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Psalms 69:28 — Word Study

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WLCיִ֭מָּחֽוּ מִסֵּ֣פֶר חַיִּ֑ים וְעִ֥ם צַ֝דִּיקִ֗ים אַל־ יִכָּתֵֽבוּ׃

BSAand notʼal [never, under no circumstances]

Word
Listen & take awayPsalms 69
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 28 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 (yi.ka.Te.vu) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Psalms 69:28quick helps
In a sentenceThe psalmist calls for the removal of the wicked from the record of the living.
Who is speakingThe psalmist, expressing a desire for justice.
Where we areIn a prayer for the fate of the wicked, contrasting them with the righteous.
The hard wordיִ֭מָּחֽוּ
Take awayThe psalmist seeks divine judgment against the unrighteous.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbנָתַן 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 69:28

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 Prayer for Justicegenerated

27Add iniquity to their iniquity; let them not share in Your righteousness.
28May they be blotted out of the Book of Life and not listed with the righteous.
29But I am in pain and distress; let Your salvation protect me, O God.
30I will praise God’s name in song and exalt Him with thanksgiving.

Psalm 69:28 is part of a lament where the psalmist expresses deep anguish over the actions of the wicked. He asks God to ensure that those who do evil are removed from the Book of Life, highlighting the contrast between the unrighteous and the righteous, and emphasizing the need for divine justice.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Exodus 32:32–33Yet now, if You would only forgive their sin.... But if not, please blot me out of the book that You have written.”
2Isaiah 65:16Whoever invokes a blessing in the land will do so by the God of truth, and whoever takes an oath in the land will swear by the God of truth. For the former troubles will be forgotten and hidden from My sight.
3Hosea 1:9And the LORD said, “Name him Lo-ammi, for you are not My people, and I am not your God.
4Revelation 3:5Like them, he who overcomes will be dressed in white. And I will never blot out his name from the Book of Life, but I will confess his name before My Father and His angels.
5Revelation 22:19And if anyone takes away from the words of this book of prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and the holy city, which are described in this book.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 12 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word יִ֭מָּחֽוּ, Yi.ma.chugenerated

The verb יִ֭מָּחֽוּ (yi.machu) is a Niphal imperfect form, meaning 'may they be wiped out.' It conveys the sense of erasure or obliteration, indicating a complete removal from memory or existence. This word is often used in contexts involving divine judgment or the removal of sin.

The use of this verb in the psalm reflects a desire for justice, where the psalmist calls upon God to act decisively against those who oppose Him. The implications of wiping out extend beyond mere physical removal; it signifies a deep spiritual consequence.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

Translations generally agree on the meaning conveyed in Psalms 69:28.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb, יִ֭מָּחֽוּ (may they be wiped out), governs the sentence, with two phrases following it: a prepositional phrase indicating the source of removal and a conjunction introducing the contrast with the righteous. The structure highlights the psalmist's urgent appeal for divine action.

The phrase מִסֵּ֣פֶר חַיִּ֑ים (from the Book of Life) is a noun phrase that specifies where the removal should occur, while the conjunction וְעִ֥ם (and with) introduces the contrast with the righteous, emphasizing the separation desired by the psalmist.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, the Hebrew יִ֭מָּחֽוּ is rendered as ἀνομίαν (anomia), which means 'lawlessness.' This choice indicates a broader interpretation, focusing on the nature of the wicked rather than the act of being wiped out.

The Septuagint's rendering suggests that the translators understood the psalmist's plea as a call for the removal of not just individuals, but the very essence of their lawlessness from the divine record.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalm 69:28 expresses a desire for the wicked to be removed from the Book of Life, contrasting them with the righteous. The psalmist calls for divine justice, seeking the obliteration of those who do evil.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean to be blotted out of the Book of Life?

Being blotted out of the Book of Life signifies a removal from the record of those who are saved or have eternal life, indicating a serious spiritual consequence.

Why does the psalmist want the wicked to be removed?

The psalmist desires justice and acknowledges the need for God to act against those who oppose Him, ensuring that the righteous are distinguished from the wicked.

How does this verse relate to other scriptures?

This verse connects with themes found in other scriptures, such as Exodus 32:32-33 and Revelation 3:5, where the idea of being written or removed from a divine record is explored.

What is the significance of being listed with the righteous?

Being listed with the righteous indicates a state of favor with God, where one is recognized as just and upright, contrasting sharply with the fate of the wicked.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What does it mean for me to be counted among the righteous?
  2. How can I ensure that my actions align with God's will, so I am not counted among the wicked?
  3. What steps can I take to seek justice in my community, reflecting the psalmist's desire for divine action?
  4. How do I understand the concept of the Book of Life in my faith?

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

Early commentators like Augustine of Hippo reference this verse to discuss divine justice and the fate of the wicked.

Augustine of HippoExposition on Psalms 69 354–430
"Lay iniquity upon their iniquity" [Psalms 69:28]. What is this? Who would not be afraid? To God is said,
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 69 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 69:28 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Let them be blotted out of the book of life,.... Which some understand of this animal life, or of the catalogue of living saints; of their being not written among the living in Jerusalem, or in the

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

Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous. Let them be blotted out of the book of the living.

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

Of the living; or, of life: either, 1. Of this life. Out of the number of living men; which anciently used to be written in catalogues, out of which the names of those who died were blotted. Or rather, 2. Of eternal life, as both Jewish and Christian interpreters commonly understand it; which agrees best, 1. To the use of this phrase in Scripture; for in this sense men are said to be written in the book, , or in God’ s book, , or in the book of life, 13:8 17:8 20:12 21:27. 2. To the last clause of the verse, which explains it of that book, wherein none but the righteous are written; whereas this life, and that attended with health and prosperity, is promiscuously given to and taken from…

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

Psalms 69:28 Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous.Ver. 28. Let them be blotted out, &c.] Wherein they were never indeed written among those living in Jerusalem, Isaiah 4:3, those firstborn whose names are written in heaven, Hebrews 12:23, but they accounted themselves of that number, and were so esteemed by others. This was a mistake, and the psalmist prayeth God to make it appear so, Ne videantur in albun tuorum relati quibus verae vitro donum destinasti.

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

(28) Book of the living—or life.—This image, which plays so great a part in Christian poetry (Revelation 3:5; Revelation 13:8; Revelation 21:27. Comp. Philippians 4:3; Luke 10:20), is derived from the civil lists or registers of the Jews. (Exodus 32:32; Jeremiah 22:30; Ezekiel 13:9.) At first erasure from this list only implied that a man was dead, or that a family was extinct (see references above); but as death was thought to deprive of all benefit of the covenant (see Note, Psalms 6:5), such erasure came to imply exclusion from all the rights and privileges of the Theocracy, and therefore from the glory of participating in the promised deliverance and restoration of the race, and so…

Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 69 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 28. Let them be blotted out] They shall be blotted out from the land of the living. They shall be cut off from life, which they have forfeited by their cruelty and oppression. The psalmist is speaking of retributive justice; and in this sense all these passages are to be understood. And not be written with the righteous.] They shall have no title to that long life which God has promised to his followers.

Read AdamClarke on Psalms 69 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

28. the book of the living] Or, as R.V., the book of life. The figure is borrowed from the lists or registers of citizens (Jeremiah 22:30; Ezekiel 13:9). God has a book in which the names of those who are to be preserved alive are inscribed. The righteous have their names recorded in it (cp. Habakkuk 2:4). May the names of these malefactors be struck out, or never inserted there! May they be deprived of their privileges as Israelites! May they perish and be utterly forgotten! Cp. Exodus 32:32; Isaiah 4:3; Daniel 12:1. But—and this mitigates what would otherwise be the awful character of the imprecation—‘the book of life’ is not here to be understood in the full N.T. sense as ‘the book of…

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

Let them be blotted out of the book of the living - That is, Let them cease to live; let them not be numbered among living people; let them be cut off.

Read Albert Barnes 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

May they be blotted out of the Book of Life and not listed with the righteous.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Let them be blotted out of the book of life, and not be written with the righteous.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

May they be blotted out of the Book of Life and not listed with the righteous.

NETBNew English Translation2006

May their names be deleted from the scroll of the living! Do not let their names be listed with the godly!

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Let them be blotted out of the book of life, And not be written with the righteous.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Let them be blotted out of the book of life, and not be written with the righteous.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Let them be put out of the booke of life, neither let them be written with the righteous.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Let them be blotted out of the book of life, and not be written with the righteous.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

They are blotted out of the book of life, And with the righteous are not written.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

They are blotted out of the scroll of life, || And are not written with the righteous.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

(69:29) Let them be blotted out of the book of the living; and with the righteous let them not be written down.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Let them be blotted out of the Book of Life and not be written down along with the righteous.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Blot out their names from the Book of Life. Don't let them be listed with those who do right.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Let their names be taken from the book of the living, let them not be numbered with the upright.

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.

clauseverbיִ֭מָּחֽוּmay.they.be.wiped.outprepositional phrase · prepositionalמִfrom.[the]noun phraseסֵּ֣פֶרscrollחַיִּ֑יםof.lifeוְandclauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalעִ֥םwithצַ֝דִּיקִ֗יםrighteous.[people]adverbialאַלnotverbיִכָּתֵֽבוּmay.they.be.written.down

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 largely agree in their wording, with six of the seven words matching. The Septuagint's word order differs, but it retains the core message of the psalmist's plea for justice against the wicked.

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

יִ֭מָּחֽוּ מִסֵּ֣פֶר חַיִּ֑ים וְעִ֥ם צַ֝דִּיקִ֗ים אַל־ יִכָּתֵֽבוּ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
מִסֵּ֣פֶרἀνομίανחַיִּ֑יםἐπὶוְעִ֥םἀνομίανצַ֝דִּיקִ֗יםκαὶאַל־μὴיִכָּתֵֽבוּ׃εἰσελθέτωσαν

6 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 69:28מָחָהmay they bemay they be wipמָחָהסֵ֫פֶרfrom [the] from [the] scroסֵ֫פֶרחַיlifelifeחַיעִםand withand withעִםצַדִּיקrighteous [righteous [peopצַדִּיקאַלmay notmay notאַלכָּתַבthey be writhey be writtenכָּתַבחָיָהto liveto liveחָיָהעָמַםto darkento darkenעָמַםצָדֵקto justifyto justifyצָדֵקסָפַרto recountto recountסָפַראֲבֵדָהsomething something lostאֲבֵדָהלֹאnotnotלֹאזֵ֫כֶרmemorialmemorialזֵ֫כֶרכָּתַבto writeto writeכָּתַבתּוֹרָהinstructioinstructionתּוֹרָהעוֹףbirdbirdעוֹףשָׂדַיfieldfieldשָׂדַישָׁכַבto lie dowto lie down: laשָׁכַבקָבַרto buryto buryקָבַררָשָׁעwickedwickedרָשָׁעעָ֫וֶלinjusticeinjusticeעָ֫וֶלחָתַתto to be dto to be dismayחָתַתיָרֵאto fearto fearיָרֵאסֵ֫פֶרscroll: doscroll: documenסֵ֫פֶר
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 69:28

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.

may they be wiped out from [the] scroll of life and with righteous [people] may not they be written down
יִ֭מָּחֽוּYi.ma.chu may they be wiped out H4229 Verb · Niphal · 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 verb means to erase or wipe something away. In Psalm 51:1, David asks God to blot out his sins. It can also mean to reach out or touch something.
Tyndale gloss
to wipe
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word מָחָה (machah) primarily means to wipe or erase, with implications of obliteration or destruction. It can denote actions like striking or smoothing, and has various grammatical forms indicating different nuances, such as being wiped out or blotted from memory. Notably, it appears in Numbers 34:11 and Isaiah 25:6.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מָחָה vb. wipe, wipe out

Qal

wipe

blot out = obliterate from the memory

blot out = exterminate

Niph.

be wiped out

be blotted out

be exterminated

Hiph. blot out, from the memory

base

מָחָה vb. strike;—Nu 34:11 (P)

ref

מָחָה vb. denom. only Pu. Pt. in Is 25:6 fat pieces full of marrow

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4229a מָחָה wipe, wipe out H4229b מָחָה strike H4229c מָחָה vb. denom. only Pu. Pt. fat pieces full of marrow

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4229 machah maw-khaw'

a primitive root; properly, to stroke or rub; by implication,

to erase; also to smooth (as if with oil), i.e. grease or make

fat; also to touch, i.e. reach to:--abolish, blot out,

destroy, full of marrow, put out, reach unto, X utterly, wipe

(away, out).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מָחָה (ma.chah) — to wipe.

1) to wipe, wipe out

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to wipe

1a2) to blot out, obliterate

1a3) to blot out, exterminate

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be wiped out

1b2) to be blotted out

1b3) to be exterminated

1c) (Hiphil) to blot out (from memory)

מָחָה (ma.chah) — to strike.

(Qal) to strike

מָחָה (ma.chah) — be marrow.

(Pual) full of marrow (participle)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVNi3mp — Verb · Niphal · imperfect third person masculine plural
HVNi3mp
may they be wiped out from [the] scroll of life and with righteous [people] may not they be written down
מִסֵּ֣פֶרmi.Se.fer from [the] scroll of H5612 Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
186× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means a written document, like a scroll or book, used to record important events or messages. It appears in books like Isaiah and Matthew, referring to written records.
Tyndale gloss
scroll: document
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

סֵ֫פֶר (cepher) refers to a writing or document, encompassing meanings such as book, scroll, and missive. It can denote various types of texts, including legal documents, genealogical records, and scripture. The feminine form, סִפְרָה (siphrah), also signifies a book. Notably, it appears in contexts related to preservation and communication.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

סֵ֫פֶר 185 n.m. missive, document, writing, book

missive

legal document

book or scroll, in which something is written to preserve it for future use

base

[סִפְרָה] n.f. book;—sf. ψ 56:9

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5612a סֵ֫פֶר missive, document, writing, book . missive

. legal document

. book or scroll, in which something is written to preserve it for future use

H5612b סִפְרָה book

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5612 cepher say'-fer

or (feminine) ciphrah (Psa. 56:8 (9)) {sif-raw'}; from 5608;

properly, writing (the art or a document); by implication, a

book:--bill, book, evidence, X learn(-ed) (-ing), letter,

register, scroll.

see HEBREW for 09

see HEBREW for 05608

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

סֵ֫פֶר (se.pher) — scroll: document.

: document

1) missive, document, writing, book

1a) missive

1a1) letter (of instruction), written order, commission, request, written decree

1b) legal document, certificate of divorce, deed of purchase, indictment, sign

1c) book, scroll

1c1) book of prophecies

1c2) genealogical register

1c3) law-book

1c4) book (of poems)

1c5) book (of kings)

1c6) books of the canon, scripture

1c7) record book (of God)

1d) book-learning, writing

1d1) be able to read (after verb 'to know')

סִפְרָה (siph.rah) — scroll.

book

סֵ֫פֶר (se.pher) — scroll: book.

: book

1) missive, document, writing, book

1a) missive

1a1) letter (of instruction), written order, commission, request, written decree

1b) legal document, certificate of divorce, deed of purchase, indictment, sign

1c) book, scroll

1c1) book of prophecies

1c2) genealogical register

1c3) law-book

1c4) book (of poems)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Ncmsc — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
HR/Ncmsc
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…

may they be wiped out from [the] scroll of life and with righteous [people] may not they be written down
חַיִּ֑יםchai.Yim life H2416
498× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word means life or being alive. It can refer to physical life, like in Genesis 1:20, or spiritual life, like in Psalm 30:5.
Tyndale gloss
alive
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word חַי (*chay*) means 'alive' or 'living' and covers a range of meanings related to life, including living beings, vitality, and freshness. It can refer to God, animals, vegetation, and even concepts like appetite and community. Variants include חַיָּה (*chayyah*), meaning 'living thing' or 'animal,' and חַיִּים (*chayim*), which emphasizes life and sustenance.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חַי adj. alive, living

of God, as the living one, the fountain of life

of man

of animals, alive, living

animals and man

(dub.) of vegetation, as thorns, green

of water, fresh

(dub.) lively, active

reviving

base

[חַי] n.[m.] kinsfolk, pl. sf. 1 S 18:18

ref

חַיָּה n.f. living thing, animal

animal

in general

wild animals, on account of their vital energy and activity

living beings, of the cherubic chariot

life, only in late poetry

appetite, activity of hunger

revival, renewal

base

חַיָּה n.f. community

base

חַיִּים n.m. pl. abstr. emph. life

life: physical

life: as welfare and happiness in king's presence

sustenance, maintenance

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2416a חַי alive, living . . of God, as the living one, the fountain of life

. of man

. of animals, alive, living

. animals and man

. (dub.) of vegetation, as thorns, green

. of water, fresh

. (dub.) lively, active

. reviving

H2416b חַי kinsfolk H2416c חַיָּה living thing, animal . animal . in general

. wild animals, on account of their vital energy and activity

. living beings, of the cherubic chariot

. life, only in late poetry

. appetite, activity of hunger

. revival, renewal

H2416d חַיָּה community H2416e חַיִּים pl. abstr. emph. life . life: physical

. life: as welfare and happiness in king's presence

. sustenance, maintenance

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2416 chay khah'-ee

from 2421; alive; hence, raw (flesh); fresh (plant, water,

year), strong; also (as noun, especially in the feminine

singular and masculine plural) life (or living thing), whether

literally or figuratively:--+ age, alive, appetite, (wild)

beast, company, congregation, life(-time), live(-ly), living

(creature, thing), maintenance, + merry, multitude, + (be)

old, quick, raw, running, springing, troop.

see HEBREW for 02421

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חַי (chay) — alive.

adj

1) living, alive

1a) green (of vegetation)

1b) flowing, fresh (of water)

1c) lively, active (of man)

1d) reviving (of the springtime)

Aramaic equivalent: chay (חַי "living" H2417)

חַי (chay) — kinsfolk.

kinsfolk

חַיָּה (chay.yah) — living thing.

1) living thing, animal

1a) animal

1b) life

1c) appetite

1d) revival, renewal

Aramaic equivalent: che.va (חֵיוָא "beast" H2423)

חַיָּה (chay.yah) — community.

community

חַיִּים (chay.yim) — life.

1) life (abstract emphatic)

1a) life

1b) sustenance, maintenance

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

lif (chayyim, nephesh, ruach, chayah; zoe, psuche, bios, pneuma):

I. THE TERMS

II. THE OLD TESTAMENT TEACHING

1. Popular Use of the Term

2. Complexity of the Idea

III. IN THE APOCRYPHA

IV. IN THE NEW TESTAMENT

1. In the Synoptic Gospels

2. In the Fourth Gospel

3. In the Ac of the Apostles

4. In the Writings of Paul

5. In the Writings of John

6. In the Other Books of the New Testament

LITERATURE

I. The Terms.

Of the Hebrew terms, chayah is the verb which means "to live," "to have life," or the vital principle, "to continue to live," or "to live prosperously." In the Piel it signifies "to give life, or preserve, or quicken and restore life." The Hiphil is much like the Piel. The noun hayyim generally used in the plural is an abstract noun meaning "life," i.e. the possession of the vital principle with its energies and activities. Nephesh often means "living being" or "creature." Sometimes it has the…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Life

Generally of physical life (Gen. 2:7; Luke 16:25, etc.); also used figuratively (1) for immortality (Heb. 7:16); (2) conduct or manner of life (Rom. 6:4); (3) spiritual life or salvation (John 3:16, 17, 18, 36); (4) eternal life (Matt. 19:16, 17; John 3:15); of God and Christ as the absolute source and cause of all life (John 1:4; 5:26, 39; 11:25; 12:50).

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

In the Bible, is either natural, Ge 3:17; spiritual, that of the renewed soul, Ro 8:6; or eternal, a holy and blissful immortality, Joh 3:36 Ro 6:23. Christ is the great Author of natural life, Col 1:16; and also of spiritual and eternal life; Joh 14:6 6:47. He has purchased these by laying down his own life; and gives them freely to his people, Joh 10:11,28. He is the spring of all their spiritual life on earth, Ga 2:20; will raise them up at the last day; and…

Nave's Topical Bible

→ MISCELLANY OF MINOR SUB-TOPICS

Breath of Ge 2:7

Called SPIRIT OF GOD Job 27:3

Tree of Ge 2:9; 3:22,24; Pr 3:18; 13:12; Re 2:7

→ (SACREDNESS OF, an inference from what is taught in the law concerning murder)

See HOMICIDE

Long life promised to obedient children Ex 20:12; De 5:16

To those who keep the commandments De 4:40; 22:7

Vanity of Ec 1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7

Hated Ec 2:17

may they be wiped out from [the] scroll of life and with righteous [people] may not they be written down
וְעִ֥םve.'Im and with H5973 Conjunction · preposition
1,052× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means with or together, like when God is with his people in Exodus 33:14-15. It's used to describe accompaniment or association, and can also mean against or beside. The word is used to convey a sense of relationship or proximity between people or things.
Tyndale gloss
with
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עִם (im) is a preposition meaning 'with' and covers a range of relationships, including companionship, locality, and possession. It can imply actions done jointly, equality, or even opposition in contexts like combat. The related form מֵעִם (me.im) means 'from with' or 'beside.' The entries reflect various nuances but do not present significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עִם prep. with

of fellowship and companionship

of aid

Of actions done jointly with another

If the common action be of the nature of a contest or combat, with in the sense of against

Of dealing with a person, or of the relation in which one stands with, or towards, another

Of a common lot together with the wicked

Of equality or resemblance generally aid

Of time, as long as

Of a locality, close to, beside

Of persons, עִם is spec.

in the house or family or service of

In possession of

In the custody or care of

Beside = except

With = friendly with

Idiom. of a thought or purpose present with one

Metaph. together with = in spite of, notwithstanding

base

מֵעִם 72 from with or beside

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5973a עִם with . of fellowship and companionship

. Of a locality, close to, beside

. Of persons, עִם is spec. . in the house or family or service of

. In possession of

. In the custody or care of

. Beside = except

. With = friendly with

. Idiom. of a thought or purpose present with one

. Metaph. together with = in spite of, notwithstanding

H5973b מֵעִם from with, beside

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5973 `im eem

from 6004; adverb or preposition, with (i.e. in conjunction

with), in varied applications; specifically, equally with;

often with prepositional prefix (and then usually

unrepresented in English):--accompanying, against, and, as (X

long as), before, beside, by (reason of), for all, from

(among, between), in, like, more than, of, (un-)to,

with(-al).

see HEBREW for 06004

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עִם (im) — with.

1) with

1a) with

1b) against

1c) toward

1d) as long as

מֵעִם (me.im) — from with.

1a) beside, except

1b) in spite of

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HC/R — Conjunction · preposition
HC/R
may they be wiped out from [the] scroll of life and with righteous [people] may not they be written down
צַ֝דִּיקִ֗יםtza.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…

may they be wiped out from [the] scroll of life and with righteous [people] may not they be written down
אַל־'al- may not H408 Particle
724× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Means not or nothing, used to express negation, as in the phrase do not or let not be.
Amplified meaning
never, under no circumstances
Tyndale gloss
not
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אַל (al) is a negative particle meaning 'not' or 'no,' often used to express a wish or prohibition rather than an objective fact. It can also function as a noun meaning 'nothing.' The lexicons highlight its use in various contexts, including deprecative forms, but do not show significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אַל adv. of negation, denying however, not objectively as a fact, but subjectively as a wish, expressing therefore a deprecation or prohibition

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H408 אַל adv. of negation, denying however, not objectively as a fact, but subjectively as a wish, expressing therefore a deprecation or prohibition

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

408 'al al

a negative particle (akin to 3808); not (the qualified

negation, used as a deprecative); once (Job 24:25) as a noun,

nothing:--nay, neither, + never, no ,nor, not, nothing

(worth), rather than.

see HEBREW for 03808

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אַל (al) — not.

1) not, no, nor, neither, nothing (as wish or preference)

1a) do not, let not (with a verb)

1b) let there not be (with a verb understood)

1c) not, no (with substantive)

1d) nothing (as substantive)

Aramaic equivalent: al (אַל "not" H0409)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Part — Particle
HTn
may they be wiped out from [the] scroll of life and with righteous [people] may not they be written down
יִכָּתֵֽבוּ׃yi.ka.Te.vu they be written down H3789 Verb · Niphal · jussive third person masculine plural
224× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To write or record something, including inscribing or engraving. It is used in various contexts, such as writing down a decree or subscribing to an agreement. This word is about putting thoughts or ideas into written form.
Tyndale gloss
to write
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word כָּתַב (*kathab*) means 'to write' and encompasses various forms of writing, including recording, enrolling, and decreeing. It can also refer to something being written or recorded. The entries indicate that it is a primitive root with frequent usage in different contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כָּתַב 223 vb. write

Qal

write

= write down, describe in writing

= register, enroll

= decree

Niph.

be written

= be written down, recorded

Pi. frequent.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3789 כָּתַב write .. write

. = write down, describe in writing

. = register, enroll

. = decree

. . be written

. = be written down, recorded

. frequent.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3789 kathab kaw-thab'

a primitive root; to grave, by implication, to write

(describe, inscribe, prescribe, subscribe):--describe, record,

prescribe, subscribe, write(-ing, -ten).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כָּתַב (ka.tav) — to write.

1) to write, record, enrol

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to write, inscribe, engrave, write in, write on

1a2) to write down, describe in writing

1a3) to register, enrol, record

1a4) to decree

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be written

1b2) to be written down, be recorded, be enrolled

1c) (Piel) to continue writing

Aramaic equivalent: ke.tav (כְּתַב "to write" H3790)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVNj3mp — Verb · Niphal · jussive third person masculine plural
HVNj3mp
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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