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Job 17:10 — Word Study

Depth

WLCוְֽאוּלָ֗ם כֻּלָּ֣ם תָּ֭שֻׁבוּ וּבֹ֣אוּ נָ֑א וְלֹֽא־ אֶמְצָ֖א בָכֶ֣ם חָכָֽם׃

BSAButʼûwlâm [however, in contrast] come backbôwʼ [return, turn back] and try againshûwb [come on now, repeat again] all of youkôl [every one, everything] For I will notlôʼ [certainly not, no] findmâtsâʼ [discover, attain] a wise manchâkâm [intelligent, skilled, prudent, person, individual]

Word
Listen & take awayJob 17
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 10 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 (cha.Kham) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Job 17:10quick helps
In a sentenceJob challenges his friends to return and try again, stating that he cannot find a wise person among them.
Who is speakingJob, addressing his friends.
Where we areJob is expressing his frustration with his friends' inability to provide wise counsel.
The hard wordחָכָם
Take awayJob feels isolated in his suffering, unable to find wisdom among those around him.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbשׁוּב 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 17:10

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 Response to His Friendsgenerated

9Yet a righteous one holds to his way, and the one with clean hands grows stronger.
10But come back and try again, all of you. For I will not find a wise man among you.
11My days have passed; my plans are broken off— even the desires of my heart.
12They have turned night into day, making light seem near in the face of darkness.

Job 17:10 shows Job in a moment of despair, urging his friends to come back and make another attempt to understand his plight. He expresses disappointment in their inability to provide wise counsel during his suffering, highlighting the theme of searching for wisdom in times of distress. This echoes the broader narrative of Job's struggle to find understanding and support from those closest to him.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Job 6:29Reconsider; do not be unjust. Reconsider, for my righteousness is at stake.
2Malachi 3:18So you will again distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.”
3Job 17:4You have closed their minds to understanding; therefore You will not exalt them.
4Job 15:9What do you know that we do not? What do you understand that is not clear to us?
5Job 32:9It is not only the old who are wise, or the elderly who understand justice.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 8 references, hung on the phrase they belong to

do ye returnJob 6:29 Malachi 3:18

The Key Word חָכָם, cha.Khamgenerated

The Hebrew word חָכָם (chakam) means 'wise' and encompasses various aspects of intelligence and skillfulness. It can describe someone who is prudent, knowledgeable, or crafty, often in a moral or practical sense.

In this verse, Job is lamenting the absence of such wisdom among his friends, indicating that he does not see anyone capable of providing the insight he desperately needs. The parsing as an adjective shows it describes a quality of a person, emphasizing the lack of wise individuals in his immediate circle.


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 main verb is תָּ֭שֻׁבוּ, you will return, which governs the entire sentence. It is followed by a clause that includes a request for the friends to come back, and a second clause stating the negative outcome of Job's search for wisdom.

The structure emphasizes Job's call to action for his friends, while the subsequent clauses highlight his disappointment in their inability to provide the wisdom he seeks. The use of conjunctions and clauses creates a flow that underscores Job's urgent plea.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates חָכָם as ἀληθές, which means 'true' or 'genuine.' This choice suggests a broader interpretation of wisdom, implying not just intelligence but also authenticity in counsel.

This rendering reflects an understanding that Job is seeking not just any wisdom, but a true and genuine understanding of his situation from his friends.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Job 17:10 expresses Job's frustration as he urges his friends to return and try again, but he states that he cannot find a wise person among them. This reflects his deep sense of isolation and the struggle to find understanding in his suffering.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does Job mean by 'wise man'?

Job refers to someone who possesses insight, understanding, and the ability to provide sound counsel, which he feels is lacking among his friends.

Why does Job ask his friends to return?

Job is hoping for a change in their approach, seeking genuine support and wisdom to help him through his suffering.

What is the significance of Job's statement about not finding a wise man?

This highlights Job's feelings of isolation and disappointment in those he expected to provide comfort and understanding during his trials.

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

It underscores the theme of seeking wisdom and understanding in times of suffering, as well as the challenges of receiving support from others.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways have I sought wisdom from others during difficult times, and how has that worked out?
  2. How can I be a source of wisdom and support for those who are suffering around me?
  3. What does it mean to me to find true wisdom, and how can I discern it in my life?
  4. How do I respond when I feel isolated or unsupported in my struggles?

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

The early Church Fathers referenced this verse to discuss the nature of wisdom and the challenges of finding true counsel in times of suffering.

Gregory the DialogistMorals on the Book of Job, Book XIII c. 540–604
Ver. 10. But as for you all, do ye turn and come now. Which same words of exhortation he properly frames to the Elect, whom he calls to the eternal world; who are bidden in two ways, viz.
Early Church Fathers on Job 17 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Job 17:10 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

But as for you all, do ye return, and come now,.... This is an address to his three friends, all and everyone of them, who he perceived were nettled with his reply, and were either departing, or

Read John Gill on Job 17 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

But as for you all, do ye return, and come now: for I cannot find one wise man among you. Return - if you have anything to advance really wise, though I doubt it, recommended your speech.

Read Robert Jamieson on Job 17 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Return, and come now, i.e. come now again, (as this phrase is oft used,) and renew the debate, as I see you are prepared and resolved to do, and I am ready to receive you. Or, return into yourselves, and consider my cause again; peradventure your second thoughts may be wiser. One wise man, to wit, in this matter. None of you speak like wise or good men, but like rash and heady persons; you censure me as a rotten hypocrite, and misjudge of God’ s ways, and condemn the generation of God’ s children upon frivolous grounds.

Read Matthew Poole on Job 17 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Job 17:10 But as for you all, do ye return, and come now: for I cannot find [one] wise [man] among you.Ver. 10. But as for you all, do you return, &c.] Change your minds, as Malachi 3:18, and close with me, lay aside your prejudiced opinions, deliver up yourselves to my discipline, who am ready to teach you things both weighty and necessary, Siquis culturae patientum accommodet aurem. For I cannot find one wise man amongst you] Nihil hic ex odio dicit, saith an interpreter. This Job speaketh not out of hatred to their persons, but freely uttereth that which he was persuaded to be the truth, and wisheth them a better understanding of the thing controverted between himself and them at this…

Read John Trapp on Job 17 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(10) But as for you all, do ye return.—This is probably said with irony. “Come again and renew the argument between us; but I shall not be able to find a wise man among you. I am willing to listen to your argument, but I am confident as to the result of it.” For I cannot find.—Rather, and I shall not find: i.e., if ye renew the argument.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Job 17 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 10. But as for you all] Ye are too proud, and too full of self-importance, to profit by what ye see. Return - enter into yourselves, consider your ways, go again to school, get back to your own houses, and endeavour to acquire humility and knowledge; for there is not one wise man among you.

Read AdamClarke on Job 17 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

10–16. Final repudiation by Job of the false hopes of recovery which the friends held out to him. He knows better, his hope is in the grave. Turning with a last word to his friends Job bids them renew as often as they chose their attempts to explain his condition, they should only shew themselves ignorant and incapable (Job 17:10). The hopes they held out were vain; his days were at an end and all the enterprises and dearest purposes of his life for ever broken off (Job 17:11-12). His hope was in the grave, where alone he would find rest (Job 17:13-16).

Read Cambridge on Job 17 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

But as for you all, do you return - This may mean, either, “return to the debate;” or, “return from your unjust and uncharitable opinion concerning me.” The former seems to accord best with the scope of the passage.

Read Albert Barnes on Job 17 →

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

But come back and try again, all of you. For I will not find a wise man among you.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

But as for you all, come back. I will not find a wise man among you.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

But come back and try again, all of you. For I will not find a wise man among you.

NETBNew English Translation2006

“But turn, all of you, and come now! I will not find a wise man among you.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

But as for you all, do ye return, and come now: for I cannot find one wise man among you.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

But as for you all, come on now again; And I shall not find a wise man among you.

RVARevised Version, American1894

But return ye, all of you, and come now: and I shall not find a wise man among you.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

But as for you all, do ye return, and come now: for I cannot find one wise man among you.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

All you therefore turne you, and come nowe, and I shall not finde one wise among you.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

But as for you all, pray come on again; and I shall not find one wise man among you.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Return, and come in, I pray you, And I find not among you a wise man.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

But please return and come in, all of you, || And I do not find a wise man among you.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

But all of you, do only return, and come but [to me]: and yet I shall not find among you one wise man.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

But as for you all, come on now; I will not find a wise man among you.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Wherefore be you all converted, and come, and I shall not find among you any wise man.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Why don't you come back and repeat again what you've been saying?—yet I still won't find a wise man among you!

BBEBible in Basic English1949

But come back, now, all of you, come; and I will not see a wise man among you.

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.

conjunction phraseוְֽandאוּלָ֗םbutclausenoun phrase · subjectכֻּלָּ֣of.themםallverbתָּ֭שֻׁבוּyou.will.returnוּandclauseverbבֹ֣אוּcomeadverbialנָ֑אpleaseוְandclauseadverbialלֹֽאnotverbאֶמְצָ֖אI.will.findprepositional phrase · prepositionalבָamongכֶ֣םyouobjectחָכָֽםa.wise.[person]

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 agree closely, with all words matched. This indicates a consistent transmission of the text, preserving Job's lament about the absence of wise counsel among his friends.

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

וְֽאוּלָ֗ם כֻּלָּ֣ם תָּ֭שֻׁבוּ וּבֹ֣אוּ נָ֑א וְלֹֽא־ אֶמְצָ֖א בָכֶ֣ם חָכָֽם׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וְֽאוּלָ֗םἀλλὰכֻּלָּ֣םπάντεςתָּ֭שֻׁבוּἐρείδετεוּבֹ֣אוּδεῦτεנָ֑אδήוְלֹֽא־οὐאֶמְצָ֖אεὑρίσκωבָכֶ֣םὑμῖνחָכָֽם׃ἀληθές

9 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 17:10אוּלָםand butand butאוּלָםכֹּלall of themall of themכֹּלשׁוּבyou will reyou will returnשׁוּבבּוֹאand comeand comeבּוֹאנָאpleasepleaseנָאלֹאand notand notלֹאמָצָאI will findI will findמָצָאכֶםamong youamong youכֶםחָכָםa wise [pera wise [person]חָכָםכָּלַלto perfectto perfectכָּלַלחָכַםbe wisebe wiseחָכַםאוּלַיperhapsperhapsאוּלַיחֵןfavorfavorחֵןגָּדַלto magnifyto magnifyגָּדַלבֵּֽיתְאֵלBethelBethelבֵּֽיתְאֵלעֵדָהcongregaticongregationעֵדָהעֲבֹדָהserviceserviceעֲבֹדָהשְׁבִיתcaptivitycaptivityשְׁבִיתחָרוֹןburning anburning angerחָרוֹןשֶׁ֫מֶשׁsunsunשֶׁ֫מֶשׁעַתָּ֫הnownowעַתָּ֫היָכֹלbe ablebe ableיָכֹלעוֹדstillstillעוֹדבָּקַשׁto seekto seekבָּקַשׁכְּסִילfoolfoolכְּסִילדַּ֫עַתknowledgeknowledgeדַּ֫עַת
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 17:10

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.

and but all of them you will return and come please and not I will find among you a wise [person]
וְֽאוּלָ֗םve.'u.Lam and but H199 Conjunction · adverb
19× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word is used to show contrast, like 'but' or 'however', and is often used to emphasize a point, as seen in its various KJV translations.
Amplified meaning
however, in contrast
Tyndale gloss
but
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אוּלָם (uwlam) is an adverb meaning 'but' or 'however,' functioning as a strong adversative in sentences. It is noted for its emphasis on contrast, appearing in contexts where a statement is countered or qualified. The entries consistently highlight its role in introducing opposing ideas.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אוּלָם adv. but, but indeed, a strong adversative

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H199 אוּלָם but, but indeed, a strong adversative

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

199 'uwlam oo-lawm'

apparently a variation of 194; however or on the

contrary:--as for, but, howbeit, in very deed, surely, truly,

wherefore.

see HEBREW for 0194

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אוּלָם (u.lam) — but.

1) but, but indeed (a strong adversative)

2) however, nevertheless

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Adv — Conjunction · adverb
HC/D
and but all of them you will return and come please and not I will find among you a wise [person]
כֻּלָּ֣םku.Lam all of them H3605 Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
5,415× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for 'all' or 'everything' is used throughout the Bible, like in Genesis 1:31, where God sees all He has made as very good. It encompasses the entirety of something, whether people, things, or situations.
Amplified meaning
every one, everything
Tyndale gloss
all
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כֹּל (kol) means 'all' or 'the whole.' It can refer to totality, including every person or thing, and is often used with a following genitive to specify what is included. The term can also denote a broader sense of everything in existence or all circumstances of life. The lexicons do not show significant disagreement on its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כֹּל once כּוֹל n.m. the whole, all

with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

Absolutely:

without the art., all things, all

with the art. הַכֹּל

where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3605 כֹּל once כּוֹל the whole, all . with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

. Absolutely: . without the art., all things, all

. with the art. הַכֹּל . where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

. in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3605 kol kole

or (Jer. 33:8) kowl {kole}; from 3634; properly, the whole;

hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a

plural sense):--(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any

(manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as

many as, (no-)thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole,

whoso(-ever).

see HEBREW for 03634

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כֹּל (kol) — all.

1) all, the whole

1a) all, the whole of

1b) any, each, every, anything

1c) totality, everything

Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HNcmsc/Sp3mp
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and but all of them you will return and come please and not I will find among you a wise [person]
תָּ֭שֻׁבוּTa.shu.vu you will return H7725 Verb · Qal · imperfect second person masculine plural
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
come on now, repeat again
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-Qal-Imperf-2mp — Verb · Qal · imperfect second person masculine plural
HVqi2mp
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and but all of them you will return and come please and not I will find among you a wise [person]
וּבֹ֣אוּu.Vo.'u and come H935 Conjunction · verb qal imperative second person masculine plural
2,573× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to go or come, and is used in many contexts, such as entering a place or approaching someone, as seen in the book of Genesis. It can also mean to abide or apply, and is translated in various ways in the KJV Bible. This term is related to the name Lebo Hamath.
Amplified meaning
return, turn back
Tyndale gloss
Lebo
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בּוֹא (bo) is a Hebrew verb meaning to come or go in, with a wide range of applications including entering, arriving, and bringing in. It can refer to both physical movement and abstract concepts like events coming to pass. The verb appears in various forms, such as Qal (to come), Hiphil (to cause to come), and Hophal (to be brought). There is no significant disagreement among lexicons regarding its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בּוֹא 2569 vb. come in, come, go in, go

Qal

come in

come (approach, arrive)

go, i.e. walk, associate with

go from speaker, but with limit of motion given

Hiph.

cause to come in, bring in (conduct, lead, obj. persons and animals)

cause to come, bring, bring near, etc. (animate obj.)

Hoph.

be brought in (of pers. and things)

be brought

be introduced, put

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H935 בּוֹא come in, come, go in, go .. come in

. come (approach, arrive)

. go, i.e. walk, associate with

. go from speaker, but with limit of motion given

. . cause to come in, bring in (conduct, lead, obj. persons and animals)

. cause to come, bring, bring near, etc. (animate obj.)

. . be brought in (of pers. and things)

. be brought

. be introduced, put

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

935 bow' bo

a primitive root; to go or come (in a wide variety of

applications):--abide, apply, attain, X be, befall, +

besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, X

certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out,

upon, to pass), depart, X doubtless again, + eat, + employ,

(cause to) enter (in, into, -tering, -trance, -try), be

fallen, fetch, + follow, get, give, go (down, in, to war),

grant, + have, X indeed, (in-)vade, lead, lift (up), mention,

pull in, put, resort, run (down), send, set, X (well) stricken

(in age), X surely, take (in), way.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בּוֹא (bo) — to come (in): come.

: come/go_in

1) to go in, enter, come, go, come in

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to enter, come in

1a2) to come

1a2a) to come with

1a2b) to come upon, fall or light upon, attack (enemy)

1a2c) to come to pass

1a3) to attain to

1a4) to be enumerated

1a5) to go

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to lead in

1b2) to carry in

1b3) to bring in, cause to come in, gather, cause to come, bring near, bring against, bring upon

1b4) to bring to pass

1c) (Hophal)

1c1) to be brought, brought in

1c2) to be introduced, be put

לְב֥וֹא (bo) — Lebo-(Hamath).

This name means to go in, enter

Combined with cha.mat (חֲמָת "Hamath" H2574)

בּוֹא (bo) — to come (in): towards.

: towards/entrance

1) to go in, enter, come, go, come in

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to enter, come in

1a2) to come

1a2a) to come with

1a2b) to come upon, fall or light upon, attack (enemy)

1a2c) to come to pass

1a3) to attain to

1a4) to be enumerated

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-Impv-2mp — Conjunction · verb qal imperative second person masculine plural
HC/Vqv2mp
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

kum: The translation of many Hebrew and Greek words. In the phrase "The Spirit of Yahweh came mightily upon him" (Jud 14:6,19; 15:14; 1Sa 10:10; 11:6; 16:13), the word is tsaleah; Jud 14:6; 15:14 "came mightily," which is the uniform translation of the Revised Version (British and American) (compare Jud 13:25 "to move," i.e. to disturb or stir up). In Jud 6:34; 1Ch 12:18; 2Ch 24:20, it is labhesh, "to clothe"; the Revised Version, margin "The Spirit .... clothed itself with Gideon" and .... "with Zechariah,"…

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and but all of them you will return and come please and not I will find among you a wise [person]
נָ֑אNa' 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.
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
HTj — Particle
HTj
and but all of them you will return and come please and not I will find among you a wise [person]
וְלֹֽא־ve.lo'- and not H3808 Conjunction · particle
5,170× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Amplified meaning
certainly not, no
Tyndale gloss
not
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לֹא or לוֹא adv. not

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3808 lo' lo

or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often

used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,

ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,

no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out

of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +

of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לֹא (lo) — not.

1) not, no

1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)

1b) not (with modifier-negation)

1c) nothing (subst)

1d) without (with particle)

1e) before (of time)

Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Part — Conjunction · particle
HC/Tn
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and but all of them you will return and come please and not I will find among you a wise [person]
אֶמְצָ֖א'em.Tza' I will find H4672 Verb · Qal · imperfect first person common singular
455× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Matsa means to find or attain something, whether it is a physical object, a person, or a condition, as seen in various KJV translations.
Amplified meaning
discover, attain
Tyndale gloss
to find
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מָצָא (matsa') is a Hebrew verb meaning to find or attain. It encompasses a range of actions, including discovering something lost, encountering someone, or coming upon a situation. The word can also imply being present or sufficient. Lexicons note various forms and uses, including Qal, Niphal, and Hiphil, which indicate different nuances of finding and encountering.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מָצָא 452 vb. attain to, find

Qal

find

find out

= come upon, light upon

noteworthy phrases

Niph. pass. of Qal, be found

Hiph.

cause to find, attain

cause to light upon, come upon, come

cause to encounter

present unto

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4672 מָצָא attain to, find

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4672 matsa' maw-tsaw'

a primitive root; properly, to come forth to, i.e. appear or

exist; transitively, to attain, i.e. find or acquire;

figuratively, to occur, meet or be present:--+ be able,

befall, being, catch, X certainly, (cause to) come (on, to, to

hand), deliver, be enough (cause to) find(-ing, occasion,

out), get (hold upon), X have (here), be here, hit, be left,

light (up-)on, meet (with), X occasion serve, (be) present,

ready, speed, suffice, take hold on.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מָצָא (ma.tsa) — to find.

1) to find, attain to

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to find

1a1a) to find, secure, acquire, get (thing sought)

1a1b) to find (what is lost)

1a1c) to meet, encounter

1a1d) to find (a condition)

1a1e) to learn, devise

1a2) to find out

1a2a) to find out

1a2b) to detect

1a2c) to guess

1a3) to come upon, light upon

1a3a) to happen upon, meet, fall in with

1a3b) to hit

1a3c) to befall

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be found

1b1a) to be encountered, be lighted upon, be discovered

1b1b) to appear, be recognised

1b1c) to be discovered, be detected

1b1d) to be gained, be secured

1b2) to be, be found

1b2a) to be found in

1b2b) to be in the possession of

1b2c) to be found in (a place), happen to be

1b2d) to be left (after war)

1b2e) to be present

1b2f) to prove to be

1b2g) to be found sufficient, be enough

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to cause to find, attain

1c2) to cause to light upon, come upon, come

1c3) to cause to encounter

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-1cs — Verb · Qal · imperfect first person common singular
HVqi1cs
and but all of them you will return and come please and not I will find among you a wise [person]
בָכֶ֣םva.Khem among you H9036 Preposition · suffix
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כֶם (khem) — you.

Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 2nd person masculine plural

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Sp2mp — Preposition · suffix
HR/Sp2mp
and but all of them you will return and come please and not I will find among you a wise [person]
חָכָֽם׃cha.Kham a wise [person] H2450 Adj
138× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means wise or skilled, describing someone intelligent or crafty, like a cunning man or a prudent leader.
Amplified meaning
intelligent, skilled, prudent, person, individual
Tyndale gloss
wise
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word חָכָם (*chakam*) means 'wise' and encompasses various aspects of wisdom, including skillfulness in technical work, shrewdness, and ethical understanding. It can refer to a class of learned individuals, including those involved in astrology and magic. The word is derived from a related term, חָכַם (*chakam*), which also relates to intelligence and craftiness.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חָכָם adj. wise

skilful in technical work

wise in the administration of affairs

shrewd, crafty, cunning

pl. class of learned and shrewd men, incl. astrologers, magicians and the like

prudent

wise, ethically and religiously

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2450 חָכָם wise . skilful in technical work

. wise in the administration of affairs

. shrewd, crafty, cunning

. pl. class of learned and shrewd men, incl. astrologers, magicians and the like

. prudent

. wise, ethically and religiously

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2450 chakam khaw-kawm'

from 2449; wise, (i.e. intelligent, skilful or

artful):--cunning (man), subtil, ((un-)), wise((hearted),

man).

see HEBREW for 02449

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חָכָם (cha.kham) — wise.

1) wise, wise (man)

1a) skilful (in technical work)

1b) wise (in administration)

1c) shrewd, crafty, cunning, wily, subtle

1d) learned, shrewd (class of men)

1e) prudent

1f) wise (ethically and religiously)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Adj
HAamsa
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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