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Job 3:15 — Word Study

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WLCא֣וֹ עִם־ שָׂ֭רִים זָהָ֣ב לָהֶ֑ם הַֽמְמַלְאִ֖ים בָּתֵּיהֶ֣ם כָּֽסֶף׃

BSAorʼôw [as an alternative, if] withʻim princessar [rulers, noblemen] who had goldzâhâb [valuable treasure, wealth] who filledmâlêʼ [completely satisfied, made full] their housesbayith [palaces, dwelling places] with silverkeçeph [precious metal, riches]

Word
Listen & take awayJob 3
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 15 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 (Ka.sef) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Job 3:15quick helps
In a sentenceJob reflects on the fate of those who had wealth and power.
Who is speakingJob, expressing his lament and questioning his existence.
Where we areIn a poetic lament about life and death, Job contemplates the worth of his own life.
The hard wordשָׂ֭רִים
Take awayJob questions the value of life when compared to wealth and status.
7 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, AdamClarke & more — read them › clause subjectזָהָב 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 3:15

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 Lamentgenerated

14with kings and counselors of the earth, who built for themselves cities now in ruins,
15or with princes who had gold, who filled their houses with silver.
16Or why was I not hidden like a stillborn child, like an infant who never sees daylight?
17There the wicked cease from raging, and there the weary find rest.

Job 3:15 is part of Job's lament where he expresses his deep sorrow and questions the purpose of his suffering. In this verse, he contrasts the lives of the wealthy and powerful, represented by princes who possess gold and fill their houses with silver, with his own plight. This reflection reveals Job's feelings of despair and the seeming futility of life amidst such wealth.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Job 22:25then the Almighty will be your gold and the finest silver for you.
2Job 27:16Though he heaps up silver like dust and piles up a wardrobe like clay,
3Numbers 22:18But Balaam replied to the servants of Balak, “If Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything small or great to go beyond the command of the LORD my God.
41 Kings 10:27The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as abundant as sycamore in the foothills.
5Isaiah 2:7Their land is full of silver and gold, with no limit to their treasures; their land is full of horses, with no limit to their chariots.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 7 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word שָׂ֭רִים, Sa.rimgenerated

The word שָׂרִים (*sarim*) refers to princes or rulers, indicating individuals of high status and authority. It is a masculine plural noun derived from the root meaning 'to rule', encompassing leaders, noblemen, and officials.

In this context, it emphasizes the contrast between Job's suffering and the apparent prosperity of those in power. The use of this term highlights the disparity in life experiences, as Job laments his own situation compared to the wealth and comfort enjoyed by these rulers.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

The translations agree on the rendering of שָׂ֭רִים as 'princes' or 'rulers'.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The finite verb מְמַלְאִ֖ים, those who filled, governs the structure of the verse, with a prepositional phrase detailing the subject שָׂ֭רִים, princes, and a noun phrase describing what they filled — their houses with silver.

The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the wealth of the princes, illustrating the contrast between their riches and Job's lament.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates שָׂ֭רִים as ἀρξόντων, which also means 'rulers' or 'leaders'. This choice aligns closely with the Hebrew meaning, emphasizing authority and status.

The Greek word ἔπλησαν for 'filled' suggests a similar notion of abundance, reinforcing the idea of wealth and possession in the context of Job's lament.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Job 3:15 expresses Job's lament as he compares his suffering to the lives of wealthy princes who possess gold and fill their houses with silver. This highlights the stark contrast between his misery and their prosperity.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does Job mean by princes who had gold?

Job is referring to powerful individuals who possess great wealth and status, emphasizing the disparity between their lives and his own suffering.

Why does Job mention filling houses with silver?

This highlights the opulence and material wealth of these princes, contrasting sharply with Job's lament over his own life.

What is the significance of wealth in Job's lament?

Job uses the wealth of the princes to illustrate his feelings of despair and the seeming futility of his own suffering in light of their prosperity.

How does this verse reflect Job's overall message?

This verse encapsulates Job's struggle with understanding his suffering compared to the apparent ease of the wealthy, a central theme in the book of Job.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. How do I perceive wealth and power in relation to suffering in my own life?
  2. What can I learn from Job's perspective on wealth and its value?
  3. In what ways do I see disparities in life experiences among people today?
  4. How can I find meaning in my own struggles, similar to Job's reflections?

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

The early commentary from Gregory the Dialogist interprets this verse to reflect on the rulers of the Church, drawing from Job's lament about wealth and status.

Gregory the DialogistMorals on the Book of Job, Book IV c. 540–604
MORAL INTERPRETATION. Or with princes that have gold, who fill their houses with silver. Whom does he call princes, but the rulers of holy Church,
Early Church Fathers on Job 3 →

Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Job 3:15 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Or with princes that had gold,.... A large abundance of it while they lived, but now, being dead, were no longer in the possession of it, but on a level with those that had none; nor could their

Read John Gill on Job 3 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Or with princes that had gold, who filled their houses with silver: Filled their houses with silver. Some take this of the treasures which the ancients used to bury with their dead. But see the last verse.

Read Robert Jamieson on Job 3 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Job 3:15 Or with princes that had gold, who filled their houses with silver:Ver. 15. Or with princes that had gold] Great store of it. Petrarch reporteth of Pope John XXII, that his heirs found in his coffers no less than 250 tons of gold. Boniface VIII, taken prisoner and plundered by the command of Philip the Fair, king of France, had as much gold carried away out of his palace as all the kings of Europe received for one year’ s revenue from their subjects, together with their crown land. What a mass of treasure had Cardinal Wolsey gotten here! and before him Cardinal Beaufort, who when he saw that he must needs die, and that his riches could not reprieve him till a further time, asked…

Read John Trapp on Job 3 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 15. Or with princes that had gold] Chief or mighty men, lords of the soil, or fortunate adventurers in merchandise, who got gold in abundance, filled their houses with silver, left all behind, and had nothing reserved for themselves but the empty places which they had made for their last dwelling, and where their dust now sleeps, devoid of care, painful journeys, and anxious expectations. He alludes here to the case of the covetous, whom nothing can satisfy, as an Asiatic writer has observed, but the dust that fills his mouth when laid in the grave. - SAADY.

Read AdamClarke on Job 3 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

15. their houses with silver] There is no reason for supposing that “houses” means mausoleums or tombs. The reference is not to the practice of burying treasures along with the dead, nor to the idea that the pomp of riches could thus be perpetuated in death. It is those who were famous in this life with whom Job, had he died, would have been in company in death.

Read Cambridge on Job 3 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Or with princes that had gold - That is, he would have been united with the rich and the great. Is there not here too also a slight evidence of the fondness for wealth, which might have been one of the errors of this good man?

Read Albert Barnes on Job 3 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

15. Their houses — Meaning, their tombs; thus Rosenmuller, Hirtel, and Hitzig. In like manner Isaiah (Isaiah 14:18) and Diodorus Siculus, (i, 51,) according to whom the Egyptians called their graves houses, οικοι.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Job 3 →

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

or with princes who had gold, who filled their houses with silver.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

or with princes who had gold, who filled their houses with silver;

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

or with princes who had gold, who filled their houses with silver.

NETBNew English Translation2006

or with princes who possessed gold, who filled their palaces with silver.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Or with princes that had gold, who filled their houses with silver:

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Or with princes that had gold, Who filled their houses with silver:

RVARevised Version, American1894

Or with princes that had gold, who filled their houses with silver:

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Or with princes that had gold, who filled their houses with silver:

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Or with the princes that had golde, and haue filled their houses with siluer.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Or with princes who had gold, who filled their houses with silver;

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Or with princes — they have gold, They are filling their houses [with] silver.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Or with princes—they have gold, || They are filling their houses [with] silver.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Or with princes possessing gold, who fill their houses with silver;

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Or I would have been lying with princes who once had gold, who had filled their houses with silver.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Or with princes, that possess gold, and All their houses with silver:

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

or with noblemen who collected gold and filled their houses with silver.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Or with rulers who had gold, and whose houses were full of silver;

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.

א֣וֹorclauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalעִםwithnoun phrasenoun phraseשָׂ֭רִיםprincesclausesubjectזָהָ֣ב[whom].goldprepositional phrase · predicateלָ[belonged].toהֶ֑םthemnoun phraseהַֽ[thosenoun phraseclauseverbמְמַלְאִ֖יםwho].fillednoun phrase · objectבָּתֵּיhousesהֶ֣םtheiradverbialכָּֽסֶףsilver

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 this verse, with six of the eight words matched. The Septuagint's word order differs, reflecting its own syntactical structure while maintaining the same essential meaning.

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

א֣וֹ עִם־ שָׂ֭רִים זָהָ֣ב לָהֶ֑ם הַֽמְמַלְאִ֖ים בָּתֵּיהֶ֣ם כָּֽסֶף׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
א֣וֹעִם־μετὰשָׂ֭רִיםἀρξόντωνהַֽמְמַלְאִ֖יםἔπλησανבָּתֵּיהֶ֣םοἴκουςכָּֽסֶף׃ἀργυρίου

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

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


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

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

Job 3:15אוֹororאוֹעִםwithwithעִםשַׂרprincesprincesשַׂרזָהָב[whom] gold[whom] goldזָהָבהֶם[belonged] [belonged] to tהֶםמָלֵאthose [who]those [who] filמָלֵאבֵּיתhouses theihouses theirבֵּיתכֶּ֫סֶףsilversilverכֶּ֫סֶףבָּנָהto buildto buildבָּנָהעָמַםto darkento darkenעָמַםשָׂרַרto ruleto ruleשָׂרַרכָּסַףto longto longכָּסַףאַוָּהdesiredesireאַוָּהשְׁתִיwarpwarpשְׁתִיעֵ֫רֶבracial-mixracial-mixעֵ֫רֶבשָׁכַבto lie dowto lie down: laשָׁכַבקָבַרto buryto buryקָבַרחֲמִשִּׁיםfiftyfiftyחֲמִשִּׁיםצָפָהto overlayto overlayצָפָהכֶּ֫סֶףsilver: mosilver: moneyכֶּ֫סֶףחָמָסviolenceviolenceחָמָסעָנָןcloudcloudעָנָןאוֹצָרtreasuretreasureאוֹצָרשֶׁ֫קֶלshekelshekelשֶׁ֫קֶלכִּכָּרtalenttalentכִּכָּר
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 3:15

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 with princes [whom] gold [belonged] to them those [who] filled houses their silver
א֣וֹ'o 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.
Amplified meaning
as an alternative, if
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
Conj — 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 with princes [whom] gold [belonged] to them those [who] filled houses their silver
עִם־'i.m.Sa- with H5973 Preposition
1,052× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means with or together, like when God is with his people in Exodus 33:14-15. It's used to describe accompaniment or association, and can also mean against or beside. The word is used to convey a sense of relationship or proximity between people or things.
Tyndale gloss
with
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עִם (im) is a preposition meaning 'with' and covers a range of relationships, including companionship, locality, and possession. It can imply actions done jointly, equality, or even opposition in contexts like combat. The related form מֵעִם (me.im) means 'from with' or 'beside.' The entries reflect various nuances but do not present significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עִם prep. with

of fellowship and companionship

of aid

Of actions done jointly with another

If the common action be of the nature of a contest or combat, with in the sense of against

Of dealing with a person, or of the relation in which one stands with, or towards, another

Of a common lot together with the wicked

Of equality or resemblance generally aid

Of time, as long as

Of a locality, close to, beside

Of persons, עִם is spec.

in the house or family or service of

In possession of

In the custody or care of

Beside = except

With = friendly with

Idiom. of a thought or purpose present with one

Metaph. together with = in spite of, notwithstanding

base

מֵעִם 72 from with or beside

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5973a עִם with . of fellowship and companionship

. Of a locality, close to, beside

. Of persons, עִם is spec. . in the house or family or service of

. In possession of

. In the custody or care of

. Beside = except

. With = friendly with

. Idiom. of a thought or purpose present with one

. Metaph. together with = in spite of, notwithstanding

H5973b מֵעִם from with, beside

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5973 `im eem

from 6004; adverb or preposition, with (i.e. in conjunction

with), in varied applications; specifically, equally with;

often with prepositional prefix (and then usually

unrepresented in English):--accompanying, against, and, as (X

long as), before, beside, by (reason of), for all, from

(among, between), in, like, more than, of, (un-)to,

with(-al).

see HEBREW for 06004

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עִם (im) — with.

1) with

1a) with

1b) against

1c) toward

1d) as long as

מֵעִם (me.im) — from with.

1a) beside, except

1b) in spite of

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Preposition
HR
or with princes [whom] gold [belonged] to them those [who] filled houses their silver
שָׂ֭רִיםSa.rim princes H8269 Noun common · masculine plural absolute
421× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A leader or person in charge, like a prince or captain, as seen in the Bible with King David and other rulers.
Amplified meaning
rulers, noblemen
Tyndale gloss
ruler
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שַׂר (sar) refers to a leader or ruler, encompassing a range of meanings from prince and chief to official and captain. It denotes various ranks, including military commanders and religious leaders, and can also imply a noble or merchant of high status. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to rule'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שַׂר 420 n.m. chieftain, chief, ruler, official, captain, prince

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8269 שַׂר chieftain, chief, ruler, official, captain, prince

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8269 sar sar

from 8323; a head person (of any rank or class):--captain

(that had rule), chief (captain), general, governor, keeper,

lord, ((-task- ))master, prince(-ipal), ruler, steward.

see HEBREW for 08323

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שַׂר (sar) — ruler.

1) prince, ruler, leader, chief, chieftain, official, captain

1a) chieftain, leader

1b) vassal, noble, official (under king)

1c) captain, general, commander (military)

1d) chief, head, overseer (of other official classes)

1e) heads, princes (of religious office)

1f) elders (of representative leaders of people)

1g) merchant-princes (of rank and dignity)

1h) patron-angel

1i) Ruler of rulers (of God)

1j) warden

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural absolute
HNcmpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Thompson Chain Reference topics
or with princes [whom] gold [belonged] to them those [who] filled houses their silver
זָהָ֣בza.Hav [whom] gold H2091 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
389× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Gold is a valuable metal, also used to describe something yellow or brilliant, like oil or a clear sky. It is often mentioned in the Bible as a precious resource.
Amplified meaning
valuable treasure, wealth
Tyndale gloss
gold
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

זָהָב (zahab) means gold and is derived from an unused root that conveys the idea of shimmering. It encompasses various aspects of gold, including its value as a precious metal, its use as a measure of weight, and its figurative brilliance. The term appears in contexts related to wealth, merchandise, and gifts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

זָהָב 385 n.m. gold

= gold-ore, gold in raw state

gold as wealth

gold as spoil of war

gold as merchandise

gold as costly gift

gold as material

gold described by its source

gold defined by var. adj. and pts.

as measure of weight and value

= golden oil, from colour

often named with

the chief vbs. used

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2091 זָהָב gold

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2091 zahab zaw-hawb'

from an unused root meaning to shimmer; gold, figuratively,

something gold-colored (i.e. yellow), as oil, a clear sky:--

gold(-en), fair weather.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

זָהָב (za.hav) — gold.

1) gold

1a) as precious metal

1b) as a measure of weight

1c) of brilliance, splendour (fig.)

Aramaic equivalent: de.hav (דְּהַב "gold" H1722)

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

gold (zahabh; chrusos):

1. Terms:

No metal has been more frequently mentioned in Old Testament writings than gold, and none has had more terms applied to it. Among these terms the one most used is zahabh. The Arabic equivalent, dhahab, is still the common name for gold throughout Palestine, Syria and Egypt. With zahabh frequently occur other words which, translated, mean "pure" (Ex 25:11), "refined" (1Ch 28:18), "finest" (1Ki 10:18), "beaten" (1Ki 10:17), "Ophir" (Ps 45:9).

Other terms occurring are: paz, "fine gold" (Job 28:17;

Gold

(1.) Heb. zahab, so called from its yellow colour (Ex. 25:11; 1 Chr. 28:18; 2 Chr. 3:5).

(2.) Heb. segor, from its compactness, or as being enclosed or treasured up; thus precious or “fine gold” (1 Kings 6:20; 7:49).

(3.) Heb. paz, native or pure gold (Job 28:17; Ps. 19:10; 21:3, etc.).

(4.) Heb. betzer, “ore of gold or silver” as dug out of the mine (Job 36:19, where it means simply riches).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Gold was known from the very earliest times. (Genesis 2:11) It was at first used chiefly for ornaments, etc. (Genesis 24:22) Coined money was not known to the ancients till a comparatively late period; and on the Egyptian tombs gold is represented as being weighed in rings for commercial purposes. Comp. (Genesis 43:21) Gold was extremely abundant in ancient times, (1 Chronicles 22:14; 2 Chronicles 1:15; 9:9; Daniel 3:1; Nahum 2:9) but this did not depreciate its value, because of the enormous quantities consumed by…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A well-known valuable metal, found in many parts of the world, and obtained anciently in Ophir, Job 28:16; Parvaim, 2Ch 3:6; Sheba, and Raamah, Eze 27:22. Job alludes to gold in various forms, Job 22:24 28:15-19. Abraham was rich in it, and female ornaments were early made of it, Ge 13:2 24:22,35. It is spoken of throughout Scripture; and the use of it among and ancient Hebrews, in its native and mixed state, and for the same purposes as at present, was very common. The Ark of the Covenant was overlaid with pure gold; the mercy seat, the vessels and utensils belonging to the tabernacle, and those also of the house of…

or with princes [whom] gold [belonged] to them those [who] filled houses their silver
לָהֶ֑םla.Hem [belonged] to them H9038 Preposition · suffix
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הֶם (hem) — them.

Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 3rd person masculine plural

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Sp3mp — Preposition · suffix
HR/Sp3mp
or with princes [whom] gold [belonged] to them those [who] filled houses their silver
הַֽמְמַלְאִ֖יםha.mal.'Im those [who] filled H4390 Particle · verb piel participle (active) masculine plural
249× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To fill means to make something full or complete, like filling a container or fulfilling a promise. This word is used in many contexts, including being full of joy or having a job completed.
Amplified meaning
completely satisfied, made full
Tyndale gloss
to fill
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מָלֵא (male') means 'to fill' or 'be full,' with applications ranging from literal filling to figurative uses like accomplishing or completing something. It appears in various forms, including Qal, Niphal, Piel, and Hithpael, indicating different nuances such as being satisfied or confirming. Notably, it can also refer to massing against someone.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מָלֵא 249 vb. be full, fill

Qal 99

be full, usu. c. acc. material

trans. fill

Niph.

be filled

be accomplished, ended

Pi.

fill

special uses are:

fulfil, accomplish, complete, obj. week, year, day

Pu. filled

Hithp. mass themselves against me

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4390 מָלֵא be full, fill .. be full, usu. c. acc. material

. trans. fill

. . be filled

. be accomplished, ended

. . fill

. special uses are:

. fulfil, accomplish, complete, obj. week, year, day

. filled

. mass themselves against me

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4390 male' maw-lay'

or malae (Esth. 7:5) {maw-law'}; a primitive root, to fill or

(intransitively) be full of, in a wide application (literally

and figuratively):--accomplish, confirm, + consecrate, be at

an end, be expired, be fenced, fill, fulfil, (be, become, X

draw, give in, go) full(-ly, -ly set, tale), (over-)flow,

fulness, furnish, gather (selves, together), presume,

replenish, satisfy, set, space, take a (hand-)full, + have

wholly.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מָלֵא (ma.le) — to fill.

1) to fill, be full

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to be full

1a1a) fulness, abundance (participle)

1a1b) to be full, be accomplished, be ended

1a2) to consecrate, fill the hand

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be filled, be armed, be satisfied

1b2) to be accomplished, be ended

1c) (Piel)

1c1) to fill

1c2) to satisfy

1c3) to fulfil, accomplish, complete

1c4) to confirm

1d) (Pual) to be filled

1e) (Hithpael) to mass themselves against

Aramaic equivalent: me.la (מְלָא "to fill" H4391)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | V-Piel — Particle · verb piel participle (active) masculine plural
HTd/Vprmpa
or with princes [whom] gold [belonged] to them those [who] filled houses their silver
בָּתֵּיהֶ֣םba.tei.Hem houses their H1004 Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
2,049× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for house refers to a dwelling place, including a family home, temple, or even the human body. It appears in various contexts, such as the temple in Jerusalem or the household of a family. In the Bible, it is often used to describe a place of worship or a family's living space.
Amplified meaning
palaces, dwelling places
Tyndale gloss
place
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word בַּיִת (*bayith*) means 'house' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including dwelling, family, and place. It can refer to physical structures, such as homes and temples, as well as metaphorical uses like the body or household affairs. The word is built from the root related to 'between' and appears in various contexts throughout the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בֵּית fem. of בַּיִן, בֵּין prep. between

base

בַּ֫יִת 2034 n.m. house

house

place

receptacle

of house as containing a family

household, family (592 t.)

house, including household affairs

lit. housewards, hence metaph. inwards

מִבַּיִת

adv. on the inside

prep. within

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1004a בֵּית fem. of בַּיִן, בֵּין prep. between H1004b בַּ֫יִת house

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1004 bayith bah'-yith

probably from 1129 abbreviated; a house (in the greatest

variation of applications, especially family, etc.):--court,

daughter, door, + dungeon, family, + forth of, X great as

would contain, hangings, home(born), (winter)house(-hold),

inside(-ward), palace, place, + prison, + steward, + tablet,

temple, web, + within(-out).

see HEBREW for 01129

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בֵּית (bet) — place.

nm

place, origin, between

בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — house: home.

: home/temple/building

nm

1) house

1a) house, dwelling habitation

1b) shelter or abode of animals

1c) human bodies (fig.)

1d) of Sheol

1e) of abode of light and darkness

1f) of land of Ephraim

2) place

3) receptacle

4) home, house as containing a family

5) household, family

5a) those belonging to the same household

5b) family of descendants, descendants as organized body

6) household affairs

7) inwards (metaph.)

8) (TWOT) temple

adv

9) on the inside

prep

10) within

בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — Beth-(ashbea).

nm

This name is used for a house, habitation

Combined with ash.be.a (אַשְׁבֵּעַ "Ashbea" H0791)

בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — Beth (Haggan).

nm

This name is used for a house, habitation

Combined with hag (גַּן "Haggan" H1588)

בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — Beth-(togarmah).

nm

This name is used for a house, habitation

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
HNcmpc/Sp3mp
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
or with princes [whom] gold [belonged] to them those [who] filled houses their silver
כָּֽסֶף׃Ka.sef silver H3701 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
403× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Silver or money, often referring to payment or wealth, like the silver talents in Matthew 25. It can also describe silver as a valuable metal or ornament.
Amplified meaning
precious metal, riches
Tyndale gloss
silver: money
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כֶּ֫סֶף (ke.seph) refers to silver and money, derived from a root meaning 'to be pale.' It encompasses various aspects of silver, including its use as a metal, ornament, and a measure of wealth or value. The term appears in contexts related to payment and price, indicating its significance in transactions.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כֶּ֫סֶף 402 n.m. silver, money

= silver ore, raw silver

silver as bright, shining

silver, as wealth

silver as spoil of war

silver as merchandise

silver as costly gift

silver as material

silver as measure of weight and value

among vbs. and phr.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3701 כֶּ֫סֶף silver, money

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3701 keceph keh'-sef

from 3700; silver (from its pale color); by implication,

money:--money, price, silver(-ling).

see HEBREW for 03700

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כֶּ֫סֶף (ke.seph) — silver: money.

: money/payment/silver

1) silver, money

1a) silver

1a1) as metal

1a2) as ornament

1a3) as colour

1b) money, shekels, talents

כֶּ֫סֶף (ke.seph) — silver: price.

: price

1) silver, money

1a) silver

1a1) as metal

1a2) as ornament

1a3) as colour

1b) money, shekels, talents

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

sil'-ver (keceph; argurion, arguros): Silver was known in the earliest historic times. Specimens of early Egyptian and Babylonian silver work testify to the skill of the ancient silversmiths. In Palestine, silver objects have been found antedating the occupation of the land by the Hebrews. This metal was used for making all kinds of ornamental objects. In the mound of Gezer were found bowls, vases, ladles, hairpins, rings and bracelets of silver. The rings and settings for scarabs or seals were commonly of this metal. The first mention of silver in the Bible is in Ge 13:2, where it says that Abraham was rich in cattle, in silver and gold. At that time it was commonly used in exchange in the form of bars or other shapes. Coins of that metal were of a much later date (Ge 20:16

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Silver

Used for a great variety of purposes, as may be judged from the frequent references to it in Scripture. It first appears in commerce in Gen. 13:2; 23:15, 16. It was largely employed for making vessels for the sanctuary in the wilderness (Ex. 26:19; 27:17; Num. 7:13, 19; 10:2). There is no record of its having been found in Syria or Palestine. It was brought in large quantities by foreign merchants from abroad, from Spain and India and other countries probably.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

In very early times silver was used for ornaments, (Genesis 24:53) and for vessels of various kinds. Images for idolatrous worship were made of silver or overlaid with it, (Exodus 20:23; Hosea 13:2); Habb 2:19 Bar. 6:39, and the manufacture of silver shrines for Diana was a trade in Ephesus. (Acts 19:24) But its chief use was as a medium of exchange, and throughout the Old Testament we find "silver" used for money, like the French argent . Silver was brought to Solomon from Arabia, (2 Chronicles 9:14) and from Tarshish, (2 Chronicles 9:21) which supplied the markets…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

One of the precious metals and the one most commonly used as coin among all nations. It is first mentioned in Scripture in the history of Abraham, Ge 13:2 20:16 23:16, and was used in constricting the tabernacle, Ex 26:19,32, and afterwards the temple, 1Ch 29:4. In employing it as a medium of trade, the ancient Hebrews weighed it out, instead of having coins. In the times of the New Testament there were coins. See SHEKEL, and MONEY.

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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