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Job 4:17 — Word Study

Depth

WLCהַֽ֭אֱנוֹשׁ מֵאֱל֣וֹהַ יִצְדָּ֑ק אִ֥ם מֵ֝עֹשֵׂ֗הוּ יִטְהַר־ גָּֽבֶר׃

BSA{Can} a mortalʼĕnôwsh [human, frail] be more righteoustsâdaq [just, innocent] than Godʼĕlôwahh [Eloah, the one true deity] orʼim a mangeber [great man] more pureṭâhêr [clean, ceremonially clean] than his Makerʻâsâh [the one who created, formed him]

Word
Listen & take awayJob 4
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 17 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 (Ga.ver) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Job 4:17quick helps
In a sentenceJob questions whether a mere human can be more just or pure than God.
Who is speakingEliphaz, one of Job's friends, addressing Job.
Where we areIn a discourse on human limitations and divine justice.
The hard wordאֱנוֹשׁ
Take awayHumans cannot surpass God's righteousness or purity.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectהֲ verbצָדֵק 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 4:17

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 Human Limitationsgenerated

16It stood still, but I could not discern its appearance; a form loomed before my eyes, and I heard a whispering voice:
17‘Can a mortal be more righteous than God, or a man more pure than his Maker?
18If God puts no trust in His servants, and He charges His angels with error,
19how much more those who dwell in houses of clay, whose foundations are in the dust, who can be crushed like a moth!

Job 4:17 presents a rhetorical question by Eliphaz, emphasizing the disparity between human righteousness and the divine nature of God. This verse is part of a larger conversation where Eliphaz seeks to remind Job of the inherent limitations of humanity, especially in the face of divine justice. The surrounding verses explore themes of trust in God's judgment and the frailty of human existence, as seen in Job 4:16 and Job 4:18.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Job 8:3Does God pervert justice? Does the Almighty pervert what is right?
2Job 9:2“Yes, I know that it is so, but how can a mortal be righteous before God?
3Job 35:2“Do you think this is just? You say, ‘I am more righteous than God.’
4Job 40:8Would you really annul My justice? Would you condemn Me to justify yourself?
5Genesis 18:25Far be it from You to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Will not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?”

The Key Word אֱנוֹשׁ, Ha.'e.no.oshgenerated

The word אֱנוֹשׁ (enowsh) refers to humanity, often highlighting the frailty and mortality of human beings. It is derived from a root that emphasizes the transient nature of life, distinguishing humans from more exalted terms for man. In this verse, it underscores the limitations of human righteousness in comparison to God's.

As a noun, it is used in both singular and collective forms, indicating individuals or mankind as a whole. The context of this verse suggests a poetic reflection on human nature, emphasizing that no mortal can claim righteousness greater than that of God.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses mortal and more righteous to convey the meaning of אֱנוֹשׁ and יִצְדָּ֑ק, aligning with the KJV and ASV.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The finite verbs יִצְדָּ֑ק (will he be righteous) and יִטְהַר (will he be pure) govern the clauses, with the subjects אֱנוֹשׁ and גָּֽבֶר respectively. The structure emphasizes the comparison between humans and God, with the verbs leading the inquiry about human righteousness and purity.

The sentence is structured as a series of rhetorical questions, highlighting the contrast between the divine and human attributes, with each clause building on the previous one to reinforce the central theme of human limitation.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, אֱנוֹשׁ is rendered as μὴ, which translates to 'not.' This choice reflects a more direct negation rather than a description of humanity, suggesting a different interpretive angle on the question posed.

The use of ἄμεμπτος for יִטְהַר indicates a focus on the aspect of being blameless or unblemished, which aligns with the theme of purity but narrows the focus compared to the Hebrew text.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Job 4:17 asks whether a human can be more righteous or pure than God. Eliphaz, speaking to Job, emphasizes that no one can surpass God's justice or purity, highlighting the limitations of humanity.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean to be more righteous than God?

This phrase challenges the idea that any human can achieve a level of righteousness that exceeds God's inherent justice.

Why does Eliphaz question Job's righteousness?

Eliphaz is suggesting that Job's suffering may indicate a lack of righteousness, prompting him to reflect on his relationship with God.

How does this verse relate to the concept of purity?

The verse emphasizes that human purity is not comparable to God's perfection, reinforcing the need for humility before the divine.

What is the significance of the rhetorical questions in this verse?

They serve to illustrate the vast gap between divine and human attributes, prompting the listener to consider their own limitations.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways do I see my own limitations compared to God's perfection?
  2. How can I cultivate a deeper understanding of righteousness in my life?
  3. What does this verse teach me about humility in my relationship with God?
  4. How can I apply the lessons from Job's discourse to my own challenges?

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

Early commentators like Gregory the Dialogist and Olympiodorus of Alexandria reflect on this verse, discussing human righteousness in relation to God's justice.

Gregory the DialogistMorals on the Book of Job, Book V c. 540–604
Shall mortal man be more just than God? Shall a man be more pure than his Maker? Human righteousness compared with the righteousness of God is unrighteousness, for even a candle is seen to shine bright in the dark,
Early Church Fathers on Job 4 →
Olympiodorus of AlexandriaCOMMENTARY ON Job 4:17 6th c.
And do not think, Eliphaz says, that I am speaking these words to you reproachfully. No person, in fact, is totally blameless, and if he can hide his sins from people,
Early Church Fathers on Job 4 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Job 4:17 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Shall mortal man be more just than God?.... Poor, weak, frail, dying man, and so sinful, as his mortality shows, which is the effect of sin; how should such a man be more righteous than God?

Read John Gill on Job 4 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker? Mortal man ... a man.

Read Robert Jamieson on Job 4 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

The sense is, Thou, O Job, dost presumptuously accuse God for dealing harshly and unrighteously with thee, in sending thee into the world upon such hard terms, and punishing all innocent and righteous man with such unparalleled severity; but consider things calmly within thyself; if God and thou come to a trial before any equal judge, canst thou think that thou wilt go away justified, and the great God shall be condemned? No righteous man will punish another without cause, or more than he deserves; and therefore if God do so with thee, as thy words imply, he is less just than a man; which is blasphemous and absurd to imagine. Shall a man; a great and mighty man, as this word signifies, a…

Read Matthew Poole on Job 4 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Job 4:17 Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker?Ver. 17. Shall mortal man] Sorry sinful man, a very mixture and hodge podge of dirt and sin, Miser, aerumnis et peccatis obnoxius. Be more just than God?] Or, be just rather than God? as Luke 18:14. This is the matter of the vision; and it is (saith Diodati) a revelation of the doctrine of the free remission of sins, and of the sinner’ s justification by grace, through his faith in the promised mediator. But Eliphaz turns it another way, and misapplying it to Job, would there hence evince, that all his present sufferings were the proceeds of his own sin, and so from the process of God’ s justice. The…

Read John Trapp on Job 4 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(17) Shall mortal man be more just than God?—This is the burden, or refrain, upon which the friends of Job are for ever harping. It is perfectly orthodox, but at the same time perfectly inadequate to deal with the necessities of Job’s case. He is willing to admit that it is impossible for any man to be just with God; but then arises Job’s dilemma, Where is God’s justice if He punishes the innocent as the guilty? The word rendered “mortal” man is really weak, frail man, involving, it may be, the idea of mortality, but not immediately suggesting it. As far as mortality implies sin, the notion of being just is absurd; and even a strong man—such is the antithesis—cannot be more pure than He…

Read Charles John Ellicott on Job 4 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 17. Shall mortal man] אנוש enosh; Greek βροτος. poor, weak, dying man. Be more just than God?] Or, האנוש מאלוה יצדק haenosh meeloah yitsdak; shall poor, weak, sinful man be justified before God? Shall a man] גבר gaber, shall even the strong and mighty man, be pure before his Maker? Is any man, considered merely in and of himself, either holy in his conduct, or pure in his heart? No. He must be justified by the mercy of God, through an atoning sacrifice; he must be sanctified by the Holy Spirit of God, and thus made a partaker of the Divine nature. Then he is justified before God, and pure in the sight of his Maker: and this is a work which God himself alone can do; so the work is not…

Read AdamClarke on Job 4 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

17. be more just than God] This translation is possible. It is very unnatural, however; for though, if a man were found complaining of God’s ways, the immediate inference might be that he was making himself more righteous (at least in the perception of moral rectitude) than God, such an inference does not seem drawn by any of the speakers, the idea of a man being more righteous than God being too absurd to suggest itself. The charge brought against Job was that he made God unrighteous, not that he claimed to be more righteous than He. Two senses seem possible, either, Can man be righteous before God? Can a man be pure before his Maker? a sense which the phrase has Numbers 32:22, and is…

Read Cambridge on Job 4 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Shall mortal man - Or, shall feeble man. The idea of “mortal” is not necessarily implied in the word used here, אנושׁ 'ĕnôsh.

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

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

‘Can a mortal be more righteous than God, or a man more pure than his Maker?

WEBWorld English Bible2000

‘Shall mortal man be more just than God? Shall a man be more pure than his Maker?

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

‘Can a mortal be more righteous than God, or a man more pure than his Maker?

NETBNew English Translation2006

“Is a mortal man righteous before God? Or a man pure before his Creator?

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker?

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Shall mortal man be more just than God? Shall a man be more pure than his Maker?

RVARevised Version, American1894

Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his Maker?

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker?

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Shall man be more iust then God? or shall a man be more pure then his maker?

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Shall [mortal] man be more just than God? Shall a man be purer than his Maker?

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

'Is mortal man than God more righteous? Than his Maker is a man cleaner?

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Is mortal man more righteous than God? Is a man cleaner than his Maker?

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Can a mortal be more righteous than God? or can a man be more pure than his Maker?

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

“Can a mortal man be more righteous than God? Can a man be more pure than his Maker?

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Shall man be justified in comparison of God, or shall a man be more pure than his maker?

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

‘Can anyone be right before God? Can anyone be pure before their Maker?

BBEBible in Basic English1949

May a man be upright before God? or a man be clean before his Maker?

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.

clauseהַֽ֭aclausesubjectאֱנוֹשׁperson?prepositional phrase · prepositionalמֵfromאֱל֣וֹהַGodverbיִצְדָּ֑קwill.he.be.righteousclauseאִ֥םor?clauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalמֵ֝fromnoun phraseעֹשֵׂ֗makerהוּhisverbיִטְהַרwill.he.be.puresubjectגָּֽבֶרa.man

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


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

The Masoretic Text presents the verse as הַֽ֭אֱנוֹשׁ מֵאֱל֣וֹהַ יִצְדָּ֑ק אִ֥ם מֵ֝עֹשֵׂ֗הוּ יִטְהַר־ גָּֽבֶר׃, while the Septuagint matches five of the seven words, indicating a close correspondence but differing in structure and word choice.

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

הַֽ֭אֱנוֹשׁ מֵאֱל֣וֹהַ יִצְדָּ֑ק אִ֥ם מֵ֝עֹשֵׂ֗הוּ יִטְהַר־ גָּֽבֶר׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
הַֽ֭אֱנוֹשׁμὴאִ֥םמֵ֝עֹשֵׂ֗הוּαὐτοῦיִטְהַר־ἄμεμπτοςגָּֽבֶר׃ἀνήρ

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.

Job 4:17אֱנוֹשׁ¿ a person¿ a personאֱנוֹשׁאֱלֹהַּfrom Godfrom Godאֱלֹהַּצָדֵקwill he be will he be righצָדֵקאִםor?or?אִםעָשָׂהfrom maker from maker hisעָשָׂהטָהֵרwill he be will he be pureטָהֵרגֶּ֫בֶרa mana manגֶּ֫בֶראָנַשׁbe incurabbe incurableאָנַשׁאֵלgodgodאֵלגָּבַרto prevailto prevailגָּבַרבְּלִיַּ֫עַלBelial: woBelial: worthleבְּלִיַּ֫עַלעַיAiAiעַישַׁדַּיAlmightyAlmightyשַׁדַּירֵעַneighborneighborרֵעַרָשַׁעbe wickedbe wickedרָשַׁעצַדִּיקrighteousrighteousצַדִּיקחֵןfavorfavorחֵןיֵשׁtherethereיֵשׁמְלָאכָהworkworkמְלָאכָהתּוֹעֵבַהabominatioabominationתּוֹעֵבַהטֻמְאָהuncleannesuncleannessטֻמְאָהכָּבַסto washto washכָּבַסחָלָץloinloinחָלָץסָכַןbe usefulbe usefulסָכַן
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 4:17

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.

¿ a person from God will he be righteous or? from maker his will he be pure a man
הַֽ֭אֱנוֹשׁHa.'e.no.osh ¿ a person H582 Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
566× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Enosh refers to a human or mankind in general, used to describe individuals or people as a whole in the Bible.
Amplified meaning
human, frail
Tyndale gloss
human
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֱנוֹשׁ (enowsh) refers to man or mankind, often used in a poetic context. It denotes a mortal individual, distinguishing humans from more dignified terms for man. The word encompasses both singular and collective meanings, indicating people or persons in general. Its Aramaic equivalent is אֱנָשׁ (e.nash), also meaning 'man'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֱנוֹשׁ n.m. man, mankind, mostly poet.

of individ.

coll. men

man, mankind

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H582 אֱנוֹשׁ man, mankind, mostly poet.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

582 'enowsh en-oshe'

from 605; properly, a mortal (and thus differing from the

more dignified 120); hence, a man in general (singly or

collectively):--another, X (blood-)thirsty, certain,

chap(-man); divers, fellow, X in the flower of their age,

husband, (certain, mortal) man, people, person, servant, some

( X of them), + stranger, those, + their trade. It is often

unexpressed in the English versions, especially when used in

apposition with another word . Compare 376.

see HEBREW for 0605

see HEBREW for 0120

see HEBREW for 0376

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֱנוֹשׁ (e.nosh) — human.

1) man, mortal man, person, mankind

1a) of an individual

1b) men (collective)

1c) man, mankind

Aramaic equivalent: e.nash (אֱנָשׁ "man" H0606)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part | N-ms — Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
HTi/Ncmsa
¿ a person from God will he be righteous or? from maker his will he be pure a man
מֵאֱל֣וֹהַme.'e.Lo.ha from God H433 Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
57× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Eloah refers to God or a deity, and is used to describe the one true God or false gods. It is often translated as God in the KJV, and is related to the word Elohim, which also refers to God.
Amplified meaning
Eloah, the one true deity
Tyndale gloss
god
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֱלֹהַּ (*'elowahh*) refers to a deity or the Deity, translating to 'God' or 'god.' It is derived from a root meaning 'to be strong' and can also denote a false god. The term appears in various contexts, including ancient poetry and references to heathen gods.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֱלֹהַּ 67; elsewhere אֱלוֹהַּ n.m. god, God

a heathen god, late usage

God, used in ancient poems

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H433 אֱלֹהַּ; elsewhere אֱלוֹהַּ god, God

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

433 'elowahh el-o'-ah; rarely (shortened) >eloahh {el-o'-ah

probably prolonged (emphat.) from 410; a deity or the

Deity:--God, god. See 430.

see HEBREW for 0410

see HEBREW for 0430

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֱלֹהַּ (e.lo.ah) — god.

1) God

2) false god

Aramaic equivalent: e.lah (אֱלָהּ "god" H0426)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
HR/Ncmsa
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…

¿ a person from God will he be righteous or? from maker his will he be pure a man
יִצְדָּ֑קyitz.Dak will he be righteous H6663 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
41× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Refers to the act of making something right, either by justifying oneself or being declared righteous by God. It is used to describe God's justice and people's attempts to do what is right. This concept is key to understanding the Bible's teachings on sin and redemption.
Amplified meaning
just, innocent
Tyndale gloss
to justify
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

צָדֵק (tsadaq) is a Hebrew verb meaning to be just or righteous, encompassing a range of actions from justifying oneself to declaring others righteous. It appears in various forms, including Qal, Niphal, Piel, Hiphil, and Hithpael, indicating different nuances of justification and righteousness. The entries highlight its moral and forensic implications, but do not present significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[צָדֵק, צָדֹק] vb. denom. be just, righteous

Qal

have a just cause, be in the right

be justified

be just

be just, righteous

Niph. the holy place shall be put right

Pi. justify

Hiph.

do justice

declare righteous, justify

justify, vindicate the cause of, save

make righteous, turn to righteousness

Hithp. how shall we justify ourselves

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6663 צָדֵק, צָדֹק vb. denom. be just, righteous

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6663 tsadaq tsaw-dak'

a primitive root; to be (causatively, make) right (in a moral

or forensic sense):--cleanse, clear self, (be, do)

just(-ice, -ify, -ify self), (be turn to) righteous(-ness).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

צָדֵק (tsa.daq) — to justify.

1) to be just, be righteous

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to have a just cause, be in the right

1a2) to be justified

1a3) to be just (of God)

1a4) to be just, be righteous (in conduct and character)

1b) (Niphal) to be put or made right, be justified

1c) (Piel) justify, make to appear righteous, make someone righteous

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to do or bring justice (in administering law)

1d2) to declare righteous, justify

1d3) to justify, vindicate the cause of, save

1d4) to make righteous, turn to righteousness

1e) (Hithpael) to justify oneself

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
HVqi3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Nave's Topical Bible

→ MISCELLANY OF MINOR SUB-TOPICS

Compared with

The sun Jud 5:31; Mt 13:43

Stars Da 12:3

Lights Mt 5:14; Php 2:15

Mount Zion Ps 125:1,2

Lebanon Ho 14:5-7

Treasure Ex 19:5; Ps 135:4

Jewels Mal 3:17

Gold Job 23:10; La 4:2

¿ a person from God will he be righteous or? from maker his will he be pure a man
אִ֥ם'im or? H518 Particle
1,070× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word is used to express conditions or questions, like if or whether. It can also be used to make oaths or express wishes, as in Oh that! It appears in various forms in the KJV, including if, though, and when.
Tyndale gloss
if
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אִם (im) is a Hebrew conjunction primarily meaning 'if' and is used in various contexts, including conditional clauses and interrogative situations. It can also express negation, alternatives, or exceptions, and appears frequently in the Old Testament. The lexicons note its use in oaths and its ability to connect different clauses, sometimes altering their meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אִם conj.

hypoth. part. if

Interrog. part.

base

כִּי אם־

each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause:

that if

for if

(About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause—

limiting the prec. clause, except

the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but

after an oath, surely

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H518a אִם conj. . hypoth. part. if

. Interrog. part.

H518b כִּי אם־ . each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause: . that if

. for if

. (About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause— . limiting the prec. clause, except

. the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but

. after an oath, surely

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

518 'im eem

a primitive particle; used very widely as demonstrative, lo!;

interrog., whether?; or conditional, if, although; also Oh

that!, when; hence, as a negative, not:--(and, can-,

doubtless, if, that) (not), + but, either, + except, +

more(-over if, than), neither, nevertheless, nor, oh that, or,

+ save (only, -ing), seeing, since, sith, + surely (no more,

none, not), though, + of a truth, + unless, + verily, when,

whereas, whether, while, + yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אִם (im) — if.

: if/whether_or/though

1) if

1a) conditional clauses

1a1) of possible situations

1a2) of impossible situations

1b) oath contexts

1b1) no, not

1c) if...if, whether...or, whether...or...or

1d) when, whenever

1e) since

1f) interrogative particle

1g) but rather

[כִּי] אם (ki im) — if: except.

1) except if

1a) but if

אִם (im) — if: surely no.

: surely_no

1) if

1a) conditional clauses

1a1) of possible situations

1a2) of impossible situations

1b) oath contexts

1b1) no, not

1c) if...if, whether...or, whether...or...or

1d) when, whenever

1e) since

1f) interrogative particle

1g) but rather

אִם (im) — if: surely yes.

: surely_yes

1) if

1a) conditional clauses

1a1) of possible situations

1a2) of impossible situations

1b) oath contexts

1b1) no, not

1c) if...if, whether...or, whether...or...or

1d) when, whenever

1e) since

1f) interrogative particle

1g) but rather

אִם (im) — if: until.

: until/except

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj — Particle
HTc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

or: The word is used once for either (1Sa 26:10), and is still in poetic use in this sense; as in, "Without or wave or wind" (Coleridge); "Or the bakke or some bone he breketh in his dzouthe" (Piers Plowman (B), VII, 93; compare Merchant of Venice, III, ii, 65). It is also used with "ever" for before (Ps 90:2; Ecclesiasticus 18:19), which the American Standard Revised Version substitutes in Ec 12:6 (compare 12:1,2); So 6:12; Da 6:24.

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
¿ a person from God will he be righteous or? from maker his will he be pure a man
מֵ֝עֹשֵׂ֗הוּme.'o.Se.hu from maker his H6213 Preposition · verb qal participle (active) masculine singular common · suffix
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
the one who created, formed him
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
Prep | V-Qal | Suff — Preposition · verb qal participle (active) masculine singular common · suffix
HR/Vqrmsc/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."

¿ a person from God will he be righteous or? from maker his will he be pure a man
יִטְהַר־yit.har- will he be pure H2891 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
94× 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 to be pure, either physically, morally, or ceremonially. It appears in Leviticus for purification rituals and in Psalm 51 where David asks God to purify his heart. This concept is central to Jewish and Christian ideas of cleanliness and holiness.
Amplified meaning
clean, ceremonially clean
Tyndale gloss
be pure
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

טָהֵר (taher) means to be clean or pure, covering physical, ceremonial, and moral aspects of purity. It can refer to being free from disease, ceremonially clean, or morally innocent. The verb has various forms, including Qal (to be clean), Piel (to cleanse), and Hithpael (to purify oneself). Brown-Driver-Briggs notes a specific instance of miraculous cleansing related to leprosy.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

טָהֵר vb. be clean, pure

Qal

be clean, i.e. (miraculously) freed from leprosy by washing in the Jordan

be clean ceremonially

be clean morally

Pi.

cleanse, purify

pronounce clean, ceremonially

perform the ceremony of cleansing

Pu. a land not cleansed

Hithp.

purify oneself

present oneself for purification

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2891 טָהֵר be clean, pure

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2891 taher taw-hare'

a primitive root; properly, to be bright; i.e. (by

implication) to be pure (physical sound, clear, unadulterated;

Levitically, uncontaminated; morally, innocent or holy):--be

(make, make self, pronounce) clean, cleanse (self), purge,

purify(-ier, self).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

טָהֵר (ta.her) — be pure.

1) to be clean, be pure

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to be clean (physically-of disease)

1a2) to be clean ceremonially

1a3) to purify, be clean morally, made clean

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to cleanse, purify

1b1a) physically

1b1b) ceremonially

1b1c) morally

1b2) to pronounce clean

1b3) to perform the ceremony of cleansing

1c) (Pual) to be cleansed, be pronounced clean

1d) (Hithpael)

1d1) to purify oneself

1d1a) ceremonially

1d1b) morally

1d2) to present oneself for purification

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
HVqi3ms
¿ a person from God will he be righteous or? from maker his will he be pure a man
גָּֽבֶר׃Ga.ver a man H1397 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
65× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for a great man or warrior, emphasizing strength or ability to fight, used to describe a person of valor. It is translated as 'man' or 'mighty' in the KJV. In the Bible, it appears in various contexts, including descriptions of strong leaders.
Amplified meaning
great man
Tyndale gloss
great man
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

גֶּ֫בֶר (geber) refers to a man, particularly one who is strong or valiant, often distinguished from women and children. The term is used primarily in poetic contexts and emphasizes the qualities of strength and warrior-like attributes. It is derived from a root meaning to be strong, and lexicons highlight its use in describing a mighty or capable individual.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

גֶּ֫בֶר 66 n.m. man;—man as strong, disting. fr. women, children, and non-combatants whom he is to defend, chiefly poetic

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1397 גֶּ֫בֶר man;—man as strong, disting. fr. women, children, and non-combatants whom he is to defend, chiefly poetic

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1397 geber gheh'-ber

from 1396; properly, a valiant man or warrior; generally, a

person simply:--every one, man, X mighty.

see HEBREW for 01396

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

גָּבֶר (ga.ver) — great man.

man, strong man, warrior (emphasising strength or ability to fight)

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

See ANTHROPOLOGY.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Man

(1.) Heb. ‘Adam, used as the proper name of the first man. The name is derived from a word meaning “to be red,” and thus the first man was called Adam because he was formed from the red earth. It is also the generic name of the human race (Gen. 1:26, 27; 5:2; 8:21; Deut. 8:3). Its equivalents are the Latin homo and the Greek anthropos (Matt. 5:13, 16). It denotes also man in opposition to woman (Gen. 3:12; Matt. 19:10).

(2.) Heb. ‘ish, like the Latin vir and Greek aner, denotes properly a man in opposition to a woman (1 Sam. 17:33;

→ CREATED Ge 1:26,27; 2:7; 5:1,2; De 4:32; Job 4:17; 10:2,3,8,9; 31:15; 33:4; 35:10; Ps 8:5; 100:3; 119:73; 138:8; 139:14; Ec 7:29; Isa 17:7; 42:5; 43:7; 45:12; 64:8; Jer 27:5; Zec 12:1; Mal 2:10; Mr 10:6; Heb 2:7

See CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF GOD, below

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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