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Isaiah 44:9 — Word Study

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WLCיֹֽצְרֵי־ פֶ֤סֶל כֻּלָּם֙ תֹּ֔הוּ וַחֲמוּדֵיהֶ֖ם בַּל־ יוֹעִ֑ילוּ וְעֵדֵיהֶ֣ם הֵׄ֗מָּׄהׄ בַּל־ יִרְא֛וּ וּבַל־ יֵדְע֖וּ לְמַ֥עַן יֵבֹֽשׁוּ׃

BSAAllkôl makersyâtsar [framing, shaping] of idolspeçel [graven images, carved objects] are nothingtôhûw [empty, worthless] and the things they treasurechâmad [delight in, take pleasure in] are worthlessyaʻal [without profit, unbeneficial] Their witnessesʻêd [those who testify, see] fail tobal seerâʼâh [are blind, do not perceive] or comprehendyâdaʻ [understand, know] somaʻan they are put to shamebûwsh [are ashamed, disappointed]

Word
Listen & take awayIsaiah 44
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 9 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 (ye.Vo.shu) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Isaiah 44:9quick helps
In a sentenceIsaiah declares that idol makers and their treasures are worthless, and their witnesses are blind.
Who is speakingThe prophet Isaiah, speaking on behalf of God.
Where we areIn a passage that critiques idolatry and emphasizes God's uniqueness.
The hard wordיֹֽצְרֵי־
Take awayIdols and their makers are ultimately empty and lead to shame.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectהֵמָּה verbיָצַר 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 44:9

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 Futility of Idolatrygenerated

8Do not tremble or fear. Have I not told you and declared it long ago? You are My witnesses! Is there any God but Me? There is no other Rock; I know not one.”
9All makers of idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Their witnesses fail to see or comprehend, so they are put to shame.
10Who fashions a god or casts an idol which profits him nothing?
11Behold, all his companions will be put to shame, for the craftsmen themselves are only human. Let them all assemble and take their stand; they will all be brought to terror and shame.

Isaiah 44:9 critiques the practice of idolatry by stating that those who create idols and the treasures they value are ultimately worthless. The passage emphasizes the blindness of those who testify to these idols, leading to their shame. This theme is consistent throughout Isaiah, where God asserts His uniqueness and challenges the validity of false gods, as seen in the surrounding verses, including Isaiah 44:8 and Isaiah 44:10.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Isaiah 41:24–29Behold, you are nothing and your work is of no value. Anyone who chooses you is detestable.
2Deuteronomy 27:15‘Cursed is the man who makes a carved idol or molten image—an abomination to the LORD, the work of the hands of a craftsman—and sets it up in secret.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’
3Psalm 97:7All worshipers of images are put to shame— those who boast in idols. Worship Him, all you gods!
4Jeremiah 10:3–8For the customs of the peoples are worthless; they cut down a tree from the forest; it is shaped with a chisel by the hands of a craftsman.
5Isaiah 2:20–21In that day men will cast away to the moles and bats their idols of silver and gold— the idols they made to worship.

The Key Word יֹֽצְרֵי־, yo.tze.rei-generated

The Hebrew word יָצַר (yatsar) means to form or shape, often in the context of creation. It is used here to describe the makers of idols, emphasizing their role in crafting objects that are ultimately empty and without value.

This participle form indicates ongoing action, suggesting that these creators are continuously engaged in the futile act of idol-making. The word carries a strong connotation of creativity but highlights the irony that what they create is devoid of true worth.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

The translations agree that the makers of idols are depicted as worthless.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The verse contains multiple clauses, with the main idea centered around the subject of idol makers and their creations. The finite verb structure emphasizes the state of being 'nothing' and the futility of their actions.

The Hebrew word order places the subject at the forefront, highlighting the makers of idols and their worthlessness, followed by the consequences of their actions, which leads to shame.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates יָצַר as πλάσσοντες, which means 'those who mold.' This choice reflects a similar concept of shaping but may carry a slightly broader connotation of crafting.

The use of μάταιοι for 'nothing' in the LXX emphasizes the emptiness of idols, aligning with the Hebrew meaning while providing a Greek audience with a familiar term.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Isaiah 44:9 states that all idol makers are worthless, and the things they cherish are of no value. Their witnesses cannot see or understand, leading to their shame. This verse emphasizes the futility of worshipping idols and the blindness of those who testify to them.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that idol makers are 'nothing'?

It means that those who create idols and the idols themselves lack true value and significance, as they cannot compare to the living God.

Why are the witnesses of idols described as blind?

They are blind because they cannot perceive the truth about the idols they support, leading them to a false understanding and ultimately to shame.

How does this verse relate to the surrounding context?

This verse fits into a larger argument in Isaiah that critiques idolatry and emphasizes God's uniqueness, as seen in the preceding and following verses.

What is the significance of being put to shame?

Being put to shame signifies a realization of failure and disappointment, particularly in trusting in something that cannot deliver.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What are some modern-day idols that people might be tempted to create or worship?
  2. How can we ensure that our focus remains on God rather than on empty pursuits?
  3. In what ways do we see evidence of blindness in our society regarding the truth?
  4. How can we help others recognize the futility of idolatry in their lives?

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

Eusebius of Caesarea comments on this verse, noting that many will be ashamed and cease from their errors, highlighting the broader implications of Isaiah's message.

Eusebius of CaesareaCOMMENTARY ON Isaiah 2:26 c. 260–340
Isaiah sees that in the ensuing time a very great number of people will arise who all “will be ashamed” and who will cease from their continual error. They will be ashamed and hide their faces.
Early Church Fathers on Isaiah 44 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Isaiah 44:9 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

They that make a graven image are all of them vanity,.... They show themselves to be vain men, by making such vain things as graven images are; both images, makers, and worshippers of them are all

Read John Gill on Isaiah 44 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

They that make a graven image are all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they are their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed.

Read Robert Jamieson on Isaiah 44 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Are all of them vanity; hereby discover themselves to be vain, empty, or foolish men. Or thus, They that make graven images, all of them make (which word may fitly be repeated out of the foregoing clause, as is very usual in Scripture) a vanity, or a thing of nought. Which translation seems better to agree, 1. With the following clause, which is added to explain this, in which, not the idol-makers, but the idols themselves, are said to be vain or unprofitable. 2. With the use of the Hebrew word in Scripture, which is never applied to persons, but constantly to things, and sometimes to idols, as . Their delectable things; their idols, in the sight and worship of which they take so much…

Read Matthew Poole on Isaiah 44 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Isaiah 44:9 They that make a graven image [are] all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they [are] their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed.Ver. 9. And their delectable things.] Their idols and puppets, which they so dearly affect and take so great delight in. He speaketh thus, saith Diodate, because that idolatry is a kind of spiritual concupiscence, and unchaste or disordered love, like as fornication or adultery. And they are their own witnesses, &c.] Or, Even themselves are their own witnesses to their shame, that they neither see nor know aught.

Read John Trapp on Isaiah 44 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(9) Are all of them vanity . . .—Once more Isaiah’s favourite tohu—the symbol of the primeval chaos. Their delectable things . . .—The generic term used for works of art (Isaiah 2:16), specially for what men delight to worship. (Comp. Isaiah 64:11; Lamentations 1:10.) They are their own witnesses . . .—Better, their witnesses (i.e., the worshippers who sing their praises) see not and know not.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Isaiah 44 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 9. - 10. That they may be ashamed. Who hath formed a god - "That every one may be ashamed, that he hath formed a god"] The Bodleian MS., one of the first extant for its antiquity and authority, instead of מי mi, at the beginning of the tenth verse, has כי ki, which greatly clears up the construction of a very obscure passage. Doederlein approves of this reading. The Septuagint likewise closely connect in construction the end of Isa 44:9 with the beginning of Isa 44:10; and wholly omit the interrogative מי mi, which embarrasses the sentence: ΑισχυνθησονταιοἱπλασσοντεςΘεον, καιγλυφοντεςπαντεςανωφελη· "But they shall be confounded that make a god; and they who engrave unprofitable…

Read AdamClarke on Isaiah 44 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Ch. Isaiah 44:6-23. The Reality of Jehovah’s Godhead, evinced by His Predictions, and contrasted with the manifold absurdities of IdolatryThe passage, which is merely a restatement of ideas already expressed, consists of three divisions: i. Isaiah 44:6-8. A re-assertion and demonstration of the eternity and sole Divinity of Jehovah. ii. Isaiah 44:9-20. A fresh exposure—the most complete and remorseless that the book contains—of the irrationality of idol-worship. iii. Isaiah 44:21-23. An exhortation to the exiles to lay these truths to heart, and cleave to the God who forgives their sins and who alone can deliver. Isaiah 44:23 is a lyrical effusion, such as the thought of the redemption…

Read Cambridge on Isaiah 44 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

They that make a graven image - A graven image is one that is cut, or sculptured out of wood or stone, in contradistinction from one that is molten, which is made by being cast.

Read Albert Barnes on Isaiah 44 →

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 makers of idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Their witnesses fail to see or comprehend, so they are put to shame.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Everyone who makes a carved image is vain. The things that they delight in will not profit. Their own witnesses don’t see, nor know, that they may be disappointed.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

All makers of idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Their witnesses fail to see or comprehend, so they are put to shame.

NETBNew English Translation2006

All who form idols are nothing; the things in which they delight are worthless. Their witnesses cannot see; they recognize nothing, so they are put to shame.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

¶ They that make a graven image are all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they are their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

They that fashion a graven image are all of them vanity; and the things that they delight in shall not profit; and their own witnesses see not, nor know: that they may be put to shame.

RVARevised Version, American1894

They that fashion a graven image are all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit: and their own witnesses see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

They that make a graven image are all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they are their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

All they that make an image, are vanitie, and their delectable things shall nothing profite: and they are their owne witnesses, that they see not nor know: therefore they shalbe confounded.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

They that form a graven image are all of them vanity, and their delectable things are of no profit; and they are their own witnesses: they see not, nor know; — that they may be ashamed.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Framers of a graven image [are] all of them emptiness, And their desirable things do not profit, And their own witnesses they [are], They see not, nor know, that they may be ashamed.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Framers of a carved image, all of them [are] emptiness, || And their desirable things do not profit, || And they [are] their own witnesses, || They do not see, nor know, that they may be ashamed.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

The makers of graven images are all vanity; and their costly idols cannot profit; and they are their own witnesses, that they see not and know not, in order that they may be ashamed.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

All who fashion idols are nothing; the things they delight in are worthless; their witnesses cannot see or know anything, and they will be put to shame.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

The makers of idols are all of them nothing, and their best beloved things shall not profit them. They are their witnesses, that they do not see, nor understand, that they may be ashamed.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

All those who make idols are stupid; these things they love so much don't bring them any benefit. Those people who believe in idols can't see this, and they don't know anything, making them look foolish.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Those who make a pictured image are all of them as nothing, and the things of their desire will be of no profit to them: and their servants see not, and have no knowledge; so they will be put to shame.

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.

clauseclausenoun phraseיֹֽצְרֵי[those.who].formפֶ֤סֶל(of).an.idolclausenoun phrase · subjectכֻּלָּof.themם֙allpredicateתֹּ֔הוּ[are].nothingnessוַandclausenoun phrase · subjectחֲמוּדֵיtheir.desiredהֶ֖ם[things]adverbialבַּלnotverbיוֹעִ֑ילוּthey.confer.profitוְandclausenoun phrase · predicateעֵדֵיwitnessesהֶ֣םtheirsubjectהֵׄ֗מָּׄהׄtheyclauseclauseclauseadverbialבַּלnotverbיִרְא֛וּthey.seeוּandclauseadverbialבַלnotverbיֵדְע֖וּthey.knowclauseלְמַ֥עַןso.thatclauseverbיֵבֹֽשׁוּthey.may.be.ashamed

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 agree closely, with the scrolls preserving the same message about the worthlessness of idols and their makers. The Septuagint shows partial agreement, matching some words but differing in structure.

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

יֹֽצְרֵי־ פֶ֤סֶל כֻּלָּם֙ תֹּ֔הוּ וַחֲמוּדֵיהֶ֖ם בַּל־ יוֹעִ֑ילוּ וְעֵדֵיהֶ֣ם הֵׄ֗מָּׄהׄ בַּל־ יִרְא֛וּ וּבַל־ יֵדְע֖וּ לְמַ֥עַן יֵבֹֽשׁוּ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
יֹֽצְרֵי־πλάσσοντεςכֻּלָּם֙πάντεςתֹּ֔הוּμάταιοιבַּל־οὐκיוֹעִ֑ילוּὠφελήσειלְמַ֥עַןἀλλὰיֵבֹֽשׁוּ׃αἰσξυνθήσονται

7 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.

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

ויצר פסל כול׳מה תהו וחמודי׳המה בל יועילו ועדי׳המה המה בל יראו בל ידעו למען יבושו

15 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 44:9יָצַר[those who][those who] forיָצַרפֶּ֫סֶלan idolan idolפֶּ֫סֶלכֹּלall of themall of themכֹּלתֹּ֫הוּ[are] nothi[are] nothingneתֹּ֫הוּחָמַדand desiredand desired [thחָמַדבַּלnotnotבַּליָעַלthey conferthey confer proיָעַלעֵדand witnessand witnesses tעֵדהֵ֫מָּהtheytheyהֵ֫מָּהבַּלnotnotבַּלרָאָהthey seethey seeרָאָהבַּלand notand notבַּליָדַעthey knowthey knowיָדַעמַ֫עַןso thatso thatמַ֫עַןבּוֹשׁthey may bethey may be ashבּוֹשׁבָּלָהto become to become oldבָּלָהפָּסַלto hewto hewפָּסַלכָּלַלto perfectto perfectכָּלַלעוּדto upholdto upholdעוּדהֲלַךְto goto goהֲלַךְעוּןto dwellto dwellעוּןצָרַרbe distresbe distressedצָרַריָצַעto layto layיָצַעמוֹטto shaketo shakeמוֹטחֶ֫רֶשׂearthenwarearthenwareחֶ֫רֶשׂחֹ֫מֶרclayclayחֹ֫מֶרתְּמוּנָהlikenesslikenessתְּמוּנָהמַסֵּכָהliquidliquidמַסֵּכָהעֵדָהcongregaticongregationעֵדָהעֲבֹדָהserviceserviceעֲבֹדָהבֹ֫הוּvoidvoidבֹ֫הוּיָעַלto gainto gainיָעַלרֵעַneighborneighborרֵעַ
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 44:9

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.

[those who] form an idol all of them [are] nothingness and desired [things] their not they confer profit and witnesses their they not they see and not they know so that they may be ashamed
יֹֽצְרֵי־yo.tze.rei- [those who] form H3335 Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine plural common
62× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to form or shape something, like a potter molding clay. It appears in Genesis 2:7, describing God's creation of humans, and in Isaiah 64:8, where God is compared to a potter.
Amplified meaning
framing, shaping
Tyndale gloss
to form: formed
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word יָצַר (yatsar) means to form or fashion, often in the context of creation, whether by human or divine activity. It encompasses the act of shaping, as a potter does, and can refer to the formation of individuals or the people of Israel. The word also implies planning or preordaining in a figurative sense.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָצַר vb. form, fashion

Qal

of human activity

of divine activity

Niph. before me a god was not formed (created)

Pu. days (that) were pre-ordained (in divine purpose)

Hoph. any weapon that is formed against thee will not prosper.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3335 יָצַר form, fashion

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3335 yatsar yaw-tsar'

probably identical with 3334 (through the squeezing into

shape); ((compare 3331)); to mould into a form; especially as

a potter; figuratively, to determine (i.e. form a

resolution):--X earthen, fashion, form, frame, make(-r),

potter, purpose.

see HEBREW for 03334

see HEBREW for 03331

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָצַר (ya.tsar) — to form: formed.

: formed

1) to form, fashion, frame

1a) (Qal) to form, fashion

1a1) of human activity

1a2) of divine activity

1a2a) of creation

1a2a1) of original creation

1a2a2) of individuals at conception

1a2a3) of Israel as a people

1a2b) to frame, pre-ordain, plan (fig. of divine) purpose of a situation)

1b) (Niphal) to be formed, be created

1c) (Pual) to be predetermined, be pre-ordained

1d) (Hophal) to be formed

יָצַר (ya.tsar) — to form: potter.

: potter

1) to form, fashion, frame

1a) (Qal) to form, fashion

1a1) of human activity

1a2) of divine activity

1a2a) of creation

1a2a1) of original creation

1a2a2) of individuals at conception

1a2a3) of Israel as a people

1a2b) to frame, pre-ordain, plan (fig. of divine) purpose of a situation)

1b) (Niphal) to be formed, be created

1c) (Pual) to be predetermined, be pre-ordained

1d) (Hophal) to be formed

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal — Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine plural common
HVqrmpc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

form (yatsar, to'ar; morphe):

(1) To form is "to fashion," "create," "produce." In the Old Testament it is for the most part the translation of yatsar, "to form," "to fashion" (Ge 2:7, etc., "Yahweh God formed man of the dust of the ground," etc.); also of chul and chil, "to be twisted" "turned round" "to bring forth (in pain)" (compare Isa 13:8; Mic 4:10; De 32:18 the King James Version, "God that formed thee"; Job 26:13 the King James Version; Ps 90:2, "or ever thou hadst formed the earth" etc.; Pr 26:10 the King…

Nave's Topical Bible

→ IN RELIGIOUS SERVICE 1Ch 15:13,14; 2Ch 29:34

→ IRREGULARITIES IN 2Ch 30:2-5,17-20; Mt 12:3,4

See CHURCH AND STATE

[those who] form an idol all of them [are] nothingness and desired [things] their not they confer profit and witnesses their they not they see and not they know so that they may be ashamed
פֶ֤סֶלFe.sel an idol H6459 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
31× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word refers to an idol or carved image, often used to describe false gods or objects of worship. It is sometimes translated as graven image, emphasizing the act of carving or shaping the idol. This concept is seen in the Bible as a form of rebellion against God.
Amplified meaning
graven images, carved objects
Tyndale gloss
idol
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

פֶּ֫סֶל (pecel) means 'idol' or 'image.' It is derived from the root word for 'carved' or 'graven' and is used to refer to physical representations of deities. The entries consistently emphasize its meaning as an idol, with no significant disagreement among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

פֶּ֫סֶל 31 n.m. idol, image

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6459 פֶּ֫סֶל idol, image

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6459 pecel peh'-sel

from 6458; an idol:--carved (graven) image.

see HEBREW for 06458

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

פֶּ֫סֶל (pe.sel) — idol.

idol, image

Also means: pe.sil (פָּסִיל "idol" H6456)

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

Idol

(1.) Heb. aven, “nothingness;” “vanity” (Isa. 66:3; 41:29; Deut. 32:21; 1 Kings 16:13; Ps. 31:6; Jer. 8:19, etc.).

(2.) ‘Elil, “a thing of naught” (Ps. 97:7; Isa. 19:3); a word of contempt, used of the gods of Noph (Ezek. 30:13).

(3.) ‘Emah, “terror,” in allusion to the hideous form of idols (Jer. 50:38).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

An image or anything used as an object of worship in place of the true God. Among the earliest objects of worship, regarded as symbols of deity, were the meteoric stones,which the ancients believed to have been images of the Gods sent down from heaven. From these they transferred their regard to rough unhewn blocks, to stone columns or pillars of wood, in which the divinity worshipped was supposed to dwell, and which were connected, like the sacred stone at Delphi, by being anointed with oil and crowned with wool on solemn days. Of the forms assumed by the idolatrous images we have not many traces in the Bible. Dagon, the fish-god of the Philistines, was a human figure terminating in a fish; and that the Syrian deities were represented in later times in a symbolical human shape we know for certainty. When the process of adorning the image was completed, it was placed in a temple or…

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Manufacture of Ex 20:4; 32:4,20; De 4:23; Isa 40:19,20; 44:9-12,17; Hab 2:18; Ac 19:24,25

→ Manufacture of, forbidden Ex 20:4; 34:17

→ Made of

Gold Ex 32:3,4; Ps 115:4-7; 135:15-17; Isa 2:20; 30:22; 31:7; Ho 8:4

Silver Isa 2:20; 30:22; 31:7; Ho…

[those who] form an idol all of them [are] nothingness and desired [things] their not they confer profit and witnesses their they not they see and not they know so that they may be ashamed
כֻּלָּם֙ku.Lam all of them H3605 Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
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.
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 | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HNcmsc/Sp3mp
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
[those who] form an idol all of them [are] nothingness and desired [things] their not they confer profit and witnesses their they not they see and not they know so that they may be ashamed
תֹּ֔הוּTo.hu [are] nothingness H8414 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
empty, worthless
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
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
[those who] form an idol all of them [are] nothingness and desired [things] their not they confer profit and witnesses their they not they see and not they know so that they may be ashamed
וַחֲמוּדֵיהֶ֖םva.cha.mu.dei.Hem and desired [things] their H2530 Conjunction · verb qal participle (passive) masculine plural common · suffix
25× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to take great pleasure in something or someone, like a precious treasure. It's used to describe the beauty of God's creation and the joy of being in a loving relationship. In the Bible, it appears in Genesis and Psalms to express delight and desire.
Amplified meaning
delight in, take pleasure in
Tyndale gloss
to desire
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word חָמַד (chamad) is a primitive root meaning to desire or take pleasure in something. It encompasses a range of meanings including delight, coveting, and preciousness, with related forms like חֲמוּדָה (chamudah) referring to desirableness. The word appears in various contexts, reflecting strong emotional attachment or value.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חָמַד vb. desire, take pleasure in

Qal desire

Niph. desirable

Pi. delight greatly

base

[חֲמוּדָה] n.f. desirableness, preciousness

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2530a חָמַד desire, take pleasure in .desire

. desirable

. delight greatly

H2530b חֲמוּדָה desirableness, preciousness

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2530 chamad khaw-mad'

a primitive root; to delight in:--beauty, greatly beloved,

covet, delectable thing, (X great) delight, desire, goodly,

lust, (be) pleasant (thing), precious (thing).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חָמַד (cha.mad) — to desire.

v

1) to desire, covet, take pleasure in, delight in

1a) (Qal) to desire

1b) (Niphal) to be desirable

1c) (Piel) to delight greatly, desire greatly

חֲמוּדָה (cha.mu.dah) — precious thing.

desirableness, preciousness

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-Inf-c | Suff — Conjunction · verb qal participle (passive) masculine plural common · suffix
HC/Vqsmpc/Sp3mp
[those who] form an idol all of them [are] nothingness and desired [things] their not they confer profit and witnesses their they not they see and not they know so that they may be ashamed
בַּל־bal- not H1077 Particle
73× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means not or nothing, often used to show something is absent or non-existent. It appears in various forms, like lest or neither. The KJV Bible translates it in different ways, including not or none.
Tyndale gloss
not
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בַּל (bal) is an adverb meaning 'not' or 'none.' It conveys a sense of negation, indicating absence or failure. The word is derived from a root that implies nothingness and can also be used in contexts like 'lest' or 'neither.' The entries consistently emphasize its function as a negation in various forms.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בַּל 69 adv. not

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1077 בַּל not

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1077 bal bal

from 1086; properly, a failure; by implication nothing;

usually (adverb) not at all; also lest:--lest, neither, no,

none (that...), not (any), nothing.

see HEBREW for 01086

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בַּל (bal) — not.

not, hardly, else

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part — Particle
HTn
[those who] form an idol all of them [are] nothingness and desired [things] their not they confer profit and witnesses their they not they see and not they know so that they may be ashamed
יוֹעִ֑ילוּyo.'I.lu they confer profit H3276 Verb · Hiphil · imperfect third person masculine plural
23× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to gain or ascend, and can also mean to be valuable or beneficial. It is used in various forms in the Bible to convey the idea of profit or advantage.
Amplified meaning
without profit, unbeneficial
Tyndale gloss
to gain
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָעַל (ya'al) is a Hebrew verb that primarily appears in the Hiphil form, meaning to profit, benefit, or avail. It is built from a root that suggests the idea of ascending or being valuable. The lexicons emphasize its use in contexts related to gaining or being useful.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[יָעַל] vb. only Hiph. profit, avail, benefit

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3276 יָעַל only Hiph. profit, avail, benefit

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3276 ya`al yaw-al'

a primitive root; properly, to ascend; figuratively, to be

valuable (objectively: useful, subjectively: benefited):--X at

all, set forward, can do good, (be, have) profit, (able).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָעַל (ya.al) — to gain.

(Hiphil) to gain, profit, benefit, avail

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Hiphil-Imperf-3mp — Verb · Hiphil · imperfect third person masculine plural
HVhi3mp
[those who] form an idol all of them [are] nothingness and desired [things] their not they confer profit and witnesses their they not they see and not they know so that they may be ashamed
וְעֵדֵיהֶ֣םve.'e.dei.Hem and witnesses their H5707 Conjunction · noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
70× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means witness or testimony, describing someone who sees or experiences something. It's used in the Bible to talk about people who testify to what they've seen, like in Deuteronomy when describing legal witnesses.
Amplified meaning
those who testify, see
Tyndale gloss
witness
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עֵד (ed) means 'witness' and encompasses both the act of witnessing and the person who testifies. It is derived from a root suggesting emphatic affirmation. The term can refer to evidence of things or to individuals providing testimony.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עֵד 69 n.m. witness (prob. fr. reiterating, hence emphatically affirming)

witness, testimony, evidence, of things

witness, a person

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5707 עֵד witness (prob. fr. reiterating, hence emphatically affirming) . witness, testimony, evidence, of things

. witness, a person

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5707 `ed ayd

contracted from 5749 ; concretely, a witness; abstractly,

testimony; specifically, a recorder, i.e. prince:--witness.

see HEBREW for 05749

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עֵד (ed) — witness.

1) witness

1a) witness, testimony, evidence (of things)

1b) witness (of people)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | N-mp | Suff — Conjunction · noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
HC/Ncmpc/Sp3mp
[those who] form an idol all of them [are] nothingness and desired [things] their not they confer profit and witnesses their they not they see and not they know so that they may be ashamed
הֵׄ֗מָּׄהׄHe.mah they H1992 Pronoun
553× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word is used to refer to a group of men, emphasizing that it is specifically them. It is often translated as 'they' or 'them' in the Bible, and appears in books like Exodus and Isaiah.
Tyndale gloss
they(masc.)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הֵ֫מָּה (hemmah) is a masculine plural pronoun meaning 'they.' The entries indicate that it can also mean 'these,' 'the same,' or refer to people in an emphatic context. There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its usage.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הֵ֫מָּה and הֵם (without appreciable distinction in usage, except prob. in so far as the longer or shorter form was better adapted to the rhythm of particular sentences) pron. 3 pl. masc. they

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1992 הֵ֫מָּה, הֵם (without appreciable distinction in usage, except prob. in so far as the longer or shorter form was better adapted to the rhythm of particular sentences) they

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1992 hem haym

or (prolonged) hemmah {haym'-maw}; masculine plural from

1981; they (only used when emphatic):--it, like, X (how, so)

many (soever, more as) they (be), (the) same, X so, X such,

their, them, these, they, those, which, who, whom, withal, ye.

see HEBREW for 01981

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הֵ֫מָּה (hem.mah) — they(masc.).

they, these, the same, who

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HPp3mp — Pronoun
HPp3mp
[those who] form an idol all of them [are] nothingness and desired [things] their not they confer profit and witnesses their they not they see and not they know so that they may be ashamed
בַּל־bal- not H1077 Particle
73× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means not or nothing, often used to show something is absent or non-existent. It appears in various forms, like lest or neither. The KJV Bible translates it in different ways, including not or none.
Tyndale gloss
not
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בַּל (bal) is an adverb meaning 'not' or 'none.' It conveys a sense of negation, indicating absence or failure. The word is derived from a root that implies nothingness and can also be used in contexts like 'lest' or 'neither.' The entries consistently emphasize its function as a negation in various forms.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בַּל 69 adv. not

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1077 בַּל not

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1077 bal bal

from 1086; properly, a failure; by implication nothing;

usually (adverb) not at all; also lest:--lest, neither, no,

none (that...), not (any), nothing.

see HEBREW for 01086

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בַּל (bal) — not.

not, hardly, else

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTn — Particle
HTn
[those who] form an idol all of them [are] nothingness and desired [things] their not they confer profit and witnesses their they not they see and not they know so that they may be ashamed
יִרְא֛וּyir.'U they see H7200 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine plural
1,300× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for provider means to see or look after, and is used to describe God's care for his people. It appears in various forms throughout the Bible, including in Genesis and other books.
Amplified meaning
are blind, do not perceive
Tyndale gloss
Provider
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רָאָה (ra'ah) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to see' and encompasses a wide range of visual and perceptual actions, including looking, observing, and causing others to see. It can refer to both literal sight and figurative understanding, with various grammatical forms indicating different nuances, such as appearing or being visible. The entries indicate a rich semantic field without significant disagreement among lexicographers.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רָאָה 1315 vb. see

Qal 1141

see, subj.

see, c. acc. rei

see, sq. acc. cl. or phr. of closer design

see, so as to learn to know

abs. see, have (power of) vision

see = perceive

look at, see, by direct volition

of mental observation

c. ב, lit., look into, hence look at with interest

see, c. acc. rei

Niph.

appear

be seen

be visible

Pu. appar. his bones are not detected

Hithp. recipr. look at each other

Hiph.

cause one to see something, shew

cause to experience something

cause to look intently at, to behold

Hoph.

be caused to see, be shewn

be exhibited to

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7200a רָאָה see .. . see, subj.

. see, c. acc. rei

. see, sq. acc. + cl. or phr. of closer design

. see, so as to learn to know

. abs. see, have (power of) vision

. see = perceive

. look at, see, by direct volition

. of mental observation

. . c. ב, lit., look into, hence look at with interest

. see, c. acc. rei

. . appear

. be seen

. be visible

. appar. his bones are not detected

. recipr. look at each other

. . . cause one to see something, shew

. cause to experience something

. cause to look intently at, to behold

. . be caused to see, be shewn

. be exhibited to

H7200b רְאוּת look

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7200 ra'ah raw-aw'

a primitive root; to see, literally or figuratively (in

numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive,

intransitive and causative):--advise self, appear, approve,

behold, X certainly, consider, discern, (make to) enjoy, have

experience, gaze, take heed, X indeed, X joyfully, lo, look

(on, one another, one on another, one upon another, out, up,

upon), mark, meet, X be near, perceive, present, provide,

regard, (have) respect, (fore-, cause to, let) see(-r, -m, one

another), shew (self), X sight of others, (e-)spy, stare, X

surely, X think, view, visions.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רָאָה (ra.ah) — to see: see.

: see/show

1) to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to see

1a2) to see, perceive

1a3) to see, have vision

1a4) to look at, see, regard, look after, see after, learn about, observe, watch, look upon, look out, find out

1a5) to see, observe, consider, look at, give attention to, discern, distinguish

1a6) to look at, gaze at

1a7) to provide, choose

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to appear, present oneself

1b2) to be seen

1b3) to be visible

1c) (Pual) to be seen

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to cause to see, show

1d2) to cause to look intently at, behold, cause to gaze at

1e) (Hophal)

1e1) to be caused to see, be shown

1e2) to be exhibited to

1f) (Hithpael) to look at each other, face

רָאָה (ra.ah) — to see: examine.

: examine/consider

1) to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to see

1a2) to see, perceive

1a3) to see, have vision

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine plural
HVqi3mp
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

se: In addition to the ordinary sense of perceiving by the eye, we have

(1) chazah, "to see" (in vision): "Words of Amos .... which he saw concerning Israel" (Am 1:1). The revelation was made to his inward eye. "The word of Yahweh .... which he (Micah) saw concerning Samaria" (Mic 1:1), describing what he saw in prophetic vision (compare Hab 1:1); see REVELATION, III, 4;

(2) horao, "to take heed": "See thou say nothing" (Mr 1:44);

(3) eidon, "to know," "to note with the mind": "Jesus saw that he answered discreetly" (Mr 12:34);

[those who] form an idol all of them [are] nothingness and desired [things] their not they confer profit and witnesses their they not they see and not they know so that they may be ashamed
וּבַל־u.val- and not H1077 Conjunction · particle
73× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means not or nothing, often used to show something is absent or non-existent. It appears in various forms, like lest or neither. The KJV Bible translates it in different ways, including not or none.
Tyndale gloss
not
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בַּל (bal) is an adverb meaning 'not' or 'none.' It conveys a sense of negation, indicating absence or failure. The word is derived from a root that implies nothingness and can also be used in contexts like 'lest' or 'neither.' The entries consistently emphasize its function as a negation in various forms.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בַּל 69 adv. not

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1077 בַּל not

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1077 bal bal

from 1086; properly, a failure; by implication nothing;

usually (adverb) not at all; also lest:--lest, neither, no,

none (that...), not (any), nothing.

see HEBREW for 01086

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בַּל (bal) — not.

not, hardly, else

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HC/Tn — Conjunction · particle
HC/Tn
[those who] form an idol all of them [are] nothingness and desired [things] their not they confer profit and witnesses their they not they see and not they know so that they may be ashamed
יֵדְע֖וּye.de.'U they know H3045 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine plural
945× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for to know means to ascertain by seeing, and is used in many senses, including to learn, perceive, and recognize, as seen in various KJV translations.
Amplified meaning
understand, know
Tyndale gloss
to know
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָדַע (yada`) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to know,' encompassing a wide range of senses including perception, recognition, and experience. It can refer to knowing someone intimately or being skilled in a task. The word has various forms, indicating actions such as making known or being made known. Lexicons note its use in both literal and figurative contexts, but there is no significant disagreement among them.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָדַע 943 vb. know

Qal

know, learn to know

perceive

perceive and see; find out and discern

discriminate, distinguish

know by experience

recognize, admit, acknowledge, confess

consider

not know = not expect

know a person, be acquainted with

know a person carnally, of sexual intercourse

know how, to do a thing, be able to do it

be skilful in

abs. have knowledge, be wise

Niph.

be made known, be or become known, of things

make oneself known of pers.

be perceived

be instructed

Pi. cause to know

Pu. known

Hiph. make known, declare

Hoph. made known

Hithp. make oneself known

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3045 יָדַע know .. . know, learn to know

. perceive

. perceive and see; find out and discern

. discriminate, distinguish

. know by experience

. recognize, admit, acknowledge, confess

. consider

. not know = not expect

. know a person, be acquainted with

. know a person carnally, of sexual intercourse

. . know how, to do a thing, be able to do it

. be skilful in

. abs. have knowledge, be wise

. . be made known, be or become known, of things

. make oneself known of pers.

. be perceived

. be instructed

. cause to know

. known

. make known, declare

. made known

. make oneself known

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3045 yada` yaw-dah'

a primitive root; to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing);

used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally,

euphemistically and inferentially (including observation,

care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation,

punishment, etc.) (as follow):--acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted

with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware,

(un-)awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, X

could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to)

discern, discover, endued with, familiar friend, famous, feel,

can have, be (ig-)norant, instruct, kinsfolk, kinsman, (cause

to let, make) know, (come to give, have, take) knowledge, have

(knowledge), (be, make, make to be, make self) known, + be

learned, + lie by man, mark, perceive, privy to, X

prognosticator, regard, have respect, skilful, shew, can (man

of) skill, be sure, of a surety, teach, (can) tell,

Read the full entry →
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָדַע (ya.da) — to know.

1) to know

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to know

1a1a) to know, learn to know

1a1b) to perceive

1a1c) to perceive and see, find out and discern

1a1d) to discriminate, distinguish

1a1e) to know by experience

1a1f) to recognise, admit, acknowledge, confess

1a1g) to consider

1a2) to know, be acquainted with

1a3) to know (a person carnally)

1a4) to know how, be skilful in

1a5) to have knowledge, be wise

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be made known, be or become known, be revealed

1b2) to make oneself known

1b3) to be perceived

1b4) to be instructed

1c) (Piel) to cause to know

1d) (Poal) to cause to know

1e) (Pual)

1e1) to be known

1e2) known, one known, acquaintance (participle)

1f) (Hiphil) to make known, declare

1g) (Hophal) to be made known

1h) (Hithpael) to make oneself known, reveal oneself

Aramaic equivalent: ye.da (יְדַע "to know" H3046)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine plural
HVqi3mp
[those who] form an idol all of them [are] nothingness and desired [things] their not they confer profit and witnesses their they not they see and not they know so that they may be ashamed
לְמַ֥עַןle.Ma.'an so that H4616 Particle
272× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means because of something or for a specific purpose. It is used to explain why something happens or is done. In the Bible, it is used to describe God's intentions or purposes.
Tyndale gloss
because
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מַ֫עַן (ma`an) is a preposition and conjunction meaning 'for the sake of' or 'on account of.' It conveys purpose or intent, indicating a motive or aim, and is used adverbially. The word is derived from a root meaning 'heed' or 'purpose' and appears in contexts that express reasons or intentions.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[מַ֫עַן] subst. purpose, intent, only with לְ, in לְמַ֫עַן 271 prep. and conj. for the sake of, on account of, to the intent or in order that

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4616 מַ֫עַן prep. and conj. for the sake of, on account of, to the intent or in order that

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4616 ma`an mah'-an

from 6030; properly, heed, i.e. purpose; used only

adverbially, on account of (as a motive or an aim),

teleologically, in order that:--because of, to the end

(intent) that, for (to,... 's sake), + lest, that, to.

see HEBREW for 06030

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מַ֫עַן (ma.an) — because.

1) purpose, intent prep

1a) for the sake of

1b) in view of, on account of

1c) for the purpose of, to the intent that, in order to conj

1d) to the end that

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Particle
HTc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

so (co', although the Hebrew might be pointed cewe'; Assyrian Sib'u; Septuagint Segor, Soa; Manetho, Seuechos; Latin Sevechus; Herodotus (ii. 137 ff), Sabakon): In all probability the "Sabaeo" of Herodotus, the Shabaka, who founded the Ethiopian dynasty, the XXVth of Egyptian kings. His date is given as 715-707 BC (Flinders Petrie, History of Egypt, III, 281 ff), but we may suppose that before his accession to the throne he was entitled to be designated king, as being actually regent. To this So, Hoshea, king of Israel, made an appeal for assistance to enable him to throw off the yoke of the Assyrian Shalmaneser IV (2Ki 17:3). But Hoshea's submission to So brought him no advantage, for Shalmaneser came up throughout all the land and laid siege to Samaria. Not long after the fall of Samaria, So ventured upon an eastern campaign, and…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

So

(Nubian, Sabako), an Ethiopian king who brought Egypt under his sway. He was bribed by Hoshea to help him against the Assyrian monarch Shalmaneser (2 Kings 17:4). This was a return to the policy that had been successful in the reign of Jeroboam I.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

"So, king of Egypt," is once mentioned in the Bible -- (2 Kings 17:4) So has been identified by different writers with the first and second kings of the Ethiopian twenty-fifth dynasty, called by Manetho, Sabakon (Shebek) and Sebichos (Shebetek).

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

King of Egypt, made an alliance with Hoshea king of Israel, and promised him assistance; but was unable to prevent Shalmaneser king of Assyria from taking Samaria and subverting the kingdom, B. C. 721, 2Ki 17:4. See PHARAOH.

So is believed to have been the Servetus or Sabaco II of secular history, the second king of the Ethiopian or twenty-fifth dynasty, and the predecessor of Trihakah. A singular fact has been brought to light by the recent explorations at Nineveh, corroborating the Scripture record the more forcibly, because unexpected and direct. The Bible shows that Egypt and Assyria, though remote, were often in conflict during the height of the Assyrian ruins power, and that So was at war with Shalmaneser. After war comes the treaty of peace; and as the Bible prepares us to suppose such treaties were made, the Assyrian ruins…

[those who] form an idol all of them [are] nothingness and desired [things] their not they confer profit and witnesses their they not they see and not they know so that they may be ashamed
יֵבֹֽשׁוּ׃ye.Vo.shu they may be ashamed H954 Verb · Qal · jussive third person masculine plural
127× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To be ashamed is what this Hebrew word means, implying a feeling of guilt or disappointment. It is used to describe someone who is disconcerted or delayed, like in the story of Adam and Eve. Shame is a strong emotion.
Amplified meaning
are ashamed, disappointed
Tyndale gloss
be ashamed
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בּוֹשׁ (buwsh) is a Hebrew root meaning 'to be ashamed.' It encompasses feelings of shame, disappointment, and disconcertion. The verb appears in various forms, including Qal (to feel shame), Piel (to delay in shame), and Hiphil (to put to shame). The entries indicate a range of uses, from personal feelings of shame to actions that cause shame to others.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בּוֹשׁ 109 vb. be ashamed

Qal

abs. feel shame

sq. מִן, be ashamed of, i.e. disconcerted, disappointed by reason of

with obj. I am ashamed to ask

Polel delay (in shame)

Hiph.

put to shame

put to shame

act shamefully

to be put to shame

be ashamed

Hithp. ashamed before one another

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H954 בּוֹשׁ be ashamed

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

954 buwsh boosh

a primitive root; properly, to pale, i.e. by implication to

be ashamed; also (by implication) to be disappointed or

delayed:--(be, make, bring to, cause, put to, with,

a-)shamed(-d), be (put to) confounded(-fusion), become dry,

delay, be long.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בּוֹשׁ (bush) — be ashamed.

1) to put to shame, be ashamed, be disconcerted, be disappointed

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to feel shame

1a2) to be ashamed, disconcerted, disappointed (by reason of)

1b) (Piel) to delay (in shame)

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to put to shame

1c2) to act shamefully

1c3) to be ashamed

1d) (Hithpolel) to be ashamed before one another

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · jussive third person masculine plural
HVqj3mp
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

a-shamd': Almost exclusively moral in significance; confusion or abashment through consciousness of guilt or of its exposure. Often including also a sense of terror or fear because of the disgrace connected with the performance of some action. Capacity for shame indicates that moral sense (conscience) is not extinct. "Ashamed" occurs 96 out of 118 times in the Old Testament. Hebrew bosh, "to feel shame" (Latin, pudere), with derivatives occurs 80 times; kalam, "to shame," including the thought of "disgrace," "reproach"; chapher, "to blush": hence shame because of frustrated plans (uniformly in the Revised Version (British and American) "confounded"); Greek aischunomai, "suffused with shame," passive only and its compounds. Uses:

(1) A few times, of actual embarrassment, as of Hazael before the steadfast look of Elisha (2Ki 8:11; see…

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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