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Psalms 121:5 — Word Study

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WLCיְהוָ֥ה שֹׁמְרֶ֑ךָ יְהוָ֥ה צִ֝לְּךָ֗ עַל־ יַ֥ד יְמִינֶֽךָ׃

BSAThe LORDYᵉhôvâh [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] [is] your keepershâmar [watching over, protecting] the LORDYᵉhôvâh [is] the shadetsêl [shadow, protection] onʻal your rightyâmîyn handyâd [an open hand; strength, a side or share]

Word
Listen & take awayPsalms 121
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 5 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 (ye.mi.Ne.kha) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Psalms 121:5quick helps
In a sentenceThe LORD is both your protector and your shade, providing strength and safety.
Who is speakingThe psalmist, affirming God's protection over His people.
Where we areThis verse is part of a psalm expressing trust in God's unwavering care.
The hard wordשֹׁמְרֶךָ
Take awayGod's presence is a constant source of support and protection.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectיהוה 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 121:5

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 Assurance of God's Protectiongenerated

4Behold, the Protector of Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
5The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is the shade on your right hand.
6The sun will not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.
7The LORD will guard you from all evil; He will preserve your soul.

Psalms 121:5 emphasizes the protective nature of the LORD, who is described as a keeper and shade. This psalm reassures believers that God is always vigilant and provides safety from harm, a theme echoed throughout the scriptures, including Exodus 13:21 and Isaiah 32:2.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Exodus 13:21And the LORD went before them in a pillar of cloud to guide their way by day, and in a pillar of fire to give them light by night, so that they could travel by day or night.
2Isaiah 4:5–6Then the LORD will create over all of Mount Zion and over her assemblies a cloud of smoke by day and a glowing flame of fire by night. For over all the glory there will be a canopy,
3Isaiah 25:4For You have been a refuge for the poor, a stronghold for the needy in distress, a refuge from the storm, a shade from the heat. For the breath of the ruthless is like rain against a wall,
4Isaiah 32:2Each will be like a shelter from the wind, a refuge from the storm, like streams of water in a dry land, like the shadow of a great rock in an arid land.
5Matthew 23:37O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling!

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


The Key Word שֹׁמְרֶךָ, sho.me.Re.khagenerated

The word שָׁמַר (shamar) is a verb meaning to keep, guard, or protect. It conveys the idea of active vigilance, suggesting that God is not only aware of our needs but is also actively involved in our protection.

As a qal participle, שֹׁמְרֶךָ (sho.me.Re.kha) indicates an ongoing action, affirming that God continually watches over His people. This word encapsulates the assurance of divine care in both physical and spiritual realms.


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 structure of the verse centers around two clauses, both beginning with the subject יְהוָ֥ה (Yahweh), establishing God as the focus of protection. Each clause presents a different aspect of God's care: as a keeper and as a shade.

The prepositional phrase עַל־ יַ֥ד יְמִינֶךָ (at your right hand) emphasizes the closeness and strength of God's protection, suggesting that He is always at your side.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, יְהוָ֥ה is rendered as κύριος (kurios), which is a common term for Lord, emphasizing God's authority and sovereignty.

The choice of σκιὰ (skia) for צִ֝לְּךָ indicates a focus on the protective aspect of shade, aligning with the Hebrew meaning while also carrying a metaphorical weight of safety.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalms 121:5 states that the LORD is your keeper and shade, emphasizing His role in providing protection and strength. This verse reassures believers that God is always present to guard them from harm.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that the LORD is my keeper?

It means that God actively watches over and protects you, ensuring your safety in every aspect of life.

How can the LORD be a shade?

The LORD being a shade symbolizes His protective presence, offering comfort and safety from the heat and dangers of life.

What is the significance of the right hand in this verse?

The right hand often symbolizes strength and authority, indicating that God's protection is powerful and always with you.

How does this verse relate to other scriptures about God's protection?

This verse echoes themes found in other scriptures, such as Isaiah 25:4, where God is described as a refuge and protector.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what situations have I experienced God's protection in my life?
  2. How can I remind myself of God's presence as my keeper throughout my daily activities?
  3. What does it mean for me to seek refuge in God as my shade?
  4. How can I encourage others to trust in God's protective nature?

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

Early Church Fathers like Augustine of Hippo referenced this verse to discuss God's protective power, emphasizing His role as a defense in our lives.

Augustine of HippoExposition on Psalms 121 354–430
Let us now come to this verse of the Psalm: "The Lord is your defence upon the hand of your right hand" [Psalms 121:5]. By hand he means power.
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 121 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 121:5 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

The Lord [is] thy keeper,.... This explains more fully who it is that keeps Israel and particular believers, and confirms the same; not a creature, but the Lord; the Word of the Lord, as the Targum,

Read John Gill on Psalms 121 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand. The Lord is thy keeper; the Lord is thy shade.

Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 121 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Thy shade; both to refresh thee and keep thee from the burning heat of the sun, as it is expressed in the next verse, and to protect thee by his power from all thine enemies; for which reason God is oft called a shadow in Scripture. Upon thy right hand; partly to uphold thy right hand, which is the chief instrument of action; and partly to defend thee in that place where thine enemies oppose thee; of which on . And compare 109:31.

Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 121 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Psalms 121:5 The LORD [is] thy keeper: the LORD [is] thy shade upon thy right hand.Ver. 5. The Lord is thy keeper] His peace within thee and his power without thee shall safeguard thee to his heavenly kingdom, φρουρησει, Philippians 4:7. The Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand] To shelter and shield thee from all annoyances, as the pillar of cloud did the Israelites in the wilderness, as the poet feigneth that Paris, out matched by Menelaus in a duel, was by Venus wrapped in a cloud, and carried off.

Read John Trapp on Psalms 121 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(5) Thy keeper.—Notice again how the prominent word is caught up from the preceding verse and amplified, and then again repeated, and again amplified in Psalms 121:7-8, where preserve is an unfortunate substitution by the Authorised Version. Shade.—An image of protection, and one peculiarly attractive to the Oriental. (See Numbers 14:9, margin; Psalms 91:1; Isaiah 25:4; Isaiah 32:2.) Upon thy right hand.—Some commentators combine this expression with the figure of the shadow, supposing the psalmist, in the phrase “right hand,” to allude to the south or sunny side. But this is prosaic. No doubt there is here, as so often, a confused combination of metaphors. We have several times met with…

Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 121 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

5–8. The comforting thought that Jehovah is the guardian of Israel is developed and appropriated to each individual Israelite. Psalms 121:5; Psalms 121:7 may have been sung by one singer or group of singers, and Psalms 121:6; Psalms 121:8 as a response by another singer or group of singers: or perhaps Psalms 121:5-6 by one, and Psalms 121:7-8 by another.

Read Cambridge on Psalms 121 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The Lord is thy keeper - Thy Preserver; thy Defender. He will keep time from danger; he will keep thee from sin; he will keep thee unto salvation.

Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 121 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

5. Thy shade—Shadow, as a covering, gives the idea, figuratively, of protection, as Psalms 91:1; Isaiah 30:2-3, and is here parallel to keeper in the first member of the verse.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Psalms 121 →

The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company

Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.

Modern formal

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is the shade on your right hand.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Yahweh is your keeper. Yahweh is your shade on your right hand.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is the shade on your right hand.

NETBNew English Translation2006

The Lord is your protector; the Lord is the shade at your right hand.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Jehovah is thy keeper: Jehovah is thy shade upon thy right hand.

RVARevised Version, American1894

The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

The Lord is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shadow at thy right hand.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Jehovah is thy keeper, Jehovah is thy shade upon thy right hand;

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Jehovah [is] thy preserver, Jehovah [is] thy shade on thy right hand,

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

YHWH [is] He who is preserving you, || YHWH [is] your shade on your right hand,

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

The Lord is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shade, he is on thy right hand.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Yahweh is your guardian; Yahweh is the shade at your right hand.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Because their seats have sat in judgment, seats upon the house of David.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

The Lord keeps watch over you; the Lord protects you; he stands right beside you.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand.

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.

clausesubjectיְהוָ֥הYahwehnoun phrase · predicateשֹׁמְרֶ֑[is].yourךָprotectorclausesubjectיְהוָ֥הYahwehnoun phrase · predicateצִ֝לְּshadeךָ֗[is].yourprepositional phrase · prepositionalעַלatnoun phraseיַ֥דthe.handnoun phraseיְמִינֶֽyour.right.sideךָyour

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 align closely, with both affirming God's protective role. The Dead Sea Scrolls fragment supports the Masoretic Text, although it contains fewer words, confirming the essential message of divine guardianship.

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

יְהוָ֥ה שֹׁמְרֶ֑ךָ יְהוָ֥ה צִ֝לְּךָ֗ עַל־ יַ֥ד יְמִינֶֽךָ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
יְהוָ֥הκύριοςשֹׁמְרֶ֑ךָσεיְהוָ֥הκύριοςצִ֝לְּךָ֗σουעַל־ἐπὶיַ֥דξεῖραיְמִינֶֽךָ׃σου

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.

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

יהוה שומר׳כה צל׳כה על יד ימינ׳כה

6 words of the verse are on this fragment. The rest of the verse is not on it.

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 121:5יהוהYahwehYahwehיהוהשָׁמַר[is] protec[is] protector שָׁמַריהוהYahwehYahwehיהוהצֵל[is] shade [is] shade yourצֵלעַלatatעַליָד[the] hand [the] hand ofיָדיָמִיןright yourright yourיָמִיןהָיָהto beto beהָיָהצָלַלto shadeto shadeצָלַלכַּףpalmpalmכַּףיָמַןto go righto go rightיָמַןעַלheightheightעַלנְאֻםutteranceutteranceנְאֻםצָבָאarmyarmyצָבָאמִשְׁמֶ֫רֶתchargechargeמִשְׁמֶ֫רֶתמִצְוָהcommandmencommandmentמִצְוָהחֹ֫רֶבdroughtdroughtחֹ֫רֶבחָסָהto seek reto seek refugeחָסָהכִּפֶּרto atoneto atoneכִּפֶּרכִּסֵּאthronethroneכִּסֵּאחָזָקstrongstrongחָזָקנָצַלto rescueto rescueנָצַלשְׂמֹאלleftleftשְׂמֹאלשׁוֹקleglegשׁוֹק
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 121:5

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.

Yahweh [is] protector your Yahweh [is] shade your at [the] hand of right your
יְהוָ֥הYah.weh Yahweh H3068 Noun proper
6,528× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Yehovah is another name for God, often translated as 'the Lord'. It is a national name for God in the Jewish faith. This name is used throughout the Old Testament.
Amplified meaning
Yehovah, The covenant Name of God
Tyndale gloss
The Lord
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) is the proper name of the God of Israel, often rendered as Jehovah or the Lord. It signifies the self-existent or eternal nature of God. The name is closely associated with the revelation to Moses in Exodus 3:12-15 and is used in conjunction with other terms to denote sacred places. Some scholars suggest it derives from a root meaning 'to bring into being.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יהוה c. 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel—(1. MT יְהֹוָה 6518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהֹוִה 305 (Qr אֱלֹהִים) 2. Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of הוה (= היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver)

יהוה is not used by E in Gn, but is given Ex 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb

יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D

the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy

יהוה is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3068 יהוה i.e. יַהְוֶה n. pr. dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw'

from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish

national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.

see HEBREW for 01961

see HEBREW for 03050

see HEBREW for 03069

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — LORD.

Jehovah = "the existing One"

1) the proper name of the one true God

1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of a.do.na (אֲדֹנָי "Lord" H0136)

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — The Lord.

Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — (Jerusalem of) the Lord.

Combined with ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper
HNpt
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
Yahweh [is] protector your Yahweh [is] shade your at [the] hand of right your
שֹׁמְרֶ֑ךָsho.me.Re.kha [is] protector your H8104 Verb qal participle (active) masculine singular common · suffix
469× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To keep or obey means to protect, attend to, or guard something, like keeping a promise or watching over someone, as seen in the commands to observe the Sabbath.
Amplified meaning
watching over, protecting
Tyndale gloss
to keep: obey
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word שָׁמַר (*shamar*) is a primitive root meaning to keep, guard, or observe. It encompasses a wide range of actions including protecting, waiting for, and celebrating obligations like the Sabbath. The verb appears in various forms, indicating nuances such as being on guard or refraining from certain actions. It is used extensively in the Old Testament, reflecting both physical and moral vigilance.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁמַר 465 vb. keep, watch, preserve

Qal 425

keep, have charge of

keep, guard, captives

hence, watch for, wait for

watch, observe

keep, retain, of storing up (food)

keep within bounds, restrain

observe, celebrate

keep sabbath

of other obligations

observe = follow dictates of (prudence, justice, kindness, wisdom)

sts. י׳ subj.

keep, reserve, weeks of harvest

Niph.

36be on one's guard

keep oneself, refrain, abstain

be kept, guarded

Pi. those paying regard to false vanities

Hithp. I kept myself from

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8104 שָׁמַר keep, watch, preserve .. . keep, have charge of

. keep, guard, captives

. hence, watch for, wait for

. watch, observe

. . keep, retain, of storing up (food)

. keep within bounds, restrain

. . observe, celebrate

. keep sabbath

. of other obligations

. observe = follow dictates of (prudence, justice, kindness, wisdom)

. sts. י׳ subj.

. keep, reserve, weeks of harvest

. . be on one's guard

. keep oneself, refrain, abstain

. be kept, guarded

. those paying regard to false vanities

. I kept myself from

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8104 shamar shaw-mar'

a primitive root; properly, to hedge about (as with thorns),

i.e. guard; generally, to protect, attend to, etc.:--beward,

be circumspect, take heed (to self), keep(-er, self), mark,

look narrowly, observe, preserve, regard, reserve, save

(self), sure, (that lay) wait (for), watch(-man).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁמַר (sha.mar) — to keep: obey.

: obey/observe

1) to keep, guard, observe, give heed

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to keep, have charge of

1a2) to keep, guard, keep watch and ward, protect, save life

1a2a) watch, watchman (participle)

1a3) to watch for, wait for

1a4) to watch, observe

1a5) to keep, retain, treasure up (in memory)

1a6) to keep (within bounds), restrain

1a7) to observe, celebrate, keep (sabbath or covenant or commands), perform (vow)

1a8) to keep, preserve, protect

1a9) to keep, reserve

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be on one's guard, take heed, take care, beware

1b2) to keep oneself, refrain, abstain

1b3) to be kept, be guarded

1c) (Piel) to keep, pay heed

1d) (Hithpael) to keep oneself from

שָׁמַר (sha.mar) — to keep: guard.

: guard

1) to keep, guard, observe, give heed

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to keep, have charge of

1a2) to keep, guard, keep watch and ward, protect, save life

1a2a) watch, watchman (participle)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal | Suff — Verb qal participle (active) masculine singular common · suffix
HVqrmsc/Sp2ms
Yahweh [is] protector your Yahweh [is] shade your at [the] hand of right your
יְהוָ֥הYah.weh Yahweh H3068 Noun proper
6,528× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Yehovah is another name for God, often translated as 'the Lord'. It is a national name for God in the Jewish faith. This name is used throughout the Old Testament.
Tyndale gloss
The Lord
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) is the proper name of the God of Israel, often rendered as Jehovah or the Lord. It signifies the self-existent or eternal nature of God. The name is closely associated with the revelation to Moses in Exodus 3:12-15 and is used in conjunction with other terms to denote sacred places. Some scholars suggest it derives from a root meaning 'to bring into being.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יהוה c. 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel—(1. MT יְהֹוָה 6518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהֹוִה 305 (Qr אֱלֹהִים) 2. Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of הוה (= היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver)

יהוה is not used by E in Gn, but is given Ex 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb

יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D

the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy

יהוה is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3068 יהוה i.e. יַהְוֶה n. pr. dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw'

from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish

national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.

see HEBREW for 01961

see HEBREW for 03050

see HEBREW for 03069

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — LORD.

Jehovah = "the existing One"

1) the proper name of the one true God

1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of a.do.na (אֲדֹנָי "Lord" H0136)

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — The Lord.

Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — (Jerusalem of) the Lord.

Combined with ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper
HNpt
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
Yahweh [is] protector your Yahweh [is] shade your at [the] hand of right your
צִ֝לְּךָ֗tzi.le.kha [is] shade your H6738 Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
49× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A shadow refers to a dark area, often providing shade or protection, like the shadow of a tree in Isaiah 4:6. It can also symbolize the fleeting nature of life, as mentioned in Psalm 102:11.
Amplified meaning
shadow, protection
Tyndale gloss
shadow
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

צֵל (tsel) means 'shadow' or 'shade,' encompassing both literal and figurative uses. It can refer to a physical shadow, as well as a protective shade or a symbol of life's transience. The word is derived from a root meaning to shade, and it is related to another term, צֵלֶל (tselel), which also means 'shadow.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6738 צֵל shadow

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6738 tsel tsale

from 6751; shade, whether literal or figurative:--defence,

shade(-ow).

see HEBREW for 06751

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

צֵל (tsel) — shadow.

1) shadow, shade

1a) shadow (on dial)

1b) shadow, shade (as protection)

1c) shadow (symbolic of transitoriness of life)

Also means: tse.lel (צֵלֶל "shadow" H6752)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HNcmsc/Sp2ms
Yahweh [is] protector your Yahweh [is] shade your at [the] hand of right your
עַל־'al- at H5921 Preposition
5,774× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means on or above something, like a physical object or a situation. It can also imply a sense of responsibility or accountability, as in being on behalf of someone.
Tyndale gloss
upon
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עַל (*al*) is a preposition meaning 'upon' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including 'on account of,' 'beside,' 'above,' and 'against.' It can indicate physical placement, emotional burdens, or duties imposed on a person. The entries also note its use in idiomatic expressions and with verbs of motion. There is a mention of its function as a conjunction in certain contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

base

עַל, עָ֑ל

subst. height

As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against

Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed

of clothing, etc., which any one wears

With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it

Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him

Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him

על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him

חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)

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Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5921a עַל, עָ֑ל . As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against . Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed . — . of clothing, etc., which any one wears

. With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it

. Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him

. Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him

. על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him

. חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)

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Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5921 `al al

properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the

singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a

particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always

in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great

variety of applications (as follow):--above, according

to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because

of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both

and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in

(that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-)on, over, than,

through(-out), to, touching, X with.

see HEBREW for 05920

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עַל (al) — upon.

prep

1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against

1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards

1b) above, beyond, over (of excess)

1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence)

1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition)

1e) over (of suspension or extension)

1f) by, adjoining, next, at, over, around (of contiguity or proximity)

1g) down upon, upon, on, from, up upon, up to, towards, over towards, to, against (with verbs of motion)

1h) to (as a dative)

[כִּי] עַל [כֵּן] ([ki] al [ken]) — as.

conj

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Preposition
HR
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
Yahweh [is] protector your Yahweh [is] shade your at [the] hand of right your
יַ֥דyad [the] hand of H3027 Noun common · both singular construct
1,619× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, 'yad' refers to an open hand, symbolizing power or direction. It can also mean strength or a part of something, like a side or a share. The word is used in many contexts, including anatomy and everyday life.
Amplified meaning
an open hand; strength, a side or share
Tyndale gloss
hand
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָד (yad) means 'hand' and can also refer to strength or power in a figurative sense. It encompasses various technical uses, such as a sign or monument, parts or shares, and even specific components in construction, like axle-trees and supports for the laver. The word is versatile, appearing in both literal and metaphorical contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָד 1604 n.f. hand

hand

Fig. = strength, power

Fig. = side

יָד is used in various special, technical senses:—

sign, monument

part, fractional part or share

time, repetition

axle-trees

stays, supports for laver

tenons on sides of boards of tabernacle

a (beckoning) hand

יַד with prep.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3027 יָד hand . hand

. Fig. = strength, power

. Fig. = side

. יָד is used in various special, technical senses:— . sign, monument

. part, fractional part or share

. time, repetition

. axle-trees

. stays, supports for laver

. tenons on sides of boards of tabernacle

. a (beckoning) hand

. יַד with prep.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3027 yad yawd

a primitive word; a hand (the open one (indicating power,

means, direction, etc.), in distinction from 3709, the closed

one); used (as noun, adverb, etc.) in a great variety of

applications, both literally and figuratively, both proximate

and remote (as follows):--(+ be) able, X about, + armholes,

at, axletree, because of, beside, border, X bounty, + broad,

(broken-)handed, X by, charge, coast, + consecrate, +

creditor, custody, debt, dominion, X enough, + fellowship,

force, X from, hand(-staves, -y work), X he, himself, X in,

labour, + large, ledge, (left-)handed, means, X mine,

ministry, near, X of, X order, ordinance, X our, parts, pain,

power, X presumptuously, service, side, sore, state, stay,

draw with strength, stroke, + swear, terror, X thee, X by

them, X themselves, X thine own, X thou, through, X throwing,

+ thumb, times, X to, X under, X us, X wait on, (way-)side,

Read the full entry →
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָד (yad) — hand.

: hand/arm[anatomy]

1) hand

1a) hand (of man)

1b) strength, power (fig.)

1c) side (of land), part, portion (metaph.) (fig.)

1d) (various special, technical senses)

1d1) sign, monument

1d2) part, fractional part, share

1d3) time, repetition

1d4) axle-trees, axle

1d5) stays, support (for laver)

1d6) tenons (in tabernacle)

1d7) a phallus, a hand (meaning unsure)

1d8) wrists

יָד (yad) — hand: power.

: hand/arm[anatomy]

1) hand

1a) hand (of man)

1b) strength, power (fig.)

1c) side (of land), part, portion (metaph.) (fig.)

1d) (various special, technical senses)

1d1) sign, monument

1d2) part, fractional part, share

1d3) time, repetition

1d4) axle-trees, axle

1d5) stays, support (for laver)

1d6) tenons (in tabernacle)

1d7) a phallus, a hand (meaning unsure)

1d8) wrists

יָד (yad) — hand: themselves.

: hand/arm[anatomy]

1) hand

1a) hand (of man)

1b) strength, power (fig.)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-cs — Noun common · both singular construct
HNcbsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ov:

(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Lamentations 3:1.

The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.

Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.

That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.

Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…

Yahweh [is] protector your Yahweh [is] shade your at [the] hand of right your
יְמִינֶֽךָ׃ye.mi.Ne.kha right your H3225 Noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
140× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Benjamin was a son of Israel and Rachel, and the brother of Joseph, mentioned in Genesis 35:18. The name also refers to the right hand or south direction.
Tyndale gloss
[Ben]jamin
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word יָמִין (*yamiyn*) means 'right hand' or 'right side,' and it can also refer to the direction south, as the right hand points south when facing east. It is derived from the root word for 'to be strong' and covers various contexts, including body parts and directional references.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָמִין 137 n.f. right hand

right hand

of situation on, or direction toward the right

of other parts of the body

= south, because when facing east the right hand is toward the south

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3225 יָמִין right hand . right hand

. of situation on, or direction toward the right

. of other parts of the body

. = south, because when facing east the right hand is toward the south

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3225 yamiyn yaw-meen'

from 3231; the right hand or side (leg, eye) of a person or

other object (as the stronger and more dexterous); locally,

the south:--+ left-handed, right (hand, side), south.

see HEBREW for 03231

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָמִין (ya.min) — right.

1) right, right hand, right side

1a) right hand

1b) right (of direction)

1c) south (the direction of the right hand when facing East)

Also means: ya.min (יָמִין ": south" H3225H)

יָמִין (ya.min) — right: south.

1) right, right hand, right side

1a) right hand

1b) right (of direction)

1c) south (the direction of the right hand when facing East)

יָמִין (ya.min) — [Ben]jamin.

A man of the tribe of Benjamin living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.35.18;

son of: Israel (H3478) and Rachel (H7354);

brother of: Joseph (H3130);

half-brother of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Judah (H3063), Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074) and Dinah (H1783);

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs | Suff — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
HNcfsc/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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