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Psalms 63:10 — Word Study

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WLCיַגִּירֻ֥הוּ עַל־ יְדֵי־ חָ֑רֶב מְנָ֖ת שֻׁעָלִ֣ים יִהְיֽוּ׃

BSAthey(masc.)hêm [the wicked, those who oppose God] ravageshôwʼ to seekbâqash soulnephesh Lebobôwʼ lowertachtîy landʼerets

Word
Listen & take awayPsalms 63
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 10 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 (yih.Yu) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Psalms 63:10quick helps
In a sentenceThe psalmist declares the fate of the wicked, who will fall by the sword and become prey for foxes.
Who is speakingThe psalmist, expressing confidence in God's justice.
Where we areIn a lament, reflecting on the fate of enemies and the assurance of divine judgment.
The hard wordיַגִּירֻ֥הוּ
Take awayThe wicked will face judgment, and their end will be grim.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbבּוֹא 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 63:10

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 Judgment of the Wickedgenerated

8My soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me.
9But those who seek my life to destroy it will go into the depths of the earth.
10They will fall to the power of the sword; they will become a portion for foxes.
11But the king will rejoice in God; all who swear by Him will exult, for the mouths of liars will be shut.

Psalms 63:10 reflects the psalmist's confidence in God's justice, contrasting the fate of the wicked with the psalmist's own trust in divine protection. The surrounding verses emphasize the psalmist's reliance on God amidst threats from enemies, showcasing a clear distinction between the righteous and the wicked.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
11 Samuel 26:10David added, “As surely as the LORD lives, the LORD Himself will strike him down; either his day will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish.
21 Samuel 31:1–6Now the Philistines fought against Israel, and the men of Israel fled before them, and many fell slain on Mount Gilboa.
3Jeremiah 18:21Therefore, hand their children over to famine; pour out the power of the sword upon them. Let their wives become childless and widowed; let their husbands be slain by disease, their young men struck down by the sword in battle.
4Ezekiel 35:5Because you harbored an ancient hatred and delivered the Israelites over to the sword in the time of their disaster at the final stage of their punishment,
5Song of Solomon 2:15

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 7 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word יַגִּירֻ֥הוּ, ya.gi.Ru.hugenerated

The word יַגִּירֻ֥הוּ (ya.gi.Ru.hu) is a hiphil imperfect verb meaning 'they will pour him' or 'they will deliver him.' It is built from the root נָגַר (nagar), which conveys the idea of pouring or flowing, often associated with the act of delivering or stretching out.

In this context, the verb indicates the action of the wicked falling to the sword, suggesting a violent end. The passive construction implies that they are not merely falling by their own actions but are subjected to a force beyond themselves.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

The translations agree on the meaning of the verse, with all versions reflecting the judgment of the wicked and their fate as prey for foxes.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb יַגִּירֻ֥הוּ governs the sentence, indicating the action of the wicked falling to the sword. The structure includes a prepositional phrase indicating the means of their downfall and a noun phrase describing their fate.

The sentence's arrangement highlights the inevitability of judgment, with the verb placed prominently to emphasize the action being taken against the wicked.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates יַגִּירֻ֥הוּ as αὐτοὶ (they), indicating a direct correspondence to the Hebrew but omitting the specific action of pouring. This reflects a broader interpretation of the wicked's fate.

The choice of words in the Septuagint suggests a focus on the subjects (the wicked) rather than the action, which may imply a different emphasis in the Greek translation.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalms 63:10 states that the wicked will fall to the sword and become food for foxes. This reflects the certainty of divine judgment against those who oppose God, contrasting their fate with the psalmist's trust in God's protection.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that the wicked will fall to the sword?

This indicates that the wicked will face judgment and punishment for their actions, symbolized by death through the sword.

Why does the psalmist mention foxes?

Foxes represent scavengers that will consume the remains of the wicked, emphasizing their complete defeat and humiliation.

How does this verse reflect the psalmist's view of justice?

The verse shows the psalmist's belief in God's justice, assuring that the wicked will not escape punishment.

What can we learn from the fate of the wicked in this verse?

It serves as a reminder of the consequences of opposing God and the certainty of divine justice.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. How do I see justice being served in my own life or community?
  2. What does this verse teach me about the consequences of wrongdoing?
  3. In what ways can I trust in God's protection like the psalmist?
  4. How can I be mindful of my actions to avoid the fate described for the wicked?

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

Early commentary on this verse includes Augustine of Hippo, who interprets it as a reflection on the fate of the wicked as they face divine judgment.

Augustine of HippoExposition on Psalms 63 354–430
"They shall be delivered unto the hands of the sword" [Psalms 63:10]. In truth, thus it has visibly befallen them, they have been taken by storm by enemies breaking in.
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 63 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 63:10 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

They shall fall by the sword,.... As Saul, his sons, and mighty men, did, 1 Samuel 31:4; or, "they shall make him pour out" (u); that is, his blood, "by the hands" or "[means] of the sword"; meaning

Read John Gill on Psalms 63 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches. -Second strophe.

Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 63 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

They shall fall by the sword, i.e. die in battle, as David foretold, , and as was accomplished in Saul and his followers, who were David’ s greatest enemies, 1 Samuel 31. They shall be a portion for foxes; their carcasses shall be unburied upon the earth, and thereby become a prey to wild and ravenous creatures, and especially to foxes, which were in those parts in great abundance and which did and do feed not only upon fruits, , but also upon flesh, as experience showeth. Besides, some very learned men think that the word rendered foxes is more general, and comprehends, besides foxes, another sort of creatures, like unto them called thoes, which were very numerous in this country; of which…

Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 63 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Psalms 63:10 They shall fall by the sword: they shall be a portion for foxes.Ver. 10. They shall fall by the sword] Heb. They shall make him run out (like water) by the hand of the sword. A plain prophecy of Saul’ s death, and the manner of it. See alike phrase Jeremiah 18:21 Ezekiel 35:5. They shall be a portion for foxes] Or for any other "beasts of prey"; they shall not have the honour of burial, but lie above ground, to be devoured by beasts and birds. See this fulfilled upon Saul’ s complices, 1 Samuel 31:1-13, and the antichristian rout, Revelation 19:21.

Read John Trapp on Psalms 63 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(10) Shall fall.—See margin. But more literally, they shall pour him on to the hands of the sword, where the suffix him is collective of the enemy, and the meaning is, “they shall be given over to the power of the sword.” (Comp. Jeremiah 18:21; Ezekiel 35:5.) Foxes . . .—Rather, jackals. Heb., shualîm. (See Note, Son 2:15.)

Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 63 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 10. They shall fall by the sword] They shall be poured out by the hand of the sword, Heb. That is, their life's blood shall be shed either in war, or by the hand of justice. They shall be a portion for foxes.] They shall be left unburied, and the jackals shall feed upon their dead bodies. Or, being all cut off by utter destruction, their inheritance shall be left for the wild beasts. That which was their portion shall shortly be the portion of the wild beasts of the forest. If he here refers to the destruction of the Babylonians, the prediction has been literally fulfilled. Where ancient Babylon stood, as far as it can be ascertained, is now the hold of dangerous reptiles and…

Read AdamClarke on Psalms 63 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

10, 11. While his enemies come to an ignominious end, the king emerges from the struggle, triumphant over all opposition.

Read Cambridge on Psalms 63 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

They shall fall by the sword - Margin, They shall make him run out like water by the hands of the sword.

Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 63 →

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

They will fall to the power of the sword; they will become a portion for foxes.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

They shall be given over to the power of the sword. They shall be jackal food.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

They will fall to the power of the sword; they will become a portion for foxes.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Each one will be handed over to the sword; their corpses will be eaten by jackals.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

They shall fall by the sword: they shall be a portion for foxes.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

They shall be given over to the power of the sword: They shall be a portion for foxes.

RVARevised Version, American1894

They shall be given over to the power of the sword: they shall be a portion for foxes.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

They shall fall by the sword: they shall be a portion for foxes.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

They shall cast him downe with the edge of the sword, and they shall be a portion for foxes.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

They shall be given over to the power of the sword; they shall be the portion of foxes.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

They cause him to run on the edge of the sword, A portion for foxes they are.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

They cause him to run on the edge of the sword, || They are a portion for foxes.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

(63:11) They shall be delivered up to the power of the sword: they shall become a prey for jackals.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

they will be given over to those whose hands use the sword, and they will become food for the jackals.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And every man was afraid. And they declared the works of God: and understood his doings.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

They will be killed by the sword; they will become food for jackals.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

They will be cut off by the sword; they will be food for foxes.

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.

clauseverbיַגִּירֻ֥peopleobjectהוּwill.pour.himprepositional phrase · prepositionalעַלovernoun phraseיְדֵי[the].handsחָ֑רֶבof.[the].swordclausenoun phrase · objectמְנָ֖ת[the].portionשֻׁעָלִ֣יםof.foxesverbיִהְיֽוּthey.will.be

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 in their wording for this verse, with the Septuagint maintaining the same seven words as the Hebrew text, indicating a strong alignment in the translation.

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

יַגִּירֻ֥הוּ עַל־ יְדֵי־ חָ֑רֶב מְנָ֖ת שֻׁעָלִ֣ים יִהְיֽוּ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
יַגִּירֻ֥הוּαὐτοὶעַל־εἰςיְדֵי־μάτηνחָ֑רֶבἐζήτησανמְנָ֖תψυξήνשֻׁעָלִ֣יםμουיִהְיֽוּ׃εἰσελεύσονται

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

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 63:10נָגַרpeople willpeople will pouנָגַרעַלoveroverעַליָד[the] hands[the] hands ofיָדחֶ֫רֶב[the] sword[the] swordחֶ֫רֶבמְנָת[the] porti[the] portion oמְנָתשׁוּעָלfoxesfoxesשׁוּעָלהָיָהthey will bthey will beהָיָהכַּףpalmpalmכַּףחָרֵבto dryto dryחָרֵבמָנָהto countto countמָנָהעַלheightheightעַלשֹׁ֫עַלhandfulhandfulשֹׁ֫עַלהָוָאto fallto fallהָוָאחֶ֫רֶבswordswordחֶ֫רֶבמַיWater (GatWater (Gate)מַיכִּפֶּרto atoneto atoneכִּפֶּרכִּסֵּאthronethroneכִּסֵּאחָזָקstrongstrongחָזָקנָצַלto rescueto rescueנָצַלרָעָבfaminefamineרָעָבחָלָלslain: kilslain: killedחָלָללֵוִיLeviLeviלֵוִיכֹּהֵןpriestpriestכֹּהֵןחָבַלto pledgeto pledgeחָבַל
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 63:10

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.

people will pour him over [the] hands of [the] sword [the] portion of foxes they will be
יַגִּירֻ֥הוּya.gi.Ru.hu people will pour him H5064 Verb hiphil imperfect third person masculine plural · suffix
10× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To pour or flow, like water, and can also mean to deliver or stretch out, as seen in Psalm 42:4.
Tyndale gloss
to pour
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נָגַר (nagar) is a Hebrew verb meaning to pour, flow, or run. It encompasses various nuances, including being poured or spilled (Niphal), pouring down (Hiphil), and even melting (Hophal). The term can also figuratively imply vanishing or being stretched out. It captures a range of actions related to liquids and their movement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[נָגַר] vb. pour, flow, run

Niph.

be poured, split

pour oneself, flow, trickle, of eye (in tears)

fig. vanish

be stretched out (?)

Hiph. pour down, hurl down

Hoph. of mountains melting at theophany.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5064 נָגַר

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5064 nagar naw-gar'

a primitive root; to flow; figuratively, to stretch out;

causatively, to pour out or down; figuratively, to deliver

over:--fall, flow away, pour down (out), run, shed, spilt,

trickle down.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָגַר (na.gar) — to pour.

1) to pour, run, flow, pour down

1a) (Niphal)

1a1) to be poured, be spilt

1a2) to pour oneself, flow, trickle

1a3) to vanish (fig.)

1a4) to be stretched out

1b) (Hiphil) to pour down

1c) (Hophal) to melt

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVhi3mp/Sp3ms — Verb hiphil imperfect third person masculine plural · suffix
HVhi3mp/Sp3ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
people will pour him over [the] hands of [the] sword [the] portion of foxes they will be
עַל־'al- over H5921 Preposition
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)

Read the full entry →
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)

Read the full entry →
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
HR — Preposition
HR
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
people will pour him over [the] hands of [the] sword [the] portion of foxes they will be
יְדֵי־ye.dei- [the] hands of H3027 Noun common · both dual construct
1,619× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, 'yad' refers to an open hand, symbolizing power or direction. It can also mean strength or a part of something, like a side or a share. The word is used in many contexts, including anatomy and everyday life.
Tyndale gloss
hand
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָד (yad) means 'hand' and can also refer to strength or power in a figurative sense. It encompasses various technical uses, such as a sign or monument, parts or shares, and even specific components in construction, like axle-trees and supports for the laver. The word is versatile, appearing in both literal and metaphorical contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָד 1604 n.f. hand

hand

Fig. = strength, power

Fig. = side

יָד is used in various special, technical senses:—

sign, monument

part, fractional part or share

time, repetition

axle-trees

stays, supports for laver

tenons on sides of boards of tabernacle

a (beckoning) hand

יַד with prep.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3027 יָד hand . hand

. Fig. = strength, power

. Fig. = side

. יָד is used in various special, technical senses:— . sign, monument

. part, fractional part or share

. time, repetition

. axle-trees

. stays, supports for laver

. tenons on sides of boards of tabernacle

. a (beckoning) hand

. יַד with prep.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3027 yad yawd

a primitive word; a hand (the open one (indicating power,

means, direction, etc.), in distinction from 3709, the closed

one); used (as noun, adverb, etc.) in a great variety of

applications, both literally and figuratively, both proximate

and remote (as follows):--(+ be) able, X about, + armholes,

at, axletree, because of, beside, border, X bounty, + broad,

(broken-)handed, X by, charge, coast, + consecrate, +

creditor, custody, debt, dominion, X enough, + fellowship,

force, X from, hand(-staves, -y work), X he, himself, X in,

labour, + large, ledge, (left-)handed, means, X mine,

ministry, near, X of, X order, ordinance, X our, parts, pain,

power, X presumptuously, service, side, sore, state, stay,

draw with strength, stroke, + swear, terror, X thee, X by

them, X themselves, X thine own, X thou, through, X throwing,

+ thumb, times, X to, X under, X us, X wait on, (way-)side,

Read the full entry →
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָד (yad) — hand.

: hand/arm[anatomy]

1) hand

1a) hand (of man)

1b) strength, power (fig.)

1c) side (of land), part, portion (metaph.) (fig.)

1d) (various special, technical senses)

1d1) sign, monument

1d2) part, fractional part, share

1d3) time, repetition

1d4) axle-trees, axle

1d5) stays, support (for laver)

1d6) tenons (in tabernacle)

1d7) a phallus, a hand (meaning unsure)

1d8) wrists

יָד (yad) — hand: power.

: hand/arm[anatomy]

1) hand

1a) hand (of man)

1b) strength, power (fig.)

1c) side (of land), part, portion (metaph.) (fig.)

1d) (various special, technical senses)

1d1) sign, monument

1d2) part, fractional part, share

1d3) time, repetition

1d4) axle-trees, axle

1d5) stays, support (for laver)

1d6) tenons (in tabernacle)

1d7) a phallus, a hand (meaning unsure)

1d8) wrists

יָד (yad) — hand: themselves.

: hand/arm[anatomy]

1) hand

1a) hand (of man)

1b) strength, power (fig.)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcbdc — Noun common · both dual construct
HNcbdc
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…

people will pour him over [the] hands of [the] sword [the] portion of foxes they will be
חָ֑רֶבCha.rev [the] sword H2719 Noun common · feminine singular absolute
413× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A sword or cutting instrument is what this Hebrew word refers to, including knives and tools for cutting stone. It is used in the Bible to describe weapons and sharp objects.
Tyndale gloss
sword
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חֶ֫רֶב (chereb) means 'sword' and can also refer to other cutting instruments like knives and tools. It is derived from a root meaning 'drought,' highlighting its destructive nature. The term is used in various contexts in the Old Testament, primarily to denote weapons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חֶ֫רֶב 411 n.f. sword (as weapon)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2719 חֶ֫רֶב sword (as weapon)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2719 chereb kheh'-reb

from 2717; drought; also a cutting instrument (from its

destructive effect), as a knife, sword, or other sharp

implement:--axe, dagger, knife, mattock, sword, tool.

see HEBREW for 02717

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חֶ֫רֶב (che.rev) — sword.

1) sword, knife

1a) sword

1b) knife

1c) tools for cutting stone

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

sord.

See ARMOR, III, 5.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Sword

Of the Hebrew was pointed, sometimes two-edged, was worn in a sheath, and suspended from the girdle (Ex. 32:27; 1 Sam. 31:4; 1 Chr. 21:27; Ps. 149:6: Prov. 5:4; Ezek. 16:40; 21:3-5).

It is a symbol of divine chastisement (Deut. 32:25; Ps. 7:12; 78:62), and of a slanderous tongue (Ps. 57:4; 64:3; Prov. 12:18). The word of God is likened also to a…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

[ARMS, ARMOR]

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Used by

Gideon Jud 7:20

Goliath 1Sa 21:9

Peter Mt 26:51; Joh 18:10

→ David' s army equipped with 1Ch 21:5

→ To be beaten into plowshares Isa 2:4; Mic 4:3

→ Made of plowshares Joe 3:10

→ Two-edged Heb 4:12; Re 1:16; 2:12

→ FIGURATIVE

Of war Ge 27:40

people will pour him over [the] hands of [the] sword [the] portion of foxes they will be
מְנָ֖תme.Nat [the] portion of H4521 Noun common · feminine singular construct
8× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A portion refers to an allotment given by God, law, or courtesy. It is a share or part of something, such as land or inheritance, assigned to someone. This concept appears in the Bible as a way of dividing resources.
Tyndale gloss
portion
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מְנָת (mnath) means 'portion' or 'allotment,' derived from a root meaning to assign or give. The term is used in contexts relating to distribution or sharing, as indicated by its glosses in various lexicons. There are no significant disagreements among the entries regarding its meaning.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[מְנָת] n.f. portion

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4521 מְנָת

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4521 mnath men-awth'

from 4487; an allotment (by courtesy, law or

providence):--portion.

see HEBREW for 04487

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מְנָת (me.nat) — portion.

portion

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcfsc — Noun common · feminine singular construct
HNcfsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ov:

(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Lamentations 3:1.

The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.

Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.

That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.

Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
people will pour him over [the] hands of [the] sword [the] portion of foxes they will be
שֻׁעָלִ֣יםshu.'a.Lim foxes H7776 Noun common · masculine plural absolute
7× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The word for fox refers to a burrower, possibly also a jackal. It describes a small to medium-sized mammal that digs holes. In the Bible, it is translated as fox.
Tyndale gloss
fox
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שׁוּעָל (shuw'al) refers to a fox, and may also denote a jackal. The word is derived from a root meaning to burrow, highlighting its association with digging or burrowing animals. The entries consistently emphasize its primary meaning as a fox, with some suggesting a possible connection to jackals.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שׁוּעָל n.m. fox, perhaps also jackal

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7776 שׁוּעָל

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7776 shuw`al shoo-awl'

or shunal {shoo-awl'}; from the same as 8168; a jackal (as a

burrower):--fox.

see HEBREW for 08168

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שׁוּעָל (shu.al) — fox.

1) fox, a burrower

1a) fox

1b) perhaps also jackal

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcmpa — Noun common · masculine plural absolute
HNcmpa
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
people will pour him over [the] hands of [the] sword [the] portion of foxes they will be
יִהְיֽוּ׃yih.Yu they will be H1961 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine plural
3,562× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for to be means to exist or come into being. It is used to describe something that happens or comes to pass, like in Genesis where God creates the world.
Tyndale gloss
to be
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word הָיָה (hayah) is a primitive root meaning to exist or become, and it encompasses a range of meanings including to happen, occur, and come to pass. It is often used in narrative contexts, particularly in phrases like "and it came to pass." The word can also denote a state of being or existence, and it appears frequently in various forms throughout the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הָיָה 3570 vb. fall out, come to pass, become, be

Qal

Fall out, happen

occur, take place, come about, come to pass

esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass

וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)

rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה

less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)

Come into being, become

abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come

sq. prep.

become

sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)

sq. pred. adj.

become like

sq. pred. לְ pers.

sq. לְ pred.

oft. c. לְ pred. לְ pers.

with עַל and לְ

sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of

Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming)

exist, be in existence

abide, remain, continue

with word of locality, be in or at a place, be situated, stand, lie

as copula, joining subj. & pred.

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1961 הָיָה fall out, come to pass, become, be .. . . Fall out, happen

. occur, take place, come about, come to pass

. esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass . . וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)

. rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה

. less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)

. Come into being, become . . abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come

. sq. prep.

. become . sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)

. sq. pred. adj.

. become like

. sq. pred. + לְ pers.

. sq. לְ pred.

. oft. c. לְ pred. + לְ pers.

. with עַל and לְ

. sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of

. Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming) . exist, be in existence

. abide, remain, continue

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1961 hayah haw-yaw

a primitive root (compare 1933); to exist, i.e. be or become,

come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or

auxiliary):--beacon, X altogether, be(-come), accomplished,

committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint,

fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit

(one-)self, require, X use.

see HEBREW for 01933

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הָיָה (ha.yah) — to be.

1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out

1a) (Qal)

1a1) ---

1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass

1a1b) to come about, come to pass

1a2) to come into being, become

1a2a) to arise, appear, come

1a2b) to become

1a2b1) to become

1a2b2) to become like

1a2b3) to be instituted, be established

1a3) to be

1a3a) to exist, be in existence

1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time)

1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality)

1a3d) to accompany, be with

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to occur, come to pass, be done, be brought about

1b2) to be done, be finished, be gone

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVqi3mp — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine plural
HVqi3mp
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

See TESTAMENT.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ THE MENTAL FACULTY

Freedom of, recognized by God Ge 4:6-10; De 5:29; 1Ki 20:42; Isa 1:18-20; 43:26; Jer 36:3,7; Joh 7:17

See BLESSINGS, CONTINGENT UPON OBEDIENCE

See CHOICE

See CONTINGENCY

→ OF GOD, THE SUPREME RULE OF DUTY Mt 6:10; 12:50; 26:39,42; Mr 3:35; 14:36; Lu 11:2; 22:42; Joh 4:34; 5:30; 6:38-40; Ac…

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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