Psalms 22:20 — Word Study
WLCהַצִּ֣ילָה מֵחֶ֣רֶב נַפְשִׁ֑י מִיַּד־ כֶּ֝֗לֶב יְחִידָתִֽי׃
BSAyou(m.s.)ʼattâh The LordYᵉhôvâh notʼal to removerâchaq strengthʼĕyâlûwth△ helpʻezrâh to hastenchûwsh
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| הַצִּ֣ילָה | deliver ! | Verb hiphil imperative second person masculine singular, suffix |
| מֵחֶ֣רֶב | from [the] sword | Preposition, noun common feminine singular absolute |
| נַפְשִׁ֑י | life my | Noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
| מִיַּד־ | from [the] hand of | Preposition, noun common both singular construct |
| כֶּ֝֗לֶב | a dog | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| יְחִידָתִֽי׃ | only [life] my | Suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of wild dogs. |
| KJV | Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog. |
| ASV | Deliver my soul from the sword, My darling from the power of the dog. |
| YLT | Deliver from the sword my soul, From the paw of a dog mine only one. |
| WEB | Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dog. |
| BBE | Make my soul safe from the sword, my life from the power of the dog. |
The translations agree on the key terms used in this verse.
The structure features a main clause followed by two prepositional phrases that specify the sources of danger, emphasizing the urgency of deliverance.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
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 22:20
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — A Cry for Deliverancegenerated
Psalm 22:20 reflects a moment of desperation where the psalmist appeals to God for rescue from imminent danger. This verse is part of a larger lament, where the speaker expresses feelings of abandonment and fear, seeking God's intervention against threats represented by the sword and wild dogs. The surrounding verses emphasize the psalmist's reliance on God as a source of strength and salvation, as seen in Psalm 22:19 and Psalm 22:21.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 17:13 | Arise, O LORD, confront them! Bring them to their knees; deliver me from the wicked by Your sword, |
| 2 | Zechariah 13:7 | Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, against the man who is My Companion, declares the LORD of Hosts. Strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered, and I will turn My hand against the little ones. |
| 3 | Psalm 35:17 | How long, O Lord, will You look on? Rescue my soul from their ravages, my precious life from these lions. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 3 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — הַצִּ֣ילָה, ha.Tzi.lahgenerated
The verb הַצִּ֣ילָה (ha.Tzi.lah) is a hiphil imperative, meaning 'deliver' or 'rescue'. It is a call to action directed at God, imploring Him to intervene and save the psalmist from danger. The imperative form indicates urgency and desperation, as the psalmist seeks immediate help.
This word is built from the root נָצַל (natsal), which conveys the idea of snatching away from peril. The psalmist's request emphasizes a need for divine rescue from the threats represented by the sword and the wild dogs.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
In the Berean Standard Bible, the word used is deliver, which aligns with the KJV and ASV, both using deliver as well.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The verse contains a main clause with the imperative verb הַצִּ֣ילָה, deliver, followed by two prepositional phrases that specify what is being delivered from: מֵחֶ֣רֶב (from the sword) and מִיַּד־ כֶּ֝֗לֶב (from the hand of wild dogs). The structure emphasizes the psalmist's plea for rescue from multiple threats.
The word order places the verb first, highlighting the urgency of the request, while the subsequent phrases elaborate on the nature of the danger.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint uses the word κύριε (Lord) to translate the Hebrew verb הַצִּ֣ילָה, indicating a direct appeal to God. This choice emphasizes the psalmist's reliance on divine authority for deliverance.
The translation reflects a consistent understanding of the psalmist's urgent request for help, maintaining the focus on God's role as the deliverer.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 22:20 is a plea for God to rescue the psalmist from danger. The speaker asks for deliverance from death and threats represented by wild dogs, emphasizing the urgency of the situation and the need for divine help.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The psalmist is asking God to save his life from imminent danger, symbolized by the sword.
Wild dogs symbolize fierce enemies or threats that are attacking or pursuing the psalmist.
The term 'only' emphasizes the uniqueness and preciousness of the psalmist's life, highlighting the urgency of the plea for rescue.
This verse reflects the theme of desperation and reliance on God for deliverance, which is central to the entire psalm.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what areas of my life do I feel in need of rescue, similar to the psalmist's plea?
- How can I express my own urgent needs to God in prayer?
- What does it mean to trust God for deliverance in difficult times?
- How can I support others who are facing danger or distress?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early Church Fathers, such as Augustine, reference this verse to discuss themes of deliverance and the nature of life, highlighting its significance in their theological reflections.
"Deliver My soul from the sword." "Deliver My soul" from the tongue of dissension. "And My only One from the hand of the dog" [Psalms 22:20].Early Church Fathers on Psalms 22 →
Let each one also think this about his own life, that he may hate in it that private affection that is undoubtedly transitory and may love in it that union and sense of sharing of which it was said,Early Church Fathers on Psalms 22 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 22:20 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleDeliver my soul from the sword,.... Wicked men, whose tongues were as a sharp sword, reproaching and blaspheming him, and bearing false witness against him; and crying out, "Crucify him, crucify
Read John Gill on Psalms 22 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryDeliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog. My soul from the sword; my darling.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 22 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleFrom the sword, i.e. from the rage and violence of mine enemies, as the next clause explains it, and as the sword is oft taken in Scripture. See ,27,29 Ezekiel 38:21. My darling, Heb. my one, or only one, to wit, his soul, as he now said; which he so calls, either because it was very dear to him; or rather, because it was left alone, and destitute of friends and helpers; for so this word is used, 35:17. From the power, Heb. the hand; which is oft put for power, and in that sense is ascribed to a flame, , and to evil, .
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 22 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 22:20 Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog.Ver. 20. Deliver my soul from the sword] i.e. From desperate and deadly danger, from the wicked, which is thy sword, Psalms 17:13. My darling from the power of the dog] Heb. Mine only one from the hand, &c., as Genesis 9:5. Sic est anima in corpore, ut in domo lutea, nec habet socium, saith R. David here; The soul is alone in its cottage of clay, and hath no companion. That was a mad fellow who gave out that he had two souls, one for God, and another for whomsoever would have it. If the dog, that is, the devil, as some interpret this text, lay hands on this darling, it will be found to be all that a man hath…
Read John Trapp on Psalms 22 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 20. Deliver my soul from the sword] Deliver נפשי naphshi, my life; save me alive, or raise me again. My darling] יחידתי yechidathi, my only one. The only human being that was ever produced since the creation, even by the power of God himself, without the agency of man. ADAM the first was created out of the dust of the earth; that was his mother; God was the framer. ADAM the second was produced in the womb of the virgin; that was his mother. But that which was conceived in her was by the power of the Holy Ghost; hence the man Christ Jesus is the ONLY Son of God; God is his Father, and he is his ONLY ONE.
Read AdamClarke on Psalms 22 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges20. from the sword] From a violent death. my darling] Lit., my only one. The clue to the meaning is given by the use of the word of an only child (Genesis 22:2; Judges 11:34). The word denotes the one precious life which can never be replaced. Cp. Psalms 35:17. the dog] See on Psalms 22:16.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 22 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleDeliver my soul from the sword - The word soul here means life, and denotes a living person. It is equivalent to “deliver me.” “The sword” is used to denote an instrument of death, or anything that pierces like a sword.
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 22 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible20. My darling—Hebrew, My only one. The word is an adjective, and signifies alone, only; and, as it corresponds to soul in the previous hemistich, it may be only a poetical variation of the same
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Psalms 22 →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
Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of wild dogs.
Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dog.
Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of wild dogs.
Deliver me from the sword! Save my life from the claws of the wild dogs!
Tyndale line
Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog.
Deliver my soul from the sword, My darling from the power of the dog.
Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog;
Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog.
Deliuer my soule from the sword: my desolate soule from the power of the dogge.
Strictly literal
Deliver my soul from the sword; my only one from the power of the dog;
Deliver from the sword my soul, From the paw of a dog mine only one.
Deliver My soul from the sword, || My only one from the paw of a dog.
(22:21) Deliver from the sword my life, from the power of the dog my solitary soul.
Rescue my soul from the sword, my only life from the claws of wild dogs.
Simplified
Save me from death by the sword! Save my life—the only one I have—from the dogs!
Make my soul safe from the sword, my life from the power of the dog.
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 reads הַצִּ֣ילָה מֵחֶ֣רֶב נַפְשִׁ֑י מִיַּד־ כֶּ֝֗לֶב יְחִידָתִֽי׃. The Septuagint matches five of the six words, preserving the core message. The Dead Sea Scrolls contain part of the verse, with some words restored by an editor, indicating a degree of textual consistency across these witnesses.
הַצִּ֣ילָה מֵחֶ֣רֶב נַפְשִׁ֑י מִיַּד־ כֶּ֝֗לֶב יְחִידָתִֽי׃
5 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
[ואתה] [יהוה] [אל] תרחק אילות׳י לעזרת׳י חוש׳ה
3 words on the leather — 1 partly restored, 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.
Lexicons — every word in Psalms 22:20
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.
The Hebrew word נָצַל (natsal) is built from a primitive root meaning to snatch away, with various usages across different stems. It covers a range of meanings including to rescue, deliver, plunder, and strip. The word appears in contexts of delivering oneself or being delivered, as well as rescuing from enemies or sin.
[נָצַל] 212 vb. not in Qal; Pi. strip, plunder; Niph. deliver oneself, be delivered Hiph. snatch away, deliver
Niph.
reflex. tear oneself away, deliver oneself
passive, be torn out or away
Pi.
strip off, spoil
deliver
Hiph.
take away, snatch away
rescue, recover
deliver from
deliver from sin and guilt
Hoph. as a brand plucked out of the burning
Hithp. and they stripped themselves of their ornaments.
base
H5337 נָצַל not in Qal; Pi. strip, plunder; Niph. deliver oneself, be delivered Hiph. snatch away, deliver
5337 natsal naw-tsal'
a primitive root; to snatch away, whether in a good or a bad
sense:- X at all, defend, deliver (self), escape, X without
fail, part, pluck, preserve, recover, rescue, rid, save,
spoil, strip, X surely, take (out).
נָצַל (na.tsal) — to rescue.
1) to snatch away, deliver, rescue, save, strip, plunder
1a)(Niphal)
1a1) to tear oneself away, deliver oneself
1a2) to be torn out or away, be delivered
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to strip off, spoil
1b2) to deliver
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to take away, snatch away
1c2) to rescue, recover
1c3) to deliver (from enemies or troubles or death)
1c4) to deliver from sin and guilt
1d) (Hophal) to be plucked out
1e) (Hithpael) to strip oneself
Aramaic equivalent: ne.tsal (נְצַל "to rescue" H5338)
HVhv2ms/Sh — Verb hiphil imperative second person masculine singular · suffixHVhv2ms/Sh
de-liv'-er (natsal, nathan; rhuomai, paradidomi): Occurs very frequently in the Old Testament and represents various Hebrew terms.
The English word is used in two senses,
(1) "to set free," etc.,
(2) "to give up or over."
(1) The word most often translated "deliver" in the first sense is natsal, meaning originally, perhaps, "to draw out." It is used of all kinds of deliverance (Ge 32:11; Ps 25:20; 143:9, etc.; Jer 7:10; Eze 3:19, etc.; Ze 1:18, etc.). The Aramaic netsal occurs in Da 3:29; 6:14; 8:4,7; yasha`, "to save," in Jud 3:9,31 the King James Version, etc. ; malaT…
חֶ֫רֶב (chereb) means 'sword' and can also refer to other cutting instruments like knives and tools. It is derived from a root meaning 'drought,' highlighting its destructive nature. The term is used in various contexts in the Old Testament, primarily to denote weapons.
חֶ֫רֶב 411 n.f. sword (as weapon)
base
H2719 חֶ֫רֶב sword (as weapon)
2719 chereb kheh'-reb
from 2717; drought; also a cutting instrument (from its
destructive effect), as a knife, sword, or other sharp
implement:--axe, dagger, knife, mattock, sword, tool.
see HEBREW for 02717
חֶ֫רֶב (che.rev) — sword.
1) sword, knife
1a) sword
1b) knife
1c) tools for cutting stone
HR/Ncfsa — Preposition · noun common feminine singular absoluteHR/Ncfsa
sord.
See ARMOR, III, 5.
Sword
Of the Hebrew was pointed, sometimes two-edged, was worn in a sheath, and suspended from the girdle (Ex. 32:27; 1 Sam. 31:4; 1 Chr. 21:27; Ps. 149:6: Prov. 5:4; Ezek. 16:40; 21:3-5).
It is a symbol of divine chastisement (Deut. 32:25; Ps. 7:12; 78:62), and of a slanderous tongue (Ps. 57:4; 64:3; Prov. 12:18). The word of God is likened also to a…
[ARMS, ARMOR]
The Hebrew word נֶ֫פֶשׁ (*nephesh*) broadly means 'soul' or 'living being,' encompassing concepts like life, self, person, desire, and emotion. It is derived from the root meaning 'to breathe' and signifies both physical and mental aspects of existence. The lexicons note its use in various contexts, including as the seat of appetites and emotions, though its application to will and character is uncertain.
נֶ֫פֶשׁ 756 n.f. soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion
= that which breathes, the breathing substance or being
The נפשׁ becomes a living being
The נפשׁ is specif.
The נפשׁ as the essential of man stands for the man himself
נפשׁ = seat of the appetites, in all periods (46 t.)
נ׳ = seat of emotions and passions
נפשׁ is used occasionally for mental acts
נפשׁ for acts of the will is dub.
נפשׁ = character is still more dub.
נ׳ in D
base
H5315 נֶ֫פֶשׁ soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion . = that which breathes, the breathing substance or being
. The נפשׁ becomes a living being
. The נפשׁ is specif.
. The נפשׁ as the essential of man stands for the man himself
. נפשׁ = seat of the appetites, in all periods (46 t.)
. נ׳ = seat of emotions and passions
. נפשׁ is used occasionally for mental acts
. נפשׁ for acts of the will is dub.
. נפשׁ = character is still more dub.
. נ׳ in D
5315 nephesh neh'-fesh
from 5314; properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of
(abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal,
accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental):--any,
appetite, beast, body, breath, creature, X dead(-ly), desire,
X (dis-)contented, X fish, ghost, + greedy, he, heart(-y),
(hath, X jeopardy of) life (X in jeopardy), lust, man, me,
mind, mortally, one, own, person, pleasure, (her-, him-, my-,
thy-)self, them (your)-selves, + slay, soul, + tablet, they,
thing, (X she) will, X would have it.
see HEBREW for 05314
נֶ֫פֶשׁ (ne.phesh) — soul.
1) soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion
1a) that which breathes, the breathing substance or being, soul, the inner being of man
1b) living being
1c) living being (with life in the blood)
1d) the man himself, self, person or individual
1e) seat of the appetites
1f) seat of emotions and passions
1g) activity of mind
1g1) uncertain
1h) activity of the will
1h1) uncertain
1i) activity of the character
1i1) uncertain
נֶ֫פֶשׁ (ne.phesh) — soul: life.
1) soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion
1a) that which breathes, the breathing substance or being, soul, the inner being of man
1b) living being
1c) living being (with life in the blood)
1d) the man himself, self, person or individual
1e) seat of the appetites
1f) seat of emotions and passions
1g) activity of mind
HNcfsc/Sp1bs — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHNcfsc/Sp1bs
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.
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
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.
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,
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.)
HR/Ncbsc — Preposition · noun common both singular constructHR/Ncbsc
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…
The Hebrew word כֶּ֫לֶב (*keleb*) means 'dog' and can refer to the animal literally or figuratively in contexts of contempt or abasement. It also denotes male cult prostitutes in a euphemistic sense. The term appears in various Old Testament verses, often associated with negative connotations, such as in 1 Samuel 17:43 and 2 Samuel 9:8.
כֶּ֫לֶב n.m. I S 24:15 dog (NH id.; Ph. כלב; Aram. כֶּ֫לְבָּא, Syriac; Ar. Arabic; Eth. Ethiopic As. kalbu DI HWB 328)—abs. כ׳ Ju 7:5 + 16 t., כָּ֑לֶב ψ 59:7, 15; pl. כְּלָבִים 1 K 14:11 + 12 t.; cstr. כַּלְבֵי Jb 30:1; sf. כְּלָבֶיךָ ψ 68:24;—dog:
lit. 1 K 14:11 16:4 21:19, 19, 23, 24 22:38 2 K 9:10, 36 (all of fierce, hungry dogs, devouring dead bodies and licking blood); cf. Je 15:3 and (לְשׁוֹן כְּלָבֶיךָ) ψ 68:24; eating torn flesh, Ex 22:30 (E), כַּלְבֵי צֹאנִי = my sheep-dogs, only Jb 30:1 (in both these with implied inferiority); dog-sacrifice was a heathen rite Read the full entry →
H3611 כֶּ֫לֶב dog
3611 keleb keh'-leb
from an unused root means. to yelp, or else to attack; a dog;
hence (by euphemism) a male prostitute:--dog.
כֶּ֫לֶב (ke.lev) — dog.
1) dog
1a) dog (literal)
1b) contempt or abasement (fig.)
1c) of pagan sacrifice
1d) of male cult prostitute (fig.)
HNcmsa — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
kelebh; (compare Arabic kelb, "dog"); kuon; (and diminutive kunarion): References to the dog, both in the Old Testament and in the New Testament, are usually of a contemptuous character. A dog, and especially a dead dog, is used as a figure of insignificance. Goliath says to David (1Sa 17:43): "Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves?" David says to Saul (1Sa 24:14): "After whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea." Mephibosheth says to David (2Sa 9:8): "What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am?" The same figure is found in the words of Hazael to Elisha (2Ki 8:13). The meaning, which is obscure in the King James Version…
Dog
Frequently mentioned both in the Old and New Testaments. Dogs were used by the Hebrews as a watch for their houses (Isa. 56:10), and for guarding their flocks (Job 30:1). There were also then as now troops of semi-wild dogs that wandered about devouring dead bodies and the offal of the streets (1 Kings 14:11; 16:4; 21:19, 23; 22:38; Ps. 59:6, 14).
As the dog was an unclean animal, the terms “dog,” “dog’s head,” “dead dog,” were used as terms of reproach or of humiliation (1 Sam. 24:14; 2 Sam. 3:8; 9:8; 16:9). Paul calls false apostles “dogs” (
an animal frequently mentioned in Scripture. It was used by the hebrews as a watch for their houses, (Isaiah 56:10) and for guarding their flocks. (Job 30:1) Then also, as now troops of hungry and semi-wild dogs used to wander about the fields and the streets of the cities, devouring dead bodies and other offal, (1 Kings 14:11; 21:19,23; 22:38; Psalms 59:6) and thus became so savage and fierce and such objects of dislike that fierce and cruel enemies are poetically styled dogs in (Psalms 22:16,20) moreover the dog being an unclean animal, (Isaiah 66:3) the epithets dog, dead dog, dog’s head, were used as terms of reproach or of humility in speaking of one’s self. (
There are many dogs in the countries where the Bible was written, but the people do not like them as well as we do, and do not let them live about their yards and houses. So the dogs go wandering about without any master, and live on whatever they can find in the streets or around the markets. In Ps 59 you will find the verse: "They return at evening; they make a noise like a dog, and go round about the city,"-and a little farther on you will see, "Let them wander up and down for meat, and grudge if they be not satisfied." These verses show that the dogs wandered about in those days just as they do now. Sometimes when they do not find enough to eat, they become very fierce and cruel, so that you would be afraid to meet one of them.
There is a sad story in some of the chapters of the two books of Kings, in which you will find these dogs mentioned. There was a very proud and wicked queen…
The Hebrew word יָחִיד (*yachiyd*) means 'only,' 'only one,' or 'solitary.' It is derived from a root meaning 'united' and can imply being beloved or lonely. The entries describe it as an adjective and noun, often referring to a unique or solitary entity, such as an only child. The term is linked to the concept of being irreplaceable.
יָחִיד adj. and subst. only, only one, solitary
base
H3173 יָחִיד only, only one, solitary
3173 yachiyd yaw-kheed'
from 3161; properly, united, i.e. sole; by implication,
beloved; also lonely; (feminine) the life (as not to be
replaced):--darling, desolate, only (child, son), solitary.
see HEBREW for 03161
יָחִיד (ya.chid) — only.
adj
1) only, only one, solitary, one
1a) only, unique, one
1b) solitary
1c)(TWOT) only begotten son
subst
2) one
HAafsc/Sp1bs — SuffixHAafsc/Sp1bs