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Psalms 69:20 — Word Study

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WLCחֶרְפָּ֤ה׀ שָֽׁבְרָ֥ה לִבִּ֗י וָֽאָ֫נ֥וּשָׁה וָאֲקַוֶּ֣ה לָנ֣וּד וָאַ֑יִן וְ֝לַמְנַחֲמִ֗ים וְלֹ֣א מָצָֽאתִי׃

BSAInsultscherpâh [reproach, scorn]

Word
Listen & take awayPsalms 69
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 20 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 (ma.Tza.ti) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Psalms 69:20quick helps
In a sentenceThe psalmist expresses deep sorrow and disappointment over the lack of sympathy in his distress.
Who is speakingThe psalmist, reflecting on personal suffering and the absence of comfort.
Where we areIn a lament, where the speaker conveys feelings of heartbreak and despair.
The hard wordחֶרְפָּה
Take awayThe speaker's heart is broken, and he feels utterly alone in his suffering.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectאַתָּה verbיָדַע The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

1 of 10 occurs nowhere else in the Old Testament — a word chosen on purpose.

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 69:20

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 — A Lament of Distressgenerated

19You know my reproach, my shame and disgrace. All my adversaries are before You.
20Insults have broken my heart, and I am in despair. I looked for sympathy, but there was none, for comforters, but I found no one.
21They poisoned my food with gall and gave me vinegar to quench my thirst.
22May their table become a snare; may it be a retribution and a trap.

Psalm 69:20 reflects the psalmist's anguish as he describes the emotional pain caused by insults and the absence of compassion. This lament highlights the struggle of feeling abandoned in times of deep sorrow, echoing themes found throughout the Psalms, where the faithful seek God's presence and comfort amidst their trials. The surrounding verses (Psalm 69:19-22) further illustrate the psalmist's plight and the harsh treatment he has endured.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Psalm 42:10Like the crushing of my bones, my enemies taunt me, while they say to me all day long, “Where is your God?”
2Psalm 123:4We have endured much scorn from the arrogant, much contempt from the proud.
3Hebrews 11:36Still others endured mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment.
4Psalm 42:6O my God, my soul despairs within me. Therefore I remember You from the land of Jordan and the peaks of Hermon— even from Mount Mizar.
5Matthew 26:37–38He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee and began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 14 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word חֶרְפָּה, cher.Pahgenerated

The noun חֶרְפָּה (cherpah) means reproach or shame, often associated with feelings of scorn or disgrace. It conveys a sense of being deeply offended and humiliated, highlighting the emotional impact of insults.

This word is derived from חָרַף (charaf), which relates to scorn or rebuke. Its usage in this verse emphasizes the weight of the psalmist's suffering, as the reproach he faces has metaphorically shattered his heart.


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 of the verse is שָׁבְרָה, it has broken, which governs the emotional state described in the rest of the sentence. The structure presents the psalmist's heart as the subject of this breaking, followed by his subsequent feelings of despair and longing for sympathy.

The sentence unfolds with clauses that detail the psalmist's search for comfort, illustrating a progression from his broken heart to the realization of his isolation. The use of conjunctions connects his emotional state with the absence of support.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, the word חֶרְפָּה is rendered as σὺ, which does not convey the reproachful nuance present in the Hebrew. This choice suggests a broader interpretation, possibly focusing on the personal address rather than the emotional weight of the insult.

The Greek translation captures the essence of the psalmist's despair but lacks the specific connotation of shame that חֶרְפָּה carries in Hebrew.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalm 69:20 expresses the psalmist's deep sorrow over insults that have broken his heart. He feels despair and looks for sympathy but finds none. This highlights his loneliness and the pain of feeling abandoned in his suffering.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that insults have broken the psalmist's heart?

It signifies that the psalmist feels deeply hurt and humiliated by the scorn directed at him, leading to emotional pain.

Why does the psalmist mention looking for comforters?

He expresses a longing for support and compassion during his distress, highlighting the absence of those who could provide comfort.

What is the significance of feeling despair in this verse?

Despair indicates a profound sense of hopelessness and emotional suffering, underscoring the depth of the psalmist's pain.

How does this verse relate to other psalms of lament?

It shares common themes of seeking God’s presence and comfort in times of trouble, as seen in other lament psalms.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what situations have I felt reproached or shamed, and how did I respond?
  2. How can I offer comfort to those who are in despair around me?
  3. What does this verse teach me about the importance of compassion and support in difficult times?
  4. How can I seek God's presence when I feel alone in my struggles?

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

Early Christian writers reference this psalm to discuss the suffering of Christ and the fulfillment of prophecy. Quotations from Tertullian and Aphrahat highlight the connection between David's lament and the passion of Christ.

TertullianAN ANSWER TO THE JEWS 12 c. 155–220
A second time, in fact, let us show that Christ has already come, [as foretold] through the prophets, and has suffered, and has already been received back in the heavens and will come from there according to the predictions prophesied.
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 69 →
TertullianON THE RESURRECTION OF THE FLESH 20 c. 155–220
Now, to counter all opinions of this kind, let me dispel at once the preliminary idea on which they rest their assertion that the prophets make all their announcements in figures of speech.
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 69 →
Aphrahat the Persian SageDEMONSTRATIONS 17:10 c. 270–345
And furthermore David said concerning his passion, “For my food they gave gall, and for my thirst they did give me vinegar to drink.” Again he said in that passage,
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 69 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 69:20 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Reproach hath broken my heart,.... This was his case when his soul was exceeding sorrowful unto death, and his heart like wax melted in the midst of his bows is, Matthew 26:38; and I am full of

Read John Gill on Psalms 69 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Thou hast known my reproach, and my shame, and my dishonour: mine adversaries are all before thee.

Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 69 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Hath broken my heart: for reproach is most grievous to the most generous and noble souls; and besides, this was the highest degree and the worst kind of reproach, being cast upon him for God’ s sake, and upon God also for his sake. None, i.e. few or none, as that word is frequently used, both in sacred and profane writers. For whether you understand it of David, or of Christ, there were some who pitied both of them.

Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 69 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Psalms 69:20 Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked [for some] to take pity, but [there was] none; and for comforters, but I found none.Ver. 20. Reproach hath broken mine heart, &c.] He knew his own innocence, and yet it much grieved him to be so defamed; for he knew that a good man should be as much as might be not only without fault, but without suspicion of a fault, as Augustus Caesar was wont to say of his house. Howsoever, it is happy that a true Christian hath always his cordial by him, 2 Corinthians 1:12. Our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience. And I looked for some to take pity] Heb. to lament with me, or to shake the head over me as…

Read John Trapp on Psalms 69 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(20) I am full of heaviness.—Rather, I am sick. The word here used (with its cognates), as well as that rendered pity in the next clause, are favourite words with Jeremiah, as also are the figures of the next verse. (See Jeremiah 8:14; Jeremiah 9:15; Jeremiah 23:15.)

Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 69 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

20. hath broken my heart] Cp. Jeremiah 23:9. I am full of heaviness] Or, as R.V. marg., sore sick. A cognate word is frequently used in Jer., e.g. Jeremiah 15:18, A.V. incurable. and I looked &c.] Or, and I waited for some to sympathise, but there was no one.

Read Cambridge on Psalms 69 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Reproach hath broken my heart - The reproaches, the calumnies, the aspersions, the slanders of others, have crushed me. I am not able to bear up under them; I fail under the burden.

Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 69 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

20. To take pity—To bemoan me, or lament with me. The passage is elliptical, but the idea is clearly that he expected sympathy—some one to sorrow with him—and found none.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Psalms 69 →

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

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

Modern formal

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

Insults have broken my heart, and I am in despair. I looked for sympathy, but there was none, for comforters, but I found no one.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Reproach has broken my heart, and I am full of heaviness. I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; for comforters, but I found none.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Insults have broken my heart, and I am in despair. I looked for sympathy, but there was none, for comforters, but I found no one.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Their insults are painful and make me lose heart; I look for sympathy, but receive none, for comforters, but find none.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: And I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; And for comforters, but I found none.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Rebuke hath broken mine heart, and I am full of heauinesse, and I looked for some to haue pitie on me, but there was none: and for comforters, but I found none.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Reproach hath broken my heart, and I am overwhelmed: and I looked for sympathy, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Reproach hath broken my heart, and I am sick, And I look for a bemoaner, and there is none, And for comforters, and I have found none.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Reproach has broken my heart, and I am sick, || And I look for a bemoaner, and there is none, || And for comforters, and I have found none.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

(69:21) Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am sick; and I waited for pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Rebuke has broken my heart; I am full of heaviness; I looked for someone to take pity, but there was none; I looked for comforters, but I found none.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Insults have broken my heart—I am so sick there is no cure. I looked for some sympathy, but there was no one! Nobody showed me any compassion.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

My heart is broken by bitter words, I am full of grief; I made a search for some to have pity on me, but there was no one; I had no comforter.

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.

clausesubjectחֶרְפָּ֤הreproachverbשָֽׁבְרָ֥הit.has.brokennoun phrase · objectלִבִּ֗heartיmyוָֽandclauseverb phrase · verbאָ֫נ֥וּשָׁIהhave.become.sickוָandclauseclauseverbאֲקַוֶּ֣הI.waitedprepositional phrase · prepositionalלָtoclauseverbנ֣וּדshow.sympathyוָandclausepredicateאַ֑יִןthere.[was].notוְ֝andclauseclauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalלַfornoun phrase(the)מְנַחֲמִ֗יםcomfortersוְandclauseadverbialלֹ֣אnotverbמָצָֽאתִיI.found.[them]

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


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

The Masoretic Text of Psalms 69:20 presents the verse as expressing deep emotional pain and a lack of comfort. The Septuagint largely agrees with the Masoretic Text, matching 8 of the 10 words in a word-by-word correspondence, although it may differ in word order and articles. The Samaritan Pentateuch and the Dead Sea Scrolls do not provide additional information for this specific verse, so their readings are not available for comparison here.

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

חֶרְפָּ֤ה׀ שָֽׁבְרָ֥ה לִבִּ֗י וָֽאָ֫נ֥וּשָׁה וָאֲקַוֶּ֣ה לָנ֣וּד וָאַ֑יִן וְ֝לַמְנַחֲמִ֗ים וְלֹ֣א מָצָֽאתִי׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
חֶרְפָּ֤ה׀σὺשָֽׁבְרָ֥הγινώσκειςלִבִּ֗יμουוָֽאָ֫נ֥וּשָׁהμουוָאֲקַוֶּ֣הκαὶלָנ֣וּדἐναντίονוָאַ֑יִןπάντεςוְ֝לַמְנַחֲמִ֗יםμε

8 of the 10 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 69:20חֶרְפָּהreproachreproachחֶרְפָּהשָׁבַרit has brokit has brokenשָׁבַרלֵבheart myheart myלֵבנוּשׁand I have and I have becoנוּשׁקָוָהand I waiteand I waitedקָוָהנוּדto show symto show sympathנוּדאַ֫יִןand there nand there notאַ֫יִןנחםand for comand for comfortנחםלֹאand notand notלֹאמָצָאI found [thI found [them]מָצָאחָרַףto tauntto tauntחָרַףשָׂבַרto inspectto inspectשָׂבַרלֵבָבheartheartלֵבָבאַ֫יִןwhere?where?אַ֫יִןכְּלִמָּהshameshameכְּלִמָּהקְלָלָהcursecurseקְלָלָהמַצֵּבָהpillarpillarמַצֵּבָהגָּדַעto cut dowto cut down/offגָּדַעחָסֵרlackinglackingחָסֵרחָכָםwisewiseחָכָםיָחַלto wait: wto wait: waitיָחַלנוּעַto shaketo shakeנוּעַצִפּוֹרbirdbirdצִפּוֹרכְּמוֹlikelikeכְּמוֹרַעbad: harmfbad: harmfulרַעיָכֹלbe ablebe ableיָכֹלעוֹדstillstillעוֹדחֵןfavorfavorחֵן
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 69:20

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.

reproach it has broken heart my and I have become sick ! and I waited to show sympathy and there not and for comforters and not I found [them]
חֶרְפָּ֤ה׀cher.Pah reproach H2781 Noun common · feminine singular absolute
73× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Cherpah means reproach or shame, often used to describe scorn or disgrace. In the Bible, it is used to express strong feelings of shame or humiliation.
Amplified meaning
reproach, scorn
Tyndale gloss
reproach
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חֶרְפָּה (cherpah) means reproach or taunt, often associated with shame or disgrace. It can refer to the condition of being reproached or the object of reproach itself. The word is derived from חָרַף (charaf), which relates to scorn or rebuke.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חֶרְפָּה n.f. reproach

taunt of enemy

reproach which rests upon one, condition of shame, disgrace

a reproach, the object of reproach, the person or thing reproached

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2781 חֶרְפָּה reproach . taunt of enemy

. reproach which rests upon one, condition of shame, disgrace

. a reproach, the object of reproach, the person or thing reproached

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2781 cherpah kher-paw'

from 2778; contumely, disgrace, the pudenda:--rebuke,

reproach(-fully), shame.

see HEBREW for 02778

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חֶרְפָּה (cher.pah) — reproach.

1) reproach, scorn

1a) taunt, scorn (upon enemy)

1b) reproach (resting upon condition of shame, disgrace)

1c) a reproach (an object)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs | Suff — Noun common · feminine singular absolute
HNcfsa
reproach it has broken heart my and I have become sick ! and I waited to show sympathy and there not and for comforters and not I found [them]
שָֽׁבְרָ֥הsha.ve.Rah it has broken H7665 Verb · Qal · perfect third person feminine singular
147× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to break or shatter something, either physically or emotionally. It can also mean to burst or rupture, and is often used to describe intense violence or destruction. In the Bible, it's translated as break or crush.
Tyndale gloss
to break
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׁבַר (shabar) means to break or shatter, with various nuances including breaking in pieces, causing to break out (like bringing to birth), and being broken or crushed. It appears in different forms, such as Qal, Niphal, Piel, Hiphil, and Hophal, indicating active and passive meanings. The lexicons do not present any significant disagreements.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁבַר 148 vb. break, break in pieces

Qal 53 break, lit.

Niph. 57 be broken

Pi. 26 shatter, break

Hiph. cause to break out, i.e. bring to the birth

Hoph. be broken, shattered (in heart)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7665 שָׁבַר break, break in pieces .break, lit.

. be broken

. shatter, break

. cause to break out, i.e. bring to the birth

. be broken, shattered (in heart)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7665 shabar shaw-bar'

a primitive root; to burst (literally or

figuratively):--break (down, off, in pieces, up),

broken((-hearted)), bring to the birth, crush, destroy, hurt,

quench, X quite, tear, view (by mistake for 7663).

see HEBREW for 07663

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁבַר (sha.var) — to break.

1) to break, break in pieces

1a) (Qal)

1a1) break, break in or down, rend violently, wreck, crush, quench

1a2) to break, rupture (fig)

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be broken, be maimed, be crippled, be wrecked

1b2) to be broken, be crushed (fig)

1c) (Piel) to shatter, break

1d) (Hiphil) to cause to break out, bring to the birth

1e) (Hophal) to be broken, be shattered

Aramaic equivalent: te.var (תְּבַר "to break" H8406)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVqp3fs — Verb · Qal · perfect third person feminine singular
HVqp3fs
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

bro'-k'-n: Occurs both as past participle of the verb translated "to break" and as an adjective, the former use will be dealt with here only so far as verbs occur which are thus translated but do not present the non-participial forms. Such are: meroach = "bruised," "emasculated" (Le 21:20); chathath = "to frustrate," hence, "to break down" either by violence or by confusion and fear (1Sa 2:10; Jer 48:20,39); dakhah = "to collapse" (Ps 44:19; 51:8); ratsats = "to crack in pieces" "crush" (Ec 12:6); kathath = "to bruise or violently strike," "break in pieces" (Isa…

reproach it has broken heart my and I have become sick ! and I waited to show sympathy and there not and for comforters and not I found [them]
לִבִּ֗יli.Bi heart my H3820 Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
595× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Leb refers to the heart, but also represents feelings, will, and intellect in the Bible. It is used figuratively to describe the center of something, and is often translated as heart or mind. Leb is a complex concept that encompasses emotions and thoughts.
Tyndale gloss
heart
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word לֵב (lev) means 'heart' and encompasses the inner man, mind, will, and emotions. It refers to the center of feelings, intellect, and moral character, as well as the seat of appetites and courage. The entries suggest a broad range of meanings related to human experience and thought, with a specific mention of its use in Jeremiah 51:1.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לֵב 599 n.m. (f.) inner man, mind, will, heart

seldom of things in the midst of the sea

elsewhere of men

the inner man in contrast with the outer

the inner man, indef., soul, comprehending mind, affections and will

specific reference to mind

spec. ref. to inclinations, resolutions and determinations of the will

spec. ref. to conscience

[various]

for the man himself

as seat of appetites

as seat of emotions and passions

seat of courage

base

לֵב קָמָי prob. late Atbash Je 51:1.

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3820a לֵב inner man, mind, will, heart . seldom of things in the midst of the sea

. elsewhere of men . the inner man in contrast with the outer

. the inner man, indef., soul, comprehending mind, affections and will

. specific reference to mind

. spec. ref. to inclinations, resolutions and determinations of the will

. spec. ref. to conscience

. [various]

. for the man himself

. as seat of appetites

. as seat of emotions and passions

. seat of courage

H3820b לֵב קָמָי prob. late Atbash

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3820 leb labe

a form of 3824; the heart; also used (figuratively) very

widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect;

likewise for the centre of anything:--+ care for, comfortably,

consent, X considered, courag(-eous), friend(-ly), ((broken-),

(hard-), (merry-), (stiff-), (stout-), double) heart((-ed)), X

heed, X I, kindly, midst, mind(-ed), X regard((-ed)), X

themselves, X unawares, understanding, X well, willingly,

wisdom.

see HEBREW for 03824

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לֵב (lev) — heart.

1) inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding

1a) inner part, midst

1a1) midst (of things)

1a2) heart (of man)

1a3) soul, heart (of man)

1a4) mind, knowledge, thinking, reflection, memory

1a5) inclination, resolution, determination (of will)

1a6) conscience

1a7) heart (of moral character)

1a8) as seat of appetites

1a9) as seat of emotions and passions 1a10) as seat of courage

לֵב (lev) — Leb.

§ Leb- = "heart of"

(probably a cryptic name for Babylon by Atbash)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcmsc/Sp1bs — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HNcmsc/Sp1bs
reproach it has broken heart my and I have become sick ! and I waited to show sympathy and there not and for comforters and not I found [them]
וָֽאָ֫נ֥וּשָׁהva.'A.Nu.shah and I have become sick ! H5136 Verb qal sequential imperfect first person common singular · suffix
1× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To be sick means feeling unwell or distressed, like when someone is full of heaviness. This word appears in the Bible to describe physical or emotional pain. It is used to convey a sense of suffering.
Tyndale gloss
be sick
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נוּשׁ (nuwsh) is a primitive root meaning to be sick or distressed. The primary usage is in the Qal form, indicating a state of being unwell. This word appears in Psalm 69:21, where it conveys a sense of heaviness.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[נוּשׁ] vb. be sick;—Qal ψ 69:21

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5136 נוּשׁ

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5136 nuwsh noosh

a primitive root; to be sick, i.e. (figuratively)

distressed:--be full of heaviness.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נוּשׁ (nush) — be sick.

(Qal) to be sick

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Hc/Vqw1cs/Sh — Verb qal sequential imperfect first person common singular · suffix
Hc/Vqw1cs/Sh
reproach it has broken heart my and I have become sick ! and I waited to show sympathy and there not and for comforters and not I found [them]
וָאֲקַוֶּ֣הva.'a.ka.Veh and I waited H6960 Verb · Piel · sequential imperfect first person common singular
49× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to collect or gather things together, and can also mean to wait patiently for something. It is used in Psalms and Proverbs to describe waiting on God.
Tyndale gloss
to await
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

קָוָה (qavah) is a Hebrew verb that encompasses the meanings of waiting, expecting, and collecting. It can refer to eagerly waiting or lying in wait, as well as the act of gathering together. The word appears in different forms, including Qal and Piel, indicating various nuances of waiting and collecting.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[קָוָה] vb. wait for

Qal those waiting for

Pi.

wait, or look eagerly, for

lie in wait for

wait (linger) for

base

[קָוָה] vb. collect;—Niph. be collected

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6960a קָוָה wait for . wait, or look eagerly, for

. lie in wait for

. wait (linger) for

H6960b קָוָה collect;—Niph. be collected

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6960 qavah kaw-vaw'

a primitive root; to bind together (perhaps by twisting),

i.e. collect; (figuratively) to expect:--gather (together),

look, patiently, tarry, wait (for, on, upon).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קָוָה (qa.vah) — to await.

1) to wait, look for, hope, expect

1a) (Qal) waiting (participle)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to wait or look eagerly for

1b2) to lie in wait for

1b3) to wait for, linger for

קָוָה (qa.vah) — to collect.

1) to collect, bind together

1a) (Niphal) to be collected

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Hc/Vpw1cs — Verb · Piel · sequential imperfect first person common singular
Hc/Vpw1cs
reproach it has broken heart my and I have become sick ! and I waited to show sympathy and there not and for comforters and not I found [them]
לָנ֣וּדla.Nud to show sympathy H5110 Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
24× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To wander means to move aimlessly, showing grief or sympathy, and is used to describe someone who is lost or in need of comfort, like a mourner or a fugitive.
Tyndale gloss
to wander
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word נוּד (*nuwd*) is a primitive root meaning to move to and fro or wander. It encompasses a range of actions including shaking, fluttering, and showing grief, as well as more figurative uses like taunting or consoling. The entries detail various forms and nuances, such as causing others to wander or moving oneself in grief.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נוּד vb. move to and fro, wander, shudder, shew grief

Qal

move to and fro, wander aimlessly, as fugitive

flutter

waver, wave, shake

shew grief (i.e. by shaking or nodding head)

Hiph.

cause to wander aimlessly, as fugitives

make a wagging, wag with the head

Hoph. and the worthless, like briers made to flutter (tossed away) are they

Hithpo‛lel

move oneself to and fro, sway, totter

shake oneself, in excitement

bemoan oneself

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5110 נוּד move to and fro, wander, shudder, shew grief

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5110 nuwd nood

a primitive root; to nod, i.e. waver; figuratively, to

wander, flee, disappear; also (from shaking the head in

sympathy), to console, deplore, or (from tossing the head in

scorn) taunt:--bemoan, flee, get, mourn, make to move, take

pity, remove, shake, skip for joy, be sorry, vagabond, way,

wandering.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נוּד (nud) — to wander.

1) to shake, waver, wander, move to and fro, flutter, show grief, have compassion on

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to move to and fro, wander (aimlessly), take flight

1a2) to flutter

1a3) to waver, wave, shake

1a4) to show grief

1a4a) to lament, condole, show sympathy

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to cause to wander (aimlessly)

1b2) to make a wagging, wag (with the head)

1c) (Hithpolel)

1c1) to move oneself to and fro, sway, totter

1c2) to shake oneself

1c3) to bemoan oneself

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Vqcc — Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
HR/Vqcc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Nave's Topical Bible

→ General scriptures concerning Job 2:11-13; 6:14; 22:29; Ec 7:2; Php 2:1,2; Jas 1:27; 1Pe 3:8

→ See AFFLICTED

→ See AFFLICTIONS

→ See JESUS, COMPASSION OF

→ See PITY

reproach it has broken heart my and I have become sick ! and I waited to show sympathy and there not and for comforters and not I found [them]
וָאַ֑יִןva.'A.yin and there not H369 Conjunction · noun common masculine singular absolute
789× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means nothing or not, often used to indicate the absence of something, as in Genesis 1:2 where the earth was without form. It emphasizes the idea of something lacking or non-existent.
Tyndale gloss
nothing
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אַ֫יִן (ayin) primarily means 'nothing' or 'nought' and serves as a negative particle indicating absence or negation, such as 'is not' or 'there is not.' It can also express lack of possession or existence. The word is derived from a root meaning to be non-existent, and it appears frequently in various grammatical constructions.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אַ֫יִן, אָ֑֫יִן cstr. אֵין subst. prop. nothing, nought

to nothing, as nothing

cstr. אֵין, very freq. as particle of negation, is not, are not, was not, were not

אֵין לְ׳, with subst., or pron., there is (was) not to … = … have, has, had, etc. not

in circumst. clauses

with inf. and ל׳, it is not to …

with prefixes

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H369 אַ֫יִן, אָ֑֫יִן cstr. אֵין subst. prop. nothing, nought . to nothing, as nothing

. cstr. אֵין, very freq. as particle of negation, is not, are not, was not, were not

. אֵין לְ׳, with subst., or pron., there is (was) not to … = … have, has, had, etc. not

. in circumst. clauses

. with inf. and ל׳, it is not to …

. with prefixes

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

369 'ayin ah'-yin

as if from a primitive root meaning to be nothing or not

exist; a non-entity; generally used as a negative

particle:--else, except, fail, (father-)less, be gone,

in(-curable), neither, never, no (where), none, nor, (any,

thing), not, nothing, to nought, past, un(-searchable),

well-nigh, without. Compare 370.

see HEBREW for 0370

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אַ֫יִן (a.yin) — nothing.

1) nothing, not, nought n

1a) nothing, nought neg

1b) not

1c) to have not (of possession) adv

1d) without w/prep

1e) for lack of

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HC/Ncmsa — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular absolute
HC/Ncmsa
reproach it has broken heart my and I have become sick ! and I waited to show sympathy and there not and for comforters and not I found [them]
וְ֝לַמְנַחֲמִ֗יםve.lam.na.cha.Mim and for comforters H5162 Conjunction · preposition · verb piel participle (active) masculine plural
108× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To comfort means showing pity or sympathy, as seen in God's actions throughout the Bible, such as in Isaiah 40. The word can also imply regret or remorse, like in the story of Jonah, who was sorry for his actions. It involves easing someone's pain or discomfort.
Tyndale gloss
to be sorry: comfort
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נָחַם (nacham) is a Hebrew root that conveys a range of meanings related to feelings of sorrow, compassion, and comfort. It can signify being sorry, repenting, or consoling oneself, as well as avenging oneself in a more negative context. The verb appears in various forms, including Niph., Piel, Pual, and Hithpael, each reflecting different nuances of comfort and regret.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[נחם] vb. Niph. be sorry, console oneself, etc.

Niph.

be sorry, moved to pity, have compassion, for others

be sorry, rue, suffer grief, repent, of one’s own doings

comfort oneself, be comforted

comfort oneself, ease oneself, by taking vengeance

Piel—comfort, console

Pual; be comforted, consoled

Hithpa.—

be sorry, have compassion

rue, repent of

comfort oneself, be comforted

ease oneself, by taking vengeance

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5162 נחם Niph. be sorry, console oneself, etc. .comfort, console

. be comforted, consoled

.— . be sorry, have compassion

. rue, repent of

. comfort oneself, be comforted

. ease oneself, by taking vengeance

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5162 nacham naw-kham'

a primitive root; properly, to sigh, i.e. breathe strongly;

by implication, to be sorry, i.e. (in a favorable sense) to

pity, console or (reflexively) rue; or (unfavorably) to avenge

(oneself):--comfort (self), ease (one's self),

repent(-er,-ing, self).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָחַם (na.cham) — to be sorry: comfort.

: comfort

1) to be sorry, console oneself, repent, regret, comfort, be comforted

1a) (Niphal)

1a1) to be sorry, be moved to pity, have compassion

1a2) to be sorry, rue, suffer grief, repent

1a3) to comfort oneself, be comforted

1a4) to comfort oneself, ease oneself

1b) (Piel) to comfort, console

1c) (Pual) to be comforted, be consoled

1d) (Hithpael)

1d1) to be sorry, have compassion

1d2) to rue, repent of

1d3) to comfort oneself, be comforted

1d4) to ease oneself

Also means: na.cham (נָחַם ": relent" H5162H)

נָחַם (na.cham) — to be sorry: relent.

: relent

1) to be sorry, console oneself, repent, regret, comfort, be comforted

1a) (Niphal)

1a1) to be sorry, be moved to pity, have compassion

1a2) to be sorry, rue, suffer grief, repent

1a3) to comfort oneself, be comforted

1a4) to comfort oneself, ease oneself

1b) (Piel) to comfort, console

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HC/Rd/Vprmpa — Conjunction · preposition · verb piel participle (active) masculine plural
HC/Rd/Vprmpa
reproach it has broken heart my and I have become sick ! and I waited to show sympathy and there not and for comforters and not I found [them]
וְלֹ֣אve.Lo' and not H3808 Conjunction · particle
5,170× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Tyndale gloss
not
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לֹא or לוֹא adv. not

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3808 lo' lo

or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often

used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,

ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,

no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out

of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +

of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לֹא (lo) — not.

1) not, no

1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)

1b) not (with modifier-negation)

1c) nothing (subst)

1d) without (with particle)

1e) before (of time)

Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HC/Tn — Conjunction · particle
HC/Tn
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
reproach it has broken heart my and I have become sick ! and I waited to show sympathy and there not and for comforters and not I found [them]
מָצָֽאתִי׃ma.Tza.ti I found [them] H4672 Verb · Qal · perfect first person common singular
455× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Matsa means to find or attain something, whether it is a physical object, a person, or a condition, as seen in various KJV translations.
Tyndale gloss
to find
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מָצָא (matsa') is a Hebrew verb meaning to find or attain. It encompasses a range of actions, including discovering something lost, encountering someone, or coming upon a situation. The word can also imply being present or sufficient. Lexicons note various forms and uses, including Qal, Niphal, and Hiphil, which indicate different nuances of finding and encountering.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מָצָא 452 vb. attain to, find

Qal

find

find out

= come upon, light upon

noteworthy phrases

Niph. pass. of Qal, be found

Hiph.

cause to find, attain

cause to light upon, come upon, come

cause to encounter

present unto

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4672 מָצָא attain to, find

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4672 matsa' maw-tsaw'

a primitive root; properly, to come forth to, i.e. appear or

exist; transitively, to attain, i.e. find or acquire;

figuratively, to occur, meet or be present:--+ be able,

befall, being, catch, X certainly, (cause to) come (on, to, to

hand), deliver, be enough (cause to) find(-ing, occasion,

out), get (hold upon), X have (here), be here, hit, be left,

light (up-)on, meet (with), X occasion serve, (be) present,

ready, speed, suffice, take hold on.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מָצָא (ma.tsa) — to find.

1) to find, attain to

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to find

1a1a) to find, secure, acquire, get (thing sought)

1a1b) to find (what is lost)

1a1c) to meet, encounter

1a1d) to find (a condition)

1a1e) to learn, devise

1a2) to find out

1a2a) to find out

1a2b) to detect

1a2c) to guess

1a3) to come upon, light upon

1a3a) to happen upon, meet, fall in with

1a3b) to hit

1a3c) to befall

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be found

1b1a) to be encountered, be lighted upon, be discovered

1b1b) to appear, be recognised

1b1c) to be discovered, be detected

1b1d) to be gained, be secured

1b2) to be, be found

1b2a) to be found in

1b2b) to be in the possession of

1b2c) to be found in (a place), happen to be

1b2d) to be left (after war)

1b2e) to be present

1b2f) to prove to be

1b2g) to be found sufficient, be enough

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to cause to find, attain

1c2) to cause to light upon, come upon, come

1c3) to cause to encounter

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVqp1cs — Verb · Qal · perfect first person common singular
HVqp1cs
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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