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Habakkuk 3:5 — Word Study

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WLCלְפָנָ֖יו יֵ֣לֶךְ דָּ֑בֶר וְיֵצֵ֥א רֶ֖שֶׁף לְרַגְלָֽיו׃

BSAPlaguedeber [pestilence, disease] before Himpânîym [to His face, in His presence] and feverresheph [burning coals, fiery bolts] followedyâtsâʼ in His stepsregel [at His feet, behind Him]

Word
Listen & take awayHabakkuk 3
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 5 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 (le.rag.Lav) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Habakkuk 3:5quick helps
In a sentenceGod's presence is heralded by pestilence, and fever follows closely behind.
Who is speakingThe prophet Habakkuk, describing God's powerful arrival.
Where we areIn a poetic description of God's might and the consequences of His presence.
The hard wordדֶּבֶר
Take awayGod's approach brings both destruction and urgency.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectדֶּבֶר verbהלך 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 — Habakkuk 3:5

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 Theophany of Godgenerated

4His radiance was like the sunlight; rays flashed from His hand, where His power is hidden.
5Plague went before Him, and fever followed in His steps.
6He stood and measured the earth; He looked and startled the nations; the ancient mountains crumbled; the perpetual hills collapsed. His ways are everlasting.
7I saw the tents of Cushan in distress; the curtains of Midian were trembling.

Habakkuk 3:5 describes a vivid scene where pestilence and fever are depicted as companions of God’s presence. This imagery emphasizes the power and seriousness of God’s approach, as seen in the preceding verses that highlight His radiance and authority over the earth. The context reflects a theophany, a manifestation of God that invokes awe and fear, similar to other biblical accounts of divine appearances.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Exodus 12:29–30Now at midnight the LORD struck down every firstborn male in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh, who sat on his throne, to the firstborn of the prisoner in the dungeon, as well as all the firstborn among the livestock.
2Numbers 14:12I will strike them with a plague and destroy them—and I will make you into a nation greater and mightier than they are.”
3Numbers 16:46–49Moses said to Aaron, “Take your censer, place fire from the altar in it, and add incense. Go quickly to the congregation and make atonement for them, because wrath has come out from the LORD; the plague has begun.”
4Psalm 78:50–51He cleared a path for His anger; He did not spare them from death but delivered their lives to the plague.
5Nahum 1:2–3

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 7 references, hung on the phrase they belong to

burning coalsDeuteronomy 32:24

The Key Word דֶּבֶר, Da.vergenerated

The noun דֶּ֫בֶר (*deber*) refers specifically to pestilence or plague, indicating a widespread disease that can strike both humans and animals. The root meaning suggests destruction, aligning with its use in contexts where God sends plagues as a form of judgment, such as in Exodus 9:3.

In this verse, it is the subject of the verb יֵ֣לֶךְ (*ye.lekh*), which means 'to go' or 'to walk.' This connection highlights the active role of pestilence as it 'goes before' God, indicating its destructive nature that precedes His presence.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

The translations agree on the rendering of דֶּבֶר as pestilence, capturing the sense of disease and destruction.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The finite verb יֵ֣לֶךְ (*ye.lekh*), meaning 'it goes,' governs the structure of the verse, with a prepositional phrase indicating the subject דָּ֑בֶר (*deber*) and a second verb יֵצֵ֥א (*ye.tze'*) that introduces fever as a following subject.

The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the actions of pestilence and fever, showing their direct relationship to God's presence, as they are described as going before and following in His steps.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint uses the Greek word λόγος (*logos*) to translate דֶּ֫בֶר, which can mean 'word' or 'reason.' This choice suggests a broader interpretation, possibly indicating the authority or command of God that leads to pestilence, rather than just the physical manifestation of disease.

This translation choice reflects a theological understanding of God's word as a force that brings about pestilence, emphasizing the connection between divine command and its consequences.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Habakkuk 3:5 describes how pestilence goes before God and fever follows behind Him. This imagery shows the power of God’s presence, where pestilence and disease are seen as part of His approach, highlighting the seriousness of His divine intervention.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that pestilence goes before God?

It signifies that God's presence brings judgment and destruction, as pestilence is often a tool of divine wrath.

How does fever relate to God's presence?

Fever symbolizes the immediate effects of God's approach, indicating a state of urgency and distress.

Why is this imagery important in Habakkuk?

It emphasizes the awe and fear associated with God's power and His ability to bring about significant change or judgment.

What can we learn from this verse about God's nature?

We learn that God's presence is not only powerful but also has serious implications for humanity, often associated with judgment.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. How do I understand the implications of God's presence in my own life?
  2. In what ways can I recognize the seriousness of God's power in the world around me?
  3. What does it mean for me to walk in awareness of God's presence and its effects?
  4. How can I respond to the idea of pestilence and fever as symbols of divine judgment?

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

Early Church Fathers comment on this verse to highlight the implications of God's judgment and the prophetic witness preceding His coming.

JeromeVerse 5. c. 347–420
Before his face, death will go, and the devil will go forth before his feet. LXX: Before his face, the word will go, and it will go forth into the field behind his feet.
Early Church Fathers on Habakkuk 3 →
BedeCommentary on the Song of Habakkuk c. 673–735
The word will go before his face, and it went out into the fields. Before the Lord came in the flesh, the words of the prophets preceded, bearing witness to his coming;
Early Church Fathers on Habakkuk 3 →
Richard Challoner 1691–1781
Death shall go before his face: Both death and the devil shall be the executioners of his justice against his enemies: as they were heretofore against the Egyptians and Chanaanites.
Early Church Fathers on Habakkuk 3 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Habakkuk 3:5 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Before him went the pestilence,.... Either in the land of Egypt, when he marched through that, and slew all their firstborn, Psalms 78:50 or rather which he sent before him, and Israel his people

Read John Gill on Habakkuk 3 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Before him went the pestilence, and burning coals went forth at his feet.

Read Robert Jamieson on Habakkuk 3 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Before him: when God was leading the Israelites out of Egypt into Canaan, he made the pestilence to go before him, so preparing room for his people. The pestilence, which wasted the inhabitants of Canaan, swept them out. Burning coals; burning fevers, and other distempers of fiery and destructive nature, which destroyed the accursed nations. Went forth; as sent, and observing the way he directed. At his feet; kept even pace, or waited on him, were his immediate forerunners. All this mentioned as arguments to prevail for somewhat like these for Israel, and against Israel’ s enemies. O God, revive some such work amidst us.

Read Matthew Poole on Habakkuk 3 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Habakkuk 3:5 Before him went the pestilence, and burning coals went forth at his feet.Ver. 5. Before him went the pestilence] Dever, the word signifieth such a disease as cometh by a Divine decree, θεηλατον. So Hippocrates call the pestilence τοθειον, because sent by God in a spiritual manner, a stroke of his own bare hand as it were. Here it is made one of his apparitors or pursuivants, sent before him to destroy the Canaanites, as it had done the Egyptians. And burning coals went forth at his feet] Or, the carbuncle burning bile, Deuteronomy 32:24. The Vulgate translate it the devil; others Aνθραξ, a deadly inflammation, whereof good Oecolampadius died, and was lamented by Melancthon. But…

Read John Trapp on Habakkuk 3 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(5) Before him went the pestilence. . . .—Better, Before Him shall go the plague, and burning pestilence shall go forth where He sets His feet. Kleinert remarks that it was with these angels of death that Jehovah revealed Himself in the south, and destroyed the armies of Sennacherib (2 Kings 19:35).

Read Charles John Ellicott on Habakkuk 3 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 5. Before him went the pestilence] This plague was several times inflicted on the disobedient Israelites in the wilderness; see Numbers 11:33; Numbers 14:37; Numbers 16:46; and was always the proof that the just God was then manifesting his power among them. Burning coals event forth at his feet.] Newcome translates, "And flashes of fire went forth after him." The disobedient Israelities were consumed by a fire that went out from Jehovah; see Leviticus 10:2; Numbers 11:1; Numbers 16:35. And the burnt-offering was consumed by a fire which came out from before Jehovah, Leviticus 11:24.

Read AdamClarke on Habakkuk 3 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

5. went the pestilence] goeth pestilence. His manifestation carries death in its train. burning coals went forth] and burning plague goeth forth at his feet, i.e. behind Him. The word again in this sense Deuteronomy 32:24.

Read Cambridge on Habakkuk 3 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Before Him went (goeth) the pestilence - then to consume His enemies.

Read Albert Barnes on Habakkuk 3 →

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

Plague went before Him, and fever followed in His steps.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Plague went before him, and pestilence followed his feet.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Plague went before Him, and fever followed in His steps.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Plague goes before him; pestilence marches right behind him.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Before him went the pestilence, and burning coals went forth at his feet.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Before him went the pestilence, And fiery bolts went forth at his feet.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Before him went the pestilence, and fiery bolts went forth at his feet.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Before him went the pestilence, and burning coals went forth at his feet.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Before him went the pestilence, and burning coales went forth before his feete.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Before him went the pestilence, And a burning flame went forth at his feet.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Before Him goeth pestilence, And a burning flame goeth forth at His feet.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Before Him goes pestilence, || And a burning flame goes forth at His feet.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Before him went the pestilence, and burning coals went forth in his steps.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Deadly disease went before him, and the plague followed him.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Death shall go before his face. And the devil shall go forth before his feet.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Plague goes before him, disease follows at his feet.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Before him went disease, and flames went out at his feet.

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.

clauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalלְbeforenoun phraseפָנָ֖יוhimverbיֵ֣לֶךְit.goessubjectדָּ֑בֶרpestilenceוְandclauseverbיֵצֵ֥אit.goes.outsubjectרֶ֖שֶׁףplagueprepositional phrase · prepositionalלְtonoun phraseרַגְלָֽיfeetוhis

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 largely agree in their wording, with five of the six words matched. The Dead Sea Scrolls also support the Masoretic Text, with one word partially restored, indicating a strong consistency across these ancient witnesses.

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

לְפָנָ֖יו יֵ֣לֶךְ דָּ֑בֶר וְיֵצֵ֥א רֶ֖שֶׁף לְרַגְלָֽיו׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
לְפָנָ֖יוαὐτοῦיֵ֣לֶךְπορεύσεταιדָּ֑בֶרλόγοςוְיֵצֵ֥אἐχελεύσεταιלְרַגְלָֽיו׃αὐτοῦ

5 of the 6 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.

Dead Sea Scrolls — Mur88a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

לפני׳ו ילך דבר ויצא רשף לרגלי׳ו

5 words on the leather — 1 partly restored.

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.

Habakkuk 3:5פָּנֶהbefore himbefore himפָּנֶההָלַךְit goesit goesהָלַךְדֶּ֫בֶרpestilencepestilenceדֶּ֫בֶריָצָאso it may gso it may go ouיָצָארֶ֫שֶׁףlightninglightningרֶ֫שֶׁףרֶ֫גֶלto feet histo feet hisרֶ֫גֶלפָּנָהCorner (GaCorner (Gate)פָּנָהדָבַרto speak: to speak: speakדָבַרשָׂרַףto burnto burnשָׂרַףרָגַלto spyto spyרָגַלהָלַךְto walkto walkהָלַךְסָתַרto hideto hideסָתַרנוּסto fleeto fleeנוּסדֶּ֫רֶךְway: roadway: roadדֶּ֫רֶךְחֻקָּהstatutestatuteחֻקָּהרָעָבfaminefamineרָעָבחֶ֫רֶבswordswordחֶ֫רֶבקָרָאto encountto encounter: mקָרָאגּוֹרָלallottedallottedגּוֹרָלשַׁלְהֶ֫בֶתflameflameשַׁלְהֶ֫בֶתבֹּ֫הֶןthumb/big thumb/big toeבֹּ֫הֶןיְמָנִיrightrightיְמָנִי
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 Habakkuk 3:5

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.

before him it goes pestilence so it may go out lightning to feet his
לְפָנָ֖יוle.fa.Nav before him H6440 Preposition · noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
2,127× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means face or presence, like being in front of someone or something. It's used in many contexts, like in Genesis, Exodus, and Psalms, to describe interactions and relationships.
Amplified meaning
to His face, in His presence
Tyndale gloss
face
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word פָּנֶה (*pāneh*) is a noun meaning 'face' or 'presence,' and it appears in various contexts, including the faces of seraphim and animals, as well as the surface of the ground. It can also function as an adverb meaning 'before' or 'in front of.' The word is built from a root that suggests turning or facing, and it encompasses a wide range of applications, both literal and figurative.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[פָּנֶה], pl. פָּנִים 2123 n.m. face, also faces

face, faces

presence, person

technically, see one's face, i.e. appear before one, in one's presence

face of seraphim

face of animals

face (= surface) of ground

as adv.loc. before

for other phrases

with prepositions

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6440 פָּנֶה, pl. פָּנִים face, also faces . . face, faces

. . presence, person

. technically, see one's face, i.e. appear before one, in one's presence

. face of seraphim

. face of animals

. face (= surface) of ground

. as adv. loc. before

. for other phrases

. with prepositions

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6440 paniym paw-neem'

plural (but always as singular) of an unused noun (paneh

{paw-neh'}; from 6437); the face (as the part that turns);

used in a great variety of applications (literally and

figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a

preposition (before, etc.):--+ accept, a-(be- )fore(-time),

against, anger, X as (long as), at, + battle, + because (of),

+ beseech, countenance, edge, + employ, endure, + enquire,

face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-part), form(-er

time, -ward), from, front, heaviness, X him(-self), +

honourable, + impudent, + in, it, look(-eth) (- s), X me, +

meet, X more than, mouth, of, off, (of) old (time), X on,

open, + out of, over against, the partial, person, + please,

presence, propect, was purposed, by reason of, + regard, right

forth, + serve, X shewbread, sight, state, straight, + street,

X thee, X them(-selves), through (+ - out), till, time(-s)

Read the full entry →
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

פָּנֶה (pa.neh) — face: before.

: before/to/front

1) face

1a) face, faces

1b) presence, person

1c) face (of seraphim or cherubim)

1d) face (of animals)

1e) face, surface (of ground)

1f) as adv of loc/temp

1f1) before and behind, toward, in front of, forward, formerly, from beforetime, before

1g) with prep

1g1) in front of, before, to the front of, in the presence of, in the face of, at the face or front of, from the presence of, from before, from before the face of

פָּנֶה (pa.neh) — face.

: face

1) face

1a) face, faces

1b) presence, person

1c) face (of seraphim or cherubim)

1d) face (of animals)

1e) face, surface (of ground)

1f) as adv of loc/temp

1f1) before and behind, toward, in front of, forward, formerly, from beforetime, before

1g) with prep

1g1) in front of, before, to the front of, in the presence of, in the face of, at the face or front of, from the presence of, from before, from…

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-cp | Suff — Preposition · noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
HR/Ncmpc/Sp3ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
before him it goes pestilence so it may go out lightning to feet his
יֵ֣לֶךְYe.lekh it goes H1980 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
1,549× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Means to walk or go, used in many different contexts in the Bible. It can describe physical movement, but also spiritual or emotional journeys. Appears in various forms, such as 'to go' or 'to walk'.
Tyndale gloss
to go: walk
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הָלַךְ (halak) means 'to go,' 'come,' or 'walk,' and covers a wide range of literal and figurative uses, including aspects of life and death. It can describe physical movement, moral conduct, and even influence on character. The verb appears in various forms, such as Qal, Piel, and Hithpael, indicating different nuances like leading or traversing.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הָלַךְ 1546 vb. go, come, walk

Qal Impf. usually (629 t.) as if from ילך

lit.

of persons

Also of animals, in similar meanings and combinations

in like manner of inanimate things

The inf. abs. is often used

as in other vbs., quite independently

to intensify meaning of finite form

most noteworthy is the joining of the Inf. abs.

with a following Inf. abs. denoting a simutaneous action or process, and so emphasizing duration or continuance

with a foll. vb. fin. c. ו consec. (rare)

in cases where vb. fin. is foll. by Inf. abs. adj. denoting progress, advance

twice, where vb. fin. is not הלך, but another vb. denoting motion

quite by itself

13 t. the Inf. abs. = Imv. & is followed by Pf. consec.

akin to the use of Inf. abs. are some instances of Pt.

In combination with other verbal forms

Fig.; the most common uses follow; in most the origin in a literal meaning is evident:

pass away, die

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1980 הָלַךְ go, come, walk .Impf. usually (629 t.) as if from ילך . lit. . of persons

. Also of animals, in similar meanings and combinations

. in like manner of inanimate things

. The inf. abs. is often used . as in other vbs., quite independently

. to intensify meaning of finite form

. most noteworthy is the joining of the Inf. abs. . with a following Inf. abs. denoting a simutaneous action or process, and so emphasizing duration or continuance

. with a foll. vb. fin. c. ו consec. (rare)

. in cases where vb. fin. is foll. by Inf. abs. + adj. denoting progress, advance

. twice, where vb. fin. is not הלך, but another vb. denoting motion

. quite by itself

. 13 t. the Inf. abs. = Imv. & is followed by Pf. consec.

. akin to the use of Inf. abs. are some instances of Pt.

. In combination with other verbal forms

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1980 halak haw-lak'

akin to 3212; a primitive root; to walk (in a great variety

of applications, literally and figuratively):--(all) along,

apace, behave (self), come, (on) continually, be conversant,

depart, + be eased, enter, exercise (self), + follow, forth,

forward, get, go (about, abroad, along, away, forward, on,

out, up and down), + greater, grow, be wont to haunt, lead,

march, X more and more, move (self), needs, on, pass (away),

be at the point, quite, run (along), + send, speedily, spread,

still, surely, + tale-bearer, + travel(-ler), walk (abroad,

on, to and fro, up and down, to places), wander, wax,

(way-)faring man, X be weak, whirl.

see HEBREW for 03212

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: went.

: went/go[away]

1) to go, walk, come

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away

1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to walk

1b2) to walk (fig.)

1c) (Hithpael)

1c1) to traverse

1c2) to walk about

1d) (Niphal) to lead, bring, lead away, carry, cause to walk

הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: come.

: come[nearer]

1) to go, walk, come

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away

1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to walk

1b2) to walk (fig.)

1c) (Hithpael)

1c1) to traverse

1c2) to walk about

1d) (Niphal) to lead, bring, lead away, carry, cause to walk

הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: walk.

: walk/move

1) to go, walk, come

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away

1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to walk

1b2) to walk (fig.)

1c) (Hithpael)

1c1) to traverse

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVqi3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
HVqi3ms
before him it goes pestilence so it may go out lightning to feet his
דָּ֑בֶרDa.ver pestilence H1698 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
49× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A plague or pestilence, like a disease that affects people or animals, as seen in Exodus 9:3 where God sends a pestilence on the Egyptians.
Amplified meaning
pestilence, disease
Tyndale gloss
pestilence
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

דֶּ֫בֶר (deber) refers to pestilence or plague, encompassing general disease and specifically cattle-plague or murrain. It is derived from a root meaning to destroy. The term appears in contexts related to widespread illness affecting both humans and livestock.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

דֶּ֫בֶר 49 n.m. pestilence

plague, pestilence, in general

cattle-plague, murrain

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1698 דֶּ֫בֶר pestilence . plague, pestilence, in general

. cattle-plague, murrain

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1698 deber deh'-ber

from 1696 (in the sense of destroying); a

pestilence:--murrain, pestilence, plague.

see HEBREW for 01696

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

דֶּ֫בֶר (de.ver) — pestilence.

1) pestilence, plague

2) murrain, cattle disease, cattle-plague

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

pes'-ti-lens (debher; loimos): Any sudden fatal epidemic is designated by this word, and in its Biblical use it generally indicates that these are divine visitations. The word is most frequently used in the prophetic books, and it occurs 25 times in Jeremiah and Ezekiel, always associated with the sword and famine. In 4 other passages it is combined with noisome or evil beasts, or war. In Am 4:10 this judgment is compared with the plagues of Egypt, and in Hab 3:5 it is a concomitant of the march of God from the Arabian mountain. There is the same judicial character associated with pestilence in Ex 5:3; 9:15; Le 26:25; Nu…

→ Sent upon the Egyptians

See EGYPT

→ See PLAGUES

before him it goes pestilence so it may go out lightning to feet his
וְיֵצֵ֥אve.ye.Tze' so it may go out H3318 Conjunction · verb qal third person masculine singular
1,067× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means to go out or come out, and it's used in many different ways, like leaving a place or starting a new journey, as seen in Genesis and Exodus.
Tyndale gloss
to come out: come
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָצָא (yatsa') is a Hebrew verb meaning to go or come out, with various applications including departure, escape, and emergence. It can refer to both animate and inanimate subjects and emphasizes the idea of origin or source. The verb appears in different forms, such as Qal, Hiphil, and Hophal, indicating actions like leading out or being brought forth.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָצָא 1068 vb. go or come out

Qal

go or come out or forth

from (מִן) a place

go forth from (the presence of) a person

in technical senses

of flight, involving escape

depart

of inanimate things

with especial emphasis on idea of origin, source

of children as going forth from loins (of father)

go forth to a place

go forward, proceed to or toward something

come or go forth, with esp. ref. to purpose or result

of combinations

Hiph.

cause to go or come out, bring out, lead out

fig. obj. persons, bring out of (מִן) distress, etc.

bring out animals

inanimate obj.

fig. subj. י׳, bring forth from (מִן)

Hoph. be brought forth

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3318 יָצָא go or come out .. go or come out or forth . from (מִן) a place

. go forth from (the presence of) a person

. in technical senses

. of flight, involving escape

. depart

. of inanimate things

. with especial emphasis on idea of origin, source

. of children as going forth from loins (of father)

. . go forth to a place

. go forward, proceed to or toward something

. come or go forth, with esp. ref. to purpose or result

. of combinations

. . cause to go or come out, bring out, lead out

. fig. obj. persons, bring out of (מִן) distress, etc.

. bring out animals

. inanimate obj.

. fig. subj. י׳, bring forth from (מִן)

. be brought forth

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3318 yatsa' yaw-tsaw'

a primitive root; to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great

variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct

and proxim.:--X after, appear, X assuredly, bear out, X

begotten, break out, bring forth (out, up), carry out, come

(abroad, out, thereat, without), + be condemned,

depart(-ing, -ure), draw forth, in the end, escape, exact,

fail, fall (out), fetch forth (out), get away (forth, hence,

out), (able to, cause to, let) go abroad (forth, on, out),

going out, grow, have forth (out), issue out, lay (lie) out,

lead out, pluck out, proceed, pull out, put away, be risen, X

scarce, send with commandment, shoot forth, spread, spring

out, stand out, X still, X surely, take forth (out), at any

time, X to (and fro), utter.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָצָא (ya.tsa) — to come out: come.

: come/go_out/escape

1) to go out, come out, exit, go forth

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go or come out or forth, depart

1a2) to go forth (to a place)

1a3) to go forward, proceed to (to or toward something)

1a4) to come or go forth (with purpose or for result)

1a5) to come out of

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to cause to go or come out, bring out, lead out

1b2) to bring out of

1b3) to lead out

1b4) to deliver

1c) (Hophal) to be brought out or forth

יָצָא (ya.tsa) — to come out: send.

: send/take_out/release

1) to go out, come out, exit, go forth

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go or come out or forth, depart

1a2) to go forth (to a place)

1a3) to go forward, proceed to (to or toward something)

1a4) to come or go forth (with purpose or for result)

1a5) to come out of

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to cause to go or come out, bring out, lead out

1b2) to bring out of

1b3) to lead out

1b4) to deliver

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-Imperf-3ms — Conjunction · verb qal third person masculine singular
HC/Vqu3ms
before him it goes pestilence so it may go out lightning to feet his
רֶ֖שֶׁףRe.shef lightning H7565 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
7× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means a flash of fire or lightning, and can also describe a burning fever or a spark. It is used figuratively to describe God's power and judgment, as seen in the book of Deuteronomy.
Amplified meaning
burning coals, fiery bolts
Tyndale gloss
flash
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רֶ֫שֶׁף (resheph) refers to a flame or fire-bolt, and can also denote a live coal or lightning. It is associated with burning heat, sparks, and fever. The word is built from the root meaning to burn, and it captures a range of fiery imagery.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רֶ֫שֶׁף n.m. flame, fire-bolt

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7565 רֶ֫שֶׁף flame, fire-bolt

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7565 resheph reh'-shef

from 8313; a live coal; by analogy lightning; figuratively,

an arrow, (as flashing through the air); specifically,

fever:--arrow, (burning) coal, burning heat, + spark, hot

thunderbolt.

see HEBREW for 08313

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רֶ֫שֶׁף (re.sheph) — flash.

1) flame, firebolt, spark

1a) flame

1b) fire-bolt

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

lit'-ning (baraq, chaziz; astrape): Lightning is caused by the discharge of electricity between clouds or between clouds and the earth. In a thunder-storm there is a rapid gathering of particles of moisture into clouds and forming of large drops of rain. This gathers with it electric potential until the surface of the cloud (or the enlarged water particles) is insufficient to carry the charge, and a discharge takes place, producing a brilliant flash of light and the resulting thunder-clap. Thunder-storms are common in Syria and Palestine during the periods of heavy rain in the spring and fall and are often severe. Lightning is usually accompanied by heavy rainfall or by hail, as at the time of the plague of hail (Ex 9:24).

See HAIL.

In the Scriptures it is used:

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Lightning

Frequently referred to by the sacred writers (Nah. 1:3-6). Thunder and lightning are spoken of as tokens of God’s wrath (2 Sam. 22:15; Job 28:26; 37:4; Ps. 135:7; 144:6; Zech. 9:14). They represent God’s glorious and awful majesty (Rev. 4:5), or some judgment of God on the world (20:9).

Nave's Topical Bible

→ General scriptures concerning Job 28:26; 37:3; 38:25,35; Ps 18:14; 77:18; 78:48; 97:4; 135:7; 144:6; Jer 10:13; 51:16; Eze 1:13,14; Da 10:6; Na 2:4; Zec 9:14; 10:1; Mt 24:27; 28:3; Lu 10:18; Re 4:5; 8:5; 11:19; 16:18

before him it goes pestilence so it may go out lightning to feet his
לְרַגְלָֽיו׃le.rag.Lav to feet his H7272 Preposition · noun common feminine dual construct · suffix
247× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word also means a foot, like when God says he will tread on the wicked in Malachi 4:3. It's used to describe human and animal feet, as well as the base of objects like tables or idols.
Amplified meaning
at His feet, behind Him
Tyndale gloss
foot
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רֶ֫גֶל (regel) means 'foot' and can refer to a foot or leg in various contexts, including anthropomorphic references to God and other beings. It also implies steps or paces. The word is derived from a root meaning related to walking, and it appears in multiple forms, such as feet and paces.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רֶ֫גֶל 247 n.f. foot

foot

three times (feet, paces)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7272 רֶ֫גֶל foot . foot

. three times (feet, paces)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7272 regel reh'-gel

from 7270; a foot (as used in walking); by implication, a

step; by euphem. the pudenda:--X be able to endure, X

according as, X after, X coming, X follow,

((broken-))foot((-ed, -stool)), X great toe, X haunt, X

journey, leg, + piss, + possession, time.

see HEBREW for 07270

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רֶ֫גֶל (re.gel) — foot.

1) foot

1a) foot, leg

1b) of God (anthropomorphic)

1c) of seraphim, cherubim, idols, animals, table

1d) according to the pace of (with prep)

1e) three times (feet, paces)

Aramaic equivalent: re.gal (רְגַל "foot" H7271)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-fd | Suff — Preposition · noun common feminine dual construct · suffix
HR/Ncfdc/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."

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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