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Genesis 40:21 — Word Study

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WLCוַיָּ֛שֶׁב אֶת־ שַׂ֥ר הַמַּשְׁקִ֖ים עַל־ מַשְׁקֵ֑הוּ וַיִּתֵּ֥ן הַכּ֖וֹס עַל־ כַּ֥ף פַּרְעֹֽה׃

BSAPharaoh restoredshûwb [the king of Egypt, a powerful leader, returned to a former position, reinstated] the chiefsar cupbearermashqeh [ruler of the wine servers, butler] toʻal his positionmashqeh [role, office] so that he once again placednâthan [as before, in the past, gave, set] the cupkôwç [vessel, container] inʻal Pharaoh’sParʻôh [the king's, his majesty's] handkaph [palm, grasp]

Word
Listen & take awayGenesis 40
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 (par.'Oh) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Genesis 40:21quick helps
In a sentencePharaoh reinstated the chief cupbearer to his position, allowing him to serve once more.
Who is speakingPharaoh, the king of Egypt, is the one taking action.
Where we areThis verse is part of the narrative detailing events surrounding Pharaoh's birthday.
The hard wordשׁוּב
Take awayThe chief cupbearer is restored to his former role, illustrating the theme of reversal and restoration.
2 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson & more — read them › clause verbשׁוּב 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 40:21

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 — Joseph Interprets Dreams in Prisongenerated

20On the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, he held a feast for all his officials, and in their presence he lifted up the heads of the chief cupbearer and the chief baker.
21Pharaoh restored the chief cupbearer to his position, so that he once again placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.
22But Pharaoh hanged the chief baker, just as Joseph had described to them in his interpretation.
23The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot all about him.

Genesis 40:21 describes how Pharaoh restored the chief cupbearer to his position during a significant event, highlighting the themes of favor and restoration. This moment follows the interpretation of dreams by Joseph, where the cupbearer is reinstated while the baker meets a different fate, as seen in Genesis 40:22.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Genesis 40:13Within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore your position. You will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand, just as you did when you were his cupbearer.
2Nehemiah 2:1Now in the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was set before him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had never been sad in his presence,

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 2 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word שׁוּב, vai.Ya.shevgenerated

The Hebrew word שׁוּב (shuwb) means to return or turn back, and is often used in contexts of restoration or returning to a previous state. In this verse, it indicates Pharaoh's action of reinstating the chief cupbearer to his former role, emphasizing the act of returning to a position of trust.

This word is a Hiphil verb, meaning it expresses a causative action. Pharaoh is not merely returning the cupbearer to his position; he is actively restoring him, which suggests an authoritative decision that re-establishes the cupbearer's role in the royal court.


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 verse features two finite verbs: יָּ֛שֶׁב (he restored) and יִּתֵּ֥ן (he put). The first verb governs the restoration of the chief cupbearer, while the second describes the action of placing the cup in Pharaoh's hand.

The structure follows a sequential flow, first indicating the restoration of the cupbearer and then detailing the action that follows, which is significant in showing the immediate result of Pharaoh's decision.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates שׁוּב as ἀπεκατέστησεν (apekatestēsen), which means 'he restored.' This choice highlights the act of reinstatement, aligning closely with the Hebrew meaning while emphasizing the authoritative action of Pharaoh.

This rendering indicates a direct restoration, reinforcing the idea of returning to a former state rather than simply returning.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Genesis 40:21 tells us that Pharaoh restored the chief cupbearer to his position, allowing him to serve again. This moment is significant as it follows the interpretation of dreams by Joseph, where the cupbearer's reinstatement contrasts with the fate of the chief baker.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that Pharaoh restored the chief cupbearer?

It means that Pharaoh returned the chief cupbearer to his previous position of trust and responsibility in the royal court, which illustrates themes of favor and restoration.

Why is the chief cupbearer's restoration significant?

The restoration is significant as it shows the reversal of fortunes for the cupbearer, highlighting the power of Pharaoh's decision and the fulfillment of Joseph's interpretation of the dreams.

What role did the chief cupbearer play?

The chief cupbearer was responsible for serving drinks to Pharaoh, which was a position of significant trust and influence in the royal court.

How does this verse connect to Joseph's story?

This verse connects to Joseph's story as it follows his interpretation of the cupbearer's dream, demonstrating how God used Joseph to influence events in the royal court.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways have I seen restoration in my own life or the lives of others?
  2. How can I recognize moments when I am given a second chance, like the chief cupbearer?
  3. What does it mean to me that positions of trust can be restored?
  4. How can I apply the lessons of favor and restoration from this story in my daily life?

Commentators on this verse — 2 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Genesis 40:21 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

And he restored the chief butler unto his butlership again,.... Put him into the same office he was in before: and he gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand; ministered to him in his office the same day,

Read John Gill on Genesis 40 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And it came to pass the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday, that he made a feast unto all his servants: and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants.

Read Robert Jamieson on Genesis 40 →

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

Pharaoh restored the chief cupbearer to his position, so that he once again placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

He restored the chief cup bearer to his position again, and he gave the cup into Pharaoh’s hand;

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Pharaoh restored the chief cupbearer to his position, so that he once again placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.

NETBNew English Translation2006

He restored the chief cupbearer to his former position so that he placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand,

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And he restored the chief butler unto his butlership again; and he gave the cup into Pharaoh’s hand:

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And he restored the chief butler unto his butlership again; and he gave the cup into Pharaoh’s hand:

RVARevised Version, American1894

And he restored the chief butler unto his butlership again; and he gave the cup into Pharaoh’s hand:

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And he restored the chief butler to his butlership again; and he gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand:

GNVGeneva Bible1599

And he restored the chiefe butler vnto his butlershippe, who gaue the cup into Pharaohs hande,

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And he restored the chief of the cup-bearers to his office of cup-bearer again; and he gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

and he putteth back the chief of the butlers to his butlership, and he giveth the cup into the hand of Pharaoh;

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

and he puts back the chief of the butlers to his butlership, and he gives the cup into the hand of Pharaoh;

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And he restored the chief of the butlers unto his butlership; and he placed the cup in Pharaoh's hand;

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

He restored the chief of the cupbearers to his responsibility, and he put the cup into Pharaoh's hand again.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And he restored the one to his place to present him the cup:

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

He gave the chief cupbearer his job back, and he returned to his duties of handing Pharaoh his cup.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And he put the chief wine-servant back in his old place; and he gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand.

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.

וַandclauseverbיָּ֛שֶׁבhe.restorednoun phrase · objectאֶת(et)noun phraseשַׂ֥רthe.chiefnoun phraseהַofמַּשְׁקִ֖יםthe.cup.bearersprepositional phrase · prepositionalעַלtonoun phraseמַשְׁקֵ֑bearingהוּhis.cupוַandclauseverbיִּתֵּ֥ןhe.putnoun phrase · objectהַtheכּ֖וֹסcupprepositional phrase · prepositionalעַלonnoun phraseכַּ֥ףthe.palmפַּרְעֹֽהof.Pharaoh

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


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

The Masoretic Text states, "וַיָּ֛שֶׁב אֶת־ שַׂ֥ר הַמַּשְׁקִ֖ים עַל־ מַשְׁקֵ֑הוּ וַיִּתֵּ֥ן הַכּ֖וֹס עַל־ כַּ֥ף פַּרְעֹֽה׃" The Samaritan Pentateuch agrees with the Masoretic Text word for word. The Dead Sea Scrolls (4Q3 and 4Q5) contain fragments with some words supplied by editors, but they align closely with the Masoretic Text's meaning. The Septuagint has a word-by-word correspondence with the Masoretic Text, but its sentence structure and articles differ, indicating some variation in translation style. Overall, the Samaritan Pentateuch and the Masoretic Text are in complete agreement, while the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Septuagint show minor differences in preservation and expression.

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

וַיָּ֛שֶׁב אֶת־ שַׂ֥ר הַמַּשְׁקִ֖ים עַל־ מַשְׁקֵ֑הוּ וַיִּתֵּ֥ן הַכּ֖וֹס עַל־ כַּ֥ף פַּרְעֹֽה׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיָּ֛שֶׁבἀπεκατέστησενהַמַּשְׁקִ֖יםτὸνעַל־ἐπὶמַשְׁקֵ֑הוּαὐτοῦוַיִּתֵּ֥ןἔδωκενהַכּ֖וֹסποτήριονעַל־εἰςפַּרְעֹֽה׃φαραω

8 of the 11 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

וישׁב את שׂר המשׁקים על משׁקהו ויתן את הכוס על כף פרעה

Agrees with the Masoretic Text here, word for word.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q3a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[וישב] [את] [שר] [המשקים] [על] [משק׳הו] [ויתן] [הכוס] [על] [כף] [פרעה]

nothing on the leather here — 11 supplied entire by an editor.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q5a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

וישב [את] [שר] [המשקים] [על] [משק׳הו] ויתן הכוס [על] [כף] [פרעה]

2 words on the leather — 1 partly restored, 8 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 40:21שׁוּבand he restand he restoredשׁוּבאֵתthe object the object markאֵתשַׂר[the] chief[the] chief ofשַׂרמַשְׁקֶהthe cup beathe cup bearersמַשְׁקֶהעַלtotoעַלמַשְׁקֶהcup bearingcup bearing hisמַשְׁקֶהנָתַןand he putand he putנָתַןכּוֹסthe cupthe cupכּוֹסעַלononעַלכַּף[the] palm [the] palm ofכַּףפַּרְעֹהPharaohPharaohפַּרְעֹהשָׁקָהto water: to water: waterשָׁקָהאוֹתsign: mirasign: miraculouאוֹתשָׂרַרto ruleto ruleשָׂרַרעַלheightheightעַלכָּפַףto bendto bendכָּפַףכִּיסpursepurseכִּיסמַעֲמָדofficeofficeמַעֲמָדמַלְבּוּשׁgarmentgarmentמַלְבּוּשׁכִּפֶּרto atoneto atoneכִּפֶּרכִּסֵּאthronethroneכִּסֵּאשְׁבִיתcaptivitycaptivityשְׁבִיתחָרוֹןburning anburning angerחָרוֹןמִגְרָשׁpasturepastureמִגְרָשׁחֲמִשִּׁיםfiftyfiftyחֲמִשִּׁיםנַחֲלָהinheritancinheritanceנַחֲלָהזֶ֫רַעseedseedזֶ֫רַעקֻבַ֫עַתdregdregקֻבַ֫עַתשָׁתָהto drinkto drinkשָׁתָה
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 40:21

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 restored the object marker [the] chief of the cup bearers to cup bearing his and he put the cup on [the] palm of Pharaoh
וַיָּ֛שֶׁבvai.Ya.shev and he restored H7725 Verb · Hiphil · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
1,057× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to return or turn back, and can be used literally or figuratively. It is often used to describe someone returning to God or repenting from sin, as seen in the book of Psalms and the prophets.
Amplified meaning
the king of Egypt, a powerful leader, returned to a former position, reinstated
Tyndale gloss
to return: return
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word שׁוּב (shuwb) means to turn back or return, covering a wide range of contexts including physical, spiritual, and relational. It can denote returning to a previous state, repenting, or even apostatizing. The entries describe various forms and uses, including bringing back, restoring, and refreshing. Notably, it can also imply a change in course of action.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שׁוּב 1056 vb. turn back, return

Qal 683;—turn back, return:

turn back

return, come or go back

esp. return unto

of dying

of revival from death

fig. of human relations:

return to leader, king

= change so as to appoach (in purpose, desire)

turn, i.e. resort to

return to a physical condition

abs. = change course of action

fig., specif. of spiritual relations:

turn back from God = apostatize

of י׳, turn away

turn back to God (= seek penitently)

abs. repent

turn back from evil

of י׳

of י׳, return (to shew favour)

of inanimate things (sts. personified, or treated as things of life):

denoting repetition, etc.

trans.

Pō‛l.

bring back

fig. restore, refresh

restore, repair

lead away (enticingly)

shew turning = apostatize

Hiph. 353 cause to return, bring back

bring back into bondage

put back

= draw back

= give back, restore

= relinguish

= give in payment, requital

bring one back (from dead)

bring back heart

= refresh

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7725 שׁוּב turn back, return .—turn back, return: . turn back

. return, come or go back

. esp. return unto

. . of dying

. of revival from death

. fig. of human relations: . return to leader, king

. = change so as to appoach (in purpose, desire)

. turn, i.e. resort to

. return to a physical condition

. abs. = change course of action

. fig., specif. of spiritual relations: . turn back from God = apostatize

. of י׳, turn away

. turn back to God (= seek penitently)

. abs. repent

. turn back from evil

. of י׳

. of י׳, return (to shew favour)

. of inanimate things (sts. personified, or treated as things of life):

. denoting repetition, etc.

. trans.

. . bring back

. . fig. restore, refresh

. restore, repair

. lead away (enticingly)

. shew turning = apostatize

. cause to return, bring back . . bring back into bondage

. put back

. = draw back

. = give back, restore

. = relinguish

. = give in payment, requital

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7725 shuwb shoob

a primitive root; to turn back (hence, away) transitively or

intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily

with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to

retreat; often adverbial, again:--((break, build, circumcise,

dig, do anything, do evil, feed, lay down, lie down, lodge,

make, rejoice, send, take, weep)) X again, (cause to) answer

(+ again), X in any case (wise), X at all, averse, bring

(again, back, home again), call (to mind), carry again (back),

cease, X certainly, come again (back), X consider, +

continually, convert, deliver (again), + deny, draw back,

fetch home again, X fro, get (oneself) (back) again, X give

(again), go again (back, home), (go) out, hinder, let, (see)

more, X needs, be past, X pay, pervert, pull in again, put

(again, up again), recall, recompense, recover, refresh,

relieve, render (again), requite, rescue, restore, retrieve,

Read the full entry →
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שׁוּב (shuv) — to return: return.

: return

1) to return, turn back

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to turn back, return

1a1a) to turn back

1a1b) to return, come or go back

1a1c) to return unto, go back, come back

1a1d) of dying

1a1e) of human relations (fig)

1a1f) of spiritual relations (fig)

1a1f1) to turn back (from God), apostatise

1a1f2) to turn away (of God)

1a1f3) to turn back (to God), repent

1a1f4) turn back (from evil)

1a1g) of inanimate things

1a1h) in repetition

1b) (Polel)

1b1) to bring back

1b2) to restore, refresh, repair (fig)

1b3) to lead away (enticingly)

1b4) to show turning, apostatise

1c) (Pual) restored (participle)

1d) (Hiphil) to cause to return, bring back

1d1) to bring back, allow to return, put back, draw back, give back, restore, relinquish, give in payment

1d2) to bring back, refresh, restore

1d3) to bring back, report to, answer

1d4) to bring back, make requital, pay (as recompense)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Hiphil-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Hiphil · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vhw3ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he restored the object marker [the] chief of the cup bearers to cup bearing his and he put the cup on [the] palm of Pharaoh
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 restored the object marker [the] chief of the cup bearers to cup bearing his and he put the cup on [the] palm of Pharaoh
שַׂ֥רsar [the] chief of H8269 Noun common · masculine singular construct
421× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A leader or person in charge, like a prince or captain, as seen in the Bible with King David and other rulers.
Tyndale gloss
ruler
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שַׂר (sar) refers to a leader or ruler, encompassing a range of meanings from prince and chief to official and captain. It denotes various ranks, including military commanders and religious leaders, and can also imply a noble or merchant of high status. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to rule'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שַׂר 420 n.m. chieftain, chief, ruler, official, captain, prince

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8269 שַׂר chieftain, chief, ruler, official, captain, prince

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8269 sar sar

from 8323; a head person (of any rank or class):--captain

(that had rule), chief (captain), general, governor, keeper,

lord, ((-task- ))master, prince(-ipal), ruler, steward.

see HEBREW for 08323

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שַׂר (sar) — ruler.

1) prince, ruler, leader, chief, chieftain, official, captain

1a) chieftain, leader

1b) vassal, noble, official (under king)

1c) captain, general, commander (military)

1d) chief, head, overseer (of other official classes)

1e) heads, princes (of religious office)

1f) elders (of representative leaders of people)

1g) merchant-princes (of rank and dignity)

1h) patron-angel

1i) Ruler of rulers (of God)

1j) warden

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

ov:

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

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

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

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

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

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

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

Lamentations 3:1.

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

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

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

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

and he restored the object marker [the] chief of the cup bearers to cup bearing his and he put the cup on [the] palm of Pharaoh
הַמַּשְׁקִ֖יםha.mash.Kim the cup bearers H4945 Particle · verb hiphil participle (active) masculine plural
19× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the original Hebrew, this word means to give drink or water, and can also refer to a butler or cupbearer. In the Bible, it appears in books like Genesis and Isaiah, often describing a well-watered region or a person who serves drinks.
Amplified meaning
ruler of the wine servers, butler
Tyndale gloss
cupbearer
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word מַשְׁקֶה (*mashqeh*) primarily refers to a butler or cup-bearer, as well as concepts related to irrigation and drinking. It is derived from a root meaning to cause to drink and can also imply a well-watered region. The entries emphasize its roles in both service and agriculture.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מַשְׁקֶה n.m. butler, cup-bearer

base

מַשְׁקֶה n.m. irrigation, drink—

irrigation

drink; drinking-vessels

= office of butler, butlership

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4945a מַשְׁקֶה butler, cup-bearer H4945b מַשְׁקֶה irrigation, drink— . irrigation

. drink; drinking-vessels

. = office of butler, butlership

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4945 mashqeh mash-keh'

from 8248; properly, causing to drink, i.e. a butler; by

implication (intransitively), drink (itself); figuratively, a

well-watered region:--butler(-ship), cupbearer, drink(-ing),

fat pasture, watered.

see HEBREW for 08248

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מַשְׁקֶה (mash.qeh) — cupbearer.

butler, cup-bearer

מַשְׁקֶה (mash.qeh) — irrigation.

1) irrigation, drink

1a) irrigation

1b) drink, drinking vessels

1c) butlership (office of butler)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-mp — Particle · verb hiphil participle (active) masculine plural
HTd/Vhrmpa
and he restored the object marker [the] chief of the cup bearers to cup bearing his and he put the cup on [the] palm of Pharaoh
עַל־'al- to 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.
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 restored the object marker [the] chief of the cup bearers to cup bearing his and he put the cup on [the] palm of Pharaoh
מַשְׁקֵ֑הוּmash.Ke.hu cup bearing his H4945 Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
19× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the original Hebrew, this word means to give drink or water, and can also refer to a butler or cupbearer. In the Bible, it appears in books like Genesis and Isaiah, often describing a well-watered region or a person who serves drinks.
Amplified meaning
role, office
Tyndale gloss
cupbearer
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word מַשְׁקֶה (*mashqeh*) primarily refers to a butler or cup-bearer, as well as concepts related to irrigation and drinking. It is derived from a root meaning to cause to drink and can also imply a well-watered region. The entries emphasize its roles in both service and agriculture.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מַשְׁקֶה n.m. butler, cup-bearer

base

מַשְׁקֶה n.m. irrigation, drink—

irrigation

drink; drinking-vessels

= office of butler, butlership

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4945a מַשְׁקֶה butler, cup-bearer H4945b מַשְׁקֶה irrigation, drink— . irrigation

. drink; drinking-vessels

. = office of butler, butlership

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4945 mashqeh mash-keh'

from 8248; properly, causing to drink, i.e. a butler; by

implication (intransitively), drink (itself); figuratively, a

well-watered region:--butler(-ship), cupbearer, drink(-ing),

fat pasture, watered.

see HEBREW for 08248

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מַשְׁקֶה (mash.qeh) — cupbearer.

butler, cup-bearer

מַשְׁקֶה (mash.qeh) — irrigation.

1) irrigation, drink

1a) irrigation

1b) drink, drinking vessels

1c) butlership (office of butler)

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

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

and he restored the object marker [the] chief of the cup bearers to cup bearing his and he put the cup on [the] palm of Pharaoh
וַיִּתֵּ֥ןvai.yi.Ten and he put H5414 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
2,011× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to give, put, or set something, with a wide range of applications. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus, describing God's actions and human interactions. The word is used to convey giving, selling, or exchanging something.
Amplified meaning
as before, in the past, gave, set
Tyndale gloss
to give: give
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word נָתַן (natan) means 'to give' and encompasses a wide range of applications such as putting, setting, and making. It can also indicate actions like bestowing, delivering, and assigning. The entries describe its use in various forms, including Qal, Niphal, and Hophal, but do not present any significant disagreements among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נָתַן 2007 vb. give, put, set

Qal 1917

give

Put, set

Make, constitute

Niph.

82be given

Be put, set

Hoph.

be given, bestowed

= be given to one for wife

be put upon

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5414 נָתַן give, put, set .. give

. Put, set

. Make, constitute

. . be given

. Be put, set

. . . be given, bestowed

. = be given to one for wife

. be put upon

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5414 nathan naw-than'

a primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of

application (put, make, etc.):--add, apply, appoint, ascribe,

assign, X avenge, X be ((healed)), bestow, bring (forth,

hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, +

cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, X doubtless, X

without fail, fasten, frame, X get, give (forth, over, up),

grant, hang (up), X have, X indeed, lay (unto charge, up),

(give) leave, lend, let (out), + lie, lift up, make, + O that,

occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, X

pull , put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send

(out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), + sing, + slander,

strike, (sub-)mit, suffer, X surely, X take, thrust, trade,

turn, utter, + weep, + willingly, + withdraw, + would (to)

God, yield.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָתַן (na.tan) — to give: give.

: give/deliver/send/produce

1) to give, put, set

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to give, bestow, grant, permit, ascribe, employ, devote, consecrate, dedicate, pay wages, sell, exchange, lend, commit, entrust, give over, deliver up, yield produce, occasion, produce, requite to, report, mention, utter, stretch out, extend

1a2) to put, set, put on, put upon, set, appoint, assign, designate

1a3) to make, constitute

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be given, be bestowed, be provided, be entrusted to, be granted to, be permitted, be issued, be published, be uttered, be assigned

1b2) to be set, be put, be made, be inflicted

1c) (Hophal)

1c1) to be given, be bestowed, be given up, be delivered up

1c2) to be put upon

נָתַן (na.tan) — to give: put.

: put/set/apppoint

1) to give, put, set

1a) (Qal)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

put (puT; Phoud, in Genesis and Chronicles, variant for Genesis Phout, for Chronicles, Phouth):

1. Renderings:

In consequence of the identification at the time, the prophets have "Libya" (Libues), except Nab 3:9, where the Greek renders the word as phuge, "flight." The Vulgate (Jerome's Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) has "Phut," "Phuth," and in the Prophets "Libyes" and "Libya"; the King James Version "Phut."

2. Son of Ham:

In the "Table of Nations" Put is the third son of Ham (Ge 10:6), the first and second being Cush and Misraim, and the fourth Canaan. Put is the only one of the sons of Ham who is not credited with descendants.

3. As Nationality:

In the Prophets, warriors from Put are referred to, principally in connection with the forces of Egypt. They appear as shield-bearers (Jer 46:9

Smith's Bible Dictionary
Nave's Topical Bible

→ See PHUT

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he restored the object marker [the] chief of the cup bearers to cup bearing his and he put the cup on [the] palm of Pharaoh
הַכּ֖וֹסha.Kos the cup H3563 Particle · noun common feminine singular absolute
34× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word can mean a cup or a type of owl, possibly due to the owl's unique eye shape. It's often used figuratively, like in Psalm 16:5, where God is the cup that fills our lives. The KJV translates it as 'cup' or 'owl'.
Amplified meaning
vessel, container
Tyndale gloss
cup
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כּוֹס (kos) primarily means 'cup,' referring to a container, but it also denotes a type of owl, considered unclean. The word seems to derive from a root meaning to hold together. The entries indicate a figurative use of 'cup' as a lot or potion, but there is no significant disagreement among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כּוֹס n.f. cup

base

כּוֹס n.[m.] a kind of owl

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3563a כּוֹס cup H3563b כּוֹס n. [m.] a kind of owl

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3563 kowc koce

from an unused root meaning to hold together; a cup (as a

container), often figuratively, a lot (as if a potion); also

some unclean bird, probably an owl (perhaps from the cup-like

cavity of its eye):--cup, (small) owl. Compare 3599.

see HEBREW for 03599

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כּוֹס (kos) — cup.

cup

כּוֹס (kos) — owl.

a kind of owl (an unclean bird)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-fs — Particle · noun common feminine singular absolute
HTd/Ncfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

(Most frequently, koc; four other words in one passage each; poterion): A vessel for drinking from, of a variety of material (gold, silver, earthenware), patterns (Es 1:7) and elaboration.

Figurative: By ordinary figure of speech, put sometimes for the contents of the cup, namely, for that which is drunk (Mt 26:39). In both Old Testament and New Testament applied figuratively to that which is portioned out, and of which one is to partake; most frequently used of what is sorrowful, as God's judgments, His wrath, afflictions, etc. (Ps 11:6; 75:8; Isa 51:17; Re 14:10). In a similar sense, used by Christ concerning the…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Cup

A wine-cup (Gen. 40:11, 21), various forms of which are found on Assyrian and Egyptian monuments. All Solomon’s drinking vessels were of gold (1 Kings 10: 21). The cups mentioned in the New Testament were made after Roman and Greek models, and were sometimes of gold (Rev. 17:4).

The art of divining by means of a cup was practiced in Egypt (Gen. 44:2-17), and in the East generally.

The “cup of salvation” (Ps. 116:13) is the cup of thanksgiving for the great salvation. The “cup of consolation” (Jer. 16:7) refers to the custom of friends sending viands and wine to console relatives in mourning (

The cups of the Jews, whether of metal or earthenware, were possibly borrowed, in point of shape and design, from Egypt and from the Phoenicians, who were celebrated in that branch of workmanship. Egyptian cups were of various shapes, either with handles or without them. In Solomon’s time all his drinking vessels were of gold, none of silver. (1 Kings 10:21) Babylon is compared to a golden cup. (Jeremiah 51:7) The great laver, or "sea," was made with a rim like the rim of a cup (cos), with flowers of lilies," (1 Kings 7:26) a form which the Persepolitan cups resemble. The cups of the New Testament were often no doubt formed on Greek and Roman models. They were sometimes of gold. (

This word is taken in Scripture both in a proper and in a figurative sense. In a proper sense, it signifies a common cup, of horn, or some precious metal, Ge 40:13 44:2 1Ki 7:26, such as is used for drinking out of at meals; or a cup of ceremony, used at solemn and religious meals-as at the Passover, when the father of the family pronounced certain blessings over the cup, and having tasted it, passed it round to the company and his whole family, who partook of it, 1Co 10:16. In a figurative sense, a cup is spoken of as filled with the portion given to one by divine providence, Ps 11:6 16:5; with the blessings of life and of grace,

and he restored the object marker [the] chief of the cup bearers to cup bearing his and he put the cup on [the] palm of Pharaoh
עַל־'al- on 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.
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
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

On

Light; the sun, (Gen. 41:45, 50), the great seat of sun-worship, called also Bethshemesh (Jer. 43:13) and Aven (Ezek. 30:17), stood on the east bank of the Nile, a few miles north of Memphis, and near Cairo, in the north-east. The Vulgate and the LXX. Versions have “Heliopolis” (“city of the sun”) instead of On in Genesis and of Aven in Ezekiel. The “city of destruction” Isaiah speaks of (19:18, marg. “of Heres;” Heb. ‘Ir-ha-heres, which some MSS. read Ir-ha-heres, i.e., “city of the sun”) may be the name given to On, the prophecy being that the time will come when that city which was known as the “city of the sun-god” shall become the “city of destruction” of the sun-god, i.e., when idolatry shall cease, and the worship…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(abode or city of the sun), a town of lower Egypt, called BETH-SHEMESH in (Jeremiah 43:13) On is better known under its Greek name Heliopolis. It was situated on the east side of the Pelusiac branch of the Nile, just below the point of the Delta, and about twenty miles northeast of Memphis. The chief object of worship at Heliopolis was the sun, whose temple, described by Strabo, is now only represented by the single beautiful obelisk, of red granite so feet 2 inches high above the pedestal which has stood for more than 4000 years, having been erected by Usirtesen, the second king of the twelfth dynasty. Heliopolis was anciently famous for its learning, and Eudoxus and Plato studied under its priests. The first mention of this place in the Bible is in the history of Joseph, to whom we read Pharaoh gave "to wife Asenath the daughter…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

See HELIOPOLIS.

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

pain; force; iniquity

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he restored the object marker [the] chief of the cup bearers to cup bearing his and he put the cup on [the] palm of Pharaoh
כַּ֥ףkaf [the] palm of H3709 Noun common · feminine singular construct
193× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word refers to the palm of the hand, like in Exodus 29 where it describes the priest's hands being filled with offerings. It can also symbolize power or strength, like in Psalm 16. It's about the hand or its shape.
Amplified meaning
palm, grasp
Tyndale gloss
palm
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כַּף (kaph) refers to the hollow or flat part of the hand, including the palm and the sole of the foot. It can also denote power and is used to describe various hollow objects, such as bowls or handles. The word encompasses a range of meanings related to the shape and function of hands and feet, as well as items that are hand-shaped.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כַּף 192 n.f. hollow, or flat of the hand, palm, sole of foot, hand

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3709 כַּף hollow, or flat of the hand, palm, sole of foot, hand

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3709 kaph kaf

from 3721; the hollow hand or palm (so of the paw of an

animal, of the sole, and even of the bowl of a dish or sling,

the handle of a bolt, the leaves of a palm-tree);

figuratively, power:--branch, + foot, hand((-ful), -dle,

(-led)), hollow, middle, palm, paw, power, sole, spoon.

see HEBREW for 03721

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כַּף (kaph) — palm.

: palm/hand

1) palm, hand, sole, palm of the hand, hollow or flat of the hand

1a) palm, hollow or flat of the hand

1b) power

1c) sole (of the foot)

1d) hollow, objects, bending objects, bent objects

1d1) of thigh-joint

1d2) pan, vessel (as hollow)

1d3) hollow (of sling)

1d4) hand-shaped branches or fronds (of palm trees)

1d5) handles (as bent)

כַּף (kaph) — palm: sole.

: sole/paw

1) palm, hand, sole, palm of the hand, hollow or flat of the hand

1a) palm, hollow or flat of the hand

1b) power

1c) sole (of the foot)

1d) hollow, objects, bending objects, bent objects

1d1) of thigh-joint

1d2) pan, vessel (as hollow)

1d3) hollow (of sling)

1d4) hand-shaped branches or fronds (of palm trees)

1d5) handles (as bent)

כַּף (kaph) — palm: dish.

: dish/socket

1) palm, hand, sole, palm of the hand, hollow or flat of the hand

1a) palm, hollow or flat of the hand

1b) power

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular construct
HNcfsc
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 restored the object marker [the] chief of the cup bearers to cup bearing his and he put the cup on [the] palm of Pharaoh
פַּרְעֹֽה׃par.'Oh Pharaoh H6547 Noun
274× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, Pharaoh refers to the king of Egypt, a powerful leader with great authority. The word is used in many passages, including Genesis 12:15 and Exodus 1:9, to describe the ruler of Egypt. It is a title of respect and power.
Amplified meaning
the king's, his majesty's
Tyndale gloss
Pharaoh
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word פַּרְעֹה (*par'oh*) means 'Pharaoh,' which is a title for Egyptian kings. It is derived from Egyptian and is commonly associated with various rulers mentioned throughout the Old Testament, including those during the time of the Patriarchs and the Divided Monarchy. The term translates to 'great house,' reflecting its significance in ancient Egypt.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

פַּרְעֹה 275 n.m. Pharaoh, title of Egyptian kings

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6547 פַּרְעֹה Pharaoh, title of Egyptian kings

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6547 Par`oh par-o'

of Egyptian derivation; Paroh, a general title of Egyptian

kings:--Pharaoh.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

פַּרְעֹה (par.oh) — Pharaoh.

A man of the Egyptians living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.12.15

§ Pharaoh = "great house"

the common title of the king of Egypt

פַּרְעֹה (par.oh) — Pharaoh.

A man of the Egyptians living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.37.36

Also named: Pharaō (Φαραώ "Pharaoh" G5328)

§ Pharaoh = "great house"

the common title of the king of Egypt

פַּרְעֹה (par.oh) — Pharaoh.

A man of the Egyptians living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Exo.1.11

Also named: Pharaō (Φαραώ "Pharaoh" G5328H)

§ Pharaoh = "great house"

the common title of the king of Egypt

פַּרְעֹה (par.oh) — Pharaoh.

A man of the Egyptians living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Exo.3.10

Also named: Pharaō (Φαραώ "Pharaoh" G5328I)

§ Pharaoh = "great house"

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun
HNtmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

fa'-ro, fa'-ra-o (par`oh; Pharao); Egyptian per aa, "great house"):em; the King James Version Pharacim): One of the families of temple-servants who returned with Zerubbabel (1 Esdras 5:31; not found in Ezra or Nehemiah).

1. The Use of Name in Egypt:

Many and strange differences of opinion have been expressed concerning the use of this name in Egypt and elsewhere, because of its importance in critical discussions (see below). Encyclopaedia Biblica says "a name given to all Egyptian kings in the Bible"; it also claims that the name could not have been received by the Hebrews before 1000 BC. HDB (III, 819) says that a letter was addressed to Amenhotep as "Pharaoh, lord of," etc. According to Winckler's theory of a North Arabian Musri, it was the Hebrews alone in ancient times who adopted the term Pharaoh from the Egyptians, the name not being found even in the Tell el-Amarna Letters or…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Pharaoh

The official title borne by the Egyptian kings down to the time when that country was conquered by the Greeks. (See EGYPT.) The name is a compound, as some think, of the words Ra, the “sun” or “sun-god,” and the article phe, “the,” prefixed; hence phera, “the sun,” or “the sun-god.” But others, perhaps more correctly, think the name derived from Perao, “the great house” = his majesty = in Turkish, “the Sublime Porte.”

(1.) The Pharaoh who was on the throne when Abram went down into Egypt (Gen. 12:10-20) was probably one of the Hyksos, or “shepherd kings.” The Egyptians called the nomad tribes of Syria Shasu, “plunderers,” their king or chief Hyk, and hence the name of those invaders who conquered the native kings and established a strong government, with Zoan or Tanis as their capital. They were of…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

the common title of the native kings of Egypt in the Bible, corresponding to P-ra or Ph-ra "the sun," of the hieroglyphics. Brugsch, Ebers and other modern Egyptologists define it to mean ’the great house," which would correspond to our "the Sublime Porte." As several kings are mentioned only by the title "Pharaoh" in the Bible, it is important to endeavor to discriminate them: The Pharaoh of Abraham . (Genesis 12:15) --At the time at which the patriarch went into Egypt, it is generally held that the country, or at least lower Egypt, was ruled by the Shepherd kings, of whom the first and moat powerful line was the fifteenth dynasty, the undoubted territories of which would be first entered by one coming from the east. The date at which Abraham visited Egypt was about B.C. 2081, which would accord with the time of Salatis the head of…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Is properly an Egyptian word adopted into the Hebrew, and signifies king; so that when we find this name it means everywhere the king. Thus, also, Pharaoh Hophra is simply king Hophra.

Of the kings of Egypt, there are not less than twelve or thirteen mentioned in Scripture, all of whom bore the general title of Pharaoh, except four. Along with this title, two of them have also other proper names, Necho and Hophra. The following is their order. Some of them have been identified, by the labors of Champollion and others, with kings whose proper names we know from other sources, while others still remain in obscurity. Indeed, so brief, obscure, and conflicting are the details of Egyptian history and ancient chronology, which no name before that of Shishak can be regarded as identified beyond dispute.

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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