Menu

Hosea 9:3 — Word Study

Depth

WLCלֹ֥א יֵשְׁב֖וּ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ יְהוָ֑ה וְשָׁ֤ב אֶפְרַ֙יִם֙ מִצְרַ֔יִם וּבְאַשּׁ֖וּר טָמֵ֥א יֹאכֵֽלוּ׃

BSAThey will notlôʼ [never, under no circumstances] remainyâshab in the landʼerets [territory, region] of the LORDYᵉhôvâh [Yehovah, the covenant God] EphraimʼEphrayim [doubly fruitful, a tribe of Israel] will returnshûwb [to turn back, come back] to EgyptMitsrayim [a country in northeastern Africa] and eatʼâkal [consume, devour] unclean foodṭâmêʼ [spiritually impure, defiled, sustenance, nourishment] in AssyriaʼAshshûwr [a region in the ancient Near East, also known as Asshur]

Word
Listen & take awayHosea 9
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 3 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 (yo.Khe.lu) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Hosea 9:3quick helps
In a sentenceThe people of Ephraim will not stay in the land of the LORD, but will return to Egypt and consume defiled food in Assyria.
Who is speakingThe prophet Hosea, addressing the people of Israel.
Where we areThis verse is part of a warning about impending judgment and exile.
The hard wordטָמֵא
Take awayThe people will abandon their land and their God, leading to spiritual and physical degradation.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectאֶפְרַיִם verbיָשַׁב 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 9:3

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 — Judgment Against Israelgenerated

2The threshing floor and winepress will not feed them, and the new wine will fail them.
3They will not remain in the land of the LORD; Ephraim will return to Egypt and eat unclean food in Assyria.
4They will not pour out wine offerings to the LORD, and their sacrifices will not please Him, but will be to them like the bread of mourners; all who eat will be defiled. For their bread will be for themselves; it will not enter the house of the LORD.
5What will you do on the appointed day, on the day of the LORD’s feast?

Hosea 9:3 warns that the people will not remain in the land of the LORD, indicating a loss of their covenant relationship with God. Ephraim, representing the northern kingdom of Israel, will return to Egypt, symbolizing a return to oppression and idolatry, and consume unclean food in Assyria, highlighting their spiritual impurity and defilement. This reflects the broader theme of Hosea, where Israel's unfaithfulness leads to divine judgment and exile, as seen in the surrounding verses.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Leviticus 18:28So if you defile the land, it will vomit you out as it spewed out the nations before you.
2Leviticus 20:22You are therefore to keep all My statutes and ordinances, so that the land where I am bringing you to live will not vomit you out.
3Deuteronomy 4:26I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you this day that you will quickly perish from the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess. You will not live long upon it, but will be utterly destroyed.
4Deuteronomy 28:63Just as it pleased the LORD to make you prosper and multiply, so also it will please Him to annihilate you and destroy you. And you will be uprooted from the land you are entering to possess.
5Joshua 23:15But just as every good thing the LORD your God promised you has come to pass, likewise the LORD will bring upon you the calamity He has threatened, until He has destroyed you from this good land He has given you.

The Key Word יֵשְׁב֖וּ, ye.she.Vugenerated

The verb יָשַׁב (yashab) means to dwell or remain, indicating a state of being present in a place. The imperfect tense suggests an ongoing action, implying that the people of Ephraim will not be able to continue their existence in the land of the LORD due to their disobedience.

This verb is used to describe a physical presence as well as a metaphorical or spiritual state, emphasizing the seriousness of their impending exile. The choice of this verb underscores the consequences of their actions and the loss of their homeland.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb is יֵשְׁב֖וּ, they will remain, which governs the entire clause. The sentence structure includes a prepositional phrase indicating location, followed by a sequential clause describing Ephraim's return and what they will consume.

The word order places emphasis on the negation at the beginning, highlighting the certainty of their departure from the land of the LORD.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates יֵשְׁב֖וּ as κατῴκησαν, meaning 'they dwelt', which carries a similar sense of remaining but may imply a more permanent state. This choice reflects the translators' understanding of the consequences of Israel's actions.

The Greek word for טָמֵא is ἀκάθαρτα, meaning 'unclean', which aligns closely with the Hebrew meaning and emphasizes the spiritual defilement of the food they will consume.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Hosea 9:3 warns that the people of Ephraim will not remain in the land of the LORD. Instead, they will return to Egypt and eat unclean food in Assyria. This reflects their disobedience and the consequences of turning away from God.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that Ephraim will return to Egypt?

It signifies a return to oppression and idolatry, as Egypt represents a place of bondage and spiritual corruption.

What is meant by unclean food?

Unclean food refers to food that is spiritually impure, violating the dietary laws given to Israel, indicating a state of defilement.

Why will they not remain in the land of the LORD?

Their disobedience and unfaithfulness to God lead to judgment, resulting in their exile from the promised land.

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

It illustrates the consequences of Israel's unfaithfulness and the impending judgment that leads to their separation from God and their homeland.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways have I seen the consequences of turning away from God in my own life?
  2. How can I ensure that I remain faithful to God and His commandments?
  3. What does it mean for me to consume 'unclean' things in my life, and how can I avoid them?
  4. How does understanding the context of this verse help me grasp its significance?

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

Early interpretations of this verse highlight the consequences of Israel's unfaithfulness, as seen in the commentary by Jerome, who reflects on the themes of exile and defilement.

JeromeCommentary on Hosea 9:3-4 c. 347–420
"They shall not dwell in the land of the Lord. Ephraim returned to Egypt, and in Assyria he ate polluted food. They shall not offer wine to the Lord, nor shall their sacrifices please him;
Early Church Fathers on Hosea 9 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Hosea 9:3 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

They shall not dwell in the Lord's land,.... The land of Israel, or Canaan; which, though all the earth is the Lord's, was peculiarly his; which he had chosen for himself, and for this people; where

Read John Gill on Hosea 9 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

They shall not dwell in the LORD's land; but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean things in Assyria. They shall not dwell in the Lord's land; but Ephraim shall return to Egypt - (note, Hosea 8:13).

Read Robert Jamieson on Hosea 9 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

They, who worship idols, and give my glory to them, depending on them, and ascribing to them what I alone give them, shall not dwell in the Lord’ s land; though they have been in possession many years, and though now they seem out of fear of losing it, being great at home and in peace with neighbours abroad, yet in midst of this prosperity and security, let them note it, they shall not much longer dwell in the Lord’ s land, which God gave them according to promise, with express condition that they should obey him and fear him, and him only, ,3, and with express menace of exile and ruin if they forgot God, ,20. This land, which is the Lord’ s propriety, and theirs only on condition, and this…

Read Matthew Poole on Hosea 9 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Hosea 9:3 They shall not dwell in the LORD’ S land; but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean [things] in Assyria. Ver. 3. They shall not dwell in the Lord’ s land] Because they would not live by the Lord’ s laws, they shall therefore be turned out of his house (so this land was called, Hosea 9:8) as rebellious children, that are a disturbance and a disgrace to their father’ s family; they shall hold no longer as tenants of him, the chief landlord, because so backward to send a lamb (as rent or a homage penny) to the ruler of the land, Isaiah 16:1; they were tenants at will, and held upon condition of obedience, Leviticus 18:28, it was divided among them by lot; Joshua…

Read John Trapp on Hosea 9 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(3, 4) Canaan, the land of Jehovah, is holy, Assyria unholy (Amos 7:17), where there was no temple or sacred ordinances. Since meat was not a divinely sanctioned food, except in connection with a Jehovah festival, it became in the land of exile unclean. This became true in the eyes of Hosea of all eating. “In the family every feast was a Eucharistic sacrifice” (W. R. Smith, Old Testament in the Jewish Church, pp. 235 and 237). (Comp. Ezekiel 4:13.)

Read Charles John Ellicott on Hosea 9 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 3. But Ephraim shall return to Egypt] See on Hosea 8:13.

Read AdamClarke on Hosea 9 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

3. in the Lord’s land] ‘For I the Lord dwell among the children of Israel’, Numbers 35:34. The expression originated in the popular belief that as, for example, Chemosh was the God of the Amorites, so Jehovah was the God of the Israelites (Judges 11:24), a belief which could lead even Jonah to imagine that he could ‘flee unto Tarshish from the presence of Jehovah’ (Jonah 1:3). shall return to Egypt, &c.] A repetition of the threat so well calculated to deter the Israelites from disobedience (see on Hosea 8:13). shall eat unclean things in Assyria] Comp. Ezekiel 4:13, ‘Even thus shall the children of Israel eat their bread defiled among the nations whither I will drive them.’ The prospect…

Read Cambridge on Hosea 9 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

They shall not dwell in the Lord’s land. The earth is the Lord’s and the fulness thereof - Yet He had chosen the land of Canaan, there to place His people; there, above others, to work His miracles;

Read Albert Barnes on Hosea 9 →

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

They will not remain in the land of the LORD; Ephraim will return to Egypt and eat unclean food in Assyria.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

They won’t dwell in Yahweh’s land; but Ephraim will return to Egypt, and they will eat unclean food in Assyria.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

They will not remain in the land of the LORD; Ephraim will return to Egypt and eat unclean food in Assyria.

NETBNew English Translation2006

They will not remain in the Lord’s land. Ephraim will return to Egypt; they will eat ritually unclean food in Assyria.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

They shall not dwell in the LORD’s land; but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean things in Assyria.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

They shall not dwell in Jehovah’s land; but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean food in Assyria.

RVARevised Version, American1894

They shall not dwell in the LORD’S land; but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean food in Assyria.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

They shall not dwell in the LORD'S land; but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean things in Assyria.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

They wil not dwel in the Lordes lande, but Ephraim will returne to Egypt, and they will eate vncleane things in Asshur.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

They shall not dwell in Jehovah's land; but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and in Assyria shall they eat that which is unclean.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

They do not abide in the land of Jehovah, And turned back hath Ephraim [to] Egypt, And in Asshur an unclean thing they eat.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

They do not abide in the land of YHWH, || And Ephraim has turned back [to] Egypt, || And they eat an unclean thing in Asshur.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

They shall not dwell in the land of the Lord; but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and in Assyria will they eat unclean things.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

They will not continue to live in Yahweh's land; instead, Ephraim will return to Egypt, and one day they will eat unclean food in Assyria.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

They shall not dwell in the Lord’s land: Ephraim is returned to Egypt, and hath eaten unclean things among the Assyrians.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

You will not stay in the Lord's land, instead Ephraim will return to Egypt, and will eat unclean food in Assyria.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

They will have no resting-place in the Lord's land, but Ephraim will go back to Egypt, and they will take unclean food in Assyria.

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.

clauseadverbialלֹ֥אnotverbיֵשְׁב֖וּthey.will.remainprepositional phrase · prepositionalבְּinnoun phraseאֶ֣רֶץthe.landיְהוָ֑הof.Yahwehוְandclauseverbשָׁ֤בhe.will.returnsubjectאֶפְרַ֨יִם֙Ephraimadverbialמִצְרַ֔יִםEgyptוּandclauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalבְinאַשּׁ֖וּרAssyriaobjectטָמֵ֥אunclean.[food]verbיֹאכֵֽלוּthey.will.eat

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 wording, with the Septuagint providing a Greek rendering that captures the essence of the Hebrew. The Dead Sea Scrolls partially restore the text but confirm the key themes of exile and defilement.

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

לֹ֥א יֵשְׁב֖וּ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ יְהוָ֑ה וְשָׁ֤ב אֶפְרַ֙יִם֙ מִצְרַ֔יִם וּבְאַשּׁ֖וּר טָמֵ֥א יֹאכֵֽלוּ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
לֹ֥אοὐיֵשְׁב֖וּκατῴκησανבְּאֶ֣רֶץγῇוְשָׁ֤בκατῴκησενאֶפְרַ֙יִם֙εφραιμמִצְרַ֔יִםαἴγυπτονוּבְאַשּׁ֖וּרἀσσυρίοιςטָמֵ֥אἀκάθαρταיֹאכֵֽלוּ׃φάγονται

9 of the 10 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q82a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[לוא] [ישבו] [בארץ] יהוה ושב [אפרים] [מצרים] [ובאשור] [טמא] [יאכלו]

1 word on the leather — 1 partly restored, 8 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 9:3לֹאnotnotלֹאיָשַׁבthey will rthey will remaiיָשַׁבאֶ֫רֶץin [the] lain [the] land oאֶ֫רֶץיהוהYahwehYahwehיהוהשׁוּבand he willand he will retשׁוּבאֶפְרַ֫יִםEphraimEphraimאֶפְרַ֫יִםמִצְרַ֫יִםEgyptEgyptמִצְרַ֫יִםאַשּׁוּרand in Assyand in Assyriaאַשּׁוּרטָמֵאunclean [founclean [food]טָמֵאאָכַלthey will ethey will eatאָכַלהָיָהto beto beהָיָהאָשַׁרto blessto blessאָשַׁרטָמֵאto defileto defileטָמֵאאֶפְרָ֫תָהEphrathEphrathאֶפְרָ֫תָהמָצוֹרEgyptEgyptמָצוֹריָכֹלbe ablebe ableיָכֹלעוֹדstillstillעוֹדבֶּ֫טַחsecuritysecurityבֶּ֫טַחכְּנַעֲנִיCanaanitesCanaanitessכְּנַעֲנִיכְּנַ֫עַןCanaanCanaanכְּנַ֫עַןמִצְרַ֫יִם(Sea of) E(Sea of) Egyptמִצְרַ֫יִםנְאֻםutteranceutteranceנְאֻםצָבָאarmyarmyצָבָאשְׁבִיתcaptivitycaptivityשְׁבִיתחָרוֹןburning anburning angerחָרוֹןמְנַשֶּׁהMosesMosesמְנַשֶּׁההַרmountain: mountain: mountהַרכּוּשׁEthiopiaEthiopiaכּוּשׁ
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 9:3

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.

not they will remain in [the] land of Yahweh and he will return Ephraim Egypt and in Assyria unclean [food] they will eat
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
never, under no circumstances
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
not they will remain in [the] land of Yahweh and he will return Ephraim Egypt and in Assyria unclean [food] they will eat
יֵשְׁב֖וּye.she.Vu they will remain H3427 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine plural
1,079× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to sit or dwell, and can also mean to remain or abide. It's used in the Bible to describe people living in a place or staying with someone, like in the book of Genesis.
Tyndale gloss
to dwell
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָשַׁב (yashab) is a Hebrew verb meaning to sit, remain, or dwell. It encompasses a range of actions from simply sitting down to more complex ideas like establishing a home or causing a place to be inhabited. The entries indicate various forms, including Qal (to sit), Niphal (to be inhabited), and Hiphil (to cause to dwell). There is an Aramaic equivalent, יְתִב (ye.tiv), meaning 'to dwell'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָשַׁב 1090 vb. sit, remain, dwell

Qal

sit

sit, sit down

sit down

sit = be set (as a jewel)

remain, stay, tarry

with special emphasis of qualifying phr.

dwell, have one’s abode

of a land or city, sit, abide, seated in its place, fig. for be inhabited

Niph. be inhabited, of land

Pi. and they shall set their encampments in thee

Hiph.

cause to sit

cause to abide

cause to dwell

cause cities to be inhabited

marry (prop. give a dwelling to)

Hoph. and ye be made to dwell alone in the midst of the land

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3427 יָשַׁב sit, remain, dwell

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3427 yashab yaw-shab'

a primitive root; properly, to sit down (specifically as

judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to

remain; causatively, to settle, to marry:--(make to)

abide(-ing), continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-ing), ease

self, endure, establish, X fail, habitation, haunt, (make to)

inhabit(-ant), make to keep (house), lurking, X marry(-ing),

(bring again to) place, remain, return, seat, set(- tle),

(down-)sit(-down, still, -ting down, -ting (place) -uate),

take, tarry.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָשַׁב (ya.shav) — to dwell.

1) to dwell, remain, sit, abide

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to sit, sit down

1a2) to be set

1a3) to remain, stay

1a4) to dwell, have one's abode

1b) (Niphal) to be inhabited

1c) (Piel) to set, place

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to cause to sit

1d2) to cause to abide, set

1d3) to cause to dwell

1d4) to cause (cities) to be inhabited

1d5) to marry (give an dwelling to)

1e) (Hophal)

1e1) to be inhabited

1e2) to make to dwell

Aramaic equivalent: ye.tiv (יְתִב "to dwell" H3488)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine plural
HVqi3mp
not they will remain in [the] land of Yahweh and he will return Ephraim Egypt and in Assyria unclean [food] they will eat
בְּאֶ֣רֶץbe.'E.retz in [the] land of H776 Preposition · noun common feminine singular construct
2,504× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The land or earth refers to the soil or ground, and can also mean a country, territory, or region. In the Bible, it is used to describe the earth and its inhabitants, and is often translated as 'land' or 'country'.
Amplified meaning
territory, region
Tyndale gloss
land: soil
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֶ֫רֶץ (erets) is a feminine noun meaning 'earth' or 'land.' It encompasses various meanings, including the whole earth, specific territories like Canaan, and even inhabitants of the land. It can refer to soil, ground, or regions, and is used in phrases related to distance and the living. There is a note on the plural form אֲרָצוֹת, which mainly appears in later texts to denote multiple lands.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶ֫רֶץ n. f. & (seld.) m. earth, land

earth, whole earth (opp. to a part)

earth, opp. to heaven, sky

earth = inhabitants of earth

land =

country, territory

district, region

trial territory

piece of ground

specif. land of Canaan, or Israel

= inhabitants of land

used even of Shᵉʼôl

ground, surface of ground

soil, as productive

אֶרֶץ in phrases

people of the land

in measurements of distance

the country of the plain, level or plain country

land of the living

end(s) of the earth

pl. אֲרָצוֹת is almost wholly late; it denotes lands, countries, often in contrast to Canaan, lands of the nations, etc.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H776 אֶ֫רֶץ n. f. & (seld.) m. earth, land . . earth, whole earth (opp. to a part)

. earth, opp. to heaven, sky

. earth = inhabitants of earth

. land = . country, territory

. district, region

. trial territory

. piece of ground

. specif. land of Canaan, or Israel

. = inhabitants of land

. used even of Shᵉʼôl

. . ground, surface of ground

. soil, as productive

. אֶרֶץ in phrases . people of the land

. in measurements of distance

. the country of the plain, level or plain country

. land of the living

. end(s) of the earth

. pl. אֲרָצוֹת is almost wholly late; it denotes lands, countries, often in contrast to Canaan, lands of the nations, etc.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

776 'erets eh'-rets

from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth

(at large, or partitively a land):--X common, country, earth,

field, ground, land, X natins, way, + wilderness, world.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶ֫רֶץ (e.rets) — land: country/planet.

: country/field

1) land, earth

1a) earth

1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part)

1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven)

1a3) earth (inhabitants)

1b) land

1b1) country, territory

1b2) district, region

1b3) tribal territory

1b4) piece of ground

1b5) land of Canaan, Israel

1b6) inhabitants of land

1b7) Sheol, land without return, (under) world

1b8) city (-state)

1c) ground, surface of the earth

1c1) ground

1c2) soil

1d) (in phrases)

1d1) people of the land

1d2) space or distance of country (in measurements of distance)

1d3) level or plain country

1d4) land of the living

1d5) end(s) of the earth

1e) (almost wholly late in usage)

1e1) lands, countries

1e1a) often in contrast to Canaan

אֶ֫רֶץ (e.rets) — land: soil.

: soil

1) land, earth

1a) earth

1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part)

1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven)

1a3) earth (inhabitants)

1b) land

1b1) country, territory

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-cs — Preposition · noun common feminine singular construct
HR/Ncfsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ov:

(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Lamentations 3:1.

The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.

Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.

That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.

Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…

not they will remain in [the] land of Yahweh and he will return Ephraim Egypt and in Assyria unclean [food] they will eat
יְהוָ֑הYah.weh Yahweh H3068 Noun proper
6,528× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Yehovah is another name for God, often translated as 'the Lord'. It is a national name for God in the Jewish faith. This name is used throughout the Old Testament.
Amplified meaning
Yehovah, the covenant God
Tyndale gloss
The Lord
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) is the proper name of the God of Israel, often rendered as Jehovah or the Lord. It signifies the self-existent or eternal nature of God. The name is closely associated with the revelation to Moses in Exodus 3:12-15 and is used in conjunction with other terms to denote sacred places. Some scholars suggest it derives from a root meaning 'to bring into being.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יהוה c. 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel—(1. MT יְהֹוָה 6518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהֹוִה 305 (Qr אֱלֹהִים) 2. Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of הוה (= היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver)

יהוה is not used by E in Gn, but is given Ex 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb

יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D

the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy

יהוה is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3068 יהוה i.e. יַהְוֶה n. pr. dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw'

from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish

national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.

see HEBREW for 01961

see HEBREW for 03050

see HEBREW for 03069

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — LORD.

Jehovah = "the existing One"

1) the proper name of the one true God

1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of a.do.na (אֲדֹנָי "Lord" H0136)

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — The Lord.

Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — (Jerusalem of) the Lord.

Combined with ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper
HNpt
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
not they will remain in [the] land of Yahweh and he will return Ephraim Egypt and in Assyria unclean [food] they will eat
וְשָׁ֤בve.Shav and he will return H7725 Verb · Qal · sequential perfect third person masculine singular
1,057× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to return or turn back, and can be used literally or figuratively. It is often used to describe someone returning to God or repenting from sin, as seen in the book of Psalms and the prophets.
Amplified meaning
to turn back, come back
Tyndale gloss
to return: return
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word שׁוּב (shuwb) means to turn back or return, covering a wide range of contexts including physical, spiritual, and relational. It can denote returning to a previous state, repenting, or even apostatizing. The entries describe various forms and uses, including bringing back, restoring, and refreshing. Notably, it can also imply a change in course of action.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שׁוּב 1056 vb. turn back, return

Qal 683;—turn back, return:

turn back

return, come or go back

esp. return unto

of dying

of revival from death

fig. of human relations:

return to leader, king

= change so as to appoach (in purpose, desire)

turn, i.e. resort to

return to a physical condition

abs. = change course of action

fig., specif. of spiritual relations:

turn back from God = apostatize

of י׳, turn away

turn back to God (= seek penitently)

abs. repent

turn back from evil

of י׳

of י׳, return (to shew favour)

of inanimate things (sts. personified, or treated as things of life):

denoting repetition, etc.

trans.

Pō‛l.

bring back

fig. restore, refresh

restore, repair

lead away (enticingly)

shew turning = apostatize

Hiph. 353 cause to return, bring back

bring back into bondage

put back

= draw back

= give back, restore

= relinguish

= give in payment, requital

bring one back (from dead)

bring back heart

= refresh

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7725 שׁוּב turn back, return .—turn back, return: . turn back

. return, come or go back

. esp. return unto

. . of dying

. of revival from death

. fig. of human relations: . return to leader, king

. = change so as to appoach (in purpose, desire)

. turn, i.e. resort to

. return to a physical condition

. abs. = change course of action

. fig., specif. of spiritual relations: . turn back from God = apostatize

. of י׳, turn away

. turn back to God (= seek penitently)

. abs. repent

. turn back from evil

. of י׳

. of י׳, return (to shew favour)

. of inanimate things (sts. personified, or treated as things of life):

. denoting repetition, etc.

. trans.

. . bring back

. . fig. restore, refresh

. restore, repair

. lead away (enticingly)

. shew turning = apostatize

. cause to return, bring back . . bring back into bondage

. put back

. = draw back

. = give back, restore

. = relinguish

. = give in payment, requital

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7725 shuwb shoob

a primitive root; to turn back (hence, away) transitively or

intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily

with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to

retreat; often adverbial, again:--((break, build, circumcise,

dig, do anything, do evil, feed, lay down, lie down, lodge,

make, rejoice, send, take, weep)) X again, (cause to) answer

(+ again), X in any case (wise), X at all, averse, bring

(again, back, home again), call (to mind), carry again (back),

cease, X certainly, come again (back), X consider, +

continually, convert, deliver (again), + deny, draw back,

fetch home again, X fro, get (oneself) (back) again, X give

(again), go again (back, home), (go) out, hinder, let, (see)

more, X needs, be past, X pay, pervert, pull in again, put

(again, up again), recall, recompense, recover, refresh,

relieve, render (again), requite, rescue, restore, retrieve,

Read the full entry →
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שׁוּב (shuv) — to return: return.

: return

1) to return, turn back

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to turn back, return

1a1a) to turn back

1a1b) to return, come or go back

1a1c) to return unto, go back, come back

1a1d) of dying

1a1e) of human relations (fig)

1a1f) of spiritual relations (fig)

1a1f1) to turn back (from God), apostatise

1a1f2) to turn away (of God)

1a1f3) to turn back (to God), repent

1a1f4) turn back (from evil)

1a1g) of inanimate things

1a1h) in repetition

1b) (Polel)

1b1) to bring back

1b2) to restore, refresh, repair (fig)

1b3) to lead away (enticingly)

1b4) to show turning, apostatise

1c) (Pual) restored (participle)

1d) (Hiphil) to cause to return, bring back

1d1) to bring back, allow to return, put back, draw back, give back, restore, relinquish, give in payment

1d2) to bring back, refresh, restore

1d3) to bring back, report to, answer

1d4) to bring back, make requital, pay (as recompense)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential perfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqq3ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
not they will remain in [the] land of Yahweh and he will return Ephraim Egypt and in Assyria unclean [food] they will eat
אֶפְרַ֙יִם֙'ef.Ra.yim Ephraim H669 Noun proper masculine
180× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Ephraim means doubly fruitful, referring to Joseph's son and the tribe that descended from him. The tribe of Ephraim was a significant part of Israel's history. Ephraim is also the name of a region in the Bible.
Amplified meaning
doubly fruitful, a tribe of Israel
Tyndale gloss
Ephraim
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֶפְרַ֫יִם (Ephrayim) refers to Ephraim, a son of Joseph and Asenath, and the tribe descended from him. The term signifies 'double fruit' and encompasses various meanings, including a geographical region, a chief gate of Jerusalem, and a reference to the northern kingdom. Notably, it appears in Genesis 41:52.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶפְרַ֫יִם n.pr.m. Ephraim

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H669 אֶפְרַ֫יִם Ephraim

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

669 'Ephrayim ef-rah'-yim

dual of masculine form of 672; double fruit; Ephrajim, a son

of Joseph; also the tribe descended from him, and its

territory:--Ephraim, Ephraimites.

see HEBREW for 0672

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶפְרַ֫יִם (eph.ra.yim) — Ephraim.

A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.41.52;

son of: Joseph (H3130) and Asenath (H0621);

brother of: Manasseh (H4519);

father of: Shuthelah (H7803), Becher (H1071H), Tahan (H8465), Ezer (H5827), Elead (H0496) and Beriah (H1283H); also called Ephrathite (NIV: Ephraimite) at 1Sa.1.1; Ephron (Qere, KJV: Ephrain) at 2Ch.13.19;

§ Ephraim = "double ash-heap: I shall be doubly fruitful"

1) second son of Joseph, blessed by him and given preference over first son, Manasseh

2) the tribe, Ephraim

3) the mountain country of Ephraim

4) sometimes used name for the northern kingdom (Hosea or Isaiah)

5) a city near Baal-hazor

6) a chief gate of Jerusalem

אֶפְרַ֫יִם (eph.ra.yim) — Ephraim (Gate).

§ Ephraim = "double ash-heap: I shall be doubly fruitful"

a chief gate of Jerusalem

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper masculine
HNpm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Ephraim

Double fruitfulness (“for God had made him fruitful in the land of his affliction”). The second son of Joseph, born in Egypt (Gen. 41:52; 46:20). The first incident recorded regarding him is his being placed, along with his brother Manasseh, before their grandfather, Jacob, that he might bless them (48:10; comp. 27:1). The intention of Joseph was that the right hand of the aged patriarch should be placed on the head of the elder of the two; but Jacob set Ephraim the younger before his brother, “guiding his hands wittingly.” Before Joseph’s death, Ephraim’s family had reached the third generation (Gen. 50:23).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

a city "in the district near the wilderness" to which our Lord retired with his disciples when threatened with violence by the priests. (John 11:54)

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The second son of Joseph, born in Egypt, Ge 41:52. Although the youngest, he yet had the chief blessing of his grandfather Jacob, and the tribe was always more distinguished than that of Manasseh, Ge 48:8-20 Nu 2:18-21. The portion of Ephraim was large and central, and embraced some of the most fertile land in all Canaan. It extended from the Mediterranean across to the Jordan, north of the portions of Dan and Benjamin and included Shiloh, Shechem, etc. A range of mountainous country, which runs through it, is called "the mountains of Ephraim," or "mount Ephraim." This extends also farther south into the portion of Judah, and is there called "the mountains of Judah." Samaria, the capital of the ten tribes, being in Ephraim…

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

fruitful; increasing

not they will remain in [the] land of Yahweh and he will return Ephraim Egypt and in Assyria unclean [food] they will eat
מִצְרַ֔יִםmitz.Ra.yim Egypt H4714 Noun proper
641× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means Egypt, a country in northeastern Africa, and is used in the Bible to describe the land and its people. It appears in books like Genesis and Isaiah, often referring to the Nile River and the Egyptians. Egypt is an important setting for many biblical events.
Amplified meaning
a country in northeastern Africa
Tyndale gloss
(Sea of) Egypt
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מִצְרַ֫יִם (mitsrayim) refers to Egypt, a country in northeastern Africa known for the Nile River. The term can denote both the land and its inhabitants, the Egyptians. It is derived from a dual form suggesting Upper and Lower Egypt, and is linked to the biblical figure Mizraim, a son of Ham. The lexicons note its significance in the context of the table of nations.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מִצְרַ֫יִם 681 n.pr.terr. et gent. Egypt, Egyptians

of land, Egypt

combinations

of people:

in table of nations, personif. as second son of Ham

= Egypt (as a people), Egyptians

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4714 מִצְרַ֫יִם Egypt, Egyptians . . of land, Egypt

. combinations

. of people: . in table of nations, personif. as second son of Ham

. = Egypt (as a people), Egyptians

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4714 Mitsrayim mits-rah'-yim

dual of 4693; Mitsrajim, i.e. Upper and Lower Egypt:--Egypt,

Egyptians, Mizraim.

see HEBREW for 04693

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מִצְרַ֫יִם (mits.ra.yim) — Egypt.

§ Egypt = "land of the Copts"

a country at the northeastern section of Africa, adjacent to Palestine, and through which the Nile flows

Egyptians = "double straits"

מִצְרַ֫יִם (mits.ra.yim) — Egypt.

A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.10.6;

son of: Ham (H2526);

brother of: Canaan (H3667), Cush (H3568) and Put (H6316);

father of: Ludim (H3866), Anamim (H6047), Lehabim (H3853), Naphtuhim (H5320), Pathrusim (H6625), Casluhim (H3695) and Caphtorim (H3732)

§ Egypt = "land of the Copts"

1) a country at the northeastern section of Africa, adjacent to Palestine, and through which the Nile flows

Egyptians = "double straits"

adj

2) the inhabitants or natives of Egypt

מִצְרַ֫יִם (mits.ra.yim) — (Sea of) Egypt.

§ Egypt = "land of the Copts"

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper
HNpl
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

e'-jipt:

I. THE COUNTRY

1. The Basis of the Land 2. The Nile Valley 3. Earliest Human Remains 4. Climate 5. Conditions of Life 6. The Nile 7. The Fauna 8. The Flora 9. The Prehistoric Races

II. THE HISTORY

1. 1st and 2nd Ages: Prehistoric 2. 3d Age: Ist and IInd Dynasties 3. 4th Age: IIIrd through VIth Dynasties 4. 5th Age: VIIth through XIVth Dynasties 5. 6th Age: XVth through XXIVth Dynasties 6. 7th Age: XXVth Dynasty to Roman Times 7. 8th Age: Arabic 8. Early Foreign Connections

III. THE OLD TESTAMENT CONNECTIONS

1. Semitic Connections 2. Abramic Times 3. Circumcision 4. Joseph 5. Descent into Egypt 6. The Oppression 7. The Historic Position 8. The Plagues 9. Date of the Exodus 10. Route of the Exodus 11. Numbers of the Exodus 12. Israel in Canaan 13. Hadad 14. Pharaoh's Daughter 15. Shishak 16. Zerakh 17. The Ethiopians 18. Tahpanhes 19. Hophra 20. The Jews of Syene 21. The New Jerusalem…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Egypt

The land of the Nile and the pyramids, the oldest kingdom of which we have any record, holds a place of great significance in Scripture.

The Egyptians belonged to the white race, and their original home is still a matter of dispute. Many scholars believe that it was in Southern Arabia, and recent excavations have shown that the valley of the Nile was originally inhabited by a low-class population, perhaps belonging to the Nigritian stock, before the Egyptians of history entered it. The ancient Egyptian language, of which the latest form is Coptic, is distantly connected with the Semitic family of speech.

Egypt consists geographically of two halves, the northern being the Delta, and the southern Upper Egypt, between Cairo and the First Cataract. In the Old Testament, Northern or Lower Egypt is called Mazor, “the fortified land” (Isa.…

A celebrated country in the north of Africa, at the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea. The Hebrews called it Mizraim, Ge 10:6, and hence it is now called by the Arabs, Mizr. The Greeks and Romans called it Aegyptus, whence Egypt; but the origin of this name is unknown.

The habitable land of Egypt is for the most part a great valley, through which the river Nile pours its waters, extending in a straight line from north to south, and skirted on the east and west by ranges of mountains, which approach and recede from the river more or less in different parts. Where this valley terminates, towards the north, the Nile divides itself, about forty or fifty miles from the seacoast, into several arms, which inclose the so-called Delta. The ancients numbered seven arms and mouths; the eastern was that of Pelusium, now that of Tineh; and the…

not they will remain in [the] land of Yahweh and he will return Ephraim Egypt and in Assyria unclean [food] they will eat
וּבְאַשּׁ֖וּרu.ve.'a.Shur and in Assyria H804 Conjunction · preposition · noun proper
151× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Asshur was the second son of Shem and the ancestor of the Assyrians, mentioned in Genesis 10:22. The name Asshur means 'a step'.
Amplified meaning
a region in the ancient Near East, also known as Asshur
Tyndale gloss
Asshur
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אַשּׁוּר (Ashshuwr) refers to Assyria, the ancient empire and its people, as well as Asshur, the second son of Shem. The term encompasses the region, the nation, and the descendants of Asshur. It is linked to the notion of success and is first mentioned in Genesis 10:22.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אַשּׁוּר n.pr.gent. & terr. Asshur, Assyria

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H804 אַשּׁוּר Asshur, Assyria

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

804 'Ashshuwr ash-shoor'

or iAshshur {ash-shoor'}; apparently from 833 (in the sense

of successful); Ashshur, the second son of Shem; also his

descendants and the country occupied by them (i.e. Assyria),

its region and its empire:--Asshur, Assur, Assyria,

Assyrians. See 838.

see HEBREW for 0833

see HEBREW for 0838

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אַשּׁוּר (ash.shur) — Assyria.

§ Asshur or Assyria = "a step"

the nation, Assyria

the land, Assyria or Asshur

אַשּׁוּר (ash.shur) — Asshur.

A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.10.22;

son of: Shem (H8035);

brother of: Elam (H5867C), Arpachshad (H0775), Lud (H3865) and Aram (H0758)

§ Asshur or Assyria = "a step"

1) the second son of Shem, eponymous ancestor of the Assyrians

2) the people of Assyria

3) the nation, Assyria

4) the land, Assyria or Asshur

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Prep | N-proper — Conjunction · preposition · noun proper
HC/R/Npl
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

a-sir'-i-a:

I. GEOGRAPHY

II. EARLY HISTORY

III. CLIMATE AND PRODUCTIONS

IV. POPULATION

V. TRADE AND LAW

VI. ART

VII. MECHANICS

VIII. FURNITURE, POTTERY AND EMBROIDERY

IX. LANGUAGE, LITERATURE AND SCIENCE

X. GOVERNMENT AND ARMY

XI. RELIGION

XII. EXCAVATIONS

XIII. CHRONOLOGY

XIV. HISTORY

1. Early Period

2. The Older Empire

3. The Second Empire

4. Last Period and Fall of Empire

LITERATURE

Assyria, a Greek name formed from Asshur ('ashshur; 'Assour; Assyrian Assur): The primitive capital of the country.

I. Geography.

The origin of the city (now Kala'at Shergat), which was built on the western bank of the Tigris between the Upper and Lower Zab, went back to pre-Sem times, and the meaning of the name was forgotten (see Ge 2:14, where the Hiddekel or Tigris is said to flow on the eastern side of Asshur). To the North of the junction of the Tigris and Upper Zab…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Assyria

The name derived from the city Asshur on the Tigris, the original capital of the country, was originally a colony from Babylonia, and was ruled by viceroys from that kingdom. It was a mountainous region lying to the north of Babylonia, extending along the Tigris as far as to the high mountain range of Armenia, the Gordiaean or Carduchian mountains. It was founded in B.C. 1700 under Bel-kap-kapu, and became an independent and a conquering power, and shook off the yoke of its Babylonian masters. It subdued the whole of Northern Asia. The Assyrians were Semites (Gen. 10:22), but in process of time non-Semite tribes mingled with the inhabitants. They were a military people, the “Romans of the East.”

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A celebrated country and empire, had its name from Ahur, or Assur, the second son of Shem, who settled in that region, Ge 10:22. In the Bible the name Assyria is employed in three different significations: namely, 1. Assyria ancient and proper lay east of the Tigris, between Armenia, Susiana, and Media, and appears to have comprehended the six provinces attributed to it by Ptolemy, namely, Arrapachis, Adiabene, Arbelis, (now Erbil,) Calachene, (Heb. Halah? 2Ki 17:6,) Apollonias, and Sittacne. It is the region which mostly comprises the modern Kurdistan and the pashalik of Mosul. Of these provinces, Adiabene was the most fertile and important; in it was situated Nineveh the capital; and the term Assyria, in its most narrow sense, seems sometimes to have meant only this province.…

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

country of Assur or Ashur

not they will remain in [the] land of Yahweh and he will return Ephraim Egypt and in Assyria unclean [food] they will eat
טָמֵ֥אta.Me' unclean [food] H2931 Adj
88× 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 be unclean in a spiritual sense, often due to sin or impurity, as seen in Leviticus. It can refer to people, places, or things. The concept is key to understanding biblical purity laws.
Amplified meaning
spiritually impure, defiled, sustenance, nourishment
Tyndale gloss
unclean
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

טָמֵא (tame') means 'unclean' and is derived from a root that conveys a sense of defilement or pollution, particularly in a religious context. It covers ethical, religious, and ritual impurity, and can refer to both people and places.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

טָמֵא adj. unclean

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2931 טָמֵא unclean

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2931 tame' taw-may'

from 2930; foul in a relig. sense:--defiled, + infamous,

polluted(-tion), unclean.

see HEBREW for 02930

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

טָמֵא (ta.me) — unclean.

1) unclean, impure

1a) ethically and religiously

1b) ritually

1c) of places

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Adj
HAamsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

food:

I. VEGETABLE FOODS

1. Primitive Habits

2. Cereals

3. Leguminous Plants

4. Food of Trees

II. ANIMAL FOOD

LITERATURE

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

I. Vegetable Foods.

1. Primitive Habits:

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

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Food

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

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

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

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

not they will remain in [the] land of Yahweh and he will return Ephraim Egypt and in Assyria unclean [food] they will eat
יֹאכֵֽלוּ׃yo.Khe.lu they will eat H398 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine plural
810× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to eat or devour, and it's used in many stories, including when Jesus fed the 5000 with fish and bread in the book of Matthew. It's about taking in nourishment and being satisfied.
Amplified meaning
consume, devour
Tyndale gloss
to eat
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָכַל (akal) means 'to eat' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including literal consumption by humans and animals, as well as figurative uses like devouring by fire or destruction. It can describe actions such as feeding or causing to eat, and it also appears in contexts of oppression and destruction. The verb has various forms, indicating different subjects and nuances.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָכַל 806 vb. eat

Qal

eat, human subject

of beasts, birds, etc., eat, devour

fig. of fire, devour, consume

of sword, devour, slay

in genl., devour, consume, destroy

fig. of oppression, devour the poor

Niph.

be eaten by man

be devoured by fire, consumed

be wasted, destroyed, of flesh

Pu. be consumed

Hiph.

cause to eat, feed with

cause to devoure, obj. sword

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H398 אָכַל eat .. eat, human subject

. of beasts, birds, etc., eat, devour

. fig. of fire, devour, consume

. of sword, devour, slay

. in genl., devour, consume, destroy

. fig. of oppression, devour the poor

. . be eaten by man

. be devoured by fire, consumed

. be wasted, destroyed, of flesh

. be consumed

. . cause to eat, feed with

. cause to devoure, obj. sword

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

398 'akal aw-kal'

a primitive root; to eat (literally or figuratively):--X at

all, burn up, consume, devour(-er, up), dine, eat(-er, up),

feed (with), food, X freely, X in...wise(-deed, plenty), (lay)

meat, X quite.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָכַל (a.khal) — to eat.

1) to eat, devour, burn up, feed

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to eat (human subject)

1a2) to eat, devour (of beasts and birds)

1a3) to devour, consume (of fire)

1a4) to devour, slay (of sword)

1a5) to devour, consume, destroy (inanimate subjects - ie, pestilence, drought)

1a6) to devour (of oppression)

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be eaten (by men)

1b2) to be devoured, consumed (of fire)

1b3) to be wasted, destroyed (of flesh)

1c) (Pual)

1c1) to cause to eat, feed with

1c2) to cause to devour

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to feed

1d2) to cause to eat

1e) (Piel)

1e1) consume

Aramaic equivalent: a.khal (אֲכַל "to devour" H0399)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine plural
HVqi3mp
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.

Everything we make is available for free because of a generous community of supporters.

Donate