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1 Samuel 16:17 — Word Study

Depth

WLCוַיֹּ֥אמֶר שָׁא֖וּל אֶל־ עֲבָדָ֑יו רְאוּ־ נָ֣א לִ֗י אִ֚ישׁ מֵיטִ֣יב לְנַגֵּ֔ן וַהֲבִיאוֹתֶ֖ם אֵלָֽי׃

BSAAnd SaulShâʼûwl [Shaul, the desired one] commandedʼâmar hisʼêl servantsʻebed [attendants, those who serve] Findrâʼâh someoneʼîysh [a man, an individual] who playsnâgan [to play a musical instrument, to make music] wellyâṭab [skillfully, with expertise] and bring [him]bôwʼ [come, approach] to meʼêl [toward my presence]

Word
Listen & take away1 Samuel 16
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 17 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 ('e.Lai) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
1 Samuel 16:17quick helps
In a sentenceSaul instructs his servants to find a skilled musician to play for him.
Who is speakingSaul, the first king of Israel, is giving orders to his attendants.
Where we areThis moment occurs as Saul seeks relief from a distressing spirit.
The hard wordמֵיטִ֣יב
Take awaySaul is looking for someone who can play music well.
3 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectשָׁאוּל verbאָמַר 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 Samuel 16:17

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 — Saul's Search for a Musiciangenerated

16Let our lord command your servants here to seek out someone who can skillfully play the harp. Whenever the spirit of distress from God is upon you, he is to play it, and you will be well.”
17And Saul commanded his servants, “Find me someone who plays well, and bring him to me.”
18One of the servants answered, “I have seen a son of Jesse of Bethlehem who knows how to play the harp. He is a mighty man of valor, a warrior, eloquent and handsome, and the LORD is with him.”
19So Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me your son David, who is with the sheep.”

1 Samuel 16:17 describes Saul's command to his servants to find a musician who can play well. This request is made in the context of Saul experiencing distress, and he believes that music can provide relief. The surrounding verses show the urgency of Saul's need as he seeks someone who can ease his troubled spirit.


Cross References


The Key Word מֵיטִ֣יב, mei.Tivgenerated

The word יָטַב (yatab) is a Hiphil participle meaning 'to do well' or 'to be good.' It conveys the idea of skillfulness or excellence in performance, particularly in the context of music. This form indicates that the musician is expected to play in a manner that is pleasing and effective.

In this verse, the emphasis on playing well suggests that Saul is not merely looking for any musician, but rather someone who can perform with expertise, highlighting the importance of quality in the service he seeks.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

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


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb of the verse is וַיֹּ֥אמֶר, and he said, which governs the entire command. The structure follows a clear sequence: Saul commands his servants, instructs them to see, and specifies the qualities of the person he seeks.

The sentence begins with the subject, Saul, followed by the command directed at his servants. This order places emphasis on Saul's authority and the urgency of his request.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates מֵיטִ֣יב as ὀρθῶς, which means 'correctly' or 'rightly.' This choice indicates a focus on the correctness of the musician's skill, aligning with Saul's desire for a proficient player.

This translation choice shows a narrowing of meaning, emphasizing not just skill, but the appropriateness of the performance in the context of Saul's distress.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

1 Samuel 16:17 shows Saul asking his servants to find a skilled musician who can play well. This request comes as Saul seeks relief from a troubling spirit, indicating the importance of music in providing comfort.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

Why does Saul want a musician?

Saul is experiencing distress and believes that music can help soothe his troubled spirit.

What qualities is Saul looking for in a musician?

Saul is looking for someone who plays well, indicating a need for skill and proficiency in music.

What does the command to 'bring him to me' imply?

This command shows Saul's authority and urgency in seeking relief, as he wants the musician to come into his presence quickly.

How does this verse connect to the broader narrative of Saul's kingship?

This moment highlights Saul's vulnerability and need for support, setting the stage for the introduction of David, who will later become a significant figure in Saul's life.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways have I experienced the power of music to influence my emotions or state of mind?
  2. How can I apply the idea of seeking skillfulness in my own pursuits or responsibilities?
  3. What does it mean to me to seek help or support when I am in distress?
  4. How can I recognize and appreciate the talents of those around me, as Saul did with the musician?

The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it

Bede comments on Saul's request for a skilled singer, noting the importance of the musician's ability to soothe his spirit.

BedeCommentary on Samuel c. 673–735
Provide for me someone who sings well, etc., Indeed, he said, I know many who are skilled in singing, but provide and bring to me someone who sings well;
Early Church Fathers on 1 Samuel 16 →

Commentators on this verse — 3 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on 1 Samuel 16:17 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

And Saul said unto his servants,.... Approving of, and pleased with the advice they gave: provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me; for being a sovereign prince, he could command

Read John Gill on 1 Samuel 16 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Let our lord now command thy servants, which are before thee, to seek out a man, who is a cunning player on an harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he

Read Robert Jamieson on 1 Samuel 16 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

1 Samuel 16:17 And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring [him] to me.Ver. 17. Provide me now a man.] Not a wise man, as they call wizards, or a white witch, - Saul, as bad as he was, was yet an utter enemy to such, - but a man that can play well. Musica maestae medicina mentis, Pythagoras cured a frantic young man by music, saith Seneca. And Xenocrates lymphatos carminum modulis a dementia liberavit, saith another, Elisha called for a musician to settle his distempers. And what strange alterations that excellent minstrel Timotheus could work in great Alexander, either to enrage or appease him, is well known out of historians. Movit Amphion lapides…

Read John Trapp on 1 Samuel 16 →

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

And Saul commanded his servants, “Find me someone who plays well, and bring him to me.”

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Saul said to his servants, “Provide me now a man who can play well, and bring him to me.”

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

And Saul commanded his servants, “Find me someone who plays well, and bring him to me.”

NETBNew English Translation2006

So Saul said to his servants, “Find me a man who plays well and bring him to me.”

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And Saul said to his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Saul then saide vnto his seruantes, Prouide me a man, I pray you, that can play well, and bring him to me.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And Saul said to his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And Saul saith unto his servants, 'Provide, I pray you, for me a man playing well — then ye have brought [him] in unto me.'

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And Saul says to his servants, “Now provide for me a man playing well—then you have brought [him] to me.”

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And Saul said unto his servants, Select for me, I pray you, a man that can play well, and bring him to me.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Saul said to his servants, “Find me a man that can play well and bring him to me.”

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And Saul said to his servants: Provide me then some man that can play well, and bring him to me.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Saul gave the order to his servants, “Find me someone who is good at playing the harp and bring him to me.”

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And Saul said to his servants, Then get me a man who is an expert player, and make him come to me.

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.

וַandclauseverbיֹּ֥אמֶרhe.saidsubjectשָׁא֖וּלSaulprepositional phrase · prepositionalאֶלtonoun phraseעֲבָדָ֑יservantsוhisclauseverbרְאוּseeadverbialנָ֣אpleaseprepositional phrase · prepositionalלִ֗forיmenoun phrase · objectאִ֚ישׁa.personadjective phraseclauseverbמֵיטִ֣יב[who].does.wellprepositional phrase · prepositionalלְtoclauseverbנַגֵּ֔ןplayוַandclauseverbהֲבִיאוֹתֶ֖םyou.will.bring.[him]prepositional phrase · prepositionalאֵלָֽtoיme

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 in their wording for this verse, with all twelve words matched in the Septuagint's rendering. This indicates a strong consistency between the Hebrew and Greek texts in this instance.

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

וַיֹּ֥אמֶר שָׁא֖וּל אֶל־ עֲבָדָ֑יו רְאוּ־ נָ֣א לִ֗י אִ֚ישׁ מֵיטִ֣יב לְנַגֵּ֔ן וַהֲבִיאוֹתֶ֖ם אֵלָֽי׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיֹּ֥אמֶרεἶπενשָׁא֖וּלσαουλאֶל־πρὸςעֲבָדָ֑יוαὐτοῦרְאוּ־ἴδετεנָ֣אδήלִ֗יμοιאִ֚ישׁἄνδραמֵיטִ֣יבὀρθῶςלְנַגֵּ֔ןψάλλονταוַהֲבִיאוֹתֶ֖םκαὶאֵלָֽי׃ἐμέ

12 of the 12 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 Samuel 16:17אָמַרand he saidand he saidאָמַרשָׁאוּלSaulSaulשָׁאוּלאֶלtotoאֶלעֶ֫בֶדservants hiservants hisעֶ֫בֶדרָאָהseeseeרָאָהנָאpleasepleaseנָאנִיfor mefor meנִיאִישׁa persona personאִישׁיָטַב[who] does [who] does wellיָטַבנָגַןto playto playנָגַןבּוֹאand you wiland you will brבּוֹאאֶלto meto meאֶלעָבַדto serveto serveעָבַדשָׁאַלto askto askשָׁאַלאֱנוֹשׁhumanhumanאֱנוֹשׁאִשָּׁהwomanwomanאִשָּׁהפָּלַלto prayto prayפָּלַליִרְמְיָ֫הJeremiahJeremiahיִרְמְיָ֫הכֹּהthusthusכֹּהיהוהYHWH/GodYHWH/Godיהוהאִישׁ־בֹ֫שֶׁתIsh-boshetIsh-boshethאִישׁ־בֹ֫שֶׁתיְהוֹנָתָןJonathanJonathanיְהוֹנָתָןאָמָהmaidservanmaidservantאָמָהשִׁפְחָהmaidservanmaidservantשִׁפְחָהעֳנִיafflictionafflictionעֳנִינָבַטto lookto lookנָבַטחֵןfavorfavorחֵןעַתָּ֫הnownowעַתָּ֫הרֵעַneighborneighborרֵעַמַעֲלָלdeeddeedמַעֲלָל
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 Samuel 16:17

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 he said Saul to servants his see please for me a person [who] does well to play and you will bring [him] to me
וַיֹּ֥אמֶרvai.Yo.mer and he said H559 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
5,309× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to say or speak, and it's used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to command, promise, or think, and it's translated in the KJV as 'answer', 'appoint', or 'command'.
Tyndale gloss
to say
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָמַר (amar) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to say' or 'to utter,' with a broad range of uses including to promise, command, or even boast. It appears in various forms, such as in the Qal (to say), Niphal (to be told), and Hiphil (to avow). The entries highlight its versatility in both spoken and internal contexts, though no specific verse is noted.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָמַר 5287 vb. utter, say

Qal

Say

Say in the heart (= think)

Promise

Command (esp. late)

Niph. be said, told

Hiph. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

Hithp. act proudly, boast

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H559 אָמַר utter, say .. Say

. Say in the heart (= think)

. Promise

. Command (esp. late)

. be said, told

. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

. act proudly, boast

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

559 'amar aw-mar'

a primitive root; to say (used with great

latitude):--answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call,

certify, challenge, charge, + (at the, give) command(-ment),

commune, consider, declare, demand, X desire, determine, X

expressly, X indeed, X intend, name, X plainly, promise,

publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), X still, X

suppose, talk, tell, term, X that is, X think, use (speech),

utter, X verily, X yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָמַר (a.mar) — to say.

1) to say, speak, utter

1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend

1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called

1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly

1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch

Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he said Saul to servants his see please for me a person [who] does well to play and you will bring [him] to me
שָׁא֖וּלsha.'Ul Saul H7586 Noun proper masculine
407× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Shaul is a personal name meaning desired, given to several individuals in the Bible, including a Benjamite who became the first king of Israel and a Levite living during the time of the Divided Monarchy. He is mentioned in 1 Chronicles and 1 Samuel.
Amplified meaning
Shaul, the desired one
Tyndale gloss
Shaul
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׁאוּל (Sha'uwl) means 'asked' and is associated with several figures in the Old Testament, most notably Saul, the first king of Israel from the tribe of Benjamin. The entries indicate that the name can refer to multiple individuals, including an early king of Edom and a Levite. The name is derived from a passive participle form, suggesting a connection to the act of asking.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁאוּל n.pr.m. (= asked)

397 1st king of Isr.

a king of Edom

a son of Simeon

a Levite

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7586 שָׁאוּל (= asked)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7586 Sha'uwl shaw-ool'

passive participle of 7592; asked; Shaul, the name of an

Edomite and two Israelites:--Saul, Shaul.

see HEBREW for 07592

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁאוּל (sha.ul) — Saul.

A king of the tribe of Benjamin living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Sa.9.2;

son of: Kish (H7027); married to Ahinoam (H0293) and Rizpah (H7532);

father of: Jonathan (H3083H), Abinadab (H0041H), Malchi-shua (H4444), Merab (H4764), Michal (H4324), Ish-bosheth (H0378), Armoni (H0764), Mephibosheth (H4648H)

§ Saul or Shaul = "desired"

1) a Benjamite, son of Kish, and the 1st king of Israel

2) an early king of Edom and a successor of Samlah

3) a son of Simeon

4) a Levite, son of Uzziah

שָׁאוּל (sha.ul) — Shaul.

A man of the tribe of Simeon living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Gen.46.10;

son of: Simeon (H8095) and Canaanite_woman (H3669);

brother of: Jemuel (H3223), Jamin (H3226), Ohad (H0161), Jachin (H3199) and Zerah (H2226L);

father of: Shallum (H7967K)

Also named: sha.u.li (שָׁאוּלִי "Shaulite" H7587)

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

sol (sha'ul; Saoul):

(1) The first king of Israel.

I. EARLY HISTORY

1. Name and Meaning

2. Genealogy

3. Home and Station

4. Sources for Life

5. Election as King

6. Reasons for It

II. REIGN AND FALL

1. His First Action

2. Army Reorganized

3. Battle of Michmash

4. Defeats the Amalekites

5. Deposition Pronounced

6. David Introduced to Saul

7. Two Accounts

8. Saul's Envy of David

9. Attempts to Get Rid of David

10. David Spares Saul

11. Saul's Divided Energies

12. Consults a Necromancer

13. Battle of Gilboa

14. Double Accounts

15. Saul's Posterity

III. CHARACTER

1. Book of Chronicles

2. Saul's Failings

3. His Virtue

4. David's Elegy

I. Early History.

1. Name and Meaning:

The name Saul is usually regarded as simply the passive participle of the verb "to ask," and so meaning "asked" (compare 1Sa 8:4 ff), but the gentilic adjective sha'uli (

Saul

Asked for. (1.) A king of Edom (Gen. 36:37, 38); called Shaul in 1 Chr. 1:48.

(2.) The son of Kish (probably his only son, and a child of prayer, “asked for”), of the tribe of Benjamin, the first king of the Jewish nation. The singular providential circumstances connected with his election as king are recorded in 1 Sam. 8-10. His father’s she-asses had strayed, and Saul was sent with a servant to seek for them. Leaving his home at Gibeah (10:5, “the hill of God,” A.V.; lit., as in R.V. marg., “Gibeah of God”), Saul and his servant went toward the north-west over Mount Ephraim, and then turning north-east they came to “the land of Shalisha,” and thence eastward to the land of Shalim, and at length came to the district of Zuph, near Samuel’s home at Ramah (9:5-10). At this point…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(desired), more accurately Shaul. One of the early kings of Edom, and successor of Samlah. (Genesis 36:37,38; 1 Chronicles 1:48) (B.C. after 1450.) The first king of Israel, the son of Kish, and of the tribe of Benjamin. (B.C, 1095-1055.) His character is in part illustrated by the fierce, wayward, fitful nature of the tribe and in part accounted for by the struggle between the old and new systems in which he found himself involved. To this we must add a taint of madness. which broke out in violent frenzy at times leaving him with long lucid intervals. He was remarkable for his strength and activity, (2 Samuel 1:25) and, like the Homeric heroes, of gigantic stature, taller by head and shoulders than the rest of the people, and…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin, the first king of the Israelites, anointed by Samuel, B. C. 1091, and after a reign of forty years filled with various events, slain with his sons on Mount Gilboa. He was succeeded by David, who was his son-in-law, and whom he had endeavored to put to death. His history is contained in 1Sa 10:1-31:13. It is a sad and admonitory narrative. The morning of his reign was bright with special divine favors, both providential, and spiritual, 1Sa 9:20 10:1-11,24,25. But he soon began to disobey God, and was rejected as unworthy to found a line of kings; his sins and misfortunes multiplied, and his sun went down in gloom. In his first war with the Ammonites, God was with him; but then follow his presumptuous sacrifice, in the absence of Samuel…

and he said Saul to servants his see please for me a person [who] does well to play and you will bring [him] to me
אֶל־'el- to H413 Preposition
5,518× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means 'to' or 'toward', showing direction or movement. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus, to indicate where someone is going. The KJV translates it in various ways, like 'about', 'according to', or 'against'.
Tyndale gloss
to(wards)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֶל (el) is primarily a preposition indicating motion towards or direction to a person or place. It can also imply entering a limit, presence at a location, or a hostile direction (against). Additionally, it may express concepts such as concerning, in addition to, or according to. The entries highlight its versatility in both physical and metaphorical contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph),

prep. denoting motion to or direction towards (whether physical or mental).of motion to or unto a person or place

Where the limit is actually entered, into

Of direction towards anything

Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against

Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to

Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

Of rule or standard according to (rare)

Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion

Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H413 אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph), . of motion to or unto a person or place

. Where the limit is actually entered, into

. Of direction towards anything

. Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against

. Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to

. Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

. Of rule or standard according to (rare)

. Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion

. Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

413 'el ale

(but only used in the shortened constructive form sel {el});

a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but

occasionally used of a quiescent position, i.e. near, with or

among; often in general, to:--about, according to ,after,

against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and,

by, concerning, for, from, X hath, in(- to), near, (out) of,

over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether,

with(-in).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶל (el) — to(wards).

1) to, toward, unto (of motion)

2) into (limit is actually entered)

2a) in among

3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion)

4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character)

5) in addition to, to

6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of

7) according to (rule or standard)

8) at, by, against (of one's presence)

9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Preposition
HR
and he said Saul to servants his see please for me a person [who] does well to play and you will bring [him] to me
עֲבָדָ֑יו'a.va.Dav servants his H5650 Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
801× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a servant or slave, often in the context of serving God or a human master. It can also describe a prophet or Levite. The KJV translates it as bondage, bondman, or servant.
Amplified meaning
attendants, those who serve
Tyndale gloss
servant/slave
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עֶ֫בֶד (*ebed*) means 'slave' or 'servant' and encompasses various roles, including household servants, subjects, and worshippers of God. It can also refer to Israel as a collective servant of God and is used in polite address among equals. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to work' or 'to serve'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עֶ֫בֶד 799 n.m. slave, servant

slave, servant of household

Subjects, of chief

Servants, worshippers of God

Servant of י׳, in a special sense

Israel as a people is servant of י׳

In polite address of equals or superiors the Hebrews used עַבְדְּךָ thy servant = 1 pers. sing., I

Phrases

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5650 עֶ֫בֶד slave, servant . slave, servant of household

. Subjects, of chief

. Servants, worshippers of God

. Servant of י׳, in a special sense

. Israel as a people is servant of י׳

. In polite address of equals or superiors the Hebrews used עַבְדְּךָ thy servant = 1 pers. sing., I

. Phrases

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5650 `ebed eh'-bed

from 5647; a servant:--X bondage, bondman, (bond-)servant,

(man-)servant.

see HEBREW for 05647

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עֶ֫בֶד (e.ved) — servant/slave.

1) slave, servant

1a) slave, servant, man-servant

1b) subjects

1c) servants, worshippers (of God)

1d) servant (in special sense as prophets, Levites etc)

1e) servant (of Israel)

1f) servant (as form of address between equals)

Aramaic equivalent: a.vad (עֲבַד "servant/slave" H5649)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
HNcmpc/Sp3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hiz: Used often in the King James Version with reference to a neuter or inanimate thing, or to a lower animal (Ge 1:11, "after his kind"; Le 1:16, "pluck away his crop"; Ac 12:10, "of his own accord"; 1Co 15:38, "his own body"), etc. the Revised Version (British and American) substitutes "its."

and he said Saul to servants his see please for me a person [who] does well to play and you will bring [him] to me
רְאוּ־re.'u- see H7200 Verb · Qal · imperative second person masculine plural
1,300× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for provider means to see or look after, and is used to describe God's care for his people. It appears in various forms throughout the Bible, including in Genesis and other books.
Tyndale gloss
Provider
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רָאָה (ra'ah) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to see' and encompasses a wide range of visual and perceptual actions, including looking, observing, and causing others to see. It can refer to both literal sight and figurative understanding, with various grammatical forms indicating different nuances, such as appearing or being visible. The entries indicate a rich semantic field without significant disagreement among lexicographers.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רָאָה 1315 vb. see

Qal 1141

see, subj.

see, c. acc. rei

see, sq. acc. cl. or phr. of closer design

see, so as to learn to know

abs. see, have (power of) vision

see = perceive

look at, see, by direct volition

of mental observation

c. ב, lit., look into, hence look at with interest

see, c. acc. rei

Niph.

appear

be seen

be visible

Pu. appar. his bones are not detected

Hithp. recipr. look at each other

Hiph.

cause one to see something, shew

cause to experience something

cause to look intently at, to behold

Hoph.

be caused to see, be shewn

be exhibited to

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7200a רָאָה see .. . see, subj.

. see, c. acc. rei

. see, sq. acc. + cl. or phr. of closer design

. see, so as to learn to know

. abs. see, have (power of) vision

. see = perceive

. look at, see, by direct volition

. of mental observation

. . c. ב, lit., look into, hence look at with interest

. see, c. acc. rei

. . appear

. be seen

. be visible

. appar. his bones are not detected

. recipr. look at each other

. . . cause one to see something, shew

. cause to experience something

. cause to look intently at, to behold

. . be caused to see, be shewn

. be exhibited to

H7200b רְאוּת look

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7200 ra'ah raw-aw'

a primitive root; to see, literally or figuratively (in

numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive,

intransitive and causative):--advise self, appear, approve,

behold, X certainly, consider, discern, (make to) enjoy, have

experience, gaze, take heed, X indeed, X joyfully, lo, look

(on, one another, one on another, one upon another, out, up,

upon), mark, meet, X be near, perceive, present, provide,

regard, (have) respect, (fore-, cause to, let) see(-r, -m, one

another), shew (self), X sight of others, (e-)spy, stare, X

surely, X think, view, visions.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רָאָה (ra.ah) — to see: see.

: see/show

1) to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to see

1a2) to see, perceive

1a3) to see, have vision

1a4) to look at, see, regard, look after, see after, learn about, observe, watch, look upon, look out, find out

1a5) to see, observe, consider, look at, give attention to, discern, distinguish

1a6) to look at, gaze at

1a7) to provide, choose

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to appear, present oneself

1b2) to be seen

1b3) to be visible

1c) (Pual) to be seen

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to cause to see, show

1d2) to cause to look intently at, behold, cause to gaze at

1e) (Hophal)

1e1) to be caused to see, be shown

1e2) to be exhibited to

1f) (Hithpael) to look at each other, face

רָאָה (ra.ah) — to see: examine.

: examine/consider

1) to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to see

1a2) to see, perceive

1a3) to see, have vision

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Impv-2mp — Verb · Qal · imperative second person masculine plural
HVqv2mp
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

se: In addition to the ordinary sense of perceiving by the eye, we have

(1) chazah, "to see" (in vision): "Words of Amos .... which he saw concerning Israel" (Am 1:1). The revelation was made to his inward eye. "The word of Yahweh .... which he (Micah) saw concerning Samaria" (Mic 1:1), describing what he saw in prophetic vision (compare Hab 1:1); see REVELATION, III, 4;

(2) horao, "to take heed": "See thou say nothing" (Mr 1:44);

(3) eidon, "to know," "to note with the mind": "Jesus saw that he answered discreetly" (Mr 12:34);

and he said Saul to servants his see please for me a person [who] does well to play and you will bring [him] to me
נָ֣אna' please H4994 Particle
404× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word 'nâ'' is used to express a polite request, like 'please' or 'I pray', and is often added to verbs to make them more polite. In the Bible, it appears in passages like Ezra's reading of the law to the people.
Tyndale gloss
please
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נָא (na') is a Hebrew particle used primarily for entreaty or exhortation, meaning 'I pray,' 'now,' or 'please.' It often appears attached to verbs in the imperative or future forms, and can also modify interjections, adverbs, or conjunctions. The entries consistently emphasize its role in expressing a plea or request.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נָא part. of entreaty or exhortation, I (we) pray, now (enclitic)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4994 נָא I (we) pray, now (enclitic)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4994 na' naw

a primitive particle of incitement and entreaty, which may

usually be rendered: "I pray," "now," or "then"; added mostly

to verbs (in the Imperative or Future), or to interjections,

occasionally to an adverb or conjunction:--I beseech (pray)

thee (you), go to, now, oh.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָא (na) — please.

1) I (we) pray, now, please

1a) used in entreaty or exhortation

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTj — Particle
HTj
and he said Saul to servants his see please for me a person [who] does well to play and you will bring [him] to me
לִ֗יLi for me H9030 Preposition · suffix
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נִי (ni) — me.

Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 1st person singular

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HRd/Sp1bs — Preposition · suffix
HRd/Sp1bs
and he said Saul to servants his see please for me a person [who] does well to play and you will bring [him] to me
אִ֚ישׁ'ish a person H376 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
1,664× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for man, referring to a male person or individual, is used in the Bible to describe humans in contrast to God or animals, as seen in Genesis and Psalms. It can also mean husband or servant. In the KJV, it is translated as man or male.
Amplified meaning
a man, an individual
Tyndale gloss
man
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אִישׁ 2166 n.m. man (= vir)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H376 אִישׁ man (= vir)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

376 'iysh eesh

contracted for 582 (or perhaps rather from an unused root

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

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

in such cases frequently not expressed in

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

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

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

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

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

Compare 802.

see HEBREW for 0582

see HEBREW for 0802

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אִישׁ (ish) — man.

: man

1) man

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

1b) husband

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

1d) servant

1e) mankind

1f) champion

1g) great man

2) whosoever

3) each (adjective)

אִישׁ (ish) — man: husband.

: husband

1) man

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

1b) husband

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

1d) servant

1e) mankind

1f) champion

1g) great man

2) whosoever

3) each (adjective)

אִישׁ (ish) — man: anyone.

: anyone/someone

1) man

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

1b) husband

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

1d) servant

1e) mankind

1f) champion

1g) great man

2) whosoever

3) each (adjective)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he said Saul to servants his see please for me a person [who] does well to play and you will bring [him] to me
מֵיטִ֣יבmei.Tiv [who] does well H3190 Verb · Hiphil · participle (active) masculine singular
117× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To be good means to be pleasing or joyful, making something or someone sound, beautiful, or happy. It is used in various forms, including being glad, doing well, or being content. It appears in many books, including Psalms and Proverbs.
Amplified meaning
skillfully, with expertise
Tyndale gloss
be good
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word יָטַב (yatab) is a primitive root meaning to be good or pleasing. It encompasses a range of meanings including being glad, making something good or right, and dealing well with others. The entries highlight its use in both a literal sense (like sound or beautiful) and a figurative sense (like happy or successful).

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[יָטַב] vb. be good, well, glad, pleasing

Qal

be glad, joyful

be well placed

impers. be well for or with, go well with

be pleasing

Hithp.

make glad, rejoice

do good to, deal well with

do well or thoroughly

make a thing good, right, beautiful

do well, right, ethically

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3190 יָטַב be good, well, glad, pleasing

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3190 yatab yaw-tab'

a primitive root; to be (causative) make well, literally

(sound, beautiful) or figuratively (happy, successful,

right):--be accepted, amend, use aright, benefit, be (make)

better, seem best, make cheerful, be comely, + be content,

diligent(-ly), dress, earnestly, find favour, give, be glad,

do (be, make) good((-ness)), be (make) merry, please (+ well),

shew more (kindness), skilfully, X very small, surely, make

sweet, thoroughly, tire, trim, very, be (can, deal, entreat,

go, have) well (said, seen).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָטַב (ya.tav) — be good.

1) to be good, be pleasing, be well, be glad

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to be glad, be joyful

1a2) to be well placed

1a3) to be well for, be well with, go well with

1a4) to be pleasing, be pleasing to

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to make glad, rejoice

1b2) to do good to, deal well with

1b3) to do well, do thoroughly

1b4) to make a thing good or right or beautiful

1b5) to do well, do right

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Hiphil — Verb · Hiphil · participle (active) masculine singular
HVhrmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

(1) (be'er; compare Arabic bi'r, "well" or "cistern"; usually artificial: "And Isaac's servants digged (dug) in the valley, and found there a well of springing (margin "living") water" (Ge 26:19); some times covered: "Jacob .... rolled the stone from the well's mouth" (Ge 29:10). Be'er may also be a pit: "The vale of Siddim was full of slime pits" (Ge 14:10); "the pit of destruction" (Ps 55:23).

(2) (bor), usually "pit": "Let us slay him, and cast him into one of the pits" (Ge 37:20); may be "well": "drew water out of the well of Beth-lehem" (2Sa 23:16).

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Well

(Heb. beer), to be distinguished from a fountain (Heb. ‘ain). A “beer” was a deep shaft, bored far under the rocky surface by the art of man, which contained water which percolated through the strata in its sides. Such wells were those of Jacob and Beersheba, etc. (see Gen. 21:19, 25, 30, 31; 24:11; 26:15, 18-25, 32, etc.). In the Pentateuch this word beer, so rendered, occurs twenty-five times.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Wells in Palestine are usually excavated from the solid limestone rock, sometimes with steps to descend into them. (Genesis 24:16) The brims are furnished with a curb or low wall of stone, bearing marks of high antiquity in the furrows worn by the ropes used in drawing water. It was on a curb of this sort that our Lord sat when he conversed with the woman of Samaria, (John 4:6) and it was this, the usual stone cover, which the woman placed on the mouth of the well at Bahurim, (2 Samuel 17:19) where the Authorized Version weakens the sense by omitting the article. The usual methods for raising water are the following: The rope and bucket, or waterskin. (Genesis 24:14-20;

and he said Saul to servants his see please for me a person [who] does well to play and you will bring [him] to me
לְנַגֵּ֔ןle.na.Gen to play H5059 Preposition · verb piel infinitive construct common
15× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to play a musical instrument, especially a stringed one. In the Bible, it is used to describe musicians who play instruments, such as harps or lyres, to make music or sing songs.
Amplified meaning
to play a musical instrument, to make music
Tyndale gloss
to play
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נָגַן (nagan) is a Hebrew verb meaning to play or touch strings, specifically on a stringed instrument. It encompasses the act of making music and refers to players or minstrels. The root implies a focus on producing melodies, particularly through stringed instruments, and is used in various forms, including participles.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[נָגַן] vb. touch (strings), play a stringed instrument

Qal players

Pi. play

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5059 [נָגַן] touch (strings), play a stringed instrument

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5059 nagan naw-gan'

a primitive root; properly, to thrum, i.e. beat a tune with

the fingers; expec. to play on a stringed instrument; hence

(generally), to make music:--player on instruments, sing to

the stringed instruments, melody, ministrel, play(-er, -ing).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָגַן (na.gan) — to play.

1) to play or strike strings, play a stringed instrument

1a) (Qal)

1a1) player (participle)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to play

1b1a) player, minstrel (participle)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | V-Piel-Inf-a — Preposition · verb piel infinitive construct common
HR/Vpcc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

pla.

See GAMES.

and he said Saul to servants his see please for me a person [who] does well to play and you will bring [him] to me
וַהֲבִיאוֹתֶ֖םva.ha.vi.'o.Tem and you will bring [him] H935 Verb · Hiphil · sequential perfect second person masculine plural
2,573× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to go or come, and is used in many contexts, such as entering a place or approaching someone, as seen in the book of Genesis. It can also mean to abide or apply, and is translated in various ways in the KJV Bible. This term is related to the name Lebo Hamath.
Amplified meaning
come, approach
Tyndale gloss
Lebo
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בּוֹא (bo) is a Hebrew verb meaning to come or go in, with a wide range of applications including entering, arriving, and bringing in. It can refer to both physical movement and abstract concepts like events coming to pass. The verb appears in various forms, such as Qal (to come), Hiphil (to cause to come), and Hophal (to be brought). There is no significant disagreement among lexicons regarding its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בּוֹא 2569 vb. come in, come, go in, go

Qal

come in

come (approach, arrive)

go, i.e. walk, associate with

go from speaker, but with limit of motion given

Hiph.

cause to come in, bring in (conduct, lead, obj. persons and animals)

cause to come, bring, bring near, etc. (animate obj.)

Hoph.

be brought in (of pers. and things)

be brought

be introduced, put

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H935 בּוֹא come in, come, go in, go .. come in

. come (approach, arrive)

. go, i.e. walk, associate with

. go from speaker, but with limit of motion given

. . cause to come in, bring in (conduct, lead, obj. persons and animals)

. cause to come, bring, bring near, etc. (animate obj.)

. . be brought in (of pers. and things)

. be brought

. be introduced, put

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

935 bow' bo

a primitive root; to go or come (in a wide variety of

applications):--abide, apply, attain, X be, befall, +

besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, X

certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out,

upon, to pass), depart, X doubtless again, + eat, + employ,

(cause to) enter (in, into, -tering, -trance, -try), be

fallen, fetch, + follow, get, give, go (down, in, to war),

grant, + have, X indeed, (in-)vade, lead, lift (up), mention,

pull in, put, resort, run (down), send, set, X (well) stricken

(in age), X surely, take (in), way.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בּוֹא (bo) — to come (in): come.

: come/go_in

1) to go in, enter, come, go, come in

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to enter, come in

1a2) to come

1a2a) to come with

1a2b) to come upon, fall or light upon, attack (enemy)

1a2c) to come to pass

1a3) to attain to

1a4) to be enumerated

1a5) to go

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to lead in

1b2) to carry in

1b3) to bring in, cause to come in, gather, cause to come, bring near, bring against, bring upon

1b4) to bring to pass

1c) (Hophal)

1c1) to be brought, brought in

1c2) to be introduced, be put

לְב֥וֹא (bo) — Lebo-(Hamath).

This name means to go in, enter

Combined with cha.mat (חֲמָת "Hamath" H2574)

בּוֹא (bo) — to come (in): towards.

: towards/entrance

1) to go in, enter, come, go, come in

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to enter, come in

1a2) to come

1a2a) to come with

1a2b) to come upon, fall or light upon, attack (enemy)

1a2c) to come to pass

1a3) to attain to

1a4) to be enumerated

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Hiphil-2mp — Verb · Hiphil · sequential perfect second person masculine plural
Hc/Vhq2mp
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he said Saul to servants his see please for me a person [who] does well to play and you will bring [him] to me
אֵלָֽי׃'e.Lai to me H413 Preposition · suffix
5,518× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means 'to' or 'toward', showing direction or movement. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus, to indicate where someone is going. The KJV translates it in various ways, like 'about', 'according to', or 'against'.
Amplified meaning
toward my presence
Tyndale gloss
to(wards)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֶל (el) is primarily a preposition indicating motion towards or direction to a person or place. It can also imply entering a limit, presence at a location, or a hostile direction (against). Additionally, it may express concepts such as concerning, in addition to, or according to. The entries highlight its versatility in both physical and metaphorical contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph),

prep. denoting motion to or direction towards (whether physical or mental).of motion to or unto a person or place

Where the limit is actually entered, into

Of direction towards anything

Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against

Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to

Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

Of rule or standard according to (rare)

Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion

Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H413 אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph), . of motion to or unto a person or place

. Where the limit is actually entered, into

. Of direction towards anything

. Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against

. Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to

. Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

. Of rule or standard according to (rare)

. Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion

. Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

413 'el ale

(but only used in the shortened constructive form sel {el});

a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but

occasionally used of a quiescent position, i.e. near, with or

among; often in general, to:--about, according to ,after,

against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and,

by, concerning, for, from, X hath, in(- to), near, (out) of,

over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether,

with(-in).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶל (el) — to(wards).

1) to, toward, unto (of motion)

2) into (limit is actually entered)

2a) in among

3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion)

4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character)

5) in addition to, to

6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of

7) according to (rule or standard)

8) at, by, against (of one's presence)

9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | Suff — Preposition · suffix
HRd/Sp1bs
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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