Menu

Psalms 18:20 — Word Study

Depth

WLCיִגְמְלֵ֣נִי יְהוָ֣ה כְּצִדְקִ֑י כְּבֹ֥ר יָ֝דַ֗י יָשִׁ֥יב לִֽי׃

BSAto come outyâtsâʼ broadmerchâb to rescuechâlats forkîy to delight inchâphêts

Word
Listen & take awayPsalms 18
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 20 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (Li) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Psalms 18:20quick helps
In a sentenceThe LORD rewards according to righteousness and the purity of one's actions.
Who is speakingThe psalmist, affirming God's justice.
Where we areA declaration of divine recompense based on personal integrity.
The hard wordיִגְמְלֵ֣נִי
Take awayGod's response reflects the moral state of the individual.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectהוּא verbהוּא 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 18:20

Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.

Context — God's Justice and Rewardgenerated

19He brought me out into the open; He rescued me because He delighted in me.
20The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness; He has repaid me according to the cleanness of my hands.
21For I have kept the ways of the LORD and have not wickedly departed from my God.
22For all His ordinances are before me; I have not disregarded His statutes.

Psalm 18:20 expresses the psalmist's belief that God rewards individuals based on their righteousness and the purity of their actions. This verse is part of a larger section where the psalmist recounts God's deliverance and justice, emphasizing a relationship where moral integrity leads to divine favor. The context highlights the importance of maintaining a righteous path, as seen in the verses surrounding this declaration.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Psalm 58:11Then men will say, “There is surely a reward for the righteous! There is surely a God who judges the earth!”
21 Samuel 24:17–20and said to David, “You are more righteous than I, for you have rewarded me with good, though I have rewarded you with evil.
3Proverbs 11:18The wicked man earns an empty wage, but he who sows righteousness reaps a true reward.
4Isaiah 49:4But I said, “I have labored in vain, I have spent My strength in futility and vanity; yet My vindication is with the LORD, and My reward is with My God.”
5Isaiah 62:11Behold, the LORD has proclaimed to the ends of the earth, “Say to Daughter Zion: See, your Savior comes! Look, His reward is with Him, and His recompense goes before Him.”

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 13 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word יִגְמְלֵ֣נִי, yig.me.Le.nigenerated

The verb יִגְמְלֵ֣נִי (yig.me.Le.ni) is derived from the root גָּמַל (gamal), which means to deal fully or adequately with someone. It encompasses the idea of recompensing or rewarding, often in a context of moral evaluation. The parsing indicates a third person masculine singular form with a suffix, suggesting that the action is directed toward the speaker, emphasizing a personal relationship with God.

This verb is used to express how God interacts with the psalmist, rewarding him according to his righteousness. The implication is that God's actions are a direct response to the moral state of the individual, reinforcing the theme of divine justice.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

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


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb in this verse is יִגְמְלֵ֣נִי (he has dealt with me), which governs the structure. It is followed by a prepositional phrase indicating the basis for this action — כְּצִדְקִ֑י (according to my righteousness) — and another phrase that elaborates on the criteria: כְּבֹ֥ר יָ֝דַ֗י (according to the cleanness of my hands).

The sentence structure emphasizes the relationship between the actions of the psalmist and the divine response, highlighting a cause-and-effect dynamic in God's justice.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, the Hebrew verb יִגְמְלֵ֣נִי is rendered as ἐχήγαγέν, which suggests a broader interpretation of leading or guiding rather than just rewarding. This choice may imply a more active role of God in directing the psalmist's life based on his righteousness.

The translation reflects a nuanced understanding of divine action, indicating that God's dealings with the psalmist are not merely transactional but involve guidance and leadership.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalm 18:20 states that the LORD rewards the psalmist based on his righteousness and the purity of his hands. This verse emphasizes that God's justice is directly related to the moral integrity of the individual, highlighting the importance of living a righteous life.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that the LORD rewards according to righteousness?

It means that God's actions reflect the moral character of the individual, rewarding those who live righteously and justly.

How does the concept of cleanness relate to actions?

Cleanness refers to purity and blamelessness in one's actions, indicating that God evaluates not just intentions but the actual deeds performed.

Why is the psalmist confident in God's justice?

The psalmist believes in God's justice because he has kept the ways of the LORD and has not turned away from His commands.

What role does personal integrity play in this verse?

Personal integrity is central to the verse, as it underlines the idea that one's moral conduct influences how God interacts with them.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways do I see my actions reflecting my moral integrity?
  2. How can I strive for purity in my actions as the psalmist describes?
  3. What are some examples in my life where I have experienced God's justice?
  4. How does understanding God's rewards influence my daily choices?

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

The early church fathers, such as Augustine, referenced this verse to discuss the nature of divine reward based on righteousness.

Augustine of HippoExposition on Psalms 18 354–430
"And the Lord shall reward Me according to My righteousness" [Psalms 18:20].
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 18 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 18:20 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness,.... Which, if applied to David, cannot be understood of his own personal righteousness, or of works of righteousness done by him, for these merit

Read John Gill on Psalms 18 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me. The Lord rewarded me according to my righteouness.

Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 18 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

As I had a just cause, and made it my care and business to deal righteously with God, and with Saul, and all others; so God (who hath engaged himself by his promise to suceour and reward them that are such) was graciously pleased to own me, and to plead my cause against my unrighteous enemies. And because I would not deliver myself from straits and miseries by unrighteous means, namely, by killing Saul, as I was advised to do, God was pleased to deliver me in a more honourable and effectual manner. The cleanness of my hands, i.e. the innocency of my actions and carriage towards Saul, from whose blood I kept my hands pure.

Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 18 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Psalms 18:20 The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.Ver. 20. The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness] viz. The righteousness of my cause; and my freedom from such crimes of disloyalty and ambition, wherewith mine enemies charged me, as if pricked on by my pride I sought the kingdom. As also, according to mine honest desire and endeavour in all things else to keep a good conscience, void of offence toward God and men. This, though God’ s own work, and a debt most due to him, yet he is pleased graciously to reward.

Read John Trapp on Psalms 18 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(20-23) for this protestation of innocence comp. Psalms 7, 17 and Job, passim. Self-righteous pride and vindication of one’s character under calumny are very different things. If taken of the nation at large, comp. Numbers 23:21. Here, also, the text in Samuel offers one or two trifling variations from ours.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 18 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 20. The Lord rewarded me] David proceeds to give the reasons why God had so marvellously interposed in his behalf. According to my righteousness] Instead of being an enemy to Saul, I was his friend. I dealt righteously with him while he dealt unrighteously with me.

Read AdamClarke on Psalms 18 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

20–23. The language is inspired by the courage of a childlike simplicity. It is no vainglorious boasting of his own merits, but a testimony to the faithfulness of Jehovah to guard and reward His faithful servants. David does not lay claim to a sinless righteousness, but to single-hearted sincerity in his devotion to God. Compare his own testimony (1 Samuel 26:23), God’s testimony (1 Kings 14:8), and the testimony of history (1 Kings 11:4; 1 Kings 15:5), to his essential integrity. Cp. Psalms 7:8, Psalms 17:3-4; and see Introd. p. lxxxvii f. Is not this conscious rectitude, this “princely heart of innocence,” a clear indication that the Psalm was written before his great fall?

Read Cambridge on Psalms 18 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness - That is, he saw that I did not deserve the treatment which I received from my enemies, and therefore he interposed to save me. Compare the note at Psalms 17:3.

Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 18 →

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 LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness; He has repaid me according to the cleanness of my hands.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Yahweh has rewarded me according to my righteousness. According to the cleanness of my hands, he has recompensed me.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness; He has repaid me according to the cleanness of my hands.

NETBNew English Translation2006

The Lord repaid me for my godly deeds; he rewarded my blameless behavior.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Jehovah hath rewarded me according to my righteousness; According to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.

RVARevised Version, American1894

The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousnes: according to the purenes of mine hands he recompensed me:

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Jehovah hath rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Jehovah doth recompense me According to my righteousness, According to the cleanness of my hands, He doth return to me.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

YHWH repays me || According to my righteousness, || According to the cleanness of my hands, || He returns to me.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

(18:21) The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the purity of my hands did he recompense me.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Yahweh has rewarded me because of my righteousness; he has restored me because my hands were clean.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

The Lord rewarded me because I do what's right; he repaid me because I am innocent.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

The Lord gives me the reward of my righteousness, because my hands are clean before him.

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.

clauseverbיִגְמְלֵ֣heobjectנִיdealt.with.mesubjectיְהוָ֣הYahwehprepositional phrase · prepositionalכְּaccordingnoun phraseצִדְקִ֑toיmy.righteousnessclauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalכְּaccordingnoun phraseבֹ֥רto.the.cleannessnoun phraseיָ֝דַ֗my.handsיmyverbיָשִׁ֥יבhe.repaidprepositional phrase · prepositionalלִֽtoיme

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


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

The Masoretic Text matches closely with the Septuagint, with six of the seven words aligned. The Dead Sea Scrolls show a fragment that partially restores the verse, indicating consistency in the core message despite some editorial adjustments.

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

יִגְמְלֵ֣נִי יְהוָ֣ה כְּצִדְקִ֑י כְּבֹ֥ר יָ֝דַ֗י יָשִׁ֥יב לִֽי׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
יִגְמְלֵ֣נִיἐχήγαγένיְהוָ֣הμεכְּצִדְקִ֑יῥύσεταίכְּבֹ֥רὅτιיָ֝דַ֗יἠθέλησένיָשִׁ֥יבμε

6 of the 7 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 5/6hev1ba copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

ויציא׳ני [למרחב] יחלצ׳ני כי חפץ ב׳י

6 words of the verse are on this fragment — 1 partly restored, 1 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 18:20גָּמַלhe has dealhe has dealt wiגָּמַליהוהYahwehYahwehיהוהצֶ֫דֶקaccording taccording to riצֶ֫דֶקבֹּרaccording taccording to [tבֹּריָדhands myhands myיָדשׁוּבhe has repahe has repaidשׁוּבנִיto meto meנִיהָיָהto beto beהָיָהצָדֵקto justifyto justifyצָדֵקבָּרַרto purifyto purifyבָּרַרכַּףpalmpalmכַּףפֶּ֫רַחflowerflowerפֶּ֫רַחנְאֻםutteranceutteranceנְאֻםצָבָאarmyarmyצָבָאמֵישָׁרuprightnesuprightnessמֵישָׁראֵיפָהephahephahאֵיפָהגָּמַלto weanto weanגָּמַלצֶ֫דֶקRighteousnRighteousnessצֶ֫דֶקחָזָקstrongstrongחָזָקנָצַלto rescueto rescueנָצַלשְׁבִיתcaptivitycaptivityשְׁבִיתחָרוֹןburning anburning angerחָרוֹן
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 18:20

One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.

Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.

he has dealt with me Yahweh according to righteousness my according to [the] cleanness of hands my he has repaid to me
יִגְמְלֵ֣נִיyig.me.Le.ni he has dealt with me H1580 Verb qal imperfect third person masculine singular · suffix
37× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to wean a child or to treat someone well or poorly. It can also mean to ripen or bear fruit, and is translated as bestow, recompense, or requite in the KJV.
Tyndale gloss
to wean
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

גָּמַל (gamal) is a Hebrew root meaning to deal fully or adequately with someone, which includes concepts like recompensing or rewarding. It also specifically refers to weaning a child and can denote the ripening of fruit, particularly almonds. The entries consistently highlight these meanings without significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

גָּמַל vb. 1. deal fully or adequately with, deal out to. 2. wean. 3. ripen

Qal

deal out to, do to

deal bountifully with

recompense, repay, requite

wean a child (complete his nursing)

trans. ripen, bear ripe (almonds)

Niph. be weaned

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1580 גָּמַל 1. deal fully or adequately with, deal out to. 2. wean. 3. ripen

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1580 gamal gaw-mal'

a primitive root; to treat a person (well or ill), i.e.

benefit or requite; by implication (of toil), to ripen, i.e.

(specifically) to wean:--bestow on, deal bountifully, do

(good), recompense, requite, reward, ripen, + serve, mean,

yield.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

גָּמַל (ga.mal) — to wean.

1) to deal fully with, recompense

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to deal out to, do to

1a2) to deal bountifully with

1a3) to recompense, repay, requite

2) (Qal) to wean a child (Niphal) to be weaned

3) (Qal) to ripen, bear ripe (almonds)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVqi3ms/Sp1bs — Verb qal imperfect third person masculine singular · suffix
HVqi3ms/Sp1bs
he has dealt with me Yahweh according to righteousness my according to [the] cleanness of hands my he has repaid to me
יְהוָ֣הYah.weh Yahweh H3068 Noun proper
6,528× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Yehovah is another name for God, often translated as 'the Lord'. It is a national name for God in the Jewish faith. This name is used throughout the Old Testament.
Tyndale gloss
The Lord
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) is the proper name of the God of Israel, often rendered as Jehovah or the Lord. It signifies the self-existent or eternal nature of God. The name is closely associated with the revelation to Moses in Exodus 3:12-15 and is used in conjunction with other terms to denote sacred places. Some scholars suggest it derives from a root meaning 'to bring into being.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יהוה c. 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel—(1. MT יְהֹוָה 6518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהֹוִה 305 (Qr אֱלֹהִים) 2. Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of הוה (= היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver)

יהוה is not used by E in Gn, but is given Ex 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb

יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D

the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy

יהוה is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3068 יהוה i.e. יַהְוֶה n. pr. dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw'

from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish

national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.

see HEBREW for 01961

see HEBREW for 03050

see HEBREW for 03069

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — LORD.

Jehovah = "the existing One"

1) the proper name of the one true God

1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of a.do.na (אֲדֹנָי "Lord" H0136)

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — The Lord.

Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — (Jerusalem of) the Lord.

Combined with ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNpt — Noun proper
HNpt
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
he has dealt with me Yahweh according to righteousness my according to [the] cleanness of hands my he has repaid to me
כְּצִדְקִ֑יke.tzid.Ki according to righteousness my H6664 Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
119× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Represents the idea of righteousness or justice, often referring to God's character or the standard for human behavior. It is closely tied to the concept of morality and what is right. The word is used to describe the ideal for human conduct and society.
Tyndale gloss
Righteousness
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

צֶ֫דֶק (tsedeq) refers to concepts of rightness and righteousness, encompassing moral, legal, and natural dimensions. It includes justice in governance, ethical correctness, and vindication in disputes. The term also suggests prosperity and deliverance, particularly in relation to God's covenant and the Messianic king. The entries consistently emphasize its broad application in both personal and societal contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

צֶ֫דֶק n.m. rightness, righteousness

what is right, just, normal; rightness, justness, of weights and measures

righteousness, in government

righteousness, justice, in a case or cause

rightness, in speech

righteousness, as ethically right

righteousness, as vindicated, justification in controversy with enemies and troubles, deliverance, victory, prosperity

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6664 צֶ֫דֶק rightness, righteousness . what is right, just, normal; rightness, justness, of weights and measures

. righteousness, in government

. righteousness, justice, in a case or cause

. rightness, in speech

. righteousness, as ethically right

. righteousness, as vindicated, justification in controversy with enemies and troubles, deliverance, victory, prosperity

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6664 tsedeq tseh'-dek

from 6663; the right (natural, moral or legal); also

(abstractly) equity or (figuratively) prosperity:--X even, (X

that which is altogether) just(-ice), ((un-))right(-eous)

(cause, -ly, - ness).

see HEBREW for 06663

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

צֶ֫דֶק (tse.deq) — righteousness.

1) justice, rightness, righteousness

1a) what is right or just or normal, rightness, justness (of weights and measures)

1b) righteousness (in government)

1b1) of judges, rulers, kings

1b2) of law

1b3) of Davidic king, Messiah

1b4) of Jerusalem as seat of just government

1b5) of God's attribute

1c) righteousness, justice (in case or cause)

1d) rightness (in speech)

1e) righteousness (as ethically right)

1f) righteousness (as vindicated), justification (in controversy), deliverance, victory, prosperity

1f1) of God as covenant-keeping in redemption

1f2) in name of Messianic king

1f3) of people enjoying salvation

1f4) of Cyrus

צֶ֫דֶק (tse.deq) — Righteousness.

This name means justice, righteousness

Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Ncmsc/Sp1bs — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HR/Ncmsc/Sp1bs
he has dealt with me Yahweh according to righteousness my according to [the] cleanness of hands my he has repaid to me
כְּבֹ֥רke.Vor according to [the] cleanness of H1252 Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
5× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means cleanness or pureness, describing something as free from dirt or impurities. It appears in the Bible as a state of being clean. In the KJV, it is translated as cleanness or pureness.
Tyndale gloss
cleanness
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בֹּר (bor) refers to cleanness or pureness. It is derived from the root word associated with purification. The entries consistently emphasize its meaning related to cleanliness, with no significant disagreement among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בֹּר n.m. cleanness, pureness

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1252 בֹּר

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1252 bor bore

from 1305; purify:--cleanness, pureness.

see HEBREW for 01305

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בֹּר (bor) — cleanness.

cleanness, pureness

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Ncmsc — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
HR/Ncmsc
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…

he has dealt with me Yahweh according to righteousness my according to [the] cleanness of hands my he has repaid to me
יָ֝דַ֗יya.Dai hands my H3027 Noun common both dual construct · suffix
1,619× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, 'yad' refers to an open hand, symbolizing power or direction. It can also mean strength or a part of something, like a side or a share. The word is used in many contexts, including anatomy and everyday life.
Tyndale gloss
hand
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָד (yad) means 'hand' and can also refer to strength or power in a figurative sense. It encompasses various technical uses, such as a sign or monument, parts or shares, and even specific components in construction, like axle-trees and supports for the laver. The word is versatile, appearing in both literal and metaphorical contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָד 1604 n.f. hand

hand

Fig. = strength, power

Fig. = side

יָד is used in various special, technical senses:—

sign, monument

part, fractional part or share

time, repetition

axle-trees

stays, supports for laver

tenons on sides of boards of tabernacle

a (beckoning) hand

יַד with prep.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3027 יָד hand . hand

. Fig. = strength, power

. Fig. = side

. יָד is used in various special, technical senses:— . sign, monument

. part, fractional part or share

. time, repetition

. axle-trees

. stays, supports for laver

. tenons on sides of boards of tabernacle

. a (beckoning) hand

. יַד with prep.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3027 yad yawd

a primitive word; a hand (the open one (indicating power,

means, direction, etc.), in distinction from 3709, the closed

one); used (as noun, adverb, etc.) in a great variety of

applications, both literally and figuratively, both proximate

and remote (as follows):--(+ be) able, X about, + armholes,

at, axletree, because of, beside, border, X bounty, + broad,

(broken-)handed, X by, charge, coast, + consecrate, +

creditor, custody, debt, dominion, X enough, + fellowship,

force, X from, hand(-staves, -y work), X he, himself, X in,

labour, + large, ledge, (left-)handed, means, X mine,

ministry, near, X of, X order, ordinance, X our, parts, pain,

power, X presumptuously, service, side, sore, state, stay,

draw with strength, stroke, + swear, terror, X thee, X by

them, X themselves, X thine own, X thou, through, X throwing,

+ thumb, times, X to, X under, X us, X wait on, (way-)side,

Read the full entry →
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָד (yad) — hand.

: hand/arm[anatomy]

1) hand

1a) hand (of man)

1b) strength, power (fig.)

1c) side (of land), part, portion (metaph.) (fig.)

1d) (various special, technical senses)

1d1) sign, monument

1d2) part, fractional part, share

1d3) time, repetition

1d4) axle-trees, axle

1d5) stays, support (for laver)

1d6) tenons (in tabernacle)

1d7) a phallus, a hand (meaning unsure)

1d8) wrists

יָד (yad) — hand: power.

: hand/arm[anatomy]

1) hand

1a) hand (of man)

1b) strength, power (fig.)

1c) side (of land), part, portion (metaph.) (fig.)

1d) (various special, technical senses)

1d1) sign, monument

1d2) part, fractional part, share

1d3) time, repetition

1d4) axle-trees, axle

1d5) stays, support (for laver)

1d6) tenons (in tabernacle)

1d7) a phallus, a hand (meaning unsure)

1d8) wrists

יָד (yad) — hand: themselves.

: hand/arm[anatomy]

1) hand

1a) hand (of man)

1b) strength, power (fig.)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcbdc/Sp1bs — Noun common both dual construct · suffix
HNcbdc/Sp1bs
he has dealt with me Yahweh according to righteousness my according to [the] cleanness of hands my he has repaid to me
יָשִׁ֥יבya.Shiv he has repaid H7725 Verb · Hiphil · imperfect third person masculine singular
1,057× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to return or turn back, and can be used literally or figuratively. It is often used to describe someone returning to God or repenting from sin, as seen in the book of Psalms and the prophets.
Tyndale gloss
to return: return
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word שׁוּב (shuwb) means to turn back or return, covering a wide range of contexts including physical, spiritual, and relational. It can denote returning to a previous state, repenting, or even apostatizing. The entries describe various forms and uses, including bringing back, restoring, and refreshing. Notably, it can also imply a change in course of action.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שׁוּב 1056 vb. turn back, return

Qal 683;—turn back, return:

turn back

return, come or go back

esp. return unto

of dying

of revival from death

fig. of human relations:

return to leader, king

= change so as to appoach (in purpose, desire)

turn, i.e. resort to

return to a physical condition

abs. = change course of action

fig., specif. of spiritual relations:

turn back from God = apostatize

of י׳, turn away

turn back to God (= seek penitently)

abs. repent

turn back from evil

of י׳

of י׳, return (to shew favour)

of inanimate things (sts. personified, or treated as things of life):

denoting repetition, etc.

trans.

Pō‛l.

bring back

fig. restore, refresh

restore, repair

lead away (enticingly)

shew turning = apostatize

Hiph. 353 cause to return, bring back

bring back into bondage

put back

= draw back

= give back, restore

= relinguish

= give in payment, requital

bring one back (from dead)

bring back heart

= refresh

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7725 שׁוּב turn back, return .—turn back, return: . turn back

. return, come or go back

. esp. return unto

. . of dying

. of revival from death

. fig. of human relations: . return to leader, king

. = change so as to appoach (in purpose, desire)

. turn, i.e. resort to

. return to a physical condition

. abs. = change course of action

. fig., specif. of spiritual relations: . turn back from God = apostatize

. of י׳, turn away

. turn back to God (= seek penitently)

. abs. repent

. turn back from evil

. of י׳

. of י׳, return (to shew favour)

. of inanimate things (sts. personified, or treated as things of life):

. denoting repetition, etc.

. trans.

. . bring back

. . fig. restore, refresh

. restore, repair

. lead away (enticingly)

. shew turning = apostatize

. cause to return, bring back . . bring back into bondage

. put back

. = draw back

. = give back, restore

. = relinguish

. = give in payment, requital

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7725 shuwb shoob

a primitive root; to turn back (hence, away) transitively or

intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily

with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to

retreat; often adverbial, again:--((break, build, circumcise,

dig, do anything, do evil, feed, lay down, lie down, lodge,

make, rejoice, send, take, weep)) X again, (cause to) answer

(+ again), X in any case (wise), X at all, averse, bring

(again, back, home again), call (to mind), carry again (back),

cease, X certainly, come again (back), X consider, +

continually, convert, deliver (again), + deny, draw back,

fetch home again, X fro, get (oneself) (back) again, X give

(again), go again (back, home), (go) out, hinder, let, (see)

more, X needs, be past, X pay, pervert, pull in again, put

(again, up again), recall, recompense, recover, refresh,

relieve, render (again), requite, rescue, restore, retrieve,

Read the full entry →
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שׁוּב (shuv) — to return: return.

: return

1) to return, turn back

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to turn back, return

1a1a) to turn back

1a1b) to return, come or go back

1a1c) to return unto, go back, come back

1a1d) of dying

1a1e) of human relations (fig)

1a1f) of spiritual relations (fig)

1a1f1) to turn back (from God), apostatise

1a1f2) to turn away (of God)

1a1f3) to turn back (to God), repent

1a1f4) turn back (from evil)

1a1g) of inanimate things

1a1h) in repetition

1b) (Polel)

1b1) to bring back

1b2) to restore, refresh, repair (fig)

1b3) to lead away (enticingly)

1b4) to show turning, apostatise

1c) (Pual) restored (participle)

1d) (Hiphil) to cause to return, bring back

1d1) to bring back, allow to return, put back, draw back, give back, restore, relinquish, give in payment

1d2) to bring back, refresh, restore

1d3) to bring back, report to, answer

1d4) to bring back, make requital, pay (as recompense)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVhi3ms — Verb · Hiphil · imperfect third person masculine singular
HVhi3ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
he has dealt with me Yahweh according to righteousness my according to [the] cleanness of hands my he has repaid to me
לִֽי׃Li to me H9030 Preposition · suffix
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נִי (ni) — me.

Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 1st person singular

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Sp1bs — Preposition · suffix
HR/Sp1bs
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