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Psalms 85:11 — Word Study

Depth

WLCאֱ֭מֶת מֵאֶ֣רֶץ תִּצְמָ֑ח וְ֝צֶ֗דֶק מִשָּׁמַ֥יִם נִשְׁקָֽף׃

BSAFaithfulnessʼemeth [kindness, loving actions] and righteousnesstsedeq [justice, moral integrity]

Word
Listen & take awayPsalms 85
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 (nish.Kaf) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Psalms 85:11quick helps
In a sentenceThis verse expresses the connection between faithfulness and righteousness, showing how they arise from different realms.
Who is speakingThe psalmist, reflecting on the nature of God's attributes.
Where we areIn a poetic section that explores themes of divine justice and truth.
The hard wordאֱ֭מֶת
Take awayFaithfulness and righteousness are portrayed as vital elements of God's character.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectחֶסֶד verbפָּגַשׁ 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 85:11

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 — God's Faithfulness and Righteousnessgenerated

10Loving devotion and faithfulness have joined together; righteousness and peace have kissed.
11Faithfulness sprouts from the earth, and righteousness looks down from heaven.
12The LORD will indeed provide what is good, and our land will yield its increase.
13Righteousness will go before Him to prepare the way for His steps.

Psalms 85:11 is part of a larger passage that emphasizes the harmony between God's attributes and the blessings they bring to the earth. The verses preceding and following this one highlight the themes of loving devotion, righteousness, and the goodness that God provides to His people. This psalm reflects a longing for restoration and the realization of God's promises in the land.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Isaiah 4:2On that day the Branch of the LORD will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory of Israel’s survivors.
2Isaiah 45:8Drip down, O heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness. Let the earth open up that salvation may sprout and righteousness spring up with it; I, the LORD, have created it.
3Isaiah 53:2He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no stately form or majesty to attract us, no beauty that we should desire Him.
4John 14:6Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
51 John 5:20–21And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true—in His Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 11 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word אֱמֶת, me.'E.retzgenerated

The word אֱמֶת (emeth) is a feminine noun meaning faithfulness, truth, or stability. It conveys a sense of reliability and trustworthiness, often in relation to God's character and His promises. The parsing indicates that it is a noun in the singular form, emphasizing the singular nature of God's faithfulness.

This word is used frequently in the Hebrew Bible, highlighting its importance in describing God's unchanging nature. It signifies not only the concept of truth but also the actions that stem from that truth, as seen in the context of this verse.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

The translations of this verse generally agree, using terms like faithfulness and righteousness consistently across versions such as the BSB, KJV, ASV, YLT, WEB, and BBE.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The verse consists of two main clauses, each featuring a subject and a verb. The first clause is governed by the verb תִּצְמָ֑ח (it springs up), with אֱמֶת (faithfulness) as the subject, and the second clause is governed by נִשְׁקָֽף (it looks down), with צֶ֗דֶק (righteousness) as the subject.

The structure emphasizes the relationship between faithfulness emerging from the earth and righteousness descending from heaven, illustrating a divine connection between the material and spiritual realms.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, the Hebrew word אֱמֶת is translated as ἔλεος (eleos), meaning mercy or kindness, which introduces a nuance of divine compassion not explicitly present in the Hebrew text.

The choice of ἔλεος suggests an interpretation that emphasizes God's loving actions alongside His faithfulness, broadening the understanding of how these attributes interact.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalms 85:11 states that faithfulness comes from the earth, while righteousness looks down from heaven. This verse highlights the connection between God's truth and justice, showing how they interact in the world.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that faithfulness sprouts from the earth?

This indicates that God's faithfulness is manifested in the tangible world, suggesting that His promises and truth are evident in creation.

How does righteousness look down from heaven?

This suggests that God's standards of justice and moral integrity are observed from His heavenly dwelling, emphasizing His active role in overseeing human affairs.

Why are faithfulness and righteousness paired together in this verse?

They are paired to illustrate the harmony between God's character and His actions, showing that true faithfulness leads to righteousness.

What is the significance of the earth and heaven in this verse?

The earth represents the material world where faithfulness is evident, while heaven symbolizes the spiritual realm where God's righteousness is established.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways can I recognize God's faithfulness in my life and surroundings?
  2. How does understanding God's righteousness influence my sense of justice and morality?
  3. What actions can I take to reflect faithfulness in my relationships with others?
  4. How can I cultivate a deeper awareness of the connection between the spiritual and material aspects of my life?

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

Early commentators, such as Augustine of Hippo, reference this verse to discuss the nature of truth and righteousness in relation to Christ's birth.

Augustine of HippoExposition on Psalms 85 354–430
"Truth has sprung out of the earth, and righteousness has looked down from heaven" [Psalms 85:11]. "Truth has sprung out of the earth:" Christ is born of a woman.
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 85 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 85:11 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Truth shall spring out of the earth,.... Either the Gospel, the word of truth, which sprung up at once in the land of Judea, as if it came out of the earth; and from Zion and Jerusalem it came forth

Read John Gill on Psalms 85 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven. Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven.

Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 85 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Truth shall spring out of the earth; either, 1. Truth among men, which shall be so common amongst all men, as if it grew out of the earth. Or rather, 2. The truth or faithfulness of God; which is most truly and fitly said to spring out of the earth, partly because it had long been hid and buried, like a root in a dry ground, without any hopes of a reviving; from whence yet God made it to grow, as is noted, ; and partly because Christ, who is the truth, , and a minister of the circumcision (i.e. of the circumcised, or of the Jews) for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers, was born upon the earth of a virgin’ s womb. Righteousness shall look down from heaven; even…

Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 85 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Psalms 85:11 Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven.Ver. 11. Truth shall spring out of the earth] i.e. Heaven and earth shall be full both of truth and righteousness. Many understand all concerning Christ. See John 3:13. Others, concerning extraordinary plenty of all good things.

Read John Trapp on Psalms 85 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(11) Truth, or “faithfulness,” is here depicted as springing out of the earth, because the renewal of fertility has re-established the conviction of the faithfulness of Jehovah towards His people, which had been shaken. Look down.—Used of bending forwards as from a window or battlement (Son 6:10, Note). This “righteousness” (here in direct parallelism with faithfulness) had, as it were, been hidden like the sun behind a cloud, but now is seen showing its benign face once more in the skies.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 85 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 11. Truth shall spring out of the earth] In consequence of this wonderful reconciliation, the truth of God shall prevail among men. The seeds of it shall be so plentifully sown by the preaching of Christ and his apostles that true religion shall be diffused over the world. And righteousness shall look down from heaven.] And be delighted with the reformation of the sons of Adam; and shall be so satisfied with the glorious work which is carried forward, that,

Read AdamClarke on Psalms 85 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

11. Truth springeth out of the earth; And righteousness hath looked down from heaven. (R.V.) Truth springs up as a natural growth in response to God’s manifestation of His saving righteousness. Harmony between earth and heaven is perfected. Cp. Hosea 2:21 ff.; Isaiah 45:8. Milton must have had this passage in his mind in the Ode on the Nativity: Yea, truth and justice then Will down return to men, Orb’d in a rainbow; and, like glories wearing, Mercy will sit between, Throned in celestial sheen, With radiant feet the tissued clouds down steering; And heaven, as at some festival, Will open wide the gates of her high palace hall.

Read Cambridge on Psalms 85 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Truth shall spring out of the earth - As plants do - for this is the meaning of the word.

Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 85 →

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

Faithfulness sprouts from the earth, and righteousness looks down from heaven.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Truth springs out of the earth. Righteousness has looked down from heaven.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Faithfulness sprouts from the earth, and righteousness looks down from heaven.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Faithfulness grows from the ground, and deliverance looks down from the sky.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Truth springeth out of the earth; And righteousness hath looked down from heaven.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Truth springeth out of the earth; and righteousness hath looked down from heaven.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Trueth shall bud out of the earth, and righteousnes shall looke downe from heauen.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Truth shall spring out of the earth, and righteousness shall look down from the heavens.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Truth from the earth springeth up, And righteousness from heaven looketh out,

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Truth springs up from the earth, || And righteousness looks out from the heavens,

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

(85:12) Truth will grow up out of the earth, and righteousness will look down from heaven.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Trustworthiness springs up from the ground, and righteousness looks down from the sky.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Conduct me, O Lord, in thy way, and I will walk in thy truth: let my heart rejoice that it may fear thy name.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

What is true grows up from the earth; what is right looks down from heaven.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Faith comes up from the earth like a plant; righteousness is looking down from heaven.

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.

clausesubjectאֱ֭מֶתfaithfulnessprepositional phrase · prepositionalמֵfrom.[the]אֶ֣רֶץearthverbתִּצְמָ֑חit.springs.upוְ֝andclausesubjectצֶ֗דֶקrighteousnessprepositional phrase · prepositionalמִfromשָּׁמַ֥יִםheavenverbנִשְׁקָֽףit.looks.down

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 largely agree on the wording of this verse, with five out of six words matching. The Septuagint's translation reflects a slightly different emphasis in its choice of words, particularly in the rendering of faithfulness.

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

אֱ֭מֶת מֵאֶ֣רֶץ תִּצְמָ֑ח וְ֝צֶ֗דֶק מִשָּׁמַ֥יִם נִשְׁקָֽף׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
אֱ֭מֶתἔλεοςמֵאֶ֣רֶץἀλήθειαתִּצְמָ֑חσυνήντησανוְ֝צֶ֗דֶקκαὶמִשָּׁמַ֥יִםκατεφίλησαν

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 85:11אֱמֶתfaithfulnesfaithfulnessאֱמֶתאֶ֫רֶץfrom [the] from [the] eartאֶ֫רֶץצָמַחit springs it springs upצָמַחצֶ֫דֶקand righteoand righteousneצֶ֫דֶקשָׁמַיfrom heavenfrom heavenשָׁמַישָׁקַףit looks doit looks downשָׁקַףאָמַןbe faithfube faithfulאָמַןצָדֵקto justifyto justifyצָדֵקחֶ֫סֶדkindnesskindnessחֶ֫סֶדשָׁלוֹםPeacePeaceשָׁלוֹםכְּנַ֫עַןCanaanCanaanכְּנַ֫עַןמִצְרַ֫יִם(Sea of) E(Sea of) Egyptמִצְרַ֫יִםצֶ֫מַחbranchbranchצֶ֫מַחחָצִירgrassgrassחָצִירמֵישָׁרuprightnesuprightnessמֵישָׁראֵיפָהephahephahאֵיפָהעוֹףbirdbirdעוֹףכּוֹכָבstarstarכּוֹכָבחַלּוֹןwindowwindowחַלּוֹןבַּ֫עַדabout/throabout/through/fבַּ֫עַד
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 85:11

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.

faithfulness from [the] earth it springs up and righteousness from heaven it looks down
אֱ֭מֶת'E.met faithfulness H571 Noun common · feminine singular absolute
127× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means truth, faithfulness, or stability, and is often used to describe God's character and promises. In Psalm 100:5, it says God's truth endures forever, and in Proverbs 12:17, it emphasizes the importance of truthful speech.
Amplified meaning
kindness, loving actions
Tyndale gloss
truth: faithful
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֱמֶת (emeth) encompasses concepts of firmness, faithfulness, and truth. It signifies reliability and stability, often in the context of ethical or religious knowledge. The word can also function as an adverb meaning 'in truth' or 'truly.' There is a consistent emphasis on its meanings related to certainty and trustworthiness across the entries.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֱמֶת n.f. firmness, faithfulness

reliability, sureness

stability, continuance

faithfulness, reliableness

truth

adv. in truth, truly

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H571 אֱמֶת firmness, faithfulness . reliability, sureness

. stability, continuance

. faithfulness, reliableness

. truth

. adv. in truth, truly

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

571 'emeth eh'-meth

contracted from 539; stability; (figuratively) certainty,

truth, trustworthiness:--assured(-ly), establishment,

faithful, right, sure, true (-ly, -th), verity.

see HEBREW for 0539

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֱמֶת (e.met) — truth: faithful.

: faithful

1) firmness, faithfulness, truth

1a) sureness, reliability

1b) stability, continuance

1c) faithfulness, reliableness

1d) truth

1d1) as spoken

1d2) of testimony and judgment

1d3) of divine instruction

1d4) truth as a body of ethical or religious knowledge

1d5) true doctrine

adv

2) in truth, truly

אֱמֶת (e.met) — truth: true.

: true

1) firmness, faithfulness, truth

1a) sureness, reliability

1b) stability, continuance

1c) faithfulness, reliableness

1d) truth

1d1) as spoken

1d2) of testimony and judgment

1d3) of divine instruction

1d4) truth as a body of ethical or religious knowledge

1d5) true doctrine

adv

2) in truth, truly

אֱמֶת (e.met) — truth: certain.

: certain/fixed

1) firmness, faithfulness, truth

1a) sureness, reliability

1b) stability, continuance

1c) faithfulness, reliableness

1d) truth

1d1) as spoken

1d2) of testimony and judgment

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absolute
HNcfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

An infinite attribute of Jehovah; adapted to make perfect both the confidence of those who believe his word and rely on his promises, and the despair of those who doubt his word and defy his threatenings, De 28:26 Nu 23:19 Ps 89:33-34 Heb 10:23.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ EXHORTATION TO Ps 12:1; 31:23; Pr 20:6; 28:20; Mt 10:22; 24:45-47; 25:14-23; Lu 12:42-44; 16:10-12; 19:12-27; 1Co 4:2; Re 2:10

See OBEDIENCE, EXHORTATION TO

See PERSEVERANCE

See MINISTERS, FAITHFUL

See REPROOF, FAITHFULNESS IN

→ INSTANCES OF

Abraham Ga 3:9

Moses Heb 3:5

David 2Sa 22:22-25

Elijah 1Ki 19:10,14

Torrey's New Topical Textbook

- A characteristic of saints

Eph 1:1; Col 1:2; 1Ti 6:2; Re 17:14

- EXHIBITED IN

. The service of God

Mt 24:45

. Declaring the word of God

Jer 23:28; 2Co 2:17; 4:2

. The care of dedicated things

2Ch 31:12

. Helping the brethren

3Jo 1:5

. Bearing witness

Pr 14:5

. Reproving others

Pr 27:6; Ps 141:5

. Situations of trust

faithfulness from [the] earth it springs up and righteousness from heaven it looks down
מֵאֶ֣רֶץme.'E.retz from [the] earth H776 Preposition · noun common feminine singular absolute
2,504× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The land or earth refers to the soil or ground, and can also mean a country, territory, or region. In the Bible, it is used to describe the earth and its inhabitants, and is often translated as 'land' or 'country'.
Tyndale gloss
land: soil
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֶ֫רֶץ (erets) is a feminine noun meaning 'earth' or 'land.' It encompasses various meanings, including the whole earth, specific territories like Canaan, and even inhabitants of the land. It can refer to soil, ground, or regions, and is used in phrases related to distance and the living. There is a note on the plural form אֲרָצוֹת, which mainly appears in later texts to denote multiple lands.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶ֫רֶץ n. f. & (seld.) m. earth, land

earth, whole earth (opp. to a part)

earth, opp. to heaven, sky

earth = inhabitants of earth

land =

country, territory

district, region

trial territory

piece of ground

specif. land of Canaan, or Israel

= inhabitants of land

used even of Shᵉʼôl

ground, surface of ground

soil, as productive

אֶרֶץ in phrases

people of the land

in measurements of distance

the country of the plain, level or plain country

land of the living

end(s) of the earth

pl. אֲרָצוֹת is almost wholly late; it denotes lands, countries, often in contrast to Canaan, lands of the nations, etc.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H776 אֶ֫רֶץ n. f. & (seld.) m. earth, land . . earth, whole earth (opp. to a part)

. earth, opp. to heaven, sky

. earth = inhabitants of earth

. land = . country, territory

. district, region

. trial territory

. piece of ground

. specif. land of Canaan, or Israel

. = inhabitants of land

. used even of Shᵉʼôl

. . ground, surface of ground

. soil, as productive

. אֶרֶץ in phrases . people of the land

. in measurements of distance

. the country of the plain, level or plain country

. land of the living

. end(s) of the earth

. pl. אֲרָצוֹת is almost wholly late; it denotes lands, countries, often in contrast to Canaan, lands of the nations, etc.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

776 'erets eh'-rets

from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth

(at large, or partitively a land):--X common, country, earth,

field, ground, land, X natins, way, + wilderness, world.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶ֫רֶץ (e.rets) — land: country/planet.

: country/field

1) land, earth

1a) earth

1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part)

1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven)

1a3) earth (inhabitants)

1b) land

1b1) country, territory

1b2) district, region

1b3) tribal territory

1b4) piece of ground

1b5) land of Canaan, Israel

1b6) inhabitants of land

1b7) Sheol, land without return, (under) world

1b8) city (-state)

1c) ground, surface of the earth

1c1) ground

1c2) soil

1d) (in phrases)

1d1) people of the land

1d2) space or distance of country (in measurements of distance)

1d3) level or plain country

1d4) land of the living

1d5) end(s) of the earth

1e) (almost wholly late in usage)

1e1) lands, countries

1e1a) often in contrast to Canaan

אֶ֫רֶץ (e.rets) — land: soil.

: soil

1) land, earth

1a) earth

1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part)

1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven)

1a3) earth (inhabitants)

1b) land

1b1) country, territory

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Ncfsa — Preposition · noun common feminine singular absolute
HR/Ncfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

urth ('adhamah, 'erets, 'aphar; ge, oikoumene):

In a hilly limestone country like Palestine, the small amount of iron oxide in the rocks tends to be oxidized, and thereby to give a prevailing reddish color to the soil. This is especially the case on relatively barren hills where there is little organic matter present to prevent reddening and give a more blackish tinge.

'Adhamah (compare 'adham, "a man," and Adam) is from 'adham, "to be red," and is used in the senses: "earth" (Ex 20:24), "land" (Ps 105:35), a "land" or country (Isa 14:2), "ground" (Ge 4:11), "the earth" (Ge 7:4).

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Earth

(1.) In the sense of soil or ground, the translation of the word adamah’. In Gen. 9:20 “husbandman” is literally “man of the ground or earth.” Altars were to be built of earth (Ex. 20:24). Naaman asked for two mules’ burden of earth (2 Kings 5:17), under the superstitious notion that Jehovah, like the gods of the heathen, could be acceptably worshipped only on his own soil.

(2). As the rendering of ’erets, it means the whole world (Gen. 1:2); the land as opposed to the sea (1:10). Erets also denotes a country (21:32); a plot of ground (23:15); the ground on which a man stands (33:3); the inhabitants of the earth (6:1; 11:1); all the world except Israel (

Smith's Bible Dictionary

The term is used in two widely-different senses: (1) for the material of which the earth’s surface is composed; (2) as the name of the planet on which man dwells. The Hebrew language discriminates between these two by the use of separate terms, adamah for the former, erets for the latter. Adamah is the earth in the sense of soil or ground, particularly as being susceptible of cultivation. (Genesis 2:7) Erets is applied in a more or less extended sense-- (1) to the whole world, (Genesis 1:1) (2) to land as opposed to sea, (Genesis 1:10) (3) to a country, (Genesis 21:32) (4) to a plot of ground, (Genesis 23:15) and (5) to…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

In both Hebrew and Greek the same word is used to denote the earth as a whole, and a particular land. Only the context can enable us to decide in which of these senses it is to be taken in a given passage.

Thus in Mt 27:45 we might, so far as the original word is concerned, render either "there was darkness over all the land," or over all the earth. The expression "all the earth" is sometimes used hyperbolically for a large portion of it, Ezr 1:2. The word is used of the whole world, etc. In a moral sense, earthly is opposed to what is heavenly, spiritual and holy, Joh 3:31 1Co 15:47 Col 3:2

faithfulness from [the] earth it springs up and righteousness from heaven it looks down
תִּצְמָ֑חtitz.Mach it springs up H6779 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person feminine singular
33× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To spring or grow is the meaning of this Hebrew word, which can describe plants, hair, or even ideas. It's used to talk about new life or development, like a seed sprouting or a person's speech growing more fluent.
Tyndale gloss
to spring
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

צָמַח (tsamach) is a Hebrew verb meaning to sprout or spring up. It encompasses various forms of growth, including plants, hair, and even speech. The root can be used in different grammatical aspects, such as causing something to grow or sprout. The entries highlight its literal and figurative uses, particularly in contexts like abundant growth or the effects of rain.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

צָמַח vb. sprout, spring up

Qal sprout, spring up

Pi. grow abundantly

Hiph.

cause to grow

of rain, cause the earth to sprout

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6779 צָמַח sprout, spring up

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6779 tsamach tsaw-makh'

a primitive root; to sprout (transitive or intransitive,

literal or figurative):--bear, bring forth, (cause to, make

to) bud (forth), (cause to, make to) grow (again, up), (cause

to) spring (forth, up).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

צָמַח (tsa.mach) — to spring.

1) to sprout, spring up, grow up

1a)(Qal)

1a1) to sprout, spring up

1a1a) of plants

1a1b) of hair

1a1c) of speech (fig.)

1b) (Piel) to grow abundantly or thickly

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to cause to grow

1c2) to cause to sprout

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVqi3fs — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person feminine singular
HVqi3fs
faithfulness from [the] earth it springs up and righteousness from heaven it looks down
וְ֝צֶ֗דֶקve.Tze.dek and righteousness H6664 Conjunction · noun common masculine singular absolute
119× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Represents the idea of righteousness or justice, often referring to God's character or the standard for human behavior. It is closely tied to the concept of morality and what is right. The word is used to describe the ideal for human conduct and society.
Amplified meaning
justice, moral integrity
Tyndale gloss
Righteousness
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

צֶ֫דֶק (tsedeq) refers to concepts of rightness and righteousness, encompassing moral, legal, and natural dimensions. It includes justice in governance, ethical correctness, and vindication in disputes. The term also suggests prosperity and deliverance, particularly in relation to God's covenant and the Messianic king. The entries consistently emphasize its broad application in both personal and societal contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

צֶ֫דֶק n.m. rightness, righteousness

what is right, just, normal; rightness, justness, of weights and measures

righteousness, in government

righteousness, justice, in a case or cause

rightness, in speech

righteousness, as ethically right

righteousness, as vindicated, justification in controversy with enemies and troubles, deliverance, victory, prosperity

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6664 צֶ֫דֶק rightness, righteousness . what is right, just, normal; rightness, justness, of weights and measures

. righteousness, in government

. righteousness, justice, in a case or cause

. rightness, in speech

. righteousness, as ethically right

. righteousness, as vindicated, justification in controversy with enemies and troubles, deliverance, victory, prosperity

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6664 tsedeq tseh'-dek

from 6663; the right (natural, moral or legal); also

(abstractly) equity or (figuratively) prosperity:--X even, (X

that which is altogether) just(-ice), ((un-))right(-eous)

(cause, -ly, - ness).

see HEBREW for 06663

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

צֶ֫דֶק (tse.deq) — righteousness.

1) justice, rightness, righteousness

1a) what is right or just or normal, rightness, justness (of weights and measures)

1b) righteousness (in government)

1b1) of judges, rulers, kings

1b2) of law

1b3) of Davidic king, Messiah

1b4) of Jerusalem as seat of just government

1b5) of God's attribute

1c) righteousness, justice (in case or cause)

1d) rightness (in speech)

1e) righteousness (as ethically right)

1f) righteousness (as vindicated), justification (in controversy), deliverance, victory, prosperity

1f1) of God as covenant-keeping in redemption

1f2) in name of Messianic king

1f3) of people enjoying salvation

1f4) of Cyrus

צֶ֫דֶק (tse.deq) — Righteousness.

This name means justice, righteousness

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

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

ri'-chus-nes (tsaddiq, adjective, "righteous," or occasionally "just" tsedheq, noun, occasionally = "riahteousness," occasionally = "justice"; dikaios, adjective, dikaiosune, noun, from dike, whose first meaning seems to have been "custom"; the general use suggested conformity to a standard: righteousness, "the state of him who is such as he ought to be" (Thayer)):

1. Double Aspect of Righteousness: Changing and Permanent

2. Social Customs and Righteousness

3. Changing Conception of Character of God: Obligations of Power

4. Righteousness as Inner

5. Righteousness as Social

6. Righteousness as Expanding in Content with Growth in Ideals of Human Worth

LITERATURE

1. Double Aspect of Righteousness: Changing and Permanent:

In Christian thought the idea of righteousness contains both a permanent and a changing element. The fixed element is the will to do right; the changing factor is the conception of…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Righteousness

See JUSTIFICATION.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Rectitude, justice, holiness; an essential perfection of God’s character, Job 36:3; Isa 51:5-8; Joh 17:25; and of his administration, Ge 18:25; Ro 3:21,22; 10:3. It is the wonder of grace that as the righteous guardian of the law, he can acquit the unrighteous. "The righteousness of Christ" includes his spotless holiness, his perfect obedience the law demands; and "the righteousness of faith" is that imputed to the sinner who believes in Christ. With reference to personal character, righteousness is used both for uprightness between man and man, and for true religion,

→ By faith Ge 15:6; Ro 4:3,5,9,11,13,20,22,24

→ Garment of Job 29:14; Mt 22:11-14

→ Counted (regarded) for the sake of obedience De 6:25; Job 33:26

→ FRUITS OF De 6:25; Jos 22:31; Ps 1:3; 15:1-5; 24:3-5; 101:3,4; 106:3; 112:4-8; Pr 2:5-20; 10:2,16; 11:5,6,18,19,30; 12:28; 13:6; 14:34; 21:3; 29:7; Isa…

faithfulness from [the] earth it springs up and righteousness from heaven it looks down
מִשָּׁמַ֥יִםmi.sha.Ma.yim from heaven H8064 Preposition · noun common masculine plural absolute
421× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for heaven or sky, it refers to the visible universe and the abode of God. It is often used in the Bible to describe the dwelling place of celestial bodies.
Tyndale gloss
heaven
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word שָׁמַיִם (*shamayim*) is a dual noun meaning 'heavens' or 'sky.' It refers to the visible heavens where celestial bodies are found, as well as the abode of God. The dual form may suggest both the arch of the sky and the higher ether. It is noted in contexts such as Elijah's ascent in a whirlwind.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[שָׁמַי] n.m. only pl. שָׁמַיִם 421 heavens, sky

visible heavens, sky, where stars, etc., are

phrases

as abode of God

Elijah taken up הַשּׁ׳ in whirlwind

הַשּׁ׳ personified in various relations

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8064 שָׁמַי only pl. שָׁמַיִם heavens, sky . . visible heavens, sky, where stars, etc., are

. phrases

. . as abode of God

. Elijah taken up הַשּׁ׳ in whirlwind

. הַשּׁ׳ personified in various relations

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8064 shamayim shaw-mah'-yim

dual of an unused singular shameh {shaw-meh'}; from an unused

root meaning to be lofty; the sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps

alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds move, as well

as to the higher ether where the celestial bodies

revolve):--air, X astrologer, heaven(-s).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁמַיִם (sha.ma.yim) — heaven.

1) heaven, heavens, sky

1a) visible heavens, sky

1a1) as abode of the stars

1a2) as the visible universe, the sky, atmosphere, etc

1b) Heaven (as the abode of God)

Aramaic equivalent: sha.ma.yin (שָׁמַ֫יִן "heaven" H8065)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Ncmpa — Preposition · noun common masculine plural absolute
HR/Ncmpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hev'-'n.

See ASTRONOMY.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Heaven

(1.) Definitions. The phrase “heaven and earth” is used to indicate the whole universe (Gen. 1:1; Jer. 23:24; Acts 17:24). According to the Jewish notion there were three heavens,

(a) The firmament, as “fowls of the heaven” (Gen. 2:19; 7:3, 23; Ps. 8:8, etc.), “the eagles of heaven” (Lam. 4:19), etc.

(b) The starry heavens (Deut. 17:3; Jer. 8:2; Matt. 24:29).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

There are four Hebrew words thus rendered in the Old Testament which we may briefly notice. Raki’a , Authorized Version, firmament. [FIRMAMENT] Shamayim . This is the word used in the expression "the heaven and the earth," or "the upper and lower regions." (Genesis 1:1) Marom , used for heaven in (Psalms 18:16; Isaiah 24:18; Jeremiah 25:30). Properly speaking it means a mountain as in (Psalms 102:19; Ezekiel 17:23) Shechakim , "expanses," with reference to the extent of heaven. (33:26; Job 35:5) St. Paul’s expression "third heaven," (

faithfulness from [the] earth it springs up and righteousness from heaven it looks down
נִשְׁקָֽף׃nish.Kaf it looks down H8259 Verb · Niphal · perfect third person masculine singular
22× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To look means to gaze or peep out, like looking out a window. It can also mean to overlook or gaze down, as in Psalm 14 where God looks down on humanity to see their ways.
Tyndale gloss
to look
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׁקַף (sha.qaph) is a Hebrew verb meaning to look down or out, often implying an action of leaning over to gaze. It encompasses the ideas of overhanging and peeping, with forms indicating both passive and active looking. The entries suggest its use in contexts where one overlooks or observes from a height.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[שָׁקַף] vb. Niph. Hiph. overhang, look out and down

Niph. lean over (and look), look down

Hiph. look down

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8259 שָׁקַף overhang, look out and down . lean over (and look), look down

. look down

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8259 shaqaph shaw-kaf'

a primitive root; properly, to lean out (of a window), i.e.

(by implication) peep or gaze (passively, be a spectacle):--

appear, look (down, forth, out).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁקַף (sha.qaph) — to look.

1) to overlook, look down or out, overhang, look out and down

1a) (Niphal) to lean over (and look), look down

1b) (Hiphil) to look down, look down upon

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVNp3ms — Verb · Niphal · perfect third person masculine singular
HVNp3ms
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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