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Leviticus 26:7 — Word Study

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WLCוּרְדַפְתֶּ֖ם אֶת־ אֹיְבֵיכֶ֑ם וְנָפְל֥וּ לִפְנֵיכֶ֖ם לֶחָֽרֶב

BSAYou will pursuerâdaph [chase, follow with hostile intent] your enemiesʼôyêb [adversaries, those who oppose you] and they will fallnâphal [be defeated, fail] by the swordchereb [cutting instrument, weapon of war] before youpânîym [in your presence, face to face]

Word
Listen & take awayLeviticus 26
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 7 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 (le.Cha.rev) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Leviticus 26:7quick helps
In a sentenceGod promises Israel victory over their enemies.
Who is speakingThe Lord, addressing the Israelites.
Where we areIn the context of blessings for obedience.
The hard wordרָדַף
Take awayVictory is assured when God is with His people.
5 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, Ellicott & more — read them › clause verbרָדַף 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 26:7

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 — Blessings for Obediencegenerated

6And I will give peace to the land, and you will lie down with nothing to fear. I will rid the land of dangerous animals, and no sword will pass through your land.
7You will pursue your enemies, and they will fall by the sword before you.
8Five of you will pursue a hundred, and a hundred of you will pursue ten thousand, and your enemies will fall by the sword before you.
9I will turn toward you and make you fruitful and multiply you, and I will establish My covenant with you.

Leviticus 26:7 is part of a passage where God outlines the blessings that will come to Israel for their obedience. Here, God assures them that they will pursue their enemies and achieve victory, emphasizing His support in their battles. This promise is part of a larger covenantal relationship where obedience leads to divine favor and protection.


Cross References


The Key Word רָדַף, u.re.daf.Temgenerated

The verb רָדַף (radaph) means to pursue or chase, often with hostile intent. It is a Qal verb in the sequential perfect form, indicating a completed action by the subject — in this case, the Israelites pursuing their enemies.

The nuance of pursuit here implies a vigorous and aggressive action, aligning with the context of warfare. This word appears frequently in the Hebrew Bible, reflecting the concept of following or chasing down adversaries, often in the context of conflict.


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 וּרְדַפְתֶּם (u.re.daf.Tem) governs the sentence, indicating the action of pursuing. Two clauses follow: one detailing the object of the pursuit, and the other describing the outcome of that pursuit.

The structure emphasizes the sequence of actions: first, the Israelites will pursue their enemies, and second, the enemies will fall before them, highlighting a cause-and-effect relationship.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates וּרְדַפְתֶּם as διώχεσθε (diókhesye), which carries a similar meaning of pursuing or chasing. This choice reflects the translators' understanding of the aggressive action implied in the original Hebrew.

For נָפַל, the Septuagint uses πεσοῦνται (pesountai), meaning 'they will fall.' This term indicates a definitive defeat, aligning well with the intent of the Hebrew text.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Leviticus 26:7 promises that the Israelites will pursue their enemies and that these enemies will fall before them. This assurance is part of God's covenant with His people, emphasizing that their obedience will lead to victory in battle.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean to pursue your enemies?

To pursue your enemies means to actively chase or follow them, often in a hostile manner, indicating a commitment to overcoming opposition.

What is the significance of falling by the sword?

Falling by the sword signifies defeat in battle, representing a clear victory for those who are pursuing.

How does this verse reflect God's promises?

This verse reflects God's promise of protection and victory for Israel, assuring them that their obedience will lead to success against their adversaries.

What can we learn about conflict from this verse?

This verse teaches that in conflict, divine support is crucial, and that pursuing justice or righteousness can lead to victory.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what areas of my life do I need to pursue victory over challenges or adversaries?
  2. How can I rely on God's promises when facing opposition?
  3. What does it mean to me that God assures victory for His people?
  4. How can I apply the principle of pursuing righteousness in my daily life?

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

The early Church Fathers have referenced this verse to discuss the spiritual battle against evil, illustrating the victory believers have through Christ.

Caesarius of ArlesSERMON 105.9 c. 470–542
“You will rout your enemies.” Of what enemies do we speak, except the devil himself and his angels? We rout them not only by driving them from our own hearts, but we repel them far away from others whom they disturb or attack or overcome.
Early Church Fathers on Leviticus 26 →

Commentators on this verse — 5 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Leviticus 26:7 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

And ye shall chase your enemies,.... Who being overcome in battle, and put to the flight, should be pursued: and they shall fall before you by the sword; not by the sword of one another, as the

Read John Gill on Leviticus 26 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And I will give peace in the land, and ye shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid: and I will rid evil beasts out of the land, neither shall the sword go through your land. No JFB commentary on these verses.

Read Robert Jamieson on Leviticus 26 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Leviticus 26:7 And ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword.Ver. 7. And ye shall chase your enemies.] If foreigners invade you, you shall be able to quell and quiet them quickly.

Read John Trapp on Leviticus 26 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(7) And ye shall chase your enemies.—If, covetous of their prosperity, the enemies should dare to attack them, God will inspire His people with marvellous courage, so that they will not only pursue them, but put them to the sword.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Leviticus 26 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

3–13. The blessing that shall follow upon obedience. (Cp. Deuteronomy 28:1-11.)

Read Cambridge on Leviticus 26 →

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

You will pursue your enemies, and they will fall by the sword before you.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

You shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

You will pursue your enemies, and they will fall by the sword before you.

NETBNew English Translation2006

You will pursue your enemies and they will fall before you by the sword.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Also ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you vpon the sworde.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword;

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

'And ye have pursued your enemies, and they have fallen before you by the sword;

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And you have pursued your enemies, and they have fallen before you by the sword;

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

You will chase your enemies, and they will fall before you by the sword.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

You shall pursue your enemies, and they shall fall before you.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

You will chase your enemies, and kill them with the sword.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And you will put to flight those who are against you, and they will be put to death by your swords.

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.

וּandclauseverbרְדַפְתֶּ֖םyou.will.pursuenoun phrase · objectאֶת(et)noun phraseאֹיְבֵיenemiesכֶ֑םyourוְandclauseverbנָפְל֥וּthey.will.fallprepositional phrase · prepositionalלִbeforenoun phraseפְנֵיכֶ֖םyouprepositional phrase · prepositionalלֶtonoun phrasetheחָֽרֶבsword

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


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

The Masoretic Text reads: וּרְדַפְתֶּם אֶת־ אֹיְבֵיכֶם וְנָפְל֥וּ לִפְנֵיכֶ֖ם לֶחָֽרֶב. The Samaritan Pentateuch agrees word for word, and the Dead Sea Scrolls also match closely, confirming the consistency of this verse across different textual traditions.

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

וּרְדַפְתֶּ֖ם אֶת־ אֹיְבֵיכֶ֑ם וְנָפְל֥וּ לִפְנֵיכֶ֖ם לֶחָֽרֶב

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וּרְדַפְתֶּ֖םδιώχεσθεאֹיְבֵיכֶ֑םὑμῶνוְנָפְל֥וּπεσοῦνταιלִפְנֵיכֶ֖םὑμῶνלֶחָֽרֶבφόνῳ

5 of the 6 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

ורדפתם את איביכם ונפלו לפניכם לחרב

Agrees with the Masoretic Text here, word for word.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q26ca copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

ורדפתם את איבי׳כם ונפלו לפני׳כם לחרב

6 words on the leather.

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 26:7רָדַףand you wiland you will puרָדַףאֵתthe object the object markאֵתאָיַבenemies youenemies yourאָיַבנָפַלand they wiand they will fנָפַלפָּנֶהbefore youbefore youפָּנֶהחֶ֫רֶבto the sworto the swordחֶ֫רֶבאוֹתsign: mirasign: miraculouאוֹתפָּנָהCorner (GaCorner (Gate)פָּנָהחָרֵבto dryto dryחָרֵבאָיַבbe hostilebe hostileאָיַבפָּלַלto prayto prayפָּלַלחָלָלslain: kilslain: killedחָלָלנָשַׂגto overtakto overtakeנָשַׂגאַחַרafterafterאַחַרמִגְרָשׁpasturepastureמִגְרָשׁצַרnarrownarrowצַרשָׂנֵאto hateto hateשָׂנֵאגּוֹרָלallottedallottedגּוֹרָלסָתַרto hideto hideסָתַרנוּסto fleeto fleeנוּסרָעָבfaminefamineרָעָב
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 26:7

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 you will pursue the object marker enemies your and they will fall before you to the sword
וּרְדַפְתֶּ֖םu.re.daf.Tem and you will pursue H7291 Verb · Qal · sequential perfect second person masculine plural
143× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To pursue or chase after someone means to follow them with hostile intent. This can be a physical pursuit or a pursuit of someone's life or well-being, as seen in many biblical stories.
Amplified meaning
chase, follow with hostile intent
Tyndale gloss
to pursue
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רָדַף (radaph) is a Hebrew verb meaning to pursue, chase, or persecute. It conveys the idea of running after something, often with hostile intent, and can also figuratively refer to following time or securing something. The word has various forms, including Qal, Niphal, Piel, Pual, and Hiphil, each indicating different nuances of pursuit or being pursued.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רָדַף 141 vb. pursue, chase, persecute

Qal 128

pursue

lit. put to flight, chase

lit., the pursuers

chase, hunt

pursue

fig. persecute, harass

pursue, dog

fig. follow after, aim to secure

Niph. upon the neck (i.e. closely) we are pursued

Pi. pursue ardently

Pu. it shall be chased away like chaff of the mountains

Hiph. usu. they chased him

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7291 רָדַף pursue, chase, persecute

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7291 radaph raw-daf'

a primitive root; to run after (usually with hostile intent;

figuratively (of time) gone by):--chase, put to flight,

follow (after, on), hunt, (be under) persecute(-ion, -or),

pursue(-r).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רָדַף (ra.daph) — to pursue.

1) to be behind, follow after, pursue, persecute, run after

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to pursue, put to flight, chase, dog, attend closely upon

1a2) to persecute, harass (fig)

1a3) to follow after, aim to secure (fig)

1a4) to run after (a bribe) (fig)

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be pursued

1b2) one pursued (participle)

1c) (Piel) to pursue ardently, aim eagerly to secure, pursue

1d) (Pual) to be pursued, be chased away

1e) (Hiphil) to pursue, chase

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-2mp — Verb · Qal · sequential perfect second person masculine plural
Hc/Vqq2mp
and you will pursue the object marker enemies your and they will fall before you to the sword
אֶת־'et- the object marker H853 Particle
10,946× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the original Hebrew, this word points out the object of a verb or preposition, like 'namely' or 'even'. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus. It's not directly translated in English, but helps clarify the meaning of sentences.
Tyndale gloss
[Obj.]
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֵת (eth) is primarily a grammatical marker in Hebrew, indicating the definite direct object of a verb. It is not translated into English and typically precedes nouns that are definite. The word is derived from a demonstrative sense of entity, related to the Hebrew word for 'self.' Its Aramaic equivalent is יָת (yat).

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

853 'eth ayth

apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of

entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more

definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or

namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).

see HEBREW for 0226

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵת (et) — [Obj.].

sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative

Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTo — Particle
HTo
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and you will pursue the object marker enemies your and they will fall before you to the sword
אֹיְבֵיכֶ֑ם'o.ye.vei.Khem enemies your H341 Verb qal participle (active) masculine plural common · suffix
283× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means enemy or adversary, referring to someone who hates or opposes another person or nation. It is used to describe personal or national enemies in the Bible.
Amplified meaning
adversaries, those who oppose you
Tyndale gloss
enemy
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֹיֵב (oyeb) means 'enemy' or 'foe,' indicating hostility. It can refer to personal or national adversaries. The word is derived from the active participle of another root, אָיַב (ayab), which also conveys the sense of being hostile.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[אָיַב] 283 vb. be hostile to (enemy = אֹיֵב)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H341 אָיַב be hostile to (enemy = אֹיֵב)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

341 'oyeb o-yabe'

or (fully) owyeb {o-yabe'}; active participle of 340;

hating; an adversary:--enemy, foe.

see HEBREW for 0340

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֹיֵב (o.yev) — enemy.

1) (Qal) enemy

1a) personal

1b) national

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal | Suff — Verb qal participle (active) masculine plural common · suffix
HVqrmpc/Sp2mp
and you will pursue the object marker enemies your and they will fall before you to the sword
וְנָפְל֥וּve.na.fe.Lu and they will fall H5307 Verb · Qal · sequential perfect third person common plural
435× 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 fall, and it's used in many ways, like falling down, failing, or being defeated. It appears in books like Genesis and Isaiah. God's people often fell away from Him, but He always offered a way back.
Amplified meaning
be defeated, fail
Tyndale gloss
to fall: fall
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נָפַל (naphal) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to fall,' encompassing a wide range of applications, including falling by accident, experiencing violent death, or going to ruin. It can also refer to prostrating oneself, attacking, or causing someone to fall. The term appears in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, often indicating physical or metaphorical downfall.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נָפַל 433 vb. fall, lie

Qal 366

fall, by accident

Esp. of violent death

fig. = go to ruin, perish, etc.

fig. = experience calamity

fall, of a city

Fall prostrate

fall = prostrate oneself before

fall upon one's neck, in embrace

Fall upon = attack

desert or fall away to, go over to

Fig., of deep sleep

Other idiomatic uses

= lie; = lie prostrate

Hiph.

cause to fall

Of causing death; = overthrow, bring to destruction

Esp. of casting lot

Fig., let drop, cause to fail

cause deep sleep to fall

Other idioms

Hithp. throw, or prostrate oneself

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5307 נָפַל fall, lie .. fall, by accident

. . Esp. of violent death

. fig. = go to ruin, perish, etc.

. fig. = experience calamity

. fall, of a city

. . Fall prostrate

. fall = prostrate oneself before

. fall upon one's neck, in embrace

. . Fall upon = attack

. desert or fall away to, go over to

. Fig., of deep sleep

. Other idiomatic uses

. = lie; = lie prostrate

. . cause to fall

. Of causing death; = overthrow, bring to destruction

. Esp. of casting lot

. Fig., let drop, cause to fail

. cause deep sleep to fall

. Other idioms

. throw, or prostrate oneself

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5307 naphal naw-fal'

a primitive root; to fall, in a great variety of applications

(intransitive or causative, literal or figurative):--be

accepted, cast (down, self, (lots), out), cease, die, divide

(by lot), (let) fail, (cause to, let, make, ready to) fall

(away, down, -en, -ing), fell(-ing), fugitive, have

(inheritance), inferior, be judged (by mistake for 6419), lay

(along), (cause to) lie down, light (down), be (X hast) lost,

lying, overthrow, overwhelm, perish, present(-ed, -ing), (make

to) rot, slay, smite out, X surely, throw down.

see HEBREW for 06419

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָפַל (na.phal) — to fall: fall.

: fall/drop/fail

1) to fall, lie, be cast down, fail

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to fall

1a2) to fall (of violent death)

1a3) to fall prostrate, prostrate oneself before

1a4) to fall upon, attack, desert, fall away to, go away to, fall into the hand of

1a5) to fall short, fail, fall out, turn out, result

1a6) to settle, waste away, be offered, be inferior to

1a7) to lie, lie prostrate

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to cause to fall, fell, throw down, knock out, lay prostrate

1b2) to overthrow

1b3) to make the lot fall, assign by lot, apportion by lot

1b4) to let drop, cause to fail (fig.)

1b5) to cause to fall

1c) (Hithpael)

1c1) to throw or prostrate oneself, throw oneself upon

1c2) to lie prostrate, prostrate oneself

1d) (Pilel) to fall

נָפַל (na.phal) — to fall: deserting.

: deserting

1) to fall, lie, be cast down, fail

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to fall

1a2) to fall (of violent death)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-3cp — Verb · Qal · sequential perfect third person common plural
Hc/Vqq3cp
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

fol (vb.): The idea of falling is most frequently expressed in Hebrew by naphal, but also by many other words; in Greek by pipto, and its compounds. The uses of the word in Scripture are very varied. There is the literal falling by descent; the falling of the countenance in sorrow, shame, anger, etc. (Ge 4:5,6); the falling in battle (Ge 14:10; Nu 14:3, etc.); the falling into trouble, etc. (Pr 24:16,17); prostration in supplication and reverence (Ge 17:3; Nu 14:5, etc.); falling of the Spirit of Yahweh (Eze 11:5

and you will pursue the object marker enemies your and they will fall before you to the sword
לִפְנֵיכֶ֖םlif.nei.Khem before you H6440 Preposition · noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
2,127× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means face or presence, like being in front of someone or something. It's used in many contexts, like in Genesis, Exodus, and Psalms, to describe interactions and relationships.
Amplified meaning
in your presence, face to face
Tyndale gloss
face
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word פָּנֶה (*pāneh*) is a noun meaning 'face' or 'presence,' and it appears in various contexts, including the faces of seraphim and animals, as well as the surface of the ground. It can also function as an adverb meaning 'before' or 'in front of.' The word is built from a root that suggests turning or facing, and it encompasses a wide range of applications, both literal and figurative.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[פָּנֶה], pl. פָּנִים 2123 n.m. face, also faces

face, faces

presence, person

technically, see one's face, i.e. appear before one, in one's presence

face of seraphim

face of animals

face (= surface) of ground

as adv.loc. before

for other phrases

with prepositions

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6440 פָּנֶה, pl. פָּנִים face, also faces . . face, faces

. . presence, person

. technically, see one's face, i.e. appear before one, in one's presence

. face of seraphim

. face of animals

. face (= surface) of ground

. as adv. loc. before

. for other phrases

. with prepositions

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6440 paniym paw-neem'

plural (but always as singular) of an unused noun (paneh

{paw-neh'}; from 6437); the face (as the part that turns);

used in a great variety of applications (literally and

figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a

preposition (before, etc.):--+ accept, a-(be- )fore(-time),

against, anger, X as (long as), at, + battle, + because (of),

+ beseech, countenance, edge, + employ, endure, + enquire,

face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-part), form(-er

time, -ward), from, front, heaviness, X him(-self), +

honourable, + impudent, + in, it, look(-eth) (- s), X me, +

meet, X more than, mouth, of, off, (of) old (time), X on,

open, + out of, over against, the partial, person, + please,

presence, propect, was purposed, by reason of, + regard, right

forth, + serve, X shewbread, sight, state, straight, + street,

X thee, X them(-selves), through (+ - out), till, time(-s)

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Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

פָּנֶה (pa.neh) — face: before.

: before/to/front

1) face

1a) face, faces

1b) presence, person

1c) face (of seraphim or cherubim)

1d) face (of animals)

1e) face, surface (of ground)

1f) as adv of loc/temp

1f1) before and behind, toward, in front of, forward, formerly, from beforetime, before

1g) with prep

1g1) in front of, before, to the front of, in the presence of, in the face of, at the face or front of, from the presence of, from before, from before the face of

פָּנֶה (pa.neh) — face.

: face

1) face

1a) face, faces

1b) presence, person

1c) face (of seraphim or cherubim)

1d) face (of animals)

1e) face, surface (of ground)

1f) as adv of loc/temp

1f1) before and behind, toward, in front of, forward, formerly, from beforetime, before

1g) with prep

1g1) in front of, before, to the front of, in the presence of, in the face of, at the face or front of, from the presence of, from before, from…

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Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-cp | Suff — Preposition · noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
HR/Ncmpc/Sp2mp
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and you will pursue the object marker enemies your and they will fall before you to the sword
לֶחָֽרֶבle.Cha.rev to the sword H2719 Preposition · noun common feminine singular absolute
413× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A sword or cutting instrument is what this Hebrew word refers to, including knives and tools for cutting stone. It is used in the Bible to describe weapons and sharp objects.
Amplified meaning
cutting instrument, weapon of war
Tyndale gloss
sword
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חֶ֫רֶב (chereb) means 'sword' and can also refer to other cutting instruments like knives and tools. It is derived from a root meaning 'drought,' highlighting its destructive nature. The term is used in various contexts in the Old Testament, primarily to denote weapons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חֶ֫רֶב 411 n.f. sword (as weapon)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2719 חֶ֫רֶב sword (as weapon)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2719 chereb kheh'-reb

from 2717; drought; also a cutting instrument (from its

destructive effect), as a knife, sword, or other sharp

implement:--axe, dagger, knife, mattock, sword, tool.

see HEBREW for 02717

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חֶ֫רֶב (che.rev) — sword.

1) sword, knife

1a) sword

1b) knife

1c) tools for cutting stone

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-fs — Preposition · noun common feminine singular absolute
HRd/Ncfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

sord.

See ARMOR, III, 5.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Sword

Of the Hebrew was pointed, sometimes two-edged, was worn in a sheath, and suspended from the girdle (Ex. 32:27; 1 Sam. 31:4; 1 Chr. 21:27; Ps. 149:6: Prov. 5:4; Ezek. 16:40; 21:3-5).

It is a symbol of divine chastisement (Deut. 32:25; Ps. 7:12; 78:62), and of a slanderous tongue (Ps. 57:4; 64:3; Prov. 12:18). The word of God is likened also to a…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

[ARMS, ARMOR]

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Used by

Gideon Jud 7:20

Goliath 1Sa 21:9

Peter Mt 26:51; Joh 18:10

→ David' s army equipped with 1Ch 21:5

→ To be beaten into plowshares Isa 2:4; Mic 4:3

→ Made of plowshares Joe 3:10

→ Two-edged Heb 4:12; Re 1:16; 2:12

→ FIGURATIVE

Of war Ge 27:40

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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