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Genesis 44:13 — Word Study

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WLCוַֽיִּקְרְע֖וּ שִׂמְלֹתָ֑ם וַֽיַּעֲמֹס֙ אִ֣ישׁ עַל־ חֲמֹר֔וֹ וַיָּשֻׁ֖בוּ הָעִֽירָה׃

BSAThen they all toreqâraʻ [rent, ripped apart] their clothessimlâh [mantles, garments] loadedʻâmaç [laded, imposed a burden on] their donkeyschămôwr [asses] and returnedshûwb [turned back, went back] to the cityʻîyr [town, urban settlement]

Word
Listen & take awayGenesis 44
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 13 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 (ha.'I.rah) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Genesis 44:13quick helps
In a sentenceThe brothers express their grief and urgency through actions of tearing their garments and loading their donkeys.
Who is speakingThe brothers of Joseph, responding to the discovery of the cup.
Where we areIn the narrative of Joseph's brothers as they confront a crisis.
The hard wordקָרַע
Take awayTheir actions signify deep distress and a return to the city.
6 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectאִישׁ verbקָרַע 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 44:13

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

Context — The Crisis of Joseph's Brothersgenerated

12The steward searched, beginning with the oldest and ending with the youngest—and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.
13Then they all tore their clothes, loaded their donkeys, and returned to the city.
14When Judah and his brothers arrived at Joseph’s house, he was still there, and they fell to the ground before him.
15“What is this deed you have done?” Joseph declared. “Do you not know that a man like me can surely divine the truth?”

Genesis 44:13 describes the moment when Joseph's brothers, upon discovering the silver cup in Benjamin's sack, react with despair. They tear their garments, a traditional sign of mourning or distress, and load their donkeys to return to the city, indicating their urgency and fear of the consequences of this discovery. This scene is pivotal in the narrative, showcasing their emotional turmoil and the gravity of the situation they face.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Genesis 37:29–34When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not there, he tore his clothes,
2Numbers 14:6Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes
32 Samuel 1:2–11On the third day a man with torn clothes and dust on his head arrived from Saul’s camp. When he came to David, he fell to the ground to pay him homage.
42 Samuel 13:19And Tamar put ashes on her head and tore her robe. And putting her hand on her head, she went away crying bitterly.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 4 references, hung on the phrase they belong to

Then they rent their clothes, and laded every man his ass, and returned to the city.Genesis 37:29–34 Numbers 14:6 2 Samuel 1:2–11 2 Samuel 13:19

The Key Word קָרַע, vai.yik.re.'Ugenerated

The verb קָרַע (qara`) means to tear or rend, applicable in both literal and figurative contexts. In this verse, it describes the physical act of tearing their garments, symbolizing their grief and desperation. The parsing indicates it is in the sequential imperfect tense, showing an ongoing action performed by the brothers.

This word is often associated with mourning in the Hebrew Bible, as it conveys a strong emotional response. The act of tearing garments signifies not just physical distress but also a deep emotional upheaval, aligning with the gravity of their situation.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

The verse is rendered in the Berean Standard Bible as well as the KJV, ASV, YLT, WEB, and BBE, all agreeing on the actions taken by the brothers.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb וַיִּקְרְע֖וּ (vai.yik.re.'u), meaning 'and they tore,' governs the sentence. It is followed by a noun phrase indicating the object of the action (their clothes), and two additional clauses describing subsequent actions: loading their donkeys and returning to the city.

The structure emphasizes the sequence of actions taken by the brothers in response to a crisis, illustrating their emotional state through the tearing of clothes and the urgency of their departure.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates קָרַע as διέρρηχαν (dierrēchan), which also means 'to tear.' This choice reflects a direct correspondence with the Hebrew meaning, maintaining the emotional weight of the action.

The use of this term in the Septuagint aligns with the context of grief and urgency, similar to the Hebrew, reinforcing the significance of the brothers' actions.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Genesis 44:13 tells us that Joseph's brothers, upon finding the silver cup in Benjamin's sack, tore their clothes in grief, loaded their donkeys, and returned to the city. This act of tearing their garments signifies their distress and urgency in facing the consequences of this discovery.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does tearing their clothes signify?

Tearing clothes is a traditional expression of grief or distress in biblical culture, indicating the brothers' deep emotional turmoil.

Why did they load their donkeys?

They loaded their donkeys to return to the city quickly, reflecting their urgency to address the situation regarding the stolen cup.

What is the significance of returning to the city?

Returning to the city signifies their responsibility to confront the consequences of the cup's discovery and their fear of Joseph's reaction.

How does this event connect to earlier narratives?

This event connects to earlier narratives of Joseph's brothers' guilt and fear, particularly regarding their treatment of Joseph and their concern for Benjamin.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What are some ways I express my emotions in difficult situations, similar to how the brothers tore their clothes?
  2. How do I handle feelings of guilt or distress in my own life?
  3. In what ways can I support others who are going through a crisis?
  4. What lessons can I learn from the actions of Joseph's brothers in this moment of urgency?

Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Genesis 44:13 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Then they rent their clothes,.... In token of sorrow and distress, being at their wits' end, like distracted persons, not knowing what to do: this was usually done in the eastern countries when any

Read John Gill on Genesis 44 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Behold, the money, which we found in our sacks' mouths, we brought again unto thee out of the land of Canaan: how then should we steal out of thy lord's house silver or gold? No JFB commentary on these verses.

Read Robert Jamieson on Genesis 44 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Being afraid and ashamed to go to their father without Benjamin, concerning whom they had received so severe a charge, and made such solemn promises and imprecations.

Read Matthew Poole on Genesis 44 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Genesis 44:13 Then they rent their clothes, and laded every man his ass, and returned to the city.Ver. 13. Then they rent their clothes.] In token of the rending of their hearts for their sins, which now had found them out, and they their sins: for misery is the best art of memory; being like to that helve Elisha cast into the waters, which fetched up the iron in the bottom. Conscience is like a looking glass, which while it lieth all covered with dust, showeth not a man his natural visage: but when it is wiped, then it makes the least blemish appear. Never till now could we hear these men confess. Now, what shall we say unto my lord? what shall we speak? saith Judah, the Confessor - so his…

Read John Trapp on Genesis 44 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

13. rent their clothes] See Genesis 37:29.

Read Cambridge on Genesis 44 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

13. Rent their clothes — They were now horror-stricken, and utterly overwhelmed with dismay. They could not utter any word of explanation, and they hastened back to the city.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Genesis 44 →

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

Then they all tore their clothes, loaded their donkeys, and returned to the city.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Then they tore their clothes, and each man loaded his donkey, and returned to the city.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Then they all tore their clothes, loaded their donkeys, and returned to the city.

NETBNew English Translation2006

They all tore their clothes! Then each man loaded his donkey, and they returned to the city.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Then they rent their clothes, and laded every man his ass, and returned to the city.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Then they rent their clothes, and laded every man his ass, and returned to the city.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Then they rent their clothes, and laded every man his ass, and returned to the city.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Then they rent their clothes, and loaded every man his ass, and returned to the city.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Then they rent their clothes, and laded euery man his asse, and went againe into the citie.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Then they rent their clothes, and loaded every man his ass, and they returned to the city.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

and they rend their garments, and each ladeth his ass, and they turn back to the city.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

and they tear their garments, and each loads his donkey, and they return to the city.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Then they rent their clothes, and every one loaded his ass, and they returned to the city.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Then they tore their clothes. Each man loaded his donkey and returned to the city.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Then they rent their garments, and loading their asses again, returned into the town.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

The brothers tore their clothes in grief. Then they loaded their sacks back on their donkeys and headed back to the city.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Then in bitter grief they put the bags on the asses again and went back to the town.

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.

וַֽandclauseverbיִּקְרְע֖וּthey.torenoun phrase · objectשִׂמְלֹתָ֑clothesםtheirוַֽandclauseverbיַּעֲמֹס֙he.loadedsubjectאִ֣ישׁeach.manprepositional phrase · prepositionalעַלonnoun phraseחֲמֹר֔donkeyוֹhisוַandclauseverbיָּשֻׁ֖בוּthey.went.backnoun phrase · prepositionalהָtonoun phraseעִֽירָtheהcity

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


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

The Masoretic Text aligns with the Septuagint in the overall structure and content of the verse, while the Samaritan Pentateuch shows some variations in three words: it uses שׂמלותם (mantle), יעמסו (load), and חמורו (he-ass), differing from the Masoretic Text's terms.

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

וַֽיִּקְרְע֖וּ שִׂמְלֹתָ֑ם וַֽיַּעֲמֹס֙ אִ֣ישׁ עַל־ חֲמֹר֔וֹ וַיָּשֻׁ֖בוּ הָעִֽירָה׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַֽיִּקְרְע֖וּδιέρρηχανשִׂמְלֹתָ֑םἱμάτιαוַֽיַּעֲמֹס֙ἐπέθηκανאִ֣ישׁἕκαστοςעַל־ἐπὶחֲמֹר֔וֹαὐτοῦוַיָּשֻׁ֖בוּἐπέστρεψανהָעִֽירָה׃πόλιν

8 of the 8 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

ויקרעו שׂמלותם ויעמסו אישׁ על חמורו וישׁבו העירה

3 words differ from the Masoretic Text: שׂמלותם (mantle), יעמסו (load), חמורו (he-ass)

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 44:13קָרַעand they toand they toreקָרַעשִׂמְלָהclothes theclothes theirשִׂמְלָהעָמַסand he loadand he loadedעָמַסאִישׁeach maneach manאִישׁעַלononעַלחֲמוֹרdonkey hisdonkey hisחֲמוֹרשׁוּבand they weand they went bשׁוּבעִירthe city tothe city towardעִירחָמַרto aggitatto aggitateחָמַרעוּרto rouseto rouseעוּרסֶ֫מֶלidolidolסֶ֫מֶלשַׂלְמָהgarmentgarmentשַׂלְמָהאֱנוֹשׁhumanhumanאֱנוֹשׁאִשָּׁהwomanwomanאִשָּׁהעַלheightheightעַלמְעִילroberobeמְעִילבֶּ֫גֶדtreacherytreacheryבֶּ֫גֶדחָלַףto passto passחָלַףקָרַעto tearto tearקָרַעשָׂרַטto inciseto inciseשָׂרַטעֹלyokeyokeעֹלרֵעַneighborneighborרֵעַכִּפֶּרto atoneto atoneכִּפֶּרכִּסֵּאthronethroneכִּסֵּאחָבַשׁto saddle/to saddle/tieחָבַשׁשׁוֹרcattlecattleשׁוֹר
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 44:13

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 they tore clothes their and he loaded each man on donkey his and they went back the city towards
וַֽיִּקְרְע֖וּvai.yik.re.'U and they tore H7167 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
63× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to tear or rend something, and can be used literally or figuratively, as in the case of reviling or enlarging the eyes. In the book of the Prophet Joel, it describes the heavens being torn open. It can also describe the action of wild beasts.
Amplified meaning
rent, ripped apart
Tyndale gloss
to tear
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word קָרַע (qara`) means to tear or rend, both literally and figuratively. It is often used in the context of tearing garments, but can also refer to tearing away sovereignty or opening the heavens. The word has various applications, including tearing in pieces, making something wide, and being rent, as seen in the usage of wild beasts and altars.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

קָרַע 63 vb. tear

Qal tear, rend

usu. (39 t.) of rending garment

tear away or out

tear away sovereignty (under fig. of garment)

tear, rend asunder

book

= make wide, large

rend open heavens, and descend

tear, rend, of wild beasts

Niph. be rent, of garments; be rent, split asunder, of altar

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7167 קָרַע tear .tear, rend . . usu. (39 t.) of rending garment

. tear away or out

. tear away sovereignty (under fig. of garment)

. tear, rend asunder . book

. = make wide, large

. rend open heavens, and descend

. tear, rend, of wild beasts

. be rent, of garments; be rent, split asunder, of altar

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7167 qara` kaw-rah'

a primitive root; to rend, literally or figuratively (revile,

paint the eyes, as if enlarging them):--cut out, rend, X

surely, tear.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קָרַע (qa.ra) — to tear.

1) to tear, tear in pieces

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to tear, rend

1a2) to tear away or out

1a3) to tear, rend asunder

1a3a) to make wide or large (of eyes)

1a3b) to rend open (of heavens)

1a4) to tear, rend (of wild beasts)

1b) (Niphal) to be rent, be split asunder

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
Hc/Vqw3mp
and they tore clothes their and he loaded each man on donkey his and they went back the city towards
שִׂמְלֹתָ֑םsim.lo.Tam clothes their H8071 Noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
29× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A mantle or dress, like a cloak, is what 'simlah' refers to in the Bible, often translated as 'apparel' or 'garment'.
Amplified meaning
mantles, garments
Tyndale gloss
mantle
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שִׂמְלָה (simlah) refers to a garment or covering, typically a square piece of cloth worn as an outer layer. It can denote a mantle, wrapper, or general clothing. The term emphasizes the idea of a dress that conforms to the shape of what it covers.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שִׂמְלָה n.f. wrapper, mantle;—usu. square piece of cloth worn as outer garment; as covering in sleep; more gen. garment, clothes (pl.)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8071 שִׂמְלָה wrapper, mantle;—usu. square piece of cloth worn as outer garment; as covering in sleep; more gen. garment, clothes (pl.)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8071 simlah sim-law'

perhaps by permutation for the feminine of 5566 (through the

idea of a cover assuming the shape of the object beneath); a

dress, especially a mantle:--apparel, cloth(-es, -ing),

garment, raiment. Compare 8008.

see HEBREW for 05566

see HEBREW for 08008

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שִׂמְלָה (sim.lah) — mantle.

wrapper, mantle, covering garment, garments, clothes, raiment, a cloth

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fp | Suff — Noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
HNcfpc/Sp3mp
and they tore clothes their and he loaded each man on donkey his and they went back the city towards
וַֽיַּעֲמֹס֙vai.ya.'a.Mos and he loaded H6006 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
9× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to lift or load something, and it can also mean to impose a burden on someone. It is used in the Bible to describe physical labor or the weight of responsibility. In some cases, it can also be used figuratively to describe emotional burdens.
Amplified meaning
laded, imposed a burden on
Tyndale gloss
to lift
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עָמַס (amac) is a Hebrew verb meaning to load or carry a load. It can also imply imposing a burden, either literally or figuratively. The entries indicate that it can be used in different forms, such as Qal and Hiphil, with the latter meaning to lay a load on someone or something.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[עָמַס, ?עָמַשׂ] vb. 1. load. 2 carry a load

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6006 [עָמַס, ?עָמַשׂ] 1. load. 2 carry a load

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6006 `amac aw-mas'

or mamas {aw-mas'}; a primitive root; to load, i.e. impose a

burden (or figuratively, infliction):--be borne, (heavy)

burden (self), lade, load, put.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עָמַס (a.mas) — to lift.

1) to load, carry, carry a load

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to load

1a2) to carry a load

1b)(Hiphil) to lay a load on

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
and they tore clothes their and he loaded each man on donkey his and they went back the city towards
אִ֣ישׁ'ish each man H376 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
1,664× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for man, referring to a male person or individual, is used in the Bible to describe humans in contrast to God or animals, as seen in Genesis and Psalms. It can also mean husband or servant. In the KJV, it is translated as man or male.
Tyndale gloss
man
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אִישׁ (iysh) means 'man' and can refer to an individual male, a husband, or a human being in general. It encompasses various meanings, including champion and great man, and can also imply 'whosoever' or 'each.' The word is built from a root suggesting existence and is used throughout the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אִישׁ 2166 n.m. man (= vir)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H376 אִישׁ man (= vir)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

376 'iysh eesh

contracted for 582 (or perhaps rather from an unused root

meaning to be extant); a man as an individual or a male

person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and

in such cases frequently not expressed in

translation):--also, another, any (man), a certain, +

champion, consent, each, every (one), fellow, (foot-,

husband-)man, (good-, great, mighty) man, he, high (degree),

him (that is), husband, man(-kind), + none, one, people,

person, + steward, what (man) soever, whoso(-ever), worthy.

Compare 802.

see HEBREW for 0582

see HEBREW for 0802

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אִישׁ (ish) — man.

: man

1) man

1a) man, male (in contrast to woman, female)

1b) husband

1c) human being, person (in contrast to God)

1d) servant

1e) mankind

1f) champion

1g) great man

2) whosoever

3) each (adjective)

אִישׁ (ish) — man: husband.

: husband

1) man

1a) man, male (in contrast to woman, female)

1b) husband

1c) human being, person (in contrast to God)

1d) servant

1e) mankind

1f) champion

1g) great man

2) whosoever

3) each (adjective)

אִישׁ (ish) — man: anyone.

: anyone/someone

1) man

1a) man, male (in contrast to woman, female)

1b) husband

1c) human being, person (in contrast to God)

1d) servant

1e) mankind

1f) champion

1g) great man

2) whosoever

3) each (adjective)

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

See ANTHROPOLOGY.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Man

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

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

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

See CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF GOD, below

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and they tore clothes their and he loaded each man on donkey his and they went back the city towards
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)

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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)

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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

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Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR — 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 they tore clothes their and he loaded each man on donkey his and they went back the city towards
חֲמֹר֔וֹcha.mo.Ro donkey his H2543 Noun common both singular construct · suffix
96× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for a male donkey, it is translated as he ass in the KJV Bible. The name comes from the animal's reddish-brown color.
Amplified meaning
asses
Tyndale gloss
donkey
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חֲמוֹר (chamor) refers to a male donkey, derived from a root meaning 'to be red' or 'dun.' The term is consistently translated as 'ass' or 'donkey' across various lexicons, indicating its specific reference to this animal in the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חֲמוֹר n.m. (he)-ass

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2543 חֲמוֹר (he)-ass

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2543 chamowr kham-ore'

or (shortened) chamor {kham-ore}; from 2560; a male ass (from

its dun red):--(he)ass.

see HEBREW for 02560

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חֲמוֹר (cha.mor) — donkey.

(he) ass

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-cs | Suff — Noun common both singular construct · suffix
HNcbsc/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 they tore clothes their and he loaded each man on donkey his and they went back the city towards
וַיָּשֻׁ֖בוּvai.ya.Shu.vu and they went back H7725 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
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
turned back, went back
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

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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

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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-Qal-ConsecImperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
Hc/Vqw3mp
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and they tore clothes their and he loaded each man on donkey his and they went back the city towards
הָעִֽירָה׃ha.'I.rah the city towards H5892 Particle · noun common feminine singular absolute · suffix
1,090× 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 a city or town, often a place with a wall or a watchman. It is used to describe a settlement or encampment, like the city of Ai, which is mentioned in the book of Joshua. The word is used to identify specific locations in the Bible.
Amplified meaning
town, urban settlement
Tyndale gloss
excitement
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עִיר (*'iyr*) has meanings related to both excitement and city. It can denote excitement, particularly of terror or rage, as well as refer to a city or town, indicating a place that is guarded or inhabited. The entries suggest a broad application, from fortified cities to simple encampments. There is a specific mention of a man named Ir in 1 Chronicles 4:12.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עִיר n.[m.] excitement;—of terror; of rage

base

עִיר 1092 n.f. city, town

city, town, abode of men

of fortress in a city

appar. fortified place, of any size

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5892a עִיר excitement;—of terror; of rage H5892b עִיר city, town . city, town, abode of men

. of fortress in a city

. appar. fortified place, of any size

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5892 `iyr eer

or (in the plural) par {awr}; or ayar (Judges 10:4)

{aw-yar'}; from 5782 a city (a place guarded by waking or a

watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or

post):--Ai (from margin), city, court (from margin), town.

see HEBREW for 05782

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עִיר (ir) — excitement.

1) excitement, anguish

1a) of terror

עִיר (ir) — city.

1) city, town (a place of waking, guarded)

1a) city, town (a place of waking, guarded)

1a) city, town

עִיר (ir) — City (of On).

Combined with on (אֹן "On" H0204)

This name means city, town

Another name of on (אֹן "On" H0204)

עִיר (ir) — Ir-.

#A man of the tribe of Judah living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.4.12;

son of: Tehinnah (H8468)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-fs | Suff — Particle · noun common feminine singular absolute · suffix
HTd/Ncfsa/Sd
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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