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Psalms 139:20 — Word Study

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WLCאֲשֶׁ֣ר יֹ֭אמְרֻךָ לִמְזִמָּ֑ה נָשֻׂ֖א לַשָּׁ֣וְא עָרֶֽיךָ׃

BSAwhoʼăsher speak of Youʼâmar [say, utter, declare] deceitfullymᵉzimmâh [with evil designs, wickedly] Your enemiesʻâr [foes, adversaries] takenâsâʼ [lift, misuse] [Your name] in vainshâvᵉʼ [reputation, character, to no purpose, with vanity, emptily]

Word
Listen & take awayPsalms 139
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 20 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 ('a.Rei.kha) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Psalms 139:20quick helps
In a sentenceThe psalmist laments the deceitful speech of enemies who misuse God's name.
Who is speakingThe psalmist, addressing God directly.
Where we areIn a prayer for justice against the wicked.
The hard wordמְזִמָּה
Take awayGod's name is sacred and should not be misused.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbנָשָׂא 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 139:20

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 Prayer for Deliverancegenerated

19O God, that You would slay the wicked— away from me, you bloodthirsty men—
20who speak of You deceitfully; Your enemies take Your name in vain.
21Do I not hate those who hate You, O LORD, and detest those who rise against You?
22I hate them with perfect hatred; I count them as my enemies.

Psalm 139:20 expresses the psalmist's anguish over those who speak deceitfully about God. The psalmist contrasts the wickedness of these enemies with the holiness of God's name, emphasizing the seriousness of misusing it. The surrounding verses highlight a deep desire for justice against those who oppose God, reflecting a common theme in the psalms of seeking divine intervention against adversaries.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Psalm 73:8–9They mock and speak with malice; with arrogance they threaten oppression.
2Psalm 74:18–22Remember how the enemy has mocked You, O LORD, how a foolish people has spurned Your name.
3Job 21:14–15Yet they say to God: ‘Leave us alone! For we have no desire to know Your ways.
4Isaiah 37:23–28Whom have you taunted and blasphemed? Against whom have you raised your voice and lifted your eyes in pride? Against the Holy One of Israel!
5Jude 1:15to execute judgment on everyone, and to convict all the ungodly of every ungodly act of wickedness and every harsh word spoken against Him by ungodly sinners.”

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 8 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word מְזִמָּה, lim.zi.Mahgenerated

The noun מְזִמָּה (*mizimmah*) refers to a plot or scheme, often with a negative connotation. It is derived from a root meaning to plan, indicating intent or design. In this verse, it describes the wicked plans of those who speak deceitfully, suggesting a calculated malice against God.

This word captures the essence of treachery, as it implies not just any plan but one that is inherently evil. The psalmist's use of this term underscores the seriousness of the enemies' actions, framing their speech as part of a larger, malicious intent.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

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


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb יֹאמְרֻךָ (*yo.merukhah*) governs the clause, indicating what the enemies do. The structure includes a prepositional phrase that specifies the nature of their speech and another prepositional phrase that describes how they misuse God's name.

The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the actions of the enemies, highlighting their deceitful speech as a direct affront to God's character.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates יֹאמְרֻךָ as ἐρεῖς (*ereis*), which means 'you will say.' This choice reflects a more future-oriented perspective on the enemies' actions, suggesting an ongoing pattern of deceit rather than a one-time event.

For לַשָּׁ֣וְא, the LXX uses ματαιότητα (*mataioteta*), which emphasizes emptiness and vanity, aligning closely with the Hebrew meaning but broadening the implication of worthlessness in their speech.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalm 139:20 describes how the enemies of God speak deceitfully and misuse His name. The psalmist expresses a desire for justice against these wicked individuals, emphasizing the seriousness of their actions.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean to speak deceitfully of God?

To speak deceitfully of God means to misrepresent His character or intentions, often with malicious intent.

Why is misusing God's name considered serious?

Misusing God's name is serious because it undermines His holiness and can lead others to misunderstand or disrespect Him.

What can we learn from the psalmist's plea for justice?

The psalmist's plea teaches us the importance of seeking justice and being aware of the consequences of wickedness.

How does this verse relate to the broader themes in the Psalms?

This verse ties into the broader themes of lament and the desire for divine justice against adversaries found throughout the Psalms.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. How do I ensure that my speech about God reflects His true character?
  2. What are some ways I can stand against deceitful speech in my community?
  3. How can I seek justice in situations where I see wrongdoing?
  4. What does it mean for me to honor God's name in my daily life?

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 139:20 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

For they speak against thee wickedly,.... Against his being, his perfections, his purposes, his providences, his doctrines, ordinances, ministers, and people; or "they speak of thee for wickedness"

Read John Gill on Psalms 139 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain. For they speak against thee wickedly - literally, 'for wickedness.' "They speak against thee." So the Syriac. Compare Psalms 10:4-7; Psalms 5:4-5.

Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 139 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

They speak against thee wickedly, by profane scoffs, and a professed denial or contempt of thine omniscience and providence. Or, they speak of thee in or unto wickedness; they make use of religion to cover or further their wicked designs. But our translation is more favoured by the context, which speaks of God’ s open and professed enemies. And thine enemies take thy name in vain; or, according to the order of the Hebrew words, and take thy name in vain, and are thine enemies, or haters of thee, as it follows . These words, thy name, are understood here, as also , out of , where they are expressed. They abuse thy blessed name with hellish oaths, and perjuries, and blasphemies.

Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 139 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Psalms 139:20 For they speak against thee wickedly, [and] thine enemies take [thy name] in vain.Ver. 20. For they speak against thee wickedly] Inasmuch as they speak against me; Tua causa erit inca causa, Your cause will be my cause, said Charles V, emperor, to Julius Pflugius, who complained he had been wronged by the Duke of Saxony; so saith God to every David. This Luther knew, and therefore wrote thus to Melancthon, Causa ut sit magna, magnus est actor, et auctor eius; neque enim nostra est. The cause is Christ’ s; and he will see to it and us. Moses told the people that their murmurings were not against him, but against the Lord, Exodus 16:8. As unskilful hunters, shooting at wild…

Read John Trapp on Psalms 139 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(20) For they speak.—Better, Who rebel against thee. This is actually the reading of the fifth of the Greek translations preserved by Origen, and entails only a change of the vowel pointing. And thine enemies.—The state of the text is unsatisfactory. The subject to the verb must be that of the last clause, and the rendering “enemies” of a word properly meaning cities is very doubtful, in spite of 1 Samuel 28:16 (but Aquila has “rivals,” and Symmachus” adversaries”), where there is also a textual correction required. Of the various proposed emendations, the simplest produces “And rise up against them in vain.”

Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 139 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 20. Thine enemies take thy name in vain.] Bishop Horsley translates the whole verse thus: - "They have deserted me who are disobedient to thee; "They who are sworn to a rash purpose - thy refractory adversaries." The original is obscure: but I cannot see these things in it. Some translate the Hebrew thus: "Those who oppose thee iniquitously seize unjustly upon thy cities;" and so almost all the Versions. The words, thus translated, may apply to Sanballat, Tobiah, and the other enemies of the returned Jews, who endeavoured to drive them from the land, that they might possess the cities of Judea.

Read AdamClarke on Psalms 139 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

20. For they speak against thee] This rendering involves a questionable construction. That of R.V. marg. utter thy name, lit. thee, i.e. swear falsely by thy name, suits the parallelism, but is also doubtful. Most probably the word should be read with different vowels, rebel against thee (ιַ ?ξְ ?ψεּ ?κָ for ιֹ ?ξְ ?ψεּ ?κָ); cp. Psalms 78:40. thine enemies take thy name in vain] The text is difficult and perhaps corrupt. The word rendered thine enemies has this meaning in Aramaic, but not in Hebrew: thy name is not expressed: the verb is spelt anomalously. But slight alterations of the text would give the sense, and take thy name in vain.

Read Cambridge on Psalms 139 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For they speak against thee wickedly - This is one form or manifestation of their character as wicked people, that they speak maliciously against God. The psalmist, therefore, desired to have nothing to do with them.

Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 139 →

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

who speak of You deceitfully; Your enemies take Your name in vain.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

For they speak against you wickedly. Your enemies take your name in vain.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

who speak of You deceitfully; Your enemies take Your name in vain.

NETBNew English Translation2006

They rebel against you and act deceitfully; your enemies lie.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

For they speak against thee wickedly, And thine enemies take thy name in vain.

RVARevised Version, American1894

For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

For they speak against thee wickedly, and thy enemies take thy name in vain.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Which speake wickedly of thee, and being thine enemies are lifted vp in vaine.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

For they speak of thee wickedly, they take [thy name] in vain, thine enemies.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Who exchange Thee for wickedness, Lifted up to vanity [are] Thine enemies.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Who exchange You for wickedness, || Your enemies [are] lifted up to vanity.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Who speak of thee for a wicked end, thy enemies, that bear [thy name] for a vain purpose.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

They rebel against you and act deceitfully; your enemies tell lies.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

When they speak of you they're being deceptively evil. Since they are your enemies, they call on you in vain.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

For they go against you with evil designs, and your haters make sport of your name.

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 · predicaterelpאֲשֶׁ֣ר[those].whoclauseverbיֹ֭אמְרֻtheyobjectךָspeak.of.youprepositional phrase · prepositionalלִtoמְזִמָּ֑הwickednessclauseverbנָשֻׂ֖אthey.lift.upprepositional phrase · prepositionalלַtonoun phrase(the)שָּׁ֣וְאfalsehoodnoun phrase · subjectעָרֶֽיenemiesךָyour

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


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

The Masoretic Text reads: "אֲשֶׁ֣ר יֹ֭אמְרֻךָ לִמְזִמָּ֑ה נָשֻׂ֖א לַשָּׁ֣וְא עָרֶֽיךָ׃" The Septuagint agrees with the Masoretic Text, matching all six words, although its word order and articles differ from the Hebrew. The Dead Sea Scrolls (11Q5) also agree with the Masoretic Text, presenting a similar text: "אשר יאמרו׳ך למזמה נשאו לשוא ערי׳ך." This indicates a strong consistency among these ancient witnesses regarding this verse.

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

אֲשֶׁ֣ר יֹ֭אמְרֻךָ לִמְזִמָּ֑ה נָשֻׂ֖א לַשָּׁ֣וְא עָרֶֽיךָ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
אֲשֶׁ֣רὅτιיֹ֭אמְרֻךָἐρεῖςלִמְזִמָּ֑הδιαλογισμόνנָשֻׂ֖אλήμψονταιלַשָּׁ֣וְאματαιότηταעָרֶֽיךָ׃σου

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

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

אשר יאמרו׳ך למזמה נשאו לשוא ערי׳ך

6 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 139:20אֲשֶׁר[those] who[those] whoאֲשֶׁראָמַרthey speak they speak of yאָמַרמְזִמָּהto wickedneto wickednessמְזִמָּהנָשָׂאthey lift uthey lift upנָשָׂאשָׁוְאto falsehooto falsehoodשָׁוְאעָרenemies youenemies yourעָרזָמַםto planto planזָמַםעוּרto rouseto rouseעוּראֵבfruitfruitאֵבאָבַדto perishto perishאָבַדשׁוֹאravageravageשׁוֹאצָוָהto commandto commandצָוָהכֹּהthusthusכֹּהיהוהYHWH/GodYHWH/Godיהוהאַחֲרִיתendendאַחֲרִיתדַּ֫עַתknowledgeknowledgeדַּ֫עַתכְּלִמָּהshameshameכְּלִמָּהמָשָׁלproverbproverbמָשָׁלכָּזָבlielieכָּזָבקָסַםto divineto divineקָסַם
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 139:20

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.

[those] who they speak of you to wickedness they lift up to falsehood enemies your
אֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.Sher [those] who H834 Particle
5,500× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word is a conjunction that connects ideas and events in the Bible, like in the book of Genesis, where it's used to describe the relationship between God and His creation.
Tyndale gloss
which
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֲשֶׁר (*asher*) is a relative pronoun that can mean 'who,' 'which,' or 'that.' It serves various grammatical functions, including as an adverb or conjunction, indicating relationships between clauses, places, or conditions. Variants like בַאֲשֶׁר (*ba-asher*), מֵאֲשֶׁר (*me-asher*), and כַּאֲשֶׁר (*ka-asher*) expand its usage to specific contexts such as location, causation, and time.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֲשֶׁר part. of relation A sign of relation, bringing the clause introduced by it into relation with an antecedent clause.

base

בַאֲשֶׁר

in (that) which

adv. in (the place) where

conj. in that, inasmuch as

on account of whom?

base

מֵאֲשֶׁר

from (or than) that which

adv. from (the place) where

conj. from (the fact) that …, since

base

כַּאֲשֶׁר conj. according as, as, when

according to that which, according as, as

with a causal force, in so far as, since

with a temporal force, when

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H834a אֲשֶׁר part. of relation A sign of relation, bringing the clause introduced by it into relation with an antecedent clause. H834b בַאֲשֶׁר . in (that) which

. adv. in (the place) where

. conj. in that, inasmuch as

. on account of whom?

H834c מֵאֲשֶׁר . from (or than) that which

. adv. from (the place) where

. conj. from (the fact) that …, since

H834d כַּאֲשֶׁר conj. according as, as, when . according to that which, according as, as

. with a causal force, in so far as, since

. with a temporal force, when

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

834 'aher ash-er'

a primitive relative pronoun (of every gender and number);

who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction)

when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.:--X after, X

alike, as (soon as), because, X every, for, + forasmuch, +

from whence, + how(-soever), X if, (so) that ((thing) which,

wherein), X though, + until, + whatsoever, when, where

(+ -as, -in, -of, -on, -soever, -with), which, whilst, +

whither(- soever), who(-m, -soever, -se). As it is

indeclinable, it is often accompanied by the personal pronoun

expletively, used to show the connection.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֲשֶׁר (a.sher) — which.

A: 1) (relative part.)

1a) which, who

1b) that which

2) (conj)

2a) that (in obj clause)

2b) when

2c) since

2d) as

2e) conditional if

B: Beth+ 1) in (that) which

2) (adv)

2a) where

3) (conj)

3a) in that, inasmuch as

3b) on account of

C: Mem+ 1) from (or than) that which

2) from (the place) where

3) from (the fact) that, since

D: Kaph+

1) (conj.), according as, as, when

1a) according to that which, according as, as

1b) with a causal force: in so far as, since

1c) with a temporal force: when

בַאֲשֶׁר (ba.a.sher) — in which.

1) in (that) which

2) (adv)

2a) where

3) (conj)

3a) in that, inasmuch as

3b) on account of

מֵאֲשֶׁר (me.a.sher) — whence.

1) from (or than) that which

2) from (the place) where

3) from (the fact) that, since

כַּאֲשֶׁר (ka.a.sher) — as which.

conj

1) according as, as, when

1a) according to that which, according as, as

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Rel — Particle
HTr
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
[those] who they speak of you to wickedness they lift up to falsehood enemies your
יֹ֭אמְרֻךָYo.me.ru.kha they speak of you H559 Verb qal imperfect third person masculine plural · suffix
5,309× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to say or speak, and it's used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to command, promise, or think, and it's translated in the KJV as 'answer', 'appoint', or 'command'.
Amplified meaning
say, utter, declare
Tyndale gloss
to say
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָמַר (amar) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to say' or 'to utter,' with a broad range of uses including to promise, command, or even boast. It appears in various forms, such as in the Qal (to say), Niphal (to be told), and Hiphil (to avow). The entries highlight its versatility in both spoken and internal contexts, though no specific verse is noted.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָמַר 5287 vb. utter, say

Qal

Say

Say in the heart (= think)

Promise

Command (esp. late)

Niph. be said, told

Hiph. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

Hithp. act proudly, boast

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H559 אָמַר utter, say .. Say

. Say in the heart (= think)

. Promise

. Command (esp. late)

. be said, told

. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

. act proudly, boast

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

559 'amar aw-mar'

a primitive root; to say (used with great

latitude):--answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call,

certify, challenge, charge, + (at the, give) command(-ment),

commune, consider, declare, demand, X desire, determine, X

expressly, X indeed, X intend, name, X plainly, promise,

publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), X still, X

suppose, talk, tell, term, X that is, X think, use (speech),

utter, X verily, X yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָמַר (a.mar) — to say.

1) to say, speak, utter

1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend

1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called

1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly

1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch

Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp | Suff — Verb qal imperfect third person masculine plural · suffix
HVqi3mp/Sp2ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
[those] who they speak of you to wickedness they lift up to falsehood enemies your
לִמְזִמָּ֑הlim.zi.Mah to wickedness H4209 Preposition · noun common feminine singular absolute
19× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means a plan or plot, which can be either good or evil. It appears in the Bible as a device, discretion, or intent. In the KJV, it is translated as a wicked device or witty invention.
Amplified meaning
with evil designs, wickedly
Tyndale gloss
plot
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מְזִמָּה (mzimmah) refers to a plan or device, often with a connotation of evil intent. It can denote purpose, discretion, or plot, and may describe both wicked and wise schemes. The term is derived from a root meaning to plan and is used in contexts that highlight both malicious and clever intentions.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מְזִמָּה n.f. purpose, discretion, device

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4209 מְזִמָּה purpose, discretion, device

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4209 mzimmah mez-im-maw'

from 2161; a plan, usually evil (machination), sometimes good

(sagacity):--(wicked) device, discretion, intent, witty

invention, lewdness, mischievous (device), thought, wickedly.

see HEBREW for 02161

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מְזִמָּה (me.zim.mah) — plot.

1) purpose, discretion, device, plot

1a) purpose

1b) discretion

1c) devices (evil)

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

wik'-ed-nes:

1. In the Old Testament:

The state of being wicked; a mental disregard for justice, righteousness, truth, honor, virtue; evil in thought and life; depravity; sinfulness; criminality. See SIN. Many words are rendered "wickedness." There are many synonyms for wickedness in English and also in the Hebrew. Pride and vanity lead to it: "All the proud, and all that work wickedness (rish`ah) shall be stubble" (Mal 4:1). Akin to this is the word `awen, "iniquity," "vanity": "She eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness" (Pr 30:20). Then we have the word hawwah, meaning "mischief," "calamity," coming from inward intent upon evil: "Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength, but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in…

[those] who they speak of you to wickedness they lift up to falsehood enemies your
נָשֻׂ֖אna.Su' they lift up H5375 Verb · Qal · participle (passive) masculine singular
656× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means to lift or raise something, and it's used in many ways, like lifting a burden or raising someone's status. It appears in books like Genesis and Isaiah, often talking about God lifting people up. It's about supporting or carrying something or someone.
Amplified meaning
lift, misuse
Tyndale gloss
to lift: raise
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word נָשָׂא (nasa') means to lift, carry, or take, encompassing a wide range of applications both literal and figurative. It can refer to actions like bearing burdens, taking away, or being exalted. The entries indicate various forms and uses, including the ability to lift oneself up or cause others to bear iniquity. There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נָשָׂא 656 vb. lift, carry, take

Qal

lift, lift up

Bear, carry

Take, take away

Niph.

be lifted up

refl. lift oneself up = rise up, of י׳, to display power in judgment

be borne, carried

be taken away, carried off

Pi.

lift up = exalt

fig. = desire, long

carry, bear continuously

take, take away

Hithp. lift oneself up

Hiph.

cause one to bear iniquity

appar. cause to bring, have brought

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5375 נָשָׂא lift, carry, take .. lift, lift up

. Bear, carry

. Take, take away

. . be lifted up

. refl. lift oneself up = rise up, of י׳, to display power in judgment

. be borne, carried

. be taken away, carried off

. . lift up = exalt

. fig. = desire, long

. carry, bear continuously

. take, take away

. lift oneself up

. . cause one to bear iniquity

. appar. cause to bring, have brought

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5375 nasa' naw-saw'

or nacah (Psalm 4 : 6 (7)) {naw-saw'}; a primitive root; to

lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and

figurative, absol. and rel. (as follows):--accept, advance,

arise, (able to, (armor), suffer to) bear(-er, up), bring

(forth), burn, carry (away), cast, contain, desire, ease,

exact, exalt (self), extol, fetch, forgive, furnish, further,

give, go on, help, high, hold up, honorable (+ man), lade,

lay, lift (self) up, lofty, marry, magnify, X needs, obtain,

pardon, raise (up), receive, regard, respect, set (up), spare,

stir up, + swear, take (away, up), X utterly, wear, yield.

see HEBREW for 04

see HEBREW for 06

see HEBREW for 07

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָשָׂא (na.sa) — to lift: raise.

: raise/take_up

1) to lift, bear up, carry, take

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to lift, lift up

1a2) to bear, carry, support, sustain, endure

1a3) to take, take away, carry off, forgive

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be lifted up, be exalted

1b2) to lift oneself up, rise up

1b3) to be borne, be carried

1b4) to be taken away, be carried off, be swept away

1c) (Piel)

1c1) to lift up, exalt, support, aid, assist

1c2) to desire, long (fig.)

1c3) to carry, bear continuously

1c4) to take, take away

1d) (Hithpael) to lift oneself up, exalt oneself

1e) (Hiphil)

1e1) to cause one to bear (iniquity)

1e2) to cause to bring, have brought

נָשָׂא (na.sa) — to lift: bear.

: look/lift(eyes)

1) to lift, bear up, carry, take

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to lift, lift up

1a2) to bear, carry, support, sustain, endure

1a3) to take, take away, carry off, forgive

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be lifted up, be exalted

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-3cp — Verb · Qal · participle (passive) masculine singular
HVqsmsa
[those] who they speak of you to wickedness they lift up to falsehood enemies your
לַשָּׁ֣וְאla.Shav' to falsehood H7723 Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
53× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Vanity or falsehood, this word describes something empty, useless, or deceitful, like the idols worshipped by the Israelites in Isaiah 41:29, or the lies and false promises spoken by false prophets in Jeremiah 23:25.
Amplified meaning
reputation, character, to no purpose, with vanity, emptily
Tyndale gloss
vanity: false
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word שָׁוְא (*shav*) means emptiness or vanity. It conveys ideas of falsehood, worthlessness, and deception, both in a literal sense and in terms of moral or spiritual emptiness. The lexicons highlight its use in describing empty speech or conduct that is devoid of value.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁוְא n.[m.] emptiness, vanity

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7723 שָׁוְא emptiness, vanity

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7723 shav' shawv

or shav {shav}; from the same as 7722 in the sense of

desolating; evil (as destructive), literally (ruin) or morally

(especially guile); figuratively idolatry (as false,

subjective), uselessness (as deceptive, objective; also

adverbially, in vain):--false(-ly), lie, lying, vain, vanity.

see HEBREW for 07722

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁוְא (shav) — vanity: false.

: false

1) emptiness, vanity, falsehood

1a) emptiness, nothingness, vanity

1b) emptiness of speech, lying

1c) worthlessness (of conduct)

Also means: shav (שָׁוְא ": vain" H7723H)

שָׁוְא (shav) — vanity: vain.

: vain/empty/worthless

1) emptiness, vanity, falsehood

1a) emptiness, nothingness, vanity

1b) emptiness of speech, lying

1c) worthlessness (of conduct)

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

fols'-hood.

See LYING.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ General scriptures concerning Ex 20:16; 23:1; Le 6:2-7; 19:11,12,16; Job 13:4; 21:34; 27:4; 31:5,6,33; 36:4; Ps 5:6,9; 10:7; 12:2,3; 28:3; 31:18; 34:13; 36:3; 50:19,20; 52:2-5; 55:21,23; 58:3; 59:12; 62:4; 63:11; 101:5,7; 109:2; 116:11; 119:29,69,163; 120:2-4; 144:8,11; Pr 2:12-15; 3:3; 6:12,13,17-19; 10:9,10,18,31; 11:9; 12:17,19,20,22; 13:5; 14:5,8,25; 17:4,7; 19:5,9,22,28; 20:17; 21:6; 26:18,19,24-26,28; 27:14; Ec 5:6; Isa 28:15; 32:7; 57:11; 59:3,4,12,13; 63:8;

[those] who they speak of you to wickedness they lift up to falsehood enemies your
עָרֶֽיךָ׃'a.Rei.kha enemies your H6145 Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
2× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means enemy or foe, describing someone who is watchful for mischief. It is used to describe adversaries in the Bible, such as enemies of the Israelites. The term is often used in a negative context.
Amplified meaning
foes, adversaries
Tyndale gloss
enemy
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עָר (ar) means 'enemy' or 'foe' and is derived from a root that suggests watchfulness for mischief. It appears in only two instances in the Old Testament, where it denotes an adversary or opponent. The Aramaic equivalent is also noted as עָר (ar).

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עָר n.m. only 2 t.; thine adversary

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6145 עָר

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6145 `ar awr

from 5782; a foe (as watchful for mischief):--enemy.

see HEBREW for 05782

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עָר (ar) — enemy.

enemy, adversary, foe

Aramaic equivalent: ar (עָר "foe" H6146)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
HNcmpc/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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