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Job 37:5 — Word Study

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WLCיַרְעֵ֤ם אֵ֣ל בְּ֭קוֹלוֹ נִפְלָא֑וֹת עֹשֶׂ֥ה גְ֝דֹל֗וֹת וְלֹ֣א נֵדָֽע׃

BSAGodʼêl [the supreme Almighty, Elohim] thundersrâʻam [with a mighty, rumbling sound, like thunder] wondrouslypâlâʼ [in a marvelous, awe-inspiring way, wonderfully] with His voiceqôwl [the sound of His speaking, a powerful declaration] He doesʻâsâh [accomplishes, brings about] great thingsgâdôwl [mighty, extraordinary works, marvelous deeds] we cannotlôʼ [are unable to, do not have the capacity to] comprehendyâdaʻ [fully understand, grasp, know]

Word
Listen & take awayJob 37
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 5 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 (ne.Da') — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Job 37:5quick helps
In a sentenceGod thunders in a marvelous way, accomplishing great things beyond our understanding.
Who is speakingJob, reflecting on God's power and majesty.
Where we areIn a poetic discourse about God's might and the wonders of creation.
The hard wordנִפְלָא֑וֹת
Take awayGod's actions are beyond human comprehension.
6 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectאֵל verbרָעַם 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 37:5

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 — God's Majesty in Creationgenerated

4Then there comes a roaring sound; He thunders with His majestic voice. He does not restrain the lightning when His voice resounds.
5God thunders wondrously with His voice; He does great things we cannot comprehend.
6For He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’ and to the gentle rain, ‘Pour out a mighty downpour.’
7He seals up the hand of every man, so that all men may know His work.

Job 37:5 reflects on the grandeur of God as He thunders with His voice, performing mighty deeds that are beyond human understanding. This passage emphasizes God's sovereignty and the awe-inspiring nature of His works, as Job contemplates the natural phenomena that reveal God's power, similar to the themes found in Psalm 29:4 and Psalm 104:7.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
12 Samuel 22:14–15The LORD thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded.
2Job 5:9the One who does great and unsearchable things, wonders without number.
3Job 9:10He does great things beyond searching out, and wonders without number.
4Job 11:7Can you fathom the deep things of God or discover the limits of the Almighty?
5Job 26:14Indeed, these are but the fringes of His ways; how faint is the whisper we hear of Him! Who then can understand the thunder of His power?”

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 10 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word יַרְעֵ֤ם, yar.'Emgenerated

The verb יַרְעֵ֤ם (yar.'Em) is in the Hiphil form, indicating that God actively causes thunder. This word conveys a loud, rumbling sound, often associated with divine communication or judgment. It is used throughout the Bible to depict God's powerful voice, particularly in moments of revelation or awe.

The use of this verb in the context of God's thundering emphasizes His authority and the impact of His words, which resonate with both power and majesty. It invites the reader to reflect on the natural world as a manifestation of God's might.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

The translations generally agree on the meaning of the verse, emphasizing God's thundering voice and His great deeds.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb יַרְעֵ֤ם (yar.'Em) governs the structure, indicating God's action of thundering. The sentence includes a subject, a participial phrase describing God's actions, and an object that highlights the great things He accomplishes.

The arrangement of the words emphasizes God's voice and the wonders He performs, creating a rhythm that reflects the poetic nature of the text.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates יַרְעֵ֤ם as βροντήσει (), which also means 'to thunder.' This choice aligns with the original meaning, maintaining the sense of divine power and authority.

The use of θαυμάσια for נִפְלָא֑וֹת indicates a focus on the marvelous nature of God's works, reinforcing the theme of awe and wonder present in the Hebrew text.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Job 37:5 describes how God thunders with His voice, performing great and wondrous acts that are beyond our understanding. This verse highlights God's immense power and the mystery of His works, reminding us of the limits of human comprehension.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that God thunders?

God thundering signifies His powerful voice and authority, often associated with His presence and actions in the world.

Why can we not comprehend God's great works?

God's works are often beyond human understanding due to their complexity and the divine nature from which they arise.

How does this verse relate to God's creation?

This verse connects to the theme of God's sovereignty over creation, illustrating how natural phenomena reflect His power.

What can we learn from Job 37:5?

We learn to recognize and respect the majesty of God, acknowledging that His actions are often beyond our understanding.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways have I experienced God's power in my life?
  2. How can I cultivate a deeper understanding of God's works?
  3. What does it mean to me that some of God's actions are beyond comprehension?
  4. How can I share the awe of God's creations with others?

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

Early Church Fathers comment on Job's reflections about God's power, emphasizing the majesty and mystery of His works.

John ChrysostomCOMMENTARY ON Job 37:7B c. 347–407
This is the reason, he says, for the grandiosity of his creations, the reason for the cold and the heat, the reason for the irregularity of the winds.
Early Church Fathers on Job 37 →
Gregory the DialogistMorals on the Book of Job, Book XXVII c. 540–604
God will thunder marvellously with His voice. Who doeth great things and inscrutable. God thunders marvellously with His voice, because He penetrates our hearts incomprehensibly with His secret might.
Early Church Fathers on Job 37 →

Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Job 37:5 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

God thundereth marvellously with his voice,.... Or "marvels" (c), or marvellous things, which may respect the marvellous effects of thunder and lightning: such as rending rocks and mountains;

Read John Gill on Job 37 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

God thundereth marvellously with his voice; great things doeth he, which we cannot comprehend. Great things ... which we cannot comprehend - (Job 36:26; Psalms 65:6; Psalms 139:14).

Read Robert Jamieson on Job 37 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Marvellously; with a wonderful and terrible noise, and so as to produce many wonderful effects, as the breaking down of great and strong trees or buildings, the killing of men in a stupendous manner, &c. Great things doeth he, even in the course of nature, and in visible things; which all men see, but scarce any can give the true and satisfactory reasons of them; for the greatest philosophers speak only by guess, and are greatly divided among themselves about them. And therefore it is not strange if the secret and deep counsels of Divine Providence be out of our reach; and it is great arrogancy in thee, O Job, to censure them, because thou dost not fully understand them.

Read Matthew Poole on Job 37 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Job 37:5 God thundereth marvellously with his voice; great things doeth he, which we cannot comprehend.Ver. 5. God thundereth marvellousIy with his voice] Or, God thundereth out marvellous things with his voice. Marvellous indeed, if we consider the effects of thunder, lightning, and lightnig bolts, which differ from lightning in form only, and not in matter; and for the effects thereof naturalists tell us strange things; as that by them the money hath been melted without hurting the purse; the sword hath been broken within the scabbard, the wine hath been exhausted within the barrel, the bones broke within the flesh, &c. How various and marvellous the nature, generation, matter, form…

Read John Trapp on Job 37 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 5. God thundereth marvellously with his voice] This is the conclusion of Elihu's description of the lightning and thunder: and here only should chap. xxxvi. have ended. He began, Job 36:29, with the noise of God's tabernacle; and he ends here with the marvellous thundering of Jehovah. Probably the writer of the book of Job had seen the description of a similar thunder storm as given by the psalmist, Psalms 77:16-19: - Ver. 16. The waters saw thee, O God! The waters saw thee, and were afraid. Yea, the deeps were affrighted! Ver. 17. The clouds poured out water; The ethers sent forth a sound; Yea, thine arrows went abroad. Ver. 18. The voice of thy thunder was through the expanse: The…

Read AdamClarke on Job 37 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

God thundereth marvelously - He thunders in a wonderful manner. The idea is, that the voice of his thunder is an amazing exhibition of his majesty and power.

Read Albert Barnes on Job 37 →

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

God thunders wondrously with His voice; He does great things we cannot comprehend.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

God thunders marvelously with his voice. He does great things, which we can’t comprehend.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

God thunders wondrously with His voice; He does great things we cannot comprehend.

NETBNew English Translation2006

God thunders with his voice in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

God thundereth marvellously with his voice; great things doeth he, which we cannot comprehend.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

God thundereth marvellously with his voice; Great things doeth he, which we cannot comprehend.

RVARevised Version, American1894

God thundereth marvelously with his voice; great things doeth he, which we cannot comprehend.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

God thundereth marvelously with his voice; great things he doeth, which we cannot comprehend.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

God thundereth marueilously with his voyce: he worketh great things, which we know not.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

God thundereth marvellously with his voice, doing great things which we do not comprehend.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

God thundereth with His voice wonderfully, Doing great things and we know not.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

God thunders with His voice wonderfully, || Doing great things and we do not know.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

God thundereth with his marvelous voice: he doth great things, which we cannot comprehend.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

God thunders marvelously with his voice; he does great things that we cannot comprehend.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

God shall thunder wonderfully with his voice, he that doth great and unsearchable things.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

God's thunderous voice is wonderful! We can't comprehend the great things he does!

BBEBible in Basic English1949

He does wonders, more than may be searched out; great things of which we have no knowledge;

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.

clauseverbיַרְעֵ֤םhe.thunderssubjectאֵ֣לGodprepositional phrase · prepositionalבְּ֭withnoun phraseקוֹלvoiceוֹhisadverbialנִפְלָא֑וֹתwondersclauseverbעֹשֶׂ֥ה[he.is].doingobjectגְ֝דֹל֗וֹתgreat.[things]וְandclauseadverbialלֹ֣אnotverbנֵדָֽעwe.know

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 align closely, with all eight words matching in the Hebrew and Greek versions. The Dead Sea Scrolls show partial restoration, but the core message remains consistent across these witnesses.

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

יַרְעֵ֤ם אֵ֣ל בְּ֭קוֹלוֹ נִפְלָא֑וֹת עֹשֶׂ֥ה גְ֝דֹל֗וֹת וְלֹ֣א נֵדָֽע׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
יַרְעֵ֤םβροντήσειאֵ֣לἰσξυρὸςבְּ֭קוֹלוֹαὐτοῦנִפְלָא֑וֹתθαυμάσιαעֹשֶׂ֥הἐποίησενגְ֝דֹל֗וֹתμεγάλαוְלֹ֣אοὐκנֵדָֽע׃ᾔδειμεν

8 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.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q99a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

ירעם על בקול׳ו [נפלאות] [עשה] [גדלות] ולא נדע

3 words on the leather — 2 partly restored, 3 supplied entire by an editor.

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 37:5רָעַםhe thundershe thundersרָעַםאֵלGodGodאֵלקוֹלwith voice with voice hisקוֹלפָּלָאwonderswondersפָּלָאעָשָׂה[he is] doi[he is] doingעָשָׂהגָּדוֹלgreat [thingreat [things]גָּדוֹללֹאand notand notלֹאיָדַעwe knowwe knowיָדַעאַ֫יִלramramאַ֫יִלגָּדַלto magnifyto magnifyגָּדַלמְלֹאfullnessfullnessמְלֹאאֵלgodgodאֵלקַנָּאjealousjealousקַנָּאשַׁדַּיAlmightyAlmightyשַׁדַּיתְּרוּעָהshoutshoutתְּרוּעָהשֹׁפָרtrumpettrumpetשֹׁפָרנֶ֫דֶרvowvowנֶ֫דֶרחֶ֫סֶדkindnesskindnessחֶ֫סֶדמְלָאכָהworkworkמְלָאכָהתּוֹעֵבַהabominatioabominationתּוֹעֵבַהקָטָןsmallsmallקָטָןמְאֹדmuchmuchמְאֹדיָכֹלbe ablebe ableיָכֹלעוֹדstillstillעוֹדאֲנִיIIאֲנִיבִּיןto understto understandבִּין
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 37:5

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 thunders God with voice his wonders [he is] doing great [things] and not we know
יַרְעֵ֤םyar.'Em he thunders H7481 Verb · Hiphil · jussive third person masculine singular
13× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to make a loud, rumbling sound like thunder, and can also describe being violently angry or agitated, as seen in Psalm 104:7. It can be translated as thunder, roar, or trouble. In the Bible, it often describes God's powerful voice.
Amplified meaning
with a mighty, rumbling sound, like thunder
Tyndale gloss
to thunder
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רָעַם (ra`am) is a Hebrew verb primarily meaning 'to thunder.' It can refer to the sound of thunder or the act of causing thunder, with additional meanings of agitation or irritation. The entries indicate that it can be used in both the Qal and Hiphil forms, covering a range of meanings from making thunderous sounds to causing trembling.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[רָעַם] vb. denom. thunder

Qal make the sound of thunder, thunder

Hiph. thunder, cause to thunder

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7481 רָעַם vb. denom. thunder

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7481 ra`am raw-am'

a primitive root; to tumble, i.e. be violently agitated;

specifically, to crash (of thunder); figuratively, to irritate

(with anger):--make to fret, roar, thunder, trouble.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רָעַם (ra.am) — to thunder.

1) to thunder

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to make the sound of thunder, thunder

1a2) to rage

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to thunder, cause thunder

1b2) to tremble, cause to tremble (by extension)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Hiphil-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Hiphil · jussive third person masculine singular
HVhj3ms
he thunders God with voice his wonders [he is] doing great [things] and not we know
אֵ֣ל'el God H410 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
241× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, 'el means strength or power, and is often used to refer to God or false gods. It describes something or someone as mighty or powerful, like the Almighty. This concept is central to understanding the Bible's view of God.
Amplified meaning
the supreme Almighty, Elohim
Tyndale gloss
god
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֵל (*'el*) primarily means 'god' and conveys the idea of might or strength. It can refer to the one true God of Israel, as well as to other deities, angels, and mighty men. The entries highlight its use in various contexts, including nature and power, but do not present significant disagreement among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵל n.m. god, but with various subordinate applications to express the idea of might

applied to men of might and rank

angels

gods of the nations

Ēl

as characterizing mighty things in nature

God, the one only and true God of Israel

אֵל strength, power

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H410 אֵל god, but with various subordinate applications to express the idea of might . applied to men of might and rank

. angels

. gods of the nations

. Ēl

. as characterizing mighty things in nature

. God, the one only and true God of Israel

. אֵל strength, power

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

410 'el ale

shortened from 352; strength; as adjective, mighty;

especially the Almighty (but used also of any deity):--God

(god), X goodly, X great, idol, might(-y one), power, strong.

Compare names in "-el."

see HEBREW for 0352

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵל (el) — God.

This name means god, god-like one, mighty one, strength, power

Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)

אֵל (el) — El (Berith).

This name means god, god-like one, mighty one, strength, power

Combined with "Berith" (berith בְּרִית H1286)

אֵל (el) — El (Elohe).

Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)

This name means god, god-like one, mighty one, strength, power

Combined with "God" (elohim אֱלֹהִים H0430)

אֵל (el) — El (Most High).

Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)

This name means god, god-like one, mighty one, strength, power

Combined with "Most High" (el.yon עֶלְיוֹן H5945B)

אֵל (el) — god.

: god

1) god, god-like one, mighty one

1a) mighty men, men of rank, mighty heroes

1b) angels

1c) god, false god, (demons, imaginations)

1d) God, the one true God, Jehovah

2) mighty things in nature

3) strength, power

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

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

I. INTRODUCTION TO THE GENERAL IDEA

1. The Idea in Experience and in Thought

2. Definition of the Idea

3. The Knowledge of God

4. Ethnic Ideas of God

(1) Animism

(2) Fetishism

(3) Idolatry

(4) Polytheism

(5) Henotheism

(6) Pantheism

(7) Deism

(8) Semitic Monolatry

(9) Monotheism

II. THE IDEA OF GOD IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

1. The Course of Its Development

2. Forms of Its Manifestation

(1) The Face or Countenance of God

(2) The Voice and Word of God

(3) The Glory of God

(4) The Angel of God

(5) The Spirit of God

(6) The Name of God

(7) Occasional Forms

3. The Names of God

(1) Generic

(2) Attributive

(3) Yahweh

4. Pre-prophetic Conceptions of God

(1) Yahweh Alone Is the God of Israel

(a) His Early Worship

(b) Popular Religion

(c) Polytheistic Tendencies

(i) Coordination

(ii) Assimilation

(iii) Disintegration

(d) No Hebrew Goddesses

(e) Human Sacrifices

Easton's Bible Dictionary

God

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

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

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

Smith's Bible Dictionary

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

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

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

he thunders God with voice his wonders [he is] doing great [things] and not we know
בְּ֭קוֹלוֹbe.ko.lo with voice his H6963 Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
506× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A voice or sound, it can refer to the sound of a person speaking, an animal, or a musical instrument. In the Bible, it is often used to describe God's voice or the sound of praise and worship.
Amplified meaning
the sound of His speaking, a powerful declaration
Tyndale gloss
voice: sound
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

קוֹל (qol) primarily means 'voice' or 'sound,' encompassing various contexts such as music, noise, and even thunder. It can also denote lightness or frivolity. The word is built from a root meaning to call aloud and appears in various forms throughout the Old Testament, including a reference in Jeremiah 3:9.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

קוֹל 506 n.m. sound, voice

base

קֹל n.[m.] lightness, frivolity;—Je 3:9

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6963a קוֹל sound, voice H6963b קֹל lightness, frivolity

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6963 qowl kole

or qol {kole}; from an unused root meaning to call aloud; a

voice or sound:--+ aloud, bleating, crackling, cry (+ out),

fame, lightness, lowing, noise, + hold peace, (pro-)claim,

proclamation, + sing, sound, + spark, thunder(-ing), voice, +

yell.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קוֹל (qol) — voice.

: voice/shout/loud

1) voice, sound, noise

1a) voice

1b) sound (of instrument)

קֹל (qol) — frivolity.

lightness, frivolity

קוֹל (qol) — voice: sound.

: sound/noise

1) voice, sound, noise

1a) voice

1b) sound (of instrument)

קוֹל (qol) — voice: thunder.

: thunder

1) voice, sound, noise

1a) voice

1b) sound (of instrument)

קוֹל (qol) — voice: message.

: message/proclaim

1) voice, sound, noise

1a) voice

1b) sound (of instrument)

קוֹל (qol) — voice: [sound of].

: [sound_of](THING)

1) voice, sound, noise

1a) voice

1b) sound (of instrument)

קוֹל (qol) — voice: listen.

: listen

1) voice, sound, noise

1a) voice

1b) sound (of instrument)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms | Suff — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HR/Ncmsc/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 thunders God with voice his wonders [he is] doing great [things] and not we know
נִפְלָא֑וֹתnif.la.'ot wonders H6381 Verb · Niphal · participle (active) feminine plural
71× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to wonder or be amazed, often at something great or difficult. It describes God's power and miracles in the Bible, like in the book of Psalms. The KJV translates it as 'marvelous' or 'wonderful'.
Amplified meaning
in a marvelous, awe-inspiring way, wonderfully
Tyndale gloss
to wonder
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word פָּלָא (pala') is a verb that conveys the idea of being extraordinary or wonderful. It can describe actions that are difficult to perform or understand, as well as marvelous acts of God, particularly in judgment and redemption. The word can also refer to making special offerings or showing oneself in a marvelous way.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[פָּלָא] 71 vb. denom. Niph. etc., be surpassing, extraordinary

Niph.

be beyond one's power, difficult to do

be difficult to understand

be extraordinary, wonderful

as subst., marvellous things

= wonderful acts of י׳ in judgement and redemption

Pi. make a special votive offering

Hiph.

do a hard or difficult thing

make wonderful, do wondrously

of God working wonders in doing

Hithp. thou dost shew thyself marvellous (act inexplicably) against me

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6381 פָּלָא vb. denom. Niph. etc., be surpassing, extraordinary . . be beyond one's power, difficult to do

. be difficult to understand

. . be extraordinary, wonderful

. as subst., marvellous things

. = wonderful acts of י׳ in judgement and redemption

. make a special votive offering

. . do a hard or difficult thing

. make wonderful, do wondrously

. of God working wonders in doing

. thou dost shew thyself marvellous (act inexplicably) against me

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6381 pala' paw-law'

a primitive root; properly, perhaps to separate, i.e.

distinguish (literally or figuratively); by implication, to be

(causatively, make) great, difficult, wonderful:--accomplish,

(arise...too, be too) hard, hidden, things too high, (be, do,

do a, shew) marvelous(-ly, -els, things, work), miracles,

perform, separate, make singular, (be, great, make)

wonderful(-ers, -ly, things, works), wondrous (things,

works, -ly).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

פָּלָא (pa.la) — to wonder.

1) to be marvellous, be wonderful, be surpassing, be extraordinary, separate by distinguishing action

1a) (Niphal)

1a1) to be beyond one's power, be difficult to do

1a2) to be difficult to understand

1a3) to be wonderful, be extraordinary

1a3a) marvellous (participle)

1b) (Piel) to separate (an offering)

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to do extraordinary or hard or difficult thing

1c2) to make wonderful, do wondrously

1d) (Hithpael) to show oneself wonderful or marvellous

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Niphal — Verb · Niphal · participle (active) feminine plural
HVNrfpa
he thunders God with voice his wonders [he is] doing great [things] and not we know
עֹשֶׂ֥ה'o.Seh [he is] doing H6213 Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine singular
2,629× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to make or do something, and is used over 2,600 times in the Bible. It is first used in Genesis 1:7 to describe God's creation of the world and is also used in Exodus 31:5 to describe the work of skilled craftsmen.
Amplified meaning
accomplishes, brings about
Tyndale gloss
to make
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עָשָׂה (asah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to do or make, encompassing a wide range of actions such as producing, preparing, and observing. It can refer to both concrete and abstract activities, including making offerings and attending to tasks. The verb also has forms indicating passive meanings, such as being made or offered. Notably, the Piel form refers to pressing or squeezing.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עָשָׂה 2622 vb. do, make

Qal 2524

do (1560 t.)

deal with

oft. in phr. do kindness with

abs. act, act with effect

make (670 t.)

produce, yield

prepare, esp. of dressing and cooking food

make offering

attend to, put in order

observe, celebrate, religious festival

acquire property of various kinds

appoint priests

bring about of י׳’s effecting a deliverance

use

spend, pass, days of life

Niph.

97be done

be made, of concr. things

be produced from vine

be prepared, of food

be offered

be observed, passover

be used

Pu. I was made

base

[עָשָׂה] vb. Pi. press, squeeze

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6213a עָשָׂה do, make .. . do (1560 + t.)

. deal with

. oft. in phr. do kindness with

. abs. act, act with effect

. . make (670 + t.)

. produce, yield

. prepare, esp. of dressing and cooking food

. make offering

. attend to, put in order

. observe, celebrate, religious festival

. acquire property of various kinds

. appoint priests

. bring about of י׳’s effecting a deliverance

. use

. spend, pass, days of life

. . be done

. . be made, of concr. things

. be produced from vine

. be prepared, of food

. be offered

. be observed, passover

. be used

. I was made

H6213b עָשָׂה Pi. press, squeeze

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6213 `asah aw-saw'

a primitive root; to do or make, in the broadest sense and

widest application (as follows):--accomplish, advance,

appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth,

bruise, be busy, X certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal

(with), deck, + displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in)

execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, + feast, (fight-)ing man, +

finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go

about, govern, grant, great, + hinder, hold ((a feast)), X

indeed, + be industrious, + journey, keep, labour, maintain,

make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, + officer, pare,

bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure,

provide, put, requite, X sacrifice, serve, set, shew, X sin,

spend, X surely, take, X thoroughly, trim, X very, + vex, be

(warr-)ior, work(-man), yield, use.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עָשָׂה (a.sah) — to make: do.

: do/perform

1) to do, fashion, accomplish, make

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to do, work, make, produce

1a1a) to do

1a1b) to work

1a1c) to deal (with)

1a1d) to act, act with effect, effect

1a2) to make

1a2a) to make

1a2b) to produce

1a2c) to prepare

1a2d) to make (an offering)

1a2e) to attend to, put in order

1a2f) to observe, celebrate

1a2g) to acquire (property)

1a2h) to appoint, ordain, institute

1a2i) to bring about

1a2j) to use

1a2k) to spend, pass

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be done

1b2) to be made

1b3) to be produced

1b4) to be offered

1b5) to be observed

1b6) to be used

1c) (Pual) to be made

עָשָׂה (a.sah) — to press.

(Piel) to press, squeeze

עָשָׂה (a.sah) — to make.

: make(OBJECT)

1) to do, fashion, accomplish, make

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to do, work, make, produce

1a1a) to do

1a1b) to work

1a1c) to deal (with)

1a1d) to act, act with effect, effect

1a2) to make

1a2a) to make

1a2b) to produce

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal — Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine singular
HVqrmsa
he thunders God with voice his wonders [he is] doing great [things] and not we know
גְ֝דֹל֗וֹתge.do.Lot great [things] H1419 Adj
526× 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 something or someone great, whether in size, age, or importance. It appears in descriptions of the Great Sea and the Philistines. The word is used to convey a sense of magnitude or grandeur.
Amplified meaning
mighty, extraordinary works, marvelous deeds
Tyndale gloss
Great (Sea)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

גָּדוֹל (gadol) means 'great' and covers a wide range of meanings, including large in size, number, intensity, sound, age, and importance. It can also refer to notable individuals or even God. Additionally, it appears as a proper noun in reference to a person named in Nehemiah 11:14. The lexicons note its use in various contexts, but do not present significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

גָּדוֹל 622 adj. great

in magnitude and extent

in number

in intensity

in sound, loud

in age

in importance

in phrases

cstr.

as subst. concr. do great things

† as subst. neut. greatness of arm

base

הַגְּדוֹלִים n.pr.m. father of Zabdiel Ne 11:14 (RV & so most; but 𝔊 RVm al. the great).

done

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1419a גָּדוֹל great . in magnitude and extent

. in number

. in intensity

. in sound, loud

. in age

. in importance

. in phrases

. cstr.

. as subst. concr. do great things

. † as subst. neut. greatness of arm

H1419b הַגְּדוֹלִים father of Zabdiel

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1419 gadowl gaw-dole'

or (shortened) gadol {gaw-dole'}; from 1431; great (in any

sense); hence, older; also insolent:--+ aloud, elder(-est), +

exceeding(-ly), + far, (man of) great (man, matter,

thing,-er,-ness), high, long, loud, mighty, more, much, noble,

proud thing, X sore, (X ) very.

see HEBREW for 01431

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

גָּדוֹל (ga.dol) — great: large.

adj

1) great

1a) large (in magnitude and extent)

1b) in number

1c) in intensity

1d) loud (in sound)

1e) older (in age)

1f) in importance

1f1) important things

1f2) great, distinguished (of men)

1f3) God Himself (of God)

subst

1g) great things

1h) haughty things

1i) greatness

Also means: ga.dol (גָּדוֹל ": old" H1419K)

§ Haggedolim = "the great one"

(CLBL) Haggedolim, the great man?, father of Zabdiel

גָּדוֹל (ga.dol) — Haggedolim.

A man living at the time of Exile and Return, only mentioned at Neh.11.14

§ Haggedolim = "the great one"

(CLBL) Haggedolim, the great man?, father of Zabdiel

גָּדוֹל (ga.dol) — Great (Sea).

adj

great

Also named: pe.lish.ti (פְּלִשְׁתִּי "(Sea of the )Philistines" H6430I)

גָּדוֹל (ga.dol) — great: old.

adj

1) great

1a) large (in magnitude and extent)

1b) in number

1c) in intensity

1d) loud (in sound)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Adj
HAafpa
he thunders God with voice his wonders [he is] doing great [things] and not we know
וְלֹ֣אve.Lo' and not H3808 Conjunction · particle
5,170× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Amplified meaning
are unable to, do not have the capacity to
Tyndale gloss
not
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לֹא or לוֹא adv. not

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3808 lo' lo

or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often

used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,

ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,

no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out

of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +

of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לֹא (lo) — not.

1) not, no

1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)

1b) not (with modifier-negation)

1c) nothing (subst)

1d) without (with particle)

1e) before (of time)

Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Part — Conjunction · particle
HC/Tn
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
he thunders God with voice his wonders [he is] doing great [things] and not we know
נֵדָֽע׃ne.Da' we know H3045 Verb · Qal · imperfect 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
fully understand, grasp, know
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 · imperfect first person common plural
HVqi1cp
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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