Psalms 78:50 — Word Study
WLCיְפַלֵּ֥ס נָתִ֗יב לְאַ֫פּ֥וֹ לֹא־ חָשַׂ֣ךְ מִמָּ֣וֶת נַפְשָׁ֑ם וְ֝חַיָּתָ֗ם לַדֶּ֥בֶר הִסְגִּֽיר׃
BSAHe clearedpâlaç▸ [made a way, pondered] a pathnâthîyb [road, way] ◂for His angerʼaph [intense emotion] He did notlôʼ [lo, absolutely not] sparechâsak■ [withhold, restrain] themnephesh from deathmâveth [the end of life, mortal demise] but deliveredçâgar■ [handed over, shut them in] their liveschay [soul, being, existence] to the plaguedeber [pestilence, disease, devastation]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| יְפַלֵּ֥ס | he made level | Verb, Piel, imperfect third person masculine singular |
| נָתִ֗יב | a path | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| לְאַ֫פּ֥וֹ | for anger his | Preposition, noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
| לֹא־ | not | Particle |
| חָשַׂ֣ךְ | he kept back | Verb, Qal, perfect third person masculine singular |
| מִמָּ֣וֶת | from death | Preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| נַפְשָׁ֑ם | life their | Noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
| וְ֝חַיָּתָ֗ם | and life their | Conjunction, noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
| לַדֶּ֥בֶר | to the pestilence | Preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| הִסְגִּֽיר׃ | he delivered up | Verb, Hiphil, perfect third person masculine singular |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | He cleared a path for His anger; He did not spare them from death but delivered their lives to the plague. |
| KJV | He made a way to his anger; he spared not their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence; |
| ASV | He made a path for his anger; He spared not their soul from death, But gave their life over to the pestilence, |
| YLT | He pondereth a path for His anger, He kept not back their soul from death, Yea, their life to the pestilence He delivered up. |
| WEB | He made a path for his anger. He didn’t spare their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence, |
| BBE | He let his wrath have its way; he did not keep back their soul from death, but gave their life to disease. |
Where they part company is יְפַלֵּ֥ס — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence comprises a main clause followed by a negation and another main clause, creating a clear structure of cause and effect.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbפָּלַס
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
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 78:50
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 Judgment and Mercygenerated
Psalm 78:50 reflects on how God executed His judgment on Israel. The psalmist recounts how God unleashed His anger, making a path for it, and did not spare the people from death, instead delivering them to the plague. This verse emphasizes God's sovereignty in administering justice and the consequences of disobedience, as seen in the broader narrative of Israel's history.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Job 27:22 | It hurls itself against him without mercy as he flees headlong from its power. |
| 2 | Ezekiel 5:11 | Therefore as surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, because you have defiled My sanctuary with all your detestable idols and abominations, I Myself will withdraw My favor; I will not look upon you with pity, nor will I spare you. |
| 3 | Ezekiel 7:4–9 | I will not look on you with pity, nor will I spare you, but I will punish you for your ways and for the abominations among you. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’ |
| 4 | Ezekiel 8:18 | Therefore I will respond with wrath. I will not look on them with pity, nor will I spare them. Although they shout loudly in My ears, I will not listen to them.” |
| 5 | Ezekiel 9:10 | But as for Me, I will not look on them with pity, nor will I spare them. I will bring their deeds down upon their own heads.” |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 8 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — יְפַלֵּ֥ס, ye.fa.Lesgenerated
The verb פָּלַס (palas) means to weigh or make level, suggesting a deliberate action in preparing a path. It conveys the idea of smoothing or balancing, which in this context refers to God making a way for His anger to manifest.
The Piel form indicates an active engagement in the action, emphasizing God's intention in the judgment. This word appears in various contexts, often implying preparation or consideration, which aligns with the gravity of the divine response to Israel's actions.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb יְפַלֵּ֥ס governs the clause, indicating God's action in making a path for His anger. The structure includes a prepositional phrase indicating the purpose of the path and follows with clauses that describe the consequences of His anger.
The sentence unfolds with a clear cause and effect: God prepares a way for His anger, does not spare from death, and delivers lives to the plague. This arrangement emphasizes the severity of God's judgment and the inevitability of its consequences.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates יְפַלֵּ֥ס as ὡδοποίησεν, which means 'made a way.' This choice reflects a similar understanding of God's action in preparing the path for His anger, aligning with the Hebrew sense of deliberate preparation.
The Greek word τρίβον for נָתִיב emphasizes a pathway, reinforcing the idea of a traveled route, which is consistent with the Hebrew context of a deliberate and purposeful path.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 78:50 describes how God prepared a way for His anger against the people. He did not hold back from punishing them with death but instead delivered their lives to a plague. This verse shows God's authority and the seriousness of His judgment.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It indicates that God intentionally prepared to express His anger, showing that His judgments are purposeful and not random.
This reflects the seriousness of Israel's disobedience and the consequences that followed, emphasizing God's justice.
This signifies a severe judgment, where God allowed a devastating plague to affect the people as a consequence of their actions.
It demonstrates God's holiness and justice, showing that He responds to sin with appropriate judgment.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways can I see God's judgment in the world today?
- How do I understand the balance between God's mercy and His justice?
- What lessons can I learn from Israel's history regarding obedience to God?
- How can I prepare my heart to respond to God's corrections in my life?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early interpretations of this verse highlight God's actions in judgment. Augustine of Hippo comments on the significance of God's power in delivering judgment.
But as far as regards the present passage of this Psalm, if we dare not ascribe those things which were marvellously formed out of creatures, to evil angels; we have a thing which without doubt we can ascribe to them;Early Church Fathers on Psalms 78 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 78:50 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleHe made a way to his anger,.... Or, "for" it, so that nothing could obstruct it, or hinder the execution of it; or "he weighed a path for his anger" (m); he weighed it in the balance of justice, and
Read John Gill on Psalms 78 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryHow oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert!
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 78 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleHe made a way, Heb. He weighed a path or causeway, i.e. he made a most smooth, and even, and exact path, as if he had done it by weight and measure, that so his anger might pass swiftly and freely without interruption. The phrase also seems to note the wisdom and justice of God in weighing out their plagues proportionably to their sins, and exercising great severity towards them answerably to their great and barbarous cruelty towards his people. He spared not their soul from death, i.e. he punished them with death or killing plagues, as the next words explain it. Their life; or, their beasts. So he speaks of the murrain among their cattle. But our translation seems better to agree with the…
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 78 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 78:50 He made a way to his anger; he spared not their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence;Ver. 50. He made a way to his anger] Heb. He weighed a path, recompensing their unjust stiffness with his just judgments, and proceeding in his anger from lighter plagues to that heaviest of all the rest, the slaying of all the flower of Egypt in one night, Psalms 78:51.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 78 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(50) Made a way.—Literally, levelled a path. So Symmachus.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 78 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges50. He made a way to his anger] Lit., he levelled a path for his anger, i.e. gave it free course. but gave their life over to the pestilence] This is the natural rendering of the words in this context. The rendering of R.V. marg., gave their beasts over to the murrain, is that of the Ancient Versions. But a reference to the murrain is out of place here, where the Psalmist is clearly describing the culmination of the plagues in the destruction of the firstborn. He emphasises the fact that after minor plagues had failed to touch Pharaoh’s conscience, God finally attacked the very lives of the Egyptians.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 78 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleHe made a way to his anger - Margin, he weighed a path. He leveled a path for it; he took away all hindrance to it; he allowed it to have free scope. The idea of weighing is not in the original.
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 78 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible49, 50. Evil angels—That is, good angels as the executioners of evil, as 2 Kings 19:34; 1 Chronicles 21:15. It is better to understand it thus than to personify the physical causes of the plague.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Psalms 78 →The verse in English, compared — 16 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
He cleared a path for His anger; He did not spare them from death but delivered their lives to the plague.
He made a path for his anger. He didn’t spare their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence,
He cleared a path for His anger; He did not spare them from death but delivered their lives to the plague.
He sent his anger in full force; he did not spare them from death; he handed their lives over to destruction.
Tyndale line
He made a way to his anger; he spared not their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence;
He made a path for his anger; He spared not their soul from death, But gave their life over to the pestilence,
He made a path for his anger; he spared not their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence;
He made a way to his anger; he spared not their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence;
He made a way to his anger: he spared not their soule from death, but gaue their life to the pestilence,
Strictly literal
He made a way for his anger; he spared not their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence;
He pondereth a path for His anger, He kept not back their soul from death, Yea, their life to the pestilence He delivered up.
He ponders a path for His anger, || He did not keep back their soul from death, || Indeed, He delivered up their life to the pestilence.
He leveled a path for his anger; he withheld not from death their soul, and their life he surrendered to the pestilence;
He leveled a path for his anger; he did not spare them from death but gave them over to the plague.
Simplified
He sent his unrestrained anger against them; he did not spare them from death, handing them over to the plague.
He let his wrath have its way; he did not keep back their soul from death, but gave their life to disease.
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.
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 ten words matching in the Hebrew and Greek texts. This consistency highlights the shared understanding of God's actions in both traditions.
יְפַלֵּ֥ס נָתִ֗יב לְאַ֫פּ֥וֹ לֹא־ חָשַׂ֣ךְ מִמָּ֣וֶת נַפְשָׁ֑ם וְ֝חַיָּתָ֗ם לַדֶּ֥בֶר הִסְגִּֽיר׃
10 of the 10 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Psalms 78:50
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.
פָּלַס (palas) is a verb that primarily means to weigh or make level. It can also imply preparing a road by rolling it flat or mentally weighing options. The entries highlight its use in the Piel form, emphasizing actions like weighing out or smoothing surfaces.
[פָּלַס] vb. Pi. denom. weigh, make level
base
H6424 פָּלַס vb. Pi. denom. weigh, make level
6424 palac paw-las'
a primitive root; properly, to roll flat, i.e. prepare (a
road); also to revolve, i.e. weigh (mentally):--make, ponder,
weigh.
פָּלַס (pa.las) — to envy.
1) (Piel) to weigh, make level, balance
1a) to weigh out
1b) to make level or smooth
V-Piel-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Piel · imperfect third person masculine singularHVpi3ms
נָתִיב (nathiyb) refers to a path or pathway, emphasizing a trodden track. It can denote both a physical path and the concept of travel or a traveler. The feminine form נְתִיבָה (nethiybah) shares the same meaning. The word is derived from an unused root meaning to tramp.
נָתִיב n.m. path, pathway
base
נְתִיבָה n.f. id. [n.gd.ab];—path
base
H5410a נָתִיב path, pathway H5410b נְתִיבָה id. [5410a]
5410 nathiyb naw-theeb'
or (feminine) nthiybah {neth-ee-baw'}; or nthibah (Jeremiah
6:16) {neth-ee-baw'}; from an unused root meaning to tramp; a
(beaten) track:--path((-way)), X travel(-ler), way.
נָתִיב (na.tiv) — path.
1) trodden with the feet, path, pathway
2) path, pathway, traveller
נְתִיבָה (ne.ti.vah) — path.
1) trodden with the feet, path, pathway
2) path, pathway, traveller
Also means: na.tiv (נָתִיב "path" H5410A)
N-cs — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
The Hebrew word אַף (aph) primarily means nostril or nose, but it also refers to the face and is often associated with anger. It can denote a person's countenance or expressions of ire. The entries highlight its connection to rapid breathing in passionate states, indicating its use in contexts of anger or wrath.
אַף 277 n.m. nostril, nose, face, anger
nostril, as organ of breathing
Dn. face
mostly anger
base
H639 אַף nostril, nose, face, anger
639 'aph af
from 599; properly, the nose or nostril; hence, the face, and
occasionally a person; also (from the rapid breathing in
passion) ire:--anger(-gry), + before, countenance, face, +
forebearing, forehead, + (long-)suffering, nose, nostril,
snout, X worthy, wrath.
see HEBREW for 0599
אַף (aph) — face: anger.
: anger
1) nostril, nose, face
2) anger
אַף (aph) — face: nose.
: nose
1) nostril, nose, face
2) anger
אַף (aph) — face.
: face
1) nostril, nose, face
2) anger
Prep | N-ms | Suff — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms
לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'
לֹא or לוֹא adv. not
base
H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not
3808 lo' lo
or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often
used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,
ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,
no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out
of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +
of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.
לֹא (lo) — not.
1) not, no
1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)
1b) not (with modifier-negation)
1c) nothing (subst)
1d) without (with particle)
1e) before (of time)
Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)
Part — ParticleHTn
חָשַׂךְ (chasak) is a Hebrew verb meaning to withhold or refrain. It encompasses actions like restraining, keeping back, and sparing, with nuances of preserving and holding in check. The word appears in various forms, including Qal and Niphal, indicating both active and passive meanings. There are no significant disagreements among the lexicons regarding its definitions.
חָשַׂךְ vb. withhold, refrain
Qal
withhold, keep back, keep for oneself
keep one from evil, calamity
hold in check
refrain
spare
reserve for
(abs.) restrain, check (pain) i.e. assuage
Niph. at the day of calamity the wicked is spared
base
H2820 חָשַׂךְ withhold, refrain
2820 chasak khaw-sak'
a primitive root; to restrain or (reflex.) refrain; by
implication, to refuse, spare, preserve; also (by interch.
with 2821) to observe:--assuage, X darken, forbear, hinder,
hold back, keep (back), punish, refrain, reserve, spare,
withhold.
see HEBREW for 02821
חָשַׂךְ (cha.sakh) — to withhold.
1) to withhold, restrain, hold back, keep in check, refrain
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to withhold, keep back, keep for oneself, keep from, hold in check, refrain, spare, reserve
1a2) to restrain, check
1b) (Niphal) to assuage, be spared
V-Qal-Perf-3ms — Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singularHVqp3ms
מָ֫וֶת (maveth) means 'death' and encompasses various aspects such as natural or violent death, the state of being dead, and the realm of the dead (hades). It can also refer to pestilence or ruin. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to die' and has an Aramaic equivalent, מוֹת (mot).
מָ֫וֶת 161 n.m. death
death, opp. life
death by violence
state of death or place of death
base
H4194 מָ֫וֶת death
4194 maveth maw'-veth
from 4191; death (natural or violent); concretely, the dead,
their place or state (hades); figuratively, pestilence,
ruin:--(be) dead((-ly)), death, die(-d).
see HEBREW for 04191
מָ֫וֶת (ma.vet) — death.
1) death, dying, Death (personified), realm of the dead
1a) death
1b) death by violence (as a penalty)
1c) state of death, place of death
Aramaic equivalent: mot (מוֹת "death" H4193)
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHR/Ncmsa
(maweth; thanatos):
PHYSIOLOGICAL AND FIGURATIVE VIEW
The word "Death" is used in the sense of
(1) the process of dying (Ge 21:16);
(2) the period of decease (Ge 27:7);
(3) as a possible synonym for poison (2Ki 4:40);
(4) as descriptive of person in danger of perishing (Jud 15:18; "in deaths oft" 2Co 11:23). In this sense the shadow of death is a familiar expression in Job, the Psalms and the Prophets;
Death
May be simply defined as the termination of life. It is represented under a variety of aspects in Scripture: (1.) “The dust shall return to the earth as it was” (Eccl. 12:7).
(2.) “Thou takest away their breath, they die” (Ps. 104:29).
(3.) It is the dissolution of “our earthly house of this tabernacle” (2 Cor. 5:1); the “putting off this tabernacle” (2 Pet. 1:13, 14).
(4.) Being “unclothed” (2 Cor. 5:3, 4).
(5.) “Falling on sleep” (Ps. 76:5; Jer. 51:39;
Is taken in Scripture, first, for the separation of body and soul, the first death, Ge 25:11; secondly, for alienation from God, and exposure to his wrath, 1Jo 3:14, etc.; thirdly, for the second death, that of eternal damnation. Death was the penalty affixed to Adam’s transgression, Ge 2:17 3:19; and all his posterity are transgressors, and share the curse inflicted upon him. CHRIST is "our life." All believers share his life, spiritually and eternally; and though sin and bodily is taken away, and in the resurrection the last enemy shall be trampled under foot, Ro 5:12-21 1Co 15:1-58.
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.
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
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
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
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
N-cs | Suff — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHNcfsc/Sp3mp
The Hebrew word חַי (*chay*) means 'alive' or 'living' and covers a range of meanings related to life, including living beings, vitality, and freshness. It can refer to God, animals, vegetation, and even concepts like appetite and community. Variants include חַיָּה (*chayyah*), meaning 'living thing' or 'animal,' and חַיִּים (*chayim*), which emphasizes life and sustenance.
חַי adj. alive, living
of God, as the living one, the fountain of life
of man
of animals, alive, living
animals and man
(dub.) of vegetation, as thorns, green
of water, fresh
(dub.) lively, active
reviving
base
[חַי] n.[m.] kinsfolk, pl. sf. 1 S 18:18
ref
חַיָּה n.f. living thing, animal
animal
in general
wild animals, on account of their vital energy and activity
living beings, of the cherubic chariot
life, only in late poetry
appetite, activity of hunger
revival, renewal
base
חַיָּה n.f. community
base
חַיִּים n.m. pl. abstr. emph. life
life: physical
life: as welfare and happiness in king's presence
sustenance, maintenance
base
H2416a חַי alive, living . . of God, as the living one, the fountain of life
. of man
. of animals, alive, living
. animals and man
. (dub.) of vegetation, as thorns, green
. of water, fresh
. (dub.) lively, active
. reviving
H2416b חַי kinsfolk H2416c חַיָּה living thing, animal . animal . in general
. wild animals, on account of their vital energy and activity
. living beings, of the cherubic chariot
. life, only in late poetry
. appetite, activity of hunger
. revival, renewal
H2416d חַיָּה community H2416e חַיִּים pl. abstr. emph. life . life: physical
. life: as welfare and happiness in king's presence
. sustenance, maintenance
2416 chay khah'-ee
from 2421; alive; hence, raw (flesh); fresh (plant, water,
year), strong; also (as noun, especially in the feminine
singular and masculine plural) life (or living thing), whether
literally or figuratively:--+ age, alive, appetite, (wild)
beast, company, congregation, life(-time), live(-ly), living
(creature, thing), maintenance, + merry, multitude, + (be)
old, quick, raw, running, springing, troop.
see HEBREW for 02421
חַי (chay) — alive.
adj
1) living, alive
1a) green (of vegetation)
1b) flowing, fresh (of water)
1c) lively, active (of man)
1d) reviving (of the springtime)
Aramaic equivalent: chay (חַי "living" H2417)
חַי (chay) — kinsfolk.
kinsfolk
חַיָּה (chay.yah) — living thing.
1) living thing, animal
1a) animal
1b) life
1c) appetite
1d) revival, renewal
Aramaic equivalent: che.va (חֵיוָא "beast" H2423)
חַיָּה (chay.yah) — community.
community
חַיִּים (chay.yim) — life.
1) life (abstract emphatic)
1a) life
1b) sustenance, maintenance
Conj | N-fs | Suff — Conjunction · noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHC/Ncfsc/Sp3mp
דֶּ֫בֶר (deber) refers to pestilence or plague, encompassing general disease and specifically cattle-plague or murrain. It is derived from a root meaning to destroy. The term appears in contexts related to widespread illness affecting both humans and livestock.
דֶּ֫בֶר 49 n.m. pestilence
plague, pestilence, in general
cattle-plague, murrain
base
H1698 דֶּ֫בֶר pestilence . plague, pestilence, in general
. cattle-plague, murrain
1698 deber deh'-ber
from 1696 (in the sense of destroying); a
pestilence:--murrain, pestilence, plague.
see HEBREW for 01696
דֶּ֫בֶר (de.ver) — pestilence.
1) pestilence, plague
2) murrain, cattle disease, cattle-plague
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHRd/Ncmsa
pes'-ti-lens (debher; loimos): Any sudden fatal epidemic is designated by this word, and in its Biblical use it generally indicates that these are divine visitations. The word is most frequently used in the prophetic books, and it occurs 25 times in Jeremiah and Ezekiel, always associated with the sword and famine. In 4 other passages it is combined with noisome or evil beasts, or war. In Am 4:10 this judgment is compared with the plagues of Egypt, and in Hab 3:5 it is a concomitant of the march of God from the Arabian mountain. There is the same judicial character associated with pestilence in Ex 5:3; 9:15; Le 26:25; Nu…
[PLAGUE, THE, THE]
Or PLAGUE, in the Hebrew tongue, as in most others, expresses all sorts of distempers and calamitites. The Hebrew word which properly signifies "the plague" is extended to all epidemical and contagious diseases. The prophets generally connect together the sword, the pestilence, and the famine, as three evils, which usually accompany each other.
The glandular plague, which in modern times has proved so fatal in the East, is the most virulent and contagious of diseases. In the fourteenth century it overran Europe, Asia, and Africa, and 25,000,000 are estimated to have died of it within three years. Like the Asiatic cholera, it is one of the most appalling scourges sin has brought on this world; and may in this point of view correspond with the "plagues" referred to in the Bible, Ex 9:14 11:1
→ Sent as a judgment Le 26:16,25
→ Sent upon the Egyptians
See EGYPT
→ See PLAGUES
סָגַר (sagar) means to shut or close, with various applications including shutting doors, closing up breaches, and imprisoning. It can also imply delivering someone up or surrendering. The verb appears in different forms, such as Qal (to shut), Niphal (to be shut up), and Piel (to deliver up). The term is associated with the concept of being tightly sealed or enclosed.
סָגַר vb. shut, close
Qal
shut door
close in upon
close up breach
Pt. pass., closed up = closely joined with tight seal
elsewhwere only Pt. pass. (gold shut up, and so prized, rare, fine?)
Niph.
subj. pers. be shut up
be shut, closed, of city gates
Pi. deliver up to (leave no other opening for one, shut one up to)
Pu.
of cities
of prisoners
of doors
Hiph.
deliver up to
shut up
base
H5462 סָגַר shut, close .. shut door
. . close in upon
. close up breach
. Pt. pass., closed up = closely joined with tight seal
. elsewhwere only Pt. pass. (gold shut up, and so prized, rare, fine?)
. . subj. pers. be shut up
. be shut, closed, of city gates
. deliver up to (leave no other opening for one, shut one up to)
. . of cities
. of prisoners
. of doors
. . deliver up to
. shut up
5462 cagar saw-gar'
a primitive root; to shut up; figuratively, to
surrender:--close up, deliver (up), give over (up), inclose,
X pure, repair, shut (in, self, out, up, up together), stop, X
straitly.
סָגַר (sa.gar) — to shut.
1) to shut, close
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to shut
1a2) to close, close up
1a3) closed up, closely joined, shut up
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be shut up
1b2) to be shut or closed
1c) (Piel) to shut up, deliver up
1d) (Pual) to be shut up
1e) (Hiphil)
1e1) to deliver up
1e2) to shut up, imprison
2) pure gold
Aramaic equivalent: se.gar (סְגַר "to shut" H5463)
V-Hiphil-Perf-3ms — Verb · Hiphil · perfect third person masculine singularHVhp3ms