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Isaiah 3:26 — Word Study

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WLCוְאָנ֥וּ וְאָבְל֖וּ פְּתָחֶ֑יהָ וְנִקָּ֖תָה לָאָ֥רֶץ תֵּשֵֽׁב׃

BSAAnd the gates [of Zion]pethach [entrances, doorways] will lamentʼânâh [mourn, sorrow] and mournʼâbal [grieve, lament] destitutenâqâh [desolate, empty] she will sityâshab [dwell, remain] on the groundʼerets [land, earth]

Word
Listen & take awayIsaiah 3
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 26 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 (te.Shev) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Isaiah 3:26quick helps
In a sentenceThe gates of Zion express deep sorrow, and the city is left desolate.
Who is speakingThe prophet Isaiah, conveying a message about Zion.
Where we areA lamentation concerning the fate of Zion amidst judgment.
The hard wordוְנִקָּ֖תָה
Take awayZion's gates mourn, and the city sits in desolation.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbאָנָה 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 3:26

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 Lament over Ziongenerated

23and their mirrors, linen garments, tiaras, and shawls.
24Instead of fragrance there will be a stench; instead of a belt, a rope; instead of styled hair, baldness; instead of fine clothing, sackcloth; instead of beauty, shame.
25Your men will fall by the sword, and your warriors in battle.
26And the gates of Zion will lament and mourn; destitute, she will sit on the ground.

Isaiah 3:26 describes a scene of mourning in Zion, where the gates lament and the city is portrayed as desolate. This reflects the consequences of the people's actions and the resulting judgment. The imagery of mourning and emptiness emphasizes the severity of the situation, highlighting the loss experienced by the community.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Jeremiah 14:2“Judah mourns and her gates languish. Her people wail for the land, and a cry goes up from Jerusalem.
2Lamentations 1:4The roads to Zion mourn, because no one comes to her appointed feasts. All her gates are deserted; her priests groan, her maidens grieve, and she herself is bitter with anguish.
3Isaiah 47:1“Go down and sit in the dust, O Virgin Daughter of Babylon. Sit on the ground without a throne, O Daughter of Chaldea! For you will no longer be called tender or delicate.
4Job 2:8–13And Job took a piece of broken pottery to scrape himself as he sat among the ashes.
5Lamentations 2:10The elders of the Daughter of Zion sit on the ground in silence. They have thrown dust on their heads and put on sackcloth. The young women of Jerusalem have bowed their heads to the ground.

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


The Key Word וְנִקָּ֖תָה, ve.ni.Ka.tahgenerated

The verb נָקָה (naqah) is a Niphal form meaning 'to be emptied' or 'to be cleared.' It conveys the sense of desolation, indicating that something has been made empty or has lost its former state.

In this context, it describes Zion's state after judgment, emphasizing the city's emptiness and the absence of life and joy. The parsing indicates a third person feminine singular subject, which aligns with the feminine noun צִיּוֹן (Tsiyon), referring to Zion.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

In the Berean Standard Bible, the verse uses emptied for וְנִקָּ֖תָה, which is consistent with the KJV's emptied and the ASV's emptied as well.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb of the verse is וְנִקָּ֖תָה, and it will be emptied, which governs the overall structure. The sentence presents a series of actions and states, with the gates lamenting and the city being described in its desolate condition.

The arrangement emphasizes the gates' mourning as a precursor to the city's emptiness, illustrating the cause-and-effect relationship between the lamentation and the resulting desolation.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates וְאָנ֥וּ as ταπεινωθήσονται, which suggests a focus on the humiliation or lowering of Zion rather than just the act of lamenting. This choice indicates a broader interpretation of the emotional state of Zion.

The use of πενθήσουσιν for וְאָבְל֖וּ aligns with the theme of mourning but carries a slightly different nuance, emphasizing the depth of sorrow.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Isaiah 3:26 shows the gates of Zion lamenting and mourning, indicating the city's sorrowful state. The verse portrays Zion as desolate, sitting on the ground, reflecting the consequences of judgment.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that the gates of Zion will lament?

It signifies the deep sorrow of the city as it faces destruction and loss, representing the collective grief of its inhabitants.

Why is Zion described as destitute?

Zion is destitute because it has lost its vitality and joy, symbolizing the consequences of sin and judgment.

How does this verse relate to the themes of mourning in the Bible?

This verse connects to broader biblical themes of mourning and lamentation, particularly in times of judgment or loss, as seen in other passages like Lamentations.

What can we learn from the lamentation of Zion?

The lamentation serves as a reminder of the seriousness of turning away from God and the resulting consequences, emphasizing the need for repentance.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. How do I respond to loss or desolation in my life, and what does that reveal about my faith?
  2. In what ways can I express my sorrow for the brokenness in the world around me?
  3. What does it mean for me to dwell in a place of emptiness, and how can I seek restoration?
  4. How can I support others who are experiencing grief or desolation in their lives?

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

The early Church Father Jerome comments on this verse, noting the mourning of Zion's gates and the desolation of the city.

JeromeVerse 26. c. 347–420
And her gates will mourn and lament, and the city itself, desolate, will sit upon the earth. Which we see with our own eyes until this day.
Early Church Fathers on Isaiah 3 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Isaiah 3:26 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

And her gates shall lament and mourn,.... These being utterly destroyed; or there being none to pass through them, meaning the gates of the city of Jerusalem: and she [being) desolate; clear of

Read John Gill on Isaiah 3 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And her gates shall lament and mourn; and she being desolate shall sit upon the ground. Her gates shall lament. The place of concourse personified is represented mourning for the loss of those multitudes which once frequented it.

Read Robert Jamieson on Isaiah 3 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Her gates; the gates of Zion or Jerusalem, which, by a figure very usual in sacred Scripture and all authors, are said to lament, to imply the great desolation of the place, that there should be no people to go out and come in by the gates, or to meet together in the gates, as they used to do. Shall sit upon the ground, like a mournful woman bewailing the loss of her husband and children.

Read Matthew Poole on Isaiah 3 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Isaiah 3:26 And her gates shall lament and mourn; and she [being] desolate shall sit upon the ground.Ver. 26. And her gates shall lament.] Because unfrequented. And the king desolate.] Swept and wiped of all; not, as once, with her turrified head and stretched forth neck. Sitteth upon the ground.] As a sad mourner. Money was coined by Vespasian with a woman sitting at the root of a palm tree, and this inscription, Iudaea capta. The Jews captured. πυργουνκεφαλην. - Nazian.

Read John Trapp on Isaiah 3 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(25-26) Thy men . . .(26) her gates . . .—The feminine pronoun in both verses points to the daughter of Zion as representing her many daughters. As in Lamentations 1:1, and as in the JUDÆA CAPTA medals that commemorated the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus, she is represented as sitting on the ground desolate and afflicted.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Isaiah 3 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 26. Sit upon the ground.] Sitting on the ground was a posture that denoted mourning and deep distress. The prophet Jeremiah (Lamentations 2:8) has given it the first place among many indications of sorrow, in the following elegant description of the same state of distress of his country: - "The elders of the daughter of Sion sit on the ground, they are silent: They have cast up dust on their heads; they have girded themselves with sackcloth; The virgins of Jerusalem have bowed down their heads to the ground." "We find Judea," says Mr. Addison, (on Medals, Dial. ii,) "on several coins of Vespasian and Titus, in a posture that denotes sorrow and captivity. I need not mention her sitting…

Read AdamClarke on Isaiah 3 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

26. her gates] the places of rendezvous in Eastern cities. lament and mourn] because they are now deserted. Cf. Lamentations 1:4; Jeremiah 14:2. and she, emptied, shall sit upon the ground] Cf. ch. Isaiah 47:1; Lamentations 2:10; Job 2:13.

Read Cambridge on Isaiah 3 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And her gates - Cities were surrounded with walls, and were entered through gates opening into the principal streets.

Read Albert Barnes on Isaiah 3 →

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

And the gates of Zion will lament and mourn; destitute, she will sit on the ground.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Her gates shall lament and mourn. She shall be desolate and sit on the ground.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

And the gates of Zion will lament and mourn; destitute, she will sit on the ground.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Her gates will mourn and lament; deprived of her people, she will sit on the ground.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And her gates shall lament and mourn; and she being desolate shall sit upon the ground.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And her gates shall lament and mourn; and she shall be desolate and sit upon the ground.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And her gates shall lament and mourn; and she shall be desolate and sit upon the ground.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And her gates shall lament and mourn; and she being desolate, shall sit upon the ground.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Then shall her gates mourne and lament, and she, being desolate, shall sit vpon the ground.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

and her gates shall lament and mourn; and, stripped, she shall sit upon the ground.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And lamented and mourned have her openings, Yea, she hath been emptied, on the earth she sitteth!

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And her openings have lamented and mourned, || Indeed, she has been emptied, she sits on the earth!”

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And then shall her gates lament and mourn; and stript of all shall she sit upon the ground.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Jerusalem's gates will lament and mourn; and she will be alone and sit upon the ground.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And her gates shall lament and mourn, and she shall sit desolate on the ground.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

The gates of Zion will cry and mourn. The city will be like a banished woman sitting on the ground.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And in the public places of her towns will be sorrow and weeping; and she will be seated on the earth, waste and uncovered.

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.

וְandclauseverb phrase · verbאָנ֥וּthey.will.lamentוְandאָבְל֖וּthey.will.mournnoun phrase · subjectפְּתָחֶ֑יgatesהָitsוְandclauseverbנִקָּ֖תָהit.will.be.emptiedclauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalלָtonoun phrasetheאָ֥רֶץgroundverbתֵּשֵֽׁבit.will.sit

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 — 1Qisaa agree closely, with all six words matching. The Septuagint also corresponds word-for-word, though its word order differs. This consistency across witnesses highlights the stability of the text through various traditions.

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

וְאָנ֥וּ וְאָבְל֖וּ פְּתָחֶ֑יהָ וְנִקָּ֖תָה לָאָ֥רֶץ תֵּשֵֽׁב׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וְאָנ֥וּταπεινωθήσονταιוְאָבְל֖וּπενθήσουσινפְּתָחֶ֑יהָαἱוְנִקָּ֖תָהκαὶלָאָ֥רֶץγῆνתֵּשֵֽׁב׃ἐδαφισθήσῃ

6 of the 6 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

ואנו ואבלו פתחי׳ה ונקתה לארץ תשב

6 words on the leather.

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


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

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

Isaiah 3:26אָנָהand they wiand they will lאָנָהאָבַלand they wiand they will mאָבַלפֶּ֫תַחgates itsgates itsפֶּ֫תַחנָקָהand it willand it will be נָקָהאֶ֫רֶץto the grouto the groundאֶ֫רֶץיָשַׁבit will sitit will sitיָשַׁבפָּתַחto opento openפָּתַחאָמַלto weakento weakenאָמַלנָאָהhabitationhabitationנָאָהמָסָךְcoveringcoveringמָסָךְמוֹעֵדmeetingmeetingמוֹעֵדפֶּ֫שַׁעtransgresstransgressionפֶּ֫שַׁעכְּנַ֫עַןCanaanCanaanכְּנַ֫עַןמִצְרַ֫יִם(Sea of) E(Sea of) Egyptמִצְרַ֫יִםבֶּ֫טַחsecuritysecurityבֶּ֫טַחכְּנַעֲנִיCanaanitesCanaanitessכְּנַעֲנִי
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 3:26

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 they will lament and they will mourn gates its and it will be emptied to the ground it will sit
וְאָנ֥וּve.'a.Nu and they will lament H578 Verb · Qal · sequential perfect third person common plural
2× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To lament or mourn, like the Israelites did when they lost a loved one or faced hardship, expressing deep sadness and sorrow.
Amplified meaning
mourn, sorrow
Tyndale gloss
to lament
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָנָה (anah) is a primitive root meaning to groan or lament. It specifically covers the act of mourning, as noted in various lexicons. The entries consistently emphasize its connection to expressing sorrow.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[אָנָה] vb. mourn

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H578 [אָנָה] mourn

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

578 'anah aw-naw'

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

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָנָה (a.nah) — to lament.

(Qal) to mourn

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Adv — Verb · Qal · sequential perfect third person common plural
Hc/Vqq3cp
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

la-ment'.

See MUSIC.

and they will lament and they will mourn gates its and it will be emptied to the ground it will sit
וְאָבְל֖וּve.'a.ve.Lu and they will mourn H56 Verb · Qal · sequential perfect third person common plural
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
grieve, lament
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
Conj | V-Qal-3cp — Verb · Qal · sequential perfect third person common plural
Hc/Vqq3cp
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Mourn

Frequent references are found in Scripture to, (1.) Mourning for the dead. Abraham mourned for Sarah (Gen. 23:2); Jacob for Joseph (37:34, 35); the Egyptians for Jacob (50:3-10); Israel for Aaron (Num. 20:29), for Moses (Deut. 34:8), and for Samuel (1 Sam. 25:1); David for Abner (2 Sam. 3:31, 35); Mary and Martha for Lazarus (John 11); devout men for Stephen (Acts 8:2), etc.

(2.) For calamities, Job (1:20, 21; 2:8); Israel (Ex. 33:4); the Ninevites (Jonah…

and they will lament and they will mourn gates its and it will be emptied to the ground it will sit
פְּתָחֶ֑יהָpe.ta.Chei.ha gates its H6607 Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
164× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A pethach is an entrance or doorway, like the gates of Jerusalem or the door to the temple, often symbolizing transition or access to a new place.
Amplified meaning
entrances, doorways
Tyndale gloss
entrance
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

פֶּ֫תַח (pethach) refers to an opening, such as a doorway or entrance. It is derived from a root meaning to open and encompasses terms like gate and entrance way. The entries consistently highlight its literal and figurative uses, but do not provide specific verse references.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

פֶּ֫תַח 164 n.m. opening, doorway, entrance

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6607 פֶּ֫תַח opening, doorway, entrance

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6607 pethach peh'-thakh

from 6605; an opening (literally), i.e. door (gate) or

entrance way:--door, entering (in), entrance (-ry), gate,

opening, place.

see HEBREW for 06605

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

פֶּ֫תַח (pe.tach) — entrance.

opening, doorway, entrance

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
HNcmpc/Sp3fs
and they will lament and they will mourn gates its and it will be emptied to the ground it will sit
וְנִקָּ֖תָהve.ni.Ka.tah and it will be emptied H5352 Verb · Niphal · sequential perfect third person feminine singular
44× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To be or make clean, either physically or morally, as seen in the book of Psalms where David asks God to cleanse him. This word is also used to describe being free from guilt or punishment. It appears in various forms throughout the Old Testament.
Amplified meaning
desolate, empty
Tyndale gloss
to clear
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נָקָה (naqah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to be clean or free from guilt, and it can also imply being empty or desolate. The entries indicate that it encompasses a range of meanings, including acquitting someone of guilt, being exempt from punishment, and being purged or cleaned out. The lexicons suggest various nuances, but they consistently focus on themes of innocence and cleanliness.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[נָקָה] vb. be empty(?), clean

Qal Inf. Abs.

Niph.

be cleaned out

be clean, free from guilt, innocent

be free, exempt from punishment

free, exempt from obligation

Pi.

hold innocent, acquit

leave unpunished

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5352 נָקָה be empty(?), clean .Inf. Abs.

. . be cleaned out

. be clean, free from guilt, innocent

. be free, exempt from punishment

. free, exempt from obligation

. . hold innocent, acquit

. leave unpunished

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5352 naqah naw-kaw'

a primitive root; to be (or make) clean (literally or

figuratively); by implication (in an adverse sense) to be

bare, i.e. extirpated:--acquit X at all, X altogether, be

blameless, cleanse, (be) clear(-ing), cut off, be desolate, be

free, be (hold) guiltless, be (hold) innocent, X by no means,

be quit, be (leave) unpunished, X utterly, X wholly.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָקָה (na.qah) — to clear.

1) to be empty, be clear, be pure, be free, be innocent, be desolate, be cut off

1a) (Qal) to be empty, be clean, be pure

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be cleaned out, be purged out

1b2) to be clean, be free from guilt, be innocent

1b3) to be free, be exempt from punishment

1b4) to be free, be exempt from obligation

1c) (Piel)

1c1) to hold innocent, acquit

1c2) to leave unpunished

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Niphal-3fs — Verb · Niphal · sequential perfect third person feminine singular
Hc/VNq3fs
and they will lament and they will mourn gates its and it will be emptied to the ground it will sit
לָאָ֥רֶץla.'A.retz to 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 they will lament and they will mourn gates its and it will be emptied to the ground it will sit
תֵּשֵֽׁב׃te.Shev it will sit H3427 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person feminine singular
1,079× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to sit or dwell, and can also mean to remain or abide. It's used in the Bible to describe people living in a place or staying with someone, like in the book of Genesis.
Amplified meaning
dwell, remain
Tyndale gloss
to dwell
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָשַׁב (yashab) is a Hebrew verb meaning to sit, remain, or dwell. It encompasses a range of actions from simply sitting down to more complex ideas like establishing a home or causing a place to be inhabited. The entries indicate various forms, including Qal (to sit), Niphal (to be inhabited), and Hiphil (to cause to dwell). There is an Aramaic equivalent, יְתִב (ye.tiv), meaning 'to dwell'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָשַׁב 1090 vb. sit, remain, dwell

Qal

sit

sit, sit down

sit down

sit = be set (as a jewel)

remain, stay, tarry

with special emphasis of qualifying phr.

dwell, have one’s abode

of a land or city, sit, abide, seated in its place, fig. for be inhabited

Niph. be inhabited, of land

Pi. and they shall set their encampments in thee

Hiph.

cause to sit

cause to abide

cause to dwell

cause cities to be inhabited

marry (prop. give a dwelling to)

Hoph. and ye be made to dwell alone in the midst of the land

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3427 יָשַׁב sit, remain, dwell

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3427 yashab yaw-shab'

a primitive root; properly, to sit down (specifically as

judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to

remain; causatively, to settle, to marry:--(make to)

abide(-ing), continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-ing), ease

self, endure, establish, X fail, habitation, haunt, (make to)

inhabit(-ant), make to keep (house), lurking, X marry(-ing),

(bring again to) place, remain, return, seat, set(- tle),

(down-)sit(-down, still, -ting down, -ting (place) -uate),

take, tarry.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָשַׁב (ya.shav) — to dwell.

1) to dwell, remain, sit, abide

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to sit, sit down

1a2) to be set

1a3) to remain, stay

1a4) to dwell, have one's abode

1b) (Niphal) to be inhabited

1c) (Piel) to set, place

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to cause to sit

1d2) to cause to abide, set

1d3) to cause to dwell

1d4) to cause (cities) to be inhabited

1d5) to marry (give an dwelling to)

1e) (Hophal)

1e1) to be inhabited

1e2) to make to dwell

Aramaic equivalent: ye.tiv (יְתִב "to dwell" H3488)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-3fs — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person feminine singular
HVqi3fs
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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