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Job 22:11 — Word Study

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WLCאוֹ־ חֹ֥שֶׁךְ לֹֽא־ תִרְאֶ֑ה וְֽשִׁפְעַת־ מַ֥יִם תְּכַסֶּֽךָּ׃

BSAit is so darkchôshek [extremely, utterly, spiritual and physical darkness] you cannotlôʼ seerâʼâh [are unable to perceive or discern] and a floodshiphʻâh [great, overflowing, abundance, multitude] of watermayim [source of refreshment] covers youkâçâh [to cover, hide or overwhelm]

Word
Listen & take awayJob 22
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 11 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.kha.Se.ka) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Job 22:11quick helps
In a sentenceJob describes a state of overwhelming darkness and the suffocating presence of water.
Who is speakingEliphaz is speaking to Job, emphasizing his perspective on Job's suffering.
Where we areIn a discourse about Job's plight, Eliphaz suggests that Job's situation is dire and hopeless.
The hard wordחֹשֶׁךְ
Take awayThe imagery conveys a sense of despair and being overwhelmed.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectחֹשֶׁךְ verbרָאָה 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 22:11

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 Discourse on Darknessgenerated

10Therefore snares surround you, and sudden peril terrifies you;
11it is so dark you cannot see, and a flood of water covers you.
12Is not God as high as the heavens? Look at the highest stars, how lofty they are!
13Yet you say: ‘What does God know? Does He judge through thick darkness?

Job 22:11 is part of Eliphaz's response to Job, where he describes the overwhelming darkness and flood that signifies Job's despair. This verse highlights the emotional and spiritual turmoil Job experiences, suggesting that he is in a state where he cannot perceive hope or clarity. Eliphaz's words reflect a broader theme in the Book of Job, where suffering and divine justice are deeply explored.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Job 18:6–18The light in his tent grows dark, and the lamp beside him goes out.
2Job 19:8He has blocked my way so I cannot pass; He has veiled my paths with darkness.
3Proverbs 4:19But the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom; they do not know what makes them stumble.
4Isaiah 8:22Then they will look to the earth and see only distress and darkness and the gloom of anguish. And they will be driven into utter darkness.
5Lamentations 3:2He has driven me away and made me walk in darkness instead of light.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 12 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word חֹשֶׁךְ, Cho.shekhgenerated

The noun חֹשֶׁךְ (*choshek*) refers to darkness, encompassing both physical and spiritual dimensions. It can signify not only the absence of light but also a state of misery, confusion, or wickedness. The parsing indicates it is a masculine singular noun, which emphasizes its singular and profound impact in this context.

In this verse, darkness symbolizes Job's inability to see or understand his circumstances. It contrasts sharply with the idea of light, which often represents knowledge, hope, and divine presence. The use of this word evokes a sense of despair, reinforcing Eliphaz's perspective on Job's suffering.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses dark for חֹשֶׁךְ and covers for תְּכַסֶּךָּ.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The verse consists of two main clauses connected by the conjunction וְ (*ve*). The first clause describes the darkness, while the second describes the flood of water that covers.

The finite verb תִרְאֶ֑ה (*tir'eh*) governs the perception of darkness, indicating Job's inability to see. The structure emphasizes the overwhelming nature of both the darkness and the flood.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, חֹשֶׁךְ is rendered as σκότος (*skotos*), which also means darkness. This choice aligns closely with the Hebrew meaning but may carry a slightly different connotation in the Greek context.

The Greek term for flood in the Septuagint suggests a similar overwhelming force, indicating the translators understood the severity of Job's situation.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Job 22:11 describes a situation where darkness is so profound that one cannot see, and a flood of water overwhelms. This imagery conveys a sense of despair and the feeling of being lost, as Job faces his suffering.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does the darkness represent in this verse?

The darkness symbolizes Job's inability to perceive hope or clarity in his suffering, reflecting a state of despair.

How does the flood of water relate to Job's experience?

The flood represents overwhelming circumstances that cover and hide Job, intensifying his sense of being overwhelmed by his trials.

What is the significance of the conjunction 'and' in this verse?

The conjunction connects the two clauses, emphasizing that both the darkness and the flood are simultaneous aspects of Job's dire situation.

How do the translations reflect different interpretations of this verse?

Translations differ in their choice of words, particularly for 'flood,' indicating varying interpretations of the severity and nature of Job's suffering.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what areas of my life do I feel overwhelmed by darkness or despair?
  2. How can I find hope in situations that seem overwhelming, like Job?
  3. What does it mean to me that Job's suffering was acknowledged and described in such vivid imagery?
  4. How can I support others who may be experiencing a flood of difficulties in their lives?

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

The early Church Fathers, such as Gregory the Dialogist, have commented on this verse, often discussing the themes of darkness and overwhelming trials as reflections of spiritual struggles.

Gregory the DialogistMorals on the Book of Job, Book XVI c. 540–604
And thou thoughtest thou wouldest not see darkness; and that thou wouldest not be borne down with the force of overflowing waters.
Early Church Fathers on Job 22 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Job 22:11 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Or darkness, [that] thou canst not see,.... Or darkness is round about thee, thou art enveloped in it; meaning either judicial blindness, and darkness, and stupidity of mind, which must be his case,

Read John Gill on Job 22 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Or darkness, that thou canst not see; and abundance of waters cover thee. That - so that thou canst not see. Abundance - floods.

Read Robert Jamieson on Job 22 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Darkness; either, 1. A darkness and confusion of mind so great that thou canst not discern the true cause and use of all thy sufferings. Or, 2. Grievous calamities, which are oft called darkness, which are such that thou canst see no way nor possibility of escaping. Either thou art troubled with fear of further evils, as it is said, , or with the gross darkness of thy present state of misery. Abundance of waters, i.e. plenty and variety of sore afflictions, which are frequently compared to waters, as 66:12 .

Read Matthew Poole on Job 22 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Job 22:11 Or darkness, [that] thou canst not see; and abundance of waters cover thee.Ver. 11. Or darkness, that thou canst not see] Sunt tenebrae supplicia, et damnatorum desperationes, saith Brentius here. By darkness are meant punishments, temporal and eternal. Others understand the text of blindness and confusion of mind, that can neither see the cause of trouble nor find an issue. And abundance of waters cover thee] So that although thou shouldest escape, the snares, outlive the fears, run away in the dark, yet how wilt thou avoid the deluge of destruction, the overflowing scourge that carrieth all before it?

Read John Trapp on Job 22 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(10, 11) Snares . . . about thee.—That is, Fear troubleth thee, or darkness, &c. “If darkness and abundance of waters cover thee so that thou canst not see, is not God in the high heavens, though thou canst not see Him. God is too great to take note of the affairs of men, their sin or their good deeds. He is so far off that He cannot see what goes on in the earth, for His dwelling-place is in heaven.” Eliphaz attributes to Job the kind of sentiments that he had himself attributed to the wicked man in the last chapter, Job 22:14, &c.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Job 22 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 11. Or darkness, that thou canst not see] The sense of this passage, in the connection that the particle or gives it with the preceding verse, is not easy to be ascertained. To me it seems very probable that a letter has been lost from the first word; and that או o which we translate OR, was originally אור or LIGHT. The copy used by the Septuagint had certainly this reading; and therefore they translate the verse thus: Τοφωςσοιειςσκοτοςαπεβη; Thy LIGHT is changed into darkness; that is, Thy prosperity is turned into adversity. Houbigant corrects the text thus: instead of או חשך לא תראה o chosech lo tireh, or darkness thou canst not see, he reads חשך לא אור תראה chosech lo or tireh…

Read AdamClarke on Job 22 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

10, 11. The consequence of this inhumanity and injustice is seen in the snares and terrors from God that surround Job. 11. This verse should probably be read, Or seest thou not the darkness, And the floods of waters that cover thee? i. e. dost thou not perceive the true meaning of the darkness and the overwhelming calamities that have come on thee? On the figures comp. ch. Job 18:18; Job 11:16; Job 27:20. See Job’s reply, ch. Job 23:16-17.

Read Cambridge on Job 22 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Or darkness - Darkness and night in the Scriptures are emblems of calamity. That thou canst not see - Deep and fearful darkness; total night, so that nothing is visible. That is, the heaviest calamities had overwhelmed him.

Read Albert Barnes on Job 22 →

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

it is so dark you cannot see, and a flood of water covers you.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

or darkness, so that you can not see, and floods of waters cover you.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

it is so dark you cannot see, and a flood of water covers you.

NETBNew English Translation2006

why it is so dark you cannot see, and why a flood of water covers you.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Or darkness, that thou canst not see; and abundance of waters cover thee.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Or darkness, so that thou canst not see, And abundance of waters cover thee.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Or darkness, that thou canst not see, and abundance of waters cover thee.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Or darkness, that thou canst not see; and abundance of waters cover thee.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Or darkenes that thou shouldest not see, and abundance of waters shall couer thee.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Or darkness, that thou canst not see, and floods of waters cover thee.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Or darkness — thou dost not see, And abundance of waters doth cover thee.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Or darkness—you do not see, || And abundance of waters covers you.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Or seest thou not the darkness? and the abundance of water which covereth thee?

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

There is darkness, so that you cannot see; an abundance of waters covers you.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And didst thou think that thou shouldst not see darkness, and that thou shouldst not be covered with the violence of overflowing waters?

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

That's why it's so dark you cannot see, and why you feel like you're drowning.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Your light is made dark so that you are unable to see, and you are covered by a mass of waters.

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.

אוֹorclausesubjectחֹ֥שֶׁךְdarknessclauseadverbialלֹֽאnotverbתִרְאֶ֑הyou.will.seeוְֽandclausenoun phrase · subjectשִׁפְעַתan.abundanceמַ֥יִםof.waterverbתְּכַסֶּֽitobjectךָּwill.cover.you

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 their wording for Job 22:11. However, the Septuagint's word order and articles differ, reflecting its own stylistic choices while maintaining the core message.

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

אוֹ־ חֹ֥שֶׁךְ לֹֽא־ תִרְאֶ֑ה וְֽשִׁפְעַת־ מַ֥יִם תְּכַסֶּֽךָּ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
חֹ֥שֶׁךְσκότοςתִרְאֶ֑הἀπέβηוְֽשִׁפְעַת־κοιμηθένταמַ֥יִםὕδωρתְּכַסֶּֽךָּ׃σε

5 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 22:11אוֹororאוֹחֹ֫שֶׁךְdarknessdarknessחֹ֫שֶׁךְלֹאnotnotלֹארָאָהyou will seyou will seeרָאָהשִׁפְעָהand abundanand abundance oשִׁפְעָהמַיwaterwaterמַיכָּסָהit covers yit covers youכָּסָהחָשַׁךְto darkento darkenחָשַׁךְאַוָּהdesiredesireאַוָּהשֶׁ֫פַעabundanceabundanceשֶׁ֫פַעכָּשָׂהbe satedbe satedכָּשָׂהשְׁתִיwarpwarpשְׁתִיעֵ֫רֶבracial-mixracial-mixעֵ֫רֶבאֲפֵלָהdarknessdarknessאֲפֵלָהצַלְמָ֫וֶתshadowshadowצַלְמָ֫וֶתיָכֹלbe ablebe ableיָכֹלעוֹדstillstillעוֹדעֳנִיafflictionafflictionעֳנִינָבַטto lookto lookנָבַטיֵהוּאJehuJehuיֵהוּאכָּסָהto coverto coverכָּסָהרָחַץto wash: wto wash: washרָחַץשָׁתָהto drinkto drinkשָׁתָהשַׂקsackclothsackclothשַׂקעָנָןcloudcloudעָנָן
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 22:11

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.

or darkness not you will see and abundance of water it covers you
אוֹ־'ov- or H176 Conjunction
321× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Desire can also mean or, and, or if, showing a choice between options, as seen in Proverbs 31:4. It is used to express alternatives or possibilities.
Tyndale gloss
or
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אוֹ (*'ow*) primarily functions as a conjunction meaning 'or,' often indicating a preference or choice between options. It can also introduce examples, express conditions, or imply alternatives. Additionally, it is associated with the noun meaning 'desire' in Proverbs 31:4. The entries reflect a range of uses, but do not present significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אוֹ 320 conj. or

sometimes implying a preference, nearly or rather

introducing a sentence, esp. a particular case under a general principle, or = or if

if perchance

once, with the juss. = except

base

[אֵו] n.m. אוֹ, Kt Pr 31:4 desire, so Thes MV; but < Qr אֵי q.v.

done

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H176 אוֹ or . sometimes implying a preference, nearly or rather

. introducing a sentence, esp. a particular case under a general principle, or = or if

. if perchance

. once, with the juss. = except

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

176 'ow o

presumed to be the "constructive" or genitival form of -av

{av}; short for 185; desire (and so probably in Prov. 31:4);

hence (by way of alternative) or, also if:--also, and,

either, if, at the least, X nor, or, otherwise, then, whether.

see HEBREW for 0185

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אוֹ (o) — or.

1) or, rather

1a) implying that the latter choice is preferred

1b) or if, introducing an example to be seen under a particular principle

1c) (in series) either...or, whether...or

1d) if perchance

1e) except, or else

2) whether, not the least, if, otherwise, also, and, then

אוֹ (o) — desire.

desire

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HC — Conjunction
HC
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

or: The word is used once for either (1Sa 26:10), and is still in poetic use in this sense; as in, "Without or wave or wind" (Coleridge); "Or the bakke or some bone he breketh in his dzouthe" (Piers Plowman (B), VII, 93; compare Merchant of Venice, III, ii, 65). It is also used with "ever" for before (Ps 90:2; Ecclesiasticus 18:19), which the American Standard Revised Version substitutes in Ec 12:6 (compare 12:1,2); So 6:12; Da 6:24.

or darkness not you will see and abundance of water it covers you
חֹ֥שֶׁךְCho.shekh darkness H2822 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
80× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to darkness, both physical and spiritual. It can also mean misery, destruction, or wickedness. In the Bible, it is often used to describe a state of being without light or hope.
Amplified meaning
extremely, utterly, spiritual and physical darkness
Tyndale gloss
darkness
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חֹ֫שֶׁךְ (choshek) refers to darkness or obscurity, both in a literal sense and in various figurative contexts such as distress, ignorance, and evil. It can also denote secret or hiding places. The word is built from a root meaning 'dark' and encompasses a range of meanings related to judgment and confusion.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חֹ֫שֶׁךְ n.m. darkness, obscurity

darkness (opp. אוֹר)

= secret place(s); = hiding-place

fig.

= distress

= dread, terror, symbol. of judgment

= mourning

= perplexity; confusion

= ignorance

= evil, sin

= obscurity

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2822 חֹ֫שֶׁךְ darkness, obscurity . darkness (opp. אוֹר)

. = secret place(s); = hiding-place

. fig. . = distress

. = dread, terror, symbol. of judgment

. = mourning

. = perplexity; confusion

. = ignorance

. = evil, sin

. = obscurity

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2822 choshek kho-shek'

from 2821; the dark; hence (literally) darkness;

figuratively, misery, destruction, death, ignorance, sorrow,

wickedness:--dark(-ness), night, obscurity.

see HEBREW for 02821

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חֹ֫שֶׁךְ (cho.shekh) — darkness.

1) darkness, obscurity

1a) darkness

1b) secret place

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Darkness

The plague (the ninth) of darkness in Egypt (Ex. 10:21) is described as darkness “which may be felt.” It covered “all the land of Egypt,” so that “they saw not one another.” It did not extend to the land of Goshen (ver. 23).

When Jesus hung upon the cross (Matt. 27:45; Luke 23:44), from the “sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.”

On Mount Sinai, Moses (Ex. 20:21) “drew near unto the thick darkness where God was.” This was the “thick cloud upon the mount” in which Jehovah was when he spake unto Moses there. The Lord dwelt in the cloud upon the mercy-seat (1 Kings…

is spoken of as encompassing the actual presence of God, as that out of which he speaks, --the envelope, as it were, of divine glory. (Exodus 20:21; 1 Kings 8:12) The plague of darkness in Egypt was miraculous. The darkness "over all the land," (Matthew 27:45) attending the crucifixion has been attributed to an eclipse, but was undoubtedly miraculous, as no eclipse of the sun could have taken place at that time, the moon being at the full at the time of the passover. Darkness is also, as in the expression "land of darkness," used for the state of the dead, (Job 10:21,22) and frequently, figuratively, for ignorance and unbelief, as the privation of spiritual light. (

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The absence of natural light, Ge 1:2, and hence figuratively a state of misery and adversity, Job 18:6 Ps 107:10 Isa 8:22 9:1; also the absence of the sun and stars, and hence the fall of chief men and national convulsions, Isa 13:10 Ac 2:20. "Works of darkness," are the impure mysteries practiced in heathen worship, Eph 5:11. "Outer darkness" illustrates the gloom of those on whom the gates of heaven are closed, Mt 8:12. The darkness in Egypt,

→ Over the face of the earth Ge 1:2; Job 38:9; Jer 4:23

→ Called NIGHT Ge 1:5

→ God creates Isa 45:7

→ Miraculous

In Egypt Ex 10:21,22; Ps 105:28

At Mount Sinai Ex 20:21; Heb 12:18

At the crucifixion Mt 27:45; Mr 15:33

→ FIGURATIVE

or darkness not you will see and abundance of water it covers you
לֹֽא־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.
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
or darkness not you will see and abundance of water it covers you
תִרְאֶ֑הtir.'Eh you will see H7200 Verb · Qal · imperfect second person masculine singular
1,300× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for provider means to see or look after, and is used to describe God's care for his people. It appears in various forms throughout the Bible, including in Genesis and other books.
Amplified meaning
are unable to perceive or discern
Tyndale gloss
Provider
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רָאָה (ra'ah) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to see' and encompasses a wide range of visual and perceptual actions, including looking, observing, and causing others to see. It can refer to both literal sight and figurative understanding, with various grammatical forms indicating different nuances, such as appearing or being visible. The entries indicate a rich semantic field without significant disagreement among lexicographers.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רָאָה 1315 vb. see

Qal 1141

see, subj.

see, c. acc. rei

see, sq. acc. cl. or phr. of closer design

see, so as to learn to know

abs. see, have (power of) vision

see = perceive

look at, see, by direct volition

of mental observation

c. ב, lit., look into, hence look at with interest

see, c. acc. rei

Niph.

appear

be seen

be visible

Pu. appar. his bones are not detected

Hithp. recipr. look at each other

Hiph.

cause one to see something, shew

cause to experience something

cause to look intently at, to behold

Hoph.

be caused to see, be shewn

be exhibited to

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7200a רָאָה see .. . see, subj.

. see, c. acc. rei

. see, sq. acc. + cl. or phr. of closer design

. see, so as to learn to know

. abs. see, have (power of) vision

. see = perceive

. look at, see, by direct volition

. of mental observation

. . c. ב, lit., look into, hence look at with interest

. see, c. acc. rei

. . appear

. be seen

. be visible

. appar. his bones are not detected

. recipr. look at each other

. . . cause one to see something, shew

. cause to experience something

. cause to look intently at, to behold

. . be caused to see, be shewn

. be exhibited to

H7200b רְאוּת look

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7200 ra'ah raw-aw'

a primitive root; to see, literally or figuratively (in

numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive,

intransitive and causative):--advise self, appear, approve,

behold, X certainly, consider, discern, (make to) enjoy, have

experience, gaze, take heed, X indeed, X joyfully, lo, look

(on, one another, one on another, one upon another, out, up,

upon), mark, meet, X be near, perceive, present, provide,

regard, (have) respect, (fore-, cause to, let) see(-r, -m, one

another), shew (self), X sight of others, (e-)spy, stare, X

surely, X think, view, visions.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רָאָה (ra.ah) — to see: see.

: see/show

1) to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to see

1a2) to see, perceive

1a3) to see, have vision

1a4) to look at, see, regard, look after, see after, learn about, observe, watch, look upon, look out, find out

1a5) to see, observe, consider, look at, give attention to, discern, distinguish

1a6) to look at, gaze at

1a7) to provide, choose

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to appear, present oneself

1b2) to be seen

1b3) to be visible

1c) (Pual) to be seen

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to cause to see, show

1d2) to cause to look intently at, behold, cause to gaze at

1e) (Hophal)

1e1) to be caused to see, be shown

1e2) to be exhibited to

1f) (Hithpael) to look at each other, face

רָאָה (ra.ah) — to see: examine.

: examine/consider

1) to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to see

1a2) to see, perceive

1a3) to see, have vision

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-2ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect second person masculine singular
HVqi2ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

se: In addition to the ordinary sense of perceiving by the eye, we have

(1) chazah, "to see" (in vision): "Words of Amos .... which he saw concerning Israel" (Am 1:1). The revelation was made to his inward eye. "The word of Yahweh .... which he (Micah) saw concerning Samaria" (Mic 1:1), describing what he saw in prophetic vision (compare Hab 1:1); see REVELATION, III, 4;

(2) horao, "to take heed": "See thou say nothing" (Mr 1:44);

(3) eidon, "to know," "to note with the mind": "Jesus saw that he answered discreetly" (Mr 12:34);

or darkness not you will see and abundance of water it covers you
וְֽשִׁפְעַת־ve.shif.'at- and abundance of H8229 Conjunction · noun common feminine singular construct
6× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word also means abundance, but can refer to a large group of people or things. It is used to describe a multitude or copiousness. In the Bible, it is often used to describe God's blessings.
Amplified meaning
great, overflowing, abundance, multitude
Tyndale gloss
abundance
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שִׁפְעָה (shiph'ah) refers to abundance, quantity, or multitude. It is a feminine noun derived from a related term, indicating a sense of copiousness. The entries consistently emphasize its meaning related to plentifulness without significant disagreement among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[שִׁפְעָה], שִׁפְעַת n.f. abundance, quantity

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8229 [שִׁפְעָה] שִׁפְעַת abundance, quantity

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8229 shiph`ah shif-aw'

feminine of 8228; copiousness:--abundance, company,

multitude.

see HEBREW for 08228

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שִׁפְעָה (shiph.ah) — abundance.

abundance, quantity, multitude

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | N-fs — Conjunction · noun common feminine singular construct
HC/Ncfsc
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…

or darkness not you will see and abundance of water it covers you
מַ֥יִםMa.yim water H4325 Noun common · masculine plural absolute
581× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means water, referring to a liquid or a source of refreshment. It appears in the Bible as a literal and figurative term, including references to wasting or urine. The word is used in various contexts, such as in Genesis and Leviticus.
Amplified meaning
source of refreshment
Tyndale gloss
Water (Gate)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מַי (mayim) is a Hebrew word meaning 'water' and is used in the plural form. It encompasses various meanings, including literal water, urine, and metaphorical uses related to refreshment or danger. The entries indicate it is derived from a primitive noun and is primarily referenced in contexts involving water.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[מַי] 580 n.m. only pl. מַ֫יִם waters, water

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4325 מַי only pl. מַ֫יִם waters, water

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4325 mayim mah'-yim

dual of a primitive noun (but used in a singular sense);

water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen:--+

piss, wasting, water(-ing, (-course, -flood, -spring)).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מַי (ma.yim) — water.

1) water, waters

1a) water

1b) water of the feet, urine

1c) of danger, violence, transitory things, refreshment (fig.)

מַי (ma.yim) — Water (Gate).

This name means water, refreshment

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural absolute
HNcmpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

wo'-ter (mayim; hudor):

(1) The Greek philosophers believed water to be the original substance and that all things were made from it. The Koran states, "From water we have made all things." In the story of the creation (Ge 1:2) water plays an elemental part.

(2) Because of the scarcity of water in Palestine it is especially appreciated by the people there. They love to go and sit by a stream of running water. Men long for a taste of the water of their native village (1Ch 11:17). A town or village is known throughout the country for the quality of its water, which is described by many adjectives, such as "light," "heavy," etc.

(3) The rainfall is the only source of supply of water for Palestine. The moisture is carried up from the sea in clouds and falls on the hills as rain or snow.…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

See CISTERN and WELLS.

In Isa 35:7, the Hebrew word for "parched ground" that shall become a pool of water, is the same with the Arabic term for the mirage, a peculiar optical illusion by which travelers in hot and dry deserts think they see broad lakes and flowing waters; they seem to discern the very ripple of the waves, and the swaying of tail trees on the margin in the cool breeze; green hills and houses and city ramparts rise before the astonished sight, recede as the traveler advances, and at length melt away in the hot haze. Not so the blessings of the gospel; they are no alluring mockery, but real waters of everlasting life, Isa 55:1 Joh 4:14 Re 22:1. Compare

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Creation of Ps 148:4,5

→ Covered the whole earth Ge 1:9

→ Daily allowance of Eze 4:11

→ City waterworks 2Ki 20:20

→ Vision of, by Ezekiel Eze 47:1-5

→ Of separation Nu 19:2-22

→ Libation of 1Sa 7:6

→ Irrigation with

See IRRIGATION

→ Miraculously supplied

To the Israelites Ex 17:1,6; Nu 20:11

To Samson Jud 15:19

Torrey's New Topical Textbook

- One of the elements of the world

Ge 1:2

- GOD ORIGINALLY

. Created the firmament to divide

Ge 1:6,7

. Collected into one place

Ge 1:9

. Created fowls and fishes, &c from

Ge 1:20,21

- Necessary to vegetation

Ge 2:5,6; Job 14:9; Isa 1:30

- Some plants particularly require

Job 8:11

- Necessary to the comfort and happiness of man

Isa 41:17; Zec 9:11

- COLLECTED IN

. Springs

or darkness not you will see and abundance of water it covers you
תְּכַסֶּֽךָּ׃te.kha.Se.ka it covers you H3680 Verb piel imperfect third person feminine singular · suffix
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 cover, hide or overwhelm
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 | Suff — Verb piel imperfect third person feminine singular · suffix
HVpi3fs/Sp2ms
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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