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Psalms 136:19 — Word Study

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WLCלְ֭סִיחוֹן מֶ֣לֶךְ הָאֱמֹרִ֑י כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃

BSASihonÇîychôwn [the Amorite king] kingmelek of the AmoritesʼĔmôrîy [a Canaanite tribe] His loving devotionchêçêd [God's, kindness, mercy, faithful love] endures foreverʻôwlâm [lasts, remains, for all eternity, always]

Word
Listen & take awayPsalms 136
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 19 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 (chas.Do) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Psalms 136:19quick helps
In a sentenceThe verse affirms God's enduring loving devotion as it recalls the defeat of Sihon, king of the Amorites.
Who is speakingThe psalmist, celebrating God's faithfulness.
Where we areIn a hymn of thanksgiving, reflecting on God's mighty acts.
The hard wordחַסְדּוֹ
Take awayGod's loving devotion lasts forever.
6 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, Ellicott & more — read them › clause 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 136:19

Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.

Context — A Psalm of Thanksgivinggenerated

18and slaughtered mighty kings— His loving devotion endures forever.
19Sihon king of the Amorites His loving devotion endures forever.
20and Og king of Bashan— His loving devotion endures forever.
21and He gave their land as an inheritance, His loving devotion endures forever.

Psalms 136:19 is part of a longer psalm that recounts God's steadfast love and mighty deeds throughout Israel's history. The psalmist recalls significant events, including the defeat of kings who opposed Israel, emphasizing that God's loving devotion endures through all circumstances. This theme of divine faithfulness is central to the psalm, encouraging the community to remember and proclaim God's goodness.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Numbers 21:21–23Then Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, saying,
2Deuteronomy 2:30–36But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass through, for the LORD your God had made his spirit stubborn and his heart obstinate, that He might deliver him into your hand, as is the case this day.
3Deuteronomy 29:7When you reached this place, Sihon king of Heshbon and Og king of Bashan came out against us in battle, but we defeated them.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 3 references, hung on the phrase they belong to

Sihon king of the Amorites: for his mercy endureth for ever:Numbers 21:21–23 Deuteronomy 2:30–36 Deuteronomy 29:7

The Key Word חַסְדּוֹ, chas.Dogenerated

The word חֶסֶד (chesed) refers to God's loving kindness, mercy, and covenant loyalty. It emphasizes not just an emotion but a steadfast commitment to act for the good of others, particularly in the context of God's relationship with His people.

In this verse, חַסְדּוֹ (chas.Do) indicates that God's loving devotion is not temporary but eternal, highlighting the reliability of His promises and actions throughout history.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses His loving devotion endures forever.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb in the verse is implied, with the structure emphasizing the subject לְ֭סִיחוֹן (to Sihon) and the predicate חַסְדּוֹ (his loving devotion). The prepositional phrase establishes the focus on Sihon as the subject of God's enduring love.

The word order in Hebrew places emphasis on Sihon first, drawing attention to the king's defeat before declaring God's eternal loving devotion.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates סִיחוֹן as σηων and חַסְדּוֹ as αὐτοῦ, indicating a direct connection to God's actions. This choice reflects a continuity in understanding God's relationship with Israel and His faithfulness.

The use of αἰῶνα for לְעוֹלָם emphasizes the eternal nature of God's kindness, aligning with the Hebrew meaning of everlasting commitment.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalms 136:19 reminds us of Sihon, the king of the Amorites, and emphasizes that God's loving devotion lasts forever. This verse is part of a psalm celebrating God's faithfulness and His mighty acts throughout Israel's history.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

Who was Sihon?

Sihon was the king of the Amorites, defeated by the Israelites during their journey to the Promised Land, as recorded in Numbers 21.

What does 'loving devotion' mean?

It refers to God's steadfast love and mercy towards His people, indicating a deep, covenantal relationship.

Why is God's loving devotion emphasized in this psalm?

The psalmist highlights God's enduring faithfulness in the face of challenges, reminding the community of His unchanging nature.

How does this verse connect to the overall theme of Psalm 136?

It fits within a broader narrative of God's mighty acts and faithfulness throughout Israel's history, encouraging gratitude and remembrance.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. How can I recognize and remember God's loving devotion in my own life?
  2. What does it mean for me to trust in God's faithfulness during difficult times?
  3. In what ways can I express gratitude for God's kindness and mercy?
  4. How does the story of Sihon challenge me to reflect on God's power and love?

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

Early commentary on this verse highlights its theological implications, with quotations from Augustine of Hippo discussing the significance of Sihon in relation to God's enduring love.

Augustine of HippoExposition on Psalms 136 354–430
"Sehon king of the Amorites" [Psalms 136:19], an "useless shoot," or "fiery temptation," for so is Sehon interpreted: the king of "them who cause bitterness," for such is the…
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 136 →

Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 136:19 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Sihon king of the Amorites,.... A strong and warlike people, and their king a great and mighty one; see Psalms 135:11; for his mercy [endureth] for ever; since this king would not suffer Israel to go

Read John Gill on Psalms 136 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

To him which smote great kings: for his mercy endureth for ever: To him which smote great kings ... Sihon ... And Og - (Psalms 135:11.) The Psalmist signifies these kings because the MERCY of the Lord is here his theme.

Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 136 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Psalms 136:19 Sihon king of the Amorites: for his mercy [endureth] for ever: Ver. 19. See Psalms 135:11. Sihon’ s country was afterwards called Decapolis, and the metropolls of it Scythopolis (Joseph. de Bel, l. 3, c. 2.)

Read John Trapp on Psalms 136 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(19) Sihon.—Literally, to Sihon. Evidently the composer, after beginning so many verses with the preposition, placed it here inadvertently, whence it was copied in Psalms 135:11.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 136 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

16–22. Jehovah the Giver of the promised land. Cp. Psalms 135:10 ff.

Read Cambridge on Psalms 136 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

17-21. On these verses see notes on Psalms 135:10-12. It is possible, as some have hinted, that Sihon and Og, with their powerful kingdoms, are here specially alluded to, because these rich

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Psalms 136 →

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

Sihon king of the Amorites His loving devotion endures forever.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Sihon king of the Amorites, for his loving kindness endures forever;

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Sihon king of the Amorites His loving devotion endures forever.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Sihon, king of the Amorites, for his loyal love endures,

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Sihon king of the Amorites: for his mercy endureth for ever:

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Sihon king of the Amorites; For his lovingkindness endureth forever;

RVARevised Version, American1894

Sihon king of the Amorites: for his mercy endureth for ever:

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Sihon king of the Amorites: for his mercy endureth for ever:

GNVGeneva Bible1599

As Sihon King of the Amorites: for his mercie endureth for euer:

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Sihon king of the Amorites, for his loving-kindness [endureth] for ever,

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Even Sihon king of the Amorite, For to the age [is] His kindness.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Even Sihon king of the Amorite, || For His kindness [is] for all time.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Even Sichon the king of the Emorites; for to eternity endureth his kindness;

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Sihon king of the Amorites, for his covenant faithfulness endures forever—

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Sihon, king of the Amorites. For his trustworthy love lasts forever.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Sihon, king of the Amorites: for his mercy is unchanging 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 · predicateלְ֭tonoun phraseסִיחוֹןSihonnoun phraseמֶ֣לֶךְthe.kingnoun phraseהָofאֱמֹרִ֑יthe.Amoritesכִּ֖י(dm)clauseprepositional phrase · predicateלְ[is]עוֹלָ֣םforevernoun phrase · subjectחַסְדּֽloyaltyוֹhis.covenant

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 in the Hebrew and Greek. The Dead Sea Scrolls contain fragments that confirm parts of the verse, though three words are supplied by an editor, indicating some damage in the original text.

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

לְ֭סִיחוֹן מֶ֣לֶךְ הָאֱמֹרִ֑י כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
לְ֭סִיחוֹןσηωνמֶ֣לֶךְβασιλέαהָאֱמֹרִ֑יαμορραίωνכִּ֖יὅτιלְעוֹלָ֣םαἰῶναחַסְדּֽוֹ׃αὐτοῦ

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

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q95a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[כי] [לעולם] [חסד׳ו]

3 words of the verse are on this fragment — 3 supplied entire by an editor.

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 136:19סִיחוֹןto Sihonto Sihonסִיחוֹןמֶ֫לֶךְ[the] king [the] king ofמֶ֫לֶךְאֱמֹרִיthe Amoritethe Amoritesאֱמֹרִיכִּיforforכִּיעוֹלָם[is] for ev[is] for everעוֹלָםחֶ֫סֶדcovenant locovenant loyaltחֶ֫סֶדמָלַךְto reignto reignמָלַךְאָמַרto sayto sayאָמַרעָלַםto concealto concealעָלַםחָסַדbe kindbe kindחָסַדסוּחַSuahSuahסוּחַחֶשְׁבּוֹןHeshbonHeshbonחֶשְׁבּוֹןעוֹגOgOgעוֹגנְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּרNebuchadneNebuchadnezzarנְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּראַשּׁוּרAsshurAsshurאַשּׁוּרפְּרִזִּיPerizzitePerizziteפְּרִזִּיסִיחוֹןSihonSihonסִיחוֹןיָדַעto knowto knowיָדַעעַדperpetuityperpetuityעַדדּוֹרgenerationgenerationדּוֹראֱמֶתtruth: faitruth: faithfulאֱמֶתרֶ֫חֶםwombwombרֶ֫חֶם
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 136:19

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.

to Sihon [the] king of the Amorites for [is] for ever covenant loyalty his
לְ֭סִיחוֹןLe.si.chon to Sihon H5511 Preposition · noun proper masculine
37× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Sihon was an Amorite king who lived during the time of the Israelites' wilderness journey. He was defeated by Moses in Transjordan, as recorded in Numbers 21:21. His name means warrior.
Amplified meaning
the Amorite king
Tyndale gloss
Sihon
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

סִיחוֹן (Sihon) refers to an Amorite king known for his tempestuous nature. He is first mentioned in Numbers 21:21 and is noted for being defeated by Moses during the Israelite conquest of Transjordan. The name is derived from a root meaning 'warrior'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

סִיחוֹן, סִחוֹן 35 n.pr.m. Sihon

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5511 סִיחוֹן, סִחוֹן Sihon

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5511 Ciychown see-khone'

or Ciychon {see-khone'}; from the same as 5477; tempestuous;

Sichon, an Amoritish king:--Sihon.

see HEBREW for 05477

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

סִיחוֹן (si.chon) — Sihon.

A king of Amorites living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Num.21.21

§ Sihon = "warrior"

king of the Amorites at the time of the conquest and defeated by Moses in Transjordan

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-proper — Preposition · noun proper masculine
HR/Npm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

si'-hon (cichon): King of the Amorites, who vainly opposed Israel on their journey from Egypt to Palestine, and who is frequently mentioned in the historical books and in the Psalms because of his prominence and as a warning for those who rise against Yahweh and His people (Nu 21:21, and often; De 1:4; 31:4; Jos 2:10; Jud 11:19,20,21; 1Ki 4:19; Ne 9:22; Ps 135:11; 136:19; Jer 48:45).

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Sihon

Striking down. The whole country on the east of Jordan, from the Arnon to the Jabbok, was possessed by the Amorites, whose king, Sihon, refused to permit the Israelites to pass through his territory, and put his army in array against them. The Israelites went forth against him to battle, and gained a complete victory. The Amorites were defeated; Sihon, his sons, and all his people were smitten with the sword, his walled towns were captured, and the entire country of the Amorites was taken possession of by the Israelites (Num. 21:21-30; Deut. 2:24-37).

The country from the Jabbok to Hermon was at this time ruled by Og, the last of the Rephaim. He also tried to prevent the progress of the Israelites, but was utterly routed, and all his cities and territory fell into the hands…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(warrior) king of the Amorites when Israel arrived on the borders of the promised land. (Numbers 21:21) (B.C. 1451.) Shortly before the time of Israel’s arrival he had dispossessed the Moabites of a splendid territory, driving them south of the natural bulwark of the Amen. Ibid. (Numbers 21:26-29) When the Israelite host appeared, he did not hesitate or temporize like Balak, but at once gathered his people together and attacked them. But the battle was his last. He and all his host were destroyed, and their district from Amen to Jabbok became at once the possession of the conqueror.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

King of the Amorites at Heshbon, on refusing passage to the Hebrews, and coming to attack them, was himself slain, his army routed, and his dominions divided among Israel, Nu 21:21-34 De 2:26-36.

to Sihon [the] king of the Amorites for [is] for ever covenant loyalty his
מֶ֣לֶךְMe.lekh [the] king of H4428 Noun common · masculine singular construct
2,526× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a king or royal person, like King David or King Saul. It can also describe something related to a king, like the King's Valley in Genesis. The Bible often uses this word to talk about the rulers of Israel.
Tyndale gloss
King's
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word מֶ֫לֶךְ (*melek*) means 'king.' It is derived from a root that suggests royalty. The term appears in various contexts, including references to specific kings and locations, such as the 'King's Highway' in Numbers 20:17 and the 'King's Valley' in Genesis 14:17. The lexicons note its Aramaic equivalent and mention its use in the context of individuals like Hammelech in Jeremiah.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מֶ֫לֶךְ 2513 n.m. king

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4428 מֶ֫לֶךְ king

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4428 melek meh'-lek

from 4427; a king:--king, royal.

see HEBREW for 04427

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — king.

1) king

Aramaic equivalent: me.lekh (מֶ֫לֶךְ "king" H4430)

הַמֶּלֶךְ (me.lekh) — `the king`.

'the king' or a name, Hammelech in KJV of Jer.36.26; 38.6- a man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at Jer.36.26;

father of: Jerahmeel (H3396I) and Malchijah (H4441H); also translated "the king";

§ A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at Jer.36.26;

father of: Jerahmeel (H3396I) and Malchijah (H4441H); also translated "the king";

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — King's.

King's (Highway) (Num.20.17)

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — King's.

Another name of she.lach (שֶׁ֫לַח "Shelah" H7975A)

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — Milcom.

Another name of mo.lekh (מֹ֫לֶךְ "Molech" H4432)

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — King's.

King's (Valley) (Gen.14.17)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular construct
HNcmsc
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…

to Sihon [the] king of the Amorites for [is] for ever covenant loyalty his
הָאֱמֹרִ֑יha.'e.mo.Ri the Amorites H567 Particle · noun gentilic masculine singular absolute
87× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
An Amorite is a member of a Canaanite tribe, first mentioned in Genesis 10:16, descended from Canaan. The Israelites displaced them as they entered the Promised Land.
Amplified meaning
a Canaanite tribe
Tyndale gloss
Amorite
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֱמֹרִי (Emoriy) refers to the Amorites, a group of people descended from Canaan, possibly meaning 'mountain-dwellers.' They are noted as a prominent tribe dispossessed by the Israelites during their conquest of Canaan. The term may derive from a root meaning 'to say,' suggesting a connection to prominence or publicity.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֱמֹרִי n.pr.m.coll. Amorites (perh. = mountain-dwellers)

called son of Canaan

a chief people dispossessed by Hebrews

adj.gent.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H567 אֱמֹרִי Amorites (perh. = mountain-dwellers)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

567 'Emoriy em-o-ree'

probably a patronymic from an unused name derived from 559 in

the sense of publicity, i.e. prominence; thus, a mountaineer;

an Emorite, one of the Canaanitish tribes:--Amorite.

see HEBREW for 0559

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֱמֹרִי (e.mo.ri) — Amorite.

Someone descended from Amor(?), first mentioned at Gen.10.16; descended from Canaan (H3667); along with Sidon (H6721), Heth (H2845), Jebusite (H2983), Girgashite (H1622), Hivite (H2340), Arkite (H6208), Sinite (H5513), Arvadite (H0721), Zemarite (H6786) and Hamathite (H2577)

§ Amorite = "a sayer"

one of the peoples of east Canaan and beyond the Jordan, dispossessed by the Israelite incursion from Egypt

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | Ngmsa — Particle · noun gentilic masculine singular absolute
HTd/Ngmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

am'-o-rits; Amorites ('emori, always in the singular like the Babylonian Amurru from which it is taken; Amorraioi):

1. Varying Use of the Name Explained

2. The Amorite Kingdom

3. Sihon's Conquest

4. Disappearance of the Amorite Kingdom

5. Physical Characteristics of the Amorites

The name Amorite is used in the Old Testament to denote

(1) the inhabitants of Palestine generally,

(2) the population of the hills as opposed to the plain, and

(3) a specific people under a king of their own. Thus

(1) we hear of them on the west shore of the Dead Sea (Ge 14:7), at Hebron (Ge 14:13), and Shechem (Ge 48:22), in Gilead and Bashan (De 3:10) and under Hermon (

Amorites

Highlanders, or hillmen, the name given to the descendants of one of the sons of Canaan (Gen. 14:7), called Amurra or Amurri in the Assyrian and Egyptian inscriptions. On the early Babylonian monuments all Syria, including Palestine, is known as “the land of the Amorites.” The southern slopes of the mountains of Judea are called the “mount of the Amorites” (Deut. 1:7, 19, 20). They seem to have originally occupied the land stretching from the heights west of the Dead Sea (Gen. 14:7) to Hebron (13. Comp. 13:8; Deut. 3:8; 4:46-48), embracing “all Gilead and all Bashan” (Deut. 3:10), with the Jordan valley on the east…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A people descended from Emer, the fourth son of Canaan, Ge 10:16. They first peopled the mountains west of the Dead sea, near Hebron; but afterwards extended their limits, and took possession of the finest provinces of Moab and Ammon, on the east between the brooks Jabbok and Arnon, Nu 13:29 21:21-31 Jos 5:1 Jud 11:13. Moses took this country from their king, Sihon. The lands which the Amorites possessed on this side Jordan were given to the tribe of Judah, and those beyond the Jordan to the tribes of Reuben and Gad. The name Amorite is often taken in Scripture for Canaanite in general, Ge 15:16

→ Descendants of Canaan Ge 10:15,16; 1Ch 1:13,14

→ Were giants Am 2:9

→ Struck down by Chedorlaomer and rescued by Abraham Ge 14

→ Territory of Ge 14:7; Nu 13:29; 21:13; De 1:4,7,19; 3:8,9; Jos 5:1; 10:5; 12:2,3; Jud 1:35,36; 11:22

→ Given to descendants of Abraham Ge 15:21; 48:22; De 1:20; 2:26-36; 7:1;

to Sihon [the] king of the Amorites for [is] for ever covenant loyalty his
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'.
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
HTc — 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
to Sihon [the] king of the Amorites for [is] for ever covenant loyalty his
לְעוֹלָ֣םle.'o.Lam [is] 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
lasts, remains, for all eternity, always
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
to Sihon [the] king of the Amorites for [is] for ever covenant loyalty his
חַסְדּֽוֹ׃chas.Do covenant loyalty his H2617 Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
247× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to kindness, mercy, or pity, often used to describe God's loving actions towards humanity. It is translated as 'favour', 'kindness', or 'mercy' in the KJV. It emphasizes God's loving character.
Amplified meaning
God's, kindness, mercy, faithful love
Tyndale gloss
kindness
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חֶ֫סֶד (che.sed) primarily means kindness or goodness, often referring to the kindness of people towards one another, especially towards the needy. It can also denote God's lovingkindness and mercy. Additionally, it has a secondary meaning of shame or reproach. The entries reflect a range of uses, from human interactions to divine attributes.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חֶ֫סֶד 247 n.m. goodness, kindness

of man:

kindness of men toward men, in doing favours and benefits

kindness (especially as extended to the lowly, needy and miserable), mercy

(rarely) affection of Isr. to י׳, love to God, piety

lovely appearance

of God: kindness, lovingkindness in condescending to the needs of his creatures.

base

חֶ֫סֶד n.m. shame, reproach

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2617a חֶ֫סֶד goodness, kindness . of man: . kindness of men toward men, in doing favours and benefits

. kindness (especially as extended to the lowly, needy and miserable), mercy

. (rarely) affection of Isr. to י׳, love to God, piety

. lovely appearance

. of God: kindness, lovingkindness in condescending to the needs of his creatures.

H2617b חֶ֫סֶד shame, reproach

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2617 checed kheh'-sed

from 2616; kindness; by implication (towards God) piety:

rarely (by opposition) reproof, or (subject.) beauty:--favour,

good deed(-liness, -ness), kindly, (loving-)kindness, merciful

(kindness), mercy, pity, reproach, wicked thing.

see HEBREW for 02616

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חֶ֫סֶד (che.sed) — kindness.

goodness, kindness, faithfulness

חֶ֫סֶד (che.sed) — shame.

a reproach, shame

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HNcmsc/Sp3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hiz: Used often in the King James Version with reference to a neuter or inanimate thing, or to a lower animal (Ge 1:11, "after his kind"; Le 1:16, "pluck away his crop"; Ac 12:10, "of his own accord"; 1Co 15:38, "his own body"), etc. the Revised Version (British and American) substitutes "its."

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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