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Genesis 43:4 — Word Study

Depth

WLCאִם־ יֶשְׁךָ֛ מְשַׁלֵּ֥חַ אֶת־ אָחִ֖ינוּ אִתָּ֑נוּ נֵרְדָ֕ה וְנִשְׁבְּרָ֥ה לְךָ֖ אֹֽכֶל׃

BSAIfʼim [on the condition that, provided that] you will sendshâlach [dispatch, let go] our brotherʼâch [male sibling, close relative] with usʼêth we will go downyârad [descend, travel to a lower place] and buyshâbar [acquire, trade for] foodʼôkel [nourishment, sustenance]

Word
Listen & take awayGenesis 43
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 4 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 ('O.khel) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Genesis 43:4quick helps
In a sentenceJudah proposes sending their brother to buy food, emphasizing the necessity of his presence.
Who is speakingJudah, addressing his father Israel.
Where we areIn a conversation about the family's need for food during a time of famine.
The hard wordמְשַׁלֵּ֥חַ
Take awayThe request hinges on sending their brother.
4 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, Ellicott & more — read them › clause verbשָׁלַח 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 43:4

Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.

Context — Judah's Proposal to Israelgenerated

3But Judah replied, “The man solemnly warned us, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’
4If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy food for you.
5But if you will not send him, we will not go; for the man told us, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’”
6“Why did you bring this trouble upon me?” Israel asked. “Why did you tell the man you had another brother?”

Genesis 43:4 captures Judah's plea to his father Israel, emphasizing the need to send their brother along to procure food. This moment arises amid a dire famine, highlighting the family's desperation and the importance of unity in their efforts to survive. Judah recalls the warning from the man who had previously interacted with them, underscoring the stakes involved in their request.


Cross References


The Key Word מְשַׁלֵּ֥חַ, me.sha.Le.achgenerated

The word שָׁלַח (shalach) means 'to send' and is a verb in the Piel stem, indicating an active sending. This form is used here as a participle, reflecting an ongoing action: they are currently in the process of sending their brother.

This word conveys the act of dispatching someone with a purpose. In this context, it emphasizes the necessity of sending their brother to fulfill the conditions set by the man they encountered, which is crucial for their family's survival.


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 in the sentence is מְשַׁלֵּ֥חַ, sending, which governs the action of the sentence. The structure includes a conditional clause introduced by אִם, if, setting the premise for the action.

The sentence is built around this conditional structure, with the action of sending and the subsequent actions of going down and buying food clearly outlined. The order emphasizes the conditions that must be met for the actions to take place.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, the Hebrew word מְשַׁלֵּ֥חַ is rendered as ἀποστελῶ (apostelō), which also means 'to send'. This choice reflects a direct translation of the action of sending, maintaining the same emphasis on the necessity of dispatching the brother.

The Septuagint's rendering aligns with the Hebrew intent but may carry additional connotations of authority or mission inherent in the Greek term.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Genesis 43:4 shows Judah asking his father Israel to send their brother with them to buy food. Judah emphasizes that they cannot go back without their brother, as they were warned by the man they encountered. This moment reveals the family's struggle during a famine and the importance of their brother's presence in their mission.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does Judah mean by asking to send their brother?

Judah is emphasizing the importance of their brother's presence for their journey to buy food, as they were warned that they would not be able to return without him.

Why is the act of sending significant in this context?

Sending their brother is crucial because it reflects the conditions set by the man they met, highlighting the family's reliance on unity and cooperation during a time of need.

What can we learn about family relationships from this verse?

This verse illustrates the bond of family and the lengths they will go to support one another, especially in difficult times.

How does this verse connect to the larger narrative of Joseph and his brothers?

This moment is part of the unfolding story of Joseph's relationship with his brothers, showcasing themes of reconciliation and the importance of familial ties.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What does this verse teach us about the importance of family support during challenging times?
  2. How can we apply the lesson of unity seen in this verse to our own relationships?
  3. In what ways do we see the necessity of fulfilling conditions in our own lives, similar to Judah's plea?
  4. What role does trust play in the interactions between Judah and Israel in this passage?

Commentators on this verse — 4 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Genesis 43:4 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

If thou wilt send our brother with us,.... Give orders for his going with us, and put him under our care: we will go down and buy thee food; signifying, on the above condition, that they were ready

Read John Gill on Genesis 43 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And Judah spake unto him, saying, The man did solemnly protest unto us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you. No JFB commentary on these verses.

Read Robert Jamieson on Genesis 43 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Genesis 43:4 If thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down and buy thee food:Ver. 4. And buy thee food,] q.d., Thou art as much concerned as any of us, and more; because thou art master of the family.

Read John Trapp on Genesis 43 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

XLIII. THE SECOND VISIT TO EGYPT.(7) The man asked us straitly.—In Genesis 42:13 they appear rather as volunteering a statement of their family relations than as having it wrung from them by cross-examination. But really this history must be taken as explaining and supplementing the former. Accused of being spies, they would naturally give an account of themselves, and Joseph, anxious to know about his father and brother, would certainly put numerous questions to them concerning their home and family. And they would answer them fully and frankly, little suspecting who was the questioner, and what was his real reason for exacting Benjamin’s presence in proof of their trustworthiness: Of our…

Read Charles John Ellicott on Genesis 43 →

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

If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy food for you.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

If you’ll send our brother with us, we’ll go down and buy you food;

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy food for you.

NETBNew English Translation2006

If you send our brother with us, we’ll go down and buy food for you.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

If thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down and buy thee food:

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

If thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down and buy thee food:

RVARevised Version, American1894

If thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down and buy thee food:

NWBWebster's Bible1833

If thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down and buy thee food:

GNVGeneva Bible1599

If thou wilt sende our brother with vs, we will goe downe, and bye thee foode:

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

If thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down and buy thee food;

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

if thou art sending our brother with us, we go down, and buy for thee food,

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

if you are sending our brother with us, we go down, and buy for you food,

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

If thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down and buy thee food;

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

If you send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

If therefore thou wilt send him with us, we will set out together, and will buy necessaries for thee.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

If you send our brother Benjamin with us then we'll go and buy food for you.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

If you will let our brother go with us, we will go down and get food:

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.

clauseclauseאִםifclauseadverbialיֶשְׁ(there)subjectךָ֛youverbמְשַׁלֵּ֥חַ[are].sendingnoun phrase · objectאֶת(et)noun phraseאָחִ֖יbrotherנוּourprepositional phrase · prepositionalאִתָּ֑withנוּusclauseclauseverbנֵרְדָ֕הwe.will.go.downוְandclauseverbנִשְׁבְּרָ֥הwe.will.buyprepositional phrase · prepositionalלְforךָ֖youobjectאֹֽכֶלfood

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


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

The Masoretic Text is consistent with the Samaritan Pentateuch, as both texts agree word for word in this verse. The Septuagint, while not a direct match, provides a similar meaning through its translation.

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

אִם־ יֶשְׁךָ֛ מְשַׁלֵּ֥חַ אֶת־ אָחִ֖ינוּ אִתָּ֑נוּ נֵרְדָ֕ה וְנִשְׁבְּרָ֥ה לְךָ֖ אֹֽכֶל׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
אָחִ֖ינוּἡμῶνאִתָּ֑נוּἡμῶνנֵרְדָ֕הκαταβησόμεθαוְנִשְׁבְּרָ֥הἀγοράσωμένלְךָ֖σοιאֹֽכֶל׃βρώματα

6 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

אם ישׁך משׁלח את אחינו אתנו נרדה ונשׁברה לך אכל

Agrees with the Masoretic Text here, word for word.

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 43:4אִםififאִםיֵשׁthere youthere youיֵשׁשָׁלַח[are] sendi[are] sendingשָׁלַחאֵתthe object the object markאֵתאָחbrother ourbrother ourאָחאֵתwith uswith usאֵתיָרַדwe will go we will go downיָרַדשָׁבַרand we willand we will buyשָׁבַרךָּfor youfor youךָּאֹ֫כֶלfoodfoodאֹ֫כֶלאוֹתsign: mirasign: miraculouאוֹתאָנָהto meetto meetאָנָהשֶׁ֫בֶרgraingrainשֶׁ֫בֶראָכַלto eatto eatאָכַלהָיָהto beto beהָיָהאָבfatherfatherאָביוֹסֵףJosephJosephיוֹסֵףחֵןfavorfavorחֵןיֵשׁtherethereיֵשׁתִּקְוָהcordcordתִּקְוָהשָׂכָרwageswagesשָׂכָרחָפְשִׁיfreefreeחָפְשִׁימַלְאָךְmessengermessengerמַלְאָךְמִגְרָשׁpasturepastureמִגְרָשׁעֵשָׂו(Mount) Es(Mount) Esauעֵשָׂורִיבto contendto contendרִיבבְּרִיתcovenantcovenantבְּרִיתשְׁאוֹלhell: Sheohell: Sheolשְׁאוֹל
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 43:4

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.

if there you [are] sending the object marker brother our with us we will go down and we will buy for you food
אִם־'im- if H518 Particle
1,070× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word is used to express conditions or questions, like if or whether. It can also be used to make oaths or express wishes, as in Oh that! It appears in various forms in the KJV, including if, though, and when.
Amplified meaning
on the condition that, provided that
Tyndale gloss
if
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אִם (im) is a Hebrew conjunction primarily meaning 'if' and is used in various contexts, including conditional clauses and interrogative situations. It can also express negation, alternatives, or exceptions, and appears frequently in the Old Testament. The lexicons note its use in oaths and its ability to connect different clauses, sometimes altering their meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אִם conj.

hypoth. part. if

Interrog. part.

base

כִּי אם־

each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause:

that if

for if

(About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause—

limiting the prec. clause, except

the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but

after an oath, surely

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H518a אִם conj. . hypoth. part. if

. Interrog. part.

H518b כִּי אם־ . each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause: . that if

. for if

. (About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause— . limiting the prec. clause, except

. the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but

. after an oath, surely

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

518 'im eem

a primitive particle; used very widely as demonstrative, lo!;

interrog., whether?; or conditional, if, although; also Oh

that!, when; hence, as a negative, not:--(and, can-,

doubtless, if, that) (not), + but, either, + except, +

more(-over if, than), neither, nevertheless, nor, oh that, or,

+ save (only, -ing), seeing, since, sith, + surely (no more,

none, not), though, + of a truth, + unless, + verily, when,

whereas, whether, while, + yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אִם (im) — if.

: if/whether_or/though

1) if

1a) conditional clauses

1a1) of possible situations

1a2) of impossible situations

1b) oath contexts

1b1) no, not

1c) if...if, whether...or, whether...or...or

1d) when, whenever

1e) since

1f) interrogative particle

1g) but rather

[כִּי] אם (ki im) — if: except.

1) except if

1a) but if

אִם (im) — if: surely no.

: surely_no

1) if

1a) conditional clauses

1a1) of possible situations

1a2) of impossible situations

1b) oath contexts

1b1) no, not

1c) if...if, whether...or, whether...or...or

1d) when, whenever

1e) since

1f) interrogative particle

1g) but rather

אִם (im) — if: surely yes.

: surely_yes

1) if

1a) conditional clauses

1a1) of possible situations

1a2) of impossible situations

1b) oath contexts

1b1) no, not

1c) if...if, whether...or, whether...or...or

1d) when, whenever

1e) since

1f) interrogative particle

1g) but rather

אִם (im) — if: until.

: until/except

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj — Particle
HTc
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
if there you [are] sending the object marker brother our with us we will go down and we will buy for you food
יֶשְׁךָ֛yesh.Kha there you H3426 Suffix
140× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means 'there is' or 'there are', used to show existence or being. It appears in various forms, like 'to be' or 'to have'. In the Bible, it's used in Genesis and Psalms to describe God's presence.
Tyndale gloss
there
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יֵשׁ (yesh) refers to being, substance, or existence. It is used to assert existence, functioning as a copula for the verb 'to be' in various forms. The word can mean 'there is' or 'there are,' and its Aramaic equivalent is אִיתַי (itay).

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יֵשׁ 137 subst. being, substance, existence

substance

elsewhere (prop. as a subst. in in the st. c.), it asserts existence, and so corresponds to the verb substantive, is (are, was, were, will be), lit. the being, presence of …

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3426 יֵשׁ subst. being, substance, existence . substance

. elsewhere (prop. as a subst. in in the st. c.), it asserts existence, and so corresponds to the verb substantive, is (are, was, were, will be), lit. the being, presence of …

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3426 yesh yaysh

perhaps from an unused root meaning to stand out, or exist;

entity; used adverbially or as a copula for the substantive

verb (1961); there is or are (or any other form of the verb to

be, as may suit the connection):--(there) are, (he, it, shall,

there, there may, there shall, there should) be, thou do, had,

hast, (which) hath, (I, shalt, that) have, (he, it, there) is,

substance, it (there) was, (there) were, ye will, thou wilt,

wouldest.

see HEBREW for 01961

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יֵשׁ (yesh) — there.

1) being, existence, substance, there is or are

1a) substance

1b) existence

1c) there is or are

Aramaic equivalent: i.tay (אִיתַי "there is" H0383)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HAcbsc/Sp2ms — Suffix
HAcbsc/Sp2ms
if there you [are] sending the object marker brother our with us we will go down and we will buy for you food
מְשַׁלֵּ֥חַme.sha.Le.ach [are] sending H7971 Verb · Piel · participle (active) masculine singular
847× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To send or depart is the meaning of this Hebrew word, which has various applications in the Bible. It can describe sending someone or something away, or letting something go.
Amplified meaning
dispatch, let go
Tyndale gloss
to send: depart
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word שָׁלַח (shalach) is a primitive root meaning 'to send' with a wide range of applications. It can refer to sending away, stretching out (especially a hand), or letting go. The entries indicate various forms, including sending off, casting out, and setting free. Notably, it can also imply divorce or being sent away in a marital context.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁלַח 814 vb. send

Qal

send: human subj.

send: subj. י׳ (God)

stretch out, esp. acc. hand

rarely send away: human subj.

let loose

Niph. letters were sent

Pi.

send off, away, human subj.

send away, subj. י׳

give over

cast out

send out, forth

let go, set free

shoot forth branches

let down

shoot

Phrases

Pu. be sent off (started on journey); be put away, divorced, of wife; be impelled(?)

Hiph. and I (י׳) will send

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7971 שָׁלַח send .. send: human subj.

. send: subj. י׳ (God)

. stretch out, esp. acc. hand

. rarely send away: human subj.

. let loose

. letters were sent

. . send off, away, human subj.

. . send away, subj. י׳

. give over

. cast out

. send out, forth

. let go, set free

. shoot forth branches

. let down

. shoot

. Phrases

. be sent off (started on journey); be put away, divorced, of wife; be impelled(?)

. and I (י׳) will send

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7971 shalach shaw-lakh'

a primitive root; to send away, for, or out (in a great

variety of applications):--X any wise, appoint, bring (on the

way), cast (away, out), conduct, X earnestly, forsake, give

(up), grow long, lay, leave, let depart (down, go, loose),

push away, put (away, forth, in, out), reach forth, send

(away, forth, out), set, shoot (forth, out), sow, spread,

stretch forth (out).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁלַח (sha.lach) — to send: depart.

: depart/send

1) to send, send away, let go, stretch out

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to send

1a2) to stretch out, extend, direct

1a3) to send away

1a4) to let loose

1b) (Niphal) to be sent

1c) (Piel)

1c1) to send off or away or out or forth, dismiss, give over, cast out

1c2) to let go, set free

1c3) to shoot forth (of branches)

1c4) to let down

1c5) to shoot

1d) (Pual) to be sent off, be put away, be divorced, be impelled

1e) (Hiphil) to send

שָׁלַח (sha.lach) — to send: let go.

: let_go/free

1) to send, send away, let go, stretch out

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to send

1a2) to stretch out, extend, direct

1a3) to send away

1a4) to let loose

1b) (Niphal) to be sent

1c) (Piel)

1c1) to send off or away or out or forth, dismiss, give over, cast out

1c2) to let go, set free

1c3) to shoot forth (of branches)

1c4) to let down

1c5) to shoot

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Piel — Verb · Piel · participle (active) masculine singular
HVprmsa
if there you [are] sending the object marker brother our with us we will go down and we will buy for you food
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
if there you [are] sending the object marker brother our with us we will go down and we will buy for you food
אָחִ֖ינוּ'a.Chi.nu brother our H251 Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
630× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means a brother or male sibling, but it can also refer to a close relative, friend, or someone with a similar relationship. It is used to describe the bond between brothers, like the relationship between Cain and Abel in Genesis.
Amplified meaning
male sibling, close relative
Tyndale gloss
brother: male-sibling
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָח 630 n.m. brother

brother, born of same mother (& father)

indef. = relative

fig. of resemblance

in phr. one … another

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H251 אָח brother

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

251 'ach awkh

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

literal relationship and metaphorical affinity or resemblance

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

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

see HEBREW for 01

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָח (ach) — brother: male-sibling.

: male-sibling

1) brother

1a) brother of same parents

1b) half-brother (same father)

1c) relative, kinship, same tribe

1d) each to the other (reciprocal relationship)

1e) (fig.) of resemblance

אָח (ach) — brother: male-relative.

: male-relative

1) brother

1a) brother of same parents

1b) half-brother (same father)

1c) relative, kinship, same tribe

1d) each to the other (reciprocal relationship)

1e) (fig.) of resemblance

אָח (ach) — brother: compatriot.

: compatriot

1) brother

1a) brother of same parents

1b) half-brother (same father)

1c) relative, kinship, same tribe

1d) each to the other (reciprocal relationship)

1e) (fig.) of resemblance

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HNcmsc/Sp1bp
if there you [are] sending the object marker brother our with us we will go down and we will buy for you food
אִתָּ֑נוּ'i.Ta.nu with us H854 Preposition · suffix
929× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew preposition means 'with' or 'near', indicating a close relationship or physical proximity. It's used in Genesis 1:26 to describe God's relationship with humanity, and in many other places to show connection or closeness.
Tyndale gloss
with
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵת, prep. with—prep. denoting proximity

Of companionship, together with

Of localities

אֵת פּ׳ denotes specially

in one's possession or keeping

in one's knowledge or memory

מֵאֵת from proximity with

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

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

. Of localities

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

. in one's knowledge or memory

. מֵאֵת from proximity with

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

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

854 'eth ayth

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

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

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

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

prefix.

see HEBREW for 0579

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵת (et) — with.

1) with, near, together with

1a) with, together with

1b) with (of relationship)

1c) near (of place)

1d) with (poss.)

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | Suff — Preposition · suffix
HR/Sp1bp
English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

US, pronoun objective case of we.

Give us this day our daily bread.

Us , pron. [OE. us, AS. s; akin to OFries. & OS. s, D. ons, G. uns, Icel. & Sw. oss, Dan. os, Goth. uns, L. nos we, us, Gr. we, Skr. nas us. . Cf. Nostrum, Our.] The persons speaking, regarded as an object; ourselves; — the objective case of we. See We. “Tell us a tale.” Chaucer.

Give us this day our daily bread. Matt. vi. 11.

Us, pron. oblique case of we

if there you [are] sending the object marker brother our with us we will go down and we will buy for you food
נֵרְדָ֕הne.re.Dah we will go down H3381 Verb · Qal · infinitive construct first person common plural
381× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To go down or descend, like going to a lower place or falling. It appears in Genesis and Exodus, describing people and things moving downwards.
Amplified meaning
descend, travel to a lower place
Tyndale gloss
to go down
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word יָרַד (yarad) means to come or go down, covering various contexts such as descending from mountains, going to battle, or sinking in water. It can also refer to divine manifestations descending or being prostrated. The word has different forms including Qal, Hiphil, and Hophal, which indicate various nuances of bringing down or being brought down.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָרַד 380 vb. come or go down, descend

Qal 306

come or go down

go down (usu. from mountain or hill-country into plain), to battle

go down to (acc.) threshing-floor

go down (abs.) from Palestine to Egypt

from Jerusalem

from altar

go down

= sink, in water

go down to She’ôl

fig. going down (dissolving) in tears

= be prostrated

of divine manifestations: descend

of inanimate things

Hiph.

cause to come or go down

bring down

send down rain = cause to flow down

= lay prostrate to (acc.) threshing-floor

bring down to She’ôl

take down (from cart)

let down

Hoph.

be brought down

be taken down

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3381 יָרַד come or go down, descend .. . come or go down

. go down (usu. from mountain or hill-country into plain), to battle

. go down to (acc.) threshing-floor

. go down (abs.) from Palestine to Egypt

. from Jerusalem

. from altar

. go down

. = sink, in water

. go down to She’ôl

. fig. going down (dissolving) in tears

. = be prostrated

. of divine manifestations: descend

. of inanimate things

. . cause to come or go down . bring down

. send down rain = cause to flow down

. = lay prostrate to (acc.) threshing-floor

. bring down to She’ôl

. take down (from cart)

. let down

. . be brought down

. be taken down

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3381 yarad yaw-rad'

a primitive root; to descend (literally, to go downwards; or

conventionally to a lower region, as the shore, a boundary,

the enemy, etc.; or figuratively, to fall); causatively, to

bring down (in all the above applications); -X abundantly,

bring down, carry down, cast down, (cause to) come(-ing) down,

fall (down), get down, go(-ing) down(-ward), hang down, X

indeed, let down, light (down), put down (off), (cause to,

let) run down, sink, subdue, take down.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָרַד (ya.rad) — to go down.

1) to go down, descend, decline, march down, sink down

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go or come down

1a2) to sink

1a3) to be prostrated

1a4) to come down (of revelation)

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to bring down

1b2) to send down

1b3) to take down

1b4) to lay prostrate

1b5) to let down

1c) (Hophal)

1c1) to be brought down

1c2) to be taken down

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-1cp — Verb · Qal · infinitive construct first person common plural
HVqc1cp
if there you [are] sending the object marker brother our with us we will go down and we will buy for you food
וְנִשְׁבְּרָ֥הve.nish.be.Rah and we will buy H7666 Conjunction · verb qal infinitive construct first person common plural
21× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To buy or sell grain, as in trading food for survival, is the meaning of this Hebrew word, used in various forms throughout the Old Testament.
Amplified meaning
acquire, trade for
Tyndale gloss
to buy grain
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׁבַר (shabar) is a verb meaning to buy grain, derived from a related root. It covers the actions of purchasing grain in the Qal form and selling it in the Hiphil form. The word emphasizes trade in grain, with no significant disagreement noted among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[שָׁבַר] vb. denom. buy grain

Qal buy grain for food

Hiph. sell grain (prop. cause to buy grain)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7666 שָׁבַר vb. denom. buy grain

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7666 shabar shaw-bar'

denominative from 7668; to deal in grain:--buy, sell.

see HEBREW for 07668

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁבַר (sha.var) — to buy grain.

1) to buy or purchase grain

1a) (Qal) to buy grain

1b) (Hiphil) to sell grain

Aramaic equivalent: ze.van (זְבַן "to buy" H2084)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-1cp — Conjunction · verb qal infinitive construct first person common plural
HC/Vqc1cp
if there you [are] sending the object marker brother our with us we will go down and we will buy for you food
לְךָ֖le.Kha for you H9031 Preposition · suffix
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

ךָּ (ka) — you.

Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 2nd person masculine singular

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Sp2ms — Preposition · suffix
HR/Sp2ms
if there you [are] sending the object marker brother our with us we will go down and we will buy for you food
אֹֽכֶל׃'O.khel food H400 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
43× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word refers to food or a meal, including cereal, meat, and other supplies. It is used in stories about everyday life, like eating and sharing meals.
Amplified meaning
nourishment, sustenance
Tyndale gloss
food
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֹ֫כֶל (okel) means food and encompasses a range of meanings including meal, meat, and food supply. It is derived from the root word for eating. The entries highlight its use in various contexts, such as meals and victuals, but do not indicate any significant disagreement among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֹ֫כֶל 40 n.m. food

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H400 אֹ֫כֶל food

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

400 'okel o'-kel

from 398; food:--eating, food, meal(-time), meat, prey,

victuals.

see HEBREW for 0398

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֹ֫כֶל (o.khel) — food.

1) food

1a) cereal

1b) meat

2) food supply

3) meal, dinner

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

food:

I. VEGETABLE FOODS

1. Primitive Habits

2. Cereals

3. Leguminous Plants

4. Food of Trees

II. ANIMAL FOOD

LITERATURE

In a previous article (see BREAD) it has been shown that in the Bible "bread" usually stands for food in general and how this came to be so. In a complementary article on MEALS the methods of preparing and serving food will be dealt with. This article is devoted specifically to the foodstuffs of the Orient, more especially to articles of food in use among the Hebrews in Bible times. These are divisible into two main classes.

I. Vegetable Foods.

1. Primitive Habits:

Orientals in general are vegetarians, rather than flesh eaters. There is some reason to believe that primitive man was a vegetarian (see Ge 2:16; 3:2,6). It would seem, indeed, from a comparison of Ge 1:29 f…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Food

Originally the Creator granted the use of the vegetable world for food to man (Gen. 1:29), with the exception mentioned (2:17). The use of animal food was probably not unknown to the antediluvians. There is, however, a distinct law on the subject given to Noah after the Deluge (Gen. 9:2-5). Various articles of food used in the patriarchal age are mentioned in Gen. 18:6-8; 25:34; 27:3, 4; 43:11. Regarding the food of the Israelites in Egypt, see Ex. 16:3; Num. 11:5. In the wilderness their ordinary food was miraculously supplied in the manna. They had also quails (Ex.…

The diet of eastern nations has been in all ages light and simple. Vegetable food was more used than animal. The Hebrews used a great variety of articles, (John 21:5) to give a relish to bread. Milk and its preparations hold a conspicuous place in eastern diet, as affording substantial nourishment; generally int he form of the modern leben , i.e. sour milk. Authorized Version "butter;" (Genesis 18:8; Judges 5:25; 2 Samuel 17:29) Fruit was another source of subsistence: figs stood first in point of importance; they were generally dried and pressed into cakes. Grapes were generally eaten in a dried state as raisins. Of vegetables we have most frequent notice of lentils…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

In ancient the food of a people was more entirely the product of their own country than in our day. Palestine was favored with an abundance of animal food, grain, and vegetables. But throughout the East, vegetable food is more used than animal. Bread was the principal food. Grain of various kinds, beans, lentils, onions, grapes, together with olive oil, honey, and the milk of goats and cows were the ordinary fare. The wandering Arabs live much upon a coarse black bread. A very common dish in Syria is rice, with shreds of meat, vegetables, olive oil, etc., intermixed. A similar dish, made with beans, lentils, and various kinds of pulse, was in frequent use at an earlier age, Ge 25:29-34 2Ki 4:38-1.

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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