Menu

Job 40:9 — Word Study

Depth

WLCוְאִם־ זְר֖וֹעַ כָּאֵ֥ל׀ לָ֑ךְ וּ֝בְק֗וֹל כָּמֹ֥הוּ תַרְעֵֽם׃

BSADo you have an armzᵉrôwaʻ [the arm as stretched out; strength, might, power] like God’sʼêl [the supreme Almighty] Can you thunderrâʻam [with a voice of authority, making a loud rumbling sound] with a voiceqôwl [a sound or utterance, like the sound of a person speaking] like Hiskᵉmôw [having the same power and majesty]

Word
Listen & take awayJob 40
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 9 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 (tar.'Em) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Job 40:9quick helps
In a sentenceJob questions whether anyone can match God's power and authority.
Who is speakingGod, challenging Job about his understanding of divine might.
Where we areIn a series of rhetorical questions aimed at revealing human limitations.
The hard wordתַרְעֵֽם
Take awayGod's power is unmatched and beyond human capability.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause 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 40:9

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 Challenge to Jobgenerated

8Would you really annul My justice? Would you condemn Me to justify yourself?
9Do you have an arm like God’s? Can you thunder with a voice like His?
10Then adorn yourself with majesty and splendor, and clothe yourself with honor and glory.
11Unleash the fury of your wrath; look on every proud man and bring him low.

Job 40:9 is part of God's response to Job, where He questions Job's understanding of divine power. This verse emphasizes God's unmatched strength and authority, inviting Job to reflect on his own limitations in comparison to God's might. The surrounding verses further highlight the contrast between human frailty and divine majesty, as God challenges Job to consider his own ability to act as God does.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Job 9:4God is wise in heart and mighty in strength. Who has resisted Him and prospered?
2Job 23:6Would He contend with me in His great power? No, He would certainly take note of me.
3Job 33:12–13Behold, you are not right in this matter. I will answer you, for God is greater than man.
4Exodus 15:6Your right hand, O LORD, is majestic in power; Your right hand, O LORD, has shattered the enemy.
5Psalm 89:10–13You crushed Rahab like a carcass; You scattered Your enemies with Your mighty arm.

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


The Key Word תַרְעֵֽם, tar.'Emgenerated

The verb תַרְעֵֽם (tar.'Em) is a jussive form in the Hiphil stem, indicating a command or request. It means 'to thunder' and is used metaphorically to describe a powerful voice or authority, particularly in the context of God's voice.

This word evokes the imagery of thunder, which symbolizes strength and might. In this verse, it emphasizes the idea that only God can produce such a powerful sound, contrasting with human limitations.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

The translations generally agree on the meaning of the verse, with all versions reflecting the challenge of God's might.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The finite verb תַרְעֵֽם (tar.'Em) governs the entire verse, with the subject and several phrases describing the conditions surrounding it. The structure emphasizes the rhetorical nature of the questions posed by God.

The clauses are interconnected, with the initial question setting the stage for the following inquiries about God's strength and voice, highlighting the contrast between divine and human capabilities.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates תַרְעֵֽם as βροντᾷς (brontais), which means 'to thunder.' This choice reinforces the imagery of God's powerful voice, aligning with the Hebrew meaning while also reflecting the Greek understanding of divine authority.

The translation choice indicates a consistent emphasis on the might of God's voice, which is a central theme in both the Hebrew text and its Greek rendering.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Job 40:9 asks if anyone can compare to God's strength and authority. God challenges Job to think about whether he can act with the same power and voice as God. This verse illustrates the vast difference between human abilities and divine might.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean to have an arm like God?

Having an arm like God refers to possessing the same strength and power that God has, which is impossible for humans.

Why does God ask if Job can thunder?

God uses the question to emphasize His own authority and power, showing that Job cannot match God's might.

What is the significance of God's voice in this verse?

God's voice symbolizes His authority and power, which is beyond human capability to replicate.

How does this verse relate to the overall message of Job?

This verse highlights the theme of human limitations in understanding God's ways and the vast difference between divine and human power.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways do I see God's power in my life?
  2. How can I better understand my limitations compared to God's greatness?
  3. What does it mean for me to recognize God's authority in my daily decisions?
  4. How can I respond to challenges in my life with an awareness of God's strength?

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

Early commentators reference this verse to discuss God's incomprehensible power and the limitations of human understanding.

Gregory the DialogistMorals on the Book of Job, Book XXXII c. 540–604
When there is a reference to the voice or the "arm" [power] of God, we must be very careful not to attribute to him any corporeal feature.
Early Church Fathers on Job 40 →
Gregory the DialogistMorals on the Book of Job, Book XXXII c. 540–604
Hast thou an arm like God, and dost thou thunder with a voice like Him? 6. Because blessed Job transcended in merits the race of men, his merciful Creator and Teacher challenges him to consider the resemblance of His greatness,
Early Church Fathers on Job 40 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Job 40:9 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Hast thou an arm like God?.... Such power as he has, which is infinite, almighty, and uncontrollable, and therefore there is no contending with him; as he has an arm on which good men may lean on and

Read John Gill on Job 40 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thunder with a voice like him? Arm - God's omnipotence (Isaiah 53:1). Thunder - God's voice (Job 37:4). 10.

Read Robert Jamieson on Job 40 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Thou art infinitely short of God in power, and therefore in justice; for all his perfections are equal and infinite. Injustice is much more likely to be in thee, an impotent creature, than in the Almighty God; of which See Poole "". Canst thou thunder with a voice like him? therefore do not presume to contend with him.

Read Matthew Poole on Job 40 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Job 40:9 Hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thunder with a voice like him?Ver. 9. Hast thou an arm like God?] That thou shouldest wrestle a fall with him, and hope to overmatch him? "Thou hast a mighty arm," saith David: "strong is thy hand, and high is thy right hand," Psalms 89:13. It spans the heavens, and holds the earth in the hollow of it. The weight of it broke the angels’ backs; and the terror of it may be seen in all those writs of execution recorded in the Scriptures. Oh, it is a fearful thing, saith the apostle, to fall into the (punishing) hands of the living God! Hebrews 10:31 Or canst thou thunder with a voice like him?] Of Pericles, the orator, it is said, that when he…

Read John Trapp on Job 40 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 9. Hast thou an arm like God?] Every word, from this to the end of Job 40:14, has a wonderful tendency to humble the soul; and it is no wonder that at the conclusion of these sayings Job fell in the dust confounded, and ascribed righteousness to his Maker.

Read AdamClarke on Job 40 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Chap. Job 40:6 to Job 42:6. The Lord’s Second Answer to Job out of the Storm Shall Man charge God with unrighteousness in His Rule of the World? All that the first speech of the Lord touched upon was the presumption of a mortal man desiring to contend with the Almighty. The display from Creation of that which God is had the desired effect on Job’s mind: he is abased, and will no more contend with the Almighty. But Job had not only presumed to contend with God, he had charged Him with unrighteousness in His rule of the world and in His treatment of himself. This is the point to which the second speech from the storm is directed. The passage has properly two parts. First, Job 40:6-14, as Job…

Read Cambridge on Job 40 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Hast thou an arm like God? - The arm is the symbol of strength. The question here is, whether Job would venture to compare his strength with the omnipotence of God? Or canst thou thunder with a voice like him?

Read Albert Barnes on Job 40 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

9. An arm like God — The arm of the Lord is the symbol of omnipotence, as in Isaiah 51:9, in which, in sublime strains, Jehovah is represented as personifying his own omnipotence.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Job 40 →

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

Do you have an arm like God’s? Can you thunder with a voice like His?

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Or do you have an arm like God? Can you thunder with a voice like him?

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Do you have an arm like God’s? Can you thunder with a voice like His?

NETBNew English Translation2006

Do you have an arm as powerful as God’s, and can you thunder with a voice like his?

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thunder with a voice like him?

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Or hast thou an arm like God? And canst thou thunder with a voice like him?

RVARevised Version, American1894

Or hast thou an arm like God? and canst thou thunder with a voice like him?

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thunder with a voice like his?

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Then will I confesse vnto thee also, that thy right hand can saue thee.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thunder with a voice like him?

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And an arm like God hast thou? And with a voice like Him dost thou thunder?

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And do you have an arm like God? And do you thunder with a voice like His?

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

But if thou hast an arm like God, or if thou canst thunder loudly like him:

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Do you have an arm like God's? Can you thunder with a voice like him?

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Then I will confess that thy right hand is able to save thee.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Are you as powerful as I am? Does your voice thunder like mine?

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Have you an arm like God? have you a voice of thunder like his?

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.

וְandclauseאִםor?clauseclausenoun phrase · subjectזְר֖וֹעַ[does].an.armprepositional phraseכָּlikenoun phrase(the)אֵ֥לGodprepositional phrase · predicateלָ֑[belong].toךְyou?וּ֝andclauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalבְwithק֗וֹלa.voiceprepositional phrase · prepositionalכָּמֹ֥likeהוּhimverbתַרְעֵֽםwill.you.thunder?

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 agree closely in this verse, with 7 of the 7 words matched. This demonstrates a strong consistency in the transmission of the text, affirming the original message regarding God's unmatched power.

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

וְאִם־ זְר֖וֹעַ כָּאֵ֥ל׀ לָ֑ךְ וּ֝בְק֗וֹל כָּמֹ֥הוּ תַרְעֵֽם׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וְאִם־זְר֖וֹעַβραξίωνכָּאֵ֥ל׀ἐστινלָ֑ךְκατὰוּ֝בְק֗וֹלφωνῇכָּמֹ֥הוּαὐτὸνתַרְעֵֽם׃βροντᾷς

7 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 40:9אִםand or?and or?אִםזְרוֹעַ[does] an a[does] an armזְרוֹעַאֵלlike Godlike Godאֵלךְ[belong] to[belong] to youךְקוֹלand with a and with a voicקוֹלכְּמוֹlike himlike himכְּמוֹרָעַםwill you thwill you thundeרָעַםזָרַעto sowto sowזָרַעאַ֫יִלramramאַ֫יִלכֵּןrightrightכֵּןחֵןfavorfavorחֵןיֵשׁtherethereיֵשׁחָזָקstrongstrongחָזָקנָטָהto stretchto stretchנָטָהקַנָּאjealousjealousקַנָּאשַׁדַּיAlmightyAlmightyשַׁדַּיתְּרוּעָהshoutshoutתְּרוּעָהשֹׁפָרtrumpettrumpetשֹׁפָרחֹ֫מֶרclayclayחֹ֫מֶרמְלֹאfullnessfullnessמְלֹאאֵלgodgodאֵל
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 40:9

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.

and or? [does] an arm like God [belong] to you? and with a voice like him will you thunder?
וְאִם־ve.'im- and or? H518 Conjunction · 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
HC/Tc — Conjunction · particle
HC/Tc
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
and or? [does] an arm like God [belong] to you? and with a voice like him will you thunder?
זְר֖וֹעַze.Ro.a' [does] an arm H2220 Noun common · feminine singular absolute
91× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for arm refers to the arm as stretched out, symbolizing strength, force, or power, as seen in the KJV translations of arm, mighty, and strength.
Amplified meaning
the arm as stretched out; strength, might, power
Tyndale gloss
arm
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

זְרוֹעַ (z'roa) refers to an arm or shoulder, often symbolizing strength. It can denote the physical arm, the shoulder of a sacrificed animal, or military and political forces. The word is derived from a root meaning to stretch out, indicating both physical and metaphorical strength.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

זְרוֹעַ, זְרֹעַ n.f. and (rare) m. arm, shoulder, strength

arm

arm, as symbol of strength

Pl. forces, political and military

Shoulder of animal sacrificed, belonging to priest

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2220 זְרוֹעַ, זְרֹעַ arm, shoulder, strength . arm

. arm, as symbol of strength

. Pl. forces, political and military

. Shoulder of animal sacrificed, belonging to priest

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2220 zrowa` zer-o'-ah

or (shortened) zroao {zer-o'-ah}; and (feminine) zrowpah

{zer-o-aw'}; or zrowah {zer-o-aw'}; from 2232; the arm (as

stretched out), or (of animals) the foreleg; figuratively,

force:--arm, + help, mighty, power, shoulder, strength.

see HEBREW for 02232

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

זְרוֹעַ (ze.ro.a) — arm.

1) arm, forearm, shoulder, strength

1a) arm

1b) arm (as symbol of strength)

1c) forces (political and military)

1d) shoulder (of animal sacrificed)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-cs — Noun common · feminine singular absolute
HNcfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

arm (zeroa`, 'ezroa`, dera`; brachion; chotsen, katheph): The usual form is zeroa` from the root zara`, "to spread." The arm may be "stretched out." 'Ezroa` is this form with prosthetic 'aleph (Job 31:22; Jer 32:21), and dera` is the Aramaic form. Chotsen is really "bosom," thus the Revised Version (British and American) (Isa 49:22); and katheph is "shoulder," thus the Revised Version (British and American) (Job 31:22). Compare cheir, also, in Ac 11:21.

Figurative: The arm denotes influence, power, means of support or conquest. The arms of Moab (Jer 48:25) and of…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Arm

Used to denote power (Ps. 10:15; Ezek. 30:21; Jer. 48:25). It is also used of the omnipotence of God (Ex. 15:16; Ps. 89:13; 98:1; 77:15; Isa. 53:1; John 12:38; Acts 13:17)

Nave's Topical Bible

→ FIGURATIVE USE OF Ex 6:6; 15:16; De 4:34; 5:15; 7:19; 9:29; 11:2; 26:8; 33:27; 1Ki 8:42; 2Ki 17:36; 2Ch 6:32; Ps 77:15; 89:10,13,21; 98:1; 136:12; So 2:6; Isa 33:2; 40:10,11; 51:5,9; 52:10; 53:1; 59:16; 62:8; 63:5,12; Jer 21:5; 27:5; 32:17; Eze 20:33; Lu 1:51;

and or? [does] an arm like God [belong] to you? and with a voice like him will you thunder?
כָּאֵ֥ל׀ka.'El like God H410 Preposition · 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
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
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
HRd/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…

and or? [does] an arm like God [belong] to you? and with a voice like him will you thunder?
לָ֑ךְLakh [belong] to you? H9032 Preposition · suffix
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

ךְ (kh) — you.

Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 2nd person feminine singular

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Sp2ms — Preposition · suffix
HR/Sp2ms
and or? [does] an arm like God [belong] to you? and with a voice like him will you thunder?
וּ֝בְק֗וֹלu.ve.Kol and with a voice H6963 Conjunction · preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
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
a sound or utterance, like the sound of a person speaking
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
Conj | Prep | N-ms — Conjunction · preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
HC/R/Ncmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

vois.

See BATH KOL.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ OF GOD Eze 1:24,28; 10:5; Joh 5:37; 12:28-30; Ac 7:31; 9:4,7; 26:14,15

See ANTHROPOMORPHISMS

and or? [does] an arm like God [belong] to you? and with a voice like him will you thunder?
כָּמֹ֥הוּka.Mo.hu like him H3644 Preposition · suffix
143× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means like or as, used to compare things. It appears in the Bible to describe similarities or to make comparisons, such as in the book of Psalms.
Amplified meaning
having the same power and majesty
Tyndale gloss
like
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כְּמוֹ (kemo) is an adverb and conjunction meaning 'like' or 'as,' often used to draw comparisons or indicate similarity. It can also mean 'when' or 'according to.' The word is derived from a pleonastic form of the prefix כְּ (k-) and is related to the word מוֹ (mo). There are no significant disagreements among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כְּמוֹ adv. and conj. like, as, when (lit. the like of what (viz.) …, a pleon. form of כְּ (v. מוֹ), and, like it, prop. a subst.)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3644 כְּמוֹ adv. and conj. like, as, when (lit. the like of what (viz.) …, a pleon. form of כְּ (v. מוֹ), and, like it, prop. a subst.)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3644 kmow kem-o'

or kamow {kaw-mo'}; a form of the prefix "k-", but used

separately (compare 3651); as, thus, so:--according to, (such)

as (it were, well as), in comparison of, like (as, to, unto),

thus, when, worth.

see HEBREW for 03651

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כְּמוֹ (ke.mo) — like.

adv

1) like, as, the like of which

conj

2) when, according as, as it were

כְּמוֹ (ke.mo) — (Geruth) Chimham.

Combined with ge.rut (גֵּרוּת "Geruth" H1628)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | Suff — Preposition · suffix
HR/Sp3ms
and or? [does] an arm like God [belong] to you? and with a voice like him will you thunder?
תַרְעֵֽם׃tar.'Em will you thunder? H7481 Verb · Hiphil · jussive second 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 voice of authority, making a loud rumbling sound
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-2ms — Verb · Hiphil · jussive second person masculine singular
HVhj2ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

thun'-der (ra`am (1Sa 2:10; Job 26:14; 39:19; 40:9; Ps 77:18; 81:7; 104:7; Isa 29:6), qol, "a voice" (Ex 9:23; 1Sa 7:10; 12:17; Job 28:26; 38:25)): Thunder is the noise resulting from the lightning discharge. It is very common in the winter storms of Syria and Palestine and occurs in the extra-season storms. Thunder accompanied the storm of hail in Egypt at the time of the plagues: "The Lord sent thunder and hail" (Ex 9:23).

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Thunder

Often referred to in Scripture (Job 40:9; Ps. 77:18; 104:7). James and John were called by our Lord “sons of thunder” (Mark 3:17). In Job 39:19, instead of “thunder,” as in the Authorized Version, the Revised Version translates (ra’amah) by “quivering main” (marg., “shaking”). Thunder accompanied the giving of the law at Sinai (Ex. 19:16). It was regarded as the voice of God (Job 37:2; Ps. 18:13; 81:7; comp. John 12:29). In answer to Samuel’s prayer…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

is hardly ever heard in Palestine form the middle of April to the middle of September; hence it was selected by Samuel as a striking expression of the divine displeasure toward the Israelites. (1 Samuel 12:17) Rain in harvest was deemed as extraordinary as snow in summer, (Proverbs 26:1) and Jerome states that he had never witnessed it in the latter part of June or in July. Comm. on (Amos 4:7) In the imaginative philosophy of the Hebrews, thunder was regarded as the voice of Jehovah, (Job 37:2,4,5; 40:9; Psalms 18:13; 29:3-9; Isaiah 30:30,31) who dwelt behind the thunder-cloud. (

And lightning are significant manifestations of the power of God, and emblems of his presence, Ex 19:16 1Sa 2:10 12:17 Ps 18:13. Thunder is poetically called "the voice of the Lord" in the sublime description of a thunder-storm in Ps 29:11;

"The voice of the Lord is upon the waters;

The God of glory thundereth;

The Lord is upon many waters.

The voice of the Lord is powerful;

The voice of the Lord is full of majesty.

The voice of the Lord breaketh the cedars;

Yea, the Lord breaketh the cedars of Lebanon," etc.

See also Job 37:1-5 40:9 Jer 10:13. In illustration of

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.

Everything we make is available for free because of a generous community of supporters.

Donate