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Psalms 73:3 — Word Study

Depth

WLCכִּֽי־ קִ֭נֵּאתִי בַּֽהוֹלְלִ֑ים שְׁל֖וֹם רְשָׁעִ֣ים אֶרְאֶֽה׃

BSAForkîy [because of this reason] I enviedqânâʼ [was jealous of, felt resentful towards] the arroganthâlal [proud, self-important] [when] I sawrâʼâh [perceived, looked upon] the prosperityshâlôwm [success, well-being] of the wickedrâshâʻ [morally wrong, guilty of sin]

Word
Listen & take awayPsalms 73
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 3 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 ('er.'Eh) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Psalms 73:3quick helps
In a sentenceThe psalmist expresses envy towards the arrogant as he observes their apparent success.
Who is speakingThe psalmist, reflecting on his feelings and observations.
Where we areIn a moment of personal reflection amid a broader discussion on the fate of the wicked.
The hard wordקִ֭נֵּאתִי
Take awayThe psalmist's struggle with envy highlights the tension between perception and reality.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbקָנָא 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 73:3

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 — Reflections on the Prosperity of the Wickedgenerated

2But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled; my steps had nearly slipped.
3For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4They have no struggle in their death; their bodies are well-fed.
5They are free of the burdens others carry; they are not afflicted like other men.

Psalms 73:3 reveals the psalmist's internal conflict as he grapples with feelings of envy towards those who seem to thrive despite their wickedness. This verse is part of a larger meditation on the fate of the righteous compared to the wicked, as seen in the surrounding verses, particularly Psalm 73:2 and Psalm 73:4, where the psalmist reflects on his own spiritual struggles and observations of others' lives.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Psalm 37:1–7Do not fret over those who do evil; do not envy those who do wrong.
2Job 21:7Why do the wicked live on, growing old and increasing in power?
3Proverbs 3:31Do not envy a violent man or choose any of his ways;
4Proverbs 24:1Do not envy wicked men or desire their company;
5Jeremiah 12:1Righteous are You, O LORD, when I plead before You. Yet about Your judgments I wish to contend with You: Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all the faithless live at ease?

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 6 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word קִ֭נֵּאתִי, Ki.ne.tigenerated

The verb קָנָא (qana') is a Piel perfect form meaning 'I was jealous' or 'I envied.' It conveys a sense of emotional turmoil and resentment towards others' prosperity, particularly in the context of moral wrongdoing.

The use of this verb indicates a personal reaction to the perceived injustice of the wicked flourishing while the righteous suffer. This emotional response is central to the psalmist's struggle and sets the stage for the reflections that follow.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses envied to capture the psalmist's feelings.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The finite verbs in this verse are קִ֭נֵּאתִי and אֶרְאֶֽה, with the first verb expressing the psalmist's emotional state and the second verb indicating his action of seeing. The structure highlights the connection between his feelings and his observations.

The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the subject's feelings first, followed by the action of seeing, which underscores the cause-and-effect relationship between envy and perception.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates קִ֭נֵּאתִי as ἐζήλωσα, which also means 'I was jealous.' This choice reflects a direct correspondence to the emotional state conveyed in the Hebrew.

The LXX uses ἁμαρτωλῶν for the wicked, which aligns with the moral implications of the Hebrew term, emphasizing their wrongdoing.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalms 73:3 shows the psalmist feeling jealous of the arrogant people he sees thriving in life. He observes their prosperity and struggles with the unfairness of their success compared to his own experiences.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean to envy the arrogant?

To envy the arrogant means to feel resentment or jealousy towards those who boast or act proudly, especially when they appear to be successful despite their wrongdoing.

Why does the psalmist feel this way?

The psalmist feels this way because he perceives a disparity between the apparent success of the wicked and his own struggles, leading to feelings of confusion and envy.

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

This verse introduces the psalmist's internal conflict, which is explored further in the psalm as he reflects on the fate of the righteous versus the wicked.

What can we learn from the psalmist's feelings?

We can learn that it is natural to struggle with feelings of envy, but it is important to seek understanding and perspective on the broader picture of justice and righteousness.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. Have I ever felt envious of someone else's success, and how did I respond to that feeling?
  2. What does this verse teach me about the nature of envy and its impact on my perspective?
  3. How can I cultivate a more grateful and content attitude in my own life?
  4. In what ways can I support others who may be struggling with feelings of envy or comparison?

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

The early Church Fathers often reflected on this verse to discuss the nature of envy and the apparent prosperity of the wicked, as seen in Augustine's commentary.

Augustine of HippoExposition on Psalms 73 354–430
But why even this? "For I was jealous," he says, "in the case of sinners, looking on the peace of sinners" [Psalms 73:3]. I observed sinners, I saw them to have peace.
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 73 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 73:3 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

For I was envious at the foolish,.... The atheists, as in Psalms 14:1, who deny the creation, as Arama; the wicked, as after explained, as all wicked men are, how wise soever they may be in things

Read John Gill on Psalms 73 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. For I was envious at the foolish - Hebrew, 'the foolishly insolent' or 'haughty' [from haalal (H1984), to boast foolishly] (Psalms 5:5; Psalms 75:5).

Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 73 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

I grudged and murmured at it, and had a secret desire to partake of their delicates.

Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 73 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Psalms 73:3 For I was envious at the foolish, [when] I saw the prosperity of the wicked.Ver. 3. For I was envious at the foolish] Heb. at the braggadocios, the vain glorious, the mad boasters; factabundis, I emulated, and stomached their prosperity, compared with mine own far worse condition. Godly men, though cured of their spiritual frensy, yet play oft many mad tricks; one while fretting at the prosperity of their adversaries, and another while murmuring at their own afflictions, or plotting courses how to conform themselves to the world, &c. When I saw the prosperity of the wicked] This hath ever been a pearl in the eyes, not of the heathens only, but of better men. See Jeremiah 12:1-2…

Read John Trapp on Psalms 73 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(3) Foolish.—Better, arrogant.When I saw.—Perhaps the conjunction is wrongly supplied, and the word “saw” here is synonymous with “envied” in the first clause. (Comp. Latin invideo.)

Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 73 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 3. I was envious at the foolish] I saw persons who worshipped not the true God, and others who were abandoned to all vices, in possession of every temporal comfort, while the godly were in straits, difficulties, and affliction. I began then to doubt whether there was a wise providence; and my mind became irritated. It seems to have been a maxim among the ancient heathens, Θεουονειδοςτουςκακουςευδαιμονειν, "The prosperity of the wicked is a reproach to the gods." But they had no just conception of a state of future rewards and punishments. Besides, man could not bear prosperity. If men had uninterrupted comforts here, perhaps not one soul would ever seek a preparation for heaven. Human…

Read AdamClarke on Psalms 73 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

1–14. Faith tried by the sight of the prosperity of the wicked.

Read Cambridge on Psalms 73 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For I was envious at the foolish - The word “foolish” here refers to sinners. It may either refer to them as foolish, or as proud, insolent, vain - for so the word is elsewhere used. See Psalms 14:1.

Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 73 →

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

For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

For I was envious of the arrogant, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

NETBNew English Translation2006

For I envied those who are proud, as I observed the prosperity of the wicked.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

For I was envious at the arrogant, When I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

RVARevised Version, American1894

For I was envious at the arrogant, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

For I feared at the foolish, when I sawe the prosperitie of the wicked.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

For I was envious at the arrogant, seeing the prosperity of the wicked.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

The peace of the wicked I see, That there are no bands at their death,

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

I see the peace of the wicked, || That there are no bands at their death,

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

For I was envious at the arrogant, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

because I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Lift up thy hands against their pride unto the end; see what things the enemy hath done wickedly in the sanctuary.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

because I was jealous of self-important people—I saw how well the wicked were doing.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Because of my envy of the men of pride, when I saw the well-being of the wrongdoers.

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.

כִּֽי(dm)clauseverbקִ֭נֵּאתִיI.was.jealousprepositional phrase · prepositionalבַּֽofnoun phrase[thoseהוֹלְלִ֑יםwho].boastclausenoun phrase · objectשְׁל֖וֹם[the].well-beingרְשָׁעִ֣יםof.wicked.[people]verbאֶרְאֶֽהI.saw

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


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

The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree on the wording of this verse, with all six words matched in the Hebrew and Greek texts, indicating a strong consistency in the translation of the core concepts.

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

כִּֽי־ קִ֭נֵּאתִי בַּֽהוֹלְלִ֑ים שְׁל֖וֹם רְשָׁעִ֣ים אֶרְאֶֽה׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
כִּֽי־ὅτιקִ֭נֵּאתִיἐζήλωσαבַּֽהוֹלְלִ֑יםἀνόμοιςשְׁל֖וֹםεἰρήνηνרְשָׁעִ֣יםἁμαρτωλῶνאֶרְאֶֽה׃θεωρῶν

6 of the 6 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 73:3כִּיforforכִּיקָנָאI was jealoI was jealousקָנָאהָלַלof the boasof the boastersהָלַלשָׁלוֹם[the] well-[the] well-beinשָׁלוֹםרָשָׁעwicked [peowicked [people]רָשָׁערָאָהI sawI sawרָאָהשָׁלֵםto completto completeשָׁלֵםרָשַׁעbe wickedbe wickedרָשַׁעיָדַעto knowto knowיָדַעקִנְאָהjealousyjealousyקִנְאָהיָהּLORDLORDיָהּיֵהוּאJehuJehuיֵהוּאצַדִּיקrighteousrighteousצַדִּיקאָבַדto perishto perishאָבַדעֳנִיafflictionafflictionעֳנִינָבַטto lookto lookנָבַט
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 73:3

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.

for I was jealous of the boasters [the] well-being of wicked [people] I saw
כִּֽי־ki- for H3588 Particle
4,483× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A conjunction used to show cause or connection, as in Genesis 2:23 where Adam says the woman is bone of his bone because she was taken out of him. It is often translated as 'for', 'because', or 'since'.
Amplified meaning
because of this reason
Tyndale gloss
for
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כִּי (ki) is a conjunction primarily meaning 'that,' 'for,' or 'when.' It indicates causal relationships and can express conditions like 'if' or 'though.' The word is versatile, appearing in various contexts to convey certainty, exception, or concession. Notably, it can combine with other particles to modify its meaning, such as in the phrase כִּי אם־ (ki im), meaning 'that if.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כִּי conj. that, for, when

that

Of time, when, of the past

elsewhere כִּי has a force approximating to if, though it usu. represents a case as more likely to occur than אִם

when or if, with a concessive force, i.e. though

Because, since

base

כִּי אם־

each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause:

that if

for if

(About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause—

limiting the prec. clause, except

the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but

after an oath, surely

base

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3588a כִּי that, for, when . that

. . Of time, when, of the past

. elsewhere כִּי has a force approximating to if, though it usu. represents a case as more likely to occur than אִם

. when or if, with a concessive force, i.e. though

. Because, since

H3588b כִּי אם־ . each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause: . that if

. for if

. (About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause— . limiting the prec. clause, except

. the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but

. after an oath, surely

H3588c כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3588 kiy kee

a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional

prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent

or consequent; (by implication) very widely used as a relative

conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by

other particles annexed:--and, + (forasmuch, inasmuch,

where-)as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else,

even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, +

nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then,

therefore, + (al- )though, + till, truly, + until, when,

whether, while, whom, yea, yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כִּי (ki) — for.

1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since

1a) that

1a1) yea, indeed

1b) when (of time)

1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force)

1c) because, since (causal connection)

1d) but (after negative)

1e) that if, for if, indeed if, for though, but if

1f) but rather, but

1g) except that

1h) only, nevertheless

1i) surely

1j) that is

1k) but if

1l) for though

1m) forasmuch as, for therefore

כִּי [אם] (ki im) — that if: except.

1) except if

1a) but if

1b) even though

כִּי [עַל כֵּן] (ki [al ken]) — for as that: since.

1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since

1a) that

1a1) yea, indeed

1b) when (of time)

1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force)

1c) because, since (causal connection)

1d) but (after negative)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj — Particle
HTc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

for (ki (conjunction), le, from 'el (preposition), and various other words. In the New Testament also the words are various, chiefly gar, kai gar, hoti (conjunctions); anti apo eis dia (accusative), epi (dative and accusative), peri (genitive), pros (genitive and accusative), huper (genitive) (prepositions)): the English Revised Version and the American Standard Revised Version give in many cases more literal or more accurate renderings than those in the King James Version.

In the New Testament the most important preps. from a doctrinal point of view are anti, "face to face," "over against," "instead," "on behalf of," peri, "around," "about," "concerning," huper, "over," "on behalf of." The first has been claimed as stating the substitutionary nature of Christ's sacrifice as contrasted with huper and peri, more frequently used of it. But, although anti in the New Testament often means…

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
for I was jealous of the boasters [the] well-being of wicked [people] I saw
קִ֭נֵּאתִיKi.ne.ti I was jealous H7065 Verb · Piel · perfect first person common singular
34× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To be jealous means to feel envious or resentful of someone or something, often because of a perceived threat or rivalry. In the Bible, jealousy is sometimes portrayed as a negative emotion, as in the story of Cain and Abel in the book of Genesis.
Amplified meaning
was jealous of, felt resentful towards
Tyndale gloss
be jealous
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word קָנָא (qana') is a verb that conveys meanings related to jealousy and zeal. It can mean to be jealous, envious, or zealous, and can also imply provoking jealousy or anger. The entries highlight its use in different forms, particularly the Piel and Hiphil stems, indicating both personal feelings and actions that incite jealousy.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[קָנָא] vb. denom.

Pi. be jealous, zealous

be jealous of

be envious of

be zealous for

excite to jealous anger

Hiph. provoke to jealous anger

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7065 קָנָא vb. denom. Pi. be jealous, zealous

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7065 qana' kaw-naw'

a primitive root; to be (causatively, make) zealous, i.e. (in

a bad sense) jealous or envious:--(be) envy(-ious), be (move

to, provoke to) jealous(-y), X very, (be) zeal(-ous).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קָנָא (qa.na) — be jealous.

1) to envy, be jealous, be envious, be zealous

1a) (Piel)

1a1) to be jealous of

1a2) to be envious of

1a3) to be zealous for

1a4) to excite to jealous anger

1b) (Hiphil) to provoke to jealous anger, cause jealousy

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Piel-Perf-1cs — Verb · Piel · perfect first person common singular
HVpp1cs
for I was jealous of the boasters [the] well-being of wicked [people] I saw
בַּֽהוֹלְלִ֑יםba.ho.Lim of the boasters H1984 Preposition · verb qal participle (active) masculine plural
165× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To be foolish means to act wildly or make a show, like the prophets of Baal in 1 Kings 18:29. It can also mean to celebrate or boast, as in Psalm 38:5.
Amplified meaning
proud, self-important
Tyndale gloss
to shine
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word הָלַל (halal) is a primitive root that encompasses meanings related to shining, boasting, and foolishness. It can signify to praise or celebrate, often in a clamorously foolish manner, and includes the idea of making a boast or being made a fool of. The entries indicate a range of uses, from expressing God's favor to acting madly.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[הָלַל] vb. shine

Qal when it, viz. his lamp, shone upon my head, fig. of God’s favour.

Hiph. flash forth light

base

[הָלַל] vb. be boastful, Pi. praise

Qal be boastful

Pi.

praise man or woman

usually praise י׳

appar. boast, make one’s boast

Pu. be praised

Hithpa. glory, boast, make one’s boast

Po‛el make into a fool, make a fool of

Po‛al of laughter I said, It is mad (folly)

Hithpo. act madly, or like a madman

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1984a הָלַל shine H1984b הָלַל be boastful, Pi. praise H1984c הָלַל be boastful, Pi. praise .be boastful

. . praise man or woman

. usually praise י׳

. appar. boast, make one’s boast

. be praised

. glory, boast, make one’s boast

.make into a fool, make a fool of

.of laughter I said, It is mad (folly)

. act madly, or like a madman

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1984 halal haw-lal'

a primitive root; to be clear (orig. of sound, but usually of

color); to shine; hence, to make a show, to boast; and thus to

be (clamorously) foolish; to rave; causatively, to celebrate;

also to stultify:--(make) boast (self), celebrate, commend,

(deal, make), fool(- ish, -ly), glory, give (light), be (make,

feign self) mad (against), give in marriage, (sing, be worthy

of) praise, rage, renowned, shine.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הָלַל (ha.lal) — to shine.

1) to shine

1a) (Qal) to shine (fig. of God's favour)

1b) (Hiphil) to flash forth light

הָלַל (ha.lal) — to boast: praise.

: praise

1) to praise, boast, be boastful

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to be boastful

1a2) boastful ones, boasters (participle)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to praise

1b2) to boast, make a boast

1c) (Pual)

1c1) to be praised, be made praiseworthy, be commended, be worthy of praise

1d) (Hithpael) to boast, glory, make one's boast

הָלַל (ha.lal) — to be foolish.

1) (Poel) to make a fool of, make into a fool

1f) (Hithpoel) to act madly, act like a madman

הָלַל (ha.lal) — to boast: boast.

: boast

1) to praise, boast, be boastful

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to be boastful

1a2) boastful ones, boasters (participle)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to praise

1b2) to boast, make a boast

1c) (Pual)

1c1) to be praised, be made praiseworthy, be commended, be worthy of praise

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | V-Qal — Preposition · verb qal participle (active) masculine plural
HRd/Vqrmpa
for I was jealous of the boasters [the] well-being of wicked [people] I saw
שְׁל֖וֹםshe.Lom [the] well-being of H7965 Noun common · masculine singular construct
237× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word for peace, shalom, means completeness, wellness, and friendship, and is often used to describe God's relationship with humanity, as seen in the covenant with the Israelites. It encompasses physical and spiritual health, prosperity, and harmony.
Amplified meaning
success, well-being
Tyndale gloss
Peace
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׁלוֹם (shalom) conveys a range of meanings including completeness, soundness, welfare, and peace. It can refer to physical safety and health, as well as emotional states like tranquility and friendship, particularly in human relationships and with God. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to be complete' and is used in various contexts, including greetings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁלוֹם 237 n.m. completeness, soundness, welfare, peace

completeness in no.

safety, soundness, in body

welfare, health, prosperity

peace, quiet, tranquility, contentment

peace, friendship

peace from war

as adj. those at peace with him

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7965 שָׁלוֹם completeness, soundness, welfare, peace

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7965 shalowm shaw-lome'

or shalom {shaw-lome'}; from 7999; safe, i.e. (figuratively)

well, happy, friendly; also (abstractly) welfare, i.e. health,

prosperity, peace:--X do, familiar, X fare, favour, + friend,

X great, (good) health, (X perfect, such as be at)

peace(-able, -ably), prosper(-ity, -ous), rest, safe(-ty),

salute, welfare, (X all is, be) well, X wholly.

see HEBREW for 07999

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁלוֹם (sha.lom) — peace.

: peace

1) completeness, soundness, welfare, peace

1a) completeness (in number)

1b) safety, soundness (in body)

1c) welfare, health, prosperity

1d) peace, quiet, tranquillity, contentment

1e) peace, friendship

1e1) of human relationships

1e2) with God especially in covenant relationship

1f) peace (from war)

1g) peace (as adjective)

שָׁלוֹם (ye.ho.vah sha.lom) — Peace.

This name means completeness, peace

Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)

שָׁלוֹם (sha.lom) — peace: well-being.

: well-being

1) completeness, soundness, welfare, peace

1a) completeness (in number)

1b) safety, soundness (in body)

1c) welfare, health, prosperity

1d) peace, quiet, tranquillity, contentment

1e) peace, friendship

1e1) of human relationships

1e2) with God especially in covenant relationship

1f) peace (from war)

1g) peace (as adjective)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular construct
HNcmsc
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…

for I was jealous of the boasters [the] well-being of wicked [people] I saw
רְשָׁעִ֣יםre.sha.'Im wicked [people] H7563 Noun common · masculine plural absolute
263× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word describes someone who is morally wrong, a bad person who is guilty of crime or sin against God or others. It is used to describe the wicked in biblical stories, such as in the book of Genesis.
Amplified meaning
morally wrong, guilty of sin
Tyndale gloss
wicked
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רָשָׁע (rasha`) refers to someone who is wicked or criminal, encompassing meanings such as guilty and ungodly. It is derived from a root that implies moral wrongdoing. The term is used to describe individuals who are hostile to God or guilty of sin against others.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רָשָׁע 263 adj. wicked, criminal

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7563 רָשָׁע wicked, criminal

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7563 rasha` raw-shaw'

from 7561; morally wrong; concretely, an (actively) bad

person:--+ condemned, guilty, ungodly, wicked (man), that did

wrong.

see HEBREW for 07561

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רָשָׁע (ra.sah) — wicked.

1) wicked, criminal

1a) guilty one, one guilty of crime (subst)

1b) wicked (hostile to God)

1c) wicked, guilty of sin (against God or man)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Noun common · masculine plural absolute
HNcmpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Nave's Topical Bible

→ Compared with

Abominable branches Isa 14:19

Ashes under the feet Mal 4:3

Bad fish Mt 13:48

Animals Ps 49:12; 2Pe 2:12

Blind people Zep 1:17; Mt 15:14

Bronze and iron Jer 6:28; Eze 22:18

Briers add thorns Isa 55:13; Eze 2:6

The bulls of Bashan Ps 22:12

for I was jealous of the boasters [the] well-being of wicked [people] I saw
אֶרְאֶֽה׃'er.'Eh I saw H7200 Verb · Qal · imperfect first person common singular
1,300× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for provider means to see or look after, and is used to describe God's care for his people. It appears in various forms throughout the Bible, including in Genesis and other books.
Amplified meaning
perceived, looked upon
Tyndale gloss
Provider
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רָאָה 1315 vb. see

Qal 1141

see, subj.

see, c. acc. rei

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

see, so as to learn to know

abs. see, have (power of) vision

see = perceive

look at, see, by direct volition

of mental observation

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

see, c. acc. rei

Niph.

appear

be seen

be visible

Pu. appar. his bones are not detected

Hithp. recipr. look at each other

Hiph.

cause one to see something, shew

cause to experience something

cause to look intently at, to behold

Hoph.

be caused to see, be shewn

be exhibited to

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7200a רָאָה see .. . see, subj.

. see, c. acc. rei

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

. see, so as to learn to know

. abs. see, have (power of) vision

. see = perceive

. look at, see, by direct volition

. of mental observation

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

. see, c. acc. rei

. . appear

. be seen

. be visible

. appar. his bones are not detected

. recipr. look at each other

. . . cause one to see something, shew

. cause to experience something

. cause to look intently at, to behold

. . be caused to see, be shewn

. be exhibited to

H7200b רְאוּת look

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7200 ra'ah raw-aw'

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

numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

surely, X think, view, visions.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רָאָה (ra.ah) — to see: see.

: see/show

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

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to see

1a2) to see, perceive

1a3) to see, have vision

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

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

1a6) to look at, gaze at

1a7) to provide, choose

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to appear, present oneself

1b2) to be seen

1b3) to be visible

1c) (Pual) to be seen

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to cause to see, show

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

1e) (Hophal)

1e1) to be caused to see, be shown

1e2) to be exhibited to

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

רָאָה (ra.ah) — to see: examine.

: examine/consider

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

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to see

1a2) to see, perceive

1a3) to see, have vision

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-1cs — Verb · Qal · imperfect first person common singular
HVqi1cs
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

so.

See TOOLS.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Egyptian saws, so far as has yet been discovered, are single-handed. As is the case in modern Oriental saws, the teeth usually incline toward the handle, instead of away from it like ours. They have, in most cases, bronze blades, apparently attached to the handles by leathern thongs. No evidence exists of the use of the saw applied to stone in Egypt, but we read of sawn stones used in the temple. (1 Kings 7:9) The saws "under" or "in" which David is said to have placed his captives were of iron. The expression in (2 Samuel 12:31) does not necessarily imply torture, but the word "cut" in (1 Chronicles 20:3) can hardly be understood otherwise.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Used as an instrument of torture 2Sa 12:31; Heb 11:37

→ Used for cutting stone 1Ki 7:9

→ FIGURATIVE Isa 10:15

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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