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Isaiah 51:14 — Word Study

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WLCמִהַ֥ר צֹעֶ֖ה לְהִפָּתֵ֑חַ וְלֹא־ יָמ֣וּת לַשַּׁ֔חַת וְלֹ֥א יֶחְסַ֖ר לַחְמֽוֹ׃

BSAThe captivetsâʻâh [prisoner, exile] will soonmâhar [speedily, quickly] be freedpâthach [loosed, set free] he will notlôʼ [never] diemûwth [perish, come to an end] in the dungeonshachath [pit, underworld] and his breadlechem [food, sustenance] will notlôʼ [never] be lackingchâçêr [fail, come to an end]

Word
Listen & take awayIsaiah 51
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 14 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 (lach.Mo) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Isaiah 51:14quick helps
In a sentenceThe verse promises that the captive will be freed quickly and will not suffer lack.
Who is speakingThe LORD, addressing the people through the prophet Isaiah.
Where we areIn a passage of comfort, assuring the oppressed of their imminent deliverance.
The hard wordמִהַ֥ר
Take awayGod will ensure provision and safety for His people.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectצָעָה verbמָהַר 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 51:14

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 Promise of Deliverancegenerated

13But you have forgotten the LORD, your Maker, who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth. You live in terror all day long because of the fury of the oppressor who is bent on destruction. But where is the fury of the oppressor?
14The captive will soon be freed; he will not die in the dungeon, and his bread will not be lacking.
15For I am the LORD your God who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar— the LORD of Hosts is His name.
16I have put My words in your mouth, and covered you with the shadow of My hand, to establish the heavens, to found the earth, and to say to Zion, ‘You are My people.’”

Isaiah 51:14 speaks of the LORD's assurance that the captive will soon be freed from oppression and lack. This promise comes in the context of God's reminder of His power and faithfulness to His people, contrasting their current suffering with the hope of liberation and sustenance. The surrounding verses emphasize God's sovereignty over creation and His commitment to His people, encouraging them to trust in His deliverance.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Isaiah 48:20Leave Babylon! Flee from the Chaldeans! Declare it with a shout of joy, proclaim it, let it go out to the ends of the earth, saying, “The LORD has redeemed His servant Jacob!”
2Isaiah 52:2Shake off your dust! Rise up and sit on your throne, O Jerusalem. Remove the chains from your neck, O captive Daughter of Zion.
3Ezra 1:5So the family heads of Judah and Benjamin, along with the priests and Levites—everyone whose spirit God had stirred—prepared to go up and rebuild the house of the LORD in Jerusalem.
4Acts 12:7–8Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He tapped Peter on the side and woke him up, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his wrists.
5Jeremiah 37:16So Jeremiah went into a cell in the dungeon and remained there a long time.

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


The Key Word מִהַ֥ר, mi.Hargenerated

The verb מָהַר (mahar) means to hasten or hurry, indicating a swift action. The Piel form suggests an intensity in the action, emphasizing the urgency of the deliverance promised to the captive.

This word conveys a sense of immediacy, assuring that the liberation will not be delayed. In this context, it highlights God's readiness to act on behalf of those who are oppressed.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The finite verb מִהַ֥ר governs the main action of the verse — will hasten — with several clauses and phrases detailing the outcomes of this action. The structure emphasizes the urgency of the freeing and the assurance of sustenance.

The main clause is followed by a series of phrases that elaborate on the conditions of the captive's freedom and well-being, creating a layered promise of hope.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates מִהַ֥ר as σπεύσει (speusēi), which means 'will hasten.' This choice reinforces the idea of quick action and divine intervention in the lives of the oppressed.

The use of σπεύσει aligns with the urgency expressed in the Hebrew, indicating that the translators understood the promise of immediate deliverance.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Isaiah 51:14 promises that the captive will be freed quickly and will not die in the dungeon. It assures that their needs will be met and they will not lack food. This verse highlights God's commitment to deliver His people from oppression.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that the captive will be freed?

This refers to the promise of liberation from oppression and suffering, signifying hope for those in captivity.

Why is the mention of bread important?

The mention of bread signifies God's provision and care for His people's basic needs, ensuring they will not go hungry.

How does this verse relate to God's character?

This verse illustrates God's faithfulness and power to save, showing that He actively cares for His people.

What can we learn from this promise?

We learn that God is attentive to our struggles and is committed to providing for us, even in dire circumstances.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what areas of my life do I feel captive, and how can I trust God for freedom?
  2. How can I remind myself of God's provision when I face lack or need?
  3. What does it mean for me to believe that God acts quickly on behalf of His people?
  4. How can I share the message of hope and provision found in this verse with others?

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

Early commentators like Jerome and Theodoret refer to this verse to discuss God's promise of deliverance and provision for His people.

JeromeCOMMENTARY ON Isaiah 14:11 c. 347–420
Symmachus in this verse translated, “speedily hell will open up, and he will not remain in corruption,” which indicates Christ when it says, “You will not abandon my soul to hell, nor will you give your holy one over to see corruption.”
Early Church Fathers on Isaiah 51 →
Theodoret of CyrusCOMMENTARY ON Isaiah 16:51.15 c. 393–460
“And his bread will not fail because I am the Lord your God, who stirs up the sea and its waves, the Lord of hosts is my name.” The phrase “and his bread will not fail” appears in the Septuagint with an asterisk.
Early Church Fathers on Isaiah 51 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Isaiah 51:14 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

The captive exile hasteneth that he may be loosed,.... The time hastens on, or God will hasten the time, for the release either of the captive Jews in literal Babylon, or of his people in mystical

Read John Gill on Isaiah 51 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

The captive exile hasteneth that he may be loosed, and that he should not die in the pit, nor that his bread should fail. The captive exile , [ tso`eh (H6808)].

Read Robert Jamieson on Isaiah 51 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

God is not slack, as you think, but maketh haste to fulfil his promise, and to rescue his captive and oppressed people from all their oppressions and miseries.

Read Matthew Poole on Isaiah 51 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Isaiah 51:14 The captive exile hasteneth that he may be loosed, and that he should not die in the pit, nor that his bread should fail.Ver. 14. The captive exile hasteneth that he may be loosed,] i.e., Deliverance is even at the next door by; or, it is a description, saith Diodate, of the believers’ readiness in answering with the motion of their hearts to God’ s calling and deliverance.

Read John Trapp on Isaiah 51 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(14) The captive exile.—Literally, he that is bowed down, i.e., bound in fetters. The “pit,” as in the case of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 38:6), is the underground dungeon, in which the prisoner was too often left to starve.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Isaiah 51 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 14. The captive exile hasteneth that he may be loosed - "He marcheth on with speed, who cometh to set free the captive"] Cyrus, if understood of the temporal redemption from the captivity of Babylon; in the spiritual sense, the Messiah, who comes to open the prison to them that are bound.

Read AdamClarke on Isaiah 51 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

14. The received text is probably best rendered as follows: Speedily shall the crouching (prisoner) be set free, and he shall not die (and go down) to the pit, nor shall his bread fail (see R.V.); Israel in exile being compared to a prisoner in danger of death through starvation. The image reminds us of Jeremiah in the dungeon (Isaiah 38:9-10). The verse is full of obscurities, and its connexion with what precedes is of the loosest kind. The LXX. gives what is obviously a conjectural rendering, and it is not unlikely that the Hebr. represents another attempt to restore an illegible text.

Read Cambridge on Isaiah 51 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The captive exile - Lowth renders this, evidently very improperly, ‘He marcheth on with speed who cometh to set the captive free;’ and supposes that it refers to Cyrus, if understood of the temporal

Read Albert Barnes on Isaiah 51 →

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

The captive will soon be freed; he will not die in the dungeon, and his bread will not be lacking.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

The captive exile will speedily be freed. He will not die and go down into the pit. His bread won’t fail.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

The captive will soon be freed; he will not die in the dungeon, and his bread will not be lacking.

NETBNew English Translation2006

The one who suffers will soon be released; he will not die in prison, he will not go hungry.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

The captive exile hasteneth that he may be loosed, and that he should not die in the pit, nor that his bread should fail.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

The captive exile shall speedily be loosed; and he shall not die and go down into the pit, neither shall his bread fail.

RVARevised Version, American1894

The captive exile shall speedily be loosed; and he shall not die and go down into the pit, neither shall his bread fail.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

The captive exile hasteneth that he may be loosed, and that he should not die in the pit, nor that his bread should fail.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

The captiue hasteneth to be loosed, and that hee should not die in the pitte, nor that his bread should faile.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

He that is bowed down shall speedily be loosed, and he shall not die in the pit, nor shall his bread fail.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Hastened hath a wanderer to be loosed, And he doth not die at the pit, And his bread is not lacking.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

A wanderer has hurried to be loosed, || And he does not die in the pit, || And his bread is not lacking.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

The exile will be speedily set free; and he shall not die in the dungeon, and his bread shall not fail.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

The one who is bent down, Yahweh will hurry to release; he will not die and go down to the pit, nor will he lack bread.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

He shall quickly come that is going to open unto you, and he shall not kill unto utter destruction, neither shall his bread fail.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

The prisoners that are bowed down will soon be set free. They're not going to die; they won't go on being hungry.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

The prisoner, bent under his chain, will quickly be made free, and will not go down into the underworld, and his bread will not come to an end.

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.

clauseverbמִהַ֥רhe.will.hastensubjectצֹעֶ֖ה[one.who].stoopsprepositional phrase · prepositionalלְtoclauseverbהִפָּתֵ֑חַbe.let.looseוְandclauseadverbialלֹאnotverbיָמ֣וּתhe.will.dieprepositional phrase · prepositionalלַtonoun phrasetheשַּׁ֔חַתpitוְandclauseadverbialלֹ֥אnotverbיֶחְסַ֖רhe.will.lacknoun phrase · objectלַחְמֽfoodוֹhis

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


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

The Masoretic Text and the Dead Sea Scrolls generally agree in their wording, affirming the promise of freedom and sustenance. The Septuagint, while differing in structure, retains the core message of liberation and assurance of provision.

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

מִהַ֥ר צֹעֶ֖ה לְהִפָּתֵ֑חַ וְלֹא־ יָמ֣וּת לַשַּׁ֔חַת וְלֹ֥א יֶחְסַ֖ר לַחְמֽוֹ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וְלֹא־οὐיָמ֣וּתστήσεταιוְלֹ֥אοὐδὲ

3 of the 9 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

מהר צרה להפתח ולוא ימות לשחת ולוא יחסר לחמ׳ו

9 words on the leather.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q56a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[מהר] [צעה] [להפתח] [ולא] [ימות] [לשחת] ולא יחסר [לחמ׳ו]

2 words on the leather — 7 supplied entire by an editor.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q57a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[מהר] [צעה] [להפתח] [ולוא] [ימות] [לשחת] [ולא] [יחסר] [לחמ׳ו]

nothing on the leather here — 9 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 51:14מָהַרhe will hashe will hastenמָהַרצָעָה[one who] s[one who] stoopצָעָהפָּתַחto be let lto be let looseפָּתַחלֹאand notand notלֹאמוּתhe will diehe will dieמוּתשַׁ֫חַתto the pitto the pitשַׁ֫חַתלֹאand notand notלֹאחָסֵרhe will lache will lackחָסֵרלֶ֫חֶםfood hisfood hisלֶ֫חֶםשׁוּחַto sinkto sinkשׁוּחַלָחַםto fightto fightלָחַםיָכֹלbe ablebe ableיָכֹלעוֹדstillstillעוֹדאֲבִיגַ֫יִלAbigailAbigailאֲבִיגַ֫יִלכַּדjarjarכַּדרִיקto emptyto emptyרִיקפִּתּוּחַengravingengravingפִּתּוּחַדָּלdoordoorדָּלרָצַחto murderto murderרָצַחקָבַרto buryto buryקָבַרכוּרto digto digכוּררֶ֫שֶׁתnetnetרֶ֫שֶׁתבֶּ֫טֶןbelly: abdbelly: abdomenבֶּ֫טֶןחֲמִשִּׁיםfiftyfiftyחֲמִשִּׁיםפַּתmorselmorselפַּתשָׂבֵעַto satisfyto satisfyשָׂבֵעַ
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 51:14

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.

he will hasten [one who] stoops to be let loose and not he will die to the pit and not he will lack food his
מִהַ֥רmi.Har he will hasten H4116 Verb · Piel · perfect third person masculine singular
68× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to hurry or do something quickly, like when someone is in a rush. It can also mean to buy something by paying a price. The Bible uses it in Genesis.
Amplified meaning
speedily, quickly
Tyndale gloss
to hasten
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מָהַר (mahar) primarily means to hasten or hurry, conveying a sense of urgency or quickness. It can describe being anxious or impetuous, as well as the act of preparing or bringing something quickly. Additionally, it has a secondary meaning related to acquiring something by payment. The lexicons agree on these definitions without notable disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[מָהַר] vb. hasten

Niph. be hurried = anxious, disturbed; hasty, precipitate; impetuous

Pi.

hasten, make haste = go or come quickly

hasten vb.

trans. hasten, = prepare quickly; = bring quickly; = do quickly

base

מָהַר vb. denom. acquire by paying purchase-price

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4116a [מָהַר] hasten . be hurried = anxious, disturbed; hasty, precipitate; impetuous

. . hasten, make haste = go or come quickly

. hasten vb.

. trans. hasten, = prepare quickly; = bring quickly; = do quickly

H4116b מָהַר vb. denom. acquire by paying purchase-price

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4116 mahar maw-har'

a primitive root; properly, to be liquid or flow easily, i.e.

(by implication); to hurry (in a good or a bad sense); often

used (with another verb) adverbially, promptly:--be carried

headlong, fearful, (cause to make, in, make) haste(-n, -ily),

(be) hasty, (fetch, make ready) X quickly, rash, X shortly,

(be so) X soon, make speed, X speedily, X straightway, X

suddenly, swift.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מָהַר (ma.har) — to hasten.

1)(Qal) to hasten

1a) (Niphal) to be hurried, be anxious

1a) hasty, precipitate, impetuous

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to hasten, make haste

1b2) hasten (used as adverb with another verb)

1b3) to hasten, prepare quickly, do quickly, bring quickly

מָהַר (ma.har) — to buy.

acquire by paying purchase-price

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Piel-Perf-3ms — Verb · Piel · perfect third person masculine singular
HVpp3ms
he will hasten [one who] stoops to be let loose and not he will die to the pit and not he will lack food his
צֹעֶ֖הtzo.'Eh [one who] stoops H6808 Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine singular
5× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To march or tip over, this verb implies movement or action, sometimes with negative connotations like depopulation or conquest. It can also mean to lie down or bend, with various translations in the King James Version. The meaning depends on the context in which it is used.
Amplified meaning
prisoner, exile
Tyndale gloss
to march
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

צָעָה (tsa`ah) is a Hebrew verb that primarily means to stoop, bend, or incline. It can also refer to tipping over, particularly in the context of pouring out or emptying a vessel. The word encompasses actions like bending under a burden and can imply a sense of depopulation or imprisonment. The lexicons indicate a range of meanings, but there is no significant disagreement among them.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[צָעָה] vb. stoop, bend, incline

Qal

one stooping (under a burden), bending

trans. men inclining, tipping a vessel, to empty it.

Pi. I will send tippers and they shall tip him over

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6808 צָעָה stoop, bend, incline

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6808 tsa`ah tsaw-aw'

a primitive root; to tip over (for the purpose of spilling or

pouring out), i.e. (figuratively) depopulate; by implication,

to imprison or conquer; (reflexive) to lie down (for

coitus):--captive exile, travelling, (cause to) wander(-er).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

צָעָה (tsa.ah) — to march.

1) to stoop, bend, incline

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to stoop, bend

1a2) to incline, tip

1b) (Piel) to tip over

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal — Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine singular
HVqrmsa
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
he will hasten [one who] stoops to be let loose and not he will die to the pit and not he will lack food his
לְהִפָּתֵ֑חַle.hi.pa.Te.ach to be let loose H6605 Preposition · verb niphal infinitive construct common
144× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to engrave or carve, and is used in Exodus to describe the intricate carvings on the furniture of the tabernacle.
Amplified meaning
loosed, set free
Tyndale gloss
to open
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

פָּתַח (pathach) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to open' and can refer to various actions such as opening doors, loosening restraints, or engraving. It has different forms, including Qal (to open), Niphal (to be opened), and Piel (to engrave). The entries highlight its literal and figurative uses, but there is some overlap in meaning regarding its applications in opening and engraving.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

פָּתַח vb. open

Qal open sack

Niph. be opened

Pi. be opened

free, i.e. ungird, camels

loosen (and remove) sack-cloth

open gates, doors

Hithp. loosen thee the fetters of thy neck

base

[פָּתַח] vb. Pi. engrave

Pu. stones engraved with the engravings of a signet.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6605a פָּתַח open .open sack

. be opened

. be opened . free, i.e. ungird, camels

. loosen (and remove) sack-cloth

. open gates, doors

. loosen thee the fetters of thy neck

H6605b פָּתַח Pi. engrave

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6605 pathach paw-thakh'

a primitive root; to open wide (literally or figuratively);

specifically, to loosen, begin, plough, carve:--appear, break

forth, draw (out), let go free, (en-)grave(-n), loose (self),

(be, be set) open(-ing), put off, ungird, unstop, have vent.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

פָּתַח (pa.tach) — to open.

1) to open

1a) (Qal) to open

1b) (Niphal) to be opened, be let loose, be thrown open

1c) (Piel)

1c1) to free

1c2) to loosen

1c3) to open, open oneself

1d) (Hithpael) to loose oneself

Aramaic equivalent: pe.tach (פְּתַח "to open" H6606)

פָּתַח (pa.tach) — to engrave.

1) to carve, engrave

1a) (Piel) to engrave

1b) (Pual) to be engraved

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | V-Niphal-Inf-a — Preposition · verb niphal infinitive construct common
HR/VNcc
he will hasten [one who] stoops to be let loose and not he will die to the pit and not he will lack food his
וְלֹא־ve.lo'- and not H3808 Conjunction · particle
5,170× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Amplified meaning
never
Tyndale gloss
not
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לֹא or לוֹא adv. not

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3808 lo' lo

or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often

used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,

ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,

no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out

of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +

of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לֹא (lo) — not.

1) not, no

1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)

1b) not (with modifier-negation)

1c) nothing (subst)

1d) without (with particle)

1e) before (of time)

Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Part — Conjunction · particle
HC/Tn
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
he will hasten [one who] stoops to be let loose and not he will die to the pit and not he will lack food his
יָמ֣וּתya.Mut he will die H4191 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
840× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means to die, either literally or as a punishment, and is used in books like Genesis and Exodus. It can also mean to perish or be killed. This concept is seen in the story of Adam and Eve, where death enters the world as a result of sin.
Amplified meaning
perish, come to an end
Tyndale gloss
to die
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מוּת (mūth) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to die' or 'to kill.' It encompasses a range of meanings from dying naturally to being executed as a penalty. The word can refer to both humans and animals, and it includes various forms such as causing death or being killed. There is a distinction in usage based on the subject, whether it is a person or God inflicting death.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מוּת vb. die

Qal

die, of natural or other causes

die as a penalty = be put to death

Po‛lel. kill, put to death, despatch (intens.)

Hiph.

abs., elsewhere c. acc., subj. man

subj. God, by inflicting penalty

of animals killing men

bring to a premature death

Hoph. be killed, put to death

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4191 מוּת die .. die, of natural or other causes

. die as a penalty = be put to death

. kill, put to death, despatch (intens.)

. . abs., elsewhere c. acc., subj. man

. subj. God, by inflicting penalty

. of animals killing men

. bring to a premature death

. be killed, put to death

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4191 muwth mooth

a primitive root: to die (literally or figuratively);

causatively, to kill:--X at all, X crying, (be) dead (body,

man, one), (put to, worthy of) death, destroy(-er), (cause to,

be like to, must) die, kill, necro(-mancer), X must needs,

slay, X surely, X very suddenly, X in (no) wise.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מוּת (mut) — to die.

1) to die, kill, have one executed

1a)(Qal)

1a1) to die

1a2) to die (as penalty), be put to death

1a3) to die, perish (of a nation)

1a4) to die prematurely (by neglect of wise moral conduct)

1b) (Polel) to kill, put to death, dispatch

1c) (Hiphil) to kill, put to death

1d) (Hophal)

1d1) to be killed, be put to death

1d1a) to die prematurely

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
HVqi3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

(muth, gawa`; apothnesko, teleutao): "To die," etc., is of very frequent occurrence, and in the Old Testament is generally the translation of muth, meaning perhaps originally, "to be stretched out" or "prostrate." "To die," should be the consequence of eating the forbidden fruit (Ge 2:17; compare Ge 20:7; 2Ki 1:4,6). "Die" is commonly used of natural death (Ge 5:8; 25:8). It is used also of violent death (Ge 26:9,11; Ex 21:20); punitive (Ex 19:12; 21:12,14; 28:43; Nu…

he will hasten [one who] stoops to be let loose and not he will die to the pit and not he will lack food his
לַשַּׁ֔חַתla.Sha.chat to the pit H7845 Preposition · noun common feminine singular absolute
23× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This noun refers to a pit or grave, and it is often used figuratively to describe destruction or corruption, as seen in Proverbs and other books.
Amplified meaning
pit, underworld
Tyndale gloss
pit: grave
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word שַׁ֫חַת (shachath) means 'pit' and is derived from a root that suggests destruction or corruption. It covers a range of meanings including a physical pit, grave, and figuratively, hell or destruction. The entries note its use in contexts related to traps and Sheol, the grave.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שַׁ֫חַת n.f. pit

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7845 שַׁ֫חַת pit

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7845 shachath shakh'-ath

from 7743; a pit (especially as a trap); figuratively,

destruction:--corruption, destruction, ditch, grave, pit.

see HEBREW for 07743

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שַׁ֫חַת (sha.chat) — Pit: hell.

Pit, of hell

Another name of she.ol (שְׁאוֹל "Sheol" H7585)

This name means pit, grave

שַׁ֫חַת (sha.chat) — pit: grave.

1) pit, destruction, grave

1a) pit (for catching lions)

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

The word translates different Hebrew words of which the most important are:

(1) bor, "pit" or "cistern," made by digging, (Ge 37:20); hence, "dungeon" (Jer 38:6, margin "pit");

(2) be'er, "pit" or "well" made by digging (Ge 21:25);

(3) she'ol, generally rendered "hell" in the King James Version (see HELL);

(4) shachath, a pit in the ground to catch wild animals. (1), (2) and (4) above are used metaphorically of the pit of the "grave" or of "sheol" (Ps 28:1; 30:3; Job 33:24). the King James Version sometimes incorrectly renders (4) by "corruption."

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Pit

A hole in the ground (Ex. 21:33, 34), a cistern for water (Gen. 37:24; Jer. 14:3), a vault (41:9), a grave (Ps. 30:3). It is used as a figure for mischief (Ps. 9:15), and is the name given to the unseen place of woe (Rev. 20:1, 3). The slime-pits in the vale of Siddim were wells which yielded asphalt (Gen. 14:10).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

[HELL]

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A reservoir, either natural or artificial, for water. Pits were sometimes used as dungeons, Ge 37:20; Jer 38:6; or being slightly covered, and baited, they served as traps to catch wild beasts, a device which illustrates the plots of designing men and women, Ps 119:85; Pr 22:14; 26:27; Eze 19:4. The word pit is also used to denote the grave, Ps 28:1; 30:3,9; and hell, Re 20:1.

he will hasten [one who] stoops to be let loose and not he will die to the pit and not he will lack food his
וְלֹ֥אve.Lo' and not H3808 Conjunction · particle
5,170× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Amplified meaning
never
Tyndale gloss
not
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לֹא or לוֹא adv. not

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3808 lo' lo

or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often

used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,

ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,

no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out

of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +

of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לֹא (lo) — not.

1) not, no

1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)

1b) not (with modifier-negation)

1c) nothing (subst)

1d) without (with particle)

1e) before (of time)

Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Part — Conjunction · particle
HC/Tn
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
he will hasten [one who] stoops to be let loose and not he will die to the pit and not he will lack food his
יֶחְסַ֖רyech.Sar he will lack H2637 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
23× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To lack or be without something is what this word means. It describes a state of need or shortage, often used in stories of struggle or hardship. The Bible talks about lack in books like Psalms and Proverbs.
Amplified meaning
fail, come to an end
Tyndale gloss
to lack
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חָסֵר (chacer) is a Hebrew verb meaning to lack or be without. It encompasses various nuances such as diminishing, decreasing, and causing something to be lacking. The entries indicate its use in different forms, including Qal, Piel, and Hiphil, which reflect its active and causative aspects.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חָסֵר vb. lack, need, be lacking, decrease

Qal

lack

be lacking

diminish, decrease

Pi. cause to lack

Hiph. cause to be lacking, fail

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2637 חָסֵר lack, need, be lacking, decrease .. lack

. be lacking

. diminish, decrease

. cause to lack

. cause to be lacking, fail

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2637 chacer khaw-sare'

a primitive root; to lack; by implication, to fail, want,

lessen:--be abated, bereave, decrease, (cause to) fail, (have)

lack, make lower, want.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חָסֵר (cha.ser) — to lack.

1) to lack, be without, decrease, be lacking, have a need

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to lack

1a2) to be lacking

1a3) to diminish, decrease

1b) (Piel) to cause to lack

1c) (Hiphil) to cause to be lacking

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
HVqi3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

(forms of chacer, "to lack," ayin, "nought"): This word in its various forms has the usual meaning of "want," "need," "deficiency." There is but little change in the use of the word in the different versions. Sometimes one of the common synonyms is exchanged for the word itself, e.g. in the Old Testament, 1Sa 21:15 the Revised Version (British and American) has "lack" ("Do I lack madmen?") where the King James Version has "need of"; Pr 5:23, "for lack," instead of "without"; 6:32, "void of" for "lacketh"; 10:21, "lack" for "want"; 31:11, "lack" for "need"; Isa 59:15, "lacking" for "faileth." In the New Testament "lack" is the translation of hustereo, literally, "to be behind," and endees, "in want." In

he will hasten [one who] stoops to be let loose and not he will die to the pit and not he will lack food his
לַחְמֽוֹ׃lach.Mo food his H3899 Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
298× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word refers to food, especially bread or grain. It's used throughout the Bible to describe meals, sacrifices, and daily life, highlighting the importance of food in ancient Israelite culture.
Amplified meaning
food, sustenance
Tyndale gloss
food
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

לֶ֫חֶם (lechem) means bread or food, encompassing items like grain and provisions for both humans and animals. It is derived from a related root and is used in various contexts, particularly in the Old Testament. The entries consistently emphasize its primary association with bread, though they also acknowledge its broader meaning as food.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לֶ֫חֶם 296 n.m. and (rarely) f. bread, food

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3899 לֶ֫חֶם bread, food

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3899 lechem lekh'-em

from 3898; food (for man or beast), especially bread, or

grain (for making it):--((shew-))bread, X eat, food, fruit,

loaf, meat, victuals. See also 1036.

see HEBREW for 03898

see HEBREW for 01036

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לֶ֫חֶם (le.chem) — food.

: food(eating)

1) bread, food, grain

1a) bread

1a1) bread

1a2) bread-corn

1b) food (in general)

לֶ֫חֶם (le.chem) — food: bread.

: bread/loaf

1) bread, food, grain

1a) bread

1a1) bread

1a2) bread-corn

1b) food (in general)

לֶ֫חֶם (le.chem) — food: allowance.

: allowance

1) bread, food, grain

1a) bread

1a1) bread

1a2) bread-corn

1b) food (in general)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-cs | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HNcmsc/Sp3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hiz: Used often in the King James Version with reference to a neuter or inanimate thing, or to a lower animal (Ge 1:11, "after his kind"; Le 1:16, "pluck away his crop"; Ac 12:10, "of his own accord"; 1Co 15:38, "his own body"), etc. the Revised Version (British and American) substitutes "its."

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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