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Proverbs 15:20 — Word Study

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WLCבֵּ֣ן חָ֭כָם יְשַׂמַּח־ אָ֑ב וּכְסִ֥יל אָ֝דָ֗ם בּוֹזֶ֥ה אִמּֽוֹ׃

BSAA wisechâkâm [intelligent, skilled, or prudent] sonbên [a descendant or child] brings joysâmach [rejoices, makes glad] to his fatherʼâb [a paternal figure or ancestor] but a foolishkᵉçîyl [stupid, silly, or unwise] manʼâdâm [a human or person] despisesbâzâh [holds in contempt, or rejects] his motherʼêm [a maternal figure or nurturer]

Word
Listen & take awayProverbs 15
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 20 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 ('i.Mo) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Proverbs 15:20quick helps
In a sentenceA wise son brings joy to his father, while a foolish man holds his mother in contempt.
Who is speakingThe author of Proverbs, sharing wisdom about family relationships.
Where we areIn the book of Proverbs, which provides practical wisdom for daily living.
The hard wordכְּסִיל
Take awayWisdom brings joy to family, while foolishness leads to contempt.
7 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbשָׂמַח 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 — Proverbs 15:20

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 — Wisdom and Foolishness in Familygenerated

19The way of the slacker is like a hedge of thorns, but the path of the upright is a highway.
20A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish man despises his mother.
21Folly is joy to one who lacks judgment, but a man of understanding walks a straight path.
22Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.

Proverbs 15:20 contrasts the behaviors of a wise son and a foolish man, illustrating the impact of their actions on family dynamics. The wise son brings joy to his father, indicating the positive influence of wisdom, while the foolish man despises his mother, highlighting the consequences of foolishness. This theme of wisdom and its effects on relationships is prevalent throughout the book of Proverbs.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Proverbs 10:1The proverbs of Solomon: A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish son grief to his mother.
2Proverbs 23:15–16My son, if your heart is wise, my own heart will indeed rejoice.
3Proverbs 29:3A man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father, but a companion of prostitutes squanders his wealth.
41 Kings 1:48saying, ‘Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel! Today He has provided one to sit on my throne, and my eyes have seen it.’”
51 Kings 2:9Now therefore, do not hold him guiltless, for you are a wise man. You know what you ought to do to him to bring his gray head down to Sheol in blood.”

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 11 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word בֵּן, bengenerated

The Hebrew word בֵּן (ben) means 'son' or 'male child', encompassing a wide range of meanings, including descendants and young animals. It emphasizes family relationships and inheritance, showing the importance of lineage.

This word is used in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, such as in 1 Chronicles 24:26, and is derived from a root meaning 'to build', implying a connection to family or lineage.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

The BSB translates יְשַׂמַּח־ as brings joy, which is also reflected in the KJV and ASV.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb יְשַׂמַּח governs the entire verse, with two noun phrases: the subject בֵּן חָ֭כָם (a wise son) and the second subject וּכְסִ֥יל אָ֝דָ֗ם (a foolish man). The structure emphasizes the contrasting actions and their effects.

The sentence is structured to highlight the relationship between wisdom and joy, and foolishness and contempt, with the first clause presenting a positive outcome and the second a negative one.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates בֵּן as υἱὸς (son), maintaining the familial relationship. The choice of σοφὸς for חָכָם (wise) reflects a direct correlation in meaning, emphasizing wisdom.

The Greek term for בּוֹזֶ֥ה is not provided, indicating a difference in focus or interpretation between the Hebrew and Greek texts.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Proverbs 15:20 teaches that a wise son brings joy to his father, showing the positive effects of wisdom on family relationships. In contrast, a foolish man despises his mother, highlighting the negative consequences of foolish behavior.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean for a son to bring joy to his father?

It means that a wise son acts in ways that please and honor his father, reflecting good character and decisions.

Why does a foolish man despise his mother?

A foolish man may reject wisdom and guidance, leading to contempt for those who nurture and care for him, such as his mother.

How does wisdom affect family relationships?

Wisdom fosters positive interactions and respect within the family, leading to joy and harmony.

What are the consequences of foolishness in a family?

Foolishness can lead to conflict, disrespect, and broken relationships, as seen in the example of the foolish man.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways can I demonstrate wisdom in my relationships with family members?
  2. How do my actions reflect my understanding of wisdom and foolishness?
  3. What are some examples of how I have seen wisdom bring joy to my family?
  4. How can I support and encourage family members to make wise choices?

Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Proverbs 15:20 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

A wise son maketh a glad father,.... [See comments on Proverbs 10:1]; but a foolish man despiseth his mother; that bore him and brought him up, and perhaps was too indulgent to him; which aggravates

Read John Gill on Proverbs 15 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish man despiseth his mother.

Read Robert Jamieson on Proverbs 15 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Maketh a glad father, by giving him that honour and obedience which he oweth to him. Despiseth his mother; whereby he maketh her sad. See Poole "", where we have the same proverb.

Read Matthew Poole on Proverbs 15 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Proverbs 15:20 A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish man despiseth his mother.Ver. 20. A wise son maketh a glad father.]

Read John Trapp on Proverbs 15 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

20. despiseth] and so maketh her sad, in latent contrast with the first clause of the verse.

Read Cambridge on Proverbs 15 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

To “despise” a mother is to cause her the deepest grief, and is therefore not unfitly contrasted with “making a glad father.”

Read Albert Barnes on Proverbs 15 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

20. Maketh… glad — Gladdens. This is much the same as Proverbs 10:1, where see note.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Proverbs 15 →

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

A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish man despises his mother.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

A wise son makes a father glad, but a foolish man despises his mother.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish man despises his mother.

NETBNew English Translation2006

A wise child brings joy to his father, but a foolish person despises his mother.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish man despiseth his mother.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

A wise son maketh a glad father; But a foolish man despiseth his mother.

RVARevised Version, American1894

A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish man despiseth his mother.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish man despiseth his mother.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

A wise sonne reioyceth the father: but a foolish man despiseth his mother.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

A wise son maketh a glad father; but a foolish man despiseth his mother.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

A wise son rejoiceth a father. And a foolish man is despising his mother.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

A wise son makes a father glad. And a foolish man is despising his mother.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

A wise son causeth his father to rejoice; but a foolish man despiseth his mother.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish person despises his mother.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

A wise son maketh a father joyful: but the foolish man despiseth his mother.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

A wise son makes his father happy, but a stupid man despises his mother.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish man has no respect for his mother.

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.

clausenoun phrase · subjectבֵּ֣ןa.sonחָ֭כָםwiseverbיְשַׂמַּחhe.makes.gladobjectאָ֑בa.fatherוּandclausenoun phrase · subjectכְסִ֥ילa.foolאָ֝דָ֗םa.personverbבּוֹזֶ֥ה[is].despisingnoun phrase · objectאִמּֽmotherוֹhis

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 align closely, with six of the eight words matching. The Dead Sea Scrolls fragment also supports the MT, with some words supplied by an editor due to damage.

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

בֵּ֣ן חָ֭כָם יְשַׂמַּח־ אָ֑ב וּכְסִ֥יל אָ֝דָ֗ם בּוֹזֶ֥ה אִמּֽוֹ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
בֵּ֣ןυἱὸςחָ֭כָםσοφὸςיְשַׂמַּח־εὐφραίνειאָ֑בπατέραבּוֹזֶ֥הμυκτηρίζειאִמּֽוֹ׃αὐτοῦ

6 of the 8 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.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q103a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

בן חכם ישמח אב [וכסיל] [אדם] באמ׳ו

7 words of the verse are on this fragment — 2 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.

Proverbs 15:20בֵּןa sona sonבֵּןחָכָםwisewiseחָכָםשָׂמַחhe makes glhe makes gladשָׂמַחאָבa fathera fatherאָבכְּסִילand a fooland a foolכְּסִילאָדָםa persona personאָדָםבָזָה[is] despis[is] despisingבָזָהאֵםmother hismother hisאֵםבָּנָהto buildto buildבָּנָהחָכַםbe wisebe wiseחָכַםכָּסַלbe stupidbe stupidכָּסַלאָדֹםto reddento reddenאָדֹםאָבfatherfatherאָבעַמּוֹןAmmonAmmonעַמּוֹןרְאוּבֵןReubenReubenרְאוּבֵןכְּסִילfoolfoolכְּסִילדַּ֫עַתknowledgeknowledgeדַּ֫עַתגִּילto rejoiceto rejoiceגִּילשִׂמְחָהjoyjoyשִׂמְחָהקָבַרto buryto buryקָבַראֵםmothermotherאֵםאִוֶּ֫לֶתfollyfollyאִוֶּ֫לֶתחָכָםwisewiseחָכָםדְּמוּתlikenesslikenessדְּמוּתבְּהֵמָהanimalanimalבְּהֵמָהלָעַגto mockto mockלָעַג
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 Proverbs 15:20

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.

a son wise he makes glad a father and a fool a person [is] despising mother his
בֵּ֣ןben a son H1121 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
4,943× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word means a son or descendant, and can also refer to a grandson, nation, or quality. It appears in 1 Chronicles 24, describing a Levite named Beno. The word is used to show family relationships and inheritance.
Amplified meaning
a descendant or child
Tyndale gloss
son: child
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בֵּן (ben) means 'son' or 'male child' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including descendants, young animals, and even figurative uses like sparks or arrows. It can refer to members of a tribe or class and is used in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, such as in 1 Chronicles 24:26. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to build' and implies a connection to family or lineage.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בֵּן 4870 n.m. son

son, male child, born of a woman

children (male and female)

youth, young men

the young of animals

of plant shoots

fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows

member of a guild, order or class

of animals son of (the) herd

ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.

n. relat. of age

base

בְּנוֹ 1 Ch 24:26, 27 as n.pr.m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son, cf. VB & Be Öt.

done

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1121a בֵּן son . son, male child, born of a woman

. children (male and female)

. youth, young men

. the young of animals

. of plant shoots

. fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows

. . member of a guild, order or class

. of animals son of (the) herd

. ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.

. n. relat. of age

H1121b בְּנוֹ as n. pr. m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1121 ben bane

from 1129; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the

widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship,

including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition,

etc., (like 1, 251, etc.)):--+ afflicted, age, (Ahoh-)

(Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-)ite, (anoint-)ed one, appointed to,

(+) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-)ian, one born,

bough, branch, breed, + (young) bullock, + (young) calf, X

came up in, child, colt, X common, X corn, daughter, X of

first, + firstborn, foal, + very fruitful, + postage, X in, +

kid, + lamb, (+) man, meet, + mighty, + nephew, old, (+)

people, + rebel, + robber, X servant born, X soldier, son, +

spark, + steward, + stranger, X surely, them of, + tumultuous

one, + valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.

see HEBREW for 01129

see HEBREW for 01

see HEBREW for 0251

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בֵּן (ben) — son: child.

: child/son

בְּנוֹ (be.no) — Beno.

A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ch.24.26;

son of: Jaaziah (H3269);

brother of: Shoham (H7719), Zaccur (H2139I) and Ibri (H5681)

§ Beno = "his son"

the sons of Jaaziah and the sons of Merari by Jaahziah (his son)

בֵּן (ben) — son: descendant/people.

: descendant, people, tribe, nation

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

§ : child/son

בֵּן (ben) — son: young animal.

: calf/lamb/young(ANIMAL)

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

§ : descendant

בֵּן (ben) — son: type of.

: rebel/son(Belial)

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

§ : people/men/nation/tribe

בֵּן (ben) — son.

: [inheriting]son/heir

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

בֵּן (ben) — son: warrior.

: warrior/son(strong)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Smith's Bible Dictionary

The term "son" is used in Scripture language to imply almost any kind of descent or succession, as ben shanah , "son of a year," i.e. a year old; ben kesheth , "son of a bow," i.e. an arrow. The word bar is often found in the New Testament in composition, as Bar-timaeus.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Sometimes denotes a grandson, or any remote descendant, Ge 29:5 2Sa 19:24. At other times a son by adoption is meant, Ge 48:5; or by law, Ru 4:17; or by education, 1Sa 3:6 20:35; or by conversion, as Titus was Paul’s "son father the common faith," Tit 1:4. And again it denotes a mental or moral resemblance, etc., Jud 19:22 Ps 89:6 Isa 57:3 Ac 13:10. In a…

Nave's Topical Bible

→ FIGURATIVE

Of a person' s relation to God Ex 4:22

See ADOPTION

See GOD, FATHERHOOD OF

See JESUS, SON OF GOD

See JESUS, SON OF MAN

a son wise he makes glad a father and a fool a person [is] despising mother his
חָ֭כָםCha.khom wise H2450 Adj
138× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means wise or skilled, describing someone intelligent or crafty, like a cunning man or a prudent leader.
Amplified meaning
intelligent, skilled, or prudent
Tyndale gloss
wise
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word חָכָם (*chakam*) means 'wise' and encompasses various aspects of wisdom, including skillfulness in technical work, shrewdness, and ethical understanding. It can refer to a class of learned individuals, including those involved in astrology and magic. The word is derived from a related term, חָכַם (*chakam*), which also relates to intelligence and craftiness.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חָכָם adj. wise

skilful in technical work

wise in the administration of affairs

shrewd, crafty, cunning

pl. class of learned and shrewd men, incl. astrologers, magicians and the like

prudent

wise, ethically and religiously

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2450 חָכָם wise . skilful in technical work

. wise in the administration of affairs

. shrewd, crafty, cunning

. pl. class of learned and shrewd men, incl. astrologers, magicians and the like

. prudent

. wise, ethically and religiously

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2450 chakam khaw-kawm'

from 2449; wise, (i.e. intelligent, skilful or

artful):--cunning (man), subtil, ((un-)), wise((hearted),

man).

see HEBREW for 02449

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חָכָם (cha.kham) — wise.

1) wise, wise (man)

1a) skilful (in technical work)

1b) wise (in administration)

1c) shrewd, crafty, cunning, wily, subtle

1d) learned, shrewd (class of men)

1e) prudent

1f) wise (ethically and religiously)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Adj
HAamsa
a son wise he makes glad a father and a fool a person [is] despising mother his
יְשַׂמַּח־ye.sa.mach- he makes glad H8055 Verb · Piel · imperfect third person masculine singular
155× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to rejoice or be glad, often used in a religious sense, like when the Israelites rejoiced at the dedication of the temple in 1 Kings 8:66.
Amplified meaning
rejoices, makes glad
Tyndale gloss
to rejoice
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׂמַח (samach) is a Hebrew verb meaning to rejoice or be glad. It can express joy in everyday life, religious contexts, or even exultation. The verb has different forms: Qal (to rejoice), Piel (to cause to rejoice), and Hiphil (to make glad). The entries indicate a range of meanings related to joy and merriment.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׂמַח, שָׂמִ֑חַ 154 vb. rejoice, be glad

Qal 126

in common life

rejoice religiously

subj. י׳

Pi. cause to rejoice, gladden

Hiph. = Pi.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8055 שָׂמַח, שָׂמִ֑חַ rejoice, be glad

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8055 samach saw-makh'

a primitive root; probably to brighten up, i.e.

(figuratively) be (causatively, make) blithe or

gleesome:--cheer up, be (make) glad, (have, make) joy(-ful),

be (make) merry, (cause to, make to) rejoice, X very.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׂמַח (sa.mach) — to rejoice.

1) to rejoice, be glad

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to rejoice

1a2) to rejoice (arrogantly), exult (at)

1a3) to rejoice (religiously)

1b) (Piel) to cause to rejoice, gladden, make glad

1c) (Hiphil) to cause to rejoice, gladden, make glad

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Piel-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Piel · imperfect third person masculine singular
HVpi3ms
a son wise he makes glad a father and a fool a person [is] despising mother his
אָ֑ב'Av a father H1 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
1,213× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In Hebrew, this word means father, whether literal or figurative. It is used to describe God as the father of his people, as well as human fathers like Abraham. The word is about a paternal relationship or authority.
Amplified meaning
a paternal figure or ancestor
Tyndale gloss
father
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָב 1101 n.m. father

father of individual

of God as father of his people

head of household, family or clan

ancestor

originator or patron of a class, profession, or art

fig. of producer, generator

fig. of benevolence & protection

term of respect & honor

specif., ruler, chief (late)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1 אָב father . father of individual

. of God as father of his people

. head of household, family or clan

. ancestor

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

. fig. of producer, generator

. fig. of benevolence & protection

. term of respect & honor

. specif., ruler, chief (late)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1 'ab awb

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

figurative and remote application):--chief,

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

in "Abi-".

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָב (av) — father.

1) father of an individual

2) of God as father of his people

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

4) ancestor

4a) grandfather, forefathers - of person

4b) of people

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

6) of producer, generator (fig.)

7) of benevolence and protection (fig.)

8) term of respect and honour

9) ruler or chief (spec.)

Also means: av (אַב "father" H0002)

אָב (av) — (Huram)-abi.

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

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

אָב (av) — father of.

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

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

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

fa'-ther (Anglo-Saxon, Foeder; German, Vater; Hebrew 'abh, etymology uncertain, found in many cognate languages; Greek pater, from root pa, "nourisher," "protector," "upholder"):

1. Immediate Male Ancestor:

Immediate male ancestor. The father in the Hebrew family, as in the Roman, had supreme rights over his children, could dispose of his daughter in marriage (Ge 29), arrange his son's marriage (Ge 24), sell his children (Ex 21:7), but not his daughter to a stranger (Ne 5:5), had power of life and death, as in the case of Isaac (Ge 22), Jephthah's daughter (Jud 11:34), the sacrificing of his children to Molech (Le 18:21; 20:3-5), etc. Respect, reverence and affection for…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Father

A name applied (1) to any ancestor (Deut. 1:11; 1 Kings 15:11; Matt. 3:9; 23:30, etc.); and (2) as a title of respect to a chief, ruler, or elder, etc. (Judg. 17:10; 18:19; 1 Sam. 10:12; 2 Kings 2:12; Matt. 23:9, etc.). (3) The author or beginner of anything is also so called; e.g., Jabal and Jubal (Gen. 4:20, 21; comp. Job 38:28).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

The position and authority of the father as the head of the family are expressly assumed and sanctioned in Scripture, as a likeness of that of the Almighty over his creatures. It lies of course at the root of that so-called patriarchal government, (Genesis 3:16; 1 Corinthians 11:3) which was introductory to the more definite systems which followed, and which in part, but not wholly, superseded it. The father’s blessing was regarded as conferring special benefit, but his malediction special injury, on those on whom it fell, (Genesis 9:25,27; 27:27-40; 48:15,20; 49:1) ... and so also the sin of a parent was held to affect, in certain cases, the welfare of his descendants. (2 Kings…

Is often synonymous with ancestor, founder, or originator, as Ge 4:20-21 Joh 8:56 Ro 4:16. Joseph was a father to Pharoah, Ge 45:8, as his counselor and provider. God is the FATHER of men, as their Creator, De 32:6 Isa 63:16 64:8 Lu 3:38. But as we have forfeited the rights of children by our sins, it is only through Christ that we can call God by that endearing name, "our Father," Joh 20:17 Ro 8:15-17.

a son wise he makes glad a father and a fool a person [is] despising mother his
וּכְסִ֥ילu.khe.Sil and a fool H3684 Conjunction
70× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word describes a fool or someone who is stupid and silly. It is often used to describe people who reject God's wisdom. The Bible uses this word to warn against foolish behavior.
Amplified meaning
stupid, silly, or unwise
Tyndale gloss
fool
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כְּסִיל (kciyl) refers to a fool or a stupid person. It is derived from a root meaning 'fat' and is used figuratively to describe someone who is foolish, simple-minded, or arrogant. The term appears in various contexts in the Old Testament, emphasizing a lack of wisdom or understanding.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כְּסִיל 70 n.m. stupid fellow, dullard, fool

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3684 כְּסִיל

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3684 kciyl kes-eel'

from 3688; properly, fat, i.e. (figuratively) stupid or

silly:--fool(-ish).

see HEBREW for 03688

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כְּסִיל (ke.sil) — fool.

fool, stupid fellow, dullard, simpleton, arrogant one

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Adj — Conjunction
HC/Aamsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Any person who does not act wisely, that is, does not follow the warnings and requirements of God, which are founded in infinite wisdom. Hence "a fool" is put for a wicked man, an enemy or neglecter of God, Ps 14:1 Pr 19:1. So folly is put for wickedness, 2Sa 13:12,13 Ps 38:5, foolish lusts for wicked lusts, etc. Foolish talking, foolish questions, are vain, empty, unprofitable conversation, 2Ti 2:23.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ General scriptures concerning Ps 5:5; 14:1; 53:1; 74:18-22; 107:17; Pr 1:7,22; 3:35; 9:6-8,13-17; 10:1,8,10,13,14,18,23; 14:1,7-9,15; 15:7,20,21; 17:24,25; 18:2,6,7; 19:13; 20:3; 21:20; 26:3-12; 29:9,11; Ec 4:5; 7:9; 10:11-15; Mt 7:26,27; Tit 3:3

→ PARABLES OF

Of the foolish virgns Mt 25:1-13

Of the rich fool Lu 12:16-20

a son wise he makes glad a father and a fool a person [is] despising mother his
אָ֝דָ֗ם'a.Dam a person H120 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
551× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Adam was the first human, created by God and mentioned in Genesis 2:19, who married Eve and had sons including Cain, Abel, and Seth.
Amplified meaning
a human or person
Tyndale gloss
the man (Adam)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָדָם (adam) refers to 'man' or 'mankind,' encompassing both individual humans and the species as a whole. It is also the name of the first man in the Bible, Adam, who is mentioned in various verses, including Genesis 2:19. The term can denote a city in the Jordan valley as well. The entries indicate a range of meanings, but there is no significant disagreement among them.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָדָם 560 n.m. Gn 1:27 man, mankind

a man = human being

coll. man, mankind

n.pr.m. Adam, first man (without art.)

n.pr.loc. city in Jordan valley (as built?)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H120 אָדָם man, mankind . a man = human being

. coll. man, mankind

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

120 'adam aw-dawm'

from 119; ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the

species, mankind, etc.):--X another, + hypocrite, + common

sort, X low, man (mean, of low degree), person.

see HEBREW for 0119

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָדָם (a.dam) — man.

1) man, mankind

1a) man, human being

1b) man, mankind (much more frequently intended sense in OT)

1c) Adam, first man

1d) city in Jordan valley

אָדָם (a.dam) — the man (Adam).

The first named man living at the time before the Flood, first mentioned at Gen.2.19;

married to Eve (H2332);

father of: Cain (H7014B), Abel (H1893) and Seth (H8352); also translated "man" at Gen.2.19,21,23; 3.8,9,20; 5.2; "mankind" at Deu.32.8; "others" at Job.31.33;

Another spelling of a.dam (אָדָם "Adam" H0121)

man, human being

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
a son wise he makes glad a father and a fool a person [is] despising mother his
בּוֹזֶ֥הbo.Zeh [is] despising H959 Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine singular
44× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To despise or hold in contempt, as seen in Proverbs where it warns against despising wisdom. It can also mean to be despised or worthless, as in the case of a vile person.
Amplified meaning
holds in contempt, or rejects
Tyndale gloss
to despise
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בָזָה (bazah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to despise or hold in contempt. It can be used in different forms: Qal for direct action, Niphal for being despised, and Hiphil for causing someone to despise. The entries emphasize a sense of disdain and worthlessness associated with the term.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בָזָה vb. despise

Qal despise, regard with contempt

Niph.

despised

vile, worthless

despicable, contemptible

Hiph. so as to cause to despise their lords

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H959 בָזָה despise

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

959 bazah baw-zaw'

a primitive root; to disesteem:--despise, disdain,

contemn(-ptible), + think to scorn, vile person.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בָּזָה (ba.zah) — to despise.

1) to despise, hold in contempt, disdain

1a) (Qal) to despise, regard with contempt

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be despised

1b2) to be despicable

1b3) to be vile, worthless

1c) (Hiphil) to cause to despise

Also means: ba.zoh (בָּזֹה "to despise" H0960)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal — Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine singular
HVqrmsa
a son wise he makes glad a father and a fool a person [is] despising mother his
אִמּֽוֹ׃'i.Mo mother his H517 Noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
220× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for 'mother' is used in the Bible to describe a female parent or a maternal figure. It can also refer to the source or origin of something, such as a river or a family. In some cases, it is used figuratively to describe a person's relationship to others.
Amplified meaning
a maternal figure or nurturer
Tyndale gloss
mother
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֵם (em) means 'mother' and can refer to a human mother, an animal's dam, or even a figurative sense, such as Deborah's nurturing role for her people. It also conveys the idea of a point of departure or division. This word is built from a primitive root and encompasses both literal and figurative meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵם 221 n.f. mother

lit. (human) mother

fig. of Deborah as caring for her people

of animals, dam

= point of departure or division

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H517 אֵם mother . lit. (human) mother

. fig. of Deborah as caring for her people

. of animals, dam

. = point of departure or division

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

517 'em ame

a primitive word; a mother (as the bond of the family); in a

wide sense (both literally and figuratively (like 1):--dam,

mother, X parting.

see HEBREW for 01

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵם (em) — mother.

1) mother

1a) of humans

1b) of Deborah's relationship to the people (fig.)

1c) of animals

2) point of departure or division

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs | Suff — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
HNcfsc/Sp3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hiz: Used often in the King James Version with reference to a neuter or inanimate thing, or to a lower animal (Ge 1:11, "after his kind"; Le 1:16, "pluck away his crop"; Ac 12:10, "of his own accord"; 1Co 15:38, "his own body"), etc. the Revised Version (British and American) substitutes "its."

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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