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Job 21:26 — Word Study

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WLCיַ֭חַד עַל־ עָפָ֣ר יִשְׁכָּ֑בוּ וְ֝רִמָּ֗ה תְּכַסֶּ֥ה עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃

BSABut togetheryachad [unitedly, in the same manner] they lie downshâkab [to rest, to sleep] inʻal the dustʻâphâr [dry earth, clay] and wormsrimmâh [maggots, a sign of decay] cover themkâçâh [to hide, to conceal] [both]ʻal [alike, without distinction]

Word
Listen & take awayJob 21
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 26 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 ('a.lei.Hem) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Job 21:26quick helps
In a sentenceJob reflects on the fate of both the righteous and the wicked in death.
Who is speakingJob, expressing his thoughts on mortality and the equality of death.
Where we areIn a discourse on the nature of life and death, contrasting the experiences of the living.
The hard wordרִמָּה
Take awayDeath brings all to the same end, regardless of their earthly status.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectרִמָּה verbשָׁכַב 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 21:26

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 Reflection on Deathgenerated

25Yet another man dies in the bitterness of his soul, having never tasted prosperity.
26But together they lie down in the dust, and worms cover them both.
27Behold, I know your thoughts full well, the schemes by which you would wrong me.
28For you say, ‘Where now is the nobleman’s house, and where are the tents in which the wicked dwell?’

Job 21:26 reflects Job's contemplation on the inevitability of death, where both the righteous and the wicked meet the same fate in the dust. This verse is part of a larger discussion about the apparent prosperity of the wicked and the suffering of the righteous, as Job seeks to understand the justice of God amidst his own suffering. Job's assertion that they lie down together in the dust emphasizes the equality found in death, a theme echoed in other biblical texts such as Ecclesiastes 9:2.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Job 3:18–19The captives enjoy their ease; they do not hear the voice of the oppressor.
2Job 20:11The youthful vigor that fills his bones will lie down with him in the dust.
3Ecclesiastes 9:2It is the same for all: There is a common fate for the righteous and the wicked, for the good and the bad, for the clean and the unclean, for the one who sacrifices and the one who does not. As it is for the good, so it is for the sinner; as it is for the one who makes a vow, so it is for the one who refuses to take a vow.
4Job 17:14and say to corruption, ‘You are my father,’ and to the worm, ‘My mother,’ or ‘My sister,’
5Job 19:26Even after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God.

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


The Key Word יַחַד, Ya.chadgenerated

The word יַחַד (yachad) is a noun meaning 'together' or 'unitedness.' It describes a state of being in unity, as seen in contexts where people act in concert, such as in Psalm 133:1. The parsing indicates it is a masculine singular noun, emphasizing the collective nature of the action.

This word's usage here highlights the shared experience of death, suggesting that regardless of one's life circumstances, all ultimately return to the same state in the dust.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

The translations agree on the fundamental meaning of the verse.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb is יִשְׁכָּבוּ (yishkavu), meaning 'they will lie down,' which governs the structure of the sentence. The phrase יַחַד (yachad) serves as an adverbial modifier, indicating that they lie down together.

The sentence is constructed with a straightforward subject-verb-object order, with prepositional phrases providing additional context about the location (in the dust) and the covering (by worms).


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates יַחַד as ὁμοθυμαδὸν (homothumadon), which means 'with one accord' or 'together.' This choice emphasizes the unity in death, suggesting a shared fate that transcends earthly distinctions.

This translation choice reflects a broader interpretation of the Hebrew concept of unity, suggesting a collective experience in mortality.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Job 21:26 speaks about how both the righteous and the wicked ultimately meet the same fate in death, lying down together in the dust and being covered by worms. This reflects the idea that death is a great equalizer, regardless of one's life circumstances.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does Job mean by 'they lie down together in the dust'?

Job is highlighting that both the righteous and the wicked face death, and in death, they are equal, lying together in the dust.

What is the significance of worms covering them?

The mention of worms symbolizes decay and the natural process of death, emphasizing the transient nature of life.

How does this verse relate to the theme of justice in Job?

This verse underscores Job's struggle with the apparent injustice of life, where the wicked prosper while the righteous suffer, yet all face the same end.

Why is the idea of unity in death important?

The concept of unity in death serves as a reminder that earthly distinctions and statuses are meaningless in the face of mortality.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. How does the equality of death challenge my understanding of justice in life?
  2. In what ways can I find comfort in the idea that all people face the same fate?
  3. What does this passage teach about the transient nature of life and earthly success?
  4. How can I apply the lesson of unity in death to my relationships with others?

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

Gregory the Dialogist comments on this verse, reflecting on the equality of all in death, regardless of their earthly circumstances.

Gregory the DialogistMorals on the Book of Job, Book XV c. 540–604
Ver. 26. And yet they shall lie down alike in the dust, and the worms shall cover them. What wonder then if those persons for a moment run a course unlike in the prosperity and adversity of this world,
Early Church Fathers on Job 21 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Job 21:26 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

They shall lie down alike in the dust,.... Such as have lived and died in great outward prosperity, or in more unhappy circumstances; these are levelled by death, and brought into the same state and

Read John Gill on Job 21 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

They shall lie down alike in the dust, and the worms shall cover them. his guilt, as if proved by his sufferings.

Read Robert Jamieson on Job 21 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

All these worldly differences are ended by death, and they lie in the grave without any distinction, till the time of general resurrection and judgment comes. So that no man can tell who is good, and who is bad, by any events which befall them in this life.

Read Matthew Poole on Job 21 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Job 21:26 They shall lie down alike in the dust, and the worms shall cover them.Ver. 26. They shall lie down alike in the dust, and worms, &c.] Death and afflictions are common to them both, as Ecclesiastes 9:2-3 How then do ye pronounce me wicked, because afflicted, and free among the dead, free of that company? &c. And the worms shall cover them] Who haply were once covered with costliest clothing. The best are but worm’ s meat; why then should we pamper and trick up these carcases?

Read John Trapp on Job 21 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(26) They shall lie down alike in the dust.—Not only, therefore, is the inequality of their life a stumbling-block, but so also is the equality which obliterates all distinction between them in death.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Job 21 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 26. They shall lie down alike in the dust] Death levels all distinctions, and the grave makes all equal. There may be a difference in the grave itself; but the human corpse is the same in all. Splendid monuments enshrine corruption; but the sod must lie close and heavy upon the putrefying carcass, to prevent it from becoming the bane of the living.

Read AdamClarke on Job 21 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

26. Wholly different in life the two are alike in death; cf. Ecclesiastes 2:15 seq. They shall lie down] They lie down. Similarly, the worms cover.

Read Cambridge on Job 21 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

They shall lie down alike in the dust - The emphasis here is on the word “alike” - יחד yachad.

Read Albert Barnes on Job 21 →

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 together they lie down in the dust, and worms cover them both.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

They lie down alike in the dust. The worm covers them.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

But together they lie down in the dust, and worms cover them both.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Together they lie down in the dust, and worms cover over them both.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

They shall lie down alike in the dust, and the worms shall cover them.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

They lie down alike in the dust, And the worm covereth them.

RVARevised Version, American1894

They lie down alike in the dust, and the worm covereth them.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

They shall lie down alike in the dust, and the worms shall cover them.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

They shall sleepe both in the dust, and the wormes shall couer them.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Together they lie down in the dust, and the worms cover them.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Together — on the dust they lie down, And the worm doth cover them over.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Together they lie down on the dust, || And the worm covers them over.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

[And yet] together they must lie down in the dust, and the worms will cover them?

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

They lie down alike in the dust; the worms cover them both.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And yet they shall sleep together in the dust, and worms shall cover them.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Yet they are both buried in the same dust; they are treated alike in death, eaten by maggots.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Together they go down to the dust, and are covered by the worm.

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.

clauseadverbialיַ֭חַדtogetherprepositional phrase · prepositionalעַלonעָפָ֣רdustverbיִשְׁכָּ֑בוּthey.will.lieוְ֝andclausesubjectרִמָּ֗הa.maggotverbתְּכַסֶּ֥הit.will.coverprepositional phrase · prepositionalעֲלֵיoverהֶֽםthem

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 the Septuagint matching 6 of the 7 words from the Hebrew text. This indicates a consistent understanding of the verse across these traditions.

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

יַ֭חַד עַל־ עָפָ֣ר יִשְׁכָּ֑בוּ וְ֝רִמָּ֗ה תְּכַסֶּ֥ה עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
יַ֭חַדὁμοθυμαδὸνעַל־ἐπὶעָפָ֣רγῆςיִשְׁכָּ֑בוּκοιμῶνταιוְ֝רִמָּ֗הσαπρίαתְּכַסֶּ֥הἐκάλυψεν

6 of the 7 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 21:26יַ֫חַדtogethertogetherיַ֫חַדעַלononעַלעָפָרdustdustעָפָרשָׁכַבthey will lthey will lieשָׁכַברִמָּהand a maggoand a maggotרִמָּהכָּסָהit will covit will coverכָּסָהעַלover themover themעַליָחַדbe joinedbe joinedיָחַדעַלheightheightעַלעָפַרto throwto throwעָפַררָמֹםbe exaltedbe exaltedרָמֹםכָּשָׂהbe satedbe satedכָּשָׂהכִּפֶּרto atoneto atoneכִּפֶּרכִּסֵּאthronethroneכִּסֵּאיָעַדto appointto appointיָעַדרוּןto overcomto overcomeרוּןאֵ֫פֶרashesashesאֵ֫פֶרעָרֵלuncircumciuncircumcisedעָרֵלמִשְׁכָּבbedbedמִשְׁכָּבתּוֹלָעwormwormתּוֹלָעעָפָרdustdustעָפָרשַׂקsackclothsackclothשַׂקעָנָןcloudcloudעָנָן
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 21:26

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.

together on dust they will lie and a maggot it will cover over them
יַ֭חַדYa.chad together H3162 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
141× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This adverb means together, describing people doing something in unity, like in Psalm 133:1.
Amplified meaning
unitedly, in the same manner
Tyndale gloss
unitedness
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יַ֫חַד (yachad) refers to the concept of unitedness or being together. It can function as a noun meaning 'unitedness' and as an adverb meaning 'together.' The word is built from a root that emphasizes unity and is used in various contexts in the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יַ֫חַד 45 n.[m.] unitedness

as subst.

elsewhere always in acc. as adv. in union, together

base

יָחְדָּו 92 adv. together

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3162a יַ֫חַד unitedness . as subst.

. elsewhere always in acc. as adv. in union, together

H3162b יָחְדָּו adv. together

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3162 yachad yakh'-ad

from 3161; properly, a unit, i.e. (adverb) unitedly:--alike,

at all (once), both, likewise, only, (al-)together, withal.

see HEBREW for 03161

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יַ֫חַד (ya.chad) — unitedness.

1) union, unitedness

יָחְדָּו (yach.dav) — together.

adv

together

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adv — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
together on dust they will lie and a maggot it will cover over them
עַל־'al- on H5921 Preposition
5,774× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means on or above something, like a physical object or a situation. It can also imply a sense of responsibility or accountability, as in being on behalf of someone.
Tyndale gloss
upon
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עַל (*al*) is a preposition meaning 'upon' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including 'on account of,' 'beside,' 'above,' and 'against.' It can indicate physical placement, emotional burdens, or duties imposed on a person. The entries also note its use in idiomatic expressions and with verbs of motion. There is a mention of its function as a conjunction in certain contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

base

עַל, עָ֑ל

subst. height

As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against

Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed

of clothing, etc., which any one wears

With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it

Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him

Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him

על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him

חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5921a עַל, עָ֑ל . As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against . Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed . — . of clothing, etc., which any one wears

. With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it

. Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him

. Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him

. על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him

. חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5921 `al al

properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the

singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a

particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always

in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great

variety of applications (as follow):--above, according

to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because

of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both

and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in

(that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-)on, over, than,

through(-out), to, touching, X with.

see HEBREW for 05920

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עַל (al) — upon.

prep

1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against

1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards

1b) above, beyond, over (of excess)

1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence)

1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition)

1e) over (of suspension or extension)

1f) by, adjoining, next, at, over, around (of contiguity or proximity)

1g) down upon, upon, on, from, up upon, up to, towards, over towards, to, against (with verbs of motion)

1h) to (as a dative)

[כִּי] עַל [כֵּן] ([ki] al [ken]) — as.

conj

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Preposition
HR
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

On

Light; the sun, (Gen. 41:45, 50), the great seat of sun-worship, called also Bethshemesh (Jer. 43:13) and Aven (Ezek. 30:17), stood on the east bank of the Nile, a few miles north of Memphis, and near Cairo, in the north-east. The Vulgate and the LXX. Versions have “Heliopolis” (“city of the sun”) instead of On in Genesis and of Aven in Ezekiel. The “city of destruction” Isaiah speaks of (19:18, marg. “of Heres;” Heb. ‘Ir-ha-heres, which some MSS. read Ir-ha-heres, i.e., “city of the sun”) may be the name given to On, the prophecy being that the time will come when that city which was known as the “city of the sun-god” shall become the “city of destruction” of the sun-god, i.e., when idolatry shall cease, and the worship…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(abode or city of the sun), a town of lower Egypt, called BETH-SHEMESH in (Jeremiah 43:13) On is better known under its Greek name Heliopolis. It was situated on the east side of the Pelusiac branch of the Nile, just below the point of the Delta, and about twenty miles northeast of Memphis. The chief object of worship at Heliopolis was the sun, whose temple, described by Strabo, is now only represented by the single beautiful obelisk, of red granite so feet 2 inches high above the pedestal which has stood for more than 4000 years, having been erected by Usirtesen, the second king of the twelfth dynasty. Heliopolis was anciently famous for its learning, and Eudoxus and Plato studied under its priests. The first mention of this place in the Bible is in the history of Joseph, to whom we read Pharaoh gave "to wife Asenath the daughter…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

See HELIOPOLIS.

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

pain; force; iniquity

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
together on dust they will lie and a maggot it will cover over them
עָפָ֣ר'a.Far dust H6083 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
110× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Aphar means dust or dry earth, and is also used to describe clay, earth, or mortar. It appears in various forms throughout the Bible.
Amplified meaning
dry earth, clay
Tyndale gloss
dust
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עָפָר n.m. dry earth, dust

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6083 עָפָר dry earth, dust

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6083 `aphar aw-fawr'

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

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

see HEBREW for 06080

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עָפָר (a.phar) — dust.

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

1a) dry or loose earth

1b) debris

1c) mortar

1d) ore

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

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

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

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Dust

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

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

Smith's Bible Dictionary

[MOURNING]

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

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

together on dust they will lie and a maggot it will cover over them
יִשְׁכָּ֑בוּyish.Ka.vu they will lie H7901 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine plural
212× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To lie down can mean to rest, sleep, or have sexual relations, and is used in various contexts throughout the Bible. It can also mean to relax or be at rest.
Amplified meaning
to rest, to sleep
Tyndale gloss
to lie down: lay down
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word שָׁכַב (shakab) is a primitive root meaning 'to lie down.' It covers a range of meanings including resting, lodging, engaging in sexual relations, and lying down in death. The word appears in various forms, such as Qal, Niphal, Pual, Hiphil, and Hophal, indicating different nuances of lying down. Notably, it can also figuratively mean to relax.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁכַב 212 vb. lie down

Qal

lie down

= lodge (for night)

of sexual relations, lie with

lie down in death

esp. in phr. lie down with his fathers

fig. = relax

Niph. Pu. = be lain with (sexually; subj. women), only as Qr for Kt [שָׁגֵל] Niph. Pu. q.v.

Hiph. lay

Hoph. laid

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7901 שָׁכַב lie down .. lie down

. = lodge (for night)

. of sexual relations, lie with

. . lie down in death

. esp. in phr. lie down with his fathers

. fig. = relax

. Pu. = be lain with (sexually; subj. women), only as Qr for Kt [שָׁגֵל] Niph. Pu. q.v.

. lay

. laid

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7901 shakab shaw-kab'

a primitive root; to lie down (for rest, sexual connection,

decease or any other purpose):--X at all, cast down,

((lover-))lay (self) (down), (make to) lie (down, down to

sleep, still with), lodge, ravish, take rest, sleep, stay.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁכַב (sha.khav) — to lie down: lay down.

: lay_down/lie_with

1) to lie down

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to lie, lie down, lie on

1a2) to lodge

1a3) to lie (of sexual relations)

1a4) to lie down (in death)

1a5) to rest, relax (fig)

1b) (Niphal) to be lain with (sexually)

1c) (Pual) to be lain with (sexually)

1d) (Hiphil) to make to lie down

1e) (Hophal) to be laid

שָׁכַב (sha.khav) — to lie down: sleep.

: sleep/rest

1) to lie down

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to lie, lie down, lie on

1a2) to lodge

1a3) to lie (of sexual relations)

1a4) to lie down (in death)

1a5) to rest, relax (fig)

1b) (Niphal) to be lain with (sexually)

1c) (Pual) to be lain with (sexually)

1d) (Hiphil) to make to lie down

1e) (Hophal) to be laid

שָׁכַב (sha.khav) — to lie down: have sex.

: have_sex

1) to lie down

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to lie, lie down, lie on

1a2) to lodge

1a3) to lie (of sexual relations)

1a4) to lie down (in death)

1a5) to rest, relax (fig)

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Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine plural
HVqi3mp
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Lie

An intentional violation of the truth. Lies are emphatically condemned in Scripture (John 8:44; 1 Tim. 1:9, 10; Rev. 21:27; 22:15). Mention is made of the lies told by good men, as by Abraham (Gen. 12:12, 13; 20:2), Isaac (26:7), and Jacob (27:24); also by the Hebrew midwives (Ex. 1:15-19), by Michal (1 Sam. 19:14), and by David (1 Sam. 20:6). (See ANANIAS.)

together on dust they will lie and a maggot it will cover over them
וְ֝רִמָּ֗הve.ri.Mah and a maggot H7415 Conjunction · noun common feminine singular absolute
7× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A worm or maggot, symbolizing decay, is described in the Bible as a sign of corruption.
Amplified meaning
maggots, a sign of decay
Tyndale gloss
worm
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רִמָּה (rimmah) refers to a worm or maggot, often associated with decay. The word is derived from a root meaning to breed, highlighting its rapid reproduction. It is noted in the context of decay in the Old Testament, emphasizing its role as a sign of deterioration.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רִמָּה n.f. worm (cause and sign of decay)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7415 רִמָּה worm (cause and sign of decay)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7415 rimmah rim-maw'

from 7426 in the sense of breading (compare 7311); a maggot

(as rapidly bred), literally or figuratively:--worm.

see HEBREW for 07426

see HEBREW for 07311

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רִמָּה (rim.mah) — worm.

maggot, worm (as cause and sign of decay)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | N-fs — Conjunction · noun common feminine singular absolute
HC/Ncfsa
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
together on dust they will lie and a maggot it will cover over them
תְּכַסֶּ֥הte.kha.Seh it will cover H3680 Verb · Piel · imperfect third person feminine singular
152× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To cover something means to fill up hollows or hide something from view, as seen in many biblical stories. This verb is used in various forms throughout the Bible, such as to cover oneself with clothing or to conceal something for protection. It can also mean to overwhelm or spread over something.
Amplified meaning
to hide, to conceal
Tyndale gloss
to cover
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word כָּסָה (*kacah*) primarily means to cover or conceal. It encompasses a range of meanings, including to clothe, hide, or overwhelm. The entries describe various forms of the verb, such as being covered or covering oneself, and its use in contexts like protection or sin. There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[כָּסָה] vb. cover

Qal

conceal

pass. (cstr.) covered in respect of sin (by God, which he thus puts out of sight)

Niph. covered

Pi.

cover, clothe

cover, conceal blood

cover (with covering of protection)

cover, spread over

cover, overwhelm

cover over

Pual.

be covered

be clothed

Hithp. cover, clothe oneself

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3680 כָּסָה cover .. conceal

. pass. (cstr.) covered in respect of sin (by God, which he thus puts out of sight)

. covered

. . cover, clothe

. cover, conceal blood

. cover (with covering of protection)

. cover, spread over

. cover, overwhelm

. cover over

. . be covered

. be clothed

. cover, clothe oneself

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3680 kacah kaw-saw'

a primitive root; properly, to plump, i.e. fill up hollows;

by implication, to cover (for clothing or secrecy):--clad

self, close, clothe, conceal, cover (self), (flee to) hide,

overwhelm. Compare 3780.

see HEBREW for 03780

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כָּסָה (ka.sah) — to cover.

1) to cover, conceal, hide

1a) (Qal) conceal, covered (participle)

1b) (Niphal) to be covered

1c) (Piel)

1c1) to cover, clothe

1c2) to cover, conceal

1c3) to cover (for protection)

1c4) to cover over, spread over

1c5) to cover, overwhelm

1d) (Pual)

1d1) to be covered

1d2) to be clothed

1e) (Hithpael) to cover oneself, clothe oneself

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Piel-Imperf-3fs — Verb · Piel · imperfect third person feminine singular
HVpi3fs
together on dust they will lie and a maggot it will cover over them
עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃'a.lei.Hem over them H5921 Preposition · suffix
5,774× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means on or above something, like a physical object or a situation. It can also imply a sense of responsibility or accountability, as in being on behalf of someone.
Amplified meaning
alike, without distinction
Tyndale gloss
upon
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עַל (*al*) is a preposition meaning 'upon' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including 'on account of,' 'beside,' 'above,' and 'against.' It can indicate physical placement, emotional burdens, or duties imposed on a person. The entries also note its use in idiomatic expressions and with verbs of motion. There is a mention of its function as a conjunction in certain contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

base

עַל, עָ֑ל

subst. height

As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against

Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed

of clothing, etc., which any one wears

With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it

Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him

Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him

על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him

חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)

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Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5921a עַל, עָ֑ל . As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against . Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed . — . of clothing, etc., which any one wears

. With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it

. Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him

. Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him

. על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him

. חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5921 `al al

properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the

singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a

particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always

in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great

variety of applications (as follow):--above, according

to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because

of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both

and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in

(that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-)on, over, than,

through(-out), to, touching, X with.

see HEBREW for 05920

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עַל (al) — upon.

prep

1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against

1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards

1b) above, beyond, over (of excess)

1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence)

1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition)

1e) over (of suspension or extension)

1f) by, adjoining, next, at, over, around (of contiguity or proximity)

1g) down upon, upon, on, from, up upon, up to, towards, over towards, to, against (with verbs of motion)

1h) to (as a dative)

[כִּי] עַל [כֵּן] ([ki] al [ken]) — as.

conj

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | Suff — Preposition · suffix
HRd/Sp3mp
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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