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Job 21:4 — Word Study

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WLCהֶ֭אָנֹכִי לְאָדָ֣ם שִׂיחִ֑י וְאִם־ מַ֝דּ֗וּעַ לֹא־ תִקְצַ֥ר רוּחִֽי׃

BSAIs myʼânôkîy [personal, inward] complaintsîyach [outcry, lament] against a manʼâdâm [human, Adam] Then whymaddûwaʻ [for what reason, how] should I notlôʼ [certainly not, under these circumstances] be impatientqâtsar [troubled, have a short spirit]

Word
Listen & take awayJob 21
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 4 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 (ru.Chi) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Job 21:4quick helps
In a sentenceJob questions whether his complaint is directed at a human and expresses frustration.
Who is speakingJob, addressing his friends who are mocking him.
Where we areIn a larger discourse where Job defends his integrity.
The hard wordשִׂיחִ֑י
Take awayJob feels justified in his impatience given his suffering.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbקָצֵר 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 21:4

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 Defense Against His Friendsgenerated

3Bear with me while I speak; then, after I have spoken, you may go on mocking.
4Is my complaint against a man? Then why should I not be impatient?
5Look at me and be appalled; put your hand over your mouth.
6When I remember, terror takes hold, and my body trembles in horror.

Job 21:4 is part of Job's response to his friends who have been mocking him. He questions whether his complaint is truly against a man, suggesting that his suffering is beyond human understanding. Job expresses his frustration and impatience with the situation, which he feels is unjust. This verse highlights the emotional turmoil Job is experiencing as he grapples with his circumstances and the responses of those around him.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Job 7:11–21Therefore I will not restrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.
2Job 10:1–2“I loathe my own life; I will express my complaint and speak in the bitterness of my soul.
31 Samuel 1:16Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; for all this time I have been praying out of the depth of my anguish and grief.”
4Psalm 22:1–3My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? Why are You so far from saving me, so far from my words of groaning?
5Psalm 77:3–9I remembered You, O God, and I groaned; I mused and my spirit grew faint. Selah

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 11 references, hung on the phrase they belong to

troubledExodus 6:9

The Key Word שִׂיחִ֑י, si.Chigenerated

The word שִׂיחַ (*si'ach*) refers to a complaint or lament. It is derived from a root that conveys the idea of communication or expression of emotions, particularly in the context of distress or grievance. In this verse, it emphasizes Job's emotional state as he articulates his feelings of injustice.

This noun is in the construct form, linking it to Job's personal experience. It indicates that Job's complaint is not just a general grievance but is deeply personal, reflecting his inner turmoil and the weight of his suffering.


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 verse contains two main clauses linked by the conjunction וְאִם־ (*ve'im*), which introduces a conditional statement. The first clause presents Job's complaint, while the second clause questions the validity of his impatience.

The structure emphasizes Job's internal conflict: he is both expressing his grievance and questioning the appropriateness of his emotional response. This duality is reflected in the arrangement of the clauses, with the complaint coming first, setting the stage for the subsequent inquiry.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, the word שִׂיחִ֑י is rendered as μου (*mou*), meaning 'my.' This choice shifts the focus slightly from the act of complaining to the personal ownership of the complaint, highlighting Job's intimate connection to his suffering.

This rendering suggests a more personal and direct expression of Job's feelings, emphasizing the depth of his lament and the personal nature of his grievances.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Job 21:4 shows Job questioning whether his complaint is against a human being. He wonders why he should not feel impatient given his suffering. This verse highlights Job's emotional struggle as he seeks to understand the nature of his grievances and the responses of those around him.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does Job mean by 'my complaint'?

Job refers to his deep emotional distress and grievances regarding his suffering, expressing them as a personal lament.

Why does Job question if his complaint is against a man?

Job is reflecting on the nature of his suffering and the responses of his friends, suggesting that his grievances are beyond mere human understanding.

What does Job's impatience signify?

Job's impatience indicates his frustration with his situation and the perceived injustice of his suffering.

How does this verse relate to Job's overall message?

This verse encapsulates Job's struggle to articulate his pain and the complexity of his emotional state amid his trials.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways do I express my own complaints or frustrations in my life?
  2. How can I better understand the emotional struggles of others who are suffering?
  3. What role does patience play in my response to difficult situations?
  4. How can I articulate my feelings in a way that reflects my true emotional state?

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

The early Church Fathers commented on Job's lament, discussing the nature of suffering and the human condition as reflected in this verse.

John ChrysostomCOMMENTARY ON Job 21:3-6 c. 347–407
Let us admit, he says, that I am iniquitous and impious; but I gain no profit from these remarks and know that you will mock me; therefore, I do not yield.
Early Church Fathers on Job 21 →
Gregory the DialogistMorals on the Book of Job, Book XV c. 540–604
Ver. 4. As for me, is my dispute against man, that I should not be justly sad? 42. Whosoever in pleasing God displeases man, has no grounds for sadness.
Early Church Fathers on Job 21 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Job 21:4 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

As for me, [is] my complaint to man?.... Job had been complaining, and still was, and continued to do so after this, but not to them, his friends, nor any other man; his complaint was made to God,

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

As for me, is my complaint to man? and if it were so, why should not my spirit be troubled?

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

To man; or, of man; for the prefix lamed commonly signifieth both to and of. And this question implies a denial, or that his complaint is not to or of man, to wit, only, but to or of God; as is here sufficiently implied, and oft elsewhere expressed by Job in this book. So the sense seems to be either, 1. This, I do not make my moan or complaint unto, or expect relief from, you, or from any men, but from God only; and therefore you have reason patiently to hear me when I am pouring forth my complaints to God. Or rather, 2. This, Do I only complain, or have I reason to complain, only of you and your unmerciful carriage to me; or of men who have dealt barbarously with me? Job 1 Job 30:1,9, &c.…

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

Job 21:4 As for me, [is] my complaint to man? and if [it were so], why should not my spirit be troubled?Ver. 4. As for me, is my complaint to man?] Vult dicere, saith Lavater, Job’ s meaning is, that he complained not to man, but to God himself, who well knew his heart and his innocence, though men misjudged him. And this being so, how could he be otherwise than anxious and solicitous, since if a man be but to speak to an earthly prince, he will be afraid? It is said of Charles V, emperor, that he spake more to God than to men. Job did so, it seemeth; and this he allegeth to the shame of his hard hearted friends, who put him to it in this way.

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

(4) Is my complaint to man?—“It is not to man that I complain. I do not ask for your sympathy, and, therefore, why should ye resent an offence that is not given? If, however, I did ask it, might not my spirit with good reason be impatient? But, on the contrary, my complaint is to God; and, concerning the ways of God, I venture to ask why it is that His justice is so tardy; and this is a problem which when I remember it I am troubled, and horror taketh hold on my flesh, so difficult and arduous is it.”

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

Verse 4. As for me] האנכי heanochi, "Alas for me!" Is it not with a man that I speak? And, if this be the case, why should not my spirit be troubled? I do not reply against my Maker: I suffer much from God and man; why then may I not have the privilege of complaining to creatures like myself?

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

4. is my complaint to man] Rather, of, or, concerning man. The whole first clause means, Is my complaint about man? my emphatic. The words may express a reason for their listening to him, it is not of them nor of men at all that he complains; it is of another, and of a moral riddle and evil that may well excuse his impatience. And if it were so … troubled] Rather, or wherefore should I not be impatient? lit. should not my spirit be short?

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

As for me, is my complaint to man? - There is some difficulty in the interpretation of this verse, and considerable variety of explanation may be seen among expositors. The “object” of the verse is plain.

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

Is my complaint against a man? Then why should I not be impatient?

WEBWorld English Bible2000

As for me, is my complaint to man? Why shouldn’t I be impatient?

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Is my complaint against a man? Then why should I not be impatient?

NETBNew English Translation2006

Is my complaint against a man? If so, why should I not be impatient?

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

As for me, is my complaint to man? and if it were so, why should not my spirit be troubled?

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

As for me, is my complaint to man? And why should I not be impatient?

RVARevised Version, American1894

As for me, is my complaint to man? and why should I not be impatient?

NWBWebster's Bible1833

As for me, is my complaint to man? and if it were so , why should not my spirit be troubled?

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Doe I direct my talke to man? If it were so, how should not my spirit be troubled?

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

As for me, is my complaint to a man? or wherefore should not my spirit be impatient?

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

I — to man [is] my complaint? and if [so], wherefore May not my temper become short?

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

[Is] my complaint [against] man? And if [so], why may my temper not become short?

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

As for me,—is against man my complaint? and if this be so, why should my spirit not be impatient?

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

As for me, is my complaint to a person? Why should I not be impatient?

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Is my debate against man, that I should not have just reason to be troubled?

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Am I complaining against people? Of course not. Why shouldn't I be impatient?

BBEBible in Basic English1949

As for me, is my outcry against man? is it then to be wondered at if my spirit is troubled?

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.

clauseהֶ֭?clauseאָנֹכִיIclauseprepositional phrase · predicateלְtoאָדָ֣םhumankindnoun phrase · subjectשִׂיחִ֑complaintי[is].myוְandclauseאִםifclauseadverbialמַ֝דּ֗וּעַwhy?adverbialלֹאnotverbתִקְצַ֥רwill.it.be.shortnoun phrase · subjectרוּחִֽspiritיmy

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 on the wording of this verse, with a close correspondence in the key terms. The Septuagint captures the essence of Job's complaint, though its word order and phrasing differ from the Hebrew.

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

הֶ֭אָנֹכִי לְאָדָ֣ם שִׂיחִ֑י וְאִם־ מַ֝דּ֗וּעַ לֹא־ תִקְצַ֥ר רוּחִֽי׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
הֶ֭אָנֹכִיμὴלְאָדָ֣םἀνθρώπουשִׂיחִ֑יμουוְאִם־διὰמַ֝דּ֗וּעַτίלֹא־οὐ

6 of the 8 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.


The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

Job 21:4אָֽנֹכִ֫י¿ I¿ Iאָֽנֹכִ֫יאָדָםto humankinto humankindאָדָםשִׂיחַ[is] compla[is] complaint שִׂיחַאִםand ifand ifאִםמַדּוּעַwhy?why?מַדּוּעַלֹאnotnotלֹאקָצֵרwill it be will it be shorקָצֵררוּחַspirit myspirit myרוּחַאָדֹםto reddento reddenאָדֹםשִׂיחַto museto museשִׂיחַמָהwhat?what?מָהרִיחַto smellto smellרִיחַצָוָהto commandto commandצָוָהמִצְוָהcommandmencommandmentמִצְוָהדְּמוּתlikenesslikenessדְּמוּתבְּהֵמָהanimalanimalבְּהֵמָהשָׁפַךְto pour: pto pour: pourשָׁפַךְעָזַבForsakenForsakenעָזַבחֵןfavorfavorחֵןיֵשׁtherethereיֵשׁנָבָאto prophesto prophesyנָבָאקָרָאto encountto encounter: mקָרָאיָכֹלbe ablebe ableיָכֹלעוֹדstillstillעוֹדזָרַעto sowto sowזָרַעקָצִירharvestharvestקָצִיר
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 21:4

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.

¿ I to humankind [is] complaint my and if why? not will it be short spirit my
הֶ֭אָנֹכִיHe.'a.no.khi ¿ I H595 Particle · pronoun
359× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This simple Hebrew word just means 'I', referring to the speaker, like in Genesis 27 where Esau says 'I' when talking to his father Isaac.
Amplified meaning
personal, inward
Tyndale gloss
I
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אָֽנֹכִ֫י (*anokiy*) is a first-person singular pronoun meaning 'I' or 'me.' It is a variant spelling of אֲנִי (*ani*), which also means 'I.' The entries confirm its use as a personal pronoun without significant disagreement among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָֽנֹכִ֫י, אָנֹ֑כִי pron. 1s. comm. I

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H595 אָֽנֹכִ֫י, אָנֹ֑כִי I

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

595 'anokiy aw-no-kee'

sometimes {aw-no'-kee}; a primitive pro.; I:--I, me, X

which.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָֽנֹכִ֫י (a.no.khi) — I.

I (first pers. sing.)

Another spelling of a.ni (אֲנִי, אָֽנֹכִ֫י "I" H0589)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part | Pron — Particle · pronoun
HTi/Pp1bs
¿ I to humankind [is] complaint my and if why? not will it be short spirit my
לְאָדָ֣םle.'a.Dam to humankind H120 Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
551× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Adam was the first human, created by God and mentioned in Genesis 2:19, who married Eve and had sons including Cain, Abel, and Seth.
Amplified meaning
human, Adam
Tyndale gloss
the man (Adam)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָדָם (adam) refers to 'man' or 'mankind,' encompassing both individual humans and the species as a whole. It is also the name of the first man in the Bible, Adam, who is mentioned in various verses, including Genesis 2:19. The term can denote a city in the Jordan valley as well. The entries indicate a range of meanings, but there is no significant disagreement among them.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָדָם 560 n.m. Gn 1:27 man, mankind

a man = human being

coll. man, mankind

n.pr.m. Adam, first man (without art.)

n.pr.loc. city in Jordan valley (as built?)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H120 אָדָם man, mankind . a man = human being

. coll. man, mankind

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

120 'adam aw-dawm'

from 119; ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the

species, mankind, etc.):--X another, + hypocrite, + common

sort, X low, man (mean, of low degree), person.

see HEBREW for 0119

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָדָם (a.dam) — man.

1) man, mankind

1a) man, human being

1b) man, mankind (much more frequently intended sense in OT)

1c) Adam, first man

1d) city in Jordan valley

אָדָם (a.dam) — the man (Adam).

The first named man living at the time before the Flood, first mentioned at Gen.2.19;

married to Eve (H2332);

father of: Cain (H7014B), Abel (H1893) and Seth (H8352); also translated "man" at Gen.2.19,21,23; 3.8,9,20; 5.2; "mankind" at Deu.32.8; "others" at Job.31.33;

Another spelling of a.dam (אָדָם "Adam" H0121)

man, human being

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
HR/Ncmsa
¿ I to humankind [is] complaint my and if why? not will it be short spirit my
שִׂיחִ֑יsi.Chi [is] complaint my H7879 Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
14× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word refers to a complaint or a thought that someone expresses, like a prayer or a concern, often used in the Psalms to describe the writer's emotions.
Amplified meaning
outcry, lament
Tyndale gloss
complaint
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שִׂיחַ (siyach) refers to a form of contemplation or utterance, encompassing meanings such as communication, complaint, meditation, and talk. It is derived from a related root and is associated with expressions of musing or anxiety. The entries suggest a focus on the emotional aspects of communication, particularly in the context of complaints or meditative thoughts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שִׂיחַ n.m. complaint, musing

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7879 שִׂיחַ

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7879 siyach see'-akh

from 7878; a contemplation; by implication, an

utterance:--babbling, communication, complaint, meditation,

prayer, talk.

see HEBREW for 07878

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שִׂיחַ (si.ach) — complaint.

1) meditation, complaint, musing

1a) plaint, complaint

1b) following are uncertain

1b1) musing

1b2) anxiety, trouble

1b3) talk

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HNcmsc/Sp1bs
¿ I to humankind [is] complaint my and if why? not will it be short spirit my
וְאִם־ve.'im- and if H518 Conjunction · particle
1,070× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word is used to express conditions or questions, like if or whether. It can also be used to make oaths or express wishes, as in Oh that! It appears in various forms in the KJV, including if, though, and when.
Tyndale gloss
if
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אִם (im) is a Hebrew conjunction primarily meaning 'if' and is used in various contexts, including conditional clauses and interrogative situations. It can also express negation, alternatives, or exceptions, and appears frequently in the Old Testament. The lexicons note its use in oaths and its ability to connect different clauses, sometimes altering their meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אִם conj.

hypoth. part. if

Interrog. part.

base

כִּי אם־

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

that if

for if

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

limiting the prec. clause, except

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

after an oath, surely

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H518a אִם conj. . hypoth. part. if

. Interrog. part.

H518b כִּי אם־ . each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause: . that if

. for if

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

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

. after an oath, surely

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

518 'im eem

a primitive particle; used very widely as demonstrative, lo!;

interrog., whether?; or conditional, if, although; also Oh

that!, when; hence, as a negative, not:--(and, can-,

doubtless, if, that) (not), + but, either, + except, +

more(-over if, than), neither, nevertheless, nor, oh that, or,

+ save (only, -ing), seeing, since, sith, + surely (no more,

none, not), though, + of a truth, + unless, + verily, when,

whereas, whether, while, + yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אִם (im) — if.

: if/whether_or/though

1) if

1a) conditional clauses

1a1) of possible situations

1a2) of impossible situations

1b) oath contexts

1b1) no, not

1c) if...if, whether...or, whether...or...or

1d) when, whenever

1e) since

1f) interrogative particle

1g) but rather

[כִּי] אם (ki im) — if: except.

1) except if

1a) but if

אִם (im) — if: surely no.

: surely_no

1) if

1a) conditional clauses

1a1) of possible situations

1a2) of impossible situations

1b) oath contexts

1b1) no, not

1c) if...if, whether...or, whether...or...or

1d) when, whenever

1e) since

1f) interrogative particle

1g) but rather

אִם (im) — if: surely yes.

: surely_yes

1) if

1a) conditional clauses

1a1) of possible situations

1a2) of impossible situations

1b) oath contexts

1b1) no, not

1c) if...if, whether...or, whether...or...or

1d) when, whenever

1e) since

1f) interrogative particle

1g) but rather

אִם (im) — if: until.

: until/except

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HC/Tc — Conjunction · particle
HC/Tc
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
¿ I to humankind [is] complaint my and if why? not will it be short spirit my
מַ֝דּ֗וּעַma.Du.a' why? H4069 Particle
72× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word is used to ask questions like why or how, seeking to understand the reason behind something. It appears in various forms in the Bible, often in contexts of inquiry or curiosity.
Amplified meaning
for what reason, how
Tyndale gloss
why?
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מַדּוּעַ (maddua) means 'why?' or 'wherefore?'. It is derived from the root meaning 'to know' and is used to inquire about reasons or causes. The entries consistently define it as an adverbial term questioning the basis for something.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מַדּוּעַ 61 and מַדֻּעַ adv. wherefore?

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4069 מַדּוּעַ, מַדֻּעַ wherefore?

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4069 madduwa` mad-doo'-ah

or madduaa {mad-doo'-ah}; from 4100 and the passive

participle of 3045; what (is) known?; i.e. (by implication)

(adverbially) why?:--how, wherefore, why.

see HEBREW for 04100

see HEBREW for 03045

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מַדּוּעַ (mad.du.a) — why?.

why?, on what account?, wherefore?

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part — Particle
HTi
¿ I to humankind [is] complaint my and if why? not will it be short spirit my
לֹא־lo'- 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
certainly not, under these circumstances
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
¿ I to humankind [is] complaint my and if why? not will it be short spirit my
תִקְצַ֥רtik.Tzar will it be short H7114 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person feminine singular
49× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to reap or harvest, like cutting down grain or grass. It is used in the Bible to describe the act of harvesting, and also to describe being discouraged or grieved.
Amplified meaning
troubled, have a short spirit
Tyndale gloss
be short
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

קָצֵר (qatsar) is a Hebrew word that primarily means 'to be short' or 'to reap.' It is built from a primitive root that conveys the idea of curtailing or harvesting, applicable in both literal and figurative contexts. The entries indicate that it can express feelings of impatience or grief, as well as the act of harvesting crops.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[קָצֵר], I. קָצַר vb. be short

Qal be short

Pi. shorten

Hiph. id.

base

[קָצַר] vb. reap, harvest

Qal reap

Hiph. Jb 24:6 Kt

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7114a קָצֵר, קָצַר be short H7114b קָצַר reap, harvest

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7114 qatsar kaw-tsar'

a primitive root; to dock off, i.e. curtail (transitive or

intransitive, literal or figurative); especially to harvest

(grass or grain):--X at all, cut down, much discouraged,

grieve, harvestman, lothe, mourn, reap(-er), (be, wax)

short(-en, -er), straiten, trouble, vex.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קָצֵר (qa.tser) — be short.

1) to be short, be impatient, be vexed, be grieved

1a) (Qal) to be short

1b) (Piel) to shorten

1c) (Hiphil) to shorten

קָצַר (qa.tsar) — to reap.

1) to reap, harvest

1a) (Qal) to reap, harvest

1b) (Hiphil) to reap, harvest

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-3fs — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person feminine singular
HVqi3fs
¿ I to humankind [is] complaint my and if why? not will it be short spirit my
רוּחִֽי׃ru.Chi spirit my H7307 Noun common both singular construct · suffix
378× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word for spirit refers to the breath of life, the wind, or a person's mind and emotions, as seen in the book of Ezekiel.
Tyndale gloss
spirit
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רוּחַ (ruach) means breath, wind, or spirit. It encompasses various meanings, including the breath of life, emotional disposition, and the spirit of God. The term can refer to both physical phenomena, like wind, and abstract concepts, such as moral character or mental acts. Notably, it is used frequently in the context of divine inspiration and the Holy Spirit.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רוּחַ 378 n.f. (less oft. m.) breath, wind, spirit

breath of mouth or nostrils (33 t.)

wind (117 t.)

spirit, as that which breathes quickly in animation or agitation = temper, disposition (76 t.)

spirit of the living, breathing being

spirit as seat of emotion

occasionally (and late) = seat or organ of mental acts

rarely of the will

רוּחַ esp. of moral character

spirit of God (94 t.)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7307 רוּחַ breath, wind, spirit . breath of mouth or nostrils (33 t.)

. wind (117 t.)

. spirit, as that which breathes quickly in animation or agitation = temper, disposition (76 t.)

. spirit of the living, breathing being

. spirit as seat of emotion

. occasionally (and late) = seat or organ of mental acts

. rarely of the will

. רוּחַ esp. of moral character

. spirit of God (94 t.)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7307 ruwach roo'-akh

from 7306; wind; by resemblance breath, i.e. a sensible (or

even violent) exhalation; figuratively, life, anger,

unsubstantiality; by extension, a region of the sky; by

resemblance spirit, but only of a rational being (including

its expression and functions):--air, anger, blast, breath, X

cool, courage, mind, X quarter, X side, spirit((-ual)),

tempest, X vain, ((whirl-))wind(-y).

see HEBREW for 07306

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רוּחַ (ru.ach) — spirit.

: spirit

1) wind, breath, mind, spirit

1a) breath

1b) wind

1b1) of heaven

1b2) quarter (of wind), side

1b3) breath of air

1b4) air, gas

1b5) vain, empty thing

1c) spirit (as that which breathes quickly in animation or agitation)

1c1) spirit, animation, vivacity, vigour

1c2) courage

1c3) temper, anger

1c4) impatience, patience

1c5) spirit, disposition (as troubled, bitter, discontented)

1c6) disposition (of various kinds), unaccountable or uncontrollable impulse

1c7) prophetic spirit

1d) spirit (of the living, breathing being in man and animals)

1d1) as gift, preserved by God, God's spirit, departing at death, disembodied being

1e) spirit (as seat of emotion)

1e1) desire

1e2) sorrow, trouble

1f) spirit

1f1) as seat or organ of mental acts

1f2) rarely of the will

1f3) as seat especially of moral character

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcbsc/Sp1fs — Noun common both singular construct · suffix
HNcbsc/Sp1fs
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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