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Isaiah 23:3 — Word Study

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WLCוּבְמַ֤יִם רַבִּים֙ זֶ֣רַע שִׁחֹ֔ר קְצִ֥יר יְא֖וֹר תְּבֽוּאָתָ֑הּ וַתְּהִ֖י סְחַ֥ר גּוֹיִֽם׃

BSAOn the greatrab [abundant, many] watersmayim came the grainzeraʻ [seed, produce] of ShihorShîychôwr [Nile, a river in Egypt] the harvestqâtsîyr [crop, revenue] of the Nileyᵉʼôr [a river] was the revenue of Tyretᵉbûwʼâh [income, produce] she washâyâh of the nationsgôwy [Gentiles, non-Hebrew people]

Word
Listen & take awayIsaiah 23
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 3 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (go.Yim) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Isaiah 23:3quick helps
In a sentenceThe verse describes the abundance of trade and harvest that Tyre enjoyed from the grain of Shihor and the Nile.
Who is speakingThe prophet Isaiah, addressing the merchants of Tyre and the nations.
Where we areThis passage reflects on Tyre's economic prosperity and its role as a merchant city.
The hard wordשִׁחֹ֔ר
Take awayTyre's wealth is tied to the agricultural bounty of the Nile and the extensive trade with other nations.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbהָיָה 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 23:3

Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.

Context — The Judgment Against Tyregenerated

2Be silent, O dwellers of the coastland, you merchants of Sidon, whose traders have crossed the sea.
3On the great waters came the grain of Shihor; the harvest of the Nile was the revenue of Tyre; she was the merchant of the nations.
4Be ashamed, O Sidon, the stronghold of the sea, for the sea has spoken: “I have not been in labor or given birth. I have not raised young men or brought up young women.”
5When the report reaches Egypt, they will writhe in agony over the news of Tyre.

Isaiah 23:3 describes how the grain from Shihor and the harvest of the Nile contributed to Tyre's wealth as a hub of trade among nations. This highlights the city's significance in the ancient economy and its interactions with surrounding regions. The context shows a prophetic warning regarding Tyre's future, emphasizing the transient nature of its prosperity.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
11 Chronicles 13:5So David assembled all Israel, from the River Shihor in Egypt to Lebo-hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim.
2Jeremiah 2:18Now what will you gain on your way to Egypt to drink the waters of the Nile ? What will you gain on your way to Assyria to drink the waters of the Euphrates ?
3Isaiah 32:20Blessed are those who sow beside abundant waters, who let the ox and donkey range freely.
4Deuteronomy 11:10For the land that you are entering to possess is not like the land of Egypt, from which you have come, where you sowed your seed and irrigated on foot, like a vegetable garden.
5Isaiah 23:8Who planned this against Tyre, the bestower of crowns, whose traders are princes, whose merchants are renowned on the earth?

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


The Key Word שִׁחֹ֔ר, shi.Chorgenerated

The word שִׁחֹ֔ר (Shichor) refers specifically to the Nile or a branch of it, often associated with its dark, murky waters. This geographical term underscores the connection between Tyre's wealth and the agricultural richness provided by the Nile, indicating the importance of this river in the region's economy.

As a proper noun, it anchors the verse in a specific location, emphasizing the source of the grain that fuels Tyre's trade. The mention of Shihor also evokes the broader themes of abundance and commerce central to this passage.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

In the Berean Standard Bible, the verse reads similarly across translations, with a focus on the grain from Shihor and the harvest of the Nile as sources of Tyre's revenue.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb is וַתְּהִ֖י, and it became, which governs the entire sentence. The structure includes several noun phrases that detail the subjects and predicates, illustrating Tyre's relationship with the grain and harvest.

The arrangement emphasizes the sources of Tyre's wealth, with prepositional phrases highlighting the abundance of water and grain that supported its trade.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates שִׁחֹ֔ר as μεταβόλων, indicating a focus on the trade aspect rather than the geographical specificity of the Nile. This choice suggests a broader interpretation of Tyre's prosperity, emphasizing its role as a merchant city.

This translation choice reflects the Greek translators' emphasis on commerce, aligning with the overall theme of the verse regarding Tyre's economic significance.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Isaiah 23:3 describes how Tyre's wealth came from the grain of Shihor and the harvest of the Nile. The verse emphasizes Tyre's role as a merchant city, trading with various nations. It highlights the connection between the agricultural bounty of the Nile and Tyre's economic prosperity.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does the grain of Shihor refer to?

The grain of Shihor refers to the agricultural produce from the Nile, which was vital for Tyre's trade and economy.

Why is Tyre described as the merchant of the nations?

Tyre is referred to as the merchant of the nations because of its significant role in trade, connecting various peoples through commerce.

What is the significance of the harvest of the Nile?

The harvest of the Nile signifies the agricultural wealth that supported Tyre's economy, highlighting the river's importance in providing resources.

How does this verse reflect on Tyre's future?

The verse serves as a prophetic warning about Tyre's future, emphasizing that its prosperity is not permanent and may face challenges.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways do I see the influence of trade and commerce in my own community?
  2. How can I appreciate the resources around me, similar to how Tyre relied on the Nile?
  3. What lessons can be learned about the temporary nature of wealth and prosperity?
  4. How does this verse challenge my understanding of success and trade in today's world?

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

Jerome comments on this verse, noting Tyre's trade and its significance in the ancient world.

JeromeVers. 3. c. 347–420
Those crossing the sea fill you, in many waters, with the seed of the Nile, and the harvest of its river. Tyre rejoices in trade, and is the market of the whole world, and the present times prove it,
Early Church Fathers on Isaiah 23 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Isaiah 23:3 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

And by great waters the seed of Sihor,.... Sihor is the river Nile in Egypt; it had its name from the black colour of its waters, as in Jeremiah 2:18 hence called by the Greeks Melas, and by the

Read John Gill on Isaiah 23 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And by great waters the seed of Sihor, the harvest of the river, is her revenue; and she is a mart of nations. By great waters - the wide waters of the sea. Seed - the grain, or crop, as in 1 Samuel 8:15; Job 39:12.

Read Robert Jamieson on Isaiah 23 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

By great waters; by the sea, which is very fitly called the great waters, ; understand, cometh, or is brought to her. The seed of Sihor; the corn of Egypt, wherewith Egypt abounded, and furnished divers other parts of the world, whence it was called the granary of the Roman empire; which also was easily conveyed by sea from Egypt to Tyre, and thence to divers other countries. This is called seed, here, as also , and elsewhere, by a usual metonymy; and the seed of Sihor, because it grew up the more abundantly because of the overflow of the river, as all sorts of authors have noted. For Sihor is nothing else but Nilus, as appears from , which is called Sihor, as by the Greeks it was called…

Read Matthew Poole on Isaiah 23 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Isaiah 23:3 And by great waters the seed of Sihor, the harvest of the river, [is] her revenue; and she is a mart of nations.Ver. 3. And by great waters the seed of Sihor,] i.e., Of Nile, by the overflowing whereof Egypt is made exceeding fertile, being styled the "granary of the world." Tyre was much enriched by its store thereto transported through the midland sea, called here great waters.

Read John Trapp on Isaiah 23 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(3) By great waters the seed of Sihor . . .—Sihor (“the dark river”) is as in Jeremiah 2:18, a Hebrew name for the Nile. The corn-trade with Egypt (Ezekiel 27:7, adds the linen-trade) was naturally a chief branch of Tyrian commerce. Practically, indeed, as the Egyptians had no timber to build ships, and, for the most part, hated the sea, their navy consisted of Phœnicians. Tyre practically reaped the harvest that sprang from the inundation of the Nile. For “mart,” read gain. The “great waters” are those of the great sea, i.e., of the Mediterranean.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Isaiah 23 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 3. The seed of Sihor - "The seed of the Nile"] The Nile is called here Shichor, as it is Jeremiah 2:18, and 1 Chronicles 13:5. It had this name from the blackness of its waters, charged with the mud which it brings down from Ethiopia when it overflows, Et viridem AEgyptum nigra fecundat arena; as it was called by the Greeks Melas, and by the Latins Melo, for the same reason. See Servius on the above line of Virgil, Georg. iv. 291. It was called Siris by the Ethiopians, by some supposed to be the same with Shichor. Egypt by its extraordinary fertility, caused by the overflowing of the Nile supplied the neighbouring nations with corn, by which branch of trade the Tyrians gained great…

Read AdamClarke on Isaiah 23 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

3. The easiest translation would be: and on great waters the seed of Shihor, the harvest of the Nile, (was) her revenue, and it (i.e. her revenue) was the gain of the nations. Shihor might be a name for the Nile, as in Jeremiah 2:18; and the meaning would be that the revenue of Tyre (or Phœnicia) was derived from the sea-traffic in Egyptian grain. This was no doubt the case to some extent; but to suppose that the corn trade with Egypt was a principal source of wealth to Tyre is contrary to all the information we possess. The expression of the thought, moreover, is involved and enigmatic, and even if we call to our aid the subtle suggestion that Tyre, with no agriculture of her own…

Read Cambridge on Isaiah 23 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And by great waters - That is, by the abundant-waters, or the overflowing of the Nile. Tyre was the mart to which the superabundant productions of Egypt were borne (see Ezek.

Read Albert Barnes on Isaiah 23 →

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

On the great waters came the grain of Shihor; the harvest of the Nile was the revenue of Tyre; she was the merchant of the nations.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

On great waters, the seed of the Shihor, the harvest of the Nile, was her revenue. She was the market of nations.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

On the great waters came the grain of Shihor; the harvest of the Nile was the revenue of Tyre; she was the merchant of the nations.

NETBNew English Translation2006

the deep waters! Grain from the Shihor region, crops grown near the Nile she receives; she is the trade center of the nations.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And by great waters the seed of Sihor, the harvest of the river, is her revenue; and she is a mart of nations.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And on great waters the seed of the Shihor, the harvest of the Nile, was her revenue; and she was the mart of nations.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And on great waters the seed of Shihor, the harvest of the Nile, was her revenue; and she was the mart of nations.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And by great waters the seed of Sihor, the harvest of the river, is her revenue; and she is a mart of nations.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

The seede of Nilus growing by the abundance of waters, and the haruest of the riuer was her reuenues, and she was a marte of the nations.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And on great waters, the seed of Shihor, the harvest of the Nile, was her revenue; and she was the market of the nations.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And in many waters [is] the seed of Sihor, The harvest of the brook [is] her increase, And she is a mart of nations.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And the seed of Sihor [is] in many waters, || Her increase [is] the harvest of the brook, || And she is a market of nations.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And on mighty waters [came] the seed of Shichor, the harvest of the stream, as her revenue; and she became the mart of nations.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Upon the great waters was the grain of Shihor, the harvest of the Nile was her produce; and it became the commerce of the nations.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

The seed of the Nile in many waters, the harvest of the river is her revenue: and she is become the mart of the nations.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Egyptian grain came across the wide oceans. The Nile's harvest was what made Tyre money; she was the merchant to the nations.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Who get in the seed of Shihor, whose wealth is the trade of the nations.

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.

וּand.[was]clauseprepositional phrase · predicateבְonnoun phraseמַ֤יִםwatersרַבִּים֙manynoun phrase · subjectזֶ֣רַעthe.seedשִׁחֹ֔רof.Shihorclausenoun phrase · subjectקְצִ֥ירthe.harvestיְא֖וֹרof.the.Rivernoun phrase · predicateתְּבֽוּאָתָ֑revenueהּ[was].herוַandclauseverbתְּהִ֖יit.becamenoun phrase · objectסְחַ֥ר[the].trading.profitגּוֹיִֽםof.nations

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 Dead Sea Scrolls largely agree on the wording of the verse. The scrolls confirm the same essential elements, though some minor variations in spelling and word supply exist, particularly in 1Q8 where one word is reconstructed.

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

וּבְמַ֤יִם רַבִּים֙ זֶ֣רַע שִׁחֹ֔ר קְצִ֥יר יְא֖וֹר תְּבֽוּאָתָ֑הּ וַתְּהִ֖י סְחַ֥ר גּוֹיִֽם׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וּבְמַ֤יִםὕδατιרַבִּים֙πολλῷזֶ֣רַעσπέρμαשִׁחֹ֔רμεταβόλωνקְצִ֥ירἀμητοῦתְּבֽוּאָתָ֑הּεἰσφερομένουסְחַ֥רμεταβόλοιגּוֹיִֽם׃ἐθνῶν

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

ובמים רבים זרע שחר קציר יאור תבואת׳ה ותהי סחר גואים

10 words on the leather.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 1Q8a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

ובמים [רבים] [זרע] [שחר] [קציר] [יאור] [תבואת׳ה] [ותהי] [סחר] [גוים]

1 word on the leather — 9 supplied entire by an editor.

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

ובמים רבים זרע שחר קציר יואר תבואת׳ה ותהי סחר גוים

10 words on the leather.

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 23:3מַיand on wateand on watersמַירַבmanymanyרַבזֶ֫רַע[was] [the][was] [the] seeזֶ֫רַעשִׁיחוֹרShihorShihorשִׁיחוֹרקָצִיר[the] harve[the] harvest oקָצִיריְאֹר[the] River[the] Riverיְאֹרתְּבוּאָהrevenue herrevenue herתְּבוּאָההָיָהand it becaand it becameהָיָהסַ֫חַר[the] traff[the] traffic oסַ֫חַרגּוֹיnationsnationsגּוֹיזָרַעto sowto sowזָרַערָבַבto multiplto multiplyרָבַבשָׁחַרbe blackbe blackשָׁחַרקָצֵרbe shortbe shortקָצֵרבּוֹאLeboLeboבּוֹאסָחַרto tradeto tradeסָחַרהָוָאto fallto fallהָוָאגֵּוָהbackbackגֵּוָהרָחַץto wash: wto wash: washרָחַץשָׁתָהto drinkto drinkשָׁתָהנְבוּזַרְאֲדָןNebuzaradaNebuzaradanנְבוּזַרְאֲדָןטַבָּחguardguardטַבָּחמַיWater (GatWater (Gate)מַימִצְרַ֫יִם(Sea of) E(Sea of) Egyptמִצְרַ֫יִםקַ֫יִץsummersummerקַ֫יִץחִטָּהwheatwheatחִטָּהדָּגָהfishfishדָּגָהמַעֲשֵׂרtithetitheמַעֲשֵׂר
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 23:3

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

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

and on waters many [was] [the] seed of Shihor [the] harvest of [the] River revenue her and it became [the] traffic of nations
וּבְמַ֤יִםu.ve.Ma.yim and on waters H4325 Conjunction · preposition · noun common masculine plural absolute
581× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means water, referring to a liquid or a source of refreshment. It appears in the Bible as a literal and figurative term, including references to wasting or urine. The word is used in various contexts, such as in Genesis and Leviticus.
Tyndale gloss
Water (Gate)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מַי (mayim) is a Hebrew word meaning 'water' and is used in the plural form. It encompasses various meanings, including literal water, urine, and metaphorical uses related to refreshment or danger. The entries indicate it is derived from a primitive noun and is primarily referenced in contexts involving water.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[מַי] 580 n.m. only pl. מַ֫יִם waters, water

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4325 מַי only pl. מַ֫יִם waters, water

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4325 mayim mah'-yim

dual of a primitive noun (but used in a singular sense);

water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen:--+

piss, wasting, water(-ing, (-course, -flood, -spring)).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מַי (ma.yim) — water.

1) water, waters

1a) water

1b) water of the feet, urine

1c) of danger, violence, transitory things, refreshment (fig.)

מַי (ma.yim) — Water (Gate).

This name means water, refreshment

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Prep | N-mp — Conjunction · preposition · noun common masculine plural absolute
HC/R/Ncmpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

wo'-terz (mayim, plural of may, "water"; in the New Testament hudor, "water"; kindunois potamon (2Co 11:26), the King James Version "perils of waters," is in the Revised Version (British and American) "perils of rivers"): In the New Testament there is frequent reference to the water of baptism. Pilate washes his hands with water to signify his guiltlessness. Jesus tells the Samaritan woman of the living water. The Lamb shall guide the redeemed unto fountains of waters of life.

The uses of mayim are well classified in BDB, especially the figurative references, as follows: a symbol of distress, "when thou passest through the waters" (Isa 43:2); of force, "like the breach of waters" (2Sa 5:20); of that which is overwhelming, "a…

and on waters many [was] [the] seed of Shihor [the] harvest of [the] River revenue her and it became [the] traffic of nations
רַבִּים֙ra.Bim many H7227 Adj
454× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means a chief or captain, someone in charge. It is used in 2 Samuel 23:19 to describe a great and powerful man. The idea is one of leadership and authority.
Amplified meaning
abundant, many
Tyndale gloss
many
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רַב (rav) means much, many, or great, often used in contrast to מְעַט (me'at). It can describe abundance in quantity or rank and is also used as a noun for chief or captain. The word conveys a range of meanings from numerous to exceedingly, and it can function as both an adjective and a noun.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רַב 429 adj. much, many, great

(oft. opp. מְעַט)

much: of substances

esp. of collectives, numerous

pl. many

רַב as subst. coll. pers.

cstr. = abounding in

מִן comp. = more numerous than

רַב = abundant, enough

as adv. much, exceedingly

less oft. great

base

רַב 49 n.m. chief

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7227a רַב much, many, great . (oft. opp. מְעַט) . . much: of substances

. esp. of collectives, numerous

. pl. many

. רַב as subst. coll. pers.

. cstr. = abounding in

. + מִן comp. = more numerous than

. רַב = abundant, enough

. as adv. much, exceedingly

. less oft. great

H7227b רַב chief

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7227 rab rab

by contracted from 7231; abundant (in quantity, size, age,

number, rank, quality):--(in) abound(-undance, -ant, -antly),

captain, elder, enough, exceedingly, full, great(-ly, man,

one), increase, long (enough, (time)), (do, have) many(-ifold,

things, a time), ((ship-))master, mighty, more, (too, very)

much, multiply(-tude), officer, often(-times), plenteous,

populous, prince, process (of time), suffice(-lent).

see HEBREW for 07231

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רַב (rav) — many.

adj

1) much, many, great

1a) much

1b) many

1c) abounding in

1d) more numerous than

1e) abundant, enough

1f) great

1g) strong

1h) greater than

adv

1i) much, exceedingly

רַב (rav) — chief.

captain, chief

Aramaic equivalent: rav.re.van (רַבְרְבָן "noble" H7261)

רַב (rav) — (Sidon) the Great.

Combined with tsi.don (צִידוֹן "Sidon" H6721H)

§ captain, chief

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Adj
HAampa
English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

MANY, adjective men'ny.

1. Numerous; comprising a great number of individuals.

Thou shalt be a father of many nations. Genesis 17:4.

Not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. 1 Corinthians 1:26.

MANY are the afflictions of the righteous. Psalms 34:12.

It is often preceded by as or so, and followed by so, indicating an equal number.

As many books as you take, so many shall be charged to your account.

So many laws argue so many sins.

It is followed by as.

As many as were willing-hearted brought bracelets. Exodus 34:1.

It precedes an or a, before a noun in the singular number.

Full many a gem of purest ray serene.

2. In low language, preceded by too, it denotes powerful or much; as, they are too many for us.

MANY, noun men'ny. A multitude; a great number of individuals; the people.

O thou fond many

The vulgar and the many are fit only to be led or driven.

and on waters many [was] [the] seed of Shihor [the] harvest of [the] River revenue her and it became [the] traffic of nations
זֶ֣רַעZe.ra' [was] [the] seed of H2233 Noun common · masculine singular construct
229× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means seed or offspring, like in Genesis where God promises Abraham many descendants. It can also mean a plant or sowing time, as in Isaiah 55:10. This concept is central to God's plan for humanity.
Amplified meaning
seed, produce
Tyndale gloss
seed
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

זֶ֫רַע (zera`) means seed, sowing, or offspring. It can refer to literal seed, such as in agriculture, or figuratively to descendants and moral qualities of individuals or communities. The term encompasses concepts like sowing time and can denote a practitioner of righteousness. There is a consistent emphasis on both physical and moral implications of the word.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

זֶ֫רַע n.m. sowing, seed, offspring

lit.:

a sowing

sowing as regularly recurring at its season

seed

seed = semen virile

seed = offspring

seed as marked by moral quality = persons (or community) of such a quality

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2233 זֶ֫רַע sowing, seed, offspring . lit.: . a sowing

. sowing as regularly recurring at its season

. seed

. seed = semen virile

. seed = offspring

. seed as marked by moral quality = persons (or community) of such a quality

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2233 zera` zeh'-rah

from 2232; seed; figuratively, fruit, plant, sowing-time,

posterity:--X carnally, child, fruitful, seed(-time), sowing-

time.

see HEBREW for 02232

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

זֶ֫רַע (ze.ra) — seed.

: seed/sowing

1) seed, sowing, offspring

1a) a sowing

1b) seed

1c) semen virile

1d) offspring, descendants, posterity, children

1e) of moral quality

1e1) a practitioner of righteousness (fig.)

1f) sowing time (by meton)

זֶ֫רַע (ze.ra) — seed: children.

: children/descendants

1) seed, sowing, offspring

1a) a sowing

1b) seed

1c) semen virile

1d) offspring, descendants, posterity, children

1e) of moral quality

1e1) a practitioner of righteousness (fig.)

1f) sowing time (by meton)

זֶ֫רַע (ze.ra) — seed: semen.

: semen

1) seed, sowing, offspring

1a) a sowing

1b) seed

1c) semen virile

1d) offspring, descendants, posterity, children

1e) of moral quality

1e1) a practitioner of righteousness (fig.)

1f) sowing time (by meton)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular construct
HNcmsc
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 on waters many [was] [the] seed of Shihor [the] harvest of [the] River revenue her and it became [the] traffic of nations
שִׁחֹ֔רshi.Chor Shihor H7883 Noun proper
4× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Shichor refers to a river or branch of the Nile in Egypt, described as dark or murky. It is mentioned in the Bible as a geographical location on the east border of Egypt.
Amplified meaning
Nile, a river in Egypt
Tyndale gloss
Nile
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שִׁיחוֹר (Shiychowr) likely derives from a root meaning 'dark' and refers to a river or canal on the eastern border of Egypt, possibly a branch of the Nile. The entries consistently identify it as 'Shihor' or 'Sihor,' emphasizing its connection to the Nile, but do not provide verse references.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שִׁיחוֹר n.pr.flum. on border of Egypt, prob. E. branch of Nile

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7883 שִׁיחוֹר on border of Egypt, prob. E. branch of Nile

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7883 Shiychowr shee-khore'

or Shichowr {shee-khore'}; or Shichor {shee-khore'}; probably

from 7835; dark, i.e. turbid; Shichor, a stream of

Egypt:--Shihor, Sihor.

see HEBREW for 07835

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שִׁיחוֹר (shi.chor) — Shihor.

§ Shihor or Sihor = "dark"

a river or canal on east border of Egypt and a branch of the Nile

שִׁיחוֹר (shi.chor) — Nile.

Shihor or Sihor = "dark"

a river or canal on east border of Egypt and a branch of the Nile

Another name of ye.or (יְאֹר "Nile" H2975G)

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

shi'-hor (shichor, also written without a yodh (y) and waw (w) in Hebrew and incorrectly "Sihor" in English): A stream of water mentioned in connection with Egypt. Joshua (13:3) speaks of the "Shihor, which is before Egypt," a stream which commentators have thought to be "the brook of Egypt," the stream which separated Egypt from Palestine, now called Wady el-`Arish. Jeremiah (2:18 the King James Version) says, "What hast thou to do in the way to Egypt, to drink the waters of Sihor?" Commentators have thought Shihor in this case to be a name for the Nile. Both interpretations cannot be correct. Whatever the name South means, at least it did not denote a movable river. It must be the same stream in both these passages, and no identification of the stream can be correct that does not satisfy both of them. Professor Naville has recently shown conclusively (Proc. Soc. Biblical Arch.…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Shihor

Dark, (1 Chr. 13:5), the southwestern boundary of Canaan, the Wady el-‘Arish. (See SIHOR; NILE.)

Nave's Topical Bible

→ See SIHOR

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and on waters many [was] [the] seed of Shihor [the] harvest of [the] River revenue her and it became [the] traffic of nations
קְצִ֥ירke.Tzir [the] harvest of H7105 Noun common · masculine singular construct
54× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to the harvest or the time of harvest, as well as the reaper or the crop itself. It can also mean a limb or foliage of a tree, emphasizing the idea of growth and abundance. The concept of harvest is central to the biblical narrative, particularly in the book of Ruth.
Amplified meaning
crop, revenue
Tyndale gloss
harvest
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

קָצִיר (qatsiyr) refers to the act of harvesting or the harvest itself, encompassing the process, the crop, and the time of harvest. It can also denote boughs or branches of trees. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to sever,' indicating its connection to reaping.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

קָצִיר n.m. harvesting, harvest

process of harvesting

what is reaped, harvested, crop

time of harvest

base

קָצִיר n.m. usually coll., boughs, branches

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7105a קָצִיר harvesting, harvest H7105b קָצִיר usually coll., boughs, branches

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7105 qatsiyr kaw-tseer'

from 7114; severed, i.e. harvest (as reaped), the crop, the

time, the reaper, or figuratively; also a limb (of a tree, or

simply foliage):--bough, branch, harvest (man).

see HEBREW for 07114

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קָצִיר (qa.tsir) — harvest.

1) harvest, harvesting

1a) process of harvesting

1b) crop, what is harvested or reaped

1c) time of harvest

קָצִיר (qa.tsir) — foliage.

boughs, branches

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular construct
HNcmsc
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 on waters many [was] [the] seed of Shihor [the] harvest of [the] River revenue her and it became [the] traffic of nations
יְא֖וֹרye.'or [the] River H2975 Noun proper
65× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A stream or river, like the Nile, is what this word refers to. It can also mean a canal, watercourse, or even a mining shaft, emphasizing the flow of water.
Amplified meaning
a river
Tyndale gloss
stream
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יְאֹר (ye'or) refers to a stream or canal, specifically associated with the Nile River in Egypt. It encompasses various watercourses, including collateral canals and trenches, and can also denote rivers in general. The term is of Egyptian origin and highlights the significance of the Nile as a primary water source.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יְאֹר, יְאוֹר n.m. stream of the Nile, stream, canal

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2975 יְאֹר, יְאוֹר stream of the Nile, stream, canal

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2975 y`or yeh-ore'

of Egyptian origin; a channel, e.g. a fosse, canal, shaft;

specifically the Nile, as the one river of Egypt, including

its collateral trenches; also the Tigris, as the main river of

Assyria:--brook, flood, river, stream.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יְאֹר (ye.or) — Nile.

This name means river, stream, canal

Also named: shi.chor (שִׁיחוֹר "Nile" H7883H)

יְאֹר (ye.or) — stream.

1) river, stream, canal, Nile, Nile-canal

1a) stream, river (Nile)

1b) Nile-arms, Nile-canals

1c) watercourses

1d) shafts (mining)

1e) river (in general)

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

riv'-er:

(1) The usual word is nahar (Aramaic nehar (Ezr 4:10, etc.)), used of the rivers of Eden (Ge 2:10-14), often of the Euphrates (Ge 15:18, etc.), of Abana and Pharpar (2Ki 5:12), the river of Gozan (2Ki 17:6), the river Chebar (Eze 1:1), the rivers (canals?) of Babylon (Ps 137:1), the rivers of Ethiopia (Isa 18:1; Ze 3:10). Compare nahr, the common Arabic word for "river."

Easton's Bible Dictionary

River

(1.) Heb. ‘aphik, properly the channel or ravine that holds water (2 Sam. 22:16), translated “brook,” “river,” “stream,” but not necessarily a perennial stream (Ezek. 6:3; 31:12; 32:6; 34:13).

(2.) Heb. nahal, in winter a “torrent,” in summer a “wady” or valley (Gen. 32:23; Deut. 2:24; 3:16; Isa. 30:28; Lam. 2:18; Ezek. 47:9).

These winter torrents sometimes come down with great suddenness and with desolating force. A distinguished traveller thus describes his experience in this matter…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

In the sense in which we employ the word viz. for a perennial stream of considerable size, a river is a much rarer object in the East than in the West. With the exception of the Jordan and the Litany, the streams of the holy land are either entirely dried up in the summer months converted into hot lanes of glaring stones, or else reduced to very small streamlets, deeply sunk in a narrow bed, and concealed from view by a dense growth of shrubs. The perennial river is called nahar by the Hebrews. With the definite article, "the river," it signifies invariably the Euphrates. (Genesis 31:21; Exodus 23:31; Numbers 24:6; 2 Samuel 10:16) etc. It is never applied to the fleeting…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

This word answers in our Bible to various Hebrew terms, of which the principal are the following:

1. Yeor, an Egyptian word signifying river. It is always applied to the Nile and its various canals, except in Job 28:10 Da 12:5,6,7 2. Nahar, applied, like our word river, to constantly flowing streams, such as the Euphrates. In our version this word is sometimes rendered "flood," Jos 24:2,3, etc.

3. Nahal, a torrent-bed, or valley through which water flows in the rainy season only, Nu 34:5, etc; frequently rendered "brook," Nu 13:28 Job 6:15, etc. Such streams are to the…

and on waters many [was] [the] seed of Shihor [the] harvest of [the] River revenue her and it became [the] traffic of nations
תְּבֽוּאָתָ֑הּte.vu.'a.Tah revenue her H8393 Noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
42× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means produce or income, referring to crops, revenue, or even the product of our lips. It is translated as fruit, gain, or revenue in the KJV Bible.
Amplified meaning
income, produce
Tyndale gloss
produce
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

תְּבוּאָה (tbuw'ah) refers to produce or revenue, typically from the earth, including crops and income. It can also figuratively denote gains, such as wisdom or the product of lips. The word is derived from a root meaning to bring forth, and its usage spans both literal and figurative contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

תְּבוּאָה n.f. proventus, product, revenue

product, yield, usually of earth

income, revenue, in general

fig. gain of wisdom

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8393 תְּבוּאָה proventus, product, revenue

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8393 tbuw'ah teb-oo-aw'

from 935; income, i.e. produce (literally or

figuratively):--fruit, gain, increase, revenue.

see HEBREW for 0935

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

תְּבוּאָה (te.vu.ah) — produce.

1) produce, product, revenue

1a) product, yield, crops (of the earth usually)

1b) income, revenue

1c) gain (of wisdom) (fig)

1d) product of lips (fig)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs | Suff — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
HNcfsc/Sp3fs
and on waters many [was] [the] seed of Shihor [the] harvest of [the] River revenue her and it became [the] traffic of nations
וַתְּהִ֖יva.te.Hi and it became H1961 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person feminine 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-ConsecImperf-3fs — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person feminine singular
Hc/Vqw3fs
and on waters many [was] [the] seed of Shihor [the] harvest of [the] River revenue her and it became [the] traffic of nations
סְחַ֥רse.Char [the] traffic of H5504 Noun common · masculine singular construct
7× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word refers to profit or gain from trade or business. It describes the income or benefit that comes from buying and selling goods. This word is used to talk about the benefits of commerce and trade.
Tyndale gloss
profit
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

סַ֫חַר (sachar) refers to profit or gain, particularly in the context of trade and merchandise. It is derived from a related term and encompasses meanings related to traffic and commerce. The entries consistently highlight its association with profit from trade without any noted disagreement among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[סָ֫חַר] n.m. traffic, gain

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5504 [סַ֫חַר] traffic, gain

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5504 cachar sakh'-ar

from 5503; profit (from trade):--merchandise.

see HEBREW for 05503

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

סַחַר (sa.char) — profit.

1) traffic, gain, profit, gain from merchandise

1a) traffic, gain from traffic

Also means: sa.char (סָ֫חַר "merchandise" H5505)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcmsc — Noun common · masculine singular construct
HNcmsc
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 on waters many [was] [the] seed of Shihor [the] harvest of [the] River revenue her and it became [the] traffic of nations
גּוֹיִֽם׃go.Yim nations H1471 Noun common · masculine plural absolute
561× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a Gentile, someone who is not Hebrew or Israeli. It can also describe a large group of animals or a nation of people, emphasizing their unity and shared identity.
Amplified meaning
Gentiles, non-Hebrew people
Tyndale gloss
Gentile
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

גּוֹי (goy) refers to a nation or people, often indicating non-Hebrew groups, but can also encompass descendants of Abraham and Israel. It may figuratively describe a swarm of locusts or animals. The plural form, גּוֹיִם (goyim), is noted as a proper noun referring to the people of Goim, specifically mentioned in Genesis 14:1.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

גּוֹי 661 n.m. nation, people

base

גּוֹיִם n.pr.gent. Tid‛al king of Goim

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1471a גּוֹי nation, people H1471b גּוֹיִם n. pr. gent. Tid‛al king of Goim

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1471 gowy go'-ee

rarely (shortened) goy {go'-ee}; apparently from the same

root as 1465 (in the sense of massing); a foreign nation;

hence, a Gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a

flight of locusts:--Gentile, heathen, nation, people.

see HEBREW for 01465

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

גּוֹי (goy) — nation.

1) nation, people

1a) nation, people

1a1) usually of non-Hebrew people

1a2) of descendants of Abraham

1a3) of Israel

1b) of swarm of locusts, other animals (fig.)

גּוֹיִם (go.yim) — Goiim.

People descended from Goy(?), first mentioned at Gen.14.1

§ Goyim (Tidgal, king of)

גּוֹי (goy) — Gentile.

1) nation, people

1a) nation, people

1a1) usually of non-Hebrew people

1a2) of descendants of Abraham

1a3) of Israel

1b) of swarm of locusts, other animals (fig.)

1c) Goyim? = "nations"

Also named: ethnos (ἔθνος "Gentiles" G1484)

גּוֹי (goy) — (Harosheth)-hagoyim.

Goyim (Tidgal, king of)

Combined with cha.ro.shet (חֲרֹ֫שֶׁת "Harosheth" H2800)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural absolute
HNcmpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

na'-shunz.

See GENTILES; GOIIM; HEATHEN; TABLE OF NATIONS.

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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