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Nehemiah 11:2 — Word Study

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WLCוַֽיְבָרֲכ֖וּ הָעָ֑ם לְכֹל֙ הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֔ים הַמִּֽתְנַדְּבִ֔ים לָשֶׁ֖בֶת בִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ פ

BSAAnd the peopleʻam [a nation] blessedbârak [praised, gave thanks to] allkôl who volunteerednâdab [willingly offered themselves, freely gave] to liveyâshab [dwell, take up residence] in JerusalemYᵉrûwshâlaim [the city of peace, the capital of Palestine]

Word
Listen & take awayNehemiah 11
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 2 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 (bi.ru.sha.Lim) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Nehemiah 11:2quick helps
In a sentenceThe people expressed gratitude to those who chose to settle in Jerusalem.
Who is speakingThe people of Israel, acknowledging the commitment of the volunteers.
Where we areThe context is the re-establishment of Jerusalem as a center for the community.
The hard wordנָדַב
Take awayVolunteering to live in Jerusalem was seen as a significant and honorable commitment.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbבָּרַךְ 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 — Nehemiah 11:2

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 Settlement of Jerusalemgenerated

1Now the leaders of the people settled in Jerusalem, and the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of ten to live in the holy city of Jerusalem, while the remaining nine were to dwell in their own towns.
2And the people blessed all the men who volunteered to live in Jerusalem.
3These are the heads of the provinces who settled in Jerusalem. (In the villages of Judah, however, each lived on his own property in their towns—the Israelites, priests, Levites, temple servants, and descendants of Solomon’s servants—
4while some of the descendants of Judah and Benjamin settled in Jerusalem.) From the descendants of Judah: Athaiah son of Uzziah, the son of Zechariah, the son of Amariah, the son of Shephatiah, the son of Mahalalel, a descendant of Perez;

Nehemiah 11:2 describes how the people of Israel recognized and blessed those who willingly chose to live in Jerusalem. This act of volunteering was significant as it contributed to the rebuilding and repopulation of the city after the exile. The context emphasizes the importance of community and commitment to the city that held great historical and spiritual significance for the nation of Israel.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Deuteronomy 24:13be sure to return it to him by sunset, so that he may sleep in his own cloak and bless you, and this will be credited to you as righteousness before the LORD your God.
2Job 29:13The dying man blessed me, and I made the widow’s heart sing for joy.
3Job 31:20if his heart has not blessed me for warming him with the fleece of my sheep,
4Judges 5:9My heart is with the princes of Israel, with the volunteers among the people. Bless the LORD!
52 Corinthians 8:16–17But thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same devotion I have for you.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 5 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word נָדַב, ha.mit.na.de.Vimgenerated

The verb נָדַב (*nadab*) means to volunteer or offer freely. It is a Hithpael participle, indicating an active choice made by individuals. This word carries the connotation of willingly offering oneself for a task or cause, reflecting a spirit of generosity and commitment.

In this verse, it highlights the intentional decision of the men to settle in Jerusalem, which was a crucial part of the community's restoration. The act of volunteering is not just a casual offer; it signifies a deeper dedication to the city and its future.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

The translations generally agree on the meaning of the verse, with all versions recognizing the act of blessing the volunteers.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb in the sentence is וַֽיְבָרֲכ֖וּ, and they blessed, which governs the entire clause. The structure includes a subject noun phrase (הָעָם, the people), followed by a series of noun phrases and prepositional phrases that detail who was blessed and where they chose to live.

The order emphasizes the action of the people first, followed by the recipients of the blessing and their commitment to dwell in Jerusalem, highlighting the collective acknowledgment of their dedication.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates the verb וַֽיְבָרֲכ֖וּ as εὐλόγησεν, which carries the same meaning of blessing. This choice indicates a direct correlation between the Hebrew and Greek terms, maintaining the sense of gratitude and honor expressed by the people.

This alignment shows that the translators understood the significance of the act of blessing in the context of community and commitment, consistent with the original Hebrew intent.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Nehemiah 11:2 tells us that the people of Israel blessed all the men who volunteered to live in Jerusalem. This act of volunteering was important for the community as it helped to restore the city after the exile. The people recognized the commitment of these men to make Jerusalem their home.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean to bless someone in this context?

To bless someone here means to express gratitude and honor for their willingness to take on the responsibility of living in Jerusalem.

Why is living in Jerusalem significant?

Living in Jerusalem was significant as it represented a commitment to the spiritual and communal life of Israel, especially after the return from exile.

What does volunteering imply in this verse?

Volunteering implies a willing and active choice to contribute to the community, reflecting a spirit of dedication and service.

How does this verse reflect the values of the Israelite community?

This verse reflects values such as community, commitment, and the importance of honoring those who contribute to the collective well-being of the nation.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What motivates individuals in my community to volunteer for important tasks?
  2. How can I show appreciation for those who serve in my community?
  3. In what ways can I contribute to the rebuilding or restoration of my community?
  4. What does it mean for me to take on a commitment similar to those who volunteered for Jerusalem?

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

Early commentators, such as Bede, reflect on the significance of the people's blessing, suggesting it highlights the importance of honoring those who dedicate themselves to the community.

BedeCommentary on Ezra and Nehemiah c. 673–735
The people blessed all the men, etc. And we must make the exalted life of the elect, which we cannot follow by imitation, our own by rejoicing and venerating it.
Early Church Fathers on Nehemiah 11 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Nehemiah 11:2 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

And the people blessed all the men that willingly offered themselves to dwell at Jerusalem.

Read John Gill on Nehemiah 11 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And the people blessed all the men, that willingly offered themselves to dwell at Jerusalem. No JFB commentary on this verse.

Read Robert Jamieson on Nehemiah 11 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Because they denied themselves, and their own safety and profit, for the public good; for this city was the butt of all the malicious plots of their enemies; and for the present it was rather chargeable than beneficial to its inhabitants; whereas the country did more easily and certainly afford them supplies.

Read Matthew Poole on Nehemiah 11 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Nehemiah 11:2 And the people blessed all the men, that willingly offered themselves to dwell at Jerusalem.Ver. 2. And the people blessed all the men, that willingly offered themselves] All the volunteers, those Liberi et libentes, free willing ones, that, moved with a zeal for God and his service, seated themselves at Jerusalem, though it were little for their safety or profit. Sincerity is an enemy to sinisterity; it strains out self-respects, and procures a man great respect in the hearts of good people, who are ready to commend them and pray for them, as here.

Read John Trapp on Nehemiah 11 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

XI.(1, 2) The history reverts to Nehemiah 7:5; lots are cast for the transfer of one-tenth of the people to the capital. (1) And the rulers.—The narrative joins on to Nehemiah 7:4. The festival month had prevented the immediate carrying out of the governor’s purpose. The rest of the people.—The rulers being already in the capital, Nehemiah ordered that one man in ten should be chosen by lot to transfer his family. Jerusalem the holy city.—Remembering the “separation” that had taken place (Nehemiah 9), and the recent covenant (Nehemiah 10), we see the solemnity of this epithet, now first used, and repeated in Nehemiah 11:18. “Then shall Jerusalem be holy, and no strangers shall pass through…

Read Charles John Ellicott on Nehemiah 11 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 2. All the men that willingly offered] Some volunteered their services, which was considered a sacrifice to patriotism at that time, as Jerusalem afforded very few advantages, and was a place of considerable danger; hence the people spoke well of them, and no doubt prayed for God's blessing upon them.

Read AdamClarke on Nehemiah 11 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

2. that willingly offered themselves] Another group is here distinguished, i.e. those who volunteered to go and dwell in Jerusalem. They are not to be confused with those who were sent there, being chosen ‘by lot.’ They went of their own accord, moved by public spirit. The blessing of their countrymen shows the enthusiasm aroused by their patriotic action; at the same time, it may denote that residence in Jerusalem was recognised to be fraught with danger. To dwell in the ‘holy city’ was also to defend it from its many enemies, see chap. Nehemiah 7:4. It is not stated that they were accepted as substitutes for those chosen by lot. According to this explanation we are told in these two…

Read Cambridge on Nehemiah 11 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

2. The men, that willingly offered themselves — Those who, being chosen by lot, willingly consented to remove their residence to Jerusalem.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Nehemiah 11 →

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

And the people blessed all the men who volunteered to live in Jerusalem.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

The people blessed all the men who willingly offered themselves to dwell in Jerusalem.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

And the people blessed all the men who volunteered to live in Jerusalem.

NETBNew English Translation2006

The people gave their blessing on all the men who volunteered to settle in Jerusalem.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And the people blessed all the men, that willingly offered themselves to dwell at Jerusalem.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And the people blessed all the men that willingly offered themselves to dwell in Jerusalem.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And the people blessed all the men that willingly offered themselves to dwell in Jerusalem.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And the people blessed all the men that willingly offered themselves to dwell at Jerusalem.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

And the people thanked all the men that were willing to dwell in Ierusalem.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And the people blessed all the men that willingly offered themselves to dwell in Jerusalem.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

and the people give a blessing to all the men who are offering themselves willingly to dwell in Jerusalem.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

and the people give a blessing to all the men who are offering themselves willingly to dwell in Jerusalem.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And the people blessed all the men, that offered themselves voluntarily to dwell at Jerusalem.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Then the people blessed all those who willingly offered to live in Jerusalem.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And the people blessed all the men that willingly offered themselves to dwell in Jerusalem.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Everyone praised those who were willing to move to Jerusalem.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And the people gave a blessing to all the men who were freely offering to take up their places in Jerusalem.

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.

וַֽandclauseverbיְבָרֲכ֖וּthey.blessednoun phrase · subjectהָtheעָ֑םpeopleprepositional phrase · prepositionalלְ(to)noun phraseכֹל֙allnoun phraseהָֽthenoun phraseאֲנָשִׁ֔יםmenadjective phraseהַ[who]adjective phraseclauseverbמִּֽתְנַדְּבִ֔יםvolunteeredprepositional phrase · prepositionalלָtoclauseverbשֶׁ֖בֶתdwellprepositional phrase · prepositionalבִּinירוּשָׁלִָֽםJerusalem

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 agree on the wording of this verse, with all seven words matched in the Greek translation. This indicates a strong consistency in the textual tradition regarding the blessing of those who volunteered to live in Jerusalem.

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

וַֽיְבָרֲכ֖וּ הָעָ֑ם לְכֹל֙ הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֔ים הַמִּֽתְנַדְּבִ֔ים לָשֶׁ֖בֶת בִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ פ

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַֽיְבָרֲכ֖וּεὐλόγησενהָעָ֑םλαὸςלְכֹל֙πάνταςהָֽאֲנָשִׁ֔יםἄνδραςהַמִּֽתְנַדְּבִ֔יםἑκουσιαζομένουςלָשֶׁ֖בֶתκαθίσαιבִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ פιερουσαλημ

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.

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.

Nehemiah 11:2בָּרַךְand they bland they blesseבָּרַךְעַםthe peoplethe peopleעַםכֹּלallallכֹּלאֱנוֹשׁthe menthe menאֱנוֹשׁנָדַבwho voluntewho volunteeredנָדַביָשַׁבto dwellto dwellיָשַׁביְרוּשָׁלִַ֫in Jerusalein Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַ֫עָמַםto darkento darkenעָמַםכָּלַלto perfectto perfectכָּלַלאָנַשׁbe incurabbe incurableאָנַשׁיְרוּשְׁלֵםJerusalemJerusalemיְרוּשְׁלֵםיָרָאto shootto shootיָרָאאָרַרto curseto curseאָרַרעֵדָהcongregaticongregationעֵדָהעֲבֹדָהserviceserviceעֲבֹדָהבְּלִיַּ֫עַלBelial: woBelial: worthleבְּלִיַּ֫עַלעַיAiAiעַישָׁלֵםcompletecompleteשָׁלֵםלֵבheartheartלֵבבֶּ֫טַחsecuritysecurityבֶּ֫טַחכְּנַעֲנִיCanaanitesCanaanitessכְּנַעֲנִימָלַךְto reignto reignמָלַךְחוֹמָהwallwallחוֹמָה
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 Nehemiah 11:2

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.

and they blessed the people all the men who volunteered to dwell in Jerusalem
וַֽיְבָרֲכ֖וּvay.va.ra.Khu and they blessed H1288 Verb · Piel · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
330× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To bless means to praise or honor God, often by kneeling in worship. In the Bible, people bless God and God blesses people, showing favor and care for them, as seen in the story of Abraham and his descendants.
Amplified meaning
praised, gave thanks to
Tyndale gloss
to bless
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word בָּרַךְ (*barak*) is built from a primitive root meaning 'to kneel' and encompasses a range of meanings including 'to bless' and 'to curse.' It can refer to blessing God or men, as well as the act of kneeling in adoration. The entries note that it can also imply a curse in certain contexts, reflecting a nuanced use in greetings and farewells.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[בָּרַךְ] 329 vb. kneel, bless

Qal

kneel down

bless

Niph. bless oneself

Pi.

bless God, adore with bended knees

God blesses

men bless men

salute, greet, with an invocation of blessing

bless, with the antithetical meaning curse from the greeting in departing, saying adieu to, taking leave of; but rather a blessing overdone and so really a curse as in vulgar English as well as in the Shemitic cognates

Pu.

pass. to be blessed, adored

prospered by God

have prosperity invoked, by Balaam

in gratitude

Hiph. and he made his camel kneel

Hithp. bless oneself, congratulate oneself in his heart

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1288 בָּרַךְ kneel, bless .. kneel down

. bless

. bless oneself

. . bless God, adore with bended knees

. God blesses

. men bless men

. salute, greet, with an invocation of blessing

. bless, with the antithetical meaning curse from the greeting in departing, saying adieu to, taking leave of; but rather a blessing overdone and so really a curse as in vulgar English as well as in the Shemitic cognates

. . pass. to be blessed, adored

. prospered by God

. have prosperity invoked, by Balaam

. in gratitude

. and he made his camel kneel

. bless oneself, congratulate oneself in his heart

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1288 barak baw-rak'

a primitive root; to kneel; by implication to bless God (as

an act of adoration), and (vice-versa) man (as a benefit);

also (by euphemism) to curse (God or the king, as treason):--X

abundantly, X altogether, X at all, blaspheme, bless,

congratulate, curse, X greatly, X indeed, kneel (down),

praise, salute, X still, thank.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בָּרַךְ (ba.rakh) — to bless.

1) to bless, kneel

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to kneel

1a2) to bless

1b) (Niphal) to be blessed, bless oneself

1c) (Piel) to bless

1d) (Pual) to be blessed, be adored

1e) (Hiphil) to cause to kneel

1f) (Hithpael) to bless oneself

2) (TWOT) to praise, salute, curse

Aramaic equivalent: be.rakh (בְּרַךְ "to bless" H1289)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Piel-ConsecImperf-3mp — Verb · Piel · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
Hc/Vpw3mp
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

bles'-ed (barukh): Where God is referred to, this word has the sense of "praise," as in 1Sa 25:32, "Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel." But where man is in mind it is used in the sense of "happy" or "favored," and most frequently so in the Psalms and the Gospels, as for example, "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the wicked" (Ps 1:1); "Blessed art thou among women" (Lu 1:42); "Blessed are the poor in spirit" (Mt 5:3).

See BEATITUDES.

and they blessed the people all the men who volunteered to dwell in Jerusalem
הָעָ֑םha.'Am the people H5971 Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
1,873× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A people or nation is what this Hebrew word represents, like the nation of Israel in Exodus 33:13. It can also mean a tribe, troops, or attendants, and is used to describe a group of people gathered together. The word is often used to refer to the people of God.
Amplified meaning
a nation
Tyndale gloss
Amaw
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עַם (am) primarily means 'people' or 'nation,' referring to a collective group, often in the context of tribes such as those of Israel. It can also denote kinsmen or compatriots. The term appears in various contexts, including military and familial references. There is a mention of a specific individual named Ammi in Song of Solomon 6:12.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עַם, עָם 1810 n.m. people

a people, nation

= smaller units

= common people

people in gen., persons

phrases

base

[עַם] n.[m.] kinsman (on father's side)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5971a עַם, עָם people H5971b עַם kinsman (on father's side)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5971 `am am

from 6004; a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a

tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or

attendants; figuratively, a flock:--folk, men, nation,

people.

see HEBREW for 06004

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עַם (am) — people.

: people/nation

1) nation, people

1a) people, nation

1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men

עַם (am) — kinsman.

kinsman, kindred

עַם (am) — Ammi.

A man living at the time of United Monarchy, only mentioned at Sng.6.12

§ kinsman, kindred

עַם (am) — People's (Gate).

§ kinsman, kindred

עַם (am) — (Ibleam)-am.

Combined with yiv.le.am (יִבְלְעָם "Ibleam" H2991)

§ kinsman, kindred

עַם (am) — Amaw.

This name means nation, people

עַם (am) — people: soldiers.

: soldiers/army

1) nation, people

1a) people, nation

1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men

עַם (am) — people: creatures.

: creatures

1) nation, people

1a) people, nation

1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men

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

pe'-p'-l: In English Versions of the Bible represents something over a dozen Hebrew and Greek words. Of these, in the Old Testament, `am, is overwhelmingly the most common (about 2,000 times), with le'om, and goy, next in order; but the various Hebrew words are used with very little or no difference in force (e.g. Pr 14:28; but, on the other hand, in Ps 44 contrast verses 12 and 14). Of the changes introduced by the Revised Version (British and American) the only one of significance (cited explicitly in the Preface to the English Revised Version) is the frequent use of the plural "peoples" (strangely avoided in the King James Version except Re 10:11; 17:15), where other nations than Israel are in question. So, for instance, in Ps…

and they blessed the people all the men who volunteered to dwell in Jerusalem
לְכֹל֙le.Khol all H3605 Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
5,415× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for 'all' or 'everything' is used throughout the Bible, like in Genesis 1:31, where God sees all He has made as very good. It encompasses the entirety of something, whether people, things, or situations.
Tyndale gloss
all
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כֹּל (kol) means 'all' or 'the whole.' It can refer to totality, including every person or thing, and is often used with a following genitive to specify what is included. The term can also denote a broader sense of everything in existence or all circumstances of life. The lexicons do not show significant disagreement on its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כֹּל once כּוֹל n.m. the whole, all

with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

Absolutely:

without the art., all things, all

with the art. הַכֹּל

where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3605 כֹּל once כּוֹל the whole, all . with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

. Absolutely: . without the art., all things, all

. with the art. הַכֹּל . where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

. in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3605 kol kole

or (Jer. 33:8) kowl {kole}; from 3634; properly, the whole;

hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a

plural sense):--(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any

(manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as

many as, (no-)thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole,

whoso(-ever).

see HEBREW for 03634

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כֹּל (kol) — all.

1) all, the whole

1a) all, the whole of

1b) any, each, every, anything

1c) totality, everything

Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)

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

ol: Used in various combinations, and with different meanings.

(1) All along, "Weeping all along as he went" (Jer 41:6), i.e. throughout the whole way he went, feigning equal concern with the men from Shiloh, etc., for the destruction of the Temple, so as to put them off their guard.

(2) All in all, "That God may be all in all" (1Co 15:28, Greek: panta en pasin, "all things in all (persons and) things"). "The universe, with all it comprises, will wholly answer to God's will and reflect His mind" (Dummelow).

(3) All one, "It is all one" (Job 9:22), "it makes no difference whether I live or die."

(4) At all, "If thy father miss me at all" (1Sa 20:6), "in any way," "in the least."

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and they blessed the people all the men who volunteered to dwell in Jerusalem
הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֔יםha.'a.na.Shim the men H582 Particle · noun common masculine plural absolute
566× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Enosh refers to a human or mankind in general, used to describe individuals or people as a whole in the Bible.
Tyndale gloss
human
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֱנוֹשׁ (enowsh) refers to man or mankind, often used in a poetic context. It denotes a mortal individual, distinguishing humans from more dignified terms for man. The word encompasses both singular and collective meanings, indicating people or persons in general. Its Aramaic equivalent is אֱנָשׁ (e.nash), also meaning 'man'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֱנוֹשׁ n.m. man, mankind, mostly poet.

of individ.

coll. men

man, mankind

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H582 אֱנוֹשׁ man, mankind, mostly poet.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

582 'enowsh en-oshe'

from 605; properly, a mortal (and thus differing from the

more dignified 120); hence, a man in general (singly or

collectively):--another, X (blood-)thirsty, certain,

chap(-man); divers, fellow, X in the flower of their age,

husband, (certain, mortal) man, people, person, servant, some

( X of them), + stranger, those, + their trade. It is often

unexpressed in the English versions, especially when used in

apposition with another word . Compare 376.

see HEBREW for 0605

see HEBREW for 0120

see HEBREW for 0376

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֱנוֹשׁ (e.nosh) — human.

1) man, mortal man, person, mankind

1a) of an individual

1b) men (collective)

1c) man, mankind

Aramaic equivalent: e.nash (אֱנָשׁ "man" H0606)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTd/Ncmpa — Particle · noun common masculine plural absolute
HTd/Ncmpa
and they blessed the people all the men who volunteered to dwell in Jerusalem
הַמִּֽתְנַדְּבִ֔יםha.mit.na.de.Vim who volunteered H5068 Particle · verb hithpael participle (active) masculine plural
17× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To be willing or volunteer, like David in 2 Samuel 6:1, and can also mean to offer freely, as in Ezra 2:68.
Amplified meaning
willingly offered themselves, freely gave
Tyndale gloss
be willing
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נָדַב (nadab) is a Hebrew verb meaning to incite or impel, often associated with volunteering or offering freely. It encompasses the idea of being willing, either to act or to present oneself spontaneously, particularly in a context of free-will offerings. The Aramaic equivalent is נְדַב (H5069).

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נָדַב vb. incite, impel

Qal whose heart incited

Hithp.

volunteer

offer free-will-offerings

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5068 נָדַב incite, impel .whose heart incited

. . volunteer

. offer free-will-offerings

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5068 nadab naw-dab'

a primitive root; to impel; hence, to volunteer (as a

soldier), to present spontaneously:--offer freely, be (give,

make, offer self) willing(-ly).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָדַב (na.dav) — be willing.

1) to incite, impel, make willing

1a) (Qal) to incite, impel

1b) (Hithpael)

1b1) to volunteer

1b2) to offer free-will offerings

Aramaic equivalent: ne.dav (נְדַב "be willing" H5069)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | V-Hithpael — Particle · verb hithpael participle (active) masculine plural
HTd/Vtrmpa
and they blessed the people all the men who volunteered to dwell in Jerusalem
לָשֶׁ֖בֶתla.She.vet to dwell H3427 Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
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
dwell, take up residence
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
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a — Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
HR/Vqcc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

dwel:

(1) In the Old Testament "dwell" is a translation of 9 words, of which by far the most frequent is yashabh, "to sit down," translated "dwell" over 400 times (Ge 4:20; Jos 20:4; 1Ch 17:1,4,5, etc.); also very frequently "sit," and sometimes "abide," "inhabit," "remain." Another word often rendered "dwell" is shakhan or shakhen ("to settle down"), from which is derived the rabbinic word shekhinah (literally, "that which dwells"), the light on the mercy-seat which symbolized the Divine presence (Ex 25:8, etc.). In order to avoid appearing to localize the Divine Being, wherever God is said to "dwell" in a place, the Targum renders that He "causes His Shekinah to dwell"…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Dwell

Tents were in primitive times the common dwellings of men. Houses were afterwards built, the walls of which were frequently of mud (Job 24:16; Matt. 6:19, 20) or of sun-dried bricks.

God “dwells in light” (1 Tim. 6:16; 1 John 1:7), in heaven (Ps. 123:1), in his church (Ps. 9:11; 1 John 4:12). Christ dwelt on earth in the days of his humiliation (John 1:14). He now dwells in the hearts of his people (Eph.…

and they blessed the people all the men who volunteered to dwell in Jerusalem
בִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ פbi.ru.sha.Lim in Jerusalem H3389 Preposition · noun proper
643× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Jerusalem is the capital city of Palestine, also known as the city of peace. It was the chief city of the united kingdom and the nation of Judah after the split.
Amplified meaning
the city of peace, the capital of Palestine
Tyndale gloss
Jerusalem
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫͏ם (Yruwshalaim) refers to Jerusalem, the capital city of Palestine. The name is thought to derive from terms meaning 'founded peaceful' and is linked to its two main hills. It is described as the chief city of the united kingdom and the nation of Judah.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫͏ם, יְרוּשָׁלַ֫יִם 644 n.pr.loc. Jerusalem

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3389 יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫͏ם, יְרוּשָׁלַ֫יִם Jerusalem

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3389 Yruwshalaim yer-oo-shaw-lah'-im

rarely Yruwshalayim {yer-oo- shaw-lah'-yim}; a dual (in

allusion to its two main hills (the true pointing, at least of

the former reading, seems to be that of 3390)); probably from

(the passive participle of) 3384 and 7999; founded peaceful;

Jerushalaim or Jerushalem, the capital city of

Palestine:--Jerusalem.

see HEBREW for 03390

see HEBREW for 03384

see HEBREW for 07999

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם (ye.ru.sha.laim) — Jerusalem.

§ Jerusalem = "teaching of peace"

the chief city of Palestine and capital of the united kingdom and the nation of Judah after the split

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-proper — Preposition · noun proper
HR/Npl
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

je-roo'-sa-lem:

I. THE NAME

1. In Cuneiform

2. In Hebrew

3. In Greek and Latin

4. The Meaning of Jerusalem

5. Other Names

II. GEOLOGY, CLIMATE AND SPRINGS

1. Geology

2. Climate and Rainfall

3. The Natural Springs

III. THE NATURAL SITE

1. The Mountains Around

2. The Valleys

3. The Hills

IV. GENERAL TOPOGRAPHY OF JERUSALEM

1. Description of Josephus

2. Summary of the Names of the Five Hills

3. The Akra

4. The Lower City

5. City of David and Zion

V. EXCAVATIONS AND ANTIQUITIES

1. Robinson

2. Wilson, and the Palestine Exploration Fund (1865)

3. Warren and Conder

4. Maudslay

5. Schick

6. Clermont-Ganneau

7. Bliss and Dickie

8. Jerusalem Archaeological Societies

VI. THE CITY'S WALLS AND GATES

1. The Existing Walls

2. Wilson's Theory

3. The Existing Gates

4. Buried Remains of Earlier Walls

5. The Great Dam of the Tyropoeon

6. Ruins of Ancient Gates

7. Josephus' Description of the Walls

8. First Wall

9. Second Wall

10. Third Wall

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Jerusalem

Called also Salem, Ariel, Jebus, the “city of God,” the “holy city;” by the modern Arabs el-Khuds, meaning “the holy;” once “the city of Judah” (2 Chr. 25:28). This name is in the original in the dual form, and means “possession of peace,” or “foundation of peace.” The dual form probably refers to the two mountains on which it was built, viz., Zion and Moriah; or, as some suppose, to the two parts of the city, the “upper” and the “lower city.” Jerusalem is a “mountain city enthroned on a mountain fastness” (comp. Ps. 68:15, 16; 87:1; 125:2; 76:1, 2; 122:3). It stands on the edge of one of the highest table-lands in Palestine, and is surrounded on the south-eastern, the southern, and the western sides by deep and precipitous ravines.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(the habitation of peace), Jerusalem stands in latitude 31 degrees 46’ 35" north and longitude 35 degrees 18’ 30" east of Greenwich. It is 32 miles distant from the sea and 18 from the Jordan, 20 from Hebron and 36 from Samaria. "In several respects," says Dean Stanley, "its situation is singular among the cities of Palestine. Its elevation is remarkable; occasioned not from its being on the summit of one of the numerous hills of Judea, like most of the towns and villages, but because it is on the edge of one of the highest table-lands of the country. Hebron indeed is higher still by some hundred feet, and from the south, accordingly (even from Bethlehem), the approach to Jerusalem is by a slight descent. But from any other side the ascent is perpetual; and to the traveller approaching the city from the east or west it must always have presented the appearance beyond any other capital…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The chief city of the Holy Land, and to the Christian the most illustrious in the world. It is situated in 31 degrees 46’43" N. lat., and 35 degrees 13’ E. long. on elevated ground south of the center of the country, about thirty-seven miles from the Mediterranean, and about twenty-four from the Jordan. Its site was early hallowed by God’s trial of Abraham’s faith, Ge 22:1-24 2Ch 3:1. It was on the border of the tribes of Benjamin and Judah, mostly within the limits of the former, but reckoned as belonging to the latter, because conquered by it, Jos 15:8 18:16,28 Jud 1:18. The most ancient name of the city was Salem, Ge…

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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