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Nehemiah 9:21 — Word Study

Depth

WLCוְאַרְבָּעִ֥ים שָׁנָ֛ה כִּלְכַּלְתָּ֥ם בַּמִּדְבָּ֖ר לֹ֣א חָסֵ֑רוּ שַׂלְמֹֽתֵיהֶם֙ לֹ֣א בָל֔וּ וְרַגְלֵיהֶ֖ם לֹ֥א בָצֵֽקוּ׃

BSAFor fortyʼarbâʻîym [a significant period of time] yearsshâneh You sustained themkûwl [supported, nourished, and cared for] in the wildernessmidbâr [desert, open field, or place of testing] [so that] they lackedchâçêr [were in need of, or without] nothinglôʼ Their clothessalmâh [garments, outer clothing, or raiment] did notlôʼ wear outbâlâh [become old, decay, or deteriorate] and their feetregel [the lowest part of the leg, or the foundation of the body] did notlôʼ swellbâtsêq [become inflamed, or blister]

Word
Listen & take awayNehemiah 9
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 21 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 (va.Tze.ku) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Nehemiah 9:21quick helps
In a sentenceFor forty years, God provided for the Israelites in the wilderness, ensuring they lacked nothing.
Who is speakingNehemiah, recounting God's faithfulness to Israel.
Where we areThis verse is part of a prayer recalling God's provision during Israel's wilderness journey.
The hard wordכִּלְכַּלְתָּ֥ם
Take awayGod's care was complete; nothing was lacking for His people.
5 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, AdamClarke & more — read them › clause verbחָסֵר 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 9:21

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 Prayer of the Levitesgenerated

20You gave Your good Spirit to instruct them. You did not withhold Your manna from their mouths, and You gave them water for their thirst.
21For forty years You sustained them in the wilderness, so that they lacked nothing. Their clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell.
22You gave them kingdoms and peoples and allotted to them every corner of the land. So they took the land of Sihon king of Heshbon and of Og king of Bashan.
23You multiplied their descendants like the stars of heaven and brought them to the land You had told their fathers to enter and possess.

Nehemiah 9:21 recounts God's provision for the Israelites during their forty years in the wilderness. This prayer reflects on how God sustained them, ensuring they lacked nothing, which serves as a reminder of His faithfulness and care throughout their journey. The context emphasizes the importance of remembering God's past actions as the Israelites renew their covenant with Him.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Exodus 16:35The Israelites ate manna forty years, until they came to a land where they could settle; they ate manna until they reached the border of Canaan.
2Numbers 14:33–34Your children will be shepherds in the wilderness for forty years, and they will suffer for your unfaithfulness until the last of your bodies lies in the wilderness.
3Deuteronomy 2:7Indeed, the LORD your God has blessed you in all the work of your hands. He has watched over your journey through this vast wilderness. The LORD your God has been with you these forty years, and you have lacked nothing.
4Deuteronomy 8:2Remember that these forty years the LORD your God led you all the way in the wilderness, so that He might humble you and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep His commandments.
5Amos 5:25Did you bring Me sacrifices and offerings forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 9 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word כִּלְכַּלְתָּ֥ם, kil.kal.Tamgenerated

The verb כִּלְכַּל (kilkal) means to sustain or support. It conveys the idea of holding something up or maintaining it over time. In this verse, it emphasizes God's active role in caring for the Israelites during their time in the wilderness.

The parsing as a perfect form indicates a completed action, highlighting that God's sustaining work was thorough and ongoing throughout the entire forty years.


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 כִּלְכַּל governs the sentence, indicating God's action of sustaining. The structure includes several phrases that describe the conditions of the Israelites during their time in the wilderness.

The clauses detail the aspects of God's provision: they lacked nothing, their clothes did not wear out, and their feet did not swell. This structure emphasizes the completeness of God's care.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates כִּלְכַּל as αὐτοὺς (autous), meaning 'them.' This choice reflects the translators' focus on God's direct action towards the people, emphasizing His role in their sustenance.

The use of ἐρήμῳ for 'wilderness' in the LXX highlights the desolate and challenging nature of the Israelites' environment, reinforcing the notion of God's provision in hardship.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Nehemiah 9:21 tells us that for forty years, God took care of the Israelites in the wilderness. They had everything they needed; their clothes didn't wear out, and their feet didn't swell. This shows how God provided for them during their journey.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that God sustained them?

It means that God actively provided for the Israelites' needs, ensuring they had food, clothing, and health during their time in the wilderness.

Why is the number forty significant?

The number forty often represents a period of testing or trial in the Bible, such as the forty years the Israelites spent in the wilderness.

What does it mean that their clothes did not wear out?

It signifies God's miraculous provision and care, as their garments remained intact despite the long duration of their journey.

Why did their feet not swell?

This indicates that God protected them from physical ailments during their travels, further demonstrating His care for their well-being.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways have I experienced God's provision in my life?
  2. How can I trust God to sustain me during difficult times?
  3. What does it mean for me to rely on God's care as the Israelites did?
  4. How can I remember and share stories of God's faithfulness in my community?

Commentators on this verse — 5 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Nehemiah 9:21 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Yea, forty years didst thou sustain them in the wilderness, so that they lacked nothing,.... As not for food, so neither for raiment, as follows: their clothes waxed not old, and their feet swelled

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

Yet thou in thy manifold mercies forsookest them not in the wilderness: the pillar of the cloud departed not from them by day, to lead them in the way; neither the pillar of fire by night, to shew

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

Nehemiah 9:21 Yea, forty years didst thou sustain them in the wilderness, [so that] they lacked nothing; their clothes waxed not old, and their feet swelled not.Ver. 21. Yea, forty years didst thou sustain them] Sustain them? this is a mere Meiosis, since never was prince so served in his greatest pomp as these rebellious Israelites were in the wilderness: they had their quails and their manna, and the rock to follow them, &c. So that they lacked nothing] Nor more shall they that seek the Lord lack any good thing, Psalms 34:10; Psalms 84:11. God will not be a wilderness to them, or a land of darkness, Jeremiah 2:31. A sufficiency they shall be sure of, if not a superfluity; yea, in the…

Read John Trapp on Nehemiah 9 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 21. Their clothes waxed not old] See Clarke on Deuteronomy 8:4.

Read AdamClarke on Nehemiah 9 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

21. The Forty Years in the Wilderness: Preservationforty years … so that] R.V. forty years … and. The mention of the 40 years and of the fact that ‘they lacked nothing’ shows that the origin of the clause is to be sought in Deuteronomy 2:7 ‘these forty years the Lord thy God hath been with thee; thou hast lacked nothing.’ their clothes waxed not old, and their feet swelled not] From Deuteronomy 8:4, ‘Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years.’ Cf. Deuteronomy 29:5, ‘And I have led you forty years in the wilderness: your clothes are not waxen old upon you, and thy shoe is not waxen old upon thy foot.’ The language of the Deuteronomist is doubtless…

Read Cambridge 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

For forty years You sustained them in the wilderness, so that they lacked nothing. Their clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

“Yes, forty years you sustained them in the wilderness. They lacked nothing. Their clothes didn’t grow old, and their feet didn’t swell.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

For forty years You sustained them in the wilderness, so that they lacked nothing. Their clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell.

NETBNew English Translation2006

For forty years you sustained them. Even in the desert they never lacked anything. Their clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Yea, forty years didst thou sustain them in the wilderness, so that they lacked nothing; their clothes waxed not old, and their feet swelled not.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Yea, forty years didst thou sustain them in the wilderness, and they lacked nothing; their clothes waxed not old, and their feet swelled not.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Yea, forty years didst thou sustain them in the wilderness, and they lacked nothing; their clothes waxed not old, and their feet swelled not.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Yea, forty years didst thou sustain them in the wilderness, so that they lacked nothing; their clothes grew not old, and their feet swelled not.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Thou didest also feede them fourtie yeres in ye wildernes: they lacked nothing: their clothes waxed not old, and their feete swelled not.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Yea, forty years didst thou sustain them in the wilderness; they lacked nothing; their clothes grew not old, and their feet swelled not.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

and forty years Thou hast nourished them in a wilderness; they have not lacked; their garments have not worn out, and their feet have not swelled.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And forty years You have nourished them in a wilderness; They have not lacked; Their garments have not worn out, || And their feet have not swelled.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And forty years didst thou provide for them in the wilderness; they lacked nothing; their clothes did not wear out; and their feet swelled not.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

For forty years you provided for them in the wilderness, and they lacked nothing. Their clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Forty years didst thou feed them in the desert, and nothing was wanting to them: their garments did not grow old, and their feet were not worn.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

You took care of them for forty years in the desert. Their clothes didn't wear out, they didn't want for anything. Their feet didn't even swell up!

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Truly, for forty years you were their support in the waste land, and they were in need of nothing; their clothing did not get old or their feet become tired.

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 · adverbialאַרְבָּעִ֥יםfortyשָׁנָ֛הyear[s]verbכִּלְכַּלְתָּ֥youobjectםsustained.themprepositional phrase · prepositionalבַּinnoun phrasetheמִּדְבָּ֖רwildernessclauseadverbialלֹ֣אnotverbחָסֵ֑רוּthey.were.lackingclausenoun phrase · subjectשַׂלְמֹֽתֵיclothesהֶם֙theiradverbialלֹ֣אnotverbבָל֔וּthey.wore.outוְandclausenoun phrase · subjectרַגְלֵיfeetהֶ֖םtheiradverbialלֹ֥אnotverbבָצֵֽקוּthey.swelled

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 closely, with twelve of the twelve words matching between them. This demonstrates a strong consistency in the transmission of this verse across different textual traditions.

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

וְאַרְבָּעִ֥ים שָׁנָ֛ה כִּלְכַּלְתָּ֥ם בַּמִּדְבָּ֖ר לֹ֣א חָסֵ֑רוּ שַׂלְמֹֽתֵיהֶם֙ לֹ֣א בָל֔וּ וְרַגְלֵיהֶ֖ם לֹ֥א בָצֵֽקוּ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וְאַרְבָּעִ֥יםτεσσαράκονταשָׁנָ֛הἔτηכִּלְכַּלְתָּ֥םαὐτοὺςבַּמִּדְבָּ֖רἐρήμῳלֹ֣אοὐξחָסֵ֑רוּὑστέρησανשַׂלְמֹֽתֵיהֶם֙αὐτῶνלֹ֣אοὐκבָל֔וּἐπαλαιώθησανוְרַגְלֵיהֶ֖םαὐτῶνלֹ֥אοὐבָצֵֽקוּ׃διερράγησαν

12 of the 12 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 9:21אַרְבָּעִיםand fortyand fortyאַרְבָּעִיםשָׁנָהyear[s]year[s]שָׁנָהכּוּלyou sustainyou sustained tכּוּלמִדְבָּרin the wildin the wilderneמִדְבָּרלֹאnotnotלֹאחָסֵרthey were lthey were lackiחָסֵרשַׂלְמָהclothes theclothes theirשַׂלְמָהלֹאnotnotלֹאבָּלָהthey wore othey wore outבָּלָהרֶ֫גֶלand feet thand feet theirרֶ֫גֶללֹאnotnotלֹאבָּצֵקthey becamethey became swoבָּצֵקשָׁנָהto changeto changeשָׁנָהדָבַרto speak: to speak: speakדָבַררָגַלto spyto spyרָגַלאַרְבַּעfourfourאַרְבַּעשִׂמְלָהmantlemantleשִׂמְלָהיָכֹלbe ablebe ableיָכֹלעוֹדstillstillעוֹדלַ֫יְלָהnightnightלַ֫יְלָהמָלַךְto reignto reignמָלַךְעֶשְׂרִיםtwentytwentyעֶשְׂרִיםבַּתbathbathבַּתנָצַבto standto standנָצַבצִןZinZinצִןסִינַיSinaiSinaiסִינַיבֶּ֫טֶןbelly: abdbelly: abdomenבֶּ֫טֶןחֲמִשִּׁיםfiftyfiftyחֲמִשִּׁיםבָּלָהto become to become oldבָּלָהנֶ֫שֶׁקweaponweaponנֶ֫שֶׁק
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 9:21

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 forty year[s] you sustained them in the wilderness not they were lacking clothes their not they wore out and feet their not they became swollen
וְאַרְבָּעִ֥יםve.'ar.ba.'Im and forty H705 Conjunction
136× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The number forty is what this Hebrew word represents, often used in the Bible to mark significant periods of time, like the 40 days of rain in Genesis or the 40 years of Israel's wilderness journey.
Amplified meaning
a significant period of time
Tyndale gloss
forty
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אַרְבָּעִים (arba`iym) simply means 'forty' in Hebrew. It is a multiple of the number 702 and is consistently defined across various lexicons. There are no significant disagreements among the entries regarding its meaning.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אַרְבָּעִים a forty

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H705 אַרְבָּעִים a forty

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

705 'arba`iym ar-baw-eem'

multiple of 702; forty:---forty.

see HEBREW for 0702

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אַרְבָּעִים (ar.ba.im) — forty.

forty

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Adj — Conjunction
HC/Acmpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

for'-ti ('arba`im; tessarakonta).

See FOUR (5); NUMBER.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Remarkable coincidences in the number

→ DAYS

Of rain, at the time of the flood Ge 7:17

Of flood, before sending forth the raven Ge 8:6

For embalming Ge 50:3

Of fasting

By Moses Ex 24:18; 34:28; De 9:9,25

By Elijah 1Ki 19:8

By spies in the land of promise Nu 13:25

Of probation, given to the Ninevites Jon 3:4

By Jesus Mt 4:2

Christ's stay after the resurrection Ac 1:3

and forty year[s] you sustained them in the wilderness not they were lacking clothes their not they wore out and feet their not they became swollen
שָׁנָ֛הsha.Nah year[s] H8141 Noun common · feminine singular absolute
877× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word also means a year, like when Abraham was 100 years old in Genesis 21. It is used to describe a period of time, age, or a lifetime.
Tyndale gloss
year
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׁנָה (shaneh) means 'year' and is derived from the root meaning to change or revolve. It encompasses various aspects of time, including divisions of time, measures of age, and even a lifetime. The Aramaic equivalent is שְׁנָה (she.nah), also meaning 'year'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁנָה 877 n.f. year (etym. v. √[v.ek.aa])

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8141 שָׁנָה year (etym. v. √[8138a])

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8141 shaneh shaw-neh'

(in plura or (feminine) shanah {shaw-naw'}; from 8138; a year

(as a revolution of time):--+ whole age, X long, + old,

year(X -ly).

see HEBREW for 08138

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁנָה (sha.neh) — year.

1) year

1a) as division of time

1b) as measure of time

1c) as indication of age

1d) a lifetime (of years of life)

Aramaic equivalent: she.nah (שְׁנָה "year" H8140)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absolute
HNcfsa
and forty year[s] you sustained them in the wilderness not they were lacking clothes their not they wore out and feet their not they became swollen
כִּלְכַּלְתָּ֥םkil.kal.Tam you sustained them H3557 Verb piel perfect second person masculine singular · suffix
38× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to sustain or support something, like holding it in or keeping it going, and is used in various senses, such as nourishing or enduring, as seen in Psalm 55:22.
Amplified meaning
supported, nourished, and cared for
Tyndale gloss
to sustain
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word כּוּל (kuwl) is a primitive root meaning to sustain or contain. It covers a range of meanings including to measure, hold, nourish, and endure. The entries indicate various forms of the verb, such as Qal, Pilpel, and Hiphil, which express different nuances of sustaining and containing.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[כּוּל] vb. comprehend, contain

Qal who hath comprehended the dust of the earth in a shalish-measure

Pilp. sustain, maintain, contain

Polp. were supplied with food

Hiph. contain, hold, hold in, endure

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3557 [כּוּל] comprehend, contain .sustain, maintain, contain

. were supplied with food

. contain, hold, hold in, endure

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3557 kuwl kool

a primitive root; properly, to keep in; hence, to measure;

figuratively, to maintain (in various senses):--(be able to,

can) abide, bear, comprehend, contain, feed, forbearing,

guide, hold(-ing in), nourish(-er), be present, make

provision, receive, sustain, provide sustenance (victuals).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כּוּל (kul) — to sustain.

1) to seize, contain, measure

1a)(Qal) to measure, calculate

1b) (Pilpel) to sustain, maintain, contain

1b1) to sustain, support, nourish

1b2) to contain, hold in, restrain

1b3) to support, endure

1c) (Polpal) to be supplied

1d) (Hilpil) to contain, hold, hold in, endure

1d1) to contain

1d2) to sustain, endure

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-l-Perf-2ms | Suff — Verb piel perfect second person masculine singular · suffix
HVpp2ms/Sp3mp
and forty year[s] you sustained them in the wilderness not they were lacking clothes their not they wore out and feet their not they became swollen
בַּמִּדְבָּ֖רba.mid.Bar in the wilderness H4057 Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
271× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The wilderness refers to a desert or open field, like the one the Israelites wandered in after leaving Egypt. It can also mean a place of solitude or a region without many people. In the Bible, it is often associated with the journey to the Promised Land.
Amplified meaning
desert, open field, or place of testing
Tyndale gloss
mouth
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מִדְבָּר (midbar) primarily means 'mouth' in the sense of an organ of speech, but it also refers to 'wilderness' or 'desert.' The word is derived from a root meaning to drive, suggesting open fields for pasturing cattle. It encompasses various forms of uninhabited land and is notably used in contexts related to the wilderness, such as the Wilderness of Sinai.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[מִדְבָּר] n.m. mouth, as organ of speech, Ct 4:3

ref

מִדְבָר 270 n.m. wilderness

tracts of land, used for the pasturage of flocks and herds

uninhabited land

large tracts of such land bearing various names, in certain districts of which there might be towns and cities

fig.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4057a מִדְבָּר mouth, as organ of speech H4057b מִדְבָר wilderness

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4057 midbar mid-bawr'

from 1696 in the sense of driving; a pasture (i.e. open

field, whither cattle are driven); by implication, a desert;

also speech (including its organs):--desert, south, speech,

wilderness.

see HEBREW for 01696

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מִדְבָּר (mid.bar) — mouth.

1) mouth

1a) mouth (as organ of speech)

מִדְבָּר (mid.bar) — wilderness.

1) wilderness

1a) pasture

1b) uninhabited land, wilderness

1c) large tracts of wilderness (around cities)

1d) wilderness (fig.)

מִדְבָּר (mid.bar) — Wilderness (of Sinai).

This name means wilderness, uninhabited land

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

wil'-der-nes.

See DESERT; JUDAEA, WILDERNESS OF; WANDERINGS OF ISRAEL.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Wilderness

(1.) Heb. midhbar, denoting not a barren desert but a district or region suitable for pasturing sheep and cattle (Ps. 65:12; Isa. 42:11; Jer. 23:10; Joel 1:19; 2:22); an uncultivated place. This word is used of the wilderness of Beersheba (Gen. 21:14), on the southern border of Palestine; the wilderness of the Red Sea (Ex. 13:18); of Shur (15:22), a portion of the Sinaitic peninsula; of Sin (17:1), Sinai (Lev. 7:38), Moab (Deut. 2:8), Judah (

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

See DESERT.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Wandering of the Israelites in, see ISRAEL

→ Typical of the sinner' s state De 32:10

→ Jesus' temptation in Mt 4:1; Mr 1:12,13; Lu 4:1

→ See DESERT

and forty year[s] you sustained them in the wilderness not they were lacking clothes their not they wore out and feet their not they became swollen
לֹ֣אlo' not H3808 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
Part — Particle
HTn
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and forty year[s] you sustained them in the wilderness not they were lacking clothes their not they wore out and feet their not they became swollen
חָסֵ֑רוּcha.Se.ru they were lacking H2637 Verb · Qal · perfect third person common plural
23× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To lack or be without something is what this word means. It describes a state of need or shortage, often used in stories of struggle or hardship. The Bible talks about lack in books like Psalms and Proverbs.
Amplified meaning
were in need of, or without
Tyndale gloss
to lack
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חָסֵר (chacer) is a Hebrew verb meaning to lack or be without. It encompasses various nuances such as diminishing, decreasing, and causing something to be lacking. The entries indicate its use in different forms, including Qal, Piel, and Hiphil, which reflect its active and causative aspects.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חָסֵר vb. lack, need, be lacking, decrease

Qal

lack

be lacking

diminish, decrease

Pi. cause to lack

Hiph. cause to be lacking, fail

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2637 חָסֵר lack, need, be lacking, decrease .. lack

. be lacking

. diminish, decrease

. cause to lack

. cause to be lacking, fail

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2637 chacer khaw-sare'

a primitive root; to lack; by implication, to fail, want,

lessen:--be abated, bereave, decrease, (cause to) fail, (have)

lack, make lower, want.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חָסֵר (cha.ser) — to lack.

1) to lack, be without, decrease, be lacking, have a need

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to lack

1a2) to be lacking

1a3) to diminish, decrease

1b) (Piel) to cause to lack

1c) (Hiphil) to cause to be lacking

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-3cp — Verb · Qal · perfect third person common plural
HVqp3cp
and forty year[s] you sustained them in the wilderness not they were lacking clothes their not they wore out and feet their not they became swollen
שַׂלְמֹֽתֵיהֶם֙sal.mo.tei.Hem clothes their H8008 Noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
16× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A salmah is a garment or outer clothing in Hebrew, often translated as 'clothes' or 'raiment' in the Bible.
Amplified meaning
garments, outer clothing, or raiment
Tyndale gloss
garment
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שַׂלְמָה (*salmah*) refers to an outer garment or clothing. It is closely related to the word שִׂמְלָה (*simlah*), and its meanings include dress, raiment, and wrapper. The entries consistently emphasize its role as a type of garment.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שַׂלְמָה n.f. id. [שִׂמְלָה] (transp. from שִׂמְלָה);—garment: outer garment

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8008 שַׂלְמָה id. [שִׂמְלָה];—garment: outer garment

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8008 salmah sal-maw'

transp. for 8071; a dress:--clothes, garment, raiment.

see HEBREW for 08071

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שַׂלְמָה (sal.mah) — garment.

1) garment, outer garment, wrapper, mantle

1a) garment, outer garment

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fp | Suff — Noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
HNcfpc/Sp3mp
and forty year[s] you sustained them in the wilderness not they were lacking clothes their not they wore out and feet their not they became swollen
לֹ֣אlo' not H3808 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
Part — Particle
HTn
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and forty year[s] you sustained them in the wilderness not they were lacking clothes their not they wore out and feet their not they became swollen
בָל֔וּva.Lu they wore out H1086 Verb · Qal · perfect third person common plural
15× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To wear out or become old, like something that's been used up or decayed over time, as seen in the book of Isaiah. This concept is also related to consuming or spending something completely. It implies a sense of depletion or exhaustion.
Amplified meaning
become old, decay, or deteriorate
Tyndale gloss
to become old
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בָּלָה (balah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to become old or worn out. It encompasses the ideas of wearing out through use, enjoying something to the fullest, and implies decay or consumption. The entries indicate that it can be used in both a simple form (Qal) and a causative form (Piel), with a related Aramaic term noted.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[בָּלָה] vb. become old and worn out

Qal wear out

Pi. caus. of Qal.

wear out (trans.)

wear out by use, use to the full, enjoy

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1086 [בָּלָה] become old and worn out .wear out

. caus. of Qal. . wear out (trans.)

. wear out by use, use to the full, enjoy

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1086 balah baw-law'

a primitive root; to fail; by implication to wear out, decay

(causatively, consume, spend):--consume, enjoy long, become

(make, wax) old, spend, waste.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בָּלָה (ba.lah) — to become old.

1) to wear out, become old

1a) (Qal) to wear out

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to wear out

1b2) to wear out by use, use up completely

1b3) to enjoy, use to the full

Aramaic equivalent: be.la (בְּלָא "to wear out" H1080)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-3cp — Verb · Qal · perfect third person common plural
HVqp3cp
and forty year[s] you sustained them in the wilderness not they were lacking clothes their not they wore out and feet their not they became swollen
וְרַגְלֵיהֶ֖םve.rag.lei.Hem and feet their H7272 Conjunction · noun common feminine dual construct · suffix
247× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word also means a foot, like when God says he will tread on the wicked in Malachi 4:3. It's used to describe human and animal feet, as well as the base of objects like tables or idols.
Amplified meaning
the lowest part of the leg, or the foundation of the body
Tyndale gloss
foot
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רֶ֫גֶל (regel) means 'foot' and can refer to a foot or leg in various contexts, including anthropomorphic references to God and other beings. It also implies steps or paces. The word is derived from a root meaning related to walking, and it appears in multiple forms, such as feet and paces.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רֶ֫גֶל 247 n.f. foot

foot

three times (feet, paces)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7272 רֶ֫גֶל foot . foot

. three times (feet, paces)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7272 regel reh'-gel

from 7270; a foot (as used in walking); by implication, a

step; by euphem. the pudenda:--X be able to endure, X

according as, X after, X coming, X follow,

((broken-))foot((-ed, -stool)), X great toe, X haunt, X

journey, leg, + piss, + possession, time.

see HEBREW for 07270

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רֶ֫גֶל (re.gel) — foot.

1) foot

1a) foot, leg

1b) of God (anthropomorphic)

1c) of seraphim, cherubim, idols, animals, table

1d) according to the pace of (with prep)

1e) three times (feet, paces)

Aramaic equivalent: re.gal (רְגַל "foot" H7271)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | N-fd | Suff — Conjunction · noun common feminine dual construct · suffix
HC/Ncfdc/Sp3mp
and forty year[s] you sustained them in the wilderness not they were lacking clothes their not they wore out and feet their not they became swollen
לֹ֥אlo' not H3808 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
Part — Particle
HTn
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and forty year[s] you sustained them in the wilderness not they were lacking clothes their not they wore out and feet their not they became swollen
בָצֵֽקוּ׃va.Tze.ku they became swollen H1216 Verb · Qal · perfect third person common plural
2× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to swell or blister, often used to describe skin reactions. It appears in the Bible to describe physical afflictions. In the book of Leviticus, it is used to describe skin diseases.
Amplified meaning
become inflamed, or blister
Tyndale gloss
to swell
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בָּצֵק (*batseq*) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to swell' or 'to become blistered.' It is considered a primitive root, with the implication of swelling up. The entries consistently focus on this notion of swelling, with no significant disagreement among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בָּצֵק vb. swell

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1216 בָּצֵק swell

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1216 batseq baw-tsake'

a primitive root; perhaps to swell up, i.e. blister:--swell.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בָּצֵק (ba.tseq) — to swell.

(Qal) to swell, become blistered

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-3cp — Verb · Qal · perfect third person common plural
HVqp3cp
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

swol'-'-n (pimprasthai, only in Ac 28:6): The Melitans expected to see Paul poisoned by the viper's bite. the Revised Version (British and American) and the King James Version translate it "swollen," but the word is used by certain medical writers in the sense of inflammation; see Nicander, Theriaca, 306; Hesiod, Theogonia, 856, expressing thereby the burning up by a thunderbolt. Swelling accompanies the local lesion of snake-bite and often large purpuric exudation of blood, as well as paralysis, especially of the lower limbs.

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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