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Leviticus 17:16 — Word Study

Depth

WLCוְאִם֙ לֹ֣א יְכַבֵּ֔ס וּבְשָׂר֖וֹ לֹ֣א יִרְחָ֑ץ וְנָשָׂ֖א עֲוֹנֽוֹ׃ פ

BSABut ifʼim he does notlôʼ [refuse to, fail to] washkâbaç his clothes and batherâchats [cleanse, purify] himselfbâsâr then he shall bearnâsâʼ [lift, carry, be responsible for] his iniquityʻâvôn [sin, moral evil, guilt]

Word
Listen & take awayLeviticus 17
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 16 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 (a.vo.No) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Leviticus 17:16quick helps
In a sentenceThis verse outlines the consequences for failing to wash, emphasizing the importance of ritual cleanliness.
Who is speakingGod, providing instructions to the Israelites.
Where we areIn the laws regarding cleanliness and ritual observance.
The hard wordעֲוֹן
Take awayNeglecting these commands results in bearing one's own guilt.
6 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbכָּבַס 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 17:16

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 of Cleanlinessgenerated

13And if any Israelite or foreigner living among them hunts down a wild animal or bird that may be eaten, he must drain its blood and cover it with dirt.
14For the life of all flesh is its blood. Therefore I have told the Israelites, ‘You must not eat the blood of any living thing, because the life of all flesh is its blood; whoever eats it must be cut off.’
15And any person, whether native or foreigner, who eats anything found dead or mauled by wild beasts must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean until evening; then he will be clean.
16But if he does not wash his clothes and bathe himself, then he shall bear his iniquity.”

Leviticus 17:16 is part of a series of laws that govern the cleanliness of the Israelites, particularly regarding the handling of animals and blood. This verse specifically addresses the consequences of failing to wash one's clothes and bathe, linking physical cleanliness to spiritual accountability. It highlights the seriousness of obeying God's commands about ritual purity, which is a recurring theme in the book of Leviticus.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Leviticus 5:1“If someone sins by failing to testify when he hears a public charge about something he has witnessed, whether he has seen it or learned of it, he shall bear the iniquity.
2Leviticus 7:18If any of the meat from his peace offering is eaten on the third day, it will not be accepted. It will not be credited to the one who presented it; it shall be an abomination, and the one who eats of it shall bear his iniquity.
3Leviticus 19:8Whoever eats it will bear his iniquity, for he has profaned what is holy to the LORD. That person must be cut off from his people.
4Leviticus 20:17–19If a man marries his sister, whether the daughter of his father or of his mother, and they have sexual relations, it is a disgrace. They must be cut off in the sight of their people. He has uncovered the nakedness of his sister; he shall bear his iniquity.
5Numbers 19:19–20The man who is ceremonially clean is to sprinkle the unclean person on the third day and on the seventh day. After he purifies the unclean person on the seventh day, the one being cleansed must wash his clothes and bathe in water, and that evening he will be clean.

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

But if he wash them not, nor bathe his flesh; then he shall bear his iniquity.Leviticus 5:1 Leviticus 7:18 Leviticus 19:8 Leviticus 20:17–19 Numbers 19:19–20 Isaiah 53:11 John 13:8 Hebrews 9:28 1 Peter 2:24

The Key Word עֲוֹן, a.vo.Nogenerated

The word עֲוֹן (avon) refers to iniquity or moral evil, emphasizing the weight of sin in the biblical context. It indicates not just wrongdoing but also the guilt and consequences that come with it.

In this verse, it is tied to the actions of the individual, suggesting that neglecting the prescribed washing rituals leads to personal accountability for one's iniquity. This reflects the broader theme in Leviticus where physical actions have spiritual implications.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb in this verse is יִרְחָץ, he will wash, which governs the actions described in the clauses. The structure presents a conditional statement, indicating that if the washing does not occur, the individual will bear their iniquity.

The sentence is built around this conditional framework, with the negations לֹא emphasizing the importance of the washing actions. The flow of the verse highlights the cause-and-effect relationship between the washing and the bearing of iniquity.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates יְכַבֵּ֔ס as πλύνῃ, which means 'to wash' and aligns closely with the Hebrew meaning. This choice maintains the focus on the act of washing as essential for purity.

The Greek word for עֲוֹן is αὐτοῦ, which indicates possession, aligning with the Hebrew's emphasis on personal responsibility for one's iniquity.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Leviticus 17:16 explains that if a person does not wash their clothes and bathe, they will bear their iniquity. This highlights the importance of following God's laws about cleanliness.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean to bear one's iniquity?

To bear one's iniquity means to take responsibility for one's sins or moral failures, as indicated in this verse.

Why is cleanliness emphasized in Leviticus?

Cleanliness is emphasized as a reflection of spiritual purity and obedience to God's commands.

What are the consequences of not following these cleanliness laws?

The consequence is bearing one's own iniquity, which signifies guilt and accountability before God.

How does this verse relate to the overall message of Leviticus?

This verse illustrates the connection between physical actions and spiritual standing, a central theme throughout Leviticus.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways do I recognize the importance of cleanliness in my own life?
  2. How can I take responsibility for my actions and their consequences?
  3. What does it mean to me to bear my iniquity in the context of my faith?
  4. How do the laws in Leviticus help me understand my relationship with God?

Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Leviticus 17:16 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

But if he wash [them] not,.... Neither wash his clothes: nor bathe his flesh; if he is negligent, and does not take care to make use of these ablutions: then he shall bear his iniquity; his guilt

Read John Gill on Leviticus 17 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And every soul that eateth that which died of itself, or that which was torn with beasts, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger, he shall both wash his clothes, and bathe himself in

Read Robert Jamieson on Leviticus 17 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

i.e. The punishment of it, and therefore must offer a sacrifice for it. ,2 7:18

Read Matthew Poole on Leviticus 17 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Leviticus 17:16 But if he wash [them] not, nor bathe his flesh; then he shall bear his iniquity.Ver. 16. Shall bear his iniquity,] i.e., The punishment of it: they are so near akin, that one name serves for both.

Read John Trapp on Leviticus 17 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(16) Then he shall bear his iniquity.—If he neglects these acts of purification, and enters the sanctuary in a defiled state, or partakes of the sacrificial meal, he is to incur the penalty of excision for the former act, and to be beaten with stripes for the latter, according to the interpretation given to this law in the time of Christ.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Leviticus 17 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

16. He shall bear his iniquity — The punishment shall be visited. The same words, in the original, in Exodus 34:7, and Leviticus 10:17, (see note,) signify to bear away or expiate iniquity. See Numbers 9:13, note.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Leviticus 17 →

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

But if he does not wash his clothes and bathe himself, then he shall bear his iniquity.”

WEBWorld English Bible2000

But if he doesn’t wash them, or bathe his flesh, then he shall bear his iniquity.’”

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

But if he does not wash his clothes and bathe himself, then he shall bear his iniquity.”

NETBNew English Translation2006

But if he does not wash his clothes and does not bathe his body, he will bear his punishment for iniquity.’”

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

But if he wash them not, nor bathe his flesh; then he shall bear his iniquity.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

But if he wash them not, nor bathe his flesh, then he shall bear his iniquity.

RVARevised Version, American1894

But if he wash them not, nor bathe his flesh, then he shall bear his iniquity.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

But if he doth not wash them , nor bathe his flesh; then he shall bear his iniquity.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

But if he wash them not, nor wash his flesh, then he shall beare his iniquitie.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And if he wash them not nor bathe his flesh, then he shall bear his iniquity.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

and if he wash not, and his flesh bathe not — then he hath borne his iniquity.'

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

and if he does not wash, and does not bathe his flesh—then he has borne his iniquity.”

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

But if he wash [them] not, nor bathe his flesh, then shall he bear his iniquity.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

But if he does not wash his clothes or bathe his body, then he must carry his guilt.'”

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

But if he do not wash his clothes, and his body, he shall bear his iniquity.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

But if they don't wash their clothes and wash themselves with water, then they bear responsibility for their guilt.”

BBEBible in Basic English1949

But if his clothing is not washed and his body bathed, his sin will be on him.

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.

וְandclauseclauseאִם֙ifclauseclauseadverbialלֹ֣אnotverbיְכַבֵּ֔סhe.will.washוּandclausenoun phrase · objectבְשָׂר֖bodyוֹhisadverbialלֹ֣אnotverbיִרְחָ֑ץhe.will.washוְandclauseverbנָשָׂ֖אhe.will.bearnoun phrase · objectעֲוֺנֽiniquityוֹhis

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


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

The Masoretic Text and the Samaritan Pentateuch agree word for word on this verse, confirming the consistency of the instruction regarding cleanliness and its consequences.

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

וְאִם֙ לֹ֣א יְכַבֵּ֔ס וּבְשָׂר֖וֹ לֹ֣א יִרְחָ֑ץ וְנָשָׂ֖א עֲוֹנֽוֹ׃ פ

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וְאִם֙ἐὰνלֹ֣אμὴיְכַבֵּ֔סπλύνῃוּבְשָׂר֖וֹσῶμαלֹ֣אμὴיִרְחָ֑ץλούσηταιוְנָשָׂ֖אλήμψεταιעֲוֹנֽוֹ׃ פαὐτοῦ

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

Samaritan Pentateuchthe Torah as the Samaritan community kept it

ואם לא יכבס ובשׂרו לא ירחץ ונשׂא עונו

Agrees with the Masoretic Text here, word for word.

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 17:16אִםand ifand ifאִםלֹאnotnotלֹאכָּבַסhe will washe will washכָּבַסבָּשָׂרand body hiand body hisבָּשָׂרלֹאnotnotלֹארָחַץhe will washe will washרָחַץנָשָׂאand he willand he will beaנָשָׂאעָוֹןiniquity hiiniquity hisעָוֹןבָּשַׂרto bear tito bear tidingsבָּשַׂראֵבfruitfruitאֵבאָבַדto perishto perishאָבַדעָוָהto twistto twistעָוָהאֲבַדto destroyto destroyאֲבַדיָכֹלbe ablebe ableיָכֹלעוֹדstillstillעוֹדבֶּ֫גֶדtreacherytreacheryבֶּ֫גֶדחֵןfavorfavorחֵןיֵשׁtherethereיֵשׁרָחַץto wash: wto wash: washרָחַץעוֹרskinskinעוֹרעֶ֫צֶםboneboneעֶ֫צֶםכָּבַסto washto washכָּבַסכְּלִמָּהshameshameכְּלִמָּהמָשָׁלproverbproverbמָשָׁלפֶּ֫שַׁעtransgresstransgressionפֶּ֫שַׁעחַטָּאָהsinsinחַטָּאָה
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 17:16

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

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

and if not he will wash and body his not he will wash and he will bear iniquity his
וְאִם֙ve.'Im and if H518 Conjunction · particle
1,070× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word is used to express conditions or questions, like if or whether. It can also be used to make oaths or express wishes, as in Oh that! It appears in various forms in the KJV, including if, though, and when.
Tyndale gloss
if
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אִם (im) is a Hebrew conjunction primarily meaning 'if' and is used in various contexts, including conditional clauses and interrogative situations. It can also express negation, alternatives, or exceptions, and appears frequently in the Old Testament. The lexicons note its use in oaths and its ability to connect different clauses, sometimes altering their meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אִם conj.

hypoth. part. if

Interrog. part.

base

כִּי אם־

each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause:

that if

for if

(About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause—

limiting the prec. clause, except

the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but

after an oath, surely

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H518a אִם conj. . hypoth. part. if

. Interrog. part.

H518b כִּי אם־ . each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause: . that if

. for if

. (About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause— . limiting the prec. clause, except

. the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but

. after an oath, surely

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

518 'im eem

a primitive particle; used very widely as demonstrative, lo!;

interrog., whether?; or conditional, if, although; also Oh

that!, when; hence, as a negative, not:--(and, can-,

doubtless, if, that) (not), + but, either, + except, +

more(-over if, than), neither, nevertheless, nor, oh that, or,

+ save (only, -ing), seeing, since, sith, + surely (no more,

none, not), though, + of a truth, + unless, + verily, when,

whereas, whether, while, + yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אִם (im) — if.

: if/whether_or/though

1) if

1a) conditional clauses

1a1) of possible situations

1a2) of impossible situations

1b) oath contexts

1b1) no, not

1c) if...if, whether...or, whether...or...or

1d) when, whenever

1e) since

1f) interrogative particle

1g) but rather

[כִּי] אם (ki im) — if: except.

1) except if

1a) but if

אִם (im) — if: surely no.

: surely_no

1) if

1a) conditional clauses

1a1) of possible situations

1a2) of impossible situations

1b) oath contexts

1b1) no, not

1c) if...if, whether...or, whether...or...or

1d) when, whenever

1e) since

1f) interrogative particle

1g) but rather

אִם (im) — if: surely yes.

: surely_yes

1) if

1a) conditional clauses

1a1) of possible situations

1a2) of impossible situations

1b) oath contexts

1b1) no, not

1c) if...if, whether...or, whether...or...or

1d) when, whenever

1e) since

1f) interrogative particle

1g) but rather

אִם (im) — if: until.

: until/except

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Conj — Conjunction · particle
HC/Tc
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and if not he will wash and body his not he will wash and he will bear iniquity his
לֹ֣אlo' not H3808 Particle
5,170× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Amplified meaning
refuse to, fail to
Tyndale gloss
not
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לֹא or לוֹא adv. not

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3808 lo' lo

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לֹא (lo) — not.

1) not, no

1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)

1b) not (with modifier-negation)

1c) nothing (subst)

1d) without (with particle)

1e) before (of time)

Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part — Particle
HTn
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and if not he will wash and body his not he will wash and he will bear iniquity his
יְכַבֵּ֔סye.kha.Bes he will wash H3526 Verb · Piel · imperfect third person masculine singular
51× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To wash means to clean something, often by trampling or stamping on it with the feet, as seen in the process of washing clothes.
Tyndale gloss
to wash
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כָּבַס (kabac) means to wash, specifically by treading, and is associated with the work of a fuller. It can refer to both literal washing of garments or people and figurative uses. The entries note various forms, including participles and different verb stems, indicating actions like washing and being washed.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[כָּבַס] 51 vb. (tread), wash

Qal highway of fuller’s (= treader’s, washer’s) field

Pi.

wash garments (i.e. by treading)

wash person

Pu. be washed, of garment

Hothp. after the plague is washed out

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3526 כָּבַס (tread), wash

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3526 kabac kaw-bas'

a primitive root; to trample; hence, to wash (properly, by

stamping with the feet), whether literal (including the

fulling process) or figurative:--fuller, wash(-ing).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כָּבַס (ka.vas) — Washer's.

This name means to wash (by treading)

כָּבַס (ka.vas) — to wash.

1) to wash (by treading), be washed, perform the work of a fuller

1a) (Qal) washer, fuller, treader (participle)

1b) (Piel) to wash (garments, person)

1c) (Pual) to be washed

1d) (Hothpael) to be washed out

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Piel-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Piel · imperfect third person masculine singular
HVpi3ms
and if not he will wash and body his not he will wash and he will bear iniquity his
וּבְשָׂר֖וֹu.ve.sa.Ro and body his H1320 Conjunction · noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
270× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for flesh refers to the body or a person, and can also describe living things or animals. In the Bible, it is used to describe humans and animals, as in Genesis and Leviticus.
Tyndale gloss
flesh
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בָּשָׂר (basar) means 'flesh' and encompasses various meanings, including the physical body, kinship, and a euphemism for male genitalia. It can refer to humans, animals, and all living things, highlighting the frailty of man in relation to God. The entries consistently emphasize its bodily and relational aspects.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בָּשָׂר 266 n.m. flesh

of the body

flesh for the body itself

male organ of generation (euphemism)

flesh for kindred, blood-relations

man over against God as frail or erring

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1320 בָּשָׂר flesh . of the body

. flesh for the body itself

. male organ of generation (euphemism)

. flesh for kindred, blood-relations

. man over against God as frail or erring

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1320 basar baw-sawr'

from 1319; flesh (from its freshness); by extension, body,

person; also (by euphem.) the pudenda of a man:--body, (fat,

lean) flesh(-ed), kin, (man-)kind, + nakedness, self, skin.

see HEBREW for 01319

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בָּשָׂר (ba.sar) — flesh.

1) flesh

1a) of the body

1a1) of humans

1a2) of animals

1b) the body itself

1c) male organ of generation (euphemism)

1d) kindred, blood-relations

1e) flesh as frail or erring (man against God)

1f) all living things

1g) animals

1h) mankind

Aramaic equivalent: be.shar (בְּשַׁר "flesh" H1321)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | N-ms | Suff — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HC/Ncmsc/Sp3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hiz: Used often in the King James Version with reference to a neuter or inanimate thing, or to a lower animal (Ge 1:11, "after his kind"; Le 1:16, "pluck away his crop"; Ac 12:10, "of his own accord"; 1Co 15:38, "his own body"), etc. the Revised Version (British and American) substitutes "its."

and if not he will wash and body his not he will wash and he will bear iniquity his
לֹ֣אlo' not H3808 Particle
5,170× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Tyndale gloss
not
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לֹא or לוֹא adv. not

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3808 lo' lo

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לֹא (lo) — not.

1) not, no

1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)

1b) not (with modifier-negation)

1c) nothing (subst)

1d) without (with particle)

1e) before (of time)

Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTn — Particle
HTn
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and if not he will wash and body his not he will wash and he will bear iniquity his
יִרְחָ֑ץyir.Chatz he will wash H7364 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
72× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for washing or bathing, used in Exodus 30:19 where priests had to wash their hands and feet before entering the temple. It means to clean or purify oneself, as seen in 2 Kings 5:10 where Elisha tells Naaman to wash in the Jordan River.
Amplified meaning
cleanse, purify
Tyndale gloss
to wash: wash
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רָחַץ (rachats) is a Hebrew verb meaning to wash or bathe. It covers various forms of washing, including washing oneself and being washed. The entries indicate its use in different grammatical forms, such as Qal, Pual, and Hithpael, which reflect actions of washing and being washed. The lexicons do not present any significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רָחַץ 72 vb. wash, wash off, away, bathe

Qal 69

trans. wash (with water)

intrans. wash, bathe (oneself)

Pu. be washed

Hithp. if I washed myself in snow

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7364 רָחַץ wash, wash off, away, bathe

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7364 rachats raw-khats'

a primitive root; to lave (the whole or a part of a

thing):--bathe (self), wash (self).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רָחַץ (ra.chats) — to wash: wash.

: wash

1) to wash, wash off, wash away, bathe

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to wash, wash off, wash away

1a2) to wash, bathe (oneself)

1b) (Pual) to be washed

1c) (Hithpael) to wash oneself

2a) (Hithpael Passive) to be regarded clean, trustworthy

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
HVqi3ms
and if not he will wash and body his not he will wash and he will bear iniquity his
וְנָשָׂ֖אve.na.Sa' and he will bear H5375 Verb · Qal · sequential perfect third person masculine singular
656× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means to lift or raise something, and it's used in many ways, like lifting a burden or raising someone's status. It appears in books like Genesis and Isaiah, often talking about God lifting people up. It's about supporting or carrying something or someone.
Amplified meaning
lift, carry, be responsible for
Tyndale gloss
to lift: raise
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word נָשָׂא (nasa') means to lift, carry, or take, encompassing a wide range of applications both literal and figurative. It can refer to actions like bearing burdens, taking away, or being exalted. The entries indicate various forms and uses, including the ability to lift oneself up or cause others to bear iniquity. There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נָשָׂא 656 vb. lift, carry, take

Qal

lift, lift up

Bear, carry

Take, take away

Niph.

be lifted up

refl. lift oneself up = rise up, of י׳, to display power in judgment

be borne, carried

be taken away, carried off

Pi.

lift up = exalt

fig. = desire, long

carry, bear continuously

take, take away

Hithp. lift oneself up

Hiph.

cause one to bear iniquity

appar. cause to bring, have brought

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5375 נָשָׂא lift, carry, take .. lift, lift up

. Bear, carry

. Take, take away

. . be lifted up

. refl. lift oneself up = rise up, of י׳, to display power in judgment

. be borne, carried

. be taken away, carried off

. . lift up = exalt

. fig. = desire, long

. carry, bear continuously

. take, take away

. lift oneself up

. . cause one to bear iniquity

. appar. cause to bring, have brought

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5375 nasa' naw-saw'

or nacah (Psalm 4 : 6 (7)) {naw-saw'}; a primitive root; to

lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and

figurative, absol. and rel. (as follows):--accept, advance,

arise, (able to, (armor), suffer to) bear(-er, up), bring

(forth), burn, carry (away), cast, contain, desire, ease,

exact, exalt (self), extol, fetch, forgive, furnish, further,

give, go on, help, high, hold up, honorable (+ man), lade,

lay, lift (self) up, lofty, marry, magnify, X needs, obtain,

pardon, raise (up), receive, regard, respect, set (up), spare,

stir up, + swear, take (away, up), X utterly, wear, yield.

see HEBREW for 04

see HEBREW for 06

see HEBREW for 07

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָשָׂא (na.sa) — to lift: raise.

: raise/take_up

1) to lift, bear up, carry, take

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to lift, lift up

1a2) to bear, carry, support, sustain, endure

1a3) to take, take away, carry off, forgive

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be lifted up, be exalted

1b2) to lift oneself up, rise up

1b3) to be borne, be carried

1b4) to be taken away, be carried off, be swept away

1c) (Piel)

1c1) to lift up, exalt, support, aid, assist

1c2) to desire, long (fig.)

1c3) to carry, bear continuously

1c4) to take, take away

1d) (Hithpael) to lift oneself up, exalt oneself

1e) (Hiphil)

1e1) to cause one to bear (iniquity)

1e2) to cause to bring, have brought

נָשָׂא (na.sa) — to lift: bear.

: look/lift(eyes)

1) to lift, bear up, carry, take

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to lift, lift up

1a2) to bear, carry, support, sustain, endure

1a3) to take, take away, carry off, forgive

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be lifted up, be exalted

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential perfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqq3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

bar (dobh; compare Arabic dubb): In 1Sa 17:34-37, David tells Saul how as a shepherd boy he had overcome a lion and a bear. In 2Ki 2:24 it is related that two she bears came out of the wood and tore forty-two of the children who had been mocking Elisha. All the other references to bears are figurative; compare 2Sa 17:8; Pr 17:12; 28:15; Isa 11:7; 59:11; La 3:10; Da 7:5; Ho 13:8; Am 5:19;

Bear

A native of the mountain regions of Western Asia, frequently mentioned in Scripture. David defended his flocks against the attacks of a bear (1 Sam. 17:34-37). Bears came out of the wood and destroyed the children who mocked the prophet Elisha (2 Kings 2:24). Their habits are referred to in Isa. 59:11; Prov. 28:15; Lam. 3:10. The fury of the female bear when robbed of her young is spoken of (2 Sam. 17:8; Prov. 17:12; Hos. 13:8). In Daniel’s vision of the…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(1 Samuel 17:34; 2 Samuel 17:8) The Syrian bear, Ursus syriacus, which is without doubt the animal mentioned in the Bible, is still found on the higher mountains of Palestine. During the summer months these bears keep to the snowy parts of Lebanon, but descend in winter to the villages and Gardens. It is probable also that at this period in former days they extended their visits to other parts of Palestine.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

That bears were common in Palestine appears from several passages in the Old Testament, 1Sa 17:34,36,37; 2Sa 17:8; 2Ki 2:24. The species known in Syria resembles the common brown bear; it is sill met in the recesses of Lebanon. To a sullen and ferocious disposition, the bear joins immense strength, considerable sagacity, and the power of climbing trees. Her ferocity, especially when her young are injured, is proverbial. See 2Sa 17:8; Pr 17:12; Isa 11:7; Ho 13:8.

and if not he will wash and body his not he will wash and he will bear iniquity his
עֲוֹנֽוֹ׃ פa.vo.No iniquity his H5771 Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
233× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means moral evil or sin, like the kind God sees in people's hearts. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Psalms. This concept is key to understanding human nature.
Amplified meaning
sin, moral evil, guilt
Tyndale gloss
iniquity: crime
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עָוֹן (avon) refers to iniquity, guilt, or the punishment associated with iniquity. It encompasses concepts of moral evil, such as perversity and depravity, and includes the consequences or punishment for these actions. The term appears in contexts like 2 Kings 7:9 and Psalm 51:5, highlighting its significance in discussions of sin and guilt.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עָוֹן n.m. iniquity, guilt, or punishment of iniquity

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5771 עָוֹן iniquity, guilt, or punishment of iniquity

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5771 `avon aw-vone'

or oavown (2 Kings 7:9; Psalm 51:5 (7)) {aw-vone'}; from

5753; perversity, i.e. (moral) evil:--fault, iniquity,

mischeif, punishment (of iniquity), sin.

see HEBREW for 07

see HEBREW for 05753

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עָוֺן (a.van) — iniquity: crime.

: crime

1) perversity, depravity, iniquity, guilt or punishment of iniquity

1a) iniquity

1b) guilt of iniquity, guilt (as great), guilt (of condition)

1c) consequence of or punishment for iniquity

עָוֺן (a.van) — iniquity: guilt.

: guilt

1) perversity, depravity, iniquity, guilt or punishment of iniquity

1a) iniquity

1b) guilt of iniquity, guilt (as great), guilt (of condition)

1c) consequence of or punishment for iniquity

עָוֺן (a.van) — iniquity: punishment.

: punishment

1) perversity, depravity, iniquity, guilt or punishment of iniquity

1a) iniquity

1b) guilt of iniquity, guilt (as great), guilt (of condition)

1c) consequence of or punishment for iniquity

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-cs | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HNcmsc/Sp3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hiz: Used often in the King James Version with reference to a neuter or inanimate thing, or to a lower animal (Ge 1:11, "after his kind"; Le 1:16, "pluck away his crop"; Ac 12:10, "of his own accord"; 1Co 15:38, "his own body"), etc. the Revised Version (British and American) substitutes "its."

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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