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Job 10:9 — Word Study

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WLCזְכָר־ נָ֭א כִּי־ כַחֹ֣מֶר עֲשִׂיתָ֑נִי וְֽאֶל־ עָפָ֥ר תְּשִׁיבֵֽנִי׃

BSAPleasenâʼ [I pray, I beseech] rememberzâkar [to recall, to mark] thatkîy You molded meʻâsâh [fashioned, shaped] like claychômer [as, a dry measure, a heap of material] Would You now return meshûwb [bring back, turn] toʼêl [towards, into] dustʻâphâr [dry earth]

Word
Listen & take awayJob 10
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 9 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 (te.shi.Ve.ni) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Job 10:9quick helps
In a sentenceJob pleads with God to remember His creation of him from clay and questions whether He will return him to dust.
Who is speakingJob, expressing his anguish and seeking God's attention.
Where we areJob is in a moment of deep reflection and desperation, questioning his existence.
The hard wordזָכַר
Take awayJob acknowledges his creation from clay and the inevitability of returning to dust.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbזָכַר 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 — Job 10:9

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 — Job's Plea for Remembrancegenerated

8Your hands shaped me and altogether formed me. Would You now turn and destroy me?
9Please remember that You molded me like clay. Would You now return me to dust?
10Did You not pour me out like milk, and curdle me like cheese?
11You clothed me with skin and flesh, and knit me together with bones and sinews.

Job 10:9 captures Job's heartfelt plea to God, asking Him to remember that He molded Job from clay. This moment reflects Job's deep sense of vulnerability and his desire for God to acknowledge his existence and the fragility of life. The surrounding verses (Job 10:8-11) emphasize Job's awareness of his creation and the delicate nature of human life, as he grapples with suffering and seeks understanding from God.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Job 7:7Remember that my life is but a breath. My eyes will never again see happiness.
2Psalm 25:6–7Remember, O LORD, Your compassion and loving devotion, for they are from age to age.
3Psalm 89:47Remember the briefness of my lifespan! For what futility You have created all men!
4Psalm 106:4Remember me, O LORD, in Your favor to Your people; visit me with Your salvation,
5Genesis 2:7Then the LORD God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed the breath of life into his nostrils, and the man became a living being.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 14 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word זָכַר, ze.khor-generated

The Hebrew word זָכַר (zakar) is a verb meaning 'to remember.' It is derived from a root implying recognition and encompasses a range of meanings, including recalling thoughts and commemorating events. In this context, Job is imploring God to acknowledge His act of creation, highlighting the deep relational aspect of memory in the divine-human interaction.

The imperative form used here indicates a direct request, underscoring Job's desperation. Job's plea is not merely for God to remember in a passive sense, but to actively engage with his plight, reflecting the emotional weight of his situation.


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 two main clauses, with the finite verbs זְכָר and תְּשִׁיבֵֽנִי framing Job's requests. The first clause expresses Job's plea for God to remember his creation, while the second poses a rhetorical question about returning to dust.

The order emphasizes Job's urgent request for divine acknowledgment before transitioning to his existential concern about mortality, reflecting the weight of his emotional state.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates זָכַר as μνήσθητι (mnēstheti), which carries a similar meaning of 'remember' but may imply a more formal or liturgical context. This choice highlights the continuity of the theme of remembrance in both the Hebrew and Greek traditions.

The use of μνήσθητι suggests an appeal to God's active engagement in remembering, aligning with Job's desire for recognition and intervention.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Job 10:9 shows Job asking God to remember that He made him from clay and questioning if He will return him to dust. This reflects Job's deep concern about his existence and mortality, as he seeks God's acknowledgment of his creation.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does Job mean by asking God to remember him?

Job is pleading with God to acknowledge His creation of him from clay, reflecting his desire for God to engage with his suffering and existence.

Why does Job refer to himself as being made from clay?

Job uses the imagery of clay to highlight his fragility and the divine act of creation, emphasizing the human condition and mortality.

What is the significance of returning to dust in Job's plea?

Returning to dust signifies mortality and the transient nature of human life, a theme that Job grapples with throughout his discourse.

How does this verse connect to other biblical themes?

This verse connects to themes of creation and mortality found in other passages, such as Genesis 2:7, where God forms man from dust, and Psalm 103:14, which reminds us of our human frailty.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways do I see my own fragility reflected in Job's plea?
  2. How can I remember the moments when I felt God's presence in my life, similar to Job's request?
  3. What does it mean for me to acknowledge my creation and purpose in God's eyes?
  4. How can I engage with others who are struggling with their existence and worth, as Job did?

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

Gregory the Dialogist references this verse to discuss the nature of creation and the relationship between God and humanity, highlighting the significance of remembering our origins.

Gregory the DialogistMorals on the Book of Job, Book IX c. 540–604
Remember, I pray Thee, that Thou hast made me as the clay. The spirits of the Angels did for this reason sin without forgiveness, because they might have stood the stronger in proportion as no mixture with flesh held them in bonds.
Early Church Fathers on Job 10 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Job 10:9 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast made me as the clay,.... Not of the clay, though man was made originally of the dust of the earth, and the bodies of men are houses of clay, earthen vessels,

Read John Gill on Job 10 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast made me as the clay; and wilt thou bring me into dust again? Clay.

Read Robert Jamieson on Job 10 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

As the clay, i.e. of the clay; the note of similitude here expressing the truth of things, as it doth , and elsewhere, as hath been before observed. Or, as a potter maketh a vessel of the clay; and so this may note both the frailty of man’ s nature, which of itself decays and perisheth, and doth not need such violent shocks and storms to overthrow it; and the excellency of the Divine artifice, commended from the meanness of the materials out of which it was made; which is an argument why God should not destroy it. Wilt thou bring me into dust again? wilt thou now causelessly and violently destroy thy own work? But the words are and may be read without an interrogation, and thou wilt bring…

Read Matthew Poole on Job 10 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Job 10:9 Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast made me as the clay; and wilt thou bring me into dust again?Ver. 9. Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast made me as the clay] Remembrance and foreknowledge are not properly in God. But he is said to remember us when he relieveth us, Psalms 136:23; Psalms 9:18 1 Samuel 1:19. "That thou hast made me," &c., viz. in those protoplasts, my first parents, formed out of the ground, Genesis 2:7, whence the heathen philosopher could say, that man is nothing else but a piece of clay weakly made up: or thou hast wrought me like clay, sc. in the womb, where thou hast framed and formed my body, as the potter worketh his clay, well tempered, into an…

Read John Trapp on Job 10 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 9. Thou hast made me as the clay] Thou hast fashioned me, according to thy own mind, out of a mass of clay: after so much skill and pains expended, men might naturally suppose they were to have a permanent being; but thou hast decreed to turn them into dust!

Read AdamClarke on Job 10 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

9. The figure is that of a potter who has lavished infinite care upon his vessel, and now reduces his work of elaborate skill and exquisite ornament into dust again.

Read Cambridge on Job 10 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast made me as the clay - There is evident allusion here to the creation of man, and to the fact that he was moulded from the dust of the earth - a fact which

Read Albert Barnes on Job 10 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

9. As the clay — A favourite figure of the Scripture, Job 33:6; Isaiah 29:16; Isaiah 45:9; Jeremiah 18:6; Romans 9:20-21.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Job 10 →

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

Please remember that You molded me like clay. Would You now return me to dust?

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Remember, I beg you, that you have fashioned me as clay. Will you bring me into dust again?

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Please remember that You molded me like clay. Would You now return me to dust?

NETBNew English Translation2006

Remember that you have made me as with the clay; will you return me to dust?

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast made me as the clay; and wilt thou bring me into dust again?

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast fashioned me as clay; And wilt thou bring me into dust again?

RVARevised Version, American1894

Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast fashioned me as clay; and wilt thou bring me into dust again?

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast made me as the clay; and wilt thou bring me into dust again?

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Remember, I pray thee, that thou hast made me as the clay, and wilt thou bring me into dust againe?

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast made me as clay, and wilt bring me into dust again.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Remember, I pray Thee, That as clay Thou hast made me, And unto dust Thou dost bring me back.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Please remember || That You have made me as clay, || And You bring me back to dust.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Remember, I beseech thee, that as though I were clay hast thou made me; and wilt thou cause me to return again unto the dust?

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Call to mind, I beg you, that you have fashioned me like clay; will you bring me into dust again?

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast made me as the clay, and thou wilt bring me into dust again.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Remember that you shaped me like a piece of clay—are you now going to turn me back into dust?

BBEBible in Basic English1949

O keep in mind that you made me out of earth; and will you send me back again to dust?

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.

clauseverbזְכָרrememberadverbialנָ֭אpleaseclause · objectכִּי(dm).thatclauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalכַlikenoun phrase(the)חֹ֣מֶרclayverbעֲשִׂיתָ֑youobjectנִיmade.meוְֽandclauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalאֶלtoעָפָ֥רdustverbתְּשִׁיבֵֽwillobjectנִיyou.turn.me.back?

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 seven of the eight words matched. This consistency indicates a strong preservation of Job's plea across textual traditions, though the Septuagint's word order differs, reflecting its own syntactical structure.

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

זְכָר־ נָ֭א כִּי־ כַחֹ֣מֶר עֲשִׂיתָ֑נִי וְֽאֶל־ עָפָ֥ר תְּשִׁיבֵֽנִי׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
נָ֭אμνήσθητιכִּי־ὅτιכַחֹ֣מֶרπηλόνעֲשִׂיתָ֑נִיμεוְֽאֶל־εἰςעָפָ֥רγῆνתְּשִׁיבֵֽנִי׃^

7 of the 8 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.

Job 10:9זָכַרrememberrememberזָכַרנָאpleasepleaseנָאכִּיthatthatכִּיחֹ֫מֶרlike claylike clayחֹ֫מֶרעָשָׂהyou made meyou made meעָשָׂהאֶלand toand toאֶלעָפָרdustdustעָפָרשׁוּבwill you tuwill you turn bשׁוּבזָכָרmalemaleזָכָרחָמַרto aggitatto aggitateחָמַרעָפַרto throwto throwעָפַרעָוֹןiniquity: iniquity: crimeעָוֹןבְּרִיתcovenantcovenantבְּרִיתחֵןfavorfavorחֵןעַתָּ֫הnownowעַתָּ֫היָדַעto knowto knowיָדַעבַּתbathbathבַּתמְלָאכָהworkworkמְלָאכָהתּוֹעֵבַהabominatioabominationתּוֹעֵבַהפָּלַלto prayto prayפָּלַליִרְמְיָ֫הJeremiahJeremiahיִרְמְיָ֫האֵ֫פֶרashesashesאֵ֫פֶרשְׁבִיתcaptivitycaptivityשְׁבִיתחָרוֹןburning anburning angerחָרוֹן
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 Job 10:9

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.

remember please that like clay you made me and to dust will you turn back? me
זְכָר־ze.khor- remember H2142 Verb · Qal · imperative second person masculine singular
232× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To remember means to recall or mark something, like God remembering his covenant with Abraham in Genesis 9:1 and Exodus 2:24.
Amplified meaning
to recall, to mark
Tyndale gloss
to remember
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word זָכַר (zakar) means 'to remember' and is built from a primitive root implying recognition. It covers a range of meanings, including recalling thoughts, commemorating days, and causing others to remember. The entries also note its use in various grammatical forms, such as being remembered or making a memorial.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

זָכַר vb. remember

Qal

Human subj.

remember, recall, call to mind, usu. as affecting present feeling, thought or action

remember persons (human subj.)

remember י׳

remember

think of or on, call to mind something present or future

remember a day, to observe, commemorate it

remember, with implied mention of, obj.

Subj. י׳ (אלהִם)

remember persons

remember the distress of his servants

their devotion

remember his own covenant (with them)

his mercy

extenuating circumstances

remember sins, idolatries

Niph.

be brought to remembrance, remembered, thought of, usu. c. neg.

neg. be not remembered = no longer exist, of name of Israel, as nation

be remembered, of particular days, in order to be observed, commemorated

Hiph.

cause to remember, remind

cause to be remembered, keep in remembrance

mention

record, only pt.

of sacrifice, make a memorial

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2142 זָכַר remember .. Human subj. . remember, recall, call to mind, usu. as affecting present feeling, thought or action

. remember persons (human subj.)

. remember י׳

. remember

. think of or on, call to mind something present or future

. remember a day, to observe, commemorate it

. remember, with implied mention of, obj.

. Subj. י׳ (אלהִם) . remember persons

. . remember the distress of his servants

. their devotion

. . remember his own covenant (with them)

. his mercy

. extenuating circumstances

. remember sins, idolatries

. . be brought to remembrance, remembered, thought of, usu. c. neg.

. neg. be not remembered = no longer exist, of name of Israel, as nation

. be remembered, of particular days, in order to be observed, commemorated

. . cause to remember, remind

. cause to be remembered, keep in remembrance

. mention

. record, only pt.

. of sacrifice, make a memorial

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2142 zakar zaw-kar'

a primitive root; properly, to mark (so as to be recognized),

i.e. to remember; by implication, to mention; also (as

denominative from 2145) to be male:--X burn (incense), X

earnestly, be male, (make) mention (of), be mindful, recount,

record(-er), remember, make to be remembered, bring (call,

come, keep, put) to (in) remembrance, X still, think on, X

well.

see HEBREW for 02145

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

זָכַר (za.khar) — to remember.

1) to remember, recall, call to mind

1a) (Qal) to remember, recall

1b) (Niphal) to be brought to remembrance, be remembered, be thought of, be brought to mind

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to cause to remember, remind

1c2) to cause to be remembered, keep in remembrance

1c3) to mention

1c4) to record

1c5) to make a memorial, make remembrance

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Impv-2ms — Verb · Qal · imperative second person masculine singular
HVqv2ms
remember please that like clay you made me and to dust will you turn back? me
נָ֭אna' please H4994 Particle
404× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word 'nâ'' is used to express a polite request, like 'please' or 'I pray', and is often added to verbs to make them more polite. In the Bible, it appears in passages like Ezra's reading of the law to the people.
Amplified meaning
I pray, I beseech
Tyndale gloss
please
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נָא (na') is a Hebrew particle used primarily for entreaty or exhortation, meaning 'I pray,' 'now,' or 'please.' It often appears attached to verbs in the imperative or future forms, and can also modify interjections, adverbs, or conjunctions. The entries consistently emphasize its role in expressing a plea or request.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נָא part. of entreaty or exhortation, I (we) pray, now (enclitic)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4994 נָא I (we) pray, now (enclitic)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4994 na' naw

a primitive particle of incitement and entreaty, which may

usually be rendered: "I pray," "now," or "then"; added mostly

to verbs (in the Imperative or Future), or to interjections,

occasionally to an adverb or conjunction:--I beseech (pray)

thee (you), go to, now, oh.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָא (na) — please.

1) I (we) pray, now, please

1a) used in entreaty or exhortation

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part — Particle
HTj
remember please that like clay you made me and to dust will you turn back? me
כִּי־ki- that H3588 Particle
4,483× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A conjunction used to show cause or connection, as in Genesis 2:23 where Adam says the woman is bone of his bone because she was taken out of him. It is often translated as 'for', 'because', or 'since'.
Tyndale gloss
for
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כִּי conj. that, for, when

that

Of time, when, of the past

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

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

Because, since

base

כִּי אם־

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

that if

for if

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

limiting the prec. clause, except

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

after an oath, surely

base

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3588a כִּי that, for, when . that

. . Of time, when, of the past

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

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

. Because, since

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

. for if

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

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

. after an oath, surely

H3588c כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3588 kiy kee

a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional

prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

whether, while, whom, yea, yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כִּי (ki) — for.

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

1a) that

1a1) yea, indeed

1b) when (of time)

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

1c) because, since (causal connection)

1d) but (after negative)

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

1f) but rather, but

1g) except that

1h) only, nevertheless

1i) surely

1j) that is

1k) but if

1l) for though

1m) forasmuch as, for therefore

כִּי [אם] (ki im) — that if: except.

1) except if

1a) but if

1b) even though

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

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

1a) that

1a1) yea, indeed

1b) when (of time)

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

1c) because, since (causal connection)

1d) but (after negative)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj — Particle
HTc
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
remember please that like clay you made me and to dust will you turn back? me
כַחֹ֣מֶרkha.Cho.mer like clay H2563 Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
31× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word refers to a dry measure, about 65 gallons, or a heap of material like clay or mire. It is used in the Bible to describe measurements and substances.
Amplified meaning
as, a dry measure, a heap of material
Tyndale gloss
clay
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חֹ֫מֶר (chomer) refers to cement, mortar, clay, and also denotes a heap or a unit of dry measure (homer). It is built from the idea of bubbling up, relating to water or earth. The entries indicate its use in various contexts, including construction and measurement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חֹ֫מֶר n.m. cement, mortar, clay

base

חֹ֫מֶר n.[m.] heap

base

חֹ֫מֶר n.m. homer, a dry measure

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2563a חֹ֫מֶר cement, mortar, clay H2563b חֹ֫מֶר heap H2563c חֹ֫מֶר homer, a dry measure

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2563 chomer kho'mer

from 2560; properly, a bubbling up, i.e. of water, a wave; of

earth, mire or clay (cement); also a heap; hence, a chomer or

dry measure:--clay, heap, homer, mire, motion.

see HEBREW for 02560

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חֹ֫מֶר (cho.mer) — clay.

1) cement, mortar, clay

1a) mortar, cement

1b) clay

1c) mire

חֹ֫מֶר (cho.mer) — heap.

2) heap

2a) swelling, surging (of water)

חֹ֫מֶר (cho.mer) — homer.

homer-a unit of dry measure about 65 imperial gallons (300 l)

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

kla (chomer, chacaph, TiT, meleT, `abhi, ma`abheh, abhTiT; pelos, "wet clay," "mud"): True clay, which is a highly aluminous soil, is found in certain localities in Palestine, and is used in making pottery. The Hebrew and Greek words, as well as the English "clay," are, however, used loosely for any sticky mud. In making mud bricks, true clay is not always used, but ordinary soil is worked up with water and mixed with straw, molded and left to dry in the sun. Chomer (compare chmar, "slime" or "bitumen") is rendered both "clay" and "mortar." TiT is rendered "clay" or "mire." In Isa 41:25 we have: "He shall come upon rulers as upon mortar (chomer), and as the potter treadeth clay" (TiT). In Na 3:14, "Go into the clay (TiT), and tread the mortar (chomer); make strong the brickkiln"…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Clay

This word is used of sediment found in pits or in streets (Isa. 57:20; Jer. 38:60), of dust mixed with spittle (John 9:6), and of potter’s clay (Isa. 41:25; Nah. 3:14; Jer. 18:1-6; Rom. 9:21). Clay was used for sealing (Job 38:14; Jer. 32:14). Our Lord’s tomb may have been thus sealed (Matt. 27:66). The practice of sealing doors with clay is still…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

As the sediment of water remaining in pits or in streets, the word is used frequently in the Old Testament. (Psalms 18:42; Isaiah 57:20; Jeremiah 38:6) and in the New Testament, (John 9:6) a mixture of sand or dust with spittle. It is also found in the sense of potter’s clay. (Isaiah 41:25) The great seat of the pottery of the present day in Palestine is Gaza, where are made the vessels in dark-blue clay so frequently met with. Another use of clay was for sealing. (Job 38:14) Our Lord’s tomb may have been thus sealed, (Matthew 27:66) as also the earthen vessel containing the evidences of Jeremiah’s purchase. (

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Designed for earthenware was trodden by the feet to mix it well, Isa 41:25, was molded on a wheel, and then baked in a kiln, Jer 18:3 43:9. The potter’s art is referred to in Scripture to illustrate man’s dependence upon God, Isa 64:8 Ro 9:21. See POTTER. Clay seems to have been also used in sealing, as wax is with us, Job 38:14. The bricks of Babylon are found marked with a large seal or stamp, and modern travellers find the locks of doors in eastern khans and granaries sealed on the outside with clay.

remember please that like clay you made me and to dust will you turn back? me
עֲשִׂיתָ֑נִי'a.si.Ta.ni you made me H6213 Verb qal perfect second person masculine singular · suffix
2,629× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to make or do something, and is used over 2,600 times in the Bible. It is first used in Genesis 1:7 to describe God's creation of the world and is also used in Exodus 31:5 to describe the work of skilled craftsmen.
Amplified meaning
fashioned, shaped
Tyndale gloss
to make
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עָשָׂה (asah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to do or make, encompassing a wide range of actions such as producing, preparing, and observing. It can refer to both concrete and abstract activities, including making offerings and attending to tasks. The verb also has forms indicating passive meanings, such as being made or offered. Notably, the Piel form refers to pressing or squeezing.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עָשָׂה 2622 vb. do, make

Qal 2524

do (1560 t.)

deal with

oft. in phr. do kindness with

abs. act, act with effect

make (670 t.)

produce, yield

prepare, esp. of dressing and cooking food

make offering

attend to, put in order

observe, celebrate, religious festival

acquire property of various kinds

appoint priests

bring about of י׳’s effecting a deliverance

use

spend, pass, days of life

Niph.

97be done

be made, of concr. things

be produced from vine

be prepared, of food

be offered

be observed, passover

be used

Pu. I was made

base

[עָשָׂה] vb. Pi. press, squeeze

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6213a עָשָׂה do, make .. . do (1560 + t.)

. deal with

. oft. in phr. do kindness with

. abs. act, act with effect

. . make (670 + t.)

. produce, yield

. prepare, esp. of dressing and cooking food

. make offering

. attend to, put in order

. observe, celebrate, religious festival

. acquire property of various kinds

. appoint priests

. bring about of י׳’s effecting a deliverance

. use

. spend, pass, days of life

. . be done

. . be made, of concr. things

. be produced from vine

. be prepared, of food

. be offered

. be observed, passover

. be used

. I was made

H6213b עָשָׂה Pi. press, squeeze

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6213 `asah aw-saw'

a primitive root; to do or make, in the broadest sense and

widest application (as follows):--accomplish, advance,

appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth,

bruise, be busy, X certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal

(with), deck, + displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in)

execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, + feast, (fight-)ing man, +

finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go

about, govern, grant, great, + hinder, hold ((a feast)), X

indeed, + be industrious, + journey, keep, labour, maintain,

make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, + officer, pare,

bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure,

provide, put, requite, X sacrifice, serve, set, shew, X sin,

spend, X surely, take, X thoroughly, trim, X very, + vex, be

(warr-)ior, work(-man), yield, use.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עָשָׂה (a.sah) — to make: do.

: do/perform

1) to do, fashion, accomplish, make

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to do, work, make, produce

1a1a) to do

1a1b) to work

1a1c) to deal (with)

1a1d) to act, act with effect, effect

1a2) to make

1a2a) to make

1a2b) to produce

1a2c) to prepare

1a2d) to make (an offering)

1a2e) to attend to, put in order

1a2f) to observe, celebrate

1a2g) to acquire (property)

1a2h) to appoint, ordain, institute

1a2i) to bring about

1a2j) to use

1a2k) to spend, pass

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be done

1b2) to be made

1b3) to be produced

1b4) to be offered

1b5) to be observed

1b6) to be used

1c) (Pual) to be made

עָשָׂה (a.sah) — to press.

(Piel) to press, squeeze

עָשָׂה (a.sah) — to make.

: make(OBJECT)

1) to do, fashion, accomplish, make

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to do, work, make, produce

1a1a) to do

1a1b) to work

1a1c) to deal (with)

1a1d) to act, act with effect, effect

1a2) to make

1a2a) to make

1a2b) to produce

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-2ms | Suff — Verb qal perfect second person masculine singular · suffix
HVqp2ms/Sp1bs
remember please that like clay you made me and to dust will you turn back? me
וְֽאֶל־ve.'el- and to H413 Conjunction · 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'.
Amplified meaning
towards, into
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
Conj | Prep — Conjunction · preposition
HC/R
remember please that like clay you made me and to dust will you turn back? me
עָפָ֥ר'a.Far dust H6083 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
110× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Aphar means dust or dry earth, and is also used to describe clay, earth, or mortar. It appears in various forms throughout the Bible.
Amplified meaning
dry earth
Tyndale gloss
dust
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עָפָר (aphar) refers to dry earth or dust, encompassing meanings such as powder, ashes, and rubbish. It is derived from a root meaning to be dry and is used in various contexts, including clay and mortar. The entries consistently highlight its association with loose earth and debris.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עָפָר n.m. dry earth, dust

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6083 עָפָר dry earth, dust

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6083 `aphar aw-fawr'

from 6080; dust (as powdered or gray); hence, clay, earth,

mud:--ashes, dust, earth, ground, morter, powder, rubbish.

see HEBREW for 06080

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עָפָר (a.phar) — dust.

1) dry earth, dust, powder, ashes, earth, ground, mortar, rubbish

1a) dry or loose earth

1b) debris

1c) mortar

1d) ore

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

dust (`aphar; koniortos, chous): Small particles of earth. The word has several figurative and symbolic meanings:

(1) Dust being the material out of which God is said to have formed man (Ge 2:7), it became a symbol of man's frailty (Ps 103:14, "For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust"; compare Ge 18:27; Job 4:19, etc.), and of his mortality (Ge 3:19, "Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return"; compare Job 34:15; Ps 104:29; Ec 3:20

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Dust

Storms of sand and dust sometimes overtake Eastern travellers. They are very dreadful, many perishing under them. Jehovah threatens to bring on the land of Israel, as a punishment for forsaking him, a rain of “powder and dust” (Deut. 28:24).

To cast dust on the head was a sign of mourning (Josh. 7:6); and to sit in dust, of extreme affliction (Isa. 47:1). “Dust” is used to denote the grave (Job 7:21). “To shake off the dust from one’s feet” against another is to renounce all future intercourse with him (Matt. 10:14; Acts 13:51). To “lick the dust” is a sign of…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

[MOURNING]

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Jos 7:6. Dust or ashes put upon the head was a sign of mourning; sitting in the dust, a sign of affliction, La 3:29 Isa 47:1. "Dust" is also put for the grave, Ge 3:19 Job 7:21. It signifies a multitude, Ge 13:16, and a low and mean condition, 1Sa 2:8. We have two remarkable instances of casting dust recorded in Scripture, and they seem to illustrate a practice common in Asia: those who demanded justice against a criminal were accustomed to throw dust upon him, signifying that he deserved to be cast into the grave.…

remember please that like clay you made me and to dust will you turn back? me
תְּשִׁיבֵֽנִי׃te.shi.Ve.ni will you turn back? me H7725 Verb hiphil imperfect second person masculine singular · suffix
1,057× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to return or turn back, and can be used literally or figuratively. It is often used to describe someone returning to God or repenting from sin, as seen in the book of Psalms and the prophets.
Amplified meaning
bring back, turn
Tyndale gloss
to return: return
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word שׁוּב (shuwb) means to turn back or return, covering a wide range of contexts including physical, spiritual, and relational. It can denote returning to a previous state, repenting, or even apostatizing. The entries describe various forms and uses, including bringing back, restoring, and refreshing. Notably, it can also imply a change in course of action.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שׁוּב 1056 vb. turn back, return

Qal 683;—turn back, return:

turn back

return, come or go back

esp. return unto

of dying

of revival from death

fig. of human relations:

return to leader, king

= change so as to appoach (in purpose, desire)

turn, i.e. resort to

return to a physical condition

abs. = change course of action

fig., specif. of spiritual relations:

turn back from God = apostatize

of י׳, turn away

turn back to God (= seek penitently)

abs. repent

turn back from evil

of י׳

of י׳, return (to shew favour)

of inanimate things (sts. personified, or treated as things of life):

denoting repetition, etc.

trans.

Pō‛l.

bring back

fig. restore, refresh

restore, repair

lead away (enticingly)

shew turning = apostatize

Hiph. 353 cause to return, bring back

bring back into bondage

put back

= draw back

= give back, restore

= relinguish

= give in payment, requital

bring one back (from dead)

bring back heart

= refresh

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7725 שׁוּב turn back, return .—turn back, return: . turn back

. return, come or go back

. esp. return unto

. . of dying

. of revival from death

. fig. of human relations: . return to leader, king

. = change so as to appoach (in purpose, desire)

. turn, i.e. resort to

. return to a physical condition

. abs. = change course of action

. fig., specif. of spiritual relations: . turn back from God = apostatize

. of י׳, turn away

. turn back to God (= seek penitently)

. abs. repent

. turn back from evil

. of י׳

. of י׳, return (to shew favour)

. of inanimate things (sts. personified, or treated as things of life):

. denoting repetition, etc.

. trans.

. . bring back

. . fig. restore, refresh

. restore, repair

. lead away (enticingly)

. shew turning = apostatize

. cause to return, bring back . . bring back into bondage

. put back

. = draw back

. = give back, restore

. = relinguish

. = give in payment, requital

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7725 shuwb shoob

a primitive root; to turn back (hence, away) transitively or

intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily

with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to

retreat; often adverbial, again:--((break, build, circumcise,

dig, do anything, do evil, feed, lay down, lie down, lodge,

make, rejoice, send, take, weep)) X again, (cause to) answer

(+ again), X in any case (wise), X at all, averse, bring

(again, back, home again), call (to mind), carry again (back),

cease, X certainly, come again (back), X consider, +

continually, convert, deliver (again), + deny, draw back,

fetch home again, X fro, get (oneself) (back) again, X give

(again), go again (back, home), (go) out, hinder, let, (see)

more, X needs, be past, X pay, pervert, pull in again, put

(again, up again), recall, recompense, recover, refresh,

relieve, render (again), requite, rescue, restore, retrieve,

Read the full entry →
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שׁוּב (shuv) — to return: return.

: return

1) to return, turn back

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to turn back, return

1a1a) to turn back

1a1b) to return, come or go back

1a1c) to return unto, go back, come back

1a1d) of dying

1a1e) of human relations (fig)

1a1f) of spiritual relations (fig)

1a1f1) to turn back (from God), apostatise

1a1f2) to turn away (of God)

1a1f3) to turn back (to God), repent

1a1f4) turn back (from evil)

1a1g) of inanimate things

1a1h) in repetition

1b) (Polel)

1b1) to bring back

1b2) to restore, refresh, repair (fig)

1b3) to lead away (enticingly)

1b4) to show turning, apostatise

1c) (Pual) restored (participle)

1d) (Hiphil) to cause to return, bring back

1d1) to bring back, allow to return, put back, draw back, give back, restore, relinquish, give in payment

1d2) to bring back, refresh, restore

1d3) to bring back, report to, answer

1d4) to bring back, make requital, pay (as recompense)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Hiphil-Imperf-2ms | Suff — Verb hiphil imperfect second person masculine singular · suffix
HVhi2ms/Sp1bs
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
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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