Psalms 147:5 — Word Study
WLCגָּד֣וֹל אֲדוֹנֵ֣ינוּ וְרַב־ כֹּ֑חַ לִ֝תְבוּנָת֗וֹ אֵ֣ין מִסְפָּֽר׃
BSAGreatgâdôwl [in magnitude and majesty] [is] our Lordʼâdôwn [the supreme Master] and mightyrab [abundant, very powerful] in powerkôach [strength] His understandingtâbûwn [insight, wisdom] has noʼayin [infinite, without] limitmiçpâr [bound, narrative, mispar]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| גָּד֣וֹל | [is] great | Adj |
| אֲדוֹנֵ֣ינוּ | lord our | Noun common masculine plural construct, suffix |
| וְרַב־ | and great of | Conjunction |
| כֹּ֑חַ | power | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| לִ֝תְבוּנָת֗וֹ | to understanding his | Preposition, noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
| אֵ֣ין | there not | Noun common, masculine singular construct |
| מִסְפָּֽר׃ | [is] a number | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding has no limit. |
| KJV | Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite. |
| ASV | Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite. |
| YLT | Great [is] our Lord, and abundant in power, Of His understanding there is no narration. |
| WEB | Great is our Lord, and mighty in power. His understanding is infinite. |
| BBE | Great is our Lord, and great his power; there is no limit to his wisdom. |
The translations agree on the description of God's greatness and power, with no significant variations noted.
The structure consists of a main clause followed by two subordinate clauses, emphasizing the attributes of God.
7 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, Ellicott & more — read them ›
clause
subjectמִסְפָּר
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
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 147:5
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Majesty of the Lordgenerated
Psalms 147:5 celebrates the greatness of the Lord, highlighting His immense power and understanding. The psalmist reflects on God's ability to govern the universe, as seen in the preceding verses where He determines the number of stars and calls them by name. This psalm emphasizes God's care for the humble and His authority over all creation, inviting worship and gratitude from His people.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 48:1 | Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, His holy mountain. |
| 2 | Psalm 96:4 | For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods. |
| 3 | Psalm 99:2 | Great is the LORD in Zion; He is exalted above all the peoples. |
| 4 | Psalm 135:5 | For I know that the LORD is great; our Lord is above all gods. |
| 5 | Psalm 145:3 | Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised; His greatness is unsearchable. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 14 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — גָּד֣וֹל, ga.Dolgenerated
The Hebrew word גָּדוֹל (gadol) means 'great' and encompasses a variety of meanings, including size, age, and importance. It conveys a sense of magnitude and grandeur, often used in contexts that highlight the significance of God or notable individuals.
In this verse, it establishes the Lord's supreme status, indicating not just size but also His majesty and authority. The adjective form emphasizes the greatness of God in both magnitude and majesty.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses great to describe the Lord, aligning with the KJV and ASV.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verb structure is built around the subject אֲדוֹנֵינוּ (Adonenu), meaning 'our Lord,' which is linked to two predicates: גָּד֣וֹל (gadol) and אֵ֣ין (ein). This structure highlights the attributes of God, with the main focus on His greatness and the limitless nature of His understanding.
The Hebrew word order places emphasis on God's greatness first, followed by His power and understanding, indicating the importance of these attributes in the psalmist's declaration.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, גָּד֣וֹל is rendered as μέγας (megas), which also means 'great.' This choice maintains the emphasis on magnitude and importance, aligning closely with the Hebrew meaning.
The consistent use of μέγας reflects the translators' intent to convey the same sense of grandeur found in the Hebrew text.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalms 147:5 tells us that the Lord is great and powerful, and His understanding is limitless. This verse emphasizes God's majesty and the depth of His wisdom, inviting us to recognize His authority and care for creation.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It signifies His immense power, authority, and significance in the universe, as well as His ability to govern all creation.
This means that God's insight and wisdom are infinite, surpassing human comprehension and ability to measure.
Recognizing God's greatness helps us understand our place in creation and encourages us to worship and trust in His power and wisdom.
This verse teaches us that God is not only powerful but also wise, with a deep understanding that governs His actions and care for humanity.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways have I experienced the greatness of God in my life?
- How can I better appreciate the limitless understanding of God?
- What does it mean for me to acknowledge God as my Lord?
- How can I apply the knowledge of God's power in my daily decisions?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Augustine of Hippo quotes this verse to express the joy and wonder of the psalmist in recognizing God's greatness.
"Great is our Lord" [Psalms 147:5]. The Psalmist is filled with joy, he has poured out his words wonderfully: yet somewhat he was unable to speak,Early Church Fathers on Psalms 147 →
Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 147:5 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleGreat [is] our Lord, and of great power,.... "Our Lord" is our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of the whole earth; the Lord of his own people by creation, by redemption, by marriage, and by the conquest
Read John Gill on Psalms 147 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryGreat is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 147 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 147:5 Great [is] our Lord, and of great power: his understanding [is] infinite.Ver. 5. His understanding is infinite] Heb. of his understanding there is no number; for he knows not only the kinds and sorts of things, but even the particulars, though they exceed all number. Sic spectat universos quasi singulos; sic singulos, quasi solos. That philosopher did not say nothing, who, being in danger of shipwreck in a light starry night, said, Surely I shall not perish, there are so many eyes of providence over me.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 147 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(5) Of great power.—Literally, abounding in power.Infinite.—Literally, without number. (See Note, Psalms 145:3, and Isaiah 40:28; that prophetic passage being still in the poet’s mind, though the expression is changed.)
Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 147 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 5. His understanding is infinite.] To his intelligence there is no number: though he numbers the stars, his understanding is without number. It is infinite; therefore, he can know, as he can do, all things.
Read AdamClarke on Psalms 147 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges5. Great is our Lord, and abundant in power] The language is borrowed from Isaiah 40:26. his understanding is infinite] Lit. to his understanding there is no number, it is incalculable. Number is substituted for searching of Isa 40:28, perhaps to suggest a contrast to Psalms 147:5. He numbers the stars: His wisdom cannot be numbered. The Heb. of Sir 39:20 “Is there any number [i.e. limit] to his salvation” [or according to Schechter’s conjecture, understanding] may be borrowed from this passage.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 147 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleGreat is our Lord - See the notes at Psalms 48:1. And of great power - This seems to be added, as in Isaiah 40:28, in view of the power required in making the heavens, and in guiding and numbering the stars: “Hast thou not known?
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 147 →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
Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding has no limit.
Great is our Lord, and mighty in power. His understanding is infinite.
Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding has no limit.
Our Lord is great and has awesome power; there is no limit to his wisdom.
Tyndale line
Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.
Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite.
Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; his understanding is infinite.
Great is our LORD, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.
Great is our Lord, and great is his power: his wisdome is infinite.
Strictly literal
Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.
Great [is] our Lord, and abundant in power, Of His understanding there is no narration.
Our Lord [is] great, and abundant in power, || There is no narration of His understanding.
Great is our Lord, and abundant in power: his understanding is immeasurable.
Great is our Lord and awesome in power, his understanding cannot be measured.
From the Latin
Who giveth snow like wool: scattereth mists like ashes.
Simplified
Our Lord is great! His power is immense! There's no limit to what he understands!
Great is our Lord, and great his power; there is no limit to his wisdom.
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.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree in their wording for Psalms 147:5, with all seven Hebrew words matched in the Greek translation. This indicates a strong consistency in the transmission of this verse across these ancient texts.
גָּד֣וֹל אֲדוֹנֵ֣ינוּ וְרַב־ כֹּ֑חַ לִ֝תְבוּנָת֗וֹ אֵ֣ין מִסְפָּֽר׃
7 of the 7 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
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.
Lexicons — every word in Psalms 147:5
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
גָּדוֹל (gadol) means 'great' and covers a wide range of meanings, including large in size, number, intensity, sound, age, and importance. It can also refer to notable individuals or even God. Additionally, it appears as a proper noun in reference to a person named in Nehemiah 11:14. The lexicons note its use in various contexts, but do not present significant disagreement.
גָּדוֹל 622 adj. great
in magnitude and extent
in number
in intensity
in sound, loud
in age
in importance
in phrases
cstr.
as subst. concr. do great things
† as subst. neut. greatness of arm
H1419a גָּדוֹל great . in magnitude and extent
. in number
. in intensity
. in sound, loud
. in age
. in importance
. in phrases
. cstr.
. as subst. concr. do great things
. † as subst. neut. greatness of arm
H1419b הַגְּדוֹלִים father of Zabdiel
1419 gadowl gaw-dole'
or (shortened) gadol {gaw-dole'}; from 1431; great (in any
sense); hence, older; also insolent:--+ aloud, elder(-est), +
exceeding(-ly), + far, (man of) great (man, matter,
thing,-er,-ness), high, long, loud, mighty, more, much, noble,
proud thing, X sore, (X ) very.
see HEBREW for 01431
גָּדוֹל (ga.dol) — great: large.
adj
1) great
1a) large (in magnitude and extent)
1b) in number
1c) in intensity
1d) loud (in sound)
1e) older (in age)
1f) in importance
1f1) important things
1f2) great, distinguished (of men)
1f3) God Himself (of God)
subst
1g) great things
1h) haughty things
1i) greatness
Also means: ga.dol (גָּדוֹל ": old" H1419K)
§ Haggedolim = "the great one"
(CLBL) Haggedolim, the great man?, father of Zabdiel
גָּדוֹל (ga.dol) — Haggedolim.
A man living at the time of Exile and Return, only mentioned at Neh.11.14
§ Haggedolim = "the great one"
(CLBL) Haggedolim, the great man?, father of Zabdiel
גָּדוֹל (ga.dol) — Great (Sea).
adj
great
Also named: pe.lish.ti (פְּלִשְׁתִּי "(Sea of the )Philistines" H6430I)
גָּדוֹל (ga.dol) — great: old.
adj
1) great
1a) large (in magnitude and extent)
1b) in number
1c) in intensity
1d) loud (in sound)
Adj — AdjHAamsa
The Hebrew word אָדוֹן (*'adown*) means 'lord' and is derived from a root meaning to rule. It covers a range of meanings, referring to both human and divine authority, including terms like master, king, and superintendent. Variations exist for divine references, such as אֲדֹנָי (*Adonai*), distinguishing God from human lords.
אָדוֹן n.m. lord (אֲדֹנִי, אֲדֹנַי, אֲדֹנָי are variations of Mass. pointing to distinguish divine reference fr. human. Pl., with few exc. an intens. pl. of rank; word takes sf. as pl. in all other pers.; so doubtless here. Orig. reading prob. in all cases אֲדֹנַי; אֲדֹנִי now found in J 51 t.)
base
H113 אָדוֹן lord
113 'adown aw-done'
or (shortened) adon {aw-done'}; from an unused root (meaning
to rule); sovereign, i.e. controller (human or divine):--
lord, master, owner. Compare also names beginning with
"Adoni-".
אָדוֹן (a.don) — lord.
1) firm, strong, lord, master
1a) lord, master
1a1) reference to men
1a1a) superintendent of household, of affairs
1a1b) master
1a1c) king
1a2) reference to God
1a2a) the Lord God
1a2b) Lord of the whole earth
1b) lords, kings
1b1) reference to men
1b1a) proprietor of hill of Samaria
1b1b) master
1b1c) husband
1b1d) prophet
1b1e) governor
1b1f) prince
1b1g) king
1b2) reference to God
1b2a) Lord of lords (probably = "thy husband, Yahweh")
1c) my lord, my master
1c1) reference to men
1c1a) master
1c1b) husband
1c1c) prophet
1c1d) prince
1c1e) king
1c1f) father
1c1g) Moses
1c1h) priest
1c1i) theophanic angel
1c1j) captain
1c1k) general recognition of superiority
1c2) reference to God
1c2a) my Lord, my Lord and my God
1c2b) Adonai (parallel with Yahweh)
N-mp | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffixHNcmpc/Sp1bp
רַב (rav) means much, many, or great, often used in contrast to מְעַט (me'at). It can describe abundance in quantity or rank and is also used as a noun for chief or captain. The word conveys a range of meanings from numerous to exceedingly, and it can function as both an adjective and a noun.
רַב 429 adj. much, many, great
(oft. opp. מְעַט)
much: of substances
esp. of collectives, numerous
pl. many
רַב as subst. coll. pers.
cstr. = abounding in
מִן comp. = more numerous than
רַב = abundant, enough
as adv. much, exceedingly
less oft. great
base
רַב 49 n.m. chief
base
H7227a רַב much, many, great . (oft. opp. מְעַט) . . much: of substances
. esp. of collectives, numerous
. pl. many
. רַב as subst. coll. pers.
. cstr. = abounding in
. + מִן comp. = more numerous than
. רַב = abundant, enough
. as adv. much, exceedingly
. less oft. great
H7227b רַב chief
7227 rab rab
by contracted from 7231; abundant (in quantity, size, age,
number, rank, quality):--(in) abound(-undance, -ant, -antly),
captain, elder, enough, exceedingly, full, great(-ly, man,
one), increase, long (enough, (time)), (do, have) many(-ifold,
things, a time), ((ship-))master, mighty, more, (too, very)
much, multiply(-tude), officer, often(-times), plenteous,
populous, prince, process (of time), suffice(-lent).
see HEBREW for 07231
רַב (rav) — many.
adj
1) much, many, great
1a) much
1b) many
1c) abounding in
1d) more numerous than
1e) abundant, enough
1f) great
1g) strong
1h) greater than
adv
1i) much, exceedingly
רַב (rav) — chief.
captain, chief
Aramaic equivalent: rav.re.van (רַבְרְבָן "noble" H7261)
רַב (rav) — (Sidon) the Great.
Combined with tsi.don (צִידוֹן "Sidon" H6721H)
§ captain, chief
Conj | Adj — ConjunctionHC/Aamsc
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.
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…
כֹּחַ (koach) refers to both a small reptile, likely a type of lizard, and the concepts of strength and power. The entries highlight its use in contexts of human and divine strength, as well as its association with wealth and capacity. Notably, it appears in Leviticus 11:30 regarding unclean animals.
כֹּחַ n.[m.] a small reptile, prob. a kind of lizard, in list of unclean creeping things Lv 11:30; chameleon
ref
כֹּחַ and כּוֹחַ n.m. strength, power
base
H3581a כֹּחַ a small reptile, prob. a kind of lizard, in list of unclean creeping things; chameleon H3581b כֹּחַ and כּוֹחַ strength, power
3581 koach ko'-akh
or (Dan. 11:6) kowach {ko'-akh}; from an unused root meaning
to be firm; vigor, literally (force, in a good or a bad sense)
or figuratively (capacity, means, produce); also (from its
hardiness) a large lizard: -ability, able, chameleon, force,
fruits, might, power(-ful), strength, substance, wealth.
כֹּחַ (ko.ach) — reptile.
1) a small reptile, probably a kind of lizard, which is unclean
1a) perhaps an extinct animal, exact meaning is unknown
כֹּחַ (ko.ach) — strength.
1) strength, power, might
1a) human strength
1b) strength (of angels)
1c) power (of God)
1d) strength (of animals)
1e) strength, produce, wealth (of soil)
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
pou'-er: This word, indicative of might, strength, force, is used in the Old Testament to render very many Hebrew terms, the translation in numerous instances being varied in the Revised Version (British and American) to words like "valor," "rule," "strength," "might," "dominion." The principal words for "power" in the New Testament are dunamis, and exousia. In the latter case the Revised Version (British and American) frequently changes to "authority" (Mr 3:15; 6:7; Eph 1:21, etc.) or "right" (Ro 9:21; 1Co 9:6; 2Th 3:9, etc.). Power is attributed preeminently to God (1Ch…
For the use of this word in 1Co 11:10, see VEIL.
תְּבוּנָה (tebunah) means understanding and encompasses intelligence, skill, and insight. It can refer to both the act of understanding and the faculty itself, as well as the object of knowledge. The term is personified as a teacher in some contexts.
תְּבוּנָה n.f. understanding
the act
the faculty
the object of knowledge
personified as teacher.
base
H8394 תְּבוּנָה understanding
8394 tabuwn taw-boon'
and (feminine) tbuwnah {teb-oo-naw'}; or towbunah
{to-boo-naw'}; from 995; intelligence; by implication, an
argument; by extension, caprice:--discretion, reason,
skilfulness, understanding, wisdom.
see HEBREW for 0995
תְּבוּנָה (ta.vu.nah) — understanding.
1) understanding, intelligence
1a) the act of understanding
1a1) skill
1b) the faculty of understanding
1b1) intelligence, understanding, insight
1c) the object of knowledge
1d) teacher (personification)
Prep | N-fs | Suff — Preposition · noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHR/Ncfsc/Sp3ms
אַ֫יִן (ayin) primarily means 'nothing' or 'nought' and serves as a negative particle indicating absence or negation, such as 'is not' or 'there is not.' It can also express lack of possession or existence. The word is derived from a root meaning to be non-existent, and it appears frequently in various grammatical constructions.
אַ֫יִן, אָ֑֫יִן cstr. אֵין subst. prop. nothing, nought
to nothing, as nothing
cstr. אֵין, very freq. as particle of negation, is not, are not, was not, were not
אֵין לְ׳, with subst., or pron., there is (was) not to … = … have, has, had, etc. not
in circumst. clauses
with inf. and ל׳, it is not to …
with prefixes
base
H369 אַ֫יִן, אָ֑֫יִן cstr. אֵין subst. prop. nothing, nought . to nothing, as nothing
. cstr. אֵין, very freq. as particle of negation, is not, are not, was not, were not
. אֵין לְ׳, with subst., or pron., there is (was) not to … = … have, has, had, etc. not
. in circumst. clauses
. with inf. and ל׳, it is not to …
. with prefixes
369 'ayin ah'-yin
as if from a primitive root meaning to be nothing or not
exist; a non-entity; generally used as a negative
particle:--else, except, fail, (father-)less, be gone,
in(-curable), neither, never, no (where), none, nor, (any,
thing), not, nothing, to nought, past, un(-searchable),
well-nigh, without. Compare 370.
see HEBREW for 0370
אַ֫יִן (a.yin) — nothing.
1) nothing, not, nought n
1a) nothing, nought neg
1b) not
1c) to have not (of possession) adv
1d) without w/prep
1e) for lack of
Part — Noun common · masculine singular constructHNcmsc
מִסְפָּר (mispar) means 'number' or 'tale.' It can refer to definite or indefinite quantities, ranging from large to small. The word also encompasses concepts of narration and recounting. The entries consistently highlight its numerical and narrative aspects without significant disagreement.
מִסְפָּר 133 n.m. number, tale
base
H4557 מִסְפָּר number, tale
4557 micpar mis-pawr'
from 5608; a number, definite (arithmetical) or indefinite
(large, innumerable; small, a few); also (abstractly)
narration:--+ abundance, account, X all, X few, (in-)finite,
(certain) number(-ed), tale, telling, + time.
see HEBREW for 05608
מִסְפָּר (mis.par) — number.
1) number, tale
1a) number
1a1) number
1a2) innumerable (with negative)
1a3) few, numerable (alone)
1a4) by count, in number, according to number (with prep)
1b) recounting, relation
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
num'-ber:
I. NUMBER AND ARITHMETIC
II. NOTATION OF NUMBERS
1. By Words
2. By Signs
3. By Letters
III. NUMBERS IN OLD TESTAMENT HISTORY
IV. ROUND NUMBERS
V. SIGNIFICANT NUMBERS
1. Seven and Its Multiples
(1) Ritual Use of Seven
(2) Historical Use of Seven
(3) Didactic or Literary Use of Seven
(4) Apocalyptic Use of Seven
2. The Number Three
3. The Number Four
4. The Number Ten
5. The Number Twelve
6. Other Significant Numbers
VI. GEMATRIA
LITERATURE
I. Number and Arithmetic.
The system of counting followed by the Hebrews and the Semites generally was the decimal system, which seems to have been suggested by the use of the ten fingers. Hebrew had separate words only for the first nine units and for ten and its multiples. Of the sexagesimal system, which seems to have been introduced into Babylonia by the Sumerians and which, through its development there, has influenced the measurement of time and space in the…
Like most Oriental nations, it is probable that the Hebrews in their written calculations made use of the letters of the alphabet. That they did so in post-Babylonian times we have conclusive evidence in the Maccabaean coins; and it is highly probable that this was the ease also in earlier times. But though, on the one hand, it is certain that in all existing MSS of the Hebrew text of the Old Testament the numerical expressions are written at length, yet, on the other, the variations in the several versions between themselves and from the Hebrew text, added to the evident inconsistencies in numerical statement between certain passages of that text itself seems to prove that some shorter mode of writing was originally in vogue, liable to be misunderstood, and in fact misunderstood by copyists and translators. These variations appear to have proceeded from the alphabetic method of writing…
Isa 65:11. See GAD 3.