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Job 29:16 — Word Study

Depth

WLCאָ֣ב אָ֭נֹכִֽי לָֽאֶבְיוֹנִ֑ים וְרִ֖ב לֹא־ יָדַ֣עְתִּי אֶחְקְרֵֽהוּ׃

BSAIʼânôkîy [the speaker, Esau-like] was a fatherʼâb [like a paternal guardian, provider] to the needyʼebyôwn [poor, oppressed, and in need of help] and I took upchâqar [searched out, defended] the caserîyb [cause, dispute, or quarrel] of the strangerlôʼ [one who is unknown, a foreigner, or an outsider]

Word
Listen & take awayJob 29
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 16 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 ('ech.ke.Re.hu) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Job 29:16quick helps
In a sentenceJob describes his past role as a protector and advocate for the vulnerable.
Who is speakingJob, reflecting on his past actions.
Where we areJob recounts his deeds in a speech defending his integrity.
The hard wordאָב
Take awayJob's commitment to justice and care for the needy.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectאָנֹכִי verbיָדַע 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 29:16

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 His Righteousnessgenerated

15I served as eyes to the blind and as feet to the lame.
16I was a father to the needy, and I took up the case of the stranger.
17I shattered the fangs of the unjust and snatched the prey from his teeth.
18So I thought: ‘I will die in my nest and multiply my days as the sand.

Job 29:16 presents Job reflecting on his past, emphasizing his role as a father figure to the needy and his advocacy for those who were marginalized. This verse is part of a larger discourse where Job defends his integrity and righteousness amidst his suffering, showing how he cared for the vulnerable in society, similar to other biblical figures who championed justice and compassion.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Job 31:18though from my youth I reared him as would a father, and from my mother’s womb I guided the widow—
2Esther 2:7And Mordecai had brought up Hadassah (that is, Esther), the daughter of his uncle, because she did not have a father or mother. The young woman was lovely in form and appearance, and when her father and mother had died, Mordecai had taken her in as his own daughter.
3Psalm 68:5A father of the fatherless, and a defender of the widows, is God in His holy habitation.
4Ephesians 5:1Be imitators of God, therefore, as beloved children,
5James 1:27Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

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


The Key Word אָב, 'avgenerated

The Hebrew word אָב (av) means 'father' and encompasses various roles such as a paternal guardian or provider. It signifies a relationship of authority and care, often used to describe God as the father of His people, as well as human fathers like Abraham.

In this verse, Job claims he was a father to the needy, indicating his protective and nurturing role towards those who were poor and oppressed. This highlights Job's character as a compassionate figure who took responsibility for the well-being of others.


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 clause is governed by the verb יָדַ֣עְתִּי, I knew, with two phrases hanging off it: a noun phrase describing Job's role as a father and a prepositional phrase detailing the case he took up. The structure emphasizes Job's actions and responsibilities.

The Hebrew word order places emphasis on Job's identity as a father to the needy, followed by his assertion of knowledge and investigation, which collectively underscore his integrity and moral standing.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates אָב as πατὴρ (patēr), meaning 'father', which retains the paternal connotation of Job's role. This choice reflects a direct connection to the original meaning, emphasizing Job's protective nature.

For וְרִ֖ב, the LXX uses δίκην (dikin), meaning 'case' or 'suit', which aligns with the legal aspect of Job's advocacy, suggesting a formal dispute he engaged in on behalf of the stranger.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Job 29:16 shows Job reflecting on his past, where he describes himself as a father to the needy and as someone who took up the case of the stranger. This highlights his role as a protector and advocate for those who were vulnerable and marginalized.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean for Job to be a father to the needy?

Job's claim to be a father to the needy indicates his role as a protector and provider, showing his compassion for those who were poor and oppressed.

Who is referred to as the stranger in this verse?

The stranger refers to someone who is unknown or a foreigner, highlighting Job's willingness to advocate for those outside his immediate community.

How does Job's role as a father relate to his overall character?

Job's role as a father to the needy reflects his integrity and moral character, emphasizing his commitment to justice and care for the vulnerable.

What does it mean to take up the case of the stranger?

To take up the case of the stranger means to advocate for someone who is marginalized or in need, reflecting a commitment to justice and support for the oppressed.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways can I be a father or protector to those in need in my community?
  2. How can I advocate for those who are marginalized or considered strangers in society?
  3. What responsibilities do I have towards the needy and oppressed?
  4. How can I embody the values of compassion and justice that Job exemplifies?

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

Early commentators, such as Gregory the Dialogist, reflect on Job's role as a father to the needy, interpreting it as a commitment to justice and care for the vulnerable.

Gregory the DialogistMorals on the Book of Job, Book XIX c. 540–604
I was a father of the poor, and the cause, which I knew not, I searched out. [HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION] For very often men give much to the poor, not because they love those poor, but because if they do not give,
Early Church Fathers on Job 29 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Job 29:16 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

I [was] a father to the poor,.... Not in a literal sense; for his children were rich as well as himself, while he had them; but in a civil sense, he was the patron of the poor; he was an advocate for

Read John Gill on Job 29 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him.

Read Robert Jamieson on Job 29 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

A father, i.e. had the care and bowels of a father to them. The cause which I knew not; either, 1. Those which were not brought to my knowledge or tribunal, either through neglect, or because the injured persons durst not complain, I diligently inquired after. Or, 2. Those which were hard and difficult, and possibly were made so by the frauds or arts of the oppressors, or their advocates, which the poor injured person could not find out, I took pains to discover.

Read Matthew Poole on Job 29 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Job 29:16 I [was] a father to the poor: and the cause [which] I knew not I searched out.Ver. 16. I was a father to the poor] Ab laebionim, an elegant alliteration, as Mercer here noteth. Job was not only a friend to the poor, as said before, but a father, providing for their necessities, and protecting them from injuries. So Augustus Caesar delighted to be called Pater Patriae, the father of his country (Suet.). And our Queen Elizabeth would many times say that she could believe nothing of her people that parents would not believe of their children (Cambden, Eliz.). And the cause which I knew not I sought out] Sifting it to the bran, and not pronouncing sentence till I had fully understood…

Read John Trapp on Job 29 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 16. The cause which I knew not I searched out.] When any thing difficult occurred, I did not give it a slight consideration; I examined it to the bottom, whatever pain, time, and trouble it cost me, that I might not pronounce a hasty judgment.

Read AdamClarke on Job 29 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

16. the cause which I knew not] Rather, the cause of him whom I knew not. Not merely the poor about him, to whom he might feel that he owed help, but even strangers who had a cause that needed unravelling he aided by his wisdom and justice.

Read Cambridge on Job 29 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

I was a father to the poor - I took them under my protection, and treated them as if they were my own children. And the cause which I knew not I searched out - This is according to the interpretation of Jerome.

Read Albert Barnes on Job 29 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

16. The Hebrew for father to the poor, gives a paronomasia, a beauty frequent in Job, just as if we should say, a carer for the careful ones. See note, Job 3:25. Which — Or, of him I knew not.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Job 29 →

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

I was a father to the needy, and I took up the case of the stranger.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

I was a father to the needy. I researched the cause of him whom I didn’t know.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

I was a father to the needy, and I took up the case of the stranger.

NETBNew English Translation2006

I was a father to the needy, and I investigated the case of the person I did not know;

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

I was a father to the needy: And the cause of him that I knew not I searched out.

RVARevised Version, American1894

I was a father to the needy: and the cause of him that I knew not I searched out.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

I was a father vnto the poore, and when I knewe not the cause, I sought it out diligently.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

I was a father to the needy, and the cause which I knew not I searched out;

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

A father I [am] to the needy, And the cause I have not known I search out.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

I [am] a father to the needy, || And the cause I have not known I search out.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

A father was I to the needy; and the cause of him I knew not I used to investigate.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

I was a father to needy people; I would examine the case even of one whom I did not know.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

I was the father of the poor: and the cause which I knew not, I searched out most diligently.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

I was like a father to the poor, and I defended the rights of strangers.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

I was a father to the poor, searching out the cause of him who was strange to me.

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.

clausepredicateאָ֣ב[was].a.fathersubjectאָ֭נֹכִֽיIprepositional phrase · prepositionalלָֽtonoun phrasethe.needyאֶבְיוֹנִ֑ים[people]וְandclauseclausenoun phraseרִ֖בa.case.at.lawclauseadverbialלֹאof.[the.one.whom].notverbיָדַ֣עְתִּיI.knewclauseverbאֶחְקְרֵֽIobjectהוּinvestigated.it

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 29:16, with six out of seven words matching. The Septuagint reflects the same concepts but presents them in a different order.

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

אָ֣ב אָ֭נֹכִֽי לָֽאֶבְיוֹנִ֑ים וְרִ֖ב לֹא־ יָדַ֣עְתִּי אֶחְקְרֵֽהוּ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
אָ֭נֹכִֽיἐγὼלָֽאֶבְיוֹנִ֑יםἀδυνάτωνוְרִ֖בδίκηνלֹא־οὐκיָדַ֣עְתִּיᾔδεινאֶחְקְרֵֽהוּ׃ἐχιξνίασα

6 of the 7 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

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


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

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

Job 29:16אָב[was] a fat[was] a fatherאָבאָֽנֹכִ֫יIIאָֽנֹכִ֫יאֶבְיוֹןto the needto the needy [pאֶבְיוֹןרִיבand a case and a case at lרִיבלֹא[the one wh[the one whom] לֹאיָדַעI knewI knewיָדַעחָקַרI investigaI investigated חָקַררִיבto contendto contendרִיבאָבָהbe willingbe willingאָבָהקָבַרto buryto buryקָבַראֵםmothermotherאֵםצָוָהto commandto commandצָוָהמִצְוָהcommandmencommandmentמִצְוָהעָנִיafflictedafflictedעָנִידַּלpoorpoorדַּלמָדוֹןstrifestrifeמָדוֹןיָכֹלbe ablebe ableיָכֹלעוֹדstillstillעוֹדאֲנִיIIאֲנִיבִּיןto understto understandבִּיןרָגַלto spyto spyרָגַלמִשְׁקָלweightweightמִשְׁקָל
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 29:16

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.

[was] a father I to the needy [people] and a case at law of [the one whom] not I knew I investigated it
אָ֣ב'av [was] a father H1 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
1,213× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In Hebrew, this word means father, whether literal or figurative. It is used to describe God as the father of his people, as well as human fathers like Abraham. The word is about a paternal relationship or authority.
Amplified meaning
like a paternal guardian, provider
Tyndale gloss
father
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָב (av) means 'father' and encompasses various roles such as the literal father of an individual, God as the father of His people, and the head of a household or clan. It can also refer to an ancestor, originator of a profession, or a figure of respect and protection. Notably, it can imply a ruler or chief in later contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָב 1101 n.m. father

father of individual

of God as father of his people

head of household, family or clan

ancestor

originator or patron of a class, profession, or art

fig. of producer, generator

fig. of benevolence & protection

term of respect & honor

specif., ruler, chief (late)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1 אָב father . father of individual

. of God as father of his people

. head of household, family or clan

. ancestor

. originator or patron of a class, profession, or art

. fig. of producer, generator

. fig. of benevolence & protection

. term of respect & honor

. specif., ruler, chief (late)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1 'ab awb

a primitive word; father, in a literal and immediate, or

figurative and remote application):--chief,

(fore-)father(-less), X patrimony, principal. Compare names

in "Abi-".

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָב (av) — father.

1) father of an individual

2) of God as father of his people

3) head or founder of a household, group, family, or clan

4) ancestor

4a) grandfather, forefathers - of person

4b) of people

5) originator or patron of a class, profession, or art

6) of producer, generator (fig.)

7) of benevolence and protection (fig.)

8) term of respect and honour

9) ruler or chief (spec.)

Also means: av (אַב "father" H0002)

אָב (av) — (Huram)-abi.

A man living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ki.7.13; also called Huram-abi (KJV: "Huram my father's") at 2Ch.2.13; 4.16;

Combined with chi.ram (חִירָם "Hiram" H2438H)

אָב (av) — father of.

The father of Gibeon, also known as Abiel - a man of the tribe of Benjamin living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Sa.9.1;

son of: Zeror (H6872C); married to Maacah (H4601N);

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

fa'-ther (Anglo-Saxon, Foeder; German, Vater; Hebrew 'abh, etymology uncertain, found in many cognate languages; Greek pater, from root pa, "nourisher," "protector," "upholder"):

1. Immediate Male Ancestor:

Immediate male ancestor. The father in the Hebrew family, as in the Roman, had supreme rights over his children, could dispose of his daughter in marriage (Ge 29), arrange his son's marriage (Ge 24), sell his children (Ex 21:7), but not his daughter to a stranger (Ne 5:5), had power of life and death, as in the case of Isaac (Ge 22), Jephthah's daughter (Jud 11:34), the sacrificing of his children to Molech (Le 18:21; 20:3-5), etc. Respect, reverence and affection for…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Father

A name applied (1) to any ancestor (Deut. 1:11; 1 Kings 15:11; Matt. 3:9; 23:30, etc.); and (2) as a title of respect to a chief, ruler, or elder, etc. (Judg. 17:10; 18:19; 1 Sam. 10:12; 2 Kings 2:12; Matt. 23:9, etc.). (3) The author or beginner of anything is also so called; e.g., Jabal and Jubal (Gen. 4:20, 21; comp. Job 38:28).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

The position and authority of the father as the head of the family are expressly assumed and sanctioned in Scripture, as a likeness of that of the Almighty over his creatures. It lies of course at the root of that so-called patriarchal government, (Genesis 3:16; 1 Corinthians 11:3) which was introductory to the more definite systems which followed, and which in part, but not wholly, superseded it. The father’s blessing was regarded as conferring special benefit, but his malediction special injury, on those on whom it fell, (Genesis 9:25,27; 27:27-40; 48:15,20; 49:1) ... and so also the sin of a parent was held to affect, in certain cases, the welfare of his descendants. (2 Kings…

Is often synonymous with ancestor, founder, or originator, as Ge 4:20-21 Joh 8:56 Ro 4:16. Joseph was a father to Pharoah, Ge 45:8, as his counselor and provider. God is the FATHER of men, as their Creator, De 32:6 Isa 63:16 64:8 Lu 3:38. But as we have forfeited the rights of children by our sins, it is only through Christ that we can call God by that endearing name, "our Father," Joh 20:17 Ro 8:15-17.

[was] a father I to the needy [people] and a case at law of [the one whom] not I knew I investigated it
אָ֭נֹכִֽי'A.no.khi I H595 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
the speaker, Esau-like
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
Pron — Pronoun
HPp1bs
[was] a father I to the needy [people] and a case at law of [the one whom] not I knew I investigated it
לָֽאֶבְיוֹנִ֑יםla.'ev.yo.Nim to the needy [people] H34 Preposition
61× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word describes someone who is needy or poor, often oppressed and in need of help from God. It appears in the Bible to describe those who are vulnerable and in need of deliverance. In the KJV, it is translated as beggar, needy, or poor man.
Amplified meaning
poor, oppressed, and in need of help
Tyndale gloss
needy
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֶבְיוֹן (*ebyown*) means needy or poor, derived from a root indicating want. It describes individuals who are destitute, oppressed, or in need of help, particularly from God. This term appears in various contexts in the Old Testament, often referring to the lowest social class and the importance of caring for such individuals.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶבְיוֹן adj. in want, needy, poor,—so, alw. abs., Dt 15:4 + 40 t.; אֶבְיֹנְךָ Ex 23:6 Dt 15:11; אֶבְיוֹנִים Am 4:1 + 14 t.; אֶבְיוֹנֵי (אֶבְיֹנֵי) Ex 23:11 Is 29:19; אֶבְיוֹנֶיהָ ψ 132:15—(Hex. only JED; mostly poet., 23 t. ψ) needy, chiefly poor (in material things); as adj. Dt 15:7, 7, 9; 24:14 ψ 109:16 (both ∥ עָנִי); elsewhere subst.; ψ 49:3 (∥ עָשִׁיר); Dt 15:4, 11; subj. to oppression & abuse Am 2:6

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H34 אֶבְיוֹן in want, needy, poor

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

34 'ebyown eb-yone'

from 14, in the sense of want (especially in feeling);

destitute:--beggar, needy, poor (man).

see HEBREW for 014

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶבְיוֹן (ev.yon) — needy.

1) in want, needy, chiefly poor, needy person

2) subject to oppression and abuse

3) needing help, deliverance from trouble, especially as delivered by God

4) general reference to lowest class

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | Adj — Preposition
HRd/Aampa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

pe'-p'-l: In English Versions of the Bible represents something over a dozen Hebrew and Greek words. Of these, in the Old Testament, `am, is overwhelmingly the most common (about 2,000 times), with le'om, and goy, next in order; but the various Hebrew words are used with very little or no difference in force (e.g. Pr 14:28; but, on the other hand, in Ps 44 contrast verses 12 and 14). Of the changes introduced by the Revised Version (British and American) the only one of significance (cited explicitly in the Preface to the English Revised Version) is the frequent use of the plural "peoples" (strangely avoided in the King James Version except Re 10:11; 17:15), where other nations than Israel are in question. So, for instance, in Ps…

[was] a father I to the needy [people] and a case at law of [the one whom] not I knew I investigated it
וְרִ֖בve.Riv and a case at law of H7379 Conjunction · noun common masculine singular construct
61× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word refers to a dispute or quarrel between people, which can be a physical fight or a verbal argument. It is often used to describe a lawsuit or controversy, and appears in books like Deuteronomy and Job.
Amplified meaning
cause, dispute, or quarrel
Tyndale gloss
strife
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רִיב (riyb) refers to strife or dispute, encompassing personal or legal contests. It can denote adversarial situations, chiding, or legal cases. The entries consistently highlight its meanings related to conflict, such as quarrels and controversies, without significant disagreement among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רִיב 62 n.m. strife, dispute

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7379 רִיב strife, dispute

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7379 riyb reeb

or rib {reeb}; from 7378; a contest (personal or legal):--+

adversary, cause, chiding, contend(-tion), controversy,

multitude (from the margin), pleading, strife, strive(-ing),

suit.

see HEBREW for 07378

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רִיב (riv) — strife.

1) strife, controversy, dispute

1a) strife, quarrel

1b) dispute, controversy, case at law

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | N-cs — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular construct
HC/Ncmsc
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…

[was] a father I to the needy [people] and a case at law of [the one whom] not I knew I investigated it
לֹא־lo'- [the one whom] 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
one who is unknown, a foreigner, or an outsider
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
[was] a father I to the needy [people] and a case at law of [the one whom] not I knew I investigated it
יָדַ֣עְתִּיya.Da'.ti I knew H3045 Verb · Qal · perfect first person common singular
945× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for to know means to ascertain by seeing, and is used in many senses, including to learn, perceive, and recognize, as seen in various KJV translations.
Tyndale gloss
to know
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָדַע (yada`) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to know,' encompassing a wide range of senses including perception, recognition, and experience. It can refer to knowing someone intimately or being skilled in a task. The word has various forms, indicating actions such as making known or being made known. Lexicons note its use in both literal and figurative contexts, but there is no significant disagreement among them.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָדַע 943 vb. know

Qal

know, learn to know

perceive

perceive and see; find out and discern

discriminate, distinguish

know by experience

recognize, admit, acknowledge, confess

consider

not know = not expect

know a person, be acquainted with

know a person carnally, of sexual intercourse

know how, to do a thing, be able to do it

be skilful in

abs. have knowledge, be wise

Niph.

be made known, be or become known, of things

make oneself known of pers.

be perceived

be instructed

Pi. cause to know

Pu. known

Hiph. make known, declare

Hoph. made known

Hithp. make oneself known

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3045 יָדַע know .. . know, learn to know

. perceive

. perceive and see; find out and discern

. discriminate, distinguish

. know by experience

. recognize, admit, acknowledge, confess

. consider

. not know = not expect

. know a person, be acquainted with

. know a person carnally, of sexual intercourse

. . know how, to do a thing, be able to do it

. be skilful in

. abs. have knowledge, be wise

. . be made known, be or become known, of things

. make oneself known of pers.

. be perceived

. be instructed

. cause to know

. known

. make known, declare

. made known

. make oneself known

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3045 yada` yaw-dah'

a primitive root; to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing);

used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally,

euphemistically and inferentially (including observation,

care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation,

punishment, etc.) (as follow):--acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted

with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware,

(un-)awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, X

could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to)

discern, discover, endued with, familiar friend, famous, feel,

can have, be (ig-)norant, instruct, kinsfolk, kinsman, (cause

to let, make) know, (come to give, have, take) knowledge, have

(knowledge), (be, make, make to be, make self) known, + be

learned, + lie by man, mark, perceive, privy to, X

prognosticator, regard, have respect, skilful, shew, can (man

of) skill, be sure, of a surety, teach, (can) tell,

Read the full entry →
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָדַע (ya.da) — to know.

1) to know

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to know

1a1a) to know, learn to know

1a1b) to perceive

1a1c) to perceive and see, find out and discern

1a1d) to discriminate, distinguish

1a1e) to know by experience

1a1f) to recognise, admit, acknowledge, confess

1a1g) to consider

1a2) to know, be acquainted with

1a3) to know (a person carnally)

1a4) to know how, be skilful in

1a5) to have knowledge, be wise

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be made known, be or become known, be revealed

1b2) to make oneself known

1b3) to be perceived

1b4) to be instructed

1c) (Piel) to cause to know

1d) (Poal) to cause to know

1e) (Pual)

1e1) to be known

1e2) known, one known, acquaintance (participle)

1f) (Hiphil) to make known, declare

1g) (Hophal) to be made known

1h) (Hithpael) to make oneself known, reveal oneself

Aramaic equivalent: ye.da (יְדַע "to know" H3046)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVqp1cs — Verb · Qal · perfect first person common singular
HVqp1cs
[was] a father I to the needy [people] and a case at law of [the one whom] not I knew I investigated it
אֶחְקְרֵֽהוּ׃'ech.ke.Re.hu I investigated it H2713 Verb qal imperfect first person common singular · suffix
27× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to search or examine something closely, like trying to find out the truth. It is used in the Bible to describe seeking out knowledge or wisdom, and is often translated as search or seek out.
Amplified meaning
searched out, defended
Tyndale gloss
to search
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חָקַר (chaqar) is a Hebrew verb meaning to search or examine. It encompasses actions like searching for, exploring, and thoroughly investigating. The word can also imply being found out or ascertained. It appears in various forms, including Qal, Niphal, and Piel, indicating different nuances of searching and examination.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[חָקַר] vb. search

Qal

search (for)

search through, explore

search a man, find out his sentiments

of י׳ searching man

of examining thoroughly

Niph. be searched out, found out, ascertained

Pi. he sought out many proverbs

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2713 [חָקַר] search .. search (for)

. . search through, explore

. search a man, find out his sentiments

. of י׳ searching man

. of examining thoroughly

. be searched out, found out, ascertained

. he sought out many proverbs

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2713 chaqar khaw-kar'

a primitive root; properly, to penetrate; hence, to examine

intimately:--find out, (make) search (out), seek (out), sound,

try.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חָקַר (cha.qar) — to search.

1) to search, search for, search out, examine, investigate

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to search (for)

1a2) to search through, explore

1a3) to examine thoroughly

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be searched out, be found out, be ascertained, be examined

1c) (Piel) to search out, seek out

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-1cs | Suff — Verb qal imperfect first person common singular · suffix
HVqi1cs/Sp3ms
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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