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Leviticus 11:20 — Word Study

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WLCכֹּ֚ל שֶׁ֣רֶץ הָע֔וֹף הַהֹלֵ֖ךְ עַל־ אַרְבַּ֑ע שֶׁ֥קֶץ ה֖וּא לָכֶֽם׃ ס

BSAAllkôl [every, everything] flyingʻôwph insectssherets [winged creatures, birds that creep] that walkhâlak [go, move about] onʻal [all] foursʼarbaʻ [four feet, upon four legs] are detestablesheqets [an abomination, utterly disgusting]

Word
Listen & take awayLeviticus 11
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 20 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (la.Khem) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Leviticus 11:20quick helps
In a sentenceThis verse states that all flying insects that move on four legs are considered detestable.
What is being describedThe verse classifies certain flying insects based on their movement.
Where we areThis is part of the dietary laws given to the Israelites.
The hard wordשֶׁ֥קֶץ
Take awayCertain creatures are deemed unclean and not to be eaten.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectהוּא 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 — Leviticus 11:20

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 — Dietary Laws in Leviticusgenerated

19the stork, any kind of heron, the hoopoe, and the bat.
20All flying insects that walk on all fours are detestable to you.
21However, you may eat the following kinds of flying insects that walk on all fours: those having jointed legs above their feet for hopping on the ground.
22Of these you may eat any kind of locust, katydid, cricket, or grasshopper.

Leviticus 11:20 is part of a section outlining clean and unclean animals for the Israelites. This verse specifically addresses flying insects that move on four legs, categorizing them as detestable. The surrounding verses provide further details on which insects are permissible to eat, emphasizing the importance of dietary laws in maintaining ritual purity.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Leviticus 11:23–27All other flying insects that have four legs are detestable to you.
2Deuteronomy 14:19All flying insects are unclean for you; they may not be eaten.
32 Kings 17:28–41Thus one of the priests they had carried away came and lived in Bethel, and he began to teach them how they should worship the LORD.
4Psalm 17:14from such men, O LORD, by Your hand— from men of the world whose portion is in this life. May You fill the bellies of Your treasured ones and satisfy their sons, so they leave their abundance to their children.
5Matthew 6:24No one can serve two masters: Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 9 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word שֶׁ֥קֶץ, She.ketzgenerated

The word שֶׁ֫קֶץ (sheqets) refers to something that is detestable or an abomination. It is often associated with objects or creatures considered unclean or filthy, particularly in the context of dietary restrictions.

This term indicates a strong negative connotation, suggesting that such creatures are not only unclean but also offensive to God. The use of this word underscores the seriousness of adhering to the dietary laws set forth in the Torah.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

All translations agree that the term שֶׁ֥קֶץ is rendered as 'detestable' in the BSB, KJV, ASV, YLT, WEB, and BBE.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The finite verb in this verse is הֹלֵ֖ךְ (which walks), which governs the subject ה֖וּא (it) and the predicate שֶׁ֥קֶץ ([is] a detestable thing).

The structure of the sentence emphasizes the classification of the subject based on its characteristics, specifically its movement and the resulting status of being detestable.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, the Hebrew שֶׁ֥קֶץ is rendered as βδελύγματά (abominations), which conveys a similar meaning of something that is loathsome or disgusting.

This choice of word highlights the severity of the dietary laws and the implications of consuming such creatures.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Leviticus 11:20 states that all flying insects that move on four legs are considered detestable to the Israelites. This verse is part of the laws governing what animals are clean or unclean to eat, emphasizing the importance of these dietary restrictions.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean for an insect to be detestable?

An insect is considered detestable if it is categorized as unclean according to the dietary laws, indicating that it should not be eaten.

Why are certain insects classified as detestable?

This classification is based on the laws given to the Israelites, which outline specific guidelines for maintaining ritual purity.

How does this verse relate to other dietary laws?

This verse is part of a larger set of regulations in Leviticus that detail which animals are permissible to eat and which are not.

Are there exceptions to these dietary laws?

Yes, the following verses specify certain types of flying insects that are permissible to eat, indicating that not all flying insects are detestable.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What are some modern dietary practices that reflect similar principles of cleanliness and purity?
  2. How can understanding these dietary laws help us appreciate the cultural context of the Israelites?
  3. In what ways do these laws inform our understanding of holiness and separation in a broader spiritual sense?
  4. How might these concepts of clean and unclean apply to our lives today?

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Leviticus 11:20 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

All fowls that creep,.... Or rather "every creeping thing that flies"; for what are designed are not properly fowls, but, as the Jewish writers interpret them, flies, fleas, bees, wasps, hornets, locusts, c.

Read John Gill on Leviticus 11 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

All fowls that creep, going upon all four, shall be an abomination unto you.

Read Robert Jamieson on Leviticus 11 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

All fowls that crawl or creep upon the earth, and so degenerate from their proper nature, which is to fly, and are of a mongrel kind; which may intimate that apostates and mongrels in religion are abominable in the sight of God, and in conversation with men. Going upon all four, upon four legs, or upon more than four, as bees, flies, &c, which is all one to the present purpose, these pluralists for legs being here opposed to those that have but two.

Read Matthew Poole on Leviticus 11 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Leviticus 11:20 All fowls that creep, going upon [all] four, [shall be] an abomination unto you.Ver. 20. All fowls that creep.] So all mongrels in religion, that, like the planet Mercury, can he good in conjunction with good, and bad with bad; that have religionem ephemeram, fidem menstruam. Hilar.

Read John Trapp on Leviticus 11 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(20) All the fowls that creep.—Better, all creeping things which have wings. The swarming animals or insects, which, as we have seen, constitute the fourth class of the Hebrew division of the animal kingdom, are now discussed in Leviticus 11:20-23. From the fact that in the following verse several kinds of locusts are exempted, it is evident that the phrase “creeping things which have wings” denotes insects. Going upon all four.—That is, the insects in question not only fly but also creep. The phrase, however, “upon all four” does not refer to the exact number of feet, but, as in some modern languages, denotes walking with its body in a horizontal position, or near the ground, in…

Read Charles John Ellicott on Leviticus 11 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 20. All fowls that creep] Such as the bat, already mentioned, which has claws attached to its leathern wings, and which serve in place of feet to crawl by, the feet and legs not being distinct; but this may also include all the different kinds of insects, with the exceptions in the following verse. Going upon all four] May signify no more than walking regularly or progressively, foot after foot as quadrupeds do; for it cannot be applied to insects literally, as they have in general six feet, many of them more, some reputed to have a hundred, hence called centipedes; and some a thousand, hence called millipedes; words which often signify no more than that such insects have a great…

Read AdamClarke on Leviticus 11 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Ch. Leviticus 11:1-23 [51]. The Distinction between Clean and Unclean Food [51] For the sources from which this ch. comes, and its relation from a critical point of view to Deuteronomy 14:3 ff. see App. I (c), pp. 162 f.One principle underlying this distinction appears to have been that animals which were recognised as in any way objects of worship by heathen neighbours, or even supposed by them to be connected with unseen supernatural beings, were to be considered unclean. See Bertholet in KHC., introd. note to this ch. But in other cases the prohibition probably rested on the animal’s repulsive appearance or uncleanly habits, or on sanitary or totemistic grounds. See Driver, Deut. p. 164…

Read Cambridge on Leviticus 11 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Rather, “All creeping things which have wings,” etc. The word rendered creeping things may be regarded as coextensive with our word vermin.

Read Albert Barnes on Leviticus 11 →

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

All flying insects that walk on all fours are detestable to you.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

“‘All flying insects that walk on all fours are an abomination to you.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

All flying insects that walk on all fours are detestable to you.

NETBNew English Translation2006

“‘Every winged swarming thing that walks on all fours is detestable to you.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

All fowls that creep, going upon all four, shall be an abomination unto you.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

All winged creeping things that go upon all fours are an abomination unto you.

RVARevised Version, American1894

All winged creeping things that go upon all four are an abomination unto you.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

All fowls that creep, going upon all four, shall be an abomination to you.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Also euery foule that creepeth and goeth vpon all foure, such shalbe an abomination vnto you.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Every winged crawling thing that goeth upon all four shall be an abomination unto you.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

'Every teeming creature which is flying, which is going on four — an abomination it [is] to you.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Every teeming creature which is flying, which is going on four [legs]—it [is] an abomination to you.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

All flying insects that walk upon four feet, shall be an abomination unto you.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

All winged insects that walk on four legs are detestable to you.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Of things that fly, whatsoever goeth upon four feet, shall be abominable to you.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

All flying insects that crawl are repulsive to you.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Every winged four-footed thing which goes on the earth is disgusting to you;

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.

clauseclausenoun phraseכֹּ֚לeverynoun phrasenoun phraseשֶׁ֣רֶץ(the).swarming.thingnoun phraseהָof.(the)ע֔וֹףinsectnoun phraseהַ[which]noun phraseclauseverbהֹלֵ֖ךְwalksprepositional phrase · prepositionalעַלonאַרְבַּ֑עfour.[legs]clausepredicateשֶׁ֥קֶץ[is].a.detestable.thingsubjectה֖וּאitprepositional phrase · prepositionalלָtoכֶֽםyou

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


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

The Masoretic Text, the Septuagint, and the Samaritan Pentateuch all agree on the wording of this verse. The Dead Sea Scrolls show partial agreement, with some words supplied by an editor due to damage.

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

כֹּ֚ל שֶׁ֣רֶץ הָע֔וֹף הַהֹלֵ֖ךְ עַל־ אַרְבַּ֑ע שֶׁ֥קֶץ ה֖וּא לָכֶֽם׃ ס

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
כֹּ֚לπάνταשֶׁ֣רֶץἑρπετὰהָע֔וֹףπετεινῶνהַהֹלֵ֖ךְπορεύεταιעַל־ἐπὶאַרְבַּ֑עτέσσαραשֶׁ֥קֶץβδελύγματάה֖וּאἐστινלָכֶֽם׃ סὑμῖν

9 of the 9 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Samaritan Pentateuchthe Torah as the Samaritan community kept it

כל שׁרץ העוף ההלך על ארבע שׁקץ הוא לכם

Agrees with the Masoretic Text here, word for word.

Dead Sea Scrolls — Mas1ba copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[כל] [שרץ] [העוף] [ההלך] [על] [ארבע] [שקץ] [הוא] ל׳כם

1 word on the leather — 8 supplied entire by an editor.

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


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

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

Leviticus 11:20כֹּלeveryeveryכֹּלשֶׁ֫רֶץswarming thswarming thing שֶׁ֫רֶץעוֹףwingwingעוֹףהָלַךְwhich walkswhich walksהָלַךְעַלononעַלאַרְבַּעfour [legs]four [legs]אַרְבַּעשֶׁ֫קֶץ[is] a dete[is] a detestabשֶׁ֫קֶץהוּאititהוּאכֶםto youto youכֶםשָׁרַץto swarmto swarmשָׁרַץכָּלַלto perfectto perfectכָּלַלעוּףto flyto flyעוּףרָבַעto squareto squareרָבַעשִׁקֵּץto detestto detestשִׁקֵּץהָלַךְto walkto walkהָלַךְעַלheightheightעַלטָמֵאuncleanuncleanטָמֵאעֵדָהcongregaticongregationעֵדָהעֲבֹדָהserviceserviceעֲבֹדָהעוֹףbirdbirdעוֹףבְּהֵמָהanimalanimalבְּהֵמָהשָׁמַיheavenheavenשָׁמַידֶּ֫רֶךְway: roadway: roadדֶּ֫רֶךְחֻקָּהstatutestatuteחֻקָּהכִּפֶּרto atoneto atoneכִּפֶּרכִּסֵּאthronethroneכִּסֵּאעָשָׂרtentenעָשָׂר
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 Leviticus 11:20

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.

every swarming thing of wing which walks on four [legs] [is] a detestable thing it to you
כֹּ֚לkol every H3605 Noun common · masculine singular construct
5,415× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for 'all' or 'everything' is used throughout the Bible, like in Genesis 1:31, where God sees all He has made as very good. It encompasses the entirety of something, whether people, things, or situations.
Amplified meaning
every, everything
Tyndale gloss
all
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כֹּל (kol) means 'all' or 'the whole.' It can refer to totality, including every person or thing, and is often used with a following genitive to specify what is included. The term can also denote a broader sense of everything in existence or all circumstances of life. The lexicons do not show significant disagreement on its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כֹּל once כּוֹל n.m. the whole, all

with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

Absolutely:

without the art., all things, all

with the art. הַכֹּל

where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3605 כֹּל once כּוֹל the whole, all . with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

. Absolutely: . without the art., all things, all

. with the art. הַכֹּל . where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

. in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3605 kol kole

or (Jer. 33:8) kowl {kole}; from 3634; properly, the whole;

hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a

plural sense):--(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any

(manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as

many as, (no-)thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole,

whoso(-ever).

see HEBREW for 03634

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כֹּל (kol) — all.

1) all, the whole

1a) all, the whole of

1b) any, each, every, anything

1c) totality, everything

Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular construct
HNcmsc
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
every swarming thing of wing which walks on four [legs] [is] a detestable thing it to you
שֶׁ֣רֶץShe.retz swarming thing of H8318 Noun common · masculine singular construct
15× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means a swarm of small animals like insects or reptiles, often found in the book of Genesis. It describes a large group of tiny creatures moving together. In the Bible, it is used to describe the abundance of God's creation.
Amplified meaning
winged creatures, birds that creep
Tyndale gloss
swarm
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שֶׁ֫רֶץ (sherets) refers to swarmers or swarming things, encompassing a variety of small creatures like insects, reptiles, and other animals. It is derived from a related term indicating a swarm or active mass of minute animals. The entries consistently describe it as a collective noun for these types of creatures.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שֶׁ֫רֶץ n.m. coll. swarmers, swarming things

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8318 שֶׁ֫רֶץ swarmers, swarming things

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8318 sherets sheh'-rets

from 8317; a swarm, i.e. active mass of minute

animals:--creep(-ing thing), move(-ing creature).

see HEBREW for 08317

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שֶׁ֫רֶץ (she.rets) — swarm.

1) teeming or swarming things, creepers, swarmers

1a) of insects, animals, small reptiles, quadrupeds

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…

every swarming thing of wing which walks on four [legs] [is] a detestable thing it to you
הָע֔וֹףha.'of wing H5775 Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
71× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word simply means a bird, like the ones that fly in the sky. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Psalms, often symbolizing freedom.
Tyndale gloss
bird
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עוֹף (owph) refers to flying creatures, including birds and insects. It is derived from the root meaning to cover with wings, emphasizing the aspect of flight. The term encompasses various types of fowl and winged insects, and it is noted in the Aramaic as well. There are no significant disagreements among the lexicons regarding its meaning.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עוֹף 70 n.m. coll. flying creatures, fowls, insects

fowl, birds

winged insects

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5775 עוֹף flying creatures, fowls, insects . fowl, birds

. winged insects

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5775 `owph ofe

from 5774; a bird (as covered with feathers, or rather as

covering with wings), often collectively:--bird, that flieth,

flying, fowl.

see HEBREW for 05774

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עוֹף (oph) — bird.

1) flying creatures, fowl, insects, birds

1a) fowl, birds

1b) winged insects

Aramaic equivalent: oph (עוֹף "bird" H5776)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-ms — Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
HTd/Ncmsa
every swarming thing of wing which walks on four [legs] [is] a detestable thing it to you
הַהֹלֵ֖ךְha.ho.Lekh which walks H1980 Particle · verb qal participle (active) masculine singular
1,549× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Means to walk or go, used in many different contexts in the Bible. It can describe physical movement, but also spiritual or emotional journeys. Appears in various forms, such as 'to go' or 'to walk'.
Amplified meaning
go, move about
Tyndale gloss
to go: walk
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הָלַךְ (halak) means 'to go,' 'come,' or 'walk,' and covers a wide range of literal and figurative uses, including aspects of life and death. It can describe physical movement, moral conduct, and even influence on character. The verb appears in various forms, such as Qal, Piel, and Hithpael, indicating different nuances like leading or traversing.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הָלַךְ 1546 vb. go, come, walk

Qal Impf. usually (629 t.) as if from ילך

lit.

of persons

Also of animals, in similar meanings and combinations

in like manner of inanimate things

The inf. abs. is often used

as in other vbs., quite independently

to intensify meaning of finite form

most noteworthy is the joining of the Inf. abs.

with a following Inf. abs. denoting a simutaneous action or process, and so emphasizing duration or continuance

with a foll. vb. fin. c. ו consec. (rare)

in cases where vb. fin. is foll. by Inf. abs. adj. denoting progress, advance

twice, where vb. fin. is not הלך, but another vb. denoting motion

quite by itself

13 t. the Inf. abs. = Imv. & is followed by Pf. consec.

akin to the use of Inf. abs. are some instances of Pt.

In combination with other verbal forms

Fig.; the most common uses follow; in most the origin in a literal meaning is evident:

pass away, die

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Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1980 הָלַךְ go, come, walk .Impf. usually (629 t.) as if from ילך . lit. . of persons

. Also of animals, in similar meanings and combinations

. in like manner of inanimate things

. The inf. abs. is often used . as in other vbs., quite independently

. to intensify meaning of finite form

. most noteworthy is the joining of the Inf. abs. . with a following Inf. abs. denoting a simutaneous action or process, and so emphasizing duration or continuance

. with a foll. vb. fin. c. ו consec. (rare)

. in cases where vb. fin. is foll. by Inf. abs. + adj. denoting progress, advance

. twice, where vb. fin. is not הלך, but another vb. denoting motion

. quite by itself

. 13 t. the Inf. abs. = Imv. & is followed by Pf. consec.

. akin to the use of Inf. abs. are some instances of Pt.

. In combination with other verbal forms

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1980 halak haw-lak'

akin to 3212; a primitive root; to walk (in a great variety

of applications, literally and figuratively):--(all) along,

apace, behave (self), come, (on) continually, be conversant,

depart, + be eased, enter, exercise (self), + follow, forth,

forward, get, go (about, abroad, along, away, forward, on,

out, up and down), + greater, grow, be wont to haunt, lead,

march, X more and more, move (self), needs, on, pass (away),

be at the point, quite, run (along), + send, speedily, spread,

still, surely, + tale-bearer, + travel(-ler), walk (abroad,

on, to and fro, up and down, to places), wander, wax,

(way-)faring man, X be weak, whirl.

see HEBREW for 03212

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: went.

: went/go[away]

1) to go, walk, come

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away

1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to walk

1b2) to walk (fig.)

1c) (Hithpael)

1c1) to traverse

1c2) to walk about

1d) (Niphal) to lead, bring, lead away, carry, cause to walk

הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: come.

: come[nearer]

1) to go, walk, come

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away

1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to walk

1b2) to walk (fig.)

1c) (Hithpael)

1c1) to traverse

1c2) to walk about

1d) (Niphal) to lead, bring, lead away, carry, cause to walk

הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: walk.

: walk/move

1) to go, walk, come

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away

1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to walk

1b2) to walk (fig.)

1c) (Hithpael)

1c1) to traverse

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | V-Qal — Particle · verb qal participle (active) masculine singular
HTd/Vqrmsa
every swarming thing of wing which walks on four [legs] [is] a detestable thing it to you
עַל־'al- on H5921 Preposition
5,774× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means on or above something, like a physical object or a situation. It can also imply a sense of responsibility or accountability, as in being on behalf of someone.
Tyndale gloss
upon
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עַל (*al*) is a preposition meaning 'upon' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including 'on account of,' 'beside,' 'above,' and 'against.' It can indicate physical placement, emotional burdens, or duties imposed on a person. The entries also note its use in idiomatic expressions and with verbs of motion. There is a mention of its function as a conjunction in certain contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

base

עַל, עָ֑ל

subst. height

As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against

Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed

of clothing, etc., which any one wears

With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it

Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him

Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him

על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him

חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)

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Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5921a עַל, עָ֑ל . As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against . Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed . — . of clothing, etc., which any one wears

. With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it

. Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him

. Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him

. על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him

. חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5921 `al al

properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the

singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a

particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always

in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great

variety of applications (as follow):--above, according

to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because

of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both

and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in

(that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-)on, over, than,

through(-out), to, touching, X with.

see HEBREW for 05920

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עַל (al) — upon.

prep

1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against

1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards

1b) above, beyond, over (of excess)

1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence)

1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition)

1e) over (of suspension or extension)

1f) by, adjoining, next, at, over, around (of contiguity or proximity)

1g) down upon, upon, on, from, up upon, up to, towards, over towards, to, against (with verbs of motion)

1h) to (as a dative)

[כִּי] עַל [כֵּן] ([ki] al [ken]) — as.

conj

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Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Preposition
HR
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

On

Light; the sun, (Gen. 41:45, 50), the great seat of sun-worship, called also Bethshemesh (Jer. 43:13) and Aven (Ezek. 30:17), stood on the east bank of the Nile, a few miles north of Memphis, and near Cairo, in the north-east. The Vulgate and the LXX. Versions have “Heliopolis” (“city of the sun”) instead of On in Genesis and of Aven in Ezekiel. The “city of destruction” Isaiah speaks of (19:18, marg. “of Heres;” Heb. ‘Ir-ha-heres, which some MSS. read Ir-ha-heres, i.e., “city of the sun”) may be the name given to On, the prophecy being that the time will come when that city which was known as the “city of the sun-god” shall become the “city of destruction” of the sun-god, i.e., when idolatry shall cease, and the worship…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(abode or city of the sun), a town of lower Egypt, called BETH-SHEMESH in (Jeremiah 43:13) On is better known under its Greek name Heliopolis. It was situated on the east side of the Pelusiac branch of the Nile, just below the point of the Delta, and about twenty miles northeast of Memphis. The chief object of worship at Heliopolis was the sun, whose temple, described by Strabo, is now only represented by the single beautiful obelisk, of red granite so feet 2 inches high above the pedestal which has stood for more than 4000 years, having been erected by Usirtesen, the second king of the twelfth dynasty. Heliopolis was anciently famous for its learning, and Eudoxus and Plato studied under its priests. The first mention of this place in the Bible is in the history of Joseph, to whom we read Pharaoh gave "to wife Asenath the daughter…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

See HELIOPOLIS.

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

pain; force; iniquity

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
every swarming thing of wing which walks on four [legs] [is] a detestable thing it to you
אַרְבַּ֑ע'ar.Ba' four [legs] H702 Adj
318× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The number four is a simple counting number in Hebrew, used to describe quantities of things, such as people, objects, or groups.
Amplified meaning
four feet, upon four legs
Tyndale gloss
four
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אַרְבַּע (arba) means 'four' in Hebrew. It is a masculine noun derived from the root associated with the number four. The entries consistently affirm this meaning without any significant disagreement among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אַרְבַּע, אַרְבָּעָה four

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H702 אַרְבַּע, אַרְבָּעָה four

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

702 'arba` ar-bah'

masculine oarbaah {ar-baw-aw'}; from 7251; four:--four.

see HEBREW for 07251

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אַרְבַּע (ar.ba) — four.

four

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Adj
HAcbsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Nave's Topical Bible

→ Of the crucified, broken Joh 19:31,32

every swarming thing of wing which walks on four [legs] [is] a detestable thing it to you
שֶׁ֥קֶץShe.ketz [is] a detestable thing H8263 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
11× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means something that is detestable or an abomination, like the idols in Deuteronomy 7:25. It refers to things that are considered filthy or unclean.
Amplified meaning
an abomination, utterly disgusting
Tyndale gloss
detestation
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שֶׁ֫קֶץ (sheqets) refers to a detestable thing or abomination, often associated with idolatrous objects and filth. It is built from the root meaning of filth and carries a strong connotation of detestation. The term appears in contexts related to uncleanliness and idolatry.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שֶׁ֫קֶץ n.m. detestation, detestable thing

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8263 שֶׁ֫קֶץ detestation, detestable thing

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8263 sheqets sheh'-kets

from 8262; filth, i.e. (figuratively and specifically) an

idolatrous object:--abominable(-tion).

see HEBREW for 08262

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שֶׁ֫קֶץ (she.qets) — detestation.

detestable thing or idol, an unclean thing, an abomination, detestation

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
every swarming thing of wing which walks on four [legs] [is] a detestable thing it to you
ה֖וּאhu' it H1931 Pronoun
1,879× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word is a pronoun meaning 'he', 'she', or 'it', used to refer to a person or thing. It is used in the Bible to emphasize a subject or make it clear who is being talked about.
Tyndale gloss
he/she/it
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הוּא (hu) is a third-person singular pronoun meaning he, she, or it, used for emphasis or when no verb is present. It can also refer to oneself or serve as a demonstrative pronoun. The word has various nuances, including resuming the subject with emphasis or expressing it unobtrusively. It can indicate 'that' or 'those' when used with the definite article.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הוּא m. הִיא f., pron. of the 3rd ps. sing. he, she, used also (in both genders) for the neuter it

an emph. he (she, it, they), sometimes equivalent to himself (herself, itself, themselves), or (esp. with the art.) that (those)

It resumes the subj. with emph.

Where, however, the pron. follows the pred., its position gives it the minimum of emphasis, and it expresses (or resumes) the subject as unobtrusively as possible

It anticipates (as it seems) the subject

As an emph. predicate, of God

In a neuter sense, that, it (of an action, occurrence, matte, etc.)

With the art.: so regularly when joined to a subst. defined itself by the art.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1931 הוּא, הִיא he, she, used also (in both genders) for the neuter it . an emph. he (she, it, they), sometimes equivalent to himself (herself, itself, themselves), or (esp. with the art.) that (those)

. It resumes the subj. with emph.

. Where, however, the pron. follows the pred., its position gives it the minimum of emphasis, and it expresses (or resumes) the subject as unobtrusively as possible

. It anticipates (as it seems) the subject

. As an emph. predicate, of God

. In a neuter sense, that, it (of an action, occurrence, matte, etc.)

. With the art.: so regularly when joined to a subst. defined itself by the art.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1931 huw' hoo

of which the feminine (beyond the Pentateuch) is hiyw {he}; a

primitive word, the third person pronoun singular, he (she or

it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also

(intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same;

sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally

(instead of copula) as or are:--he, as for her, him(-self),

it, the same, she (herself), such, that (...it), these, they,

this, those, which (is), who.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הוּא (hu) — he/she/it.

pron 3p s

1) he, she, it

1a) himself (with emphasis)

1b) resuming subj with emphasis

1c) (with minimum emphasis following predicate)

1d) (anticipating subj)

1e) (emphasising predicate)

1f) that, it (neuter) demons pron

2) that (with article)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HPp3ms — Pronoun
HPp3ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
every swarming thing of wing which walks on four [legs] [is] a detestable thing it to you
לָכֶֽם׃ סla.Khem to you H9036 Preposition · suffix
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כֶם (khem) — you.

Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 2nd person masculine plural

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HRd/Sp2mp — Preposition · suffix
HRd/Sp2mp
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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