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Hosea 10:2 — Word Study

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WLCחָלַ֥ק לִבָּ֖ם עַתָּ֣ה יֶאְשָׁ֑מוּ ה֚וּא יַעֲרֹ֣ף מִזְבְּחוֹתָ֔ם יְשֹׁדֵ֖ד מַצֵּבוֹתָֽם׃

BSATheir heartslêb [deceptive, divided] are deviouschâlaq nowʻattâh [at this time, in this moment] they must bear their guiltʼâsham [be found faulty, deserving punishment] The LORDhûwʼ [Yehovah, the covenant God] will break downʻâraph [shatter, demolish] their altarsmizbêach [places of sacrifice] and demolishshâdad [destroy, ruin] their sacred pillarsmatstsêbâh [monuments, memorials]

Word
Listen & take awayHosea 10
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 2 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 (ma.tze.vo.Tam) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Hosea 10:2quick helps
In a sentenceHosea describes the deceitful hearts of Israel and the impending judgment from the LORD.
Who is speakingThe prophet Hosea, conveying God's message.
Where we areA warning to Israel about their unfaithfulness and the consequences.
The hard wordחָלַק
Take awayDeception leads to guilt and destruction.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectהוּא verbחָלַק 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 — Hosea 10:2

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 Judgment on Israelgenerated

1Israel was a luxuriant vine, yielding fruit for himself. The more his fruit increased, the more he increased the altars. The better his land produced, the better he made the sacred pillars.
2Their hearts are devious; now they must bear their guilt. The LORD will break down their altars and demolish their sacred pillars.
3Surely now they will say, “We have no king, for we do not revere the LORD. What can a king do for us?”
4They speak mere words; with false oaths they make covenants. So judgment springs up like poisonous weeds in the furrows of a field.

Hosea 10:2 addresses the heart of Israel, revealing their deceptive nature and the consequences of their actions. The verse follows a description of Israel's increasing idolatry and serves as a stark reminder of the LORD's impending judgment. This warning is part of a broader message in the book of Hosea, which emphasizes the need for repentance and faithfulness to God.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Hosea 7:8Ephraim mixes with the nations; Ephraim is an unturned cake.
21 Kings 18:21Then Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him. But if Baal is God, follow him.” But the people did not answer a word.
3Isaiah 44:18They do not comprehend or discern, for He has shut their eyes so they cannot see and closed their minds so they cannot understand.
4Zephaniah 1:5those who bow on the rooftops to worship the host of heaven, those who bow down and swear by the LORD but also swear by Milcom,
5Matthew 6:24No one can serve two masters: Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

The Key Word חָלַק, cha.Lakgenerated

The verb חָלַק (cha.Lak) primarily means 'to divide' or 'to share', but it also carries the connotation of being 'smooth' or 'slippery'. This dual meaning suggests a sense of deceitfulness, as in Proverbs, where smooth words can lead to flattery and manipulation.

In this context, the use of חָלַק highlights the divided and deceptive nature of Israel's hearts. The parsing indicates it is a perfect tense verb, suggesting a completed action that reflects their current state of guilt and unfaithfulness.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

Translations of this verse agree on the overall meaning, with slight variations in wording.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The finite verb יַעֲרֹף (he will break) governs the verse, with multiple clauses describing the state of Israel's hearts and the actions that will follow. The structure emphasizes the cause-and-effect relationship between their deceptive hearts and the consequences they will face.

The main clause presents the subject's condition, while subsequent clauses detail the LORD's actions against their altars and sacred pillars, illustrating the severity of the judgment.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates חָלַק as ἐμέρισαν, which means 'they divided'. This choice reflects a similar understanding of division and deceit, aligning with the Hebrew meaning while emphasizing the act of separation.

This translation choice suggests an interpretation that highlights the fragmentation of Israel's loyalty to God, reinforcing the theme of judgment due to their divided hearts.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Hosea 10:2 reveals that Israel's hearts are deceitful, leading them to guilt. The LORD warns that He will break down their altars and destroy their sacred pillars, highlighting the consequences of their unfaithfulness.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that their hearts are devious?

It indicates that Israel's inner thoughts and intentions are not aligned with God's will, leading to unfaithfulness.

What is the significance of the LORD breaking down their altars?

This symbolizes the destruction of their places of worship and idolatry, emphasizing God's judgment against their unfaithfulness.

How does this verse relate to the overall message of Hosea?

It serves as a warning to Israel about the consequences of their actions and the need for repentance.

What can we learn from the phrase 'they must bear their guilt'?

It highlights the principle of accountability for one's actions and the reality of facing consequences for wrongdoing.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways might I be deceiving myself about my own faithfulness to God?
  2. How can I ensure that my heart is aligned with God's will rather than being divided?
  3. What altars or idols in my life need to be addressed or removed?
  4. How does understanding the consequences of unfaithfulness influence my relationship with God?

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

Jerome comments on this verse, noting the divided heart of Israel and the impending judgment that will follow, emphasizing the consequences of their actions.

JeromeCommentary on Hosea 10:2 c. 347–420
Their heart is divided; now they shall perish: he shall break down their idols, he shall lay waste their altars." LXX: "They have divided their hearts: now shall they perish: he shall break down their altars,
Early Church Fathers on Hosea 10 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Hosea 10:2 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Their heart is divided,.... Some say from Hoshea their king, who would have reformed them from their idolatry, and returned them to the true worship of God; but of that there is no proof; better from

Read John Gill on Hosea 10 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Their heart is divided; now shall they be found faulty: he shall break down their altars, he shall spoil their images. Their heart is divided - (1 Kings 18:21, "How long halt ye between two opinions?

Read Robert Jamieson on Hosea 10 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Their heart is divided from God and his worship, or between God and Baal, such as speaks of, or else divided one from another by parties, and factions, and civil wars, which tended to their ruin. Now shall they be found faulty; as this was their sin, so the effects hereof should manifestly prove them faulty. He, either God, or the king of Assyria stirred up by God to invade and destroy Ephraim, shall break down their altars; utterly pull down those altars which they had multiplied to their idols: the Assyrians shall, as other conquering heathen idolaters, rage against the gods of the people they conquer, as well as against the people; such was the pride and atheism of these men. He shall…

Read Matthew Poole on Hosea 10 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Hosea 10:2 Their heart is divided; now shall they be found faulty: he shall break down their altars, he shall spoil their images.Ver. 2. Their heart is divided] sc. from God; whose soul therefore is justly disjointed from them, Jeremiah 6:8. They professed to worship the true God, and yet they transferred the honour due to him alone upon dumb idols; they halted between two, and would needs serve two lords; but God would have none of that. "Be the gods of the heathen good fellows," saith one, "the true God is a jealous God, and will not part stakes with another." The double-minded man is not for his service; for he will be served truly, that there be no halting; and, totally, that there be…

Read John Trapp on Hosea 10 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(2) Their heart is divided is the rendering of the LXX., Raschi, Aben-Ezra, and most ancient versions. But modern expositors prefer to translate “Their heart is treacherous (smooth).” The rest of the verse should run thus:—Now shall they suffer punishment. He shall break (the horns of) their altars; he shall destroy their pillars.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Hosea 10 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 2. Their heart is divided] They wish to serve God and Mammon, Jehovah and Baal: but this is impossible. Now GOD will do in judgment what they should have done in contrition, "break down their altars, and spoil their images."

Read AdamClarke on Hosea 10 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

2. Their heart is divided] viz., between Jehovah and idols. But this, which involves an alteration of the points, gives too weak a sense for such a context. It is better to keep the ordinary pointing, and render, Their heart is slippery (or deceitful; lit. ‘is smooth’; comp. Ezekiel 12:24 smooth, i.e. flattering, divination). be found faulty] Rather, be dealt with as guilty (as Hosea 13:16). he shall break down, &c.] The phrase is a bold one; it is literally ‘he shall break the necks of the altars’, i.e. perhaps strike off their horns (Amos 3:14), and so destroy them. ‘He’ is emphatically expressed in the Hebrew, to indicate the unseen observer of their thoughts and actions.

Read Cambridge on Hosea 10 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Their heart is divided - Between God and their idols, in that they would not wholly part with either, as Elijah upbraided them, “How long halt ye between the two opinions?” 1 Kings 18:21.

Read Albert Barnes on Hosea 10 →

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

Their hearts are devious; now they must bear their guilt. The LORD will break down their altars and demolish their sacred pillars.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Their heart is divided. Now they will be found guilty. He will demolish their altars. He will destroy their sacred stones.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Their hearts are devious; now they must bear their guilt. The LORD will break down their altars and demolish their sacred pillars.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Their heart is slipping; soon they will be punished for their guilt. The Lord will break their altars; he will completely destroy their fertility pillars.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Their heart is divided; now shall they be found faulty: he shall break down their altars, he shall spoil their images.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Their heart is divided; now shall they be found guilty: he will smite their altars, he will destroy their pillars.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Their heart is divided; now shall they be found guilty: he shall smite their altars, he shall spoil their pillars.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Their heart is divided; now shall they be found faulty: he shall break down their altars, he shall spoil their images.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Their heart is deuided: nowe shall they be founde faultie: he shall breake downe their altars: he shall destroy their images.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Their heart is divided; now shall they be found guilty: he will break down their altars, he will destroy their statues.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Their heart hath been divided, now they are guilty, He doth break down their altars, He doth destroy their standing-pillars.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Their heart has been divided, now they are guilty, || He breaks down their altars, || He destroys their standing-pillars.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Their heart is divided; now shall they bear their guilt: this will break down their altars, will devastate their statues.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Their heart is deceitful; now they must bear their guilt. Yahweh will demolish their altars; he will destroy their pillars.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Their heart is divided: now they shall perish: he shall break down their idols, he shall destroy their altars.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

The people have minds that are deceptive, and now they must take responsibility for their guilt. The Lord will break apart their altars and destroy their sacred pillars.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Their mind is taken away; now they will be made waste: he will have their altars broken down, he will give their pillars to destruction.

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.

clauseverbחָלַ֥קit.is.smoothnoun phrase · subjectלִבָּ֖heartםtheirclauseadverbialעַתָּ֣הnowverbיֶאְשָׁ֑מוּthey.will.be.held.guiltyclausesubjectה֚וּאheverbיַעֲרֹ֣ףhe.will.breaknoun phrase · objectמִזְבְּחוֹתָ֔altarsםtheirclauseverbיְשֹׁדֵ֖דhe.will.destroynoun phrase · objectמַצֵּבוֹתָֽpillarsםtheir.sacred

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 7 of the 9 words matched. The Dead Sea Scrolls provide partial support, with some words restored by an editor, indicating a consistent tradition in the text.

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

חָלַ֥ק לִבָּ֖ם עַתָּ֣ה יֶאְשָׁ֑מוּ ה֚וּא יַעֲרֹ֣ף מִזְבְּחוֹתָ֔ם יְשֹׁדֵ֖ד מַצֵּבוֹתָֽם׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
חָלַ֥קἐμέρισανלִבָּ֖םαὐτῶνעַתָּ֣הνῦνיֶאְשָׁ֑מוּἀφανισθήσονταιה֚וּאαὐτὸςיַעֲרֹ֣ףκατασκάψειיְשֹׁדֵ֖דταλαιπωρήσουσιν

7 of the 9 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 — 4Q82a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[חלק] [לב׳ם] [עתה] יאשמו הוא יערוף מזבחות׳ם [ישדד] [מצבות׳ם]

3 words on the leather — 1 partly restored, 5 supplied entire by an editor.

Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.


The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

Hosea 10:2חָלַקit is slippit is slipperyחָלַקלֵבheart theirheart theirלֵבעַתָּ֫הnownowעַתָּ֫האָשַׁםthey will bthey will be heאָשַׁםהוּאheheהוּאעָרַףhe will brehe will breakעָרַףמִזְבֵּחַaltars theialtars theirמִזְבֵּחַשָׁדַדhe will deshe will destroyשָׁדַדמַצֵּבָהsacred pillsacred pillars מַצֵּבָהעֵתtimetimeעֵתזָבַחto sacrifito sacrificeזָבַחלֵבָבheartheartלֵבָבעֹ֫רֶףneckneckעֹ֫רֶףעָרַףto dropto dropעָרַףנָצַבto standto standנָצַבשָׁלָלspoilspoilשָׁלָלגּוֹרָלallottedallottedגּוֹרָלחָסֵרlackinglackingחָסֵרחָכָםwisewiseחָכָםנָאpleasepleaseנָאאֲנַ֫חְנוּweweאֲנַ֫חְנוּצַרnarrownarrowצַרטָמֵאuncleanuncleanטָמֵאעֶגְלָהheiferheiferעֶגְלָהפָּדָהto ransomto ransomפָּדָהקָטַרto offer: to offer: burnקָטַרעֹלָהburnt offeburnt offeringעֹלָה
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 Hosea 10:2

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.

it is slippery heart their now they will be held guilty he he will break altars their he will destroy sacred pillars their
חָלַ֥קcha.Lak it is slippery H2505 Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singular
65× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To smooth means to make something slippery or deceitful, like in Proverbs where it warns against flattery. It can also mean to divide or separate something, like an inheritance.
Tyndale gloss
to divide
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חָלַק (chalaq) is a Hebrew verb with two primary meanings: to divide or share, and to be smooth or slippery. It encompasses actions like apportioning, distributing, and even plundering, as well as the state of being smooth. The entries indicate a range of uses in different grammatical forms, including reflexive and passive. Notably, the lexicons also emphasize the figurative use of smoothness in relation to deceit.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חָלַק vb. divide, share

Qal

divide, apportion

assign, distribute

assign, impart

share

divide up = plunder the temple

Niph. Impf.

reflex. divide oneself

pass. be divided

trans. assign, distribute

Pi.

divide, apportion

assign, distribute

scatter

Pu. be divided, of land

Hithp. divide land among themselves

Hiph. to receive a portion

base

חָלַק vb. be smooth, slippery

Qal smooth, slippery

Hiph. make smooth

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2505a חָלַק divide, share .. divide, apportion

. assign, distribute

. assign, impart

. share

. divide up = plunder the temple

. Impf. . reflex. divide oneself

. pass. be divided

. trans. assign, distribute

. . divide, apportion

. assign, distribute

. scatter

. be divided, of land

. divide land among themselves

. to receive a portion

H2505b חָלַק be smooth, slippery

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2505 chalaq khaw-lak'

a primitive root; to be smooth (figuratively); by implication

(as smooth stones were used for lots) to apportion or

separate:--deal, distribute, divide, flatter, give, (have,

im-)part(-ner), take away a portion, receive, separate self,

(be) smooth(-er).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חָלַק (cha.laq) — to divide.

1) to divide, share, plunder, allot, apportion, assign

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to divide, apportion

1a2) to assign, distribute

1a3) to assign, impart

1a4) to share

1a5) to divide up, plunder

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to divide oneself

1b2) to be divided

1b3) to assign, distribute

1c) (Piel)

1c1) to divide, apportion

1c2) to assign, distribute

1c3) to scatter

1d) (Pual) to be divided

1e) (Hiphil) to receive a portion or part

1f) (Hithpael) to divide among themselves

חָלַק (cha.laq) — to smooth.

1) to be smooth, slippery, deceitful

1a) (Qal) to be smooth, slippery

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to be smooth

1b2) to flatter

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-3ms — Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singular
HVqp3ms
it is slippery heart their now they will be held guilty he he will break altars their he will destroy sacred pillars their
לִבָּ֖םli.Bam heart their H3820 Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
595× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Leb refers to the heart, but also represents feelings, will, and intellect in the Bible. It is used figuratively to describe the center of something, and is often translated as heart or mind. Leb is a complex concept that encompasses emotions and thoughts.
Amplified meaning
deceptive, divided
Tyndale gloss
heart
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word לֵב (lev) means 'heart' and encompasses the inner man, mind, will, and emotions. It refers to the center of feelings, intellect, and moral character, as well as the seat of appetites and courage. The entries suggest a broad range of meanings related to human experience and thought, with a specific mention of its use in Jeremiah 51:1.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לֵב 599 n.m. (f.) inner man, mind, will, heart

seldom of things in the midst of the sea

elsewhere of men

the inner man in contrast with the outer

the inner man, indef., soul, comprehending mind, affections and will

specific reference to mind

spec. ref. to inclinations, resolutions and determinations of the will

spec. ref. to conscience

[various]

for the man himself

as seat of appetites

as seat of emotions and passions

seat of courage

base

לֵב קָמָי prob. late Atbash Je 51:1.

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3820a לֵב inner man, mind, will, heart . seldom of things in the midst of the sea

. elsewhere of men . the inner man in contrast with the outer

. the inner man, indef., soul, comprehending mind, affections and will

. specific reference to mind

. spec. ref. to inclinations, resolutions and determinations of the will

. spec. ref. to conscience

. [various]

. for the man himself

. as seat of appetites

. as seat of emotions and passions

. seat of courage

H3820b לֵב קָמָי prob. late Atbash

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3820 leb labe

a form of 3824; the heart; also used (figuratively) very

widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect;

likewise for the centre of anything:--+ care for, comfortably,

consent, X considered, courag(-eous), friend(-ly), ((broken-),

(hard-), (merry-), (stiff-), (stout-), double) heart((-ed)), X

heed, X I, kindly, midst, mind(-ed), X regard((-ed)), X

themselves, X unawares, understanding, X well, willingly,

wisdom.

see HEBREW for 03824

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לֵב (lev) — heart.

1) inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding

1a) inner part, midst

1a1) midst (of things)

1a2) heart (of man)

1a3) soul, heart (of man)

1a4) mind, knowledge, thinking, reflection, memory

1a5) inclination, resolution, determination (of will)

1a6) conscience

1a7) heart (of moral character)

1a8) as seat of appetites

1a9) as seat of emotions and passions 1a10) as seat of courage

לֵב (lev) — Leb.

§ Leb- = "heart of"

(probably a cryptic name for Babylon by Atbash)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HNcmsc/Sp3mp
it is slippery heart their now they will be held guilty he he will break altars their he will destroy sacred pillars their
עַתָּ֣ה'a.Tah now H6258 Adverb
433× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means now or at this time, like in Exodus when God says now is the time to act. It can also be used to connect ideas or show a change in time, as seen in the book of Isaiah.
Amplified meaning
at this time, in this moment
Tyndale gloss
now
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עַתָּ֫ה (attah) is an adverb of time meaning 'now.' It can also function as a conjunction or expletive, indicating immediacy or a current moment. The word is derived from a related term, עַת (att), and is used in various contexts to denote the present time.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עַתָּ֫ה 435, עָ֑֫תָּה, adv. of time, now

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6258 עַתָּ֫ה, עָ֑֫תָּה of time, now

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6258 `attah at-taw'

from 6256; at this time, whether adverb, conjunction or

expletive:--henceforth, now, straightway, this time, whereas.

see HEBREW for 06256

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עַתָּ֫ה (at.tah) — now.

1) now

1a) now

1b) in phrases

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adv — Adverb
HD
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
it is slippery heart their now they will be held guilty he he will break altars their he will destroy sacred pillars their
יֶאְשָׁ֑מוּye'.Sha.mu they will be held guilty H816 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine plural
35× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To be guilty means to have done something wrong and deserve punishment, as seen in the story of Adam and Eve in Genesis 3:8-10.
Amplified meaning
be found faulty, deserving punishment
Tyndale gloss
be guilty
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָשַׁם (asham) means to offend or be guilty, covering actions like committing an offense or trespass. It can also imply suffering punishment or being declared guilty. The entries indicate that it can denote both personal guilt and the consequences of wrongdoing, with some nuances in how it is used in different grammatical forms.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָשַׁם, אָשֵׁם vb. offend, be guilty

commit an offence, a trespass, do a wrong, or an injury

be or become guilty

be held guilty, bear punishment

Niph. suffer punishment

Hiph. declare them guilty

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H816 אָשַׁם, אָשֵׁם offend, be guilty

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

816 'asham aw-sham'

or mashem {aw-shame'}; a primitive root; to be guilty; by

implication to be punished or perish:--X certainly, be(-come,

made) desolate, destroy, X greatly, be(-come, found, hold)

guilty, offend (acknowledge offence), trespass.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָשַׁם (a.sham) — be guilty.

1) to offend, be guilty, trespass

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to do wrong, offend, trespass, commit an offense, do injury

1a2) to be or become guilty

1a3) to be held guilty

1a4) to be incriminated

1b) (Niphal) to suffer punishment

1c) (Hiphil) to declare guilty

2) (TWOT) to be desolate, acknowledge offense

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine plural
HVqi3mp
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

gil'-ti: In addition to the general discussion under GUILT (which see), several New Testament passages demand special notice because the word "guilty" is not used in the principal sense of blameworthy, but with one of the two lesser meanings noted above which go to make up the complete idea. In 3 of these passages the King James Version renders "guilty" and the Revised Version (British and American) gives another rendering. In Mt 26:66 the King James Version, Jesus' foes declare he is "guilty of death" (enochos, "liable to"). Here "guilty" simply means the one who is legally held, and the reference is not to the blame but to the consequence. This is a true use of the word in the lower and legal sense. It does not correspond with our higher usage, and so we have it in the Revised Version (British and American) "worthy of death." So…

it is slippery heart their now they will be held guilty he he will break altars their he will destroy sacred pillars their
ה֚וּאhu' he H1931 Pronoun
1,879× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word is a pronoun meaning 'he', 'she', or 'it', used to refer to a person or thing. It is used in the Bible to emphasize a subject or make it clear who is being talked about.
Amplified meaning
Yehovah, the covenant God
Tyndale gloss
he/she/it
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הוּא (hu) is a third-person singular pronoun meaning he, she, or it, used for emphasis or when no verb is present. It can also refer to oneself or serve as a demonstrative pronoun. The word has various nuances, including resuming the subject with emphasis or expressing it unobtrusively. It can indicate 'that' or 'those' when used with the definite article.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הוּא m. הִיא f., pron. of the 3rd ps. sing. he, she, used also (in both genders) for the neuter it

an emph. he (she, it, they), sometimes equivalent to himself (herself, itself, themselves), or (esp. with the art.) that (those)

It resumes the subj. with emph.

Where, however, the pron. follows the pred., its position gives it the minimum of emphasis, and it expresses (or resumes) the subject as unobtrusively as possible

It anticipates (as it seems) the subject

As an emph. predicate, of God

In a neuter sense, that, it (of an action, occurrence, matte, etc.)

With the art.: so regularly when joined to a subst. defined itself by the art.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1931 הוּא, הִיא he, she, used also (in both genders) for the neuter it . an emph. he (she, it, they), sometimes equivalent to himself (herself, itself, themselves), or (esp. with the art.) that (those)

. It resumes the subj. with emph.

. Where, however, the pron. follows the pred., its position gives it the minimum of emphasis, and it expresses (or resumes) the subject as unobtrusively as possible

. It anticipates (as it seems) the subject

. As an emph. predicate, of God

. In a neuter sense, that, it (of an action, occurrence, matte, etc.)

. With the art.: so regularly when joined to a subst. defined itself by the art.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1931 huw' hoo

of which the feminine (beyond the Pentateuch) is hiyw {he}; a

primitive word, the third person pronoun singular, he (she or

it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also

(intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same;

sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally

(instead of copula) as or are:--he, as for her, him(-self),

it, the same, she (herself), such, that (...it), these, they,

this, those, which (is), who.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הוּא (hu) — he/she/it.

pron 3p s

1) he, she, it

1a) himself (with emphasis)

1b) resuming subj with emphasis

1c) (with minimum emphasis following predicate)

1d) (anticipating subj)

1e) (emphasising predicate)

1f) that, it (neuter) demons pron

2) that (with article)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Pron — Pronoun
HPp3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ha: The fifth letter of the Hebrew alphabet; transliterated in this Encyclopedia as "h." It came also to be used for the number 5. For name, etc., see ALPHABET.

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
it is slippery heart their now they will be held guilty he he will break altars their he will destroy sacred pillars their
יַעֲרֹ֣ףya.'a.Rof he will break H6202 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
6× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To break the neck means to destroy or kill, often used to describe beheading or cutting off, as seen in animal sacrifices.
Amplified meaning
shatter, demolish
Tyndale gloss
to break the neck
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עָרַף (araph) is a verb meaning to break the neck of an animal, derived from a primitive root suggesting bending downward. It is used in a figurative sense to imply destruction. The entries consistently emphasize its connection to the act of beheading or breaking down.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[עָרַף] vb. denom. break the neck of an animal

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6202 עָרַף vb. denom. break the neck of an animal

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6202 `araph aw-raf'

a primitive root (identical with 6201 through the idea of

sloping); properly, to bend downward; but used only as a

denominative from 6203, to break the neck; hence

(figuratively) to destroy:--that is beheaded, break down,

break (cut off, strike off) neck.

see HEBREW for 06201

see HEBREW for 06203

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עָרַף (a.raph) — to break the neck.

(Qal) to break the neck (of an animal)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
HVqi3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

brak: shabhar = "break" (down, off, in pieces, up), "destroy," "quench" (Isa 14:25; Jer 19:10,11; Eze 4:16; Am 1:5); paraq = "to break off" or "craunch"; figuratively "to deliver" (Ge 27:40 the King James Version); `araph = "to break the neck," hence, "to destroy" (Ex 13:13); harac = "to break through" (Ex 19:21,24); parats = "to break" (forth, away), occurs in Ex 19:22,24; 1Sa 25:10; "breaking faith,"…

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
it is slippery heart their now they will be held guilty he he will break altars their he will destroy sacred pillars their
מִזְבְּחוֹתָ֔םmiz.be.cho.Tam altars their H4196 Noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
401× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
An altar is a place of sacrifice, where offerings are made to God, as seen in the Bible's description of the tabernacle and temple. It was a central part of Israel's worship. The altar played a key role in the priestly rituals.
Amplified meaning
places of sacrifice
Tyndale gloss
altar
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מִזְבֵּחַ (mizbeach) means 'altar' in Hebrew. It is derived from the root word meaning to slay or kill, indicating its use in sacrificial contexts. The term is consistently used throughout the Old Testament to refer to places of sacrifice and worship.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מִזְבֵּחַ 401 n.m. altar

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4196 מִזְבֵּחַ altar

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4196 mizbeach miz-bay'-akh

from 2076; an altar:--altar.

see HEBREW for 02076

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מִזְבֵּחַ (miz.be.ach) — altar.

altar

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp | Suff — Noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
HNcfpc/Sp3mp
it is slippery heart their now they will be held guilty he he will break altars their he will destroy sacred pillars their
יְשֹׁדֵ֖דye.sho.Ded he will destroy H7703 Verb · Piel · imperfect third person masculine singular
57× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To ruin or devastate is the meaning of this word, often used to describe the powerful and destructive actions of God or human enemies, as seen in the conquest of Canaan. It can also mean to be powerful or impregnable, as in the case of the strongholds of David. This concept is explored in the book of Psalms.
Amplified meaning
destroy, ruin
Tyndale gloss
to ruin
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׁדַד (shadad) is a Hebrew verb that conveys the idea of dealing violently with something, including meanings like despoil, devastate, and ruin. It has various forms, indicating actions such as violently destroying, being utterly ruined, or assaulting. The entries suggest a strong connotation of destruction and oppression, with the word appearing in contexts related to devastation.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[שָׁדַד] 56 vb. deal violently with, despoil, devastate, ruin

Qal violently destroy, pers. = slay

Niph. we are utterly ruined.

Pi. assault not his dwelling-place

Pu. be devastated

Pō‛el violently destroy

Hoph. be devastated

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7703 [שָׁדַד] deal violently with, despoil, devastate, ruin

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7703 shadad shaw-dad'

a primitive root; properly, to be burly, i.e. (figuratively)

powerful (passively, impregnable); by implication, to

ravage:--dead, destroy(-er), oppress, robber, spoil(-er), X

utterly, (lay) waste.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁדַד (sha.dad) — to ruin.

1) to deal violently with, despoil, devastate, ruin, destroy, spoil

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to violently destroy, devastate, despoil, assail

1a2) devastator, despoiler (participle) (subst)

1b) (Niphal) to be utterly ruined

1c) (Piel)

1c1) to assault

1c2) to devastate

1d) (Pual) to be devastated

1e) (Poel) to violently destroy

1f) (Hophal) to be devastated

Also means: shud (שׁוּד "to waste" H7736)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-m-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Piel · imperfect third person masculine singular
HVpi3ms
it is slippery heart their now they will be held guilty he he will break altars their he will destroy sacred pillars their
מַצֵּבוֹתָֽם׃ma.tze.vo.Tam sacred pillars their H4676 Noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
32× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A pillar or monument, sometimes used as a memorial or with an altar, like those found in Genesis and Exodus.
Amplified meaning
monuments, memorials
Tyndale gloss
pillar
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מַצֵּבָה (maṣṣēbā) refers to a pillar or a memorial stone, often associated with altars. It can also denote a stump or a standing image, potentially an idol. The word is derived from a participle form indicating something that is stationed or set up.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מַצֵּבָה, מַצֶּ֫בֶת n.f. pillar, maṣṣēbā, stump

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4676 מַצֵּבָה, מַצֶּ֫בֶת pillar, maṣṣēbā, stump

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4676 matstsebah mats-tsay-baw'

feminine (causatively) participle of 5324; something

stationed, i.e. a column or (memorial stone); by analogy, an

idol:--garrison, (standing) image, pillar.

see HEBREW for 05324

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מַצֵּבָה (mats.tse.vah) — pillar.

1) pillar, mastaba, stump

1a) pillar

1a1) as monument, personal memorial

1a2) with an altar

1b)(Hoph) stock, stump (of tree)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fp | Suff — Noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
HNcfpc/Sp3mp
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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