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Psalms 74:11 — Word Study

Depth

WLCלָ֤מָּה תָשִׁ֣יב יָ֭דְךָ וִֽימִינֶ֑ךָ מִקֶּ֖רֶב חֵֽיקְךָ֣ כַלֵּֽה׃

BSAWhymâh do You withdrawshûwb [hold back, turn away] Your strongyâd [powerful, mighty] right handyâmîyn [the right hand or side; the south] Stretch it outqereb [extend, reach forth] to destroy themkâlâh [consume, bring to an end, your enemies, those who oppose you]

Word
Listen & take awayPsalms 74
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 11 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 (kha.Leh) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Psalms 74:11quick helps
In a sentenceThe psalmist questions why God withdraws His powerful hand and pleads for it to be extended against His enemies.
Who is speakingThe psalmist, expressing a deep sense of urgency and despair.
Where we areIn a lament, the psalmist is calling on God amidst the taunts of enemies.
The hard wordכַלֵּֽה
Take awayThe plea is for God to act decisively against those who oppose Him.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbשׁוּב 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 74:11

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 Cry for Divine Interventiongenerated

10How long, O God, will the enemy taunt You? Will the foe revile Your name forever?
11Why do You withdraw Your strong right hand? Stretch it out to destroy them!
12Yet God is my King from ancient times, working salvation on the earth.
13You divided the sea by Your strength; You smashed the heads of the dragons of the sea;

Psalm 74:11 reflects the psalmist's anguish as he questions God’s apparent inaction in the face of enemy taunts. This lament is part of a larger plea for God to intervene and restore His people, highlighting the tension between divine silence and human suffering. The surrounding verses reveal the psalmist's deep yearning for God's powerful presence to be felt once again, as he recalls God's past acts of salvation and strength.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Isaiah 64:12After all this, O LORD, will You restrain Yourself? Will You keep silent and afflict us beyond measure?
2Lamentations 2:3In fierce anger He has cut off every horn of Israel and withdrawn His right hand at the approach of the enemy. He has burned in Jacob like a flaming fire that consumes everything around it.
3Psalm 44:23Wake up, O Lord! Why are You sleeping? Arise! Do not reject us forever.
4Psalm 78:65–66Then the Lord awoke as from sleep, like a mighty warrior overcome by wine.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 4 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word כַלֵּֽה, kha.Lehgenerated

The Hebrew word כָּלָה (kalah) means to finish, end, or destroy. It conveys a sense of completion or termination of something, often with a negative connotation. In this verse, it is an imperative, indicating a strong request for God to bring an end to the enemies who oppose Him.

This word is used in various contexts, from the completion of tasks to the destruction of foes, emphasizing its versatility. The psalmist's use of this imperative reflects urgency and desperation, calling on God to act decisively.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

In the Berean Standard Bible, the verse uses destroy, which aligns with the KJV and ASV.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb of the verse is תָשִׁ֣יב (ta.Shiv), meaning 'do you draw back', which governs the structure. The verse is built around this verb, with a series of phrases that elaborate on the action and its context.

The structure emphasizes the psalmist's direct appeal to God, with the imperative כַלֵּֽה (kalah) following closely, indicating a strong call for action. The arrangement of the phrases highlights the urgency of the plea.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates תָשִׁ֣יב as ἀποστρέφεις, which means 'you turn away'. This choice suggests a more interpretive approach, emphasizing the act of turning away rather than simply withdrawing.

The use of ἀποστρέφεις may indicate a deeper theological understanding of God's relationship with His people, reflecting the perceived distance and the need for restoration.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalm 74:11 expresses the psalmist's cry to God, questioning why He withdraws His powerful hand and pleading for it to be extended to destroy His enemies. This verse captures a moment of deep distress and a longing for divine intervention.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does the psalmist mean by 'withdraw Your strong right hand'?

The psalmist is expressing a feeling of abandonment and questioning why God is not acting with His power to protect His people.

Why is the right hand significant in this context?

The right hand symbolizes strength and power in biblical literature, often representing God's might and ability to save.

What does the psalmist hope to achieve by asking God to stretch out His hand?

The psalmist seeks God's immediate action against His enemies, desiring a decisive intervention that would restore justice.

How does this verse reflect the overall theme of Psalm 74?

This verse encapsulates the theme of lament and the plea for divine help in times of distress, highlighting the tension between human suffering and God's silence.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what areas of my life do I feel God is withdrawing His hand, and how can I seek His intervention?
  2. How can I better understand the symbolism of God's right hand in the context of His power and protection?
  3. What does it mean for me to cry out to God in my times of distress, as the psalmist does?
  4. How can I trust in God's timing and action when I feel abandoned or in need of help?

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

Augustine of Hippo references this verse in his exposition, discussing God's action and presence in the midst of trials.

Augustine of HippoExposition on Psalms 74 354–430
"Why do You turn away Your hand, and Your right hand from the midst of Your bosom unto the end?" [Psalms 74:11]. Again, another sign which was given to Moses.
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 74 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 74:11 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Why withdrawest thou thy hand, even that right hand?.... By which is meant the power of God; by which he made the heavens and the earth, and all things therein, and supports them in their beings; by

Read John Gill on Psalms 74 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Why withdrawest thou thy hand, even thy right hand? pluck it out of thy bosom. Why withdrawest thou ... thy right hand? - the symbol of God's might. Why dost thou remain an inactive spectator of our wrongs?

Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 74 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Why withdrawest thou thy hand? why dost thou suspend or forbear the exercise of that power, which thou hast so oft put forth on the behalf of thy people? Pluck it out of thy bosom, in which thou now seemest to hide it, as idle persons use to do, 26:15. Bestir thyself on the behalf of thy people.

Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 74 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Psalms 74:11 Why withdrawest thou thy hand, even thy right hand? pluck [it] out of thy bosom.Ver. 11. Why withdrawest thou thy hand] Some by hand understand the left hand, and so both hands are withdrawn, yea, held behind ( retrovertis), after the manner of those that have little to do, and less to care for. Out of thy bosom] Another posture to the same purpose, Proverbs 19:24; Proverbs 26:15.

Read John Trapp on Psalms 74 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(11) Why withdrawest thou.—Literally, returnest, i.e., into the ample folds of the Eastern robe. The poet is thinking of Exo 4:7. Pluck it out of thy bosom.—Literally, out of the midst of thy bosom consume. For the same absolute use of this verb comp. Psalms 59:13. The clause is an instance of pregnant construction (comp. Psalms 74:7), and is plainly equivalent to, Why dost thou not pluck out thy right hand to consume?

Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 74 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 11. Why withdrawest thou thy hand] It has been remarked, that as the outward habit of the easterns had no sleeves, the hands and arms were frequently covered with the folds of the robe; and in order to do any thing, the hand must be disentangled and drawn out. The literal version of the Hebrew is: "To what time wilt thou draw back thy hand; yea, thy right hand, from within thy bosom?" Consume; that is, manifest thy power, and destroy thy adversaries. I have, in the introduction to the book of Psalms, spoken of the old metrical version by Sternhold and Hopkins, and have stated that it was formed from the original text. A proof of this may be seen by the learned reader in this and the…

Read AdamClarke on Psalms 74 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

11. Why drawest thou back thy hand, even thy right hand? (Pluck it) out of thy bosom (and) consume (them). The right hand which in days of old was stretched out to annihilate the Egyptians (Exodus 15:12), is now as it were thrust idly into the folded garment. Cp. Lamentations 2:3.

Read Cambridge on Psalms 74 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Why withdrawest thou thy hand, even thy right hand? - Why dost thou not stretch forth thy hand for our deliverance?

Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 74 →

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

Why do You withdraw Your strong right hand? Stretch it out to destroy them!

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Why do you draw back your hand, even your right hand? Take it from your chest and consume them!

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Why do You withdraw Your strong right hand? Stretch it out to destroy them!

NETBNew English Translation2006

Why do you remain inactive? Intervene and destroy him!

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Why withdrawest thou thy hand, even thy right hand? pluck it out of thy bosom.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Why drawest thou back thy hand, even thy right hand? Pluck it out of thy bosom and consume them.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Why drawest thou back thy hand, even thy right hand? pluck it out of thy bosom and consume them.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Why withdrawest thou thy hand, even thy right hand? pluck it out of thy bosom.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Why withdrawest thou thine hand, euen thy right hand? drawe it out of thy bosome, and consume them.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Why withdrawest thou thy hand, and thy right hand? [pluck it] out of thy bosom: consume [them].

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Why dost Thou turn back Thy hand, Even Thy right hand? From the midst of Thy bosom remove [it].

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Why do You turn back Your hand, || Even Your right hand? Remove [it] from the midst of Your bosom.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Why withdrawest thou thy hand, and thy right hand? [draw it] out of thy bosom—exterminate [them];

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand? Take your right hand from your garment and destroy them.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And I will break all the horns of sinners: but the horns of the just shall be exalted.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Why do you hold back from doing something? Take action and destroy them!

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Why are you keeping back your hand, and covering your right hand in your robe?

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 · prepositionalלָ֤מָּהwhy?verbתָשִׁ֣יבdo.you.draw.backnoun phrase · objectnoun phraseיָ֭דְhandךָyourוִֽandnoun phraseימִינֶ֑your.rightךָhandclauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalמִfromnoun phraseקֶּ֖רֶבthe.midstnoun phraseחֵֽיקְyour.bosomךָ֣yourverbכַלֵּֽהdestroy

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 closely on the wording of Psalm 74:11, with all seven words matched. This indicates a strong consistency in the transmission of this verse across different traditions.

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

לָ֤מָּה תָשִׁ֣יב יָ֭דְךָ וִֽימִינֶ֑ךָ מִקֶּ֖רֶב חֵֽיקְךָ֣ כַלֵּֽה׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
לָ֤מָּהτίתָשִׁ֣יבἀποστρέφειςיָ֭דְךָσουוִֽימִינֶ֑ךָσουמִקֶּ֖רֶבμέσουחֵֽיקְךָ֣σουכַלֵּֽה׃τέλος

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

Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.


The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

Psalms 74:11מָהwhy?why?מָהשׁוּבdo you drawdo you draw bacשׁוּביָדhand yourhand yourיָדיָמִיןand right [and right [handיָמִיןקֶ֫רֶבfrom [the] from [the] midsקֶ֫רֶבחֵיקbosom yourbosom yourחֵיקכָּלָהdestroydestroyכָּלָהכַּףpalmpalmכַּףיָמַןto go righto go rightיָמַןקָרֵבto presentto present: comקָרֵבכָּ֫כָהthusthusכָּ֫כָהפָּעַלto workto workפָּעַלשְׁבִיתcaptivitycaptivityשְׁבִיתחָרוֹןburning anburning angerחָרוֹןחָזָקstrongstrongחָזָקנָצַלto rescueto rescueנָצַלשְׂמֹאלleftleftשְׂמֹאלשׁוֹקleglegשׁוֹקחֵ֫לֶבfatfatחֵ֫לֶבבָּעַרto burn: bto burn: burnבָּעַראַמָּהcubitcubitאַמָּהקָצִירharvestharvestקָצִירחֵמָהragerageחֵמָה
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 74:11

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.

why? do you draw back hand your and right [hand] your from [the] midst of bosom your destroy
לָ֤מָּהLa.mah why? H4100 Preposition · pronoun
753× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means what or how, often used to ask questions or express surprise, like in Genesis when God asks Adam what he has done. It can also mean why or when, and is used in various ways throughout the Old Testament. It appears in many KJV translations, including how or what.
Tyndale gloss
what?
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מָה (mah) is a Hebrew word primarily used as an interrogative particle meaning 'what?' or 'how?'. It can also function as an indefinite pronoun, encompassing meanings like 'anything' or 'whatever'. The word is versatile, appearing in various adverbial forms and often used with prefixes to express different nuances, such as reason or manner.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מָה, rarely מָה־, מַה־, מַה‍ּ, מֶה, מַ‍ּ, מָ—pron.interrog. and indef. what? how? aught

interrog. what?

Used adverbially

Indef. pron.

With preps.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4100 מָה, rarely מָה־, מַה־, מַה‍ּ, מֶה, מַ‍ּ, מָ—pron. interrog. and indef. what? how? aught . interrog. what?

. Used adverbially

. Indef. pron.

. With preps.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4100 mah maw

or mah {mah}; or ma {maw}; or ma {mah}; also meh {meh}; a

primitive particle; properly, interrogative what? (including

how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including

how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and even

relatively, that which); often used with prefixes in various

adverbial or conjunctive senses:--how (long, oft, (-

soever)), (no-)thing, what (end, good, purpose, thing),

whereby(-fore, -in, -to, -with), (for) why.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מָה (mah) — what?.

interr pron

1) what, how, of what kind

1a) (interrogative)

1a1) what?

1a2) of what kind

1a3) what? (rhetorical)

1a4) whatsoever, whatever, what

1b) (adverb)

1b1) how, how now

1b2) why

1b3) how! (exclamation)

1c) (with prep)

1c1) wherein?, whereby?, wherewith?, by what means?

1c2) because of what?

1c3) the like of what?

1c3a) how much?, how many?, how often?

1c3b) for how long?

1c4) for what reason?, why?, to what purpose?

1c5) until when?, how long?, upon what?, wherefore?

indef pron

2) anything, aught, what may

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | Part — Preposition · pronoun
HR/Pi
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
why? do you draw back hand your and right [hand] your from [the] midst of bosom your destroy
תָשִׁ֣יבta.Shiv do you draw back H7725 Verb · Hiphil · imperfect second person masculine singular
1,057× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to return or turn back, and can be used literally or figuratively. It is often used to describe someone returning to God or repenting from sin, as seen in the book of Psalms and the prophets.
Amplified meaning
hold back, turn away
Tyndale gloss
to return: return
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word שׁוּב (shuwb) means to turn back or return, covering a wide range of contexts including physical, spiritual, and relational. It can denote returning to a previous state, repenting, or even apostatizing. The entries describe various forms and uses, including bringing back, restoring, and refreshing. Notably, it can also imply a change in course of action.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שׁוּב 1056 vb. turn back, return

Qal 683;—turn back, return:

turn back

return, come or go back

esp. return unto

of dying

of revival from death

fig. of human relations:

return to leader, king

= change so as to appoach (in purpose, desire)

turn, i.e. resort to

return to a physical condition

abs. = change course of action

fig., specif. of spiritual relations:

turn back from God = apostatize

of י׳, turn away

turn back to God (= seek penitently)

abs. repent

turn back from evil

of י׳

of י׳, return (to shew favour)

of inanimate things (sts. personified, or treated as things of life):

denoting repetition, etc.

trans.

Pō‛l.

bring back

fig. restore, refresh

restore, repair

lead away (enticingly)

shew turning = apostatize

Hiph. 353 cause to return, bring back

bring back into bondage

put back

= draw back

= give back, restore

= relinguish

= give in payment, requital

bring one back (from dead)

bring back heart

= refresh

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7725 שׁוּב turn back, return .—turn back, return: . turn back

. return, come or go back

. esp. return unto

. . of dying

. of revival from death

. fig. of human relations: . return to leader, king

. = change so as to appoach (in purpose, desire)

. turn, i.e. resort to

. return to a physical condition

. abs. = change course of action

. fig., specif. of spiritual relations: . turn back from God = apostatize

. of י׳, turn away

. turn back to God (= seek penitently)

. abs. repent

. turn back from evil

. of י׳

. of י׳, return (to shew favour)

. of inanimate things (sts. personified, or treated as things of life):

. denoting repetition, etc.

. trans.

. . bring back

. . fig. restore, refresh

. restore, repair

. lead away (enticingly)

. shew turning = apostatize

. cause to return, bring back . . bring back into bondage

. put back

. = draw back

. = give back, restore

. = relinguish

. = give in payment, requital

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7725 shuwb shoob

a primitive root; to turn back (hence, away) transitively or

intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily

with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to

retreat; often adverbial, again:--((break, build, circumcise,

dig, do anything, do evil, feed, lay down, lie down, lodge,

make, rejoice, send, take, weep)) X again, (cause to) answer

(+ again), X in any case (wise), X at all, averse, bring

(again, back, home again), call (to mind), carry again (back),

cease, X certainly, come again (back), X consider, +

continually, convert, deliver (again), + deny, draw back,

fetch home again, X fro, get (oneself) (back) again, X give

(again), go again (back, home), (go) out, hinder, let, (see)

more, X needs, be past, X pay, pervert, pull in again, put

(again, up again), recall, recompense, recover, refresh,

relieve, render (again), requite, rescue, restore, retrieve,

Read the full entry →
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שׁוּב (shuv) — to return: return.

: return

1) to return, turn back

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to turn back, return

1a1a) to turn back

1a1b) to return, come or go back

1a1c) to return unto, go back, come back

1a1d) of dying

1a1e) of human relations (fig)

1a1f) of spiritual relations (fig)

1a1f1) to turn back (from God), apostatise

1a1f2) to turn away (of God)

1a1f3) to turn back (to God), repent

1a1f4) turn back (from evil)

1a1g) of inanimate things

1a1h) in repetition

1b) (Polel)

1b1) to bring back

1b2) to restore, refresh, repair (fig)

1b3) to lead away (enticingly)

1b4) to show turning, apostatise

1c) (Pual) restored (participle)

1d) (Hiphil) to cause to return, bring back

1d1) to bring back, allow to return, put back, draw back, give back, restore, relinquish, give in payment

1d2) to bring back, refresh, restore

1d3) to bring back, report to, answer

1d4) to bring back, make requital, pay (as recompense)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Hiphil-Imperf-2ms — Verb · Hiphil · imperfect second person masculine singular
HVhi2ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
why? do you draw back hand your and right [hand] your from [the] midst of bosom your destroy
יָ֭דְךָYa.de.kha hand your H3027 Noun common both singular construct · suffix
1,619× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, 'yad' refers to an open hand, symbolizing power or direction. It can also mean strength or a part of something, like a side or a share. The word is used in many contexts, including anatomy and everyday life.
Amplified meaning
powerful, mighty
Tyndale gloss
hand
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָד 1604 n.f. hand

hand

Fig. = strength, power

Fig. = side

יָד is used in various special, technical senses:—

sign, monument

part, fractional part or share

time, repetition

axle-trees

stays, supports for laver

tenons on sides of boards of tabernacle

a (beckoning) hand

יַד with prep.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3027 יָד hand . hand

. Fig. = strength, power

. Fig. = side

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

. part, fractional part or share

. time, repetition

. axle-trees

. stays, supports for laver

. tenons on sides of boards of tabernacle

. a (beckoning) hand

. יַד with prep.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3027 yad yawd

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

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

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

applications, both literally and figuratively, both proximate

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Read the full entry →
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָד (yad) — hand.

: hand/arm[anatomy]

1) hand

1a) hand (of man)

1b) strength, power (fig.)

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

1d) (various special, technical senses)

1d1) sign, monument

1d2) part, fractional part, share

1d3) time, repetition

1d4) axle-trees, axle

1d5) stays, support (for laver)

1d6) tenons (in tabernacle)

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

1d8) wrists

יָד (yad) — hand: power.

: hand/arm[anatomy]

1) hand

1a) hand (of man)

1b) strength, power (fig.)

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

1d) (various special, technical senses)

1d1) sign, monument

1d2) part, fractional part, share

1d3) time, repetition

1d4) axle-trees, axle

1d5) stays, support (for laver)

1d6) tenons (in tabernacle)

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

1d8) wrists

יָד (yad) — hand: themselves.

: hand/arm[anatomy]

1) hand

1a) hand (of man)

1b) strength, power (fig.)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-cs | Suff — Noun common both singular construct · suffix
HNcbsc/Sp2ms
why? do you draw back hand your and right [hand] your from [the] midst of bosom your destroy
וִֽימִינֶ֑ךָvi.mi.Ne.kha and right [hand] your H3225 Conjunction · noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
140× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Benjamin was a son of Israel and Rachel, and the brother of Joseph, mentioned in Genesis 35:18. The name also refers to the right hand or south direction.
Amplified meaning
the right hand or side; the south
Tyndale gloss
[Ben]jamin
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word יָמִין (*yamiyn*) means 'right hand' or 'right side,' and it can also refer to the direction south, as the right hand points south when facing east. It is derived from the root word for 'to be strong' and covers various contexts, including body parts and directional references.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָמִין 137 n.f. right hand

right hand

of situation on, or direction toward the right

of other parts of the body

= south, because when facing east the right hand is toward the south

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3225 יָמִין right hand . right hand

. of situation on, or direction toward the right

. of other parts of the body

. = south, because when facing east the right hand is toward the south

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3225 yamiyn yaw-meen'

from 3231; the right hand or side (leg, eye) of a person or

other object (as the stronger and more dexterous); locally,

the south:--+ left-handed, right (hand, side), south.

see HEBREW for 03231

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָמִין (ya.min) — right.

1) right, right hand, right side

1a) right hand

1b) right (of direction)

1c) south (the direction of the right hand when facing East)

Also means: ya.min (יָמִין ": south" H3225H)

יָמִין (ya.min) — right: south.

1) right, right hand, right side

1a) right hand

1b) right (of direction)

1c) south (the direction of the right hand when facing East)

יָמִין (ya.min) — [Ben]jamin.

A man of the tribe of Benjamin living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.35.18;

son of: Israel (H3478) and Rachel (H7354);

brother of: Joseph (H3130);

half-brother of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Judah (H3063), Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074) and Dinah (H1783);

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | N-fs | Suff — Conjunction · noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
HC/Ncfsc/Sp2ms
why? do you draw back hand your and right [hand] your from [the] midst of bosom your destroy
מִקֶּ֖רֶבmi.Ke.rev from [the] midst of H7130 Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
227× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means the inner part or midst of something, whether physical or emotional, and can refer to the entrails of an animal or the seat of thought and emotion. In 1 Kings 17:21, it describes Elijah's emotional plea to God.
Amplified meaning
extend, reach forth
Tyndale gloss
entrails: among
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

קֶ֫רֶב (qereb) refers to the inward part or midst of something, encompassing both physical and figurative meanings. It can denote the center of a person or object, as well as the seat of thought and emotion. The term also relates to the entrails of sacrificial animals. It is used in various contexts, including references to being among or within a group.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

קֶ֫רֶב 227 n.[m.] inward part, midst

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7130 קֶ֫רֶב inward part, midst

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7130 qereb keh'-reb

from 7126; properly, the nearest part, i.e. the center,

whether literal, figurative or adverbial (especially with

preposition):--X among, X before, bowels, X unto charge, +

eat (up), X heart, X him, X in, inward (X -ly, part, -s,

thought), midst, + out of, purtenance, X therein, X through, X

within self.

see HEBREW for 07126

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קֶ֫רֶב (qe.rev) — entrails: among.

: among/within

1) midst, among, inner part, middle

1a) inward part

1a1) physical sense

1a2) as seat of thought and emotion

1a3) as faculty of thought and emotion

1b) in the midst, among, from among (of a number of persons)

1c) entrails (of sacrificial animals)

Also means: qe.rev (קֶ֫רֶב ": inner_parts" H7130H)

קֶ֫רֶב (qe.rev) — entrails: inner parts.

: inner_parts

1) midst, among, inner part, middle

1a) inward part

1a1) physical sense

1a2) as seat of thought and emotion

1a3) as faculty of thought and emotion

1b) in the midst, among, from among (of a number of persons)

1c) entrails (of sacrificial animals)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms — 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…

why? do you draw back hand your and right [hand] your from [the] midst of bosom your destroy
חֵֽיקְךָ֣chei.ke.Cha bosom your H2436 Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
38× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for bosom refers to the chest area, often used figuratively to describe a close or intimate relationship, as seen in the KJV translations of bosom, lap, or midst.
Tyndale gloss
bosom: embrace
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חֵיק (cheq) means 'bosom' and can refer to the literal or figurative sense of being enclosed, such as in the body or in garments. It encompasses meanings like embrace, lap, and secret, indicating a sense of intimacy or closeness. The entries suggest a range of uses, including physical and metaphorical contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חֵיק, חֵק n.[m.] bosom

of fold of garment, at breast

carry in bosom

bosom as part of body

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2436 חֵיק, חֵק bosom

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2436 cheyq khake

or cheq {khake}; and chowq {khoke}; from an unused root,

apparently meaning to inclose; the bosom (literally or

figuratively):--bosom, bottom, lap, midst, within.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חֵיק (cheq) — bosom: embrace.

: embrace/chest

bosom, hollow, bottom, midst

חֵיק (cheq) — bosom: garment.

: garment

bosom, hollow, bottom, midst

A sub-meaning of cheq (חֵיק ": embrace" H2436)

חֵיק (cheq) — bosom: lap.

: lap/base

bosom, hollow, bottom, midst

A sub-meaning of cheq (חֵיק ": embrace" H2436)

חֵיק (cheq) — bosom: secret.

: secret

bosom, hollow, bottom, midst

A sub-meaning of cheq (חֵיק ": embrace" H2436)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcmsc/Sp2ms — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HNcmsc/Sp2ms
why? do you draw back hand your and right [hand] your from [the] midst of bosom your destroy
כַלֵּֽה׃kha.Leh destroy H3615 Verb · Piel · imperative second person masculine singular
208× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to finish or end something, like completing a task or using up a resource, as seen in Genesis 2:2 where God finished creating the heavens and earth.
Amplified meaning
consume, bring to an end, your enemies, those who oppose you
Tyndale gloss
to end: finish
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word כָּלָה (*kalah*) is a primitive root meaning to end or finish. It encompasses a range of meanings, including to complete, accomplish, perish, and destroy. The entries indicate various uses in both intransitive and transitive forms, covering actions like finishing a task or causing something to cease. Notably, it can also imply negative connotations, such as plotting or destruction.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כָּלָה 204 vb. be complete, at an end, finished, accomplished, spent

Qal

be complete, at an end, of a period of time

be completed, finished, of a work

be accomplished, fulfilled

be idealy complete, be determined, always in a bad sense, plotted

be spent, used up (prop. come to an end), of water

waste away, be exhausted, fail

come to an end, vanish = perish, be destroyed

Pi.

complete, bring to an end, finish, a thing, task, work, etc.

complete a period of time

finish doing a thing

make an end, end

accomplish, fulfil, bring to pass

accomplish in thought, determine

put an end to, cause to cease

cause to fail, exhaust, use up, spend

destroy, sts. exterminate

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3615 כָּלָה be complete, at an end, finished, accomplished, spent .. . be complete, at an end, of a period of time

. be completed, finished, of a work

. be accomplished, fulfilled

. be idealy complete, be determined, always in a bad sense, plotted

. . be spent, used up (prop. come to an end), of water

. waste away, be exhausted, fail

. come to an end, vanish = perish, be destroyed

. . . complete, bring to an end, finish, a thing, task, work, etc.

. complete a period of time

. finish doing a thing

. make an end, end

. accomplish, fulfil, bring to pass

. accomplish in thought, determine

. . put an end to, cause to cease

. cause to fail, exhaust, use up, spend

. destroy, sts. exterminate

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3615 kalah kaw-law'

a primitive root; to end, whether intransitive (to cease, be

finished, perish) or transitived (to complete, prepare,

consume):--accomplish, cease, consume (away), determine,

destroy (utterly), be (when ... were) done, (be an) end (of),

expire, (cause to) fail, faint, finish, fulfil, X fully, X

have, leave (off), long, bring to pass, wholly reap, make

clean riddance, spend, quite take away, waste.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כָּלָה (ka.lah) — to end: finish.

: finish

1) to accomplish, cease, consume, determine, end, fail, finish, be complete, be accomplished, be ended, be at an end, be finished, be spent

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to be complete, be at an end

1a2) to be completed, be finished

1a3) to be accomplished, be fulfilled

1a4) to be determined, be plotted (bad sense)

1a5) to be spent, be used up

1a6) to waste away, be exhausted, fail

1a7) to come to an end, vanish, perish, be destroyed

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to complete, bring to an end, finish

1b2) to complete (a period of time)

1b3) to finish (doing a thing)

1b4) to make an end, end

1b5) to accomplish, fulfil, bring to pass

1b6) to accomplish, determine (in thought)

1b7) to put an end to, cause to cease

1b8) to cause to fail, exhaust, use up, spend

1b9) to destroy, exterminate

1c) (Pual) to be finished, be ended, be completed

כָּלָה (ka.lah) — to end: destroy.

: destroy

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Piel-Impv-2ms — Verb · Piel · imperative second person masculine singular
HVpv2ms
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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