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Joshua 8:23 — Word Study

Depth

WLCוְאֶת־ מֶ֥לֶךְ הָעַ֖י תָּ֣פְשׂוּ חָ֑י וַיַּקְרִ֥בוּ אֹת֖וֹ אֶל־ יְהוֹשֻֽׁעַ׃

BSAButʼêth they tooktâphas [seized, captured] the kingmelek [royal ruler, monarch] of AiʻAy [heap of ruins, a city in Palestine] alivechay [still living, not killed] and broughtqârab [presented, approached] himʼêth toʼêl JoshuaYᵉhôwshûwaʻ [leader, successor of Moses]

Word
Listen & take awayJoshua 8
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 23 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 (ye.ho.Shu.a') — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Joshua 8:23quick helps
In a sentenceThe Israelites captured the king of Ai alive and brought him to Joshua.
Who is speakingThe narrative is from the perspective of the Israelite forces led by Joshua.
Where we areThis verse is part of the account of the conquest of Ai, following a strategic ambush.
The hard wordתָּ֣פְשׂוּ, Ta.fe.su
Take awayThe king of Ai is taken alive, showing the Israelites' control over the city.
5 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbתָּפַשׂ 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 — Joshua 8:23

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 — The Conquest of Aigenerated

22Meanwhile, those in the ambush came out of the city against them, and the men of Ai were trapped between the Israelite forces on both sides. So Israel struck them down until no survivor or fugitive remained.
23But they took the king of Ai alive and brought him to Joshua.
24When Israel had finished killing all the men of Ai who had pursued them into the field and wilderness, and when every last one of them had fallen by the sword, all the Israelites returned to Ai and put it to the sword as well.
25A total of twelve thousand men and women fell that day—all the people of Ai.

Joshua 8:23 describes a pivotal moment in the conquest of Ai, where the Israelites successfully ambushed the city. This verse highlights the capture of the king alive, which emphasizes the total defeat of Ai and the strategic prowess of Joshua and the Israelite forces. The event is part of a larger narrative that showcases God's guidance and the fulfillment of His promises to Israel in taking the land.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Joshua 8:29He hung the king of Ai on a tree until evening, and at sunset Joshua commanded that they take down the body from the tree and throw it down at the entrance of the city gate. And over it they raised a large pile of rocks, which remains to this day.
2Joshua 10:17And Joshua was informed: “The five kings have been found; they are hiding in the cave at Makkedah.”
31 Samuel 15:8He captured Agag king of Amalek alive, but devoted all the others to destruction with the sword.
4Revelation 19:20But the beast was captured along with the false prophet, who on its behalf had performed signs deceiving those who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. Both the beast and the false prophet were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 4 references, hung on the phrase they belong to

And the king of Ai they took alive, and brought him to Joshua.Joshua 8:29 Joshua 10:17 1 Samuel 15:8 Revelation 19:20

The Key Word תָּ֣פְשׂוּ, Ta.fe.sugenerated

The verb תָּפַשׂ (*tafaš*) means to seize or capture. It is in the perfect tense, indicating a completed action performed by the Israelites — they successfully captured the king of Ai.

This word carries with it the connotation of taking control, reflecting the military success of the Israelites in their campaign against Ai. The action of capturing the king alive serves to illustrate their dominance and the effective leadership of Joshua.


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 action of the verse is governed by the finite verb תָּ֣פְשׂוּ, they captured, which is followed by two phrases: the first describes the object of the capture — מֶ֥לֶךְ הָעַ֖י, the king of Ai, and the second indicates the state of the king — חָ֑י, alive.

The structure emphasizes the action of capturing and the importance of the king's living state, which is significant in the context of Israel's victory.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, the verb used is συνέλαβον (*sunelabon*), which means 'they seized'. This choice reflects a direct and active engagement in the capture, similar to the Hebrew.

The translation maintains the focus on the act of capture, reinforcing the narrative of conquest and control over Ai.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Joshua 8:23 tells us that the Israelites captured the king of Ai alive and brought him to Joshua. This event highlights their victory over Ai and the effectiveness of their military strategy.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that the king of Ai was captured alive?

Capturing the king alive signifies a complete victory and control over the city, allowing the Israelites to demonstrate their power and authority.

Why is the king's living state important?

Bringing the king alive to Joshua emphasizes the total defeat of Ai and the strategic advantage gained by the Israelites, as it allows for potential negotiations or displays of power.

What does this event tell us about Joshua's leadership?

This event illustrates Joshua's effective leadership and strategic planning in the conquest of Canaan, showcasing his ability to execute successful military tactics.

How does this verse fit into the larger narrative of the conquest of Canaan?

This verse is a key moment in the larger narrative of Israel's conquest of Canaan, marking a significant victory that reinforces God's promises to Israel.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What can we learn about the importance of leadership from Joshua's actions in this verse?
  2. How does the capture of the king of Ai reflect God's promises to the Israelites?
  3. In what ways can we apply the principles of strategic planning and execution from this account in our own lives?
  4. What does this event teach us about the consequences of victory and defeat in a broader context?

Commentators on this verse — 5 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Joshua 8:23 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

And the king of Ai they took alive,.... They spared him, and reserved him for a more shameful death: and brought him to Joshua; their general; delivering him into his hands as his prisoner, to do

Read John Gill on Joshua 8 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And the king of Ai they took alive, and brought him to Joshua. The king of Ai they took alive - to be reserved for a more ignominious death, as a greater criminal in God's sight than his subjects.

Read Robert Jamieson on Joshua 8 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Reserving him to a peculiar and more ignominious punishment, for the terror of the other kings, who were the chief causes of all that opposition and disturbance which Israel met with in gaining the possession of the Promised Land.

Read Matthew Poole on Joshua 8 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Joshua 8:23 And the king of Ai they took alive, and brought him to Joshua.Ver. 23. And the king of Ai they took alive.] His preservation was but a reservation to a more solemn execution: so the beast and false prophet were cast alive into the fiery lake, when the remnant were slain with the sword. Potentes potenter torquebuntur.

Read John Trapp on Joshua 8 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

23. And the king of Ai they took alive — Kings were anciently spared in battle, either to grace the triumph of the victor, or for the accomplishment of some political end, or, as in this case, for a

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Joshua 8 →

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

But they took the king of Ai alive and brought him to Joshua.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

They captured the king of Ai alive, and brought him to Joshua.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

But they took the king of Ai alive and brought him to Joshua.

NETBNew English Translation2006

But they captured the king of Ai alive and brought him to Joshua.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And the king of Ai they took alive, and brought him to Joshua.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And the king of Ai they took alive, and brought him to Joshua.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And the king of Ai they took alive, and brought him to Joshua.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And the king of Ai they took alive, and brought him to Joshua.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

And the King of Ai they tooke aliue, and brought him to Ioshua.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And the king of Ai they took alive, and brought him to Joshua.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

and the king of Ai they caught alive, and bring him near unto Joshua.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

and they have caught the king of Ai alive, and bring him near to Joshua.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And the king of 'Ai they caught alive, and brought him to Joshua.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

They kept the king of Ai, whom they captured alive, and they brought him to Joshua.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And they took the king of the city of Hai alive, and brought him to Josue.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Only the king of Ai was captured alive, and he was brought before Joshua.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

But the king of Ai they made prisoner, and took him to Joshua.

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.

וְandclausenoun phrase · objectאֶת(et)noun phraseמֶ֥לֶךְthe.kingnoun phraseהָof.(the)עַ֖יAiverbתָּ֣פְשׂוּthey.capturedsecond objectחָ֑יaliveוַandclauseverbיַּקְרִ֥בוּthey.brought.nearnoun phrase · objectאֹת֖וֹhimprepositional phrase · prepositionalאֶלtoיְהוֹשֻֽׁעַJoshua

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 in the wording of this verse, with all nine words matched. This indicates a consistent transmission of the text across these witnesses, maintaining the integrity of the account.

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

וְאֶת־ מֶ֥לֶךְ הָעַ֖י תָּ֣פְשׂוּ חָ֑י וַיַּקְרִ֥בוּ אֹת֖וֹ אֶל־ יְהוֹשֻֽׁעַ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וְאֶת־καὶמֶ֥לֶךְβασιλέαהָעַ֖יγαιתָּ֣פְשׂוּσυνέλαβονחָ֑יζῶνταוַיַּקְרִ֥בוּπροσήγαγονאֹת֖וֹαὐτὸνאֶל־πρὸςיְהוֹשֻֽׁעַ׃ἰησοῦν

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.

Joshua 8:23אֵתand the objand the object אֵתמֶ֫לֶךְ[the] king [the] king ofמֶ֫לֶךְעַיAiAiעַיתָּפַשׂthey capturthey capturedתָּפַשׂחַיalivealiveחַיקָרֵבand they brand they broughקָרֵבאֵתthe object the object markאֵתאֶלtotoאֶליְהוֹשׁוּעַJoshuaJoshuaיְהוֹשׁוּעַאוֹתsign: mirasign: miraculouאוֹתמָלַךְto reignto reignמָלַךְחָיָהto liveto liveחָיָהיהוהThe LordThe LordיהוהעִיruinruinעִימִגְרָשׁpasturepastureמִגְרָשׁנְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּרNebuchadneNebuchadnezzarנְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּראַשּׁוּרAsshurAsshurאַשּׁוּרבֵּֽיתְאֵלBethelBethelבֵּֽיתְאֵליְרִיחוֹJerichoJerichoיְרִיחוֹמָגֵןshieldshieldמָגֵןעוֹףbirdbirdעוֹףשָׂדַיfieldfieldשָׂדַיקָרְבָּןofferingofferingקָרְבָּןאִשֶּׁהfood offerfood offeringאִשֶּׁהפָּלַלto prayto prayפָּלַליִרְמְיָ֫הJeremiahJeremiahיִרְמְיָ֫הנוּןNunNunנוּן
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 Joshua 8:23

One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.

Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.

and the object marker [the] king of Ai they captured alive and they brought near the object marker him to Joshua
וְאֶת־ve.'Et and the object marker H853 Conjunction · particle
10,946× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the original Hebrew, this word points out the object of a verb or preposition, like 'namely' or 'even'. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus. It's not directly translated in English, but helps clarify the meaning of sentences.
Tyndale gloss
[Obj.]
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֵת (eth) is primarily a grammatical marker in Hebrew, indicating the definite direct object of a verb. It is not translated into English and typically precedes nouns that are definite. The word is derived from a demonstrative sense of entity, related to the Hebrew word for 'self.' Its Aramaic equivalent is יָת (yat).

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

853 'eth ayth

apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of

entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more

definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or

namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).

see HEBREW for 0226

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵת (et) — [Obj.].

sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative

Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | DirObjM — Conjunction · particle
HC/To
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and the object marker [the] king of Ai they captured alive and they brought near the object marker him to Joshua
מֶ֥לֶךְMe.lekh [the] king of H4428 Noun common · masculine singular construct
2,526× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a king or royal person, like King David or King Saul. It can also describe something related to a king, like the King's Valley in Genesis. The Bible often uses this word to talk about the rulers of Israel.
Amplified meaning
royal ruler, monarch
Tyndale gloss
King's
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word מֶ֫לֶךְ (*melek*) means 'king.' It is derived from a root that suggests royalty. The term appears in various contexts, including references to specific kings and locations, such as the 'King's Highway' in Numbers 20:17 and the 'King's Valley' in Genesis 14:17. The lexicons note its Aramaic equivalent and mention its use in the context of individuals like Hammelech in Jeremiah.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מֶ֫לֶךְ 2513 n.m. king

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4428 מֶ֫לֶךְ king

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4428 melek meh'-lek

from 4427; a king:--king, royal.

see HEBREW for 04427

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — king.

1) king

Aramaic equivalent: me.lekh (מֶ֫לֶךְ "king" H4430)

הַמֶּלֶךְ (me.lekh) — `the king`.

'the king' or a name, Hammelech in KJV of Jer.36.26; 38.6- a man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at Jer.36.26;

father of: Jerahmeel (H3396I) and Malchijah (H4441H); also translated "the king";

§ A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at Jer.36.26;

father of: Jerahmeel (H3396I) and Malchijah (H4441H); also translated "the king";

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — King's.

King's (Highway) (Num.20.17)

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — King's.

Another name of she.lach (שֶׁ֫לַח "Shelah" H7975A)

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — Milcom.

Another name of mo.lekh (מֹ֫לֶךְ "Molech" H4432)

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — King's.

King's (Valley) (Gen.14.17)

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

ov:

(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Lamentations 3:1.

The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.

Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.

That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.

Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…

and the object marker [the] king of Ai they captured alive and they brought near the object marker him to Joshua
הָעַ֖יha.'Ai Ai H5857 Particle · noun proper
40× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Ai means 'heap of ruins', a city in Palestine east of the Jordan River, mentioned in the Bible as part of the Ammonites' territory. It appears in the book of Joshua and is associated with Heshbon. The city's name reflects its history of destruction.
Amplified meaning
heap of ruins, a city in Palestine
Tyndale gloss
Ai
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עַי (Ay) refers to an ancient city in Canaan, known as Ai or Aija, which is described as a 'heap of ruins.' It is located east of Bethel and near Jericho, and it is mentioned as the second city taken during the invasion of Canaan. Additionally, it is noted as a city of the Ammonites east of the Jordan, associated with Heshbon.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עַי, עַיָּ֑ת, עַיָּה 40 n.pr.loc.

old Canaanit. city

E. Jordan city

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5857 עַי, עַיָּ֑ת, עַיָּה . old Canaanit. city

. E. Jordan city

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5857 `Ay ah'ee

or (feminine) uAya( (Neh. 11:31) {ah-yaw'}; or eAyath (Isaiah

10:28) {ah-yawth'}; for 5856; Ai, Aja or Ajath, a place in

Palestine:--Ai, Aija, Aijath, Hai.

see HEBREW for 05856

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עַי (ay) — Ai.

§ Ai or Aija or Aiath or Hai = "heap of ruins"

a city lying east of Bethel and beside Bethaven near Jericho and the second city taken on the invasion of Canaan

עַי (ay) — Ai.

§ Ai or Aija or Aiath or Hai = "heap of ruins"

a city of the Ammonites on the east of the Jordan and apparently attached to Heshbon

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-proper — Particle · noun proper
HTd/Npl
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

a'-i (`ay, written always with the definite article, ha-`ay, probably meaning "the ruin," kindred root, `awah):

(1) A town of central Palestine, in the tribe of Benjamin, near and just east of Bethel (Ge 12:8). It is identified with the modern Haiyan, just south of the village Der Diwan (Conder in HDB; Delitzsch in Commentary on Ge 12:8) or with a mound, El-Tell, to the north of the modern village (Davis, Dict. Biblical). The name first appears in the earliest journey of Abraham through Palestine (Ge 12:8), where its location is given as east of Bethel, and near the altar which Abraham built between the two places. It is given similar mention as he returns from his sojourn in Egypt (

Ai

Ruins. (1.) One of the royal cities of the Canaanites (Josh. 10:1; Gen. 12:8; 13:3). It was the scene of Joshua’s defeat, and afterwards of his victory. It was the second Canaanite city taken by Israel (Josh. 7:2-5; 8:1-29). It lay rebuilt and inhibited by the Benjamites (Ezra 2:28; Neh. 7:32; 11:31). It lay to the east of Bethel, “beside Beth-aven.” The spot which is most probably the site of this ancient city is Haiyan, 2 miles east from Bethel. It lay up the Wady Suweinit, a steep, rugged valley, extending from the Jordan valley to Bethel.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(heap of ruins). A city lying east of Bethel and "beside Bethaven." (Joshua 7:2; 8:9) It was the second city taken by Israel after the passage of the Jordan, and was "utterly destroyed." (Joshua 7:3-5; 8:1; Joshua 9:3; 10:1,2; 12:9) A city of the Ammonites, apparently attached to Heshbon. (Jeremiah 49:3)

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Called also Hai, Ge 12:8; Aija, Ne 11:31; and Aiath, Isa 10:28. A royal city of the Canaanites, east of Bethel, near which Abraham once sojourned and built an altar, Ge 12:8; 13:3. It is memorable for Joshua’s defeat on account of Achan, and his subsequent victory, Jos 7:2-5; 8:1-29. It was rebuilt, and is mentioned by Isaiah. Its ruins are spoken of by Eusebius and Jerome, but the exact site cannot now be fixed with certainty.

and the object marker [the] king of Ai they captured alive and they brought near the object marker him to Joshua
תָּ֣פְשׂוּTa.fe.su they captured H8610 Verb · Qal · perfect third person common plural
65× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To capture or seize something, like in 1 Kings 13:4, where a prophet grabs the king's altar. It means to take hold of or grasp something firmly.
Amplified meaning
seized, captured
Tyndale gloss
to capture
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

תָּפַשׂ (taphas) is a Hebrew verb meaning to lay hold of or seize. It encompasses actions like capturing, wielding, and handling, with nuances in different forms such as being seized or caught. The entries suggest a range of physical and figurative uses, including the idea of manipulation or unwarranted use.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

תָּפַשׂ vb. lay hold of, wield

Qal

lay hold of, seize

grasp in order to wield, wield, use skilfully

Niph. be seized, arrested, caught

Pi. a lizard thou mayest grasp with the hands

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8610 תָּפַשׂ lay hold of, wield

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8610 taphas taw-fas'

a primitive root; to manipulate, i.e. seize; chiefly to

capture, wield, specifically, to overlay; figuratively, to use

unwarrantably:--catch, handle, (lay, take) hold (on, over),

stop, X surely, surprise, take.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

תָּפַשׂ (ta.pha.s) — to capture.

1) to catch, handle, lay hold, take hold of, seize, wield

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to lay hold of, seize, arrest, catch

1a2) to grasp (in order to) wield, wield, use skilfully

1b) (Niphal) to be seized, be arrested, be caught, be taken, captured

1c) (Piel) to catch, grasp (with the hands)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-3cp — Verb · Qal · perfect third person common plural
HVqp3cp
and the object marker [the] king of Ai they captured alive and they brought near the object marker him to Joshua
חָ֑יChai alive H2416 Adj
498× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word means life or being alive. It can refer to physical life, like in Genesis 1:20, or spiritual life, like in Psalm 30:5.
Amplified meaning
still living, not killed
Tyndale gloss
alive
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word חַי (*chay*) means 'alive' or 'living' and covers a range of meanings related to life, including living beings, vitality, and freshness. It can refer to God, animals, vegetation, and even concepts like appetite and community. Variants include חַיָּה (*chayyah*), meaning 'living thing' or 'animal,' and חַיִּים (*chayim*), which emphasizes life and sustenance.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חַי adj. alive, living

of God, as the living one, the fountain of life

of man

of animals, alive, living

animals and man

(dub.) of vegetation, as thorns, green

of water, fresh

(dub.) lively, active

reviving

base

[חַי] n.[m.] kinsfolk, pl. sf. 1 S 18:18

ref

חַיָּה n.f. living thing, animal

animal

in general

wild animals, on account of their vital energy and activity

living beings, of the cherubic chariot

life, only in late poetry

appetite, activity of hunger

revival, renewal

base

חַיָּה n.f. community

base

חַיִּים n.m. pl. abstr. emph. life

life: physical

life: as welfare and happiness in king's presence

sustenance, maintenance

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2416a חַי alive, living . . of God, as the living one, the fountain of life

. of man

. of animals, alive, living

. animals and man

. (dub.) of vegetation, as thorns, green

. of water, fresh

. (dub.) lively, active

. reviving

H2416b חַי kinsfolk H2416c חַיָּה living thing, animal . animal . in general

. wild animals, on account of their vital energy and activity

. living beings, of the cherubic chariot

. life, only in late poetry

. appetite, activity of hunger

. revival, renewal

H2416d חַיָּה community H2416e חַיִּים pl. abstr. emph. life . life: physical

. life: as welfare and happiness in king's presence

. sustenance, maintenance

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2416 chay khah'-ee

from 2421; alive; hence, raw (flesh); fresh (plant, water,

year), strong; also (as noun, especially in the feminine

singular and masculine plural) life (or living thing), whether

literally or figuratively:--+ age, alive, appetite, (wild)

beast, company, congregation, life(-time), live(-ly), living

(creature, thing), maintenance, + merry, multitude, + (be)

old, quick, raw, running, springing, troop.

see HEBREW for 02421

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חַי (chay) — alive.

adj

1) living, alive

1a) green (of vegetation)

1b) flowing, fresh (of water)

1c) lively, active (of man)

1d) reviving (of the springtime)

Aramaic equivalent: chay (חַי "living" H2417)

חַי (chay) — kinsfolk.

kinsfolk

חַיָּה (chay.yah) — living thing.

1) living thing, animal

1a) animal

1b) life

1c) appetite

1d) revival, renewal

Aramaic equivalent: che.va (חֵיוָא "beast" H2423)

חַיָּה (chay.yah) — community.

community

חַיִּים (chay.yim) — life.

1) life (abstract emphatic)

1a) life

1b) sustenance, maintenance

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Adj
HAamsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

a-liv' (chai, "living"; zao, "to live," anazao, "to live again"): These Hebrew and Greek originals are the chief terms for life in both Testaments. They cover all life, including soul and spirit, although primarily referring to physical vitality. Striking examples may be cited: "Is your father yet alive?" (Ge 43:7); "To whom he also showed himself alive" (Ac 1:3). Often used of God: "the living God" (Jos 3:10); also of the resurrection life: "In Christ shall all be made alive" (1Co 15:22); of the soul's regenerate life: "Reckon .... yourselves .... alive unto God," "as those that are alive from the dead" (Ro 6:11:13 the…

and the object marker [the] king of Ai they captured alive and they brought near the object marker him to Joshua
וַיַּקְרִ֥בוּvai.yak.Ri.vu and they brought near H7126 Verb · Hiphil · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
280× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To approach or come near someone or something, often with a sense of purpose or intention, like Moses approaching the burning bush in Exodus 3:5. This word can also mean to bring someone or something near, as in presenting an offering to God.
Amplified meaning
presented, approached
Tyndale gloss
to present: come
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

קָרַב (qarab) is a Hebrew verb meaning to approach or come near, with various nuances including bringing or presenting something. It encompasses different forms such as Qal (to approach), Niphal (to be brought near), and Hiphil (to bring near). The term is often associated with offerings or dedications to God, particularly in the context of the book of Ezekiel.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[קָרֵב], קָרַב 279 vb. come near, approach

Qal 93 approach

Niph. he shall be brought unto God

Pi. cause to approach, bring near

Hiph.

177

bring near, bring, present

of time

as term techn. (c. 158 t.), chiefly Ez HP, bring near, of presenting, dedicating, or offering to י׳

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7126 קָרֵב, קָרַב come near, approach .approach

. he shall be brought unto God

. cause to approach, bring near

. . . bring near, bring, present

. of time

. as term techn. (c. 158 t.), chiefly Ez HP, bring near, of presenting, dedicating, or offering to י׳

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7126 qarab kaw-rab'

a primitive root; to approach (causatively, bring near) for

whatever purpose:--(cause to) approach, (cause to) bring

(forth, near), (cause to) come (near, nigh), (cause to) draw

near (nigh), go (near), be at hand, join, be near, offer,

present, produce, make ready, stand, take.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קָרַב (qa.rav) — to present: come.

: come/approach

1) to come near, approach, enter into, draw near

1a) (Qal) to approach, draw near

1b) (Niphal) to be brought near

1c) (Piel) to cause to approach, bring near, cause to draw near

1d) (Hiphil) to bring near, bring, present

קָרַב (qa.rav) — to present: bring.

: bring/offer

1) to come near, approach, enter into, draw near

1a) (Qal) to approach, draw near

1b) (Niphal) to be brought near

1c) (Piel) to cause to approach, bring near, cause to draw near

1d) (Hiphil) to bring near, bring, present

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Hiphil-ConsecImperf-3mp — Verb · Hiphil · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
Hc/Vhw3mp
and the object marker [the] king of Ai they captured alive and they brought near the object marker him to Joshua
אֹת֖וֹ'o.To the object marker him H853 Particle · suffix
10,946× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the original Hebrew, this word points out the object of a verb or preposition, like 'namely' or 'even'. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus. It's not directly translated in English, but helps clarify the meaning of sentences.
Tyndale gloss
[Obj.]
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֵת (eth) is primarily a grammatical marker in Hebrew, indicating the definite direct object of a verb. It is not translated into English and typically precedes nouns that are definite. The word is derived from a demonstrative sense of entity, related to the Hebrew word for 'self.' Its Aramaic equivalent is יָת (yat).

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

853 'eth ayth

apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of

entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more

definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or

namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).

see HEBREW for 0226

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵת (et) — [Obj.].

sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative

Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
DirObjM | Suff — Particle · suffix
HTo/Sp3ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and the object marker [the] king of Ai they captured alive and they brought near the object marker him to Joshua
אֶל־'el- to H413 Preposition
5,518× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means 'to' or 'toward', showing direction or movement. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus, to indicate where someone is going. The KJV translates it in various ways, like 'about', 'according to', or 'against'.
Tyndale gloss
to(wards)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֶל (el) is primarily a preposition indicating motion towards or direction to a person or place. It can also imply entering a limit, presence at a location, or a hostile direction (against). Additionally, it may express concepts such as concerning, in addition to, or according to. The entries highlight its versatility in both physical and metaphorical contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph),

prep. denoting motion to or direction towards (whether physical or mental).of motion to or unto a person or place

Where the limit is actually entered, into

Of direction towards anything

Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against

Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to

Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

Of rule or standard according to (rare)

Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion

Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H413 אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph), . of motion to or unto a person or place

. Where the limit is actually entered, into

. Of direction towards anything

. Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against

. Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to

. Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

. Of rule or standard according to (rare)

. Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion

. Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

413 'el ale

(but only used in the shortened constructive form sel {el});

a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but

occasionally used of a quiescent position, i.e. near, with or

among; often in general, to:--about, according to ,after,

against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and,

by, concerning, for, from, X hath, in(- to), near, (out) of,

over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether,

with(-in).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶל (el) — to(wards).

1) to, toward, unto (of motion)

2) into (limit is actually entered)

2a) in among

3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion)

4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character)

5) in addition to, to

6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of

7) according to (rule or standard)

8) at, by, against (of one's presence)

9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Preposition
HR
and the object marker [the] king of Ai they captured alive and they brought near the object marker him to Joshua
יְהוֹשֻֽׁעַ׃ye.ho.Shu.a' Joshua H3091 Noun proper masculine
218× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Joshua was a leader in the Bible, first mentioned in Ezra 2:2, who helped the Israelites return from exile. His name means Jehovah is salvation, and he is also known as Jeshua in some parts of the Bible. He was a key figure in the conquest of Canaan.
Amplified meaning
leader, successor of Moses
Tyndale gloss
Joshua
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word יְהוֹשׁוּעַ (*Yhowshuwa`*) refers to Joshua, the successor of Moses and leader of the Israelites. It encompasses various figures, including a resident of Beth-shemesh, a high priest after the restoration, and a governor of Jerusalem under Josiah. The name means 'Jehovah is salvation' and appears in different contexts throughout the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יְהוֹשׁוּעַ, יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, and (later) יֵשׁוּעַ, n.pr.m. (& loc., v. 9 infr.) (י׳ is salvation or י׳ is opulence)

Moses’ successor, son of Nun

a Bethshemite

h.p. after the restoration, son of Jehozadak

governor of Jerusalem under Josiah

head of one of the classes of priests

a Levitical family-name of frequent occurrence

father of a builder at the wall

a Judaite family-name

n.pr.loc. in south of Judah

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3091 יְהוֹשׁוּעַ, יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, and (later) יֵשׁוּעַ . Moses’ successor, son of Nun

. a Bethshemite

. h. p. after the restoration, son of Jehozadak

. governor of Jerusalem under Josiah

. head of one of the classes of priests

. a Levitical family-name of frequent occurrence

. father of a builder at the wall

. a Judaite family-name

. n. pr. loc. in south of Judah

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3091 Yhowshuwa` yeh-ho-shoo'-ah

or Yhowshua {yeh-ho-shoo'-ah}; from 3068 and 3467;

Jehovah-saved; Jehoshua (i.e. Joshua), the Jewish

leader:--Jehoshua, Jehoshuah, Joshua. Compare 1954, 3442.

see HEBREW for 03068

see HEBREW for 03467

see HEBREW for 01954

see HEBREW for 03442

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יְהוֹשׁוּעַ (ye.ho.shu.a) — Joshua.

A man of the tribe of Ephraim living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness and Israel before the Monarchy, first mentioned at Exo.17.9;

son of: Nun (H5126); also called Hoshea (KJV: Oshea) at Num.13.8; Jeshua at Neh.8.17;

§ Joshua or Jehoshua = "Jehovah is salvation"

1) son of Nun of the tribe of Ephraim and successor to Moses as the leader of the children of Israel; led the conquest of Canaan

2) a resident of Beth-shemesh on whose land the Ark of the Covenant came to a stop after the Philistines returned it

3) son of Jehozadak and high priest after the restoration

4) governor of Jerusalem under king Josiah who gave his name to a gate of the city of Jerusalem

יְהוֹשׁוּעַ (ye.ho.shu.a) — Joshua.

A man living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Sa.6.14

§ Joshua or Jehoshua = "Jehovah is salvation"

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper masculine
HNpm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Joshua

Jehovah is his help, or Jehovah the Saviour. The son of Nun, of the tribe of Ephraim, the successor of Moses as the leader of Israel. He is called Jehoshua in Num. 13:16 (A.V.), and Jesus in Acts 7:45 and Heb. 4:8 (R.V., Joshua).

He was born in Egypt, and was probably of the age of Caleb, with whom he is generally associated. He shared in all the events of the Exodus, and held the place of commander of the host of the Israelites at their great battle against the Amalekites in Rephidim (Ex. 17:8-16). He became Moses’ minister or servant, and accompanied him part of the way when he ascended Mount Sinai to receive the two tables (

(saviour, or whose help is Jehovah). His name appears in the various forms of HOSHEAHOSHEA, OSHEA, JEHOSHUA, JESHUA and JESUS. The son of Nun, of the tribe of Ephraim. (1 Chronicles 7:27) (B.C. 1530-1420.) He was nearly forty years old when he shared in the hurried triumph of the exodus. He is mentioned first in connection with the fight against Amalek at Rephidim, when he was chosen by Moses to lead the Israelites. (Exodus 17:9) Soon afterward he was one of the twelve chiefs who were sent, (Numbers 13:17) to explore the land of Canaan, and one of the two, ch. (Numbers 14:6) who gave an encouraging report of their journey. Moses, shortly before his death, was directed, (

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

1. The son of Nun, a distinguished leader of the Hebrews, and the successor of Moses. His name at first was Oshea, Nu 13:8,16; and in the New Testament he is called Jesus, Ac 7:45 Heb 4:8. Both the names, Joshua and Jesus, signify savior, deliverer. See JESUS. Joshua led Israel over the Jordan, and took possession of the promised land; he conquered the Canaanites, and then distributed the country among the tribes. He is first mentioned as the leader of Israel against the Amalekites at Rephidim,

Ex 17:8-16. See also Nu 14:6. At the passage over Jordan he was eighty-four years of age; and after about twenty-six years employed…

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

a savior; a deliverer

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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