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Numbers 23:15 — Word Study

Depth

WLCוַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֶל־ בָּלָ֔ק הִתְיַצֵּ֥ב כֹּ֖ה עַל־ עֹלָתֶ֑ךָ וְאָנֹכִ֖י אִקָּ֥רֶה כֹּֽה׃

BSABalaam saidʼâmar [to speak, to command] toʼêl BalakBâlâq [the king of Moab] Stayyâtsab [stand, remain] herekôh [in this place, thus] besideʻal [near, upon] your burnt offeringʻôlâh [a step or stairs, often used to describe the ascent to the altar] while Iʼânôkîy [during, in the meantime, the prophet, the speaker] meet [the LORD]qârâh [to lay beams, to build with beams, to encounter, Yehovah] over therekôh [yonder, in that place]

Word
Listen & take awayNumbers 23
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 15 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 (Koh) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Numbers 23:15quick helps
In a sentenceBalaam instructs Balak to stay by his burnt offering while he goes to meet with the LORD.
Who is speakingBalaam, the prophet, addressing Balak, the king of Moab.
Where we areIn the context of a ritual involving sacrifices and seeking divine guidance.
The hard wordהִתְיַצֵּ֥ב
Take awayBalaam's actions reflect the seriousness of seeking the LORD's direction.
5 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Cambridge & more — read them › clause subjectאָנֹכִי verbאָמַר 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 — Numbers 23:15

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 — Balaam's Encounter with the LORDgenerated

14So Balak took him to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, where he built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
15Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here beside your burnt offering while I meet the LORD over there.”
16And the LORD met with Balaam and put a message in his mouth, saying, “Return to Balak and speak what I tell you.”
17So he returned to Balak, who was standing there by his burnt offering with the princes of Moab. “What did the LORD say?” Balak asked.

Numbers 23:15 describes Balaam's interaction with Balak, where he instructs Balak to remain beside his burnt offering while he goes to meet the LORD. This moment is crucial as Balaam seeks divine insight before proceeding with his mission to curse the Israelites, emphasizing the importance of divine approval in his actions.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Numbers 23:3“Stay here by your burnt offering while I am gone,” Balaam said to Balak. “Perhaps the LORD will meet with me. And whatever He reveals to me, I will tell you.” So Balaam went off to a barren height,
2Numbers 22:8“Spend the night here,” Balaam replied, “and I will give you the answer that the LORD speaks to me.” So the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 2 references, hung on the phrase they belong to

And he said unto Balak, Stand here by thy burnt offering, while I meet the LORD yonder.Numbers 23:3 Numbers 22:8

The Key Word הִתְיַצֵּ֥ב, hit.ya.Tzevgenerated

The verb יָצַב (yatsab) means to stand or to take a position. In this context, it is in the Hithpael form, indicating a reflexive action where Balak is instructed to stand firm beside his offering. This reflects the seriousness of the moment as Balaam prepares to seek the LORD's guidance.

The imperative form emphasizes Balaam's command to Balak, highlighting the need for Balak to remain in a specific position while Balaam approaches the LORD. This act of standing beside the burnt offering signifies a moment of expectation and readiness for divine communication.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb is יֹּ֨אמֶר֙, he said, which governs the entire sentence. It introduces Balaam's command to Balak, with a prepositional phrase indicating where Balak should stand, followed by a clause detailing Balaam's intention to meet the LORD.

The structure emphasizes the command given by Balaam, with the imperative הִתְיַצֵּ֥ב standing out as a directive for Balak to remain in a specific place while Balaam seeks divine counsel.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates יָצַב as παράστηθι, meaning 'to stand by.' This choice aligns closely with the Hebrew meaning, emphasizing the act of standing or taking a position.

The use of εἶπεν for וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ reflects the straightforward nature of Balaam's speech, focusing on the act of speaking without additional embellishments.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Numbers 23:15 tells us that Balaam instructed Balak to stay beside his burnt offering while he went to meet the LORD. This moment underscores the importance of seeking God's guidance before proceeding with significant actions.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What is the significance of Balaam asking Balak to stay beside the burnt offering?

Balaam's instruction to Balak to stay beside the burnt offering signifies the importance of remaining in a position of readiness and expectation while seeking divine guidance.

Why does Balaam need to meet the LORD?

Balaam seeks to meet the LORD to receive direction and confirmation regarding his mission to curse the Israelites, highlighting the necessity of divine approval in his actions.

What does the burnt offering represent in this context?

The burnt offering represents a means of seeking favor and guidance from God, as it is a sacrifice made to express devotion and request divine intervention.

How does this passage reflect the relationship between Balaam and Balak?

This passage illustrates the dynamic between Balaam as a prophet seeking God's will and Balak as a king relying on Balaam's ability to communicate with the divine for his own purposes.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways do I seek God's guidance in my own decisions?
  2. How can I prepare my heart to hear from God, as Balaam did?
  3. What sacrifices am I willing to make to ensure I am in a position to receive divine direction?
  4. How do I respond when I feel God is asking me to wait or stay in a certain place?

Commentators on this verse — 5 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Numbers 23:15 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

And he said unto Balak, stand here by thy burnt offering,.... As he had before directed him, Numbers 23:3 while I meet the Lord yonder; pointing to some place at a little distance, where he expected

Read John Gill on Numbers 23 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And Balak said unto him, Come, I pray thee, with me unto another place, from whence thou mayest see them: thou shalt see but the utmost part of them, and shalt not see them all: and curse me them from thence.

Read Robert Jamieson on Numbers 23 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

To consult him, and to receive an answer from him, if peradventure those renewed sacrifices will melt him into some compliance with our desires.

Read Matthew Poole on Numbers 23 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

11–17. Balak was angry that Jehovah did not put a curse into Balaam’s mouth, and begged him to try again on another spot. The seven-fold sacrifice was again offered.

Read Cambridge on Numbers 23 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

15. Stand here — Rather, Do thou stand thus, as thou art. While I meet — In the Hebrew this verb meet has no object. It is technically used for going out for auguries, (Numbers 24:1,) or for the words of Jehovah.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Numbers 23 →

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

Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here beside your burnt offering while I meet the LORD over there.”

WEBWorld English Bible2000

He said to Balak, “Stand here by your burnt offering, while I meet God over there.”

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here beside your burnt offering while I meet the LORD over there.”

NETBNew English Translation2006

And Balaam said to Balak, “Station yourself here by your burnt offering, while I meet the Lord there.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And he said unto Balak, Stand here by thy burnt offering, while I meet the Lord yonder.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And he said unto Balak, Stand here by thy burnt-offering, while I meet Jehovah yonder.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And he said unto Balak, Stand here by thy burnt offering, while I meet the LORD yonder.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And he said to Balak, Stand here by thy burnt-offering, while I meet the LORD yonder.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

After, he sayde vnto Balak, Stande here by thy burnt offring, and I wil meete the Lord yonder.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And [Balaam] said to Balak, Stand here by thy burnt-offering, and I will go to meet yonder.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And he saith unto Balak, 'Station thyself here by thy burnt-offering, and I — I meet [Him] there;'

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And he says to Balak, “Station yourself here by your burnt-offering, and I meet [Him] there”;

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And he said unto Balak, Place thyself here by thy burnt-offering, while I will repair to yonder place.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Then Balaam said to Balak, “Stand here by your burnt offering, while I meet with Yahweh over there.”

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

He said to Balac: Stand here by thy burnt offering while I go to meet him.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Balaam told Balak, “Wait here beside your burnt offering while I meet the Lord over there.”

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Then he said to Balak, Take your place here by your burned offering, while I go over there to the Lord.

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.

וַandclauseverbיֹּ֨אמֶר֙he.saidprepositional phrase · prepositionalאֶלtoבָּלָ֔קBalakclauseclauseverbהִתְיַצֵּ֥בtake.your.standadverbialכֹּ֖הthusprepositional phrase · prepositionalעַלwithnoun phraseעֹלָתֶ֑offeringךָyour.burntוְandclausesubjectאָנֹכִ֖יIverbאִקָּ֥רֶהI.will.meetadverbialכֹּֽהthus

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


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

The Masoretic Text (MT) reads: "וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֶל־ בָּלָ֔ק הִתְיַצֵּ֥ב כֹּ֖ה עַל־ עֹלָתֶ֑ךָ וְאָנֹכִ֖י אִקָּ֥רֶה כֹּֽה׃" The Septuagint (LXX) has a word-by-word correspondence with the MT, though it presents its own sentence structure and articles. The Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) differs from the MT in two words: it uses "עלתיך" (your burnt offering) instead of "עֹלָתֶךָ" and "אקרא" (I will call) instead of "אִקָּ֥רֶה". The Dead Sea Scrolls (4Q27) contain fragments of the verse, but five words are either partly restored or supplied by an editor, indicating some textual variation. Overall, while the MT and LXX agree closely, the SP shows notable differences in wording.

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

וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֶל־ בָּלָ֔ק הִתְיַצֵּ֥ב כֹּ֖ה עַל־ עֹלָתֶ֑ךָ וְאָנֹכִ֖י אִקָּ֥רֶה כֹּֽה׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙εἶπενאֶל־πρὸςבָּלָ֔קβαλακהִתְיַצֵּ֥בπαράστηθιעַל־ἐπὶעֹלָתֶ֑ךָσουוְאָנֹכִ֖יἐγὼ

7 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.

Samaritan Pentateuchthe Torah as the Samaritan community kept it

ויאמר אל בלק התיצב על עלתיך ואנכי אקרא כה

2 words differ from the Masoretic Text: עלתיך (burnt-offering), אקרא (call)

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q27a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[ויואמר] [בלעם] [אל] בלק התיצב

5 words of the verse are on this fragment — 2 partly restored, 3 supplied entire by an editor.

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


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

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

Numbers 23:15אָמַרand he saidand he saidאָמַראֶלtotoאֶלבָּלָקBalakBalakבָּלָקיָצַבtake your stake your standיָצַבכֹּהthusthusכֹּהעַלwithwithעַלעֹלָהburnt offerburnt offering עֹלָהאָֽנֹכִ֫יand Iand Iאָֽנֹכִ֫יקָרָהI will meetI will meetקָרָהכֹּהthusthusכֹּהבָּלַקto wasteto wasteבָּלַקהוּאhe/she/ithe/she/itהוּאעַלheightheightעַלעָלָהto ascend:to ascend: riseעָלָהעָ֫וֶלinjusticeinjusticeעָ֫וֶליהוהYHWH/GodYHWH/GodיהוהאָדוֹןLordLordאָדוֹןכֹּהthusthusכֹּהפָּלַלto prayto prayפָּלַליִרְמְיָ֫הJeremiahJeremiahיִרְמְיָ֫הצִפּוֹרZipporZipporצִפּוֹרבִּלְעָםBalaamBalaamבִּלְעָםמוֹעֵדmeetingmeetingמוֹעֵדתָּ֫וֶךְmidstmidstתָּ֫וֶךְכִּפֶּרto atoneto atoneכִּפֶּרכִּסֵּאthronethroneכִּסֵּאשֶׁ֫לֶםpeace offepeace offeringשֶׁ֫לֶםתָּמִידcontinuallcontinuallyתָּמִיד
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 Numbers 23:15

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 he said to Balak take your stand thus with burnt offering your and I I will meet thus
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙vai.Yo.mer and he said H559 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
5,309× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to say or speak, and it's used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to command, promise, or think, and it's translated in the KJV as 'answer', 'appoint', or 'command'.
Amplified meaning
to speak, to command
Tyndale gloss
to say
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָמַר (amar) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to say' or 'to utter,' with a broad range of uses including to promise, command, or even boast. It appears in various forms, such as in the Qal (to say), Niphal (to be told), and Hiphil (to avow). The entries highlight its versatility in both spoken and internal contexts, though no specific verse is noted.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָמַר 5287 vb. utter, say

Qal

Say

Say in the heart (= think)

Promise

Command (esp. late)

Niph. be said, told

Hiph. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

Hithp. act proudly, boast

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H559 אָמַר utter, say .. Say

. Say in the heart (= think)

. Promise

. Command (esp. late)

. be said, told

. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

. act proudly, boast

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

559 'amar aw-mar'

a primitive root; to say (used with great

latitude):--answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call,

certify, challenge, charge, + (at the, give) command(-ment),

commune, consider, declare, demand, X desire, determine, X

expressly, X indeed, X intend, name, X plainly, promise,

publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), X still, X

suppose, talk, tell, term, X that is, X think, use (speech),

utter, X verily, X yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָמַר (a.mar) — to say.

1) to say, speak, utter

1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend

1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called

1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly

1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch

Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he said to Balak take your stand thus with burnt offering your and I I will meet thus
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
Prep — Preposition
HR
and he said to Balak take your stand thus with burnt offering your and I I will meet thus
בָּלָ֔קba.Lak Balak H1111 Noun proper masculine
43× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Balak was a king of Moab who hired the prophet Balaam to curse the Israelites, as told in Numbers 22:2. His name means devastator, reflecting his role as a king who sought to harm God's people.
Amplified meaning
the king of Moab
Tyndale gloss
Balak
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בָּלָק (Balaq) refers to Balak, a Moabite king known for hiring Balaam to curse Israel. The name is derived from a root meaning 'waster' or 'devastator.' He is first mentioned in Numbers 22:2, and his lineage is noted as the son of Zippor.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בָּלָק n.pr.m. (devastator) king of Moab

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1111 בָּלָק

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1111 Balaq baw-lawk'

from 1110; waster; Balak, a Moabitish king:--Balak.

see HEBREW for 01110

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בָּלָק (ba.laq) — Balak.

A man of the Moabites living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Num.22.2;

son of: Zippor (H6834)

Also named: Balak (Βαλάκ "Balak" G0904)

§ Balak = "devastator"

a king of Moab who hired Balaam to curse Israel

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper masculine
HNpm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ba'-ak balaq, ("devastator" or "one who lays waste"): Mentioned in connection with the story of Balaam/Balak (Nu 22-24; compare Jos 24:9; Jud 11:25; Mic 6:5; Re 2:14). He was the king of Moab who hired Balaam to pronounce a curse on the Israelites.

See BALAAM.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Balak

Empty; spoiler, a son of Zippor, and king of the Moabites (Num. 22:2, 4). From fear of the Israelites, who were encamped near the confines of his territory, he applied to Balaam (q.v.) to curse them; but in vain (Josh. 24:9).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(spoiler), son of Zippor, king of the Moabites, who hired Balaam to curse the Israelites; but his designs were frustrated int he manner recorded in (Numbers 22:24) (B.C. 1451.)

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

King of Moab, when the Israelites were drawing near the promised land. He was filled with terror lest they should attack and destroy him, as they had Sihon and Og, and implored the soothsayer Balaam to come and curse them. His fears and his devices were both in vain, De 2:9. See BALAAM. He found he had nothing to fear from Israel if at peace with them, and nothing to hope if at war with them.

and he said to Balak take your stand thus with burnt offering your and I I will meet thus
הִתְיַצֵּ֥בhit.ya.Tzev take your stand H3320 Verb · Hithpael · imperative second person masculine singular
48× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To stand or place something firmly is what this word means, and it's used in the Bible to describe presenting oneself or standing firm in faith, as seen in the book of Psalms.
Amplified meaning
stand, remain
Tyndale gloss
to stand
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word יָצַב (yatsab) primarily means to stand or to station oneself, particularly in the Hithpael form, which indicates a reflexive action. It encompasses the ideas of placing, setting, or presenting oneself. The entries do not indicate any significant disagreement among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[יָצַב] vb. only Hithp. set or station oneself, take one's stand

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3320 יָצַב only Hithp. set or station oneself, take one's stand

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3320 yatsab yaw-tsab'

a primitive root; to place (any thing so as to stay);

reflexively, to station, offer, continue:--present selves,

remaining, resort, set (selves), (be able to, can, with-)

stand (fast, forth, -ing, still, up).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָצַב (ya.tsav) — to stand.

1) to place, set, stand, set or station oneself, present oneself

1a) (Hithpael) to station oneself, take one's stand, stand, present oneself, stand with someone

Aramaic equivalent: ye.tsav (יְצַב "to know" H3321)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Hithpael-Impv-2ms — Verb · Hithpael · imperative second person masculine singular
HVtv2ms
and he said to Balak take your stand thus with burnt offering your and I I will meet thus
כֹּ֖הkoh thus H3541 Adverb
577× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means thus or in this manner. It can also indicate a location or time, such as here or now. The KJV translates it in various ways, including also, here, and so.
Amplified meaning
in this place, thus
Tyndale gloss
thus
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כֹּה (koh) is a demonstrative adverb meaning 'thus' or 'here.' It can indicate manner, place, or time, covering usages like 'thus,' 'here,' and 'until now.' The word is built from a prefix meaning 'like' and a root related to 'to be.' There is an Aramaic equivalent, כָּה (kah), which also means 'thus.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כֹּה demonstr.adv. thus, here

of manner, thus

of place, here

of time, hitherto

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3541 כֹּה thus, here

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3541 koh ko

from the prefix k and 1931; properly, like this, i.e. by

implication, (of manner) thus (or so); also (of place) here

(or hither); or (of time) now:--also, here, + hitherto, like,

on the other side, so (and much), such, on that manner, (on)

this (manner, side, way, way and that way), + mean while,

yonder.

see HEBREW for 01931

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כֹּה (koh) — thus.

1) thus, here, in this manner

1a) thus, so

1b) here, here and there

1c) until now, until now...until then, meanwhile

Aramaic equivalent: kah (כָּה "thus" H3542)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adv — Adverb
HD
and he said to Balak take your stand thus with burnt offering your and I I will meet thus
עַל־'al- with H5921 Preposition
5,774× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means on or above something, like a physical object or a situation. It can also imply a sense of responsibility or accountability, as in being on behalf of someone.
Amplified meaning
near, upon
Tyndale gloss
upon
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

base

עַל, עָ֑ל

subst. height

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

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

of clothing, etc., which any one wears

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

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

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

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

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

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

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

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

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

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

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

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5921 `al al

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

see HEBREW for 05920

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עַל (al) — upon.

prep

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

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

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

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

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

1e) over (of suspension or extension)

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

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

1h) to (as a dative)

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

conj

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Preposition
HR
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he said to Balak take your stand thus with burnt offering your and I I will meet thus
עֹלָתֶ֑ךָ'o.la.Te.kha burnt offering your H5930 Noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
287× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a step or stairs, often used to describe the ascent to the altar for a burnt offering. In the Bible, it can also mean a holocaust or sacrifice, like in Leviticus.
Amplified meaning
a step or stairs, often used to describe the ascent to the altar
Tyndale gloss
burnt offering
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עֹלָה (olah) refers to both a whole burnt-offering and an ascent or stairway. It is derived from a feminine active participle of the root meaning to go up. The term is used in contexts related to sacrifices, particularly in the Old Testament, where it signifies offerings that ascend in smoke. The entries consistently highlight its dual meaning without significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עֹלָה 286 n.f. whole burnt-offering

base

[עֹלָה] n.f. ascent, stairway, Ez 40:26 Kt

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5930a עֹלָה whole burnt-offering H5930b עֹלָה ascent, stairway

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5930 `olah o-law'

or mowlah {o-law'}; feminine active participle of 5927; a

step or (collectively, stairs, as ascending); usually a

holocaust (as going up in smoke):--ascent, burnt offering

(sacrifice), go up to. See also 5766.

see HEBREW for 05927

see HEBREW for 05766

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עֹלָה (o.lah) — burnt offering.

whole burnt offering

Aramaic equivalent: a.lah (עֲלָת "burnt offering" H5928)

עֹלָה (o.lah) — ascent.

ascent, stairway, steps

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs | Suff — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
HNcfsc/Sp2ms
and he said to Balak take your stand thus with burnt offering your and I I will meet thus
וְאָנֹכִ֖יve.'a.no.Khi and I H595 Conjunction · pronoun
359× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This simple Hebrew word just means 'I', referring to the speaker, like in Genesis 27 where Esau says 'I' when talking to his father Isaac.
Amplified meaning
during, in the meantime, the prophet, the speaker
Tyndale gloss
I
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אָֽנֹכִ֫י (*anokiy*) is a first-person singular pronoun meaning 'I' or 'me.' It is a variant spelling of אֲנִי (*ani*), which also means 'I.' The entries confirm its use as a personal pronoun without significant disagreement among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָֽנֹכִ֫י, אָנֹ֑כִי pron. 1s. comm. I

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H595 אָֽנֹכִ֫י, אָנֹ֑כִי I

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

595 'anokiy aw-no-kee'

sometimes {aw-no'-kee}; a primitive pro.; I:--I, me, X

which.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָֽנֹכִ֫י (a.no.khi) — I.

I (first pers. sing.)

Another spelling of a.ni (אֲנִי, אָֽנֹכִ֫י "I" H0589)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Pron — Conjunction · pronoun
HC/Pp1bs
and he said to Balak take your stand thus with burnt offering your and I I will meet thus
אִקָּ֥רֶה'i.Ka.reh I will meet H7136 Verb · Niphal · imperfect first person common singular
27× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to lay beams, or to build with beams. It is used in the book of Exodus to describe the construction of the tabernacle. The word is used to describe a building process.
Amplified meaning
to lay beams, to build with beams, to encounter, Yehovah
Tyndale gloss
to meet
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word קָרָה (qarah) has two main meanings. It can refer to encountering or meeting, often by chance, as well as to the act of laying beams in construction. The entries indicate its use in various forms, such as Qal, Niphal, and Hiphil, covering both accidental meetings and intentional building actions.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[קָרָה] vb. encounter, meet, befall

Qal

encounter, meet

befall

Niph.

encounter, meet without pre-arrangement

chance to be present

Hiph.

of י׳, cause (the right thing, good fortune) to occur

of Israel, ye shall (cause cities to occur rightly for yourselves, i.e.) select cities as suitable.

base

[קָרָה] vb. denom. Pi. lay the beams of, furnish with beams

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7136a קָרָה encounter, meet, befall H7136b קָרָה vb. denom. Pi. lay the beams of, furnish with beams

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7136 qarah kaw-raw'

a primitive root; to light upon (chiefly by accident);

causatively, to bring about; specifically, to impose timbers

(for roof or floor):--appoint, lay (make) beams, befall,

bring, come (to pass unto), floor, (hap) was, happen (unto),

meet, send good speed.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קָרָה (qa.rah) — to meet.

1) to encounter, meet, befall, happen, come to meet

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to encounter, meet

1a2) to befall

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to encounter, meet (without pre-arrangement)

1b2) to chance to be present

1b3) to come to meet

1c) (Hiphil) to cause to meet, appoint

קָרָה (qa.rah) — to lay beams.

1) to build with beams

1a) (Piel) to lay the beams of, furnish with beams

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Niphal-Imperf-1cs — Verb · Niphal · imperfect first person common singular
HVNi1cs
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

met, adjective (yashar; axios): Various words are employed to express meetness, the sense of what is proper, worthy, or fit. We have yashar, "straight," "upright," "right" (2Ki 10:3, "meetest"; Jer 26:14, the Revised Version (British and American) "right"); yashar (Jer 27:5, the Revised Version (British and American) "right"); yosher (Pr 11:24, the Revised Version margin "what is justly due"); 'arikh, Aramaic "meet" (Ezr 4:14); bene, "sons of" (De 3:18, the King James Version "meet for the war," margin "Hebrew sons of power," the Revised Version (British and…

and he said to Balak take your stand thus with burnt offering your and I I will meet thus
כֹּֽה׃Koh thus H3541 Adverb
577× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means thus or in this manner. It can also indicate a location or time, such as here or now. The KJV translates it in various ways, including also, here, and so.
Amplified meaning
yonder, in that place
Tyndale gloss
thus
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כֹּה (koh) is a demonstrative adverb meaning 'thus' or 'here.' It can indicate manner, place, or time, covering usages like 'thus,' 'here,' and 'until now.' The word is built from a prefix meaning 'like' and a root related to 'to be.' There is an Aramaic equivalent, כָּה (kah), which also means 'thus.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כֹּה demonstr.adv. thus, here

of manner, thus

of place, here

of time, hitherto

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3541 כֹּה thus, here

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3541 koh ko

from the prefix k and 1931; properly, like this, i.e. by

implication, (of manner) thus (or so); also (of place) here

(or hither); or (of time) now:--also, here, + hitherto, like,

on the other side, so (and much), such, on that manner, (on)

this (manner, side, way, way and that way), + mean while,

yonder.

see HEBREW for 01931

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כֹּה (koh) — thus.

1) thus, here, in this manner

1a) thus, so

1b) here, here and there

1c) until now, until now...until then, meanwhile

Aramaic equivalent: kah (כָּה "thus" H3542)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adv — Adverb
HD
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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