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Psalms 37:27 — Word Study

Depth

WLCס֣וּר מֵ֭רָע וַעֲשֵׂה־ ט֗וֹב וּשְׁכֹ֥ן לְעוֹלָֽם׃

BSATurn awayçûwr [depart, flee] from evilraʻ [bad, morally wrong] and doʻâsâh [make, perform] goodṭôwb [pleasant, beneficial] so that you will abideshâkan [dwell, live securely] foreverʻôwlâm [always, to the age]

Word
Listen & take awayPsalms 37
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 27 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 (le.'o.Lam) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Psalms 37:27quick helps
In a sentenceThe psalmist instructs to turn away from evil and to do good, promising eternal security.
Who is speakingThe psalmist, addressing the audience directly.
Where we areThis verse is part of a wisdom psalm that contrasts the fate of the righteous and the wicked.
The hard wordס֣וּר
Take awayTurning away from evil leads to a secure and lasting life.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbסוּר 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 37:27

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 — Instructions for the Righteousgenerated

26They are ever generous and quick to lend, and their children are a blessing.
27Turn away from evil and do good, so that you will abide forever.
28For the LORD loves justice and will not forsake His saints. They are preserved forever, but the offspring of the wicked will be cut off.
29The righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever.

Psalm 37:27 advises the faithful to turn away from evil and engage in good deeds, assuring them of lasting security. This verse is nestled within a broader reflection on the contrasting outcomes for the righteous and the wicked, emphasizing God's justice and care for His people, as seen in the surrounding verses.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Psalm 34:14Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.
2Job 28:28And He said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”
3Proverbs 16:6–17By loving devotion and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the LORD one turns aside from evil.
4Isaiah 1:16–17Wash and cleanse yourselves. Remove your evil deeds from My sight. Stop doing evil!
52 Timothy 2:19Nevertheless, God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord must turn away from iniquity.”

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 10 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word סוּר, surgenerated

The verb סוּר (sur) means to turn aside or depart. It encompasses actions such as removing oneself from something undesirable, often in a moral or ethical context. The imperative form here commands a decisive action against evil, indicating a conscious choice to avoid wrongdoing.

This verb appears frequently in the Hebrew Bible, often in contexts where individuals are called to reject sin or harmful behavior. The parsing as a second person masculine singular imperative indicates direct instruction, urging the listener to take immediate action.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

Translations of this verse largely agree in their rendering of the key phrases.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The structure of the verse revolves around two main verbs: סוּר (sur, turn away) and עֲשֵׂה (asah, do), with their respective objects following. The commands are clear and direct, emphasizing actions that lead to a desired outcome.

The verse's flow suggests a cause-and-effect relationship: turning away from evil and doing good leads to dwelling securely forever, which is articulated in a straightforward manner.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, סוּר is rendered as ἔκκλινον (ekklinon), which also means to turn aside or depart. This choice reflects a similar emphasis on the act of moving away from wrongdoing.

The use of this Greek term aligns with the moral imperative found in the Hebrew, maintaining the focus on ethical behavior.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalm 37:27 tells us to turn away from evil and to do good, promising that those who do so will dwell securely forever. This verse emphasizes the importance of making righteous choices and the assurance of God's protection for the faithful.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean to turn away from evil?

Turning away from evil means consciously choosing to avoid actions or behaviors that are morally wrong or harmful.

How can doing good affect my life?

Doing good can lead to positive outcomes, including a sense of fulfillment, community support, and, as this verse states, a promise of lasting security.

What is the significance of dwelling forever?

Dwelling forever signifies a state of security and peace, often understood as God's blessing on the righteous.

Why is it important to follow these instructions?

Following these instructions is crucial because they align with God's will and lead to a life that is pleasing to Him, as well as beneficial for oneself and others.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What are some specific actions I can take to turn away from evil in my daily life?
  2. How can I actively seek opportunities to do good in my community?
  3. In what ways do I experience God's presence and security in my life?
  4. How does this verse challenge me to reflect on my choices and their consequences?

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

Early Christian writers reference this verse to emphasize the importance of moral living and God's justice, as seen in quotations from Ambrose, Augustine, and the Desert Fathers.

Ambrose of MilanVerses 27, 28, 29. c. 339–397
Turn away from evil and do good; and dwell forever. For the Lord loves justice, and will not forsake his saints: they will be preserved forever. But the wicked will be punished, and the seed of the wicked will perish.
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 37 →
Augustine of HippoExposition on Psalms 37 354–430
Observe therefore what follows, and be not slothful. "Depart from evil, and do good" [Psalms 37:27].
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 37 →
Desert FathersThe Desert Fathers, Sayings of the Early Christian Monks 4th–5th c.
One of the hermits said, ‘Unless you first hate, you cannot love. Unless you hate sin, you cannot live sinlessly. As it is written, “Depart from evil and do good” (Ps. 37:27). But perseverance is needed for this.
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 37 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 37:27 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Depart from evil, and do good,.... Depart from evildoers, and their evil ways; join not with them, nor fret and be envious at them; but do acts of beneficence, and all good works; since righteous

Read John Gill on Psalms 37 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore. Depart ... for evermore - i:e, and so shalt thou dwell for evermore. A promise similar to Psalms 37:3; Psalms 37:11.

Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 37 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Having therefore these glorious promises and privileges, let no man do any evil or unjust thing to enrich or secure himself, nor abstain from pious and charitable actions for fear of undoing himself by them; but let every man live in the conscionable discharge of all his duties to God and men, committing himself and all his affairs to God’ s fatherly care and providence, and confidently expecting his blessing thereupon. Dwell, i.e. thou shalt dwell, as before, , to wit, in the land, as is expressed, , and afterwards in heaven. For evermore; either properly; or for a long time, of which that word is oft used.

Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 37 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Psalms 37:27 Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore.Ver. 27. Depart from evil, and do good] See Psalms 34:14. And dwell for evermore] Sine indigentia, saith Kimchi, without such indigency and poverty as may drive thee abroad, and make thee beg thy bread. Universal righteousness secureth a man from such straits.

Read John Trapp on Psalms 37 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 27. Depart from evil, and do good] Seeing the above is so, depart from all evil-avoid all sin; and let not this be sufficient, do good. The grace of God ever gives this two-fold power to all who receive it; strength to overcome evil, and strength to do that which is right. Dwell for evermore.] Be for ever an inhabitant of God's house. This may be also a promise of return to their own land, and of permanent residence there. See Psalms 37:9; Psalms 37:11, &c.

Read AdamClarke on Psalms 37 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

27. Once more the teacher addresses his disciple, as in Psalms 37:3 ff. The first line is identical with Psalms 34:14 a (see note): the second line is virtually a promise, and might be rendered so shall thou dwell &c. But as Delitzsch observes, the imperative retains its force in constructions of this type, as an exhortation to participate in the blessing by the fulfilment of the duty. Peaceable occupation of the land by successive generations is meant (cp. Psalms 37:29). The individual lives on in his descendants. 28 a. Cp. Psalms 33:5. For saints see note on Psalms 4:3. 28 c, d, 29. Stanza of Ayin. The verses are wrongly divided. It is evident from the regular structure of the Psalm that…

Read Cambridge on Psalms 37 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Depart from evil, and do good - This is the sum of all that is said in the psalm; the great lesson inculcated and enforced by all these references to the effects of good and evil conduct.

Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 37 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

27, 28. Dwell for evermore—In Psalms 37:27-29 the reward of the righteous is three times set forth by two of the strongest words in the Hebrew language to express endless duration.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Psalms 37 →

The verse in English, compared — 16 translations, and where they part company

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

Modern formal

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

Turn away from evil and do good, so that you will abide forever.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Depart from evil, and do good. Live securely forever.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Turn away from evil and do good, so that you will abide forever.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Turn away from evil! Do what is right! Then you will enjoy lasting security.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Depart from evil, and do good; And dwell for evermore.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Depart from evil, and do good; dwell for evermore.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Flee from euill and doe good, and dwell for euer.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Depart from evil, and do good, and dwell for evermore;

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Turn aside from evil, and do good, and dwell to the age.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Turn aside from evil, and do good, and dwell for all time.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Turn away from evil and do what is right; then you will be safe forever.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Reject evil, do what is good, and you will live forever in the land.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Be turned from evil, and do good; and your place will be for ever.

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.

clauseverbס֣וּרturn.awayprepositional phrase · prepositionalמֵ֭fromרָעevilוַandclauseverbעֲשֵׂהdoobjectט֗וֹבgoodוּandclauseverbשְׁכֹ֥ןdwellprepositional phrase · prepositionalלְforeverעוֹלָֽםof.perpetuity

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 on the wording of this verse, with all six Hebrew words matched in the Greek translation. This consistency indicates a shared understanding of the text's meaning across these traditions.

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

ס֣וּר מֵ֭רָע וַעֲשֵׂה־ ט֗וֹב וּשְׁכֹ֥ן לְעוֹלָֽם׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
ס֣וּרἔκκλινονמֵ֭רָעκακοῦוַעֲשֵׂה־ποίησονט֗וֹבἀγαθὸνוּשְׁכֹ֥ןκατασκήνουלְעוֹלָֽם׃αἰῶνα

6 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.

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 37:27סוּרturn awayturn awayסוּררַעfrom evilfrom evilרַעעָשָׂהand doand doעָשָׂהטוֹבgoodgoodטוֹבשָׁכַןand dwelland dwellשָׁכַןעוֹלָםfor everfor everעוֹלָםרָעַעbe evilbe evilרָעַעטוֹבbe pleasinbe pleasingטוֹבעָלַםto concealto concealעָלַםסִכְלוּתfollyfollyסִכְלוּתשָׁכַםto riseto riseשָׁכַםשְׂמֹאלleftleftשְׂמֹאלבָּמָהhigh placehigh placeבָּמָהמַעֲלָלdeeddeedמַעֲלָלנחםto be sorrto be sorry: coנחםמְלָאכָהworkworkמְלָאכָהתּוֹעֵבַהabominatioabominationתּוֹעֵבַהיָשָׁרJasharJasharיָשָׁרמַרְאֶהappearanceappearanceמַרְאֶהבֶּ֫טַחsecuritysecurityבֶּ֫טַחבָּחַרto chooseto chooseבָּחַרעַדperpetuityperpetuityעַדדּוֹרgenerationgenerationדּוֹר
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 37:27

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.

turn away from evil and do good and dwell for ever
ס֣וּרsur turn away H5493 Verb · Qal · imperative second person masculine singular
300× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To turn aside or remove is the meaning of this verb, used in various forms throughout the Bible. It can mean to depart, avoid, or put something away, and is often used in the context of turning away from sin or wrongdoing, as seen in the actions of prophets and leaders in the Old Testament.
Amplified meaning
depart, flee
Tyndale gloss
to turn aside: remove
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

סוּר (sur) is a Hebrew verb meaning to turn aside or depart. It encompasses a range of actions including removal, avoidance, and coming to an end. The word can be used in various forms, such as causing something to turn aside or be taken away. It appears in contexts involving both literal and figurative departures.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

סוּר and [שׂוּר] 300 vb. turn aside

Qal

turn aside, out of one's course

depart

of lifeless things = be removed

= come to an end

Pô‛lēl he turned aside my ways (my steps)

Hiph.

cause to (turn aside,) depart, common word for remove, take away

rarer uses

Pô‛lēl be taken away, removed

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5493 סוּר, שׂוּר turn aside .. turn aside, out of one's course

. depart

. of lifeless things = be removed

. = come to an end

.he turned aside my ways (my steps)

. . cause to (turn aside,) depart, common word for remove, take away

. rarer uses

.be taken away, removed

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5493 cuwr soor

or suwr (Hosea 9:12) {soor}; a primitive root; to turn off

(literal or figurative):--be(-head), bring, call back,

decline, depart, eschew, get (you), go (aside), X grievous,

lay away (by), leave undone, be past, pluck away, put (away,

down), rebel, remove (to and fro), revolt, X be sour, take

(away, off), turn (aside, away, in), withdraw, be without.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

סוּר (sur) — to turn aside: remove.

: remove

1) to turn aside, depart

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to turn aside, turn in unto

1a2) to depart, depart from way, avoid

1a3) to be removed

1a4) to come to an end

1b) (Polel) to turn aside

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to cause to turn aside, cause to depart, remove, take away, put away, depose

1c2) to put aside, leave undone, retract, reject, abolish

1d) (Hophal) to be taken away, be removed

סוּר (sur) — to turn aside: depart.

: depart

1) to turn aside, depart

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to turn aside, turn in unto

1a2) to depart, depart from way, avoid

1a3) to be removed

1a4) to come to an end

1b) (Polel) to turn aside

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to cause to turn aside, cause to depart, remove, take away, put away, depose

1c2) to put aside, leave undone, retract, reject, abolish

1d) (Hophal) to be taken away, be removed

סוּר (sur) — to turn aside: turn aside.

: turn_aside/deflect

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Impv-2ms — Verb · Qal · imperative second person masculine singular
HVqv2ms
turn away from evil and do good and dwell for ever
מֵ֭רָעMe.ro' from evil H7451 Preposition
662× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Ra means bad or evil, referring to moral or natural harm. It describes adversity, affliction, or distress, and is often used to convey a sense of misery or injury.
Amplified meaning
bad, morally wrong
Tyndale gloss
bad: harmful
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רַע (ra) is a Hebrew word meaning bad or evil, encompassing a range of negative qualities such as distress, misery, and ethical wrongdoing. It can describe unpleasantness, harm, or low value, and is used in various contexts, including emotional states and moral judgments. The entries also note its comparative form, indicating worse than or worst. The word has feminine forms, such as רָעָה (ra.ah), which similarly convey concepts of evil and distress.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רַע 228 adj. bad, evil

bad, disagreeable, malignant

bad, unpleasant, giving pain, unhappiness, misery

evil, displeasing

bad of its kind

bad, , i.e. of low value

מִן comp., worse than

sad, unhappy

devise evil (hurtful) device

bad, unkind, vicious in disposition or temper

ethically bad, evil, wicked

base

רַע 126 n.m. evil, distress, misery, injury, calamity

evil, distress, adversity

evil, injury, wrong

ethical evil

base

רָעָה 310 n.f. evil, misery, distress, injury

evil, misery, distress

evil, injury, wrong

ethical evil

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7451a רַע bad, evil . bad, disagreeable, malignant

. bad, unpleasant, giving pain, unhappiness, misery

. evil, displeasing

. bad of its kind

. bad, , i.e. of low value

. + מִן comp., worse than

. sad, unhappy

. devise evil (hurtful) device

. bad, unkind, vicious in disposition or temper

. ethically bad, evil, wicked

H7451b רַע evil, distress, misery, injury, calamity . evil, distress, adversity

. evil, injury, wrong

. ethical evil

H7451c רָעָה evil, misery, distress, injury . evil, misery, distress

. evil, injury, wrong

. ethical evil

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7451 ra` rah

from 7489; bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral):--

adversity, affliction, bad, calamity, + displease(-ure),

distress, evil((- favouredness), man, thing), + exceedingly, X

great, grief(-vous), harm, heavy, hurt(-ful), ill (favoured),

+ mark, mischief(-vous), misery, naught(-ty), noisome, + not

please, sad(-ly), sore, sorrow, trouble, vex,

wicked(-ly, -ness, one), worse(-st), wretchedness, wrong.

(Incl. feminine raaah; as adjective or noun.).

see HEBREW for 07489

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רַע (ra) — bad: harmful.

: harmful

adj

1) bad, evil

1a) bad, disagreeable, malignant

1b) bad, unpleasant, evil (giving pain, unhappiness, misery)

1c) evil, displeasing

1d) bad (of its kind-land, water, etc)

1e) bad (of value)

1f) worse than, worst (comparison)

1g) sad, unhappy

1h) evil (hurtful)

1i) bad, unkind (vicious in disposition)

1j) bad, evil, wicked (ethically)

1j1) in general, of persons, of thoughts

1j2) deeds, actions

רַע (ra) — bad: evil.

1) evil, distress, misery, injury, calamity

1a) evil, distress, adversity

1b) evil, injury, wrong

1c) evil (ethical)

רָעָה (ra.ah) — distress: harm.

: harm

1) evil, misery, distress, injury

1a) evil, misery, distress

1b) evil, injury, wrong

1c) evil (ethical)

רַע (ra) — bad: evil.

: evil

adj

1) bad, evil

1a) bad, disagreeable, malignant

1b) bad, unpleasant, evil (giving pain, unhappiness, misery)

1c) evil, displeasing

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | Adj — Preposition
HR/Aamsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ev'-'-l, e'-vil ra`; poneros, @kakos, @kakon:

In the Bible it is represented as moral and physical. We choose to discuss the subject under these heads. Many of the evils that come upon men have not been intended by those who suffer for them. Disease, individual and national calamity, drought, scarcity of food, may not always be charged to the account of intentional wrong. Many times the innocent suffer with, and even for, the guilty. In such cases, only physical evil is apparent. Even when the suffering has been occasioned by sin or dereliction of duty, whether the wrong is active or passive, many, perhaps the majority of those who are injured, are not accountable in any way for the ills which come upon them. Neither is God the author of moral evil. "God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempteth no man" (Jas 1:13).

Nave's Topical Bible

→ APPEARANCE OF, TO BE AVOIDED Ro 14:1-23; 1Co 8:7-13; 10:28-33; 1Th 4:11,12; 5:22

→ INSTANCES OF

Paul, in refusing to eat what had been offered to idols 1Co 8:13

In supporting himself 1Co 9:7-23

turn away from evil and do good and dwell for ever
וַעֲשֵׂה־va.'a.seh- and do H6213 Conjunction · verb qal imperative second person masculine singular
2,629× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to make or do something, and is used over 2,600 times in the Bible. It is first used in Genesis 1:7 to describe God's creation of the world and is also used in Exodus 31:5 to describe the work of skilled craftsmen.
Amplified meaning
make, perform
Tyndale gloss
to make
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עָשָׂה (asah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to do or make, encompassing a wide range of actions such as producing, preparing, and observing. It can refer to both concrete and abstract activities, including making offerings and attending to tasks. The verb also has forms indicating passive meanings, such as being made or offered. Notably, the Piel form refers to pressing or squeezing.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עָשָׂה 2622 vb. do, make

Qal 2524

do (1560 t.)

deal with

oft. in phr. do kindness with

abs. act, act with effect

make (670 t.)

produce, yield

prepare, esp. of dressing and cooking food

make offering

attend to, put in order

observe, celebrate, religious festival

acquire property of various kinds

appoint priests

bring about of י׳’s effecting a deliverance

use

spend, pass, days of life

Niph.

97be done

be made, of concr. things

be produced from vine

be prepared, of food

be offered

be observed, passover

be used

Pu. I was made

base

[עָשָׂה] vb. Pi. press, squeeze

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6213a עָשָׂה do, make .. . do (1560 + t.)

. deal with

. oft. in phr. do kindness with

. abs. act, act with effect

. . make (670 + t.)

. produce, yield

. prepare, esp. of dressing and cooking food

. make offering

. attend to, put in order

. observe, celebrate, religious festival

. acquire property of various kinds

. appoint priests

. bring about of י׳’s effecting a deliverance

. use

. spend, pass, days of life

. . be done

. . be made, of concr. things

. be produced from vine

. be prepared, of food

. be offered

. be observed, passover

. be used

. I was made

H6213b עָשָׂה Pi. press, squeeze

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6213 `asah aw-saw'

a primitive root; to do or make, in the broadest sense and

widest application (as follows):--accomplish, advance,

appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth,

bruise, be busy, X certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal

(with), deck, + displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in)

execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, + feast, (fight-)ing man, +

finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go

about, govern, grant, great, + hinder, hold ((a feast)), X

indeed, + be industrious, + journey, keep, labour, maintain,

make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, + officer, pare,

bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure,

provide, put, requite, X sacrifice, serve, set, shew, X sin,

spend, X surely, take, X thoroughly, trim, X very, + vex, be

(warr-)ior, work(-man), yield, use.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עָשָׂה (a.sah) — to make: do.

: do/perform

1) to do, fashion, accomplish, make

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to do, work, make, produce

1a1a) to do

1a1b) to work

1a1c) to deal (with)

1a1d) to act, act with effect, effect

1a2) to make

1a2a) to make

1a2b) to produce

1a2c) to prepare

1a2d) to make (an offering)

1a2e) to attend to, put in order

1a2f) to observe, celebrate

1a2g) to acquire (property)

1a2h) to appoint, ordain, institute

1a2i) to bring about

1a2j) to use

1a2k) to spend, pass

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be done

1b2) to be made

1b3) to be produced

1b4) to be offered

1b5) to be observed

1b6) to be used

1c) (Pual) to be made

עָשָׂה (a.sah) — to press.

(Piel) to press, squeeze

עָשָׂה (a.sah) — to make.

: make(OBJECT)

1) to do, fashion, accomplish, make

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to do, work, make, produce

1a1a) to do

1a1b) to work

1a1c) to deal (with)

1a1d) to act, act with effect, effect

1a2) to make

1a2a) to make

1a2b) to produce

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-Impv-2ms — Conjunction · verb qal imperative second person masculine singular
HC/Vqv2ms
turn away from evil and do good and dwell for ever
ט֗וֹבTov good H2896 Adj
538× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means good or welfare, describing something that is beneficial or pleasing, like a good deed or a happy time. It is used in many contexts, including Genesis and Psalms. This word is often translated as 'good' or 'beautiful'.
Amplified meaning
pleasant, beneficial
Tyndale gloss
pleasant
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

טוֹב (tov) is a Hebrew word meaning good or pleasant, encompassing a wide range of meanings from agreeable to the senses to ethical goodness. It can function as an adjective, noun, or adverb, referring to things like welfare, happiness, and prosperity. The feminine form, טוֹבָה (tovah), specifically denotes welfare or good things.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

טוֹב adj. pleasant, agreeable, good

pleasant, agreeable to the senses

pleasant to the higher nature, giving pleasure, happiness, prosperity, and so agreeable, pleasing, well

good, excellent, of its kind

good, rich, valuable in estimation

good, appropriate, becoming

c. מִן compar. = better

of man's sensuous nature, glad, happy, prosperous

of man's intellectual nature, good understanding

good, kind, benign

good (ethical), right

base

טוֹב n.m. a good thing, benefit, welfare

welfare, prosperity, happiness

good things

good = benefit

moral good

base

טוֹבָה n.f. welfare, benefit, good things, good

welfare, prosperity, happiness

good things

bounty, good

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2896a טוֹב pleasant, agreeable, good . pleasant, agreeable to the senses

. pleasant to the higher nature, giving pleasure, happiness, prosperity, and so agreeable, pleasing, well

. good, excellent, of its kind

. good, rich, valuable in estimation

. good, appropriate, becoming

. c. מִן compar. =better

. of man's sensuous nature, glad, happy, prosperous

. of man's intellectual nature, good understanding

. good, kind, benign

. good (ethical), right

H2896b טוֹב a good thing, benefit, welfare H2896c טוֹבָה welfare, benefit, good things, good

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2896 towb tobe

from 2895; good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used

likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine,

the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing, a

good man or woman; the good, goods or good things, good men or

women), also as an adverb (well):--beautiful, best, better,

bountiful, cheerful, at ease, X fair (word), (be in) favour,

fine, glad, good (deed, -lier, -liest, -ly, -ness, -s),

graciously, joyful, kindly, kindness, liketh (best), loving,

merry, X most, pleasant, + pleaseth, pleasure, precious,

prosperity, ready, sweet, wealth, welfare, (be) well

((-favoured)).

see HEBREW for 02895

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

טוֹב (tov) — pleasant.

adj

1) good, pleasant, agreeable

1a) pleasant, agreeable (to the senses)

1b) pleasant (to the higher nature)

1c) good, excellent (of its kind)

1d) good, rich, valuable in estimation

1e) good, appropriate, becoming

1f) better (comparative)

1g) glad, happy, prosperous (of man's sensuous nature)

1h) good understanding (of man's intellectual nature)

1i) good, kind, benign

1j) good, right (ethical)

Aramaic equivalent: tav (טָב "fine" H2869)

טוֹב (tov) — good.

1) a good thing, benefit, welfare

1a) welfare, prosperity, happiness

1b) good things (collective)

1c) good, benefit

1d) moral good

טוֹבָה (to.vah) — welfare.

1) welfare, benefit, good things

1a) welfare, prosperity, happiness

1b) good things (collective)

1c) bounty

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Adj
HAamsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

good (Tobh, Tubh, yaTabh; agathos, agathon, kalos, kalon): In English "good" is used in various senses, most of which are represented in the Bible.

(1) In the Old Testament the commonest word is Tobh, occurring very frequently and translated in a great variety of ways. Of the different shades of meaning, which frequently run into each other, the following may be distinguished:

(a) Possessing desirable qualities, beneficial, agreeable, e.g. "good for food" (Ge 2:9); "We will do thee good" (Nu 10:29); Who will show us any good?" (Ps 4:6); "good tidings of good" (Isa 52:7).

turn away from evil and do good and dwell for ever
וּשְׁכֹ֥ןu.she.Khon and dwell H7931 Conjunction · verb qal imperative second person masculine singular
129× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to live or stay in a place, like when God dwells among his people. It appears in books like Exodus and Psalms, describing God's presence. It's about making a home or resting place.
Amplified meaning
dwell, live securely
Tyndale gloss
to dwell
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׁכַן (shakan) is a Hebrew verb meaning to settle down, abide, or dwell. It encompasses various forms of residing, both literally and figuratively, and includes nuances of establishing or causing to dwell. The entries indicate its use in different grammatical forms, such as Qal, Piel, and Hiphil, which express actions related to dwelling and establishing habitation.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁכַן, שָׁכֵ֑ן 129 vb. settle down, abide, dwell

Qal

settle down to abide

abide, dwell

Pi.

make settle down, establish

make to dwell

Hiph.

lay

cause birds to settle

cause to dwell

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7931 שָׁכַן, שָׁכֵ֑ן settle down, abide, dwell

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7931 shakan shaw-kan'

a primitive root (apparently akin (by transmission) to 7901

through the idea of lodging; compare 5531, 7925); to reside or

permanently stay (literally or figuratively):--abide,

continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-er), have habitation,

inhabit, lay, place, (cause to) remain, rest, set (up).

see HEBREW for 05531

see HEBREW for 07925

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁכַן (sha.khan) — to dwell.

1) to settle down, abide, dwell, tabernacle, reside

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to settle down to abide

1a2) to abide, dwell, reside

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to make settle down, establish

1b2) to make or cause to dwell

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to lay, place, set, establish, settle, fix

1c2) to cause to dwell or abide

Aramaic equivalent: she.khan (שְׁכֵן "to dwell" H7932)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-Impv-2ms — Conjunction · verb qal imperative second person masculine singular
HC/Vqv2ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

dwel:

(1) In the Old Testament "dwell" is a translation of 9 words, of which by far the most frequent is yashabh, "to sit down," translated "dwell" over 400 times (Ge 4:20; Jos 20:4; 1Ch 17:1,4,5, etc.); also very frequently "sit," and sometimes "abide," "inhabit," "remain." Another word often rendered "dwell" is shakhan or shakhen ("to settle down"), from which is derived the rabbinic word shekhinah (literally, "that which dwells"), the light on the mercy-seat which symbolized the Divine presence (Ex 25:8, etc.). In order to avoid appearing to localize the Divine Being, wherever God is said to "dwell" in a place, the Targum renders that He "causes His Shekinah to dwell"…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Dwell

Tents were in primitive times the common dwellings of men. Houses were afterwards built, the walls of which were frequently of mud (Job 24:16; Matt. 6:19, 20) or of sun-dried bricks.

God “dwells in light” (1 Tim. 6:16; 1 John 1:7), in heaven (Ps. 123:1), in his church (Ps. 9:11; 1 John 4:12). Christ dwelt on earth in the days of his humiliation (John 1:14). He now dwells in the hearts of his people (Eph.…

turn away from evil and do good and dwell for ever
לְעוֹלָֽם׃le.'o.Lam for ever H5769 Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
438× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means forever or always, describing something that lasts an eternity. It is used in the Bible to describe God's eternal nature and his lasting promises.
Amplified meaning
always, to the age
Tyndale gloss
forever: antiquity
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עוֹלָם (owlam) refers to concepts of long duration, antiquity, and futurity, encompassing meanings like eternity and perpetual existence. It is derived from a root meaning 'concealed' or 'the vanishing point.' The term is used to describe both ancient times and an indefinite future, indicating continuity and everlastingness.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עוֹלָם 439 n.m. long duration, antiquity, futurity

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5769 עוֹלָם long duration, antiquity, futurity

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5769 `owlam o-lawm'

or lolam {o-lawm'}; from 5956; properly, concealed, i.e. the

vanishing point; generally, time out of mind (past or future),

i.e. (practically) eternity; frequentatively, adverbial

(especially with prepositional prefix) always:--alway(-s),

ancient (time), any more, continuance, eternal, (for,

(n-))ever(-lasting, -more, of old), lasting, long (time), (of)

old (time), perpetual, at any time, (beginning of the) world

(+ without end). Compare 5331, 5703.

see HEBREW for 05956

see HEBREW for 05331

see HEBREW for 05703

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עוֹלָם (o.lam) — forever: enduring.

: enduring/eternal

1) long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, old, ancient, world

1a) ancient time, long time (of past)

1b) (of future)

1b1) for ever, always

1b2) continuous existence, perpetual

1b3) everlasting, indefinite or unending future, eternity

עוֹלָם (o.lam) — Everlasting.

This name means long duration, everlasting, perpetual

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

עוֹלָם (o.lam) — forever: any time.

: any_time

1) long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, old, ancient, world

1a) ancient time, long time (of past)

1b) (of future)

1b1) for ever, always

1b2) continuous existence, perpetual

1b3) everlasting, indefinite or unending future, eternity

עוֹלָם (o.lam) — forever: antiquity.

: old/ancient

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
HR/Ncmsa
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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