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Numbers 31:37 — Word Study

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WLCוַיְהִ֛י הַמֶּ֥כֶס לַֽיהוָ֖ה מִן־ הַצֹּ֑אן שֵׁ֥שׁ מֵא֖וֹת חָמֵ֥שׁ וְשִׁבְעִֽים׃

BSAincludinghâyâh a tributemekeç [tax, offering] to the LORDYᵉhôvâh [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] of 675shêsh [six hundred and seventy-five, a specific count of sheep]

Word
Listen & take awayNumbers 31
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 37 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 (ve.shiv.'Im) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Numbers 31:37quick helps
In a sentenceThe verse details the tribute of sheep given to the LORD, specifying the count as 675.
Who is speakingThe narrator, recounting the distribution of spoils after a battle.
Where we areThe context is the aftermath of a military campaign, detailing offerings made to God.
The hard wordמֶכֶס
Take awayThe tribute is a specific count of sheep given to honor the LORD.
2 commentators on this verse Jamieson, Cambridge & more — read them › clause verbהָיָה 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 31:37

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 Tribute of the Spoilsgenerated

36This was the half portion for those who had gone to war: 337,500 sheep,
37including a tribute to the LORD of 675,
3836,000 cattle, including a tribute to the LORD of 72,
3930,500 donkeys, including a tribute to the LORD of 61,

Numbers 31:37 describes the tribute offered to the LORD from the spoils taken after a battle. This verse highlights the importance of dedicating a portion of the spoils to God as an act of worship and acknowledgment of His sovereignty. The tribute reflects the practice of giving back to God what is rightfully His, a theme seen throughout the Old Testament.


Cross References


The Key Word מֶכֶס, ha.Me.khesgenerated

The Hebrew word מֶכֶס (mekec) refers to a tax or tribute, often associated with a census or assessment. It signifies a payment made to a higher authority, such as a king or God, and is used in contexts involving offerings or dues.

In this verse, it indicates a specific tribute given to the LORD, showing the practice of recognizing God's provision and authority over the people and their possessions.


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 in the verse is וַיְהִי, and it was, which governs the entire clause. The structure includes a noun phrase for the subject, followed by prepositional phrases detailing the tribute to the LORD and the specific count of sheep.

The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the tribute being given to God, highlighting its significance in the context of the spoils taken.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates מֶכֶס as τέλος, meaning 'tax' or 'duty'. This choice aligns with the idea of a financial obligation or tribute to God, emphasizing the formal nature of the offering.

The use of τέλος may suggest a broader interpretation of the tribute as a duty owed, rather than merely a gift, which reflects the seriousness of the act of offering.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Numbers 31:37 states that a tribute of 675 sheep was given to the LORD. This verse is part of a larger account detailing the spoils taken after a battle, emphasizing the importance of dedicating a portion of what is gained to God.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does the tribute to the LORD represent?

The tribute represents an acknowledgment of God's sovereignty and provision, reflecting the practice of giving back to God a portion of the spoils gained.

Why is the specific count of sheep mentioned?

The specific count emphasizes the exactness and intentionality of the offering, highlighting the importance of dedicating what is rightfully God's.

How does this practice relate to modern giving?

This practice relates to modern giving as it reflects the principle of dedicating a portion of one's resources to God, acknowledging His role in our lives.

What other examples of tribute or offerings can be found in the Bible?

Other examples include the offerings made in the temple, such as in Leviticus 1:1-17, and the tithes mentioned in Malachi 3:10.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What does it mean to dedicate a portion of my resources to God?
  2. How can I ensure that my offerings are intentional and meaningful?
  3. In what ways can I acknowledge God's provision in my life?
  4. What lessons can I learn from the practice of giving tribute in the Old Testament?

Commentators on this verse — 2 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Numbers 31:37 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And the half, which was the portion of them that went out to war, was in number three hundred thousand and seven and thirty thousand and five hundred sheep: No JFB commentary on these verses.

Read Robert Jamieson on Numbers 31 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

25–54. The apportionment of the spoil. Those who fought and those who remained behind were to receive equal shares. This was an ancient custom, which was traced to the action of David (1 Samuel 30:24 f.). But before the appropriation by individuals, a religious tax was to be paid. The fighters were to pay from their share 1/500th to the priests, and the others 1/50th to the Levites. Such a tax is not mentioned elsewhere in the O.T., but perhaps, like the foregoing regulation, it had an ancient custom behind it. Mohammed, whose religion was ultimately based on the O.T., enjoined a similar tax of 1/5th (Koran viii. 42, cited by Gray).

Read Cambridge on Numbers 31 →

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

including a tribute to the LORD of 675,

WEBWorld English Bible2000

and Yahweh’s tribute of the sheep was six hundred seventy-five.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

including a tribute to the LORD of 675,

NETBNew English Translation2006

the Lord’s tribute from the sheep was 675.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And the LORD’s tribute of the sheep was six hundred and threescore and fifteen.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

and Jehovah’s tribute of the sheep was six hundred and threescore and fifteen.

RVARevised Version, American1894

and the LORD’S tribute of the sheep was six hundred and threescore and fifteen.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And the LORD'S tribute of the sheep was six hundred and seventy five.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

And the Lordes tribute of the sheepe was sixe hundreth and seuentie and fiue:

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

and the tribute for Jehovah of the sheep was six hundred and seventy-five;

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And the tribute to Jehovah of the sheep is six hundred five and seventy;

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And the tribute to YHWH of the sheep is six hundred seventy-five;

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And the tribute unto the Lord of the flocks was six hundred and seventy and five.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Yahweh's part of the sheep was 675.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Out of which, for the portion of the Lord, were reckoned six hundred seventy-five sheep.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

with a contribution for the Lord of 675,

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Of which the Lord's part was six hundred and seventy-five.

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.

וַandclauseverbיְהִ֛יit.wasnoun phrase · subjectהַthenoun phraseמֶּ֥כֶסtributeprepositional phraseלַֽforיהוָ֖הYahwehprepositional phrase · prepositionalמִןfromnoun phraseהַtheצֹּ֑אןsheepnoun phrase · objectnumeral phrasenumeral phraseשֵׁ֥שׁsixמֵא֖וֹתhundred(s)חָמֵ֥שׁfiveוְandשִׁבְעִֽיםseventy

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 Samaritan Pentateuch agree on the main structure of the verse, with one difference: the Samaritan Pentateuch uses חמשׁה (five) instead of the Masoretic חָמֵשׁ (five). The Dead Sea Scrolls provide a partial text that matches the Masoretic Text but has several words supplied by an editor.

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

וַיְהִ֛י הַמֶּ֥כֶס לַֽיהוָ֖ה מִן־ הַצֹּ֑אן שֵׁ֥שׁ מֵא֖וֹת חָמֵ֥שׁ וְשִׁבְעִֽים׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיְהִ֛יἐγένετοהַמֶּ֥כֶסτέλοςלַֽיהוָ֖הκυρίῳמִן־ἀπὸהַצֹּ֑אןπροβάτωνחָמֵ֥שׁπέντεוְשִׁבְעִֽים׃ἑβδομήκοντα

7 of the 9 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

ויהי המכס ליהוה מן הצאן שׁשׁ מאות חמשׁה ושׁבעים

1 word differs from the Masoretic Text: חמשׁה (five)

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

[ויהי] [המכס] [ליהוה] [מן] [הצואן] [שש] [מאות] [חמשה] [ושבעים]

nothing on the leather here — 9 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 31:37הָיָהand it wasand it wasהָיָהמֶ֫כֶסthe taxthe taxמֶ֫כֶסיהוהfor Yahwehfor Yahwehיהוהמִן־fromfromמִן־צֹאןthe sheepthe sheepצֹאןשֵׁשׁsixsixשֵׁשׁמֵאָהhundredhundredמֵאָהחָמֵשׁfivefiveחָמֵשׁשִׁבְעִיםand seventyand seventyשִׁבְעִיםהָיָהto beto beהָיָההָוָאto fallto fallהָוָאמֵןstringstringמֵןשׂוּשׂto rejoiceto rejoiceשׂוּשׂשֶׁ֫בַעsevensevenשֶׁ֫בַעאֶ֫לֶףthousandthousandאֶ֫לֶףשְׁלֹשִׁיםthirtythirtyשְׁלֹשִׁיםשֵׁשׁsixsixשֵׁשׁנְאֻםutteranceutteranceנְאֻםצָבָאarmyarmyצָבָארָחַקto removeto removeרָחַקיָתַרto remainto remainיָתַרבָּקַרcattlecattleבָּקַרבֵּית־עֵ֫קֶדHouse of SHouse of Shepheבֵּית־עֵ֫קֶדמֵאָהhundredhundredמֵאָהחֲמִשִּׁיםfiftyfiftyחֲמִשִּׁיםכֶּ֫בֶשׂlamblambכֶּ֫בֶשׂאַמָּהcubitcubitאַמָּה
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 31:37

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 it was the tax for Yahweh from the sheep six hundred five and seventy
וַיְהִ֛יvay.Hi and it was H1961 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
3,562× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for to be means to exist or come into being. It is used to describe something that happens or comes to pass, like in Genesis where God creates the world.
Tyndale gloss
to be
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word הָיָה (hayah) is a primitive root meaning to exist or become, and it encompasses a range of meanings including to happen, occur, and come to pass. It is often used in narrative contexts, particularly in phrases like "and it came to pass." The word can also denote a state of being or existence, and it appears frequently in various forms throughout the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הָיָה 3570 vb. fall out, come to pass, become, be

Qal

Fall out, happen

occur, take place, come about, come to pass

esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass

וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)

rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה

less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)

Come into being, become

abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come

sq. prep.

become

sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)

sq. pred. adj.

become like

sq. pred. לְ pers.

sq. לְ pred.

oft. c. לְ pred. לְ pers.

with עַל and לְ

sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of

Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming)

exist, be in existence

abide, remain, continue

with word of locality, be in or at a place, be situated, stand, lie

as copula, joining subj. & pred.

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1961 הָיָה fall out, come to pass, become, be .. . . Fall out, happen

. occur, take place, come about, come to pass

. esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass . . וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)

. rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה

. less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)

. Come into being, become . . abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come

. sq. prep.

. become . sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)

. sq. pred. adj.

. become like

. sq. pred. + לְ pers.

. sq. לְ pred.

. oft. c. לְ pred. + לְ pers.

. with עַל and לְ

. sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of

. Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming) . exist, be in existence

. abide, remain, continue

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1961 hayah haw-yaw

a primitive root (compare 1933); to exist, i.e. be or become,

come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or

auxiliary):--beacon, X altogether, be(-come), accomplished,

committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint,

fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit

(one-)self, require, X use.

see HEBREW for 01933

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הָיָה (ha.yah) — to be.

1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out

1a) (Qal)

1a1) ---

1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass

1a1b) to come about, come to pass

1a2) to come into being, become

1a2a) to arise, appear, come

1a2b) to become

1a2b1) to become

1a2b2) to become like

1a2b3) to be instituted, be established

1a3) to be

1a3a) to exist, be in existence

1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time)

1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality)

1a3d) to accompany, be with

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to occur, come to pass, be done, be brought about

1b2) to be done, be finished, be gone

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
and it was the tax for Yahweh from the sheep six hundred five and seventy
הַמֶּ֥כֶסha.Me.khes the tax H4371 Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
6× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means a tax or tribute, often based on a census, and is used in the Bible to describe the payments made to kings and governments. It appears in books like Kings and Chronicles. The concept is still relevant today.
Amplified meaning
tax, offering
Tyndale gloss
tribute
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מֶ֫כֶס (mekec) refers to a computation or assessment, often related to tribute or tax. The term likely derives from a root meaning to enumerate. It encompasses the idea of a proportion to be paid, as seen in various contexts in the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מֶ֫כֶס n.m. computation, proportion to be paid, tax

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4371 מֶ֫כֶס

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4371 mekec meh'-kes

probably from an unused root meaning to enumerate; an

assessment (as based upon a census):--tribute.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מֶ֫כֶס (me.khes) — tribute.

computation, proportion to be paid, tribute, tax

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-ms — Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
HTd/Ncmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Nave's Topical Bible

→ Poll Ex 30:11-16; 38:26; Ne 10:32; Lu 2:1

→ Jesus pays Mt 17:24-27

→ Land Ge 41:34,48; 2Ki 23:35

→ Land mortgaged for Ne 5:3,4

→ Priests exempted from Ge 47:26; Ezr 7:24

→ Paid in grain Am 5:11; 7:1

→ Paid in provisions 1Ki 4:7-28

and it was the tax for Yahweh from the sheep six hundred five and seventy
לַֽיהוָ֖הla.Yah.weh for Yahweh H3068 Preposition · noun proper
6,528× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Yehovah is another name for God, often translated as 'the Lord'. It is a national name for God in the Jewish faith. This name is used throughout the Old Testament.
Amplified meaning
Yehovah, The covenant Name of God
Tyndale gloss
The Lord
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) is the proper name of the God of Israel, often rendered as Jehovah or the Lord. It signifies the self-existent or eternal nature of God. The name is closely associated with the revelation to Moses in Exodus 3:12-15 and is used in conjunction with other terms to denote sacred places. Some scholars suggest it derives from a root meaning 'to bring into being.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יהוה c. 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel—(1. MT יְהֹוָה 6518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהֹוִה 305 (Qr אֱלֹהִים) 2. Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of הוה (= היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver)

יהוה is not used by E in Gn, but is given Ex 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb

יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D

the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy

יהוה is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3068 יהוה i.e. יַהְוֶה n. pr. dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw'

from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish

national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.

see HEBREW for 01961

see HEBREW for 03050

see HEBREW for 03069

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — LORD.

Jehovah = "the existing One"

1) the proper name of the one true God

1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of a.do.na (אֲדֹנָי "Lord" H0136)

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — The Lord.

Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — (Jerusalem of) the Lord.

Combined with ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-proper — Preposition · noun proper
HR/Npt
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and it was the tax for Yahweh from the sheep six hundred five and seventy
מִן־min- from H4480 Preposition
1,189× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means a portion or part of something, and is often used to show the relationship between things, like from or out of something.
Tyndale gloss
from
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word מִן־ (*min*) is a preposition meaning 'from' or 'out of,' indicating separation or origin. It covers various uses, including temporal references, comparisons, and causal relationships. Additionally, it can denote a portion when used as a noun מֵן (*men*). The entries highlight its versatility in expressing different nuances of separation and position.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מִן־, and מִ, before יְ, prep. expressing the idea of separation, hence out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not

with verbs expressing (or implying) separation or removal

from, against

מן also, without a verb of similar significance, sometimes expresses the idea of separation, away from, far from

of position, off, on the side of, on

Out of, Gk. ἐκ, Lat. ex

Partitively

Of time—

as marking the terminus a quo, the anterior limit of a continuous period from, since

as marking the period immediately succeeding the limit after

towards, to

(וְעַד) עַד … מִן from … even to

In comparisons, beyond, above

מן is prefixed to an infin.:

with causal force, from, on account of, through

after verbs implying restraint, prevention, cessation, etc.

with a temporal force, since, after

Once as a conj. before a finite verb. that

In compounds:

base

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4480a מִן־, מִ, prep. expressing the idea of separation, hence out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not . with verbs expressing (or implying) separation or removal . from, against

. מן also, without a verb of similar significance, sometimes expresses the idea of separation, away from, far from

. of position, off, on the side of, on

. Out of, Gk. ἐκ, Lat. ex

. Partitively

. Of time— . as marking the terminus a quo, the anterior limit of a continuous period from, since

. as marking the period immediately succeeding the limit after

. towards, to

. (וְעַד) עַד … מִן from … even to

. In comparisons, beyond, above

. מן is prefixed to an infin.: . with causal force, from, on account of, through

. after verbs implying restraint, prevention, cessation, etc.

. with a temporal force, since, after

. Once as a conj. before a finite verb. that

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4480 min min

or minniy {min-nee'}; or minney (constructive plural)

{min-nay'}; (Isaiah 30:11); for 4482; properly, a part of;

hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many senses (as

follows):--above, after, among, at, because of, by (reason

of), from (among), in, X neither, X nor, (out) of, over,

since, X then, through, X whether, with.

see HEBREW for 04482

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מִן־ (min) — from.

prep

1) from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than

1a) from (expressing separation), off, on the side of

1b) out of

1b1) (with verbs of proceeding, removing, expelling)

1b2) (of material from which something is made)

1b3) (of source or origin)

1c) out of, some of, from (partitively)

1d) from, since, after (of time)

1e) than, more than (in comparison)

1f) from...even to, both...and, either...or

1g) than, more than, too much for (in comparisons)

1h) from, on account of, through, because (with infinitive)

conj

2) that

Aramaic equivalent: min (מִן־ "from" H4481)

מֵן (men) — portion.

n.m.

portion

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR — Preposition
HR
and it was the tax for Yahweh from the sheep six hundred five and seventy
הַצֹּ֑אןha.Tzon the sheep H6629 Particle · noun common both singular absolute
274× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a flock of sheep or goats, and is sometimes used to describe people in a figurative sense. It is also associated with the Sheep Gate in Jerusalem, a significant location in biblical times.
Tyndale gloss
Sheep (Gate)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

צֹאן (tso'n) refers to small cattle, specifically sheep and goats, and is used to denote a flock or flocks. It can also be used metaphorically to describe a multitude. The term appears in contexts such as Psalm 144:13, where it emphasizes the collective nature of these animals.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

צֹאן 273 n.coll.f. small cattle, sheep and goats, flock, flocks

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6629 צֹאן small cattle, sheep and goats, flock, flocks

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6629 tso'n tsone

or tsaown (Psalm 144:13) {tseh-one'}; from an unused root

meaning to migrate; a collective name for a flock (of sheep or

goats); also figuratively (of men):--(small) cattle, flock

(+ -s), lamb (+ -s), sheep((-cote, -fold, -shearer, -herds)).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

צֹאן (tson) — flock.

1) small cattle, sheep, sheep and goats, flock, flocks

1a) small cattle (usually of sheep and goats)

1b) of multitude (simile)

1c) of multitude (metaphor)

צֹאן (tson) — Sheep (Gate).

This name means sheep and goats

Also named: probatikos (προβατικός "Sheep Gate" G4262)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTd/Ncbsa — Particle · noun common both singular absolute
HTd/Ncbsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

shep:

1. Names:

The usual Hebrew word is tso'n, which is often translated "flock," e.g. "Abel .... brought of the firstlings of his flock" (Ge 4:4); "butter of the herd, and milk of the flock" (De 32:14). The King James Version and the English Revised Version have "milk of sheep." Compare Arabic da'n. The Greek word is probaton. For other names, see notes under CATTLE; EWE; LAMB; RAM.

2. Zoology:

The origin of domestic sheep is unknown. There are 11 wild species, the majority of which are found in Asia, and it is conceivable that they may have spread from the highlands of Central Asia to the other portions of their habitat. In North America is found the "bighorn," which is very closely related to a Kamschatkan species. One species, the urial or sha, is found in India. The Barbary…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Sheep

Are of different varieties. Probably the flocks of Abraham and Isaac were of the wild species found still in the mountain regions of Persia and Kurdistan. After the Exodus, and as a result of intercourse with surrounding nations, other species were no doubt introduced into the herds of the people of Israel. They are frequently mentioned in Scripture. The care of a shepherd over his flock is referred to as illustrating God’s care over his people (Ps. 23:1, 2; 74:1; 77:20; Isa. 40:11; 53:6; John 10:1-5, 7-16).

“The sheep of Palestine are longer in the head than ours, and have tails from 5 inches broad at the narrowest part to 15 inches at the widest, the weight being in proportion, and ranging generally from 10 to 14 lbs.…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Sheep were an important part of the possessions of the ancient Hebrews and of eastern nations generally. The first mention of sheep occurs in (Genesis 4:2) They were used in the sacrificial offering,as, both the adult animal, (Exodus 20:24) and the lamb. See (Exodus 29:28; Leviticus 9:3; 12:6) Sheep and lambs formed an important article of food. (1 Samuel 25:18) The wool was used as clothing. (Leviticus 13:47) "Rams skins dyed red" were used as a covering for the tabernacle. (Exodus 25:5) Sheep and lambs were…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Of the Syrian sheep, according to Dr. Russell, there are two varieties; the one called Bedaween sheep, which differ in no respect from the larger kinds of sheep among us, except that their tails are somewhat longer and thicker; the others are those often mentioned by travellers on account of their extraordinary tails; and this species is by far the most numerous. The tail of one of these animals is very broad and large, terminating in a small appendage that turns back upon it. It is of a substance between fat and marrow, and is not eaten separately, but mixed with the lean meat in many of their dishes, and also often used instead of butter. A common sheep of this sort, without the head, feet, skin, and entrails, weighs from sixty to eighty pounds, of which the tail itself is usually ten or fifteen pounds, and when the animal is fattened, twice or thrice that weight, and very…

and it was the tax for Yahweh from the sheep six hundred five and seventy
שֵׁ֥שׁshesh six H8337 Adj
216× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means the number six, and is often used in the Bible to describe measurements, like the six days of creation in Genesis 1.
Amplified meaning
six hundred and seventy-five, a specific count of sheep
Tyndale gloss
six
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word שֵׁשׁ, transliterated as shesh, means 'six' and can function as both a cardinal and ordinal number, indicating the sixth position. It is a primitive number that signifies an excess beyond five, as noted in the entries. The Aramaic equivalent is שֵׁת (shet).

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שֵׁשׁ, שִׁשָּׁה 216 n.m. et f. six

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8337 שֵׁשׁ, שִׁשָּׁה six

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8337 shesh shaysh

masculine shishshah {shish-shaw'}; a primitive number; six

(as an overplus (see 7797) beyond five or the fingers of the

hand); as ord. sixth:--six((-teen, -teenth)), sixth.

see HEBREW for 07797

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שֵׁשׁ (shesh) — six.

1) six

1a) six (cardinal number)

1b) sixth (ordinal number)

1c) in combination with other numbers

Aramaic equivalent: shet (שֵׁת "six" H8353)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Adj
HAcbsc
and it was the tax for Yahweh from the sheep six hundred five and seventy
מֵא֖וֹתme.'ot hundred H3967
581× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Means a hundred, used as a simple number or part of a larger number in the Bible. It appears in various forms, including fractions like one one-hundredth. Found in books like Genesis and Psalms.
Tyndale gloss
hundred
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מֵאָה (me'ah) means 'hundred' in Hebrew. It can refer to a simple number, a component of a larger number, or a fraction representing one one-hundredth. The entries consistently describe its use as a numeral without significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מֵאָה 583 n.f. hundred

as simple number

as part of larger number

a hundredth part

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3967 מֵאָה hundred . as simple number

. as part of larger number

. a hundredth part

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3967 me'ah may-aw'

or metyah {may-yaw'}; properly, a primitive numeral; a

hundred; also as a multiplicative and a

fraction:--hundred((-fold), -th), + sixscore.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מֵאָה (me.ah) — hundred.

1) hundred

1a) as simple number

1b) as part of larger number

1c) as a fraction-one one-hundredth (1/100)

Aramaic equivalent: me.ah (מְאָה "hundred" H3969)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HAcfpa
HAcfpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hun'-dred (me'-ah; hekaton).

See NUMBER.

and it was the tax for Yahweh from the sheep six hundred five and seventy
חָמֵ֥שׁcha.Mesh five H2568
343× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word simply means the number five. It is used throughout the Bible to describe quantities of five, such as five loaves of bread in Matthew 14:17. It can also mean a multiple of five.
Tyndale gloss
five
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חָמֵשׁ (chamesh) means 'five' in Hebrew. It serves as both a cardinal number and can indicate a multiple of five when combined with another number. The word also has an ordinal form, 'fifth.' The entries consistently define this numeral without any noted disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חָמֵשׁ, חֲמִשָּׁה 342 n.m. and f. five

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2568 חָמֵשׁ, חֲמִשָּׁה five

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2568 chamesh khaw-maysh'

masculine chamishshah {kham-ish-shaw}; a primitive numeral;

five:--fif(-teen), fifth, five (X apiece).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חָמֵשׁ (cha.mesh) — five.

1) five

1a) five (cardinal number)

1b) a multiple of five (with another number)

1c) fifth (ordinal number)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HAcbsa
HAcbsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

fiv (chamesh; pente).

See NUMBER.

and it was the tax for Yahweh from the sheep six hundred five and seventy
וְשִׁבְעִֽים׃ve.shiv.'Im and seventy H7657 Conjunction
91× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means the number seventy, like the seventy disciples Jesus sent out in Luke 10:1. It appears in phrases like threescore and ten. The KJV Bible uses it to describe groups of seventy people.
Tyndale gloss
seventy
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שִׁבְעִים (shib`iym) means 'seventy' in Hebrew. It is derived from a root meaning 'seven' and is used to denote the number seventy, often referenced in contexts involving counting or enumeration.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שִׁבְעִים 91 n.pl. seventy

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7657 שִׁבְעִים seventy

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7657 shib`iym. shib-eem'

multiple of 7651; seventy:--seventy, threescore and ten

(+ -teen).

see HEBREW for 07651

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שִׁבְעִים (shiv.im) — seventy.

seventy

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

sev'-n-ti (shibh`im; hebdomekonta).

See NUMBER.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ The senate of the Israilites composed of seventy elders Ex 24:1,9; Nu 11:16,24,25

→ The seventy disciples sent forth by Jesus (though the best Greek mss. have “seventy-two”) Lu 10:1-17

→ The Jews in captivity in Babylon for seventy years Jer 25:11,12; 29:10; Da 9:2; Zec 1:12; 7:5

→ See ISRAEL

→ 70 Weeks in the vision of Daniel Da 9:24

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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