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Jeremiah 48:19 — Word Study

Depth

WLCאֶל־ דֶּ֛רֶךְ עִמְדִ֥י וְצַפִּ֖י יוֹשֶׁ֣בֶת עֲרוֹעֵ֑ר שַׁאֲלִי־ נָ֣ס וְנִמְלָ֔טָה אִמְרִ֖י מַה־ נִּֽהְיָֽתָה׃

BSAStandʻâmad [take your station, be watchful] byʼêl the roadderek [way, path] and watchtsâphâh [observe, be vigilant] O dwelleryâshab [inhabitant, resident] of AroerʻĂrôwʻêr [ruins, a place of desolation] Askshâʼal [inquire, seek information from] the man fleeingnûwç [one who is fleeing, running away, escaping] or the woman escapingmâlaṭ [one who has escaped, slipping away to safety] Whatmâh [how, in what manner] has happenedhâyâh [occurred, come to pass]

Word
Listen & take awayJeremiah 48
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 19 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 (Nih.Ya.tah) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Jeremiah 48:19quick helps
In a sentenceThe verse calls the inhabitants of Aroer to be vigilant and inquire about the events unfolding around them.
Who is speakingThe speaker addresses the dwellers of Aroer directly, urging them to take action.
Where we areThis verse is part of a prophecy concerning Moab's impending destruction.
The hard wordעֲרוֹעֵר, Aroer
Take awayThe call to stand and watch implies a need for awareness in times of crisis.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectמָה verbעָמַד 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 48:19

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 — Prophecy Against Moabgenerated

18Come down from your glory; sit on parched ground, O daughter dwelling in Dibon, for the destroyer of Moab has come against you; he has destroyed your fortresses.
19Stand by the road and watch, O dweller of Aroer! Ask the man fleeing or the woman escaping, ‘What has happened?’
20Moab is put to shame, for it has been shattered. Wail and cry out! Declare by the Arnon that Moab is destroyed.
21Judgment has come upon the high plain— upon Holon, Jahzah, and Mephaath,

Jeremiah 48:19 is a call to the inhabitants of Aroer to be alert and inquire about the fate of their people as Moab faces destruction. The surrounding verses highlight the urgency of the situation, as the enemy approaches and the need for vigilance becomes critical for survival.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Numbers 32:34And the Gadites built up Dibon, Ataroth, Aroer,
2Deuteronomy 2:36From Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Valley, along with the city in the valley, even as far as Gilead, not one city had walls too high for us. The LORD our God gave us all of them.
32 Samuel 24:5They crossed the Jordan and camped near Aroer, south of the town in the middle of the valley, and proceeded toward Gad and Jazer.
41 Chronicles 5:8and Bela son of Azaz, the son of Shema, the son of Joel. They settled in Aroer and as far as Nebo and Baal-meon.
51 Samuel 4:13–14When he arrived, there was Eli, sitting on his chair beside the road and watching, because his heart trembled for the ark of God. When the man entered the city to give a report, the whole city cried out.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 7 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word עִמְדִ֥י, 'im.Digenerated

The verb עָמַד (amad) means 'to stand' and indicates a firm position, often suggesting readiness and alertness. In this imperative form, it calls the listener to take a stand, emphasizing the importance of being watchful in a time of danger.

This word is used in various contexts in the Bible, from standing in battle to standing before God. Here, it implies a physical and mental readiness to observe and respond to the unfolding events.


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 is structured around a series of imperatives, with the first two verbs עִמְדִ֥י (stand) and צַפִּ֖י (watch) leading the call to action. The commands are directed at the inhabitants of Aroer, urging them to be vigilant.

The syntax emphasizes a sequence of actions: standing, watching, asking, and saying, which together create a sense of urgency and alertness in response to the unfolding crisis.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint uses ἐφ’ (upon) to translate the preposition אֶל (el), indicating direction towards a place. This choice reflects a similar urgency in the Greek rendering.

The Greek term ἐρώτησον (ask) corresponds to שַׁאֲלִי־, maintaining the imperative nature of the inquiry, showing a consistent call for action across both texts.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Jeremiah 48:19 urges the inhabitants of Aroer to stand by the road and watch for signs of danger. They are instructed to ask those fleeing what has happened, highlighting the urgency of the situation as Moab faces destruction.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean to stand and watch?

To stand and watch means to be alert and prepared for what is happening around you, especially in times of crisis.

Why are the inhabitants of Aroer called to ask about what has happened?

They are called to inquire to gain information about the impending danger and to understand the situation better.

What is the significance of the place Aroer?

Aroer is a significant location that serves as a point of reference for the inhabitants of Moab, emphasizing their vulnerability.

How does this verse relate to the surrounding context?

This verse is part of a prophecy warning Moab of its destruction, and it calls for vigilance among its people as they face impending doom.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways can I be more vigilant in my own life, like the inhabitants of Aroer?
  2. What steps can I take to inquire about the situations around me and respond appropriately?
  3. How can understanding the context of this verse help me in my daily decisions?
  4. What does this passage teach about the importance of community awareness in times of crisis?

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Jeremiah 48:19 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

O inhabitant of Aroer,.... Another city that belonged to Moab, situated on the border of it towards Ammon, near the river Arnon; [See comments on Isaiah 17:2]; stand by the way, and espy; get to the

Read John Gill on Jeremiah 48 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

O inhabitant of Aroer, stand by the way, and espy; ask him that fleeth, and her that escapeth, and say, What is done? Aroer - on the north bank of the Arnon, a city of Ammon (Deuteronomy 2:36; Deuteronomy 3:12).

Read Robert Jamieson on Jeremiah 48 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Aroer was a city in the lot of Gad and Reuben, . In David’ s time it was in the hand of the Jews, , but in Isaiah’ s time it belonged to Syria, , and here it is reckoned to the Moabites. The inhabitants of it are called to stand by the way, and seeing the Moabites fleeing, to ask what news. Others think that Aroer was at this time a city of the Ammonites, and here called unto to see their neighbours the Moabites fleeing before their enemies.

Read Matthew Poole on Jeremiah 48 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Jeremiah 48:19 O inhabitant of Aroer, stand by the way, and espy; ask him that fleeth, and her that escapeth, [and] say, What is done?Ver. 19. Stand by the way and espy, &c.] What brave rhetoric is here? Tenendum quidem, prophetas et apostolos non affectasse artem dicendi: vide tamen quanta etoquentia peroret Spiritus, Sanctus. Egregia est prosopopoeia.

Read John Trapp on Jeremiah 48 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(19) O inhabitant of Aroer.—There seems to have been two cities of this name: one which had belonged first to the territory of Sihon, then to Reuben, then to Moab, on the north side of the Arnon (Deuteronomy 2:36; Deuteronomy 3:12; Deuteronomy 4:48; Joshua 12:2); another in the Ammonite territory belonging to Gad, near Rabbath-Ammon, in the valley of the Jabbok (Numbers 32:34; Joshua 13:25; Judges 11:33). Both are probably comprised under the “cities of Aroer” in Isaiah 17:2. The name exists in the modern Arair. As lying on the frontier, the inhabitants of the Northern Aroer are represented as seeing the fugitives, male and female, from Dibon, and asking what had happened to drive them from…

Read Charles John Ellicott on Jeremiah 48 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 19. O inhabitant of Aroer] See Clarke on Jeremiah 48:6. This place, being at a greater distance, is counselled to watch for its own safety, and inquire of every passenger, What is done? that it may know when to pack up and be gone.

Read AdamClarke on Jeremiah 48 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

19. Aroer] now ‘Ara‘ir, not to be confounded with the Aroer of Num 32:34, a Gadite city, or with an Aroer belonging to Judah (1 Samuel 30:28). The Aroer of the text was a few miles S.W. of Dibon. Mesha records on the “Moabite stone” that he “built (i.e. restored) the city and made the road over the Arnon.”

Read Cambridge on Jeremiah 48 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Aroer - On the Arnon, due south of Dibon. If Dibon falls, the turn of Aroer will come next, and therefore its inhabitants are to be on the look out, asking for news.

Read Albert Barnes on Jeremiah 48 →

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

Stand by the road and watch, O dweller of Aroer! Ask the man fleeing or the woman escaping, ‘What has happened?’

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Inhabitant of Aroer, stand by the way and watch. Ask him who flees, and her who escapes; say, ‘What has been done?’

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Stand by the road and watch, O dweller of Aroer! Ask the man fleeing or the woman escaping, ‘What has happened?’

NETBNew English Translation2006

You who live in Aroer, stand by the road and watch. Question the man who is fleeing and the woman who is escaping. Ask them, ‘What has happened?’

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

O inhabitant of Aroer, stand by the way, and espy; ask him that fleeth, and her that escapeth, and say, What is done?

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

O inhabitant of Aroer, stand by the way, and watch: ask him that fleeth, and her that escapeth; say, What hath been done?

RVARevised Version, American1894

O inhabitant of Aroer, stand by the way, and espy: ask him that fleeth, and her that escapeth; say, What hath been done?

NWBWebster's Bible1833

O inhabitant of Aroer, stand by the way, and espy; ask him that fleeth, and her that escapeth, and say, What is done?

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Thou that dwellest in Aroer, stand by the way, and beholde: aske him that fleeth and that escapeth, and say, What is done?

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Stand by the way, and watch, inhabitress of Aroer; ask him that fleeth, and her that escapeth; say, What is done?

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

On the way stand, and watch, O inhabitant of Aroer, Ask the fugitive and escaped, Say, What hath happened?

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Stand on the way, and watch, O inhabitant of Aroer, || Ask the fugitive and escaped, || Say, What has happened?

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Stand by the way, and look out, O inhabitress of 'Aro'er: ask him that fleeth, and her that escapeth, say, What hath been done?

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Stand on the road and watch, you people who live in Aroer. Ask the ones who are fleeing and escaping. Say, 'What has happened?'

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Stand in the way, and look out, O habitation of Aroer: inquire of him that fleeth: and say to him that hath escaped: What Is done?

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Stand at the roadside and watch, you who live in Aroer. Ask the men and women who are running away to escape, “What's happened?”

BBEBible in Basic English1949

O daughter of Aroer, take your station by the way, on the watch: questioning him who is in flight, and her who has got away safe, say, What has been done?

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.

clauseclauseclauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalאֶלtoדֶּ֛רֶךְ[the].roadverbעִמְדִ֥יstandוְandclauseverbצַפִּ֖יwatchclausenoun phraseיוֹשֶׁ֣בֶתO.inhabitant[s]עֲרוֹעֵ֑רof.Aroerclauseverbשַׁאֲלִיasknoun phrase · objectנָ֣סa.[man.who].fleesוְandנִמְלָ֔טָהa.[woman.who].escapesclauseverbאִמְרִ֖יsayclausesubjectמַהwhat?verbנִּֽהְיָֽתָהhas.it.happened

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 of the 12 words matched. The Septuagint's word order differs, but it conveys the same imperative message.

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

אֶל־ דֶּ֛רֶךְ עִמְדִ֥י וְצַפִּ֖י יוֹשֶׁ֣בֶת עֲרוֹעֵ֑ר שַׁאֲלִי־ נָ֣ס וְנִמְלָ֔טָה אִמְרִ֖י מַה־ נִּֽהְיָֽתָה׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
אֶל־ἐφ’דֶּ֛רֶךְὁδοῦעִמְדִ֥יστῆθιוְצַפִּ֖יἔπιδεיוֹשֶׁ֣בֶתκαθημένηעֲרוֹעֵ֑רαροηρשַׁאֲלִי־ἐρώτησονנָ֣סφεύγονταוְנִמְלָ֔טָהσῳζόμενονמַה־τίנִּֽהְיָֽתָה׃ἐγένετο

11 of the 12 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 48:19אֶלtotoאֶלדֶּ֫רֶךְ[the] road[the] roadדֶּ֫רֶךְעָמַדstandstandעָמַדצָפָהand watchand watchצָפָהיָשַׁבO inhabitanO inhabitant[s]יָשַׁבעֲרֹעֵרAroerAroerעֲרֹעֵרשָׁאַלaskaskשָׁאַלנוּס[a man who][a man who] fleנוּסמָלַטand [a womaand [a woman whמָלַטאָמַרsaysayאָמַרמָהwhat?what?מָההָיָהhas it happhas it happenedהָיָהדָּרַךְto treadto treadדָּרַךְעֲרוֹעֵרjuniperjuniperעֲרוֹעֵרהָוָאto fallto fallהָוָאפָּלַלto prayto prayפָּלַליִרְמְיָ֫הJeremiahJeremiahיִרְמְיָ֫הפָּנָהCorner (GaCorner (Gate)פָּנָהצָפוֹןZaphonZaphonצָפוֹןאֵ֫צֶלbesidebesideאֵ֫צֶלעָנָןcloudcloudעָנָןמִגְדָּלtowertowerמִגְדָּלנָגַדto tellto tellנָגַדבֶּ֫טַחsecuritysecurityבֶּ֫טַחכְּנַעֲנִיCanaanitesCanaanitessכְּנַעֲנִיחֶשְׁבּוֹןHeshbonHeshbonחֶשְׁבּוֹןשָׂפָהlipslipsשָׂפָהשְׁאֵלָהpetitionpetitionשְׁאֵלָהאֲרָםAramAramאֲרָםנוּסto fleeto fleeנוּס
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 48:19

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.

to [the] road stand and watch O inhabitant[s] of Aroer ask [a man who] flees and [a woman who] escapes say what? has it happened
אֶל־'el- to H413 Preposition
5,518× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means 'to' or 'toward', showing direction or movement. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus, to indicate where someone is going. The KJV translates it in various ways, like 'about', 'according to', or 'against'.
Tyndale gloss
to(wards)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֶל (el) is primarily a preposition indicating motion towards or direction to a person or place. It can also imply entering a limit, presence at a location, or a hostile direction (against). Additionally, it may express concepts such as concerning, in addition to, or according to. The entries highlight its versatility in both physical and metaphorical contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph),

prep. denoting motion to or direction towards (whether physical or mental).of motion to or unto a person or place

Where the limit is actually entered, into

Of direction towards anything

Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against

Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to

Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

Of rule or standard according to (rare)

Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion

Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H413 אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph), . of motion to or unto a person or place

. Where the limit is actually entered, into

. Of direction towards anything

. Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against

. Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to

. Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

. Of rule or standard according to (rare)

. Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion

. Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

413 'el ale

(but only used in the shortened constructive form sel {el});

a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but

occasionally used of a quiescent position, i.e. near, with or

among; often in general, to:--about, according to ,after,

against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and,

by, concerning, for, from, X hath, in(- to), near, (out) of,

over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether,

with(-in).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶל (el) — to(wards).

1) to, toward, unto (of motion)

2) into (limit is actually entered)

2a) in among

3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion)

4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character)

5) in addition to, to

6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of

7) according to (rule or standard)

8) at, by, against (of one's presence)

9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Preposition
HR
to [the] road stand and watch O inhabitant[s] of Aroer ask [a man who] flees and [a woman who] escapes say what? has it happened
דֶּ֛רֶךְDe.rekh [the] road H1870 Noun common · both singular absolute
708× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Derek refers to a road or path, and can also mean a way of life or manner of action. It is often used to describe a journey or direction, and can be used figuratively to describe a person's character or moral path.
Amplified meaning
way, path
Tyndale gloss
way: road
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

דֶּ֫רֶךְ (derek) means way, road, or journey, and can refer to both literal paths and figurative courses of life or actions. It encompasses various aspects such as direction, manner, and moral character, often highlighting the nature of one's conduct. The term is used in both positive and negative contexts, reflecting the moral implications of one's path.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

דֶּ֫רֶךְ 715 n.m. way, road, distance, journey, manner

way, road, path

journey

of direction, almost or quite = toward

way, manner

fig. of course of life, or action, undertakings

of moral action and character

of duty

specif.: in good sense

oftener in bad sense

way of י׳

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1870 דֶּ֫רֶךְ way, road, distance, journey, manner . way, road, path

. journey

. of direction, almost or quite = toward

. way, manner

. fig. of course of life, or action, undertakings

. . of moral action and character

. of duty

. specif.: in good sense

. oftener in bad sense

. way of י׳

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1870 derek deh'-rek

from 1869; a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of

life or mode of action, often adverb:--along, away, because

of, + by, conversation, custom, (east-)ward, journey, manner,

passenger, through, toward, (high-) (path-)way(-side),

whither(-soever).

see HEBREW for 01869

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

דֶּ֫רֶךְ (de.rekh) — way: conduct.

: conduct/lifestyle

1) way, road, distance, journey, manner

1a) road, way, path

1b) journey

1c) direction

1d) manner, habit, way

1e) of course of life (fig.)

1f) of moral character (fig.)

דֶּ֫רֶךְ (de.rekh) — Way.

This name means way, road

דֶּ֫רֶךְ (de.rekh) — (King's) Highway.

This name means way, road

Combined with me.lekh (מֶ֫לֶךְ "King's" H4428I)

דֶּ֫רֶךְ (de.rekh) — way: direction.

: direction

1) way, road, distance, journey, manner

1a) road, way, path

1b) journey

1c) direction

1d) manner, habit, way

1e) of course of life (fig.)

1f) of moral character (fig.)

דֶּ֫רֶךְ (de.rekh) — way: road.

: road/route

1) way, road, distance, journey, manner

1a) road, way, path

1b) journey

1c) direction

1d) manner, habit, way

1e) of course of life (fig.)

1f) of moral character (fig.)

דֶּ֫רֶךְ (de.rekh) — way: journey.

: journey

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-cs — Noun common · both singular absolute
HNcbsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Road

(1 Sam. 27:10; R.V., “raid”), an inroad, an incursion. This word is never used in Scripture in the sense of a way or path.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

This word occurs but once in the Authorized Version of the Bible, viz. in (1 Samuel 37:10) where it is used in the sense of "raid" or "inroad." Where a travelled road is meant "path" or "way" is used, since the eastern roads are more like our paths.

to [the] road stand and watch O inhabitant[s] of Aroer ask [a man who] flees and [a woman who] escapes say what? has it happened
עִמְדִ֥י'im.Di stand H5975 Verb · Qal · imperative second person feminine singular
521× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Means 'to stand' in a strong sense, like in Exodus 17:12 where Moses stood with his arms up to help Israel win a battle.
Amplified meaning
take your station, be watchful
Tyndale gloss
to stand: stand
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עָמַד (amad) means to stand and encompasses a variety of related actions such as remaining, enduring, and taking a stand. It can refer to both literal and figurative stances, including presenting oneself or being appointed. The word appears in various contexts, including standing still, ceasing movement, and even serving. There are different forms of the verb, such as Qal, Hiphil, and Hophal, each with specific nuances.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עָמַד 620 take one's stand, stand

Qal 435

take one's stand, and (esp. pt.) stand, be in a standing attitude

stand forth

take a stand against, in opposition to

present oneself before

attend upon, be(come) servant of

stand afar

stand (silent)

stand (appealingly)

stand, subj. רֶגֶל

stand, of water

stand still, stop, cease moving

= be inactive

= be attentive

stop, cease doing a thing

tarry, delay

remain

continue, abide

endure

be steadfast

persist

make a stand, hold one's ground

stand upright

arise, appear, come on the scene

stand forth, appear = come into being

rise up as foe

rare usages

Hiph.

83station, set

cause to stand firm

cause to stand up, set up, erect

present one before king

appoint

other meanings

Hoph. be presented

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5975 עָמַד take one's stand, stand .. . take one's stand, and (esp. pt.) stand, be in a standing attitude

. stand forth

. take a stand against, in opposition to

. present oneself before

. attend upon, be(come) servant of

. stand afar

. stand (silent)

. stand (appealingly)

. stand, subj. רֶגֶל

. stand, of water

. . stand still, stop, cease moving

. = be inactive

. = be attentive

. stop, cease doing a thing

. . tarry, delay

. remain

. continue, abide

. endure

. be steadfast

. persist

. make a stand, hold one's ground

. stand upright

. . arise, appear, come on the scene

. stand forth, appear = come into being

. rise up as foe

. rare usages

. . station, set

. cause to stand firm

. cause to stand up, set up, erect

. present one before king

. appoint

. other meanings

. be presented

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5975 `amad aw-mad'

a primitive root; to stand, in various relations (literal and

figurative, intransitive and transitive):--abide (behind),

appoint, arise, cease, confirm, continue, dwell, be employed,

endure, establish, leave, make, ordain, be (over), place, (be)

present (self), raise up, remain, repair, + serve, set (forth,

over, -tle, up), (make to, make to be at a, with-)stand (by,

fast, firm, still, up), (be at a) stay (up), tarry.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עָמַד (a.mad) — to stand: stand.

: stand/stop/establish

1) to stand, remain, endure, take one's stand

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to stand, take one's stand, be in a standing attitude, stand forth, take a stand, present oneself, attend upon, be or become servant of

1a2) to stand still, stop (moving or doing), cease

1a3) to tarry, delay, remain, continue, abide, endure, persist, be steadfast

1a4) to make a stand, hold one's ground

1a5) to stand upright, remain standing, stand up, rise, be erect, be upright

1a6) to arise, appear, come on the scene, stand forth, appear, rise up or against

1a7) to stand with, take one's stand, be appointed, grow flat, grow insipid

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to station, set

1b2) to cause to stand firm, maintain

1b3) to cause to stand up, cause to set up, erect

1b4) to present (one) before (king)

1b5) to appoint, ordain, establish

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Impv-2fs — Verb · Qal · imperative second person feminine singular
HVqv2fs
to [the] road stand and watch O inhabitant[s] of Aroer ask [a man who] flees and [a woman who] escapes say what? has it happened
וְצַפִּ֖יve.tza.Pi and watch H6822 Conjunction · verb piel imperative second person feminine singular
36× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Tsaphah means to watch or observe, often by leaning forward to see into the distance. It can also mean to wait or keep watch, like a guard.
Amplified meaning
observe, be vigilant
Tyndale gloss
to watch
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

צָפָה (tsaphah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to look out, spy, or keep watch. It is built from a primitive root implying leaning forward to observe or await. The word covers a range of meanings including to behold, espy, and watch closely. In the Old Testament, it can also refer to a watchman.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[צָפָה] 37 vb. look out or about, spy, keep watch

Qal 28 keep watch; elsewh. as subst. watchman

Pi. watch (closely); pt. as n. = watchman

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6822 צָפָה look out or about, spy, keep watch

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6822 tsaphah tsaw-faw'

a primitive root; properly, to lean forward, i.e. to peer

into the distance; by implication, to observe, await:--

behold, espy, look up (well), wait for, (keep the)

watch(-man).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

צָפָה (tsa.phah) — to watch.

1) to look out or about, spy, keep watch, observe, watch

1a)(Qal) to keep watch, spy

1b) (Piel) to watch, watch closely

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Piel-Impv-2fs — Conjunction · verb piel imperative second person feminine singular
HC/Vpv2fs
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

woch ('ashmurah, 'ashmoreth; phulake): A division of the night. The night was originally divided into three watches (Jud 7:19), but later into four, as we find in the New Testament (Mt 14:25; Mr 6:48). We do not know the limits of the watches in the first division, but the middle watch probably began two hours before midnight and ended two hours after. The fourfold division was according to the Roman system, each of which was a fourth part of the night.

See TIME.

"Watch" is also the guard placed on watch (mishmar, Ne 4:9; koustodia, from Latin custodia, Mt 27:65,66; 28:11). It sometimes refers to the act of watching, as in…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A division of the night. See HOURS.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ (A division of time)

See NIGHT TIME

Thompson Chain Reference topics

a guard

2Ki 11:7; Ne 4:9; Mt 27:65; 28:11

to [the] road stand and watch O inhabitant[s] of Aroer ask [a man who] flees and [a woman who] escapes say what? has it happened
יוֹשֶׁ֣בֶתyo.She.vet O inhabitant[s] of H3427 Verb · Qal · participle (active) feminine singular common
1,079× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to sit or dwell, and can also mean to remain or abide. It's used in the Bible to describe people living in a place or staying with someone, like in the book of Genesis.
Amplified meaning
inhabitant, resident
Tyndale gloss
to dwell
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָשַׁב (yashab) is a Hebrew verb meaning to sit, remain, or dwell. It encompasses a range of actions from simply sitting down to more complex ideas like establishing a home or causing a place to be inhabited. The entries indicate various forms, including Qal (to sit), Niphal (to be inhabited), and Hiphil (to cause to dwell). There is an Aramaic equivalent, יְתִב (ye.tiv), meaning 'to dwell'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָשַׁב 1090 vb. sit, remain, dwell

Qal

sit

sit, sit down

sit down

sit = be set (as a jewel)

remain, stay, tarry

with special emphasis of qualifying phr.

dwell, have one’s abode

of a land or city, sit, abide, seated in its place, fig. for be inhabited

Niph. be inhabited, of land

Pi. and they shall set their encampments in thee

Hiph.

cause to sit

cause to abide

cause to dwell

cause cities to be inhabited

marry (prop. give a dwelling to)

Hoph. and ye be made to dwell alone in the midst of the land

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3427 יָשַׁב sit, remain, dwell

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3427 yashab yaw-shab'

a primitive root; properly, to sit down (specifically as

judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to

remain; causatively, to settle, to marry:--(make to)

abide(-ing), continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-ing), ease

self, endure, establish, X fail, habitation, haunt, (make to)

inhabit(-ant), make to keep (house), lurking, X marry(-ing),

(bring again to) place, remain, return, seat, set(- tle),

(down-)sit(-down, still, -ting down, -ting (place) -uate),

take, tarry.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָשַׁב (ya.shav) — to dwell.

1) to dwell, remain, sit, abide

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to sit, sit down

1a2) to be set

1a3) to remain, stay

1a4) to dwell, have one's abode

1b) (Niphal) to be inhabited

1c) (Piel) to set, place

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to cause to sit

1d2) to cause to abide, set

1d3) to cause to dwell

1d4) to cause (cities) to be inhabited

1d5) to marry (give an dwelling to)

1e) (Hophal)

1e1) to be inhabited

1e2) to make to dwell

Aramaic equivalent: ye.tiv (יְתִב "to dwell" H3488)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal — Verb · Qal · participle (active) feminine singular common
HVqrfsc
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…

to [the] road stand and watch O inhabitant[s] of Aroer ask [a man who] flees and [a woman who] escapes say what? has it happened
עֲרוֹעֵ֑רa.ro.'Er Aroer H6177 Noun proper
16× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Aroer is a place name in the Bible, referring to three different locations in or near Palestine. The name means ruins, and it is mentioned in the book of Joshua. This place was significant in biblical times.
Amplified meaning
ruins, a place of desolation
Tyndale gloss
Aroer
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עֲרֹעֵר (Aroer) refers to a city name meaning "ruins". It denotes three locations: one on the northern bank of the Arnon River, another near Rabbah in Ammon, and a third in southern Judah. The entries suggest a geographical significance in the context of ancient Israelite territory.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עֲרֹעֵר 10, עֲרוֹעֵר 5, עַרְעֹר 1 n.pr.loc.

city on N. bank of Arnon, S. limit of E. Jordan Isr.

city near Rabbah in Ammon

city in S. Judah

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6177 עֲרֹעֵר, עֲרוֹעֵר, עַרְעֹר . city on N. bank of Arnon, S. limit of E. Jordan Isr.

. city near Rabbah in Ammon

. city in S. Judah

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6177 `Arow`er ar-o-ayr'

or `Aro`er {ar-o-ayr'}; or `Ar`owr {ar-ore'}; the same as

6176; nudity of situation; Aroer, the name of three places in

or near Palestine:--Aroer.

see HEBREW for 06176

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עֲרֹעֵר (a.ro.er) — Aroer.

Aroer = "ruins"

a city in Ammon near the Jabbok belonging to Gad

Also named: a.ro.e.ri (עֲרֹעֵרִי "Aroerite" H6200)

עֲרֹעֵר (a.ro.er) — Aroer.

§ Aroer = "ruins"

a city on the north bank of the river Arnon, the southern point of the territory of Sihon the king of the Amorites and later of Reuben; modern 'Arair'

עֲרֹעֵר (a.ro.er) — Aroer.

§ Aroer = "ruins"

a town in southern Judah

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

a-ro'-er (`aro'er; Aroer):

(1) A city of the Amorites which stood on the northern edge of the Arnon (De 2:36, etc.). Taken by Israel, it shared the vicissitudes of the country north of the river, and when last named (Jer 48:19) is again in the hands of Moab. It is one of the cities which Mesha claims to have built, i.e. fortified. It was within the territory allotted to Reuben, yet its building (fortification) is attributed to Gad (Nu 32:34). Thus far came the Syrian, Hazael, in his raid upon Israel (2Ki 10:33). The Roman road across the valley lay about an hour to the West of Khirbet `Ara`ir.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Aroer

Ruins. (1.) A town on the north bank of the Arnon (Deut. 4:48; Judg. 11:26; 2 Kings 10:33), the southern boundary of the kingdom of Sihon (Josh. 12:2). It is now called Arair, 13 miles west of the Dead Sea.

(2.) One of the towns built by the tribe of Gad (Num. 32:34) “before Rabbah” (Josh. 13:25), the Ammonite capital. It was famous in the history of Jephthah (Judg. 11:33) and of David (2 Sam. 24:5). (Comp.

(ruins). A city on the torrent Arnon, the southern point of the territory of Sihon king of the Amorites and afterwards of the tribe of Reuben, (2:36; 3:12; 4:48; Joshua 12:2; 13:9,16; Judges 11:26; 2 Kings 10:33; 1 Chronicles 5:8) but later again in possession of Moab. (Jeremiah 48:19) It is the modern Ara’ir , upon the very edge of the precipitous north bank of the Wady Mojeb . Aroer, "that is ’facing’ Rahbah" (Rabbah of Ammon), a town built by and belonging to Gad. (Numbers 32:34; Joshua 13:25;

1. An ancient city on the north side of the Arnon, in the southern border of the tribe of Reuben, De 2:36 4:48 Jos 13:9. It was in the territory of the Amorites, Jos 12:2, but seems to have fallen at a later day into the hands of Moab, Jer 48:19. See ARNON.

2. A town in the tribe of God, probably east of Rabbath-Ammon, Jos 13:25, and perhaps on the Jabbok, 2Sa 24:5. It is mentioned in Jud 11:33

to [the] road stand and watch O inhabitant[s] of Aroer ask [a man who] flees and [a woman who] escapes say what? has it happened
שַׁאֲלִי־sha.'a.li- ask H7592 Verb · Qal · imperative second person feminine singular
171× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To ask or inquire, this Hebrew word is used in the Bible to describe seeking information or requesting something. It can also mean to beg or borrow, and is used in many different contexts throughout the Old Testament. The KJV translates it as ask, beg, or borrow.
Amplified meaning
inquire, seek information from
Tyndale gloss
to ask
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׁאַל (sha'al) means to ask or inquire, often in the context of requesting a favor or borrowing. It covers a range of uses, including seeking counsel, consulting deities, and even begging. The verb can appear in different forms, such as asking for oneself or granting requests. There is a noted Aramaic equivalent, שְׁאֵל (she.el), meaning 'to ask'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁאַל 170 vb. ask, inquire

Qal

ask, ask for

specif. ask as a fovour, for temporary use, i.e. borrow

in weakened sense, seek, desire (late)

inquire of

inquire of, consult, deity, oracle, etc.

in weakened sense, seek, desire (late)

Niph. ask for oneself

Pi.

inquire carefully

beg, practise beggary

Hiph. (prop. let one ask [successfully], give, or lend, on request, then) grant, make over to (as a favour, with or without request)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7592 שָׁאַל ask, inquire .. . ask, ask for

. specif. ask as a fovour, for temporary use, i.e. borrow

. in weakened sense, seek, desire (late)

. . inquire of

. inquire of, consult, deity, oracle, etc.

. in weakened sense, seek, desire (late)

. ask for oneself

. . inquire carefully

. beg, practise beggary

. (prop. let one ask [successfully], give, or lend, on request, then) grant, make over to (as a favour, with or without request)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7592 sha'al shaw-al'

or shael {shaw-ale'}; a primitive root; to inquire; by

implication, to request; by extension, to demand:--ask

(counsel, on), beg, borrow, lay to charge, consult, demand,

desire, X earnestly, enquire, + greet, obtain leave, lend,

pray, request, require, + salute, X straitly, X surely, wish.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁאַל (sha.al) — to ask.

1) to ask, enquire, borrow, beg

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to ask, ask for

1a2) to ask (as a favour), borrow

1a3) to enquire, enquire of

1a4) to enquire of, consult (of deity, oracle)

1a5) to seek

1b) (Niphal) to ask for oneself, ask leave of absence

1c) (Piel)

1c1) to enquire, enquire carefully

1c2) to beg, practise beggary

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to be given on request

1d2) to grant, make over to, let (one) ask (successfully) or give or lend on request (then) grant or make over to

Aramaic equivalent: she.el (שְׁאֵל "to ask" H7593)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Impv-2fs — Verb · Qal · imperative second person feminine singular
HVqv2fs
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ask (sha'al "to inquire," "to seek for counsel," "to demand"): It is the word commonly used in the Old Testament and is equivalent to eperotao, "to request," used in the New Testament. It does not imply any inferiority on the part of the person asking (Ps 2:8). It is the Son who is bidden to ask, and therefore the word expresses the request of an equal. It has also the meaning "to inquire": "Wherefore .... ask after my name?" (Ge 32:29) signifying, "Surely you must know who I am." "Ye shall ask me no question" (Joh 16:23), i.e. "about the true meaning of My words, for all will then be clear to you" (Dummelow). aiteo, is the word commonly used with reference to prayer. It means "to ask," "to implore," and presents the…

to [the] road stand and watch O inhabitant[s] of Aroer ask [a man who] flees and [a woman who] escapes say what? has it happened
נָ֣סnas [a man who] flees H5127 Verb · Qal · participle (active) 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
one who is fleeing, running away, escaping
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 — Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine singular
HVqrmsa
to [the] road stand and watch O inhabitant[s] of Aroer ask [a man who] flees and [a woman who] escapes say what? has it happened
וְנִמְלָ֔טָהve.nim.La.tah and [a woman who] escapes H4422 Conjunction · verb niphal participle (active) feminine 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
one who has escaped, slipping away to safety
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
Conj | V-Niphal-Inf-c — Conjunction · verb niphal participle (active) feminine singular
HC/VNrfsa
to [the] road stand and watch O inhabitant[s] of Aroer ask [a man who] flees and [a woman who] escapes say what? has it happened
אִמְרִ֖י'im.Ri say H559 Verb · Qal · imperative second person feminine singular
5,309× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to say or speak, and it's used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to command, promise, or think, and it's translated in the KJV as 'answer', 'appoint', or 'command'.
Tyndale gloss
to say
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָמַר (amar) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to say' or 'to utter,' with a broad range of uses including to promise, command, or even boast. It appears in various forms, such as in the Qal (to say), Niphal (to be told), and Hiphil (to avow). The entries highlight its versatility in both spoken and internal contexts, though no specific verse is noted.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָמַר 5287 vb. utter, say

Qal

Say

Say in the heart (= think)

Promise

Command (esp. late)

Niph. be said, told

Hiph. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

Hithp. act proudly, boast

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H559 אָמַר utter, say .. Say

. Say in the heart (= think)

. Promise

. Command (esp. late)

. be said, told

. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

. act proudly, boast

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

559 'amar aw-mar'

a primitive root; to say (used with great

latitude):--answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call,

certify, challenge, charge, + (at the, give) command(-ment),

commune, consider, declare, demand, X desire, determine, X

expressly, X indeed, X intend, name, X plainly, promise,

publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), X still, X

suppose, talk, tell, term, X that is, X think, use (speech),

utter, X verily, X yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָמַר (a.mar) — to say.

1) to say, speak, utter

1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend

1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called

1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly

1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch

Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVqv2fs — Verb · Qal · imperative second person feminine singular
HVqv2fs
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
to [the] road stand and watch O inhabitant[s] of Aroer ask [a man who] flees and [a woman who] escapes say what? has it happened
מַה־mah- what? H4100 Pronoun
753× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means what or how, often used to ask questions or express surprise, like in Genesis when God asks Adam what he has done. It can also mean why or when, and is used in various ways throughout the Old Testament. It appears in many KJV translations, including how or what.
Amplified meaning
how, in what manner
Tyndale gloss
what?
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מָה (mah) is a Hebrew word primarily used as an interrogative particle meaning 'what?' or 'how?'. It can also function as an indefinite pronoun, encompassing meanings like 'anything' or 'whatever'. The word is versatile, appearing in various adverbial forms and often used with prefixes to express different nuances, such as reason or manner.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מָה, rarely מָה־, מַה־, מַה‍ּ, מֶה, מַ‍ּ, מָ—pron.interrog. and indef. what? how? aught

interrog. what?

Used adverbially

Indef. pron.

With preps.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4100 מָה, rarely מָה־, מַה־, מַה‍ּ, מֶה, מַ‍ּ, מָ—pron. interrog. and indef. what? how? aught . interrog. what?

. Used adverbially

. Indef. pron.

. With preps.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4100 mah maw

or mah {mah}; or ma {maw}; or ma {mah}; also meh {meh}; a

primitive particle; properly, interrogative what? (including

how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including

how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and even

relatively, that which); often used with prefixes in various

adverbial or conjunctive senses:--how (long, oft, (-

soever)), (no-)thing, what (end, good, purpose, thing),

whereby(-fore, -in, -to, -with), (for) why.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מָה (mah) — what?.

interr pron

1) what, how, of what kind

1a) (interrogative)

1a1) what?

1a2) of what kind

1a3) what? (rhetorical)

1a4) whatsoever, whatever, what

1b) (adverb)

1b1) how, how now

1b2) why

1b3) how! (exclamation)

1c) (with prep)

1c1) wherein?, whereby?, wherewith?, by what means?

1c2) because of what?

1c3) the like of what?

1c3a) how much?, how many?, how often?

1c3b) for how long?

1c4) for what reason?, why?, to what purpose?

1c5) until when?, how long?, upon what?, wherefore?

indef pron

2) anything, aught, what may

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part — Pronoun
HPi
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
to [the] road stand and watch O inhabitant[s] of Aroer ask [a man who] flees and [a woman who] escapes say what? has it happened
נִּֽהְיָֽתָה׃Nih.Ya.tah has it happened H1961 Verb · Niphal · perfect third person feminine singular
3,562× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for to be means to exist or come into being. It is used to describe something that happens or comes to pass, like in Genesis where God creates the world.
Amplified meaning
occurred, come to pass
Tyndale gloss
to be
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

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

Qal

Fall out, happen

occur, take place, come about, come to pass

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

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

rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה

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

Come into being, become

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

sq. prep.

become

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

sq. pred. adj.

become like

sq. pred. לְ pers.

sq. לְ pred.

oft. c. לְ pred. לְ pers.

with עַל and לְ

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

Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming)

exist, be in existence

abide, remain, continue

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

as copula, joining subj. & pred.

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

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

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

. rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה

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

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

. sq. prep.

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

. sq. pred. adj.

. become like

. sq. pred. + לְ pers.

. sq. לְ pred.

. oft. c. לְ pred. + לְ pers.

. with עַל and לְ

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

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

. abide, remain, continue

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1961 hayah haw-yaw

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

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

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

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

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

(one-)self, require, X use.

see HEBREW for 01933

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הָיָה (ha.yah) — to be.

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

1a) (Qal)

1a1) ---

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

1a1b) to come about, come to pass

1a2) to come into being, become

1a2a) to arise, appear, come

1a2b) to become

1a2b1) to become

1a2b2) to become like

1a2b3) to be instituted, be established

1a3) to be

1a3a) to exist, be in existence

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

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

1a3d) to accompany, be with

1b) (Niphal)

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

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Niphal-Perf-3fs — Verb · Niphal · perfect third person feminine singular
HVNp3fs
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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