Menu

Job 21:29 — Word Study

Depth

WLCהֲלֹ֣א שְׁ֭אֶלְתֶּם ע֣וֹבְרֵי דָ֑רֶךְ וְ֝אֹתֹתָ֗ם לֹ֣א תְנַכֵּֽרוּ׃

BSAHave you neverlôʼ [not at all, ever] askedshâʼal [inquired of, sought information from] those who travelʻâbar [wayfaring men, people on a journey] the roadsderek [paths, highways] Do you notlôʼ [refuse to, fail to] acceptnâkar [recognize, acknowledge] their reportsʼôwth [testimonies, accounts, signs]

Word
Listen & take awayJob 21
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 29 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (te.na.Ke.ru) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Job 21:29quick helps
In a sentenceJob questions whether anyone has ever sought information from travelers about the fate of the wicked.
Who is speakingJob, addressing his friends.
Where we areIn a discourse on the apparent prosperity of the wicked.
The hard wordתְנַכֵּֽרוּ
Take awayJob challenges the assumptions about justice and the fate of the wicked.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbשָׁאַל 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 21:29

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 the Wickedgenerated

28For you say, ‘Where now is the nobleman’s house, and where are the tents in which the wicked dwell?’
29Have you never asked those who travel the roads? Do you not accept their reports?
30Indeed, the evil man is spared from the day of calamity, delivered from the day of wrath.
31Who denounces his behavior to his face? Who repays him for what he has done?

Job 21:29 presents Job questioning the understanding of his friends regarding the fate of the wicked. He suggests that they should inquire of those who travel the roads, implying that the experiences of others could provide insight into the reality of life and justice. This verse is part of a larger discourse where Job challenges the simplistic views of his friends about divine justice and the prosperity of the wicked, as seen in the surrounding verses.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Psalm 129:8May none who pass by say to them, “The blessing of the LORD be on you; we bless you in the name of the LORD.”

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 1 reference, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word תְנַכֵּֽרוּ, te.na.Ke.rugenerated

The verb נָכַר (nakar) means to recognize or acknowledge, but it also carries the connotation of treating something as foreign or alien. In this context, Job is asking if his friends fail to recognize the reports of those who travel, suggesting a lack of understanding or acknowledgment of the truth about the wicked.

The Piel form indicates an active engagement in recognition, implying that the act of recognizing is intentional and requires discernment. Job's use of this verb challenges his friends to consider the broader perspective of life and justice.


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 of the verse is שְׁ֭אֶלְתֶּם, have you asked, which governs the inquiry about the actions of travelers. The structure emphasizes a rhetorical questioning, inviting the audience to reflect on their understanding.

The verse consists of two main clauses linked by a question, with the first clause focusing on the act of asking and the second on the recognition of reports. This structure highlights Job's challenge to his friends' assumptions.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates שְׁ֭אֶלְתֶּם as ἐρωτήσατε (erōtēsate), meaning 'you have asked.' This choice indicates a direct engagement with the act of questioning, aligning with Job's challenge to seek information.

The translation of תְנַכֵּֽרוּ as ἀπαλλοτριώσετε (apallotriōsete) suggests a nuance of alienation or failure to acknowledge, which aligns with Job's critique of his friends' understanding.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Job 21:29 asks if anyone has ever inquired of travelers about the fate of the wicked. Job is challenging his friends to recognize the truth in the experiences of others, questioning their understanding of justice.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does Job mean by asking about those who travel the roads?

Job is suggesting that travelers have insights into the fate of the wicked, implying that their experiences can provide a clearer understanding of justice.

Why does Job emphasize the need to ask travelers?

By emphasizing this, Job is highlighting that firsthand accounts can reveal truths that contradict his friends' simplistic views on the prosperity of the wicked.

What is the significance of recognizing reports?

Recognizing reports implies an acknowledgment of reality and truth, which Job feels his friends are failing to do.

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

This verse reflects Job's challenge to the traditional understanding of divine justice and the fate of the wicked, a central theme throughout the book.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways do I seek information from others about difficult situations in my life?
  2. How can I be more open to recognizing truths that challenge my assumptions?
  3. What experiences have I encountered that might provide insight into the nature of justice?
  4. How do I respond when faced with perspectives that differ from my own?

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

Gregory the Dialogist comments on this verse to illustrate the understanding of the wicked's fate, emphasizing the need to inquire and understand.

Gregory the DialogistMorals on the Book of Job, Book XV c. 540–604
Ver. 29, 30. Ask everyone of them that go by the way; and ye will know that he understands this same. Because the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction, and he is brought to the day of wrath. [MORAL INTERPRETATION] 68.
Early Church Fathers on Job 21 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Job 21:29 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Have ye not asked them that go by the way?.... Did you not ask every traveller you met with on the road the above question?

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

Have ye not asked them that go by the way? and do ye not know their tokens, Job, seeing that the friends will not admit him as an impartial judge, as they consider his calamities prove his guilt,

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

These are the words, either, 1. Of Job’ s friends, who thus continue their former discourse by a second inquiry; or rather, 2. Of Job himself, who answers one question with another. You may learn this, which is the matter of our debate, to wit, that good men are oft afflicted, and that wicked men do commonly live and die in great prosperity, and are not punished in this world, even from them that go by the way, i.e. either from travellers, who having seen and observed many persons, and places, and events, are more capable judges of this matter; or from any person that passeth along the high-way, from every one that you meet with. It is so vulgar and trivial a thing, that no man of common…

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

Job 21:29 Have ye not asked them that go by the way? and do ye not know their tokens,Ver. 29. Have ye not asked them that go by the way?] The cause of their rash judgment, Job showeth here to be their ignorance of things known to every ordinary passenger, and such as whereof there are many pregnant proofs and examples everywhere. Some, by them that go by the way, understand men by experience, such as have gone many voyages, &c., made many observations in their travels of things remarkable; their notes are here called their tokens. By those that go by the way, others understand Abraham, the Hebrew (so he is called, Genesis 14:13 that is, that Trans-Euphratean, or, he that passed over the…

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

(29) Their tokens—i.e., the marks and evidences of their experience, and the conclusions at which they had arrived.

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

Verse 29. Have ye not asked them that go by the way?] This appears to be Job's answer. Consult travellers who have gone through different countries; and they will tell you that they have seen both examples - the wicked in great prosperity in some instances, while suddenly destroyed in others. See at the end of the chapter. See Clarke on Job 21:34. Do ye not know their tokens] Mr. Good translates the whole verse thus: "Surely thou canst never have inquired of men of travel; or thou couldst not have been ignorant of their tokens. Hadst thou made proper inquiries, thou wouldst have heard of their awful end in a thousand instances. And also of their prosperity." See at the end of this chapter.…

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

27–34. Finally, still pursuing his argument, Job turns to the insinuations of his friends against himself, which lie under their descriptions of the fate of the wicked. He knows what they mean when they say, Where is the house of the prince? But their conclusions were against the testimony of those who had travelled far and seen much. These testified that the wicked man was preserved in the day of destruction; that he came to an honoured grave, and the clods of the valley lay softly on him; and that his example, so far from being shunned, was followed by the mass of men, as there were multitudes that preceded him in the way he walked.

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

Have ye not asked them that go by the way? - Travelers, who have passed into other countries, and who have had an opportunity of making observations, and of learning the opinions of those residing there.

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

Have you never asked those who travel the roads? Do you not accept their reports?

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Haven’t you asked wayfaring men? Don’t you know their evidences,

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Have you never asked those who travel the roads? Do you not accept their reports?

NETBNew English Translation2006

Have you never questioned those who travel the roads? Do you not recognize their accounts –

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Have ye not asked them that go by the way? and do ye not know their tokens,

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Have ye not asked wayfaring men? And do ye not know their evidences,

RVARevised Version, American1894

Have ye not asked them that go by the way? and do ye not know their tokens?

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Have ye not asked them that go by the way? and do ye not know their tokens,

GNVGeneva Bible1599

May ye not aske the that go by the way? and ye can not deny their signes.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Have ye not asked the wayfarers? and do ye not regard their tokens:

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Have ye not asked those passing by the way? And their signs do ye not know?

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Have you not asked those passing by the way? And do you not know their signs?

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Have ye not asked the wayfarers? surely their token ye cannot disregard,

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Have you never asked traveling people? Do you not know the evidence they can tell,

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Ask any one of them that go by the way, and you shall perceive that he knoweth these same things.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Haven't you asked people who travel? Don't you pay attention to what they tell you?

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Have you not put the question to the travellers, and do you not take note of their experience?

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.

clauseהֲ?clauseלֹ֣אnotclauseclauseverbשְׁ֭אֶלְתֶּםhave.you.askednoun phrase · objectע֣וֹבְרֵי[those.who].pass.byדָ֑רֶךְof.[the].roadוְ֝andclausenoun phrase · objectאֹתֹתָ֗signsםtheiradverbialלֹ֣אnotverbתְנַכֵּֽרוּdo.you.recognize?

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 in wording, with six of the seven words matched. The Septuagint's rendering reflects a similar inquiry, though its word order differs from the Hebrew.

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

הֲלֹ֣א שְׁ֭אֶלְתֶּם ע֣וֹבְרֵי דָ֑רֶךְ וְ֝אֹתֹתָ֗ם לֹ֣א תְנַכֵּֽרוּ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
שְׁ֭אֶלְתֶּםἐρωτήσατεע֣וֹבְרֵיπαραπορευομένουςדָ֑רֶךְὁδόνוְ֝אֹתֹתָ֗םσημεῖαלֹ֣אοὐκתְנַכֵּֽרוּ׃ἀπαλλοτριώσετε

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 21:29לֹא¿ not¿ notלֹאשָׁאַלhave you ashave you askedשָׁאַלעָבַר[those who][those who] pasעָבַרדֶּ֫רֶךְ[the] road[the] roadדֶּ֫רֶךְאוֹתand signs tand signs theirאוֹתלֹאnotnotלֹאנָכַרdo you recodo you recognizנָכַרדָּרַךְto treadto treadדָּרַךְאוּתto consentto consentאוּתיָכֹלbe ablebe ableיָכֹלעוֹדstillstillעוֹדשְׁאֵלָהpetitionpetitionשְׁאֵלָהיַרְדֵןJordanJordanיַרְדֵןחָלַץto rescueto rescueחָלַץפָּנָהCorner (GaCorner (Gate)פָּנָהצָפוֹןZaphonZaphonצָפוֹןמוֹפֵתwonderwonderמוֹפֵתבַּ֫יִןbetweenbetweenבַּ֫יִןאָחbrother: mbrother: male-sאָחאָֽנֹכִ֫יIIאָֽנֹכִ֫י
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 21:29

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.

¿ not have you asked [those who] pass by of [the] road and signs their not do you recognize?
הֲלֹ֣אha.Lo' ¿ not H3808 Particle · 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
not at all, ever
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
Part | Part — Particle · particle
HTi/Tn
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
¿ not have you asked [those who] pass by of [the] road and signs their not do you recognize?
שְׁ֭אֶלְתֶּםShe.'el.tem have you asked H7592 Verb · Qal · perfect second person masculine plural
171× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To ask or inquire, this Hebrew word is used in the Bible to describe seeking information or requesting something. It can also mean to beg or borrow, and is used in many different contexts throughout the Old Testament. The KJV translates it as ask, beg, or borrow.
Amplified meaning
inquired of, sought information from
Tyndale gloss
to ask
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׁאַל (sha'al) means to ask or inquire, often in the context of requesting a favor or borrowing. It covers a range of uses, including seeking counsel, consulting deities, and even begging. The verb can appear in different forms, such as asking for oneself or granting requests. There is a noted Aramaic equivalent, שְׁאֵל (she.el), meaning 'to ask'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁאַל 170 vb. ask, inquire

Qal

ask, ask for

specif. ask as a fovour, for temporary use, i.e. borrow

in weakened sense, seek, desire (late)

inquire of

inquire of, consult, deity, oracle, etc.

in weakened sense, seek, desire (late)

Niph. ask for oneself

Pi.

inquire carefully

beg, practise beggary

Hiph. (prop. let one ask [successfully], give, or lend, on request, then) grant, make over to (as a favour, with or without request)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7592 שָׁאַל ask, inquire .. . ask, ask for

. specif. ask as a fovour, for temporary use, i.e. borrow

. in weakened sense, seek, desire (late)

. . inquire of

. inquire of, consult, deity, oracle, etc.

. in weakened sense, seek, desire (late)

. ask for oneself

. . inquire carefully

. beg, practise beggary

. (prop. let one ask [successfully], give, or lend, on request, then) grant, make over to (as a favour, with or without request)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7592 sha'al shaw-al'

or shael {shaw-ale'}; a primitive root; to inquire; by

implication, to request; by extension, to demand:--ask

(counsel, on), beg, borrow, lay to charge, consult, demand,

desire, X earnestly, enquire, + greet, obtain leave, lend,

pray, request, require, + salute, X straitly, X surely, wish.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁאַל (sha.al) — to ask.

1) to ask, enquire, borrow, beg

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to ask, ask for

1a2) to ask (as a favour), borrow

1a3) to enquire, enquire of

1a4) to enquire of, consult (of deity, oracle)

1a5) to seek

1b) (Niphal) to ask for oneself, ask leave of absence

1c) (Piel)

1c1) to enquire, enquire carefully

1c2) to beg, practise beggary

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to be given on request

1d2) to grant, make over to, let (one) ask (successfully) or give or lend on request (then) grant or make over to

Aramaic equivalent: she.el (שְׁאֵל "to ask" H7593)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-2mp — Verb · Qal · perfect second person masculine plural
HVqp2mp
¿ not have you asked [those who] pass by of [the] road and signs their not do you recognize?
ע֣וֹבְרֵיov.rei [those who] pass by of H5674 Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine plural common
556× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb can mean to cross over or transition from one thing to another, and is sometimes used to describe being arrogant or crossing a boundary.
Amplified meaning
wayfaring men, people on a journey
Tyndale gloss
to pass
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עָבַר (abar) is a versatile verb meaning to pass over, through, or by, and it encompasses a range of actions including crossing, traversing, and alienating. It can also imply causing something to pass or be transferred, as well as emotional states like anger in its Hithpael form. The entries highlight its use in various contexts, though they do not provide specific verse references.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עָבַר 648 vb. pass over, through, by, pass on

Qal

pass over

Pass beyond

Pass through, traverse

pass along by

pass by

sweep by, of scourge

be past, over, of time

pass along (from hand to hand)

Pass on, go on

Pass away

Niph. Impf. a stream which cannot be forded

Pi.

his bull impregnateth

cause one to cross river

cause something to pass over

make over to

devote children to (לְ) heathen god

pass along (from hand to hand)

cause to pass through

let pass through

cause to pass by

let pass by

cause arrow to pass beyond

cause to pass under rod, for counting

cause to pass away, take away

Hiph.

cause to pass over, bring over

he made to pass across with chains of gold

base

[עָבַר] vb. denom. Hithp. be arrogant, infuriate oneself

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5674a עָבַר pass over, through, by, pass on .. pass over

. Pass beyond

. Pass through, traverse

. . pass along by

. pass by

. sweep by, of scourge

. be past, over, of time

. pass along (from hand to hand)

. Pass on, go on

. Pass away

. Impf. a stream which cannot be forded

. . his bull impregnateth . cause one to cross river

. cause something to pass over

. make over to

. devote children to (לְ) heathen god

. pass along (from hand to hand)

. . cause to pass through

. let pass through

. . cause to pass by

. let pass by

. cause arrow to pass beyond

. cause to pass under rod, for counting

. cause to pass away, take away

. . cause to pass over, bring over

. he made to pass across with chains of gold

H5674b עָבַר vb. denom. Hithp. be arrogant, infuriate oneself

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5674 `abar aw-bar'

a primitive root; to cross over; used very widely of any

transition (literal or figurative; transitive, intransitive,

intensive, causative); specifically, to cover (in

copulation):--alienate, alter, X at all, beyond, bring (over,

through), carry over, (over-)come (on, over), conduct (over),

convey over, current, deliver, do away, enter, escape, fail,

gender, get over, (make) go (away, beyond, by, forth, his way,

in, on, over, through), have away (more), lay, meddle,

overrun, make partition, (cause to, give, make to, over)

pass(-age, along, away, beyond, by, -enger, on, out, over,

through), (cause to, make) + proclaim(-amation), perish,

provoke to anger, put away, rage, + raiser of taxes, remove,

send over, set apart, + shave, cause to (make) sound, X

speedily, X sweet smelling, take (away), (make to)

transgress(-or), translate, turn away, (way-)faring man, be

wrath.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עָבַר (a.var) — to pass.

1) to pass over or by or through, alienate, bring, carry, do away, take, take away, transgress

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to pass over, cross, cross over, pass over, march over, overflow, go over

1a2) to pass beyond

1a3) to pass through, traverse

1a3a) passers-through (participle)

1a3b) to pass through (the parts of victim in covenant)

1a4) to pass along, pass by, overtake and pass, sweep by

1a4a) passer-by (participle)

1a4b) to be past, be over

1a5) to pass on, go on, pass on before, go in advance of, pass along, travel, advance

1a6) to pass away

1a6a) to emigrate, leave (one's territory)

1a6b) to vanish

1a6c) to perish, cease to exist

1a6d) to become invalid, become obsolete (of law, decree)

1a6e) to be alienated, pass into other hands

1b) (Niphal) to be crossed

1c) (Piel) to impregnate, cause to cross

1d) (Hiphil)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal — Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine plural common
HVqrmpc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ov:

(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Lamentations 3:1.

The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.

Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.

That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.

Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…

¿ not have you asked [those who] pass by of [the] road and signs their not do you recognize?
דָ֑רֶךְDa.rekh [the] road H1870 Noun common · both singular absolute
708× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Derek refers to a road or path, and can also mean a way of life or manner of action. It is often used to describe a journey or direction, and can be used figuratively to describe a person's character or moral path.
Amplified meaning
paths, highways
Tyndale gloss
way: road
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

דֶּ֫רֶךְ (derek) means way, road, or journey, and can refer to both literal paths and figurative courses of life or actions. It encompasses various aspects such as direction, manner, and moral character, often highlighting the nature of one's conduct. The term is used in both positive and negative contexts, reflecting the moral implications of one's path.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

דֶּ֫רֶךְ 715 n.m. way, road, distance, journey, manner

way, road, path

journey

of direction, almost or quite = toward

way, manner

fig. of course of life, or action, undertakings

of moral action and character

of duty

specif.: in good sense

oftener in bad sense

way of י׳

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1870 דֶּ֫רֶךְ way, road, distance, journey, manner . way, road, path

. journey

. of direction, almost or quite = toward

. way, manner

. fig. of course of life, or action, undertakings

. . of moral action and character

. of duty

. specif.: in good sense

. oftener in bad sense

. way of י׳

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1870 derek deh'-rek

from 1869; a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of

life or mode of action, often adverb:--along, away, because

of, + by, conversation, custom, (east-)ward, journey, manner,

passenger, through, toward, (high-) (path-)way(-side),

whither(-soever).

see HEBREW for 01869

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

דֶּ֫רֶךְ (de.rekh) — way: conduct.

: conduct/lifestyle

1) way, road, distance, journey, manner

1a) road, way, path

1b) journey

1c) direction

1d) manner, habit, way

1e) of course of life (fig.)

1f) of moral character (fig.)

דֶּ֫רֶךְ (de.rekh) — Way.

This name means way, road

דֶּ֫רֶךְ (de.rekh) — (King's) Highway.

This name means way, road

Combined with me.lekh (מֶ֫לֶךְ "King's" H4428I)

דֶּ֫רֶךְ (de.rekh) — way: direction.

: direction

1) way, road, distance, journey, manner

1a) road, way, path

1b) journey

1c) direction

1d) manner, habit, way

1e) of course of life (fig.)

1f) of moral character (fig.)

דֶּ֫רֶךְ (de.rekh) — way: road.

: road/route

1) way, road, distance, journey, manner

1a) road, way, path

1b) journey

1c) direction

1d) manner, habit, way

1e) of course of life (fig.)

1f) of moral character (fig.)

דֶּ֫רֶךְ (de.rekh) — way: journey.

: journey

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-cs — Noun common · both singular absolute
HNcbsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Road

(1 Sam. 27:10; R.V., “raid”), an inroad, an incursion. This word is never used in Scripture in the sense of a way or path.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

This word occurs but once in the Authorized Version of the Bible, viz. in (1 Samuel 37:10) where it is used in the sense of "raid" or "inroad." Where a travelled road is meant "path" or "way" is used, since the eastern roads are more like our paths.

¿ not have you asked [those who] pass by of [the] road and signs their not do you recognize?
וְ֝אֹתֹתָ֗םve.'o.to.Tam and signs their H226 Conjunction · noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
80× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A miraculous sign or wonder, like a beacon or monument. In the Bible, it appears in books like Genesis and Isaiah. It means a signal or token of God's power.
Amplified meaning
testimonies, accounts, signs
Tyndale gloss
sign: miraculous
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אוֹת (owth) means 'sign' and encompasses a range of meanings including a token, miracle, or omen. It can refer to distinguishing marks, banners, and memorials, as well as signs of divine presence or prophetic promises. The term is used in contexts related to covenants and changes in weather. Notably, it appears in Exodus 4:8.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אוֹת n.m. 79 Ex 4:8 (f. Jos 24:17) sign

sign, pledge, token

signs, omens promised by prophets as pledges of certain predicted events

sign, symbol of prophets

signs, miracles, as pledges or attestations of divine presence & interposition

signs, memorials

sign, pledge of covenant

ensigns, standards

signs, tokens of changes of weather & times

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H226 אוֹת sign . sign, pledge, token

. signs, omens promised by prophets as pledges of certain predicted events

. sign, symbol of prophets

. signs, miracles, as pledges or attestations of divine presence & interposition

. signs, memorials

. sign, pledge of covenant

. ensigns, standards

. signs, tokens of changes of weather & times

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

226 'owth oth

probably from 225 (in the sense of appearing); a signal

(literally or figuratively), as a flag, beacon, monument,

omen, prodigy, evidence, etc.:--mark, miracle, (en-)sign,

token.

see HEBREW for 0225

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אוֹת (ot) — sign: miraculous.

: miraculous

1) sign, signal

1a) a distinguishing mark

1b) banner

1c) remembrance

1d) miraculous sign

1e) omen

1f) warning

2) token, ensign, standard, miracle, proof

אוֹת (ot) — sign: indicator.

: 2_indicator

1) sign, signal

1a) a distinguishing mark

1b) banner

1c) remembrance

1d) miraculous sign

1e) omen

1f) warning

2) token, ensign, standard, miracle, proof

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | N-cp | Suff — Conjunction · noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
HC/Ncfpc/Sp3mp
¿ not have you asked [those who] pass by of [the] road and signs their not do you recognize?
לֹ֣אlo' not H3808 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
refuse to, fail to
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
Part — Particle
HTn
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
¿ not have you asked [those who] pass by of [the] road and signs their not do you recognize?
תְנַכֵּֽרוּ׃te.na.Ke.ru do you recognize? H5234 Verb · Piel · imperfect second person masculine plural
49× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To alienate or treat as foreign, as seen in the story of Moses and the Egyptians in Exodus. This verb means to scrutinize or look intently at someone, often with suspicion or disregard. It is used to describe the actions of biblical characters towards others.
Amplified meaning
recognize, acknowledge
Tyndale gloss
to recognize
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word נָכַר (nakar) encompasses meanings related to recognition and alienation. It can signify acknowledging, regarding, or understanding someone or something, as well as treating something as foreign or strange. The entries highlight its use in various forms, including recognizing and disguising, but do not indicate any significant disagreement among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[נָכַר] vb. (not Qal) regard, recognize

Niph. they are not recognized

Pi. he regardeth not the opulent above the poor

Hiph.

regard, observe, esp. with a view to recognition

Recognize (as formerly known)

Be willing to recognize, acknowledge

Be acquianted with

Distinguish, understand

Hithp. Impf by his deeds a youth maketh himself known, whether his doing be pure, etc.

base

[נכר] vb. denom. act or treat as foreign, or strange; disguise, misconstrue

Niph. with his lips a hater disguiseth himself

Pi. and they have treated this place as foreign

Hithp. he acted as a stranger toward them

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5234a נָכַר (not Qal) regard, recognize . they are not recognized

. he regardeth not the opulent above the poor

. . regard, observe, esp. with a view to recognition

. Recognize (as formerly known)

. Be willing to recognize, acknowledge

. Be acquianted with

. Distinguish, understand

. Impf by his deeds a youth maketh himself known, whether his doing be pure, etc.

H5234b נכר vb. denom. act or treat as foreign, or strange; disguise, misconstrue

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5234 nakar naw-kar'

a primitive root; properly, to scrutinize, i.e. look intently

at; hence (with recognition implied), to acknowledge, be

acquainted with, care for, respect, revere, or (with suspicion

implied), to disregard, ignore, be strange toward, reject,

resign, dissimulate (as if ignorant or

disowning):--acknowledge, X could, deliver, discern,

dissemble, estrange, feign self to be another, know, take

knowledge (notice), perceive, regard, (have) respect, behave

(make) self strange(-ly).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָכַר (na.khar) — to recognize.

1) to recognise, acknowledge, know, respect, discern, regard

1a) (Niphal) to be recognised

1b) (Piel) to regard

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to regard, observe, pay attention to, pay regard to, notice

1c2) to recognise (as formerly known), perceive

1c3) to be willing to recognise or acknowledge, acknowledge with honour

1c4) to be acquainted with

1c5) to distinguish, understand

1d) (Hithpael) to make oneself known

נָכַר (na.khar) — to alienate.

1) to act or treat as foreign or strange, disguise, misconstrue

1a) (Niphal) to disguise oneself

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to treat as foreign (profane)

1b2) to misconstrue

1c) (Hithpael)

1c1) to act as alien

1c2) to disguise oneself

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Piel-Imperf-2mp — Verb · Piel · imperfect second person masculine plural
HVpi2mp
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