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Psalms 119:98 — Word Study

Depth

WLCמֵ֭אֹ֣יְבַי תְּחַכְּמֵ֣נִי מִצְוֹתֶ֑ךָ כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם הִיא־ לִֽי׃

BSAYour commandmentsmitsvâh [instructions, divine laws] make me wiserchâkam [intelligent, discerning] than my enemiesʼôyêb [adversaries, those who oppose me] forkîy [because, since] theyhûwʼ [God's teachings, precepts] are alwaysʻôwlâm [forever, continually]

Word
Listen & take awayPsalms 119
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 98 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 (Li) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Psalms 119:98quick helps
In a sentenceThe psalmist expresses that God's commandments grant him wisdom that surpasses his enemies.
Who is speakingThe psalmist, reflecting on the benefits of God's laws.
Where we areIn a meditation on the value of God's instructions, specifically in the context of facing adversaries.
The hard wordאֹיֵב
Take awayGod's commandments are a source of wisdom that is always present.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectהִיא 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 119:98

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 — Meditation on God's Lawgenerated

97Oh, how I love Your law! All day long it is my meditation.
98Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies, for they are always with me.
99I have more insight than all my teachers, for Your testimonies are my meditation.
100I discern more than the elders, for I obey Your precepts.

Psalm 119:98 is part of a larger reflection on the psalmist's love for God's law. In this section, the psalmist emphasizes how the commandments provide wisdom that helps him in the face of opposition. This theme is consistent throughout the psalm, which often contrasts the righteous path with the challenges posed by enemies and adversaries.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Psalm 119:104I gain understanding from Your precepts; therefore I hate every false way.
2Deuteronomy 4:6–8Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding in the sight of the peoples, who will hear of all these statutes and say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.”
31 Samuel 18:5–14So David marched out and prospered in everything Saul sent him to do, and Saul set him over the men of war. And this was pleasing in the sight of all the people, and of Saul’s officers as well.
4Proverbs 2:6For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.
5Colossians 3:16Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 7 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word אֹיֵב, oyebgenerated

The word אֹיֵב (oyeb) means 'enemy' or 'foe,' indicating hostility. It can refer to personal or national adversaries. The word is derived from the active participle of another root, אָיַב (ayab), which also conveys the sense of being hostile.

In this verse, the psalmist asserts that he is wiser than his enemies because he follows God's commandments. This highlights the protective and enlightening nature of divine laws, suggesting that wisdom from God equips believers to navigate challenges posed by those who oppose them.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

All translations agree that the psalmist finds wisdom through God's commandments.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb of the verse is תְּחַכְּמֵ֣נִי, it makes wise me, which governs the structure. The sentence presents a cause-and-effect relationship: the commandments lead to wisdom that surpasses the enemies.

The phrase structure is straightforward, with the subject being the commandments and the object being the psalmist. The prepositional phrase מֵ֭אֹ֣יְבַי (than my enemies) clarifies the comparison being made.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, the word אֹיֵב is rendered as μου (mou), meaning 'my.' This choice indicates a personal connection to the adversaries, emphasizing that the psalmist's wisdom directly relates to his own experiences with those who oppose him.

The translation reflects a consistent understanding of the adversarial relationship, maintaining the original meaning while adapting to the Greek language.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalm 119:98 tells us that God's commandments give the psalmist wisdom that is greater than his enemies. This wisdom is always present with him, guiding his actions and decisions.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean to be wiser than my enemies?

It means that the psalmist believes that following God's commandments provides him with insight and understanding that surpasses those who oppose him.

How can God's commandments make me wise?

God's commandments offer guidance and principles that lead to wise decisions and actions, helping individuals navigate challenges and adversities.

What is the significance of the phrase 'for they are always with me'?

This phrase emphasizes the continual presence of God's commandments in the psalmist's life, suggesting that they are a constant source of wisdom and support.

How does this verse relate to the overall theme of Psalm 119?

This verse fits into the broader theme of Psalm 119, which celebrates the importance of God's law and how it provides guidance, wisdom, and strength in the face of life's challenges.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways have I experienced wisdom from God's commandments in my own life?
  2. How can I ensure that I keep God's teachings close to me, as the psalmist describes?
  3. What challenges do I face that require the wisdom that comes from following God's laws?
  4. How can I share the wisdom I gain from God's commandments with others who may be struggling?

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

Early Church Fathers, like Augustine of Hippo, referenced this verse to illustrate the understanding gained from God's commandments in contrast to adversaries.

Augustine of HippoExposition on Psalms 119 354–430
And he then adds: "You have made me to understand Your commandment above mine enemies; for it is ever with me" [Psalms 119:98].
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 119 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 119:98 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies,.... David had his enemies, as every good man has: and these are often cunning and crafty ones, at least in wickedness; many of them

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

Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me.

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

Thou, through thy commandments, hast made me wiser than mine enemies, because by that means I have thy wisdom to guide me, and thy power engaged to protect and save me; which is a more certain and effectual way to obtain my desires and ends than all the policy and craft of mine enemies is to hinder them, as I have found by experience. They are ever with me; they are continually before mine eyes, as a rule by which to govern all my actions, whereby I am kept from splitting upon those rocks whereby others are ruined.

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

Psalms 119:98 Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they [are] ever with me.Ver. 98. Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than my enemies] So that I outwit them; and my holy simplicity is too hard for their sinful subtlety. "Be wise as serpents." For they are ever with me] Heb. It is ever with me, that is, every one of thy commandments; I am expert in them; or, It is mine, I have made them mine own by meditation; I have turned them in succum et sanguinem; I have incorporated them, as it were, into my soul.

Read John Trapp on Psalms 119 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

MEM. (98) Better, Thy commandments make me wiser than my enemies. The same correspondence of wisdom with loyal obedience to the Law is found in the Book of Proverbs.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 119 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 98. Wiser than mine enemies] Some have thought that this Psalm was composed by Daniel, and that he speaks of himself in these verses. Being instructed by God, he was found to have more knowledge than any of the Chaldeans, magicians, soothsayers, c., &c. and his wisdom soon appeared to the whole nation vastly superior to theirs.

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

98. Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser &c.] A scarcely possible rendering, though it has some support in the Ancient Versions. Better as R.V., Thy commandments make me wiser &c. For the sense cp. Deuteronomy 4:6. for they are ever with me] Lit. For it is mine for ever. The use of the singular ‘it,’ as well as of the singular verb in the preceding line, implies the unity of God’s law, though it includes many commandments. This law is his possession. Cp. Psalms 119:111.

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

Thou, through thy commandments - By the teaching and power of thy law.

Read Albert Barnes 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

Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies, for they are always with me.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies, for your commandments are always with me.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies, for they are always with me.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies, for I am always aware of them.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Thy commandments make me wiser than mine enemies; For they are ever with me.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Thy commandments make me wiser than mine enemies; for they are ever with me.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than my enemies: for they are ever with me.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

By thy commandements thou hast made mee wiser then mine enemies: for they are euer with mee.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Thy commandments make me wiser than mine enemies; for they are ever with me.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Than mine enemies Thy command maketh me wiser, For it [is] before me to the age.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Your command makes me wiser than my enemies, || For it [is] before me for all time.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Wiser than my enemy doth thy commandment make me; for it is perpetually with me.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies, for your commandments are always with me.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for I'm always thinking about your instructions.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Your teaching has made me wiser than my haters: for it is mine for ever.

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.

clauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalמֵ֭morenoun phraseאֹ֣יְבַthanיmy.enemiesverbתְּחַכְּמֵ֣itobjectנִיmakes.me.wisenoun phrase · subjectמִצְוֺתֶ֑commandmentsךָyourכִּ֖י(dm)clauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalלְforeverעוֹלָ֣םof.perpetuitysubjectהִיאitprepositional phrase · predicateלִֽ[belongs].toיme

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 on the wording of Psalm 119:98, with all seven words matched. This consistency suggests a stable transmission of the text through these traditions.

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

מֵ֭אֹ֣יְבַי תְּחַכְּמֵ֣נִי מִצְוֹתֶ֑ךָ כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם הִיא־ לִֽי׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
מֵ֭אֹ֣יְבַיμουתְּחַכְּמֵ֣נִיμεמִצְוֹתֶ֑ךָσουכִּ֖יὅτιלְעוֹלָ֣םεἰςהִיא־μοίלִֽי׃ἐστιν

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 119:98אָיַבmore than emore than enemiאָיַבחָכַםit makes wiit makes wise mחָכַםמִצְוָהcommandmentcommandments yoמִצְוָהכִּיforforכִּיעוֹלָםfor everfor everעוֹלָםהוּאititהוּאנִי[belongs] t[belongs] to meנִיצָוָהto commandto commandצָוָהעָלַםto concealto concealעָלַםאָיַבbe hostilebe hostileאָיַבצַרnarrownarrowצַרשָׂנֵאto hateto hateשָׂנֵאלִיץto mockto mockלִיץחֻקָּהstatutestatuteחֻקָּהחֹקstatute: dstatute: decreeחֹקיָדַעto knowto knowיָדַעעַדperpetuityperpetuityעַדדּוֹרgenerationgenerationדּוֹרטָמֵאuncleanuncleanטָמֵאעֵתtimetimeעֵת
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 119:98

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.

more than enemies my it makes wise me commandments your for for ever it [belongs] to me
מֵ֭אֹ֣יְבַיme.'O.ye.vai more than enemies my H341 Preposition · verb qal participle (active) masculine plural common · suffix
283× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means enemy or adversary, referring to someone who hates or opposes another person or nation. It is used to describe personal or national enemies in the Bible.
Amplified meaning
adversaries, those who oppose me
Tyndale gloss
enemy
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֹיֵב (oyeb) means 'enemy' or 'foe,' indicating hostility. It can refer to personal or national adversaries. The word is derived from the active participle of another root, אָיַב (ayab), which also conveys the sense of being hostile.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[אָיַב] 283 vb. be hostile to (enemy = אֹיֵב)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H341 אָיַב be hostile to (enemy = אֹיֵב)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

341 'oyeb o-yabe'

or (fully) owyeb {o-yabe'}; active participle of 340;

hating; an adversary:--enemy, foe.

see HEBREW for 0340

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֹיֵב (o.yev) — enemy.

1) (Qal) enemy

1a) personal

1b) national

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | V-Qal | Suff — Preposition · verb qal participle (active) masculine plural common · suffix
HR/Vqrmpc/Sp1bs
more than enemies my it makes wise me commandments your for for ever it [belongs] to me
תְּחַכְּמֵ֣נִיte.cha.ke.Me.ni it makes wise me H2449 Verb piel imperfect third person feminine singular · suffix
27× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To be wise means to have good judgment and act intelligently, as described in the Bible. This word is used in Proverbs and other books to encourage people to seek wisdom and make wise decisions, like King Solomon.
Amplified meaning
intelligent, discerning
Tyndale gloss
be wise
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חָכַם (chakam) is a Hebrew verb meaning to be wise or to act wisely. It encompasses various forms, including teaching wisdom and showing oneself wise. The entries highlight its use in different contexts, such as making others wise or dealing shrewdly. There are no noted disagreements among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חָכַם vb. be wise

Qal be or become wise, act wisely

Pi. make wise, teach wisdom

Pu. made wise, intensive, as it were the embodiment of wisdom

Hiph. making wise the simple

Hithp. let us deal wisely (shrewdly) toward it (the people); make or shew thyself wise

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2449 חָכַם be wise .be or become wise, act wisely

. make wise, teach wisdom

. made wise, intensive, as it were the embodiment of wisdom

. making wise the simple

. let us deal wisely (shrewdly) toward it (the people); make or shew thyself wise

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2449 chakam khaw-kam'

a primitive root, to be wise (in mind, word or act):--X

exceeding, teach wisdom, be (make self, shew self) wise, deal

(never so) wisely, make wiser.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חָכַם (cha.kham) — be wise.

1) to be wise

1a) (Qal) to be or become wise, act wisely

1b) (Piel) to make wise, teach wisdom, instruct

1c) (Pual) to be made wise

1d) (Hiphil) to make wise

1e) (Hithpael) to show oneself wise, deceive, show one's wisdom

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Piel-Imperf-3fs | Suff — Verb piel imperfect third person feminine singular · suffix
HVpi3fs/Sp1bs
more than enemies my it makes wise me commandments your for for ever it [belongs] to me
מִצְוֹתֶ֑ךָmitz.vo.Te.kha commandments your H4687 Noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
182× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means a command or law given by God or humans, as seen in the Bible's rules and guidelines. It appears in books like Exodus and Deuteronomy. The commandments guide people's actions.
Amplified meaning
instructions, divine laws
Tyndale gloss
commandment
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מִצְוָה (mitsvah) means 'commandment' and can refer to commands from both humans and God. It encompasses laws, ordinances, and precepts, indicating a range of directives within religious and moral contexts. The term is derived from a root meaning to command, linking it to the broader framework of divine law.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מִצְוָה 181 n.f. commandment

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4687 מִצְוָה commandment

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4687 mitsvah mits-vaw'

from 6680; a command, whether human or divine (collectively,

the Law):--(which was) commanded(-ment), law, ordinance,

precept.

see HEBREW for 06680

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מִצְוָה (mits.vah) — commandment.

1) commandment

1a) commandment (of man)

1b) the commandment (of God)

1c) commandment (of code of wisdom)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fp | Suff — Noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
HNcfpc/Sp2ms
more than enemies my it makes wise me commandments your for for ever it [belongs] to me
כִּ֖יki 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'.
Amplified meaning
because, 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
more than enemies my it makes wise me commandments your for for ever it [belongs] to me
לְעוֹלָ֣םle.'o.Lam for ever H5769 Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
438× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means forever or always, describing something that lasts an eternity. It is used in the Bible to describe God's eternal nature and his lasting promises.
Amplified meaning
forever, continually
Tyndale gloss
forever: antiquity
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עוֹלָם (owlam) refers to concepts of long duration, antiquity, and futurity, encompassing meanings like eternity and perpetual existence. It is derived from a root meaning 'concealed' or 'the vanishing point.' The term is used to describe both ancient times and an indefinite future, indicating continuity and everlastingness.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עוֹלָם 439 n.m. long duration, antiquity, futurity

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5769 עוֹלָם long duration, antiquity, futurity

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5769 `owlam o-lawm'

or lolam {o-lawm'}; from 5956; properly, concealed, i.e. the

vanishing point; generally, time out of mind (past or future),

i.e. (practically) eternity; frequentatively, adverbial

(especially with prepositional prefix) always:--alway(-s),

ancient (time), any more, continuance, eternal, (for,

(n-))ever(-lasting, -more, of old), lasting, long (time), (of)

old (time), perpetual, at any time, (beginning of the) world

(+ without end). Compare 5331, 5703.

see HEBREW for 05956

see HEBREW for 05331

see HEBREW for 05703

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עוֹלָם (o.lam) — forever: enduring.

: enduring/eternal

1) long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, old, ancient, world

1a) ancient time, long time (of past)

1b) (of future)

1b1) for ever, always

1b2) continuous existence, perpetual

1b3) everlasting, indefinite or unending future, eternity

עוֹלָם (o.lam) — Everlasting.

This name means long duration, everlasting, perpetual

Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)

עוֹלָם (o.lam) — forever: any time.

: any_time

1) long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, old, ancient, world

1a) ancient time, long time (of past)

1b) (of future)

1b1) for ever, always

1b2) continuous existence, perpetual

1b3) everlasting, indefinite or unending future, eternity

עוֹלָם (o.lam) — forever: antiquity.

: old/ancient

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
HR/Ncmsa
more than enemies my it makes wise me commandments your for for ever it [belongs] to me
הִיא־hi'- it H1931 Pronoun
1,879× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word is a pronoun meaning 'he', 'she', or 'it', used to refer to a person or thing. It is used in the Bible to emphasize a subject or make it clear who is being talked about.
Amplified meaning
God's teachings, precepts
Tyndale gloss
he/she/it
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הוּא (hu) is a third-person singular pronoun meaning he, she, or it, used for emphasis or when no verb is present. It can also refer to oneself or serve as a demonstrative pronoun. The word has various nuances, including resuming the subject with emphasis or expressing it unobtrusively. It can indicate 'that' or 'those' when used with the definite article.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הוּא m. הִיא f., pron. of the 3rd ps. sing. he, she, used also (in both genders) for the neuter it

an emph. he (she, it, they), sometimes equivalent to himself (herself, itself, themselves), or (esp. with the art.) that (those)

It resumes the subj. with emph.

Where, however, the pron. follows the pred., its position gives it the minimum of emphasis, and it expresses (or resumes) the subject as unobtrusively as possible

It anticipates (as it seems) the subject

As an emph. predicate, of God

In a neuter sense, that, it (of an action, occurrence, matte, etc.)

With the art.: so regularly when joined to a subst. defined itself by the art.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1931 הוּא, הִיא he, she, used also (in both genders) for the neuter it . an emph. he (she, it, they), sometimes equivalent to himself (herself, itself, themselves), or (esp. with the art.) that (those)

. It resumes the subj. with emph.

. Where, however, the pron. follows the pred., its position gives it the minimum of emphasis, and it expresses (or resumes) the subject as unobtrusively as possible

. It anticipates (as it seems) the subject

. As an emph. predicate, of God

. In a neuter sense, that, it (of an action, occurrence, matte, etc.)

. With the art.: so regularly when joined to a subst. defined itself by the art.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1931 huw' hoo

of which the feminine (beyond the Pentateuch) is hiyw {he}; a

primitive word, the third person pronoun singular, he (she or

it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also

(intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same;

sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally

(instead of copula) as or are:--he, as for her, him(-self),

it, the same, she (herself), such, that (...it), these, they,

this, those, which (is), who.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הוּא (hu) — he/she/it.

pron 3p s

1) he, she, it

1a) himself (with emphasis)

1b) resuming subj with emphasis

1c) (with minimum emphasis following predicate)

1d) (anticipating subj)

1e) (emphasising predicate)

1f) that, it (neuter) demons pron

2) that (with article)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Pron — Pronoun
HPp3fs
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
more than enemies my it makes wise me commandments your for for ever it [belongs] to me
לִֽי׃Li [belongs] to me H9030 Preposition · suffix
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נִי (ni) — me.

Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 1st person singular

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Sp1bs — Preposition · suffix
HR/Sp1bs
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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