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Lamentations 5:21 — Word Study

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WLCהֲשִׁיבֵ֨נוּ יְהוָ֤ה׀ אֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ וְֽנָשׁ֔וּבָה חַדֵּ֥שׁ יָמֵ֖ינוּ כְּקֶֽדֶם׃

BSARestore usshûwb [turn, bring back] to Yourselfʼêl [toward You, to Your presence] O LORDYᵉhôvâh [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] so we may returnshûwb [be turned, come back] renewchâdash [rebuild, make new] our daysyôwm [time, periods of life] as of oldqedem [in the past, from the beginning]

Word
Listen & take awayLamentations 5
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 21 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (ke.Ke.dem) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Lamentations 5:21quick helps
In a sentenceThe people cry out to God, asking Him to restore them and renew their lives.
Who is speakingThe people of Israel, expressing their longing for God's presence.
Where we areIn a lament, reflecting on their suffering and desire for restoration.
The hard wordחַדֵּ֥שׁ
Take awayThe plea for renewal indicates a deep need for divine intervention.
7 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbחָדַשׁ 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 — Lamentations 5:21

Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.

Context — A Lament for Restorationgenerated

19You, O LORD, reign forever; Your throne endures from generation to generation.
20Why have You forgotten us forever? Why have You forsaken us for so long?
21Restore us to Yourself, O LORD, so we may return; renew our days as of old,
22unless You have utterly rejected us and remain angry with us beyond measure.

Lamentations 5:21 expresses the deep sorrow of the people of Israel as they seek restoration from God. They acknowledge their need to return to Him, indicating a desire for renewal and a return to former days of favor and blessing. This cry reflects the broader themes of lament throughout the book, where the people grapple with their suffering and seek God's mercy.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
11 Kings 18:37Answer me, O LORD! Answer me, so that this people will know that You, the LORD, are God, and that You have turned their hearts back again.”
2Psalm 80:3–7Restore us, O God, and cause Your face to shine upon us, that we may be saved.
3Psalm 85:4Restore us, O God of our salvation, and put away Your displeasure toward us.
4Jeremiah 31:18I have surely heard Ephraim’s moaning: ‘You disciplined me severely, like an untrained calf. Restore me, that I may return, for You are the LORD my God.
5Jeremiah 32:39–40I will give them one heart and one way, so that they will always fear Me for their own good and for the good of their children after them.

The Key Word שׁוּב, ha.shi.Ve.nugenerated

The verb שׁוּב (shuwb) means to return or turn back. It covers a wide range of contexts, including physical, spiritual, and relational returns. In this verse, it emphasizes the people's desire to return to God, indicating a longing for reconciliation and restoration.

The imperative form here, הֲשִׁיבֵ֨נוּ (ha.shi.Ve.nu), is a call for action directed at God, showing urgency in their plea. The repetition of this verb in the verse underscores the importance of returning to a right relationship with God.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

All translations agree on the essential meaning of the verse, emphasizing the people's plea for restoration and renewal.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The verse consists of multiple clauses, with the main action centered around the verbs הֲשִׁיבֵ֨נוּ and נָשׁ֔וּבָה. The structure highlights the imperative nature of the request for restoration and renewal.

The first clause calls for God to restore, followed by the people's commitment to return, and concludes with a request for renewal of their days, which emphasizes their desire for a return to former blessings.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates שׁוּב as ἐπίστρεψον (epistrepson), which also means to return. This choice reflects a similar understanding of the need for restoration but may carry a slightly different nuance in the Greek context.

The use of ἐπιστραφησόμεθα indicates a future action, suggesting a hope for eventual return and renewal, aligning with the original Hebrew intent.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Lamentations 5:21 is a heartfelt plea from the people of Israel asking God to restore them and renew their lives as they once were. They express a deep desire to return to His presence, highlighting their need for His mercy and intervention in their lives.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean to be restored to God?

Being restored to God means returning to a right relationship with Him, seeking His presence and favor after a period of separation or sin.

Why do the people ask for renewal of their days?

They desire renewal to experience the blessings and joy of life as they once did, reflecting a longing for restoration to a time of divine favor.

How does this verse reflect the themes of Lamentations?

This verse encapsulates the themes of lament, expressing sorrow for separation from God and a deep longing for His restoration and mercy.

What can we learn from this plea for restoration?

We can learn the importance of seeking God in times of distress and the hope that comes from returning to Him for renewal and restoration.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what areas of my life do I need to seek restoration from God?
  2. How can I actively pursue a closer relationship with God as part of my spiritual renewal?
  3. What does it mean for me to return to God in my daily life?
  4. How can I encourage others to seek restoration and renewal in their relationship with God?

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

Early Christian writers, including Thomas Aquinas, reference this verse to discuss themes of restoration and renewal in prayer.

Thomas Aquinas 1225–1274
Thirdly, a prayer is prolonged. As stated: "Restore us to thyself, O Lord, that we may be restored! Renew our days as of old!" And as the prophet Jeremiah elsewhere proclaims: "bring me back that I may be restored,
Early Church Fathers on Lamentations 5 →

Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Lamentations 5:21 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Turn thou us unto thee, O Lord, and we shall be turned,.... This prayer expresses the sense they had of their backslidings from God, and distance from him; of their inability to turn themselves to

Read John Gill on Lamentations 5 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Turn thou us unto thee, O LORD, and we shall be turned; renew our days as of old. Turn thou us unto thee, O Lord, and we shall be turned - (Psalms 80:3; Jeremiah 31:18).

Read Robert Jamieson on Lamentations 5 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

See the like expression . Turn thou us unto thee by giving us repentance, and then our condition will be altered; or receive us into thy favour, and then it shall be well with us. Renew our days as of old; restore us to our former estate, that it may be with us as it hath formerly been.

Read Matthew Poole on Lamentations 5 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Lamentations 5:21 Turn thou us unto thee, O LORD, and we shall be turned; renew our days as of old.Ver. 21. Turn thou us unto thee.] That thou mayest turn thee to us. Let there be a thorough reformation wrought in us, and then a gracious restoration wrought for us.

Read John Trapp on Lamentations 5 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(21) Turn thou us . . . O Lord . . .—The answer to the problem was found in man’s submission and in prayer. He could not turn himself, and so re-establish the old filial relation. He could ask God to turn him, and he felt that the prayer would not be asked in vain.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Lamentations 5 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 21. Renew our days as of old.] Restore us to our former state. Let us regain our country, our temple, and all the Divine offices of our religion; but, more especially, thy favour.

Read AdamClarke on Lamentations 5 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

21. Turn thou us …] suggestive of Jer 31:18, but see note there. Here the sense is not, bring back the exiles, but give us a repentant heart. Cp. Psalms 80:3 ff.

Read Cambridge on Lamentations 5 →

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

Restore us to Yourself, O LORD, so we may return; renew our days as of old,

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Turn us to yourself, Yahweh, and we will be turned. Renew our days as of old.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Restore us to Yourself, O LORD, so we may return; renew our days as of old,

NETBNew English Translation2006

Bring us back to yourself, O Lord, so that we may return to you; renew our life as in days before,

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Turn thou us unto thee, O LORD, and we shall be turned; renew our days as of old.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Turn thou us unto thee, O Jehovah, and we shall be turned; Renew our days as of old.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Turn thou us unto thee, O LORD, and we shall be turned; renew our days as of old.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Turn thou us to thee, O LORD, and we shall be turned; renew our days as of old.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Turne thou vs vnto thee, O Lord, and we shalbe turned: renue our dayes as of olde.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Turn thou us unto thee, Jehovah, and we shall be turned; renew our days as of old.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Turn us back, O Jehovah, unto Thee, And we turn back, renew our days as of old.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Turn us back, O YHWH, to You, || And we turn back, renew our days as of old.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Cause us to return, O Lord, unto thee, and we will return: renew our days as of old.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Restore us to yourself, Yahweh, and we will be restored. Renew our days as they were long ago—

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Convert us, O Lord, to thee, and we shall be converted: renew our days, as from the beginning.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Bring us back to you, Lord, so we can be with you again. Please remake our lives like they used to be.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Make us come back to you, O Lord, and let us be turned; make our days new again as in the past.

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.

clauseclauseיְהוָ֤הO.Yahwehclauseverbהֲשִׁיבֵ֨restoreobjectנוּusprepositional phrase · prepositionalאֵלֶ֨יtoךָ֙yourselfוְֽsoclauseverbנָשׁ֔וּבָהthat.we.may.returnclauseverbחַדֵּ֥שׁrenewnoun phrase · objectיָמֵ֖יdaysנוּourprepositional phrase · prepositionalכְּlikeקֶֽדֶםancient.time

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


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

The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree closely in the wording of this verse, with six of the seven words matched. The Septuagint's rendering reflects the same themes of restoration and renewal, though the word order differs.

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

הֲשִׁיבֵ֨נוּ יְהוָ֤ה׀ אֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ וְֽנָשׁ֔וּבָה חַדֵּ֥שׁ יָמֵ֖ינוּ כְּקֶֽדֶם׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
הֲשִׁיבֵ֨נוּἐπίστρεψονיְהוָ֤ה׀ἡμᾶςאֵלֶ֙יךָ֙σέוְֽנָשׁ֔וּבָהἐπιστραφησόμεθαיָמֵ֖ינוּἡμῶνכְּקֶֽדֶם׃ἔμπροσθεν

6 of the 7 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.

Lamentations 5:21שׁוּבcause to recause to returnשׁוּביהוהO YahwehO Yahwehיהוהאֶלto yourselfto yourselfאֶלשׁוּבso let us rso let us returשׁוּבחָדַשׁrenewrenewחָדַשׁיוֹםdays ourdays ourיוֹםקֶ֫דֶםlike ancienlike ancient tiקֶ֫דֶםהָיָהto beto beהָיָהקָדַםto meetto meetקָדַםשְׁבִיתcaptivitycaptivityשְׁבִיתחָרוֹןburning anburning angerחָרוֹןנְאֻםutteranceutteranceנְאֻםצָבָאarmyarmyצָבָאפָּלַלto prayto prayפָּלַליִרְמְיָ֫הJeremiahJeremiahיִרְמְיָ֫השָׁמֵםbe desolatbe desolate: deשָׁמֵםרוּחַspiritspiritרוּחַשְׁבִיעִיseventhseventhשְׁבִיעִישַׁבָּתSabbathSabbathשַׁבָּתמִזְרָחeasteastמִזְרָחפֵּאָהsidesideפֵּאָה
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 Lamentations 5:21

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

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

cause to return us O Yahweh to yourself so let us return renew days our like ancient time
הֲשִׁיבֵ֨נוּha.shi.Ve.nu cause to return us H7725 Verb hiphil imperative second person masculine singular · suffix
1,057× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to return or turn back, and can be used literally or figuratively. It is often used to describe someone returning to God or repenting from sin, as seen in the book of Psalms and the prophets.
Amplified meaning
turn, bring back
Tyndale gloss
to return: return
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word שׁוּב (shuwb) means to turn back or return, covering a wide range of contexts including physical, spiritual, and relational. It can denote returning to a previous state, repenting, or even apostatizing. The entries describe various forms and uses, including bringing back, restoring, and refreshing. Notably, it can also imply a change in course of action.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שׁוּב 1056 vb. turn back, return

Qal 683;—turn back, return:

turn back

return, come or go back

esp. return unto

of dying

of revival from death

fig. of human relations:

return to leader, king

= change so as to appoach (in purpose, desire)

turn, i.e. resort to

return to a physical condition

abs. = change course of action

fig., specif. of spiritual relations:

turn back from God = apostatize

of י׳, turn away

turn back to God (= seek penitently)

abs. repent

turn back from evil

of י׳

of י׳, return (to shew favour)

of inanimate things (sts. personified, or treated as things of life):

denoting repetition, etc.

trans.

Pō‛l.

bring back

fig. restore, refresh

restore, repair

lead away (enticingly)

shew turning = apostatize

Hiph. 353 cause to return, bring back

bring back into bondage

put back

= draw back

= give back, restore

= relinguish

= give in payment, requital

bring one back (from dead)

bring back heart

= refresh

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7725 שׁוּב turn back, return .—turn back, return: . turn back

. return, come or go back

. esp. return unto

. . of dying

. of revival from death

. fig. of human relations: . return to leader, king

. = change so as to appoach (in purpose, desire)

. turn, i.e. resort to

. return to a physical condition

. abs. = change course of action

. fig., specif. of spiritual relations: . turn back from God = apostatize

. of י׳, turn away

. turn back to God (= seek penitently)

. abs. repent

. turn back from evil

. of י׳

. of י׳, return (to shew favour)

. of inanimate things (sts. personified, or treated as things of life):

. denoting repetition, etc.

. trans.

. . bring back

. . fig. restore, refresh

. restore, repair

. lead away (enticingly)

. shew turning = apostatize

. cause to return, bring back . . bring back into bondage

. put back

. = draw back

. = give back, restore

. = relinguish

. = give in payment, requital

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7725 shuwb shoob

a primitive root; to turn back (hence, away) transitively or

intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily

with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to

retreat; often adverbial, again:--((break, build, circumcise,

dig, do anything, do evil, feed, lay down, lie down, lodge,

make, rejoice, send, take, weep)) X again, (cause to) answer

(+ again), X in any case (wise), X at all, averse, bring

(again, back, home again), call (to mind), carry again (back),

cease, X certainly, come again (back), X consider, +

continually, convert, deliver (again), + deny, draw back,

fetch home again, X fro, get (oneself) (back) again, X give

(again), go again (back, home), (go) out, hinder, let, (see)

more, X needs, be past, X pay, pervert, pull in again, put

(again, up again), recall, recompense, recover, refresh,

relieve, render (again), requite, rescue, restore, retrieve,

Read the full entry →
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שׁוּב (shuv) — to return: return.

: return

1) to return, turn back

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to turn back, return

1a1a) to turn back

1a1b) to return, come or go back

1a1c) to return unto, go back, come back

1a1d) of dying

1a1e) of human relations (fig)

1a1f) of spiritual relations (fig)

1a1f1) to turn back (from God), apostatise

1a1f2) to turn away (of God)

1a1f3) to turn back (to God), repent

1a1f4) turn back (from evil)

1a1g) of inanimate things

1a1h) in repetition

1b) (Polel)

1b1) to bring back

1b2) to restore, refresh, repair (fig)

1b3) to lead away (enticingly)

1b4) to show turning, apostatise

1c) (Pual) restored (participle)

1d) (Hiphil) to cause to return, bring back

1d1) to bring back, allow to return, put back, draw back, give back, restore, relinquish, give in payment

1d2) to bring back, refresh, restore

1d3) to bring back, report to, answer

1d4) to bring back, make requital, pay (as recompense)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Hiphil-Impv-2ms | Suff — Verb hiphil imperative second person masculine singular · suffix
HVhv2ms/Sp1bp
English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

US, pronoun objective case of we.

Give us this day our daily bread.

Us , pron. [OE. us, AS. s; akin to OFries. & OS. s, D. ons, G. uns, Icel. & Sw. oss, Dan. os, Goth. uns, L. nos we, us, Gr. we, Skr. nas us. . Cf. Nostrum, Our.] The persons speaking, regarded as an object; ourselves; — the objective case of we. See We. “Tell us a tale.” Chaucer.

Give us this day our daily bread. Matt. vi. 11.

Us, pron. oblique case of we

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
cause to return us O Yahweh to yourself so let us return renew days our like ancient time
יְהוָ֤ה׀Yah.weh O Yahweh H3068 Noun proper
6,528× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Yehovah is another name for God, often translated as 'the Lord'. It is a national name for God in the Jewish faith. This name is used throughout the Old Testament.
Amplified meaning
Yehovah, The covenant Name of God
Tyndale gloss
The Lord
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

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

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

יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D

the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy

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

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw'

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

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

see HEBREW for 01961

see HEBREW for 03050

see HEBREW for 03069

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — LORD.

Jehovah = "the existing One"

1) the proper name of the one true God

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

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — The Lord.

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

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

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper
HNpt
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
cause to return us O Yahweh to yourself so let us return renew days our like ancient time
אֵלֶ֙יךָ֙'e.Lei.kha to yourself H413 Preposition · suffix
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'.
Amplified meaning
toward You, to Your presence
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 | Suff — Preposition · suffix
HR/Sp2ms
cause to return us O Yahweh to yourself so let us return renew days our like ancient time
וְֽנָשׁ֔וּבָהve.na.shuv so let us return H7725 Conjunction · verb qal infinitive construct first person common plural
1,057× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to return or turn back, and can be used literally or figuratively. It is often used to describe someone returning to God or repenting from sin, as seen in the book of Psalms and the prophets.
Amplified meaning
be turned, come back
Tyndale gloss
to return: return
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word שׁוּב (shuwb) means to turn back or return, covering a wide range of contexts including physical, spiritual, and relational. It can denote returning to a previous state, repenting, or even apostatizing. The entries describe various forms and uses, including bringing back, restoring, and refreshing. Notably, it can also imply a change in course of action.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שׁוּב 1056 vb. turn back, return

Qal 683;—turn back, return:

turn back

return, come or go back

esp. return unto

of dying

of revival from death

fig. of human relations:

return to leader, king

= change so as to appoach (in purpose, desire)

turn, i.e. resort to

return to a physical condition

abs. = change course of action

fig., specif. of spiritual relations:

turn back from God = apostatize

of י׳, turn away

turn back to God (= seek penitently)

abs. repent

turn back from evil

of י׳

of י׳, return (to shew favour)

of inanimate things (sts. personified, or treated as things of life):

denoting repetition, etc.

trans.

Pō‛l.

bring back

fig. restore, refresh

restore, repair

lead away (enticingly)

shew turning = apostatize

Hiph. 353 cause to return, bring back

bring back into bondage

put back

= draw back

= give back, restore

= relinguish

= give in payment, requital

bring one back (from dead)

bring back heart

= refresh

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7725 שׁוּב turn back, return .—turn back, return: . turn back

. return, come or go back

. esp. return unto

. . of dying

. of revival from death

. fig. of human relations: . return to leader, king

. = change so as to appoach (in purpose, desire)

. turn, i.e. resort to

. return to a physical condition

. abs. = change course of action

. fig., specif. of spiritual relations: . turn back from God = apostatize

. of י׳, turn away

. turn back to God (= seek penitently)

. abs. repent

. turn back from evil

. of י׳

. of י׳, return (to shew favour)

. of inanimate things (sts. personified, or treated as things of life):

. denoting repetition, etc.

. trans.

. . bring back

. . fig. restore, refresh

. restore, repair

. lead away (enticingly)

. shew turning = apostatize

. cause to return, bring back . . bring back into bondage

. put back

. = draw back

. = give back, restore

. = relinguish

. = give in payment, requital

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7725 shuwb shoob

a primitive root; to turn back (hence, away) transitively or

intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily

with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to

retreat; often adverbial, again:--((break, build, circumcise,

dig, do anything, do evil, feed, lay down, lie down, lodge,

make, rejoice, send, take, weep)) X again, (cause to) answer

(+ again), X in any case (wise), X at all, averse, bring

(again, back, home again), call (to mind), carry again (back),

cease, X certainly, come again (back), X consider, +

continually, convert, deliver (again), + deny, draw back,

fetch home again, X fro, get (oneself) (back) again, X give

(again), go again (back, home), (go) out, hinder, let, (see)

more, X needs, be past, X pay, pervert, pull in again, put

(again, up again), recall, recompense, recover, refresh,

relieve, render (again), requite, rescue, restore, retrieve,

Read the full entry →
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שׁוּב (shuv) — to return: return.

: return

1) to return, turn back

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to turn back, return

1a1a) to turn back

1a1b) to return, come or go back

1a1c) to return unto, go back, come back

1a1d) of dying

1a1e) of human relations (fig)

1a1f) of spiritual relations (fig)

1a1f1) to turn back (from God), apostatise

1a1f2) to turn away (of God)

1a1f3) to turn back (to God), repent

1a1f4) turn back (from evil)

1a1g) of inanimate things

1a1h) in repetition

1b) (Polel)

1b1) to bring back

1b2) to restore, refresh, repair (fig)

1b3) to lead away (enticingly)

1b4) to show turning, apostatise

1c) (Pual) restored (participle)

1d) (Hiphil) to cause to return, bring back

1d1) to bring back, allow to return, put back, draw back, give back, restore, relinquish, give in payment

1d2) to bring back, refresh, restore

1d3) to bring back, report to, answer

1d4) to bring back, make requital, pay (as recompense)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-Imperf-1cp — Conjunction · verb qal infinitive construct first person common plural
HC/Vqc1cp
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
cause to return us O Yahweh to yourself so let us return renew days our like ancient time
חַדֵּ֥שׁcha.Desh renew H2318 Verb · Piel · imperative second person masculine singular
10× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to renew or repair something, making it new again. It is used in the Bible to describe rebuilding or restoring something, and can also mean to renew oneself. The KJV translates it as 'renew' or 'repair'.
Amplified meaning
rebuild, make new
Tyndale gloss
to renew
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חָדַשׁ (chadash) is a Hebrew verb meaning to be new, renew, or repair. It is primarily used in the Piel and Hithpael forms, indicating actions like making something new or renewing oneself. The entries emphasize the idea of renewal and restoration, with a notable example of renewal likened to the rejuvenation of youth, as seen in the phrase about eagles.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[חָדַשׁ] vb. only Pi. (and Hithp.) renew, repair

Pi.

renew, make anew

repair

Hithp. thy youth reneweth itself, like the eagle.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2318 [חָדַשׁ] only Pi. (and Hithp.) renew, repair

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2318 chadash khaw-dash'

a primitive root; to be new; causatively, to rebuild:--renew,

repair.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חָדַשׁ (cha.dash) — to renew.

1) to be new, renew, repair

1a) (Piel)

1a1) to renew, make anew

1a2) to repair

1b) (Hithpael) to renew oneself

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Piel-Impv-2ms — Verb · Piel · imperative second person masculine singular
HVpv2ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

re-nu': The word is used in various senses:

(1) of material things, e.g. Ps 104:30; here it means to give a new appearance, to refresh, to restore the face of the earth;

(2) in 1Sa 11:14, to establish more firmly the kingdom by reinstalling King Saul;

(3) in 2Ch 15:8, to rebuild or repair the broken altar;

(4) in La 5:21, "renew our days," restore the favors of former days;

(5) in Isa 41:1, `let them gather together, or marshal their strongest arguments for answer';

(6) in Ps 103:5; Isa 40:31, it refers to the…

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
cause to return us O Yahweh to yourself so let us return renew days our like ancient time
יָמֵ֖ינוּya.Mei.nu days our H3117 Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
2,306× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word 'yom' refers to a day, which can be a literal 24-hour period or a figurative space of time. It is used in the Bible to describe a wide range of time periods, from a single day to a year or a lifetime. The word 'yom' is used in many different contexts throughout the Bible.
Amplified meaning
time, periods of life
Tyndale gloss
day
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יוֹם (yowm) means 'day' and refers to a division of time, contrasting with night. It can denote a literal 24-hour period, a general time span, or even a year. The term is used in various contexts, including the 'day of Yahweh,' which signifies a time of divine judgment. It also appears in phrases indicating temporal references like today, yesterday, and tomorrow.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יוֹם 2285 n.m. day

day, opp. night

Day as division of time

יוֹם י׳ day of Yahweh, chiefly as time of his coming in judgment, involving often blessedness for righteous

Pl. days of anyone

Days

יוֹם = time

Phrases

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3117 יוֹם day . day, opp. night

. Day as division of time

. יוֹם י׳ day of Yahweh, chiefly as time of his coming in judgment, involving often blessedness for righteous

. Pl. days of anyone

. Days

. יוֹם = time

. Phrases

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3117 yowm yome

from an unused root meaning to be hot; a day (as the warm

hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one

sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by

an associated term), (often used adverb):--age, + always, +

chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to)

day, (now a, two) days (agone), + elder, X end, + evening, +

(for) ever(-lasting, -more), X full, life, as (so) long as

(... live), (even) now, + old, + outlived, + perpetually,

presently, + remaineth, X required, season, X since, space,

then, (process of) time, + as at other times, + in trouble,

weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), X whole

(+ age), (full) year(-ly), + younger.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יוֹם (yom) — day.

: day/when/time/period

1) day, time, year

1a) day (as opposed to night)

1b) day (24 hour period)

1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1

1b2) as a division of time

1b2a) a working day, a day's journey

1c) days, lifetime (pl.)

1d) time, period (general)

1e) year

1f) temporal references

1f1) today

1f2) yesterday

1f3) tomorrow

יוֹם (yom) — day: old.

: old/(full/many)[days]

1) day, time, year

1a) day (as opposed to night)

1b) day (24 hour period)

1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1

1b2) as a division of time

1b2a) a working day, a day's journey

1c) days, lifetime (pl.)

1d) time, period (general)

1e) year

1f) temporal references

1f1) today

1f2) yesterday

1f3) tomorrow

יוֹם (yom) — day: year.

: year[of_days]

1) day, time, year

1a) day (as opposed to night)

1b) day (24 hour period)

1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1

1b2) as a division of time

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
HNcmpc/Sp1bp
cause to return us O Yahweh to yourself so let us return renew days our like ancient time
כְּקֶֽדֶם׃ke.Ke.dem like ancient time H6924 Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
87× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The front or east direction, often used to describe a location or time, such as in the book of Ezekiel where it describes the direction of the temple. It can also mean something is ancient or from the past, like the stories in Genesis.
Amplified meaning
in the past, from the beginning
Tyndale gloss
front: east
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word קֶ֫דֶם (*qedem*) means 'east' and also refers to 'front' or 'ancient time.' It is derived from another root and can indicate direction (eastward) or time (aforetime, antiquity). The entries highlight its use in various contexts, including geographical and temporal references, but do not present any significant disagreements among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

קֶ֫דֶם n.[m.] front, east, aforetime

loc.

front

East; elsewh. מִקּ׳ = eastward

temp., ancient time, aforetime:

הַרְרֵי ק׳ Dt 33:15 ancient mts.

בִּימֵי ק׳ ψ 44:2 in ancient days

מִקּ׳ from of old

ק׳ alone, as adv. anciently, of old

beginning

base

[קֵ֫דֶם], קֵ֫דְמָה adv. eastward, to, toward the E.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6924a קֶ֫דֶם front, east, aforetime . loc. . front

. East

. temp. ancient time, aforetime

H6924b קֵ֫דֶם, קֵ֫דְמָה eastward, to, toward the E.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6924 qedem keh'-dem

or qedmah {kayd'-maw}; from 6923; the front, of place

(absolutely, the fore part, relatively the East) or time

(antiquity); often used adverbially (before, anciently,

eastward):--aforetime, ancient (time), before, east (end,

part, side, -ward), eternal, X ever(-lasting), forward, old,

past. Compare 6926.

see HEBREW for 06923

see HEBREW for 06926

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קֶ֫דֶם (qe.dem) — East.

This name means east, antiquity, front

קֵ֫דֶם (qe.dem) — east.

adv

eastward, to or toward the East

Another spelling of qe.dem (קֶ֫דֶם ": east" H6924)

קֶ֫דֶם (qe.dem) — front: east.

: east

1) east, antiquity, front, that which is before, aforetime

1a) front, from the front or east, in front, mount of the East

1b) ancient time, aforetime, ancient, from of old, earliest time

1c) anciently, of old (adverb)

1d) beginning

1e) east

קֶ֫דֶם (qe.dem) — front: old.

: old/ancient

1) east, antiquity, front, that which is before, aforetime

1a) front, from the front or east, in front, mount of the East

1b) ancient time, aforetime, ancient, from of old, earliest time

1c) anciently, of old (adverb)

1d) beginning

1e) east

קֶ֫דֶם (qe.dem) — front: forward.

: forward

1) east, antiquity, front, that which is before, aforetime

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
HR/Ncmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

tim: The basis of the Hebrew measurement of time was the day and the lunar month, as with the Semites generally. The division of the day into hours was late, probably not common until after the exile, although the sun-dial of Ahaz (2Ki 20:9; Isa 38:8) would scent to indicate some division of the day into periods of some sort, as we know the night was divided, The word used for "hour" is Aramaic she`a' (sha`ta'), and does not occur in the Old Testament until the Book of Daniel (4:33; 5:5), and even there it stands for an indefinite period for which "time" would answer as well.

1. The Day:

The term "day" (yom) was in use from the earliest times, as is indicated in the story of the Creation (Ge 1). It there doubtless denotes an indefinite period, but is marked off by "evening and…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Besides the ordinary uses of this word, the Bible sometimes employs it to denote a year, as in Da 4:16; or a prophetic year, consisting of three hundred and sixty natural year, a day being taken for a year. Thus in Da 7:25 12:7, the phrase "a time, times, and the dividing of a time" is supposed to mean three and a half prophetic years, or 1,260 natural years. This period is elsewhere paralleled by the expression, "forty-two months," each month including thirty years, Re 11:2-3 12:6,14 13:5.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Beginning of Ge 1:1,14

→ Epochs of

Before the flood Jos 24:2

→ The exodus Ex 19:1; 40:17; 1Ki 6:1

→ Daniel' s reckoning of time, and times, and half times Da 7:25; 12:7

→ Indicated by a sun-dial 2Ki 20:9-11; Isa 38:8

→ Division of, into watches Ex 14:24; 1Sa 11:11; Mt 14:25; Mr 6:48

Torrey's New Topical Textbook

- The duration of the world

Job 22:16; Re 10:6

- The measure of the continuance of anything

Jud 18:31

- An appointed season

Ne 2:6; Ec 3:1,17

- COMPUTED BY

. Years

Ge 15:13; 2Sa 21:1; Da 9:2

. Months

Nu 10:10; 1Ch 27:1; Job 3:6

. Weeks

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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