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Job 33:18 — Word Study

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WLCיַחְשֹׂ֣ךְ נַ֭פְשׁוֹ מִנִּי־ שָׁ֑חַת וְ֝חַיָּת֗וֹ מֵעֲבֹ֥ר בַּשָּֽׁלַח׃

BSAto preservechâsak [keep back, spare] his soulnephesh [living being, essence] frommin the Pitshachath [underworld, corruption] and his lifechay [being alive, spiritual existence] from perishingʻâbar [passing away, destruction] by the swordshelach [missile, violent death]

Word
Listen & take awayJob 33
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 18 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.Sha.lach) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Job 33:18quick helps
In a sentenceJob speaks of God's ability to protect a person from death and destruction.
Who is speakingJob, reflecting on God's interventions.
Where we areThis verse is part of a discourse on divine protection and guidance.
The hard wordיַחְשֹׂ֣ךְ
Take awayGod's preservation of life is emphasized.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbחָשַׂךְ 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 33:18

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 Divine Protectiongenerated

17to turn a man from wrongdoing and keep him from pride,
18to preserve his soul from the Pit and his life from perishing by the sword.
19A man is also chastened on his bed with pain and constant distress in his bones,
20so that he detests his bread, and his soul loathes his favorite food.

Job 33:18 speaks of God's intervention to protect a person's soul from destruction and their life from violent death. This verse is part of a larger discussion about how God communicates with and guides humanity, often through suffering and correction. The verses surrounding this one illustrate the contrast between divine mercy and human frailty, highlighting God's role in preserving life.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Acts 16:27–33When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, presuming that the prisoners had escaped.
2Romans 2:4Or do you disregard the riches of His kindness, tolerance, and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you to repentance?
32 Peter 3:9–15The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 3 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word יַחְשֹׂ֣ךְ, yach.Sokhgenerated

The verb חָשַׂךְ (chasak) means to withhold or restrain. It conveys the action of keeping something back, which in this context refers to God preventing harm from befalling a person.

This verb appears in the imperfect tense, indicating an ongoing or future action. It suggests that God actively engages in preserving life, emphasizing His protective nature.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

The translations agree that God will preserve life, using terms like preserve (BSB, KJV) and keep back (ASV, YLT).


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb יַחְשֹׂ֣ךְ governs the sentence, indicating what God will do. The structure includes two phrases: one describing the preservation of the soul and the other concerning the life from destruction.

The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the action of keeping back, highlighting God's protective role in the face of danger.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates יַחְשֹׂ֣ךְ as ἐφείσατο (he spared), which carries a similar meaning of preservation but may imply a more passive form of protection.

This choice reflects a broader interpretation of God's protective actions, suggesting a divine intervention that spares life from danger.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Job 33:18 expresses that God protects a person's soul from destruction and their life from violent death. This verse emphasizes God's mercy and intervention in human lives.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that God preserves the soul?

It means that God actively protects a person's essence and life from harm and destruction.

How does this verse relate to the surrounding verses?

It fits within a broader discussion of how God communicates with humanity, often through trials and corrections.

What is the significance of the word 'sword'?

The 'sword' symbolizes violent death, highlighting the danger from which God protects us.

Why is the concept of preservation important in the Bible?

Preservation underscores God's mercy and His desire to maintain life, contrasting human frailty with divine strength.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways have I experienced God's protection in my life?
  2. How can I better recognize and appreciate God's interventions during difficult times?
  3. What does it mean to me that God preserves not just my physical life but my essence?
  4. How can I share the message of God's preservation with others?

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

Early commentary on this verse highlights God's role in rescuing souls from corruption and punishment.

Gregory the DialogistMorals on the Book of Job, Book XXIII c. 540–604
Rescuing his soul from corruption, and his life from passing to the sword. For every sinner, in consequence of his corruption by sin here, is compelled to pass thither to the sword of punishment;
Early Church Fathers on Job 33 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Job 33:18 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

He keepeth back his soul from the pit,.... Or, "that he may keep back" (n); for this is another end and use of God's speaking unto men; it is to preserve them for the present from going down to the

Read John Gill on Job 33 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword. His soul - his life. The pit - the grave; a symbol of hell.

Read Robert Jamieson on Job 33 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

He keepeth back, to wit, by these gracious admonitions, whereby he leads them to repentance, his soul; either the man, who is oft expressed by this part; or his life, as the next branch explains it. From the pit, i.e. from the grave, from death or destruction. From perishing by the sword, i.e. by some dreadful judgment of God which was ready to fall upon him.

Read Matthew Poole on Job 33 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Job 33:18 He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword.Ver. 18. He keepeth back his soul from the pit] Or, That he may keep back his soul, that is, his body, as Psalms 16:10 Leviticus 21:1, from the pit; i.e. from the grave, or from the pit falls made for him by his enemies. A penitent person redeemeth his own sorrows, and provideth for his own safety, Psalms 91:1-16, and accordingly some read it, He shall keep back his own soul, &c. And his life from perishing by the sword] Whether by the sword of God or man, he shall be extra iactum, out of the gunshot or danger of any death, whether corporal or eternal. The universal antidote for all the judgments of…

Read John Trapp on Job 33 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 18. He keepeth back his soul from the pit] By the above means, how many have been snatched from an untimely death! By taking the warning thus given, some have been prevented from perishing by the pit - some sudden accident; and others from the sword of the assassin or nocturnal murderer. It would be easy to give examples, in all these kinds; but the knowledge of the reader may save this trouble to the commentator.

Read AdamClarke on Job 33 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

13–28. When Elihu gives the general answer to Job’s charges against God that “God is greater than man” he means that the moral loftiness of God’s nature made it impossible that He should act in the arbitrary, hostile manner charged against Him by Job (comp. ch. Job 36:5). It was but another form of the same charge of arbitrary hostility to man when Job affirmed that God was deaf to all appeal and refused to speak to man; comp. ch. Job 19:7, Job 30:20, and often. To this general form of the charge Elihu directs his attention and replies that God speaks to man in many ways, though He may not answer when challenged as Job had challenged Him; comp. ch. Job 35:14. He speaks to man in ways…

Read Cambridge on Job 33 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

He keepeth back his soul from the pit - The word soul in the Hebrew is often equivalent to self, and the idea is, that he keeps the man from the pit in this manner.

Read Albert Barnes on Job 33 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

18. Pit — Shuhhath. In some countries, as in Athens, criminals were cast down into a deep pit. They were left in the darkness, hopelessly to die of starvation.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Job 33 →

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

to preserve his soul from the Pit and his life from perishing by the sword.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

He keeps back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

to preserve his soul from the Pit and his life from perishing by the sword.

NETBNew English Translation2006

He spares a person’s life from corruption, his very life from crossing over the river.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

He keepeth back his soul from the pit, And his life from perishing by the sword.

RVARevised Version, American1894

He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

And keepe backe his soule from the pit, and that his life should not passe by the sword.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life from passing away by the sword.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

He keepeth back his soul from corruption, And his life from passing away by a dart.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

He keeps back his soul from corruption, || And his life from passing away by a dart.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

He withholdeth his soul from the pit, and his life from passing away by the sword.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

God keeps man's life back from the pit, his life from crossing over to death.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Rescuing his soul from corruption: and his life from passing to the sword.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

He saves them from the grave and spares them from violent death.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

To keep back his soul from the underworld, and his life from destruction.

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.

clauseclauseverbיַחְשֹׂ֣ךְhe.will.keep.backnoun phrase · objectנַ֭פְשׁlifeוֹhisprepositional phrase · prepositionalמִנִּיfromשָׁ֑חַת[the].pitוְ֝andclausenoun phrase · objectחַיָּת֗lifeוֹhisprepositional phrase · prepositionalמֵfromclauseverbעֲבֹ֥רpassing.awayprepositional phrase · prepositionalבַּbynoun phrase(the)שָּֽׁלַחmissile

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


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

The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree on the wording of this verse, with all seven words matched. This consistency indicates a shared understanding of God's role in preserving life.

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

יַחְשֹׂ֣ךְ נַ֭פְשׁוֹ מִנִּי־ שָׁ֑חַת וְ֝חַיָּת֗וֹ מֵעֲבֹ֥ר בַּשָּֽׁלַח׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
יַחְשֹׂ֣ךְἐφείσατοנַ֭פְשׁוֹαὐτοῦמִנִּי־ἀπὸשָׁ֑חַתθανάτουוְ֝חַיָּת֗וֹκαὶמֵעֲבֹ֥רπεσεῖνבַּשָּֽׁלַח׃πολέμῳ

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

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


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

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

Job 33:18חָשַׂךְhe will keehe will keep baחָשַׂךְנֶ֫פֶשׁlife hislife hisנֶ֫פֶשׁמִן־fromfromמִן־שַׁ֫חַת[the] pit[the] pitשַׁ֫חַתחַיand life hiand life hisחַיעָבַרfrom passinfrom passing awעָבַרשֶׁ֫לַחby missileby missileשֶׁ֫לַחנָפַשׁbe refreshbe refreshedנָפַשׁשׁוּחַto sinkto sinkשׁוּחַחָיָהto liveto liveחָיָהשָׁלַחto send: dto send: departשָׁלַחחָשַׁךְto darkento darkenחָשַׁךְמֵןstringstringמֵןחָדַלto ceaseto ceaseחָדַלשָׂפָהlipslipsשָׂפָהבָּקַשׁto seekto seekבָּקַשׁחַיalivealiveחַירָחַקto removeto removeרָחַקיָתַרto remainto remainיָתַרכוּרto digto digכוּררֶ֫שֶׁתnetnetרֶ֫שֶׁתעוֹףbirdbirdעוֹףשָׂדַיfieldfieldשָׂדַייַרְדֵןJordanJordanיַרְדֵןחָלַץto rescueto rescueחָלַץ
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 33:18

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.

he will keep back life his from [the] pit and life his from passing away by missile
יַחְשֹׂ֣ךְyach.Sokh he will keep back H2820 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
28× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to withhold or restrain something. It can also mean to spare, preserve, or observe. In the Bible, it is used to describe holding back or keeping something for oneself.
Amplified meaning
keep back, spare
Tyndale gloss
to withhold
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חָשַׂךְ (chasak) is a Hebrew verb meaning to withhold or refrain. It encompasses actions like restraining, keeping back, and sparing, with nuances of preserving and holding in check. The word appears in various forms, including Qal and Niphal, indicating both active and passive meanings. There are no significant disagreements among the lexicons regarding its definitions.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חָשַׂךְ vb. withhold, refrain

Qal

withhold, keep back, keep for oneself

keep one from evil, calamity

hold in check

refrain

spare

reserve for

(abs.) restrain, check (pain) i.e. assuage

Niph. at the day of calamity the wicked is spared

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2820 חָשַׂךְ withhold, refrain

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2820 chasak khaw-sak'

a primitive root; to restrain or (reflex.) refrain; by

implication, to refuse, spare, preserve; also (by interch.

with 2821) to observe:--assuage, X darken, forbear, hinder,

hold back, keep (back), punish, refrain, reserve, spare,

withhold.

see HEBREW for 02821

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חָשַׂךְ (cha.sakh) — to withhold.

1) to withhold, restrain, hold back, keep in check, refrain

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to withhold, keep back, keep for oneself, keep from, hold in check, refrain, spare, reserve

1a2) to restrain, check

1b) (Niphal) to assuage, be spared

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
HVqi3ms
he will keep back life his from [the] pit and life his from passing away by missile
נַ֭פְשׁוֹnaf.sho life his H5315 Noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
754× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for soul or living being, used in the Bible to describe the essence of a person or animal. It encompasses the ideas of life, breath, and vitality, and is translated as 'soul' or 'creature' in the KJV. This word is central to biblical concepts of humanity and existence.
Amplified meaning
living being, essence
Tyndale gloss
soul
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word נֶ֫פֶשׁ (*nephesh*) broadly means 'soul' or 'living being,' encompassing concepts like life, self, person, desire, and emotion. It is derived from the root meaning 'to breathe' and signifies both physical and mental aspects of existence. The lexicons note its use in various contexts, including as the seat of appetites and emotions, though its application to will and character is uncertain.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נֶ֫פֶשׁ 756 n.f. soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion

= that which breathes, the breathing substance or being

The נפשׁ becomes a living being

The נפשׁ is specif.

The נפשׁ as the essential of man stands for the man himself

נפשׁ = seat of the appetites, in all periods (46 t.)

נ׳ = seat of emotions and passions

נפשׁ is used occasionally for mental acts

נפשׁ for acts of the will is dub.

נפשׁ = character is still more dub.

נ׳ in D

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5315 נֶ֫פֶשׁ soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion . = that which breathes, the breathing substance or being

. The נפשׁ becomes a living being

. The נפשׁ is specif.

. The נפשׁ as the essential of man stands for the man himself

. נפשׁ = seat of the appetites, in all periods (46 t.)

. נ׳ = seat of emotions and passions

. נפשׁ is used occasionally for mental acts

. נפשׁ for acts of the will is dub.

. נפשׁ = character is still more dub.

. נ׳ in D

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5315 nephesh neh'-fesh

from 5314; properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of

(abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal,

accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental):--any,

appetite, beast, body, breath, creature, X dead(-ly), desire,

X (dis-)contented, X fish, ghost, + greedy, he, heart(-y),

(hath, X jeopardy of) life (X in jeopardy), lust, man, me,

mind, mortally, one, own, person, pleasure, (her-, him-, my-,

thy-)self, them (your)-selves, + slay, soul, + tablet, they,

thing, (X she) will, X would have it.

see HEBREW for 05314

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נֶ֫פֶשׁ (ne.phesh) — soul.

1) soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion

1a) that which breathes, the breathing substance or being, soul, the inner being of man

1b) living being

1c) living being (with life in the blood)

1d) the man himself, self, person or individual

1e) seat of the appetites

1f) seat of emotions and passions

1g) activity of mind

1g1) uncertain

1h) activity of the will

1h1) uncertain

1i) activity of the character

1i1) uncertain

נֶ֫פֶשׁ (ne.phesh) — soul: life.

1) soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion

1a) that which breathes, the breathing substance or being, soul, the inner being of man

1b) living being

1c) living being (with life in the blood)

1d) the man himself, self, person or individual

1e) seat of the appetites

1f) seat of emotions and passions

1g) activity of mind

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-cs | Suff — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
HNcfsc/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."

he will keep back life his from [the] pit and life his from passing away by missile
מִנִּי־mi.ni- from H4480 Preposition
1,189× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means a portion or part of something, and is often used to show the relationship between things, like from or out of something.
Tyndale gloss
from
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word מִן־ (*min*) is a preposition meaning 'from' or 'out of,' indicating separation or origin. It covers various uses, including temporal references, comparisons, and causal relationships. Additionally, it can denote a portion when used as a noun מֵן (*men*). The entries highlight its versatility in expressing different nuances of separation and position.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מִן־, and מִ, before יְ, prep. expressing the idea of separation, hence out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not

with verbs expressing (or implying) separation or removal

from, against

מן also, without a verb of similar significance, sometimes expresses the idea of separation, away from, far from

of position, off, on the side of, on

Out of, Gk. ἐκ, Lat. ex

Partitively

Of time—

as marking the terminus a quo, the anterior limit of a continuous period from, since

as marking the period immediately succeeding the limit after

towards, to

(וְעַד) עַד … מִן from … even to

In comparisons, beyond, above

מן is prefixed to an infin.:

with causal force, from, on account of, through

after verbs implying restraint, prevention, cessation, etc.

with a temporal force, since, after

Once as a conj. before a finite verb. that

In compounds:

base

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4480a מִן־, מִ, prep. expressing the idea of separation, hence out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not . with verbs expressing (or implying) separation or removal . from, against

. מן also, without a verb of similar significance, sometimes expresses the idea of separation, away from, far from

. of position, off, on the side of, on

. Out of, Gk. ἐκ, Lat. ex

. Partitively

. Of time— . as marking the terminus a quo, the anterior limit of a continuous period from, since

. as marking the period immediately succeeding the limit after

. towards, to

. (וְעַד) עַד … מִן from … even to

. In comparisons, beyond, above

. מן is prefixed to an infin.: . with causal force, from, on account of, through

. after verbs implying restraint, prevention, cessation, etc.

. with a temporal force, since, after

. Once as a conj. before a finite verb. that

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4480 min min

or minniy {min-nee'}; or minney (constructive plural)

{min-nay'}; (Isaiah 30:11); for 4482; properly, a part of;

hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many senses (as

follows):--above, after, among, at, because of, by (reason

of), from (among), in, X neither, X nor, (out) of, over,

since, X then, through, X whether, with.

see HEBREW for 04482

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מִן־ (min) — from.

prep

1) from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than

1a) from (expressing separation), off, on the side of

1b) out of

1b1) (with verbs of proceeding, removing, expelling)

1b2) (of material from which something is made)

1b3) (of source or origin)

1c) out of, some of, from (partitively)

1d) from, since, after (of time)

1e) than, more than (in comparison)

1f) from...even to, both...and, either...or

1g) than, more than, too much for (in comparisons)

1h) from, on account of, through, because (with infinitive)

conj

2) that

Aramaic equivalent: min (מִן־ "from" H4481)

מֵן (men) — portion.

n.m.

portion

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Preposition
HR
he will keep back life his from [the] pit and life his from passing away by missile
שָׁ֑חַתSha.chat [the] pit H7845 Noun common · feminine singular absolute
23× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This noun refers to a pit or grave, and it is often used figuratively to describe destruction or corruption, as seen in Proverbs and other books.
Amplified meaning
underworld, corruption
Tyndale gloss
pit: grave
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word שַׁ֫חַת (shachath) means 'pit' and is derived from a root that suggests destruction or corruption. It covers a range of meanings including a physical pit, grave, and figuratively, hell or destruction. The entries note its use in contexts related to traps and Sheol, the grave.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שַׁ֫חַת n.f. pit

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7845 שַׁ֫חַת pit

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7845 shachath shakh'-ath

from 7743; a pit (especially as a trap); figuratively,

destruction:--corruption, destruction, ditch, grave, pit.

see HEBREW for 07743

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שַׁ֫חַת (sha.chat) — Pit: hell.

Pit, of hell

Another name of she.ol (שְׁאוֹל "Sheol" H7585)

This name means pit, grave

שַׁ֫חַת (sha.chat) — pit: grave.

1) pit, destruction, grave

1a) pit (for catching lions)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absolute
HNcfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

The word translates different Hebrew words of which the most important are:

(1) bor, "pit" or "cistern," made by digging, (Ge 37:20); hence, "dungeon" (Jer 38:6, margin "pit");

(2) be'er, "pit" or "well" made by digging (Ge 21:25);

(3) she'ol, generally rendered "hell" in the King James Version (see HELL);

(4) shachath, a pit in the ground to catch wild animals. (1), (2) and (4) above are used metaphorically of the pit of the "grave" or of "sheol" (Ps 28:1; 30:3; Job 33:24). the King James Version sometimes incorrectly renders (4) by "corruption."

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Pit

A hole in the ground (Ex. 21:33, 34), a cistern for water (Gen. 37:24; Jer. 14:3), a vault (41:9), a grave (Ps. 30:3). It is used as a figure for mischief (Ps. 9:15), and is the name given to the unseen place of woe (Rev. 20:1, 3). The slime-pits in the vale of Siddim were wells which yielded asphalt (Gen. 14:10).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

[HELL]

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A reservoir, either natural or artificial, for water. Pits were sometimes used as dungeons, Ge 37:20; Jer 38:6; or being slightly covered, and baited, they served as traps to catch wild beasts, a device which illustrates the plots of designing men and women, Ps 119:85; Pr 22:14; 26:27; Eze 19:4. The word pit is also used to denote the grave, Ps 28:1; 30:3,9; and hell, Re 20:1.

he will keep back life his from [the] pit and life his from passing away by missile
וְ֝חַיָּת֗וֹve.chai.ya.To and life his H2416 Conjunction · noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
498× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word means life or being alive. It can refer to physical life, like in Genesis 1:20, or spiritual life, like in Psalm 30:5.
Amplified meaning
being alive, spiritual existence
Tyndale gloss
alive
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word חַי (*chay*) means 'alive' or 'living' and covers a range of meanings related to life, including living beings, vitality, and freshness. It can refer to God, animals, vegetation, and even concepts like appetite and community. Variants include חַיָּה (*chayyah*), meaning 'living thing' or 'animal,' and חַיִּים (*chayim*), which emphasizes life and sustenance.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חַי adj. alive, living

of God, as the living one, the fountain of life

of man

of animals, alive, living

animals and man

(dub.) of vegetation, as thorns, green

of water, fresh

(dub.) lively, active

reviving

base

[חַי] n.[m.] kinsfolk, pl. sf. 1 S 18:18

ref

חַיָּה n.f. living thing, animal

animal

in general

wild animals, on account of their vital energy and activity

living beings, of the cherubic chariot

life, only in late poetry

appetite, activity of hunger

revival, renewal

base

חַיָּה n.f. community

base

חַיִּים n.m. pl. abstr. emph. life

life: physical

life: as welfare and happiness in king's presence

sustenance, maintenance

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2416a חַי alive, living . . of God, as the living one, the fountain of life

. of man

. of animals, alive, living

. animals and man

. (dub.) of vegetation, as thorns, green

. of water, fresh

. (dub.) lively, active

. reviving

H2416b חַי kinsfolk H2416c חַיָּה living thing, animal . animal . in general

. wild animals, on account of their vital energy and activity

. living beings, of the cherubic chariot

. life, only in late poetry

. appetite, activity of hunger

. revival, renewal

H2416d חַיָּה community H2416e חַיִּים pl. abstr. emph. life . life: physical

. life: as welfare and happiness in king's presence

. sustenance, maintenance

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2416 chay khah'-ee

from 2421; alive; hence, raw (flesh); fresh (plant, water,

year), strong; also (as noun, especially in the feminine

singular and masculine plural) life (or living thing), whether

literally or figuratively:--+ age, alive, appetite, (wild)

beast, company, congregation, life(-time), live(-ly), living

(creature, thing), maintenance, + merry, multitude, + (be)

old, quick, raw, running, springing, troop.

see HEBREW for 02421

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חַי (chay) — alive.

adj

1) living, alive

1a) green (of vegetation)

1b) flowing, fresh (of water)

1c) lively, active (of man)

1d) reviving (of the springtime)

Aramaic equivalent: chay (חַי "living" H2417)

חַי (chay) — kinsfolk.

kinsfolk

חַיָּה (chay.yah) — living thing.

1) living thing, animal

1a) animal

1b) life

1c) appetite

1d) revival, renewal

Aramaic equivalent: che.va (חֵיוָא "beast" H2423)

חַיָּה (chay.yah) — community.

community

חַיִּים (chay.yim) — life.

1) life (abstract emphatic)

1a) life

1b) sustenance, maintenance

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

he will keep back life his from [the] pit and life his from passing away by missile
מֵעֲבֹ֥רme.'a.Vor from passing away H5674 Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
556× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb can mean to cross over or transition from one thing to another, and is sometimes used to describe being arrogant or crossing a boundary.
Amplified meaning
passing away, destruction
Tyndale gloss
to pass
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עָבַר (abar) is a versatile verb meaning to pass over, through, or by, and it encompasses a range of actions including crossing, traversing, and alienating. It can also imply causing something to pass or be transferred, as well as emotional states like anger in its Hithpael form. The entries highlight its use in various contexts, though they do not provide specific verse references.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עָבַר 648 vb. pass over, through, by, pass on

Qal

pass over

Pass beyond

Pass through, traverse

pass along by

pass by

sweep by, of scourge

be past, over, of time

pass along (from hand to hand)

Pass on, go on

Pass away

Niph. Impf. a stream which cannot be forded

Pi.

his bull impregnateth

cause one to cross river

cause something to pass over

make over to

devote children to (לְ) heathen god

pass along (from hand to hand)

cause to pass through

let pass through

cause to pass by

let pass by

cause arrow to pass beyond

cause to pass under rod, for counting

cause to pass away, take away

Hiph.

cause to pass over, bring over

he made to pass across with chains of gold

base

[עָבַר] vb. denom. Hithp. be arrogant, infuriate oneself

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5674a עָבַר pass over, through, by, pass on .. pass over

. Pass beyond

. Pass through, traverse

. . pass along by

. pass by

. sweep by, of scourge

. be past, over, of time

. pass along (from hand to hand)

. Pass on, go on

. Pass away

. Impf. a stream which cannot be forded

. . his bull impregnateth . cause one to cross river

. cause something to pass over

. make over to

. devote children to (לְ) heathen god

. pass along (from hand to hand)

. . cause to pass through

. let pass through

. . cause to pass by

. let pass by

. cause arrow to pass beyond

. cause to pass under rod, for counting

. cause to pass away, take away

. . cause to pass over, bring over

. he made to pass across with chains of gold

H5674b עָבַר vb. denom. Hithp. be arrogant, infuriate oneself

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5674 `abar aw-bar'

a primitive root; to cross over; used very widely of any

transition (literal or figurative; transitive, intransitive,

intensive, causative); specifically, to cover (in

copulation):--alienate, alter, X at all, beyond, bring (over,

through), carry over, (over-)come (on, over), conduct (over),

convey over, current, deliver, do away, enter, escape, fail,

gender, get over, (make) go (away, beyond, by, forth, his way,

in, on, over, through), have away (more), lay, meddle,

overrun, make partition, (cause to, give, make to, over)

pass(-age, along, away, beyond, by, -enger, on, out, over,

through), (cause to, make) + proclaim(-amation), perish,

provoke to anger, put away, rage, + raiser of taxes, remove,

send over, set apart, + shave, cause to (make) sound, X

speedily, X sweet smelling, take (away), (make to)

transgress(-or), translate, turn away, (way-)faring man, be

wrath.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עָבַר (a.var) — to pass.

1) to pass over or by or through, alienate, bring, carry, do away, take, take away, transgress

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to pass over, cross, cross over, pass over, march over, overflow, go over

1a2) to pass beyond

1a3) to pass through, traverse

1a3a) passers-through (participle)

1a3b) to pass through (the parts of victim in covenant)

1a4) to pass along, pass by, overtake and pass, sweep by

1a4a) passer-by (participle)

1a4b) to be past, be over

1a5) to pass on, go on, pass on before, go in advance of, pass along, travel, advance

1a6) to pass away

1a6a) to emigrate, leave (one's territory)

1a6b) to vanish

1a6c) to perish, cease to exist

1a6d) to become invalid, become obsolete (of law, decree)

1a6e) to be alienated, pass into other hands

1b) (Niphal) to be crossed

1c) (Piel) to impregnate, cause to cross

1d) (Hiphil)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a — Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
HR/Vqcc
he will keep back life his from [the] pit and life his from passing away by missile
בַּשָּֽׁלַח׃ba.Sha.lach by missile H7973 Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
8× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a weapon like a spear or a dart, but it can also mean a sprout or branch of a plant. In the Bible, it is used to describe both literal weapons and growth.
Amplified meaning
missile, violent death
Tyndale gloss
missile
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שֶׁ֫לַח (shelach) refers to a missile or weapon, such as a spear, and can also denote a sprout or shoot. The word is derived from a root meaning to send forth. It encompasses meanings related to both physical weapons and botanical growth.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שֶׁ֫לַח n.[m.] missile, weapon, sprout (late)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7973 שֶׁ֫לַח

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7973 shelach sheh'-lakh

from 7971; a missile of attack, i.e. spear; also

(figuratively) a shoot of growth; i.e. branch:--dart, plant,

X put off, sword, weapon.

see HEBREW for 07971

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שֶׁ֫לַח (she.lach) — missile.

1) weapon, missile, sprout

1a) missile, weapon

1b) sprout, shoot

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
HRd/Ncmsa
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
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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