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Psalms 106:22 — Word Study

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WLCנִ֭פְלָאוֹת בְּאֶ֣רֶץ חָ֑ם נ֝וֹרָא֗וֹת עַל־ יַם־ סֽוּף׃

BSAwondrous workspâlâʼ [terrible, fearful, amazing, miracles, acts of wonder] in the landʼerets [country, territory, region] of HamChâm [a son of Noah, his descendants] [and] awesome deedsyârêʼ [fearful, terrible, awe-inspiring, things, acts] byʻal the Redçûwph [sea of Suph, reed-filled] Seayâm

Word
Listen & take awayPsalms 106
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 22 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 (Suf) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Psalms 106:22quick helps
In a sentenceThe psalmist recalls God's miraculous acts in Egypt and the Red Sea.
Who is speakingThe psalmist, reflecting on Israel's history.
Where we areIn a recounting of Israel's past, focusing on God's deeds.
The hard wordנִ֭פְלָאוֹת
Take awayGod's power is displayed through wonders and awesome deeds.
7 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, Ellicott & more — read them › clause verbפָּלָא 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 — Psalms 106:22

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 — Recounting God's Wondersgenerated

21They forgot God their Savior, who did great things in Egypt,
22wondrous works in the land of Ham, and awesome deeds by the Red Sea.
23So He said He would destroy them— had not Moses His chosen one stood before Him in the breach to divert His wrath from destroying them.
24They despised the pleasant land; they did not believe His promise.

Psalms 106:22 reflects on the extraordinary works of God, particularly His miracles in the land of Ham and the awe-inspiring deeds by the Red Sea. This verse is part of a larger narrative where the psalmist reminds the Israelites of their history, emphasizing both God's power and their forgetfulness, as seen in the preceding and following verses.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Psalm 78:51He struck all the firstborn of Egypt, the virility in the tents of Ham.
2Psalm 105:23–27Then Israel entered Egypt; Jacob dwelt in the land of Ham.
3Exodus 14:25–28He caused their chariot wheels to wobble, so that they had difficulty driving. “Let us flee from the Israelites,” said the Egyptians, “for the LORD is fighting for them against Egypt!”
4Exodus 15:10But You blew with Your breath, and the sea covered them. They sank like lead in the mighty waters.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 4 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word נִ֭פְלָאוֹת, Nif.la.'otgenerated

The word נִ֭פְלָאוֹת (Nif.la.'ot) is a feminine plural participle derived from the root פָּלָא (pala'), which means to wonder or be amazed. It describes God's miraculous and extraordinary acts, particularly those that evoke fear and awe.

The Niphal form indicates these wonders are not merely human achievements but divine interventions that inspire reverence. This word captures the essence of God's power demonstrated through miracles, particularly in the context of Israel's deliverance.


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 verse consists of two main clauses, each detailing God's actions: the first focuses on His נִ֭פְלָאוֹת in the land of Ham, and the second on נ֝וֹרָא֗וֹת by the Red Sea. This structure emphasizes the contrast between the two locations and the nature of God's deeds.

The prepositional phrases בְּאֶ֣רֶץ and עַל־ יַם־ serve to specify where these wonders and deeds occurred, grounding the miraculous events in historical geography.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates נִ֭פְלָאוֹת as θαυμαστὰ (thaumasta), meaning 'wondrous' or 'marvelous', which aligns closely with the Hebrew meaning of extraordinary acts.

For נ֝וֹרָא֗וֹת, the translation φοβερὰ (phoberā) emphasizes the fearsome nature of these deeds, reinforcing the sense of awe and respect that they inspire.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalms 106:22 recalls the amazing wonders God performed in the land of Ham and the awesome deeds by the Red Sea. This verse highlights God's miraculous power and serves as a reminder of His past actions in history.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What are the wondrous works mentioned in this verse?

The wondrous works refer to the miracles God performed during the Israelites' time in Egypt and their crossing of the Red Sea, showcasing His power and deliverance.

Why is the land of Ham significant?

The land of Ham is significant as it refers to the descendants of Ham, one of Noah's sons, and often represents regions associated with Egypt and Africa.

What does it mean that these deeds are awesome?

Describing the deeds as awesome indicates that they inspire fear and reverence, highlighting God's greatness and power in performing such acts.

How do these verses connect to the larger narrative of the Psalms?

These verses connect to the larger narrative by reflecting on Israel's history, emphasizing both God's faithfulness in delivering them and their tendency to forget His mighty acts.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What are some examples of God's wondrous works in my own life that I can remember and share?
  2. How can I cultivate a sense of awe and reverence for God's deeds in my daily life?
  3. In what ways do I sometimes forget the amazing things God has done for me?
  4. How can reflecting on God's past actions strengthen my faith today?

Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 106:22 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Wondrous works in the land of Ham,.... The same with Egypt; Mizraim, from whence Egypt had its name, being the son of Ham; [See comments on Psalms 78:51].

Read John Gill on Psalms 106 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

They soon forgat his works; they waited not for his counsel: -Three transgressions of Israel in the wilderness are detailed, rising in gradation of moral guilt, without respect to time: (1) Their

Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 106 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Psalms 106:22 Wondrous works in the land of Ham, [and] terrible things by the Red sea.Ver. 22. Wondrous works in the land of Ham] i.e. Among the Egyptians, Ham’ s posterity. And terrible things by the Red Sea] All which were buried, together with the remembrance of God, the doer.

Read John Trapp on Psalms 106 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(22) Land of Ham.—A synonym for Egypt, peculiar to the historic psalms (Psalms 78:51; Psalms 105:23; Psalms 105:27).

Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 106 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 22. Wondrous works in the land of Ham] The plagues inflicted on the Egyptians. Egypt is called the Land of Ham or Cham, because it was peopled by Misraim the son of Cham.

Read AdamClarke on Psalms 106 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

19–23. A fourth sin; the worship of the calf (Exodus 32; Deuteronomy 9:8 ff.).

Read Cambridge on Psalms 106 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

22. For the places here named see Psalms 106:9, and Psalms 105:23

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Psalms 106 →

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

wondrous works in the land of Ham, and awesome deeds by the Red Sea.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

wondrous works in the land of Ham, and awesome things by the Red Sea.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

wondrous works in the land of Ham, and awesome deeds by the Red Sea.

NETBNew English Translation2006

amazing feats in the land of Ham, mighty acts by the Red Sea.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Wondrous works in the land of Ham, and terrible things by the Red sea.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Wondrous works in the land of Ham, And terrible things by the Red Sea.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Wondrous works in the land of Ham, and terrible things by the Red Sea.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Wondrous works in the land of Ham, and terrible things by the Red sea.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Wonderous woorkes in the lande of Ham, and fearefull things by the red Sea.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Wondrous works in the land of Ham, terrible things by the Red Sea.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Of wonderful things in the land of Ham, Of fearful things by the sea of Suph.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Of wonderful things in the land of Ham, || Of fearful things by the Sea of Suph.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Wonders in the land of Ham, terrible things by the Red Sea.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

He had done wonderful things in the land of Ham and mighty acts at the Sea of Reeds.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And let them sacrifice the sacrifice of praise: and declare his works with joy.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

performing miracles in the land of Ham, doing amazing things at the Red Sea.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Works of wonder in the land of Ham, and things of fear by the Red Sea.

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.

clauseobjectנִ֭פְלָאוֹתwondersprepositional phrase · prepositionalבְּinnoun phraseאֶ֣רֶץthe.landחָ֑םof.Hamclauseobjectנ֝וֹרָא֗וֹתawesome.[deeds]prepositional phrase · prepositionalעַלatnoun phraseיַם[the].seaסֽוּףof.reed[s]

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 Psalms 106:22 reads "נִ֭פְלָאוֹת בְּאֶ֣רֶץ חָ֑ם נ֝וֹרָא֗וֹת עַל־ יַם־ סֽוּף׃" which translates to "wondrous works in the land of Ham, and awesome deeds by the Red Sea." The Septuagint agrees with the Masoretic Text in all seven words, maintaining the same meaning, though its word order and articles differ as is typical for Greek translations. There are no significant differences noted from the Samaritan Pentateuch or the Dead Sea Scrolls for this verse, indicating a strong consistency across these ancient witnesses.

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

נִ֭פְלָאוֹת בְּאֶ֣רֶץ חָ֑ם נ֝וֹרָא֗וֹת עַל־ יַם־ סֽוּף׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
נִ֭פְלָאוֹתθαυμαστὰבְּאֶ֣רֶץγῇחָ֑םξαμנ֝וֹרָא֗וֹתφοβερὰעַל־ἐπὶיַם־θαλάσσηςסֽוּף׃ἐρυθρᾶς

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.

Psalms 106:22פָּלָאwonderswondersפָּלָאאֶ֫רֶץin [the] lain [the] land oאֶ֫רֶץחָםHamHamחָםיָרֵאawesome [deawesome [deeds]יָרֵאעַלatatעַליָם[the] sea o[the] sea ofיָםסוּףreed[s]reed[s]סוּףחָםhothotחָםעַלheightheightעַלסוּףSuphSuphסוּףנֶ֫דֶרvowvowנֶ֫דֶרחֶ֫סֶדkindnesskindnessחֶ֫סֶדכְּנַ֫עַןCanaanCanaanכְּנַ֫עַןמִצְרַ֫יִם(Sea of) E(Sea of) Egyptמִצְרַ֫יִםיֶ֫פֶתJaphethJaphethיֶ֫פֶתשֵׁםShemShemשֵׁםחָתַתto to be dto to be dismayחָתַתאַלnotnotאַלכִּפֶּרto atoneto atoneכִּפֶּרכִּסֵּאthronethroneכִּסֵּאסוּףreedreedסוּףפֵּאָהsidesideפֵּאָהאַרְבֶּהlocustlocustאַרְבֶּהיָם(Mt. Ephro(Mt. Ephron in יָם
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 Psalms 106:22

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.

wonders in [the] land of Ham awesome [deeds] at [the] sea of reed[s]
נִ֭פְלָאוֹתNif.la.'ot wonders H6381 Verb · Niphal · participle (active) feminine plural
71× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to wonder or be amazed, often at something great or difficult. It describes God's power and miracles in the Bible, like in the book of Psalms. The KJV translates it as 'marvelous' or 'wonderful'.
Amplified meaning
terrible, fearful, amazing, miracles, acts of wonder
Tyndale gloss
to wonder
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word פָּלָא (pala') is a verb that conveys the idea of being extraordinary or wonderful. It can describe actions that are difficult to perform or understand, as well as marvelous acts of God, particularly in judgment and redemption. The word can also refer to making special offerings or showing oneself in a marvelous way.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[פָּלָא] 71 vb. denom. Niph. etc., be surpassing, extraordinary

Niph.

be beyond one's power, difficult to do

be difficult to understand

be extraordinary, wonderful

as subst., marvellous things

= wonderful acts of י׳ in judgement and redemption

Pi. make a special votive offering

Hiph.

do a hard or difficult thing

make wonderful, do wondrously

of God working wonders in doing

Hithp. thou dost shew thyself marvellous (act inexplicably) against me

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6381 פָּלָא vb. denom. Niph. etc., be surpassing, extraordinary . . be beyond one's power, difficult to do

. be difficult to understand

. . be extraordinary, wonderful

. as subst., marvellous things

. = wonderful acts of י׳ in judgement and redemption

. make a special votive offering

. . do a hard or difficult thing

. make wonderful, do wondrously

. of God working wonders in doing

. thou dost shew thyself marvellous (act inexplicably) against me

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6381 pala' paw-law'

a primitive root; properly, perhaps to separate, i.e.

distinguish (literally or figuratively); by implication, to be

(causatively, make) great, difficult, wonderful:--accomplish,

(arise...too, be too) hard, hidden, things too high, (be, do,

do a, shew) marvelous(-ly, -els, things, work), miracles,

perform, separate, make singular, (be, great, make)

wonderful(-ers, -ly, things, works), wondrous (things,

works, -ly).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

פָּלָא (pa.la) — to wonder.

1) to be marvellous, be wonderful, be surpassing, be extraordinary, separate by distinguishing action

1a) (Niphal)

1a1) to be beyond one's power, be difficult to do

1a2) to be difficult to understand

1a3) to be wonderful, be extraordinary

1a3a) marvellous (participle)

1b) (Piel) to separate (an offering)

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to do extraordinary or hard or difficult thing

1c2) to make wonderful, do wondrously

1d) (Hithpael) to show oneself wonderful or marvellous

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Niphal — Verb · Niphal · participle (active) feminine plural
HVNrfpa
wonders in [the] land of Ham awesome [deeds] at [the] sea of reed[s]
בְּאֶ֣רֶץbe.'E.retz in [the] land of H776 Preposition · noun common feminine singular construct
2,504× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The land or earth refers to the soil or ground, and can also mean a country, territory, or region. In the Bible, it is used to describe the earth and its inhabitants, and is often translated as 'land' or 'country'.
Amplified meaning
country, territory, region
Tyndale gloss
land: soil
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֶ֫רֶץ (erets) is a feminine noun meaning 'earth' or 'land.' It encompasses various meanings, including the whole earth, specific territories like Canaan, and even inhabitants of the land. It can refer to soil, ground, or regions, and is used in phrases related to distance and the living. There is a note on the plural form אֲרָצוֹת, which mainly appears in later texts to denote multiple lands.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶ֫רֶץ n. f. & (seld.) m. earth, land

earth, whole earth (opp. to a part)

earth, opp. to heaven, sky

earth = inhabitants of earth

land =

country, territory

district, region

trial territory

piece of ground

specif. land of Canaan, or Israel

= inhabitants of land

used even of Shᵉʼôl

ground, surface of ground

soil, as productive

אֶרֶץ in phrases

people of the land

in measurements of distance

the country of the plain, level or plain country

land of the living

end(s) of the earth

pl. אֲרָצוֹת is almost wholly late; it denotes lands, countries, often in contrast to Canaan, lands of the nations, etc.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H776 אֶ֫רֶץ n. f. & (seld.) m. earth, land . . earth, whole earth (opp. to a part)

. earth, opp. to heaven, sky

. earth = inhabitants of earth

. land = . country, territory

. district, region

. trial territory

. piece of ground

. specif. land of Canaan, or Israel

. = inhabitants of land

. used even of Shᵉʼôl

. . ground, surface of ground

. soil, as productive

. אֶרֶץ in phrases . people of the land

. in measurements of distance

. the country of the plain, level or plain country

. land of the living

. end(s) of the earth

. pl. אֲרָצוֹת is almost wholly late; it denotes lands, countries, often in contrast to Canaan, lands of the nations, etc.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

776 'erets eh'-rets

from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth

(at large, or partitively a land):--X common, country, earth,

field, ground, land, X natins, way, + wilderness, world.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶ֫רֶץ (e.rets) — land: country/planet.

: country/field

1) land, earth

1a) earth

1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part)

1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven)

1a3) earth (inhabitants)

1b) land

1b1) country, territory

1b2) district, region

1b3) tribal territory

1b4) piece of ground

1b5) land of Canaan, Israel

1b6) inhabitants of land

1b7) Sheol, land without return, (under) world

1b8) city (-state)

1c) ground, surface of the earth

1c1) ground

1c2) soil

1d) (in phrases)

1d1) people of the land

1d2) space or distance of country (in measurements of distance)

1d3) level or plain country

1d4) land of the living

1d5) end(s) of the earth

1e) (almost wholly late in usage)

1e1) lands, countries

1e1a) often in contrast to Canaan

אֶ֫רֶץ (e.rets) — land: soil.

: soil

1) land, earth

1a) earth

1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part)

1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven)

1a3) earth (inhabitants)

1b) land

1b1) country, territory

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-cs — Preposition · noun common feminine singular construct
HR/Ncfsc
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…

wonders in [the] land of Ham awesome [deeds] at [the] sea of reed[s]
חָ֑םCham Ham H2526 Noun proper
16× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Ham was a son of Noah and the name also refers to his descendants or their country, often associated with hot southern lands. This term appears in Genesis 5:32 and 9:18. Ham's story is significant in biblical history.
Amplified meaning
a son of Noah, his descendants
Tyndale gloss
Ham
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חָם (Cham) refers to Ham, the second son of Noah, and is associated with his descendants, including various peoples from southern lands. The name also serves as a collective term for Egyptians. The word is linked to the idea of heat, reflecting the tropical habitat of the region.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חָם n.pr.pers.m. and loc.

Ham, 2nd son of Noah

a name (coll.) for Egyptians

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2526 חָם . Ham, 2nd son of Noah

. a name (coll.) for Egyptians

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2526 Cham khawm

the same as 2525; hot (from the tropical habitat); Cham, a

son of Noah; also (as a patronymic) his descendants or their

country:--Ham.

see HEBREW for 02525

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חָם (cham) — Ham.

A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.5.32;

son of: Noah (H5146);

brother of: Shem (H8035) and Japheth (H3315);

father of: Canaan (H3667), Cush (H3568), Egypt (H4714) and Put (H6316)

§ Ham = "hot"

1) 2nd son of Noah, father of Canaan and of various peoples which were inhabitants of southern lands

2) in late usage, a collective name for Egyptians

n pr loc

חָם (cham) — Ham.

§ Ham = "hot"

southern lands continaing the descendants of Ham

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper
HNpl
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Ham

Warm, hot, and hence the south; also an Egyptian word meaning “black”, the youngest son of Noah (Gen. 5:32; comp. 9:22,24). The curse pronounced by Noah against Ham, properly against Canaan his fourth son, was accomplished when the Jews subsequently exterminated the Canaanites.

One of the most important facts recorded in Gen. 10 is the foundation of the earliest monarchy in Babylonia by Nimrod the grandson of Ham (6, 8, 10). The primitive Babylonian empire was thus Hamitic, and of a cognate race with the primitive inhabitants of Arabia and of Ethiopia. (See ACCAD.)

The race of Ham were the most energetic of all the descendants of Noah in the early times of the post-diluvian world.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(hot; sunburnt). The name of one of the three sons of Noah, apparently the second in age. (B.C. 2448.) Of the history of Ham nothing is related except his irreverence to his father and the curse which that patriarch pronounced. The sons of Ham are stated, to have been "Cush and Mizraim and Phut and Canaan." (Genesis 10:6) comp. 1Chr 1:8 Egypt is recognized as the "land of Ham" in the Bible. (Psalms 78:51; 105:23; 106:22) The other settlements of the sons of Ham are discussed under their respective names. The three most illustrious Hamite nations--the Cushites, the Phoenicians and the Egyptians--were greatly mixed with foreign peoples. Their architecture has a solid grandeur that we look for in vain elsewhere. According to the…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

1. Burnt, swarthy, black, A son of Noah, Ge 5:32 7:13 9:18 10:1. The impiety revealed in his conduct towards his father, drew upon him, or rather, according to the Bible statement, on his son Canaan, a prophetic malediction, Ge 9:20-27. Ham was the father of Cush, Mizraim, Phut, and Canaan, that is, the ancestor of the Canaanites, Southern Arabians, Ethiopians, Egyptians, and the Africans in general, Ge 10:6-20.

2. A poetical name for Egypt, Ps 78:51 106:22.

3. An unknown place of the Zuzim, Ge 14:5.

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

hot; heat; brown

wonders in [the] land of Ham awesome [deeds] at [the] sea of reed[s]
נ֝וֹרָא֗וֹתno.ra.'ot awesome [deeds] H3372 Verb · Niphal · participle (active) feminine plural
315× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to fear or revere, and is used to describe being afraid or standing in awe of something, like God's power. It appears in the Bible to convey a sense of respect or reverence. In the KJV, it's translated as 'affright' or 'reverence'.
Amplified meaning
fearful, terrible, awe-inspiring, things, acts
Tyndale gloss
to fear
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָרֵא (yare') is a Hebrew verb meaning to fear or be afraid, encompassing a range of meanings from reverence and honor to causing terror. It appears in various forms, including Qal (to fear), Niphal (to be fearful), and Piel (to terrify). The entries highlight its moral and emotional dimensions, emphasizing awe and respect, particularly in relation to the divine.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָרֵא vb. fear

Qal

fear, be afraid

stand in awe of

fear, reverence, honour

Niph.

be fearful, dreadful

cause astonishment and awe

inspire reverence, godly fear, and awe

Piel. make afraid, terrify

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3372 יָרֵא fear .. fear, be afraid

. stand in awe of

. fear, reverence, honour

. . be fearful, dreadful

. cause astonishment and awe

. inspire reverence, godly fear, and awe

. make afraid, terrify

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3372 yare' yaw-ray'

a primitive root; to fear; morally, to revere; caus. to

frighten:--affright, be (make) afraid, dread(-ful), (put in)

fear(-ful, -fully, -ing), (be had in) reverence(-end), X see,

terrible (act, -ness, thing).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָרֵא (ya.re) — to fear.

: frightening(DANGER)

1) to fear, revere, be afraid

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to fear, be afraid

1a2) to stand in awe of, be awed

1a3) to fear, reverence, honour, respect

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be fearful, be dreadful, be feared

1b2) to cause astonishment and awe, be held in awe

1b3) to inspire reverence or godly fear or awe

1c) (Piel) to make afraid, terrify

2) (TWOT) to shoot, pour

יָרֵא (ya.re) — to fear: revere.

: awesome(god)

1) to fear, revere, be afraid

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to fear, be afraid

1a2) to stand in awe of, be awed

1a3) to fear, reverence, honour, respect

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be fearful, be dreadful, be feared

1b2) to cause astonishment and awe, be held in awe

1b3) to inspire reverence or godly fear or awe

1c) (Piel) to make afraid, terrify

2) (TWOT) to shoot, pour

Also means: ya.re (יָרֵא ": frightening" H3372)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Niphal — Verb · Niphal · participle (active) feminine plural
HVNrfpa
wonders in [the] land of Ham awesome [deeds] at [the] sea of reed[s]
עַל־'al- at H5921 Preposition
5,774× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means on or above something, like a physical object or a situation. It can also imply a sense of responsibility or accountability, as in being on behalf of someone.
Tyndale gloss
upon
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עַל (*al*) is a preposition meaning 'upon' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including 'on account of,' 'beside,' 'above,' and 'against.' It can indicate physical placement, emotional burdens, or duties imposed on a person. The entries also note its use in idiomatic expressions and with verbs of motion. There is a mention of its function as a conjunction in certain contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

base

עַל, עָ֑ל

subst. height

As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against

Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed

of clothing, etc., which any one wears

With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it

Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him

Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him

על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him

חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5921a עַל, עָ֑ל . As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against . Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed . — . of clothing, etc., which any one wears

. With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it

. Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him

. Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him

. על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him

. חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5921 `al al

properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the

singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a

particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always

in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great

variety of applications (as follow):--above, according

to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because

of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both

and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in

(that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-)on, over, than,

through(-out), to, touching, X with.

see HEBREW for 05920

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עַל (al) — upon.

prep

1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against

1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards

1b) above, beyond, over (of excess)

1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence)

1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition)

1e) over (of suspension or extension)

1f) by, adjoining, next, at, over, around (of contiguity or proximity)

1g) down upon, upon, on, from, up upon, up to, towards, over towards, to, against (with verbs of motion)

1h) to (as a dative)

[כִּי] עַל [כֵּן] ([ki] al [ken]) — as.

conj

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Preposition
HR
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
wonders in [the] land of Ham awesome [deeds] at [the] sea of reed[s]
יַם־yam- [the] sea of H3220 Noun common · masculine singular construct
396× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Refers to a large body of water like the Mediterranean Sea or a sea in general, sometimes specifically the west or seaward direction.
Tyndale gloss
(Mt. Ephron in the) West
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָם (yam) means 'sea' and refers to various large bodies of water, including the Mediterranean, Red, and Dead Seas, as well as the Sea of Galilee. It can also denote a mighty river like the Nile and has geographical implications, indicating directions such as west or south. The term is derived from a root meaning to roar, suggesting the noise of breaking surf.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָם 390 n.m. sea

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3220 יָם sea

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3220 yam yawm

from an unused root meaning to roar; a sea (as breaking in

noisy surf) or large body of water; specifically (with the

article), the Mediterranean Sea; sometimes a large river, or

an artifical basin; locally, the west, or (rarely) the

south:--sea (X -faring man, (-shore)), south, west (-ern,

side, -ward).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָם (yam) — sea.

: sea

1) sea

1a) Mediterranean Sea

1b) Red Sea

1c) Dead Sea

1d) Sea of Galilee

1e) sea (general)

1f) mighty river (Nile)

1g) the sea (the great basin in the temple court)

1h) seaward, west, westward

יָם (yam) — sea: west.

: west

1) sea

1a) Mediterranean Sea

1b) Red Sea

1c) Dead Sea

1d) Sea of Galilee

1e) sea (general)

1f) mighty river (Nile)

1g) the sea (the great basin in the temple court)

1h) seaward, west, westward

יָם (yam) — (Mt. Ephron in the) West.

This name means sea, seaward, westward

Another name of eph.ron (עֶפְרוֹן "(Mount )Ephron" H6085H)

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…

wonders in [the] land of Ham awesome [deeds] at [the] sea of reed[s]
סֽוּף׃Suf reed[s] H5488 Noun
28× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word refers to a type of reed or water plant, often used to describe the Red Sea. It appears in Exodus as the body of water the Israelites crossed. The word is also translated as flag or weed in some versions.
Amplified meaning
sea of Suph, reed-filled
Tyndale gloss
reed
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

סוּף (suph) refers to reeds or rushes, particularly associated with the Nile and the Red Sea. The term may have Egyptian origins and is used to describe both a type of water plant and the Red Sea itself. The entries indicate that it can denote the Gulf of Suez and the sea from the straits to the Gulf of Akaba.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

סוּף n.m. reeds, rushes

rushes, in Nile

Red Sea

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5488 סוּף reeds, rushes . rushes, in Nile

. Red Sea

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5488 cuwph soof

probably of Egyptian origin; a reed, especially the

papyrus:--flag, Red (sea), weed. Compare 5489.

see HEBREW for 05489

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

סוּף (suph) — Red (Sea).

1) of Red Sea

2) of Gulf of Suez

3) of sea from straits to Gulf of Akaba

Also named: eruthros (ἐρυθρός "Red( Sea)" G2063) as "Reed Sea"

סוּף (suph) — reed.

1) reed, rush, water plant

1a) rushes

1b) sea of rushes - used of Red Sea

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun
HNtmsa
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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