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Psalms 52:6 — Word Study

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WLCוְיִרְא֖וּ צַדִּיקִ֥ים וְיִירָ֗אוּ וְעָלָ֥יו יִשְׂחָֽקוּ׃

BSAto loveʼâhab allkôl Chroniclesdâbâr swallowingbelaʻ tonguelâshôwn deceitmirmâh

Word
Listen & take awayPsalms 52
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 6 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 (yis.Cha.ku) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Psalms 52:6quick helps
In a sentenceThe righteous will witness the fate of the wicked and respond with fear and mockery.
Who is speakingThe psalmist reflects on the fate of the evildoers and the response of the righteous.
Where we areThis verse is part of a psalm contrasting the fate of the wicked with the security of the righteous.
The hard wordצַדִּיקִ֥ים
Take awayThe righteous see the consequences of evil and respond with both reverence and derision.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectדָּבָר verbH7832 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 52:6

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 Contrast of the Righteous and the Wickedgenerated

5Surely God will bring you down to everlasting ruin; He will snatch you up and tear you away from your tent; He will uproot you from the land of the living. Selah
6The righteous will see and fear; they will mock the evildoer, saying,
7“Look at the man who did not make God his refuge, but trusted in the abundance of his wealth and strengthened himself by destruction.”
8But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in the loving devotion of God forever and ever.

Psalm 52:6 reflects on the ultimate fate of the wicked and the response of the righteous. The psalmist emphasizes that those who are upright will witness the downfall of evildoers and will respond with both fear and mockery. This verse is situated within a broader context that discusses the consequences of wickedness and the steadfastness of the righteous, as seen in the surrounding verses.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Psalm 37:34Wait for the LORD and keep His way, and He will raise you up to inherit the land. When the wicked are cut off, you will see it.
2Psalm 64:9Then all mankind will fear and proclaim the work of God; so they will ponder what He has done.
3Psalm 97:8Zion hears and rejoices, and the towns of Judah exult because of Your judgments, O LORD.
4Job 22:19The righteous see it and are glad; the innocent mock them:
5Malachi 1:5You will see this with your own eyes, and you yourselves will say, ‘The LORD is great—even beyond the borders of Israel.’”

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 13 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word צַדִּיקִ֥ים, tza.di.Kimgenerated

The term צַדִּיק (tsaddiyq) refers to individuals who are just or righteous, embodying moral integrity and lawful behavior. It denotes those who are in right standing with God, often highlighted in the lives of biblical figures like King David.

This word captures the essence of moral conduct and the ethical standards upheld by the righteous, contrasting sharply with the actions of the wicked. The parsing indicates that it is plural, referring to multiple righteous individuals.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

In this study, we reference the Berean Standard Bible, which uses righteous to translate צַדִּיקִ֥ים.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The verse contains multiple clauses, with the main action centered around the verbs יִרְא֖וּ (they will see) and יִשְׂחָֽקוּ (they will laugh). The structure emphasizes the actions of the righteous in response to the evildoers.

The clauses are interconnected, depicting a sequence where the righteous first see and fear, followed by their act of mockery towards the wicked.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, the translators chose the word ῥήματα to convey the concept of the righteous. This choice reflects a broader understanding of the term, aligning with the moral and ethical dimensions of righteousness.

The use of πάντα in the LXX for וְיִרְא֖וּ indicates a focus on the totality of what the righteous perceive, suggesting a comprehensive awareness of the consequences of evil.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalm 52:6 states that the righteous will see the fate of the wicked and respond with fear and mockery. This verse highlights the contrast between the outcomes for the righteous and the evildoers, emphasizing the moral integrity of the righteous.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean for the righteous to see and fear?

It means that the righteous will witness the consequences of wickedness and respond with a sense of awe and respect for God's justice.

Why do the righteous mock the evildoer?

They mock the evildoer as a response to the folly of trusting in wickedness rather than in God, highlighting the ultimate futility of evil.

How does this verse relate to the overall theme of the psalm?

This verse emphasizes the contrast between the fate of the wicked and the security of the righteous, a central theme throughout the psalm.

What can we learn from the response of the righteous?

We learn that recognizing God's justice can lead to both reverence and a critical view of those who oppose Him.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. How can I better understand the consequences of my actions in light of God's justice?
  2. In what ways can I support those who strive to live righteously in a world that often celebrates wickedness?
  3. What does it mean for me to fear God, and how can that shape my daily choices?
  4. How can I respond to injustice in a way that reflects my faith and values?

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

Early Church Fathers, such as Augustine of Hippo, have commented on this verse to illustrate the fate of the wicked and the response of the righteous.

Augustine of HippoExposition on Psalms 52 354–430
"Wherefore God shall destroy you at the end" [Psalms 52:6]: though now you seem to flourish like grass in the field before the heat of the sun.
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 52 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 52:6 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

The righteous also shall see,.... The Targum adds, "the punishment of the wicked"; particularly what is before predicted of Doeg.

Read John Gill on Psalms 52 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

The righteous also shall see, and fear, and shall laugh at him: The righteous also shall see - (Malachi 1:4-5; Isaiah 66:24 : cf.

Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 52 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

The righteous shall see, to wit, thy remarkable downfall, and consequently shall survive thee in spite of all thy power and malice against them. Fear; both reverence God’ s just judgment upon thee, and be afraid of provoking God to send like judgment upon them. Shall laugh at him; not taking pleasure in his ruin as such, but only in the glory of God’ s justice vindicated thereby, , and deriding their vain and carnal confidence in their wicked courses.

Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 52 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Psalms 52:6 The righteous also shall see, and fear, and shall laugh at him:Ver. 6. The righteous also shall see and fear] With a reverential fear, from which shall spring sincere service. Aliorum perditio tua sit cautio, Let other men’ s perdition be our caution; let us wash our feet in the blood of the wicked. There is an elegance in the original that cannot be translated into English. And shall laugh at him] With a holy laughter; not that of irrision, but of exultation in God, or his righteous executions.

Read John Trapp on Psalms 52 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(6) Fear . . . laugh.—The mingled feelings of awe at the tyrant’s terrible fall, and exultation at his overthrow, are finely caught and described. Dwelling-place.—Better, tent.Root thee out.—This word, suggestive of rooting up a corrupt tree, becomes more forcible from the contrast in the figure of Psa 52:8.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 52 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 6. The righteous also shall see, and fear] The thing shall be done in the sight of the saints; they shall see God's judgments on the workers of iniquity; and they shall fear a God so holy and just, and feel the necessity of being doubly on their guard lest they fall into the same condemnation. But instead of וייראו veyirau, "and they shall fear," three of Kennicott's and De Rossi's MSS., with the Syriac, have וישמחו veyismachu, "and shall rejoice;" and, from the following words, "and shall laugh at him," this appears to be the true reading, for laughing may be either the consequence or accompaniment of rejoicing.

Read AdamClarke on Psalms 52 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

6–9. The sight of his fall inspires the righteous with awe, and gives occasion for rejoicing at this proof of God’s just government of the world, for trustful hope, and grateful thanksgiving.

Read Cambridge on Psalms 52 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The righteous also shaIl see - See the notes at Psalms 37:34.

Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 52 →

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 righteous will see and fear; they will mock the evildoer, saying,

WEBWorld English Bible2000

The righteous also will see it, and fear, and laugh at him, saying,

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

The righteous will see and fear; they will mock the evildoer, saying,

NETBNew English Translation2006

When the godly see this, they will be filled with awe, and will mock the evildoer, saying:

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

The righteous also shall see, and fear, and shall laugh at him:

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

The righteous also shall see it, and fear, And shall laugh at him, saying,

RVARevised Version, American1894

The righteous also shall see it, and fear, and shall laugh at him, saying,

NWBWebster's Bible1833

The righteous also shall see, and fear, and shall laugh at him:

GNVGeneva Bible1599

The righteous also shall see it, and feare, and shall laugh at him, saying,

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

The righteous also shall see, and fear, and shall laugh at him, [saying,]

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And the righteous see, And fear, and laugh at him.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And the righteous see, || And fear, and laugh at him.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

(52:8) And the righteous shall see it, and they will be afraid, and laugh concerning him:

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

The righteous will also see it and fear; they will laugh at him and say,

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

They have not called upon God: there have they trembled for fear, where there was no fear. For God hath scattered the bones of them that please men: they have been confounded, because God hath despised them.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Those who do right will see all this. They will be astonished and laugh, saying,

BBEBible in Basic English1949

The upright will see it with fear, and will say, laughing at you:

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.

וְandclauseverbיִרְא֖וּthey.will.seesubjectצַדִּיקִ֥יםrighteous.[people]וְandclauseverbיִירָ֗אוּthey.will.fearוְandclauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalעָלָ֥יonוhimverbיִשְׂחָֽקוּthey.will.laugh

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: וְיִרְא֖וּ צַדִּיקִ֥ים וְיִירָ֗אוּ וְעָלָ֥יו יִשְׂחָֽקוּ׃. The Septuagint matches four out of five words, maintaining a similar meaning but with a different word order. The Dead Sea Scrolls contain partial restorations, indicating some editorial input.

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

וְיִרְא֖וּ צַדִּיקִ֥ים וְיִירָ֗אוּ וְעָלָ֥יו יִשְׂחָֽקוּ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וְיִרְא֖וּπάνταצַדִּיקִ֥יםῥήματαוְיִירָ֗אוּγλῶσσανוְעָלָ֥יוδολίαν

4 of the 5 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.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q85a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[אהבת] [כל] [דברי] [בלע] [לשון] מרמה

nothing on the leather here — 1 partly restored, 5 supplied entire by an editor.

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


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

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

Psalms 52:6רָאָהso they mayso they may seeרָאָהצַדִּיקrighteous [righteous [peopצַדִּיקיָרֵאso they mayso they may feaיָרֵאעַלand on himand on himעַלשָׂחַקthey will lthey will laughשָׂחַקצָדֵקto justifyto justifyצָדֵקעַלheightheightעַלעֳנִיafflictionafflictionעֳנִינָבַטto lookto lookנָבַטרָשָׁעwickedwickedרָשָׁעעָ֫וֶלinjusticeinjusticeעָ֫וֶלחָתַתto to be dto to be dismayחָתַתאַלnotnotאַלכִּפֶּרto atoneto atoneכִּפֶּרכִּסֵּאthronethroneכִּסֵּאלָעַגto mockto mockלָעַגשַׁעֲשֻׁעִיםdelightdelightשַׁעֲשֻׁעִים
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 52:6

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.

so they may see righteous [people] so they may fear and on him they will laugh
וְיִרְא֖וּve.yir.'U so they may see H7200 Conjunction · verb qal third person masculine plural
1,300× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for provider means to see or look after, and is used to describe God's care for his people. It appears in various forms throughout the Bible, including in Genesis and other books.
Tyndale gloss
Provider
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רָאָה (ra'ah) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to see' and encompasses a wide range of visual and perceptual actions, including looking, observing, and causing others to see. It can refer to both literal sight and figurative understanding, with various grammatical forms indicating different nuances, such as appearing or being visible. The entries indicate a rich semantic field without significant disagreement among lexicographers.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רָאָה 1315 vb. see

Qal 1141

see, subj.

see, c. acc. rei

see, sq. acc. cl. or phr. of closer design

see, so as to learn to know

abs. see, have (power of) vision

see = perceive

look at, see, by direct volition

of mental observation

c. ב, lit., look into, hence look at with interest

see, c. acc. rei

Niph.

appear

be seen

be visible

Pu. appar. his bones are not detected

Hithp. recipr. look at each other

Hiph.

cause one to see something, shew

cause to experience something

cause to look intently at, to behold

Hoph.

be caused to see, be shewn

be exhibited to

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7200a רָאָה see .. . see, subj.

. see, c. acc. rei

. see, sq. acc. + cl. or phr. of closer design

. see, so as to learn to know

. abs. see, have (power of) vision

. see = perceive

. look at, see, by direct volition

. of mental observation

. . c. ב, lit., look into, hence look at with interest

. see, c. acc. rei

. . appear

. be seen

. be visible

. appar. his bones are not detected

. recipr. look at each other

. . . cause one to see something, shew

. cause to experience something

. cause to look intently at, to behold

. . be caused to see, be shewn

. be exhibited to

H7200b רְאוּת look

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7200 ra'ah raw-aw'

a primitive root; to see, literally or figuratively (in

numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive,

intransitive and causative):--advise self, appear, approve,

behold, X certainly, consider, discern, (make to) enjoy, have

experience, gaze, take heed, X indeed, X joyfully, lo, look

(on, one another, one on another, one upon another, out, up,

upon), mark, meet, X be near, perceive, present, provide,

regard, (have) respect, (fore-, cause to, let) see(-r, -m, one

another), shew (self), X sight of others, (e-)spy, stare, X

surely, X think, view, visions.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רָאָה (ra.ah) — to see: see.

: see/show

1) to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to see

1a2) to see, perceive

1a3) to see, have vision

1a4) to look at, see, regard, look after, see after, learn about, observe, watch, look upon, look out, find out

1a5) to see, observe, consider, look at, give attention to, discern, distinguish

1a6) to look at, gaze at

1a7) to provide, choose

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to appear, present oneself

1b2) to be seen

1b3) to be visible

1c) (Pual) to be seen

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to cause to see, show

1d2) to cause to look intently at, behold, cause to gaze at

1e) (Hophal)

1e1) to be caused to see, be shown

1e2) to be exhibited to

1f) (Hithpael) to look at each other, face

רָאָה (ra.ah) — to see: examine.

: examine/consider

1) to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to see

1a2) to see, perceive

1a3) to see, have vision

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HC/Vqu3mp — Conjunction · verb qal third person masculine plural
HC/Vqu3mp
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

se: In addition to the ordinary sense of perceiving by the eye, we have

(1) chazah, "to see" (in vision): "Words of Amos .... which he saw concerning Israel" (Am 1:1). The revelation was made to his inward eye. "The word of Yahweh .... which he (Micah) saw concerning Samaria" (Mic 1:1), describing what he saw in prophetic vision (compare Hab 1:1); see REVELATION, III, 4;

(2) horao, "to take heed": "See thou say nothing" (Mr 1:44);

(3) eidon, "to know," "to note with the mind": "Jesus saw that he answered discreetly" (Mr 12:34);

so they may see righteous [people] so they may fear and on him they will laugh
צַדִּיקִ֥יםtza.di.Kim righteous [people] H6662
206× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Means being just or righteous, as seen in government, personal conduct, or character, often describing someone made right with God. It appears in descriptions of King David and other biblical leaders. The concept is central to the Bible's teachings on morality and ethics.
Tyndale gloss
righteous
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

צַדִּיק (tsaddiyq) means just or righteous, covering various aspects such as lawful behavior, moral conduct, and being justified by God. It is derived from a related root and is used to describe individuals who are upright in character and actions.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

צַדִּיק 206 adj. just, righteous

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6662 צַדִּיק just, righteous

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6662 tsaddiyq tsad-deek'

from 6663; just:--just, lawful, righteous (man).

see HEBREW for 06663

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

צַדִּיק (tsad.diq) — righteous.

1) just, lawful, righteous

1a) just, righteous (in government)

1b) just, right (in one's cause)

1c) just, righteous (in conduct and character)

1d) righteous (as justified and vindicated by God)

1e) right, correct, lawful

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HAampa
HAampa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

pe'-p'-l: In English Versions of the Bible represents something over a dozen Hebrew and Greek words. Of these, in the Old Testament, `am, is overwhelmingly the most common (about 2,000 times), with le'om, and goy, next in order; but the various Hebrew words are used with very little or no difference in force (e.g. Pr 14:28; but, on the other hand, in Ps 44 contrast verses 12 and 14). Of the changes introduced by the Revised Version (British and American) the only one of significance (cited explicitly in the Preface to the English Revised Version) is the frequent use of the plural "peoples" (strangely avoided in the King James Version except Re 10:11; 17:15), where other nations than Israel are in question. So, for instance, in Ps…

so they may see righteous [people] so they may fear and on him they will laugh
וְיִירָ֗אוּve.yi.Ra.'u so they may fear H3372 Conjunction · verb qal third person masculine plural
315× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to fear or revere, and is used to describe being afraid or standing in awe of something, like God's power. It appears in the Bible to convey a sense of respect or reverence. In the KJV, it's translated as 'affright' or 'reverence'.
Tyndale gloss
to fear
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָרֵא (yare') is a Hebrew verb meaning to fear or be afraid, encompassing a range of meanings from reverence and honor to causing terror. It appears in various forms, including Qal (to fear), Niphal (to be fearful), and Piel (to terrify). The entries highlight its moral and emotional dimensions, emphasizing awe and respect, particularly in relation to the divine.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָרֵא vb. fear

Qal

fear, be afraid

stand in awe of

fear, reverence, honour

Niph.

be fearful, dreadful

cause astonishment and awe

inspire reverence, godly fear, and awe

Piel. make afraid, terrify

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3372 יָרֵא fear .. fear, be afraid

. stand in awe of

. fear, reverence, honour

. . be fearful, dreadful

. cause astonishment and awe

. inspire reverence, godly fear, and awe

. make afraid, terrify

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3372 yare' yaw-ray'

a primitive root; to fear; morally, to revere; caus. to

frighten:--affright, be (make) afraid, dread(-ful), (put in)

fear(-ful, -fully, -ing), (be had in) reverence(-end), X see,

terrible (act, -ness, thing).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָרֵא (ya.re) — to fear.

: frightening(DANGER)

1) to fear, revere, be afraid

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to fear, be afraid

1a2) to stand in awe of, be awed

1a3) to fear, reverence, honour, respect

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be fearful, be dreadful, be feared

1b2) to cause astonishment and awe, be held in awe

1b3) to inspire reverence or godly fear or awe

1c) (Piel) to make afraid, terrify

2) (TWOT) to shoot, pour

יָרֵא (ya.re) — to fear: revere.

: awesome(god)

1) to fear, revere, be afraid

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to fear, be afraid

1a2) to stand in awe of, be awed

1a3) to fear, reverence, honour, respect

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be fearful, be dreadful, be feared

1b2) to cause astonishment and awe, be held in awe

1b3) to inspire reverence or godly fear or awe

1c) (Piel) to make afraid, terrify

2) (TWOT) to shoot, pour

Also means: ya.re (יָרֵא ": frightening" H3372)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HC/Vqu3mp — Conjunction · verb qal third person masculine plural
HC/Vqu3mp
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

fer (yir'ah, yare'; phobos, phobeo):

Terms, etc.:

"Fear" is the translation of many words in the Old Testament; the chief are: yir'ah, "fear," "terror," "reverence," "awe," most often "the fear of God," "fear of Yahweh" (Ge 20:11; 2Ch 19:9, etc.); also of "fear" generally (Job 22:4; Isa 7:25; Eze 30:13, etc.); yare', "to be afraid," "to fear," "to reverence" (Ge 15:1; Le 19:3,14; De 6:2, etc.); pachadh, "fear," "terror," "dread" (

so they may see righteous [people] so they may fear and on him they will laugh
וְעָלָ֥יוve.'a.Lav and on him H5921 Conjunction · preposition · suffix
5,774× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means on or above something, like a physical object or a situation. It can also imply a sense of responsibility or accountability, as in being on behalf of someone.
Tyndale gloss
upon
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עַל (*al*) is a preposition meaning 'upon' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including 'on account of,' 'beside,' 'above,' and 'against.' It can indicate physical placement, emotional burdens, or duties imposed on a person. The entries also note its use in idiomatic expressions and with verbs of motion. There is a mention of its function as a conjunction in certain contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

base

עַל, עָ֑ל

subst. height

As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against

Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed

of clothing, etc., which any one wears

With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it

Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him

Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him

על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him

חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)

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Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5921a עַל, עָ֑ל . As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against . Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed . — . of clothing, etc., which any one wears

. With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it

. Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him

. Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him

. על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him

. חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)

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Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5921 `al al

properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the

singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a

particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always

in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great

variety of applications (as follow):--above, according

to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because

of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both

and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in

(that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-)on, over, than,

through(-out), to, touching, X with.

see HEBREW for 05920

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עַל (al) — upon.

prep

1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against

1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards

1b) above, beyond, over (of excess)

1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence)

1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition)

1e) over (of suspension or extension)

1f) by, adjoining, next, at, over, around (of contiguity or proximity)

1g) down upon, upon, on, from, up upon, up to, towards, over towards, to, against (with verbs of motion)

1h) to (as a dative)

[כִּי] עַל [כֵּן] ([ki] al [ken]) — as.

conj

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HC/R/Sp3ms — Conjunction · preposition · suffix
HC/R/Sp3ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
so they may see righteous [people] so they may fear and on him they will laugh
יִשְׂחָֽקוּ׃yis.Cha.ku they will laugh H7832 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine plural
36× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to laugh, often in contempt or derision, as seen in Genesis 21:9 when Ishmael mocks Isaac. It can also mean to play or make sport, like in Psalm 104:26 where God plays with the whale. In the Bible, it appears over 50 times, including in the book of Job.
Tyndale gloss
to laugh
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׂחַק (sachaq) is a Hebrew verb meaning to laugh, with connotations of playfulness and mockery. It can express laughter in pleasure or derision, as well as the act of playing or making sport. The entries indicate various forms, such as Qal for general laughter, Piel for making sport, and Hiphil for mockery.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׂחַק vb. laugh

Qal 

laugh at

appar. of friendly laugh

sport, play

Pi.

make sport

jest

play

Hiph. (declar.) they uttered mockery

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7832 שָׂחַק laugh

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7832 sachaq saw-khak'

a primitive root; to laugh (in pleasure or detraction); by

implication, to play:--deride, have in derision, laugh, make

merry, mock(-er), play, rejoice, (laugh to) scorn, be in

(make) sport.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׂחַק (sa.chaq) — to laugh.

1) to laugh, play, mock

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to laugh (usually in contempt or derision)

1a2) to sport, play

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to make sport

1b2) to jest

1b3) to play (including instrumental music, singing, dancing)

1c) (Hiphil) to laugh mockingly

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVqi3mp — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine plural
HVqi3mp
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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