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Nahum 1:2 — Word Study

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WLCאֵ֣ל קַנּ֤וֹא וְנֹקֵם֙ יְהוָ֔ה נֹקֵ֥ם יְהוָ֖ה וּבַ֣עַל חֵמָ֑ה נֹקֵ֤ם יְהוָה֙ לְצָרָ֔יו וְנוֹטֵ֥ר ה֖וּא לְאֹיְבָֽיו׃

BSAgodʼêl jealousqannôwʼ to avengenâqam The LordYᵉhôvâh [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] to avengenâqam The LordYᵉhôvâh masterbaʻal ragechêmâh to avengenâqam The LordYᵉhôvâh narrowtsar to keepnâṭar he/she/ithûwʼ enemyʼôyêb

Word
Listen & take awayNahum 1
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.'o.ye.Vav) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Nahum 1:2quick helps
In a sentenceNahum proclaims the nature of God as both jealous and avenging, emphasizing His power and wrath against His enemies.
Who is speakingNahum, the Elkoshite, conveying God's message.
Where we areThis verse is part of Nahum's prophecy against Nineveh.
The hard wordקַנּוֹא
Take awayGod's jealousy and vengeance are expressions of His power and justice.
clause subjectיהוה verbנָקַם 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 — Nahum 1:2

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 Burden Against Ninevehgenerated

1This is the burden against Nineveh, the book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite:
2The LORD is a jealous and avenging God; the LORD is avenging and full of wrath. The LORD takes vengeance on His foes and reserves wrath for His enemies.
3The LORD is slow to anger and great in power; the LORD will by no means leave the guilty unpunished. His path is in the whirlwind and storm, and clouds are the dust beneath His feet.
4He rebukes the sea and dries it up; He makes all the rivers run dry. Bashan and Carmel wither, and the flower of Lebanon wilts.

Nahum 1:2 reveals God's character as a jealous and avenging deity, emphasizing His commitment to justice and retribution against His adversaries. This verse is situated within a broader prophecy that addresses the impending judgment upon Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, known for its cruelty and idolatry. Nahum's message serves as a reminder of God's sovereignty and the consequences of opposing Him.


The Key Word קַנּוֹא, ka.No'generated

The Hebrew word קַנּוֹא (*ka.No'*) translates to 'jealous' and indicates a strong emotional response, often associated with anger or envy. It conveys the intensity of God's passion for His people and His intolerance for idolatry.

This word appears in contexts where God's protective nature is highlighted, showing that His jealousy is not merely possessive but rooted in a desire for the well-being of those He loves.


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 is נֹקֵ֥ם, avenging, which governs the structure of the verse. It connects multiple clauses that describe God's character and actions.

The sentence structure emphasizes God's attributes by paralleling them: He is both jealous and avenging, with additional clauses that elaborate on His wrath and vengeance towards His enemies.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, אֵל is rendered as θεὸς, which maintains the meaning of 'God' but reflects a broader Greek understanding of divinity. This choice emphasizes God's power.

קַנּוֹא translates to ζηλωτὴς, indicating a passionate zeal, which aligns with the Hebrew meaning but may carry a slightly different connotation in Greek.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Nahum 1:2 describes God as a jealous and avenging deity, highlighting His intense passion and wrath against His enemies. This verse emphasizes God's power and justice, reminding readers of the consequences faced by those who oppose Him.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that God is jealous?

God's jealousy indicates His passionate commitment to His people and His intolerance for idolatry, reflecting His desire for a faithful relationship.

Why is God described as avenging?

God's avenging nature signifies His role as a just judge who punishes wrongdoing and defends His people against their enemies.

How does this verse relate to the broader context of Nahum?

This verse serves as an introduction to Nahum's prophecy against Nineveh, illustrating God's character before detailing the impending judgment on the city.

What can we learn about God's character from this verse?

This verse reveals that God is both passionate and just, emphasizing His protective nature towards His people and His commitment to righteousness.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways do I see God's jealousy for His people in my life?
  2. How can I better understand the balance between God's love and His wrath?
  3. What does it mean for me to respond to God's justice in my own life?
  4. How can I reflect God's passion for righteousness in my interactions with others?

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

The LORD is a jealous and avenging God; the LORD is avenging and full of wrath. The LORD takes vengeance on His foes and reserves wrath for His enemies.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Yahweh is a jealous God and avenges. Yahweh avenges and is full of wrath. Yahweh takes vengeance on his adversaries, and he maintains wrath against his enemies.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

The LORD is a jealous and avenging God; the LORD is avenging and full of wrath. The LORD takes vengeance on His foes and reserves wrath for His enemies.

NETBNew English Translation2006

The Lord is a zealous and avenging God; the Lord is avenging and very angry. The Lord takes vengeance against his foes; he sustains his rage against his enemies.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

God is jealous, and the LORD revengeth; the LORD revengeth, and is furious; the LORD will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Jehovah is a jealous God and avengeth; Jehovah avengeth and is full of wrath; Jehovah taketh vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies.

RVARevised Version, American1894

The LORD is a jealous God and avengeth; the LORD avengeth and is full of wrath; the LORD taketh vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

God is jealous, and the LORD avengeth; the LORD avengeth, and is furious; the LORD will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

God is ielous, and the Lord reuengeth: the Lord reuengeth: euen the Lord of anger, the Lord will take vengeance on his aduersaries, and he reserueth wrath for his enemies.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

A jealous and avenging God is Jehovah: an avenger is Jehovah, and full of fury: Jehovah taketh vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth [wrath] for his enemies.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

A God zealous and avenging [is] Jehovah, An avenger [is] Jehovah, and possessing fury. An avenger [is] Jehovah on His adversaries, And He is watching for His enemies.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

A God zealous and avenging [is] YHWH, || An avenger [is] YHWH, and possessing fury. An avenger [is] YHWH on His adversaries, || And He is watching for His enemies.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

A God watchful and avenging is the Lord; an avenger is the Lord, and full of fury; the Lord taketh vengeance on his adversaries, and keepeth in mind the deeds of his enemies.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Yahweh is a jealous God and avenges; Yahweh avenges and is full of wrath; Yahweh takes vengeance on his adversaries, and he continues his anger for his enemies.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

The Lord is a jealous God, and a revenger: the Lord is a revenger, and hath wrath: the Lord taketh vengeance on his adversaries, and he is angry with his enemies.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

The Lord is a jealous and avenging God—the Lord God is avenging and angry. The Lord takes vengeance on his enemies, he is angry with those who are hostile to him.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

The Lord is a God who takes care of his honour and gives punishment for wrong; the Lord gives punishment and is angry; the Lord sends punishment on those who are against him, being angry with his haters.

Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.


The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank

This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.

clausenoun phrase · predicateאֵ֣ל[is].a.Godadjective phraseקַנּ֤וֹאjealousוְandנֹקֵם֙avengingsubjectיְהוָ֔הYahwehclauseverbנֹקֵ֥ם[is].avengingsubjectיְהוָ֖הYahwehוּandclausenoun phrase · predicateבַ֣עַלa.lordחֵמָ֑הof.rageclauseverbנֹקֵ֤ם[is].avengingsubjectיְהוָה֙Yahwehprepositional phrase · prepositionalלְtonoun phraseצָרָ֔יfoesוhisוְand.[is]clauseverbנוֹטֵ֥רkeepingsubjectה֖וּאheprepositional phrase · prepositionalלְtonoun phraseאֹיְבָֽיenemiesוhis

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, with 14 out of 14 words matched. The Dead Sea Scrolls contain partial restorations but agree with the Masoretic Text in the core elements of the verse.

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

אֵ֣ל קַנּ֤וֹא וְנֹקֵם֙ יְהוָ֔ה נֹקֵ֥ם יְהוָ֖ה וּבַ֣עַל חֵמָ֑ה נֹקֵ֤ם יְהוָה֙ לְצָרָ֔יו וְנוֹטֵ֥ר ה֖וּא לְאֹיְבָֽיו׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
אֵ֣לθεὸςקַנּ֤וֹאζηλωτὴςוְנֹקֵם֙ἐκδικῶνיְהוָ֔הκύριοςנֹקֵ֥םἐκδικῶνיְהוָ֖הκύριοςוּבַ֣עַלμετὰחֵמָ֑הθυμοῦנֹקֵ֤םἐκδικῶνיְהוָה֙κύριοςלְצָרָ֔יוαὐτοῦוְנוֹטֵ֥רἐχαίρωνה֖וּאαὐτὸςלְאֹיְבָֽיו׃αὐτοῦ

14 of the 14 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

[אל] [קנוא] [ונקם] יהוה נקם יהוה [ובעל] חמה נקם יהוה לצרי׳ו ונוטר הוא [לאיבי׳ו]

8 words on the leather — 1 partly restored, 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.

Nahum 1:2אֵל[is] a God[is] a Godאֵלקַנּוֹאjealousjealousקַנּוֹאנָקַםand avenginand avengingנָקַםיהוהYahwehYahwehיהוהנָקַם[is] avengi[is] avengingנָקַםיהוהYahwehYahwehיהוהבַּעַלand a lord and a lord ofבַּעַלחֵמָהragerageחֵמָהנָקַם[is] avengi[is] avengingנָקַםיהוהYahwehYahwehיהוהצַרto opponentto opponents hiצַרנָטַרand [is] maand [is] maintaנָטַרהוּאheheהוּאאָיַבto enemies to enemies hisאָיַבהָיָהto beto beהָיָהאַ֫יִלramramאַ֫יִלבָּעַלrule: to mrule: to marryבָּעַליָחַםto conceivto conceiveיָחַםצוּרto confineto confineצוּראָיַבbe hostilebe hostileאָיַבנָקָםvengeancevengeanceנָקָםנְקָמָהvengeancevengeanceנְקָמָהנְאֻםutteranceutteranceנְאֻםצָבָאarmyarmyצָבָאקַנָּאjealousjealousקַנָּאשַׁדַּיAlmightyAlmightyשַׁדַּימִלּוֹאמִלּוֹאשְׁכֶםShechemShechemשְׁכֶםנָתַךְto pourto pourנָתַךְקִנְאָהjealousyjealousyקִנְאָהמְצוּקָהdistressdistressמְצוּקָהבּוּסto trampleto trampleבּוּס
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 Nahum 1:2

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.

[is] a God jealous and avenging Yahweh [is] avenging Yahweh and a lord of rage [is] avenging Yahweh to opponents his and [is] maintaining he to enemies his
אֵ֣ל'el [is] a God H410 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
241× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, 'el means strength or power, and is often used to refer to God or false gods. It describes something or someone as mighty or powerful, like the Almighty. This concept is central to understanding the Bible's view of God.
Tyndale gloss
god
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֵל (*'el*) primarily means 'god' and conveys the idea of might or strength. It can refer to the one true God of Israel, as well as to other deities, angels, and mighty men. The entries highlight its use in various contexts, including nature and power, but do not present significant disagreement among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵל n.m. god, but with various subordinate applications to express the idea of might

applied to men of might and rank

angels

gods of the nations

Ēl

as characterizing mighty things in nature

God, the one only and true God of Israel

אֵל strength, power

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H410 אֵל god, but with various subordinate applications to express the idea of might . applied to men of might and rank

. angels

. gods of the nations

. Ēl

. as characterizing mighty things in nature

. God, the one only and true God of Israel

. אֵל strength, power

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

410 'el ale

shortened from 352; strength; as adjective, mighty;

especially the Almighty (but used also of any deity):--God

(god), X goodly, X great, idol, might(-y one), power, strong.

Compare names in "-el."

see HEBREW for 0352

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵל (el) — God.

This name means god, god-like one, mighty one, strength, power

Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)

אֵל (el) — El (Berith).

This name means god, god-like one, mighty one, strength, power

Combined with "Berith" (berith בְּרִית H1286)

אֵל (el) — El (Elohe).

Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)

This name means god, god-like one, mighty one, strength, power

Combined with "God" (elohim אֱלֹהִים H0430)

אֵל (el) — El (Most High).

Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)

This name means god, god-like one, mighty one, strength, power

Combined with "Most High" (el.yon עֶלְיוֹן H5945B)

אֵל (el) — god.

: god

1) god, god-like one, mighty one

1a) mighty men, men of rank, mighty heroes

1b) angels

1c) god, false god, (demons, imaginations)

1d) God, the one true God, Jehovah

2) mighty things in nature

3) strength, power

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

god ('Elohim, 'El, [`Elyon], Shadday, Yahweh; Theos):

I. INTRODUCTION TO THE GENERAL IDEA

1. The Idea in Experience and in Thought

2. Definition of the Idea

3. The Knowledge of God

4. Ethnic Ideas of God

(1) Animism

(2) Fetishism

(3) Idolatry

(4) Polytheism

(5) Henotheism

(6) Pantheism

(7) Deism

(8) Semitic Monolatry

(9) Monotheism

II. THE IDEA OF GOD IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

1. The Course of Its Development

2. Forms of Its Manifestation

(1) The Face or Countenance of God

(2) The Voice and Word of God

(3) The Glory of God

(4) The Angel of God

(5) The Spirit of God

(6) The Name of God

(7) Occasional Forms

3. The Names of God

(1) Generic

(2) Attributive

(3) Yahweh

4. Pre-prophetic Conceptions of God

(1) Yahweh Alone Is the God of Israel

(a) His Early Worship

(b) Popular Religion

(c) Polytheistic Tendencies

(i) Coordination

(ii) Assimilation

(iii) Disintegration

(d) No Hebrew Goddesses

(e) Human Sacrifices

Easton's Bible Dictionary

God

(A.S. and Dutch God; Dan. Gud; Ger. Gott), the name of the Divine Being. It is the rendering (1) of the Hebrew ’El, from a word meaning to be strong; (2) of ’Eloah_, plural _’Elohim. The singular form, Eloah, is used only in poetry. The plural form is more commonly used in all parts of the Bible, The Hebrew word Jehovah (q.v.), the only other word generally employed to denote the Supreme Being, is uniformly rendered in the Authorized Version by “LORD,” printed in small capitals. The existence of God is taken for granted in the Bible. There is nowhere any argument to prove it. He who disbelieves this truth is spoken of as one devoid of understanding (Ps. 14:1).

The arguments generally adduced by theologians in proof of the being of God are:

(1.) The a priori argument, which is the testimony afforded by reason.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(good). Throughout the Hebrew Scriptures two chief names are used for the one true divine Being--ELOHIM, commonly translated God in our version, and JEHOVAH, translated Lord . Elohim is the plural of Eloah (in Arabic Allah); it is often used in the short form EL (a word signifying strength , as in EL-SHADDAI, God Almighty, the name by which God was specially known to the patriarchs. (Genesis 17:1; 28:3; Exodus 6:3) The etymology is uncertain, but it is generally agreed that the primary idea is that of strength, power of effect , and that it properly describes God in that character in which he is exhibited to all men in his works, as the creator, sustainer and supreme governor of the world. The plural form of Elohim has given rise to much discussion. The fanciful idea that it…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

This name, the derivation of which is uncertain, we give to that eternal, infinite, perfect, and incomprehensible Being, the Creator of all things, who preserves and governs all by his almighty power and wisdom, and is the only proper object of worship. The proper Hebrew name for God is JEHOVAH, which signifies He is. But the Jews, from a feeling of reverence, avoid pronouncing this name, substituting for it, wherever it occurs in the sacred test, the word ADONAI, Lord; except in the expression, ADONAI JEHOVAH, Lord Jehovah, for which they put, ADONAI ELOHIM, Lord God. This usage, which is not without an element of superstition, is very ancient, dating its origin some centuries before Christ; but there is no good ground for assuming its existence in the days of the inspired Old Testament writers. The proper word for God is ELOHIM, which is plural in its form, being thus used to signify…

[is] a God jealous and avenging Yahweh [is] avenging Yahweh and a lord of rage [is] avenging Yahweh to opponents his and [is] maintaining he to enemies his
קַנּ֤וֹאka.No' jealous H7072 Adj
2× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means being jealous or angry, describing a strong emotional state. It is used to express feelings of envy or resentment.
Tyndale gloss
jealous
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

קַנּוֹא (qannow') means 'jealous' or 'angry.' The entries consistently emphasize its meaning related to jealousy, with no significant disagreement among the lexicons. It is derived from the root word represented by Strong's H7067.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

קַנּוֹא adj. id. [s.ca.ad];—

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7072 קַנּוֹא

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7072 qannow' kan-no'

for 7067; jealous or angry:--jealous.

see HEBREW for 07067

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קַנּוֹא (qan.no) — jealous.

jealous

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Adj
HAamsa
[is] a God jealous and avenging Yahweh [is] avenging Yahweh and a lord of rage [is] avenging Yahweh to opponents his and [is] maintaining he to enemies his
וְנֹקֵם֙ve.no.Kem and avenging H5358 Conjunction · verb qal participle (active) masculine singular
35× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to avenge or punish, often used to describe God's justice, as seen in Deuteronomy 32:43 where God avenges His people.
Tyndale gloss
to avenge
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נָקַם (naqam) is a Hebrew verb meaning to avenge or take vengeance. It encompasses various forms, including avenging oneself and suffering vengeance. The entries indicate that it can be used in different grammatical constructions, such as Qal, Niphal, Piel, Hoph'al, and Hithpael, each with slightly different nuances related to revenge and punishment.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[נָקַם] vb. avenge, take vengeance

Qal

avenge, take vengeance

entertain revengeful feelings

Niph.

avenge oneself

suffer vengeance

Piel avenge

Hoph. be avenged, vengeance be taken

Hithp. avenge oneself

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5358 נָקַם avenge, take vengeance

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5358 naqam naw-kam'

a primitive root; to grudge, i.e. avenge or

punish:--avenge(-r, self), punish, revenge (self), X surely,

take vengeance.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָקַם (na.qam) — to avenge.

1) to avenge, take vengeance, revenge, avenge oneself, be avenged, be punished

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to avenge, take vengeance

1a2) to entertain revengeful feelings

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to avenge oneself

1b2) to suffer vengeance

1c) (Piel) to avenge

1d) (Hophal) to be avenged, vengeance be taken (for blood)

1e) (Hithpael) to avenge oneself

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal — Conjunction · verb qal participle (active) masculine singular
HC/Vqrmsa
[is] a God jealous and avenging Yahweh [is] avenging Yahweh and a lord of rage [is] avenging Yahweh to opponents his and [is] maintaining he to enemies his
יְהוָ֔הYah.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
[is] a God jealous and avenging Yahweh [is] avenging Yahweh and a lord of rage [is] avenging Yahweh to opponents his and [is] maintaining he to enemies his
נֹקֵ֥םno.Kem [is] avenging H5358 Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine singular
35× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to avenge or punish, often used to describe God's justice, as seen in Deuteronomy 32:43 where God avenges His people.
Tyndale gloss
to avenge
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נָקַם (naqam) is a Hebrew verb meaning to avenge or take vengeance. It encompasses various forms, including avenging oneself and suffering vengeance. The entries indicate that it can be used in different grammatical constructions, such as Qal, Niphal, Piel, Hoph'al, and Hithpael, each with slightly different nuances related to revenge and punishment.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[נָקַם] vb. avenge, take vengeance

Qal

avenge, take vengeance

entertain revengeful feelings

Niph.

avenge oneself

suffer vengeance

Piel avenge

Hoph. be avenged, vengeance be taken

Hithp. avenge oneself

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5358 נָקַם avenge, take vengeance

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5358 naqam naw-kam'

a primitive root; to grudge, i.e. avenge or

punish:--avenge(-r, self), punish, revenge (self), X surely,

take vengeance.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָקַם (na.qam) — to avenge.

1) to avenge, take vengeance, revenge, avenge oneself, be avenged, be punished

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to avenge, take vengeance

1a2) to entertain revengeful feelings

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to avenge oneself

1b2) to suffer vengeance

1c) (Piel) to avenge

1d) (Hophal) to be avenged, vengeance be taken (for blood)

1e) (Hithpael) to avenge oneself

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal — Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine singular
HVqrmsa
[is] a God jealous and avenging Yahweh [is] avenging Yahweh and a lord of rage [is] avenging Yahweh to opponents his and [is] maintaining he to enemies his
יְהוָ֖הYah.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.
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
[is] a God jealous and avenging Yahweh [is] avenging Yahweh and a lord of rage [is] avenging Yahweh to opponents his and [is] maintaining he to enemies his
וּבַ֣עַלu.Va.'al and a lord of H1167 Conjunction · noun common masculine singular construct
84× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Means master or owner, often referring to a husband or leader, as seen in the book of Genesis and Exodus.
Tyndale gloss
master
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בַּעַל (ba`al) means owner or lord, and can refer to a husband, citizens, or rulers. It is derived from a root meaning 'to own' and is used in various contexts, including relationships and leadership. The term also appears as a divine name, Baal, in the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בַּעַל 166 n.m. owner, lord

owner

husband

citizens, inhabitants

rulers, lords

n. of relation

Esp. lord, specif. as divine name, Baal.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1167 בַּעַל owner, lord . owner

. husband

. citizens, inhabitants

. rulers, lords

. n. of relation

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1167 ba`al bah'-al

from 1166; a master; hence, a husband, or (figuratively)

owner (often used with another noun in modifications of this

latter sense):--+ archer, + babbler, + bird, captain, chief

man, + confederate, + have to do, + dreamer, those to whom it

is due, + furious, those that are given to it, great, + hairy,

he that hath it, have, + horseman, husband, lord, man, +

married, master, person, + sworn, they of.

see HEBREW for 01166

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בַּעַל (ba.al) — master.

: master/leader

1) owner, husband, lord

1a) owner

1b) a husband

1c) citizens, inhabitants

1d) rulers, lords

1e) (noun of relationship used to characterise-ie, master of dreams)

בַּעַל (ba.al) — master: husband.

: husband/groom

1) owner, husband, lord

1a) owner

1b) a husband

1c) citizens, inhabitants

1d) rulers, lords

1e) (noun of relationship used to characterise-ie, master of dreams)

בַּעַל (ba.al) — master: men.

: men/comrades

1) owner, husband, lord

1a) owner

1b) a husband

1c) citizens, inhabitants

1d) rulers, lords

1e) (noun of relationship used to characterise-ie, master of dreams)

בַּעַל (ba.al) — master: owning.

: owning/having

1) owner, husband, lord

1a) owner

1b) a husband

1c) citizens, inhabitants

1d) rulers, lords

1e) (noun of relationship used to characterise-ie, master of dreams)

בַּעַל (ba.al) — master: [master of].

: [master_of](DESCRIPTOR)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | N-ms — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular construct
HC/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…

[is] a God jealous and avenging Yahweh [is] avenging Yahweh and a lord of rage [is] avenging Yahweh to opponents his and [is] maintaining he to enemies his
חֵמָ֑הche.Mah rage H2534 Noun common · feminine singular absolute
125× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means intense anger or rage, like a burning fire. It's used in the Bible to describe God's wrath and human anger, often warning against the dangers of unchecked emotions. In Proverbs and Psalms, it cautions against the destructive power of anger and rage.
Tyndale gloss
rage
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word חֵמָה (*chemah*) primarily means heat and rage, encompassing concepts like fever, poison, and burning anger. It can refer to human anger as well as divine wrath, and is noted in Daniel's vision. The entries highlight its figurative use related to intense emotions and reactions.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חֵמָה, (once חֵמָא) 121 n.f. heat, rage

heat:

fever

venom, poison

burning anger, rage:

of man

of the he-goat in Daniel's vision

of God

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2534 חֵמָה, (once חֵמָא) heat, rage . heat: . fever

. venom, poison

. burning anger, rage: . of man

. of the he-goat in Daniel's vision

. of God

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2534 chemah khay-maw'

or (Dan. 11:44) chemaC {khay-maw'}; from 3179; heat;

figuratively, anger, poison (from its fever):--anger, bottles,

hot displeasure, furious(-ly, -ry), heat, indignation, poison,

rage, wrath(- ful). See 2529.

see HEBREW for 03179

see HEBREW for 02529

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חֵמָה (che.mah) — rage.

1) heat, rage, hot displeasure, indignation, anger, wrath, poison, bottles

1a) heat

1a1) fever

1a2) venom, poison (fig.)

1b) burning anger, rage

Aramaic equivalent: che.ma (חֱמָא "rage" H2528)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absolute
HNcfsa
[is] a God jealous and avenging Yahweh [is] avenging Yahweh and a lord of rage [is] avenging Yahweh to opponents his and [is] maintaining he to enemies his
נֹקֵ֤םno.Kem [is] avenging H5358 Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine singular
35× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to avenge or punish, often used to describe God's justice, as seen in Deuteronomy 32:43 where God avenges His people.
Tyndale gloss
to avenge
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נָקַם (naqam) is a Hebrew verb meaning to avenge or take vengeance. It encompasses various forms, including avenging oneself and suffering vengeance. The entries indicate that it can be used in different grammatical constructions, such as Qal, Niphal, Piel, Hoph'al, and Hithpael, each with slightly different nuances related to revenge and punishment.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[נָקַם] vb. avenge, take vengeance

Qal

avenge, take vengeance

entertain revengeful feelings

Niph.

avenge oneself

suffer vengeance

Piel avenge

Hoph. be avenged, vengeance be taken

Hithp. avenge oneself

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5358 נָקַם avenge, take vengeance

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5358 naqam naw-kam'

a primitive root; to grudge, i.e. avenge or

punish:--avenge(-r, self), punish, revenge (self), X surely,

take vengeance.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָקַם (na.qam) — to avenge.

1) to avenge, take vengeance, revenge, avenge oneself, be avenged, be punished

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to avenge, take vengeance

1a2) to entertain revengeful feelings

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to avenge oneself

1b2) to suffer vengeance

1c) (Piel) to avenge

1d) (Hophal) to be avenged, vengeance be taken (for blood)

1e) (Hithpael) to avenge oneself

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal — Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine singular
HVqrmsa
[is] a God jealous and avenging Yahweh [is] avenging Yahweh and a lord of rage [is] avenging Yahweh to opponents his and [is] maintaining he to enemies his
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.
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
[is] a God jealous and avenging Yahweh [is] avenging Yahweh and a lord of rage [is] avenging Yahweh to opponents his and [is] maintaining he to enemies his
לְצָרָ֔יוle.tza.Rav to opponents his H6862 Preposition · noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
109× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means hard or narrow, often referring to trouble or a tight spot, like an adversary or affliction. It can also mean a small stone or pebble, such as flint, and is used in various biblical contexts to describe challenges.
Tyndale gloss
narrow
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word צַר (tsar) is built from the root meaning 'narrow' or 'tight.' It encompasses a range of meanings including 'distress,' 'adversary,' and 'hard pebble' or 'flint.' The term can refer to physical tightness or metaphorical trouble, as well as an enemy or foe. It appears in contexts of anguish and tribulation, with a specific verse reference in Isaiah 5:28.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

צַר adj. narrow, tight

base

צַר n.[m.] straits, distress

base

צַר 68 n.m. adversary, foe

base

צַר n.[m.] hard pebble, flint;—Is 5:28

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6862a צַר narrow, tight H6862b צַר straits, distress H6862c צַר adversary, foe H6862d צַר hard pebble, flint

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6862 tsar tsar

or tsar {tsawr}; from 6887; narrow; (as a noun) a tight place

(usually figuratively, i.e. trouble); also a pebble (as in

6864); (transitive) an opponent (as crowding):--adversary,

afflicted(-tion), anguish, close, distress, enemy, flint, foe,

narrow, small, sorrow, strait, tribulation, trouble.

see HEBREW for 06887

see HEBREW for 06864

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

צַר (tsar) — narrow.

narrow, tight

צַר (tsar) — distress.

straits, distress

צַר (tsar) — enemy.

adversary, foe, enemy, oppressor

צַר (tsar) — hard.

hard pebble, flint

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-mp | Suff — Preposition · noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
HR/Ncmpc/Sp3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

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

[is] a God jealous and avenging Yahweh [is] avenging Yahweh and a lord of rage [is] avenging Yahweh to opponents his and [is] maintaining he to enemies his
וְנוֹטֵ֥רve.no.Ter and [is] maintaining H5201 Conjunction · verb qal participle (active) masculine singular
9× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To keep or guard something means to watch over and protect it, like a shepherd guarding his flock. This word is used in the Bible to describe God keeping his promises and people keeping his commands.
Tyndale gloss
to keep
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נָטַר (natar) is a Hebrew verb meaning to keep or guard. It conveys the idea of maintaining or cherishing something, and can also imply bearing a grudge. The word appears in various contexts, emphasizing the act of preservation or protection.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[נָטַר] vb. keep

Qal

keep, maintain

keep, guard

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5201 [נָטַר] keep

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5201 natar naw-tar'

a primitive root; to guard; figuratively, to cherish

(anger):--bear grudge, keep(-er), reserve.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָטַר (na.tar) — to keep.

1) to keep, keep guard, reserve, maintain

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to keep, maintain

1a2) to keep, guard

Aramaic equivalent: ne.tar (נְטַר "to keep" H5202)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal — Conjunction · verb qal participle (active) masculine singular
HC/Vqrmsa
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
[is] a God jealous and avenging Yahweh [is] avenging Yahweh and a lord of rage [is] avenging Yahweh to opponents his and [is] maintaining he to enemies his
ה֖וּאhu' he H1931 Pronoun
1,879× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word is a pronoun meaning 'he', 'she', or 'it', used to refer to a person or thing. It is used in the Bible to emphasize a subject or make it clear who is being talked about.
Tyndale gloss
he/she/it
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הוּא (hu) is a third-person singular pronoun meaning he, she, or it, used for emphasis or when no verb is present. It can also refer to oneself or serve as a demonstrative pronoun. The word has various nuances, including resuming the subject with emphasis or expressing it unobtrusively. It can indicate 'that' or 'those' when used with the definite article.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הוּא m. הִיא f., pron. of the 3rd ps. sing. he, she, used also (in both genders) for the neuter it

an emph. he (she, it, they), sometimes equivalent to himself (herself, itself, themselves), or (esp. with the art.) that (those)

It resumes the subj. with emph.

Where, however, the pron. follows the pred., its position gives it the minimum of emphasis, and it expresses (or resumes) the subject as unobtrusively as possible

It anticipates (as it seems) the subject

As an emph. predicate, of God

In a neuter sense, that, it (of an action, occurrence, matte, etc.)

With the art.: so regularly when joined to a subst. defined itself by the art.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1931 הוּא, הִיא he, she, used also (in both genders) for the neuter it . an emph. he (she, it, they), sometimes equivalent to himself (herself, itself, themselves), or (esp. with the art.) that (those)

. It resumes the subj. with emph.

. Where, however, the pron. follows the pred., its position gives it the minimum of emphasis, and it expresses (or resumes) the subject as unobtrusively as possible

. It anticipates (as it seems) the subject

. As an emph. predicate, of God

. In a neuter sense, that, it (of an action, occurrence, matte, etc.)

. With the art.: so regularly when joined to a subst. defined itself by the art.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1931 huw' hoo

of which the feminine (beyond the Pentateuch) is hiyw {he}; a

primitive word, the third person pronoun singular, he (she or

it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also

(intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same;

sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally

(instead of copula) as or are:--he, as for her, him(-self),

it, the same, she (herself), such, that (...it), these, they,

this, those, which (is), who.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הוּא (hu) — he/she/it.

pron 3p s

1) he, she, it

1a) himself (with emphasis)

1b) resuming subj with emphasis

1c) (with minimum emphasis following predicate)

1d) (anticipating subj)

1e) (emphasising predicate)

1f) that, it (neuter) demons pron

2) that (with article)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Pron — Pronoun
HPp3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ha: The fifth letter of the Hebrew alphabet; transliterated in this Encyclopedia as "h." It came also to be used for the number 5. For name, etc., see ALPHABET.

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
[is] a God jealous and avenging Yahweh [is] avenging Yahweh and a lord of rage [is] avenging Yahweh to opponents his and [is] maintaining he to enemies his
לְאֹיְבָֽיו׃le.'o.ye.Vav to enemies his H341 Preposition · 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.
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
Prep | V-Qal | Suff — Preposition · verb qal participle (active) masculine plural common · suffix
HR/Vqrmpc/Sp3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

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

Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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