATED Ge 1:26,27; 2:7; 5:1,2; De 4:32; Job 4:17; 10:2,3,8,9; 31:15; 33:4; 35:10; Ps 8:5; 100:3; 119:73; 138:8; 139:14; Ec 7:29; Isa 17:7; 42:5; 43:7; 45:12; 64:8; Jer 27:5; Zec 12:1; Mal 2:10; Mr 10:6; Heb 2:7

See CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF GOD, below

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and the man he knew the object marker Eve wife his and she conceived and she bore the object marker Cain and she said I have acquired a man with Yahweh
אֶת־'et- with H854 Preposition
929× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew preposition means 'with' or 'near', indicating a close relationship or physical proximity. It's used in Genesis 1:26 to describe God's relationship with humanity, and in many other places to show connection or closeness.
Amplified meaning
assistance, aid
Tyndale gloss
with
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵת, prep. with—prep. denoting proximity

Of companionship, together with

Of localities

אֵת פּ׳ denotes specially

in one's possession or keeping

in one's knowledge or memory

מֵאֵת from proximity with

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

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

. Of localities

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

. in one's knowledge or memory

. מֵאֵת from proximity with

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

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

854 'eth ayth

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

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

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

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

prefix.

see HEBREW for 0579

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵת (et) — with.

1) with, near, together with

1a) with, together with

1b) with (of relationship)

1c) near (of place)

1d) with (poss.)

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Preposition
HR
and the man he knew the object marker Eve wife his and she conceived and she bore the object marker Cain and she said I have acquired a man with Yahweh
יְהוָֽה׃Yah.weh Yahweh H3068 Noun proper
6,528× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Yehovah is another name for God, often translated as 'the Lord'. It is a national name for God in the Jewish faith. This name is used throughout the Old Testament.
Amplified meaning
Yehovah, the covenant God
Tyndale gloss
The Lord
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) is the proper name of the God of Israel, often rendered as Jehovah or the Lord. It signifies the self-existent or eternal nature of God. The name is closely associated with the revelation to Moses in Exodus 3:12-15 and is used in conjunction with other terms to denote sacred places. Some scholars suggest it derives from a root meaning 'to bring into being.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יהוה c. 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel—(1. MT יְהֹוָה 6518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהֹוִה 305 (Qr אֱלֹהִים) 2. Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of הוה (= היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver)

יהוה is not used by E in Gn, but is given Ex 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb

יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D

the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy

יהוה is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3068 יהוה i.e. יַהְוֶה n. pr. dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw'

from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish

national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.

see HEBREW for 01961

see HEBREW for 03050

see HEBREW for 03069

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — LORD.

Jehovah = "the existing One"

1) the proper name of the one true God

1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of a.do.na (אֲדֹנָי "Lord" H0136)

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — The Lord.

Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — (Jerusalem of) the Lord.

Combined with ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper
HNpt
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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