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Psalms 29:8 — Word Study

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WLCק֣וֹל יְ֭הוָה יָחִ֣יל מִדְבָּ֑ר יָחִ֥יל יְ֝הוָ֗ה מִדְבַּ֥ר קָדֵֽשׁ׃

BSAThe voiceqôwl [sound, utterance] of the LORDYᵉhôvâh [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] shakeschûwl [causes to tremble, twists] the wildernessmidbâr [desert, open field] the LORDYᵉhôvâh [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] shakeschûwl [causes to tremble, twists] the Wildernessmidbâr [desert, open field] of KadeshQâdêsh [a holy place, a city in southern Judah]

Word
Listen & take awayPsalms 29
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 8 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 (ka.Desh) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Psalms 29:8quick helps
In a sentenceThe voice of the LORD causes the wilderness to tremble.
Who is speakingThe psalmist, speaking about the power of God's voice.
Where we areIn a poetic description of God's might, particularly in nature.
The hard wordיָחִ֣יל
Take awayGod's voice has the power to shake and transform the wilderness.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectיהוה verbחיל 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 29:8

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 Power of God's Voicegenerated

7The voice of the LORD strikes with flames of fire.
8The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness; the LORD shakes the Wilderness of Kadesh.
9The voice of the LORD twists the oaks and strips the forests bare. And in His temple all cry, “Glory!”
10The LORD sits enthroned over the flood; the LORD is enthroned as King forever.

Psalm 29:8 describes the overwhelming power of the voice of the LORD, illustrating how it shakes the wilderness and specifically the Wilderness of Kadesh. This passage emphasizes God's authority over creation and His ability to cause fear and reverence among His creation. The surrounding verses further highlight the majesty of God's voice, which is depicted as striking with flames of fire and twisting the oaks, leading to a response of glory in His temple.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Psalm 18:7Then the earth shook and quaked, and the foundations of the mountains trembled; they were shaken because He burned with anger.
2Psalm 46:3though their waters roar and foam and the mountains quake in the surge. Selah
3Job 9:6He shakes the earth from its place, so that its foundations tremble.
4Isaiah 13:13Therefore I will make the heavens tremble, and the earth will be shaken from its place at the wrath of the LORD of Hosts on the day of His burning anger.
5Joel 3:16The LORD will roar from Zion and raise His voice from Jerusalem; heaven and earth will tremble. But the LORD will be a refuge for His people, a stronghold for the people of Israel.

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


The Key Word יָחִ֣יל, ya.Chilgenerated

The verb יָחִ֣יל (ya.Chil) is a Hiphil imperfect form, meaning 'to cause to tremble' or 'to twist.' It conveys a sense of powerful motion or emotional upheaval, often associated with fear or awe. This word is built from a root that suggests twisting or whirling, indicating a strong reaction to God's voice.

In this context, the use of יָחִ֣יל emphasizes the transformative impact of God's voice on the wilderness, illustrating His sovereignty and the reverberating effects of His commands.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

The translations agree on the rendering of יָחִ֣יל as 'shakes' or 'causes to tremble', reflecting the power of God's voice.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The finite verb יָחִ֣יל governs the main clause, with two phrases attached: the subject, יְ֝הוָ֗ה (Yahweh), and the object, מִדְבָּ֑ר (midbar). The structure highlights the action of God as the primary focus, showing His active role in shaking the wilderness.

The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the subject, יְ֝הוָ֗ה, at the beginning, highlighting God's authority as the one who causes the wilderness to tremble.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, the Hebrew יָחִ֣יל is rendered as συσσείοντος, which conveys a similar sense of shaking or causing to tremble. This choice reflects the translators' understanding of the powerful effect of God's voice.

The use of this Greek term shows a consistent interpretation of God's voice as having a profound impact on creation, aligning with the Hebrew meaning.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalm 29:8 tells us that the voice of the LORD is powerful enough to shake the wilderness, specifically the Wilderness of Kadesh. This verse emphasizes God's authority and the impact of His voice in nature, showing how even the wilderness responds to Him.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that the voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness?

It signifies God's immense power and authority over nature, demonstrating that even the wilderness is affected by His commands.

Why is the Wilderness of Kadesh specifically mentioned?

Kadesh is a significant location in the biblical narrative, often associated with the Israelites' journey and God's provision.

How does this verse relate to other descriptions of God's voice in the Bible?

Similar themes can be found in other passages, such as in Psalm 18:7, where God's voice is depicted as powerful and transformative.

What is the significance of God's voice in the context of worship?

God's voice calls for reverence and response, as seen in the verse where all in His temple cry 'Glory!' in response to His power.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. How do I see God's power at work in the world around me?
  2. In what ways can I respond to the voice of God in my life?
  3. What does it mean for me to recognize God's authority over creation?
  4. How can I cultivate a deeper sense of awe and reverence for God's voice?

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

Early Church Fathers commented on this psalm, drawing from it to illustrate God's power and the transformative nature of His voice.

Basil of CaesareaHOMILIES on the Psalms 13:7 (Psalms 29) c. 330–379
The thick woods, the woody souls in which, like some wild beasts, the varied passions of sins lurk, are cleared out by that word, which is “keener than any two-edged sword.”
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 29 →
JeromeBRIEF COMMENTARY ON Psalms 29 c. 347–420
The souls that were in the desert by yielding to faults are moved to words of repentance, so that leaving those faults they become the habitation of God.
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 29 →
JeromeHOMILY ON THE EPIPHANY AND Psalms 28 c. 347–420
The desert was the church that, at first, had no children. By the preaching of Christ, this wilderness “was shaken” and “came to labor and gave birth,
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 29 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 29:8 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

The voice of the Lord shaketh the wilderness,.... The ground of it, the trees in it, and the beasts that harbour there; and causes them to be in pain, and to bring forth their young, as the (g) word

Read John Gill on Psalms 29 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

The voice of the LORD shaketh the wilderness; the LORD shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh. Shaketh the wilderness.

Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 29 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

The wilderness, i.e. either the trees, or rather the beasts of the wilderness, by a metonymy, as before, . Compare this with the next verse. Kadesh; which he mentions as an eminent wilderness, vast and terrible, and well known to the Israelites, ,16, and wherein possibly they had seen and observed some such effects of thunder as are here mentioned.

Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 29 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Psalms 29:8 The voice of the LORD shaketh the wilderness; the LORD shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh.Ver. 8. The voice of the Lord shaketh the wilderness] i.e. The beasts abiding in the wildernesses; the most savage creatures, those that lie in woods, and are most fearless of men, are put to pain by thunder, and made to travail with trembling. The Lord shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh] Through which the Israelites passed into Canaan, Numbers 13:27, the beasts whereof were cruel, Deuteronomy 8:15; Deuteronomy 32:10. Animalia quantumvis horrifica (Jun.). Beza paraphraseth, et Arabum tesqua succutit, it shaketh the cottages of the Arabians.

Read John Trapp on Psalms 29 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(8) The voice of the Lord shaketh.—Literally, maketh to tremble. The allusion is, doubtless, to the effect of the storm on the sands of the desert. The tempest has moved southward over Palestine, and spends its last fury on the southern wilderness, and the poet seizes on what is one of the most striking phenomena of a storm in such a district—the whirlwind of sand. “But soon Red Sea and all were lost in a sandstorm, which lasted the whole day. Imagine all distant objects entirely lost to view, the sheets of sand fleeting along the surface of the desert like streams of water, the whole air filled, though invisibly, with a tempest of sand, driving in your face like sleet” (Stanley, Sinai and…

Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 29 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 8. The wilderness of Kadesh.] This was on the frontiers of Idumea and Paran. There may be a reference to some terrible thunder-storm and earthquake which had occurred in that place.

Read AdamClarke on Psalms 29 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

8. shaketh the wilderness] Or, maketh the wilderness tremble. Cp. Psalms 96:9; Psalms 97:4; Psalms 114:7. the Lord … the wilderness of Kadesh] Again with poetical effect emphasising and specialising the idea of the previous line. The storm sweeps down to the desert in the far south. Kadesh, famous in the history of Israel’s wanderings, was the eastern part of the desert toward the border of Edom (Numbers 20:16), though its exact position is disputed.

Read Cambridge on Psalms 29 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Shaketh the wilderness - Causes it to shake or to tremble. The word used here means properly to dance; to be whirled or twisted upon anything; to twist - as with pain - or, to writhe; and then, to tremble, to quake.

Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 29 →

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

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

Modern formal

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness; the LORD shakes the Wilderness of Kadesh.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Yahweh’s voice shakes the wilderness. Yahweh shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness; the LORD shakes the Wilderness of Kadesh.

NETBNew English Translation2006

The Lord’s shout shakes the wilderness, the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

The voice of the LORD shaketh the wilderness; the LORD shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

The voice of Jehovah shaketh the wilderness; Jehovah shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh.

RVARevised Version, American1894

The voice of the LORD shaketh the wilderness; the LORD shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

The voice of the LORD shaketh the wilderness; the LORD shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

The voice of the Lord maketh the wildernes to tremble: the Lord maketh the wildernes of Kadesh to tremble.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

The voice of Jehovah shaketh the wilderness; Jehovah shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

The voice of Jehovah paineth a wilderness, Jehovah paineth the wilderness of Kadesh.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

The voice of YHWH pains a wilderness, || YHWH pains the wilderness of Kadesh.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

The voice of the Lord shaketh the wilderness; the Lord shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

The voice of Yahweh shakes the wilderness; Yahweh shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

O Lord, in thy favour, thou gavest strength to my beauty. Thou turnedst away thy face from me, and I became troubled.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

The Lord's voice causes an earthquake in the desert; the desert of Kadesh shakes.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

At the voice of the Lord there is a shaking in the waste land, even a shaking in the waste land of Kadesh.

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.

clausenoun phrase · subjectק֣וֹלthe.voiceיְ֭הוָהof.Yahwehverbיָחִ֣ילit.causes.to.trembleobjectמִדְבָּ֑ר[the].wildernessclauseverbיָחִ֥ילhe.causes.to.tremblesubjectיְ֝הוָ֗הYahwehnoun phrase · objectמִדְבַּ֥רthe.wildernessקָדֵֽשׁof.Kadesh

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 largely agree on the wording of this verse, with seven of the eight words matching. The Septuagint's translation reflects the same themes of God's voice shaking the wilderness, maintaining the original intent of the Hebrew text.

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

ק֣וֹל יְ֭הוָה יָחִ֣יל מִדְבָּ֑ר יָחִ֥יל יְ֝הוָ֗ה מִדְבַּ֥ר קָדֵֽשׁ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
ק֣וֹלφωνὴיְ֭הוָהκυρίουיָחִ֣ילσυσσείοντοςמִדְבָּ֑רἔρημονיְ֝הוָ֗הκύριοςמִדְבַּ֥רἔρημονקָדֵֽשׁ׃καδης

7 of the 8 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

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


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

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

Psalms 29:8קוֹל[the] voice[the] voice ofקוֹליהוהYahwehYahwehיהוהחוּלit causes tit causes to trחוּלמִדְבָּר[the] wilde[the] wildernesמִדְבָּרחוּלhe causes the causes to trחוּליהוהYahwehYahwehיהוהמִדְבָּר[the] wilde[the] wildernesמִדְבָּרקָדֵשׁKadeshKadeshקָדֵשׁהָיָהto beto beהָיָהדָבַרto speak: to speak: speakדָבַרקָדֵשׁmale cult male cult prostקָדֵשׁקָדֵשׁKadesh-barKadesh-barneaקָדֵשׁצִןZinZinצִןנְאֻםutteranceutteranceנְאֻםצָבָאarmyarmyצָבָאטֶ֫רֶםbeforebeforeטֶ֫רֶםסִינַיSinaiSinaiסִינַיתְּרוּעָהshoutshoutתְּרוּעָהשֹׁפָרtrumpettrumpetשֹׁפָרמְרִיבָהMeribahMeribahמְרִיבָה
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 29:8

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] voice of Yahweh it causes to tremble [the] wilderness he causes to tremble Yahweh [the] wilderness of Kadesh
ק֣וֹלKol [the] voice of H6963 Noun common · masculine singular construct
506× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A voice or sound, it can refer to the sound of a person speaking, an animal, or a musical instrument. In the Bible, it is often used to describe God's voice or the sound of praise and worship.
Amplified meaning
sound, utterance
Tyndale gloss
voice: sound
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

קוֹל (qol) primarily means 'voice' or 'sound,' encompassing various contexts such as music, noise, and even thunder. It can also denote lightness or frivolity. The word is built from a root meaning to call aloud and appears in various forms throughout the Old Testament, including a reference in Jeremiah 3:9.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

קוֹל 506 n.m. sound, voice

base

קֹל n.[m.] lightness, frivolity;—Je 3:9

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6963a קוֹל sound, voice H6963b קֹל lightness, frivolity

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6963 qowl kole

or qol {kole}; from an unused root meaning to call aloud; a

voice or sound:--+ aloud, bleating, crackling, cry (+ out),

fame, lightness, lowing, noise, + hold peace, (pro-)claim,

proclamation, + sing, sound, + spark, thunder(-ing), voice, +

yell.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קוֹל (qol) — voice.

: voice/shout/loud

1) voice, sound, noise

1a) voice

1b) sound (of instrument)

קֹל (qol) — frivolity.

lightness, frivolity

קוֹל (qol) — voice: sound.

: sound/noise

1) voice, sound, noise

1a) voice

1b) sound (of instrument)

קוֹל (qol) — voice: thunder.

: thunder

1) voice, sound, noise

1a) voice

1b) sound (of instrument)

קוֹל (qol) — voice: message.

: message/proclaim

1) voice, sound, noise

1a) voice

1b) sound (of instrument)

קוֹל (qol) — voice: [sound of].

: [sound_of](THING)

1) voice, sound, noise

1a) voice

1b) sound (of instrument)

קוֹל (qol) — voice: listen.

: listen

1) voice, sound, noise

1a) voice

1b) sound (of instrument)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular construct
HNcmsc
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…

[the] voice of Yahweh it causes to tremble [the] wilderness he causes to tremble Yahweh [the] wilderness of Kadesh
יְ֭הוָהYah.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.
Amplified meaning
Yehovah, The covenant Name of God
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
N-proper — Noun proper
HNpt
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
[the] voice of Yahweh it causes to tremble [the] wilderness he causes to tremble Yahweh [the] wilderness of Kadesh
יָחִ֣ילya.Chil it causes to tremble H2342 Verb · Hiphil · imperfect third person masculine singular
58× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to twist or whirl, and can describe dancing, pain, or fear. It is used to convey strong emotions or physical struggles, such as childbirth or great fear.
Amplified meaning
causes to tremble, twists
Tyndale gloss
to twist: tremble
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word חוּל (chuwl) is built from a primitive root meaning to twist or whirl. It covers a range of meanings, including to dance, writhe in pain, bear children, and wait anxiously. The word can also imply strength or firmness, as noted in some entries. Various forms indicate different nuances, such as being made to writhe or suffering anguish.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חוּל [חִיל] vb. whirl, dance, writhe

Qal

dance

twist, writhe

whirl, whirl about

Po‛lel

dance

writhe in travail with, bear, bring forth (poet.)

wait anxiously

Po‛lal

be made to writhe

be brought forth

Hiph. cause to be in anguish

Hoph. be born

Hithpol.

whirling

writhing, suffering torture

wait longingly

Hithpalp. and she writhed in anxiety

base

[חול, חִיל] vb. be firm, strong

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2342a חוּל [חִיל] whirl, dance, writhe .. dance

. twist, writhe

. whirl, whirl about

.. dance

. writhe in travail with, bear, bring forth (poet.)

. wait anxiously

.. be made to writhe

. be brought forth

. cause to be in anguish

. be born

. . whirling

. writhing, suffering torture

. wait longingly

. and she writhed in anxiety

H2342b חול, חִיל br firm, strong

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2342 chuwl khool

or chiyl {kheel}; a primitive root; properly, to twist or

whirl (in a circular or spiral manner), i.e. (specifically) to

dance, to writhe in pain (especially of parturition) or fear;

figuratively, to wait, to pervert:--bear, (make to) bring

forth, (make to) calve, dance, drive away, fall grievously

(with pain), fear, form, great, grieve, (be) grievous, hope,

look, make, be in pain, be much (sore) pained, rest, shake,

shapen, (be) sorrow(-ful), stay, tarry, travail (with pain),

tremble, trust, wait carefully (patiently), be wounded.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חוּל (chul) — to twist: tremble.

: tremble/fear

1) to twist, whirl, dance, writhe, fear, tremble, travail, be in anguish, be pained

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to dance

1a2) to twist, writhe

1a3) to whirl, whirl about

1b) (Polel)

1b1) to dance

1b2) to writhe (in travail with), bear, bring forth

1b3) to wait anxiously

1c) (Pulal)

1c1) to be made to writhe, be made to bear

1c2) to be brought forth

1d) (Hophal) to be born

1e) (Hithpolel)

1e1) whirling (participle)

1e2) writhing, suffering torture (participle)

1e3) to wait longingly

1f) (Hithpalpel) to be distressed

חִיל (chil) — be firm.

to be firm, strong

חוּל (chul) — to twist: give birth.

: give_birth

1) to twist, whirl, dance, writhe, fear, tremble, travail, be in anguish, be pained

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to dance

1a2) to twist, writhe

1a3) to whirl, whirl about

1b) (Polel)

1b1) to dance

1b2) to writhe (in travail with), bear, bring forth

1b3) to wait anxiously

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Hiphil-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Hiphil · imperfect third person masculine singular
HVhi3ms
[the] voice of Yahweh it causes to tremble [the] wilderness he causes to tremble Yahweh [the] wilderness of Kadesh
מִדְבָּ֑רmid.Bar [the] wilderness H4057 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
271× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The wilderness refers to a desert or open field, like the one the Israelites wandered in after leaving Egypt. It can also mean a place of solitude or a region without many people. In the Bible, it is often associated with the journey to the Promised Land.
Amplified meaning
desert, open field
Tyndale gloss
mouth
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מִדְבָּר (midbar) primarily means 'mouth' in the sense of an organ of speech, but it also refers to 'wilderness' or 'desert.' The word is derived from a root meaning to drive, suggesting open fields for pasturing cattle. It encompasses various forms of uninhabited land and is notably used in contexts related to the wilderness, such as the Wilderness of Sinai.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[מִדְבָּר] n.m. mouth, as organ of speech, Ct 4:3

ref

מִדְבָר 270 n.m. wilderness

tracts of land, used for the pasturage of flocks and herds

uninhabited land

large tracts of such land bearing various names, in certain districts of which there might be towns and cities

fig.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4057a מִדְבָּר mouth, as organ of speech H4057b מִדְבָר wilderness

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4057 midbar mid-bawr'

from 1696 in the sense of driving; a pasture (i.e. open

field, whither cattle are driven); by implication, a desert;

also speech (including its organs):--desert, south, speech,

wilderness.

see HEBREW for 01696

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מִדְבָּר (mid.bar) — mouth.

1) mouth

1a) mouth (as organ of speech)

מִדְבָּר (mid.bar) — wilderness.

1) wilderness

1a) pasture

1b) uninhabited land, wilderness

1c) large tracts of wilderness (around cities)

1d) wilderness (fig.)

מִדְבָּר (mid.bar) — Wilderness (of Sinai).

This name means wilderness, uninhabited land

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

wil'-der-nes.

See DESERT; JUDAEA, WILDERNESS OF; WANDERINGS OF ISRAEL.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Wilderness

(1.) Heb. midhbar, denoting not a barren desert but a district or region suitable for pasturing sheep and cattle (Ps. 65:12; Isa. 42:11; Jer. 23:10; Joel 1:19; 2:22); an uncultivated place. This word is used of the wilderness of Beersheba (Gen. 21:14), on the southern border of Palestine; the wilderness of the Red Sea (Ex. 13:18); of Shur (15:22), a portion of the Sinaitic peninsula; of Sin (17:1), Sinai (Lev. 7:38), Moab (Deut. 2:8), Judah (

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

See DESERT.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Wandering of the Israelites in, see ISRAEL

→ Typical of the sinner' s state De 32:10

→ Jesus' temptation in Mt 4:1; Mr 1:12,13; Lu 4:1

→ See DESERT

[the] voice of Yahweh it causes to tremble [the] wilderness he causes to tremble Yahweh [the] wilderness of Kadesh
יָחִ֥ילya.Chil he causes to tremble H2342 Verb · Hiphil · imperfect third person masculine singular
58× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to twist or whirl, and can describe dancing, pain, or fear. It is used to convey strong emotions or physical struggles, such as childbirth or great fear.
Amplified meaning
causes to tremble, twists
Tyndale gloss
to twist: tremble
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word חוּל (chuwl) is built from a primitive root meaning to twist or whirl. It covers a range of meanings, including to dance, writhe in pain, bear children, and wait anxiously. The word can also imply strength or firmness, as noted in some entries. Various forms indicate different nuances, such as being made to writhe or suffering anguish.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חוּל [חִיל] vb. whirl, dance, writhe

Qal

dance

twist, writhe

whirl, whirl about

Po‛lel

dance

writhe in travail with, bear, bring forth (poet.)

wait anxiously

Po‛lal

be made to writhe

be brought forth

Hiph. cause to be in anguish

Hoph. be born

Hithpol.

whirling

writhing, suffering torture

wait longingly

Hithpalp. and she writhed in anxiety

base

[חול, חִיל] vb. be firm, strong

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2342a חוּל [חִיל] whirl, dance, writhe .. dance

. twist, writhe

. whirl, whirl about

.. dance

. writhe in travail with, bear, bring forth (poet.)

. wait anxiously

.. be made to writhe

. be brought forth

. cause to be in anguish

. be born

. . whirling

. writhing, suffering torture

. wait longingly

. and she writhed in anxiety

H2342b חול, חִיל br firm, strong

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2342 chuwl khool

or chiyl {kheel}; a primitive root; properly, to twist or

whirl (in a circular or spiral manner), i.e. (specifically) to

dance, to writhe in pain (especially of parturition) or fear;

figuratively, to wait, to pervert:--bear, (make to) bring

forth, (make to) calve, dance, drive away, fall grievously

(with pain), fear, form, great, grieve, (be) grievous, hope,

look, make, be in pain, be much (sore) pained, rest, shake,

shapen, (be) sorrow(-ful), stay, tarry, travail (with pain),

tremble, trust, wait carefully (patiently), be wounded.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חוּל (chul) — to twist: tremble.

: tremble/fear

1) to twist, whirl, dance, writhe, fear, tremble, travail, be in anguish, be pained

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to dance

1a2) to twist, writhe

1a3) to whirl, whirl about

1b) (Polel)

1b1) to dance

1b2) to writhe (in travail with), bear, bring forth

1b3) to wait anxiously

1c) (Pulal)

1c1) to be made to writhe, be made to bear

1c2) to be brought forth

1d) (Hophal) to be born

1e) (Hithpolel)

1e1) whirling (participle)

1e2) writhing, suffering torture (participle)

1e3) to wait longingly

1f) (Hithpalpel) to be distressed

חִיל (chil) — be firm.

to be firm, strong

חוּל (chul) — to twist: give birth.

: give_birth

1) to twist, whirl, dance, writhe, fear, tremble, travail, be in anguish, be pained

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to dance

1a2) to twist, writhe

1a3) to whirl, whirl about

1b) (Polel)

1b1) to dance

1b2) to writhe (in travail with), bear, bring forth

1b3) to wait anxiously

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Hiphil-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Hiphil · imperfect third person masculine singular
HVhi3ms
[the] voice of Yahweh it causes to tremble [the] wilderness he causes to tremble Yahweh [the] wilderness of Kadesh
יְ֝הוָ֗הYah.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.
Amplified meaning
Yehovah, The covenant Name of God
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
N-proper — Noun proper
HNpt
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
[the] voice of Yahweh it causes to tremble [the] wilderness he causes to tremble Yahweh [the] wilderness of Kadesh
מִדְבַּ֥רmid.Bar [the] wilderness of H4057 Noun common · masculine singular construct
271× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The wilderness refers to a desert or open field, like the one the Israelites wandered in after leaving Egypt. It can also mean a place of solitude or a region without many people. In the Bible, it is often associated with the journey to the Promised Land.
Amplified meaning
desert, open field
Tyndale gloss
mouth
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מִדְבָּר (midbar) primarily means 'mouth' in the sense of an organ of speech, but it also refers to 'wilderness' or 'desert.' The word is derived from a root meaning to drive, suggesting open fields for pasturing cattle. It encompasses various forms of uninhabited land and is notably used in contexts related to the wilderness, such as the Wilderness of Sinai.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[מִדְבָּר] n.m. mouth, as organ of speech, Ct 4:3

ref

מִדְבָר 270 n.m. wilderness

tracts of land, used for the pasturage of flocks and herds

uninhabited land

large tracts of such land bearing various names, in certain districts of which there might be towns and cities

fig.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4057a מִדְבָּר mouth, as organ of speech H4057b מִדְבָר wilderness

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4057 midbar mid-bawr'

from 1696 in the sense of driving; a pasture (i.e. open

field, whither cattle are driven); by implication, a desert;

also speech (including its organs):--desert, south, speech,

wilderness.

see HEBREW for 01696

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מִדְבָּר (mid.bar) — mouth.

1) mouth

1a) mouth (as organ of speech)

מִדְבָּר (mid.bar) — wilderness.

1) wilderness

1a) pasture

1b) uninhabited land, wilderness

1c) large tracts of wilderness (around cities)

1d) wilderness (fig.)

מִדְבָּר (mid.bar) — Wilderness (of Sinai).

This name means wilderness, uninhabited land

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular construct
HNcmsc
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…

[the] voice of Yahweh it causes to tremble [the] wilderness he causes to tremble Yahweh [the] wilderness of Kadesh
קָדֵֽשׁ׃ka.Desh Kadesh H6946 Noun proper
18× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Kadesh refers to a holy place in the desert, mentioned in the Bible as a city in southern Judah. It is also known as Kedesh and Kadesh-barnea. The name means 'holy' and is associated with the Israelites' journey in the wilderness.
Amplified meaning
a holy place, a city in southern Judah
Tyndale gloss
Kadesh
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

קָדֵשׁ (Qadesh) refers to a sanctuary or a holy place, specifically a city located in the southern region of Judah. It is identified with Kadesh-barnea and is noted for its sacred significance. The entries highlight its connection to the concept of holiness and its geographical importance, but do not present any significant disagreements among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

קָדֵשׁ n.pr.loc. (sacred)

in S. of Judah = ק׳ בַּרְנֵעַ

Hittite capital on the Orontes, N. of Damascus, towards Hamath

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6946 קָדֵשׁ (sanctuary)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6946 Qadesh kaw-dashe'

the same as 6945; sanctuary; Kadesh, a place in the

Desert:--Kadesh. Compare 6947.

see HEBREW for 06945

see HEBREW for 06947

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קָדֵשׁ (qa.desh) — Kadesh.

§ Kadesh = "holy"

a city in the extreme south of Judah

same as 'Kedesh' and 'Kadesh-barnea'

קָדֵשׁ (qa.desh) — (Meribath)-kadesh.

Combined with me.ri.vah (מְרִיבָה "Meribah" H4809H)

§ Kadesh = "holy"

a city in the extreme south of Judah

same as 'Kedesh' and 'Kadesh-barnea'

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper
HNpl
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

See KADESH-BARNEA.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Kadesh

The sacred city of the Hittites, on the left bank of the Orontes, about 4 miles south of the Lake of Homs. It is identified with the great mound Tell Neby Mendeh, some 50 to 100 feet high, and 400 yards long. On the ruins of the temple of Karnak, in Egypt, has been found an inscription recording the capture of this city by Rameses II. (See PHARAOH.) Here the sculptor “has chiselled in deep work on the stone, with a bold execution of the several parts, the procession of the warriors, the battle before Kadesh, the storming of the fortress, the overthrow of the enemy, and the camp life of the Egyptians.” (See HITTITES.)

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

holiness

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Also called KADESH-BARNEA

→ A city on the southern boundary of Palestine Jos 15:3

→ Struck down by Chedorlaomer Ge 14:7

→ Abraham lives beside the wells nearby Ge 20:1; with 14:7; 16:14

→ Israel encamps at Nu 12:16; 13:26; 20:1; 33:36

→ Canaanites defeated at Jos 10:41

Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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