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Job 41:11 — Word Study

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WLCמִ֣י הִ֭קְדִּימַנִי וַאֲשַׁלֵּ֑ם תַּ֖חַת כָּל־ הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם לִי־ הֽוּא׃

BSAlippeh torchlappîyd to gohâlak sparkkîydôwd fireʼêsh to escapemâlaṭ

Word
Listen & take awayJob 41
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 11 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 (Hu') — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Job 41:11quick helps
In a sentenceGod asserts His sovereignty, questioning who could give Him anything that requires repayment.
Who is speakingThe speaker is God, addressing the challenge of human obligation.
Where we areIn the context of God's power over creation, specifically in a discourse about Leviathan.
The hard wordהִ֭קְדִּימַנִי
Take awayEverything belongs to God; there is no debt to Him.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectמִן 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 41:11

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 — God's Sovereignty Over Creationgenerated

10No one is so fierce as to rouse Leviathan. Then who is able to stand against Me?
11Who has given to Me that I should repay him? Everything under heaven is Mine.
12I cannot keep silent about his limbs, his power and graceful form.
13Who can strip off his outer coat? Who can approach him with a bridle?

Job 41:11 is part of a larger discourse where God speaks of His unmatched power and authority. The context revolves around the creature Leviathan, illustrating God's control over even the fiercest of beings. This verse emphasizes the idea that nothing can be given to God that would obligate Him to repay, reinforcing His position as the ultimate authority over all creation.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Job 22:2–3“Can a man be of use to God? Can even a wise man benefit Him?
2Job 35:7If you are righteous, what do you give Him, or what does He receive from your hand?
3Psalm 21:3For You welcomed him with rich blessings; You placed on his head a crown of pure gold.
4Romans 11:35“Who has first given to God, that God should repay him?”
5Exodus 19:5Now if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, you will be My treasured possession out of all the nations—for the whole earth is Mine.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 11 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word הִ֭קְדִּימַנִי, Hik.di.ma.nigenerated

The verb הִ֭קְדִּימַנִי (hik.di.ma.ni) is a Hiphil perfect form meaning 'has he confronted me' or 'has he met me.' It implies a meeting or coming before, often in a context of obligation or expectation.

In this verse, it raises a rhetorical question about the nature of giving to God, suggesting that no one can offer anything that would place God in a position of needing to repay. The use of the verb underscores God's independence and self-sufficiency.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main clause is governed by the verb הִ֭קְדִּימַנִי (hik.di.ma.ni), with a series of phrases that elaborate on the question of giving and repayment. The structure highlights the rhetorical nature of the inquiry.

The word order places emphasis on the interrogative pronoun מִ֣י (mi), which opens the question, setting the tone for God's assertion of sovereignty.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, the Hebrew verb הִ֭קְדִּימַנִי is rendered with the Greek word αὐτοῦ (autou), indicating a personal relationship in the context of obligation. This choice suggests a narrowing of focus, emphasizing the personal aspect of God's challenge.

The translation choices reflect the translators' understanding of the relationship between God and humanity, highlighting the impossibility of placing God in a position of debt.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Job 41:11 presents a question from God about who could give Him anything that would require repayment. It emphasizes that everything in the universe belongs to God, highlighting His ultimate authority and independence.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that God does not owe anyone anything?

This means that God is self-sufficient and does not rely on human actions or gifts; everything already belongs to Him.

Why does God ask who has given to Him?

This rhetorical question emphasizes His sovereignty and the futility of thinking one can obligate God.

How does this verse relate to the concept of debt?

It illustrates that God cannot be indebted to anyone, as He is the creator and possessor of all things.

What is the significance of 'everything under heaven is Mine'?

This statement reinforces God's ownership and authority over all creation, asserting that nothing exists outside His dominion.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways do I recognize God's sovereignty in my life?
  2. How can I better understand the concept of giving and obligation in my relationship with God?
  3. What does it mean for me that everything belongs to God?
  4. How can I respond to God’s sovereignty in my daily actions and decisions?

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Job 41:11 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Who hath prevented me, that one should repay [him]?.... First given me something that was not my own, and so laid me under an obligation to him to make a return.

Read John Gill on Job 41 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Who hath prevented me, that I should repay him? whatsoever is under the whole heaven is mine. Prevented - done me a favour first: anticipated me with service (Psalms 21:3).

Read Robert Jamieson on Job 41 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Who hath prevented me, to wit, with offices or service done for me, by which he hath laid the first obligation upon me, for which I am indebted to him? Who can be beforehand with me in kindnesses, since not only the leviathan, but all men, and, as it follows, all things under heaven, are mine, made by my hand and enriched with all their endowments by my favour, without which, O Job, thou wouldst not have had either reason or such to use so perversely to reproach my providence. Having now said and largely proved that man could not contend with God in power, he now adds, that he cannot do it in justice, because God oweth him nothing, nor is any way obliged to him; which having briefly hinted…

Read Matthew Poole on Job 41 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Job 41:11 Who hath prevented me, that I should repay [him? whatsoever is] under the whole heaven is mine.Ver. 11. Who hath prevented me, that I should repay him?] Who can tax me wath injustice, who am bound to no man, but owner of all things? If any one can say I am beholden to him, let him prove it, and I shall readily requite it, he shall have no cause at all to complain about me as ungrateful, Romans 11:34-35. Whatsoever is under the whole heaven is mine] The devil told our Saviour that all was his, and to whomsoever he would he gave it, Luke 4:6. The pope also (that firstborn of the devil) takes upon him, as lord of all, to dispose of spirituals or temporals in all countries, as…

Read John Trapp on Job 41 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(11) Who hath prevented me?—It is manifest that this appeal would come more appropriately at the end of the following detailed description than, as it does here, just before it. “Who hath prevented me,” &c., of course means, Who hath first given to me, that I should repay him?

Read Charles John Ellicott on Job 41 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 11. Who hath prevented me] Who is it that hath laid me under obligation to him? Do I need my creatures? All under the heavens is my property.

Read AdamClarke on Job 41 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

11. who hath prevented me] Rather, who hath first given to me? So Tyndale, Or who hathe geven me anye thinge afore hand, that I am bounde to reward him agayne? As none dare contend with God (Job 41:10), so none have any ground of contention with Him. None hath given aught to God, so as to have a claim against Him, for all things under the heavens are His; comp. Psalms 50:10 seq.

Read Cambridge on Job 41 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Who hath prevented me? - As this verse is here rendered, its meaning, and the reason why it is introduced, are not very apparent.

Read Albert Barnes on Job 41 →

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

Who has given to Me that I should repay him? Everything under heaven is Mine.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Who has first given to me, that I should repay him? Everything under the heavens is mine.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Who has given to Me that I should repay him? Everything under heaven is Mine.

NETBNew English Translation2006

(Who has confronted me that I should repay? Everything under heaven belongs to me!)

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Who hath prevented me, that I should repay him? whatsoever is under the whole heaven is mine.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Who hath first given unto me, that I should repay him? Whatsoever is under the whole heaven is mine.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Who hath first given unto me, that I should repay him? whatsoever is under the whole heaven is mine.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Who hath first benefited me, that I should repay him ? whatever is under the whole heaven is mine.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Out of his nostrels commeth out smoke, as out of a boyling pot or caldron.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Who hath first given to me, that I should repay [him]? [Whatsoever is] under the whole heaven is mine.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Who hath brought before Me and I repay? Under the whole heavens it [is] mine.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Who has brought before Me and I repay? Under the whole heavens it [is] Mine.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

(41:3) Who hath shown me favor, that I should repay him! whatsoever is under the whole heaven is mine.—

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Who has first given anything to me in order that I should repay him? Whatever is under the whole sky is mine.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, like that of a pot heated and boiling.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Who has confronted me with any claim that I should repay? Everything under heaven belongs to me.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Who ever went against me, and got the better of me? There is no one under heaven!

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.

clauseclausesubjectמִ֣יwho?verbהִ֭קְדִּימַhasobjectנִיhe.confronted.meוַandclauseverbאֲשַׁלֵּ֑םI.will.repayclauseclauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalתַּ֖חַתundernoun phraseכָּלallnoun phraseהַtheשָּׁמַ֣יִםheavensclauseprepositional phrase · predicateלִ[belongs].toיmesubjectהֽוּאit

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


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

The Masoretic Text reads: מִ֣י הִ֭קְדִּימַנִי וַאֲשַׁלֵּ֑ם תַּ֖חַת כָּל־ הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם לִי־ הֽוּא׃. The Septuagint matches five of the eight words, indicating some agreement in the core message, though the word order differs significantly.

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

מִ֣י הִ֭קְדִּימַנִי וַאֲשַׁלֵּ֑ם תַּ֖חַת כָּל־ הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם לִי־ הֽוּא׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
מִ֣יἐκהִ֭קְדִּימַנִיαὐτοῦוַאֲשַׁלֵּ֑םλαμπάδεςתַּ֖חַתἐσξάραιכָּל־πυρός

5 of the 8 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

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 41:11מִיwho?who?מִיקָדַםhas he confhas he confrontקָדַםשָׁלֵםand I may rand I may repayשָׁלֵםתַּחַתunderunderתַּחַתכֹּלallallכֹּלשָׁמַיthe heavensthe heavensשָׁמַינִי[belongs] t[belongs] to meנִיהוּאititהוּאכָּלַלto perfectto perfectכָּלַלמָהwhat?what?מָהתּוֹחַתּוֹחַיָעַדto appointto appointיָעַדכְּמוֹlikelikeכְּמוֹכָּפַףto bendto bendכָּפַףחֵץarrowarrowחֵץנֶ֫דֶרvowvowנֶ֫דֶראֶ֫דֶןsocketsocketאֶ֫דֶןשֶׁ֫מֶשׁsunsunשֶׁ֫מֶשׁעֵדָהcongregaticongregationעֵדָהעֲבֹדָהserviceserviceעֲבֹדָהעוֹףbirdbirdעוֹףכּוֹכָבstarstarכּוֹכָבטָמֵאuncleanuncleanטָמֵאעֵתtimetimeעֵת
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 41:11

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.

who? has he confronted me and I may repay under all the heavens [belongs] to me it
מִ֣יmi who? H4310 Pronoun
423× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word is used to ask questions like who, whose, or whom. It can also be used to express a wish, like would that or whoever. It appears in many forms throughout the Bible, often in phrases like O that or what.
Tyndale gloss
who?
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מִי (mi) is an interrogative pronoun primarily used to ask about persons, meaning 'who?' or 'whose?'. It can also appear in rhetorical questions and has some idiomatic uses, such as 'who among...?' or 'whosoever'. The word is rarely applied to things, and its forms can vary in emphasis.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מִי 423 pron.interrog. who? of persons

מִי is rarely used of things, and usually where persons are understood or implied

in the gen. whose

in an indirect qu.

מִי ב׳ who among … ?

strengthened and emph. forms of interrog.

various rhetorical uses whose

מִי may sometimes be rendered whosoever, though, as the examples will shew, it does not really mean it

once, following a verb, any one

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4310 מִי who? of persons . מִי is rarely used of things, and usually where persons are understood or implied

. in the gen. whose

. in an indirect qu.

. מִי ב׳ who among … ?

. strengthened and emph. forms of interrog.

. various rhetorical uses whose

. מִי may sometimes be rendered whosoever, though, as the examples will shew, it does not really mean it

. once, following a verb, any one

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4310 miy me

an interrogative pronoun of persons, as 4100 is of things,

who? (occasionally, by a peculiar idiom, of things); also

(indefinitely) whoever; often used in oblique construction

with prefix or suffix:--any (man), X he, X him, + O that!

what, which, who(-m, -se, -soever), + would to God.

see HEBREW for 04100

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מִי (mi) — who?.

who?, whose?, whom?, would that, whoever, whosoever

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HPi — Pronoun
HPi
who? has he confronted me and I may repay under all the heavens [belongs] to me it
הִ֭קְדִּימַנִיHik.di.ma.ni has he confronted me H6923 Verb hiphil perfect third person masculine singular · suffix
26× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To meet or go before someone, often for help, as seen in the Bible when God meets his people in Exodus. This word can also mean to anticipate or hasten something. In the book of Psalms, it is used to describe God coming to the aid of his people.
Tyndale gloss
to meet
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

קָדַם (qadam) is a verb meaning to meet or come in front of someone or something. It covers actions such as anticipating, leading, and confronting, with nuances in its Piel and Hiphil forms. The entries emphasize its use in contexts of meeting or preceding, but do not provide specific verse references.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[קָדַם] vb. Pi. denom. come or be in front, meet

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6923 [קָדַם] vb. Pi. denom. come or be in front, meet

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6923 qadam kaw-dam'

a primitive root; to project (one self), i.e. precede; hence,

to anticipate, hasten, meet (usually for help):--come (go,

(flee)) before, + disappoint, meet, prevent.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קָדַם (qa.dam) — to meet.

1) to meet, come or be in front, confront, go before

1a) (Piel)

1a1) to meet, confront, come to meet, receive

1a2) to go before, go in front, be in front

1a3) to lead, be beforehand, anticipate, forestall

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to come in front

1b2) to confront, anticipate

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVhp3ms/Sp1bs — Verb hiphil perfect third person masculine singular · suffix
HVhp3ms/Sp1bs
who? has he confronted me and I may repay under all the heavens [belongs] to me it
וַאֲשַׁלֵּ֑םva.'a.sha.Lem and I may repay H7999 Conjunction · verb piel first person common singular
116× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to be at peace or to make peace with someone. It is used in the Bible to describe a state of safety or friendship. In the KJV, it is translated as 'make amends' or 'be at peace'.
Tyndale gloss
to complete
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׁלֵם (shalam) is a Hebrew root meaning to be complete or sound, covering a range of meanings from finishing or restoring to making peace. It can refer to being uninjured, completing a task, or making recompense. The verb also has a denominative form indicating a covenant of peace, suggesting relationships of harmony and safety.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[שָׁלֵם] 103 vb. be complete, sound

Qal

be complete, finished, ended

be sound, uninjured

Pi.

complete, finish, temple

make safe

make whole or good, restore

make good, i.e. pay, vows

requite, recompense, reward

Pu.

be performed, of vow

be repaid, requited

Hiph.

complete, perform

make an end of

base

[שָׁלַם] vb. denom. be in covenant of peace

Qal be at peace

Pu. Pt. one in covt. of peace

Hiph.

make peace with

cause to be at peace

Hoph. live at peace with

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7999a שָׁלֵם be complete, sound .. be complete, finished, ended

. be sound, uninjured

. . complete, finish, temple

. make safe

. make whole or good, restore

. make good, i.e. pay, vows

. requite, recompense, reward

. . be performed, of vow

. be repaid, requited

. . complete, perform

. make an end of

H7999b [שָׁלַם] vb. denom. be in covenant of peace .be at peace

. Pt. one in covt. of peace

. . make peace with

. cause to be at peace

. live at peace with

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7999 shalam shaw-lam'

a primitive root; to be safe (in mind, body or estate);

figuratively, to be (causatively, make) completed; by

implication, to be friendly; by extension, to reciprocate (in

various applications):--make amends, (make an) end, finish,

full, give again, make good, (re-)pay (again), (make) (to) (be

at) peace(-able), that is perfect, perform, (make)

prosper(-ous), recompense, render, requite, make restitution,

restore, reward, X surely.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁלֵם (sa.lem) — to complete.

1) to be complete, be sound

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to be complete, be finished, be ended

1a2) to be sound, be uninjured

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to complete, finish

1b2) to make safe

1b3) to make whole or good, restore, make compensation

1b4) to make good, pay

1b5) to requite, recompense, reward

1c) (Pual)

1c1) to be performed

1c2) to be repaid, be requited

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to complete, perform

1d2) to make an end of

Aramaic equivalent: she.lam (שְׁלֵם "be complete" H8000)

שָׁלַם (sha.lam) — to ally.

1) to be in a covenant of peace, be at peace

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to be at peace

1a2) peaceful one (participle)

1b) (Pual) one in covenant of peace (participle)

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to make peace with

1c2) to cause to be at peace

1d) (Hophal) to live in peace

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HC/Vpu1cs — Conjunction · verb piel first person common singular
HC/Vpu1cs
who? has he confronted me and I may repay under all the heavens [belongs] to me it
תַּ֖חַתTa.chat under H8478 Noun common · masculine singular construct
505× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means underneath or below, often used to describe physical locations or positions. It appears in various books, including Genesis, Exodus, and Psalms, to indicate something is under or beneath something else. The word has several related meanings.
Tyndale gloss
underneath: under
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

תַּחַת (tachath) refers to the concept of being underneath or below. It can function as a noun meaning 'the under part,' or as an adverb and preposition indicating position or substitution, such as 'instead of' or 'for the sake of.' The word encompasses various uses, including physical placement and metaphorical meanings related to subjection or exchange.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

תַּחַת n.[m.] the under part, hence as adv. accus. and prep. underneath, below, instead of

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8478 תַּחַת the under part, hence as adv. accus. and prep. underneath, below, instead of

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8478 tachath takh'-ath

from the same as 8430; the bottom (as depressed); only

adverbially, below (often with prepositional prefix

underneath), in lieu of, etc.:--as, beneath, X flat,

in(-stead), (same) place (where...is), room, for...sake, stead

of, under, X unto, X when...was mine, whereas, (where-)fore,

with.

see HEBREW for 08430

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

תַּחַת (ta.chat) — underneath: under.

: under/below

1) the under part, beneath, instead of, as, for, for the sake of, flat, unto, where, whereas n m

1a) the under part adv accus

1b) beneath prep

1c) under, beneath

1c1) at the foot of (idiom)

1c2) sweetness, subjection, woman, being burdened or oppressed (fig)

1c3) of subjection or conquest

1d) what is under one, the place in which one stands

1d1) in one's place, the place in which one stands (idiom with reflexive pronoun)

1d2) in place of, instead of (in transferred sense)

1d3) in place of, in exchange or return for (of things mutually interchanged)

conj

1e) instead of, instead of that

1f) in return for that, because that in compounds

1g) in, under, into the place of (after verbs of motion)

1h) from under, from beneath, from under the hand of, from his place, under, beneath

תַּחַת (ta.chat) — underneath: instead.

: instead/in_place/exchange

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcmsc — Noun common · masculine singular construct
HNcmsc
who? has he confronted me and I may repay under all the heavens [belongs] to me it
כָּל־kol- all H3605 Noun common · masculine singular construct
5,415× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for 'all' or 'everything' is used throughout the Bible, like in Genesis 1:31, where God sees all He has made as very good. It encompasses the entirety of something, whether people, things, or situations.
Tyndale gloss
all
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כֹּל (kol) means 'all' or 'the whole.' It can refer to totality, including every person or thing, and is often used with a following genitive to specify what is included. The term can also denote a broader sense of everything in existence or all circumstances of life. The lexicons do not show significant disagreement on its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כֹּל once כּוֹל n.m. the whole, all

with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

Absolutely:

without the art., all things, all

with the art. הַכֹּל

where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3605 כֹּל once כּוֹל the whole, all . with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

. Absolutely: . without the art., all things, all

. with the art. הַכֹּל . where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

. in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3605 kol kole

or (Jer. 33:8) kowl {kole}; from 3634; properly, the whole;

hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a

plural sense):--(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any

(manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as

many as, (no-)thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole,

whoso(-ever).

see HEBREW for 03634

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כֹּל (kol) — all.

1) all, the whole

1a) all, the whole of

1b) any, each, every, anything

1c) totality, everything

Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcmsc — Noun common · masculine singular construct
HNcmsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ol: Used in various combinations, and with different meanings.

(1) All along, "Weeping all along as he went" (Jer 41:6), i.e. throughout the whole way he went, feigning equal concern with the men from Shiloh, etc., for the destruction of the Temple, so as to put them off their guard.

(2) All in all, "That God may be all in all" (1Co 15:28, Greek: panta en pasin, "all things in all (persons and) things"). "The universe, with all it comprises, will wholly answer to God's will and reflect His mind" (Dummelow).

(3) All one, "It is all one" (Job 9:22), "it makes no difference whether I live or die."

(4) At all, "If thy father miss me at all" (1Sa 20:6), "in any way," "in the least."

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
who? has he confronted me and I may repay under all the heavens [belongs] to me it
הַשָּׁמַ֣יִםha.sha.Ma.yim the heavens H8064 Particle · noun common masculine plural absolute
421× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for heaven or sky, it refers to the visible universe and the abode of God. It is often used in the Bible to describe the dwelling place of celestial bodies.
Tyndale gloss
heaven
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word שָׁמַיִם (*shamayim*) is a dual noun meaning 'heavens' or 'sky.' It refers to the visible heavens where celestial bodies are found, as well as the abode of God. The dual form may suggest both the arch of the sky and the higher ether. It is noted in contexts such as Elijah's ascent in a whirlwind.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[שָׁמַי] n.m. only pl. שָׁמַיִם 421 heavens, sky

visible heavens, sky, where stars, etc., are

phrases

as abode of God

Elijah taken up הַשּׁ׳ in whirlwind

הַשּׁ׳ personified in various relations

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8064 שָׁמַי only pl. שָׁמַיִם heavens, sky . . visible heavens, sky, where stars, etc., are

. phrases

. . as abode of God

. Elijah taken up הַשּׁ׳ in whirlwind

. הַשּׁ׳ personified in various relations

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8064 shamayim shaw-mah'-yim

dual of an unused singular shameh {shaw-meh'}; from an unused

root meaning to be lofty; the sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps

alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds move, as well

as to the higher ether where the celestial bodies

revolve):--air, X astrologer, heaven(-s).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁמַיִם (sha.ma.yim) — heaven.

1) heaven, heavens, sky

1a) visible heavens, sky

1a1) as abode of the stars

1a2) as the visible universe, the sky, atmosphere, etc

1b) Heaven (as the abode of God)

Aramaic equivalent: sha.ma.yin (שָׁמַ֫יִן "heaven" H8065)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTd/Ncmpa — Particle · noun common masculine plural absolute
HTd/Ncmpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hev'-'nz (shamayim; ouranoi): On the physical heavens see ASTRONOMY; WORLD. Above these, in popular conception, were the celestial heavens, the abode of God and of the hosts of angels (Ps 11:4; 103:19-21; Isa 66:1; Re 4:2; 5:11; compare Da 7:10), though it was recognized that Yahweh's presence was not confined to any region (1Ki 8:27). Later Judaism reckoned seven heavens. The apostle Paul speaks of himself as caught up into "the third heaven," which he evidently identifies with Paradise (2Co 12:2).

See HEAVENLY.

who? has he confronted me and I may repay under all the heavens [belongs] to me it
לִי־li- [belongs] to me H9030 Preposition · suffix
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נִי (ni) — me.

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Sp1bs — Preposition · suffix
HR/Sp1bs
who? has he confronted me and I may repay under all the heavens [belongs] to me it
הֽוּא׃Hu' it H1931 Pronoun
1,879× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word is a pronoun meaning 'he', 'she', or 'it', used to refer to a person or thing. It is used in the Bible to emphasize a subject or make it clear who is being talked about.
Tyndale gloss
he/she/it
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הוּא (hu) is a third-person singular pronoun meaning he, she, or it, used for emphasis or when no verb is present. It can also refer to oneself or serve as a demonstrative pronoun. The word has various nuances, including resuming the subject with emphasis or expressing it unobtrusively. It can indicate 'that' or 'those' when used with the definite article.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הוּא m. הִיא f., pron. of the 3rd ps. sing. he, she, used also (in both genders) for the neuter it

an emph. he (she, it, they), sometimes equivalent to himself (herself, itself, themselves), or (esp. with the art.) that (those)

It resumes the subj. with emph.

Where, however, the pron. follows the pred., its position gives it the minimum of emphasis, and it expresses (or resumes) the subject as unobtrusively as possible

It anticipates (as it seems) the subject

As an emph. predicate, of God

In a neuter sense, that, it (of an action, occurrence, matte, etc.)

With the art.: so regularly when joined to a subst. defined itself by the art.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1931 הוּא, הִיא he, she, used also (in both genders) for the neuter it . an emph. he (she, it, they), sometimes equivalent to himself (herself, itself, themselves), or (esp. with the art.) that (those)

. It resumes the subj. with emph.

. Where, however, the pron. follows the pred., its position gives it the minimum of emphasis, and it expresses (or resumes) the subject as unobtrusively as possible

. It anticipates (as it seems) the subject

. As an emph. predicate, of God

. In a neuter sense, that, it (of an action, occurrence, matte, etc.)

. With the art.: so regularly when joined to a subst. defined itself by the art.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1931 huw' hoo

of which the feminine (beyond the Pentateuch) is hiyw {he}; a

primitive word, the third person pronoun singular, he (she or

it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also

(intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same;

sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally

(instead of copula) as or are:--he, as for her, him(-self),

it, the same, she (herself), such, that (...it), these, they,

this, those, which (is), who.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הוּא (hu) — he/she/it.

pron 3p s

1) he, she, it

1a) himself (with emphasis)

1b) resuming subj with emphasis

1c) (with minimum emphasis following predicate)

1d) (anticipating subj)

1e) (emphasising predicate)

1f) that, it (neuter) demons pron

2) that (with article)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HPp3ms — Pronoun
HPp3ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
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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