Judges 9:53 — Word Study
WLCוַתַּשְׁלֵ֞ךְ אִשָּׁ֥ה אַחַ֛ת פֶּ֥לַח רֶ֖כֶב עַל־ רֹ֣אשׁ אֲבִימֶ֑לֶךְ וַתָּ֖רִץ אֶת־ גֻּלְגָּלְתּֽוֹ׃
BSABut aʼechâd [certain, specific] womanʼishshâh [female person, wife] droppedshâlak▸ [cast, threw] an upperpelach [piece of a] millstonerekeb [heavy stone used for grinding grain] onʻal Abimelech’sʼĂbîymelek [Ahimelech, the king] headrôʼsh [skull] crushingrâtsats▸ [to break, oppress] his skullgulgôleth [head, brain pan]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וַתַּשְׁלֵ֞ךְ | and she threw | Verb, Hiphil, sequential imperfect third person feminine singular |
| אִשָּׁ֥ה | a woman | Noun common, feminine singular absolute |
| אַחַ֛ת | one | Noun common, feminine singular absolute |
| פֶּ֥לַח | a mill-stone of | Noun common, feminine singular construct |
| רֶ֖כֶב | an upper mill-stone | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| עַל־ | on | Preposition |
| רֹ֣אשׁ | [the] head of | Noun common, masculine singular construct |
| אֲבִימֶ֑לֶךְ | Abimelech | Noun proper masculine |
| וַתָּ֖רִץ | and it crushed | Verb, Hiphil, sequential imperfect third person feminine singular |
| אֶת־ | the object marker | Particle |
| גֻּלְגָּלְתּֽוֹ׃ | skull his | Noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | But a woman dropped an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head, crushing his skull. |
| KJV | And a certain woman cast a piece of a millstone upon Abimelech’s head, and all to brake his skull. |
| ASV | And a certain woman cast an upper millstone upon Abimelech’s head, and brake his skull. |
| YLT | and a certain woman doth cast a piece of a rider on the head of Abimelech, and breaketh his skull, |
| WEB | A certain woman cast an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head, and broke his skull. |
| BBE | But a certain woman sent a great stone, such as is used for crushing grain, on to the head of Abimelech, cracking the bone. |
Where they part company is on the translation of the action verb שָׁלַךְ — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence has a main clause followed by a prepositional phrase and a participial phrase, indicating the action and its consequence.







8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbשָׁלַךְ
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
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 9:53
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 Death of Abimelechgenerated
Judges 9:53 describes how a woman played a pivotal role in the downfall of Abimelech, who was a ruler known for his violent rise to power. This moment highlights the unexpected ways in which power can be challenged, as a seemingly ordinary act leads to extraordinary consequences. The surrounding verses illustrate the chaos of battle and the desperation of a leader facing defeat, culminating in Abimelech's call for his armor-bearer to end his life rather than face the shame of being killed by a woman.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Judges 9:15–20 | But the thornbush replied, ‘If you really are anointing me as king over you, come and find refuge in my shade. But if not, may fire come out of the thornbush and consume the cedars of Lebanon.’ |
| 2 | 2 Samuel 11:21 | Who was the one to strike Abimelech son of Jerubbesheth ? Was it not a woman who dropped an upper millstone on him from the wall, so that he died in Thebez? Why did you get so close to the wall?’ If so, then you are to say, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead as well.’” |
| 3 | 2 Samuel 20:21 | That is not the case. But a man named Sheba son of Bichri, from the hill country of Ephraim, has lifted up his hand against the king, against David. Deliver him alone, and I will depart from the city.” “Look,” the woman replied, “his head will be thrown to you over the wall.” |
| 4 | Job 31:3 | Does not disaster come to the unjust and calamity to the workers of iniquity? |
| 5 | Jeremiah 49:20 | Therefore hear the plans that the LORD has drawn up against Edom and the strategies He has devised against the people of Teman: Surely the little ones of the flock will be dragged away; certainly their pasture will be made desolate because of them. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 6 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — שָׁלַךְ, va.tash.Lekhgenerated
The verb שָׁלַךְ (shalak) means to throw or cast away. It is a Hiphil form, indicating an active throwing action by the subject, in this case, the woman. This word captures the forceful action of dropping the millstone, which is a critical moment in the narrative.
The use of this verb emphasizes the suddenness and violence of the act, reflecting the gravity of the situation as Abimelech's fate is sealed by this unexpected turn of events.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses the phrase dropped for the Hebrew verb שָׁלַךְ.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb תַּשְׁלֵ֞ךְ (she threw) governs the sentence, with the subject being the woman and the object being the millstone. The structure emphasizes the action of throwing as the focal point of the sentence.
The second verb תָּ֖רִץ (it crushed) follows, indicating the result of the action. This sequence highlights the cause-and-effect relationship between the woman's action and Abimelech's injury.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates שָׁלַךְ as ἔρριψεν (errhipsen), which means 'threw'. This choice aligns closely with the Hebrew meaning, preserving the sense of forceful action.
The translation of the millstone as ἐπιμυλίου suggests a focus on the object being used in the act, emphasizing its significance in the narrative.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Judges 9:53 tells us that a woman dropped a heavy millstone on Abimelech's head, crushing his skull. This act led to his death, showcasing how unexpected events can change the course of a story.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It signifies a sudden and decisive action that leads to the downfall of a powerful figure, highlighting themes of vulnerability and the unpredictability of fate.
The mention of a woman in a violent act against a king challenges traditional gender roles and illustrates that power can be subverted in unexpected ways.
This event marks the climax of Abimelech's story, showcasing his tragic end after a violent rise to power, emphasizing the consequences of his actions.
The story teaches about the unpredictability of power dynamics and how seemingly minor actions can have significant consequences.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways do we see unexpected actions leading to significant changes in our lives?
- How can we challenge traditional views on power and authority in our own contexts?
- What lessons can we draw about the consequences of our actions from Abimelech's story?
- How does this narrative encourage us to consider the roles of different individuals in historical events?
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Judges 9:53 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAnd a certain woman cast a piece of a millstone,.... Of the upper millstone, as the word signifies, which is observed by Jarchi and other Jewish commentators; this with other stones being carried up
Read John Gill on Judges 9 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd a certain woman cast a piece of a millstone upon Abimelech's head, and all to brake his skull. A certain woman cast a ... millstone upon Abimelech's head, and all to break his skull. Similar was the fate of Pyrrhus.
Read Robert Jamieson on Judges 9 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleSuch great stones no doubt they carried up with them, whereby they might defend themselves, or offend those who assaulted them. Here the justice of God is remarkable in suiting the punishment to his sin. He slew his brethren upon a stone, , and he loseth his own life by a stone.
Read Matthew Poole on Judges 9 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJudges 9:53 And a certain woman cast a piece of a millstone upon Abimelech’ s head, and all to brake his skull.Ver. 53. And a certain woman.] Women have sometimes done singular service against an enemy: as at the siege of Lamia, laid by M. Acilius, the Roman general: of Coccinum, in the isle of Lemnus, by the Turks, where Marulla, a maiden, fought desperately in defence of her country: of Buda, where the Hungarian women bestirred them lustily to save the town. But what monstrous mothers were those Suevian women, who, assisting their husbands in fight against the Romans, under the conduct of Drusus, son-in-law to Augustus Caesar, threw their young children at them instead of darts. Cast a…
Read John Trapp on Judges 9 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(53) A piece of a millstone.—The word for millstone is receb, literally, runner, i.e., the upper millstone, or lapis vector, which is whirled round and round over the stationary lower one, sheceb (Deuteronomy 24:6). And all to brake his skull.—This is a mere printer’s error for all-to or al-to, i.e., utterly, and it has led to the further misreading of “brake.” Others think that it should be printed “all to-brake,” where the to is intensive like the German ge—as in Chaucer’s “All is to-broken thilke regioun” (Knight’s Tale, 2,579). But in Latimer we find “they love, and all-to love him” (see Bible Word-book, § 5). The meaning of the verb is “smashed” or “shattered” (LXX., suneklase; Vulg.…
Read Charles John Ellicott on Judges 9 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 53. A piece of a millstone] פלח רכב pelach recheb, a piece of a chariot wheel; but the word is used in other places for upper millstones, and is so understood here by the Vulgate, Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic. And all to break his skull.] A most nonsensical version of ותרץ את גלגלתו vattarits eth gulgolto, which is literally, And she brake, or fractured, his skull. Plutarch, in his life of Pyrrhus, observes that this king was killed at the siege of Thebes, by a piece of a tile, which a woman threw upon his head.
Read AdamClarke on Judges 9 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges53. upper millstone] lit. ‘millstone of riding’; i.e. the upper stone of a mill turned by a handle, the lower stone being stationary. In Palestine the grinding of corn for the household was, and still is, done by the women (Ecclesiastes 12:3, St Matthew 24:41); this explains how a woman came to use such a weapon. Cf. Judges 4:21.
Read Cambridge on Judges 9 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleThe phrase “all” to is now obsolete, and means “quite,” “entirely,” as in Chaucer, Spenser, and Milton.
Read Albert Barnes on Judges 9 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
But a woman dropped an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head, crushing his skull.
A certain woman cast an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head, and broke his skull.
But a woman dropped an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head, crushing his skull.
a woman threw an upper millstone down on his head and shattered his skull.
Tyndale line
And a certain woman cast a piece of a millstone upon Abimelech’s head, and all to brake his skull.
And a certain woman cast an upper millstone upon Abimelech’s head, and brake his skull.
And a certain woman cast an upper millstone upon Abimelech’s head, and brake his skull.
And a certain woman cast a piece of of a millstone upon Abimelech's head, and broke his skull.
But a certaine woman cast a piece of a milstone vpon Abimelechs head, and brake his braine pan.
Strictly literal
and a woman cast the upper stone of a handmill on Abimelech's head, and crushed his skull.
and a certain woman doth cast a piece of a rider on the head of Abimelech, and breaketh his skull,
and a certain woman casts a piece of a millstone on the head of Abimelech, and breaks his skull,
But a certain woman cast a piece of an upper millstone upon Abimelech's head, and crushed his skull.
But a woman dropped an upper millstone on Abimelech's head and it cracked his skull.
From the Latin
And behold a certain woman casting a piece of a millstone from above, dashed it against the head of Abimelech, and broke his skull.
Simplified
a woman dropped a millstone down on Abimelech's head and cracked his skull open.
But a certain woman sent a great stone, such as is used for crushing grain, on to the head of Abimelech, cracking the bone.
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.
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, with 10 of the 11 words matched. The Septuagint's structure may differ, but the core elements of the action are preserved.
וַתַּשְׁלֵ֞ךְ אִשָּׁ֥ה אַחַ֛ת פֶּ֥לַח רֶ֖כֶב עַל־ רֹ֣אשׁ אֲבִימֶ֑לֶךְ וַתָּ֖רִץ אֶת־ גֻּלְגָּלְתּֽוֹ׃
10 of the 11 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.
Lexicons — every word in Judges 9:53
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.
שָׁלַךְ (shalak) is a Hebrew verb meaning to throw, cast, or fling. It can be used literally or figuratively, covering actions like throwing away or casting lots. The Hiphil form indicates an active throwing, while the Hophal form suggests being thrown or cast. The entries collectively emphasize various nuances of throwing and casting.
[שָׁלַךְ] 125 vb. Hiph. 112 throw, fling, cast
Hoph.
be thrown, cast
be cast forth, out
be cast down
metaph., be cast
base
H7993 שָׁלַךְ Hiph. throw, fling, cast
7993 shalak shaw-lak
a primitive root; to throw out, down or away (literally or
figuratively):--adventure, cast (away, down, forth, off,
out), hurl, pluck, throw.
שָׁלַךְ (sha.lakh) — to throw.
1) to throw, cast, hurl, fling
1a) (Hiphil)
1a1) to throw, cast, throw away, cast off, shed, cast down
1a2) to cast (lots) (fig)
1b) (Hophal)
1b1) to be thrown, be cast
1b2) to be cast forth or out
1b3) to be cast down
1b4) to be cast (metaph)
Conj | V-Hiphil-ConsecImperf-3fs — Verb · Hiphil · sequential imperfect third person feminine singularHc/Vhw3fs
אִשָּׁה (ishshah) means 'woman,' 'wife,' or 'female.' It can refer to a woman in general, a wife in relation to a man, or the female of animals. The term also has distributive and reciprocal uses, indicating 'each woman' from her neighbor. The word is derived from the masculine forms אִישׁ (ish) and אִישָׁה (ishah), indicating a broad range of meanings.
אִשָּׁה 773 n.f. woman, wife, female
woman
Wife (woman belonging to a man, usually cstr. or sf.)
Female of animals
With distrib. & recipr. sense, each woman from her neighbor; each one
base
H802 אִשָּׁה woman, wife, female . woman
. Wife (woman belonging to a man, usually cstr. or sf.)
. Female of animals
. With distrib. & recipr. sense, each woman from her neighbor; each one
802 'ishshah ish-shaw'
feminine of 376 or 582; irregular plural, nashiym
{naw-sheem'}; a woman (used in the same wide sense as
582):--(adulter)ess, each, every, female, X many, + none,
one, + together, wife, woman. Often unexpressed in English.
see HEBREW for 0376
see HEBREW for 0582
see HEBREW for 0582
אִשָּׁה (ish.shah) — woman.
: woman
1) woman, wife, female
1a) woman (opposite of man)
1b) wife (woman married to a man)
1c) female (of animals)
1d) each, every (pronoun)
אִשָּׁה (ish.shah) — woman: wife.
: wife/widow
1) woman, wife, female
1a) woman (opposite of man)
1b) wife (woman married to a man)
1c) female (of animals)
1d) each, every (pronoun)
אִשָּׁה (ish.shah) — woman: another.
: another
1) woman, wife, female
1a) woman (opposite of man)
1b) wife (woman married to a man)
1c) female (of animals)
1d) each, every (pronoun)
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absoluteHNcfsa
woom'-an ('ishshah, "a woman" (feminine of 'ish, "a man"]; gune, "a woman" "wife"):
I. IN THE CREATIVE PLAN
II. IN OLD TESTAMENT TIMES
1. Prominence of Women
2. Social Equality
3. Marriage Laws
4. Inheritance
5. Domestic Duties
6. Dress and Ornaments
7. Religious Devotion and Service
(1) in Idolatry and False Religion
(2) in Spiritual Religion
III. INTER-TESTAMENTAL ERA
IV. IN NEW TESTAMENT TIMES
1. Mary and Elisabeth
2. Jesus and Women
3. In the Early Church
4. Official Service
5. Widows
6. Deaconesses
IV. LATER TIMES
1. Changes in Character and Condition
2. Notable Examples of Christian Womanhood
3. Woman in the 20th Century
The generic term "man" includes woman. In the narrative of the creation (Ge 1:26,27) Adam is a collective term for mankind. It may signify human being, male or female, or humanity entire. "God said, Let us make man .... and let them"…
Woman
Was “taken out of man” (Gen. 2:23), and therefore the man has the preeminence. “The head of the woman is the man;” but yet honour is to be shown to the wife, “as unto the weaker vessel” (1 Cor. 11:3, 8, 9; 1 Pet. 3:7). Several women are mentioned in Scripture as having been endowed with prophetic gifts, as Miriam (Ex. 15:20), Deborah (Judg. 4:4, 5), Huldah (2 Kings 22:14), Noadiah (Neh. 6:14), Anna (Luke 2:36, 37), and the daughters of Philip the evangelist…
Is spoken of in Scripture as the beloved and honored companion and helpmeet, not the servant, of man, Ge 2:23,24, created as the necessary completion of man, Ge 3:16 1Co 11:3,8,9 14:34,35 1Ti 2:11-14, yet specially qualified for that sphere, and as necessary in it as man in his. Man and woman are indeed essentially one, the natural qualities of each so responding to those of the other as to lay the foundation of the most tender and abiding unity. The Bible thus raised the Jewish woman high above the woman of heathenism; and the Old Testament contains some of the finest portraitures of female character. But still greater is the contrast between the women of heathenism and…
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.
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
H259 אֶחָד one . one
. = each, every
. = a certain
. = indef. art.
. only, & (fem.) once
. one … another, one … the other
. as ordinal first
. in combin.
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
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)
Adj — Noun common · feminine singular absoluteHNcfsa
wun.
See NUMBER.
פֶּ֫לַח (pelach) refers to a slice or piece, often associated with a millstone. The word is built from a root meaning to cut or cleave, and it encompasses meanings related to cleavage and slicing. The entries consistently emphasize its connection to millstones and parts that are cut off.
פֶּ֫לַח n.f. cleavage, mill-stone
base
H6400 פֶּ֫לַח
6400 pelach peh'-lakh
from 6398; a slice:--piece.
see HEBREW for 06398
פֶּ֫לַח (pe.lach) — millstone.
1) cleavage, mill-stone, cut, slice, part cut off
1a) mill-stone
1b) cleavage, slice
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular constructHNcfsc
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.
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…
רֶ֫כֶב (rekeb) refers to a chariot or vehicle, and can also denote a team of horses, cavalry, or riders. It is associated with the upper millstone, implying a connection to movement or transport. The term encompasses various meanings, including chariotry, individual chariots, and groups of horsemen.
רֶ֫כֶב 120 n.m. chariotry, chariot, mill-stone; appar. also riders
base
H7393 רֶ֫כֶב chariotry, chariot, mill-stone; appar. also riders
7393 rekeb reh'-keb
from 7392; a vehicle; by implication, a team; by extension,
cavalry; by analogy a rider, i.e. the upper
millstone:--chariot, (upper) millstone, multitude (from the
margin), wagon.
see HEBREW for 07392
רֶ֫כֶב (re.khev) — chariot.
: chariot
1) a team, chariot, chariotry, mill-stone, riders
1a) chariotry, chariots
1b) chariot (single)
1c) upper millstone (as riding on lower millstone)
1d) riders, troop (of riders), horsemen, pair of horsemen, men riding, ass-riders, camel-riders
Also means: re.khev (רֶ֫כֶב ": millstone" H7393H)
רֶ֫כֶב (re.khev) — chariot: millstone.
: millstone
1) a team, chariot, chariotry, mill-stone, riders
1a) chariotry, chariots
1b) chariot (single)
1c) upper millstone (as riding on lower millstone)
1d) riders, troop (of riders), horsemen, pair of horsemen, men riding, ass-riders, camel-riders
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
Stone
Stones were commonly used for buildings, also as memorials of important events (Gen. 28:18; Josh. 24:26, 27; 1 Sam. 7:12, etc.). They were gathered out of cultivated fields (Isa. 5:2; comp. 2 Kings 3:19). This word is also used figuratively of believers (1 Pet. 2:4, 5), and of the Messiah (Ps. 118:22; Isa. 28:16; Matt. 21:42; Acts 4:11, etc.). In…
The allusion in Re 2:17 may be to the practice at the Olympic games of giving the successful competitor a white stone, inscribed with his name and the value of his prize; or to the mode of balloting with black and white stones on the question of the acquittal of an accused person, or his admission to certain privileges; if the stones deposited in the urn by the judges were all white, the decision was favorable. In early ages, flint-stone knives were in common use, instead of steel, Ex 4:25 Jos 5:2.
It was also customary to raise a heap or mound of stones in commemoration of any remarkable event, Ge 31:46 Jos 4:5-7 7:26 8:29…
The Hebrew word עַל (*al*) is a preposition meaning 'upon' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including 'on account of,' 'beside,' 'above,' and 'against.' It can indicate physical placement, emotional burdens, or duties imposed on a person. The entries also note its use in idiomatic expressions and with verbs of motion. There is a mention of its function as a conjunction in certain contexts.
כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as
base
עַל, עָ֑ל
subst. height
As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against
Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed
—
of clothing, etc., which any one wears
With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it
Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him
Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him
על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him
חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)
H5921a עַל, עָ֑ל . As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against . Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed . — . of clothing, etc., which any one wears
. With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it
. Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him
. Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him
. על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him
. חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)
5921 `al al
properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the
singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a
particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always
in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great
variety of applications (as follow):--above, according
to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because
of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both
and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in
(that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-)on, over, than,
through(-out), to, touching, X with.
see HEBREW for 05920
עַל (al) — upon.
prep
1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against
1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards
1b) above, beyond, over (of excess)
1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence)
1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition)
1e) over (of suspension or extension)
1f) by, adjoining, next, at, over, around (of contiguity or proximity)
1g) down upon, upon, on, from, up upon, up to, towards, over towards, to, against (with verbs of motion)
1h) to (as a dative)
[כִּי] עַל [כֵּן] ([ki] al [ken]) — as.
conj
Prep — PrepositionHR
On
Light; the sun, (Gen. 41:45, 50), the great seat of sun-worship, called also Bethshemesh (Jer. 43:13) and Aven (Ezek. 30:17), stood on the east bank of the Nile, a few miles north of Memphis, and near Cairo, in the north-east. The Vulgate and the LXX. Versions have “Heliopolis” (“city of the sun”) instead of On in Genesis and of Aven in Ezekiel. The “city of destruction” Isaiah speaks of (19:18, marg. “of Heres;” Heb. ‘Ir-ha-heres, which some MSS. read Ir-ha-heres, i.e., “city of the sun”) may be the name given to On, the prophecy being that the time will come when that city which was known as the “city of the sun-god” shall become the “city of destruction” of the sun-god, i.e., when idolatry shall cease, and the worship…
(abode or city of the sun), a town of lower Egypt, called BETH-SHEMESH in (Jeremiah 43:13) On is better known under its Greek name Heliopolis. It was situated on the east side of the Pelusiac branch of the Nile, just below the point of the Delta, and about twenty miles northeast of Memphis. The chief object of worship at Heliopolis was the sun, whose temple, described by Strabo, is now only represented by the single beautiful obelisk, of red granite so feet 2 inches high above the pedestal which has stood for more than 4000 years, having been erected by Usirtesen, the second king of the twelfth dynasty. Heliopolis was anciently famous for its learning, and Eudoxus and Plato studied under its priests. The first mention of this place in the Bible is in the history of Joseph, to whom we read Pharaoh gave "to wife Asenath the daughter…
See HELIOPOLIS.
pain; force; iniquity
רֹאשׁ (ro'sh) means 'head' and encompasses various meanings related to position and rank. It can refer to the head of a person or animal, the top of a mountain, or a chief in various contexts, such as a city or nation. The word also signifies beginnings and sums, appearing in phrases related to enumeration. Additionally, it serves as a proper noun for 'Rosh,' a title for a chief or prince.
רֹאשׁ 599 n.m.
(c. 230 t.) head, of human being
head, of animals
top (88 t.)
height, of stars
head = chief (man)
= chief (city)
chief nation
= chief (place, position)
= chief priest
= head of a family
head = front, leader's place
of time, beginning, of night watch
of things, river-heads
chief, choicest, best, of spices
head = division of army, company, band
= sum, esp. in phr. take sum of, enumerate
other phr.
base
רֹאשׁ n.pr.gent. Rôsh
base
H7218a רֹאשׁ . . (c. 230 t.) head, of human being
. head, of animals
. . top (88 t.)
. height, of stars
. . head = chief (man)
. = chief (city)
. chief nation
. = chief (place, position)
. = chief priest
. = head of a family
. . head = front, leader's place
. of time, beginning, of night watch
. of things, river-heads
. chief, choicest, best, of spices
. head = division of army, company, band
. = sum, esp. in phr. take sum of, enumerate
. other phr.
H7218b רֹאשׁ n. pr. gent. Rôsh
7218 ro'sh roshe
from an unused root apparently meaning to shake; the head (as
most easily shaken), whether literal or figurative (in many
applications, of place, time, rank, itc.):--band, beginning,
captain, chapiter, chief(-est place, man, things), company,
end, X every (man), excellent, first, forefront, ((be-))head,
height, (on) high(-est part, (priest)), X lead, X poor,
principal, ruler, sum, top.
רֹאשׁ (rosh) — head.
: head
1) head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning
1a) head (of man, animals)
1b) top, tip (of mountain)
1c) height (of stars)
1d) chief, head (of man, city, nation, place, family, priest)
1e) head, front, beginning
1f) chief, choicest, best
1g) head, division, company, band
1h) sum
רֹאשׁ (rosh) — prince.
Rosh, a tite for a chief or prince
רֹאשׁ (rosh) — head: leader.
: leader
1) head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning
1a) head (of man, animals)
1b) top, tip (of mountain)
1c) height (of stars)
1d) chief, head (of man, city, nation, place, family, priest)
1e) head, front, beginning
1f) chief, choicest, best
1g) head, division, company, band
1h) sum
רֹאשׁ (rosh) — head: top.
: top/best
1) head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning
1a) head (of man, animals)
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular constructHNcmsc
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.
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…
אֲבִימֶ֫לֶךְ (Abiymelek) means 'father of the king' and refers to several figures in the Old Testament, including kings of Gerar and Gath, a son of Gideon, and a priest. The name is derived from the components for 'father' and 'king.' It is first mentioned in Genesis 20:2 and appears in various contexts throughout the scriptures.
אֲבִימֶ֫לֶךְ n.pr.m. (Melek (= Malik, Molech) is father)
king of Gerar
king of Gath
son of Gideon
priest, son of Abiathar
base
H40 אֲבִימֶ֫לֶךְ (Melek (= Malik, Molech) is father)
40 'Abiymelek ab-ee-mel'-ek
from 1 and 4428; father of (the) king; Abimelek, the name of
two Philistine kings and of two Israelites:--Abimelech.
see HEBREW for 01
see HEBREW for 04428
אֲבִימֶ֫לֶךְ (a.vi.me.lekh) — Abimelech.
A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.20.2
§ Abimelech = "Melek is father" or "my father is king"
1) king of Gerar in Abraham's time
2) king of Gath in David's time; maybe title of Philistine kings
3) son of Gideon by a concubine
4) priest, son of Abiathar
אֲבִימֶ֫לֶךְ (a.vi.me.lekh) — Abimelech.
A man living before Israel's Monarchy, first mentioned at Jdg.8.31;
son of: Gideon (H1439);
brother of: Jether (H3500) and Jotham (H3147)
§ Abimelech = "Melek is father" or "my father is king"
1) king of Gerar in Abraham's time
2) king of Gath in David's time; maybe title of Philistine kings
3) son of Gideon by a concubine
4) priest, son of Abiathar
אֲבִימֶ֫לֶךְ (a.vi.me.lekh) — Abimelech.
A man living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Sa.21.10;
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
a-bim'-e-lek ('abhimelekh, "father of a king"): A name borne by five Old Testament persons.
(1) The name of two kings of Philistia; the first was a contemporary of Abraham, the second, probably son of the former, was king in the days of Isaac. It is quite possible that Abimelech was the royal title rather than the personal name, since in the title of Ps 34 we find it applied to the king of Gath, elsewhere known by his personal name, Achish (1Sa 27:2,3). Shortly after the destruction of Sodom Abraham journeyed with his herds and flocks into the extreme Southeast country of Palestine (Ge 20). While sojourning at Gerar, the city of Abimelech, king of the Philistine country, he made believe that Sarah was his sister (Ge 20:2), and Abimelech took her, intending to make her one of his…
Abimelech
My father a king, or father of a king, a common name of the Philistine kings, as “Pharaoh” was of the Egyptian kings. (1.) The Philistine king of Gerar in the time of Abraham (Gen. 20:1-18). By an interposition of Providence, Sarah was delivered from his harem, and was restored to her husband Abraham. As a mark of respect he gave to Abraham valuable gifts, and offered him a settlement in any part of his country; while at the same time he delicately and yet severely rebuked him for having practised a deception upon him in pretending that Sarah was only his sister. Among the gifts presented by the king were a thousand pieces of silver as a “covering of the eyes” for Sarah; i.e., either as an atoning gift and a testimony of her innocence in the sight of all, or rather for the purpose of procuring a veil for Sarah to conceal her…
(father of the king), the name of several Philistine kings, was probably a common title of these kings, like that of Pharaoh among the Egyptians and that of Caesar and Augustus among the Romans. Hence in the title of (Psalms 34:1) ... the name of Abimelech is given to the king, who is called Achish in (1 Samuel 21:11) A Philistine, king of Gerar, Genesis 20,21, who, exercising the right claimed by Eastern princes of collecting all the beautiful women of their dominions into their harem, (Genesis 12:15; Esther 2:3) sent for and took Sarah. A similar account is given of Abraham’s conduct of this occasion to that of his behavior towards Pharaoh. [ABRAHAM] (B.C. 1920.) Another…
1. King of Gerar of the Philistines, who took Sarah into his harem; but being warned of God in a dream, he restored her to Abraham, and gave him 1,000 pieces of silver as a "covering of the eyes" for Sarah, that is, as an atoning present, and to be a testimony of her innocence in the eyes of all. He afterwards made a league with Abraham, Ge 20:1-18.
2. Another king of Gerar, probably son of the former, and contemporary with Isaac. He rebuked Isaac for dissimulation in regard to Rebekah, and afterwards made a new league with him at Beersheba, Ge 26:1-35.
3. A son of Gideon by a concubine, made himself king of Shechem after his father’s death, and slew his father’s seventy sons on one stone, only Jotham the youngest being left. Jotham reproached the Shechemites for their conduct, in…
רָצַץ (ratsats) means to crush, with various nuances including breaking, bruising, and oppressing. It can describe both literal and figurative actions, such as being crushed or oppressing others. The verb appears in multiple forms, indicating different aspects of crushing or being crushed, including reciprocal actions.
[רָצַץ] vb. crush
Qal crush
Niph. be crushed, broken
Pi. crush in pieces
Pō‛ēl acc. pers.
Hiph. she crushed his skull
Hithpō‛. recipr., the children crushed (thrust, struck) one another within her.
base
H7533 רָצַץ crush
7533 ratsats raw-tsats'
a primitive root; to crack in pieces, literally or
figuratively:--break, bruise, crush, discourage, oppress,
struggle together.
רָצַץ (ra.tsats) — to crush.
1) to crush, oppress
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to crush, get crushed, be crushed
1a2) to crush, oppress (fig)
1a3) crushed (participle passive)
1b) (Niphal) to be crushed, be broken
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to crush in pieces
1c2) to grievously oppress (fig)
1d) (Poel) to oppress (fig)
1e) (Hiphil) to crush
1f) (Hithpoel) to crush each other
Conj | V-Hiphil-ConsecImperf-3fs — Verb · Hiphil · sequential imperfect third person feminine singularHc/Vhw3fs
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).
אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
base
H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
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
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)
HTo — ParticleHTo
גֻּלְגֹּ֫לֶת (gulgoleth) refers to a skull or head, often used in contexts involving counting or numbering people. It is derived from a root meaning to round, indicating a rounded shape. The term appears in various forms, including references to heads in census or taxation contexts.
גֻּלְגֹּ֫לֶת n.f. skull, head, poll (person)
skull
head, poll (in counting, taxing, etc.; only P and late)
base
H1538 גֻּלְגֹּ֫לֶת skull, head, poll (person)
1538 gulgoleth gul-go'-leth
by reduplication from 1556; a skull (as round); by
implication, a head (in enumeration of persons):--head, every
man, poll, skull.
see HEBREW for 01556
גֻּלְגֹּ֫לֶת (gul.go.let) — head.
1) head, poll, skull
1a) skull
1b) head, poll (of census)
N-fs | Suff — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHNcfsc/Sp3ms
