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Psalms 106:32 — Word Study

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WLCוַ֭יַּקְצִיפוּ עַל־ מֵ֥י מְרִיבָ֑ה וַיֵּ֥רַע לְ֝מֹשֶׁ֗ה בַּעֲבוּרָֽם׃

BSAAt the watersmayim [source of refreshment, liquid] they angeredqâtsaph [be furious, intensely rage] the LORDʻal [the supreme God, Elohim] and trouble camerâʻaʻ [affliction, evil] to MosesMôsheh [the Israelite leader, lawgiver] because of themʻâbûwr [for their sakes, on their account]

Word
Listen & take awayPsalms 106
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 32 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 (ba.'a.vu.Ram) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Psalms 106:32quick helps
In a sentenceThe Israelites provoked the LORD at Meribah, leading to trouble for Moses.
Who is speakingThe psalmist recounts a historical event involving the Israelites and Moses.
Where we areThis verse is part of a psalm reflecting on Israel's history and God's faithfulness.
The hard wordקָצַף
Take awayProvocation leads to consequences, affecting both the people and their leader.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbקָצַף 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 106:32

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 Rebellion at Meribahgenerated

31It was credited to him as righteousness for endless generations to come.
32At the waters of Meribah they angered the LORD, and trouble came to Moses because of them.
33For they rebelled against His Spirit, and Moses spoke rashly with his lips.
34They did not destroy the peoples as the LORD had commanded them,

Psalm 106:32 recounts the Israelites' rebellion against God at Meribah, where their complaints led to God's anger. This incident is significant in Israel's history, illustrating the consequences of disobedience and the challenges faced by Moses as their leader. The psalmist reflects on this event to remind the people of their past failures and God's enduring mercy, as seen in the surrounding verses.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Psalm 78:40How often they disobeyed Him in the wilderness and grieved Him in the desert!
2Psalm 81:7You called out in distress, and I rescued you; I answered you from the cloud of thunder; I tested you at the waters of Meribah. Selah
3Numbers 20:2–6Now there was no water for the congregation, so they gathered against Moses and Aaron.
4Numbers 20:12–23But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust Me to show My holiness in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them.”
5Numbers 27:13–14After you have seen it, you too will be gathered to your people, as your brother Aaron was;

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 8 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word קָצַף, Vai.yak.tzi.fugenerated

The verb קָצַף (qatsaph) is in the Hiphil stem, indicating an action of provoking anger. This form emphasizes the act of causing someone else to become angry, which in this case refers to the Israelites provoking the LORD.

This word appears frequently in the Old Testament, often in contexts where God's anger is a response to human actions. The intensity of the anger described here suggests a serious breach of relationship between the Israelites and God.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

All translations agree that the Israelites provoked God at Meribah, with the BSB using angered, which is mirrored by the KJV and ASV.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb וַיַּקְצִיפוּ governs the sentence, describing the action of the Israelites. It is followed by a prepositional phrase indicating where this provocation took place, עַל־ מֵ֥י מְרִיבָ֑ה, and another clause that describes the resulting trouble for Moses.

The structure reflects a cause-and-effect relationship: the provocation leads to trouble, emphasizing the serious consequences of the Israelites' actions.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint uses παρώργισαν to translate קָצַף, which carries a similar meaning of provoking anger. This choice indicates a direct correlation between the Hebrew and Greek terms, maintaining the intensity of the provocation.

The use of ἀντιλογίας for מְרִיבָה also highlights the theme of conflict, reinforcing the narrative of strife between the Israelites and God.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalm 106:32 describes how the Israelites angered the LORD at Meribah, leading to trouble for Moses because of their actions. This verse serves as a reminder of the consequences of rebellion against God.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that they angered the LORD?

It means that the Israelites' actions provoked God's wrath, which is a serious matter in the context of their relationship with Him.

Why was Moses troubled because of them?

Moses, as the leader, faced the consequences of the people's rebellion, which affected his leadership and relationship with God.

What is the significance of Meribah?

Meribah represents a place of conflict and strife, highlighting the challenges faced by the Israelites during their journey in the wilderness.

How does this verse relate to the overall message of Psalm 106?

This verse illustrates the recurring theme of Israel's disobedience and God's faithfulness, serving as a cautionary tale for future generations.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. How can I recognize areas in my life where I may be provoking God through my actions?
  2. What lessons can I learn from the Israelites' experience at Meribah?
  3. In what ways can I support leaders in my community who face challenges due to others' actions?
  4. How does understanding the consequences of rebellion against God shape my faith and actions?

The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it

The early church fathers, such as Augustine of Hippo, referenced this verse to discuss themes of anger and leadership, illustrating its theological significance.

Augustine of HippoExposition on Psalms 106 354–430
"And they angered Him at the waters of strife: so that Moses was vexed for their sakes" [Psalms 106:32];
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 106 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 106:32 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

They angered him also at the waters of strife,.... Or, "at the waters of Meribah" (z); that is, Meribahkadesh, as it is called in Deuteronomy 32:51 to distinguish it from Meribahrephidim, where also

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

Yea, they despised the pleasant land, they believed not his word: (1) The people's distrust of the Lord's word as to Canaan after hearing the spies' report (Psalms 106:24-27).

Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 106 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Or, because of them, upon occasion of their unbelief and murmuring, whereby he was provoked to speak unadvisedly, as it here follows.

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

Psalms 106:32 They angered [him] also at the waters of strife, so that it went ill with Moses for their sakes:Ver. 32. They angered him also at the waters of strife] Yet he made not the least semblance of it to Moses, but only bade him smite the rock, which, if he had then done, and no more, he had done right. God is Bagnal Chemah, master of his anger, Nahum 1:2, so was not meek Moses at this time. The best are miscarried by their passions sometimes, to their cost. So that it went ill with Moses for their sakes] i.e. By their means he was kept out of Canaan, which was a great cross to him, and his repentance, as to that favour, came too late, for God was resolved.

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

(13-33) These twenty verses cover the desert wanderings, beginning with the discontented spirit mentioned in Exodus 15:23.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 106 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

32, 33. A seventh sin; the murmuring at Meribah (Numbers 20:1-13). It is perhaps placed last as a climax, because in this case Moses was involved by Israel’s sin. The faith and patience of the leader who had endured so long gave way at last.

Read Cambridge on Psalms 106 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

They angered him also at the waters of strife - Numbers 20:3-13. They complained of the lack of water. They wished that they had died as others had done. They murmured against God as if he could not supply their needs.

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

32. Waters of strife—Hebrew, the waters of Meribah. This scene was at Kadesh, or Kadesh-barnea, in the wilderness of Kadesh, or Zin, on the second arrival of Israel at that place. Numbers 20:1-13.

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

At the waters of Meribah they angered the LORD, and trouble came to Moses because of them.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

They angered him also at the waters of Meribah, so that Moses was troubled for their sakes;

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

At the waters of Meribah they angered the LORD, and trouble came to Moses because of them.

NETBNew English Translation2006

They made him angry by the waters of Meribah, and Moses suffered because of them,

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

They angered him also at the waters of strife, so that it went ill with Moses for their sakes:

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

They angered him also at the waters of Meribah, So that it went ill with Moses for their sakes;

RVARevised Version, American1894

They angered him also at the waters of Meribah, so that it went ill with Moses for their sakes:

NWBWebster's Bible1833

They angered him also at the waters of strife, so that it went ill with Moses for their sakes:

GNVGeneva Bible1599

They angred him also at the waters of Meribah, so that Moses was punished for their sakes,

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And they moved him to wrath at the waters of Meribah, and it went ill with Moses on their account;

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And they cause wrath by the waters of Meribah, And it is evil to Moses for their sakes,

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And they cause wrath by the waters of Meribah, || And it is evil to Moses for their sakes,

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

They angered him also at the waters of Meribah, and evil happened to Moses for their sake;

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

They also angered Yahweh at the waters of Meribah, and Moses suffered because of them.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And let them exalt him in the church of the people: and praise him in the chair of the ancients.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

They also angered him at the waters of Meribah where things went badly for Moses because of them.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

They made God angry again at the waters of Meribah, so that Moses was troubled because of them;

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.

וַ֭andclauseverbיַּקְצִיפוּthey.provoked.[him].to.angerprepositional phrase · prepositionalעַלatnoun phraseמֵ֥יthe.watersמְרִיבָ֑הof.Meribahוַandclauseverbיֵּ֥רַעit.was.badprepositional phrase · prepositionalלְ֝forמֹשֶׁ֗הMosesprepositional phrase · prepositionalprepositional phraseבַּbecauseעֲבוּרָֽofםthem

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 largely agree in their wording, with six of the seven words matching. This consistency indicates a stable tradition in the transmission of this verse, although the Septuagint's word order differs.

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

וַ֭יַּקְצִיפוּ עַל־ מֵ֥י מְרִיבָ֑ה וַיֵּ֥רַע לְ֝מֹשֶׁ֗ה בַּעֲבוּרָֽם׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַ֭יַּקְצִיפוּπαρώργισανעַל־ἐφ’מֵ֥יὕδατοςמְרִיבָ֑הἀντιλογίαςוַיֵּ֥רַעἐκακώθηלְ֝מֹשֶׁ֗הμωυσῆς

6 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 106:32קָצַףand they prand they provokקָצַףעַלatatעַלמַי[the] water[the] waters ofמַימְרִיבָהMeribahMeribahמְרִיבָהרָעַעand it was and it was badרָעַעמֹשֶׁהfor Mosesfor Mosesמֹשֶׁהעָבוּרbecause of because of themעָבוּרבֵּית־עֵ֫קֶדHouse of SHouse of Shepheבֵּית־עֵ֫קֶדמָשָׁהto drawto drawמָשָׁהעַלheightheightעַלמְרִיבָהprovocatioprovocationמְרִיבָהעָבַרto passto passעָבַרשַׁאֲנָןsecuresecureשַׁאֲנָןסָתַרto hideto hideסָתַרכִּפֶּרto atoneto atoneכִּפֶּרכִּסֵּאthronethroneכִּסֵּארָחַץto wash: wto wash: washרָחַץשָׁתָהto drinkto drinkשָׁתָהמַסָּהMassahMassahמַסָּהקָדֵשׁKadeshKadeshקָדֵשׁיָטַבbe goodbe goodיָטַבאַהֲרֹןAaronAaronאַהֲרֹןצָוָהto commandto commandצָוָהאֲדָמָהland: soilland: soilאֲדָמָהבָּרַךְto blessto blessבָּרַךְ
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 106:32

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.

and they provoked to anger at [the] waters of Meribah and it was bad for Moses because of them
וַ֭יַּקְצִיפוּVai.yak.tzi.fu and they provoked to anger H7107 Verb · Hiphil · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
34× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means to be angry or furious, like God's wrath in Psalm 2:12. It describes intense rage or displeasure, often used to warn against provoking God's anger. This word appears in various forms throughout the Old Testament.
Amplified meaning
be furious, intensely rage
Tyndale gloss
be angry
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

קָצַף (qatsaph) is a Hebrew verb meaning to be wroth or angry. It covers various aspects of anger, including being displeased, fretting oneself, and provoking to wrath. The verb has different stems: Qal indicates being wroth, Hiphil means to provoke to anger, and Hithpael refers to putting oneself in a rage. Its Aramaic equivalent is קְצַף (H7108).

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

קָצַף vb. be wroth

Qal be wroth

Hiph. provoke to wrath

Hithp. put oneself in a rage

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7107 קָצַף be wroth

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7107 qatsaph kaw-tsaf'

a primitive root; to crack off, i.e. (figuratively) burst out

in rage:--(be) anger(-ry), displease, fret self, (provoke to)

wrath (come), be wroth.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קָצַף (qa.tsaph) — be angry.

1) to be displeased, be angry, fret oneself, be wroth

1a) (Qal) to be wroth, to be full of wrath, to be furious

1b) (Hiphil) to provoke to wrath or anger

1c) (Hithpael) to put oneself in a rage, anger oneself

Aramaic equivalent: qe.tsaph (קְצַף "be angry" H7108)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Hiphil-ConsecImperf-3mp — Verb · Hiphil · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
Hc/Vhw3mp
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

an'-ger: In the Old Testament, the translation of several Hebrew words, especially of 'aph (lit. "nostril," "countenance"), which is used some 45 times of human, 177 times of Divine, anger (OHL). The word occurs rarely in the New Testament (Mr 3:5; Eph 4:31; Col 3:8; Re 14:10), its place being taken by the word "wrath" (see WRATH). As a translation of words denoting God's "anger," the English word is unfortunate so far as it may seem to imply selfish, malicious or vindictive personal feeling. The anger of God is the response of His holiness to outbreaking sin. Particularly when it culminates in action is it rightly called Has "wrath." The Old Testament doctrine of God's anger…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Anger

The emotion of instant displeasure on account of something evil that presents itself to our view. In itself it is an original susceptibility of our nature, just as love is, and is not necessarily sinful. It may, however, become sinful when causeless, or excessive, or protracted (Matt. 5:22; Eph. 4:26; Col. 3:8). As ascribed to God, it merely denotes his displeasure with sin and with sinners (Ps. 7:11).

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A violent emotion of a painful nature, sometimes arising spontaneously upon just occasion, but usually characterized in the Bible as a great sin, Mt 5:22 Eph 4:31 Col 3:8. Even when just, our anger should be mitigated by a due consideration of the circumstances of the offence and the state of mind of the offender; of the folly and ill-results of this passion; of the claims of the gospel, and of our own need of forgiveness from others, but especially from God, Mt 6:15. Anger is in Scripture frequently attributed to God, Mt 7:11 28:20; not that he is liable to those violent emotions which this passion produces, but…

Nave's Topical Bible

→ General scriptures concerning Ge 4:6; 49:7; 2Ch 28:9; Job 5:2; 19:29; Ps 37:8; 55:3; 76:10; Pr 6:34; 12:16; 14:17,29; 15:1,18; 16:14,29,32; 17:14; 19:11,12,19; 21:24; 22:24,25; 25:28; 27:3,4; 29:8,9,22; 30:33; Ec 7:9; Ho 7:16; Am 1:11; Jon 4:4; Mt 5:22; 2Co 12:20;

and they provoked to anger at [the] waters of Meribah and it was bad for Moses because of them
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.
Amplified meaning
the supreme God, Elohim
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
and they provoked to anger at [the] waters of Meribah and it was bad for Moses because of them
מֵ֥יmei [the] waters of H4325 Noun common · masculine plural construct
581× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means water, referring to a liquid or a source of refreshment. It appears in the Bible as a literal and figurative term, including references to wasting or urine. The word is used in various contexts, such as in Genesis and Leviticus.
Amplified meaning
source of refreshment, liquid
Tyndale gloss
Water (Gate)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מַי (mayim) is a Hebrew word meaning 'water' and is used in the plural form. It encompasses various meanings, including literal water, urine, and metaphorical uses related to refreshment or danger. The entries indicate it is derived from a primitive noun and is primarily referenced in contexts involving water.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[מַי] 580 n.m. only pl. מַ֫יִם waters, water

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4325 מַי only pl. מַ֫יִם waters, water

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4325 mayim mah'-yim

dual of a primitive noun (but used in a singular sense);

water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen:--+

piss, wasting, water(-ing, (-course, -flood, -spring)).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מַי (ma.yim) — water.

1) water, waters

1a) water

1b) water of the feet, urine

1c) of danger, violence, transitory things, refreshment (fig.)

מַי (ma.yim) — Water (Gate).

This name means water, refreshment

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural construct
HNcmpc
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…

and they provoked to anger at [the] waters of Meribah and it was bad for Moses because of them
מְרִיבָ֑הme.ri.Vah Meribah H4809 Noun proper
11× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Meribah was a place in the Desert where the Israelites argued with God, as recorded in Numbers 20:13 and 27:14.
Tyndale gloss
Meribah
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מְרִיבָה (Meribah) means 'place of strife' and refers to two locations where the Israelites complained against God: one at Rephidim and another at Kadesh. The name is derived from the root meaning 'strife' or 'contention,' highlighting the conflict experienced by the people in these desert settings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מְרִיבָה n.pr.loc. (place of strife)

at Rephidim

at Kadesh

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4809 מְרִיבָה (place of strife) . at Rephidim

. at Kadesh

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4809 Mriybah mer-ee-baw'

the same as 4808; Meribah, the name of two places in the

Desert:--Meribah.

see HEBREW for 04808

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מְרִיבָה (me.ri.vah) — Meribah.

§ Meribah = "strife" or "contention"

1) a fountain at Rephidim, in the desert of Sin; so called because the Israelites murmured against God

2) the name of the water supply at Kadesh on the southern border of the promised land; the people also murmured here against God

מְרִיבָה (me.ri.vah) — Meribah.

§ Meribah = "strife" or "contention"

1) a fountain at Rephidim, in the desert of Sin; so called because the Israelites murmured against God

2) the name of the water supply at Kadesh on the southern border of the promised land; the people also murmured here against God

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNpl — Noun proper
HNpl
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

mer'-i-ba, me-re'-ba.

See MASSAH AND MERIBAH.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Meribah

Quarrel or strife. (1.) One of the names given by Moses to the fountain in the desert of Sin, near Rephidim, which issued from the rock in Horeb, which he smote by the divine command, “because of the chiding of the children of Israel” (Ex. 17:1-7). It was also called Massah (q.v.). It was probably in Wady Feiran, near Mount Serbal.

(2.) Another fountain having a similar origin in the desert of Zin, near to Kadesh (Num. 27:14). The two places are mentioned together in Deut. 33:8. Some think the one place is called by the two names (Ps. 81:7). In smiting the rock at this place Moses showed the same impatience as the people (

(strife, contention). In (Exodus 17:7) we read, "he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah," where the people murmured and the rock was smitten. [For the situation see REPHIDIM] The name is also given to Kadesh, (Numbers 20:13,24; 27:14; 32:51) (Meribah-kadesh), because there also the people, when in want of water, strove with God.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Strife,

1. A station of the Israelites between the Red Sea and Mount Sinai, where they murmured against the Lord, and a fountain gushed from the rock for their use, Ex 17:1-7. It was also named Massah, temptation, when they tempted God there, De 33:8 Heb 3:8.

2. A similar miraculous fountain in the desert of Zin, near Kadesh, which see, Nu 20:13,14. This was the scene of the transgression of Moses and Aaron, for which they were precluded from crossing the Jordan. It is called "the waters of Meribah," De 33:8 Ps 81:7 106:32, and also Meribah-kadesh,

and they provoked to anger at [the] waters of Meribah and it was bad for Moses because of them
וַיֵּ֥רַעvai.Ye.ra' and it was bad H7489 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
107× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to shatter or break something into pieces, making it useless or bad. It can also mean to afflict or displease someone.
Amplified meaning
affliction, evil
Tyndale gloss
be evil
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רָעַע (ra`a`) is a Hebrew verb with meanings related to being evil or breaking. It encompasses a range of concepts from moral wickedness to physical shattering. The entries indicate that it can refer to causing harm or injury, as well as being displeasing or sad. There is a notable distinction in the lexicons regarding its use in ethical contexts versus physical breaking.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[רָעַע] 98 vb. denom. be evil, bad

Qal

be displeasing

be sad

be injurious, evil

be evil, wicked, ethically

Niph. suffer hurt

Hiph. 70

do an injury, hurt

do evil, wickedly

base

[רָעַע] vb. break

Qal

trans. can one break iron, iron out of the north ?

intrans. break = be broken

Hithpō‛. the earth is broken asunder

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7489a רָעַע vb. denom. be evil, bad H7489b רָעַע break

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7489 ra`a` raw-ah'

a primitive root; properly, to spoil (literally, by breaking

to pieces); figuratively, to make (or be) good for nothing,

i.e. bad (physically, socially or morally):--afflict,

associate selves (by mistake for 7462), break (down, in

pieces), + displease, (be, bring, do) evil (doer, entreat,

man), show self friendly (by mistake for 7462), do harm, (do)

hurt, (behave self, deal) ill, X indeed, do mischief, punish,

still, vex, (do) wicked (doer, -ly), be (deal, do) worse.

see HEBREW for 07462

see HEBREW for 07462

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רָעַע (ra.a) — be evil.

1) to be bad, be evil

1a)(Qal)

1a1) to be displeasing

1a2) to be sad

1a3) to be injurious, be evil

1a4) to be wicked, be evil (ethically)

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to do an injury or hurt

1b2) to do evil or wickedly

1b3) mischief (participle)

רָעַע (ra.a) — to shatter.

1) to break, shatter

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to break

1a2) broken (participle)

1a3) to be broken

1b) (Hithpolel) to be broken, be broken in pieces, be broken asunder

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
and they provoked to anger at [the] waters of Meribah and it was bad for Moses because of them
לְ֝מֹשֶׁ֗הle.mo.Sheh for Moses H4872 Preposition · noun proper masculine
766× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Moses, the Israelite leader, was born to Amram and Jochebed and led the Exodus from Egypt. He received the law from God and is considered a key figure in the Bible. Moses means 'drawn' in Hebrew.
Amplified meaning
the Israelite leader, lawgiver
Tyndale gloss
Moses
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מֹשֶׁה (Mosheh) refers to Moses, the prominent Hebrew leader, prophet, and lawgiver. The name is derived from the root meaning 'drawing out,' indicating his rescue from water. He is a key figure in the Old Testament, first mentioned in Exodus 2:10, and is known for leading the Israelites during the Exodus.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מֹשֶׁה 767 n.pr.m. Moses, the great Hebrew leader, prophet and lawgiver

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4872 מֹשֶׁה Moses, the great Hebrew leader, prophet and lawgiver

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4872 Mosheh mo-sheh'

from 4871; drawing out (of the water), i.e. rescued; Mosheh,

the Israelite lawgiver:--Moses.

see HEBREW for 04871

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מֹשֶׁה (mo.sheh) — Moses.

A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Exo.2.10;

son of: Amram (H6019) and Jochebed (H3115);

brother of: Aaron (H0175) and Miriam (H4813); married to Zipporah (H6855);

father of: Gershom (H1647) and Eliezer (H0461H); also called Manasseh at Jdg.18.30(?)

§ Moses = "drawn"

the prophet and lawgiver, leader of the exodus

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-proper — Preposition · noun proper masculine
HR/Npm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

mo'-zez, mo'-ziz (mosheh; Egyptian mes, "drawn out," "born"; Septuagint Mouse(s)). The great Hebrew national hero, leader, author, law-giver and prophet.

I. LIFE

1. Son of Levi

2. Foundling Prince

3. Friend of the People

4. Refuge in Midian

5. Leader of Israel

II. WORK AND CHARACTER

1. The Author

2. The Lawgiver

3. The Prophet

LITERATURE

The traditional view of the Jewish church and of the Christian church, that Moses was a person and that the narrative with which his life-story is interwoven is real history, is in the main sustained by commentators and critics of all classes.

It is needless to mention the old writers among whom these questions were hardly under discussion. Among the advocates of the current radical criticism may be mentioned Stade and Renan, who minimize the historicity of the Bible narrative at this point. Renan thinks the narrative "may be very probable." Ewald, Wellhausen…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Moses

Drawn (or Egypt. mesu, “son;” hence Rameses, royal son). On the invitation of Pharaoh (Gen. 45:17-25), Jacob and his sons went down into Egypt. This immigration took place probably about 350 years before the birth of Moses. Some centuries before Joseph, Egypt had been conquered by a pastoral Semitic race from Asia, the Hyksos, who brought into cruel subjection the native Egyptians, who were an African race. Jacob and his retinue were accustomed to a shepherd’s life, and on their arrival in Egypt were received with favour by the king, who assigned them the “best of the land”, the land of Goshen, to dwell in. The Hyksos or “shepherd” king who thus showed favour to Joseph and his family was in all probability the Pharaoh Apopi (or Apopis).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(Heb. Mosheh , "drawn," i.e. from the water; in the Coptic it means "saved from the water"), the legislator of the Jewish people, and in a certain sense the founder of the Jewish religion. The immediate pedigree of Moses is as follows: Levi was the father of: Gershon -- Kohath -- Merari Kohath was the father of: Amram = Jochebed Amram = Jochebed was the father of: Hur = Miriam -- Aaron = Elisheba -- Moses = Zipporah Aaron = Elisheba was the father of: Nadab -- Abihu -- Eleazar -- Ithamar Eleazar was the father of: Phineas Moses = Zipporah was the father of: Gershom -- Eliezer Gershom was the father of: Jonathan The history of Moses naturally divides itself into three periods of 40 years each. Moses was born at Goshen, In Egypt, B.C. 1571. The story of his birth is thoroughly Egyptian in its scene. His mother made extraordinary efforts for his preservation from the general destruction of…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The name of the illustrious prophet and legislator of the Hebrews, who led them from Egypt to the Promised Land. Having been originally imposed by a native Egyptian princess, the word is no doubt Egyptian in its origin, and Josephus gives its true derivation—from the two Egyptian words, MO, water, and USE, saved. With this accords the Septuagint form, MOUSES. The Hebrews by a slight change accommodated it to their own language, as they did also in the case of some other foreign words; calling it MOSHIE, from the verb MASHA, to draw. See Ex 2:10. Moses was born about 15.71 B. C., the son of Amram and Jochebed, of the tribe of Levi, and the younger brother of Miriam and Aaron. His history is too extensive to permit insertion here, and in general too well known to need it. It is enough simply to remark, that it is divided into three…

and they provoked to anger at [the] waters of Meribah and it was bad for Moses because of them
בַּעֲבוּרָֽם׃ba.'a.vu.Ram because of them H5668 Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
49× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means for the sake of or because of something, like in Genesis when God acts on account of his people's needs. It shows a reason or purpose behind an action. The KJV often translates it as because of or for someone's sake.
Amplified meaning
for their sakes, on their account
Tyndale gloss
for the sake of
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עָבוּר (*'abuwr*) is used only in the forms בַּעֲבוּר and בַּעֲבֻר, functioning as a preposition and conjunction. It conveys meanings such as 'for the sake of,' 'on account of,' and 'in order that.' The entries indicate it derives from the root related to crossing or transit.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[עָבוּר] n. only in בַּעֲבוּר 47, בַּעֲבֻר, prep. and conj. for the sake of, on account of, in order that

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5668 עָבוּר only in בַּעֲבוּר, בַּעֲבֻר, prep. and conj. for the sake of, on account of, in order that

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5668 `abuwr aw-boor'

or rabur {aw-boor'}; passive participle of 5674; properly,

crossed, i.e. (abstractly) transit; used only adverbially, on

account of, in order that:--because of, for (...'s sake),

(intent) that, to.

see HEBREW for 05674

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עָבוּר (a.vur) — for the sake of.

prep

1) for the sake of, on account of, because of, in order to

conj

2) in order that

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms | Suff — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HR/Ncmsc/Sp3mp
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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