Menu

Leviticus 15:4 — Word Study

Depth

WLCכָּל־ הַמִּשְׁכָּ֗ב אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִשְׁכַּ֥ב עָלָ֛יו הַזָּ֖ב יִטְמָ֑א וְכָֽל־ הַכְּלִ֛י אֲשֶׁר־ יֵשֵׁ֥ב עָלָ֖יו יִטְמָֽא׃

BSAAnykôl bedmishkâb [where he rests, lies down] onʻal whichʼăsher the man with the dischargezûwb [having a flow, an issue] liesshâkab will be uncleanṭâmêʼ [defiled, contaminated] and anykôl furniturekᵉlîy [article, utensil] onʻal whichʼăsher he sitsyâshab [dwells, remains] will be uncleanṭâmêʼ [foul, polluted]

Word
Listen & take awayLeviticus 15
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 4 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 (yit.Ma') — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Leviticus 15:4quick helps
In a sentenceThis verse outlines the ceremonial uncleanness associated with a man who has a discharge.
Who is speakingThe text describes the conditions set by the Law regarding purity.
Where we areThis instruction is part of the laws concerning bodily discharges in the book of Leviticus.
The hard wordטָמֵא
Take awayThe items touched by a discharging man become ceremonially unclean.
6 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbשָׁכַב 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 15:4

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 — Laws Concerning Bodily Dischargesgenerated

3This uncleanness is from his discharge, whether his body allows the discharge to flow or blocks it. So his discharge will bring about uncleanness.
4Any bed on which the man with the discharge lies will be unclean, and any furniture on which he sits will be unclean.
5Anyone who touches his bed must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean until evening.
6Whoever sits on furniture on which the man with the discharge was sitting must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean until evening.

Leviticus 15:4 provides specific guidelines about the ceremonial uncleanness resulting from bodily discharges. The laws emphasize the importance of purity within the community and the need for individuals to follow these regulations to maintain cleanliness. This is part of a broader section in Leviticus that addresses various aspects of purity and holiness, reflecting the standards set for the Israelite community.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
11 Corinthians 15:33Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good character.”
2Ephesians 5:11Have no fellowship with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.
3Titus 1:15To the pure, all things are pure; but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure. Indeed, both their minds and their consciences are defiled.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 3 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word טָמֵא, yit.Ma'generated

The word טָמֵא (tame') signifies being unclean or defiled, often in a ceremonial context. It is a Qal verb, indicating a state of being rather than an action, and it appears frequently in the context of purity laws throughout the Torah.

This term encompasses various forms of impurity, including moral and ceremonial aspects, and is crucial in understanding the laws of cleanliness in the Israelite community. The use of this word in this verse highlights the serious implications of contact with objects associated with bodily discharges.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

In the Berean Standard Bible, the word unclean is used consistently, as it is in the KJV and ASV.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The finite verbs יִשְׁכַּ֥ב and יִטְמָ֑א govern the clauses in this verse. The structure indicates that both the bed and the furniture are affected by the actions of the man with the discharge.

The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the subjects (the bed and the furniture) that are declared unclean, followed by the conditions that lead to this state.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, the Greek word ἀκάθαρτος is used to convey the idea of being unclean. This choice reflects a broader interpretation of the Hebrew term טָמֵא, emphasizing the state of being ceremonially impure.

The translation choice indicates a consistent understanding of the implications of uncleanness within the context of the purity laws.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Leviticus 15:4 states that any bed or furniture touched by a man with a discharge becomes unclean. This means that anyone who comes into contact with these items must take steps to become clean again.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean for something to be unclean?

In this context, being unclean refers to a state of ceremonial impurity that requires specific actions to restore cleanliness, as outlined in the laws of Leviticus.

Why are these laws important?

These laws emphasize the significance of purity in the community and the need to maintain a state of cleanliness, which is vital for worship and social interactions.

What actions must one take after coming into contact with something unclean?

Individuals must wash their clothes and bathe with water, and they will remain unclean until evening, as prescribed by the law.

How do these laws apply today?

While the ceremonial laws of purity are not directly applicable today, they reflect principles of holiness and the importance of maintaining a clean and pure life.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What are some ways I can maintain purity in my own life?
  2. How do the principles of cleanliness and uncleanness apply to my spiritual life?
  3. In what ways can I support others in understanding the importance of purity in our community?
  4. How can I reflect on the significance of these laws in my daily actions and interactions?

Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Leviticus 15:4 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Every bed whereon he lieth that hath the issue is unclean,.... Which he constantly makes use of; so the Targum of Jonathan, which is peculiar to him, and appointed and appropriated for him to lie upon.

Read John Gill on Leviticus 15 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And this shall be his uncleanness in his issue: whether his flesh run with his issue, or his flesh be stopped from his issue, it is his uncleanness. No JFB commentary on these verses.

Read Robert Jamieson on Leviticus 15 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Every thing, Heb. vessel, by which the Hebrews understand all sorts of household stuff.

Read Matthew Poole on Leviticus 15 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Leviticus 15:4 Every bed, whereon he lieth that hath the issue, is unclean: and every thing, whereon he sitteth, shall be unclean.Ver. 4. Every bed.] Sin is more catching than any plague, and more defiling than any out house; Paul found it as noisome to his soul as a dead body to his sense, or as the sanies; of a plague sore to a rich robe. Job abhors himself for it in dust and ashes. And Isaiah looks upon himself as an undone man by reason of it. A thin fetid pus mixed with serum or blood, secreted by a wound or ulcer.

Read John Trapp on Leviticus 15 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(4) Every bed, whereon he lieth.—So severely did the canonical law deal with these cases that they interpreted the defilement communicated to the bed, and hence also to his seat and saddle, by the patient in five different ways: by standing, sitting, lying, hanging, or leaning on it. The patient’s polluting power is so great that even if the bed, seat, or saddle is under a stone, he defiles it through the stone by any of these actions. If he stood upon two beds, placing one foot upon each, he defiled both.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Leviticus 15 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

4. Every bed — The inconveniences of ceremonial impurity are strikingly set forth in this and the following verses.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Leviticus 15 →

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

Any bed on which the man with the discharge lies will be unclean, and any furniture on which he sits will be unclean.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

“‘Every bed on which he who has the discharge lies shall be unclean; and everything he sits on shall be unclean.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Any bed on which the man with the discharge lies will be unclean, and any furniture on which he sits will be unclean.

NETBNew English Translation2006

“‘Any bed the man with a discharge lies on will be unclean, and any furniture he sits on will be unclean.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Every bed, whereon he lieth that hath the issue, is unclean: and every thing, whereon he sitteth, shall be unclean.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Every bed whereon he that hath the issue lieth shall be unclean; and everything whereon he sitteth shall be unclean.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Every bed whereon he that hath the issue lieth shall be unclean: and every thing whereon he sitteth shall be unclean.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Every bed on which he lieth that hath the issue, is unclean: and every thing on which he sitteth, shall be unclean.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Euery bed whereon he lyeth that hath the issue, shall be vncleane, and euery thing whereon he sitteth, shalbe vncleane.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Every bed whereon he lieth that hath the flux shall be unclean; and every object on which he sitteth shall be unclean.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

'All the bed on which he lieth who hath the issue is unclean, and all the vessel on which he sitteth is unclean;

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Every bed on which he who has the discharging lies is unclean, and every vessel on which he sits is unclean;

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Every bed, whereon he may lie that hath the issue, shall be unclean: and every vessel, whereon he may sit, shall be unclean.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Every bed on which he lies will be unclean, and everything on which he sits will be unclean.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Every bed on which he sleepeth, shall be unclean, and every place on which he sitteth.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Any bed the man with the discharge lies on will be unclean, and anything he sits on will be unclean.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Every bed on which he has been resting will be unclean, and everything on which he has been seated will be unclean.

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.

clausenoun phrase · subjectכָּלeverynoun phraseהַ(the)noun phraseמִּשְׁכָּ֗בbedrelpאֲשֶׁ֨רwhichclauseverbיִשְׁכַּ֥בhe.will.lie.downprepositional phrase · prepositionalעָלָ֛יonוitnoun phrase · subjectהַthe.[one]זָּ֖בdischargingverbיִטְמָ֑אit.will.be.uncleanוְandclausenoun phrase · subjectכָֽלeverynoun phraseהַ(the)noun phraseכְּלִ֛יarticlerelpאֲשֶׁרwhichclauseverbיֵשֵׁ֥בhe.will.sitprepositional phrase · prepositionalעָלָ֖יonוitverbיִטְמָֽאit.will.be.unclean

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


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

The Samaritan Pentateuch agrees with the Masoretic Text word for word in this verse, affirming the consistency of the text across these traditions. The Dead Sea Scrolls contain partial text with some words supplied by an editor, but they align with the Masoretic reading.

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

כָּל־ הַמִּשְׁכָּ֗ב אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִשְׁכַּ֥ב עָלָ֛יו הַזָּ֖ב יִטְמָ֑א וְכָֽל־ הַכְּלִ֛י אֲשֶׁר־ יֵשֵׁ֥ב עָלָ֖יו יִטְמָֽא׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
כָּל־πᾶσαהַמִּשְׁכָּ֗בκοίτηאֲשֶׁ֨ריִשְׁכַּ֥בκοιμηθῇעָלָ֛יוἐπ’הַזָּ֖בγονορρυήςוְכָֽל־πᾶνהַכְּלִ֛יσκεῦοςאֲשֶׁר־יֵשֵׁ֥בκαθίσῃעָלָ֖יוἐπ’

11 of the 13 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 המשׁכב אשׁר ישׁכב עליו הזב יטמא וכל הכלי אשׁר ישׁב עליו יטמא

Agrees with the Masoretic Text here, word for word.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 11Q1a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[כל] [המשכב] [אשר] ישכב עלי׳ו [הזב] [יטמא] [וכל] [הכלי] [אשר] [ישב] [עלי׳ו] [יטמא]

2 words on the leather — 11 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 15:4כֹּלeveryeveryכֹּלמִשְׁכָּבbedbedמִשְׁכָּבאֲשֶׁרwhichwhichאֲשֶׁרשָׁכַבhe will liehe will lie dowשָׁכַבעַלon iton itעַלזוּבthe [one] dthe [one] dischזוּבטָמֵאit will be it will be unclטָמֵאכֹּלand everyand everyכֹּלכְּלִיarticlearticleכְּלִיאֲשֶׁרwhichwhichאֲשֶׁריָשַׁבhe will sithe will sitיָשַׁבעַלon iton itעַלטָמֵאit will be it will be unclטָמֵאכָּלַלto perfectto perfectכָּלַלשָׁכַבto lie dowto lie down: laשָׁכַבעַלheightheightעַלכָּלָהto end: fito end: finishכָּלָהעֵדָהcongregaticongregationעֵדָהעֲבֹדָהserviceserviceעֲבֹדָהצָוָהto commandto commandצָוָהכִּפֶּרto atoneto atoneכִּפֶּרכִּסֵּאthronethroneכִּסֵּאעֶ֫רֶבeveningeveningעֶ֫רֶברָחַץto wash: wto wash: washרָחַץחֶ֫דֶרchamberchamberחֶ֫דֶרזָכָרmalemaleזָכָרעָרֵלuncircumciuncircumcisedעָרֵלמִשְׁכָּבbedbedמִשְׁכָּבחָלָבmilkmilkחָלָבזוֹבdischargedischargeזוֹבזָהָבgoldgoldזָהָב
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 15:4

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 bed which he will lie down on it the [one] discharging it will be unclean and every article which he will sit on it it will be unclean
כָּל־kol- 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.
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 bed which he will lie down on it the [one] discharging it will be unclean and every article which he will sit on it it will be unclean
הַמִּשְׁכָּ֗בha.mish.Kav bed H4904 Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
46× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Mishkab refers to a bed, but can also mean sleep or even a bier. It's sometimes used to describe intimate relationships, as in Genesis. This word has various meanings depending on the context.
Amplified meaning
where he rests, lies down
Tyndale gloss
bed
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מִשְׁכָּב (mishkab) refers to a place of lying down, such as a bed or couch, and can also denote the act of lying, including sexual intercourse. It is derived from the root meaning to lie down. The term encompasses both literal and figurative uses, including references to sleep and bedrooms.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מִשְׁכָּב 46 n.m. place of lying, couch; act of lying

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4904 מִשְׁכָּב place of lying, couch; act of lying

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4904 mishkab mish-kawb'

from 7901; a bed (figuratively, a bier); abstractly, sleep;

by euphemism, carnal intercourse:--bed((-chamber)), couch,

lieth (lying) with.

see HEBREW for 07901

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מִשְׁכָּב (mish.kav) — bed.

1) a lying down, couch, bier, act of lying

1a) couch, bed

1b) act of lying, lying down or sleeping room, bedroom

1c) lying down (for sexual contact)

Aramaic equivalent: mish.kav (מִשְׁכַּב "bed" H4903)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-ms — Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
HTd/Ncmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Bed

(Heb. mittah), for rest at night (Ex. 8:3; 1 Sam. 19:13, 15, 16, etc.); during sickness (Gen. 47:31; 48:2; 49:33, etc.); as a sofa for rest (1 Sam. 28:23; Amos 3:12). Another Hebrew word (er’es) so rendered denotes a canopied bed, or a bed with curtains (Deut. 3:11; Ps. 132:3), for sickness (Ps. 6:6; 41:3).

In the New Testament it denotes sometimes a litter with a coverlet (Matt. 9:2, 6;

The Jewish bed consisted of the mattress, a mere mat, or one or more quilts; the covering, a finer quilt, or sometimes the outer garment worn by day, (1 Samuel 19:13) which the law provided should not be kept in pledge after sunset, that the poor man might not lack his needful covering, (24:13) the pillow, (1 Samuel 19:13) probably formed of sheep’s fleece or goat’s skin with a stuffing of cotton, etc.; the bedstead, a divan or bench along the side or end of the room, sufficing at a support for the bedding. Besides we have bedsteads made of ivory, wood, etc. referred to in (3:11; Amos 6:4) The ornamental portions were pillars and a canopy, Judith 13:9, ivory carvings, gold and silver, and probably mosaic work, purple and fine…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

In the East, is, and was anciently, a divan, or broad low step around the sides of a room, like a sofa, which answered to purpose of a sofa by day for reclining, and of a bed by night for sleeping, Ex 8:3 2Sa 4:5-7. Sometimes it was raised several steps above the floor, 2Ki 1:4 Ps 132:4. It was covered very differently, and with more or less ornament, according to the rank of owner of the house. The poor had but a simple mattress or sheepskin; or a cloak or blanked, which also answered to wrap themselves in by day, Ex 22:2 De 24:13. Hence it was easy for the persons…

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Made of wood So 3:7-9

→ Made of iron De 3:11

→ Made of ivory Am 6:4

→ Made of gold and silver Es 1:6

→ Used at meals Am 6:4

→ Exempt from execution for debt Pr 22:27

→ Perfumed Pr 7:17

→ FIGURATIVE

every bed which he will lie down on it the [one] discharging it will be unclean and every article which he will sit on it it will be unclean
אֲשֶׁ֨ר'a.Sher which H834 Particle
5,500× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word is a conjunction that connects ideas and events in the Bible, like in the book of Genesis, where it's used to describe the relationship between God and His creation.
Tyndale gloss
which
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֲשֶׁר (*asher*) is a relative pronoun that can mean 'who,' 'which,' or 'that.' It serves various grammatical functions, including as an adverb or conjunction, indicating relationships between clauses, places, or conditions. Variants like בַאֲשֶׁר (*ba-asher*), מֵאֲשֶׁר (*me-asher*), and כַּאֲשֶׁר (*ka-asher*) expand its usage to specific contexts such as location, causation, and time.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֲשֶׁר part. of relation A sign of relation, bringing the clause introduced by it into relation with an antecedent clause.

base

בַאֲשֶׁר

in (that) which

adv. in (the place) where

conj. in that, inasmuch as

on account of whom?

base

מֵאֲשֶׁר

from (or than) that which

adv. from (the place) where

conj. from (the fact) that …, since

base

כַּאֲשֶׁר conj. according as, as, when

according to that which, according as, as

with a causal force, in so far as, since

with a temporal force, when

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H834a אֲשֶׁר part. of relation A sign of relation, bringing the clause introduced by it into relation with an antecedent clause. H834b בַאֲשֶׁר . in (that) which

. adv. in (the place) where

. conj. in that, inasmuch as

. on account of whom?

H834c מֵאֲשֶׁר . from (or than) that which

. adv. from (the place) where

. conj. from (the fact) that …, since

H834d כַּאֲשֶׁר conj. according as, as, when . according to that which, according as, as

. with a causal force, in so far as, since

. with a temporal force, when

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

834 'aher ash-er'

a primitive relative pronoun (of every gender and number);

who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction)

when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.:--X after, X

alike, as (soon as), because, X every, for, + forasmuch, +

from whence, + how(-soever), X if, (so) that ((thing) which,

wherein), X though, + until, + whatsoever, when, where

(+ -as, -in, -of, -on, -soever, -with), which, whilst, +

whither(- soever), who(-m, -soever, -se). As it is

indeclinable, it is often accompanied by the personal pronoun

expletively, used to show the connection.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֲשֶׁר (a.sher) — which.

A: 1) (relative part.)

1a) which, who

1b) that which

2) (conj)

2a) that (in obj clause)

2b) when

2c) since

2d) as

2e) conditional if

B: Beth+ 1) in (that) which

2) (adv)

2a) where

3) (conj)

3a) in that, inasmuch as

3b) on account of

C: Mem+ 1) from (or than) that which

2) from (the place) where

3) from (the fact) that, since

D: Kaph+

1) (conj.), according as, as, when

1a) according to that which, according as, as

1b) with a causal force: in so far as, since

1c) with a temporal force: when

בַאֲשֶׁר (ba.a.sher) — in which.

1) in (that) which

2) (adv)

2a) where

3) (conj)

3a) in that, inasmuch as

3b) on account of

מֵאֲשֶׁר (me.a.sher) — whence.

1) from (or than) that which

2) from (the place) where

3) from (the fact) that, since

כַּאֲשֶׁר (ka.a.sher) — as which.

conj

1) according as, as, when

1a) according to that which, according as, as

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Rel — Particle
HTr
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
every bed which he will lie down on it the [one] discharging it will be unclean and every article which he will sit on it it will be unclean
יִשְׁכַּ֥בyish.Kav he will lie down H7901 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
212× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To lie down can mean to rest, sleep, or have sexual relations, and is used in various contexts throughout the Bible. It can also mean to relax or be at rest.
Tyndale gloss
to lie down: lay down
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word שָׁכַב (shakab) is a primitive root meaning 'to lie down.' It covers a range of meanings including resting, lodging, engaging in sexual relations, and lying down in death. The word appears in various forms, such as Qal, Niphal, Pual, Hiphil, and Hophal, indicating different nuances of lying down. Notably, it can also figuratively mean to relax.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁכַב 212 vb. lie down

Qal

lie down

= lodge (for night)

of sexual relations, lie with

lie down in death

esp. in phr. lie down with his fathers

fig. = relax

Niph. Pu. = be lain with (sexually; subj. women), only as Qr for Kt [שָׁגֵל] Niph. Pu. q.v.

Hiph. lay

Hoph. laid

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7901 שָׁכַב lie down .. lie down

. = lodge (for night)

. of sexual relations, lie with

. . lie down in death

. esp. in phr. lie down with his fathers

. fig. = relax

. Pu. = be lain with (sexually; subj. women), only as Qr for Kt [שָׁגֵל] Niph. Pu. q.v.

. lay

. laid

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7901 shakab shaw-kab'

a primitive root; to lie down (for rest, sexual connection,

decease or any other purpose):--X at all, cast down,

((lover-))lay (self) (down), (make to) lie (down, down to

sleep, still with), lodge, ravish, take rest, sleep, stay.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁכַב (sha.khav) — to lie down: lay down.

: lay_down/lie_with

1) to lie down

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to lie, lie down, lie on

1a2) to lodge

1a3) to lie (of sexual relations)

1a4) to lie down (in death)

1a5) to rest, relax (fig)

1b) (Niphal) to be lain with (sexually)

1c) (Pual) to be lain with (sexually)

1d) (Hiphil) to make to lie down

1e) (Hophal) to be laid

שָׁכַב (sha.khav) — to lie down: sleep.

: sleep/rest

1) to lie down

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to lie, lie down, lie on

1a2) to lodge

1a3) to lie (of sexual relations)

1a4) to lie down (in death)

1a5) to rest, relax (fig)

1b) (Niphal) to be lain with (sexually)

1c) (Pual) to be lain with (sexually)

1d) (Hiphil) to make to lie down

1e) (Hophal) to be laid

שָׁכַב (sha.khav) — to lie down: have sex.

: have_sex

1) to lie down

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to lie, lie down, lie on

1a2) to lodge

1a3) to lie (of sexual relations)

1a4) to lie down (in death)

1a5) to rest, relax (fig)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
HVqi3ms
every bed which he will lie down on it the [one] discharging it will be unclean and every article which he will sit on it it will be unclean
עָלָ֛יו'a.Lav on it H5921 Preposition · suffix
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)

Read the full entry →
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

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | Suff — Preposition · suffix
HRd/Sp3ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
every bed which he will lie down on it the [one] discharging it will be unclean and every article which he will sit on it it will be unclean
הַזָּ֖בha.Zav the [one] discharging H2100 Particle · verb qal participle (active) masculine singular
42× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To flow means to have a continuous movement, like water, and can also refer to wasting away or overflowing. It is used in the Bible to describe various physical and emotional states.
Amplified meaning
having a flow, an issue
Tyndale gloss
to flow: flowing
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

זוּב (zuwb) is a primitive root meaning to flow or gush, often used in the context of liquid discharge. It can refer to both physical flow, such as water, and metaphorically to a bodily flux or wasting away. The entries highlight its various applications, including a specific reference to issues from women.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[זוּב] vb. flow, gush

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2100 זוּב flow, gush

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2100 zuwb zoob

a primitive root; to flow freely (as water), i.e.

(specifically) to have a (sexual) flux; figuratively, to waste

away; also to overflow:--flow, gush out, have a (running)

issue, pine away, run.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

זוּב (zuv) — to flow: flowing.

: flowing

1) to flow, gush, issue, discharge

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to flow, gush

1a2) to die, pine away (fig.)

1a3) to flow (of issue from woman), have an issue, flux

1a4) flowing (participle)

זוּב (zuv) — to flow: discharge.

: bodily_discharge

1) to flow, gush, issue, discharge

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to flow, gush

1a2) to die, pine away (fig.)

1a3) to flow (of issue from woman), have an issue, flux

1a4) flowing (participle)

זוּב (zuv) — to flow: waste away.

: waste_away

1) to flow, gush, issue, discharge

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to flow, gush

1a2) to die, pine away (fig.)

1a3) to flow (of issue from woman), have an issue, flux

1a4) flowing (participle)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | V-Qal — Particle · verb qal participle (active) masculine singular
HTd/Vqrmsa
every bed which he will lie down on it the [one] discharging it will be unclean and every article which he will sit on it it will be unclean
יִטְמָ֑אyit.Ma' it will be unclean H2930 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
162× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to be foul or contaminated, often in a moral or ceremonial sense. It is used in the Bible to describe something that is unclean or polluted. In the book of Leviticus, it talks about being unclean and how to become clean again.
Amplified meaning
defiled, contaminated
Tyndale gloss
to defile
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

טָמֵא (tame') is a Hebrew root meaning to be or become unclean, covering various contexts such as sexual, religious, and ceremonial impurity. The noun form, טָמְאָה (tam'ah), refers to uncleanness itself. The entries indicate that the word can be used reflexively to mean defiling oneself.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

טָמֵא vb. be or become unclean

Qal be or become unclean

Niph. defile oneself, be defiled

Pi. defile

Pu. myself is not polluted

Hithp.—reflexive, defile oneself

Hothp. after that she has been defiled

base

טָמְאָה n.f. uncleanness Mi 2:10

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2930a טָמֵא be or become unclean .be or become unclean

. defile oneself, be defiled

. defile

. myself is not pulluted

.—reflexive, defile oneself

. after that she has been defiled

H2930b טָמְאָה uncleanness

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2930 tame' taw-may'

a primitive root; to be foul, especially in a ceremial or

moral sense (contaminated):--defile (self), pollute (self), be

(make, make self, pronounce) unclean, X utterly.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

טָמֵא (ta.me) — to defile.

1) to be unclean, become unclean, become impure

1a) (Qal) to be or become unclean

1a1) sexually

1a2) religiously

1a3) ceremonially

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to defile oneself, be defiled

1b1a) sexually

1b1b) by idolatry

1b1c) ceremonially

1b2) to be regarded as unclean

1c) (Piel)

1c1) to defile

1c1a) sexually

1c1b) religiously

1c1c) ceremonially

1c2) to pronounce unclean, declare unclean (ceremonially)

1c3) to profane (God's name)

1d) (Pual) to be defiled

1e) (Hithpael) to be unclean

1f) (Hothpael) to be defiled

טָמְאָה (tam.ah) — uncleanness.

uncleanness

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
HVqi3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

See CLEAN.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ (Ceremonially speaking)

Creatures designated as such Le 11; De 14

→ See UNCLEANNESS

every bed which he will lie down on it the [one] discharging it will be unclean and every article which he will sit on it it will be unclean
וְכָֽל־ve.khol and every H3605 Conjunction · 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.
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
Conj | N-ms — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular construct
HC/Ncmsc
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
every bed which he will lie down on it the [one] discharging it will be unclean and every article which he will sit on it it will be unclean
הַכְּלִ֛יha.ke.Li article H3627 Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
325× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word refers to any object or tool, like a utensil or a piece of furniture. It is used to describe a wide range of items, from musical instruments to weapons. It emphasizes the object's purpose or function.
Amplified meaning
article, utensil
Tyndale gloss
article/utensil
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כְּלִי (kliy) refers to an article or utensil, encompassing a wide range of objects such as vessels, tools, and implements used for various purposes, including music and warfare. It is derived from a root meaning 'to prepare' and can denote anything from furniture to weapons. The entries highlight its general use in the Old Testament without significant disagreement among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כְּלִי 324 n.m. article, utensil, vessel

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3627 כְּלִי article, utensil, vessel

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3627 kliy kel-ee'

from 3615; something prepared, i.e. any apparatus (as an

implement, utensil, dress, vessel or weapon):--armour

((-bearer)), artillery, bag, carriage, + furnish, furniture,

instrument, jewel, that is made of, X one from another, that

which pertaineth, pot, + psaltery, sack, stuff, thing, tool,

vessel, ware, weapon, + whatsoever.

see HEBREW for 03615

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כְּלִי (ke.li) — article/utensil.

1) article, vessel, implement, utensil

1a) article, object (general)

1b) utensil, implement, apparatus, vessel

1b1) implement (of hunting or war)

1b2) implement (of music)

1b3) implement, tool (of labour)

1b4) equipment, yoke (of oxen)

1b5) utensils, furniture

1c) vessel, receptacle (general)

1d) vessels (boats) of paper-reed

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-ms — Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
HTd/Ncmsa
every bed which he will lie down on it the [one] discharging it will be unclean and every article which he will sit on it it will be unclean
אֲשֶׁר־'a.Sher- which H834 Particle
5,500× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word is a conjunction that connects ideas and events in the Bible, like in the book of Genesis, where it's used to describe the relationship between God and His creation.
Tyndale gloss
which
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֲשֶׁר (*asher*) is a relative pronoun that can mean 'who,' 'which,' or 'that.' It serves various grammatical functions, including as an adverb or conjunction, indicating relationships between clauses, places, or conditions. Variants like בַאֲשֶׁר (*ba-asher*), מֵאֲשֶׁר (*me-asher*), and כַּאֲשֶׁר (*ka-asher*) expand its usage to specific contexts such as location, causation, and time.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֲשֶׁר part. of relation A sign of relation, bringing the clause introduced by it into relation with an antecedent clause.

base

בַאֲשֶׁר

in (that) which

adv. in (the place) where

conj. in that, inasmuch as

on account of whom?

base

מֵאֲשֶׁר

from (or than) that which

adv. from (the place) where

conj. from (the fact) that …, since

base

כַּאֲשֶׁר conj. according as, as, when

according to that which, according as, as

with a causal force, in so far as, since

with a temporal force, when

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H834a אֲשֶׁר part. of relation A sign of relation, bringing the clause introduced by it into relation with an antecedent clause. H834b בַאֲשֶׁר . in (that) which

. adv. in (the place) where

. conj. in that, inasmuch as

. on account of whom?

H834c מֵאֲשֶׁר . from (or than) that which

. adv. from (the place) where

. conj. from (the fact) that …, since

H834d כַּאֲשֶׁר conj. according as, as, when . according to that which, according as, as

. with a causal force, in so far as, since

. with a temporal force, when

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

834 'aher ash-er'

a primitive relative pronoun (of every gender and number);

who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction)

when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.:--X after, X

alike, as (soon as), because, X every, for, + forasmuch, +

from whence, + how(-soever), X if, (so) that ((thing) which,

wherein), X though, + until, + whatsoever, when, where

(+ -as, -in, -of, -on, -soever, -with), which, whilst, +

whither(- soever), who(-m, -soever, -se). As it is

indeclinable, it is often accompanied by the personal pronoun

expletively, used to show the connection.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֲשֶׁר (a.sher) — which.

A: 1) (relative part.)

1a) which, who

1b) that which

2) (conj)

2a) that (in obj clause)

2b) when

2c) since

2d) as

2e) conditional if

B: Beth+ 1) in (that) which

2) (adv)

2a) where

3) (conj)

3a) in that, inasmuch as

3b) on account of

C: Mem+ 1) from (or than) that which

2) from (the place) where

3) from (the fact) that, since

D: Kaph+

1) (conj.), according as, as, when

1a) according to that which, according as, as

1b) with a causal force: in so far as, since

1c) with a temporal force: when

בַאֲשֶׁר (ba.a.sher) — in which.

1) in (that) which

2) (adv)

2a) where

3) (conj)

3a) in that, inasmuch as

3b) on account of

מֵאֲשֶׁר (me.a.sher) — whence.

1) from (or than) that which

2) from (the place) where

3) from (the fact) that, since

כַּאֲשֶׁר (ka.a.sher) — as which.

conj

1) according as, as, when

1a) according to that which, according as, as

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Rel — Particle
HTr
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
every bed which he will lie down on it the [one] discharging it will be unclean and every article which he will sit on it it will be unclean
יֵשֵׁ֥בye.Shev he will sit H3427 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
1,079× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to sit or dwell, and can also mean to remain or abide. It's used in the Bible to describe people living in a place or staying with someone, like in the book of Genesis.
Amplified meaning
dwells, remains
Tyndale gloss
to dwell
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָשַׁב (yashab) is a Hebrew verb meaning to sit, remain, or dwell. It encompasses a range of actions from simply sitting down to more complex ideas like establishing a home or causing a place to be inhabited. The entries indicate various forms, including Qal (to sit), Niphal (to be inhabited), and Hiphil (to cause to dwell). There is an Aramaic equivalent, יְתִב (ye.tiv), meaning 'to dwell'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָשַׁב 1090 vb. sit, remain, dwell

Qal

sit

sit, sit down

sit down

sit = be set (as a jewel)

remain, stay, tarry

with special emphasis of qualifying phr.

dwell, have one’s abode

of a land or city, sit, abide, seated in its place, fig. for be inhabited

Niph. be inhabited, of land

Pi. and they shall set their encampments in thee

Hiph.

cause to sit

cause to abide

cause to dwell

cause cities to be inhabited

marry (prop. give a dwelling to)

Hoph. and ye be made to dwell alone in the midst of the land

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3427 יָשַׁב sit, remain, dwell

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3427 yashab yaw-shab'

a primitive root; properly, to sit down (specifically as

judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to

remain; causatively, to settle, to marry:--(make to)

abide(-ing), continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-ing), ease

self, endure, establish, X fail, habitation, haunt, (make to)

inhabit(-ant), make to keep (house), lurking, X marry(-ing),

(bring again to) place, remain, return, seat, set(- tle),

(down-)sit(-down, still, -ting down, -ting (place) -uate),

take, tarry.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָשַׁב (ya.shav) — to dwell.

1) to dwell, remain, sit, abide

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to sit, sit down

1a2) to be set

1a3) to remain, stay

1a4) to dwell, have one's abode

1b) (Niphal) to be inhabited

1c) (Piel) to set, place

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to cause to sit

1d2) to cause to abide, set

1d3) to cause to dwell

1d4) to cause (cities) to be inhabited

1d5) to marry (give an dwelling to)

1e) (Hophal)

1e1) to be inhabited

1e2) to make to dwell

Aramaic equivalent: ye.tiv (יְתִב "to dwell" H3488)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
HVqi3ms
every bed which he will lie down on it the [one] discharging it will be unclean and every article which he will sit on it it will be unclean
עָלָ֖יו'a.Lav on it H5921 Preposition · suffix
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)

Read the full entry →
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

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | Suff — Preposition · suffix
HRd/Sp3ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
every bed which he will lie down on it the [one] discharging it will be unclean and every article which he will sit on it it will be unclean
יִטְמָֽא׃yit.Ma' it will be unclean H2930 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
162× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to be foul or contaminated, often in a moral or ceremonial sense. It is used in the Bible to describe something that is unclean or polluted. In the book of Leviticus, it talks about being unclean and how to become clean again.
Amplified meaning
foul, polluted
Tyndale gloss
to defile
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

טָמֵא (tame') is a Hebrew root meaning to be or become unclean, covering various contexts such as sexual, religious, and ceremonial impurity. The noun form, טָמְאָה (tam'ah), refers to uncleanness itself. The entries indicate that the word can be used reflexively to mean defiling oneself.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

טָמֵא vb. be or become unclean

Qal be or become unclean

Niph. defile oneself, be defiled

Pi. defile

Pu. myself is not polluted

Hithp.—reflexive, defile oneself

Hothp. after that she has been defiled

base

טָמְאָה n.f. uncleanness Mi 2:10

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2930a טָמֵא be or become unclean .be or become unclean

. defile oneself, be defiled

. defile

. myself is not pulluted

.—reflexive, defile oneself

. after that she has been defiled

H2930b טָמְאָה uncleanness

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2930 tame' taw-may'

a primitive root; to be foul, especially in a ceremial or

moral sense (contaminated):--defile (self), pollute (self), be

(make, make self, pronounce) unclean, X utterly.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

טָמֵא (ta.me) — to defile.

1) to be unclean, become unclean, become impure

1a) (Qal) to be or become unclean

1a1) sexually

1a2) religiously

1a3) ceremonially

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to defile oneself, be defiled

1b1a) sexually

1b1b) by idolatry

1b1c) ceremonially

1b2) to be regarded as unclean

1c) (Piel)

1c1) to defile

1c1a) sexually

1c1b) religiously

1c1c) ceremonially

1c2) to pronounce unclean, declare unclean (ceremonially)

1c3) to profane (God's name)

1d) (Pual) to be defiled

1e) (Hithpael) to be unclean

1f) (Hothpael) to be defiled

טָמְאָה (tam.ah) — uncleanness.

uncleanness

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
HVqi3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

See CLEAN.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ (Ceremonially speaking)

Creatures designated as such Le 11; De 14

→ See UNCLEANNESS

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.

Everything we make is available for free because of a generous community of supporters.

Donate