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Isaiah 23:8 — Word Study

Depth

WLCמִ֚י יָעַ֣ץ זֹ֔את עַל־ צֹ֖ר הַמַּֽעֲטִירָ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֤ר סֹחֲרֶ֙יה֙ שָׂרִ֔ים כִּנְעָנֶ֖יהָ נִכְבַּדֵּי־ אָֽרֶץ׃

BSAWhomîy [the one responsible] plannedyâʻats [purposed, counselled] thiszôʼth againstʻal TyreTsôr [the crowning city] the bestower of crownsʻâṭar [giver, crowner] whoseʼăsher tradersçâchar [merchants, businessmen] are princessar [rulers, leaders] whose merchantsKᵉnaʻan [traders, traffickers] are renownedkâbad [honored, noble] on the earthʼerets [the land, the world]

Word
Listen & take awayIsaiah 23
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 8 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.retz) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Isaiah 23:8quick helps
In a sentenceThe verse questions who has orchestrated events against Tyre, a city known for its influential traders and merchants.
Who is speakingThe speaker is unknown but addresses the situation surrounding Tyre.
Where we areThis verse is part of a prophecy concerning Tyre, highlighting its status and the impending judgment.
The hard wordיָעַץ
Take awayThe question of responsibility for Tyre's fate is posed, emphasizing its significance.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectמִי verbיָעַץ 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 23:8

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 Against Tyregenerated

7Is this your jubilant city, whose origin is from antiquity, whose feet have taken her to settle far away?
8Who planned this against Tyre, the bestower of crowns, whose traders are princes, whose merchants are renowned on the earth?
9The LORD of Hosts planned it, to defile all its glorious beauty, to disgrace all the renowned of the earth.
10Cultivate your land like the Nile, O Daughter of Tarshish; there is no longer a harbor.

Isaiah 23:8 raises the question of who has planned the downfall of Tyre, a city celebrated for its traders and merchants. The passage underscores Tyre's prominent status in trade and its impending judgment, as seen in the surrounding verses that elaborate on its historical significance and the consequences it faces.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Deuteronomy 29:24–28So all the nations will ask, ‘Why has the LORD done such a thing to this land? Why this great outburst of anger?’
2Jeremiah 50:44–45Behold, one will come up like a lion from the thickets of the Jordan to the watered pasture. For in an instant I will chase Babylon from her land. Who is the chosen one I will appoint for this? For who is like Me, and who can challenge Me? What shepherd can stand against Me?”
3Revelation 18:8Therefore her plagues will come in one day— death and grief and famine— and she will be consumed by fire, for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.”
4Ezekiel 28:2–6“Son of man, tell the ruler of Tyre that this is what the Lord GOD says: Your heart is proud, and you have said, ‘I am a god; I sit in the seat of gods in the heart of the sea.’ Yet you are a man and not a god, though you have regarded your heart as that of a god.
5Isaiah 10:8“Are not all my commanders kings?” he says.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 6 references, hung on the phrase they belong to

the crowningEzekiel 28:2–6

The Key Word יָעַץ, ya.'Atzgenerated

The verb יָעַץ (ya'ats) means to plan or counsel, indicating a deliberate intention behind actions. It is in the perfect tense, third person masculine singular, suggesting that the planning has been completed by an unnamed subject.

This word is often used in contexts involving advice or conspiracy, reflecting the seriousness of the question posed in this verse. The implication is that there is a strategic thought process behind the events unfolding against Tyre.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

The translations generally agree on the meaning of the key terms in this verse.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main finite verb is יָעַץ, did he plan, which governs the structure of the sentence. The sentence features a series of noun phrases that elaborate on Tyre's identity and the status of its merchants.

The construction emphasizes the subject's inquiry about the planning against Tyre, with the various phrases detailing the attributes of the city and its traders.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates יָעַץ as ἐβούλευσεν, which carries a similar meaning of deliberation or counsel. This choice reflects a continuity in the idea of strategic planning.

The Greek rendering maintains the focus on the question of who is behind the actions against Tyre, aligning with the Hebrew intent.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Isaiah 23:8 asks who has planned events against Tyre, a city known for its influential traders and merchants. The verse highlights Tyre's significance and the impending consequences it faces, as elaborated in the surrounding context.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What is the significance of Tyre in this verse?

Tyre is depicted as a major trading city with powerful merchants and traders, emphasizing its importance in the ancient world.

Why does the verse question who planned against Tyre?

The question highlights the mystery and gravity of the situation, suggesting that there is a deliberate intention behind the events affecting Tyre.

What does the term 'bestower of crowns' imply?

This term indicates that Tyre was a city of great honor and influence, often associated with power and prestige.

How does this verse connect to the surrounding context?

The verse fits within a broader prophecy about Tyre's downfall, illustrating the city's once-glorious status and the judgment it faces.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What does Tyre's status as a trading city teach us about the importance of commerce in ancient societies?
  2. How can we understand the implications of planning and counsel in our own lives?
  3. What lessons can we draw from Tyre's downfall regarding pride and reliance on wealth?
  4. In what ways might modern cities reflect the characteristics of Tyre as described in this verse?

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

Early commentators, like Jerome, reference this verse to discuss Tyre's significance and its merchants' status, illustrating the city's former glory and the implications of its downfall.

JeromeVers. 8, 9. c. 347–420
Who has conceived these things against Tyre? Is it not the smaller one, or does it not prevail? Its merchants are the princes of Canaan, the famous ones of the land.
Early Church Fathers on Isaiah 23 →
JeromeVerse 8. c. 347–420
Who ever thought about this regarding Tyre, once crowned? Again, read Ezekiel (Ezek. XXVII), and you will learn of the great glory of Tyre from the lamentation of its prince.
Early Church Fathers on Isaiah 23 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Isaiah 23:8 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Who hath taken this counsel against Tyre, the crowning [city],.... Which had a king over it, to whom it gave a crown; and which crowned its inhabitants with riches and plenty, and even enriched the

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

Who hath taken this counsel against Tyre, the crowning city, whose merchants are princes, whose traffickers are the honourable of the earth?

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

Who hath taken this counsel against Tyre? words of admiration: who and where is he that could imagine or durst attempt such a thing as this? This is the work of God, as is expressed, , and not of man. The crowning city; which was a royal city, , and called a kingdom, ,12, and carried away the crown from all other cities, and crowned herself and her, citizens with glory and delights. Whose merchants are princes; equal to princes for wealth, and power, and reputation.

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

Isaiah 23:8 Who hath taken this counsel against Tyre, the crowning [city], whose merchants [are] princes, whose traffickers [are] the honourable of the earth?Ver. 8. The crowning city.] Heb., The crowning or crowned: a city of kings, as Cyneas once said of Rome, This is a style better befitting heaven and the crowned saints there. Whose merchants are princes.] Little kings, as we say. So they are at Venice; so the Hogens Moghens of the Netherlands. Vidi civitatem regum. See the state of kings.

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

(8) The crowning city.—The participle is strictly transitive in its force. Tyre was the distributor of crowns to the Phœnician colonies. The Vulg., however, gives “crowned.” Whose merchants are princes.—It is a fact worth noting in the history of language that the word for “merchants” here, and in Hosea 12:7; Proverbs 31:24, is the same as that for Canaanite. The traffickers of the earth were pre-eminently of that race.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Isaiah 23 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

8, 9. This is the execution of Jehovah’s purpose, and therefore irreversible. the crowning city] Or, the crown-giver. Tyre is rightly so-called, inasmuch as some of her colonies (Kition, Tarshish and Carthage) were ruled by kings, subject to the mother-city. whose traffickers] The word is probably the gentilic noun “Canaanite” which is used with the sense of “trader” in Job 41:6 [Heb. 40:30]; Proverbs 31:24; Zechariah 14:21, as the collective name “Canaan” is in older passages (Hosea 12:7; Zephaniah 1:11). It was of course from the commercial proclivities of the Phœnicians themselves that the word acquired this secondary significance amongst the Hebrews. The petty trade of Palestine seems…

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

Who hath taken this counsel? - To whom is this to be traced? Is this the work of man, or is it the plan of God? - questions which would naturally arise at the contemplation of the ruin of a city so ancient and so magnificent.

Read Albert Barnes on Isaiah 23 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

8, 9. Who hath taken… counsel — Of whose purpose come results such as these upon great Tyre? Is it possible any one can bring such things about? The irony is withering, yet solemn and stately.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon 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

Who planned this against Tyre, the bestower of crowns, whose traders are princes, whose merchants are renowned on the earth?

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Who has planned this against Tyre, the giver of crowns, whose merchants are princes, whose traders are the honorable of the earth?

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Who planned this against Tyre, the bestower of crowns, whose traders are princes, whose merchants are renowned on the earth?

NETBNew English Translation2006

Who planned this for royal Tyre, whose merchants are princes, whose traders are the dignitaries of the earth?

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Who hath taken this counsel against Tyre, the crowning city, whose merchants are princes, whose traffickers are the honourable of the earth?

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Who hath purposed this against Tyre, the bestower of crowns, whose merchants are princes, whose traffickers are the honorable of the earth?

RVARevised Version, American1894

Who hath purposed this against Tyre, the crowning city, whose merchants are princes, whose traffickers are the honourable of the earth?

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Who hath taken this counsel against Tyre, the crowning city , whose merchants are princes, whose traders are the honorable of the earth?

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Who hath decreed this against Tyrus (that crowneth men) whose marchantes are princes? whose chapmen are the nobles of the worlde?

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Who hath purposed this against Tyre, the distributor of crowns, whose merchants were princes, whose dealers were the honourable of the earth?

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Who hath counselled this against Tyre, The crowning one, whose traders [are] princes, Her merchants the honoured of earth?'

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Who has counseled this against Tyre, || The crowning one, whose traders [are] princes, || Her merchants—the honored of earth?

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Who hath resolved this against Tyre, the crowning city, whose merchants are princes, whose traders are the honorable of the earth?

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Who has planned this against Tyre, the giver of crowns, whose merchants are princes, whose traders are the honored ones of the earth?

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Who hath taken this counsel against Tyre, that was formerly crowned, whose merchants were princes, and her traders the nobles of the earth?

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Who planned this attack on Tyre? Tyre, who created kingdoms, whose merchants were princes, whose traders were honored around the world!

BBEBible in Basic English1949

By whom was this purposed against Tyre, the crowning town, whose traders are chiefs, whose business men are honoured in the land?

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.

clausesubjectמִ֚יwho?verbיָעַ֣ץdid.he.planobjectזֹ֔אתthisprepositional phrase · prepositionalעַלonnoun phrasenoun phraseצֹ֖רTyrenoun phraseהַ[which].bestowsמַּֽעֲטִירָ֑הcrownsrelpאֲשֶׁ֤רwhichclausenoun phrase · subjectסֹחֲרֶ֨יtradersה֙itspredicateשָׂרִ֔ים[were].princesclausenoun phrase · subjectכִּנְעָנֶ֖יmerchantsהָitsnoun phrase · predicateנִכְבַּדֵּי[were.those.who.were].honoredאָֽרֶץof.[the].earth

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


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

The Masoretic Text, the Septuagint, and the Dead Sea Scrolls show agreement on the core elements of the verse. The Septuagint matches 8 of the 12 words in the Hebrew text, although its word order differs.

The Dead Sea Scrolls provide partial matches, indicating some variations in wording but retaining the essential meaning of the prophecy against Tyre.

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

מִ֚י יָעַ֣ץ זֹ֔את עַל־ צֹ֖ר הַמַּֽעֲטִירָ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֤ר סֹחֲרֶ֙יה֙ שָׂרִ֔ים כִּנְעָנֶ֖יהָ נִכְבַּדֵּי־ אָֽרֶץ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
מִ֚יτίςיָעַ֣ץἐβούλευσενעַל־ἐπὶצֹ֖רτύρονהַמַּֽעֲטִירָ֑הμὴסֹחֲרֶ֙יה֙οἱנִכְבַּדֵּי־ἔνδοχοιאָֽרֶץ׃γῆς

8 of the 12 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

מי יעץ זואת על צר המעטרה אשר סוחרי׳ה שרים כנעני׳ה נכבדי הארץ

12 words on the leather.

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

[מי] [יעץ] [זאת] [על] [צר] [המעטירה] [אשר] סחרי׳ה שרים [כנעני׳ה] [נכבדי] ארץ

3 words on the leather — 9 supplied entire by an editor.

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

[מי] [יעץ] [זאת] [על] [צר] [המעטירה] [אשר] סוחרי׳ה [שרים] [כנעני׳ה] [נכבדי] [ארץ]

nothing on the leather here — 1 partly restored, 11 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 23:8מִיwho?who?מִייָעַץdid he plandid he planיָעַץזֶהthisthisזֶהעַלononעַלצֹרTyreTyreצֹרעָטַרwhich bestowhich bestows cעָטַראֲשֶׁרwhichwhichאֲשֶׁרסָחַרtraders itstraders itsסָחַרשַׂר[were] prin[were] princesשַׂרכְּנַ֫עַןmerchants imerchants itsכְּנַ֫עַןכָּבֵד[were the] [were the] honoכָּבֵדאֶ֫רֶץ[the] earth[the] earthאֶ֫רֶץשָׂרַרto ruleto ruleשָׂרַרכָּנַעbe humblebe humbleכָּנַעמָהwhat?what?מָהשֶׂהשֶׂהעַלheightheightעַלצֹרflintflintצֹריָעַדto appointto appointיָעַדכְּמוֹlikelikeכְּמוֹאֲחִיתֹ֫פֶלAhithophelAhithophelאֲחִיתֹ֫פֶלעֵצָהcounselcounselעֵצָהתּוֹרָהinstructioinstructionתּוֹרָהשִׁירsongsongשִׁירכִּפֶּרto atoneto atoneכִּפֶּרכִּסֵּאthronethroneכִּסֵּאחִירָםHiramHiramחִירָםחִירָםHiramHiramחִירָםשָׁאוּלShaulShaulשָׁאוּלצָוָהto commandto commandצָוָה
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 23:8

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.

who? did he plan this on Tyre which bestows crowns which traders its [were] princes merchants its [were the] honored [people] of [the] earth
מִ֚יmi who? H4310 Pronoun
423× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word is used to ask questions like who, whose, or whom. It can also be used to express a wish, like would that or whoever. It appears in many forms throughout the Bible, often in phrases like O that or what.
Amplified meaning
the one responsible
Tyndale gloss
who?
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מִי (mi) is an interrogative pronoun primarily used to ask about persons, meaning 'who?' or 'whose?'. It can also appear in rhetorical questions and has some idiomatic uses, such as 'who among...?' or 'whosoever'. The word is rarely applied to things, and its forms can vary in emphasis.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מִי 423 pron.interrog. who? of persons

מִי is rarely used of things, and usually where persons are understood or implied

in the gen. whose

in an indirect qu.

מִי ב׳ who among … ?

strengthened and emph. forms of interrog.

various rhetorical uses whose

מִי may sometimes be rendered whosoever, though, as the examples will shew, it does not really mean it

once, following a verb, any one

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4310 מִי who? of persons . מִי is rarely used of things, and usually where persons are understood or implied

. in the gen. whose

. in an indirect qu.

. מִי ב׳ who among … ?

. strengthened and emph. forms of interrog.

. various rhetorical uses whose

. מִי may sometimes be rendered whosoever, though, as the examples will shew, it does not really mean it

. once, following a verb, any one

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4310 miy me

an interrogative pronoun of persons, as 4100 is of things,

who? (occasionally, by a peculiar idiom, of things); also

(indefinitely) whoever; often used in oblique construction

with prefix or suffix:--any (man), X he, X him, + O that!

what, which, who(-m, -se, -soever), + would to God.

see HEBREW for 04100

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מִי (mi) — who?.

who?, whose?, whom?, would that, whoever, whosoever

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part — Pronoun
HPi
who? did he plan this on Tyre which bestows crowns which traders its [were] princes merchants its [were the] honored [people] of [the] earth
יָעַ֣ץya.'Atz did he plan H3289 Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singular
79× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to advise or counsel someone, like giving guidance or planning something. It is used in the Bible to describe people seeking advice or working together to make a plan. The KJV translates it as advise or counsel.
Amplified meaning
purposed, counselled
Tyndale gloss
to advise
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָעַץ (ya`ats) is a Hebrew verb meaning to advise or counsel. It encompasses various forms, including advising, consulting, and deliberating, with nuances in different stems such as Qal, Niphal, and Hithpael. The word can also imply conspiracy in certain contexts. The entries suggest a focus on guidance and decision-making.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָעַץ vb. advise, counsel

Qal advise, counsel

Niph. consult together, exchange counsel

Hithp. conspire against

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3289 יָעַץ advise, counsel

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3289 ya`ats yaw-ats'

a primitive root; to advise; reflexively, to deliberate or

resolve:--advertise, take advise, advise (well), consult,

(give, take) counsel(-lor), determine, devise, guide, purpose.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָעַץ (ya.ats) — to advise.

1) to advise, consult, give counsel, counsel, purpose, devise, plan

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to advise, counsel, give counsel, consult

1a2) counsellor (participle)

1b) (Niphal) to consult together, exchange counsel, deliberate, counsel together

1c) (Hithpael) to conspire

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-3ms — Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singular
HVqp3ms
who? did he plan this on Tyre which bestows crowns which traders its [were] princes merchants its [were the] honored [people] of [the] earth
זֹ֔אתZot this H2063 Particle
604× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means this or that, often used to point out something specific. It appears in various forms throughout the Old Testament.
Tyndale gloss
this
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

זֹאת (zot) is a demonstrative pronoun and adverb meaning 'this' or 'here.' It can stand alone or be used in apposition to a noun, often serving as a predicate. The word can also attach enclitically to interrogative pronouns to add emphasis. In poetry, it may function as a relative pronoun, though this is rare.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

זֶה demonstr.pron. and adv.; fem. זֹאת, once זֹאתָה; this, here

standing alone

In appos. to subst.

More oft. as pred.

It is attached enclitically, almost as an adv., to certain words, esp. interrog. pronouns, to impart, in a manner often not reproducible in Engl. idiom, directness and force, bringing the question or statement made into close relation with the speaker.

In poetry, as a relative pron. (rare)

With prefixes (in special senses)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2063 זֶה demonstr. pron. and adv.; fem. זֹאת, once זֹאתָה; this, here . standing alone

. In appos. to subst.

. More oft. as pred.

. It is attached enclitically, almost as an adv., to certain words, esp. interrog. pronouns, to impart, in a manner often not reproducible in Engl. idiom, directness and force, bringing the question or statement made into close relation with the speaker.

. In poetry, as a relative pron. (rare)

. With prefixes (in special senses)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2063 zo'th zothe'

irregular feminine of 2089; this (often used adverb):--

hereby (-in, -with), it, likewise, the one (other, same), she,

so (much), such (deed), that, therefore, these, this (thing),

thus.

see HEBREW for 02089

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

זֹאת (zot) — this.

1) this, this one, here, which, this...that, the one...the other, such

1a) (alone)

1a1) this one

1a2) this...that, the one...the other, another

1b) (appos to subst)

1b1) this

1c) (as predicate)

1c1) this, such

1d) (enclitically)

1d1) then

1d2) who, whom

1d3) how now, what now

1d4) what now

1d5) wherefore now

1d6) behold here

1d7) just now

1d8) now, now already

1e) (poetry)

1e1) wherein, which, those who

1f) (with prefixes)

1f1) in this (place) here, then

1f2) on these conditions, herewith, thus provided, by, through this, for this cause, in this matter

1f3) thus and thus

1f4) as follows, things such as these, accordingly, to that effect, in like manner, thus and thus

1f5) from here, hence, on one side...on the other side

1f6) on this account

1f7) in spite of this, which, whence, how

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Pron — Particle
HTm
who? did he plan this on Tyre which bestows crowns which traders its [were] princes merchants its [were the] honored [people] of [the] earth
עַל־'al- on H5921 Preposition
5,774× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means on or above something, like a physical object or a situation. It can also imply a sense of responsibility or accountability, as in being on behalf of someone.
Tyndale gloss
upon
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עַל (*al*) is a preposition meaning 'upon' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including 'on account of,' 'beside,' 'above,' and 'against.' It can indicate physical placement, emotional burdens, or duties imposed on a person. The entries also note its use in idiomatic expressions and with verbs of motion. There is a mention of its function as a conjunction in certain contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

base

עַל, עָ֑ל

subst. height

As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against

Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed

of clothing, etc., which any one wears

With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it

Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him

Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him

על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him

חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5921a עַל, עָ֑ל . As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against . Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed . — . of clothing, etc., which any one wears

. With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it

. Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him

. Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him

. על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him

. חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5921 `al al

properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the

singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a

particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always

in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great

variety of applications (as follow):--above, according

to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because

of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both

and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in

(that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-)on, over, than,

through(-out), to, touching, X with.

see HEBREW for 05920

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עַל (al) — upon.

prep

1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against

1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards

1b) above, beyond, over (of excess)

1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence)

1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition)

1e) over (of suspension or extension)

1f) by, adjoining, next, at, over, around (of contiguity or proximity)

1g) down upon, upon, on, from, up upon, up to, towards, over towards, to, against (with verbs of motion)

1h) to (as a dative)

[כִּי] עַל [כֵּן] ([ki] al [ken]) — as.

conj

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Preposition
HR
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

On

Light; the sun, (Gen. 41:45, 50), the great seat of sun-worship, called also Bethshemesh (Jer. 43:13) and Aven (Ezek. 30:17), stood on the east bank of the Nile, a few miles north of Memphis, and near Cairo, in the north-east. The Vulgate and the LXX. Versions have “Heliopolis” (“city of the sun”) instead of On in Genesis and of Aven in Ezekiel. The “city of destruction” Isaiah speaks of (19:18, marg. “of Heres;” Heb. ‘Ir-ha-heres, which some MSS. read Ir-ha-heres, i.e., “city of the sun”) may be the name given to On, the prophecy being that the time will come when that city which was known as the “city of the sun-god” shall become the “city of destruction” of the sun-god, i.e., when idolatry shall cease, and the worship…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(abode or city of the sun), a town of lower Egypt, called BETH-SHEMESH in (Jeremiah 43:13) On is better known under its Greek name Heliopolis. It was situated on the east side of the Pelusiac branch of the Nile, just below the point of the Delta, and about twenty miles northeast of Memphis. The chief object of worship at Heliopolis was the sun, whose temple, described by Strabo, is now only represented by the single beautiful obelisk, of red granite so feet 2 inches high above the pedestal which has stood for more than 4000 years, having been erected by Usirtesen, the second king of the twelfth dynasty. Heliopolis was anciently famous for its learning, and Eudoxus and Plato studied under its priests. The first mention of this place in the Bible is in the history of Joseph, to whom we read Pharaoh gave "to wife Asenath the daughter…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

See HELIOPOLIS.

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

pain; force; iniquity

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
who? did he plan this on Tyre which bestows crowns which traders its [were] princes merchants its [were the] honored [people] of [the] earth
צֹ֖רtzor Tyre H6865 Noun proper
42× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Tyre refers to a city on the Mediterranean coast, mentioned in the Bible as a major Phoenician city, translated as Tyre or Tyrus, meaning a rock. It appears in books like Matthew and Acts. The city was an important trade center.
Amplified meaning
the crowning city
Tyndale gloss
Tyre
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

צֹר (tsor) refers to Tyre, a well-known Phoenician city located on the Mediterranean coast. The word is associated with the meaning of 'rock' and is linked to the Hebrew word for rock, צור (tsur). The entries consistently identify it as a proper noun and a significant location in ancient Palestine.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

צֹר, צוֹר n.pr.loc. Tyre, famous Phoenician city

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6865 צֹר, צוֹר Tyre, famous Phoenician city

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6865 Tsor tsore

or Tsowr {tsore}; the same as 6864; a rock; Tsor, a place in

Palestine:--Tyre, Tyrus.

see HEBREW for 06864

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

צֹר (tsor) — Tyre.

§ Tyre or Tyrus = "a rock"

the Phoenician city on the Mediterranean coast

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

tir (tsowr. tsor, "rock"' Turos, "Tyrus"; modern Sur):

1. Physical Features:

The most noted of the Phoenician cities situated on the coast, lat. 33ø 17 minutes, about 20 miles South of Sidon and about 35 North of Carmel. The date of its foundation is uncertain, but it was later than that of Sidon. It is mentioned in the travels of the Egyptian Mohar, dating probably from the 14th century BC, and in the Tell el-Amarna Letters of about the same period. Herodotus describes the temple of Hercules at Tyre and says it was built 2,300 years before his time, which would carry back the beginning of the city to more than 2700 BC. It was a double city, one part on an island, a short distance from the shore, and the other on the mainland opposite. The island city had two harbors, connected by a canal, one looking North and the other South. The island was rocky and the city was fortitled on the land…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Tyre

A rock, now es-Sur; an ancient Phoenician city, about 23 miles, in a direct line, north of Acre, and 20 south of Sidon. Sidon was the oldest Phoenician city, but Tyre had a longer and more illustrious history. The commerce of the whole world was gathered into the warehouses of Tyre. “Tyrian merchants were the first who ventured to navigate the Mediterranean waters; and they founded their colonies on the coasts and neighbouring islands of the AEgean Sea, in Greece, on the northern coast of Africa, at Carthage and other places, in Sicily and Corsica, in Spain at Tartessus, and even beyond the pillars of Hercules at Gadeira (Cadiz)” (Driver’s Isaiah). In the time of David a friendly alliance was entered into between the Hebrews and the Tyrians, who were long ruled over by their native kings (2 Sam. 5:11;

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

Tyrus, strength; rock; sharp

who? did he plan this on Tyre which bestows crowns which traders its [were] princes merchants its [were the] honored [people] of [the] earth
הַמַּֽעֲטִירָ֑הha.ma.'a.ti.Rah which bestows crowns H5849 Particle · verb hiphil participle (active) feminine singular
7× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word means to give someone a crown, which is a symbol of honor and power. It's used in 2 Samuel 12:30 to describe King David taking a crown from a defeated king.
Amplified meaning
giver, crowner
Tyndale gloss
to surround
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עָטַר (atar) is a Hebrew verb meaning to surround or to crown. It can refer to encircling for protection or attack, and it is also used in a figurative sense to denote crowning, either literally or metaphorically. The entries indicate its use in various forms, including Qal, Piel, and Hiphil, with a notable example of crowning in the context of a mother crowning her child.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[עָטַר] vb. surround

base

[עָטַר] vb. denom. crown

Pi. with which his mother crowned him

Hiph. usu. Tyre the crown-bestower

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5849a עָטַר surround H5849b עָטַר vb. denom. crown

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5849 `atar aw-tar'

a primitive root; to encircle (for attack or protection);

especially to crown (literally or figuratively):--compass,

crown.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עָטַר (a.tar) — to surround.

1) to surround

1a) (Qal) to surround

עָטַר (a.tar) — to crown.

1) to crown, give a crown

1a) (Piel) to crown

1b) (Hiphil) crown-bestower (participle)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | V-Hiphil — Particle · verb hiphil participle (active) feminine singular
HTd/Vhrfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Thompson Chain Reference topics

(1) Material

Le 8:9; 2Sa 1:10; 12:30; 2Ki 11:12; Es 1:11; 8:15

(2) Figurative

Ps 8:5; 21:3; 103:4; Pr 4:9; 12:4; 16:31; 17:6

(3) Spiritual. SEE FUTURE, THE

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
who? did he plan this on Tyre which bestows crowns which traders its [were] princes merchants its [were the] honored [people] of [the] earth
אֲשֶׁ֤ר'a.Sher which H834 Particle
5,500× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word is a conjunction that connects ideas and events in the Bible, like in the book of Genesis, where it's used to describe the relationship between God and His creation.
Tyndale gloss
which
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֲשֶׁר (*asher*) is a relative pronoun that can mean 'who,' 'which,' or 'that.' It serves various grammatical functions, including as an adverb or conjunction, indicating relationships between clauses, places, or conditions. Variants like בַאֲשֶׁר (*ba-asher*), מֵאֲשֶׁר (*me-asher*), and כַּאֲשֶׁר (*ka-asher*) expand its usage to specific contexts such as location, causation, and time.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֲשֶׁר part. of relation A sign of relation, bringing the clause introduced by it into relation with an antecedent clause.

base

בַאֲשֶׁר

in (that) which

adv. in (the place) where

conj. in that, inasmuch as

on account of whom?

base

מֵאֲשֶׁר

from (or than) that which

adv. from (the place) where

conj. from (the fact) that …, since

base

כַּאֲשֶׁר conj. according as, as, when

according to that which, according as, as

with a causal force, in so far as, since

with a temporal force, when

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H834a אֲשֶׁר part. of relation A sign of relation, bringing the clause introduced by it into relation with an antecedent clause. H834b בַאֲשֶׁר . in (that) which

. adv. in (the place) where

. conj. in that, inasmuch as

. on account of whom?

H834c מֵאֲשֶׁר . from (or than) that which

. adv. from (the place) where

. conj. from (the fact) that …, since

H834d כַּאֲשֶׁר conj. according as, as, when . according to that which, according as, as

. with a causal force, in so far as, since

. with a temporal force, when

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

834 'aher ash-er'

a primitive relative pronoun (of every gender and number);

who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction)

when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.:--X after, X

alike, as (soon as), because, X every, for, + forasmuch, +

from whence, + how(-soever), X if, (so) that ((thing) which,

wherein), X though, + until, + whatsoever, when, where

(+ -as, -in, -of, -on, -soever, -with), which, whilst, +

whither(- soever), who(-m, -soever, -se). As it is

indeclinable, it is often accompanied by the personal pronoun

expletively, used to show the connection.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֲשֶׁר (a.sher) — which.

A: 1) (relative part.)

1a) which, who

1b) that which

2) (conj)

2a) that (in obj clause)

2b) when

2c) since

2d) as

2e) conditional if

B: Beth+ 1) in (that) which

2) (adv)

2a) where

3) (conj)

3a) in that, inasmuch as

3b) on account of

C: Mem+ 1) from (or than) that which

2) from (the place) where

3) from (the fact) that, since

D: Kaph+

1) (conj.), according as, as, when

1a) according to that which, according as, as

1b) with a causal force: in so far as, since

1c) with a temporal force: when

בַאֲשֶׁר (ba.a.sher) — in which.

1) in (that) which

2) (adv)

2a) where

3) (conj)

3a) in that, inasmuch as

3b) on account of

מֵאֲשֶׁר (me.a.sher) — whence.

1) from (or than) that which

2) from (the place) where

3) from (the fact) that, since

כַּאֲשֶׁר (ka.a.sher) — as which.

conj

1) according as, as, when

1a) according to that which, according as, as

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Rel — Particle
HTr
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
who? did he plan this on Tyre which bestows crowns which traders its [were] princes merchants its [were the] honored [people] of [the] earth
סֹחֲרֶ֙יה֙so.cha.Reih traders its H5503 Verb qal participle (active) masculine plural common · suffix
21× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to travel around, often for trade or business. It can also describe a person who goes around buying and selling goods. In the Bible, it is used to describe merchants or traders.
Amplified meaning
merchants, businessmen
Tyndale gloss
to trade
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

סָחַר (sachar) means to go around or travel about, particularly in the context of trade. It can refer to a trader or trafficker, emphasizing movement in business. The root suggests both the act of trading and a sense of palpitation, though the latter is less commonly emphasized.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[סָחַר] vb. go around, about, travel about in

Qal

go about, to and fro

Pt. = subst. a trafficker, trader (who goes about with wares, etc.)

Pilp. my heart palpitates

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5503 סָחַר go around, about, travel about in

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5503 cachar saw-khar'

a primitive root; to travel round (specifically as a pedlar);

intensively, to palpitate:--go about, merchant(-man), occupy

with, pant, trade, traffick.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

סָחַר (sa.char) — to trade.

1) to go around, go about, travel about in, go about in trade

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go about to and fro (in business)

1a2) trader, trafficker (participle)

1b) (Pilpel) to palpitate

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal | Suff — Verb qal participle (active) masculine plural common · suffix
HVqrmpc/Sp3fs
who? did he plan this on Tyre which bestows crowns which traders its [were] princes merchants its [were the] honored [people] of [the] earth
שָׂרִ֔יםsa.Rim [were] princes H8269 Noun common · masculine plural absolute
421× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A leader or person in charge, like a prince or captain, as seen in the Bible with King David and other rulers.
Amplified meaning
rulers, leaders
Tyndale gloss
ruler
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שַׂר (sar) refers to a leader or ruler, encompassing a range of meanings from prince and chief to official and captain. It denotes various ranks, including military commanders and religious leaders, and can also imply a noble or merchant of high status. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to rule'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שַׂר 420 n.m. chieftain, chief, ruler, official, captain, prince

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8269 שַׂר chieftain, chief, ruler, official, captain, prince

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8269 sar sar

from 8323; a head person (of any rank or class):--captain

(that had rule), chief (captain), general, governor, keeper,

lord, ((-task- ))master, prince(-ipal), ruler, steward.

see HEBREW for 08323

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שַׂר (sar) — ruler.

1) prince, ruler, leader, chief, chieftain, official, captain

1a) chieftain, leader

1b) vassal, noble, official (under king)

1c) captain, general, commander (military)

1d) chief, head, overseer (of other official classes)

1e) heads, princes (of religious office)

1f) elders (of representative leaders of people)

1g) merchant-princes (of rank and dignity)

1h) patron-angel

1i) Ruler of rulers (of God)

1j) warden

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural absolute
HNcmpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Thompson Chain Reference topics
who? did he plan this on Tyre which bestows crowns which traders its [were] princes merchants its [were the] honored [people] of [the] earth
כִּנְעָנֶ֖יהָkin.'a.Nei.ha merchants its H3667 Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
94× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Canaan was a son of Ham and the name of the country where he lived, which is now modern-day Israel. The Canaanites were known for being merchants and traders, as seen in Genesis and other books.
Amplified meaning
traders, traffickers
Tyndale gloss
Canaan
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כְּנַ֫עַן (ke.na.an) refers to both Canaan, the son of Ham, and the land west of the Jordan River where the Israelites settled, as well as the term for merchant or trader. The word is associated with lowland and trade, particularly linked to the Canaanites and Phoenicians. There is a distinction made between its use as a proper noun and as a common noun for merchants.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כְּנַ֫עַן 90 n.pr.m. et terr. Canaan

as n. pr. m., son of Ham

land, W. of Jordan, into wh. Hebrews came, and where they settled, subduing the inhabitants

the coast, esp. Phoenicia

base

כְּנַ֫עַן n.[m.] merchant(s) (because Canaanites, esp. Phoenicians, were traders)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3667a כְּנַ֫עַן Canaan . as n. pr. m., son of Ham

. . land, W. of Jordan, into wh. Hebrews came, and where they settled, subduing the inhabitants

. the coast, esp. Phoenicia

H3667b כְּנַ֫עַן merchant(s)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3667 Kna`an ken-ah'-an

from 3665; humiliated; Kenaan, a son a Ham; also the country

inhabited by him:--Canaan, merchant, traffick.

see HEBREW for 03665

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כְּנַ֫עַן (ke.na.an) — Canaan.

§ Canaan = "lowland"

the land west of the Jordan peopled by the descendants of Canaan and subsequently conquered by the Israelites under Joshua

כְּנַ֫עַן (ke.na.an) — merchant.

merchant, trader

Also means: ke.na.a.ni (כְּנַעֲנִי "merchant" H3669B)

כְּנַ֫עַן (ke.na.an) — Canaan.

A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.9.18;

son of: Ham (H2526);

brother of: Cush (H3568), Egypt (H4714) and Put (H6316);

father of: Sidon (H6721), Heth (H2845), Jebusite (H2983), Amorite (H0567), Girgashite (H1622), Hivite (H2340), Arkite (H6208), Sinite (H5513), Arvadite (H0721), Zemarite (H6786) and Hamathite (H2577)

§ merchant, trader

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
HNcmpc/Sp3fs
who? did he plan this on Tyre which bestows crowns which traders its [were] princes merchants its [were the] honored [people] of [the] earth
נִכְבַּדֵּי־nikh.ba.dei- [were the] honored [people] of H3513 Verb · Niphal · participle (active) masculine plural common
113× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word can mean to honor or make something weighty, like when God is glorified in Psalm 138, or to be heavy with burdens, as the Israelites were in Exodus 18.
Amplified meaning
honored, noble
Tyndale gloss
to honor: honour
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word כָּבֵד (kabad) is built from a primitive root meaning 'to be heavy.' It covers a range of meanings, including being burdensome, weighty, or honorable. The word can describe both a negative sense of heaviness or dullness and a positive sense of honor or glory. It appears in various forms, such as making oneself heavy or being made honorable.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כָּבֵד vb. be heavy, weighty, burdensome, honoured

Qal

be heavy, in weight

heavy, insensible, dull

be honoured

Niph.

pass.

be made heavy fr. abundance

be honoured, enjoy honour, of man

medial, get oneself glory (or honour), of God

Pi.

make heavy, insensible

make honourable, honour, glorify, usu. c. human subj.

Pu. be made honourable, honoured

Hiph.

make heavy

make heavy, dull, unresponsive, the ears

cause to be honoured

Hithp.

make oneself heavy, dense, numerous

honour oneself

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3513 כָּבֵד be heavy, weighty, burdensome, honoured .. be heavy, in weight

. heavy, insensible, dull

. be honoured

. . pass. . be made heavy fr. abundance

. be honoured, enjoy honour, of man

. medial, get oneself glory (or honour), of God

. . make heavy, insensible

. make honourable, honour, glorify, usu. c. human subj.

. be made honourable, honoured

. . make heavy

. make heavy, dull, unresponsive, the ears

. cause to be honoured

. . make oneself heavy, dense, numerous

. honour oneself

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3513 kabad kaw-bad'

or kabed {kaw-bade'}; a primitive root; to be heavy, i.e. in

a bad sense (burdensome, severe, dull) or in a good sense

(numerous, rich, honorable; causatively, to make weighty (in

the same two senses):--abounding with, more grievously

afflict, boast, be chargeable, X be dim, glorify, be (make)

glorious (things), glory, (very) great, be grievous, harden,

be (make) heavy, be heavier, lay heavily, (bring to, come to,

do, get, be had in) honour (self), (be) honourable (man),

lade, X more be laid, make self many, nobles, prevail, promote

(to honour), be rich, be (go) sore, stop.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כָּבֵד (ka.vad) — to honor: honour.

: honour/glory

1) to be heavy, be weighty, be grievous, be hard, be rich, be honourable, be glorious, be burdensome, be honoured

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to be heavy

1a2) to be heavy, be insensible, be dull

1a3) to be honoured

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be made heavy, be honoured, enjoy honour, be made abundant

1b2) to get oneself glory or honour, gain glory

1c) (Piel)

1c1) to make heavy, make dull, make insensible

1c2) to make honourable, honour, glorify

1d) (Pual) to be made honourable, be honoured

1e) (Hiphil)

1e1) to make heavy

1e2) to make heavy, make dull, make unresponsive

1e3) to cause to be honoured

1f) (Hithpael)

1f1) to make oneself heavy, make oneself dense, make oneself numerous

1f2) to honour oneself

כָּבֵד (ka.vad) — to honor: heavy.

: heavy/severe

1) to be heavy, be weighty, be grievous, be hard, be rich, be honourable, be glorious, be burdensome, be honoured

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Niphal — Verb · Niphal · participle (active) masculine plural common
HVNrmpc
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…

who? did he plan this on Tyre which bestows crowns which traders its [were] princes merchants its [were the] honored [people] of [the] earth
אָֽרֶץ׃'A.retz [the] earth H776 Noun common · feminine singular absolute
2,504× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The land or earth refers to the soil or ground, and can also mean a country, territory, or region. In the Bible, it is used to describe the earth and its inhabitants, and is often translated as 'land' or 'country'.
Amplified meaning
the land, the world
Tyndale gloss
land: soil
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶ֫רֶץ n. f. & (seld.) m. earth, land

earth, whole earth (opp. to a part)

earth, opp. to heaven, sky

earth = inhabitants of earth

land =

country, territory

district, region

trial territory

piece of ground

specif. land of Canaan, or Israel

= inhabitants of land

used even of Shᵉʼôl

ground, surface of ground

soil, as productive

אֶרֶץ in phrases

people of the land

in measurements of distance

the country of the plain, level or plain country

land of the living

end(s) of the earth

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

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

. earth, opp. to heaven, sky

. earth = inhabitants of earth

. land = . country, territory

. district, region

. trial territory

. piece of ground

. specif. land of Canaan, or Israel

. = inhabitants of land

. used even of Shᵉʼôl

. . ground, surface of ground

. soil, as productive

. אֶרֶץ in phrases . people of the land

. in measurements of distance

. the country of the plain, level or plain country

. land of the living

. end(s) of the earth

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

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

776 'erets eh'-rets

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

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

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

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

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

: country/field

1) land, earth

1a) earth

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

1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven)

1a3) earth (inhabitants)

1b) land

1b1) country, territory

1b2) district, region

1b3) tribal territory

1b4) piece of ground

1b5) land of Canaan, Israel

1b6) inhabitants of land

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

1b8) city (-state)

1c) ground, surface of the earth

1c1) ground

1c2) soil

1d) (in phrases)

1d1) people of the land

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

1d3) level or plain country

1d4) land of the living

1d5) end(s) of the earth

1e) (almost wholly late in usage)

1e1) lands, countries

1e1a) often in contrast to Canaan

אֶ֫רֶץ (e.rets) — land: soil.

: soil

1) land, earth

1a) earth

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

1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven)

1a3) earth (inhabitants)

1b) land

1b1) country, territory

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-cs — Noun common · feminine singular absolute
HNcfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

urth ('adhamah, 'erets, 'aphar; ge, oikoumene):

In a hilly limestone country like Palestine, the small amount of iron oxide in the rocks tends to be oxidized, and thereby to give a prevailing reddish color to the soil. This is especially the case on relatively barren hills where there is little organic matter present to prevent reddening and give a more blackish tinge.

'Adhamah (compare 'adham, "a man," and Adam) is from 'adham, "to be red," and is used in the senses: "earth" (Ex 20:24), "land" (Ps 105:35), a "land" or country (Isa 14:2), "ground" (Ge 4:11), "the earth" (Ge 7:4).

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Earth

(1.) In the sense of soil or ground, the translation of the word adamah’. In Gen. 9:20 “husbandman” is literally “man of the ground or earth.” Altars were to be built of earth (Ex. 20:24). Naaman asked for two mules’ burden of earth (2 Kings 5:17), under the superstitious notion that Jehovah, like the gods of the heathen, could be acceptably worshipped only on his own soil.

(2). As the rendering of ’erets, it means the whole world (Gen. 1:2); the land as opposed to the sea (1:10). Erets also denotes a country (21:32); a plot of ground (23:15); the ground on which a man stands (33:3); the inhabitants of the earth (6:1; 11:1); all the world except Israel (

Smith's Bible Dictionary

The term is used in two widely-different senses: (1) for the material of which the earth’s surface is composed; (2) as the name of the planet on which man dwells. The Hebrew language discriminates between these two by the use of separate terms, adamah for the former, erets for the latter. Adamah is the earth in the sense of soil or ground, particularly as being susceptible of cultivation. (Genesis 2:7) Erets is applied in a more or less extended sense-- (1) to the whole world, (Genesis 1:1) (2) to land as opposed to sea, (Genesis 1:10) (3) to a country, (Genesis 21:32) (4) to a plot of ground, (Genesis 23:15) and (5) to…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

In both Hebrew and Greek the same word is used to denote the earth as a whole, and a particular land. Only the context can enable us to decide in which of these senses it is to be taken in a given passage.

Thus in Mt 27:45 we might, so far as the original word is concerned, render either "there was darkness over all the land," or over all the earth. The expression "all the earth" is sometimes used hyperbolically for a large portion of it, Ezr 1:2. The word is used of the whole world, etc. In a moral sense, earthly is opposed to what is heavenly, spiritual and holy, Joh 3:31 1Co 15:47 Col 3:2

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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