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Zephaniah 3:3 — Word Study

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WLCשָׂרֶ֣יהָ בְקִרְבָּ֔הּ אֲרָי֖וֹת שֹֽׁאֲגִ֑ים שֹׁפְטֶ֙יהָ֙ זְאֵ֣בֵי עֶ֔רֶב לֹ֥א גָרְמ֖וּ לַבֹּֽקֶר׃

BSAHer princessar [rulers, leaders] are roaringshâʼag [like fierce conquerors] lionsʼărîy her judges [are]shâphaṭ [those who govern, vindicate] eveningʻereb [sunset, twilight] wolveszᵉʼêb leavinggâram [not reserving, gnawing] nothinglôʼ for the morningbôqer [the break of day, a new beginning]

Word
Listen & take awayZephaniah 3
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 3 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 (la.Bo.ker) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Zephaniah 3:3quick helps
In a sentenceThe verse describes the corrupt leadership of Jerusalem, likening them to fierce animals that leave nothing for the dawn.
Who is speakingThe prophet Zephaniah, addressing the people of Jerusalem.
Where we areThis verse is part of a passage condemning the city's leaders and their failure to uphold justice.
The hard wordשֹֽׁאֲגִ֑ים
Take awayThe imagery of roaring lions and gnawing wolves illustrates the predatory nature of the rulers and judges.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbשָׁאַג 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 — Zephaniah 3:3

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 Corruption of Jerusalem's Leadersgenerated

2She heeded no voice; she accepted no correction. She does not trust in the LORD; she has not drawn near to her God.
3Her princes are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves, leaving nothing for the morning.
4Her prophets are reckless, faithless men. Her priests profane the sanctuary; they do violence to the law.
5The LORD within her is righteous; He does no wrong. He applies His justice morning by morning; He does not fail at dawn, yet the unjust know no shame.

Zephaniah 3:3 depicts the leaders of Jerusalem as fierce predators, highlighting their corruption and failure to protect the vulnerable. This imagery serves to emphasize the moral decay within the city, as the rulers and judges exploit their positions instead of serving justice. The surrounding verses further illustrate the consequences of such leadership, contrasting it with the righteousness of the LORD, who does not fail to execute justice each morning.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Job 4:8–11As I have observed, those who plow iniquity and those who sow trouble reap the same.
2Psalm 10:8–10He lies in wait near the villages; in ambush he slays the innocent; his eyes watch in stealth for the helpless.
3Proverbs 28:15Like a roaring lion or a charging bear is a wicked ruler over a helpless people.
4Isaiah 1:23Your rulers are rebels, friends of thieves. They all love bribes and chasing after rewards. They do not defend the fatherless, and the plea of the widow never comes before them.
5Jeremiah 22:17“But your eyes and heart are set on nothing except your own dishonest gain, on shedding innocent blood, on practicing extortion and oppression.”

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


The Key Word שָׂרֶ֣יהָ, sa.Rei.hagenerated

The word שָׂר (sar) means 'ruler' or 'leader', and in this context, it refers specifically to the officials in Jerusalem. It indicates individuals in positions of power, such as princes or captains, who are expected to govern justly.

This noun is in the plural form, indicating multiple leaders. The construct form with the suffix suggests possession, meaning 'her officials' or 'her rulers', tying them directly to the city of Jerusalem.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

In this study, the verse is read in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses the term princes for שָׂרֶ֣יהָ.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The verse contains two main clauses, each presenting a different metaphor for the leaders and judges. The first clause describes the princes as אֲרָי֖וֹת (lions) שֹֽׁאֲגִ֑ים (roaring), while the second clause presents the judges as זְאֵ֣בֵי (wolves) עֶ֔רֶב (evening).

The structure emphasizes the predatory nature of both groups, with the verbs indicating their actions and the nouns providing the imagery. The use of vivid animal metaphors underscores the severity of their corruption.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates שָׂרֶ֣יהָ as οἱ, indicating a straightforward rendering of 'the rulers'. This choice aligns with the Hebrew meaning, preserving the sense of authority.

For אֲרָי֖וֹת, the LXX uses λέοντες, which directly translates to 'lions', maintaining the original imagery of strength and ferocity.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Zephaniah 3:3 describes the leaders of Jerusalem as fierce lions and wolves. This imagery highlights their predatory behavior and failure to protect the people. The verse emphasizes the corruption within the city's leadership, contrasting it with God's justice.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that the princes are like roaring lions?

It suggests that the leaders are aggressive and powerful, using their strength to dominate rather than protect.

Why are the judges compared to evening wolves?

Evening wolves symbolize cunning and predation, indicating that the judges exploit their authority for personal gain.

What is the significance of leaving nothing for the morning?

This phrase implies that the actions of these leaders leave no hope or resources for the people, representing a complete failure of justice.

How does this verse reflect the moral state of Jerusalem?

It illustrates a society where those in power are corrupt and predatory, failing to serve their community and uphold righteousness.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways can we identify predatory behavior in leadership today?
  2. How can we ensure that our leaders are held accountable for their actions?
  3. What steps can we take to promote justice and righteousness in our communities?
  4. How does this imagery of animals resonate with our understanding of power and authority?

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Zephaniah 3:3 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Her princes within her [are] roaring lions,.... Or, "as roaring lions"; there being a defect of the note of similitude; which is supplied by the Targum, Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Arabic versions.

Read John Gill on Zephaniah 3 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Her princes within her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves; they gnaw not the bones till the morrow. Her princes within her are roaring lions - "roaring" for pray (Proverbs 28:15; Ezekiel 22:27; Amos 3:4; Micah 2:2).

Read Robert Jamieson on Zephaniah 3 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Her princes; persons of principal place and authority about the king, chief officers in civil matters. and, which is worse, her own princes, born and bred among them, who should have been most tender and just. Are roaring lions; which hunt for prey, are ever tearing or threatening, affrighting or devouring. Such the Assyrian princes were, ,12. Such, and no better, are the princes in Judah and Jerusalem. Her judges; elders of cities, magistrates of lower rank; or it may be the sanhedrim. Evening wolves; most hungry, insatiable, and cruel, like wolves of the evening whetted with hunger and fasting, . They gnaw not the bones till the morrow; they leave nothing to be eat or the morrow, they…

Read Matthew Poole on Zephaniah 3 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Zephaniah 3:3 Her princes within her [are] roaring lions; her judges [are] evening wolves; they gnaw not the bones till the morrow.Ver. 3. Her princes within her are roaring lions] Roaring over the meaner sort, and tearing them with their claws. Her judges are evening wolves] See Habakkuk 1:8. This rapacity and bribery they had learned (likely) under Manassah and Amon; and exercised under good Josiah, who either knew it not, or could not redress it. Est ergo periculi plena reipublicae forma, quae ab uno dependet, saith Gualther here. And Tertullian telleth us, that one special thing the primitive Christians prayed for the emperor was, that God would send him Senatum fidelem, a faithful…

Read John Trapp on Zephaniah 3 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(3) Till the morrow.—Better, on the morrow. The meaning is just the opposite to that given in the Authorised Version. They are so greedy that they devour their prey instantly, leaving no portion of it for the morrow.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Zephaniah 3 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 3. Her princes - are roaring lions] Tearing all to pieces without shadow of law, except their own despotic power. Her judges are evening wolves] Being a little afraid of the lion-like princes, they practise their unjust dealings from evening to morning, and take the day to find their rest. They gnaw not the bones till the morrow.] They devour the flesh in the night, and gnaw the bones and extract the marrow afterwards. They use all violence and predatory oppression, like wild beasts; they shun the light, and turn day into night by their revellings.

Read AdamClarke on Zephaniah 3 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

3. Every class does evil, each in its own way. A very full parallel is Ezekiel 22:25-28 (in Ezekiel 22:25 read princes). The “princes” may be the royal house, or the magnates in whose hands lay the judicial and governing power. Ezek. describing the princes says, they are “like a roaring lion ravening the prey; they have devoured souls; they have taken the treasure; they have made her widows many.” The “judges” are compared to evening wolves (Habakkuk 1:8), less powerful than the lions but no less insatiable and murderous. Ezekiel 22:27, “wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain.” Judicial corruption and murder are often complained of by the prophets…

Read Cambridge on Zephaniah 3 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The prophet having declared the wickedness of the whole city, rehearses how each in Church and state, the ministers of God in either, who should have corrected the evil, themselves aggravated it.

Read Albert Barnes on Zephaniah 3 →

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

Her princes are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves, leaving nothing for the morning.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Her princes within her are roaring lions. Her judges are evening wolves. They leave nothing until the next day.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Her princes are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves, leaving nothing for the morning.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Her princes are as fierce as roaring lions; her rulers are as hungry as wolves in the desert, who completely devour their prey by morning.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Her princes within her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves; they gnaw not the bones till the morrow.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Her princes in the midst of her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves; they leave nothing till the morrow.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Her princes in the midst of her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves; they leave nothing till the morrow.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Her princes within her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves; they gnaw not the bones till the morrow.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Her princes within her are as roaring lyons: her iudges are as wolues in the euening, which leaue not the bones till the morow.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Her princes in the midst of her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves, that leave nothing for the morning.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Her heads in her midst [are] roaring lions, Her judges [are] evening wolves, They have not gnawn the bone in the morning.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Her heads in her midst [are] roaring lions, || Her judges [are] wolves [as in] evening, || They have not gnawn the bone in the morning.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Her princes in her midst are roaring lions: her judges are evening wolves, they leave not a bone for the morning.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Her princes are roaring lions in her midst. Her judges are evening wolves who leave nothing to be gnawed upon in the morning.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Her princes are in the midst of her as roaring lions: her judges are evening wolves, they left nothing for the morning.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Your leaders are as greedy as roaring lions; your judges are ravenous wolves that leave nothing behind by morning.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Her rulers are like loud-voiced lions in her; her judges are wolves of the evening, crushing up the bones before the morning.

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


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

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

clausenoun phrase · subjectnoun phraseשָׂרֶ֣יofficialsהָitsprepositional phraseבְinnoun phraseקִרְבָּ֔midstהּitsnoun phrase · predicateאֲרָי֖וֹת[are].lionsשֹֽׁאֲגִ֑יםroaringclausenoun phrase · subjectשֹׁפְטֶ֨יjudgesהָ֙itsnoun phrase · predicateזְאֵ֣בֵי[are].wolvesעֶ֔רֶבof.[the].eveningclauseadverbialלֹ֥א[which].notverbגָרְמ֖וּthey.gnawprepositional phrase · prepositionalלַtonoun phrasetheבֹּֽקֶרmorning

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


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

The Masoretic Text is supported by the Septuagint, which matches the Hebrew word-for-word, indicating agreement on the content. The Dead Sea Scrolls also align closely with the MT, though some words are partly restored or supplied by editors, showing minor variations.

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

שָׂרֶ֣יהָ בְקִרְבָּ֔הּ אֲרָי֖וֹת שֹֽׁאֲגִ֑ים שֹׁפְטֶ֙יהָ֙ זְאֵ֣בֵי עֶ֔רֶב לֹ֥א גָרְמ֖וּ לַבֹּֽקֶר׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
שָׂרֶ֣יהָοἱבְקִרְבָּ֔הּαὐτῇאֲרָי֖וֹתλέοντεςשֹֽׁאֲגִ֑יםὠρυόμενοιשֹׁפְטֶ֙יהָ֙οἱזְאֵ֣בֵיλύκοιעֶ֔רֶבἀραβίαςלֹ֥אοὐξגָרְמ֖וּὑπελίποντοלַבֹּֽקֶר׃εἰς

10 of the 10 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Dead Sea Scrolls — Mur88a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

שרי׳ה בקרב׳ה אריות שאגים [שפטי׳ה] זאבי ערב לא גרמו לבקר

7 words on the leather — 2 partly restored, 1 supplied entire by an editor.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q82a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

ערב [לא] [גרמו] [לבקר]

4 words of the verse are on this fragment — 1 partly restored, 3 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.

Zephaniah 3:3שַׂרofficials iofficials itsשַׂרקֶ֫רֶבin midst itin midst itsקֶ֫רֶבאֲרִי[are] lions[are] lionsאֲרִישָׁאַגroaringroaringשָׁאַגשָׁפַטjudges itsjudges itsשָׁפַטזְאֵב[are] wolve[are] wolves ofזְאֵבעֶ֫רֶב[the] eveni[the] eveningעֶ֫רֶבלֹא[which] not[which] notלֹאגָּרַםthey gnawthey gnawגָּרַםבֹּ֫קֶרto the mornto the morningבֹּ֫קֶרשָׂרַרto ruleto ruleשָׂרַרקָרֵבto presentto present: comקָרֵבאָרָהto pluckto pluckאָרָהעָרַבto grow dato grow darkעָרַבגֶּ֫רֶםboneboneגֶּ֫רֶםבָּקַרto enquireto enquireבָּקַרחֲמִשִּׁיםfiftyfiftyחֲמִשִּׁיםחֵ֫לֶבfatfatחֵ֫לֶבבָּעַרto burn: bto burn: burnבָּעַרלְבִיlionlionלְבִידֹּבbearbearדֹּבכְּפִירlionlionכְּפִירשֹׁטֵרofficialofficialשֹׁטֵרצֶ֫דֶקRighteousnRighteousnessצֶ֫דֶקנָמֵרleopardleopardנָמֵרטָרַףto tearto tearטָרַףטָמֵאto defileto defileטָמֵאבֹּ֫קֶרmorningmorningבֹּ֫קֶר
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 Zephaniah 3:3

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.

officials its in midst its [are] lions roaring judges its [are] wolves of [the] evening [which] not they gnaw to the morning
שָׂרֶ֣יהָsa.Rei.ha officials its H8269 Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
421× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A leader or person in charge, like a prince or captain, as seen in the Bible with King David and other rulers.
Amplified meaning
rulers, leaders
Tyndale gloss
ruler
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שַׂר (sar) refers to a leader or ruler, encompassing a range of meanings from prince and chief to official and captain. It denotes various ranks, including military commanders and religious leaders, and can also imply a noble or merchant of high status. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to rule'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שַׂר 420 n.m. chieftain, chief, ruler, official, captain, prince

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8269 שַׂר chieftain, chief, ruler, official, captain, prince

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8269 sar sar

from 8323; a head person (of any rank or class):--captain

(that had rule), chief (captain), general, governor, keeper,

lord, ((-task- ))master, prince(-ipal), ruler, steward.

see HEBREW for 08323

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שַׂר (sar) — ruler.

1) prince, ruler, leader, chief, chieftain, official, captain

1a) chieftain, leader

1b) vassal, noble, official (under king)

1c) captain, general, commander (military)

1d) chief, head, overseer (of other official classes)

1e) heads, princes (of religious office)

1f) elders (of representative leaders of people)

1g) merchant-princes (of rank and dignity)

1h) patron-angel

1i) Ruler of rulers (of God)

1j) warden

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
HNcmpc/Sp3fs
officials its in midst its [are] lions roaring judges its [are] wolves of [the] evening [which] not they gnaw to the morning
בְקִרְבָּ֔הּve.kir.Bah in midst its H7130 Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
227× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means the inner part or midst of something, whether physical or emotional, and can refer to the entrails of an animal or the seat of thought and emotion. In 1 Kings 17:21, it describes Elijah's emotional plea to God.
Tyndale gloss
entrails: among
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

קֶ֫רֶב (qereb) refers to the inward part or midst of something, encompassing both physical and figurative meanings. It can denote the center of a person or object, as well as the seat of thought and emotion. The term also relates to the entrails of sacrificial animals. It is used in various contexts, including references to being among or within a group.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

קֶ֫רֶב 227 n.[m.] inward part, midst

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7130 קֶ֫רֶב inward part, midst

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7130 qereb keh'-reb

from 7126; properly, the nearest part, i.e. the center,

whether literal, figurative or adverbial (especially with

preposition):--X among, X before, bowels, X unto charge, +

eat (up), X heart, X him, X in, inward (X -ly, part, -s,

thought), midst, + out of, purtenance, X therein, X through, X

within self.

see HEBREW for 07126

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קֶ֫רֶב (qe.rev) — entrails: among.

: among/within

1) midst, among, inner part, middle

1a) inward part

1a1) physical sense

1a2) as seat of thought and emotion

1a3) as faculty of thought and emotion

1b) in the midst, among, from among (of a number of persons)

1c) entrails (of sacrificial animals)

Also means: qe.rev (קֶ֫רֶב ": inner_parts" H7130H)

קֶ֫רֶב (qe.rev) — entrails: inner parts.

: inner_parts

1) midst, among, inner part, middle

1a) inward part

1a1) physical sense

1a2) as seat of thought and emotion

1a3) as faculty of thought and emotion

1b) in the midst, among, from among (of a number of persons)

1c) entrails (of sacrificial animals)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Ncmsc/Sp3fs — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HR/Ncmsc/Sp3fs
officials its in midst its [are] lions roaring judges its [are] wolves of [the] evening [which] not they gnaw to the morning
אֲרָי֖וֹת'a.ra.Yot [are] lions H738 Noun common · feminine plural construct
80× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In biblical times, a lion was a symbol of strength and power, and is often mentioned in stories like Daniel in the lions' den. The word for lion appears in various forms, including pictures or images of lions, and is used in books like 1 Kings and 2 Kings.
Tyndale gloss
lion
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֲרִי (ariy) and אַרְיֵה (aryeh) both mean 'lion' in Hebrew, referring to the animal itself or images of it. The word is derived from a root associated with violence. The entries do not indicate any significant disagreement among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֲרִי n.m. lion

base

אַרְיֵה n.m. lion

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H738a אֲרִי lion H738b אַרְיֵה lion

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

738 'ariy ar-ee'

or (prolonged) earyeh {ar-yay'}; from 717 (in the sense of

violence); a lion:--(young) lion, + pierce (from the margin).

see HEBREW for 0717

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֲרִי (a.ri) — lion.

1) lion

1a) pictures or images of lions

אַרְיֵה (ar.yeh) — lion.

1) lion

1a) pictures or images of lions

Aramaic equivalent: ar.yeh (אַרְיֵה "lion" H0744)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp — Noun common · feminine plural construct
HNcfpc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Lions

The most powerful of all carnivorous animals. Although not now found in Palestine, they must have been in ancient times very numerous there. They had their lairs in the forests (Jer. 5:6; 12:8; Amos 3:4), in the caves of the mountains (Cant. 4:8; Nah. 2:12), and in the canebrakes on the banks of the Jordan (Jer. 49:19; 50:44; Zech. 11:3).

No fewer than at least six different words are used in the Old Testament for the lion. (1.) Gor (i.e., a “suckling”), the lion’s whelp (Gen. 49:9;

officials its in midst its [are] lions roaring judges its [are] wolves of [the] evening [which] not they gnaw to the morning
שֹֽׁאֲגִ֑יםsho.'a.Gim roaring H7580 Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine plural
20× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to roar, like a lion or a conqueror, and is also used to describe God's powerful voice. It appears in the Bible to convey a sense of intense power or distress. In Psalm 104:21, it describes the roar of a lion.
Amplified meaning
like fierce conquerors
Tyndale gloss
to roar
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word שָׁאַג (sha'ag) means 'to roar' and is derived from a primitive root. It covers the action of roaring, particularly in contexts involving a lion, a conqueror, or a cry of distress. The entries consistently emphasize the powerful nature of the sound, but do not provide specific verse references.

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7580 שָׁאַג roar

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7580 sha'ag shaw-ag'

a primitive root; to rumble or moan:--X mightily, roar.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁאַג (sha.ag) — to roar.

1) (Qal) to roar

1a) of lion, conqueror, Jehovah, cry of distress

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal — Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine plural
HVqrmpa
officials its in midst its [are] lions roaring judges its [are] wolves of [the] evening [which] not they gnaw to the morning
שֹׁפְטֶ֙יהָ֙sho.fe.Tei.ha judges its H8199 Verb qal participle (active) masculine plural common · suffix
202× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To shaphat means to judge or govern, and can also mean to vindicate or punish. In the Bible, this term is often used to describe God's role as a judge, as well as human judges and rulers.
Amplified meaning
those who govern, vindicate
Tyndale gloss
to judge
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׁפַט (shaphat) is a Hebrew verb meaning to judge or govern. It encompasses a range of actions including pronouncing sentences, executing judgments, and deciding controversies in various contexts such as civil and religious matters. The word can also imply being judged or entering into legal disputes. There is a specific mention of its use in the context of final judgment.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁפַט 185 vb. judge, govern

Qal

act as law-giver, judge, governor

specif. decide controversy, discriminate betw. persons, in civil, political, domestic and religious questions

execute judgment

Niph.

recipr., enter into controversy, plead

pass. be judged

Pô‛el = my opponent-at-law

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8199 שָׁפַט judge, govern .. act as law-giver, judge, governor

. specif. decide controversy, discriminate betw. persons, in civil, political, domestic and religious questions

. execute judgment

. . recipr., enter into controversy, plead

. pass. be judged

.= my opponent-at-law

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8199 shaphat shaw-fat'

a primitive root; to judge, i.e. pronounce sentence (for or

against); by implication, to vindicate or punish; by

extenssion, to govern; passively, to litigate (literally or

figuratively):--+ avenge, X that condemn, contend, defend,

execute (judgment), (be a) judge(-ment), X needs, plead,

reason, rule.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁפַט (sha.phat) — to judge.

1) to judge, govern, vindicate, punish

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to act as law-giver or judge or governor (of God, man)

1a1a) to rule, govern, judge

1a2) to decide controversy (of God, man)

1a3) to execute judgment

1a3a) discriminating (of man)

1a3b) vindicating

1a3c) condemning and punishing

1a3d) at theophanic advent for final judgment

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to enter into controversy, plead, have controversy together

1b2) to be judged

1c) (Poel) judge, opponent-at-law (participle)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal | Suff — Verb qal participle (active) masculine plural common · suffix
HVqrmpc/Sp3fs
officials its in midst its [are] lions roaring judges its [are] wolves of [the] evening [which] not they gnaw to the morning
זְאֵ֣בֵיze.'E.vei [are] wolves of H2061 Noun common · masculine plural construct
7× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Ze'ev means wolf in Hebrew, an animal mentioned in the Bible, often symbolizing danger or fierceness.
Tyndale gloss
wolf
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

זְאֵב (z'ev) means 'wolf' and is derived from an unused root that suggests a yellow color. The term is straightforwardly defined across the entries, with no significant variation in meaning. It appears in contexts referring to the animal itself.

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2061 זְאֵב wolf

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2061 z'eb zeh-abe'

from an unused root meaning to be yellow; a wolf:--wolf.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

זְאֵב (ze.ev) — wolf.

wolf

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural construct
HNcmpc
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…

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
officials its in midst its [are] lions roaring judges its [are] wolves of [the] evening [which] not they gnaw to the morning
עֶ֔רֶב'E.rev [the] evening H6153 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
134× 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 evening or sunset, like when God created daylight and darkness in Genesis. It refers to the time of day, often marking the end of a workday. This word is used in many verses, including Exodus and Psalms.
Amplified meaning
sunset, twilight
Tyndale gloss
evening
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עֶ֫רֶב (ereb) refers to the time of day known as evening or dusk, originally associated with sunset. It can also denote night, particularly in poetic contexts. The phrase 'between two evenings' suggests a time frame between sunset and darkness.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עֶ֫רֶב 131 n.[m.] (sun)set, evening

evening, orig. sunset

du. in phrase between two evenings, i.e. prob. between sunset and dark

(late poet.) = night

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6153 עֶ֫רֶב (sun)set, evening . . evening, orig. sunset

. du. in phrase between two evenings, i.e. prob. between sunset and dark

. (late poet.) = night

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6153 `ereb eh'-reb

from 6150; dusk:--+ day, even(-ing, tide), night.

see HEBREW for 06150

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עֶ֫רֶב (e.rev) — evening.

1) evening, night, sunset

1a) evening, sunset

1b) night

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Evening

The period following sunset with which the Jewish day began (Gen. 1:5; Mark 13:35). The Hebrews reckoned two evenings of each day, as appears from Ex. 16:12: 30:8; 12:6 (marg.); Lev. 23:5 (marg. R.V., “between the two evenings”). The “first evening” was that period when the sun was verging towards setting, and the “second evening” the moment of actual sunset. The word “evenings” in Jer. 5:6 should be “deserts” (marg. R.V.).

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The Hebrews reckoned two evenings in each day; as in the phrase, "between the two evenings," Ex 12:6 Nu 9:3 28:4. In this interval the Passover was to be killed, and the daily evening sacrifice offered, Ex 29:39-41, Hebrew. According to the Carites, this time between the evenings is the interval from sunset to complete darkness, that is, the evening is the interval from sunset to complete darkness, that is, the evening twilight. Compare De 16:6. According to the Pharisees and the rabbins, the first evening began when the sun inclined to descend more rapidly, that is, at the ninth hour; while the second or real evening commenced at sunset. See DAY.

officials its in midst its [are] lions roaring judges its [are] wolves of [the] evening [which] not they gnaw to the morning
לֹ֥אlo' [which] not H3808 Particle
5,170× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Tyndale gloss
not
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לֹא or לוֹא adv. not

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3808 lo' lo

or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often

used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,

ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,

no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out

of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +

of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לֹא (lo) — not.

1) not, no

1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)

1b) not (with modifier-negation)

1c) nothing (subst)

1d) without (with particle)

1e) before (of time)

Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part — Particle
HTn
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
officials its in midst its [are] lions roaring judges its [are] wolves of [the] evening [which] not they gnaw to the morning
גָרְמ֖וּga.re.Mu they gnaw H1633 Verb · Qal · perfect third person common plural
3× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to break bones, often in the sense of gnawing or crunching them. It is a vivid and intense image used in some biblical passages.
Amplified meaning
not reserving, gnawing
Tyndale gloss
to reserve
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

גָּרַם (garam) is a Hebrew verb with meanings related to both reserving and breaking bones. It can signify laying aside or saving, as well as a more physical action of breaking or gnawing bones. The word is derived from a primitive root and is used in a denominative sense, indicating a range of meanings from the abstract to the concrete.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[גָּרַם] vb. lay aside, leave, save

base

[גָּרַם] vb. denom. break bones, break

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1633a גָּרַם lay aside, leave, save H1633b גָּרַם vb. denom. break bones, break

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1633 garam gaw-ram'

a primitive root; to be spare or skeleton-like; used only as

a denominative from 1634; (causative) to bone, i.e. denude (by

extensive, craunch) the bones:--gnaw the bones, break.

see HEBREW for 01634

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

גָּרַם (ga.ram) — to reserve.

1) to cut off, reserve, lay aside, leave, save

1a) (Qal) to reserve

גָּרַם (ga.ram) — to break bones.

(Piel) to break bones, gnaw bones, break

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-3cp — Verb · Qal · perfect third person common plural
HVqp3cp
officials its in midst its [are] lions roaring judges its [are] wolves of [the] evening [which] not they gnaw to the morning
לַבֹּֽקֶר׃la.Bo.ker to the morning H1242 Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
214× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The break of day or morning, a time of new beginnings, as in the morning sacrifices in Exodus 29:39 or the resurrection of Jesus on the first day of the week in John 20:1.
Amplified meaning
the break of day, a new beginning
Tyndale gloss
morning
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בֹּ֫קֶר (boqer) means 'morning' and is derived from the root word for 'dawn.' It encompasses the time of day when light begins to appear, marking the end of night and the start of a new day. The term can also refer to the next day or morning after a specific point in time. It is associated with brightness and joy following periods of distress.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בֹּ֫קֶר 214 n.m. morning

morning (of point of time, time at which, never during which, Eng. morning = forenoon

morrow, next day

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1242 בֹּ֫קֶר morning . morning (of point of time, time at which, never during which, Eng. morning = forenoon

. morrow, next day

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1242 boqer bo'-ker

from 1239; properly, dawn (as the break of day); generally,

morning:--(+) day, early, morning, morrow.

see HEBREW for 01239

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בֹּ֫קֶר (bo.qer) — morning.

1) morning, break of day

1a) morning

1a1) of end of night

1a2) of coming of daylight

1a3) of coming of sunrise

1a4) of beginning of day

1a5) of bright joy after night of distress (fig.)

1b) morrow, next day, next morning

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

mor'-ning: There are several Hebrew and Greek words which are rendered "morning," the most common in Hebrew being boqer, which occurs 180 times. It properly means "the breaking forth of the light," "the dawn," as in Ge 19:27; Jud 19:8,25,27. Another word with the same meaning is shachar (Ge 19:15; Ne 4:21; Isa 58:8). mishchar ("womb of the morning," Ps 110:3) is a poetical term derived from. the same root. See HIND OF THE MORNING. noghah, naghha' (Da 6:19 (Hebrew 20)), mean "brightness." hashkem, comes from…

Torrey's New Topical Textbook

- The second part of the day at the creation

Ge 1:5,8,13,19,23,31

- The first part of the natural day

Mr 16:2

- Ordained by God

Job 38:12

- Began with first dawn

Jos 6:15; Ps 119:147

- Continued until noon

1Ki 18:26; Ne 8:3

- First dawning of, called the eyelids of the morning

Job 3:9; 41:18

- The outgoings of, made to rejoice

Ps 65:8

- THE JEWS

. Generally rose early in

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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