Menu

Job 16:12 — Word Study

Depth

WLCשָׁ֘לֵ֤ו הָיִ֨יתִי׀ וַֽיְפַרְפְּרֵ֗נִי וְאָחַ֣ז בְּ֭עָרְפִּי וַֽיְפַצְפְּצֵ֑נִי וַיְקִימֵ֥נִי ל֝֗וֹ לְמַטָּרָֽה׃

BSAI washâyâh at easeshâlêv [in comfort, prosperous, and secure] but He shattered mepârar [broke asunder, smashed to pieces] He seized meʼâchaz [grasped, taken hold of] by the neckʻôreph [the back of the neck, a point of vulnerability] and crushed mepûwts [dashed to pieces, shattered] He has set me upqûwm targetmaṭṭârâʼ [a mark for His arrows, a focal point]

Word
Listen & take awayJob 16
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 12 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 (le.ma.ta.Rah) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Job 16:12quick helps
In a sentenceJob expresses his sudden downfall from a state of comfort to being violently attacked by God.
Who is speakingJob, lamenting his suffering and loss of peace.
Where we areIn the midst of Job's profound suffering, as he reflects on his prior state of ease.
The hard wordשָׁלֵ֤ו
Take awayJob's comfort has been shattered, leaving him vulnerable and targeted.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbהָיָה 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 16:12

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 Lamentgenerated

11God has delivered me to unjust men; He has thrown me to the clutches of the wicked.
12I was at ease, but He shattered me; He seized me by the neck and crushed me. He has set me up as His target;
13His archers surround me. He pierces my kidneys without mercy and spills my gall on the ground.
14He breaks me with wound upon wound; He rushes me like a mighty warrior.

Job 16:12 finds Job in a moment of despair, reflecting on how he once felt secure and prosperous, only to be violently shattered by God. This verse is part of a larger discourse where Job laments his suffering and the unjust treatment he feels he has received. His reflections highlight the stark contrast between his previous state of ease and his current anguish, as he grapples with the reality of his situation.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Job 1:2–3He had seven sons and three daughters,
2Job 3:26I am not at ease or quiet; I have no rest, for trouble has come.”
3Job 29:3–18when His lamp shone above my head, and by His light I walked through the darkness,
4Job 4:10The lion may roar, and the fierce lion may growl, yet the teeth of the young lions are broken.
5Psalm 44:19But You have crushed us in the lair of jackals; You have covered us with deepest darkness.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 13 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word שָׁלֵ֤ו, sha.Levgenerated

The Hebrew word שָׁלֵו (*shalev*) is derived from the root meaning to be at ease or tranquil. It encompasses a range of meanings including quietness, prosperity, and security, but can also imply carelessness in a negative sense. In this verse, Job's use of the word indicates a state of comfort that has been abruptly disrupted.

Job's prior ease is contrasted sharply with his current suffering, emphasizing the suddenness of his plight. The parsing as an adjective suggests a description of Job's state before the calamity, highlighting his vulnerability.


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. The BSB has at ease, which is also reflected in the KJV, ASV, and other translations.

Where others part company with the BSB they part company over a slight variation in wording. The BBE opts for in comfort, which conveys a similar meaning but shifts the focus slightly from the state of being to the condition of comfort.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The finite verb וַיְפַרְפְּרֵ֗נִי, and he smashed me, governs the main clause, with several phrases providing context: Job describes his previous state of ease, followed by the actions taken against him.

The structure emphasizes the contrast between Job's past comfort and his current suffering, with the verbs indicating a sequence of actions that lead to his distress.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, the Hebrew word for שָׁלֵו is rendered as εἰρηνεύοντα, which conveys a sense of peace or tranquility. This choice reflects a focus on Job's state of being before his suffering.

The translation indicates a continuity of meaning but may also suggest a broader interpretation of Job's ease as a state of peace that has been disrupted.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Job 16:12 shows Job reflecting on his past comfort, stating that he was at ease before God shattered him. He describes how God seized him and crushed him, setting him up as a target. This verse captures Job's feelings of vulnerability and despair in the face of his suffering.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does Job mean by 'I was at ease'?

Job is expressing that he once felt secure and prosperous before his suffering began, indicating a stark contrast to his current state.

How does Job describe his suffering?

Job uses vivid imagery to describe being seized by God and crushed, emphasizing the violence of his experience.

What does it mean that Job was set up as a target?

This phrase suggests that Job feels he has become a focal point for God's wrath or attention, highlighting his sense of vulnerability.

Why is Job's comfort significant in this verse?

Job's comfort is significant because it underscores the dramatic shift from a state of peace to one of intense suffering, enhancing the emotional weight of his lament.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways have I experienced a sudden change from comfort to difficulty in my own life?
  2. How can I relate to Job's feelings of vulnerability and despair during tough times?
  3. What does it mean to be 'at ease' in my own life, and how can that change?
  4. How can I support others who may feel like they have become targets of suffering?

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

Gregory the Dialogist references this verse to discuss the suffering of the righteous and the trials they face, illustrating the theme of God's justice in the midst of hardship.

Gregory the DialogistMorals on the Book of Job, Book XIII c. 540–604
Ver. 12. God hath shut me up with the ungodly, and turned me over into the hands of the wicked. The people of the Elect is 'shut up with the ungodly man,' when its flesh is given up in this present time to the persecutions of our old…
Early Church Fathers on Job 16 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Job 16:12 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

I was at ease, but he hath broken me asunder,.... He was in easy and affluent circumstances, abounding with the good things of this life, lay in his nest, as his expression is, Job 29:18; quietly and

Read John Gill on Job 16 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

I was at ease, but he hath broken me asunder: he hath also taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces, and set me up for his mark.

Read Robert Jamieson on Job 16 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

I lived in great peace and prosperity, which makes my present miseries more grievous to me; and therefore my complaints are excusable, and I deserve pity rather than reproach from my friends. Broken me asunder; broken my spirit with the sense of his anger, and my body with loathsome ulcers, as also by destroying my children, a part of my own flesh or body. Taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces; as a mighty man doth with some young stripling, when he wrestleth with him. Set me up for his mark; that he may shoot all his arrows into me, and that with delight, which archers have in that exercise.

Read Matthew Poole on Job 16 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Job 16:12 I was at ease, but he hath broken me asunder: he hath also taken [me] by my neck, and shaken me to pieces, and set me up for his mark.Ver. 12. I was at ease, but he hath broken me asunder] It is no small misery to have been happy. Fuimus Troes et fortis Milesis. Euripides bringeth in Hecuba as ashamed to look Polymnestor in the face, because having been a queen she was now a captive; her former felicity was no small aggravation compared to her present misery: so was Job’ s. Prosper eram, sed disrupit me, saith he. I was wealthy, but he hath undone me; so Broughton rendereth it. The same Hebrew word signifieth both to be rich and to be at ease; for such commonly sing requiems to…

Read John Trapp on Job 16 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(12) I was at ease.—A highly poetical passage, in which Job becomes, as it were, a St. Sebastian for the arrows of God. It is hardly possible to conceive a more vivid picture of his desolate condition under the persecuting hand of the Almighty.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Job 16 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

6–17. Job realizes to himself his new condition: God and men combine to pursue him with their enmity, though he is innocent of all wrong In Job 16:5 Job flung back with scorn the “comforts of God” which the friends proffered him. And now there seems to occur a pause, and the excited sufferer looks about him and realizes both the extremity of the evil in which he is held, and the new and unexpected trial, added to all others, of the judgment of men being against him. And he hardly knows whether he shall speak or be silent, so overcome is he and so unavailing to help him or make men judge truly of him are both speech and silence—if I speak my grief is not assuaged, and if I forbear what am I…

Read Cambridge on Job 16 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

I was at ease - I was in a state of happiness and security. The word used here (שׁלו shâlêv) means sometimes to be “at ease” in an improper sense; that is, to be in a state of “carnal security,” or

Read Albert Barnes on Job 16 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

Second strophe — Notwithstanding Job’s life of purity, God has maltreated and persecuted him even unto death, Job 16:12-17.12.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Job 16 →

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

I was at ease, but He shattered me; He seized me by the neck and crushed me. He has set me up as His target;

WEBWorld English Bible2000

I was at ease, and he broke me apart. Yes, he has taken me by the neck, and dashed me to pieces. He has also set me up for his target.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

I was at ease, but He shattered me; He seized me by the neck and crushed me. He has set me up as His target;

NETBNew English Translation2006

I was in peace, and he has shattered me. He has seized me by the neck and crushed me. He has made me his target;

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

I was at ease, but he hath broken me asunder: he hath also taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces, and set me up for his mark.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

I was at ease, and he brake me asunder; Yea, he hath taken me by the neck, and dashed me to pieces: He hath also set me up for his mark.

RVARevised Version, American1894

I was at ease, and he brake me asunder; yea, he hath taken me by the neck, and dashed me to pieces: he hath also set me up for his mark.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

I was at ease, but he hath broken me asunder: he hath also taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces, and set me up for his mark.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

I was in welth, but he hath brought me to nought: he hath taken me by the necke, and beaten me, and set me as a marke for himselfe.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

I was at rest, but he hath shattered me; he hath taken me by the neck and shaken me to pieces, and set me up for his mark.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

At ease I have been, and he breaketh me, And he hath laid hold on my neck, And he breaketh me in pieces, And he raiseth me to him for a mark.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

I have been at ease, and He breaks me, || And He has laid hold on my neck, || And He breaks me in pieces, || And He raises me to Him for a mark.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

I was at ease, but he hath crushed me; he hath also grasped me by the neck, and shaken me to pieces, and set me up unto himself as a mark;

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

I was at ease, and he broke me apart. Indeed, he has taken me by the neck and dashed me to pieces; he has also set me up as his target.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

God hath shut me up with the unjust man, and hath delivered me into the hands of the wicked.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

I was living in peace and he smashed me to pieces. He grabbed me by the neck and dashed me to pieces. He set me up as his target.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

I was in comfort, but I have been broken up by his hands; he has taken me by the neck, shaking me to bits; he has put me up as a mark for his arrows.

Word by word, the decisions they made

שָׁ֘לֵ֤וsha.Lev at ease H7961 2 different renderings
at easeASV BSB ILT KJV LSV MSB NWB RVA ULB WEB YLT
in comfortBBE

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.

clauseobjectשָׁ֘לֵ֤וat.easeverbהָיִ֨יתִיI.wasוַֽandclauseverbיְפַרְפְּרֵ֗heobjectנִיsmashed.meוְandclauseverbאָחַ֣זhe.took.holdprepositional phrase · prepositionalבְּ֭onnoun phraseעָרְפִּneckיmyוַֽandclauseverbיְפַצְפְּצֵ֑heobjectנִיshattered.meוַandclauseverbיְקִימֵ֥heobjectנִיset.me.upprepositional phrase · prepositionalל֝֗forוֹhimselfprepositional phrase · prepositionalלְtoמַטָּרָֽהa.target

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


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

The Masoretic Text matches the Septuagint closely, with six of the nine words corresponding directly. This indicates a strong agreement in the core message of Job's lament, though the Septuagint's word order and articles differ.

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

שָׁ֘לֵ֤ו הָיִ֨יתִי׀ וַֽיְפַרְפְּרֵ֗נִי וְאָחַ֣ז בְּ֭עָרְפִּי וַֽיְפַצְפְּצֵ֑נִי וַיְקִימֵ֥נִי ל֝֗וֹ לְמַטָּרָֽה׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
הָיִ֨יתִי׀εἰρηνεύονταוַֽיְפַרְפְּרֵ֗נִיμεוְאָחַ֣זλαβώνבְּ֭עָרְפִּיκόμηςוַיְקִימֵ֥נִיμεלְמַטָּרָֽה׃σκοπόν

6 of the 9 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 16:12שָׁלֵוat easeat easeשָׁלֵוהָיָהI wasI wasהָיָהפָּרַרand he smasand he smashed פָּרַראָחַזand he tookand he took holאָחַזעֹ֫רֶףon neck myon neck myעֹ֫רֶףפּוּץand he shatand he shattereפּוּץלֵבand he set and he set up mלֵבוֹof himof himוֹמַטָּרָהto a targetto a targetמַטָּרָהשָׁלָהto prosperto prosperשָׁלָהעָרַףto break tto break the neעָרַףנָטַרto keepto keepנָטַרהָוָאto fallto fallהָוָאיָשַׁבto dwellto dwellיָשַׁבמוֹטto shaketo shakeמוֹטרַ֫עַדtremblingtremblingרַ֫עַדצִירenvoyenvoyצִירקָשָׁהto hardento hardenקָשָׁהקָשֶׁהseveresevereקָשֶׁהזָרָהto scatterto scatterזָרָהגּוֹיGentileGentileגּוֹינֶ֫דֶרvowvowנֶ֫דֶרעֵדwitnesswitnessעֵדחָצֵרcourtcourtחָצֵרעָצַרto restraito restrainעָצַר
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 16:12

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.

at ease I was and he smashed me and he took hold on neck my and he shattered me and he set up me of him to a target
שָׁ֘לֵ֤וsha.Lev at ease H7961 Adj
8× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Being at ease means feeling peaceful and secure, like having no worries. In the Bible, it can also mean being prosperous or wealthy, but sometimes it can imply being too comfortable and becoming careless.
Amplified meaning
in comfort, prosperous, and secure
Tyndale gloss
at ease
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word שָׁלֵו (*shalev*) is derived from the root meaning to be at ease or tranquil. It encompasses a range of meanings including quietness, prosperity, and security, but can also imply carelessness in a negative sense. The entries highlight its use in describing both people and land as being at ease.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁלֵו, שָׁלֵיו, שְׁלֵיו adj. quiet, at ease

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7961 שָׁלֵו, שָׁלֵיו, שְׁלֵיו, שְׁלַוָה

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7961 shalev shaw-lave'

or shaleyv {shaw-lave'}; feminine shlevah {shel-ay-vaw'};

from 7951; tranquil; (in a bad sense) careless; abstractly,

security:--(being) at ease, peaceable, (in) prosper(-ity),

quiet(-ness), wealthy.

see HEBREW for 07951

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁלֵו (sha.lev) — at ease.

1) quiet, at ease, prosperous

1a) at ease (of persons)

1b) quiet (of land)

1c) quiet, ease

1d) ease (subst)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Adj
HAamsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ez (sha'anan, shal'anan, chiefly, "at ease"):

Used 19 times in the Old Testament and once in the New Testament, most frequently meaning tranquillity, security or comfort of mind; in an ethical sense, indicating carelessness or indifference with reference to one's moral or religious interests.

The prophet Jeremiah used the phrase as an indication of national or tribal indifference: "Moab hath been at ease from his youth" (Jer 48:11); "I am very sore displeased with the nations that are at ease" (Zec 1:15). Frequent allusions are made also by various prophets to individuals or groups of individuals, as "Woe to them that are at ease in Zion" (Am 6:1); "Rise up, ye women that are at ease" (

at ease I was and he smashed me and he took hold on neck my and he shattered me and he set up me of him to a target
הָיִ֨יתִי׀ha.Yi.ti I was H1961 Verb · Qal · perfect first person common 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-Perf-1cs — Verb · Qal · perfect first person common singular
HVqp1cs
at ease I was and he smashed me and he took hold on neck my and he shattered me and he set up me of him to a target
וַֽיְפַרְפְּרֵ֗נִיvay.far.pe.Re.ni and he smashed me H6565 Verb piel sequential imperfect third person masculine singular · suffix
50× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To split or break something apart is the meaning of this word, often used figuratively to mean frustrate or violate. It appears in various forms throughout the Bible.
Amplified meaning
broke asunder, smashed to pieces
Tyndale gloss
to break
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

פָּרַר (pa.rar) is a Hebrew verb meaning to break or frustrate, with various forms indicating actions like splitting or dividing. It can refer to both literal and figurative breaking, such as violating or making something ineffective. The entries highlight different grammatical forms, including Hiphil and Qal, with uses in contexts like division or frustration.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[פָּרַר] vb. Hiph. break, frustrate

Hoph.

be frustrated

be broken

Pilp. he hath shattered me.

base

[פָּרַר] vb. split, divide

Qal Hithpō‛. split or cracked through in the earth

Pō‛êl thou didst divide the sea.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6565a פָּרַר Hiph. break, frustrate H6565b פָּרַר split, divide

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6565 parar paw-rar'

a primitive root; to break up (usually figuratively, i.e. to

violate, frustrate:--X any ways, break (asunder), cast off,

cause to cease, X clean, defeat, disannul, disappoint,

dissolve, divide, make of none effect, fail, frustrate, bring

(come) to nought, X utterly, make void.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

פָּרַר (pa.rar) — to break.

1) to break, frustrate

1a) (Hiphil)

1a1) to break, violate

1a2) to frustrate, make ineffectual

1b) (Hophal)

1b1) to be frustrated

1b2) to be broken

1b3) to break

1c) (Pilpel) to break to bits, shatter

Also means: pur (פּוּר "to break" H6331)

פָּרַר (pa.rar) — to split.

1) to split, divide

1a) (Qal) to split, crack through

1b) (Poel) to break apart

1c) (Hithpoel) to be split, be cracked through

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-l-ConsecImperf-3ms | Suff — Verb piel sequential imperfect third person masculine singular · suffix
Hc/Vpw3ms/Sp1bs
at ease I was and he smashed me and he took hold on neck my and he shattered me and he set up me of him to a target
וְאָחַ֣זve.'a.Chaz and he took hold H270 Verb · Qal · sequential perfect third person masculine singular
68× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word means to grasp or take hold of something, often holding it in possession. It can also mean to be caught or settled. This verb is used in various forms throughout the Bible, including in the books of Exodus and Psalms.
Amplified meaning
grasped, taken hold of
Tyndale gloss
to grasp
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אָחַז (achaz) means to grasp, take hold of, or seize. It has various forms, including Qal (to grasp), Niphal (to be caught), Piel (to enclose), and Hophal (to be fastened). The entries highlight its use in contexts of possession and holding, but do not provide specific verse references.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָחַז 68 vb. grasp, take hold of, take possession

Qal grasp, take hold of

Niph. be caught

Pi. enclose, overlay

Hoph. fastened

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H270 אָחַז grasp, take hold of, take possession .grasp, take hold of

. be caught

. enclose, overlay

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

270 'achaz aw-khaz'

a primitive root; to seize (often with the accessory idea of

holding in possession):--+ be affrighted, bar, (catch, lay,

take) hold (back), come upon, fasten, handle, portion, (get,

have or take) possess(-ion).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָחַז (a.chaz) — to grasp.

1) grasp, take hold, seize, take possession

1a) (Qal) to grasp, take hold of

1b) (Niphal) to be caught, grasped, be settled

1c) (Piel) to enclose, overlay

1d) (Hophal) fastened

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential perfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqq3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hold: In the American Standard Revised Version frequently "stronghold" (Jud 9:49; 1Sa 22:4; 24:22; 2Sa 5:17; 23:14; 1Ch 11:16; 12:16). See FORTIFICATION. In Re 18:2 for the King James Version "cage" (phulake) the Revised Version (British and American) substitutes, as in first clause, "hold," and in the margin "prison."

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Hold

A fortress, the name given to David’s lurking-places (1 Sam. 22:4, 5; 24:22).

at ease I was and he smashed me and he took hold on neck my and he shattered me and he set up me of him to a target
בְּ֭עָרְפִּיBe.'a.re.pi on neck my H6203 Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
33× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The neck or back of the neck represents a turning point, like the back of a fleeing enemy or a stubborn person with a stiff neck.
Amplified meaning
the back of the neck, a point of vulnerability
Tyndale gloss
neck
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עֹ֫רֶף (oreph) refers to the back of the neck, and can also denote the back generally, both literally and figuratively. It is associated with concepts like obstinacy and apostasy. The word is derived from a related term, עָרַף (araf), and is mentioned in contexts describing a stiff neck or a fleeing foe.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עֹ֫רֶף n.m. back of neck, neck

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6203 עֹ֫רֶף back of neck, neck

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6203 `oreph o-ref'

from 6202; the nape or back of the neck (as declining);

hence, the back generally (whether literal or figurative):--

back ((stiff-)neck((-ed).

see HEBREW for 06202

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עֹ֫רֶף (o.reph) — neck.

1) neck, back of the neck, back

1a) back of the neck

1a1) of fleeing foe

1a2) of apostasy (fig.)

1b) stiff of neck, obstinate (fig.)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms | Suff — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HR/Ncmsc/Sp1bs
at ease I was and he smashed me and he took hold on neck my and he shattered me and he set up me of him to a target
וַֽיְפַצְפְּצֵ֑נִיvay.fatz.pe.Tze.ni and he shattered me H6327 Verb piel sequential imperfect third person masculine singular · suffix
67× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To shatter means to break something into pieces, either physically or figuratively. It can also mean to disperse or scatter people or things, as seen in various Bible translations.
Amplified meaning
dashed to pieces, shattered
Tyndale gloss
to scatter
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word פּוּץ (puwts) primarily means to scatter or disperse, applicable to both people and armies. It can also convey the idea of flowing or overflowing. The noun form מֵפִיץ (mephits) refers to a scatterer. Additionally, it has connotations of breaking or shattering, as seen in related forms.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[פּוּץ] vb. be dispersed, scattered

Qal be dispersed, disperse; be scattered, of enemies

Niph.

be scattered, of army

be spread abroad, of peoples

Hiph.

trans. scatter

intrans. scatter

base

מֵפִיץ n.m. scatterer, disperser

base

פּוּץ vb. flow, overflow

base

[פָּצַץ] vb. break (Ar. break, break asunder; Nab. break asunder; Syr. crush)

Pō‛. a hammer which shatters rock.

Pilp. he [God] dashed me in pieces (fig.).

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6327a פּוּץ be dispersed, scattered .be dispersed, disperse; be scattered, of enemies

. . be scattered, of army

. be spread abroad, of peoples

. . trans. scatter

. intrans. scatter

H6327b מֵפִיץ scatterer, disperser H6327c פּוּץ flow, overflow H6327d [פָּצַץ] break (Ar. break, break asunder; Nab. break asunder; Syr. crush) . a hammer which shatters rock.

. he [God] dashed me in pieces (fig.).

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6327 puwts poots

a primitive root; to dash in pieces, literally or

figuratively (especially to disperse):--break (dash, shake)

in (to) pieces, cast (abroad), disperse (selves), drive,

retire, scatter (abroad), spread abroad.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

פּוּץ (puts) — to scatter.

1) to scatter, be dispersed, be scattered

1a) (Qal) to be dispersed, be scattered

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be scattered

1b2) to be spread abroad

1c) (Hiphil) to scatter

1d) Hithpael) scatter

מֵפִיץ (me.phits) — scatterer.

n.m.

scatterer

פּוּץ (puts) — to flow.

(Qal) to flow, overflow

פָּצַץ (pa.tsats) — to shatter.

1) to break

1a) (Polel) to shatter

1b) (Pilpel) to dash to pieces

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-l-ConsecImperf-3ms | Suff — Verb piel sequential imperfect third person masculine singular · suffix
Hc/Vpw3ms/Sp1bs
at ease I was and he smashed me and he took hold on neck my and he shattered me and he set up me of him to a target
וַיְקִימֵ֥נִיvay.ki.Me.ni and he set up me H6965 Verb hiphil sequential imperfect third person masculine singular · suffix
628× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Qum means to rise or stand up, used in various contexts like rising to power or standing firm, as seen in Jeremiah and Ezra.
Tyndale gloss
(Leb)-kamai
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word קוּם (qum) is a primitive root meaning 'to rise' and encompasses a range of actions such as standing, becoming powerful, and establishing. It can imply a sudden or hostile rise, as well as the act of fulfilling or confirming something. The entries also note various grammatical forms, indicating its use in different contexts, including raising up or causing to stand.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לֵב קָמָי prob. late Atbash Je 51:1.

ref

קוּם 628 vb. arise, stand up, stand

Qal 460

arise

arise, in hostile sense (oft. with idea of suddenness)

arise, abs., = become powerful

arise = come on the scene, appear, of leader, prophet

arise for, i.e. to become

arise for action

arise (out of inaction), introducing some specific deed

esp. arise = start, make a move, to go somewhere

stand

Pi.

fulfil

confirm, ratify

confirm, establish

impose, an obligation

Pō‛l. raise up

Hithpō‛l. raise oneself, = rise up

Hiph.

146cause to arise, raise

raise, set up, stones

erect, build

fig, of setting up law

raise up = bring on the scene

raise up = rouse, stir up

instigate, build

fig, of setting up law

raise up = constitute

cause to stand

Hoph. be raised up

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6965a לֵב קָמָי prob. late Atbash H6965b קוּם arise, stand up, stand .. arise

. arise, in hostile sense (oft. with idea of suddenness)

. arise, abs., = become powerful

. arise = come on the scene, appear, of leader, prophet

. arise for, i.e. to become

. . arise for action

. arise (out of inaction), introducing some specific deed

. esp. arise = start, make a move, to go somewhere

. stand

. . fulfil

. . confirm, ratify

. confirm, establish

. impose, an obligation

. raise up

. raise oneself, = rise up

. . cause to arise, raise

. . raise, set up, stones

. erect, build

. fig, of setting up law

. raise up = bring on the scene

. . raise up = rouse, stir up

. instigate, build

. fig, of setting up law

. raise up = constitute

. cause to stand

. be raised up

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6965 quwm koom

a primitive root; to rise (in various applications, literal,

figurative, intensive and causative):--abide, accomplish, X

be clearer, confirm, continue, decree, X be dim, endure, X

enemy, enjoin, get up, make good, help, hold, (help to) lift

up (again), make, X but newly, ordain, perform, pitch, raise

(up), rear (up), remain, (a-)rise (up) (again, against), rouse

up, set (up), (e-)stablish, (make to) stand (up), stir up,

strengthen, succeed, (as-, make) sure(-ly), (be) up(-hold, -

rising).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קָמָי (qa.may) — (Leb)-kamai.

Combined with lev (לֵב "Leb" H3820B)

§ -Kamai = "my adversary"

Leb-kamai, i.e., people of Gambulai

קוּם (qum) — to arise: rise.

: rise/get_going

1) to rise, arise, stand, rise up, stand up

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to arise

1a2) to arise (hostile sense)

1a3) to arise, become powerful

1a4) to arise, come on the scene

1a5) to stand

1a5a) to maintain oneself

1a5b) to be established, be confirmed

1a5c) to stand, endure

1a5d) to be fixed

1a5e) to be valid

1a5f) to be proven

1a5g) to be fulfilled

1a5h) to persist

1a5i) to be set, be fixed

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to fulfil

1b2) to confirm, ratify, establish, impose

1c) (Polel) to raise up

1d) (Hithpael) to raise oneself, rise up

1e) (Hiphil)

1e1) to cause to arise, raise

1e2) to raise, set up, erect, build

1e3) to raise up, bring on the scene

1e4) to raise up, rouse, stir up, investigate

1e5) to raise up, constitute

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Hiphil-ConsecImperf-3ms | Suff — Verb hiphil sequential imperfect third person masculine singular · suffix
Hc/Vhw3ms/Sp1bs
at ease I was and he smashed me and he took hold on neck my and he shattered me and he set up me of him to a target
ל֝֗וֹlo of him H9033 Preposition · suffix
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

וֹ (o) — him.

Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 3rd person masculine singular

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Sp3ms — Preposition · suffix
HR/Sp3ms
at ease I was and he smashed me and he took hold on neck my and he shattered me and he set up me of him to a target
לְמַטָּרָֽה׃le.ma.ta.Rah to a target H4307 Preposition · noun common feminine singular absolute
16× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word can refer to a guardhouse or prison, where people are watched and protected. It can also mean a target or mark, symbolizing something to aim for or a sign of warning. In the Bible, it is used to describe a place of confinement or a goal to strive for.
Amplified meaning
a mark for His arrows, a focal point
Tyndale gloss
guardhouse
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מַטָּרָה (mattara') refers to a guard or prison, indicating a place of confinement or protection. It can also mean a target or mark, suggesting a focus or aim. The word is derived from a root meaning to watch closely, and it encompasses both literal and figurative uses related to guarding and aiming.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מַטָּרָה and מַטָּרָא n.f. 1. guard, ward, prison. 2. target, mark

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4307 מַטָּרָה, מַטָּרָא

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4307 mattara' mat-taw-raw'

or mattarah {mat-taw-raw'}; from 5201; a jail (as a

guard-house); also an aim (as being closely watched):--mark,

prison.

see HEBREW for 05201

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מַטָּרָה (mat.ta.rah) — (Gate of the) Guard.

This name means guard, prison

מַטָּרָה (mat.ta.rah) — guardhouse.

1) guard, ward, prison, mark, target

1a) guard, ward, prison

1b) target, mark (fig. of chastisement)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-fs — Preposition · noun common feminine singular absolute
HR/Ncfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

tar'-get.

See MARK.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Target

(1 Sam. 17:6, A.V., after the LXX. and Vulg.), a kind of small shield. The margin has “gorget,” a piece of armour for the throat. The Revised Version more correctly renders the Hebrew word (kidon) by “javelin.” The same Hebrew word is used in Josh. 8:18 (A.V., “spear;” R.V., “javelin”); Job 39:23 (A.V., “shield;” R.V., “javelin”); 41:29 (A.V., “spear;” R.V., “javelin”).

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

1Sa 17:6, a small round shield. The same word in 1Sa 17:45 is translated a shield, and elsewhere a javelin. See ARMOR.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ (A defensive article of armor)

→ Used by spearmen 2Ch 14:8

→ Made

Of brass (bronze) 1Sa 17:6

Of gold 1Ki 10:16; 2Ch 9:15

→ See SHIELD

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