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Proverbs 19:12 — Word Study

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WLCנַ֣הַם כַּ֭כְּפִיר זַ֣עַף מֶ֑לֶךְ וּכְטַ֖ל עַל־ עֵ֣שֶׂב רְצוֹנֽוֹ׃

BSAA king’smelek [intense, furious] ragezaʻaph [like a storm] is like the roarnaham [loud, fierce cry] of a lionkᵉphîyr [young, powerful] but his favorrâtsôwn [acceptance, delight] is like dewṭal [moisture, gentle] onʻal the grassʻeseb [vegetation, new life]

Word
Listen & take awayProverbs 19
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 12 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 (re.tzo.No) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Proverbs 19:12quick helps
In a sentenceProverbs compares a king's rage to a lion's roar and his favor to gentle dew.
Who is speakingThe author of Proverbs, presenting wisdom about kings.
Where we areIn a section discussing the nature of a king's emotions and their effects.
The hard wordנַ֣הַם
Take awayThe king's anger is fierce and powerful, while his favor brings refreshment.
6 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, AdamClarke & more — read them › clause 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 19:12

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 about Kingsgenerated

11A man’s insight gives him patience, and his virtue is to overlook an offense.
12A king’s rage is like the roar of a lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass.
13A foolish son is his father’s ruin, and a quarrelsome wife is like a constant dripping.
14Houses and wealth are inherited from fathers, but a prudent wife is from the LORD.

Proverbs 19:12 illustrates the contrasting emotions of a king, emphasizing the intensity of his rage and the gentleness of his favor. This verse is situated within a broader discussion about the qualities of wisdom and the behavior of rulers, as seen in surrounding verses that explore patience and the consequences of folly.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Proverbs 16:14–15The wrath of a king is a messenger of death, but a wise man will pacify it.
2Proverbs 20:2The terror of a king is like the roar of a lion; whoever provokes him forfeits his own life.
3Proverbs 28:15Like a roaring lion or a charging bear is a wicked ruler over a helpless people.
4Esther 7:8Just as the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet hall, Haman was falling on the couch where Esther was reclining. The king exclaimed, “Would he actually assault the queen while I am in the palace?” As soon as the words had left the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face.
5Ecclesiastes 8:4For the king’s word is supreme, and who can say to him, “What are you doing?”

The Key Word נַ֣הַם, Na.hamgenerated

The Hebrew word נַ֣הַם (Na.ham) is a noun meaning 'roaring' and is associated with the fierce cry of a lion. This word conveys the powerful and intense nature of a king's anger, likening it to a lion's roar, which symbolizes strength and ferocity.

In this context, the word emphasizes the overwhelming force of the king's rage, suggesting that it can be as disruptive and fearsome as a storm. This imagery underscores the impact of a ruler's emotions on those around him.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

In the Berean Standard Bible, the verse uses rage for זַעַף and dew for טַל, which is consistent across the KJV, ASV, YLT, WEB, and BBE.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main clause is governed by the predicate נַ֣הַם (is roaring), describing the king's rage. It is followed by a simile comparing the king's rage to a lion's roar and contrasting it with the gentle imagery of dew on the grass.

The structure emphasizes the stark contrast between the fierce nature of the king's anger and the refreshing quality of his favor, creating a vivid picture of the emotional landscape of leadership.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates נַ֣הַם as λέοντος (lion), which maintains the imagery of power and ferocity. This choice aligns with the Hebrew meaning, reinforcing the idea of a king's rage being comparable to a lion's roar.

The use of δρόσος for dew further emphasizes the refreshing and gentle nature of favor, paralleling the Hebrew term and its connotations.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Proverbs 19:12 compares a king's anger to the loud roar of a lion, showing how powerful and intense it can be. In contrast, the king's favor is described as gentle dew on the grass, highlighting how refreshing and life-giving his approval can be.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does the roar of a lion symbolize in this verse?

The roar symbolizes the intense and fearsome nature of a king's anger, suggesting that it can be overwhelming and powerful.

How does dew relate to a king's favor?

Dew represents the gentle and refreshing nature of a king's favor, indicating that it brings life and nourishment.

Why is it important to understand the emotions of a king?

Understanding a king's emotions helps us grasp the impact of leadership on people, as both anger and favor can significantly affect their lives.

What can we learn from the contrast between rage and favor?

The contrast teaches us about the dual nature of authority — that leaders can inspire fear or provide comfort, depending on their actions and emotions.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways can a leader's anger impact those around them?
  2. How can we cultivate a spirit of favor and kindness in our leadership roles?
  3. What examples can you think of where someone’s anger was as fierce as a lion’s roar?
  4. How does the imagery of dew on grass inspire you to think about gentleness in relationships?

Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Proverbs 19:12 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

The king's wrath [is] as the roaring of a lion,.... Which is very terrible when hungry, and is after its prey, and has got it.

Read John Gill on Proverbs 19 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

The king's wrath is as the roaring of a lion; but his favour is as dew upon the grass. The king's wrath is as the roaring of a lion - (therefore his subjects should beware of provoking him.

Read Robert Jamieson on Proverbs 19 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Proverbs 19:12 The king’ s wrath [is] as the roaring of a lion; but his favour [is] as dew upon the grass. Ver. 12. The king’ s wrath is as the roaring of a lion.] Heb., Of a young lion, which, being in his prime, roars more terribly; sets up his roar with such a force that he amazeth the other creatures whom he hunteth, so that, though far swifter of foot than the lion, they have no power to fly from him. Kings have long hands, strong clutches. Good therefore is the wise man’ s counsel in Ecclesiastes 8:2-4. Ambros., Hexs., lib. vi. cap. 5.

Read John Trapp on Proverbs 19 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 12. The king's wrath is as the roaring of a lion] There is nothing more dreadful than the roaring of this tyrant of the forest. At the sound of it all other animals tremble, flee away, and hide themselves. The king who is above law, and rules without law, and whose will is his own law, is like the lion. This is strongly descriptive of the character of Asiatic sovereigns.

Read AdamClarke on Proverbs 19 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

12. as dew upon the grass] Comp. Proverbs 16:15; Psalms 72:6.

Read Cambridge on Proverbs 19 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

12. King’s wrath — The verse presents a striking picture of an Oriental despot, on whose smile or frown life or death depends. The word rendered lion means a young lion, said to be the strongest and fiercest. Comp.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Proverbs 19 →

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 king’s rage is like the roar of a lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

The king’s wrath is like the roaring of a lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

A king’s rage is like the roar of a lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass.

NETBNew English Translation2006

A king’s wrath is like the roar of a lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

The king’s wrath is as the roaring of a lion; but his favour is as dew upon the grass.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

The king’s wrath is as the roaring of a lion; But his favor is as dew upon the grass.

RVARevised Version, American1894

The king’s wrath is as the roaring of a lion; but his favour is as dew upon the grass.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

The king's wrath is as the roaring of a lion; but his favor is as dew upon the grass.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

The Kings wrath is like the roaring of a lyon: but his fauour is like the dewe vpon ye grasse.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

The king's displeasure is as the roaring of a lion; but his favour is as dew upon the grass.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

The wrath of a king [is] a growl as of a young lion, And as dew on the herb his good-will.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

The wrath of a king [is] a growl as of a young lion, || And his goodwill as dew on the herb.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Like the roaring of a young lion is the wrath of a king: as dew upon the herbs is his favor.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

The wrath of the king is like the roaring of a young lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

As the roaring of a lion, so also is the anger of a king: and his cheerfulness as the dew upon the grass.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

When a king gets angry, he sounds like a roaring lion; but his kindness is as soft as dew on the grass.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

The king's wrath is like the loud cry of a lion, but his approval is like dew on the grass.

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.

clausepredicateנַ֣הַם[is].a.roaringprepositional phrase · prepositionalכַּ֭like.(the)noun phraseyoungכְּפִירlionnoun phrase · subjectזַ֣עַף[the].rageמֶ֑לֶךְof.a.kingוּand.[is]clauseprepositional phrase · predicateכְlikenoun phraseטַ֖לdewprepositional phraseעַלonעֵ֣שֶׂבgrassnoun phrase · subjectרְצוֹנֽfavorוֹhis

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 largely agree on the wording of this verse, with six of the eight words matching directly. The Septuagint's different word order reflects its own stylistic choices rather than a significant variation in meaning.

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

נַ֣הַם כַּ֭כְּפִיר זַ֣עַף מֶ֑לֶךְ וּכְטַ֖ל עַל־ עֵ֣שֶׂב רְצוֹנֽוֹ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
כַּ֭כְּפִיר"{..^λέοντος}"מֶ֑לֶךְβασιλέωςוּכְטַ֖לδρόσοςעַל־ἐπὶעֵ֣שֶׂבξόρτῳרְצוֹנֽוֹ׃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.

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 19:12נַ֫הַם[is] a roar[is] a roaringנַ֫הַםכְּפִירlike young like young lionכְּפִירזַ֫עַף[the] rage [the] rage ofזַ֫עַףמֶ֫לֶךְa kinga kingמֶ֫לֶךְטַלand [is] liand [is] like dטַלעַלononעַלעֵ֫שֶׂבgrassgrassעֵ֫שֶׂברָצוֹןfavor hisfavor hisרָצוֹןכִּפֶּרto atoneto atoneכִּפֶּרנָהַםto groanto groanנָהַםזָעַףto enrageto enrageזָעַףמָלַךְto reignto reignמָלַךְטָלַלto coverto coverטָלַלרָצָהto acceptto acceptרָצָהעַלheightheightעַלגּוּרwhelpwhelpגּוּרשְׁאָגָהroaringroaringשְׁאָגָהיָם(Mt. Ephro(Mt. Ephron in יָםנְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּרNebuchadneNebuchadnezzarנְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּראַשּׁוּרAsshurAsshurאַשּׁוּראוֹרָהlightlightאוֹרָהגִּזָּהfleecefleeceגִּזָּהכִּסֵּאthronethroneכִּסֵּאדֶּ֫שֶׁאgrassgrassדֶּ֫שֶׁאיָבֵשׁto witherto witherיָבֵשׁפּוּקto promoteto promoteפּוּק
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 19:12

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.

[is] a roaring like young lion [the] rage of a king and [is] like dew on grass favor his
נַ֣הַםNa.ham [is] a roaring H5099 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
2× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Roaring refers to the loud, fierce cry of a lion or the anger of a king, symbolizing great power and intensity.
Amplified meaning
loud, fierce cry
Tyndale gloss
roaring
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נַ֫הַם (naham) refers to a growling or roaring sound, particularly associated with a lion or metaphorically with a king's wrath. It is derived from a related term and is noted for its use in describing fierce sounds or expressions of anger.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נַ֫הַם n.[m.] growling of lion;—fig. of king’s wrath

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5099 נַ֫הַם

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5099 naham nah'-ham

from 5098; a snarl:--roaring.

see HEBREW for 05098

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נַ֫הַם (na.ham) — roaring.

1) growling, roaring

1a) of lion

1b) of king's wrath (fig.)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
[is] a roaring like young lion [the] rage of a king and [is] like dew on grass favor his
כַּ֭כְּפִירKa.ke.fir like young lion H3715 Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
32× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word can mean either a village or a young lion. It is used in the Bible to describe a place or an animal, like a lion with a mane. The KJV translates it as lion or village.
Amplified meaning
young, powerful
Tyndale gloss
lion
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word כְּפִיר (*kefir*) primarily means 'young lion,' while its plural form כְּפִירִים (*kefirim*) likely refers to 'villages.' The word is built from the root associated with 'covering,' suggesting a connection to both young lions and enclosed spaces. It appears in Nehemiah 6:2.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כְּפִיר n.m. young lion

base

כְּפִירִים Ne 6:2, prob. = foregoing [כְּפִירָה] (𝔊 al. n. appell. = villages).

done

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3715a כְּפִיר young lion H3715b כְּפִירִים prob. = כְּפִירָה

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3715 kphiyr kef-eer'

from 3722; a village (as covered in by walls); also a young

lion (perhaps as covered with a mane):--(young) lion, village.

Compare 3723.

see HEBREW for 03722

see HEBREW for 03723

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כְּפִיר (ke.phir) — lion.

young lion

כְּפִירִים (ke.phi.rim) — Hakkephirim.

village

Another name of o.no (אוֹנוֹ "Ono" H0207)

כְּפִירִים (ke.phi.rim) — villages.

village

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

li'-un:

(1) Occurring most often in the Old Testament is 'aryeh, plural 'ardyoth. Another form, 'ari, plural 'arayim, is found less often.

1. Names:

Compare 'ari'el, "Ariel" (Ezr 8:16; Isa 29:1,2,7); char'el, "upper altar," and 'ari'el, "altar hearth" (Eze 43:15); 'aryeh, "Arieh" (2Ki 15:25); 'ar'eli, "Areli" and "Arelites" (Ge 46:16; Nu 26:17).

(2) kephir, "young lion," often translated "lion" (Ps 35:17; Pr 19:12; 23:1, etc.).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

"The most powerful, daring and impressive of all carnivorous animals, the most magnificent in aspect and awful in voice." At present lions do not exist in Palestine; but they must in ancient times have been numerous. The lion of Palestine was in all probability the Asiatic variety, described by Aristotle and Pliny as distinguished by its short and curly mane, and by being shorter and rounder in shape, like the sculptured lion found at Arban. It was less daring than the longer named species, but when driven by hunger it not only ventured to attack the flocks in the desert in presence of the shepherd, (1 Samuel 17:34; Isaiah 31:4) but laid waste towns and villages, (2 Kings 17:25,26; Proverbs 22:13; 26:13) and devoured men.…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The well-known and noble king of beasts, frequently spoken of in Scripture. He often exceeds eight feet in length and four feet in height; and his majestic and dauntless aspect, his prodigious strength and agility, and his peculiar roar, make him the terror of the forests. Lions were common in Palestine, (See JORDAN,) and the Hebrews had seven different names for them, to distinguish the different ages, etc. Five of these occur together in Job 4:10,11. See also Na 2:11,12. The psalmist alludes to the stealthy creeping of the lion till he can spring upon his prey, when he says of the crafty wicked man, "He lieth in wait secretly as a lion in his den; .... he croucheth, and humbleth himself, that the poor may fall by his strong ones." The Bible reader will remember the exploits of…

Nave's Topical Bible

→ King of beasts Mic 5:8

→ Fierceness of Job 4:10; 28:8; Ps 7:2; Pr 22:13; Jer 2:15; 49:19; 50:44; Ho 13:8

→ The roaring of Ps 22:13; Pr 20:2

→ Strength of Pr 30:30; Isa 38:13; Joe 1:6

[is] a roaring like young lion [the] rage of a king and [is] like dew on grass favor his
זַ֣עַףZa.'af [the] rage of H2197 Noun common · masculine singular construct
6× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means intense rage or anger, like a storm. In Psalm 124:3, it is used to describe how God's enemies were consumed by rage against Him. It is a strong feeling of anger or fury that can be overwhelming.
Amplified meaning
like a storm
Tyndale gloss
rage
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

זַ֫עַף (za`aph) refers to concepts of anger, rage, and indignation, often used in a poetic or later context. It is derived from a root word associated with anger. The entries consistently highlight its meanings related to storming and raging.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

זַ֫עַף n.m. storming, raging, rage (poet. and late)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2197 זַ֫עַף storming, raging, rage (poet. and late)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2197 za`aph zah'-af

from 2196; anger:--indignation, rage(-ing), wrath.

see HEBREW for 02196

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

זַ֫עַף (za.aph) — rage.

rage, raging, storming, indignation

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular construct
HNcmsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ov:

(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Lamentations 3:1.

The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.

Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.

That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.

Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
[is] a roaring like young lion [the] rage of a king and [is] like dew on grass favor his
מֶ֑לֶךְMe.lekh a king H4428 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
2,526× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a king or royal person, like King David or King Saul. It can also describe something related to a king, like the King's Valley in Genesis. The Bible often uses this word to talk about the rulers of Israel.
Amplified meaning
intense, furious
Tyndale gloss
King's
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word מֶ֫לֶךְ (*melek*) means 'king.' It is derived from a root that suggests royalty. The term appears in various contexts, including references to specific kings and locations, such as the 'King's Highway' in Numbers 20:17 and the 'King's Valley' in Genesis 14:17. The lexicons note its Aramaic equivalent and mention its use in the context of individuals like Hammelech in Jeremiah.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מֶ֫לֶךְ 2513 n.m. king

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4428 מֶ֫לֶךְ king

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4428 melek meh'-lek

from 4427; a king:--king, royal.

see HEBREW for 04427

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — king.

1) king

Aramaic equivalent: me.lekh (מֶ֫לֶךְ "king" H4430)

הַמֶּלֶךְ (me.lekh) — `the king`.

'the king' or a name, Hammelech in KJV of Jer.36.26; 38.6- a man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at Jer.36.26;

father of: Jerahmeel (H3396I) and Malchijah (H4441H); also translated "the king";

§ A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at Jer.36.26;

father of: Jerahmeel (H3396I) and Malchijah (H4441H); also translated "the king";

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — King's.

King's (Highway) (Num.20.17)

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — King's.

Another name of she.lach (שֶׁ֫לַח "Shelah" H7975A)

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — Milcom.

Another name of mo.lekh (מֹ֫לֶךְ "Molech" H4432)

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — King's.

King's (Valley) (Gen.14.17)

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

King

Is in Scripture very generally used to denote one invested with authority, whether extensive or limited. There were thirty-one kings in Canaan (Josh. 12:9, 24), whom Joshua subdued. Adonibezek subdued seventy kings (Judg. 1:7). In the New Testament the Roman emperor is spoken of as a king (1 Pet. 2:13, 17); and Herod Antipas, who was only a tetrarch, is also called a king (Matt. 14:9; Mark 6:22).

This title is applied to God (1 Tim. 1:17), and to Christ, the Son of God (1 Tim. 6:15, 16;

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Called KING OF KINGS Ezr 7:12; Eze 26:7; Da 2:37

→ Divinely authorized De 17:15; 1Sa 9:16,17; 16:12; 1Ch 22:10; 2Ch 2:11,12; Pr 8:15; Da 2:21,37; 4:17; 5:20; Ho 8:4; 13:11

→ How chosen

By divine appointment, Saul 1Sa 10:1

[is] a roaring like young lion [the] rage of a king and [is] like dew on grass favor his
וּכְטַ֖לu.khe.Tal and [is] like dew H2919 Conjunction · preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
31× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word means dew, or the moisture that covers plants and grass overnight. It is often used to describe the natural world and the cycle of nature.
Amplified meaning
moisture, gentle
Tyndale gloss
dew
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

טַל (tal) refers to 'dew' or 'night-mist' in Hebrew. It is derived from a root that suggests a covering over vegetation. The term is consistent across entries, with no significant disagreement noted among lexicographers.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

טַל n.m. night-mist, dew

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2919 טַל night-mist, dew

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2919 tal tal

from 2926; dew (as covering vegetation):--dew.

see HEBREW for 02926

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

טַל (tal) — dew.

dew, night mist

Aramaic equivalent: tal (טַל "dew" H2920)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Prep | N-ms — Conjunction · preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
HC/R/Ncmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

du (Tal; drosos).

1. Formation of Dew:

Two things are necessary for the formation of dew, moisture and cold. In moist countries there is less dew because the change in temperature between day and night is too small. In the deserts where the change in temperature between day and night is sometimes as much as 40 degrees F., there is seldom dew because of lack of moisture in the atmosphere. Palestine is fortunate in being near the sea, so that there is always a large percentage of water vapor in the air. The skies are clear, and hence, there is rapid radiation beginning immediately after sunset, which cools the land and the air until the moisture is condensed and settles on cool objects. Air at a low temperature is not capable of holding as much water vapor in suspension as warm air. The ice pitcher furnishes an example of the formation of dew. Just as the drops of water form on the cool…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Dew

“There is no dew properly so called in Palestine, for there is no moisture in the hot summer air to be chilled into dew-drops by the coldness of the night. From May till October rain is unknown, the sun shining with unclouded brightness day after day. The heat becomes intense, the ground hard, and vegetation would perish but for the moist west winds that come each night from the sea. The bright skies cause the heat of the day to radiate very quickly into space, so that the nights are as cold as the day is the reverse, a peculiarity of climate from which poor Jacob suffered thousands of years ago (Gen. 31:40). To this coldness of the night air the indispensable watering of all plant-life is due. The winds, loaded with moisture, are robbed of it as they pass over the land, the cold air condensing it into drops of water, which fall…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

This in the summer is so copious in Palestine that it supplies to some extent the absence of rain and becomes important to the agriculturist. Thus it is coupled in the divine blessing with rain, or mentioned as a prime source of fertility, (Genesis 27:28; 33:13; Zechariah 8:12) and its withdrawal is attributed to a curse. (2 Samuel 1:21; 1 Kings 17:1; Haggai 1:10) It becomes a leading object in prophetic imagery by reason of its penetrating moisture without the apparent effort of rain, (32:2; Job 29:19; Psalms…

[is] a roaring like young lion [the] rage of a king and [is] like dew on grass favor his
עַל־'al- on 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.
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
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

On

Light; the sun, (Gen. 41:45, 50), the great seat of sun-worship, called also Bethshemesh (Jer. 43:13) and Aven (Ezek. 30:17), stood on the east bank of the Nile, a few miles north of Memphis, and near Cairo, in the north-east. The Vulgate and the LXX. Versions have “Heliopolis” (“city of the sun”) instead of On in Genesis and of Aven in Ezekiel. The “city of destruction” Isaiah speaks of (19:18, marg. “of Heres;” Heb. ‘Ir-ha-heres, which some MSS. read Ir-ha-heres, i.e., “city of the sun”) may be the name given to On, the prophecy being that the time will come when that city which was known as the “city of the sun-god” shall become the “city of destruction” of the sun-god, i.e., when idolatry shall cease, and the worship…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(abode or city of the sun), a town of lower Egypt, called BETH-SHEMESH in (Jeremiah 43:13) On is better known under its Greek name Heliopolis. It was situated on the east side of the Pelusiac branch of the Nile, just below the point of the Delta, and about twenty miles northeast of Memphis. The chief object of worship at Heliopolis was the sun, whose temple, described by Strabo, is now only represented by the single beautiful obelisk, of red granite so feet 2 inches high above the pedestal which has stood for more than 4000 years, having been erected by Usirtesen, the second king of the twelfth dynasty. Heliopolis was anciently famous for its learning, and Eudoxus and Plato studied under its priests. The first mention of this place in the Bible is in the history of Joseph, to whom we read Pharaoh gave "to wife Asenath the daughter…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

See HELIOPOLIS.

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

pain; force; iniquity

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
[is] a roaring like young lion [the] rage of a king and [is] like dew on grass favor his
עֵ֣שֶׂב'E.sev grass H6212 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
33× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means vegetation or grass, representing growth and new life. It is used in Genesis 1:11 to describe the creation of plants and in Psalm 23:2 to describe a peaceful landscape.
Amplified meaning
vegetation, new life
Tyndale gloss
vegetation
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עֵ֫שֶׂב (‘eseb) refers to herbs, grass, or any tender green plants. The word is derived from a root meaning to glisten or be green. It encompasses vegetation in general, and its Aramaic equivalent is עֲשַׂב (‘asav), which also means grass.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עֵ֫שֶׂב n.m. herb, herbage

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6212 עֵ֫שֶׂב herb, herbage

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6212 `eseb eh'seb

from an unused root meaning to glisten (or be green); grass

(or any tender shoot):--grass, herb.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עֵ֫שֶׂב (e.sev) — vegetation.

herb, herbage, grass, green plants

Aramaic equivalent: a.sav (עֲשַׂב "grass" H6211B)

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

gras:

(1) chatsir, from a root meaning "greenness"; compare Arabic Khudra, which includes grasses and green vegetables (1Ki 18:5; 2Ki 19:26; Job 40:15; Ps 104:14, etc.). Isa 15:6 is translated in the King James Version "have," the Revised Version (British and American) "grass"; Pr 27:25, English Versions of the Bible "hay," margin "Hebrew grass"; Nu 11:5 English Versions of the Bible translates "leeks." It is a term for herbage in general.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Grass

(1.) Heb. hatsir, ripe grass fit for mowing (1 Kings 18:5; Job 40:15; Ps. 104:14). As the herbage rapidly fades under the scorching sun, it is used as an image of the brevity of human life (Isa. 40:6, 7; Ps. 90:5). In Num. 11:5 this word is rendered “leeks.”

(2.) Heb. deshe’, green grass (Gen. 1:11, 12; Isa. 66:14; Deut. 32:2). “The sickly and forced blades of grass which spring up on the flat…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Sometimes means any green herbage, Isa 15:6, and sometimes the usual food of cattle, Ps 104:14. The quick growth of grass, its tenderness, and its rapid combustion when dry, have furnished the sacred writers with some of their most appropriate illustrations, Ps 90:5,6 92:7 103:15,16 Isa 40:6-8 51:12 Jas 1:10 1Pe 1:24. All sorts of grass and small shrubs are still used in Syria for fuel, on account of the scarcity of wood, Mt 6:28-30. Travelers in that country often see grass growing on the housetops, the roofs…

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Created on the third creative day Ge 1:11

→ Mown Ps 72:6

→ God's care of Mt 6:30; Lu 12:28

→ On roofs of houses Ps 129:6

→ FIGURATIVE Ps 90:5,6; Isa 40:6; 1Pe 1:24; Jas 1:10,11

[is] a roaring like young lion [the] rage of a king and [is] like dew on grass favor his
רְצוֹנֽוֹ׃re.tzo.No favor his H7522 Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
56× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word refers to acceptance or delight, often used to describe God's pleasure or favor. It appears in Psalms and Isaiah, highlighting God's goodwill towards us. This word is about taking pleasure in something.
Amplified meaning
acceptance, delight
Tyndale gloss
acceptance
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רָצוֹן (ratsown) refers to concepts of goodwill, favor, acceptance, and will. It encompasses ideas of delight, desire, and pleasure, particularly in the context of personal relationships and sacrifices. The word is derived from a root meaning to delight, and it captures both voluntary will and the notion of being acceptable.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רָצוֹן n.[m.] goodwill, favour, acceptance, will

goodwill, favour

acceptance, of persons, offering sacrifice

will, desire, pleasure

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7522 רָצוֹן goodwill, favour, acceptance, will . goodwill, favour

. acceptance, of persons, offering sacrifice

. will, desire, pleasure

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7522 ratsown raw-tsone'

or ratson {raw-tsone'}; from 7521; delight (especially as

shown):--(be) acceptable(-ance, -ed), delight, desire,

favour, (good) pleasure, (own, self, voluntary) will,

as...(what) would.

see HEBREW for 07521

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רָצוֹן (ra.tson) — acceptance.

1) pleasure, delight, favour, goodwill, acceptance, will

1a) goodwill, favour

1b) acceptance

1c) will, desire, pleasure, self-will

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HNcmsc/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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