Menu

1 Chronicles 6:55 — Word Study

Depth

WLCוַֽיִּתְּנ֥וּ לָהֶ֛ם אֶת־ חֶבְר֖וֹן בְּאֶ֣רֶץ יְהוּדָ֑ה וְאֶת־ מִגְרָשֶׁ֖יהָ סְבִיבֹתֶֽיהָ׃

BSApasturelandsmigrâsh [open fields, common grazing areas]

Word
Listen & take away1 Chronicles 6
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 55 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 (se.vi.vo.Tei.ha) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
1 Chronicles 6:55quick helps
In a sentenceThe descendants of Aaron were assigned Hebron and its surrounding lands.
Who is speakingThe narrator recounts the allotment of cities to the Levites.
Where we areThe distribution of cities among the Levite clans.
The hard wordחֶבְרוֹן
Take awayHebron was given as a city of refuge.
4 commentators on this verse Jamieson, Trapp, Ellicott, Cambridge & more — read them › clause verbמִן 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 — 1 Chronicles 6:55

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 Allotment of Cities to the Levitesgenerated

54Now these were the territories assigned to the descendants of Aaron from the Kohathite clan for their settlements, because the first lot fell to them:
55They were given Hebron in the land of Judah and its surrounding pasturelands.
56But the fields and villages around the city were given to Caleb son of Jephunneh.
57So the descendants of Aaron were given Hebron (a city of refuge), Libnah, Jattir, Eshtemoa,

1 Chronicles 6:55 describes how the city of Hebron was allotted to the descendants of Aaron, along with its pasturelands, as part of the distribution of cities among the Levite clans. This allocation highlights the importance of Hebron in the territory of Judah and its role as a city of refuge, emphasizing the connection between the land and the priestly duties of the Levites.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Joshua 14:13Then Joshua blessed Caleb son of Jephunneh and gave him Hebron as his inheritance.
2Joshua 15:13According to the LORD’s command to him, Joshua gave Caleb son of Jephunneh a portion among the sons of Judah—Kiriath-arba, that is, Hebron. (Arba was the forefather of Anak.)
3Joshua 21:11–13They gave them Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), with its surrounding pasturelands, in the hill country of Judah. (Arba was the father of Anak.)
4Judges 1:20Just as Moses had promised, Judah gave Hebron to Caleb, who drove out the descendants of the three sons of Anak.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 4 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word חֶבְרוֹן, chev.Rongenerated

The word חֶבְרוֹן (chevron) refers to a significant city in southern Judah, known for its historical and religious significance. It is associated with Abraham and is first mentioned in Genesis. The term itself is derived from a root meaning 'association,' which reflects its role as a place of gathering and refuge.

In this verse, Hebron is not just a geographical location; it carries the weight of its historical context as a city of refuge, where individuals could seek safety. The assignment of Hebron to the descendants of Aaron underscores the importance of the Levites' role in maintaining the sanctity of such cities.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

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


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb of the sentence is וַֽיִּתְּנ֥וּ, and they gave, which governs the rest of the clause. The structure is straightforward, with the subject performing the action of giving, followed by the specific allotment of Hebron and its pasturelands.

Hebron is presented as the direct object of the verb, with the prepositional phrases providing context about the location and the surrounding areas. The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the city being given first, highlighting its significance.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, the Hebrew חֶבְרוֹן is rendered as Ἐβραῖον, which maintains the geographical reference while adapting to the Greek linguistic context. This choice indicates a direct translation of the city name, showing consistency in the identification of Hebron.

The use of the Greek term reflects the translators' intent to preserve the significance of the city while making it accessible to a Greek-speaking audience, ensuring that the cultural and historical context remains intact.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

1 Chronicles 6:55 states that the descendants of Aaron were given the city of Hebron in the land of Judah, along with its surrounding pasturelands. This assignment highlights the significance of Hebron as a city of refuge and its importance in the territory of Judah.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What is the significance of Hebron?

Hebron is significant as a city of refuge and has historical ties to the patriarch Abraham, making it an important location for the Israelites.

Why were pasturelands included in the allotment?

Pasturelands were essential for the sustenance of the Levites and their families, providing them with the necessary resources to fulfill their priestly duties.

What does it mean for Hebron to be a city of refuge?

A city of refuge was a designated place where individuals could seek asylum from avengers of blood, ensuring their safety while awaiting trial.

How does this verse connect to the overall narrative of the Levites?

This verse illustrates the distribution of land among the Levites, emphasizing their unique role and responsibilities within the Israelite community.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What does the assignment of Hebron tell us about the importance of cities of refuge in ancient Israel?
  2. How can we understand the role of the Levites in maintaining the sanctity of these cities?
  3. In what ways can we apply the concept of refuge in our own lives today?
  4. What significance does the land of Judah hold in the broader context of Israel's history?

Commentators on this verse — 4 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on 1 Chronicles 6:55 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And these are the sons of Aaron; Eleazar his son, Phinehas his son, Abishua his son, No JFB commentary on these verses.

Read Robert Jamieson on 1 Chronicles 6 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

1 Chronicles 6:55 And they gave them Hebron in the land of Judah, and the suburbs thereof round about it.Ver. 55. Hebron, the city of refuge.] The six cities of refuge were cities of the Levites, where guilty persons might be instructed and comforted, King James was wont to say, that if God did allow him to kill a man by any means, he should think God did not love him.

Read John Trapp on 1 Chronicles 6 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(54-81) The Levitical cities, beginning with those of the Aavonites, the principal branch of the Kohathite clan. This list deals with the same topic as Joshua 21:3-40, with which, upon the whole, it is in substantial agreement. 1 Chronicles 6:54-60 are parallel to Joshua 21:10-19.

Read Charles John Ellicott on 1 Chronicles 6 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

55. suburbs] cp. 1 Chronicles 13:2, note.

Read Cambridge on 1 Chronicles 6 →

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

They were given Hebron in the land of Judah and its surrounding pasturelands.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

to them they gave Hebron in the land of Judah, and its pasture lands around it;

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

They were given Hebron in the land of Judah and its surrounding pasturelands.

NETBNew English Translation2006

They were allotted Hebron in the territory of Judah, as well as its surrounding pasturelands.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And they gave them Hebron in the land of Judah, and the suburbs thereof round about it.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

to them they gave Hebron in the land of Judah, and the suburbs thereof round about it;

RVARevised Version, American1894

to them they gave Hebron in the land of Judah, and the suburbs thereof round about it;

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And they gave them Hebron in the land of Judah, and its suburbs around it.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

So they gaue them Hebron in the lande of Iudah and the suburbes thereof rounde about it.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

and they gave them Hebron in the land of Judah, and its suburbs round about it;

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

and they give to them Hebron in the land of Judah and its suburbs round about it;

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

and they give to them Hebron in the land of Judah and its outskirts around it;

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

(6:40) And they gave unto them Hebron in the land of Judah, with its open spaces round about it.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

To them they gave Hebron in the land of Judah and its pasturelands,

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And they gave them Hebron in the land of Juda, and the suburbs thereof round about:

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

They received Hebron in Judah together with its surrounding pasturelands.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

To them they gave Hebron and its outskirts in the land of Judah;

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.

וַֽandclauseverbיִּתְּנ֥וּpeople.gaveprepositional phrase · prepositionalלָtoהֶ֛םthemnoun phrase · objectnoun phraseאֶת(et)noun phraseחֶבְר֖וֹןHebronprepositional phraseבְּinnoun phraseאֶ֣רֶץthe.landיְהוּדָ֑הof.Judahוְandnoun phraseאֶת(et)noun phrasenoun phraseמִגְרָשֶׁ֖יlandsהָits.pasturenoun phraseסְבִיבֹתֶֽיaroundהָit

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 account of the allotment of Hebron. The Septuagint matches 7 of the 9 words from the Hebrew text, indicating a close relationship between the two versions. The differences in word order and articles are characteristic of the Greek translation process.

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

וַֽיִּתְּנ֥וּ לָהֶ֛ם אֶת־ חֶבְר֖וֹן בְּאֶ֣רֶץ יְהוּדָ֑ה וְאֶת־ מִגְרָשֶׁ֖יהָ סְבִיבֹתֶֽיהָ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַֽיִּתְּנ֥וּἀπὸלָהֶ֛םφυλῆςאֶת־μανασσηבְּאֶ֣רֶץκαὶוְאֶת־τὰמִגְרָשֶׁ֖יהָκαὶסְבִיבֹתֶֽיהָ׃καὶ

7 of the 9 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

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


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

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

1 Chronicles 6:55נָתַןand people and people gaveנָתַןהֶםto themto themהֶםאֵתthe object the object markאֵתחֶבְרוֹןHebronHebronחֶבְרוֹןאֶ֫רֶץin [the] lain [the] land oאֶ֫רֶץיְהוּדָהJudahJudahיְהוּדָהאֵתand the objand the object אֵתמִגְרָשׁpasture lanpasture lands iמִגְרָשׁסָבִיבaround itaround itסָבִיבאוֹתsign: mirasign: miraculouאוֹתחֶ֫בֶרspellspellחֶ֫בֶריָדָהto give thto give thanksיָדָהגָּרַשׁto drive oto drive out: dגָּרַשׁסָבַבto turn: tto turn: turnסָבַבמִגְרָשׁpasturepastureמִגְרָשׁנַחֲלָהinheritancinheritanceנַחֲלָהזֶ֫רַעseedseedזֶ֫רַעקִרְיַתolder nameolder name of HקִרְיַתיִצְהָרIzharIzharיִצְהָרכְּנַ֫עַןCanaanCanaanכְּנַ֫עַןמִצְרַ֫יִם(Sea of) E(Sea of) Egyptמִצְרַ֫יִםצִדְקִיָּ֫הוּZedekiahZedekiahצִדְקִיָּ֫הוּבֵּיתBethlehemBethlehemבֵּיתגַּת־רִמּוֹןGath-rimmoGath-rimmonגַּת־רִמּוֹןיַ֫הַץJahazJahazיַ֫הַץאֵילָםarchesarchesאֵילָםחַלּוֹןwindowwindowחַלּוֹן
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 1 Chronicles 6:55

One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.

Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.

and people gave to them the object marker Hebron in [the] land of Judah and the object marker pasture lands its around it
וַֽיִּתְּנ֥וּvai.yi.te.Nu and people gave H5414 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
2,011× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to give, put, or set something, with a wide range of applications. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus, describing God's actions and human interactions. The word is used to convey giving, selling, or exchanging something.
Tyndale gloss
to give: give
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word נָתַן (natan) means 'to give' and encompasses a wide range of applications such as putting, setting, and making. It can also indicate actions like bestowing, delivering, and assigning. The entries describe its use in various forms, including Qal, Niphal, and Hophal, but do not present any significant disagreements among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נָתַן 2007 vb. give, put, set

Qal 1917

give

Put, set

Make, constitute

Niph.

82be given

Be put, set

Hoph.

be given, bestowed

= be given to one for wife

be put upon

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5414 נָתַן give, put, set .. give

. Put, set

. Make, constitute

. . be given

. Be put, set

. . . be given, bestowed

. = be given to one for wife

. be put upon

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5414 nathan naw-than'

a primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of

application (put, make, etc.):--add, apply, appoint, ascribe,

assign, X avenge, X be ((healed)), bestow, bring (forth,

hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, +

cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, X doubtless, X

without fail, fasten, frame, X get, give (forth, over, up),

grant, hang (up), X have, X indeed, lay (unto charge, up),

(give) leave, lend, let (out), + lie, lift up, make, + O that,

occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, X

pull , put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send

(out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), + sing, + slander,

strike, (sub-)mit, suffer, X surely, X take, thrust, trade,

turn, utter, + weep, + willingly, + withdraw, + would (to)

God, yield.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָתַן (na.tan) — to give: give.

: give/deliver/send/produce

1) to give, put, set

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to give, bestow, grant, permit, ascribe, employ, devote, consecrate, dedicate, pay wages, sell, exchange, lend, commit, entrust, give over, deliver up, yield produce, occasion, produce, requite to, report, mention, utter, stretch out, extend

1a2) to put, set, put on, put upon, set, appoint, assign, designate

1a3) to make, constitute

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be given, be bestowed, be provided, be entrusted to, be granted to, be permitted, be issued, be published, be uttered, be assigned

1b2) to be set, be put, be made, be inflicted

1c) (Hophal)

1c1) to be given, be bestowed, be given up, be delivered up

1c2) to be put upon

נָתַן (na.tan) — to give: put.

: put/set/apppoint

1) to give, put, set

1a) (Qal)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Hc/Vqw3mp — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
Hc/Vqw3mp
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and people gave to them the object marker Hebron in [the] land of Judah and the object marker pasture lands its around it
לָהֶ֛םla.Hem to them H9038 Preposition · suffix
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הֶם (hem) — them.

Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 3rd person masculine plural

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Sp3mp — Preposition · suffix
HR/Sp3mp
and people gave to them the object marker Hebron in [the] land of Judah and the object marker pasture lands its around it
אֶת־'et- the object marker H853 Particle
10,946× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the original Hebrew, this word points out the object of a verb or preposition, like 'namely' or 'even'. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus. It's not directly translated in English, but helps clarify the meaning of sentences.
Tyndale gloss
[Obj.]
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

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

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

853 'eth ayth

apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of

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

definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or

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

see HEBREW for 0226

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵת (et) — [Obj.].

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

Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTo — Particle
HTo
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and people gave to them the object marker Hebron in [the] land of Judah and the object marker pasture lands its around it
חֶבְר֖וֹןchev.Ron Hebron H2275 Noun proper
72× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Hebron is a place in Palestine and also the name of two Israelites, one a descendant of Levi and the other of Caleb. It is first mentioned in the book of Genesis and is also referenced in 1 Chronicles.
Tyndale gloss
Hebron (Valley)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חֶבְרוֹן (chevron) refers to Hebron, a city in southern Judah known for its association with Abraham. The term also identifies individuals, including a grandson of Levi and a descendant of Caleb. The word is built from the root meaning 'association' and encompasses both a geographical location and familial connections.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חֶבְרוֹן n.pr.loc. Hebron (association, league)

base

חֶבְרוֹן n.pr.m.

grandson of Levi

name in Caleb's family

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2275a חֶבְרוֹן Hebron H2275b חֶבְרוֹן . grandson of Levi

. name in Caleb's family

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2275 Chebrown kheb-rone'

from 2267; seat of association; Chebron, a place in

Palestine, also the name of two Israelites:--Hebron.

see HEBREW for 02267

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חֶבְרוֹן (chev.ron) — Hebron.

Hebron = "association"

a city in south Judah approx 20 south of Jerusalem and approx 20 miles (30 km) north of Beersheba and near where Abraham built an altar

חֶבְרוֹן (chev.ron) — Hebron.

A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Exo.6.18;

son of: Kohath (H6955);

brother of: Amram (H6019), Izhar (H3324) and Uzziel (H5816);

father of: Jeriah (H3404), Amariah (H0568I), Jahaziel (H3166I) and Jekameam (H3360)

Also named: chev.ro.ni (חֶבְרוֹנִי "Hebronite" H2276)

§ Hebron = "association"

1) the 3rd son of Kohath and grandson of Levi

2) a descendant of Caleb

חֶבְרוֹן (chev.ron) — Hebron (Valley).

Hebron = "association"

Combined with e.meq (עֵ֫מֶק " Valley" H6010K)

חֶבְרוֹן (chev.ron) — Hebron.

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNpl — Noun proper
HNpl
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Hebron

A community; alliance. (1.) A city in the south end of the valley of Eshcol, about midway between Jerusalem and Beersheba, from which it is distant about 20 miles in a straight line. It was built “seven years before Zoan in Egypt” (Gen. 13:18; Num. 13:22). It still exists under the same name, and is one of the most ancient cities in the world. Its earlier name was Kirjath-arba (Gen. 23:2; Josh. 14:15; 15:3). But “Hebron would appear to have been the original name of the city, and it was not till after Abraham’s stay there that it received the name Kirjath-arba, who [i.e., Arba] was not the founder but the conqueror of the city, having led thither the tribe of the…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(alliance). The third son of Kohath, who was the second son of Levi. (Exodus 6:18; Numbers 3:19; 1 Chronicles 6:2,18; 23:12) He was the founder of a family of Hebronites, (Numbers 3:27; 26:58; 1 Chronicles 26:23,30,31), or Bene-Hebron. (1 Chronicles 15:9; 23:19) A city of Judah, (Joshua 15:54) situated among the mountains, (Joshua 20:7) 20 Roman miles south of Jerusalem, and the same distance north of Beersheba. Hebron is one of the most ancient cities in the…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

One of the most ancient cities of Canaan, being built seven years before Tanis, the capital of Lower Egypt, Nu 13:22. It was anciently called Kirjath-arba, (see ARBA,) and Mamre, and was a favorite residence of the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Here too they were buried, Ge 14:13-24 23:2-19 35:27. Under Joshua and Caleb the Israelites conquered it from the Canaanites and Anakim, and it was afterwards made a Levitical city of refuge, Jos 14:13-15 15:13 21:11,13 Jud 1:10,20. It was David’s seat of government during the seven years when he reigned over Judah only, 2Sa 2:3 5:5. Here Absalom raised the standard of…

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

society; friendship

and people gave to them the object marker Hebron in [the] land of Judah and the object marker pasture lands its around it
בְּאֶ֣רֶץbe.'E.retz in [the] land of H776 Preposition · noun common feminine singular construct
2,504× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The land or earth refers to the soil or ground, and can also mean a country, territory, or region. In the Bible, it is used to describe the earth and its inhabitants, and is often translated as 'land' or 'country'.
Tyndale gloss
land: soil
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֶ֫רֶץ (erets) is a feminine noun meaning 'earth' or 'land.' It encompasses various meanings, including the whole earth, specific territories like Canaan, and even inhabitants of the land. It can refer to soil, ground, or regions, and is used in phrases related to distance and the living. There is a note on the plural form אֲרָצוֹת, which mainly appears in later texts to denote multiple lands.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶ֫רֶץ n. f. & (seld.) m. earth, land

earth, whole earth (opp. to a part)

earth, opp. to heaven, sky

earth = inhabitants of earth

land =

country, territory

district, region

trial territory

piece of ground

specif. land of Canaan, or Israel

= inhabitants of land

used even of Shᵉʼôl

ground, surface of ground

soil, as productive

אֶרֶץ in phrases

people of the land

in measurements of distance

the country of the plain, level or plain country

land of the living

end(s) of the earth

pl. אֲרָצוֹת is almost wholly late; it denotes lands, countries, often in contrast to Canaan, lands of the nations, etc.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H776 אֶ֫רֶץ n. f. & (seld.) m. earth, land . . earth, whole earth (opp. to a part)

. earth, opp. to heaven, sky

. earth = inhabitants of earth

. land = . country, territory

. district, region

. trial territory

. piece of ground

. specif. land of Canaan, or Israel

. = inhabitants of land

. used even of Shᵉʼôl

. . ground, surface of ground

. soil, as productive

. אֶרֶץ in phrases . people of the land

. in measurements of distance

. the country of the plain, level or plain country

. land of the living

. end(s) of the earth

. pl. אֲרָצוֹת is almost wholly late; it denotes lands, countries, often in contrast to Canaan, lands of the nations, etc.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

776 'erets eh'-rets

from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth

(at large, or partitively a land):--X common, country, earth,

field, ground, land, X natins, way, + wilderness, world.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶ֫רֶץ (e.rets) — land: country/planet.

: country/field

1) land, earth

1a) earth

1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part)

1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven)

1a3) earth (inhabitants)

1b) land

1b1) country, territory

1b2) district, region

1b3) tribal territory

1b4) piece of ground

1b5) land of Canaan, Israel

1b6) inhabitants of land

1b7) Sheol, land without return, (under) world

1b8) city (-state)

1c) ground, surface of the earth

1c1) ground

1c2) soil

1d) (in phrases)

1d1) people of the land

1d2) space or distance of country (in measurements of distance)

1d3) level or plain country

1d4) land of the living

1d5) end(s) of the earth

1e) (almost wholly late in usage)

1e1) lands, countries

1e1a) often in contrast to Canaan

אֶ֫רֶץ (e.rets) — land: soil.

: soil

1) land, earth

1a) earth

1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part)

1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven)

1a3) earth (inhabitants)

1b) land

1b1) country, territory

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Ncfsc — Preposition · noun common feminine singular construct
HR/Ncfsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ov:

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

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

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

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

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

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

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

Lamentations 3:1.

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

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

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

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

and people gave to them the object marker Hebron in [the] land of Judah and the object marker pasture lands its around it
יְהוּדָ֑הye.hu.Dah Judah H3063 Noun proper
820× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Judah is the name of the tribe descended from Judah, the son of Jacob. It is also the name of the region where the tribe lived. The name means 'praised' and is first mentioned in Genesis.
Tyndale gloss
(Baalah of)Judah
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יְהוּדָה (yehudah) means 'Judah' and is derived from a root meaning 'praised.' It refers to the son of Jacob and Leah, the tribe descended from him, and the territory they occupied. The term also encompasses the southern kingdom of Judah, which included the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. Additionally, it identifies various individuals, including Levites and overseers during the time of Ezra and Nehemiah.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יְהוּדָה 820 n.pr.m. et terr. Judah

n.pr.m.

son of Jacob and Leah

tribe descended from Judah

nation, of southern kingdom under dynasty of David, as distinguished from northern kingdom of Ephraim or Israel

Levite, Ezra’s time

an overseer of Jerus.

Levite musician

priest

n.pr.terr. land of Judah

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3063 יְהוּדָה Judah

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3063 Yhuwdah yeh-hoo-daw'

from 3034; celebrated; Jehudah (or Judah), the name of five

Israelites; also of the tribe descended from the first, and of

its territory:--Judah.

see HEBREW for 03034

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יְהוּדָה (ye.hu.dah) — Judah.

A man of the tribe of Judah living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.29.35;

son of: Israel (H3478) and Leah (H3812);

brother of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074) and Dinah (H1783);

half-brother of: Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Joseph (H3130) and Benjamin (H1144); married to Bath-shua (H1323I) and Tamar (H8559);

father of: Er (H6147), Onan (H0209), Shelah (H7956), Perez (H6557) and Zerah (H2226I)

§ Judah = "praised"

1) the son of Jacob by Leah

2) the tribe descended from Judah the son of Jacob

3) the territory occupied by the tribe of Judah

4) the kingdom comprised of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin which occupied the southern part of Canaan after the nation split upon the death of Solomon

5) a Levite in Ezra's time

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNpl — Noun proper
HNpl
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Judah

Praise, the fourth son of Jacob by Leah. The name originated in Leah’s words of praise to the Lord on account of his birth: “Now will I praise [Heb. odeh] Jehovah, and she called his name Yehudah” (Gen. 29:35).

It was Judah that interposed in behalf of Joseph, so that his life was spared (Gen. 37:26, 27). He took a lead in the affairs of the family, and “prevailed above his brethren” (Gen. 43:3-10; 44:14, 16-34; 46:28; 1 Chr. 5:2).

Soon after the sale of Joseph to the Ishmaelites, Judah went to reside at Adullam, where he married a woman of Canaan. (See ONAN; TAMAR.) After the death of his wife Shuah, he returned to his father’s house, and there exercised much…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(praised, celebrated), the fourth son of Jacob and the fourth of Leah. (B.C. after 1753.) Of Judah’s personal character more traits are preserved than of any other of the patriarchs, with the exception of Joseph, whose life he in conjunction with Reuben saved. (Genesis 37:26-28) During the second visit to Egypt for corn it was Judah who understood to be responsible for the safety of Benjamin, ch. (Genesis 43:3-10) and when, through Joseph’s artifice, the brothers were brought back to the palace, he is again the leader and spokesman of the band. So too it is Judah who is sent before Jacob to smooth the way for him in the land of Goshen. ch. (Genesis 46:28) This ascendancy over his brethren is reflected in the last words…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The fourth son of Jacob and Leah, born in Mesopotamia, B. C. 1755, Ge 29:35. His name appears honorably in the history of Joseph, Ge 37:26,27 44:16-34; but disgracefully in that of Tamar his daughter-in-law, Ge 38:1-30. The dying benediction of Jacob foretells the superior power and prosperity of the family of Judah, and their continuance as chief of the Jewish race until the time of Christ, Ge 49:8-12. Though not the firstborn, Judah soon came to be considered as the chief of Jacob’s children, and his tribe was the most powerful and numerous. The southeastern part of Palestine fell to their lot. See JUDEA. On the border of their territory was Jerusalem, the seat of the…

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

the praise of the Lord; confession

and people gave to them the object marker Hebron in [the] land of Judah and the object marker pasture lands its around it
וְאֶת־ve.'Et and the object marker H853 Conjunction · particle
10,946× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the original Hebrew, this word points out the object of a verb or preposition, like 'namely' or 'even'. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus. It's not directly translated in English, but helps clarify the meaning of sentences.
Tyndale gloss
[Obj.]
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

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

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

853 'eth ayth

apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of

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

definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or

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

see HEBREW for 0226

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵת (et) — [Obj.].

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

Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HC/To — Conjunction · particle
HC/To
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and people gave to them the object marker Hebron in [the] land of Judah and the object marker pasture lands its around it
מִגְרָשֶׁ֖יהָmig.ra.Shei.ha pasture lands its H4054 Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
119× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A pasture or open land, often the area around a building or the margin of the sea. This term describes a common or shared space in the Bible.
Amplified meaning
open fields, common grazing areas
Tyndale gloss
pasture
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מִגְרָשׁ (migrash) refers to common or open land, often associated with areas where flocks are driven for pasture. It can denote a suburb or the space around a building, and is noted in Ezekiel 27:28. The term is derived from a root meaning to drive out.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מִגְרָשׁ n.m. common, common-land, open land

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4054 מִגְרָשׁ

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4054 migrash mig-rawsh'

also (in plural) feminine (Ezek. 27:28) migrashah

{mig-raw-shaw'}; from 1644; a suburb (i.e. open country

whither flocks are driven from pasture); hence, the area

around a building, or the margin of the sea:--cast out,

suburb.

see HEBREW for 01644

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מִגְרָשׁ (mig.rash) — pasture.

common, common land, open land, suburb

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
HNcmpc/Sp3fs
and people gave to them the object marker Hebron in [the] land of Judah and the object marker pasture lands its around it
סְבִיבֹתֶֽיהָ׃se.vi.vo.Tei.ha around it H5439 Noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
336× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word describes something that surrounds or encompasses, like a circle or neighborhood, and can also mean around or about, as in on every side. It is used to describe physical locations and proximity. The KJV translates it as about or circuit.
Tyndale gloss
around
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

סָבִיב (cabiyb) primarily means 'around' and is used as a noun, adverb, and preposition. It denotes a circle, neighbors, or the surrounding area, often implying a sense of being on every side or in a circuit. The entries consistently emphasize its usage in contexts of proximity and encirclement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

סָבִיב 336 subst., used mostly as adv. and prep., circuit, round about

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5439 סָבִיב subst., used mostly as adv. and prep., circuit, round about

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5439 cabiyb saw-beeb'

or (feminine) cbiybah {seb-ee-baw'}; from 5437; (as noun) a

circle, neighbour, or environs; but chiefly (as adverb, with

or without preposition) around:--(place, round) about,

circuit, compass, on every side.

see HEBREW for 05437

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

סָבִיב (sa.viv) — around.

: around/border

subst

1) places round about, circuit, round about

adv

2) in a circuit, a circuit, round about

prep

3) in the circuit, from every side

סָבִיב (sa.viv) — around: side.

: side

subst

1) places round about, circuit, round about

adv

2) in a circuit, a circuit, round about

prep

3) in the circuit, from every side

סָבִיב (sa.viv) — around: whole.

: whole

subst

1) places round about, circuit, round about

adv

2) in a circuit, a circuit, round about

prep

3) in the circuit, from every side

סָבִיב (sa.viv) — around: neighours.

: neighours

subst

1) places round about, circuit, round about

adv

2) in a circuit, a circuit, round about

prep

3) in the circuit, from every side

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcfpc/Sp3fs — Noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
HNcfpc/Sp3fs
Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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

Donate