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Joel 2:21 — Word Study

Depth

WLCאַל־ תִּֽירְאִ֖י אֲדָמָ֑ה גִּ֣ילִי וּשְׂמָ֔חִי כִּֽי־ הִגְדִּ֥יל יְהוָ֖ה לַעֲשֽׂוֹת׃

BSADo notʼal [cease to fear, be afraid no more] be afraidyârêʼ O landʼădâmâh [earth, ground] rejoicegîyl [be glad, joyful] and be gladsâmach [happy, joyful] forkîy the LORDYᵉhôvâh [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] has doneʻâsâh [accomplished, made] great thingsgâdal [mighty, magnificent, works, deeds]

Word
Listen & take awayJoel 2
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 21 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 (la.'a.Sot) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Joel 2:21quick helps
In a sentenceThe land is called to rejoice because the LORD has accomplished great deeds.
Who is speakingThe prophet Joel, addressing the land and its inhabitants.
Where we areIn a passage that speaks of restoration and joy after a time of devastation.
The hard wordהִגְדִּ֥יל
Take awayFear is replaced with joy because of God's mighty actions.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectיהוה verbיָרֵא 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 — Joel 2:21

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 — A Call to Rejoicegenerated

20The northern army I will drive away from you, banishing it to a barren and desolate land, its front ranks into the Eastern Sea, and its rear guard into the Western Sea. And its stench will rise; its foul odor will ascend. For He has done great things.
21Do not be afraid, O land; rejoice and be glad, for the LORD has done great things.
22Do not be afraid, O beasts of the field, for the open pastures have turned green, the trees bear their fruit, and the fig tree and vine yield their best.
23Be glad, O children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God, for He has given you the autumn rains for your vindication. He sends you showers, both autumn and spring rains, as before.

Joel 2:21 is part of a larger message where God promises restoration and blessings after a period of hardship. The land is encouraged not to fear but to rejoice because of the great things the LORD has done. This reflects the theme of divine intervention and renewal found throughout the book of Joel.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Genesis 15:1After these events, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.”
2Isaiah 41:10Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My right hand of righteousness.
3Isaiah 54:4Do not be afraid, for you will not be put to shame; do not be intimidated, for you will not be humiliated. For you will forget the shame of your youth and will remember no more the reproach of your widowhood.
4Jeremiah 30:9–10Instead, they will serve the LORD their God and David their king, whom I will raise up for them.
5Zephaniah 3:16–17On that day they will say to Jerusalem: “Do not fear, O Zion; do not let your hands fall limp.

The Key Word הִגְדִּ֥יל, hig.Dilgenerated

The verb גָּדַל (gadal) means to make great or to magnify. It is a Hiphil form, indicating that the subject (the LORD) is the one causing greatness. This word conveys the idea of God's power and ability to bring about significant change.

In this context, it emphasizes that the LORD has accomplished mighty works, which should inspire joy and gladness in the land. The use of this verb highlights the transformative actions of God in the lives of His people.


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 verb הִגְדִּ֥יל governs the sentence, with its subject יְהוָ֖ה (the LORD) and the infinitive phrase לַעֲשֽׂוֹת (to do) indicating what the LORD has done. The structure emphasizes the call to the land to rejoice, supported by the negation of fear.

The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the command to the land, אַל־ תִּֽירְאִ֖י (Do not be afraid), which sets the tone for the joyful response that follows.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates הִגְדִּ֥יל with ἐμεγάλυνεν, which means 'He has made great.' This choice aligns closely with the Hebrew meaning but may carry a slightly different nuance in context, emphasizing the act of making something great rather than just the greatness itself.

This indicates a consistent understanding of God's actions in both the Hebrew and Greek traditions, focusing on His mighty deeds.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Joel 2:21 encourages the land not to fear but to rejoice because the LORD has done great things. This reflects God's promise of restoration and joy after hardship.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean for the land to rejoice?

The land's rejoicing symbolizes the restoration and blessings that God is bringing to His people after a time of difficulty.

Why does the verse start with a command not to fear?

The command not to fear reassures the people that God's actions will lead to positive outcomes, replacing fear with joy.

What are the great things that the LORD has done?

The great things refer to God's mighty acts of deliverance and restoration, which are celebrated in the context of the passage.

How can this verse apply to our lives today?

This verse reminds us to trust in God's power and to rejoice in His goodness, even in challenging times.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What fears do I need to let go of in light of God's greatness?
  2. How can I express joy for the great things God has done in my life?
  3. In what ways can I encourage others to rejoice in God's promises?
  4. How does understanding God's past actions help me trust Him for the future?

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Joel 2:21 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Fear not, O land,.... O land of Israel, as the Targum, and the inhabitants of it; neither of the locusts, who had so terrified them, and had done so much mischief, and threatened more; nor of their

Read John Gill on Joel 2 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the LORD will do great things. Fear not, O land ... Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field ... Be glad then, ye children of Zion.

Read Robert Jamieson on Joel 2 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Fear not, O land. In , the land is said to quake at the approach of this devouring army; now at the approach of mercy it is encouraged, and commanded not to fear; by the same figure and in the same sense, it should not fear now as before it did quake. Be glad and rejoice: this tells us that fear not was a meosis; shout for joy, express the greatest confidence. For the Lord, who is your God whom you seek, who by me assureth you it is his gracious purpose to do great things for your good, will do great things: either this explains that last clause, , or is antitheton to it; the locusts, God’ s messengers and servants. did great things against, but now God will recall these, and do great…

Read Matthew Poole on Joel 2 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Joe 2:21 Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the LORD will do great things.Ver. 21. Fear not, O land] O red earth, or O tilled land, that hast lain bedridden, as it were under the heavy curse of God, ever since the fall of Adam; and wast never beautiful on cheerful since that time, Genesis 3:17. Thou that hast lately been under that great and very terrible day of the Lord, Joe 2:11, who hath made bloody wales upon thy back, and laid thee as a desolate wilderness, Joe 2:3, to thy great grief and terror, cheer up now, and fear not thine inhabitants are penitents, and repentance hath turned their crosses into comforts as scarlet pulls out the teeth of a serpent; as wine draweth a…

Read John Trapp on Joel 2 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(21) Fear not, O land . . .—The sentence of the reversal of judgment has gone forth, and all nature—animate and inanimate, rational and irrational—which had been included in the curse is summoned to rejoice in the blessing vouchsafed by the Lord.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Joel 2 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 21. Fear not - for the Lord will do great things.] The words are repeated from the preceding verse; Jehovah will do great things in driving them away, and supernaturally restoring the land to fertility.

Read AdamClarke on Joel 2 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

21–27. The prophet here speaks himself; and developing in jubilant tones the promise of Joe 2:19-20, first of all (Joe 2:21-23) bids in turn the land, the beasts of the field, and the children of Zion, exult on account of the deliverance vouchsafed by Jehovah; and then (Joe 2:24-27) proceeds to dilate upon the felicity which His people will subsequently enjoy.

Read Cambridge on Joel 2 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Fear not, O land - Before, they were bidden to tremble Joe 2:1, now they are bidden, “fear not;” before, “to turn in weeping, fasting and mourning;” now, “to bound for joy and rejoice;” before, “the

Read Albert Barnes on Joel 2 →

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 not be afraid, O land; rejoice and be glad, for the LORD has done great things.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Land, don’t be afraid. Be glad and rejoice, for Yahweh has done great things.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Do not be afraid, O land; rejoice and be glad, for the LORD has done great things.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Do not fear, my land! Rejoice and be glad, because the Lord has accomplished great things!

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

¶ Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the LORD will do great things.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Fear not, O land, be glad and rejoice; for Jehovah hath done great things.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Fear not, O land, be glad and rejoice; for the LORD hath done great things.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the LORD will do great things.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Feare not, O land, but be glad, and reioyce: for the Lord wil do great things.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

— Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for Jehovah doeth great things.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Do not fear, O land! joy and rejoice, For Jehovah hath exerted Himself to work.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Do not fear, O land! Be glad and rejoice, || For YHWH has exerted Himself to work.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice; for the Lord hath done great things.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Do not fear, land, be glad and rejoice, for Yahweh will do great things.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Fear not, O land, be glad and rejoice: for the Lord hath done great things.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Don't be afraid, people of the land! Be happy and celebrate, for the Lord has done incredible things!

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Have no fear, O land; be glad with great joy; for the Lord has done great things.

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.

clauseclauseadverbialאַלdo.notverbתִּֽירְאִ֖יfearclauseאֲדָמָ֑הO.landclauseclauseverbגִּ֣ילִיbe.gladוּandclauseverbשְׂמָ֔חִיrejoiceכִּֽי(dm)clauseverbהִגְדִּ֥ילhe.has.made.greatsubjectיְהוָ֖הYahwehprepositional phrase · prepositionalלַtoclauseverbעֲשֽׂוֹתdo

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


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

The Masoretic Text is supported by the Septuagint, which matches 8 of the 9 words in this verse. The Dead Sea Scrolls provide a partially restored text, with most words supplied by an editor, indicating a high degree of agreement with the Masoretic Text.

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

אַל־ תִּֽירְאִ֖י אֲדָמָ֑ה גִּ֣ילִי וּשְׂמָ֔חִי כִּֽי־ הִגְדִּ֥יל יְהוָ֖ה לַעֲשֽׂוֹת׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
תִּֽירְאִ֖יθάρσειאֲדָמָ֑הγῆגִּ֣ילִיξαῖρεוּשְׂמָ֔חִיεὐφραίνουכִּֽי־ὅτιהִגְדִּ֥ילἐμεγάλυνενיְהוָ֖הκύριοςלַעֲשֽׂוֹת׃ποιῆσαι

8 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.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q78a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

אל [תיראי] [אדמה] [גילי] [ושמחי] [כי] [הגדיל] [יהוה] [לעשות]

nothing on the leather here — 1 partly restored, 8 supplied entire by an editor.

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.

Joel 2:21אַלmay notmay notאַליָרֵאyou fearyou fearיָרֵאאֲדָמָהO landO landאֲדָמָהגִּילbe gladbe gladגִּילשָׂמַחand rejoiceand rejoiceשָׂמַחכִּיforforכִּיגָּדַלhe has madehe has made greגָּדַליהוהYahwehYahwehיהוהעָשָׂהto doto doעָשָׂהאָדֹםto reddento reddenאָדֹםהָיָהto beto beהָיָהלֹאnotnotלֹאגְּדִלִיםtasseltasselגְּדִלִיםחָתַתto to be dto to be dismayחָתַתיָרֵאto fearto fearיָרֵאאַלnotnotאַלאָרַךְto prolongto prolongאָרַךְפְּרִיfruitfruitפְּרִישׂוּשׂto rejoiceto rejoiceשׂוּשׂשָׂמַחto rejoiceto rejoiceשָׂמַחגִּילto rejoiceto rejoiceגִּילשִׂמְחָהjoyjoyשִׂמְחָהיָדַעto knowto knowיָדַעיֶ֫לֶדyouthyouthיֶ֫לֶדתָּמִידcontinuallcontinuallyתָּמִידנְאֻםutteranceutteranceנְאֻםצָבָאarmyarmyצָבָא
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 Joel 2:21

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.

may not you fear O land be glad and rejoice for he has made great Yahweh to do
אַל־'al- may not H408 Particle
724× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Means not or nothing, used to express negation, as in the phrase do not or let not be.
Amplified meaning
cease to fear, be afraid no more
Tyndale gloss
not
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אַל (al) is a negative particle meaning 'not' or 'no,' often used to express a wish or prohibition rather than an objective fact. It can also function as a noun meaning 'nothing.' The lexicons highlight its use in various contexts, including deprecative forms, but do not show significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אַל adv. of negation, denying however, not objectively as a fact, but subjectively as a wish, expressing therefore a deprecation or prohibition

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H408 אַל adv. of negation, denying however, not objectively as a fact, but subjectively as a wish, expressing therefore a deprecation or prohibition

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

408 'al al

a negative particle (akin to 3808); not (the qualified

negation, used as a deprecative); once (Job 24:25) as a noun,

nothing:--nay, neither, + never, no ,nor, not, nothing

(worth), rather than.

see HEBREW for 03808

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אַל (al) — not.

1) not, no, nor, neither, nothing (as wish or preference)

1a) do not, let not (with a verb)

1b) let there not be (with a verb understood)

1c) not, no (with substantive)

1d) nothing (as substantive)

Aramaic equivalent: al (אַל "not" H0409)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part — Particle
HTn
may not you fear O land be glad and rejoice for he has made great Yahweh to do
תִּֽירְאִ֖יtir.'I you fear H3372 Verb · Qal · jussive second person feminine singular
315× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to fear or revere, and is used to describe being afraid or standing in awe of something, like God's power. It appears in the Bible to convey a sense of respect or reverence. In the KJV, it's translated as 'affright' or 'reverence'.
Tyndale gloss
to fear
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָרֵא (yare') is a Hebrew verb meaning to fear or be afraid, encompassing a range of meanings from reverence and honor to causing terror. It appears in various forms, including Qal (to fear), Niphal (to be fearful), and Piel (to terrify). The entries highlight its moral and emotional dimensions, emphasizing awe and respect, particularly in relation to the divine.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָרֵא vb. fear

Qal

fear, be afraid

stand in awe of

fear, reverence, honour

Niph.

be fearful, dreadful

cause astonishment and awe

inspire reverence, godly fear, and awe

Piel. make afraid, terrify

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3372 יָרֵא fear .. fear, be afraid

. stand in awe of

. fear, reverence, honour

. . be fearful, dreadful

. cause astonishment and awe

. inspire reverence, godly fear, and awe

. make afraid, terrify

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3372 yare' yaw-ray'

a primitive root; to fear; morally, to revere; caus. to

frighten:--affright, be (make) afraid, dread(-ful), (put in)

fear(-ful, -fully, -ing), (be had in) reverence(-end), X see,

terrible (act, -ness, thing).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָרֵא (ya.re) — to fear.

: frightening(DANGER)

1) to fear, revere, be afraid

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to fear, be afraid

1a2) to stand in awe of, be awed

1a3) to fear, reverence, honour, respect

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be fearful, be dreadful, be feared

1b2) to cause astonishment and awe, be held in awe

1b3) to inspire reverence or godly fear or awe

1c) (Piel) to make afraid, terrify

2) (TWOT) to shoot, pour

יָרֵא (ya.re) — to fear: revere.

: awesome(god)

1) to fear, revere, be afraid

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to fear, be afraid

1a2) to stand in awe of, be awed

1a3) to fear, reverence, honour, respect

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be fearful, be dreadful, be feared

1b2) to cause astonishment and awe, be held in awe

1b3) to inspire reverence or godly fear or awe

1c) (Piel) to make afraid, terrify

2) (TWOT) to shoot, pour

Also means: ya.re (יָרֵא ": frightening" H3372)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Juss-2fs — Verb · Qal · jussive second person feminine singular
HVqj2fs
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

fer (yir'ah, yare'; phobos, phobeo):

Terms, etc.:

"Fear" is the translation of many words in the Old Testament; the chief are: yir'ah, "fear," "terror," "reverence," "awe," most often "the fear of God," "fear of Yahweh" (Ge 20:11; 2Ch 19:9, etc.); also of "fear" generally (Job 22:4; Isa 7:25; Eze 30:13, etc.); yare', "to be afraid," "to fear," "to reverence" (Ge 15:1; Le 19:3,14; De 6:2, etc.); pachadh, "fear," "terror," "dread" (

may not you fear O land be glad and rejoice for he has made great Yahweh to do
אֲדָמָ֑ה'a.da.Mah O land H127 Noun common · feminine singular absolute
225× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word refers to the earth or soil, often describing the ground as a source of sustenance. It is used to describe the physical earth, a plot of land, or even a whole country. The KJV translates it as 'country', 'earth', or 'land'.
Amplified meaning
earth, ground
Tyndale gloss
land: soil
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֲדָמָה (adamah) refers to ground or land, encompassing meanings such as tilled soil, a specific plot of land, and the earth's visible surface. It can denote territory or the whole inhabited earth, and it is also the name of a city in Naphtali. The word is derived from a root meaning 'red,' likely referring to the color of soil.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֲדָמָה 224 n.f. ground, land (as tilled)

ground (as tilled, yielding sustenance)

piece of ground, landed property

earth as material substance

ground as earth's visible surface

land, territory, country

whole earth, inhabited earth

n. pr. loc. city in Naphtali

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H127 אֲדָמָה ground, land . ground (as tilled, yielding sustenance)

. piece of ground, landed property

. earth as material substance

. ground as earth's visible surface

. land, territory, country

. whole earth, inhabited earth

. n. pr. loc. city in Naphtali

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

127 'adamah ad-aw-maw'

from 119; soil (from its general redness):--country, earth,

ground, husband(-man) (-ry), land.

see HEBREW for 0119

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֲדָמָה (a.da.mah) — land: soil.

: soil

1) ground, land

1a) ground (as general, tilled, yielding sustenance)

1b) piece of ground, a specific plot of land

1c) earth substance (for building or constructing)

1d) ground as earth's visible surface

1e) land, territory, country

1f) whole inhabited earth

1g) city in Naphtali

אֲדָמָה (a.da.mah) — land: country.

: country

1) ground, land

1a) ground (as general, tilled, yielding sustenance)

1b) piece of ground, a specific plot of land

1c) earth substance (for building or constructing)

1d) ground as earth's visible surface

1e) land, territory, country

1f) whole inhabited earth

1g) city in Naphtali

אֲדָמָה (a.da.mah) — land: planet.

: planet

1) ground, land

1a) ground (as general, tilled, yielding sustenance)

1b) piece of ground, a specific plot of land

1c) earth substance (for building or constructing)

1d) ground as earth's visible surface

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absolute
HNcfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

((1) 'erets;

(2) 'adhamah;

(3) sadheh,

"a piece of land";

(4) ge, "earth";

(5) agros, "field";

(6) chora, "region";

(7) chorion, diminutive of chora;

(8) xeros, "dry land";

(9) 'ezrach, "native" the King James Version "born in the land," "born among you," the Revised Version (British and American) "home-born" (Le 19:34; 14:16; Nu 15:30); "like a green tree in its native soil" (Ps 37:35)):

'Erets occurs hundreds of times and is used in much the same way as 'adhamah, which also occurs often: e.g. "land of Egypt," 'erets mitsrayim (Ge 13:10), and 'adhmath mitsrayim (Ge 47:20). The other words occur less often, and are used in the…

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Appeared on the third creative day Ge 1:9

→ Original title to, from God Ge 13:14-17; 15:7; Ex 23:31; Le 25:23

→ Bought and sold Ge 23:3-18; 33:19; Ac 4:34; 5:1-8

→ Sale and redemption of, laws concerning Le 25:15,16,23-33; 27:17-24; Nu 36:4; Jer 32:7-16,25,44; Eze 46:18

may not you fear O land be glad and rejoice for he has made great Yahweh to do
גִּ֣ילִיGi.li be glad H1523 Verb · Qal · imperative second person feminine singular
45× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to rejoice or be glad, often expressing strong emotions like joy or fear, as seen in the KJV translations.
Amplified meaning
be glad, joyful
Tyndale gloss
to rejoice
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

גִּיל (giyl) is a Hebrew verb meaning to rejoice or be glad, often associated with a sense of excitement or levity. It can also imply trembling, particularly from fear. The word is built from a root that conveys the idea of spinning around due to strong emotions, covering both joy and fear.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[גִּיל] vb. rejoice (go around or about, be excited to levity)

Qal

rejoice

tremble

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1523 גִּיל rejoice (go around or about, be excited to levity)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1523 giyl gheel

or (by permutation) guwl {gool}; a primitive root; properly,

to spin round (under the influence of any violent emotion),

i.e. usually rejoice, or (as cringing) fear:--be glad, joy,

be joyful, rejoice.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

גִּיל (gil) — to rejoice.

1) to rejoice, exult, be glad

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to rejoice

1a2) to tremble (from fear)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Impv-2fs — Verb · Qal · imperative second person feminine singular
HVqv2fs
may not you fear O land be glad and rejoice for he has made great Yahweh to do
וּשְׂמָ֔חִיu.se.Ma.chi and rejoice H8055 Conjunction · verb qal imperative second person feminine singular
155× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to rejoice or be glad, often used in a religious sense, like when the Israelites rejoiced at the dedication of the temple in 1 Kings 8:66.
Amplified meaning
happy, joyful
Tyndale gloss
to rejoice
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׂמַח (samach) is a Hebrew verb meaning to rejoice or be glad. It can express joy in everyday life, religious contexts, or even exultation. The verb has different forms: Qal (to rejoice), Piel (to cause to rejoice), and Hiphil (to make glad). The entries indicate a range of meanings related to joy and merriment.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׂמַח, שָׂמִ֑חַ 154 vb. rejoice, be glad

Qal 126

in common life

rejoice religiously

subj. י׳

Pi. cause to rejoice, gladden

Hiph. = Pi.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8055 שָׂמַח, שָׂמִ֑חַ rejoice, be glad

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8055 samach saw-makh'

a primitive root; probably to brighten up, i.e.

(figuratively) be (causatively, make) blithe or

gleesome:--cheer up, be (make) glad, (have, make) joy(-ful),

be (make) merry, (cause to, make to) rejoice, X very.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׂמַח (sa.mach) — to rejoice.

1) to rejoice, be glad

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to rejoice

1a2) to rejoice (arrogantly), exult (at)

1a3) to rejoice (religiously)

1b) (Piel) to cause to rejoice, gladden, make glad

1c) (Hiphil) to cause to rejoice, gladden, make glad

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-Impv-2fs — Conjunction · verb qal imperative second person feminine singular
HC/Vqv2fs
may not you fear O land be glad and rejoice for he has made great Yahweh to do
כִּֽי־ki- for H3588 Particle
4,483× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A conjunction used to show cause or connection, as in Genesis 2:23 where Adam says the woman is bone of his bone because she was taken out of him. It is often translated as 'for', 'because', or 'since'.
Tyndale gloss
for
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כִּי (ki) is a conjunction primarily meaning 'that,' 'for,' or 'when.' It indicates causal relationships and can express conditions like 'if' or 'though.' The word is versatile, appearing in various contexts to convey certainty, exception, or concession. Notably, it can combine with other particles to modify its meaning, such as in the phrase כִּי אם־ (ki im), meaning 'that if.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כִּי conj. that, for, when

that

Of time, when, of the past

elsewhere כִּי has a force approximating to if, though it usu. represents a case as more likely to occur than אִם

when or if, with a concessive force, i.e. though

Because, since

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

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3588a כִּי that, for, when . that

. . Of time, when, of the past

. elsewhere כִּי has a force approximating to if, though it usu. represents a case as more likely to occur than אִם

. when or if, with a concessive force, i.e. though

. Because, since

H3588b 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

H3588c כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3588 kiy kee

a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional

prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent

or consequent; (by implication) very widely used as a relative

conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by

other particles annexed:--and, + (forasmuch, inasmuch,

where-)as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else,

even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, +

nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then,

therefore, + (al- )though, + till, truly, + until, when,

whether, while, whom, yea, yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כִּי (ki) — for.

1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since

1a) that

1a1) yea, indeed

1b) when (of time)

1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force)

1c) because, since (causal connection)

1d) but (after negative)

1e) that if, for if, indeed if, for though, but if

1f) but rather, but

1g) except that

1h) only, nevertheless

1i) surely

1j) that is

1k) but if

1l) for though

1m) forasmuch as, for therefore

כִּי [אם] (ki im) — that if: except.

1) except if

1a) but if

1b) even though

כִּי [עַל כֵּן] (ki [al ken]) — for as that: since.

1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since

1a) that

1a1) yea, indeed

1b) when (of time)

1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force)

1c) because, since (causal connection)

1d) but (after negative)

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

for (ki (conjunction), le, from 'el (preposition), and various other words. In the New Testament also the words are various, chiefly gar, kai gar, hoti (conjunctions); anti apo eis dia (accusative), epi (dative and accusative), peri (genitive), pros (genitive and accusative), huper (genitive) (prepositions)): the English Revised Version and the American Standard Revised Version give in many cases more literal or more accurate renderings than those in the King James Version.

In the New Testament the most important preps. from a doctrinal point of view are anti, "face to face," "over against," "instead," "on behalf of," peri, "around," "about," "concerning," huper, "over," "on behalf of." The first has been claimed as stating the substitutionary nature of Christ's sacrifice as contrasted with huper and peri, more frequently used of it. But, although anti in the New Testament often means…

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
may not you fear O land be glad and rejoice for he has made great Yahweh to do
הִגְדִּ֥ילhig.Dil he has made great H1431 Verb · Hiphil · perfect third person masculine singular
117× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To make something or someone great, important, or powerful. This Hebrew word means to magnify or grow, and is used in the Bible to describe God's power and greatness. The KJV translates it as 'magnify' or 'great'.
Amplified meaning
mighty, magnificent, works, deeds
Tyndale gloss
to magnify
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

גָּדַל (gadal) is a Hebrew verb meaning to grow up or become great. It encompasses a range of meanings including to magnify, promote, and make powerful. The word has various forms, such as Qal, Piel, and Hiphil, indicating different nuances of growth and greatness. Notably, it can also imply self-magnification.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

גָּדַל 115 vb. grow up, become great

Qal

grow up

become great

to be magnified

Pi.

cause to grow

make great, powerful

magnify

Pu. brought up

Hiph.

make great

magnify

do great things

Hithp. I will magnify myself

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1431 גָּדַל grow up, become great .. grow up

. become great

. to be magnified

. . cause to grow

. make great, powerful

. magnify

. brought up

. . make great

. magnify

. do great things

. I will magnify myself

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1431 gadal gaw-dal'

a primitive root; properly, to twist (compare 1434), i.e. to

be (causatively make) large (in various senses, as in body,

mind, estate or honor, also in pride):--advance, boast, bring

up, exceed, excellent, be(-come, do, give, make, wax),

great(-er, come to...estate, + things), grow(up),increase,

lift up, magnify(-ifical), be much set by, nourish (up), pass,

promote, proudly (spoken), tower.

see HEBREW for 01434

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

גָּדַל (ga.dal) — to magnify.

1) to grow, become great or important, promote, make powerful, praise, magnify, do great things

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to grow up

1a2) to become great

1a3) to be magnified

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to cause to grow

1b2) to make great, powerful

1b3) to magnify

1c) (Pual) to be brought up

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to make great

1d2) to magnify

1d3) to do great things

1e) (Hithpael) to magnify oneself

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Hiphil-Perf-3ms — Verb · Hiphil · perfect third person masculine singular
HVhp3ms
may not you fear O land be glad and rejoice for he has made great Yahweh to do
יְהוָ֖הYah.weh Yahweh H3068 Noun proper
6,528× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Yehovah is another name for God, often translated as 'the Lord'. It is a national name for God in the Jewish faith. This name is used throughout the Old Testament.
Amplified meaning
Yehovah, The covenant Name of God
Tyndale gloss
The Lord
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) is the proper name of the God of Israel, often rendered as Jehovah or the Lord. It signifies the self-existent or eternal nature of God. The name is closely associated with the revelation to Moses in Exodus 3:12-15 and is used in conjunction with other terms to denote sacred places. Some scholars suggest it derives from a root meaning 'to bring into being.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יהוה c. 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel—(1. MT יְהֹוָה 6518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהֹוִה 305 (Qr אֱלֹהִים) 2. Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of הוה (= היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver)

יהוה is not used by E in Gn, but is given Ex 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb

יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D

the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy

יהוה is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3068 יהוה i.e. יַהְוֶה n. pr. dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw'

from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish

national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.

see HEBREW for 01961

see HEBREW for 03050

see HEBREW for 03069

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — LORD.

Jehovah = "the existing One"

1) the proper name of the one true God

1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of a.do.na (אֲדֹנָי "Lord" H0136)

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — The Lord.

Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — (Jerusalem of) the Lord.

Combined with ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper
HNpt
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
may not you fear O land be glad and rejoice for he has made great Yahweh to do
לַעֲשֽׂוֹת׃la.'a.Sot to do H6213 Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
2,629× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to make or do something, and is used over 2,600 times in the Bible. It is first used in Genesis 1:7 to describe God's creation of the world and is also used in Exodus 31:5 to describe the work of skilled craftsmen.
Amplified meaning
accomplished, made
Tyndale gloss
to make
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עָשָׂה (asah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to do or make, encompassing a wide range of actions such as producing, preparing, and observing. It can refer to both concrete and abstract activities, including making offerings and attending to tasks. The verb also has forms indicating passive meanings, such as being made or offered. Notably, the Piel form refers to pressing or squeezing.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עָשָׂה 2622 vb. do, make

Qal 2524

do (1560 t.)

deal with

oft. in phr. do kindness with

abs. act, act with effect

make (670 t.)

produce, yield

prepare, esp. of dressing and cooking food

make offering

attend to, put in order

observe, celebrate, religious festival

acquire property of various kinds

appoint priests

bring about of י׳’s effecting a deliverance

use

spend, pass, days of life

Niph.

97be done

be made, of concr. things

be produced from vine

be prepared, of food

be offered

be observed, passover

be used

Pu. I was made

base

[עָשָׂה] vb. Pi. press, squeeze

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6213a עָשָׂה do, make .. . do (1560 + t.)

. deal with

. oft. in phr. do kindness with

. abs. act, act with effect

. . make (670 + t.)

. produce, yield

. prepare, esp. of dressing and cooking food

. make offering

. attend to, put in order

. observe, celebrate, religious festival

. acquire property of various kinds

. appoint priests

. bring about of י׳’s effecting a deliverance

. use

. spend, pass, days of life

. . be done

. . be made, of concr. things

. be produced from vine

. be prepared, of food

. be offered

. be observed, passover

. be used

. I was made

H6213b עָשָׂה Pi. press, squeeze

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6213 `asah aw-saw'

a primitive root; to do or make, in the broadest sense and

widest application (as follows):--accomplish, advance,

appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth,

bruise, be busy, X certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal

(with), deck, + displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in)

execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, + feast, (fight-)ing man, +

finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go

about, govern, grant, great, + hinder, hold ((a feast)), X

indeed, + be industrious, + journey, keep, labour, maintain,

make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, + officer, pare,

bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure,

provide, put, requite, X sacrifice, serve, set, shew, X sin,

spend, X surely, take, X thoroughly, trim, X very, + vex, be

(warr-)ior, work(-man), yield, use.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עָשָׂה (a.sah) — to make: do.

: do/perform

1) to do, fashion, accomplish, make

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to do, work, make, produce

1a1a) to do

1a1b) to work

1a1c) to deal (with)

1a1d) to act, act with effect, effect

1a2) to make

1a2a) to make

1a2b) to produce

1a2c) to prepare

1a2d) to make (an offering)

1a2e) to attend to, put in order

1a2f) to observe, celebrate

1a2g) to acquire (property)

1a2h) to appoint, ordain, institute

1a2i) to bring about

1a2j) to use

1a2k) to spend, pass

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be done

1b2) to be made

1b3) to be produced

1b4) to be offered

1b5) to be observed

1b6) to be used

1c) (Pual) to be made

עָשָׂה (a.sah) — to press.

(Piel) to press, squeeze

עָשָׂה (a.sah) — to make.

: make(OBJECT)

1) to do, fashion, accomplish, make

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to do, work, make, produce

1a1a) to do

1a1b) to work

1a1c) to deal (with)

1a1d) to act, act with effect, effect

1a2) to make

1a2a) to make

1a2b) to produce

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a — Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
HR/Vqcc
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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