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1 Samuel 28:3 — Word Study

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WLCוּשְׁמוּאֵ֣ל מֵ֔ת וַיִּסְפְּדוּ־ לוֹ֙ כָּל־ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיִּקְבְּרֻ֥הוּ בָרָמָ֖ה וּבְעִיר֑וֹ וְשָׁא֗וּל הֵסִ֛יר הָאֹב֥וֹת וְאֶת־ הַיִּדְּעֹנִ֖ים מֵהָאָֽרֶץ׃

BSANow by this time SamuelShᵉmûwʼêl [Shemuel, a judge and prophet of Israel] had diedmûwth [passed away, ceased to live] and allkôl [every single one] IsraelYisrâʼêl had mournedçâphad [lamented, expressed deep sadness] and buried himqâbar [interred, laid to rest] in RamahRâmâh [a city in Palestine] his own cityʻîyr [personal, native] And SaulShâʼûwl [Shaul, a Benjamite king] had removedçûwr [turned aside, put away] the mediumsʼôwb [those who contact the dead, spiritists] and spiritistsyiddᵉʻônîy [those who claim to have a familiar spirit, wizards] from the landʼerets [the territory, country]

Word
Listen & take away1 Samuel 28
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 3 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 (me.ha.'A.retz) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
1 Samuel 28:3quick helps
In a sentenceSamuel has died, and all Israel mourned for him, while Saul removed the mediums and spiritists from the land.
Who is speakingThe narrator recounts the events surrounding Samuel's death and Saul's actions.
Where we areThis passage occurs during a critical time in Israel's history, marking the transition of leadership.
The hard wordסָפַד
Take awaySamuel's death marks a significant moment, and Saul's actions reflect his attempts to purify Israel.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectשְׁמוּאֵל verbמוּת 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 28:3

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 Death of Samuel and Saul's Actionsgenerated

2David replied, “Then you will come to know what your servant can do.” “Very well,” said Achish. “I will make you my bodyguard for life.”
3Now by this time Samuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in Ramah, his own city. And Saul had removed the mediums and spiritists from the land.
4The Philistines came together and camped at Shunem, while Saul gathered all Israel and camped at Gilboa.
5When Saul saw the Philistine army, he was afraid and trembled violently.

1 Samuel 28:3 describes the aftermath of Samuel's death, emphasizing the mourning of Israel and Saul's efforts to eliminate practices associated with necromancy. This moment highlights the tension in Israel as they navigate the absence of their prophet while facing external threats, such as the Philistines, as seen in the following verses.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
11 Samuel 25:1When Samuel died, all Israel gathered to mourn for him; and they buried him at his home in Ramah. Then David set out and went down to the Wilderness of Paran.
2Isaiah 57:1–2The righteous perish, and no one takes it to heart; devout men are swept away, while no one considers that the righteous are guided from the presence of evil.
31 Samuel 28:9But the woman replied, “Surely you know what Saul has done, how he has killed the mediums and spiritists in the land. Why have you set a trap to get me killed?”
4Exodus 22:18You must not allow a sorceress to live.
5Leviticus 19:31You must not turn to mediums or spiritists; do not seek them out, or you will be defiled by them. I am the LORD your God.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 8 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word שְׁמוּאֵל, u.she.mu.'Elgenerated

The name שְׁמוּאֵל (Shmuw'el) means 'heard of God' and refers to the prophet Samuel, who played a crucial role during the reigns of Saul and David. The parsing shows that it is a proper noun in the masculine form, indicating a specific individual rather than a general term.

Samuel's role as a prophet and judge is significant in Israel's history, and his death marks a pivotal transition. His name evokes the idea of divine communication, reflecting his importance as a mediator between God and the people.


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 verse consists of multiple clauses, with the main actions centered around the finite verbs: מֵ֔ת (died), וַיִּסְפְּדוּ (they mourned), and וַיִּקְבְּרֻ֥הוּ (they buried him). Each action is tied to the subject שְׁמוּאֵ֣ל (Samuel) and כָּל־ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (all Israel), establishing a clear narrative flow.

The structure emphasizes the sequence of mourning followed by burial, with Saul's actions as a separate but related clause, highlighting the contrast between the communal grief and Saul's decisive measures against necromancy.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, שְׁמוּאֵל is rendered as σαμουηλ, maintaining the name's significance. The Greek translation captures the essence of Samuel's role without altering its meaning.

The Greek word for מוּת is ἀπέθανεν, which directly translates to 'died', preserving the straightforward nature of the event without additional connotation.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

1 Samuel 28:3 tells us that Samuel had died, and all Israel mourned for him, burying him in Ramah. Saul then removed the mediums and spiritists from the land, showing his attempts to rid Israel of practices that went against God's commands.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that Samuel died?

Samuel's death signifies the end of an era where he served as a prophet and judge, marking a transition in Israel's leadership.

Why did all Israel mourn for Samuel?

Israel mourned for Samuel because he was a significant leader and prophet who guided them and communicated God's will.

What actions did Saul take after Samuel's death?

Saul removed the mediums and spiritists from the land, indicating his desire to eliminate practices associated with necromancy and to seek God's guidance.

What are mediums and spiritists?

Mediums and spiritists are individuals who claim to communicate with the dead or possess supernatural knowledge, practices that were forbidden in Israel.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. How does Samuel's death impact the leadership of Israel?
  2. What can we learn from Israel's mourning for Samuel about community and leadership?
  3. In what ways can we identify and remove negative influences in our lives, similar to Saul's actions?
  4. How does this passage inform our understanding of seeking guidance from God versus relying on other sources?

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

The early Church Fathers comment on this passage, discussing the implications of Samuel's death and Saul's actions in the context of biblical leadership and morality.

Augustine of HippoAGAINST FAUSTUS, A MANICHAEAN 22.65 354–430
As has been said already, the sacred record, like a faithful mirror, has no flattery in its portraits and either itself passes sentence upon human actions as worthy of approval or disapproval or leaves the reader to do so.
Early Church Fathers on 1 Samuel 28 →
BedeCommentary on Samuel c. 673–735
Now, Samuel was dead, etc. Josephus narrates that this happened two years before the death of Saul, writing thus (Antiq. VI, 14): "Saul reigned, with Samuel living for eighteen years, and for another two years after his death." Indeed,
Early Church Fathers on 1 Samuel 28 →
BedeCommentary on Samuel c. 673–735
And Saul removed all the magicians, etc. Magicians and soothsayers, the first of whom, commonly called sorcerers, use blood and sacrifices, and often touch the bodies of the dead,
Early Church Fathers on 1 Samuel 28 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on 1 Samuel 28:3 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Now Samuel was dead,.... Had been so for some time; which is mentioned before, 1 Samuel 25:1; and here repeated, partly to observe the reason of the Philistines renewing the war, and partly to

Read John Gill on 1 Samuel 28 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. And Saul had put away those that had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land.

Read Robert Jamieson on 1 Samuel 28 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Samuel was dead: this is mentioned here as the reason why Saul did not inquire of Samuel; which, if he had now been alive, he would have done. In his own city, where he had his birth and education, and most settled habitation, . Saul had put away those that had familiar spirits, and the wizards; according to God’ s command, 20:6,27 Deuteronomy 18:11. This he did, either by Samuel’ s instigation; or from a conceit that the evil spirit came upon him by some of their means; or that he might gain the repute of a religious prince, which was very useful to him; or that he might quiet his troubled conscience, and please God as far as his interest would give him leave. And this is here related…

Read Matthew Poole on 1 Samuel 28 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

1 Samuel 28:3 Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. And Saul had put away those that had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land.Ver. 3. Now Samuel was dead.] See 1 Samuel 25:1. And all Israel had lamented him.] This is one of the dues of the dead - viz., to be sowed in the earth, and watered with tears. Mors mea ne careat lachrymis. And buried him in Ramah.] The bodies of the saints, being the temples of the Holy Ghost, should with reverence be commended and committed unto Christian sepulture, in hope of the resurrection. And Saul had put away those that had familiar spirits.] This he had done, according to Leviticus…

Read John Trapp on 1 Samuel 28 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(3) Now Samuel was dead.—A statement here repeated to introduce the strange, sad story which follows. The LXX., followed by the Vulg. and Syriac Versions, omitted it, not understanding the reason for its repetition. And Saul had put away those that had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land.—This statement is also inserted explanatory of what follows. In other words, the compiler says: “Now Samuel, whom Saul was so anxious to see, was dead and buried, and the possessors of familiar spirits, whose aid Saul was about to invoke to carry out his purpose, had long since been put out, by his own order, from the land.” “Those that had familiar spirits”—those that had at their command…

Read Charles John Ellicott on 1 Samuel 28 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 3. Samuel was dead] And there was no longer a public accredited prophet to consult. Those that had familiar spirits, and the wizards] See Clarke on Leviticus 19:31, and "Exodus 22:18".

Read AdamClarke on 1 Samuel 28 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

3–14. Saul resorts to the witch of Endor 3. Now Samuel, &c.] From 1 Samuel 28:3 to the end of the chapter is an independent narrative. 1 Samuel 28:3 states by way of introduction certain facts as the key to the incidents about to be related: (1) the death and burial of Samuel (1 Samuel 25:1); (2) Saul’s expulsion of the soothsayers. This he probably did in the early part of his reign. An allusion to it may be traced in 1 Samuel 15:23. It was In accordance with the Law. See Leviticus 19:31; Leviticus 20:27; Deuteronomy 18:10 ff. those that had familiar spirits] The Hebrew word Ob signifies (1) the demon or spirit supposed to speak through the necromancer; (2) the possessor of such a spirit.…

Read Cambridge on 1 Samuel 28 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

It does not appear when Saul had suppressed witchcraft; it was probably in the early part of his reign. Familiar spirits ... wizards - i. e. ventriloquists ... wise or cunning men. See Leviticus 19:31 note.

Read Albert Barnes on 1 Samuel 28 →

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

Now by this time Samuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in Ramah, his own city. And Saul had removed the mediums and spiritists from the land.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. Saul had sent away those who had familiar spirits and the wizards out of the land.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Now by this time Samuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in Ramah, his own city. And Saul had removed the mediums and spiritists from the land.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Now Samuel had died, and all Israel had lamented over him and had buried him in Ramah, his hometown. In the meantime Saul had removed the mediums and magicians from the land.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

¶ Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. And Saul had put away those that had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. And Saul had put away those that had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. And Saul had put away those that had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. And Saul had put away those that had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

(Samuel was then dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah his owne citie: and Saul had put away the sorcerers, and the soothsayers out of the land)

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

(Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and they had buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. And Saul had put away the necromancers and the soothsayers out of the land.)

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And Samuel hath died, and all Israel mourn for him, and bury him in Ramah, even in his city, and Saul hath turned aside those having familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And Samuel has died, and all Israel mourns for him, and buries him in Ramah, even in his city, and Saul has turned aside those having familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city; and Saul had removed those that had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Now Samuel had died, and all Israel had lamented him and buried him in Ramah, in his own city. Also, Saul had banned from the land those who talked with the dead or with spirits.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel mourned for him, and buried him in Ramatha his city. And Saul had put away all the magicians and soothsayers out of the land.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

By now Samuel had died, and all of Israel had mourned for him and buried him in Ramah, his home town. Saul had got rid of mediums and spiritists from the country.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel, after weeping for him, had put his body in its last resting-place in Ramah, his town. And Saul had put away from the land all those who had control of spirits and who made use of secret arts.

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.

וּandclausesubjectשְׁמוּאֵ֣לSamuelverbמֵ֔תhe.had.diedוַandclauseverbיִּסְפְּדוּthey.had.mournedprepositional phrase · prepositionalלforוֹ֙himnoun phrase · subjectכָּלallיִשְׂרָאֵ֔לIsraelוַandclauseverbיִּקְבְּרֻ֥theyobjectהוּhad.buried.himprepositional phrase · prepositionalprepositional phraseבָinnoun phrase(the)רָמָ֖הRamahוּ(and).inprepositional phraseבְhisnoun phraseעִיר֑ownוֹcityוְandclausesubjectשָׁא֗וּלSaulverbהֵסִ֛ירhe.had.removednoun phrase · objectnoun phraseהָtheאֹב֥וֹתnecromancersוְandnoun phraseאֶת(et)noun phraseהַtheיִּדְּעֹנִ֖יםsoothsayersprepositional phrase · prepositionalמֵfromnoun phraseהָtheאָֽרֶץland

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


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

The Masoretic Text states that Samuel had died and all Israel mourned for him, burying him in Ramah, while Saul removed mediums and spiritists from the land. The Septuagint agrees with the Masoretic Text in content, matching all 15 words in a word-by-word correspondence, although its word order and articles differ. The Dead Sea Scrolls fragment 4Q51 contains 9 words from the verse, with one word partly restored and eight supplied by an editor, but it aligns with the Masoretic Text's overall meaning and details.

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

וּשְׁמוּאֵ֣ל מֵ֔ת וַיִּסְפְּדוּ־ לוֹ֙ כָּל־ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיִּקְבְּרֻ֥הוּ בָרָמָ֖ה וּבְעִיר֑וֹ וְשָׁא֗וּל הֵסִ֛יר הָאֹב֥וֹת וְאֶת־ הַיִּדְּעֹנִ֖ים מֵהָאָֽרֶץ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וּשְׁמוּאֵ֣לσαμουηλמֵ֔תἀπέθανενוַיִּסְפְּדוּ־ἐκόψαντοלוֹ֙αὐτὸνכָּל־πᾶςיִשְׂרָאֵ֔לισραηλוַיִּקְבְּרֻ֥הוּαὐτὸνבָרָמָ֖הαρμαθαιμוּבְעִיר֑וֹπόλειוְשָׁא֗וּלσαουλהֵסִ֛ירπεριεῖλενהָאֹב֥וֹתἐγγαστριμύθουςוְאֶת־καὶהַיִּדְּעֹנִ֖יםγνώσταςמֵהָאָֽרֶץ׃γῆς

15 of the 15 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.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q51a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[ושמואל] [מת] [ויספדו] [ל׳ו] [כול] ישראל [ויקבר׳הו] [ברמה] [ובעיר׳ו]

9 words of the verse are on this fragment — 1 partly restored, 8 supplied entire by an editor.

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 28:3שְׁמוּאֵלand Samueland Samuelשְׁמוּאֵלמוּתhe had diedhe had diedמוּתסָפַדand they haand they had moסָפַדוֹfor himfor himוֹכֹּלallallכֹּליִשְׂרָאֵלIsraelIsraelיִשְׂרָאֵלקָבַרand they haand they had buקָבַררָמָהin Ramahin Ramahרָמָהעִירin own cityin own city hisעִירשָׁאוּלand Sauland Saulשָׁאוּלסוּרhe had remohe had removedסוּראוֹבthe necromathe necromancerאוֹבאֵתand the objand the object אֵתיִדְּעֹנִיthe soothsathe soothsayersיִדְּעֹנִיאֶ֫רֶץfrom the lafrom the landאֶ֫רֶץכָּלַלto perfectto perfectכָּלַלשָׂרָהto striveto striveשָׂרָהעוּרto rouseto rouseעוּראוֹתsign: mirasign: miraculouאוֹתיָדַעto knowto knowיָדַעשָׁמַעto hear: hto hear: hearשָׁמַעאֵלgodgodאֵלרָמָהhigh placehigh placeרָמָהשָׁאַלto askto askשָׁאַלאָבfatherfatherאָבמִגְרָשׁpasturepastureמִגְרָשׁרָמָהRamahRamahרָמָהרָצַחto murderto murderרָצַחקָבַרto buryto buryקָבַרהוֹיwoe!woe!הוֹייָלַלto wailto wailיָלַלעֵדָהcongregaticongregationעֵדָהעֲבֹדָהserviceserviceעֲבֹדָה
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 28:3

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 Samuel he had died and they had mourned for him all Israel and they had buried him in Ramah in own city his and Saul he had removed the necromancers and the object marker the soothsayers from the land
וּשְׁמוּאֵ֣לu.she.mu.'El and Samuel H8050 Conjunction · noun proper masculine
141× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Shemuel was the name of three Israelites, including a judge and prophet of Israel during the time of King Saul and King David. His name means his name is El and he was the son of Elkanah and Hannah.
Amplified meaning
Shemuel, a judge and prophet of Israel
Tyndale gloss
Shemuel
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שְׁמוּאֵל (Shmuw'el) means 'heard of God' and refers to the name Samuel, associated with three Israelites. The most notable is the prophet Samuel, son of Elkanah and Hannah, who served during the reigns of Saul and David. Other references include individuals from the tribes of Simeon and Issachar, with the name implying a connection to God.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שְׁמוּאֵל 140 n.pr.m. Samuel (= name of Ēl)

great prophet, 11th cent. B.C.

in Simeon

in Issachar

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8050 שְׁמוּאֵל

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8050 Shmuw'el sehm-oo-ale'

from the passive participle of 8085 and 410; heard of God;

Shemuel, the name of three Israelites:--Samuel, Shemuel.

see HEBREW for 08085

see HEBREW for 0410

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שְׁמוּאֵל (she.mu.el) — Samuel.

A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Sa.1.20;

son of: Elkanah (H0511H) and Hannah (H2584);

father of: Joel (H3100) and Abijah (H0029)

Also named: Samouēl (Σαμουήλ "Samuel" G4545)

§ Samuel = "his name is El"

1) son of Elkanah by his wife Hannah and judge or prophet of Israel during the days of Saul and David

2) son Ammihud and the prince of the tribe of Simeon who was chosen to divide the land of Canaan between the tribes. Spelled 'Shemuel'

3) son of Tola and grandson of Issachar. Spelled 'Shemuel'

שְׁמוּאֵל (she.mu.el) — Shemuel.

A man living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, only mentioned at Num.34.20;

son of: Ammihud (H5989H)

§ Samuel = "his name is El"

1) son of Elkanah by his wife Hannah and judge or prophet of Israel during the days of Saul and David

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | N-proper — Conjunction · noun proper masculine
HC/Npm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

sam'-u-el (shemu'el; Samouel): The word "Samuel" signifies "name of God," or "his name is El" (God). Other interpretations of the name that have been offered are almost certainly mistaken. The play upon the name in 1Sa 1:20 is not intended of course to be an explanation of its meaning, but is similar to the play upon the name Moses in Ex 2:10 and frequently elsewhere in similar instances. Thus, by the addition of a few letters shemu'el becomes sha'ul me'el, "asked of God," and recalls to the mother of Samuel the circumstances of the divine gift to her of a son. Outside of 1st Samuel the name of the great judge and prophet is found in Jer 15:1; Ps 99:6 and in 1 and 2…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Samuel

Heard of God. The peculiar circumstances connected with his birth are recorded in 1 Sam. 1:20. Hannah, one of the two wives of Elkanah, who came up to Shiloh to worship before the Lord, earnestly prayed to God that she might become the mother of a son. Her prayer was graciously granted; and after the child was weaned she brought him to Shiloh nd consecrated him to the Lord as a perpetual Nazarite (1:23-2:11). Here his bodily wants and training were attended to by the women who served in the tabernacle, while Eli cared for his religious culture. Thus, probably, twelve years of his life passed away. “The child Samuel grew on, and was in favour both with the Lord, and also with men” (2:26; comp. Luke 2:52). It was a time of great and growing degeneracy in Israel (

Smith's Bible Dictionary

was the son of Elkanah and Hannah, and was born at Ramathaim-zophim, among the hills of Ephraim. [RAMAH No. 2] (B.C. 1171.) Before his birth he was dedicated by his mother to the office of a Nazarite and when a young child, 12 years old according to Josephus he was placed in the temple, and ministered unto the Lord before Eli." It was while here that he received his first prophetic call. (1 Samuel 3:1-18) He next appears, probably twenty years afterward, suddenly among the people, warning them against their idolatrous practices. (1 Samuel 7:3,4) Then followed Samuel’s first and, as far as we know, only military achievement, ch. (1 Samuel 7:5-12) but it was apparently this which raised him to the office of "judge." He visited, in…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

God hath heard, 1Sa 1:20, a child of prayer, the celebrated Hebrew prophet and judge, Ac 3:24 13:20. He was a Levite by birth, 1Co 6:20, and the son of Elkanah and Hannah, at Ramah in Mount Ephraim, northwest of Jerusalem. At a very tender age he was carried to Shiloh, and brought up beside the tabernacle under the care of Eli the high priest. Having been conserated to God from his birth, and devoted to Nazariteship, he began to receive divine communications even in his childhood, 1Sa 3:1-21; and after the death of Eli, he became established as the judge of Israel. He was the last and best of the Hebrew judges. We contemplate his character and administration with peculiar…

and Samuel he had died and they had mourned for him all Israel and they had buried him in Ramah in own city his and Saul he had removed the necromancers and the object marker the soothsayers from the land
מֵ֔תMet he had died H4191 Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singular
840× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means to die, either literally or as a punishment, and is used in books like Genesis and Exodus. It can also mean to perish or be killed. This concept is seen in the story of Adam and Eve, where death enters the world as a result of sin.
Amplified meaning
passed away, ceased to live
Tyndale gloss
to die
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מוּת (mūth) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to die' or 'to kill.' It encompasses a range of meanings from dying naturally to being executed as a penalty. The word can refer to both humans and animals, and it includes various forms such as causing death or being killed. There is a distinction in usage based on the subject, whether it is a person or God inflicting death.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מוּת vb. die

Qal

die, of natural or other causes

die as a penalty = be put to death

Po‛lel. kill, put to death, despatch (intens.)

Hiph.

abs., elsewhere c. acc., subj. man

subj. God, by inflicting penalty

of animals killing men

bring to a premature death

Hoph. be killed, put to death

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4191 מוּת die .. die, of natural or other causes

. die as a penalty = be put to death

. kill, put to death, despatch (intens.)

. . abs., elsewhere c. acc., subj. man

. subj. God, by inflicting penalty

. of animals killing men

. bring to a premature death

. be killed, put to death

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4191 muwth mooth

a primitive root: to die (literally or figuratively);

causatively, to kill:--X at all, X crying, (be) dead (body,

man, one), (put to, worthy of) death, destroy(-er), (cause to,

be like to, must) die, kill, necro(-mancer), X must needs,

slay, X surely, X very suddenly, X in (no) wise.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מוּת (mut) — to die.

1) to die, kill, have one executed

1a)(Qal)

1a1) to die

1a2) to die (as penalty), be put to death

1a3) to die, perish (of a nation)

1a4) to die prematurely (by neglect of wise moral conduct)

1b) (Polel) to kill, put to death, dispatch

1c) (Hiphil) to kill, put to death

1d) (Hophal)

1d1) to be killed, be put to death

1d1a) to die prematurely

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-3ms — Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singular
HVqp3ms
and Samuel he had died and they had mourned for him all Israel and they had buried him in Ramah in own city his and Saul he had removed the necromancers and the object marker the soothsayers from the land
וַיִּסְפְּדוּ־vai.yis.pe.du- and they had mourned H5594 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
30× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew verb means to mourn or lament, often by tearing hair and beating breasts. It involves expressing deep sadness or grief, like wailing or lamenting. The KJV translates it as lament or mourn.
Amplified meaning
lamented, expressed deep sadness
Tyndale gloss
to mourn
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

סָפַד (sāphad) is a Hebrew verb meaning to wail or lament. It describes actions of grief, such as tearing hair and beating the breast, common in mourning practices. The word appears in various forms, including Qal (to wail) and Niphal (to be lamented). The entries consistently emphasize its connection to expressions of sorrow.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[סָפַד] vb. wail, lament

Qal wail, lament

Niph. they shall not be bewailed

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5594 סָפַד wail, lament

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5594 caphad saw-fad'

a primitive root; properly, to tear the hair and beat the

breasts (as Orientals do in grief); generally to lament; by

implication, to wail:--lament, mourn(-er), wail.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

סָפַד (sa.phad) — to mourn.

1) to wail, lament, mourn

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to wail, lament

1a2) wailers (participle)

1b) (Niphal) to be lamented, be bewailed

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
Hc/Vqw3mp
and Samuel he had died and they had mourned for him all Israel and they had buried him in Ramah in own city his and Saul he had removed the necromancers and the object marker the soothsayers from the land
לוֹ֙lo for him H9033 Preposition · suffix
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

וֹ (o) — him.

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HRd/Sp3ms — Preposition · suffix
HRd/Sp3ms
and Samuel he had died and they had mourned for him all Israel and they had buried him in Ramah in own city his and Saul he had removed the necromancers and the object marker the soothsayers from the land
כָּל־kol- all H3605 Noun common · masculine singular construct
5,415× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for 'all' or 'everything' is used throughout the Bible, like in Genesis 1:31, where God sees all He has made as very good. It encompasses the entirety of something, whether people, things, or situations.
Amplified meaning
every single one
Tyndale gloss
all
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כֹּל (kol) means 'all' or 'the whole.' It can refer to totality, including every person or thing, and is often used with a following genitive to specify what is included. The term can also denote a broader sense of everything in existence or all circumstances of life. The lexicons do not show significant disagreement on its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כֹּל once כּוֹל n.m. the whole, all

with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

Absolutely:

without the art., all things, all

with the art. הַכֹּל

where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3605 כֹּל once כּוֹל the whole, all . with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

. Absolutely: . without the art., all things, all

. with the art. הַכֹּל . where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

. in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3605 kol kole

or (Jer. 33:8) kowl {kole}; from 3634; properly, the whole;

hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a

plural sense):--(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any

(manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as

many as, (no-)thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole,

whoso(-ever).

see HEBREW for 03634

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כֹּל (kol) — all.

1) all, the whole

1a) all, the whole of

1b) any, each, every, anything

1c) totality, everything

Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular construct
HNcmsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ol: Used in various combinations, and with different meanings.

(1) All along, "Weeping all along as he went" (Jer 41:6), i.e. throughout the whole way he went, feigning equal concern with the men from Shiloh, etc., for the destruction of the Temple, so as to put them off their guard.

(2) All in all, "That God may be all in all" (1Co 15:28, Greek: panta en pasin, "all things in all (persons and) things"). "The universe, with all it comprises, will wholly answer to God's will and reflect His mind" (Dummelow).

(3) All one, "It is all one" (Job 9:22), "it makes no difference whether I live or die."

(4) At all, "If thy father miss me at all" (1Sa 20:6), "in any way," "in the least."

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and Samuel he had died and they had mourned for him all Israel and they had buried him in Ramah in own city his and Saul he had removed the necromancers and the object marker the soothsayers from the land
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔לYis.ra.'El Israel H3478 Noun proper
2,508× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Israel is the symbolic name of Jacob, also referring to his descendants. Jacob, son of Isaac and Rebekah, had 12 sons who became the tribes of Israel, as told in Genesis 25:26. His story is crucial to the Bible's narrative.
Tyndale gloss
Israel
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

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

n.pr.m. second name of Jacob

n.pr.gent. name of Hebrew nation

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

. n. pr. gent. name of Hebrew nation

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3478 Yisra'el yis-raw-ale'

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

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

--Israel.

see HEBREW for 08280

see HEBREW for 0410

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יִשְׂרָאֵל (yis.ra.el) — Israel.

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

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

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

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

§ Israel = "God prevails"

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

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

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

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

iz'-ra-el.

See JACOB.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Israel

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

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

Smith's Bible Dictionary

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

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

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

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and Samuel he had died and they had mourned for him all Israel and they had buried him in Ramah in own city his and Saul he had removed the necromancers and the object marker the soothsayers from the land
וַיִּקְבְּרֻ֥הוּvai.yik.be.Ru.hu and they had buried him H6912 Verb qal sequential imperfect third person masculine plural · suffix
133× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To bury means to inter or lay someone to rest, often in a grave or tomb. This word is used throughout the Bible to describe the act of burying the dead, and is translated as bury in the KJV.
Amplified meaning
interred, laid to rest
Tyndale gloss
to bury
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

קָבַר (qabar) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to bury.' It has several forms, including Qal (to bury), Niphal (to be buried), Piel (to bury in masses), and Pual (to be buried). The entries indicate its use in various contexts, including a reference to Genesis 25:10.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

קָבַר 132 vb. bury

Qal 86 bury

Niph. 39 be buried

Pi. bury (in masses)

Pu. Gn 25:10.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6912 קָבַר bury

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6912 qabar kaw-bar'

a primitive root; to inter:--X in any wise, bury(-ier).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קָבַר (qa.var) — to bury.

1) to bury

1a) (Qal) to bury

1b) (Niphal) to be buried

1c) (Piel) to bury, bury (in masses)

1d) (Pual) to be buried

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3mp | Suff — Verb qal sequential imperfect third person masculine plural · suffix
Hc/Vqw3mp/Sp3ms
and Samuel he had died and they had mourned for him all Israel and they had buried him in Ramah in own city his and Saul he had removed the necromancers and the object marker the soothsayers from the land
בָרָמָ֖הva.ra.Mah in Ramah H7414 Preposition · noun proper
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
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
Prep | N-proper — Preposition · noun proper
HRd/Npl
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ra'-ma (ha-ramah, without the definite article only in Ne 11:33; Jer 31:15): The name denotes height, from root rum, "to be high," and the towns to which it applied seem all to have stood on elevated sites.

(1) Codex Vaticanus Arael; Codex Alexandrinus Rhama: A fenced city in the lot assigned to Naphtali (Jos 19:36). Only in this passage is the place referred to. It is probably identical with the modern er-Rameh, a large Christian village on the highway from Cafed to the coast, about 8 miles West-Southwest of that city. To the North rises the mountain range which forms the southern boundary of Upper Galilee. In the valley to the South there is much rich land cultivated by the villagers. The olives grown here are very fine…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(a hill). This is the name of several places in the holy land. One of the cities of the allotment of Benjamin. (Joshua 18:25) Its site is at er-Ram , about five miles from Jerusalem, and near to Gibeah. (Judges 4:5; 19:13; 1 Samuel 22:6) Its people returned after the captivity. (Ezra 2:26; Nehemiah 7:30) The home of Elkanah, Samuel’s father, (1 Samuel 1:19; 2:11) the birthplace of Samuel himself, his home and official residence, the site of his altar ch. (1 Samuel 7:17; 8:4; 15:34; 16:13; 19:18) and finally his…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Plural RAMOTH, an eminence; and hence many places in Palestine are named Ramah, Ramath, Ramath, Ramathaim, etc. Sometimes the same place is called by one or other of these names indiscriminately, all signifying the same, 2Ki 8:28,29. Sometimes Rama, Or Ramoth, is joined to another name, to determine the place of such city or eminence; and it is sometimes put simply for a high place, and signifies neither city nor village.

1. The principal Ramah was a city of Benjamin, near Gibeah, towards the mountains of Ephraim, six miles from Jerusalem north, and on the road from Samaria to Jerusalem, Jos 18:25 Jud 19:13 Ne 11:33. It was near the border line between Judah and Israel…

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

same as Ram

and Samuel he had died and they had mourned for him all Israel and they had buried him in Ramah in own city his and Saul he had removed the necromancers and the object marker the soothsayers from the land
וּבְעִיר֑וֹu.ve.'i.Ro in own city his H5892 Conjunction · preposition · noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
1,090× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word refers to a city or town, often a place with a wall or a watchman. It is used to describe a settlement or encampment, like the city of Ai, which is mentioned in the book of Joshua. The word is used to identify specific locations in the Bible.
Amplified meaning
personal, native
Tyndale gloss
excitement
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עִיר (*'iyr*) has meanings related to both excitement and city. It can denote excitement, particularly of terror or rage, as well as refer to a city or town, indicating a place that is guarded or inhabited. The entries suggest a broad application, from fortified cities to simple encampments. There is a specific mention of a man named Ir in 1 Chronicles 4:12.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עִיר n.[m.] excitement;—of terror; of rage

base

עִיר 1092 n.f. city, town

city, town, abode of men

of fortress in a city

appar. fortified place, of any size

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5892a עִיר excitement;—of terror; of rage H5892b עִיר city, town . city, town, abode of men

. of fortress in a city

. appar. fortified place, of any size

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5892 `iyr eer

or (in the plural) par {awr}; or ayar (Judges 10:4)

{aw-yar'}; from 5782 a city (a place guarded by waking or a

watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or

post):--Ai (from margin), city, court (from margin), town.

see HEBREW for 05782

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עִיר (ir) — excitement.

1) excitement, anguish

1a) of terror

עִיר (ir) — city.

1) city, town (a place of waking, guarded)

1a) city, town (a place of waking, guarded)

1a) city, town

עִיר (ir) — City (of On).

Combined with on (אֹן "On" H0204)

This name means city, town

Another name of on (אֹן "On" H0204)

עִיר (ir) — Ir-.

#A man of the tribe of Judah living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.4.12;

son of: Tehinnah (H8468)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Prep | N-fs | Suff — Conjunction · preposition · noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
HC/R/Ncfsc/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 Samuel he had died and they had mourned for him all Israel and they had buried him in Ramah in own city his and Saul he had removed the necromancers and the object marker the soothsayers from the land
וְשָׁא֗וּלve.sha.'Ul and Saul H7586 Conjunction · 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, a Benjamite king
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
Conj | N-proper — Conjunction · noun proper masculine
HC/Npm
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 Samuel he had died and they had mourned for him all Israel and they had buried him in Ramah in own city his and Saul he had removed the necromancers and the object marker the soothsayers from the land
הֵסִ֛ירhe.Sir he had removed H5493 Verb · Hiphil · perfect third person masculine singular
300× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To turn aside or remove is the meaning of this verb, used in various forms throughout the Bible. It can mean to depart, avoid, or put something away, and is often used in the context of turning away from sin or wrongdoing, as seen in the actions of prophets and leaders in the Old Testament.
Amplified meaning
turned aside, put away
Tyndale gloss
to turn aside: remove
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

סוּר (sur) is a Hebrew verb meaning to turn aside or depart. It encompasses a range of actions including removal, avoidance, and coming to an end. The word can be used in various forms, such as causing something to turn aside or be taken away. It appears in contexts involving both literal and figurative departures.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

סוּר and [שׂוּר] 300 vb. turn aside

Qal

turn aside, out of one's course

depart

of lifeless things = be removed

= come to an end

Pô‛lēl he turned aside my ways (my steps)

Hiph.

cause to (turn aside,) depart, common word for remove, take away

rarer uses

Pô‛lēl be taken away, removed

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5493 סוּר, שׂוּר turn aside .. turn aside, out of one's course

. depart

. of lifeless things = be removed

. = come to an end

.he turned aside my ways (my steps)

. . cause to (turn aside,) depart, common word for remove, take away

. rarer uses

.be taken away, removed

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5493 cuwr soor

or suwr (Hosea 9:12) {soor}; a primitive root; to turn off

(literal or figurative):--be(-head), bring, call back,

decline, depart, eschew, get (you), go (aside), X grievous,

lay away (by), leave undone, be past, pluck away, put (away,

down), rebel, remove (to and fro), revolt, X be sour, take

(away, off), turn (aside, away, in), withdraw, be without.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

סוּר (sur) — to turn aside: remove.

: remove

1) to turn aside, depart

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to turn aside, turn in unto

1a2) to depart, depart from way, avoid

1a3) to be removed

1a4) to come to an end

1b) (Polel) to turn aside

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to cause to turn aside, cause to depart, remove, take away, put away, depose

1c2) to put aside, leave undone, retract, reject, abolish

1d) (Hophal) to be taken away, be removed

סוּר (sur) — to turn aside: depart.

: depart

1) to turn aside, depart

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to turn aside, turn in unto

1a2) to depart, depart from way, avoid

1a3) to be removed

1a4) to come to an end

1b) (Polel) to turn aside

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to cause to turn aside, cause to depart, remove, take away, put away, depose

1c2) to put aside, leave undone, retract, reject, abolish

1d) (Hophal) to be taken away, be removed

סוּר (sur) — to turn aside: turn aside.

: turn_aside/deflect

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Hiphil-Perf-3ms — Verb · Hiphil · perfect third person masculine singular
HVhp3ms
and Samuel he had died and they had mourned for him all Israel and they had buried him in Ramah in own city his and Saul he had removed the necromancers and the object marker the soothsayers from the land
הָאֹב֥וֹתha.'o.Vot the necromancers H178 Particle · noun common feminine plural absolute
17× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word refers to a medium or a person who tries to contact the dead, often using a hollow object like a water skin to make it seem like a spirit is speaking. This practice is forbidden in the Bible.
Amplified meaning
those who contact the dead, spiritists
Tyndale gloss
medium
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אוֹב (owb) refers to a skin-bottle and is also associated with necromancy and spirits of the dead. The term is built from the idea of a hollow sound, linking it to both a physical object and a practice involving communication with the dead. The entries highlight its meanings as a water skin, a necromancer, and a familiar spirit.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אוֹב n.m. skin-bottle, necromancer, etc.

skin-bottle

necromancer

ghost

necromancy

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H178 אוֹב skin-bottle, necromancer, etc. . skin-bottle

. necromancer

. ghost

. necromancy

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

178 'owb obe

from the same as 1 (apparently through the idea of prattling

a father's name); properly, a mumble, i.e. a water skin (from

its hollow sound); hence a necromancer (ventriloquist, as from

a jar):--bottle, familiar spirit.

see HEBREW for 01

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אוֹב (ov) — medium.

1) water skin bottle

2) necromancer

1b) necromancer, one who evokes the dead

1c) ghost, spirit of a dead one

1d) practice of necromancy

3) one that has a familiar spirit

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-mp — Particle · noun common feminine plural absolute
HTd/Ncfpa
and Samuel he had died and they had mourned for him all Israel and they had buried him in Ramah in own city his and Saul he had removed the necromancers and the object marker the soothsayers from the land
וְאֶת־ve.'Et and the object marker H853 Conjunction · particle
10,946× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the original Hebrew, this word points out the object of a verb or preposition, like 'namely' or 'even'. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus. It's not directly translated in English, but helps clarify the meaning of sentences.
Tyndale gloss
[Obj.]
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

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

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

853 'eth ayth

apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of

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

definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or

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

see HEBREW for 0226

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵת (et) — [Obj.].

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

Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HC/To — Conjunction · particle
HC/To
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and Samuel he had died and they had mourned for him all Israel and they had buried him in Ramah in own city his and Saul he had removed the necromancers and the object marker the soothsayers from the land
הַיִּדְּעֹנִ֖יםhai.yi.de.'o.Nim the soothsayers H3049 Particle · noun common masculine plural absolute
11× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A spiritist, or wizard, is someone who claims to have a familiar spirit, like a necromancer or soothsayer, as seen in the Bible. This term is used to describe people who practice occult arts.
Amplified meaning
those who claim to have a familiar spirit, wizards
Tyndale gloss
spiritist
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יִדְּעֹנִי (yidd`oniy) refers to a familiar spirit or a conjurer, someone believed to possess knowledge of the unseen world. It is derived from the root meaning 'to know' and is associated with practices like soothsaying and necromancy. The term emphasizes the idea of intimate acquaintance with supernatural secrets.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יִדְּעֹנִי n.m. familiar spirit (prop. either as knowing, wise (acquianted with secrets of unseen world); or as intimate acquaintance of soothsayer)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3049 יִדְּעֹנִי familiar spirit (prop. either as knowing, wise (acquianted with secrets of unseen world); or as intimate acquaintance of soothsayer)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3049 yidd`oniy yid-deh-o-nee'

from 3045; properly, a knowing one; specifically, a conjurer;

(by impl) a ghost:--wizard.

see HEBREW for 03045

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יִדְּעֹנִי (yid.d.o.ni) — spiritist.

1) a knower, one who has a familiar spirit

1a) a familiar spirit, soothsayer, necromancer (meton)

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

sooth'-sa-erz.

See ASTROLOGY, 1; DIVINATION.

and Samuel he had died and they had mourned for him all Israel and they had buried him in Ramah in own city his and Saul he had removed the necromancers and the object marker the soothsayers from the land
מֵהָאָֽרֶץ׃me.ha.'A.retz from the land H776 Preposition · particle · noun common feminine singular absolute
2,504× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The land or earth refers to the soil or ground, and can also mean a country, territory, or region. In the Bible, it is used to describe the earth and its inhabitants, and is often translated as 'land' or 'country'.
Amplified meaning
the territory, country
Tyndale gloss
land: soil
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶ֫רֶץ n. f. & (seld.) m. earth, land

earth, whole earth (opp. to a part)

earth, opp. to heaven, sky

earth = inhabitants of earth

land =

country, territory

district, region

trial territory

piece of ground

specif. land of Canaan, or Israel

= inhabitants of land

used even of Shᵉʼôl

ground, surface of ground

soil, as productive

אֶרֶץ in phrases

people of the land

in measurements of distance

the country of the plain, level or plain country

land of the living

end(s) of the earth

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

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

. earth, opp. to heaven, sky

. earth = inhabitants of earth

. land = . country, territory

. district, region

. trial territory

. piece of ground

. specif. land of Canaan, or Israel

. = inhabitants of land

. used even of Shᵉʼôl

. . ground, surface of ground

. soil, as productive

. אֶרֶץ in phrases . people of the land

. in measurements of distance

. the country of the plain, level or plain country

. land of the living

. end(s) of the earth

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

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

776 'erets eh'-rets

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

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

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

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

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

: country/field

1) land, earth

1a) earth

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

1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven)

1a3) earth (inhabitants)

1b) land

1b1) country, territory

1b2) district, region

1b3) tribal territory

1b4) piece of ground

1b5) land of Canaan, Israel

1b6) inhabitants of land

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

1b8) city (-state)

1c) ground, surface of the earth

1c1) ground

1c2) soil

1d) (in phrases)

1d1) people of the land

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

1d3) level or plain country

1d4) land of the living

1d5) end(s) of the earth

1e) (almost wholly late in usage)

1e1) lands, countries

1e1a) often in contrast to Canaan

אֶ֫רֶץ (e.rets) — land: soil.

: soil

1) land, earth

1a) earth

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

1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven)

1a3) earth (inhabitants)

1b) land

1b1) country, territory

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | Art | N-cs — Preposition · particle · noun common feminine singular absolute
HR/Td/Ncfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

((1) 'erets;

(2) 'adhamah;

(3) sadheh,

"a piece of land";

(4) ge, "earth";

(5) agros, "field";

(6) chora, "region";

(7) chorion, diminutive of chora;

(8) xeros, "dry land";

(9) 'ezrach, "native" the King James Version "born in the land," "born among you," the Revised Version (British and American) "home-born" (Le 19:34; 14:16; Nu 15:30); "like a green tree in its native soil" (Ps 37:35)):

'Erets occurs hundreds of times and is used in much the same way as 'adhamah, which also occurs often: e.g. "land of Egypt," 'erets mitsrayim (Ge 13:10), and 'adhmath mitsrayim (Ge 47:20). The other words occur less often, and are used in the…

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Appeared on the third creative day Ge 1:9

→ Original title to, from God Ge 13:14-17; 15:7; Ex 23:31; Le 25:23

→ Bought and sold Ge 23:3-18; 33:19; Ac 4:34; 5:1-8

→ Sale and redemption of, laws concerning Le 25:15,16,23-33; 27:17-24; Nu 36:4; Jer 32:7-16,25,44; Eze 46:18

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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