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Joshua 9:14 — Word Study

Depth

WLCוַיִּקְח֥וּ הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֖ים מִצֵּידָ֑ם וְאֶת־ פִּ֥י יְהוָ֖ה לֹ֥א שָׁאָֽלוּ׃

BSAsampledlâqach [tasted, took of] their provisionstsayid [food, victuals] but did notlôʼ seekshâʼal [ask, inquire of] the counselpeh [guidance, advice] of the LORDYᵉhôvâh [Yehovah, the Lord God]

Word
Listen & take awayJoshua 9
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 14 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 (sha.'A.lu) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Joshua 9:14quick helps
In a sentenceThe men of Israel sampled provisions but failed to seek guidance from the LORD.
Who is speakingThe leaders and individuals of Israel.
Where we areThis verse is part of the narrative about the Gibeonites deceiving Israel.
The hard wordשָׁאָֽלוּ
Take awayThey acted without consulting God.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbלָקַח 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 9:14

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 Deception of the Gibeonitesgenerated

13These wineskins were new when we filled them, but look, they are cracked. And these clothes and sandals are worn out from our very long journey.”
14Then the men of Israel sampled their provisions, but did not seek the counsel of the LORD.
15And Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the congregation swore an oath to them.
16Three days after they had made the treaty with the Gibeonites, the Israelites learned that they were neighbors, living among them.

Joshua 9:14 recounts how the men of Israel, after being deceived by the Gibeonites, sampled their provisions but did not seek the counsel of the LORD. This failure to consult God led to a significant treaty that would affect Israel's future. The surrounding verses illustrate the context of this deception and the consequences of their actions.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Exodus 28:30And place the Urim and Thummim in the breastpiece of judgment, so that they will also be over Aaron’s heart whenever he comes before the LORD. Aaron will continually carry the judgment of the sons of Israel over his heart before the LORD.
2Numbers 27:21He shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who will seek counsel for him before the LORD by the judgment of the Urim. At his command, he and all the Israelites with him—the entire congregation—will go out and come in.”
3Judges 1:1After the death of Joshua, the Israelites inquired of the LORD, “Who will be the first to go up and fight for us against the Canaanites?”
4Judges 20:18–28The Israelites set out, went up to Bethel, and inquired of God, “Who of us shall go up first to fight against the Benjamites?” “Judah will be first,” the LORD replied.
51 Samuel 14:18–19Then Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring the ark of God.” (For at that time it was with the Israelites.)

The Key Word שָׁאָֽלוּ, sha'algenerated

The Hebrew word שָׁאַל (*sha'al*) means 'to ask' or 'to inquire'. It is a verb that conveys the act of seeking information or guidance, often in a formal or respectful manner. In this context, it highlights the Israelites' neglect to seek divine counsel before making decisions.

This verb is in the perfect tense, indicating a completed action. The implication is that they did not ask for guidance from Yahweh, which is a critical omission in their decision-making process.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses did not seek for the Hebrew שָׁאָֽלוּ.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb is וַיִּקְח֥וּ, and they took, which governs the action of the subject, the men of Israel. The structure includes a prepositional phrase indicating the source of their provisions and a subordinate clause that describes their failure to seek counsel.

The sentence construction emphasizes the sequence of actions: sampling provisions followed by the critical omission of seeking divine guidance.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates וַיִּקְח֥וּ as ἔλαβον (*elabon*), meaning 'they took'. This choice aligns closely with the Hebrew meaning, indicating a direct action taken by the men of Israel.

However, the Septuagint's rendering of the phrase related to seeking counsel does not match the Hebrew structure, suggesting a different emphasis in the Greek translation.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Joshua 9:14 tells us that the men of Israel sampled the provisions of the Gibeonites but did not ask for the LORD's guidance. This decision led to a treaty that would have lasting implications for Israel.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that they did not seek the counsel of the LORD?

It means they failed to ask God for guidance before making an important decision, which ultimately led to their deception.

Why is seeking counsel from the LORD important?

Seeking counsel from the LORD is important because it helps ensure that decisions align with God's will and guidance.

How can we apply this lesson today?

We can apply this lesson by making it a habit to pray and seek God's guidance before making decisions in our lives.

What were the consequences of their failure to ask?

The consequences included forming a treaty with the Gibeonites, which led to complications for the Israelites in their conquest of the land.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what areas of my life do I need to seek God's counsel more diligently?
  2. How can I ensure that I am not making decisions based on my own understanding alone?
  3. What steps can I take to better recognize when I am acting without seeking God's guidance?
  4. How can I encourage others to seek the counsel of the LORD in their decisions?

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Joshua 9:14 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

And the men took of their victuals,.... That is, the princes of Israel took thereof; not to eat of them, for it cannot be thought that such personages would eat of such dry and mouldy bread, and

Read John Gill on Joshua 9 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD. The men took of their victuals.

Read Robert Jamieson on Joshua 9 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

The men, i.e. the princes, as before, . Took of their victuals; not from their want or any desire they could have to such unpleasant and unwholesome food; nor in a ceremony usual in making leagues, for that was not now done, but in the next verse; but that they might examine the truth of what they said. Asked not counsel at the mouth of the Lord, as they ought to have done upon all such weighty and doubtful occasions. So they are accused of rashness, and neglect of their duty. For though it is probable, if God had been consulted, he would have consented to the sparing of the Gibeonites; yet it should have been done with more caution, and an obligation left upon them to embrace the true…

Read Matthew Poole on Joshua 9 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Joshua 9:14 And the men took of their victuals, and asked not [counsel] at the mouth of the LORD.Ver. 14. And the men took of their victuals.] That is, they did eat of it in token of a league made with them, say some: others more probably, they took it and looked on it, to see whether it were hoary and mouldy, as they had said. And asked not counsel at the mouth of the Lord.] This precipitancy and credulity is seldom successful. Good Josiah lost his life by it. Sometimes both grace and wit are asleep in the holiest and wariest breasts.

Read John Trapp on Joshua 9 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(14) And the men took of their victuals.—And they accepted the men from (the appearance of) their provisions. This, which is the view taken in our marginal reading, seems to be the more probable interpretation, and follows the Targum. “The men” can hardly refer to any one but the ambassadors of the Gibeonites.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Joshua 9 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 14. The men took of their victuals] This was done in all probability in the way of friendship; for, from time immemorial to the present day, eating together, in the Asiatic countries, is considered a token of unalterable friendship; and those who eat even salt together, feel themselves bound thereby in a perpetual covenant. But the marginal reading of this clause should not be hastily rejected. And asked not counsel at the mouth of the Lord.] They made the covenant with the Gibeonites without consulting God by Urim and Thummim, which was highly reprehensible in them, as it was a state transaction in which the interests and honour of God their king were intimately concerned.

Read AdamClarke on Joshua 9 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

14. the men took of their victuals] “thei token thanne of the meetis of hem,” Wyclif. “The men” here denote the elders of Israel, the heads of the tribes. Comp. Joshua 9:18-21. Some think it means they took and tasted of their provisions by way of test to see if their story was true, so Keil and Rosenmüller. Others interpret the words as denoting that the princes of the people took of the provisions, and by thus eating, according to the usages of Oriental nations, pledged themselves to friendship and amity. Compare the eating together as a sign of friendship of Jacob and Laban, Genesis 31:46; and the expression “covenant of salt,” Leviticus 2:13; 2 Chronicles 13:5. and asked not counsel]…

Read Cambridge on Joshua 9 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The elders of Israel Joshua 9:18, tasting what was offered them by the Gibeonites, pledged themselves according to the usage of Eastern nations to peace and friendship with them.

Read Albert Barnes on Joshua 9 →

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

Then the men of Israel sampled their provisions, but did not seek the counsel of the LORD.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

The men sampled their provisions, and didn’t ask counsel from Yahweh’s mouth.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Then the men of Israel sampled their provisions but did not seek the counsel of the LORD.

NETBNew English Translation2006

The men examined some of their provisions, but they failed to ask the Lord’s advice.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And the men took of their provision, and asked not counsel at the mouth of Jehovah.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And the men took of their provision, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And the men took of their provisions, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

And the men accepted their tale concerning their vittailes, and counselled not with the mouth of the Lord.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And the men took of their victuals, but they did not inquire at the mouth of Jehovah.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And the men take of their provision, and the mouth of Jehovah have not asked;

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And the men take of their provision, and have not asked the mouth of YHWH;

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And the men took of their provisions, but the decision of the Lord they did not ask.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

So the Israelites took some of their provisions, but they did not consult with Yahweh for guidance.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

They took therefore of their victuals, and consulted not the mouth of the Lord.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

The Israelites tried some of the food. However, they did not consult the Lord.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And the men took some of their food, without requesting directions from the Lord.

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.

וַandclauseverbיִּקְח֥וּthey.tooknoun phrase · subjectהָֽtheאֲנָשִׁ֖יםmenprepositional phrase · prepositionalמִsomenoun phraseצֵּידָ֑ofםtheir.sustenanceוְandclausenoun phrase · objectאֶת(et)noun phraseפִּ֥יthe.mouthיְהוָ֖הof.Yahwehadverbialלֹ֥אnotverbשָׁאָֽלוּthey.asked

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


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

The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree closely on the wording of the verse, with 7 of the 8 words matched. The Septuagint's word order differs, but it retains the essential meaning of the Hebrew text.

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

וַיִּקְח֥וּ הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֖ים מִצֵּידָ֑ם וְאֶת־ פִּ֥י יְהוָ֖ה לֹ֥א שָׁאָֽלוּ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיִּקְח֥וּἔλαβονהָֽאֲנָשִׁ֖יםἄρξοντεςמִצֵּידָ֑םαὐτῶνוְאֶת־καὶיְהוָ֖הκύριονלֹ֥אοὐκשָׁאָֽלוּ׃ἐπηρώτησαν

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

Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.


The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

Joshua 9:14לָקַחand they toand they tookלָקַחאֱנוֹשׁthe menthe menאֱנוֹשׁצַ֫יִדsome of prosome of provisiצַ֫יִדאֵתand the objand the object אֵתפֶּה[the] mouth[the] mouth ofפֶּהיהוהYahwehYahwehיהוהלֹאnotnotלֹאשָׁאַלthey askedthey askedשָׁאַלאָנַשׁbe incurabbe incurableאָנַשׁצוּדto huntto huntצוּדאוֹתsign: mirasign: miraculouאוֹתפָּאָהto cleaveto cleaveפָּאָההָיָהto beto beהָיָהמוּסָרdisciplinedisciplineמוּסָראִשָּׁהwomanwomanאִשָּׁהבְּלִיַּ֫עַלBelial: woBelial: worthleבְּלִיַּ֫עַלעַיAiAiעַיעֵשָׂו(Mount) Es(Mount) Esauעֵשָׂומִגְרָשׁpasturepastureמִגְרָשׁאֹמֶרwordwordאֹמֶרפָּתַחto opento openפָּתַחנְאֻםutteranceutteranceנְאֻםצָבָאarmyarmyצָבָאיָכֹלbe ablebe ableיָכֹלעוֹדstillstillעוֹדשְׁאֵלָהpetitionpetitionשְׁאֵלָה
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 9:14

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 they took the men some of provision[s] their and the object marker [the] mouth of Yahweh not they asked
וַיִּקְח֥וּvai.yik.Chu and they took H3947 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
966× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to take or get something, and it is used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to take a wife, to take possession of something, or to receive a gift. For example, in Genesis 2:22, God takes a rib from Adam to create Eve.
Amplified meaning
tasted, took of
Tyndale gloss
to take: take
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word לָקַח (*laqach*) means 'to take' and encompasses a wide range of actions, including to receive, seize, capture, and carry away. It can refer to taking something in hand, taking a wife, or even taking vengeance. The verb has various forms indicating different nuances, such as being taken away or captured.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לָקַח 965 vb. take

Qal

take, take in hand

take and carry along with oneself

take from, or out of

take, carry away

take away from, so as to deprive of

esp. take away life

take to or for a person

take up, upon = put upon

= fetch

take = lead, conduct (with or without contact)

take = capture, seize

take = carry off

in phr. take vengeance

Niph.

be captured, of ark

be taken away, removed

be taken, brought unto

Pu.

be taken from, out of

= be stolen from

be taken captive

be taken away, removed

Hoph.

be taken, brought unto

be taken out of

be taken away from

Hithp. lit. fire taking hold of itself, of lightning

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3947 לָקַח take .. take, take in hand

. take and carry along with oneself

. . take from, or out of

. take, carry away

. take away from, so as to deprive of

. esp. take away life

. take to or for a person

. take up, upon = put upon

. = fetch

. take = lead, conduct (with or without contact)

. take = capture, seize

. take = carry off

. in phr. take vengeance

. . be captured, of ark

. be taken away, removed

. be taken, brought unto

. . be taken from, out of

. = be stolen from

. be taken captive

. be taken away, removed

. . be taken, brought unto

. be taken out of

. be taken away from

. lit. fire taking hold of itself, of lightning

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3947 laqach law-kakh'

a primitive root; to take (in the widest variety of

applications):--accept, bring, buy, carry away, drawn, fetch,

get, infold, X many, mingle, place, receive(-ing), reserve,

seize, send for, take (away, -ing, up), use, win.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לָקַח (la.qach) — to take: take.

: take

1) to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to take, take in the hand

1a2) to take and carry along

1a3) to take from, take out of, take, carry away, take away

1a4) to take to or for a person, procure, get, take possession of, select, choose, take in marriage, receive, accept

1a5) to take up or upon, put upon

1a6) to fetch

1a7) to take, lead, conduct

1a8) to take, capture, seize

1a9) to take, carry off 1a10) to take (vengeance)

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be captured

1b2) to be taken away, be removed

1b3) to be taken, brought unto

1c) (Pual)

1c1) to be taken from or out of

1c2) to be stolen from

1c3) to be taken captive

1c4) to be taken away, be removed

1d) (Hophal)

1d1) to be taken unto, be brought unto

1d2) to be taken out of

1d3) to be taken away

1e) (Hithpael)

1e1) to take hold of oneself

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
Hc/Vqw3mp
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and they took the men some of provision[s] their and the object marker [the] mouth of Yahweh not they asked
הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֖יםha.'a.na.Shim the men H582 Particle · noun common masculine plural absolute
566× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Enosh refers to a human or mankind in general, used to describe individuals or people as a whole in the Bible.
Tyndale gloss
human
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֱנוֹשׁ (enowsh) refers to man or mankind, often used in a poetic context. It denotes a mortal individual, distinguishing humans from more dignified terms for man. The word encompasses both singular and collective meanings, indicating people or persons in general. Its Aramaic equivalent is אֱנָשׁ (e.nash), also meaning 'man'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֱנוֹשׁ n.m. man, mankind, mostly poet.

of individ.

coll. men

man, mankind

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H582 אֱנוֹשׁ man, mankind, mostly poet.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

582 'enowsh en-oshe'

from 605; properly, a mortal (and thus differing from the

more dignified 120); hence, a man in general (singly or

collectively):--another, X (blood-)thirsty, certain,

chap(-man); divers, fellow, X in the flower of their age,

husband, (certain, mortal) man, people, person, servant, some

( X of them), + stranger, those, + their trade. It is often

unexpressed in the English versions, especially when used in

apposition with another word . Compare 376.

see HEBREW for 0605

see HEBREW for 0120

see HEBREW for 0376

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֱנוֹשׁ (e.nosh) — human.

1) man, mortal man, person, mankind

1a) of an individual

1b) men (collective)

1c) man, mankind

Aramaic equivalent: e.nash (אֱנָשׁ "man" H0606)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTd/Ncmpa — Particle · noun common masculine plural absolute
HTd/Ncmpa
and they took the men some of provision[s] their and the object marker [the] mouth of Yahweh not they asked
מִצֵּידָ֑םmi.tzei.Dam some of provision[s] their H6718 Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
19× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word describes the food or provisions needed for a journey, often obtained through hunting. It can also refer to the act of hunting itself. In the KJV, it is translated as 'food', 'hunter', or 'venison'.
Amplified meaning
food, victuals
Tyndale gloss
wild game
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

צַ֫יִד (tsayid) refers to hunting and game, as well as provisions or food. It is derived from a root meaning related to the chase, encompassing both the act of hunting and the food obtained from it. The entries consistently highlight its dual meaning of game and food supply, with no significant disagreement among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

צַ֫יִד n.m. hunting, game

base

[צַ֫יִד] n.[m.] provision, food

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6718a צַ֫יִד hunting, game H6718b צַ֫יִד provision, food

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6718 tsayid tsah'-yid

from a form of 6679 and meaning the same; the chase; also

game (thus taken); (generally) lunch (especially for a

journey):--X catcheth, food, X hunter, (that which he took

in) hunting, venison, victuals.

see HEBREW for 06679

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

צַ֫יִד (tsa.yid) — wild game.

1) hunting, game

1a) hunting

1b) game hunted

צַ֫יִד (tsa.yid) — food.

1) provision, food

1a) provision, food, food-supply

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms | Suff — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HR/Ncmsc/Sp3mp
and they took the men some of provision[s] their and the object marker [the] mouth of Yahweh not they asked
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
HC/To — Conjunction · particle
HC/To
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and they took the men some of provision[s] their and the object marker [the] mouth of Yahweh not they asked
פִּ֥יpi [the] mouth of H6310 Noun common · masculine singular construct
498× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word refers to the mouth, lips, or edge of something, and can also mean a portion or side of something. It is often used to describe speech or the act of speaking. This word appears in various forms, such as mouth, lip, or edge.
Amplified meaning
guidance, advice
Tyndale gloss
lip
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word פֶּה (*peh*) means 'mouth' and encompasses various meanings, including the mouth of a person or animal, as well as openings or orifices. It can also refer to speech, edges, and portions. Additionally, it denotes a weight equal to one third of a shekel, found in 1 Samuel 13:21.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

פֶּה 485 n.m. mouth

mouth, of man, organ of eating and drinking

external organ

much oftener, as organ of speech, of man

as laughing; panting

of God

of idols

of musical instr. = sound

of animals; hence of edge of sword

mouth = opening, orifice

extremity, end

= portion

with preps.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6310 פֶּה mouth . . mouth, of man, organ of eating and drinking

. external organ

. . much oftener, as organ of speech, of man

. as laughing; panting

. of God

. of idols

. of musical instr. = sound

. of animals

. mouth = opening, orifice

. . extremity, end

. = portion

. with preps.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6310 peh peh

from 6284; the mouth (as the means of blowing), whether

literal or figurative (particularly speech); specifically

edge, portion or side; adverbially (with preposition)

according to:--accord(-ing as, -ing to), after, appointment,

assent, collar, command(-ment), X eat, edge, end, entry, +

file, hole, X in, mind, mouth, part, portion, X (should)

say(-ing), sentence, skirt, sound, speech, X spoken, talk,

tenor, X to, + two-edged, wish, word.

see HEBREW for 06284

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

פֶּה (peh) — lip.

: lip/mouth

peh

1) mouth

1a) mouth (of man)

1b) mouth (as organ of speech)

1c) mouth (of animals)

1d) mouth, opening, orifice (of a well, river, etc)

1e) extremity, end pim

2) a weight equal to one third of a shekel, occurs only in 1Sa 13:21

פֶּה (peh) — lip: edge.

: edge

peh

1) mouth

1a) mouth (of man)

1b) mouth (as organ of speech)

1c) mouth (of animals)

1d) mouth, opening, orifice (of a well, river, etc)

1e) extremity, end pim

2) a weight equal to one third of a shekel, occurs only in 1Sa 13:21

פֶּה (peh) — lip: word.

: word/command

peh

1) mouth

1a) mouth (of man)

1b) mouth (as organ of speech)

1c) mouth (of animals)

1d) mouth, opening, orifice (of a well, river, etc)

1e) extremity, end pim

Read the full entry →
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 they took the men some of provision[s] their and the object marker [the] mouth of Yahweh not they asked
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 Lord 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
and they took the men some of provision[s] their and the object marker [the] mouth of Yahweh not they asked
לֹ֥אlo' not H3808 Particle
5,170× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Tyndale gloss
not
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לֹא or לוֹא adv. not

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3808 lo' lo

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לֹא (lo) — not.

1) not, no

1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)

1b) not (with modifier-negation)

1c) nothing (subst)

1d) without (with particle)

1e) before (of time)

Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part — Particle
HTn
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and they took the men some of provision[s] their and the object marker [the] mouth of Yahweh not they asked
שָׁאָֽלוּ׃sha.'A.lu they asked H7592 Verb · Qal · perfect third person common plural
171× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To ask or inquire, this Hebrew word is used in the Bible to describe seeking information or requesting something. It can also mean to beg or borrow, and is used in many different contexts throughout the Old Testament. The KJV translates it as ask, beg, or borrow.
Amplified meaning
ask, inquire of
Tyndale gloss
to ask
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׁאַל (sha'al) means to ask or inquire, often in the context of requesting a favor or borrowing. It covers a range of uses, including seeking counsel, consulting deities, and even begging. The verb can appear in different forms, such as asking for oneself or granting requests. There is a noted Aramaic equivalent, שְׁאֵל (she.el), meaning 'to ask'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁאַל 170 vb. ask, inquire

Qal

ask, ask for

specif. ask as a fovour, for temporary use, i.e. borrow

in weakened sense, seek, desire (late)

inquire of

inquire of, consult, deity, oracle, etc.

in weakened sense, seek, desire (late)

Niph. ask for oneself

Pi.

inquire carefully

beg, practise beggary

Hiph. (prop. let one ask [successfully], give, or lend, on request, then) grant, make over to (as a favour, with or without request)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7592 שָׁאַל ask, inquire .. . ask, ask for

. specif. ask as a fovour, for temporary use, i.e. borrow

. in weakened sense, seek, desire (late)

. . inquire of

. inquire of, consult, deity, oracle, etc.

. in weakened sense, seek, desire (late)

. ask for oneself

. . inquire carefully

. beg, practise beggary

. (prop. let one ask [successfully], give, or lend, on request, then) grant, make over to (as a favour, with or without request)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7592 sha'al shaw-al'

or shael {shaw-ale'}; a primitive root; to inquire; by

implication, to request; by extension, to demand:--ask

(counsel, on), beg, borrow, lay to charge, consult, demand,

desire, X earnestly, enquire, + greet, obtain leave, lend,

pray, request, require, + salute, X straitly, X surely, wish.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁאַל (sha.al) — to ask.

1) to ask, enquire, borrow, beg

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to ask, ask for

1a2) to ask (as a favour), borrow

1a3) to enquire, enquire of

1a4) to enquire of, consult (of deity, oracle)

1a5) to seek

1b) (Niphal) to ask for oneself, ask leave of absence

1c) (Piel)

1c1) to enquire, enquire carefully

1c2) to beg, practise beggary

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to be given on request

1d2) to grant, make over to, let (one) ask (successfully) or give or lend on request (then) grant or make over to

Aramaic equivalent: she.el (שְׁאֵל "to ask" H7593)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-3cp — Verb · Qal · perfect third person common plural
HVqp3cp
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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