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Hosea 8:5 — Word Study

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WLCזָנַח֙ עֶגְלֵ֣ךְ שֹֽׁמְר֔וֹן חָרָ֥ה אַפִּ֖י בָּ֑ם עַד־ מָתַ֕י לֹ֥א יוּכְל֖וּ נִקָּיֹֽן׃

BSAHe has rejectedzânach [completely, cast off, thrown away] your calfʻêgel [idol, young ox] O SamariaShômᵉrôwn [watch mountain, capital of Israel] My angerʼaph [strong emotion, furious] burnschârâh [is kindled, ablaze] How long will they beʻad [until when, for how much time, remain, continue to be] incapablelôʼ [unable, powerless] of innocenceniqqâyôwn [purity, moral cleanness]

Word
Listen & take awayHosea 8
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 (ni.ka.Yon) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Hosea 8:5quick helps
In a sentenceGod has rejected the idol of Samaria, expressing His anger and questioning their inability to be innocent.
Who is speakingGod, through the prophet Hosea, addressing the people of Samaria.
Where we areIn the midst of a prophetic warning against Israel's idolatry and moral corruption.
The hard wordזָנַח
Take awayThe rejection of the calf signifies a deeper spiritual failure among the people.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbזָנַח 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 8:5

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 Judgment Against Israelgenerated

4They set up kings, but not by Me. They make princes, but without My approval. With their silver and gold they make themselves idols, to their own destruction.
5He has rejected your calf, O Samaria. My anger burns against them. How long will they be incapable of innocence?
6For this thing is from Israel— a craftsman made it, and it is not God. It will be broken to pieces, that calf of Samaria.
7For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind. There is no standing grain; what sprouts fails to yield flour. Even if it should produce, the foreigners would swallow it up.

Hosea 8:5 presents a stark message from God regarding the idolatry of the northern kingdom of Israel. The people of Samaria have turned away from God, creating and worshipping idols, which leads to divine rejection. This verse emphasizes God's anger and questions the people's moral state, highlighting their inability to maintain innocence in their actions. The surrounding verses further illustrate the consequences of their choices, showing a pattern of disobedience and the futility of their idolatry.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Hosea 8:6For this thing is from Israel— a craftsman made it, and it is not God. It will be broken to pieces, that calf of Samaria.
2Hosea 10:5The people of Samaria will fear for the calf of Beth-aven. Indeed, its people will mourn with its idolatrous priests— those who rejoiced in its glory— for it has been taken from them into exile.
3Isaiah 45:20Come, gather together, and draw near, you fugitives from the nations. Ignorant are those who carry idols of wood and pray to a god that cannot save.
4Acts 7:41At that time they made a calf and offered a sacrifice to the idol, rejoicing in the works of their hands.
5Deuteronomy 32:22For a fire has been kindled by My anger, and it burns to the depths of Sheol; it consumes the earth and its produce, and scorches the foundations of the mountains.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 9 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word זָנַח, za.Nachgenerated

The verb זָנַח (zanach) means to reject or spurn, indicating a strong sense of being cast off or forsaken. It is used to convey a sense of disgust or something unwanted, as seen in Psalm 38:5. The parsing as a perfect tense verb in the third person masculine singular indicates a completed action: God has decisively rejected the calf.

This word's root suggests a strong rejection, emphasizing that the idol is not merely overlooked but actively cast away. The nuance of emitting a stench, as noted in Isaiah 19:6, reinforces the idea that the idol is abhorrent to God.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

The verse is rendered in the Berean Standard Bible as 'He has rejected your calf, O Samaria.' The translations generally agree on the meaning of rejection, with the KJV and ASV also using 'rejected' for זָנַח.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The verse contains two main clauses: 'He has rejected your calf, O Samaria' and 'My anger burns against them.' The finite verb זָנַח governs the first clause, while חָרָה governs the second. The structure emphasizes God's actions and feelings towards the people.

The second part of the verse introduces a rhetorical question, 'How long will they be incapable of innocence?' This structure highlights the urgency and frustration in God's voice, as He questions the people's moral condition.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates זָנַח as ἀπότριψαι, which means 'to cast off' or 'to throw away.' This choice aligns with the Hebrew meaning but emphasizes a more definitive act of rejection.

The use of παρωχύνθη for חָרָה indicates a strong emotional response, suggesting that God's anger is not just kindled but actively obstructing the people from their intended path.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Hosea 8:5 tells us that God has rejected the calf idol that the people of Samaria worship. His anger is directed at them for their idolatry, and He questions how long they will remain unable to be innocent. This verse highlights the consequences of their actions and their moral failure.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that God has rejected the calf?

It signifies God's disapproval of idolatry and the worship of false gods, indicating that such practices are unacceptable to Him.

Why is God angry with the people of Samaria?

God's anger stems from their persistent idolatry and moral corruption, which leads them away from true worship and righteousness.

What does the question about innocence imply?

The question suggests that the people have lost their ability to be morally clean or pure due to their actions, highlighting their spiritual condition.

How does this verse relate to the surrounding context?

This verse is part of a larger warning against Israel's idolatry, emphasizing the consequences of turning away from God and the futility of their actions.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways do I see idolatry reflected in my own life, and how can I turn away from it?
  2. How can I better understand the consequences of my actions in relation to my faith?
  3. What does it mean to me to be innocent or pure in my daily life?
  4. How do I respond to God's anger in my own spiritual journey?

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

The early church father Jerome comments on this verse, emphasizing God's rejection of the calf and His anger towards the people, questioning their inability to achieve purity.

JeromeCommentary on Hosea 8:5-6 c. 347–420
Your calf has been cast away, Samaria. My fury is against them: how long will they be incapable of purity? Because he is also from Israel: the craftsman made it,
Early Church Fathers on Hosea 8 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Hosea 8:5 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Thy calf, O Samaria, hath cast [thee] off,.... Or, is the cause of thy being cast off by the Lord, and of being cast out of thine own land, and carried captive into another; the past tense is used

Read John Gill on Hosea 8 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Thy calf, O Samaria, hath cast thee off; mine anger is kindled against them: how long will it be ere they attain to innocency? Thy calf, O Samaria, hath cast thee off.

Read Robert Jamieson on Hosea 8 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Thy calf; Jeroboam at first set up two calves, at Dan and Beth-el, but it is probable that in process of time there were more set up in other places, for when Israel forgot his God he built temples, . The calf then here is the chief idol set up in Samaria, and worshipped there. The prophet, in contempt of the idol, and in derision of their folly, gives it its right name, it is no god, but a calf; nor yet so much, for that it is senseless and without life. Hath cast thee off; been the occasion of casting thee far off, in that by this thou hast provoked God to anger, and he hath cast thee off. Or else thus, if thy God, thy idol, thy calf, have done aught, it is mischief; thy calf could not…

Read Matthew Poole on Hosea 8 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Hosea 8:5 Thy calf, O Samaria, hath cast [thee] off; mine anger is kindled against them: how long [will it be] ere they attain to innocency?Ver. 5. Thy calf, O Samaria, hath cast thee off] That is, it can do thee no stead, nor deliver thee from the destroyer. "Be not afraid of such idols" (saith Jeremiah), "for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good," Jeremiah 10:5, they can neither hurt nor help; for an idol is nothing in the world, 1 Corinthians 8:4, nothing but a mere fiction; it hath no godhead or power divine in itself, as the following words show, "that there is none other God but one." How then can help be reasonably expected from it? Israel had cast off the thing…

Read John Trapp on Hosea 8 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(5) Thy calf . . . hath cast thee off.—Rather, is loathsome, Nothing can exceed the scorn of this outburst. The last clause should be rendered, How long are ye unable to attain purity? The attribution of consuming fire to God is not peculiar to the prophet. (Comp. Hebrews 12:29.)

Read Charles John Ellicott on Hosea 8 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 5. Thy calf, O Samaria, hath cast thee off] Bishop Newcome translates: "Remove far from thee thy calf, O Samaria!" Abandon thy idolatry; for my anger is kindled against thee. How long will it be ere they attain to innocency?] How long will ye continue your guilty practices? When shall it be said that ye are from these vices? The calf or ox, which was the object of the idolatrous worship of the Israelites, was a supreme deity in Egypt; and it was there they learned this idolatry. A white ox was worshipped under the name of Apis, at Memphis; and another ox under the name of Mnevis, was worshipped at On, or Heliopolis. To Osiris the males of this genus were consecrated, and the females…

Read AdamClarke on Hosea 8 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

5. Thy calf, O Samaria, hath cast thee off] This rendering is very harsh in this context; Ewald prefers ‘He hath cast off thy calf’, a contrast to ‘Israel hath cast off that which is good’ in Hosea 8:3. But ‘casting off’ implies a previous connexion (e. g. Psalms 43:2); it is better to revert to the intransitive sense which belongs to the cognate verb in Arabic, and render, Thy calf, O Samaria, is loathsome. ‘Thy calf’ is a contemptuous expression for the small golden bull which was symbolic of Jehovah; such a bull, it appears, existed at Samaria, and doubtless at other places besides Dan and Bethel (e. g. at Gilgal). ere they can attain innocency] Lit. ‘will they be incapable of…

Read Cambridge on Hosea 8 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Thy calf, O Samaria, hath cast thee off - Israel had cast off God, his good.

Read Albert Barnes on Hosea 8 →

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

He has rejected your calf, O Samaria. My anger burns against them. How long will they be incapable of innocence?

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Let Samaria throw out his calf idol! My anger burns against them! How long will it be until they are capable of purity?

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

He has rejected your calf, O Samaria. My anger burns against them. How long will they be incapable of innocence?

NETBNew English Translation2006

O Samaria, he has rejected your calf idol! My anger burns against them! They will not survive much longer without being punished, even though they are Israelites!

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

¶ Thy calf, O Samaria, hath cast thee off; mine anger is kindled against them: how long will it be ere they attain to innocency?

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

He hath cast off thy calf, O Samaria; mine anger is kindled against them: how long will it be ere they attain to innocency?

RVARevised Version, American1894

He hath cast off thy calf, O Samaria; mine anger is kindled against them: how long will it be ere they attain to innocency?

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Thy calf, O Samaria, hath cast thee off; my anger is kindled against them: how long will it be ere they attain to innocence?

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Thy calfe, O Samaria, hath cast thee off: mine anger is kindled against them: howe long will they be without innocencie!

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Thy calf, O Samaria, hath cast [thee] off; mine anger is kindled against them: how long will they be incapable of purity?

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Cast off hath thy calf, O Samaria, Burned hath Mine anger against them, Till when are they not capable of purity?

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Your calf has cast off, O Samaria, || My anger has burned against them; Until when are they not capable of purity?

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Thy calf, O Samaria, hath caused thy rejection; my anger is kindled against them: how long will it be that they cannot cleanse themselves?

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

“Your calf has been rejected, Samaria. My anger is burning against these people. For how long will they stay guilty?

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Thy calf, O Samaria, is cast off, my wrath is kindled against them. How long will they be incapable of being cleansed?

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Samaria, I reject this calf idol you have made! My anger burns against them! How long will you be incapable of being good?

BBEBible in Basic English1949

I will have nothing to do with your young ox, O Samaria; my wrath is burning against them; how long will it be before the children of Israel make themselves clean?

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.

clauseclauseverbזָנַח֙he.has.rejectednoun phrase · objectעֶגְלֵ֣calfךְyourclauseשֹֽׁמְר֔וֹןO.Samariaclauseverbחָרָ֥הit.has.burnednoun phrase · subjectאַפִּ֖angerיmyprepositional phrase · prepositionalבָּ֑onםthemclauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalעַדuntilמָתַ֕יwhen?adverbialלֹ֥אnotverbיוּכְל֖וּwill.they.be.ableobjectנִקָּיֹֽןinnocence

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


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

The Masoretic Text of Hosea 8:5 states, "He has rejected your calf, O Samaria. My anger burns against them. How long will they be incapable of innocence?" The Septuagint closely matches this text, with all 11 words corresponding, indicating agreement in the overall message and meaning. There are no significant differences noted in the Samaritan Pentateuch or the Dead Sea Scrolls for this verse, which further supports the consistency of the Masoretic Text across these ancient witnesses.

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

זָנַח֙ עֶגְלֵ֣ךְ שֹֽׁמְר֔וֹן חָרָ֥ה אַפִּ֖י בָּ֑ם עַד־ מָתַ֕י לֹ֥א יוּכְל֖וּ נִקָּיֹֽן׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
זָנַח֙ἀπότριψαιעֶגְלֵ֣ךְσουשֹֽׁמְר֔וֹןσαμάρειαחָרָ֥הπαρωχύνθηאַפִּ֖יμουבָּ֑םαὐτούςעַד־ἕωςמָתַ֕יτίνοςלֹ֥אοὐיוּכְל֖וּδύνωνταιנִקָּיֹֽן׃καθαρισθῆναι

11 of the 11 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.

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 8:5זָנַחhe has rejehe has rejectedזָנַחעֵ֫גֶלcalf yourcalf yourעֵ֫גֶלשִׁמְרוֹןO SamariaO Samariaשִׁמְרוֹןחָרָהit has burnit has burnedחָרָהאַףanger myanger myאַףהֶםon themon themהֶםעַדuntiluntilעַדמָתַיwhen?when?מָתַילֹאnotnotלֹאיָכֹלwill they bwill they be abיָכֹלנִקָּיוֹןinnocenceinnocenceנִקָּיוֹןאָנֵףbe angrybe angryאָנֵףנָקָהto clearto clearנָקָהעָגֹלroundroundעָגֹלשָׁמַרto keep: oto keep: obeyשָׁמַרחָרַרto scorchto scorchחָרַרחָרָהto contendto contendחָרָהעַדperpetuityperpetuityעַדנֵ֫צַחperpetuityperpetuityנֵ֫צַחאָדוֹןLordLordאָדוֹןמַרְבֵּקstallstallמַרְבֵּקמַסֵּכָהliquidliquidמַסֵּכָהאַחְאָבAhabAhabאַחְאָבקָבַרto buryto buryקָבַראַףfacefaceאַףיוֹנָהJonahJonahיוֹנָהאָרֵךְslowslowאָרֵךְחָרוֹןburning anburning angerחָרוֹןמָתַיhowhowמָתַי
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 8:5

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.

he has rejected calf your O Samaria it has burned anger my on them until when? not will they be able innocence
זָנַח֙za.Nach he has rejected H2186 Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singular
20× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To stink or be rejected is the meaning of this Hebrew word. It's used in the Bible to describe something that's disgusting or unwanted, like in the book of Psalm 38:5. The KJV translates it as 'cast away' or 'remove far away'.
Amplified meaning
completely, cast off, thrown away
Tyndale gloss
to reject
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

זָנַח (zanach) is a Hebrew verb that primarily means to reject or spurn, with nuances of casting off or forsaking. It also has a secondary meaning related to emitting a stench, as noted in Isaiah 19:6. The word is built from a primitive root, indicating a strong sense of pushing aside or removing.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

זָנַח vb. reject, spurn

Qal reject

Hiph. (late) reject

base

[זָנַח] stink, emit stench;—only Hiph. Is 19:6

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2186a זָנַח reject, spurn H2186b זָנַח stink, emit stench

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2186 zanach zaw-nakh'

a primitive root meaning to push aside, i.e. reject, forsake,

fail:--cast away (off), remove far away (off).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

זָנַח (za.nach) — to reject.

1) to cast off, reject, spurn

1a) (Qal) to reject

1b) (Hiphil) to forcefully reject someone

זָנַח (za.nach) — to stink.

1) to stink, emit stench, become odious

1a) (Hiphil) stink (perfect)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-3ms — Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singular
HVqp3ms
he has rejected calf your O Samaria it has burned anger my on them until when? not will they be able innocence
עֶגְלֵ֣ךְ'eg.Lekh calf your H5695 Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
35× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word refers to a young male calf, nearly grown into a steer. It appears in the book of Exodus and Leviticus, describing animal sacrifices. The word is often translated as 'bullock' or 'calf'.
Amplified meaning
idol, young ox
Tyndale gloss
calf
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עֵ֫גֶל (egel) refers to a male calf, particularly one that is nearly grown, and is associated with the idea of frisking or circling about. The term is used in the context of livestock, specifically as a bull-calf or steer, as noted in various lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עֵ֫גֶל n.m. calf (as rolling or circling about ?)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5695 עֵ֫גֶל calf (as rolling or circling about ?)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5695 `egel ay-ghel

from the same as 5696; a (male) calf (as frisking round),

especially one nearly grown (i.e. a steer):--bullock, calf.

see HEBREW for 05696

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עֵ֫גֶל (e.gel) — calf.

calf, bull-calf

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HNcmsc/Sp2fs
he has rejected calf your O Samaria it has burned anger my on them until when? not will they be able innocence
שֹֽׁמְר֔וֹןsho.me.Ron O Samaria H8111 Noun proper
109× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Samaria means watch mountain, a region in northern Palestine and the capital city of the northern kingdom of Israel, located near Jerusalem. It was the kingdom of the 10 tribes of Israel after Solomon's death.
Amplified meaning
watch mountain, capital of Israel
Tyndale gloss
Samaria
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שִׁמְרוֹן (Shomrown) refers to Samaria, the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel established during Omri's reign. The name is derived from a root meaning 'watch-station' or 'watch mountain.' It denotes both the city and the surrounding region, which played a significant role in the history of Israel after the kingdom split.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שִׁמְרוֹן 109 n.pr.loc. capital of N. Isr. from Omri's time

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8111 שִׁמְרוֹן capital of N. Isr. from Omri's time

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8111 Shomrown sho-mer-one'

from the active participle of 8104; watch-station; Shomeron,

a place in Palestine:--Samaria.

see HEBREW for 08104

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שֹׁמְרוֹן (sho.me.ron) — Samaria.

§ Samaria = "watch mountain"

1) the region of northern Palestine associated with the northern kingdom of the 10 tribes of Israel which split from the kingdom after the death of Solomon during the reign of his son Rehoboam and were ruled by Jeroboam

2) the capital city of the northern kingdom of Israel located 30 miles (50 km) north of Jerusalem and 6 miles (10 km) northwest of Shechem

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper
HNpl
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Samaria

A watch-mountain or a watch-tower. In the heart of the mountains of Israel, a few miles north-west of Shechem, stands the “hill of Shomeron,” a solitary mountain, a great “mamelon.” It is an oblong hill, with steep but not inaccessible sides, and a long flat top. Omri, the king of Israel, purchased this hill from Shemer its owner for two talents of silver, and built on its broad summit the city to which he gave the name of “Shomeron”, i.e., Samaria, as the new capital of his kingdom instead of Tirzah (1 Kings 16:24). As such it possessed many advantages. Here Omri resided during the last six years of his reign. As the result of an unsuccessful war with Syria, he appears to have been obliged to grant to the Syrians the right to “make streets in Samaria”, i.e., probably permission to the Syrian merchants to carry on their trade…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(watch mountain). This city is situated 30 miles north of Jerusalem and about six miles to the northwest of Shechem, in a wide basin-shaped valley, six miles in diameter, encircled with high hills, almost on the edge of the great plain which borders upon the Mediterranean. In the centre of this basin, which is on a lower level than the valley of Shechem, rises a less elevated hill, with steep yet accessible sides and a long fiat top. This hill was chosen by Omri as the site of the capital of the kingdom of Israel. He "bought the hill of Samaria of Shemer for two talents of silver, and built on the hill, and called the name of the city which he built, after the name of the owner of the hill, Samaria." (1 Kings 16:23,24) From the that of Omri’s purchase, B.C. 925, Samaria retained its dignity as the capital of the ten tribes, and the…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

1. One of the three divisions of the Holy Land in the time of our Savior, having Galilee on the north and Judea on the south, the Jordan on the east and the Mediterranean on the west, and occupying parts of the territory assigned at first to Ephraim, Mahasseh, and Issachar, Lu 17:11 Joh 4:4. It is described as having its hills less bare than those of Judea, and its valleys and plains more cultivated and fruitful. See CANAAN. Many gospel churches were early planted here, Ac 8:1,25 9:31 15:3.

2. A city situated near the middle of Palestine, some six miles northwest of Shechem. It was built by Omri king of Israel, about 920 B. C., and named after Shemer the previous owner of the mountain or hill on which the city stood, 1Ki…

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

watch-mountain

he has rejected calf your O Samaria it has burned anger my on them until when? not will they be able innocence
חָרָ֥הcha.Rah it has burned H2734 Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singular
91× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To be incensed means to be very angry or furious, like a fire burning. It describes strong emotions like anger, zeal, or jealousy, and is used to express intense feelings in the Bible.
Amplified meaning
is kindled, ablaze
Tyndale gloss
to be incensed
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חָרָה (charah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to burn or be kindled, particularly in the context of anger or zeal. It encompasses various forms, including to glow, grow warm, or become incensed. The entries indicate its use in different stems, such as Qal (to burn), Niphal (to be angry), and Hiphil (to kindle). The lexicons do not present significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חָרָה vb. burn, be kindled, of anger

Qal

of man

of God

Niph. be angry with

Hiph. burned with zeal (?) in repairing; and kindled his anger against me

Hithp. heat oneself in vexation.—The foll. forms are somewhat dub.: how canst thou hotly contend (in a race) with the horses?; because thou strivest eagerly (to excel) in cedar

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2734 חָרָה burn, be kindled, of anger

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2734 charah khaw-raw'

a primitive root (compare 2787); to glow or grow warm;

figuratively (usually) to blaze up, of anger, zeal,

jealousy:--be angry, burn, be displeased, X earnestly, fret

self, grieve, be (wax) hot, be incensed, kindle, X very, be

wroth. See 8474.

see HEBREW for 02787

see HEBREW for 08474

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חָרָה (cha.rah) — to be incensed.

1) to be hot, furious, burn, becomeangry, be kindled

1a) (Qal) to burn, kindle (anger)

1b) (Niphal) to be angry with, be incensed

1c) (Hiphil) to burn, kindle

1d) (Hithpael) to heat oneself in vexation

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-3ms — Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singular
HVqp3ms
he has rejected calf your O Samaria it has burned anger my on them until when? not will they be able innocence
אַפִּ֖י'a.Pi anger my H639 Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
276× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word can mean face, but also anger or nose. It is used to describe someone's countenance or emotions, like anger or patience. In the Bible, it appears in various contexts, including descriptions of God's emotions.
Amplified meaning
strong emotion, furious
Tyndale gloss
face
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אַף (aph) primarily means nostril or nose, but it also refers to the face and is often associated with anger. It can denote a person's countenance or expressions of ire. The entries highlight its connection to rapid breathing in passionate states, indicating its use in contexts of anger or wrath.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אַף 277 n.m. nostril, nose, face, anger

nostril, as organ of breathing

Dn. face

mostly anger

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H639 אַף nostril, nose, face, anger

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

639 'aph af

from 599; properly, the nose or nostril; hence, the face, and

occasionally a person; also (from the rapid breathing in

passion) ire:--anger(-gry), + before, countenance, face, +

forebearing, forehead, + (long-)suffering, nose, nostril,

snout, X worthy, wrath.

see HEBREW for 0599

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אַף (aph) — face: anger.

: anger

1) nostril, nose, face

2) anger

אַף (aph) — face: nose.

: nose

1) nostril, nose, face

2) anger

אַף (aph) — face.

: face

1) nostril, nose, face

2) anger

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HNcmsc/Sp1bs
he has rejected calf your O Samaria it has burned anger my on them until when? not will they be able innocence
בָּ֑םBam on them H9038 Preposition · suffix
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הֶם (hem) — them.

Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 3rd person masculine plural

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Sp3mp — Preposition · suffix
HR/Sp3mp
he has rejected calf your O Samaria it has burned anger my on them until when? not will they be able innocence
עַד־'ad- until H5704 Preposition
1,261× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means until or as far as, describing a point in time or space. It's used in the Bible to set boundaries or limits, like in Exodus when describing the Israelites' journey.
Amplified meaning
until when, for how much time, remain, continue to be
Tyndale gloss
till
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עַד (ad) primarily functions as a preposition, adverb, or conjunction meaning 'until,' 'up to,' or 'as far as.' It can denote spatial, temporal, or degree-related contexts, such as 'even to' or 'while.' The entries indicate its use in poetry and in various combinations, but there is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עַד, in poetry עֲדֵי prep. as far as, even to, up to, until, while

prep.

of space

Of time

Of degree

conj.

until

While

Of degree, to the point that, so that even (rare)

עַד לְ, a strengthened form for עַד. Thus

of space

Of time

Of degree

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5704 עַד, in poetry עֲדֵי as far as, even to, up to, until, while . prep. . of space

. Of time

. Of degree

. conj. . until

. While

. Of degree, to the point that, so that even (rare)

. עַד לְ, a strengthened form for עַד. Thus . of space

. Of time

. Of degree

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5704 `ad ad

properly, the same as 5703 (used as a preposition, adverb or

conjunction; especially with a preposition); as far (or long,

or much) as, whether of space (even unto) or time (during,

while, until) or degree (equally with):--against, and, as,

at, before, by (that), even (to), for(-asmuch as),

(hither-)to, + how long, into, as long (much) as, (so) that,

till, toward, until, when, while, (+ as) yet.

see HEBREW for 05703

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עַד (ad) — till.

prep

1) as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as

1a) of space

1a1) as far as, up to, even to

1b) in combination

1b1) from...as far as, both...and (with 'min' -from)

1c) of time

1c1) even to, until, unto, till, during, end

1d) of degree

1d1) even to, to the degree of, even like

conj

2) until, while, to the point that, so that even

Aramaic equivalent: ad (עַד "till" H5705)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Preposition
HR
he has rejected calf your O Samaria it has burned anger my on them until when? not will they be able innocence
מָתַ֕יma.Tai when? H4970 Particle
43× 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 'when' or 'how long', often used to ask about time or duration, like in Genesis when asking how long a task will take.
Tyndale gloss
how
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מָתַי (mathay) is an adverb meaning 'when?' It is derived from an unused root that suggests extension, particularly in relation to time. The word is used interrogatively to ask about timeframes, such as 'how long?' or 'until when?'. It appears in contexts that require a temporal inquiry.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מָתַי 43 interrog.adv. when?

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4970 מָתַי when?

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4970 mathay maw-thah'ee

from an unused root meaning to extend; properly, extent (of

time); but used only adverbially (especially with other

particle prefixes), when (either relative or

interrogative):--long, when.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מָתַי (ma.tay) — how.

1) when?

1a) with prep

1a1) against when?, until when?, how long?, after how long?

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTi — Particle
HTi
he has rejected calf your O Samaria it has burned anger my on them until when? not will they be able innocence
לֹ֥אlo' not H3808 Particle
5,170× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Amplified meaning
unable, powerless
Tyndale gloss
not
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לֹא or לוֹא adv. not

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3808 lo' lo

or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often

used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,

ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,

no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out

of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +

of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לֹא (lo) — not.

1) not, no

1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)

1b) not (with modifier-negation)

1c) nothing (subst)

1d) without (with particle)

1e) before (of time)

Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part — Particle
HTn
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
he has rejected calf your O Samaria it has burned anger my on them until when? not will they be able innocence
יוּכְל֖וּyu.khe.Lu will they be able H3201 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine plural
194× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to be able or have power, used in various contexts, such as overcoming or enduring, and is translated as 'be able' or 'have power' in the KJV.
Tyndale gloss
be able
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָכֹל (yakol) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to be able' or 'to have power.' It encompasses a range of abilities, including physical, moral, and constitutional strength, as well as the capacity to endure or prevail. The entries highlight its use in various contexts, but do not provide specific verse references.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָכֹל, יָכוֹל 193 vb. be able, have power, prevail, endure

Qal

be able, to do a thing,, whether ability be physical, moral, constitutional, or dependent on external authority

prevail

abs. have ability, strength, only neg.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3201 יָכֹל, יָכוֹל be able, have power, prevail, endure .. be able, to do a thing,, whether ability be physical, moral, constitutional, or dependent on external authority

. prevail

. abs. have ability, strength, only neg.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3201 yakol yaw-kole'

or (fuller) yakowl {yaw-kole'}; a primitive root; to be able,

literally (can, could) or morally (may, might):--be able, any

at all (ways), attain, can (away with, (-not)), could, endure,

might, overcome, have power, prevail, still, suffer.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָכֹל (ya.khol) — be able.

1) to prevail, overcome, endure, have power, be able

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to be able, be able to gain or accomplish, be able to endure, be able to reach

1a2) to prevail, prevail over or against, overcome, be victor

1a3) to have ability, have strength

Aramaic equivalent: ye.khel (יְכִל "be able" H3202)

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

a'-b'-l: The Greek dunamai, "to have power," may refer either to inherent strength, or to the absence of in external obstacles, or to what may be allowable or permitted. The Greek ischuo, as in Lu 13:24; Joh 21:6, refers always to the first of the above meanings. The use of the word as an adjective the King James Version of 2Co 3:6, is misleading, and has been properly changed in the Revised Version (British and American) into "sufficient as ministers," i.e. "hath fitted us to be ministers."

he has rejected calf your O Samaria it has burned anger my on them until when? not will they be able innocence
נִקָּיֹֽן׃ni.ka.Yon innocence H5356 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
5× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to the state of being clear or innocent, either physically or morally. It is used in the Old Testament to describe a person's cleanness or innocence, such as in the book of Psalms where David asks God to create a clean heart within him.
Amplified meaning
purity, moral cleanness
Tyndale gloss
innocence
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נִקָּיוֹן (niqqayown) primarily means 'innocency' or 'freedom from guilt and punishment.' It can also refer to a physical sense of 'cleanness of teeth.' Another meaning associated with this word is 'bluntness,' as noted in the context of Amos 4:6. The word is derived from a root that suggests clarity or purity.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נִקָּיוֹן n.[m.] innocency

freedom from guilt, innocency

freedom from punishment

in physical sense, cleanness of teeth

base

[קֵהָיוֹן] n.[m.] bluntness;—rd. perh. cstr. Am 4:6

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5356a נִקָּיוֹן innocency H5356b קֵהָיוֹן bluntness

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5356 niqqayown nik-kaw-yone'

or niqqayon {nik-kaw-yone'}; from 5352; clearness (literally

or figuratively):--cleanness, innocency.

see HEBREW for 05352

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נִקָּיוֹן (niq.qa.von) — innocence.

1) innocency

1a) freedom from guilt, innocency

1b) freedom from punishment

1c) cleanness of teeth (physical sense)

קֵהָיוֹן (qe.ha.yon) — bluntness.

bluntness)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
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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