Job 4:11 — Word Study
WLCלַ֭יִשׁ אֹבֵ֣ד מִבְּלִי־ טָ֑רֶף וּבְנֵ֥י לָ֝בִ֗יא יִתְפָּרָֽדוּ׃
BSA◂The old lionlayish [fierce lion] perishesʼâbad [dies, comes to an end] for lackbᵉlîy of preyṭereph [food, torn apart] and the cubsbên [young, whelps] of the lionesslâbîyʼ [fierce, powerful] are scatteredpârad▸ [separated, dispersed abroad]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| לַ֭יִשׁ | a lion | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| אֹבֵ֣ד | [is] perishing | Verb, Qal, participle (active) masculine singular |
| מִבְּלִי־ | because not | Preposition, noun common masculine singular construct |
| טָ֑רֶף | prey | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| וּבְנֵ֥י | and [the] young of | Conjunction, noun common masculine plural construct |
| לָ֝בִ֗יא | a lion | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| יִתְפָּרָֽדוּ׃ | they are scattered | Verb, Hithpael, imperfect third person masculine plural |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | The old lion perishes for lack of prey, and the cubs of the lioness are scattered. |
| KJV | The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, and the stout lion’s whelps are scattered abroad. |
| ASV | The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, And the whelps of the lioness are scattered abroad. |
| YLT | An old lion is perishing without prey, And the whelps of the lioness do separate. |
| WEB | The old lion perishes for lack of prey. The cubs of the lioness are scattered abroad. |
| BBE | The old lion comes to his end for need of food, and the young of the she-lion go wandering in all directions. |
The translations agree on the core meaning of the verse, emphasizing the lion's death due to lack of prey and the scattering of the cubs.
The verse contains two main clauses connected by 'and', illustrating the dual themes of demise and scattering.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectלַיִשׁ
verbאָבַד
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
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 4:11
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 — Reflections on Sufferinggenerated
Job 4:11 presents a vivid image of the old lion's demise due to lack of prey, paralleling the fate of the lioness's cubs that are scattered. This verse is part of a larger discourse in which Job's friend Eliphaz speaks about the inevitability of suffering and loss, using the lion as a metaphor for strength and vulnerability. The imagery evokes the harsh realities of life and the consequences of deprivation, illustrating a universal truth about survival and the fragility of power.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Job 38:39 | Can you hunt the prey for a lioness or satisfy the hunger of young lions |
| 2 | Genesis 49:9 | Judah is a young lion— my son, you return from the prey. Like a lion he crouches and lies down; like a lioness, who dares to rouse him? |
| 3 | Numbers 23:24 | Behold, the people rise like a lioness; they rouse themselves like a lion, not resting until they devour their prey and drink the blood of the slain.” |
| 4 | Numbers 24:9 | He crouches, he lies down like a lion; like a lioness, who dares to rouse him? Blessed are those who bless you and cursed are those who curse you.” |
| 5 | Psalm 7:2 | or they will shred my soul like a lion and tear me to pieces with no one to rescue me. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 12 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — אֹבֵ֣ד, 'o.Vedgenerated
The verb אָבַד (abad) means 'to perish' or 'to be lost'. It is a Qal participle, indicating an ongoing state of destruction or loss. This word encompasses a range of meanings, including dying, vanishing, and destruction, often in contexts of moral judgment or loss.
In this verse, it signifies the finality of death for the lion, emphasizing the stark reality that even the strongest can face extinction when deprived of their basic needs. The use of this term in the context of the lion underscores the theme of vulnerability inherent in strength.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The translations generally agree on the meaning of the verse.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The structure of the verse centers around two main clauses: the first describes the lion's demise and the second the scattering of the cubs. The finite verb אֹבֵ֣ד (is perishing) governs the first clause, while יִתְפָּרָֽדוּ (they are scattered) governs the second. This parallel structure highlights the relationship between the lion's fate and that of its offspring.
The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the lion's plight first, drawing attention to the stark reality of its death before discussing the fate of the cubs.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates אֹבֵ֣ד as ὤλετο, which also means 'perished'. This choice aligns closely with the Hebrew meaning, emphasizing the finality of the lion's fate.
The Greek word for 'lion' in the Septuagint is λεόντων, which maintains the ferocity implied in the Hebrew text, suggesting a consistent understanding of the lion's character across both texts.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Job 4:11 describes how the old lion dies because it cannot find food, and the cubs of the lioness are scattered. This verse illustrates the harsh realities of life, where even the strongest can face demise when deprived of their needs.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
This means that even powerful creatures like lions can face death when they are unable to find food, highlighting the vulnerability of strength.
The scattering of the cubs suggests that without the protection of their mother, they are left vulnerable and alone, emphasizing the consequences of loss.
This verse illustrates the inevitability of suffering and loss, even among the strong, which is a central theme in Job's discussions with his friends.
The imagery serves as a reminder of the fragility of life and the importance of sustenance and protection in the face of adversity.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What are some ways I have seen strength turn to vulnerability in my life?
- How can I support those who are feeling scattered or lost?
- What lessons about survival and sustenance can I apply to my own life?
- In what ways can I reflect on the nature of suffering and loss in the world around me?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early commentators have drawn on this verse to discuss the themes of strength and vulnerability, interpreting the lion as a symbol of Job's own struggles.
The tiger perisheth for lack of prey, and the stout lions' whelps are scattered abroad. For whom does he denote by the name of 'tiger' but blessed Job,Early Church Fathers on Job 4 →
ALLEGORICAL INTERPRETATION. The tiger perisheth for lack of prey, and the lions' whelps are scattered abroad. By the title of a 'tiger' he again represents him,Early Church Fathers on Job 4 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Job 4:11 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThe old lion perisheth for lack of prey,.... Or rather "the stout" and "strong lion" (e), that is most able to take the prey, and most skilful at it, yet such shall perish for want of it; not so much
Read John Gill on Job 4 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThe old lion perisheth for lack of prey, and the stout lion's whelps are scattered abroad. The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, and the stout lion's whelps are scattered abroad. No JFB commentary on this verse.
Read Robert Jamieson on Job 4 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleThe old lion perisheth for lack of prey; because they cannot go abroad to seek it, and their young ones either cannot find or do not bring it to them. See ,15 119:10. Are scattered abroad; gone from their dens several ways to hunt for prey, and can find none.
Read Matthew Poole on Job 4 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJob 4:11 The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, and the stout lion’ s whelps are scattered abroad.Ver. 11. The old lion perishelh for lack of prey] As not being able to hunt and get it. The meaning is (saith one) that men who reign like lions, that their children who equalled them in cruelty, that their wives who surpassed them in insolence, do end their lives tragically, Quotidiana et domestica experimenta hoc docent; all this is true for the most part. Eliphaz speaks of what is usually done, saith another (Mercer), in Psalms 30:1-12. Or he speaks of what God can easily do at any time; and of what God may justly do at all times. If he suspend this justice, it is for weighty reasons, &c.…
Read John Trapp on Job 4 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(11) The old lion perisheth . . .—This means that even though wickedness is joined with strength, it is equally unable to prosper. It is to be observed that no less than five different words are here used for lion, showing that these animals must have been common and of various kinds in Job’s country.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Job 4 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 11. The old lion perisheth] In this and the preceding verse the word lion occurs five times; and in the original the words are all different: - 1. אריה aryeh, from ארה arah, to tear off. 2. שחל shachal, which as it appears to signify black or dark, may mean the black lion, which is said to be found in Ethiopia and India. 3. כפיר kephir, a young lion, from כפר caphar, to cover, because he is said to hide himself in order to surprise his prey, which the old one does not. 4. ליש lavish, from לש lash, to knead, trample upon; because of his method of seizing his prey. 5. לביא labi, from לבא laba, to suckle with the first milk; a lioness giving suck; at which time they are peculiarly…
Read AdamClarke on Job 4 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and CollegesCh. Job 4:1-11. Eliphaz wonders that Job, who had comforted so many in trouble, and was a righteous man, should fall into such despair under his afflictions Eliphaz would gladly have kept silence in the circumstances of his friend, but the tone of Job’s words constrains him to speak (Job 4:2). He wonders at the despondency of Job, one who had shewn himself so skilful in comforting other good men in affliction (Job 4:3-4), and who was himself a righteous man. He should place confidence in his righteousness, and remember that the righteous never perish under affliction. God does not send trouble upon them to destroy them, but for very different ends (Job 4:6-7). It is only the wicked whom He…
Read Cambridge on Job 4 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleThe old lion - The word used here, לישׁ layı̂sh, denotes a lion, “so called,” says Gesenius,” from his strength and bravery,” or, according to Urnbreit, the lion in the strength of his old ago; see
Read Albert Barnes on Job 4 →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
The old lion perishes for lack of prey, and the cubs of the lioness are scattered.
The old lion perishes for lack of prey. The cubs of the lioness are scattered abroad.
The old lion perishes for lack of prey, and the cubs of the lioness are scattered.
The mighty lion perishes for lack of prey, and the cubs of the lioness are scattered.
Tyndale line
The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, and the stout lion’s whelps are scattered abroad.
The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, And the whelps of the lioness are scattered abroad.
The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, and the whelps of the lioness are scattered abroad.
The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, and the stout lion's whelps are scattered abroad.
The Lyon perisheth for lacke of pray, and the Lyons whelpes are scattered abroade.
Strictly literal
The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, and the whelps of the lioness are scattered.
An old lion is perishing without prey, And the whelps of the lioness do separate.
An old lion is perishing without prey, || And the whelps of the lioness separate.
The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, and the whelps of the lioness have to scatter themselves abroad.
The old lion perishes for lack of victims; the cubs of the lioness are scattered everywhere.
From the Latin
The tiger hath perished for want of prey, and the young lions are scattered abroad.
Simplified
Even a lion dies from lack of food, and the lioness' cubs are scattered.
The old lion comes to his end for need of food, and the young of the she-lion go wandering in all directions.
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.
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 show agreement in the core message of the verse, with five of the seven words matched between the two. The Septuagint's wording reflects the same themes of loss and scattering, though its structure differs.
לַ֭יִשׁ אֹבֵ֣ד מִבְּלִי־ טָ֑רֶף וּבְנֵ֥י לָ֝בִ֗יא יִתְפָּרָֽדוּ׃
5 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.
Lexicons — every word in Job 4:11
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.
לַ֫יִשׁ (layish) means 'lion' and is derived from a root that suggests crushing, reflecting the lion's powerful nature. The term appears in contexts related to its strength and ferocity, though no specific verses are cited in the entries.
לַ֫יִשׁ n.m. lion
base
H3918 לַ֫יִשׁ lion
3918 layish lah'-yish
from 3888 in the sense of crushing; a lion (from his
destructive blows):--(old)lion.
see HEBREW for 03888
לַ֫יִשׁ (la.yish) — lion.
lion
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
li'-un:
(1) Occurring most often in the Old Testament is 'aryeh, plural 'ardyoth. Another form, 'ari, plural 'arayim, is found less often.
1. Names:
Compare 'ari'el, "Ariel" (Ezr 8:16; Isa 29:1,2,7); char'el, "upper altar," and 'ari'el, "altar hearth" (Eze 43:15); 'aryeh, "Arieh" (2Ki 15:25); 'ar'eli, "Areli" and "Arelites" (Ge 46:16; Nu 26:17).
"The most powerful, daring and impressive of all carnivorous animals, the most magnificent in aspect and awful in voice." At present lions do not exist in Palestine; but they must in ancient times have been numerous. The lion of Palestine was in all probability the Asiatic variety, described by Aristotle and Pliny as distinguished by its short and curly mane, and by being shorter and rounder in shape, like the sculptured lion found at Arban. It was less daring than the longer named species, but when driven by hunger it not only ventured to attack the flocks in the desert in presence of the shepherd, (1 Samuel 17:34; Isaiah 31:4) but laid waste towns and villages, (2 Kings 17:25,26; Proverbs 22:13; 26:13) and devoured men.…
The well-known and noble king of beasts, frequently spoken of in Scripture. He often exceeds eight feet in length and four feet in height; and his majestic and dauntless aspect, his prodigious strength and agility, and his peculiar roar, make him the terror of the forests. Lions were common in Palestine, (See JORDAN,) and the Hebrews had seven different names for them, to distinguish the different ages, etc. Five of these occur together in Job 4:10,11. See also Na 2:11,12. The psalmist alludes to the stealthy creeping of the lion till he can spring upon his prey, when he says of the crafty wicked man, "He lieth in wait secretly as a lion in his den; .... he croucheth, and humbleth himself, that the poor may fall by his strong ones." The Bible reader will remember the exploits of…
אָבַד (abad) is a Hebrew verb meaning to perish or be lost. It encompasses a range of meanings, including dying, vanishing, and destruction, often in a moral or judgment context. The word appears in various forms in the Old Testament, with uses related to individuals, nations, and inanimate objects. The lexicons indicate that it can also imply causing something to perish or stray.
אָבַד vb. perish (M I אבד, As. abâtu Dl W 184 Aram אֲבַד, Syriac).—
Qal Pf. א׳ Nu 21:30 +; אָבְדוּ ψ 10:16 + (+ Ez 6:3 𝔊 Co) etc.; Impf. יֹאבַד Jb 3:3 Je 4:9; יֹאבֵ֑ד Jb 20:7 + 2t.; 3fs. תֹּאבַד Dt 22:3 + 4t.; תֹּאבֵ֑ד Jb 8:13 + 3t.; יֹאבְדוּ Ju 5:31 + 3t.; יֹאבֵ֑דוּ Jb 4:9 +; 3fpl. וַתֹּאבַדְנָה֙ I S 9:3; תֹּאבֵדוּן Dt 4:26 +; נֹאבֵ֑ד Jon 1:6…
Read the full entry →H6 אָבַד perish .. perish, die, of individuals
. fig. perish, vanish, subj. memory
. be lost, strayed
. . cause to perish, destroy, kill
. fig. cause to vanish, blot out, do away with
. cause to stray, lose
. . destroy, put to death, in judgment
. fig. obj. name of kings; hope; voice of mirth etc.
6 'abad aw-bad'
a primitive root; properly, to wander away, i.e. lose
oneself; by implication to perish (causative,
destroy):--break, destroy(- uction), + not escape, fail,
lose, (cause to, make) perish, spend, X and surely, take, be
undone, X utterly, be void of, have no way to flee.
אָבַד (a.vad) — to perish.
1) perish, vanish, go astray, be destroyed
1a) (Qal)
1a1) perish, die, be exterminated
1a2) perish, vanish (fig.)
1a3) be lost, strayed
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to destroy, kill, cause to perish, to give up (as lost), exterminate
1b2) to blot out, do away with, cause to vanish, (fig.)
1b3) cause to stray, lose
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to destroy, put to death
1c1a) of divine judgment
1c2) object name of kings (fig.)
Aramaic equivalent: a.vad (אֲבַד "to destroy" H0007)
V-Qal — Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine singularHVqrmsa
בְּלִי (bli) refers to a state of wearing out or destruction, and serves as an adverb of negation meaning 'without' or 'not.' It is derived from the root meaning failure and can indicate absence or lack in various contexts.
בְּלִי subst. wearing out, hence
fig. destruction
defect, failure, hence adv. of negation
base
H1097 בְּלִי subst. wearing out, hence . fig. destruction
. defect, failure, hence adv. of negation
1097 bliy bel-ee'
from 1086; properly, failure, i.e. nothing or destruction;
usually (with preposition) without, not yet, because not, as
long as, etc.:--corruption, ig(norantly), for lack of, where
no...is, so that no, none, not, un(awares), without.
see HEBREW for 01086
בְּלִי (be.li) — without.
subst
1) wearing out
adv of negation
2) without, no, not
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular constructHR/Ncmsc
טֶ֫רֶף (teref) refers to something that is torn, such as prey or food, and can also mean a leaf. It is derived from a root that conveys the idea of fragments. The entries consistently highlight its meanings related to prey and food, with no significant disagreement among the lexicons.
טֶ֫רֶף n.m. prey, food; leaf
base
H2964 טֶ֫רֶף prey, food; leaf
2964 tereph teh'-ref
from 2963; something torn, i.e. a fragment, e.g. a fresh
leaf, prey, food:--leaf, meat, prey, spoil.
see HEBREW for 02963
טֶ֫רֶף (te.reph) — prey.
1) prey, food, leaf
1a) prey
1b) food
1c) leaf
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
pra (baz, Tereph, shalal): "Prey" is frequent in the Old Testament, chiefly as the translation of baz, "spoil," "plunder" (Nu 14:3,11; De 1:39; Isa 10:6, etc.); of Tereph, "prey of wild beasts," "torn thing" (Ge 49:9; Nu 23:24; Job 4:11, etc.); of malqoah, "a taking" (Nu 31:11, etc.; Isa 49:24,25); of shalal, "spoil" or "booty" (Jud 5:30 twice; Jud…
בֵּן (ben) means 'son' or 'male child' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including descendants, young animals, and even figurative uses like sparks or arrows. It can refer to members of a tribe or class and is used in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, such as in 1 Chronicles 24:26. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to build' and implies a connection to family or lineage.
בֵּן 4870 n.m. son
son, male child, born of a woman
children (male and female)
youth, young men
the young of animals
of plant shoots
fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows
member of a guild, order or class
of animals son of (the) herd
ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.
n. relat. of age
base
בְּנוֹ 1 Ch 24:26, 27 as n.pr.m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son, cf. VB & Be Öt.
done
H1121a בֵּן son . son, male child, born of a woman
. children (male and female)
. youth, young men
. the young of animals
. of plant shoots
. fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows
. . member of a guild, order or class
. of animals son of (the) herd
. ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.
. n. relat. of age
H1121b בְּנוֹ as n. pr. m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son
1121 ben bane
from 1129; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the
widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship,
including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition,
etc., (like 1, 251, etc.)):--+ afflicted, age, (Ahoh-)
(Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-)ite, (anoint-)ed one, appointed to,
(+) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-)ian, one born,
bough, branch, breed, + (young) bullock, + (young) calf, X
came up in, child, colt, X common, X corn, daughter, X of
first, + firstborn, foal, + very fruitful, + postage, X in, +
kid, + lamb, (+) man, meet, + mighty, + nephew, old, (+)
people, + rebel, + robber, X servant born, X soldier, son, +
spark, + steward, + stranger, X surely, them of, + tumultuous
one, + valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.
see HEBREW for 01129
see HEBREW for 01
see HEBREW for 0251
בֵּן (ben) — son: child.
: child/son
בְּנוֹ (be.no) — Beno.
A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ch.24.26;
son of: Jaaziah (H3269);
brother of: Shoham (H7719), Zaccur (H2139I) and Ibri (H5681)
§ Beno = "his son"
the sons of Jaaziah and the sons of Merari by Jaahziah (his son)
בֵּן (ben) — son: descendant/people.
: descendant, people, tribe, nation
A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)
§ : child/son
בֵּן (ben) — son: young animal.
: calf/lamb/young(ANIMAL)
A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)
§ : descendant
בֵּן (ben) — son: type of.
: rebel/son(Belial)
A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)
§ : people/men/nation/tribe
בֵּן (ben) — son.
: [inheriting]son/heir
A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)
בֵּן (ben) — son: warrior.
: warrior/son(strong)
Conj | N-mp — Conjunction · noun common masculine plural constructHC/Ncmpc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
לְבִי (labiy') refers to a lion, while לְבִיָּא (leviyah) denotes a lioness. The entries indicate that לָבִיא (lavi') can also mean lion, with possible feminine forms. The word is associated with the idea of roaring, and it appears in contexts like Ezekiel 19:2.
ref
לָבִיא n. [m.] lion, poss. also [f.] lioness
base
H3833a לְבִי lion H3833b לְבִיָּא lioness H3833c לָבִיא n. [m.] lion, poss. also [f.] lioness
3833 labiy' law-bee'
or (Ezek. 19:2) lbiyao {leb-ee-yaw'}; irreg. masculine plural
lbaviym {leb-aw-eem'}; irreg. feminine plural lbaeowth
{leb-aw-oth'}; from an unused root men. to roar; a lion
(properly, a lioness as the fiercer (although not a roarer;
compare 738)):--(great, old, stout) lion, lioness, young
(lion).
see HEBREW for 0738
לְבִי (le.vi) — lion.
lion
לְבִיָּא (le.viy.ya) — lioness.
lioness
Another spelling of la.vi (לָבִיא "lion" H3833C)
לָבִיא (la.vi) — lion.
lion
Also means: le.viy.ya (לְבִיָּא "lioness" H3833B)
N-cs — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
li'-un:
(1) Occurring most often in the Old Testament is 'aryeh, plural 'ardyoth. Another form, 'ari, plural 'arayim, is found less often.
1. Names:
Compare 'ari'el, "Ariel" (Ezr 8:16; Isa 29:1,2,7); char'el, "upper altar," and 'ari'el, "altar hearth" (Eze 43:15); 'aryeh, "Arieh" (2Ki 15:25); 'ar'eli, "Areli" and "Arelites" (Ge 46:16; Nu 26:17).
"The most powerful, daring and impressive of all carnivorous animals, the most magnificent in aspect and awful in voice." At present lions do not exist in Palestine; but they must in ancient times have been numerous. The lion of Palestine was in all probability the Asiatic variety, described by Aristotle and Pliny as distinguished by its short and curly mane, and by being shorter and rounder in shape, like the sculptured lion found at Arban. It was less daring than the longer named species, but when driven by hunger it not only ventured to attack the flocks in the desert in presence of the shepherd, (1 Samuel 17:34; Isaiah 31:4) but laid waste towns and villages, (2 Kings 17:25,26; Proverbs 22:13; 26:13) and devoured men.…
The well-known and noble king of beasts, frequently spoken of in Scripture. He often exceeds eight feet in length and four feet in height; and his majestic and dauntless aspect, his prodigious strength and agility, and his peculiar roar, make him the terror of the forests. Lions were common in Palestine, (See JORDAN,) and the Hebrews had seven different names for them, to distinguish the different ages, etc. Five of these occur together in Job 4:10,11. See also Na 2:11,12. The psalmist alludes to the stealthy creeping of the lion till he can spring upon his prey, when he says of the crafty wicked man, "He lieth in wait secretly as a lion in his den; .... he croucheth, and humbleth himself, that the poor may fall by his strong ones." The Bible reader will remember the exploits of…
פָּרַד (parad) is a Hebrew verb meaning to divide or separate. It encompasses various forms, including making a separation and being divided. The entries detail its use in different grammatical aspects, such as Qal, Niphal, Piel, Pual, Hiphil, and Hithpael, indicating a range of meanings from dividing to being separated.
[פָּרַד] vb. divide
Qal Pt. pass. divided
Niph.
divide, separate (intrans.)
be divided, separated
Pi. make a separation
Pu. Pt. divided
Hiph.
divide, separate
make a division, separation, between
Hithp. be divided, separated, from each other
base
H6504 פָּרַד divide .Pt. pass. divided
. . divide, separate (intrans.)
. be divided, separated
. make a separation
. Pt. divided
. . divide, separate
. make a division, separation, between
. be divided, separated, from each other
6504 parad paw-rad'
a primitive root; to break through, i.e. spread or separate
(oneself):--disperse, divide, be out of joint, part, scatter
(abroad), separate (self), sever self, stretch, sunder.
פָּרַד (pa.rad) — to separate.
1) to separate, divide
1a) (Qal) to divide
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to divide, separate
1b2) to be divided, be separated
1c) (Piel) to be separated
1d) (Pual) to be divided
1e) (Hiphil)
1e1) to divide, separate
1e2) to make a division, make a separation
1f) (Hithpael) to be divided, be separated, get separated
Aramaic equivalent: be.dar (בְּדַר "to scatter" H0921)
V-Hithpael-Imperf-3mp — Verb · Hithpael · imperfect third person masculine pluralHVti3mp