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Micah 7:13 — Word Study

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WLCוְהָיְתָ֥ה הָאָ֛רֶץ לִשְׁמָמָ֖ה עַל־ יֹֽשְׁבֶ֑יהָ מִפְּרִ֖י מַֽעַלְלֵיהֶֽם׃ ס

BSAThen the earthʼerets [land, territory, or region] will becomehâyâh [exist as, come into being as] desolateshᵉmâmâh [devastated, wasted, or barren] because ofʻal its inhabitantsyâshab [those who dwell, reside, or live] as the fruitpᵉrîy [result, product, or outcome] of their deedsmaʻălâl [actions, works, or inventions]

Word
Listen & take awayMicah 7
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 13 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 (Ma.'a.lei.Hem) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Micah 7:13quick helps
In a sentenceThe earth will become desolate due to the actions of its inhabitants.
What is happeningA declaration about the state of the earth and its inhabitants.
Where we areThe conclusion of a section that reflects on the consequences of human deeds.
The hard wordשְׁמָמָה
Take awayThe desolation of the earth is a direct result of human actions.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbהָיָה 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 — Micah 7:13

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 — The Consequences of Human Actionsgenerated

12On that day they will come to you from Assyria and the cities of Egypt, even from Egypt to the Euphrates, from sea to sea and mountain to mountain.
13Then the earth will become desolate because of its inhabitants, as the fruit of their deeds.
14Shepherd with Your staff Your people, the flock of Your inheritance. They live alone in a woodland, surrounded by pastures. Let them graze in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old.
15As in the days when you came out of Egypt, I will show My wonders.

Micah 7:13 describes a time when the earth will be left desolate due to the actions of its inhabitants. This verse emphasizes the connection between human behavior and the state of the land, illustrating a theme found throughout the prophetic literature. The surrounding verses highlight the consequences of disobedience and the eventual restoration that follows God's judgment.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Leviticus 26:33–39But I will scatter you among the nations and will draw out a sword after you as your land becomes desolate and your cities are laid waste.
2Isaiah 6:11–13Then I asked: “How long, O Lord?” And He replied: “Until the cities lie ruined and without inhabitant, until the houses are left unoccupied and the land is desolate and ravaged,
3Isaiah 24:3–8The earth will be utterly laid waste and thoroughly plundered. For the LORD has spoken this word.
4Jeremiah 25:11And this whole land will become a desolate wasteland, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon for seventy years.
5Daniel 4:26–27As for the command to leave the stump of the tree with its roots, your kingdom will be restored to you as soon as you acknowledge that Heaven rules.

The Key Word הָיְתָ֥ה, ve.ha.ye.Tahgenerated

The verb הָיָה (hayah) is a Qal sequential perfect form, meaning 'to be' or 'to become.' It indicates a change of state, in this case, the transformation of the earth into a desolate condition. This verb is frequently used in the Hebrew Bible to denote existence or the occurrence of events.

In this context, הָיְתָ֥ה emphasizes the inevitability of desolation as a result of the inhabitants' actions, reinforcing the idea that the earth's condition is a direct reflection of human behavior.


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 of the verse is הָיְתָ֥ה, will become, which governs the entire sentence. It is followed by a noun phrase הָאָ֛רֶץ (the earth) as the subject, and a prepositional phrase לִשְׁמָמָ֖ה (to desolation) indicating the state to which the subject is changing.

The structure emphasizes the cause-and-effect relationship, with the prepositional phrase עַל־ יֹֽשְׁבֶ֑יהָ (because of its inhabitants) linking the desolation directly to the actions of the inhabitants, underscoring the consequences of their deeds.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates הָיְתָ֥ה as ἔσται (will be), indicating a similar sense of becoming or transformation. This choice aligns with the Hebrew meaning but may carry a slightly different nuance in the Greek context.

The Greek term ἀφανισμὸν for שְׁמָמָה (desolation) suggests a strong emphasis on the act of destruction, which complements the Hebrew's focus on the state of being desolate.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Micah 7:13 states that the earth will become desolate because of the actions of its inhabitants. This verse highlights the connection between what people do and the condition of the land they live on.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean for the earth to become desolate?

It means that the land will be devastated and left empty, often as a result of judgment or destruction due to human actions.

How do the inhabitants affect the state of the earth?

The actions and behaviors of the inhabitants directly impact the land, leading to consequences such as desolation.

Why is the fruit of their deeds mentioned?

The fruit of their deeds refers to the outcomes or results of their actions, emphasizing that the state of the earth is a reflection of their behavior.

What is the significance of desolation in the Bible?

Desolation often signifies judgment, the absence of life, and the consequences of sin, serving as a warning to the people.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways do my actions reflect on my surroundings?
  2. How can I ensure that my deeds lead to positive outcomes for myself and others?
  3. What does desolation mean in my life, and how can I avoid it?
  4. How can I contribute to the restoration of my community or environment?

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Micah 7:13 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Notwithstanding the land shall be desolate,.... Not the land of Chaldea, as some; or the land of the nations, as Jarchi and Kimchi; but the land of Israel.

Read John Gill on Micah 7 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Notwithstanding the land shall be desolate because of them that dwell therein, for the fruit of their doings. Notwithstanding the land shall be desolate because of them that dwell therein, for the fruit of their doings.

Read Robert Jamieson on Micah 7 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Notwithstanding, Heb. And, but well rendered here Not-withstanding, viz. these promises of restitution, and gathering in the dispersed Jews, &c., which took not place till more than two hundred years after they were first made by the Lord to his people; accounting thus, one hundred and thirty-three years from the captivating of Samaria to the captivating of Jerusalem, seventy years the Babylonish captivity lasted, to which add the years to Darius Hystaspes ere the temple was built, and the years to Darius Longimanus ere the city was built and the walls repaired, it will amount to a considerable sum of years. The land, of Canaan, shall be desolate; laid so by Shalmaneser, Sennacherib, and…

Read Matthew Poole on Micah 7 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Micah 7:13 Notwithstanding the land shall be desolate because of them that dwell therein, for the fruit of their doings.Ver. 13. Notwithstanding the land shall be desolate] Understand it, not of the land of Chaldea, as A Lapide doth; but of Judea, which must be desolated before the coming of Christ in the flesh. And this is here foretold. 1. Lest the impenitent, by misapplying the former promises, should dream of impunity, saeculi laetitia est impunita nequitia (Aug.); and, 2. Lest the godly, because of this desolation shortly to ensue, should despair of the former promises. Because of them that dwell therein, for the fruit of their delays] What their doings were, and what the fruit…

Read John Trapp on Micah 7 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(13) Notwithstanding the land shall be desolate.—There is still bitterness in the cup. In the midst of the triumphant expectation of the glory to come, there rises up the vision of the desolation of the land in the near future, by reason of the sins of the people.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Micah 7 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 13. Notwithstanding the land shall be desolate] This should be translated in the preter tense, "Though the land HAD been desolate;" that is, the land of Israel had been desolate during the captivity, which captivity was the "fruit of the evil doings of them that had dwelt therein."

Read AdamClarke on Micah 7 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

13. the land] i.e. the land of Canaan. Before the great promises of a golden future can be realized, judgment must have its perfect work. We might, however, render ‘the earth,’ i.e. the earth with the exception of Canaan. The desolation of the earth would help to explain the thronging of the people to Palestine foretold in the preceding verse.

Read Cambridge on Micah 7 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Notwithstanding - (And) the land (that is that spoken of, the land of Judah) shall be desolate not through any arbitrary law or the might of her enemies, but through the sins of the people, because

Read Albert Barnes on Micah 7 →

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 earth will become desolate because of its inhabitants, as the fruit of their deeds.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Yet the land will be desolate because of those who dwell therein, for the fruit of their doings.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Then the earth will become desolate because of its inhabitants, as the fruit of their deeds.

NETBNew English Translation2006

The earth will become desolate because of what its inhabitants have done.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Notwithstanding the land shall be desolate because of them that dwell therein, for the fruit of their doings.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Yet shall the land be desolate because of them that dwell therein, for the fruit of their doings.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Yet shall the land be desolate because of them that dwell therein, for the fruit of their doings.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Notwithstanding the land shall be desolate because of them that dwell in it, for the fruit of their doings.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Notwithstanding, the lande shall be desolate because of them that dwell therein, and for the fruites of their inuentions.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

But the land shall be desolate because of them that dwell therein, for the fruit of their doings.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And the land hath been for a desolation, Because of its inhabitants, Because of the fruit of their doings.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And the land has been for a desolation, || Because of its inhabitants, || Because of the fruit of their doings.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

While the land [of the nations] shall be made desolate because of its inhabitants, for the fruit of their doings.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

But the land will be desolate because of the people who are living there, because of the fruit of their actions.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And the land shall be made desolate, because of the inhabitants thereof, and for the fruit of their devices.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

But the rest of the earth will become desolate because of what those who live there have done.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

But the land will become a waste because of its people, as the fruit of their works.

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.

וְandclauseverbהָיְתָ֥הit.will.becomenoun phrase · subjectהָtheאָ֛רֶץearthprepositional phrase · prepositionalלִ(into).aשְׁמָמָ֖הdesolationprepositional phrase · prepositionalעַלonnoun phraseיֹֽשְׁבֶ֑יinhabitantsהָitsprepositional phrase · prepositionalמִfromnoun phraseפְּרִ֖יthe.fruitnoun phraseמַֽעַלְלֵיtheir.deedsהֶֽםtheir

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 Septuagint align closely in their wording, indicating a strong agreement on the translation of this verse. The Dead Sea Scrolls show some editorial restoration but maintain the core message of desolation resulting from human actions.

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

וְהָיְתָ֥ה הָאָ֛רֶץ לִשְׁמָמָ֖ה עַל־ יֹֽשְׁבֶ֑יהָ מִפְּרִ֖י מַֽעַלְלֵיהֶֽם׃ ס

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וְהָיְתָ֥הἔσταιהָאָ֛רֶץγῆלִשְׁמָמָ֖הἀφανισμὸνעַל־σὺνיֹֽשְׁבֶ֑יהָτοῖςמִפְּרִ֖יκαρπῶνמַֽעַלְלֵיהֶֽם׃ סαὐτῶν

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.

Dead Sea Scrolls — Mur88a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

והיתה [הארץ] [לשממה] [על] [ישבי׳ה] [מפרי] מעללי׳הם

2 words on the leather — 5 supplied entire by an editor.

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


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

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

Micah 7:13הָיָהand it willand it will becהָיָהאֶ֫רֶץthe earththe earthאֶ֫רֶץשְׁמָמָהa desolatioa desolationשְׁמָמָהעַלononעַליָשַׁבinhabitantsinhabitants itsיָשַׁבפְּרִיfrom [the] from [the] fruiפְּרִימַעֲלָלdeeds theirdeeds theirמַעֲלָלפָּרָהbe fruitfube fruitfulפָּרָהעָלַלto abuseto abuseעָלַלהָוָאto fallto fallהָוָאשָׁמֵםdevastateddevastatedשָׁמֵםעַלheightheightעַלכְּנַ֫עַןCanaanCanaanכְּנַ֫עַןמִצְרַ֫יִם(Sea of) E(Sea of) Egyptמִצְרַ֫יִםחָרְבָּהdesolationdesolationחָרְבָּהמִדְבָּרmouthmouthמִדְבָּרכִּפֶּרto atoneto atoneכִּפֶּרכִּסֵּאthronethroneכִּסֵּאבֶּ֫טַחsecuritysecurityבֶּ֫טַחכְּנַעֲנִיCanaanitesCanaanitessכְּנַעֲנִיבֶּ֫טֶןbelly: abdbelly: abdomenבֶּ֫טֶןרֹעַevilevilרֹעַיָטַבbe goodbe goodיָטַב
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 Micah 7:13

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 it will become the earth a desolation on inhabitants its from [the] fruit of deeds their
וְהָיְתָ֥הve.ha.ye.Tah and it will become H1961 Verb · Qal · sequential perfect third person feminine singular
3,562× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for to be means to exist or come into being. It is used to describe something that happens or comes to pass, like in Genesis where God creates the world.
Amplified meaning
exist as, come into being as
Tyndale gloss
to be
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word הָיָה (hayah) is a primitive root meaning to exist or become, and it encompasses a range of meanings including to happen, occur, and come to pass. It is often used in narrative contexts, particularly in phrases like "and it came to pass." The word can also denote a state of being or existence, and it appears frequently in various forms throughout the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הָיָה 3570 vb. fall out, come to pass, become, be

Qal

Fall out, happen

occur, take place, come about, come to pass

esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass

וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)

rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה

less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)

Come into being, become

abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come

sq. prep.

become

sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)

sq. pred. adj.

become like

sq. pred. לְ pers.

sq. לְ pred.

oft. c. לְ pred. לְ pers.

with עַל and לְ

sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of

Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming)

exist, be in existence

abide, remain, continue

with word of locality, be in or at a place, be situated, stand, lie

as copula, joining subj. & pred.

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1961 הָיָה fall out, come to pass, become, be .. . . Fall out, happen

. occur, take place, come about, come to pass

. esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass . . וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)

. rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה

. less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)

. Come into being, become . . abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come

. sq. prep.

. become . sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)

. sq. pred. adj.

. become like

. sq. pred. + לְ pers.

. sq. לְ pred.

. oft. c. לְ pred. + לְ pers.

. with עַל and לְ

. sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of

. Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming) . exist, be in existence

. abide, remain, continue

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1961 hayah haw-yaw

a primitive root (compare 1933); to exist, i.e. be or become,

come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or

auxiliary):--beacon, X altogether, be(-come), accomplished,

committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint,

fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit

(one-)self, require, X use.

see HEBREW for 01933

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הָיָה (ha.yah) — to be.

1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out

1a) (Qal)

1a1) ---

1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass

1a1b) to come about, come to pass

1a2) to come into being, become

1a2a) to arise, appear, come

1a2b) to become

1a2b1) to become

1a2b2) to become like

1a2b3) to be instituted, be established

1a3) to be

1a3a) to exist, be in existence

1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time)

1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality)

1a3d) to accompany, be with

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to occur, come to pass, be done, be brought about

1b2) to be done, be finished, be gone

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-3fs — Verb · Qal · sequential perfect third person feminine singular
Hc/Vqq3fs
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

be-kum':

(1) Greek ginomai, used in New Testament for a change of state, corresponding to Hebrew hayah of Old Testament. Compare Mt 18:3 with De 27:9.

(2) For what is fitting, suitable, proper, in New Testament: "prepei" (Mt 3:15; Eph 5:3; 1Ti 2:10); in Old Testament, na'awah, na'ah, Ps 93:5: "Holiness becometh thy house." in this sense, the adverb "becomingly" must be interpreted: "Walk becomingly toward them that are without" (1Th 4:12), i.e. in a way that is consistent with your profession.

and it will become the earth a desolation on inhabitants its from [the] fruit of deeds their
הָאָ֛רֶץha.'A.retz the earth H776 Particle · noun common feminine singular absolute
2,504× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The land or earth refers to the soil or ground, and can also mean a country, territory, or region. In the Bible, it is used to describe the earth and its inhabitants, and is often translated as 'land' or 'country'.
Amplified meaning
land, territory, or region
Tyndale gloss
land: soil
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֶ֫רֶץ (erets) is a feminine noun meaning 'earth' or 'land.' It encompasses various meanings, including the whole earth, specific territories like Canaan, and even inhabitants of the land. It can refer to soil, ground, or regions, and is used in phrases related to distance and the living. There is a note on the plural form אֲרָצוֹת, which mainly appears in later texts to denote multiple lands.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶ֫רֶץ n. f. & (seld.) m. earth, land

earth, whole earth (opp. to a part)

earth, opp. to heaven, sky

earth = inhabitants of earth

land =

country, territory

district, region

trial territory

piece of ground

specif. land of Canaan, or Israel

= inhabitants of land

used even of Shᵉʼôl

ground, surface of ground

soil, as productive

אֶרֶץ in phrases

people of the land

in measurements of distance

the country of the plain, level or plain country

land of the living

end(s) of the earth

pl. אֲרָצוֹת is almost wholly late; it denotes lands, countries, often in contrast to Canaan, lands of the nations, etc.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H776 אֶ֫רֶץ n. f. & (seld.) m. earth, land . . earth, whole earth (opp. to a part)

. earth, opp. to heaven, sky

. earth = inhabitants of earth

. land = . country, territory

. district, region

. trial territory

. piece of ground

. specif. land of Canaan, or Israel

. = inhabitants of land

. used even of Shᵉʼôl

. . ground, surface of ground

. soil, as productive

. אֶרֶץ in phrases . people of the land

. in measurements of distance

. the country of the plain, level or plain country

. land of the living

. end(s) of the earth

. pl. אֲרָצוֹת is almost wholly late; it denotes lands, countries, often in contrast to Canaan, lands of the nations, etc.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

776 'erets eh'-rets

from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth

(at large, or partitively a land):--X common, country, earth,

field, ground, land, X natins, way, + wilderness, world.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶ֫רֶץ (e.rets) — land: country/planet.

: country/field

1) land, earth

1a) earth

1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part)

1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven)

1a3) earth (inhabitants)

1b) land

1b1) country, territory

1b2) district, region

1b3) tribal territory

1b4) piece of ground

1b5) land of Canaan, Israel

1b6) inhabitants of land

1b7) Sheol, land without return, (under) world

1b8) city (-state)

1c) ground, surface of the earth

1c1) ground

1c2) soil

1d) (in phrases)

1d1) people of the land

1d2) space or distance of country (in measurements of distance)

1d3) level or plain country

1d4) land of the living

1d5) end(s) of the earth

1e) (almost wholly late in usage)

1e1) lands, countries

1e1a) often in contrast to Canaan

אֶ֫רֶץ (e.rets) — land: soil.

: soil

1) land, earth

1a) earth

1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part)

1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven)

1a3) earth (inhabitants)

1b) land

1b1) country, territory

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Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-cs — Particle · noun common feminine singular absolute
HTd/Ncfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

urth ('adhamah, 'erets, 'aphar; ge, oikoumene):

In a hilly limestone country like Palestine, the small amount of iron oxide in the rocks tends to be oxidized, and thereby to give a prevailing reddish color to the soil. This is especially the case on relatively barren hills where there is little organic matter present to prevent reddening and give a more blackish tinge.

'Adhamah (compare 'adham, "a man," and Adam) is from 'adham, "to be red," and is used in the senses: "earth" (Ex 20:24), "land" (Ps 105:35), a "land" or country (Isa 14:2), "ground" (Ge 4:11), "the earth" (Ge 7:4).

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Earth

(1.) In the sense of soil or ground, the translation of the word adamah’. In Gen. 9:20 “husbandman” is literally “man of the ground or earth.” Altars were to be built of earth (Ex. 20:24). Naaman asked for two mules’ burden of earth (2 Kings 5:17), under the superstitious notion that Jehovah, like the gods of the heathen, could be acceptably worshipped only on his own soil.

(2). As the rendering of ’erets, it means the whole world (Gen. 1:2); the land as opposed to the sea (1:10). Erets also denotes a country (21:32); a plot of ground (23:15); the ground on which a man stands (33:3); the inhabitants of the earth (6:1; 11:1); all the world except Israel (

Smith's Bible Dictionary

The term is used in two widely-different senses: (1) for the material of which the earth’s surface is composed; (2) as the name of the planet on which man dwells. The Hebrew language discriminates between these two by the use of separate terms, adamah for the former, erets for the latter. Adamah is the earth in the sense of soil or ground, particularly as being susceptible of cultivation. (Genesis 2:7) Erets is applied in a more or less extended sense-- (1) to the whole world, (Genesis 1:1) (2) to land as opposed to sea, (Genesis 1:10) (3) to a country, (Genesis 21:32) (4) to a plot of ground, (Genesis 23:15) and (5) to…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

In both Hebrew and Greek the same word is used to denote the earth as a whole, and a particular land. Only the context can enable us to decide in which of these senses it is to be taken in a given passage.

Thus in Mt 27:45 we might, so far as the original word is concerned, render either "there was darkness over all the land," or over all the earth. The expression "all the earth" is sometimes used hyperbolically for a large portion of it, Ezr 1:2. The word is used of the whole world, etc. In a moral sense, earthly is opposed to what is heavenly, spiritual and holy, Joh 3:31 1Co 15:47 Col 3:2

and it will become the earth a desolation on inhabitants its from [the] fruit of deeds their
לִשְׁמָמָ֖הlish.ma.Mah a desolation H8077 Preposition · noun common feminine singular absolute
57× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to the state of being devastated or wasted, often used to describe the results of war or God's judgment. In Ezekiel 33:28, it describes the desolation of Israel. It's about a place being left empty and destroyed.
Amplified meaning
devastated, wasted, or barren
Tyndale gloss
Desolate
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שְׁמָמָה (shmamah) refers to devastation or waste, often implying desolation. It is a feminine form derived from a related root, and can also denote astonishment. The entries indicate that it encompasses meanings of both devastation and desolation, with variations in spelling noted. The term appears in contexts related to destruction.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שְׁמָמָה 55 n.f. a devastation, waste

base

שִׁמָמָה v. foregoing [v.ea.ac]

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8077a שְׁמָמָה a devastation, waste H8077b שִׁמָמָה v. foregoing [8077a]

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8077 shmamah shem-aw-maw'

or shimamah {shee-mam-aw'}; feminine of 8076; devastation;

figuratively, astonishment:--(laid, X most) desolate(- ion),

waste.

see HEBREW for 08076

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שְׁמָמָה (she.ma.mah) — devastation.

devastation, waste, desolation

Also means: shi.me.mah (שִֽׁמְמָה "desolation" H8077B)

שִֽׁמְמָה (shi.me.mah) — desolation.

devastation, waste, desolation

Another spelling of she.ma.mah (שְׁמָמָה "devastation" H8077A)

שִֽׁמְמָה (shi.me.mah) — Desolate.

devastation, waste, desolation

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-fs — Preposition · noun common feminine singular absolute
HR/Ncfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Thompson Chain Reference topics

as a result of sin

(1) Of Israel

Isa 1:8; 24:12; Jer 2:15; 9:11; 12:11; 19:8; La 1:4; 5:18

Eze 20:26; 33:28; Am 7:9; Mic 3:12; Mt 23:38

--SEE Barrenness,

Wicked Forsaken, SIN

(2) Of Heathen Nations

Isa 13:9; 15:1; Jer 25:12; 49:9; 49:17; Eze 25:13; 29:12; 30:14

and it will become the earth a desolation on inhabitants its from [the] fruit of deeds their
עַל־'al- on H5921 Preposition
5,774× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means on or above something, like a physical object or a situation. It can also imply a sense of responsibility or accountability, as in being on behalf of someone.
Tyndale gloss
upon
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

base

עַל, עָ֑ל

subst. height

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

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

of clothing, etc., which any one wears

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

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

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

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

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

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Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5921 `al al

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

see HEBREW for 05920

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עַל (al) — upon.

prep

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

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

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

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

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

1e) over (of suspension or extension)

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

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

1h) to (as a dative)

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

conj

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

On

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

Smith's Bible Dictionary

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

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

See HELIOPOLIS.

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

pain; force; iniquity

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and it will become the earth a desolation on inhabitants its from [the] fruit of deeds their
יֹֽשְׁבֶ֑יהָyo.she.Vei.ha inhabitants its H3427 Verb qal participle (active) masculine plural common · suffix
1,079× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to sit or dwell, and can also mean to remain or abide. It's used in the Bible to describe people living in a place or staying with someone, like in the book of Genesis.
Amplified meaning
those who dwell, reside, or live
Tyndale gloss
to dwell
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָשַׁב 1090 vb. sit, remain, dwell

Qal

sit

sit, sit down

sit down

sit = be set (as a jewel)

remain, stay, tarry

with special emphasis of qualifying phr.

dwell, have one’s abode

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

Niph. be inhabited, of land

Pi. and they shall set their encampments in thee

Hiph.

cause to sit

cause to abide

cause to dwell

cause cities to be inhabited

marry (prop. give a dwelling to)

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

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3427 יָשַׁב sit, remain, dwell

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3427 yashab yaw-shab'

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

take, tarry.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָשַׁב (ya.shav) — to dwell.

1) to dwell, remain, sit, abide

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to sit, sit down

1a2) to be set

1a3) to remain, stay

1a4) to dwell, have one's abode

1b) (Niphal) to be inhabited

1c) (Piel) to set, place

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to cause to sit

1d2) to cause to abide, set

1d3) to cause to dwell

1d4) to cause (cities) to be inhabited

1d5) to marry (give an dwelling to)

1e) (Hophal)

1e1) to be inhabited

1e2) to make to dwell

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal | Suff — Verb qal participle (active) masculine plural common · suffix
HVqrmpc/Sp3fs
and it will become the earth a desolation on inhabitants its from [the] fruit of deeds their
מִפְּרִ֖יmi.pe.Ri from [the] fruit of H6529 Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
119× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word means the fruit that comes from the ground or from our actions. It is used in many books, including Genesis and Isaiah, to describe the results of our labor or the consequences of our choices.
Amplified meaning
result, product, or outcome
Tyndale gloss
fruit
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

פְּרִי (priy) means 'fruit' and encompasses various meanings, including the literal fruit of the ground, offspring or children, and figurative fruit representing the consequences of actions. It is derived from a root that emphasizes the concept of produce or reward.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

פְּרִי 119 n.m. fruit

fruit of the ground, of produce in gen.

= offspring, fruit of womb

fig. of fruit of actions, i.e. their consequences

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6529 פְּרִי fruit . fruit of the ground, of produce in gen.

. = offspring, fruit of womb

. fig. of fruit of actions, i.e. their consequences

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6529 priy per-ee'

from 6509; fruit (literally or figuratively):--bough,

((first-)) fruit((-ful)), reward.

see HEBREW for 06509

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

פְּרִי (pe.ri) — fruit.

1) fruit

1a) fruit, produce (of the ground)

1b) fruit, offspring, children, progeny (of the womb)

1c) fruit (of actions) (fig.)

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 it will become the earth a desolation on inhabitants its from [the] fruit of deeds their
מַֽעַלְלֵיהֶֽם׃ סMa.'a.lei.Hem deeds their H4611 Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
41× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Maalal means a deed or act, which can be good or bad, such as a practice or invention. It is used in the Bible to describe human actions and their consequences. This term is found in various biblical contexts.
Amplified meaning
actions, works, or inventions
Tyndale gloss
deed
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מַעֲלָל (ma`alal) refers to a deed or practice, often with a negative connotation. It encompasses actions or works, whether good or bad, and is derived from a root meaning to act. The entries consistently highlight its focus on deeds and practices.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[מַעֲלָל] 41 n.m. deed, practice

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4611 מַעֲלָל deed, practice

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4611 ma`alal mah-al-awl'

from 5953; an act (good or bad):--doing, endeavour,

invention, work.

see HEBREW for 05953

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מַעֲלָל (ma.a.lal) — deed.

1) deed, practice

1a) practice (usually bad)

1b) deeds

1c) acts

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
HNcmpc/Sp3mp
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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