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Genesis 41:22 — Word Study

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WLCוָאֵ֖רֶא בַּחֲלֹמִ֑י וְהִנֵּ֣ה׀ שֶׁ֣בַע שִׁבֳּלִ֗ים עֹלֹ֛ת בְּקָנֶ֥ה אֶחָ֖ד מְלֵאֹ֥ת וְטֹבֽוֹת׃

BSAIn my dreamchălôwm [vision, prophetic insight] I also sawrâʼâh [behold, looked upon] sevenshebaʻ heads of grainshibbôl [ears of corn, shibboleth] plumpmâlêʼ [full, mature] and ripeṭôwb [good, pleasant] growing onʻâlâh [ascending, rising up] a singleʼechâd [one, united] stalkqâneh [branch, reed]

Word
Listen & take awayGenesis 41
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 22 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 (ve.to.Vot) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Genesis 41:22quick helps
In a sentenceJoseph recounts a dream where he sees seven healthy heads of grain growing on a single stalk.
Who is speakingJoseph, explaining his dream.
Where we areIn the narrative of Joseph's dreams, which foreshadow future events.
The hard wordשִׁבֳּלִ֗ים
Take awayThe imagery of grain signifies abundance and prosperity.
2 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson & more — read them › clause verbרָאָה 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 41:22

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's Dreamsgenerated

21When they had devoured them, however, no one could tell that they had done so; their appearance was as ugly as it had been before. Then I awoke.
22In my dream I also saw seven heads of grain, plump and ripe, growing on a single stalk.
23After them, seven other heads of grain sprouted—withered, thin, and scorched by the east wind.
24And the thin heads of grain swallowed the seven plump ones. I told this dream to the magicians, but no one could explain it to me.”

Genesis 41:22 describes Joseph's dream, where he sees seven heads of grain, symbolizing abundance and prosperity. This dream is part of a series of dreams that Joseph has, which ultimately lead to his rise in Egypt. The context shows the importance of dreams in conveying divine messages, particularly in the life of Joseph, as seen in earlier chapters of Genesis.


Cross References


The Key Word וָאֵ֖רֶא, va.'E.re'generated

The word רָאָה (ra'ah) is a verb meaning 'to see' and encompasses a range of visual actions, from literal sight to figurative understanding. In this verse, it indicates Joseph's perception of the dream's content.

The parsing indicates that this is a sequential imperfect verb in the first person, showing that Joseph is recounting his experience in the dream as it unfolded.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

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


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb וָאֵ֖רֶא (and I saw) governs the entire verse, with a prepositional phrase describing the dream and a noun phrase detailing what was seen. The structure emphasizes Joseph's active role in recounting his vision.

The phrase שֶׁ֣בַע שִׁבֳּלִ֗ים is a noun phrase that specifies the number and type of grain, highlighting the abundance represented in the dream.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates וָאֵ֖רֶא as εἶδον (eidon), which also means 'I saw'. This choice maintains the directness of Joseph's vision.

The Greek word for שִׁבֳּלִ֗ים is στάξυες, indicating a focus on the grain itself, similar to the Hebrew meaning but with a different cultural context.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Genesis 41:22 tells us about Joseph's dream where he sees seven healthy heads of grain growing on a single stalk. This dream is significant as it symbolizes abundance and foreshadows future events in Joseph's life.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What do the seven heads of grain represent?

The seven heads of grain symbolize abundance and prosperity, indicating a time of plenty.

Why are dreams significant in Joseph's story?

Dreams serve as a means of divine communication, revealing God's plans and purposes, particularly in Joseph's life.

How does this dream connect to Joseph's later experiences?

The dream foreshadows the upcoming years of plenty followed by famine, which Joseph later interprets for Pharaoh.

What is the cultural significance of grain in this context?

Grain is a symbol of sustenance and wealth in ancient cultures, representing God's provision for His people.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What can I learn from Joseph's ability to interpret dreams and apply it to my own life?
  2. How does the symbolism of grain relate to the concept of abundance in my spiritual journey?
  3. In what ways can I seek to understand and interpret the messages I receive in my own dreams?
  4. How can I trust in God's provision, as represented by the abundance of grain in Joseph's dream?

Commentators on this verse — 2 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Genesis 41:22 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

And I saw in my dream,.... Falling asleep again quickly, he dreamed a second time; and this dream being of a like kind with the former, and so small a space between them, they are represented as one,

Read John Gill on Genesis 41 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And I saw in my dream, and, behold, seven ears came up in one stalk, full and good: And I saw in my dream ... seven ears - that is, of Egyptian wheat (triticum compositum), which, when "full and

Read Robert Jamieson on Genesis 41 →

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

In my dream I also saw seven heads of grain, plump and ripe, growing on a single stalk.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

I saw in my dream, and behold, seven heads of grain came up on one stalk, full and good;

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

In my dream I also saw seven heads of grain, plump and ripe, growing on a single stalk.

NETBNew English Translation2006

I also saw in my dream seven heads of grain growing on one stalk, full and good.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And I saw in my dream, and, behold, seven ears came up in one stalk, full and good:

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And I saw in my dream, and, behold, seven ears came up upon one stalk, full and good:

RVARevised Version, American1894

And I saw in my dream, and, behold, seven ears came up upon one stalk, full and good:

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And I saw in my dream, and behold, seven ears came up on one stalk, full and good:

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Moreouer I sawe in my dreame, and beholde, seuen eares sprang out of one stalke, full and faire.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And I saw in my dream, and behold, seven ears came up on one stalk, full and good.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

'And I see in my dream, and lo, seven ears are coming up on one stalk, full and good;

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And I see in my dream, and behold, seven ears are coming up on one stalk, full and good;

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And I saw in my dream, and, behold, seven ears came up on one stalk, full and good;

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

I looked in my dream, and, behold, seven heads came up upon one stalk, full and good.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And dreamed a dream: Seven ears of corn grew upon one stalk, full and very fair.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Then I fell asleep again. In my second dream I saw seven heads of grain growing on one stalk, ripe and healthy.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And again in a dream I saw seven heads of grain, full and good, coming up on one stem:

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.

וָandclauseverbאֵ֖רֶאI.sawprepositional phrase · prepositionalבַּinnoun phraseחֲלֹמִ֑dreamיmyוְandclauseclauseהִנֵּ֣הthere!clausenoun phrase · subjectשֶׁ֣בַעsevennoun phraseשִׁבֳּלִ֗יםears.of.grainadjective phraseמְלֵאֹ֥תfullוְandטֹבֽוֹתgoodverbעֹלֹ֛ת[were].coming.upprepositional phrase · prepositionalבְּonnoun phraseקָנֶ֥הa.stalkאֶחָ֖דone

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


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

The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree closely, with a word-by-word correspondence. The Samaritan Pentateuch differs in four words, including אראה (I saw) and מליות (full), indicating slight variations in wording but maintaining the overall message.

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

וָאֵ֖רֶא בַּחֲלֹמִ֑י וְהִנֵּ֣ה׀ שֶׁ֣בַע שִׁבֳּלִ֗ים עֹלֹ֛ת בְּקָנֶ֥ה אֶחָ֖ד מְלֵאֹ֥ת וְטֹבֽוֹת׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וָאֵ֖רֶאεἶδονבַּחֲלֹמִ֑יμουוְהִנֵּ֣ה׀ὥσπερשֶׁ֣בַעἑπτὰשִׁבֳּלִ֗יםστάξυεςעֹלֹ֛תπλήρειςבְּקָנֶ֥הκαλοίאֶחָ֖דἀνέβαινονמְלֵאֹ֥תἐνוְטֹבֽוֹת׃ἑνὶ

10 of the 10 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

ואראה בחלמי והנה שׁבע שׁבלים עלות בקנה אחד מליות וטובות

4 words differ from the Masoretic Text: אראה (see), עלות (ascend), מליות (full), טובות (good)

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 41:22רָאָהand I sawand I sawרָאָהחֲלוֹםin dream myin dream myחֲלוֹםהִנֵּהand there!and there!הִנֵּהשֶׁ֫בַעsevensevenשֶׁ֫בַעשִׁבֹּ֫לֶתears of graears of grainשִׁבֹּ֫לֶתעָלָה[were] comi[were] coming uעָלָהקָנֶהon a stalkon a stalkקָנֶהאֶחָדoneoneאֶחָדמָלֵאfullfullמָלֵאטוֹבand goodand goodטוֹבחָלַםbe healthybe healthyחָלַםשָׁבַעto swearto swearשָׁבַעקָנָהto buyto buyקָנָהחָדַדto go eithto go either waחָדַדמָלֵאto fillto fillמָלֵאטוֹבbe pleasinbe pleasingטוֹבהֵןlook!look!הֵןשֹׁ֫בֶלskirtskirtשֹׁ֫בֶלסִבֹ֫לֶתstreamstreamסִבֹ֫לֶתעֳנִיafflictionafflictionעֳנִינָבַטto lookto lookנָבַטנֶ֫גַעplagueplagueנֶ֫גַעחֲלוֹםdreamdreamחֲלוֹםפַּ֫עַםbeatbeatפַּ֫עַםשָׁדַףto scorchto scorchשָׁדַףדַּקthinthinדַּקעֹלָהburnt offeburnt offeringעֹלָהיְאֹרstreamstreamיְאֹר
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 41:22

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 I saw in dream my and there! seven ears of grain [were] coming up on a stalk one full and good
וָאֵ֖רֶאva.'E.re' and I saw H7200 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect first person common singular
1,300× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for provider means to see or look after, and is used to describe God's care for his people. It appears in various forms throughout the Bible, including in Genesis and other books.
Amplified meaning
behold, looked upon
Tyndale gloss
Provider
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רָאָה (ra'ah) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to see' and encompasses a wide range of visual and perceptual actions, including looking, observing, and causing others to see. It can refer to both literal sight and figurative understanding, with various grammatical forms indicating different nuances, such as appearing or being visible. The entries indicate a rich semantic field without significant disagreement among lexicographers.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רָאָה 1315 vb. see

Qal 1141

see, subj.

see, c. acc. rei

see, sq. acc. cl. or phr. of closer design

see, so as to learn to know

abs. see, have (power of) vision

see = perceive

look at, see, by direct volition

of mental observation

c. ב, lit., look into, hence look at with interest

see, c. acc. rei

Niph.

appear

be seen

be visible

Pu. appar. his bones are not detected

Hithp. recipr. look at each other

Hiph.

cause one to see something, shew

cause to experience something

cause to look intently at, to behold

Hoph.

be caused to see, be shewn

be exhibited to

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7200a רָאָה see .. . see, subj.

. see, c. acc. rei

. see, sq. acc. + cl. or phr. of closer design

. see, so as to learn to know

. abs. see, have (power of) vision

. see = perceive

. look at, see, by direct volition

. of mental observation

. . c. ב, lit., look into, hence look at with interest

. see, c. acc. rei

. . appear

. be seen

. be visible

. appar. his bones are not detected

. recipr. look at each other

. . . cause one to see something, shew

. cause to experience something

. cause to look intently at, to behold

. . be caused to see, be shewn

. be exhibited to

H7200b רְאוּת look

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7200 ra'ah raw-aw'

a primitive root; to see, literally or figuratively (in

numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive,

intransitive and causative):--advise self, appear, approve,

behold, X certainly, consider, discern, (make to) enjoy, have

experience, gaze, take heed, X indeed, X joyfully, lo, look

(on, one another, one on another, one upon another, out, up,

upon), mark, meet, X be near, perceive, present, provide,

regard, (have) respect, (fore-, cause to, let) see(-r, -m, one

another), shew (self), X sight of others, (e-)spy, stare, X

surely, X think, view, visions.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רָאָה (ra.ah) — to see: see.

: see/show

1) to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to see

1a2) to see, perceive

1a3) to see, have vision

1a4) to look at, see, regard, look after, see after, learn about, observe, watch, look upon, look out, find out

1a5) to see, observe, consider, look at, give attention to, discern, distinguish

1a6) to look at, gaze at

1a7) to provide, choose

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to appear, present oneself

1b2) to be seen

1b3) to be visible

1c) (Pual) to be seen

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to cause to see, show

1d2) to cause to look intently at, behold, cause to gaze at

1e) (Hophal)

1e1) to be caused to see, be shown

1e2) to be exhibited to

1f) (Hithpael) to look at each other, face

רָאָה (ra.ah) — to see: examine.

: examine/consider

1) to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to see

1a2) to see, perceive

1a3) to see, have vision

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-1cs — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect first person common singular
Hc/Vqw1cs
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

so.

See TOOLS.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Egyptian saws, so far as has yet been discovered, are single-handed. As is the case in modern Oriental saws, the teeth usually incline toward the handle, instead of away from it like ours. They have, in most cases, bronze blades, apparently attached to the handles by leathern thongs. No evidence exists of the use of the saw applied to stone in Egypt, but we read of sawn stones used in the temple. (1 Kings 7:9) The saws "under" or "in" which David is said to have placed his captives were of iron. The expression in (2 Samuel 12:31) does not necessarily imply torture, but the word "cut" in (1 Chronicles 20:3) can hardly be understood otherwise.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Used as an instrument of torture 2Sa 12:31; Heb 11:37

→ Used for cutting stone 1Ki 7:9

→ FIGURATIVE Isa 10:15

and I saw in dream my and there! seven ears of grain [were] coming up on a stalk one full and good
בַּחֲלֹמִ֑יba.cha.lo.Mi in dream my H2472 Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
65× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means a dream, which can be ordinary or have a prophetic meaning, as seen in the Bible where God communicates through dreams. It appears in the story of Joseph in Genesis. The word is also used in Joel 2:28.
Amplified meaning
vision, prophetic insight
Tyndale gloss
dream
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חֲלוֹם n.m. dream

ordinary dream of sleep

dreams with prophetic meaning

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2472 חֲלוֹם dream

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2472 chalowm khal-ome'

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

dream:--dream(-er).

see HEBREW for 02492

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חֲלוֹם (cha.lom) — dream.

1) dream

1a) dream (ordinary)

1b) dream (with prophetic meaning)

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms | Suff — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HR/Ncmsc/Sp1bs
and I saw in dream my and there! seven ears of grain [were] coming up on a stalk one full and good
וְהִנֵּ֣ה׀ve.hi.Neh and there! H2009 Conjunction · particle
843× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word is an expression that means 'behold' or 'look', often used to draw attention to something. It appears in Genesis and Isaiah, and is translated as 'behold' or 'lo' in the KJV.
Tyndale gloss
behold
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

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

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2009 הִנֵּה, הִנֶּה־ lo!, behold!

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2009 hinneh hin-nay'

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

see HEBREW for 02005

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הִנֵּה (hin.neh) — behold.

behold, lo, see, if

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HC/Tj — Conjunction · particle
HC/Tj
and I saw in dream my and there! seven ears of grain [were] coming up on a stalk one full and good
שֶׁ֣בַעShe.va' seven H7651 Adj
395× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means the number seven, which was considered a special or sacred number. It can also mean seven times or a week, and is used in the Bible to describe completeness or perfection. The KJV translates it as seven or sevenfold.
Tyndale gloss
seven
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שֶׁ֫בַע (sheba`) means 'seven' and is a cardinal number. It can also imply 'seven times' or refer to a week. The term appears in various contexts, including combinations like 17 or 700. Its Aramaic equivalent is שִׁבְעָה (shiv.ah), also meaning 'seven'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שֶׁ֫בַע, שִׁבְעָה 394 n.m. et f. seven

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7651 שֶׁ֫בַע, שִׁבְעָה seven

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7651 sheba` sheh'-bah

or (masculine) shibrah {shib-aw'}; from 7650; a primitive

cardinal number; seven (as the sacred full one); also

(adverbially) seven times; by implication, a week; by

extension, an indefinite number:--(+ by) seven(-fold),-s,

(-teen, -teenth), -th, times). Compare 7658.

see HEBREW for 07650

see HEBREW for 07658

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שֶׁ֫בַע (she.va) — seven.

1) seven (cardinal number)

1a) as ordinal number

1b) in combination-17, 700 etc

Aramaic equivalent: shiv.ah (שִׁבְעָה "seven" H7655)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Adj
HAcbsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

sev'-'-n (shebha`; hepta).

See NUMBER.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Seven

This number occurs frequently in Scripture, and in such connections as lead to the supposition that it has some typical meaning. On the seventh day God rested, and hallowed it (Gen. 2:2, 3). The division of time into weeks of seven days each accounts for many instances of the occurrence of this number. This number has been called the symbol of perfection, and also the symbol of rest. “Jacob’s seven years’ service to Laban; Pharaoh’s seven fat oxen and seven lean ones; the seven branches of the golden candlestick; the seven trumpets and the seven priests who sounded them; the seven days’ siege of Jericho; the seven churches, seven spirits, seven stars, seven seals, seven vials, and many others, sufficiently prove the importance of this sacred number” (see Lev. 25:4;

Smith's Bible Dictionary

The frequent recurrence of certain numbers in the sacred literature of the Hebrews is obvious to the most superficial reader, but seven so far surpasses the rest, both in the frequency with which it recurs and in the importance of the objects with which it is associated, that it may fairly be termed the representative symbolic number. The influence of the number seven was not restricted to the Hebrews; it prevailed among the Persians, ancient Indians, Greeks and Romans. The peculiarity of the Hebrew view consists in the special dignity of the seventh, and not simply in that of seen. The Sabbath being the seventh day suggested the adoption of seven as the coefficient, so to say, for their appointment of all sacred periods; and we thus find the 7th month ushered in by the Feast of Trumpets, and signalized by the celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles and the Great Day of Atonement; 7…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

As from the beginning this was the number of days in the week, so it often has in Scripture a sort of emphasis attached to it, and is very generally used as a round or perfect number. Clean beasts were taken into the ark by sevens, Ge 7:1-24. The years of plenty and famine in Egypt were marked by sevens, Ge 41:1-57. With the Jews, not only was there a seventh day Sabbath, but every seventh year was a Sabbath, and after every seven times seven years came a jubilee. Their great feasts of unleavened bread and of tabernacles were observed for seven days; the number of animals in many of their sacrifices was limited to seven. The golden candlestick had seven branches. Seven priests with seven trumpets went around the walls of Jericho seven days, and seven times on the seventh day. In…

and I saw in dream my and there! seven ears of grain [were] coming up on a stalk one full and good
שִׁבֳּלִ֗יםshi.bo.Lim ears of grain H7641 Noun common · masculine plural absolute
19× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Shibboleth is a Hebrew word that means a flowing stream or an ear of grain. It was also used as a password to distinguish between different groups of people, as in the story of the Gileadites and Ephraimites.
Amplified meaning
ears of corn, shibboleth
Tyndale gloss
Shibboleth
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word שִׁבֹּ֫לֶת (*shibbolet*) has two primary meanings: 'flowing stream' and 'ear of grain.' It is derived from a root that suggests both water and growth. The term is also noted for its use as a password in biblical contexts. There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שִׁבֹּ֫לֶת n.f. flowing stream

base

שִׁבֹּ֫לֶת n.f. ear of grain

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7641a שִׁבֹּ֫לֶת flowing stream H7641b שִׁבֹּ֫לֶת ear of grain

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7641 shibbol shib-bole

or (feminine) shibboleth {shib-bo'-leth}; from the same as

7640; a stream (as flowing); also an ear of grain (as growing

out); by analogy, a branch:--branch, channel, ear (of corn),

((water-))flood, Shibboleth. Compare 5451.

see HEBREW for 07640

see HEBREW for 05451

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שִׁבֹּ֫לֶת (shib.bol) — stream.

flowing stream

שִׁבֹּ֫לֶת (shib.bol) — ear.

1) ear (of grain), head of grain

1a) as growing

1b) cluster

שִׁבֹּ֫לֶת (shib.bol) — Euphrates.

This name means ear (of grain), cluster

Another name of pe.rat (פְּרָת "Euphrates" H6578)

שִׁבֹּ֫לֶת (shib.bol) — Shibboleth.

means: growing ear (of grain), flowing stream

used as a password

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fp — Noun common · masculine plural absolute
HNcmpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

gran.

See AGRICULTURE; GARNER.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Grain

Used, in Amos 9:9, of a small stone or kernel; in Matt. 13:31, of an individual seed of mustard; in John 12:24, 1 Cor. 15:37, of wheat. The Hebrews sowed only wheat, barley, and spelt; rye and oats are not mentioned in Scripture.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

See CORN.

and I saw in dream my and there! seven ears of grain [were] coming up on a stalk one full and good
עֹלֹ֛ת'o.Lot [were] coming up H5927 Verb · Qal · participle (active) feminine plural
890× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To ascend means to go up or rise, like the smoke from an altar going up to God, as described in many Bible passages, including Leviticus and Psalms.
Amplified meaning
ascending, rising up
Tyndale gloss
to ascend: rise
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עָלָה (alah) means 'to ascend' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including going up, climbing, and rising in various contexts such as personal, natural, and spiritual. It can refer to actions involving people, animals, vegetation, and even thoughts, and includes nuances of being exalted or offering sacrifices. The word is built from a primitive root and appears in various grammatical forms, indicating different aspects of ascent or elevation.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עָלָה 890 vb. go up, ascend, climb

Qal

of persons, go up, ascend, in local relations

go up, in personal relations

of animals, go or come up

of vegetation, spring up, grow, shoot forth

of natural phenom., go up, rise

of inanimate things, instead of passive construction

of thoughts

come up before God, arrogance

go up, extend, of boundary

excel

Niph.

be brought up

be taken up

pass., be taken up, away

reflex., take oneself away from, get up from

reflex.: take oneself away

be exalted, of God

Hiph.

bring up persons

in personal relations

bring up animals

cause to ascend

mentally

offer a present; bring up tithe to

exalt

cause to ascend (in flame), offer sacrifice

Hoph.

be carried away

be taken up into, inserted in

be offered

Hithp. lift oneself

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5927 עָלָה go up, ascend, climb .. of persons, go up, ascend, in local relations

. go up, in personal relations

. of animals, go or come up

. of vegetation, spring up, grow, shoot forth

. of natural phenom., go up, rise

. of inanimate things, instead of passive construction

. of thoughts

. come up before God, arrogance

. go up, extend, of boundary

. excel

. . . be brought up

. be taken up

. . pass., be taken up, away

. reflex., take oneself away from, get up from

. reflex.: take oneself away

. be exalted, of God

. . bring up persons

. in personal relations

. bring up animals

. cause to ascend

. mentally

. offer a present; bring up tithe to

. exalt

. cause to ascend (in flame), offer sacrifice

. . be carried away

. be taken up into, inserted in

. be offered

. lift oneself

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5927 `alah aw-law'

a primitive root; to ascend, intransitively (be high) or

actively (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary

and secondary, literal and figurative (as follow):--arise

(up), (cause to) ascend up, at once, break (the day) (up),

bring (up), (cause to) burn, carry up, cast up, + shew, climb

(up), (cause to, make to) come (up), cut off, dawn, depart,

exalt, excel, fall, fetch up, get up, (make to) go (away, up);

grow (over) increase, lay, leap, levy, lift (self) up, light,

(make) up, X mention, mount up, offer, make to pay, + perfect,

prefer, put (on), raise, recover, restore, (make to) rise

(up), scale, set (up), shoot forth (up), (begin to) spring

(up), stir up, take away (up), work.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עָלָה (a.lah) — to ascend: rise.

: rise/go

1) to go up, ascend, climb

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go up, ascend

1a2) to meet, visit, follow, depart, withdraw, retreat

1a3) to go up, come up (of animals)

1a4) to spring up, grow, shoot forth (of vegetation)

1a5) to go up, go up over, rise (of natural phenomenon)

1a6) to come up (before God)

1a7) to go up, go up over, extend (of boundary)

1a8) to excel, be superior to

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be taken up, be brought up, be taken away

1b2) to take oneself away

1b3) to be exalted

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to bring up, cause to ascend or climb, cause to go up

1c2) to bring up, bring against, take away

1c3) to bring up, draw up, train

1c4) to cause to ascend

1c5) to rouse, stir up (mentally)

1c6) to offer, bring up (of gifts)

1c7) to exalt

1c8) to cause to ascend, offer

1d) (Hophal)

1d1) to be carried away, be led up

1d2) to be taken up into, be inserted in

1d3) to be offered

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal — Verb · Qal · participle (active) feminine plural
HVqrfpa
and I saw in dream my and there! seven ears of grain [were] coming up on a stalk one full and good
בְּקָנֶ֥הbe.ka.Neh on a stalk H7070 Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
62× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word describes a branch or reed, and is used to represent measurement, strength, or support. In the Bible, it is used to describe objects like the rod of a steelyard or the branches of a lampstand.
Amplified meaning
branch, reed
Tyndale gloss
branch
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word קָנֶה (*qaneh*) refers to a stalk or reed, often associated with plants like calamus. It has various derived meanings, including measuring-rod and unit of measure (6 cubits), as well as applications in scales and lampstands. The word is built from a root that implies an erect structure, covering a range of uses from botanical to functional.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

קָנֶה 62 n.m. stalk, reed

stalk of grain

water-plant, reed

calamus, aromatic reed

derived meanings:

measuring-rod

unit of measure, reed (of 6 cubits)

beam of scales, for scales themselves

shaft of lamp-stand

branches thereof

shoulder-joint

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7070 קָנֶה stalk, reed . stalk of grain

. water-plant, reed

. calamus, aromatic reed

. derived meanings: . measuring-rod

. unit of measure, reed (of 6 cubits)

. beam of scales, for scales themselves

. shaft of lamp-stand

. branches thereof

. shoulder-joint

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7070 qaneh kaw-neh'

from 7069; a reed (as erect); by resemblance a rod

(especially for measuring), shaft, tube, stem, the radius (of

the arm), beam (of a steelyard):--balance, bone, branch,

calamus, cane, reed, X spearman, stalk.

see HEBREW for 07069

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קָנֶה (qa.neh) — branch.

: branch

1) reed, stalk, bone, balances

1a) stalk

1b) water-plant, reed

1c) calamus (aromatic reed)

1d) derived meanings

1d1) measuring-rod

1d2) reed (as unit of measure-6 cubits)

1d3) beam (of scales-for scales themselves)

1d4) shaft (of lampstand)

1d5) branches (of lampstand)

1d6) shoulder-joint

קָנֶה (qa.neh) — branch: stem.

: stem/reed

1) reed, stalk, bone, balances

1a) stalk

1b) water-plant, reed

1c) calamus (aromatic reed)

1d) derived meanings

1d1) measuring-rod

1d2) reed (as unit of measure-6 cubits)

1d3) beam (of scales-for scales themselves)

1d4) shaft (of lampstand)

1d5) branches (of lampstand)

1d6) shoulder-joint

קָנֶה (qa.neh) — branch: measuring rod.

: measuring_rod

1) reed, stalk, bone, balances

1a) stalk

1b) water-plant, reed

1c) calamus (aromatic reed)

1d) derived meanings

1d1) measuring-rod

1d2) reed (as unit of measure-6 cubits)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
HR/Ncmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

stok: In Ge 41:5,22 is for qaneh, "cane"; in Jos 2:6 for ets, "wood." In Ho 8:7, the Revised Version margin has "stalk" for qamah, "that which stands." The Revised Version's "standing grain" is due to this meaning of qamah in Ex 22:6, etc., but this translation spoils the figure. The meaning is, "They sow the wind, a worthless sowing, for such seed produces no stalk, it yields no grain."

and I saw in dream my and there! seven ears of grain [were] coming up on a stalk one full and good
אֶחָ֖ד'e.Chad one H259 Adj
971× 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 one or united, and is used to describe something that is single or unique. It is often translated as one, first, or alone. For example, in Genesis 1:5, God calls the light day and the darkness night, and separates them into one thing from another.
Amplified meaning
one, united
Tyndale gloss
one
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֶחָד (echad) means 'one' and is derived from a numeral. It encompasses meanings such as each, every, a certain, and can serve as an indefinite article. It is also used as an ordinal to denote 'first' and appears in various combinations, including eleven. The entries consistently emphasize its numerical and qualitative aspects.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶחָד 972 adj.num. one

one

= each, every

= a certain

= indef. art.

only, & (fem.) once

one … another, one … the other

as ordinal first

in combin.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H259 אֶחָד one . one

. = each, every

. = a certain

. = indef. art.

. only, & (fem.) once

. one … another, one … the other

. as ordinal first

. in combin.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

259 'echad ekh-awd'

a numeral from 258; properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an

ordinal) first:--a, alike, alone, altogether, and,

any(-thing), apiece, a certain, (dai-)ly, each (one), +

eleven, every, few, first, + highway, a man, once, one, only,

other, some, together,

see HEBREW for 0258

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶחָד (e.chad) — one.

1) one (number)

1a) one (number)

1b) each, every

1c) a certain

1d) an (indefinite article)

1e) only, once, once for all

1f) one...another, the one...the other, one after another, one by one

1g) first

1h) eleven (in combination), eleventh (ordinal)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Adj
HAcfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

wun.

See NUMBER.

and I saw in dream my and there! seven ears of grain [were] coming up on a stalk one full and good
מְלֵאֹ֥תme.le.'Ot full H4392 Adj
64× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Full means having no empty space, like a full cup or a full heart. It can also mean a large amount, like a multitude of people.
Amplified meaning
full, mature
Tyndale gloss
full
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מָלֵא (male') means 'full' and can refer to fullness in both literal and figurative senses. It encompasses concepts of filling and completeness, and can also be used adverbially. The word is derived from a root meaning to fill, and it appears in contexts related to abundance or multitude.

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4392 מָלֵא full

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4392 male' maw-lay'

from 4390; full (literally or figuratively) or filling

(literally); also (concretely) fulness; adverbially,

fully:--X she that was with child, fill(-ed, -ed with),

full(-ly), multitude, as is worth.

see HEBREW for 04390

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מָלֵא (ma.le) — full.

1) full, fulness, that which fills

1a) fully (adv)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Adj
HAafpa
and I saw in dream my and there! seven ears of grain [were] coming up on a stalk one full and good
וְטֹבֽוֹת׃ve.to.Vot and good H2896 Conjunction
538× 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 good or welfare, describing something that is beneficial or pleasing, like a good deed or a happy time. It is used in many contexts, including Genesis and Psalms. This word is often translated as 'good' or 'beautiful'.
Amplified meaning
good, pleasant
Tyndale gloss
pleasant
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

טוֹב (tov) is a Hebrew word meaning good or pleasant, encompassing a wide range of meanings from agreeable to the senses to ethical goodness. It can function as an adjective, noun, or adverb, referring to things like welfare, happiness, and prosperity. The feminine form, טוֹבָה (tovah), specifically denotes welfare or good things.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

טוֹב adj. pleasant, agreeable, good

pleasant, agreeable to the senses

pleasant to the higher nature, giving pleasure, happiness, prosperity, and so agreeable, pleasing, well

good, excellent, of its kind

good, rich, valuable in estimation

good, appropriate, becoming

c. מִן compar. = better

of man's sensuous nature, glad, happy, prosperous

of man's intellectual nature, good understanding

good, kind, benign

good (ethical), right

base

טוֹב n.m. a good thing, benefit, welfare

welfare, prosperity, happiness

good things

good = benefit

moral good

base

טוֹבָה n.f. welfare, benefit, good things, good

welfare, prosperity, happiness

good things

bounty, good

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2896a טוֹב pleasant, agreeable, good . pleasant, agreeable to the senses

. pleasant to the higher nature, giving pleasure, happiness, prosperity, and so agreeable, pleasing, well

. good, excellent, of its kind

. good, rich, valuable in estimation

. good, appropriate, becoming

. c. מִן compar. =better

. of man's sensuous nature, glad, happy, prosperous

. of man's intellectual nature, good understanding

. good, kind, benign

. good (ethical), right

H2896b טוֹב a good thing, benefit, welfare H2896c טוֹבָה welfare, benefit, good things, good

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2896 towb tobe

from 2895; good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used

likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine,

the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing, a

good man or woman; the good, goods or good things, good men or

women), also as an adverb (well):--beautiful, best, better,

bountiful, cheerful, at ease, X fair (word), (be in) favour,

fine, glad, good (deed, -lier, -liest, -ly, -ness, -s),

graciously, joyful, kindly, kindness, liketh (best), loving,

merry, X most, pleasant, + pleaseth, pleasure, precious,

prosperity, ready, sweet, wealth, welfare, (be) well

((-favoured)).

see HEBREW for 02895

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

טוֹב (tov) — pleasant.

adj

1) good, pleasant, agreeable

1a) pleasant, agreeable (to the senses)

1b) pleasant (to the higher nature)

1c) good, excellent (of its kind)

1d) good, rich, valuable in estimation

1e) good, appropriate, becoming

1f) better (comparative)

1g) glad, happy, prosperous (of man's sensuous nature)

1h) good understanding (of man's intellectual nature)

1i) good, kind, benign

1j) good, right (ethical)

Aramaic equivalent: tav (טָב "fine" H2869)

טוֹב (tov) — good.

1) a good thing, benefit, welfare

1a) welfare, prosperity, happiness

1b) good things (collective)

1c) good, benefit

1d) moral good

טוֹבָה (to.vah) — welfare.

1) welfare, benefit, good things

1a) welfare, prosperity, happiness

1b) good things (collective)

1c) bounty

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Adj — Conjunction
HC/Aafpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

good (Tobh, Tubh, yaTabh; agathos, agathon, kalos, kalon): In English "good" is used in various senses, most of which are represented in the Bible.

(1) In the Old Testament the commonest word is Tobh, occurring very frequently and translated in a great variety of ways. Of the different shades of meaning, which frequently run into each other, the following may be distinguished:

(a) Possessing desirable qualities, beneficial, agreeable, e.g. "good for food" (Ge 2:9); "We will do thee good" (Nu 10:29); Who will show us any good?" (Ps 4:6); "good tidings of good" (Isa 52:7).

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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