Menu

Zephaniah 3:6 — Word Study

Depth

WLCהִכְרַ֣תִּי גוֹיִ֗ם נָשַׁ֙מּוּ֙ פִּנּוֹתָ֔ם הֶחֱרַ֥בְתִּי חֽוּצוֹתָ֖ם מִבְּלִ֣י עוֹבֵ֑ר נִצְדּ֧וּ עָרֵיהֶ֛ם מִבְּלִי־ אִ֖ישׁ מֵאֵ֥ין יוֹשֵֽׁב׃

BSAI have cut offkârath [destroyed, made a covenant with] the nationsgôwy [Gentiles, non-Hebrew peoples] their corner towerspinnâh [chief, pinnacle] are destroyedshâmêm [desolate, laid waste] I have madechârab their streets {deserted}chûwts [outdoor places, highways, empty, without inhabitants] with no onebᵉlîy to pass throughʻâbar [cross over, transition] Their citiesʻîyr [towns, populated areas] are laid wastetsâdâh [destroyed, ruined] with nobᵉlîy manʼîysh [male person, individual] noʼayin inhabitantyâshab [dweller, resident]

Word
Listen & take awayZephaniah 3
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 6 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 (yo.Shev) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Zephaniah 3:6quick helps
In a sentenceGod declares that He has decisively destroyed the nations and left their cities desolate.
Who is speakingThe LORD, proclaiming His judgment on the nations.
Where we areA declaration of judgment against the nations, contrasting with the righteousness of God.
The hard wordהִכְרַ֣תִּי
Take awayThe nations are utterly destroyed; their cities are empty.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectעָבַר verbכָּרַת 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 3:6

Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.

Context — God's Judgment on the Nationsgenerated

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.
6“I have cut off the nations; their corner towers are destroyed. I have made their streets deserted with no one to pass through. Their cities are laid waste, with no man, no inhabitant.
7I said, ‘Surely you will fear Me and accept correction.’ Then her dwelling place would not be cut off despite all for which I punished her. But they rose early to corrupt all their deeds.
8Therefore wait for Me,” declares the LORD, “until the day I rise to testify. For My decision is to gather nations, to assemble kingdoms, to pour out upon them My indignation— all My burning anger. For all the earth will be consumed by the fire of My jealousy.

Zephaniah 3:6 reveals God's decisive action against the nations, emphasizing His sovereignty and the consequences of rebellion. This verse is part of a larger message about God's justice and the fate of those who oppose Him. It serves as a stark reminder of the emptiness that follows divine judgment, as seen in the surrounding verses that describe the righteousness of the LORD and the call for repentance.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Isaiah 10:1–34Woe to those who enact unjust statutes and issue oppressive decrees,
2Isaiah 15:1–16This is the burden against Moab: Ar in Moab is ruined, destroyed in a night! Kir in Moab is devastated, destroyed in a night!
3Isaiah 19:1–25This is the burden against Egypt: Behold, the LORD rides on a swift cloud; He is coming to Egypt. The idols of Egypt will tremble before Him, and the hearts of the Egyptians will melt within them.
4Isaiah 37:11–13Surely you have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all the other countries, devoting them to destruction. Will you then be spared?
5Jeremiah 25:9–11behold, I will summon all the families of the north, declares the LORD, and I will send for My servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, whom I will bring against this land, against its residents, and against all the surrounding nations. So I will devote them to destruction and make them an object of horror and contempt, an everlasting desolation.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 8 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word הִכְרַ֣תִּי, hikh.Ra.tigenerated

The verb כָּרַת (karath) means to cut off or destroy, and it also carries the connotation of making a covenant. In this context, it signifies God's decisive action in eliminating the nations, demonstrating His authority over them.

This particular form is a perfect tense in the Hiphil stem, indicating a completed action by God. The choice of this verb underscores the finality of His judgment and the establishment of a new order in the absence of these nations.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

The verse is rendered in the Berean Standard Bible as 'I have cut off the nations; their corner towers are destroyed.' This wording is consistent across several translations, including the KJV and ASV.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb of the verse is הִכְרַ֣תִּי, I have cut off, which governs the structure. It is followed by a series of clauses that describe the consequences of this action.

The Hebrew construction emphasizes God's active role in destruction, with each subsequent phrase detailing the desolation of the nations and their cities, creating a stark image of emptiness and ruin.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, the Hebrew verb הִכְרַ֣תִּי is translated as κατέσπασα, which carries the meaning of having crushed or destroyed. This choice reflects a strong emphasis on the totality of God's judgment.

The Greek translation captures the severity of the action, aligning with the Hebrew intent of complete destruction and abandonment of the nations.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Zephaniah 3:6 states that God has decisively destroyed the nations, leaving their cities desolate and empty. This verse illustrates the consequences of rebellion against God and the finality of His judgment.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that God has 'cut off' the nations?

It signifies God's decisive action in destroying the nations, indicating that they have been completely eliminated from existence.

Why are the cities described as desolate?

The cities are described as desolate to emphasize the emptiness and destruction that follows God's judgment, highlighting the consequences of turning away from Him.

What is the significance of the corner towers being destroyed?

The corner towers represent strength and security; their destruction symbolizes the complete downfall of the nations' power and stability.

How does this verse relate to God's justice?

This verse illustrates God's justice by showing that He does not allow rebellion to go unpunished, and it serves as a warning to those who oppose Him.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways can I recognize God's authority in my life, similar to His judgment over the nations?
  2. How can I ensure that I am not living in rebellion against God?
  3. What does it mean for me to experience desolation in my own life, and how can I seek restoration?
  4. How can I share the message of God's justice and mercy with others?

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Zephaniah 3:6 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

I have cut off the nations,.... Utterly destroyed them, as the Philistines, Moabites, Ethiopians, and Assyrians, as in the preceding chapters; all which were done before the coming of Christ in the

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

The just LORD is in the midst thereof; he will not do iniquity: every morning doth he bring his judgment to light, he faileth not; but the unjust knoweth no shame.

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

I have cut off the nations; of old the Canaanites, lately the ten tribes, later yet the Assyrians and others, have been cut off for their sins. Their towers; either metaphorically, magistrates and great men, as ; or literally, strong towers built on the angles of walls or palaces. Are desolate; razed and demolished. I made their streets waste; I overthrew their houses, that there were no streets. None passeth by; or none walked through them. Their cities, small or great, capital or not capital, are destroyed; taken, plundered, burnt, and ruined. There is no man; all fled, or slain, or starved, or swept away with pestilence, or carried into captivity, not an inhabitant left in the places.

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

Zephaniah 3:6 I have cut off the nations: their towers are desolate; I made their streets waste, that none passeth by: their cities are destroyed, so that there is no man, that there is none inhabitant.Ver. 6. I have cut off the nations] And hanged them up in gibbets, as it were, before your eyes, for your admonition, ut ruina maiorum sit cautela minorum, that their destruction might be your instruction; that, seeing your neighbour’ s house on fire, you might look to your own; that, observing others to suffer shipwreck, you might see to your tackling. This is the use God expects we should make of his judgments upon others, Luke 13:3; Luke 13:5; Luke 17:26; Luke 17:29 Matthew 12:13; Matthew…

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

(6) The nations.—Those that were destroyed by the agency of Israel on invading the Promised Land; those also which were cut off by the Assyrians and the other great powers whom God used as His instruments (Isaiah 37:26).

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

Verse 6. I have cut off the nations] Syria, Israel, and those referred to, Isaiah 36:18; Isaiah 36:20. - Newcome.

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

6. Zephaniah 3:6 continues the preceding: Jehovah’s righteous rule is exercised not only in the midst of Israel itself but also among the nations without. His judgments among the nations were also meant for Israel’s instruction, and should have been laid to heart (Zephaniah 3:7). I have cut off the nations] Rather: I have cut off nations. No particular nations are named; history is full of God’s judgments on the peoples for their unrighteousness, the Flood, the overthrow of Sodom, the destruction of Samaria, and the like. I made their streets] have made; the examples or some of them are recent. The term “streets” might mean outplaces, territories. On the language of the verse comp. Jeremiah…

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

I have cut off the nations - God appeals to His judgments on pagan nations, not on any particular nation, as far as we know; but to past history, whether of those, of whose destruction Israel itself

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

“I have cut off the nations; their corner towers are destroyed. I have made their streets deserted with no one to pass through. Their cities are laid waste, with no man, no inhabitant.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

I have cut off nations. Their battlements are desolate. I have made their streets waste, so that no one passes by. Their cities are destroyed, so that there is no man, so that there is no inhabitant.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

“I have cut off the nations; their corner towers are destroyed. I have made their streets deserted with no one to pass through. Their cities are laid waste, with no man, no inhabitant.

NETBNew English Translation2006

“I destroyed nations; their walled cities are in ruins. I turned their streets into ruins; no one passes through them. Their cities are desolate; no one lives there.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

I have cut off the nations: their towers are desolate; I made their streets waste, that none passeth by: their cities are destroyed, so that there is no man, that there is none inhabitant.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

I have cut off nations; their battlements are desolate; I have made their streets waste, so that none passeth by; their cities are destroyed, so that there is no man, so that there is no inhabitant.

RVARevised Version, American1894

I have cut off nations, their battlements are desolate; I have made their streets waste, that none passeth by: their cities are destroyed, so that there is no man, that there is none inhabitant.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

I have cut off the nations: their towers are desolate; I made their streets waste, that none passeth by: their cities are destroyed, so that there is no man, that there is no inhabitant.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

I haue cut off the nations: their towres are desolate: I haue made their streetes waste, that none shall passe by: their cities are destroyed without man and without inhabitant.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

I have cut off nations: their battlements are desolate; I made their streets waste, that none passeth by; their cities are destroyed, so that there is no man, so that there is no inhabitant.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

I have cut off nations, Desolated have been their chief ones, I have laid waste their out-places without any passing by, Destroyed have been their cities, Without man, without inhabitant.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

“I have cut off nations, || Desolated have been their chief ones, || I have laid waste their out-places without any passing by, || Destroyed have been their cities, || Without man, without inhabitant.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

I have cut off nations; destroyed are their battlements; I have laid in ruins their streets, so that none passeth through; their cities are wasted, without a man, without an inhabitant.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

“I have destroyed nations; their fortresses are ruined. I have made their streets ruins, so that no one passes over them. Their cities are destroyed so that there is no man inhabiting them.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

I have destroyed the nations, and their towers are beaten down: I have made their ways desert, so that there is none that passeth by: their cities are desolate, there is not a man remaining, nor any inhabitant.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

I have destroyed nations. Their fortresses are deserted; their streets are empty; their cities are destroyed—there are no survivors, not one.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

I have had the nations cut off, their towers are broken down; I have made their streets a waste so that no one goes through them: destruction has overtaken their towns, so that there is no man living in them.

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.

clauseverbהִכְרַ֣תִּיI.have.cut.offobjectגוֹיִ֗םnationsclauseverbנָשַׁ֨מּוּ֙they.are.desolatenoun phrase · subjectפִּנּוֹתָ֔cornersםtheirclauseverbהֶחֱרַ֥בְתִּיI.have.made.desolatenoun phrase · objectחֽוּצוֹתָ֖streetsםtheirprepositional phrase · prepositionalמִfromclausepredicateבְּלִ֣יnotsubjectעוֹבֵ֑ר[one.who].passes.byclauseverbנִצְדּ֧וּthey.have.been.laid.wastenoun phrase · subjectעָרֵיcitiesהֶ֛םtheirprepositional phrase · prepositionalprepositional phraseמִfromclausepredicateבְּלִיnotsubjectאִ֖ישׁanyoneprepositional phraseמֵfromclausepredicateאֵ֥יןnotsubjectיוֹשֵֽׁבan.inhabitant

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


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

The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint largely agree in their wording, with 11 of the 14 words matching. However, the Septuagint's structure differs, reflecting its own interpretative choices.

The Dead Sea Scrolls show a similar alignment with the Masoretic Text, although the exact words are supplied by an editor, indicating a level of preservation despite the damage.

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

הִכְרַ֣תִּי גוֹיִ֗ם נָשַׁ֙מּוּ֙ פִּנּוֹתָ֔ם הֶחֱרַ֥בְתִּי חֽוּצוֹתָ֖ם מִבְּלִ֣י עוֹבֵ֑ר נִצְדּ֧וּ עָרֵיהֶ֛ם מִבְּלִי־ אִ֖ישׁ מֵאֵ֥ין יוֹשֵֽׁב׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
הִכְרַ֣תִּיκατέσπασαגוֹיִ֗םὑπερηφάνουςנָשַׁ֙מּוּ֙ἠφανίσθησανפִּנּוֹתָ֔םαὐτῶνהֶחֱרַ֥בְתִּיἐχερημώσωמִבְּלִ֣יμὴעוֹבֵ֑רδιοδεύεινנִצְדּ֧וּἐχέλιπονעָרֵיהֶ֛םπόλειςמֵאֵ֥יןμηδὲיוֹשֵֽׁב׃κατοικεῖν

11 of the 14 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

[הכרתי] [גוים] [נשמו] [פנות׳ם] [החרבתי] [חוצות׳ם] [מבלי] [עובר] [נצדו] [ערי׳הם] [מבלי] [איש] [מאין] [יושב]

nothing on the leather here — 14 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 3:6כָּרַתI have cut I have cut offכָּרַתגּוֹיnationsnationsגּוֹישָׁמֵםthey are dethey are desolaשָׁמֵםפִּנָּהcorners thecorners theirפִּנָּהחָרֵבI have madeI have made desחָרֵבחוּץstreets thestreets theirחוּץבְּלִיbecause notbecause notבְּלִיעָבַר[one who] p[one who] passeעָבַרצָדָהthey have bthey have been צָדָהעִירcities theicities theirעִירבְּלִיbecause notbecause notבְּלִיאִישׁanyoneanyoneאִישׁאַ֫יִןfrom notfrom notאַ֫יִןיָשַׁבinhabitantinhabitantיָשַׁבבָּלָהto become to become oldבָּלָהעוּרto rouseto rouseעוּרגֵּוָהbackbackגֵּוָהפִּנָּהCornerCornerפִּנָּהאֱנוֹשׁhumanhumanאֱנוֹשׁאִשָּׁהwomanwomanאִשָּׁהאַ֫יִןwhere?where?אַ֫יִןדַּ֫עַתknowledgeknowledgeדַּ֫עַתיָצַתto kindleto kindleיָצַתבְּרִיתcovenantcovenantבְּרִיתאֲשֵׁרָהAsherahAsherahאֲשֵׁרָהעָצוּםmightymightyעָצוּםמַמְלָכָהkingdomkingdomמַמְלָכָהשָׁרַקto whistleto whistleשָׁרַקנָוֶהpasturepastureנָוֶהקֶ֫רֶןhornhornקֶ֫רֶןאַרְבַּעfourfourאַרְבַּעיָשַׁםbe desolatbe desolateיָשַׁם
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 3:6

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.

I have cut off nations they are desolate corners their I have made desolate streets their because not [one who] passes by they have been laid waste cities their because not anyone from not inhabitant
הִכְרַ֣תִּיhikh.Ra.ti I have cut off H3772 Verb · Hiphil · perfect first person common singular
288× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to cut or destroy something, but it also has a special meaning related to making a covenant or agreement. In Genesis 15:18, God makes a covenant with Abram, symbolized by cutting animals in half, showing the seriousness of the promise. This word is used to describe important agreements and alliances.
Amplified meaning
destroyed, made a covenant with
Tyndale gloss
to cut: cut
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כָּרַת (karath) is a Hebrew verb meaning to cut off, cut down, or make a covenant. It encompasses a range of actions from physically cutting to forming alliances, often implying destruction or elimination. The verb appears in various forms, indicating different nuances such as being cut off or destroyed. Notably, it can also refer to the act of making a covenant, which traditionally involved cutting flesh.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כָּרַת 291 vb. cut off, cut down

Qal

cut off

cut down

hew, timber

cut, or make a covenant

Niph.

be cut off

be cut down

be chewed between the teeth

be cut off, in a more general sense fail

Pual

be cut off

be cut down

Hiph.

cut off, flattering lips

cut off, destroy the life of

cut down, destroy, cities

take away

permit to perish

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3772 כָּרַת cut off, cut down .. cut off

. cut down

. hew, timber

. cut, or make a covenant

. . be cut off

. be cut down

. be chewed between the teeth

. be cut off, in a more general sense fail

.. be cut off

. be cut down

. . cut off, flattering lips

. cut off, destroy the life of

. cut down, destroy, cities

. take away

. permit to perish

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3772 karath kaw-rath'

a primitive root; to cut (off, down or asunder); by

implication, to destroy or consume; specifically, to covenant

(i.e. make an alliance or bargain, originally by cutting flesh

and passing between the pieces):--be chewed, be

con-(feder-)ate, covenant, cut (down, off), destroy, fail,

feller, be freed, hew (down), make a league ((covenant)), X

lose, perish, X utterly, X want.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כָּרַת (ka.rat) — to cut: cut.

: cut/fell

1) to cut, cut off, cut down, cut off a body part, cut out, eliminate, kill, cut a covenant

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to cut off

1a1a) to cut off a body part, behead

1a2) to cut down

1a3) to hew

1a4) to cut or make a covenant

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be cut off

1b2) to be cut down

1b3) to be chewed

1b4) to be cut off, fail

1c) (Pual)

1c1) to be cut off

1c2) to be cut down

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to cut off

1d2) to cut off, destroy

1d3) to cut down, destroy

1d4) to take away

1d5) to permit to perish

1e) (Hophal) cut off

כָּרַת (ka.rat) — to cut: make(covenant).

: make(covenant)

1) to cut, cut off, cut down, cut off a body part, cut out, eliminate, kill, cut a covenant

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to cut off

1a1a) to cut off a body part, behead

1a2) to cut down

1a3) to hew

1a4) to cut or make a covenant

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be cut off

1b2) to be cut down

1b3) to be chewed

1b4) to be cut off, fail

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Hiphil-Perf-1cs — Verb · Hiphil · perfect first person common singular
HVhp1cs
I have cut off nations they are desolate corners their I have made desolate streets their because not [one who] passes by they have been laid waste cities their because not anyone from not inhabitant
גוֹיִ֗םgo.Yim nations H1471 Noun common · masculine plural absolute
561× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a Gentile, someone who is not Hebrew or Israeli. It can also describe a large group of animals or a nation of people, emphasizing their unity and shared identity.
Amplified meaning
Gentiles, non-Hebrew peoples
Tyndale gloss
Gentile
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

גּוֹי (goy) refers to a nation or people, often indicating non-Hebrew groups, but can also encompass descendants of Abraham and Israel. It may figuratively describe a swarm of locusts or animals. The plural form, גּוֹיִם (goyim), is noted as a proper noun referring to the people of Goim, specifically mentioned in Genesis 14:1.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

גּוֹי 661 n.m. nation, people

base

גּוֹיִם n.pr.gent. Tid‛al king of Goim

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1471a גּוֹי nation, people H1471b גּוֹיִם n. pr. gent. Tid‛al king of Goim

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1471 gowy go'-ee

rarely (shortened) goy {go'-ee}; apparently from the same

root as 1465 (in the sense of massing); a foreign nation;

hence, a Gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a

flight of locusts:--Gentile, heathen, nation, people.

see HEBREW for 01465

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

גּוֹי (goy) — nation.

1) nation, people

1a) nation, people

1a1) usually of non-Hebrew people

1a2) of descendants of Abraham

1a3) of Israel

1b) of swarm of locusts, other animals (fig.)

גּוֹיִם (go.yim) — Goiim.

People descended from Goy(?), first mentioned at Gen.14.1

§ Goyim (Tidgal, king of)

גּוֹי (goy) — Gentile.

1) nation, people

1a) nation, people

1a1) usually of non-Hebrew people

1a2) of descendants of Abraham

1a3) of Israel

1b) of swarm of locusts, other animals (fig.)

1c) Goyim? = "nations"

Also named: ethnos (ἔθνος "Gentiles" G1484)

גּוֹי (goy) — (Harosheth)-hagoyim.

Goyim (Tidgal, king of)

Combined with cha.ro.shet (חֲרֹ֫שֶׁת "Harosheth" H2800)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural absolute
HNcmpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

na'-shunz.

See GENTILES; GOIIM; HEATHEN; TABLE OF NATIONS.

I have cut off nations they are desolate corners their I have made desolate streets their because not [one who] passes by they have been laid waste cities their because not anyone from not inhabitant
נָשַׁ֙מּוּ֙na.Sha.mu they are desolate H8074 Verb · Niphal · perfect third person common plural
86× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The word 'shamem' means to be desolate or devastated, like a place left empty and destroyed, often used to describe the aftermath of war or disaster.
Amplified meaning
desolate, laid waste
Tyndale gloss
be desolate: destroyed
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׁמֵם (shamem) is a Hebrew verb meaning to be desolated or appalled. It is built from a primitive root and encompasses a range of meanings including to stun, devastate, and cause horror. The verb appears in various forms, such as Qal, Niphal, and Hiphil, indicating different nuances like being made desolate or causing desolation.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[שָׁמֵם] vb. be desolated, appalled

Qal

be desolated

be appalled, awestruck

Niph.

be desolated

be appalled

Pō‛.

I sat appalled

transit. appalling, causing horror

Hiph.

devastate, ravage

appal

inwardly trans., shewing horror

Hoph. all the days of (its) being desolate

Hithpō‛.

be appalled, astounded

cause oneself desolation, ruin

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8074 [שָׁמֵם] be desolated, appalled

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8074 shamem shaw-mame'

a primitive root; to stun (or intransitively, grow numb),

i.e. devastate or (figuratively) stupefy (both usually in a

passive sense):--make amazed, be astonied, (be an)

astonish(-ment), (be, bring into, unto, lay, lie, make)

desolate(-ion, places), be destitute, destroy (self), (lay,

lie, make) waste, wonder.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁמֵם (sha.mem) — be desolate: destroyed.

: destroyed/deserted

1) to be desolate, be appalled, stun, stupefy

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to be desolated, be deflowered, be deserted, be appalled

1a2) to be appalled, be awestruck

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be desolated, be made desolate

1b2) to be appalled

1c) (Polel)

1c1) to be stunned

1c2) appalling, causing horror (participle)

1c2a) horror-causer, appaller (subst)

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to devastate, ravage, make desolated

1d2) to appal, show horror

1e) (Hophal) to lay desolate, be desolated

1f) (Hithpolel)

1f1) to cause to be desolate

1f2) to be appalled, be astounded

1f3) to cause oneself desolation, cause oneself ruin

שָׁמֵם (sha.mem) — be desolate: appalled.

: appalled

1) to be desolate, be appalled, stun, stupefy

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to be desolated, be deflowered, be deserted, be appalled

1a2) to be appalled, be awestruck

1b) (Niphal)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Niphal-Perf-3cp — Verb · Niphal · perfect third person common plural
HVNp3cp
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

des'-o-lat (very frequently in the Old Testament for shamem, and its derivatives; less frequently, charebh, and its derivatives, and other words. In the New Testament it stands for eremos (Mt 23:38; Ac 1:20; Ga 4:27) eremoo (Re 17:16), and monoo (1Ti 5:5)): From Latin de, intens., solus, alone. Several shades of meaning can be distinguished:

(1) Its primary sense is "left lonely," "forlorn," e. g. Ps 25:16, "Have mercy upon me; for I am desolate" (Hebrew yachidh, "alone"); 1Ti 5:5, "she that is a widow indeed, and…

I have cut off nations they are desolate corners their I have made desolate streets their because not [one who] passes by they have been laid waste cities their because not anyone from not inhabitant
פִּנּוֹתָ֔םpi.no.Tam corners their H6438 Noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
29× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a corner or an angle, like a pinnacle or a chief ruler. It's used in descriptions of buildings, cities, and leaders in the Bible, like in Exodus and Isaiah.
Amplified meaning
chief, pinnacle
Tyndale gloss
corner
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

פִּנָּה (pinnah) means 'corner' and can refer to the corner of square objects or figuratively to a chief or chieftain. It is derived from a related word meaning 'to turn.' The entries indicate its use in contexts like a bulwark or pinnacle, but do not provide specific verse references.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

פִּנָּה 28 n.f. corner

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6438 פִּנָּה corner

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6438 pinnah pin-naw'

feminine of 6434; an angle; by implication, a pinnacle;

figuratively, a chieftain:--bulwark, chief, corner, stay,

tower.

see HEBREW for 06434

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

פִּנָּה (pin.nah) — Corner (Gate).

This name means corner, to turn, to turn back

פִּנָּה (pin.nah) — corner.

1) corner

1a) corner (of square objects)

1b) corner (of ruler or chief-fig.)

Also means: pen (פֵּן "Corner" H6434)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fp | Suff — Noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
HNcfpc/Sp3mp
I have cut off nations they are desolate corners their I have made desolate streets their because not [one who] passes by they have been laid waste cities their because not anyone from not inhabitant
הֶחֱרַ֥בְתִּיhe.che.Rav.ti I have made desolate H2717 Verb · Hiphil · perfect first person common singular
40× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To slay or destroy is the meaning of this Hebrew word, which can also mean to dry up or desolate something. It is used to describe fighting, attacking, or laying waste.
Tyndale gloss
to dry
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חָרֵב (charab) is a Hebrew verb with meanings related to dryness and destruction. It can refer to being dry or dried up, as well as to making something waste or desolate. Additionally, it can mean to attack or slay. The entries indicate a range of uses, from physical desiccation to metaphorical desolation, but do not present any significant disagreement among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[חָרֵב] vb. be dry, dried up

Qal be dry, dried up

Pu. of fresh bow-strings

Hiph. of י׳ drying up rivers

base

[חָרֵב] be waste, desolate

Qal be waste, desolate

Niph. as adj., desolate city

Hiph. lay waste, make desolate

Hoph. she is laid waste

base

[חָרַב] vb. (Aram. and rare) attack, smite down

Qal attack

Niph. the kings have attacked one another, fought together

Hoph. 2 K 3:23

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2717a חָרֵב be dry, dried up H2717b חָרֵב be waste, desolate H2717c חָרַב attack, smite down

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2717 charab khaw-rab'

or chareb {khaw-rabe'}; a primitive root; to parch (through

drought) i.e. (by analogy,) to desolate, destroy, kill:--

decay, (be) desolate, destroy(-er), (be) dry (up), slay, X

surely, (lay, lie, make) waste.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חָרֵב (cha.rev) — to dry.

1) to be dry, be dried up

1a) (Qal) to be dried, be dried up

1b) (Pual) to be dried

1c) (Hiphil) to dry up

1d) (Hophal) to be dried up

חָרֵב (cha.rev) — to destroy.

1) to be waste, lay waste, make desolate, be desolate, be in ruins

1a) (Qal) to be waste, be desolate

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be made desolate

1b2) desolate (participle)

1c) (Hiphil) to lay waste, make desolate

1d) (Hophal) to be laid waste

Aramaic equivalent: cha.rav (חֲרַב "be wasted" H2718)

חָרַב (cha.rav) — to slay.

to attack, smite down, slay, fight

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Hiphil-Perf-1cs — Verb · Hiphil · perfect first person common singular
HVhp1cs
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

des'-o-lat (very frequently in the Old Testament for shamem, and its derivatives; less frequently, charebh, and its derivatives, and other words. In the New Testament it stands for eremos (Mt 23:38; Ac 1:20; Ga 4:27) eremoo (Re 17:16), and monoo (1Ti 5:5)): From Latin de, intens., solus, alone. Several shades of meaning can be distinguished:

(1) Its primary sense is "left lonely," "forlorn," e. g. Ps 25:16, "Have mercy upon me; for I am desolate" (Hebrew yachidh, "alone"); 1Ti 5:5, "she that is a widow indeed, and…

I have cut off nations they are desolate corners their I have made desolate streets their because not [one who] passes by they have been laid waste cities their because not anyone from not inhabitant
חֽוּצוֹתָ֖םchu.tzo.Tam streets their H2351 Noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
164× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means outside or outdoors, referring to something beyond a wall or boundary. It can also mean a street or highway, as seen in various KJV translations, including abroad, field, and without.
Amplified meaning
outdoor places, highways, empty, without inhabitants
Tyndale gloss
outside
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חוּץ (chuwts) refers to the concept of being outside or outward, often associated with streets or highways. It is derived from a root meaning to sever, indicating separation by a wall. The term covers various contexts, including outdoors and fields.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חוּץ n.[m.] the outside, sts., esp. in pl., spec. a street

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2351 חוּץ

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2351 chuwts khoots

or (shortened) chuts {khoots}; (both forms feminine in the

plural) from an unused root meaning to sever; properly,

separate by a wall, i.e. outside, outdoors:--abroad, field,

forth, highway, more, out(-side, -ward), street, without.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חוּץ (chuts) — outside.

outside, outward, street, the outside

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp | Suff — Noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
HNcfpc/Sp3mp
I have cut off nations they are desolate corners their I have made desolate streets their because not [one who] passes by they have been laid waste cities their because not anyone from not inhabitant
מִבְּלִ֣יmi.be.Li because not H1097 Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
58× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means without or nothing, often used for negation. It appears in various forms, such as without or not yet, in the Old Testament.
Tyndale gloss
without
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בְּלִי (bli) refers to a state of wearing out or destruction, and serves as an adverb of negation meaning 'without' or 'not.' It is derived from the root meaning failure and can indicate absence or lack in various contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בְּלִי subst. wearing out, hence

fig. destruction

defect, failure, hence adv. of negation

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1097 בְּלִי subst. wearing out, hence . fig. destruction

. defect, failure, hence adv. of negation

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1097 bliy bel-ee'

from 1086; properly, failure, i.e. nothing or destruction;

usually (with preposition) without, not yet, because not, as

long as, etc.:--corruption, ig(norantly), for lack of, where

no...is, so that no, none, not, un(awares), without.

see HEBREW for 01086

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בְּלִי (be.li) — without.

subst

1) wearing out

adv of negation

2) without, no, not

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
HR/Ncmsa
I have cut off nations they are desolate corners their I have made desolate streets their because not [one who] passes by they have been laid waste cities their because not anyone from not inhabitant
עוֹבֵ֑רo.Ver [one who] passes by H5674 Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine singular
556× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb can mean to cross over or transition from one thing to another, and is sometimes used to describe being arrogant or crossing a boundary.
Amplified meaning
cross over, transition
Tyndale gloss
to pass
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עָבַר (abar) is a versatile verb meaning to pass over, through, or by, and it encompasses a range of actions including crossing, traversing, and alienating. It can also imply causing something to pass or be transferred, as well as emotional states like anger in its Hithpael form. The entries highlight its use in various contexts, though they do not provide specific verse references.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עָבַר 648 vb. pass over, through, by, pass on

Qal

pass over

Pass beyond

Pass through, traverse

pass along by

pass by

sweep by, of scourge

be past, over, of time

pass along (from hand to hand)

Pass on, go on

Pass away

Niph. Impf. a stream which cannot be forded

Pi.

his bull impregnateth

cause one to cross river

cause something to pass over

make over to

devote children to (לְ) heathen god

pass along (from hand to hand)

cause to pass through

let pass through

cause to pass by

let pass by

cause arrow to pass beyond

cause to pass under rod, for counting

cause to pass away, take away

Hiph.

cause to pass over, bring over

he made to pass across with chains of gold

base

[עָבַר] vb. denom. Hithp. be arrogant, infuriate oneself

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5674a עָבַר pass over, through, by, pass on .. pass over

. Pass beyond

. Pass through, traverse

. . pass along by

. pass by

. sweep by, of scourge

. be past, over, of time

. pass along (from hand to hand)

. Pass on, go on

. Pass away

. Impf. a stream which cannot be forded

. . his bull impregnateth . cause one to cross river

. cause something to pass over

. make over to

. devote children to (לְ) heathen god

. pass along (from hand to hand)

. . cause to pass through

. let pass through

. . cause to pass by

. let pass by

. cause arrow to pass beyond

. cause to pass under rod, for counting

. cause to pass away, take away

. . cause to pass over, bring over

. he made to pass across with chains of gold

H5674b עָבַר vb. denom. Hithp. be arrogant, infuriate oneself

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5674 `abar aw-bar'

a primitive root; to cross over; used very widely of any

transition (literal or figurative; transitive, intransitive,

intensive, causative); specifically, to cover (in

copulation):--alienate, alter, X at all, beyond, bring (over,

through), carry over, (over-)come (on, over), conduct (over),

convey over, current, deliver, do away, enter, escape, fail,

gender, get over, (make) go (away, beyond, by, forth, his way,

in, on, over, through), have away (more), lay, meddle,

overrun, make partition, (cause to, give, make to, over)

pass(-age, along, away, beyond, by, -enger, on, out, over,

through), (cause to, make) + proclaim(-amation), perish,

provoke to anger, put away, rage, + raiser of taxes, remove,

send over, set apart, + shave, cause to (make) sound, X

speedily, X sweet smelling, take (away), (make to)

transgress(-or), translate, turn away, (way-)faring man, be

wrath.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עָבַר (a.var) — to pass.

1) to pass over or by or through, alienate, bring, carry, do away, take, take away, transgress

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to pass over, cross, cross over, pass over, march over, overflow, go over

1a2) to pass beyond

1a3) to pass through, traverse

1a3a) passers-through (participle)

1a3b) to pass through (the parts of victim in covenant)

1a4) to pass along, pass by, overtake and pass, sweep by

1a4a) passer-by (participle)

1a4b) to be past, be over

1a5) to pass on, go on, pass on before, go in advance of, pass along, travel, advance

1a6) to pass away

1a6a) to emigrate, leave (one's territory)

1a6b) to vanish

1a6c) to perish, cease to exist

1a6d) to become invalid, become obsolete (of law, decree)

1a6e) to be alienated, pass into other hands

1b) (Niphal) to be crossed

1c) (Piel) to impregnate, cause to cross

1d) (Hiphil)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal — Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine singular
HVqrmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

In the sense of "against" which survives only in dialectal English (compare Wright, Dialect Dict., I, 470, for examples) is the King James Version rendering of the dative emauto of 1Co 4:4 (the American Standard Revised Version renders this "against"). In classical Greek the same idiom sunoida with dative = "be conscious" or "be cognizant of" a thing.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

By

In the expression “by myself” (A.V., 1 Cor. 4:4), means, as rendered in the Revised Version, “against myself.”

I have cut off nations they are desolate corners their I have made desolate streets their because not [one who] passes by they have been laid waste cities their because not anyone from not inhabitant
נִצְדּ֧וּnitz.Du they have been laid waste H6658 Verb · Niphal · 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 Hebrew word means to lay waste or destroy, often implying a violent chase. It is used in various contexts, including hunting and warfare. In the Bible, it appears in passages like Jeremiah 4:20.
Amplified meaning
destroyed, ruined
Tyndale gloss
to ambush
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

צָדָה (tsadah) is a Hebrew verb that encompasses the meanings of lying in wait, ambushing, and laying waste. It is derived from a primitive root suggesting both chasing and desolation. The entries indicate its use in contexts of destruction or hunting, with a specific mention of its Niphal form in Zephaniah 3:6.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

צָדָה vb. lie in wait

base

[צָדָה] vb. lay waste;—Niph. Zp 3:6

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6658a צָדָה lie in wait H6658b צָדָה lay waste

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6658 tsadah tsaw-daw'

a primitive root; to chase; by implication, to

desolate:--destroy, hunt, lie in wait.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

צָדָה (tsa.dah) — to ambush.

(Qal) to lie in wait

צָדָה (tsa.dah) — to waste.

1) to lay waste

1a) (Niphal) to be laid waste

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Niphal-Perf-3cp — Verb · Niphal · perfect third person common plural
HVNp3cp
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
I have cut off nations they are desolate corners their I have made desolate streets their because not [one who] passes by they have been laid waste cities their because not anyone from not inhabitant
עָרֵיהֶ֛ם'a.rei.Hem cities their H5892 Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
1,090× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word refers to a city or town, often a place with a wall or a watchman. It is used to describe a settlement or encampment, like the city of Ai, which is mentioned in the book of Joshua. The word is used to identify specific locations in the Bible.
Amplified meaning
towns, populated areas
Tyndale gloss
excitement
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עִיר (*'iyr*) has meanings related to both excitement and city. It can denote excitement, particularly of terror or rage, as well as refer to a city or town, indicating a place that is guarded or inhabited. The entries suggest a broad application, from fortified cities to simple encampments. There is a specific mention of a man named Ir in 1 Chronicles 4:12.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עִיר n.[m.] excitement;—of terror; of rage

base

עִיר 1092 n.f. city, town

city, town, abode of men

of fortress in a city

appar. fortified place, of any size

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5892a עִיר excitement;—of terror; of rage H5892b עִיר city, town . city, town, abode of men

. of fortress in a city

. appar. fortified place, of any size

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5892 `iyr eer

or (in the plural) par {awr}; or ayar (Judges 10:4)

{aw-yar'}; from 5782 a city (a place guarded by waking or a

watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or

post):--Ai (from margin), city, court (from margin), town.

see HEBREW for 05782

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עִיר (ir) — excitement.

1) excitement, anguish

1a) of terror

עִיר (ir) — city.

1) city, town (a place of waking, guarded)

1a) city, town (a place of waking, guarded)

1a) city, town

עִיר (ir) — City (of On).

Combined with on (אֹן "On" H0204)

This name means city, town

Another name of on (אֹן "On" H0204)

עִיר (ir) — Ir-.

#A man of the tribe of Judah living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.4.12;

son of: Tehinnah (H8468)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fp | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
HNcmpc/Sp3mp
I have cut off nations they are desolate corners their I have made desolate streets their because not [one who] passes by they have been laid waste cities their because not anyone from not inhabitant
מִבְּלִי־mi.be.li- because not H1097 Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
58× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means without or nothing, often used for negation. It appears in various forms, such as without or not yet, in the Old Testament.
Tyndale gloss
without
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בְּלִי (bli) refers to a state of wearing out or destruction, and serves as an adverb of negation meaning 'without' or 'not.' It is derived from the root meaning failure and can indicate absence or lack in various contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בְּלִי subst. wearing out, hence

fig. destruction

defect, failure, hence adv. of negation

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1097 בְּלִי subst. wearing out, hence . fig. destruction

. defect, failure, hence adv. of negation

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1097 bliy bel-ee'

from 1086; properly, failure, i.e. nothing or destruction;

usually (with preposition) without, not yet, because not, as

long as, etc.:--corruption, ig(norantly), for lack of, where

no...is, so that no, none, not, un(awares), without.

see HEBREW for 01086

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בְּלִי (be.li) — without.

subst

1) wearing out

adv of negation

2) without, no, not

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
HR/Ncmsc
I have cut off nations they are desolate corners their I have made desolate streets their because not [one who] passes by they have been laid waste cities their because not anyone from not inhabitant
אִ֖ישׁ'ish anyone H376 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
1,664× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for man, referring to a male person or individual, is used in the Bible to describe humans in contrast to God or animals, as seen in Genesis and Psalms. It can also mean husband or servant. In the KJV, it is translated as man or male.
Amplified meaning
male person, individual
Tyndale gloss
man
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אִישׁ (iysh) means 'man' and can refer to an individual male, a husband, or a human being in general. It encompasses various meanings, including champion and great man, and can also imply 'whosoever' or 'each.' The word is built from a root suggesting existence and is used throughout the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אִישׁ 2166 n.m. man (= vir)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H376 אִישׁ man (= vir)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

376 'iysh eesh

contracted for 582 (or perhaps rather from an unused root

meaning to be extant); a man as an individual or a male

person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and

in such cases frequently not expressed in

translation):--also, another, any (man), a certain, +

champion, consent, each, every (one), fellow, (foot-,

husband-)man, (good-, great, mighty) man, he, high (degree),

him (that is), husband, man(-kind), + none, one, people,

person, + steward, what (man) soever, whoso(-ever), worthy.

Compare 802.

see HEBREW for 0582

see HEBREW for 0802

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אִישׁ (ish) — man.

: man

1) man

1a) man, male (in contrast to woman, female)

1b) husband

1c) human being, person (in contrast to God)

1d) servant

1e) mankind

1f) champion

1g) great man

2) whosoever

3) each (adjective)

אִישׁ (ish) — man: husband.

: husband

1) man

1a) man, male (in contrast to woman, female)

1b) husband

1c) human being, person (in contrast to God)

1d) servant

1e) mankind

1f) champion

1g) great man

2) whosoever

3) each (adjective)

אִישׁ (ish) — man: anyone.

: anyone/someone

1) man

1a) man, male (in contrast to woman, female)

1b) husband

1c) human being, person (in contrast to God)

1d) servant

1e) mankind

1f) champion

1g) great man

2) whosoever

3) each (adjective)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
I have cut off nations they are desolate corners their I have made desolate streets their because not [one who] passes by they have been laid waste cities their because not anyone from not inhabitant
מֵאֵ֥יןme.'Ein from not H369 Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
789× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means nothing or not, often used to indicate the absence of something, as in Genesis 1:2 where the earth was without form. It emphasizes the idea of something lacking or non-existent.
Tyndale gloss
nothing
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אַ֫יִן (ayin) primarily means 'nothing' or 'nought' and serves as a negative particle indicating absence or negation, such as 'is not' or 'there is not.' It can also express lack of possession or existence. The word is derived from a root meaning to be non-existent, and it appears frequently in various grammatical constructions.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אַ֫יִן, אָ֑֫יִן cstr. אֵין subst. prop. nothing, nought

to nothing, as nothing

cstr. אֵין, very freq. as particle of negation, is not, are not, was not, were not

אֵין לְ׳, with subst., or pron., there is (was) not to … = … have, has, had, etc. not

in circumst. clauses

with inf. and ל׳, it is not to …

with prefixes

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H369 אַ֫יִן, אָ֑֫יִן cstr. אֵין subst. prop. nothing, nought . to nothing, as nothing

. cstr. אֵין, very freq. as particle of negation, is not, are not, was not, were not

. אֵין לְ׳, with subst., or pron., there is (was) not to … = … have, has, had, etc. not

. in circumst. clauses

. with inf. and ל׳, it is not to …

. with prefixes

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

369 'ayin ah'-yin

as if from a primitive root meaning to be nothing or not

exist; a non-entity; generally used as a negative

particle:--else, except, fail, (father-)less, be gone,

in(-curable), neither, never, no (where), none, nor, (any,

thing), not, nothing, to nought, past, un(-searchable),

well-nigh, without. Compare 370.

see HEBREW for 0370

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אַ֫יִן (a.yin) — nothing.

1) nothing, not, nought n

1a) nothing, nought neg

1b) not

1c) to have not (of possession) adv

1d) without w/prep

1e) for lack of

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | Part — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
HR/Ncmsc
I have cut off nations they are desolate corners their I have made desolate streets their because not [one who] passes by they have been laid waste cities their because not anyone from not inhabitant
יוֹשֵֽׁב׃yo.Shev inhabitant H3427 Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine singular
1,079× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to sit or dwell, and can also mean to remain or abide. It's used in the Bible to describe people living in a place or staying with someone, like in the book of Genesis.
Amplified meaning
dweller, resident
Tyndale gloss
to dwell
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָשַׁב (yashab) is a Hebrew verb meaning to sit, remain, or dwell. It encompasses a range of actions from simply sitting down to more complex ideas like establishing a home or causing a place to be inhabited. The entries indicate various forms, including Qal (to sit), Niphal (to be inhabited), and Hiphil (to cause to dwell). There is an Aramaic equivalent, יְתִב (ye.tiv), meaning 'to dwell'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָשַׁב 1090 vb. sit, remain, dwell

Qal

sit

sit, sit down

sit down

sit = be set (as a jewel)

remain, stay, tarry

with special emphasis of qualifying phr.

dwell, have one’s abode

of a land or city, sit, abide, seated in its place, fig. for be inhabited

Niph. be inhabited, of land

Pi. and they shall set their encampments in thee

Hiph.

cause to sit

cause to abide

cause to dwell

cause cities to be inhabited

marry (prop. give a dwelling to)

Hoph. and ye be made to dwell alone in the midst of the land

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3427 יָשַׁב sit, remain, dwell

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3427 yashab yaw-shab'

a primitive root; properly, to sit down (specifically as

judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to

remain; causatively, to settle, to marry:--(make to)

abide(-ing), continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-ing), ease

self, endure, establish, X fail, habitation, haunt, (make to)

inhabit(-ant), make to keep (house), lurking, X marry(-ing),

(bring again to) place, remain, return, seat, set(- tle),

(down-)sit(-down, still, -ting down, -ting (place) -uate),

take, tarry.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָשַׁב (ya.shav) — to dwell.

1) to dwell, remain, sit, abide

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to sit, sit down

1a2) to be set

1a3) to remain, stay

1a4) to dwell, have one's abode

1b) (Niphal) to be inhabited

1c) (Piel) to set, place

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to cause to sit

1d2) to cause to abide, set

1d3) to cause to dwell

1d4) to cause (cities) to be inhabited

1d5) to marry (give an dwelling to)

1e) (Hophal)

1e1) to be inhabited

1e2) to make to dwell

Aramaic equivalent: ye.tiv (יְתִב "to dwell" H3488)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal — Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine singular
HVqrmsa
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.

Everything we make is available for free because of a generous community of supporters.

Donate