Psalms 104:23 — Word Study
WLCיֵצֵ֣א אָדָ֣ם לְפָעֳל֑וֹ וְֽלַעֲבֹ֖דָת֣וֹ עֲדֵי־ עָֽרֶב׃
BSAManʼâdâm [the human, Adam] goes forthyâtsâʼ▸ [to come out, leaves] to his workpôʻal [labor, deed] and to his laborʻăbôdâh [service, task] untilʻad [as far as, till] eveningʻereb [sunset, end of day]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| יֵצֵ֣א | he goes out | Verb, Qal, imperfect third person masculine singular |
| אָדָ֣ם | a person | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| לְפָעֳל֑וֹ | to work his | Preposition, noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
| וְֽלַעֲבֹ֖דָת֣וֹ | and to labor his | Conjunction, preposition, noun common feminine singular construct |
| עֲדֵי־ | until | Preposition |
| עָֽרֶב׃ | evening | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Man goes forth to his work and to his labor until evening. |
| KJV | Man goeth forth unto his work and to his labour until the evening. |
| ASV | Man goeth forth unto his work And to his labor until the evening. |
| YLT | Man goeth forth to his work, And to his service — till evening. |
| WEB | Man goes out to his work, to his labor until the evening. |
| BBE | Man goes out to his work, and to his business, till the evening. |
The translations agree on the meaning of this verse, emphasizing the routine of work until evening.
The structure consists of a main clause followed by prepositional phrases that detail the nature of the work and the temporal aspect.
7 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectאָדָם
verbיָצָא
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 104:23
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 Order of Creationgenerated
Psalm 104:23 reflects on the daily activities of humanity, portraying the cycle of work that begins with the rising sun and continues until evening. This verse fits within a larger context that praises God's creation and the natural order He established, as seen in the surrounding verses that describe the rhythm of life and the works of the Lord.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Genesis 3:19 | By the sweat of your brow you will eat your bread, until you return to the ground— because out of it were you taken. For dust you are, and to dust you shall return.” |
| 2 | Judges 19:16 | That evening an old man from the hill country of Ephraim, who was residing in Gibeah (the men of that place were Benjamites), came in from his work in the field. |
| 3 | Ecclesiastes 5:12 | The sleep of the worker is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of the rich man permits him no sleep. |
| 4 | Ephesians 4:28 | He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing good with his own hands, that he may have something to share with the one in need. |
| 5 | 2 Thessalonians 3:8–12 | nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. Instead, in labor and toil, we worked night and day so that we would not be a burden to any of you. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 5 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — יֵצֵ֣א, ye.Tze'generated
The verb יָצָא (yatsa') means to go out or come out. It indicates movement from one place to another, often implying a departure or an emergence.
In this verse, it describes the action of man as he goes out to fulfill his daily responsibilities. The parsing as a Qal imperfect third person masculine singular suggests a continuous or habitual action, emphasizing the regularity of human labor.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The translations of this verse largely agree, all conveying the idea that man goes out to work and labor until evening.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The structure of the verse centers around the finite verb יֵצֵ֣א, he goes out, which governs the subject אָדָ֣ם, man. This creates a straightforward main clause that describes the action of man going out to work.
The additional phrases that follow elaborate on the types of work and the time frame, with prepositional phrases indicating the nature of the work and the temporal boundary of evening.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates יֵצֵ֣א as ἐχελεύσεται (echeleusētai), which emphasizes the idea of going forth. This choice aligns with the Hebrew meaning but may suggest a more formal or literary context in the Greek.
The use of ἄνθρωπος (anthrōpos) for אָדָ֣ם reflects a broader understanding of humanity rather than just the first man, Adam.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 104:23 tells us that man goes out to work and labor until evening. This highlights the daily rhythm of life, where people engage in their tasks throughout the day until sunset.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It signifies the daily responsibilities and labor that humans undertake as part of life, reflecting the rhythm of work and rest.
Evening marks the end of the workday, symbolizing the completion of daily tasks and the transition to rest.
This verse fits into the broader theme of God's creation, where work is seen as a part of the order established by Him.
It teaches the importance of diligence and the natural cycle of labor followed by rest, reflecting God's design for human life.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- How do I balance my work and rest in my daily life?
- What are some ways I can find fulfillment in my daily tasks?
- In what ways does my work reflect my values and beliefs?
- How can I incorporate a sense of purpose into my daily labor?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Augustine of Hippo reflects on this verse in his exposition, discussing the nature of man and his work in relation to God.
What are you doing, O man of God? Thou, O Church of God? What are you, O body of Christ, whose Head is in Heaven? What are you doing, O man, His unity? "Man," he says,Early Church Fathers on Psalms 104 →
Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 104:23 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleMan goeth forth to his work,.... Having taken sleep in the night, being comfortably refreshed, and his strength recruited; he rises with the rising sun, and goes forth cheerfully and with intrepidity
Read John Gill on Psalms 104 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThe sun ariseth, they gather themselves together, and lay them down in their dens. The sun ariseth, they ... lay them down in their dens. Man goeth forth unto his work ... until the evening.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 104 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleWith security and confidence, knowing the nature and custom of wild beasts, that they hide themselves by day.
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 104 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 104:23 Man goeth forth unto his work and to his labour until the evening.Ver. 23. Man goeth forth unto his work] His honest employment in his particular place and calling, whether manual or mental; eating his bread in the sweat either of his brow or of his brain. Until the evening] That time of rest and refreshment. The Lord Burleigh (William Cecil), when he put off his gown at night, used to say, Lie there, Lord Treasurer; and, bidding adieu to all state affairs, disposed himself to his quiet rest.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 104 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges19–23. Moon and sun mark the seasons and the alternations of day and night. The work of the fourth day, Genesis 1:14.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 104 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleMan goeth forth ... - Man is now seen to go forth from his dwelling, and he appears on the stage to perform his daily toil, until evening comes, and then again he gives way for the beasts of night.
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 104 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible23. Goeth forth—These words are more significant in the East than with us. There the universal custom of city or village life left, and still leaves, their fields often far from home.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Psalms 104 →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
Man goes forth to his work and to his labor until evening.
Man goes out to his work, to his labor until the evening.
Man goes forth to his work and to his labor until evening.
Men then go out to do their work, and labor away until evening.
Tyndale line
Man goeth forth unto his work and to his labour until the evening.
Man goeth forth unto his work And to his labor until the evening.
Man goeth forth unto his work and to his labour until the evening.
Man goeth forth to his work and to his labor until the evening.
Then goeth man forth to his worke, and to his labour vntill the euening.
Strictly literal
Man goeth forth unto his work, and to his labour until the evening.
Man goeth forth to his work, And to his service — till evening.
Man goes forth to his work, || And to his service—until evening.
Man goeth [then] forth unto his work, and to his labor until the evening.
Meanwhile, people go out to their work and labor away until the evening.
From the Latin
And Israel went into Egypt: and Jacob was a sojourner in the land of Cham.
Simplified
Then people leave for work, working until the evening.
Man goes out to his work, and to his business, till the evening.
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 reads יֵצֵ֣א אָדָ֣ם לְפָעֳל֑וֹ וְֽלַעֲבֹ֖דָת֣וֹ עֲדֵי־ עָֽרֶב׃, which is closely matched by the Septuagint. The Dead Sea Scrolls also align with the Masoretic Text, though some words are partially restored or supplied by editors.
יֵצֵ֣א אָדָ֣ם לְפָעֳל֑וֹ וְֽלַעֲבֹ֖דָת֣וֹ עֲדֵי־ עָֽרֶב׃
6 of the 6 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.
יצא אדם [לפעל׳ו] ולעבדת׳ו עדי ערב
4 words on the leather — 1 partly restored, 1 supplied entire by an editor.
[יצא] [אדם] לפועל׳ו ולעבודת׳ו עד ערב
4 words on the leather — 2 supplied entire by an editor.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Psalms 104:23
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.
יָצָא (yatsa') is a Hebrew verb meaning to go or come out, with various applications including departure, escape, and emergence. It can refer to both animate and inanimate subjects and emphasizes the idea of origin or source. The verb appears in different forms, such as Qal, Hiphil, and Hophal, indicating actions like leading out or being brought forth.
יָצָא 1068 vb. go or come out
Qal
go or come out or forth
from (מִן) a place
go forth from (the presence of) a person
in technical senses
of flight, involving escape
depart
of inanimate things
with especial emphasis on idea of origin, source
of children as going forth from loins (of father)
go forth to a place
go forward, proceed to or toward something
come or go forth, with esp. ref. to purpose or result
of combinations
Hiph.
cause to go or come out, bring out, lead out
fig. obj. persons, bring out of (מִן) distress, etc.
bring out animals
inanimate obj.
fig. subj. י׳, bring forth from (מִן)
Hoph. be brought forth
base
H3318 יָצָא go or come out .. go or come out or forth . from (מִן) a place
. go forth from (the presence of) a person
. in technical senses
. of flight, involving escape
. depart
. of inanimate things
. with especial emphasis on idea of origin, source
. of children as going forth from loins (of father)
. . go forth to a place
. go forward, proceed to or toward something
. come or go forth, with esp. ref. to purpose or result
. of combinations
. . cause to go or come out, bring out, lead out
. fig. obj. persons, bring out of (מִן) distress, etc.
. bring out animals
. inanimate obj.
. fig. subj. י׳, bring forth from (מִן)
. be brought forth
3318 yatsa' yaw-tsaw'
a primitive root; to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great
variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct
and proxim.:--X after, appear, X assuredly, bear out, X
begotten, break out, bring forth (out, up), carry out, come
(abroad, out, thereat, without), + be condemned,
depart(-ing, -ure), draw forth, in the end, escape, exact,
fail, fall (out), fetch forth (out), get away (forth, hence,
out), (able to, cause to, let) go abroad (forth, on, out),
going out, grow, have forth (out), issue out, lay (lie) out,
lead out, pluck out, proceed, pull out, put away, be risen, X
scarce, send with commandment, shoot forth, spread, spring
out, stand out, X still, X surely, take forth (out), at any
time, X to (and fro), utter.
יָצָא (ya.tsa) — to come out: come.
: come/go_out/escape
1) to go out, come out, exit, go forth
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to go or come out or forth, depart
1a2) to go forth (to a place)
1a3) to go forward, proceed to (to or toward something)
1a4) to come or go forth (with purpose or for result)
1a5) to come out of
1b) (Hiphil)
1b1) to cause to go or come out, bring out, lead out
1b2) to bring out of
1b3) to lead out
1b4) to deliver
1c) (Hophal) to be brought out or forth
יָצָא (ya.tsa) — to come out: send.
: send/take_out/release
1) to go out, come out, exit, go forth
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to go or come out or forth, depart
1a2) to go forth (to a place)
1a3) to go forward, proceed to (to or toward something)
1a4) to come or go forth (with purpose or for result)
1a5) to come out of
1b) (Hiphil)
1b1) to cause to go or come out, bring out, lead out
1b2) to bring out of
1b3) to lead out
1b4) to deliver
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singularHVqi3ms
אָדָם (adam) refers to 'man' or 'mankind,' encompassing both individual humans and the species as a whole. It is also the name of the first man in the Bible, Adam, who is mentioned in various verses, including Genesis 2:19. The term can denote a city in the Jordan valley as well. The entries indicate a range of meanings, but there is no significant disagreement among them.
אָדָם 560 n.m. Gn 1:27 man, mankind
a man = human being
coll. man, mankind
n.pr.m. Adam, first man (without art.)
n.pr.loc. city in Jordan valley (as built?)
base
H120 אָדָם man, mankind . a man = human being
. coll. man, mankind
120 'adam aw-dawm'
from 119; ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the
species, mankind, etc.):--X another, + hypocrite, + common
sort, X low, man (mean, of low degree), person.
see HEBREW for 0119
אָדָם (a.dam) — man.
1) man, mankind
1a) man, human being
1b) man, mankind (much more frequently intended sense in OT)
1c) Adam, first man
1d) city in Jordan valley
אָדָם (a.dam) — the man (Adam).
The first named man living at the time before the Flood, first mentioned at Gen.2.19;
married to Eve (H2332);
father of: Cain (H7014B), Abel (H1893) and Seth (H8352); also translated "man" at Gen.2.19,21,23; 3.8,9,20; 5.2; "mankind" at Deu.32.8; "others" at Job.31.33;
Another spelling of a.dam (אָדָם "Adam" H0121)
man, human being
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
פֹּ֫עַל (po'al) refers to an act or work, encompassing meanings like deed, thing done, and wages of work. It is noted as poetic and late in usage. The word is built from the root associated with action, and it can also imply acquisition, particularly of treasures.
פֹּ֫עַל 37 n.m. doing, deed, work (poet. and late)
deed, thing done
work, thing made
wages of work
acquisition of treasures
base
H6467 פֹּ֫עַל doing, deed, work (poet. and late)
6467 po`al po'-al
from 6466; an act or work (concretely):--act, deed, do,
getting, maker, work.
see HEBREW for 06466
פֹּ֫עַל (po.al) — work.
1) work, deed, doing
1a) deed, thing done
1b) work, thing made
1c) wages of work
1d) acquisition (of treasure)
Prep | N-ms | Suff — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms
עֲבֹדָה (abodah) refers to various forms of labor or service, including the work of a servant or slave, the service of captives or subjects, and the service of God. It is built from the root word for work and encompasses a range of meanings related to labor and ministry.
עֲבֹדָה, and (Chr) עֲבוֹדָה 146 n.f. labour, servicelabour, work
labour of servant or slave
labour, service of captives or subjects
service of God
base
H5656 עֲבֹדָה, and עֲבוֹדָה labour . labour, work
. labour of servant or slave
. labour, service of captives or subjects
. service of God
5656 `abodah ab-o-daw'
or mabowdah {ab-o-daw'}; from 5647; work of any kind:--act,
bondage, + bondservant, effect, labour, ministering(-try),
office, service(-ile, -itude), tillage, use, work, X wrought.
see HEBREW for 05647
עֲבֹדָה (a.vo.dah) — service.
: service[as_servant/slave]
1) labour, service
1a) labour, work
1b) labour (of servant or slave)
1c) labour, service (of captives or subjects)
1d) service (of God)
עֲבֹדָה (a.vo.dah) — service: ministry.
: ministry[for_God]/tabernacle]
1) labour, service
1a) labour, work
1b) labour (of servant or slave)
1c) labour, service (of captives or subjects)
1d) service (of God)
עֲבֹדָה (a.vo.dah) — service: work.
: work/labour
1) labour, service
1a) labour, work
1b) labour (of servant or slave)
1c) labour, service (of captives or subjects)
1d) service (of God)
Conj | Prep | N-fs | Suff — Conjunction · preposition · noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHC/R/Ncfsc/Sp3ms
עַד (ad) primarily functions as a preposition, adverb, or conjunction meaning 'until,' 'up to,' or 'as far as.' It can denote spatial, temporal, or degree-related contexts, such as 'even to' or 'while.' The entries indicate its use in poetry and in various combinations, but there is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its meanings.
עַד, in poetry עֲדֵי prep. as far as, even to, up to, until, while
prep.
of space
Of time
Of degree
conj.
until
While
Of degree, to the point that, so that even (rare)
עַד לְ, a strengthened form for עַד. Thus
of space
Of time
Of degree
base
H5704 עַד, in poetry עֲדֵי as far as, even to, up to, until, while . prep. . of space
. Of time
. Of degree
. conj. . until
. While
. Of degree, to the point that, so that even (rare)
. עַד לְ, a strengthened form for עַד. Thus . of space
. Of time
. Of degree
5704 `ad ad
properly, the same as 5703 (used as a preposition, adverb or
conjunction; especially with a preposition); as far (or long,
or much) as, whether of space (even unto) or time (during,
while, until) or degree (equally with):--against, and, as,
at, before, by (that), even (to), for(-asmuch as),
(hither-)to, + how long, into, as long (much) as, (so) that,
till, toward, until, when, while, (+ as) yet.
see HEBREW for 05703
עַד (ad) — till.
prep
1) as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as
1a) of space
1a1) as far as, up to, even to
1b) in combination
1b1) from...as far as, both...and (with 'min' -from)
1c) of time
1c1) even to, until, unto, till, during, end
1d) of degree
1d1) even to, to the degree of, even like
conj
2) until, while, to the point that, so that even
Aramaic equivalent: ad (עַד "till" H5705)
Prep — PrepositionHR
עֶ֫רֶב (ereb) refers to the time of day known as evening or dusk, originally associated with sunset. It can also denote night, particularly in poetic contexts. The phrase 'between two evenings' suggests a time frame between sunset and darkness.
עֶ֫רֶב 131 n.[m.] (sun)set, evening
evening, orig. sunset
du. in phrase between two evenings, i.e. prob. between sunset and dark
(late poet.) = night
base
H6153 עֶ֫רֶב (sun)set, evening . . evening, orig. sunset
. du. in phrase between two evenings, i.e. prob. between sunset and dark
. (late poet.) = night
6153 `ereb eh'-reb
from 6150; dusk:--+ day, even(-ing, tide), night.
see HEBREW for 06150
עֶ֫רֶב (e.rev) — evening.
1) evening, night, sunset
1a) evening, sunset
1b) night
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
Evening
The period following sunset with which the Jewish day began (Gen. 1:5; Mark 13:35). The Hebrews reckoned two evenings of each day, as appears from Ex. 16:12: 30:8; 12:6 (marg.); Lev. 23:5 (marg. R.V., “between the two evenings”). The “first evening” was that period when the sun was verging towards setting, and the “second evening” the moment of actual sunset. The word “evenings” in Jer. 5:6 should be “deserts” (marg. R.V.).
The Hebrews reckoned two evenings in each day; as in the phrase, "between the two evenings," Ex 12:6 Nu 9:3 28:4. In this interval the Passover was to be killed, and the daily evening sacrifice offered, Ex 29:39-41, Hebrew. According to the Carites, this time between the evenings is the interval from sunset to complete darkness, that is, the evening is the interval from sunset to complete darkness, that is, the evening twilight. Compare De 16:6. According to the Pharisees and the rabbins, the first evening began when the sun inclined to descend more rapidly, that is, at the ninth hour; while the second or real evening commenced at sunset. See DAY.