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Psalms 119:58 — Word Study

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WLCחִלִּ֣יתִי פָנֶ֣יךָ בְכָל־ לֵ֑ב חָ֝נֵּ֗נִי כְּאִמְרָתֶֽךָ׃

BSAI have soughtchâlâh [appeased, entreated] Your facepânîym [presence, being] with allkôl [my whole, entire] my heartlêb [inner being, feelings, will] be gracious to mechânan [merciful, show kindness] according to Your promiseʼimrâh [as you have said, promised, word, saying]

Word
Listen & take awayPsalms 119
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 58 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 (ke.'im.ra.Te.kha) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Psalms 119:58quick helps
In a sentenceThe psalmist expresses a heartfelt plea to God for grace, having earnestly sought His presence.
Who is speakingThe psalmist, addressing God directly.
Where we areThis verse is part of a meditation on God’s promises and the psalmist’s commitment to seek Him.
The hard wordחִלִּ֣יתִי
Take awayThe psalmist seeks God's favor based on His promises.
7 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbחָלָה 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 119:58

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 Commitment to Seek Godgenerated

57The LORD is my portion; I have promised to keep Your words.
58I have sought Your face with all my heart; be gracious to me according to Your promise.
59I considered my ways and turned my steps to Your testimonies.
60I hurried without hesitating to keep Your commandments.

Psalm 119:58 reflects the psalmist's deep desire for a relationship with God, emphasizing the importance of seeking His presence wholeheartedly. This verse is situated within a larger meditation on God's laws and promises, illustrating the psalmist's commitment to live in accordance with God's will, as seen in the surrounding verses.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Psalm 119:10With all my heart I have sought You; do not let me stray from Your commandments.
2Psalm 4:6Many ask, “Who can show us the good?” Shine the light of Your face upon us, O LORD.
3Psalm 51:1–3Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your loving devotion; according to Your great compassion, blot out my transgressions.
4Psalm 86:1–3Incline Your ear, O LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy.
5Hosea 7:14They do not cry out to Me from their hearts when they wail upon their beds. They slash themselves for grain and new wine, but turn away from Me.

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


The Key Word חִלִּ֣יתִי, chi.Li.tigenerated

The verb חִלִּ֣יתִי (*chi.Li.ti*) is a perfect form in the Piel stem, indicating a completed action. It conveys the act of entreating or begging, suggesting a posture of humility and desperation in seeking favor from God.

This word is built from the root חָלָה (*chalah*), which encompasses meanings related to weakness and illness, highlighting the earnestness of the psalmist's plea. The use of the Piel stem indicates an intensive action, emphasizing the depth of the psalmist's request.


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 חִלִּ֣יתִי, I have sought, governs the entire verse, with a noun phrase פָנֶ֣יךָ describing the object of the seeking, and a prepositional phrase בְכָל־ לֵ֑ב indicating the manner of the action. The structure emphasizes the psalmist's total commitment in seeking God's presence.

The second part of the verse introduces a request with the verb חָ֝נֵּ֗נִי, be gracious to me, followed by a prepositional phrase כְּאִמְרָתֶֽךָ, according to Your promise, which grounds the request in God's faithfulness.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, the verb חִלִּ֣יתִי is rendered as ἐδεήθην (*edeēthēn*), which means 'I prayed' or 'I entreated'. This choice emphasizes the act of prayer and supplication, aligning with the psalmist's intent to seek God's favor.

The translation maintains the core meaning of the original Hebrew while adapting it to the Greek audience, reflecting a similar understanding of seeking divine grace.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalm 119:58 shows the psalmist earnestly seeking God's presence with his whole heart and asking for grace based on God's promises. This verse highlights the importance of a sincere relationship with God and the assurance of His faithfulness.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean to seek God's face?

To seek God's face means to desire His presence and favor, indicating a deep longing for a relationship with Him.

Why is the heart significant in this verse?

The heart represents the inner being, feelings, and will, emphasizing the total commitment the psalmist has in seeking God.

How does God's promise relate to the psalmist's request?

The psalmist appeals to God's promise as the basis for his request for grace, showing trust in God's faithfulness.

What does it mean to be gracious?

To be gracious means to show kindness and favor, often in a way that is undeserved, reflecting God's mercy towards His people.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways can I seek God's presence more earnestly in my life?
  2. How does understanding God's promises influence my prayers?
  3. What does it mean to me to approach God with my whole heart?
  4. How can I show grace to others as God has shown grace to me?

Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 119:58 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

I entreated thy favour with [my] whole heart,.... Or, "thy face" (m); to see it; or thy presence, to enjoy it; to have communion with God, and the light of his countenance; than which nothing is more

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

I intreated thy favour with my whole heart: be merciful unto me according to thy word. I entreated thy favour (literally, thy face, Psalms 45:12, margin; Daniel 9:13, margin) with my whole heart.

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

Thy favour; thy gracious presence and merciful assistance, as it follows.

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

Psalms 119:58 I intreated thy favour with [my] whole heart: be merciful unto me according to thy word.Ver. 58. I intreated thy favour] Heb. thy face, that is, thy Christ, saith Ambrose and Hilary: this David did in the sense of his own utter inability to do as he had promised. Be merciful unto me, &c.] This was the sum of his petition, and must be the main of ours.

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

58. be merciful] Be gracious, as in Psalms 4:1, and often. Cp. Psalms 119:29; Psalms 119:132.

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

I entreated thy favor - Margin, as in Hebrew, “face.” That is, he prayed that God would lift upon him the light of his countenance; that he would not avert his face from him in anger.

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

ç, Cheth.57-64. Thou art my portion—Having found in the statutes of the Lord the joy and solace mentioned in the last division, the writer now earnestly prays that, as the highest good, he may have a

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

I have sought Your face with all my heart; be gracious to me according to Your promise.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

I sought your favor with my whole heart. Be merciful to me according to your word.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

I have sought Your face with all my heart; be gracious to me according to Your promise.

NETBNew English Translation2006

I seek your favor with all my heart. Have mercy on me as you promised!

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

I intreated thy favour with my whole heart: be merciful unto me according to thy word.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

I entreated thy favor with my whole heart: Be merciful unto me according to thy word.

RVARevised Version, American1894

I entreated thy favour with my whole heart: be merciful unto me according to thy word.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

I entreated thy favor with my whole heart: be merciful to me according to thy word.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

I made my supplication in thy presence with my whole heart: be mercifull vnto me according to thy promise.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

I have sought thy favour with [my] whole heart: be gracious unto me according to thy *word.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

I appeased Thy face with the whole heart, Favour me according to Thy saying.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

I appeased Your face with the whole heart, || Favor me according to Your saying.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

I make entreaty before thee with all my heart: be gracious unto me according to thy promise.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

I earnestly request your favor with my whole heart; be merciful to me, as your word promised.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

My whole being wants your blessing—please be kind to me, as you have promised!

BBEBible in Basic English1949

I have given my mind to do your pleasure with all my heart; have mercy on me, as you have said.

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.

clauseverbחִלִּ֣יתִיI.have.entreatednoun phrase · objectפָנֶ֣יfaceךָyourprepositional phrase · prepositionalבְwithnoun phraseכָלallלֵ֑ב[the].heartclauseverbחָ֝נֵּ֗showobjectנִיfavor.to.meprepositional phrase · prepositionalכְּaccordingnoun phraseאִמְרָתֶֽtoךָyour.word

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


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

The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree closely, with all six words matched. This indicates a consistent transmission of the verse across these traditions.

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

חִלִּ֣יתִי פָנֶ֣יךָ בְכָל־ לֵ֑ב חָ֝נֵּ֗נִי כְּאִמְרָתֶֽךָ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
חִלִּ֣יתִיἐδεήθηνפָנֶ֣יךָσουבְכָל־ὅλῃלֵ֑בκαρδίᾳחָ֝נֵּ֗נִיμεכְּאִמְרָתֶֽךָ׃σου

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.

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 119:58חָלָהI have entrI have entreateחָלָהפָּנֶהface yourface yourפָּנֶהכֹּלwith allwith allכֹּללֵב[the] heart[the] heartלֵבחָנַןshow favor show favor to mחָנַןאִמְרָהaccording taccording to woאִמְרָהפָּנָהCorner (GaCorner (Gate)פָּנָהכָּלַלto perfectto perfectכָּלַלחוּלto twist: to twist: trembחוּללֵבָבheartheartלֵבָבחָנָהto campto campחָנָהאֹמֶרwordwordאֹמֶרשֶׁ֫בֶרbreakingbreakingשֶׁ֫בֶרמַכָּהwoundwoundמַכָּהסָתַרto hideto hideסָתַרנוּסto fleeto fleeנוּסעֵדָהcongregaticongregationעֵדָהעֲבֹדָהserviceserviceעֲבֹדָהחָסֵרlackinglackingחָסֵרחָכָםwisewiseחָכָםלָוָהto jointo joinלָוָהצָרַףto refineto refineצָרַףאָזַןto listento listenאָזַן
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 119:58

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.

I have entreated face your with all [the] heart show favor to me according to word your
חִלִּ֣יתִיchi.Li.ti I have entreated H2470 Verb · Piel · perfect first person common singular
76× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To beg or entreat means to ask or pray for something, often with a sense of weakness or sickness, like when someone is grieving or in pain.
Amplified meaning
appeased, entreated
Tyndale gloss
be weak: weak
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word חָלָה (*chalah*) is built from a primitive root meaning to be rubbed or worn, covering a range of meanings related to weakness, sickness, and grief. It can refer to becoming weak or ill, making oneself sick, or even entreating favor. The entries indicate various grammatical forms, including Qal, Piel, and Hiphil, which express different nuances of these concepts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חָלָה vb. be weak, sick

Qal

be or become weak

become sick, ill

Niph.

make oneself sick, fig. for strain oneself

be made sick

Pi. make sick

Pu. be made weak

Hithp. make oneself sick

Hiph.

make (sick, i.e.) sore thy smiting

make sick

shew (signs of) sickness, become sick

Hoph. make sick = wounded

base

[חָלָה] vb. only Pi. mollify, appease, entreat the favour of

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2470a חָלָה be weak, sick .. be or become weak

. become sick, ill

. . make oneself sick, fig. for strain oneself

. be made sick

. make sick

. be made weak

. make oneself sick

. . make (sick, i.e.) sore thy smiting

. make sick

. shew (signs of) sickness, become sick

. make sick = wounded

H2470b חָלָה only Pi. mollify, appease, entreat the favour of

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2470 chalah khaw-law'

a primitive root (compare 2342, 2470, 2490); properly, to be

rubbed or worn; hence (figuratively) to be weak, sick,

afflicted; or (causatively) to grieve, make sick; also to

stroke (in flattering), entreat:--beseech, (be) diseased, (put

to) grief, be grieved, (be) grievous, infirmity, intreat, lay

to, put to pain, X pray, make prayer, be (fall, make) sick,

sore, be sorry, make suit (X supplication), woman in travail,

be (become) weak, be wounded.

see HEBREW for 02342

see HEBREW for 02470

see HEBREW for 02490

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חָלָה (cha.lah) — be weak: weak.

: weak/disabled

1) to be or become weak, be or become sick, be or become diseased, be or become grieved, be or become sorry

1a) (Qal) to be weak, be sick

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to be or become weak, feel weak

1b2) to become sick, become ill

1c) (Niphal)

1c1) to make oneself sick

1c2) to be made sick

1c3) to be tired

1d) (Pual) to be made weak, become weak

1e) (Hithpael) to make oneself sick

1f) (Hiphil)

1f1) to make sore

1f2) to make sick

1f3) to show signs of sickness, become sick

1f4) to grieve

1g) (Hophal)

1g1) to be made sick

1g2) to be wounded

חָלָה (cha.lah) — to beg.

1) (Piel)

1a) (CLBL) to mollify, entreat, pray, beg

חָלָה (cha.lah) — be weak: ill.

: ill/injured

1) to be or become weak, be or become sick, be or become diseased, be or become grieved, be or become sorry

1a) (Qal) to be weak, be sick

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to be or become weak, feel weak

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Piel-Perf-1cs — Verb · Piel · perfect first person common singular
HVpp1cs
I have entreated face your with all [the] heart show favor to me according to word your
פָנֶ֣יךָfa.Nei.kha face your H6440 Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
2,127× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means face or presence, like being in front of someone or something. It's used in many contexts, like in Genesis, Exodus, and Psalms, to describe interactions and relationships.
Amplified meaning
presence, being
Tyndale gloss
face
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word פָּנֶה (*pāneh*) is a noun meaning 'face' or 'presence,' and it appears in various contexts, including the faces of seraphim and animals, as well as the surface of the ground. It can also function as an adverb meaning 'before' or 'in front of.' The word is built from a root that suggests turning or facing, and it encompasses a wide range of applications, both literal and figurative.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[פָּנֶה], pl. פָּנִים 2123 n.m. face, also faces

face, faces

presence, person

technically, see one's face, i.e. appear before one, in one's presence

face of seraphim

face of animals

face (= surface) of ground

as adv.loc. before

for other phrases

with prepositions

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6440 פָּנֶה, pl. פָּנִים face, also faces . . face, faces

. . presence, person

. technically, see one's face, i.e. appear before one, in one's presence

. face of seraphim

. face of animals

. face (= surface) of ground

. as adv. loc. before

. for other phrases

. with prepositions

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6440 paniym paw-neem'

plural (but always as singular) of an unused noun (paneh

{paw-neh'}; from 6437); the face (as the part that turns);

used in a great variety of applications (literally and

figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a

preposition (before, etc.):--+ accept, a-(be- )fore(-time),

against, anger, X as (long as), at, + battle, + because (of),

+ beseech, countenance, edge, + employ, endure, + enquire,

face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-part), form(-er

time, -ward), from, front, heaviness, X him(-self), +

honourable, + impudent, + in, it, look(-eth) (- s), X me, +

meet, X more than, mouth, of, off, (of) old (time), X on,

open, + out of, over against, the partial, person, + please,

presence, propect, was purposed, by reason of, + regard, right

forth, + serve, X shewbread, sight, state, straight, + street,

X thee, X them(-selves), through (+ - out), till, time(-s)

Read the full entry →
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

פָּנֶה (pa.neh) — face: before.

: before/to/front

1) face

1a) face, faces

1b) presence, person

1c) face (of seraphim or cherubim)

1d) face (of animals)

1e) face, surface (of ground)

1f) as adv of loc/temp

1f1) before and behind, toward, in front of, forward, formerly, from beforetime, before

1g) with prep

1g1) in front of, before, to the front of, in the presence of, in the face of, at the face or front of, from the presence of, from before, from before the face of

פָּנֶה (pa.neh) — face.

: face

1) face

1a) face, faces

1b) presence, person

1c) face (of seraphim or cherubim)

1d) face (of animals)

1e) face, surface (of ground)

1f) as adv of loc/temp

1f1) before and behind, toward, in front of, forward, formerly, from beforetime, before

1g) with prep

1g1) in front of, before, to the front of, in the presence of, in the face of, at the face or front of, from the presence of, from before, from…

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-cp | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
HNcmpc/Sp2ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
I have entreated face your with all [the] heart show favor to me according to word your
בְכָל־ve.khol- with all H3605 Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
5,415× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for 'all' or 'everything' is used throughout the Bible, like in Genesis 1:31, where God sees all He has made as very good. It encompasses the entirety of something, whether people, things, or situations.
Amplified meaning
my whole, entire
Tyndale gloss
all
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כֹּל (kol) means 'all' or 'the whole.' It can refer to totality, including every person or thing, and is often used with a following genitive to specify what is included. The term can also denote a broader sense of everything in existence or all circumstances of life. The lexicons do not show significant disagreement on its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כֹּל once כּוֹל n.m. the whole, all

with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

Absolutely:

without the art., all things, all

with the art. הַכֹּל

where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3605 כֹּל once כּוֹל the whole, all . with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

. Absolutely: . without the art., all things, all

. with the art. הַכֹּל . where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

. in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3605 kol kole

or (Jer. 33:8) kowl {kole}; from 3634; properly, the whole;

hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a

plural sense):--(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any

(manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as

many as, (no-)thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole,

whoso(-ever).

see HEBREW for 03634

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כֹּל (kol) — all.

1) all, the whole

1a) all, the whole of

1b) any, each, every, anything

1c) totality, everything

Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)

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

ol: Used in various combinations, and with different meanings.

(1) All along, "Weeping all along as he went" (Jer 41:6), i.e. throughout the whole way he went, feigning equal concern with the men from Shiloh, etc., for the destruction of the Temple, so as to put them off their guard.

(2) All in all, "That God may be all in all" (1Co 15:28, Greek: panta en pasin, "all things in all (persons and) things"). "The universe, with all it comprises, will wholly answer to God's will and reflect His mind" (Dummelow).

(3) All one, "It is all one" (Job 9:22), "it makes no difference whether I live or die."

(4) At all, "If thy father miss me at all" (1Sa 20:6), "in any way," "in the least."

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
I have entreated face your with all [the] heart show favor to me according to word your
לֵ֑בLev [the] heart H3820 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
595× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Leb refers to the heart, but also represents feelings, will, and intellect in the Bible. It is used figuratively to describe the center of something, and is often translated as heart or mind. Leb is a complex concept that encompasses emotions and thoughts.
Amplified meaning
inner being, feelings, will
Tyndale gloss
heart
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word לֵב (lev) means 'heart' and encompasses the inner man, mind, will, and emotions. It refers to the center of feelings, intellect, and moral character, as well as the seat of appetites and courage. The entries suggest a broad range of meanings related to human experience and thought, with a specific mention of its use in Jeremiah 51:1.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לֵב 599 n.m. (f.) inner man, mind, will, heart

seldom of things in the midst of the sea

elsewhere of men

the inner man in contrast with the outer

the inner man, indef., soul, comprehending mind, affections and will

specific reference to mind

spec. ref. to inclinations, resolutions and determinations of the will

spec. ref. to conscience

[various]

for the man himself

as seat of appetites

as seat of emotions and passions

seat of courage

base

לֵב קָמָי prob. late Atbash Je 51:1.

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3820a לֵב inner man, mind, will, heart . seldom of things in the midst of the sea

. elsewhere of men . the inner man in contrast with the outer

. the inner man, indef., soul, comprehending mind, affections and will

. specific reference to mind

. spec. ref. to inclinations, resolutions and determinations of the will

. spec. ref. to conscience

. [various]

. for the man himself

. as seat of appetites

. as seat of emotions and passions

. seat of courage

H3820b לֵב קָמָי prob. late Atbash

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3820 leb labe

a form of 3824; the heart; also used (figuratively) very

widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect;

likewise for the centre of anything:--+ care for, comfortably,

consent, X considered, courag(-eous), friend(-ly), ((broken-),

(hard-), (merry-), (stiff-), (stout-), double) heart((-ed)), X

heed, X I, kindly, midst, mind(-ed), X regard((-ed)), X

themselves, X unawares, understanding, X well, willingly,

wisdom.

see HEBREW for 03824

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לֵב (lev) — heart.

1) inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding

1a) inner part, midst

1a1) midst (of things)

1a2) heart (of man)

1a3) soul, heart (of man)

1a4) mind, knowledge, thinking, reflection, memory

1a5) inclination, resolution, determination (of will)

1a6) conscience

1a7) heart (of moral character)

1a8) as seat of appetites

1a9) as seat of emotions and passions 1a10) as seat of courage

לֵב (lev) — Leb.

§ Leb- = "heart of"

(probably a cryptic name for Babylon by Atbash)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hart (lebh, lebhabh; kardia): The different senses in which the word occurs in the Old Testament and the New Testament may be grouped under the following heads:

1. Various Meanings:

It represents in the first place the bodily organ, and by easy transition those experiences which affect or are affected by the body. Fear, love, courage, anger, Joy, sorrow, hatred are always ascribed to the heart--especially in the Old Testament; thus courage for which usually ruach is used (Ps 27:14); joy (Ps 4:7); anger (De 19:6, "while his heart is hot," lebhabh); fear (1Sa 25:37); sorrow (Ps 13:2), etc.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Heart

According to the Bible, the heart is the centre not only of spiritual activity, but of all the operations of human life. “Heart” and “soul” are often used interchangeably (Deut. 6:5; 26:16; comp. Matt. 22:37; Mark 12:30, 33), but this is not generally the case.

The heart is the “home of the personal life,” and hence a man is designated, according to his heart, wise (1 Kings 3:12, etc.), pure (Ps. 24:4; Matt. 5:8, etc.), upright and righteous (Gen. 20:5, 6;

I have entreated face your with all [the] heart show favor to me according to word your
חָ֝נֵּ֗נִיcho.ne.ni show favor to me H2603 Verb qal imperative second person masculine singular · suffix
78× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to show kindness or favor, often by bending or stooping to help someone in need, as seen in the actions of God towards his people.
Amplified meaning
merciful, show kindness
Tyndale gloss
be gracious
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חָנַן (chanan) is a Hebrew verb meaning to show favor or be gracious. It encompasses various forms, including being pitied, directing favor, and seeking favor through imploration. The word can also mean to be loathsome, as noted in Job 19:17. The lexicons provide a range of uses, primarily focusing on kindness and mercy.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חָנַן vb. shew favour, be gracious

Qal favour, shew favour

Niph. be pitied

Po‛el direct favour to

Hoph. be shewn favour, consideration

Hithp. seek or implore favour

base

[חָנַן] be loathsome—only Jb 19:17

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2603a חָנַן shew favour, be gracious .favour, shew favour

. be pitied

.direct favour to

. be shewn favour, consideration

. seek or implore favour

H2603b חָנַן be loathsome

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2603 chanan khaw-nan'

a primitive root (compare 2583); properly, to bend or stoop

in kindness to an inferior; to favor, bestow; causatively to

implore (i.e. move to favor by petition):--beseech, X fair,

(be, find, shew) favour(-able), be (deal, give, grant

(gracious(-ly), intreat, (be) merciful, have (shew) mercy (on,

upon), have pity upon, pray, make supplication, X very.

see HEBREW for 02583

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חָנַן (cha.nan) — be gracious.

1) to be gracious, show favour, pity

1a) (Qal) to show favour, be gracious

1b) (Niphal) to be pitied

1c) (Piel) to make gracious, make favourable, be gracious

1d) (Poel) to direct favour to, have mercy on

1e) (Hophal) to be shown favour, be shown consideration

1f) (Hithpael) to seek favour, implore favour

חָנַן (cha.nan) — be loathsome.

to be loathsome

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Impv-2ms | Suff — Verb qal imperative second person masculine singular · suffix
HVqv2ms/Sp1bs
I have entreated face your with all [the] heart show favor to me according to word your
כְּאִמְרָתֶֽךָ׃ke.'im.ra.Te.kha according to word your H565 Preposition · noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
37× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word means a threat or warning, often from God. It appears in the context of judgement or punishment. The KJV translates it as commandment, speech, or word.
Amplified meaning
as you have said, promised, word, saying
Tyndale gloss
word
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אִמְרָה (imrah) refers to an utterance, speech, or word, and can denote a word of God, including commands and promises. It also has a connotation of a threat, particularly in the context of divine judgment. The term is feminine and is derived from a related root, אֶמְרָה (emrah), which shares similar meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[אִמְרָה] n.f. utternace, speech, word

base

[אֶמְרָה] n.f. id. [a.ea.ac] La 2:17.

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H565a אִמְרָה utternace, speech, word H565b אֶמְרָה id. [565a]

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

565 'imrah im-raw'

or memrah {em-raw'}; feminine of 561, and meaning the

same:--commandment, speech, word.

see HEBREW for 0561

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אִמְרָה (im.rah) — word.

1) utterance, speech, word

1a) word of God (command and promise)

אֶמְרָה (im.rah) — threat.

threat (of judgement from God)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-fs | Suff — Preposition · noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
HR/Ncfsc/Sp2ms
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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