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Psalms 118:17 — Word Study

Depth

WLCלֹֽא אָמ֥וּת כִּי־ אֶֽחְיֶ֑ה וַ֝אֲסַפֵּ֗ר מַֽעֲשֵׂ֥י יָֽהּ׃

BSAI will notlôʼ [never, under no circumstances] diemûwth butkîy I will livechâyâh [have life, be revived] and proclaimçâphar [declare, recount] what the LORDYâhh [Jah, the self-existent One] has donemaʻăseh [accomplished, brought to pass, deeds]

Word
Listen & take awayPsalms 118
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 17 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 (Yah) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Psalms 118:17quick helps
In a sentenceThe psalmist declares that he will live and share the deeds of the LORD.
Who is speakingThe psalmist, expressing confidence in God's deliverance.
Where we areIn a psalm of thanksgiving, celebrating God's saving acts.
The hard wordמַֽעֲשֵׂ֥י
Take awayLife is affirmed; the proclamation of God's works is essential.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbמוּת 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 118:17

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 — A Psalm of Thanksgivinggenerated

16The right hand of the LORD is exalted! The right hand of the LORD performs with valor!”
17I will not die, but I will live and proclaim what the LORD has done.
18The LORD disciplined me severely, but He has not given me over to death.
19Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter and give thanks to the LORD.

Psalms 118:17 is part of a psalm that celebrates God's faithfulness and deliverance. The psalmist expresses confidence in living to proclaim the mighty works of the LORD. This section emphasizes the importance of life and testimony in the context of God's saving actions, reflecting a deep trust in divine intervention.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Psalm 6:5For there is no mention of You in death; who can praise You from Sheol?
2Isaiah 38:16–20O Lord, by such things men live, and in all of them my spirit finds life. You have restored me to health and have let me live.
3Habakkuk 1:12Are You not from everlasting, O LORD, my God, my Holy One? We will not die. O LORD, You have appointed them to execute judgment; O Rock, You have established them for correction.
4John 11:4When Jesus heard this, He said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”
5Romans 14:7–9For none of us lives to himself alone, and none of us dies to himself alone.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 12 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word אָמ֥וּת, 'a.Mutgenerated

The verb מוּת (mūth) means 'to die' and is used here in the first person singular imperfect form, indicating a future action. The psalmist emphatically states that he will not face death, highlighting a strong declaration of faith in God's power to sustain life.

This word encompasses the range of meanings related to death, including both physical death and metaphorical death as in loss or destruction. In this context, it underscores the psalmist's confidence in living on to experience and share God's goodness.


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 אָמ֥וּת (mūth), I will die, leads the verse, with three phrases following: a conjunction introducing a reason, a verb expressing life, and a verb indicating proclamation. The structure emphasizes the contrast between death and life.

The order of the phrases reinforces the psalmist's affirmation of life over death, showcasing a clear progression from negation to assertion.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates מוּת as ἀποθανοῦμαι, which carries the meaning of 'I will die.' This choice aligns closely with the Hebrew, maintaining the focus on the psalmist's declaration of life.

The Greek word ἐκδιηγήσομαι for 'I will recount' indicates a similar intent to share and declare, reflecting the psalmist's commitment to testify about God's works.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalms 118:17 expresses the psalmist's strong declaration that he will not die but will live to share the deeds of the LORD. This reflects a profound trust in God's ability to sustain life and the importance of proclaiming His works.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does the psalmist mean by 'I will not die'?

The psalmist expresses confidence that God will preserve his life, allowing him to continue living and proclaiming God's deeds.

Why is proclaiming the deeds of the LORD important?

Proclaiming the deeds of the LORD serves as a testimony to His faithfulness and power, encouraging others and affirming the psalmist's faith.

What kind of deeds is the psalmist referring to?

The deeds refer to God's acts of salvation, deliverance, and faithfulness, which the psalmist intends to recount.

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

This verse encapsulates the psalm's theme of thanksgiving and trust in God's deliverance, highlighting the joy of living to testify about His goodness.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways have I experienced God's deliverance in my life?
  2. How can I share the deeds of the LORD with others in my community?
  3. What does it mean to me personally to affirm life in the face of challenges?
  4. How can I cultivate a spirit of thanksgiving and proclamation in my daily life?

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

Early Church Fathers, such as Augustine, quote this verse to emphasize the joy of living and proclaiming God's works.

Augustine of HippoExposition on Psalms 118 354–430
"I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord" [Psalms 118:17].
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 118 →
Augustine of HippoAGAINST FAUSTUS, A MANICHAEAN 19:31 354–430
I shall not die but live and declare the works of the Lord.
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 118 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 118:17 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

I shall not die, but live,.... Not that he should never die, David knew he should; but that his present afflictions would not issue in death; or he should not die by the hands of his enemies, he

Read John Gill on Psalms 118 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD. I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord.

Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 118 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

I shall not die, to wit, so soon as mine enemies desire, nor by their sword, as they hope and endeavour. Declare the works of the Lord; one branch whereof is the total destruction of mine enemies. He implies that he did not desire life, nor should employ it, as his enemies did theirs, but for the service and glory of God.

Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 118 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Psalms 118:17 I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD.Ver. 17. I shall not die, but live] This he was well assured of by faith; as was also the Church in Habakkuk, Habakkuk 1:12, "Art not thou from everlasting, O Lord my God, mine Holy One? we shall not die." Learned Keckerman, lying on his death bed, and desirous, if it had so pleased God, to have lived a while longer for the finishing of those excellent pieces he had in hand, made use of these words of the psalmist, "I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord" (he was then upon his System of Natural Philosophy), but God had otherwise appointed it, and he submitted.

Read John Trapp on Psalms 118 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(17) I shall not die, but live.—It is Israel, and not an individual, who thus claims a continuance of life for the display of God’s glory. But as so often we find, the hope is so expressed as to suit not only the community for whom the psalm was composed and sung, but each member of it individually.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 118 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 17. I shall not die] I was nigh unto death; but I am preserved,-preserved to publish the wondrous works of the Lord.

Read AdamClarke on Psalms 118 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

15–18. The rejoicings of the festival in gratitude to Jehovah for preserving the nation’s life.

Read Cambridge on Psalms 118 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

I shall not die, but live - Evidently the psalmist had apprehended that he would die; or, he had felt that he was in imminent danger of dying.

Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 118 →

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

I will not die, but I will live and proclaim what the LORD has done.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

I will not die, but live, and declare Yah’s works.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

I will not die, but I will live and proclaim what the LORD has done.

NETBNew English Translation2006

I will not die, but live, and I will proclaim what the Lord has done.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

I shall not die, but live, And declare the works of Jehovah.

RVARevised Version, American1894

I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

I shall not die, but liue, and declare the woorkes of the Lord.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of Jah.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

I do not die, but live, And recount the works of Jah,

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

I do not die, but live, || And recount the works of YAH,

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

I shall not die, but I shall live, and relate the works of the Lord.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

I will not die, but live and declare the deeds of Yahweh.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

GIMEL. Give bountifully to thy servant, enliven me: and I shall keep thy words.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

I'm not going to die. In fact I'm going to live, and let people know what the Lord has done.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Life and not death will be my part, and I will give out the story of the works of the Lord.

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.

clauseadverbialלֹֽאnotverbאָמ֥וּתI.will.dieכִּי(dm)clauseverbאֶֽחְיֶ֑הI.will.liveוַ֝andclauseverbאֲסַפֵּ֗רI.will.recountnoun phrase · objectמַֽעֲשֵׂ֥יthe.deedsיָֽהּof.Yahweh

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


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

The Masoretic Text of Psalms 118:17 reads, "לֹֽא אָמ֥וּת כִּי־ אֶֽחְיֶ֑ה וַ֝אֲסַפֵּ֗ר מַֽעֲשֵׂ֥י יָֽהּ׃" which translates to, "I will not die, but I will live and proclaim what the LORD has done." The Septuagint agrees with the Masoretic Text, matching all seven words in a word-by-word correspondence, although the word order and articles differ due to the nature of Greek syntax. There are no significant differences in meaning between these witnesses for this verse.

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

לֹֽא אָמ֥וּת כִּי־ אֶֽחְיֶ֑ה וַ֝אֲסַפֵּ֗ר מַֽעֲשֵׂ֥י יָֽהּ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
לֹֽאοὐκאָמ֥וּתἀποθανοῦμαιכִּי־ἀλλὰאֶֽחְיֶ֑הζήσομαιוַ֝אֲסַפֵּ֗רἐκδιηγήσομαιמַֽעֲשֵׂ֥יἔργαיָֽהּ׃κυρίου

7 of the 7 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.


The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

Psalms 118:17לֹאnotnotלֹאמוּתI will dieI will dieמוּתכִּיforforכִּיחָיָהI will liveI will liveחָיָהסָפַרand I may rand I may recouסָפַרמַעֲשֶׂה[the] deeds[the] deeds ofמַעֲשֶׂהיָהּYahwehYahwehיָהּעָשָׂהto maketo makeעָשָׂהחָוָהto explainto explainחָוָהיהוהThe LordThe Lordיהוהיָכֹלbe ablebe ableיָכֹלעוֹדstillstillעוֹדרָצַחto murderto murderרָצַחקָבַרto buryto buryקָבַריָדַעto knowto knowיָדַעצְדָקָהrighteousnrighteousnessצְדָקָהעֶזְרָאEzraEzraעֶזְרָאשָׁפָןrock badgerock badgerשָׁפָןשָׁנִיscarletscarletשָׁנִישֵׁשׁalabasteralabasterשֵׁשׁזִמְרָהsongsongזִמְרָההָלַלto shineto shineהָלַל
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 118:17

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.

not I will die for I will live and I may recount [the] deeds of Yahweh
לֹֽאlo' not H3808 Particle
5,170× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Amplified meaning
never, under no circumstances
Tyndale gloss
not
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לֹא or לוֹא adv. not

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3808 lo' lo

or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often

used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,

ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,

no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out

of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +

of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לֹא (lo) — not.

1) not, no

1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)

1b) not (with modifier-negation)

1c) nothing (subst)

1d) without (with particle)

1e) before (of time)

Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part — Particle
HTn
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
not I will die for I will live and I may recount [the] deeds of Yahweh
אָמ֥וּת'a.Mut I will die H4191 Verb · Qal · imperfect first person common singular
840× 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 die, either literally or as a punishment, and is used in books like Genesis and Exodus. It can also mean to perish or be killed. This concept is seen in the story of Adam and Eve, where death enters the world as a result of sin.
Tyndale gloss
to die
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מוּת (mūth) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to die' or 'to kill.' It encompasses a range of meanings from dying naturally to being executed as a penalty. The word can refer to both humans and animals, and it includes various forms such as causing death or being killed. There is a distinction in usage based on the subject, whether it is a person or God inflicting death.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מוּת vb. die

Qal

die, of natural or other causes

die as a penalty = be put to death

Po‛lel. kill, put to death, despatch (intens.)

Hiph.

abs., elsewhere c. acc., subj. man

subj. God, by inflicting penalty

of animals killing men

bring to a premature death

Hoph. be killed, put to death

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4191 מוּת die .. die, of natural or other causes

. die as a penalty = be put to death

. kill, put to death, despatch (intens.)

. . abs., elsewhere c. acc., subj. man

. subj. God, by inflicting penalty

. of animals killing men

. bring to a premature death

. be killed, put to death

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4191 muwth mooth

a primitive root: to die (literally or figuratively);

causatively, to kill:--X at all, X crying, (be) dead (body,

man, one), (put to, worthy of) death, destroy(-er), (cause to,

be like to, must) die, kill, necro(-mancer), X must needs,

slay, X surely, X very suddenly, X in (no) wise.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מוּת (mut) — to die.

1) to die, kill, have one executed

1a)(Qal)

1a1) to die

1a2) to die (as penalty), be put to death

1a3) to die, perish (of a nation)

1a4) to die prematurely (by neglect of wise moral conduct)

1b) (Polel) to kill, put to death, dispatch

1c) (Hiphil) to kill, put to death

1d) (Hophal)

1d1) to be killed, be put to death

1d1a) to die prematurely

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-1cs — Verb · Qal · imperfect first person common singular
HVqi1cs
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

(muth, gawa`; apothnesko, teleutao): "To die," etc., is of very frequent occurrence, and in the Old Testament is generally the translation of muth, meaning perhaps originally, "to be stretched out" or "prostrate." "To die," should be the consequence of eating the forbidden fruit (Ge 2:17; compare Ge 20:7; 2Ki 1:4,6). "Die" is commonly used of natural death (Ge 5:8; 25:8). It is used also of violent death (Ge 26:9,11; Ex 21:20); punitive (Ex 19:12; 21:12,14; 28:43; Nu…

not I will die for I will live and I may recount [the] deeds of Yahweh
כִּי־ki- for H3588 Particle
4,483× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A conjunction used to show cause or connection, as in Genesis 2:23 where Adam says the woman is bone of his bone because she was taken out of him. It is often translated as 'for', 'because', or 'since'.
Tyndale gloss
for
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כִּי (ki) is a conjunction primarily meaning 'that,' 'for,' or 'when.' It indicates causal relationships and can express conditions like 'if' or 'though.' The word is versatile, appearing in various contexts to convey certainty, exception, or concession. Notably, it can combine with other particles to modify its meaning, such as in the phrase כִּי אם־ (ki im), meaning 'that if.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כִּי conj. that, for, when

that

Of time, when, of the past

elsewhere כִּי has a force approximating to if, though it usu. represents a case as more likely to occur than אִם

when or if, with a concessive force, i.e. though

Because, since

base

כִּי אם־

each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause:

that if

for if

(About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause—

limiting the prec. clause, except

the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but

after an oath, surely

base

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3588a כִּי that, for, when . that

. . Of time, when, of the past

. elsewhere כִּי has a force approximating to if, though it usu. represents a case as more likely to occur than אִם

. when or if, with a concessive force, i.e. though

. Because, since

H3588b כִּי אם־ . each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause: . that if

. for if

. (About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause— . limiting the prec. clause, except

. the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but

. after an oath, surely

H3588c כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3588 kiy kee

a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional

prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent

or consequent; (by implication) very widely used as a relative

conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by

other particles annexed:--and, + (forasmuch, inasmuch,

where-)as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else,

even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, +

nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then,

therefore, + (al- )though, + till, truly, + until, when,

whether, while, whom, yea, yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כִּי (ki) — for.

1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since

1a) that

1a1) yea, indeed

1b) when (of time)

1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force)

1c) because, since (causal connection)

1d) but (after negative)

1e) that if, for if, indeed if, for though, but if

1f) but rather, but

1g) except that

1h) only, nevertheless

1i) surely

1j) that is

1k) but if

1l) for though

1m) forasmuch as, for therefore

כִּי [אם] (ki im) — that if: except.

1) except if

1a) but if

1b) even though

כִּי [עַל כֵּן] (ki [al ken]) — for as that: since.

1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since

1a) that

1a1) yea, indeed

1b) when (of time)

1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force)

1c) because, since (causal connection)

1d) but (after negative)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj — Particle
HTc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

for (ki (conjunction), le, from 'el (preposition), and various other words. In the New Testament also the words are various, chiefly gar, kai gar, hoti (conjunctions); anti apo eis dia (accusative), epi (dative and accusative), peri (genitive), pros (genitive and accusative), huper (genitive) (prepositions)): the English Revised Version and the American Standard Revised Version give in many cases more literal or more accurate renderings than those in the King James Version.

In the New Testament the most important preps. from a doctrinal point of view are anti, "face to face," "over against," "instead," "on behalf of," peri, "around," "about," "concerning," huper, "over," "on behalf of." The first has been claimed as stating the substitutionary nature of Christ's sacrifice as contrasted with huper and peri, more frequently used of it. But, although anti in the New Testament often means…

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
not I will die for I will live and I may recount [the] deeds of Yahweh
אֶֽחְיֶ֑ה'ech.Yeh I will live H2421 Verb · Qal · imperfect first person common singular
282× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To live or have life is the meaning of this Hebrew word, which can also mean to revive or be quickened. It is used in the Bible to describe God's power to sustain life and restore people to health, as seen in the stories of the prophets and Jesus' miracles.
Amplified meaning
have life, be revived
Tyndale gloss
to live
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חָיָה (chayah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to live or have life, encompassing both literal and figurative senses. It includes various nuances such as reviving, preserving life, and restoring health. The entries detail its use in different stems, with Qal focusing on living and being quickened, while Piel and Hiphil emphasize giving life and reviving. No specific verse references are provided.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חָיָה 283 vb. live

Qal 203

live

be quickened, revive

Pi.

preserve alive, let live

give life

quicken, revive, refresh

Hiph.

preserve alive, let live

quicken, revive

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2421 חָיָה live .. live

. be quickened, revive

. . preserve alive, let live

. give life

. quicken, revive, refresh

. . preserve alive, let live

. quicken, revive

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2421 chayah khaw-yaw'

a primitive root (compare 2331, 2421); to live, whether

literally or figuratively; causatively, to revive:--keep

(leave, make) alive, X certainly, give (promise) life, (let,

suffer to) live, nourish up, preserve (alive), quicken,

recover, repair, restore (to life), revive, (X God) save

(alive, life, lives), X surely, be whole.

see HEBREW for 02331

see HEBREW for 02421

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חָיָה (cha.yah) — to live.

1) to live, have life, remain alive, sustain life, live prosperously, live for ever, be quickened, be alive, be restored to life or health

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to live

1a1a) to have life

1a1b) to continue in life, remain alive

1a1c) to sustain life, to live on or upon

1a1d) to live (prosperously)

1a2) to revive, be quickened

1a2a) from sickness

1a2b) from discouragement

1a2c) from faintness

1a2d) from death

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to preserve alive, let live

1b2) to give life

1b3) to quicken, revive, refresh

1b3a) to restore to life

1b3b) to cause to grow

1b3c) to restore

1b3d) to revive

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to preserve alive, let live

1c2) to quicken, revive

1c2a) to restore (to health)

1c2b) to revive

1c2c) to restore to life

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-1cs — Verb · Qal · imperfect first person common singular
HVqi1cs
not I will die for I will live and I may recount [the] deeds of Yahweh
וַ֝אֲסַפֵּ֗רva.'a.sa.Per and I may recount H5608 Conjunction · verb piel first person common singular
159× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a scribe or secretary who records or inscribes information. It is used in the Bible to describe someone who counts or enumerates things. The KJV translates it as 'scribe, tell, writer'.
Amplified meaning
declare, recount
Tyndale gloss
to recount
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

סָפַר (safar) is a Hebrew verb meaning to count or recount, with various forms indicating actions like declaring or rehearsing. The noun form סֹפֵר (sofer) refers to a scribe or secretary. The entries highlight its use in contexts of enumeration and record-keeping, but do not present significant disagreement among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

סָפַר 107 vb. count, Pi. recount, relate

Qal 27

count things, to learn their number

number = take account of, carefully observe and consider, reckon

Niph. be counted, numbered

Pi. 67 recount, rehearse, declare

Pu. be recounted, related, rehearsed

base

סֹפֵר, סוֹפֵר n.m. enumerator, muster-officer, secretary, scribe

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5608a סָפַר count, Pi. recount, relate .. count things, to learn their number

. number = take account of, carefully observe and consider, reckon

. be counted, numbered

. recount, rehearse, declare

. be recounted, related, rehearsed

H5608b סֹפֵר, סוֹפֵר enumerator, muster-officer, secretary, scribe

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5608 caphar saw-far'

a primitive root; properly, to score with a mark as a tally

or record, i.e. (by implication) to inscribe, and also to

enumerate; intensively, to recount, i.e. celebrate:--commune,

(ac-)count; declare, number, + penknife, reckon, scribe, shew

forth, speak, talk, tell (out), writer.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

סָפַר (sa.phar) — to recount.

v

1) to count, recount, relate

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to count (things)

1a2) to number, take account of, reckon

1b) (Niphal) to be counted, be numbered

1c) (Piel) to recount, rehearse, declare

1c1) to recount (something), rehearse

1c2) to talk

1c3) to count exactly or accurately

1d) (Pual) to be recounted, be rehearsed, be related

סֹפֵר (so.pher) — secretary.

1) enumerator, muster-officer, secretary, scribe

1a) enumerator, muster-officer, secretary

1b) learned man, scribe

Aramaic equivalent: sa.pher (סָפִר "scribe" H5613)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Piel-Imperf-1cs — Conjunction · verb piel first person common singular
HC/Vpu1cs
not I will die for I will live and I may recount [the] deeds of Yahweh
מַֽעֲשֵׂ֥יma.'a.Sei [the] deeds of H4639 Noun common · masculine plural construct
236× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word refers to an action or deed, which can be good or bad. It is used to describe various activities, such as work, business, or achievements. The KJV translates it as act, deed, or labor.
Amplified meaning
accomplished, brought to pass, deeds
Tyndale gloss
deed: judgement
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מַעֲשֶׂה (ma`aseh) means deed or work, encompassing a range of actions from good to bad, and includes concepts like business, labor, and products made. It can refer to specific achievements, works of God, or even customs. The entries suggest a broad application in various contexts, but do not indicate any significant disagreement among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מַעֲשֶׂה 233 n.m. deed, work

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4639 מַעֲשֶׂה deed, work

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4639 ma`aseh mah-as-eh'

from 6213; an action (good or bad); generally, a transaction;

abstractly, activity; by implication, a product (specifically,

a poem) or (generally) property:--act, art, + bakemeat,

business, deed, do(-ing), labor, thing made, ware of making,

occupation, thing offered, operation, possession, X well,

((handy-, needle-, net-))work(ing, - manship), wrought.

see HEBREW for 06213

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מַעֲשֶׂה (ma.a.seh) — deed: work.

: work/product

1) deed, work

1a) deed, thing done, act

1b) work, labour

1c) business, pursuit

1d) undertaking, enterprise

1e) achievement

1f) deeds, works (of deliverance and judgment)

1g) work, thing made

1h) work (of God)

1i) product

מַעֲשֶׂה (ma.a.seh) — deed: justice.

: justice/right/righteousness

1) deed, work

1a) deed, thing done, act

1b) work, labour

1c) business, pursuit

1d) undertaking, enterprise

1e) achievement

1f) deeds, works (of deliverance and judgment)

1g) work, thing made

1h) work (of God)

1i) product

מַעֲשֶׂה (ma.a.seh) — deed: judgement.

: judgement/punishment

1) deed, work

1a) deed, thing done, act

1b) work, labour

1c) business, pursuit

1d) undertaking, enterprise

1e) achievement

1f) deeds, works (of deliverance and judgment)

1g) work, thing made

1h) work (of God)

1i) product

מַעֲשֶׂה (ma.a.seh) — deed: custom.

: custom/manner

Read the full entry →
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…

not I will die for I will live and I may recount [the] deeds of Yahweh
יָֽהּ׃Yah Yahweh H3050 Noun proper masculine
50× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Jah is a shortened form of the name LORD, used in many compounds, such as names ending in -iah or -jah. It appears in the Bible as a way to refer to God.
Amplified meaning
Jah, the self-existent One
Tyndale gloss
LORD
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָהּ (Yahh) is a shortened form of יהוה (YHWH), meaning 'LORD.' It appears in early Hebrew poetry and is often found in names ending with '-iah' or '-jah.' The entries confirm its use as a sacred name, but do not provide specific verse references.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָהּ 60 n.pr.dei contr. fr. יהוה, first appears in early poems

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3050 יָהּ n. pr. dei contr. fr. יהוה, first appears in early poems

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3050 Yahh yaw

contraction for 3068, and meaning the same; Jah, the sacred

name:--Jah, the Lord, most vehement. Compare names in "-iah,"

"- jah."

see HEBREW for 03068

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָהּ (yah) — LORD.

A shortened form of the name ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068)

used in many compounds as the letters 'Je' or 'jah'

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper masculine
HNpm
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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