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Psalms 119:157 — Word Study

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WLCרַ֭בִּים רֹדְפַ֣י וְצָרָ֑י מֵ֝עֵדְוֹתֶ֗יךָ לֹ֣א נָטִֽיתִי׃

BSA[Though] my persecutorsrâdaph [numerous, many, pursuers, adversaries] and foestsar [enemies, oppressors] are manyrab I have notlôʼ [in no way, utterly] turnednâṭâh [swerved, declined] from Your testimoniesʻêdûwth [divine, God-given, laws, instructions, witness]

Word
Listen & take awayPsalms 119
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 157 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 (na.Ti.ti) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Psalms 119:157quick helps
In a sentenceThe psalmist acknowledges the many who pursue him but remains steadfast in his commitment to God's laws.
Who is speakingThe psalmist, expressing personal resolve amid adversity.
Where we areIn the midst of a reflection on God's mercy and faithfulness.
The hard wordרַבִּים
Take awayDespite numerous adversaries, the psalmist does not waver from following God's instructions.
7 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbנָטָה 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 119:157

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 Psalmist's Resolvegenerated

156Great are Your mercies, O LORD; revive me according to Your ordinances.
157Though my persecutors and foes are many, I have not turned from Your testimonies.
158I look on the faithless with loathing because they do not keep Your word.
159Consider how I love Your precepts, O LORD; give me life according to Your loving devotion.

Psalm 119:157 reflects the psalmist's determination to adhere to God's testimonies despite facing many persecutors and foes. This verse is part of a larger meditation on the importance of God's laws and the challenges faced by those who seek to follow them, as seen in the surrounding verses that express reliance on God's mercy and the rejection of the faithless.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Psalm 3:1–2O LORD, how my foes have increased! How many rise up against me!
2Psalm 22:12–16Many bulls surround me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.
3Psalm 25:19Consider my enemies, for they are many, and they hate me with vicious hatred.
4Psalm 56:2My enemies pursue me all day long, for many proudly assail me.
5Psalm 118:10–12All the nations surrounded me, but in the name of the LORD I cut them off.

The Key Word רַבִּים, Ra.bimgenerated

The word רַב (rav) means many or numerous, often used to describe abundance in quantity or rank. It can function as both an adjective and a noun, conveying a sense of leadership or authority. In this verse, it emphasizes the multitude of the psalmist's adversaries.

The parsing as an adjective indicates that it describes the subject of the sentence, highlighting the overwhelming number of persecutors. This sets a stark contrast to the psalmist's unwavering commitment to God's testimonies.


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 main verb in the verse is נָטִֽיתִי, I have turned aside, which governs the overall structure. The sentence includes several noun phrases that provide context: the subjects being the persecutors and foes, and the object being the testimonies.

The word order emphasizes the psalmist's steadfastness against the backdrop of numerous adversaries, with the finite verb concluding the thought.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates רַבִּים as πολλοὶ, which also means many. This choice maintains the original meaning of multitude while reflecting the Greek language's nuances.

This consistent rendering in the Septuagint underscores the psalmist's experience of facing numerous foes, aligning with the Hebrew text.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalm 119:157 shows the psalmist declaring that even though he faces many enemies and persecutors, he remains committed to following God's testimonies. This verse emphasizes the importance of steadfastness in faith despite external challenges.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does the psalmist mean by 'testimonies'?

The 'testimonies' refer to God's laws and instructions, which guide the psalmist's life and faith.

Why does the psalmist mention his persecutors?

He acknowledges the challenges he faces from many adversaries but emphasizes his unwavering commitment to God's ways.

How does this verse relate to the surrounding verses?

It is part of a larger reflection on God's mercy and the psalmist's dedication to His commandments despite adversity.

What can we learn from the psalmist's resolve?

The psalmist's determination encourages us to remain faithful to God's teachings, even when faced with opposition.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What challenges do I face that test my commitment to following God's ways?
  2. How can I find strength in God's testimonies when I feel overwhelmed by adversaries?
  3. In what ways can I encourage others who are facing persecution or opposition?
  4. What does it mean for me to remain steadfast in my faith, like the psalmist?

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

Early Church Fathers have commented on this verse, emphasizing the psalmist's unwavering faith amid persecution.

Augustine of HippoExposition on Psalms 119 354–430
"Many there are that trouble me, and persecute me; yet do I not swerve from Your testimonies" [Psalms 119:157].
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 119 →

Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 119:157 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Many [are] my persecutors and mine enemies,.... Because they were his enemies, therefore they were his persecutors; and they became enemies to him, or hated him, because of his religion, and on that

Read John Gill on Psalms 119 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Many are my persecutors and mine enemies; yet do I not decline from thy testimonies. Yet do I not decline from thy testimonies - (Psalms 119:51; Psalms 44:18.)

Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 119 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Ver. 157. Though they tempt me to do so, and persecute me because I will not do it.

Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 119 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Psalms 119:157 Many [are] my persecutors and mine enemies; [yet] do I not decline from thy testimonies.Ver. 157. Many are my persecutors] Truth never wanted an adversary; and goes seldom without a scratched face. Yet do I not decline] But still adhere to thy word; when others fall off as fast as leaves fall from trees in autumn.

Read John Trapp on Psalms 119 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

153–160. Rçsh. More urgent prayers for deliverance from his persecutors. Note the thrice-repeated ‘quicken me.’

Read Cambridge on Psalms 119 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Many are my persecutors and mine enemies - The thought here turns on the number of his enemies, and on the effect which numbers might have in turning one from the way of truth.

Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 119 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

ø, Resh.153-160. Plead my cause—The prayer is here as if the honour of God were involved in the deliverance of those who put their trust in him. The pleading is, for that very reason, the more earnest.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Psalms 119 →

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

Though my persecutors and foes are many, I have not turned from Your testimonies.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Many are my persecutors and my adversaries. I haven’t swerved from your testimonies.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Though my persecutors and foes are many, I have not turned from Your testimonies.

NETBNew English Translation2006

The enemies who chase me are numerous. Yet I do not turn aside from your rules.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Many are my persecutors and mine enemies; yet do I not decline from thy testimonies.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Many are my persecutors and mine adversaries; Yet have I not swerved from thy testimonies.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Many are my persecutors and mine adversaries; yet have I not swerved from they testimonies.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Many are my persecutors and my enemies; yet I do not decline from thy testimonies.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

My persecutours and mine oppressours are many: yet doe I not swarue from thy testimonies.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Many are my persecutors and mine oppressors; I have not declined from thy testimonies.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Many [are] my pursuers, and adversaries, From Thy testimonies I have not turned aside.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

My pursuers and adversaries are many, || I have not turned aside from Your testimonies.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Many are my persecutors and my assailants: yet from thy testimonies do I not turn away.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

My persecutors and my foes are many, yet I have not turned from your covenant decrees.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Despite the many people who persecute and mistreat me, I have not strayed from your laws.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Great is the number of those who are against me; but I have not been turned away from your unchanging word.

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.

clausepredicateרַ֭בִּים[are].manynoun phrase · subjectnoun phraseרֹדְפַ֣[thoseיwho].harass.meוְandnoun phraseצָרָ֑foesיmyclauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalמֵ֝fromnoun phraseעֵדְוֺתֶ֗יtestimoniesךָyouradverbialלֹ֣אnotverbנָטִֽיתִיI.have.turned.aside

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


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

The Masoretic Text, the Septuagint, and the Dead Sea Scrolls all agree on the wording of this verse. The Septuagint matches the Hebrew word-for-word, confirming the integrity of the text across these ancient witnesses.

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

רַ֭בִּים רֹדְפַ֣י וְצָרָ֑י מֵ֝עֵדְוֹתֶ֗יךָ לֹ֣א נָטִֽיתִי׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
רַ֭בִּיםπολλοὶרֹדְפַ֣יμεוְצָרָ֑יμεמֵ֝עֵדְוֹתֶ֗יךָσουלֹ֣אοὐκנָטִֽיתִי׃ἐχέκλινα

6 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 11Q5a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

רבים רודפ׳י וצר׳י מעדוותי׳כה לוא נטיתי

6 words on the leather.

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 119:157רַב[are] many[are] manyרַברָדַף[those who][those who] harרָדַףצַרand foes myand foes myצַרעֵדוּתfrom testimfrom testimonieעֵדוּתלֹאnotnotלֹאנָטָהI have turnI have turned aנָטָהרָבַבto multiplto multiplyרָבַבצוּרto confineto confineצוּרעֵדwitnesswitnessעֵדנְבוּזַרְאֲדָןNebuzaradaNebuzaradanנְבוּזַרְאֲדָןטַבָּחguardguardטַבָּחנָשַׂגto overtakto overtakeנָשַׂגאַחַרafterafterאַחַרמְצוּקָהdistressdistressמְצוּקָהבּוּסto trampleto trampleבּוּסכַּפֹּרֶתmercy seatmercy seatכַּפֹּרֶתלוּחַtablettabletלוּחַיָכֹלbe ablebe ableיָכֹלעוֹדstillstillעוֹדחָזָקstrongstrongחָזָקזְרוֹעַarmarmזְרוֹעַ
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 119:157

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.

[are] many [those who] harass me and foes my from testimonies your not I have turned aside
רַ֭בִּיםRa.bim [are] many H7227 Adj
454× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means a chief or captain, someone in charge. It is used in 2 Samuel 23:19 to describe a great and powerful man. The idea is one of leadership and authority.
Tyndale gloss
many
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רַב (rav) means much, many, or great, often used in contrast to מְעַט (me'at). It can describe abundance in quantity or rank and is also used as a noun for chief or captain. The word conveys a range of meanings from numerous to exceedingly, and it can function as both an adjective and a noun.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רַב 429 adj. much, many, great

(oft. opp. מְעַט)

much: of substances

esp. of collectives, numerous

pl. many

רַב as subst. coll. pers.

cstr. = abounding in

מִן comp. = more numerous than

רַב = abundant, enough

as adv. much, exceedingly

less oft. great

base

רַב 49 n.m. chief

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7227a רַב much, many, great . (oft. opp. מְעַט) . . much: of substances

. esp. of collectives, numerous

. pl. many

. רַב as subst. coll. pers.

. cstr. = abounding in

. + מִן comp. = more numerous than

. רַב = abundant, enough

. as adv. much, exceedingly

. less oft. great

H7227b רַב chief

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7227 rab rab

by contracted from 7231; abundant (in quantity, size, age,

number, rank, quality):--(in) abound(-undance, -ant, -antly),

captain, elder, enough, exceedingly, full, great(-ly, man,

one), increase, long (enough, (time)), (do, have) many(-ifold,

things, a time), ((ship-))master, mighty, more, (too, very)

much, multiply(-tude), officer, often(-times), plenteous,

populous, prince, process (of time), suffice(-lent).

see HEBREW for 07231

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רַב (rav) — many.

adj

1) much, many, great

1a) much

1b) many

1c) abounding in

1d) more numerous than

1e) abundant, enough

1f) great

1g) strong

1h) greater than

adv

1i) much, exceedingly

רַב (rav) — chief.

captain, chief

Aramaic equivalent: rav.re.van (רַבְרְבָן "noble" H7261)

רַב (rav) — (Sidon) the Great.

Combined with tsi.don (צִידוֹן "Sidon" H6721H)

§ captain, chief

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Adj
HAampa
English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

MANY, adjective men'ny.

1. Numerous; comprising a great number of individuals.

Thou shalt be a father of many nations. Genesis 17:4.

Not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. 1 Corinthians 1:26.

MANY are the afflictions of the righteous. Psalms 34:12.

It is often preceded by as or so, and followed by so, indicating an equal number.

As many books as you take, so many shall be charged to your account.

So many laws argue so many sins.

It is followed by as.

As many as were willing-hearted brought bracelets. Exodus 34:1.

It precedes an or a, before a noun in the singular number.

Full many a gem of purest ray serene.

2. In low language, preceded by too, it denotes powerful or much; as, they are too many for us.

MANY, noun men'ny. A multitude; a great number of individuals; the people.

O thou fond many

The vulgar and the many are fit only to be led or driven.

[are] many [those who] harass me and foes my from testimonies your not I have turned aside
רֹדְפַ֣יro.de.Fai [those who] harass me H7291 Verb qal participle (active) masculine plural common · suffix
143× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To pursue or chase after someone means to follow them with hostile intent. This can be a physical pursuit or a pursuit of someone's life or well-being, as seen in many biblical stories.
Amplified meaning
numerous, many, pursuers, adversaries
Tyndale gloss
to pursue
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רָדַף (radaph) is a Hebrew verb meaning to pursue, chase, or persecute. It conveys the idea of running after something, often with hostile intent, and can also figuratively refer to following time or securing something. The word has various forms, including Qal, Niphal, Piel, Pual, and Hiphil, each indicating different nuances of pursuit or being pursued.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רָדַף 141 vb. pursue, chase, persecute

Qal 128

pursue

lit. put to flight, chase

lit., the pursuers

chase, hunt

pursue

fig. persecute, harass

pursue, dog

fig. follow after, aim to secure

Niph. upon the neck (i.e. closely) we are pursued

Pi. pursue ardently

Pu. it shall be chased away like chaff of the mountains

Hiph. usu. they chased him

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7291 רָדַף pursue, chase, persecute

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7291 radaph raw-daf'

a primitive root; to run after (usually with hostile intent;

figuratively (of time) gone by):--chase, put to flight,

follow (after, on), hunt, (be under) persecute(-ion, -or),

pursue(-r).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רָדַף (ra.daph) — to pursue.

1) to be behind, follow after, pursue, persecute, run after

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to pursue, put to flight, chase, dog, attend closely upon

1a2) to persecute, harass (fig)

1a3) to follow after, aim to secure (fig)

1a4) to run after (a bribe) (fig)

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be pursued

1b2) one pursued (participle)

1c) (Piel) to pursue ardently, aim eagerly to secure, pursue

1d) (Pual) to be pursued, be chased away

1e) (Hiphil) to pursue, chase

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal | Suff — Verb qal participle (active) masculine plural common · suffix
HVqrmpc/Sp1bs
[are] many [those who] harass me and foes my from testimonies your not I have turned aside
וְצָרָ֑יve.tza.Rai and foes my H6862 Conjunction · noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
109× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means hard or narrow, often referring to trouble or a tight spot, like an adversary or affliction. It can also mean a small stone or pebble, such as flint, and is used in various biblical contexts to describe challenges.
Amplified meaning
enemies, oppressors
Tyndale gloss
narrow
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word צַר (tsar) is built from the root meaning 'narrow' or 'tight.' It encompasses a range of meanings including 'distress,' 'adversary,' and 'hard pebble' or 'flint.' The term can refer to physical tightness or metaphorical trouble, as well as an enemy or foe. It appears in contexts of anguish and tribulation, with a specific verse reference in Isaiah 5:28.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

צַר adj. narrow, tight

base

צַר n.[m.] straits, distress

base

צַר 68 n.m. adversary, foe

base

צַר n.[m.] hard pebble, flint;—Is 5:28

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6862a צַר narrow, tight H6862b צַר straits, distress H6862c צַר adversary, foe H6862d צַר hard pebble, flint

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6862 tsar tsar

or tsar {tsawr}; from 6887; narrow; (as a noun) a tight place

(usually figuratively, i.e. trouble); also a pebble (as in

6864); (transitive) an opponent (as crowding):--adversary,

afflicted(-tion), anguish, close, distress, enemy, flint, foe,

narrow, small, sorrow, strait, tribulation, trouble.

see HEBREW for 06887

see HEBREW for 06864

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

צַר (tsar) — narrow.

narrow, tight

צַר (tsar) — distress.

straits, distress

צַר (tsar) — enemy.

adversary, foe, enemy, oppressor

צַר (tsar) — hard.

hard pebble, flint

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | N-mp | Suff — Conjunction · noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
HC/Ncmpc/Sp1bs
[are] many [those who] harass me and foes my from testimonies your not I have turned aside
מֵ֝עֵדְוֹתֶ֗יךָme.'e.de.vo.Tei.kha from testimonies your H5715 Preposition · noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
61× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means a testimony or witness, often referring to God's laws or instructions. It is used in several books, including Exodus and Deuteronomy, to describe God's guidance. The word emphasizes the importance of following God's laws.
Amplified meaning
divine, God-given, laws, instructions, witness
Tyndale gloss
testimony
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עֵדוּת (eduwth) is a feminine noun meaning 'testimony' or 'witness.' It is derived from the root word עֵד (ed), which also relates to the concept of testimony. The term appears in various contexts in the Old Testament, emphasizing its significance in legal and religious settings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עֵדוּת 19 and עֵדֻת 27 n.f. testimony

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5715 עֵדוּת, עֵדֻת testimony

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5715 `eduwth ay-dooth'

feminine of 5707; testimony:--testimony, witness.

see HEBREW for 05707

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עֵדוּת (e.dut) — testimony.

testimony

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-fp | Suff — Preposition · noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
HR/Ncfpc/Sp2ms
[are] many [those who] harass me and foes my from testimonies your not I have turned aside
לֹ֣אlo' 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
in no way, utterly
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
[are] many [those who] harass me and foes my from testimonies your not I have turned aside
נָטִֽיתִי׃na.Ti.ti I have turned aside H5186 Verb · Qal · perfect first person common singular
214× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To stretch or spread out, often used to describe physical movement, but also moral deflection, as seen in the story of Israel's decline in the book of Judges.
Amplified meaning
swerved, declined
Tyndale gloss
to stretch
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נָטָה (natah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to stretch out, spread out, or extend. It encompasses a wide range of actions, including bending, inclining, and pitching a tent. The word can also imply moral deflection or turning aside. The entries suggest various applications, from physical actions to metaphorical uses, but do not indicate significant disagreement among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נָטָה 215 vb. stretch out, spread out, extend, incline, bend

Qal

stretch out, extend, hand, rod

stretch line and plummet

= offer

Spread out, i.e. pitch, tent

Bend, turn, incline

Niph. be stretched out

Hiph.

rarely stretch out, hand

rarely spread out cloth on rock

usu. turn, incline

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5186 נָטָה stretch out, spread out, extend, incline, bend .. . stretch out, extend, hand, rod

. stretch line and plummet

. = offer

. Spread out, i.e. pitch, tent

. Bend, turn, incline

. be stretched out

. . rarely stretch out, hand

. rarely spread out cloth on rock

. usu. turn, incline

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5186 natah naw-taw'

a primitive root; to stretch or spread out; by implication,

to bend away (including moral deflection); used in a great

variety of application (as follows):--+ afternoon, apply, bow

(down, - ing), carry aside, decline, deliver, extend, go down,

be gone, incline, intend, lay, let down, offer, outstretched,

overthrown, pervert, pitch, prolong, put away, shew, spread

(out), stretch (forth, out), take (aside), turn (aside, away),

wrest, cause to yield.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָטָה (na.tah) — to stretch.

1) to stretch out, extend, spread out, pitch, turn, pervert, incline, bend, bow

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to stretch out, extend, stretch, offer

1a2) to spread out, pitch (tent)

1a3) to bend, turn, incline

1a3a) to turn aside, incline, decline, bend down

1a3b) to bend, bow

1a3c) to hold out, extend (fig.)

1b) (Niphal) to be stretched out

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to stretch out

1c2) to spread out

1c3) to turn, incline, influence, bend down, hold out, extend, thrust aside, thrust away

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-1cs — Verb · Qal · perfect first person common singular
HVqp1cs
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

a-sid': "Distinct from others," "privately," such is the sense of the word in 2Ki 4:4; Mr 7:33. Also "to withdraw" (Lu 9:10 the King James Version; Ac 23:19: hupochoreo, also anachoreo). One is said to have turned aside when he departs from the path of rectitude (Ps 14:3; Sirach 2:7; 1Ti 1:6). In a figurative sense it is used to express the thought of putting aside, to renounce, every hindrance or impediment to a consecrated earnest Christian life (Heb 12:1: apotithemi).

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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