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Isaiah 26:2 — Word Study

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WLCפִּתְח֖וּ שְׁעָרִ֑ים וְיָבֹ֥א גוֹי־ צַדִּ֖יק שֹׁמֵ֥ר אֱמֻנִֽים׃

BSAOpenpâthach [to engrave or carve] the gatesshaʻar [city entrances or temple doors] so a righteoustsaddîyq [just or righteous, as seen in government] nationgôwy [a Gentile, a large group of people] may enterbôwʼ [go or come, approaching someone or a place] one that remainsshâmar [preserving stedfastness, keeping faith, to keep or obey, protecting and attending to] faithfulʼêmûwn [trustworthy and reliable, like God's promises]

Word
Listen & take awayIsaiah 26
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 2 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 ('e.mu.Nim) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Isaiah 26:2quick helps
In a sentenceThe verse calls for the opening of gates to allow entry for a righteous nation that is faithful.
Who is speakingThe speaker is addressing the gates, urging them to open for the righteous.
Where we areThis verse is part of a song sung in the land of Judah, celebrating salvation.
The hard wordצַדִּ֖יק
Take awayRighteousness and faithfulness are essential for entering the city.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbפָּתַח 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 26:2

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 Song of Salvation in Judahgenerated

1In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: We have a strong city; salvation is established as its walls and ramparts.
2Open the gates so a righteous nation may enter— one that remains faithful.
3You will keep in perfect peace the steadfast of mind, because he trusts in You.
4Trust in the LORD forever, because GOD the LORD is the Rock eternal.

Isaiah 26:2 is part of a song that expresses hope and celebration in the land of Judah. It emphasizes the strength and security of the city, established by God's salvation. The call to open the gates signifies welcoming those who are righteous and faithful, reflecting the community's values of justice and loyalty to God.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Isaiah 60:11Your gates will always stand open; they will never be shut, day or night, so that the wealth of the nations may be brought into you, with their kings being led in procession.
2Isaiah 62:10Go out, go out through the gates; prepare the way for the people! Build it up, build up the highway; clear away the stones; raise a banner for the nations!
3Psalm 118:20This is the gate of the LORD; the righteous shall enter through it.
4Ezekiel 48:31–34the gates of the city will be named after the tribes of Israel. On the north side there will be three gates: the gate of Reuben, the gate of Judah, and the gate of Levi.
5Zechariah 8:20This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Peoples will yet come—the residents of many cities—

The Key Word צַדִּ֖יק, tza.Dikgenerated

The Hebrew word צַדִּיק (tzaddik) means righteous and is often used to describe someone who is just in conduct and character. This word is central to biblical discussions of morality and ethics, highlighting the importance of being right with God and others.

In this verse, it describes a nation characterized by righteousness, indicating that only those who embody this quality are permitted to enter.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

The verse is rendered in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses righteous for צַדִּ֖יק.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The finite verb פִּתְח֖וּ, open, governs the entire verse, with a noun phrase שְׁעָרִ֑ים following it as the object. The structure emphasizes the action of opening the gates for the subject that follows.

The phrase גוֹי־ צַדִּ֖יק serves as the subject, indicating who is allowed entry, while the participial phrase שֹׁמֵ֥ר describes the quality of the nation.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates פִּתְח֖וּ as ἀνοίχατε, which means 'to open.' This choice maintains the imperative call to action, similar to the Hebrew.

The Greek word δικαιοσύνην for צַדִּ֖יק emphasizes righteousness, aligning closely with the Hebrew meaning while also encompassing broader ethical implications.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Isaiah 26:2 calls for the gates to be opened so that a righteous nation may enter. This emphasizes the importance of righteousness and faithfulness as qualities necessary for entry, reflecting the values of the community.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean for a nation to be righteous?

A righteous nation is one that upholds justice, moral integrity, and faithfulness to God's commands.

Why are gates significant in this verse?

Gates symbolize entry points to safety and community, and opening them signifies welcoming those who meet the standards of righteousness.

What does it mean to remain faithful?

Remaining faithful involves being trustworthy and reliable, adhering to commitments and promises, particularly in a relationship with God.

How does this verse relate to the concept of salvation?

The verse connects righteousness and faithfulness to the experience of salvation, indicating that those who embody these qualities are granted access to God's presence.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What does it mean to be part of a righteous nation in today's context?
  2. How can I demonstrate faithfulness in my commitments?
  3. In what ways can I contribute to a community that upholds righteousness?
  4. What steps can I take to ensure I am living in accordance with God's standards?

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

Jerome comments on this verse, emphasizing the call to open the gates for the just nation and the importance of guarding the truth.

JeromeVers. 2-4. c. 347–420
Open the gates, and let the just nation enter, guarding the truth. The ancient error has gone away, you shall keep peace: peace, because we have hoped in you. You have hoped in the Lord in eternal ages.
Early Church Fathers on Isaiah 26 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Isaiah 26:2 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Open ye the gates,.... Not of Jerusalem, literally understood, nor of heaven; rather of the New Jerusalem, whose gates are described, Revelation 21:12 at least of the church in the latter day; the

Read John Gill on Isaiah 26 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in.

Read Robert Jamieson on Isaiah 26 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Open ye the gates of the city, mentioned . The righteous nation; either, 1. Those godly Jews who are returning from Babylon; or, 2. The whole body of righteous and holy men, whether Jews or Gentiles. For he seems to speak here, as he apparently did in the foregoing chapter, of the times of the gospel. Which keepeth the truth; which is sincere and stedfast in the profession and practice of the true religion.

Read Matthew Poole on Isaiah 26 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Isaiah 26:2 Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in.Ver. 2. Open ye the gates.] Room for the righteous, for such only are freemen of this city; such only are written among the living in Jerusalem. And this seemeth spoken to those doorkeepers, the ministers, to whom God hath committed the keys of his kingdom, setting them as upon a watch tower to keep out enemies, and to let in the true citizens. That the righteous nation which keepeth the truth.] Heb., The truths, or faiths, as Peter hath "godliness," that both observeth Christ’ s law and preserveth it; "striving together for the faith of the gospel," and accounting every particle of truth precious.…

Read John Trapp on Isaiah 26 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(2) Open ye the gates . . .—The cry comes as from the heralds of the king of the heavenly city, proclaiming that the gates are open to those who are worthy to enter into it, i.e., to the righteous people who alone may dwell in the city of God (Psalms 15:1-2; Psalms 24:3-4; Psalms 118:19-20; Revelation 21:27.) The truth.—Literally, truths; all the many forms of truthfulness in heart and life.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Isaiah 26 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 2. The righteous nation] The converted Gentiles shall have the gates opened - a full entrance into all the glories and privileges of the Gospel; being fellow heirs with the converted Jews. The Jewish peculiarity is destroyed, for the middle wall of partition is broken down. The truth] The Gospel itself - as the fulfilment of all the ancient types, shadows, and ceremonies; and therefore termed the truth, in opposition to all those shadowy rites and ceremonies. "The law was given by Moses; but grace and TRUTH came by Jesus Christ;" John 1:17, and See Clarke on John 1:17.

Read AdamClarke on Isaiah 26 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

2. Comp. Psalms 118:19-20; Revelation 22:14. “Truth” here means “troth,” fidelity (Deuteronomy 32:20).

Read Cambridge on Isaiah 26 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Open ye the gates - This is probably the language of a chorus responding to the sentiment in Isaiah 26:1.

Read Albert Barnes on Isaiah 26 →

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

Open the gates so a righteous nation may enter— one that remains faithful.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Open the gates, that the righteous nation may enter: the one which keeps faith.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Open the gates so a righteous nation may enter—one that remains faithful.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Open the gates so a righteous nation can enter – one that remains trustworthy.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth faith may enter in.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth truth may enter in.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Open ye the gates that the righteous nation, which keepeth the trueth, may enter in.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Open ye the gates, and the righteous nation which keepeth faithfulness shall enter in.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Open ye the gates, that enter may a righteous nation, Preserving stedfastness.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Open the gates, || That a righteous nation may enter, || Preserving steadfastness.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Open ye the gates, that there may enter in the righteous nation which guardeth the truth.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Open the gates, that the righteous nation that keeps faith may enter in.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Open ye the gates, and let the just nation, that keepeth the truth, enter in.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Open the gates so the nation that does right may enter, the nation that stays faithful.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Let the doors be open, so that the upright nation which keeps faith may come in.

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.

clauseverbפִּתְח֖וּopenobjectשְׁעָרִ֑ים[the].gatesוְsoclauseverbיָבֹ֥אthat.it.may.enternoun phrase · subjectnoun phraseגוֹיa.nationצַדִּ֖יקrighteousadjective phraseclauseverbשֹׁמֵ֥ר[which].keepsobjectאֱמֻנִֽיםfaithfulness(es)

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 Septuagint align closely, with 6 of the 7 words matched. The Dead Sea Scrolls show some variations, with several words partially restored or supplied by editors, but the core message remains consistent across these ancient witnesses.

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

פִּתְח֖וּ שְׁעָרִ֑ים וְיָבֹ֥א גוֹי־ צַדִּ֖יק שֹׁמֵ֥ר אֱמֻנִֽים׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
פִּתְח֖וּἀνοίχατεשְׁעָרִ֑יםπύλαςוְיָבֹ֥אεἰσελθάτωגוֹי־λαὸςצַדִּ֖יקδικαιοσύνηνשֹׁמֵ֥רφυλάσσων

6 of the 7 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

פתחו שערי׳ך ויבוא גוי צדיק שומר אמונים

7 words on the leather.

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

פתחו שערים ויבאו [גוי] [צדיק] [שמר] [אמנים]

2 words on the leather — 1 partly restored, 4 supplied entire by an editor.

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

[פתחו] [שערים] [ויבא] גוי צדיק [שמר] [אמנים]

1 word on the leather — 1 partly restored, 5 supplied entire by an editor.

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

[פתחו] [שערים] [ויבוא] גוי צדיק שומר אמונים

3 words on the leather — 1 partly restored, 3 supplied entire by an editor.

Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.


The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

Isaiah 26:2פָּתַחopenopenפָּתַחשַׁ֫עַר[the] gates[the] gatesשַׁ֫עַרבּוֹאso it may eso it may enterבּוֹאגּוֹיa nationa nationגּוֹיצַדִּיקrighteousrighteousצַדִּיקשָׁמַר[which] kee[which] keepsשָׁמַראֵמֻןfaithfulnesfaithfulnessאֵמֻןשָׁעַרto calculato calculateשָׁעַרצָדֵקto justifyto justifyצָדֵקאָמַןbe faithfube faithfulאָמַןגֵּוָהbackbackגֵּוָהפִּתּוּחַengravingengravingפִּתּוּחַדָּלdoordoorדָּלמָדַדto measureto measureמָדַדפֶּ֫תַחentranceentranceפֶּ֫תַחשֶׁ֫מֶשׁsunsunשֶׁ֫מֶשׁעָצוּםmightymightyעָצוּםמַמְלָכָהkingdomkingdomמַמְלָכָהרָשָׁעwickedwickedרָשָׁעעָ֫וֶלinjusticeinjusticeעָ֫וֶלמִשְׁמֶ֫רֶתchargechargeמִשְׁמֶ֫רֶתמִצְוָהcommandmencommandmentמִצְוָהחָסִידpiouspiousחָסִידשָׁלֵםto completto completeשָׁלֵם
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 26:2

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.

open [the] gates so it may enter a nation righteous [which] keeps faithfulness
פִּתְח֖וּpit.Chu open H6605 Verb · Qal · imperative second person masculine plural
144× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to engrave or carve, and is used in Exodus to describe the intricate carvings on the furniture of the tabernacle.
Amplified meaning
to engrave or carve
Tyndale gloss
to open
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

פָּתַח (pathach) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to open' and can refer to various actions such as opening doors, loosening restraints, or engraving. It has different forms, including Qal (to open), Niphal (to be opened), and Piel (to engrave). The entries highlight its literal and figurative uses, but there is some overlap in meaning regarding its applications in opening and engraving.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

פָּתַח vb. open

Qal open sack

Niph. be opened

Pi. be opened

free, i.e. ungird, camels

loosen (and remove) sack-cloth

open gates, doors

Hithp. loosen thee the fetters of thy neck

base

[פָּתַח] vb. Pi. engrave

Pu. stones engraved with the engravings of a signet.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6605a פָּתַח open .open sack

. be opened

. be opened . free, i.e. ungird, camels

. loosen (and remove) sack-cloth

. open gates, doors

. loosen thee the fetters of thy neck

H6605b פָּתַח Pi. engrave

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6605 pathach paw-thakh'

a primitive root; to open wide (literally or figuratively);

specifically, to loosen, begin, plough, carve:--appear, break

forth, draw (out), let go free, (en-)grave(-n), loose (self),

(be, be set) open(-ing), put off, ungird, unstop, have vent.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

פָּתַח (pa.tach) — to open.

1) to open

1a) (Qal) to open

1b) (Niphal) to be opened, be let loose, be thrown open

1c) (Piel)

1c1) to free

1c2) to loosen

1c3) to open, open oneself

1d) (Hithpael) to loose oneself

Aramaic equivalent: pe.tach (פְּתַח "to open" H6606)

פָּתַח (pa.tach) — to engrave.

1) to carve, engrave

1a) (Piel) to engrave

1b) (Pual) to be engraved

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Impv-2mp — Verb · Qal · imperative second person masculine plural
HVqv2mp
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

o'-p'-n: In the Old Testament represents chiefly pathach, but also other words, as galah, "to uncover"; of the opening of the eyes in vision, etc. (thus Balaam, Nu 22:31; 24:4; compare Job 33:16; 36:10; Ps 119:18; Jer 32:11,14). In the New Testament the usual word is anoigo (of opening of mouth, eyes, heavens, doors, etc.). A peculiar word, trachelizomai (literally, to have the neck bent back, to be laid bare), is used for "laid open" before God in Heb 4:13.

open [the] gates so it may enter a nation righteous [which] keeps faithfulness
שְׁעָרִ֑יםshe.'a.Rim [the] gates H8179 Noun common · masculine plural absolute
374× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means a gate or door, often referring to city entrances or temple doors, like in Genesis and Exodus. It can also symbolize a meeting place or marketplace. The word is used to describe important locations in the Bible.
Amplified meaning
city entrances or temple doors
Tyndale gloss
gate
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שַׁ֫עַר (sha'ar) means 'gate' and is derived from a root that signifies an opening. It encompasses various types of gates, including those of cities, palaces, and temples, as well as metaphorical uses like 'gate of heaven.' The entries consistently highlight its role as an entrance or threshold.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שַׁ֫עַר 373 n.m. gate

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8179 שַׁ֫עַר gate

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8179 sha`ar shah'-ar

from 8176 in its original sense; an opening, i.e. door or

gate:--city, door, gate, port (X -er).

see HEBREW for 08176

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שַׁ֫עַר (sha.ar) — gate.

: gate

1) gate

1a) gate (of entrance)

1b) gate (of space inside gate, i.e. marketplace, public meeting place)

1b1) city, town

1c) gate (of palace, royal castle, temple, court of tabernacle)

1d) heaven

שַׁ֫עַר (sha.ar) — gate: town.

: town

1) gate

1a) gate (of entrance)

1b) gate (of space inside gate, i.e. marketplace, public meeting place)

1b1) city, town

1c) gate (of palace, royal castle, temple, court of tabernacle)

1d) heaven

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural absolute
HNcmpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Nave's Topical Bible

→ Of cities De 3:5; Jos 6:26; 1Sa 23:7; 2Sa 18:24; 2Ch 8:5

→ Made of iron Ac 12:10

→ Made of wood Ne 1:3

→ Made of brass Ps 107:16; Isa 45:2

→ Double doors Isa 45:1; Eze 41:24

Torrey's New Topical Textbook

- Design of

Isa 62:10

- MADE OF

. Brass

Ps 107:16; Isa 45:2

. Iron

Ac 12:10

- Often two-leaved

Isa 45:1

- Fastened with bars of iron

Ps 107:16; Isa 45:2

- MADE TO

. Cities

1Ki 17:10

. Houses

Lu 16:20; Ac 12:14

. Temples

Ac 3:2

. Palaces

Es 5:13

. Prisons

Thompson Chain Reference topics

(1) Of Cities and Towns as places of Business

Ge 23:10; 34:20; De 16:18; 21:19; 22:15; Jos 20:4; Ru 4:1

2Sa 15:2; 1Ki 22:10; Pr 1:21; 22:22; Jer 14:2; Zec 8:16

(2) Punishment of Criminals outside of

De 17:5; Jer 20:2; Heb 13:12

(3) Of Jerusalem

open [the] gates so it may enter a nation righteous [which] keeps faithfulness
וְיָבֹ֥אve.ya.Vo' so it may enter H935 Conjunction · verb qal third person masculine singular
2,573× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to go or come, and is used in many contexts, such as entering a place or approaching someone, as seen in the book of Genesis. It can also mean to abide or apply, and is translated in various ways in the KJV Bible. This term is related to the name Lebo Hamath.
Amplified meaning
go or come, approaching someone or a place
Tyndale gloss
Lebo
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בּוֹא (bo) is a Hebrew verb meaning to come or go in, with a wide range of applications including entering, arriving, and bringing in. It can refer to both physical movement and abstract concepts like events coming to pass. The verb appears in various forms, such as Qal (to come), Hiphil (to cause to come), and Hophal (to be brought). There is no significant disagreement among lexicons regarding its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בּוֹא 2569 vb. come in, come, go in, go

Qal

come in

come (approach, arrive)

go, i.e. walk, associate with

go from speaker, but with limit of motion given

Hiph.

cause to come in, bring in (conduct, lead, obj. persons and animals)

cause to come, bring, bring near, etc. (animate obj.)

Hoph.

be brought in (of pers. and things)

be brought

be introduced, put

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H935 בּוֹא come in, come, go in, go .. come in

. come (approach, arrive)

. go, i.e. walk, associate with

. go from speaker, but with limit of motion given

. . cause to come in, bring in (conduct, lead, obj. persons and animals)

. cause to come, bring, bring near, etc. (animate obj.)

. . be brought in (of pers. and things)

. be brought

. be introduced, put

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

935 bow' bo

a primitive root; to go or come (in a wide variety of

applications):--abide, apply, attain, X be, befall, +

besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, X

certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out,

upon, to pass), depart, X doubtless again, + eat, + employ,

(cause to) enter (in, into, -tering, -trance, -try), be

fallen, fetch, + follow, get, give, go (down, in, to war),

grant, + have, X indeed, (in-)vade, lead, lift (up), mention,

pull in, put, resort, run (down), send, set, X (well) stricken

(in age), X surely, take (in), way.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בּוֹא (bo) — to come (in): come.

: come/go_in

1) to go in, enter, come, go, come in

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to enter, come in

1a2) to come

1a2a) to come with

1a2b) to come upon, fall or light upon, attack (enemy)

1a2c) to come to pass

1a3) to attain to

1a4) to be enumerated

1a5) to go

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to lead in

1b2) to carry in

1b3) to bring in, cause to come in, gather, cause to come, bring near, bring against, bring upon

1b4) to bring to pass

1c) (Hophal)

1c1) to be brought, brought in

1c2) to be introduced, be put

לְב֥וֹא (bo) — Lebo-(Hamath).

This name means to go in, enter

Combined with cha.mat (חֲמָת "Hamath" H2574)

בּוֹא (bo) — to come (in): towards.

: towards/entrance

1) to go in, enter, come, go, come in

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to enter, come in

1a2) to come

1a2a) to come with

1a2b) to come upon, fall or light upon, attack (enemy)

1a2c) to come to pass

1a3) to attain to

1a4) to be enumerated

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-Imperf-3ms — Conjunction · verb qal third person masculine singular
HC/Vqu3ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
open [the] gates so it may enter a nation righteous [which] keeps faithfulness
גוֹי־goy- a nation H1471 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
561× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a Gentile, someone who is not Hebrew or Israeli. It can also describe a large group of animals or a nation of people, emphasizing their unity and shared identity.
Amplified meaning
a Gentile, a large group of people
Tyndale gloss
Gentile
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

גּוֹי 661 n.m. nation, people

base

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

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1471 gowy go'-ee

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

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

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

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

see HEBREW for 01465

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

גּוֹי (goy) — nation.

1) nation, people

1a) nation, people

1a1) usually of non-Hebrew people

1a2) of descendants of Abraham

1a3) of Israel

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

גּוֹיִם (go.yim) — Goiim.

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

§ Goyim (Tidgal, king of)

גּוֹי (goy) — Gentile.

1) nation, people

1a) nation, people

1a1) usually of non-Hebrew people

1a2) of descendants of Abraham

1a3) of Israel

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

1c) Goyim? = "nations"

Also named: ethnos (ἔθνος "Gentiles" G1484)

גּוֹי (goy) — (Harosheth)-hagoyim.

Goyim (Tidgal, king of)

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Nave's Topical Bible

→ Sins of Isa 30:1,2

→ Chastised Isa 14:26,27; Jer 5:29; 18:6-10; 25:12-33; Eze 2:3-5; 39:23,24; Da 7:9-12; 9:3-16; Ho 7:12; Joe 1:1-20; Am 9:9; Zep 3:6,8

→ Perish Ps 9:17; Isa 60:12

open [the] gates so it may enter a nation righteous [which] keeps faithfulness
צַדִּ֖יקtza.Dik righteous H6662 Adj
206× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Means being just or righteous, as seen in government, personal conduct, or character, often describing someone made right with God. It appears in descriptions of King David and other biblical leaders. The concept is central to the Bible's teachings on morality and ethics.
Amplified meaning
just or righteous, as seen in government
Tyndale gloss
righteous
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

צַדִּיק (tsaddiyq) means just or righteous, covering various aspects such as lawful behavior, moral conduct, and being justified by God. It is derived from a related root and is used to describe individuals who are upright in character and actions.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

צַדִּיק 206 adj. just, righteous

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6662 צַדִּיק just, righteous

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6662 tsaddiyq tsad-deek'

from 6663; just:--just, lawful, righteous (man).

see HEBREW for 06663

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

צַדִּיק (tsad.diq) — righteous.

1) just, lawful, righteous

1a) just, righteous (in government)

1b) just, right (in one's cause)

1c) just, righteous (in conduct and character)

1d) righteous (as justified and vindicated by God)

1e) right, correct, lawful

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Adj
HAamsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Nave's Topical Bible

→ MISCELLANY OF MINOR SUB-TOPICS

Compared with

The sun Jud 5:31; Mt 13:43

Stars Da 12:3

Lights Mt 5:14; Php 2:15

Mount Zion Ps 125:1,2

Lebanon Ho 14:5-7

Treasure Ex 19:5; Ps 135:4

Jewels Mal 3:17

Gold Job 23:10; La 4:2

open [the] gates so it may enter a nation righteous [which] keeps faithfulness
שֹׁמֵ֥רsho.Mer [which] keeps H8104 Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine singular
469× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To keep or obey means to protect, attend to, or guard something, like keeping a promise or watching over someone, as seen in the commands to observe the Sabbath.
Amplified meaning
preserving stedfastness, keeping faith, to keep or obey, protecting and attending to
Tyndale gloss
to keep: obey
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word שָׁמַר (*shamar*) is a primitive root meaning to keep, guard, or observe. It encompasses a wide range of actions including protecting, waiting for, and celebrating obligations like the Sabbath. The verb appears in various forms, indicating nuances such as being on guard or refraining from certain actions. It is used extensively in the Old Testament, reflecting both physical and moral vigilance.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁמַר 465 vb. keep, watch, preserve

Qal 425

keep, have charge of

keep, guard, captives

hence, watch for, wait for

watch, observe

keep, retain, of storing up (food)

keep within bounds, restrain

observe, celebrate

keep sabbath

of other obligations

observe = follow dictates of (prudence, justice, kindness, wisdom)

sts. י׳ subj.

keep, reserve, weeks of harvest

Niph.

36be on one's guard

keep oneself, refrain, abstain

be kept, guarded

Pi. those paying regard to false vanities

Hithp. I kept myself from

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8104 שָׁמַר keep, watch, preserve .. . keep, have charge of

. keep, guard, captives

. hence, watch for, wait for

. watch, observe

. . keep, retain, of storing up (food)

. keep within bounds, restrain

. . observe, celebrate

. keep sabbath

. of other obligations

. observe = follow dictates of (prudence, justice, kindness, wisdom)

. sts. י׳ subj.

. keep, reserve, weeks of harvest

. . be on one's guard

. keep oneself, refrain, abstain

. be kept, guarded

. those paying regard to false vanities

. I kept myself from

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8104 shamar shaw-mar'

a primitive root; properly, to hedge about (as with thorns),

i.e. guard; generally, to protect, attend to, etc.:--beward,

be circumspect, take heed (to self), keep(-er, self), mark,

look narrowly, observe, preserve, regard, reserve, save

(self), sure, (that lay) wait (for), watch(-man).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁמַר (sha.mar) — to keep: obey.

: obey/observe

1) to keep, guard, observe, give heed

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to keep, have charge of

1a2) to keep, guard, keep watch and ward, protect, save life

1a2a) watch, watchman (participle)

1a3) to watch for, wait for

1a4) to watch, observe

1a5) to keep, retain, treasure up (in memory)

1a6) to keep (within bounds), restrain

1a7) to observe, celebrate, keep (sabbath or covenant or commands), perform (vow)

1a8) to keep, preserve, protect

1a9) to keep, reserve

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be on one's guard, take heed, take care, beware

1b2) to keep oneself, refrain, abstain

1b3) to be kept, be guarded

1c) (Piel) to keep, pay heed

1d) (Hithpael) to keep oneself from

שָׁמַר (sha.mar) — to keep: guard.

: guard

1) to keep, guard, observe, give heed

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to keep, have charge of

1a2) to keep, guard, keep watch and ward, protect, save life

1a2a) watch, watchman (participle)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal — Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine singular
HVqrmsa
open [the] gates so it may enter a nation righteous [which] keeps faithfulness
אֱמֻנִֽים׃'e.mu.Nim faithfulness H529 N-mp
8× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Faithful means being trustworthy and reliable, like God's promises in the Bible. It describes someone who is loyal and true to their word. This word is used in the Old Testament to describe God's faithfulness.
Amplified meaning
trustworthy and reliable, like God's promises
Tyndale gloss
faithful
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֵמֻן (emuwn) refers to the concepts of trust and faithfulness. It is built from the root meaning 'established' or 'trusty.' The entries highlight its use as an adjective meaning 'faithful' and as a noun denoting 'trustworthiness.' There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵמֻן n.[m.] trusting, faithfulness

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H529 אֵמֻן trusting, faithfulness

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

529 'emuwn ay-moon'

from 539; established, i.e. (figuratively) trusty; also

(abstractly) trustworthiness:--faith(-ful), truth.

see HEBREW for 0539

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵמֻן (e.mun) — faithful.

1) faithfulness, trusting

1a) faithful, trusty (as adj.)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp — N-mp
HAampa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

An infinite attribute of Jehovah; adapted to make perfect both the confidence of those who believe his word and rely on his promises, and the despair of those who doubt his word and defy his threatenings, De 28:26 Nu 23:19 Ps 89:33-34 Heb 10:23.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ EXHORTATION TO Ps 12:1; 31:23; Pr 20:6; 28:20; Mt 10:22; 24:45-47; 25:14-23; Lu 12:42-44; 16:10-12; 19:12-27; 1Co 4:2; Re 2:10

See OBEDIENCE, EXHORTATION TO

See PERSEVERANCE

See MINISTERS, FAITHFUL

See REPROOF, FAITHFULNESS IN

→ INSTANCES OF

Abraham Ga 3:9

Moses Heb 3:5

David 2Sa 22:22-25

Elijah 1Ki 19:10,14

Torrey's New Topical Textbook

- A characteristic of saints

Eph 1:1; Col 1:2; 1Ti 6:2; Re 17:14

- EXHIBITED IN

. The service of God

Mt 24:45

. Declaring the word of God

Jer 23:28; 2Co 2:17; 4:2

. The care of dedicated things

2Ch 31:12

. Helping the brethren

3Jo 1:5

. Bearing witness

Pr 14:5

. Reproving others

Pr 27:6; Ps 141:5

. Situations of trust

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
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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