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Nehemiah 9:16 — Word Study

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WLCוְהֵ֥ם וַאֲבֹתֵ֖ינוּ הֵזִ֑ידוּ וַיַּקְשׁוּ֙ אֶת־ עָרְפָּ֔ם וְלֹ֥א שָׁמְע֖וּ אֶל־ מִצְוֹתֶֽיךָ׃

BSABut theyhêm [our ancestors, the Israelites] and our fathersʼâb [forefathers, ancestral leaders] became arrogantzûwd [proud, dealt proudly] and stiff-neckedqâshâh [hardened their necks, stubborn] and did notlôʼ obeyshâmaʻ [hearken not, refuse to listen] Your commandmentsmitsvâh [laws, divine instructions]

Word
Listen & take awayNehemiah 9
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 16 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 (mitz.vo.Tei.kha) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Nehemiah 9:16quick helps
In a sentenceThe Israelites and their ancestors became proud and stubborn, refusing to obey God's commandments.
Who is speakingNehemiah, recounting the history of Israel's disobedience.
Where we areNehemiah's prayer of confession, reflecting on Israel's past failures.
The hard wordהֵזִ֑ידוּ
Take awayThe people turned away from God's commands despite His guidance.
7 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbזִיד 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 9:16

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 — Nehemiah's Prayer of Confessiongenerated

15In their hunger You gave them bread from heaven; in their thirst You brought them water from the rock. You told them to go in and possess the land which You had sworn to give them.
16But they and our fathers became arrogant and stiff-necked and did not obey Your commandments.
17They refused to listen and failed to remember the wonders You performed among them. They stiffened their necks and appointed a leader to return them to their bondage in Egypt. But You are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in loving devotion, and You did not forsake them.
18Even when they cast for themselves an image of a calf and said, ‘This is your God who brought you up out of Egypt,’ and when they committed terrible blasphemies,

Nehemiah 9:16 recounts the history of the Israelites, highlighting their arrogance and stubbornness in the face of God's commandments. This prayer serves as a reminder of their repeated failures and God's enduring mercy, as Nehemiah reflects on the covenant relationship between God and His people. The surrounding verses illustrate God's provision and the people's responses, emphasizing the contrast between divine grace and human disobedience.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Nehemiah 9:10–29You performed signs and wonders against Pharaoh, all his officials, and all the people of his land, for You knew they had acted with arrogance against our fathers. You made a name for Yourself that endures to this day.
2Exodus 32:9The LORD also said to Moses, “I have seen this people, and they are indeed a stiff-necked people.
3Deuteronomy 9:6–13Understand, then, that it is not because of your righteousness that the LORD your God is giving you this good land to possess, for you are a stiff-necked people.
4Deuteronomy 32:15But Jeshurun grew fat and kicked— becoming fat, bloated, and gorged. He abandoned the God who made him and scorned the Rock of his salvation.
5Psalm 78:8–72Then they will not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, whose heart was not loyal, whose spirit was not faithful to God.

The Key Word הֵזִ֑ידוּ, he.Zi.dugenerated

The verb הֵזִ֑ידוּ (he.Zi.du) is a Hiphil perfect form meaning 'they acted presumptuously' or 'they boiled over with pride.' It conveys a sense of arrogance and rebellion against God's authority, often seen in contexts where individuals defy divine commands.

This word is rooted in the idea of boiling or seething, suggesting an intense emotional state leading to presumptuous actions. The parsing indicates that it is a third person common plural verb, showing that the Israelites collectively acted in arrogance against God's laws.


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 הֵזִ֑ידוּ governs the sentence, indicating the action of the subjects, which are the Israelites and their ancestors. The structure includes two additional verbs: וַיַּקְשׁוּ (they stiffened) and שָׁמְע֖וּ (they listened), which describe further actions taken by the subjects.

The sentence's emphasis is on the actions of the subjects, with the verbs placed prominently to highlight their defiance against God's commandments.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates הֵזִ֑ידוּ as ὑπερηφανεύσαντο, which means 'they acted proudly.' This choice narrows the focus to the prideful aspect of their actions, aligning with the overall theme of arrogance in the verse.

The LXX captures the essence of the Hebrew text while providing a Greek expression that emphasizes the prideful nature of the Israelites' rebellion.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Nehemiah 9:16 tells us that the Israelites and their ancestors became proud and stubborn, refusing to listen to God's commandments. This verse reflects their history of disobedience despite God's guidance and provision.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that they became arrogant?

It means that the Israelites acted with pride and defiance against God's commands, showing a lack of humility and obedience.

Why is it significant that they did not obey God's commandments?

Disobeying God's commandments signifies a break in the covenant relationship and a refusal to acknowledge His authority and guidance.

How does this verse reflect the history of Israel?

This verse summarizes a pattern of rebellion and disobedience in Israel's history, highlighting their need for repentance and God's mercy.

What can we learn from their arrogance?

We can learn the importance of humility and obedience to God's commandments, recognizing the consequences of pride and rebellion.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways have I acted arrogantly or stubbornly in my own life?
  2. How can I better listen to and obey God's commandments?
  3. What examples from my life reflect a pattern of disobedience similar to that of the Israelites?
  4. How can I cultivate a heart of humility and submission to God's authority?

Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Nehemiah 9:16 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

But they and our fathers dealt proudly,.... Behaved in a haughty manner towards God, their kind benefactor: and hardened their necks; refused to take the yoke of his law, as refractory oxen, that

Read John Gill on Nehemiah 9 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Thou art the LORD the God, who didst choose Abram, and broughtest him forth out of Ur of the Chaldees, and gavest him the name of Abraham; No JFB commentary on these verses.

Read Robert Jamieson on Nehemiah 9 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Notwithstanding all these singular and wonderful mercies; which he hitherto recounted to aggravate their sins, which he now comes to confess, and to lead them to a sincere and ingenuous grief and repentance for their sins, not only for the mischief which they brought upon themselves, but for the injury and indignity which they offered to God. Dealt proudly, i.e. sinned presumptuously, and with contempt of God, as scorning to submit their wills to God’ s.

Read Matthew Poole on Nehemiah 9 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Nehemiah 9:16 But they and our fathers dealt proudly, and hardened their necks, and hearkened not to thy commandments,Ver. 16. But they and our fathers] God’ s mercies have been hitherto mentioned, that their sins might thereby be aggravated; for good turns aggravate unkindness; and men’ s sins are much increased by their obligations. It is charged upon Solomon as a foul fault, that he departed from the Lord, who had appeared unto him twice, 1 Kings 11:9. Dealt proudly] Pride is the master pock of the soul, and the root of rebellion against God, Psalms 119:21. And hardened their necks] As unruly beasts, that will not bear the yoke; lawless and aweless persons, that refuse to be reformed…

Read John Trapp on Nehemiah 9 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(16) Dealt proudly.—Like the Egyptians themselves (Nehemiah 9:10). It is remarkable that the same word is used as in the Hebrew of Exo 18:11 and Deuteronomy 1:43.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Nehemiah 9 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

16. But they and our fathers] The ‘and’ here seems not to be necessary. It is found, however, in all the MSS., and is represented in all the Versions, and must clearly be retained in the text. As the following Nehemiah 9:17-22 continue to refer to the Mosaic generation, no distinction of meaning can be drawn between ‘they’ and ‘our fathers.’ It seems best therefore to regard the ‘and’ as an instance of the explanatory or exegetical copula. ‘They and (= that is to say) our fathers.’ Cf. Nehemiah 9:22. dealt proudly] Cf. Nehemiah 9:10. In this verse and in Nehemiah 9:29 the word is used with reference to the children of Israel, as in Deuteronomy 1:43, ‘ye rebelled … and were presumptuous.’…

Read Cambridge on Nehemiah 9 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

16. They and our fathers — This should be rendered, and they, even our fathers.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Nehemiah 9 →

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

But they and our fathers became arrogant and stiff-necked and did not obey Your commandments.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

“But they and our fathers behaved proudly, hardened their neck, didn’t listen to your commandments,

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

But they and our fathers became arrogant and stiff-necked and did not obey Your commandments.

NETBNew English Translation2006

“But they – our ancestors – behaved presumptuously; they rebelled and did not obey your commandments.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

But they and our fathers dealt proudly, and hardened their necks, and hearkened not to thy commandments,

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

But they and our fathers dealt proudly, and hardened their neck, and hearkened not to thy commandments,

RVARevised Version, American1894

But they and our fathers dealt proudly, and hardened their neck, and hearkened not to thy commandments,

NWBWebster's Bible1833

But they and our fathers dealt proudly, and hardened their necks, and hearkened not to thy commandments,

GNVGeneva Bible1599

But they and our fathers behaued them selues proudely, and hardened their neck, so that they hearkened not vnto thy commandements,

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

But they, our fathers, dealt proudly, and hardened their neck, and hearkened not to thy commandments,

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

'And they and our fathers have acted proudly, and harden their neck, and have not hearkened unto Thy commands,

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And they and our fathers have acted proudly, || And harden their neck, || And have not listened to Your commands,

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And they and our fathers acted presumptuously, and hardened their neck, and hearkened not to thy commandments.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

But they and our ancestors acted disrespectfully, and they were stubborn, and did not listen to your commandments.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

But they and our fathers dealt proudly, and hardened their necks and hearkened not to thy commandments.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

But they and our forefathers acted arrogantly and became stubborn, and didn't pay attention to your commands.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

But they and our fathers, in their pride, made their necks stiff, and gave no attention to your orders,

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.

וְandclausenoun phrase · subjectהֵ֥םtheyוַandnoun phraseאֲבֹתֵ֖יancestorsנוּourverbהֵזִ֑ידוּthey.acted.presumptuouslyוַandclauseverbיַּקְשׁוּ֙they.stiffenednoun phrase · objectאֶת(et)noun phraseעָרְפָּ֔neckםtheirוְandclauseadverbialלֹ֥אnotverbשָׁמְע֖וּthey.listenedprepositional phrase · prepositionalאֶלtonoun phraseמִצְוֺתֶֽיcommandmentsךָyour

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


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

The Masoretic Text matches the Septuagint in 9 of the 10 words, indicating a strong agreement on the wording and meaning of this verse. The slight differences in word order and expression highlight the translation process rather than substantive variations in content.

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

וְהֵ֥ם וַאֲבֹתֵ֖ינוּ הֵזִ֑ידוּ וַיַּקְשׁוּ֙ אֶת־ עָרְפָּ֔ם וְלֹ֥א שָׁמְע֖וּ אֶל־ מִצְוֹתֶֽיךָ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וְהֵ֥םαὐτοὶוַאֲבֹתֵ֖ינוּἡμῶνהֵזִ֑ידוּὑπερηφανεύσαντοוַיַּקְשׁוּ֙ἐσκλήρυνανעָרְפָּ֔םτράξηλονוְלֹ֥אοὐκשָׁמְע֖וּἤκουσανאֶל־τῶνמִצְוֹתֶֽיךָ׃σου

9 of the 10 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 9:16הֵ֫מָּהand theyand theyהֵ֫מָּהאָבand ancestoand ancestors oאָבזִידthey acted they acted presזִידקָשָׁהand they stand they stiffeקָשָׁהאֵתthe object the object markאֵתעֹ֫רֶףneck theirneck theirעֹ֫רֶףלֹאand notand notלֹאשָׁמַעthey listenthey listenedשָׁמַעאֶלtotoאֶלמִצְוָהcommandmentcommandments yoמִצְוָההֲלַךְto goto goהֲלַךְאוֹתsign: mirasign: miraculouאוֹתעָרַףto break tto break the neעָרַףצָוָהto commandto commandצָוָהמְרִיrebellionrebellionמְרִיסֵ֫פֶרscroll: doscroll: documenסֵ֫פֶרקָבַרto buryto buryקָבַראֵםmothermotherאֵםהֵ֫מָּהthey(masc.they(masc.)הֵ֫מָּהשֵׁםnamenameשֵׁםעֹ֫רֶףneckneckעֹ֫רֶףעֹלyokeyokeעֹלמִגְרָשׁpasturepastureמִגְרָשׁקָשָׁהto hardento hardenקָשָׁהקָשֶׁהseveresevereקָשֶׁהיָכֹלbe ablebe ableיָכֹלעוֹדstillstillעוֹדקוֹלvoice: souvoice: soundקוֹל
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 9:16

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 and ancestors our they acted presumptuously and they stiffened the object marker neck their and not they listened to commandments your
וְהֵ֥םve.Hem and they H1992 Conjunction · pronoun
553× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word is used to refer to a group of men, emphasizing that it is specifically them. It is often translated as 'they' or 'them' in the Bible, and appears in books like Exodus and Isaiah.
Amplified meaning
our ancestors, the Israelites
Tyndale gloss
they(masc.)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הֵ֫מָּה (hemmah) is a masculine plural pronoun meaning 'they.' The entries indicate that it can also mean 'these,' 'the same,' or refer to people in an emphatic context. There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its usage.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הֵ֫מָּה and הֵם (without appreciable distinction in usage, except prob. in so far as the longer or shorter form was better adapted to the rhythm of particular sentences) pron. 3 pl. masc. they

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1992 הֵ֫מָּה, הֵם (without appreciable distinction in usage, except prob. in so far as the longer or shorter form was better adapted to the rhythm of particular sentences) they

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1992 hem haym

or (prolonged) hemmah {haym'-maw}; masculine plural from

1981; they (only used when emphatic):--it, like, X (how, so)

many (soever, more as) they (be), (the) same, X so, X such,

their, them, these, they, those, which, who, whom, withal, ye.

see HEBREW for 01981

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הֵ֫מָּה (hem.mah) — they(masc.).

they, these, the same, who

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Pron — Conjunction · pronoun
HC/Pp3mp
and they and ancestors our they acted presumptuously and they stiffened the object marker neck their and not they listened to commandments your
וַאֲבֹתֵ֖ינוּva.'a.vo.Tei.nu and ancestors our H1 Conjunction · noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
1,213× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In Hebrew, this word means father, whether literal or figurative. It is used to describe God as the father of his people, as well as human fathers like Abraham. The word is about a paternal relationship or authority.
Amplified meaning
forefathers, ancestral leaders
Tyndale gloss
father
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָב (av) means 'father' and encompasses various roles such as the literal father of an individual, God as the father of His people, and the head of a household or clan. It can also refer to an ancestor, originator of a profession, or a figure of respect and protection. Notably, it can imply a ruler or chief in later contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָב 1101 n.m. father

father of individual

of God as father of his people

head of household, family or clan

ancestor

originator or patron of a class, profession, or art

fig. of producer, generator

fig. of benevolence & protection

term of respect & honor

specif., ruler, chief (late)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1 אָב father . father of individual

. of God as father of his people

. head of household, family or clan

. ancestor

. originator or patron of a class, profession, or art

. fig. of producer, generator

. fig. of benevolence & protection

. term of respect & honor

. specif., ruler, chief (late)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1 'ab awb

a primitive word; father, in a literal and immediate, or

figurative and remote application):--chief,

(fore-)father(-less), X patrimony, principal. Compare names

in "Abi-".

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָב (av) — father.

1) father of an individual

2) of God as father of his people

3) head or founder of a household, group, family, or clan

4) ancestor

4a) grandfather, forefathers - of person

4b) of people

5) originator or patron of a class, profession, or art

6) of producer, generator (fig.)

7) of benevolence and protection (fig.)

8) term of respect and honour

9) ruler or chief (spec.)

Also means: av (אַב "father" H0002)

אָב (av) — (Huram)-abi.

A man living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ki.7.13; also called Huram-abi (KJV: "Huram my father's") at 2Ch.2.13; 4.16;

Combined with chi.ram (חִירָם "Hiram" H2438H)

אָב (av) — father of.

The father of Gibeon, also known as Abiel - a man of the tribe of Benjamin living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Sa.9.1;

son of: Zeror (H6872C); married to Maacah (H4601N);

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | N-mp | Suff — Conjunction · noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
HC/Ncfpc/Sp1bp
and they and ancestors our they acted presumptuously and they stiffened the object marker neck their and not they listened to commandments your
הֵזִ֑ידוּhe.Zi.du they acted presumptuously H2102 Verb · Hiphil · perfect third person common plural
10× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to boil over with pride or arrogance, like in Exodus when the Israelites rebelled against God. It can also mean to act presumptuously or be insolent. In the Bible, it often describes people who defy God's authority.
Amplified meaning
proud, dealt proudly
Tyndale gloss
to boil
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

זִיד (zuwd) means to boil or seethe, and it also conveys the idea of acting proudly or presumptuously. The word is a primitive root with a range that includes arrogance and rebellion. It appears in contexts where individuals act insolently, such as in relations involving Egyptians and Babylonians.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[זִיד, זוּד] vb. boil up, seethe, act proudly, presumptuously, rebelliously

Qal of Egyptians, in the matter as to which they acted presumptuously against them; of Babylon, against י׳ hath she acted presumptuously.

Hiph.

boil, seethe, trans.

act presumptuously, insolently

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2102 זִיד, זוּד boil up, seethe, act proudly, presumptuously, rebelliously

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2102 zuwd zood

or (by permutation) ziyd {zeed}; a primitive root; to seethe;

figuratively, to be insolent:--be proud, deal proudly,

&Š presume, (come) presumptuously, sod.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

זִיד (zud) — to boil.

1) to boil, boil up, seethe, act proudly, act presumptuously, act rebelliously, be presumptuous, be arrogant, be rebelliously proud

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to act presumptuously

1a2) to deal arrogantly (with 'al')

1a3) to defy proudly (with 'el')

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to boil, seethe, act proudly

1b2) to act presumptuously, act insolently

Aramaic equivalent: zud (זוּד "be proud" H2103)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Hiphil-Perf-3cp — Verb · Hiphil · perfect third person common plural
HVhp3cp
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and they and ancestors our they acted presumptuously and they stiffened the object marker neck their and not they listened to commandments your
וַיַּקְשׁוּ֙vai.yak.Shu and they stiffened H7185 Verb · Hiphil · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
28× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word means to be hard or severe, like when Pharaoh's heart was hardened against the Israelites in Exodus.
Amplified meaning
hardened their necks, stubborn
Tyndale gloss
to harden
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

קָשָׁה (qashah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to be hard, severe, or fierce. It can describe difficulty or harshness in various contexts, including labor and obstinacy. The word has different forms, such as Qal (to be hard), Niphal (to be ill-treated), and Hiphil (to make difficult or burdensome).

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[קָשָׁה] vb. be hard, severe, fierce

Qal

be hard, difficult

be hard, severe

Niph. hardly bestead, hard pressed

Pi. she made hard in her bearing (had severe labour)

Hiph.

make difficult, difficulty

make severe, burdensome, yoke imposed by king

make hard, stiff, stubborn, fig. of obstinacy

shew stubbornness

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7185 קָשָׁה be hard, severe, fierce .. be hard, difficult

. be hard, severe

. hardly bestead, hard pressed

. . make difficult, difficulty

. make severe, burdensome, yoke imposed by king

. . make hard, stiff, stubborn, fig. of obstinacy

. shew stubbornness

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7185 qashah kaw-shaw'

a primitive root; properly, to be dense, i.e. tough or severe

(in various applications):--be cruel, be fiercer, make

grievous, be ((ask a), be in, have, seem, would) hard(-en,

(labour), -ly, thing), be sore, (be, make) stiff(-en,

(-necked)).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קָשָׁה (qa.shah) — to harden.

1) to be hard, be severe, be fierce, be harsh

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to be hard, be difficult

1a2) to be hard, be severe

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be ill-treated

1b2) to be hard pressed

1c) (Piel) to have severe labour (of women)

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to make difficult, make difficulty

1d2) to make severe, make burdensome

1d3) to make hard, make stiff, make stubborn

1d3a) of obstinacy (fig)

1d4) to show stubbornness

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Hiphil-ConsecImperf-3mp — Verb · Hiphil · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
Hc/Vhw3mp
and they and ancestors our they acted presumptuously and they stiffened the object marker neck their and not they listened to commandments your
אֶת־'et- the object marker H853 Particle
10,946× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the original Hebrew, this word points out the object of a verb or preposition, like 'namely' or 'even'. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus. It's not directly translated in English, but helps clarify the meaning of sentences.
Tyndale gloss
[Obj.]
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

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

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

853 'eth ayth

apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of

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

definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or

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

see HEBREW for 0226

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵת (et) — [Obj.].

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

Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTo — Particle
HTo
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and they and ancestors our they acted presumptuously and they stiffened the object marker neck their and not they listened to commandments your
עָרְפָּ֔ם'a.re.Pam neck their H6203 Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
33× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The neck or back of the neck represents a turning point, like the back of a fleeing enemy or a stubborn person with a stiff neck.
Tyndale gloss
neck
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עֹ֫רֶף (oreph) refers to the back of the neck, and can also denote the back generally, both literally and figuratively. It is associated with concepts like obstinacy and apostasy. The word is derived from a related term, עָרַף (araf), and is mentioned in contexts describing a stiff neck or a fleeing foe.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עֹ֫רֶף n.m. back of neck, neck

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6203 עֹ֫רֶף back of neck, neck

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6203 `oreph o-ref'

from 6202; the nape or back of the neck (as declining);

hence, the back generally (whether literal or figurative):--

back ((stiff-)neck((-ed).

see HEBREW for 06202

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עֹ֫רֶף (o.reph) — neck.

1) neck, back of the neck, back

1a) back of the neck

1a1) of fleeing foe

1a2) of apostasy (fig.)

1b) stiff of neck, obstinate (fig.)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcmsc/Sp3mp — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HNcmsc/Sp3mp
and they and ancestors our they acted presumptuously and they stiffened the object marker neck their and not they listened to commandments your
וְלֹ֥אve.Lo' and not H3808 Conjunction · particle
5,170× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Tyndale gloss
not
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לֹא or לוֹא adv. not

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3808 lo' lo

or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often

used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,

ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,

no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out

of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +

of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לֹא (lo) — not.

1) not, no

1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)

1b) not (with modifier-negation)

1c) nothing (subst)

1d) without (with particle)

1e) before (of time)

Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Part — Conjunction · particle
HC/Tn
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and they and ancestors our they acted presumptuously and they stiffened the object marker neck their and not they listened to commandments your
שָׁמְע֖וּsha.me.'U they listened H8085 Verb · Qal · perfect third person common plural
1,160× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To hear and listen is what this Hebrew word means, often implying attention and obedience. In Exodus and Deuteronomy, it is used when God speaks to the people, and they must listen and obey.
Amplified meaning
hearken not, refuse to listen
Tyndale gloss
to hear: hear
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word שָׁמַע (shama`) means 'to hear' and encompasses a range of meanings including listening, obeying, and proclaiming. It is built from a primitive root and can imply attention and understanding. The entries highlight various grammatical forms, such as Qal, Niphal, Piel, and Hiphil, indicating different nuances of hearing and obeying. There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁמַע 1152 vb. hear

Qal 1052

subj. pers. hum.

י׳ (God) subj.

Niph. 42 be heard, of voice, sound

be heard of

be regarded, obeyed

= (favourable) hearing was granted to their voice.

Pi. he caused the people to hear

Hiph. 63

of man

י׳ subj.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8085 שָׁמַע hear

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8085 shama` shaw-mah'

a primitive root; to hear intelligently (often with

implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to

tell, etc.):--X attentively, call (gather) together, X

carefully, X certainly, consent, consider, be content,

declare, X diligently, discern, give ear, (cause to, let, make

to) hear(-ken, tell), X indeed, listen, make (a) noise, (be)

obedient, obey, perceive, (make a) proclaim(-ation), publish,

regard, report, shew (forth), (make a) sound, X surely, tell,

understand, whosoever (heareth), witness.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁמַע (sha.ma) — to hear: hear.

: hear

v

1) to hear, listen to, obey

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to hear (perceive by ear)

1a2) to hear of or concerning

1a3) to hear (have power to hear)

1a4) to hear with attention or interest, listen to

1a5) to understand (language)

1a6) to hear (of judicial cases)

1a7) to listen, give heed

1a7a) to consent, agree

1a7b) to grant request

1a8) to listen to, yield to

1a9) to obey, be obedient

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be heard (of voice or sound)

1b2) to be heard of

1b3) to be regarded, be obeyed

1c) (Piel) to cause to hear, call to hear, summon

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to cause to hear, tell, proclaim, utter a sound

1d2) to sound aloud (musical term)

1d3) to make proclamation, summon

1d4) to cause to be heard

n m

2) sound

שָׁמַע (sha.ma) — to hear: obey.

: obey

v

1) to hear, listen to, obey

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to hear (perceive by ear)

1a2) to hear of or concerning

1a3) to hear (have power to hear)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-3cp — Verb · Qal · perfect third person common plural
HVqp3cp
and they and ancestors our they acted presumptuously and they stiffened the object marker neck their and not they listened to commandments your
אֶל־'el- to H413 Preposition
5,518× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means 'to' or 'toward', showing direction or movement. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus, to indicate where someone is going. The KJV translates it in various ways, like 'about', 'according to', or 'against'.
Tyndale gloss
to(wards)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph),

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

Where the limit is actually entered, into

Of direction towards anything

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

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

Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

Of rule or standard according to (rare)

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

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

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

. Where the limit is actually entered, into

. Of direction towards anything

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

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

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

. Of rule or standard according to (rare)

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

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

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

413 'el ale

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

a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but

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

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

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

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

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

with(-in).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶל (el) — to(wards).

1) to, toward, unto (of motion)

2) into (limit is actually entered)

2a) in among

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

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

5) in addition to, to

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

7) according to (rule or standard)

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

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR — Preposition
HR
and they and ancestors our they acted presumptuously and they stiffened the object marker neck their and not they listened to commandments your
מִצְוֹתֶֽיךָ׃mitz.vo.Tei.kha commandments your H4687 Noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
182× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means a command or law given by God or humans, as seen in the Bible's rules and guidelines. It appears in books like Exodus and Deuteronomy. The commandments guide people's actions.
Amplified meaning
laws, divine instructions
Tyndale gloss
commandment
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מִצְוָה (mitsvah) means 'commandment' and can refer to commands from both humans and God. It encompasses laws, ordinances, and precepts, indicating a range of directives within religious and moral contexts. The term is derived from a root meaning to command, linking it to the broader framework of divine law.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מִצְוָה 181 n.f. commandment

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4687 מִצְוָה commandment

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4687 mitsvah mits-vaw'

from 6680; a command, whether human or divine (collectively,

the Law):--(which was) commanded(-ment), law, ordinance,

precept.

see HEBREW for 06680

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מִצְוָה (mits.vah) — commandment.

1) commandment

1a) commandment (of man)

1b) the commandment (of God)

1c) commandment (of code of wisdom)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fp | Suff — Noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
HNcfpc/Sp2ms
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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