Psalms 23:2 — Word Study
WLCבִּנְא֣וֹת דֶּ֭שֶׁא יַרְבִּיצֵ֑נִי עַל־ מֵ֖י מְנֻח֣וֹת יְנַהֲלֵֽנִי׃
BSAHe makes me lie downrâbats▸ [to rest, to stretch] in greendesheʼ [lush, tender] pasturesnâʼâh [habitation, dwelling place] He leads menâhal▸ [guides, directs] besideʻal [by the side of, near] quietmᵉnûwchâh [still, peaceful] watersmayim [streams, sources of refreshment]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| בִּנְא֣וֹת | in pastures of | Preposition, noun common feminine plural construct |
| דֶּ֭שֶׁא | grass | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| יַרְבִּיצֵ֑נִי | he makes lie down me | Verb hiphil imperfect third person masculine singular, suffix |
| עַל־ | at | Preposition |
| מֵ֖י | waters of | Noun common, masculine plural construct |
| מְנֻח֣וֹת | rest | Noun common, feminine plural absolute |
| יְנַהֲלֵֽנִי׃ | he leads me | Verb piel imperfect third person masculine singular, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. |
| KJV | He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. |
| ASV | He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; He leadeth me beside still waters. |
| YLT | In pastures of tender grass He causeth me to lie down, By quiet waters He doth lead me. |
| WEB | He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. |
| BBE | He makes a resting-place for me in the green fields: he is my guide by the quiet waters. |
Where they part company is יַרְבִּיצֵ֑נִי — see How Translations Differ.
One main verb with two prepositional phrases describing where the action takes place.
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 23:2
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Lord as Shepherdgenerated
Psalm 23:2 describes how the Lord, as a shepherd, provides a place of rest and refreshment for His flock. This imagery emphasizes God's care and guidance, assuring believers of His presence and provision in their lives. The psalmist reflects on the deep trust in God's ability to lead to peaceful and nourishing environments, as seen in the surrounding verses.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Isaiah 30:23 | Then He will send rain for the seed that you have sown in the ground, and the food that comes from your land will be rich and plentiful. On that day your cattle will graze in open pastures. |
| 2 | Ezekiel 34:13–14 | I will bring them out from the peoples, gather them from the countries, and bring them into their own land. I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines, and in all the settlements of the land. |
| 3 | Psalm 46:4 | There is a river whose streams delight the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. |
| 4 | Isaiah 49:9–10 | to say to the prisoners, ‘Come out,’ and to those in darkness, ‘Show yourselves.’ They will feed along the pathways, and find pasture on every barren hill. |
| 5 | Revelation 7:17 | For the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd. ‘He will lead them to springs of living water,’ and ‘God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’ ” |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 9 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — יַרְבִּיצֵ֑נִי, yar.bi.Tze.nigenerated
The verb יַרְבִּיצֵ֑נִי (yar.bi.Tze.ni) is in the Hiphil stem, indicating that God actively causes the speaker to lie down. This action implies not only physical rest but also a deeper sense of peace and security.
The parsing as a third person masculine singular shows that it is God who performs this action, highlighting His role as a caring shepherd. The term conveys a sense of gentle authority, suggesting that God leads His people into restful places.
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 יַרְבִּיצֵ֑נִי governs the verse, with two prepositional phrases following it: the first describes where the action takes place and the second indicates the location of the waters. This structure emphasizes the action of lying down and the peaceful surroundings.
The phrase בִּנְא֣וֹת דֶּ֭שֶׁא (in green pastures) is a noun phrase that serves as the object of the verb, indicating the specific place of rest, while מְנֻח֣וֹת (quiet waters) complements the imagery of tranquility.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates בִּנְא֣וֹת as τόπον (topon), meaning 'place' or 'location', which generalizes the idea of a pasture to any suitable area for rest. This reflects a broader understanding of God's provision.
For מְנֻח֣וֹת, the LXX uses ἀναπαύσεως (anapausesos), which emphasizes the concept of rest, aligning closely with the Hebrew meaning but adding a nuance of spiritual refreshment.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 23:2 expresses how God provides a place for rest and peace, leading His people to green pastures and quiet waters. This imagery reassures believers of God's care and guidance in their lives.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
This phrase indicates that God provides a place of rest and security, allowing believers to find peace in His presence.
Green pastures symbolize nourishment and abundance, reflecting God's provision for spiritual and physical needs.
Quiet waters represent peace and tranquility, suggesting that God leads His people to places of refreshment and safety.
Experiencing this rest involves trusting in God's guidance and seeking His presence, allowing Him to lead you to places of peace.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what areas of my life do I need to trust God to provide rest and peace?
- How can I recognize the 'green pastures' and 'quiet waters' that God places in my life?
- What steps can I take to seek God's guidance more actively?
- How does understanding God as a shepherd change the way I view my challenges?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early church fathers comment on the imagery of this verse, illustrating how it reflects God's nurturing care and the spiritual nourishment He provides.
"In a place of pasture there has He placed me" [Psalms 23:2]. In a place of fresh pasture, leading me to faith, there has He placed me to be nourished.Early Church Fathers on Psalms 23 →
The pastures that this good shepherd has prepared for you, in which he has settled you for you to take your fill, are not various kinds of grasses and green things, among which some are sweet to the taste, some extremely bitter,Early Church Fathers on Psalms 23 →
He hints at the water of rebirth, in which the baptized person longs for grace and sheds the old age of sin and is made young instead of being old.Early Church Fathers on Psalms 23 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 23:2 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleHe maketh me to lie down in green pastures,.... Or "pastures of tender grass" (t); this is one part of the shepherd's work, and which is performed by Christ, Ezekiel 34:14; by these "green pastures"
Read John Gill on Psalms 23 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryHe maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. In green pastures. The Hebrew [ nª'owt (H4999)] for "pastures" implies their desirableness [from 'aawah, to desire].
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 23 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleTo lie down; to rest and repose myself at noon, as the manner was in those hot countries. See . In green pastures; where there is both delight and plenty of provisions. He leadeth me, lest I should wander and perish. Heb. he leadeth me sweetly and gently, accommodating himself to mine infirmities, as shepherds do to their sheep, 49:10. Beside; or, to; the particle al being oft put for el, as 16:7. The still waters; quiet and gentle waters, either put into watering-troughs, or running in small and shallow channels; which are opposed to great rivers, which both affright the sheep with their noise, and expose them to the danger of being carried away by their swift and violent streams whilst…
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 23 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 23:2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.Ver. 2. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures] In folds of budding grass, where he feedeth me daily and daintily, plentifully and pleasantly, as among the lilies, Son 6:3; that is, amidst the ordinances (David here seemeth to resemble powerful and flourishing doctrine to green pastures, and the secret and sweet comforts of the sacraments to the still waters), where I shall not need to bite on the bare ground, but may go in and out, and find pasture, John 10:9, such as will breed life, and life in more abundance, John 10:10 Isaiah 49:10; fat pastures he provideth, Ezekiel 34:14; and fair cotes…
Read John Trapp on Psalms 23 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(2) The verbs in these verses are not to be understood as futures, but as presents, describing the customary condition of the poet. “The psalmist describes himself as one of Jehovah’s flock, safe under His care, absolved from all anxieties by the sense of this protection, and gaining from this confidence of safety the leisure to enjoy, without satiety, all the simple pleasures which make up life—the freshness of the meadow, the coolness of the stream. It is the most complete picture of happiness that ever was or can be drawn. It represents that state of mind for which all alike sigh, and the want of which makes life a failure to most; it represents that heaven which is everywhere if we…
Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 23 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 2. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures] בנאות דשא binoth deshe, not green pastures, but cottages of turf or sods, such as the shepherds had in open champaign countries; places in which themselves could repose safely; and pens thus constructed where the flock might be safe all the night. They were enclosures, and enclosures where they had grass or provender to eat. Beside the still waters.] Deep waters, that the strongest heat could not exhale; not by a rippling current, which argues a shallow stream. Or perhaps he may here refer to the waters of Siloam, or Shiloah, that go softly, Isaiah 8:6, compared with the strong current of the Euphrates. Thou hast brought us from the land…
Read AdamClarke on Psalms 23 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges2. The figure of the shepherd is expanded. He makes his flock lie down in the noontide heat (Son 1:7) in pastures of tender grass. For this picture of the shepherd’s care cp. Jeremiah 33:12. He leadeth me] The word suggests the idea of gentle guidance (Isaiah 40:11); sometimes of sustaining and providing (Genesis 47:17 R.V. marg.) So here Vulg. educavit. It is specially applied to God’s guidance of His people (Exodus 15:13; Psalms 31:3; Isaiah 49:10). the still waters] Lit. waters of rest: not gently-flowing streams, but streams where they may find rest and refreshment (Isaiah 32:18). So Jerome: super aquas refectionis. The Promised Land was to be Israel’s rest (Deuteronomy 12:9; Psalms…
Read Cambridge on Psalms 23 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleHe maketh me to lie down in green pastures - Margin, “Pastures of tender grass.” The Hebrew word rendered “pastures” means usually “dwellings,” or “habitations.” It is applied here properly to
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 23 →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
He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters.
He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.
He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters.
He takes me to lush pastures, he leads me to refreshing water.
Tyndale line
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; He leadeth me beside still waters.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
He maketh me to rest in greene pasture, and leadeth me by the still waters.
Strictly literal
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; he leadeth me beside still waters.
In pastures of tender grass He causeth me to lie down, By quiet waters He doth lead me.
He causes me to lie down in pastures of tender grass, || He leads me by quiet waters.
In pastures of tender grass he causeth me to lie down: beside still waters he leadeth me.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside tranquil water.
From the Latin
For he hath founded it upon the seas; and hath prepared it upon the rivers.
Simplified
He gives me rest in green fields. He leads me towards quietly flowing streams.
He makes a resting-place for me in the green fields: he is my guide by the quiet waters.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree closely, with all seven words matched. The Dead Sea Scrolls show some restoration, but the essential meaning remains intact, affirming the psalm's imagery of God's provision.
בִּנְא֣וֹת דֶּ֭שֶׁא יַרְבִּיצֵ֑נִי עַל־ מֵ֖י מְנֻח֣וֹת יְנַהֲלֵֽנִי׃
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.
בנאות דשא ירביצ׳ני [על] [מי] [מנחות] [ינהל׳ני]
2 words on the leather — 1 partly restored, 4 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 23:2
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.
נָאָה (na'ah) refers to a pasture or meadow, indicating a pleasant place or habitation. It is derived from a root that suggests a home or dwelling. The entries consistently emphasize its meanings related to living spaces and pastoral settings.
[נָוָה] n.f. pasture, meadow
base
H4999 נָאָה pasture, meadow
4999 na'ah naw-aw'
from 4998; a home; figuratively, a pasture:--habitation,
house, pasture, pleasant place.
see HEBREW for 04998
נָוָה (na.ah) — habitation.
1) pasture, abode, abode of shepherd, habitation, meadow
1a) pasture, meadow
1b) abode
Prep | N-fp — Preposition · noun common feminine plural constructHR/Ncfpc
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…
דֶּ֫שֶׁא (deshe') refers to grass or green vegetation, derived from a root meaning 'to sprout.' It encompasses terms like tender grass and young herbs. The word is noted in various contexts, emphasizing its connection to fresh plant life.
דֶּ֫שֶׁא n.m. grass
base
H1877 דֶּ֫שֶׁא grass
1877 deshe' deh'-sheh
from 1876; a sprout; by analogy, grass:--(tender) grass,
green, (tender)herb.
see HEBREW for 01876
דֶּ֫שֶׁא (de.she) — grass.
grass, new grass, green herb, vegetation, young
Aramaic equivalent: de.te (דֶּ֫תֶא "grass" H1883)
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
gras:
(1) chatsir, from a root meaning "greenness"; compare Arabic Khudra, which includes grasses and green vegetables (1Ki 18:5; 2Ki 19:26; Job 40:15; Ps 104:14, etc.). Isa 15:6 is translated in the King James Version "have," the Revised Version (British and American) "grass"; Pr 27:25, English Versions of the Bible "hay," margin "Hebrew grass"; Nu 11:5 English Versions of the Bible translates "leeks." It is a term for herbage in general.
Grass
(1.) Heb. hatsir, ripe grass fit for mowing (1 Kings 18:5; Job 40:15; Ps. 104:14). As the herbage rapidly fades under the scorching sun, it is used as an image of the brevity of human life (Isa. 40:6, 7; Ps. 90:5). In Num. 11:5 this word is rendered “leeks.”
(2.) Heb. deshe’, green grass (Gen. 1:11, 12; Isa. 66:14; Deut. 32:2). “The sickly and forced blades of grass which spring up on the flat…
Sometimes means any green herbage, Isa 15:6, and sometimes the usual food of cattle, Ps 104:14. The quick growth of grass, its tenderness, and its rapid combustion when dry, have furnished the sacred writers with some of their most appropriate illustrations, Ps 90:5,6 92:7 103:15,16 Isa 40:6-8 51:12 Jas 1:10 1Pe 1:24. All sorts of grass and small shrubs are still used in Syria for fuel, on account of the scarcity of wood, Mt 6:28-30. Travelers in that country often see grass growing on the housetops, the roofs…
רָבַץ (rabats) is a Hebrew verb meaning to stretch out or lie down. It encompasses actions like reclining, brooding, or lurking, and can imply causing something to lie down as well. The entries indicate its use in various forms, including Qal and Hiphil, but do not provide specific verse references.
רָבַץ vb. stretch oneself out, lie down, lie stretched out
Qal lie down, lie
Hiph. cause to lie down, or lie
base
H7257 רָבַץ stretch oneself out, lie down, lie stretched out
7257 rabats raw-bats'
a primitive root; to crouch (on all four legs folded, like a
recumbent animal); be implication, to recline, repose, brood,
lurk, imbed:--crouch (down), fall down, make a fold, lay,
(cause to, make to) lie (down), make to rest, sit.
רָבַץ (ra.vats) — to stretch.
1) to stretch oneself out, lie down, lie stretched out
1a) (Qal) to lie down, lie
1b)(Hiphil) to cause to lie down
1b1) laying (stones)
V-Hiphil-Imperf-3ms | Suff — Verb hiphil imperfect third person masculine singular · suffixHVhi3ms/Sp1bs
The Hebrew word עַל (*al*) is a preposition meaning 'upon' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including 'on account of,' 'beside,' 'above,' and 'against.' It can indicate physical placement, emotional burdens, or duties imposed on a person. The entries also note its use in idiomatic expressions and with verbs of motion. There is a mention of its function as a conjunction in certain contexts.
כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as
base
עַל, עָ֑ל
subst. height
As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against
Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed
—
of clothing, etc., which any one wears
With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it
Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him
Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him
על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him
חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)
H5921a עַל, עָ֑ל . As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against . Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed . — . of clothing, etc., which any one wears
. With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it
. Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him
. Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him
. על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him
. חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)
5921 `al al
properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the
singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a
particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always
in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great
variety of applications (as follow):--above, according
to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because
of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both
and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in
(that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-)on, over, than,
through(-out), to, touching, X with.
see HEBREW for 05920
עַל (al) — upon.
prep
1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against
1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards
1b) above, beyond, over (of excess)
1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence)
1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition)
1e) over (of suspension or extension)
1f) by, adjoining, next, at, over, around (of contiguity or proximity)
1g) down upon, upon, on, from, up upon, up to, towards, over towards, to, against (with verbs of motion)
1h) to (as a dative)
[כִּי] עַל [כֵּן] ([ki] al [ken]) — as.
conj
Prep — PrepositionHR
מַי (mayim) is a Hebrew word meaning 'water' and is used in the plural form. It encompasses various meanings, including literal water, urine, and metaphorical uses related to refreshment or danger. The entries indicate it is derived from a primitive noun and is primarily referenced in contexts involving water.
[מַי] 580 n.m. only pl. מַ֫יִם waters, water
base
H4325 מַי only pl. מַ֫יִם waters, water
4325 mayim mah'-yim
dual of a primitive noun (but used in a singular sense);
water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen:--+
piss, wasting, water(-ing, (-course, -flood, -spring)).
מַי (ma.yim) — water.
1) water, waters
1a) water
1b) water of the feet, urine
1c) of danger, violence, transitory things, refreshment (fig.)
מַי (ma.yim) — Water (Gate).
This name means water, refreshment
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural constructHNcmpc
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…
מְנוּחָה (menuchah) refers to a resting place or rest, derived from the root word for repose. It encompasses meanings such as comfort, ease, and quietness, and can also imply a sense of consolation, particularly in the context of matrimony. The term is feminine and is related to other Hebrew words for rest.
מְנוּחָה, מְנֻחָה n.f. resting-place, rest
base
H4496 מְנוּחָה, מְנֻחָה resting-place, rest
4496 mnuwchah men-oo-khaw'
or mnuchah {men-oo-khaw'}; feminine of 4495; repose or
(adverbially) peacefully; figuratively, consolation
(specifically, matrimony); hence (concretely) an
abode:--comfortable, ease, quiet, rest(-ing place), still.
see HEBREW for 04495
מְנוּחָה (me.nu.chah) — Nohah.
This name means rest, resting place
Another name of ma.na.chat (מָנַ֫חַת "Manahath" H4506A)
מְנוּחָה (me.nu.chah) — resting.
1) resting place, rest
1a) resting place
1b) rest, quietness
Also means: nu.ach (נוּחַ "rest" H5118)
N-cp — Noun common · feminine plural absoluteHNcfpa
(nuach, menuchah, "cessation from motion," "peace," "quiet," etc.; anapausis, [@katapausis): "Rest" in the above sense is of frequent occurrence, and is the translation of several words with various applications and shades of meaning, chiefly of the words given above. It is applied to God as ceasing from the work of creating on the 7th day (Ge 2:2 f) ; as having His place of rest in the midst of His people in the temple (1Ch 28:2; Ps 132:8,14); as resting in His love among His people (Ze 3:17, the Revised Version margin "Hebrew, `be silent' "). The 7th day was to be one of rest (Ex 16:23; 31:15; see SABBATH); the land also was to have its rest in the 7th year (
Rest
(1.) Gr. katapausis, equivalent to the Hebrew word noah (Heb. 4:1).
(2.) Gr. anapausis, “rest from weariness” (Matt. 11:28).
(3.) Gr. anesis, “relaxation” (2 Thess. 1:7).
(4.) Gr. sabbatismos, a Sabbath rest, a rest from all work (Heb. 4:9; R.V., “sabbath”), a rest like that of God when he had finished the work of creation.
In Ac 9:31, refers to the respite from persecution enjoyed by the Christians in Palestine, after the conversion of Saul of Tarsus, during the last two years of Caligula’s short reign, A. D. 39 and 40, when the Jews were so harassed by the attempts of the emperor to force them to worship him as a god, that they forbore to afflict the followers of Christ.
נָהַל (nahal) is a Hebrew verb meaning to lead or guide, particularly to a watering place or station where one can rest. It encompasses ideas of refreshing and sustaining, as well as conducting someone gently. The word can also imply a journey by stages. There are no significant disagreements among the lexicons regarding its meanings.
[נָהַל] vb. Pi. lead, guide to a watering-place or station, and cuase to rest there; bring to a station or place of rest; lead, guide; refresh
Pi.
lead to a watering-place (or station), and cause to rest there
lead or bring to a station, a goal
lead, guide
give rest to
refresh with food
Hithp. journey by stations, stages
base
H5095 נָהַל Pi. lead, guide to a watering-place or station, and cuase to rest there; bring to a station or place of rest; lead, guide; refresh . . lead to a watering-place (or station), and cause to rest there
. lead or bring to a station, a goal
. lead, guide
. give rest to
. refresh with food
. journey by stations, stages
5095 nahal naw-hal'
a primitive root; properly, to run with a sparkle, i.e. flow;
hence (transitively), to conduct, and (by inference) to
protect, sustain:--carry, feed, guide, lead (gently, on).
נָהַל (na.hal) — to guide.
1) to lead, give rest, lead with care, guide to a watering place or station, cause to rest, bring to a station or place of rest, guide, refresh
1a) (Piel)
1a1) to lead to a watering-place or station and cause to rest there
1a2) to lead or bring to a station or goal
1a3) to lead, guide
1a4) to give rest to
1a5) to refresh (with food)
1b) (Hithpael)
1b1) to lead on
1b2) to journey by stations or stages
V-Piel-Imperf-3ms | Suff — Verb piel imperfect third person masculine singular · suffixHVpi3ms/Sp1bs