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Proverbs 21:27 — Word Study

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WLCזֶ֣בַח רְ֭שָׁעִים תּוֹעֵבָ֑ה אַ֝֗ף כִּֽי־ בְזִמָּ֥ה יְבִיאֶֽנּוּ׃

BSAThe sacrificezebach [offering to God] of the wickedrâshâʻ [morally wrong] is detestabletôwʻêbah [abomination] how much more soʼaph whenkîy broughtbôwʼ [offered, yevi] with ill intentzimmâh [wicked mind]

Word
Listen & take awayProverbs 21
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 27 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 (ye.vi.'E.nu) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Proverbs 21:27quick helps
In a sentenceThis verse states that the sacrifice of wicked people is detestable to God, especially when offered with bad intentions.
Who is speakingThe writer of Proverbs, addressing the moral implications of sacrifices.
Where we areThe context is a series of wise sayings about righteousness and wickedness.
The hard wordתּוֹעֵבָ֑ה
Take awayWicked intentions spoil even the act of worship.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & 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 21:27

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 Nature of Sacrificegenerated

26All day long he covets more, but the righteous give without restraint.
27The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable— how much more so when brought with ill intent!
28A lying witness will perish, but the man who listens to truth will speak forever.
29A wicked man hardens his face, but the upright man makes his way sure.

Proverbs 21:27 addresses the nature of sacrifices, emphasizing that offerings made by wicked individuals are not pleasing to God. The verse highlights the importance of both the act of sacrifice and the intentions behind it, indicating that a morally wrong heart renders the sacrifice unacceptable. This teaching aligns with other biblical passages that discuss the significance of sincerity in worship, such as in Isaiah 1:11-15 and Micah 6:6-8.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Proverbs 15:8The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable to the LORD, but the prayer of the upright is His delight.
2Proverbs 28:9Whoever turns his ear away from hearing the law, even his prayer is detestable.
31 Samuel 13:12–13I thought, ‘Now the Philistines will descend upon me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the favor of the LORD.’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering.”
41 Samuel 15:21–23The troops took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of the things devoted to destruction, in order to sacrifice them to the LORD your God at Gilgal.”
5Psalm 50:8–13I do not rebuke you for your sacrifices, and your burnt offerings are ever before Me.

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

with a wicked mindMatthew 23:14

The Key Word זֶ֫בַח, Ze.vachgenerated

The word זֶ֫בַח (ze.vach) means 'sacrifice' and is derived from a root meaning 'to slaughter.' It encompasses various types of sacrifices, including those for feasts and covenant sacrifices. The parsing as a masculine singular construct indicates it is part of a larger phrase, specifically 'the sacrifice of the wicked.'

In this verse, it refers to the offerings made by those who are morally wrong. The use of this term highlights that the act of sacrifice itself does not guarantee acceptance by God; rather, it is the character of the offerer that is crucial.


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 finite verb is יְבִיאֶֽנּוּ, he brings it, which governs the entire clause. The structure includes a subject noun phrase, a predicate indicating the nature of the sacrifice, and a prepositional phrase that describes the condition under which the sacrifice is offered.

The Hebrew word order emphasizes the subject זֶ֫בַח (ze.vach) at the beginning, highlighting the focus on the sacrifice itself.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, זֶ֫בַח is rendered as θυσίαι (thysiai), which also means 'sacrifices.' This choice reflects a direct correspondence to the Hebrew term, maintaining the focus on the act of offering.

The use of ἀσεβῶν (asebōn) for 'wicked' indicates a similar moral judgment in the Greek translation, emphasizing the ethical implications of the sacrifices being discussed.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Proverbs 21:27 teaches that the sacrifices made by wicked people are detestable to God, especially when they are offered with bad intentions. This verse reminds us that it is not just the act of sacrifice that matters, but the character and intentions of the person making the offering.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that the sacrifice of the wicked is detestable?

It means that God finds offerings made by morally wrong individuals unacceptable, especially when those offerings come from bad intentions.

Why is the intention behind the sacrifice important?

The intention reflects the heart of the offerer; a sincere heart is essential for an acceptable offering to God.

Can a good sacrifice come from a wicked person?

According to this verse, even a good sacrifice becomes detestable if it is offered with ill intent.

What are some examples of acceptable sacrifices?

Acceptable sacrifices are those made with a pure heart and good intentions, such as acts of kindness and genuine worship.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. How can I ensure that my intentions are pure when I offer my sacrifices to God?
  2. What are some areas in my life where I may need to examine my motives?
  3. How does this verse challenge me to think about my actions and their implications?
  4. In what ways can I cultivate a heart that is aligned with God's will?

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Proverbs 21:27 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

The sacrifice of the wicked [is] abomination,.... That is, to the Lord, as in Proverbs 15:8; and as it is here added in the Septuagint and Arabic versions; how much more, [when] he bringeth it with a wicked mind?

Read John Gill on Proverbs 21 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination: how much more, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind?

Read Robert Jamieson on Proverbs 21 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

The sacrifice; all the most glorious and costly services which they offer to God. Is abomination; God rejects and abhors them, because they are offered by such men and in such manner as God justly abhors. When; or, because, as all the ancient translators render it, the Hebrew particle aph being expletive; or, even because; so the following clause gives the reason of the former proposition. With a wicked mind; with a hypocritical and impenitent heart, or with a bad design, not in obedience to God’ s command, and with respect to his honour and service; but either to cover, or countenance, or promote some wicked intention or course, which notwithstanding all his professions of religion he is…

Read Matthew Poole on Proverbs 21 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Proverbs 21:27 The sacrifice of the wicked [is] abomination: how much more, [when] he bringeth it with a wicked mind?Ver. 27. The sacrifice of the wicked, &c.] How much more when he bringeth it, &c.] As Balak and Balaam did. As those that present ex rapine holocaustum, a sacrifice of what they have got by rapine and robbery; and as those likewise that ask good things at God’ s hand, that they may "consume them upon their lusts." Let the wicked bring his sacrifice with never so good an intention, he is an abomination; but if with an evil mind, his dissembled sanctity is double iniquity, as if a man think by observing the Sabbath to take out a license to walk licentiously all the week long…

Read John Trapp on Proverbs 21 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(27) How much more when he bringeth it with a wicked mind?—Plotting at the same time future wickedness, or thinking to make God, by the sacrifice, overlook his sin, and so become, as it were, his confederate.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Proverbs 21 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 27. When he bringeth it with a wicked mind?] If such a person even bring the sacrifices and offerings which God requires, they are an abomination to him, because the man is wicked; and if such offerings be imperfect in themselves, or of goods ill-gotten, or offered by constraint of custom, &c., they are doubly abominable.

Read AdamClarke on Proverbs 21 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

27. with a wicked mind] In any case the sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination, even when he brings it in a mere formal spirit, because of the moral character of the offerer (Proverbs 15:8; Isaiah 1:13-15). But when he bringeth it with a wicked mind, or intent, to purchase immunity by it from the punishment of sin (to atone for wickedness, R.V. marg.) it is much more so. The sacrifice of Cain was an abomination, because he was wicked (Genesis 4:5; 1 John 3:12). How much more hateful would it have been, if he had brought it with the wicked intention of atoning by it for the murder of his brother? Comp. Sir 34:18-20.

Read Cambridge on Proverbs 21 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

A lower depth even than Proverbs 15:8. The wicked man may connect his devotion with his guilt, offer his sacrifice and vow his vow (as men have done under paganism or corrupted Christianity) for

Read Albert Barnes on Proverbs 21 →

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

The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable— how much more so when brought with ill intent!

WEBWorld English Bible2000

The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination— how much more, when he brings it with a wicked mind!

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable—how much more so when brought with ill intent!

NETBNew English Translation2006

The wicked person’s sacrifice is an abomination; how much more when he brings it with evil intent!

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination: how much more, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind?

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination; How much more, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind!

RVARevised Version, American1894

The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination: how much more, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind!

NWBWebster's Bible1833

The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination: how much more, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind?

GNVGeneva Bible1599

The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination: how much more when he bringeth it with a wicked minde?

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination: how much more when they bring it with a wicked purpose!

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

The sacrifice of the wicked [is] abomination, Much more when in wickedness he bringeth it.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

The sacrifice of the wicked [is] abomination, || Much more when he brings it in wickedness.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination: how much more, when he bringeth it with a sinful purpose?

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable; it is even more detestable when he brings it with evil motives.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

The sacrifices of the wicked are abominable, because they are offered of wickedness.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

The sacrifices given by the wicked are obnoxious, worse still when they're offered with evil motives.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

The offering of evil-doers is disgusting: how much more when they give it with an evil purpose!

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 · subjectזֶ֣בַח[the].sacrificeרְ֭שָׁעִיםof.wicked.[people]predicateתּוֹעֵבָ֑ה[is].an.abominationclauseאַ֝֗ףindeed?clauseכִּֽי(dm)clauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalבְwithזִמָּ֥הevil.intentverbיְבִיאֶֽheobjectנּוּbrings.it

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


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

The Masoretic Text of Proverbs 21:27 states, "זֶ֣בַח רְ֭שָׁעִים תּוֹעֵבָ֑ה אַ֝֗ף כִּֽי־ בְזִמָּ֥ה יְבִיאֶֽנּוּ׃" which translates to "The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable— how much more so when brought with ill intent!" The Septuagint, while maintaining a word-for-word correspondence with the Masoretic Text, does not provide a direct translation in this instance, as it presents the text in its own structure. Therefore, both the Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree on the core meaning of the verse, but the Septuagint's phrasing and arrangement may differ from the Masoretic Text's original Hebrew structure. There are no significant textual differences noted in the Samaritan Pentateuch or the Dead Sea Scrolls for this verse, indicating a consistent understanding across these ancient witnesses.

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

זֶ֣בַח רְ֭שָׁעִים תּוֹעֵבָ֑ה אַ֝֗ף כִּֽי־ בְזִמָּ֥ה יְבִיאֶֽנּוּ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
זֶ֣בַחθυσίαιרְ֭שָׁעִיםἀσεβῶνתּוֹעֵבָ֑הβδέλυγμαאַ֝֗ףκαὶכִּֽי־γὰρבְזִמָּ֥הπαρανόμωςיְבִיאֶֽנּוּ׃αὐτάς

7 of the 7 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 21:27זֶ֫בַח[the] sacri[the] sacrificeזֶ֫בַחרָשָׁעwicked [peowicked [people]רָשָׁעתּוֹעֵבַה[is] an abo[is] an abominaתּוֹעֵבַהאַףindeed?indeed?אַףכִּיififכִּיזִמָּהin wickednein wickednessזִמָּהבּוֹאhe brings ihe brings itבּוֹאזָבַחto sacrifito sacrificeזָבַחרָשַׁעbe wickedbe wickedרָשַׁעזָמַםto planto planזָמַםתַּעָבto abhorto abhorתַּעָבשֶׁ֫לֶםpeace offepeace offeringשֶׁ֫לֶםצַדִּיקrighteousrighteousצַדִּיקאָבַדto perishto perishאָבַדשִׁקּוּץabominatioabominationשִׁקּוּץבּוֹשׁbe ashamedbe ashamedבּוֹשׁבַּלnotnotבַּליָדַעto knowto knowיָדַעזְנוּתfornicatiofornicationזְנוּתעֶרְוָהnakednessnakednessעֶרְוָהשֶׁ֫מֶשׁsunsunשֶׁ֫מֶשׁ
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 21:27

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.

[the] sacrifice of wicked [people] [is] an abomination indeed? if in wickedness he brings it
זֶ֣בַחZe.vach [the] sacrifice of H2077 Noun common · masculine singular construct
162× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A sacrifice refers to the act of offering an animal's flesh to God, such as in the sacrifices of righteousness or the Passover. This term encompasses various types of sacrifices, including thank offerings and covenant sacrifices. The KJV translates it as 'offer' or 'sacrifice'.
Amplified meaning
offering to God
Tyndale gloss
sacrifice
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

זֶ֫בַח (zebach) means 'sacrifice' and is derived from a root meaning 'to slaughter.' It encompasses various types of sacrifices, including those for feasts, covenant sacrifices, and thank offerings. The term appears in contexts related to both the God of Israel and other deities, indicating its broad use in ritual practices.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

זֶ֫בַח 162 n.m. sacrifice

general name for all sacrifices eaten at feasts

of the God of Israel

of other deities

there are several kinds which are gradually distinguished

the covenant sacrifice, between Jacob and Laban

the passover

annual sacrifice

thank offering

in ritual of H & P

the slaughter of hostile nations

the verb used

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2077 זֶ֫בַח sacrifice

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2077 zebach zeh'-bakh

from 2076; properly, a slaughter, i.e. the flesh of an

animal; by implication, a sacrifice (the victim or the

act):--offer(- ing), sacrifice.

see HEBREW for 02076

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

זֶ֫בַח (ze.vach) — sacrifice.

1) sacrifice

1a) sacrifices of righteousness

1b) sacrifices of strife

1c) sacrifices to dead things

1d) the covenant sacrifice

1e) the passover

1f) annual sacrifice

1g) thank offering

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] sacrifice of wicked [people] [is] an abomination indeed? if in wickedness he brings it
רְ֭שָׁעִיםRe.sha.'im wicked [people] H7563 Noun common · masculine plural absolute
263× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word describes someone who is morally wrong, a bad person who is guilty of crime or sin against God or others. It is used to describe the wicked in biblical stories, such as in the book of Genesis.
Amplified meaning
morally wrong
Tyndale gloss
wicked
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רָשָׁע (rasha`) refers to someone who is wicked or criminal, encompassing meanings such as guilty and ungodly. It is derived from a root that implies moral wrongdoing. The term is used to describe individuals who are hostile to God or guilty of sin against others.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רָשָׁע 263 adj. wicked, criminal

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7563 רָשָׁע wicked, criminal

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7563 rasha` raw-shaw'

from 7561; morally wrong; concretely, an (actively) bad

person:--+ condemned, guilty, ungodly, wicked (man), that did

wrong.

see HEBREW for 07561

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רָשָׁע (ra.sah) — wicked.

1) wicked, criminal

1a) guilty one, one guilty of crime (subst)

1b) wicked (hostile to God)

1c) wicked, guilty of sin (against God or man)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Noun common · masculine plural absolute
HNcmpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Nave's Topical Bible

→ Compared with

Abominable branches Isa 14:19

Ashes under the feet Mal 4:3

Bad fish Mt 13:48

Animals Ps 49:12; 2Pe 2:12

Blind people Zep 1:17; Mt 15:14

Bronze and iron Jer 6:28; Eze 22:18

Briers add thorns Isa 55:13; Eze 2:6

The bulls of Bashan Ps 22:12

[the] sacrifice of wicked [people] [is] an abomination indeed? if in wickedness he brings it
תּוֹעֵבָ֑הto.'e.Vah [is] an abomination H8441 Noun common · feminine singular absolute
117× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for abomination refers to something disgusting, like idolatry or unclean food, and is often used to describe wickedness in the Bible.
Amplified meaning
abomination
Tyndale gloss
abomination
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

תּוֹעֵבַה (tow`ebah) means 'abomination' and refers to something morally disgusting. It can denote idolatry, unclean food, or ethical wickedness. The word is built from a feminine active participle of another root, and its usage encompasses both ritual and ethical contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

תּוֹעֵבַה 117 n.f. abomination

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8441 תּוֹעֵבַה abomination

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8441 tow`ebah to-ay-baw'

or tonebah {to-ay-baw'}; feminine active participle of 8581;

properly, something disgusting (morally), i.e. (as noun) an

abhorrence; especially idolatry or (concretely) an idol:--

abominable (custom, thing), abomination.

see HEBREW for 08581

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

תּוֹעֵבַה (to.e.vah) — abomination.

1) a disgusting thing, abomination, abominable

1a) in ritual sense (of unclean food, idols, mixed marriages)

1b) in ethical sense (of wickedness etc)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absolute
HNcfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

a-bom-i-na'-shun (piggul, to`ebhah, sheqets (shiqquts)): Three distinct Hebrew words are rendered in the English Bible by "abomination," or "abominable thing," referring (except in Ge 43:32; 46:34) to things or practices abhorrent to Yahweh, and opposed to the ritual or moral requirements of His religion. It would be well if these words could be distinguished in translation, as they denote different degrees of abhorrence or loathsomeness.

The word most used for this idea by the Hebrews and indicating the highest degree of abomination is to`ebhah, meaning primarily that which offends the religious sense of a people. When it is said, for example, "The Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is an abomination unto the Egyptians," this is the word used; the significance being that the Hebrews were repugnant to the…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Abomination

This word is used, (1.) To express the idea that the Egyptians considered themselves as defiled when they ate with strangers (Gen. 43:32). The Jews subsequently followed the same practice, holding it unlawful to eat or drink with foreigners (John 18:28; Acts 10:28; 11:3).

(2.) Every shepherd was “an abomination” unto the Egyptians (Gen. 46:34). This aversion to shepherds, such as the Hebrews, arose probably from the fact that Lower and Middle Egypt had formerly been held in oppressive subjection by a tribe of nomad shepherds (the Hyksos), who had only recently been expelled, and partly also perhaps from this other fact that the Egyptians detested the lawless…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A term applied in Scripture to objects of great detestation. Idols and their worship were so named, because they robbed God of his honor, while the rites themselves were impure and cruel, De 7:25,26 12:31. The term was used respecting the Hebrews in Egypt, Ge 43:32 Ex 8:26, either because they ate and sacrificed animals held sacred by the Egyptians, or because they did not observe those ceremonies in eating which made a part of the religion of Egypt; and in Ge 46:34, because they were "wandering shepherds," a race of whom had grievously oppressed Egypt.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Things that are, to God

Idolatry De 7:25; 27:15; 32:16

Unjust weights and measures De 25:13-16; Pr 11:1; 20:1,23

Uncleanness Le 18:22; 20:13; De 24:4

Incest Le 18:6-18

Lying with a woman in her menses Le 18:18,20

Adultery Le 18:20

Sodomy Le 18:22,23

Offering seed to Molech Le 18:21

[the] sacrifice of wicked [people] [is] an abomination indeed? if in wickedness he brings it
אַ֝֗ף'Af indeed? H637 Particle
134× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for 'also' or 'addition', used to connect ideas or show a relationship between them, as seen in Genesis and Exodus. It can also mean 'though' or 'yet', indicating a contrast. This word is often used to add emphasis or provide more information.
Tyndale gloss
also
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אַף (aph) is a conjunction that indicates addition, often implying something greater. It can mean 'also,' 'yea,' or 'though,' and is used to connect ideas in a sentence. The entries highlight its use as both an adverb and conjunction, with a focus on its additive nature.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אַף conj. denoting addition, esp. of something greater, also, yea

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H637 אַף conj. denoting addition, esp. of something greater, also, yea

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

637 'aph af

a primitive particle; meaning accession (used as an adverb or

conjunction); also or yea; adversatively though:--also, +

although, and (furthermore, yet), but, even, + how much less

(more, rather than), moreover, with, yea.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אַף (aph) — also.

conj (denoting addition, esp of something greater)

1) also, yea, though, so much the more

adv

2) furthermore, indeed

Aramaic equivalent: aph (אַף "also" H0638)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
DirObjM — Particle
HTj
[the] sacrifice of wicked [people] [is] an abomination indeed? if in wickedness he brings it
כִּֽי־ki- if H3588 Particle
4,483× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A conjunction used to show cause or connection, as in Genesis 2:23 where Adam says the woman is bone of his bone because she was taken out of him. It is often translated as 'for', 'because', or 'since'.
Tyndale gloss
for
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כִּי (ki) is a conjunction primarily meaning 'that,' 'for,' or 'when.' It indicates causal relationships and can express conditions like 'if' or 'though.' The word is versatile, appearing in various contexts to convey certainty, exception, or concession. Notably, it can combine with other particles to modify its meaning, such as in the phrase כִּי אם־ (ki im), meaning 'that if.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כִּי conj. that, for, when

that

Of time, when, of the past

elsewhere כִּי has a force approximating to if, though it usu. represents a case as more likely to occur than אִם

when or if, with a concessive force, i.e. though

Because, since

base

כִּי אם־

each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause:

that if

for if

(About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause—

limiting the prec. clause, except

the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but

after an oath, surely

base

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3588a כִּי that, for, when . that

. . Of time, when, of the past

. elsewhere כִּי has a force approximating to if, though it usu. represents a case as more likely to occur than אִם

. when or if, with a concessive force, i.e. though

. Because, since

H3588b כִּי אם־ . each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause: . that if

. for if

. (About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause— . limiting the prec. clause, except

. the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but

. after an oath, surely

H3588c כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3588 kiy kee

a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional

prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent

or consequent; (by implication) very widely used as a relative

conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by

other particles annexed:--and, + (forasmuch, inasmuch,

where-)as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else,

even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, +

nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then,

therefore, + (al- )though, + till, truly, + until, when,

whether, while, whom, yea, yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כִּי (ki) — for.

1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since

1a) that

1a1) yea, indeed

1b) when (of time)

1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force)

1c) because, since (causal connection)

1d) but (after negative)

1e) that if, for if, indeed if, for though, but if

1f) but rather, but

1g) except that

1h) only, nevertheless

1i) surely

1j) that is

1k) but if

1l) for though

1m) forasmuch as, for therefore

כִּי [אם] (ki im) — that if: except.

1) except if

1a) but if

1b) even though

כִּי [עַל כֵּן] (ki [al ken]) — for as that: since.

1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since

1a) that

1a1) yea, indeed

1b) when (of time)

1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force)

1c) because, since (causal connection)

1d) but (after negative)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj — Particle
HTc
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
[the] sacrifice of wicked [people] [is] an abomination indeed? if in wickedness he brings it
בְזִמָּ֥הve.zi.Mah in wickedness H2154 Preposition · noun common feminine singular absolute
29× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word refers to a wicked or evil plan, and can include things like adultery, incest, and idolatry. It is used to describe the bad intentions or schemes of people in the Bible.
Amplified meaning
wicked mind
Tyndale gloss
wickedness
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

זִמָּה (zimmah) refers to a plan or device, particularly one that is wicked or malicious. It encompasses meanings related to evil intentions, such as lewdness and mischief. The term is derived from a root meaning to plot or devise, and it captures various forms of moral wrongdoing, including adultery and idolatry.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

זִמָּה n.f. plan, device, wickedness

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2154 זִמָּה plan, device, wickedness

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2154 zimmah zim-maw'

or zammah {zam-maw'}; from 2161; a plan, especially a bad

one:--heinous crime, lewd(-ly, -ness), mischief, purpose,

thought, wicked (device, mind, -ness).

see HEBREW for 02161

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

זִמָּה (zim.mah) — wickedness.

1) plan, device, wickedness, evil plan, mischievous purpose

1a) plan, purpose

1b) evil device, wickedness

1c) not chaste, incest, licentiousness, adultery, idolatry, harlotry

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-fs — Preposition · noun common feminine singular absolute
HR/Ncfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

wik'-ed-nes:

1. In the Old Testament:

The state of being wicked; a mental disregard for justice, righteousness, truth, honor, virtue; evil in thought and life; depravity; sinfulness; criminality. See SIN. Many words are rendered "wickedness." There are many synonyms for wickedness in English and also in the Hebrew. Pride and vanity lead to it: "All the proud, and all that work wickedness (rish`ah) shall be stubble" (Mal 4:1). Akin to this is the word `awen, "iniquity," "vanity": "She eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness" (Pr 30:20). Then we have the word hawwah, meaning "mischief," "calamity," coming from inward intent upon evil: "Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength, but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in…

[the] sacrifice of wicked [people] [is] an abomination indeed? if in wickedness he brings it
יְבִיאֶֽנּוּ׃ye.vi.'E.nu he brings it H935 Verb hiphil imperfect third person masculine singular · suffix
2,573× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to go or come, and is used in many contexts, such as entering a place or approaching someone, as seen in the book of Genesis. It can also mean to abide or apply, and is translated in various ways in the KJV Bible. This term is related to the name Lebo Hamath.
Amplified meaning
offered, yevi
Tyndale gloss
Lebo
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בּוֹא (bo) is a Hebrew verb meaning to come or go in, with a wide range of applications including entering, arriving, and bringing in. It can refer to both physical movement and abstract concepts like events coming to pass. The verb appears in various forms, such as Qal (to come), Hiphil (to cause to come), and Hophal (to be brought). There is no significant disagreement among lexicons regarding its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בּוֹא 2569 vb. come in, come, go in, go

Qal

come in

come (approach, arrive)

go, i.e. walk, associate with

go from speaker, but with limit of motion given

Hiph.

cause to come in, bring in (conduct, lead, obj. persons and animals)

cause to come, bring, bring near, etc. (animate obj.)

Hoph.

be brought in (of pers. and things)

be brought

be introduced, put

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H935 בּוֹא come in, come, go in, go .. come in

. come (approach, arrive)

. go, i.e. walk, associate with

. go from speaker, but with limit of motion given

. . cause to come in, bring in (conduct, lead, obj. persons and animals)

. cause to come, bring, bring near, etc. (animate obj.)

. . be brought in (of pers. and things)

. be brought

. be introduced, put

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

935 bow' bo

a primitive root; to go or come (in a wide variety of

applications):--abide, apply, attain, X be, befall, +

besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, X

certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out,

upon, to pass), depart, X doubtless again, + eat, + employ,

(cause to) enter (in, into, -tering, -trance, -try), be

fallen, fetch, + follow, get, give, go (down, in, to war),

grant, + have, X indeed, (in-)vade, lead, lift (up), mention,

pull in, put, resort, run (down), send, set, X (well) stricken

(in age), X surely, take (in), way.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בּוֹא (bo) — to come (in): come.

: come/go_in

1) to go in, enter, come, go, come in

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to enter, come in

1a2) to come

1a2a) to come with

1a2b) to come upon, fall or light upon, attack (enemy)

1a2c) to come to pass

1a3) to attain to

1a4) to be enumerated

1a5) to go

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to lead in

1b2) to carry in

1b3) to bring in, cause to come in, gather, cause to come, bring near, bring against, bring upon

1b4) to bring to pass

1c) (Hophal)

1c1) to be brought, brought in

1c2) to be introduced, be put

לְב֥וֹא (bo) — Lebo-(Hamath).

This name means to go in, enter

Combined with cha.mat (חֲמָת "Hamath" H2574)

בּוֹא (bo) — to come (in): towards.

: towards/entrance

1) to go in, enter, come, go, come in

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to enter, come in

1a2) to come

1a2a) to come with

1a2b) to come upon, fall or light upon, attack (enemy)

1a2c) to come to pass

1a3) to attain to

1a4) to be enumerated

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Hiphil-Imperf-3ms | Suff — Verb hiphil imperfect third person masculine singular · suffix
HVhi3ms/Sp3ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
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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