Isaiah 41:18 — Word Study
WLCאֶפְתַּ֤ח עַל־ שְׁפָיִים֙ נְהָר֔וֹת וּבְת֥וֹךְ בְּקָע֖וֹת מַעְיָנ֑וֹת אָשִׂ֤ים מִדְבָּר֙ לַאֲגַם־ מַ֔יִם וְאֶ֥רֶץ צִיָּ֖ה לְמוֹצָ֥אֵי מָֽיִם׃
BSAI will openpâthach▸ [on the bare heights, in desolate highlands] riversnâhâr onʻal the barren heightsshᵉphîy [bare or smooth places] and fountainsmaʻyân [springs, sources of satisfaction] in the middletâvek [midst, center] of the valleysbiqʻâh I will turnsûwm▸ the desertmidbâr [wilderness, a dry and barren place] into a poolʼăgam [a body of calm or troubled water] of watermayim and the drytsîyâh landʼerets [a land lacking water, a parched territory] into flowing springsmôwtsâʼ [sources of refreshment, streams of water]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| אֶפְתַּ֤ח | I will open | Verb, Qal, imperfect first person common singular |
| עַל־ | on | Preposition |
| שְׁפָיִים֙ | bare heights | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
| נְהָר֔וֹת | rivers | Noun common, feminine plural absolute |
| וּבְת֥וֹךְ | and in [the] middle of | Conjunction, preposition, noun common masculine singular construct |
| בְּקָע֖וֹת | valleys | Noun common, feminine plural absolute |
| מַעְיָנ֑וֹת | springs | Noun common, feminine plural absolute |
| אָשִׂ֤ים | I will make | Verb, Qal, imperfect first person common singular |
| מִדְבָּר֙ | [the] wilderness | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| לַאֲגַם־ | a pool of | Preposition, noun common masculine singular construct |
| מַ֔יִם | water | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
| וְאֶ֥רֶץ | and a land | Conjunction, noun common feminine singular construct |
| צִיָּ֖ה | dry | Noun common, feminine singular absolute |
| לְמוֹצָ֥אֵי | springs of | Preposition, noun common masculine plural construct |
| מָֽיִם׃ | water | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | I will open rivers on the barren heights, and fountains in the middle of the valleys. I will turn the desert into a pool of water, and the dry land into flowing springs. |
| KJV | I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water. |
| ASV | I will open rivers on the bare heights, and fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water. |
| YLT | I open on high places rivers, And in midst of valleys fountains, I make a wilderness become a pond of water, And a dry land become springs of water. |
| WEB | I will open rivers on the bare heights, and springs in the middle of the valleys. I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water. |
| BBE | I will make rivers on the dry mountain-tops, and fountains in the valleys: I will make the waste land a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water. |
Where they part company is מַעְיָנ֑וֹת — see How Translations Differ.
The verse consists of two main clauses, each with additional phrases providing detail about God's actions and their locations.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbפָּתַח
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
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 41:18
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 Promise of Restorationgenerated
Isaiah 41:18 expresses God's commitment to provide for His people, transforming desolate landscapes into places of abundance. This promise reflects His power to bring life where there is currently barrenness, resonating with themes found throughout the book of Isaiah, where God frequently reassures His people of His provision and care. The surrounding verses (17-20) emphasize God's attention to the needs of the poor and needy, showcasing His role as a provider and sustainer.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Isaiah 12:3 | With joy you will draw water from the springs of salvation, |
| 2 | Isaiah 30:25 | And from every high mountain and every raised hill, streams of water will flow in the day of great slaughter, when the towers fall. |
| 3 | Isaiah 32:2 | Each will be like a shelter from the wind, a refuge from the storm, like streams of water in a dry land, like the shadow of a great rock in an arid land. |
| 4 | Isaiah 35:6–7 | Then the lame will leap like a deer and the mute tongue will shout for joy. For waters will gush forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert. |
| 5 | Isaiah 43:19–20 | Behold, I am about to do something new; even now it is coming. Do you not see it? Indeed, I will make a way in the wilderness and streams in the desert. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 18 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — אֶפְתַּ֤ח, 'ef.Tachgenerated
The verb פָּתַח (pathach) means 'to open' and can refer to various actions, including opening doors or loosening restraints. In this verse, it signifies God's act of bringing forth rivers and springs, emphasizing His ability to create life-giving water in barren places.
The parsing indicates that it is a first-person singular imperfect verb, meaning God Himself will perform this action. This highlights the personal nature of God's promise and His active role in the restoration of the land.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The verse contains multiple clauses centered around two finite verbs: אֶפְתַּ֤ח (I will open) and אָשִׂ֤ים (I will make). The first verb governs the opening of rivers and fountains, while the second verb describes the transformation of the wilderness into a pool.
The structure emphasizes God's promise to act in both the physical and spiritual realms, with prepositional phrases indicating locations and the objects of His actions, creating a vivid image of restoration.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates אֶפְתַּ֤ח as ἀνοίγω (anoigō), which also means 'to open.' This choice aligns closely with the Hebrew meaning, emphasizing the act of opening as a divine action.
The translation of מַעְיָנ֑וֹת as πηγάς (pēgas) suggests a focus on the source of water, highlighting the life-giving aspect of God's promise.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Isaiah 41:18 shows God promising to provide rivers and springs in barren places. He will transform the desert into a pool of water, bringing life and refreshment where there was once dryness.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It signifies God's power to bring life and abundance to places that seem desolate and lifeless.
This verse illustrates God's care and provision for His people, showing that He can transform their circumstances.
Water often symbolizes life, refreshment, and sustenance, representing God's provision and the spiritual nourishment He offers.
We can trust that God is able to bring renewal and hope even in our most difficult situations, just as He promises in this verse.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what areas of my life do I need to trust God for renewal and transformation?
- How can I be a source of refreshment to others, reflecting God's provision?
- What does the imagery of water mean to me personally, and how does it relate to my spiritual journey?
- How can I remind myself of God's promises during dry seasons in my life?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
The early church fathers reference this verse to illustrate God's provision and transformation, arguing from it to show His care for creation.
God is not offering his services as a water manager or a farmer when he says, “I will open rivers in a dry land; I will plant in the wilderness the cedar and the box tree.”Early Church Fathers on Isaiah 41 →
He refers in this way to those who have been entrusted with the grace of instruction. For he has said in the holy Gospels: “He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said,Early Church Fathers on Isaiah 41 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Isaiah 41:18 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleI will open rivers in high places,.... Which is not usual; but God will change the course of nature, and work miracles, rather than his people shall want what is necessary for them; thus he opens to
Read John Gill on Isaiah 41 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryI will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.
Read Robert Jamieson on Isaiah 41 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleIn high places; upon the mountains, where by the course of nature there are no rivers. In the midst of the valleys; or, in the valleys, to wit, in such of them as are not well watered. I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water: these people, who are like a dry and barren wilderness, I will abundantly water with my blessing, and make them fruitful and beautiful, as the next verse showeth; which may be understood, either of the Jews, who were in a wilderness condition, till God brought them out of it; or of the Gentiles converted to the true religion under the gospel.
Read Matthew Poole on Isaiah 41 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsIsaiah 41:18 I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.Ver. 18. I will open rivers in high places.] Rather work miracles, as once in the wilderness, than my poor people shall want necessary support and succour (help).
Read John Trapp on Isaiah 41 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(18) I will open rivers.—The words have all the emphasis of varied iteration. Every shape of the physical contour of the country, bare hills, arid steppes, and the like, is to be transformed into a new beauty by water in the form adapted to each: streamlets, rivers, lakes, and springs. (Comp. Isaiah 35:7.)
Read Charles John Ellicott on Isaiah 41 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges18. Cf. ch. Isaiah 30:25. in high places] R.V. on the bare heights. The word occurs only in ch. Isaiah 49:9 and in Jeremiah (Isaiah 3:2 &c.). In Numbers 23:3 the text is doubtful.
Read Cambridge on Isaiah 41 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleI will open rivers - That is, I will cause rivers to flow (see the note at Isaiah 35:7). The allusion here is doubtless to the miraculous supply of water in the desert when the Israelites had come out of Egypt.
Read Albert Barnes on Isaiah 41 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible17, 18. Poor and needy — They of the now exiled ones, under the figure of crossing the desert toward Jerusalem and Zion, emblemizing all the dark desert journeyings which the good of this evil world
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Isaiah 41 →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
I will open rivers on the barren heights, and fountains in the middle of the valleys. I will turn the desert into a pool of water, and the dry land into flowing springs.
I will open rivers on the bare heights, and springs in the middle of the valleys. I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.
I will open rivers on the barren heights, and fountains in the middle of the valleys. I will turn the desert into a pool of water, and the dry land into flowing springs.
I will make streams flow down the slopes and produce springs in the middle of the valleys. I will turn the desert into a pool of water and the arid land into springs.
Tyndale line
I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.
I will open rivers on the bare heights, and fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.
I will open rivers on the bare heights, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.
I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.
I will open riuers in the toppes of the hils, and fountaines in the middes of the valleis: I will make the wildernesse as a poole of water, and the waste land as springs of water.
Strictly literal
I will open rivers on the bare heights, and fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness into a pool of water, and the dry land into water-springs.
I open on high places rivers, And in midst of valleys fountains, I make a wilderness become a pond of water, And a dry land become springs of water.
I open rivers on high places, || And fountains in midst of valleys, || I make a wilderness become a pond of water, || And a dry land becomes springs of water.
I will open on naked mountain-peaks rivers, and in the midst of valleys fountains; I will change the wilderness into a pool of water, and the dry land into springs of water.
I will make streams to flow down the slopes, and springs in the middle of the valleys; I will make the desert into a pool of water, and the dry land into springs of water.
From the Latin
I will open rivers in the high bills, and fountains in the midst of the plains: I will turn the desert into pools of waters, and the impassable land into streams of waters.
Simplified
I will open up rivers in the desolate highlands and springs in the valleys. I will make pools in the wilderness and springs in the desert.
I will make rivers on the dry mountain-tops, and fountains in the valleys: I will make the waste land a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.
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.
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 15 words matching. The Septuagint also aligns with the Hebrew text, though its word order differs, maintaining the essential meaning across translations.
אֶפְתַּ֤ח עַל־ שְׁפָיִים֙ נְהָר֔וֹת וּבְת֥וֹךְ בְּקָע֖וֹת מַעְיָנ֑וֹת אָשִׂ֤ים מִדְבָּר֙ לַאֲגַם־ מַ֔יִם וְאֶ֥רֶץ צִיָּ֖ה לְמוֹצָ֥אֵי מָֽיִם׃
11 of the 15 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.
אפתחה על שפאים נהרות ובתוך בקעות מעינים אשיםה המדבר לאגמ מים וארץ ציאה למוצאי מים
15 words on the leather.
[אפתח] על שפיים נהרות [ובתוך] [בקעות] [מעינות] [אשים] [מדבר] [לאגם] [מים] [וארץ] [ציה] [למוצאי] מים
2 words on the leather — 2 partly restored, 11 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.
Lexicons — every word in Isaiah 41:18
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.
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.
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
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
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.
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
V-Qal-Imperf-1cs — Verb · Qal · imperfect first person common singularHVqi1cs
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.
The Hebrew word עַל (*al*) is a preposition meaning 'upon' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including 'on account of,' 'beside,' 'above,' and 'against.' It can indicate physical placement, emotional burdens, or duties imposed on a person. The entries also note its use in idiomatic expressions and with verbs of motion. There is a mention of its function as a conjunction in certain contexts.
כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as
base
עַל, עָ֑ל
subst. height
As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against
Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed
—
of clothing, etc., which any one wears
With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it
Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him
Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him
על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him
חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)
H5921a עַל, עָ֑ל . As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against . Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed . — . of clothing, etc., which any one wears
. With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it
. Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him
. Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him
. על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him
. חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)
5921 `al al
properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the
singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a
particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always
in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great
variety of applications (as follow):--above, according
to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because
of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both
and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in
(that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-)on, over, than,
through(-out), to, touching, X with.
see HEBREW for 05920
עַל (al) — upon.
prep
1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against
1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards
1b) above, beyond, over (of excess)
1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence)
1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition)
1e) over (of suspension or extension)
1f) by, adjoining, next, at, over, around (of contiguity or proximity)
1g) down upon, upon, on, from, up upon, up to, towards, over towards, to, against (with verbs of motion)
1h) to (as a dative)
[כִּי] עַל [כֵּן] ([ki] al [ken]) — as.
conj
Prep — PrepositionHR
On
Light; the sun, (Gen. 41:45, 50), the great seat of sun-worship, called also Bethshemesh (Jer. 43:13) and Aven (Ezek. 30:17), stood on the east bank of the Nile, a few miles north of Memphis, and near Cairo, in the north-east. The Vulgate and the LXX. Versions have “Heliopolis” (“city of the sun”) instead of On in Genesis and of Aven in Ezekiel. The “city of destruction” Isaiah speaks of (19:18, marg. “of Heres;” Heb. ‘Ir-ha-heres, which some MSS. read Ir-ha-heres, i.e., “city of the sun”) may be the name given to On, the prophecy being that the time will come when that city which was known as the “city of the sun-god” shall become the “city of destruction” of the sun-god, i.e., when idolatry shall cease, and the worship…
(abode or city of the sun), a town of lower Egypt, called BETH-SHEMESH in (Jeremiah 43:13) On is better known under its Greek name Heliopolis. It was situated on the east side of the Pelusiac branch of the Nile, just below the point of the Delta, and about twenty miles northeast of Memphis. The chief object of worship at Heliopolis was the sun, whose temple, described by Strabo, is now only represented by the single beautiful obelisk, of red granite so feet 2 inches high above the pedestal which has stood for more than 4000 years, having been erected by Usirtesen, the second king of the twelfth dynasty. Heliopolis was anciently famous for its learning, and Eudoxus and Plato studied under its priests. The first mention of this place in the Bible is in the history of Joseph, to whom we read Pharaoh gave "to wife Asenath the daughter…
See HELIOPOLIS.
pain; force; iniquity
שְׁפִי (shphiy) refers to bareness or a smooth, bare height, such as a treeless hill or plain. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to be bare' and encompasses concepts like barren heights and bare places. It is used to describe geographical features, emphasizing their lack of vegetation.
שְׁפִי n.m. bareness, smooth or bare (treeless) height;—
bareness
bare place, height
base
H8205 שְׁפִי bareness, smooth or bare (treeless) height;— . bareness
. bare place, height
8205 shphiy shef-ee'
from 8192; bareness; concretely, a bare hill or plain:--high
place, stick out.
see HEBREW for 08192
שְׁפִי (she.phi) — bareness.
1) bareness, smooth or bare height, bare place, high places, barren height
1a) bareness
1b) bare place, bare height
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural absoluteHNcmpa
נָהָר (nahar) means 'stream' or 'river' and can refer to various water bodies, including the Nile and Euphrates. It also has a figurative sense of prosperity. The word is derived from a root meaning related to flowing water and has an Aramaic equivalent, נְהַר (ne.har).
נָהָר 120 n.m. stream, river
base
H5104 נָהָר stream, river
5104 nahar naw-hawr'
from 5102; a stream (including the sea; expec. the Nile,
Euphrates, etc.); figuratively, prosperity:--flood, river.
see HEBREW for 05102
נָהָר (na.har) — River.
This name means stream, river
Another name of pe.rat (פְּרָת "Euphrates" H6578)
נָהָר (na.har) — river.
1) stream, river
1a) stream, river
1b) (underground) streams
Aramaic equivalent: ne.har (נְהַר "river" H5103H)
N-mp — Noun common · feminine plural absoluteHNcfpa
תָּ֫וֶךְ (tavek) means 'midst' or 'middle,' indicating a central position or location. It can also imply being 'among' or 'between' things, particularly in contexts involving separation or division. The term appears in various forms, such as 'into' or 'through,' especially after verbs of motion.
תָּ֫וֶךְ 416 subst. midst
base
H8432 תָּ֫וֶךְ subst. midst
8432 tavek taw'-vek
from an unused root meaning to sever; a bisection, i.e. (by
implication) the centre:--among(-st), X between, half, X
(there- ,where-), in(-to), middle, mid(-night), midst (among),
X out (of), X through, X with(-in).
תָּ֫וֶךְ (ta.vekh) — midst.
1) midst, middle
1a) midst, middle
1b) into, through (after verbs of motion)
1c) among (of a number of persons)
1d) between (of things arranged by twos)
1e) from among (as to take or separate etc)
Conj | Prep | N-ms — Conjunction · preposition · noun common masculine singular constructHC/R/Ncmsc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
בִּקְעָה (biq'ah) refers to a valley or plain, specifically a wide, level area between mountains. It is derived from a root meaning 'to split.' The term is associated with various valleys, including those in Jericho and Lebanon. The Aramaic equivalent is בִּקְעָא (biq.a), meaning 'plain.'
בִּקְעָה n.f. valley (cleft), plain
valley
plain
base
H1237 בִּקְעָה valley (cleft), plain
1237 biq`ah bik-aw'
from 1234; properly, a split, i.e. a wide level valley
between mountains:--plain, valley.
see HEBREW for 01234
בִּקְעָה (biq.ah) — Valley (of Jericho).
This name means plain, level valley
Another name of kik.kar (כִּכָּר "Plain" H3603G)
בִּקְעָה (biq.ah) — (Mizpah) Valley.
This name means plain, level valley
Combined with mits.pah (מִצְפָּה "Mizpah" H4709I)
בִּקְעָה (biq.ah) — (Lebanon) Valley.
This name means plain, level valley
Combined with le.va.non (לְבָנוֹן " of Lebanon" H3844I)
בִּקְעָה (biq.ah) — (Aven) Valley.
This name means plain, level valley
Combined with a.ven (אָ֫וֶן " of Aven" H0206)
בִּקְעָה (biq.ah) — valley.
1) valley
2) plain, level valley
Aramaic equivalent: biq.a (בִּקְעָא "plain" H1236)
N-fp — Noun common · feminine plural absoluteHNcfpa
מַעְיָן (ma`yan) means 'spring' and refers to a source of water, such as a fountain or well. It can also be used figuratively to denote a source of satisfaction. The word is derived from a root meaning to spring forth, and it appears in contexts like Psalm 114:8.
מַעְיָן n.m. spring
base
H4599 מַעְיָן spring
4599 ma`yan mah-yawn'
or ma ynow (Psa. 114:8) {mah-yen-o'}; or (feminine) ma yanah
{mah-yaw-naw'}; from 5869 (as a denominative in the sense of a
spring); a fountain (also collectively), figuratively, a
source (of satisfaction):--fountain, spring, well.
see HEBREW for 05869
מַעְיָן (ma.yan) — spring.
spring
N-mp — Noun common · feminine plural absoluteHNcfpa
The Hebrew word שׂוּם (sum) is a verb meaning to put, place, or set, with a wide range of applications including appointing, establishing, and making. It can also refer to laying something upon or directing it. There is a related noun שׂוּמָה (sumah), which may denote a token of unluckiness. The entries do not present any significant disagreement.
שׂוּם, שִׂים 582 vb. put, place, set
Qal
put, set, in a place
put something upon
put, lay, set
put, c. בֵּין
set, direct
set, ordain, in a place
set, establish a law, statute
set, found a nation
set, appoint (as ruler, official)
set, constitute, make
set, determine, fix, bounds
set, station, at a post
put in position, sacred bread, sword, staves, bars
set up altars
= plant, wheat
set, fix (countenance)
make a thing, or pers. (acc.), for, transform into
make, constitute
work, bring to pass
appoint, give
set, fix (countenance)
Hiph. I will make him for a sign
Hoph. there was set before him
base
שׂוּמָה perhaps n. f. token of unluckiness, scowl;—2 S 13:32
ref
H7760a שׂוּם, שִׂים put, place, set .. . put, set, in a place
. put something upon
. put, lay, set
. put, c. בֵּין
. set, direct
. . set, ordain, in a place
. set, establish a law, statute
. set, found a nation
. set, appoint (as ruler, official)
. set, constitute, make
. set, determine, fix, bounds
. . set, station, at a post
. put in position, sacred bread, sword, staves, bars
. set up altars
. = plant, wheat
. set, fix (countenance)
. . make a thing, or pers. (acc.), for, transform into
. make, constitute
. work, bring to pass
. appoint, give
. set, fix (countenance)
. I will make him for a sign
. there was set before him
H7760b שׂוּמָה perhaps n. f. token of unluckiness, scowl
7760 suwm soom
or siym {seem}; a primitive root; to put (used in a great
variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially,
and elliptically):--X any wise, appoint, bring, call (a
name), care, cast in, change, charge, commit, consider,
convey, determine, + disguise, dispose, do, get, give, heap
up, hold, impute, lay (down, up), leave, look, make (out),
mark, + name, X on, ordain, order, + paint, place, preserve,
purpose, put (on), + regard, rehearse, reward, (cause to) set
(on, up), shew, + stedfastly, take, X tell, + tread down,
((over-))turn, X wholly, work.
שׂוּם (sum) — to set: make.
: make/establish
1) to put, place, set, appoint, make
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to put, set, lay, put or lay upon, lay (violent) hands on
1a2) to set, direct, direct toward
1a2a) to extend (compassion) (fig)
1a3) to set, ordain, establish, found, appoint, constitute, make, determine, fix
1a4) to set, station, put, set in place, plant, fix
1a5) to make, make for, transform into, constitute, fashion, work, bring to pass, appoint, give
1b) (Hiphil) to set or make for a sign
1c) (Hophal) to be set
שׂוּמָה (su.mah) — fate.
token of unluckiness, scowl
שׂוּם (sum) — to set: put.
: put/give
1) to put, place, set, appoint, make
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to put, set, lay, put or lay upon, lay (violent) hands on
1a2) to set, direct, direct toward
1a2a) to extend (compassion) (fig)
1a3) to set, ordain, establish, found, appoint, constitute, make, determine, fix
V-Qal-Imperf-1cs — Verb · Qal · imperfect first person common singularHVqi1cs
מִדְבָּר (midbar) primarily means 'mouth' in the sense of an organ of speech, but it also refers to 'wilderness' or 'desert.' The word is derived from a root meaning to drive, suggesting open fields for pasturing cattle. It encompasses various forms of uninhabited land and is notably used in contexts related to the wilderness, such as the Wilderness of Sinai.
[מִדְבָּר] n.m. mouth, as organ of speech, Ct 4:3
ref
מִדְבָר 270 n.m. wilderness
tracts of land, used for the pasturage of flocks and herds
uninhabited land
large tracts of such land bearing various names, in certain districts of which there might be towns and cities
fig.
base
H4057a מִדְבָּר mouth, as organ of speech H4057b מִדְבָר wilderness
4057 midbar mid-bawr'
from 1696 in the sense of driving; a pasture (i.e. open
field, whither cattle are driven); by implication, a desert;
also speech (including its organs):--desert, south, speech,
wilderness.
see HEBREW for 01696
מִדְבָּר (mid.bar) — mouth.
1) mouth
1a) mouth (as organ of speech)
מִדְבָּר (mid.bar) — wilderness.
1) wilderness
1a) pasture
1b) uninhabited land, wilderness
1c) large tracts of wilderness (around cities)
1d) wilderness (fig.)
מִדְבָּר (mid.bar) — Wilderness (of Sinai).
This name means wilderness, uninhabited land
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
wil'-der-nes.
See DESERT; JUDAEA, WILDERNESS OF; WANDERINGS OF ISRAEL.
Wilderness
(1.) Heb. midhbar, denoting not a barren desert but a district or region suitable for pasturing sheep and cattle (Ps. 65:12; Isa. 42:11; Jer. 23:10; Joel 1:19; 2:22); an uncultivated place. This word is used of the wilderness of Beersheba (Gen. 21:14), on the southern border of Palestine; the wilderness of the Red Sea (Ex. 13:18); of Shur (15:22), a portion of the Sinaitic peninsula; of Sin (17:1), Sinai (Lev. 7:38), Moab (Deut. 2:8), Judah (
See DESERT.
אֲגַם (agam) refers to a type of pool or marsh, specifically a troubled or muddy one. It can denote any kind of pool or pond and is associated with swamp reeds or rushes. The word is derived from a root meaning to collect water, indicating its connection to standing water.
אֲגַם n.[m.] troubled pool
troubled or muddy (gloomy) pools or marshes
any pool, pond
swamp-reed, rush
base
H98 אֲגַם troubled pool
98 'agam ag-am'
from an unused root (meaning to collect as water); a marsh;
hence a rush (as growing in swamps); hence a stockade of
reeds:--pond, pool, standing (water).
אֲגַם (a.gam) — pool.
1) pool, troubled pool
1a) troubled or muddy (gloomy) pools, marshes
1b) any pool, pond
1c) swamp reeds, reeds, rush(es)
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular constructHR/Ncmsc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
מַי (mayim) is a Hebrew word meaning 'water' and is used in the plural form. It encompasses various meanings, including literal water, urine, and metaphorical uses related to refreshment or danger. The entries indicate it is derived from a primitive noun and is primarily referenced in contexts involving water.
[מַי] 580 n.m. only pl. מַ֫יִם waters, water
base
H4325 מַי only pl. מַ֫יִם waters, water
4325 mayim mah'-yim
dual of a primitive noun (but used in a singular sense);
water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen:--+
piss, wasting, water(-ing, (-course, -flood, -spring)).
מַי (ma.yim) — water.
1) water, waters
1a) water
1b) water of the feet, urine
1c) of danger, violence, transitory things, refreshment (fig.)
מַי (ma.yim) — Water (Gate).
This name means water, refreshment
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural absoluteHNcmpa
wo'-ter (mayim; hudor):
(1) The Greek philosophers believed water to be the original substance and that all things were made from it. The Koran states, "From water we have made all things." In the story of the creation (Ge 1:2) water plays an elemental part.
(2) Because of the scarcity of water in Palestine it is especially appreciated by the people there. They love to go and sit by a stream of running water. Men long for a taste of the water of their native village (1Ch 11:17). A town or village is known throughout the country for the quality of its water, which is described by many adjectives, such as "light," "heavy," etc.
(3) The rainfall is the only source of supply of water for Palestine. The moisture is carried up from the sea in clouds and falls on the hills as rain or snow.…
See CISTERN and WELLS.
In Isa 35:7, the Hebrew word for "parched ground" that shall become a pool of water, is the same with the Arabic term for the mirage, a peculiar optical illusion by which travelers in hot and dry deserts think they see broad lakes and flowing waters; they seem to discern the very ripple of the waves, and the swaying of tail trees on the margin in the cool breeze; green hills and houses and city ramparts rise before the astonished sight, recede as the traveler advances, and at length melt away in the hot haze. Not so the blessings of the gospel; they are no alluring mockery, but real waters of everlasting life, Isa 55:1 Joh 4:14 Re 22:1. Compare
→ Creation of Ps 148:4,5
→ Covered the whole earth Ge 1:9
→ Daily allowance of Eze 4:11
→ City waterworks 2Ki 20:20
→ Vision of, by Ezekiel Eze 47:1-5
→ Of separation Nu 19:2-22
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.
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
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.
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.
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
Conj | N-cs — Conjunction · noun common feminine singular constructHC/Ncfsc
((1) 'erets;
(2) 'adhamah;
(3) sadheh,
"a piece of land";
(4) ge, "earth";
(5) agros, "field";
(6) chora, "region";
(7) chorion, diminutive of chora;
(8) xeros, "dry land";
(9) 'ezrach, "native" the King James Version "born in the land," "born among you," the Revised Version (British and American) "home-born" (Le 19:34; 14:16; Nu 15:30); "like a green tree in its native soil" (Ps 37:35)):
→ Appeared on the third creative day Ge 1:9
→ Original title to, from God Ge 13:14-17; 15:7; Ex 23:31; Le 25:23
→ Bought and sold Ge 23:3-18; 33:19; Ac 4:34; 5:1-8
→ Sale and redemption of, laws concerning Le 25:15,16,23-33; 27:17-24; Nu 36:4; Jer 32:7-16,25,44; Eze 46:18
צִיָּה (tsiyah) refers to dryness or drought, stemming from a root that means to parch. It encompasses concepts of aridity, barren land, and wilderness. The term is used in contexts related to desolate or dry places.
צִיָּה n.f. dryness, drought
base
H6723 צִיָּה dryness, drought
6723 tsiyah tsee-yaw'
from an unused root meaning to parch; aridity; concretely, a
desert:--barren, drought, dry (land, place), solitary place,
wilderness.
צִיָּה (tsiy.yah) — dryness.
dryness, drought, desert
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absoluteHNcfsa
מוֹצָא (mowtsa') refers to a place or act of going forth, encompassing meanings like exit, source, or spring. It can denote various concepts such as the rising of the sun, exportation, and even a mine. The entries highlight its use in contexts related to movement and production, but do not indicate any significant disagreement among lexicons.
מוֹצָא n.m. place or act of going forth, issue, export, source, spring
base
H4161 מוֹצָא place or act of going forth, issue, export, source, spring
4161 mowtsa' mo-tsaw'
or motsai {mo-tsaw'}; from 3318; a going forth, i.e. (the
act) an egress, or (the place) an exit; hence, a source or
product; specifically, dawn, the rising of the sun (the East),
exportation, utterance, a gate, a fountain, a mine, a meadow
(as producing grass):--brought out, bud, that which came
out, east, going forth, goings out, that which (thing that) is
gone out, outgoing, proceeded out, spring, vein,
(water-)course (springs).
see HEBREW for 03318
מוֹצָא (mo.tsa) — exit.
1) act or place of going out or forth, issue, export, source, spring
1a) a going forth
1a1) rising (sun), going forth of a command
1a2) goings forth, those going forth
1a3) way out, exit
1b) that which goes forth
1b1) utterance
1b2) export
1c) place of going forth
1c1) source or spring (of water)
1c2) place of departure
1c3) east (of sun)
1c4) mine (of silver)
Prep | N-mp — Preposition · noun common masculine plural constructHR/Ncmpc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
מַי (mayim) is a Hebrew word meaning 'water' and is used in the plural form. It encompasses various meanings, including literal water, urine, and metaphorical uses related to refreshment or danger. The entries indicate it is derived from a primitive noun and is primarily referenced in contexts involving water.
[מַי] 580 n.m. only pl. מַ֫יִם waters, water
base
H4325 מַי only pl. מַ֫יִם waters, water
4325 mayim mah'-yim
dual of a primitive noun (but used in a singular sense);
water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen:--+
piss, wasting, water(-ing, (-course, -flood, -spring)).
מַי (ma.yim) — water.
1) water, waters
1a) water
1b) water of the feet, urine
1c) of danger, violence, transitory things, refreshment (fig.)
מַי (ma.yim) — Water (Gate).
This name means water, refreshment
HNcmpa — Noun common · masculine plural absoluteHNcmpa
wo'-ter (mayim; hudor):
(1) The Greek philosophers believed water to be the original substance and that all things were made from it. The Koran states, "From water we have made all things." In the story of the creation (Ge 1:2) water plays an elemental part.
(2) Because of the scarcity of water in Palestine it is especially appreciated by the people there. They love to go and sit by a stream of running water. Men long for a taste of the water of their native village (1Ch 11:17). A town or village is known throughout the country for the quality of its water, which is described by many adjectives, such as "light," "heavy," etc.
(3) The rainfall is the only source of supply of water for Palestine. The moisture is carried up from the sea in clouds and falls on the hills as rain or snow.…
See CISTERN and WELLS.
In Isa 35:7, the Hebrew word for "parched ground" that shall become a pool of water, is the same with the Arabic term for the mirage, a peculiar optical illusion by which travelers in hot and dry deserts think they see broad lakes and flowing waters; they seem to discern the very ripple of the waves, and the swaying of tail trees on the margin in the cool breeze; green hills and houses and city ramparts rise before the astonished sight, recede as the traveler advances, and at length melt away in the hot haze. Not so the blessings of the gospel; they are no alluring mockery, but real waters of everlasting life, Isa 55:1 Joh 4:14 Re 22:1. Compare
→ Creation of Ps 148:4,5
→ Covered the whole earth Ge 1:9
→ Daily allowance of Eze 4:11
→ City waterworks 2Ki 20:20
→ Vision of, by Ezekiel Eze 47:1-5
→ Of separation Nu 19:2-22