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Song of Solomon 3:1 — Word Study

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WLCעַל־ מִשְׁכָּבִי֙ בַּלֵּיל֔וֹת בִּקַּ֕שְׁתִּי אֵ֥ת שֶׁאָהֲבָ֖ה נַפְשִׁ֑י בִּקַּשְׁתִּ֖יו וְלֹ֥א מְצָאתִֽיו׃

BSAOnʻal my bedmishkâb [bed of rest, place of intimacy] at nightlayil [period of darkness, time of adversity] I soughtbâqash [searched for, longed to find] the oneʼêth Inephesh [have affection for, deeply love] loveʼâhab I sought himbâqash [searched diligently, looked everywhere] but did notlôʼ [was unable to, could not] find himmâtsâʼ

Word
Listen & take awaySong of Solomon 3
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 (me.tza.Tiv) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Song of Solomon 3:1quick helps
In a sentenceThe speaker searches for the one she loves at night but is unable to find him.
Who is speakingA woman expressing her longing for her beloved.
Where we areThe opening of a poetic dialogue filled with yearning and desire.
The hard wordבִּקַּשְׁתִּי
Take awayThe search for love can be filled with longing and disappointment.
clause verbבָּקַשׁ 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 — Song of Solomon 3:1

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 Search for Lovegenerated

1On my bed at night I sought the one I love; I sought him, but did not find him.
2I will arise now and go about the city, through the streets and squares. I will seek the one I love. So I sought him but did not find him.
3I encountered the watchmen on their rounds of the city: “Have you seen the one I love?”
4I had just passed them when I found the one I love. I held him and would not let go until I had brought him to my mother’s house, to the chamber of the one who conceived me.

Song of Solomon 3:1 describes a woman who seeks her beloved during the night, a time often associated with longing and intimacy. This verse sets the tone for the themes of love and desire that permeate the Song of Solomon, illustrating the deep emotional connection between the lovers. The context of the verse reveals a sense of urgency and yearning, as the woman expresses her desire to be with the one she loves.


The Key Word בִּקַּשְׁתִּי, bi.Kash.tigenerated

The verb בִּקַּשׁ (*baqash*) means to seek or search for something, indicating a strong desire or longing. This form is a perfect tense in the Piel stem, which often intensifies the action, suggesting that the speaker is not just casually looking but is earnestly searching.

The use of this verb in the context of love highlights the depth of her feelings and the intensity of her pursuit. It conveys a sense of desperation and longing, as she actively seeks out her beloved.


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 finite verb בִּקַּשְׁתִּי, I sought, governs the main clause, with a prepositional phrase indicating the location of the action and a noun phrase identifying the object of the search. The structure emphasizes the action of seeking, with the subject's longing clearly articulated.

The sentence flows from the context of the night, establishing a setting of intimacy and desire, while the placement of the verb at the beginning highlights the urgency of the search.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates בִּקַּשְׁתִּי as ἐζήτησα, which also means 'I sought.' This choice aligns closely with the Hebrew meaning, maintaining the sense of earnest searching.

The Greek word carries a similar connotation of desire and pursuit, indicating that the translators aimed to preserve the emotional weight of the original Hebrew.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Song of Solomon 3:1 shows a woman who is searching for her beloved at night. She expresses her deep longing and desire to find him, but despite her efforts, she is unable to locate him. This verse reflects the themes of love and yearning that are central to the Song of Solomon.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does the speaker mean by 'sought the one I love'?

The speaker is expressing her deep longing and desire to be with her beloved, indicating an emotional connection that drives her search.

Why is the setting at night significant?

Night often symbolizes intimacy and longing, making it a fitting backdrop for the speaker's search for love.

What does the verb 'sought' convey about the speaker's feelings?

The verb indicates an earnest and intense search, reflecting the depth of her feelings and the urgency of her desire.

How does this verse connect to the broader themes of the Song of Solomon?

This verse introduces the themes of love, longing, and desire that are explored throughout the Song of Solomon, emphasizing the emotional connection between the lovers.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways do I seek out love and connection in my own life?
  2. How can I express my feelings of longing and desire in healthy ways?
  3. What does this verse teach me about the nature of love and pursuit?
  4. How can I cultivate deeper emotional connections with those I love?

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

On my bed at night I sought the one I love; I sought him, but did not find him.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

By night on my bed, I sought him whom my soul loves. I sought him, but I didn’t find him.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

On my bed at night I sought the one I love; I sought him, but did not find him.

NETBNew English Translation2006

All night long on my bed I longed for my lover. I longed for him but he never appeared.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.

RVARevised Version, American1894

By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

In my bed by night I sought him that my soule loued: I sought him, but I found him not.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

On my bed, in the nights, I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

On my couch by night, I sought him whom my soul hath loved; I sought him, and I found him not!

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

On my bed by night, I sought him whom my soul has loved; I sought him, and I did not find him!

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

On my couch during the nights I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

At night on my bed I was longing for him whom my soul loves; I looked for him, but I could not find him.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

In my bed by night I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, and found him not.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

One night when I was lying in bed, I longed for the one I love. I longed for him, but he was nowhere to be found.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

By night on my bed I was looking for him who is the love of my soul: I was looking for him, but I did not see him.

Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.


The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank

This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.

clauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalעַלonnoun phraseמִשְׁכָּבִbedי֙myprepositional phrase · prepositionalבַּinnoun phrasetheלֵּיל֔וֹתnightsverbבִּקַּ֕שְׁתִּיI.soughtnoun phrase · objectאֵ֥ת(et)relpשֶׁ[theclauseverbאָהֲבָ֖הone].whom.it.lovesnoun phrase · subjectנַפְשִׁ֑selfיmyclauseverbבִּקַּשְׁתִּ֖יIobjectוsought.himוְandclauseadverbialלֹ֥אnotverbמְצָאתִֽיIobjectוfound.him

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


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

The Masoretic Text is supported by the Septuagint, which matches 9 of the 10 words. The Dead Sea Scrolls show some restoration, but the core meaning remains consistent across these witnesses, affirming the integrity of the text.

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

עַל־ מִשְׁכָּבִי֙ בַּלֵּיל֔וֹת בִּקַּ֕שְׁתִּי אֵ֥ת שֶׁאָהֲבָ֖ה נַפְשִׁ֑י בִּקַּשְׁתִּ֖יו וְלֹ֥א מְצָאתִֽיו׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
עַל־ἐπὶמִשְׁכָּבִי֙μουבַּלֵּיל֔וֹתνυχὶνבִּקַּ֕שְׁתִּיἐζήτησαשֶׁאָהֲבָ֖הἠγάπησενנַפְשִׁ֑יμουבִּקַּשְׁתִּ֖יוαὐτὸνוְלֹ֥אοὐξמְצָאתִֽיו׃αὐτόν

9 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.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q107a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[על] [משכב׳י] [בלילות] בלילות בשקתי את [שאהבה] [נפש׳י] בקשתי׳הו ולא מצתי׳הו

5 words on the leather — 1 partly restored, 5 supplied entire by an editor.

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.

Song of Solomon 3:1עַלononעַלמִשְׁכָּבbed mybed myמִשְׁכָּבלַ֫יְלָהin the nighin the nightsלַ֫יְלָהבָּקַשׁI soughtI soughtבָּקַשׁאֵתthe object the object markאֵתאָהֵבwhom it lovwhom it lovesאָהֵבנֶ֫פֶשׁself myself myנֶ֫פֶשׁבָּקַשׁI sought hiI sought himבָּקַשׁלֹאand notand notלֹאמָצָאI found himI found himמָצָאשָׁכַבto lie dowto lie down: laשָׁכַבאוֹתsign: mirasign: miraculouאוֹתנָפַשׁbe refreshbe refreshedנָפַשׁעַלheightheightעַללוּלstairsstairsלוּלנֶ֫פֶשׁsoulsoulנֶ֫פֶשׁדָּרַשׁto seekto seekדָּרַשׁבָּקַשׁto seekto seekבָּקַשׁכִּפֶּרto atoneto atoneכִּפֶּרכִּסֵּאthronethroneכִּסֵּאחֶ֫דֶרchamberchamberחֶ֫דֶרזָכָרmalemaleזָכָריוֹמָםby dayby dayיוֹמָםאוֹרto lightto lightאוֹרמִגְרָשׁpasturepastureמִגְרָשׁשָׂנֵאto hateto hateשָׂנֵאחַיalivealiveחַייָכֹלbe ablebe ableיָכֹל
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 Song of Solomon 3:1

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.

on bed my in the nights I sought the object marker whom it loves self my I sought him and not I found him
עַל־'al- on H5921 Preposition
5,774× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means on or above something, like a physical object or a situation. It can also imply a sense of responsibility or accountability, as in being on behalf of someone.
Tyndale gloss
upon
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עַל (*al*) is a preposition meaning 'upon' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including 'on account of,' 'beside,' 'above,' and 'against.' It can indicate physical placement, emotional burdens, or duties imposed on a person. The entries also note its use in idiomatic expressions and with verbs of motion. There is a mention of its function as a conjunction in certain contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

base

עַל, עָ֑ל

subst. height

As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against

Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed

of clothing, etc., which any one wears

With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it

Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him

Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him

על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him

חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5921a עַל, עָ֑ל . As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against . Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed . — . of clothing, etc., which any one wears

. With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it

. Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him

. Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him

. על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him

. חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5921 `al al

properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the

singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a

particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always

in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great

variety of applications (as follow):--above, according

to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because

of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both

and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in

(that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-)on, over, than,

through(-out), to, touching, X with.

see HEBREW for 05920

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עַל (al) — upon.

prep

1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against

1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards

1b) above, beyond, over (of excess)

1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence)

1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition)

1e) over (of suspension or extension)

1f) by, adjoining, next, at, over, around (of contiguity or proximity)

1g) down upon, upon, on, from, up upon, up to, towards, over towards, to, against (with verbs of motion)

1h) to (as a dative)

[כִּי] עַל [כֵּן] ([ki] al [ken]) — as.

conj

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Preposition
HR
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

On

Light; the sun, (Gen. 41:45, 50), the great seat of sun-worship, called also Bethshemesh (Jer. 43:13) and Aven (Ezek. 30:17), stood on the east bank of the Nile, a few miles north of Memphis, and near Cairo, in the north-east. The Vulgate and the LXX. Versions have “Heliopolis” (“city of the sun”) instead of On in Genesis and of Aven in Ezekiel. The “city of destruction” Isaiah speaks of (19:18, marg. “of Heres;” Heb. ‘Ir-ha-heres, which some MSS. read Ir-ha-heres, i.e., “city of the sun”) may be the name given to On, the prophecy being that the time will come when that city which was known as the “city of the sun-god” shall become the “city of destruction” of the sun-god, i.e., when idolatry shall cease, and the worship…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(abode or city of the sun), a town of lower Egypt, called BETH-SHEMESH in (Jeremiah 43:13) On is better known under its Greek name Heliopolis. It was situated on the east side of the Pelusiac branch of the Nile, just below the point of the Delta, and about twenty miles northeast of Memphis. The chief object of worship at Heliopolis was the sun, whose temple, described by Strabo, is now only represented by the single beautiful obelisk, of red granite so feet 2 inches high above the pedestal which has stood for more than 4000 years, having been erected by Usirtesen, the second king of the twelfth dynasty. Heliopolis was anciently famous for its learning, and Eudoxus and Plato studied under its priests. The first mention of this place in the Bible is in the history of Joseph, to whom we read Pharaoh gave "to wife Asenath the daughter…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

See HELIOPOLIS.

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

pain; force; iniquity

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
on bed my in the nights I sought the object marker whom it loves self my I sought him and not I found him
מִשְׁכָּבִי֙mish.ka.Vi bed my H4904 Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
46× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Mishkab refers to a bed, but can also mean sleep or even a bier. It's sometimes used to describe intimate relationships, as in Genesis. This word has various meanings depending on the context.
Amplified meaning
bed of rest, place of intimacy
Tyndale gloss
bed
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מִשְׁכָּב (mishkab) refers to a place of lying down, such as a bed or couch, and can also denote the act of lying, including sexual intercourse. It is derived from the root meaning to lie down. The term encompasses both literal and figurative uses, including references to sleep and bedrooms.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מִשְׁכָּב 46 n.m. place of lying, couch; act of lying

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4904 מִשְׁכָּב place of lying, couch; act of lying

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4904 mishkab mish-kawb'

from 7901; a bed (figuratively, a bier); abstractly, sleep;

by euphemism, carnal intercourse:--bed((-chamber)), couch,

lieth (lying) with.

see HEBREW for 07901

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מִשְׁכָּב (mish.kav) — bed.

1) a lying down, couch, bier, act of lying

1a) couch, bed

1b) act of lying, lying down or sleeping room, bedroom

1c) lying down (for sexual contact)

Aramaic equivalent: mish.kav (מִשְׁכַּב "bed" H4903)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HNcmsc/Sp1bs
on bed my in the nights I sought the object marker whom it loves self my I sought him and not I found him
בַּלֵּיל֔וֹתba.lei.Lot in the nights H3915 Preposition · noun common feminine plural absolute
233× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Night refers to the time of darkness, opposed to day, and can also symbolize adversity or hardship. It is a period of rest, but also of potential danger or uncertainty.
Amplified meaning
period of darkness, time of adversity
Tyndale gloss
night
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

לַ֫יְלָה (layil) means 'night' and is derived from a root that suggests a twist away from light. It encompasses the literal sense of night as opposed to day, as well as figurative uses related to gloom or adversity. The term appears in contexts like Isaiah 21:11.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לַ֫יְלָה, לַ֫יִל 242 n.m. night

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3915 לַ֫יְלָה, לַ֫יִל night

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3915 layil lah'-yil

or (Isa. 21:11) leyl {lale}; also laylah {lah'- yel-aw}; from

the same as 3883; properly, a twist (away of the light), i.e.

night; figuratively, adversity:--((mid-))night (season).

see HEBREW for 03883

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לַ֫יְלָה (lay.lah) — night.

1) night

1a) night (as opposed to day)

1b) of gloom, protective shadow (fig.)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-mp — Preposition · noun common feminine plural absolute
HRd/Ncfpa
on bed my in the nights I sought the object marker whom it loves self my I sought him and not I found him
בִּקַּ֕שְׁתִּיbi.Kash.ti I sought H1245 Verb · Piel · perfect first person common singular
225× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew verb means to seek or search for something. In Psalm 105:4, it's used to encourage seeking God's face. It's also used in 1 Samuel 28:8 where Saul seeks a medium.
Amplified meaning
searched for, longed to find
Tyndale gloss
to seek
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בָּקַשׁ (baqash) is a Hebrew verb meaning to seek or search out, often in the context of worship or prayer. It encompasses a range of actions including asking, desiring, and requiring. The verb can appear in different forms, such as Piel and Pual, indicating various nuances of seeking or being sought.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[בָּקַשׁ] 224 vb. seek

Pi.

seek to find

seek to secure

seek the face

desire, demand

require, exact

exact equivalent or penalty for

(late) ask, request

Pu. be sought

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1245 בָּקַשׁ seek

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1245 baqash baw-kash'

a primitive root; to search out (by any method, specifically

in worship or prayer); by implication, to strive after:--ask,

beg, beseech, desire, enquire, get, make inquisition, procure,

(make) request, require, seek (for).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בָּקַשׁ (ba.qash) — to seek.

1) to seek, require, desire, exact, request

1a) (Piel)

1a1) to seek to find

1a2) to seek to secure

1a3) to seek the face

1a4) to desire, demand

1a5) to require, exact

1a6) to ask, request

1b) (Pual) to be sought

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Piel-Perf-1cs — Verb · Piel · perfect first person common singular
HVpp1cs
on bed my in the nights I sought the object marker whom it loves self my I sought him and not I found him
אֵ֥ת'et the object marker H853 Particle
10,946× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the original Hebrew, this word points out the object of a verb or preposition, like 'namely' or 'even'. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus. It's not directly translated in English, but helps clarify the meaning of sentences.
Tyndale gloss
[Obj.]
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֵת (eth) is primarily a grammatical marker in Hebrew, indicating the definite direct object of a verb. It is not translated into English and typically precedes nouns that are definite. The word is derived from a demonstrative sense of entity, related to the Hebrew word for 'self.' Its Aramaic equivalent is יָת (yat).

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

853 'eth ayth

apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of

entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more

definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or

namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).

see HEBREW for 0226

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵת (et) — [Obj.].

sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative

Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
DirObjM — Particle
HTo
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
on bed my in the nights I sought the object marker whom it loves self my I sought him and not I found him
שֶׁאָהֲבָ֖הshe.'a.ha.Vah whom it loves H157 Particle · verb qal perfect third person feminine singular
211× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To love means to have affection for someone or something, including family, romance, or God. It can also describe being a friend or having appetite for things like food or wisdom.
Tyndale gloss
to love: lover
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אָהֵב (*'ahab*) means 'to love' and encompasses various forms of affection, including human love for others, love for God, and even appetites for things like food and wisdom. It can also refer to friendship and divine love towards humanity, particularly Israel. The entries indicate that it can function in different grammatical forms, such as participles for 'lovely' or 'loveable'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָהֵב 216 vb. love

Qal

human love to human object

less oft. of appetite

love to God

esp. Pt.

of divine love

Niph. Pt. pl. lovely, loveable

Pi.

friends

lovers

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H157 אָהֵב love

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

157 'ahab aw-hab'

or raheb {aw-habe'}; a primitive root; to have affection for

(sexually or otherwise):--(be-)love(-d, -ly, -r), like,

friend.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָהֵב (a.hav) — to love: lover.

: lover

1) to love

1a) (Qal)

1a1) human love for another, includes family, and sexual

1a2) human appetite for objects such as food, drink, sleep, wisdom

1a3) human love for or to God

1a4) act of being a friend

1a4a) lover (participle)

1a4b) friend (participle)

1a5) God's love toward man

1a5a) to individual men

1a5b) to people Israel

1a5c) to righteousness

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) lovely (participle)

1b2) loveable (participle)

1c) (Piel)

1c1) friends

1c2) lovers (fig. of adulterers)

2) to like

Also means: a.hav (אָהֵב ": friend" H0157H)

אָהֵב (a.hav) — to love: friend.

: friend

1) to love

1a) (Qal)

1a1) human love for another, includes family, and sexual

1a2) human appetite for objects such as food, drink, sleep, wisdom

1a3) human love for or to God

1a4) act of being a friend

1a4a) lover (participle)

1a4b) friend (participle)

1a5) God's love toward man

1a5a) to individual men

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Rel | V-Qal-Perf-3fs — Particle · verb qal perfect third person feminine singular
HTr/Vqp3fs
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

luvz (Ps 45:1, title).

See PSALMS.

on bed my in the nights I sought the object marker whom it loves self my I sought him and not I found him
נַפְשִׁ֑יnaf.Shi self my H5315 Noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
754× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for soul or living being, used in the Bible to describe the essence of a person or animal. It encompasses the ideas of life, breath, and vitality, and is translated as 'soul' or 'creature' in the KJV. This word is central to biblical concepts of humanity and existence.
Amplified meaning
have affection for, deeply love
Tyndale gloss
soul
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

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

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

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

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-cs | Suff — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
HNcfsc/Sp1bs
on bed my in the nights I sought the object marker whom it loves self my I sought him and not I found him
בִּקַּשְׁתִּ֖יוbi.kash.Tiv I sought him H1245 Verb piel perfect first person common singular · suffix
225× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew verb means to seek or search for something. In Psalm 105:4, it's used to encourage seeking God's face. It's also used in 1 Samuel 28:8 where Saul seeks a medium.
Amplified meaning
searched diligently, looked everywhere
Tyndale gloss
to seek
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בָּקַשׁ (baqash) is a Hebrew verb meaning to seek or search out, often in the context of worship or prayer. It encompasses a range of actions including asking, desiring, and requiring. The verb can appear in different forms, such as Piel and Pual, indicating various nuances of seeking or being sought.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[בָּקַשׁ] 224 vb. seek

Pi.

seek to find

seek to secure

seek the face

desire, demand

require, exact

exact equivalent or penalty for

(late) ask, request

Pu. be sought

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1245 בָּקַשׁ seek

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1245 baqash baw-kash'

a primitive root; to search out (by any method, specifically

in worship or prayer); by implication, to strive after:--ask,

beg, beseech, desire, enquire, get, make inquisition, procure,

(make) request, require, seek (for).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בָּקַשׁ (ba.qash) — to seek.

1) to seek, require, desire, exact, request

1a) (Piel)

1a1) to seek to find

1a2) to seek to secure

1a3) to seek the face

1a4) to desire, demand

1a5) to require, exact

1a6) to ask, request

1b) (Pual) to be sought

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Piel-Perf-1cs | Suff — Verb piel perfect first person common singular · suffix
HVpp1cs/Sp3ms
on bed my in the nights I sought the object marker whom it loves self my I sought him and not I found him
וְלֹ֥אve.Lo' and not H3808 Conjunction · 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
was unable to, could not
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
Conj | Part — Conjunction · particle
HC/Tn
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
on bed my in the nights I sought the object marker whom it loves self my I sought him and not I found him
מְצָאתִֽיו׃me.tza.Tiv I found him H4672 Verb qal perfect first person common singular · suffix
455× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Matsa means to find or attain something, whether it is a physical object, a person, or a condition, as seen in various KJV translations.
Tyndale gloss
to find
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מָצָא (matsa') is a Hebrew verb meaning to find or attain. It encompasses a range of actions, including discovering something lost, encountering someone, or coming upon a situation. The word can also imply being present or sufficient. Lexicons note various forms and uses, including Qal, Niphal, and Hiphil, which indicate different nuances of finding and encountering.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מָצָא 452 vb. attain to, find

Qal

find

find out

= come upon, light upon

noteworthy phrases

Niph. pass. of Qal, be found

Hiph.

cause to find, attain

cause to light upon, come upon, come

cause to encounter

present unto

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4672 מָצָא attain to, find

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4672 matsa' maw-tsaw'

a primitive root; properly, to come forth to, i.e. appear or

exist; transitively, to attain, i.e. find or acquire;

figuratively, to occur, meet or be present:--+ be able,

befall, being, catch, X certainly, (cause to) come (on, to, to

hand), deliver, be enough (cause to) find(-ing, occasion,

out), get (hold upon), X have (here), be here, hit, be left,

light (up-)on, meet (with), X occasion serve, (be) present,

ready, speed, suffice, take hold on.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מָצָא (ma.tsa) — to find.

1) to find, attain to

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to find

1a1a) to find, secure, acquire, get (thing sought)

1a1b) to find (what is lost)

1a1c) to meet, encounter

1a1d) to find (a condition)

1a1e) to learn, devise

1a2) to find out

1a2a) to find out

1a2b) to detect

1a2c) to guess

1a3) to come upon, light upon

1a3a) to happen upon, meet, fall in with

1a3b) to hit

1a3c) to befall

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be found

1b1a) to be encountered, be lighted upon, be discovered

1b1b) to appear, be recognised

1b1c) to be discovered, be detected

1b1d) to be gained, be secured

1b2) to be, be found

1b2a) to be found in

1b2b) to be in the possession of

1b2c) to be found in (a place), happen to be

1b2d) to be left (after war)

1b2e) to be present

1b2f) to prove to be

1b2g) to be found sufficient, be enough

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to cause to find, attain

1c2) to cause to light upon, come upon, come

1c3) to cause to encounter

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-1cs | Suff — Verb qal perfect first person common singular · suffix
HVqp1cs/Sp3ms
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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