Psalms 103:15 — Word Study
WLCאֱ֭נוֹשׁ כֶּחָצִ֣יר יָמָ֑יו כְּצִ֥יץ הַ֝שָּׂדֶ֗ה כֵּ֣ן יָצִֽיץ׃
BSAAs for manʼĕnôwsh [mortal, human] his daysyôwm [time on earth, lifespan] are like grasschâtsîyr [temporary, fleeting] he bloomstsûwts▸ [flourishes, blossoms] like a flowertsîyts [beautiful, yet fragile] of the fieldsâdeh [open, vulnerable]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| אֱ֭נוֹשׁ | humankind | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| כֶּחָצִ֣יר | [are] like grass | Preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| יָמָ֑יו | days his | Noun common masculine plural construct, suffix |
| כְּצִ֥יץ | like [the] flower of | Preposition, noun common masculine singular construct |
| הַ֝שָּׂדֶ֗ה | the field | Particle, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| כֵּ֣ן | so | Adverb |
| יָצִֽיץ׃ | he flourishes | Verb, Hiphil, imperfect third person masculine singular |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | As for man, his days are like grass— he blooms like a flower of the field; |
| KJV | As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. |
| ASV | As for man, his days are as grass; As a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. |
| YLT | Mortal man! as grass [are] his days, As a flower of the field so he flourisheth; |
| WEB | As for man, his days are like grass. As a flower of the field, so he flourishes. |
| BBE | As for man, his days are as grass: his beautiful growth is like the flower of the field. |
Where they part company is in their rendering of אֱנוֹשׁ — see How Translations Differ.
The structure features a main clause followed by a simile, emphasizing the comparison between human life and the natural world.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbצוּץ
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
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 — Psalms 103:15
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 Fragility of Human Lifegenerated
Psalm 103:15 reflects on the brevity of human life, emphasizing that while humans flourish like flowers, their existence is temporary. The psalmist contrasts this with God's eternal nature, as seen in the surrounding verses. This theme echoes throughout Scripture, reminding us of our mortality and the need for divine grace, as highlighted in Psalm 90:5-6 and Isaiah 40:6-8.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 90:5–6 | You whisk them away in their sleep; they are like the new grass of the morning— |
| 2 | Isaiah 40:6–8 | A voice says, “Cry out!” And I asked, “What should I cry out?” “All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flowers of the field. |
| 3 | Isaiah 51:12 | “I, even I, am He who comforts you. Why should you be afraid of mortal man, of a son of man who withers like grass? |
| 4 | James 1:10–11 | But the one who is rich should exult in his low position, because he will pass away like a flower of the field. |
| 5 | 1 Peter 1:24 | For, “All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 8 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — אֱנוֹשׁ, 'E.no.oshgenerated
The word אֱנוֹשׁ (enowsh) refers to humankind or a mortal individual. It is a common noun that denotes the fragility and temporality of human existence, distinguishing humans from more exalted terms for man. Its usage in poetic contexts emphasizes the transient nature of life.
The parsing indicates that it is a masculine singular noun, suggesting a focus on individuals or humanity as a whole. This word appears frequently throughout the Hebrew Bible, underscoring the theme of human mortality.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses man and his days in a straightforward manner.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The verse is structured around a main clause that describes the nature of man and his days, with a simile comparing them to grass and flowers. The finite verb יָצִֽיץ (ya.Tzitz), meaning 'he flourishes', serves as the focal point of the sentence.
The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the comparison, with the similes following the subject to highlight the transient nature of human life.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, אֱנוֹשׁ is rendered as ἄνθρωπος (anthrōpos), which also means 'man' or 'human'. This choice reflects a similar understanding of humanity's fragility.
The Greek term emphasizes the mortal aspect of human existence, aligning with the original Hebrew intent.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 103:15 tells us that human life is temporary, comparing it to grass and flowers. Just as grass withers and flowers bloom briefly, so too are our days on earth fleeting.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The psalmist emphasizes the fleeting nature of human life, suggesting that just as grass withers, so too do our lives pass quickly.
This verse highlights the contrast between human frailty and God's eternal nature, reminding us of our need for divine mercy.
Describing life as 'like a flower' conveys beauty and fragility, underscoring the temporary nature of our existence.
The imagery serves as a reminder to cherish life and recognize its brevity, encouraging us to seek meaning and purpose.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- How does understanding the fleeting nature of life affect the way I live my daily life?
- In what ways can I cultivate a deeper appreciation for the beauty around me, knowing it is temporary?
- How can I balance the pursuit of my goals with the awareness of life's transience?
- What steps can I take to ensure that my life reflects the values I hold dear, given its brevity?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early Church Fathers referenced this verse to discuss the transitory nature of human life, using it to illustrate the need for humility and reliance on God.
Our life on earth, brothers, is such that our existence is very transitory. We play, as it were, a game on earth: we do not exist, and we are born, and being born we are dissolved.Early Church Fathers on Psalms 103 →
Concerning the resurrection more will be said later; but now let us return to our immediate subject. We have shown that even holy people have, without any consideration for their merits, suffered many difficult things in this world,Early Church Fathers on Psalms 103 →
"Man, his days are but as grass" [Psalms 103:15]. Let man consider what he is; let not man be proud.Early Church Fathers on Psalms 103 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 103:15 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAs for man, his days are as grass,.... He himself is like the grass which springs out of the earth; continues on it for a time, and then drops into it; the continuance of the grass is very short, it
Read John Gill on Psalms 103 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAs for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 103 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleA flower of the field; which is more exposed to winds and other violences than the flowers of the garden, which are secured by the art and care of the gardener.
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 103 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 103:15 [As for] man, his days [are] as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.Ver. 15. As for man, his days are as grass] The frailty of man’ s life, intimated in the former verse, is here lively painted out under the similitude of grass, as likewise in many other Scriptures. See Psalms 37:2; Psalms 90:5-6, &c. As a flower of the field, so he flourisheth] Take him in all his gaiety, his beauty, and his bravery, he is but as a flower; and that not of the garden, which hath more shelter and better ordering, but of the field, and so more subject to heat, weather, pulling up, or treading down, Isaiah 40:6-8.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 103 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 15. His days are as grass] See Clarke on Psalms 90:5.
Read AdamClarke on Psalms 103 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges15–18. Man passes away, but God’s mercy endures for ever.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 103 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleAs for man - literally, “Man; like the grass are his days!” The thought is fixed on man: man so frail and weak; man, not only made originally of earth, but man delicate, feeble, soon to pass away
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 103 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible15. As for man—As for the human race, “man” being used collectively of all men, as Deuteronomy 32:26; Job 7:17; Psalms 8:4-5. Grass… flower—Emblems of frailty and beauty. Job 14:2; Psalms 90:6
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Psalms 103 →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
As for man, his days are like grass— he blooms like a flower of the field;
As for man, his days are like grass. As a flower of the field, so he flourishes.
As for man, his days are like grass—he blooms like a flower of the field;
A person’s life is like grass. Like a flower in the field it flourishes,
Tyndale line
As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.
As for man, his days are as grass; As a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.
As for man, his days are as grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.
As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.
The dayes of man are as grasse: as a flowre of the fielde, so florisheth he.
Strictly literal
As for man, his days are as grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth:
Mortal man! as grass [are] his days, As a flower of the field so he flourisheth;
Mortal man! His days [are] as grass, || He flourishes as a flower of the field;
As for man, like the grass are his days: as the blossom of the field, so doth he bloom.
As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower in a field.
From the Latin
And that wine may cheer the heart of man. That he may make the face cheerful with oil: and that bread may strengthen man’s heart.
Simplified
Human lifetimes are like grass: we blossom like flowers in a field,
As for man, his days are as grass: his beautiful growth is like the flower of the field.
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.
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 in their wording for this verse, with all seven words matched. This consistency indicates a shared understanding of the fragility of human life across these ancient texts.
אֱ֭נוֹשׁ כֶּחָצִ֣יר יָמָ֑יו כְּצִ֥יץ הַ֝שָּׂדֶ֗ה כֵּ֣ן יָצִֽיץ׃
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.
Lexicons — every word in Psalms 103:15
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.
אֱנוֹשׁ (enowsh) refers to man or mankind, often used in a poetic context. It denotes a mortal individual, distinguishing humans from more dignified terms for man. The word encompasses both singular and collective meanings, indicating people or persons in general. Its Aramaic equivalent is אֱנָשׁ (e.nash), also meaning 'man'.
אֱנוֹשׁ n.m. man, mankind, mostly poet.
of individ.
coll. men
man, mankind
base
H582 אֱנוֹשׁ man, mankind, mostly poet.
582 'enowsh en-oshe'
from 605; properly, a mortal (and thus differing from the
more dignified 120); hence, a man in general (singly or
collectively):--another, X (blood-)thirsty, certain,
chap(-man); divers, fellow, X in the flower of their age,
husband, (certain, mortal) man, people, person, servant, some
( X of them), + stranger, those, + their trade. It is often
unexpressed in the English versions, especially when used in
apposition with another word . Compare 376.
see HEBREW for 0605
see HEBREW for 0120
see HEBREW for 0376
אֱנוֹשׁ (e.nosh) — human.
1) man, mortal man, person, mankind
1a) of an individual
1b) men (collective)
1c) man, mankind
Aramaic equivalent: e.nash (אֱנָשׁ "man" H0606)
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
חָצִיר (chatsiyr) refers to green grass or herbage, and can also denote leeks. The entries highlight its association with the greenness of a courtyard and its use as food for animals. Additionally, it is noted as a symbol of things that perish quickly.
חָצִיר n.m. green grass, herbage
grass, as food for animals;spec. of leeks
as type of what is quickly perishing
base
H2682a חָצִיר green grass, herbage H2682b חָצִיר green grass, herbage
2682 chatsiyr khaw-tseer'
perhaps originally the same as 2681, from the greenness of a
courtyard; grass; also a leek (collectively):--grass, hay,
herb, leek.
see HEBREW for 02681
חָצִיר (cha.tsir) — grass.
1a) grass
1b) of the quickly perishing (fig.)
חָצִיר (cha.tsir) — leek.
grass, leek, green grass, herbage
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHRd/Ncmsa
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.
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…
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…
יוֹם (yowm) means 'day' and refers to a division of time, contrasting with night. It can denote a literal 24-hour period, a general time span, or even a year. The term is used in various contexts, including the 'day of Yahweh,' which signifies a time of divine judgment. It also appears in phrases indicating temporal references like today, yesterday, and tomorrow.
יוֹם 2285 n.m. day
day, opp. night
Day as division of time
יוֹם י׳ day of Yahweh, chiefly as time of his coming in judgment, involving often blessedness for righteous
Pl. days of anyone
Days
יוֹם = time
Phrases
base
H3117 יוֹם day . day, opp. night
. Day as division of time
. יוֹם י׳ day of Yahweh, chiefly as time of his coming in judgment, involving often blessedness for righteous
. Pl. days of anyone
. Days
. יוֹם = time
. Phrases
3117 yowm yome
from an unused root meaning to be hot; a day (as the warm
hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one
sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by
an associated term), (often used adverb):--age, + always, +
chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to)
day, (now a, two) days (agone), + elder, X end, + evening, +
(for) ever(-lasting, -more), X full, life, as (so) long as
(... live), (even) now, + old, + outlived, + perpetually,
presently, + remaineth, X required, season, X since, space,
then, (process of) time, + as at other times, + in trouble,
weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), X whole
(+ age), (full) year(-ly), + younger.
יוֹם (yom) — day.
: day/when/time/period
1) day, time, year
1a) day (as opposed to night)
1b) day (24 hour period)
1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1
1b2) as a division of time
1b2a) a working day, a day's journey
1c) days, lifetime (pl.)
1d) time, period (general)
1e) year
1f) temporal references
1f1) today
1f2) yesterday
1f3) tomorrow
יוֹם (yom) — day: old.
: old/(full/many)[days]
1) day, time, year
1a) day (as opposed to night)
1b) day (24 hour period)
1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1
1b2) as a division of time
1b2a) a working day, a day's journey
1c) days, lifetime (pl.)
1d) time, period (general)
1e) year
1f) temporal references
1f1) today
1f2) yesterday
1f3) tomorrow
יוֹם (yom) — day: year.
: year[of_days]
1) day, time, year
1a) day (as opposed to night)
1b) day (24 hour period)
1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1
1b2) as a division of time
N-mp | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffixHNcmpc/Sp3ms
צִיץ (tsits) primarily means 'flower' or 'blossom,' but can also refer to a 'wing' or a 'shining thing,' such as a decorative plate. The word is linked to the idea of brightness, as seen in its usage in Jeremiah 48:9, where its meaning is considered uncertain. There are variations in definitions, particularly regarding its application to wings.
צִיץ n.m. 1. blossom, flower. 2. shining thing
base
צִיץ n.[m.] meaning dubious; only in Je 48:9 usu. wings
ref
H6731a צִיץ blossom, flower H6731b צִיץ meaning dubious; wings
6731 tsiyts tseets
or tsits {tseets}; from 6692; properly, glistening, i.e. a
burnished plate; also a flower (as bright-colored); a wing (as
gleaming in the air):--blossom, flower, plate, wing.
see HEBREW for 06692
צִיץ (tsits) — flower.
1) flower, bloom
1a) flower, bloom
1b) shining thing (of gold plate on high priest's mitre) (metaph.)
Also means: tsi.tsah (צִיצָה "flower" H6733)
צִיץ (tsits) — feather.
1) feather, wing
1a) meaning uncertain
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular constructHR/Ncmsc
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.
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…
שָׂדַי (saday) and שָׂדֶה (sadeh) both refer to a field or land, encompassing cultivated areas, open fields, and regions opposed to mountains or seas. The terms can denote specific portions of ground and are associated with wildlife habitats. They derive from a root meaning to spread out, indicating flat, expansive areas.
שָׂדַי n.m. field, land
cultivated field
home of wild beasts
plain, opp. mt.
land, opp. sea
base
שָׂדֶה 819 n.m. id. [u.ak.ab]
(ordinary contr. form)open field, country
definite portion of ground, field, land
land, opp. sea
base
H7704a שָׂדַי field, land . cultivated field
. home of wild beasts
. plain, opp. mt.
. land, opp. sea
H7704b שָׂדֶה id. [7704a] . open field, country
. definite portion of ground, field, land
. land, opp. sea
7704 sadeh saw-deh'
or saday {saw-dah'-ee}; from an unused root meaning to spread
out; a field (as flat):--country, field, ground, land, soil,
X wild.
שָׂדַי (sa.day) — Sirion.
This name means field, land, plain
Another spelling of cher.mon (חֶרְמוֹן "(Mount )Hermon" H2768)
שָׂדֶה (sa.deh) — land: soil.
: soil
1) field, land
1a) open field, country
1b) definite portion of ground, field, land
1c) land (opposed to sea)
שָׂדֶה (sa.deh) — land: country.
: country/field
1) field, land
1a) open field, country
1b) definite portion of ground, field, land
1c) land (opposed to sea)
שָׂדֶה (sa.deh) — Field (of the Launderer).
Combined with ka.vas (כָּבַס "Washer's" H3526)
This name means field, land
שָׂדֶה (sa.deh) — land: wildlife.
: wild(animals/plants)
1) field, land
1a) open field, country
1b) definite portion of ground, field, land
1c) land (opposed to sea)
שָׂדַי (sa.day) — field.
1) field, land
1a) cultivated field
1b) of home of wild beasts
1c) plain (opposed to mountain)
1d) land (opposed to sea)
Art | N-ms — Particle · noun common masculine singular absoluteHTd/Ncmsa
feld.
See AGRICULTURE.
Field
(Heb. sadeh), a cultivated field, but unenclosed. It is applied to any cultivated ground or pasture (Gen. 29:2; 31:4; 34:7), or tillage (Gen. 37:7; 47:24). It is also applied to woodland (Ps. 132:6) or mountain top (Judg. 9:32, 36; 2 Sam. 1:21). It denotes sometimes a cultivated region as opposed to the wilderness (Gen. 33:19; 36:35). Unwalled villages or scattered houses are spoken of as “in the fields” (Deut. 28:3, 16; Lev. 25:31;
The Hebrew sadeh is applied to any cultivated ground, and in some instances in marked opposition to the neighboring wilderness. On the other hand the sadeh is frequently contrasted with what is enclosed, whether a vineyard, a garden or a walled town. In many passages the term implies what is remote from a house, (Genesis 4:8; 24:63; 22:25) or settled habitation, as in the case of Esau. (Genesis 25:27) The separate plots of ground were marked off by stones, which might easily be removed, (19:14; 27:17) cf. Job 24:2; Prov 22:28; 23:10 The absence of fences rendered the fields liable to damage from straying cattle, (Exodus…
The Hebrew word כֵּן (*ken*) is built from the root meaning 'set upright.' It functions as an adjective meaning 'right,' 'veritable,' or 'honest,' and as an adverb meaning 'so,' 'therefore,' or 'thus.' It appears in various contexts, often indicating manner or relation, and is used in phrases like 'forasmuch as.'
כֵּן adj. right, veritable, honest
right
veritable, true
pl. concr. honest (men)
base
כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as
base
כֵּן adv. so
base
H3651a כֵּן adj. right, veritable, honest H3651b כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as H3651c כֵּן so
3651 ken kane
from 3559; properly, set upright; hence (figuratively as
adjective) just; but usually (as adverb or conjunction)
rightly or so (in various applications to manner, time and
relation; often with other particles):--+ after that
(this, -ward, -wards), as ... as, + (for-)asmuch as yet, + be
(for which) cause, + following, howbeit, in (the) like
(manner, -wise), X the more, right, (even) so, state,
straightway, such (thing), surely, + there (where)-fore, this,
thus, true, well, X you.
see HEBREW for 03559
כֵּן (ken) — right.
adv
adj
1) right, just, honest, true, veritable
1a) right, just, honest
1b) correct
1c) true, veritable
[כִּי עַל] כֵּן ([ki al] ken) — as.
adv
forasmuch as, since
כֵּן (ken) — so.
adv
1) so, therefore, thus
1a) thus, so
1b) just so
1c) therefore
1d) so...as (paired with adv)
1e) then
1f) forasmuch as (in phrase)
1g) (with prep)
1g1) therefore, this being so (specific)
1g2) hitherto
1g3) therefore, on this ground (general)
1g4) afterwards
1g5) in such case
Aramaic equivalent: ken (כֵּן "thus" H3652)
HD — AdverbHD
so (co', although the Hebrew might be pointed cewe'; Assyrian Sib'u; Septuagint Segor, Soa; Manetho, Seuechos; Latin Sevechus; Herodotus (ii. 137 ff), Sabakon): In all probability the "Sabaeo" of Herodotus, the Shabaka, who founded the Ethiopian dynasty, the XXVth of Egyptian kings. His date is given as 715-707 BC (Flinders Petrie, History of Egypt, III, 281 ff), but we may suppose that before his accession to the throne he was entitled to be designated king, as being actually regent. To this So, Hoshea, king of Israel, made an appeal for assistance to enable him to throw off the yoke of the Assyrian Shalmaneser IV (2Ki 17:3). But Hoshea's submission to So brought him no advantage, for Shalmaneser came up throughout all the land and laid siege to Samaria. Not long after the fall of Samaria, So ventured upon an eastern campaign, and…
So
(Nubian, Sabako), an Ethiopian king who brought Egypt under his sway. He was bribed by Hoshea to help him against the Assyrian monarch Shalmaneser (2 Kings 17:4). This was a return to the policy that had been successful in the reign of Jeroboam I.
"So, king of Egypt," is once mentioned in the Bible -- (2 Kings 17:4) So has been identified by different writers with the first and second kings of the Ethiopian twenty-fifth dynasty, called by Manetho, Sabakon (Shebek) and Sebichos (Shebetek).
King of Egypt, made an alliance with Hoshea king of Israel, and promised him assistance; but was unable to prevent Shalmaneser king of Assyria from taking Samaria and subverting the kingdom, B. C. 721, 2Ki 17:4. See PHARAOH.
So is believed to have been the Servetus or Sabaco II of secular history, the second king of the Ethiopian or twenty-fifth dynasty, and the predecessor of Trihakah. A singular fact has been brought to light by the recent explorations at Nineveh, corroborating the Scripture record the more forcibly, because unexpected and direct. The Bible shows that Egypt and Assyria, though remote, were often in conflict during the height of the Assyrian ruins power, and that So was at war with Shalmaneser. After war comes the treaty of peace; and as the Bible prepares us to suppose such treaties were made, the Assyrian ruins…
צוּץ (tsuwts) is a Hebrew verb with meanings related to blooming and shining. It can refer to blossoming or flourishing in a physical sense, as well as to gazing or glancing in a more figurative context. The entries indicate that it can be used in both the Qal and Hiphil forms, with specific references to shining and peeping, including a mention in Canticles 2:9.
[צוּץ, צִיץ] vb. 1. blossom. 2. shine, sparkle
Qal
flourish.
shine, gleam
Hiph. it put forth blossoms
base
[צוּץ] vb. Hiph. gaze, peep;—Ct 2:9
ref
H6692a צוּץ, צִיץ . blossom
. shine
H6692b צוּץ Hiph. gaze, peep
6692 tsuwts tsoots
a primitive root; to twinkle, i.e. glance; by analogy, to
blossom (figuratively, flourish):--bloom, blossom, flourish,
shew self.
צוּץ (tsuts) — to blossom.
1) to blossom, shine, sparkle
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to flourish
1a2) to shine, gleam
1b) (Hiphil) to blossom, put forth blossoms, produce blossoms
צוּץ (tsuts) — to gaze.
(Hiphil) to gaze, peep, glance, make the eyes sparkle
V-Hiphil-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Hiphil · imperfect third person masculine singularHVhi3ms