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Psalms 78:63 — Word Study

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WLCבַּחוּרָ֥יו אָֽכְלָה־ אֵ֑שׁ וּ֝בְתוּלֹתָ֗יו לֹ֣א הוּלָּֽלוּ׃

BSAFireʼêsh [devouring, consuming] consumedʼâkal His young menbâchûwr [chosen, select individuals] and their maidensbᵉthûwlâh [virgins, brides] were left withoutlôʼ [lacking, absent] wedding songshâlal [marriage praise, celebration]

Word
Listen & take awayPsalms 78
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 63 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 (hu.La.lu) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Psalms 78:63quick helps
In a sentenceThe verse describes a devastating event where fire destroys the young men, leaving the maidens without joy.
Who is speakingThe psalmist, reflecting on God's judgment against His people.
Where we areIn a lament about the consequences of Israel's disobedience.
The hard wordבַּחוּרָ֥יו
Take awayThe imagery of fire emphasizes destruction and loss.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectאֵשׁ verbאָכַל 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 78:63

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 — The Consequences of Disobediencegenerated

62He surrendered His people to the sword because He was enraged by His heritage.
63Fire consumed His young men, and their maidens were left without wedding songs.
64His priests fell by the sword, but their widows could not lament.
65Then the Lord awoke as from sleep, like a mighty warrior overcome by wine.

Psalm 78:63 reflects on a time of judgment when God's anger led to destruction among His people. The fire that consumed the young men symbolizes the severe consequences of turning away from God, while the absence of wedding songs among the maidens highlights the loss of joy and celebration in the community. This passage serves as a reminder of the seriousness of disobedience and its impact on the people of Israel, as seen in the surrounding verses.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Psalm 78:21Therefore the LORD heard and was filled with wrath; so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and His anger flared against Israel,
2Deuteronomy 29:20The LORD will never be willing to forgive him. Instead, His anger and jealousy will burn against that man, and every curse written in this book will fall upon him. The LORD will blot out his name from under heaven
3Deuteronomy 32:22For a fire has been kindled by My anger, and it burns to the depths of Sheol; it consumes the earth and its produce, and scorches the foundations of the mountains.
4Isaiah 4:1In that day seven women will take hold of one man and say, “We will eat our own bread and provide our own clothes. Just let us be called by your name. Take away our disgrace!”
5Jeremiah 7:34I will remove from the cities of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem the sounds of joy and gladness and the voices of the bride and bridegroom, for the land will become a wasteland.”

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 7 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word בַּחוּרָ֥יו, ba.chu.Ravgenerated

The word בַּחוּרָ֥יו (ba.chu.Rav) is a noun in the plural form, indicating 'young men' and often implying a select group. It emphasizes youthfulness and selection, suggesting these individuals were chosen for a specific purpose or role, such as soldiers in battle.

In this verse, it conveys the tragic loss of these chosen young men due to divine judgment. The context of the psalm indicates that their destruction has significant implications for the community, as they were likely vital members of society.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses consumed for אָֽכְלָה־ and left without for לֹ֣א.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The verse contains two main clauses connected by the conjunction 'and'. The finite verb אָֽכְלָה־ (it consumed) governs the first clause, with אֵ֑שׁ (fire) as the subject. The second clause describes the state of the maidens, introduced by וּ֝בְתוּלֹתָ֗יו (and their maidens) and concludes with לֹ֣א (not) and הוּלָּֽלוּ (they were praised).

This structure highlights the contrast between the destruction of the young men and the sorrow of the maidens, emphasizing the overall tragedy of the situation.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates אָֽכְלָה־ as κατέφαγεν (katēphagen), which means 'devoured.' This choice reflects a strong emphasis on the totality of destruction, aligning with the Hebrew meaning.

The Greek word אֵשׁ is rendered as πῦρ (pur), which maintains the literal sense of 'fire.' This consistency underscores the severity of the judgment described in the verse.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalm 78:63 describes how fire consumed the young men of Israel, indicating a time of judgment from God. The maidens were left without wedding songs, signifying a loss of joy and celebration in the community due to this destruction.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does the fire symbolize in this verse?

The fire symbolizes God's judgment and the destruction that results from disobedience.

Why were the maidens left without wedding songs?

The absence of wedding songs indicates a loss of joy and celebration, reflecting the sorrow of the community after the destruction of the young men.

What can we learn from this verse about God's anger?

This verse teaches that God's anger can lead to severe consequences, impacting not just individuals but the entire community.

How does this verse relate to the overall message of Psalm 78?

Psalm 78 recounts the history of Israel's disobedience and God's responses, illustrating the cycle of sin and judgment throughout their history.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways do I see the consequences of disobedience in my own life or community?
  2. How can I cultivate joy and celebration in my life, even in difficult circumstances?
  3. What does this verse teach me about the seriousness of God's judgment?
  4. How can I better understand and appreciate the history of God's dealings with His people as described in Psalm 78?

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 78:63 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

The fire consumed their young men,.... Not Nadab and Abihu, as some of the Jewish Rabbins interpret it, of which Jarchi makes mention; but the young men, the choice, the flower, of the Israelitish

Read John Gill on Psalms 78 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his testimonies: -Israel's unfaithfulness in the time of the Judges caused God to forsake the tabernacle of Shiloh, and brought down other sore judgments. Verse 56.

Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 78 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Because the young men who should have married them were slain. Heb. were not praised, to wit, with marriage songs, which was usual at marriage solemnities among the Jews, as appears from 16:9 25:10.

Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 78 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Psalms 78:63 The fire consumed their young men; and their maidens were not given to marriage.Ver. 63. The fire consumed] The fire of warlike force, which quickly licketh up all, and layeth waste. And their maidens were not given in marriage] Heb. praised, as they were wont to be at their weddings with nuptial songs, and epithalamia , which the Hebrews call Hillulim, and the bridechamber, Beth-halulah, the house of praise.

Read John Trapp on Psalms 78 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(63) Were not given.—See margin. The desolation and misery were marked by the absence of the glad nuptial song.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 78 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 63. Their maidens were not given to marriage.] הוללו hullalu, were not celebrated with marriage songs. It is considered a calamity in the east if a maiden arrives at the age of twelve years without being sought or given in marriage.

Read AdamClarke on Psalms 78 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

63. Fire devoured their young men; And their maidens had no marriage song. (R.V.) The fire of war (Numbers 21:28) consumed the young men, so that the maidens remained unmarried.

Read Cambridge on Psalms 78 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The fire consumed their young men - Fire here may be regarded as an image of destructive war, as in Numbers 21:28 : “For there is a fire gone out of Heshbon, a flame from the city of Sihon: it hath consumed Ar of Moab,” etc.

Read Albert Barnes 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

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

Fire consumed His young men, and their maidens were left without wedding songs.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Fire devoured their young men. Their virgins had no wedding song.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Fire consumed His young men, and their maidens were left without wedding songs.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Fire consumed their young men, and their virgins remained unmarried.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

The fire consumed their young men; and their maidens were not given to marriage.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Fire devoured their young men; And their virgins had no marriage-song.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Fire devoured their young men; and their maidens had no marriage-song.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

The fire consumed their young men; and their maidens were not given to marriage.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

The fire deuoured their chosen men, and their maides were not praised.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

The fire consumed their young men, and their maidens were not praised in [nuptial] song;

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

His young men hath fire consumed, And His virgins have not been praised.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Fire has consumed His young men, || And His virgins have not been praised.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

His young men the fire devoured; and his virgins were not demanded in marriage.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Fire devoured their young men, and their young women had no wedding songs.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Their young men were destroyed by fire; their young women had no wedding songs.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Their young men were burned in the fire; and their virgins were not praised in the bride-song.

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.

clausenoun phrase · objectבַּחוּרָ֥יmenוits.youngverbאָֽכְלָהit.consumedsubjectאֵ֑שׁfireוּ֝andclausenoun phrase · subjectבְתוּלֹתָ֗יits.youngוwomenadverbialלֹ֣אnotverbהוּלָּֽלוּthey.were.praised

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


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

The Masoretic Text states, "Fire consumed His young men, and their maidens were left without wedding songs," which is rendered in Hebrew as בַּחוּרָ֥יו אָֽכְלָה־ אֵ֑שׁ וּ֝בְתוּלֹתָ֗יו לֹ֣א הוּלָּֽלוּ׃. The Septuagint closely aligns with this text, as five of the six words match in their Greek translation, although the exact wording and structure differ due to the nature of the translation. There are no significant differences in meaning between the Masoretic Text and the Septuagint in this verse. The Samaritan Pentateuch and the Dead Sea Scrolls do not provide additional variants for this verse, which further supports the consistency of the text across these witnesses.

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

בַּחוּרָ֥יו אָֽכְלָה־ אֵ֑שׁ וּ֝בְתוּלֹתָ֗יו לֹ֣א הוּלָּֽלוּ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
אָֽכְלָה־κατέφαγενאֵ֑שׁπῦρוּ֝בְתוּלֹתָ֗יוπαρθένοιלֹ֣אοὐκהוּלָּֽלוּ׃ἐπενθήθησαν

5 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 78:63בָּחוּרyoung men iyoung men itsבָּחוּראָכַלit consumedit consumedאָכַלאֵשׁfirefireאֵשׁבְּתוּלָהand young wand young womenבְּתוּלָהלֹאnotnotלֹאהָלַלthey were pthey were praisהָלַלבָּחַרto chooseto chooseבָּחַרבְּתוּלָהvirginvirginבְּתוּלָהזָקֵןoldoldזָקֵןשָׁתָהto drinkto drinkשָׁתָהלֶ֫חֶםfoodfoodלֶ֫חֶםלֶהָבָהflameflameלֶהָבָהיָצַתto kindleto kindleיָצַתבָּחוּרyouthyouthבָּחוּרנַעֲרָהmaidenmaidenנַעֲרָהיָכֹלbe ablebe ableיָכֹלעוֹדstillstillעוֹדיָהּLORDLORDיָהּ
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 78:63

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.

young men its it consumed fire and young women its not they were praised
בַּחוּרָ֥יוba.chu.Rav young men its H970 Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
44× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word refers to a young person, often a chosen or select individual, like a young man in his prime. It appears in various contexts, including descriptions of young soldiers. The term emphasizes the idea of being selected or set apart.
Amplified meaning
chosen, select individuals
Tyndale gloss
youth
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בָּחוּר (bachuwr) refers to a young man or youth, often implying someone who has been selected or chosen. The term appears in contexts that highlight youthfulness, and it is derived from a root meaning 'to select.' It is notably referenced in Isaiah 62:5.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בָּחוּר n.m. young man Is 62:5 7 t.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H970 בָּחוּר young man

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

970 bachuwr baw-khoor'

or bachur {baw-khoor'}; participle passive of 977; properly,

selected, i.e. a youth (often collective):--(choice) young

(man), chosen, X hole.

see HEBREW for 0977

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בָּחוּר (ba.chur) — youth.

youth, young man

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
HNcmpc/Sp3ms
young men its it consumed fire and young women its not they were praised
אָֽכְלָה־'a.khe.lah- it consumed H398 Verb · Qal · perfect third person feminine singular
810× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to eat or devour, and it's used in many stories, including when Jesus fed the 5000 with fish and bread in the book of Matthew. It's about taking in nourishment and being satisfied.
Tyndale gloss
to eat
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָכַל (akal) means 'to eat' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including literal consumption by humans and animals, as well as figurative uses like devouring by fire or destruction. It can describe actions such as feeding or causing to eat, and it also appears in contexts of oppression and destruction. The verb has various forms, indicating different subjects and nuances.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָכַל 806 vb. eat

Qal

eat, human subject

of beasts, birds, etc., eat, devour

fig. of fire, devour, consume

of sword, devour, slay

in genl., devour, consume, destroy

fig. of oppression, devour the poor

Niph.

be eaten by man

be devoured by fire, consumed

be wasted, destroyed, of flesh

Pu. be consumed

Hiph.

cause to eat, feed with

cause to devoure, obj. sword

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H398 אָכַל eat .. eat, human subject

. of beasts, birds, etc., eat, devour

. fig. of fire, devour, consume

. of sword, devour, slay

. in genl., devour, consume, destroy

. fig. of oppression, devour the poor

. . be eaten by man

. be devoured by fire, consumed

. be wasted, destroyed, of flesh

. be consumed

. . cause to eat, feed with

. cause to devoure, obj. sword

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

398 'akal aw-kal'

a primitive root; to eat (literally or figuratively):--X at

all, burn up, consume, devour(-er, up), dine, eat(-er, up),

feed (with), food, X freely, X in...wise(-deed, plenty), (lay)

meat, X quite.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָכַל (a.khal) — to eat.

1) to eat, devour, burn up, feed

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to eat (human subject)

1a2) to eat, devour (of beasts and birds)

1a3) to devour, consume (of fire)

1a4) to devour, slay (of sword)

1a5) to devour, consume, destroy (inanimate subjects - ie, pestilence, drought)

1a6) to devour (of oppression)

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be eaten (by men)

1b2) to be devoured, consumed (of fire)

1b3) to be wasted, destroyed (of flesh)

1c) (Pual)

1c1) to cause to eat, feed with

1c2) to cause to devour

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to feed

1d2) to cause to eat

1e) (Piel)

1e1) consume

Aramaic equivalent: a.khal (אֲכַל "to devour" H0399)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-3fs — Verb · Qal · perfect third person feminine singular
HVqp3fs
young men its it consumed fire and young women its not they were praised
אֵ֑שׁ'Esh fire H784 Noun common · both singular absolute
378× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Fire is a powerful symbol in the Bible, representing both God's anger and his refining presence, as seen in Deuteronomy 4:24 and Malachi 3:2-3. It is also used for cooking and warmth. This concept is central to many biblical stories.
Amplified meaning
devouring, consuming
Tyndale gloss
fire
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֵשׁ (esh) means 'fire' and encompasses various types, including natural fire, supernatural fire associated with divine appearances, and fire used for cooking or on altars. It can also figuratively represent God's anger. The entries consistently highlight its literal and metaphorical uses, with no significant disagreement among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵשׁ 377 n.f. fire

fire, of conflagration

of supernatural fire

fire for cooking, roasting, parching

esp. of altar fire

fig. of Yahweh's anger

in various combinations

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H784 אֵשׁ fire . fire, of conflagration

. of supernatural fire

. fire for cooking, roasting, parching

. esp. of altar fire

. fig. of Yahweh's anger

. in various combinations

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

784 'esh aysh

a primitive word; fire (literally or figuratively):--

burning, fiery, fire, flaming, hot.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵשׁ (esh) — fire.

1) fire

1a) fire, flames

1b) supernatural fire (accompanying theophany)

1c) fire (for cooking, roasting, parching)

1d) altar-fire

1e) God's anger (fig.)

Aramaic equivalent: esh (אֶשָּׁא "fire" H0785)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-cs — Noun common · both singular absolute
HNcbsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

fir ('esh; pur):

These are the common words for fire, occurring very frequently. 'Ur, "light" (Isa 24:15 the King James Version; compare the Revised Version (British and American); Isa 31:9, and see FIRES), nur (Aramaic) (Da 3:22 ff) are found a few times, also 'eshshah (Jer 6:29), and be`erah (Ex 22:6), once each. Ac 28:2,3 has pura, "pyre," and Mr 14:54; Lu 22:56, phos, "light," the Revised Version (British and American) "in the light (of the fire)." "To set…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Fire

(1.) For sacred purposes. The sacrifices were consumed by fire (Gen. 8:20). The ever-burning fire on the altar was first kindled from heaven (Lev. 6:9, 13; 9:24), and afterwards rekindled at the dedication of Solomon’s temple (2 Chr. 7:1, 3). The expressions “fire from heaven” and “fire of the Lord” generally denote lightning, but sometimes also the fire of the altar was so called (Ex. 29:18; Lev. 1:9; 2:3; 3:5, 9).

Fire for a sacred purpose obtained otherwise than from the altar was called “strange fire” (Lev. 10:1, 2;

is represented as the symbol of Jehovah’s presence and the instrument of his power, in the way either of approval or of destruction. (Exodus 3:2; 14:19) etc. There could not be a better symbol for Jehovah than this of fire, it being immaterial, mysterious, but visible, warming, cheering, comforting, but also terrible and consuming. Parallel with this application of fire and with its symbolical meaning are to be noted the similar use for sacrificial purposes and the respect paid to it, or to the heavenly bodies as symbols of deity, which prevailed among so many nations of antiquity, and of which the traces are not even now extinct; e.g. the Sabean and Magian systems of worship. (Isaiah 27:9) Fire for sacred purposes obtained elsewhere than from the altar was called "strange fire," and for the use of such Nadab and Abihu were punished…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

In Scripture, is often connected with the presence of Jehovah; as in the burning bush, and on Mount Sinai, Ex 3:2 19:18 Ps 18:1-50 Hab 1:1-3:19. The second coming of Christ will be "in flaming fire," 2Th 1:8. In the New Testament it illustrates the enlightening, cheering, and purifying agency of the Holy Spirit, Mt 3:11 Ac 2:3. By sending fire from heaven to consume sacrifices, God often signified his acceptance of them: as in the case of Abel, Ge 4:4; Abraham, Ge…

young men its it consumed fire and young women its not they were praised
וּ֝בְתוּלֹתָ֗יוu.ve.tu.lo.Tav and young women its H1330 Conjunction · noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
50× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A virgin, or bride, is described by this word, emphasizing her private and untouched state, as seen in the stories of Genesis and Esther.
Amplified meaning
virgins, brides
Tyndale gloss
virgin
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בְּתוּלָה (bthuwlah) means 'virgin' and is derived from a passive participle of an unused root that suggests separation. It can also refer to a bride and, in a figurative sense, to a city or state. The term appears in contexts related to purity and marital status.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בְּתוּלָה 60 n.f. virgin

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1330 בְּתוּלָה virgin

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1330 bthuwlah beth-oo-law'

feminine passive participle of an unused root meaning to

separate; a virgin (from her privacy); sometimes (by

continuation) a bride; also (figuratively) a city or

state:--maid, virgin.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בְּתוּלָה (be.tu.lah) — virgin.

virgin

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | N-fp | Suff — Conjunction · noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
HC/Ncfpc/Sp3ms
young men its it consumed fire and young women its not they were praised
לֹ֣אlo' not H3808 Particle
5,170× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Amplified meaning
lacking, absent
Tyndale gloss
not
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לֹא or לוֹא adv. not

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

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.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

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)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part — Particle
HTn
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
young men its it consumed fire and young women its not they were praised
הוּלָּֽלוּ׃hu.La.lu they were praised H1984 Verb · Pual · perfect third person common 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
marriage praise, celebration
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
V-Pual-Perf-3cp — Verb · Pual · perfect third person common plural
HVPp3cp
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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