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Psalms 72:14 — Word Study

Depth

WLCמִתּ֣וֹךְ וּ֭מֵחָמָס יִגְאַ֣ל נַפְשָׁ֑ם וְיֵיקַ֖ר דָּמָ֣ם בְּעֵינָֽיו׃

BSAHe will redeemgâʼal [save, rescue, or buy back] themnephesh from oppressiontôk [the midst of, injury, deceit, or fraud] and violencechâmâç [cruelty, injustice, or unfair treatment] for their blooddâm [the liquid essential for life] is preciousyâqar [valuable, rare, or of great worth] in his sightʻayin [before his eyes, in his estimation]

Word
Listen & take awayPsalms 72
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 14 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 (be.'ei.Nav) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Psalms 72:14quick helps
In a sentenceThe psalmist declares that God will rescue the oppressed and regard their lives as precious.
Who is speakingThe psalmist, reflecting on God's justice and compassion.
Where we areIn a royal psalm that extols the king's role in delivering justice and mercy.
The hard wordיִגְאַ֣ל
Take awayGod's concern for the vulnerable is evident in His promise of redemption.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbגָּאַל 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 72:14

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 — God's Justice and Compassiongenerated

13He will take pity on the poor and needy and save the lives of the oppressed.
14He will redeem them from oppression and violence, for their blood is precious in his sight.
15Long may he live! May gold from Sheba be given him. May people ever pray for him; may they bless him all day long.
16May there be an abundance of grain in the land; may it sway atop the hills. May its fruit trees flourish like the forests of Lebanon, and its people like the grass of the field.

Psalm 72:14 emphasizes God's commitment to redeeming the oppressed from their suffering. This verse is part of a larger passage that describes the king's role in ensuring justice and mercy for the needy, highlighting the value of life in God's eyes. The psalmist calls attention to the importance of social justice, as seen in Psalm 72:13, where the king is depicted as one who takes pity on the poor and needy.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Psalm 25:22Redeem Israel, O God, from all its distress.
2Psalm 130:8And He will redeem Israel from all iniquity.
3Genesis 48:16the angel who has redeemed me from all harm— may He bless these boys. And may they be called by my name and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac, and may they grow into a multitude upon the earth.”
42 Samuel 4:9But David answered Rechab and his brother Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, “As surely as the LORD lives, who has redeemed my life from all distress,
5Luke 1:68–75“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, because He has visited and redeemed His people.

The Key Word יִגְאַ֣ל, yig.'Algenerated

The verb גָּאַל (ga'al) means to redeem, often in the context of acting as a kinsman-redeemer. It conveys the idea of rescuing or buying back, reflecting God's role in delivering His people from oppression.

In this verse, the use of the imperfect tense indicates an ongoing action: God will redeem the oppressed. This assurance of redemption emphasizes God's active involvement in the lives of those who suffer.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

The verse is rendered in the Berean Standard Bible as He will redeem them from oppression and violence, which is consistent across the KJV, ASV, and WEB.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb יִגְאַ֣ל (he will redeem) governs the verse, with two prepositional phrases describing what He will redeem them from: מִתּ֣וֹךְ (from oppression) and וּ֭מֵחָמָס (and from violence).

The structure emphasizes the dual nature of the oppression faced by the people, highlighting both physical and social injustices that God promises to address.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates יִגְאַ֣ל as λυτρώσεται (he will redeem), which carries a similar meaning of deliverance and rescue. This choice reflects a consistent understanding of God's role as a redeemer.

The term וּ֭מֵחָמָס is rendered as ἀδικίας (of injustice), which broadens the scope of the suffering being addressed, emphasizing not just violence but also systemic wrongs.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalm 72:14 assures us that God will rescue the oppressed from their suffering and violence, recognizing their lives as precious. This verse highlights God's compassion and justice, showing His commitment to protecting those in need.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that God will redeem them from oppression?

It means that God will actively save and protect those who are suffering from unfair treatment and harm, ensuring justice for the vulnerable.

Why is their blood considered precious in His sight?

Their blood is precious because it symbolizes life, and God values every life deeply, indicating His concern for the dignity and worth of each individual.

How does this verse relate to the theme of justice in the Bible?

This verse reflects the biblical theme of justice, where God is portrayed as a defender of the oppressed and a champion of the needy, calling His followers to uphold similar values.

What can we learn from God's promise to redeem the oppressed?

We learn that God is deeply concerned about injustice and suffering, and we are encouraged to advocate for those who cannot advocate for themselves, reflecting God's heart in our actions.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways have I seen God redeem people from difficult situations in my life or the lives of others?
  2. How can I better advocate for those who are oppressed or marginalized in my community?
  3. What does it mean for me to recognize the value of every life as precious in God's sight?
  4. How can I reflect God's compassion and justice in my daily interactions with others?

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

The early church father Augustine of Hippo references this verse to illustrate God's redemptive work, highlighting His concern for justice.

Augustine of HippoExposition on Psalms 72 354–430
"From usuries and iniquity He shall redeem the souls of them" [Psalms 72:14].
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 72 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 72:14 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence,.... From all the secret and open designs and efforts of their enemies; "from deceit", and deceitfulness of sin and its lusts, so as that they

Read John Gill on Psalms 72 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him. -All kings shall serve, Him because He is the Saviour of the needy.

Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 72 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Deceit and violence; the two ways whereby the souls or lives of men are usually destroyed. Precious shall their blood be in his sight; he will not be prodigal of the lives of his subjects, casting them away merely to gratify his own revenge, or covetousness, or insatiable desire of enlarging his empire, as earthly kings commonly do, but, like a true father of his people, will tenderly preserve them, and severely avenge their blood upon those who shall shed it.

Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 72 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Psalms 72:14 He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in his sight.Ver. 14. He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence] Those two noted engines of all mischief to the poor, viz. privy deceit (usury, the Septuagint and Vulgate render it) and open violence, επιβουληκαιεπιβολη, fraud and force, craft and cruelty. And precious shall their blood be in his sight] He shall be very tender of their lives, that they be not causelessly cast away, either in times of peace or war. Precious also in the sight of the Lord Christ is the death of his saints, his martyrs, Psalms 116:15.

Read John Trapp on Psalms 72 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(14) And precious . . .—The parallelism shows the meaning. The life of his people is dear to the king, and he therefore protects them from violence.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 72 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 14. From deceit and violence] Because they are poor and uneducated, they are liable to be deceived; and because they are helpless, they are liable to oppression; but his equal justice shall duly consider these cases; and no man shall suffer because he is deceived, though the letter of the law may be against him. And precious shall their blood be] If the blood or life of such a person shall have been spilt by the hand of violence, he shall seek it out, and visit it on the murderer, though he were the chief in the land. He shall not be screened, though he were of the blood royal, if he have wilfully taken away the life of a man.

Read AdamClarke on Psalms 72 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

14. deceit] Oppression (R.V.) or fraud (R.V. marg.). The word occurs elsewhere only in Psalms 10:7; Psalms 55:11. and precious &c.] He will not suffer it to be shed with impunity. Cp. for the phrase Psalms 116:15; 1 Samuel 26:21; 1 Kings 1:13-14; and see Psalms 9:12. P.B.V. dear means ‘costly’ or ‘precious.’

Read Cambridge on Psalms 72 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence - He will rescue their lives; that is, he will deliver them from the hands of men who practice deceit, or who are dishonest and unjust - and from the hands of those who oppress.

Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 72 →

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

He will redeem them from oppression and violence, for their blood is precious in his sight.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

He will redeem their soul from oppression and violence. Their blood will be precious in his sight.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

He will redeem them from oppression and violence, for their blood is precious in his sight.

NETBNew English Translation2006

From harm and violence he will defend them; he will value their lives.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in his sight.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

He will redeem their soul from oppression and violence; And precious will their blood be in his sight:

RVARevised Version, American1894

He shall redeem their soul from oppression and violence; and precious shall their blood be in his sight:

NWBWebster's Bible1833

He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall be their blood in his sight.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

He shall redeeme their soules from deceite and violence, and deare shall their blood be in his sight.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

He will redeem their souls from oppression and violence, and precious shall their blood be in his sight.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

From fraud and from violence he redeemeth their soul, And precious is their blood in his eyes.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

He redeems their soul from fraud and from violence, || And their blood is precious in His eyes.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

From wrong and violence will he deliver their soul; and precious shall their blood be in his eyes.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

He redeems their lives from oppression and violence, and their blood is precious in his sight.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And I have been scourged all the day; and my chastisement hath been in the mornings.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

He rescues them from violence and oppression, for their lives mean so much to him.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

He will keep their souls free from evil designs and violent attacks; and their blood will be of value in his eyes.

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.

clauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalprepositional phraseמִfromתּ֣וֹךְoppressionוּ֭andprepositional phraseמֵfromחָמָסviolenceverbיִגְאַ֣לhe.will.redeemnoun phrase · objectנַפְשָׁ֑lifeםtheirוְandclauseverbיֵיקַ֖רit.will.be.preciousnoun phrase · subjectדָּמָ֣bloodםtheirprepositional phrase · prepositionalבְּinnoun phraseעֵינָֽיeyesוhis

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 72:14 states, "מִתּ֣וֹךְ וּ֭מֵחָמָס יִגְאַ֣ל נַפְשָׁ֑ם וְיֵיקַ֖ר דָּמָ֣ם בְּעֵינָֽיו׃" which translates to "He will redeem them from oppression and violence, for their blood is precious in his sight." The Septuagint closely matches the Masoretic Text in meaning, as six of the seven words correspond directly, though it presents the text with different word order and articles. The Samaritan Pentateuch and the Dead Sea Scrolls do not provide additional variations for this specific verse, indicating a strong agreement with the Masoretic Text in this instance.

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

מִתּ֣וֹךְ וּ֭מֵחָמָס יִגְאַ֣ל נַפְשָׁ֑ם וְיֵיקַ֖ר דָּמָ֣ם בְּעֵינָֽיו׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
מִתּ֣וֹךְτόκουוּ֭מֵחָמָסἀδικίαςיִגְאַ֣לλυτρώσεταιנַפְשָׁ֑םψυξὰςוְיֵיקַ֖רἔντιμονבְּעֵינָֽיו׃αὐτοῦ

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 72:14תֹּךְfrom oppresfrom oppressionתֹּךְחָמָסand from viand from violenחָמָסגָּאַלhe will redhe will redeemגָּאַלנֶ֫פֶשׁlife theirlife theirנֶ֫פֶשׁיָקַרand may be and may be precיָקַרדָּםblood theirblood theirדָּםעַ֫יִןin view hisin view hisעַ֫יִןחָמַסto injureto injureחָמַסנָפַשׁbe refreshbe refreshedנָפַשׁדָּמַםto silenceto silence: staדָּמַםתָּ֫וֶךְmidstmidstתָּ֫וֶךְמִרְמָהdeceitdeceitמִרְמָהשֹׁדviolenceviolenceשֹׁדכָּסָהto coverto coverכָּסָהרָצַחto murderto murderרָצַחבָּקַשׁto seekto seekבָּקַשׁחַיalivealiveחַינֶ֫פֶשׁsoulsoulנֶ֫פֶשׁעַ֫יִןeyeeyeעַ֫יִןזָרַקto scatterto scatterזָרַקנָקִיinnocentinnocentנָקִיחֵןfavorfavorחֵןיָשָׁרJasharJasharיָשָׁר
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 72:14

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.

from oppression and from violence he will redeem life their and may be precious blood their in view his
מִתּ֣וֹךְmi.Tokh from oppression H8496 Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
4× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Oppression or injury is the meaning of this word, which also implies deceit or fraud. It is used in various contexts to describe unfair treatment or dishonest behavior.
Amplified meaning
the midst of, injury, deceit, or fraud
Tyndale gloss
oppression
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

תֹּךְ (tokh) refers to concepts of injury and oppression, as well as deceit and fraud. It is derived from a root associated with cutting, indicating a sense of harm. The word appears in contexts related to oppression and deceitfulness, with a notable reference in Psalm 72:14.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

תֹּךְ, II. תּוֹךְ n.m. injury, oppression

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8496 תֹּךְ, תּוֹךְ, תָּכָךְ

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8496 tok toke

or towk (Psa. 72:14) {toke}; from the same base as 8432 (in

the sense of cutting to pieces); oppression:--deceit, fraud.

see HEBREW for 08432

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

תֹּךְ (tokh) — oppression.

1) injury, oppression, oppressor

2) (TWOT) fraud, deceit, deceitful

Also means: ta.khakh (תָּכָךְ "deceitful" H8501)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
HR/Ncmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

o-presh'-un: Used in the King James Version to translate a variety of Hebrew words, all of which, however, agree in the general sense of wrong done by violence to others. There are a few cases where the reference is to the oppression of Israel by foreigners, as by their Egyptian masters (Ex 3:9; De 26:7), or by Syria (2Ki 13:4), or by an unmentioned nation (Isa 30:20 King James Version, margin). In all these cases the Hebrew original is lachats. But in the vast number of cases the reference is to social oppression of one kind or another within Israel's own body. It is frequently theme of psalmist and prophet and wise man. The poor and weak must have suffered greatly at the…

Nave's Topical Bible

→ God is a refuge from Ps 9:9

→ Prayers against Ps 17:9; 44:24; 119:121,134; Isa 38:14

→ God's help promised against Ps 12:5; 72:4,14; Jer 50:34

→ God will judge Ps 103:6; Ec 5:8; Isa 10; Jer 22:17; Eze 22:7; Am 4:1; Mic 2:2; Mal 3:5;

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
from oppression and from violence he will redeem life their and may be precious blood their in view his
וּ֭מֵחָמָסU.me.cha.mos and from violence H2555 Conjunction · preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
60× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word describes violence, injustice, or cruelty, often referring to unfair treatment of others. In Isaiah and Jeremiah, it condemns oppressive behaviors, highlighting the need for justice and fairness. It involves wrongdoing and harm to others.
Amplified meaning
cruelty, injustice, or unfair treatment
Tyndale gloss
violence
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חָמָס (chamac) refers to concepts of violence and wrongdoing. It encompasses terms like cruelty, injustice, and unjust gain. The word is built from a root that implies violent actions or dealings. The entries consistently highlight its negative connotations without significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חָמָס n.m. violence, wrong

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2555 חָמָס violence, wrong

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2555 chamac khaw-mawce'

from 2554; violence; by implication, wrong; by meton. unjust

gain:--cruel(-ty), damage, false, injustice, X oppressor,

unrighteous, violence (against, done), violent (dealing),

wrong.

see HEBREW for 02554

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חָמָס (cha.mas) — violence.

violence, wrong, cruelty, injustice

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Prep | N-ms — Conjunction · preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
HC/R/Ncmsa
from oppression and from violence he will redeem life their and may be precious blood their in view his
יִגְאַ֣לyig.'Al he will redeem H1350 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
104× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means redemption, describing the act of a kinsman buying back a relative's property or marrying their widow, as seen in the story of Boaz in Ruth.
Amplified meaning
save, rescue, or buy back
Tyndale gloss
to redeem: redeem
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

גָּאַל (ga'al) is a Hebrew verb meaning to redeem, often in the context of acting as a kinsman-redeemer. It encompasses various forms of redemption, including buying back property, marrying a relative's widow, and delivering individuals or Israel from bondage or exile. The related noun גְּאוּלַי (geulai) signifies the concept of redemption itself.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

גָּאַל vb. redeem, act as kinsman

Qal

act as kinsman, do the part of next of kin

redeem, by payment of value assessed

redeem, with God as subj. implying personal relationship

Niph

refl. redeem oneself

pass. be redeemed

base

גְּאוּלַי Is 63:4, n. abstr. redemption

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1350a גָּאַל redeem, act as kinsman .. act as kinsman, do the part of next of kin

. redeem, by payment of value assessed

. redeem, with God as subj. implying personal relationship

.. refl. redeem oneself

. pass. be redeemed

H1350b גְּאוּלַי n. abstr. redemption

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1350 ga'al gaw-al'

a primitive root, to redeem (according to the Oriental law of

kinship), i.e. to be the next of kin (and as such to buy back

a relative's property, marry his widow, etc.):--X in any wise,

X at all, avenger, deliver, (do, perform the part of near,

next) kinsfolk(-man), purchase, ransom, redeem(-er), revenger.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

גָּאַל (ga.al) — to redeem: redeem.

: redeem

1) to redeem, act as kinsman-redeemer, avenge, revenge, ransom, do the part of a kinsman

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to act as kinsman, do the part of next of kin, act as kinsman-redeemer

1a1a) by marrying brother's widow to beget a child for him, to redeem from slavery, to redeem land, to exact vengeance

1a2) to redeem (by payment)

1a3) to redeem (with God as subject)

1a3a) individuals from death

1a3b) Israel from Egyptian bondage

1a3c) Israel from exile

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to redeem oneself

1b2) to be redeemed

גְּאוּלַי (ge.u.lay) — redemption.

redemption

גָּאַל (ga.al) — to redeem: avenge.

: avenge

1) to redeem, act as kinsman-redeemer, avenge, revenge, ransom, do the part of a kinsman

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to act as kinsman, do the part of next of kin, act as kinsman-redeemer

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
HVqi3ms
from oppression and from violence he will redeem life their and may be precious blood their in view his
נַפְשָׁ֑םnaf.Sham life their H5315 Noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
754× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for soul or living being, used in the Bible to describe the essence of a person or animal. It encompasses the ideas of life, breath, and vitality, and is translated as 'soul' or 'creature' in the KJV. This word is central to biblical concepts of humanity and existence.
Tyndale gloss
soul
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word נֶ֫פֶשׁ (*nephesh*) broadly means 'soul' or 'living being,' encompassing concepts like life, self, person, desire, and emotion. It is derived from the root meaning 'to breathe' and signifies both physical and mental aspects of existence. The lexicons note its use in various contexts, including as the seat of appetites and emotions, though its application to will and character is uncertain.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נֶ֫פֶשׁ 756 n.f. soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion

= that which breathes, the breathing substance or being

The נפשׁ becomes a living being

The נפשׁ is specif.

The נפשׁ as the essential of man stands for the man himself

נפשׁ = seat of the appetites, in all periods (46 t.)

נ׳ = seat of emotions and passions

נפשׁ is used occasionally for mental acts

נפשׁ for acts of the will is dub.

נפשׁ = character is still more dub.

נ׳ in D

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5315 נֶ֫פֶשׁ soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion . = that which breathes, the breathing substance or being

. The נפשׁ becomes a living being

. The נפשׁ is specif.

. The נפשׁ as the essential of man stands for the man himself

. נפשׁ = seat of the appetites, in all periods (46 t.)

. נ׳ = seat of emotions and passions

. נפשׁ is used occasionally for mental acts

. נפשׁ for acts of the will is dub.

. נפשׁ = character is still more dub.

. נ׳ in D

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5315 nephesh neh'-fesh

from 5314; properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of

(abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal,

accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental):--any,

appetite, beast, body, breath, creature, X dead(-ly), desire,

X (dis-)contented, X fish, ghost, + greedy, he, heart(-y),

(hath, X jeopardy of) life (X in jeopardy), lust, man, me,

mind, mortally, one, own, person, pleasure, (her-, him-, my-,

thy-)self, them (your)-selves, + slay, soul, + tablet, they,

thing, (X she) will, X would have it.

see HEBREW for 05314

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נֶ֫פֶשׁ (ne.phesh) — soul.

1) soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion

1a) that which breathes, the breathing substance or being, soul, the inner being of man

1b) living being

1c) living being (with life in the blood)

1d) the man himself, self, person or individual

1e) seat of the appetites

1f) seat of emotions and passions

1g) activity of mind

1g1) uncertain

1h) activity of the will

1h1) uncertain

1i) activity of the character

1i1) uncertain

נֶ֫פֶשׁ (ne.phesh) — soul: life.

1) soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion

1a) that which breathes, the breathing substance or being, soul, the inner being of man

1b) living being

1c) living being (with life in the blood)

1d) the man himself, self, person or individual

1e) seat of the appetites

1f) seat of emotions and passions

1g) activity of mind

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-cs | Suff — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
HNcfsc/Sp3mp
from oppression and from violence he will redeem life their and may be precious blood their in view his
וְיֵיקַ֖רve.yei.Kar and may be precious H3365 Conjunction · verb qal third person masculine singular
11× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means to be precious or valuable, and can also mean to make something rare. It is used to describe something highly valued or esteemed, like a precious stone.
Amplified meaning
valuable, rare, or of great worth
Tyndale gloss
be precious
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָקַר (yaqar) means to be precious or valued, indicating something that is esteemed or costly. It can also refer to the act of making something precious. The term appears in various contexts, emphasizing its figurative meaning of value and rarity, particularly in the Hiphil form, which suggests causing something to be regarded as precious.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[יָקַר] vb. be precious, prized, appraised

Qal

be precious

be appraised

Hiph. I will make men more rare (lit. precious) than fine gold

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3365 יָקַר be precious, prized, appraised

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3365 yaqar yaw-kar'

a primitive root; properly, apparently, to be heavy, i.e.

(figuratively) valuable; causatively, to make rare

(figuratively, to inhibit):--be (make) precious, be prized, be

set by, withdraw.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָקַר (ya.qar) — be precious.

1) to esteem, be prized, be valuable, be precious, be costly, be appraised

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to be precious, be highly valued, be esteemed, be costly

1a2) to be appraised

1b) (Hiphil) to make something precious

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-Imperf-3ms — Conjunction · verb qal third person masculine singular
HC/Vqu3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

presh'-us (stands for 17 different words, chief of which are yaqar; timios):

(1) Generally in the literal sense, "of great price," "costly," "expensive," of material things (e.g. Pr 1:13; Jer 20:5; Mr 14:3 the King James Version), especially of precious stones (2Sa 12:30; 2Ch 3:6; 1Co 3:12 the King James Version, etc.).

(2) Sometimes "of great moral (non-material) value." "Precious in the sight of Yahweh is the death of his saints" (Ps 116:15); "his precious and exceeding great promises" (

from oppression and from violence he will redeem life their and may be precious blood their in view his
דָּמָ֣םda.Mam blood their H1818 Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
360× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Blood refers to the liquid that flows through the body, essential for life. In the Bible, blood is often used to symbolize life, guilt, or sacrifice, as seen in the story of Jesus' crucifixion.
Amplified meaning
the liquid essential for life
Tyndale gloss
blood
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

דָּם (dam) means 'blood' and refers to the blood of both humans and animals. It is often associated with death, particularly when shed, and can also figuratively denote the juice of grapes or bloodshed. The term carries religious significance and is used in various contexts, including references to guilt and innocence.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

דָּם 300 n.m. blood

blood of man or animal

usually blood become visible

blood used with religious significance

fig. of wine

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1818 דָּם blood

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1818 dam dawm

from 1826 (compare 119); blood (as that which when shed

causes death) of man or an animal; by analogy, the juice of

the grape; figuratively (especially in the plural) bloodshed

(i.e. drops of blood):--blood(-y, -guiltiness, (-thirsty), +

innocent.

see HEBREW for 01826

see HEBREW for 0119

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

דָּם (dam) — blood.

1) blood

1a) of wine (fig.)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HNcmsc/Sp3mp
from oppression and from violence he will redeem life their and may be precious blood their in view his
בְּעֵינָֽיו׃be.'ei.Nav in view his H5869 Preposition · noun common feminine dual construct · suffix
887× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word can mean a spring or fountain, but also refers to the eye or a source of something. It is often translated as affliction, outward appearance, or countenance, and is used in various contexts throughout the Bible.
Amplified meaning
before his eyes, in his estimation
Tyndale gloss
eye
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עַ֫יִן (*'ayin*) means 'eye' and can refer to both the physical organ and its figurative uses, such as mental qualities and desires. It also denotes a 'spring' or 'fountain' of water. The entries highlight various phrases and contexts, including appearances and expressions of emotion, but do not indicate any significant disagreement among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עַ֫יִן 859 n.f. eye

lit. as physical organ

eyes as showing mental qualities

desire of the eyes, abominations of the eyes

Fig. of mental and physical faculties, acts and states

Transferred mngs.:

visible surface of earth

appearance

gleam, sparkle

Other phrases are: an eye for an eye; eye to eye; in the presence of, in full view of; of business transaction; on the forehead

base

עַ֫יִן n.f. spring (of water). Particular springs are:

ע׳ חֲרֹר Ju 7:1

ע׳ הַקּוֹרֵא (partridge-spring) Ju 15:19

ע׳ רֹגֵל near Jerus.

ע׳ הַתַּנִּין (dragon-spring)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5869a עַ֫יִן eye . lit. as physical organ

. . eyes as showing mental qualities

. desire of the eyes, abominations of the eyes

. Fig. of mental and physical faculties, acts and states

. Transferred mngs.: . visible surface of earth

. appearance

. gleam, sparkle

. Other phrases are: an eye for an eye; eye to eye; in the presence of, in full view of; of business transaction; on the forehead

H5869b עַ֫יִן spring (of water)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5869 `ayin ah'-yin

probably a primitive word; an eye (literally or

figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the

landscape):--affliction, outward appearance, + before, +

think best, colour, conceit, + be content, countenance, +

displease, eye((-brow), (-d), -sight), face, + favour,

fountain, furrow (from the margin), X him, + humble,

knowledge, look, (+ well), X me, open(-ly), + (not) please,

presence, + regard, resemblance, sight, X thee, X them, +

think, X us, well, X you(-rselves).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — eye.

: eye

1) eye

1a) eye

1a1) of physical eye

1a2) as showing mental qualities

1a3) of mental and spiritual faculties (fig.)

עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — Fountain (Gate).

§ spring, fountain

עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — Fountain of.

§ spring, fountain

עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — eye: seeing.

: seeing

1) eye

1a) eye

1a1) of physical eye

1a2) as showing mental qualities

1a3) of mental and spiritual faculties (fig.)

עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — eye: appearance.

: appearance

1) eye

1a) eye

1a1) of physical eye

1a2) as showing mental qualities

1a3) of mental and spiritual faculties (fig.)

עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — eye: before(the eyes).

: before(the_eyes)

1) eye

1a) eye

1a1) of physical eye

1a2) as showing mental qualities

1a3) of mental and spiritual faculties (fig.)

עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — eye: sin.

: sin

1) eye

1a) eye

1a1) of physical eye

1a2) as showing mental qualities

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-cd | Suff — Preposition · noun common feminine dual construct · suffix
HR/Ncfdc/Sp3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hiz: Used often in the King James Version with reference to a neuter or inanimate thing, or to a lower animal (Ge 1:11, "after his kind"; Le 1:16, "pluck away his crop"; Ac 12:10, "of his own accord"; 1Co 15:38, "his own body"), etc. the Revised Version (British and American) substitutes "its."

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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