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1 Samuel 2:11 — Word Study

Depth

WLCוַיֵּ֧לֶךְ אֶלְקָנָ֛ה הָרָמָ֖תָה עַל־ בֵּית֑וֹ וְהַנַּ֗עַר הָיָ֤ה מְשָׁרֵת֙ אֶת־ יְהוָ֔ה אֶת־ פְּנֵ֖י עֵלִ֥י הַכֹּהֵֽן׃

BSAThen ElkanahʼElqânâh [went to his house, returned home] homebayith to RamahRâmâh [a city in Palestine, his dwelling place] but the boynaʻar [youth, young servant] began ministeringshârath [serving, attending to the needs of] toʼêth the LORDYᵉhôvâh [Yehovah] beforepânîym [in the presence of, under the direction of] EliʻÊlîy [the high priest, spiritual leader] the priestkôhên [one who serves God, spiritual mediator]

Word
Listen & take away1 Samuel 2
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 11 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 (ha.ko.Hen) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
1 Samuel 2:11quick helps
In a sentenceElkanah returns home to Ramah, while the boy serves the LORD under the priest Eli.
Who is speakingThe narrator describes Elkanah and the boy Samuel.
Where we areThis verse occurs in the context of the early life of Samuel, highlighting his service to God.
The hard wordמְשָׁרֵת
Take awayThe boy's ministry begins as Elkanah returns home.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectאֶלְקָנָה verbהלך 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 2:11

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 Early Life of Samuelgenerated

10Those who oppose the LORD will be shattered. He will thunder from heaven against them. The LORD will judge the ends of the earth and will give power to His king. He will exalt the horn of His anointed.”
11Then Elkanah went home to Ramah, but the boy began ministering to the LORD before Eli the priest.
12Now the sons of Eli were wicked men; they had no regard for the LORD
13or for the custom of the priests with the people. When any man offered a sacrifice, the servant of the priest would come with a three-pronged meat fork while the meat was boiling

1 Samuel 2:11 describes Elkanah's return to his home in Ramah while Samuel begins his service to the LORD. This moment marks the beginning of Samuel's role in the religious life of Israel, serving under Eli the priest. The surrounding verses emphasize the contrast between Samuel's faithful service and the wickedness of Eli's sons, setting the stage for Samuel's future significance as a prophet and leader.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
11 Samuel 2:18Now Samuel was ministering before the LORD—a boy wearing a linen ephod.
21 Samuel 1:28I now dedicate the boy to the LORD. For as long as he lives, he is dedicated to the LORD.” So they worshiped the LORD there.
31 Samuel 3:1–15And the boy Samuel ministered to the LORD before Eli. Now in those days the word of the LORD was rare and visions were scarce.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 3 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word מְשָׁרֵת, me.sha.Retgenerated

The verb מְשָׁרֵת (sharath) is a Piel participle meaning 'serving' or 'ministering.' It indicates active participation in service, particularly in a religious context. This form emphasizes the ongoing nature of the action, suggesting that Samuel is not just beginning a task but is engaged in a continuous role of service.

This word is often associated with the duties of priests and Levites in the temple, highlighting Samuel's important position as he attends to the needs of the LORD. The context of his service under Eli suggests a formative period in Samuel's life, where he is being prepared for future responsibilities.


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 וַיֵּ֧לֶךְ, and he went, which governs the entire clause. The structure indicates that Elkanah's action of returning home is central, while the subordinate clause describes the boy's action of ministering.

The sentence is constructed with Elkanah as the subject and Samuel's service as a complementary action, illustrating a clear progression from Elkanah's return to the boy's ministry.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates מְשָׁרֵת as λειτουργῶν (leitourgōn), which means 'serving' in a liturgical sense. This choice reflects a focus on the formal aspects of service in the temple, emphasizing the sacred nature of Samuel's role.

This translation highlights the importance of Samuel's ministry as one that is not just functional but also deeply spiritual, aligning with the priestly duties of the time.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

1 Samuel 2:11 tells us that after Elkanah went home to Ramah, the boy Samuel began serving the LORD in the presence of Eli the priest. This marks the start of Samuel's important role in Israel's worship and leadership.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that Samuel began ministering to the LORD?

It indicates that Samuel started his service in the temple, fulfilling duties that were essential to the worship practices of Israel.

Why is Elkanah's return to Ramah significant?

Elkanah's return signifies the normalcy of family life contrasted with the spiritual duties of Samuel, highlighting the balance between home and service.

What role did Eli play in Samuel's life?

Eli was Samuel's mentor and the high priest, guiding him in his early service and preparing him for future leadership.

How does Samuel's service compare to Eli's sons?

Samuel's faithful service contrasts sharply with the wickedness of Eli's sons, who disregarded the LORD, setting up a clear distinction in character and purpose.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What does it mean to serve God in my daily life, like Samuel did?
  2. How can I balance my responsibilities at home with my spiritual commitments?
  3. In what ways can I seek guidance from mentors in my spiritual journey?
  4. How can I remain faithful in my service to God despite challenges or distractions?

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

The early church fathers have commented on this passage, drawing typological connections between Samuel's life and the broader narrative of redemption, highlighting the significance of his service.

Gregory the DialogistCommentary on 1 Kings, Book 2, Chapter 2 c. 540–604
1. We have shown that this man indeed designates the Redeemer of the human race; Anna his wife, His Church; the boy Samuel, the people of believers from the nations; and Ramatha the city, the heavenly homeland.
Early Church Fathers on 1 Samuel 2 →
Gregory the DialogistCommentary on 1 Kings, Book 2, Chapter 3 c. 540–604
We have run through these matters from sacred history by way of typological explanation, so that we might seek out something of moral understanding in the same words of sacred history.
Early Church Fathers on 1 Samuel 2 →
BedeCommentary on Samuel c. 673–735
Thus Elkanah went to Ramah, to his house, etc. The Church of the Gentiles, recently called to faith, which we said signified the birth of the blessed Samuel, God's possession, which is His co-eternal wisdom, Christ, went to enlighten,
Early Church Fathers on 1 Samuel 2 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on 1 Samuel 2:11 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house,.... Of which see 1 Samuel 1:19.

Read John Gill on 1 Samuel 2 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the child did minister unto the LORD before Eli the priest. The child did minister unto the Lord before Eli the priest.

Read Robert Jamieson on 1 Samuel 2 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

In some way agreeable to his tender years, as in singing, or playing upon instruments of music, as they used then to do in God’ s service; or lighting the lamps, or some other way. For I suppose Samuel was not brought to the tabernacle in such tender years as some think; of which See Poole "". Before Eli the priest, i.e. under the inspection and by the direction and instruction of Eli.

Read Matthew Poole on 1 Samuel 2 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

1 Samuel 2:11 And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the child did minister unto the LORD before Eli the priest.Ver. 11. And the child did minister unto the Lord.] He did such offices as he was able about the tabernacle; which was the more commendable in young Samuel to be so sedulous, because Eli’ s sons were at the same time so corrupt and dissolute. The word here rendered child, is by the Dutch translated Der knaben, the knave; which with them signifieth child or servant; and so it did in old English, not as now, a wicked varlet. And therefore manifest wrong is done to John Wycliffe by Bellarmine and others, because that, disallowing the invocation of saints, he called them…

Read John Trapp on 1 Samuel 2 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(11-36) The Service of the boy Samuel in the Sanctuary—The Dissolute Life of the Sons of Eli—The Doom of the House of Ithamar.

Read Charles John Ellicott on 1 Samuel 2 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 11. And Elkanah went to Ramah] Immediately after the 10th verse, the Septuagint add, ΚαικατελιπεναυτονεκειενωπιονΚυριου·καιαπηλθενειςΑραματαια, And she left him there before the Lord, and went unto Arimathea. Thus the Septuagint suppose that the song of Hannah was composed when she brought Samuel to present him to the Lord; and as soon as she had completed this fine ode, she delivered him into the hands of Eli the high priest, and the child entered immediately on his ministration, under the direction and instructions of Eli.

Read AdamClarke on 1 Samuel 2 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Ch. 1 Samuel 2:1-11. The Song of Hannah Hannah’s song is a true prophecy. She is inspired “to discern in her own individual experience the universal laws of the divine economy, and to recognise its significance for the whole course of the Kingdom of God.” The deliverance from her proud adversary which had just been vouchsafed to her was but one instance of the great principles of Jehovah’s moral government of the world, principles which receive their fullest illustration in the exaltation of the Lord’s Christ through humiliation to victory, and which will only he fully realised when “the kingdoms of this world shall have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ.” Hence it is that…

Read Cambridge on 1 Samuel 2 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The word “minister” is used in three senses in Scripture: (1) of the service or ministration of both priests and Levites rendered unto the Lord Exodus 28:35, Exodus 28:43 : (2) of the ministrations

Read Albert Barnes on 1 Samuel 2 →

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

Then Elkanah went home to Ramah, but the boy began ministering to the LORD before Eli the priest.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. The child served Yahweh before Eli the priest.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Then Elkanah went home to Ramah, but the boy began ministering to the LORD before Eli the priest.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Then Elkanah went back home to Ramah. But the boy was serving the Lord under the supervision of Eli the priest.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the child did minister unto the LORD before Eli the priest.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the child did minister unto Jehovah before Eli the priest.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the child did minister unto the LORD before Eli the priest.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the child ministered to the LORD before Eli the priest.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house, and the childe did minister vnto the Lord before Eli the Priest.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the boy ministered to Jehovah in the presence of Eli the priest.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And Elkanah goeth to Ramath, unto his house, and the youth hath been serving Jehovah, [in] the presence of Eli the priest;

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And Elkanah goes to Ramath, to his house, and the youth has been serving YHWH [in] the presence of Eli the priest;

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the lad was ministering unto the Lord before 'Eli the priest.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Then Elkanah went to Ramah, to his house. The child served Yahweh in the presence of Eli the priest.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And Elcana went to Ramatha, to his house: but the child ministered in the sight of the Lord before the face of Heli the priest.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Then Elkanah went home to Ramah while the boy stayed with Eli the priest serving the Lord.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Then Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the child became the servant of the Lord under the direction of Eli the priest.

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.

וַandclauseverbיֵּ֧לֶךְhe.wentsubjectאֶלְקָנָ֛הElkanahnoun phrase · prepositionalהָtonoun phraseרָמָ֖תָ(the)הRamahprepositional phrase · prepositionalעַלonnoun phraseבֵּית֑houseוֹhisוְandclausenoun phrase · subjectהַtheנַּ֗עַרladverbהָיָ֤הhe.wasadjective phrase · objectclauseverbמְשָׁרֵת֙servingnoun phrase · objectאֶת(et)יְהוָ֔הYahwehprepositional phrase · prepositionalאֶתwithnoun phraseפְּנֵ֖יthe.presencenoun phraseעֵלִ֥יof.Elinoun phraseהַtheכֹּהֵֽןpriest

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 content, with a close correspondence in wording. However, the Septuagint's phrasing may suggest a different emphasis or interpretation of the actions described.

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

וַיֵּ֧לֶךְ אֶלְקָנָ֛ה הָרָמָ֖תָה עַל־ בֵּית֑וֹ וְהַנַּ֗עַר הָיָ֤ה מְשָׁרֵת֙ אֶת־ יְהוָ֔ה אֶת־ פְּנֵ֖י עֵלִ֥י הַכֹּהֵֽן׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיֵּ֧לֶךְἀπῆλθονהָרָמָ֖תָהαρμαθαιμוְהַנַּ֗עַרπαιδάριονהָיָ֤הἦνמְשָׁרֵת֙λειτουργῶνיְהוָ֔הκυρίουפְּנֵ֖יἐνώπιονעֵלִ֥יηλιהַכֹּהֵֽן׃ἱερέως

9 of the 14 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

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 2:11הָלַךְand he wentand he wentהָלַךְאֶלְקָנָהElkanahElkanahאֶלְקָנָהרָמָהRamah towarRamah towardsרָמָהעַלononעַלבֵּיתhouse hishouse hisבֵּיתנַ֫עַרand the ladand the ladנַ֫עַרהָיָהhe washe wasהָיָהשָׁרַתservingservingשָׁרַתאֵתthe object the object markאֵתיהוהYahwehYahwehיהוהאֵתwithwithאֵתפָּנֶה[the] prese[the] presence פָּנֶהעֵלִיEliEliעֵלִיכֹּהֵןthe priestthe priestכֹּהֵןבָּנָהto buildto buildבָּנָהאֵלgodgodאֵלנָעַרto shaketo shakeנָעַראוֹתsign: mirasign: miraculouאוֹתהָיָהto beto beהָיָהאָנָהto meetto meetאָנָהפָּנָהCorner (GaCorner (Gate)פָּנָהעָלָהto ascend:to ascend: riseעָלָההָלַךְto walkto walkהָלַךְרָמָהhigh placehigh placeרָמָהעַלheightheightעַלהָוָאto fallto fallהָוָאכָּהַןto ministeto ministerכָּהַןדֶּ֫רֶךְway: roadway: roadדֶּ֫רֶךְחֻקָּהstatutestatuteחֻקָּהצוּףZuphZuphצוּףיְרֹחָםJerohamJerohamיְרֹחָםנויתNaiothNaiothנוית
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 2:11

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 went Elkanah Ramah towards on house his and the lad he was serving the object marker Yahweh with [the] presence of Eli the priest
וַיֵּ֧לֶךְvai.Ye.lekh and he went H1980 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
1,549× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Means to walk or go, used in many different contexts in the Bible. It can describe physical movement, but also spiritual or emotional journeys. Appears in various forms, such as 'to go' or 'to walk'.
Tyndale gloss
to go: walk
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הָלַךְ (halak) means 'to go,' 'come,' or 'walk,' and covers a wide range of literal and figurative uses, including aspects of life and death. It can describe physical movement, moral conduct, and even influence on character. The verb appears in various forms, such as Qal, Piel, and Hithpael, indicating different nuances like leading or traversing.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הָלַךְ 1546 vb. go, come, walk

Qal Impf. usually (629 t.) as if from ילך

lit.

of persons

Also of animals, in similar meanings and combinations

in like manner of inanimate things

The inf. abs. is often used

as in other vbs., quite independently

to intensify meaning of finite form

most noteworthy is the joining of the Inf. abs.

with a following Inf. abs. denoting a simutaneous action or process, and so emphasizing duration or continuance

with a foll. vb. fin. c. ו consec. (rare)

in cases where vb. fin. is foll. by Inf. abs. adj. denoting progress, advance

twice, where vb. fin. is not הלך, but another vb. denoting motion

quite by itself

13 t. the Inf. abs. = Imv. & is followed by Pf. consec.

akin to the use of Inf. abs. are some instances of Pt.

In combination with other verbal forms

Fig.; the most common uses follow; in most the origin in a literal meaning is evident:

pass away, die

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1980 הָלַךְ go, come, walk .Impf. usually (629 t.) as if from ילך . lit. . of persons

. Also of animals, in similar meanings and combinations

. in like manner of inanimate things

. The inf. abs. is often used . as in other vbs., quite independently

. to intensify meaning of finite form

. most noteworthy is the joining of the Inf. abs. . with a following Inf. abs. denoting a simutaneous action or process, and so emphasizing duration or continuance

. with a foll. vb. fin. c. ו consec. (rare)

. in cases where vb. fin. is foll. by Inf. abs. + adj. denoting progress, advance

. twice, where vb. fin. is not הלך, but another vb. denoting motion

. quite by itself

. 13 t. the Inf. abs. = Imv. & is followed by Pf. consec.

. akin to the use of Inf. abs. are some instances of Pt.

. In combination with other verbal forms

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1980 halak haw-lak'

akin to 3212; a primitive root; to walk (in a great variety

of applications, literally and figuratively):--(all) along,

apace, behave (self), come, (on) continually, be conversant,

depart, + be eased, enter, exercise (self), + follow, forth,

forward, get, go (about, abroad, along, away, forward, on,

out, up and down), + greater, grow, be wont to haunt, lead,

march, X more and more, move (self), needs, on, pass (away),

be at the point, quite, run (along), + send, speedily, spread,

still, surely, + tale-bearer, + travel(-ler), walk (abroad,

on, to and fro, up and down, to places), wander, wax,

(way-)faring man, X be weak, whirl.

see HEBREW for 03212

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: went.

: went/go[away]

1) to go, walk, come

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away

1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to walk

1b2) to walk (fig.)

1c) (Hithpael)

1c1) to traverse

1c2) to walk about

1d) (Niphal) to lead, bring, lead away, carry, cause to walk

הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: come.

: come[nearer]

1) to go, walk, come

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away

1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to walk

1b2) to walk (fig.)

1c) (Hithpael)

1c1) to traverse

1c2) to walk about

1d) (Niphal) to lead, bring, lead away, carry, cause to walk

הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: walk.

: walk/move

1) to go, walk, come

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away

1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to walk

1b2) to walk (fig.)

1c) (Hithpael)

1c1) to traverse

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Hc/Vqw3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
and he went Elkanah Ramah towards on house his and the lad he was serving the object marker Yahweh with [the] presence of Eli the priest
אֶלְקָנָ֛ה'el.ka.Nah Elkanah H511 Noun proper masculine
21× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Elkanah means God has possessed and is the name of several Israelites, including Samuel's father and a ruler in Jerusalem during King Ahaz's time.
Amplified meaning
went to his house, returned home
Tyndale gloss
Elkanah
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֶלְקָנָה (Elqanah) means 'God has created' or 'God has taken possession.' It refers to several individuals in the Old Testament, including Samuel's father, a ruler during Ahaz's reign, and various Levites. The name is composed of elements meaning 'God' and 'to obtain.' It is first mentioned in Exodus 6:24.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶלְקָנָה n.pr.m. (God has created, or taken possession)

father of Samuel

son of Korah

a ruler in Jerusalem in the time of Ahaz

one of David’s warriors

several Levites

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H511 אֶלְקָנָה (God has created, or taken possession) . father of Samuel

. son of Korah

. a ruler in Jerusalem in the time of Ahaz

. one of David’s warriors

. several Levites

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

511 'Elqanah el-kaw-naw'

from 410 and 7069; God has obtained; Elkanah, the name of

several Israelites:--Elkanah.

see HEBREW for 0410

see HEBREW for 07069

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶלְקָנָה (el.qa.nah) — Elkanah.

A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Exo.6.24;

son of: Korah (H7141I);

brother of: Assir (H0617) and Ebiasaph (H0043)

§ Elkanah = "God has possessed" or "God has created"

1) Samuel's father

2) a ruler in Jerusalem in the time of king Ahaz

3) one of David's mighty warriors

4) son of Korah

5) several Levites

אֶלְקָנָה (el.qa.nah) — Elkanah.

A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Sa.1.1;

son of: Jeroham (H3395); married to Hannah (H2584) and Peninnah (H6444);

father of: Samuel (H8050)

§ Elkanah = "God has possessed" or "God has created"

1) Samuel's father

2) a ruler in Jerusalem in the time of king Ahaz

3) one of David's mighty warriors

4) son of Korah

5) several Levites

אֶלְקָנָה (el.qa.nah) — Elkanah.

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

el-ka'-na ('elqanah, "God has possessed"):

(1) An Ephraimite, the father of Samuel (1Sa 1:1-28; 2:11-20). Of his two wives, Hannah, the childless, was best beloved. At Shiloh she received through Eli the promise of a son. Elkanah, with Hannah, took the young Samuel to Shiloh when he was weaned, and left him with EIi as their offering to Yahweh. They were blessed with three other sons and two daughters.

(2) The second son of Korah (Ex 6:24), who escaped the fate of Korah, Dathan and Abiram (Nu 26:11).

(3) One "next to the king" in Jerusalem in the time of Ahaz; slain by one Zichri of Ephraim in war with Pekah (2Ch 28:7).

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Elkanah

God-created. (1.) The second son of Korah (Ex. 6:24), or, according to 1 Chr. 6:22, 23, more correctly his grandson.

(2.) Another Levite of the line of Heman the singer, although he does not seem to have performed any of the usual Levitical offices. He was father of Samuel the prophet (1 Chr. 6:27, 34). He was “an Ephrathite” (1 Sam. 1:1, 4, 8), but lived at Ramah, a man of wealth and high position. He had two wives, Hannah, who was the mother of Samuel, and Peninnah.

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

God the zealous; the zeal of God

Nave's Topical Bible

1. Grandson of Korah Ex 6:24; 1Ch 6:23

2. Father of Samuel; a descendant of the preceding 1Sa 1:1,4,8,19,21,23; 2:11,20; 1Ch 6:27,34

3. A Levite 1Ch 6:25,36

4. Possibly identical with number three above 1Ch 6:26,35

5. A Levite 1Ch 9:16

6. A Levite who joined David at Ziklag 1Ch 12:6

7. A doorkeeper for the ark, perhaps identical with number six above 1Ch 15:23

and he went Elkanah Ramah towards on house his and the lad he was serving the object marker Yahweh with [the] presence of Eli the priest
הָרָמָ֖תָהha.ra.Ma.tah Ramah towards H7414 Particle · noun proper · suffix
36× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Ramah, a city in Palestine, was a place of battle between Israel and Syria.
Amplified meaning
a city in Palestine, his dwelling place
Tyndale gloss
Ramah
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רָמָה (Ramah) means 'the Height' or 'hill' and refers to several locations in ancient Palestine, including a fortified city in Naphtali and a town in Benjamin near Gibeah. It is associated with the Benjamites after their return from captivity and is mentioned in the context of battles, such as between Israel and Syria. The lexicons note various geographical references but do not present significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רָמָה n.pr.loc. the Height, Rama

in Benj., on border of Ephr.

in hill-country of Ephr. (= 1 ?), home of Samuel

in Asher

in Naphtali

2 K 8:29

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7414 רָמָה the Height, Rama

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7414 Ramah raw-maw'

the same as 7413; Ramah, the name of four places in

Palestine:--Ramah.

see HEBREW for 07413

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רָמָה (ra.mah) — Ramah.

Ramah = "hill"

a place rehabited by the Benjamites after the return from captivity

Also named: Rhama (Ῥαμᾶ "Ramah" G4471)

רָמָה (ra.mah) — Ramah.

§ Ramah = "hill"

landmark on the boundary of Asher, apparently between Tyre and Zidon

רָמָה (ra.mah) — Ramah.

§ Ramah = "hill"

a fortified city in Naphtali

רָמָה (ra.mah) — Ramah.

Ramah = "hill"

a town in Benjamin on the border of Ephraim about 5 miles (8 km) from Jerusalem and near to Gibeah

Another name of mits.pah (מִצְפָּה "Mizpah" H4709G)

רָמָה (ra.mah) — Ramah.

Ramah = "hill"

a place of battle between Israel and Syria

Another name of ra.mot gi.l.ad (רָמֹת "Ramoth" H7433)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-proper | Suff — Particle · noun proper · suffix
HTd/Npl/Sd
and he went Elkanah Ramah towards on house his and the lad he was serving the object marker Yahweh with [the] presence of Eli the priest
עַל־'al- on H5921 Preposition
5,774× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means on or above something, like a physical object or a situation. It can also imply a sense of responsibility or accountability, as in being on behalf of someone.
Tyndale gloss
upon
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עַל (*al*) is a preposition meaning 'upon' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including 'on account of,' 'beside,' 'above,' and 'against.' It can indicate physical placement, emotional burdens, or duties imposed on a person. The entries also note its use in idiomatic expressions and with verbs of motion. There is a mention of its function as a conjunction in certain contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

base

עַל, עָ֑ל

subst. height

As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against

Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed

of clothing, etc., which any one wears

With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it

Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him

Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him

על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him

חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5921a עַל, עָ֑ל . As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against . Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed . — . of clothing, etc., which any one wears

. With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it

. Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him

. Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him

. על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him

. חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5921 `al al

properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the

singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a

particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always

in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great

variety of applications (as follow):--above, according

to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because

of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both

and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in

(that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-)on, over, than,

through(-out), to, touching, X with.

see HEBREW for 05920

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עַל (al) — upon.

prep

1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against

1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards

1b) above, beyond, over (of excess)

1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence)

1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition)

1e) over (of suspension or extension)

1f) by, adjoining, next, at, over, around (of contiguity or proximity)

1g) down upon, upon, on, from, up upon, up to, towards, over towards, to, against (with verbs of motion)

1h) to (as a dative)

[כִּי] עַל [כֵּן] ([ki] al [ken]) — as.

conj

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR — Preposition
HR
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

On

Light; the sun, (Gen. 41:45, 50), the great seat of sun-worship, called also Bethshemesh (Jer. 43:13) and Aven (Ezek. 30:17), stood on the east bank of the Nile, a few miles north of Memphis, and near Cairo, in the north-east. The Vulgate and the LXX. Versions have “Heliopolis” (“city of the sun”) instead of On in Genesis and of Aven in Ezekiel. The “city of destruction” Isaiah speaks of (19:18, marg. “of Heres;” Heb. ‘Ir-ha-heres, which some MSS. read Ir-ha-heres, i.e., “city of the sun”) may be the name given to On, the prophecy being that the time will come when that city which was known as the “city of the sun-god” shall become the “city of destruction” of the sun-god, i.e., when idolatry shall cease, and the worship…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(abode or city of the sun), a town of lower Egypt, called BETH-SHEMESH in (Jeremiah 43:13) On is better known under its Greek name Heliopolis. It was situated on the east side of the Pelusiac branch of the Nile, just below the point of the Delta, and about twenty miles northeast of Memphis. The chief object of worship at Heliopolis was the sun, whose temple, described by Strabo, is now only represented by the single beautiful obelisk, of red granite so feet 2 inches high above the pedestal which has stood for more than 4000 years, having been erected by Usirtesen, the second king of the twelfth dynasty. Heliopolis was anciently famous for its learning, and Eudoxus and Plato studied under its priests. The first mention of this place in the Bible is in the history of Joseph, to whom we read Pharaoh gave "to wife Asenath the daughter…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

See HELIOPOLIS.

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

pain; force; iniquity

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he went Elkanah Ramah towards on house his and the lad he was serving the object marker Yahweh with [the] presence of Eli the priest
בֵּית֑וֹbei.To house his H1004 Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
2,049× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for house refers to a dwelling place, including a family home, temple, or even the human body. It appears in various contexts, such as the temple in Jerusalem or the household of a family. In the Bible, it is often used to describe a place of worship or a family's living space.
Tyndale gloss
place
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word בַּיִת (*bayith*) means 'house' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including dwelling, family, and place. It can refer to physical structures, such as homes and temples, as well as metaphorical uses like the body or household affairs. The word is built from the root related to 'between' and appears in various contexts throughout the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בֵּית fem. of בַּיִן, בֵּין prep. between

base

בַּ֫יִת 2034 n.m. house

house

place

receptacle

of house as containing a family

household, family (592 t.)

house, including household affairs

lit. housewards, hence metaph. inwards

מִבַּיִת

adv. on the inside

prep. within

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1004a בֵּית fem. of בַּיִן, בֵּין prep. between H1004b בַּ֫יִת house

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1004 bayith bah'-yith

probably from 1129 abbreviated; a house (in the greatest

variation of applications, especially family, etc.):--court,

daughter, door, + dungeon, family, + forth of, X great as

would contain, hangings, home(born), (winter)house(-hold),

inside(-ward), palace, place, + prison, + steward, + tablet,

temple, web, + within(-out).

see HEBREW for 01129

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בֵּית (bet) — place.

nm

place, origin, between

בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — house: home.

: home/temple/building

nm

1) house

1a) house, dwelling habitation

1b) shelter or abode of animals

1c) human bodies (fig.)

1d) of Sheol

1e) of abode of light and darkness

1f) of land of Ephraim

2) place

3) receptacle

4) home, house as containing a family

5) household, family

5a) those belonging to the same household

5b) family of descendants, descendants as organized body

6) household affairs

7) inwards (metaph.)

8) (TWOT) temple

adv

9) on the inside

prep

10) within

בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — Beth-(ashbea).

nm

This name is used for a house, habitation

Combined with ash.be.a (אַשְׁבֵּעַ "Ashbea" H0791)

בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — Beth (Haggan).

nm

This name is used for a house, habitation

Combined with hag (גַּן "Haggan" H1588)

בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — Beth-(togarmah).

nm

This name is used for a house, habitation

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HNcmsc/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."

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he went Elkanah Ramah towards on house his and the lad he was serving the object marker Yahweh with [the] presence of Eli the priest
וְהַנַּ֗עַרve.ha.Na.'ar and the lad H5288 Conjunction · particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
239× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the original Hebrew, this word means a young person, either a boy or a girl, from infancy to adolescence. It is used to describe the servants and attendants who worked for kings and other important people in the Old Testament, like King David's servants.
Amplified meaning
youth, young servant
Tyndale gloss
youth
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נַ֫עַר (na`ar) generally refers to a boy, lad, or youth, covering ages from infancy to adolescence. It can also imply a servant or retainer and, in some contexts, may refer to a girl of similar age. The term appears in various forms across different lexicons, with Brown-Driver-Briggs noting its usage as a shaking or scattering.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נַ֫עַר 239 n.m. 1. boy, lad, youth. 2. retainer (not in P)

boy, lad, youth (c. 133 t.)

servant, retainer (c. 105 t.)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5288a נַ֫עַר usu. interpr. as a shaking, scattering H5288b נַ֫עַר, נַ֫עַר . boy, lad, youth

. retainer

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5288 na`ar nah'-ar

from 5287; (concretely) a boy (as active), from the age of

infancy to adolescence; by implication, a servant; also (by

interch. of sex), a girl (of similar latitude in age):--babe,

boy, child, damsel (from the margin), lad, servant, young

(man).

see HEBREW for 05287

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נַ֫עַר (na.ar) — youth.

1) a boy, lad, servant, youth, retainer

1a) boy, lad, youth

1b) servant, retainer

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

In the Old Testament this word occurs as the translation of na`ar, "young person," "child," "servant," the Revised Version (British and American) properly substituting "servant" in 2Ki 4:19; Jud 16:26 is another passage where either sense of the original word may be intended. The word occurs in the New Testament in Joh 6:9 as the translation of paidarion; in Ac 20:12, pais (the King James Version "young man").

and he went Elkanah Ramah towards on house his and the lad he was serving the object marker Yahweh with [the] presence of Eli the priest
הָיָ֤הha.Yah he was H1961 Verb · Qal · perfect 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
HVqp3ms — Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singular
HVqp3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ha: The fifth letter of the Hebrew alphabet; transliterated in this Encyclopedia as "h." It came also to be used for the number 5. For name, etc., see ALPHABET.

and he went Elkanah Ramah towards on house his and the lad he was serving the object marker Yahweh with [the] presence of Eli the priest
מְשָׁרֵת֙me.sha.Ret serving H8334 Verb · Piel · participle (active) masculine singular
97× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to serve or minister to someone, often in a worship or temple setting. It is used to describe the work of priests and Levites in the Old Testament.
Amplified meaning
serving, attending to the needs of
Tyndale gloss
to minister
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׁרַת (sharath) is a Hebrew verb meaning to minister or serve. It is derived from a primitive root that conveys the idea of attending to someone as a servant or worshipper. The entries indicate its use in contexts related to ministry and service, particularly in the Piel form, which emphasizes active participation in serving.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[שָׁרַת] 97 vb. Pi. minister, serve

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8334 שָׁרַת Pi. minister, serve

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8334 sharath shaw-rath'

a primitive root; to attend as a menial or worshipper;

figuratively, to contribute to:--minister (unto), (do)

serve(- ant, -ice, -itor), wait on.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁרַת (sha.rat) — to minister.

(Piel) to minister, serve, minister to

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Piel — Verb · Piel · participle (active) masculine singular
HVprmsa
and he went Elkanah Ramah towards on house his and the lad he was serving the object marker Yahweh with [the] presence of Eli the priest
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
DirObjM — Particle
HTo
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he went Elkanah Ramah towards on house his and the lad he was serving the object marker Yahweh with [the] presence of Eli the priest
יְהוָ֔הYah.weh Yahweh H3068 Noun proper
6,528× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Yehovah is another name for God, often translated as 'the Lord'. It is a national name for God in the Jewish faith. This name is used throughout the Old Testament.
Amplified meaning
Yehovah
Tyndale gloss
The Lord
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) is the proper name of the God of Israel, often rendered as Jehovah or the Lord. It signifies the self-existent or eternal nature of God. The name is closely associated with the revelation to Moses in Exodus 3:12-15 and is used in conjunction with other terms to denote sacred places. Some scholars suggest it derives from a root meaning 'to bring into being.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יהוה c. 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel—(1. MT יְהֹוָה 6518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהֹוִה 305 (Qr אֱלֹהִים) 2. Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of הוה (= היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver)

יהוה is not used by E in Gn, but is given Ex 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb

יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D

the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy

יהוה is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3068 יהוה i.e. יַהְוֶה n. pr. dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw'

from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish

national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.

see HEBREW for 01961

see HEBREW for 03050

see HEBREW for 03069

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — LORD.

Jehovah = "the existing One"

1) the proper name of the one true God

1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of a.do.na (אֲדֹנָי "Lord" H0136)

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — The Lord.

Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — (Jerusalem of) the Lord.

Combined with ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper
HNpt
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he went Elkanah Ramah towards on house his and the lad he was serving the object marker Yahweh with [the] presence of Eli the priest
אֶת־'et- with H854 Preposition
929× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew preposition means 'with' or 'near', indicating a close relationship or physical proximity. It's used in Genesis 1:26 to describe God's relationship with humanity, and in many other places to show connection or closeness.
Tyndale gloss
with
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֵת (eth) is a preposition indicating nearness or proximity, often translated as 'with' or 'near.' It conveys a sense of companionship or association, distinguishing itself from similar terms by expressing closer relationships. The entries highlight its use in various contexts, including possession and memory, but do not provide specific verse references.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵת, prep. with—prep. denoting proximity

Of companionship, together with

Of localities

אֵת פּ׳ denotes specially

in one's possession or keeping

in one's knowledge or memory

מֵאֵת from proximity with

Note. אֵת expresses closer association than עִם: hence while מֵעִם sts. denotes hardly more than from the surroundings or belongings of, מֵאֵת expresses from close proximity to.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H854 אֵת with—prep. denoting proximity . Of companionship, together with

. Of localities

. אֵת פּ׳ denotes specially . in one's possession or keeping

. in one's knowledge or memory

. מֵאֵת from proximity with

Note. אֵת expresses closer association than עִם: hence while מֵעִם sts. denotes hardly more than from the surroundings or belongings of, מֵאֵת expresses from close proximity to.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

854 'eth ayth

probably from 579; properly, nearness (used only as a

preposition or an adverb), near; hence, generally, with, by,

at, among, etc.:--against, among, before, by, for, from,

in(-to), (out) of, with. Often with another prepositional

prefix.

see HEBREW for 0579

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵת (et) — with.

1) with, near, together with

1a) with, together with

1b) with (of relationship)

1c) near (of place)

1d) with (poss.)

1e) from...with, from (with other prep)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR — Preposition
HR
and he went Elkanah Ramah towards on house his and the lad he was serving the object marker Yahweh with [the] presence of Eli the priest
פְּנֵ֖יpe.Nei [the] presence of H6440 Noun common · masculine plural construct
2,127× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means face or presence, like being in front of someone or something. It's used in many contexts, like in Genesis, Exodus, and Psalms, to describe interactions and relationships.
Amplified meaning
in the presence of, under the direction of
Tyndale gloss
face
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word פָּנֶה (*pāneh*) is a noun meaning 'face' or 'presence,' and it appears in various contexts, including the faces of seraphim and animals, as well as the surface of the ground. It can also function as an adverb meaning 'before' or 'in front of.' The word is built from a root that suggests turning or facing, and it encompasses a wide range of applications, both literal and figurative.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[פָּנֶה], pl. פָּנִים 2123 n.m. face, also faces

face, faces

presence, person

technically, see one's face, i.e. appear before one, in one's presence

face of seraphim

face of animals

face (= surface) of ground

as adv.loc. before

for other phrases

with prepositions

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6440 פָּנֶה, pl. פָּנִים face, also faces . . face, faces

. . presence, person

. technically, see one's face, i.e. appear before one, in one's presence

. face of seraphim

. face of animals

. face (= surface) of ground

. as adv. loc. before

. for other phrases

. with prepositions

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6440 paniym paw-neem'

plural (but always as singular) of an unused noun (paneh

{paw-neh'}; from 6437); the face (as the part that turns);

used in a great variety of applications (literally and

figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a

preposition (before, etc.):--+ accept, a-(be- )fore(-time),

against, anger, X as (long as), at, + battle, + because (of),

+ beseech, countenance, edge, + employ, endure, + enquire,

face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-part), form(-er

time, -ward), from, front, heaviness, X him(-self), +

honourable, + impudent, + in, it, look(-eth) (- s), X me, +

meet, X more than, mouth, of, off, (of) old (time), X on,

open, + out of, over against, the partial, person, + please,

presence, propect, was purposed, by reason of, + regard, right

forth, + serve, X shewbread, sight, state, straight, + street,

X thee, X them(-selves), through (+ - out), till, time(-s)

Read the full entry →
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

פָּנֶה (pa.neh) — face: before.

: before/to/front

1) face

1a) face, faces

1b) presence, person

1c) face (of seraphim or cherubim)

1d) face (of animals)

1e) face, surface (of ground)

1f) as adv of loc/temp

1f1) before and behind, toward, in front of, forward, formerly, from beforetime, before

1g) with prep

1g1) in front of, before, to the front of, in the presence of, in the face of, at the face or front of, from the presence of, from before, from before the face of

פָּנֶה (pa.neh) — face.

: face

1) face

1a) face, faces

1b) presence, person

1c) face (of seraphim or cherubim)

1d) face (of animals)

1e) face, surface (of ground)

1f) as adv of loc/temp

1f1) before and behind, toward, in front of, forward, formerly, from beforetime, before

1g) with prep

1g1) in front of, before, to the front of, in the presence of, in the face of, at the face or front of, from the presence of, from before, from…

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-cp — Noun common · masculine plural construct
HNcmpc
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 he went Elkanah Ramah towards on house his and the lad he was serving the object marker Yahweh with [the] presence of Eli the priest
עֵלִ֥י'e.Li Eli H5941 Noun proper masculine
33× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Eli was a high priest in the Bible, mentioned in 1 Samuel. He was the father of Hophni and Phinehas, and played a significant role in the story of Samuel. The name Eli means 'ascension'.
Amplified meaning
the high priest, spiritual leader
Tyndale gloss
Eli
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עֵלִי (Eliy) refers to Eli, a high priest and judge of Israel during the time of the United Monarchy, first mentioned in 1 Samuel 1:3. The name is derived from a root meaning 'lofty' or 'ascension.' Eli was a descendant of Aaron and the father of Hophni and Phinehas.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עֵלִי n.pr.m. Eli, priest at Shiloh

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5941 עֵלִי

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5941 `Eliy ay-lee'

from 5927; lofty; Eli, an Israelite high-priest:--Eli.

see HEBREW for 05927

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עֵלִי (e.li) — Eli.

A man living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Sa.1.3;

father of: Hophni (H2652), Phinehas (H6372H)

§ Eli = "ascension"

descendant of Aaron through Ithamar and high priest and judge of Israel when Samuel entered service as a child

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

e'-li (`eli):

A descendant of Ithamar, the fourth son of Aaron, who exercised the office of high priest in Shiloh at the time of the birth of Samuel. For the first time in Israel, Eli combined in his own person the functions of high priest and judge, judging Israel for 40 years (1Sa 4:18). The incidents in Eli's life are few; indeed, the main interest of the narrative is in the other characters who are associated with him. The chief interest centers in Samuel. In Eli's first interview with Hannah (1Sa 1:12 ff), she is the central figure; in the second interview (1Sa 1:24 ff), it is the child Samuel. When Eli next appears, it is as the father of Hophni and Phinehas, whose worthless and licentious lives had profaned their priestly…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Eli

Ascent, the high priest when the ark was at Shiloh (1 Sam. 1:3, 9). He was the first of the line of Ithamar, Aaron’s fourth son (1 Chr. 24:3; comp. 2 Sam. 8:17), who held that office. The office remained in his family till the time of Abiathar (1 Kings 2:26, 27), whom Solomon deposed, and appointed Zadok, of the family of Eleazar, in his stead (35). He acted also as a civil judge in Israel after the death of Samson (1 Sam. 4:18), and judged Israel for forty years.

His sons Hophni and Phinehas grossly misconducted themselves, to the great disgust of the people (1 Sam.…

(ascension), a descendant of Aaron through Ithamar, the youngest of his two surviving sons. (Leviticus 10:1,2,12) comp. 1Kin 2:27 with 2Sam 8:17; 1Chr 24:3 (B.C. 1214-1116.) he was the first of the line of Ithamar who held the office of high priest. The office remained in his family till Abiathar was thrust out by Solomon, (1 Kings 1:7; 2:26,27) when it passed back again to the family of Eleazar int he person of Zadok. (1 Kings 2:35) Its return to the elder branch was one part of the punishment which had been denounced against Eli during his lifetime, for his culpable negligence. (

A high priest of the Jews, the first in the line of Ithamar, 1Sa 2:27. He was also a judge of Israel forty years, and was eminent for piety and usefulness, but criminally negligent of family discipline. For this the judgments of God fell upon his house, 1Sa 3:11-18. In battle with the Philistines his two sons were slain, and Israel defeated; but it was the capture of the ark of God that broke his heart, 1Sa 4:1-22. The divine threatening was fully performed in the day of Abiathar, which see.

and he went Elkanah Ramah towards on house his and the lad he was serving the object marker Yahweh with [the] presence of Eli the priest
הַכֹּהֵֽן׃ha.ko.Hen the priest H3548 Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
750× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, a priest is a person who serves God and leads others in worship, like the Levitical priests in Exodus. They were responsible for making sacrifices and following God's laws. This term is also used to describe Jesus as a priest-king.
Amplified meaning
one who serves God, spiritual mediator
Tyndale gloss
priest
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כֹּהֵן (kohen) means 'priest' and is derived from the active participle of a related root. It encompasses various types of priests, including Levitical, Aaronic, and even pagan priests, as well as chief rulers or principal officers. The term is used in contexts referring to both Jewish and non-Jewish priestly roles.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כֹּהֵן 750 n.m. priest

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3548 כֹּהֵן priest

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3548 kohen ko-hane'

active participle of 3547; literally, one officiating, a

priest; also (by courtesy) an acting priest (although a

layman):--chief ruler, X own, priest, prince, principal

officer.

see HEBREW for 03547

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כֹּהֵן (ko.hen) — priest.

1) priest, principal officer or chief ruler

1a) priest-king (Melchizedek, Messiah)

1b) pagan priests

1c) priests of Jehovah

1d) Levitical priests

1e) Zadokite priests

1f) Aaronic priests

1g) the high priest

Aramaic equivalent: ka.hen (כָּהֵן "priest" H3549)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-ms — Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
HTd/Ncmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

prest (kohen, "priest," "prince," "minister"; hiereus archiereus; for hiereus megas, of Heb 10:21, see Thayer's Lexicon, under the word hiereus:

I. NATURE OF THE PRIESTLY OFFICE

1. Implies Divine Choice

2. Implies Representation

3. Implies Offering Sacrifice

4. Implies Intercession

II. THE TWO GREAT PRIESTS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT, MELCHIZEDEK AND AARON

III. PRIESTLY FUNCTIONS AND CHARACTER

1. A Strictly Religious Order

2. Priestism Denied

3. The High Priest's Qualifications

4. Symbolism of Aaron's Rod

IV. CONSECRATION OF AARON AND HIS SONS (EXODUS 29; LEVITICUS 8)

1. Symbolism of Consecration

2. Type and Archetype

LITERATURE

A priest is one who is duly authorized to minister in sacred things, particularly to offer sacrifices at the altar, and who acts as mediator between men and God. In the New Testament the term is applied to priests of the Gentiles…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Priest

The Heb. kohen, Gr. hierus, Lat. sacerdos, always denote one who offers sacrifices.

At first every man was his own priest, and presented his own sacrifices before God. Afterwards that office devolved on the head of the family, as in the cases of Noah (Gen. 8:20), Abraham (12:7; 13:4), Isaac (26:25), Jacob (31:54), and Job (Job 1:5).

The name first occurs as applied to Melchizedek (Gen. 14:18). Under the Levitical arrangements the office of the priesthood was limited to the tribe of Levi, and to only one family of that tribe, the family of Aaron. Certain laws respecting the qualifications of priests are given in Lev. 21:16-23. There are ordinances also regarding the…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

The English word is derived from the Greek presbyter , signifying an "elder" (Heb. cohen). Origin. --The idea of a priesthood connects itself in all its forms, pure or corrupted, with the consciousness, more or less distinct of sin. Men feel that they have broken a law. The power above them is holier than they are, and they dare not approach it. They crave for the intervention of some one of whom they can think as likely to be more acceptable than themselves. He must offer up their prayers, thanksgivings, sacrifices. He becomes their representative in "things pertaining unto God." He may become also (though this does not always follow) the representative of God to man. The functions of the priest and prophet may exist in the same person. No trace of a hereditary or caste priesthood meets us in the worship of the patriarchal age. Once and once only does the word cohen meet us as…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

One who officiated in the public worship of God, especially in making expiation for sin, being "ordained for men in things pertaining to God, to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins." In the Old Testament, the priesthood was not annexed to a certain family till after the promulgation of the law by Moses. Before that time, the firstborn of each family, the fathers, the princes, the kings, were priests in their own cities and in their own houses. Cain and Abel, Noah, Abraham, and Job, Abimelech and Laban, Isaac and Jacob offered personally their own sacrifices. In the solemnity of the covenant made by the Lord with his people, at the foot of Mount Sinai, Moses performed the office of mediator, and young men were chosen from among Israel to perform the office of priests, Ex 24:5. But after the Lord had chosen the tribe of Levi to…

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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