Menu

Job 7:19 — Word Study

Depth

WLCכַּ֭מָּה לֹא־ תִשְׁעֶ֣ה מִמֶּ֑נִּי לֹֽא־ תַ֝רְפֵּ֗נִי עַד־ בִּלְעִ֥י רֻקִּֽי׃

BSAWill You nevermâh [cease to gaze at me] look awayshâʻâh from memin orlôʼ [suffer me to have a moment's peace] leave me alonerâphâh toʻad [gulp down, swallow completely] swallowbâlaʻ my spittlerôq

Word
Listen & take awayJob 7
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 19 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 (ru.Ki) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Job 7:19quick helps
In a sentenceJob questions how long God will continue to scrutinize him without offering relief.
Who is speakingJob, expressing his anguish and pleading for a moment of peace.
Where we areIn the midst of Job's lament, he is questioning God's relentless attention.
The hard wordכַּ֭מָּה
Take awayJob seeks respite from his suffering.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbשָׁעָה 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 7:19

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 Plea for Reliefgenerated

18that You attend to him every morning, and test him every moment?
19Will You never look away from me, or leave me alone to swallow my spittle?
20If I have sinned, what have I done to You, O watcher of mankind? Why have You made me Your target, so that I am a burden to You ?
21Why do You not pardon my transgression and take away my iniquity? For soon I will lie down in the dust; You will seek me, but I will be no more.”

Job 7:19 expresses Job's deep distress as he feels overwhelmed by God's constant gaze and longs for a moment of peace. This verse is part of a larger discourse where Job grapples with his suffering and questions the purpose behind it, as seen in the surrounding verses. His lament reflects the human struggle with divine scrutiny and the desire for relief from pain.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Job 9:18He does not let me catch my breath, but overwhelms me with bitterness.
2Psalm 6:3My soul is deeply distressed. How long, O LORD, how long?
3Psalm 13:1–3How long, O LORD? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me?
4Psalm 94:3How long will the wicked, O LORD, how long will the wicked exult?
5Revelation 6:10And they cried out in a loud voice, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You avenge our blood and judge those who dwell upon the earth?”

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 5 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word כַּ֭מָּה, Ka.mahgenerated

The Hebrew word מָה (mah) primarily serves as an interrogative particle meaning 'what?' or 'how?'. It is often used to express surprise or to ask questions, appearing frequently throughout the Old Testament. In this context, it conveys Job's desperation in seeking an answer to his plight.

As a versatile word, מָה can also function as an indefinite pronoun, covering meanings like 'anything' or 'whatever'. Its usage here emphasizes Job's feeling of being overwhelmed and his plea for understanding regarding his suffering.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

In this study, the verse is read in the Berean Standard Bible, which captures the essence of Job's plea.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The verse is structured around two main verbs: תִשְׁעֶ֣ה (will you look away) and תַ֝רְפֵּ֗נִי (will you let alone me), which govern the clauses expressing Job's plea. The verbs are followed by prepositional phrases that clarify the relationship of the actions.

The Hebrew word order places emphasis on Job's direct questions to God, reflecting his urgent need for a response and relief from his suffering.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates כַּ֭מָּה as τίνος (what), which retains the interrogative nature of Job's question. This choice highlights Job's deep sense of confusion and despair regarding his situation.

The use of οὐ for 'not' in the LXX emphasizes the negation present in Job's plea, aligning with the original Hebrew's intent.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Job 7:19 reveals Job's anguish as he questions God about the relentless scrutiny he feels. He pleads for a moment of peace, expressing his desperation for relief from his suffering.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does Job mean by asking how long?

Job is expressing his frustration and despair, questioning the duration of his suffering and God's attention to him.

Why does Job feel overwhelmed by God's gaze?

Job feels that God's constant scrutiny adds to his pain, making him long for a moment of peace away from divine observation.

What does Job hope to achieve by asking God to look away?

Job seeks relief from his suffering and a break from the intense scrutiny he feels under God's gaze.

How does this verse reflect Job's overall struggle?

This verse encapsulates Job's deep emotional turmoil and his longing for understanding and relief amidst his suffering.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what areas of my life do I feel overwhelmed, similar to Job's experience?
  2. How can I seek peace in my own struggles, as Job does in this verse?
  3. What does it mean to me to feel that God is watching over my life?
  4. How can I express my feelings of distress to God in prayer?

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

Early Church Fathers comment on Job's lament, exploring the themes of suffering and divine scrutiny present in this verse.

John ChrysostomCOMMENTARY ON Job 7:20A-B c. 347–407
What does Job mean when he says, “What shall I be able to do for you?” What should I do in order to expiate my fault, in order to be reconciled with you? “O you who understand the human mind,
Early Church Fathers on Job 7 →
Gregory the DialogistMorals on the Book of Job, Book VIII c. 540–604
How long wilt Thou not depart from me, nor let me alone until I swallow down my spittle. The spittle runs into the mouth from the head, but from the mouth it is carried into the belly by being swallowed.
Early Church Fathers on Job 7 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Job 7:19 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

How long wilt thou not depart from me,.... From wrestling and contending with him, and afflicting of him; the Lord was too hard a combatant for job, and therefore he chose to be rid of him, and was

Read John Gill on Job 7 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

How long wilt thou not depart from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle? How long (like a jealous keeper) Wilt thou never look away [shaa`aach, for depart] from me, nor let me alone for the briefest respite?

Read Robert Jamieson on Job 7 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

How long will it be ere thou withdraw thy afflicting hand from me? Till I swallow down my spittle, i.e. for a little time; or that I may have a breathing time: a proverbial expression, like that Spanish proverb, I have not time or liberty to spit out my spittle. Or this expression may have respect to Job’ s distempered and calamitous condition, wherewith he was so overwhelmed, that he either had not strength, or could not take heed, to spit out his spittle, as he should have done, but swallowed it down, as sick and melancholy persons often do.

Read Matthew Poole on Job 7 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Job 7:19 How long wilt thou not depart from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle?Ver. 19. How long wilt thou not depart from me] Here he seems desirous to be rid of God’ s company, of his afflicting presence, Psalms 139:10; so true is that of the apostle, Hebrews 12:11, "No chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous," till patience come to have her perfect work, and men be brought to cry out, as one did under a great fit of the stone, The use, Lord, the use; not so much ease of my pain, as a good use of my suffering. This Job came to at length, no doubt; meanwhile, we have in him, as Mercer observeth, mirum ubique specimen, a wonderful instance of that…

Read John Trapp on Job 7 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(19) Till I swallow down my spittle.—This is doubtless a proverbial expression, like “the twinkling of an eye,” or “while I fetch a breath.”

Read Charles John Ellicott on Job 7 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 19. Till I swallow down my spittle?] This is a proverbial expression, and exists among the Arabs to the present day; the very language being nearly the same. It signifies the same as, Let me draw my breath; give me a moment's space; let me have even the twinkling of an eye. I am urged by my sufferings to continue my complaint; but my strength is exhausted, my mouth dry with speaking. Suspend my sufferings even for so short a space as is necessary to swallow my spittle, that my parched tongue may be moistened, so that I may renew my complaint.

Read AdamClarke on Job 7 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

19. depart from me] lit. look away from me; an impatient demand that God would turn away His plaguing glance; cf. “watcher of men,” Job 7:20. swallow down my spittle] A proverbial phrase like “twinkling of an eye,” signifying a moment, as we might say “till I let over”; cf. “draw my breath,” ch. Job 9:18. To let one swallow his spittle is to give him a moment’s respite or time. The phrase is not unusual among the Arabs. In De Sacy’s Notes to Hariri, p. 164, a person tells the following: “I said to one of my Sheichs (teachers), Let me swallow my spittle; to which he replied, I will let you swallow the two Confluents (the Tigris and Euphrates).”

Read Cambridge on Job 7 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

How long wilt thou not depart? - How long is this to continue? The same word occurs in Job 14:6. The word rendered “depart” שׁעה shâ‛âh means to look, to look around, and then to look away from anyone or anything.

Read Albert Barnes on Job 7 →

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

Will You never look away from me, or leave me alone to swallow my spittle?

WEBWorld English Bible2000

How long will you not look away from me, nor leave me alone until I swallow down my spittle?

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Will You never look away from me, or leave me alone to swallow my spittle?

NETBNew English Translation2006

Will you never look away from me, will you not let me alone long enough to swallow my spittle?

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

How long wilt thou not depart from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle?

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

How long wilt thou not look away from me, Nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle?

RVARevised Version, American1894

How long wilt thou not look away from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle?

NWBWebster's Bible1833

How long wilt thou not depart from me, nor let me alone till I swallow my spittle?

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Howe long will it be yer thou depart from me? thou wilt not let me alone whiles I may swallowe my spettle.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

How long wilt thou not look away from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle?

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

How long dost Thou not look from me? Thou dost not desist till I swallow my spittle.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

How long do You not look from me? You do not desist until I swallow my spittle.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

How long wilt thou not turn thy regard from me, nor let; me loose till I swallow down my spittle?

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

How long will it be before you look away from me, before you let me alone long enough for me to swallow down my own saliva?

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

How long wilt thou not spare me, nor suffer me to swallow down my spittle?

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Won't you ever leave me alone long enough to catch my breath?

BBEBible in Basic English1949

How long will it be before your eyes are turned away from me, so that I may have a minute's breathing-space?

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.

clauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalכַּ֭howמָּהlong?adverbialלֹאnotverbתִשְׁעֶ֣הwill.you.look.awayprepositional phrase · prepositionalמִמֶּ֑fromנִּיmeclauseadverbialלֹֽאnotverbתַ֝רְפֵּ֗willobjectנִיyou.let.me.alone?prepositional phrase · prepositionalעַדuntilclauseverbבִּלְעִ֥swallowsubjectיInoun phrase · objectרֻקִּֽspittleיmy

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 their wording for Job 7:19. The Septuagint matches nine out of nine words from the Hebrew, indicating a strong correspondence in the translation.

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

כַּ֭מָּה לֹא־ תִשְׁעֶ֣ה מִמֶּ֑נִּי לֹֽא־ תַ֝רְפֵּ֗נִי עַד־ בִּלְעִ֥י רֻקִּֽי׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
כַּ֭מָּהτίνοςלֹא־οὐκתִשְׁעֶ֣הἐᾷςמִמֶּ֑נִּיμεלֹֽא־οὐδὲתַ֝רְפֵּ֗נִיμεעַד־ἕωςבִּלְעִ֥יκαταπίωרֻקִּֽי׃μου

9 of the 9 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 7:19מָהhow long?how long?מָהלֹאnotnotלֹאשָׁעָהwill you lowill you look aשָׁעָהמִן־from mefrom meמִן־לֹאnotnotלֹארָפָהwill you lewill you let alרָפָהעַדuntiluntilעַדבָּלַעswallow Iswallow Iבָּלַערֹקspittle myspittle myרֹקרָקַקto spitto spitרָקַקמֵןstringstringמֵןרָפָאto healto healרָפָאעַדperpetuityperpetuityעַדיָכֹלbe ablebe ableיָכֹלעוֹדstillstillעוֹדכָּ֫כָהthusthusכָּ֫כָהפָּעַלto workto workפָּעַליָשַׁעto saveto saveיָשַׁעמְאֹדmuchmuchמְאֹדרָחַקto removeto removeרָחַקיָתַרto remainto remainיָתַרעָזַבForsakenForsakenעָזַבחָזַקto strengtto strengthen: חָזַקמָתַיhowhowמָתַיעֶ֫רֶבeveningeveningעֶ֫רֶבשִׁבֹּ֫לֶתShibbolethShibbolethשִׁבֹּ֫לֶתתַּןjackaljackalתַּן
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 7:19

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.

how long? not will you look away from me not will you let alone? me until swallow I spittle my
כַּ֭מָּהKa.mah how long? H4100 Preposition · pronoun
753× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means what or how, often used to ask questions or express surprise, like in Genesis when God asks Adam what he has done. It can also mean why or when, and is used in various ways throughout the Old Testament. It appears in many KJV translations, including how or what.
Amplified meaning
cease to gaze at me
Tyndale gloss
what?
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מָה (mah) is a Hebrew word primarily used as an interrogative particle meaning 'what?' or 'how?'. It can also function as an indefinite pronoun, encompassing meanings like 'anything' or 'whatever'. The word is versatile, appearing in various adverbial forms and often used with prefixes to express different nuances, such as reason or manner.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מָה, rarely מָה־, מַה־, מַה‍ּ, מֶה, מַ‍ּ, מָ—pron.interrog. and indef. what? how? aught

interrog. what?

Used adverbially

Indef. pron.

With preps.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4100 מָה, rarely מָה־, מַה־, מַה‍ּ, מֶה, מַ‍ּ, מָ—pron. interrog. and indef. what? how? aught . interrog. what?

. Used adverbially

. Indef. pron.

. With preps.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4100 mah maw

or mah {mah}; or ma {maw}; or ma {mah}; also meh {meh}; a

primitive particle; properly, interrogative what? (including

how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including

how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and even

relatively, that which); often used with prefixes in various

adverbial or conjunctive senses:--how (long, oft, (-

soever)), (no-)thing, what (end, good, purpose, thing),

whereby(-fore, -in, -to, -with), (for) why.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מָה (mah) — what?.

interr pron

1) what, how, of what kind

1a) (interrogative)

1a1) what?

1a2) of what kind

1a3) what? (rhetorical)

1a4) whatsoever, whatever, what

1b) (adverb)

1b1) how, how now

1b2) why

1b3) how! (exclamation)

1c) (with prep)

1c1) wherein?, whereby?, wherewith?, by what means?

1c2) because of what?

1c3) the like of what?

1c3a) how much?, how many?, how often?

1c3b) for how long?

1c4) for what reason?, why?, to what purpose?

1c5) until when?, how long?, upon what?, wherefore?

indef pron

2) anything, aught, what may

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | Part — Preposition · pronoun
HR/Pi
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
how long? not will you look away from me not will you let alone? me until swallow I spittle my
לֹא־lo'- not H3808 Particle
5,170× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Amplified meaning
suffer me to have a moment's peace
Tyndale gloss
not
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לֹא or לוֹא adv. not

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3808 lo' lo

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לֹא (lo) — not.

1) not, no

1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)

1b) not (with modifier-negation)

1c) nothing (subst)

1d) without (with particle)

1e) before (of time)

Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part — Particle
HTn
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
how long? not will you look away from me not will you let alone? me until swallow I spittle my
תִשְׁעֶ֣הtish.'Eh will you look away H8159 Verb · Qal · imperfect second person masculine singular
15× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To gaze means to look carefully or intensely at something, often seeking help or guidance, like the Psalmist in Psalm 121:1-2.
Tyndale gloss
to gaze
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׁעָה (sha`ah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to gaze or look at, often with interest or consideration. It can imply various actions such as inspecting, regarding, or even feeling bewildered. The entries indicate different forms, including Qal (to gaze), Hiphil (to cause to look away), and Hithpael (to gaze in dismay).

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁעָה vb. gaze (steadily, with interest, etc.)

Qal gaze at, regard (with favour)

Hiph. cause thy gaze to turn away from me

Hithp. gaze not about

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8159 שָׁעָה gaze (steadily, with interest, etc.)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8159 sha`ah shaw-aw'

a primitive root; to gaze at or about (properly, for help);

by implication, to inspect, consider, compassionate, be

nonplussed (as looking around in amazement) or

bewildered:--depart, be dim, be dismayed, look (away),

regard, have respect, spare, turn.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁעָה (sha.ah) — to gaze.

1) to look at or to, regard, gaze at or about

1a) (Qal) to gaze at, regard, behold, look about

1b) (Hiphil) to look away, cause gaze to turn away

1c) (Hithpael) to look in dismay, gaze about (in anxiety)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-2ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect second person masculine singular
HVqi2ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
how long? not will you look away from me not will you let alone? me until swallow I spittle my
מִמֶּ֑נִּיmi.Me.ni from me H4480 Preposition · suffix
1,189× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means a portion or part of something, and is often used to show the relationship between things, like from or out of something.
Tyndale gloss
from
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word מִן־ (*min*) is a preposition meaning 'from' or 'out of,' indicating separation or origin. It covers various uses, including temporal references, comparisons, and causal relationships. Additionally, it can denote a portion when used as a noun מֵן (*men*). The entries highlight its versatility in expressing different nuances of separation and position.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מִן־, and מִ, before יְ, prep. expressing the idea of separation, hence out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not

with verbs expressing (or implying) separation or removal

from, against

מן also, without a verb of similar significance, sometimes expresses the idea of separation, away from, far from

of position, off, on the side of, on

Out of, Gk. ἐκ, Lat. ex

Partitively

Of time—

as marking the terminus a quo, the anterior limit of a continuous period from, since

as marking the period immediately succeeding the limit after

towards, to

(וְעַד) עַד … מִן from … even to

In comparisons, beyond, above

מן is prefixed to an infin.:

with causal force, from, on account of, through

after verbs implying restraint, prevention, cessation, etc.

with a temporal force, since, after

Once as a conj. before a finite verb. that

In compounds:

base

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4480a מִן־, מִ, prep. expressing the idea of separation, hence out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not . with verbs expressing (or implying) separation or removal . from, against

. מן also, without a verb of similar significance, sometimes expresses the idea of separation, away from, far from

. of position, off, on the side of, on

. Out of, Gk. ἐκ, Lat. ex

. Partitively

. Of time— . as marking the terminus a quo, the anterior limit of a continuous period from, since

. as marking the period immediately succeeding the limit after

. towards, to

. (וְעַד) עַד … מִן from … even to

. In comparisons, beyond, above

. מן is prefixed to an infin.: . with causal force, from, on account of, through

. after verbs implying restraint, prevention, cessation, etc.

. with a temporal force, since, after

. Once as a conj. before a finite verb. that

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4480 min min

or minniy {min-nee'}; or minney (constructive plural)

{min-nay'}; (Isaiah 30:11); for 4482; properly, a part of;

hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many senses (as

follows):--above, after, among, at, because of, by (reason

of), from (among), in, X neither, X nor, (out) of, over,

since, X then, through, X whether, with.

see HEBREW for 04482

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מִן־ (min) — from.

prep

1) from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than

1a) from (expressing separation), off, on the side of

1b) out of

1b1) (with verbs of proceeding, removing, expelling)

1b2) (of material from which something is made)

1b3) (of source or origin)

1c) out of, some of, from (partitively)

1d) from, since, after (of time)

1e) than, more than (in comparison)

1f) from...even to, both...and, either...or

1g) than, more than, too much for (in comparisons)

1h) from, on account of, through, because (with infinitive)

conj

2) that

Aramaic equivalent: min (מִן־ "from" H4481)

מֵן (men) — portion.

n.m.

portion

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | Suff — Preposition · suffix
HR/Sp1bs
how long? not will you look away from me not will you let alone? me until swallow I spittle my
לֹֽא־lo'- not H3808 Particle
5,170× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Tyndale gloss
not
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לֹא or לוֹא adv. not

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3808 lo' lo

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לֹא (lo) — not.

1) not, no

1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)

1b) not (with modifier-negation)

1c) nothing (subst)

1d) without (with particle)

1e) before (of time)

Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTn — Particle
HTn
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
how long? not will you look away from me not will you let alone? me until swallow I spittle my
תַ֝רְפֵּ֗נִיtar.Pe.ni will you let alone? me H7503 Verb hiphil imperfect second person masculine singular · suffix
46× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to slacken or relax, and is used in many contexts, such as feeling disheartened or abandoning something. It appears in various forms throughout the Old Testament, including in Psalms and Proverbs. The word can also mean to let go or be idle.
Tyndale gloss
to slacken
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רָפָה (raphah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to slacken or relax. It encompasses a range of actions including sinking down, abating, and withdrawing. The word can be used in various forms, such as causing something to drop or refraining from action. It appears in different contexts, indicating both literal and figurative meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רָפָה vb. sink, relax

Qal

sink down

sink, drop

sink, relax, abate

relax, withdraw

Niph. idle

Pi. causat.: let wings drop

Hiph. causat.

let drop

let go

refrain

Hithp. hast shewn thyself slack

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7503 רָפָה sink, relax .. sink down

. sink, drop

. sink, relax, abate

. relax, withdraw

. idle

. causat.: let wings drop

. causat. . let drop

. let go

. refrain

. hast shewn thyself slack

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7503 raphah raw-faw'

a primitive root; to slacken (in many applications, literal

or figurative):--abate, cease, consume, draw (toward

evening), fail, (be) faint, be (wax) feeble, forsake, idle,

leave, let alone (go, down), (be) slack, stay, be still, be

slothful, (be) weak(-en). See 7495.

see HEBREW for 07495

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רָפָה (ra.phah) — to slacken.

1) to sink, relax, sink down, let drop, be disheartened

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to sink down

1a2) to sink, drop

1a3) to sink, relax, abate

1a4) to relax, withdraw

1b) (Niphal) idle (participle)

1c) (Piel) to let drop

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to let drop, abandon, relax, refrain, forsake

1d2) to let go

1d3) to refrain, let alone

1d4) to be quiet

1e) (Hithpael) to show oneself slack

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Hiphil-Imperf-2ms | Suff — Verb hiphil imperfect second person masculine singular · suffix
HVhi2ms/Sp1bs
how long? not will you look away from me not will you let alone? me until swallow I spittle my
עַד־'ad- until H5704 Preposition
1,261× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means until or as far as, describing a point in time or space. It's used in the Bible to set boundaries or limits, like in Exodus when describing the Israelites' journey.
Amplified meaning
gulp down, swallow completely
Tyndale gloss
till
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עַד (ad) primarily functions as a preposition, adverb, or conjunction meaning 'until,' 'up to,' or 'as far as.' It can denote spatial, temporal, or degree-related contexts, such as 'even to' or 'while.' The entries indicate its use in poetry and in various combinations, but there is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עַד, in poetry עֲדֵי prep. as far as, even to, up to, until, while

prep.

of space

Of time

Of degree

conj.

until

While

Of degree, to the point that, so that even (rare)

עַד לְ, a strengthened form for עַד. Thus

of space

Of time

Of degree

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5704 עַד, in poetry עֲדֵי as far as, even to, up to, until, while . prep. . of space

. Of time

. Of degree

. conj. . until

. While

. Of degree, to the point that, so that even (rare)

. עַד לְ, a strengthened form for עַד. Thus . of space

. Of time

. Of degree

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5704 `ad ad

properly, the same as 5703 (used as a preposition, adverb or

conjunction; especially with a preposition); as far (or long,

or much) as, whether of space (even unto) or time (during,

while, until) or degree (equally with):--against, and, as,

at, before, by (that), even (to), for(-asmuch as),

(hither-)to, + how long, into, as long (much) as, (so) that,

till, toward, until, when, while, (+ as) yet.

see HEBREW for 05703

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עַד (ad) — till.

prep

1) as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as

1a) of space

1a1) as far as, up to, even to

1b) in combination

1b1) from...as far as, both...and (with 'min' -from)

1c) of time

1c1) even to, until, unto, till, during, end

1d) of degree

1d1) even to, to the degree of, even like

conj

2) until, while, to the point that, so that even

Aramaic equivalent: ad (עַד "till" H5705)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Preposition
HR
how long? not will you look away from me not will you let alone? me until swallow I spittle my
בִּלְעִ֥יbil.'I swallow I H1104 Verb qal infinitive construct common · suffix
49× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to swallow or destroy something completely. It can be used to describe something being eaten up or destroyed, like in a natural disaster or a strong storm. The Bible uses it to convey total destruction.
Tyndale gloss
to swallow up
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בָּלַע (bala) is a Hebrew verb meaning to swallow down or engulf. It encompasses various forms, including actions of devouring and being consumed, as well as figurative uses like squandering. The entries indicate that it can be used in different grammatical aspects, such as Qal, Niphal, Piel, Pual, and Hithpael, each with slightly different nuances.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בָּלַע vb. swallow down, swallow up, engulf

Qal

swallow down

swallow up, engulf

Niph. swallowed up, i.e. devastated

Pi.

swallow

swallow up, engulf

Pu. be swallowed up

Hithp. their wisdom is all gone, ‘they are at their wit’s end’

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1104 בָּלַע swallow down, swallow up, engulf

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1104 bala` baw-lah'

a primitive root; to make away with (specifically by

swallowing); generally, to destroy:--cover, destroy, devour,

eat up, be at end, spend up, swallow down (up).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בָּלַע (ba.la) — to swallow up.

1) to swallow down, swallow up, engulf, eat up

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to swallow down

1a2) to swallow up, engulf

1b) (Niphal) to be swallowed up

1c) (Piel)

1c1) to swallow

1c2) to swallow up, engulf

1c3) squandering (fig.)

1d) (Pual) to be swallowed up

1e) (Hithpael) to be ended

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Inf-a | Suff — Verb qal infinitive construct common · suffix
HVqcc/Sp1bs
how long? not will you look away from me not will you let alone? me until swallow I spittle my
רֻקִּֽי׃ru.Ki spittle my H7536 Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
3× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word refers to spittle, like in Matthew 27:30 where the soldiers spat on Jesus. It's a literal, physical thing.
Tyndale gloss
spittle
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רֹק (roq) means 'spittle' or 'spit' in Hebrew. It is derived from the root word associated with the act of spitting. The entries consistently define it as a noun referring specifically to spittle.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רֹק n.[m.] spittle

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7536 רֹק spittle

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7536 roq roke

from 7556; spittle:--spit(-ting, -tle).

see HEBREW for 07556

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רֹק (roq) — spittle.

spittle

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HNcmsc/Sp1bs
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.

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

Donate