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Leviticus 25:1 — Word Study

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WLCוַיְדַבֵּ֤ר יְהוָה֙ אֶל־ מֹשֶׁ֔ה בְּהַ֥ר סִינַ֖י לֵאמֹֽר׃

BSAThen the LORDYᵉhôvâh [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] saiddâbar [to speak, communicate] toʼêl MosesMôsheh [the Israelite leader, born to Amram and Jochebed] on Mounthar [a real mountain] SinaiÇîynay [where the Law was received from God, saying, commanding, promising]

Word
Listen & take awayLeviticus 25
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 1 opens the 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 (le.Mor) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Leviticus 25:1quick helps
In a sentenceGod speaks to Moses on Mount Sinai, giving him instructions.
Who is speakingThe LORD, identified as Yahweh, the covenant God of Israel.
Where we areOn Mount Sinai, a significant location where the Law was given.
The hard wordיְדַבֵּר
Take awayGod communicates His commands to Moses.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectיהוה verbדָבַר 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 25:1

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 — God's Instructions to Mosesgenerated

1Then the LORD said to Moses on Mount Sinai,
2“Speak to the Israelites and say to them: When you enter the land that I am giving you, the land itself must observe a Sabbath to the LORD.
3For six years you may sow your field and prune your vineyard and gather its crops.
4But in the seventh year there shall be a Sabbath of complete rest for the land—a Sabbath to the LORD. You are not to sow your field or prune your vineyard.

Leviticus 25:1 records the moment when the LORD speaks to Moses, providing him with directives for the Israelites. This passage is part of a larger section where God outlines laws and regulations for His people, emphasizing their relationship with Him and the land He has given them. The setting on Mount Sinai underscores the significance of the Law as a divine revelation.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Exodus 19:1In the third month, on the same day of the month that the Israelites had left the land of Egypt, they came to the Wilderness of Sinai.
2Numbers 1:1On the first day of the second month of the second year after the Israelites had come out of the land of Egypt, the LORD spoke to Moses in the Tent of Meeting in the Wilderness of Sinai. He said:
3Numbers 10:11–12On the twentieth day of the second month of the second year, the cloud was lifted from above the tabernacle of the Testimony,
4Galatians 4:24–25These things serve as illustrations, for the women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children into slavery: This is Hagar.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 4 references, hung on the phrase they belong to

And the LORD spake unto Moses in mount Sinai, saying,Exodus 19:1 Numbers 1:1 Numbers 10:11–12 Galatians 4:24–25

The Key Word יְדַבֵּר, vay.da.Bergenerated

The verb דָבַר (dabar) means 'to speak' and is used here in the Piel stem, indicating an active communication. It encompasses a range of actions such as declaring, commanding, and conversing, highlighting the authority of God's words.

This form indicates that God is not merely speaking but is actively engaging with Moses, conveying important commands. The use of this verb reflects the seriousness of the message being delivered.


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 וַיְדַבֵּר, and He spoke, which governs the entire sentence. The structure includes a prepositional phrase indicating the recipient of the speech, another prepositional phrase indicating the location, and a final phrase that introduces what is being said.

The order emphasizes the action of speaking, with the subject (the LORD) preceding the object (Moses) and the location (Mount Sinai) following, highlighting the divine authority in this communication.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates וַיְדַבֵּר as ἐλάλησεν (elalēsen), which also means 'he spoke.' This choice maintains the directness of God's communication but may imply a more conversational tone.

The use of κύριος for יְהוָה reflects the Greek tradition of rendering the divine name in a way that emphasizes God's lordship.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Leviticus 25:1 tells us that the LORD spoke to Moses while he was on Mount Sinai. This moment is significant as it marks the giving of God's laws and instructions to the Israelites, emphasizing their covenant relationship with Him.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What is the significance of God speaking to Moses?

God's communication with Moses signifies the establishment of laws and guidelines for the Israelites, highlighting the importance of obedience and covenant.

Why is Mount Sinai important?

Mount Sinai is significant because it is the location where Moses received the Law from God, making it a central place in the history of Israel.

What does the name Yahweh mean?

Yahweh is the covenant name of God, signifying His eternal and self-existent nature, and is often associated with His promises to Israel.

What does it mean that God 'spoke' to Moses?

When God 'spoke' to Moses, it indicates a direct and authoritative communication, conveying important instructions and commands for the people.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. How does God's communication with Moses shape our understanding of His relationship with His people?
  2. What can we learn from the way God gives instructions to Moses?
  3. Why is it important for us to listen to God's words today?
  4. In what ways can we apply the principles given to Moses in our own lives?

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Leviticus 25:1 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

And the Lord spake unto Moses in Mount Sinai,.... Not when Moses was with the Lord on that mount forty days, but after he came down from thence, even after the tabernacle was set up, while the

Read John Gill on Leviticus 25 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And the LORD spake unto Moses in mount Sinai, saying, No JFB commentary on this verse.

Read Robert Jamieson on Leviticus 25 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

CHAPTER 25 The land not to be tilled, but rest the seventh year; and that which grew of itself in the field or vineyard to be meat for them and their cattle, . The jubilee on the day of atonement; a year of liberty and restoration; a year of rest to the land; of the peculiar blessing of God on it, . Sold inheritances to be redeemed at any time; but now to be restored; a dwelling-house in a walled city only excepted, . Kindness to the poor; usury forbidden; an Israelite must not be a bond-man or maid, but a hired servant till the year of jubilee; bond-men or maids to be taken from the heathen; an inheritance for ever, Of an Israelite that should sell himself to a stranger, . 1491 i.e. Near…

Read Matthew Poole on Leviticus 25 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Leviticus 25:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses in mount Sinai, saying,Ver. 1. And the Lord spake unto Moses in Mount Sinai.] Posthuman, returning from the eastern parts, is, by Sulpitius, brought in thus speaking: I saw the Red Sea, I went up Mount Sinai, the very top whereof, reaching up almost to heaven, cannot be come at. Sulp., Dial i., cap. 2.

Read John Trapp on Leviticus 25 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

XXV.(1) And the Lord spake unto Moses.—This chapter should properly have followed Leviticus 23, since the institutions of the sabbatical year, and the jubile which it discusses, are closely connected with the regulations about the festivals laid down in that chapter. The isolation of these ordinances from the rest of the festivals cannot be satisfactorily explained on any other principle than that which the authorities during the second Temple laid down, viz., that many of the sections are transposed, and that “there is no strict sequence in the Law.” In Mount Sinai.—That is, in the mountainous regions of Sinai. The expression “mountain” is often used to denote a mountainous tract of…

Read Charles John Ellicott on Leviticus 25 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

CHAPTER XXV The law concerning the Sabbatical or seventh year repeated, 1-7. The law relative to the jubilee, or fiftieth year, and the hallowing of the fiftieth, 8-12. In the year of jubilee every one to return unto his possessions, 13. None to oppress another in buying and selling, 14. Purchases to be rated from jubilee to jubilee, according to the number of years unexpired, 15-17. Promises to obedience, 18,19. Promises relative to the Sabbatical year, 20-22. No inheritance must be finally alienated, 23, 24. No advantage to be taken of a man's poverty in buying his land, 25-28. Ordinances relative to the selling of a house in a walled city, 29, 30; in a village, 31. Houses of the Levites…

Read AdamClarke on Leviticus 25 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

1–7. The rest year was a transference to the land of the sabbatical idea emphasized each week for living creatures, the year being now taken as the unit instead of the day. See App. I, pp. 172 f. for the difference in standpoint between this and the parallel ordinances elsewhere in the Hexateucb, as indicating modifications of the same law in successive periods. The seventh year is to bear the same relation to the six preceding years as the sabbath to the six preceding days of the week. The parallel between the land and the bondman was close. The divinely appointed seventh day of rest is to be kept holy by abstaining from work, so the land shall keep every seventh year holy to the Lord by…

Read Cambridge on Leviticus 25 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The sabbatical year and the year of Jubilee belong to that great sabbatical system which runs through the religious observances of the Law, but rest upon moral rather than upon formally religious ground.

Read Albert Barnes on Leviticus 25 →

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

Then the LORD said to Moses on Mount Sinai,

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Yahweh said to Moses on Mount Sinai,

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Then the LORD said to Moses on Mount Sinai,

NETBNew English Translation2006

The Lord spoke to Moses at Mount Sinai:

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And the LORD spake unto Moses in mount Sinai, saying,

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And Jehovah spake unto Moses in mount Sinai, saying,

RVARevised Version, American1894

And the LORD spake unto Moses in mount Sinai, saying,

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And the LORD spoke to Moses in mount Sinai, saying,

GNVGeneva Bible1599

And the Lord spake vnto Moses in mount Sinai, saying,

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And Jehovah spoke to Moses in mount Sinai, saying,

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, in mount Sinai, saying,

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And YHWH speaks to Moses, in Mount Sinai, saying,

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And the Lord spoke unto Moses on mount Sinai, saying,

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Yahweh spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai, saying,

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And the Lord spoke to Moses in mount Sinai, saying:

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

The Lord told Moses on Mount Sinai,

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And the Lord said to Moses on Mount Sinai,

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.

וַandclauseverbיְדַבֵּ֤רhe.spokesubjectיְהוָה֙Yahwehprepositional phrase · prepositionalאֶלtoמֹשֶׁ֔הMosesprepositional phrase · prepositionalבְּonnoun phraseהַ֥רthe.mountainסִינַ֖יof.Sinaiprepositional phrase · prepositionalלֵ(cmp)clauseverbאמֹֽרsaying

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


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

The Masoretic Text states: וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָה אֶל־ מֹשֶׁה בְּהַר סִינַי לֵאמֹר׃. The Septuagint agrees with this text word for word, and the Samaritan Pentateuch also matches the Masoretic Text exactly, showing a strong consistency across these traditions.

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

וַיְדַבֵּ֤ר יְהוָה֙ אֶל־ מֹשֶׁ֔ה בְּהַ֥ר סִינַ֖י לֵאמֹֽר׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיְדַבֵּ֤רἐλάλησενיְהוָה֙κύριοςאֶל־πρὸςמֹשֶׁ֔הμωυσῆνבְּהַ֥רὄρειסִינַ֖יσιναלֵאמֹֽר׃λέγων

7 of the 7 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Samaritan Pentateuchthe Torah as the Samaritan community kept it

וידבר יהוה אל משׁה בהר סיני לאמר

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 25:1דָבַרand he spokand he spokeדָבַריהוהYahwehYahwehיהוהאֶלtotoאֶלמֹשֶׁהMosesMosesמֹשֶׁההַרon [the] moon [the] mountaהַרסִינַיSinaiSinaiסִינַיאָמַרsayingsayingאָמַרהָיָהto beto beהָיָהמָשָׁהto drawto drawמָשָׁההַרmountainmountainהַרמֹשֶׁהMosesMosesמֹשֶׁהלָשׁוֹןtonguetongueלָשׁוֹןנְאֻםutteranceutteranceנְאֻםצָבָאarmyarmyצָבָאפָּלַלto prayto prayפָּלַליִרְמְיָ֫הJeremiahJeremiahיִרְמְיָ֫האַהֲרֹןAaronAaronאַהֲרֹןצָוָהto commandto commandצָוָהגִּבְעָהGibeatGibeatגִּבְעָהאֶפְרַ֫יִםEphraimEphraimאֶפְרַ֫יִםמִדְבָּרmouthmouthמִדְבָּרהַרmountain: mountain: mountהַרכֹּהthusthusכֹּהיהוהYHWH/GodYHWH/Godיהוה
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 25:1

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 he spoke Yahweh to Moses on [the] mountain of Sinai saying
וַיְדַבֵּ֤רvay.da.Ber and he spoke H1696 Verb · Piel · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
1,142× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To speak or communicate, like God speaking to Moses in Exodus or a king commanding his people. It can also mean to promise or warn someone.
Amplified meaning
to speak, communicate
Tyndale gloss
to speak: speak
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

דָבַר (dabar) is a Hebrew verb primarily meaning 'to speak.' It encompasses a range of actions including declaring, commanding, and conversing. The root suggests a figurative use of words, with some entries noting a rare destructive sense of subduing. Various forms of the verb indicate different nuances, such as speaking with one another or making promises.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[דָבַר] 1142 vb. speak (original mng. dub.)

Qal speak

Niph. reciprocal sense, speak with one another, talk

Pi. speak

Pu. in the day when she may be spoken for

Hithp. speaking this word

Hiph. either leads subject, or puts to flight, fig. for subdues

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1696 דָבַר speak (original mng. dub.)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1696 dabar daw-bar'

a primitive root; perhaps properly, to arrange; but used

figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive

sense) to subdue:--answer, appoint, bid, command, commune,

declare, destroy, give, name, promise, pronounce, rehearse,

say, speak, be spokesman, subdue, talk, teach, tell, think,

use (entreaties), utter, X well, X work.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

דָבַר (da.var) — to speak: speak.

: speak/tell/command

1) to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing

1a) (Qal) to speak

1b) (Niphal) to speak with one another, talk

1c) (Piel)

1c1) to speak

1c2) to promise

1d) (Pual) to be spoken

1e) (Hithpael) to speak

1f) (Hiphil) to lead away, put to flight

דָבַר (da.var) — to speak: subdue.

: subdue

1) to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing

1a) (Qal) to speak

1b) (Niphal) to speak with one another, talk

1c) (Piel)

1c1) to speak

1c2) to promise

1d) (Pual) to be spoken

1e) (Hithpael) to speak

1f) (Hiphil) to lead away, put to flight

דָבַר (da.var) — to speak: promise.

: promise/declare

1) to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing

1a) (Qal) to speak

1b) (Niphal) to speak with one another, talk

1c) (Piel)

1c1) to speak

1c2) to promise

1d) (Pual) to be spoken

1e) (Hithpael) to speak

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Piel-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Piel · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vpw3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

spok (1Ki 7:33).

See SEA, THE MOLTEN.

and he spoke Yahweh to Moses on [the] mountain of Sinai saying
יְהוָה֙Yah.weh Yahweh H3068 Noun proper
6,528× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Yehovah is another name for God, often translated as 'the Lord'. It is a national name for God in the Jewish faith. This name is used throughout the Old Testament.
Amplified meaning
Yehovah, The covenant Name of God
Tyndale gloss
The Lord
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

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

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

יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D

the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy

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

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw'

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

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

see HEBREW for 01961

see HEBREW for 03050

see HEBREW for 03069

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — LORD.

Jehovah = "the existing One"

1) the proper name of the one true God

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

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — The Lord.

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

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

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper
HNpt
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he spoke Yahweh to Moses on [the] mountain of Sinai saying
אֶל־'el- to H413 Preposition
5,518× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means 'to' or 'toward', showing direction or movement. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus, to indicate where someone is going. The KJV translates it in various ways, like 'about', 'according to', or 'against'.
Tyndale gloss
to(wards)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֶל (el) is primarily a preposition indicating motion towards or direction to a person or place. It can also imply entering a limit, presence at a location, or a hostile direction (against). Additionally, it may express concepts such as concerning, in addition to, or according to. The entries highlight its versatility in both physical and metaphorical contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph),

prep. denoting motion to or direction towards (whether physical or mental).of motion to or unto a person or place

Where the limit is actually entered, into

Of direction towards anything

Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against

Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to

Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

Of rule or standard according to (rare)

Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion

Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H413 אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph), . of motion to or unto a person or place

. Where the limit is actually entered, into

. Of direction towards anything

. Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against

. Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to

. Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

. Of rule or standard according to (rare)

. Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion

. Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

413 'el ale

(but only used in the shortened constructive form sel {el});

a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but

occasionally used of a quiescent position, i.e. near, with or

among; often in general, to:--about, according to ,after,

against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and,

by, concerning, for, from, X hath, in(- to), near, (out) of,

over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether,

with(-in).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶל (el) — to(wards).

1) to, toward, unto (of motion)

2) into (limit is actually entered)

2a) in among

3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion)

4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character)

5) in addition to, to

6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of

7) according to (rule or standard)

8) at, by, against (of one's presence)

9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Preposition
HR
and he spoke Yahweh to Moses on [the] mountain of Sinai saying
מֹשֶׁ֔הmo.Sheh Moses H4872 Noun proper masculine
766× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Moses, the Israelite leader, was born to Amram and Jochebed and led the Exodus from Egypt. He received the law from God and is considered a key figure in the Bible. Moses means 'drawn' in Hebrew.
Amplified meaning
the Israelite leader, born to Amram and Jochebed
Tyndale gloss
Moses
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מֹשֶׁה (Mosheh) refers to Moses, the prominent Hebrew leader, prophet, and lawgiver. The name is derived from the root meaning 'drawing out,' indicating his rescue from water. He is a key figure in the Old Testament, first mentioned in Exodus 2:10, and is known for leading the Israelites during the Exodus.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מֹשֶׁה 767 n.pr.m. Moses, the great Hebrew leader, prophet and lawgiver

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4872 מֹשֶׁה Moses, the great Hebrew leader, prophet and lawgiver

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4872 Mosheh mo-sheh'

from 4871; drawing out (of the water), i.e. rescued; Mosheh,

the Israelite lawgiver:--Moses.

see HEBREW for 04871

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מֹשֶׁה (mo.sheh) — Moses.

A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Exo.2.10;

son of: Amram (H6019) and Jochebed (H3115);

brother of: Aaron (H0175) and Miriam (H4813); married to Zipporah (H6855);

father of: Gershom (H1647) and Eliezer (H0461H); also called Manasseh at Jdg.18.30(?)

§ Moses = "drawn"

the prophet and lawgiver, leader of the exodus

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper masculine
HNpm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

mo'-zez, mo'-ziz (mosheh; Egyptian mes, "drawn out," "born"; Septuagint Mouse(s)). The great Hebrew national hero, leader, author, law-giver and prophet.

I. LIFE

1. Son of Levi

2. Foundling Prince

3. Friend of the People

4. Refuge in Midian

5. Leader of Israel

II. WORK AND CHARACTER

1. The Author

2. The Lawgiver

3. The Prophet

LITERATURE

The traditional view of the Jewish church and of the Christian church, that Moses was a person and that the narrative with which his life-story is interwoven is real history, is in the main sustained by commentators and critics of all classes.

It is needless to mention the old writers among whom these questions were hardly under discussion. Among the advocates of the current radical criticism may be mentioned Stade and Renan, who minimize the historicity of the Bible narrative at this point. Renan thinks the narrative "may be very probable." Ewald, Wellhausen…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Moses

Drawn (or Egypt. mesu, “son;” hence Rameses, royal son). On the invitation of Pharaoh (Gen. 45:17-25), Jacob and his sons went down into Egypt. This immigration took place probably about 350 years before the birth of Moses. Some centuries before Joseph, Egypt had been conquered by a pastoral Semitic race from Asia, the Hyksos, who brought into cruel subjection the native Egyptians, who were an African race. Jacob and his retinue were accustomed to a shepherd’s life, and on their arrival in Egypt were received with favour by the king, who assigned them the “best of the land”, the land of Goshen, to dwell in. The Hyksos or “shepherd” king who thus showed favour to Joseph and his family was in all probability the Pharaoh Apopi (or Apopis).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(Heb. Mosheh , "drawn," i.e. from the water; in the Coptic it means "saved from the water"), the legislator of the Jewish people, and in a certain sense the founder of the Jewish religion. The immediate pedigree of Moses is as follows: Levi was the father of: Gershon -- Kohath -- Merari Kohath was the father of: Amram = Jochebed Amram = Jochebed was the father of: Hur = Miriam -- Aaron = Elisheba -- Moses = Zipporah Aaron = Elisheba was the father of: Nadab -- Abihu -- Eleazar -- Ithamar Eleazar was the father of: Phineas Moses = Zipporah was the father of: Gershom -- Eliezer Gershom was the father of: Jonathan The history of Moses naturally divides itself into three periods of 40 years each. Moses was born at Goshen, In Egypt, B.C. 1571. The story of his birth is thoroughly Egyptian in its scene. His mother made extraordinary efforts for his preservation from the general destruction of…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The name of the illustrious prophet and legislator of the Hebrews, who led them from Egypt to the Promised Land. Having been originally imposed by a native Egyptian princess, the word is no doubt Egyptian in its origin, and Josephus gives its true derivation—from the two Egyptian words, MO, water, and USE, saved. With this accords the Septuagint form, MOUSES. The Hebrews by a slight change accommodated it to their own language, as they did also in the case of some other foreign words; calling it MOSHIE, from the verb MASHA, to draw. See Ex 2:10. Moses was born about 15.71 B. C., the son of Amram and Jochebed, of the tribe of Levi, and the younger brother of Miriam and Aaron. His history is too extensive to permit insertion here, and in general too well known to need it. It is enough simply to remark, that it is divided into three…

and he spoke Yahweh to Moses on [the] mountain of Sinai saying
בְּהַ֥רbe.Har on [the] mountain of H2022 Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
546× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A mountain or hill, sometimes used to describe a spiritual high point. In the Bible, it can refer to a real mountain or a figurative one. The word is often translated as hill or mount.
Amplified meaning
a real mountain
Tyndale gloss
mountain: mount
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הַר (har) means 'mountain' or 'hill,' and can refer to a range of hills or hill-country. It is derived from a root that suggests elevation and can be used figuratively. The entries consistently highlight its geographical connotations without significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הַר 568 n.m. mountain, hill, hill-country

mountain, hill

hill-country, mountain-region

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2022 הַר mountain, hill, hill-country

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2022 har har

a shortened form of 2042; a mountain or range of hills

(sometimes used figuratively):--hill (country), mount(-ain), X

promotion.

see HEBREW for 02042

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הַר (har) — mountain: mount.

: mount/hill

hill, mountain, hill country, mount

הַר (har) — mountain: hill country.

: hill_country

hill, mountain, hill country, mount

A sub-meaning of har (הַר ": mount" H2022)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
HR/Ncmsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ov:

(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Lamentations 3:1.

The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.

Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.

That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.

Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…

and he spoke Yahweh to Moses on [the] mountain of Sinai saying
סִינַ֖יsi.Nai Sinai H5514 Noun proper
35× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Sinai refers to a mountain where Moses received the Law from God, located at the southern end of the Sinai peninsula. It is also known as the mountain of Arabia. This site is significant in the Bible as a place of revelation and covenant.
Amplified meaning
where the Law was received from God, saying, commanding, promising
Tyndale gloss
Sinai
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

סִינַי (Siynay) refers to the mountain where Moses received the Law from God, located in Arabia at the southern end of the Sinai peninsula. The name is associated with the meaning "thorny." The entries indicate its significance in the context of the Old Testament, particularly in the books of Exodus and Leviticus.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

סִינַי n.pr.mont. Sinai;—name of mt. of law-giving in J and esp. P

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5514 סִינַי Sinai;—name of mt. of law-giving in J and esp. P

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5514 Ciynay see-nah'-ee

of uncertain derivation; Sinai, mountain of Arabia:--Sinai.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

סִינַי (si.nay) — Sinai.

§ Sinai = "thorny"

the mountain where Moses received the Law from Jehovah; located at the southern end of the Sinai peninsula between the horns of the Red Sea; exact

סִינַי (si.nay) — (Wilderness of) Sinai.

Combined with mid.bar (מִדְבָּר "wilderness" H4057)

§ Sinai = "thorny"

the mountain where Moses received the Law from Jehovah; located at the southern end of the Sinai peninsula between the horns of the Red Sea; exact

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper
HNpl
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

si'-ni, si'-na-i (cinay; Codex Alexandrinus Sina, Codex Vaticanus Seina):

1. The Name:

The name comes probably from a root meaning "to shine," which occurs in Syriac, and which in Babylonian is found in the name sinu for "the moon." The old explanation, "clayey," is inappropriate to any place in the Sinaitic desert, though it might apply to Sin (Eze 30:15,16) or Pelusium; even there, however, the applicability is doubtful. The desert of Sin (Ex 16:1; 17:1; Nu 33:11 f) lay between Sinai and the Gulf of Suez, and may have been named from the "glare" of its white chalk. But at Sinai "the glory of Yahweh was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel" (

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A mountain, or mountain range, in Arabia Petraea, in the peninsula formed by the two arms of the Red Sea, and rendered memorable as the spot where the law was given to Israel through Moses, Ex 19:1-Nu 10:33. As this mountain has been almost unknown in modern times, until recently, and is of such importance in Scripture history, we shall enter into some details respecting it.

The upper region of Sinai forms an irregular circle of thirty or forty miles in diameter, possessing numerous sources of water, a temperate climate, and a soil capable of supporting animal and vegetable life; for which reason it is the refuge of all the Bedaweens when the low country is parched up. This, therefore, was the part of the peninsula best adapted to the residence of nearly a year, during which the…

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

a bush; enmity

and he spoke Yahweh to Moses on [the] mountain of Sinai saying
לֵאמֹֽר׃le.Mor saying H559 Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
5,309× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to say or speak, and it's used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to command, promise, or think, and it's translated in the KJV as 'answer', 'appoint', or 'command'.
Tyndale gloss
to say
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָמַר (amar) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to say' or 'to utter,' with a broad range of uses including to promise, command, or even boast. It appears in various forms, such as in the Qal (to say), Niphal (to be told), and Hiphil (to avow). The entries highlight its versatility in both spoken and internal contexts, though no specific verse is noted.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָמַר 5287 vb. utter, say

Qal

Say

Say in the heart (= think)

Promise

Command (esp. late)

Niph. be said, told

Hiph. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

Hithp. act proudly, boast

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H559 אָמַר utter, say .. Say

. Say in the heart (= think)

. Promise

. Command (esp. late)

. be said, told

. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

. act proudly, boast

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

559 'amar aw-mar'

a primitive root; to say (used with great

latitude):--answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call,

certify, challenge, charge, + (at the, give) command(-ment),

commune, consider, declare, demand, X desire, determine, X

expressly, X indeed, X intend, name, X plainly, promise,

publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), X still, X

suppose, talk, tell, term, X that is, X think, use (speech),

utter, X verily, X yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָמַר (a.mar) — to say.

1) to say, speak, utter

1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend

1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called

1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly

1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch

Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Vqcc — Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
HR/Vqcc
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
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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