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Jeremiah 20:17 — Word Study

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WLCאֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־ מוֹתְתַ֖נִי מֵרָ֑חֶם וַתְּהִי־ לִ֤י אִמִּי֙ קִבְרִ֔י וְרַחְמָ֖הֿ הֲרַ֥ת עוֹלָֽם׃

BSAbecauseʼăsher he did notlôʼ kill memûwth [slay, put to death] in the wombrechem [from the very beginning, in my mother's body] so that my motherʼêm [female parent, nurturer] might have beenhâyâh my graveqeber [final resting place, tomb] and her wombrechem [place of fetal growth, matrix] foreverʻôwlâm [always, eternally] enlargedhâreh [in a state of perpetual conception, pregnant]

Word
Listen & take awayJeremiah 20
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 17 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 (o.Lam) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Jeremiah 20:17quick helps
In a sentenceJeremiah laments that he was not killed before birth, which would have prevented his mother from suffering.
Who is speakingJeremiah, expressing deep anguish over his existence.
Where we areJeremiah is cursing the man who brought news of his birth, reflecting on the pain of his life.
The hard wordמוֹתְתַ֖נִי, mo.Ta.ni
Take awayJeremiah's expression reveals his profound sorrow and desire to escape suffering.
7 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbהָיָה 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 20:17

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 — Jeremiah's Lamentgenerated

15Cursed be the man who brought my father the news, saying, “A son is born to you,” bringing him great joy.
16May that man be like the cities that the LORD overthrew without compassion. May he hear an outcry in the morning and a battle cry at noon,
17because he did not kill me in the womb so that my mother might have been my grave, and her womb forever enlarged.
18Why did I come out of the womb to see only trouble and sorrow, and to end my days in shame?

Jeremiah 20:17 captures the prophet's despair as he wishes he had never been born, expressing that his existence has only brought suffering. This verse is part of a larger lament where Jeremiah curses the man who announced his birth, highlighting the profound pain and turmoil he feels throughout his life. His words resonate with themes of suffering and the desire for relief from anguish, as seen in the surrounding verses.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Job 3:10–11For that night did not shut the doors of the womb to hide the sorrow from my eyes.
2Job 10:18–19Why then did You bring me from the womb? Oh, that I had died, and no eye had seen me!
3Ecclesiastes 6:3A man may father a hundred children and live for many years; yet no matter how long he lives, if he is unsatisfied with his prosperity and does not even receive a proper burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 3 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word מוֹתְתַ֖נִי, mo.Ta.nigenerated

The verb מוּת (*mūth*) means 'to die' or 'to kill.' In this context, it is in the piel stem, indicating an intentional action, specifically that someone has caused death. The perfect tense signifies a completed action, reflecting Jeremiah's realization that he was spared from death in the womb.

This word carries weight in the verse, as it underscores Jeremiah's anguish and the severity of his feelings about life and death. The use of the suffix indicates that the subject of the action is Jeremiah himself, emphasizing his personal lament.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb of the verse is מוֹתְתַ֖נִי, he killed me, which governs the structure of the sentence. The clause begins with a conjunction אֲשֶׁר, connecting the idea of not being killed to the consequences of that action.

The sentence structure is complex, with multiple clauses and phrases that elaborate on the implications of Jeremiah's survival. The word order emphasizes the negation of death and the resulting grief experienced by Jeremiah.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates מוֹתְתַ֖נִי as με, which simply means 'me.' This choice reflects a direct and personal lament, aligning closely with the Hebrew meaning but lacking the explicitness of the action of killing.

The Greek rendering captures the essence of Jeremiah's anguish but does so in a way that may not convey the full weight of the Hebrew verb's implications.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Jeremiah 20:17 expresses the prophet's deep sorrow over his existence, wishing he had been killed before birth. He reflects on the pain his mother would have avoided if he had never been born, highlighting the anguish he feels in his life.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does Jeremiah mean by wishing he had been killed in the womb?

Jeremiah expresses a desire to escape the suffering and turmoil he experiences in life, indicating that he sees his existence as a source of pain.

How does this verse relate to the surrounding context?

This verse is part of a larger lament where Jeremiah curses the man who announced his birth, reflecting his profound grief and the hardships he faces as a prophet.

What significance does the womb hold in this verse?

The womb symbolizes both the beginning of life and the potential for suffering, as Jeremiah reflects on the pain his mother would have experienced had he died before birth.

How do other translations handle this verse?

Translations generally agree on the core message, but they may differ in the specific wording used to convey Jeremiah's lament and the actions he wishes had occurred.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What emotions does Jeremiah express in this lament, and how do they resonate with personal experiences of suffering?
  2. In what ways can this verse encourage reflection on the value of life and the struggles we face?
  3. How does understanding the context of Jeremiah's life enhance the meaning of this verse?
  4. What can we learn from Jeremiah's honesty about his feelings and struggles in the face of adversity?

Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Jeremiah 20:17 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Because he slew me not from the womb,.... As soon as he came out of it; that is, as soon as he was born; either because God slew him not so soon, as Kimchi; or the angel of death, as Jarchi: or

Read John Gill on Jeremiah 20 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Cursed be the day wherein I was born: let not the day wherein my mother bare me be blessed.

Read Robert Jamieson on Jeremiah 20 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

These various expressions do only let us see to what a tide passion swelled in this good man’ s heart, and teach us how much need we have to pray to be delivered from our own passions. Jeremiah’ s leaving these things recorded by himself, is one instance of what is brought as a rational argument to prove that only men wrote the Scriptures by inspiration from God, they would never else have recorded their own gross failings, men commonly writing for their own honour, not to their own defamation.

Read Matthew Poole on Jeremiah 20 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Jeremiah 20:17 Because he slew me not from the womb; or that my mother might have been my grave, and her womb [to be] always great [with me].Ver. 17. Because he slew me not, &c.] Why, but is not life a mercy? A living dog better than a dead lion. See on Job 3:10; Job 10:18-19.

Read John Trapp on Jeremiah 20 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(17) Because he slew me not . . .—The wish that he had never been born is uttered by the prophet in strange, bold language. It would have been better that the messenger that told that he was born had slain him before his birth, that his mother’s womb had been his grave, that she had never had strength to bring him forth. Thought, structure, even grammar are, in their abruptness and irregularities, alike significant of intense emotion.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Jeremiah 20 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

17. from] better (with LXX), as shewn by the context, in. The consonants which represent the two prepositions were written similarly in Hebrew MSS.

Read Cambridge on Jeremiah 20 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

14-18. Cursed be the day, etc. — Violent and unexpected is the contrast of this passage with the preceding.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Jeremiah 20 →

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

because he did not kill me in the womb so that my mother might have been my grave, and her womb forever enlarged.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

because he didn’t kill me from the womb. So my mother would have been my grave, and her womb always great.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

because he did not kill me in the womb so that my mother might have been my grave, and her womb forever enlarged.

NETBNew English Translation2006

For he did not kill me before I came from the womb, making my pregnant mother’s womb my grave forever.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Because he slew me not from the womb; or that my mother might have been my grave, and her womb to be always great with me.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

because he slew me not from the womb; and so my mother would have been my grave, and her womb always great.

RVARevised Version, American1894

because he slew me not from the womb; and so my mother should have been my grave, and her womb always great.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Because he slew me not at my birth; or that my mother might have been my grave, and she had not been delivered.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Because he hath not slaine me, euen from the wombe, or that my mother might haue bene my graue, or her wobe a perpetual conception.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

because he slew me not from the womb. Or would that my mother had been my grave, and her womb always great [with me]!

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Because he hath not put me to death from the womb, And my mother is to me — my grave, And her womb a pregnancy age-during.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Because he has not put me to death from the womb, || And my mother is to me—my grave, || And her womb [is] a perpetual pregnancy.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Because I was not slain [as I escaped] from the womb; or that my mother might have become unto me my grave, and her womb have been affected with a perpetual pregnancy.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

because he did not kill me in the womb, making my mother to be my tomb, a womb that was pregnant forever.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Who slew me not from the womb, that my mother might have been my grave, and her womb an everlasting conception.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

because he should have killed me in the womb so that my mother would have been my grave, remaining pregnant forever.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Because he did not put me to death before my birth took place: so my mother's body would have been my last resting-place, and she would have been with child for ever.

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.

clauserelpאֲשֶׁ֥רthatclauseadverbialלֹאnotverbמוֹתְתַ֖heobjectנִיkilled.meprepositional phrase · prepositionalמֵfrom.[the]רָ֑חֶםwombוַandclauseclauseverbתְּהִיshe.becameprepositional phrase · prepositionalלִ֤forיmenoun phrase · subjectאִמִּmotherי֙mynoun phrase · objectקִבְרִ֔graveיmyוְandclausenoun phrase · subjectרַחְמָ֖wombהֿherobjectהֲרַ֥ת[was].pregnantadverbialעוֹלָֽםof.perpetuity

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


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

The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree closely, with 11 of the 11 words matched in the Hebrew and Greek. The Dead Sea Scrolls show some restoration, with one word partially restored and the rest supplied by an editor, indicating a lack of variation in the core message.

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

אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־ מוֹתְתַ֖נִי מֵרָ֑חֶם וַתְּהִי־ לִ֤י אִמִּי֙ קִבְרִ֔י וְרַחְמָ֖הֿ הֲרַ֥ת עוֹלָֽם׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
אֲשֶׁ֥רὅτιלֹא־οὐκמוֹתְתַ֖נִיμεמֵרָ֑חֶםμήτρᾳוַתְּהִי־ἐγένετόלִ֤יμοιאִמִּי֙μουקִבְרִ֔יμουוְרַחְמָ֖הֿμήτραהֲרַ֥תσυλλήμψεωςעוֹלָֽם׃αἰωνίας

11 of the 11 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

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

אשר [לא] [מותת׳ני] [מרחם] [ותהי] [ל׳י] [אמ׳י] [קבר׳י] [ורחמ׳ה] [הרת] [עולם]

nothing on the leather here — 1 partly restored, 10 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 20:17אֲשֶׁרthatthatאֲשֶׁרלֹאnotnotלֹאמוּתhe killed mhe killed meמוּתרֶ֫חֶםfrom [the] from [the] wombרֶ֫חֶםהָיָהand she becand she becameהָיָהנִיfor mefor meנִיאֵםmother mymother myאֵםקֶ֫בֶרgrave mygrave myקֶ֫בֶררֶ֫חֶםand womb heand womb herרֶ֫חֶםהָרָה[was] pregn[was] pregnant הָרָהעוֹלָםperpetuityperpetuityעוֹלָםרָחַםto have coto have compassרָחַםהָרָהto conceivto conceiveהָרָהעָלַםto concealto concealעָלַםהָוָאto fallto fallהָוָאאָבfatherfatherאָבקָבַרto buryto buryקָבַרפֶּ֫טֶרfirstbornfirstbornפֶּ֫טֶרבֶּ֫טֶןbelly: abdbelly: abdomenבֶּ֫טֶןצָוָהto commandto commandצָוָהיָכֹלbe ablebe ableיָכֹלעוֹדstillstillעוֹדרָצַחto murderto murderרָצַחמָלַךְto reignto reignמָלַךְבַּתBath (ShuaBath (Shua)בַּתעוֹלֵלinfantinfantעוֹלֵלבָּקַעto break uto break up/opeבָּקַעעַדperpetuityperpetuityעַדדּוֹרgenerationgenerationדּוֹר
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 20:17

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.

that not he killed me from [the] womb and she became for me mother my grave my and womb her [was] pregnant of perpetuity
אֲשֶׁ֥ר'a.Sher that H834 Particle
5,500× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word is a conjunction that connects ideas and events in the Bible, like in the book of Genesis, where it's used to describe the relationship between God and His creation.
Tyndale gloss
which
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֲשֶׁר (*asher*) is a relative pronoun that can mean 'who,' 'which,' or 'that.' It serves various grammatical functions, including as an adverb or conjunction, indicating relationships between clauses, places, or conditions. Variants like בַאֲשֶׁר (*ba-asher*), מֵאֲשֶׁר (*me-asher*), and כַּאֲשֶׁר (*ka-asher*) expand its usage to specific contexts such as location, causation, and time.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֲשֶׁר part. of relation A sign of relation, bringing the clause introduced by it into relation with an antecedent clause.

base

בַאֲשֶׁר

in (that) which

adv. in (the place) where

conj. in that, inasmuch as

on account of whom?

base

מֵאֲשֶׁר

from (or than) that which

adv. from (the place) where

conj. from (the fact) that …, since

base

כַּאֲשֶׁר conj. according as, as, when

according to that which, according as, as

with a causal force, in so far as, since

with a temporal force, when

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H834a אֲשֶׁר part. of relation A sign of relation, bringing the clause introduced by it into relation with an antecedent clause. H834b בַאֲשֶׁר . in (that) which

. adv. in (the place) where

. conj. in that, inasmuch as

. on account of whom?

H834c מֵאֲשֶׁר . from (or than) that which

. adv. from (the place) where

. conj. from (the fact) that …, since

H834d כַּאֲשֶׁר conj. according as, as, when . according to that which, according as, as

. with a causal force, in so far as, since

. with a temporal force, when

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

834 'aher ash-er'

a primitive relative pronoun (of every gender and number);

who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction)

when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.:--X after, X

alike, as (soon as), because, X every, for, + forasmuch, +

from whence, + how(-soever), X if, (so) that ((thing) which,

wherein), X though, + until, + whatsoever, when, where

(+ -as, -in, -of, -on, -soever, -with), which, whilst, +

whither(- soever), who(-m, -soever, -se). As it is

indeclinable, it is often accompanied by the personal pronoun

expletively, used to show the connection.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֲשֶׁר (a.sher) — which.

A: 1) (relative part.)

1a) which, who

1b) that which

2) (conj)

2a) that (in obj clause)

2b) when

2c) since

2d) as

2e) conditional if

B: Beth+ 1) in (that) which

2) (adv)

2a) where

3) (conj)

3a) in that, inasmuch as

3b) on account of

C: Mem+ 1) from (or than) that which

2) from (the place) where

3) from (the fact) that, since

D: Kaph+

1) (conj.), according as, as, when

1a) according to that which, according as, as

1b) with a causal force: in so far as, since

1c) with a temporal force: when

בַאֲשֶׁר (ba.a.sher) — in which.

1) in (that) which

2) (adv)

2a) where

3) (conj)

3a) in that, inasmuch as

3b) on account of

מֵאֲשֶׁר (me.a.sher) — whence.

1) from (or than) that which

2) from (the place) where

3) from (the fact) that, since

כַּאֲשֶׁר (ka.a.sher) — as which.

conj

1) according as, as, when

1a) according to that which, according as, as

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Rel — Particle
HTr
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
that not he killed me from [the] womb and she became for me mother my grave my and womb her [was] pregnant of perpetuity
לֹא־lo'- not H3808 Particle
5,170× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Tyndale gloss
not
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לֹא or לוֹא adv. not

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3808 lo' lo

or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often

used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,

ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,

no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out

of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +

of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לֹא (lo) — not.

1) not, no

1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)

1b) not (with modifier-negation)

1c) nothing (subst)

1d) without (with particle)

1e) before (of time)

Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part — Particle
HTn
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
that not he killed me from [the] womb and she became for me mother my grave my and womb her [was] pregnant of perpetuity
מוֹתְתַ֖נִיmo.Ta.ni he killed me H4191 Verb piel perfect third person masculine singular · suffix
840× 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 die, either literally or as a punishment, and is used in books like Genesis and Exodus. It can also mean to perish or be killed. This concept is seen in the story of Adam and Eve, where death enters the world as a result of sin.
Amplified meaning
slay, put to death
Tyndale gloss
to die
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מוּת (mūth) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to die' or 'to kill.' It encompasses a range of meanings from dying naturally to being executed as a penalty. The word can refer to both humans and animals, and it includes various forms such as causing death or being killed. There is a distinction in usage based on the subject, whether it is a person or God inflicting death.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מוּת vb. die

Qal

die, of natural or other causes

die as a penalty = be put to death

Po‛lel. kill, put to death, despatch (intens.)

Hiph.

abs., elsewhere c. acc., subj. man

subj. God, by inflicting penalty

of animals killing men

bring to a premature death

Hoph. be killed, put to death

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4191 מוּת die .. die, of natural or other causes

. die as a penalty = be put to death

. kill, put to death, despatch (intens.)

. . abs., elsewhere c. acc., subj. man

. subj. God, by inflicting penalty

. of animals killing men

. bring to a premature death

. be killed, put to death

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4191 muwth mooth

a primitive root: to die (literally or figuratively);

causatively, to kill:--X at all, X crying, (be) dead (body,

man, one), (put to, worthy of) death, destroy(-er), (cause to,

be like to, must) die, kill, necro(-mancer), X must needs,

slay, X surely, X very suddenly, X in (no) wise.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מוּת (mut) — to die.

1) to die, kill, have one executed

1a)(Qal)

1a1) to die

1a2) to die (as penalty), be put to death

1a3) to die, perish (of a nation)

1a4) to die prematurely (by neglect of wise moral conduct)

1b) (Polel) to kill, put to death, dispatch

1c) (Hiphil) to kill, put to death

1d) (Hophal)

1d1) to be killed, be put to death

1d1a) to die prematurely

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-o-Perf-3ms | Suff — Verb piel perfect third person masculine singular · suffix
HVpp3ms/Sp1bs
that not he killed me from [the] womb and she became for me mother my grave my and womb her [was] pregnant of perpetuity
מֵרָ֑חֶםme.Ra.chem from [the] womb H7358 Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
26× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means womb, referring to the place where a fetus grows. It is translated as matrix or womb in the KJV, symbolizing birth and new life. It is a significant concept in biblical culture.
Amplified meaning
from the very beginning, in my mother's body
Tyndale gloss
womb
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רֶ֫חֶם (rechem) means 'womb' and is derived from the root word רָחַם (racham). It primarily refers to the womb itself, but can also denote a woman or female servant. The term appears in contexts related to childbirth and femininity.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רֶ֫חֶם, רַ֫חַם n.m. womb

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7358 רֶ֫חֶם, רַ֫חַם womb

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7358 rechem rekh'-em

from 7355; the womb (compare 7356):--matrix, womb.

see HEBREW for 07355

see HEBREW for 07356

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רֶ֫חֶם (re.chem) — womb.

1) womb

1a) womb

1b) womb-man, woman-slave, woman, two women

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
HR/Ncmsa
that not he killed me from [the] womb and she became for me mother my grave my and womb her [was] pregnant of perpetuity
וַתְּהִי־va.te.hi- and she became H1961 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person feminine singular
3,562× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for to be means to exist or come into being. It is used to describe something that happens or comes to pass, like in Genesis where God creates the world.
Tyndale gloss
to be
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

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

Qal

Fall out, happen

occur, take place, come about, come to pass

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

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

rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה

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

Come into being, become

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

sq. prep.

become

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

sq. pred. adj.

become like

sq. pred. לְ pers.

sq. לְ pred.

oft. c. לְ pred. לְ pers.

with עַל and לְ

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

Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming)

exist, be in existence

abide, remain, continue

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

as copula, joining subj. & pred.

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

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

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

. rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה

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

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

. sq. prep.

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

. sq. pred. adj.

. become like

. sq. pred. + לְ pers.

. sq. לְ pred.

. oft. c. לְ pred. + לְ pers.

. with עַל and לְ

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

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

. abide, remain, continue

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1961 hayah haw-yaw

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

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

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

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

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

(one-)self, require, X use.

see HEBREW for 01933

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הָיָה (ha.yah) — to be.

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

1a) (Qal)

1a1) ---

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

1a1b) to come about, come to pass

1a2) to come into being, become

1a2a) to arise, appear, come

1a2b) to become

1a2b1) to become

1a2b2) to become like

1a2b3) to be instituted, be established

1a3) to be

1a3a) to exist, be in existence

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

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

1a3d) to accompany, be with

1b) (Niphal)

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

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3fs — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person feminine singular
Hc/Vqw3fs
that not he killed me from [the] womb and she became for me mother my grave my and womb her [was] pregnant of perpetuity
לִ֤יli for me H9030 Preposition · suffix
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נִי (ni) — me.

Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 1st person singular

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HRd/Sp1bs — Preposition · suffix
HRd/Sp1bs
that not he killed me from [the] womb and she became for me mother my grave my and womb her [was] pregnant of perpetuity
אִמִּי֙'i.Mi mother my H517 Noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
220× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for 'mother' is used in the Bible to describe a female parent or a maternal figure. It can also refer to the source or origin of something, such as a river or a family. In some cases, it is used figuratively to describe a person's relationship to others.
Amplified meaning
female parent, nurturer
Tyndale gloss
mother
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֵם (em) means 'mother' and can refer to a human mother, an animal's dam, or even a figurative sense, such as Deborah's nurturing role for her people. It also conveys the idea of a point of departure or division. This word is built from a primitive root and encompasses both literal and figurative meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵם 221 n.f. mother

lit. (human) mother

fig. of Deborah as caring for her people

of animals, dam

= point of departure or division

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H517 אֵם mother . lit. (human) mother

. fig. of Deborah as caring for her people

. of animals, dam

. = point of departure or division

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

517 'em ame

a primitive word; a mother (as the bond of the family); in a

wide sense (both literally and figuratively (like 1):--dam,

mother, X parting.

see HEBREW for 01

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵם (em) — mother.

1) mother

1a) of humans

1b) of Deborah's relationship to the people (fig.)

1c) of animals

2) point of departure or division

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs | Suff — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
HNcfsc/Sp1bs
that not he killed me from [the] womb and she became for me mother my grave my and womb her [was] pregnant of perpetuity
קִבְרִ֔יkiv.Ri grave my H6913 Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
67× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A grave or sepulchre is a place where the dead are buried, often a tomb or burial site. This word is used in the Bible to describe the final resting place of individuals, and is translated as burying place or sepulchre in the KJV.
Amplified meaning
final resting place, tomb
Tyndale gloss
grave
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

קֶ֫בֶר (qeber) refers to a grave or sepulchre, indicating a burial place. It is derived from the root word for 'to bury' and is used in contexts related to tombs. The entries consistently define it as a place of interment without notable disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

קֶ֫בֶר 67 n.m. grave, sepulchre

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6913 קֶ֫בֶר grave, sepulchre

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6913 qeber, keh'-ber

or (feminine) qibrah {kib-raw'}; from 6912; a

sepulchre:--burying place, grave, sepulchre.

see HEBREW for 06912

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קֶ֫בֶר (qe.ver) — grave.

grave, sepulchre, tomb

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HNcmsc/Sp1bs
that not he killed me from [the] womb and she became for me mother my grave my and womb her [was] pregnant of perpetuity
וְרַחְמָ֖הֿve.rach.Mah and womb her H7358 Conjunction · noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
26× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means womb, referring to the place where a fetus grows. It is translated as matrix or womb in the KJV, symbolizing birth and new life. It is a significant concept in biblical culture.
Amplified meaning
place of fetal growth, matrix
Tyndale gloss
womb
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רֶ֫חֶם (rechem) means 'womb' and is derived from the root word רָחַם (racham). It primarily refers to the womb itself, but can also denote a woman or female servant. The term appears in contexts related to childbirth and femininity.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רֶ֫חֶם, רַ֫חַם n.m. womb

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7358 רֶ֫חֶם, רַ֫חַם womb

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7358 rechem rekh'-em

from 7355; the womb (compare 7356):--matrix, womb.

see HEBREW for 07355

see HEBREW for 07356

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רֶ֫חֶם (re.chem) — womb.

1) womb

1a) womb

1b) womb-man, woman-slave, woman, two women

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | N-ms | Suff — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HC/Ncmsc/Sp3fs
that not he killed me from [the] womb and she became for me mother my grave my and womb her [was] pregnant of perpetuity
הֲרַ֥תha.Rat [was] pregnant of H2030 Adj
16× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to be pregnant, as seen in Genesis when women like Sarah and Rachel conceive. It describes a woman with child, emphasizing the miracle of new life. The KJV Bible translates it as 'with child' or 'conceive'.
Amplified meaning
in a state of perpetual conception, pregnant
Tyndale gloss
pregnant
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הָרָה (ha.rah) and הָרִיָּה (ha.riy.yah) both mean 'pregnant.' The entries indicate that they are closely related, with ha.riy.yah being an alternate spelling of ha.rah. The term appears in contexts like Hosea 14:1, where it refers to a woman with child or the state of conception.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הָרָה adj.f. pregnant

base

[הָרִיָּה] adj.f. pregnant, only pl. as subst. Ho 14:1

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2030a הָרָה pregnant H2030b הָרִיָּה pregnant

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2030 hareh haw-reh'

or hariy (Hosea 14:1) {haw-ree'}; from 2029; pregnant:--(be,

woman) with child, conceive, X great.

see HEBREW for 02029

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הָרָה (ha.rah) — pregnant.

pregnant

Also means: ha.riy.yah (הָרִיָּה "pregnant" H2030B)

הָרִיָּה (ha.riy.yah) — pregnant.

pregnant

Another spelling of ha.rah (הָרָה "pregnant" H2030A)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Adj
HAafsc
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…

that not he killed me from [the] womb and she became for me mother my grave my and womb her [was] pregnant of perpetuity
עוֹלָֽם׃o.Lam perpetuity H5769 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
438× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means forever or always, describing something that lasts an eternity. It is used in the Bible to describe God's eternal nature and his lasting promises.
Amplified meaning
always, eternally
Tyndale gloss
forever: antiquity
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עוֹלָם (owlam) refers to concepts of long duration, antiquity, and futurity, encompassing meanings like eternity and perpetual existence. It is derived from a root meaning 'concealed' or 'the vanishing point.' The term is used to describe both ancient times and an indefinite future, indicating continuity and everlastingness.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עוֹלָם 439 n.m. long duration, antiquity, futurity

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5769 עוֹלָם long duration, antiquity, futurity

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5769 `owlam o-lawm'

or lolam {o-lawm'}; from 5956; properly, concealed, i.e. the

vanishing point; generally, time out of mind (past or future),

i.e. (practically) eternity; frequentatively, adverbial

(especially with prepositional prefix) always:--alway(-s),

ancient (time), any more, continuance, eternal, (for,

(n-))ever(-lasting, -more, of old), lasting, long (time), (of)

old (time), perpetual, at any time, (beginning of the) world

(+ without end). Compare 5331, 5703.

see HEBREW for 05956

see HEBREW for 05331

see HEBREW for 05703

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עוֹלָם (o.lam) — forever: enduring.

: enduring/eternal

1) long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, old, ancient, world

1a) ancient time, long time (of past)

1b) (of future)

1b1) for ever, always

1b2) continuous existence, perpetual

1b3) everlasting, indefinite or unending future, eternity

עוֹלָם (o.lam) — Everlasting.

This name means long duration, everlasting, perpetual

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

עוֹלָם (o.lam) — forever: any time.

: any_time

1) long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, old, ancient, world

1a) ancient time, long time (of past)

1b) (of future)

1b1) for ever, always

1b2) continuous existence, perpetual

1b3) everlasting, indefinite or unending future, eternity

עוֹלָם (o.lam) — forever: antiquity.

: old/ancient

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
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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