Lamentations 4:9 — Word Study
WLCטוֹבִ֤ים הָיוּ֙ חַלְלֵי־ חֶ֔רֶב מֵֽחַלְלֵ֖י רָעָ֑ב שֶׁ֣הֵ֤ם יָז֙וּבוּ֙ מְדֻקָּרִ֔ים מִתְּנוּבֹ֖ת שָׂדָֽי׃ ס
BSAThose slainchâlâl [killed, pierced] by the swordchereb [cutting instrument] arehâyâh■ ◂better offṭôwb [more pleasant, to be in a state of welfare] than those who diechâlâl [waste away, pine] of hungerrâʻâb [famine, lack of food] ◂whohêm [they] waste awayzûwb▸ [flow, slowly starve] pierced with paindâqar [stricken, stabbed, agony, suffering] because the fieldssâdeh [land, area of cultivation] lack producetᵉnûwbâh [are without, fruit, the results of the earth]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| טוֹבִ֤ים | good | Adj |
| הָיוּ֙ | they are | Verb, Qal, perfect third person common plural |
| חַלְלֵי־ | [those] slain of | Adj |
| חֶ֔רֶב | a sword | Noun common, feminine singular absolute |
| מֵֽחַלְלֵ֖י | more than [those] slain of | Preposition |
| רָעָ֑ב | hunger | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| שֶׁ֣הֵ֤ם | who they | Particle, pronoun |
| יָז֙וּבוּ֙ | they flow away | Verb, Qal, imperfect third person masculine plural |
| מְדֻקָּרִ֔ים | pierced through | Verb, Pual, participle (passive) masculine plural |
| מִתְּנוּבֹ֖ת | from [the] produce of | Preposition, noun common feminine plural construct |
| שָׂדָֽי׃ ס | [the] field | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Those slain by the sword are better off than those who die of hunger, who waste away, pierced with pain because the fields lack produce. |
| KJV | They that be slain with the sword are better than they that be slain with hunger: for these pine away, stricken through for want of the fruits of the field. |
| ASV | They that are slain with the sword are better than they that are slain with hunger; For these pine away, stricken through, for want of the fruits of the field. |
| YLT | Better have been the pierced of a sword Than the pierced of famine, For these flow away, pierced through, Without the increase of the field. |
| WEB | Those who are killed with the sword are better than those who are killed with hunger; for these pine away, stricken through, for lack of the fruits of the field. |
| BBE | Those who have been put to the sword are better off than those whose death is caused by need of food; for these come to death slowly, burned up like the fruit of the field. |
Where they part company is חַלְלֵי־ — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence has one main clause with several phrases providing comparative and causal details.
6 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectהֵם
verbהָיָה
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
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 — Lamentations 4:9
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 Lament Over Jerusalemgenerated
Lamentations 4:9 reflects on the suffering of the people in Jerusalem, comparing those who die by the sword to those who perish from hunger. The author emphasizes the agony of starvation, suggesting that it is a worse fate than a quick death. This verse is part of a larger lament that highlights the devastation and despair experienced by the community during a time of great suffering, as seen in the preceding and following verses.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leviticus 26:39 | Those of you who survive in the lands of your enemies will waste away in their iniquity and will decay in the sins of their fathers. |
| 2 | Ezekiel 24:23 | Your turbans will remain on your heads and your sandals on your feet. You will not mourn or weep, but you will waste away because of your sins, and you will groan among yourselves. |
| 3 | Ezekiel 33:10 | Now as for you, son of man, tell the house of Israel that this is what they have said: ‘Our transgressions and our sins are heavy upon us, and we are wasting away because of them! How can we live?’ |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 3 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — טוֹבִ֤ים, to.Vimgenerated
The word טוֹב (tov) means good or pleasant, indicating a state of welfare or benefit. In this context, it describes the condition of those who have died by the sword as preferable compared to those suffering from hunger.
This word appears frequently throughout the Old Testament, often associated with well-being and positive conditions. Here, it underscores the tragic irony that death by violence is viewed as a more favorable outcome than the slow agony of starvation.
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. The BSB uses slain for חַלְלֵי־, while other translations like the FBV and WEB use killed.
Where others part company with the BSB they part company over the rendering of חַלְלֵי־: pierced (BSB, ILT, LSV) versus killed (FBV, GNV, WEB).
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main clause is governed by the finite verb הָיוּ֙, they are, which links the subject הֵ֤ם, who, to the predicate טוֹבִ֤ים, better off. The structure emphasizes the comparison between the two groups: those slain by the sword and those who die of hunger.
The sentence includes a prepositional phrase that specifies the condition of the second group, מֵֽחַלְלֵ֖י רָעָ֑ב, more than those slain of hunger, which provides context for the suffering described.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, the word for טוֹב is rendered as καλοὶ (kaloi), which also conveys a sense of goodness or pleasantness. This choice reflects a similar emphasis on the comparative state of those who have died.
The Greek translation captures the essence of the Hebrew text, maintaining the contrast between the two fates.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Lamentations 4:9 compares two groups of people: those who die by the sword and those who die from hunger. It suggests that being killed quickly is better than suffering slowly from starvation, which is a painful experience.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It implies that a quick death is preferable to the prolonged suffering of starvation.
Hunger represents extreme suffering and desperation, highlighting the dire conditions faced by the people.
The comparison underscores the severity of the situation in Jerusalem, illustrating the extent of the tragedy.
It highlights the pain and suffering of the people, emphasizing the consequences of their circumstances and the lament for their loss.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What does this verse teach us about the nature of suffering?
- How can we find hope in the midst of despair, as reflected in this lament?
- In what ways can we support those who are suffering in our communities today?
- How does understanding the context of this verse deepen our empathy for those in pain?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Thomas Aquinas comments on this verse, noting the comparison between the victims of the sword and those who suffer from hunger.
Here in Verse 9 is considered a comparison. As said: "Happier were the victims of the sword than the victims of hunger, who pined away, stricken by want of the fruits of the field." That is, they were cast down,Early Church Fathers on Lamentations 4 →
Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Lamentations 4:9 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible[They that be] slain with the sword are better than [they that be] slain with hunger,.... Not that they are better with respect to their state after death, but with respect to their manner of dying.
Read John Gill on Lamentations 4 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThey that be slain with the sword are better than they that be slain with hunger: for these pine away, stricken through for want of the fruits of the field.
Read Robert Jamieson on Lamentations 4 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleDuring the siege many were killed by the enemies’ sword, many more perished by famine; the prophet saith the condition of those who perished by the sword was much better than the condition of those who perished by famine, because they had a quicker death, and were sooner despatched and put out of their pain; whereas they who perished by hunger died a miserable, lingering death, gradually pining away, because they wanted corn and herbs, the fruits of the field, to uphold their souls in life.
Read Matthew Poole on Lamentations 4 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsLamentations 4:9 [They that be] slain with the sword are better than [they that be] slain with hunger: for these pine away, stricken through for [want of] the fruits of the field.Ver. 9. They that be slain with the sword are better.] They suffer less pain in dying; they are soon despatched. See on Lamentations 4:6. But famine is a hard weapon. “ Triste genus mortis miseris mortalibus omne: Est tureen imprimis triste perire fame. ” For these pine away.] By a lingering death, as Drusus the Roman, to whom food being denied, he had eaten the stuffings of his bed, saith Suetonius; and our Richard II, who was tantalised and starved to death at Pomfret Castle, where his diet being served in and…
Read John Trapp on Lamentations 4 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(9) For want of . . .—The italics indicate the difficulty of the sentence. Literally the clause stands, from the fruits of the field, and it has been explained by some as referring to those that died in battle, stricken through while yet there were fruits, i.e., not doomed to perish slowly from hunger. The construction of Psa 109:24, however, “faileth of fatness”—i.e., for want of fatness—gives a sufficient support to the Authorised version.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Lamentations 4 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges9. The two modes of death experienced in the siege are contrasted. pine away] lit. as mg. flow away. stricken through] See on Jeremiah 37:10, where (mg.) “thrust through” is the same word in the Heb. As the expression seems scarcely applicable to those dying of hunger, the Heb. text is somewhat suspicious, but no obviously satisfactory emendation has been suggested.
Read Cambridge on Lamentations 4 →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
Those slain by the sword are better off than those who die of hunger, who waste away, pierced with pain because the fields lack produce.
Those who are killed with the sword are better than those who are killed with hunger; for these pine away, stricken through, for lack of the fruits of the field.
Those slain by the sword are better off than those who die of hunger, who waste away, pierced with pain because the fields lack produce.
Those who died by the sword are better off than those who die of hunger, those who waste away, struck down from lack of food.
Tyndale line
They that be slain with the sword are better than they that be slain with hunger: for these pine away, stricken through for want of the fruits of the field.
They that are slain with the sword are better than they that are slain with hunger; For these pine away, stricken through, for want of the fruits of the field.
They that be slain with the sword are better than they that be slain with hunger; for these pine away, stricken through, for want of the fruits of the field.
They that are slain with the sword are better than they that are slain with hunger: for these pine away, stricken through for want of the fruits of the field.
They that be slaine with the sword are better, then they that are killed with hunger: for they fade away as they were striken through for the fruites of the fielde.
Strictly literal
The slain with the sword are happier than the slain with hunger; for these pine away, stricken through for want of the fruits of the field.
Better have been the pierced of a sword Than the pierced of famine, For these flow away, pierced through, Without the increase of the field.
Better have been the pierced of a sword || Than the pierced of famine, || For these flow away, pierced through, || Without the increase of the field.
Happier are those slain by the sword than those slain by hunger; for those poured forth their blood, being pierced through, —[these perished] without the fruits of the field.
Those who have been killed by the sword were happier than those killed by hunger, who wasted away, pierced by the lack of any harvest from the field.
From the Latin
Teth. It was better with them that were slain by the sword, than with them that died with hunger: for these pined away being consumed for want of the fruits of the earth.
Simplified
Those killed by the sword are better off than those who die of hunger, who slowly waste away in agony because the fields produce no crops.
Those who have been put to the sword are better off than those whose death is caused by need of food; for these come to death slowly, burned up like the fruit of the field.
Word by word, the decisions they made
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.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text states, "Those slain by the sword are better off than those who die of hunger, who waste away, pierced with pain because the fields lack produce." The Septuagint largely agrees with the Masoretic Text, matching 10 of the 11 words in a word-by-word correspondence, although it presents the text with different word order and articles. The Samaritan Pentateuch and the Dead Sea Scrolls do not provide additional evidence for this specific verse, so their agreement or differences cannot be assessed here.
טוֹבִ֤ים הָיוּ֙ חַלְלֵי־ חֶ֔רֶב מֵֽחַלְלֵ֖י רָעָ֑ב שֶׁ֣הֵ֤ם יָז֙וּבוּ֙ מְדֻקָּרִ֔ים מִתְּנוּבֹ֖ת שָׂדָֽי׃ ס
10 of the 11 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.
Lexicons — every word in Lamentations 4:9
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.
טוֹב (tov) is a Hebrew word meaning good or pleasant, encompassing a wide range of meanings from agreeable to the senses to ethical goodness. It can function as an adjective, noun, or adverb, referring to things like welfare, happiness, and prosperity. The feminine form, טוֹבָה (tovah), specifically denotes welfare or good things.
טוֹב adj. pleasant, agreeable, good
pleasant, agreeable to the senses
pleasant to the higher nature, giving pleasure, happiness, prosperity, and so agreeable, pleasing, well
good, excellent, of its kind
good, rich, valuable in estimation
good, appropriate, becoming
c. מִן compar. = better
of man's sensuous nature, glad, happy, prosperous
of man's intellectual nature, good understanding
good, kind, benign
good (ethical), right
base
טוֹב n.m. a good thing, benefit, welfare
welfare, prosperity, happiness
good things
good = benefit
moral good
base
טוֹבָה n.f. welfare, benefit, good things, good
welfare, prosperity, happiness
good things
bounty, good
base
H2896a טוֹב pleasant, agreeable, good . pleasant, agreeable to the senses
. pleasant to the higher nature, giving pleasure, happiness, prosperity, and so agreeable, pleasing, well
. good, excellent, of its kind
. good, rich, valuable in estimation
. good, appropriate, becoming
. c. מִן compar. =better
. of man's sensuous nature, glad, happy, prosperous
. of man's intellectual nature, good understanding
. good, kind, benign
. good (ethical), right
H2896b טוֹב a good thing, benefit, welfare H2896c טוֹבָה welfare, benefit, good things, good
2896 towb tobe
from 2895; good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used
likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine,
the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing, a
good man or woman; the good, goods or good things, good men or
women), also as an adverb (well):--beautiful, best, better,
bountiful, cheerful, at ease, X fair (word), (be in) favour,
fine, glad, good (deed, -lier, -liest, -ly, -ness, -s),
graciously, joyful, kindly, kindness, liketh (best), loving,
merry, X most, pleasant, + pleaseth, pleasure, precious,
prosperity, ready, sweet, wealth, welfare, (be) well
((-favoured)).
see HEBREW for 02895
טוֹב (tov) — pleasant.
adj
1) good, pleasant, agreeable
1a) pleasant, agreeable (to the senses)
1b) pleasant (to the higher nature)
1c) good, excellent (of its kind)
1d) good, rich, valuable in estimation
1e) good, appropriate, becoming
1f) better (comparative)
1g) glad, happy, prosperous (of man's sensuous nature)
1h) good understanding (of man's intellectual nature)
1i) good, kind, benign
1j) good, right (ethical)
Aramaic equivalent: tav (טָב "fine" H2869)
טוֹב (tov) — good.
1) a good thing, benefit, welfare
1a) welfare, prosperity, happiness
1b) good things (collective)
1c) good, benefit
1d) moral good
טוֹבָה (to.vah) — welfare.
1) welfare, benefit, good things
1a) welfare, prosperity, happiness
1b) good things (collective)
1c) bounty
Adj — AdjHAampa
good (Tobh, Tubh, yaTabh; agathos, agathon, kalos, kalon): In English "good" is used in various senses, most of which are represented in the Bible.
(1) In the Old Testament the commonest word is Tobh, occurring very frequently and translated in a great variety of ways. Of the different shades of meaning, which frequently run into each other, the following may be distinguished:
(a) Possessing desirable qualities, beneficial, agreeable, e.g. "good for food" (Ge 2:9); "We will do thee good" (Nu 10:29); Who will show us any good?" (Ps 4:6); "good tidings of good" (Isa 52:7).
The Hebrew word הָיָה (hayah) is a primitive root meaning to exist or become, and it encompasses a range of meanings including to happen, occur, and come to pass. It is often used in narrative contexts, particularly in phrases like "and it came to pass." The word can also denote a state of being or existence, and it appears frequently in various forms throughout the Old Testament.
הָיָה 3570 vb. fall out, come to pass, become, be
Qal
Fall out, happen
occur, take place, come about, come to pass
esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass
וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)
rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה
less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)
Come into being, become
abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come
sq. prep.
become
sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)
sq. pred. adj.
become like
sq. pred. לְ pers.
sq. לְ pred.
oft. c. לְ pred. לְ pers.
with עַל and לְ
sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of
Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming)
exist, be in existence
abide, remain, continue
with word of locality, be in or at a place, be situated, stand, lie
as copula, joining subj. & pred.
H1961 הָיָה fall out, come to pass, become, be .. . . Fall out, happen
. occur, take place, come about, come to pass
. esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass . . וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)
. rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה
. less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)
. Come into being, become . . abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come
. sq. prep.
. become . sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)
. sq. pred. adj.
. become like
. sq. pred. + לְ pers.
. sq. לְ pred.
. oft. c. לְ pred. + לְ pers.
. with עַל and לְ
. sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of
. Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming) . exist, be in existence
. abide, remain, continue
1961 hayah haw-yaw
a primitive root (compare 1933); to exist, i.e. be or become,
come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or
auxiliary):--beacon, X altogether, be(-come), accomplished,
committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint,
fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit
(one-)self, require, X use.
see HEBREW for 01933
הָיָה (ha.yah) — to be.
1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out
1a) (Qal)
1a1) ---
1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass
1a1b) to come about, come to pass
1a2) to come into being, become
1a2a) to arise, appear, come
1a2b) to become
1a2b1) to become
1a2b2) to become like
1a2b3) to be instituted, be established
1a3) to be
1a3a) to exist, be in existence
1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time)
1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality)
1a3d) to accompany, be with
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to occur, come to pass, be done, be brought about
1b2) to be done, be finished, be gone
V-Qal-Perf-3cp — Verb · Qal · perfect third person common pluralHVqp3cp
חָלָל (chalal) primarily means 'pierced' or 'slain,' often in a context of fatal wounding. It can also refer to something that is 'profaned' or 'defiled.' The word is built from the root associated with piercing and carries both literal and figurative meanings related to death and pollution.
חָלָל 90 n.m. pierced
pierced, fatally wounded
slain
base
חָלָל adj. profaned
base
H2491a חָלָל pierced H2491b חָלָל profaned
2491 chalal khaw-lawl'
from 2490; pierced (especially to death); figuratively,
polluted:--kill, profane, slain (man), X slew, (deadly)
wounded.
see HEBREW for 02490
חָלָל (cha.lal) — slain: killed.
: killed
1) slain, fatally wounded, pierced
1a) pierced, fatally wounded
1b) slain
Also means: cha.lal (חָלָל ": wounded" H2491H)
חָלָל (cha.lal) — profaned.
adj
1) (CLBL) profaned
1a) defiled, profaned (by divorce)
חָלָל (cha.lal) — slain: wounded.
: wounded
1) slain, fatally wounded, pierced
1a) pierced, fatally wounded
1b) slain
Adj — AdjHAampc
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.
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…
חֶ֫רֶב (chereb) means 'sword' and can also refer to other cutting instruments like knives and tools. It is derived from a root meaning 'drought,' highlighting its destructive nature. The term is used in various contexts in the Old Testament, primarily to denote weapons.
חֶ֫רֶב 411 n.f. sword (as weapon)
base
H2719 חֶ֫רֶב sword (as weapon)
2719 chereb kheh'-reb
from 2717; drought; also a cutting instrument (from its
destructive effect), as a knife, sword, or other sharp
implement:--axe, dagger, knife, mattock, sword, tool.
see HEBREW for 02717
חֶ֫רֶב (che.rev) — sword.
1) sword, knife
1a) sword
1b) knife
1c) tools for cutting stone
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absoluteHNcfsa
sord.
See ARMOR, III, 5.
Sword
Of the Hebrew was pointed, sometimes two-edged, was worn in a sheath, and suspended from the girdle (Ex. 32:27; 1 Sam. 31:4; 1 Chr. 21:27; Ps. 149:6: Prov. 5:4; Ezek. 16:40; 21:3-5).
It is a symbol of divine chastisement (Deut. 32:25; Ps. 7:12; 78:62), and of a slanderous tongue (Ps. 57:4; 64:3; Prov. 12:18). The word of God is likened also to a…
[ARMS, ARMOR]
חָלָל (chalal) primarily means 'pierced' or 'slain,' often in a context of fatal wounding. It can also refer to something that is 'profaned' or 'defiled.' The word is built from the root associated with piercing and carries both literal and figurative meanings related to death and pollution.
חָלָל 90 n.m. pierced
pierced, fatally wounded
slain
base
חָלָל adj. profaned
base
H2491a חָלָל pierced H2491b חָלָל profaned
2491 chalal khaw-lawl'
from 2490; pierced (especially to death); figuratively,
polluted:--kill, profane, slain (man), X slew, (deadly)
wounded.
see HEBREW for 02490
חָלָל (cha.lal) — slain: killed.
: killed
1) slain, fatally wounded, pierced
1a) pierced, fatally wounded
1b) slain
Also means: cha.lal (חָלָל ": wounded" H2491H)
חָלָל (cha.lal) — profaned.
adj
1) (CLBL) profaned
1a) defiled, profaned (by divorce)
חָלָל (cha.lal) — slain: wounded.
: wounded
1) slain, fatally wounded, pierced
1a) pierced, fatally wounded
1b) slain
Prep | Adj — PrepositionHR/Aampc
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.
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…
רָעָב (ra`ab) refers to famine and hunger, indicating a lack of food that can affect individuals or entire nations. It is derived from the root meaning to be hungry, and it encompasses both literal and figurative uses, such as famine caused by divine judgment. The entries consistently emphasize its association with severe food scarcity.
רָעָב 101 n.m. famine, hunger
base
H7458 רָעָב famine, hunger
7458 ra`ab raw-awb'
from 7456; hunger (more or less extensive):--dearth,
famine, + famished, hunger.
see HEBREW for 07456
רָעָב (ra.av) — famine.
1) famine, hunger
1a) famine (in land, nation)
1a1) of Jehovah's word (fig)
1b) hunger (of individuals)
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
hun'-ger (ra`abh; limos (subs.), peinao (vb.):
(1) The desire for food, a physiological sensation associated with emptiness of the stomach, and dependent on some state of the mucous membrane;
(2) starvation as the effect of want of food, as Ex 16:3; Isa 49:10;
(3) to feel the craving for food as De 8:3; when used to indicate the condition due to general scarcity of food as Jer 38:9; Eze 34:29 it is replaced in the Revised Version (British and American) by "famine." The word is used to express the poverty which follows idleness and sloth (Pr 19:15). The absence of this…
הֵ֫מָּה (hemmah) is a masculine plural pronoun meaning 'they.' The entries indicate that it can also mean 'these,' 'the same,' or refer to people in an emphatic context. There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its usage.
הֵ֫מָּה and הֵם (without appreciable distinction in usage, except prob. in so far as the longer or shorter form was better adapted to the rhythm of particular sentences) pron. 3 pl. masc. they
base
H1992 הֵ֫מָּה, הֵם (without appreciable distinction in usage, except prob. in so far as the longer or shorter form was better adapted to the rhythm of particular sentences) they
1992 hem haym
or (prolonged) hemmah {haym'-maw}; masculine plural from
1981; they (only used when emphatic):--it, like, X (how, so)
many (soever, more as) they (be), (the) same, X so, X such,
their, them, these, they, those, which, who, whom, withal, ye.
see HEBREW for 01981
הֵ֫מָּה (hem.mah) — they(masc.).
they, these, the same, who
Rel | Pron — Particle · pronounHTr/Pp3mp
זוּב (zuwb) is a primitive root meaning to flow or gush, often used in the context of liquid discharge. It can refer to both physical flow, such as water, and metaphorically to a bodily flux or wasting away. The entries highlight its various applications, including a specific reference to issues from women.
[זוּב] vb. flow, gush
base
H2100 זוּב flow, gush
2100 zuwb zoob
a primitive root; to flow freely (as water), i.e.
(specifically) to have a (sexual) flux; figuratively, to waste
away; also to overflow:--flow, gush out, have a (running)
issue, pine away, run.
זוּב (zuv) — to flow: flowing.
: flowing
1) to flow, gush, issue, discharge
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to flow, gush
1a2) to die, pine away (fig.)
1a3) to flow (of issue from woman), have an issue, flux
1a4) flowing (participle)
זוּב (zuv) — to flow: discharge.
: bodily_discharge
1) to flow, gush, issue, discharge
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to flow, gush
1a2) to die, pine away (fig.)
1a3) to flow (of issue from woman), have an issue, flux
1a4) flowing (participle)
זוּב (zuv) — to flow: waste away.
: waste_away
1) to flow, gush, issue, discharge
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to flow, gush
1a2) to die, pine away (fig.)
1a3) to flow (of issue from woman), have an issue, flux
1a4) flowing (participle)
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine pluralHVqi3mp
דָּקַר (daqar) is a Hebrew verb meaning to pierce or stab. It encompasses various forms, including to pierce through (Qal), to be pierced (Niphal), and to be pierced or riddled (Pual). The entries suggest a range of meanings from physical piercing to figurative uses like reviling.
[דָּקַר] vb. pierce, pierce through
Qal pierce, run through
Niph. be pierced through
Pu. pierced, riddled
base
H1856 [דָּקַר] pierce, pierce through
1856 daqar daw-kar'
a primitive root; to stab; by analogy, to starve;
figuratively, to revile:--pierce, strike (thrust) through,
wound.
דָּקַר (da.qar) — to pierce.
1) to pierce, thrust through, pierce through
1a) (Qal) to pierce, run through
1b) (Niphal) to be pierced through
1c) (Pual) pierced, riddled (participle)
V-Pual-Inf-c — Verb · Pual · participle (passive) masculine pluralHVPsmpa
תְּנוּבָה (tnuwbah) refers to fruit or produce, emphasizing the idea of increase. It is derived from the root word for growth, תְּנוּבָה encompasses the general concept of agricultural yield.
תְּנוּבָה n.f. fruit, produce
base
H8570 תְּנוּבָה , fruit, produce
8570 tnuwbah ten-oo-baw'
from 5107; produce:--fruit, increase.
see HEBREW for 05107
תְּנוּבָה (te.nu.vah) — fruit.
fruit, produce
Prep | N-fp — Preposition · noun common feminine plural constructHR/Ncfpc
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.
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…
שָׂדַי (saday) and שָׂדֶה (sadeh) both refer to a field or land, encompassing cultivated areas, open fields, and regions opposed to mountains or seas. The terms can denote specific portions of ground and are associated with wildlife habitats. They derive from a root meaning to spread out, indicating flat, expansive areas.
שָׂדַי n.m. field, land
cultivated field
home of wild beasts
plain, opp. mt.
land, opp. sea
base
שָׂדֶה 819 n.m. id. [u.ak.ab]
(ordinary contr. form)open field, country
definite portion of ground, field, land
land, opp. sea
base
H7704a שָׂדַי field, land . cultivated field
. home of wild beasts
. plain, opp. mt.
. land, opp. sea
H7704b שָׂדֶה id. [7704a] . open field, country
. definite portion of ground, field, land
. land, opp. sea
7704 sadeh saw-deh'
or saday {saw-dah'-ee}; from an unused root meaning to spread
out; a field (as flat):--country, field, ground, land, soil,
X wild.
שָׂדַי (sa.day) — Sirion.
This name means field, land, plain
Another spelling of cher.mon (חֶרְמוֹן "(Mount )Hermon" H2768)
שָׂדֶה (sa.deh) — land: soil.
: soil
1) field, land
1a) open field, country
1b) definite portion of ground, field, land
1c) land (opposed to sea)
שָׂדֶה (sa.deh) — land: country.
: country/field
1) field, land
1a) open field, country
1b) definite portion of ground, field, land
1c) land (opposed to sea)
שָׂדֶה (sa.deh) — Field (of the Launderer).
Combined with ka.vas (כָּבַס "Washer's" H3526)
This name means field, land
שָׂדֶה (sa.deh) — land: wildlife.
: wild(animals/plants)
1) field, land
1a) open field, country
1b) definite portion of ground, field, land
1c) land (opposed to sea)
שָׂדַי (sa.day) — field.
1) field, land
1a) cultivated field
1b) of home of wild beasts
1c) plain (opposed to mountain)
1d) land (opposed to sea)
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
feld.
See AGRICULTURE.
Field
(Heb. sadeh), a cultivated field, but unenclosed. It is applied to any cultivated ground or pasture (Gen. 29:2; 31:4; 34:7), or tillage (Gen. 37:7; 47:24). It is also applied to woodland (Ps. 132:6) or mountain top (Judg. 9:32, 36; 2 Sam. 1:21). It denotes sometimes a cultivated region as opposed to the wilderness (Gen. 33:19; 36:35). Unwalled villages or scattered houses are spoken of as “in the fields” (Deut. 28:3, 16; Lev. 25:31;
The Hebrew sadeh is applied to any cultivated ground, and in some instances in marked opposition to the neighboring wilderness. On the other hand the sadeh is frequently contrasted with what is enclosed, whether a vineyard, a garden or a walled town. In many passages the term implies what is remote from a house, (Genesis 4:8; 24:63; 22:25) or settled habitation, as in the case of Esau. (Genesis 25:27) The separate plots of ground were marked off by stones, which might easily be removed, (19:14; 27:17) cf. Job 24:2; Prov 22:28; 23:10 The absence of fences rendered the fields liable to damage from straying cattle, (Exodus…