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Proverbs 8:21 — Word Study

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WLCלְהַנְחִ֖יל אֹהֲבַ֥י׀ יֵ֑שׁ וְאֹצְרֹ֖תֵיהֶ֣ם אֲמַלֵּֽא׃ פ

BSAbestowingnâchal [granting abundantly] wealthyêsh [substance, riches] on those who love meʼâhab [truly, deeply, have affection for] and makingmâlêʼ [filling completely] their treasuries {full}ʼôwtsâr [storehouses, treasure houses, abundant, overflowing]

Word
Listen & take awayProverbs 8
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 21 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 ('a.ma.Le') — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Proverbs 8:21quick helps
In a sentenceWisdom promises to grant wealth to those who truly love her.
Who is speakingWisdom, personified, as she speaks about her gifts.
Where we areIn a section discussing the benefits of wisdom.
The hard wordלְהַנְחִ֖יל
Take awayWealth is given to those who love wisdom, and their storehouses are filled.
7 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbמָלֵא 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 8:21

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 Benefits of Wisdomgenerated

20I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice,
21bestowing wealth on those who love me and making their treasuries full.
22The LORD created me as His first course, before His works of old.
23From everlasting I was established, from the beginning, before the earth began.

Proverbs 8:21 highlights the rewards of loving wisdom, illustrating how those who cherish her receive abundant wealth and overflowing treasuries. This passage emphasizes the connection between love for wisdom and the blessings that follow, aligning with the broader themes of Proverbs that advocate for the pursuit of wisdom as a path to prosperity and fulfillment.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Proverbs 8:18With me are riches and honor, enduring wealth and righteousness.
2Proverbs 1:13We will find all manner of precious goods; we will fill our houses with plunder.
3Proverbs 6:31Yet if caught, he must pay sevenfold; he must give up all the wealth of his house.
4Genesis 15:14But I will judge the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will depart with many possessions.
51 Samuel 2:8He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap. He seats them among princes and bestows on them a throne of honor. For the foundations of the earth are the LORD’s, and upon them He has set the world.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 13 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word לְהַנְחִ֖יל, le.han.Chilgenerated

The Hebrew verb נָחַל (nachal) means to inherit or take possession. It encompasses the idea of distributing or dividing something, such as land among the Israelites in the Promised Land. In this verse, it is used in the Hiphil form, indicating that wisdom grants wealth as an inheritance to those who love her.

This verb is parsed as a hiphil infinitive construct, suggesting an action that is causative. Here, wisdom is actively bestowing wealth, which implies a generous and abundant giving, rather than a mere transfer of possession.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

The translations agree that wisdom grants wealth to those who love her.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb is לְהַנְחִ֖יל, to grant, which governs the entire sentence. This is followed by a clause describing the recipients of the wealth — those who love wisdom — and another clause indicating the action of filling their treasuries.

The structure emphasizes the relationship between loving wisdom and receiving wealth, with the verb leading the sentence and the clauses detailing the actions and recipients.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint uses the Greek word μερίσω to translate לְהַנְחִ֖יל, which means 'to distribute' or 'to share.' This choice reflects a similar concept of granting or bestowing, indicating a generous provision from wisdom.

This translation aligns closely with the Hebrew meaning, emphasizing the act of giving as an inheritance.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Proverbs 8:21 tells us that wisdom grants wealth to those who truly love her and fills their treasuries. This verse emphasizes the rewards of loving wisdom, showing that those who seek her will receive abundant blessings.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean to love wisdom?

To love wisdom means to have a deep affection for understanding and knowledge, valuing it as essential for a fulfilling life.

How does wisdom grant wealth?

Wisdom grants wealth by guiding individuals in making wise decisions that lead to prosperity and success.

What are treasuries in this context?

Treasuries refer to storehouses or places where wealth is accumulated, symbolizing abundance and provision.

Can anyone receive wealth from wisdom?

According to this verse, anyone who truly loves wisdom can receive her blessings, including wealth.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways have I experienced the benefits of seeking wisdom in my own life?
  2. How can I cultivate a deeper love for wisdom and understanding?
  3. What steps can I take to ensure my actions reflect my love for wisdom?
  4. How might I share the principles of wisdom with others in my community?

Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Proverbs 8:21 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance,.... Substantial blessings, blessings indeed, as all spiritual ones are; and substantial grace, as every grace is; and substantial communion

Read John Gill on Proverbs 8 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures. That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance.

Read Robert Jamieson on Proverbs 8 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Substance; substantial, and true, and satisfying happiness; which is here opposed to all worldly enjoyments which are said not to be, ; which are but mere shadows and dreams of felicity.

Read Matthew Poole on Proverbs 8 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Proverbs 8:21 That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures.Ver. 21. To inherit substance.] Heb., That which is; that which hath some tack or substance in it, some firmity, or solid consistency. "Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not?" Outward things are not, but only in opinion, in imagination; in semblance, not in substance. The pomp of this world is but a fancy, the glory of it a conceit, the whole fashion of it a mere notion. Riches get them great eagles’ "wings, they fly away," without once taking leave of the owner, leaving nothing but the print of their talons in his heart to torment him. When we grasp them most greedily, we…

Read John Trapp on Proverbs 8 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(21) That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance.—The work which each one by my help shall do will be stored up for him in heaven (Matthew 6:20), it will be as “gold tried in the fire” (Revelation 3:18), which will abide the trial of “the day” (1 Corinthians 3:13).

Read Charles John Ellicott on Proverbs 8 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

21. I will fill their treasures] or, that I may fill their treasuries. R.V. The LXX. add to this verse: “If I announce to you the things that are daily coming to pass, I will be mindful to take count of the things which are from everlasting.”

Read Cambridge on Proverbs 8 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

20, 21. I lead — àäìêְ, perhaps better, I move habitually; that is, as the leader and exemplar of my votaries: for the purpose stated in the next verse. Righteousness — Rectitude. Judgment — Judicial or administrative justice.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Proverbs 8 →

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

bestowing wealth on those who love me and making their treasuries full.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

that I may give wealth to those who love me. I fill their treasuries.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

bestowing wealth on those who love me and making their treasuries full.

NETBNew English Translation2006

that I may cause those who love me to inherit wealth, and that I may fill their treasuries.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance, And that I may fill their treasuries.

RVARevised Version, American1894

That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance, and that I may fill their treasuries.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

That I may cause them that loue me, to inherite substance, and I will fill their treasures.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

that I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasuries.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

To cause my lovers to inherit substance, Yea, their treasures I fill.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

To cause my lovers to inherit substance, || Indeed, I fill their treasures.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

That I may cause those that love me to inherit a lasting possession; and their treasures will I fill

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

As a result, I make those who love me inherit wealth; I fill up their treasuries.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

That I may enrich them that love me, and may fill their treasures.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

I grant wealth to those who love me; I fill their treasure storehouses.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

So that I may give my lovers wealth for their heritage, making their store-houses full.

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.

clauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalלְtoclauseclauseverbהַנְחִ֖ילgive.as.an.inheritancenoun phrase · objectאֹהֲבַ֥[thoseיwho].love.mesecond objectיֵ֑שׁsubstanceוְandclausenoun phrase · objectאֹצְרֹ֖תֵיtreasuriesהֶ֣םtheirverbאֲמַלֵּֽאI.fill

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 agree on the wording of this verse, with all five words matching in the Hebrew and Greek translations. This consistency indicates a strong preservation of the text across these traditions.

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

לְהַנְחִ֖יל אֹהֲבַ֥י׀ יֵ֑שׁ וְאֹצְרֹ֖תֵיהֶ֣ם אֲמַלֵּֽא׃ פ

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
לְהַנְחִ֖ילμερίσωאֹהֲבַ֥י׀ἐμὲיֵ֑שׁὕπαρχινוְאֹצְרֹ֖תֵיהֶ֣םθησαυροὺςאֲמַלֵּֽא׃ פἐμπλήσω

5 of the 5 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 8:21נָחַלto give as to give as an iנָחַלאָהֵב[those who][those who] lovאָהֵביֵשׁsubstancesubstanceיֵשׁאוֹצָרand treasurand treasuries אוֹצָרמָלֵאI fillI fillמָלֵאאָצַרto storeto storeאָצַרהָיָהto beto beהָיָהאֶלְעָזָרEleazarEleazarאֶלְעָזָרנַחֲלָהinheritancinheritanceנַחֲלָהשָׂנֵאto hateto hateשָׂנֵאתִּקְוָהcordcordתִּקְוָהשָׂכָרwageswagesשָׂכָרזָהָבgoldgoldזָהָבחָמָסviolenceviolenceחָמָסעָנָןcloudcloudעָנָן
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 8:21

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.

to give as an inheritance [those who] love me substance and treasuries their I fill
לְהַנְחִ֖ילle.han.Chil to give as an inheritance H5157 Preposition · verb hiphil infinitive construct common
59× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew verb means to inherit or to take possession of something, as seen in the story of the Israelites inheriting the Promised Land in Joshua 1:6. It can also mean to distribute or divide something among people, like the division of the land in Joshua 13-19. The word is used in various forms throughout the Bible.
Amplified meaning
granting abundantly
Tyndale gloss
to inherit
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נָחַל (nachal) is a Hebrew verb meaning to inherit or take possession. It encompasses various aspects of acquiring property, including dividing land and bequeathing inheritance. The entries detail its uses in different grammatical forms, such as Qal for taking possession and Hiphil for giving as an inheritance. There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נָחַל vb. denom. get or take as a possession

Qal

take possession, inherit

fig. have or get as a possession, property

divide the land for a possession

Pi. divide for a possession

Hithp. possess oneself of land

Hiph.

give as a possession

cause to inherit, give as an inheritance

Hoph. made to possess

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5157 נָחַל vb. denom. get or take as a possession

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5157 nachal naw-khal'

a primitive root; to inherit (as a (figurative) mode of

descent), or (generally) to occupy; causatively, to bequeath,

or (generally) distribute, instate:--divide, have

((inheritance)), take as a heritage, (cause to, give to, make

to) inherit, (distribute for, divide (for, for an, by), give

for, have, leave for, take (for)) inheritance, (have in, cause

to, be made to) possess(-ion).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָחַל (na.chal) — to inherit.

1) to get as a possession, acquire, inherit, possess

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to take possession, inherit

1a2) to have or get as a possession or property (fig.)

1a3) to divide the land for a possession

1a4) to acquire (testimonies) (fig.)

1b) (Piel) to divide for a possession

1c) (Hithpael) to possess oneself of

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to give as a possession

1d2) to cause to inherit, give as an inheritance

1e) (Hophal) to be allotted, be made to possess

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | V-Hiphil-Inf-a — Preposition · verb hiphil infinitive construct common
HR/Vhcc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

in-her'-i-tans (nahalah, "something inherited," "occupancy," "heirloom," "estate," "portion"): The word is used in its widest application in the Old Testament Scriptures, referring not only to an estate received by a child from its parents, but also to the land received by the children of Israel as a gift from Yahweh. And in the figurative and poetical sense, the expression is applied to the kingdom of God as represented in the consecrated lives of His followers. In a similar sense, the Psalmist is represented as speaking of the Lord as the portion of his inheritance. In addition to the above word, the King James Version translations as inheritance, morashah, "a possession," "heritage" (De 33:4; Eze 33:24); yerushshah, "something occupied," "a patrimony," "possession" (

Smith's Bible Dictionary

[HEIR]

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The laws of inheritance among the Hebrews were very simple. Land might be mortgaged, but could not be alienated, Nu 36:6-9. See JUBILEE. The only permanent right to property was by heritage, or lineal succession. The eldest son had a double portion. Females had no territorial possession; but if a man left no sons, his daughters inherited-on condition of their marrying into a family within the tribe to which their father belonged. If a man had no children, his land passed to distant relatives, according to a law laid down in Nu 27:8-11. The Law of Moses rendered wills unnecessary; they were introduced, however, at a later period, Ga 3:15 Heb 9:17. Property was sometimes…

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Provisions for inheritance under Levirate marriages Ge 38:7-11; Nu 36:6-9; De 25:5-10; Ru 3:1-8; 4:7-17

→ UNCLASSIFIED SCRIPTURES RELATING TO Ge 15:3; 21:9-11; 24:36; 25:5,6; 48:21,22; Nu 27:6-11; De 21:15-17; 1Ki 21:3; 2Ch 21:3; Job 42:15; Pr 17:2; 20:21;

to give as an inheritance [those who] love me substance and treasuries their I fill
אֹהֲבַ֥י׀'o.ha.Vai [those who] love me H157 Verb qal participle (active) masculine plural common · suffix
211× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To love means to have affection for someone or something, including family, romance, or God. It can also describe being a friend or having appetite for things like food or wisdom.
Amplified meaning
truly, deeply, have affection for
Tyndale gloss
to love: lover
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אָהֵב (*'ahab*) means 'to love' and encompasses various forms of affection, including human love for others, love for God, and even appetites for things like food and wisdom. It can also refer to friendship and divine love towards humanity, particularly Israel. The entries indicate that it can function in different grammatical forms, such as participles for 'lovely' or 'loveable'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָהֵב 216 vb. love

Qal

human love to human object

less oft. of appetite

love to God

esp. Pt.

of divine love

Niph. Pt. pl. lovely, loveable

Pi.

friends

lovers

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H157 אָהֵב love

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

157 'ahab aw-hab'

or raheb {aw-habe'}; a primitive root; to have affection for

(sexually or otherwise):--(be-)love(-d, -ly, -r), like,

friend.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָהֵב (a.hav) — to love: lover.

: lover

1) to love

1a) (Qal)

1a1) human love for another, includes family, and sexual

1a2) human appetite for objects such as food, drink, sleep, wisdom

1a3) human love for or to God

1a4) act of being a friend

1a4a) lover (participle)

1a4b) friend (participle)

1a5) God's love toward man

1a5a) to individual men

1a5b) to people Israel

1a5c) to righteousness

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) lovely (participle)

1b2) loveable (participle)

1c) (Piel)

1c1) friends

1c2) lovers (fig. of adulterers)

2) to like

Also means: a.hav (אָהֵב ": friend" H0157H)

אָהֵב (a.hav) — to love: friend.

: friend

1) to love

1a) (Qal)

1a1) human love for another, includes family, and sexual

1a2) human appetite for objects such as food, drink, sleep, wisdom

1a3) human love for or to God

1a4) act of being a friend

1a4a) lover (participle)

1a4b) friend (participle)

1a5) God's love toward man

1a5a) to individual men

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal | Suff — Verb qal participle (active) masculine plural common · suffix
HVqrmpc/Sp1bs
to give as an inheritance [those who] love me substance and treasuries their I fill
יֵ֑שׁYesh substance H3426 Part
140× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means 'there is' or 'there are', used to show existence or being. It appears in various forms, like 'to be' or 'to have'. In the Bible, it's used in Genesis and Psalms to describe God's presence.
Amplified meaning
substance, riches
Tyndale gloss
there
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יֵשׁ (yesh) refers to being, substance, or existence. It is used to assert existence, functioning as a copula for the verb 'to be' in various forms. The word can mean 'there is' or 'there are,' and its Aramaic equivalent is אִיתַי (itay).

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יֵשׁ 137 subst. being, substance, existence

substance

elsewhere (prop. as a subst. in in the st. c.), it asserts existence, and so corresponds to the verb substantive, is (are, was, were, will be), lit. the being, presence of …

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3426 יֵשׁ subst. being, substance, existence . substance

. elsewhere (prop. as a subst. in in the st. c.), it asserts existence, and so corresponds to the verb substantive, is (are, was, were, will be), lit. the being, presence of …

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3426 yesh yaysh

perhaps from an unused root meaning to stand out, or exist;

entity; used adverbially or as a copula for the substantive

verb (1961); there is or are (or any other form of the verb to

be, as may suit the connection):--(there) are, (he, it, shall,

there, there may, there shall, there should) be, thou do, had,

hast, (which) hath, (I, shalt, that) have, (he, it, there) is,

substance, it (there) was, (there) were, ye will, thou wilt,

wouldest.

see HEBREW for 01961

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יֵשׁ (yesh) — there.

1) being, existence, substance, there is or are

1a) substance

1b) existence

1c) there is or are

Aramaic equivalent: i.tay (אִיתַי "there is" H0383)

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

sub'-stans (rekhush; hupostasis): Lit. that which stands under, is in the Bible used chiefly of material goods and possessions. In the Old Testament it is the translation of numerous Hebrew words, of which rekhush, "that which is gathered together," is one of the earliest and most significant (Ge 12:5; 13:6; 15:14; 1Ch 27:31; Ezr 8:21, etc.). In the New Testament "substance" appears in a few passages as the translation of ousia, "being," "subsistence" (Lu 15:13), huparxis, "goods," "property" (Heb 10:34), huparchonta, "things at hand" (Lu 8:3). Special interest…

to give as an inheritance [those who] love me substance and treasuries their I fill
וְאֹצְרֹ֖תֵיהֶ֣םve.'o.tze.Ro.tei.Hem and treasuries their H214 Conjunction · noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
79× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for treasure refers to a storehouse or depository, like a treasure house or armory, as seen in 1 Kings 7:51.
Amplified meaning
storehouses, treasure houses, abundant, overflowing
Tyndale gloss
treasure
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אוֹצָר (o-tsar) means 'treasure' or 'storehouse.' It encompasses various types of treasures, including valuable items like gold and silver, as well as supplies of food or drink. The term can also refer to a treasury or a depository for weapons, indicating a broader range of meanings related to storage and value.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אוֹצָר n.m. treasure, store, treasury, storehouse

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H214 אוֹצָר treasure, store, treasury, storehouse

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

214 'owtsar o-tsaw'

from 686; a depository:--armory, cellar, garner,

store(-house), treasure(-house) (-y).

see HEBREW for 0686

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אוֹצָר (o.tsar) — treasure.

1) treasure, storehouse

1a) treasure (gold, silver, etc)

1b) store, supplies of food or drink

1c) treasure-house, treasury

1c1) treasure-house

1c2) storehouse, magazine

1c3) treasury

1c4) magazine of weapons (fig. of God's armoury)

1c5) storehouses (of God for rain, snow, hail, wind, sea)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | N-mp | Suff — Conjunction · noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
HC/Ncfpc/Sp3mp
to give as an inheritance [those who] love me substance and treasuries their I fill
אֲמַלֵּֽא׃ פ'a.ma.Le' I fill H4390 Verb · Piel · imperfect first person common singular
249× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To fill means to make something full or complete, like filling a container or fulfilling a promise. This word is used in many contexts, including being full of joy or having a job completed.
Amplified meaning
filling completely
Tyndale gloss
to fill
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מָלֵא (male') means 'to fill' or 'be full,' with applications ranging from literal filling to figurative uses like accomplishing or completing something. It appears in various forms, including Qal, Niphal, Piel, and Hithpael, indicating different nuances such as being satisfied or confirming. Notably, it can also refer to massing against someone.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מָלֵא 249 vb. be full, fill

Qal 99

be full, usu. c. acc. material

trans. fill

Niph.

be filled

be accomplished, ended

Pi.

fill

special uses are:

fulfil, accomplish, complete, obj. week, year, day

Pu. filled

Hithp. mass themselves against me

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4390 מָלֵא be full, fill .. be full, usu. c. acc. material

. trans. fill

. . be filled

. be accomplished, ended

. . fill

. special uses are:

. fulfil, accomplish, complete, obj. week, year, day

. filled

. mass themselves against me

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4390 male' maw-lay'

or malae (Esth. 7:5) {maw-law'}; a primitive root, to fill or

(intransitively) be full of, in a wide application (literally

and figuratively):--accomplish, confirm, + consecrate, be at

an end, be expired, be fenced, fill, fulfil, (be, become, X

draw, give in, go) full(-ly, -ly set, tale), (over-)flow,

fulness, furnish, gather (selves, together), presume,

replenish, satisfy, set, space, take a (hand-)full, + have

wholly.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מָלֵא (ma.le) — to fill.

1) to fill, be full

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to be full

1a1a) fulness, abundance (participle)

1a1b) to be full, be accomplished, be ended

1a2) to consecrate, fill the hand

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be filled, be armed, be satisfied

1b2) to be accomplished, be ended

1c) (Piel)

1c1) to fill

1c2) to satisfy

1c3) to fulfil, accomplish, complete

1c4) to confirm

1d) (Pual) to be filled

1e) (Hithpael) to mass themselves against

Aramaic equivalent: me.la (מְלָא "to fill" H4391)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Piel-Imperf-1cs — Verb · Piel · imperfect first person common singular
HVpi1cs
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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