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Zechariah 5:1 — Word Study

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WLCוָאָשׁ֕וּב וָאֶשָּׂ֥א עֵינַ֖י וָֽאֶרְאֶ֑ה וְהִנֵּ֖ה מְגִלָּ֥ה עָפָֽה׃

BSAAgainshûwb [once more, then] I lifted upnâsâʼ [raised, elevated] my eyesʻayin [sight, vision] and sawrâʼâh [looked, beheld] before mehinnêh [in my presence, visibly] a flyingʻûwph [soaring] scrollmᵉgillâh [roll, book, megillah, containing a message, a written record]

Word
Listen & take awayZechariah 5
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 1 opens the 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 ('a.Fah) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Zechariah 5:1quick helps
In a sentenceZechariah sees a flying scroll, which symbolizes a message from God.
Who is speakingZechariah, the prophet, recounting his vision.
Where we areThe vision of the flying scroll — part of a series of prophetic revelations.
The hard wordמְגִלָּה
Take awayThe scroll carries a divine message of judgment.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbשׁוּב The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.

Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.

Deep Study — Zechariah 5:1

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 Vision of the Flying Scrollgenerated

1Again I lifted up my eyes and saw before me a flying scroll.
2“What do you see?” asked the angel. “I see a flying scroll,” I replied, “twenty cubits long and ten cubits wide. ”
3Then he told me, “This is the curse that is going out over the face of all the land, for according to one side of the scroll, every thief will be removed; and according to the other side, every perjurer will be removed.
4I will send it out, declares the LORD of Hosts, and it will enter the house of the thief and the house of him who swears falsely by My name. It will remain inside his house and destroy it, down to its timbers and stones.”

Zechariah 5:1 describes a vision where Zechariah sees a flying scroll, symbolizing a message that will have consequences for the land. This vision is part of a series of revelations that highlight God's judgment and the need for righteousness among His people. The scroll’s dimensions and contents are elaborated in the following verses, emphasizing its significance as a warning against sin.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Zechariah 5:2“What do you see?” asked the angel. “I see a flying scroll,” I replied, “twenty cubits long and ten cubits wide. ”
2Isaiah 8:1Then the LORD said to me, “Take a large scroll and write on it with an ordinary stylus: Maher-shalal-hash-baz.
3Jeremiah 36:1–6In the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the LORD:
4Ezekiel 2:9–10Then I looked and saw a hand reaching out to me, and in it was a scroll,
5Revelation 5:1–14Then I saw a scroll in the right hand of the One seated on the throne. It had writing on both sides and was sealed with seven seals.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 6 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word מְגִלָּה, me.gi.Lahgenerated

The Hebrew word מְגִלָּה (megillah) refers to a scroll or roll, often used for writing or books. It is derived from the root meaning 'to roll' and is associated with documents containing important messages.

In this verse, the scroll represents a written record of God's judgment, emphasizing the importance of the message it carries. The term is used in various contexts throughout the Hebrew Bible, often linked to divine communication.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb is אָשׁ֕וּב, and I returned, which governs the entire verse. It is followed by two clauses: the first describes the action of lifting the eyes, and the second details what Zechariah sees.

The structure emphasizes the sequential nature of the vision: Zechariah first lifts his eyes and then sees the scroll, indicating a progression in his experience of the revelation.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates מְגִלָּה as δρέπανον, which means 'sickle' or 'scythe,' suggesting a different interpretation of the scroll's function. This choice may reflect an interpretative angle on the scroll as an instrument of judgment.

This divergence indicates a broader interpretative tradition in the Greek-speaking Jewish community, emphasizing the scroll's role in divine judgment.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Zechariah 5:1 tells us that Zechariah lifted his eyes and saw a flying scroll. This scroll represents a message from God, indicating judgment. The vision is part of a larger series of prophetic revelations meant to convey important truths to the people.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does the flying scroll symbolize?

The flying scroll symbolizes a message from God, particularly one of judgment against sin.

Why is the scroll described as flying?

The flying aspect of the scroll emphasizes the urgency and divine nature of the message it carries.

How does this vision relate to other prophetic messages?

This vision is part of a series of revelations in Zechariah that highlight God's call for righteousness and the consequences of disobedience.

What can we learn from Zechariah's vision?

We learn about the seriousness of God's messages and the importance of responding to His calls for repentance and righteousness.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What are some messages from God that I need to pay attention to in my life?
  2. How can I be more aware of the warnings or guidance that God provides?
  3. In what ways can I ensure that I am living in accordance with God's instructions?
  4. What does this vision teach me about the importance of God's word in my life?

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

The early Church Fathers referenced this vision in their writings, often discussing its implications for understanding divine judgment and prophetic revelation.

Origen of AlexandriaHOMILIES ON Exodus 6:4 c. 185–253
“They sank in the depth like a stone.” Why “did they sink in the depth like a stone”? Because they were not the kind of “stones which sons of Abraham could be raised up” but the kind which love the depth and desire the liquid element,
Early Church Fathers on Zechariah 5 →
JeromeChapter 5, verses 1 onwards c. 347–420
Then I turned and lifted up my eyes, and behold, a flying scroll! And he said to me, “What do you see?” I answered, “I see a flying scroll;
Early Church Fathers on Zechariah 5 →
Augustine of HippoLETTER 125 354–430
As to the suggestion you made in your letter that we should examine together the nature of an oath extorted by force, I beg of you, do not let our discussion turn crystal-clear matters into murky ones.
Early Church Fathers on Zechariah 5 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Zechariah 5:1 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Then I turned, and lift up mine eyes, and looked,.... The prophet turned himself from looking upon the candlestick and olive branches, having had a full and clear understanding of them, and looked

Read John Gill on Zechariah 5 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Then I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a flying roll. The fraudulent and prejuring transgressors of the law shall be extirpated from Judea.

Read Robert Jamieson on Zechariah 5 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

CHAPTER 5 By the flying roll is showed the curse of thieves and of false swearers, . By a woman in an ephah, pressed under a weight, and carried away to Shinar, is denoted wickedness, and the judgment of it, . Then, or And, Heb. i.e. after I had seen those comfortable visions, and been instructed in the true meaning of them. I turned; changed his posture, though the occasion of it be not mentioned, nor the posture into which he put himself. Lifted up mine eyes; looked up into the air where the vision appeared. Looked, very diligently, and discerned clearly. A flying roll; a volume, or book, which in those days were not written as now our books are printed and bound, but were written, as…

Read Matthew Poole on Zechariah 5 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Zechariah 5:1 Then I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a flying roll.Ver. 1. Then I turned me, and lifted up mine eyes] i.e. I prepared me to the receiving of a new vision; nothing so comfortable as the former, but no less necessary; that the people, by sense of sin and fear of wrath, might be taken off their wicked practices, redeem their own sorrows, and be accounted worthy to escape all those things that should (otherwise) come to pass, as Zechariah 5:11, and to stand before the Son of man at that dreadful day, Luke 21:36. This seemeth to be the mind of the Holy Ghost, in these two visions here recorded; which while some interpreters attend not, in toto vaticinio…

Read John Trapp on Zechariah 5 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(1) Then I turned . . . eyes.—Better, And I again lifted up my eyes. (Comp. Zechariah 4:1.) Flying roll.—A scroll floating in the air. The form of the vision seems to be suggested by Ezekiel 2:9-10. LXX., omitting the final ah of the word for “scroll,” render δρέπανον, “sickle.”

Read Charles John Ellicott on Zechariah 5 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

CHAPTER V The vision of the large flying roll, with the angel's explanation, 1-4. The vision of the ephah, and of the woman sitting on it, with the signification, 5-11. NOTES ON CHAP. V Verse 1. Behold a flying roll.] This was twenty cubits long, and ten cubits broad; the prophet saw it expanded, and flying. Itself was the catalogue of the crimes of the people, and the punishment threatened by the Lord. Some think the crimes were those of the Jews; others, those of the Chaldeans. The roll is mentioned in allusion to those large rolls on which the Jews write the Pentateuch. One now lying before me is one hundred and fifty-three feet long, by twenty-one inches wide, written on fine brown…

Read AdamClarke on Zechariah 5 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

1. I turned, and lift up mine eyes, and looked] Rather, I lifted up mine eyes again and saw a flying roll. Its flight signified the swift coming of punishment; its flying from heaven that the sentence proceeded from the judgment-seat above.

Read Cambridge on Zechariah 5 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Hitherto all had been bright, full of the largeness of the gifts of God; of God’s favor to His people ; the removal of their enemies ; the restoration and expansion and security of God’s people and

Read Albert Barnes on Zechariah 5 →

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

Again I lifted up my eyes and saw before me a flying scroll.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Then again I lifted up my eyes and saw, and behold, a flying scroll.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Again I lifted up my eyes and saw before me a flying scroll.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Then I turned to look, and there was a flying scroll!

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Then I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a flying roll.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Then again I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, a flying roll.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Then again I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and behold, a flying roll.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Then I turned, and lifted up my eyes, and looked, and behold a flying roll.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Then I turned me, and lifted vp mine eyes and looked, and beholde, a flying booke.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And I lifted up mine eyes again, and saw, and behold, a flying roll.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And I turn back, and lift up mine eyes, and look, and lo, a flying roll.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And I turn back, and lift up my eyes, and look, and behold, a flying scroll.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And I again lifted up my eyes, and looked, and behold there was a flying roll[-book].

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Then I turned and lifted my eyes, and I saw, behold, a flying scroll!

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And I turned and lifted up my eyes: and I saw, and behold a volume flying.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

I looked again and saw a flying scroll.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Then again lifting up my eyes I saw a roll in flight through the air.

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.

וָandclauseclauseverbאָשׁ֕וּבI.returnedוָandclauseclauseverbאֶשָּׂ֥אI.lifted.upnoun phrase · objectעֵינַ֖eyesיmyוָֽandclauseverbאֶרְאֶ֑הI.sawוְandclauseclauseהִנֵּ֖הthere!clausenoun phrase · predicateמְגִלָּ֥הa.scrollעָפָֽהflying

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


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

The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree on the wording of the verse, with all seven words matched. This consistency suggests a strong preservation of the text across these traditions.

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

וָאָשׁ֕וּב וָאֶשָּׂ֥א עֵינַ֖י וָֽאֶרְאֶ֑ה וְהִנֵּ֖ה מְגִלָּ֥ה עָפָֽה׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וָאָשׁ֕וּבἐπέστρεψαוָאֶשָּׂ֥אἦραעֵינַ֖יμουוָֽאֶרְאֶ֑הεἶδονוְהִנֵּ֖הἰδοὺמְגִלָּ֥הδρέπανονעָפָֽה׃πετόμενον

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

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


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

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

Zechariah 5:1שׁוּבand I returand I returnedשׁוּבנָשָׂאand I lifteand I lifted upנָשָׂאעַ֫יִןeyes myeyes myעַ֫יִןרָאָהand I sawand I sawרָאָההִנֵּהand there!and there!הִנֵּהמְגִלָּהa scrolla scrollמְגִלָּהעוּףflyingflyingעוּףגָּלַלto rollto rollגָּלַלעוֹףbirdbirdעוֹףאֵבfruitfruitאֵבאָבַדto perishto perishאָבַדהֵןlook!look!הֵןשְׁבִיתcaptivitycaptivityשְׁבִיתחָרוֹןburning anburning angerחָרוֹןכְּלִמָּהshameshameכְּלִמָּהמָשָׁלproverbproverbמָשָׁלחֵןfavorfavorחֵןיָשָׁרJasharJasharיָשָׁרעֳנִיafflictionafflictionעֳנִינָבַטto lookto lookנָבַטנֶ֫גַעplagueplagueנֶ֫גַעחֲלוֹםdreamdreamחֲלוֹםעוּףto flyto flyעוּףשָׂרַףto burnto burnשָׂרַףמְגִלָּהscrollscrollמְגִלָּה
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 Zechariah 5:1

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.

and I returned and I lifted up eyes my and I saw and there! a scroll flying
וָאָשׁ֕וּבva.'a.Shuv and I returned H7725 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect first person common singular
1,057× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to return or turn back, and can be used literally or figuratively. It is often used to describe someone returning to God or repenting from sin, as seen in the book of Psalms and the prophets.
Amplified meaning
once more, then
Tyndale gloss
to return: return
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שׁוּב 1056 vb. turn back, return

Qal 683;—turn back, return:

turn back

return, come or go back

esp. return unto

of dying

of revival from death

fig. of human relations:

return to leader, king

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

turn, i.e. resort to

return to a physical condition

abs. = change course of action

fig., specif. of spiritual relations:

turn back from God = apostatize

of י׳, turn away

turn back to God (= seek penitently)

abs. repent

turn back from evil

of י׳

of י׳, return (to shew favour)

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

denoting repetition, etc.

trans.

Pō‛l.

bring back

fig. restore, refresh

restore, repair

lead away (enticingly)

shew turning = apostatize

Hiph. 353 cause to return, bring back

bring back into bondage

put back

= draw back

= give back, restore

= relinguish

= give in payment, requital

bring one back (from dead)

bring back heart

= refresh

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

. return, come or go back

. esp. return unto

. . of dying

. of revival from death

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

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

. turn, i.e. resort to

. return to a physical condition

. abs. = change course of action

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

. of י׳, turn away

. turn back to God (= seek penitently)

. abs. repent

. turn back from evil

. of י׳

. of י׳, return (to shew favour)

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

. denoting repetition, etc.

. trans.

. . bring back

. . fig. restore, refresh

. restore, repair

. lead away (enticingly)

. shew turning = apostatize

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

. put back

. = draw back

. = give back, restore

. = relinguish

. = give in payment, requital

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7725 shuwb shoob

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

intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Read the full entry →
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שׁוּב (shuv) — to return: return.

: return

1) to return, turn back

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to turn back, return

1a1a) to turn back

1a1b) to return, come or go back

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

1a1d) of dying

1a1e) of human relations (fig)

1a1f) of spiritual relations (fig)

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

1a1f2) to turn away (of God)

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

1a1f4) turn back (from evil)

1a1g) of inanimate things

1a1h) in repetition

1b) (Polel)

1b1) to bring back

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

1b3) to lead away (enticingly)

1b4) to show turning, apostatise

1c) (Pual) restored (participle)

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

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

1d2) to bring back, refresh, restore

1d3) to bring back, report to, answer

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

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-1cs — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect first person common singular
Hc/Vqw1cs
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and I returned and I lifted up eyes my and I saw and there! a scroll flying
וָאֶשָּׂ֥אva.'e.Sa' and I lifted up H5375 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect first person common singular
656× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means to lift or raise something, and it's used in many ways, like lifting a burden or raising someone's status. It appears in books like Genesis and Isaiah, often talking about God lifting people up. It's about supporting or carrying something or someone.
Amplified meaning
raised, elevated
Tyndale gloss
to lift: raise
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word נָשָׂא (nasa') means to lift, carry, or take, encompassing a wide range of applications both literal and figurative. It can refer to actions like bearing burdens, taking away, or being exalted. The entries indicate various forms and uses, including the ability to lift oneself up or cause others to bear iniquity. There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נָשָׂא 656 vb. lift, carry, take

Qal

lift, lift up

Bear, carry

Take, take away

Niph.

be lifted up

refl. lift oneself up = rise up, of י׳, to display power in judgment

be borne, carried

be taken away, carried off

Pi.

lift up = exalt

fig. = desire, long

carry, bear continuously

take, take away

Hithp. lift oneself up

Hiph.

cause one to bear iniquity

appar. cause to bring, have brought

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5375 נָשָׂא lift, carry, take .. lift, lift up

. Bear, carry

. Take, take away

. . be lifted up

. refl. lift oneself up = rise up, of י׳, to display power in judgment

. be borne, carried

. be taken away, carried off

. . lift up = exalt

. fig. = desire, long

. carry, bear continuously

. take, take away

. lift oneself up

. . cause one to bear iniquity

. appar. cause to bring, have brought

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5375 nasa' naw-saw'

or nacah (Psalm 4 : 6 (7)) {naw-saw'}; a primitive root; to

lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and

figurative, absol. and rel. (as follows):--accept, advance,

arise, (able to, (armor), suffer to) bear(-er, up), bring

(forth), burn, carry (away), cast, contain, desire, ease,

exact, exalt (self), extol, fetch, forgive, furnish, further,

give, go on, help, high, hold up, honorable (+ man), lade,

lay, lift (self) up, lofty, marry, magnify, X needs, obtain,

pardon, raise (up), receive, regard, respect, set (up), spare,

stir up, + swear, take (away, up), X utterly, wear, yield.

see HEBREW for 04

see HEBREW for 06

see HEBREW for 07

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָשָׂא (na.sa) — to lift: raise.

: raise/take_up

1) to lift, bear up, carry, take

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to lift, lift up

1a2) to bear, carry, support, sustain, endure

1a3) to take, take away, carry off, forgive

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be lifted up, be exalted

1b2) to lift oneself up, rise up

1b3) to be borne, be carried

1b4) to be taken away, be carried off, be swept away

1c) (Piel)

1c1) to lift up, exalt, support, aid, assist

1c2) to desire, long (fig.)

1c3) to carry, bear continuously

1c4) to take, take away

1d) (Hithpael) to lift oneself up, exalt oneself

1e) (Hiphil)

1e1) to cause one to bear (iniquity)

1e2) to cause to bring, have brought

נָשָׂא (na.sa) — to lift: bear.

: look/lift(eyes)

1) to lift, bear up, carry, take

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to lift, lift up

1a2) to bear, carry, support, sustain, endure

1a3) to take, take away, carry off, forgive

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be lifted up, be exalted

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-1cs — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect first person common singular
Hc/Vqw1cs
and I returned and I lifted up eyes my and I saw and there! a scroll flying
עֵינַ֖י'ei.Nai eyes my H5869 Noun common feminine dual construct · suffix
887× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word can mean a spring or fountain, but also refers to the eye or a source of something. It is often translated as affliction, outward appearance, or countenance, and is used in various contexts throughout the Bible.
Amplified meaning
sight, vision
Tyndale gloss
eye
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עַ֫יִן (*'ayin*) means 'eye' and can refer to both the physical organ and its figurative uses, such as mental qualities and desires. It also denotes a 'spring' or 'fountain' of water. The entries highlight various phrases and contexts, including appearances and expressions of emotion, but do not indicate any significant disagreement among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עַ֫יִן 859 n.f. eye

lit. as physical organ

eyes as showing mental qualities

desire of the eyes, abominations of the eyes

Fig. of mental and physical faculties, acts and states

Transferred mngs.:

visible surface of earth

appearance

gleam, sparkle

Other phrases are: an eye for an eye; eye to eye; in the presence of, in full view of; of business transaction; on the forehead

base

עַ֫יִן n.f. spring (of water). Particular springs are:

ע׳ חֲרֹר Ju 7:1

ע׳ הַקּוֹרֵא (partridge-spring) Ju 15:19

ע׳ רֹגֵל near Jerus.

ע׳ הַתַּנִּין (dragon-spring)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5869a עַ֫יִן eye . lit. as physical organ

. . eyes as showing mental qualities

. desire of the eyes, abominations of the eyes

. Fig. of mental and physical faculties, acts and states

. Transferred mngs.: . visible surface of earth

. appearance

. gleam, sparkle

. Other phrases are: an eye for an eye; eye to eye; in the presence of, in full view of; of business transaction; on the forehead

H5869b עַ֫יִן spring (of water)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5869 `ayin ah'-yin

probably a primitive word; an eye (literally or

figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the

landscape):--affliction, outward appearance, + before, +

think best, colour, conceit, + be content, countenance, +

displease, eye((-brow), (-d), -sight), face, + favour,

fountain, furrow (from the margin), X him, + humble,

knowledge, look, (+ well), X me, open(-ly), + (not) please,

presence, + regard, resemblance, sight, X thee, X them, +

think, X us, well, X you(-rselves).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — eye.

: eye

1) eye

1a) eye

1a1) of physical eye

1a2) as showing mental qualities

1a3) of mental and spiritual faculties (fig.)

עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — Fountain (Gate).

§ spring, fountain

עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — Fountain of.

§ spring, fountain

עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — eye: seeing.

: seeing

1) eye

1a) eye

1a1) of physical eye

1a2) as showing mental qualities

1a3) of mental and spiritual faculties (fig.)

עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — eye: appearance.

: appearance

1) eye

1a) eye

1a1) of physical eye

1a2) as showing mental qualities

1a3) of mental and spiritual faculties (fig.)

עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — eye: before(the eyes).

: before(the_eyes)

1) eye

1a) eye

1a1) of physical eye

1a2) as showing mental qualities

1a3) of mental and spiritual faculties (fig.)

עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — eye: sin.

: sin

1) eye

1a) eye

1a1) of physical eye

1a2) as showing mental qualities

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-cd | Suff — Noun common feminine dual construct · suffix
HNcfdc/Sp1bs
and I returned and I lifted up eyes my and I saw and there! a scroll flying
וָֽאֶרְאֶ֑הva.'er.'Eh and I saw H7200 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect first person common singular
1,300× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for provider means to see or look after, and is used to describe God's care for his people. It appears in various forms throughout the Bible, including in Genesis and other books.
Amplified meaning
looked, beheld
Tyndale gloss
Provider
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רָאָה (ra'ah) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to see' and encompasses a wide range of visual and perceptual actions, including looking, observing, and causing others to see. It can refer to both literal sight and figurative understanding, with various grammatical forms indicating different nuances, such as appearing or being visible. The entries indicate a rich semantic field without significant disagreement among lexicographers.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רָאָה 1315 vb. see

Qal 1141

see, subj.

see, c. acc. rei

see, sq. acc. cl. or phr. of closer design

see, so as to learn to know

abs. see, have (power of) vision

see = perceive

look at, see, by direct volition

of mental observation

c. ב, lit., look into, hence look at with interest

see, c. acc. rei

Niph.

appear

be seen

be visible

Pu. appar. his bones are not detected

Hithp. recipr. look at each other

Hiph.

cause one to see something, shew

cause to experience something

cause to look intently at, to behold

Hoph.

be caused to see, be shewn

be exhibited to

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7200a רָאָה see .. . see, subj.

. see, c. acc. rei

. see, sq. acc. + cl. or phr. of closer design

. see, so as to learn to know

. abs. see, have (power of) vision

. see = perceive

. look at, see, by direct volition

. of mental observation

. . c. ב, lit., look into, hence look at with interest

. see, c. acc. rei

. . appear

. be seen

. be visible

. appar. his bones are not detected

. recipr. look at each other

. . . cause one to see something, shew

. cause to experience something

. cause to look intently at, to behold

. . be caused to see, be shewn

. be exhibited to

H7200b רְאוּת look

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7200 ra'ah raw-aw'

a primitive root; to see, literally or figuratively (in

numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive,

intransitive and causative):--advise self, appear, approve,

behold, X certainly, consider, discern, (make to) enjoy, have

experience, gaze, take heed, X indeed, X joyfully, lo, look

(on, one another, one on another, one upon another, out, up,

upon), mark, meet, X be near, perceive, present, provide,

regard, (have) respect, (fore-, cause to, let) see(-r, -m, one

another), shew (self), X sight of others, (e-)spy, stare, X

surely, X think, view, visions.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רָאָה (ra.ah) — to see: see.

: see/show

1) to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to see

1a2) to see, perceive

1a3) to see, have vision

1a4) to look at, see, regard, look after, see after, learn about, observe, watch, look upon, look out, find out

1a5) to see, observe, consider, look at, give attention to, discern, distinguish

1a6) to look at, gaze at

1a7) to provide, choose

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to appear, present oneself

1b2) to be seen

1b3) to be visible

1c) (Pual) to be seen

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to cause to see, show

1d2) to cause to look intently at, behold, cause to gaze at

1e) (Hophal)

1e1) to be caused to see, be shown

1e2) to be exhibited to

1f) (Hithpael) to look at each other, face

רָאָה (ra.ah) — to see: examine.

: examine/consider

1) to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to see

1a2) to see, perceive

1a3) to see, have vision

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-1cs — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect first person common singular
Hc/Vqw1cs
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

so.

See TOOLS.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Egyptian saws, so far as has yet been discovered, are single-handed. As is the case in modern Oriental saws, the teeth usually incline toward the handle, instead of away from it like ours. They have, in most cases, bronze blades, apparently attached to the handles by leathern thongs. No evidence exists of the use of the saw applied to stone in Egypt, but we read of sawn stones used in the temple. (1 Kings 7:9) The saws "under" or "in" which David is said to have placed his captives were of iron. The expression in (2 Samuel 12:31) does not necessarily imply torture, but the word "cut" in (1 Chronicles 20:3) can hardly be understood otherwise.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Used as an instrument of torture 2Sa 12:31; Heb 11:37

→ Used for cutting stone 1Ki 7:9

→ FIGURATIVE Isa 10:15

and I returned and I lifted up eyes my and I saw and there! a scroll flying
וְהִנֵּ֖הve.hi.Neh and there! H2009 Conjunction · particle
843× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word is an expression that means 'behold' or 'look', often used to draw attention to something. It appears in Genesis and Isaiah, and is translated as 'behold' or 'lo' in the KJV.
Amplified meaning
in my presence, visibly
Tyndale gloss
behold
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הִנֵּה (hinneh) is a Hebrew word meaning 'behold' or 'lo!' It serves as a demonstrative particle used to draw attention, appearing in contexts such as Genesis 19:2. The word is derived from a prolongation of another Hebrew term, but the entries do not provide further details on its usage beyond this.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הִנֵּה, once הִנֶּה־ Gn 19:2, demonstr.part. lo!, behold!

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2009 הִנֵּה, הִנֶּה־ lo!, behold!

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2009 hinneh hin-nay'

prolongation for 2005; lo!:--behold, lo, see.

see HEBREW for 02005

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הִנֵּה (hin.neh) — behold.

behold, lo, see, if

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Part — Conjunction · particle
HC/Tj
and I returned and I lifted up eyes my and I saw and there! a scroll flying
מְגִלָּ֥הme.gi.Lah a scroll H4039 Noun common · feminine singular absolute
21× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A scroll is a rolled-up book, like the one Ezekiel eats in Ezekiel 3:3 or the scroll Jesus reads in Luke 4:17. It contains written words from God.
Amplified meaning
roll, book, megillah, containing a message, a written record
Tyndale gloss
scroll
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מְגִלָּה (megillah) refers to a roll or scroll, often used for writing or books. It is derived from the root meaning 'to roll' and is noted in various contexts, including its Aramaic equivalent. The term is associated with late writings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מְגִלָּה n.f. roll (writing, book; late)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4039 מְגִלָּה

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4039 mgillah meg-il-law'

from 1556; a roll:--roll, volume.

see HEBREW for 01556

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מְגִלָּה (me.gil.lah) — scroll.

roll, book, writing

Aramaic equivalent: me.gil.lah (מְגִלָּה "scroll" H4040)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absolute
HNcfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

skrol.

See ROLL.

and I returned and I lifted up eyes my and I saw and there! a scroll flying
עָפָֽה׃'a.Fah flying H5774 Verb · Qal · participle (active) feminine singular
26× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word can mean flying or fainting, often due to darkness or gloom. It appears in books like Isaiah and Jeremiah, describing dramatic scenes.
Amplified meaning
soaring
Tyndale gloss
to fly
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עוּף (uwph) is a Hebrew verb primarily meaning 'to fly,' with various nuances including hovering and fleeing. It can also imply covering or dimness, as seen in the related noun תְּעֻפָה (teʾuphah), which refers to gloom. The word appears in different forms, such as Qal and Hiphil, indicating various actions related to flight.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עוּף vb. fly

Qal

fly, of birds

hover (protectingly)

fly away

Hiph. dost thou cause thine eyes to fly

Pō‛l.

fly about, to and fro

cause to fly to and fro, brandish

Hithpō‛l. like a bird their glory shall fly away

base

תְּעֻפָה n.f. id. [מוּעָף];—Jb 11:17

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5774a עוּף fly H5774b תְּעֻפָה n. f. id. [מוּעָף]

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5774 `uwph oof

a primitive root; to cover (with wings or obscurity); hence

(as denominative from 5775) to fly; also (by implication of

dimness) to faint (from the darkness of swooning):--brandish,

be (wax) faint, flee away, fly (away), X set, shine forth,

weary.

see HEBREW for 05775

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עוּף (uph) — to fly.

v

1) to fly, fly about, fly away

1a)(Qal)

1a1) to fly, hover

1a2) to fly away

1b) (Hiphil) to cause to fly, light upon

1c) (Polel)

1c1) to fly about or to and fro

1c2) to cause to fly to and fro, brandish

1d) (Hithpolel) to fly away

2) (Qal) to cover, be dark

תְּעֻפָה (te.u.phah) — gloom.

gloom

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal — Verb · Qal · participle (active) feminine singular
HVqrfsa
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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