Menu

Isaiah 22:23 — Word Study

Depth

WLCוּתְקַעְתִּ֥יו יָתֵ֖ד בְּמָק֣וֹם נֶאֱמָ֑ן וְהָיָ֛ה לְכִסֵּ֥א כָב֖וֹד לְבֵ֥ית אָבִֽיו׃

BSAI will drive himtâqaʻ like a pegyâthêd [nail hammered securely] into a firmʼâman [sure] placemâqôwm and he will behâyâh a thronekiççêʼ [seat of honor] of glorykâbôwd for the housebayith [family, dwelling] of his fatherʼâb [ancestors, heritage]

Word
Listen & take awayIsaiah 22
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 23 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 ('a.Viv) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Isaiah 22:23quick helps
In a sentenceGod declares He will establish a reliable leader, symbolized as a peg, who will bring honor to his family.
Who is speakingThe LORD, speaking through the prophet Isaiah.
Where we areIn a prophecy concerning the future role of a leader in the house of David.
The hard wordיָתֵד
Take awayThe leader will be firmly established and bring glory to his lineage.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbאָמַן 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 22:23

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 Prophecy of Eliakimgenerated

22I will place on his shoulder the key to the house of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.
23I will drive him like a peg into a firm place, and he will be a throne of glory for the house of his father.
24So they will hang on him the whole burden of his father’s house: the descendants and the offshoots—all the lesser vessels, from bowls to every kind of jar.
25In that day, declares the LORD of Hosts, the peg driven into a firm place will give way; it will be sheared off and fall, and the load upon it will be cut down.” Indeed, the LORD has spoken.

Isaiah 22:23 speaks of a leader, Eliakim, who will be firmly established as a peg, signifying stability and authority within the house of David. This imagery emphasizes the importance of reliable leadership and the honor it brings to one's family. The surrounding verses highlight the significance of Eliakim's role and the burden he will carry for his father's house, illustrating the weight of responsibility placed upon him.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Ezra 9:8But now, for a brief moment, grace has come from the LORD our God to preserve for us a remnant and to give us a stake in His holy place. Even in our bondage, our God has given us new life and light to our eyes.
2Ecclesiastes 12:11The words of the wise are like goads, and the anthologies of the masters are like firmly embedded nails driven by a single Shepherd.
3Zechariah 10:4The cornerstone will come from Judah, the tent peg from him, as well as the battle bow and every ruler together.
4Genesis 45:9–13Now return quickly to my father and tell him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me without delay.
51 Samuel 2:8He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap. He seats them among princes and bestows on them a throne of honor. For the foundations of the earth are the LORD’s, and upon them He has set the world.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 10 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word יָתֵד, ya.Tedgenerated

The noun יָתֵד (yathed) refers to a peg or nail, commonly used to secure tents or hold things together. Its use here symbolizes stability and strength, indicating that the leader will be firmly anchored in his role.

This word is derived from a root meaning to fasten or pin through, suggesting that the leader's position is not only secure but also essential for the functioning of the community.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses peg to convey the idea of a firmly established leader, similar to the KJV and ASV.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The finite verb וְהָיָ֛ה (ve.ha.Yah), meaning and he will become, governs the entire verse, indicating the result of the preceding action of driving the peg.

The structure includes a prepositional phrase describing the peg's location, followed by a noun phrase that identifies the peg and another clause that describes the outcome of the action.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates יָתֵד as ἄρξοντα (arxonta), which means 'ruler' or 'leader'. This choice emphasizes the leadership aspect of the peg, suggesting a broader interpretation of the role Eliakim will play.

This rendering indicates a shift from a literal peg to a more figurative understanding of authority and governance.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Isaiah 22:23 speaks of God establishing a leader who will be like a peg, securely placed, symbolizing stability and authority. This leader will bring honor to his family, highlighting the importance of strong leadership within the house of David.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that the leader will be like a peg?

The peg symbolizes stability and security, indicating that the leader will be firmly established in his role and provide strength to his family and community.

Why is the imagery of a throne significant?

The throne represents honor and authority, suggesting that the leader will not only be stable but also bring glory and respect to his lineage.

How does this verse relate to the concept of leadership in the Bible?

This verse illustrates the biblical principle that strong and reliable leadership is essential for the well-being of a community, as it brings stability and honor.

What can we learn from the role of Eliakim?

Eliakim's role as a peg signifies the importance of being a dependable leader who supports and upholds the values and responsibilities of one's family and community.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways can I be a stable presence in my community or family?
  2. How can I honor the legacy of my ancestors in my actions and leadership?
  3. What qualities do I think are essential for effective leadership?
  4. How can I support and uplift those in leadership roles around me?

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Isaiah 22:23 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

And I will fasten him [as] a nail in a sure place,.... In a strong part of the wall or timber, where it shall not fail, or be removed, or cut down, and so let drop what is hung upon it: it denotes

Read John Gill on Isaiah 22 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place; and he shall be for a glorious throne to his father's house. Nail in a sure place. Large nails or pegs stood in ancient houses, on which were suspended the ornaments of the family.

Read Robert Jamieson on Isaiah 22 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

I will fasten him; I will establish the power in his hands. In a sure place; in the strong walls, or solid timber, in the house; which is opposed to Shebna’ s instability, signified by a ball, . He shall be for a glorious throne to his father’ s house; by his prudent and righteous government he shall procure great glory, not only to himself, but to all that have any relation to him. This also is opposed to what is said of Shebna in the end of .

Read Matthew Poole on Isaiah 22 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Isaiah 22:23 And I will fasten him [as] a nail in a sure place; and he shall be for a glorious throne to his father’ s house.Ver. 23. And I will fasten him as a nail.] Paxilli simile et concinnum et amabile est. On a nail are hung utensils of the house - any such thing as cannot stand by its own strength. Eliakim was to be a common support to the people, but especially to his father’ s house. And he shall be for a glorious throne.] He shall ennoble his whole stock and kindred. Sit princeps miscris paxillum, cui appendeant urceolos suos. - Scalt.

Read John Trapp on Isaiah 22 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(23) I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place . . .—The word for “nail” is used both for the peg that fastens a tent to the ground, as in the “stakes” of Isaiah 33:20; Isaiah 54:2; Judges 4:21, or, as in Ezekiel 15:3, for a nail driven into the wall. Here the context shows that the latter meaning is preferable. It was, as the sequel shows, a symbol of the support upon which others can depend. (Comp. the “nail in his holy place” of Ezra 9:8.) He shall be for a glorious throne . . .—Another symbol of sovereignty follows. The form, throne of glory, is found in its highest application in 1 Samuel 2:8, and Jeremiah 14:21; Jeremiah 17:12. Such a throne, kingly in its state, is to be the pride…

Read Charles John Ellicott on Isaiah 22 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 23. A nail] In ancient times, and in the eastern countries, as the way of life, so the houses, were much more simple than ours at present. They had not that quantity and variety of furniture, nor those accommodations of all sorts, with which we abound. It was convenient and even necessary for them, and it made an essential part in the building of a house, to furnish the inside of the several apartments with sets of spikes, nails, or large pegs, upon which to dispose of and hang up the several movables and utensils in common use, and proper to the apartment. These spikes they worked into the walls at the first erection of them, the walls being of such materials that they could not bear…

Read AdamClarke on Isaiah 22 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

23. a nail] usually a “tent-peg” (and so probably in a figurative sense, Zechariah 10:4); but also (Ezekiel 15:3) a peg on which household utensils are suspended. The latter idea (according to Isaiah 22:25) must be intended here. a glorious throne] Better: a seat of honour. to his father’s house]—all his nearest kindred, who are through him advanced from obscurity to great dignity.

Read Cambridge on Isaiah 22 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place - The word ‘nail’ here (יתד yâtēd) means properly a peg, pin, or spike; and is applied often to the pins or large spikes which were used to drive

Read Albert Barnes on Isaiah 22 →

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

I will drive him like a peg into a firm place, and he will be a throne of glory for the house of his father.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

I will fasten him like a nail in a sure place. He will be for a throne of glory to his father’s house.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

I will drive him like a peg into a firm place, and he will be a throne of glory for the house of his father.

NETBNew English Translation2006

I will fasten him like a peg into a solid place; he will bring honor and respect to his father’s family.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place; and he shall be for a glorious throne to his father’s house.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place; and he shall be for a throne of glory to his father’s house.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place; and he shall be for a throne of glory to his father’s house.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place; and he shall be for a glorious throne to his father's house.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

And I will fasten him as a naile in a sure place, and hee shall be for the throne of glorie to his fathers house.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And I will fasten him [as] a nail in a sure place; and he shall be for a throne of glory to his father's house:

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And I have fixed him a nail in a stedfast place, And he hath been for a throne of honour To the house of his father.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And I have fixed him [as] a nail in a steadfast place, || And he has been for a throne of glory || To the house of his father.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And I will fasten him as a tent-nail in a sure place; and he shall be for a chair of honor to his father's house.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

I will fasten him, a peg in a secure place, and he will become a seat of glory for his father's house.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And I will fasten him as a peg in a sure place, and he shall be for a throne of glory to the house of his father.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

I will drive him like a nail hammered securely into a wall. He will bring honor to his family.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And I will put him like a nail in a safe place; and he will be for a seat of glory to his father's family.

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.

וּandclauseverbתְקַעְתִּ֥יIobjectוwill.drive.himadverbialיָתֵ֖דa.tent.pegprepositional phrase · prepositionalבְּinnoun phraseמָק֣וֹםa.placeנֶאֱמָ֑ןfirmוְandclauseverbהָיָ֛הhe.will.becomeprepositional phrase · prepositionalלְ(into).anoun phraseכִסֵּ֥אseatכָב֖וֹדof.honorprepositional phrase · prepositionalלְfornoun phraseבֵ֥יתthe.housenoun phraseאָבִֽיhis.fatherוhis

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


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

The Masoretic Text is consistent with the Septuagint and the Dead Sea Scrolls, with all witnesses agreeing on the essential wording of the verse, affirming the imagery of the peg and its significance.

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

וּתְקַעְתִּ֥יו יָתֵ֖ד בְּמָק֣וֹם נֶאֱמָ֑ן וְהָיָ֛ה לְכִסֵּ֥א כָב֖וֹד לְבֵ֥ית אָבִֽיו׃

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

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

Dead Sea Scrolls — 1Qisaaa copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

ותקעתי׳ו יתד במקום נאמן והיה לכסא כבוד לבית אבי׳ו

9 words on the leather.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q55a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[ותקעתי׳ו] יתד במקום נאמן והיה [לכסא] כבוד לבית אבי׳ו

5 words on the leather — 2 partly restored, 2 supplied entire by an editor.

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

[ותקעתי׳ו] יתד במקום

3 words of the verse are on this fragment — 1 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 22:23תָּקַעand I will and I will drivתָּקַעיָתֵדa tent pega tent pegיָתֵדמָקוֹםin a placein a placeמָקוֹםאָמַןfirmfirmאָמַןהָיָהand he willand he will becהָיָהכִּסֵּאa seat ofa seat ofכִּסֵּאכָּבוֹדhonorhonorכָּבוֹדבֵּיתfor [the] hfor [the] houseבֵּיתאָבfather hisfather hisאָבבָּנָהto buildto buildבָּנָהלֵב(Leb)-kama(Leb)-kamaiלֵבכָּסָהto coverto coverכָּסָהכָּבֵדto honor: to honor: honouכָּבֵדיָמַןto turn rito turn rightיָמַןהָוָאto fallto fallהָוָאשֹׁפָרtrumpettrumpetשֹׁפָריָתֵדpegpegיָתֵדמֵיתָרcordcordמֵיתָרבָּחַרto chooseto chooseבָּחַרשָׁחַטto slaughtto slaughterשָׁחַטאוֹתsign: mirasign: miraculouאוֹתמַלְכוּתroyaltyroyaltyמַלְכוּתעֹ֫שֶׁרrichesrichesעֹ֫שֶׁרהָדָרglorygloryהָדָראוֹצָרtreasuretreasureאוֹצָרקָבַרto buryto buryקָבַראֵםmothermotherאֵם
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 22:23

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 I will drive him a tent peg in a place firm and he will become a seat of honor for [the] house of father his
וּתְקַעְתִּ֥יוu.te.ka'.Tiv and I will drive him H8628 Verb qal sequential perfect first person common singular · suffix
69× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to blow or strike something, like a trumpet or a nail. In the Bible, it is used to describe making a loud noise or driving something into place. The KJV translates it as blow, clap, or strike.
Tyndale gloss
to blow
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

תָּקַע (taqa) is a Hebrew verb meaning to thrust, clap, or give a blow, with a range of uses including striking, blowing a trumpet, or pledging oneself. It appears in various forms, such as Qal and Niphal, indicating actions like driving a weapon or the sound of a blast. The entries do not present any significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

תָּקַע 67 vb. thrust, clap, give a blow, blast

Qal

thrust, drive

give a blast, blow

strike, clap hands

Niph.

if a horn shall be blown

who is there that will strike himself (i.e. pledge himself) into my hand?

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8628 תָּקַע thrust, clap, give a blow, blast

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8628 taqa` taw-kah'

a primitive root; to clatter, i.e. slap (the hands together),

clang (an instrument); by analogy, to drive (a nail or

tent-pin, a dart, etc.); by implication, to become bondsman by

handclasping):--blow ((a trumpet)), cast, clap, fasten, pitch

(tent), smite, sound, strike, X suretiship, thrust.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

תָּקַע (ta.qa) — to blow.

1) to blow, clap, strike, sound, thrust, give a blow, blast

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to thrust, drive (of weapon)

1a2) to give a blast, give a blow

1a3) to strike or clap hands

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be blown, blast (of horn)

1b2) to strike or pledge oneself

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-1cs | Suff — Verb qal sequential perfect first person common singular · suffix
Hc/Vqq1cs/Sp3ms
and I will drive him a tent peg in a place firm and he will become a seat of honor for [the] house of father his
יָתֵ֖דya.Ted a tent peg H3489 Noun common · feminine singular absolute
25× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A peg or nail is a small, pointed piece of metal used to hold things together, like the pegs used in the tabernacle in Exodus.
Amplified meaning
nail hammered securely
Tyndale gloss
peg
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָתֵד (yathed) refers to a pin or peg, often used for securing items like tents. It can also mean a nail or a pin in a figurative sense, and has applications in weaving. The word is built from an unused root meaning to fasten or pin through.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָתֵד n.f. pin, peg

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3489 יָתֵד pin, peg

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3489 yathed yaw-thade'

from an unused root meaning to pin through or fast; a

peg:--nail, paddle, pin, stake.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָתֵד (ya.ted) — peg.

1) pin, stake, peg, nail

1a) pin, peg, tent pin, tent stake

1b) nail, pin (fig.)

1c) pin (used in weaving)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absolute
HNcfsa
and I will drive him a tent peg in a place firm and he will become a seat of honor for [the] house of father his
בְּמָק֣וֹםbe.ma.Kom in a place H4725 Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
401× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Maqom means a place or location, like a city or a region. It can also refer to a condition of the body or mind. This term is used to describe a wide range of locations and situations.
Tyndale gloss
place
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מָקוֹם (maqom) means 'place' and encompasses a variety of contexts, including a standing place, station, or post. It can refer to human abodes, localities, regions, and even figurative conditions of body or mind. The term is derived from a root meaning 'standing' and is used broadly in the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מָקוֹם, מָקֹם 399 n.m. standing-place, place

standing-place

station, where soldiers are placed

post, office

place where a thing belongs

esp.

place of human abode

of י׳’s abode

place

in gen. place, locality, spot

space, room

space, distance, between

region, quarter, direction

peculiar uses

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4725 מָקוֹם, מָקֹם standing-place, place . . standing-place

. station, where soldiers are placed

. post, office

. . place where a thing belongs

. esp. . place of human abode

. of י׳’s abode

. place

. in gen. place, locality, spot

. . space, room

. space, distance, between

. region, quarter, direction

. peculiar uses

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4725 maqowm maw-kome'

or maqom {maw-kome'}; also (feminine) mqowmah {mek-o-mah'};

or mqomah {mek-o-mah'}; from 6965; properly, a standing, i.e.

a spot; but used widely of a locality (general or specific);

also (figuratively) of a condition (of body or

mind):--country, X home, X open, place, room, space, X

whither(-soever).

see HEBREW for 06965

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מָקוֹם (ma.qom) — place.

1) standing place, place

1a) standing place, station, post, office

1b) place, place of human abode

1c) city, land, region

1d) place, locality, spot

1e) space, room, distance

1f) region, quarter, direction

1g) give place to, instead of

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

plas: Normally for maqom, Old Testament, and topos, New Testament, but in the King James Version "place" represents a great number of Hebrew and Greek words, often used with no difference in force (e.g. 2Ch 35:10,15). the Revised Version (British and American) has made few changes, but occasionally has attempted to specialize the meaning (Ge 40:13; Job 37:8; Ac 8:32; Jas 3:11, etc.).

and I will drive him a tent peg in a place firm and he will become a seat of honor for [the] house of father his
נֶאֱמָ֑ןne.'e.Man firm H539 Verb · Niphal · participle (active) masculine singular
106× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to be faithful or trustworthy, as seen in the KJV translations. It can also mean to support or confirm something, and is used in passages like Psalm 37:3 to describe trusting in God. The concept of faithfulness is central to the book of Proverbs.
Amplified meaning
sure
Tyndale gloss
be faithful
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָמַן (aman) is a Hebrew root meaning to support or confirm, with applications ranging from nurturing (as a foster parent or nurse) to establishing trust and reliability. It encompasses concepts of faithfulness, permanence, and assurance. The entries highlight its use in various forms, including verbs and nouns, but do not indicate any significant disagreement among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[אָמַן] vb. confirm, support

Qal

as vb. support, nourish

as subst. foster-father

foster-mother, nurse

pillars, supporters of the door

Niph.

carried by nurse

made firm, sure, lasting

confirmed, established, sure

verified, confirmed

reliable, faithful, trusty

Hiph.

stand firm

trust, believe

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H539 אָמַן confirm, support .. as vb. support, nourish

. as subst. foster-father

. foster-mother, nurse

. pillars, supporters of the door

. . carried by nurse

. made firm, sure, lasting

. confirmed, established, sure

. verified, confirmed

. reliable, faithful, trusty

. . stand firm

. trust, believe

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

539 'aman aw-man'

a primitive root; properly, to build up or support; to foster

as a parent or nurse; figuratively to render (or be) firm or

faithful, to trust or believe, to be permanent or quiet;

morally to be true or certain; once (Isa. 30:21;

interchangeable with 541) to go to the right hand:--hence,

assurance, believe, bring up, establish, + fail, be faithful

(of long continuance, stedfast, sure, surely, trusty,

verified), nurse, (-ing father), (put), trust, turn to the

right.

see HEBREW for 0541

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָמַן (a.man) — be faithful.

1) to support, confirm, be faithful

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to support, confirm, be faithful, uphold, nourish

1a1a) foster-father (subst.)

1a1b) foster-mother, nurse

1a1c) pillars, supporters of the door

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be established, be faithful, be carried, make firm

1b1a) to be carried by a nurse

1b1b) made firm, sure, lasting

1b1c) confirmed, established, sure

1b1d) verified, confirmed

1b1e) reliable, faithful, trusty

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to stand firm, to trust, to be certain, to believe in

1c1a) stand firm

1c1b) trust, believe

Aramaic equivalent: a.man (אֲמַן "to trust" H0540)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Niphal — Verb · Niphal · participle (active) masculine singular
HVNrmsa
and I will drive him a tent peg in a place firm and he will become a seat of honor for [the] house of father his
וְהָיָ֛הve.ha.Yah and he will become H1961 Verb · Qal · sequential perfect third person masculine singular
3,562× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for to be means to exist or come into being. It is used to describe something that happens or comes to pass, like in Genesis where God creates the world.
Tyndale gloss
to be
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word הָיָה (hayah) is a primitive root meaning to exist or become, and it encompasses a range of meanings including to happen, occur, and come to pass. It is often used in narrative contexts, particularly in phrases like "and it came to pass." The word can also denote a state of being or existence, and it appears frequently in various forms throughout the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הָיָה 3570 vb. fall out, come to pass, become, be

Qal

Fall out, happen

occur, take place, come about, come to pass

esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass

וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)

rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה

less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)

Come into being, become

abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come

sq. prep.

become

sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)

sq. pred. adj.

become like

sq. pred. לְ pers.

sq. לְ pred.

oft. c. לְ pred. לְ pers.

with עַל and לְ

sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of

Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming)

exist, be in existence

abide, remain, continue

with word of locality, be in or at a place, be situated, stand, lie

as copula, joining subj. & pred.

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1961 הָיָה fall out, come to pass, become, be .. . . Fall out, happen

. occur, take place, come about, come to pass

. esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass . . וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)

. rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה

. less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)

. Come into being, become . . abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come

. sq. prep.

. become . sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)

. sq. pred. adj.

. become like

. sq. pred. + לְ pers.

. sq. לְ pred.

. oft. c. לְ pred. + לְ pers.

. with עַל and לְ

. sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of

. Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming) . exist, be in existence

. abide, remain, continue

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1961 hayah haw-yaw

a primitive root (compare 1933); to exist, i.e. be or become,

come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or

auxiliary):--beacon, X altogether, be(-come), accomplished,

committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint,

fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit

(one-)self, require, X use.

see HEBREW for 01933

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הָיָה (ha.yah) — to be.

1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out

1a) (Qal)

1a1) ---

1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass

1a1b) to come about, come to pass

1a2) to come into being, become

1a2a) to arise, appear, come

1a2b) to become

1a2b1) to become

1a2b2) to become like

1a2b3) to be instituted, be established

1a3) to be

1a3a) to exist, be in existence

1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time)

1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality)

1a3d) to accompany, be with

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to occur, come to pass, be done, be brought about

1b2) to be done, be finished, be gone

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential perfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqq3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

be-kum':

(1) Greek ginomai, used in New Testament for a change of state, corresponding to Hebrew hayah of Old Testament. Compare Mt 18:3 with De 27:9.

(2) For what is fitting, suitable, proper, in New Testament: "prepei" (Mt 3:15; Eph 5:3; 1Ti 2:10); in Old Testament, na'awah, na'ah, Ps 93:5: "Holiness becometh thy house." in this sense, the adverb "becomingly" must be interpreted: "Walk becomingly toward them that are without" (1Th 4:12), i.e. in a way that is consistent with your profession.

and I will drive him a tent peg in a place firm and he will become a seat of honor for [the] house of father his
לְכִסֵּ֥אle.khi.Se' a seat of H3678 Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
135× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word means a throne, symbolizing a seat of power or authority, often canopied or covered. It is used to describe the throne of God or a king, representing royal dignity and power.
Amplified meaning
seat of honor
Tyndale gloss
throne
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כִּסֵּא (kis.se) refers to a seat of honour or throne, often associated with royal dignity and authority. It is derived from a root meaning 'covered' and encompasses meanings like stool and seat. The entries consistently highlight its significance in both literal and figurative contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כִּסֵּא, כִּסֵּה 133 n.m. seat of honour, throne

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3678 כִּסֵּא, כִּסֵּה seat of honour, throne

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3678 kicce' kis-say'

or kicceh {kis-say'}; from 3680; properly, covered, i.e. a

throne (as canopied):--seat, stool, throne.

see HEBREW for 03680

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כִּסֵּא (kis.se) — throne.

1) seat (of honour), throne, seat, stool

1a) seat (of honour), throne

1b) royal dignity, authority, power (fig.)

כִּסֵּא (kis.se) — (Hall of) the Throne.

Combined with u.lam (אוּלָם "Hall" H0197I)

This name means throne, seat

כִּסֵּא (kis.se) — throne: seat.

1) seat (of honour), throne, seat, stool

1a) seat (of honour), throne

1b) royal dignity, authority, power (fig.)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
HR/Ncmsc
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…

and I will drive him a tent peg in a place firm and he will become a seat of honor for [the] house of father his
כָב֖וֹדkha.Vod honor H3519 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
200× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Glory refers to great honor or splendor, often used to describe God's majesty, as in Psalm 138:5 where David praises God's glorious name. It can also refer to wealth or abundance, like in Genesis 31:1 where Jacob's wealth is described.
Tyndale gloss
glory
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כָּבוֹד (kabowd) refers to concepts of abundance, honour, and glory. It encompasses external splendor, dignity of position, and reputation, as well as the inner nobility of a person. The term can denote both the weightiness of glory and the reverence due to someone. The entries consistently emphasize its positive connotations.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כָּבוֹד n.m. and f. abundance, honour, glory

abundance, riches

honour, splendor, glory, of external condition and circumstances

honour, dignity of position

honour, reputation, of character

my honour, poet. of the seat of honour in the inner man, the noblest part of man

honour, reverence, glory, as due to one or ascribed to one

glory as the object, of honour, reverence and glorifying

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3519 כָּבוֹד abundance, honour, glory . abundance, riches

. honour, splendor, glory, of external condition and circumstances

. honour, dignity of position

. honour, reputation, of character

. my honour, poet. of the seat of honour in the inner man, the noblest part of man

. honour, reverence, glory, as due to one or ascribed to one

. glory as the object, of honour, reverence and glorifying

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3519 kabowd kaw-bode'

rarely kabod {kaw-bode'}; from 3513; properly, weight, but

only figuratively in a good sense, splendor or

copiousness:--glorious(-ly), glory, honour(-able).

see HEBREW for 03513

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כָּבוֹד (ka.vod) — glory.

1) glory, honour, glorious, abundance

1a) abundance, riches

1b) honour, splendour, glory

1c) honour, dignity

1d) honour, reputation

1e) honour, reverence, glory

1f) glory

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-cs — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
and I will drive him a tent peg in a place firm and he will become a seat of honor for [the] house of father his
לְבֵ֥יתle.Veit for [the] house of H1004 Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
2,049× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for house refers to a dwelling place, including a family home, temple, or even the human body. It appears in various contexts, such as the temple in Jerusalem or the household of a family. In the Bible, it is often used to describe a place of worship or a family's living space.
Amplified meaning
family, dwelling
Tyndale gloss
place
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word בַּיִת (*bayith*) means 'house' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including dwelling, family, and place. It can refer to physical structures, such as homes and temples, as well as metaphorical uses like the body or household affairs. The word is built from the root related to 'between' and appears in various contexts throughout the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בֵּית fem. of בַּיִן, בֵּין prep. between

base

בַּ֫יִת 2034 n.m. house

house

place

receptacle

of house as containing a family

household, family (592 t.)

house, including household affairs

lit. housewards, hence metaph. inwards

מִבַּיִת

adv. on the inside

prep. within

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1004a בֵּית fem. of בַּיִן, בֵּין prep. between H1004b בַּ֫יִת house

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1004 bayith bah'-yith

probably from 1129 abbreviated; a house (in the greatest

variation of applications, especially family, etc.):--court,

daughter, door, + dungeon, family, + forth of, X great as

would contain, hangings, home(born), (winter)house(-hold),

inside(-ward), palace, place, + prison, + steward, + tablet,

temple, web, + within(-out).

see HEBREW for 01129

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בֵּית (bet) — place.

nm

place, origin, between

בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — house: home.

: home/temple/building

nm

1) house

1a) house, dwelling habitation

1b) shelter or abode of animals

1c) human bodies (fig.)

1d) of Sheol

1e) of abode of light and darkness

1f) of land of Ephraim

2) place

3) receptacle

4) home, house as containing a family

5) household, family

5a) those belonging to the same household

5b) family of descendants, descendants as organized body

6) household affairs

7) inwards (metaph.)

8) (TWOT) temple

adv

9) on the inside

prep

10) within

בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — Beth-(ashbea).

nm

This name is used for a house, habitation

Combined with ash.be.a (אַשְׁבֵּעַ "Ashbea" H0791)

בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — Beth (Haggan).

nm

This name is used for a house, habitation

Combined with hag (גַּן "Haggan" H1588)

בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — Beth-(togarmah).

nm

This name is used for a house, habitation

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
HR/Ncmsc
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…

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and I will drive him a tent peg in a place firm and he will become a seat of honor for [the] house of father his
אָבִֽיו׃'a.Viv father his H1 Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
1,213× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In Hebrew, this word means father, whether literal or figurative. It is used to describe God as the father of his people, as well as human fathers like Abraham. The word is about a paternal relationship or authority.
Amplified meaning
ancestors, heritage
Tyndale gloss
father
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָב (av) means 'father' and encompasses various roles such as the literal father of an individual, God as the father of His people, and the head of a household or clan. It can also refer to an ancestor, originator of a profession, or a figure of respect and protection. Notably, it can imply a ruler or chief in later contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָב 1101 n.m. father

father of individual

of God as father of his people

head of household, family or clan

ancestor

originator or patron of a class, profession, or art

fig. of producer, generator

fig. of benevolence & protection

term of respect & honor

specif., ruler, chief (late)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1 אָב father . father of individual

. of God as father of his people

. head of household, family or clan

. ancestor

. originator or patron of a class, profession, or art

. fig. of producer, generator

. fig. of benevolence & protection

. term of respect & honor

. specif., ruler, chief (late)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1 'ab awb

a primitive word; father, in a literal and immediate, or

figurative and remote application):--chief,

(fore-)father(-less), X patrimony, principal. Compare names

in "Abi-".

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָב (av) — father.

1) father of an individual

2) of God as father of his people

3) head or founder of a household, group, family, or clan

4) ancestor

4a) grandfather, forefathers - of person

4b) of people

5) originator or patron of a class, profession, or art

6) of producer, generator (fig.)

7) of benevolence and protection (fig.)

8) term of respect and honour

9) ruler or chief (spec.)

Also means: av (אַב "father" H0002)

אָב (av) — (Huram)-abi.

A man living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ki.7.13; also called Huram-abi (KJV: "Huram my father's") at 2Ch.2.13; 4.16;

Combined with chi.ram (חִירָם "Hiram" H2438H)

אָב (av) — father of.

The father of Gibeon, also known as Abiel - a man of the tribe of Benjamin living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Sa.9.1;

son of: Zeror (H6872C); married to Maacah (H4601N);

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HNcmsc/Sp3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hiz: Used often in the King James Version with reference to a neuter or inanimate thing, or to a lower animal (Ge 1:11, "after his kind"; Le 1:16, "pluck away his crop"; Ac 12:10, "of his own accord"; 1Co 15:38, "his own body"), etc. the Revised Version (British and American) substitutes "its."

Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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

Donate