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Job 3:23 — Word Study

Depth

WLCלְ֭גֶבֶר אֲשֶׁר־ דַּרְכּ֣וֹ נִסְתָּ֑רָה וַיָּ֖סֶךְ אֱל֣וֹהַּ בַּעֲדֽוֹ׃

BSAWhy is life given to a mangeber [light, a gift from God, great man] whoseʼăsher wayderek [path, journey, manner of life] is hiddençâthar [concealed, secret] whom Godʼĕlôwahh [Eloah, the one true God] has hedged inçâkak [fenced, protected, shut up]

Word
Listen & take awayJob 3
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 23 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 (ba.'a.Do) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Job 3:23quick helps
In a sentenceJob questions the purpose of life for a man whose path is obscured and who is confined by God.
Who is speakingJob, expressing his despair and confusion about his situation.
Where we areIn the midst of Job's lament, where he reflects on suffering and the hiddenness of his life.
The hard wordנִסְתָּ֑רָה
Take awayLife is questioned when circumstances are concealed and protection feels like confinement.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectאֱלֹוהַּ verbסָתַר 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 3:23

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

22who rejoice and greatly exult when they can find the grave?
23Why is life given to a man whose way is hidden, whom God has hedged in?
24I sigh when food is put before me, and my groans pour out like water.
25For the thing I feared has overtaken me, and what I dreaded has befallen me.

Job 3:23 captures Job's deep anguish as he questions the meaning of life when faced with suffering and isolation. He reflects on the hiddenness of his path, feeling trapped by God's actions. This verse is part of a larger discourse where Job expresses his desire for understanding amidst his pain, similar to other lamentations found throughout the book of Job.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Isaiah 40:27Why do you say, O Jacob, and why do you assert, O Israel, “My way is hidden from the LORD, and my claim is ignored by my God”?
2Job 12:14What He tears down cannot be rebuilt; the man He imprisons cannot be released.
3Job 19:8He has blocked my way so I cannot pass; He has veiled my paths with darkness.
4Psalm 31:8You have not delivered me to the enemy; You have set my feet in the open.
5Lamentations 3:7–9He has walled me in so I cannot escape; He has weighed me down with chains.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 6 references, hung on the phrase they belong to

whose wayIsaiah 40:27

The Key Word גֶּבֶר, Le.ge.vergenerated

The word גֶּבֶר (geber) refers to a man, particularly one who is strong or valiant. It emphasizes qualities of strength and ability, often used in poetic contexts to describe a capable individual. The parsing indicates it is a singular noun, suggesting a specific person, likely a great man or warrior.

In this verse, Job uses גֶּבֶר to reflect on the plight of a man facing hidden paths in life. The term conveys not just humanity but a sense of valor, heightening the tragedy of his situation.


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 finite verb נִסְתָּ֑רָה governs the main clause, indicating that the subject's way is hidden. The structure includes a prepositional phrase specifying the subject's way, along with a second clause that describes God's action of confinement.

The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the hiddenness of the man's path, leading to a poignant question about the value of life under such circumstances.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates גֶּבֶר as ἀνδρὶ (andri), meaning 'man.' This choice aligns with the Hebrew meaning but may suggest a broader interpretation of humanity, emphasizing the plight of man in a general sense.

The Greek word συνέκλεισεν is used for וַיָּ֖סֶךְ, indicating a strong sense of confinement or enclosure, which reflects the protective yet limiting nature of God's actions.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Job 3:23 questions why life is given to a man whose path is hidden and who feels confined by God. This reflects Job's deep sorrow and confusion about his suffering and the meaning of life.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does Job mean by 'a man whose way is hidden'?

Job refers to a person who cannot see the direction of their life due to circumstances beyond their control, emphasizing feelings of despair and confusion.

Why does Job say God has hedged him in?

Job feels trapped by God's actions, suggesting that he is unable to escape his suffering or find clarity in his situation.

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

This verse encapsulates Job's struggle with understanding his suffering and God's role in it, a central theme throughout the Book of Job.

What can we learn from Job's lament?

Job's lament shows the importance of expressing grief and questioning life's challenges, inviting readers to reflect on their own struggles and the search for meaning.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What are some hidden paths I have encountered in my own life, and how have they shaped my journey?
  2. How do I understand God's role in the challenges I face, similar to Job's experience?
  3. In what ways can I express my feelings of confusion or despair, as Job does in this verse?
  4. How can I find hope or meaning when life feels overwhelming and hidden?

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

The early Church Fathers often referenced Job's lament to discuss the nature of suffering and divine providence. Here, Gregory the Dialogist quotes this verse to illustrate the hiddenness of life's purpose.

Gregory the DialogistMorals on the Book of Job, Book V c. 540–604
Why is light given to a man whose way is hid, and whom God hath encompassed with darkness? For 'man's way is hid to him,' in that though he already takes cognizance of the kind of life that he is leading,
Early Church Fathers on Job 3 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Job 3:23 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Why is light given to a man whose way is hid,.... Some of the Jewish writers connect this with Job 3:22, thus; "who rejoice [and] are glad when they find a grave for a man", c.

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

Why is light given to a man whose way is hid, and whom God hath hedged in? Whose way is hid.

Read Robert Jamieson on Job 3 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Why is light given? these words are conveniently supplied out of , where they are, all the following words hitherto being joined in construction and sense with them. Whose way is hid, to wit, from him who knows not his way, i.e. which way to turn himself, what course to take to comfort himself in his miseries, or to get out of them; what method to use to please and reconcile that God who is so angry with him, seeing his sincere and exact piety, to which God is witness, doth not satisfy him; or what the end of these calamities will be. Whom God hath hedged in; not with a hedge of defence, like that , but of offence and restraint, i.e. whom God hath put as it were in prison or pound, or like…

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

Job 3:23 [Why is light given] to a man whose way is hid, and whom God hath hedged in?Ver. 23. Why is light given to a man whose way is hid?] i.e. Why is the light of life continued to him who is in a maze or labyrinth of miseries, whereof he can see no cause, and whereout he can descry no issue? no hope at all appeareth of ever either mending or ending. Therefore Vale lumen amicum, as he in St Jerome said, Sweet light, adieu; Quin morere ut merita es, as she in the poet, Be thine own death’ s man. Seneca counts it a mercy to a man in misery that he may, by commiting suicide, let out his life when he will; and this he calls valour and manhood. But we have not so learned Christ, neither may…

Read John Trapp on Job 3 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(23) Hedged in.—The same expression was used in an opposite sense in Job 1:10.

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

Verse 23. To a man whose way is hid] Who knows not what is before him in either world, but is full of fears and trembling concerning both. God hath hedged in?] Leaving him no way to escape; and not permitting him to see one step before him. There is an exact parallel to this passage in Lamentations 3:7; Lamentations 3:9: He hath hedged me about that I cannot get out. He hath inclosed my ways with hewn stone. Mr. Good translates the verse thus: To the man whose path is broken up, and whose futurity God hath overwhelmed. But I cannot see any necessity for departing from the common text, which gives both an easy and a natural sense.

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

23. whose way is hid] Job now narrows his view from the general sorrows of mankind to himself. His way is hid or lost, the clear path of his former life has suddenly broken off, or as the second clause of the verse expresses it, has been shut in by a hedge, set by God across it. The reference is not merely to his physical calamities, but much more to the speculative and religious perplexities which his calamities wove about his mind, and from which he can find no outlet, cf. Job 19:8.

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

Why is light given “to a man uhose way is hid?” That is, who does not know what way to take, and who sees no escape from the misery that surrounds him. Whom God hath hedged in - See Notes, Job 1:10.

Read Albert Barnes 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

Why is life given to a man whose way is hidden, whom God has hedged in?

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden, whom God has hedged in?

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Why is life given to a man whose way is hidden, whom God has hedged in?

NETBNew English Translation2006

Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden, and whom God has hedged in?

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Why is light given to a man whose way is hid, and whom God hath hedged in?

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Why is light given to a man whose way is hid, And whom God hath hedged in?

RVARevised Version, American1894

Why is light given to a man whose way is hid, and whom God hath hedged in?

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Why is light given to a man whose way is hid, and whom God hath hedged in?

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Why is the light giuen to the man whose way is hid, and whom God hath hedged in?

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

To the man whose way is hidden, and whom God hath hedged in?

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

To a man whose way hath been hidden, And whom God doth shut up?

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

To a man whose way has been hidden, || And whom God shuts up?

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

[Why is light given] to a man whose way is hidden, and around whom God hath placed a fence?

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden, a man whom God has hedged in?

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

To a man whose way is hidden, and God hath surrounded him with darkness?

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Why is light given to someone who doesn't know where they're going, someone God has fenced in?

BBEBible in Basic English1949

To a man whose way is veiled, and who is shut in by God?

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.

clauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalלְ֭tonoun phraseגֶבֶרa.manrelpאֲשֶׁרwhomclauseclausenoun phrase · subjectדַּרְכּ֣wayוֹhisverbנִסְתָּ֑רָהit.is.hiddenוַandclauseverbיָּ֖סֶךְhe.has.made.inaccessiblesubjectאֱל֣וֹהַּGodprepositional phrase · prepositionalבַּעֲדֽbehindוֹhim

Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.


The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran

The Masoretic Text reads לְ֭גֶבֶר אֲשֶׁר־ דַּרְכּ֣וֹ נִסְתָּ֑רָה וַיָּ֖סֶךְ אֱל֣וֹהַּ בַּעֲדֽוֹ׃. The Septuagint matches only 3 of the 7 words, indicating partial agreement with the Hebrew text but differing in word order and structure.

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

לְ֭גֶבֶר אֲשֶׁר־ דַּרְכּ֣וֹ נִסְתָּ֑רָה וַיָּ֖סֶךְ אֱל֣וֹהַּ בַּעֲדֽוֹ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
לְ֭גֶבֶרἀνδρὶוַיָּ֖סֶךְσυνέκλεισενבַּעֲדֽוֹ׃αὐτοῦ

3 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 3:23גֶּ֫בֶרto a manto a manגֶּ֫בֶראֲשֶׁרwhomwhomאֲשֶׁרדֶּ֫רֶךְway hisway hisדֶּ֫רֶךְסָתַרit is hiddeit is hiddenסָתַרסוּךְand he has and he has madeסוּךְאֱלֹהַּGodGodאֱלֹהַּבַּ֫עַדbehind himbehind himבַּ֫עַדגָּבַרto prevailto prevailגָּבַרדָּרַךְto treadto treadדָּרַךְאֵלgodgodאֵלעַדtilltillעַדחָלָץloinloinחָלָץסָכַןbe usefulbe usefulסָכַןצָוָהto commandto commandצָוָהפָּנָהCorner (GaCorner (Gate)פָּנָהצָפוֹןZaphonZaphonצָפוֹןפָּנֶהfacefaceפָּנֶהאַףfacefaceאַףכַּפֹּרֶתmercy seatmercy seatכַּפֹּרֶתכָּנָףwingwingכָּנָףשַׁדַּיAlmightyAlmightyשַׁדַּירֵעַneighborneighborרֵעַחַלּוֹןwindowwindowחַלּוֹן
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 3:23

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.

to a man whom way his it is hidden and he has made inaccessible God behind him
לְ֭גֶבֶרLe.ge.ver to a man H1397 Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
65× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for a great man or warrior, emphasizing strength or ability to fight, used to describe a person of valor. It is translated as 'man' or 'mighty' in the KJV. In the Bible, it appears in various contexts, including descriptions of strong leaders.
Amplified meaning
light, a gift from God, great man
Tyndale gloss
great man
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

גֶּ֫בֶר (geber) refers to a man, particularly one who is strong or valiant, often distinguished from women and children. The term is used primarily in poetic contexts and emphasizes the qualities of strength and warrior-like attributes. It is derived from a root meaning to be strong, and lexicons highlight its use in describing a mighty or capable individual.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

גֶּ֫בֶר 66 n.m. man;—man as strong, disting. fr. women, children, and non-combatants whom he is to defend, chiefly poetic

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1397 גֶּ֫בֶר man;—man as strong, disting. fr. women, children, and non-combatants whom he is to defend, chiefly poetic

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1397 geber gheh'-ber

from 1396; properly, a valiant man or warrior; generally, a

person simply:--every one, man, X mighty.

see HEBREW for 01396

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

גָּבֶר (ga.ver) — great man.

man, strong man, warrior (emphasising strength or ability to fight)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
HR/Ncmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

See ANTHROPOLOGY.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Man

(1.) Heb. ‘Adam, used as the proper name of the first man. The name is derived from a word meaning “to be red,” and thus the first man was called Adam because he was formed from the red earth. It is also the generic name of the human race (Gen. 1:26, 27; 5:2; 8:21; Deut. 8:3). Its equivalents are the Latin homo and the Greek anthropos (Matt. 5:13, 16). It denotes also man in opposition to woman (Gen. 3:12; Matt. 19:10).

(2.) Heb. ‘ish, like the Latin vir and Greek aner, denotes properly a man in opposition to a woman (1 Sam. 17:33;

→ CREATED Ge 1:26,27; 2:7; 5:1,2; De 4:32; Job 4:17; 10:2,3,8,9; 31:15; 33:4; 35:10; Ps 8:5; 100:3; 119:73; 138:8; 139:14; Ec 7:29; Isa 17:7; 42:5; 43:7; 45:12; 64:8; Jer 27:5; Zec 12:1; Mal 2:10; Mr 10:6; Heb 2:7

See CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF GOD, below

to a man whom way his it is hidden and he has made inaccessible God behind him
אֲשֶׁר־'a.Sher- whom H834 Particle
5,500× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word is a conjunction that connects ideas and events in the Bible, like in the book of Genesis, where it's used to describe the relationship between God and His creation.
Tyndale gloss
which
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֲשֶׁר (*asher*) is a relative pronoun that can mean 'who,' 'which,' or 'that.' It serves various grammatical functions, including as an adverb or conjunction, indicating relationships between clauses, places, or conditions. Variants like בַאֲשֶׁר (*ba-asher*), מֵאֲשֶׁר (*me-asher*), and כַּאֲשֶׁר (*ka-asher*) expand its usage to specific contexts such as location, causation, and time.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֲשֶׁר part. of relation A sign of relation, bringing the clause introduced by it into relation with an antecedent clause.

base

בַאֲשֶׁר

in (that) which

adv. in (the place) where

conj. in that, inasmuch as

on account of whom?

base

מֵאֲשֶׁר

from (or than) that which

adv. from (the place) where

conj. from (the fact) that …, since

base

כַּאֲשֶׁר conj. according as, as, when

according to that which, according as, as

with a causal force, in so far as, since

with a temporal force, when

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H834a אֲשֶׁר part. of relation A sign of relation, bringing the clause introduced by it into relation with an antecedent clause. H834b בַאֲשֶׁר . in (that) which

. adv. in (the place) where

. conj. in that, inasmuch as

. on account of whom?

H834c מֵאֲשֶׁר . from (or than) that which

. adv. from (the place) where

. conj. from (the fact) that …, since

H834d כַּאֲשֶׁר conj. according as, as, when . according to that which, according as, as

. with a causal force, in so far as, since

. with a temporal force, when

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

834 'aher ash-er'

a primitive relative pronoun (of every gender and number);

who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction)

when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.:--X after, X

alike, as (soon as), because, X every, for, + forasmuch, +

from whence, + how(-soever), X if, (so) that ((thing) which,

wherein), X though, + until, + whatsoever, when, where

(+ -as, -in, -of, -on, -soever, -with), which, whilst, +

whither(- soever), who(-m, -soever, -se). As it is

indeclinable, it is often accompanied by the personal pronoun

expletively, used to show the connection.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֲשֶׁר (a.sher) — which.

A: 1) (relative part.)

1a) which, who

1b) that which

2) (conj)

2a) that (in obj clause)

2b) when

2c) since

2d) as

2e) conditional if

B: Beth+ 1) in (that) which

2) (adv)

2a) where

3) (conj)

3a) in that, inasmuch as

3b) on account of

C: Mem+ 1) from (or than) that which

2) from (the place) where

3) from (the fact) that, since

D: Kaph+

1) (conj.), according as, as, when

1a) according to that which, according as, as

1b) with a causal force: in so far as, since

1c) with a temporal force: when

בַאֲשֶׁר (ba.a.sher) — in which.

1) in (that) which

2) (adv)

2a) where

3) (conj)

3a) in that, inasmuch as

3b) on account of

מֵאֲשֶׁר (me.a.sher) — whence.

1) from (or than) that which

2) from (the place) where

3) from (the fact) that, since

כַּאֲשֶׁר (ka.a.sher) — as which.

conj

1) according as, as, when

1a) according to that which, according as, as

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Rel — Particle
HTr
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
to a man whom way his it is hidden and he has made inaccessible God behind him
דַּרְכּ֣וֹdar.Ko way his H1870 Noun common both singular construct · suffix
708× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Derek refers to a road or path, and can also mean a way of life or manner of action. It is often used to describe a journey or direction, and can be used figuratively to describe a person's character or moral path.
Amplified meaning
path, journey, manner of life
Tyndale gloss
way: road
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

דֶּ֫רֶךְ (derek) means way, road, or journey, and can refer to both literal paths and figurative courses of life or actions. It encompasses various aspects such as direction, manner, and moral character, often highlighting the nature of one's conduct. The term is used in both positive and negative contexts, reflecting the moral implications of one's path.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

דֶּ֫רֶךְ 715 n.m. way, road, distance, journey, manner

way, road, path

journey

of direction, almost or quite = toward

way, manner

fig. of course of life, or action, undertakings

of moral action and character

of duty

specif.: in good sense

oftener in bad sense

way of י׳

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1870 דֶּ֫רֶךְ way, road, distance, journey, manner . way, road, path

. journey

. of direction, almost or quite = toward

. way, manner

. fig. of course of life, or action, undertakings

. . of moral action and character

. of duty

. specif.: in good sense

. oftener in bad sense

. way of י׳

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1870 derek deh'-rek

from 1869; a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of

life or mode of action, often adverb:--along, away, because

of, + by, conversation, custom, (east-)ward, journey, manner,

passenger, through, toward, (high-) (path-)way(-side),

whither(-soever).

see HEBREW for 01869

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

דֶּ֫רֶךְ (de.rekh) — way: conduct.

: conduct/lifestyle

1) way, road, distance, journey, manner

1a) road, way, path

1b) journey

1c) direction

1d) manner, habit, way

1e) of course of life (fig.)

1f) of moral character (fig.)

דֶּ֫רֶךְ (de.rekh) — Way.

This name means way, road

דֶּ֫רֶךְ (de.rekh) — (King's) Highway.

This name means way, road

Combined with me.lekh (מֶ֫לֶךְ "King's" H4428I)

דֶּ֫רֶךְ (de.rekh) — way: direction.

: direction

1) way, road, distance, journey, manner

1a) road, way, path

1b) journey

1c) direction

1d) manner, habit, way

1e) of course of life (fig.)

1f) of moral character (fig.)

דֶּ֫רֶךְ (de.rekh) — way: road.

: road/route

1) way, road, distance, journey, manner

1a) road, way, path

1b) journey

1c) direction

1d) manner, habit, way

1e) of course of life (fig.)

1f) of moral character (fig.)

דֶּ֫רֶךְ (de.rekh) — way: journey.

: journey

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-cs | Suff — Noun common both singular construct · suffix
HNcbsc/Sp3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hiz: Used often in the King James Version with reference to a neuter or inanimate thing, or to a lower animal (Ge 1:11, "after his kind"; Le 1:16, "pluck away his crop"; Ac 12:10, "of his own accord"; 1Co 15:38, "his own body"), etc. the Revised Version (British and American) substitutes "its."

to a man whom way his it is hidden and he has made inaccessible God behind him
נִסְתָּ֑רָהnis.Ta.rah it is hidden H5641 Verb · Niphal · perfect third person feminine singular
81× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to hide or conceal something, like covering it up. It can also mean to keep something secret or hidden from others, as in Psalm 27:5.
Amplified meaning
concealed, secret
Tyndale gloss
to hide
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

סָתַר (sa.tar) is a Hebrew verb meaning to hide or conceal. It encompasses various forms, including hiding oneself, being hidden, and carefully concealing something or someone. The entries indicate its use in different grammatical aspects, such as the Niphal, Piel, Pual, Hiphil, and Hithpael stems. The Aramaic equivalent is noted as סְתַר.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

סָתַר vb. hide, conceal

Niph.

hide oneself

be hid, concealed

Pi. Imv. carefully hide (i.e. shelter) the outcasts

Pu. Pt. love carefully concealed

Hithp. hide oneself carefully

Hiph. conceal, hide

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5641 סָתַר hide, conceal . . hide oneself

. be hid, concealed

. Imv. carefully hide (i.e. shelter) the outcasts

. Pt. love carefully concealed

. hide oneself carefully

. conceal, hide

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5641 cathar saw-thar'

a primitive root; to hide (by covering), literally or

figuratively:--be absent, keep close, conceal, hide (self),

(keep) secret, X surely.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

סָתַר (sa.tar) — to hide.

1) to hide, conceal

1a) (Niphal)

1a1) to hide oneself

1a2) to be hidden, be concealed

1b) (Piel) to hide carefully

1c) (Pual) to be hidden carefully, be concealed

1d) (Hiphil) to conceal, hide

1e) (Hithpael) to hide oneself carefully

Aramaic equivalent: se.tar (סְתַר "to hide" H5642A)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Niphal-Perf-3fs — Verb · Niphal · perfect third person feminine singular
HVNp3fs
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hid'-'n: The translation of Taman, "to hide," "to bury" (Job 3:16); of tsaphan "to conceal," "store up" (Job 15:20, "The number of years is hidden to the oppressor," the Revised Version (British and American) "even the number of years that are laid up for the oppressor," margin "and years that are numbered are laid up"; Job 24:1, "Why, seeing times are not hidden from the Almighty," the Revised Version (British and American) "Why are times not laid up by the Almighty?" margin as the King James Version with "Why is it?" prefixed; Ps 83:3, "They consulted (the Revised Version (British and American) "consult") against thy hidden ones"); of matspunim (from tsaphan), "hidden…

to a man whom way his it is hidden and he has made inaccessible God behind him
וַיָּ֖סֶךְvai.Ya.sekh and he has made inaccessible H5526 Verb · Hiphil · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
24× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To weave means to entwine or fence in, implying protection, as seen in the Bible where it means to cover or defend something.
Amplified meaning
fenced, protected, shut up
Tyndale gloss
to fence
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word סוּךְ (*sukh*) and its variants relate to the concepts of covering, protecting, and weaving together. It encompasses meanings such as to hedge in, overshadow, and screen, with implications of defense and joining. The entries reference various forms and usages, including a noun for 'protector' and verbs that describe actions of covering and weaving. Notably, the word appears in Exodus 33:22.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[סוּךְ, סִיךְ] vb. hedge, or fence about, shut in

base

[סָכַךְ] vb. overshadow, screen, cover

Qal

screen, cover

reflex. cover oneself

Hiph. screen, cover

Pilp. denom.

base

[סָכַךְ] vb. weave together;—Qal ψ 139:13

ref

סֹכֵךְ n. [m.] protector;—term. techn. of structure shielding stormers of city Na 2:6

ref

[שָׂכַךְ] vb. cover, lay over, so as to screen;—Qal Ex 33:22 (J E).

ref

[שָׂכַךְ] vb. weave; Po‛lel Jb 10:11

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5526a סוּךְ, סִיךְ hedge, or fence about, shut in H5526b סָכַךְ overshadow, screen, cover H5526c סָכַךְ weave together H5526d סֹכֵךְ n. [m.] protector H5526e שָׂכַךְ cover, lay over, so as to screen H5526f שָׂכַךְ weave

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5526 cakak saw-kak'

or sakak (Exod. 33:22) {saw-kak'}; a primitive root;

properly, to entwine as a screen; by implication, to fence in,

cover over, (figuratively) protect:--cover, defence, defend,

hedge in, join together, set, shut up.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

סוּךְ (sukh) — to fence.

(Qal) to hedge, fence about, shut in

סָכַךְ (sa.khakh) — to cover.

1) to block, overshadow, screen, stop the approach, shut off, cover

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to screen, cover

1a2) to cover oneself

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to screen, cover

סָכַךְ (sa.khakh) — to weave.

1) to weave together

4a) (Qal) to weave together

1b) (Pilpel) to weave, weave together

סֹכֵךְ (so.kh) — protector.

protector (participle)

שָׂכַךְ (sa.khakh) — to cover.

(Qal) to cover, lay over

שָׂכַךְ (sa.khakh) — to weave.

1) to weave together

1a) (Qal) to weave together

1b) (Pilpel) to weave, weave together

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Hiphil-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Hiphil · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vhw3ms
to a man whom way his it is hidden and he has made inaccessible God behind him
אֱל֣וֹהַּ'e.Lo.ah God H433 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
57× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Eloah refers to God or a deity, and is used to describe the one true God or false gods. It is often translated as God in the KJV, and is related to the word Elohim, which also refers to God.
Amplified meaning
Eloah, the one true God
Tyndale gloss
god
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֱלֹהַּ (*'elowahh*) refers to a deity or the Deity, translating to 'God' or 'god.' It is derived from a root meaning 'to be strong' and can also denote a false god. The term appears in various contexts, including ancient poetry and references to heathen gods.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֱלֹהַּ 67; elsewhere אֱלוֹהַּ n.m. god, God

a heathen god, late usage

God, used in ancient poems

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H433 אֱלֹהַּ; elsewhere אֱלוֹהַּ god, God

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

433 'elowahh el-o'-ah; rarely (shortened) >eloahh {el-o'-ah

probably prolonged (emphat.) from 410; a deity or the

Deity:--God, god. See 430.

see HEBREW for 0410

see HEBREW for 0430

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֱלֹהַּ (e.lo.ah) — god.

1) God

2) false god

Aramaic equivalent: e.lah (אֱלָהּ "god" H0426)

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

god ('Elohim, 'El, [`Elyon], Shadday, Yahweh; Theos):

I. INTRODUCTION TO THE GENERAL IDEA

1. The Idea in Experience and in Thought

2. Definition of the Idea

3. The Knowledge of God

4. Ethnic Ideas of God

(1) Animism

(2) Fetishism

(3) Idolatry

(4) Polytheism

(5) Henotheism

(6) Pantheism

(7) Deism

(8) Semitic Monolatry

(9) Monotheism

II. THE IDEA OF GOD IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

1. The Course of Its Development

2. Forms of Its Manifestation

(1) The Face or Countenance of God

(2) The Voice and Word of God

(3) The Glory of God

(4) The Angel of God

(5) The Spirit of God

(6) The Name of God

(7) Occasional Forms

3. The Names of God

(1) Generic

(2) Attributive

(3) Yahweh

4. Pre-prophetic Conceptions of God

(1) Yahweh Alone Is the God of Israel

(a) His Early Worship

(b) Popular Religion

(c) Polytheistic Tendencies

(i) Coordination

(ii) Assimilation

(iii) Disintegration

(d) No Hebrew Goddesses

(e) Human Sacrifices

Easton's Bible Dictionary

God

(A.S. and Dutch God; Dan. Gud; Ger. Gott), the name of the Divine Being. It is the rendering (1) of the Hebrew ’El, from a word meaning to be strong; (2) of ’Eloah_, plural _’Elohim. The singular form, Eloah, is used only in poetry. The plural form is more commonly used in all parts of the Bible, The Hebrew word Jehovah (q.v.), the only other word generally employed to denote the Supreme Being, is uniformly rendered in the Authorized Version by “LORD,” printed in small capitals. The existence of God is taken for granted in the Bible. There is nowhere any argument to prove it. He who disbelieves this truth is spoken of as one devoid of understanding (Ps. 14:1).

The arguments generally adduced by theologians in proof of the being of God are:

(1.) The a priori argument, which is the testimony afforded by reason.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(good). Throughout the Hebrew Scriptures two chief names are used for the one true divine Being--ELOHIM, commonly translated God in our version, and JEHOVAH, translated Lord . Elohim is the plural of Eloah (in Arabic Allah); it is often used in the short form EL (a word signifying strength , as in EL-SHADDAI, God Almighty, the name by which God was specially known to the patriarchs. (Genesis 17:1; 28:3; Exodus 6:3) The etymology is uncertain, but it is generally agreed that the primary idea is that of strength, power of effect , and that it properly describes God in that character in which he is exhibited to all men in his works, as the creator, sustainer and supreme governor of the world. The plural form of Elohim has given rise to much discussion. The fanciful idea that it…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

This name, the derivation of which is uncertain, we give to that eternal, infinite, perfect, and incomprehensible Being, the Creator of all things, who preserves and governs all by his almighty power and wisdom, and is the only proper object of worship. The proper Hebrew name for God is JEHOVAH, which signifies He is. But the Jews, from a feeling of reverence, avoid pronouncing this name, substituting for it, wherever it occurs in the sacred test, the word ADONAI, Lord; except in the expression, ADONAI JEHOVAH, Lord Jehovah, for which they put, ADONAI ELOHIM, Lord God. This usage, which is not without an element of superstition, is very ancient, dating its origin some centuries before Christ; but there is no good ground for assuming its existence in the days of the inspired Old Testament writers. The proper word for God is ELOHIM, which is plural in its form, being thus used to signify…

to a man whom way his it is hidden and he has made inaccessible God behind him
בַּעֲדֽוֹ׃ba.'a.Do behind him H1157 Suffix
105× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means about, through, or for something, often used to describe location or action. It can be translated as 'about', 'at', 'by', or 'through', depending on the context in which it is used.
Tyndale gloss
about/through/for
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בַּ֫עַד (ba'ad) is a Hebrew word that functions as a preposition and noun, indicating separation or position, such as 'away from,' 'behind,' 'about,' or 'on behalf of.' It is derived from a root meaning to separate and covers a range of spatial and metaphorical uses. The lexicons agree on its meanings, with variations in emphasis on specific usages.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בַּ֫עַד subst. prop. separation, with a gen., in separation from, in usage a prep. away from, behind, about, on behalf of

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1157 בַּ֫עַד subst. prop. separation, with a gen., in separation from, in usage a prep. away from, behind, about, on behalf of

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1157 b`ad beh-ad'

from 5704 with prepositional prefix; in up to or over

against; generally at, beside, among, behind, for,

etc.:--about, at by (means of), for, over, through, up (-on),

within.

see HEBREW for 05704

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בַּ֫עַד (be.ad) — about/through/for.

1) behind, through, round about, on behalf of, away from, about

1a) through (of action)

1b) behind (with verbs of shutting)

1c) about (with verbs of fencing)

1d) on behalf of (metaph. especially with Hithpael)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HAcbsc/Sp3ms — Suffix
HAcbsc/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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