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1 Kings 20:26 — Word Study

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WLCוַֽיְהִי֙ לִתְשׁוּבַ֣ת הַשָּׁנָ֔ה וַיִּפְקֹ֥ד בֶּן־ הֲדַ֖ד אֶת־ אֲרָ֑ם וַיַּ֣עַל אֲפֵ֔קָה לַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה עִם־ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

BSAIn the springtᵉshûwbâh [at the return of the year, a year later] Ben-hadadBen-Hădad [son of the false god Hadad] mobilizedpâqad [mustered, numbered, gathered] the ArameansʼĂrâm [Syrians, people of Aram] and went upʻâlâh [to ascend, rise] to AphekʼĂphêq [a city, an enclosure] to fightmilchâmâh [to battle, make war] againstʻim IsraelYisrâʼêl [God's chosen people, the descendants of Jacob]

Word
Listen & take away1 Kings 20
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 26 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 (Yis.ra.'El) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
1 Kings 20:26quick helps
In a sentenceBen-hadad prepares for battle against Israel in the spring.
Who is speakingThe narrator describes events involving Ben-hadad and the Arameans.
Where we areThis passage occurs within the context of a military campaign.
The hard wordפָּקַד, paqad
Take awayThe mobilization of forces is a strategic move in the ongoing conflict.
8 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 Kings 20:26

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 Campaign of Ben-hadadgenerated

25And you must raise an army like the one you have lost—horse for horse and chariot for chariot—so we can fight the Israelites on the plain, where we will surely prevail.” And the king approved their plan and acted accordingly.
26In the spring, Ben-hadad mobilized the Arameans and went up to Aphek to fight against Israel.
27The Israelites also mobilized, gathered supplies, and marched out to meet them. The Israelites camped before them like two small flocks of goats, while the Arameans covered the countryside.
28Then the man of God approached the king of Israel and said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Because the Arameans think the LORD is a god of the hills and not of the valleys, I will deliver all this great army into your hand. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’”

1 Kings 20:26 describes how Ben-hadad, the king of Aram, mobilized his forces in the spring to confront Israel. This event is part of a larger narrative about the conflicts between Israel and neighboring nations, illustrating the ongoing struggles for power and territory. The context highlights the military strategies employed by both sides and the significance of seasonal timing in warfare.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
11 Kings 20:30The rest of them fled into the city of Aphek, where the wall fell on twenty-seven thousand of the remaining men. Ben-hadad also fled to the city and hid in an inner room.
2Joshua 13:4to the south, all the land of the Canaanites, from Mearah of the Sidonians to Aphek, as far as the border of the Amorites;
3Joshua 19:30Ummah, Aphek, and Rehob. There were twenty-two cities, along with their villages.
4Judges 1:31Asher failed to drive out the inhabitants of Acco, Sidon, Ahlab, Achzib, Helbah, Aphik, and Rehob.
51 Samuel 4:1Thus the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now the Israelites went out to meet the Philistines in battle and camped at Ebenezer, while the Philistines camped at Aphek.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 7 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word פָּקַד, vai.yif.Kodgenerated

The verb פָּקַד (paqad) means to muster or visit, indicating a gathering of troops. It is a Qal verb in the sequential imperfect form, which suggests an ongoing action. The root conveys a sense of oversight or care, often used in military contexts to denote the organization of forces.

In this verse, it emphasizes Ben-hadad's role in preparing for battle, reflecting his authority and leadership in mobilizing the Aramean forces against Israel.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses mobilized for פָּקַד.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb of the verse is וַיִּפְקֹ֥ד (vai.yif.Kod), and he mustered, which governs the entire sentence. The structure includes a prepositional phrase indicating the time of year, followed by a noun phrase that identifies the forces being mobilized, and concludes with a clause specifying the destination and purpose of the action.

The sentence flows from the action of mustering troops to the geographical and military context, illustrating the sequential nature of the events.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates פָּקַד as ἐπεσκέψατο (epeskepsato), meaning 'he visited' or 'he oversaw.' This choice emphasizes the act of oversight in mobilizing troops, suggesting a broader interpretation of Ben-hadad's leadership.

This rendering aligns with the military context, indicating a strategic approach to assembling forces for battle.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

1 Kings 20:26 tells us that in the spring, Ben-hadad mobilized the Arameans and went up to Aphek to fight against Israel. This verse highlights the military preparations and the timing of the campaign, illustrating the ongoing conflict between the Arameans and the Israelites.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

Who was Ben-hadad?

Ben-hadad was a king of Aram, known for his conflicts with Israel during the Divided Monarchy, as mentioned in various passages throughout the Old Testament.

What does it mean that Ben-hadad 'mobilized' the Arameans?

To 'mobilize' means that he gathered and organized his troops for military action, preparing them to engage in battle against Israel.

Why is the timing in the spring significant?

Spring was a common time for military campaigns in the ancient Near East, as it followed the rainy season and allowed for better travel and logistical support.

What is the significance of Aphek in this context?

Aphek was a strategic location in ancient Palestine, often associated with military encounters. Its mention indicates the importance of geography in the unfolding conflict.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What can we learn about leadership from Ben-hadad's actions in mobilizing his forces?
  2. How does the timing of military campaigns affect the outcomes of battles in history?
  3. In what ways can we apply the concept of mobilization to our own lives and communities?
  4. What role does geography play in the strategies of conflict, both in ancient times and today?

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on 1 Kings 20:26 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

And it came to pass at the return of the year,.... In the spring, or autumn, as some think, [See comments on 2 Samuel 11:1] that Benhadad numbered the Syrians; took a muster of his army, to see if he

Read John Gill on 1 Kings 20 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And the servants of the king of Syria said unto him, Their gods are gods of the hills; therefore they were stronger than we; but let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.

Read Robert Jamieson on 1 Kings 20 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Not that Aphek in Judah, of which ; but that in Asher, of which , nigh unto which was the great plain of Galilee. And this seems to be one of those cities which Ben-hadad’ s father had taken from Israel, . Here also the Syrians might retreat, if they should be worsted.

Read Matthew Poole on 1 Kings 20 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

1 Kings 20:26 And it came to pass at the return of the year, that Benhadad numbered the Syrians, and went up to Aphek, to fight against Israel.Ver. 26. And went up to Aphek.] Which was, saith Lyra, a strong city in Asher, taken from the Israelites by the Syrians, before which lay a great plain of the same name; famous for many great battles there fought. Benhadad chose to fight here, that if he were worsted, he might repair to it for refuge. But how reckless was Pompey, who, when to fight with Caesar, that great soldier and conqueror, never considered into what place he were best to retire if he lost the day, as indeed he did, and no wonder.

Read John Trapp on 1 Kings 20 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(26) Aphek.—The name, signifying simply a “fortress,” as applied to several different places. There are two places which suit well enough with the Aphek of this passage and 2 Kings 13:17, as being a battlefield in the plain country between Israel and Syria. One is the Aphek of 1 Samuel 29:1, evidently in the plain of Esdraelon; the other a place on the road to Damascus, about six miles east of the Sea of Galilee.

Read Charles John Ellicott on 1 Kings 20 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 26. Ben-hadad numbered the Syrians, and went up to Aphek] There were several towns of this name; see the notes on Joshua 12:18. It is supposed that the town mentioned here was situated in Libanus, upon the river Adonis, between Heliopolis and Biblos.

Read AdamClarke on 1 Kings 20 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

26. numbered] R.V. mustered, and so in the next verse. See above on 1 Kings 20:15. up to Aphek] There were several places of this name. One was at the foot of Lebanon, in the tribe of Asher (see Joshua 13:4; Joshua 19:30). Another was in the hill country on the east of the sea of Galilee. But as Ben-hadad’s policy was to fight in the plain, the Aphek here intended must be the city of that name which lay in the plain of Jezreel. On the fitness of this place for a large encampment cf. 1 Samuel 29:1.

Read Cambridge on 1 Kings 20 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Aphek - There were several places of this name in Palestine (see the marginal reference).

Read Albert Barnes on 1 Kings 20 →

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

In the spring, Ben-hadad mobilized the Arameans and went up to Aphek to fight against Israel.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

At the return of the year, Ben Hadad mustered the Syrians and went up to Aphek to fight against Israel.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

In the spring, Ben-hadad mobilized the Arameans and went up to Aphek to fight against Israel.

NETBNew English Translation2006

In the spring Ben Hadad mustered the Syrian army and marched to Aphek to fight Israel.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And it came to pass at the return of the year, that Ben-hadad numbered the Syrians, and went up to Aphek, to fight against Israel.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And it came to pass at the return of the year, that Ben-hadad mustered the Syrians, and went up to Aphek, to fight against Israel.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And it came to pass at the return of the year, that Ben-hadad mustered the Syrians, and went up to Aphek, to fight against Israel.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And it came to pass at the return of the year, that Ben-hadad numbered the Syrians, and went up to Aphek, to fight against Israel.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

And after the yeere was gone about, Ben-hadad nombred the Aramites, and went vp to Aphek to fight against Israel.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And it came to pass, at the return of the year, that Ben-Hadad numbered the Syrians, and went up to Aphek, to fight against Israel.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And it cometh to pass at the turn of the year, that Ben-Hadad inspecteth the Aramaeans, and goeth up to Aphek, to battle with Israel,

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And it comes to pass at the turn of the year, that Ben-Hadad inspects the Arameans, and goes up to Aphek, to battle with Israel,

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And it came to pass at the return of the year, that Ben-hadad numbered the Syrians, and went up to Aphek, to the war with Israel.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

After the beginning of the new year, Ben Hadad mustered the Arameans and went up to Aphek to fight against Israel.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Wherefore at the return of the year, Benadad mustered the Syrians, ancient up to Aphec, to fight against Israel.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

When spring came Ben-hadad called up the Aramean army and went to attack Israel at Aphek.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

So, a year later, Ben-hadad got the Aramaeans together and went up to Aphek to make war on Israel.

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.

וַֽandclauseverbיְהִי֙it.wasprepositional phrase · prepositionalלִtonoun phraseתְשׁוּבַ֣תthe.returnnoun phraseהַofשָּׁנָ֔הthe.yearוַandclauseverbיִּפְקֹ֥דhe.musterednoun phrase · objectאֶת(et)אֲרָ֑םAramוַandclauseverbיַּ֣עַלhe.went.upnoun phrase · prepositionalאֲפֵ֔קָtoהAphekprepositional phrase · prepositionalלַfornoun phrase(the)מִּלְחָמָ֖הbattleprepositional phrase · prepositionalעִםwithיִשְׂרָאֵֽלIsrael

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 nine out of thirteen words matched. The differences in word order and articles reflect the distinct grammatical structures of Hebrew and Greek, but the core meaning remains consistent across both texts.

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

וַֽיְהִי֙ לִתְשׁוּבַ֣ת הַשָּׁנָ֔ה וַיִּפְקֹ֥ד בֶּן־ הֲדַ֖ד אֶת־ אֲרָ֑ם וַיַּ֣עַל אֲפֵ֔קָה לַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה עִם־ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַֽיְהִי֙ἐγένετοלִתְשׁוּבַ֣תἐπιστρέψαντοςהַשָּׁנָ֔הἐνιαυτοῦוַיִּפְקֹ֥דἐπεσκέψατοוַיַּ֣עַלἀνέβηאֲפֵ֔קָהαφεκαלַמִּלְחָמָ֖הπόλεμονעִם־ἐπὶיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ισραηλ

9 of the 13 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 Kings 20:26הָיָהand it wasand it wasהָיָהתְּשׁוּבָהto [the] reto [the] returnתְּשׁוּבָהשָׁנָהthe yearthe yearשָׁנָהפָּקַדand he mustand he musteredפָּקַדבֶּן־הֲדַדBenBenבֶּן־הֲדַדבֶּן־הֲדַדHadadHadadבֶּן־הֲדַדאֵתthe object the object markאֵתאֲרָםAramAramאֲרָםעָלָהand he wentand he went upעָלָהאֲפֵקAphek towarAphek towardsאֲפֵקמִלְחָמָהfor battlefor battleמִלְחָמָהעִםwithwithעִםיִשְׂרָאֵלIsraelIsraelיִשְׂרָאֵלבֵּןson: childson: childבֵּןשׁוּבto return:to return: retuשׁוּבשָׁנָהto changeto changeשָׁנָהאוֹתsign: mirasign: miraculouאוֹתאָפַקto refrainto refrainאָפַקלָחַםto fightto fightלָחַםעָמַםto darkento darkenעָמַםשָׂרָהto striveto striveשָׂרָההָוָאto fallto fallהָוָאאַרְמוֹןcitadel: pcitadel: palaceאַרְמוֹןחֲזָהאֵלHazaelHazaelחֲזָהאֵלעֵתtimetimeעֵתשָׁנָהyearyearשָׁנָהמָלַךְto reignto reignמָלַךְעֶשְׂרִיםtwentytwentyעֶשְׂרִיםמִשְׁפָּחָהfamilyfamilyמִשְׁפָּחָהמִגְרָשׁpasturepastureמִגְרָשׁפַּדָּןPaddanPaddanפַּדָּן
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 Kings 20:26

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 it was to [the] return of the year and he mustered Ben Hadad the object marker Aram and he went up Aphek towards for battle with Israel
וַֽיְהִי֙vay.Hi and it was H1961 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
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
Hc/Vqw3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
and it was to [the] return of the year and he mustered Ben Hadad the object marker Aram and he went up Aphek towards for battle with Israel
לִתְשׁוּבַ֣תlit.shu.Vat to [the] return of H8666 Preposition · noun common feminine singular construct
8× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to turn or return, and is often used to describe a response or answer. In the Bible, it appears in books like Isaiah and Ezekiel, where God calls his people to return to him.
Amplified meaning
at the return of the year, a year later
Tyndale gloss
turn
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

תְּשׁוּבָה (tshuwbah) refers to concepts of return and answer, indicating a recurrence in time or place. It can denote the completion of a year or simply an answer or reply. The entries consistently emphasize these themes without significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[תְּשׁוּבָה] n.f. return, answer

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8666 תְּשׁוּבָה

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8666 tshuwbah tesh-oo-baw'

or tshubah {tesh-oo-baw'}; from 7725; a recurrence (of time

or place); a reply (as returned):--answer, be expired,

return.

see HEBREW for 07725

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

תְּשׁוּבָה (te.shu.vah) — turn.

1) a recurrence, an answer, return

1a) return

1a1) completion of a year, return of a year

1b) at the return (construct)

1c) answer, reply

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-fs — 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…

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and it was to [the] return of the year and he mustered Ben Hadad the object marker Aram and he went up Aphek towards for battle with Israel
הַשָּׁנָ֔הha.sha.Nah the year H8141 Particle · noun common feminine singular absolute
877× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word also means a year, like when Abraham was 100 years old in Genesis 21. It is used to describe a period of time, age, or a lifetime.
Tyndale gloss
year
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׁנָה (shaneh) means 'year' and is derived from the root meaning to change or revolve. It encompasses various aspects of time, including divisions of time, measures of age, and even a lifetime. The Aramaic equivalent is שְׁנָה (she.nah), also meaning 'year'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁנָה 877 n.f. year (etym. v. √[v.ek.aa])

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8141 שָׁנָה year (etym. v. √[8138a])

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8141 shaneh shaw-neh'

(in plura or (feminine) shanah {shaw-naw'}; from 8138; a year

(as a revolution of time):--+ whole age, X long, + old,

year(X -ly).

see HEBREW for 08138

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁנָה (sha.neh) — year.

1) year

1a) as division of time

1b) as measure of time

1c) as indication of age

1d) a lifetime (of years of life)

Aramaic equivalent: she.nah (שְׁנָה "year" H8140)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTd/Ncfsa — Particle · noun common feminine singular absolute
HTd/Ncfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

yer (shanah, Aramaic shenah, "a return" (of the sun), like the Greek eniautos; yamim, "days," is also used for "year," and the Greek hemerai, corresponds to it (Jos 13:1; Lu 17,18); etos, is also employed frequently in the New Testament; for the difference between etos and eniautos, see Grimm-Thayer, under the word): The Hebrew year was solar, although the month was lunar, the adjustment being made in intercalation.

See ASTRONOMY; TIME.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Year

Heb. shanah, meaning “repetition” or “revolution” (Gen. 1:14; 5:3). Among the ancient Egyptians the year consisted of twelve months of thirty days each, with five days added to make it a complete revolution of the earth round the sun. The Jews reckoned the year in two ways, (1) according to a sacred calendar, in which the year began about the time of the vernal equinox, with the month Abib; and (2) according to a civil calendar, in which the year began about the time of the autumnal equinox, with the month Nisan. The month Tisri is now the beginning of the Jewish year.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

the highest ordinary division of time. Two years were known to, and apparently used by, the Hebrews. A year of 360 days appears to have been in use in Noah’s time. The year used by the Hebrews from the time of the exodus may: be said to have been then instituted, since a current month, Abib, on the 14th day of which the first Passover was kept, was then made the first month of the year. The essential characteristics of this year can be clearly determined, though we cannot fix those of any single year. It was essentially solar for the offering of productions of the earth, first-fruits, harvest produce and ingathered fruits, was fixed to certain days of the year, two of which were in the periods of great feasts, the third itself a feast reckoned from one of the former days. But it is certain that the months were lunar, each commencing with a new moon. There must therefore have been some…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The Hebrews always had years of twelve months. But at the beginning, as some suppose, they were solar years of twelve months, each month having thirty days, excepting the twelfth, which had thirty-five days. We see, by the enumeration of the days of the deluge, Ge 7:1-8:22, that the original year consisted of three hundred and sixtyfive days. It is supposed that they had an intercalary month at the end of one hundred and twenty years, at which time the beginning of their year would be out of its place full thirty days. Subsequently, however, and throughout the history of the Jews, the year was wholly lunar, having alternately a full month of thirty days, and a defective month of twenty-nine days, thus completing their year in three hundred and fifty-four days. To accommodate this lunar year to the solar year, (365 days, 5 hours, 48…

and it was to [the] return of the year and he mustered Ben Hadad the object marker Aram and he went up Aphek towards for battle with Israel
וַיִּפְקֹ֥דvai.yif.Kod and he mustered H6485 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
303× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to visit or oversee, and can imply a range of actions, from friendly to hostile. It is used in various contexts, including appointing, avenging, or delivering something into someone's care. The KJV translates it in many ways, including appoint, avenge, or commit.
Amplified meaning
mustered, numbered, gathered
Tyndale gloss
to reckon: list
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

פָּקַד (paqad) is a Hebrew verb that encompasses a range of meanings including to attend to, visit, muster, appoint, and punish. It can imply oversight or care, as well as the act of seeking or lacking something. The word can also be used in various grammatical forms, indicating actions such as being appointed or being visited upon. The plural form פְּקוּדִים refers to musterings or expenses.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

פָּקַד 303 vb. attend to, visit, muster, appoint

Qal

pay attention to, observe (with care, practical interest)

attend to, in act, see to

seek (with interest, desire)

seek in vain, need, miss, lack

specif. visit, c. acc., for different purposes

c. עַל pers., visit upon

pass in review, muster (nearly = number), c. acc.

appoint

Niph.

be (sought, i.e. needed) missed, lacking

be visited (graciously)

be visited upon, עַל pers.

be appointed

Pi. (intens.) muster a host

Pu. be passed in review; be caused to miss, deprived

Hithp. be mustered

Hothp. id.

Hiph.

c. acc. pers. set (over), make overseer

c. acc. rei (implic.)

commit, entrust

deposit

Hoph.

be visited in punishment

be deposited

be made overseer

base

[פְּקוּדִים] n.pl.[m.] abstr. musterings, i.e. expenses;—cstr. Ex 38:21

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6485a פָּקַד attend to, visit, muster, appoint .. . . pay attention to, observe (with care, practical interest)

. attend to, in act, see to

. seek (with interest, desire)

. seek in vain, need, miss, lack

. specif. visit, c. acc., for different purposes

. c. עַל pers., visit upon

. pass in review, muster (nearly = number), c. acc.

. appoint

. . be (sought, i.e. needed) missed, lacking

. be visited (graciously)

. be visited upon, עַל pers.

. be appointed

. (intens.) muster a host

. be passed in review; be caused to miss, deprived

. be mustered

. id.

. . c. acc. pers. set (over), make overseer

. c. acc. rei (implic.) . commit, entrust

. deposit

. . be visited in punishment

. be deposited

. be made overseer

H6485b פְּקוּדִים n. pl. [m.] abstr. musterings, i.e. expenses

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6485 paqad paw-kad'

a primitive root; to visit (with friendly or hostile intent);

by analogy, to oversee, muster, charge, care for, miss,

deposit, etc.:--appoint, X at all, avenge, bestow, (appoint

to have the, give a) charge, commit, count, deliver to keep,

be empty, enjoin, go see, hurt, do judgment, lack, lay up,

look, make, X by any means, miss, number, officer, (make)

overseer, have (the) oversight, punish, reckon, (call to)

remember(-brance), set (over), sum, X surely, visit, want.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

פָּקַד (pa.qad) — to reckon: list.

: list/count

1) to attend to, muster, number, reckon, visit, punish, appoint, look after, care for

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to pay attention to, observe

1a2) to attend to

1a3) to seek, look about for

1a4) to seek in vain, need, miss, lack

1a5) to visit

1a6) to visit upon, punish

1a7) to pass in review, muster, number

1a8) to appoint, assign, lay upon as a charge, deposit

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be sought, be needed, be missed, be lacking

1b2) to be visited

1b3) to be visited upon

1b4) to be appointed

1b5) to be watched over

1c) (Piel) to muster, call up

1d) (Pual) to be passed in review, be caused to miss, be called, be called to account

1e) (Hiphil)

1e1) to set over, make overseer, appoint an overseer

1e2) to commit, entrust, commit for care, deposit

1f) (Hophal)

1f1) to be visited

1f2) to be deposited

1f3) to be made overseer, be entrusted

1g) (Hithpael) numbered

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
and it was to [the] return of the year and he mustered Ben Hadad the object marker Aram and he went up Aphek towards for battle with Israel
בֶּן־ben- Ben H1130 Noun proper masculine
50× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Ben-Hadad was a Syrian king during the Divided Monarchy, mentioned in 2 Kings 13:3. His name means son of the false god Hadad. He was a contemporary of Asa of Judah.
Amplified meaning
son of the false god Hadad
Tyndale gloss
Ben-hadad
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בֶּן־הֲדַד (ben-hadad) means 'son of Hadad,' referring to several kings of Syria. It is derived from the words for 'son' (ben) and the name of the false god Hadad. This name appears in the context of the Divided Monarchy, with notable figures including a king contemporary with Asa of Judah and another son of Hazael.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בֶּן־הֲדַד n.pr.m. (appar. son of (god) Hadad) name for king of Aram

time of Asa & Baasha

son of 1.

son of Hazael

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1130 בֶּן־הֲדַד

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1130 Ben-Hadad ben-had-ad'

from 1121 and 1908; son of Hadad; Ben-Hadad, the name of

several Syrian kings:--Ben-hadad.

see HEBREW for 01121

see HEBREW for 01908

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בֶּן־הֲדַד (ben-ha.dad) — Ben-hadad.

A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ki.15.18;

son of: Tabrimmon (H2886)

§ Ben-hadad = "son of [the false god] Hadad"

1) the king of Syria, contemporary with Asa of Judah

2) the son of Hazael, also king of Syria

בֶּן־הֲדַד (ben-ha.dad) — Ben-hadad.

A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 2Ki.6.24

§ Ben-hadad = "son of [the false god] Hadad"

1) the king of Syria, contemporary with Asa of Judah

2) the son of Hazael, also king of Syria

בֶּן־הֲדַד (ben-ha.dad) — Ben-hadad.

A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 2Ki.13.3;

son of: Hazael (H2371)

§ Ben-hadad = "son of [the false god] Hadad"

1) the king of Syria, contemporary with Asa of Judah

2) the son of Hazael, also king of Syria

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

Ben (prefix) (singular ben, "son of"; plural bene, "sons of" = Aramaic bar): This word is used in the singular or plural to express relationship of almost any kind:

(1) to a person; as such it is found as part of many compound names like Benjamin, Benhur, etc. (compare Bar);

(2) to a clan; in this connection it is found in the plural only: "children of Israel," "children of Ammon," etc.;

(3) to a town; perhaps as place of birth ("son of Jabesh"; 2Ki 15:10 ff);

(4) to occupation, state of life, age, character, quality even of things;

(5) peculiarly employed in the sense of "scholar disciple" ("son of prophet"), or in phrases like "son of death," etc.;

(6) in poetry, "sons of flame" for "sparks" (Job 5:7 margin), etc. The frequent metaphorical use of the word indicates that it was rarely…

and it was to [the] return of the year and he mustered Ben Hadad the object marker Aram and he went up Aphek towards for battle with Israel
הֲדַ֖דha.Dad Hadad H1130 Noun proper masculine
50× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Ben-Hadad was a Syrian king during the Divided Monarchy, mentioned in 2 Kings 13:3. His name means son of the false god Hadad. He was a contemporary of Asa of Judah.
Tyndale gloss
Ben-hadad
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בֶּן־הֲדַד (ben-hadad) means 'son of Hadad,' referring to several kings of Syria. It is derived from the words for 'son' (ben) and the name of the false god Hadad. This name appears in the context of the Divided Monarchy, with notable figures including a king contemporary with Asa of Judah and another son of Hazael.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בֶּן־הֲדַד n.pr.m. (appar. son of (god) Hadad) name for king of Aram

time of Asa & Baasha

son of 1.

son of Hazael

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1130 בֶּן־הֲדַד

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1130 Ben-Hadad ben-had-ad'

from 1121 and 1908; son of Hadad; Ben-Hadad, the name of

several Syrian kings:--Ben-hadad.

see HEBREW for 01121

see HEBREW for 01908

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בֶּן־הֲדַד (ben-ha.dad) — Ben-hadad.

A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ki.15.18;

son of: Tabrimmon (H2886)

§ Ben-hadad = "son of [the false god] Hadad"

1) the king of Syria, contemporary with Asa of Judah

2) the son of Hazael, also king of Syria

בֶּן־הֲדַד (ben-ha.dad) — Ben-hadad.

A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 2Ki.6.24

§ Ben-hadad = "son of [the false god] Hadad"

1) the king of Syria, contemporary with Asa of Judah

2) the son of Hazael, also king of Syria

בֶּן־הֲדַד (ben-ha.dad) — Ben-hadad.

A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 2Ki.13.3;

son of: Hazael (H2371)

§ Ben-hadad = "son of [the false god] Hadad"

1) the king of Syria, contemporary with Asa of Judah

2) the son of Hazael, also king of Syria

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNpm — Noun proper masculine
HNpm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ha'-dad:

(1) (chadhadh, "sharpness"): One of the twelve sons of Ishmael (Ge 25:15, where the King James Version, following a mistake in Hebrew text, has "Hadar"; but "Hadad" is found in parallel passage 1Ch 1:30; the Revised Version (British and American) reads "Hadad" in both places).

(2) (hadhadh): A king of Edom, son of Bedad (Ge 36:35,36 parallel 1Ch 1:46,47), "who smote Midian in the field of Moab," and whose "city was Avith."

(3) Another king of Edom, written "Hadar" in Ge 36:39 by a copyist's mistake, but "Hadad" in the parallel passage 1Ch 1:50,51. His city was…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Hadad

Adod, brave(?), the name of a Syrian god. (1.) An Edomite king who defeated the Midianites (Gen. 36:35; 1 Chr. 1:46).

(2.) Another Edomite king (1 Chr. 1:50, 51), called also Hadar (Gen. 36:39; 1 Chr. 1:51).

(3.) One of “the king’s seed in Edom.” He fled into Egypt, where he married the sister of Pharaoh’s wife (1 Kings 11:14-22). He became one of Solomon’s adversaries.

Hadad, sharp, (a different name in Hebrew from the preceding), one of the sons of Ishmael (1 Chr. 1:30). Called also Hadar (

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(mighty), originally the indigenous appellation of the sun among the Syrians, and thence transferred to the king as the highest of earthly authorities. The title appears to have been an official one, like Pharaoh. It is found occasionally in the altered form Hadar. (Genesis 25:15; 36:39) compared with 1Chr 1:30,50 Son of Ishmael. (Genesis 25:15; 1 Chronicles 1:30) A king of Edom who gained an important victory over the Midianites on the field of Moab. (Genesis 36:35; 1 Chronicles 1:46) Also a king of Edom, with Pau for his capital. (

1. An Idumean prince, who defeated the Midianites in the plains of Moab, Ge 36:35 1Ch 1:16.

2. A second prince of Edom, mentioned in 1Ch 1:51.

3. Another Edomite of the royal family, who fled to Egypt while young, upon David’s conquest of Edom, 2Sa 8:14; was well received, and married the queen’s sister. After the death of David and Joab, he returned to Edom and made an ineffectual effort to throw off the yoke of Solomon, 1Ki 11:14-22 2Ch 8:17.

and it was to [the] return of the year and he mustered Ben Hadad the object marker Aram and he went up Aphek towards for battle with Israel
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 it was to [the] return of the year and he mustered Ben Hadad the object marker Aram and he went up Aphek towards for battle with Israel
אֲרָ֑ם'a.Ram Aram H758 Noun proper
143× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Aram refers to a region in the Bible, also known as Syria, and its people, the Arameans. The grandson of Nahor, an ancestor of Jesus, was also named Aram. The prophet Isaiah wrote about Aram and its relationship with Israel in Isaiah 7:1-9.
Amplified meaning
Syrians, people of Aram
Tyndale gloss
Aram
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֲרָם (Aram) refers to both a person and a region. It denotes the fifth son of Shem, a grandson of Nahor, and a descendant of Asher. The term also encompasses the Aramean people and their territory, primarily in Mesopotamia and northern Syria. The word is often associated with the meaning 'exalted' and appears in various contexts, including references to the land of Mesopotamia.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֲרָם n.pr.m. Aram

5th son of Shem

grandson of Nahor

a descendant of Asher

—Elsewhere only of Aramæan people & land (= 1 supr.)

people, sg. coll. = the Aramæans, a leading branch of the Shemitic stock inhabiting Mesopotamia & northern Syria, in many tribes & settlements

less often clearly of land; also of particular divisions of territory א׳ נַהֲרַיִם ‘Mesopotamia,’ i.e. prob. land between Euphrates & Chaboras; cf. פַּדַּן א׳ Paddan-Aram

often indeterminate

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H758 אֲרָם Aram . 5th son of Shem

. grandson of Nahor

. a descendant of Asher

—Elsewhere only of Aramæan people & land (= 1 supr.) . people, sg. coll. = the Aramæans, a leading branch of the Shemitic stock inhabiting Mesopotamia & northern Syria, in many tribes & settlements

. less often clearly of land; also of particular divisions of territory א׳ נַהֲרַיִם ‘Mesopotamia,’ i.e. prob. land between Euphrates & Chaboras; cf. פַּדַּן א׳ Paddan-Aram

. often indeterminate

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

758 'Aram arawm'

from the same as 759; the highland; Aram or Syria, and its

inhabitants; also the name of the son of Shem, a grandson of

Nahor, and of an Israelite:--Aram, Mesopotamia, Syria,

Syrians.

see HEBREW for 0759

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֲרָם (a.ram) — Aram.

A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.10.22;

son of: Shem (H8035);

brother of: Asshur (H0804H), Elam (H5867C), Arpachshad (H0775) and Lud (H3865);

father of: Uz (H5780), Hul (H2343), Gether (H1666) and Mash (H4851)

§ Aram or Arameans = "exalted"

1) Aram or Syrian nation

2) the Syrian or Aramean people

Aram = "exalted"

n m

3) fifth son of Shem

4) a grandson of Nahor

5) a descendant of Asher

אֲרָם (a.ram) — Aram.

A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, only mentioned at Gen.22.21;

son of: Kemuel (H7055)

§ Aram or Arameans = "exalted"

1) Aram or Syrian nation

2) the Syrian or Aramean people

Aram = "exalted"

n m

3) fifth son of Shem

4) a grandson of Nahor

5) a descendant of Asher

אֲרָם (a.ram) — Syria.

§ Aram or Arameans = "exalted"

Aram or Syrian nation

אֲרָם (a.ram) — Aram.

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

a'-ram ('aram):

(1) A son of Shem (Ge 10:22; 1Ch 1:17). See ARAMEANS; SYRIA.

(2) A grandson of Nahor (Ge 22:21).

(3) A descendant of Asher (1Ch 7:34).

(4) Aram, King James Version: Greek form of Ram (thus the Revised Version (British and American) Mt 13:4; Arni Lu 3:33), grandson of Perez.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Aram

The son of Shem (Gen. 10:22); according to Gen. 22:21, a grandson of Nahor. In Matt. 1:3, 4, and Luke 3:33, this word is the Greek form of Ram, the father of Amminadab (1 Chr. 2:10).

The word means high, or highlands, and as the name of a country denotes that elevated region extending from the northeast of Palestine to the Euphrates. It corresponded generally with the Syria and Mesopotamia of the Greeks and Romans. In Gen. 25:20; 31:20, 24; Deut. 26:5, the word “Syrian” is properly “Aramean” (R.V., marg.).…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(high). The name by which the Hebrews designated, generally, the country lying to the northeast of Palestine; the great mass of that high tableland which, rising with sudden abruptness from the Jordan and the very margin of the Lake of Gennesaret, stretched at an elevation of no less than 2000 feet above the level of the sea, to the banks of the Euphrates itself. Throughout the Authorized Version the word is, with only a very few exceptions, rendered, as in the Vulgate and LXX., SYRIA. Its earliest occurrence in the book of Genesis is in the form of Aram-naharaim , i.e. the "highland of or between the two rivers." (Genesis 24:10) Authorized Version "Mesopotamia." In the later history we meet with a number of small nations or kingdoms forming parts of the general land of Aram; but as Damascus increased in importance it gradually…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

1. The name of three men in the Bible: a son of Shem, Ge 10:22, a grandson of Nahor, Ge 22:21, and an ancestor of our Lord, Ru 4:19 1Ch 2:10 Mt 1:3 Lu 3:33 2. Nearly synonymous with Syria; the Hebrew name of the whole region northeast of Palestine, extending from the Tigris on the east nearly to the Mediterranean on the west, and to the Taurus range on the north. It was named after Aram the son of Shem. Thus defined, it includes also Mesopotamia, which the Hebrews named Aram-naharaim, Aram of the two rivers, Ge…

and it was to [the] return of the year and he mustered Ben Hadad the object marker Aram and he went up Aphek towards for battle with Israel
וַיַּ֣עַלvai.Ya.'al and he went up H5927 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
890× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To ascend means to go up or rise, like the smoke from an altar going up to God, as described in many Bible passages, including Leviticus and Psalms.
Amplified meaning
to ascend, rise
Tyndale gloss
to ascend: rise
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עָלָה (alah) means 'to ascend' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including going up, climbing, and rising in various contexts such as personal, natural, and spiritual. It can refer to actions involving people, animals, vegetation, and even thoughts, and includes nuances of being exalted or offering sacrifices. The word is built from a primitive root and appears in various grammatical forms, indicating different aspects of ascent or elevation.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עָלָה 890 vb. go up, ascend, climb

Qal

of persons, go up, ascend, in local relations

go up, in personal relations

of animals, go or come up

of vegetation, spring up, grow, shoot forth

of natural phenom., go up, rise

of inanimate things, instead of passive construction

of thoughts

come up before God, arrogance

go up, extend, of boundary

excel

Niph.

be brought up

be taken up

pass., be taken up, away

reflex., take oneself away from, get up from

reflex.: take oneself away

be exalted, of God

Hiph.

bring up persons

in personal relations

bring up animals

cause to ascend

mentally

offer a present; bring up tithe to

exalt

cause to ascend (in flame), offer sacrifice

Hoph.

be carried away

be taken up into, inserted in

be offered

Hithp. lift oneself

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5927 עָלָה go up, ascend, climb .. of persons, go up, ascend, in local relations

. go up, in personal relations

. of animals, go or come up

. of vegetation, spring up, grow, shoot forth

. of natural phenom., go up, rise

. of inanimate things, instead of passive construction

. of thoughts

. come up before God, arrogance

. go up, extend, of boundary

. excel

. . . be brought up

. be taken up

. . pass., be taken up, away

. reflex., take oneself away from, get up from

. reflex.: take oneself away

. be exalted, of God

. . bring up persons

. in personal relations

. bring up animals

. cause to ascend

. mentally

. offer a present; bring up tithe to

. exalt

. cause to ascend (in flame), offer sacrifice

. . be carried away

. be taken up into, inserted in

. be offered

. lift oneself

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5927 `alah aw-law'

a primitive root; to ascend, intransitively (be high) or

actively (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary

and secondary, literal and figurative (as follow):--arise

(up), (cause to) ascend up, at once, break (the day) (up),

bring (up), (cause to) burn, carry up, cast up, + shew, climb

(up), (cause to, make to) come (up), cut off, dawn, depart,

exalt, excel, fall, fetch up, get up, (make to) go (away, up);

grow (over) increase, lay, leap, levy, lift (self) up, light,

(make) up, X mention, mount up, offer, make to pay, + perfect,

prefer, put (on), raise, recover, restore, (make to) rise

(up), scale, set (up), shoot forth (up), (begin to) spring

(up), stir up, take away (up), work.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עָלָה (a.lah) — to ascend: rise.

: rise/go

1) to go up, ascend, climb

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go up, ascend

1a2) to meet, visit, follow, depart, withdraw, retreat

1a3) to go up, come up (of animals)

1a4) to spring up, grow, shoot forth (of vegetation)

1a5) to go up, go up over, rise (of natural phenomenon)

1a6) to come up (before God)

1a7) to go up, go up over, extend (of boundary)

1a8) to excel, be superior to

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be taken up, be brought up, be taken away

1b2) to take oneself away

1b3) to be exalted

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to bring up, cause to ascend or climb, cause to go up

1c2) to bring up, bring against, take away

1c3) to bring up, draw up, train

1c4) to cause to ascend

1c5) to rouse, stir up (mentally)

1c6) to offer, bring up (of gifts)

1c7) to exalt

1c8) to cause to ascend, offer

1d) (Hophal)

1d1) to be carried away, be led up

1d2) to be taken up into, be inserted in

1d3) to be offered

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
and it was to [the] return of the year and he mustered Ben Hadad the object marker Aram and he went up Aphek towards for battle with Israel
אֲפֵ֔קָה'a.Fe.kah Aphek towards H663 Noun proper · suffix
9× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Aphek is the name of three different places in ancient Palestine, and its name means enclosure. These cities were important locations in biblical history and are mentioned in various accounts.
Amplified meaning
a city, an enclosure
Tyndale gloss
Aphek
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֲפֵק (Apheq) refers to a location, specifically Aphek or Aphik, which means 'enclosure.' It denotes several cities in ancient Palestine, including one near Jezreel and another in the territory of Asher. The term is derived from a root meaning strength, suggesting a fortified place.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֲפֵק, אֲפִיק n.pr.loc. Aphek (perh. enclosure, or fortress).

city near Jezreel

city in tribe of Asher

city NE. of Beirût, mod. Afqa

place near Mizpah

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H663 אֲפֵק, אֲפִיק

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

663 'Apheq af-ake'

or rAphiyq {af-eek'}; from 662 (in the sense of strength);

fortress; Aphek (or Aphik), the name of three places in

Palestine:--Aphek, Aphik.

see HEBREW for 0662

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֲפֵק (a.pheq) — Aphek.

Aphek or Aphik = "enclosure"

a Canaanite city near Jezreel

Also named: a.phe.qah (אֲפֵקָה "Aphekah" H0664)

אֲפֵק (a.pheq) — Aphek.

§ Aphek or Aphik = "enclosure"

a city northeast of Beirut in Transjordan

אֲפֵק (a.pheq) — Aphek.

§ Aphek or Aphik = "enclosure"

a city in territory of Asher

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper | Suff — Noun proper · suffix
HNpl/Sd
and it was to [the] return of the year and he mustered Ben Hadad the object marker Aram and he went up Aphek towards for battle with Israel
לַמִּלְחָמָ֖הla.mil.cha.Mah for battle H4421 Preposition · noun common feminine singular absolute
320× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means battle or war, describing a fight or conflict. It is used in the Bible to talk about wars and battles, like the ones in the book of Joshua. The KJV translates it as battle or fight.
Amplified meaning
to battle, make war
Tyndale gloss
battle
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מִלְחָמָה (milchamah) means 'battle' or 'war.' It is derived from the root word for fighting and encompasses both specific engagements and the broader concept of warfare. The entries consistently define it in this way, with no significant disagreement among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מִלְחָמָה 319 n.f. battle, war

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4421 מִלְחָמָה battle, war

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4421 milchamah mil-khaw-maw'

from 3898 (in the sense of fighting); a battle (i.e. the

engagement); generally, war (i.e. warfare):--battle,

fight(-ing), war((-rior)).

see HEBREW for 03898

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מִלְחָמָה (mil.cha.mah) — battle.

battle, war

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

See WAR.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Shouting in Jud 7:20; 1Sa 17:20

→ Priests in 2Ch 13:12

→ Prayer before

By Asa 2Ch 14:11

By Jehoshaphat 2Ch 20:3-12

→ See ARMIES

→ See WAR

and it was to [the] return of the year and he mustered Ben Hadad the object marker Aram and he went up Aphek towards for battle with Israel
עִם־'im- with H5973 Preposition
1,052× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means with or together, like when God is with his people in Exodus 33:14-15. It's used to describe accompaniment or association, and can also mean against or beside. The word is used to convey a sense of relationship or proximity between people or things.
Tyndale gloss
with
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עִם (im) is a preposition meaning 'with' and covers a range of relationships, including companionship, locality, and possession. It can imply actions done jointly, equality, or even opposition in contexts like combat. The related form מֵעִם (me.im) means 'from with' or 'beside.' The entries reflect various nuances but do not present significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עִם prep. with

of fellowship and companionship

of aid

Of actions done jointly with another

If the common action be of the nature of a contest or combat, with in the sense of against

Of dealing with a person, or of the relation in which one stands with, or towards, another

Of a common lot together with the wicked

Of equality or resemblance generally aid

Of time, as long as

Of a locality, close to, beside

Of persons, עִם is spec.

in the house or family or service of

In possession of

In the custody or care of

Beside = except

With = friendly with

Idiom. of a thought or purpose present with one

Metaph. together with = in spite of, notwithstanding

base

מֵעִם 72 from with or beside

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5973a עִם with . of fellowship and companionship

. Of a locality, close to, beside

. Of persons, עִם is spec. . in the house or family or service of

. In possession of

. In the custody or care of

. Beside = except

. With = friendly with

. Idiom. of a thought or purpose present with one

. Metaph. together with = in spite of, notwithstanding

H5973b מֵעִם from with, beside

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5973 `im eem

from 6004; adverb or preposition, with (i.e. in conjunction

with), in varied applications; specifically, equally with;

often with prepositional prefix (and then usually

unrepresented in English):--accompanying, against, and, as (X

long as), before, beside, by (reason of), for all, from

(among, between), in, like, more than, of, (un-)to,

with(-al).

see HEBREW for 06004

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עִם (im) — with.

1) with

1a) with

1b) against

1c) toward

1d) as long as

מֵעִם (me.im) — from with.

1a) beside, except

1b) in spite of

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Preposition
HR
and it was to [the] return of the year and he mustered Ben Hadad the object marker Aram and he went up Aphek towards for battle with Israel
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃Yis.ra.'El Israel H3478 Noun proper
2,508× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Israel is the symbolic name of Jacob, also referring to his descendants. Jacob, son of Isaac and Rebekah, had 12 sons who became the tribes of Israel, as told in Genesis 25:26. His story is crucial to the Bible's narrative.
Amplified meaning
God's chosen people, the descendants of Jacob
Tyndale gloss
Israel
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisra'el) refers to both the second name of Jacob, meaning 'God prevails,' and the name of the Hebrew nation descended from him. It is derived from roots meaning 'to rule' and 'God.' The term encompasses Jacob's descendants and is used historically for the northern kingdom of Israel and the nation as a whole after the Babylonian exile.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יִשְׂרָאֵל 2507 n.pr.m. et gent. Israel (Ēl persisteth, persevereth)

n.pr.m. second name of Jacob

n.pr.gent. name of Hebrew nation

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3478 יִשְׂרָאֵל Israel (Ēl persisteth, persevereth) . n. pr. m. second name of Jacob

. n. pr. gent. name of Hebrew nation

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3478 Yisra'el yis-raw-ale'

from 8280 and 410; he will rule as God; Jisrael, a symbolical

name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity:

--Israel.

see HEBREW for 08280

see HEBREW for 0410

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יִשְׂרָאֵל (yis.ra.el) — Israel.

A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.25.26;

son of: Isaac (H3327) and Rebekah (H7259);

brother of: Esau (H6215); married to Rachel (H7354), Leah (H3812), Zilpah (H2153) and Bilhah (H1090A);

father of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Judah (H3063), Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074), Dinah (H1783), Joseph (H3130) and Benjamin (H1144); also called Jacob frequently

§ Israel = "God prevails"

1) the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel

2) the name of the descendants and the nation of the descendants of Jacob

2a) the name of the nation until the death of Solomon and the split

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

iz'-ra-el.

See JACOB.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Israel

The name conferred on Jacob after the great prayer-struggle at Peniel (Gen. 32:28), because “as a prince he had power with God and prevailed.” (See JACOB.) This is the common name given to Jacob’s descendants. The whole people of the twelve tribes are called “Israelites,” the “children of Israel” (Josh. 3:17; 7:25; Judg. 8:27; Jer. 3:21), and the “house of Israel” (Ex. 16:31; 40:38).

This name Israel is sometimes used emphatically for the true Israel (Ps. 73:1: Isa. 45:17; 49:3;

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(the prince that prevails with God). The name given, (Genesis 32:28) to Jacob after his wrestling with the angel, (Hosea 12:4) at Peniel. Gesenius interprets Israel "soldier of God." It became the national name of the twelve tribes collectively. They are so called in (Exodus 3:16) and afterward. It is used in a narrower sense, excluding Judah, in (1 Samuel 11:8; 2 Samuel 20:1; 1 Kings 12:16) Thenceforth it was assumed and accepted as the name of the northern kingdom. After the Babylonian captivity, the returned exiles resumed the name Israel as the designation of…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Who prevails with God, a name given to Jacob, after having wrestled with the Angel-Jehovah at Penuel. Ge 32:1,2,28,30 Ho 12:3. See JACOB. By the name Israel is sometimes understood all the posterity of Israel, the seed of Jacob, 1Co 10:18; sometimes all true believers, his spiritual seed, Ro 9:6; and sometimes the kingdom of Israel, or the ten tribes, as distinct from the kingdom of Judah.

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
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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