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Job 34:13 — Word Study

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WLCמִֽי־ פָקַ֣ד עָלָ֣יו אָ֑רְצָה וּמִ֥י שָׂ֝֗ם תֵּבֵ֥ל כֻּלָּֽהּ׃

BSAWhomîy [what person or being] gave Him chargepâqad [as Supreme Ruler, to reckon, oversee, or inspect] over the earthʼerets [the land, the material world, or the terrestrial sphere] Whomîy [what authority or power] appointed [Him]sûwm [to set, place, or establish] [over] the wholekôl [entire, all-inclusive] worldtêbêl [the earth and its inhabitants, or the global community]

Word
Listen & take awayJob 34
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 13 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 (ku.Lah) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Job 34:13quick helps
In a sentenceJob questions who has the authority to assign God over the earth and the world.
Who is speakingJob, in a dialogue about God's justice.
Where we areJob is reflecting on God's sovereignty and justice.
The hard wordפָּקַד
Take awayGod's authority over the earth is unquestionable.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectמִי verbפָּקַד 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 34:13

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 God's Authoritygenerated

12Indeed, it is true that God does not act wickedly, and the Almighty does not pervert justice.
13Who gave Him charge over the earth? Who appointed Him over the whole world?
14If He were to set His heart to it and withdraw His Spirit and breath,
15all flesh would perish together and mankind would return to the dust.

Job 34:13 poses a rhetorical question about God's authority, emphasizing that no one can assign Him a role over creation. Job's discourse on divine justice continues as he reflects on God's absolute power and the implications of His governance over the earth and its inhabitants, leading to a deeper understanding of human accountability and divine oversight.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Job 36:23Who has appointed His way for Him, or told Him, ‘You have done wrong’?
2Job 38:4–41Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding.
3Job 40:8–11Would you really annul My justice? Would you condemn Me to justify yourself?
41 Chronicles 29:11Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the splendor and the majesty, for everything in heaven and on earth belongs to You. Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom, and You are exalted as head over all.
5Proverbs 8:23–30From everlasting I was established, from the beginning, before the earth began.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 8 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word פָּקַד, fa.Kadgenerated

The verb פָּקַד (paqad) means to oversee or appoint, and it carries a range of meanings from visiting to punishing. In this context, it suggests God's role as the one who oversees the earth, highlighting His sovereignty and authority.

The parsing as a perfect third person masculine singular indicates a completed action, emphasizing that God has already been assigned this role, and no one else can question His authority.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb פָּקַד governs the first clause, while the second clause introduces another subject with a similar verb שָׂם. This structure emphasizes the parallelism in Job's questions, reinforcing the rhetorical nature of his inquiry.

The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the interrogative pronouns מִי and וּמִי, highlighting Job's focus on the authority behind God's appointment over the earth.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates פָּקַד as ἐποίησεν, meaning 'made' or 'did,' which suggests a more active role in the establishment of authority. This choice indicates a slight shift in focus from oversight to the act of appointing.

The Greek rendering of עָלָיו as a preposition maintains the original meaning of 'upon' or 'over,' preserving the sense of God's governance.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Job 34:13 asks who has given God authority over the earth and the world. Job is questioning the idea that anyone can appoint God to His role, emphasizing that His sovereignty is inherent and unquestionable.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does Job mean by asking who gave God charge over the earth?

Job is emphasizing God's supreme authority and questioning whether anyone else has the right to assign Him such a role.

Why does Job repeat the question about God's appointment?

The repetition serves to reinforce the rhetorical nature of his inquiry, highlighting the impossibility of questioning God's authority.

What implications does this verse have for understanding God's justice?

It suggests that God's governance is beyond human authority, which is crucial for understanding His justice and the accountability of humanity.

How does this verse relate to the overall themes in the Book of Job?

It reflects the central theme of divine sovereignty and the human struggle to understand God's ways in the face of suffering.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. How do I understand God's authority in my life and the world around me?
  2. What does it mean for God to have charge over the earth in practical terms?
  3. In what ways do I question or affirm God's sovereignty in difficult situations?
  4. How can I apply the understanding of God's justice in my interactions with others?

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

The early church fathers often referenced Job's questions about God's authority to discuss divine justice and human accountability.

Gregory the DialogistMorals on the Book of Job, Book XXIV c. 540–604
Whom else hath He appointed over the earth, or whom hath He placed over the world which He hath made? In order, namely, that thou mayest understand, No one.
Early Church Fathers on Job 34 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Job 34:13 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Who hath given him a charge over the earth?.... Or who hath committed the earth unto him, and made it his care and charge? Is there any above him that has put him into this post and office?

Read John Gill on Job 34 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Who hath given him a charge over the earth? or who hath disposed the whole world?

Read Robert Jamieson on Job 34 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Over the earth, i.e. over the inhabitants of the earth, to rule them according to his laws, and to give an account to him of it. Who or where is his superior that made the world, and then delivered the government of it to God? There is no such person. God himself is the sole Creator, the absolute and supreme Lord and Governor, of all the world, and therefore cannot do unjustly. The reason is, partly, because all unrighteousness is a transgression of some law, and God hath no law to bound him but his own nature and will; partly, because the Creator and Lord of the world must needs have all possible perfections in himself, and, amongst others, perfect justice, and must needs be free from all…

Read Matthew Poole on Job 34 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Job 34:13 Who hath given him a charge over the earth? or who hath disposed the whole world?Ver. 13. Who hath given him a charge over all the earth?] sc. To govern it. Is not he the Maker and Monarch of all men? Who is his superior? and to whom shall he give account? and who shall expostulate with him about injustice? Or, for fear of whom should he warp or writhe? The emperor cannot do right, saith one, because he hath none to overly awe him or question him (Theophil. Inst.). It is said of Trajan, that he neither feared nor hated any man living. What, then, shall we think of him, who is Moderator et Dominator supremus ac solus (Mercer). Or who hath disposed the whole world?] The habitable…

Read John Trapp on Job 34 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(13) Who hath disposed the whole world?—Or, Who hath set the whole world upon Him? i.e., entrusted it to His care; in the other sense it means, “Who but He hath made the whole world, and who, therefore, can have the interest in it which He must have?”

Read Charles John Ellicott on Job 34 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 13. Who hath given him a charge] Who is it that governs the world? Is it not God? Who disposes of all things in it? Is it not the Almighty, by his just and merciful providence? The government of the world shows the care, the justice, and the mercy of God.

Read AdamClarke on Job 34 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

10–19. This charge of injustice Elihu rebuts, first, on the general ground of its impiety: God cannot be thought of as acting in the way Job asserted—He rewardeth every man according to his works (Job 34:10-12); and second, he then resolves the general idea into two distinct thoughts, Job 34:13-15, and Job 34:16-19.

Read Cambridge on Job 34 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Who hath given him a charge over the earth? - That is, he is the great original Proprietor and Ruler of all.

Read Albert Barnes on Job 34 →

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

Who gave Him charge over the earth? Who appointed Him over the whole world?

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Who put him in charge of the earth? Or who has appointed him over the whole world?

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Who gave Him charge over the earth? Who appointed Him over the whole world?

NETBNew English Translation2006

Who entrusted to him the earth? And who put him over the whole world?

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Who hath given him a charge over the earth? or who hath disposed the whole world?

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Who gave him a charge over the earth? Or who hath disposed the whole world?

RVARevised Version, American1894

Who gave him a charge over the earth? or who hath disposed the whole world?

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Who hath given him a charge over the earth? or who hath disposed the whole world?

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Whome hath he appointed ouer the earth beside him selfe? or who hath placed the whole worlde?

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Who hath entrusted to him the earth? and who hath disposed the whole world?

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Who hath inspected for Himself the earth? And who hath placed all the habitable world?

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Who has inspected for Himself the earth? And who has placed all the habitable world?

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Who hath given him a charge concerning the earth? or who hath intrusted [him] the whole world?

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Who put him in charge over the earth? Who put the whole world under him?

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

What other hath he appointed over the earth? or whom hath he set over the world which he made?

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Who put him in charge of the earth? Who gave him the responsibility for all the world?

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Who put the earth into his care, or made him responsible for the world?

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.

clausesubjectמִֽיwho?verbפָקַ֣דdid.he.assignprepositional phrase · prepositionalעָלָ֣יonוhimnoun phrase · prepositionalאָ֑רְצָearthהto.[the]וּandclausesubjectמִ֥יwho?verbשָׂ֝֗םdid.he.putnoun phrase · objectתֵּבֵ֥ל[the].worldnoun phraseכֻּלָּֽof.itהּall

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 content, with the Septuagint providing a different word order but retaining the essential questions posed by Job regarding God's authority over the earth.

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

מִֽי־ פָקַ֣ד עָלָ֣יו אָ֑רְצָה וּמִ֥י שָׂ֝֗ם תֵּבֵ֥ל כֻּלָּֽהּ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
מִֽי־ὃςפָקַ֣דἐποίησενאָ֑רְצָהγῆνוּמִ֥יδέשָׂ֝֗םποιῶνכֻּלָּֽהּ׃τὰ

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 34:13מִיwho?who?מִיפָּקַדdid he assidid he assignפָּקַדעַלon himon himעַלאֶ֫רֶץ[the] earth[the] earth towאֶ֫רֶץמִיand who?and who?מִישׂוּםdid he putdid he putשׂוּםתֵּבֵל[the] world[the] worldתֵּבֵלכֹּלall of itall of itכֹּלמָהwhat?what?מָהיָבַלto conductto conductיָבַלכָּלַלto perfectto perfectכָּלַלעַלheightheightעַליָעַדto appointto appointיָעַדכְּמוֹlikelikeכְּמוֹמִשְׁפָּחָהfamilyfamilyמִשְׁפָּחָהכִּפֶּרto atoneto atoneכִּפֶּרכִּסֵּאthronethroneכִּסֵּאכְּנַ֫עַןCanaanCanaanכְּנַ֫עַןמִצְרַ֫יִם(Sea of) E(Sea of) Egyptמִצְרַ֫יִםשַׁמָּהhorror: dehorror: destroyשַׁמָּהשְׁמָמָהDesolateDesolateשְׁמָמָהמְלֹאfullnessfullnessמְלֹאבַּלnotnotבַּלעֵדָהcongregaticongregationעֵדָהעֲבֹדָהserviceserviceעֲבֹדָה
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 34:13

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.

who? did he assign on him [the] earth towards and who? did he put [the] world all of it
מִֽי־mi- who? H4310 Pronoun
423× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word is used to ask questions like who, whose, or whom. It can also be used to express a wish, like would that or whoever. It appears in many forms throughout the Bible, often in phrases like O that or what.
Amplified meaning
what person or being
Tyndale gloss
who?
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מִי (mi) is an interrogative pronoun primarily used to ask about persons, meaning 'who?' or 'whose?'. It can also appear in rhetorical questions and has some idiomatic uses, such as 'who among...?' or 'whosoever'. The word is rarely applied to things, and its forms can vary in emphasis.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מִי 423 pron.interrog. who? of persons

מִי is rarely used of things, and usually where persons are understood or implied

in the gen. whose

in an indirect qu.

מִי ב׳ who among … ?

strengthened and emph. forms of interrog.

various rhetorical uses whose

מִי may sometimes be rendered whosoever, though, as the examples will shew, it does not really mean it

once, following a verb, any one

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4310 מִי who? of persons . מִי is rarely used of things, and usually where persons are understood or implied

. in the gen. whose

. in an indirect qu.

. מִי ב׳ who among … ?

. strengthened and emph. forms of interrog.

. various rhetorical uses whose

. מִי may sometimes be rendered whosoever, though, as the examples will shew, it does not really mean it

. once, following a verb, any one

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4310 miy me

an interrogative pronoun of persons, as 4100 is of things,

who? (occasionally, by a peculiar idiom, of things); also

(indefinitely) whoever; often used in oblique construction

with prefix or suffix:--any (man), X he, X him, + O that!

what, which, who(-m, -se, -soever), + would to God.

see HEBREW for 04100

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מִי (mi) — who?.

who?, whose?, whom?, would that, whoever, whosoever

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part — Pronoun
HPi
who? did he assign on him [the] earth towards and who? did he put [the] world all of it
פָקַ֣דfa.Kad did he assign H6485 Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singular
303× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to visit or oversee, and can imply a range of actions, from friendly to hostile. It is used in various contexts, including appointing, avenging, or delivering something into someone's care. The KJV translates it in many ways, including appoint, avenge, or commit.
Amplified meaning
as Supreme Ruler, to reckon, oversee, or inspect
Tyndale gloss
to reckon: list
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

פָּקַד (paqad) is a Hebrew verb that encompasses a range of meanings including to attend to, visit, muster, appoint, and punish. It can imply oversight or care, as well as the act of seeking or lacking something. The word can also be used in various grammatical forms, indicating actions such as being appointed or being visited upon. The plural form פְּקוּדִים refers to musterings or expenses.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

פָּקַד 303 vb. attend to, visit, muster, appoint

Qal

pay attention to, observe (with care, practical interest)

attend to, in act, see to

seek (with interest, desire)

seek in vain, need, miss, lack

specif. visit, c. acc., for different purposes

c. עַל pers., visit upon

pass in review, muster (nearly = number), c. acc.

appoint

Niph.

be (sought, i.e. needed) missed, lacking

be visited (graciously)

be visited upon, עַל pers.

be appointed

Pi. (intens.) muster a host

Pu. be passed in review; be caused to miss, deprived

Hithp. be mustered

Hothp. id.

Hiph.

c. acc. pers. set (over), make overseer

c. acc. rei (implic.)

commit, entrust

deposit

Hoph.

be visited in punishment

be deposited

be made overseer

base

[פְּקוּדִים] n.pl.[m.] abstr. musterings, i.e. expenses;—cstr. Ex 38:21

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6485a פָּקַד attend to, visit, muster, appoint .. . . pay attention to, observe (with care, practical interest)

. attend to, in act, see to

. seek (with interest, desire)

. seek in vain, need, miss, lack

. specif. visit, c. acc., for different purposes

. c. עַל pers., visit upon

. pass in review, muster (nearly = number), c. acc.

. appoint

. . be (sought, i.e. needed) missed, lacking

. be visited (graciously)

. be visited upon, עַל pers.

. be appointed

. (intens.) muster a host

. be passed in review; be caused to miss, deprived

. be mustered

. id.

. . c. acc. pers. set (over), make overseer

. c. acc. rei (implic.) . commit, entrust

. deposit

. . be visited in punishment

. be deposited

. be made overseer

H6485b פְּקוּדִים n. pl. [m.] abstr. musterings, i.e. expenses

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6485 paqad paw-kad'

a primitive root; to visit (with friendly or hostile intent);

by analogy, to oversee, muster, charge, care for, miss,

deposit, etc.:--appoint, X at all, avenge, bestow, (appoint

to have the, give a) charge, commit, count, deliver to keep,

be empty, enjoin, go see, hurt, do judgment, lack, lay up,

look, make, X by any means, miss, number, officer, (make)

overseer, have (the) oversight, punish, reckon, (call to)

remember(-brance), set (over), sum, X surely, visit, want.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

פָּקַד (pa.qad) — to reckon: list.

: list/count

1) to attend to, muster, number, reckon, visit, punish, appoint, look after, care for

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to pay attention to, observe

1a2) to attend to

1a3) to seek, look about for

1a4) to seek in vain, need, miss, lack

1a5) to visit

1a6) to visit upon, punish

1a7) to pass in review, muster, number

1a8) to appoint, assign, lay upon as a charge, deposit

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be sought, be needed, be missed, be lacking

1b2) to be visited

1b3) to be visited upon

1b4) to be appointed

1b5) to be watched over

1c) (Piel) to muster, call up

1d) (Pual) to be passed in review, be caused to miss, be called, be called to account

1e) (Hiphil)

1e1) to set over, make overseer, appoint an overseer

1e2) to commit, entrust, commit for care, deposit

1f) (Hophal)

1f1) to be visited

1f2) to be deposited

1f3) to be made overseer, be entrusted

1g) (Hithpael) numbered

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-3ms — Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singular
HVqp3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

a-sin (nathan, "to give," or "grant," i.e. apportion): Used (Jos 20:8) of Moses setting apart Bezer as one of the three cities of refuge on the East of the Jordan (compare De 4:41-43); also of Joab's stationing Uriah in a place of mortal peril in battle (2Sa 11:16).

who? did he assign on him [the] earth towards and who? did he put [the] world all of it
עָלָ֣יו'a.Lav on him H5921 Preposition · suffix
5,774× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means on or above something, like a physical object or a situation. It can also imply a sense of responsibility or accountability, as in being on behalf of someone.
Tyndale gloss
upon
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עַל (*al*) is a preposition meaning 'upon' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including 'on account of,' 'beside,' 'above,' and 'against.' It can indicate physical placement, emotional burdens, or duties imposed on a person. The entries also note its use in idiomatic expressions and with verbs of motion. There is a mention of its function as a conjunction in certain contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

base

עַל, עָ֑ל

subst. height

As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against

Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed

of clothing, etc., which any one wears

With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it

Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him

Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him

על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him

חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5921a עַל, עָ֑ל . As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against . Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed . — . of clothing, etc., which any one wears

. With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it

. Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him

. Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him

. על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him

. חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5921 `al al

properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the

singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a

particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always

in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great

variety of applications (as follow):--above, according

to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because

of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both

and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in

(that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-)on, over, than,

through(-out), to, touching, X with.

see HEBREW for 05920

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עַל (al) — upon.

prep

1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against

1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards

1b) above, beyond, over (of excess)

1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence)

1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition)

1e) over (of suspension or extension)

1f) by, adjoining, next, at, over, around (of contiguity or proximity)

1g) down upon, upon, on, from, up upon, up to, towards, over towards, to, against (with verbs of motion)

1h) to (as a dative)

[כִּי] עַל [כֵּן] ([ki] al [ken]) — as.

conj

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Sp3ms — Preposition · suffix
HR/Sp3ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
who? did he assign on him [the] earth towards and who? did he put [the] world all of it
אָ֑רְצָה'A.re.tzah [the] earth towards H776 Noun common feminine singular absolute · suffix
2,504× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The land or earth refers to the soil or ground, and can also mean a country, territory, or region. In the Bible, it is used to describe the earth and its inhabitants, and is often translated as 'land' or 'country'.
Amplified meaning
the land, the material world, or the terrestrial sphere
Tyndale gloss
land: soil
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֶ֫רֶץ (erets) is a feminine noun meaning 'earth' or 'land.' It encompasses various meanings, including the whole earth, specific territories like Canaan, and even inhabitants of the land. It can refer to soil, ground, or regions, and is used in phrases related to distance and the living. There is a note on the plural form אֲרָצוֹת, which mainly appears in later texts to denote multiple lands.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶ֫רֶץ n. f. & (seld.) m. earth, land

earth, whole earth (opp. to a part)

earth, opp. to heaven, sky

earth = inhabitants of earth

land =

country, territory

district, region

trial territory

piece of ground

specif. land of Canaan, or Israel

= inhabitants of land

used even of Shᵉʼôl

ground, surface of ground

soil, as productive

אֶרֶץ in phrases

people of the land

in measurements of distance

the country of the plain, level or plain country

land of the living

end(s) of the earth

pl. אֲרָצוֹת is almost wholly late; it denotes lands, countries, often in contrast to Canaan, lands of the nations, etc.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H776 אֶ֫רֶץ n. f. & (seld.) m. earth, land . . earth, whole earth (opp. to a part)

. earth, opp. to heaven, sky

. earth = inhabitants of earth

. land = . country, territory

. district, region

. trial territory

. piece of ground

. specif. land of Canaan, or Israel

. = inhabitants of land

. used even of Shᵉʼôl

. . ground, surface of ground

. soil, as productive

. אֶרֶץ in phrases . people of the land

. in measurements of distance

. the country of the plain, level or plain country

. land of the living

. end(s) of the earth

. pl. אֲרָצוֹת is almost wholly late; it denotes lands, countries, often in contrast to Canaan, lands of the nations, etc.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

776 'erets eh'-rets

from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth

(at large, or partitively a land):--X common, country, earth,

field, ground, land, X natins, way, + wilderness, world.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶ֫רֶץ (e.rets) — land: country/planet.

: country/field

1) land, earth

1a) earth

1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part)

1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven)

1a3) earth (inhabitants)

1b) land

1b1) country, territory

1b2) district, region

1b3) tribal territory

1b4) piece of ground

1b5) land of Canaan, Israel

1b6) inhabitants of land

1b7) Sheol, land without return, (under) world

1b8) city (-state)

1c) ground, surface of the earth

1c1) ground

1c2) soil

1d) (in phrases)

1d1) people of the land

1d2) space or distance of country (in measurements of distance)

1d3) level or plain country

1d4) land of the living

1d5) end(s) of the earth

1e) (almost wholly late in usage)

1e1) lands, countries

1e1a) often in contrast to Canaan

אֶ֫רֶץ (e.rets) — land: soil.

: soil

1) land, earth

1a) earth

1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part)

1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven)

1a3) earth (inhabitants)

1b) land

1b1) country, territory

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-cs | Suff — Noun common feminine singular absolute · suffix
HNcfsa/Sd
who? did he assign on him [the] earth towards and who? did he put [the] world all of it
וּמִ֥יu.Mi and who? H4310 Conjunction · pronoun
423× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word is used to ask questions like who, whose, or whom. It can also be used to express a wish, like would that or whoever. It appears in many forms throughout the Bible, often in phrases like O that or what.
Amplified meaning
what authority or power
Tyndale gloss
who?
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מִי (mi) is an interrogative pronoun primarily used to ask about persons, meaning 'who?' or 'whose?'. It can also appear in rhetorical questions and has some idiomatic uses, such as 'who among...?' or 'whosoever'. The word is rarely applied to things, and its forms can vary in emphasis.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מִי 423 pron.interrog. who? of persons

מִי is rarely used of things, and usually where persons are understood or implied

in the gen. whose

in an indirect qu.

מִי ב׳ who among … ?

strengthened and emph. forms of interrog.

various rhetorical uses whose

מִי may sometimes be rendered whosoever, though, as the examples will shew, it does not really mean it

once, following a verb, any one

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4310 מִי who? of persons . מִי is rarely used of things, and usually where persons are understood or implied

. in the gen. whose

. in an indirect qu.

. מִי ב׳ who among … ?

. strengthened and emph. forms of interrog.

. various rhetorical uses whose

. מִי may sometimes be rendered whosoever, though, as the examples will shew, it does not really mean it

. once, following a verb, any one

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4310 miy me

an interrogative pronoun of persons, as 4100 is of things,

who? (occasionally, by a peculiar idiom, of things); also

(indefinitely) whoever; often used in oblique construction

with prefix or suffix:--any (man), X he, X him, + O that!

what, which, who(-m, -se, -soever), + would to God.

see HEBREW for 04100

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מִי (mi) — who?.

who?, whose?, whom?, would that, whoever, whosoever

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Part — Conjunction · pronoun
HC/Pi
who? did he assign on him [the] earth towards and who? did he put [the] world all of it
שָׂ֝֗םSam did he put H7760 Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singular
585× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to put or place something, and is used in many different ways in the Bible, such as to appoint or determine something. It is first used in Genesis to describe God's creation. In the KJV, it is translated as 'appoint' or 'set' in various contexts.
Amplified meaning
to set, place, or establish
Tyndale gloss
to set: make
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word שׂוּם (sum) is a verb meaning to put, place, or set, with a wide range of applications including appointing, establishing, and making. It can also refer to laying something upon or directing it. There is a related noun שׂוּמָה (sumah), which may denote a token of unluckiness. The entries do not present any significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שׂוּם, שִׂים 582 vb. put, place, set

Qal

put, set, in a place

put something upon

put, lay, set

put, c. בֵּין

set, direct

set, ordain, in a place

set, establish a law, statute

set, found a nation

set, appoint (as ruler, official)

set, constitute, make

set, determine, fix, bounds

set, station, at a post

put in position, sacred bread, sword, staves, bars

set up altars

= plant, wheat

set, fix (countenance)

make a thing, or pers. (acc.), for, transform into

make, constitute

work, bring to pass

appoint, give

set, fix (countenance)

Hiph. I will make him for a sign

Hoph. there was set before him

base

שׂוּמָה perhaps n. f. token of unluckiness, scowl;—2 S 13:32

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7760a שׂוּם, שִׂים put, place, set .. . put, set, in a place

. put something upon

. put, lay, set

. put, c. בֵּין

. set, direct

. . set, ordain, in a place

. set, establish a law, statute

. set, found a nation

. set, appoint (as ruler, official)

. set, constitute, make

. set, determine, fix, bounds

. . set, station, at a post

. put in position, sacred bread, sword, staves, bars

. set up altars

. = plant, wheat

. set, fix (countenance)

. . make a thing, or pers. (acc.), for, transform into

. make, constitute

. work, bring to pass

. appoint, give

. set, fix (countenance)

. I will make him for a sign

. there was set before him

H7760b שׂוּמָה perhaps n. f. token of unluckiness, scowl

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7760 suwm soom

or siym {seem}; a primitive root; to put (used in a great

variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially,

and elliptically):--X any wise, appoint, bring, call (a

name), care, cast in, change, charge, commit, consider,

convey, determine, + disguise, dispose, do, get, give, heap

up, hold, impute, lay (down, up), leave, look, make (out),

mark, + name, X on, ordain, order, + paint, place, preserve,

purpose, put (on), + regard, rehearse, reward, (cause to) set

(on, up), shew, + stedfastly, take, X tell, + tread down,

((over-))turn, X wholly, work.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שׂוּם (sum) — to set: make.

: make/establish

1) to put, place, set, appoint, make

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to put, set, lay, put or lay upon, lay (violent) hands on

1a2) to set, direct, direct toward

1a2a) to extend (compassion) (fig)

1a3) to set, ordain, establish, found, appoint, constitute, make, determine, fix

1a4) to set, station, put, set in place, plant, fix

1a5) to make, make for, transform into, constitute, fashion, work, bring to pass, appoint, give

1b) (Hiphil) to set or make for a sign

1c) (Hophal) to be set

שׂוּמָה (su.mah) — fate.

token of unluckiness, scowl

שׂוּם (sum) — to set: put.

: put/give

1) to put, place, set, appoint, make

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to put, set, lay, put or lay upon, lay (violent) hands on

1a2) to set, direct, direct toward

1a2a) to extend (compassion) (fig)

1a3) to set, ordain, establish, found, appoint, constitute, make, determine, fix

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-3ms — Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singular
HVqp3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

put (puT; Phoud, in Genesis and Chronicles, variant for Genesis Phout, for Chronicles, Phouth):

1. Renderings:

In consequence of the identification at the time, the prophets have "Libya" (Libues), except Nab 3:9, where the Greek renders the word as phuge, "flight." The Vulgate (Jerome's Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) has "Phut," "Phuth," and in the Prophets "Libyes" and "Libya"; the King James Version "Phut."

2. Son of Ham:

In the "Table of Nations" Put is the third son of Ham (Ge 10:6), the first and second being Cush and Misraim, and the fourth Canaan. Put is the only one of the sons of Ham who is not credited with descendants.

3. As Nationality:

In the Prophets, warriors from Put are referred to, principally in connection with the forces of Egypt. They appear as shield-bearers (Jer 46:9

Smith's Bible Dictionary
Nave's Topical Bible

→ See PHUT

who? did he assign on him [the] earth towards and who? did he put [the] world all of it
תֵּבֵ֥לte.Vel [the] world H8398 Noun common · feminine singular absolute
36× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for world, it refers to the earth and its inhabitants. In the Bible, it's used to describe the world God created, like in Psalm 24, which says the earth belongs to God.
Amplified meaning
the earth and its inhabitants, or the global community
Tyndale gloss
world
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

תֵּבֵל (tebel) means 'world' and is derived from a root meaning 'to be moist.' It refers to the earth as a habitable place, encompassing both the globe and its inhabitants, and can specifically denote regions like Babylonia and Palestine. The entries consistently highlight its connection to the concept of a productive, inhabited land.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

תֵּבֵל n.f. world (perh. orig. as productive)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8398 תֵּבֵל world

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8398 tebel tay-bale'

from 2986; the earth (as moist and therefore inhabited); by

extension, the globe; by implication, its inhabitants;

specifically, a partic. land, as Babylonia,

Palestine:--habitable part, world.

see HEBREW for 02986

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

תֵּבֵל (te.vel) — world.

world

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absolute
HNcfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The earth on which we dwell, 1Sa 2:8; its inhabitants, Joh 3:16, or a large number of them, Joh 12:19. In several places it is equivalent to "land," meaning the Roman Empire, or Judea and its vicinity, Lu 2:1 4:3 Ac 11:28. It also denotes the objects and interests of time and sense, Ga 6:14 1Jo 2:15.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ See EARTH

who? did he assign on him [the] earth towards and who? did he put [the] world all of it
כֻּלָּֽהּ׃ku.Lah all of it H3605 Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
5,415× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for 'all' or 'everything' is used throughout the Bible, like in Genesis 1:31, where God sees all He has made as very good. It encompasses the entirety of something, whether people, things, or situations.
Amplified meaning
entire, all-inclusive
Tyndale gloss
all
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כֹּל (kol) means 'all' or 'the whole.' It can refer to totality, including every person or thing, and is often used with a following genitive to specify what is included. The term can also denote a broader sense of everything in existence or all circumstances of life. The lexicons do not show significant disagreement on its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כֹּל once כּוֹל n.m. the whole, all

with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

Absolutely:

without the art., all things, all

with the art. הַכֹּל

where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3605 כֹּל once כּוֹל the whole, all . with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

. Absolutely: . without the art., all things, all

. with the art. הַכֹּל . where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

. in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3605 kol kole

or (Jer. 33:8) kowl {kole}; from 3634; properly, the whole;

hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a

plural sense):--(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any

(manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as

many as, (no-)thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole,

whoso(-ever).

see HEBREW for 03634

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כֹּל (kol) — all.

1) all, the whole

1a) all, the whole of

1b) any, each, every, anything

1c) totality, everything

Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HNcmsc/Sp3fs
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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