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Jeremiah 18:21 — Word Study

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WLCלָכֵן֩ תֵּ֨ן אֶת־ בְּנֵיהֶ֜ם לָרָעָ֗ב וְהַגִּרֵם֮ עַל־ יְדֵי־ חֶרֶב֒ וְתִֽהְיֶ֨נָה נְשֵׁיהֶ֤ם שַׁכֻּלוֹת֙ וְאַלְמָנ֔וֹת וְאַ֨נְשֵׁיהֶ֔ם יִֽהְי֖וּ הֲרֻ֣גֵי מָ֑וֶת בַּח֣וּרֵיהֶ֔ם מֻכֵּי־ חֶ֖רֶב בַּמִּלְחָמָֽה׃

BSAThereforekên hand their childrenbên [to be given over, surrendered] overnâthan to faminerâʻâb [hunger, lack of nourishment] pour outnâgar [cause to flow, deliver] the poweryâd [strength, might] of the swordchereb [weapon, instrument of war] upon themʻal Let their wivesʼishshâh [women, female partners] becomehâyâh childlessshakkûwl [without children, bereaved] and widowedʼalmânâh [having lost a husband, alone] be slainhârag [killed, put to death] by diseasemâveth [sickness, plague] their young menbâchûwr [youth, vigorous ones] struck downnâkâh [smitten, defeated] by the swordchereb [weapon, instrument of battle] in battlemilchâmâh [war, combat]

Word
Listen & take awayJeremiah 18
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 21 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 (ba.mil.cha.Mah) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Jeremiah 18:21quick helps
In a sentenceJeremiah calls for severe judgment on the people, asking for their children to suffer and their families to be devastated.
Who is speakingJeremiah, speaking to God about the fate of the people.
Where we areA lamentation and call for divine judgment in the context of Jeremiah's prophetic ministry.
The hard wordשַׁכֻּלוֹת
Take awayThe call for judgment reflects the seriousness of the people's sins and the consequences they face.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbנָתַן 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 — Jeremiah 18:21

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 — Judgment Against the Peoplegenerated

20Should good be repaid with evil? Yet they have dug a pit for me. Remember how I stood before You to speak good on their behalf, to turn Your wrath from them.
21Therefore, hand their children over to famine; pour out the power of the sword upon them. Let their wives become childless and widowed; let their husbands be slain by disease, their young men struck down by the sword in battle.
22Let a cry be heard from their houses when You suddenly bring raiders against them, for they have dug a pit to capture me and have hidden snares for my feet.
23But You, O LORD, know all their deadly plots against me. Do not wipe out their guilt or blot out their sin from Your sight. Let them be overthrown before You; deal with them in the time of Your anger.

Jeremiah 18:21 expresses a deep lamentation as the prophet Jeremiah pleads for divine judgment upon the people who have turned away from God. He calls for their children to be handed over to famine and for their families to suffer loss. This reflects the dire consequences of their actions and the seriousness of their rebellion against God. The surrounding verses emphasize Jeremiah's role as an intercessor and the weight of the judgment he proclaims, highlighting the themes of justice and divine retribution.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Jeremiah 11:20–23O LORD of Hosts, who judges righteously, who examines the heart and mind, let me see Your vengeance upon them, for to You I have committed my cause.
2Jeremiah 12:3But You know me, O LORD; You see me and test my heart toward You. Drag away the wicked like sheep to the slaughter and set them apart for the day of carnage.
3Jeremiah 20:1–6When Pashhur the priest, the son of Immer and the chief official in the house of the LORD, heard Jeremiah prophesying these things,
4Psalm 109:9–20May his children be fatherless and his wife a widow.
52 Timothy 4:14Alexander the coppersmith did great harm to me. The Lord will repay him according to his deeds.

The Key Word שַׁכֻּלוֹת, sha.ku.lOtgenerated

The Hebrew word שַׁכּוּל (*shakkuwl*) means 'childless' and specifically refers to the state of being bereaved of children. It is derived from a root meaning to be bereaved, emphasizing loss and mourning.

This term is used in the context of divine judgment, indicating the severe consequences faced by families due to their collective actions. The use of this word in Jeremiah 18:21 highlights the depth of despair that the people will experience as a result of their sins.


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. The BSB has childless, and so do the ASV and WEB, maintaining a focus on the bereavement aspect.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb of the verse is תֵּ֨ן, give, which governs the imperative command to hand over children to famine. The structure is straightforward, with the imperative commanding action followed by a series of consequences for the people.

The syntax reflects a series of commands and consequences, with a focus on the dire outcomes that will affect families. The use of multiple clauses illustrates the severity of the judgment being pronounced.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates שַׁכֻּלוֹת as ἄτεκνοιchildless — which retains the focus on the state of being without children. This choice aligns with the Hebrew meaning but emphasizes the emotional aspect of loss.

The LXX often reflects a broader interpretation, suggesting a deepening of the original Hebrew's implications regarding familial loss and societal judgment.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Jeremiah 18:21 describes a call for judgment where Jeremiah asks God to hand over the children of the people to famine and to allow their families to suffer loss. This reflects the consequences of their actions and serves as a warning about the seriousness of their rebellion against God.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean for their children to be handed over to famine?

It signifies a severe judgment where the children will suffer due to the actions of their parents, reflecting the consequences of sin.

Why does Jeremiah call for such harsh judgments?

Jeremiah's call for judgment reflects the seriousness of the people's rebellion against God and the need for divine justice.

How does this verse relate to the overall message of Jeremiah?

This verse encapsulates the themes of judgment, intercession, and the consequences of turning away from God, which are prevalent throughout Jeremiah's prophecies.

What can we learn from the concept of being childless in this context?

The idea of being childless highlights the emotional and societal devastation that comes from sin and judgment, emphasizing the importance of faithfulness to God.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What are some ways our actions can impact future generations, as seen in this verse?
  2. How can we respond to the call for justice in our own lives?
  3. In what ways can we intercede for those who are suffering due to the consequences of sin?
  4. What lessons can we learn about the seriousness of rebellion against God from Jeremiah's lament?

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Jeremiah 18:21 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Therefore deliver up their children to the famine,.... To be starved, and perish by it, as they were in the siege of Jerusalem, both by the Chaldeans, and the Romans: and pour out their [blood] by

Read John Gill on Jeremiah 18 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Therefore deliver up their children to the famine, and pour out their blood by the force of the sword; and let their wives be bereaved of their children, and be widows; and let their men be put to

Read Robert Jamieson on Jeremiah 18 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Deliver up their children to the famine; a dreadful imprecation; we meet with more of the same nature, 15:15 17:18. We find also several such imprecation in the Psalms, 40:14 69:22-25,27,28 109:6-10, &c. Hence a question is raised, whether it be lawful for God’ s servants to pray for evil against their enemies. That which makes the doubt is, Christ’ s command to us to pray for them that persecute us, ,44, his own example, and Stephen’ s, . See the notes upon the aforementioned texts. It is doubtless our duty to pray for the conversion, forgiveness, and eternal salvation of our worst enemies; so Christ prayed, and Stephen, but neither of them prayed for their outward prosperity in their…

Read Matthew Poole on Jeremiah 18 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Jeremiah 18:21 Therefore deliver up their children to the famine, and pour out their [blood] by the force of the sword; and let their wives be bereaved of their children, and [be] widows; and let their men be put to death; [let] their young men [be] slain by the sword in battle.Ver. 21. Therefore deliver up their children to the famine.] He who had prayed so hard for them, could and did pray here as earnestly against them; yet not out of private revenge, but by a prophetic spirit, whereby he foretelleth their calamities auxesi verborum per hypotyposin. This is usual with the psalmist and other prophets. And let their men be put to death.] Heb., Be killed with death. See Revelation 2:23.

Read John Trapp on Jeremiah 18 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(21) Therefore deliver up their children . . .—The bitter words that follow startle and pain us, like the imprecations of Psalms 35, 69, 109. To what extent they were the utterances of a righteous indignation, a true zeal for God, which had not yet learnt the higher lesson of patience and forgiveness, or embodied an element of personal vindictiveness, we are not called on to inquire, and could not, in any case, decide. It is not ours to judge another man’s servant. In all like cases we have to remember that the very truthfulness with which the prayer is recorded is at least a proof that the prophet felt, like Jonah, that he did well to be angry (Jonah 4:9), that a righteous anger is at…

Read Charles John Ellicott on Jeremiah 18 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 21. Therefore deliver up their children] The execrations in these verses should be considered as simply prophetic declarations of the judgments which God was about to pour out on them. If we consider them in their grammatical meaning, then they are not directions to us, to whom our Lawgiver has said, "Love your enemies."

Read AdamClarke on Jeremiah 18 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Pour out ... sword - literally, “pour them out upon the hands of the sword, i. e., give them up to the sword.” Put to death - Rather, slain of death.

Read Albert Barnes on Jeremiah 18 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

21. Pour out their blood, etc. — Literally, pour them out upon thee hands of the sword; that is, give them up to its power.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Jeremiah 18 →

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

Therefore, hand their children over to famine; pour out the power of the sword upon them. Let their wives become childless and widowed; let their husbands be slain by disease, their young men struck down by the sword in battle.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Therefore deliver up their children to the famine, and give them over to the power of the sword. Let their wives become childless and widows. Let their men be killed and their young men struck by the sword in battle.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Therefore, hand their children over to famine; pour out the power of the sword upon them. Let their wives become childless and widowed; let their husbands be slain by disease, their young men struck down by the sword in battle.

NETBNew English Translation2006

So let their children die of starvation. Let them be cut down by the sword. Let their wives lose their husbands and children. Let the older men die of disease and the younger men die by the sword in battle.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Therefore deliver up their children to the famine, and pour out their blood by the force of the sword; and let their wives be bereaved of their children, and be widows; and let their men be put to death; let their young men be slain by the sword in battle.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Therefore deliver up their children to the famine, and give them over to the power of the sword; and let their wives become childless, and widows; and let their men be slain of death, and their young men smitten of the sword in battle.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Therefore deliver up their children to the famine, and give them over to the power of the sword; and let their wives become childless, and widows; and let their men be slain of death, and their young men smitten of the sword in battle.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Therefore deliver their children to the famine, and pour out their blood by the force of the sword; and let their wives be bereaved of their children, and be widows; and let their men be put to death; let their young men be slain by the sword in battle.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Therefore, deliuer vp their children to famine, and let them drop away by the force of the sworde, and let their wiues be robbed of their children, and be widowes: and let their husbands be put to death, and let their yong men be slayne by the sword in the battell.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Therefore give up their children to the famine, and deliver them over to the power of the sword; and let their wives be bereaved of children and be widows; and let their men be swept off by death, their young men be smitten by the sword in battle.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Therefore, give up their sons to famine, And cause them to run on the sides of the sword, And their wives are bereaved and widows, And their men are slain by death, Their young men smitten by sword in battle,

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Therefore, give up their sons to famine, || And cause them to run on the sides of the sword, || And their wives are bereaved and widows, || And their men are slain by death, || Their young men [are] struck by sword in battle,

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Therefore give up their children to the famine, and let their life ebb out by means of the sword; and let their wives be bereaved of their children, and widows; and let their men be slain by death; their young men smitten by the sword in the battle.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Therefore give their children over to famine, and give them to the hands of those who use the sword. So let their women become bereaved and widows, and their men be killed, and their young men killed by the sword in battle.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Therefore deliver up their children to famine, and bring them into the hands of the sword: let their wives be bereaved of children and widows: and let their husbands be slain by death: let their young men be stabbed with the sword in battle.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

But now may their children starve; may they be killed by the sword. May their wives lose their children and their husbands; may their husbands die from disease; may their young men be killed in battle.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

For this cause, let their children be without food, and give them over to the power of the sword; and let their wives be without children and become widows; let their men be overtaken by death, and their young men be put to the sword in the fight.

Word by word, the decisions they made

שַׁכֻּלוֹת֙sha.ku.lOt childless H7909 3 different renderings
bereavedDBY DRA ILT KJV LSV NWB ULB YLT
childlessASV BSB MSB RVA WEB
without childrenBBE

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.

conjunction phraseprepositional phraseלָthereforeכֵן֩clauseclauseverbתֵּ֨ןgivenoun phrase · objectאֶת(et)noun phraseבְּנֵיchildrenהֶ֜םtheirprepositional phrase · prepositionalלָtonoun phrase(the)רָעָ֗בfamineוְandclauseverbהַגִּרֵpourobjectם֮themprepositional phrase · prepositionalעַלovernoun phraseיְדֵי[the].handsחֶרֶב֒of.[the].swordוְandclauseclauseclauseverbתִֽהְיֶ֨נָהmay.they.becomenoun phrase · subjectנְשֵׁיwivesהֶ֤םtheirnoun phrase · objectשַׁכֻּלוֹת֙childlessוְandאַלְמָנ֔וֹתwidowsוְandclausenoun phrase · subjectאַ֨נְשֵׁיmenהֶ֔םtheirverbיִֽהְי֖וּmay.they.benoun phrase · objectהֲרֻ֣גֵיslainמָ֑וֶתof.deathclausenoun phrase · subjectבַּח֣וּרֵיmenהֶ֔םtheir.youngnoun phrase · objectclauseverbמֻכֵּיstruck.downadverbialחֶ֖רֶבof.[the].swordprepositional phrase · prepositionalבַּinnoun phrase(the)מִּלְחָמָֽהbattle

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 on the content of Jeremiah 18:21, with the Septuagint providing a close translation of the Hebrew. The Dead Sea Scrolls show some restoration but align with the Masoretic Text's overall message.

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

לָכֵן֩ תֵּ֨ן אֶת־ בְּנֵיהֶ֜ם לָרָעָ֗ב וְהַגִּרֵם֮ עַל־ יְדֵי־ חֶרֶב֒ וְתִֽהְיֶ֨נָה נְשֵׁיהֶ֤ם שַׁכֻּלוֹת֙ וְאַלְמָנ֔וֹת וְאַ֨נְשֵׁיהֶ֔ם יִֽהְי֖וּ הֲרֻ֣גֵי מָ֑וֶת בַּח֣וּרֵיהֶ֔ם מֻכֵּי־ חֶ֖רֶב בַּמִּלְחָמָֽה׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
לָכֵן֩τοῦτοתֵּ֨ןδὸςבְּנֵיהֶ֜םυἱοὺςלָרָעָ֗בλιμὸνוְהַגִּרֵם֮αὐτοὺςעַל־εἰςיְדֵי־ξεῖραςחֶרֶב֒μαξαίραςוְתִֽהְיֶ֨נָהγενέσθωσανנְשֵׁיהֶ֤םγυναῖκεςשַׁכֻּלוֹת֙ἄτεκνοιוְאַלְמָנ֔וֹתξῆραιוְאַ֨נְשֵׁיהֶ֔םἄνδρεςיִֽהְי֖וּγενέσθωσανהֲרֻ֣גֵיἀνῃρημένοιמָ֑וֶתθανάτῳבַּח֣וּרֵיהֶ֔םνεανίσκοιמֻכֵּי־πεπτωκότεςחֶ֖רֶבμαξαίρᾳבַּמִּלְחָמָֽה׃πολέμῳ

20 of the 21 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q70a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[לכן] [תן] [את] [בני׳הם] [לרעב] והגר׳ם [על] ידי חרב ותהינה נשי׳הם [שכלות] [ואלמנות] [ואנשי׳הם] [יהיו] [הרגי] [מות] [בחורי׳הם] מכי חרב במלחמה

4 words on the leather — 4 partly restored, 13 supplied entire by an editor.

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


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

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

Jeremiah 18:21כֵּןthereforethereforeכֵּןנָתַןgivegiveנָתַןאֵתthe object the object markאֵתבֵּןchildren thchildren theirבֵּןרָעָבto famineto famineרָעָבנָגַרand pour thand pour themנָגַרעַלoveroverעַליָד[the] hands[the] hands ofיָדחֶ֫רֶב[the] sword[the] swordחֶ֫רֶבהָיָהso they mayso they may becהָיָהאִשָּׁהwives theirwives theirאִשָּׁהשַׁכּוּלchildlesschildlessשַׁכּוּלאַלְמָנָהand widowsand widowsאַלְמָנָהאֱנוֹשׁand men theand men theirאֱנוֹשׁהָיָהmay they bemay they beהָיָההָרַג[the] slain[the] slain ofהָרַגמָ֫וֶתdeathdeathמָ֫וֶתבָּחוּרyoung men tyoung men theirבָּחוּרנָכָה[those] str[those] struck נָכָהחֶ֫רֶב[the] sword[the] swordחֶ֫רֶבמִלְחָמָהin battlein battleמִלְחָמָהחָרֵבto dryto dryחָרֵבכּוּןto establito establish: pכּוּןאוֹתsign: mirasign: miraculouאוֹתבָּנָהto buildto buildבָּנָהרָעֵבbe hungrybe hungryרָעֵבכַּףpalmpalmכַּףהָוָאto fallto fallהָוָאשָׁכֹלbe bereavebe bereavedשָׁכֹלאָנַשׁbe incurabbe incurableאָנַשׁמוּתto dieto dieמוּתלָחַםto fightto fightלָחַםעַלheightheightעַלאִישׁmanmanאִישׁאֱנוֹשׁhumanhumanאֱנוֹשׁאַלְמָןforsakenforsakenאַלְמָןבָּחַרto chooseto chooseבָּחַרחֶ֫רֶבswordswordחֶ֫רֶברָעָבfaminefamineרָעָב
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 Jeremiah 18:21

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.

therefore give the object marker children their to famine and pour them over [the] hands of [the] sword so they may become wives their childless and widows and men their may they be [the] slain of death young men their [those] struck down of [the] sword in battle
לָכֵן֩la.Khen therefore H3651 Preposition · adverb
771× 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 'so' or 'thus', often used to show agreement or confirmation, like in the book of Genesis. It can also mean 'rightly' or 'justly', as in doing something the correct way. It appears in various forms throughout the Old Testament.
Tyndale gloss
right
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word כֵּן (*ken*) is built from the root meaning 'set upright.' It functions as an adjective meaning 'right,' 'veritable,' or 'honest,' and as an adverb meaning 'so,' 'therefore,' or 'thus.' It appears in various contexts, often indicating manner or relation, and is used in phrases like 'forasmuch as.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כֵּן adj. right, veritable, honest

right

veritable, true

pl. concr. honest (men)

base

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

base

כֵּן adv. so

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3651a כֵּן adj. right, veritable, honest H3651b כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as H3651c כֵּן so

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3651 ken kane

from 3559; properly, set upright; hence (figuratively as

adjective) just; but usually (as adverb or conjunction)

rightly or so (in various applications to manner, time and

relation; often with other particles):--+ after that

(this, -ward, -wards), as ... as, + (for-)asmuch as yet, + be

(for which) cause, + following, howbeit, in (the) like

(manner, -wise), X the more, right, (even) so, state,

straightway, such (thing), surely, + there (where)-fore, this,

thus, true, well, X you.

see HEBREW for 03559

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כֵּן (ken) — right.

adv

adj

1) right, just, honest, true, veritable

1a) right, just, honest

1b) correct

1c) true, veritable

[כִּי עַל] כֵּן ([ki al] ken) — as.

adv

forasmuch as, since

כֵּן (ken) — so.

adv

1) so, therefore, thus

1a) thus, so

1b) just so

1c) therefore

1d) so...as (paired with adv)

1e) then

1f) forasmuch as (in phrase)

1g) (with prep)

1g1) therefore, this being so (specific)

1g2) hitherto

1g3) therefore, on this ground (general)

1g4) afterwards

1g5) in such case

Aramaic equivalent: ken (כֵּן "thus" H3652)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | Adv — Preposition · adverb
HR/D
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
therefore give the object marker children their to famine and pour them over [the] hands of [the] sword so they may become wives their childless and widows and men their may they be [the] slain of death young men their [those] struck down of [the] sword in battle
תֵּ֨ןten give H5414 Verb · Qal · imperative second person masculine singular
2,011× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to give, put, or set something, with a wide range of applications. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus, describing God's actions and human interactions. The word is used to convey giving, selling, or exchanging something.
Tyndale gloss
to give: give
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word נָתַן (natan) means 'to give' and encompasses a wide range of applications such as putting, setting, and making. It can also indicate actions like bestowing, delivering, and assigning. The entries describe its use in various forms, including Qal, Niphal, and Hophal, but do not present any significant disagreements among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נָתַן 2007 vb. give, put, set

Qal 1917

give

Put, set

Make, constitute

Niph.

82be given

Be put, set

Hoph.

be given, bestowed

= be given to one for wife

be put upon

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5414 נָתַן give, put, set .. give

. Put, set

. Make, constitute

. . be given

. Be put, set

. . . be given, bestowed

. = be given to one for wife

. be put upon

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5414 nathan naw-than'

a primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of

application (put, make, etc.):--add, apply, appoint, ascribe,

assign, X avenge, X be ((healed)), bestow, bring (forth,

hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, +

cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, X doubtless, X

without fail, fasten, frame, X get, give (forth, over, up),

grant, hang (up), X have, X indeed, lay (unto charge, up),

(give) leave, lend, let (out), + lie, lift up, make, + O that,

occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, X

pull , put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send

(out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), + sing, + slander,

strike, (sub-)mit, suffer, X surely, X take, thrust, trade,

turn, utter, + weep, + willingly, + withdraw, + would (to)

God, yield.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָתַן (na.tan) — to give: give.

: give/deliver/send/produce

1) to give, put, set

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to give, bestow, grant, permit, ascribe, employ, devote, consecrate, dedicate, pay wages, sell, exchange, lend, commit, entrust, give over, deliver up, yield produce, occasion, produce, requite to, report, mention, utter, stretch out, extend

1a2) to put, set, put on, put upon, set, appoint, assign, designate

1a3) to make, constitute

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be given, be bestowed, be provided, be entrusted to, be granted to, be permitted, be issued, be published, be uttered, be assigned

1b2) to be set, be put, be made, be inflicted

1c) (Hophal)

1c1) to be given, be bestowed, be given up, be delivered up

1c2) to be put upon

נָתַן (na.tan) — to give: put.

: put/set/apppoint

1) to give, put, set

1a) (Qal)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Impv-2ms — Verb · Qal · imperative second person masculine singular
HVqv2ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

(nathan, yahabh, sum; didomi): "Give" is a very common word in the Old Testament. It is most frequently the translation of nathan, "to give" (Ge 1:29; 3:6; Ex 2:9; De 18,20, etc., over 800 instances); nathan is also translated "to give up" (De 23:14; Isa 43:6; Ho 11:8); of yahabh, "to give" (Ge 30:1; 1Ch 16:28 the King James Version). In Ps 55:22 we have the perfect with suffix, "Cast thy burden upon Yahweh," margin "what he hath given thee"; elsewhere it is…

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
therefore give the object marker children their to famine and pour them over [the] hands of [the] sword so they may become wives their childless and widows and men their may they be [the] slain of death young men their [those] struck down of [the] sword in battle
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
therefore give the object marker children their to famine and pour them over [the] hands of [the] sword so they may become wives their childless and widows and men their may they be [the] slain of death young men their [those] struck down of [the] sword in battle
בְּנֵיהֶ֜םbe.nei.Hem children their H1121 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
to be given over, surrendered
Tyndale gloss
son: child
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בֵּן 4870 n.m. son

son, male child, born of a woman

children (male and female)

youth, young men

the young of animals

of plant shoots

fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows

member of a guild, order or class

of animals son of (the) herd

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

n. relat. of age

base

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

done

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

. children (male and female)

. youth, young men

. the young of animals

. of plant shoots

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

. . member of a guild, order or class

. of animals son of (the) herd

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

. n. relat. of age

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

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1121 ben bane

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

widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship,

including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

see HEBREW for 01129

see HEBREW for 01

see HEBREW for 0251

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בֵּן (ben) — son: child.

: child/son

בְּנוֹ (be.no) — Beno.

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

son of: Jaaziah (H3269);

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

§ Beno = "his son"

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

בֵּן (ben) — son: descendant/people.

: descendant, people, tribe, nation

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

§ : child/son

בֵּן (ben) — son: young animal.

: calf/lamb/young(ANIMAL)

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

§ : descendant

בֵּן (ben) — son: type of.

: rebel/son(Belial)

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

§ : people/men/nation/tribe

בֵּן (ben) — son.

: [inheriting]son/heir

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

בֵּן (ben) — son: warrior.

: warrior/son(strong)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
HNcmpc/Sp3mp
therefore give the object marker children their to famine and pour them over [the] hands of [the] sword so they may become wives their childless and widows and men their may they be [the] slain of death young men their [those] struck down of [the] sword in battle
לָרָעָ֗בla.ra.'Av to famine H7458 Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
101× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Famine or hunger is what this Hebrew word represents, often referring to a lack of food or spiritual nourishment. It appears in books like Genesis and Jeremiah, highlighting the importance of trust in God during difficult times.
Amplified meaning
hunger, lack of nourishment
Tyndale gloss
famine
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רָעָב (ra`ab) refers to famine and hunger, indicating a lack of food that can affect individuals or entire nations. It is derived from the root meaning to be hungry, and it encompasses both literal and figurative uses, such as famine caused by divine judgment. The entries consistently emphasize its association with severe food scarcity.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רָעָב 101 n.m. famine, hunger

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7458 רָעָב famine, hunger

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7458 ra`ab raw-awb'

from 7456; hunger (more or less extensive):--dearth,

famine, + famished, hunger.

see HEBREW for 07456

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רָעָב (ra.av) — famine.

1) famine, hunger

1a) famine (in land, nation)

1a1) of Jehovah's word (fig)

1b) hunger (of individuals)

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

fam'-in (ra`abh; limos):

1. Natural Causes

2. Famines Mentioned

3. Divine Relations

4. Figurative Uses

The common Old Testament word for "famine" is ra`abh; re`abhon also occurs (Ge 42:19,33; Ps 37:19), and kaphan (Job 5:22; 30:3), all meaning "hunger" and "famine"; in the New Testament the word is limos, meaning primarily "failure," "want of food."

1. Natural Causes:

In early times, especially in lands dependent on their own productions, famines were not infrequent. They were generally caused by local irregularities of the rainfall, by destructive hail storms (Ex 9:23,11,32), by ravages of insects (Ex 10:15;

Famine

The first mentioned in Scripture was so grievous as to compel Abraham to go down to the land of Egypt (Gen. 26:1). Another is mentioned as having occurred in the days of Isaac, causing him to go to Gerar (Gen. 26:1, 17). But the most remarkable of all was that which arose in Egypt in the days of Joseph, which lasted for seven years (Gen. 41-45).

Famines were sent as an effect of God’s anger against a guilty people (2 Kings 8:1, 2; Amos 8:11; Deut. 28:22-42; 2 Sam. 21:1; 2 Kings 6:25-28; 25:3;

Scripture records several famines in Palestine, and the neighboring countries, Ge 12:10 26:1 Ru 1:1 2Ki 6:25 Ac 11:27. The most remarkable one was that of seven years in Egypt, while Joseph was governor, Ge 41:1-57. It was distinguished for its duration, extent, and severity; particularly as Egypt is one of the countries least subject to such a calamity, by reason of its general fertility. Famine is sometimes a natural effect, as when the Nile does not overflow in Egypt, or rains do not fall in Judea, at the customary season; or when caterpillars, locusts, or other insects, destroy the fruits. But all natural causes are…

therefore give the object marker children their to famine and pour them over [the] hands of [the] sword so they may become wives their childless and widows and men their may they be [the] slain of death young men their [those] struck down of [the] sword in battle
וְהַגִּרֵם֮ve.ha.gi.Rem and pour them H5064 Conjunction · verb hiphil imperative second person masculine singular · suffix
10× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To pour or flow, like water, and can also mean to deliver or stretch out, as seen in Psalm 42:4.
Amplified meaning
cause to flow, deliver
Tyndale gloss
to pour
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נָגַר (nagar) is a Hebrew verb meaning to pour, flow, or run. It encompasses various nuances, including being poured or spilled (Niphal), pouring down (Hiphil), and even melting (Hophal). The term can also figuratively imply vanishing or being stretched out. It captures a range of actions related to liquids and their movement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[נָגַר] vb. pour, flow, run

Niph.

be poured, split

pour oneself, flow, trickle, of eye (in tears)

fig. vanish

be stretched out (?)

Hiph. pour down, hurl down

Hoph. of mountains melting at theophany.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5064 נָגַר

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5064 nagar naw-gar'

a primitive root; to flow; figuratively, to stretch out;

causatively, to pour out or down; figuratively, to deliver

over:--fall, flow away, pour down (out), run, shed, spilt,

trickle down.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָגַר (na.gar) — to pour.

1) to pour, run, flow, pour down

1a) (Niphal)

1a1) to be poured, be spilt

1a2) to pour oneself, flow, trickle

1a3) to vanish (fig.)

1a4) to be stretched out

1b) (Hiphil) to pour down

1c) (Hophal) to melt

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Hiphil-Impv-2ms | Suff — Conjunction · verb hiphil imperative second person masculine singular · suffix
HC/Vhv2ms/Sp3mp
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
therefore give the object marker children their to famine and pour them over [the] hands of [the] sword so they may become wives their childless and widows and men their may they be [the] slain of death young men their [those] struck down of [the] sword in battle
עַל־'al- over H5921 Preposition
5,774× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means on or above something, like a physical object or a situation. It can also imply a sense of responsibility or accountability, as in being on behalf of someone.
Tyndale gloss
upon
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

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)

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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)

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

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

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

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

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Preposition
HR
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
therefore give the object marker children their to famine and pour them over [the] hands of [the] sword so they may become wives their childless and widows and men their may they be [the] slain of death young men their [those] struck down of [the] sword in battle
יְדֵי־ye.dei- [the] hands of H3027 Noun common · both dual 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.
Amplified meaning
strength, might
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
N-cd — Noun common · both dual construct
HNcbdc
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…

therefore give the object marker children their to famine and pour them over [the] hands of [the] sword so they may become wives their childless and widows and men their may they be [the] slain of death young men their [those] struck down of [the] sword in battle
חֶרֶב֒che.Rev [the] sword H2719 Noun common · feminine singular absolute
413× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A sword or cutting instrument is what this Hebrew word refers to, including knives and tools for cutting stone. It is used in the Bible to describe weapons and sharp objects.
Amplified meaning
weapon, instrument of war
Tyndale gloss
sword
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חֶ֫רֶב (chereb) means 'sword' and can also refer to other cutting instruments like knives and tools. It is derived from a root meaning 'drought,' highlighting its destructive nature. The term is used in various contexts in the Old Testament, primarily to denote weapons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חֶ֫רֶב 411 n.f. sword (as weapon)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2719 חֶ֫רֶב sword (as weapon)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2719 chereb kheh'-reb

from 2717; drought; also a cutting instrument (from its

destructive effect), as a knife, sword, or other sharp

implement:--axe, dagger, knife, mattock, sword, tool.

see HEBREW for 02717

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חֶ֫רֶב (che.rev) — sword.

1) sword, knife

1a) sword

1b) knife

1c) tools for cutting stone

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

sord.

See ARMOR, III, 5.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Sword

Of the Hebrew was pointed, sometimes two-edged, was worn in a sheath, and suspended from the girdle (Ex. 32:27; 1 Sam. 31:4; 1 Chr. 21:27; Ps. 149:6: Prov. 5:4; Ezek. 16:40; 21:3-5).

It is a symbol of divine chastisement (Deut. 32:25; Ps. 7:12; 78:62), and of a slanderous tongue (Ps. 57:4; 64:3; Prov. 12:18). The word of God is likened also to a…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

[ARMS, ARMOR]

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Used by

Gideon Jud 7:20

Goliath 1Sa 21:9

Peter Mt 26:51; Joh 18:10

→ David' s army equipped with 1Ch 21:5

→ To be beaten into plowshares Isa 2:4; Mic 4:3

→ Made of plowshares Joe 3:10

→ Two-edged Heb 4:12; Re 1:16; 2:12

→ FIGURATIVE

Of war Ge 27:40

therefore give the object marker children their to famine and pour them over [the] hands of [the] sword so they may become wives their childless and widows and men their may they be [the] slain of death young men their [those] struck down of [the] sword in battle
וְתִֽהְיֶ֨נָהve.tih.Ye.nah so they may become H1961 Conjunction · verb qal third person feminine plural
3,562× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for to be means to exist or come into being. It is used to describe something that happens or comes to pass, like in Genesis where God creates the world.
Tyndale gloss
to be
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

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

Qal

Fall out, happen

occur, take place, come about, come to pass

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

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

rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה

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

Come into being, become

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

sq. prep.

become

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

sq. pred. adj.

become like

sq. pred. לְ pers.

sq. לְ pred.

oft. c. לְ pred. לְ pers.

with עַל and לְ

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

Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming)

exist, be in existence

abide, remain, continue

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

as copula, joining subj. & pred.

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

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

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

. rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה

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

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

. sq. prep.

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

. sq. pred. adj.

. become like

. sq. pred. + לְ pers.

. sq. לְ pred.

. oft. c. לְ pred. + לְ pers.

. with עַל and לְ

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

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

. abide, remain, continue

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1961 hayah haw-yaw

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

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

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

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

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

(one-)self, require, X use.

see HEBREW for 01933

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הָיָה (ha.yah) — to be.

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

1a) (Qal)

1a1) ---

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

1a1b) to come about, come to pass

1a2) to come into being, become

1a2a) to arise, appear, come

1a2b) to become

1a2b1) to become

1a2b2) to become like

1a2b3) to be instituted, be established

1a3) to be

1a3a) to exist, be in existence

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

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

1a3d) to accompany, be with

1b) (Niphal)

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

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-Juss-3fp — Conjunction · verb qal third person feminine plural
HC/Vqu3fp
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

be-kum':

(1) Greek ginomai, used in New Testament for a change of state, corresponding to Hebrew hayah of Old Testament. Compare Mt 18:3 with De 27:9.

(2) For what is fitting, suitable, proper, in New Testament: "prepei" (Mt 3:15; Eph 5:3; 1Ti 2:10); in Old Testament, na'awah, na'ah, Ps 93:5: "Holiness becometh thy house." in this sense, the adverb "becomingly" must be interpreted: "Walk becomingly toward them that are without" (1Th 4:12), i.e. in a way that is consistent with your profession.

therefore give the object marker children their to famine and pour them over [the] hands of [the] sword so they may become wives their childless and widows and men their may they be [the] slain of death young men their [those] struck down of [the] sword in battle
נְשֵׁיהֶ֤םne.shei.Hem wives their H802 Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
781× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for woman, used to describe a female person, wife, or animal, appears in many biblical passages, including Genesis and Exodus, and is often translated as woman, wife, or female.
Amplified meaning
women, female partners
Tyndale gloss
woman
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

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

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

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)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fp | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
HNcmpc/Sp3mp
therefore give the object marker children their to famine and pour them over [the] hands of [the] sword so they may become wives their childless and widows and men their may they be [the] slain of death young men their [those] struck down of [the] sword in battle
שַׁכֻּלוֹת֙sha.ku.lOt childless H7909 Adj
7× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to be childless due to loss, like a parent who has outlived their kids. It's used in the Bible to describe someone who has been bereaved. In the KJV, it's translated as 'barren' or 'bereaved of children'.
Amplified meaning
without children, bereaved
Tyndale gloss
childless
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שַׁכּוּל (shakkuwl) refers to being bereaved or childless, particularly through the loss of offspring. It is derived from the root meaning to be bereaved, and the entries emphasize its connection to loss and barrenness.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שַׁכּוּל adj. bereaved, robbed of offspring

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7909 שַׁכּוּל, שַׁכֻּל

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7909 shakkuwl shak-kool'

or shakkul {shak-kool'}; from 7921; bereaved:--barren,

bereaved (robbed) of children (whelps).

see HEBREW for 07921

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שַׁכּוּל (shak.kul) — childless.

1) childless (through bereavement)

2) bereaved, robbed of offspring

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Adj
HAafpa
therefore give the object marker children their to famine and pour them over [the] hands of [the] sword so they may become wives their childless and widows and men their may they be [the] slain of death young men their [those] struck down of [the] sword in battle
וְאַלְמָנ֔וֹתve.'al.ma.Not and widows H490 Conjunction · noun common feminine plural absolute
56× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A widow is a woman whose husband has died, often left alone and vulnerable. The Bible teaches care and compassion for widows, as seen in the stories of Ruth and Naomi. God commands his people to look out for them.
Amplified meaning
having lost a husband, alone
Tyndale gloss
widow
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אַלְמָנָה (*almanah*) means 'widow' and is derived from the root of another word. It can also refer to a desolate place, such as a desolate house or palace. The entries consistently emphasize its primary meaning as 'widow'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אַלְמָנָה 61 n.f. widow

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H490 אַלְמָנָה widow

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

490 'almanah al-maw-naw'

fem of 488; a widow; also a desolate place:--desolate house

(palace), widow.

see HEBREW for 0488

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אַלְמָנָה (al.ma.nah) — widow.

widow

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | N-fp — Conjunction · noun common feminine plural absolute
HC/Ncfpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Widows

To be treated with kindness (Ex. 22:22; Deut. 14:29; 16:11, 14; 24:17, 19-21; 26:12; 27:19, etc.). In the New Testament the same tender regard for them is inculcated (Acts 6:1-6; 1 Tim. 5:3-16) and exhibited.

Torrey's New Topical Textbook

- Character of true

Lu 2:37; 1Ti 5:5,10

- GOD

. Surely hears the cry of

Ex 22:23

. Judges for

De 10:18; Ps 68:5

. Relieves

Ps 146:9

. Establishes the border of

Pr 15:25

. Will witness against oppressors of

Mal 3:5

- Exhorted to trust in God

Jer 49:11

- SHOULD NOT BE

. Afflicted

Ex 22:22

. Oppressed

therefore give the object marker children their to famine and pour them over [the] hands of [the] sword so they may become wives their childless and widows and men their may they be [the] slain of death young men their [those] struck down of [the] sword in battle
וְאַ֨נְשֵׁיהֶ֔םve.'An.shei.Hem and men their H582 Conjunction · noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
566× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Enosh refers to a human or mankind in general, used to describe individuals or people as a whole in the Bible.
Tyndale gloss
human
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֱנוֹשׁ (enowsh) refers to man or mankind, often used in a poetic context. It denotes a mortal individual, distinguishing humans from more dignified terms for man. The word encompasses both singular and collective meanings, indicating people or persons in general. Its Aramaic equivalent is אֱנָשׁ (e.nash), also meaning 'man'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֱנוֹשׁ n.m. man, mankind, mostly poet.

of individ.

coll. men

man, mankind

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H582 אֱנוֹשׁ man, mankind, mostly poet.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

582 'enowsh en-oshe'

from 605; properly, a mortal (and thus differing from the

more dignified 120); hence, a man in general (singly or

collectively):--another, X (blood-)thirsty, certain,

chap(-man); divers, fellow, X in the flower of their age,

husband, (certain, mortal) man, people, person, servant, some

( X of them), + stranger, those, + their trade. It is often

unexpressed in the English versions, especially when used in

apposition with another word . Compare 376.

see HEBREW for 0605

see HEBREW for 0120

see HEBREW for 0376

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֱנוֹשׁ (e.nosh) — human.

1) man, mortal man, person, mankind

1a) of an individual

1b) men (collective)

1c) man, mankind

Aramaic equivalent: e.nash (אֱנָשׁ "man" H0606)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HC/Ncmpc/Sp3mp — Conjunction · noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
HC/Ncmpc/Sp3mp
therefore give the object marker children their to famine and pour them over [the] hands of [the] sword so they may become wives their childless and widows and men their may they be [the] slain of death young men their [those] struck down of [the] sword in battle
יִֽהְי֖וּyih.Yu may they be H1961 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine plural
3,562× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for to be means to exist or come into being. It is used to describe something that happens or comes to pass, like in Genesis where God creates the world.
Tyndale gloss
to be
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

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

Qal

Fall out, happen

occur, take place, come about, come to pass

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

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

rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה

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

Come into being, become

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

sq. prep.

become

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

sq. pred. adj.

become like

sq. pred. לְ pers.

sq. לְ pred.

oft. c. לְ pred. לְ pers.

with עַל and לְ

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

Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming)

exist, be in existence

abide, remain, continue

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

as copula, joining subj. & pred.

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

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

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

. rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה

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

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

. sq. prep.

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

. sq. pred. adj.

. become like

. sq. pred. + לְ pers.

. sq. לְ pred.

. oft. c. לְ pred. + לְ pers.

. with עַל and לְ

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

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

. abide, remain, continue

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1961 hayah haw-yaw

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

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

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

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

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

(one-)self, require, X use.

see HEBREW for 01933

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הָיָה (ha.yah) — to be.

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

1a) (Qal)

1a1) ---

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

1a1b) to come about, come to pass

1a2) to come into being, become

1a2a) to arise, appear, come

1a2b) to become

1a2b1) to become

1a2b2) to become like

1a2b3) to be instituted, be established

1a3) to be

1a3a) to exist, be in existence

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

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

1a3d) to accompany, be with

1b) (Niphal)

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

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVqi3mp — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine plural
HVqi3mp
therefore give the object marker children their to famine and pour them over [the] hands of [the] sword so they may become wives their childless and widows and men their may they be [the] slain of death young men their [those] struck down of [the] sword in battle
הֲרֻ֣גֵיha.Ru.gei [the] slain of H2026 Verb · Qal · participle (passive) masculine plural common
167× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To kill or slay with intent, as seen in the Bible when God instructs the Israelites to destroy certain nations. This word is used in various forms, including to murder or destroy. It appears in books like Exodus and Deuteronomy.
Amplified meaning
killed, put to death
Tyndale gloss
to kill
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הָרַג (harag) is a Hebrew verb meaning to kill or slay, often implying ruthless violence. It encompasses a range of meanings including murder, destruction, and being killed. The entries indicate its use in various contexts, such as wholesale slaughter in battle or divine judgment. The verb appears in different forms, including Qal, Niphal, and Pual, indicating various nuances of killing.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הָרַג vb. kill, slay

Qal

kill, slay, implying ruthless violence

hence of wholesale slaughter after battle

of God’s slaying in judgment

rarely of judicial killing by men (at God’s command)

of killing beasts

of killing by beasts

quite general

destroy, ruin

Niph.

shall priest and prophet be slain in the sanctuary?

pass. of Qal 1 b

Pu. be slain

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2026 הָרַג kill, slay

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2026 harag haw-rag'

a primitive root; to smite with deadly intent:--destroy, out

of hand, kill, murder(-er), put to (death), make (slaughter),

slay(-er), X surely.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הָרַג (ha.rag) — to kill.

1) to kill, slay, murder, destroy, murderer, slayer, out of hand

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to kill, slay

1a2) to destroy, ruin

1b) (Niphal) to be killed

1c) (Pual) to be killed, be slain

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Inf-c — Verb · Qal · participle (passive) masculine plural common
HVqsmpc
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…

therefore give the object marker children their to famine and pour them over [the] hands of [the] sword so they may become wives their childless and widows and men their may they be [the] slain of death young men their [those] struck down of [the] sword in battle
מָ֑וֶתMa.vet death H4194 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
156× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word refers to death, whether natural or violent, and is used in books like Genesis and Isaiah. It can also mean the place of the dead, or a state of ruin. This concept is seen in the story of Moses, where death is a punishment for disobedience.
Amplified meaning
sickness, plague
Tyndale gloss
death
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מָ֫וֶת (maveth) means 'death' and encompasses various aspects such as natural or violent death, the state of being dead, and the realm of the dead (hades). It can also refer to pestilence or ruin. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to die' and has an Aramaic equivalent, מוֹת (mot).

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מָ֫וֶת 161 n.m. death

death, opp. life

death by violence

state of death or place of death

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4194 מָ֫וֶת death

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4194 maveth maw'-veth

from 4191; death (natural or violent); concretely, the dead,

their place or state (hades); figuratively, pestilence,

ruin:--(be) dead((-ly)), death, die(-d).

see HEBREW for 04191

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מָ֫וֶת (ma.vet) — death.

1) death, dying, Death (personified), realm of the dead

1a) death

1b) death by violence (as a penalty)

1c) state of death, place of death

Aramaic equivalent: mot (מוֹת "death" H4193)

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

(maweth; thanatos):

PHYSIOLOGICAL AND FIGURATIVE VIEW

The word "Death" is used in the sense of

(1) the process of dying (Ge 21:16);

(2) the period of decease (Ge 27:7);

(3) as a possible synonym for poison (2Ki 4:40);

(4) as descriptive of person in danger of perishing (Jud 15:18; "in deaths oft" 2Co 11:23). In this sense the shadow of death is a familiar expression in Job, the Psalms and the Prophets;

(5) death is personified in 1Co 15:55 and Re 20:14. Deliverance from this catastrophe is called the "issues from…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Death

May be simply defined as the termination of life. It is represented under a variety of aspects in Scripture: (1.) “The dust shall return to the earth as it was” (Eccl. 12:7).

(2.) “Thou takest away their breath, they die” (Ps. 104:29).

(3.) It is the dissolution of “our earthly house of this tabernacle” (2 Cor. 5:1); the “putting off this tabernacle” (2 Pet. 1:13, 14).

(4.) Being “unclothed” (2 Cor. 5:3, 4).

(5.) “Falling on sleep” (Ps. 76:5; Jer. 51:39;

Is taken in Scripture, first, for the separation of body and soul, the first death, Ge 25:11; secondly, for alienation from God, and exposure to his wrath, 1Jo 3:14, etc.; thirdly, for the second death, that of eternal damnation. Death was the penalty affixed to Adam’s transgression, Ge 2:17 3:19; and all his posterity are transgressors, and share the curse inflicted upon him. CHRIST is "our life." All believers share his life, spiritually and eternally; and though sin and bodily is taken away, and in the resurrection the last enemy shall be trampled under foot, Ro 5:12-21 1Co 15:1-58.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Miscellaneous Subjects

Called GIVING UP THE GHOST Ge 25:8; 35:29; La 1:19; Ac 5:10

KING OF TERRORS Job 18:14

A CHANGE Job 14:14

GOING TO THY FATHERS Ge 15:15; 25:8; 35:29

PUTTING OFF THIS TABERNACLE 2Pe 1:14

REQUIRING THE SOUL Lu 12:20

GOING THE WAY WHENCE THERE IS NO RETURN Job 16:22

BEING GATHERED TO OUR PEOPLE Ge 49:33

therefore give the object marker children their to famine and pour them over [the] hands of [the] sword so they may become wives their childless and widows and men their may they be [the] slain of death young men their [those] struck down of [the] sword in battle
בַּח֣וּרֵיהֶ֔םba.Chu.rei.Hem young men their H970 Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
44× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word refers to a young person, often a chosen or select individual, like a young man in his prime. It appears in various contexts, including descriptions of young soldiers. The term emphasizes the idea of being selected or set apart.
Amplified meaning
youth, vigorous ones
Tyndale gloss
youth
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בָּחוּר (bachuwr) refers to a young man or youth, often implying someone who has been selected or chosen. The term appears in contexts that highlight youthfulness, and it is derived from a root meaning 'to select.' It is notably referenced in Isaiah 62:5.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בָּחוּר n.m. young man Is 62:5 7 t.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H970 בָּחוּר young man

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

970 bachuwr baw-khoor'

or bachur {baw-khoor'}; participle passive of 977; properly,

selected, i.e. a youth (often collective):--(choice) young

(man), chosen, X hole.

see HEBREW for 0977

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בָּחוּר (ba.chur) — youth.

youth, young man

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
HNcmpc/Sp3mp
therefore give the object marker children their to famine and pour them over [the] hands of [the] sword so they may become wives their childless and widows and men their may they be [the] slain of death young men their [those] struck down of [the] sword in battle
מֻכֵּי־mu.kei- [those] struck down of H5221 Verb · Hophal · participle (passive) masculine plural common
500× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means to strike or hit something, and it's used in many different ways, like in Exodus when God strikes down the Egyptians. It can also mean to punish or destroy, as seen in Isaiah. The word is used to describe God's judgment.
Amplified meaning
smitten, defeated
Tyndale gloss
to smite
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נָכָה (nakah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to strike or smite, encompassing a range of actions from lightly hitting to fatal blows. It appears in various forms, indicating actions like attacking, punishing, or causing disease. The entries suggest its use in both literal and figurative contexts, including divine judgment and applause. There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[נָכָה] 501 vb. smite (not in Qal)

Niph. and he shall be smitten [struck by weapon in battle] and die

Pu. both be smitten down by the hail

Hiph.

lit., smite (with a single, non-fatal, blow), strike

smite repeatedly, beat a man

and they clapped hands (in applause)

give a thrust (with fork) into pot; strike roots

rarely smite (in battle) so as (merely) to wound

smite, of sun

Smite fatally

Smite = attack, attack and destroy a company

Of God

smite with a plague, disease, etc.

smite = chastise, or send judgment upon

of God’s destroying palaces

Hoph. be smitten

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5221 נָכָה smite (not in Qal) . and he shall be smitten [struck by weapon in battle] and die

. both be smitten down by the hail

. . . lit., smite (with a single, non-fatal, blow), strike

. smite repeatedly, beat a man

. and they clapped hands (in applause)

. give a thrust (with fork) into pot; strike roots

. rarely smite (in battle) so as (merely) to wound

. smite, of sun

. Smite fatally

. Smite = attack, attack and destroy a company

. Of God . smite with a plague, disease, etc.

. smite = chastise, or send judgment upon

. of God’s destroying palaces

. be smitten

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5221 nakah naw-kaw'

a primitive root; to strike (lightly or severely, literally

or figuratively):--beat, cast forth, clap, give (wounds), X

go forward, X indeed, kill, make (slaughter), murderer,

punish, slaughter, slay(-er, -ing), smite(-r, -ing), strike,

be stricken, (give) stripes, X surely, wound.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָכָה (na.khah) — to smite.

1) to strike, smite, hit, beat, slay, kill

1a)(Niphal) to be stricken or smitten

1b) (Pual) to be stricken or smitten

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to smite, strike, beat, scourge, clap, applaud, give a thrust

1c2) to smite, kill, slay (man or beast)

1c3) to smite, attack, attack and destroy, conquer, subjugate, ravage

1c4) to smite, chastise, send judgment upon, punish, destroy

1d) (Hophal) to be smitten

1d1) to receive a blow

1d2) to be wounded

1d3) to be beaten

1d4) to be (fatally) smitten, be killed, be slain

1d5) to be attacked and captured

1d6) to be smitten (with disease)

1d7) to be blighted (of plants)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Hophal-Inf-c — Verb · Hophal · participle (passive) masculine plural common
HVHsmpc
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…

therefore give the object marker children their to famine and pour them over [the] hands of [the] sword so they may become wives their childless and widows and men their may they be [the] slain of death young men their [those] struck down of [the] sword in battle
חֶ֖רֶבChe.rev [the] sword H2719 Noun common · feminine singular absolute
413× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A sword or cutting instrument is what this Hebrew word refers to, including knives and tools for cutting stone. It is used in the Bible to describe weapons and sharp objects.
Amplified meaning
weapon, instrument of battle
Tyndale gloss
sword
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חֶ֫רֶב (chereb) means 'sword' and can also refer to other cutting instruments like knives and tools. It is derived from a root meaning 'drought,' highlighting its destructive nature. The term is used in various contexts in the Old Testament, primarily to denote weapons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חֶ֫רֶב 411 n.f. sword (as weapon)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2719 חֶ֫רֶב sword (as weapon)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2719 chereb kheh'-reb

from 2717; drought; also a cutting instrument (from its

destructive effect), as a knife, sword, or other sharp

implement:--axe, dagger, knife, mattock, sword, tool.

see HEBREW for 02717

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חֶ֫רֶב (che.rev) — sword.

1) sword, knife

1a) sword

1b) knife

1c) tools for cutting stone

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

sord.

See ARMOR, III, 5.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Sword

Of the Hebrew was pointed, sometimes two-edged, was worn in a sheath, and suspended from the girdle (Ex. 32:27; 1 Sam. 31:4; 1 Chr. 21:27; Ps. 149:6: Prov. 5:4; Ezek. 16:40; 21:3-5).

It is a symbol of divine chastisement (Deut. 32:25; Ps. 7:12; 78:62), and of a slanderous tongue (Ps. 57:4; 64:3; Prov. 12:18). The word of God is likened also to a…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

[ARMS, ARMOR]

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Used by

Gideon Jud 7:20

Goliath 1Sa 21:9

Peter Mt 26:51; Joh 18:10

→ David' s army equipped with 1Ch 21:5

→ To be beaten into plowshares Isa 2:4; Mic 4:3

→ Made of plowshares Joe 3:10

→ Two-edged Heb 4:12; Re 1:16; 2:12

→ FIGURATIVE

Of war Ge 27:40

therefore give the object marker children their to famine and pour them over [the] hands of [the] sword so they may become wives their childless and widows and men their may they be [the] slain of death young men their [those] struck down of [the] sword in battle
בַּמִּלְחָמָֽה׃ba.mil.cha.Mah in battle H4421 Preposition · noun common feminine singular absolute
320× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means battle or war, describing a fight or conflict. It is used in the Bible to talk about wars and battles, like the ones in the book of Joshua. The KJV translates it as battle or fight.
Amplified meaning
war, combat
Tyndale gloss
battle
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מִלְחָמָה (milchamah) means 'battle' or 'war.' It is derived from the root word for fighting and encompasses both specific engagements and the broader concept of warfare. The entries consistently define it in this way, with no significant disagreement among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מִלְחָמָה 319 n.f. battle, war

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4421 מִלְחָמָה battle, war

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4421 milchamah mil-khaw-maw'

from 3898 (in the sense of fighting); a battle (i.e. the

engagement); generally, war (i.e. warfare):--battle,

fight(-ing), war((-rior)).

see HEBREW for 03898

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מִלְחָמָה (mil.cha.mah) — battle.

battle, war

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

See WAR.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Shouting in Jud 7:20; 1Sa 17:20

→ Priests in 2Ch 13:12

→ Prayer before

By Asa 2Ch 14:11

By Jehoshaphat 2Ch 20:3-12

→ See ARMIES

→ See WAR

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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