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Job 22:20 — Word Study

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WLCאִם־ לֹ֣א נִכְחַ֣ד קִימָ֑נוּ וְ֝יִתְרָ֗ם אָ֣כְלָה אֵֽשׁ׃

BSASurelyʼim our foesqîym [enemies, adversaries] are destroyedkâchad [cut off, consumed] and fireʼêsh [burning, flame] has consumedʼâkal [eaten, devoured] their excessyether [remainder, abundance, wealth]

Word
Listen & take awayJob 22
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 20 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 ('Esh) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Job 22:20quick helps
In a sentenceJob asserts that their enemies have been destroyed and their excess consumed by fire.
Who is speakingJob, reflecting on the fate of the wicked.
Where we areIn a discourse about justice and the fate of the unrighteous.
The hard wordנִכְחַ֣ד
Take awayThe destruction of the wicked is assured.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectאֵשׁ verbכָּחַד The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

1 of 7 occurs nowhere else in the Old Testament — a word chosen on purpose.

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 22:20

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 Justicegenerated

19The righteous see it and are glad; the innocent mock them:
20‘Surely our foes are destroyed, and fire has consumed their excess.’
21Reconcile now and be at peace with Him; thereby good will come to you.
22Receive instruction from His mouth, and lay up His words in your heart.

Job 22:20 is part of a larger discussion where Job’s friends are debating the fate of the wicked. They claim that the righteous will ultimately see justice served against their enemies. This verse encapsulates that belief, emphasizing the destruction of foes and the consuming nature of fire as a symbol of divine judgment.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Job 4:7Consider now, I plead: Who, being innocent, has ever perished? Or where have the upright been destroyed?
2Job 8:3–4Does God pervert justice? Does the Almighty pervert what is right?
3Job 15:5–6For your iniquity instructs your mouth, and you choose the language of the crafty.
4Job 20:18–19He must return the fruit of his labor without consuming it; he cannot enjoy the profits of his trading.
5Job 21:27–28Behold, I know your thoughts full well, the schemes by which you would wrong me.

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


The Key Word נִכְחַ֣ד, nikh.Chadgenerated

The verb כָּחַד (kachad) means 'to hide' or 'to conceal', but in this context, it conveys the idea of destruction or being cut off. It is in the Niphal form, indicating a passive action, meaning that the enemies have been destroyed rather than having destroyed themselves.

This verb appears in contexts where something is hidden or eliminated, emphasizing the finality of the fate of the adversaries. The parsing as a perfect tense indicates that this destruction has been completed.


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 נִכְחַ֣ד governs the sentence, with the subject קִימָ֑נוּ (our adversary) preceding it. The structure emphasizes the adversary's destruction as the central claim.

The phrase וְ֝יִתְרָ֗ם (and their abundance) acts as the object of the consuming action, showing what is affected by the fire. The syntax reflects a clear cause-and-effect relationship.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates נִכְחַ֣ד as ἠφανίσθη, meaning 'has been made invisible' or 'has disappeared', which emphasizes the totality of the destruction.

The choice of πῦρ for אֵשׁ retains the imagery of fire, aligning with the Hebrew meaning while also suggesting a purifying aspect of the divine judgment.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Job 22:20 states that the enemies of the righteous are destroyed, and their excess has been consumed by fire. This reflects a belief in divine justice where the wicked face consequences for their actions.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does Job mean by 'our foes are destroyed'?

Job is expressing confidence that those who oppose the righteous will face destruction as a form of divine justice.

What significance does fire have in this verse?

Fire symbolizes judgment and destruction, indicating that the excess of the wicked will not endure.

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

It reflects the theme of justice and the fate of the wicked, contrasting with the suffering of the righteous.

What can we learn about divine justice from this verse?

It teaches that there is a certainty in divine justice, where the wicked will ultimately face the consequences of their actions.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. How do I understand the concept of justice in my own life in light of this verse?
  2. What does it mean to trust in divine justice when facing opposition?
  3. In what ways can I reflect on the consequences of my actions?
  4. How does the imagery of fire inform my understanding of judgment?

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

Early Christian writers, such as Gregory the Dialogist, reference this verse to discuss the fate of the wicked and divine justice.

Gregory the DialogistMorals on the Book of Job, Book XVI c. 540–604
Is not their erecting cut down, and the remnant of them the fire hath consumed? For here the wicked are erected, in that they are lifted up in bad deeds. For they both do wickedly, and yet for their wicked deeds they are not stricken.
Early Church Fathers on Job 22 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Job 22:20 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Whereas our substance is not cut down,.... As yours is; Noah and his family were preserved in the ark, and the creatures with him, and sufficient sustenance was laid up for them all, when everything

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

Whereas our substance is not cut down, but the remnant of them the fire consumeth. Whereas our substance is not cut down. The triumphant speech of the pious.

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

Whereas; or, when; or, seeing that; or, because; for this Hebrew particle im is oft used for chi. And so the following words may contain the reason of the joy and laughter of the innocent, mentioned , because when wicked men are destroyed, they are preserved; because our substance, i.e. our souls, and bodies, and subsistence, was now cut down. He should have said their substance, i.e. the substance of the righteous; but he changeth the person, and saith, our substance; either as including himself in the number of righteous persons, and thereby intimating that he pleaded the common cause of all such, whilst Job pleaded the cause of the wicked, as is elsewhere observed; or because he would…

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

Job 22:20 Whereas our substance is not cut down, but the remnant of them the fire consumeth.Ver. 20. Whereas our substance is not cut down] That is, while life lasteth, and while it is called today; before death cometh: and after death, judgment; when the remnant of the wicked fire shall consume. Where we have a forcible motive to repent, because we must either turn or burn, Aut poenitendum, aut pereundum. See Acts 17:31 2 Corinthians 5:10-11 Hebrews 12:28-29. Eliphaz seemeth here on purpose to have mentioned that fire wherewith wicked men shall be tormented at the last day (and before, for every man’ s death day is his doomsday), and to have changed the person. The remnant (or excellence)…

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

(20) Whereas our substance . . .—These are probably the words of the righteous and the innocent: “Surely they that did rise up against us are cut off, and the remnant of them the fire hath consumed.” The rendering in the Authorised Version is probably less correct, though in that also these words seem to be those of the innocent in Job 22:19.

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

Verse 20. Whereas our substance is not cut down] We, who fear the Lord, still continue in health and peace; whereas they who have departed from him are destroyed even to their very remnant. Mr. Good thinks that קימנו kimanu, which we translate our substance, is the same as the Arabic [Arabic] our people or tribe; and hence he translates the clause thus: "For our tribe is not cut off; while even the remnant of these a conflagration consumed." The reference here is supposed to be to the destruction of the men of Sodom and Gomorrah. A judgment by a flood took off the world of the ungodly in the days of Noah. Their remnant, those who lived in the same ungodly way, were taken off by a judgment…

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

12–20. Eliphaz, having in Job 22:6-10 suggested what Job’s offences must have been, now suggests under what feeling in regard to God he must have committed them. He thought God so far removed from the world that He did not observe men’s conduct.

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

Whereas our substance is not cut down - Margin, or, “Estate” Gesenius supposes that this means our adversary or enemy.

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

‘Surely our foes are destroyed, and fire has consumed their excess.’

WEBWorld English Bible2000

saying, ‘Surely those who rose up against us are cut off. The fire has consumed their remnant.’

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

‘Surely our foes are destroyed, and fire has consumed their excess.’

NETBNew English Translation2006

‘Surely our enemies are destroyed, and fire consumes their wealth.’

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Whereas our substance is not cut down, but the remnant of them the fire consumeth.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Saying, Surely they that did rise up against us are cut off, And the remnant of them the fire hath consumed.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Saying, Surely they that did rise up against us are cut off, and the remnant of them the fire hath consumed.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Whereas our substance is not cut down, but the remnant of them the fire consumeth.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Surely our substance is hid: but the fire hath deuoured the remnant of them.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Is not he who rose against us destroyed, and doth not the fire consume his residue?

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

'Surely our substance hath not been cut off, And their excellency hath fire consumed.'

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Surely our substance has not been cut off, || And fire has consumed their excellence.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

“Is not he destroyed that rose up against us, and hath not the fire consumed what they had left?”

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

They say, 'Surely those who rose up against us are cut off; fire has consumed their possessions.'

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Is not their exaltation cut down, and hath not fire devoured the remnants of them?

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

saying, ‘Our enemies are destroyed, and fire has burned up all that's left of them.’

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Saying, Truly, their substance is cut off, and their wealth is food for the fire.

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.

clauseאִםifclauseclauseadverbialלֹ֣אnotverbנִכְחַ֣דhe.has.been.destroyednoun phrase · subjectקִימָ֑adversaryנוּourוְ֝andclausenoun phrase · objectיִתְרָ֗abundanceםtheirverbאָ֣כְלָהit.has.consumedsubjectאֵֽשׁfire

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 in their wording for this verse, with all seven words matched. This indicates a consistent understanding of the text across these traditions.

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

אִם־ לֹ֣א נִכְחַ֣ד קִימָ֑נוּ וְ֝יִתְרָ֗ם אָ֣כְלָה אֵֽשׁ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
אִם־εἰלֹ֣אμὴנִכְחַ֣דἠφανίσθηקִימָ֑נוּαὐτῶνוְ֝יִתְרָ֗םκαὶאָ֣כְלָהκαταφάγεταιאֵֽשׁ׃πῦρ

7 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 22:20אִםififאִםלֹאnotnotלֹאכָּחַדhe has beenhe has been desכָּחַדקִיםadversary oadversary ourקִיםיֶ֫תֶרand abundanand abundance tיֶ֫תֶראָכַלit has consit has consumedאָכַלאֵשׁfirefireאֵשׁלֵב(Leb)-kama(Leb)-kamaiלֵביָתַרto remainto remainיָתַרחֵןfavorfavorחֵןיֵשׁtherethereיֵשׁיָכֹלbe ablebe ableיָכֹלעוֹדstillstillעוֹדבֵּית־עֵ֫קֶדHouse of SHouse of Shepheבֵּית־עֵ֫קֶדמִן־fromfromמִן־סָגָןrulerrulerסָגָןאַרְבֶּהlocustlocustאַרְבֶּהשָׁתָהto drinkto drinkשָׁתָהלֶ֫חֶםfoodfoodלֶ֫חֶםלֶהָבָהflameflameלֶהָבָהיָצַתto kindleto kindleיָצַת
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 22:20

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.

if not he has been destroyed adversary our and abundance their it has consumed fire
אִם־'im- if H518 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
Conj — Particle
HTc
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
if not he has been destroyed adversary our and abundance their it has consumed fire
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.
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
HTn — Particle
HTn
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
if not he has been destroyed adversary our and abundance their it has consumed fire
נִכְחַ֣דnikh.Chad he has been destroyed H3582 Verb · Niphal · perfect third person masculine singular
32× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Kachad means to hide or conceal, and can also mean to destroy or cut off. It is used to describe being hidden or effaced.
Amplified meaning
cut off, consumed
Tyndale gloss
to hide
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כָּחַד (kachad) is a Hebrew verb meaning to hide or conceal. It can also imply destruction or desolation, with various forms indicating actions like being hidden (Niphal) or actively hiding (Hiphil). The entries highlight its use in different contexts, but do not provide specific verse references.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[כָּחַד] vb. not in Qal; Pi. Hiph. hide, efface; Niph. (usu.) pass.

Niph.

be hidden

be effaced, destroyed

Pi. hide

Hiph.

hide

efface, annihilate

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3582 [כָּחַד] not in Qal; Pi. Hiph. hide, efface; Niph. (usu.) pass.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3582 kachad kaw-khad'

a primitive root; to secrete, by act or word; hence

(intensively) to destroy:--conceal, cut down (off), desolate,

hide.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כָּחַד (ka.chad) — to hide.

1) to hide, conceal, cut off, cut down, make desolate, kick

1a) (Niphal)

1a1) to be hidden

1a2) to be effaced, be destroyed, be cut off

1b) (Piel) to cover, hide

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to hide

1c2) to efface, annihilate

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Niphal-Perf-3ms — Verb · Niphal · perfect third person masculine singular
HVNp3ms
if not he has been destroyed adversary our and abundance their it has consumed fire
קִימָ֑נוּki.Ma.nu adversary our H7009 Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
1× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word refers to an opponent or enemy, someone who rises up against you. In the book of Job, it describes the enemies that Job faced during his time of suffering. It can also refer to a collective group of enemies, like a nation or army.
Amplified meaning
enemies, adversaries
Tyndale gloss
adversary
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

קִים (qim) refers to an adversary or opponent, suggesting a sense of rising up against someone. The term is derived from a root meaning to rise, and it is used in contexts that imply opposition, such as in Job 22:20. The entries consistently describe it as an adversary without significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[קִים] n.m. adversary (prop. uprising, insurgent);—sf. Jb 22:20

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7009 קִים

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7009 qiym keem

from 6965; an opponent (as rising against one), i.e.

(collectively) enemies:--substance.

see HEBREW for 06965

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קִים (qim) — adversary.

adversary

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HNcmsc/Sp1bp
if not he has been destroyed adversary our and abundance their it has consumed fire
וְ֝יִתְרָ֗םve.yit.Ram and abundance their H3499 Conjunction · noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
102× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A cord or rope, also meaning excess or remainder, as seen in the Bible's descriptions of leftovers or abundant resources.
Amplified meaning
remainder, abundance, wealth
Tyndale gloss
remainder
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word יֶ֫תֶר (*yether*) encompasses meanings related to remainder, excess, and excellence, as well as a small cord. It is derived from a root meaning 'to remain' and can refer to both a surplus or remnant and a physical string. The entries consistently highlight its dual meanings without significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יֶ֫תֶר 94 n.m. remainder, excellence, excess

base

יֶ֫תֶר n.m. cord (prop. as hanging over or down)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3499a יֶ֫תֶר remainder, excellence, excess H3499b יֶ֫תֶר cord

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3499 yether yeh'-ther

from 3498; properly, an overhanging, i.e. (by implication) an

excess, superiority, remainder; also a small rope (as hanging

free):--+ abundant, cord, exceeding, excellancy(-ent), what

they leave, that hath left, plentifully, remnant, residue,

rest, string, with.

see HEBREW for 03498

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יֶ֫תֶר (ye.ter) — remainder.

1) remainder, excess, rest, remnant, excellence

1a) remainder, remnant

1b) remainder, rest, other part

1c) excess

1d) abundantly (adv)

1e) abundance, affluence

1f) superiority, excellency

יֶ֫תֶר (ye.ter) — cord.

cord

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | N-ms | Suff — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HC/Ncmsc/Sp3mp
if not he has been destroyed adversary our and abundance their it has consumed fire
אָ֣כְלָה'A.khe.lah it has consumed H398 Verb · Qal · perfect third person feminine singular
810× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to eat or devour, and it's used in many stories, including when Jesus fed the 5000 with fish and bread in the book of Matthew. It's about taking in nourishment and being satisfied.
Amplified meaning
eaten, devoured
Tyndale gloss
to eat
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָכַל (akal) means 'to eat' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including literal consumption by humans and animals, as well as figurative uses like devouring by fire or destruction. It can describe actions such as feeding or causing to eat, and it also appears in contexts of oppression and destruction. The verb has various forms, indicating different subjects and nuances.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָכַל 806 vb. eat

Qal

eat, human subject

of beasts, birds, etc., eat, devour

fig. of fire, devour, consume

of sword, devour, slay

in genl., devour, consume, destroy

fig. of oppression, devour the poor

Niph.

be eaten by man

be devoured by fire, consumed

be wasted, destroyed, of flesh

Pu. be consumed

Hiph.

cause to eat, feed with

cause to devoure, obj. sword

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H398 אָכַל eat .. eat, human subject

. of beasts, birds, etc., eat, devour

. fig. of fire, devour, consume

. of sword, devour, slay

. in genl., devour, consume, destroy

. fig. of oppression, devour the poor

. . be eaten by man

. be devoured by fire, consumed

. be wasted, destroyed, of flesh

. be consumed

. . cause to eat, feed with

. cause to devoure, obj. sword

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

398 'akal aw-kal'

a primitive root; to eat (literally or figuratively):--X at

all, burn up, consume, devour(-er, up), dine, eat(-er, up),

feed (with), food, X freely, X in...wise(-deed, plenty), (lay)

meat, X quite.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָכַל (a.khal) — to eat.

1) to eat, devour, burn up, feed

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to eat (human subject)

1a2) to eat, devour (of beasts and birds)

1a3) to devour, consume (of fire)

1a4) to devour, slay (of sword)

1a5) to devour, consume, destroy (inanimate subjects - ie, pestilence, drought)

1a6) to devour (of oppression)

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be eaten (by men)

1b2) to be devoured, consumed (of fire)

1b3) to be wasted, destroyed (of flesh)

1c) (Pual)

1c1) to cause to eat, feed with

1c2) to cause to devour

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to feed

1d2) to cause to eat

1e) (Piel)

1e1) consume

Aramaic equivalent: a.khal (אֲכַל "to devour" H0399)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-3fs — Verb · Qal · perfect third person feminine singular
HVqp3fs
if not he has been destroyed adversary our and abundance their it has consumed fire
אֵֽשׁ׃'Esh fire H784 Noun common · both singular absolute
378× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Fire is a powerful symbol in the Bible, representing both God's anger and his refining presence, as seen in Deuteronomy 4:24 and Malachi 3:2-3. It is also used for cooking and warmth. This concept is central to many biblical stories.
Amplified meaning
burning, flame
Tyndale gloss
fire
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֵשׁ (esh) means 'fire' and encompasses various types, including natural fire, supernatural fire associated with divine appearances, and fire used for cooking or on altars. It can also figuratively represent God's anger. The entries consistently highlight its literal and metaphorical uses, with no significant disagreement among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵשׁ 377 n.f. fire

fire, of conflagration

of supernatural fire

fire for cooking, roasting, parching

esp. of altar fire

fig. of Yahweh's anger

in various combinations

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H784 אֵשׁ fire . fire, of conflagration

. of supernatural fire

. fire for cooking, roasting, parching

. esp. of altar fire

. fig. of Yahweh's anger

. in various combinations

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

784 'esh aysh

a primitive word; fire (literally or figuratively):--

burning, fiery, fire, flaming, hot.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵשׁ (esh) — fire.

1) fire

1a) fire, flames

1b) supernatural fire (accompanying theophany)

1c) fire (for cooking, roasting, parching)

1d) altar-fire

1e) God's anger (fig.)

Aramaic equivalent: esh (אֶשָּׁא "fire" H0785)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-cs — Noun common · both singular absolute
HNcbsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

fir ('esh; pur):

These are the common words for fire, occurring very frequently. 'Ur, "light" (Isa 24:15 the King James Version; compare the Revised Version (British and American); Isa 31:9, and see FIRES), nur (Aramaic) (Da 3:22 ff) are found a few times, also 'eshshah (Jer 6:29), and be`erah (Ex 22:6), once each. Ac 28:2,3 has pura, "pyre," and Mr 14:54; Lu 22:56, phos, "light," the Revised Version (British and American) "in the light (of the fire)." "To set…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Fire

(1.) For sacred purposes. The sacrifices were consumed by fire (Gen. 8:20). The ever-burning fire on the altar was first kindled from heaven (Lev. 6:9, 13; 9:24), and afterwards rekindled at the dedication of Solomon’s temple (2 Chr. 7:1, 3). The expressions “fire from heaven” and “fire of the Lord” generally denote lightning, but sometimes also the fire of the altar was so called (Ex. 29:18; Lev. 1:9; 2:3; 3:5, 9).

Fire for a sacred purpose obtained otherwise than from the altar was called “strange fire” (Lev. 10:1, 2;

is represented as the symbol of Jehovah’s presence and the instrument of his power, in the way either of approval or of destruction. (Exodus 3:2; 14:19) etc. There could not be a better symbol for Jehovah than this of fire, it being immaterial, mysterious, but visible, warming, cheering, comforting, but also terrible and consuming. Parallel with this application of fire and with its symbolical meaning are to be noted the similar use for sacrificial purposes and the respect paid to it, or to the heavenly bodies as symbols of deity, which prevailed among so many nations of antiquity, and of which the traces are not even now extinct; e.g. the Sabean and Magian systems of worship. (Isaiah 27:9) Fire for sacred purposes obtained elsewhere than from the altar was called "strange fire," and for the use of such Nadab and Abihu were punished…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

In Scripture, is often connected with the presence of Jehovah; as in the burning bush, and on Mount Sinai, Ex 3:2 19:18 Ps 18:1-50 Hab 1:1-3:19. The second coming of Christ will be "in flaming fire," 2Th 1:8. In the New Testament it illustrates the enlightening, cheering, and purifying agency of the Holy Spirit, Mt 3:11 Ac 2:3. By sending fire from heaven to consume sacrifices, God often signified his acceptance of them: as in the case of Abel, Ge 4:4; Abraham, Ge…

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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