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Job 34:4 — Word Study

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WLCמִשְׁפָּ֥ט נִבְחֲרָה־ לָּ֑נוּ נֵדְעָ֖ה בֵינֵ֣ינוּ מַה־ טּֽוֹב׃

BSALet us choosebâchar [select, decide] what is rightmishpâṭ [justice, judgment] let us learnyâdaʻ [know, discern] togetherbêyn whatmâh is goodṭôwb [pleasant, beneficial]

Word
Listen & take awayJob 34
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 4 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 (Tov) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Job 34:4quick helps
In a sentenceJob invites his friends to make a collective decision about justice and goodness.
Who is speakingJob, speaking to his friends.
Where we areIn a discussion about justice and righteousness.
The hard wordמִשְׁפָּ֥ט
Take awayThe importance of discerning right from wrong together.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectטוֹב verbבָּחַר 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 34:4

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 Discourse on Justicegenerated

3For the ear tests words as the mouth tastes food.
4Let us choose for ourselves what is right; let us learn together what is good.
5For Job has declared, ‘I am righteous, yet God has deprived me of justice.
6Would I lie about my case? My wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.’

Job 34:4 is part of Job's response to his friends, where he emphasizes the need to choose what is just and to learn what is good together. This verse highlights the importance of collective discernment in understanding righteousness, echoing themes found throughout the book of Job as he grapples with his suffering and the nature of divine justice.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Job 34:36If only Job were tried to the utmost for answering like a wicked man.
2Judges 19:30And everyone who saw it said, “Nothing like this has been seen or done from the day the Israelites came out of the land of Egypt until this day. Think it over, take counsel, and speak up!”
3Judges 20:7Behold, all you Israelites, give your advice and verdict here and now.”
41 Corinthians 6:2–5Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases?
5Galatians 2:11–14When Cephas came to Antioch, however, I opposed him to his face, because he stood to be condemned.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 9 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word מִשְׁפָּ֥ט, mish.Patgenerated

The word מִשְׁפָּט (mishpat) is a noun that means justice or judgment. It encompasses both human laws and divine decisions, indicating a verdict pronounced in legal contexts. The parsing as a masculine singular noun suggests it refers to a specific instance of judgment or justice.

This term is often associated with God's righteous judgment, as seen in various passages throughout the Hebrew Scriptures. It emphasizes the ethical and moral dimensions of justice, calling attention to the need for fairness and rectitude in human interactions.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

In this study, the verse is read from the Berean Standard Bible, which uses what is right and what is good to convey the meanings of the Hebrew terms.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The verse consists of two main clauses connected by a conjunction. The first clause, נִבְחֲרָה־ (let us choose), serves as the action, while the second clause, נֵדְעָ֖ה (let us learn), describes what follows from that choice. The structure emphasizes the collaborative nature of the decision-making process.

The Hebrew word order places the verbs at the beginning, highlighting the actions of choosing and learning as the focal points of the verse.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, the Hebrew מִשְׁפָּט is translated as κρίσιν (krisin), meaning judgment. This choice reflects a focus on the judicial aspect of the term, aligning with the broader Greek understanding of justice.

The translation of נִבְחֲרָה־ as ἑλώμεθα suggests an inclusive action, emphasizing the communal aspect of the decision-making process.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Job 34:4 invites us to choose what is right and to learn together what is good. This verse emphasizes the importance of making decisions about justice and goodness as a community, reflecting Job's desire for understanding among his friends.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean to choose what is right?

Choosing what is right involves making moral and ethical decisions based on justice and fairness, as Job encourages his friends to do.

How can we learn together what is good?

Learning together what is good means engaging in discussions and reflections with others to discern ethical and beneficial actions.

Why is Job emphasizing collective decision-making?

Job emphasizes collective decision-making to highlight the importance of community in understanding justice and morality, especially in the face of suffering.

What role does justice play in this verse?

Justice is central to this verse, as it calls for a shared understanding of what is fair and right in the context of Job's discussions about his suffering.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways can I engage with others to discern what is right and just?
  2. How do I understand the concept of goodness in my daily life?
  3. What are some examples of collective decision-making in my community?
  4. How can I apply the principles of justice and goodness from this verse in my relationships?

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

The early commentary from Gregory the Dialogist discusses the importance of choosing judgment and discerning what is best among ourselves.

Gregory the DialogistMorals on the Book of Job, Book XXIV c. 540–604
Let us choose to us judgment, and let us see among ourselves what is the best. But we easily learn, by considering the words which follow, whether he sought for this judgment from humility of heart.
Early Church Fathers on Job 34 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Job 34:4 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Let us choose to us judgments,.... Take the part of the question or controversy in which truth and justice lie, and he doubtless has respect to the present controversy with Job; let us know among

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

Let us choose to us judgment: let us know among ourselves what is good. Judgment - what is right and just. Let us select, among the conflicting sentiments advanced, what will stand the test of examination.

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

Judgment, i.e. justice and equity; judgment being oft synecdochically used for just judgment, as 19:7 32:9 . Let us not contend for victory, but only for truth and justice. This shall be my only care and business· Let us lay aside all prejudices and animosities, which I perceive have had too great an influence upon thee and thy friends, and impartially consider the naked truth and right of the muse. Let us know, i.e. let us discover or make it known one to another. What is good; who hath the best cause.

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

Job 34:4 Let us choose to us judgment: let us know among ourselves what [is] good.Ver. 4. Let us choose to us judgment] Let us summon the sobriety of our senses before our judgments; laying aside all prejudice; for, Omne iudicium a se aufert qui praeiudicium affert, He can never judge aright who comes to a cause forestalled or prepossessed. Let us know among ourselves what is good] Let us go knowingly to work, according to apparent truth; and not use cunningly devised arguments, as many ( mataeologi rather than theologi) do today in the greatest controversies of religion; and hereunto let us all contribute our best help, for the finding out of truth, and convincing of Job.

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

Verse 4. Let us choose to us judgment] Let us not seek the applause of men, nor contend for victory. Let our aim be to obtain correct views and notions of all things; and let us labour to find out what is good.

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

4. The word judgment means right, or, the right, the just decision in the cause under consideration, Job’s plea with God.

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

Let us choose to us judgment - That is, let us examine and explore what is true and right.

Read Albert Barnes on Job 34 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

4. Choose judgment — Better, Prove the right. He proposes to bring to the touchstone of right the matter at issue between Job and his God. Compare 1 Thessalonians 5:21.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon 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

Let us choose for ourselves what is right; let us learn together what is good.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Let us choose for us that which is right. Let us know among ourselves what is good.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Let us choose for ourselves what is right; let us learn together what is good.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Let us evaluate for ourselves what is right; let us come to know among ourselves what is good.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Let us choose to us judgment: let us know among ourselves what is good.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Let us choose for us that which is right: Let us know among ourselves what is good.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Let us choose for us that which is right: let us know among ourselves what is good.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Let us choose to us judgment: let us know among ourselves what is good.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Let vs seeke iudgement among vs, and let vs knowe among our selues what is good.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Let us choose for ourselves what is right; let us know among ourselves what is good!

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Judgment let us choose for ourselves, Let us know among ourselves what [is] good.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Let us choose judgment for ourselves, || Let us know among ourselves what [is] good.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Let us choose for ourselves what is just: let us acknowledge between ourselves what is good.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Let us choose for ourselves what is just: let us discover among ourselves what is good.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Let us choose to us judgment, and let us see among ourselves what is the best.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Let us discern for ourselves what is right: let us decide among ourselves what is good.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Let us make the decision for ourselves as to what is right; let us have the knowledge among ourselves of what is good.

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.

clauseobjectמִשְׁפָּ֥טjusticeverbנִבְחֲרָהlet.us.chooseprepositional phrase · prepositionalלָּ֑forנוּourselvesclauseverbנֵדְעָ֖הlet.us.recognizeprepositional phrase · prepositionalבֵינֵ֣יbetweenנוּourselvesclause · objectpredicateמַהwhat?subjectטּֽוֹב[is].good

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


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

The Masoretic Text of Job 34:4 reads, "מִשְׁפָּ֥ט נִבְחֲרָה־ לָּ֑נוּ נֵדְעָ֖ה בֵינֵ֣ינוּ מַה־ טּֽוֹב׃" which translates to, "Let us choose for ourselves what is right; let us learn together what is good." The Septuagint, while not providing a direct translation in this instance, shows that 6 of the 7 words from the Masoretic Text are matched in its word-by-word correspondence, indicating a strong agreement in content. However, the specific arrangement of words and articles in the Septuagint reflects its own sentence structure, which may differ from the Masoretic Text. The Samaritan Pentateuch and the Dead Sea Scrolls do not provide additional evidence for this verse, so their agreement or differences cannot be assessed here. Overall, the Masoretic Text and the Septuagint align closely in meaning, despite possible variations in wording and structure.

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

מִשְׁפָּ֥ט נִבְחֲרָה־ לָּ֑נוּ נֵדְעָ֖ה בֵינֵ֣ינוּ מַה־ טּֽוֹב׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
מִשְׁפָּ֥טκρίσινנִבְחֲרָה־ἑλώμεθαלָּ֑נוּἑαυτοῖςנֵדְעָ֖הγνῶμενבֵינֵ֣ינוּμέσονטּֽוֹב׃καλόν

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

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


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

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

Job 34:4מִשְׁפָּטjusticejusticeמִשְׁפָּטבָּחַרlet us choolet us chooseבָּחַרנוּfor ourselvfor ourselvesנוּיָדַעlet us recolet us recognizיָדַעבַּ֫יִןbetween ourbetween ourselvבַּ֫יִןמָהwhat?what?מָהטוֹב[is] good[is] goodטוֹבשָׁפַטto judgeto judgeשָׁפַטטוֹבbe pleasinbe pleasingטוֹבבִּיןto understto understandבִּיןחֻקָּהstatutestatuteחֻקָּהחֹקstatute: dstatute: decreeחֹקמָאַסto rejectto rejectמָאַסמָקוֹםplaceplaceמָקוֹםאֲנִיIIאֲנִיבָּדַלto separatto separateבָּדַלכָּ֫כָהthusthusכָּ֫כָהפָּעַלto workto workפָּעַליָשָׁרJasharJasharיָשָׁרמַרְאֶהappearanceappearanceמַרְאֶה
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 34:4

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.

justice let us choose for ourselves let us recognize between ourselves what? [is] good
מִשְׁפָּ֥טmish.Pat justice H4941 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
422× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Mishpat means justice or judgment, and is often used to describe God's righteous judgment, as well as human laws and decisions, in books like Deuteronomy and Isaiah.
Amplified meaning
justice, judgment
Tyndale gloss
justice: judgement
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word מִשְׁפָּט (mishpat) primarily means judgment or justice and encompasses various aspects such as legal rights, ordinances, and decisions. It is derived from a root meaning to pronounce a verdict, covering both human and divine law. The entries highlight its application in legal contexts, including the act of deciding cases and the attributes of justice and rectitude.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מִשְׁפָּט 422 n.m. judgment

judgment

justice, right, rectitude

ordinance

decision

one's (legal) right, privilege, due

proper, fitting, measure

custom, manner

what manner of

plan

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4941 מִשְׁפָּט judgment . judgment

. justice, right, rectitude

. ordinance

. decision

. one's (legal) right, privilege, due

. . proper, fitting, measure

. custom, manner

. what manner of

. plan

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4941 mishpat mish-pawt'

from 8199; properly, a verdict (favorable or unfavorable)

pronounced judicially, especially a sentence or formal decree

(human or (participant's) divine law, individual or

collective), including the act, the place, the suit, the

crime, and the penalty; abstractly, justice, including a

participant's right or privilege (statutory or customary), or

even a style:--+ adversary, ceremony, charge, X crime,

custom, desert, determination, discretion, disposing, due,

fashion, form, to be judged, judgment, just(-ice, -ly),

(manner of) law(-ful), manner, measure, (due) order,

ordinance, right, sentence, usest, X worthy, + wrong.

see HEBREW for 08199

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מִשְׁפָּט (mish.pat) — justice: judgement.

: judgement/punishment

1) judgment, justice, ordinance

1a) judgment

1a1) act of deciding a case

1a2) place, court, seat of judgment

1a3) process, procedure, litigation (before judges)

1a4) case, cause (presented for judgment)

1a5) sentence, decision (of judgment)

1a6) execution (of judgment)

1a7) time (of judgment)

1b) justice, right, rectitude (attributes of God or man)

1c) ordinance

1d) decision (in law)

1e) right, privilege, due (legal)

1f) proper, fitting, measure, fitness, custom, manner, plan

מִשְׁפָּט (mish.pat) — justice.

: justice/right/righteousness

1) judgment, justice, ordinance

1a) judgment

1a1) act of deciding a case

1a2) place, court, seat of judgment

1a3) process, procedure, litigation (before judges)

1a4) case, cause (presented for judgment)

1a5) sentence, decision (of judgment)

1a6) execution (of judgment)

1a7) time (of judgment)

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

jus'-tis (tsedhaqah; tsedheq; dikaiosune): The original Hebrew and Greek words are the same as those rendered "righteousness." This is the common rendering, and in about half the cases where we have "just" and "justice" in the King James Version, the American Standard Revised Version has changed to "righteous" and "righteousness." It must be constantly borne in mind that the two ideas are essentially the same.

See RIGHTEOUSNESS.

1. Human Justice:

Justice had primarily to do with conduct in relation to others, especially with regard to the rights of others. It is applied to business, where just weights and measures are demanded (Le 19:35,36; De 25:13-16; Am 8:5; Pr 11:1; 16:11…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Justice

Is rendering to every one that which is his due. It has been distinguished from equity in this respect, that while justice means merely the doing what positive law demands, equity means the doing of what is fair and right in every separate case.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A principle of righteousness and equity, controlling our conduct, and securing a due regard to all the rights of others-their persons, property, character, and interests. It has to do, not with pecuniary transactions alone, but with all our intercourse with society. It forms a chief element of the character approved in God’s word; and a truly just man has but to "love mercy, and walk humbly with God," to fulfil all righteousness. Justice in magistrates, rulers, and judges, must be fearless and impartial, and all its decisions such as will bear revision before the court of heaven, De 1:16,17 2Sa 23:3 2Ch 19:6-10. Judgement is peculiarly the prerogative of God, and every earthly tribunal lies under the shadow of the "great white…

Nave's Topical Bible

→ General scriptures concerning Ex 23:1-3,6-8; Le 19:13-15; De 16:18-20; 25:1-4; Ezr 7:26; Ps 72:1,2; 82:2-4; Pr 17:15,26; 18:5,17; 20:8; 22:27; 24:23; 28:21; 29:26; Ec 3:16,17; 5:8; 7:7; Isa 1:17; 56:1; 59:14,15; Jer 22:1-4; La 3:35,36; Am 5:7,11,12;

justice let us choose for ourselves let us recognize between ourselves what? [is] good
נִבְחֲרָה־niv.cha.rah- let us choose H977 Verb · Qal · infinitive construct first person common plural
171× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To choose or select is the meaning of this Hebrew word, which appears in Deuteronomy. It can also mean to be chosen or elected. The KJV translates it as 'choose' or 'acceptable'.
Amplified meaning
select, decide
Tyndale gloss
to choose
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בָּחַר (bachar) is a Hebrew verb meaning to choose or select. It encompasses actions like examining and trying, indicating both divine and human choices. The word can appear in various forms, such as being chosen or selected. It is used in contexts of making decisions, often with specific prepositions indicating the nature of the choice.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בָּחַר vb. choose

Qal

with בְּ,

divine choice

man’s choice

with אֲשֶׁר:

divine choice

man’s choice

with acc. & לְ, choose some one or something for

with acc. and מִן, choose, select from

acc.

divine choice

man’s choice

with עַל, for this hast thou chosen rather than affliction

with לְ of acc. chosen

test, try

Niph. to be chosen

Pu. chosen, selected

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H977 בָּחַר examine, try .. examine, scrutinize, try

. prove, test, try

. to be tried, proved

. the trial has been made

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

977 bachar baw-khar'

a primitive root; properly, to try, i.e. (by implication)

select:--acceptable, appoint, choose (choice), excellent,

join, be rather, require.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בָּחַר (ba.char) — to choose.

1) to choose, elect, decide for

1a) (Qal) to choose

1b) (Niphal) to be chosen

1c) (Pual) to be chosen, selected

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-1cp — Verb · Qal · infinitive construct first person common plural
HVqc1cp
justice let us choose for ourselves let us recognize between ourselves what? [is] good
לָּ֑נוּLa.nu for ourselves H9035 Preposition · suffix
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נוּ (nu) — us.

Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 1st person plural

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Sp1bp — Preposition · suffix
HR/Sp1bp
justice let us choose for ourselves let us recognize between ourselves what? [is] good
נֵדְעָ֖הne.de.'Ah let us recognize H3045 Verb · Qal · infinitive construct first person common plural
945× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for to know means to ascertain by seeing, and is used in many senses, including to learn, perceive, and recognize, as seen in various KJV translations.
Amplified meaning
know, discern
Tyndale gloss
to know
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָדַע 943 vb. know

Qal

know, learn to know

perceive

perceive and see; find out and discern

discriminate, distinguish

know by experience

recognize, admit, acknowledge, confess

consider

not know = not expect

know a person, be acquainted with

know a person carnally, of sexual intercourse

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

be skilful in

abs. have knowledge, be wise

Niph.

be made known, be or become known, of things

make oneself known of pers.

be perceived

be instructed

Pi. cause to know

Pu. known

Hiph. make known, declare

Hoph. made known

Hithp. make oneself known

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3045 יָדַע know .. . know, learn to know

. perceive

. perceive and see; find out and discern

. discriminate, distinguish

. know by experience

. recognize, admit, acknowledge, confess

. consider

. not know = not expect

. know a person, be acquainted with

. know a person carnally, of sexual intercourse

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

. be skilful in

. abs. have knowledge, be wise

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

. make oneself known of pers.

. be perceived

. be instructed

. cause to know

. known

. make known, declare

. made known

. make oneself known

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3045 yada` yaw-dah'

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

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

euphemistically and inferentially (including observation,

care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Read the full entry →
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָדַע (ya.da) — to know.

1) to know

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to know

1a1a) to know, learn to know

1a1b) to perceive

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

1a1d) to discriminate, distinguish

1a1e) to know by experience

1a1f) to recognise, admit, acknowledge, confess

1a1g) to consider

1a2) to know, be acquainted with

1a3) to know (a person carnally)

1a4) to know how, be skilful in

1a5) to have knowledge, be wise

1b) (Niphal)

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

1b2) to make oneself known

1b3) to be perceived

1b4) to be instructed

1c) (Piel) to cause to know

1d) (Poal) to cause to know

1e) (Pual)

1e1) to be known

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

1f) (Hiphil) to make known, declare

1g) (Hophal) to be made known

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

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-1cp — Verb · Qal · infinitive construct first person common plural
HVqc1cp
justice let us choose for ourselves let us recognize between ourselves what? [is] good
בֵינֵ֣ינוּvei.Nei.nu between ourselves H996 Suffix
407× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Between is the meaning of this preposition, used to show a location or a choice, like either or, as seen in Exodus where it describes the space between two objects.
Tyndale gloss
between
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בַּ֫יִן (beyn) is a noun meaning 'interval' or 'space between.' It primarily functions as a preposition meaning 'between' or 'among,' and can also indicate distinctions or choices. The dual form בֵּנַ֫יִם refers specifically to the space between two entities, such as armies. The entries do not indicate any significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בַּ֫יִן subst. prop. interval, space between

always (exc. dual) as prep. in the interval of, between

Dual בֵּנַ֫יִם space between two armies

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H996 בַּ֫יִן subst. prop. interval, space between . always (exc. dual) as prep. in the interval of, between

. Dual בֵּנַ֫יִם space between two armies

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

996 beyn bane

(sometimes in the plural masculine or feminine); properly,

the constructive form of an otherwise unused noun from 995; a

distinction; but used only as a prep, between (repeated before

each noun, often with other particles); also as a conjunction,

either...or:--among, asunder, at, between (-twixt...and), +

from (the widest), X in, out of, whether (it be...or), within.

see HEBREW for 0995

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בַּ֫יִן (ba.yin) — between.

: between

between, among, in the midst of (with other preps), from between

בַּ֫יִן (ba.yin) — between: among.

: among

between, among, in the midst of (with other preps), from between

A sub-meaning of ben (בַּ֫יִן ": between" H0996)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | Suff — Suffix
HAcmpc/Sp1bp
justice let us choose for ourselves let us recognize between ourselves what? [is] good
מַה־mah- what? H4100 Pronoun
753× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means what or how, often used to ask questions or express surprise, like in Genesis when God asks Adam what he has done. It can also mean why or when, and is used in various ways throughout the Old Testament. It appears in many KJV translations, including how or what.
Tyndale gloss
what?
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מָה (mah) is a Hebrew word primarily used as an interrogative particle meaning 'what?' or 'how?'. It can also function as an indefinite pronoun, encompassing meanings like 'anything' or 'whatever'. The word is versatile, appearing in various adverbial forms and often used with prefixes to express different nuances, such as reason or manner.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מָה, rarely מָה־, מַה־, מַה‍ּ, מֶה, מַ‍ּ, מָ—pron.interrog. and indef. what? how? aught

interrog. what?

Used adverbially

Indef. pron.

With preps.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4100 מָה, rarely מָה־, מַה־, מַה‍ּ, מֶה, מַ‍ּ, מָ—pron. interrog. and indef. what? how? aught . interrog. what?

. Used adverbially

. Indef. pron.

. With preps.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4100 mah maw

or mah {mah}; or ma {maw}; or ma {mah}; also meh {meh}; a

primitive particle; properly, interrogative what? (including

how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including

how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and even

relatively, that which); often used with prefixes in various

adverbial or conjunctive senses:--how (long, oft, (-

soever)), (no-)thing, what (end, good, purpose, thing),

whereby(-fore, -in, -to, -with), (for) why.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מָה (mah) — what?.

interr pron

1) what, how, of what kind

1a) (interrogative)

1a1) what?

1a2) of what kind

1a3) what? (rhetorical)

1a4) whatsoever, whatever, what

1b) (adverb)

1b1) how, how now

1b2) why

1b3) how! (exclamation)

1c) (with prep)

1c1) wherein?, whereby?, wherewith?, by what means?

1c2) because of what?

1c3) the like of what?

1c3a) how much?, how many?, how often?

1c3b) for how long?

1c4) for what reason?, why?, to what purpose?

1c5) until when?, how long?, upon what?, wherefore?

indef pron

2) anything, aught, what may

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part — Pronoun
HPi
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
justice let us choose for ourselves let us recognize between ourselves what? [is] good
טּֽוֹב׃Tov [is] good H2896 Adj
538× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means good or welfare, describing something that is beneficial or pleasing, like a good deed or a happy time. It is used in many contexts, including Genesis and Psalms. This word is often translated as 'good' or 'beautiful'.
Amplified meaning
pleasant, beneficial
Tyndale gloss
pleasant
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

טוֹב (tov) is a Hebrew word meaning good or pleasant, encompassing a wide range of meanings from agreeable to the senses to ethical goodness. It can function as an adjective, noun, or adverb, referring to things like welfare, happiness, and prosperity. The feminine form, טוֹבָה (tovah), specifically denotes welfare or good things.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

טוֹב adj. pleasant, agreeable, good

pleasant, agreeable to the senses

pleasant to the higher nature, giving pleasure, happiness, prosperity, and so agreeable, pleasing, well

good, excellent, of its kind

good, rich, valuable in estimation

good, appropriate, becoming

c. מִן compar. = better

of man's sensuous nature, glad, happy, prosperous

of man's intellectual nature, good understanding

good, kind, benign

good (ethical), right

base

טוֹב n.m. a good thing, benefit, welfare

welfare, prosperity, happiness

good things

good = benefit

moral good

base

טוֹבָה n.f. welfare, benefit, good things, good

welfare, prosperity, happiness

good things

bounty, good

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2896a טוֹב pleasant, agreeable, good . pleasant, agreeable to the senses

. pleasant to the higher nature, giving pleasure, happiness, prosperity, and so agreeable, pleasing, well

. good, excellent, of its kind

. good, rich, valuable in estimation

. good, appropriate, becoming

. c. מִן compar. =better

. of man's sensuous nature, glad, happy, prosperous

. of man's intellectual nature, good understanding

. good, kind, benign

. good (ethical), right

H2896b טוֹב a good thing, benefit, welfare H2896c טוֹבָה welfare, benefit, good things, good

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2896 towb tobe

from 2895; good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used

likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine,

the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing, a

good man or woman; the good, goods or good things, good men or

women), also as an adverb (well):--beautiful, best, better,

bountiful, cheerful, at ease, X fair (word), (be in) favour,

fine, glad, good (deed, -lier, -liest, -ly, -ness, -s),

graciously, joyful, kindly, kindness, liketh (best), loving,

merry, X most, pleasant, + pleaseth, pleasure, precious,

prosperity, ready, sweet, wealth, welfare, (be) well

((-favoured)).

see HEBREW for 02895

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

טוֹב (tov) — pleasant.

adj

1) good, pleasant, agreeable

1a) pleasant, agreeable (to the senses)

1b) pleasant (to the higher nature)

1c) good, excellent (of its kind)

1d) good, rich, valuable in estimation

1e) good, appropriate, becoming

1f) better (comparative)

1g) glad, happy, prosperous (of man's sensuous nature)

1h) good understanding (of man's intellectual nature)

1i) good, kind, benign

1j) good, right (ethical)

Aramaic equivalent: tav (טָב "fine" H2869)

טוֹב (tov) — good.

1) a good thing, benefit, welfare

1a) welfare, prosperity, happiness

1b) good things (collective)

1c) good, benefit

1d) moral good

טוֹבָה (to.vah) — welfare.

1) welfare, benefit, good things

1a) welfare, prosperity, happiness

1b) good things (collective)

1c) bounty

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Adj
HAamsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

good (Tobh, Tubh, yaTabh; agathos, agathon, kalos, kalon): In English "good" is used in various senses, most of which are represented in the Bible.

(1) In the Old Testament the commonest word is Tobh, occurring very frequently and translated in a great variety of ways. Of the different shades of meaning, which frequently run into each other, the following may be distinguished:

(a) Possessing desirable qualities, beneficial, agreeable, e.g. "good for food" (Ge 2:9); "We will do thee good" (Nu 10:29); Who will show us any good?" (Ps 4:6); "good tidings of good" (Isa 52:7).

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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