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Jeremiah 25:34 — Word Study

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WLCהֵילִ֨ילוּ הָרֹעִ֜ים וְזַעֲק֗וּ וְהִֽתְפַּלְּשׁוּ֙ אַדִּירֵ֣י הַצֹּ֔אן כִּֽי־ מָלְא֥וּ יְמֵיכֶ֖ם לִטְב֑וֹחַ וּתְפוֹצ֣וֹתִיכֶ֔ם וּנְפַלְתֶּ֖ם כִּכְלִ֥י חֶמְדָּֽה׃

BSAWailyâlal [howl, cry out in distress] you shepherdsrâʻâh [leaders, caretakers of God's people] and cry outzâʻaq [lament, mourn] roll in the dustpâlash [wallow in ashes, show extreme sorrow] you leadersʼaddîyr [principals, chiefs] of the flocktsôʼn [God's people, the congregation] Forkîy the daysyôwm [periods, seasons] of your slaughterṭâbach [killing, destruction] have comemâlêʼ you will fallnâphal [be defeated, fail] and be shatteredtᵉphôwtsâh [broken, fragmented] like finechemdâh potterykᵉlîy [a precious, delicate vessel]

Word
Listen & take awayJeremiah 25
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 34 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 (chem.Dah) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Jeremiah 25:34quick helps
In a sentenceJeremiah calls for the shepherds to wail and lament, as their time of destruction has come.
Who is speakingThe prophet Jeremiah, addressing the leaders of Israel.
Where we areA warning to the shepherds and leaders, situated in a context of impending judgment.
The hard wordהֵילִ֨ילוּ
Take awayThe leaders will face destruction and be shattered like fragile pottery.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbיָלַל The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

1 of 14 occurs nowhere else in the Old Testament — a word chosen on purpose.

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 25:34

Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.

Context — The Judgment on the Shepherdsgenerated

33Those slain by the LORD on that day will be spread from one end of the earth to the other. They will not be mourned, gathered, or buried. They will be like dung lying on the ground.
34Wail, you shepherds, and cry out; roll in the dust, you leaders of the flock. For the days of your slaughter have come; you will fall and be shattered like fine pottery.
35Flight will evade the shepherds, and escape will elude the leaders of the flock.
36Hear the cry of the shepherds, the wailing of the leaders of the flock, for the LORD is destroying their pasture.

Jeremiah 25:34 is a call to the shepherds, the leaders of Israel, to lament their fate as the days of their slaughter approach. This section emphasizes the consequences of their failure to lead God's people properly. The surrounding verses (33-36) elaborate on the destruction that will befall them and the desolation of their flocks, highlighting the seriousness of their situation.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Jeremiah 25:23–36Dedan, Tema, Buz, and all who cut the corners of their hair;
2Jeremiah 4:8–9So put on sackcloth, mourn and wail, for the fierce anger of the LORD has not turned away from us.”
3Ezekiel 34:16I will seek the lost, bring back the strays, bind up the broken, and strengthen the weak; but the sleek and strong I will destroy. I will shepherd them with justice.’
4James 5:1–2Come now, you who are rich, weep and wail over the misery to come upon you.
5Jeremiah 6:26O daughter of my people, dress yourselves in sackcloth and roll in ashes. Mourn with bitter wailing, as you would for an only son, for suddenly the destroyer will come upon us.

The Key Word הֵילִ֨ילוּ, hei.Li.lugenerated

The imperative form of יָלַל (yalal) means to wail or howl, expressing deep sorrow or distress. This word is often associated with mourning and signifies a loud, emotional cry, indicating the gravity of the situation faced by the shepherds.

The Hiphil form indicates that the action is caused by an external force, suggesting that the shepherds are called to express their grief due to the impending judgment that is not of their own making.


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 verse consists of multiple clauses, with the main action directed by the imperative verbs: הֵילִ֨ילוּ (wail), וְזַעֲק֗וּ (and cry out), and וְהִֽתְפַּלְּשׁוּ (and roll in ashes). This structure emphasizes the urgency of the call to lament.

The verbs are followed by noun phrases specifying the subjects and objects, such as הָרֹעִ֜ים (shepherds) and הַצֹּ֔אן (the flock), creating a vivid picture of the leaders in distress.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates הֵילִ֨ילוּ as ἀλαλάχατε, which also conveys a sense of loud lamentation but may suggest a more communal or collective outcry. This choice highlights the shared responsibility of the shepherds for the flock's fate.

The Greek term used reflects a similar emotional weight, indicating that the call to lament is not just an individual response but a communal one, resonating through the leaders of Israel.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Jeremiah 25:34 calls the shepherds, or leaders, to wail and cry out in distress because their time of slaughter has come. They are warned that they will fall and be shattered like fragile pottery, emphasizing the seriousness of their impending judgment.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean for the shepherds to wail?

Wailing signifies deep sorrow and distress, indicating the gravity of the situation as they face judgment.

Why are the shepherds being addressed in this way?

The shepherds are being called to lament because they have failed in their leadership, leading to the impending destruction of their flock.

What does the imagery of being shattered like pottery imply?

This imagery suggests fragility and the totality of their defeat, highlighting the consequences of their actions.

How does this verse connect to the surrounding context?

The surrounding verses elaborate on the destruction that will befall the shepherds and their flocks, emphasizing the seriousness of their failure to lead.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways can I reflect on my own leadership and the responsibilities I have towards others?
  2. How do I respond to moments of distress or impending judgment in my life?
  3. What can I learn from the imagery of being shattered like pottery in terms of vulnerability?
  4. How does this call to lament resonate with my understanding of communal grief and responsibility?

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

Jerome comments on this verse, interpreting the call for the shepherds to wail and lament as a response to their failure in leadership.

JeromeVerse 34, 35. c. 347–420
Howl (or rejoice) you shepherds, and shout, and sprinkle yourselves with ashes, you noble flock (or lament, you rams of the sheep);
Early Church Fathers on Jeremiah 25 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Jeremiah 25:34 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Howl, ye shepherds, and cry,.... The Targum is, "howl, ye kings, and cry;'' and the rulers and governors of the nations before threatened with destruction are meant; who are here called upon to

Read John Gill on Jeremiah 25 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Howl, ye shepherds, and cry; and wallow yourselves in the ashes, ye principal of the flock: for the days of your slaughter and of your dispersions are accomplished; and ye shall fall like a pleasant vessel.

Read Robert Jamieson on Jeremiah 25 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Shepherds, and the principal of the flock, are in this place of the same significancy, by both he means the civil rulers; so the word is used 23:1. These he calls aforehand to bewail their fate; for the days were now come when they should be slain and scattered. And he tells them their fall should be like the fall of a crystal glass, or some delicate tender vessel, which when it falleth breaketh in pieces, and cannot again be set together.

Read Matthew Poole on Jeremiah 25 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Jeremiah 25:34 Howl, ye shepherds, and cry; and wallow yourselves [in the ashes], ye principal of the flock: for the days of your slaughter and of your dispersions are accomplished; and ye shall fall like a pleasant vessel.Ver. 34. Howl, ye shepherds.] Ululate, volulate. Shriek and roll. This is spoken to the governors and grandees; for in public calamities such usually suffer more than meaner men. The corks swim, saith one, when the plummets sink. If a tree have thick and large boughs, it lieth more open to lopping. And ye shall fall like a pleasant vessel,] i.e., Irremediably. Like as a crystal glass or China dish once broken cannot be pieced again.

Read John Trapp on Jeremiah 25 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(34) Howl, ye shepherds.—The idea of the flock suggested in the “habitation” or “pasture” of Jeremiah 25:30 is here expanded. The “shepherds” are, as usual, the rulers of the people (Jeremiah 10:21; Jeremiah 22:22, et al.).Wallow yourselves in the ashes.—The words in italics have probably been added to bring the passage into conformity with Jeremiah 6:26, but they are not needed, and the interpretation is unauthorised. Better, therefore, roll on the ground. By some interpreters the word is rendered “sprinkle yourselves.” The “principal of the flock” are the “strong ones,” i.e., the best and fattest of the rams, denoting figuratively the princes and captains of the people. And of your…

Read Charles John Ellicott on Jeremiah 25 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 34. Howl, ye shepherds] Ye kings and chiefs of the people. Ye shall fall like a pleasant vessel.] As a fall will break and utterly ruin a precious vessel of crystal, agate, &c., so your overthrow will be to you irreparable ruin.

Read AdamClarke on Jeremiah 25 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

34. wallow yourselves in ashes] rather, sprinkle yourselves. See on Jeremiah 6:26. The words “in ashes” are added in E.VV. only because they occur in the Hebrew of the other passage. principal of the flock] not equivalent to “shepherds,” but rather, chief among the sheep, i.e. wealthy ones of the people, whose rank and riches avail nothing now. and I will break you in pieces] mg. (less well) and I will disperse you. Aq. Symm. Theod. Vulg. read, and your dispersions. The Hebrew is difficult in point of grammar. like a pleasant vessel] By altering one Hebrew consonant, we can render with LXX like choice rams. But the reading “rams” might easily arise through the influence of “principal of the…

Read Cambridge on Jeremiah 25 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Principal of the flock - i. e., noble ones. Wallow yourselves in the ashes - Rather, roll yourselves on the ground.

Read Albert Barnes on Jeremiah 25 →

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

Wail, you shepherds, and cry out; roll in the dust, you leaders of the flock. For the days of your slaughter have come; you will fall and be shattered like fine pottery.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Wail, you shepherds, and cry. Wallow in dust, you leader of the flock; for the days of your slaughter and of your dispersions have fully come, and you will fall like fine pottery.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Wail, you shepherds, and cry out; roll in the dust, you leaders of the flock. For the days of your slaughter have come; you will fall and be shattered like fine pottery.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Wail and cry out in anguish, you rulers! Roll in the dust, you who shepherd flocks of people! The time for you to be slaughtered has come. You will lie scattered and fallen like broken pieces of fine pottery.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

¶ Howl, ye shepherds, and cry; and wallow yourselves in the ashes, ye principal of the flock: for the days of your slaughter and of your dispersions are accomplished; and ye shall fall like a pleasant vessel.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Wail, ye shepherds, and cry; and wallow in ashes, ye principal of the flock; for the days of your slaughter and of your dispersions are fully come, and ye shall fall like a goodly vessel.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Howl, ye shepherds, and cry; and wallow yourselves in ashes, ye principal of the flock: for the days of your slaughter are fully come, and I will break you in pieces, and ye shall fall like a pleasant vessel.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Howl, ye shepherds, and cry; and wallow yourselves in the ashes , ye principal of the flock: for the days of your slaughter and of your dispersions are accomplished; and ye shall fall like a pleasant vessel.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Howle, ye shepherdes, and crie, and wallowe your selues in the ashes, ye principall of the flocke: for your dayes of slaughter are accomplished, and of your dispersion, and ye shall fall like precious vessels.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Howl, ye shepherds, and cry; and wallow yourselves [in the dust], noble ones of the flock: for the days of your slaughter are accomplished, and I will disperse you; and ye shall fall like a precious vessel.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Howl, ye shepherds, and cry, And roll yourselves, ye honourable of the flock, For full have been your days, For slaughtering, and [for] your scatterings, And ye have fallen as a desirable vessel.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Howl, you shepherds, and cry, || And roll yourselves, you majestic of the flock, || For your days have been full || For slaughtering, and [for] your scatterings, || And you have fallen as a desirable vessel.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Wail, ye shepherds, and cry; and roll yourselves about [in the dust], ye leaders of the flocks; for full are your days for you to be slaughtered, and I will scatter you; and you shall fall like a costly vessel.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Wail, shepherds, and shout for help! Roll about in the dust, you leaders of the flock, for the days of your slaughter have come; you will be scattered when you fall like fine pottery.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Howl, ye shepherds, and cry: and sprinkle yourselves with ashes, ye leaders of the flock: for the days of your slaughter and your dispersion are accomplished, and you shall fall like precious vessels.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Cry out and weep, you shepherds! Roll around on the ground mourning, you leaders of the flock. The time for you to be killed has come; you will fall, smashed like the finest pottery.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Give cries of grief, you keepers of sheep; give cries for help, rolling yourselves in the dust, you chiefs of the flock: for the days of your destruction have fully come, and I will send you in all directions, and your fall will be like that of the males of the flock.

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.

clauseclauseverbהֵילִ֨ילוּwailclausenoun phraseהָOרֹעִ֜יםshepherdsוְandclauseverbזַעֲק֗וּcry.outוְandclauseclauseverbהִֽתְפַּלְּשׁוּ֙roll.[in.ashes]clausenoun phraseאַדִּירֵ֣יO.noble.[ones]noun phraseהַofצֹּ֔אןthe.flockכִּֽי(dm)clauseverbמָלְא֥וּthey.have.been.completednoun phrase · subjectיְמֵיdaysכֶ֖םyourprepositional phrase · prepositionalלִforclauseverbטְב֑וֹחַslaughteringוּandclausenoun phrase · subjectתְפוֹצ֣וֹתִיdispersionsכֶ֔םyourוּandclauseverbנְפַלְתֶּ֖םyou.will.fallprepositional phrase · prepositionalכִּlikenoun phraseכְלִ֥יa.vesselחֶמְדָּֽהof.desire

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 wording of this verse, with 13 of the 14 words matched. The differences lie in the order and articles used, which do not affect the overall meaning.

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

הֵילִ֨ילוּ הָרֹעִ֜ים וְזַעֲק֗וּ וְהִֽתְפַּלְּשׁוּ֙ אַדִּירֵ֣י הַצֹּ֔אן כִּֽי־ מָלְא֥וּ יְמֵיכֶ֖ם לִטְב֑וֹחַ וּתְפוֹצ֣וֹתִיכֶ֔ם וּנְפַלְתֶּ֖ם כִּכְלִ֥י חֶמְדָּֽה׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
הֵילִ֨ילוּἀλαλάχατεהָרֹעִ֜יםποιμένεςוְזַעֲק֗וּκεκράχατεוְהִֽתְפַּלְּשׁוּ֙κόπτεσθεאַדִּירֵ֣יκριοὶהַצֹּ֔אןπροβάτωνכִּֽי־ὅτιמָלְא֥וּἐπληρώθησανיְמֵיכֶ֖םὑμῶνלִטְב֑וֹחַσφαγήνוּנְפַלְתֶּ֖םπεσεῖσθεכִּכְלִ֥יκριοὶחֶמְדָּֽה׃ἐκλεκτοί

13 of the 14 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

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


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

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

Jeremiah 25:34יָלַלwailwailיָלַלבֵּית־עֵ֫קֶדO shepherdsO shepherdsבֵּית־עֵ֫קֶדזָעַקand cry outand cry outזָעַקפָּלַשׁand roll inand roll in ashפָּלַשׁאַדִּירO noble [onO noble [ones] אַדִּירצֹאןthe flockthe flockצֹאןכִּיforforכִּימָלֵאthey have bthey have been מָלֵאיוֹםdays yourdays yourיוֹםטָבַחto slaughteto slaughterטָבַחתְּפוֹצָהand dispersand dispersionsתְּפוֹצָהנָפַלand you wiland you will faנָפַלכְּלִיlike a vesslike a vessel oכְּלִיחֶמְדָּהdesiredesireחֶמְדָּהאָדַרbe glorioube gloriousאָדַרפּוּץto scatterto scatterפּוּץכָּלָהto end: fito end: finishכָּלָהפָּלַלto prayto prayפָּלַלחֶ֫מֶדdelightdelightחֶ֫מֶדתַּרְשִׁישׁTarshishTarshishתַּרְשִׁישׁסָפַדto mournto mournסָפַדרָבַץto stretchto stretchרָבַץעֵ֫דֶרflockflockעֵ֫דֶריָלַלto wailto wailיָלַלשָׁוַעto cryto cryשָׁוַעבֵּיתBeth-le-apBeth-le-aphrahבֵּיתאֵ֫פֶרashesashesאֵ֫פֶרשָׁדַדto ruinto ruinשָׁדַדאֶ֫רֶזcedarcedarאֶ֫רֶזבָּקַרcattlecattleבָּקַרבֵּית־עֵ֫קֶדHouse of SHouse of Shepheבֵּית־עֵ֫קֶדיָדַעto knowto knowיָדַע
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 25:34

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.

wail O shepherds and cry out and roll in ashes O noble [ones] of the flock for they have been completed days your to slaughter and dispersions your and you will fall like a vessel of desire
הֵילִ֨ילוּhei.Li.lu wail H3213 Verb · Hiphil · imperative second person masculine plural
30× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to wail or howl, expressing strong emotions like sadness or pain, used to describe a loud, mournful cry.
Amplified meaning
howl, cry out in distress
Tyndale gloss
to wail
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָלַל (yalal) is a Hebrew verb meaning to howl or wail, often with a wailing tone. It is classified as a primitive root and appears in the Hiphil form, indicating an action of making a howling sound. The entries consistently emphasize its onomatopoeic nature, reflecting the sound associated with the action.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[יָלַל] vb. Hiph. howl, make a howling (onomatop.)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3213 [יָלַל] Hiph. howl, make a howling (onomatop.)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3213 yalal yaw-lal'

a primitive root; to howl (with a wailing tone) or yell (with

a boisterous one):--(make to) howl, be howling.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָלַל (ya.lal) — to wail.

(Hiphil) to howl, wail, make a howling

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Hiphil-Impv-2mp — Verb · Hiphil · imperative second person masculine plural
HVhv2mp
wail O shepherds and cry out and roll in ashes O noble [ones] of the flock for they have been completed days your to slaughter and dispersions your and you will fall like a vessel of desire
הָרֹעִ֜יםha.ro.'Im O shepherds H7462 Particle · verb qal participle (active) masculine plural
177× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to care for or tend to someone or something, like a shepherd with his flock. It can also mean to rule over or associate with someone as a friend, and is sometimes used to describe a close relationship.
Amplified meaning
leaders, caretakers of God's people
Tyndale gloss
House of Shepherds
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word רָעָה (*ra'ah*) is built from a primitive root meaning to tend or pasture a flock. It covers a range of meanings including to graze, rule, associate with, and befriend. The term appears in contexts related to shepherding and companionship, with a specific mention of the 'binding-house of shepherds' in 2 Kings 10:12.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בֵּית־עֵ֫קֶד הָרֹעִים perh. n.pr.loc. (binding-house of the shepherds) 2 K 10:12

base

רָעָה 167 vb. pasture, tend, graze

Qal

trans.

intrans.

Niph. poss.

Hiph. v.

base

[רָעָה] vb. prob. associate with

Qal cherish faithfulness

Hithp. do not make companionship with a bad-tempered man

base

[רָעָה] vb. denom. Pi. be a special friend;—Ju 14:20

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7462a בֵּית־עֵ֫קֶד הָרֹעִים binding-house of shepherds H7462b רָעָה pasture, tend, graze H7462c רָעָה prob. associate with H7462d רָעָה vb. denom. Pi. be a special friend

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7462 ra`ah raw-aw'

a primitive root; to tend a flock; i.e. pasture it;

intransitively, to graze (literally or figuratively);

generally to rule; by extension, to associate with (as a

friend):--X break, companion, keep company with, devour, eat

up, evil entreat, feed, use as a friend, make friendship with,

herdman, keep (sheep)(-er), pastor, + shearing house,

shepherd, wander, waste.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בֵּית־עֵ֫קֶד הָרֹעִים (bet-e.qed ha.ro.im) — House of Shepherds.

Ra'ah = "pasturing"

perh. "binding-house of the shepherds"

רָעָה (ra.ah) — to pasture.

1) to pasture, tend, graze, feed

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to tend, pasture

1a1a) to shepherd

1a1b) of ruler, teacher (fig)

1a1c) of people as flock (fig)

1a1d) shepherd, herdsman (subst)

1a2) to feed, graze

1a2a) of cows, sheep etc (literal)

1a2b) of idolater, Israel as flock (fig)

1b) (Hiphil) shepherd, shepherdess

Also means: ro.i (רֹעִי "to shepherd" H7473)

רָעָה (ra.ah) — to accompany.

1) to associate with, be a friend of (meaning probable)

1a) (Qal) to associate with

1b) (Hithpael) to be companions

רָעָה (ra.ah) — to befriend.

(Piel) to be a special friend

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | V-Qal — Particle · verb qal participle (active) masculine plural
HTd/Vqrmpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Torrey's New Topical Textbook

- Early mention of

Ge 4:2

- Usually carried a scrip or bag

1Sa 17:40

- Carried a staff or rod

Le 27:32; Ps 23:4

- Dwelt in tents while tending their flocks

So 1:8; Isa 38:12

- Members of the family both male and female acted as

Ge 29:6; 1Sa 16:11; 17:15

- Had hired keepers under them

1Sa 17:20

- The unfaithfulness of hireling, alluded to

Joh 10:12

Thompson Chain Reference topics

general references to

Ge 4:2; 13:5; 29:9; 37:2; 46:32; Ex 2:17; 3:1; 1Sa 16:11; 17:20

1Ch 4:39; Am 3:12; Mt 25:32; Lu 2:8

wail O shepherds and cry out and roll in ashes O noble [ones] of the flock for they have been completed days your to slaughter and dispersions your and you will fall like a vessel of desire
וְזַעֲק֗וּve.za.'a.Ku and cry out H2199 Conjunction · verb qal imperative second person masculine plural
73× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to cry out for help or announce something publicly, often in a loud voice, like a herald calling people together. It is used in the Bible to describe people crying out to God for aid. It can also mean to summon or assemble people.
Amplified meaning
lament, mourn
Tyndale gloss
to cry out
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

זָעַק (za`aq) is a Hebrew verb meaning to cry out or call for help, often in a context of distress or need. It can also refer to assembling or summoning people, particularly for military purposes. The word has various forms, including Qal, Niphal, and Hiphil, indicating different nuances of calling or gathering.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[זָעַק] vb. cry, cry out, call

Qal

call, to one's aid

cry, cry out, in need

Niph. be called together, assemble, join

Hiph.

call, call out, or together, for military service

make a crying

have proclamation made

call out, or at

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2199 זָעַק cry, cry out, call .. call, to one's aid

. cry, cry out, in need

. be called together, assemble, join

. . call, call out, or together, for military service

. make a crying

. have proclamation made

. call out, or at

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2199 za`aq zaw-ak'

a primitive root; to shriek (from anguish or danger); by

analogy, (as a herald) to announce or convene publicly:--

assemble, call (together), (make a) cry (out), come with such

a company, gather (together), cause to be proclaimed.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

זָעַק (za.aq) — to cry out.

1) to cry, cry out, call, call for help

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to call (to one's aid)

1a2) to cry, cry out (in need)

1b) (Niphal) to be assembled, be called together, be joined together

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to call, call out, call together, summon

1c2) to make a crying, proclaim

1c3) to have a proclamation made

1c4) to call out to, call out at

Aramaic equivalent: ze.iq (זְעִ֑ק "to cry out" H2200)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-Impv-2mp — Conjunction · verb qal imperative second person masculine plural
HC/Vqv2mp
wail O shepherds and cry out and roll in ashes O noble [ones] of the flock for they have been completed days your to slaughter and dispersions your and you will fall like a vessel of desire
וְהִֽתְפַּלְּשׁוּ֙ve.hit.pa.le.Shu and roll in ashes H6428 Conjunction · verb hithpael imperative second person masculine plural
4× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to roll around in dust or ashes, often as a sign of sadness or mourning, like in a funeral procession. It is used to describe acts of sorrow in the Bible. This action shows deep emotional pain.
Amplified meaning
wallow in ashes, show extreme sorrow
Tyndale gloss
to wallow
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

פָּלַשׁ (palash) is a primitive root meaning to roll, particularly in dust or ashes, often associated with mourning practices. The Hithpael form indicates a reflexive action, suggesting a self-directed rolling, typically in an act of grief. The entries emphasize its connection to mourning rituals, but do not provide extensive examples or disagreements.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[פָּלַשׁ] vb. Hithp. act of mourning, poss. roll in (dust, etc.; weakened fr. burrow into)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6428 פָּלַשׁ

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6428 palash paw-lash'

a primitive root; to roll (in dust):--roll (wallow) self.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

פָּלַשׁ (pa.lash) — to wallow.

1) to roll

1a) (Hithpael) to roll in ashes or dust (as an act of mourning)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Hithpael-Impv-2mp — Conjunction · verb hithpael imperative second person masculine plural
HC/Vtv2mp
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ash'-iz: Among the ancient Hebrews and other Orientals, to sprinkle with or sit in ashes was a mark or token of grief, humiliation, or penitence. Ashes on the head was one of the ordinary signs of mourning for the dead, as when "Tamar put ashes on her head .... and went on crying" (2Sa 13:19 the King James Version), and of national humiliation, as when the children of Israel were assembled under Nehemiah "with fasting, and with sackcloth, and earth (ashes) upon them" (Ne 9:1), and when the people of Nineveh repented in sackcloth and ashes at the preaching of Jonah (Jon 3:5,6; compare 1 Macc 3:47). The afflicted or penitent often sat in ashes (compare Job 2:8; 42:6: "I abhor…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Ashes

The ashes of a red heifer burned entire (Num. 19:5) when sprinkled on the unclean made them ceremonially clean (Heb. 9:13).

To cover the head with ashes was a token of self-abhorrence and humiliation (2 Sam. 13:19; Esther 4:3; Jer. 6:26, etc.).

To feed on ashes (Isa. 44:20), means to seek that which will prove to be vain and unsatisfactory, and hence it denotes the unsatisfactory nature of idol-worship. (Comp. Hos. 12:1).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

The ashes on the altar of burnt offering were gathered into a cavity in its surface. The ashes of a red heifer burnt entire, according to regulations prescribed in Numb. 19, had the ceremonial efficacy of purifying the unclean, (Hebrews 9:13) but of polluting the clean. [SACRIFICE] Ashes about the person, especially on the head, were used as a sign of sorrow. [MOURNING]

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

To repent in sackcloth and ashes, or to lie down among ashes, was an external sign of self-affliction for sin, or of grief under misfortune. We find it adopted by Job, Job 2:8; by many Jews when in great fear, Es 4:3; and by the king of Nineveh, Jon 3:6. The ashes of a red heifer were used in ceremonial purification, Nu 19:1-22.

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
wail O shepherds and cry out and roll in ashes O noble [ones] of the flock for they have been completed days your to slaughter and dispersions your and you will fall like a vessel of desire
אַדִּירֵ֣י'a.di.Rei O noble [ones] of H117 Adj
27× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Describes something or someone as great or powerful, such as the mighty waters of the sea in Psalm 107.
Amplified meaning
principals, chiefs
Tyndale gloss
great
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אַדִּיר (addiyr) means majestic and conveys a sense of greatness or power. It can describe large entities like the sea or trees, as well as kings, nations, and noble figures. The word is built from a root meaning wide or large, with a range that includes excellent, glorious, and noble.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אַדִּיר adj. majestic

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H117 אַדִּיר majestic

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

117 'addiyr ad-deer'

from 142; wide or (generally) large; figuratively,

powerful:--excellent, famous, gallant, glorious, goodly,

lordly, mighty(- ier one), noble, principal, worthy.

see HEBREW for 0142

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אַדִּיר (ad.dir) — great.

1) great, majestic

1a) of waters of sea

1b) of a tree

1c) of kings, nations, gods

2) great one, majestic one

2a) of nobles, chieftains, servants

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

wail O shepherds and cry out and roll in ashes O noble [ones] of the flock for they have been completed days your to slaughter and dispersions your and you will fall like a vessel of desire
הַצֹּ֔אןha.Tzon the flock H6629 Particle · noun common both singular absolute
274× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a flock of sheep or goats, and is sometimes used to describe people in a figurative sense. It is also associated with the Sheep Gate in Jerusalem, a significant location in biblical times.
Amplified meaning
God's people, the congregation
Tyndale gloss
Sheep (Gate)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

צֹאן (tso'n) refers to small cattle, specifically sheep and goats, and is used to denote a flock or flocks. It can also be used metaphorically to describe a multitude. The term appears in contexts such as Psalm 144:13, where it emphasizes the collective nature of these animals.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

צֹאן 273 n.coll.f. small cattle, sheep and goats, flock, flocks

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6629 צֹאן small cattle, sheep and goats, flock, flocks

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6629 tso'n tsone

or tsaown (Psalm 144:13) {tseh-one'}; from an unused root

meaning to migrate; a collective name for a flock (of sheep or

goats); also figuratively (of men):--(small) cattle, flock

(+ -s), lamb (+ -s), sheep((-cote, -fold, -shearer, -herds)).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

צֹאן (tson) — flock.

1) small cattle, sheep, sheep and goats, flock, flocks

1a) small cattle (usually of sheep and goats)

1b) of multitude (simile)

1c) of multitude (metaphor)

צֹאן (tson) — Sheep (Gate).

This name means sheep and goats

Also named: probatikos (προβατικός "Sheep Gate" G4262)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-cs — Particle · noun common both singular absolute
HTd/Ncbsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

See CATTLE.

wail O shepherds and cry out and roll in ashes O noble [ones] of the flock for they have been completed days your to slaughter and dispersions your and you will fall like a vessel of desire
כִּֽי־ki- for H3588 Particle
4,483× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A conjunction used to show cause or connection, as in Genesis 2:23 where Adam says the woman is bone of his bone because she was taken out of him. It is often translated as 'for', 'because', or 'since'.
Tyndale gloss
for
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כִּי (ki) is a conjunction primarily meaning 'that,' 'for,' or 'when.' It indicates causal relationships and can express conditions like 'if' or 'though.' The word is versatile, appearing in various contexts to convey certainty, exception, or concession. Notably, it can combine with other particles to modify its meaning, such as in the phrase כִּי אם־ (ki im), meaning 'that if.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כִּי conj. that, for, when

that

Of time, when, of the past

elsewhere כִּי has a force approximating to if, though it usu. represents a case as more likely to occur than אִם

when or if, with a concessive force, i.e. though

Because, since

base

כִּי אם־

each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause:

that if

for if

(About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause—

limiting the prec. clause, except

the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but

after an oath, surely

base

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3588a כִּי that, for, when . that

. . Of time, when, of the past

. elsewhere כִּי has a force approximating to if, though it usu. represents a case as more likely to occur than אִם

. when or if, with a concessive force, i.e. though

. Because, since

H3588b כִּי אם־ . each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause: . that if

. for if

. (About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause— . limiting the prec. clause, except

. the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but

. after an oath, surely

H3588c כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3588 kiy kee

a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional

prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent

or consequent; (by implication) very widely used as a relative

conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by

other particles annexed:--and, + (forasmuch, inasmuch,

where-)as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else,

even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, +

nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then,

therefore, + (al- )though, + till, truly, + until, when,

whether, while, whom, yea, yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כִּי (ki) — for.

1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since

1a) that

1a1) yea, indeed

1b) when (of time)

1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force)

1c) because, since (causal connection)

1d) but (after negative)

1e) that if, for if, indeed if, for though, but if

1f) but rather, but

1g) except that

1h) only, nevertheless

1i) surely

1j) that is

1k) but if

1l) for though

1m) forasmuch as, for therefore

כִּי [אם] (ki im) — that if: except.

1) except if

1a) but if

1b) even though

כִּי [עַל כֵּן] (ki [al ken]) — for as that: since.

1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since

1a) that

1a1) yea, indeed

1b) when (of time)

1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force)

1c) because, since (causal connection)

1d) but (after negative)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj — Particle
HTc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

for (ki (conjunction), le, from 'el (preposition), and various other words. In the New Testament also the words are various, chiefly gar, kai gar, hoti (conjunctions); anti apo eis dia (accusative), epi (dative and accusative), peri (genitive), pros (genitive and accusative), huper (genitive) (prepositions)): the English Revised Version and the American Standard Revised Version give in many cases more literal or more accurate renderings than those in the King James Version.

In the New Testament the most important preps. from a doctrinal point of view are anti, "face to face," "over against," "instead," "on behalf of," peri, "around," "about," "concerning," huper, "over," "on behalf of." The first has been claimed as stating the substitutionary nature of Christ's sacrifice as contrasted with huper and peri, more frequently used of it. But, although anti in the New Testament often means…

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
wail O shepherds and cry out and roll in ashes O noble [ones] of the flock for they have been completed days your to slaughter and dispersions your and you will fall like a vessel of desire
מָלְא֥וּmal.'U they have been completed H4390 Verb · Qal · perfect third person common plural
249× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To fill means to make something full or complete, like filling a container or fulfilling a promise. This word is used in many contexts, including being full of joy or having a job completed.
Tyndale gloss
to fill
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מָלֵא 249 vb. be full, fill

Qal 99

be full, usu. c. acc. material

trans. fill

Niph.

be filled

be accomplished, ended

Pi.

fill

special uses are:

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

Pu. filled

Hithp. mass themselves against me

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

. trans. fill

. . be filled

. be accomplished, ended

. . fill

. special uses are:

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

. filled

. mass themselves against me

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4390 male' maw-lay'

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

wholly.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מָלֵא (ma.le) — to fill.

1) to fill, be full

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to be full

1a1a) fulness, abundance (participle)

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

1a2) to consecrate, fill the hand

1b) (Niphal)

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

1b2) to be accomplished, be ended

1c) (Piel)

1c1) to fill

1c2) to satisfy

1c3) to fulfil, accomplish, complete

1c4) to confirm

1d) (Pual) to be filled

1e) (Hithpael) to mass themselves against

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-3cp — Verb · Qal · perfect third person common plural
HVqp3cp
wail O shepherds and cry out and roll in ashes O noble [ones] of the flock for they have been completed days your to slaughter and dispersions your and you will fall like a vessel of desire
יְמֵיכֶ֖םye.mei.Khem days your H3117 Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
2,306× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word 'yom' refers to a day, which can be a literal 24-hour period or a figurative space of time. It is used in the Bible to describe a wide range of time periods, from a single day to a year or a lifetime. The word 'yom' is used in many different contexts throughout the Bible.
Amplified meaning
periods, seasons
Tyndale gloss
day
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יוֹם (yowm) means 'day' and refers to a division of time, contrasting with night. It can denote a literal 24-hour period, a general time span, or even a year. The term is used in various contexts, including the 'day of Yahweh,' which signifies a time of divine judgment. It also appears in phrases indicating temporal references like today, yesterday, and tomorrow.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יוֹם 2285 n.m. day

day, opp. night

Day as division of time

יוֹם י׳ day of Yahweh, chiefly as time of his coming in judgment, involving often blessedness for righteous

Pl. days of anyone

Days

יוֹם = time

Phrases

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3117 יוֹם day . day, opp. night

. Day as division of time

. יוֹם י׳ day of Yahweh, chiefly as time of his coming in judgment, involving often blessedness for righteous

. Pl. days of anyone

. Days

. יוֹם = time

. Phrases

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3117 yowm yome

from an unused root meaning to be hot; a day (as the warm

hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one

sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by

an associated term), (often used adverb):--age, + always, +

chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to)

day, (now a, two) days (agone), + elder, X end, + evening, +

(for) ever(-lasting, -more), X full, life, as (so) long as

(... live), (even) now, + old, + outlived, + perpetually,

presently, + remaineth, X required, season, X since, space,

then, (process of) time, + as at other times, + in trouble,

weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), X whole

(+ age), (full) year(-ly), + younger.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יוֹם (yom) — day.

: day/when/time/period

1) day, time, year

1a) day (as opposed to night)

1b) day (24 hour period)

1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1

1b2) as a division of time

1b2a) a working day, a day's journey

1c) days, lifetime (pl.)

1d) time, period (general)

1e) year

1f) temporal references

1f1) today

1f2) yesterday

1f3) tomorrow

יוֹם (yom) — day: old.

: old/(full/many)[days]

1) day, time, year

1a) day (as opposed to night)

1b) day (24 hour period)

1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1

1b2) as a division of time

1b2a) a working day, a day's journey

1c) days, lifetime (pl.)

1d) time, period (general)

1e) year

1f) temporal references

1f1) today

1f2) yesterday

1f3) tomorrow

יוֹם (yom) — day: year.

: year[of_days]

1) day, time, year

1a) day (as opposed to night)

1b) day (24 hour period)

1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1

1b2) as a division of time

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
HNcmpc/Sp2mp
wail O shepherds and cry out and roll in ashes O noble [ones] of the flock for they have been completed days your to slaughter and dispersions your and you will fall like a vessel of desire
לִטְב֑וֹחַlit.Vo.ach to slaughter H2873 Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
11× 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 slaughter or kill animals or people, often in a ruthless manner, as seen in violent battles or sacrifices. It is used in various forms throughout the Old Testament. This concept is also used figuratively to describe spiritual slaughter.
Amplified meaning
killing, destruction
Tyndale gloss
to slaughter
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

טָבַח (tabach) is a primitive root meaning to slaughter or kill, applicable to both animals and humans. It encompasses actions like butchering and slaying ruthlessly, with a figurative sense of killing. The entries consistently emphasize its violent connotations without significant disagreement among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[טָבַח] vb. slaughter, butcher, slay

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2873 [טָבַח] slaughter, butcher, slay

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2873 tabach taw-bakh'

a primitive root; to slaughter (animals or men):--kill,

(make) slaughter, slay.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

טָבַח (ta.vach) — to slaughter.

1) to slaughter, slay, butcher, kill ruthlessly

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to slaughter, butcher

1a2) to slay, kill ruthlessly (fig.)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a — Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
HR/Vqcc
wail O shepherds and cry out and roll in ashes O noble [ones] of the flock for they have been completed days your to slaughter and dispersions your and you will fall like a vessel of desire
וּתְפוֹצ֣וֹתִיכֶ֔םu.te.fo.Tzo.ti.Khem and dispersions your H8600 Conjunction · noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
1× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word describes a dispersal or scattering of people, often used to describe the exile of the Israelites. In Psalm 147:2, it refers to the gathering of the dispersed Israelites. The word is also used in Nehemiah 1:9.
Amplified meaning
broken, fragmented
Tyndale gloss
dispersion
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

תְּפוֹצָה (tphowtsah) means 'dispersion' or 'dispersal,' derived from the root meaning to scatter. It appears in contexts related to scattering or being dispersed, such as in Jeremiah 25:34, referring to 'your dispersions.' The entries consistently emphasize this meaning without significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[תְּפוֹצָה] assumed as sg. of n.f.pl. sf. Je 25:34 your dispersions

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8600 תְּפוֹצָה

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8600 tphowtsah tef-o-tsaw'

from 6327; a dispersal:--dispersion.

see HEBREW for 06327

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

תְּפוֹצָה (te.pho.tsah) — dispersion.

dispersion

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | N-fp | Suff — Conjunction · noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
HC/Ncfpc/Sp2mp
wail O shepherds and cry out and roll in ashes O noble [ones] of the flock for they have been completed days your to slaughter and dispersions your and you will fall like a vessel of desire
וּנְפַלְתֶּ֖םu.ne.fal.Tem and you will fall H5307 Verb · Qal · sequential perfect second person masculine plural
435× 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 fall, and it's used in many ways, like falling down, failing, or being defeated. It appears in books like Genesis and Isaiah. God's people often fell away from Him, but He always offered a way back.
Amplified meaning
be defeated, fail
Tyndale gloss
to fall: fall
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נָפַל (naphal) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to fall,' encompassing a wide range of applications, including falling by accident, experiencing violent death, or going to ruin. It can also refer to prostrating oneself, attacking, or causing someone to fall. The term appears in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, often indicating physical or metaphorical downfall.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נָפַל 433 vb. fall, lie

Qal 366

fall, by accident

Esp. of violent death

fig. = go to ruin, perish, etc.

fig. = experience calamity

fall, of a city

Fall prostrate

fall = prostrate oneself before

fall upon one's neck, in embrace

Fall upon = attack

desert or fall away to, go over to

Fig., of deep sleep

Other idiomatic uses

= lie; = lie prostrate

Hiph.

cause to fall

Of causing death; = overthrow, bring to destruction

Esp. of casting lot

Fig., let drop, cause to fail

cause deep sleep to fall

Other idioms

Hithp. throw, or prostrate oneself

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5307 נָפַל fall, lie .. fall, by accident

. . Esp. of violent death

. fig. = go to ruin, perish, etc.

. fig. = experience calamity

. fall, of a city

. . Fall prostrate

. fall = prostrate oneself before

. fall upon one's neck, in embrace

. . Fall upon = attack

. desert or fall away to, go over to

. Fig., of deep sleep

. Other idiomatic uses

. = lie; = lie prostrate

. . cause to fall

. Of causing death; = overthrow, bring to destruction

. Esp. of casting lot

. Fig., let drop, cause to fail

. cause deep sleep to fall

. Other idioms

. throw, or prostrate oneself

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5307 naphal naw-fal'

a primitive root; to fall, in a great variety of applications

(intransitive or causative, literal or figurative):--be

accepted, cast (down, self, (lots), out), cease, die, divide

(by lot), (let) fail, (cause to, let, make, ready to) fall

(away, down, -en, -ing), fell(-ing), fugitive, have

(inheritance), inferior, be judged (by mistake for 6419), lay

(along), (cause to) lie down, light (down), be (X hast) lost,

lying, overthrow, overwhelm, perish, present(-ed, -ing), (make

to) rot, slay, smite out, X surely, throw down.

see HEBREW for 06419

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָפַל (na.phal) — to fall: fall.

: fall/drop/fail

1) to fall, lie, be cast down, fail

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to fall

1a2) to fall (of violent death)

1a3) to fall prostrate, prostrate oneself before

1a4) to fall upon, attack, desert, fall away to, go away to, fall into the hand of

1a5) to fall short, fail, fall out, turn out, result

1a6) to settle, waste away, be offered, be inferior to

1a7) to lie, lie prostrate

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to cause to fall, fell, throw down, knock out, lay prostrate

1b2) to overthrow

1b3) to make the lot fall, assign by lot, apportion by lot

1b4) to let drop, cause to fail (fig.)

1b5) to cause to fall

1c) (Hithpael)

1c1) to throw or prostrate oneself, throw oneself upon

1c2) to lie prostrate, prostrate oneself

1d) (Pilel) to fall

נָפַל (na.phal) — to fall: deserting.

: deserting

1) to fall, lie, be cast down, fail

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to fall

1a2) to fall (of violent death)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-2mp — Verb · Qal · sequential perfect second person masculine plural
Hc/Vqq2mp
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

fol (vb.): The idea of falling is most frequently expressed in Hebrew by naphal, but also by many other words; in Greek by pipto, and its compounds. The uses of the word in Scripture are very varied. There is the literal falling by descent; the falling of the countenance in sorrow, shame, anger, etc. (Ge 4:5,6); the falling in battle (Ge 14:10; Nu 14:3, etc.); the falling into trouble, etc. (Pr 24:16,17); prostration in supplication and reverence (Ge 17:3; Nu 14:5, etc.); falling of the Spirit of Yahweh (Eze 11:5

wail O shepherds and cry out and roll in ashes O noble [ones] of the flock for they have been completed days your to slaughter and dispersions your and you will fall like a vessel of desire
כִּכְלִ֥יkikh.Li like a vessel of H3627 Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
325× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word refers to any object or tool, like a utensil or a piece of furniture. It is used to describe a wide range of items, from musical instruments to weapons. It emphasizes the object's purpose or function.
Amplified meaning
a precious, delicate vessel
Tyndale gloss
article/utensil
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כְּלִי (kliy) refers to an article or utensil, encompassing a wide range of objects such as vessels, tools, and implements used for various purposes, including music and warfare. It is derived from a root meaning 'to prepare' and can denote anything from furniture to weapons. The entries highlight its general use in the Old Testament without significant disagreement among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כְּלִי 324 n.m. article, utensil, vessel

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3627 כְּלִי article, utensil, vessel

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3627 kliy kel-ee'

from 3615; something prepared, i.e. any apparatus (as an

implement, utensil, dress, vessel or weapon):--armour

((-bearer)), artillery, bag, carriage, + furnish, furniture,

instrument, jewel, that is made of, X one from another, that

which pertaineth, pot, + psaltery, sack, stuff, thing, tool,

vessel, ware, weapon, + whatsoever.

see HEBREW for 03615

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כְּלִי (ke.li) — article/utensil.

1) article, vessel, implement, utensil

1a) article, object (general)

1b) utensil, implement, apparatus, vessel

1b1) implement (of hunting or war)

1b2) implement (of music)

1b3) implement, tool (of labour)

1b4) equipment, yoke (of oxen)

1b5) utensils, furniture

1c) vessel, receptacle (general)

1d) vessels (boats) of paper-reed

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
HR/Ncmsc
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…

wail O shepherds and cry out and roll in ashes O noble [ones] of the flock for they have been completed days your to slaughter and dispersions your and you will fall like a vessel of desire
חֶמְדָּֽה׃chem.Dah desire H2532 Noun common · feminine singular absolute
21× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew term describes something that brings great joy and pleasure, like a precious gift. It's used in the Bible to talk about the good things in life that bring happiness and fulfillment. In Genesis and Psalms, it describes the delight of being in a loving relationship.
Tyndale gloss
desire
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חֶמְדָּה (chemdah) refers to desire or delight, and is associated with desirableness and preciousness. It is a feminine form derived from חֶמֶד (chemed). The entries indicate that it encompasses both the concept of longing for something and the quality of being desirable.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חֶמְדָּה n.f. id. [h.de.ab]—desire of Israel

base

[חֲמוּדָה] n.f. desirableness, preciousness

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2532a חֶמְדָּה desire, delight H2532b חֲמוּדָה desirableness, preciousness

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2532 chemdah khem-daw'

feminine of 2531; delight:--desire, goodly, pleasant,

precious.

see HEBREW for 02531

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חֶמְדָּה (chem.dah) — desire.

desire, that which is desirable

חֲמוּדָה (cha.mu.dah) — desirable thing.

desirableness, preciousness

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

de-zir': The verb "to desire" in the Scriptures usually means "to long for," "to ask for," "to demand," and may be used in a good or bad sense (compare De 7:25 the King James Version). the Revised Version (British and American) frequently renders the more literal meaning of the Hebrew. Compare Job 20:20, "delight"; Pr 21:20, "precious"; Ps 40:6, "delight"; aiteo (except Col 1:9), and erotao (except Lu 7:36) are rendered "to ask" and zeteo, "to seek" (compare Lu 9:9 et. al.). The Hebrew kacaph, literally, "to lose in…

Nave's Topical Bible

→ SPIRITUAL De 4:29; Ps 9:1; 17:1; 22:26; 24:6; 25:5,15; 27:8,14; 33:20; 34:10; 37:4,7,9,34; 39:12; 40:1,8; 42:1-11; 51:1-17; 62:1; 63:1,8; 68:28; 69:3,32; 70:4; 81:10; 84:2; 86:11,12,16; 94:19; 105:4; 118:17; 119:2,10,20,40,77,88,116,117,122,133,149,156; 123:1,2; 130:5,6; 143:5,6; Pr 2:3-5; 8:17,34; Isa 8:17,19; 26:8,9; 40:31; 55:1,2,6; Jer 29:13; La 3:25,26,41; Ho 10:12; Hab 3:2; Mt 5:6;

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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