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Isaiah 49:20 — Word Study

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WLCע֚וֹד יֹאמְר֣וּ בְאָזְנַ֔יִךְ בְּנֵ֖י שִׁכֻּלָ֑יִךְ צַר־ לִ֥י הַמָּק֖וֹם גְּשָׁה־ לִּ֥י וְאֵשֵֽׁבָה׃

BSAYetʻôwd the childrenbên [sons, descendants] of your bereavementshikkulîym [state of childlessness, loss of children] will sayʼâmar [speak, declare] in your hearingʼôzen [ears, ability to hear] This placemâqôwm [location, region] is too small for ustsar [narrow, strait] make roomnâgash [give place, provide space] to live hereyâshab [dwell, reside, in this location]

Word
Listen & take awayIsaiah 49
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 20 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 (ve.'e.She.vah) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Isaiah 49:20quick helps
In a sentenceChildren of bereavement will express their need for space.
Who is speakingThe children of bereavement, addressing someone directly.
Where we areIn a prophetic context about restoration and hope.
The hard wordשִׁכֻּלָ֑יִךְ
Take awayThe future holds a promise of growth despite past loss.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbאָמַר The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

1 of 11 occurs nowhere else in the Old Testament — a word chosen on purpose.

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 49:20

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 — A Message of Hope and Restorationgenerated

19For your ruined and desolate places and your ravaged land will now indeed be too small for your people, and those who devoured you will be far away.
20Yet the children of your bereavement will say in your hearing, ‘This place is too small for us; make room for us to live here.’
21Then you will say in your heart, ‘Who has begotten these for me? I was bereaved and barren; I was exiled and rejected. So who has reared them? Look, I was left all alone, so where did they come from?’”
22This is what the Lord GOD says: “Behold, I will lift up My hand to the nations, and raise My banner to the peoples. They will bring your sons in their arms and carry your daughters on their shoulders.

Isaiah 49:20 speaks of a time when the children of bereavement will declare their need for more space, indicating a future filled with hope and restoration after a period of loss. This passage reflects God's promise to bring back those who have suffered and to provide for them abundantly, as seen in the surrounding verses that emphasize renewal and growth.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Isaiah 60:4Lift up your eyes and look around: They all gather and come to you; your sons will come from afar, and your daughters will be carried on the arm.
2Hosea 1:10Yet the number of the Israelites will be like the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or counted. And it will happen that in the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not My people,’ they will be called ‘sons of the living God.’
3Matthew 3:9And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.
4Galatians 4:26–28But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother.
5Isaiah 51:3For the LORD will comfort Zion and will look with compassion on all her ruins; He will make her wilderness like Eden and her desert like the garden of the LORD. Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and melodious song.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 8 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word שִׁכֻּלָ֑יִךְ, shi.ku.La.yikhgenerated

The word שִׁכֻּלִים (shikkuliym) refers to the state of bereavement, specifically childlessness due to loss. It denotes the emotional and physical implications of losing children, emphasizing a profound sense of emptiness and longing for what was lost.

This term is used uniquely in this context to highlight the pain of bereavement, while also setting the stage for the hope expressed by the children who will arise from this state. The parsing indicates it is a noun in the construct state, linking it directly to the possessive suffix, which personalizes the experience of loss.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses bereavement to capture the emotional weight of שִׁכֻּלִים. The KJV and ASV also reflect this meaning, while the WEB uses loss of children, which conveys a similar sentiment.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main clause is driven by the verb יֹאמְר֣וּ, they will say, which governs the rest of the sentence. This clause is followed by a prepositional phrase that specifies the context of their declaration, and then the subject noun phrase that describes who is speaking.

The structure emphasizes the children's direct address, creating a sense of urgency and need as they express their desire for more space, which is further elaborated by the subsequent clauses detailing their condition and request.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates יֹאמְר֣וּ as ἐροῦσιν, which carries the same meaning of 'they will say.' This choice reflects a straightforward rendering without additional interpretive nuance.

However, the Greek word στενός for צַר suggests a more restricted sense of tightness or constriction, aligning with the emotional weight of the Hebrew term while also expanding the idea of spatial limitation.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Isaiah 49:20 describes a time when the children of bereavement will express their need for more space. They will say that the current place is too small for them and ask for room to live. This reflects a promise of restoration and growth after experiencing loss.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does 'children of your bereavement' mean?

It refers to those who have experienced loss, specifically the loss of children, and highlights their future hope.

Why do they say the place is too small?

They express a need for more space, symbolizing growth and the fulfillment of God's promise to restore and provide.

What is the significance of asking for room?

It signifies a desire to thrive and live fully after a period of loss, indicating hope for the future.

How does this verse relate to the surrounding context?

It connects to themes of restoration and hope, showing how God will provide for His people after times of desolation.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways have I experienced renewal after a period of loss?
  2. How can I create space for growth in my own life or the lives of others?
  3. What does it mean to me to ask for room in my current circumstances?
  4. How can I support those who are grieving and help them find hope?

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Isaiah 49:20 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

The children which thou shalt have, after thou hast lost the other,.... Which "other lost" are not the Jews, the broken branches, rejected and cut off for unbelief; and the "children after" them not

Read John Gill on Isaiah 49 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

The children which thou shalt have, after thou hast lost the other, shall say again in thine ears, The place is too strait for me: give place to me that I may dwell.

Read Robert Jamieson on Isaiah 49 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

The children which thou shalt have, after thou hast lost the other, Heb. The children of thine orbity or barren and childless state. Those children which thou shalt have when thou art grown past the ordinary age and state of childbearing, as Sarah was made the mother of a most numerous posterity; . to which he seems here to allude. Those Gentiles which shall be begotten by thee, to wit, by the ministry of thy children, Christ and his apostles, when thou shalt be deprived of thine own natural children, when thou shalt become barren and unfruitful as to conversion of natural Jews, when the generality of the Jews shall cut themselves off from God, and from his true church, by their apostacy…

Read Matthew Poole on Isaiah 49 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Isaiah 49:20 The children which thou shalt have, after thou hast lost the other, shall say again in thine ears, The place [is] too strait for me: give place to me that I may dwell.Ver. 20. The children.] Heb., The children of thine orbity; such as are not yet received into the Church. Give place to me that I may.] People shall offer violence to heaven, and the "violent shall take it by force": valde avide et quasi ambitiose accessuri sunt. Ezekiel describeth the Church of the New Testament to be very large and spacious, and yet she shall be so crowded as is a bee hive, out of the mouth whereof the bees oft hang in heaps for want of room within.

Read John Trapp on Isaiah 49 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(20) The children which thou shalt have . . .—Better, the children of thy bereavement (i.e., born when Zion thought herself bereaved) shall yet say . . .

Read Charles John Ellicott on Isaiah 49 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

20. The children … other] Lit. the sons of thy bereavement, i.e. those born to thee in the time of thy bereavement (see Isaiah 49:21). shall yet say in thine ears] The mother overhears the talk of her vigorous and enterprising offspring. the place is too strait for me] Cf. 2 Kings 6:1. Give place to me] This peculiar sense of the verb (usually “draw near”) finds an exact parallel in Genesis 19:9. Comp. Isaiah 65:5, “draw near to thyself” = “stand off,”—a different, but synonymous verb.

Read Cambridge on Isaiah 49 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The children which thou shalt have - The increase of the population shall be so great.

Read Albert Barnes on Isaiah 49 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

20. The place is too strait — So full of happy dwellers this place shall be, that thy children, as they come to thee with sympathy on occasion of some lost one, shall say over and over in thy

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Isaiah 49 →

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

Yet the children of your bereavement will say in your hearing, ‘This place is too small for us; make room for us to live here.’

WEBWorld English Bible2000

The children of your bereavement will say in your ears, ‘This place is too small for me. Give me a place to live in.’

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Yet the children of your bereavement will say in your hearing, ‘This place is too small for us; make room for us to live here.’

NETBNew English Translation2006

Yet the children born during your time of bereavement will say within your hearing, ‘This place is too cramped for us, make room for us so we can live here.’

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

The children which thou shalt have, after thou hast lost the other, shall say again in thine ears, The place is too strait for me: give place to me that I may dwell.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

The children of thy bereavement shall yet say in thine ears, The place is too strait for me; give place to me that I may dwell.

RVARevised Version, American1894

The children of thy bereavement shall yet say in thine ears, The place is too strait for me: give place to me that I may dwell.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

The children which thou shalt have, after thou hast lost the other, shall say again in thy ears, The place is too narrow for me: give place to me that I may dwell.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

The children of thy barennesse shall say againe in thine eares, The place is straict for mee: giue place to me that I may dwell.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

The children of thy bereavement shall yet say in thine ears, The place is too narrow for me: make room for me, that I may dwell.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Again do the sons of thy bereavement say in thine ears: 'The place is too strait for me, Come nigh to me — and I dwell.'

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Again the sons of your bereavement say in your ears: The place is too narrow for me, || Come near to me—and I dwell.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Yet again will say before thy ears the children of whom thou wast deprived, The place is too narrow for me; make room for me that I may dwell.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

The children born during the time of your bereavement will say in your hearing, 'The place is too cramped for us, make room for us, so we may live here.'

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

The children of thy barrenness shall still say in thy ears: The place is too strait for me, make me room to dwell in.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

The children born during your time of mourning in exile will say, “This place is too crowded for me! Make room so I have a place to live!”

BBEBible in Basic English1949

The children to whom you gave birth in other lands will say in your ears, The place is not wide enough for me: make room for me to have a resting-place.

Word by word, the decisions they made

צַר־tzar- it is cramped H6862 2 different renderings
straitASV DRA KJV RVA YLT
narrowDBY ILT LSV NWB

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.

clauseadverbialע֚וֹדyetverbיֹאמְר֣וּthey.will.sayprepositional phrase · prepositionalבְinnoun phraseאָזְנַ֔יִearsךְyournoun phrase · subjectבְּנֵ֖יthe.childrennoun phraseשִׁכֻּלָ֑יִyour.bereavement(s)ךְyourclauseverbצַרit.is.crampedprepositional phrase · prepositionalלִ֥forיmenoun phrase · subjectהַtheמָּק֖וֹםplaceclauseclauseverb phrase · verbגְּשָׁdrawהnearprepositional phrase · prepositionalלִּ֥forיmeוְsoclauseverbאֵשֵֽׁבָהthat.I.may.dwell

Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.


The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran

The Masoretic Text, Septuagint, and the Dead Sea Scrolls all agree closely, with only minor variations in word order and spelling. The core message remains intact across these witnesses, emphasizing the children's plea for space in the context of their bereavement.

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

ע֚וֹד יֹאמְר֣וּ בְאָזְנַ֔יִךְ בְּנֵ֖י שִׁכֻּלָ֑יִךְ צַר־ לִ֥י הַמָּק֖וֹם גְּשָׁה־ לִּ֥י וְאֵשֵֽׁבָה׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
יֹאמְר֣וּἐροῦσινבְאָזְנַ֔יִךְσουבְּנֵ֖יυἱοίשִׁכֻּלָ֑יִךְσουצַר־στενόςלִ֥יμοιהַמָּק֖וֹםτόποςגְּשָׁה־ποίησόνלִּ֥יμοιוְאֵשֵֽׁבָה׃κατοικήσω

10 of the 11 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

עוד יואמרו באוזני׳ך בני שכולי׳ך צר ל׳י המקום גש׳ה ל׳י ואשבה

11 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 49:20עוֹדyetyetעוֹדאָמַרthey will sthey will sayאָמַראֹ֫זֶןin ears youin ears yourאֹ֫זֶןבֵּן[the] child[the] children בֵּןשִׁכֻּלִיםbereavementbereavement youשִׁכֻּלִיםצַרit is crampit is crampedצַרנִיfor mefor meנִימָקוֹםthe placethe placeמָקוֹםנָגַשׁdraw near !draw near !נָגַשׁנִיfor mefor meנִייָשַׁבso let me dso let me dwellיָשַׁבעוּדto upholdto upholdעוּדאָזַןto listento listenאָזַןבָּנָהto buildto buildבָּנָהשָׁכֹלbe bereavebe bereavedשָׁכֹלצוּרto confineto confineצוּרלֵב(Leb)-kama(Leb)-kamaiלֵביָסַףto addto addיָסַףאֶ֫פֶסendendאֶ֫פֶסכֹּהthusthusכֹּהיהוהYHWH/GodYHWH/Godיהוהתְּנוּךְlobelobeתְּנוּךְנָטָהto stretchto stretchנָטָהעַמּוֹןAmmonAmmonעַמּוֹןרְאוּבֵןReubenReubenרְאוּבֵןמְצוּקָהdistressdistressמְצוּקָהבּוּסto trampleto trampleבּוּסבָּחַרto chooseto chooseבָּחַרשָׁחַטto slaughtto slaughterשָׁחַט
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 49:20

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.

yet they will say in ears your [the] children of bereavement your it is cramped for me the place draw near ! for me so let me dwell
ע֚וֹדod yet H5750 Adv
490× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The word 'still' means something continues or happens again, like in Genesis 29:26 and Isaiah 2:11. It can also mean 'more' or 'additionally'.
Tyndale gloss
still
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עוֹד (owd) primarily denotes a sense of iteration or continuance, functioning mostly as an adverb meaning 'still,' 'yet,' or 'again.' It can also imply addition or repetition, as in 'more' or 'besides.' The word appears in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, emphasizing persistence or continuation.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עוֹד and (14 t.) עֹד subst. a going round, continuance, but used mostly as adv. acc. still, yet, again, besides

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5750 עוֹד and (14 t.) עֹד subst. a going round, continuance, but used mostly as adv. acc. still, yet, again, besides

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5750 `owd ode

or rod {ode}; from 5749; properly, iteration or continuance;

used only adverbially (with or without preposition), again,

repeatedly, still, more:--again, X all life long, at all,

besides, but, else, further(-more), henceforth, (any) longer,

(any) more(-over), X once, since, (be) still, when, (good,

the) while (having being), (as, because, whether, while) yet

(within).

see HEBREW for 05749

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עוֹד (od) — still.

subst

1) a going round, continuance

adv

2) still, yet, again, besides

2a) still, yet (of continuance or persistence)

2b) still, yet, more (of addition or repetition)

2c) again

2d) still, moreover, besides

Aramaic equivalent: od (עוֹד "still" H5751)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adv — Adv
HAcmsa
yet they will say in ears your [the] children of bereavement your it is cramped for me the place draw near ! for me so let me dwell
יֹאמְר֣וּyo.me.Ru they will say H559 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine plural
5,309× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to say or speak, and it's used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to command, promise, or think, and it's translated in the KJV as 'answer', 'appoint', or 'command'.
Amplified meaning
speak, declare
Tyndale gloss
to say
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָמַר (amar) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to say' or 'to utter,' with a broad range of uses including to promise, command, or even boast. It appears in various forms, such as in the Qal (to say), Niphal (to be told), and Hiphil (to avow). The entries highlight its versatility in both spoken and internal contexts, though no specific verse is noted.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָמַר 5287 vb. utter, say

Qal

Say

Say in the heart (= think)

Promise

Command (esp. late)

Niph. be said, told

Hiph. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

Hithp. act proudly, boast

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H559 אָמַר utter, say .. Say

. Say in the heart (= think)

. Promise

. Command (esp. late)

. be said, told

. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

. act proudly, boast

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

559 'amar aw-mar'

a primitive root; to say (used with great

latitude):--answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call,

certify, challenge, charge, + (at the, give) command(-ment),

commune, consider, declare, demand, X desire, determine, X

expressly, X indeed, X intend, name, X plainly, promise,

publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), X still, X

suppose, talk, tell, term, X that is, X think, use (speech),

utter, X verily, X yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָמַר (a.mar) — to say.

1) to say, speak, utter

1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend

1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called

1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly

1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch

Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine plural
HVqi3mp
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
yet they will say in ears your [the] children of bereavement your it is cramped for me the place draw near ! for me so let me dwell
בְאָזְנַ֔יִךְve.'a.ze.Na.yikh in ears your H241 Preposition · noun common feminine dual construct · suffix
187× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for ear, referring to the body part or the ability to hear, is used in various contexts, including listening to God's voice in Psalm 40:6. It can also mean to uncover or reveal something, as in 1 Samuel 20:2.
Amplified meaning
ears, ability to hear
Tyndale gloss
ear
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֹ֫זֶן (*ozen*) means 'ear' and is derived from a root that suggests broadness. It refers to the physical ear as well as the organ of hearing, and can also imply the act of revealing or receiving divine revelation. The term appears in contexts such as Exodus 29:20.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֹ֫זֶן 188 n.f. Ex 29:20 ear

ear, as part of body

especially as organ of hearing

open ears of, reveal to

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H241 אֹ֫זֶן ear

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

241 'ozen o'-zen

from 238; broadness. i.e. (concrete) the ear (from its form

in man):--+ advertise, audience, + displease, ear, hearing, +

show.

see HEBREW for 0238

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֹ֫זֶן (o.zen) — ear.

: ear

1) ear, as part of the body

2) ear, as organ of hearing

3) (subjective) to uncover the ear to reveal; the receiver of divine revelation

אֹ֫זֶן (o.zen) — ear: hearing.

: hearing

1) ear, as part of the body

2) ear, as organ of hearing

3) (subjective) to uncover the ear to reveal; the receiver of divine revelation

אֹ֫זֶן (o.zen) — ear: to ears.

: to[ears_of](PERSON)

1) ear, as part of the body

2) ear, as organ of hearing

3) (subjective) to uncover the ear to reveal; the receiver of divine revelation

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-fd | Suff — Preposition · noun common feminine dual construct · suffix
HR/Ncfdc/Sp2fs
yet they will say in ears your [the] children of bereavement your it is cramped for me the place draw near ! for me so let me dwell
בְּנֵ֖יbe.Nei [the] children of H1121 Noun common · masculine plural construct
4,943× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word means a son or descendant, and can also refer to a grandson, nation, or quality. It appears in 1 Chronicles 24, describing a Levite named Beno. The word is used to show family relationships and inheritance.
Amplified meaning
sons, descendants
Tyndale gloss
son: child
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בֵּן (ben) means 'son' or 'male child' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including descendants, young animals, and even figurative uses like sparks or arrows. It can refer to members of a tribe or class and is used in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, such as in 1 Chronicles 24:26. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to build' and implies a connection to family or lineage.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בֵּן 4870 n.m. son

son, male child, born of a woman

children (male and female)

youth, young men

the young of animals

of plant shoots

fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows

member of a guild, order or class

of animals son of (the) herd

ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.

n. relat. of age

base

בְּנוֹ 1 Ch 24:26, 27 as n.pr.m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son, cf. VB & Be Öt.

done

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1121a בֵּן son . son, male child, born of a woman

. children (male and female)

. youth, young men

. the young of animals

. of plant shoots

. fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows

. . member of a guild, order or class

. of animals son of (the) herd

. ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.

. n. relat. of age

H1121b בְּנוֹ as n. pr. m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1121 ben bane

from 1129; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the

widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship,

including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition,

etc., (like 1, 251, etc.)):--+ afflicted, age, (Ahoh-)

(Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-)ite, (anoint-)ed one, appointed to,

(+) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-)ian, one born,

bough, branch, breed, + (young) bullock, + (young) calf, X

came up in, child, colt, X common, X corn, daughter, X of

first, + firstborn, foal, + very fruitful, + postage, X in, +

kid, + lamb, (+) man, meet, + mighty, + nephew, old, (+)

people, + rebel, + robber, X servant born, X soldier, son, +

spark, + steward, + stranger, X surely, them of, + tumultuous

one, + valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.

see HEBREW for 01129

see HEBREW for 01

see HEBREW for 0251

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בֵּן (ben) — son: child.

: child/son

בְּנוֹ (be.no) — Beno.

A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ch.24.26;

son of: Jaaziah (H3269);

brother of: Shoham (H7719), Zaccur (H2139I) and Ibri (H5681)

§ Beno = "his son"

the sons of Jaaziah and the sons of Merari by Jaahziah (his son)

בֵּן (ben) — son: descendant/people.

: descendant, people, tribe, nation

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

§ : child/son

בֵּן (ben) — son: young animal.

: calf/lamb/young(ANIMAL)

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

§ : descendant

בֵּן (ben) — son: type of.

: rebel/son(Belial)

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

§ : people/men/nation/tribe

בֵּן (ben) — son.

: [inheriting]son/heir

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

בֵּן (ben) — son: warrior.

: warrior/son(strong)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural construct
HNcmpc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

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.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

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…

yet they will say in ears your [the] children of bereavement your it is cramped for me the place draw near ! for me so let me dwell
שִׁכֻּלָ֑יִךְshi.ku.La.yikh bereavement your H7923 Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
1× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This term refers to childlessness due to bereavement, or the loss of children. It describes a state of having no kids after losing others.
Amplified meaning
state of childlessness, loss of children
Tyndale gloss
bereavement
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שִׁכֻּלִים (shikkuliym) refers to bereavement and childlessness, derived from the root word for loss. It specifically denotes the state of having lost children or experiencing continued bereavements. The term appears in Isaiah 49:20.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[שִׁכֻּלִים] n.pl.abstr. bereavement, childlessness;—Is 49:20

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7923 [שִׁכֻּלִים] bereavement, childlessness

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7923 shikkuliym shik-koo-leem'

plural from 7921; childlessness (by continued

bereavements):--to have after loss of others.

see HEBREW for 07921

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שִׁכֻּלִים (shik.ku.lim) — bereavement.

childlessness, bereavement

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
HNcmpc/Sp2fs
yet they will say in ears your [the] children of bereavement your it is cramped for me the place draw near ! for me so let me dwell
צַר־tzar- it is cramped H6862 Adj
109× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means hard or narrow, often referring to trouble or a tight spot, like an adversary or affliction. It can also mean a small stone or pebble, such as flint, and is used in various biblical contexts to describe challenges.
Amplified meaning
narrow, strait
Tyndale gloss
narrow
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word צַר (tsar) is built from the root meaning 'narrow' or 'tight.' It encompasses a range of meanings including 'distress,' 'adversary,' and 'hard pebble' or 'flint.' The term can refer to physical tightness or metaphorical trouble, as well as an enemy or foe. It appears in contexts of anguish and tribulation, with a specific verse reference in Isaiah 5:28.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

צַר adj. narrow, tight

base

צַר n.[m.] straits, distress

base

צַר 68 n.m. adversary, foe

base

צַר n.[m.] hard pebble, flint;—Is 5:28

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6862a צַר narrow, tight H6862b צַר straits, distress H6862c צַר adversary, foe H6862d צַר hard pebble, flint

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6862 tsar tsar

or tsar {tsawr}; from 6887; narrow; (as a noun) a tight place

(usually figuratively, i.e. trouble); also a pebble (as in

6864); (transitive) an opponent (as crowding):--adversary,

afflicted(-tion), anguish, close, distress, enemy, flint, foe,

narrow, small, sorrow, strait, tribulation, trouble.

see HEBREW for 06887

see HEBREW for 06864

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

צַר (tsar) — narrow.

narrow, tight

צַר (tsar) — distress.

straits, distress

צַר (tsar) — enemy.

adversary, foe, enemy, oppressor

צַר (tsar) — hard.

hard pebble, flint

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Adj
HAamsa
yet they will say in ears your [the] children of bereavement your it is cramped for me the place draw near ! for me so let me dwell
לִ֥יli for me H9030 Preposition · suffix
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נִי (ni) — me.

Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 1st person singular

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Sp1bs — Preposition · suffix
HR/Sp1bs
yet they will say in ears your [the] children of bereavement your it is cramped for me the place draw near ! for me so let me dwell
הַמָּק֖וֹםha.ma.Kom the place H4725 Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
401× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Maqom means a place or location, like a city or a region. It can also refer to a condition of the body or mind. This term is used to describe a wide range of locations and situations.
Amplified meaning
location, region
Tyndale gloss
place
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מָקוֹם (maqom) means 'place' and encompasses a variety of contexts, including a standing place, station, or post. It can refer to human abodes, localities, regions, and even figurative conditions of body or mind. The term is derived from a root meaning 'standing' and is used broadly in the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מָקוֹם, מָקֹם 399 n.m. standing-place, place

standing-place

station, where soldiers are placed

post, office

place where a thing belongs

esp.

place of human abode

of י׳’s abode

place

in gen. place, locality, spot

space, room

space, distance, between

region, quarter, direction

peculiar uses

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4725 מָקוֹם, מָקֹם standing-place, place . . standing-place

. station, where soldiers are placed

. post, office

. . place where a thing belongs

. esp. . place of human abode

. of י׳’s abode

. place

. in gen. place, locality, spot

. . space, room

. space, distance, between

. region, quarter, direction

. peculiar uses

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4725 maqowm maw-kome'

or maqom {maw-kome'}; also (feminine) mqowmah {mek-o-mah'};

or mqomah {mek-o-mah'}; from 6965; properly, a standing, i.e.

a spot; but used widely of a locality (general or specific);

also (figuratively) of a condition (of body or

mind):--country, X home, X open, place, room, space, X

whither(-soever).

see HEBREW for 06965

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מָקוֹם (ma.qom) — place.

1) standing place, place

1a) standing place, station, post, office

1b) place, place of human abode

1c) city, land, region

1d) place, locality, spot

1e) space, room, distance

1f) region, quarter, direction

1g) give place to, instead of

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-ms — Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
HTd/Ncmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

plas: Normally for maqom, Old Testament, and topos, New Testament, but in the King James Version "place" represents a great number of Hebrew and Greek words, often used with no difference in force (e.g. 2Ch 35:10,15). the Revised Version (British and American) has made few changes, but occasionally has attempted to specialize the meaning (Ge 40:13; Job 37:8; Ac 8:32; Jas 3:11, etc.).

yet they will say in ears your [the] children of bereavement your it is cramped for me the place draw near ! for me so let me dwell
גְּשָׁה־ge.shah- draw near ! H5066 Verb qal imperative second person masculine singular · suffix
125× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To approach or draw near, like Moses to the burning bush, and can also mean to worship or present an argument, as in Genesis 18:23.
Amplified meaning
give place, provide space
Tyndale gloss
to approach: approach
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נָגַשׁ (nagash) is a Hebrew verb meaning to draw near or approach. It can refer to humans or inanimate subjects and includes various forms such as causing to approach or being brought near. The term also has euphemistic uses, including sexual intercourse. The entries indicate a range of applications, from physical proximity to religious worship.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[נָגַשׁ] 125 vb. draw near, approach

Qal draw near or come near

Niph. draw near

Hiph. cause to approach, bring near, bring

Hoph. thy feet have not been brought near (put into) fetters; it (impers.) is offered to my name

Hithp. draw near!

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5066 [נָגַשׁ] draw near, approach .draw near or come near

. draw near

. cause to approach, bring near, bring

. thy feet have not been brought near (put into) fetters; it (impers.) is offered to my name

. draw near!

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5066 nagash naw-gash'

a primitive root; to be or come (causatively, bring) near

(for any purpose); euphemistically, to lie with a woman; as an

enemy, to attack; relig. to worship; causatively, to present;

figuratively, to adduce an argument; by reversal, to stand

back:--(make to) approach (nigh), bring (forth, hither,

near), (cause to) come (hither, near, nigh), give place, go

hard (up), (be, draw, go) near (nigh), offer, overtake,

present, put, stand.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָגַשׁ (na.gash) — to approach: approach.

: approach

1) to draw near, approach

1a) (Qal) to draw or come near

1a1) of humans

1a1a) of sexual intercourse

1a2) of inanimate subject

1a2a) to approach one another

1b) (Niphal) to draw near

1c) (Hiphil) to cause to approach, bring near, bring

1d) (Hophal) to be brought near

1e) (Hithpael) to draw near

Also means: na.gash (נָגַשׁ ": bring" H5066H)

נָגַשׁ (na.gash) — to approach: bring.

: bring/offer

1) to draw near, approach

1a) (Qal) to draw or come near

1a1) of humans

1a1a) of sexual intercourse

1a2) of inanimate subject

1a2a) to approach one another

1b) (Niphal) to draw near

1c) (Hiphil) to cause to approach, bring near, bring

1d) (Hophal) to be brought near

1e) (Hithpael) to draw near

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Impv-2ms | Suff — Verb qal imperative second person masculine singular · suffix
HVqv2ms/Sh
yet they will say in ears your [the] children of bereavement your it is cramped for me the place draw near ! for me so let me dwell
לִּ֥יli for me H9030 Preposition · suffix
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נִי (ni) — me.

Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 1st person singular

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Sp1bs — Preposition · suffix
HR/Sp1bs
yet they will say in ears your [the] children of bereavement your it is cramped for me the place draw near ! for me so let me dwell
וְאֵשֵֽׁבָה׃ve.'e.She.vah so let me dwell H3427 Conjunction · verb qal infinitive construct first person common singular
1,079× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to sit or dwell, and can also mean to remain or abide. It's used in the Bible to describe people living in a place or staying with someone, like in the book of Genesis.
Amplified meaning
dwell, reside, in this location
Tyndale gloss
to dwell
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָשַׁב 1090 vb. sit, remain, dwell

Qal

sit

sit, sit down

sit down

sit = be set (as a jewel)

remain, stay, tarry

with special emphasis of qualifying phr.

dwell, have one’s abode

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

Niph. be inhabited, of land

Pi. and they shall set their encampments in thee

Hiph.

cause to sit

cause to abide

cause to dwell

cause cities to be inhabited

marry (prop. give a dwelling to)

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

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3427 יָשַׁב sit, remain, dwell

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3427 yashab yaw-shab'

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

take, tarry.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָשַׁב (ya.shav) — to dwell.

1) to dwell, remain, sit, abide

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to sit, sit down

1a2) to be set

1a3) to remain, stay

1a4) to dwell, have one's abode

1b) (Niphal) to be inhabited

1c) (Piel) to set, place

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to cause to sit

1d2) to cause to abide, set

1d3) to cause to dwell

1d4) to cause (cities) to be inhabited

1d5) to marry (give an dwelling to)

1e) (Hophal)

1e1) to be inhabited

1e2) to make to dwell

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-1cs — Conjunction · verb qal infinitive construct first person common singular
HC/Vqc1cs
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

dwel:

(1) In the Old Testament "dwell" is a translation of 9 words, of which by far the most frequent is yashabh, "to sit down," translated "dwell" over 400 times (Ge 4:20; Jos 20:4; 1Ch 17:1,4,5, etc.); also very frequently "sit," and sometimes "abide," "inhabit," "remain." Another word often rendered "dwell" is shakhan or shakhen ("to settle down"), from which is derived the rabbinic word shekhinah (literally, "that which dwells"), the light on the mercy-seat which symbolized the Divine presence (Ex 25:8, etc.). In order to avoid appearing to localize the Divine Being, wherever God is said to "dwell" in a place, the Targum renders that He "causes His Shekinah to dwell"…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Dwell

Tents were in primitive times the common dwellings of men. Houses were afterwards built, the walls of which were frequently of mud (Job 24:16; Matt. 6:19, 20) or of sun-dried bricks.

God “dwells in light” (1 Tim. 6:16; 1 John 1:7), in heaven (Ps. 123:1), in his church (Ps. 9:11; 1 John 4:12). Christ dwelt on earth in the days of his humiliation (John 1:14). He now dwells in the hearts of his people (Eph.…

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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