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Judges 11:14 — Word Study

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WLCוַיּ֥וֹסֶף ע֖וֹד יִפְתָּ֑ח וַיִּשְׁלַח֙ מַלְאָכִ֔ים אֶל־ מֶ֖לֶךְ בְּנֵ֥י עַמּֽוֹן׃

BSAJephthahYiphtâch [the Israelite judge] againyâçaph [still, once more] sentshâlach [dispatched, commissioned] messengersmălʼâk [representatives] toʼêl [toward, in the direction of] the kingmelek [ruler, monarch] of the Ammonitesbên [belonging to, related to, descendants of Ammon, a son of Lot]

Word
Listen & take awayJudges 11
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 (a.Mon) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Judges 11:14quick helps
In a sentenceJephthah sends messengers again to the king of the Ammonites.
Who is speakingJephthah, the Israelite judge.
Where we areIn the midst of a conflict with the Ammonites.
The hard wordיָסַף
Take awayThe action is repeated; Jephthah is persistent in his efforts.
4 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, Ellicott & more — read them › clause subjectיִפְתָּח verbיָסַף 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 — Judges 11:14

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 Conflict with the Ammonitesgenerated

13The king of the Ammonites answered Jephthah’s messengers, “When Israel came up out of Egypt, they seized my land, from the Arnon to the Jabbok and all the way to the Jordan. Now, therefore, restore it peaceably.”
14Jephthah again sent messengers to the king of the Ammonites
15to tell him, “This is what Jephthah says: Israel did not take away the land of Moab or of the Ammonites.
16But when Israel came up out of Egypt, they traveled through the wilderness to the Red Sea and came to Kadesh.

Judges 11:14 describes Jephthah's response to the Ammonite king's claims regarding land disputes. Jephthah, acting as a judge and leader of Israel, seeks to clarify the situation by sending messengers to communicate Israel's position. This moment reflects the ongoing tension between Israel and the Ammonites, showcasing Jephthah's role in mediating the conflict.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Psalm 120:7I am in favor of peace; but when I speak, they want war.
2Romans 12:18If it is possible on your part, live at peace with everyone.
3Hebrews 12:14Pursue peace with everyone, as well as holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.
41 Peter 3:11He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 4 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word יָסַף, vai.Yo.sefgenerated

The verb יָסַף (yacaph) means to add or increase, indicating a repetition of action. In this context, it signifies Jephthah's determination to engage again in negotiations with the Ammonites. The parsing as a Hiphil verb in the sequential imperfect form suggests that this is an ongoing action, emphasizing continuity in Jephthah's efforts.

The word conveys a sense of persistence, as Jephthah does not relent in his attempts to resolve the conflict. This is not merely a one-time action but a deliberate choice to reach out once more, highlighting his role as a leader who seeks to address disputes.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses again for ע֖וֹד, and this is consistent across the KJV, ASV, YLT, WEB, and BBE.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The finite verb יָסַף governs the main clause, with the subject יִפְתָּח and the action of sending וַיִּשְׁלַח following it. The structure reflects a straightforward sequence of actions, where Jephthah first adds to his efforts and then sends messengers.

The word order places emphasis on Jephthah's actions, with the verb leading the clause, indicating the importance of his decision to act again in this ongoing situation.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates יָסַף as προσέθηκεν (G4369), meaning 'he added.' This choice suggests a similar understanding of the action as one of continuation or addition, aligning with the Hebrew meaning of repeating an action.

The Greek translation captures the essence of Jephthah's persistence in his dealings with the Ammonites, reinforcing the theme of ongoing conflict and negotiation.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Judges 11:14 shows Jephthah sending messengers again to the king of the Ammonites. This action is part of his ongoing efforts to address the conflict regarding land disputes. Jephthah's determination to communicate highlights his leadership role among the Israelites.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

Why does Jephthah send messengers again?

Jephthah sends messengers again to clarify Israel's position regarding the land and to negotiate with the Ammonite king.

What does the word 'again' imply in this context?

The word 'again' indicates that Jephthah is persistent in his efforts to resolve the conflict, showing his determination.

Who was Jephthah?

Jephthah was a judge of Israel known for his leadership during conflicts with the Ammonites, as well as for his tragic vow.

What is the significance of sending messengers?

Sending messengers is a diplomatic approach to communicate and negotiate, reflecting Jephthah's role as a leader seeking peace.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What does Jephthah's persistence in sending messengers teach us about conflict resolution?
  2. How can we apply the principle of communication in our own disputes?
  3. What qualities of leadership can we learn from Jephthah's actions?
  4. In what situations do we need to 'add' our efforts to resolve ongoing issues?

Commentators on this verse — 4 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Judges 11:14 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

And Jephthah sent messengers again unto the king of the children of Ammon. Being willing to give him all the satisfaction he could, and if possible live peaceably with him, and prevent the effusion of blood.

Read John Gill on Judges 11 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And Jephthah sent messengers again unto the king of the children of Ammon: Jephthah sent messengers again unto the king of the children of Ammon.

Read Robert Jamieson on Judges 11 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Judges 11:14 And Jephthah sent messengers again unto the king of the children of Ammon:Ver. 14. And Jephthah sent messengers again.] By whom, negat ac pernegat, he utterly denieth that they had at all wronged the Ammonites.

Read John Trapp on Judges 11 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(14, 15) And Jephthah sent messengers again.—Jephthah disputes the king of Amnion’s facts, and supports his denial of them by an historic retrospect (Judges 11:16-24).

Read Charles John Ellicott on Judges 11 →

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

Jephthah again sent messengers to the king of the Ammonites

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Jephthah sent messengers again to the king of the children of Ammon;

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Jephthah again sent messengers to the king of the Ammonites

NETBNew English Translation2006

Jephthah sent messengers back to the Ammonite king

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And Jephthah sent messengers again unto the king of the children of Ammon:

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And Jephthah sent messengers again unto the king of the children of Ammon;

RVARevised Version, American1894

And Jephthah sent messengers again unto the king of the children of Ammon:

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And Jephthah sent messengers again to the king of the children of Ammon:

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Yet Iphtah sent messengers againe vnto the King of the children of Ammon,

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And Jephthah sent messengers again to the king of the children of Ammon,

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And Jephthah addeth yet and sendeth messengers unto the king of the Bene-Ammon,

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And Jephthah adds yet and sends messengers to the king of the sons of Ammon,

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And Yiphthach again sent messengers unto the king of the children of 'Ammon;

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Again Jephthah sent messengers to the king of the people of Ammon,

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And Jephte again sent word by them, and commanded them to say to the king of Ammon:

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Jephthah sent messengers back to the king of the Ammonites

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And Jephthah sent again to the king of the children of Ammon,

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.

וַandclauseclauseverbיּ֥וֹסֶףhe.repeatedadverbialע֖וֹדagainsubjectיִפְתָּ֑חJephthahוַandclauseverbיִּשְׁלַח֙he.sentobjectמַלְאָכִ֔יםmessengersprepositional phrase · prepositionalאֶלtonoun phraseמֶ֖לֶךְthe.kingnoun phraseבְּנֵ֥יof.the.peopleעַמּֽוֹןof.Ammon

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 Septuagint agree closely in their wording for Judges 11:14. Both texts convey Jephthah's action of sending messengers to the Ammonite king, with no significant variations in the core message.

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

וַיּ֥וֹסֶף ע֖וֹד יִפְתָּ֑ח וַיִּשְׁלַח֙ מַלְאָכִ֔ים אֶל־ מֶ֖לֶךְ בְּנֵ֥י עַמּֽוֹן׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיּ֥וֹסֶףπροσέθηκενע֖וֹדἔτιיִפְתָּ֑חιεφθαεוַיִּשְׁלַח֙ἀπέστειλενמַלְאָכִ֔יםἀγγέλουςאֶל־πρὸςמֶ֖לֶךְβασιλέαבְּנֵ֥יυἱῶνעַמּֽוֹן׃αμμων

9 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.

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.

Judges 11:14יָסַףand he repeand he repeatedיָסַףעוֹדagainagainעוֹדיִפְתָּחJephthahJephthahיִפְתָּחשָׁלַחand he sentand he sentשָׁלַחמַלְאָךְmessengersmessengersמַלְאָךְאֶלtotoאֶלמֶ֫לֶךְ[the] king [the] king ofמֶ֫לֶךְבֵּן[the] peopl[the] people ofבֵּןעַמּוֹןAmmonAmmonעַמּוֹןעוּדto upholdto upholdעוּדפָּתַחto opento openפָּתַחמָלַךְto reignto reignמָלַךְבָּנָהto buildto buildבָּנָהעַםAmawAmawעַםחֲמִישִׁיfifthfifthחֲמִישִׁיעֹלyokeyokeעֹליָסַףto addto addיָסַףאֶ֫פֶסendendאֶ֫פֶסגִּלְעָדִיGileaditeGileaditeגִּלְעָדִיגִּלְעָד(Mount) Gi(Mount) GileadגִּלְעָדחָפְשִׁיfreefreeחָפְשִׁימַלְאָךְmessengermessengerמַלְאָךְמָנוֹחַManoahManoahמָנוֹחַשָׁלַחto send: dto send: departשָׁלַחפָּלַלto prayto prayפָּלַליִרְמְיָ֫הJeremiahJeremiahיִרְמְיָ֫הנְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּרNebuchadneNebuchadnezzarנְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּר
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 Judges 11:14

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.

and he repeated again Jephthah and he sent messengers to [the] king of [the] people of Ammon
וַיּ֥וֹסֶףvai.Yo.sef and he repeated H3254 Verb · Hiphil · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
212× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To add means to increase or do something again, like adding more of something or continuing an action. This word is used in the Bible to describe growth or repetition.
Amplified meaning
still, once more
Tyndale gloss
to add
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָסַף (yacaph) is a Hebrew verb meaning to add or increase. It can denote actions like joining oneself to something or continuing to do a task. The entries indicate its use in various forms, including Qal, Niphal, and Hiphil, with nuances of doing something again or augmenting an amount.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָסַף 214 vb. add

Qal add

Niph.

join (intr.), join oneself to

be joined, added to

Hiph.

add

sq. inf. add to do = do again or more

sq. Impf.

sq. Impf. asynd.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3254 יָסַף add . add

. . join (intr.), join oneself to

. be joined, added to

. . add

. . sq. inf. add to do = do again or more

. sq. Impf.

. sq. Impf. asynd.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3254 yacaph yaw-saf'

a primitive root; to add or augment (often adverbial, to

continue to do a thing):--add, X again, X any more, X cease, X

come more, + conceive again, continue, exceed, X further, X

gather together, get more, give more-over, X henceforth,

increase (more and more), join, X longer (bring, do, make,

much, put), X (the, much, yet) more (and more), proceed

(further), prolong, put, be (strong-) er, X yet, yield.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָסַף (ya.saph) — to add: again.

: again/continue/more[instances]

1) to add, increase, do again

1a) (Qal) to add, increase, do again

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to join, join oneself to

1b2) to be joined, be added to

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to cause to add, increase

1c2) to do more, do again

יָסַף (ya.saph) — to add.

: add/more[amount]

1) to add, increase, do again

1a) (Qal) to add, increase, do again

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to join, join oneself to

1b2) to be joined, be added to

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to cause to add, increase

1c2) to do more, do again

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Hiphil-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Hiphil · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vhw3ms
and he repeated again Jephthah and he sent messengers to [the] king of [the] people of Ammon
ע֖וֹדod again H5750
490× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The word 'still' means something continues or happens again, like in Genesis 29:26 and Isaiah 2:11. It can also mean 'more' or 'additionally'.
Tyndale gloss
still
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

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

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5750 `owd ode

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

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

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

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

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

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

(within).

see HEBREW for 05749

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עוֹד (od) — still.

subst

1) a going round, continuance

adv

2) still, yet, again, besides

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

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

2c) again

2d) still, moreover, besides

Aramaic equivalent: od (עוֹד "still" H5751)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HAcmsa
HAcmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

a-gen': Advb. denoting repetition; in New Testament, generally for palin, "back," "once more." Occasionally, it has the force of a connective, synonymous with "moreover," as in Ro 15:10 ff; 1Co 3:20, etc. The expression "born again" of the King James Version, Joh 3:3,7; 1Pe 1:23, translating the Greek "anothen" and "ana" in composition, becomes in the Revised Version (British and American) "anew," i.e. "over again." As these particles mean "from above" and "up," their use as indicating repetition is sometimes disputed, but without further foundation than that "again" does not exhaust the meaning.

and he repeated again Jephthah and he sent messengers to [the] king of [the] people of Ammon
יִפְתָּ֑חyif.Tach Jephthah H3316 Noun proper masculine
30× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Jephthah was an Israelite judge who defeated the Ammonites, but also made a tragic vow that led to the sacrifice of his daughter. His name means 'he opens' and he's mentioned in the book of Judges as a hero of faith. Jephthah was the son of Gilead.
Amplified meaning
the Israelite judge
Tyndale gloss
Jephthah
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יִפְתָּח (Yiphtach) means 'he will open' and refers to both a biblical figure and a location in Judah. Jephthah is noted as a judge of Israel who defeated the Ammonites, with a tragic vow involving his daughter. The word is derived from the root meaning to open, and its usage spans both personal and geographical references.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יִפְתָּח n.pr.

m. Jephthah

loc. Jos 15:43

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3316 יִפְתָּח

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3316 Yiphtach yif-tawkh'

from 6605; he will open; Jiphtach, an Israelite; also a place

in Palestine:--Jephthah, Jiphtah.

see HEBREW for 06605

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יִפְתָּח (yiph.tach) — Iphtah.

§ Jephthah or Jiphtah = "he opens"

a city in Judah

יִפְתָּח (yiph.tach) — Jephthah.

A Judge living before Israel's Monarchy, first mentioned at Jdg.11.1;

son of: Gilead (H1568I)

Also named: Iephthae (Ἰεφθάε "Jephthah" G2422)

§ Jephthah or Jiphtah = "he opens"

1) a son of Gilead and a concubine and the judge who defeated the Ammonites; after the victory because of a vow taken before the battle he sacrificed his daughter as a burnt offering

2) a city in Judah

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper masculine
HNpm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

jef'-tha (yiphtach, "opened," or "opener," probably signifying "Yahweh will open"; Iephthae; used as the name of a place, as in Jos 15:43; 19:14; of a man, Jud 10:6-12:7): Ninth judge of the Israelites. His antecedents are obscure. Assuming Gilead to be the actual name of his father, his mother was a harlot. He was driven from home on account of his illegitimacy, and went to the land of Tobit in Eastern Syria (Jud 11:2,3). Here he and his followers lived the life of freebooters.

The Israelites beyond the Jordan being in danger of an invasion by the Ammonites, Jephthah was invited by the elders of Gilead to be their leader (Jud 11:5,6). Remembering how they had expelled him…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Jephthah

Whom God sets free, or the breaker through, a “mighty man of valour” who delivered Israel from the oppression of the Ammonites (Judg. 11:1-33), and judged Israel six years (12:7). He has been described as “a wild, daring, Gilead mountaineer, a sort of warrior Elijah.” After forty-five years of comparative quiet Israel again apostatized, and in “process of time the children of Ammon made war against Israel” (11:5). In their distress the elders of Gilead went to fetch Jephthah out of the land of Tob, to which he had fled when driven out wrongfully by his brothers from his father’s inheritance (2), and the people made him their head and captain. The “elders of Gilead” in their extremity summoned him to their aid, and he at once undertook the conduct of the war against Ammon. Twice he sent an embassy to the king of Ammon, but in…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(whom God sets free), A judge about B.C. 1143-1137. His history is contained in (Judges 11:1; Judges 12:8) He was a Gileadite, the son of Gilead and a concubine. Driven by the legitimate sons from his father’s inheritance, he went to Tob and became the head of a company of freebooters in a debatable land probably belonging to Ammon. (2 Samuel 10:6) (This land was east of Jordan and southeast of Gilead, and bordered on the desert of Arabia. --ED.) His fame as a bold and successful captain was carried back to his native Gilead; and when the time was ripe for throwing off the yoke of Ammon, Jephthah consented to become the captain of the Gileadite bands, on the condition, solemnly ratified before the Lord in Mizpeh, that int he…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The son of Gilead, was a judge of Israel, and successor to Jair. His history is told in Jud 11:1-12:15. A most affecting incident in it is his devoting his daughter to God as a sacrifice, in consequence of a rash vow.

The arguments on the question whether Jephthah’s daughter was actually sacrificed or not, cannot here be cited. The natural repugnance we feel to such a vow and its fulfillment has led many interpreters to adopt the less obvious theory that she was only condemned to live and die unmarried. There is no intimation in Scripture that God approved of his vow, whatever it was. Paul numbers Jephthah among the saints of the Old Testament distinguished for their faith, Heb 11:32.

and he repeated again Jephthah and he sent messengers to [the] king of [the] people of Ammon
וַיִּשְׁלַח֙vai.yish.Lach and he sent H7971 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
847× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To send or depart is the meaning of this Hebrew word, which has various applications in the Bible. It can describe sending someone or something away, or letting something go.
Amplified meaning
dispatched, commissioned
Tyndale gloss
to send: depart
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word שָׁלַח (shalach) is a primitive root meaning 'to send' with a wide range of applications. It can refer to sending away, stretching out (especially a hand), or letting go. The entries indicate various forms, including sending off, casting out, and setting free. Notably, it can also imply divorce or being sent away in a marital context.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁלַח 814 vb. send

Qal

send: human subj.

send: subj. י׳ (God)

stretch out, esp. acc. hand

rarely send away: human subj.

let loose

Niph. letters were sent

Pi.

send off, away, human subj.

send away, subj. י׳

give over

cast out

send out, forth

let go, set free

shoot forth branches

let down

shoot

Phrases

Pu. be sent off (started on journey); be put away, divorced, of wife; be impelled(?)

Hiph. and I (י׳) will send

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7971 שָׁלַח send .. send: human subj.

. send: subj. י׳ (God)

. stretch out, esp. acc. hand

. rarely send away: human subj.

. let loose

. letters were sent

. . send off, away, human subj.

. . send away, subj. י׳

. give over

. cast out

. send out, forth

. let go, set free

. shoot forth branches

. let down

. shoot

. Phrases

. be sent off (started on journey); be put away, divorced, of wife; be impelled(?)

. and I (י׳) will send

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7971 shalach shaw-lakh'

a primitive root; to send away, for, or out (in a great

variety of applications):--X any wise, appoint, bring (on the

way), cast (away, out), conduct, X earnestly, forsake, give

(up), grow long, lay, leave, let depart (down, go, loose),

push away, put (away, forth, in, out), reach forth, send

(away, forth, out), set, shoot (forth, out), sow, spread,

stretch forth (out).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁלַח (sha.lach) — to send: depart.

: depart/send

1) to send, send away, let go, stretch out

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to send

1a2) to stretch out, extend, direct

1a3) to send away

1a4) to let loose

1b) (Niphal) to be sent

1c) (Piel)

1c1) to send off or away or out or forth, dismiss, give over, cast out

1c2) to let go, set free

1c3) to shoot forth (of branches)

1c4) to let down

1c5) to shoot

1d) (Pual) to be sent off, be put away, be divorced, be impelled

1e) (Hiphil) to send

שָׁלַח (sha.lach) — to send: let go.

: let_go/free

1) to send, send away, let go, stretch out

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to send

1a2) to stretch out, extend, direct

1a3) to send away

1a4) to let loose

1b) (Niphal) to be sent

1c) (Piel)

1c1) to send off or away or out or forth, dismiss, give over, cast out

1c2) to let go, set free

1c3) to shoot forth (of branches)

1c4) to let down

1c5) to shoot

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

(shalach; apostello): "Sent" in the Old Testament is the translation of shalach, "to send" (of presents, messengers, etc., Ge 32:18; 44:3; Jud 6:14; 1Ki 14:6; Es 3:13; Pr 17:11; Jer 49:14; Eze 3:5; 23:40; Da 10:11; Ob 1:1); of shelach, Aramaic (Ezr 7:14; Da 5:24); of shilluchim, "sending" (

and he repeated again Jephthah and he sent messengers to [the] king of [the] people of Ammon
מַלְאָכִ֔יםmal.'a.Khim messengers H4397 Noun common · masculine plural absolute
214× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A messenger or representative, often of God, like an angel, prophet, or priest, as seen in Isaiah 42:19 and Haggai 1:13, carrying out God's will.
Amplified meaning
representatives
Tyndale gloss
messenger
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מַלְאָךְ (mal'ak) means 'messenger' and can refer to an angel, particularly as a messenger of God. It is derived from a root meaning to dispatch as a deputy and encompasses roles such as ambassador, prophet, and teacher. The term is used in contexts that include divine communication.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מַלְאָךְ 214 n.m. messenger

messenger

angel, as messenger of God

the theophanic angel

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4397 מַלְאָךְ messenger . messenger

. angel, as messenger of God

. the theophanic angel

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4397 mal'ak mal-awk'

from an unused root meaning to despatch as a deputy; a

messenger; specifically, of God, i.e. an angel (also a

prophet, priest or teacher):--ambassador, angel, king,

messenger.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מַלְאָךְ (ma.le.akh) — messenger.

: messenger

1) messenger, representative

1a) messenger

1b) angel

1c) the theophanic angel

מַלְאָךְ (ma.le.akh) — messenger: angel.

: angel

1) messenger, representative

1a) messenger

1b) angel

1c) the theophanic angel

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural absolute
HNcmpa
and he repeated again Jephthah and he sent messengers to [the] king of [the] people of Ammon
אֶל־'el- to H413 Preposition
5,518× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means 'to' or 'toward', showing direction or movement. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus, to indicate where someone is going. The KJV translates it in various ways, like 'about', 'according to', or 'against'.
Amplified meaning
toward, in the direction of
Tyndale gloss
to(wards)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֶל (el) is primarily a preposition indicating motion towards or direction to a person or place. It can also imply entering a limit, presence at a location, or a hostile direction (against). Additionally, it may express concepts such as concerning, in addition to, or according to. The entries highlight its versatility in both physical and metaphorical contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph),

prep. denoting motion to or direction towards (whether physical or mental).of motion to or unto a person or place

Where the limit is actually entered, into

Of direction towards anything

Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against

Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to

Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

Of rule or standard according to (rare)

Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion

Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H413 אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph), . of motion to or unto a person or place

. Where the limit is actually entered, into

. Of direction towards anything

. Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against

. Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to

. Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

. Of rule or standard according to (rare)

. Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion

. Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

413 'el ale

(but only used in the shortened constructive form sel {el});

a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but

occasionally used of a quiescent position, i.e. near, with or

among; often in general, to:--about, according to ,after,

against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and,

by, concerning, for, from, X hath, in(- to), near, (out) of,

over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether,

with(-in).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶל (el) — to(wards).

1) to, toward, unto (of motion)

2) into (limit is actually entered)

2a) in among

3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion)

4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character)

5) in addition to, to

6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of

7) according to (rule or standard)

8) at, by, against (of one's presence)

9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Preposition
HR
and he repeated again Jephthah and he sent messengers to [the] king of [the] people of Ammon
מֶ֖לֶךְMe.lekh [the] king of H4428 Noun common · masculine singular construct
2,526× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a king or royal person, like King David or King Saul. It can also describe something related to a king, like the King's Valley in Genesis. The Bible often uses this word to talk about the rulers of Israel.
Amplified meaning
ruler, monarch
Tyndale gloss
King's
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word מֶ֫לֶךְ (*melek*) means 'king.' It is derived from a root that suggests royalty. The term appears in various contexts, including references to specific kings and locations, such as the 'King's Highway' in Numbers 20:17 and the 'King's Valley' in Genesis 14:17. The lexicons note its Aramaic equivalent and mention its use in the context of individuals like Hammelech in Jeremiah.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מֶ֫לֶךְ 2513 n.m. king

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4428 מֶ֫לֶךְ king

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4428 melek meh'-lek

from 4427; a king:--king, royal.

see HEBREW for 04427

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — king.

1) king

Aramaic equivalent: me.lekh (מֶ֫לֶךְ "king" H4430)

הַמֶּלֶךְ (me.lekh) — `the king`.

'the king' or a name, Hammelech in KJV of Jer.36.26; 38.6- a man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at Jer.36.26;

father of: Jerahmeel (H3396I) and Malchijah (H4441H); also translated "the king";

§ A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at Jer.36.26;

father of: Jerahmeel (H3396I) and Malchijah (H4441H); also translated "the king";

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — King's.

King's (Highway) (Num.20.17)

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — King's.

Another name of she.lach (שֶׁ֫לַח "Shelah" H7975A)

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — Milcom.

Another name of mo.lekh (מֹ֫לֶךְ "Molech" H4432)

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — King's.

King's (Valley) (Gen.14.17)

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

ov:

(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.

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

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Lamentations 3:1.

The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.

Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.

That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.

Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…

and he repeated again Jephthah and he sent messengers to [the] king of [the] people of Ammon
בְּנֵ֥יbe.Nei [the] people of H1121 Noun common · masculine plural construct
4,943× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word means a son or descendant, and can also refer to a grandson, nation, or quality. It appears in 1 Chronicles 24, describing a Levite named Beno. The word is used to show family relationships and inheritance.
Amplified meaning
belonging to, related to, descendants of Ammon, a son of Lot
Tyndale gloss
son: child
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בֵּן 4870 n.m. son

son, male child, born of a woman

children (male and female)

youth, young men

the young of animals

of plant shoots

fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows

member of a guild, order or class

of animals son of (the) herd

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

n. relat. of age

base

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

done

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

. children (male and female)

. youth, young men

. the young of animals

. of plant shoots

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

. . member of a guild, order or class

. of animals son of (the) herd

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

. n. relat. of age

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

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1121 ben bane

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

widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship,

including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

see HEBREW for 01129

see HEBREW for 01

see HEBREW for 0251

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בֵּן (ben) — son: child.

: child/son

בְּנוֹ (be.no) — Beno.

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

son of: Jaaziah (H3269);

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

§ Beno = "his son"

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

בֵּן (ben) — son: descendant/people.

: descendant, people, tribe, nation

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

§ : child/son

בֵּן (ben) — son: young animal.

: calf/lamb/young(ANIMAL)

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

§ : descendant

בֵּן (ben) — son: type of.

: rebel/son(Belial)

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

§ : people/men/nation/tribe

בֵּן (ben) — son.

: [inheriting]son/heir

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

בֵּן (ben) — son: warrior.

: warrior/son(strong)

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

ov:

(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.

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

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Lamentations 3:1.

The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.

Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.

That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.

Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…

and he repeated again Jephthah and he sent messengers to [the] king of [the] people of Ammon
עַמּֽוֹן׃a.Mon Ammon H5983 Noun proper masculine
106× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Ammon refers to a son of Lot and his descendants, who lived in Transjordan. The Ammonites are mentioned in the Bible as a distinct people. They appear in the book of Genesis and are also referenced in the history of the Israelites.
Tyndale gloss
Ammon
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עַמּוֹן (Ammon) refers to a people descended from Lot, specifically through his son Ben-ammi. The term is associated with the Ammonites and their territory in Transjordan. It is derived from a root meaning 'tribal' or 'inbred.' The entries consistently identify Ammon as both a person and a group.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עַמּוֹן 106 n.pr.gent. Ammon

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5983 עַמּוֹן Ammon

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5983 `Ammown am-mone'

from 5971; tribal, i.e. inbred; Ammon, a son of Lot; also his

posterity and their country:--Ammon, Ammonites.

see HEBREW for 05971

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עַמּוֹן (am.mon) — Ammon.

§ Ammon = "tribal"

a people dwelling in Transjordan descended from Lot through Ben-ammi

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNpm — Noun proper masculine
HNpm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Ammon

Another form of the name Ben-ammi, the son of Lot (Gen. 19:38). This name is also used for his posterity (Ps. 83:7).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(sons of renown, mountaineers), Am’monites, Children of Ammon, A people descended from Ben-ammi, the son of Lot by his younger daughter. (Genesis 19:38) comp Psal 83:7,8 The Ammonites are frequently mentioned with the Moabites (descendants of Ben-ammi’s half-brother), and sometimes under the same name. Comp. (Judges 10:6; 2 Chronicles 20:1; Zephaniah 2:8) etc. The precise position of the territory of the Ammonites is not ascertainable. In the earliest mention of them, (2:20) they are said to have dwelt in their place, Jabbok being their border. (Numbers 21:24; 2:37; 3:16) (i.e. Land or country is, however, but rarely…

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

a people; the son of my people

Nave's Topical Bible

→ See BEN-AMMI

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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