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Judges 17:5 — Word Study

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WLCוְהָאִ֣ישׁ מִיכָ֔ה ל֖וֹ בֵּ֣ית אֱלֹהִ֑ים וַיַּ֤עַשׂ אֵפוֹד֙ וּתְרָפִ֔ים וַיְמַלֵּ֗א אֶת־ יַ֤ד אַחַד֙ מִבָּנָ֔יו וַיְהִי־ ל֖וֹ לְכֹהֵֽן׃

BSANow this manʼîysh [a male person, individual] MicahMîykâh a shrinebayith [house of gods, a place for idol worship] and he madeʻâsâh [created, fashioned] an ephodʼêphôwd [a special vest, priestly garment] and some household idolstᵉrâphîym [teraphim, family gods] and ordainedmâlêʼ [consecrated, set apart] oneʼechâd of his sonsbên [a descendant, child] [as]hâyâh priestkôhên [one who serves God, a spiritual leader]

Word
Listen & take awayJudges 17
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 5 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 (le.kho.Hen) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Judges 17:5quick helps
In a sentenceMicah sets up a shrine, creates an ephod, makes household idols, and appoints one of his sons as a priest.
Who is speakingThe narrator describes Micah, a man with a shrine.
Where we areThe story unfolds in a time of spiritual confusion in Israel.
The hard wordאֵפוֹד, ephod
Take awayMicah's actions illustrate the idolatry present in Israel during this period.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbעָשָׂה 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 17:5

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 — Micah's Idolatrygenerated

4So he returned the silver to his mother, and she took two hundred shekels of silver and gave them to a silversmith, who made them into a graven image and a molten idol. And they were placed in the house of Micah.
5Now this man Micah had a shrine, and he made an ephod and some household idols, and ordained one of his sons as his priest.
6In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.
7And there was a young Levite from Bethlehem in Judah who had been residing within the clan of Judah.

Judges 17:5 describes Micah, who established a shrine for idol worship, indicating a departure from true worship of God. This passage reflects the spiritual chaos in Israel, where individuals sought personal religious expressions rather than adhering to the prescribed worship of Yahweh. The surrounding verses highlight the societal context, where everyone did what was right in their own eyes, leading to widespread idolatry and moral decline.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Judges 18:24He replied, “You took the gods I had made, and my priest, and went away. What else do I have? How can you say to me, ‘What is the matter with you?’”
2Genesis 31:30Now you have gone off because you long for your father’s house. But why have you stolen my gods?”
3Ezra 1:7King Cyrus also brought out the articles belonging to the house of the LORD that Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and placed in the temple of his gods.
4Hosea 8:14Israel has forgotten his Maker and built palaces; Judah has multiplied its fortified cities. But I will send fire upon their cities, and it will consume their citadels.
5Judges 8:27From all this Gideon made an ephod, which he placed in Ophrah, his hometown. But soon all Israel prostituted themselves by worshiping it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and his household.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 15 references, hung on the phrase they belong to

his sonsExodus 24:5

The Key Word אֵפוֹד, ephodgenerated

The word אֵפוֹד (ephod) refers to a priestly garment worn by the high priest, made from fine materials and adorned with precious stones. It symbolizes the priest's role in mediating between God and the people.

In this verse, Micah's creation of an ephod signifies his attempt to establish a personal form of worship, reflecting the broader theme of idolatry in the book of Judges. The ephod was not merely a garment but a representation of Micah's misguided religious practices.


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 verbs וַיַּ֤עַשׂ (and he made), וַיְמַלֵּ֗א (and he filled), and וַיְהִי־ (and he became) govern the actions of Micah, indicating a sequence of events. The structure reflects a narrative style where actions are listed to show the progression of Micah's idolatrous practices.

The use of conjunctions and sequential verbs emphasizes the cumulative nature of Micah's actions, portraying a man fully engaged in establishing his own religious practices.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates אֵפוֹד as εφωδ (ephod), maintaining the original meaning and significance of the priestly garment. This choice indicates a consistent understanding of the ephod's role in worship.

The translation reflects the Greek-speaking audience's familiarity with the concept of the ephod, showing its importance in the context of priestly duties and worship.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Judges 17:5 tells us that Micah had a shrine where he made an ephod and some household idols. He also appointed one of his sons to be a priest. This verse highlights the idolatry that was common in Israel during this time.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does Micah's shrine represent?

Micah's shrine represents a personal place of worship that deviates from the worship of Yahweh, illustrating the idolatry prevalent in Israel.

What is the significance of the ephod?

The ephod is a priestly garment that symbolizes the role of the priest in mediating between God and the people, and its creation by Micah indicates a misguided attempt at worship.

Why did Micah make household idols?

Micah made household idols to serve as objects of worship within his shrine, reflecting the common practice of idolatry during a time when Israel lacked centralized worship.

What does it mean that Micah ordained his son as a priest?

By ordaining his son as a priest, Micah was establishing a personal priesthood that was not sanctioned by the established religious system, further emphasizing the individualistic and idolatrous practices of the time.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What can we learn about the dangers of personal interpretation of worship from Micah's actions?
  2. How does Micah's story reflect the spiritual state of Israel during this time?
  3. In what ways can we ensure that our worship aligns with God's intentions rather than our own preferences?
  4. What role does accountability play in our spiritual practices, as seen in Micah's individualistic approach?

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

The commentary from Richard Challoner interprets Micah's actions as a consecration to the priestly office, highlighting the significance of his son's appointment.

Richard Challoner 1691–1781
Filled the hand: That is, appointed and consecrated him to the priestly office.
Early Church Fathers on Judges 17 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Judges 17:5 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

And the man Micah had an house of gods,.... Having two images in it, besides teraphim, which were a sort of idols; and the Targum is, an house of images, or idols; though it may be rendered "an house

Read John Gill on Judges 17 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And the man Micah had an house of gods, and made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.

Read Robert Jamieson on Judges 17 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

An house of gods, i.e. an house or place consecrated for the service of God in this manner. An ephod; an eminent part of the priestly garments, , which, some think, is here put for all of them. Teraphim; some sort of images so called, of which see . Who became his priest; because the Levites in that corrupt estate of the church neglected the exercise of their office, and therefore were neglected by the people, and others put into their employment. But this kind of priesthood was condemned, 18:2,7.

Read Matthew Poole on Judges 17 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Judges 17:5 And the man Micah had an house of gods, and made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.Ver. 5. And the man Micah had an house of gods.] Aediculam sacram. The devil is ειδωλοχαρης, saith Synesius, a great promoter of idolatry. His champion Julian was by the Christians merrily called Idolian. And teraphim,] i.e., Seraphims and cherubims, saith Hugo: but it seemeth rather to signifiy certain statues, whereby the devil gave answers or oracles.

Read John Trapp on Judges 17 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(5) Had an house of gods.—The Hebrew is Beth Elohim, which may mean equally well “a house of God” (Vulg., �diculam Deo, and so too the LXX.). It is quite clear that Micah did not abandon the worship of God under the names of Jehovah and Elohim, by which He was known to the Israelites. How he coordinated this worship with his grossly idolatrous symbols, or whom those symbols were intended to represent, it is impossible to say. The fact remains that in the Beth-Micah we find “a house of gods”—“whole chapel of idols”—consecrated to Jehovah as a pious act (Judges 17:2; Judges 17:5; Judges 17:13; Judges 18:6). An ephod.—No doubt the ephod was nothing more than a gorgeous priestly garment, though…

Read Charles John Ellicott on Judges 17 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 5. The man Micah had a house of gods] בית אלהים beith Elohim should, I think, be translated house or temple of God; for it is very likely that both the mother and the son intended no more than a private or domestic chapel, in which they proposed to set up the worship of the true God. Made an ephod] Perhaps the whole of this case may be stated thus: Micah built a house of God - a chapel in imitation of the sanctuary; he made a graven image representing the ark, a molten image to represent the mercy-seat, teraphim to represent the cherubim above the mercy-seat, and an ephod in imitation of the sacerdotal garments; and he consecrated one of his sons to be priest. Thus gross idolatry was…

Read AdamClarke on Judges 17 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

5. had an house of gods] But according to his lights Micah was a zealous worshipper of Jehovah; so follow Marg. had an house of God, i.e. a private shrine. The narrative hardly permits the identification of Micah’s beth-elohim with Beth-el, as has been proposed; nor does it intend to brand his shrine, and the sanctuary at Dan, as idolatrous foundations. an ephod and teraphim] Instruments for consulting the divine oracle; 1 Samuel 23:9-12, Zechariah 10:2. In Hosea 3:4 they are mentioned, together with sacrifice and pillar, in a way which suggests that they were to be found in public sanctuaries. Such was the case with the ephod, Judges 8:27 note; but the terâphim as a rule seem to have been…

Read Cambridge on Judges 17 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

5. House of gods — Or, a house of God, a sanctuary after the model of that at Shiloh. He would have a tabernacle of his own. An ephod — Probably after the fashion of Gideon’s. See on Judges 8:27.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Judges 17 →

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

Now this man Micah had a shrine, and he made an ephod and some household idols, and ordained one of his sons as his priest.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

The man Micah had a house of gods, and he made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Now this man Micah had a shrine, and he made an ephod and some household idols, and ordained one of his sons as his priest.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Now this man Micah owned a shrine. He made an ephod and some personal idols and hired one of his sons to serve as a priest.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And the man Micah had an house of gods, and made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And the man Micah had a house of gods, and he made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And the man Micah had an house of gods, and he made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And the man Micah had a house of gods, and made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

And this man Michah had an house of gods, and made an Ephod, and Teraphim, and cosecrated one of his sonnes, who was his Priest.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And the man Micah had a house of gods, and made an ephod and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

As to the man Micah, he hath a house of gods, and he maketh an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrateth the hand of one of his sons, and he is to him for a priest;

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

As for the man Micah, he has a house of gods, and he makes an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrates the hand of one of his sons, and he is for a priest to him;

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And the man Micah had a house of god, and he made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

The man Micah had a house of idols and he made an ephod and household gods, and he hired one of his sons to become his priest.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And he separated also therein a little temple for the god, and made an ephod, and theraphim, that is to say, a priestly garment, and idols: and he filled the hand of one of his sons, and he became his priest.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Micah had built a shrine for the idol. He also made an ephod and some household gods, and ordained one of his sons as his priest.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And the man Micah had a house of gods; and he made an ephod and family gods and put one of his sons in the position of priest.

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.

וְandclauseclausenoun phrasenoun phraseהָtheאִ֣ישׁmanמִיכָ֔הMicahclauseprepositional phrase · predicateל֖[belonged].toוֹhimnoun phrase · subjectבֵּ֣יתa.houseאֱלֹהִ֑יםof.Godוַandclauseverbיַּ֤עַשׂhe.madenoun phrase · objectאֵפוֹד֙an.ephodוּandתְרָפִ֔יםteraphimוַandclauseverbיְמַלֵּ֗אhe.fillednoun phrase · objectאֶת(et)noun phraseיַ֤ד[the].handnoun phrasenumeral phraseאַחַד֙of.oneprepositional phraseמִofnoun phraseבָּנָ֔יsonsוhisוַandclauseverbיְהִיhe.becameprepositional phrase · prepositionalל֖forוֹhimprepositional phrase · prepositionalלְ(into).aכֹהֵֽןpriest

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 largely agree in their wording for this verse. The Septuagint's translation matches 15 of the 16 words in the Hebrew text, indicating a strong alignment in the depiction of Micah's actions.

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

וְהָאִ֣ישׁ מִיכָ֔ה ל֖וֹ בֵּ֣ית אֱלֹהִ֑ים וַיַּ֤עַשׂ אֵפוֹד֙ וּתְרָפִ֔ים וַיְמַלֵּ֗א אֶת־ יַ֤ד אַחַד֙ מִבָּנָ֔יו וַיְהִי־ ל֖וֹ לְכֹהֵֽן׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וְהָאִ֣ישׁοἶκοςמִיכָ֔הμιξαιαל֖וֹαὐτῷבֵּ֣יתοἶκοςאֱלֹהִ֑יםθεοῦוַיַּ֤עַשׂἐποίησενאֵפוֹד֙εφωδוּתְרָפִ֔יםθαραφινוַיְמַלֵּ֗אἐπλήρωσενיַ֤דξεῖραאַחַד֙ἑνὸςמִבָּנָ֔יוαὐτοῦוַיְהִי־ἐγένετοל֖וֹαὐτῷלְכֹהֵֽן׃ἱερέα

15 of the 16 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 17:5אִישׁand the manand the manאִישׁמִיכָהMicahMicahמִיכָהוֹ[belonged] [belonged] to hוֹבֵּיתa house ofa house ofבֵּיתאֱלֹהִיםGodGodאֱלֹהִיםעָשָׂהand he madeand he madeעָשָׂהאֵפוֹדan ephodan ephodאֵפוֹדתְּרָפִיםand teraphiand teraphimתְּרָפִיםמָלֵאand he filland he filledמָלֵאאֵתthe object the object markאֵתיָד[the] hand [the] hand ofיָדאֶחָדoneoneאֶחָדבֵּןfrom sons hfrom sons hisבֵּןהָיָהand he becaand he becameהָיָהוֹof himof himוֹכֹּהֵןa priesta priestכֹּהֵןבָּנָהto buildto buildבָּנָהרָפָאto healto healרָפָאאוֹתsign: mirasign: miraculouאוֹתכַּףpalmpalmכַּףחָדַדto go eithto go either waחָדַדאֱנוֹשׁhumanhumanאֱנוֹשׁאִשָּׁהwomanwomanאִשָּׁהמִיכָיָהMicahMicahמִיכָיָהאֱלֹהַּgodgodאֱלֹהַּהָוָאto fallto fallהָוָאכָּהַןto ministeto ministerכָּהַןרֵעַneighborneighborרֵעַמMoreshethiMoreshethiteמפִּיתוֹןPithonPithonפִּיתוֹןאוֹצָרtreasuretreasureאוֹצָראַחֵרanotheranotherאַחֵראֲרוֹןarkarkאֲרוֹןמְלָאכָהworkworkמְלָאכָה
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 17:5

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 the man Micah [belonged] to him a house of God and he made an ephod and teraphim and he filled the object marker [the] hand of one from sons his and he became of him a priest
וְהָאִ֣ישׁve.ha.'Ish and the man H376 Conjunction · particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
1,664× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for man, referring to a male person or individual, is used in the Bible to describe humans in contrast to God or animals, as seen in Genesis and Psalms. It can also mean husband or servant. In the KJV, it is translated as man or male.
Amplified meaning
a male person, individual
Tyndale gloss
man
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אִישׁ (iysh) means 'man' and can refer to an individual male, a husband, or a human being in general. It encompasses various meanings, including champion and great man, and can also imply 'whosoever' or 'each.' The word is built from a root suggesting existence and is used throughout the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אִישׁ 2166 n.m. man (= vir)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H376 אִישׁ man (= vir)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

376 'iysh eesh

contracted for 582 (or perhaps rather from an unused root

meaning to be extant); a man as an individual or a male

person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and

in such cases frequently not expressed in

translation):--also, another, any (man), a certain, +

champion, consent, each, every (one), fellow, (foot-,

husband-)man, (good-, great, mighty) man, he, high (degree),

him (that is), husband, man(-kind), + none, one, people,

person, + steward, what (man) soever, whoso(-ever), worthy.

Compare 802.

see HEBREW for 0582

see HEBREW for 0802

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אִישׁ (ish) — man.

: man

1) man

1a) man, male (in contrast to woman, female)

1b) husband

1c) human being, person (in contrast to God)

1d) servant

1e) mankind

1f) champion

1g) great man

2) whosoever

3) each (adjective)

אִישׁ (ish) — man: husband.

: husband

1) man

1a) man, male (in contrast to woman, female)

1b) husband

1c) human being, person (in contrast to God)

1d) servant

1e) mankind

1f) champion

1g) great man

2) whosoever

3) each (adjective)

אִישׁ (ish) — man: anyone.

: anyone/someone

1) man

1a) man, male (in contrast to woman, female)

1b) husband

1c) human being, person (in contrast to God)

1d) servant

1e) mankind

1f) champion

1g) great man

2) whosoever

3) each (adjective)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Art | N-ms — Conjunction · particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
HC/Td/Ncmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

See ANTHROPOLOGY.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Man

(1.) Heb. ‘Adam, used as the proper name of the first man. The name is derived from a word meaning “to be red,” and thus the first man was called Adam because he was formed from the red earth. It is also the generic name of the human race (Gen. 1:26, 27; 5:2; 8:21; Deut. 8:3). Its equivalents are the Latin homo and the Greek anthropos (Matt. 5:13, 16). It denotes also man in opposition to woman (Gen. 3:12; Matt. 19:10).

(2.) Heb. ‘ish, like the Latin vir and Greek aner, denotes properly a man in opposition to a woman (1 Sam. 17:33;

→ CREATED Ge 1:26,27; 2:7; 5:1,2; De 4:32; Job 4:17; 10:2,3,8,9; 31:15; 33:4; 35:10; Ps 8:5; 100:3; 119:73; 138:8; 139:14; Ec 7:29; Isa 17:7; 42:5; 43:7; 45:12; 64:8; Jer 27:5; Zec 12:1; Mal 2:10; Mr 10:6; Heb 2:7

See CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF GOD, below

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and the man Micah [belonged] to him a house of God and he made an ephod and teraphim and he filled the object marker [the] hand of one from sons his and he became of him a priest
מִיכָ֔הmi.Khah Micah H4318 Noun proper masculine
33× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Micaiah means who is like God, a prophet in 1 Kings 22:8, son of Imlah, prophesying during Jotham and Hezekiah's reigns.
Tyndale gloss
Micaiah
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מִיכָה (Miykah) is a Hebrew name meaning 'who is like God.' It refers to several individuals in the Old Testament, including the prophet Micah, who prophesied during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. The name is linked to various figures, such as a Kohathite Levite and a descendant of Joel the Reubenite, among others.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מִיכָה n.pr.m.

Micha, the Ephraimite

the prophet Micah

1 Ch 5:5

son of Meribaal (Mephibosheth)

23:20

2 Ch 18:14

34:20

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4318 מִיכָה

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4318 Miykah mee-kaw'

an abbrev. of 4320; Micah, the name of seven

Israelites:--Micah, Micaiah, Michah.

see HEBREW for 04320

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מִיכָה (mi.khah) — Micah.

A man living before Israel's Monarchy, first mentioned at Jdg.17.1

Also named: mi.kha.ye.hu (מִיכָֽיְהוּ "Micah" H4321I)

§ Micah or Micaiah or Michah = "who is like God"

1) the 6th in order of the minor prophets; a native of Moresheth, he prophesied during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah of Judah, and was contemporary with the prophets Hosea, Amos, and Isaiah

2) an Ephraimite during the period of the judges

3) a descendant of Joel the Reubenite

4) son of Meribbaal and grandson of Jonathan

5) a Kohathite Levite, the eldest son of Uzziel the brother of Amram

6) father of Abdon, a man of high station in the reign of Josiah

7) son of Imlah and a prophet of Samaria who predicted the defeat and death of king Ahab of Israel

מִיכָה (mi.khah) — Micah.

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

Micah

A shortened form of Micaiah, who is like Jehovah? (1.) A man of Mount Ephraim, whose history so far is introduced in Judg. 17, apparently for the purpose of leading to an account of the settlement of the tribe of Dan in Northern Palestine, and for the purpose also of illustrating the lawlessness of the times in which he lived (Judg. 18; 19:1-29; 21:25).

(2.) The son of Merib-baal (Mephibosheth), 1 Chr. 8:34, 35.

(3.) The first in rank of the priests of the family of Kohathites (1 Chr. 23:20).

(4.) A descendant of Joel the Reubenite (1 Chr. 5:5).

(5.) “The Morasthite,” so called to distinguish him from Micaiah, the son of Imlah (1 Kings 22:8). He was a prophet of Judah, a…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(who is like God?), the same name as Micaiah. [MICAIAH] An Israelite whose familiar story is preserved in the 17th and 18th chapters of Judges. Micah is evidently a devout believers in Jehovah, and yet so completely ignorant is he of the law of Jehovah that the mode which he adopts of honoring him is to make a molten and graven image, teraphim or images of domestic gods, and to set up an unauthorized priesthood, first in his own family, (Judges 17:5) and then in the person of a Levite not of the priestly line. ver. (Judges 17:12) A body of 600 Danites break in upon and steal his idols from him. The sixth in order of the minor prophets. He is called the Morasthite, that is, a native of Moresheth, a small village near Eleutheropolis to the east, where formerly the prophet’s tomb…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

1. The Morasthite, or of Maresheth, a village near Eleutheropolis, in the west of Judah; the seventh in order of the lesser prophets. He prophesied under Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, for about fifty years, if with some we reckon from near the beginning of the reign of Jotham, to the last year of Hezekiah B. C. 750-698. He was nearly contemporary with Isaiah, and has some expressions in common with him. Compare Isa 2:2 with Mic 4:1, and Isa 41:15 with Mic 4:13. His bold fidelity served as a shield to the prophet Jeremiah a century afterwards, Jer 26:18,19 Mic…

and the man Micah [belonged] to him a house of God and he made an ephod and teraphim and he filled the object marker [the] hand of one from sons his and he became of him a priest
ל֖וֹlo [belonged] to him H9033 Preposition · suffix
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

וֹ (o) — him.

Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 3rd person masculine singular

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HRd/Sp3ms — Preposition · suffix
HRd/Sp3ms
and the man Micah [belonged] to him a house of God and he made an ephod and teraphim and he filled the object marker [the] hand of one from sons his and he became of him a priest
בֵּ֣יתbeit a house of H1004 Noun common · masculine singular construct
2,049× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for house refers to a dwelling place, including a family home, temple, or even the human body. It appears in various contexts, such as the temple in Jerusalem or the household of a family. In the Bible, it is often used to describe a place of worship or a family's living space.
Amplified meaning
house of gods, a place for idol worship
Tyndale gloss
place
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word בַּיִת (*bayith*) means 'house' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including dwelling, family, and place. It can refer to physical structures, such as homes and temples, as well as metaphorical uses like the body or household affairs. The word is built from the root related to 'between' and appears in various contexts throughout the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בֵּית fem. of בַּיִן, בֵּין prep. between

base

בַּ֫יִת 2034 n.m. house

house

place

receptacle

of house as containing a family

household, family (592 t.)

house, including household affairs

lit. housewards, hence metaph. inwards

מִבַּיִת

adv. on the inside

prep. within

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1004a בֵּית fem. of בַּיִן, בֵּין prep. between H1004b בַּ֫יִת house

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1004 bayith bah'-yith

probably from 1129 abbreviated; a house (in the greatest

variation of applications, especially family, etc.):--court,

daughter, door, + dungeon, family, + forth of, X great as

would contain, hangings, home(born), (winter)house(-hold),

inside(-ward), palace, place, + prison, + steward, + tablet,

temple, web, + within(-out).

see HEBREW for 01129

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בֵּית (bet) — place.

nm

place, origin, between

בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — house: home.

: home/temple/building

nm

1) house

1a) house, dwelling habitation

1b) shelter or abode of animals

1c) human bodies (fig.)

1d) of Sheol

1e) of abode of light and darkness

1f) of land of Ephraim

2) place

3) receptacle

4) home, house as containing a family

5) household, family

5a) those belonging to the same household

5b) family of descendants, descendants as organized body

6) household affairs

7) inwards (metaph.)

8) (TWOT) temple

adv

9) on the inside

prep

10) within

בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — Beth-(ashbea).

nm

This name is used for a house, habitation

Combined with ash.be.a (אַשְׁבֵּעַ "Ashbea" H0791)

בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — Beth (Haggan).

nm

This name is used for a house, habitation

Combined with hag (גַּן "Haggan" H1588)

בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — Beth-(togarmah).

nm

This name is used for a house, habitation

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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…

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and the man Micah [belonged] to him a house of God and he made an ephod and teraphim and he filled the object marker [the] hand of one from sons his and he became of him a priest
אֱלֹהִ֑ים'E.lo.Him God H430 Noun common · masculine plural absolute
2,603× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for God, elohim, refers to the one supreme God, and is sometimes used to show respect to judges or magistrates. It is also used to describe angels or mighty beings. This word is closely related to the name of the Lord, Yahweh, and is often translated as God or gods in the Bible.
Tyndale gloss
God
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֱלֹהִים (elohiym) is a plural noun meaning 'gods' or 'God,' often referring to the supreme deity in the Old Testament. It encompasses divine beings, rulers, and judges, reflecting divine majesty and power. The term can also denote angels and is used in a superlative sense. Notably, it is sometimes combined with יהוה (YHWH), the personal name of God.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֱלֹהִים 2570 n.m.pl.

pl. in number.

rulers, judges, either as divine representatives at sacred places or as reflecting divine majesty and power

divine ones, superhuman beings including God and angels

angels

gods

pl. intensive

god or goddess

godlike one

works of God, or things belongng to him

God

הָאֱלֹהִים the (true) God

אֱלֹהִים = God

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H430 אֱלֹהִים n. m. pl. . pl. in number. . rulers, judges, either asdivine representatives at sacred places or as reflecting divine majesty and power

. divine ones, superhuman beings including God and angels

. angels

. gods

. pl. intensive . god or goddess

. godlike one

. works of God, or things belongng to him

. God

. הָאֱלֹהִים the (true) God

. אֱלֹהִים = God

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

430 'elohiym el-o-heem'

plural of 433; gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically

used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the

supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to

magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative:--angels, X

exceeding, God (gods)(-dess, -ly), X (very) great, judges, X

mighty.

see HEBREW for 0433

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֱלֹהִים (e.lo.him) — God.

This name means "gods" (plural intensive-singular meaning), "God"

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

אֱלֹהִים (e.lo.him) — (LORD)-Elohe.

Combined with ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068)

אֱלֹהִים (e.lo.him) — (Gibeath)-elohim.

Combined with giv.ah (גִּבְעָה "Gibeath" H1389)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcmpa — Noun common · masculine plural absolute
HNcmpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

god ('Elohim, 'El, [`Elyon], Shadday, Yahweh; Theos):

I. INTRODUCTION TO THE GENERAL IDEA

1. The Idea in Experience and in Thought

2. Definition of the Idea

3. The Knowledge of God

4. Ethnic Ideas of God

(1) Animism

(2) Fetishism

(3) Idolatry

(4) Polytheism

(5) Henotheism

(6) Pantheism

(7) Deism

(8) Semitic Monolatry

(9) Monotheism

II. THE IDEA OF GOD IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

1. The Course of Its Development

2. Forms of Its Manifestation

(1) The Face or Countenance of God

(2) The Voice and Word of God

(3) The Glory of God

(4) The Angel of God

(5) The Spirit of God

(6) The Name of God

(7) Occasional Forms

3. The Names of God

(1) Generic

(2) Attributive

(3) Yahweh

4. Pre-prophetic Conceptions of God

(1) Yahweh Alone Is the God of Israel

(a) His Early Worship

(b) Popular Religion

(c) Polytheistic Tendencies

(i) Coordination

(ii) Assimilation

(iii) Disintegration

(d) No Hebrew Goddesses

(e) Human Sacrifices

Easton's Bible Dictionary

God

(A.S. and Dutch God; Dan. Gud; Ger. Gott), the name of the Divine Being. It is the rendering (1) of the Hebrew ’El, from a word meaning to be strong; (2) of ’Eloah_, plural _’Elohim. The singular form, Eloah, is used only in poetry. The plural form is more commonly used in all parts of the Bible, The Hebrew word Jehovah (q.v.), the only other word generally employed to denote the Supreme Being, is uniformly rendered in the Authorized Version by “LORD,” printed in small capitals. The existence of God is taken for granted in the Bible. There is nowhere any argument to prove it. He who disbelieves this truth is spoken of as one devoid of understanding (Ps. 14:1).

The arguments generally adduced by theologians in proof of the being of God are:

(1.) The a priori argument, which is the testimony afforded by reason.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(good). Throughout the Hebrew Scriptures two chief names are used for the one true divine Being--ELOHIM, commonly translated God in our version, and JEHOVAH, translated Lord . Elohim is the plural of Eloah (in Arabic Allah); it is often used in the short form EL (a word signifying strength , as in EL-SHADDAI, God Almighty, the name by which God was specially known to the patriarchs. (Genesis 17:1; 28:3; Exodus 6:3) The etymology is uncertain, but it is generally agreed that the primary idea is that of strength, power of effect , and that it properly describes God in that character in which he is exhibited to all men in his works, as the creator, sustainer and supreme governor of the world. The plural form of Elohim has given rise to much discussion. The fanciful idea that it…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

This name, the derivation of which is uncertain, we give to that eternal, infinite, perfect, and incomprehensible Being, the Creator of all things, who preserves and governs all by his almighty power and wisdom, and is the only proper object of worship. The proper Hebrew name for God is JEHOVAH, which signifies He is. But the Jews, from a feeling of reverence, avoid pronouncing this name, substituting for it, wherever it occurs in the sacred test, the word ADONAI, Lord; except in the expression, ADONAI JEHOVAH, Lord Jehovah, for which they put, ADONAI ELOHIM, Lord God. This usage, which is not without an element of superstition, is very ancient, dating its origin some centuries before Christ; but there is no good ground for assuming its existence in the days of the inspired Old Testament writers. The proper word for God is ELOHIM, which is plural in its form, being thus used to signify…

and the man Micah [belonged] to him a house of God and he made an ephod and teraphim and he filled the object marker [the] hand of one from sons his and he became of him a priest
וַיַּ֤עַשׂvai.Ya.'as and he made H6213 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
2,629× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to make or do something, and is used over 2,600 times in the Bible. It is first used in Genesis 1:7 to describe God's creation of the world and is also used in Exodus 31:5 to describe the work of skilled craftsmen.
Amplified meaning
created, fashioned
Tyndale gloss
to make
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עָשָׂה (asah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to do or make, encompassing a wide range of actions such as producing, preparing, and observing. It can refer to both concrete and abstract activities, including making offerings and attending to tasks. The verb also has forms indicating passive meanings, such as being made or offered. Notably, the Piel form refers to pressing or squeezing.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עָשָׂה 2622 vb. do, make

Qal 2524

do (1560 t.)

deal with

oft. in phr. do kindness with

abs. act, act with effect

make (670 t.)

produce, yield

prepare, esp. of dressing and cooking food

make offering

attend to, put in order

observe, celebrate, religious festival

acquire property of various kinds

appoint priests

bring about of י׳’s effecting a deliverance

use

spend, pass, days of life

Niph.

97be done

be made, of concr. things

be produced from vine

be prepared, of food

be offered

be observed, passover

be used

Pu. I was made

base

[עָשָׂה] vb. Pi. press, squeeze

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6213a עָשָׂה do, make .. . do (1560 + t.)

. deal with

. oft. in phr. do kindness with

. abs. act, act with effect

. . make (670 + t.)

. produce, yield

. prepare, esp. of dressing and cooking food

. make offering

. attend to, put in order

. observe, celebrate, religious festival

. acquire property of various kinds

. appoint priests

. bring about of י׳’s effecting a deliverance

. use

. spend, pass, days of life

. . be done

. . be made, of concr. things

. be produced from vine

. be prepared, of food

. be offered

. be observed, passover

. be used

. I was made

H6213b עָשָׂה Pi. press, squeeze

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6213 `asah aw-saw'

a primitive root; to do or make, in the broadest sense and

widest application (as follows):--accomplish, advance,

appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth,

bruise, be busy, X certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal

(with), deck, + displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in)

execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, + feast, (fight-)ing man, +

finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go

about, govern, grant, great, + hinder, hold ((a feast)), X

indeed, + be industrious, + journey, keep, labour, maintain,

make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, + officer, pare,

bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure,

provide, put, requite, X sacrifice, serve, set, shew, X sin,

spend, X surely, take, X thoroughly, trim, X very, + vex, be

(warr-)ior, work(-man), yield, use.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עָשָׂה (a.sah) — to make: do.

: do/perform

1) to do, fashion, accomplish, make

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to do, work, make, produce

1a1a) to do

1a1b) to work

1a1c) to deal (with)

1a1d) to act, act with effect, effect

1a2) to make

1a2a) to make

1a2b) to produce

1a2c) to prepare

1a2d) to make (an offering)

1a2e) to attend to, put in order

1a2f) to observe, celebrate

1a2g) to acquire (property)

1a2h) to appoint, ordain, institute

1a2i) to bring about

1a2j) to use

1a2k) to spend, pass

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be done

1b2) to be made

1b3) to be produced

1b4) to be offered

1b5) to be observed

1b6) to be used

1c) (Pual) to be made

עָשָׂה (a.sah) — to press.

(Piel) to press, squeeze

עָשָׂה (a.sah) — to make.

: make(OBJECT)

1) to do, fashion, accomplish, make

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to do, work, make, produce

1a1a) to do

1a1b) to work

1a1c) to deal (with)

1a1d) to act, act with effect, effect

1a2) to make

1a2a) to make

1a2b) to produce

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
and the man Micah [belonged] to him a house of God and he made an ephod and teraphim and he filled the object marker [the] hand of one from sons his and he became of him a priest
אֵפוֹד֙'e.fOd an ephod H646 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
49× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The ephod was a special vest worn by priests in the Bible, including the high priest, made with gold, blue, and purple threads. It was a symbol of their role and had shoulder pieces and a breastpiece with gems. In Exodus 28:6, God instructs Moses on how to make the ephod.
Amplified meaning
a special vest, priestly garment
Tyndale gloss
ephod
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֵפוֹד (ephod) refers to a priestly garment, specifically a shoulder-cape or mantle worn by priests, with variations in material and design for ordinary and high priests. It is mentioned in contexts of priestly duties and rituals, including its use in consulting God and a notable instance where Gideon made a gold ephod.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵפוֹד (28 t.) & אֵפֹד (20 t.) n.m. ephod

ephod, priestly garment, shoulder-cape or mantle

ephod used in consulting י׳

ephod of gold made by Gideon

made (material not given) for a private, local sanctuary

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H646 אֵפוֹד (28 t.) & אֵפֹד (20 t.) ephod

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

646 'ephowd ay-fode'

rarely oephod {ay-fode'}; probably of foreign derivation ; a

girdle; specifically the ephod or high-priest's shoulder-

piece; also generally, an image:--ephod.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵפוֹד (e.phod) — ephod.

1) ephod

1a) priestly garment, shoulder-cape or mantle, outer garment

1a1) worn by an ordinary priest and made of white stuff

1a2) worn by the high priest-more costly, woven of gold, blue, purple, scarlet, and linen threads provided with shoulder-pieces and a breast piece of like material, ornamented with gems and gold

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Ephod

Something girt, a sacred vestment worn originally by the high priest (Ex. 28:4), afterwards by the ordinary priest (1 Sam. 22:18), and characteristic of his office (1 Sam. 2:18, 28; 14:3). It was worn by Samuel, and also by David (2 Sam. 6:14). It was made of fine linen, and consisted of two pieces, which hung from the neck, and covered both the back and front, above the tunic and outer garment (Ex. 28:31). That of the high priest was embroidered with divers colours. The two pieces were joined together over the shoulders (hence in Latin called superhumerale) by clasps or buckles of gold or precious stones, and…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(a sacred vestment originally appropriate to the high priest. (Exodus 28:4)

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

An ornamental part of the dress worn by the Hebrew priests. It was worn above the tunic and the robe, was without sleeves, and open below the arms on each side, consisting of two pieces, one of which covered the front of the body and the other the back, joined together on the shoulders by golden buckles set with gems, and reaching down to the middle of the thigh. A girdle was inwoven with it, by which it was fastened around the body, Ex 28:6-12. There were two kinds of ephod: one plain, of linen, for the priests, 1Sa 22:18; another embroidered, for the high priest. Young Samuel wore an ephod, though only a Levite and a child, 1Sa 2:18. David, in transferring the ark to Jerusalem, was "girt with a linen ephod,"

1. A sacred vestment worn by the high priest

Described Ex 28:6-14,31-35; 25:7

The making of Ex 39:2-26

Breastplate attached to Ex 28:22-29

Worn by Aaron Ex 39:5

Used as an oracle 1Sa 23:9,12; 30:7,8

An inferior, was worn by the ordinary priests 1Sa 22:18

Worn by Samuel 1Sa 2:18

Worn by David 2Sa 6:14

It was called COAT Ex 28:40; 29:8; 39:27; 40:14; Le 8:13; 10:5

and the man Micah [belonged] to him a house of God and he made an ephod and teraphim and he filled the object marker [the] hand of one from sons his and he became of him a priest
וּתְרָפִ֔יםu.te.ra.Fim and teraphim H8655 Conjunction · noun common masculine plural absolute
15× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Teraphim were idols or images used in worship, often in a household shrine. This Hebrew word refers to a family idol, and is used in the Bible to describe idolatry or false worship. The KJV translates it as idols or images.
Amplified meaning
teraphim, family gods
Tyndale gloss
teraphim
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

תְּרָפִים (teraphim) refers to a type of idol or family idol associated with idolatry and divination. It is a plural form derived from a root meaning 'healer.' The entries highlight its use in household worship, indicating that teraphim were objects of reverence.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

תְּרָפִים n.m. pl. a kind of idol, obj. of reverence, and means of divination (√ and etymol.-mng. dub.)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8655 תְּרָפִים a kind of idol, obj. of reverence, and means of divination (√ and etymol.-mng. dub.)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8655 traphiym ter-aw-feme'

plural from 7495; a healer; Teraphim (singular or plural) a

family idol:--idols(-atry), images, teraphim.

see HEBREW for 07495

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

תְּרָפִים (te.ra.phim) — teraphim.

§ 1) idolatry, idols, image(s), teraphim, family idol

1a) a kind of idol used in household shrine or worship

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | N-mp — Conjunction · noun common masculine plural absolute
HC/Ncmpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ter'-a-fim.

See ASTROLOGY; DIVINATION; IMAGES.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Teraphim

Givers of prosperity, idols in human shape, large or small, analogous to the images of ancestors which were revered by the Romans. In order to deceive the guards sent by Saul to seize David, Michal his wife prepared one of the household teraphim, putting on it the goat’s-hair cap worn by sleepers and invalids, and laid it in a bed, covering it with a mantle. She pointed it out to the soldiers, and alleged that David was confined to his bed by a sudden illness (1 Sam. 19:13-16). Thus she gained time for David’s escape. It seems strange to read of teraphim, images of ancestors, preserved for superstitious purposes, being in the house of David. Probably they had been stealthily brought by Michal from her father’s house. “Perhaps,” says Bishop Wordsworth, “Saul, forsaken by God and possessed by the evil spirit, had resorted to…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

This word occurs only in the plural, and denotes images connected with magical rites. The derivation of the name is obscure. In one case -- (1 Samuel 19:13,16) --a single statue seems to be intended by the plural. The teraphim, translated "images" in the Authorized Version, carried away from Laban by Rachel were regarded by Laban as gods, and it would therefore appear that they were used by those who added corrupt practices to the patriarchal religion. Teraphim again are included among Micah’s images. (Judges 17:3-5; 18:17,18,20) Teraphim were consulted for oracular answers by the Israelites, (Zechariah 10:2) comp. Judg 18:5,6;

and the man Micah [belonged] to him a house of God and he made an ephod and teraphim and he filled the object marker [the] hand of one from sons his and he became of him a priest
וַיְמַלֵּ֗אvay.ma.Le' and he filled H4390 Verb · Piel · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
249× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To fill means to make something full or complete, like filling a container or fulfilling a promise. This word is used in many contexts, including being full of joy or having a job completed.
Amplified meaning
consecrated, set apart
Tyndale gloss
to fill
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מָלֵא (male') means 'to fill' or 'be full,' with applications ranging from literal filling to figurative uses like accomplishing or completing something. It appears in various forms, including Qal, Niphal, Piel, and Hithpael, indicating different nuances such as being satisfied or confirming. Notably, it can also refer to massing against someone.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מָלֵא 249 vb. be full, fill

Qal 99

be full, usu. c. acc. material

trans. fill

Niph.

be filled

be accomplished, ended

Pi.

fill

special uses are:

fulfil, accomplish, complete, obj. week, year, day

Pu. filled

Hithp. mass themselves against me

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4390 מָלֵא be full, fill .. be full, usu. c. acc. material

. trans. fill

. . be filled

. be accomplished, ended

. . fill

. special uses are:

. fulfil, accomplish, complete, obj. week, year, day

. filled

. mass themselves against me

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4390 male' maw-lay'

or malae (Esth. 7:5) {maw-law'}; a primitive root, to fill or

(intransitively) be full of, in a wide application (literally

and figuratively):--accomplish, confirm, + consecrate, be at

an end, be expired, be fenced, fill, fulfil, (be, become, X

draw, give in, go) full(-ly, -ly set, tale), (over-)flow,

fulness, furnish, gather (selves, together), presume,

replenish, satisfy, set, space, take a (hand-)full, + have

wholly.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מָלֵא (ma.le) — to fill.

1) to fill, be full

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to be full

1a1a) fulness, abundance (participle)

1a1b) to be full, be accomplished, be ended

1a2) to consecrate, fill the hand

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be filled, be armed, be satisfied

1b2) to be accomplished, be ended

1c) (Piel)

1c1) to fill

1c2) to satisfy

1c3) to fulfil, accomplish, complete

1c4) to confirm

1d) (Pual) to be filled

1e) (Hithpael) to mass themselves against

Aramaic equivalent: me.la (מְלָא "to fill" H4391)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Piel-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Piel · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vpw3ms
and the man Micah [belonged] to him a house of God and he made an ephod and teraphim and he filled the object marker [the] hand of one from sons his and he became of him a priest
אֶת־'et- the object marker H853 Particle
10,946× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the original Hebrew, this word points out the object of a verb or preposition, like 'namely' or 'even'. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus. It's not directly translated in English, but helps clarify the meaning of sentences.
Tyndale gloss
[Obj.]
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֵת (eth) is primarily a grammatical marker in Hebrew, indicating the definite direct object of a verb. It is not translated into English and typically precedes nouns that are definite. The word is derived from a demonstrative sense of entity, related to the Hebrew word for 'self.' Its Aramaic equivalent is יָת (yat).

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

853 'eth ayth

apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of

entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more

definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or

namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).

see HEBREW for 0226

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵת (et) — [Obj.].

sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative

Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTo — Particle
HTo
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and the man Micah [belonged] to him a house of God and he made an ephod and teraphim and he filled the object marker [the] hand of one from sons his and he became of him a priest
יַ֤דyad [the] hand of H3027 Noun common · both singular construct
1,619× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, 'yad' refers to an open hand, symbolizing power or direction. It can also mean strength or a part of something, like a side or a share. The word is used in many contexts, including anatomy and everyday life.
Tyndale gloss
hand
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָד (yad) means 'hand' and can also refer to strength or power in a figurative sense. It encompasses various technical uses, such as a sign or monument, parts or shares, and even specific components in construction, like axle-trees and supports for the laver. The word is versatile, appearing in both literal and metaphorical contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָד 1604 n.f. hand

hand

Fig. = strength, power

Fig. = side

יָד is used in various special, technical senses:—

sign, monument

part, fractional part or share

time, repetition

axle-trees

stays, supports for laver

tenons on sides of boards of tabernacle

a (beckoning) hand

יַד with prep.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3027 יָד hand . hand

. Fig. = strength, power

. Fig. = side

. יָד is used in various special, technical senses:— . sign, monument

. part, fractional part or share

. time, repetition

. axle-trees

. stays, supports for laver

. tenons on sides of boards of tabernacle

. a (beckoning) hand

. יַד with prep.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3027 yad yawd

a primitive word; a hand (the open one (indicating power,

means, direction, etc.), in distinction from 3709, the closed

one); used (as noun, adverb, etc.) in a great variety of

applications, both literally and figuratively, both proximate

and remote (as follows):--(+ be) able, X about, + armholes,

at, axletree, because of, beside, border, X bounty, + broad,

(broken-)handed, X by, charge, coast, + consecrate, +

creditor, custody, debt, dominion, X enough, + fellowship,

force, X from, hand(-staves, -y work), X he, himself, X in,

labour, + large, ledge, (left-)handed, means, X mine,

ministry, near, X of, X order, ordinance, X our, parts, pain,

power, X presumptuously, service, side, sore, state, stay,

draw with strength, stroke, + swear, terror, X thee, X by

them, X themselves, X thine own, X thou, through, X throwing,

+ thumb, times, X to, X under, X us, X wait on, (way-)side,

Read the full entry →
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָד (yad) — hand.

: hand/arm[anatomy]

1) hand

1a) hand (of man)

1b) strength, power (fig.)

1c) side (of land), part, portion (metaph.) (fig.)

1d) (various special, technical senses)

1d1) sign, monument

1d2) part, fractional part, share

1d3) time, repetition

1d4) axle-trees, axle

1d5) stays, support (for laver)

1d6) tenons (in tabernacle)

1d7) a phallus, a hand (meaning unsure)

1d8) wrists

יָד (yad) — hand: power.

: hand/arm[anatomy]

1) hand

1a) hand (of man)

1b) strength, power (fig.)

1c) side (of land), part, portion (metaph.) (fig.)

1d) (various special, technical senses)

1d1) sign, monument

1d2) part, fractional part, share

1d3) time, repetition

1d4) axle-trees, axle

1d5) stays, support (for laver)

1d6) tenons (in tabernacle)

1d7) a phallus, a hand (meaning unsure)

1d8) wrists

יָד (yad) — hand: themselves.

: hand/arm[anatomy]

1) hand

1a) hand (of man)

1b) strength, power (fig.)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcbsc — Noun common · both singular construct
HNcbsc
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 the man Micah [belonged] to him a house of God and he made an ephod and teraphim and he filled the object marker [the] hand of one from sons his and he became of him a priest
אַחַד֙'a.Chad one H259 Noun common · feminine singular absolute
971× 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 one or united, and is used to describe something that is single or unique. It is often translated as one, first, or alone. For example, in Genesis 1:5, God calls the light day and the darkness night, and separates them into one thing from another.
Tyndale gloss
one
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֶחָד (echad) means 'one' and is derived from a numeral. It encompasses meanings such as each, every, a certain, and can serve as an indefinite article. It is also used as an ordinal to denote 'first' and appears in various combinations, including eleven. The entries consistently emphasize its numerical and qualitative aspects.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶחָד 972 adj.num. one

one

= each, every

= a certain

= indef. art.

only, & (fem.) once

one … another, one … the other

as ordinal first

in combin.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H259 אֶחָד one . one

. = each, every

. = a certain

. = indef. art.

. only, & (fem.) once

. one … another, one … the other

. as ordinal first

. in combin.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

259 'echad ekh-awd'

a numeral from 258; properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an

ordinal) first:--a, alike, alone, altogether, and,

any(-thing), apiece, a certain, (dai-)ly, each (one), +

eleven, every, few, first, + highway, a man, once, one, only,

other, some, together,

see HEBREW for 0258

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶחָד (e.chad) — one.

1) one (number)

1a) one (number)

1b) each, every

1c) a certain

1d) an (indefinite article)

1e) only, once, once for all

1f) one...another, the one...the other, one after another, one by one

1g) first

1h) eleven (in combination), eleventh (ordinal)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Noun common · feminine singular absolute
HNcfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

wun.

See NUMBER.

and the man Micah [belonged] to him a house of God and he made an ephod and teraphim and he filled the object marker [the] hand of one from sons his and he became of him a priest
מִבָּנָ֔יוmi.ba.Nav from sons his H1121 Preposition · noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
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
a descendant, child
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)

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Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-mp | Suff — Preposition · noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
HR/Ncmpc/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."

and the man Micah [belonged] to him a house of God and he made an ephod and teraphim and he filled the object marker [the] hand of one from sons his and he became of him a priest
וַיְהִי־vay.hi- and he became H1961 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
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
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
and the man Micah [belonged] to him a house of God and he made an ephod and teraphim and he filled the object marker [the] hand of one from sons his and he became of him a priest
ל֖וֹlo of him H9033 Preposition · suffix
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

וֹ (o) — him.

Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 3rd person masculine singular

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HRd/Sp3ms — Preposition · suffix
HRd/Sp3ms
and the man Micah [belonged] to him a house of God and he made an ephod and teraphim and he filled the object marker [the] hand of one from sons his and he became of him a priest
לְכֹהֵֽן׃le.kho.Hen a priest H3548 Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
750× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, a priest is a person who serves God and leads others in worship, like the Levitical priests in Exodus. They were responsible for making sacrifices and following God's laws. This term is also used to describe Jesus as a priest-king.
Amplified meaning
one who serves God, a spiritual leader
Tyndale gloss
priest
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כֹּהֵן (kohen) means 'priest' and is derived from the active participle of a related root. It encompasses various types of priests, including Levitical, Aaronic, and even pagan priests, as well as chief rulers or principal officers. The term is used in contexts referring to both Jewish and non-Jewish priestly roles.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כֹּהֵן 750 n.m. priest

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3548 כֹּהֵן priest

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3548 kohen ko-hane'

active participle of 3547; literally, one officiating, a

priest; also (by courtesy) an acting priest (although a

layman):--chief ruler, X own, priest, prince, principal

officer.

see HEBREW for 03547

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כֹּהֵן (ko.hen) — priest.

1) priest, principal officer or chief ruler

1a) priest-king (Melchizedek, Messiah)

1b) pagan priests

1c) priests of Jehovah

1d) Levitical priests

1e) Zadokite priests

1f) Aaronic priests

1g) the high priest

Aramaic equivalent: ka.hen (כָּהֵן "priest" H3549)

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

prest (kohen, "priest," "prince," "minister"; hiereus archiereus; for hiereus megas, of Heb 10:21, see Thayer's Lexicon, under the word hiereus:

I. NATURE OF THE PRIESTLY OFFICE

1. Implies Divine Choice

2. Implies Representation

3. Implies Offering Sacrifice

4. Implies Intercession

II. THE TWO GREAT PRIESTS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT, MELCHIZEDEK AND AARON

III. PRIESTLY FUNCTIONS AND CHARACTER

1. A Strictly Religious Order

2. Priestism Denied

3. The High Priest's Qualifications

4. Symbolism of Aaron's Rod

IV. CONSECRATION OF AARON AND HIS SONS (EXODUS 29; LEVITICUS 8)

1. Symbolism of Consecration

2. Type and Archetype

LITERATURE

A priest is one who is duly authorized to minister in sacred things, particularly to offer sacrifices at the altar, and who acts as mediator between men and God. In the New Testament the term is applied to priests of the Gentiles…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Priest

The Heb. kohen, Gr. hierus, Lat. sacerdos, always denote one who offers sacrifices.

At first every man was his own priest, and presented his own sacrifices before God. Afterwards that office devolved on the head of the family, as in the cases of Noah (Gen. 8:20), Abraham (12:7; 13:4), Isaac (26:25), Jacob (31:54), and Job (Job 1:5).

The name first occurs as applied to Melchizedek (Gen. 14:18). Under the Levitical arrangements the office of the priesthood was limited to the tribe of Levi, and to only one family of that tribe, the family of Aaron. Certain laws respecting the qualifications of priests are given in Lev. 21:16-23. There are ordinances also regarding the…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

The English word is derived from the Greek presbyter , signifying an "elder" (Heb. cohen). Origin. --The idea of a priesthood connects itself in all its forms, pure or corrupted, with the consciousness, more or less distinct of sin. Men feel that they have broken a law. The power above them is holier than they are, and they dare not approach it. They crave for the intervention of some one of whom they can think as likely to be more acceptable than themselves. He must offer up their prayers, thanksgivings, sacrifices. He becomes their representative in "things pertaining unto God." He may become also (though this does not always follow) the representative of God to man. The functions of the priest and prophet may exist in the same person. No trace of a hereditary or caste priesthood meets us in the worship of the patriarchal age. Once and once only does the word cohen meet us as…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

One who officiated in the public worship of God, especially in making expiation for sin, being "ordained for men in things pertaining to God, to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins." In the Old Testament, the priesthood was not annexed to a certain family till after the promulgation of the law by Moses. Before that time, the firstborn of each family, the fathers, the princes, the kings, were priests in their own cities and in their own houses. Cain and Abel, Noah, Abraham, and Job, Abimelech and Laban, Isaac and Jacob offered personally their own sacrifices. In the solemnity of the covenant made by the Lord with his people, at the foot of Mount Sinai, Moses performed the office of mediator, and young men were chosen from among Israel to perform the office of priests, Ex 24:5. But after the Lord had chosen the tribe of Levi to…

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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