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Psalms 148:3 — Word Study

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WLCהַֽ֭לְלוּהוּ שֶׁ֣מֶשׁ וְיָרֵ֑חַ הַ֝לְל֗וּהוּ כָּל־ כּ֥וֹכְבֵי אֽוֹר׃

BSAPraise Himhâlal [praise ye, give praise to] O sunshemesh [the celestial body] and moonyârêach [the natural satellite] praise Himhâlal [praise ye] allkôl [everything] you shiningʼôwr [stars of light, bright] starskôwkâb [round or shining celestial bodies]

Word
Listen & take awayPsalms 148
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 3 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 ('or) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Psalms 148:3quick helps
In a sentenceThe psalmist calls upon celestial bodies to praise the Lord.
Who is speakingThe psalmist, addressing the sun, moon, and stars.
Where we areThis verse is part of a call to all creation to praise God.
The hard wordהַֽ֭לְלוּהוּ
Take awayThe heavens and celestial bodies are invited to join in praise.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.

Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.

Deep Study — Psalms 148:3

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 Call to Praisegenerated

2Praise Him, all His angels; praise Him, all His heavenly hosts.
3Praise Him, O sun and moon; praise Him, all you shining stars.
4Praise Him, O highest heavens, and you waters above the skies.
5Let them praise the name of the LORD, for He gave the command and they were created.

Psalm 148:3 is part of a larger psalm that invites all of creation, including angels, celestial bodies, and nature, to praise the Lord. The psalm emphasizes the majesty of God and His creation, calling everything in the heavens and on earth to acknowledge His greatness. This verse specifically addresses the sun, moon, and stars, highlighting their role in the divine order and their capacity to glorify God.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Psalm 8:1–3O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth! You have set Your glory above the heavens.
2Psalm 19:1–6The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.
3Psalm 89:36–37his offspring shall endure forever, and his throne before Me like the sun,
4Psalm 136:7–9He made the great lights— His loving devotion endures forever.
5Genesis 1:14–16And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to distinguish between the day and the night, and let them be signs to mark the seasons and days and years.

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


The Key Word הַֽ֭לְלוּהוּ, Ha.lu.hugenerated

The Hebrew word הָלַל (halal) is a primitive root that encompasses meanings related to shining, boasting, and foolishness. It signifies an imperative call to praise or celebrate, often in a manner that is exuberant or clamorously foolish. The parsing indicates that this is a verb in the piel stem, which typically conveys an intensive or intentional action, here directed towards God.

The use of the suffix indicates that the praise is directed specifically to God, making it a personal and communal call to worship. This word captures the essence of joyful celebration, inviting all to join in the act of glorifying the Creator.


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 structure of the verse consists of two main clauses, both beginning with the verb הַֽ֭לְלוּהוּ, praise Him. The first clause addresses the sun and moon, while the second clause calls upon all shining stars. This parallel structure emphasizes the inclusivity of the call to praise.

The repetition of the verb strengthens the imperative nature of the command, creating a rhythm that enhances the psalm's lyrical quality. The order of the phrases places the celestial bodies at the forefront, highlighting their significance in creation.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates הַֽ֭לְלוּהוּ as αὐτόν, which means 'Him.' This choice reflects a direct address to God, maintaining the imperative nature of the praise while aligning with the Greek audience's understanding of worship.

The translation of celestial bodies such as שֶׁמֶשׁ as ἥλιος and יָרֵחַ as σελήνη shows a consistent effort to convey the same entities, ensuring that the call to praise is understood across linguistic and cultural boundaries.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalm 148:3 calls upon the sun, moon, and stars to praise the Lord. This verse is part of a larger psalm that invites all of creation, including angels and nature, to join in worship. The psalm emphasizes God's greatness and the beauty of His creation.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What is the significance of praising celestial bodies?

Praising celestial bodies highlights their role in God's creation and acknowledges their beauty and power as part of the divine order.

How can we understand the call to praise in this psalm?

The call to praise in this psalm serves as an invitation for all creation to recognize and celebrate the greatness of God, reflecting the interconnectedness of all things.

Why is the repetition of 'praise Him' important?

The repetition emphasizes the urgency and importance of the call to worship, reinforcing the idea that all creation is invited to participate in glorifying God.

What does this psalm teach us about our relationship with creation?

This psalm teaches us to appreciate the beauty of creation and encourages us to see it as a reflection of God's glory, prompting us to join in praise.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways do I see God's glory reflected in creation around me?
  2. How can I actively participate in praising God in my daily life?
  3. What does it mean to me to join with creation in worship?
  4. How can I encourage others to recognize the beauty of God's creation?

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 148:3 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Praise ye him, sun and moon,.... The sun praises the Lord, the Creator of it, by doing the work constantly it is appointed to do; to rule by day, and give light and heat to the earth, and the

Read John Gill on Psalms 148 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light. No JFB commentary on this verse.

Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 148 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Sun and moon; you which are adored by the blind heathens for gods, you are but his creatures, and therefore were obliged, if you were capable, to worship and praise him for your glorious light and powerful influences.

Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 148 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Psalms 148:3 Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light.Ver. 3. Praise ye him, sun and moon] These do, after a sort, declare the glory of God, Psalms 19:1-2 Habakkuk 3:3; not with mind and affection, as if they were understanding creatures (as Plato held, In Epimenide), but by their light influences, admirable motions, and obedience, whereby quasi mutis vocibus, by a dumb kind of eloquence, saith Nazianzen, they give praise to God, and bid check to us for our dulness and disorders. Praise him, all ye stars of light] A light, then, they have of their own (besides what they borrow of the sun), which they withhold at God’ s appointment, Isaiah 13:10, and influences they…

Read John Trapp on Psalms 148 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 3. Praise ye him, sun and moon] The meaning of this address and all others to inanimate nature, is this: Every work of God's hand partakes so much of his perfections, that it requires only to be studied and known, in order to show forth the manifold wisdom, power, and goodness of the Creator. Stars of light] The brightest and most luminous stars: probably the planets may be especially intended.

Read AdamClarke on Psalms 148 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

3. all ye stars of light] So the Heb. text. P.B.V. stars and light follows the LXX (Vulg.).

Read Cambridge on Psalms 148 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Praise ye him, sun and moon - The most conspicuous and glorious objects in the heavens, as apparent to the eyes of people. Praise him, all ye stars of light - A poetical expression to denote bright or shining stars.

Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 148 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

3. Having spoken of the highest heaven, with its celestial dignitaries, the author descends to the region of the visible heavens.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Psalms 148 →

The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company

Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.

Modern formal

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

Praise Him, O sun and moon; praise Him, all you shining stars.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Praise him, sun and moon! Praise him, all you shining stars!

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Praise Him, O sun and moon; praise Him, all you shining stars.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Praise him, O sun and moon! Praise him, all you shiny stars!

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Praise ye him, sun and moon: Praise him, all ye stars of light.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Praise ye him, sun and moon; praise him, all ye stars of light.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Prayse ye him, sunne and moone: prayse ye him all bright starres.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all ye stars of light.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Praise ye Him, sun and moon, Praise ye Him, all stars of light.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Praise Him, sun and moon, || Praise Him, all stars of light.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all you shining stars.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Praise ye him, O sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars and light.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Praise him, sun and moon! Praise him, all you shining stars!

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Give praise to him, you sun and moon: give praise to him, all you stars of light.

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.

clauseclauseverbהַֽ֭לְלוּpraiseobjectהוּhimclausenoun phraseשֶׁ֣מֶשׁO.sunוְandיָרֵ֑חַmoonclauseclauseverbהַ֝לְל֗וּpraiseobjectהוּhimclausenoun phraseכָּלO.allnoun phraseכּ֥וֹכְבֵי[the].starsאֽוֹרof.light

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


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

The Masoretic Text (MT) reads: "הַֽ֭לְלוּהוּ שֶׁ֣מֶשׁ וְיָרֵ֑חַ הַ֝לְל֗וּהוּ כָּל־ כּ֥וֹכְבֵי אֽוֹר׃" which translates to "Praise Him, O sun and moon; praise Him, all you shining stars." The Septuagint (LXX) agrees with the MT in meaning, as it matches all seven words, though the word order and articles differ. The Dead Sea Scrolls (11Q5) also align with the MT, preserving the phrases for "sun" and "moon" and the call to praise, although four words are present with three supplied by an editor, indicating some textual variation but overall agreement in the core message of the verse.

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

הַֽ֭לְלוּהוּ שֶׁ֣מֶשׁ וְיָרֵ֑חַ הַ֝לְל֗וּהוּ כָּל־ כּ֥וֹכְבֵי אֽוֹר׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
הַֽ֭לְלוּהוּαὐτόνשֶׁ֣מֶשׁἥλιοςוְיָרֵ֑חַσελήνηהַ֝לְל֗וּהוּαὐτόνכָּל־πάνταכּ֥וֹכְבֵיἄστραאֽוֹר׃φῶς

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.

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

[הללו׳הו] [שמש] [וירח] הללו׳הו כול כוכבי אור

4 words on the leather — 3 supplied entire by an editor.

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


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

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

Psalms 148:3הָלַלpraise himpraise himהָלַלשֶׁ֫מֶשׁO sunO sunשֶׁ֫מֶשׁיָרֵחַand moonand moonיָרֵחַהָלַלpraise himpraise himהָלַלכֹּלO allO allכֹּלכּוֹכָב[the] stars[the] stars ofכּוֹכָבאוֹרlightlightאוֹרכָּלַלto perfectto perfectכָּלַלאוֹרto lightto lightאוֹרבֵּיתHeliopolisHeliopolisבֵּיתיֶ֫רַחmonthmonthיֶ֫רַחיְרִיחוֹJerichoJerichoיְרִיחוֹכַּבוֹןCabbonCabbonכַּבוֹןכָּוָהto burnto burnכָּוָהיָרֵחַmoonmoonיָרֵחַיָהּLORDLORDיָהּזָרַחto riseto riseזָרַחכּוֹכָבstarstarכּוֹכָבשֶׁ֫מֶשׁsunsunשֶׁ֫מֶשׁעֵדָהcongregaticongregationעֵדָהעֲבֹדָהserviceserviceעֲבֹדָהקָדַרbe darkbe darkקָדַרחֹ֫שֶׁךְdarknessdarknessחֹ֫שֶׁךְ
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 148:3

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.

praise him O sun and moon praise him O all [the] stars of light
הַֽ֭לְלוּהוּHa.lu.hu praise him H1984 Verb piel imperative second person masculine plural · suffix
165× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To be foolish means to act wildly or make a show, like the prophets of Baal in 1 Kings 18:29. It can also mean to celebrate or boast, as in Psalm 38:5.
Amplified meaning
praise ye, give praise to
Tyndale gloss
to shine
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word הָלַל (halal) is a primitive root that encompasses meanings related to shining, boasting, and foolishness. It can signify to praise or celebrate, often in a clamorously foolish manner, and includes the idea of making a boast or being made a fool of. The entries indicate a range of uses, from expressing God's favor to acting madly.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[הָלַל] vb. shine

Qal when it, viz. his lamp, shone upon my head, fig. of God’s favour.

Hiph. flash forth light

base

[הָלַל] vb. be boastful, Pi. praise

Qal be boastful

Pi.

praise man or woman

usually praise י׳

appar. boast, make one’s boast

Pu. be praised

Hithpa. glory, boast, make one’s boast

Po‛el make into a fool, make a fool of

Po‛al of laughter I said, It is mad (folly)

Hithpo. act madly, or like a madman

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1984a הָלַל shine H1984b הָלַל be boastful, Pi. praise H1984c הָלַל be boastful, Pi. praise .be boastful

. . praise man or woman

. usually praise י׳

. appar. boast, make one’s boast

. be praised

. glory, boast, make one’s boast

.make into a fool, make a fool of

.of laughter I said, It is mad (folly)

. act madly, or like a madman

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1984 halal haw-lal'

a primitive root; to be clear (orig. of sound, but usually of

color); to shine; hence, to make a show, to boast; and thus to

be (clamorously) foolish; to rave; causatively, to celebrate;

also to stultify:--(make) boast (self), celebrate, commend,

(deal, make), fool(- ish, -ly), glory, give (light), be (make,

feign self) mad (against), give in marriage, (sing, be worthy

of) praise, rage, renowned, shine.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הָלַל (ha.lal) — to shine.

1) to shine

1a) (Qal) to shine (fig. of God's favour)

1b) (Hiphil) to flash forth light

הָלַל (ha.lal) — to boast: praise.

: praise

1) to praise, boast, be boastful

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to be boastful

1a2) boastful ones, boasters (participle)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to praise

1b2) to boast, make a boast

1c) (Pual)

1c1) to be praised, be made praiseworthy, be commended, be worthy of praise

1d) (Hithpael) to boast, glory, make one's boast

הָלַל (ha.lal) — to be foolish.

1) (Poel) to make a fool of, make into a fool

1f) (Hithpoel) to act madly, act like a madman

הָלַל (ha.lal) — to boast: boast.

: boast

1) to praise, boast, be boastful

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to be boastful

1a2) boastful ones, boasters (participle)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to praise

1b2) to boast, make a boast

1c) (Pual)

1c1) to be praised, be made praiseworthy, be commended, be worthy of praise

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Piel-Impv-2mp | Suff — Verb piel imperative second person masculine plural · suffix
HVpv2mp/Sp3ms
praise him O sun and moon praise him O all [the] stars of light
שֶׁ֣מֶשׁShe.mesh O sun H8121 Noun common · both singular absolute
134× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The sun, or shemesh, represents not just the celestial body, but also east or west direction, and even objects that shine like battlements. It is often used to describe the rising or setting of the sun.
Amplified meaning
the celestial body
Tyndale gloss
sun
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שֶׁ֫מֶשׁ 133 n.f. et m. sun

sun

of direction: toward sun-rise, = East

obj. of worship

other phr.

pinnacle, as glittering, shining

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8121 שֶׁ֫מֶשׁ sun

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8121 shemesh sheh'-mesh

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

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

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

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

see HEBREW for 01053

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שֶׁ֫מֶשׁ (she.mesh) — sun.

1) sun

1a) sun

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

1c) sun (as object of illicit worship)

1d) openly, publicly (in other phrases)

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-cs — Noun common · both singular absolute
HNcbsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Sun

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

Smith's Bible Dictionary

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

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

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

Nave's Topical Bible

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

→ Rising and setting of Ec 1:5

→ Diurnal motion of Ps 19:4,6

→ Worship of, forbidden De 4:19; 17:3

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

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

→ Miracles concerning

praise him O sun and moon praise him O all [the] stars of light
וְיָרֵ֑חַve.ya.Re.ach and moon H3394 Conjunction · noun common masculine singular absolute
27× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to the moon, the natural satellite of the earth. It is used in the Bible to describe the moon and its phases.
Amplified meaning
the natural satellite
Tyndale gloss
moon
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָרֵחַ (yareach) means 'moon,' particularly in a poetic context. It is derived from a root related to another word, but the entries do not elaborate on its usage in specific verses.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָרֵחַ n.m. moon, esp. poet.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3394 יָרֵחַ moon, esp. poet.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3394 yareach yaw-ray'-akh

from the same as 3391; the moon:--moon. Yrechow. See

3405.

see HEBREW for 03391

see HEBREW for 03405

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָרֵחַ (ya.re.ach) — moon.

moon

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | N-ms — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular absolute
HC/Ncmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

moon (yareach; meaning obscure--probably "wanderer"; by some given as "paleness"; selene): The moon was very early worshipped by the nations of the Far East as a divinity or the representative of one or more deities. These deities were both masculine and feminine. In Assyria and Babylonia the most common name for the moon-god was Sin or Sen. In Babylonia he was also called Aku and Nannara. In Egypt the moon was representative of several deities, all masculine. The chief of these was Thoth the god of knowledge, so called because the moon was the measurer of time. Babylonia has, also, Aa, the goddess of the moon, as the consort of the sun, while her equivalent was known in Phoenicia as Ashtaroth-karnaim. This personification and worship of the moon among the nations who were neighbors to Palestine was but part of an elaborate Nature-worship found among these people. Nor was this worship…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Moon

Heb. yareah, from its paleness (Ezra 6:15), and lebanah, the “white” (Cant. 6:10; Isa. 24:23), was appointed by the Creator to be with the sun “for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years” (Gen. 1:14-16). A lunation was among the Jews the period of a month, and several of their festivals were held on the day of the new moon. It is frequently referred to along with the sun (Josh. 10:12; Ps. 72:5, 7, 17; 89:36, 37; Eccl. 12:2; Isa. 24:23, etc.), and…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

The moon held an important place in the kingdom of nature, as known to the Hebrews. Conjointly with the sun, it was appointed "for signs and for seasons, and for days and years;" though in this respect it exercised a more important influence, if by the "seasons" we understand the great religious festivals of the Jews, as is particularly stated in (Psalms 104:19) and more at length in Ecclus 43:6,7. The worship of the moon prevailed extensively among the nations of the East, and under a variety of aspects. It was one of the only two deities which commanded the reverence of all the Egyptians. The worship of the heavenly bodies is referred to in (Job 31:26,27) and Moses directly warns the Jews against it. (4:19) In the figurative language of Scripture, the moon is frequently…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

This beautiful and stately ruler of the night, Ge 1:16, is one of the chief witnesses to mankind of the goodness, wisdom, and power of the Creator, Ps 8:3; and as receiving all its light from the sun, and reflecting it on all around, it is a striking image of the church of Christ. In the clear sky of the East, the moon shines with peculiar brilliancy; and it was worshipped by most nations of antiquity, either directly, or as an idol-goddess under the name of Ashtoreth, Artemis, Diana, Hecate, Meni, Mylitta, Maja, etc. The Hebrews were specially cautioned against this form of idolatry, De 4:19 17:3; and yet fell into it; 2Ki 21:3

praise him O sun and moon praise him O all [the] stars of light
הַ֝לְל֗וּהוּha.Lu.hu praise him H1984 Verb piel imperative second person masculine plural · suffix
165× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To be foolish means to act wildly or make a show, like the prophets of Baal in 1 Kings 18:29. It can also mean to celebrate or boast, as in Psalm 38:5.
Amplified meaning
praise ye
Tyndale gloss
to shine
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word הָלַל (halal) is a primitive root that encompasses meanings related to shining, boasting, and foolishness. It can signify to praise or celebrate, often in a clamorously foolish manner, and includes the idea of making a boast or being made a fool of. The entries indicate a range of uses, from expressing God's favor to acting madly.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[הָלַל] vb. shine

Qal when it, viz. his lamp, shone upon my head, fig. of God’s favour.

Hiph. flash forth light

base

[הָלַל] vb. be boastful, Pi. praise

Qal be boastful

Pi.

praise man or woman

usually praise י׳

appar. boast, make one’s boast

Pu. be praised

Hithpa. glory, boast, make one’s boast

Po‛el make into a fool, make a fool of

Po‛al of laughter I said, It is mad (folly)

Hithpo. act madly, or like a madman

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1984a הָלַל shine H1984b הָלַל be boastful, Pi. praise H1984c הָלַל be boastful, Pi. praise .be boastful

. . praise man or woman

. usually praise י׳

. appar. boast, make one’s boast

. be praised

. glory, boast, make one’s boast

.make into a fool, make a fool of

.of laughter I said, It is mad (folly)

. act madly, or like a madman

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1984 halal haw-lal'

a primitive root; to be clear (orig. of sound, but usually of

color); to shine; hence, to make a show, to boast; and thus to

be (clamorously) foolish; to rave; causatively, to celebrate;

also to stultify:--(make) boast (self), celebrate, commend,

(deal, make), fool(- ish, -ly), glory, give (light), be (make,

feign self) mad (against), give in marriage, (sing, be worthy

of) praise, rage, renowned, shine.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הָלַל (ha.lal) — to shine.

1) to shine

1a) (Qal) to shine (fig. of God's favour)

1b) (Hiphil) to flash forth light

הָלַל (ha.lal) — to boast: praise.

: praise

1) to praise, boast, be boastful

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to be boastful

1a2) boastful ones, boasters (participle)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to praise

1b2) to boast, make a boast

1c) (Pual)

1c1) to be praised, be made praiseworthy, be commended, be worthy of praise

1d) (Hithpael) to boast, glory, make one's boast

הָלַל (ha.lal) — to be foolish.

1) (Poel) to make a fool of, make into a fool

1f) (Hithpoel) to act madly, act like a madman

הָלַל (ha.lal) — to boast: boast.

: boast

1) to praise, boast, be boastful

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to be boastful

1a2) boastful ones, boasters (participle)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to praise

1b2) to boast, make a boast

1c) (Pual)

1c1) to be praised, be made praiseworthy, be commended, be worthy of praise

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Piel-Impv-2mp | Suff — Verb piel imperative second person masculine plural · suffix
HVpv2mp/Sp3ms
praise him O sun and moon praise him O all [the] stars of light
כָּל־kol- O all H3605 Noun common · masculine singular construct
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
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 construct
HNcmsc
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
praise him O sun and moon praise him O all [the] stars of light
כּ֥וֹכְבֵיKokh.vei [the] stars of H3556 Noun common · masculine plural construct
37× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A star is a round or shining celestial body, and can also symbolize a prince or leader. It is used figuratively in the Bible to describe the Messiah or God's omniscience.
Amplified meaning
round or shining celestial bodies
Tyndale gloss
star
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כּוֹכָב (kowkab) means 'star' and is likely derived from a root related to rolling or blazing. It can refer to a literal star or figuratively to a prince or significant figure, including associations with the Messiah and God's omniscience.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כּוֹכָב n.m. star

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3556 כּוֹכָב star

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3556 kowkab ko-kawb'

probably from the same as 3522 (in the sense of rolling) or

3554 (in the sense of blazing); a star (as round or as

shining); figuratively, a prince:--star((-gazer)).

see HEBREW for 03522

see HEBREW for 03554

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כּוֹכָב (ko.khav) — star.

1) star

1a) of Messiah, brothers, youth, numerous progeny, personification, God's omniscience (fig.)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural construct
HNcmpc
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…

praise him O sun and moon praise him O all [the] stars of light
אֽוֹר׃'or light H216 Noun common · feminine singular absolute
121× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Light, including natural light from the sun or stars, and also spiritual light from God. It can refer to happiness, prosperity, or understanding. In the Bible, God is often described as the source of light and life.
Amplified meaning
stars of light, bright
Tyndale gloss
light
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אוֹר (or) means 'light' and encompasses various forms of illumination, including daylight, dawn, and the light of heavenly bodies like the sun and stars. It can also refer to metaphorical concepts such as the light of life, prosperity, and instruction, as well as Yahweh as a source of light.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אוֹר 121 n.m. light

light as diffused in nature, light of day

morning light, dawn

light of the heavenly luminaries

daylight

lightning

light of lamp

light of life

light of prosperity

light of instruction

light of face

Yahweh

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H216 אוֹר light . light as diffused in nature, light of day

. morning light, dawn

. light of the heavenly luminaries

. daylight

. lightning

. light of lamp

. light of life

. light of prosperity

. light of instruction

. light of face

. Yahweh

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

216 'owr ore

from 215; illumination or (concrete) luminary (in every

sense, including lightning, happiness, etc.):--bright, clear,

+ day, light (-ning), morning, sun.

see HEBREW for 0215

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אוֹר (or) — light.

1) light

1a) light of day

1b) light of heavenly luminaries (moon, sun, stars)

1c) day-break, dawn, morning light

1d) daylight

1e) lightning

1f) light of lamp

1g) light of life

1h) light of prosperity

1i) light of instruction

1j) light of face (fig.)

1k) Jehovah as Israel's light

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-cs — Noun common · feminine singular absolute
HNcfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

lit ('or, ma'or; phos; many other words):

1. Origin of Light

2. A Comprehensive Term

(1) Natural Light

(2) Artificial Light

(3) Miraculous Light

(4) Mental, Moral, Spiritual Light

3. An Attribute of Holiness

(1) God

(2) Christ

(3) Christians

(4) The Church

4. Symbolism

5. Expressive Terms

1. Origin of Light:

The creation of light was the initial step in the creation of life. "Let there be light" (Ge 1:3) was the first word of God spoken after His creative Spirit "moved" upon the primary material out of which He created the heavens and the earth, and which lay, until the utterance of that word, in the chaos of darkness and desolation. Something akin, possibly, to the all-pervasive electro-magnetic activity of the aurora borealis penetrated the chaotic night of the world. The ultimate focusing of light (on the 4th day of creation,

Light

The offspring of the divine command (Gen. 1:3). “All the more joyous emotions of the mind, all the pleasing sensations of the frame, all the happy hours of domestic intercourse were habitually described among the Hebrews under imagery derived from light” (1 Kings 11:36; Isa. 58:8; Esther 8:16; Ps. 97:11). Light came also naturally to typify true religion and the felicity it imparts (Ps. 119:105; Isa. 8:20; Matt. 4:16, etc.), and the glorious inheritance…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

One of the most wonderful, cheering, and useful of all the works of God; called into being on the first of the six days of creation, by his voice: "Let there be light;" and there was light. No object better illustrates whatever is pure, glorious, spiritual, joyful, and beneficent. Hence the beauty and force of the expressions, "God is light," 1Jo 1:5, and "the Father of lights," Jas 1:17; Christ is the "Sun of righteousness," and "the light of the world," Joh 1:9 8:12. So also the word of God is "a light," Ps 119:105; truth and Christians are lights, Joh 3:19 12:36; prosperity is "light," Es 8:16; and heaven is full of…

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Created Ge 1:3-5; Isa 45:7; 2Co 4:6

→ Miraculous Mt 17:2; Ac 9:3

→ FIGURATIVE AND SYMBOLICAL 1Ki 11:36; Ps 27:1; 119:105,130; Pr 6:23; Ec 2:13; Isa 8:20; 49:6; 58:8; 60:19,20; Mt 4:16; 5:14,16; Lu 2:32; 11:34; 16:8;

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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