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Jeremiah 46:6 — Word Study

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WLCאַל־ יָנ֣וּס הַקַּ֔ל וְאַל־ יִמָּלֵ֖ט הַגִּבּ֑וֹר צָפ֙וֹנָה֙ עַל־ יַ֣ד נְהַר־ פְּרָ֔ת כָּשְׁל֖וּ וְנָפָֽלוּ׃

BSAThe swiftqal [fastest, quickest] cannotʼal fleenûwç [escape, run away] and the warriorgibbôwr [mighty man, strong one] cannotʼal escapemâlaṭ [be delivered, slip away] In the northtsâphôwn [toward the north, northern direction] byʻal the Rivernâhâr EuphratesPᵉrâth [Euphrates River, a major waterway] they stumblekâshal [trip, lose balance] and fallnâphal [collapse, be defeated]

Word
Listen & take awayJeremiah 46
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 6 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 (ve.na.Fa.lu) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Jeremiah 46:6quick helps
In a sentenceThe swift cannot flee, and the warrior cannot escape; they stumble and fall by the Euphrates.
Who is speakingThe LORD, declaring the fate of the warriors.
Where we areIn a prophetic warning about the impending defeat of Egypt.
The hard wordיָנ֣וּס
Take awayEven the fastest cannot escape; all will fall.
7 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbנוּס 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 46:6

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 Prophecy Against Egyptgenerated

5Why am I seeing this? They are terrified, they are retreating; their warriors are defeated, they flee in haste without looking back; terror is on every side!” declares the LORD.
6“The swift cannot flee, and the warrior cannot escape! In the north by the River Euphrates they stumble and fall.
7Who is this, rising like the Nile, like rivers whose waters churn?
8Egypt rises like the Nile, and its waters churn like rivers, boasting, ‘I will rise and cover the earth; I will destroy the cities and their people.’

Jeremiah 46:6 is part of a prophetic message where the LORD describes the inevitable defeat of Egypt's warriors. Despite their speed and might, they will not be able to escape their fate. This passage serves as a stark warning about the consequences of pride and reliance on strength rather than on God.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Judges 4:15–21And in front of him the LORD routed with the sword Sisera, all his charioteers, and all his army. Sisera abandoned his chariot and fled on foot.
2Psalm 33:16–17No king is saved by his vast army; no warrior is delivered by his great strength.
3Psalm 147:10–11He does not delight in the strength of the horse; He takes no pleasure in the legpower of the man.
4Ecclesiastes 9:11I saw something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong; neither is the bread to the wise, nor the wealth to the intelligent, nor the favor to the skillful. For time and chance happen to all.
5Isaiah 30:16–17“No,” you say, “we will flee on horses.” Therefore you will flee! “We will ride swift horses,” but your pursuers will be faster.

The Key Word יָנ֣וּס, ya.Nusgenerated

The verb נוּס (nus) means to flee or escape. It is a jussive form, indicating a wish or command, specifically in the third person masculine singular. This suggests a scenario where someone is urged to flee but is unable to do so.

The context here emphasizes the futility of escape in the face of divine judgment. The swift are unable to flee, which highlights the totality of their defeat. This word captures the urgency of flight but contrasts it with the reality of being trapped.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

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


Sentence Structuregenerated

The finite verbs יָנ֣וּס (he flee) and יִמָּלֵ֖ט (he escape) govern the main clauses of the verse, with additional phrases detailing the location and the action of stumbling and falling. The structure emphasizes the inability of both the swift and the warrior to escape their fate.

The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the subjects, הַקַּ֔ל (the swift) and הַגִּבּ֑וֹר (the warrior), highlighting their impotence in the face of impending judgment.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates יָנ֣וּס as φευγέτω, which carries a similar meaning of fleeing. This choice aligns with the urgency of the original Hebrew, but the Greek may imply a more active command to flee rather than the passive inability expressed in the Hebrew.

The use of ἰσξυρός for הַגִּבּ֑וֹר emphasizes strength, yet the context shows that even the strongest cannot escape.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Jeremiah 46:6 warns that even the fastest cannot escape and the strongest cannot flee. They will stumble and fall by the Euphrates River, signifying the total defeat of Egypt's warriors.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that the swift cannot flee?

It means that no matter how fast or strong they are, they cannot escape their fate of defeat.

Why is the Euphrates River mentioned?

The Euphrates River serves as a geographical marker, indicating the location of the impending battle and the fall of Egypt.

What is the significance of the warriors stumbling?

Stumbling symbolizes their loss of balance and strength, highlighting their vulnerability in the face of divine judgment.

How does this verse reflect God's judgment?

It illustrates that human strength and speed are futile against God's will, emphasizing the certainty of judgment.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what areas of my life do I rely on my own strength instead of trusting in God?
  2. How can I prepare myself spiritually to stand firm when faced with challenges?
  3. What lessons can I learn from the fate of the warriors in this verse?
  4. How does this passage encourage me to seek refuge in God rather than in my own abilities?

Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Jeremiah 46:6 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Let not the swift flee away, nor the mighty men escape,.... Those that were swift of foot, like Asahel, or carried but light armour, let not such trust to their swiftness or light carriage; nor let

Read John Gill on Jeremiah 46 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Let not the swift flee away, nor the mighty man escape; they shall stumble, and fall toward the north by the river Euphrates. Let not the swift flee away - equivalent to the strongest negation.

Read Robert Jamieson on Jeremiah 46 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

That is, it is in vain for the swift to flee away, the mighty men shall not escape, but they shall stumble and fall at Carchemish, which was near the river Euphrates, and northward from Egypt.

Read Matthew Poole on Jeremiah 46 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Jeremiah 46:6 Let not the swift flee away, nor the mighty man escape; they shall stumble, and fall toward the north by the river Euphrates.Ver. 6. Let not the swift fly away,] i.e., Think to save themselves by flight. Nor the mighty man escape,] i.e., Think to save himself by his might, be he never so stout hearted. Toward the north,] i.e., Toward Carchemish, the stage of the war, where Pharaohnecho had beaten Nebuchadnezzar the elder, and is now beaten in the same place by Nebuchadnezzar the younger, alterna victoria in another victory. Herod., lib. ii., αλλοπροσαλλος.

Read John Trapp on Jeremiah 46 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 6. Let not the swift flee away] Even the swiftest shall not be able to escape. They shall - fall toward the north] By the Euphrates, which was northward of Judea. Here the Egyptian army was routed with great slaughter.

Read AdamClarke on Jeremiah 46 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

2–12. Co. declines to accept objections which have been brought by some recent commentators to the substantial genuineness of these vv., and Gi. on the whole agrees, but considers the passage to have been expanded.

Read Cambridge on Jeremiah 46 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Translate it: “The swift shall not flee away, and the hero shall not escape: in the north on the bank of the river Euphrates they shall stumble and fall.”

Read Albert Barnes on Jeremiah 46 →

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

“The swift cannot flee, and the warrior cannot escape! In the north by the River Euphrates they stumble and fall.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

“Don’t let the swift flee away, nor the mighty man escape. In the north by the river Euphrates they have stumbled and fallen.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

“The swift cannot flee, and the warrior cannot escape! In the north by the River Euphrates they stumble and fall.

NETBNew English Translation2006

But even the swiftest cannot get away. Even the strongest cannot escape. There in the north by the Euphrates River they stumble and fall in defeat.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Let not the swift flee away, nor the mighty man escape; they shall stumble, and fall toward the north by the river Euphrates.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Let not the swift flee away, nor the mighty man escape; in the north by the river Euphrates have they stumbled and fallen.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Let not the swift flee away, nor the mighty man escape; in the north by the river Euphrates have they stumbled, and fallen.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Let not the swift flee away, nor the mighty man escape! they shall stumble, and fall towards the north by the river Euphrates.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

The swift shall not flee away, nor the strong man escape: they shall stumble, and fall towarde the North by the riuer Perath.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Let not the swift flee away, neither let the mighty man escape! — Toward the north, hard by the river Euphrates, they have stumbled and fallen.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

The swift do not flee, nor do the mighty escape, Northward, by the side of the river Phrat, They have stumbled and fallen.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

The swift do not flee, nor do the mighty escape, || Northward, by the side of the Euphrates River, || They have stumbled and fallen.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

The swift cannot flee away, nor can the mighty man escape: toward the north by the shore of the river Euphrates do they stumble and fall.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

the swift cannot run away, and the soldiers cannot escape. They stumble in the north and fall beside the Euphrates River.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Let not the swift flee away, nor the strong think to escape: they are overthrown, and fallen down, towards the north by the river Euphrates.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Even the fastest of them can't get away; the soldiers can't escape. There in the north beside the Euphrates they fall and die.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Let not the quick-footed go in flight, or the man of war get away; on the north, by the river Euphrates, they are slipping and falling.

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.

clauseadverbialאַלnotverbיָנ֣וּסlet.him.fleenoun phrase · subjectהַthe.swiftקַּ֔ל[one]וְandclauseadverbialאַלnotverbיִמָּלֵ֖טlet.him.escapenoun phrase · subjectהַtheגִּבּ֑וֹרwarriorclausenoun phrase · prepositionalצָפ֨וֹנָnorthwardה֙inprepositional phrase · prepositionalעַלonnoun phraseיַ֣דthe.sidenoun phraseנְהַרof.the.riverפְּרָ֔תof.Euphratesverb phrase · verbכָּשְׁל֖וּthey.will.stumbleוְandנָפָֽלוּthey.will.fall

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


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

The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint largely agree in their wording, with 11 out of 13 words matching. This indicates a strong consistency in the translation of this verse, despite the differences in word order and structure.

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

אַל־ יָנ֣וּס הַקַּ֔ל וְאַל־ יִמָּלֵ֖ט הַגִּבּ֑וֹר צָפ֙וֹנָה֙ עַל־ יַ֣ד נְהַר־ פְּרָ֔ת כָּשְׁל֖וּ וְנָפָֽלוּ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
אַל־μὴיָנ֣וּסφευγέτωהַקַּ֔לκοῦφοςוְאַל־μὴיִמָּלֵ֖טἀνασῳζέσθωהַגִּבּ֑וֹרἰσξυρόςצָפ֙וֹנָה֙βορρᾶνעַל־τὰיַ֣דπαρὰכָּשְׁל֖וּἠσθένησανוְנָפָֽלוּ׃πεπτώκασιν

11 of the 13 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 46:6אַלmay notmay notאַלנוּסhe fleehe fleeנוּסקַלthe swift [the swift [one]קַלאַלand may notand may notאַלמָלַטhe escapehe escapeמָלַטגִּבּוֹרthe warriorthe warriorגִּבּוֹרצָפוֹןnorth -wardnorth -wardצָפוֹןעַלononעַליָד[the] side [the] side ofיָדנָהָר[the] river[the] river ofנָהָרפְּרָתEuphratesEuphratesפְּרָתכָּשַׁלthey will sthey will stumbכָּשַׁלנָפַלand they wiand they will fנָפַללֹאnotnotלֹאקָלַלto lightento lightenקָלַלצָפַןto treasurto treasureצָפַןכַּףpalmpalmכַּףנָהַרto flowto flowנָהַרגֶּ֫בֶרgreat mangreat manגֶּ֫בֶרעַלheightheightעַלפָּלַלto prayto prayפָּלַלחָתַתto to be dto to be dismayחָתַתיָרֵאto fearto fearיָרֵאאֲרָםAramAramאֲרָםמְהֵרָהhastehasteמְהֵרָהרָכַבto rideto rideרָכַבנוּסto fleeto fleeנוּסחַ֫יִלHelechHelechחַ֫יִלמִלְחָמָהbattlebattleמִלְחָמָהמִזְרָחeasteastמִזְרָחפֵּאָהsidesideפֵּאָה
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 46:6

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.

may not he flee the swift [one] and may not he escape the warrior north -ward on [the] side of [the] river of Euphrates they will stumble and they will fall
אַל־'al- may not H408 Particle
724× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Means not or nothing, used to express negation, as in the phrase do not or let not be.
Tyndale gloss
not
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אַל (al) is a negative particle meaning 'not' or 'no,' often used to express a wish or prohibition rather than an objective fact. It can also function as a noun meaning 'nothing.' The lexicons highlight its use in various contexts, including deprecative forms, but do not show significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אַל adv. of negation, denying however, not objectively as a fact, but subjectively as a wish, expressing therefore a deprecation or prohibition

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H408 אַל adv. of negation, denying however, not objectively as a fact, but subjectively as a wish, expressing therefore a deprecation or prohibition

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

408 'al al

a negative particle (akin to 3808); not (the qualified

negation, used as a deprecative); once (Job 24:25) as a noun,

nothing:--nay, neither, + never, no ,nor, not, nothing

(worth), rather than.

see HEBREW for 03808

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אַל (al) — not.

1) not, no, nor, neither, nothing (as wish or preference)

1a) do not, let not (with a verb)

1b) let there not be (with a verb understood)

1c) not, no (with substantive)

1d) nothing (as substantive)

Aramaic equivalent: al (אַל "not" H0409)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part — Particle
HTn
may not he flee the swift [one] and may not he escape the warrior north -ward on [the] side of [the] river of Euphrates they will stumble and they will fall
יָנ֣וּסya.Nus he flee H5127 Verb · Qal · jussive third person masculine singular
159× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To flee means to quickly leave a place, like escaping from danger, as seen in the Bible when David fled from King Saul. It can also mean to disappear or vanish. In the book of Psalms, it describes God delivering his people from harm.
Amplified meaning
escape, run away
Tyndale gloss
to flee
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נוּס (nus) is a Hebrew verb meaning to flee or escape. It encompasses various nuances, including taking flight, disappearing, or driving hastily to safety. The word appears in different forms, such as Qal, Polel, Hithpolel, and Hiphil, indicating actions like fleeing, causing to disappear, or putting to flight. An Aramaic equivalent is noted as נוּד (nud).

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נוּס 160 vb. flee, escape

Qal

flee

escape

take flight, depart, disappear

fly (to the attack) on horseback.

Po‛lel the breath of י׳ driveth at it, driveth it on

Hithpo‛l. in order to take flight before the bow

Hiph.

put to flight

drive hastily to a safe place

cause to disappear, hide

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5127 נוּס flee, escape

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5127 nuwc noos

a primitive root; to flit, i.e. vanish away (subside, escape;

causatively, chase, impel, deliver):--X abate, away, be

displayed, (make to) flee (away, -ing), put to flight, X hide,

lift up a standard.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נוּס (nus) — to flee.

1) to flee, escape

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to flee

1a2) to escape

1a3) to take flight, m depart, disappear

1a4) to fly (to the attack) on horseback

1b) (Polel) to drive at

1c) (Hithpolel) to take flight

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to put to flight

1d2) to drive hastily

1d3) to cause to disappear, hide

Aramaic equivalent: nud (נוּד "to flee" H5111)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Juss-3ms — Verb · Qal · jussive third person masculine singular
HVqj3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

fle.

See FLY.

may not he flee the swift [one] and may not he escape the warrior north -ward on [the] side of [the] river of Euphrates they will stumble and they will fall
הַקַּ֔לha.Kal the swift [one] H7031 Particle
13× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means swift or light, describing something or someone that moves quickly, like the swift horses in Solomon's chariots in 1 Kings 4:26.
Amplified meaning
fastest, quickest
Tyndale gloss
swift
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

קַל (qal) means light or swift, often referring to speed or lightness. It is derived from a root that implies rapidity. The entries consistently describe it as relating to being fleet or quick, without significant disagreement among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

קַל adj. light, swift fleet

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7031 קַל light, swift fleet

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7031 qal kal

contracted from 7043; light; (by implication) rapid (also

adverbial):--light, swift(-ly).

see HEBREW for 07043

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קַל (qal) — swift.

1) swift, light, fleet

1a) swift

1b) one who is swift

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | Adj — Particle
HTd/Aamsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

wun.

See NUMBER.

may not he flee the swift [one] and may not he escape the warrior north -ward on [the] side of [the] river of Euphrates they will stumble and they will fall
וְאַל־ve.'al- and may not H408 Conjunction · particle
724× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Means not or nothing, used to express negation, as in the phrase do not or let not be.
Tyndale gloss
not
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אַל (al) is a negative particle meaning 'not' or 'no,' often used to express a wish or prohibition rather than an objective fact. It can also function as a noun meaning 'nothing.' The lexicons highlight its use in various contexts, including deprecative forms, but do not show significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אַל adv. of negation, denying however, not objectively as a fact, but subjectively as a wish, expressing therefore a deprecation or prohibition

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H408 אַל adv. of negation, denying however, not objectively as a fact, but subjectively as a wish, expressing therefore a deprecation or prohibition

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

408 'al al

a negative particle (akin to 3808); not (the qualified

negation, used as a deprecative); once (Job 24:25) as a noun,

nothing:--nay, neither, + never, no ,nor, not, nothing

(worth), rather than.

see HEBREW for 03808

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אַל (al) — not.

1) not, no, nor, neither, nothing (as wish or preference)

1a) do not, let not (with a verb)

1b) let there not be (with a verb understood)

1c) not, no (with substantive)

1d) nothing (as substantive)

Aramaic equivalent: al (אַל "not" H0409)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Part — Conjunction · particle
HC/Tn
may not he flee the swift [one] and may not he escape the warrior north -ward on [the] side of [the] river of Euphrates they will stumble and they will fall
יִמָּלֵ֖טyi.ma.Let he escape H4422 Verb · Niphal · jussive third person masculine singular
95× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to escape or be delivered, like slipping away to safety. It is used in the Bible to describe people being saved from danger, like in the book of Psalms. The KJV translates it as deliver or escape.
Amplified meaning
be delivered, slip away
Tyndale gloss
to escape
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מָלַט (malat) is a Hebrew verb primarily meaning to escape or slip away. It encompasses various nuances such as delivering, saving, and even giving birth in specific contexts. The entries indicate that it can refer to both physical escape and the act of laying eggs. There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[מָלַט] vb. slip away (not in Qal)

Niph.

slip away

escape

pass. be delivered

Pi.

lay (eggs)

let escape

deliver

Hiph.

give birth to a male child

deliver

Hithp.

slip forth, escape (sparks of fire from jaws of crocodile)

escape

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4422 מָלַט slip away . . slip away

. escape

. pass. be delivered

. . lay (eggs)

. let escape

. deliver

. . give birth to a male child

. deliver

. . slip forth, escape (sparks of fire from jaws of crocodile)

. escape

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4422 malat maw-lat'

a primitive root; properly, to be smooth, i.e. (by

implication) to escape (as if by slipperiness); causatively,

to release or rescue; specifically, to bring forth young, emit

sparks:--deliver (self), escape, lay, leap out, let alone,

let go, preserve, save, X speedily, X surely.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מָלַט (ma.lat) — to escape.

1) to slip away, escape, deliver, save, be delivered

1a)(Niphal)

1a1) to slip away

1a2) to escape

1a3) to be delivered

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to lay, let slip out (of eggs)

1b2) to let escape

1b3) to deliver, save (life)

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to give birth to

1c2) to deliver

1d) (Hithpael)

1d1) to slip forth, slip out, escape

1d2) to escape

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Niphal-Juss-3ms — Verb · Niphal · jussive third person masculine singular
HVNj3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Nave's Topical Bible

→ NONE, FROM THE JUDGMENTS OF GOD Ge 3:7-11; 4:9-11; Job 34:21,22; Isa 10:3; Mt 23:33; Ro 2:3; 1Th 5:2,3; Heb 2:2,3; 12:25,26; Re 6:15-17

See SIN, FRUITS OF

See SIN, PUNISHMENT OF

See JUDGMENTS, NO ESCAPE FROM

may not he flee the swift [one] and may not he escape the warrior north -ward on [the] side of [the] river of Euphrates they will stumble and they will fall
הַגִּבּ֑וֹרha.gi.Bor the warrior H1368 Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
159× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word describes a strong or mighty man, like a warrior or champion, as seen in 1 Samuel 17:51 where David defeats Goliath. It can also imply a brave or valiant person.
Amplified meaning
mighty man, strong one
Tyndale gloss
mighty man
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

גִּבּוֹר (gibbor) means strong or mighty, and can refer to a powerful person, such as a warrior or chief. It is built from a root that implies strength and valor, covering meanings related to strength and bravery. The entries consistently emphasize its use to describe a strong man or mighty figure.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

גִּבּוֹר 159 adj. strong, mighty

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1368 גִּבּוֹר strong, mighty

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1368 gibbowr ghib-bore'

or (shortened) gibbor {ghib-bore'}; intensive from the same

as 1397; powerful; by implication, warrior, tyrant:--

champion, chief, X excel, giant, man, mighty (man, one),

strong (man), valiant man.

see HEBREW for 01397

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

גִּבּוֹר (gib.bor) — mighty man.

adj

1) strong, mighty

n m

2) strong man, brave man, mighty man

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | Adj — Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
HTd/Ncmsa
may not he flee the swift [one] and may not he escape the warrior north -ward on [the] side of [the] river of Euphrates they will stumble and they will fall
צָפ֙וֹנָה֙tza.Fo.nah north -ward H6828 Noun common feminine singular absolute · suffix
153× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means 'north' and is used to describe a direction or location. In the Bible, it is often translated as 'north' or 'northern side'.
Amplified meaning
toward the north, northern direction
Tyndale gloss
Zaphon
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

צָפוֹן (tsaphown) means 'north' and is derived from a root meaning 'hidden' or 'dark.' It is used specifically to refer to the northern direction, often associated with gloominess and the unknown. The term also appears in the context of a name, 'Zaphon,' which similarly denotes the north.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

צָפוֹן 153 n.f. north (as the hidden, dark)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6828 צָפוֹן north

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6828 tsaphown tsaw-fone'

or tsaphon {tsaw-fone'}; from 6845; properly, hidden, i.e.

dark; used only of the north as a quarter (gloomy and

unknown):--north(-ern, side, -ward, wind).

see HEBREW for 06845

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

צָפוֹן (tsa.phon) — north.

1) north (of direction), northward

1a) north

1b) northward

צָפוֹן (tsa.phon) — Zaphon.

This name means north

Also named: tsa.phon (צָפוֹן "Zaphon" H6829)

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

word: "Ward" and "guard" are two different spellings of the same word, and in consequence no clear line can be drawn between them. English Versions of the Bible, however, has used "guard" only in the sense of "a special body of soldiers" (Ge 37:36, etc.), while "ward" is used, not only in this sense (Jer 37:13; contrast 39:9), but also in a variety of others. So a "ward" may mean "any body of men on special duty," as 1Ch 9:23; the King James Version 1Ch 26:16; Ne 12:24,25 (the Revised Version (British and American) "watch"), or the duty itself, as Isa 21:8;

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Ward

A prison (Gen. 40:3, 4); a watch-station (Isa. 21:8); a guard (Neh. 13:30).

may not he flee the swift [one] and may not he escape the warrior north -ward on [the] side of [the] river of Euphrates they will stumble and they will fall
עַל־'al- on H5921 Preposition
5,774× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means on or above something, like a physical object or a situation. It can also imply a sense of responsibility or accountability, as in being on behalf of someone.
Tyndale gloss
upon
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עַל (*al*) is a preposition meaning 'upon' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including 'on account of,' 'beside,' 'above,' and 'against.' It can indicate physical placement, emotional burdens, or duties imposed on a person. The entries also note its use in idiomatic expressions and with verbs of motion. There is a mention of its function as a conjunction in certain contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

base

עַל, עָ֑ל

subst. height

As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against

Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed

of clothing, etc., which any one wears

With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it

Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him

Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him

על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him

חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5921a עַל, עָ֑ל . As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against . Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed . — . of clothing, etc., which any one wears

. With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it

. Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him

. Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him

. על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him

. חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5921 `al al

properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the

singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a

particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always

in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great

variety of applications (as follow):--above, according

to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because

of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both

and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in

(that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-)on, over, than,

through(-out), to, touching, X with.

see HEBREW for 05920

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עַל (al) — upon.

prep

1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against

1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards

1b) above, beyond, over (of excess)

1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence)

1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition)

1e) over (of suspension or extension)

1f) by, adjoining, next, at, over, around (of contiguity or proximity)

1g) down upon, upon, on, from, up upon, up to, towards, over towards, to, against (with verbs of motion)

1h) to (as a dative)

[כִּי] עַל [כֵּן] ([ki] al [ken]) — as.

conj

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Preposition
HR
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

On

Light; the sun, (Gen. 41:45, 50), the great seat of sun-worship, called also Bethshemesh (Jer. 43:13) and Aven (Ezek. 30:17), stood on the east bank of the Nile, a few miles north of Memphis, and near Cairo, in the north-east. The Vulgate and the LXX. Versions have “Heliopolis” (“city of the sun”) instead of On in Genesis and of Aven in Ezekiel. The “city of destruction” Isaiah speaks of (19:18, marg. “of Heres;” Heb. ‘Ir-ha-heres, which some MSS. read Ir-ha-heres, i.e., “city of the sun”) may be the name given to On, the prophecy being that the time will come when that city which was known as the “city of the sun-god” shall become the “city of destruction” of the sun-god, i.e., when idolatry shall cease, and the worship…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(abode or city of the sun), a town of lower Egypt, called BETH-SHEMESH in (Jeremiah 43:13) On is better known under its Greek name Heliopolis. It was situated on the east side of the Pelusiac branch of the Nile, just below the point of the Delta, and about twenty miles northeast of Memphis. The chief object of worship at Heliopolis was the sun, whose temple, described by Strabo, is now only represented by the single beautiful obelisk, of red granite so feet 2 inches high above the pedestal which has stood for more than 4000 years, having been erected by Usirtesen, the second king of the twelfth dynasty. Heliopolis was anciently famous for its learning, and Eudoxus and Plato studied under its priests. The first mention of this place in the Bible is in the history of Joseph, to whom we read Pharaoh gave "to wife Asenath the daughter…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

See HELIOPOLIS.

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

pain; force; iniquity

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
may not he flee the swift [one] and may not he escape the warrior north -ward on [the] side of [the] river of Euphrates they will stumble and they will fall
יַ֣דyad [the] side of H3027 Noun common · both singular construct
1,619× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, 'yad' refers to an open hand, symbolizing power or direction. It can also mean strength or a part of something, like a side or a share. The word is used in many contexts, including anatomy and everyday life.
Tyndale gloss
hand
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָד 1604 n.f. hand

hand

Fig. = strength, power

Fig. = side

יָד is used in various special, technical senses:—

sign, monument

part, fractional part or share

time, repetition

axle-trees

stays, supports for laver

tenons on sides of boards of tabernacle

a (beckoning) hand

יַד with prep.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3027 יָד hand . hand

. Fig. = strength, power

. Fig. = side

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

. part, fractional part or share

. time, repetition

. axle-trees

. stays, supports for laver

. tenons on sides of boards of tabernacle

. a (beckoning) hand

. יַד with prep.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3027 yad yawd

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

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

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

applications, both literally and figuratively, both proximate

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Read the full entry →
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָד (yad) — hand.

: hand/arm[anatomy]

1) hand

1a) hand (of man)

1b) strength, power (fig.)

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

1d) (various special, technical senses)

1d1) sign, monument

1d2) part, fractional part, share

1d3) time, repetition

1d4) axle-trees, axle

1d5) stays, support (for laver)

1d6) tenons (in tabernacle)

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

1d8) wrists

יָד (yad) — hand: power.

: hand/arm[anatomy]

1) hand

1a) hand (of man)

1b) strength, power (fig.)

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

1d) (various special, technical senses)

1d1) sign, monument

1d2) part, fractional part, share

1d3) time, repetition

1d4) axle-trees, axle

1d5) stays, support (for laver)

1d6) tenons (in tabernacle)

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

1d8) wrists

יָד (yad) — hand: themselves.

: hand/arm[anatomy]

1) hand

1a) hand (of man)

1b) strength, power (fig.)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcbsc — Noun common · both singular construct
HNcbsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ov:

(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Lamentations 3:1.

The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.

Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.

That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.

Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…

may not he flee the swift [one] and may not he escape the warrior north -ward on [the] side of [the] river of Euphrates they will stumble and they will fall
נְהַר־ne.har- [the] river of H5104 Noun common · masculine singular construct
119× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, a river symbolizes prosperity, like the Nile or Euphrates, and is often used figuratively. It appears in Genesis and Exodus, describing the life-giving waters of the Promised Land. This word is also used to describe underground streams.
Tyndale gloss
river
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נָהָר (nahar) means 'stream' or 'river' and can refer to various water bodies, including the Nile and Euphrates. It also has a figurative sense of prosperity. The word is derived from a root meaning related to flowing water and has an Aramaic equivalent, נְהַר (ne.har).

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נָהָר 120 n.m. stream, river

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5104 נָהָר stream, river

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5104 nahar naw-hawr'

from 5102; a stream (including the sea; expec. the Nile,

Euphrates, etc.); figuratively, prosperity:--flood, river.

see HEBREW for 05102

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָהָר (na.har) — River.

This name means stream, river

Another name of pe.rat (פְּרָת "Euphrates" H6578)

נָהָר (na.har) — river.

1) stream, river

1a) stream, river

1b) (underground) streams

Aramaic equivalent: ne.har (נְהַר "river" H5103H)

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

ov:

(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Lamentations 3:1.

The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.

Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.

That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.

Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…

may not he flee the swift [one] and may not he escape the warrior north -ward on [the] side of [the] river of Euphrates they will stumble and they will fall
פְּרָ֔תpe.Rat Euphrates H6578 Noun proper
19× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Euphrates River is the largest and longest in western Asia, flowing from the Armenian mountains to the Persian Gulf. It symbolizes fruitfulness and is mentioned in the Bible as a significant landmark.
Amplified meaning
Euphrates River, a major waterway
Tyndale gloss
Euphrates
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

פְּרָת (Prath) refers to the Euphrates River, noted for its significance in the East. The name is derived from a root meaning 'to break forth' or 'rushing.' It is described as the largest and longest river in western Asia, symbolizing fruitfulness.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

פְּרָת n.pr.flum. Euphrates

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6578 פְּרָת Euphrates

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6578 Prath per-awth'

from an unused root meaning to break forth; rushing; Perath

(i.e. Euphrates), a river of the East:--Euphrates.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

פְּרָת (pe.rat) — Euphrates.

§ Euphrates = "fruitfulness"

the largest and longest river of western Asia; rises from two chief sources in the Armenian mountains and flows into the Persian Gulf

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper
HNpl
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

u-fra'-tez (perath; Euphrates, "the good and abounding river"):

The longest (1,780 miles) and most important stream of Western Asia, generally spoken of in the Old Testament as "the river" (Ex 23:31; De 11:24).

Its description naturally falls into 3 divisions--the upper, middle and lower. The upper division traverses the mountainous plateau of Armenia, and is formed by the junction of 2 branches, the Frat and the Murad. The Frat rises 25 miles Northeast of Erzerum, and only 60 miles from the Black Sea. The Murad, which, though the shorter, is the larger of the two, rises in the vicinity of Mt. Ararat. After running respectively 400 and 270 miles in a westerly direction, they unite near Keban Maaden, whence in a tortuous channel of about 300 miles, bearing still in a southwesterly…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Euphrates

Hebrew, Perath; Assyrian, Purat; Persian cuneiform, Ufratush, whence Greek Euphrates, meaning “sweet water.” The Assyrian name means “the stream,” or “the great stream.” It is generally called in the Bible simply “the river” (Ex. 23:31), or “the great river” (Deut. 1:7).

The Euphrates is first mentioned in Gen. 2:14 as one of the rivers of Paradise. It is next mentioned in connection with the covenant which God entered into with Abraham (15:18), when he promised to his descendants the land from the river of Egypt to the river Euphrates (comp. Deut. 11:24; Josh. 1:4), a covenant promise…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

is probably a word of Aryan origin, signifying "the good and abounding river. " It is most frequently denoted in the Bible by the term "the river." The Euphrates is the largest, the longest and by far the most important of the rivers of western Asia. It rises from two chief sources in the Armenian mountains, and flows into the Persian Gulf. The entire course is 1780 miles, and of this distance more than two-thirds (1200 miles) is navigable for boats. The width of the river is greatest at the distance of 700 or 800 miles from its mouth --that is to say, from it junction with the Khabour to the village of Werai . It there averages 400 yards. The annual inundation of the Euphrates is caused by the melting of the snows in the Armenian highlands. It occurs in the month of May. The great hydraulic works ascribed to Nebuchadnezzar had for their chief object to control the inundation. The…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A famous river of Asia, which has its source in the mountains of America, runs along the frontiers of Cappadocia, Syria, Arabia Deserta, Chaldea, and Mesopotamia, and falls into the Persian Gulf. According to the recent researches of Chesney, it receives the Tigris at a place called Shat-el-Arab. Five miles below the junction of these two mighty rivers, the Shat-el-Arab receives from the northeast the Kerkhah, which has a course of upwards of five hundred miles. Sixty-two miles below the mouth of the Kerkhah, another large river, the Kuran, comes in from the east. At present it enters the Shat-el-Arab forty miles above its mouth; but formerly it flowed channel, east of the main stream. According to that view which places the Garden of Eden near the junction of the Tigris with the Euphrates, these might be regarded as the four rivers of Paradise. We might well suppose that the Kuran, in…

may not he flee the swift [one] and may not he escape the warrior north -ward on [the] side of [the] river of Euphrates they will stumble and they will fall
כָּשְׁל֖וּka.she.Lu they will stumble H3782 Verb · Qal · perfect third person common plural
62× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To stumble means to lose your balance and almost fall, often because of weakness. In the Bible, it can also mean to falter or fail spiritually. This word is used in many books, including Psalms and Proverbs.
Amplified meaning
trip, lose balance
Tyndale gloss
to stumble
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כָּשַׁל (kashal) means to stumble or totter, often due to weakness. It can refer to physical stumbling, as well as metaphorical weakness or failure. The verb has various forms, including causing others to stumble or making them weak. The entries suggest a range of meanings from literal stumbling to broader implications of ruin and weakness.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כָּשַׁל vb. stumble, stagger, totter

Qal

stumble at, over, something (lit. by means of)

totter

Niph.

stumble

be tottering, feeble

Pi. only apparent

Hiph.

cause to stumble

make feeble, weak

Hoph. either and let them be ones who have stumbled before thee, i.e. regard them as such, or and let them be ones overthrown before thee

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3782 כָּשַׁל stumble, stagger, totter .. stumble at, over, something (lit. by means of)

. totter

. . stumble

. be tottering, feeble

. only apparent

. . cause to stumble

. make feeble, weak

. either and let them be ones who have stumbled before thee, i.e. regard them as such, or and let them be ones overthrown before thee

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3782 kashal kaw-shal'

a primitive root; to totter or waver (through weakness of the

legs, especially the ankle); by implication, to falter,

stumble, faint or fall:--bereave (from the margin), cast down,

be decayed, (cause to) fail, (cause, make to) fall

(down, -ing), feeble, be (the) ruin(-ed, of), (be) overthrown,

(cause to) stumble, X utterly, be weak.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כָּשַׁל (ka.shal) — to stumble.

1) to stumble, stagger, totter

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to stumble

1a2) to totter

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to stumble

1b2) to be tottering, be feeble

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to cause to stumble, bring injury or ruin to, overthrow

1c2) to make feeble, make weak

1d) (Hophal) to be made to stumble

1e) (Piel) bereave

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-3cp — Verb · Qal · perfect third person common plural
HVqp3cp
may not he flee the swift [one] and may not he escape the warrior north -ward on [the] side of [the] river of Euphrates they will stumble and they will fall
וְנָפָֽלוּ׃ve.na.Fa.lu and they will fall H5307 Verb · Qal · sequential perfect third person common 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
collapse, be defeated
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-Perf-3cp — Verb · Qal · sequential perfect third person common plural
Hc/Vqq3cp
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

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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