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Isaiah 40:17 — Word Study

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WLCכָּל־ הַגּוֹיִ֖ם כְּאַ֣יִן נֶגְדּ֑וֹ מֵאֶ֥פֶס וָתֹ֖הוּ נֶחְשְׁבוּ־ לֽוֹ׃

BSAAllkôl [every single one, the entirety of] the nationsgôwy [Gentile peoples, non-Hebrew groups] are as nothingʼayin [counted as, regarded as, emptiness, void] before Himneged [in the presence of, facing] He regards themchâshab [considers, thinks of] as nothingnessʼepheç [to be, absolute void, non-existence] and emptinesstôhûw [complete, worthlessness, vanity]

Word
Listen & take awayIsaiah 40
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 17 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 (lo) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Isaiah 40:17quick helps
In a sentenceThe verse states that all nations are insignificant in God's sight, regarded as nothing and emptiness.
Who is speakingThe prophet Isaiah, conveying God's perspective on the nations.
Where we areThis verse is part of a larger passage emphasizing God's greatness and the futility of idols.
The hard wordנֶחְשְׁבוּ
Take awayNations, despite their power, are nothing compared to God.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbחָשַׁב 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 40:17

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 — God's Supremacy Over Nationsgenerated

16Lebanon is not sufficient for fuel, nor its animals enough for a burnt offering.
17All the nations are as nothing before Him; He regards them as nothingness and emptiness.
18To whom will you liken God? To what image will you compare Him?
19To an idol that a craftsman casts and a metalworker overlays with gold and fits with silver chains?

Isaiah 40:17 highlights the insignificance of all nations in the presence of God. The surrounding verses emphasize God's power and the futility of comparing Him to idols. In this context, Isaiah contrasts the greatness of God with the worthlessness of the nations, illustrating that human power and achievements are nothing before Him.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Job 25:6how much less man, who is but a maggot, and the son of man, who is but a worm!”
2Psalm 62:9Lowborn men are but a vapor, the exalted but a lie. Weighed on the scale, they go up; together they are but a vapor.
3Daniel 4:34–35But at the end of those days I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven, and my sanity was restored to me. Then I praised the Most High, and I honored and glorified Him who lives forever: “For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom endures from generation to generation.
42 Corinthians 12:11I have become a fool, but you drove me to it. In fact, you should have commended me, since I am in no way inferior to those “super-apostles,” even though I am nothing.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 4 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word נֶחְשְׁבוּ, nech.she.vu-generated

The verb חָשַׁב (chashab) means 'to think' or 'to consider.' In this verse, it is in the Niphal form, indicating a passive sense of being regarded or counted. The parsing as a perfect third person common plural shows that it refers to the nations being regarded by God.

This word emphasizes that the nations are not merely insignificant; they are actively considered as such by God. The nuance of the Niphal form suggests that their status as nothingness is not self-derived but is attributed to them by God.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses are as nothing for the Hebrew phrase כְּאַ֣יִן (ke'ayin).


Sentence Structuregenerated

The finite verb נֶחְשְׁבוּ (nech.she.vu-) governs the entire verse, with a subject noun phrase and two prepositional phrases providing additional information. The structure emphasizes the nations' status as viewed by God.

Hebrew word order places the subject כָּל־ הַגּוֹיִ֖ם (kol ha.go.yim) first, highlighting that it is all nations that are regarded as nothing before Him.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates נֶחְשְׁבוּ as ἐλογίσθησαν (elogisthēsan), meaning 'they were considered.' This choice emphasizes the act of consideration, aligning with the Hebrew sense of being regarded.

The Greek term suggests a deliberate accounting or reckoning, which may imply a more formal judgment than the Hebrew's passive sense.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Isaiah 40:17 states that all the nations are insignificant before God, considered as nothing and emptiness. This emphasizes God's greatness compared to human power and the futility of idols.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that nations are as nothing before God?

It means that, in comparison to God's greatness and power, all nations and their might are insignificant and lack true value.

Why does Isaiah emphasize the worthlessness of nations?

Isaiah emphasizes this to highlight God's sovereignty and the futility of relying on human power or idols.

How does this verse relate to the surrounding context?

This verse is part of a larger passage that contrasts God's greatness with the insignificance of idols and the nations, reinforcing the theme of God's supremacy.

What can we learn from this verse today?

We can learn about the importance of recognizing God's greatness and the limitations of human power and achievements.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways do I sometimes elevate human achievements above God's power?
  2. How can I remind myself of God's greatness in my daily life?
  3. What are some idols or distractions that I need to let go of to focus more on God?
  4. How does understanding the insignificance of nations before God affect my perspective on world events?

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Isaiah 40:17 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

All nations before him are as nothing,.... As if they were nonentities, and were not real beings in comparison of him, who is the Being of beings, the author of all beings which exist in all nations;

Read John Gill on Isaiah 40 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity. All nations before him (are) as nothing - (Psalms 62:9; Daniel 4:35.) Less than nothing.

Read Robert Jamieson on Isaiah 40 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Before him; either in his eyes, or being set against him, as this Hebrew word properly and most usually signifies. Counted to him, either in his judgment, or in comparison of him. Less than nothing; less than a thing of nought, or of no account or worth; or, as others render it, for nothing.

Read Matthew Poole on Isaiah 40 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Isaiah 40:17 All nations before him [are] as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity.Ver. 17. All nations before him are as nothing.] Agnosce ergo virium tuarum ουδενειαν. See therefore thine own nothingness, and learn to vilify, yea, to nullify thyself before God, as Agur, and as David, who was a worm and no man Reiectamentum hominis et nullificamen populi, Tertul.

Read John Trapp on Isaiah 40 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(17) Less than nothing.—Literally, as things of nought.Vanity.—Once more the tohu, or chaos, of Genesis 1:2—one of Isaiah’s favourite phrases (Isaiah 24:10; Isaiah 29:21; Isaiah 34:11).

Read Charles John Ellicott on Isaiah 40 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

17. less than nothing] Better: of nought; “belonging to the category of nothingness” (Cheyne). vanity] The Hebr. is tôhû, a word which means primarily “a waste,” and is applied in Genesis 1:2 to the primeval chaos (A.V. “without form”). See on ch. Isaiah 29:21, Isaiah 34:11. Here and in many other cases it is a synonym for nonentity.

Read Cambridge on Isaiah 40 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Are as nothing - This expresses literally what had been expressed by the beautiful and striking imagery above.

Read Albert Barnes on Isaiah 40 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

17. All nations… are as nothing — The thought of Isa 40:15 is resumed. In weighing comparisons of such a Being all nations of the earth “are as nothing.”

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Isaiah 40 →

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

All the nations are as nothing before Him; He regards them as nothingness and emptiness.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

All the nations are like nothing before him. They are regarded by him as less than nothing, and vanity.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

All the nations are as nothing before Him; He regards them as nothingness and emptiness.

NETBNew English Translation2006

All the nations are insignificant before him; they are regarded as absolutely nothing.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

All the nations are as nothing before him; they are accounted by him as less than nothing, and vanity.

RVARevised Version, American1894

All the nations are as nothing before him; they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

All nations before him are as nothing, and they are counted to him, lesse then nothing, and vanitie.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

All the nations are as nothing before him; they are esteemed by him less than a cipher, and vanity.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

All the nations [are] as nothing before Him, Less than nothing and emptiness, They have been reckoned to Him.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

All the nations [are] as nothing before Him, || Less than nothing and emptiness, || They have been reckoned to Him.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

All the nations are as naught before him; less than nothing, and vanity are they accounted to him.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

All the nations are insufficient before him; they are regarded by him as nothing.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

All nations are before him as if they had no being at all, and are counted to him as nothing, and vanity.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

To him all the nations are like nothing. He counts them as less than nothing—like they don't exist.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

All the nations are as nothing before him; even less than nothing, a thing of no value.

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.

clausenoun phrase · subjectכָּלallnoun phraseהַtheגּוֹיִ֖םnationsprepositional phrase · predicateכְּ[are].asאַ֣יִןnothingprepositional phrase · prepositionalנֶגְדּ֑beforeוֹhimclauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalמֵfromnoun phraseאֶ֥פֶסnothingnessוָandתֹ֖הוּemptinessverbנֶחְשְׁבוּthey.are.regardedprepositional phrase · prepositionalלֽbyוֹhim

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, maintaining the same wording. However, the 5Q3 scroll shows no original text, with all words supplied by an editor, indicating a gap in the manuscript.

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

כָּל־ הַגּוֹיִ֖ם כְּאַ֣יִן נֶגְדּ֑וֹ מֵאֶ֥פֶס וָתֹ֖הוּ נֶחְשְׁבוּ־ לֽוֹ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
כָּל־πάνταהַגּוֹיִ֖םἔθνηכְּאַ֣יִןὡςנֶחְשְׁבוּ־ἐλογίσθησαν

4 of the 8 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

כול הגואים כאין נגד׳ו וכאפס ותהוו נחשבו ל׳ו

8 words on the leather.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 5Q3a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[כל] [הגוים] [כאין] [נגד׳ו] [מאפס] [ותהו] [נחשבו] [ל׳ו]

nothing on the leather here — 8 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 40:17כֹּלallallכֹּלגּוֹיthe nationsthe nationsגּוֹיאַ֫יִן[are] as no[are] as nothinאַ֫יִןנֶ֫גֶדbefore himbefore himנֶ֫גֶדאֶ֫פֶסfrom nothinfrom nothingnesאֶ֫פֶסתֹּ֫הוּand emptineand emptinessתֹּ֫הוּחָשַׁבthey are rethey are regardחָשַׁבוֹby himby himוֹכָּלַלto perfectto perfectכָּלַלנָגַדto tellto tellנָגַדאָפֵסto endto endאָפֵסגֵּוָהbackbackגֵּוָהאַ֫יִןwhere?where?אַ֫יִןעֵדָהcongregaticongregationעֵדָהעֲבֹדָהserviceserviceעֲבֹדָהעָצוּםmightymightyעָצוּםמַמְלָכָהkingdomkingdomמַמְלָכָהכְּמוֹlikelikeכְּמוֹבְּלִיַּ֫עַלBelial: woBelial: worthleבְּלִיַּ֫עַלעָצַרto restraito restrainעָצַרגּוּרto sojournto sojournגּוּרבֹ֫הוּvoidvoidבֹ֫הוּיָעַלto gainto gainיָעַלמַחֲשָׁבָהplotplotמַחֲשָׁבָהכַּרְמֶלplantationplantationכַּרְמֶל
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 40:17

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.

all the nations [are] as nothing before him from nothingness and emptiness they are regarded by him
כָּל־kol- all H3605 Noun common · masculine singular construct
5,415× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for 'all' or 'everything' is used throughout the Bible, like in Genesis 1:31, where God sees all He has made as very good. It encompasses the entirety of something, whether people, things, or situations.
Amplified meaning
every single one, the entirety of
Tyndale gloss
all
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כֹּל (kol) means 'all' or 'the whole.' It can refer to totality, including every person or thing, and is often used with a following genitive to specify what is included. The term can also denote a broader sense of everything in existence or all circumstances of life. The lexicons do not show significant disagreement on its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כֹּל once כּוֹל n.m. the whole, all

with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

Absolutely:

without the art., all things, all

with the art. הַכֹּל

where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3605 כֹּל once כּוֹל the whole, all . with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

. Absolutely: . without the art., all things, all

. with the art. הַכֹּל . where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

. in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3605 kol kole

or (Jer. 33:8) kowl {kole}; from 3634; properly, the whole;

hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a

plural sense):--(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any

(manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as

many as, (no-)thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole,

whoso(-ever).

see HEBREW for 03634

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כֹּל (kol) — all.

1) all, the whole

1a) all, the whole of

1b) any, each, every, anything

1c) totality, everything

Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)

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

ol: Used in various combinations, and with different meanings.

(1) All along, "Weeping all along as he went" (Jer 41:6), i.e. throughout the whole way he went, feigning equal concern with the men from Shiloh, etc., for the destruction of the Temple, so as to put them off their guard.

(2) All in all, "That God may be all in all" (1Co 15:28, Greek: panta en pasin, "all things in all (persons and) things"). "The universe, with all it comprises, will wholly answer to God's will and reflect His mind" (Dummelow).

(3) All one, "It is all one" (Job 9:22), "it makes no difference whether I live or die."

(4) At all, "If thy father miss me at all" (1Sa 20:6), "in any way," "in the least."

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
all the nations [are] as nothing before him from nothingness and emptiness they are regarded by him
הַגּוֹיִ֖םha.go.Yim the nations H1471 Particle · noun common masculine plural 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
Gentile peoples, non-Hebrew groups
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
Art | N-mp — Particle · noun common masculine plural absolute
HTd/Ncmpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

na'-shunz.

See GENTILES; GOIIM; HEATHEN; TABLE OF NATIONS.

all the nations [are] as nothing before him from nothingness and emptiness they are regarded by him
כְּאַ֣יִןke.'A.yin [are] as nothing H369 Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
789× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means nothing or not, often used to indicate the absence of something, as in Genesis 1:2 where the earth was without form. It emphasizes the idea of something lacking or non-existent.
Amplified meaning
counted as, regarded as, emptiness, void
Tyndale gloss
nothing
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אַ֫יִן (ayin) primarily means 'nothing' or 'nought' and serves as a negative particle indicating absence or negation, such as 'is not' or 'there is not.' It can also express lack of possession or existence. The word is derived from a root meaning to be non-existent, and it appears frequently in various grammatical constructions.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אַ֫יִן, אָ֑֫יִן cstr. אֵין subst. prop. nothing, nought

to nothing, as nothing

cstr. אֵין, very freq. as particle of negation, is not, are not, was not, were not

אֵין לְ׳, with subst., or pron., there is (was) not to … = … have, has, had, etc. not

in circumst. clauses

with inf. and ל׳, it is not to …

with prefixes

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H369 אַ֫יִן, אָ֑֫יִן cstr. אֵין subst. prop. nothing, nought . to nothing, as nothing

. cstr. אֵין, very freq. as particle of negation, is not, are not, was not, were not

. אֵין לְ׳, with subst., or pron., there is (was) not to … = … have, has, had, etc. not

. in circumst. clauses

. with inf. and ל׳, it is not to …

. with prefixes

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

369 'ayin ah'-yin

as if from a primitive root meaning to be nothing or not

exist; a non-entity; generally used as a negative

particle:--else, except, fail, (father-)less, be gone,

in(-curable), neither, never, no (where), none, nor, (any,

thing), not, nothing, to nought, past, un(-searchable),

well-nigh, without. Compare 370.

see HEBREW for 0370

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אַ֫יִן (a.yin) — nothing.

1) nothing, not, nought n

1a) nothing, nought neg

1b) not

1c) to have not (of possession) adv

1d) without w/prep

1e) for lack of

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | Part — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
HR/Ncmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

nuth'-ing (lo', lo' @me'umah, etc.; medeis, oudeis): "Nothing" is represented by various words and phrases, often with lo', which is properly a substantive with the meaning of "nothing." Most frequently we have lo' me'umah, "not anything" (Ge 40:15; Jud 14:6).

Other forms are lo' dhabhar, "not anything"; (Ge 19:8); lo'khol, "not any(thing)" (Ge 11:6; Pr 13:7); la' (Aramaic), "no," "nothing" (Da 4:35, "as nothing"); 'ephec, "end," "cessation" (Isa 34:12); bilti, "without," "save," "not" (

all the nations [are] as nothing before him from nothingness and emptiness they are regarded by him
נֶגְדּ֑וֹneg.Do before him H5048 Suffix
151× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Before or in front of something, as in Genesis 18:22 where Abraham stands before the Lord. It describes a position of being face to face or in someone's presence.
Amplified meaning
in the presence of, facing
Tyndale gloss
before
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נֶ֫גֶד (neged) refers to something that is conspicuous or in front, functioning as both a noun and an adverb. It denotes a position opposite or before someone, often used to indicate presence or visibility. The word can imply a counterpart or mate, and it appears in contexts emphasizing sight or proximity.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נֶ֫גֶד 151 subst. what is conspicuous or in front, always as adv. or prep. in front of, in sight of, opposite to

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5048 נֶ֫גֶד subst. what is conspicuous or in front, always as adv. or prep. in front of, in sight of, opposite to

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5048 neged neh'-ghed

from 5046; a front, i.e. part opposite; specifically a

counterpart, or mate; usually (adverbial, especially with

preposition) over against or before:--about, (over) against,

X aloof, X far (off), X from, over, presence, X other side,

sight, X to view.

see HEBREW for 05046

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נֶ֫גֶד (ne.ged) — before.

subst

1) what is conspicuous, what is in front of

adv

2) in front of, straight forward, before, in sight of

3) in front of oneself, straightforward

4) before your face, in your view or purpose

with prep

5) what is in front of, corresponding to

6) in front of, before

7) in the sight or presence of

8) parallel to

9) over, for

10) in front, opposite

11) at a distance

prep

12) from the front of, away from

13) from before the eyes of, opposite to, at a distance from

14) from before, in front of

15) as far as the front of

Aramaic equivalent: ne.ged (נֶ֫גֶד "before" H5049)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | Suff — Suffix
HAcmsc/Sp3ms
all the nations [are] as nothing before him from nothingness and emptiness they are regarded by him
מֵאֶ֥פֶסme.'E.fes from nothingness H657 Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
44× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word can mean the soles of the feet or the ankles, but it can also mean an end or a stop to something. In Deuteronomy 28:35, it describes a curse that will afflict the Israelites from the soles of their feet to the top of their head.
Amplified meaning
to be, absolute void, non-existence
Tyndale gloss
end
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֶ֫פֶס (*'ephec*) primarily means 'ceasing' or 'end,' and it can express non-existence. It also refers to the dual form אֹ֫פֶס (*'ofes*), which denotes the 'soles' or 'ankles' as the two extremities of the feet. The entries highlight its usage in various contexts, including adverbial forms indicating absence or limitation.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶ֫פֶס, אָ֑פֶס n.m. prop. ceasing, hence

end, extremity

Expressing non-existence

base

[אֹ֫פֶס] n.[m.] only in the du. lit. the two extremities, i.e. either the soles of the feet, or the ankles

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H657a אֶ֫פֶס, אָ֑פֶס prop. ceasing, hence . end, extremity

. Expressing non-existence

H657b אֹ֫פֶס only in the du. lit. the two extremities, i.e. either the soles of the feet, or the ankles

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

657 'ephec eh'-fes

from 656; cessation, i.e. an end (especially of the earth);

often used adverb, no further; also (like 6466) the ankle (in

the dual), as being the extremity of the leg or foot:--ankle,

but (only), end, howbeit, less than nothing, nevertheless

(where), no, none (beside), not (any, -withstanding), thing of

nought, save(-ing), there, uttermost part, want, without

(cause).

see HEBREW for 0656

see HEBREW for 06466

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶ֫פֶס (e.phes) — end.

1) ceasing, end, finality

2) expressing non-existence

אֹ֫פֶס (o.phes) — soles.

the two extremities, i.e. either the soles of the feet or the ankles

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
HR/Ncmsa
all the nations [are] as nothing before him from nothingness and emptiness they are regarded by him
וָתֹ֖הוּva.To.hu and emptiness H8414 Conjunction · noun common masculine singular absolute
20× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Tohuw describes a desolate or empty place, like a wilderness or wasteland. It can also mean something is worthless or unreal, like an idol.
Amplified meaning
complete, worthlessness, vanity
Tyndale gloss
formlessness
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

תֹּ֫הוּ (tohu) refers to formlessness, confusion, and emptiness, often conveying a sense of desolation or worthlessness. It can describe both physical emptiness, like wilderness, and abstract concepts such as vanity or unreality. The term is rooted in a meaning related to lying waste, and it appears in contexts discussing chaos or the primeval state of the earth.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

תֹּ֫הוּ n.m. formlessness, confusion, unreality, emptiness (primary meaning difficult to seize)

formlessness

fig. of what is empty, unreal

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8414 תֹּ֫הוּ formlessness, confusion, unreality, emptiness (primary meaning difficult to seize) . formlessness

. fig. of what is empty, unreal

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8414 tohuw to'-hoo

from an unused root meaning to lie waste; a desolation (of

surface), i.e. desert; figuratively, a worthless thing;

adverbially, in vain:--confusion, empty place, without form,

nothing, (thing of) nought, vain, vanity, waste, wilderness.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

תֹּ֫הוּ (to.hu) — formlessness.

1) formlessness, confusion, unreality, emptiness

1a) formlessness (of primeval earth)

1a1) nothingness, empty space

1b) that which is empty or unreal (of idols) (fig)

1c) wasteland, wilderness (of solitary places)

1d) place of chaos

1e) vanity

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | N-ms — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular absolute
HC/Ncmsa
all the nations [are] as nothing before him from nothingness and emptiness they are regarded by him
נֶחְשְׁבוּ־nech.she.vu- they are regarded H2803 Verb · Niphal · perfect third person common plural
124× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To devise means to think or plan something, often in a clever way. In the Bible, it can mean to plot or contrive, as seen in the story of David and Goliath.
Amplified meaning
considers, thinks of
Tyndale gloss
to devise: count
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word חָשַׁב (chashab) is a primitive root meaning to think, account, or devise. It encompasses a range of actions including planning, valuing, and inventing, both for humans and in relation to God. The entries indicate various grammatical forms, such as Qal, Niphal, Piel, and Hithpael, each reflecting different nuances of thought and consideration.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חָשַׁב vb. think, account

Qal

of man:

think, account

devise, plan, mean

charge, impute

esteem, value, regard

invent ingenious and artistic things

of God:

think

devise, plan, mean

inpute, reckon

esteem, value, regard

invent ingenious and artistic things

Niph.

be accounted, thought, esteemed

be computed, reckoned

be imputed to any one

Pi.

think upon, consider, be mindful of

think to do, devise, plan

count, reckon, the years since a sale of land

Hithp. among the nations it shall not reckon itself

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2803 חָשַׁב think, account .. of man: . think, account

. devise, plan, mean

. charge, impute

. esteem, value, regard

. invent ingenious and artistic things

. of God: . think

. devise, plan, mean

. inpute, reckon

. esteem, value, regard

. invent ingenious and artistic things

. . be accounted, thought, esteemed

. be computed, reckoned

. be imputed to any one

. . think upon, consider, be mindful of

. think to do, devise, plan

. count, reckon, the years since a sale of land

. among the nations it shall not reckon itself

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2803 chashab khaw-shab'

a primitive root; properly, to plait or interpenetrate, i.e.

(literally) to weave or (gen.) to fabricate; figuratively, to

plot or contrive (usually in a malicious sense); hence (from

the mental effort) to think, regard, value, compute:--(make)

account (of), conceive, consider, count, cunning (man, work,

workman), devise, esteem, find out, forecast, hold, imagine,

impute, invent, be like, mean, purpose, reckon(-ing be made),

regard, think.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חָשַׁב (cha.shav) — to devise: design.

: design/skillful

1) to think, plan, esteem, calculate, invent, make a judgment, imagine, count

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to think, account

1a2) to plan, devise, mean

1a3) to charge, impute, reckon

1a4) to esteem, value, regard

1a5) to invent

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be accounted, be thought, be esteemed

1b2) to be computed, be reckoned

1b3) to be imputed

1c) (Piel)

1c1) to think upon, consider, be mindful of

1c2) to think to do, devise, plan

1c3) to count, reckon

1d) (Hithpael) to be considered

חָשַׁב (cha.shav) — to devise: count.

: count/regard_as

1) to think, plan, esteem, calculate, invent, make a judgment, imagine, count

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to think, account

1a2) to plan, devise, mean

1a3) to charge, impute, reckon

1a4) to esteem, value, regard

1a5) to invent

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be accounted, be thought, be esteemed

1b2) to be computed, be reckoned

1b3) to be imputed

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Niphal-Perf-3cp — Verb · Niphal · perfect third person common plural
HVNp3cp
all the nations [are] as nothing before him from nothingness and emptiness they are regarded by him
לֽוֹ׃lo by him H9033 Preposition · suffix
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

וֹ (o) — him.

Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 3rd person masculine singular

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Sp3ms — Preposition · suffix
HR/Sp3ms
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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