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Zechariah 5:11 — Word Study

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WLCוַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלַ֔י לִבְנֽוֹת־ לָ֥הֿ בַ֖יִת בְּאֶ֣רֶץ שִׁנְעָ֑ר וְהוּכַ֛ן וְהֻנִּ֥יחָה שָּׁ֖ם עַל־ מְכֻנָתָֽהּ׃ ס

BSATo buildbânâh [construct, establish] a housebayith [dwelling place, temple] in the landʼerets [region, territory] of ShinarShinʻâr [Babylonia, a place of idolatry] he toldʼâmar meʼêl And when it is readykûwn [prepared, established] thereshâm onʻal its pedestalmᵉkunâh [base, foundation]

Word
Listen & take awayZechariah 5
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 (me.khu.na.Tah) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Zechariah 5:11quick helps
In a sentenceAn angel instructs Zechariah about the construction of a house in Shinar.
Who is speakingAn angel speaks to Zechariah.
Where we areThis verse is part of a vision concerning the fate of wickedness.
The hard wordמְכֻנָתָֽהּ
Take awayThe house will be built in a land known for idolatry.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbאָמַר The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

1 of 12 occurs nowhere else in the Old Testament — a word chosen on purpose.

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 5:11

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 — The Vision of the Woman in the Basketgenerated

8“This is Wickedness,” he said. And he shoved her down into the basket, pushing down the lead cover over its opening.
9Then I lifted up my eyes and saw two women approaching, with the wind in their wings. Their wings were like those of a stork, and they lifted up the basket between heaven and earth.
10“Where are they taking the basket?” I asked the angel who was speaking with me.
11“To build a house for it in the land of Shinar, ” he told me. “And when it is ready, the basket will be set there on its pedestal.”

Zechariah 5:11 describes an angel's message to Zechariah about building a house in the land of Shinar. This vision is part of a series of revelations concerning the fate of wickedness and the restoration of Israel. The mention of Shinar links this house to a region notorious for idolatry, emphasizing the contrast between the true worship of Yahweh and the false worship associated with Babylon.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Deuteronomy 28:59He will bring upon you and your descendants extraordinary disasters, severe and lasting plagues, and terrible and chronic sicknesses.
2Jeremiah 29:28For he has sent to us in Babylon, claiming: Since the exile will be lengthy, build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat their produce.’”
3Hosea 3:4For the Israelites must live many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred pillar, and without ephod or idol.
4Luke 21:24They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive into all the nations. And Jerusalem will be trodden down by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
5Genesis 10:10His kingdom began in Babylon, Erech, Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 9 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word בָּנָה, Liv.not-generated

The Hebrew word בָּנָה (banah) means 'to build' and encompasses a range of meanings, including constructing, establishing, or repairing. It can refer to physical structures like houses or temples, as well as metaphorical meanings, such as building a family or community.

In this verse, the verb is in the infinitive construct form, indicating the purpose of the action. The construction of a house signifies a place of worship or dwelling, which is significant in the context of the vision's message about the fate of wickedness.


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 וַיֹּ֣אמֶר, and he said, governs the entire verse, with several phrases hanging off it: an infinitive phrase indicating what is to be built, a prepositional phrase specifying the location, and additional clauses describing the readiness and placement of the basket.

The structure emphasizes the sequential nature of the commands given by the angel, with the verb leading the sentence and the other elements providing necessary details about the action and its context.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates בָּנָה as οἰκοδομῆσαι, which means 'to build' and carries a similar connotation of constructing or establishing. This choice reflects a consistent understanding of the act of building as significant in the context of the vision.

The use of ἑτοιμάσαι for the word 'prepared' suggests a focus on the readiness of the house, aligning with the Hebrew intent to indicate that the house will be established.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Zechariah 5:11 describes an angel telling Zechariah that a house will be built in the land of Shinar. This house is significant as it represents a dwelling place associated with the themes of idolatry and the fate of wickedness.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What is the significance of the house being built in Shinar?

Shinar, associated with Babylon, represents a place of idolatry and rebellion against God. The construction of a house there highlights the contrast between true worship and false worship.

What does it mean for the basket to be set on its pedestal?

The basket being placed on its pedestal signifies that it will have a fixed and established position, indicating the permanence of the message concerning wickedness.

Why is the act of building emphasized?

Building signifies establishment and permanence. In the context of Zechariah's vision, it represents the establishment of a dwelling place that will serve as a focal point for the worship and acknowledgment of God's sovereignty.

What role does the angel play in this vision?

The angel serves as a messenger from God, conveying important revelations to Zechariah about the future and the fate of wickedness, guiding him in understanding the significance of the vision.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What does the building of a house in Shinar reveal about God's plans for dealing with wickedness?
  2. How can the themes of establishment and permanence in this verse apply to our understanding of faith and worship today?
  3. In what ways does this vision challenge our perceptions of places associated with idolatry?
  4. How can we discern the messages God sends us through visions or dreams in our own lives?

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

Richard Challoner comments on the significance of Shinar, linking it to Babylon and idolatry, highlighting the broader implications of this verse.

Richard Challoner 1691–1781
The land of Sennaar: Where Babel or Babylon was built, Gen. 11., where note, that Babylon in holy writ is often taken for the city of the devil: that is,
Early Church Fathers on Zechariah 5 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Zechariah 5:11 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

And he said unto me, To build it an house in the land of Shinar,.... That is, in the province of Babylon, as the Targum paraphrases it; for Babel, or Babylon, was in the land of Shinar, Genesis 10:10

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

Then the angel that talked with me went forth, and said unto me, Lift up now thine eyes, and see what is this that goeth forth.

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

The angel gives him an answer fuller than his question, and first tells the prophet what was to be done with it. To build it a house, not in mercy, but in judgment, as intending the next deportation should not be, as the first, for seventy years, but for ever. they should never return. In the land of Shinar; of Babylon, whither many of the Jews fled, and so by voluntary exile fulfilled this prophecy; Whither other’ s of them were forced by the Romans. It shall be established, and set there; there they shall be confined without hope of release. Upon her own base; not on the foundation of God’ s promise and covenant, but the base of their sins.

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

Zechariah 5:11 And he said unto me, To build it an house in the land of Shinar: and it shall be established, and set there upon her own base.Ver. 11. To build it an house in the land of Shinar] That is, of Babylon, Genesis 10:10; Genesis 11:2, where various of the Jews still remained in wilful exile, as loth to leave their houses and gardens, which they had builded and planted there, Jeremiah 29:5, preferring captivity before liberty, see 1 Chronicles 4:22-23. Hence, upon their final dispersion by the Romans, various of them resorted there for entertainment. There Peter, the apostle of the circumcision, had collected an elected Church, 1 Peter 5:13, and thence he writeth his epistle to the…

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

(11) Land of Shinar.—Where mankind had first organised a rebellion against God (Genesis 12:2); it was also the land of the Captivity of the Jews (Babylonia). This vision is a circumstantial symbolisation of the promise given in Zechariah 3:9 : “I will remove the iniquity of the land in one day.” While it is a promise of the remission of the punishment of their iniquity (for in Hebrew, “iniquity” often means punishment), it serves also as an exhortation to the returned exiles to leave in Babylon the iniquity which had been the cause of their being transported thither.

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

Verse 11. To build it a house in the land of Shinar] The land of Shinar means Babylon; and Babylon means Rome, in the Apocalypse. The building the house for the woman imprisoned in the ephah may signify, that there should be a long captivity under the Romans, as there was under that of Shinar or Babylon, by which Rome may here be represented. That house remains to the present day: the Jewish woman is still in the ephah; it is set on its own base-continues still as a distinct nation; and the talent of lead-God's displeasure-is still on the top. O Lord, save thy people, the remnant of Israel!

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

11. To build it a house] The word “it” is feminine (lit. her), and may refer either to the ephah or to the woman, as the words, on her own base, at the end of the verse may also do. It is perhaps simplest to understand the reference in both cases to be to the woman, whose destination was by implication asked in the prophet’s question, Zechariah 5:10. The house may be either a dwelling-place, or possibly a temple, “as Dagon (1 Samuel 5:2-5), or Ashtaroth (Ib. 1 Samuel 5:10), or Baal (2 Kings 10:23), had their houses or temples, a great idol temple in which the God of this world should be worshipped.” Pusey. in the land of Shinar] i.e. Babylonia, with a reference perhaps to “that first…

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

To build it an house in the land of Shinar - The name of Shinar, though strictly Babylonia, carries back to an older power than the world-empire of Babylon; which now too was destroyed.

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

“To build a house for it in the land of Shinar, ” he told me. “And when it is ready, the basket will be set there on its pedestal.”

WEBWorld English Bible2000

He said to me, “To build her a house in the land of Shinar. When it is prepared, she will be set there in her own place.”

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

“To build a house for it in the land of Shinar,” he told me. “And when it is ready, the basket will be set there on its pedestal.”

NETBNew English Translation2006

He replied, “To build a temple for her in the land of Babylonia. When it is finished, she will be placed there in her own residence.”

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And he said unto me, To build it an house in the land of Shinar: and it shall be established, and set there upon her own base.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And he said unto me, To build her a house in the land of Shinar: and when it is prepared, she shall be set there in her own place.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And he said unto me, To build her an house in the land of Shinar: and when it is prepared, she shall be set there in her own place.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And he said to me, To build for it a house in the land of Shinar: and it shall be established, and set there upon her own base.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

And hee saide vnto mee, To builde it an house in the lande of Shinar, and it shall be established and set there vpon her owne place.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And he said unto me, To build it a house in the land of Shinar; and it shall be established, and set there upon its own base.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And he saith unto me, 'To build to it a house in the land of Shinar.' And it hath been prepared and hath been placed there on its base.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And he says to me, “To build a house for it in the land of Shinar.” And it has been prepared and has been placed there on its base.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And he said unto me, To build for it a house in the land of Shin'ar: and when this is erected, then will the other be set there upon its own base.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

He said to me, “To build a temple in the land of Shinar for it, so that when the temple is ready, the basket will be set there on its prepared base.”

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And he said to me: That a house may be built for it in the land of Sennaar, and that it may be established, and set there upon its own basis.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

“They're taking it to the land of Babylon to build a house for it. When the house is ready, the barrel will be placed at its base.”

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And he said to me, To make a house for her in the land of Shinar: and they will make a place ready, and put her there in the place which is hers.

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.

וַandclauseverbיֹּ֣אמֶרhe.saidprepositional phrase · prepositionalאֵלַ֔toיmeclauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalלִtoclauseverbבְנֽוֹתbuildprepositional phrase · prepositionalלָ֥forהֿitobjectבַ֖יִתa.houseprepositional phrase · prepositionalבְּinnoun phraseאֶ֣רֶץthe.landשִׁנְעָ֑רof.Shinarוְandclauseverbהוּכַ֛ןit.will.be.preparedוְandclauseverbהֻנִּ֥יחָהit.will.be.placedadverbialשָּׁ֖םthereprepositional phrase · prepositionalעַלonnoun phraseמְכֻנָתָֽits.own.standהּon

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


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

The Masoretic Text states, "וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלַ֔י לִבְנֽוֹת־ לָ֥הֿ בַ֖יִת בְּאֶ֣רֶץ שִׁנְעָ֑ר וְהוּכַ֛ן וְהֻנִּ֥יחָה שָּׁ֖ם עַל־ מְכֻנָתָֽהּ׃ ס" The Septuagint closely matches this text, with 12 of the 12 words corresponding, although it presents them in a different order and style. The Dead Sea Scrolls (4Q80) contain some partially restored words but align with the Masoretic Text in meaning, indicating agreement overall, though some words are supplied by an editor rather than directly from the manuscript. The Samaritan Pentateuch is not mentioned among the witnesses, thus its stance on this verse is unknown.

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

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלַ֔י לִבְנֽוֹת־ לָ֥הֿ בַ֖יִת בְּאֶ֣רֶץ שִׁנְעָ֑ר וְהוּכַ֛ן וְהֻנִּ֥יחָה שָּׁ֖ם עַל־ מְכֻנָתָֽהּ׃ ס

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיֹּ֣אמֶרεἶπενאֵלַ֔יμεלִבְנֽוֹת־οἰκοδομῆσαιלָ֥הֿαὐτῷבַ֖יִתοἰκίανבְּאֶ֣רֶץγῇשִׁנְעָ֑רβαβυλῶνοςוְהוּכַ֛ןἑτοιμάσαιוְהֻנִּ֥יחָהθήσουσινשָּׁ֖םἐκεῖעַל־ἐπὶמְכֻנָתָֽהּ׃ סτὴν

12 of the 12 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 — 4Q80a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[ויאמר] אל׳י לבנות ל׳ה [בית] [בארץ] [שנער] [והוכן] [והניחה] [שם] [על] מכונת׳ה

2 words on the leather — 2 partly restored, 8 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.

Zechariah 5:11אָמַרand he saidand he saidאָמַראֶלto meto meאֶלבָּנָהto buildto buildבָּנָההָfor itfor itהָבֵּיתa housea houseבֵּיתאֶ֫רֶץin [the] lain [the] land oאֶ֫רֶץשִׁנְעָרShinarShinarשִׁנְעָרכּוּןand it willand it will be כּוּןנוּחַand it willand it will be נוּחַשָׁםtherethereשָׁםעַלononעַלמְכוֹנָהon own stanon own stand itמְכוֹנָהבָּנָהto buildto buildבָּנָהיָנוּםJanimJanimיָנוּםאֲשֶׁרwhichwhichאֲשֶׁרעַלheightheightעַלמְכוֹנָהbasebaseמְכוֹנָהכִּסֵּאthronethroneכִּסֵּאכֹּהthusthusכֹּהיהוהYHWH/GodYHWH/Godיהוהפָּלַלto prayto prayפָּלַליִרְמְיָ֫הJeremiahJeremiahיִרְמְיָ֫החוֹמָהwallwallחוֹמָהמִזְבֵּחַaltaraltarמִזְבֵּחַאוֹצָרtreasuretreasureאוֹצָרכְּנַ֫עַןCanaanCanaanכְּנַ֫עַןמִצְרַ֫יִם(Sea of) E(Sea of) Egyptמִצְרַ֫יִםאַמְרָפֶלAmraphelAmraphelאַמְרָפֶלאֶלָּסָרEllasarEllasarאֶלָּסָרתֵּבֵלworldworldתֵּבֵל
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 5:11

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.

and he said to me to build for it a house in [the] land of Shinar and it will be prepared and it will be placed there on on own stand its
וַיֹּ֣אמֶרvai.Yo.mer and he said H559 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
5,309× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to say or speak, and it's used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to command, promise, or think, and it's translated in the KJV as 'answer', 'appoint', or 'command'.
Tyndale gloss
to say
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָמַר (amar) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to say' or 'to utter,' with a broad range of uses including to promise, command, or even boast. It appears in various forms, such as in the Qal (to say), Niphal (to be told), and Hiphil (to avow). The entries highlight its versatility in both spoken and internal contexts, though no specific verse is noted.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָמַר 5287 vb. utter, say

Qal

Say

Say in the heart (= think)

Promise

Command (esp. late)

Niph. be said, told

Hiph. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

Hithp. act proudly, boast

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H559 אָמַר utter, say .. Say

. Say in the heart (= think)

. Promise

. Command (esp. late)

. be said, told

. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

. act proudly, boast

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

559 'amar aw-mar'

a primitive root; to say (used with great

latitude):--answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call,

certify, challenge, charge, + (at the, give) command(-ment),

commune, consider, declare, demand, X desire, determine, X

expressly, X indeed, X intend, name, X plainly, promise,

publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), X still, X

suppose, talk, tell, term, X that is, X think, use (speech),

utter, X verily, X yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָמַר (a.mar) — to say.

1) to say, speak, utter

1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend

1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called

1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly

1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch

Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he said to me to build for it a house in [the] land of Shinar and it will be prepared and it will be placed there on on own stand its
אֵלַ֔י'e.Lai to me H413 Preposition · suffix
5,518× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means 'to' or 'toward', showing direction or movement. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus, to indicate where someone is going. The KJV translates it in various ways, like 'about', 'according to', or 'against'.
Tyndale gloss
to(wards)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֶל (el) is primarily a preposition indicating motion towards or direction to a person or place. It can also imply entering a limit, presence at a location, or a hostile direction (against). Additionally, it may express concepts such as concerning, in addition to, or according to. The entries highlight its versatility in both physical and metaphorical contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph),

prep. denoting motion to or direction towards (whether physical or mental).of motion to or unto a person or place

Where the limit is actually entered, into

Of direction towards anything

Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against

Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to

Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

Of rule or standard according to (rare)

Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion

Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H413 אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph), . of motion to or unto a person or place

. Where the limit is actually entered, into

. Of direction towards anything

. Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against

. Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to

. Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

. Of rule or standard according to (rare)

. Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion

. Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

413 'el ale

(but only used in the shortened constructive form sel {el});

a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but

occasionally used of a quiescent position, i.e. near, with or

among; often in general, to:--about, according to ,after,

against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and,

by, concerning, for, from, X hath, in(- to), near, (out) of,

over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether,

with(-in).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶל (el) — to(wards).

1) to, toward, unto (of motion)

2) into (limit is actually entered)

2a) in among

3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion)

4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character)

5) in addition to, to

6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of

7) according to (rule or standard)

8) at, by, against (of one's presence)

9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | Suff — Preposition · suffix
HR/Sp1bs
and he said to me to build for it a house in [the] land of Shinar and it will be prepared and it will be placed there on on own stand its
לִבְנֽוֹת־Liv.not- to build H1129 Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
376× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word bânâh means to build something, like a house or a family. It can also mean to establish or repair something, and is used in various contexts throughout the Bible.
Amplified meaning
construct, establish
Tyndale gloss
to build
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word בָּנָה (banah) means "to build" and encompasses various forms such as rebuilding, establishing, and making permanent. It can refer to physical construction, like building a house or family, as well as metaphorical uses, such as the establishment of restored exiles. The entries indicate that it can also imply being built up, particularly in the context of a childless wife becoming a mother.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בָּנָה 373 vb. build

Qal build

Niph.

be built

be rebuilt

(fig.) of restored exiles, = established

established, made permanent

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1129 בָּנָה build .build

.. . be built

. be rebuilt

. . (fig.) of restored exiles, = established

. established, made permanent

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1129 banah baw-naw'

a primitive root; to build (literally and

figuratively):--(begin to) build(-er), obtain children, make,

repair, set (up), X surely.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בָּנָה (ba.nah) — to build.

1) to build, rebuild, establish, cause to continue

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to build, rebuild

1a2) to build a house (ie, establish a family)

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be built

1b2) to be rebuilt

1b3) established (of restored exiles) (fig.)

1b4) established (made permanent)

1b5) to be built up (of childless wife becoming the mother of a family through the children of a concubine)

Aramaic equivalent: be.nah (בְּנָה "to build" H1124)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a — Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
HR/Vqcc
and he said to me to build for it a house in [the] land of Shinar and it will be prepared and it will be placed there on on own stand its
לָ֥הֿlah for it H9034 Preposition · suffix
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הָ (ha) — her.

Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 3rd person feminine singular

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Sp3fs — Preposition · suffix
HR/Sp3fs
and he said to me to build for it a house in [the] land of Shinar and it will be prepared and it will be placed there on on own stand its
בַ֖יִתVa.yit a house H1004 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
2,049× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for house refers to a dwelling place, including a family home, temple, or even the human body. It appears in various contexts, such as the temple in Jerusalem or the household of a family. In the Bible, it is often used to describe a place of worship or a family's living space.
Amplified meaning
dwelling place, temple
Tyndale gloss
place
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word בַּיִת (*bayith*) means 'house' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including dwelling, family, and place. It can refer to physical structures, such as homes and temples, as well as metaphorical uses like the body or household affairs. The word is built from the root related to 'between' and appears in various contexts throughout the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בֵּית fem. of בַּיִן, בֵּין prep. between

base

בַּ֫יִת 2034 n.m. house

house

place

receptacle

of house as containing a family

household, family (592 t.)

house, including household affairs

lit. housewards, hence metaph. inwards

מִבַּיִת

adv. on the inside

prep. within

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1004a בֵּית fem. of בַּיִן, בֵּין prep. between H1004b בַּ֫יִת house

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1004 bayith bah'-yith

probably from 1129 abbreviated; a house (in the greatest

variation of applications, especially family, etc.):--court,

daughter, door, + dungeon, family, + forth of, X great as

would contain, hangings, home(born), (winter)house(-hold),

inside(-ward), palace, place, + prison, + steward, + tablet,

temple, web, + within(-out).

see HEBREW for 01129

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בֵּית (bet) — place.

nm

place, origin, between

בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — house: home.

: home/temple/building

nm

1) house

1a) house, dwelling habitation

1b) shelter or abode of animals

1c) human bodies (fig.)

1d) of Sheol

1e) of abode of light and darkness

1f) of land of Ephraim

2) place

3) receptacle

4) home, house as containing a family

5) household, family

5a) those belonging to the same household

5b) family of descendants, descendants as organized body

6) household affairs

7) inwards (metaph.)

8) (TWOT) temple

adv

9) on the inside

prep

10) within

בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — Beth-(ashbea).

nm

This name is used for a house, habitation

Combined with ash.be.a (אַשְׁבֵּעַ "Ashbea" H0791)

בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — Beth (Haggan).

nm

This name is used for a house, habitation

Combined with hag (גַּן "Haggan" H1588)

בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — Beth-(togarmah).

nm

This name is used for a house, habitation

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hous (bayith; oikos, in classical Greek generally "an estate," oikia, oikema (literally, "habitation"), in Ac 12:1, "prison"):

I. CAVE DWELLINGS

II. STONE-BUILT AND MUD/BRICK-BUILT HOUSES

1. Details of Plan and Construction

(1) Corner-Stone

(2) Floor

(3) Gutter

(4) Door

(5) Hinge

(6) Lock and Key

(7) Threshold

(8) Hearth

(9) Window

(10) Roof

2. Houses of More than One Story

(1) Upper Chambers and Stairs

(2) Palaces and Castles

3. Internal Appearance

III. OTHER MEANINGS

LITERATURE

I. Cave Dwellings.

The earliest permanent habitations of the prehistoric inhabitants of Palestine were the natural caves which abound throughout the country. As the people increased and grouped themselves into communities, these abodes were supplemented by systems of artificial caves which, in some cases, developed into extensive burrowings of many adjoining compartments, having…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

House

Till their sojourn in Egypt the Hebrews dwelt in tents. They then for the first time inhabited cities (Gen. 47:3; Ex. 12:7; Heb. 11:9). From the earliest times the Assyrians and the Canaanites were builders of cities. The Hebrews after the Conquest took possession of the captured cities, and seem to have followed the methods of building that had been pursued by the Canaanites. Reference is made to the stone (1 Kings 7:9; Isa. 9:10) and marble (1 Chr. 29:2) used in building, and to the internal wood-work of the houses (

The houses of the rural poor in Egypt, as well as in most parts of Syria, Arabia and Persia, are generally mere huts of mud or sunburnt bricks. In some parts of Palestine and Arabia stone is used, and in certain districts caves in the rocks are used as dwellings. (Amos 5:11) The houses are usually of one story only, viz., the ground floor, and often contain only one apartment. Sometimes a small court for the cattle is attached; and in some cases the cattle are housed in the same building, or the live in a raised platform, and, the cattle round them on the ground. (1 Samuel 28:24) The windows are small apertures high up in the walls, sometimes grated with wood. The roofs are commonly but not always flat, and are usually formed of plaster of mud and straw laid upon boughs or…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Is often put for dwelling, residence; and hence the temple, and even the tabernacle, are called the house of God.

The universal mode of building houses in the East, is in the form of a hollow square, with an open court or yard in the center; which is thus entirely shut in by the walls of the house around it. Into this court all the windows open, there being usually no windows towards the street. Some houses of large size require several courts, and these usually communicate with each other. These courts are commonly paved; and in many large houses parts of them are planted with shrubs and trees, Ps 84:3 128:3; they have also, when possible, a fountain in them, often with a jet d’ eau, 2Sa 17:18. It is customary in many houses to extend an awning over the whole court in hot…

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he said to me to build for it a house in [the] land of Shinar and it will be prepared and it will be placed there on on own stand its
בְּאֶ֣רֶץbe.'E.retz in [the] land of H776 Preposition · noun common feminine singular construct
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'.
Amplified meaning
region, territory
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
Prep | N-cs — Preposition · noun common feminine singular construct
HR/Ncfsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ov:

(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Lamentations 3:1.

The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.

Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.

That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.

Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…

and he said to me to build for it a house in [the] land of Shinar and it will be prepared and it will be placed there on on own stand its
שִׁנְעָ֑רshin.'Ar Shinar H8152 Noun proper
8× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Shinar is an ancient name for Babylonia, a region in the Bible where the tower of Babel was built. It is mentioned in Genesis 10:10 and 11:2. Shinar is also known as the country of two rivers.
Amplified meaning
Babylonia, a place of idolatry
Tyndale gloss
Shinar
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שִׁנְעָר (Shin'ar) refers to an ancient region, identified with Babylonia, and is described as a plain. The name is thought to derive from a term meaning 'country of two rivers.' The entries consistently link Shinar to Babylonia without significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שִׁנְעָר n.pr.loc. Shinar = Babylonia

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8152 שִׁנְעָר Shinar = Babylonia

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8152 Shin`ar shin-awr'

probably of foreign derivation; Shinar, a plain in

Babylonia:--Shinar.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שִׁנְעָר (shin.ar) — Shinar.

§ Shinar = "country of two rivers"

the ancient name for the territory later known as Babylonia or Chaldea

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper
HNpl
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

shi'-nar (shin`ar; Senaar Sen(n)aar):

1. Identification

2. Possible Babylonian Form of the Name

3. Sumerian and Other Equivalents

4. The Syriac Sen'ar

5. The Primitive Tongue of Shinar

6. Comparison with the Semitic Idiom

7. The Testimony of the Sculptures, etc., to the Race

8. The Sumerians Probably in Shinar before the Semites

9. The States of Shinar:

(1) Sippar;

(2) Kes;

(3) Babylon;

(4) Nippur;

(5) Adab;

(6) Surippak;

(7) Umma;

(8) Erech;

(9) Lagas;

(10) Larsa;

(11) Ur;

(12) Eridu;

(13) The Land of the Sea;

(14) Nisin, Isin, or Karrak;

(15) Upa or Upia (Opis);

(16) Other Well-known Cities

10. Shinar and Its Climate

11. Sculpture in Shinar

12. The First Nation to Use Writing in Western Asia

13. The System Employed, with an Example

1. Identification:

The name given, in the earliest Hebrew records, to Babylonia, later called Babel, or the land of Babel (babhel, 'erets babhel). In

(country of two rivers), the ancient name of the great alluvial tract through which the Tigris and Euphrates pass before reaching the sea --the tract known in later times as Chaldaea or Babylonia. It was a plain country, where brick had to be used for stone and slime for mortar. (Genesis 11:3) Among the cities were Babel (Babylon), Erech or Orech (Orchoe), Calneh or Calno (probably Niffer), and Accad, the site of which is unknown. It may be suspected that Shinar was the name by which the Hebrews originally knew the lower Mesopotamian country where they so long dwelt, and which Abraham brought with him from "Ur of the Chaldees."

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A level region of indefinite extent around Babylon and the junction of the Euphrates and Tigris, Ge 10:10 11:2 14:1 Jos 7:21 Isa 11:11 Da 1:2 Zec 5:11. See MESOPOTAMIA.

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

watch of him that sleeps

and he said to me to build for it a house in [the] land of Shinar and it will be prepared and it will be placed there on on own stand its
וְהוּכַ֛ןve.hu.Khan and it will be prepared H3559 Verb · Hophal · sequential perfect third person masculine singular
217× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to set something up or establish it, like setting up a tent or appointing someone to a position, as seen in Isaiah 7:14.
Amplified meaning
prepared, established
Tyndale gloss
to establish: prepare
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כּוּן (kuwn) is a Hebrew verb meaning to establish or prepare. It encompasses a range of meanings, including to be firm, to fix, to direct, and to be ready, with applications in both literal and figurative contexts. The entries indicate various forms of the verb, such as Niph'al (to be established) and Hiph'il (to establish), but there is a note on a noun form, נָכוֹן (nakhon), meaning 'blow'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[כּוּן] 218 vb. prob. be firm, only in der. conj.

Niph.

be set up, established, fixed

in a moral sense, be directed aright, of ways

prepare, be ready

pass. be prepared, of judgments

Hiph.

establish, set up

fix, so as to be ready, make ready, prepare, a gift

provide for, provide, furnish

direct one's face toward

arrange, order

Hoph.

be established, of throne

be prepared for

Po‛lēl.

set up, establish

constitute, make, a man (in womb)

fix, so as to be ready

direct

Po‛lal. be established

Hithpo‛l. be established

base

נָכוֹן n. [m.] = blow Jb 12:5

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3559a כּוּן prob. be firm, only in der. conj. . . be set up, established, fixed

. in a moral sense, be directed aright, of ways

. prepare, be ready

. pass. be prepared, of judgments

. . establish, set up

. . fix, so as to be ready, make ready, prepare, a gift

. provide for, provide, furnish

. direct one's face toward

. arrange, order

. . be established, of throne

. be prepared for

. . set up, establish

. constitute, make, a man (in womb)

. fix, so as to be ready

. direct

. be established

. be established

H3559b נָכוֹן n. [m.] = blow

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3559 kuwn koon

a primitive root; properly, to be erect (i.e. stand

perpendicular); hence (causatively) to set up, in a great

variety of applications, whether literal (establish, fix,

prepare, apply), or figurative (appoint, render sure, proper

or prosperous):--certain(-ty), confirm, direct, faithfulness,

fashion, fasten, firm, be fitted, be fixed, frame, be meet,

ordain, order, perfect, (make) preparation, prepare (self),

provide, make provision, (be, make) ready, right, set (aright,

fast, forth), be stable, (e-)stablish, stand, tarry, X very

deed.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כּוּן (kun) — to establish: prepare.

: prepare/direct

1) to be firm, be stable, be established

1a) (Niphal)

1a1) to be set up, be established, be fixed

1a1a) to be firmly established

1a1b) to be established, be stable, be secure, be enduring

1a1c) to be fixed, be securely determined

1a2) to be directed aright, be fixed aright, be steadfast (moral sense)

1a3) to prepare, be ready

1a4) to be prepared, be arranged, be settled

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to establish, set up, accomplish, do, make firm

1b2) to fix, make ready, prepare, provide, provide for, furnish

1b3) to direct toward (moral sense)

1b4) to arrange, order

1c) (Hophal)

1c1) to be established, be fastened

1c2) to be prepared, be ready

1d) (Polel)

1d1) to set up, establish

1d2) to constitute, make

1d3) to fix

1d4) to direct

1e) (Pulal) to be established, be prepared

1f) (Hithpolel) to be established, be restored

נָכוֹן (na.khon) — blow.

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Hophal-3ms — Verb · Hophal · sequential perfect third person masculine singular
Hc/VHq3ms
and he said to me to build for it a house in [the] land of Shinar and it will be prepared and it will be placed there on on own stand its
וְהֻנִּ֥יחָהve.hu.Ni.chah and it will be placed H5117 Verb · Hophal · sequential perfect third person feminine singular
142× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To rest means to settle down and remain in one place, and can be used literally or figuratively. This verb appears in many parts of the Bible, including Exodus 20:11 and Matthew 11:28.
Tyndale gloss
to rest
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נוּחַ (nuwach) is a Hebrew verb meaning to rest or settle down. It encompasses a wide range of applications, including both literal and figurative uses, such as to dwell, be quiet, or let something remain. The verb can appear in various forms, indicating actions like causing rest or allowing to depart. It is noted for its versatility in expressing different aspects of rest and stillness.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נוּחַ vb. rest

Qal

rest, settle down and remain

repose, be quiet, have rest

Hiph.

cause to rest = give rest to

cause to rest (i.e. light) upon

lay or set down, deposit, let lie

let remain, leave (in present condition)

leave = depart from

abandon

let alone (refrain from interfering with)

permit

Hoph.

no rest is granted to us

as subst. = space left, open space

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5117 נוּחַ rest

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5117 nuwach noo'-akh

a primitive root; to rest, i.e. settle down; used in a great

variety of applications, literal and figurative, intransitive,

transitive and causative (to dwell, stay, let fall, place, let

alone, withdraw, give comfort, etc.):--cease, be confederate,

lay, let down, (be) quiet, remain, (cause to, be at, give,

have, make to) rest, set down. Compare 3241.

see HEBREW for 03241

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נוּחַ (nu.ach) — to rest.

1) to rest

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to rest, settle down and remain

1a2) to repose, have rest, be quiet

1b) (Hiph)

1b1) to cause to rest, give rest to, make quiet

1b2) to cause to rest, cause to alight, set down

1b3) to lay or set down, deposit, let lie, place

1b4) to let remain, leave

1b5) to leave, depart from

1b6) to abandon

1b7) to permit

1c) (Hoph)

1c1) to obtain rest, be granted rest

1c2) to be left, be placed

1c3) open space (subst)

Also means: ya.nach (יָנַח "to rest" H3240)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Hc/VHq3fs — Verb · Hophal · sequential perfect third person feminine singular
Hc/VHq3fs
and he said to me to build for it a house in [the] land of Shinar and it will be prepared and it will be placed there on on own stand its
שָּׁ֖םsham there H8033 Adverb
834× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word sham means there or then, often used to describe a location or point in time. It can also mean thither or thence, indicating movement or direction. This word is used frequently in the Bible to provide context and clarify the setting of a story.
Tyndale gloss
there
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׁם (sham) is a Hebrew adverb meaning 'there' or 'thither,' indicating a location or direction. It can also refer to a point in time, translating to 'then.' The word is derived from a relative pronoun and is used in various contexts, including movement and temporal references.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁם adv. there, thither

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8033 שָׁם there, thither

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8033 sham shawm

a primitive particle (rather from the relative pronoun, 834);

there (transferring to time) then; often thither, or

thence:--in it, + thence, there (-in, + of, + out), +

thither, + whither.

see HEBREW for 0834

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁם (sham) — there.

1) there, thither

1a) there

1b) thither (after verbs of motion)

1c) from there, thence

1d) then (as an adverb of time)

Aramaic equivalent: tam.mah (תַּמָּה "there" H8536)

שָׁם (sham) — (Jerusalem) Is There.

Combined with ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)

This name means there, thither

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adv — Adverb
HD
and he said to me to build for it a house in [the] land of Shinar and it will be prepared and it will be placed there on on own stand its
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
and he said to me to build for it a house in [the] land of Shinar and it will be prepared and it will be placed there on on own stand its
מְכֻנָתָֽהּ׃ סme.khu.na.Tah on own stand its H4369 Noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
1× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a base or resting place, similar to the word 'me.kho.nah' meaning 'base'.
Amplified meaning
base, foundation
Tyndale gloss
base
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מְכוֹנָה (mekunah) refers to a fixed resting place or base. It is noted as a variant of מְכֹנָה (mekhonah), which shares the same meaning. The entries consistently define it as a base, with no significant disagreement among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מְכוֹנָה, מְכֹנָה 25 n.f. fixed resting-place, base

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4369 מְכוֹנָה, מְכֹנָה, מְכֻנָה

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4369 mkunah mek-oo-naw'

the same as 4350; a spot:--base.

see HEBREW for 04350

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מְכֻנָה (me.khu.nah) — base.

resting place, base

Another spelling of me.kho.nah (מְכוֹנָה "base" H4350)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs | Suff — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
HNcfsc/Sp3fs
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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