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Isaiah 11:7 — Word Study

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WLCוּפָרָ֤ה וָדֹב֙ תִּרְעֶ֔ינָה יַחְדָּ֖ו יִרְבְּצ֣וּ יַלְדֵיהֶ֑ן וְאַרְיֵ֖ה כַּבָּקָ֥ר יֹֽאכַל־ תֶּֽבֶן׃

BSAThe cowpârâh [heifer, young female] will grazerâʻâh with the beardôb [slow-moving animal] their youngyeled [youth, children] will lie downrâbats [stretch, rest] togetheryachad [in unity, as one] and the lionʼărîy will eatʼâkal strawteben [stubble, fodder] like the oxbâqâr [cattle, domesticated animal]

Word
Listen & take awayIsaiah 11
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 7 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 (Te.ven) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Isaiah 11:7quick helps
In a sentenceThis verse depicts a peaceful coexistence of animals that typically would not associate, symbolizing harmony in creation.
Who is speakingThe prophet Isaiah, conveying a vision of a future peaceful kingdom.
Where we areThe context is a prophetic description of the ideal state of creation in the coming kingdom.
The hard wordתִּרְעֶ֔ינָה
Take awayThe imagery illustrates a time when natural enemies will live in harmony.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectאַרְיֵה verbרָעָה 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 — Isaiah 11:7

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 Peaceful Kingdomgenerated

6The wolf will live with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the goat; the calf and young lion and fatling will be together, and a little child will lead them.
7The cow will graze with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox.
8The infant will play by the cobra’s den, and the toddler will reach into the viper’s nest.
9They will neither harm nor destroy on all My holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the sea is full of water.

Isaiah 11:7 presents a vision of harmony in the animal kingdom, where traditional enemies coexist peacefully. This passage is part of a broader prophetic message about the coming of a messianic age characterized by peace and unity, as seen in the surrounding verses, such as Isaiah 11:6 and Isaiah 11:8.


Cross References


The Key Word תִּרְעֶ֔ינָה, tir.'Ei.nahgenerated

The verb תִּרְעֶ֔ינָה (tir'ei.nah) is a third person feminine plural form of the root רָעָה (ra'ah), meaning 'to graze' or 'to tend'. This verb conveys the action of animals grazing together, emphasizing a nurturing relationship.

This verb is significant as it reflects the ideal state of care and companionship among creatures, contrasting the natural order where such animals would typically be adversaries.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

In this study, we refer to the Berean Standard Bible (BSB), which uses the term graze.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The finite verb תִּרְעֶ֔ינָה (they will graze) governs the sentence, with several phrases describing the subjects and their actions. The structure emphasizes the harmonious actions of the animals.

The sentence flows from the subjects — the cow and bear — to their actions, illustrating a peaceful coexistence through the use of a simple yet vivid structure.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates תִּרְעֶ֔ינָה as βοσκηθήσονται (boskēthēsontai), which means 'they will be pastured'. This choice reflects a focus on the nurturing aspect of the animals' interaction, aligning with the overall theme of peace.

This translation choice highlights the ideal of care and companionship among the animals, emphasizing the harmony envisioned in this prophetic passage.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Isaiah 11:7 describes a time when animals that are usually enemies will live together peacefully. A cow will graze with a bear, their young will lie down together, and a lion will eat straw like an ox. This imagery represents a future of harmony and peace in creation.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean for the cow to graze with the bear?

This imagery symbolizes a future time of peace and harmony in creation, where traditional enemies coexist without conflict.

Why is the lion eating straw significant?

The lion eating straw like an ox signifies a reversal of natural predatory behavior, emphasizing the peace that will characterize the messianic age.

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

This verse fits into Isaiah's broader prophetic vision of a peaceful kingdom where God's reign brings harmony to all of creation.

What can we learn from this passage?

This passage teaches about the hope for peace and reconciliation in the world, reflecting God's ultimate plan for creation.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways can we promote peace and harmony in our own lives and communities?
  2. How does the imagery of animals living together peacefully challenge our understanding of natural instincts?
  3. What does this passage reveal about God's vision for creation?
  4. How can we embody the spirit of unity and reconciliation in our relationships with others?

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

Early church fathers referenced this verse to illustrate the peace and harmony expected in the kingdom of God, using it to discuss the transformative power of God's reign.

Ambrose of MilanThe Six Days of Creation, 5.2.6 c. 339–397
Such is the grace of the waters, that their calves and lions flee from them, so that this prophetic saying about the sanctity of the Church rightly applies to them: Then wolves and lambs will graze together,
Early Church Fathers on Isaiah 11 →
Gregory of ElviraORIGEN’S TRACTATE ON THE BOOKS OF HOLY SCRIPTURE 5:36-37 d. after 392
Where and when, therefore, will this blessing be accomplished except in the kingdom of God, where grain, wine and oil are in abundance? The earth will yield its fruit generously and every evil will be destroyed,
Early Church Fathers on Isaiah 11 →
Gregory the DialogistMorals on the Book of Job, Book 32, Section 18 c. 540–604
If we carefully examine the words of the Prophets, we discover that these and they were put forth by the same Spirit. For when Isaiah observed the life of sinners devoured by the ancient and insatiable enemy, he said,
Early Church Fathers on Isaiah 11 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Isaiah 11:7 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

And the cow and the bear shall feed,.... That is, together, in one church state, at one table, or in one pasture, upon the wholesome food of the Gospel, the salutary doctrines of Christ; who though

Read John Gill on Isaiah 11 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the cow and the bear shall feed - together taken from the second clause.

Read Robert Jamieson on Isaiah 11 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Shall feed together, as it follows, without any danger or fear. The lion shall eat straw, the grass and fruits of the earth, as they did at first, ,30, and shall not devour other living creatures, as now they do.

Read Matthew Poole on Isaiah 11 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Isaiah 11:7 And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.Ver. 7. And the cow and the bear shall feed.] An allegorical description of greatest confidence and innocence, saith Junius. Bears are angry and vindictive creatures; so are the best by nature, till tamed and domesticated by God’ s distinguishing grace. As for those semiperfectae vertutis homines, as an ancient calls them, temporaries and hypocrites, who do only the outward works of duty, without the inward principle, it may be said of them, as the civil law doth of those mixed beasts, elephants, camels, &c., Operam praestant, natura fera est, they do the work…

Read John Trapp on Isaiah 11 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 7. In this verse a word is omitted in the text, יחדו yachdav, together; which ought to be repeated in the second hemistich, being quite necessary to the sense. It is accordingly twice expressed by the Septuagint and Syriac.

Read AdamClarke on Isaiah 11 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

7. Cf. Isaiah 65:25. shall feed] Better, shall graze, unless we are to supply “alike” as in Isaiah 65:25. Some critics prefer to read “shall associate together,” with a small alteration of the text.

Read Cambridge on Isaiah 11 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And the cow and the bear shall feed - That is, together. Animals that by nature do not dwell together, where by nature the one would be the prey of the other, shall dwell together - animage of safety and peace.

Read Albert Barnes on Isaiah 11 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

7. Shall feed — Or, graze. Eat straw — “No hay is made in Palestine.” — VAN LENNEP’S Bible Lands, p. 83. The fodder for cattle, horses, and camels in that country is straw broken and mashed at the threshing floors.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Isaiah 11 →

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

The cow will graze with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

The cow and the bear will graze. Their young ones will lie down together. The lion will eat straw like the ox.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

The cow will graze with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox.

NETBNew English Translation2006

A cow and a bear will graze together, their young will lie down together. A lion, like an ox, will eat straw.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

And the kow and the beare shall feede: their yong ones shall lie together: and the lyon shall eate strawe like the bullocke.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And the cow and the she-bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And cow and bear do feed, Together lie down their young ones, And a lion as an ox eateth straw.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And cow and bear feed, || Together their young ones lie down, || And a lion eats straw as an ox.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And the cow and the she-bear shall feed, together shall their young ones lie down: and the lion shall like the ox eat straw.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

The cow and the bear will graze together, and their young will lie down together. The lion will eat straw like the ox.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

The calf and the bear shall feed: their young ones shall rest together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Cows and bears will graze side by side; young lions will eat straw like cattle.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And the cow and the bear will be friends while their young ones are sleeping together.

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.

וּandclausenoun phrase · subjectפָרָ֤הcowוָand.[female]דֹב֙bearverbתִּרְעֶ֔ינָהthey.will.grazeclauseadverbialיַחְדָּ֖וtogetherverbיִרְבְּצ֣וּthey.will.lie.downnoun phrase · subjectיַלְדֵיyoungהֶ֑ןtheirוְand.[the]clausesubjectאַרְיֵ֖הlionprepositional phrase · prepositionalכַּlikenoun phrasetheבָּקָ֥רoxverbיֹֽאכַלit.will.eatobjectתֶּֽבֶןstraw

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 align closely, with 8 of the 10 words matched. The Dead Sea Scrolls also support this text, with minor variations that do not affect the overall meaning.

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

וּפָרָ֤ה וָדֹב֙ תִּרְעֶ֔ינָה יַחְדָּ֖ו יִרְבְּצ֣וּ יַלְדֵיהֶ֑ן וְאַרְיֵ֖ה כַּבָּקָ֥ר יֹֽאכַל־ תֶּֽבֶן׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וּפָרָ֤הβοῦςוָדֹב֙ἄρκοςתִּרְעֶ֔ינָהβοσκηθήσονταιיַלְדֵיהֶ֑ןαὐτῶνוְאַרְיֵ֖הλέωνכַּבָּקָ֥רβοῦςיֹֽאכַל־φάγονταιתֶּֽבֶן׃ἄξυρα

8 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 — 1Qisaaa copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

ופרה ודב תרעינה יחדו ורבצו ילדי׳הן ואריה כבקר יאכל תבן

10 words on the leather.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q57a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[ופרה] ודוב תרעינה יחדיו ירבצו ילדי׳הן וארי כבקר יואכל תבן

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

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q56a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

כבקר יאכל [תבן]

3 words of the verse are on this fragment — 2 partly restored, 1 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.

Isaiah 11:7פָּרָהand cowand cowפָּרָהדֹּבand bearand bearדֹּבבֵּית־עֵ֫קֶדthey will gthey will grazeבֵּית־עֵ֫קֶדיַ֫חַדtogethertogetherיַ֫חַדרָבַץthey will lthey will lie dרָבַץיֶ֫לֶדyoung theiryoung theirיֶ֫לֶדאֲרִיand [the] land [the] lionאֲרִיבָּקַרlike the oxlike the oxבָּקַראָכַלit will eatit will eatאָכַלתֶּ֫בֶןstrawstrawתֶּ֫בֶןפַּרbullockbullockפַּרדָּבַבדָּבַביָחַדbe joinedbe joinedיָחַדיָלַדto begetto begetיָלַדאָרָהto pluckto pluckאָרָהבָּקַרto enquireto enquireבָּקַרבָּנָהto buildto buildבָּנָהעֵ֫דֶרflockflockעֵ֫דֶרבָּרִיאfatfatבָּרִיאיָפֶהbeautifulbeautifulיָפֶהשַׁכּוּלchildlesschildlessשַׁכּוּלפָּגַשׁto meetto meetפָּגַשׁרָבַץto stretchto stretchרָבַץיָעַדto appointto appointיָעַדרוּןto overcomto overcomeרוּןנָוֶהpasturepastureנָוֶהלֵאָהLeahLeahלֵאָהגָּדַלto magnifyto magnifyגָּדַל
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 Isaiah 11:7

One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.

Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.

and cow and bear they will graze together they will lie down young their and [the] lion like the ox it will eat straw
וּפָרָ֤הu.fa.Rah and cow H6510 Conjunction · noun common feminine singular absolute
26× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A heifer is a young female cow, and this Hebrew word is used in the Bible to describe such an animal. In Exodus 29:1, a heifer is used as a sacrifice, and in Numbers 19:2, it is used for purification. It is an important animal in biblical times.
Amplified meaning
heifer, young female
Tyndale gloss
heifer
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

פָּרָה (parah) refers to a heifer or cow, specifically a female bovine. The entries consistently define it as a heifer or cow, with no significant disagreement among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

פָּרָה 26 n.f. heifer, cow

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6510 פָּרָה heifer, cow

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6510 parah paw-raw'

feminine of 6499; a heifer:--cow, heifer, kine.

see HEBREW for 06499

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

פָּרָה (pa.rah) — heifer.

cow, heifer

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | N-fs — Conjunction · noun common feminine singular absolute
HC/Ncfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Cow

A cow and her calf were not to be killed on the same day (Lev. 22:28; Ex. 23:19; Deut. 22:6, 7). The reason for this enactment is not given. A state of great poverty is described in the words of Isa. 7:21-25, where, instead of possessing great resources, a man shall depend for the subsistence of himself and his family on what a single cow and two sheep could yield.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

[BULL, BULLOCK]

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Used for pulling 1Sa 6:7-12; Ho 10:11

→ (Milk of, used for food)

→ See MILK

→ See CATTLE

→ See KINE

→ FIGURATIVE Am 4:1

and cow and bear they will graze together they will lie down young their and [the] lion like the ox it will eat straw
וָדֹב֙va.Do and bear H1677 Conjunction · noun common both singular absolute
12× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The bear is described in the Bible as a slow-moving animal, as seen in 1 Samuel 17:34-37 where David fights a bear. The word for bear is also used in Proverbs 28:15.
Amplified meaning
slow-moving animal
Tyndale gloss
bear
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

דֹּב (dob) means 'bear' and is derived from a root suggesting a soft or gliding motion. The entries consistently define it as a bear, with a mention of its Aramaic equivalent. There are no significant disagreements among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

דֹּב n.m., f. bear (from soft or gliding motion)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1677 דֹּב bear (from soft or gliding motion)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1677 dob dobe

or (fully) dowb {dobe}; from 1680; the bear (as slow):--

bear.

see HEBREW for 01680

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

דֹּב (dov) — bear.

bear

Aramaic equivalent: dov (דֹּב "bear" H1678)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | N-ms — Conjunction · noun common both singular absolute
HC/Ncbsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

bar (dobh; compare Arabic dubb): In 1Sa 17:34-37, David tells Saul how as a shepherd boy he had overcome a lion and a bear. In 2Ki 2:24 it is related that two she bears came out of the wood and tore forty-two of the children who had been mocking Elisha. All the other references to bears are figurative; compare 2Sa 17:8; Pr 17:12; 28:15; Isa 11:7; 59:11; La 3:10; Da 7:5; Ho 13:8; Am 5:19;

Bear

A native of the mountain regions of Western Asia, frequently mentioned in Scripture. David defended his flocks against the attacks of a bear (1 Sam. 17:34-37). Bears came out of the wood and destroyed the children who mocked the prophet Elisha (2 Kings 2:24). Their habits are referred to in Isa. 59:11; Prov. 28:15; Lam. 3:10. The fury of the female bear when robbed of her young is spoken of (2 Sam. 17:8; Prov. 17:12; Hos. 13:8). In Daniel’s vision of the…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(1 Samuel 17:34; 2 Samuel 17:8) The Syrian bear, Ursus syriacus, which is without doubt the animal mentioned in the Bible, is still found on the higher mountains of Palestine. During the summer months these bears keep to the snowy parts of Lebanon, but descend in winter to the villages and Gardens. It is probable also that at this period in former days they extended their visits to other parts of Palestine.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

That bears were common in Palestine appears from several passages in the Old Testament, 1Sa 17:34,36,37; 2Sa 17:8; 2Ki 2:24. The species known in Syria resembles the common brown bear; it is sill met in the recesses of Lebanon. To a sullen and ferocious disposition, the bear joins immense strength, considerable sagacity, and the power of climbing trees. Her ferocity, especially when her young are injured, is proverbial. See 2Sa 17:8; Pr 17:12; Isa 11:7; Ho 13:8.

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and cow and bear they will graze together they will lie down young their and [the] lion like the ox it will eat straw
תִּרְעֶ֔ינָהtir.'Ei.nah they will graze H7462 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person feminine plural
177× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to care for or tend to someone or something, like a shepherd with his flock. It can also mean to rule over or associate with someone as a friend, and is sometimes used to describe a close relationship.
Tyndale gloss
House of Shepherds
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word רָעָה (*ra'ah*) is built from a primitive root meaning to tend or pasture a flock. It covers a range of meanings including to graze, rule, associate with, and befriend. The term appears in contexts related to shepherding and companionship, with a specific mention of the 'binding-house of shepherds' in 2 Kings 10:12.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בֵּית־עֵ֫קֶד הָרֹעִים perh. n.pr.loc. (binding-house of the shepherds) 2 K 10:12

base

רָעָה 167 vb. pasture, tend, graze

Qal

trans.

intrans.

Niph. poss.

Hiph. v.

base

[רָעָה] vb. prob. associate with

Qal cherish faithfulness

Hithp. do not make companionship with a bad-tempered man

base

[רָעָה] vb. denom. Pi. be a special friend;—Ju 14:20

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7462a בֵּית־עֵ֫קֶד הָרֹעִים binding-house of shepherds H7462b רָעָה pasture, tend, graze H7462c רָעָה prob. associate with H7462d רָעָה vb. denom. Pi. be a special friend

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7462 ra`ah raw-aw'

a primitive root; to tend a flock; i.e. pasture it;

intransitively, to graze (literally or figuratively);

generally to rule; by extension, to associate with (as a

friend):--X break, companion, keep company with, devour, eat

up, evil entreat, feed, use as a friend, make friendship with,

herdman, keep (sheep)(-er), pastor, + shearing house,

shepherd, wander, waste.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בֵּית־עֵ֫קֶד הָרֹעִים (bet-e.qed ha.ro.im) — House of Shepherds.

Ra'ah = "pasturing"

perh. "binding-house of the shepherds"

רָעָה (ra.ah) — to pasture.

1) to pasture, tend, graze, feed

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to tend, pasture

1a1a) to shepherd

1a1b) of ruler, teacher (fig)

1a1c) of people as flock (fig)

1a1d) shepherd, herdsman (subst)

1a2) to feed, graze

1a2a) of cows, sheep etc (literal)

1a2b) of idolater, Israel as flock (fig)

1b) (Hiphil) shepherd, shepherdess

Also means: ro.i (רֹעִי "to shepherd" H7473)

רָעָה (ra.ah) — to accompany.

1) to associate with, be a friend of (meaning probable)

1a) (Qal) to associate with

1b) (Hithpael) to be companions

רָעָה (ra.ah) — to befriend.

(Piel) to be a special friend

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-3fp — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person feminine plural
HVqi3fp
and cow and bear they will graze together they will lie down young their and [the] lion like the ox it will eat straw
יַחְדָּ֖וyach.Dav together H3162 Adverb
141× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This adverb means together, describing people doing something in unity, like in Psalm 133:1.
Amplified meaning
in unity, as one
Tyndale gloss
unitedness
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יַ֫חַד (yachad) refers to the concept of unitedness or being together. It can function as a noun meaning 'unitedness' and as an adverb meaning 'together.' The word is built from a root that emphasizes unity and is used in various contexts in the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יַ֫חַד 45 n.[m.] unitedness

as subst.

elsewhere always in acc. as adv. in union, together

base

יָחְדָּו 92 adv. together

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3162a יַ֫חַד unitedness . as subst.

. elsewhere always in acc. as adv. in union, together

H3162b יָחְדָּו adv. together

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3162 yachad yakh'-ad

from 3161; properly, a unit, i.e. (adverb) unitedly:--alike,

at all (once), both, likewise, only, (al-)together, withal.

see HEBREW for 03161

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יַ֫חַד (ya.chad) — unitedness.

1) union, unitedness

יָחְדָּו (yach.dav) — together.

adv

together

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adv — Adverb
HD
and cow and bear they will graze together they will lie down young their and [the] lion like the ox it will eat straw
יִרְבְּצ֣וּyir.be.Tzu they will lie down H7257 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine plural
30× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To stretch or lie down, like an animal, and can imply resting or lurking, as in Exodus 23:5.
Amplified meaning
stretch, rest
Tyndale gloss
to stretch
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רָבַץ (rabats) is a Hebrew verb meaning to stretch out or lie down. It encompasses actions like reclining, brooding, or lurking, and can imply causing something to lie down as well. The entries indicate its use in various forms, including Qal and Hiphil, but do not provide specific verse references.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רָבַץ vb. stretch oneself out, lie down, lie stretched out

Qal lie down, lie

Hiph. cause to lie down, or lie

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7257 רָבַץ stretch oneself out, lie down, lie stretched out

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7257 rabats raw-bats'

a primitive root; to crouch (on all four legs folded, like a

recumbent animal); be implication, to recline, repose, brood,

lurk, imbed:--crouch (down), fall down, make a fold, lay,

(cause to, make to) lie (down), make to rest, sit.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רָבַץ (ra.vats) — to stretch.

1) to stretch oneself out, lie down, lie stretched out

1a) (Qal) to lie down, lie

1b)(Hiphil) to cause to lie down

1b1) laying (stones)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine plural
HVqi3mp
and cow and bear they will graze together they will lie down young their and [the] lion like the ox it will eat straw
יַלְדֵיהֶ֑ןyal.dei.Hen young their H3206 Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
89× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word refers to a young person, like a child or teenager, such as the youth who helped David in 1 Samuel 20:1. It can also mean offspring or descendants, like the children of Israel in Exodus 12:37.
Amplified meaning
youth, children
Tyndale gloss
youth
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יֶ֫לֶד (yeled) refers to a child, son, or youth, encompassing meanings like offspring and young man. It can also figuratively denote apostate Israelites. The word is derived from a root meaning something born, indicating its connection to birth and lineage.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יֶ֫לֶד 89 n.m. child, son, boy, youth

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3206 יֶ֫לֶד child, son, boy, youth

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3206 yeled yeh'-led

from 3205; something born, i.e. a lad or offspring:--boy,

child, fruit, son, young man (one).

see HEBREW for 03205

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יֶ֫לֶד (ye.led) — youth.

1) child, son, boy, offspring, youth

1a) child, son, boy

1b) child, children

1c) descendants

1d) youth

1e) apostate Israelites (fig.)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
HNcmpc/Sp3fp
and cow and bear they will graze together they will lie down young their and [the] lion like the ox it will eat straw
וְאַרְיֵ֖הve.'ar.Yeh and [the] lion H738 Conjunction · noun common masculine singular absolute
80× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In biblical times, a lion was a symbol of strength and power, and is often mentioned in stories like Daniel in the lions' den. The word for lion appears in various forms, including pictures or images of lions, and is used in books like 1 Kings and 2 Kings.
Tyndale gloss
lion
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֲרִי (ariy) and אַרְיֵה (aryeh) both mean 'lion' in Hebrew, referring to the animal itself or images of it. The word is derived from a root associated with violence. The entries do not indicate any significant disagreement among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֲרִי n.m. lion

base

אַרְיֵה n.m. lion

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H738a אֲרִי lion H738b אַרְיֵה lion

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

738 'ariy ar-ee'

or (prolonged) earyeh {ar-yay'}; from 717 (in the sense of

violence); a lion:--(young) lion, + pierce (from the margin).

see HEBREW for 0717

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֲרִי (a.ri) — lion.

1) lion

1a) pictures or images of lions

אַרְיֵה (ar.yeh) — lion.

1) lion

1a) pictures or images of lions

Aramaic equivalent: ar.yeh (אַרְיֵה "lion" H0744)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | N-ms — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular absolute
HC/Ncmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

li'-un:

(1) Occurring most often in the Old Testament is 'aryeh, plural 'ardyoth. Another form, 'ari, plural 'arayim, is found less often.

1. Names:

Compare 'ari'el, "Ariel" (Ezr 8:16; Isa 29:1,2,7); char'el, "upper altar," and 'ari'el, "altar hearth" (Eze 43:15); 'aryeh, "Arieh" (2Ki 15:25); 'ar'eli, "Areli" and "Arelites" (Ge 46:16; Nu 26:17).

(2) kephir, "young lion," often translated "lion" (Ps 35:17; Pr 19:12; 23:1, etc.).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

"The most powerful, daring and impressive of all carnivorous animals, the most magnificent in aspect and awful in voice." At present lions do not exist in Palestine; but they must in ancient times have been numerous. The lion of Palestine was in all probability the Asiatic variety, described by Aristotle and Pliny as distinguished by its short and curly mane, and by being shorter and rounder in shape, like the sculptured lion found at Arban. It was less daring than the longer named species, but when driven by hunger it not only ventured to attack the flocks in the desert in presence of the shepherd, (1 Samuel 17:34; Isaiah 31:4) but laid waste towns and villages, (2 Kings 17:25,26; Proverbs 22:13; 26:13) and devoured men.…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The well-known and noble king of beasts, frequently spoken of in Scripture. He often exceeds eight feet in length and four feet in height; and his majestic and dauntless aspect, his prodigious strength and agility, and his peculiar roar, make him the terror of the forests. Lions were common in Palestine, (See JORDAN,) and the Hebrews had seven different names for them, to distinguish the different ages, etc. Five of these occur together in Job 4:10,11. See also Na 2:11,12. The psalmist alludes to the stealthy creeping of the lion till he can spring upon his prey, when he says of the crafty wicked man, "He lieth in wait secretly as a lion in his den; .... he croucheth, and humbleth himself, that the poor may fall by his strong ones." The Bible reader will remember the exploits of…

Nave's Topical Bible

→ King of beasts Mic 5:8

→ Fierceness of Job 4:10; 28:8; Ps 7:2; Pr 22:13; Jer 2:15; 49:19; 50:44; Ho 13:8

→ The roaring of Ps 22:13; Pr 20:2

→ Strength of Pr 30:30; Isa 38:13; Joe 1:6

and cow and bear they will graze together they will lie down young their and [the] lion like the ox it will eat straw
כַּבָּקָ֥רka.ba.Kar like the ox H1241 Preposition · noun common both singular absolute
183× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Domesticated cattle or oxen, used for work or sacrifice, like the animals used in the temple sacrifices in 1 Kings 8:63.
Amplified meaning
cattle, domesticated animal
Tyndale gloss
cattle
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בָּקַר (baqar) refers to cattle, specifically oxen and herds, and can denote individual animals or a collective group. It is derived from a root meaning related to cattle and encompasses various forms such as beef cattle and oxen used for plowing. The term appears in contexts discussing livestock in the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בָּקַר 182 n.m. cattle, herd, ox

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1241 בָּקַר cattle, herd, ox

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1241 baqar baw-kawr'

from 1239; beef cattle or an animal of the ox family of

either gender (as used for plowing); collectively, a herd:--

beeve, bull (+ -ock), + calf, + cow, great (cattle), + heifer,

herd, kine, ox.

see HEBREW for 01239

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בָּקָר (ba.qar) — cattle.

1) cattle, herd, oxen, ox

1a) cattle (generic pl. but sing. in form-coll)

1b) herd (particular one)

1c) head of cattle (individually)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-cs — Preposition · noun common both singular absolute
HRd/Ncbsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Ox

Heb. bakar, “cattle;” “neat cattle”, (Gen. 12:16; 34:28; Job 1:3, 14; 42:12, etc.); not to be muzzled when treading the corn (Deut. 25:4). Referred to by our Lord in his reproof to the Pharisees (Luke 13:15; 14:5).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

There was no animal in the rural economy of the Israelites, or indeed in that of the ancient Orientals generally, that was held in higher esteem than the ox and deservedly so, for the ox was the animal upon whose patient labors depended all the ordinary operations of farming. Oxen were used for ploughing, (22:10; 1 Samuel 14:14) etc.; for treading out corn, (25:4; Hosea 10:11) etc.; for draught purposes, when they were generally yoked in pairs, (Numbers 7:3; 1 Samuel 6:7) etc.; as beasts of burden, (1 Chronicles 12:40) their flesh was eaten, (14:4; 1 Kings 1:9) etc.…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The male of the beeve kind when grown, synonymous in the Bible with BULL; a clean animal, by the Levitical law; much used for food, 1Ki 19:21, and constituting no small part of the wealth of the Hebrews in their pastoral life, Ge 24:35 Job 1:14 42:12. Oxen were used in agriculture for ploughing, 1Ki 19:19; and for treading out the grain, during which they were not to be muzzled, 1Co 9:9, but well fed, Isa 30:24. The testing of a new yoke of oxen is still a business of great importance in the East, as of old, Lu…

and cow and bear they will graze together they will lie down young their and [the] lion like the ox it will eat straw
יֹֽאכַל־yo.khal- it will eat H398 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
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.
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-3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
HVqi3ms
and cow and bear they will graze together they will lie down young their and [the] lion like the ox it will eat straw
תֶּֽבֶן׃Te.ven straw H8401 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
17× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Teben refers to straw or stubble, often used as fodder for animals or building material. It is mentioned in the Bible as a material for constructing houses.
Amplified meaning
stubble, fodder
Tyndale gloss
straw
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

תֶּ֫בֶן (teben) means straw, specifically the refuse or stalks of grain, often used for fodder or as building material. The word's root is uncertain, but it is linked to the concept of material refuse. It appears in contexts related to agriculture and livestock.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

תֶּ֫בֶן n.m. straw (√ unknown)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8401 תֶּ֫בֶן straw (√ unknown)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8401 teben teh'-ben

probably from 1129; properly, material, i.e. (specifically)

refuse haum or stalks of grain (as chopped in threshing and

used for fodder):--chaff, straw, stubble.

see HEBREW for 01129

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

תֶּ֫בֶן (te.ven) — straw.

1) straw, stubble

1a) as building material

1b) as fodder for livestock

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Straw

Used in brick-making (Ex. 5:7-18). Used figuratively in Job 41:27; Isa. 11:7; 25:10; 65:25.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Both wheat and barley straw were used by the ancient Hebrews chiefly as fodder for the horses cattle and camels. (Genesis 24:25; 1 Kings 4:28; Isaiah 11:7; 66:25) There is no intimation that straw was used for litter. It was employed by the Egyptians for making bricks, (Exodus 5:7,16) being chopped up and mixed with the clay to make them more compact and to prevent their cracking. [See BRICK] The ancient Egyptians reaped their corn close to the ear, and afterward cut the straw close to the ground and laid it by. This was the straw that Pharaoh refused to give to the Israelites who were therefore compelled to gather "stubble" instead --a matter of considerable difficulty, seeing that the straw itself had been cut off near to the…

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Used for fodder Ge 24:32; Isa 65:25

→ Used for brick Ex 5:7

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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