Menu

Isaiah 9:16 — Word Study

Depth

WLCוַיִּֽהְי֛וּ מְאַשְּׁרֵ֥י הָֽעָם־ הַזֶּ֖ה מַתְעִ֑ים וּמְאֻשָּׁרָ֖יו מְבֻלָּעִֽים׃

BSAuponʻal rightkên uponʻal youthbâchûwr notlôʼ to rejoicesâmach LordʼĂdônây Obj.ʼêth orphanyâthôwm Obj.ʼêth widowʼalmânâh notlôʼ to have compassionrâcham forkîy allkôl profanechânêph be evilrâʻaʻ allkôl lippeh to speakdâbar follynᵉbâlâh allkôl thiszôʼth notlôʼ to returnshûwb faceʼaph stillʻôwd handyâd to stretchnâṭâh

Word
Listen & take awayIsaiah 9
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 16 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 (me.vu.la.'Im) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Isaiah 9:16quick helps
In a sentenceThose who lead the people mislead them, and those misled are destroyed.
Who is speakingThe prophet Isaiah, addressing the consequences of poor leadership.
Where we areIn a passage warning about the dangers of misguided leaders.
The hard wordמַתְעִ֑ים, mat'īm
Take awayMisleading leadership leads to destruction.
7 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbכֵּן 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 9:16

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 — Warning Against Misleading Leadershipgenerated

15The head is the elder and honorable man, and the tail is the prophet who teaches lies.
16For those who guide this people mislead them, and those they mislead are swallowed up.
17Therefore the Lord takes no pleasure in their young men; He has no compassion on their fatherless and widows. For every one of them is godless and wicked, and every mouth speaks folly. Despite all this, His anger is not turned away; His hand is still upraised.
18For wickedness burns like a fire that consumes the thorns and briers and kindles the forest thickets which roll upward in billows of smoke.

Isaiah 9:16 addresses the issue of leadership within the community, emphasizing the consequences of those who mislead the people. The surrounding verses illustrate the contrast between the honorable and the dishonorable, highlighting the serious implications of poor guidance, as seen in Isaiah 9:15 and Isaiah 9:17.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Isaiah 3:12Youths oppress My people, and women rule over them. O My people, your guides mislead you; they turn you from your paths.
2Matthew 15:14Disregard them! They are blind guides. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.”
3Matthew 23:16–36Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’
4Numbers 6:23–26“Tell Aaron and his sons: This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them:
51 Kings 8:55–56And he stood and blessed the whole assembly of Israel in a loud voice, saying:

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 7 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word מַתְעִ֑ים, mat.'Imgenerated

The word מַתְעִ֑ים (mat'īm) is a participle form of the verb תָּעָה (ta`ah), meaning to mislead or cause to err. It conveys the idea of leading someone astray, whether physically or morally. The parsing indicates that it is an active participle, showing that those who mislead are currently engaged in this action.

This word captures the danger of misleading leadership, suggesting not only a failure to guide correctly but also an active role in causing others to stray from the right path.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses mislead for מַתְעִ֑ים.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The finite verb וַיִּֽהְי֛וּ, vai.yih.Yu, governs the entire verse, with two main clauses connected by 'and'. The first clause describes the misleading guides, while the second clause details the consequences for those misled.

The structure emphasizes the relationship between the guides and the people, illustrating how poor leadership directly leads to the downfall of those they mislead.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, the Hebrew word מַתְעִ֑ים is rendered as ἐπὶ (epi), which suggests a focus on the action of leading. This choice narrows the meaning to a more direct implication of guidance, showing the translators' intent to emphasize the role of leaders.

The translation reflects a concern for the consequences of leadership, aligning with the Hebrew text's warning against misleading guidance.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Isaiah 9:16 warns about leaders who mislead the people, resulting in destruction for those who follow them. This verse highlights the importance of proper guidance and the severe consequences of failing to lead rightly.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean to mislead the people?

To mislead the people means to guide them incorrectly, causing them to stray from the right path or truth.

What are the consequences of misleading leadership?

The consequences include destruction and confusion among those who follow such leaders, as indicated in this verse.

How can leaders ensure they are guiding correctly?

Leaders can ensure they are guiding correctly by seeking wisdom, adhering to truth, and being accountable to the community they serve.

What role does the community play in leadership?

The community plays a crucial role in holding leaders accountable and ensuring they lead with integrity and truth.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways have I seen leaders mislead others, and what were the consequences?
  2. How can I discern whether a leader is guiding me rightly?
  3. What steps can I take to ensure I am not misleading others in my guidance?
  4. How can the community support leaders in their role to guide effectively?

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

Gregory of Nazianzus references this verse to discuss the implications of living for Christ and the consequences of poor leadership.

Gregory of NazianzusIN DEFENSE OF HIS FLIGHT, ORATION 2:56 c. 329–390
He [Paul] lived not to himself but to Christ and his preaching. He crucified the world to himself, and being crucified to the world and the things which are seen, he thought all things little and too small to be desired.
Early Church Fathers on Isaiah 9 →

Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Isaiah 9:16 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

For the leaders of this people cause [them] to err,.... Or, "who bless this people", as the Septuagint and Arabic versions; and so the Targum, "who praise this people;'' that call them blessed,

Read John Gill on Isaiah 9 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed. For the leaders ... - see margin, 'they that call them blessed,' and note, Isaiah 3:12.

Read Robert Jamieson on Isaiah 9 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

The leaders; their governors, both civil and ecclesiastical, and especially the latter, their teachers, even the false prophets last mentioned. Or, they that bless or praise them, to wit, the false prophets, that flatter them in their wicked ways, with hopes and promises of peace, as their manner was, Jeremiah 6 14 28:9. Both ways the sense is the same. Cause them to err; either compelling them by power, or deceiving them by false doctrines and evil counsels and persuasions. Are destroyed; shall certainly perish; nor will it excuse them that they followed the counsel and conduct of their leaders.

Read Matthew Poole on Isaiah 9 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Isaiah 9:16 For the leaders of this people cause [them] to err; and [they that are] led of them [are] destroyed.Ver. 16. For the leaders of this people cause them to err.] By their ill counsel and example. Exempla enim non ibi consistunt, ubi cceperunt. The ancients placed the statues of their princes and patriots near the fountains, to show that they were the spring heads of good or evil to the public. Some read the words thus: Those that bless this people, viz., the false prophets, have been misleaders: ductoresfuerunt seductores. Pope Plus II hath this memorable saying, Nihil excellenter malum in Ecclesia, Catholica patratur cuius prima origo a sacerdotibus non dependeat, in forte…

Read John Trapp on Isaiah 9 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

16. Render: And the leaders of this people have become misleaders, and they of it that are led are swallowed up (or perhaps as Isaiah 3:12 confused).

Read Cambridge on Isaiah 9 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For the leaders of this people ... - Note, Isaiah 3:12. Hebrew ‘They that call this people blessed’ - referring more particularly to the false prophets.

Read Albert Barnes on Isaiah 9 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

16. The leaders… led — See Isaiah 3:12. The “leaders” and the “led” are both swallowed up in misery: the former because of their bad leadership, the latter as the result of their wrong following. Numbers 16:30.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Isaiah 9 →

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

For those who guide this people mislead them, and those they mislead are swallowed up.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

For those who lead this people lead them astray; and those who are led by them are destroyed.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

For those who guide this people mislead them, and those they mislead are swallowed up.

NETBNew English Translation2006

The leaders of this nation were misleading people, and the people being led were destroyed.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

For they that lead this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed.

RVARevised Version, American1894

For they that lead this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led by them are destroyed.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

For the leaders of the people cause them to erre: and they that are led by them are deuoured.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

For the guides of this people mislead [them]; and they that are guided by them are swallowed up.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And the eulogists of this people are causing to err, And its eulogised ones are consumed.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And the eulogists of this people are causing to err, || And its eulogized ones are consumed.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

(9:15) And the guides of this people are those that guide to error; and those that are led of them are misled.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Those who lead this people lead them astray, and those who are led by them are swallowed up.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And they that call this people blessed, shall cause them to err: and they that are called blessed, shall be thrown down headlong.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

The people's leaders have misled them; those who were guided by them are confused.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

For the guides of this people are the cause of their wandering from the right way, and those who are guided by them come to destruction.

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.

וַandclauseverbיִּֽהְי֛וּthey.werenoun phrase · subjectמְאַשְּׁרֵ֥יthe.guidesnoun phraseהָֽofnoun phraseעָםthe.peopleadjective phraseהַ(the)זֶּ֖הthisobjectמַתְעִ֑יםleading.astrayוּandclausenoun phrase · subjectמְאֻשָּׁרָ֖י[thoseוwho.were].guided.by.himverbמְבֻלָּעִֽים[were].confused

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


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

The Masoretic Text reads: וַיִּֽהְי֛וּ מְאַשְּׁרֵ֥י הָֽעָם־ הַזֶּ֖ה מַתְעִ֑ים וּמְאֻשָּׁרָ֖יו מְבֻלָּעִֽים׃. The Septuagint matches six of the seven words, indicating a strong alignment between the two texts. The Dead Sea Scrolls also support the Masoretic Text's reading, confirming the consistency of this verse across different manuscripts.

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

וַיִּֽהְי֛וּ מְאַשְּׁרֵ֥י הָֽעָם־ הַזֶּ֖ה מַתְעִ֑ים וּמְאֻשָּׁרָ֖יו מְבֻלָּעִֽים׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיִּֽהְי֛וּτοῦτοמְאַשְּׁרֵ֥יἐπὶהַזֶּ֖הεὐφρανθήσεταιמַתְעִ֑יםוּמְאֻשָּׁרָ֖יוκαὶמְבֻלָּעִֽים׃ὀρφανοὺς

6 of the 7 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

על כן על בחורי׳ו לוא יחמול אדוני ואת יתומי׳ו ואת אלמנותי׳ו לוא ירחם כי כול׳ו חנפ ומרע וכול פה דבר נבלה בכול זואת לוא שב אפ׳ו ועוד יד׳יו נטויה

29 words on the leather.

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


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

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

Isaiah 9:16הָיָהand they weand they wereהָיָהאָשַׁר[the] guide[the] guidesאָשַׁרעַםthe peoplethe peopleעַםזֶהthisthisזֶהתָּעָהmisleadingmisleadingתָּעָהאָשַׁרand [those and [those who]אָשַׁרבָּלַע[were] conf[were] confusedבָּלַעעָמַםto darkento darkenעָמַםהָוָאto fallto fallהָוָאזֶהthisthisזֶהזֹהthisthisזֹהתָּעָהto go astrto go astrayתָּעָההָלַלto shineto shineהָלַלאַיwhere?where?אַיהֶ֫בֶלvanityvanityהֶ֫בֶלאָשַׁרto blessto blessאָשַׁרשָׁגָהto wanderto wanderשָׁגָהשִׁבֹּ֫לֶתShibbolethShibbolethשִׁבֹּ֫לֶתתַּןjackaljackalתַּן
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 9:16

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.

and they were [the] guides the people this misleading and [those who] were guided by him [were] confused
וַיִּֽהְי֛וּvai.yih.Yu and they were H1961 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
3,562× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for to be means to exist or come into being. It is used to describe something that happens or comes to pass, like in Genesis where God creates the world.
Tyndale gloss
to be
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word הָיָה (hayah) is a primitive root meaning to exist or become, and it encompasses a range of meanings including to happen, occur, and come to pass. It is often used in narrative contexts, particularly in phrases like "and it came to pass." The word can also denote a state of being or existence, and it appears frequently in various forms throughout the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הָיָה 3570 vb. fall out, come to pass, become, be

Qal

Fall out, happen

occur, take place, come about, come to pass

esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass

וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)

rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה

less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)

Come into being, become

abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come

sq. prep.

become

sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)

sq. pred. adj.

become like

sq. pred. לְ pers.

sq. לְ pred.

oft. c. לְ pred. לְ pers.

with עַל and לְ

sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of

Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming)

exist, be in existence

abide, remain, continue

with word of locality, be in or at a place, be situated, stand, lie

as copula, joining subj. & pred.

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1961 הָיָה fall out, come to pass, become, be .. . . Fall out, happen

. occur, take place, come about, come to pass

. esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass . . וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)

. rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה

. less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)

. Come into being, become . . abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come

. sq. prep.

. become . sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)

. sq. pred. adj.

. become like

. sq. pred. + לְ pers.

. sq. לְ pred.

. oft. c. לְ pred. + לְ pers.

. with עַל and לְ

. sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of

. Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming) . exist, be in existence

. abide, remain, continue

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1961 hayah haw-yaw

a primitive root (compare 1933); to exist, i.e. be or become,

come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or

auxiliary):--beacon, X altogether, be(-come), accomplished,

committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint,

fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit

(one-)self, require, X use.

see HEBREW for 01933

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הָיָה (ha.yah) — to be.

1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out

1a) (Qal)

1a1) ---

1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass

1a1b) to come about, come to pass

1a2) to come into being, become

1a2a) to arise, appear, come

1a2b) to become

1a2b1) to become

1a2b2) to become like

1a2b3) to be instituted, be established

1a3) to be

1a3a) to exist, be in existence

1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time)

1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality)

1a3d) to accompany, be with

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to occur, come to pass, be done, be brought about

1b2) to be done, be finished, be gone

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Hc/Vqw3mp — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
Hc/Vqw3mp
and they were [the] guides the people this misleading and [those who] were guided by him [were] confused
מְאַשְּׁרֵ֥יme.'a.she.Rei [the] guides H833 Verb · Piel · participle (active) masculine plural common
16× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To bless means to make someone happy or content. In the Bible, it can also mean to guide or lead someone in the right direction, like in the book of Psalms.
Tyndale gloss
to bless
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָשַׁר (ashar) is a Hebrew verb meaning to go straight or advance, with a range of meanings including to lead, bless, or make happy. It is used in various forms, such as Qal (to go straight), Piel (to lead on), and Pual (to be made happy). The entries emphasize its figurative sense of progress and righteousness.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[אָשַׁר] vb. go straight, go on, advance

Qal go straight on in the way of understanding

Pi.

intensive go straight on, advance

causative lead on

set right, righten

pronounce happy, call blessed

Pu.

be led on

be made happy, blessed

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H833 אָשַׁר go straight, go on, advance

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

833 'ashar aw-shar'

or rasher {aw-share'}; a primitive root; to be straight (used

in the widest sense, especially to be level, right, happy);

figuratively, to go forward, be honest, proper:--(call, be)

bless(-ed, happy), go, guide, lead, relieve.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָשַׁר (a.shar) — to bless.

1) to go straight, walk, go on, advance, make progress

1a)(Qal) to go straight on, make progress

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to go straight on, advance

1b2) to lead on (causative)

1b3) to set right, righten

1b4) to pronounce happy, call blessed

1c) (Pual)

1c1) to be advanced, be led on

1c2) to be made happy, be blessed

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVprmpc — Verb · Piel · participle (active) masculine plural common
HVprmpc
and they were [the] guides the people this misleading and [those who] were guided by him [were] confused
הָֽעָם־ha.'om- the people H5971 Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
1,873× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A people or nation is what this Hebrew word represents, like the nation of Israel in Exodus 33:13. It can also mean a tribe, troops, or attendants, and is used to describe a group of people gathered together. The word is often used to refer to the people of God.
Tyndale gloss
Amaw
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עַם (am) primarily means 'people' or 'nation,' referring to a collective group, often in the context of tribes such as those of Israel. It can also denote kinsmen or compatriots. The term appears in various contexts, including military and familial references. There is a mention of a specific individual named Ammi in Song of Solomon 6:12.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עַם, עָם 1810 n.m. people

a people, nation

= smaller units

= common people

people in gen., persons

phrases

base

[עַם] n.[m.] kinsman (on father's side)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5971a עַם, עָם people H5971b עַם kinsman (on father's side)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5971 `am am

from 6004; a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a

tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or

attendants; figuratively, a flock:--folk, men, nation,

people.

see HEBREW for 06004

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עַם (am) — people.

: people/nation

1) nation, people

1a) people, nation

1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men

עַם (am) — kinsman.

kinsman, kindred

עַם (am) — Ammi.

A man living at the time of United Monarchy, only mentioned at Sng.6.12

§ kinsman, kindred

עַם (am) — People's (Gate).

§ kinsman, kindred

עַם (am) — (Ibleam)-am.

Combined with yiv.le.am (יִבְלְעָם "Ibleam" H2991)

§ kinsman, kindred

עַם (am) — Amaw.

This name means nation, people

עַם (am) — people: soldiers.

: soldiers/army

1) nation, people

1a) people, nation

1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men

עַם (am) — people: creatures.

: creatures

1) nation, people

1a) people, nation

1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men

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

pe'-p'-l: In English Versions of the Bible represents something over a dozen Hebrew and Greek words. Of these, in the Old Testament, `am, is overwhelmingly the most common (about 2,000 times), with le'om, and goy, next in order; but the various Hebrew words are used with very little or no difference in force (e.g. Pr 14:28; but, on the other hand, in Ps 44 contrast verses 12 and 14). Of the changes introduced by the Revised Version (British and American) the only one of significance (cited explicitly in the Preface to the English Revised Version) is the frequent use of the plural "peoples" (strangely avoided in the King James Version except Re 10:11; 17:15), where other nations than Israel are in question. So, for instance, in Ps…

and they were [the] guides the people this misleading and [those who] were guided by him [were] confused
הַזֶּ֖הha.Zeh this H2088 Particle · particle
1,180× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word is a pronoun meaning this or that, used to point out a specific person or thing. It appears in many contexts, including Genesis and Psalms, to indicate something specific. The KJV translates it as he, here, or it.
Tyndale gloss
this
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

זֶה (zeh) is a demonstrative pronoun meaning 'this' or 'here.' It can stand alone, be used appositively, or function as a predicate. The word can also attach enclitically to interrogative pronouns, adding emphasis and directness. In poetry, it may serve as a relative pronoun, though this usage is rare.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

זֶה demonstr.pron. and adv.; fem. זֹאת, once זֹאתָה; this, here

standing alone

In appos. to subst.

More oft. as pred.

It is attached enclitically, almost as an adv., to certain words, esp. interrog. pronouns, to impart, in a manner often not reproducible in Engl. idiom, directness and force, bringing the question or statement made into close relation with the speaker.

In poetry, as a relative pron. (rare)

With prefixes (in special senses)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2088 זֶה demonstr. pron. and adv.; fem. זֹאת, once זֹאתָה; this, here . standing alone

. In appos. to subst.

. More oft. as pred.

. It is attached enclitically, almost as an adv., to certain words, esp. interrog. pronouns, to impart, in a manner often not reproducible in Engl. idiom, directness and force, bringing the question or statement made into close relation with the speaker.

. In poetry, as a relative pron. (rare)

. With prefixes (in special senses)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2088 zeh zeh

a primitive word; the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this

or that:--he, X hence, X here, it(-self), X now, X of him, the

one...the other, X than the other, (X out of) the (self) same,

such (a one) that, these, this (hath, man), on this side...on

that side, X thus, very, which. Compare 2063, 2090, 2097,

2098.

see HEBREW for 02063

see HEBREW for 02090

see HEBREW for 02097

see HEBREW for 02098

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

זֶה (zeh) — this.

1) this, this one, here, which, this...that, the one...the other, another, such

1a) (alone)

1a1) this one

1a2) this...that, the one...the other, another

1b) (appos to subst)

1b1) this

1c) (as predicate)

1c1) this, such

1d) (enclitically)

1d1) then

1d2) who, whom

1d3) how now, what now

1d4) what now

1d5) wherefore now

1d6) behold here

1d7) just now

1d8) now, now already

1e) (poetry)

1e1) wherein, which, those who

1f) (with prefixes)

1f1) in this (place) here, then

1f2) on these conditions, herewith, thus provided, by, through this, for this cause, in this matter

1f3) thus and thus

1f4) as follows, things such as these, accordingly, to that effect, in like manner, thus and thus

1f5) from here, hence, on one side...on the other side

1f6) on this account

1f7) in spite of this, which, whence, how

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTd/Tm — Particle · particle
HTd/Tm
and they were [the] guides the people this misleading and [those who] were guided by him [were] confused
מַתְעִ֑יםmat.'Im misleading H8582 Verb · Hiphil · participle (active) masculine plural
50× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to go astray or wander, and can be used physically or morally. It can also mean to cause someone to err or stumble.
Tyndale gloss
to go astray
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

תָּעָה (ta`ah) is a Hebrew verb that means to wander or go astray, both physically and ethically. It can refer to being led astray, as in a moral sense, or to the effects of intoxication. The word has various forms, including Qal (to err), Niphal (to be made to wander), and Hiphil (to cause to wander).

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

תָּעָה vb. err

Qal

physically wander about

of intoxication

ethically

Niph.

be made to wander about, as a drunkard

ethically: be led astray

Hiph.

physically cause to wander about

of intoxication

mentally and morally, cause to err, mislead

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8582 תָּעָה err .. physically wander about

. of intoxication

. ethically

. . be made to wander about, as a drunkard

. ethically: be led astray

. . physically cause to wander about

. of intoxication

. mentally and morally, cause to err, mislead

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8582 ta`ah taw-aw'

a primitive root; to vacillate, i.e. reel or stray (literally

or figuratively); also causative of both:--(cause to) go

astray, deceive, dissemble, (cause to, make to) err, pant,

seduce, (make to) stagger, (cause to) wander, be out of the

way.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

תָּעָה (ta.ah) — to go astray.

1) to err, wander, go astray, stagger

1a) (Qal) to err

1a1) to wander about (physically)

1a2) of intoxication

1a3) of sin (ethically)

1a4) wandering (of the mind)

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be made to wander about, be made to stagger (drunkard)

1b2) to be led astray (ethically)

1c) (Hiphil) to cause to wander

1c1) to cause to wander about (physically)

1c2) to cause to wander (of intoxication)

1c3) to cause to err, mislead (mentally and morally)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVhrmpa — Verb · Hiphil · participle (active) masculine plural
HVhrmpa
and they were [the] guides the people this misleading and [those who] were guided by him [were] confused
וּמְאֻשָּׁרָ֖יוu.me.'u.sha.Rav and [those who] were guided by him H833 Conjunction · verb pual participle (passive) masculine plural common · suffix
16× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To bless means to make someone happy or content. In the Bible, it can also mean to guide or lead someone in the right direction, like in the book of Psalms.
Tyndale gloss
to bless
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָשַׁר (ashar) is a Hebrew verb meaning to go straight or advance, with a range of meanings including to lead, bless, or make happy. It is used in various forms, such as Qal (to go straight), Piel (to lead on), and Pual (to be made happy). The entries emphasize its figurative sense of progress and righteousness.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[אָשַׁר] vb. go straight, go on, advance

Qal go straight on in the way of understanding

Pi.

intensive go straight on, advance

causative lead on

set right, righten

pronounce happy, call blessed

Pu.

be led on

be made happy, blessed

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H833 אָשַׁר go straight, go on, advance

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

833 'ashar aw-shar'

or rasher {aw-share'}; a primitive root; to be straight (used

in the widest sense, especially to be level, right, happy);

figuratively, to go forward, be honest, proper:--(call, be)

bless(-ed, happy), go, guide, lead, relieve.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָשַׁר (a.shar) — to bless.

1) to go straight, walk, go on, advance, make progress

1a)(Qal) to go straight on, make progress

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to go straight on, advance

1b2) to lead on (causative)

1b3) to set right, righten

1b4) to pronounce happy, call blessed

1c) (Pual)

1c1) to be advanced, be led on

1c2) to be made happy, be blessed

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HC/VPsmpc/Sp3ms — Conjunction · verb pual participle (passive) masculine plural common · suffix
HC/VPsmpc/Sp3ms
and they were [the] guides the people this misleading and [those who] were guided by him [were] confused
מְבֻלָּעִֽים׃me.vu.la.'Im [were] confused H1104 Verb · Pual · participle (passive) masculine plural
49× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to swallow or destroy something completely. It can be used to describe something being eaten up or destroyed, like in a natural disaster or a strong storm. The Bible uses it to convey total destruction.
Tyndale gloss
to swallow up
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בָּלַע (bala) is a Hebrew verb meaning to swallow down or engulf. It encompasses various forms, including actions of devouring and being consumed, as well as figurative uses like squandering. The entries indicate that it can be used in different grammatical aspects, such as Qal, Niphal, Piel, Pual, and Hithpael, each with slightly different nuances.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בָּלַע vb. swallow down, swallow up, engulf

Qal

swallow down

swallow up, engulf

Niph. swallowed up, i.e. devastated

Pi.

swallow

swallow up, engulf

Pu. be swallowed up

Hithp. their wisdom is all gone, ‘they are at their wit’s end’

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1104 בָּלַע swallow down, swallow up, engulf

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1104 bala` baw-lah'

a primitive root; to make away with (specifically by

swallowing); generally, to destroy:--cover, destroy, devour,

eat up, be at end, spend up, swallow down (up).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בָּלַע (ba.la) — to swallow up.

1) to swallow down, swallow up, engulf, eat up

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to swallow down

1a2) to swallow up, engulf

1b) (Niphal) to be swallowed up

1c) (Piel)

1c1) to swallow

1c2) to swallow up, engulf

1c3) squandering (fig.)

1d) (Pual) to be swallowed up

1e) (Hithpael) to be ended

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVPsmpa — Verb · Pual · participle (passive) masculine plural
HVPsmpa
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.

Everything we make is available for free because of a generous community of supporters.

Donate