Menu

Psalms 4:5 — Word Study

Depth

WLCזִבְח֥וּ זִבְחֵי־ צֶ֑דֶק וּ֝בִטְח֗וּ אֶל־ יְהוָֽה׃

BSAto tremblerâgaz notʼal to sinchâṭâʼ to sayʼâmar heartlêbâb uponʻal bedmishkâb to silencedâmam Selahçelâh

Word
Listen & take awayPsalms 4
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 5 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 (Yah.weh) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Psalms 4:5quick helps
In a sentenceThe psalmist instructs the faithful to offer sacrifices that reflect their righteousness and to place their trust in the Lord.
Who is speakingThe psalmist, addressing the people of Israel.
Where we areIn a section that emphasizes the importance of righteousness and trust in God.
The hard wordזִבְח֥וּ
Take awayRighteousness and trust are essential components of a faithful life.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbרָגַז 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 4:5

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 on Righteousness and Trustgenerated

4Be angry, yet do not sin; on your bed, search your heart and be still. Selah
5Offer the sacrifices of the righteous and trust in the LORD.
6Many ask, “Who can show us the good?” Shine the light of Your face upon us, O LORD.
7You have filled my heart with more joy than when grain and new wine abound.

Psalm 4:5 encourages believers to present offerings that are aligned with righteousness and to maintain their faith in the Lord. This verse is part of a larger discourse on how to respond to anger and seek peace, as seen in the preceding and following verses. The psalmist emphasizes that true worship involves both the right actions and the right heart attitude towards God.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Psalm 50:14Sacrifice a thank offering to God, and fulfill your vows to the Most High.
2Psalm 51:19Then You will delight in righteous sacrifices, in whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on Your altar.
3Deuteronomy 33:19They will call the peoples to a mountain; there they will offer sacrifices of righteousness. For they will feast on the abundance of the seas and the hidden treasures of the sand.”
42 Samuel 15:12While Absalom was offering the sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, to come from his hometown of Giloh. So the conspiracy gained strength, and Absalom’s following kept increasing.
5Isaiah 1:11–18“What good to Me is your multitude of sacrifices?” says the LORD. “I am full from the burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed cattle; I take no delight in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats.

The Key Word זִבְח֥וּ, ziv.Chugenerated

The verb זִבְח֥וּ (ziv.Chu) is in the imperative form, calling the audience to action. It derives from the root זָבַח (zavach), meaning 'to sacrifice' or 'to slaughter', particularly in a religious context. This term is often associated with the act of offering an animal to God as part of worship, encompassing various types of sacrifices.

In this verse, the call to sacrifice underscores the importance of offering not just any sacrifice, but one that is righteous, reflecting a right relationship with God. The psalmist connects the act of sacrifice with the attitude of the worshipper, indicating that true sacrifices must come from a place of righteousness.


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 זִבְח֥וּ (ziv.Chu) governs the rest of the sentence, directing the audience to perform the action of offering sacrifices. The structure is straightforward, with the imperative verb leading the clause, followed by the object and an additional phrase that provides context for the sacrifices.

The phrase זִבְחֵי־ צֶ֑דֶק (ziv.chei Tze.dek) functions as a noun phrase that specifies what kind of sacrifices are to be offered, emphasizing their righteousness. The conjunction וּ֝בִטְח֗וּ (u.vit.Chu) introduces the second imperative, linking the act of offering with the call to trust in the Lord.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates זִבְח֥וּ as ὀργίζεσθε (orgizesthe), which suggests a different nuance, focusing on the emotional state of anger rather than the act of sacrifice itself. This choice reflects a broader interpretation of the psalm's intent, emphasizing the internal disposition of the worshipper.

This interpretation may indicate a shift in understanding the nature of offerings, suggesting that the heart's condition is as important as the act of sacrifice.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalm 4:5 encourages us to offer sacrifices that are right and to trust in the Lord. It reminds us that our actions in worship should reflect our relationship with God and that we can rely on Him for guidance and support.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean to offer sacrifices of righteousness?

Offering sacrifices of righteousness means presenting acts of worship that align with God's standards of justice and morality, reflecting a right relationship with Him.

How can I trust in the Lord?

Trusting in the Lord involves having faith in His character and promises, relying on Him for guidance and support in all aspects of life.

Why is the attitude of the worshipper important?

The attitude of the worshipper is crucial because God desires not just the act of sacrifice but a heart that is sincere and aligned with His will.

What types of sacrifices are considered righteous?

Righteous sacrifices can include acts of kindness, justice, and worship that honor God and reflect His character.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways can I ensure that my sacrifices to God are righteous and reflect my relationship with Him?
  2. How can I cultivate a deeper trust in the Lord in my daily life?
  3. What does it look like to offer sacrifices of righteousness in my community?
  4. How can I encourage others to trust in the Lord through my actions and words?

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

Early church fathers often referenced this verse to discuss the nature of true worship and trust in God, as seen in their writings.

Origen of AlexandriaSELECTIONS FROM THE Psalms 4:5 c. 185–253
If you wish to explain what it is to hope in everything, we are going to say that it is nothing other than to become an heir of the kingdom of heaven, to receive comfort, to be called the children of God, to see God,
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 4 →
John ChrysostomCOMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 4:9 c. 347–407
Seek after righteousness, make an offering of righteousness: this is the greatest gift to God, this an acceptable sacrifice, this an offering of great appeal,
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 4 →
Augustine of HippoExposition on Psalms 4 354–430
"Offer the sacrifice of righteousness, and hope in the Lord" [Psalms 4:5].
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 4 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 4:5 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Offer the sacrifices of righteousness,.... Offer for sacrifice things righteously gotten, for the Lord hates robbery for burnt offering, Isaiah 61:8.

Read John Gill on Psalms 4 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the LORD.

Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 4 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Offer, to wit, unto God, that he may be reconciled to you, and may pardon all your murmurings and insurrections against him and against me. For it seems plain that this, as well as the former verse, is spoken not to David’ s friends and favourers, as some think, but to his enemies, even to those sons of men, , to whom he directeth his speech, , but know, and, , stand in awe and here offer: The sacrifices of righteousness, i.e. righteous sacrifices; which requires that the persons offering them be righteous, and do righteous things, and offer them with an honest mind, and with faith (as it follows) and true repentance; without which he intimates that all their sacrifices were of no esteem…

Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 4 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Psalms 4:5 Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the LORD.Ver. 5. Offer the sacrifices of righteousness] Confess your sins, and slay them; run to him who is the propitiation, Jesus Christ the righteous, present your bodies a living sacrifice, bring a contrite spirit; to do good and to communicate forget not, &c., else you offer the sacrifice of fools, as Ecclesiastes 5:1, and not of righteousness, as here. The Chaldee hath it, Domate concupiscentias, sacrifice and subdue your lusts. And put your trust in the Lord] It is well observed that God brings men home by a contrary way to where they fell from him. We fell from him by distrust, by having him in a jealousy, as if…

Read John Trapp on Psalms 4 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(5) Sacrifices of righteousness.—Comp. Psalms 51:18-19; Deuteronomy 33:19. The context in both places directs to the translation “right” or “due” sacrifices, i.e., sacrifices duly and religiously performed.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 4 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 5. Offer the sacrifices of righteousness] Do not attempt to offer a sacrifice to God for prosperity in your present rebellious conduct. Such a sacrifice would be a sin. Turn to God from whom you have revolted; and offer to him a righteous sacrifice, such as the law prescribes, and such as he can receive. Let all hear and consider this saying. No sacrifice - no performance of religious duty, will avail any man, if his heart be not right with God. And let all know, that under the Gospel dispensation no sacrifice of any kind will be received but through the all-atoning sacrifice made by Christ. Because of sin, justice has stopped every man's mouth; so that none can have access to God…

Read AdamClarke on Psalms 4 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

5, 6. After an interval for reflection indicated by the interlude (Selah) David points the malcontents among the people to the true source of prosperity.

Read Cambridge on Psalms 4 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Offer the sacrifices of righteousness - Offer righteous sacrifices; that is, sacrifices prompted by right motives, and in accordance with the prescriptions in the law of God.

Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 4 →

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

Offer the sacrifices of the righteous and trust in the LORD.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Offer the sacrifices of righteousness. Put your trust in Yahweh.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Offer the sacrifices of the righteous and trust in the LORD.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Offer the prescribed sacrifices and trust in the Lord!

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the LORD.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, And put your trust in Jehovah.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the LORD.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the LORD.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Offer the sacrifices of righteousnes, and trust in the Lord.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Offer sacrifices of righteousness, and confide in Jehovah.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Sacrifice ye sacrifices of righteousness, And trust ye unto Jehovah.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Sacrifice sacrifices of righteousness, || And trust in YHWH.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

(4:6) Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the Lord.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Offer the sacrifices of righteousness and put your trust in Yahweh.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Be angry, and sin not: the things you say in your hearts, be sorry for them upon your beds.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Offer sacrifices with the right attitude. Trust in the Lord.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Give the offerings of righteousness, and put your faith in the Lord.

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.

clauseverbזִבְח֥וּsacrificenoun phrase · objectזִבְחֵיsacrificesצֶ֑דֶקof.righteousnessוּ֝andclauseverbבִטְח֗וּtrustprepositional phrase · prepositionalאֶלtoיְהוָֽהYahweh

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


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

The Masoretic Text reads זִבְח֥וּ זִבְחֵי־ צֶ֑דֶק וּ֝בִטְח֗וּ אֶל־ יְהוָֽה׃, while the Septuagint matches all six words, though with a different word order and emphasis. This agreement shows consistency in the core message across both texts.

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

זִבְח֥וּ זִבְחֵי־ צֶ֑דֶק וּ֝בִטְח֗וּ אֶל־ יְהוָֽה׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
זִבְח֥וּὀργίζεσθεזִבְחֵי־καὶצֶ֑דֶקμὴוּ֝בִטְח֗וּλέγετεאֶל־ἐνיְהוָֽה׃καρδίαις

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 4:5זָבַחsacrificesacrificeזָבַחזֶ֫בַחsacrifices sacrifices ofזֶ֫בַחצֶ֫דֶקrighteousnerighteousnessצֶ֫דֶקבָּטַחand trustand trustבָּטַחאֶלtotoאֶליהוהYahwehYahwehיהוהזָבַחto sacrifito sacrificeזָבַחצָדֵקto justifyto justifyצָדֵקהָיָהto beto beהָיָהחָסָהto seek reto seek refugeחָסָהשֶׁ֫לֶםpeace offepeace offeringשֶׁ֫לֶםזֶ֫בַחsacrificesacrificeזֶ֫בַחמֵישָׁרuprightnesuprightnessמֵישָׁראֵיפָהephahephahאֵיפָהמָגֵןshieldshieldמָגֵןשֶׁ֫קֶרdeceptiondeceptionשֶׁ֫קֶרפָּלַלto prayto prayפָּלַליִרְמְיָ֫הJeremiahJeremiahיִרְמְיָ֫הנְאֻםutteranceutteranceנְאֻםצָבָאarmyarmyצָבָא
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 4:5

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.

sacrifice sacrifices of righteousness and trust to Yahweh
זִבְח֥וּziv.Chu sacrifice H2076 Verb · Qal · imperative second person masculine plural
134× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To sacrifice means to slaughter an animal, usually for a religious offering, as seen in the Bible's instructions for worship. This term is used in many contexts, including sacrifices for eating or in divine judgment. It's often translated as 'kill' or 'offer' in the KJV.
Tyndale gloss
to sacrifice
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word זָבַח (zavach) is a primitive root meaning to slaughter, particularly in the context of sacrifice. It encompasses various forms of slaughter, including for eating and divine judgment, and is used in both the Qal and Piel stems. The entries highlight its significance in sacrificial practices, but do not present any notable disagreements among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

זָבַח 134 vb. slaughter for sacrifice

Qal 112

slaughter for sacrifice

slaughter for eating

slaughter for divine judgment

Pi. 22 sacrifice

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2076 זָבַח slaughter for sacrifice .. slaughter for sacrifice

. slaughter for eating

. slaughter for divine judgment

. sacrifice

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2076 zabach zaw-bakh'

a primitive root; to slaughter an animal (usually in

sacrifice):--kill, offer, (do) sacrifice, slay.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

זָבַח (za.vach) — to sacrifice.

1) to slaughter, kill, sacrifice, slaughter for sacrifice

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to slaughter for sacrifice

1a2) to slaughter for eating

1a3) to slaughter in divine judgment

1b) (Piel) to sacrifice, offer sacrifice

Aramaic equivalent: de.vach (דְּבַח "to sacrifice" H1684)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVqv2mp — Verb · Qal · imperative second person masculine plural
HVqv2mp
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

sak'-ri-fis, sak'-ri-fiz:

IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

I. TERMS AND DEFINITIONS

II. ORIGIN AND NATURE OF SACRIFICES

1. Theory of a Divine Revelation

2. Theories of a Human Origin

(1) The Gift-Theory

(2) The Magic Theory

(3) The Table-Bond Theory

(4) The Sacramental Communion Theory

(5) The Homage Theory

(6) The Piacular Theory

(7) Originating Religious Instincts

III. CLASSIFICATION OF SACRIFICES

1. Maimonides

2. W.R. Smith and Others

3. Oehler

4. Paterson and Others

5. H.M. Wiener

IV. SACRIFICES IN THE PRE-MOSAIC AGE

1. In Egypt

2. In Babylonia

3. Nomads and Tribes of Arabia and Syria

4. The Offerings of Cain and Abel

5. Of Noah

6. Of Abraham

7. Of Job

8. Of Isaac

9. Of Jacob

10. Of Israel in Egypt

11. Of Jethro

12. Summary and Conclusions

V. THE MOSAIC SACRIFICIAL SYSTEM

1. The Covenant Sacrifice

2. The Common Altars

3. The Consecration of Aaron and His Sons

4. Sacrifices before the Golden Calf

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Sacrifice

The offering up of sacrifices is to be regarded as a divine institution. It did not originate with man. God himself appointed it as the mode in which acceptable worship was to be offered to him by guilty man. The language and the idea of sacrifice pervade the whole Bible.

Sacrifices were offered in the ante-diluvian age. The Lord clothed Adam and Eve with the skins of animals, which in all probability had been offered in sacrifice (Gen. 3:21). Abel offered a sacrifice “of the firstlings of his flock” (4:4; Heb. 11:4). A distinction also was made between clean and unclean animals, which there is every reason to believe had reference to the offering up of sacrifices (Gen. 7:2, 8), because animals were not given to man as…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

The peculiar features of each kind of sacrifice are referred to under their respective heads. I. (A) ORIGIN OF SACRIFICE. --The universal prevalence of sacrifice shows it to have been primeval, and deeply rooted in the instincts of humanity. Whether it was first enjoined by an external command, or whether it was based on that sense of sin and lost communion with God which is stamped by his hand on the heart of man, is a historical question which cannot be determined. (B) ANTE-MOSAIC HISTORY OF SACRIFICE. --In examining the various sacrifices recorded in Scripture before the establishment of the law, we find that the words specially denoting expiatory sacrifice are not applied to them. This fact does not at all show that they were not actually expiatory, but it justified the inference that this idea was not then the prominent one in the doctrine of sacrifice. The sacrifices of Cain and…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

An offering made to God on his altar, by the hand of a lawful minister. A sacrifice differed from an oblation; it was properly the offering up of a life; whereas an oblation was but a simple offering or gift. There is every reason to believe that sacrifices were from the first of divine appointment; otherwise they would have been a superstitious will-worship, which God could not have accepted as he did. See ABEL. Adam and his sons, Noah and his descendents, Abraham and his posterity, Job and Melchizedek, before the Mosaic law, offered to God real sacrifices. That law did but settle the quality, the number, and other circumstances of sacrifices. Every one was priest and minister of his own sacrifice; at least, he was at liberty to choose what priest he pleased in offering his victim. Generally, this honor belonged to the head of a family; hence it was the prerogative of the firstborn.…

sacrifice sacrifices of righteousness and trust to Yahweh
זִבְחֵי־ziv.chei- sacrifices of H2077 Noun common · masculine plural construct
162× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A sacrifice refers to the act of offering an animal's flesh to God, such as in the sacrifices of righteousness or the Passover. This term encompasses various types of sacrifices, including thank offerings and covenant sacrifices. The KJV translates it as 'offer' or 'sacrifice'.
Tyndale gloss
sacrifice
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

זֶ֫בַח (zebach) means 'sacrifice' and is derived from a root meaning 'to slaughter.' It encompasses various types of sacrifices, including those for feasts, covenant sacrifices, and thank offerings. The term appears in contexts related to both the God of Israel and other deities, indicating its broad use in ritual practices.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

זֶ֫בַח 162 n.m. sacrifice

general name for all sacrifices eaten at feasts

of the God of Israel

of other deities

there are several kinds which are gradually distinguished

the covenant sacrifice, between Jacob and Laban

the passover

annual sacrifice

thank offering

in ritual of H & P

the slaughter of hostile nations

the verb used

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2077 זֶ֫בַח sacrifice

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2077 zebach zeh'-bakh

from 2076; properly, a slaughter, i.e. the flesh of an

animal; by implication, a sacrifice (the victim or the

act):--offer(- ing), sacrifice.

see HEBREW for 02076

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

זֶ֫בַח (ze.vach) — sacrifice.

1) sacrifice

1a) sacrifices of righteousness

1b) sacrifices of strife

1c) sacrifices to dead things

1d) the covenant sacrifice

1e) the passover

1f) annual sacrifice

1g) thank offering

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcmpc — Noun common · masculine plural construct
HNcmpc
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…

sacrifice sacrifices of righteousness and trust to Yahweh
צֶ֑דֶקTze.dek righteousness H6664 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
119× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Represents the idea of righteousness or justice, often referring to God's character or the standard for human behavior. It is closely tied to the concept of morality and what is right. The word is used to describe the ideal for human conduct and society.
Tyndale gloss
Righteousness
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

צֶ֫דֶק n.m. rightness, righteousness

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

righteousness, in government

righteousness, justice, in a case or cause

rightness, in speech

righteousness, as ethically right

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

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

. righteousness, in government

. righteousness, justice, in a case or cause

. rightness, in speech

. righteousness, as ethically right

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

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6664 tsedeq tseh'-dek

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

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

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

(cause, -ly, - ness).

see HEBREW for 06663

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

צֶ֫דֶק (tse.deq) — righteousness.

1) justice, rightness, righteousness

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

1b) righteousness (in government)

1b1) of judges, rulers, kings

1b2) of law

1b3) of Davidic king, Messiah

1b4) of Jerusalem as seat of just government

1b5) of God's attribute

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

1d) rightness (in speech)

1e) righteousness (as ethically right)

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

1f1) of God as covenant-keeping in redemption

1f2) in name of Messianic king

1f3) of people enjoying salvation

1f4) of Cyrus

צֶ֫דֶק (tse.deq) — Righteousness.

This name means justice, righteousness

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

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

ri'-chus-nes (tsaddiq, adjective, "righteous," or occasionally "just" tsedheq, noun, occasionally = "riahteousness," occasionally = "justice"; dikaios, adjective, dikaiosune, noun, from dike, whose first meaning seems to have been "custom"; the general use suggested conformity to a standard: righteousness, "the state of him who is such as he ought to be" (Thayer)):

1. Double Aspect of Righteousness: Changing and Permanent

2. Social Customs and Righteousness

3. Changing Conception of Character of God: Obligations of Power

4. Righteousness as Inner

5. Righteousness as Social

6. Righteousness as Expanding in Content with Growth in Ideals of Human Worth

LITERATURE

1. Double Aspect of Righteousness: Changing and Permanent:

In Christian thought the idea of righteousness contains both a permanent and a changing element. The fixed element is the will to do right; the changing factor is the conception of…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Righteousness

See JUSTIFICATION.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Rectitude, justice, holiness; an essential perfection of God’s character, Job 36:3; Isa 51:5-8; Joh 17:25; and of his administration, Ge 18:25; Ro 3:21,22; 10:3. It is the wonder of grace that as the righteous guardian of the law, he can acquit the unrighteous. "The righteousness of Christ" includes his spotless holiness, his perfect obedience the law demands; and "the righteousness of faith" is that imputed to the sinner who believes in Christ. With reference to personal character, righteousness is used both for uprightness between man and man, and for true religion,

→ By faith Ge 15:6; Ro 4:3,5,9,11,13,20,22,24

→ Garment of Job 29:14; Mt 22:11-14

→ Counted (regarded) for the sake of obedience De 6:25; Job 33:26

→ FRUITS OF De 6:25; Jos 22:31; Ps 1:3; 15:1-5; 24:3-5; 101:3,4; 106:3; 112:4-8; Pr 2:5-20; 10:2,16; 11:5,6,18,19,30; 12:28; 13:6; 14:34; 21:3; 29:7; Isa…

sacrifice sacrifices of righteousness and trust to Yahweh
וּ֝בִטְח֗וּu.vit.Chu and trust H982 Conjunction · verb qal imperative second person masculine plural
120× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To trust means to have confidence or faith in something or someone, like the Israelites trusting in God to lead them through the desert, as seen in Psalm 23.
Tyndale gloss
to trust
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בָּטַח (batach) is a Hebrew verb meaning to trust or have confidence. It conveys a sense of security and boldness, both in a personal sense and when causing others to feel secure. The entries indicate its use in different forms, such as Qal and Hiphil, covering aspects of trust and confidence.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בָּטַח vb. trust

Qal

trust

be confident

Hiph. cause to trust, make secure

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H982 בָּטַח trust . trust

. be confident

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

982 batach baw-takh'

a primitive root; properly, to hie for refuge (but not so

precipitately as 2620); figuratively, to trust, be confident

or sure:--be bold (confident, secure, sure), careless (one,

woman), put confidence, (make to) hope, (put, make to) trust.

see HEBREW for 02620

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בָּטַח (ba.tach) — to trust.

1) to trust

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to trust, trust in

1a2) to have confidence, be confident

1a3) to be bold

1a4) to be secure

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to cause to trust, make secure

2) (TWOT) to feel safe, be careless

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HC/Vqv2mp — Conjunction · verb qal imperative second person masculine plural
HC/Vqv2mp
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Nave's Topical Bible

→ See FAITH

Torrey's New Topical Textbook

- God is the true object of

Ps 65:5

- The fear of God leads to

Pr 14:26

- ENCOURAGEMENTS TO

. The everlasting strength of God

Isa 26:4

. The goodness of God

Na 1:7

. The loving-kindness of God

Ps 36:7

. The rich bounty of God

1Ti 6:17

. The care of God for us

1Pe 5:7

. Former deliverances

Ps 9:10; 2Co 1:10

- Should be with the whole heart

Pr 3:5

- Should be from youth up

sacrifice sacrifices of righteousness and trust to Yahweh
אֶל־'el- to H413 Preposition
5,518× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means 'to' or 'toward', showing direction or movement. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus, to indicate where someone is going. The KJV translates it in various ways, like 'about', 'according to', or 'against'.
Tyndale gloss
to(wards)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֶל (el) is primarily a preposition indicating motion towards or direction to a person or place. It can also imply entering a limit, presence at a location, or a hostile direction (against). Additionally, it may express concepts such as concerning, in addition to, or according to. The entries highlight its versatility in both physical and metaphorical contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph),

prep. denoting motion to or direction towards (whether physical or mental).of motion to or unto a person or place

Where the limit is actually entered, into

Of direction towards anything

Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against

Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to

Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

Of rule or standard according to (rare)

Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion

Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H413 אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph), . of motion to or unto a person or place

. Where the limit is actually entered, into

. Of direction towards anything

. Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against

. Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to

. Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

. Of rule or standard according to (rare)

. Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion

. Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

413 'el ale

(but only used in the shortened constructive form sel {el});

a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but

occasionally used of a quiescent position, i.e. near, with or

among; often in general, to:--about, according to ,after,

against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and,

by, concerning, for, from, X hath, in(- to), near, (out) of,

over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether,

with(-in).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶל (el) — to(wards).

1) to, toward, unto (of motion)

2) into (limit is actually entered)

2a) in among

3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion)

4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character)

5) in addition to, to

6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of

7) according to (rule or standard)

8) at, by, against (of one's presence)

9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR — Preposition
HR
sacrifice sacrifices of righteousness and trust to Yahweh
יְהוָֽה׃Yah.weh Yahweh H3068 Noun proper
6,528× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Yehovah is another name for God, often translated as 'the Lord'. It is a national name for God in the Jewish faith. This name is used throughout the Old Testament.
Tyndale gloss
The Lord
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

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

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

יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D

the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy

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

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw'

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

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

see HEBREW for 01961

see HEBREW for 03050

see HEBREW for 03069

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — LORD.

Jehovah = "the existing One"

1) the proper name of the one true God

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

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — The Lord.

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

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

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

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

Everything we make is available for free because of a generous community of supporters.

Donate