Menu

Psalms 136:8 — Word Study

Depth

WLCאֶת־ הַ֭שֶּׁמֶשׁ לְמֶמְשֶׁ֣לֶת בַּיּ֑וֹם כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃

BSAthe sunshemesh [to have rule, shining brightly] to rulememshâlâh [exercising dominion, having control] the dayyôwm [a 24-hour period, a figurative space of time] His loving devotionchêçêd [kindness, mercy, pity] endures foreverʻôwlâm [lasts, continues, 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 8 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 136:8quick helps
In a sentenceThe psalm declares the sun's role in governing the day, emphasizing God's everlasting kindness.
Who is speakingThe psalmist, reflecting on God's creation and His enduring love.
Where we areIn a section celebrating God's creation and His steadfast love.
The hard wordמֶמְשֶׁלֶת
Take awayGod's loving devotion is eternal.
6 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & 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 136:8

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 — Celebration of Creation and God's Lovegenerated

7He made the great lights— His loving devotion endures forever.
8the sun to rule the day, His loving devotion endures forever.
9the moon and stars to govern the night. His loving devotion endures forever.
10He struck down the firstborn of Egypt His loving devotion endures forever.

Psalm 136:8 is part of a psalm that recounts God's mighty acts in creation and His enduring love. This particular verse highlights the role of the sun in ruling the day, a symbol of God's order and provision in the world. The refrain of God's loving devotion enduring forever serves as a reminder of His unchanging character throughout all of creation.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Psalm 148:3Praise Him, O sun and moon; praise Him, all you shining stars.
2Jeremiah 31:35Thus says the LORD, who gives the sun for light by day, who sets in order the moon and stars for light by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar—the LORD of Hosts is His name:
3Matthew 5:45that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

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


The Key Word מֶמְשֶׁלֶת, le.mem.She.letgenerated

The word מֶמְשֶׁלֶת (memshalah) is a feminine noun that conveys the idea of dominion or rule. It indicates authority and governance, often in the context of God's sovereignty over creation. In this verse, it describes the sun's role in exercising dominion over the day, highlighting the order God has established in the natural world.

This word appears in various contexts in the Bible, emphasizing God's control and authority. Its use here underscores the significance of the sun not just as a celestial body, but as a representation of God's power and the order He has set in place.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main clause of the verse is governed by the finite verb לְמֶמְשֶׁלֶת, for dominion, which indicates the purpose of the sun's creation. The structure unfolds with a noun phrase הַ֭שֶּׁמֶשׁ, the sun, followed by a prepositional phrase בַּיּ֑וֹם, in the day, establishing the context of time.

The arrangement emphasizes the sun's role and its dominion over the day, with the phrase כִּי, for, introducing the reason for this dominion, culminating in the declaration of God's enduring kindness.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, the Hebrew word הַ֭שֶּׁמֶשׁ is rendered as ἥλιον (hēlion), which directly translates to 'sun.' This choice maintains the focus on the celestial body while aligning with the Greek understanding of its role in the cosmos.

The translation of מֶמְשֶׁלֶת as ἐχουσίαν (echousian) suggests a broader concept of possession or control, which can imply a more relational aspect of dominion compared to the Hebrew.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalm 136:8 tells us that God made the sun to rule the day, highlighting His power and order in creation. The verse emphasizes that God's loving devotion lasts forever, reminding us of His unchanging nature.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean for the sun to rule the day?

It signifies that the sun has been given authority over the day, providing light and marking the passage of time.

How does this verse reflect God's character?

It shows that God is a God of order and provision, establishing the sun to govern the day as part of His creation.

What is the significance of God's loving devotion enduring forever?

It indicates that God's kindness and mercy are eternal, offering assurance of His unchanging love towards His creation.

How does this verse connect to other scriptures?

It relates to other verses that celebrate God's creation and His enduring nature, such as Psalm 148:3 and Jeremiah 31:35.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways do I see God's order in creation around me?
  2. How can I reflect God's loving devotion in my interactions with others?
  3. What does it mean for me to recognize God's authority in my life?
  4. How can I remind myself of God's eternal nature during difficult times?

Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 136:8 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

The sun to rule by day,.... Which is the greater light, Genesis 1:16; for his mercy [endureth] for ever: this great light, so beneficial to the earth and the inhabitants of it, which was made near

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

To him that made great lights: for his mercy endureth for ever: To him that made great lights ... The sun to rule by day ... The moon and stars to rule by night - i:e., in relation to this earth and

Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 136 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

The sun to rule by day; of which phrase and the like in the next verse, See Poole "".

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

Psalms 136:8 The sun to rule by day: for his mercy [endureth] for ever:Ver. 8. The sun to rule by day] Heb. for the rulings by day, sc. by his light, heat, motion, and influences, whereby he worketh upon these inferior bodies, being a servant to all, as his name importeth, notwithstanding his ruledom; and therefore in no wise to have been worshipped.

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

8. O give thanks unto him that maketh a horn to sprout for the house of David (Psalms 132:17), for &c.

Read Cambridge on Psalms 136 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The sun to rule by day - Genesis 1:16. Margin, as in Hebrew, for the ruling of the day. That is, to control, as it were, the day; to determine its length - its beginning - its ending - to make it what it is.

Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 136 →

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 sun to rule the day, His loving devotion endures forever.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

the sun to rule by day, for his loving kindness endures forever;

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

the sun to rule the day, His loving devotion endures forever.

NETBNew English Translation2006

the sun to rule by day, for his loyal love endures,

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

The sun to rule by day: for his mercy endureth for ever:

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

The sun to rule by day; For his lovingkindness endureth for ever;

RVARevised Version, American1894

The sun to rule by day: for his mercy endureth for ever:

NWBWebster's Bible1833

The sun to rule by day: for his mercy endureth for ever:

GNVGeneva Bible1599

As the sunne to rule the day: for his mercie endureth for euer:

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

The sun for rule over the day, for his loving-kindness [endureth] for ever,

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

The sun to rule by day, For to the age [is] His kindness.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

The sun to rule by day, || For His kindness [is] for all time.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

The sun for the rule by day; for to eternity endureth his kindness;

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Give thank to him who gave the sun to rule by day, for his covenant faithfulness endures forever—

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

O daughter of Babylon, miserable: blessed shall he be who shall repay thee thy payment which thou hast paid us.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

The sun to rule the day. For his trustworthy love lasts forever.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

The sun to have rule by day: 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.

clausenoun phrase · objectאֶת(et)noun phraseהַ֭theשֶּׁמֶשׁsunprepositional phrase · prepositionalלְfornoun phraseמֶמְשֶׁ֣לֶתdominionprepositional phraseבַּinnoun phrasetheיּ֑וֹםdayכִּ֖י(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 states, "the sun to rule the day, His loving devotion endures forever." The Septuagint largely agrees with the Masoretic Text, matching six of the seven words, although its word order and articles differ due to its translation style. The Dead Sea Scrolls (11Q5) also align with the Masoretic Text in meaning, including the phrase about the sun ruling the day and God's enduring kindness, but it adds a mention of the moon, which is not present in the Masoretic Text. Overall, while the core message is consistent across these witnesses, the Dead Sea Scrolls introduce an additional element with the mention of the moon.

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

אֶת־ הַ֭שֶּׁמֶשׁ לְמֶמְשֶׁ֣לֶת בַּיּ֑וֹם כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃

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

6 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

את השמש ואת וירח כי לעולם חסד׳ו את השמש לממשלות יום כי לעולם חסד׳ו

14 words on the leather.

Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.


The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

Psalms 136:8אֵתthe object the object markאֵתשֶׁ֫מֶשׁthe sunthe sunשֶׁ֫מֶשׁמֶמְשָׁלָהfor dominiofor dominionמֶמְשָׁלָהיוֹםin the dayin the dayיוֹםכִּיforforכִּיעוֹלָם[is] for ev[is] for everעוֹלָםחֶ֫סֶדcovenant locovenant loyaltחֶ֫סֶדאוֹתsign: mirasign: miraculouאוֹתעָלַםto concealto concealעָלַםחָסַדbe kindbe kindחָסַדבֵּיתHeliopolisHeliopolisבֵּיתמִמְשָׁלdominiondominionמִמְשָׁלמִגְרָשׁpasturepastureמִגְרָשׁיָרֵחַmoonmoonיָרֵחַזָרַחto riseto riseזָרַחמָאוֹרlightlightמָאוֹרלְבָנוֹן(Valley of(Valley of) LebלְבָנוֹןשְׁבִיעִיseventhseventhשְׁבִיעִישַׁבָּתSabbathSabbathשַׁבָּתיָדַעto 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 136:8

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.

the object marker the sun for dominion in the day for [is] for ever covenant loyalty his
אֶת־'et- the object marker H853 Particle
10,946× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the original Hebrew, this word points out the object of a verb or preposition, like 'namely' or 'even'. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus. It's not directly translated in English, but helps clarify the meaning of sentences.
Tyndale gloss
[Obj.]
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֵת (eth) is primarily a grammatical marker in Hebrew, indicating the definite direct object of a verb. It is not translated into English and typically precedes nouns that are definite. The word is derived from a demonstrative sense of entity, related to the Hebrew word for 'self.' Its Aramaic equivalent is יָת (yat).

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

853 'eth ayth

apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of

entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more

definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or

namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).

see HEBREW for 0226

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵת (et) — [Obj.].

sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative

Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTo — Particle
HTo
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
the object marker the sun for dominion in the day for [is] for ever covenant loyalty his
הַ֭שֶּׁמֶשׁHa.she.mesh the sun H8121 Particle · noun common both singular absolute
134× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The sun, or shemesh, represents not just the celestial body, but also east or west direction, and even objects that shine like battlements. It is often used to describe the rising or setting of the sun.
Amplified meaning
to have rule, shining brightly
Tyndale gloss
sun
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שֶׁ֫מֶשׁ (shemesh) means 'sun' and is derived from a root meaning 'to be brilliant.' It encompasses various meanings, including directions like east and west, and can refer to the sun as an object of worship. Additionally, it can denote shining pinnacles or battlements.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שֶׁ֫מֶשׁ 133 n.f. et m. sun

sun

of direction: toward sun-rise, = East

obj. of worship

other phr.

pinnacle, as glittering, shining

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8121 שֶׁ֫מֶשׁ sun

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8121 shemesh sheh'-mesh

from an unused root meaning to be brilliant; the sun; by

implication, the east; figuratively, a ray, i.e. (arch.) a

notched battlement:--+ east side(-ward), sun ((rising)), +

west(-ward), window. See also 1053.

see HEBREW for 01053

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שֶׁ֫מֶשׁ (she.mesh) — sun.

1) sun

1a) sun

1b) sunrise, sun-rising, east, sun-setting, west (of direction)

1c) sun (as object of illicit worship)

1d) openly, publicly (in other phrases)

1e) pinnacles, battlements, shields (as glittering or shining)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-cs — Particle · noun common both singular absolute
HTd/Ncbsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Sun

(Heb. shemesh), first mentioned along with the moon as the two great luminaries of heaven (Gen. 1:14-18). By their motions and influence they were intended to mark and divide times and seasons. The worship of the sun was one of the oldest forms of false religion (Job 31:26,27), and was common among the Egyptians and Chaldeans and other pagan nations. The Jews were warned against this form of idolatry (Deut. 4:19; 17:3; comp. 2 Kings 23:11; Jer. 19:13).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

In the history of "greater light," of the creation the sun is described as "greater light," in contradistinction to the moon, the "lesser light," in conjunction with which it was to serve "for signs and for seasons, and for days, and for years," while its special office was "to rule the day." (Genesis 1:14-16) The "signs" referred to were probably such extraordinary phenomena as eclipses, which were regarded as conveying premonitions of coming events. (Jeremiah 10:2; Matthew 24:29) with Luke 21:25 The joint influence assigned to the sun and moon in deciding the "seasons," both for agricultural operations and for religious festivals, and also in regulating the length and…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The great luminary of day, which furnishes so many similitudes to the Hebrew poets, as well as those of all nations, Jud 5:31 Ps 84:11 Pr 4:18 Lu 1:78,79 Joh 8:12. For the idolatrous worship of the sun, see BAAL.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Created Ge 1:14-18; Ps 74:16; 136:7; Jer 31:35

→ Rising and setting of Ec 1:5

→ Diurnal motion of Ps 19:4,6

→ Worship of, forbidden De 4:19; 17:3

→ Worshiped Job 31:26-28; Jer 8:2; Eze 6:4,6; 8:16

→ Kings of Judah dedicate horses to 2Ki 23:11

→ Miracles concerning

the object marker the sun for dominion in the day for [is] for ever covenant loyalty his
לְמֶמְשֶׁ֣לֶתle.mem.She.let for dominion H4475 Preposition · noun common feminine singular construct
17× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means having control or power over something, like a king ruling his kingdom. It's used to describe God's dominion over the world. In the Bible, it appears in Psalm 103:22 to describe God's rule over all His creation.
Amplified meaning
exercising dominion, having control
Tyndale gloss
dominion
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מֶמְשָׁלָה (memshalah) refers to rule, dominion, or realm. It is a feminine noun derived from a related word, indicating authority or governance. The entries note its use in various contexts, including the dominion of God.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מֶמְשָׁלָה n.f. rule, dominion, realm

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4475 מֶמְשָׁלָה rule, dominion, realm

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4475 memshalah mem-shaw-law'

feminine of 4474; rule; also (concretely in plural) a realm

or a ruler:--dominion, government, power, to rule.

see HEBREW for 04474

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מֶמְשָׁלָה (mem.sha.lah) — dominion.

1) rule, dominion, realm

1a) rule, dominion, realm, domain

1b) rule

1c) rule, dominion (of God)

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

do-min'-yun: In Eph 1:21; Col 1:16 the word so translated (kuriotes) appears to denote a rank or order of angels. The same word is probably to be so interpreted in Jude 1:8 (the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American) "dominion"), and in 2Pe 2:10 (the King James Version "government," the Revised Version (British and American) "dominion"). See ANGEL.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ OF MAN

See MAN, DOMINION OF

the object marker the sun for dominion in the day for [is] for ever covenant loyalty his
בַּיּ֑וֹםbai.Yom in the day H3117 Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
2,306× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word 'yom' refers to a day, which can be a literal 24-hour period or a figurative space of time. It is used in the Bible to describe a wide range of time periods, from a single day to a year or a lifetime. The word 'yom' is used in many different contexts throughout the Bible.
Amplified meaning
a 24-hour period, a figurative space of time
Tyndale gloss
day
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יוֹם (yowm) means 'day' and refers to a division of time, contrasting with night. It can denote a literal 24-hour period, a general time span, or even a year. The term is used in various contexts, including the 'day of Yahweh,' which signifies a time of divine judgment. It also appears in phrases indicating temporal references like today, yesterday, and tomorrow.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יוֹם 2285 n.m. day

day, opp. night

Day as division of time

יוֹם י׳ day of Yahweh, chiefly as time of his coming in judgment, involving often blessedness for righteous

Pl. days of anyone

Days

יוֹם = time

Phrases

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3117 יוֹם day . day, opp. night

. Day as division of time

. יוֹם י׳ day of Yahweh, chiefly as time of his coming in judgment, involving often blessedness for righteous

. Pl. days of anyone

. Days

. יוֹם = time

. Phrases

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3117 yowm yome

from an unused root meaning to be hot; a day (as the warm

hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one

sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by

an associated term), (often used adverb):--age, + always, +

chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to)

day, (now a, two) days (agone), + elder, X end, + evening, +

(for) ever(-lasting, -more), X full, life, as (so) long as

(... live), (even) now, + old, + outlived, + perpetually,

presently, + remaineth, X required, season, X since, space,

then, (process of) time, + as at other times, + in trouble,

weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), X whole

(+ age), (full) year(-ly), + younger.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יוֹם (yom) — day.

: day/when/time/period

1) day, time, year

1a) day (as opposed to night)

1b) day (24 hour period)

1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1

1b2) as a division of time

1b2a) a working day, a day's journey

1c) days, lifetime (pl.)

1d) time, period (general)

1e) year

1f) temporal references

1f1) today

1f2) yesterday

1f3) tomorrow

יוֹם (yom) — day: old.

: old/(full/many)[days]

1) day, time, year

1a) day (as opposed to night)

1b) day (24 hour period)

1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1

1b2) as a division of time

1b2a) a working day, a day's journey

1c) days, lifetime (pl.)

1d) time, period (general)

1e) year

1f) temporal references

1f1) today

1f2) yesterday

1f3) tomorrow

יוֹם (yom) — day: year.

: year[of_days]

1) day, time, year

1a) day (as opposed to night)

1b) day (24 hour period)

1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1

1b2) as a division of time

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
HRd/Ncmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

da (yom; hemera): This common word has caused some trouble to plain readers, because they have not noticed that the word is used in several different senses in the English Bible. When the different uses of the word are understood the difficulty of interpretation vanishes. We note several different uses of the word:

(1) It sometimes means the time from daylight till dark. This popular meaning is easily discovered by the context, e. g. Ge 1:5; 8:22, etc. The marked periods of this daytime were morning, noon and night, as with us. See Ps 55:17. The early hours were sometimes called "the cool of the day" (Ge 3:8). After the exile the day. or daytime was divided into twelve hours and the night into twelve (see

Day

The Jews reckoned the day from sunset to sunset (Lev. 23:32). It was originally divided into three parts (Ps. 55:17). “The heat of the day” (1 Sam. 11:11; Neh. 7:3) was at our nine o’clock, and “the cool of the day” just before sunset (Gen. 3:8). Before the Captivity the Jews divided the night into three watches, (1) from sunset to midnight (Lam. 2:19); (2) from midnight till the cock-crowing (Judg. 7:19); and (3) from the cock-crowing till sunrise (Ex.…

The variable length of the natural day at different seasons led in the very earliest times to the adoption of the civil day (or one revolution of the sun) as a standard of time. The Hebrews reckoned the day from evening to evening, (Leviticus 23:32) deriving it from (Genesis 1:5) "the evening and the morning were the first day." The Jews are supposed, like the modern Arabs, to have adopted from an early period minute specifications of the parts of the natural day. Roughly, indeed, they were content to divide it into "morning, evening and noonday," (Psalms 55:17) but when they wished for greater accuracy they pointed to six unequal parts, each of which was again subdivided. These are held to have been -- "the dawn." "Sunrise."…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The day is distinguished into natural, civil, and artificial. The natural day is one revolution of the earth on its axis. The civil day is that, the beginning and the end of which are determined by the custom of any nation. The Hebrews began their day in the evening, Le 23:32; the Babylonians at sunrise; and we begin at midnight. The artificial day is the time of the sun’s continuance above the horizon, which is unequal according to different seasons, on account of the obliquity of the equator. The sacred writers generally divide the day into twelve hours. The sixth hour always ends at noon throughout the year; and the twelfth hour is the last hour before sunset. But in summer, all the hours of the day were longer than in winter, while those of night were shorter. See HOURS, and THREE.

the object marker the sun for dominion in the day 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
the object marker the sun for dominion in the day 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, continues, 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
the object marker the sun for dominion in the day 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
kindness, mercy, pity
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.

Everything we make is available for free because of a generous community of supporters.

Donate