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1 Chronicles 9:24 — Word Study

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WLCלְאַרְבַּ֣ע רוּח֔וֹת יִהְי֖וּ הַשֹּׁעֲרִ֑ים מִזְרָ֥ח יָ֖מָּה צָפ֥וֹנָה וָנֶֽגְבָּה׃

BSAThe gatekeepersshôwʻêr [porters, doorkeepers] were stationedhâyâh on the fourʼarbaʻ [a quartet of] sidesrûwach eastmizrâch [the direction of sunrise] westyâm [towards the sea] northtsâphôwn [Zaphon] and southnegeb [Negeb, the southern district]

Word
Listen & take away1 Chronicles 9
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 24 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 (va.Neg.bah) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
1 Chronicles 9:24quick helps
In a sentenceThe gatekeepers were assigned to guard the entrances on all four sides.
Who is speakingThe chronicler, detailing the organization of the temple.
Where we areThis verse describes the arrangement of the gatekeepers in the temple.
The hard wordרוּח֔וֹת
Take awayThe gatekeepers were stationed strategically to oversee access.
6 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbהָיָה 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 9:24

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 Organization of the Gatekeepersgenerated

23So they and their descendants were assigned to guard the gates of the house of the LORD—the house called the Tent.
24The gatekeepers were stationed on the four sides: east, west, north, and south.
25Their relatives came from their villages at fixed times to serve with them for seven-day periods.
26But the four chief gatekeepers, who were Levites, were entrusted with the rooms and the treasuries of the house of God.

1 Chronicles 9:24 describes the placement of the gatekeepers at the temple, emphasizing the importance of security and order in the worship space. This organization reflects the care taken in maintaining the sanctity of the house of the LORD, as seen in the preceding and following verses, which outline their responsibilities and the structure of service.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
11 Chronicles 26:14–18The lot for the East Gate fell to Shelemiah. Then lots were cast for his son Zechariah, a wise counselor, and the lot for the North Gate fell to him.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 1 reference, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word אַרְבַּע, le.'ar.Ba'generated

The Hebrew word אַרְבַּע (arba) means 'four' and is a masculine noun derived from its root. It is used here to indicate the number of sides where the gatekeepers were stationed, emphasizing completeness in the arrangement.

This word appears frequently in the Hebrew Bible, often in contexts involving counting or describing groups. Its parsing as a noun in the construct state suggests a direct relationship with the following noun, רוּח֔וֹת, indicating the four sides.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

In the Berean Standard Bible, the term used is four, which aligns with the KJV and ASV.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The sentence centers on the finite verb יִהְי֖וּ, they were, which governs the entire clause. The structure indicates that the gatekeepers were assigned to specific locations.

The prepositional phrase לְאַרְבַּ֣ע רוּח֔וֹת specifies the sides, while the noun phrases that follow detail the directions — east, west, north, and south — creating a clear layout of their placement.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates אַרְבַּע as τέσσαρας, which also means 'four', indicating a straightforward rendering of the Hebrew term.

The choice of ἀνέμους for רוּח֔וֹת suggests a broader interpretation, emphasizing not just sides but also the idea of directions as winds, which may reflect a more dynamic understanding of space.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

1 Chronicles 9:24 tells us that the gatekeepers were stationed on the four sides of the temple: east, west, north, and south. This arrangement was important for maintaining order and security in the house of the LORD.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What was the role of the gatekeepers?

The gatekeepers were responsible for guarding the entrances to the temple, ensuring that only those authorized could enter.

Why are the four sides significant?

The four sides symbolize completeness and thoroughness in the arrangement of the temple's security.

How does this arrangement reflect the organization of worship?

It shows a structured approach to worship and the importance of protecting the sacred space.

What can we learn from the gatekeepers' duties?

Their duties remind us of the importance of order and responsibility in spiritual matters.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. How do I ensure that I maintain order and responsibility in my own spiritual practices?
  2. What does it mean to guard the 'gates' of my heart and mind?
  3. In what ways can I serve in my community to help maintain a sense of order and security?
  4. How can I apply the principle of being watchful and responsible in my daily life?

Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on 1 Chronicles 9:24 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

In four quarters were the porters,.... For, according to the Targum on 1 Chronicles 9:22 there were twenty four wards: towards the east, west, north, and south; and, as the same paraphrase has it,

Read John Gill on 1 Chronicles 9 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

In four quarters were the porters, toward the east, west, north, and south. In four quarters were the porters - i:e., the principal porters, with their assistants.

Read Robert Jamieson on 1 Chronicles 9 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

The porters, i.e. the chief porters, as this is explained, .

Read Matthew Poole on 1 Chronicles 9 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

1 Chronicles 9:24 In four quarters were the porters, toward the east, west, north, and south.Ver. 24. Towards the east.] The four parts of the temple answered to the four parts of the world. on Matthew 8:11.

Read John Trapp on 1 Chronicles 9 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(24) In four quarters were the porters.—“To the four winds used the warders to stand” (to be), viz., on the four sides of the tent of meeting, and from the age of Solomon on the four sides of the square enclosure of the Temple.

Read Charles John Ellicott on 1 Chronicles 9 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

24. In four quarters] R.V. on the four sides. Fuller details are given in 1 Chronicles 26:14-18.

Read Cambridge on 1 Chronicles 9 →

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

The gatekeepers were stationed on the four sides: east, west, north, and south.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

On the four sides were the gatekeepers, toward the east, west, north, and south.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

The gatekeepers were stationed on the four sides: east, west, north, and south.

NETBNew English Translation2006

The gatekeepers were posted on all four sides – east, west, north, and south.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

In four quarters were the porters, toward the east, west, north, and south.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

On the four sides were the porters, toward the east, west, north, and south.

RVARevised Version, American1894

On the four sides were the porters, toward the east, west, north, and south.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

In four quarters were the porters, towards the east, west, north and south.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

The porters were in foure quarters Eastward, Westward, Northward and Southward.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

At the four quarters were the doorkeepers, toward the east, west, north, and south.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

At four sides are the gatekeepers, east, west, north, and south.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

The gatekeepers are at [the] four sides: east, west, north, and south.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

On four quarters were the gatekeepers, toward the east, the west, the north, and the south.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

The gatekeepers were posted on all four sides, toward the east, west, north, and south.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

In four quarters were the porters: that is to say, toward the east, and west, and north, and south.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

The gatekeepers were placed on four sides: east, west, north, and south.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

There were keepers of the doors on the four sides, to the east, west, north, and south.

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.

clauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalלְtonoun phraseאַרְבַּ֣עfourרוּח֔וֹתsidesverbיִהְי֖וּthey.werenoun phrase · subjectהַtheשֹּׁעֲרִ֑יםgatekeepersnoun phrase · adverbialמִזְרָ֥ח[the].eastnoun phraseיָ֖מָּwestwardהtonoun phraseצָפ֥וֹנָnorthwardהatוָandnoun phraseנֶֽגְבָּsouthwardהat

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


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

The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree closely in their wording for this verse, with all eight words matched. This indicates a strong consistency in the transmission of this text across traditions.

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

לְאַרְבַּ֣ע רוּח֔וֹת יִהְי֖וּ הַשֹּׁעֲרִ֑ים מִזְרָ֥ח יָ֖מָּה צָפ֥וֹנָה וָנֶֽגְבָּה׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
לְאַרְבַּ֣עτέσσαραςרוּח֔וֹתἀνέμουςיִהְי֖וּἦσανהַשֹּׁעֲרִ֑יםπύλαιמִזְרָ֥חἀνατολάςיָ֖מָּהθάλασσανצָפ֥וֹנָהβορρᾶνוָנֶֽגְבָּה׃νότον

8 of the 8 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 9:24אַרְבַּעto fourto fourאַרְבַּערוּחַsidessidesרוּחַהָיָהthey werethey wereהָיָהשֹׁעֵרthe gatekeethe gatekeepersשֹׁעֵרמִזְרָח[the] east[the] eastמִזְרָחיָםwest -wardwest -wardיָםצָפוֹןnorth -wardnorth -wardצָפוֹןנֶ֫גֶבand south -and south -wardנֶ֫גֶברָבַעto squareto squareרָבַערִיחַto smellto smellרִיחַזָרַחto riseto riseזָרַחצָפַןto treasurto treasureצָפַןהָוָאto fallto fallהָוָאשַׁ֫עַרgategateשַׁ֫עַרשָׁעַרto calculato calculateשָׁעַרפֵּאָהsidesideפֵּאָהעָשָׂרtentenעָשָׂרנְשָׁמָהbreathbreathנְשָׁמָהקָדִיםeasteastקָדִיםשַׁלּוּםShallumShallumשַׁלּוּםשִׁירto singto singשִׁירמַעֲרָבwestwestמַעֲרָבשֶׁ֫מֶשׁsunsunשֶׁ֫מֶשׁסוּףreedreedסוּףמִזְרָחeasteastמִזְרָחשְׁפֵלָהShephelahShephelahשְׁפֵלָה
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 9:24

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.

to four sides they were the gatekeepers [the] east west -ward north -ward and south -ward
לְאַרְבַּ֣עle.'ar.Ba' to four H702 Preposition · noun common both singular construct
318× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The number four is a simple counting number in Hebrew, used to describe quantities of things, such as people, objects, or groups.
Amplified meaning
a quartet of
Tyndale gloss
four
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אַרְבַּע (arba) means 'four' in Hebrew. It is a masculine noun derived from the root associated with the number four. The entries consistently affirm this meaning without any significant disagreement among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אַרְבַּע, אַרְבָּעָה four

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H702 אַרְבַּע, אַרְבָּעָה four

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

702 'arba` ar-bah'

masculine oarbaah {ar-baw-aw'}; from 7251; four:--four.

see HEBREW for 07251

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אַרְבַּע (ar.ba) — four.

four

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | Adj — Preposition · noun common both singular construct
HR/Ncbsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

for ('arba`; tessares): "Four" (cardinal number) was a sacred and complete number with the Hebrews, as well as with several other peoples. It occurs very frequently in the Old Testament and the New Testament.

(1) It indicates completeness. We have the four rivers of Paradise (Ge 2:10); the four winds of heaven (Eze 37:9; Da 7:2; 8:8; 11:4; Zec 6:5, the Revised Version, margin "spirits"; /APC 2Esdras 13:5); "the four winds" (Mt 24:31; Mr 13:27); "the four corners of the earth" (Isa 11:12;

to four sides they were the gatekeepers [the] east west -ward north -ward and south -ward
רוּח֔וֹתru.Chot sides H7307 Noun common · feminine plural absolute
378× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word for spirit refers to the breath of life, the wind, or a person's mind and emotions, as seen in the book of Ezekiel.
Tyndale gloss
spirit
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רוּחַ (ruach) means breath, wind, or spirit. It encompasses various meanings, including the breath of life, emotional disposition, and the spirit of God. The term can refer to both physical phenomena, like wind, and abstract concepts, such as moral character or mental acts. Notably, it is used frequently in the context of divine inspiration and the Holy Spirit.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רוּחַ 378 n.f. (less oft. m.) breath, wind, spirit

breath of mouth or nostrils (33 t.)

wind (117 t.)

spirit, as that which breathes quickly in animation or agitation = temper, disposition (76 t.)

spirit of the living, breathing being

spirit as seat of emotion

occasionally (and late) = seat or organ of mental acts

rarely of the will

רוּחַ esp. of moral character

spirit of God (94 t.)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7307 רוּחַ breath, wind, spirit . breath of mouth or nostrils (33 t.)

. wind (117 t.)

. spirit, as that which breathes quickly in animation or agitation = temper, disposition (76 t.)

. spirit of the living, breathing being

. spirit as seat of emotion

. occasionally (and late) = seat or organ of mental acts

. rarely of the will

. רוּחַ esp. of moral character

. spirit of God (94 t.)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7307 ruwach roo'-akh

from 7306; wind; by resemblance breath, i.e. a sensible (or

even violent) exhalation; figuratively, life, anger,

unsubstantiality; by extension, a region of the sky; by

resemblance spirit, but only of a rational being (including

its expression and functions):--air, anger, blast, breath, X

cool, courage, mind, X quarter, X side, spirit((-ual)),

tempest, X vain, ((whirl-))wind(-y).

see HEBREW for 07306

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רוּחַ (ru.ach) — spirit.

: spirit

1) wind, breath, mind, spirit

1a) breath

1b) wind

1b1) of heaven

1b2) quarter (of wind), side

1b3) breath of air

1b4) air, gas

1b5) vain, empty thing

1c) spirit (as that which breathes quickly in animation or agitation)

1c1) spirit, animation, vivacity, vigour

1c2) courage

1c3) temper, anger

1c4) impatience, patience

1c5) spirit, disposition (as troubled, bitter, discontented)

1c6) disposition (of various kinds), unaccountable or uncontrollable impulse

1c7) prophetic spirit

1d) spirit (of the living, breathing being in man and animals)

1d1) as gift, preserved by God, God's spirit, departing at death, disembodied being

1e) spirit (as seat of emotion)

1e1) desire

1e2) sorrow, trouble

1f) spirit

1f1) as seat or organ of mental acts

1f2) rarely of the will

1f3) as seat especially of moral character

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-cp — Noun common · feminine plural absolute
HNcfpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

sidz (yarekhah, "thigh," "flank"): the Revised Version (British and American) substitutes "innermost parts" for the King James Version "sides" in Jon 1:5; compare 1Sa 24:3.

to four sides they were the gatekeepers [the] east west -ward north -ward and south -ward
יִהְי֖וּyih.Yu they were H1961 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine plural
3,562× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for to be means to exist or come into being. It is used to describe something that happens or comes to pass, like in Genesis where God creates the world.
Tyndale gloss
to be
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word הָיָה (hayah) is a primitive root meaning to exist or become, and it encompasses a range of meanings including to happen, occur, and come to pass. It is often used in narrative contexts, particularly in phrases like "and it came to pass." The word can also denote a state of being or existence, and it appears frequently in various forms throughout the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הָיָה 3570 vb. fall out, come to pass, become, be

Qal

Fall out, happen

occur, take place, come about, come to pass

esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass

וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)

rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה

less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)

Come into being, become

abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come

sq. prep.

become

sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)

sq. pred. adj.

become like

sq. pred. לְ pers.

sq. לְ pred.

oft. c. לְ pred. לְ pers.

with עַל and לְ

sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of

Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming)

exist, be in existence

abide, remain, continue

with word of locality, be in or at a place, be situated, stand, lie

as copula, joining subj. & pred.

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1961 הָיָה fall out, come to pass, become, be .. . . Fall out, happen

. occur, take place, come about, come to pass

. esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass . . וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)

. rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה

. less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)

. Come into being, become . . abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come

. sq. prep.

. become . sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)

. sq. pred. adj.

. become like

. sq. pred. + לְ pers.

. sq. לְ pred.

. oft. c. לְ pred. + לְ pers.

. with עַל and לְ

. sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of

. Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming) . exist, be in existence

. abide, remain, continue

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1961 hayah haw-yaw

a primitive root (compare 1933); to exist, i.e. be or become,

come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or

auxiliary):--beacon, X altogether, be(-come), accomplished,

committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint,

fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit

(one-)self, require, X use.

see HEBREW for 01933

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הָיָה (ha.yah) — to be.

1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out

1a) (Qal)

1a1) ---

1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass

1a1b) to come about, come to pass

1a2) to come into being, become

1a2a) to arise, appear, come

1a2b) to become

1a2b1) to become

1a2b2) to become like

1a2b3) to be instituted, be established

1a3) to be

1a3a) to exist, be in existence

1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time)

1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality)

1a3d) to accompany, be with

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to occur, come to pass, be done, be brought about

1b2) to be done, be finished, be gone

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine plural
HVqi3mp
to four sides they were the gatekeepers [the] east west -ward north -ward and south -ward
הַשֹּׁעֲרִ֑יםha.sho.'a.Rim the gatekeepers H7778 Particle · noun common masculine plural absolute
37× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A gatekeeper or porter was a person responsible for guarding and maintaining a gate or door. This word is used to describe someone who controls access to a building or area. In the Bible, it is translated as doorkeeper or porter.
Amplified meaning
porters, doorkeepers
Tyndale gloss
gatekeeper
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שֹׁעֵר (sho'er) refers to a doorkeeper or porter, derived from the active participle form of a root meaning to guard or keep. The term is consistently defined across entries as a gatekeeper, emphasizing its role in overseeing entrances.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שֹׁעֵר 37 n.m. porter

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7778 שֹׁעֵר, שׁוֹעֵר

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7778 show`er sho-are'

or shomer {sho-are'}: active participle of 8176 (as

denominative from 8179); a janitor:--doorkeeper, porter.

see HEBREW for 08176

see HEBREW for 08179

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שֹׁעֵר (sho.er) — gatekeeper.

gatekeeper, porter

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-mp — Particle · noun common masculine plural absolute
HTd/Ncmpa
to four sides they were the gatekeepers [the] east west -ward north -ward and south -ward
מִזְרָ֥חmiz.Rach [the] east H4217 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
74× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means the direction of the sunrise, or east. It is used in the Bible to describe the direction of the sun and the east side of something.
Amplified meaning
the direction of sunrise
Tyndale gloss
east
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מִזְרָח (mizrach) means 'place of sunrise' or simply 'east.' It is derived from the root meaning 'to rise' and refers to the direction of the sunrise. The entries consistently highlight its use to denote the east, both as a cardinal direction and in relation to the rising sun.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מִזְרָח n.[m.] place of sunrise, east

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4217 מִזְרָח place of sunrise, east

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4217 mizrach miz-rawkh'

from 2224; sunrise, i.e. the east:--east (side, -ward),

(sun-)rising (of the sun).

see HEBREW for 02224

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מִזְרָח (miz.rach) — East (Gate).

This name means place of sunrise, east

מִזְרָח (miz.rach) — east.

1) place of sunrise, east

1a) sunrise, east (with 'sun')

1b) the east (without 'sun')

1b1) to or toward the place of sunrise

1b2) to the east, eastward

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

East

(1.) The orient (mizrah); the rising of the sun. Thus “the east country” is the country lying to the east of Syria, the Elymais (Zech. 8:7).

(2). Properly what is in front of one, or a country that is before or in front of another; the rendering of the word kedem. In pointing out the quarters, a Hebrew always looked with his face toward the east. The word kedem is used when the four quarters of the world are described (Gen. 13:14; 28:14); and mizrah when the east only is distinguished from the west (Josh. 11:3; Ps. 50:1; 103:12, etc.). In Gen. 25:6 “eastward” is literally “unto the land of kedem;” i.e., the lands…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

The Hebrew term kedem properly means that which is before or in front of a person, and was applied to the east form the custom of turning in that direction when describing the points of the compass, before, behind, the right and the left representing respectively east, west, south and north. (Job 23:8,9) The term as generally used refers to the lands lying immediately eastward of Palestine, viz., Arabia, Mesopotamia and Babylonia; on the other hand mizrach is used of the far east with a less definite signification. (Isaiah 42:2,25; 43:5; 46:11)

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The Hebrews, in speaking of the different quarters of the heaven, always suppose the face to be turned towards the east. Hence "before," or "forwards," means the east; "behind" is the west; the right-hand is south, and the left hand, north. Besides the ordinary meanings of the word east, Jos 4:19; Ps 103:12, the Jews often used it to designate a large region lying northeast and southeast of Palestine, including Syria and Arabia near at hand, and Babylonia, Assyria, Armenia, etc., with the whole region from the Caspian sea to the Arabian gulf, Ge 29:1; Nu 23:7; Jud 6:3; 7:12; 8:10. The wise men who visited the infant…

to four sides they were the gatekeepers [the] east west -ward north -ward and south -ward
יָ֖מָּהYa.mah west -ward H3220 Noun common masculine singular absolute · suffix
396× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Refers to a large body of water like the Mediterranean Sea or a sea in general, sometimes specifically the west or seaward direction.
Amplified meaning
towards the sea
Tyndale gloss
(Mt. Ephron in the) West
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָם (yam) means 'sea' and refers to various large bodies of water, including the Mediterranean, Red, and Dead Seas, as well as the Sea of Galilee. It can also denote a mighty river like the Nile and has geographical implications, indicating directions such as west or south. The term is derived from a root meaning to roar, suggesting the noise of breaking surf.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָם 390 n.m. sea

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3220 יָם sea

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3220 yam yawm

from an unused root meaning to roar; a sea (as breaking in

noisy surf) or large body of water; specifically (with the

article), the Mediterranean Sea; sometimes a large river, or

an artifical basin; locally, the west, or (rarely) the

south:--sea (X -faring man, (-shore)), south, west (-ern,

side, -ward).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָם (yam) — sea.

: sea

1) sea

1a) Mediterranean Sea

1b) Red Sea

1c) Dead Sea

1d) Sea of Galilee

1e) sea (general)

1f) mighty river (Nile)

1g) the sea (the great basin in the temple court)

1h) seaward, west, westward

יָם (yam) — sea: west.

: west

1) sea

1a) Mediterranean Sea

1b) Red Sea

1c) Dead Sea

1d) Sea of Galilee

1e) sea (general)

1f) mighty river (Nile)

1g) the sea (the great basin in the temple court)

1h) seaward, west, westward

יָם (yam) — (Mt. Ephron in the) West.

This name means sea, seaward, westward

Another name of eph.ron (עֶפְרוֹן "(Mount )Ephron" H6085H)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular absolute · suffix
HNcmsa/Sd
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

word: "Ward" and "guard" are two different spellings of the same word, and in consequence no clear line can be drawn between them. English Versions of the Bible, however, has used "guard" only in the sense of "a special body of soldiers" (Ge 37:36, etc.), while "ward" is used, not only in this sense (Jer 37:13; contrast 39:9), but also in a variety of others. So a "ward" may mean "any body of men on special duty," as 1Ch 9:23; the King James Version 1Ch 26:16; Ne 12:24,25 (the Revised Version (British and American) "watch"), or the duty itself, as Isa 21:8;

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Ward

A prison (Gen. 40:3, 4); a watch-station (Isa. 21:8); a guard (Neh. 13:30).

to four sides they were the gatekeepers [the] east west -ward north -ward and south -ward
צָפ֥וֹנָהtza.Fo.nah north -ward H6828 Noun common feminine singular absolute · suffix
153× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means 'north' and is used to describe a direction or location. In the Bible, it is often translated as 'north' or 'northern side'.
Amplified meaning
Zaphon
Tyndale gloss
Zaphon
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

צָפוֹן (tsaphown) means 'north' and is derived from a root meaning 'hidden' or 'dark.' It is used specifically to refer to the northern direction, often associated with gloominess and the unknown. The term also appears in the context of a name, 'Zaphon,' which similarly denotes the north.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

צָפוֹן 153 n.f. north (as the hidden, dark)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6828 צָפוֹן north

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6828 tsaphown tsaw-fone'

or tsaphon {tsaw-fone'}; from 6845; properly, hidden, i.e.

dark; used only of the north as a quarter (gloomy and

unknown):--north(-ern, side, -ward, wind).

see HEBREW for 06845

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

צָפוֹן (tsa.phon) — north.

1) north (of direction), northward

1a) north

1b) northward

צָפוֹן (tsa.phon) — Zaphon.

This name means north

Also named: tsa.phon (צָפוֹן "Zaphon" H6829)

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

word: "Ward" and "guard" are two different spellings of the same word, and in consequence no clear line can be drawn between them. English Versions of the Bible, however, has used "guard" only in the sense of "a special body of soldiers" (Ge 37:36, etc.), while "ward" is used, not only in this sense (Jer 37:13; contrast 39:9), but also in a variety of others. So a "ward" may mean "any body of men on special duty," as 1Ch 9:23; the King James Version 1Ch 26:16; Ne 12:24,25 (the Revised Version (British and American) "watch"), or the duty itself, as Isa 21:8;

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Ward

A prison (Gen. 40:3, 4); a watch-station (Isa. 21:8); a guard (Neh. 13:30).

to four sides they were the gatekeepers [the] east west -ward north -ward and south -ward
וָנֶֽגְבָּה׃va.Neg.bah and south -ward H5045 Conjunction · noun common masculine singular absolute · suffix
112× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Negeb is the southern district of Judah, also known as the south country, and can occasionally refer to Egypt, which is south of Palestine.
Amplified meaning
Negeb, the southern district
Tyndale gloss
Negeb
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נֶ֫גֶב (negev) refers to the southern region of Judah, often characterized by its dry, parched landscape. The term can mean 'south-country' or simply 'south.' It is derived from an unused root associated with drought. The entries consistently identify it with the Negeb area, without significant disagreement among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נֶ֫גֶב n.[m.] south-country, Negeb, south

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5045 נֶ֫גֶב south-country, Negeb, south

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5045 negeb neh'-gheb

from an unused root meaning to be parched; the south (from

its drought); specifically, the Negeb or southern district of

Judah, occasionally, Egypt (as south to Palestine):--south

(country, side, -ward).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נֶ֫גֶב (ne.gev) — Negeb.

region of southern Judah

Also named: ne.gev (נֶ֫גֶב "south" H5045H)

This name means south-country

נֶ֫גֶב (ne.gev) — south.

A sub-meaning of ne.gev (נֶ֫גֶב "Negeb" H5045)

§ 1) south-country, Nekeb, south

1a) south-country

1a1) region of southern Judah, boundaries not specific

1b) south

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | N-ms | Suff — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular absolute · suffix
HC/Ncmsa/Sd
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

word: "Ward" and "guard" are two different spellings of the same word, and in consequence no clear line can be drawn between them. English Versions of the Bible, however, has used "guard" only in the sense of "a special body of soldiers" (Ge 37:36, etc.), while "ward" is used, not only in this sense (Jer 37:13; contrast 39:9), but also in a variety of others. So a "ward" may mean "any body of men on special duty," as 1Ch 9:23; the King James Version 1Ch 26:16; Ne 12:24,25 (the Revised Version (British and American) "watch"), or the duty itself, as Isa 21:8;

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Ward

A prison (Gen. 40:3, 4); a watch-station (Isa. 21:8); a guard (Neh. 13:30).

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

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