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Isaiah 25:12 — Word Study

Depth

WLCוּמִבְצַ֞ר מִשְׂגַּ֣ב חוֹמֹתֶ֗יךָ הֵשַׁ֥ח הִשְׁפִּ֛יל הִגִּ֥יעַ לָאָ֖רֶץ עַד־ עָפָֽר׃ ס

BSAThe high-walledmisgâb [strong tower, fortified place] fortressmibtsâr [fortification] will be brought downshâchach [demolished, laid low] castnâgaʻ [brought, pulled] to the groundʼerets [land, earth] intoʻad the dustʻâphâr [dry earth, clay]

Word
Listen & take awayIsaiah 25
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 12 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.Far) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Isaiah 25:12quick helps
In a sentenceIsaiah declares that the stronghold will be utterly demolished and reduced to dust.
Who is speakingThe prophet Isaiah, conveying a message about the fate of a fortified place.
Where we areThis verse is part of a passage describing the downfall of pride and the triumph of God.
The hard wordמִבְצַר
Take awayThe destruction of strongholds symbolizes the ultimate power of God over human pride.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbשָׁחַח 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 25:12

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 of Moabgenerated

9And in that day it will be said, “Surely this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He has saved us. This is the LORD for whom we have waited. Let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation.”
10For the hand of the LORD will rest on this mountain. But Moab will be trampled in his place as straw is trodden into the dung pile.
11He will spread out his hands within it, as a swimmer spreads his arms to swim. His pride will be brought low, despite the skill of his hands.
12The high-walled fortress will be brought down, cast to the ground, into the dust.

Isaiah 25:12 speaks of the downfall of Moab's pride, illustrating how God will bring low the high places that people trust in. This verse follows a proclamation of salvation and emphasizes the contrast between human arrogance and divine authority. The surrounding verses highlight the assurance of God's deliverance and the ultimate fate of those who oppose Him.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Isaiah 26:5For He has humbled those who dwell on high; He lays the lofty city low. He brings it down to the ground; He casts it into the dust.
2Jeremiah 51:58–64This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Babylon’s thick walls will be leveled, and her high gates consumed by fire. So the labor of the people will be for nothing; the nations will exhaust themselves to fuel the flames.”
32 Corinthians 10:4–5The weapons of our warfare are not the weapons of the world. Instead, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
4Hebrews 11:30By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days.
5Revelation 18:21Then a mighty angel picked up a stone the size of a great millstone and cast it into the sea, saying: “With such violence the great city of Babylon will be cast down, never to be seen again.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 7 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word מִבְצַר, mibtsargenerated

The noun מִבְצָר (mibtsar) refers to a fortification, a stronghold that offers protection. It is derived from a root meaning to 'fence' or 'fortify,' indicating a place of security. In this context, it represents the prideful defenses of Moab, which will be brought low.

The use of מִבְצָר signifies not just a physical structure but also the false sense of security that comes from human strength and pride. Isaiah's message is clear: even the mightiest fortifications will not withstand God's judgment.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The finite verbs הֵשַׁ֥ח, הִשְׁפִּ֛יל, and הִגִּ֥יעַ govern the structure of the verse, indicating actions taken against the fortress. The sentence is built around these actions, describing the process of its downfall.

The order of the phrases emphasizes the progression from the stronghold being brought low to its final state in the dust, illustrating a complete and utter destruction.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates מִבְצָר as φρούριονstronghold — which aligns with the meaning of a fortified place but carries a more general sense of a place of protection. This choice indicates a broader interpretation of the term.

The Greek word for הֵשַׁ֥ח is ταπεινώσει, meaning 'to humble' or 'to bring low,' reinforcing the theme of divine judgment against human pride.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Isaiah 25:12 states that the high-walled fortress will be brought down and cast to the ground, into the dust. This verse illustrates God's power to humble even the mightiest strongholds, emphasizing that no human pride can stand against divine judgment.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does the fortress represent in this verse?

The fortress symbolizes human pride and the false sense of security that comes from relying on one's own strength rather than on God.

Why is the imagery of dust significant?

Dust represents the ultimate end of pride and strongholds, indicating complete destruction and the return to humility.

How does this verse relate to God's judgment?

This verse illustrates that God's judgment will bring down all human structures of pride, demonstrating His ultimate authority over nations and their defenses.

What can we learn about reliance on God from this verse?

The verse teaches that true security comes from trusting in God, not in human strength or fortifications, as they will ultimately fail.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what areas of my life do I rely on my own strength rather than trusting in God?
  2. How can I recognize and address pride in my life, knowing that it can lead to downfall?
  3. What does it mean for me to find refuge in God instead of in worldly strongholds?
  4. How can I encourage others to trust in God's strength over their own?

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Isaiah 25:12 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

And the fortress of the high fort of thy walls shall he bring down,.... That is, their high and, fenced walls, which were about their cities, the fortifications of them; these should be destroyed by

Read John Gill on Isaiah 25 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And the fortress of the high fort of thy walls shall he bring down, lay low, and bring to the ground, even to the dust. The fortress - the strongholds of Moab, the representative of the foes of God's people; also Babylon.

Read Robert Jamieson on Isaiah 25 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

The fortress of the high fort of thy walls; all thy walled cities and fortifications, to which thou trustest.

Read Matthew Poole on Isaiah 25 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Isaiah 25:12 And the fortress of the high fort of thy walls shall he bring down, lay low, [and] bring to the ground, [even] to the dust.Ver. 12. Shall he bring down, &c.] To show that there is no strength against the Lord, the true πτολιπορθος.

Read John Trapp on Isaiah 25 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(12) And the fortress of the high fort of thy walls . . .—Primarily the words, as interpreted by Isaiah 25:10, point to Kir-Moab (Isaiah 15:1) as the stronghold of the nation. Beyond this they predict a like destruction of every stronghold, every rock-built fortress (2 Corinthians 10:5) of the great world-power of which Moab was for the time the symbol.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Isaiah 25 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

12. the fortress … walls] Better perhaps, the towering fortification of thy walls. This verse has suggested the identification of the city of Isa 25:2, Isaiah 26:5 f. with a city of Moab. The expressions of the verse are certainly remarkably parallel to those of Isa 26:5, to which Duhm thinks that it was a marginal variant. Other commentators also have surmised that it is misplaced. shall he bring down, &c.] R.V. more literally, hath he brought down, &c. The perfects, however, may be those of certainty.

Read Cambridge on Isaiah 25 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And the fortress ... - Thy strong defenses shall be destroyed.

Read Albert Barnes on Isaiah 25 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

11, 12. He shall spread forth his hands — The subject “he” is supposed by some to be Moab; by those especially who take αξε, b’mo, Isaiah 25:10, (a poetic preposition,)as the incorrect reading for

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Isaiah 25 →

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 high-walled fortress will be brought down, cast to the ground, into the dust.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

He has brought the high fortress of your walls down, laid low, and brought to the ground, even to the dust.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

The high-walled fortress will be brought down, cast to the ground, into the dust.

NETBNew English Translation2006

The fortified city (along with the very tops of your walls) he will knock down, he will bring it down, he will throw it down to the dusty ground.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And the fortress of the high fort of thy walls shall he bring down, lay low, and bring to the ground, even to the dust.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And the high fortress of thy walls hath he brought down, laid low, and brought to the ground, even to the dust.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And the fortress of the high fort of thy walls hath he brought down, laid low, and brought to the ground, even to the dust.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And the fortress of the high fort of thy walls will he bring down, lay low, and bring to the ground, even to the dust.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

The defence also of the height of thy walles shall he bring downe and lay lowe, and cast them to the ground, euen vnto the dust.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And the fortress of the high defences of thy walls will he bring down, lay low, bring to the ground, into the dust.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And the fortress of the high place of thy walls He hath bowed down — He hath made low, He hath caused [it] to come to the earth, — unto dust.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And the fortress of the high place of your walls || He has bowed down—He has made low, || He has caused [it] to come to the earth—to dust.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And the fortress of the stronghold of thy walls he bringeth down, layeth low, casteth it to the ground, even to the dust.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Your high fortress walls he will bring down to the ground, to the dust.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And the bulwarks of thy high walls shall fall, and be brought low, and shall be pulled down to the ground, even to the dust.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Moab, he will demolish your fortress with the high walls, bringing it down to the ground, into the dust.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And the strong tower of your walls has been broken by him, made low, and crushed even to the dust.

Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.


The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank

This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.

וּandclausenoun phrase · objectמִבְצַ֞רthe.fortificationnoun phraseמִשְׂגַּ֣בof.the.refugenoun phraseחוֹמֹתֶ֗יyour.wallsךָyourverbהֵשַׁ֥חhe.will.lay.lowclauseverbהִשְׁפִּ֛ילhe.will.bring.[it].lowclauseverbהִגִּ֥יעַhe.will.make.[it].touchprepositional phrase · prepositionalלָ(to)noun phrasetheאָ֖רֶץgroundprepositional phrase · prepositionalעַדtoעָפָֽר[the].dust

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


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

The Masoretic Text is supported by the Dead Sea Scrolls, which contain similar wording in 1Qisaa and 4Q57, confirming the integrity of the verse. The Septuagint, while differing in word order, matches the overall message of the verse.

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

וּמִבְצַ֞ר מִשְׂגַּ֣ב חוֹמֹתֶ֗יךָ הֵשַׁ֥ח הִשְׁפִּ֛יל הִגִּ֥יעַ לָאָ֖רֶץ עַד־ עָפָֽר׃ ס

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וּמִבְצַ֞רκαὶחוֹמֹתֶ֗יךָσουהֵשַׁ֥חταπεινώσειהִשְׁפִּ֛ילκαὶהִגִּ֥יעַκαταβήσεταιעַד־ἕως

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

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

ומבצר משגב חומותי׳ך השחה השפיל יגיע לארץ עד עפר

9 words on the leather.

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

[ומבצר] משגב חומותי׳כה השח השפיל הגיע לארץ [עד] עפר

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

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

מ

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 25:12מִבְצָרand [the] fand [the] fortiמִבְצָרמִשְׂגָּב[the] refug[the] refuge ofמִשְׂגָּבחוֹמָהwalls yourwalls yourחוֹמָהשָׁחַחhe will layhe will lay lowשָׁחַחשָׁפֵלhe will brihe will bring [שָׁפֵלנָגַעhe will makhe will make [iנָגַעאֶ֫רֶץthe groundthe groundאֶ֫רֶץעַדtotoעַדעָפָר[the] dust[the] dustעָפָרשָׂגַבto exaltto exaltשָׂגַבעָפַרto throwto throwעָפַרבָּצַרto gather/to gather/restrבָּצַרעַדperpetuityperpetuityעַדשֹׁדviolenceviolenceשֹׁדתְּאֵנָהfigfigתְּאֵנָהדַּךְcrushedcrushedדַּךְמָנוֹסrefugerefugeמָנוֹסמִגְדָּלtowertowerמִגְדָּלגַּבְהוּתhaughtineshaughtinessגַּבְהוּתשָׁפֵלto abaseto abaseשָׁפֵלשָׁחַחto bowto bowשָׁחַחגַּאֲוָהprideprideגַּאֲוָהטָמֵאuncleanuncleanטָמֵאנְבֵלָהcarcasscarcassנְבֵלָהכְּנַ֫עַןCanaanCanaanכְּנַ֫עַןמִצְרַ֫יִם(Sea of) E(Sea of) Egyptמִצְרַ֫יִםמָתַיhowhowמָתַי
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 25:12

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

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

and [the] fortification of [the] refuge of walls your he will lay low he will bring [it] low he will make [it] touch the ground to [the] dust
וּמִבְצַ֞רu.miv.Tzar and [the] fortification of H4013 Conjunction · noun common masculine singular construct
37× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word describes a strong, fortified place like a castle or a fenced city, providing protection and safety. It is used in the Bible to describe secure and defended locations.
Amplified meaning
fortification
Tyndale gloss
fortification
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word מִבְצָר (mibtsar) means 'fortification' and can refer to a castle or fortified city. It is derived from a root meaning to 'fence' or 'fortify.' The entries indicate its use in contexts related to strongholds and defense, including a reference in Daniel 11:15.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מִבְצָר n.m. fortification

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4013 מִבְצָר fortification

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4013 mibtsar mib-tsawr'

also (in plural) feminine (Dan. 11:l5) mibtsarah

{mib-tsaw-raw'}; from 1219; a fortification, castle, or

fortified city; figuratively, a defender:--(de-, most)

fenced, fortress, (most) strong (hold).

see HEBREW for 0l5

see HEBREW for 01219

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מִבְצָר (miv.tsar) — fortification.

fortification, fortress, fortified city, stronghold

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

ov:

(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Lamentations 3:1.

The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.

Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.

That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.

Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…

and [the] fortification of [the] refuge of walls your he will lay low he will bring [it] low he will make [it] touch the ground to [the] dust
מִשְׂגַּ֣בmis.Gav [the] refuge of H4869 Noun common · masculine singular construct
17× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Misgab refers to a high place or tower that provides defense and refuge, like a fortress. It is also the name of a place in Moab, mentioned in Jeremiah 48:1. The KJV translates it as Misgab.
Amplified meaning
strong tower, fortified place
Tyndale gloss
high refuge
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מִשְׂגָּב (misgab) refers to a secure height or retreat, often understood as a refuge or stronghold. It can denote a lofty or inaccessible place, and is specifically mentioned as a location in Moab in Jeremiah 48:1. The term emphasizes both physical elevation and the concept of safety.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מִשְׂגָּב n.[m.] secure height, retreat

base

מִשְׂגָּב perh. n.pr.loc. in Moab;—Je 48:1

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4869a מִשְׂגָּב secure height, retreat H4869b מִשְׂגָּב in Moab

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4869 misgab mis-gawb'

from 7682; properly, a cliff (or other lofty or inaccessible

place); abstractly, altitude; figuratively, a refuge:--

defence, high fort (tower), refuge, Misgab, a place in

Moab:--Misgab.

see HEBREW for 07682

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מִשְׂגָּב (mis.gav) — high refuge.

1) high place, refuge, secure height, retreat

1a) stronghold

1b) refuge (of God)

מִשְׂגָּב (mis.gav) — Misgab.

Word sometimes translated as a name, only mentioned at Jer.48.1

§ Misgab = "height"

a place in Moab

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular construct
HNcmsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ov:

(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Lamentations 3:1.

The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.

Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.

That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.

Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…

and [the] fortification of [the] refuge of walls your he will lay low he will bring [it] low he will make [it] touch the ground to [the] dust
חוֹמֹתֶ֗יךָcho.mo.Tei.kha walls your H2346 Noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
133× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A wall of protection, like the walls of Jerusalem, provided safety and security for the people. It appears in the Bible as a physical barrier. The Israelites built walls around their cities for defense.
Tyndale gloss
wall
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חוֹמָה (chowmah) refers to a wall, typically understood as a protective barrier. It is derived from a root meaning to join, and is often used to describe city walls or the walls of buildings. The term can also be applied figuratively, such as in reference to the waters of the Red Sea.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חוֹמָה 133 n.f. wall (as protection)

usu. term for wall of city

wall of a building

fig. of waters of Red Sea

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2346 חוֹמָה wall (as protection)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2346 chowmah kho-maw'

feminine active participle of an unused root apparently

meaning to join; a wall of protection:--wall, walled.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חוֹמָה (cho.mah) — wall.

wall

חוֹמָה (cho.mah) — (Broad) Wall.

wall

Combined with ra.chav (רָחָב "Broad" H7342)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcfpc/Sp2ms — Noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
HNcfpc/Sp2ms
and [the] fortification of [the] refuge of walls your he will lay low he will bring [it] low he will make [it] touch the ground to [the] dust
הֵשַׁ֥חhe.Shach he will lay low H7817 Verb · Hiphil · perfect third person masculine singular
21× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To bow down means to sink or depress oneself, often in humility or worship, as seen in the story of King David in 1 Samuel. It can also mean to crouch or be prostrated, like an animal in a lair, and is used to describe a range of emotions and postures.
Amplified meaning
demolished, laid low
Tyndale gloss
to bow
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׁחַח (shachach) is a Hebrew verb meaning to bow or be bowed down. It encompasses actions such as prostrating oneself in homage, crouching like a wild beast, or experiencing despair. The word can be used reflexively or causatively, indicating both the act of bowing and the state of being humbled or cast down.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[שָׁחַח] vb. bow, be bowed down, crouch

Qal

be bowed down, prostrated, humbled

bow in homage

bow, of mourner

crouch, of wild beast in lair

Niph. be prostrated, humbled

Hiph. prostrate, lay low, city, walls, etc.

Hithpō‛. be cast down, despairing

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7817 שָׁחַח bow, be bowed down, crouch .. be bowed down, prostrated, humbled

. bow in homage

. bow, of mourner

. crouch, of wild beast in lair

. be prostrated, humbled

. prostrate, lay low, city, walls, etc.

. be cast down, despairing

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7817 shachach shaw-khakh'

a primitive root; to sink or depress (reflexive or

causative):--bend, bow (down), bring (cast) down, couch,

humble self, be (bring) low, stoop.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁחַח (sha.chach) — to bow.

1) to bow, crouch, bow down, be bowed down

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to be bowed down, be prostrated, be humbled

1a2) to bow (in homage)

1a3) to bow (of mourner)

1a4) to crouch (of wild beast in lair)

1b) (Niphal) to be prostrated, be humbled, be reduced, be weakened, proceed humbly, be bowed down

1c) (Hiphil) to prostrate, lay low, bow down

1d) (Hithpolel) to be cast down, be despairing

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Hiphil-Perf-3ms — Verb · Hiphil · perfect third person masculine singular
HVhp3ms
and [the] fortification of [the] refuge of walls your he will lay low he will bring [it] low he will make [it] touch the ground to [the] dust
הִשְׁפִּ֛ילhish.Pil he will bring [it] low H8213 Verb · Hiphil · perfect third person masculine singular
31× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To humble or abase oneself, to lower one's expectations or pride. In the Bible, it can mean to bring someone or something down, like in Proverbs 29:23, where a person's pride is humbled.
Tyndale gloss
to abase
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׁפֵל (shaphel) is a Hebrew verb meaning to be or become low or abased. It can refer to both a physical lowering and a figurative humbling, with usages in different forms indicating actions like laying low or humbling oneself. The entries emphasize its application in contexts of humiliation and lowering one's status.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁפֵל vb. be or become low, be abased

Qal

all Is: become (be brought, laid) low

to be lowly of spirit

of sound

Hiph.

usu. fig., lay low

hum. subj. set one in a lower place

as helping vb.: make low, sit down = take low seat

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8213 שָׁפֵל be or become low, be abased

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8213 shaphel shaw-fale'

a primitive root; to depress or sink (expec. figuratively, to

humiliate, intransitive or transitive):--abase, bring (cast,

put) down, debase, humble (self), be (bring, lay, make, put)

low(-er).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁפֵל (sha.phel) — to abase.

1) to be or become low, sink, be humbled, be abased

1a) (Qal) to be or become low

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to lay or bring low, humiliate

1b2) to set in a lower place, show abasement

1b3) to make low, sit down

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVhp3ms — Verb · Hiphil · perfect third person masculine singular
HVhp3ms
and [the] fortification of [the] refuge of walls your he will lay low he will bring [it] low he will make [it] touch the ground to [the] dust
הִגִּ֥יעַhi.Gi.a' he will make [it] touch H5060 Verb · Hiphil · perfect third person masculine singular
150× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to touch or reach something, and can also mean to strike or defeat someone. It is used in Exodus to describe God's power and in Psalms to describe human emotions. The word has various translations, including beat, bring, and plague.
Amplified meaning
brought, pulled
Tyndale gloss
to touch
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נָגַע (naga`) is a Hebrew verb meaning to touch, reach, or strike. It encompasses a range of actions from physical contact to figurative implications like arriving or acquiring. The word can also denote being stricken or defeated, particularly in battle or by disease. The entries indicate various grammatical forms, including Qal, Niph, Piel, Pual, and Hiphil, each with specific nuances.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נָגַע 150 vb. touch, reach, strike

Qal

touch

of י׳ touching earth, mountains, etc.

nearly = strike, pass. stricken

touch = harm

reach, extend to

Niph. be stricken, defeated (in battle), i.e. feign to be so

Pi. strike (with leprosy, 2 acc.)

Pu. be stricken by diseases

Hiph. cause to touch; reach, approach, arrive

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5060 נָגַע touch, reach, strike .. . touch

. of י׳ touching earth, mountains, etc.

. nearly = strike, pass. stricken

. touch = harm

. reach, extend to

. be stricken, defeated (in battle), i.e. feign to be so

. strike (with leprosy, 2 acc.)

. be stricken by diseases

. cause to touch; reach, approach, arrive

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5060 naga` naw-gah'

a primitive root; properly, to touch, i.e. lay the hand upon

(for any purpose; euphem., to lie with a woman); by

implication, to reach (figuratively, to arrive, acquire);

violently, to strike (punish, defeat, destroy, etc.):--beat,

(X be able to) bring (down), cast, come (nigh), draw near

(nigh), get up, happen, join, near, plague, reach (up), smite,

strike, touch.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָגַע (na.ga) — to touch.

1) to touch, reach, strike

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to touch

1a2) to strike

1a3) to reach, extend to

1a4) to be stricken

1a4a) stricken (participle)

1b) (Niphal) to be stricken, be defeated

1c) (Piel) to strike

1d) (Pual) to be stricken (by disease)

1e) (Hiphil) to cause to touch, reach, approach, arrive

1e1) to cause to touch, apply

1e2) to reach, extend, attain, arrive, come

1e3) to approach (of time)

1e4) to befall (of fate)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Hiphil-Perf-3ms — Verb · Hiphil · perfect third person masculine singular
HVhp3ms
and [the] fortification of [the] refuge of walls your he will lay low he will bring [it] low he will make [it] touch the ground to [the] dust
לָאָ֖רֶץla.'A.retz the ground H776 Preposition · 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, earth
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
Prep | N-cs — Preposition · noun common feminine singular absolute
HRd/Ncfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Nave's Topical Bible

→ Man made from Ge 2:7; 3:19,23; Job 4:19; 33:6

→ Animals made from Ge 2:19

→ Vegetables come from Ge 2:9

→ Cursed Ge 3:17; 5:29

and [the] fortification of [the] refuge of walls your he will lay low he will bring [it] low he will make [it] touch the ground to [the] dust
עַד־'ad- to H5704 Preposition
1,261× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means until or as far as, describing a point in time or space. It's used in the Bible to set boundaries or limits, like in Exodus when describing the Israelites' journey.
Tyndale gloss
till
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עַד (ad) primarily functions as a preposition, adverb, or conjunction meaning 'until,' 'up to,' or 'as far as.' It can denote spatial, temporal, or degree-related contexts, such as 'even to' or 'while.' The entries indicate its use in poetry and in various combinations, but there is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עַד, in poetry עֲדֵי prep. as far as, even to, up to, until, while

prep.

of space

Of time

Of degree

conj.

until

While

Of degree, to the point that, so that even (rare)

עַד לְ, a strengthened form for עַד. Thus

of space

Of time

Of degree

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5704 עַד, in poetry עֲדֵי as far as, even to, up to, until, while . prep. . of space

. Of time

. Of degree

. conj. . until

. While

. Of degree, to the point that, so that even (rare)

. עַד לְ, a strengthened form for עַד. Thus . of space

. Of time

. Of degree

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5704 `ad ad

properly, the same as 5703 (used as a preposition, adverb or

conjunction; especially with a preposition); as far (or long,

or much) as, whether of space (even unto) or time (during,

while, until) or degree (equally with):--against, and, as,

at, before, by (that), even (to), for(-asmuch as),

(hither-)to, + how long, into, as long (much) as, (so) that,

till, toward, until, when, while, (+ as) yet.

see HEBREW for 05703

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עַד (ad) — till.

prep

1) as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as

1a) of space

1a1) as far as, up to, even to

1b) in combination

1b1) from...as far as, both...and (with 'min' -from)

1c) of time

1c1) even to, until, unto, till, during, end

1d) of degree

1d1) even to, to the degree of, even like

conj

2) until, while, to the point that, so that even

Aramaic equivalent: ad (עַד "till" H5705)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Preposition
HR
and [the] fortification of [the] refuge of walls your he will lay low he will bring [it] low he will make [it] touch the ground to [the] dust
עָפָֽר׃ ס'a.Far [the] dust H6083 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
110× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Aphar means dust or dry earth, and is also used to describe clay, earth, or mortar. It appears in various forms throughout the Bible.
Amplified meaning
dry earth, clay
Tyndale gloss
dust
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עָפָר (aphar) refers to dry earth or dust, encompassing meanings such as powder, ashes, and rubbish. It is derived from a root meaning to be dry and is used in various contexts, including clay and mortar. The entries consistently highlight its association with loose earth and debris.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עָפָר n.m. dry earth, dust

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6083 עָפָר dry earth, dust

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6083 `aphar aw-fawr'

from 6080; dust (as powdered or gray); hence, clay, earth,

mud:--ashes, dust, earth, ground, morter, powder, rubbish.

see HEBREW for 06080

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עָפָר (a.phar) — dust.

1) dry earth, dust, powder, ashes, earth, ground, mortar, rubbish

1a) dry or loose earth

1b) debris

1c) mortar

1d) ore

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

dust (`aphar; koniortos, chous): Small particles of earth. The word has several figurative and symbolic meanings:

(1) Dust being the material out of which God is said to have formed man (Ge 2:7), it became a symbol of man's frailty (Ps 103:14, "For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust"; compare Ge 18:27; Job 4:19, etc.), and of his mortality (Ge 3:19, "Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return"; compare Job 34:15; Ps 104:29; Ec 3:20

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Dust

Storms of sand and dust sometimes overtake Eastern travellers. They are very dreadful, many perishing under them. Jehovah threatens to bring on the land of Israel, as a punishment for forsaking him, a rain of “powder and dust” (Deut. 28:24).

To cast dust on the head was a sign of mourning (Josh. 7:6); and to sit in dust, of extreme affliction (Isa. 47:1). “Dust” is used to denote the grave (Job 7:21). “To shake off the dust from one’s feet” against another is to renounce all future intercourse with him (Matt. 10:14; Acts 13:51). To “lick the dust” is a sign of…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

[MOURNING]

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Jos 7:6. Dust or ashes put upon the head was a sign of mourning; sitting in the dust, a sign of affliction, La 3:29 Isa 47:1. "Dust" is also put for the grave, Ge 3:19 Job 7:21. It signifies a multitude, Ge 13:16, and a low and mean condition, 1Sa 2:8. We have two remarkable instances of casting dust recorded in Scripture, and they seem to illustrate a practice common in Asia: those who demanded justice against a criminal were accustomed to throw dust upon him, signifying that he deserved to be cast into the grave.…

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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