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Isaiah 24:4 — Word Study

Depth

WLCאָבְלָ֤ה נָֽבְלָה֙ הָאָ֔רֶץ אֻמְלְלָ֥ה נָבְלָ֖ה תֵּבֵ֑ל אֻמְלָ֖לוּ מְר֥וֹם עַם־ הָאָֽרֶץ׃

BSAThe earthʼerets [land, territory] mournsʼâbal [laments, is sorrowing] and withersnâbêl [fades away, becomes weak] the worldtêbêl [inhabited earth, global community] languishesʼâmal [is feeble, weakened] and fadesnâbêl [dries up, shrivels up] the exaltedmârôwm [lofty, high and mighty] of the earthʼerets [land, territory] waste awayʼâmal [come to nothing, are weakened]

Word
Listen & take awayIsaiah 24
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 4 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 (ha.'A.retz) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Isaiah 24:4quick helps
In a sentenceThe earth and its inhabitants are in a state of mourning and decline.
Who is speakingThe prophet Isaiah, conveying a message about the state of the earth.
Where we areIn a passage describing the consequences of the people's actions on the land.
The hard wordאֻמְלְלָ֥ה
Take awayThe earth is suffering, and the exalted among its people are brought low.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectתֵּבֵל verbאָבַל 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 24:4

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 on the Earthgenerated

3The earth will be utterly laid waste and thoroughly plundered. For the LORD has spoken this word.
4The earth mourns and withers; the world languishes and fades; the exalted of the earth waste away.
5The earth is defiled by its people; they have transgressed the laws; they have overstepped the decrees and broken the everlasting covenant.
6Therefore a curse has consumed the earth, and its inhabitants must bear the guilt; the earth’s dwellers have been burned, and only a few survive.

Isaiah 24:4 describes a bleak picture of the earth and its inhabitants, emphasizing the mourning and decline resulting from the people's actions. This verse is part of a larger passage that outlines the consequences of sin and disobedience, illustrating how both the land and its people suffer as a result of their choices. The prophet Isaiah speaks to the devastation that has come upon the earth, echoing themes found throughout the book of Isaiah regarding judgment and restoration.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Isaiah 3:26And the gates of Zion will lament and mourn; destitute, she will sit on the ground.
2Isaiah 28:1Woe to the majestic crown of Ephraim’s drunkards, to the fading flower of his glorious splendor, set on the summit above the fertile valley, the pride of those overcome by wine.
3Isaiah 33:9The land mourns and languishes; Lebanon is ashamed and decayed. Sharon is like a desert; Bashan and Carmel shake off their leaves.
4Isaiah 64:6Each of us has become like something unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all wither like a leaf, and our iniquities carry us away like the wind.
5Jeremiah 4:28Therefore the earth will mourn and the heavens above will grow dark. I have spoken, I have planned, and I will not relent or turn back.”

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 8 references, hung on the phrase they belong to

haughty peopleIsaiah 2:11–12

The Key Word אֻמְלְלָ֥ה, 'um.le.Lahgenerated

The verb אֻמְלְלָ֥ה ('umlelah) is in the Pual form, indicating a passive action, meaning 'it has languished.' This word conveys a sense of weakness and decline, often associated with emotional or physical exhaustion. It reflects the state of the earth and its inhabitants, suggesting that they are not merely suffering but are in a state of deep distress.

The root of אָמַל (amal) carries the idea of weakness or languishing, which can also imply mourning. This word is used to describe the effects of sin on the land, showing how the earth itself is impacted by the actions of its people.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

All translations agree on the rendering of אֻמְלְלָ֥ה as 'has languished.' The Berean Standard Bible, KJV, ASV, YLT, WEB, and BBE all reflect this meaning without variation.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The verse consists of multiple clauses, with the main subject being הָאָ֔רֶץ (ha'aretz), 'the earth.' The structure emphasizes the mourning and decline of the earth and its inhabitants, with several verbs describing their state.

The finite verbs אָבְלָ֤ה, נָֽבְלָה֙, and אֻמְלְלָ֥ה govern the descriptions of the earth's condition, while the subjects תֵּבֵ֑ל and מְר֥וֹם provide context for who is affected.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates נָֽבְלָה֙ as ἐπένθησεν, meaning 'mourned,' which aligns closely with the Hebrew meaning but also emphasizes the emotional aspect of the earth's condition. This choice reflects a broader understanding of the earth's suffering.

The use of οἰκουμένη for תֵּבֵ֑ל indicates a focus on the inhabited world, highlighting the global impact of the mourning and decline described in this verse.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Isaiah 24:4 describes the earth as mourning and withering, indicating a state of decline due to the actions of its people. The verse highlights how both the land and its inhabitants are suffering, emphasizing the consequences of sin and disobedience.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that the earth mourns?

The earth mourning signifies the consequences of human actions, reflecting a state of distress and decline.

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

This verse illustrates the themes of judgment and the impact of sin on both the land and its people, which are prevalent throughout the book of Isaiah.

What is the significance of the exalted of the earth wasting away?

The exalted or lofty individuals represent those in power whose actions contribute to the suffering of the land and its inhabitants.

How can we understand the relationship between the earth and its people in this verse?

The verse shows a direct connection between the moral state of the people and the physical condition of the earth, emphasizing that their actions have tangible consequences.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways do I see the consequences of human actions reflected in the world around me?
  2. How can I be more aware of my impact on the environment and the community?
  3. What steps can I take to promote healing and restoration in my surroundings?
  4. How does understanding the connection between the earth and its people influence my perspective on social justice?

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

Jerome comments on this verse, noting the mourning of the earth and the decline of its people, emphasizing the consequences of their actions.

JeromeVerse 4, 5. c. 347–420
The earth mourned and declined, and became weak: the world declined, the height of the people of the earth became weak, and the earth was destroyed by its inhabitants.
Early Church Fathers on Isaiah 24 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Isaiah 24:4 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

The earth mourneth, [and] fadeth away,.... It mourns, because of its inhabitants being destroyed; and it fades away, because stripped of its wealth and riches: so the kings of the earth, and

Read John Gill on Isaiah 24 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish.

Read Robert Jamieson on Isaiah 24 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

The world: from this word some infer that this prophecy concerns not only the land of Judea, but also the neighbouring countries. But if the proper signification of that word be urged, this prophecy must be extended to all the parts of the world, which these learned men will not allow. And the world, both in Scripture and other authors, is often used synecdochically for that which in truth is but a small part of it, at least in comparison with the whole; as it is not only of the Roman empire, as , but also of Babylon, , and, which cometh nearer to the point, of this very land of Judea, as 18:20, and elsewhere. And therefore it may well be so understood here, especially when this word world…

Read Matthew Poole on Isaiah 24 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Isaiah 24:4 The earth mourneth [and] fadeth away, the world languisheth [and] fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish.Ver. 4. The earth mourneth and fadeth away.] Luxit et diffiuxit, waileth and faileth; gallant rhetoric in the original, as this is a stately chapter all along: all the rollings of Demosthenes are but dull stuff compared to it. The world languisheth.] As a sick man, so enfeebled that he cannot stand high alone.

Read John Trapp on Isaiah 24 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(4) The haughty people of the earth.—Literally, the heights, or, to use an English term with a like history, “the highnesses of the people.”

Read Charles John Ellicott on Isaiah 24 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 4. The world languisheth] The world is the same with the land; that is, the kingdoms of Judah and Israel, orbis Israeliticus. See Clarke on Isaiah 13:11.

Read AdamClarke on Isaiah 24 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

4–6. The earth lies under a curse on account of the wickedness of its inhabitants.

Read Cambridge on Isaiah 24 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The earth mourneth - The word ‘earth’ here, as in Isaiah 24:1, means the land of Judea, or that and so much of the adjacent countries as would be subject to the desolation described.

Read Albert Barnes on Isaiah 24 →

The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company

Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.

Modern formal

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

The earth mourns and withers; the world languishes and fades; the exalted of the earth waste away.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

The earth mourns and fades away. The world languishes and fades away. The lofty people of the earth languish.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

The earth mourns and withers; the world languishes and fades; the exalted of the earth waste away.

NETBNew English Translation2006

The earth dries up and withers, the world shrivels up and withers; the prominent people of the earth fade away.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, the lofty people of the earth do languish.

RVARevised Version, American1894

The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, the lofty people of the earth do languish.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

The earth lamenteth and fadeth away: the world is feeble and decaied: the proude people of the earth are weakened.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

The land mourneth, it fadeth away; the world languisheth, it fadeth away: the haughty people of the land do languish.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Mourned, faded hath the land, Languished, faded hath the world, Languished have they — the high place of the people of the land.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

The earth has mourned, faded, || The world has languished, faded, || They have languished—the high place of the people of the earth.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

The land mourneth, withereth away, the world languishes, withereth away, the high ones of the people of the land do languish.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

The earth dries up and withers, the world shrivels up and fades away, the prominent people of the earth waste away.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

The earth mourned, and faded away, and is weakened: the world faded away, the height of the people of the earth is weakened.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

The earth dries up and withers away; the world shrivels up and withers away, the high and mighty people shrivel up along with the earth.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

The earth is sorrowing and wasting away, the world is full of grief and wasting away, the high ones of the earth come to nothing.

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.

clauseclauseverbאָבְלָ֤הit.has.dried.upclauseverbנָֽבְלָה֙it.has.witherednoun phrase · subjectהָtheאָ֔רֶץearthclauseclauseverbאֻמְלְלָ֥הit.has.languishedclauseverbנָבְלָ֖הit.has.witheredsubjectתֵּבֵ֑ל[the].worldclauseverbאֻמְלָ֖לוּthey.have.languishednoun phrase · subjectמְר֥וֹםthe.noble[s]noun phraseעַםof.the.peoplenoun phraseהָofאָֽרֶץthe.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 and the Dead Sea Scrolls agree closely, with only minor variations in wording. The Septuagint matches 9 out of 10 words, indicating a strong alignment with the Hebrew text. The scrolls provide a faithful representation of the verse, confirming the overall message of mourning and decline.

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

אָבְלָ֤ה נָֽבְלָה֙ הָאָ֔רֶץ אֻמְלְלָ֥ה נָבְלָ֖ה תֵּבֵ֑ל אֻמְלָ֖לוּ מְר֥וֹם עַם־ הָאָֽרֶץ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
נָֽבְלָה֙ἐπένθησενהָאָ֔רֶץγῆאֻמְלְלָ֥הκαὶנָבְלָ֖הἐφθάρηתֵּבֵ֑לοἰκουμένηאֻמְלָ֖לוּἐπένθησανמְר֥וֹםοἱעַם־ὑψηλοὶהָאָֽרֶץ׃γῆς

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

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

אבלה נבלה הארץ אמללה נבלה תבל אמלל מרום עמ הארץ

10 words on the leather.

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

[אבלה] נבלה הארץ אמללה נבלה תבל אמלל מרום עם הארץ

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

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

ם

1 word of the verse is on this fragment. The rest of the verse is not on it.

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 24:4אָבַלit has drieit has dried upאָבַלנָבֵלit has withit has witheredנָבֵלאֶ֫רֶץthe earththe earthאֶ֫רֶץאָמַלit has langit has languishאָמַלנָבֵלit has withit has witheredנָבֵלתֵּבֵל[the] world[the] worldתֵּבֵלאָמַלthey have lthey have languאָמַלמָרוֹם[the] noble[the] noble[s] מָרוֹםעַם[the] peopl[the] people ofעַםאֶ֫רֶץthe earththe earthאֶ֫רֶץיָבַלto conductto conductיָבַלרוּםto exaltto exaltרוּםעָמַםto darkento darkenעָמַםעָלֶהleafleafעָלֶהכְּנַ֫עַןCanaanCanaanכְּנַ֫עַןמִצְרַ֫יִם(Sea of) E(Sea of) Egyptמִצְרַ֫יִםאָבַלto mournto mournאָבַלנָבֵלbe senselebe senselessנָבֵלאָמַלto weakento weakenאָמַלנָאָהhabitationhabitationנָאָהמְלֹאfullnessfullnessמְלֹאבַּלnotnotבַּלסֶ֫לַעcragcragסֶ֫לַעקָדוֹשׁholyholyקָדוֹשׁ
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 24:4

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.

it has dried up it has withered the earth it has languished it has withered [the] world they have languished [the] noble[s] of [the] people of the earth
אָבְלָ֤ה'a.ve.Lah it has dried up H56 Verb · Qal · perfect third person feminine singular
39× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To mourn or lament, as seen in human and inanimate objects, like gates or land, and used in various forms in the Bible.
Amplified meaning
laments, is sorrowing
Tyndale gloss
to mourn
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָבַל (abal) is a primitive root meaning to mourn or lament. It covers various forms of mourning, including for humans and inanimate objects like gates and land. The verb can appear in different stems, such as Qal (to mourn), Hiphil (to cause to mourn), and Hithpael (to play the mourner).

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָבַל 39 vb. mourn

Qal mourn, lament

Hithp. mourn (mostly prose)

Hiph. cause to mourn

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H56 אָבַל mourn

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

56 'abal aw-bal'

a primitive root; to bewail:--lament, mourn.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָבַל (a.val) — to mourn.

1) to mourn, lament

1a) (Qal) to mourn, lament

1a1) of humans

1a2) of inanimate objects (fig.)

1a2a) of gates

1a2b) of land

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to mourn, cause to mourn (fig.)

1c) (Hithpael)

1c1) to mourn

1c2) play the mourner

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-3fs — Verb · Qal · perfect third person feminine singular
HVqp3fs
it has dried up it has withered the earth it has languished it has withered [the] world they have languished [the] noble[s] of [the] people of the earth
נָֽבְלָה֙na.ve.Lah it has withered H5034 Verb · Qal · perfect third person feminine singular
25× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To wither means to lose strength or fade away, and can also describe someone acting foolishly or wickedly. It is used to convey a sense of decline or failure.
Amplified meaning
fades away, becomes weak
Tyndale gloss
be senseless
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נָבַל (nabal) has two main meanings: to be senseless or foolish, and to wither or fade. It can describe both a moral failing and a physical decline, such as a plant wilting. The word's usage in the Old Testament reflects these themes, though the lexicons do not present significant disagreement on its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נָבַל vb. be senseless, foolish

Qal if thou hast been foolish in lifting up thyself

Pi. regard or treat as a נָבָל (q.v.), i.e. with contumely

base

נָבֵל vb. sink or drop down, languish, wither and fall, fade

Qal

sink or drop down

usu. fall like a leaf, or flower wither and fall, fade

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5034a נָבֵל be senseless, foolish H5034b נָבֵל sink or dropdown, languish, wither and fall, fade

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5034 nabel naw-bale'

a primitive root; to wilt; generally, to fall away, fail,

faint; figuratively, to be foolish or (morally) wicked;

causatively, to despise, disgrace:--disgrace, dishounour,

lightly esteem, fade (away, - ing), fall (down, -ling, off),

do foolishly, come to nought, X surely, make vile, wither.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָבַל (na.val) — be senseless.

1) to be senseless, be foolish

1a) (Qal) to be foolish

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to regard or treat as foolish

1b2) to treat with contempt

נָבֵל (na.vel) — to wither.

1) to sink or drop down, languish, wither and fall, fade

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to sink or drop down

1a2) to fall, wither and fall, fade

1a3) to droop

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-3fs — Verb · Qal · perfect third person feminine singular
HVqp3fs
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

with'-erd (nabhel, "to fade away," "to be dried up"):

(1) Used figuratively to express leanness of soul, spiritual impotence, a low condition of spiritual life, a lack of moral nourishment: "My heart is smitten like grass, and withereth" (Ps 102:4). The contrasting figure emphasizes this idea: "All my fountains are in thee" (Ps 87:7). Also Ps 1:3, where the freshness and beauty of the righteous man's life are thus described: "And he shall be like a tree planted by the streams of water, .... whose leaf also doth not wither." In the New Testament xeraino, "to wither," is used to carry out the same idea of moral decay, or malnutrition of soul (Mt 13:6; 21:19).

it has dried up it has withered the earth it has languished it has withered [the] world they have languished [the] noble[s] of [the] people of the earth
הָאָ֔רֶץha.'A.retz the earth H776 Particle · 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
land, territory
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
Art | N-cs — Particle · noun common feminine singular absolute
HTd/Ncfsa
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

it has dried up it has withered the earth it has languished it has withered [the] world they have languished [the] noble[s] of [the] people of the earth
אֻמְלְלָ֥ה'um.le.Lah it has languished H535 Verb · Pual · perfect third person feminine singular
16× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To weaken or be weak is the meaning of this verb, which can also imply being sick or mourning. In Psalm 6:2, David asks God to heal him, as his bones are weak. The term describes a state of physical or emotional exhaustion.
Amplified meaning
is feeble, weakened
Tyndale gloss
to weaken
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָמַל (amal) is a Hebrew verb meaning to be weak or to languish. It conveys a sense of drooping or becoming feeble, often associated with emotional or physical exhaustion. The entries highlight its use in various forms, such as the Qal and Pu'al, indicating states of weakness or feebleness.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[אָמַל] vb. be weak, languish

Qal how weak is thy heart!

Pu‛l. be or grow feeble, languish

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H535 [אָמַל] be weak, languish

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

535 'amal aw-mal'

a primitive root; to droop; by implication to be sick, to

mourn:--languish, be weak, wax feeble.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָמַל (a.mal) — to weaken.

1) to be weak, to droop, to languish, to be exhausted

1a) (Qal) pass participle (of the heart)

1a1) to be weak

1a2) to droop

1b) (Pulal)

1b1) to be or grow feeble

1b2) to languish

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-K-Perf-3fs — Verb · Pual · perfect third person feminine singular
HVPp3fs
it has dried up it has withered the earth it has languished it has withered [the] world they have languished [the] noble[s] of [the] people of the earth
נָבְלָ֖הna.ve.Lah it has withered H5034 Verb · Qal · perfect third person feminine singular
25× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To wither means to lose strength or fade away, and can also describe someone acting foolishly or wickedly. It is used to convey a sense of decline or failure.
Amplified meaning
dries up, shrivels up
Tyndale gloss
be senseless
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נָבַל (nabal) has two main meanings: to be senseless or foolish, and to wither or fade. It can describe both a moral failing and a physical decline, such as a plant wilting. The word's usage in the Old Testament reflects these themes, though the lexicons do not present significant disagreement on its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נָבַל vb. be senseless, foolish

Qal if thou hast been foolish in lifting up thyself

Pi. regard or treat as a נָבָל (q.v.), i.e. with contumely

base

נָבֵל vb. sink or drop down, languish, wither and fall, fade

Qal

sink or drop down

usu. fall like a leaf, or flower wither and fall, fade

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5034a נָבֵל be senseless, foolish H5034b נָבֵל sink or dropdown, languish, wither and fall, fade

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5034 nabel naw-bale'

a primitive root; to wilt; generally, to fall away, fail,

faint; figuratively, to be foolish or (morally) wicked;

causatively, to despise, disgrace:--disgrace, dishounour,

lightly esteem, fade (away, - ing), fall (down, -ling, off),

do foolishly, come to nought, X surely, make vile, wither.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָבַל (na.val) — be senseless.

1) to be senseless, be foolish

1a) (Qal) to be foolish

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to regard or treat as foolish

1b2) to treat with contempt

נָבֵל (na.vel) — to wither.

1) to sink or drop down, languish, wither and fall, fade

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to sink or drop down

1a2) to fall, wither and fall, fade

1a3) to droop

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-3fs — Verb · Qal · perfect third person feminine singular
HVqp3fs
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

with'-erd (nabhel, "to fade away," "to be dried up"):

(1) Used figuratively to express leanness of soul, spiritual impotence, a low condition of spiritual life, a lack of moral nourishment: "My heart is smitten like grass, and withereth" (Ps 102:4). The contrasting figure emphasizes this idea: "All my fountains are in thee" (Ps 87:7). Also Ps 1:3, where the freshness and beauty of the righteous man's life are thus described: "And he shall be like a tree planted by the streams of water, .... whose leaf also doth not wither." In the New Testament xeraino, "to wither," is used to carry out the same idea of moral decay, or malnutrition of soul (Mt 13:6; 21:19).

it has dried up it has withered the earth it has languished it has withered [the] world they have languished [the] noble[s] of [the] people of the earth
תֵּבֵ֑לte.Vel [the] world H8398 Noun common · feminine singular absolute
36× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for world, it refers to the earth and its inhabitants. In the Bible, it's used to describe the world God created, like in Psalm 24, which says the earth belongs to God.
Amplified meaning
inhabited earth, global community
Tyndale gloss
world
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

תֵּבֵל (tebel) means 'world' and is derived from a root meaning 'to be moist.' It refers to the earth as a habitable place, encompassing both the globe and its inhabitants, and can specifically denote regions like Babylonia and Palestine. The entries consistently highlight its connection to the concept of a productive, inhabited land.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

תֵּבֵל n.f. world (perh. orig. as productive)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8398 תֵּבֵל world

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8398 tebel tay-bale'

from 2986; the earth (as moist and therefore inhabited); by

extension, the globe; by implication, its inhabitants;

specifically, a partic. land, as Babylonia,

Palestine:--habitable part, world.

see HEBREW for 02986

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

תֵּבֵל (te.vel) — world.

world

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absolute
HNcfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The earth on which we dwell, 1Sa 2:8; its inhabitants, Joh 3:16, or a large number of them, Joh 12:19. In several places it is equivalent to "land," meaning the Roman Empire, or Judea and its vicinity, Lu 2:1 4:3 Ac 11:28. It also denotes the objects and interests of time and sense, Ga 6:14 1Jo 2:15.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ See EARTH

it has dried up it has withered the earth it has languished it has withered [the] world they have languished [the] noble[s] of [the] people of the earth
אֻמְלָ֖לוּ'um.La.lu they have languished H535 Verb · Pual · perfect third person common plural
16× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To weaken or be weak is the meaning of this verb, which can also imply being sick or mourning. In Psalm 6:2, David asks God to heal him, as his bones are weak. The term describes a state of physical or emotional exhaustion.
Amplified meaning
come to nothing, are weakened
Tyndale gloss
to weaken
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָמַל (amal) is a Hebrew verb meaning to be weak or to languish. It conveys a sense of drooping or becoming feeble, often associated with emotional or physical exhaustion. The entries highlight its use in various forms, such as the Qal and Pu'al, indicating states of weakness or feebleness.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[אָמַל] vb. be weak, languish

Qal how weak is thy heart!

Pu‛l. be or grow feeble, languish

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H535 [אָמַל] be weak, languish

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

535 'amal aw-mal'

a primitive root; to droop; by implication to be sick, to

mourn:--languish, be weak, wax feeble.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָמַל (a.mal) — to weaken.

1) to be weak, to droop, to languish, to be exhausted

1a) (Qal) pass participle (of the heart)

1a1) to be weak

1a2) to droop

1b) (Pulal)

1b1) to be or grow feeble

1b2) to languish

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-K-Perf-3cp — Verb · Pual · perfect third person common plural
HVPp3cp
it has dried up it has withered the earth it has languished it has withered [the] world they have languished [the] noble[s] of [the] people of the earth
מְר֥וֹםme.Rom [the] noble[s] of H4791 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 a high or elevated place, either physically or figuratively. It can describe a location, such as a mountain, or a state of being, like pride or haughtiness. It is used in various books of the Bible.
Amplified meaning
lofty, high and mighty
Tyndale gloss
height
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מָרוֹם (marowm) means 'height' and encompasses both concrete and abstract uses, referring to elevated places, elevation, and even pride. It can describe physical heights or be used figuratively for dignity and nobility. The word is poetically used in the Old Testament, with its root linked to the concept of altitude.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מָרוֹם n.m. height (poet.)

height, elevation (concr.), elevated place

alone = height of heaven

adv. fig., = proudly

fig. of nobles

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4791 מָרוֹם height (poet.)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4791 marowm maw-rome'

from 7311; altitude, i.e. concretely (an elevated place),

abstractly (elevation, figuratively (elation), or adverbially

(aloft):--(far) above, dignity, haughty, height, (most, on)

high (one, place), loftily, upward.

see HEBREW for 07311

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מָרוֹם (ma.rom) — height.

1) height

1a) height, elevation, elevated place

1a1) in a high place (adv)

1b) height

1c) proudly (adv)

1d) of nobles (fig.)

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…

it has dried up it has withered the earth it has languished it has withered [the] world they have languished [the] noble[s] of [the] people of the earth
עַם־'am- [the] people of H5971 Noun common · masculine singular construct
1,873× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A people or nation is what this Hebrew word represents, like the nation of Israel in Exodus 33:13. It can also mean a tribe, troops, or attendants, and is used to describe a group of people gathered together. The word is often used to refer to the people of God.
Tyndale gloss
Amaw
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עַם (am) primarily means 'people' or 'nation,' referring to a collective group, often in the context of tribes such as those of Israel. It can also denote kinsmen or compatriots. The term appears in various contexts, including military and familial references. There is a mention of a specific individual named Ammi in Song of Solomon 6:12.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עַם, עָם 1810 n.m. people

a people, nation

= smaller units

= common people

people in gen., persons

phrases

base

[עַם] n.[m.] kinsman (on father's side)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5971a עַם, עָם people H5971b עַם kinsman (on father's side)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5971 `am am

from 6004; a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a

tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or

attendants; figuratively, a flock:--folk, men, nation,

people.

see HEBREW for 06004

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עַם (am) — people.

: people/nation

1) nation, people

1a) people, nation

1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men

עַם (am) — kinsman.

kinsman, kindred

עַם (am) — Ammi.

A man living at the time of United Monarchy, only mentioned at Sng.6.12

§ kinsman, kindred

עַם (am) — People's (Gate).

§ kinsman, kindred

עַם (am) — (Ibleam)-am.

Combined with yiv.le.am (יִבְלְעָם "Ibleam" H2991)

§ kinsman, kindred

עַם (am) — Amaw.

This name means nation, people

עַם (am) — people: soldiers.

: soldiers/army

1) nation, people

1a) people, nation

1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men

עַם (am) — people: creatures.

: creatures

1) nation, people

1a) people, nation

1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men

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…

it has dried up it has withered the earth it has languished it has withered [the] world they have languished [the] noble[s] of [the] people of the earth
הָאָֽרֶץ׃ha.'A.retz the earth H776 Particle · 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
land, territory
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
Art | N-cs — Particle · noun common feminine singular absolute
HTd/Ncfsa
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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