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Isaiah 50:9 — Word Study

Depth

WLCהֵ֣ן אֲדֹנָ֤י יְהוִה֙ יַֽעֲזָר־ לִ֔י מִי־ ה֖וּא יַרְשִׁיעֵ֑נִי הֵ֤ן כֻּלָּם֙ כַּבֶּ֣גֶד יִבְל֔וּ עָ֖שׁ יֹאכְלֵֽם׃

BSASurelyhên the LordʼĂdônây [Adonay, the sovereign Master] GODYᵉhôvih [Yehovah] helpsʻâzar [to aid, assist, or support] Whomîy [what person, which one] is therehûwʼ to condemn Merâshaʻ [to declare guilty, pronounce judgment] Seehên [look, behold] they will allkôl [everything, every person] wear outbâlâh [become old, decay] like a garmentbeged [a robe, clothing] the mothsʻâsh [insects that eat away] will devour themʼâkal [to eat, consume]

Word
Listen & take awayIsaiah 50
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 (yo.khe.Lem) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Isaiah 50:9quick helps
In a sentenceThe Lord God assures His support, questioning who can condemn Him, while asserting the inevitable decay of those who oppose Him.
Who is speakingThe speaker is the Servant of the Lord, expressing confidence in God's help.
Where we areThis verse is part of a passage where the Servant confronts opposition and declares God's faithfulness.
The hard wordיַרְשִׁיעֵ֑נִי, yar.shi.'E.ni
Take awayThe certainty of God's help stands in stark contrast to the inevitable fate of His adversaries.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectבָּלָה verbיְהֹוִה 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 50:9

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 Assurance of the Lord's Helpgenerated

8The One who vindicates Me is near. Who will dare to contend with Me? Let us confront each other! Who has a case against Me? Let him approach Me!
9Surely the Lord GOD helps Me. Who is there to condemn Me? See, they will all wear out like a garment; the moths will devour them.
10Who among you fears the LORD and obeys the voice of His Servant? Who among you walks in darkness and has no light? Let him trust in the name of the LORD; let him lean on his God.
11Behold, all you who kindle a fire, who array yourselves with firebrands, walk in the light of your fire and of the firebrands you have lit! This is what you will receive from My hand: You will lie down in a place of torment.

Isaiah 50:9 presents a powerful declaration of God's assistance to His Servant amidst opposition. The Servant challenges any who would dare to condemn Him, emphasizing the transient nature of those who oppose divine authority. This passage reflects the broader theme of God's faithfulness and the ultimate futility of human judgment against His chosen.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Isaiah 51:6–8Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look at the earth below; for the heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment, and its people will die like gnats. But My salvation will last forever, and My righteousness will never fail.
2Job 13:28So man wastes away like something rotten, like a moth-eaten garment.
3Psalm 39:11You discipline and correct a man for his iniquity, consuming like a moth what he holds dear; surely each man is but a vapor. Selah
4Psalm 102:26They will perish, but You remain; they will all wear out like a garment. Like clothing You will change them, and they will be passed on.
5Hebrews 1:11–12They will perish, but You remain; they will all wear out like a garment.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 5 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word יַעֲזָר־, ya.'a.zor-generated

The verb יַעֲזָר (ya.'a.zor) is a third-person masculine singular form meaning 'he helps' or 'to aid'. It is derived from the root עָזַר (azar), which conveys the idea of providing support or assistance. This word is often used in contexts where divine help is emphasized, particularly in the Psalms and prophetic literature.

The parsing indicates that this is an imperfect verb, suggesting ongoing or future action. Here, it assures that God's help is not merely a past event but a present and future reality for the Servant.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses helps to convey the active support of God.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb יַעֲזָר (he helps) governs the sentence, with multiple clauses and phrases providing context and elaboration. The structure emphasizes the Servant's confidence in God's help and the rhetorical questions posed to highlight the futility of opposition.

The sentence opens with a declaration of divine assistance, followed by a question about condemnation, and concludes with a vivid metaphor comparing the fate of the adversaries to worn-out garments, emphasizing their inevitable decay.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates יַעֲזָר as βοηθεῖ (boēthei), meaning 'he will help'. This choice aligns closely with the Hebrew, maintaining the sense of divine assistance.

The translation of כַּבֶּ֣גֶד as ὡς (hōs, 'like') suggests a direct comparison, reinforcing the imagery of decay and destruction.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Isaiah 50:9 expresses the confidence of the Servant in God's help, questioning who can condemn Him while asserting that those who oppose Him will ultimately decay like worn-out garments, devoured by moths. This verse highlights God's unwavering support and the futility of human judgment.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that the Lord helps the Servant?

It signifies God's active assistance and support for His chosen one, ensuring that he is not left to face opposition alone.

Who is being condemned in this verse?

The verse questions who among the adversaries can successfully condemn the Servant, emphasizing their ultimate failure.

What does the metaphor of wearing out like a garment signify?

It illustrates the temporary nature of opposition against God, suggesting that those who oppose Him will ultimately perish.

How does this verse reflect the themes of the book of Isaiah?

It encapsulates the themes of divine support, the challenge against adversaries, and the assurance of God's sovereignty throughout the prophetic writings.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what areas of my life do I need to trust in God's help like the Servant does?
  2. How can I recognize and resist the voices that seek to condemn me?
  3. What reminders do I have of God's faithfulness in my past experiences?
  4. How can I apply the imagery of decay in this verse to understand the temporary nature of worldly opposition?

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

Early Christian writers reference this verse to discuss themes of decay and divine judgment, illustrating its lasting significance in theological discourse.

Clement of AlexandriaThe Stromata Book 3 c. 150–215
There is a person who runs down birth, describing it as subject to decay and death, who forces things and suggests that the Savior was speaking about having children in saying that we should not store treasure on earth,
Early Church Fathers on Isaiah 50 →
Theodoret of CyrusCOMMENTARY ON Isaiah 16:50.7-9 c. 393–460
“Behold, you will all like a garment grow old, and something like a worm will devour you.” The parable is accurate, for the worm that comes from the clothes destroys them, and sin, which is born from us, ruins those who allow it to grow.
Early Church Fathers on Isaiah 50 →
Procopius of GazaCOMMENTARY ON Isaiah 50:1-11 c. 465–528
Isaiah also gives the name “moth” to those who devour their conscience in their recklessness.… It might be said that the moths are their sins, which worm their way in among those they inhabit, like moths devouring clothing for food.
Early Church Fathers on Isaiah 50 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Isaiah 50:9 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Behold, the Lord God will help me,.... This is repeated from Isaiah 50:7, [See comments on Isaiah 50:7]; to show the certainty of it, the strength of his faith in it, and to discourage his enemies:

Read John Gill on Isaiah 50 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Behold, the Lord GOD will help me; who is he that shall condemn me? lo, they all shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall eat them up. Behold, the Lord God will help me - cf.

Read Robert Jamieson on Isaiah 50 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

That shall condemn me; that dare attempt it, or can justly do it. They all, mine accusers and enemies, shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall eat them up: shall pine away in their iniquity, as God threatened, ; shall be cut off and consumed by a secret curse and judgment of God, which is compared to a moth, , whilst I shall survive and flourish, and the pleasure of God shall prosper in my hands, as is said, .

Read Matthew Poole on Isaiah 50 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Isaiah 50:9 Behold, the Lord GOD will help me; who [is] he [that] shall condemn me? lo, they all shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall eat them up.Ver. 9. Behold, the Lord God will help me.] See Isaiah 50:7. Who is he that shall condemn me.] If Libanius could say of his friend Basil (though of a different religion), Let but him praise me, and I care not who dispraiseth me; how much better might Christ, and may every good Christian say the same of God! Lo, they shall all wax old as a garment.] The scribes and Pharisees (those old cankered carles) shall; for of them Jerome, Cyril, and others understand it. The Romans - according as they feared, and therefore crucified Christ - came upon…

Read John Trapp on Isaiah 50 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(9) They all shall wax old as a garment.—An echo of Job 13:28; Psalms 102:26; reproduced in Isaiah 51:6.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Isaiah 50 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

9. who is he that shall condemn me?] Comp. Romans 8:33 f. wax old (better, be worn out) as a garment; the moth &c.] Common images of gradual but inevitable destruction (cf. ch. Isaiah 51:6; Isaiah 51:8; Psalms 39:11; Psalms 102:26; Job 13:28 &c.). Two striking parallels to the latter part of this discourse occur in the Book of Jeremiah. See ch. Jeremiah 17:17 f.; “Thou art my refuge in the day of evil. Let them be ashamed that persecute me, but let not me be ashamed … bring upon them the day of evil, and destroy them with double destruction”: and Jeremiah 20:7; Jeremiah 20:11 ff.: “I am become a laughingstock all the day, every one mocketh me.…” “But the Lord is with me as a mighty one and…

Read Cambridge on Isaiah 50 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The Lord God will help me - (See Isaiah 50:7). In the Hebrew this is, ‘The Lord Jehovah,’ as it is in Isaiah 50:7 also, and these are among the places where our translators have improperly rendered

Read Albert Barnes on Isaiah 50 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

7-9. But he trusts in Jehovah, and looks to the end with a sweetly-willing patience. No shame makes him faint-hearted. The Lord God will help me — Assurance of hope is assurance of faith for the long future.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Isaiah 50 →

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

Surely the Lord GOD helps Me. Who is there to condemn Me? See, they will all wear out like a garment; the moths will devour them.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Behold, the Lord Yahweh will help me! Who is he who will condemn me? Behold, they will all grow old like a garment. The moths will eat them up.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Surely the Lord GOD helps Me. Who is there to condemn Me? See, they will all wear out like a garment; the moths will devour them.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Look, the sovereign Lord helps me. Who dares to condemn me? Look, all of them will wear out like clothes; a moth will eat away at them.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Behold, the Lord GOD will help me; who is he that shall condemn me? lo, they all shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall eat them up.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Behold, the Lord Jehovah will help me; who is he that shall condemn me? behold, they all shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall eat them up.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Behold, the Lord GOD will help me; who is he that shall condemn me? behold, they all shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall eat them up.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Behold the Lord GOD will help me; who is he that shall condemn me? lo, they all shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall eat them up.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Beholde, the Lord God will helpe me: who is he that can condemne me? loe, they shall waxe olde as a garment: the mothe shall eate them vp.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Behold, the Lord Jehovah will help me; who is he that shall condemn me? Behold, they all shall grow old as a garment; the moth shall eat them up.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Lo, the Lord Jehovah giveth help to me, Who [is] he that declareth me wicked? Lo, all of them as a garment wear out, A moth doth eat them.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Behold, Lord YHWH gives help to Me, || Who [is] he that declares Me wicked? Behold, all of them wear out as a garment, || A moth eats them.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Behold, the Lord Eternal will help me; who is the man that will condemn me? lo, they all shall wear out as a garment: the moth shall eat them up.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

See, the Lord Yahweh will help me. Who will declare me guilty? See, they will all wear out like a garment; the moth will eat them up.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Behold the Lord God is my helper: who is he that shall condemn me? Lo, they shall all be destroyed as a garment, the moth shall eat them up.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

The Lord God defends me. Who is going to declare me guilty? Look! Those who try will fall apart like old clothing, eaten up by moths.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

See, the Lord God is my helper; who will give a decision against me? truly, all of them will become old like a robe; they will be food for the worm.

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.

clauseclauseהֵ֣ןhere!clausenoun phrase · subjectnoun phraseאֲדֹנָ֤Lordי[the]יְהוִה֙Yahwehverbיַֽעֲזָרhe.helpsprepositional phrase · prepositionalלִ֔(to)יmeclausepredicateמִיwho?noun phrase · subjectה֖וּאheclauseverbיַרְשִׁיעֵ֑willobjectנִיhe.condemn.me.as.guiltyclauseclauseהֵ֤ןthere!clausenoun phrase · subjectכֻּלָּof.themם֙allprepositional phrase · prepositionalכַּlikenoun phrase(the)בֶּ֣גֶדgarmentverbיִבְל֔וּthey.will.wear.outclausesubjectעָ֖שׁmothverbיֹאכְלֵֽitobjectםwill.eat.them

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


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

The Masoretic Text is supported by the Septuagint, which matches 11 of the 14 words. The Dead Sea Scrolls also align closely with the MT, with minor variations in wording and some editorial restorations.

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

הֵ֣ן אֲדֹנָ֤י יְהוִה֙ יַֽעֲזָר־ לִ֔י מִי־ ה֖וּא יַרְשִׁיעֵ֑נִי הֵ֤ן כֻּלָּם֙ כַּבֶּ֣גֶד יִבְל֔וּ עָ֖שׁ יֹאכְלֵֽם׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
הֵ֣ןἰδοὺלִ֔יβοηθεῖמִי־μοιה֖וּאτίςיַרְשִׁיעֵ֑נִיκακώσειהֵ֤ןμεכֻּלָּם֙πάντεςכַּבֶּ֣גֶדὡςיִבְל֔וּἱμάτιονעָ֖שׁπαλαιωθήσεσθεיֹאכְלֵֽם׃καταφάγεται

11 of the 14 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

הנה אדוני יהוה יעזור ל׳יא מי הואה ירשיע׳ני הנה כול׳ם כבגד יבלו עש יאכול׳ם

14 words on the leather.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 1Q8a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

הן אדני יהוה יעזר [ל׳י] [מי] [הוא] [ירשיע׳ני] הן כל׳ם כבגד יבלו עש יאכל׳ם

10 words on the leather — 4 supplied entire by an editor.

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


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

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

Isaiah 50:9הֵןhere!here!הֵןאָדוֹן[the] Lord[the] LordאָדוֹןיהוהYahwehYahwehיהוהעָזַרhe helpshe helpsעָזַרנִיmemeנִימִיwho?who?מִיהוּאheheהוּארָשַׁעwill he conwill he condemnרָשַׁעהֵןthere!there!הֵןכֹּלall of themall of themכֹּלבֶּ֫גֶדlike garmenlike garmentבֶּ֫גֶדבָּלָהthey will wthey will wear בָּלָהעָשׁmothmothעָשׁאָכַלit will eatit will eat theאָכַלאָדוֹןLordLordאָדוֹןכָּלַלto perfectto perfectכָּלַלבָּגַדto act treto act treacherבָּגַדעָשֵׁשׁto wasteto wasteעָשֵׁשׁאָדוֹןlordlordאָדוֹןיהוהThe LordThe Lordיהוהמָהwhat?what?מָהיהוהYHWH/GodYHWH/Godיהוהיָפֶהbeautifulbeautifulיָפֶהכֹּהthusthusכֹּהנְאֻםutteranceutteranceנְאֻםכָּשַׁלto stumbleto stumbleכָּשַׁליָעַדto appointto appointיָעַדכְּמוֹlikelikeכְּמוֹטָמֵאuncleanuncleanטָמֵאעֵתtimetimeעֵתעָוָהto twistto twistעָוָהצָדֵקto justifyto justifyצָדֵק
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 50:9

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.

here! [the] Lord Yahweh he helps me who? he will he condemn as guilty me there! all of them like garment they will wear out moth it will eat them
הֵ֣ןhen here! H2005 Particle
316× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
An expression meaning look or behold, used to get someone's attention, like in the prophet Isaiah's writings. It can also express surprise or introduce a hypothetical situation.
Tyndale gloss
look!
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הֵן (hen) is a demonstrative adverb or interjection meaning 'lo!' or 'behold!'. It is primarily used to draw attention to a fact that prompts action or leads to a conclusion. The word can also express surprise and is less common than its counterpart הִנֵּה (hinneh). Additionally, it can function hypothetically as 'if'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הֵן 100 demonstr.adv. or interj. lo!, behold (on etym. v. הִנֵּה), less widely used than הִנֵּה, and in prose mostly confined to calling attention to some fact upon which action is to be taken, or a conclusion based

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2005 הֵן demonstr. adv. or interj. lo!, behold (on etym. v. הִנֵּה), less widely used than הִנֵּה, and in prose mostly confined to calling attention to some fact upon which action is to be taken, or a conclusion based

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2005 hen hane

a primitive particle; lo!; also (as expressing surprise)

if:--behold, if, lo, though.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הֵן (hen) — look!.

interj

1) behold, lo, though hypothetical part

2) if

Aramaic equivalent: hen (הֵן "look!" H2006A)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part — Particle
HTj
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

her, in composition:

here! [the] Lord Yahweh he helps me who? he will he condemn as guilty me there! all of them like garment they will wear out moth it will eat them
אֲדֹנָ֤י'a.do.Nai [the] Lord H136 Noun proper
440× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Adonay is a title used to refer to God, spoken in place of Yahweh as a sign of reverence and respect. It is used throughout the Bible to address God or refer to Him in a formal way. Adonay is a term of worship and devotion.
Amplified meaning
Adonay, the sovereign Master
Tyndale gloss
Lord
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֲדֹנָי (Adonay) means 'Lord' and is an emphatic form of another Hebrew word for lord. It is used specifically as a title for God, often in place of Yahweh to show reverence. Variations include אֲדֹנִי and אֲדֹנַי, which help distinguish divine from human references.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָדוֹן n.m. lord (אֲדֹנִי, אֲדֹנַי, אֲדֹנָי are variations of Mass. pointing to distinguish divine reference fr. human. Pl., with few exc. an intens. pl. of rank; word takes sf. as pl. in all other pers.; so doubtless here. Orig. reading prob. in all cases אֲדֹנַי; אֲדֹנִי now found in J 51 t.)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H136 אָדוֹן lord (אֲדֹנִי, אֲדֹנַי, אֲדֹנָי are variations of Mass. pointing to distinguish divine reference fr. human. Pl., with few exc. an intens. pl. of rank; word takes sf. as pl. in all other pers.; so doubtless here. Orig. reading prob. in all cases אֲדֹנַי; אֲדֹנִי now found in J 51 t.)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

136 'Adonay ad-o-noy'

am emphatic form of 113; the Lord (used as a proper name of

God only):--(my) Lord.

see HEBREW for 0113

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֲדֹנָי (a.do.nai) — Lord.

Lord - a title, spoken in place of Yahweh in Jewish display of reverence

Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp | Suff — Noun proper
HNpt
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Lord

There are various Hebrew and Greek words so rendered.

(1.) Heb. Jehovah, has been rendered in the English Bible LORD, printed in small capitals. This is the proper name of the God of the Hebrews. The form “Jehovah” is retained only in Ex. 6:3; Ps. 83:18; Isa. 12:2; 26:4, both in the Authorized and the Revised Version.

(2.) Heb. ‘adon, means one possessed of absolute control. It denotes a master, as of slaves (Gen. 24:14, 27), or a ruler of his subjects (45:8), or a husband, as lord of his wife (18:12).

The old plural form of this Hebrew word is ’adonai. From a superstitious reverence for the name “Jehovah,” the Jews, in reading their Scriptures, whenever that name…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

[GOD]

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

This name belongs to God by preeminence; and in this sense ought never to be given to any creature. Jesus Christ, as the Messiah, the Son of God, and equal with the Father, is often called Lord in Scripture, especially in the writing of Paul. The word LORD, in the English Bible, when printed in small capitals, stands always for JEHOVAH in the Hebrew. See JEHOVAH.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ A prince Jos 13:3; Jud 3:3; 1Sa 5:8; 6:4

→ See GOD

→ See JESUS

here! [the] Lord Yahweh he helps me who? he will he condemn as guilty me there! all of them like garment they will wear out moth it will eat them
יְהוִה֙Yah.weh Yahweh H3069 Noun proper
306× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
YHWH is a name for God, often used in combination with 'Lord'. It is similar to Yehovah, but with different vowels. This name emphasizes God's power and authority.
Amplified meaning
Yehovah
Tyndale gloss
YHWH/God
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יְהֹוִה (Yhovih) is a variation of the name יָהְוֶה (Yahweh), which is the proper name of the God of Israel. It is often used in combination with other terms, such as 'Lord Jehovah.' The name is significant in the context of the Old Testament, particularly in Exodus 3:12-15, where it is revealed to Moses.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יהוה c. 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel—(1. MT יְהֹוָה 6518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהֹוִה 305 (Qr אֱלֹהִים) 2. Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of הוה (= היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver)

יהוה is not used by E in Gn, but is given Ex 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb

יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D

the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy

יהוה is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3069 יהוה i.e. יַהְוֶה n. pr. dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3069 Yhovih yeh-ho-vee'

a variation of 3068 (used after 136, and pronounced by Jews

as 430, in order to prevent the repetition of the same sound,

since they elsewhere pronounce 3068 as 136):--God.

see HEBREW for 03068

see HEBREW for 0136

see HEBREW for 0430

see HEBREW for 03068

see HEBREW for 0136

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יְהֹוִה (ye.ho.vih) — YHWH/God.

1) Jehovah-used primarily in the combination 'Lord Jehovah'

1a) equal to ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068) but pointed with the vowels of e.lo.him (אֱלֹהִים "God" H0430)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper
HNpt
here! [the] Lord Yahweh he helps me who? he will he condemn as guilty me there! all of them like garment they will wear out moth it will eat them
יַֽעֲזָר־ya.'a.zor- he helps H5826 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
81× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To help or aid is the meaning of this Hebrew word, used to describe God's protection or assistance. It is used in the Psalms to express trust in God's help and in the book of Exodus to describe God's aid to the Israelites.
Amplified meaning
to aid, assist, or support
Tyndale gloss
to help
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עָזַר (azar) is a Hebrew verb meaning to help or succour. It is built from a primitive root that conveys the idea of surrounding or protecting. The entries indicate its use in various forms: Qal (to help), Niphal (to be helped), and Hiphil (to help). The word captures the essence of providing support or aid.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[עָזַר] 82 vb. help, succour

Qal help

Niph. I am helped

Hiph. v. Qal.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5826 [עָזַר] help, succour

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5826 `azar aw-zar'

a primitive root; to surround, i.e. protect or aid:--help,

succour.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עָזַר (a.zar) — to help.

1) to help, succour, support

1a) (Qal) to help

1b) (Niphal) to be helped

1c) (Hiphil) to help

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
HVqi3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Helps

(1 Cor. 12:28) may refer to help (i.e., by interpretation) given to him who speaks with tongues, or more probably simply help which Christians can render to one another, such as caring for the poor and needy, etc.

here! [the] Lord Yahweh he helps me who? he will he condemn as guilty me there! all of them like garment they will wear out moth it will eat them
לִ֔יLi 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
here! [the] Lord Yahweh he helps me who? he will he condemn as guilty me there! all of them like garment they will wear out moth it will eat them
מִי־mi- who? H4310 Pronoun
423× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word is used to ask questions like who, whose, or whom. It can also be used to express a wish, like would that or whoever. It appears in many forms throughout the Bible, often in phrases like O that or what.
Amplified meaning
what person, which one
Tyndale gloss
who?
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מִי (mi) is an interrogative pronoun primarily used to ask about persons, meaning 'who?' or 'whose?'. It can also appear in rhetorical questions and has some idiomatic uses, such as 'who among...?' or 'whosoever'. The word is rarely applied to things, and its forms can vary in emphasis.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מִי 423 pron.interrog. who? of persons

מִי is rarely used of things, and usually where persons are understood or implied

in the gen. whose

in an indirect qu.

מִי ב׳ who among … ?

strengthened and emph. forms of interrog.

various rhetorical uses whose

מִי may sometimes be rendered whosoever, though, as the examples will shew, it does not really mean it

once, following a verb, any one

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4310 מִי who? of persons . מִי is rarely used of things, and usually where persons are understood or implied

. in the gen. whose

. in an indirect qu.

. מִי ב׳ who among … ?

. strengthened and emph. forms of interrog.

. various rhetorical uses whose

. מִי may sometimes be rendered whosoever, though, as the examples will shew, it does not really mean it

. once, following a verb, any one

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4310 miy me

an interrogative pronoun of persons, as 4100 is of things,

who? (occasionally, by a peculiar idiom, of things); also

(indefinitely) whoever; often used in oblique construction

with prefix or suffix:--any (man), X he, X him, + O that!

what, which, who(-m, -se, -soever), + would to God.

see HEBREW for 04100

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מִי (mi) — who?.

who?, whose?, whom?, would that, whoever, whosoever

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part — Pronoun
HPi
here! [the] Lord Yahweh he helps me who? he will he condemn as guilty me there! all of them like garment they will wear out moth it will eat them
ה֖וּאhu' he H1931 Pronoun
1,879× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word is a pronoun meaning 'he', 'she', or 'it', used to refer to a person or thing. It is used in the Bible to emphasize a subject or make it clear who is being talked about.
Tyndale gloss
he/she/it
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הוּא (hu) is a third-person singular pronoun meaning he, she, or it, used for emphasis or when no verb is present. It can also refer to oneself or serve as a demonstrative pronoun. The word has various nuances, including resuming the subject with emphasis or expressing it unobtrusively. It can indicate 'that' or 'those' when used with the definite article.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הוּא m. הִיא f., pron. of the 3rd ps. sing. he, she, used also (in both genders) for the neuter it

an emph. he (she, it, they), sometimes equivalent to himself (herself, itself, themselves), or (esp. with the art.) that (those)

It resumes the subj. with emph.

Where, however, the pron. follows the pred., its position gives it the minimum of emphasis, and it expresses (or resumes) the subject as unobtrusively as possible

It anticipates (as it seems) the subject

As an emph. predicate, of God

In a neuter sense, that, it (of an action, occurrence, matte, etc.)

With the art.: so regularly when joined to a subst. defined itself by the art.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1931 הוּא, הִיא he, she, used also (in both genders) for the neuter it . an emph. he (she, it, they), sometimes equivalent to himself (herself, itself, themselves), or (esp. with the art.) that (those)

. It resumes the subj. with emph.

. Where, however, the pron. follows the pred., its position gives it the minimum of emphasis, and it expresses (or resumes) the subject as unobtrusively as possible

. It anticipates (as it seems) the subject

. As an emph. predicate, of God

. In a neuter sense, that, it (of an action, occurrence, matte, etc.)

. With the art.: so regularly when joined to a subst. defined itself by the art.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1931 huw' hoo

of which the feminine (beyond the Pentateuch) is hiyw {he}; a

primitive word, the third person pronoun singular, he (she or

it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also

(intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same;

sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally

(instead of copula) as or are:--he, as for her, him(-self),

it, the same, she (herself), such, that (...it), these, they,

this, those, which (is), who.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הוּא (hu) — he/she/it.

pron 3p s

1) he, she, it

1a) himself (with emphasis)

1b) resuming subj with emphasis

1c) (with minimum emphasis following predicate)

1d) (anticipating subj)

1e) (emphasising predicate)

1f) that, it (neuter) demons pron

2) that (with article)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Pron — Pronoun
HPp3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ha: The fifth letter of the Hebrew alphabet; transliterated in this Encyclopedia as "h." It came also to be used for the number 5. For name, etc., see ALPHABET.

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
here! [the] Lord Yahweh he helps me who? he will he condemn as guilty me there! all of them like garment they will wear out moth it will eat them
יַרְשִׁיעֵ֑נִיyar.shi.'E.ni will he condemn as guilty me H7561 Verb hiphil imperfect third person masculine singular · suffix
34× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Being wicked or acting wrongly is what this Hebrew word describes. In Psalm 37:7, the Bible warns against being wicked and instead encourages trusting in God.
Amplified meaning
to declare guilty, pronounce judgment
Tyndale gloss
be wicked
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רָשַׁע (rasha`) is a Hebrew verb meaning to be wicked or to act wickedly. It covers various aspects of wrongdoing, including being guilty and condemning others in both civil and ethical contexts. The entries indicate a distinction between its basic meaning of wickedness and its implications of guilt and condemnation.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[רָשַׁע] vb. denom. be wicked, act wickedly

Qal

be wicked, act wickedly

be guilty

Hiph.

condemn as guilty, in civil relations

condemn as guilty, in ethical and religious relations

act wickedly, in ethics and religious

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7561 רָשַׁע vb. denom. be wicked, act wickedly .. be wicked, act wickedly

. be guilty

. . condemn as guilty, in civil relations

. condemn as guilty, in ethical and religious relations

. act wickedly, in ethics and religious

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7561 rasha` raw-shah'

a primitive root; to be (causatively, do or declare) wrong;

by implication, to disturb, violate:--condemn, make trouble,

vex, be (commit, deal, depart, do) wicked(-ly, -ness).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רָשַׁע (ra.sah) — be wicked.

1) to be wicked, act wickedly

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to be wicked, act wickedly

1a2) to be guilty, be condemned

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to condemn as guilty (in civil relations)

1b2) to condemn as guilty (in ethical or religious relations)

1b3) to act wickedly (in ethics and religion)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Hiphil-Imperf-3ms | Suff — Verb hiphil imperfect third person masculine singular · suffix
HVhi3ms/Sp1bs
here! [the] Lord Yahweh he helps me who? he will he condemn as guilty me there! all of them like garment they will wear out moth it will eat them
הֵ֤ןhen there! H2005 Particle
316× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
An expression meaning look or behold, used to get someone's attention, like in the prophet Isaiah's writings. It can also express surprise or introduce a hypothetical situation.
Amplified meaning
look, behold
Tyndale gloss
look!
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הֵן (hen) is a demonstrative adverb or interjection meaning 'lo!' or 'behold!'. It is primarily used to draw attention to a fact that prompts action or leads to a conclusion. The word can also express surprise and is less common than its counterpart הִנֵּה (hinneh). Additionally, it can function hypothetically as 'if'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הֵן 100 demonstr.adv. or interj. lo!, behold (on etym. v. הִנֵּה), less widely used than הִנֵּה, and in prose mostly confined to calling attention to some fact upon which action is to be taken, or a conclusion based

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2005 הֵן demonstr. adv. or interj. lo!, behold (on etym. v. הִנֵּה), less widely used than הִנֵּה, and in prose mostly confined to calling attention to some fact upon which action is to be taken, or a conclusion based

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2005 hen hane

a primitive particle; lo!; also (as expressing surprise)

if:--behold, if, lo, though.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הֵן (hen) — look!.

interj

1) behold, lo, though hypothetical part

2) if

Aramaic equivalent: hen (הֵן "look!" H2006A)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part — Particle
HTj
here! [the] Lord Yahweh he helps me who? he will he condemn as guilty me there! all of them like garment they will wear out moth it will eat them
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.
Amplified meaning
everything, every person
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
here! [the] Lord Yahweh he helps me who? he will he condemn as guilty me there! all of them like garment they will wear out moth it will eat them
כַּבֶּ֣גֶדka.Be.ged like garment H899 Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
217× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word refers to clothing or a covering, like a garment or robe. It appears in books like Genesis and Exodus, describing what people wore. The word is often translated as 'apparel' or 'raiment'.
Amplified meaning
a robe, clothing
Tyndale gloss
treachery
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בֶּ֫גֶד (beged) has meanings related to both clothing and treachery. It can refer to a garment or covering, as well as deceit or betrayal. The word is built from a root that suggests a duality in its usage, appearing in contexts that range from apparel to treacherous actions, notably in Isaiah 24:16 and Jeremiah 12:1.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בֶּ֫גֶד n.[m.] treachery Is 24:16 Je 12:1.

done

בֶּ֫גֶד n.m. garment, covering

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H899a בֶּ֫גֶד treachery H899b בֶּ֫גֶד garment, covering

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

899 beged behg'-ed

from 898; a covering, i.e. clothing; also treachery or

pillage:--apparel, cloth(-es, ing), garment, lap, rag,

raiment, robe, X very (treacherously), vesture, wardrobe.

see HEBREW for 0898

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בֶּ֫גֶד (be.ged) — treachery.

treachery, deceit

בֶּ֫גֶד (be.ged) — garment.

(CLBL) garment, clothing (used indiscriminately)

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

gar'-ment.

See DRESS.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

[DRESS]

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Of righteousness Isa 61:10; Mt 22:11; 2Co 5:3; Re 3:18; 7:14; 16:15; 19:8

→ See DRESS

→ See ROBE

here! [the] Lord Yahweh he helps me who? he will he condemn as guilty me there! all of them like garment they will wear out moth it will eat them
יִבְל֔וּyiv.Lu they will wear out H1086 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine plural
15× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To wear out or become old, like something that's been used up or decayed over time, as seen in the book of Isaiah. This concept is also related to consuming or spending something completely. It implies a sense of depletion or exhaustion.
Amplified meaning
become old, decay
Tyndale gloss
to become old
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בָּלָה (balah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to become old or worn out. It encompasses the ideas of wearing out through use, enjoying something to the fullest, and implies decay or consumption. The entries indicate that it can be used in both a simple form (Qal) and a causative form (Piel), with a related Aramaic term noted.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[בָּלָה] vb. become old and worn out

Qal wear out

Pi. caus. of Qal.

wear out (trans.)

wear out by use, use to the full, enjoy

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1086 [בָּלָה] become old and worn out .wear out

. caus. of Qal. . wear out (trans.)

. wear out by use, use to the full, enjoy

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1086 balah baw-law'

a primitive root; to fail; by implication to wear out, decay

(causatively, consume, spend):--consume, enjoy long, become

(make, wax) old, spend, waste.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בָּלָה (ba.lah) — to become old.

1) to wear out, become old

1a) (Qal) to wear out

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to wear out

1b2) to wear out by use, use up completely

1b3) to enjoy, use to the full

Aramaic equivalent: be.la (בְּלָא "to wear out" H1080)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine plural
HVqi3mp
here! [the] Lord Yahweh he helps me who? he will he condemn as guilty me there! all of them like garment they will wear out moth it will eat them
עָ֖שׁ'ash moth H6211 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
12× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word refers to a moth or grass, symbolizing something that is fragile or easily destroyed. It is first used in Job 4:19 to describe the fragility of human life. The word is also related to vegetation and herbage.
Amplified meaning
insects that eat away
Tyndale gloss
moth
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עָשׁ (ash) refers to a moth, while עֲשַׂב (a.sav) denotes herbage or grass. The word is built from the root associated with vegetation. There is a connection to Aramaic, indicating a broader range of meaning related to plant life.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עָשׁ moth

base

עֲשַׂב n.[m.] herbage, grass

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6211a עָשׁ moth H6211b עֲשַׂב herbage, grass

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6211 `ash awsh

from 6244; a moth:--moth. See also 5906.

see HEBREW for 06244

see HEBREW for 05906

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עָשׁ (ash) — moth.

moth

עֲשַׂב (a.sav) — grass.

herbage, grass

Aramaic of e.sev (עֵ֫שֶׂב "vegetation" H6212)

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

moth (`ash; compare Arabic `uththat, "moth"; colloquial, `itt; cac, "worm" (Isa 51:8); compare Arabic sus, "worm," especially an insect larva in flesh, wood or grain; ses, "moth" (Mt 6:19,20; Lu 12:33); setobrotos, "moth-eaten" (Jas 5:2)):

The moths constitute the larger division of the order Lepidoptera. Two of the points by which they are distinguished from butterflies are that they are generally nocturnal and that their antennae are not club-shaped. Further, the larva in many cases spins a cocoon for the protection of the pupa or chrysalis, which is never the case with butterflies. The Biblical references are to the clothes-moth, i.e. various species of the genus Tinea…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Moth

Heb. ‘ash, from a root meaning “to fall away,” as moth-eaten garments fall to pieces (Job 4:19; 13:28; Isa. 50:9; 51:8; Hos. 5:12).

Gr. ses, thus rendered in Matt. 6:19, 20; Luke 12:33. Allusion is thus made to the destruction of clothing by the larvae of the clothes-moth. This is the only lepidopterous insect referred to in Scripture.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

By the Hebrew word we are certainly to understand some species of clothes-moth (tinea). Reference to the destructive habits of the clothes-moth is made in (Job 4:19; 13:28; Psalms 39:11) etc. (The moth is a well-known insect which in its caterpillar state is very destructive to woollen clothing, furs, etc. The egg of the moth, being deposited on the fur or cloth, produces a very small shining insect, which immediately forms a house for itself by cuttings from the cloth. It east away the nap, and finally ruins the fabric. There are more than 1500 species of moths. --McClintock and Strong’s Cyclopedia.)

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The common moth is an insect destructive to woolen cloths. The egg is laid by a small shining worm; which by another transformation becomes a miller. Allusions to the moth, as devouring clothes, and as a frail and feeble insect, are frequent in Scripture, Job 4:19 13:28 27:18 Isa 50:9 Ho 5:12 Mt 6:19,20. See GARMENTS.

The insects called in general moths, of which the above is only one species, are exceedingly numerous. The main genus is called by naturalists Phaloena, and contains more than fifteen hundred species. Moths fly abroad only in the evening and night; differing in this respect from the tribe of butterflies that fly only by day. Their larva, or the worms from which…

here! [the] Lord Yahweh he helps me who? he will he condemn as guilty me there! all of them like garment they will wear out moth it will eat them
יֹאכְלֵֽם׃yo.khe.Lem it will eat them H398 Verb qal imperfect third person masculine singular · suffix
810× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to eat or devour, and it's used in many stories, including when Jesus fed the 5000 with fish and bread in the book of Matthew. It's about taking in nourishment and being satisfied.
Amplified meaning
to eat, consume
Tyndale gloss
to eat
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָכַל (akal) means 'to eat' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including literal consumption by humans and animals, as well as figurative uses like devouring by fire or destruction. It can describe actions such as feeding or causing to eat, and it also appears in contexts of oppression and destruction. The verb has various forms, indicating different subjects and nuances.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָכַל 806 vb. eat

Qal

eat, human subject

of beasts, birds, etc., eat, devour

fig. of fire, devour, consume

of sword, devour, slay

in genl., devour, consume, destroy

fig. of oppression, devour the poor

Niph.

be eaten by man

be devoured by fire, consumed

be wasted, destroyed, of flesh

Pu. be consumed

Hiph.

cause to eat, feed with

cause to devoure, obj. sword

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H398 אָכַל eat .. eat, human subject

. of beasts, birds, etc., eat, devour

. fig. of fire, devour, consume

. of sword, devour, slay

. in genl., devour, consume, destroy

. fig. of oppression, devour the poor

. . be eaten by man

. be devoured by fire, consumed

. be wasted, destroyed, of flesh

. be consumed

. . cause to eat, feed with

. cause to devoure, obj. sword

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

398 'akal aw-kal'

a primitive root; to eat (literally or figuratively):--X at

all, burn up, consume, devour(-er, up), dine, eat(-er, up),

feed (with), food, X freely, X in...wise(-deed, plenty), (lay)

meat, X quite.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָכַל (a.khal) — to eat.

1) to eat, devour, burn up, feed

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to eat (human subject)

1a2) to eat, devour (of beasts and birds)

1a3) to devour, consume (of fire)

1a4) to devour, slay (of sword)

1a5) to devour, consume, destroy (inanimate subjects - ie, pestilence, drought)

1a6) to devour (of oppression)

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be eaten (by men)

1b2) to be devoured, consumed (of fire)

1b3) to be wasted, destroyed (of flesh)

1c) (Pual)

1c1) to cause to eat, feed with

1c2) to cause to devour

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to feed

1d2) to cause to eat

1e) (Piel)

1e1) consume

Aramaic equivalent: a.khal (אֲכַל "to devour" H0399)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms | Suff — Verb qal imperfect third person masculine singular · suffix
HVqi3ms/Sp3mp
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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