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Psalms 109:18 — Word Study

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WLCוַיִּלְבַּ֥שׁ קְלָלָ֗ה כְּמַ֫דּ֥וֹ וַתָּבֹ֣א כַמַּ֣יִם בְּקִרְבּ֑וֹ וְ֝כַשֶּׁ֗מֶן בְּעַצְמוֹתָֽיו׃

BSAThe cursing [that]qᵉlâlâh [wish for harm, evil intention] he worelâbash [clothed himself, put on] like a coatmad [garment, robe] may it soak intobôwʼ [come, enter] his bodyqereb [inward parts, entrails] like watermayim [refreshment, liquid] and into his bonesʻetsem [the essence of his being] like oilshemen [olive oil]

Word
Listen & take awayPsalms 109
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 18 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 (be.'atz.mo.Tav) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Psalms 109:18quick helps
In a sentenceThe psalmist expresses a desire for the curse to envelop the one who has wronged him.
Who is speakingThe psalmist, speaking about his adversary.
Where we areIn a section of the psalm that deals with the consequences of wrongdoing.
The hard wordקְלָלָ֗ה
Take awayThe imagery of a curse being worn like clothing.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbלָבֵשׁ 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 109:18

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 Consequences of Cursinggenerated

17The cursing that he loved, may it fall on him; the blessing in which he refused to delight, may it be far from him.
18The cursing that he wore like a coat, may it soak into his body like water, and into his bones like oil.
19May it be like a robe wrapped about him, like a belt tied forever around him.
20May this be the LORD’s reward to my accusers, to those who speak evil against me.

Psalms 109:18 presents a vivid metaphor where the psalmist wishes that the curse he has received be as tangible and enveloping as a coat. This verse is part of a larger section that reflects on the themes of justice and retribution, where the psalmist calls upon God to act against his enemies, as seen in the preceding and following verses.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Psalm 73:6Therefore pride is their necklace; a garment of violence covers them.
2Job 29:14I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; justice was my robe and my turban.
3Colossians 3:8–12But now you must put aside all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.
41 Peter 5:5Young men, in the same way, submit yourselves to your elders. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
5Numbers 5:22–27May this water that brings a curse enter your stomach and cause your belly to swell and your thigh to shrivel.’ Then the woman is to say, ‘Amen, Amen.’

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 9 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word קְלָלָ֗ה, ke.la.Lahgenerated

The Hebrew word קְלָלָה (*ke.la.Lah*) means 'curse' and indicates a wish for harm or evil to come upon someone. This term is often used in contexts of condemnation and negative speech, highlighting the seriousness with which curses were regarded in biblical times.

In this verse, it is depicted as something the adversary wears, suggesting that the curse is not only external but also deeply internalized, affecting the very essence of the person.


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 finite verb יִּלְבַּ֥שׁ, he put on, governs the main action of the verse, with two phrases describing what he put on: a curse and the manner in which it enters him. The structure emphasizes the metaphor of clothing to convey the depth of the curse's impact.

The sentence is constructed with a main clause followed by two prepositional phrases that elaborate on the curse's effects, illustrating how it permeates both his inner being and physicality.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates קְלָלָה as κατάραν, which also means 'curse'. This choice reflects a direct correspondence to the Hebrew term, maintaining the weight of the original meaning.

The Greek term ἐνεδύσατο for וַיִּלְבַּ֥שׁ suggests a similar act of putting on, reinforcing the imagery of the curse being worn.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalms 109:18 describes how the curse that the adversary has brought upon the psalmist is wished to be as enveloping as a coat. The psalmist wants this curse to deeply affect the adversary, penetrating their very being like water and oil.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean to wear a curse like a coat?

This imagery suggests that the curse is not just an external force but something that envelops and affects the inner self of the person.

Why is water and oil used in this verse?

Water symbolizes refreshment and penetration, while oil represents richness and essence, indicating how deeply the curse should affect the adversary.

How does this verse relate to the overall theme of the psalm?

This verse is part of a plea for justice, where the psalmist calls for the consequences of wrongdoing to be fully realized upon the wrongdoer.

What is the significance of the curse in biblical context?

Curses in the Bible often represent serious wishes for harm and were believed to hold significant power, reflecting the moral and spiritual weight of one's words.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. How do I understand the impact of my words on others, especially in terms of curses or blessings?
  2. What does it mean to me to consider the inner effects of negative actions or words?
  3. In what ways can I seek to speak positively and avoid cursing others in my life?
  4. How can I apply the themes of justice and retribution in my own experiences with conflict?

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

Augustine of Hippo comments on this verse, reflecting on the imagery of the curse as a cloak that covers the individual.

Augustine of HippoExposition on Psalms 109 354–430
"Let it be unto him as the cloak which covers him" [Psalms 109:18].
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 109 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 109:18 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

As he clothed himself with cursing like as with his garment,.... He was full of it; his mouth was full of cursing and bitterness; it was visible in him, easy to be discerned; he took pride as well as

Read John Gill on Psalms 109 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Let the extortioner catch all that he hath; and let the strangers spoil his labour. -God's visitation on the wicked man's property (Psalms 109:11-12); on his name and memorial (Psalms 109:13-15).

Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 109 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

A garment; which a man wears constantly, and that as Like water; which when a man drinks, goes bowels, and searcheth all the inwards of his belly. Like oil; which is more piercing than water, and being applied to outward parts, reacheth even to the bones and marrow

Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 109 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Psalms 109:18 As he clothed himself with cursing like as with his garment, so let it come into his bowels like water, and like oil into his bones.Ver. 18. As he clothed himself with cursing like as with his garment] Ut vestis commensurata corpori, as the inner garment that sticks closest to the body, and is not done off but with much ado, as he hath wrapped, and trussed up himself in cursing. So let it come into his bowels like water] Let him have his belly full of it, and his bones full too. And like oil] Which easily soaketh through. See Numbers 5:22.

Read John Trapp on Psalms 109 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(17, 18) Let.—The optatives in the English are wrong. These verses express facts, and the imprecation follows in Psalms 109:19. Render— He loved cursing; and it comes; He delighted not in blessing; and it departs; Yea, he clothed himself in cursing as with his cloak, And it came like water into his bowels, And like oil into his bones; May it be, &c. Comp. the proverb, “Curses, like chickens, always come home to roost.” The fabled shirt of Nessus, which ate into the mighty form of Hercules, has suggested itself to commentators in illustration of this image. In a good sense the same figure is a favourite one with the Hebrews. (See Isaiah 11:5.) Psalms 109:19 has struck most commentators as an…

Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 109 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 18. Let it come into his bowels like water] Houbigant thinks this is an allusion to the waters of jealousy; and he is probably right, - the bitter waters that produce the curse. See Numbers 5:18.

Read AdamClarke on Psalms 109 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

18. And he clad himself with cursing as with his robe, And It came into his inward parts like water, and like oil into his bones:

Read Cambridge on Psalms 109 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

As he clothed himself with cursing like as with a garment - Moral qualities are often compared with raiment - as that in which we “appear” to our fellow-men. See 1 Peter 5:5; Job 29:14.

Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 109 →

The verse in English, compared — 16 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

The cursing that he wore like a coat, may it soak into his body like water, and into his bones like oil.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

He clothed himself also with cursing as with his garment. It came into his inward parts like water, like oil into his bones.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

The cursing that he wore like a coat, may it soak into his body like water, and into his bones like oil.

NETBNew English Translation2006

He made cursing a way of life, so curses poured into his stomach like water and seeped into his bones like oil.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

As he clothed himself with cursing like as with his garment, so let it come into his bowels like water, and like oil into his bones.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

He clothed himself also with cursing as with his garment, And it came into his inward parts like water, And like oil into his bones.

RVARevised Version, American1894

He clothed himself also with cursing as with his garment, and it came into his inward parts like water, and like oil into his bones. Let it be unto him as the raiment

NWBWebster's Bible1833

As he clothed himself with cursing like as with his garment, so let it come into his bowels like water, and like oil into his bones.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

As he clothed himselfe with cursing like a rayment, so shall it come into his bowels like water, and like oyle into his bones.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And he clothed himself with cursing like his vestment; so let it come into his bowels like water, and like oil into his bones;

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And he putteth on reviling as his robe, And it cometh in as water into his midst, And as oil into his bones.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And he puts on reviling as his robe, || And it comes in as water into his midst, || And as oil into his bones.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And he clothed himself with cursing as with his garment, and it cometh like water within him, and like oil into his bones.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

He clothed himself with cursing as his garment, and his curse came into his inner being like water, like oil into his bones.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

He cursed as often as he got dressed. May his curses go into him like the water he drinks, like the olive oil he rubs on his skin that enters his bones.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

He put on cursing like a robe, and it has come into his body like water, and into his bones like oil.

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.

וַandclauseverbיִּלְבַּ֥שׁhe.put.onobjectקְלָלָ֗הa.curseprepositional phrase · prepositionalכְּlikenoun phraseמַ֫דּ֥garmentוֹhisוַandclauseclauseverbתָּבֹ֣אit.wentprepositional phrase · prepositionalכַlikenoun phrase(the)מַּ֣יִםwaterprepositional phrase · prepositionalבְּinnoun phraseקִרְבּ֑his.inwardוֹpart[s]וְ֝andclauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalכַlikenoun phrase(the)שֶּׁ֗מֶןoilprepositional phrase · prepositionalבְּinnoun phraseעַצְמוֹתָֽיbonesוhis

Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.


The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran

The Masoretic Text states, "וַיִּלְבַּ֥שׁ קְלָלָ֗ה כְּמַ֫דּ֥וֹ וַתָּבֹ֣א כַמַּ֣יִם בְּקִרְבּ֑וֹ וְ֝כַשֶּׁ֗מֶן בְּעַצְמוֹתָֽיו׃" which translates to, "He wore cursing like a coat; may it enter his body like water, and like oil into his bones." The Septuagint agrees with the Masoretic Text in terms of the overall meaning and structure, as all eight words correspond directly, although the word order and articles differ due to the nature of Greek grammar. There are no significant differences in the core message between these witnesses, indicating a strong consistency in this verse across ancient texts.

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

וַיִּלְבַּ֥שׁ קְלָלָ֗ה כְּמַ֫דּ֥וֹ וַתָּבֹ֣א כַמַּ֣יִם בְּקִרְבּ֑וֹ וְ֝כַשֶּׁ֗מֶן בְּעַצְמוֹתָֽיו׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיִּלְבַּ֥שׁἐνεδύσατοקְלָלָ֗הκατάρανכְּמַ֫דּ֥וֹἱμάτιονוַתָּבֹ֣אεἰσῆλθενכַמַּ֣יִםὕδωρבְּקִרְבּ֑וֹαὐτοῦוְ֝כַשֶּׁ֗מֶןἔλαιονבְּעַצְמוֹתָֽיו׃αὐτοῦ

8 of the 8 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 109:18לָבֵשׁand he put and he put onלָבֵשׁקְלָלָהa cursea curseקְלָלָהמַדlike garmenlike garment hiמַדבּוֹאand it wentand it wentבּוֹאמַיlike waterlike waterמַיקֶ֫רֶבin inward pin inward part[קֶ֫רֶבשֶׁ֫מֶןand like oiand like oilשֶׁ֫מֶןעֶ֫צֶםin bones hiin bones hisעֶ֫צֶםקָלַלto lightento lightenקָלַלמָדַדto measureto measureמָדַדקָרֵבto presentto present: comקָרֵבשָׁמֵןto grow fato grow fatשָׁמֵןעָצֹםbe vastbe vastעָצֹםבַּדlinenlinenבַּדשִׁרְיָהlancelanceשִׁרְיָהשַׁמָּהhorror: dehorror: destroyשַׁמָּהבְּרָכָהblessingblessingבְּרָכָהלָבֵשׁto clotheto clotheלָבֵשׁשֶׁ֫מֶשׁsunsunשֶׁ֫מֶשׁרָחַץto wash: wto wash: washרָחַץשָׁתָהto drinkto drinkשָׁתָהחֵ֫לֶבfatfatחֵ֫לֶבבָּעַרto burn: bto burn: burnבָּעַרבָּלַלto mixto mixבָּלַלמִשְׁחָהanointinganointingמִשְׁחָהבָּשָׂרfleshfleshבָּשָׂר
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 109:18

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 he put on a curse like garment his and it went like water in inward part[s] his and like oil in bones his
וַיִּלְבַּ֥שׁvai.yil.Bash and he put on H3847 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
110× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To clothe means to wrap something around or put on a garment. In the Bible, it can be used literally or figuratively, as in putting on clothes or being clothed with a certain attitude.
Amplified meaning
clothed himself, put on
Tyndale gloss
to clothe
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word לָבֵשׁ (*labash*) means to put on or wear clothing, and it can refer to both literal and figurative clothing. It is built from a primitive root meaning to wrap around. The entries cover various forms, including Qal, Pual, and Hiphil, indicating different nuances of dressing or being clothed. The word is also noted for its use in a figurative sense, such as being clothed with a spirit.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לָבֵשׁ, לָבַשׁ vb. put on (a garment), wear, clothe, be clothed

Qal

lit. put on (one’s own) garment; = wear (more or less habitually)

very oft. fig., put on, be clothed with

lit. put on

once

clothed with

and the spirit of י׳ clothed itself with Gideon

Pu. arrayed

Hiph. clothe, array with

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3847 לָבֵשׁ, לָבַשׁ put on (a garment), wear, clothe, be clothed

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3847 labash law-bash'

or labesh {law-bashe'}; a primitive root; properly, wrap

around, i.e. (by implication) to put on a garment or clothe

(oneself, or another), literally or figuratively:--(in)

apparel, arm, array (self), clothe (self), come upon, put (on,

upon), wear.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לָבֵשׁ (la.vash) — to clothe.

1) to dress, wear, clothe, put on clothing, be clothed

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to put on clothes, be clothed, wear

1a2) to put on, be clothed with (fig.)

1b) (Pual) to be fully clothed

1c) (Hiphil) to clothe, array with, dress

Aramaic equivalent: le.vash (לְבֵשׁ "to clothe" H3848)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

On

Light; the sun, (Gen. 41:45, 50), the great seat of sun-worship, called also Bethshemesh (Jer. 43:13) and Aven (Ezek. 30:17), stood on the east bank of the Nile, a few miles north of Memphis, and near Cairo, in the north-east. The Vulgate and the LXX. Versions have “Heliopolis” (“city of the sun”) instead of On in Genesis and of Aven in Ezekiel. The “city of destruction” Isaiah speaks of (19:18, marg. “of Heres;” Heb. ‘Ir-ha-heres, which some MSS. read Ir-ha-heres, i.e., “city of the sun”) may be the name given to On, the prophecy being that the time will come when that city which was known as the “city of the sun-god” shall become the “city of destruction” of the sun-god, i.e., when idolatry shall cease, and the worship…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(abode or city of the sun), a town of lower Egypt, called BETH-SHEMESH in (Jeremiah 43:13) On is better known under its Greek name Heliopolis. It was situated on the east side of the Pelusiac branch of the Nile, just below the point of the Delta, and about twenty miles northeast of Memphis. The chief object of worship at Heliopolis was the sun, whose temple, described by Strabo, is now only represented by the single beautiful obelisk, of red granite so feet 2 inches high above the pedestal which has stood for more than 4000 years, having been erected by Usirtesen, the second king of the twelfth dynasty. Heliopolis was anciently famous for its learning, and Eudoxus and Plato studied under its priests. The first mention of this place in the Bible is in the history of Joseph, to whom we read Pharaoh gave "to wife Asenath the daughter…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

See HELIOPOLIS.

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

pain; force; iniquity

and he put on a curse like garment his and it went like water in inward part[s] his and like oil in bones his
קְלָלָ֗הke.la.Lah a curse H7045 Noun common · feminine singular absolute
33× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means a curse, which is a wish for harm or evil to come to someone. It is used in many places, including the book of Numbers and Deuteronomy. Curses were taken seriously in biblical times.
Amplified meaning
wish for harm, evil intention
Tyndale gloss
curse
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

קְלָלָה (qlalah) means 'curse' and is derived from the root word for vilification. It encompasses meanings related to cursing, vilification, and execration. The term appears in contexts of condemnation and negative speech.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

קְלָלָה 33 n.f. curse

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7045 קְלָלָה curse

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7045 qlalah kel-aw-law'

from 7043; vilification:--(ac-)curse(-d, - ing).

see HEBREW for 07043

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קְלָלָה (qe.la.lah) — curse.

curse, vilification, execration

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absolute
HNcfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

kurs ('alah (Nu 5:21,23,17, etc.), me'erah (Pr 3:33; Mal 2:2, etc.), klalah (Ge 27:12,13); katara (Ga 3:10,13)): This word as noun and verb renders different Hebrew words, some of them being more or less synonymous, differing only in degree of strength. It is often used in contrast with "bless" or "blessing" (De 11:29). When a curse is pronounced against any person, we are not to understand this as a mere wish, however violent, that disaster should overtake the person in question, any more than we are to understand that a corresponding "blessing" conveys simply a wish…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Curse

Denounced by God against the serpent (Gen. 3:14), and against Cain (4:11). These divine maledictions carried their effect with them. Prophetical curses were sometimes pronounced by holy men (Gen. 9:25; 49:7; Deut. 27:15; Josh. 6:26). Such curses are not the consequence of passion or revenge, they are predictions.

No one on pain of death shall curse father or mother (Ex. 21:17), nor the prince of his people (22:28), nor the deaf (Lev. 19:14). Cursing God or blaspheming was punishable by death (Lev. 24:10-16).…

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Denounced

Against the serpent Ge 3:14,15

Against Adam and Eve Ge 3:15-19

Against the ground Ge 3:17,18

Against Cain Ge 4:11-16

Against Canaan, Noah's son Ge 9:24-27

Against Meroz Jud 5:23

Against Gehazi 2Ki 5:27

→ Barak commands Balaam to curse Israel Nu 22:6; 23:11

→ See BENEDICTIONS

→ CURSES OF THE MOSAIC LAW De 27:1-26; Jos 8:30-34

See BLESSINGS

and he put on a curse like garment his and it went like water in inward part[s] his and like oil in bones his
כְּמַ֫דּ֥וֹke.Ma.Do like garment his H4055 Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
11× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A garment or measure, describing something that is measured or fitted. This word is used in the Bible to describe clothing, armor, or a carpet.
Amplified meaning
garment, robe
Tyndale gloss
garment
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מַד (mad) refers to a measure or extent, particularly in terms of height or size. It can denote a garment, cloth, or carpet, and is associated with concepts like raiment and stature. The entries suggest it encompasses both physical measurements and clothing items.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[מַד] n.m. measure, also cloth garment (as extended, wide)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4055 מַד, מֵד

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4055 mad mad

or med {made}; from 4058; properly, extent, i.e. height; also

a measure; by implication, a vesture (as measured); also a

carpet:--armour, clothes, garment, judgment, measure,

raiment, stature.

see HEBREW for 04058

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מַד (mad) — garment.

1) measure, cloth garment

1a) measure

1b) cloth, carpet

1c) garment (outer)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms | Suff — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hiz: Used often in the King James Version with reference to a neuter or inanimate thing, or to a lower animal (Ge 1:11, "after his kind"; Le 1:16, "pluck away his crop"; Ac 12:10, "of his own accord"; 1Co 15:38, "his own body"), etc. the Revised Version (British and American) substitutes "its."

and he put on a curse like garment his and it went like water in inward part[s] his and like oil in bones his
וַתָּבֹ֣אva.ta.Vo' and it went H935 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person feminine singular
2,573× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to go or come, and is used in many contexts, such as entering a place or approaching someone, as seen in the book of Genesis. It can also mean to abide or apply, and is translated in various ways in the KJV Bible. This term is related to the name Lebo Hamath.
Amplified meaning
come, enter
Tyndale gloss
Lebo
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בּוֹא (bo) is a Hebrew verb meaning to come or go in, with a wide range of applications including entering, arriving, and bringing in. It can refer to both physical movement and abstract concepts like events coming to pass. The verb appears in various forms, such as Qal (to come), Hiphil (to cause to come), and Hophal (to be brought). There is no significant disagreement among lexicons regarding its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בּוֹא 2569 vb. come in, come, go in, go

Qal

come in

come (approach, arrive)

go, i.e. walk, associate with

go from speaker, but with limit of motion given

Hiph.

cause to come in, bring in (conduct, lead, obj. persons and animals)

cause to come, bring, bring near, etc. (animate obj.)

Hoph.

be brought in (of pers. and things)

be brought

be introduced, put

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H935 בּוֹא come in, come, go in, go .. come in

. come (approach, arrive)

. go, i.e. walk, associate with

. go from speaker, but with limit of motion given

. . cause to come in, bring in (conduct, lead, obj. persons and animals)

. cause to come, bring, bring near, etc. (animate obj.)

. . be brought in (of pers. and things)

. be brought

. be introduced, put

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

935 bow' bo

a primitive root; to go or come (in a wide variety of

applications):--abide, apply, attain, X be, befall, +

besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, X

certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out,

upon, to pass), depart, X doubtless again, + eat, + employ,

(cause to) enter (in, into, -tering, -trance, -try), be

fallen, fetch, + follow, get, give, go (down, in, to war),

grant, + have, X indeed, (in-)vade, lead, lift (up), mention,

pull in, put, resort, run (down), send, set, X (well) stricken

(in age), X surely, take (in), way.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בּוֹא (bo) — to come (in): come.

: come/go_in

1) to go in, enter, come, go, come in

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to enter, come in

1a2) to come

1a2a) to come with

1a2b) to come upon, fall or light upon, attack (enemy)

1a2c) to come to pass

1a3) to attain to

1a4) to be enumerated

1a5) to go

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to lead in

1b2) to carry in

1b3) to bring in, cause to come in, gather, cause to come, bring near, bring against, bring upon

1b4) to bring to pass

1c) (Hophal)

1c1) to be brought, brought in

1c2) to be introduced, be put

לְב֥וֹא (bo) — Lebo-(Hamath).

This name means to go in, enter

Combined with cha.mat (חֲמָת "Hamath" H2574)

בּוֹא (bo) — to come (in): towards.

: towards/entrance

1) to go in, enter, come, go, come in

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to enter, come in

1a2) to come

1a2a) to come with

1a2b) to come upon, fall or light upon, attack (enemy)

1a2c) to come to pass

1a3) to attain to

1a4) to be enumerated

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3fs — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person feminine singular
Hc/Vqw3fs
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he put on a curse like garment his and it went like water in inward part[s] his and like oil in bones his
כַמַּ֣יִםkha.Ma.yim like water H4325 Preposition · noun common masculine plural absolute
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
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
Prep | N-mp — Preposition · noun common masculine plural absolute
HRd/Ncmpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

wo'-ter (mayim; hudor):

(1) The Greek philosophers believed water to be the original substance and that all things were made from it. The Koran states, "From water we have made all things." In the story of the creation (Ge 1:2) water plays an elemental part.

(2) Because of the scarcity of water in Palestine it is especially appreciated by the people there. They love to go and sit by a stream of running water. Men long for a taste of the water of their native village (1Ch 11:17). A town or village is known throughout the country for the quality of its water, which is described by many adjectives, such as "light," "heavy," etc.

(3) The rainfall is the only source of supply of water for Palestine. The moisture is carried up from the sea in clouds and falls on the hills as rain or snow.…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

See CISTERN and WELLS.

In Isa 35:7, the Hebrew word for "parched ground" that shall become a pool of water, is the same with the Arabic term for the mirage, a peculiar optical illusion by which travelers in hot and dry deserts think they see broad lakes and flowing waters; they seem to discern the very ripple of the waves, and the swaying of tail trees on the margin in the cool breeze; green hills and houses and city ramparts rise before the astonished sight, recede as the traveler advances, and at length melt away in the hot haze. Not so the blessings of the gospel; they are no alluring mockery, but real waters of everlasting life, Isa 55:1 Joh 4:14 Re 22:1. Compare

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Creation of Ps 148:4,5

→ Covered the whole earth Ge 1:9

→ Daily allowance of Eze 4:11

→ City waterworks 2Ki 20:20

→ Vision of, by Ezekiel Eze 47:1-5

→ Of separation Nu 19:2-22

→ Libation of 1Sa 7:6

→ Irrigation with

See IRRIGATION

→ Miraculously supplied

To the Israelites Ex 17:1,6; Nu 20:11

To Samson Jud 15:19

Torrey's New Topical Textbook

- One of the elements of the world

Ge 1:2

- GOD ORIGINALLY

. Created the firmament to divide

Ge 1:6,7

. Collected into one place

Ge 1:9

. Created fowls and fishes, &c from

Ge 1:20,21

- Necessary to vegetation

Ge 2:5,6; Job 14:9; Isa 1:30

- Some plants particularly require

Job 8:11

- Necessary to the comfort and happiness of man

Isa 41:17; Zec 9:11

- COLLECTED IN

. Springs

and he put on a curse like garment his and it went like water in inward part[s] his and like oil in bones his
בְּקִרְבּ֑וֹbe.kir.Bo in inward part[s] his H7130 Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
227× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means the inner part or midst of something, whether physical or emotional, and can refer to the entrails of an animal or the seat of thought and emotion. In 1 Kings 17:21, it describes Elijah's emotional plea to God.
Amplified meaning
inward parts, entrails
Tyndale gloss
entrails: among
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

קֶ֫רֶב (qereb) refers to the inward part or midst of something, encompassing both physical and figurative meanings. It can denote the center of a person or object, as well as the seat of thought and emotion. The term also relates to the entrails of sacrificial animals. It is used in various contexts, including references to being among or within a group.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

קֶ֫רֶב 227 n.[m.] inward part, midst

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7130 קֶ֫רֶב inward part, midst

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7130 qereb keh'-reb

from 7126; properly, the nearest part, i.e. the center,

whether literal, figurative or adverbial (especially with

preposition):--X among, X before, bowels, X unto charge, +

eat (up), X heart, X him, X in, inward (X -ly, part, -s,

thought), midst, + out of, purtenance, X therein, X through, X

within self.

see HEBREW for 07126

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קֶ֫רֶב (qe.rev) — entrails: among.

: among/within

1) midst, among, inner part, middle

1a) inward part

1a1) physical sense

1a2) as seat of thought and emotion

1a3) as faculty of thought and emotion

1b) in the midst, among, from among (of a number of persons)

1c) entrails (of sacrificial animals)

Also means: qe.rev (קֶ֫רֶב ": inner_parts" H7130H)

קֶ֫רֶב (qe.rev) — entrails: inner parts.

: inner_parts

1) midst, among, inner part, middle

1a) inward part

1a1) physical sense

1a2) as seat of thought and emotion

1a3) as faculty of thought and emotion

1b) in the midst, among, from among (of a number of persons)

1c) entrails (of sacrificial animals)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms | Suff — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hiz: Used often in the King James Version with reference to a neuter or inanimate thing, or to a lower animal (Ge 1:11, "after his kind"; Le 1:16, "pluck away his crop"; Ac 12:10, "of his own accord"; 1Co 15:38, "his own body"), etc. the Revised Version (British and American) substitutes "its."

and he put on a curse like garment his and it went like water in inward part[s] his and like oil in bones his
וְ֝כַשֶּׁ֗מֶןve.kha.She.men and like oil H8081 Conjunction · preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
193× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for oil, often referring to olive oil, which was highly valued in ancient times. It symbolizes richness, anointing, and healing, and is used in various biblical contexts, including rituals and medicinal practices.
Amplified meaning
olive oil
Tyndale gloss
oil
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שֶׁ֫מֶן (shemen) refers to fat or oil, particularly olive oil, and includes meanings related to richness and anointing. It is derived from the root word for grease and can also metaphorically describe fertile land. The entries consistently highlight its use in contexts like medicinal applications and anointing.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שֶׁ֫מֶן 192 n.m. fat, oil

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8081 שֶׁ֫מֶן fat, oil

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8081 shemen sheh'-men

from 8080; grease, especially liquid (as from the olive,

often perfumed); figuratively, richness:--anointing, X fat

(things), X fruitful, oil((-ed)), ointment, olive, + pine.

see HEBREW for 08080

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שֶׁ֫מֶן (she.men) — oil.

1) fat, oil

1a) fat, fatness

1b) oil, olive oil

1b1) as staple, medicament or unguent

1b2) for anointing

1c) fat (of fruitful land, valleys) (metaph)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Prep | N-ms — Conjunction · preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
HC/Rd/Ncmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

oil (shemen; elaion):

1. Terms

2. Production and Storage

3. Uses

(1) As a Commodity of Exchange

(2) As a Cosmetic

(3) As a Medicine

(4) As a Food

(5) As an Illuminant

(6) In Religious Rites

(a) Consecration

(b) Offerings

(c) Burials

4. Figurative Uses

Shemen, literally, "fat," corresponds to the common Arabic senin of similar meaning, although now applied to boiled butter fat.

1. Terms:

Another Hebrew word, zayith (zeth), "olive," occurs with shemen in several passages (Ex 27:20; 30:24; Le 24:2). The corresponding Arabic zeit, a contraction of zeitun, which is the name for the olive tree as well as the fruit, is now applied to oils in general, to distinguish them from solid fats. Zeit usually means olive oil, unless some qualifying name indicates another oil. A corresponding use was made of…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Oil

Only olive oil seems to have been used among the Hebrews. It was used for many purposes: for anointing the body or the hair (Ex. 29:7; 2 Sam. 14:2; Ps. 23:5; 92:10; 104:15; Luke 7:46); in some of the offerings (Ex. 29:40; Lev. 7:12; Num. 6:15; 15:4), but was excluded from the sin-offering (Lev. 5:11) and the jealousy-offering (Num. 5:15); for burning in lamps (

Was employed from the earliest periods in the east, not only for the purpose of consecration, but to anoint the head, the beard, and the whole person in daily life, Ge 28:18. See ANOINTING. It was also universally used for food, Eze 16:13. Fresh and sweet olive oil was greatly preferred to butter and animal fat as a seasoning for food, and to this day in Syria almost every kind of food is cooked with oil. It had a place also among the meat-offerings in the temple, being usually mixed with the meal of the oblation, Le 5:11 6:21. For lamps, also, pure olive oil was regarded as the best, and was used in illuminating the tabernacle. These many uses for oil made the culture of the olive-tree an extensive and lucrative business,

and he put on a curse like garment his and it went like water in inward part[s] his and like oil in bones his
בְּעַצְמוֹתָֽיו׃be.'atz.mo.Tav in bones his H6106 Preposition · noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
126× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the original Hebrew, this word refers to a bone or the body, and can also mean the substance or essence of something. It is used in many parts of the Bible, including in the book of Genesis and Psalms, to describe the physical body.
Amplified meaning
the essence of his being
Tyndale gloss
bone
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עֶ֫צֶם (etsem) primarily means 'bone' but extends to concepts of substance and self. It can refer to the physical body, limbs, or essence. The word is derived from a root related to strength, indicating a connection between physicality and identity.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עֶ֫צֶם 125 n.f. bone, substance, self

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6106 עֶ֫צֶם bone, substance, self

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6106 `etsem eh'tsem

from 6105; a bone (as strong); by extension, the body;

figuratively, the substance, i.e. (as pron.) selfsame:--body,

bone, X life, (self-)same, strength, X very.

see HEBREW for 06105

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עֶ֫צֶם (e.tsem) — bone.

: bone/limb

1) bone, essence, substance

1a) bone

1a1) body, limbs, members, external body

1b) bone (of animal)

1c) substance, self

עֶ֫צֶם (e.tsem) — bone: same.

: same/very

1) bone, essence, substance

1a) bone

1a1) body, limbs, members, external body

1b) bone (of animal)

1c) substance, self

עֶ֫צֶם (e.tsem) — bone: body.

: body

1) bone, essence, substance

1a) bone

1a1) body, limbs, members, external body

1b) bone (of animal)

1c) substance, self

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-fp | Suff — Preposition · noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
HR/Ncfpc/Sp3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hiz: Used often in the King James Version with reference to a neuter or inanimate thing, or to a lower animal (Ge 1:11, "after his kind"; Le 1:16, "pluck away his crop"; Ac 12:10, "of his own accord"; 1Co 15:38, "his own body"), etc. the Revised Version (British and American) substitutes "its."

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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