Menu

Job 15:31 — Word Study

Depth

WLCאַל־ יַאֲמֵ֣ן בַּשָּׁ֣יו נִתְעָ֑ה כִּי־ שָׁ֝֗וְא תִּהְיֶ֥ה תְמוּרָתֽוֹ׃

BSALet him notʼal [by no means, under any circumstance] deceive himselftâʻâh with trustʼâman in emptinessshâvᵉʼ [relying on, having faith in, vanity, falsehood, something empty, useless, or deceitful] forkîy [because, since] emptinessshâvᵉʼ [futility, worthlessness] will behâyâh his rewardtᵉmûwrâh [recompense, compensation]

Word
Listen & take awayJob 15
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 31 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.mu.ra.To) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Job 15:31quick helps
In a sentenceThe verse warns against self-deception through misplaced trust in emptiness, indicating that such trust leads to futility.
Who is speakingJob, in a discourse on the futility of false trust.
Where we areThis verse is part of Job's response to his friends, discussing the consequences of false beliefs.
The hard wordשָׁוְא
Take awayTrusting in emptiness leads to a worthless outcome.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbאָמַן 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 15:31

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 Discourse on False Trustgenerated

30He will not escape from the darkness; the flame will wither his shoots, and the breath of God’s mouth will carry him away.
31Let him not deceive himself with trust in emptiness, for emptiness will be his reward.
32It will be paid in full before his time, and his branch will not flourish.
33He will be like a vine stripped of its unripe grapes, like an olive tree that sheds its blossoms.

Job 15:31 is part of a larger argument where Job addresses the futility of trusting in falsehoods. He emphasizes that reliance on emptiness not only deceives oneself but also results in a worthless reward. This context is crucial as Job contrasts the wisdom of true faith against the backdrop of his friends' misguided beliefs, echoing themes found throughout the book of Job.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Job 12:16True wisdom and power belong to Him. The deceived and the deceiver are His.
2Isaiah 44:20He feeds on ashes. His deluded heart has led him astray, and he cannot deliver himself or say, “Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?”
3Galatians 6:3–7If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
4Ephesians 5:6Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things the wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience.
5Psalm 62:10Place no trust in extortion, or false hope in stolen goods. If your riches increase, do not set your heart upon them.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 12 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word שָׁוְא, ba.shovgenerated

The word שָׁוְא (shav) means emptiness or vanity and conveys ideas of falsehood and worthlessness. It is often used to describe something that is devoid of value, such as empty promises or deceptive idols.

In this verse, it highlights the danger of trusting in something that ultimately has no substance or truth, reinforcing the message that such trust leads to futility.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

Translations generally agree on the meaning of שָׁוְא, with the BSB using emptiness, which is echoed in the KJV and ASV.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb יַאֲמֵ֣ן (he trusts) governs the structure, with a prepositional phrase בַּשָּׁ֣יו (in worthlessness) describing the object of trust. The clause is followed by a subordinate clause that explains the consequence of such trust.

The structure emphasizes the relationship between trust and its outcome, with the main clause clearly stating the action and the subsequent clauses detailing the implications.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates שָׁוְא as κενὰ, which means 'empty' or 'void.' This choice reflects a similar understanding of the concept of emptiness, emphasizing the lack of substance in what is being trusted.

This translation aligns with the Hebrew meaning but also highlights the Greek perspective on the futility of relying on falsehoods.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Job 15:31 warns against self-deception through trust in emptiness, stating that such trust will lead to a worthless reward. It highlights the futility of relying on falsehoods and emphasizes the importance of true faith.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean to trust in emptiness?

Trusting in emptiness refers to relying on falsehoods or things that lack substance, which ultimately leads to disappointment.

How does this verse relate to the overall message of Job?

This verse reflects Job's struggle against the false beliefs of his friends, emphasizing that true wisdom lies in recognizing the futility of false trust.

What are some examples of emptiness in our lives today?

Examples of emptiness might include materialism, false promises, or relying on superficial relationships that do not provide true fulfillment.

How can we ensure our trust is placed in the right things?

We can ensure our trust is placed in the right things by seeking wisdom from reliable sources, such as Scripture, and surrounding ourselves with truth.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what areas of my life might I be trusting in emptiness?
  2. How can I discern between true trust and false trust?
  3. What steps can I take to build a foundation of trust in things that have real value?
  4. How does this verse challenge my understanding of faith and reliance on God?

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

Gregory the Dialogist comments on this verse, discussing the futility of believing in redemption through false means.

Gregory the DialogistMorals on the Book of Job, Book XII c. 540–604
Ver. 31. Let him not believe, being vainly deceived, that he is to be redeemed with any price. As often as we do alms after sin, we as it were pay a price for bad actions.
Early Church Fathers on Job 15 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Job 15:31 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity,.... Every wicked man is deceived, either by Satan, who deceives the whole world, deceived our first parents, and deceives all their posterity, not only

Read John Gill on Job 15 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity: for vanity shall be his recompence. Rather, 'let him not trust in vanity (or) he will be deceived,' etc. Vanity , [ shaaw' (H7723)] - that which is unsubstantial.

Read Robert Jamieson on Job 15 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

In vanity, i.e. in the vain and deceitful things of this world, such as power, riches, honour, &c., of which, and of the loss of them, he had been largely discoursing; and now he subjoins a general caution to all men to take heed of running into the same error and mischief with the forementioned persons; and withal he secretly intimates Job’ s great sin, which was the cause of his ruin, to wit, his carnal confidence in those vain things, the wealth, and glory, and children which God had given him; from which crime he therefore vindicates himself hereafter. For vanity, i.e. disappointment and dissatisfaction, and the vanishing or loss of all their imaginary felicity; the same word vanity…

Read Matthew Poole on Job 15 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Job 15:31 Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity: for vanity shall be his recompence.Ver. 31. Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity] Let it suffice him that he hath been once already deceived by the uncertainty of riches, which were never true to those which trusted them, nor ever will be, 1 Timothy 6:17. As Charondas was wont to say of going to sea, and another of going to law, That he wondered not at those that go once, but at those who go a second time. So may we at those that having found the deceitfulness of sin, and the instability of creature comforts, that they should again be drawn in and deceived. This folly Eliphaz here forewarneth Job of, and would not have him…

Read John Trapp on Job 15 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(31) Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity.—Or, Let him not trust in vanity deceiving himself. (Comp. James 1:26; 1 Samuel 12:21.)

Read Charles John Ellicott on Job 15 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 31. Let not him that is deceived] 7. He has many vain imaginations of obtaining wealth, power, pleasure, and happiness; but he is deceived; and he finds that he has trusted בשוא bashshav, in a lie; and this lie is his recompense.

Read AdamClarke on Job 15 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

31. The verse reads, Let him not trust in vanity: he is deceived: For vanity shall be his recompence. Similarly, “they that plow iniquity reap the same,” ch. Job 4:8; Job 5:13. Eliphaz returns as in other passages to his former speech. “Vanity” or evil means both wickedness (first clause) and calamity or trouble (second clause). The word “recompence” means exchange, that received in barter or return.

Read Cambridge on Job 15 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity - The sense is, “Let him not trust in vanity. He will be deceived. Vanity will be his recompense.” The idea is, that a man should not confide in that which will furnish no support.

Read Albert Barnes on Job 15 →

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

Let him not deceive himself with trust in emptiness, for emptiness will be his reward.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Let him not trust in emptiness, deceiving himself, for emptiness will be his reward.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Let him not deceive himself with trust in emptiness, for emptiness will be his reward.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Let him not trust in what is worthless, deceiving himself; for worthlessness will be his reward.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity: for vanity shall be his recompence.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Let him not trust in vanity, deceiving himself; For vanity shall be his recompense.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Let him not trust in vanity, deceiving himself: for vanity shall be his recompence.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity: for vanity shall be his recompense.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

He beleeueth not that he erreth in vanitie: therefore vanitie shalbe his change.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Let him not trust in vanity: he is deceived, for vanity shall be his recompense;

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Let him not put credence in vanity, He hath been deceived, For vanity is his recompence.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Do not let him put credence in vanity, || He has been deceived, || For vanity is his exchange.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Let him that goeth astray not trust in vanity; for vanity will be what he obtaineth thereby.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Let him not trust in useless things, deceiving himself; for uselessness will be his reward.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

He shall not believe, being vainly deceived by error, that he may be redeemed with any price.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

They should not trust in things that are worthless, for their reward will be worthless.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Let him not put his hope in what is false, falling into error: for he will get deceit as his reward.

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.

clauseadverbialאַלnotverbיַאֲמֵ֣ןlet.him.trustprepositional phrase · prepositionalבַּinnoun phrase(the)שָּׁ֣יוworthlessnessclauseverbנִתְעָ֑הhe.has.been.led.astrayכִּי(dm)clauseobjectשָׁ֝֗וְאworthlessnessverbתִּהְיֶ֥הit.will.benoun phrase · subjectתְמוּרָתֽexchangeוֹhis

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 content, with five of the eight Hebrew words matched in the Greek translation. However, the Septuagint's word order and structure differ, indicating a distinct interpretative approach.

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

אַל־ יַאֲמֵ֣ן בַּשָּׁ֣יו נִתְעָ֑ה כִּי־ שָׁ֝֗וְא תִּהְיֶ֥ה תְמוּרָתֽוֹ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
אַל־μὴיַאֲמֵ֣ןπιστευέτωבַּשָּׁ֣יוὅτιנִתְעָ֑הὑπομενεῖשָׁ֝֗וְאκενὰ

5 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 15:31אַלmay notmay notאַלאָמַןhe trusthe trustאָמַןשָׁוְאin worthlesin worthlessnesשָׁוְאתָּעָהhe has beenhe has been ledתָּעָהכִּיforforכִּישָׁוְאworthlessneworthlessnessשָׁוְאהָיָהit will beit will beהָיָהתְּמוּרָהrecompense recompense hisתְּמוּרָהשׁוֹאravageravageשׁוֹאמוּרto changeto changeמוּרלֹאnotnotלֹאיָמַןto turn rito turn rightיָמַןהָוָאto fallto fallהָוָאכָּזָבlielieכָּזָבקָסַםto divineto divineקָסַםחָתַתto to be dto to be dismayחָתַתיָרֵאto fearto fearיָרֵאאוֹתsign: mirasign: miraculouאוֹתאָשַׁרto blessto blessאָשַׁרשָׁגָהto wanderto wanderשָׁגָהיָדַעto knowto knowיָדַעקֹ֫דֶשׁHoly PlaceHoly Placeקֹ֫דֶשׁהָיָהto beto beהָיָה
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 15:31

One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.

Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.

may not he trust in worthlessness he has been led astray for worthlessness it will be recompense his
אַל־'al- may not H408 Particle
724× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Means not or nothing, used to express negation, as in the phrase do not or let not be.
Amplified meaning
by no means, under any circumstance
Tyndale gloss
not
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

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

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

408 'al al

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

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

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

(worth), rather than.

see HEBREW for 03808

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אַל (al) — not.

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

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

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

1c) not, no (with substantive)

1d) nothing (as substantive)

Aramaic equivalent: al (אַל "not" H0409)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part — Particle
HTn
may not he trust in worthlessness he has been led astray for worthlessness it will be recompense his
יַאֲמֵ֣ןya.'a.Men he trust H539 Verb · Hiphil · jussive third person masculine singular
106× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to be faithful or trustworthy, as seen in the KJV translations. It can also mean to support or confirm something, and is used in passages like Psalm 37:3 to describe trusting in God. The concept of faithfulness is central to the book of Proverbs.
Tyndale gloss
be faithful
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָמַן (aman) is a Hebrew root meaning to support or confirm, with applications ranging from nurturing (as a foster parent or nurse) to establishing trust and reliability. It encompasses concepts of faithfulness, permanence, and assurance. The entries highlight its use in various forms, including verbs and nouns, but do not indicate any significant disagreement among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[אָמַן] vb. confirm, support

Qal

as vb. support, nourish

as subst. foster-father

foster-mother, nurse

pillars, supporters of the door

Niph.

carried by nurse

made firm, sure, lasting

confirmed, established, sure

verified, confirmed

reliable, faithful, trusty

Hiph.

stand firm

trust, believe

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H539 אָמַן confirm, support .. as vb. support, nourish

. as subst. foster-father

. foster-mother, nurse

. pillars, supporters of the door

. . carried by nurse

. made firm, sure, lasting

. confirmed, established, sure

. verified, confirmed

. reliable, faithful, trusty

. . stand firm

. trust, believe

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

539 'aman aw-man'

a primitive root; properly, to build up or support; to foster

as a parent or nurse; figuratively to render (or be) firm or

faithful, to trust or believe, to be permanent or quiet;

morally to be true or certain; once (Isa. 30:21;

interchangeable with 541) to go to the right hand:--hence,

assurance, believe, bring up, establish, + fail, be faithful

(of long continuance, stedfast, sure, surely, trusty,

verified), nurse, (-ing father), (put), trust, turn to the

right.

see HEBREW for 0541

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָמַן (a.man) — be faithful.

1) to support, confirm, be faithful

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to support, confirm, be faithful, uphold, nourish

1a1a) foster-father (subst.)

1a1b) foster-mother, nurse

1a1c) pillars, supporters of the door

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be established, be faithful, be carried, make firm

1b1a) to be carried by a nurse

1b1b) made firm, sure, lasting

1b1c) confirmed, established, sure

1b1d) verified, confirmed

1b1e) reliable, faithful, trusty

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to stand firm, to trust, to be certain, to believe in

1c1a) stand firm

1c1b) trust, believe

Aramaic equivalent: a.man (אֲמַן "to trust" H0540)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Hiphil-Juss-3ms — Verb · Hiphil · jussive third person masculine singular
HVhj3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Nave's Topical Bible

→ See FAITH

Torrey's New Topical Textbook

- God is the true object of

Ps 65:5

- The fear of God leads to

Pr 14:26

- ENCOURAGEMENTS TO

. The everlasting strength of God

Isa 26:4

. The goodness of God

Na 1:7

. The loving-kindness of God

Ps 36:7

. The rich bounty of God

1Ti 6:17

. The care of God for us

1Pe 5:7

. Former deliverances

Ps 9:10; 2Co 1:10

- Should be with the whole heart

Pr 3:5

- Should be from youth up

may not he trust in worthlessness he has been led astray for worthlessness it will be recompense his
בַּשָּׁ֣יוba.shov in worthlessness H7723 Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
53× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Vanity or falsehood, this word describes something empty, useless, or deceitful, like the idols worshipped by the Israelites in Isaiah 41:29, or the lies and false promises spoken by false prophets in Jeremiah 23:25.
Amplified meaning
relying on, having faith in, vanity, falsehood, something empty, useless, or deceitful
Tyndale gloss
vanity: false
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word שָׁוְא (*shav*) means emptiness or vanity. It conveys ideas of falsehood, worthlessness, and deception, both in a literal sense and in terms of moral or spiritual emptiness. The lexicons highlight its use in describing empty speech or conduct that is devoid of value.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁוְא n.[m.] emptiness, vanity

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7723 שָׁוְא emptiness, vanity

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7723 shav' shawv

or shav {shav}; from the same as 7722 in the sense of

desolating; evil (as destructive), literally (ruin) or morally

(especially guile); figuratively idolatry (as false,

subjective), uselessness (as deceptive, objective; also

adverbially, in vain):--false(-ly), lie, lying, vain, vanity.

see HEBREW for 07722

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁוְא (shav) — vanity: false.

: false

1) emptiness, vanity, falsehood

1a) emptiness, nothingness, vanity

1b) emptiness of speech, lying

1c) worthlessness (of conduct)

Also means: shav (שָׁוְא ": vain" H7723H)

שָׁוְא (shav) — vanity: vain.

: vain/empty/worthless

1) emptiness, vanity, falsehood

1a) emptiness, nothingness, vanity

1b) emptiness of speech, lying

1c) worthlessness (of conduct)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
HRd/Ncmsa
may not he trust in worthlessness he has been led astray for worthlessness it will be recompense his
נִתְעָ֑הnit.'Ah he has been led astray H8582 Verb · Niphal · perfect third person masculine singular
50× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to go astray or wander, and can be used physically or morally. It can also mean to cause someone to err or stumble.
Tyndale gloss
to go astray
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

תָּעָה (ta`ah) is a Hebrew verb that means to wander or go astray, both physically and ethically. It can refer to being led astray, as in a moral sense, or to the effects of intoxication. The word has various forms, including Qal (to err), Niphal (to be made to wander), and Hiphil (to cause to wander).

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

תָּעָה vb. err

Qal

physically wander about

of intoxication

ethically

Niph.

be made to wander about, as a drunkard

ethically: be led astray

Hiph.

physically cause to wander about

of intoxication

mentally and morally, cause to err, mislead

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8582 תָּעָה err .. physically wander about

. of intoxication

. ethically

. . be made to wander about, as a drunkard

. ethically: be led astray

. . physically cause to wander about

. of intoxication

. mentally and morally, cause to err, mislead

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8582 ta`ah taw-aw'

a primitive root; to vacillate, i.e. reel or stray (literally

or figuratively); also causative of both:--(cause to) go

astray, deceive, dissemble, (cause to, make to) err, pant,

seduce, (make to) stagger, (cause to) wander, be out of the

way.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

תָּעָה (ta.ah) — to go astray.

1) to err, wander, go astray, stagger

1a) (Qal) to err

1a1) to wander about (physically)

1a2) of intoxication

1a3) of sin (ethically)

1a4) wandering (of the mind)

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be made to wander about, be made to stagger (drunkard)

1b2) to be led astray (ethically)

1c) (Hiphil) to cause to wander

1c1) to cause to wander about (physically)

1c2) to cause to wander (of intoxication)

1c3) to cause to err, mislead (mentally and morally)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Niphal-Perf-3ms — Verb · Niphal · perfect third person masculine singular
HVNp3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

a-stra' (ta`ah, "to wander," "to err"; planaomai, "to go astray," each carrying the idea of being lost): With one exception (Ex 23:4 "his ass going astray") used metaphorically of moral wandering, going astray in paths of error and sin, like "sheep going astray" (1Pe 2:25 the King James Version; Isa 53:6; Ps 119:176).

This wandering may be due

(1) to inherent evil (Ps 58:3);

(2) to false shepherds (Jer 50:6); contrast the beautiful and classic passage, Mt 18:12,13, the Son of man (verse 12) seeketh that which is…

may not he trust in worthlessness he has been led astray for worthlessness it will be recompense his
כִּי־ki- for H3588 Particle
4,483× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A conjunction used to show cause or connection, as in Genesis 2:23 where Adam says the woman is bone of his bone because she was taken out of him. It is often translated as 'for', 'because', or 'since'.
Amplified meaning
because, since
Tyndale gloss
for
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כִּי conj. that, for, when

that

Of time, when, of the past

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

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

Because, since

base

כִּי אם־

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

that if

for if

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

limiting the prec. clause, except

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

after an oath, surely

base

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3588a כִּי that, for, when . that

. . Of time, when, of the past

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

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

. Because, since

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

. for if

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

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

. after an oath, surely

H3588c כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3588 kiy kee

a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional

prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

whether, while, whom, yea, yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כִּי (ki) — for.

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

1a) that

1a1) yea, indeed

1b) when (of time)

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

1c) because, since (causal connection)

1d) but (after negative)

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

1f) but rather, but

1g) except that

1h) only, nevertheless

1i) surely

1j) that is

1k) but if

1l) for though

1m) forasmuch as, for therefore

כִּי [אם] (ki im) — that if: except.

1) except if

1a) but if

1b) even though

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

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

1a) that

1a1) yea, indeed

1b) when (of time)

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

1c) because, since (causal connection)

1d) but (after negative)

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

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

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

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
may not he trust in worthlessness he has been led astray for worthlessness it will be recompense his
שָׁ֝֗וְאShav' worthlessness H7723 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
53× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Vanity or falsehood, this word describes something empty, useless, or deceitful, like the idols worshipped by the Israelites in Isaiah 41:29, or the lies and false promises spoken by false prophets in Jeremiah 23:25.
Amplified meaning
futility, worthlessness
Tyndale gloss
vanity: false
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word שָׁוְא (*shav*) means emptiness or vanity. It conveys ideas of falsehood, worthlessness, and deception, both in a literal sense and in terms of moral or spiritual emptiness. The lexicons highlight its use in describing empty speech or conduct that is devoid of value.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁוְא n.[m.] emptiness, vanity

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7723 שָׁוְא emptiness, vanity

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7723 shav' shawv

or shav {shav}; from the same as 7722 in the sense of

desolating; evil (as destructive), literally (ruin) or morally

(especially guile); figuratively idolatry (as false,

subjective), uselessness (as deceptive, objective; also

adverbially, in vain):--false(-ly), lie, lying, vain, vanity.

see HEBREW for 07722

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁוְא (shav) — vanity: false.

: false

1) emptiness, vanity, falsehood

1a) emptiness, nothingness, vanity

1b) emptiness of speech, lying

1c) worthlessness (of conduct)

Also means: shav (שָׁוְא ": vain" H7723H)

שָׁוְא (shav) — vanity: vain.

: vain/empty/worthless

1) emptiness, vanity, falsehood

1a) emptiness, nothingness, vanity

1b) emptiness of speech, lying

1c) worthlessness (of conduct)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
may not he trust in worthlessness he has been led astray for worthlessness it will be recompense his
תִּהְיֶ֥הtih.Yeh it will be H1961 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person feminine singular
3,562× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for to be means to exist or come into being. It is used to describe something that happens or comes to pass, like in Genesis where God creates the world.
Tyndale gloss
to be
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

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

Qal

Fall out, happen

occur, take place, come about, come to pass

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

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

rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה

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

Come into being, become

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

sq. prep.

become

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

sq. pred. adj.

become like

sq. pred. לְ pers.

sq. לְ pred.

oft. c. לְ pred. לְ pers.

with עַל and לְ

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

Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming)

exist, be in existence

abide, remain, continue

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

as copula, joining subj. & pred.

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

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

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

. rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה

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

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

. sq. prep.

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

. sq. pred. adj.

. become like

. sq. pred. + לְ pers.

. sq. לְ pred.

. oft. c. לְ pred. + לְ pers.

. with עַל and לְ

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

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

. abide, remain, continue

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1961 hayah haw-yaw

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

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

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

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

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

(one-)self, require, X use.

see HEBREW for 01933

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הָיָה (ha.yah) — to be.

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

1a) (Qal)

1a1) ---

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

1a1b) to come about, come to pass

1a2) to come into being, become

1a2a) to arise, appear, come

1a2b) to become

1a2b1) to become

1a2b2) to become like

1a2b3) to be instituted, be established

1a3) to be

1a3a) to exist, be in existence

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

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

1a3d) to accompany, be with

1b) (Niphal)

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

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-3fs — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person feminine singular
HVqi3fs
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

See TESTAMENT.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ THE MENTAL FACULTY

Freedom of, recognized by God Ge 4:6-10; De 5:29; 1Ki 20:42; Isa 1:18-20; 43:26; Jer 36:3,7; Joh 7:17

See BLESSINGS, CONTINGENT UPON OBEDIENCE

See CHOICE

See CONTINGENCY

→ OF GOD, THE SUPREME RULE OF DUTY Mt 6:10; 12:50; 26:39,42; Mr 3:35; 14:36; Lu 11:2; 22:42; Joh 4:34; 5:30; 6:38-40; Ac…

may not he trust in worthlessness he has been led astray for worthlessness it will be recompense his
תְמוּרָתֽוֹ׃te.mu.ra.To recompense his H8545 Noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
6× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This term refers to an exchange or barter, like trading one thing for another. In the Bible, it can mean compensation or restitution, as seen in the laws of Exodus. It involves giving something in return for something else.
Amplified meaning
recompense, compensation
Tyndale gloss
exchange
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

תְּמוּרָה (tmuwrah) refers to the concepts of exchange and recompense. It is derived from a root meaning to barter or compensate. The term encompasses ideas of substitution and restitution, indicating a range of meanings related to trading or compensating for something.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

תְּמוּרָה n.f. exchange, recompense

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8545 תְּמוּרָה exchange, recompense

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8545 tmuwrah tem-oo-raw'

from 4171; barter, compensation:--(ex-)change(-ing),

recompense, restitution.

see HEBREW for 04171

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

תְּמוּרָה (te.mu.rah) — exchange.

that which is exchanged, exchange, substitute, recompense

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs | Suff — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
HNcfsc/Sp3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hiz: Used often in the King James Version with reference to a neuter or inanimate thing, or to a lower animal (Ge 1:11, "after his kind"; Le 1:16, "pluck away his crop"; Ac 12:10, "of his own accord"; 1Co 15:38, "his own body"), etc. the Revised Version (British and American) substitutes "its."

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.

Everything we make is available for free because of a generous community of supporters.

Donate