Menu

Psalms 145:15 — Word Study

Depth

WLCעֵֽינֵי־ כֹ֭ל אֵלֶ֣יךָ יְשַׂבֵּ֑רוּ וְאַתָּ֤ה נֽוֹתֵן־ לָהֶ֖ם אֶת־ אָכְלָ֣ם בְּעִתּֽוֹ׃

BSAThe eyesʻayin [sources of expectation] of allkôl [every creature, everything] looksâbar [wait with anticipation, inspect with hope] to Youʼêl [toward Your provision] and Youʼattâh [as the faithful Provider] givenâthan [bestow, set forth] themʼêth their foodʼôkel [sustenance, nourishment] in seasonʻêth [at, during, due time, appointed moment]

Word
Listen & take awayPsalms 145
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 15 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 (be.'i.To) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Psalms 145:15quick helps
In a sentenceAll creatures look to God, who provides their sustenance at the right time.
Who is speakingThe psalmist, reflecting on God's provision.
Where we areIn a psalm celebrating God's care for creation.
The hard wordיְשַׂבֵּ֑רוּ
Take awayGod is the faithful Provider, giving food in due season.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectאַתָּה verbשָׂבַר 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 145:15

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 — God's Provision for All Creaturesgenerated

14The LORD upholds all who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down.
15The eyes of all look to You, and You give them their food in season.
16You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing.
17The LORD is righteous in all His ways and kind in all His deeds.

Psalm 145:15 expresses a profound truth about God's provision. The psalmist highlights how every creature depends on God for sustenance, emphasizing His role as the faithful Provider. This verse is part of a larger psalm that praises God's goodness and mercy, illustrating how He cares for all living things, as seen in the surrounding verses.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Psalm 145:9The LORD is good to all; His compassion rests on all He has made.
2Psalm 104:21–27The young lions roar for their prey and seek their food from God.
3Psalm 136:25He gives food to every creature. His loving devotion endures forever.
4Psalm 147:8–9who covers the sky with clouds, who prepares rain for the earth, who makes grass to grow on the hills.
5Genesis 1:30And to every beast of the earth and every bird of the air and every creature that crawls upon the earth—everything that has the breath of life in it—I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 10 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word יְשַׂבֵּ֑רוּ, ye.sa.Be.rugenerated

The verb יְשַׂבֵּ֑רוּ (*ye.saberu*) is a Piel imperfect form, indicating an ongoing action of waiting or hoping with anticipation. This word conveys a sense of expectation, as all creatures look to God, waiting for His provision.

It emphasizes the relationship between the creatures and their Creator, highlighting a dynamic of dependence and trust. The act of waiting here is not passive; it involves active hope and inspection, suggesting that the creatures are attentive to God's timing.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

All translations agree on the essence of this verse, conveying the idea that all look to God for their needs and that He provides food at the appropriate time.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb of the sentence is יְשַׂבֵּ֑רוּ, they wait, which governs the subject אַתָּ֤ה, you, and the following clause that describes God's action of giving.

The structure shows a clear relationship: the creatures wait for God's provision, and He responds by giving them food in its proper time.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, the Hebrew יְשַׂבֵּ֑רוּ is rendered as ἐλπίζουσιν (*elpizousin*), which means 'they hope.' This choice shifts the focus slightly from mere waiting to an active sense of hope and expectation.

This translation highlights the faith aspect of waiting, suggesting that the creatures do not just passively look to God but actively hope in His provision.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalm 145:15 tells us that all creatures look to God for their needs, and He provides them with food at the right time. This verse is part of a psalm that praises God's care for all living things and emphasizes His role as a faithful Provider.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that all look to God?

It signifies that every creature depends on God for sustenance and acknowledges Him as their source.

How does God provide food in season?

God's provision is timely and appropriate, meeting the needs of His creation when they arise.

Why is the concept of waiting significant?

Waiting reflects trust and expectation in God's provision, showing a relationship between the Creator and His creatures.

What does this verse teach us about God's character?

It reveals God as a faithful Provider who cares for all living things and ensures they have what they need.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways have I seen God's provision in my life?
  2. How can I cultivate a sense of expectation and trust in God's timing?
  3. What does it mean to me that all creatures depend on God for their needs?
  4. How can I be more attentive to the ways God provides for me and others?

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

The early Church Fathers, like Augustine of Hippo, reference this verse to discuss God's provision and the hope of all creatures in Him.

Augustine of HippoExposition on Psalms 145 354–430
"The eyes of all hope upon You, and You give them food in due season" [Psalms 145:15].
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 145 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 145:15 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

The eyes of all wait upon thee,.... Not of all creatures, the beasts of the field, the fishes of the sea, and fowls of the air, as in Psalms 104:27; but of all the Lord's people, who are subject to

Read John Gill on Psalms 145 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season. The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season. Psalms 104:27 borrows this.

Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 145 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

The eyes of all living creatures wait upon thee; expect and receive their supplies wholly from thy bounty. Expectation is here figuratively ascribed to brute creatures, as . In due season; when they need it.

Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 145 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Psalms 145:15 The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season.Ver. 15. The eyes of all wait upon thee] Heb. look up with hope to this great housekeeper of the world. The elephant is said to turn up the first sprig towards heaven when he comes to feed. The young ravens cry to God for food, Psalms 147:9; at least by implication. Their meat] Suitable to their various appetites.

Read John Trapp on Psalms 145 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(15, 16) These verses are adapted from Psalms 104:27-28

Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 145 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 15. The eyes of all wait upon thee] What a fine figure! The young of all animals look up to their parents for food. God is here represented as the universal Father, providing food for every living creature. In due season] The kind of food that is suited to every animal, and to all the stages of life in each animal. This is a wonderful mystery. It is a fact that all are thus provided for; but how is it done? All expect it from God, and not one is disappointed! For,

Read AdamClarke on Psalms 145 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

15. The picture of God as the great householder distributing their portions to all His household is repeated from Psalms 104:27. Cp. Matthew 6:26. The next verse also is based upon Psalms 104:28.

Read Cambridge on Psalms 145 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The eyes of all wait upon thee - Margin, Look unto thee. All creatures, on the land, in the air, in the waters; all in heaven; all throughout the universe.

Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 145 →

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

The eyes of all look to You, and You give them their food in season.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

The eyes of all wait for you. You give them their food in due season.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

The eyes of all look to You, and You give them their food in season.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Everything looks to you in anticipation, and you provide them with food on a regular basis.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

The eyes of all wait for thee; And thou givest them their food in due season.

RVARevised Version, American1894

The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their food in due season.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

The eyes of all waite vpon thee, and thou giuest them their meate in due season.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their food in its season.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

The eyes of all unto Thee do look, And Thou art giving to them their food in its season,

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

The eyes of all look to You, || And You are giving their food to them in its season,

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

The eyes of all wait hopefully upon thee, and thou givest them their food in its due season.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

The eyes of all wait for you; you give them their food at the right time.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

All eyes are on you, waiting in hope, and you give food at just the right time.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

The eyes of all men are waiting for you; and you give them their food in its time.

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 · subjectעֵֽינֵיthe.eyesכֹ֭לof.allprepositional phrase · prepositionalאֵלֶ֣יtoךָyouverbיְשַׂבֵּ֑רוּthey.hopeוְandclausesubjectאַתָּ֤הyouverbנֽוֹתֵן[are].givingprepositional phrase · prepositionalלָtoהֶ֖םthemnoun phrase · objectאֶת(et)noun phraseאָכְלָ֣foodםtheirprepositional phrase · prepositionalבְּatnoun phraseעִתּֽits.appropriateוֹtime

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


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

The Masoretic Text aligns closely with the Dead Sea Scrolls, with both agreeing on the wording and meaning of the verse. The Septuagint, while matching several words, presents a different word order and structure, reflecting its own interpretative style.

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

עֵֽינֵי־ כֹ֭ל אֵלֶ֣יךָ יְשַׂבֵּ֑רוּ וְאַתָּ֤ה נֽוֹתֵן־ לָהֶ֖ם אֶת־ אָכְלָ֣ם בְּעִתּֽוֹ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
עֵֽינֵי־ὀφθαλμοὶכֹ֭לπάντωνאֵלֶ֣יךָσὲיְשַׂבֵּ֑רוּἐλπίζουσινוְאַתָּ֤הσὺנֽוֹתֵן־δίδωςבְּעִתּֽוֹ׃ἐν

7 of the 10 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

עיני כול אלי׳כה ישברו ואתה נותן ל׳המה את אוכל׳מה בעת׳ו ברוך יהוה וברוך שמ׳ו לעולם ועד

16 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 145:15עַ֫יִן[the] eyes [the] eyes ofעַ֫יִןכֹּלallallכֹּלאֶלto youto youאֶלשָׂבַרthey waitthey waitשָׂבַראַתָּ֫הand youand youאַתָּ֫הנָתַן[are] givin[are] givingנָתַןהֶםto themto themהֶםאֵתthe object the object markאֵתאֹ֫כֶלfood theirfood theirאֹ֫כֶלעֵתat appropriat appropriate עֵתכָּלַלto perfectto perfectכָּלַלאוֹתsign: mirasign: miraculouאוֹתאָכַלto eatto eatאָכַלעַדperpetuityperpetuityעַדבָּיַיoh that!oh that!בָּיַיחֵןfavorfavorחֵןיָשָׁרJasharJasharיָשָׁרעֵדָהcongregaticongregationעֵדָהעֲבֹדָהserviceserviceעֲבֹדָהפָּלַלto prayto prayפָּלַליִרְמְיָ֫הJeremiahJeremiahיִרְמְיָ֫החוֹמָהwallwallחוֹמָהנָתַןto give: gto give: giveנָתַןיָרַשׁto possessto possess: posיָרַשׁנַחֲלָהinheritancinheritanceנַחֲלָהזֶ֫רַעseedseedזֶ֫רַעמִגְרָשׁpasturepastureמִגְרָשׁשָׁבַרto buy grato buy grainשָׁבַר
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 145:15

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] eyes of all to you they wait and you [are] giving to them the object marker food their at appropriate time its
עֵֽינֵי־'ei.nei- [the] eyes of H5869 Noun common · feminine dual construct
887× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word can mean a spring or fountain, but also refers to the eye or a source of something. It is often translated as affliction, outward appearance, or countenance, and is used in various contexts throughout the Bible.
Amplified meaning
sources of expectation
Tyndale gloss
eye
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עַ֫יִן (*'ayin*) means 'eye' and can refer to both the physical organ and its figurative uses, such as mental qualities and desires. It also denotes a 'spring' or 'fountain' of water. The entries highlight various phrases and contexts, including appearances and expressions of emotion, but do not indicate any significant disagreement among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עַ֫יִן 859 n.f. eye

lit. as physical organ

eyes as showing mental qualities

desire of the eyes, abominations of the eyes

Fig. of mental and physical faculties, acts and states

Transferred mngs.:

visible surface of earth

appearance

gleam, sparkle

Other phrases are: an eye for an eye; eye to eye; in the presence of, in full view of; of business transaction; on the forehead

base

עַ֫יִן n.f. spring (of water). Particular springs are:

ע׳ חֲרֹר Ju 7:1

ע׳ הַקּוֹרֵא (partridge-spring) Ju 15:19

ע׳ רֹגֵל near Jerus.

ע׳ הַתַּנִּין (dragon-spring)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5869a עַ֫יִן eye . lit. as physical organ

. . eyes as showing mental qualities

. desire of the eyes, abominations of the eyes

. Fig. of mental and physical faculties, acts and states

. Transferred mngs.: . visible surface of earth

. appearance

. gleam, sparkle

. Other phrases are: an eye for an eye; eye to eye; in the presence of, in full view of; of business transaction; on the forehead

H5869b עַ֫יִן spring (of water)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5869 `ayin ah'-yin

probably a primitive word; an eye (literally or

figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the

landscape):--affliction, outward appearance, + before, +

think best, colour, conceit, + be content, countenance, +

displease, eye((-brow), (-d), -sight), face, + favour,

fountain, furrow (from the margin), X him, + humble,

knowledge, look, (+ well), X me, open(-ly), + (not) please,

presence, + regard, resemblance, sight, X thee, X them, +

think, X us, well, X you(-rselves).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — eye.

: eye

1) eye

1a) eye

1a1) of physical eye

1a2) as showing mental qualities

1a3) of mental and spiritual faculties (fig.)

עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — Fountain (Gate).

§ spring, fountain

עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — Fountain of.

§ spring, fountain

עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — eye: seeing.

: seeing

1) eye

1a) eye

1a1) of physical eye

1a2) as showing mental qualities

1a3) of mental and spiritual faculties (fig.)

עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — eye: appearance.

: appearance

1) eye

1a) eye

1a1) of physical eye

1a2) as showing mental qualities

1a3) of mental and spiritual faculties (fig.)

עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — eye: before(the eyes).

: before(the_eyes)

1) eye

1a) eye

1a1) of physical eye

1a2) as showing mental qualities

1a3) of mental and spiritual faculties (fig.)

עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — eye: sin.

: sin

1) eye

1a) eye

1a1) of physical eye

1a2) as showing mental qualities

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-cd — Noun common · feminine dual construct
HNcfdc
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…

[the] eyes of all to you they wait and you [are] giving to them the object marker food their at appropriate time its
כֹ֭לkhol all H3605 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
5,415× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for 'all' or 'everything' is used throughout the Bible, like in Genesis 1:31, where God sees all He has made as very good. It encompasses the entirety of something, whether people, things, or situations.
Amplified meaning
every creature, everything
Tyndale gloss
all
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כֹּל (kol) means 'all' or 'the whole.' It can refer to totality, including every person or thing, and is often used with a following genitive to specify what is included. The term can also denote a broader sense of everything in existence or all circumstances of life. The lexicons do not show significant disagreement on its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כֹּל once כּוֹל n.m. the whole, all

with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

Absolutely:

without the art., all things, all

with the art. הַכֹּל

where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3605 כֹּל once כּוֹל the whole, all . with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

. Absolutely: . without the art., all things, all

. with the art. הַכֹּל . where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

. in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3605 kol kole

or (Jer. 33:8) kowl {kole}; from 3634; properly, the whole;

hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a

plural sense):--(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any

(manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as

many as, (no-)thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole,

whoso(-ever).

see HEBREW for 03634

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כֹּל (kol) — all.

1) all, the whole

1a) all, the whole of

1b) any, each, every, anything

1c) totality, everything

Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ol: Used in various combinations, and with different meanings.

(1) All along, "Weeping all along as he went" (Jer 41:6), i.e. throughout the whole way he went, feigning equal concern with the men from Shiloh, etc., for the destruction of the Temple, so as to put them off their guard.

(2) All in all, "That God may be all in all" (1Co 15:28, Greek: panta en pasin, "all things in all (persons and) things"). "The universe, with all it comprises, will wholly answer to God's will and reflect His mind" (Dummelow).

(3) All one, "It is all one" (Job 9:22), "it makes no difference whether I live or die."

(4) At all, "If thy father miss me at all" (1Sa 20:6), "in any way," "in the least."

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
[the] eyes of all to you they wait and you [are] giving to them the object marker food their at appropriate time its
אֵלֶ֣יךָ'e.Lei.kha to you H413 Preposition · suffix
5,518× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means 'to' or 'toward', showing direction or movement. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus, to indicate where someone is going. The KJV translates it in various ways, like 'about', 'according to', or 'against'.
Amplified meaning
toward Your provision
Tyndale gloss
to(wards)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֶל (el) is primarily a preposition indicating motion towards or direction to a person or place. It can also imply entering a limit, presence at a location, or a hostile direction (against). Additionally, it may express concepts such as concerning, in addition to, or according to. The entries highlight its versatility in both physical and metaphorical contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph),

prep. denoting motion to or direction towards (whether physical or mental).of motion to or unto a person or place

Where the limit is actually entered, into

Of direction towards anything

Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against

Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to

Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

Of rule or standard according to (rare)

Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion

Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H413 אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph), . of motion to or unto a person or place

. Where the limit is actually entered, into

. Of direction towards anything

. Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against

. Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to

. Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

. Of rule or standard according to (rare)

. Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion

. Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

413 'el ale

(but only used in the shortened constructive form sel {el});

a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but

occasionally used of a quiescent position, i.e. near, with or

among; often in general, to:--about, according to ,after,

against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and,

by, concerning, for, from, X hath, in(- to), near, (out) of,

over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether,

with(-in).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶל (el) — to(wards).

1) to, toward, unto (of motion)

2) into (limit is actually entered)

2a) in among

3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion)

4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character)

5) in addition to, to

6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of

7) according to (rule or standard)

8) at, by, against (of one's presence)

9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | Suff — Preposition · suffix
HR/Sp2ms
[the] eyes of all to you they wait and you [are] giving to them the object marker food their at appropriate time its
יְשַׂבֵּ֑רוּye.sa.Be.ru they wait H7663 Verb · Piel · imperfect third person masculine plural
8× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to wait or hope for something, often with patience and expectation. It involves watching and waiting with a sense of anticipation. In the Bible, it's translated as hope, tarry, or wait.
Amplified meaning
wait with anticipation, inspect with hope
Tyndale gloss
to inspect
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׂבַר (sabar) is a Hebrew verb meaning to inspect or examine, as well as to wait or hope. It is built from a primitive root and covers both the act of scrutinizing and the implications of expectation and patience. The word appears in contexts related to waiting and hoping, with Nehemiah 2:13, 15 noted for its usage.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[שָׂבַר] vb. inspect, examine

base

[שָׂבַר] vb. Pi. wait, hope

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7663a שָׂבַר inspect, examine H7663b שָׂבַר Pi. wait, hope

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7663 sabar saw-bar'

erroneously shabar (Nehemiah 2:13, 15) {shaw-bar'}; a

primitive root; to scrutinize; by implication (of watching) to

expect (with hope and patience):--hope, tarry, view, wait.

see HEBREW for 015

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׂבַר (sa.var) — to inspect.

(Qal) to inspect, examine

שָׂבַר (sa.var) — to await.

1) (Piel)

1a) to wait (for), wait upon

1b) to hope (for)

Aramaic equivalent: se.var (סְבַר "to intend" H5452)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Piel-Imperf-3mp — Verb · Piel · imperfect third person masculine plural
HVpi3mp
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

wat:

1. The Substantive:

The word is used in the Old Testament both as a substantive add as a verb. In the New Testament it appears as a verb only. 'erebh, ma'arabh, mean a concealed hiding-place for purposes of sudden attack, an ambuscade.

(1) "Lie in wait": "Abimelech rose up .... from lying in wait" (Jud 9:35 the King James Version); "When they .... abide in the covert to lie in wait" (Job 38:40).

(2) "Lay wait": "They compassed him in, and laid wait for him" (Jud 16:2).

2. The Verb:

(1) sharath, "to serve," "to minister," to act in the capacity of servant or attendant: "These waited on the king" (2Ch 17:19). Used especially in this sense with regard to the ceremonial service…

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
[the] eyes of all to you they wait and you [are] giving to them the object marker food their at appropriate time its
וְאַתָּ֤הve.'a.Tah and you H859 Conjunction · pronoun
1,094× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
You is the translation of a Hebrew word used to address someone directly, like when God says you to someone in the Bible. It can be singular or plural, and is often translated as thee, thou, or ye.
Amplified meaning
as the faithful Provider
Tyndale gloss
you(m.s.)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אַתָּ֫ה (attah) is a second-person pronoun in Hebrew, used to address someone directly. It has masculine and feminine forms: אַתָּה for singular masculine, אַתְּ for singular feminine, אַתֶּם for plural masculine, and אַתֵּן for plural feminine. The entries indicate variations in form and usage, reflecting the pronoun's grammatical complexity.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אַתָּ֫ה, אָ֑תָּה pron. 2 s. m. thou

base

אתי, i.e. אתִּי, the older & more original form of אַתְּ thou (fem.)

base

אַתְּ, אָ֑תְּ pron. 2 s. f. thou (fem.)

base

אַתֶּם pron. 2 m. pl. you (masc.)

base

אַתֵּן pron. 2 f. pl. you (fem.)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H859a אַתָּ֫ה, אָ֑תָּה pron. 2 s. m. thou H859b אתי, i.e. אתִּי, the older & more original form of אַתְּ thou (fem.) H859c אַתְּ, אָ֑תְּ pron. 2 s. f. thou (fem.) H859d אַתֶּם pron. 2 m. pl. you (masc.) H859e אַתֵּן pron. 2 f. pl. you (fem.)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

859 'attah at-taw'

or (shortened); aatta {at-taw'}; or wath {ath}; feminine

(irregular) sometimes nattiy {at-tee'}; plural masculine attem

{at- tem'}; feminine atten {at-ten'}; or oattenah

{at-tay'naw}; or fattennah {at-tane'-naw}; a primitive pronoun

of the second person; thou and thee, or (plural) ye and

you:--thee, thou, ye, you.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אַתָּ֫ה (at.tah) — you(m.s.).

you (second pers. sing. masc.)

אתִּי (ti) — you(f.s.).

you (second pers. sing. fem.)

A grammatical form of at.tah (אַתָּ֫ה "you(m.s.)" H0859A)

אַתְּ (at.te) — you(f.s.).

you (second pers. sing. fem.)

A grammatical form of at.tah (אַתָּ֫ה "you(m.s.)" H0859A)

אַתֶּם (at.tem) — you(m.p.).

you (second pers. pl. masc.)

Aramaic equivalent: an.tun (אַנְתּוּן "you" H0608)

אַתֵּן (at.ten) — you(f.p.).

you (second pers. pl. fem.)

A grammatical form of at.tah (אַתָּ֫ה "you(m.s.)" H0859A)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Pron — Conjunction · pronoun
HC/Pp2ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
[the] eyes of all to you they wait and you [are] giving to them the object marker food their at appropriate time its
נֽוֹתֵן־no.ten- [are] giving H5414 Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine singular
2,011× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to give, put, or set something, with a wide range of applications. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus, describing God's actions and human interactions. The word is used to convey giving, selling, or exchanging something.
Amplified meaning
bestow, set forth
Tyndale gloss
to give: give
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word נָתַן (natan) means 'to give' and encompasses a wide range of applications such as putting, setting, and making. It can also indicate actions like bestowing, delivering, and assigning. The entries describe its use in various forms, including Qal, Niphal, and Hophal, but do not present any significant disagreements among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נָתַן 2007 vb. give, put, set

Qal 1917

give

Put, set

Make, constitute

Niph.

82be given

Be put, set

Hoph.

be given, bestowed

= be given to one for wife

be put upon

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5414 נָתַן give, put, set .. give

. Put, set

. Make, constitute

. . be given

. Be put, set

. . . be given, bestowed

. = be given to one for wife

. be put upon

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5414 nathan naw-than'

a primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of

application (put, make, etc.):--add, apply, appoint, ascribe,

assign, X avenge, X be ((healed)), bestow, bring (forth,

hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, +

cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, X doubtless, X

without fail, fasten, frame, X get, give (forth, over, up),

grant, hang (up), X have, X indeed, lay (unto charge, up),

(give) leave, lend, let (out), + lie, lift up, make, + O that,

occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, X

pull , put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send

(out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), + sing, + slander,

strike, (sub-)mit, suffer, X surely, X take, thrust, trade,

turn, utter, + weep, + willingly, + withdraw, + would (to)

God, yield.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָתַן (na.tan) — to give: give.

: give/deliver/send/produce

1) to give, put, set

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to give, bestow, grant, permit, ascribe, employ, devote, consecrate, dedicate, pay wages, sell, exchange, lend, commit, entrust, give over, deliver up, yield produce, occasion, produce, requite to, report, mention, utter, stretch out, extend

1a2) to put, set, put on, put upon, set, appoint, assign, designate

1a3) to make, constitute

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be given, be bestowed, be provided, be entrusted to, be granted to, be permitted, be issued, be published, be uttered, be assigned

1b2) to be set, be put, be made, be inflicted

1c) (Hophal)

1c1) to be given, be bestowed, be given up, be delivered up

1c2) to be put upon

נָתַן (na.tan) — to give: put.

: put/set/apppoint

1) to give, put, set

1a) (Qal)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal — Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine singular
HVqrmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Nave's Topical Bible

→ RULES FOR Mt 6:1-4; 1Co 16:2; 2Co 8:11,12,14; 9:6,7

See ALMS

See BENEFICENCE

See LIBERALITY

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
[the] eyes of all to you they wait and you [are] giving to them the object marker food their at appropriate time its
לָהֶ֖םla.Hem to them H9038 Preposition · suffix
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הֶם (hem) — them.

Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 3rd person masculine plural

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Sp3mp — Preposition · suffix
HR/Sp3mp
[the] eyes of all to you they wait and you [are] giving to them the object marker food their at appropriate time its
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
DirObjM — Particle
HTo
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
[the] eyes of all to you they wait and you [are] giving to them the object marker food their at appropriate time its
אָכְלָ֣ם'a.khe.Lam food their H400 Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
43× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word refers to food or a meal, including cereal, meat, and other supplies. It is used in stories about everyday life, like eating and sharing meals.
Amplified meaning
sustenance, nourishment
Tyndale gloss
food
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֹ֫כֶל (okel) means food and encompasses a range of meanings including meal, meat, and food supply. It is derived from the root word for eating. The entries highlight its use in various contexts, such as meals and victuals, but do not indicate any significant disagreement among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֹ֫כֶל 40 n.m. food

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H400 אֹ֫כֶל food

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

400 'okel o'-kel

from 398; food:--eating, food, meal(-time), meat, prey,

victuals.

see HEBREW for 0398

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֹ֫כֶל (o.khel) — food.

1) food

1a) cereal

1b) meat

2) food supply

3) meal, dinner

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HNcmsc/Sp3mp
[the] eyes of all to you they wait and you [are] giving to them the object marker food their at appropriate time its
בְּעִתּֽוֹ׃be.'i.To at appropriate time its H6256 Preposition · noun common both singular construct · suffix
296× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Eth means time, especially now or when, and can refer to an event, experience, or occasion. It is often used to describe a specific moment or period.
Amplified meaning
at, during, due time, appointed moment
Tyndale gloss
time
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עֵת (eth) means 'time,' covering various aspects such as the time of an event, a usual time, or an appointed time. It can also refer to experiences or occurrences. The entries suggest it can denote both specific and uncertain times, but they do not indicate any significant disagreement among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עֵת 297 n.f. time

time of an event

= usual time

proper, suitable time

appointed time

as uncertain

= experience, fortunes

occurrence, occasion

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6256 עֵת time . time of an event

. . = usual time

. proper, suitable time

. appointed time

. as uncertain

. = experience, fortunes

. occurrence, occasion

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6256 `eth ayth

from 5703; time, especially (adverb with preposition) now,

when, etc.:--+ after, (al-)ways, X certain, + continually, +

evening, long, (due) season, so (long) as, (even-, evening-,

noon-)tide, ((meal-)), what) time, when.

see HEBREW for 05703

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עֵת (et) — time.

1) time

1a) time (of an event)

1b) time (usual)

1c) experiences, fortunes

1d) occurrence, occasion

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-cs | Suff — Preposition · noun common both singular construct · suffix
HR/Ncbsc/Sp3ms
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