Menu

2 Kings 1:8 — Word Study

Depth

WLCוַיֹּאמְר֣וּ אֵלָ֗יו אִ֚ישׁ בַּ֣עַל שֵׂעָ֔ר וְאֵז֥וֹר ע֖וֹר אָז֣וּר בְּמָתְנָ֑יו וַיֹּאמַ֕ר אֵלִיָּ֥ה הַתִּשְׁבִּ֖י הֽוּא׃

BSA[He was] a hairysêʻâr [shaggy, having a lot of hair] manʼîysh they answeredʼâmar with a leatherʻôwr [made from animal skin] beltʼêzôwr around his waistmôthen [loins, the area of the body between the ribs and hips] It [was]hûwʼ ElijahʼÊlîyâh [my God is Jehovah, a prophet] the TishbiteTishbîy [from Tishbe, a region in Gilead] said [the king]ʼâmar

Word
Listen & take away2 Kings 1
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 8 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 (Hu') — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
2 Kings 1:8quick helps
In a sentenceThe king identifies a hairy man with a leather belt as Elijah the Tishbite.
Who is speakingThe king, responding to his messengers.
Where we areIn a conversation about a prophet's appearance.
The hard wordשֵׂעָר
Take awayElijah's distinctive appearance marks him as a prophet.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectהוּא verbאָמַר The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.

Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.

Deep Study — 2 Kings 1:8

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 Identification of Elijahgenerated

7The king asked them, “What sort of man came up to meet you and spoke these words to you?”
8“He was a hairy man, ” they answered, “with a leather belt around his waist.” “It was Elijah the Tishbite,” said the king.
9Then King Ahaziah sent to Elijah a captain with his company of fifty men. So the captain went up to Elijah, who was sitting on top of a hill, and said to him, “Man of God, the king declares, ‘Come down!’”
10Elijah answered the captain, “If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men.” And fire came down from heaven and consumed the captain and his fifty men.

2 Kings 1:8 describes a moment when King Ahaziah seeks to identify a mysterious man who has spoken to his messengers. The description highlights the prophet Elijah's physical appearance, which is significant in understanding his role and character as a prophet of God. This passage emphasizes the connection between appearance and identity in prophetic ministry.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Isaiah 20:2the LORD had already spoken through Isaiah son of Amoz, saying, “Go, remove the sackcloth from your waist and the sandals from your feet.” And Isaiah did so, walking around naked and barefoot.
2Zechariah 13:4And on that day every prophet who prophesies will be ashamed of his vision, and he will not put on a hairy cloak in order to deceive.
3Matthew 3:4John wore a garment of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.
4Matthew 11:8Otherwise, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? Look, those who wear fine clothing are found in kings’ palaces.
5Luke 1:17And he will go on before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 6 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word שֵׂעָר, se.'Argenerated

The Hebrew word שֵׂעָר (se'ar) means 'hair' and can refer to the hair of both humans and animals. In this context, it describes Elijah's shaggy appearance, which sets him apart as a distinctive figure.

The use of this word suggests not only physical characteristics but also conveys the ruggedness associated with Elijah's prophetic ministry. The description implies a wild, untamed aspect, fitting for a prophet who often challenged the status quo.


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 finite verb יֹּאמְר֣וּ (they said) governs the main clause, with a noun phrase describing the subject and multiple phrases providing additional details about the man in question. The structure emphasizes the description of Elijah as a key element of the king's identification.

The sentence is built around the king's inquiry and the subsequent identification of Elijah, highlighting the importance of physical appearance in this narrative.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates שֵׂעָר as δασὺς (dasyus), meaning 'hairy' or 'shaggy.' This choice aligns closely with the Hebrew, maintaining the emphasis on Elijah's distinctive appearance.

The translation reflects a consistent understanding of Elijah's ruggedness, which is crucial for his role as a prophet.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

2 Kings 1:8 tells us that the king asked his messengers about a man who had spoken to them. They described him as a hairy man wearing a leather belt. The king then identified him as Elijah the Tishbite, a well-known prophet.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does the description of Elijah tell us about him?

The description emphasizes Elijah's rugged and distinctive appearance, which aligns with his role as a prophet who often challenged the norms of society.

Why is Elijah's identity significant?

Elijah is a key prophetic figure in Israel's history, known for his boldness in proclaiming God's message and confronting idolatry.

How does this verse connect to Elijah's overall narrative?

This identification reinforces Elijah's role as a prophet and sets the stage for his confrontations with the kings of Israel.

What can we learn from Elijah's example?

Elijah's commitment to God and his distinctive lifestyle serve as a model for faithfulness and courage in the face of opposition.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. How does Elijah's appearance reflect his character as a prophet?
  2. What challenges do you think Elijah faced in his ministry?
  3. In what ways can we be bold like Elijah in our own lives?
  4. How does understanding Elijah's identity help us better appreciate his role in the biblical narrative?

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on 2 Kings 1:8 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

And they answered him, he was an hairy man,.... Either the hair of his head and beard were grown very long, having been much neglected for a great while; or he had an hairy garment on, either of

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

And they answered him, He was an hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins. And he said, It is Elijah the Tishbite.

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

An hairy man; either, 1. As to his body; the hair of his head and beard being through neglect grown long, and spread over much of his time. Or rather, 2. As to his outward garment, which was rough and hairy, such as were sometimes worn by eminent persons in Greece in ancient times, and were the proper habit of the prophets. See . With a girdle of leather about his loins; as John the Baptist also had, , that by his very outward habit he might represent Elias, in whose spirit and power he came.

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

2 Kings 1:8 And they answered him, [He was] an hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins. And he said, It [is] Elijah the Tishbite.Ver. 8. He was a hairy man.] Hispidus et hirsutus. Either because Elijah had much hair on his head and face, or because, as a prophet, he wore a rough garment, as a pattern of repentance. And girt with a girdle of leather.] So was John Baptist, that second Elijah. That this girdle here mentioned was made of the pelt of that ram which Abraham offered up instead of his son Isaac, is a Jewish fable, scarce worth relating.

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

(8) Answered.—Said unto. An hairy man.—Literally, a lord of hair. This might refer to length of hair and beard (so LXX., äáóὺ ?ò, “hirsute,” “shaggy”); or to a hairy cloak or mantle. The second alternative is right, because a hairy mantle was a mark of the prophetic office from Elijah downwards. (Comp. Zechariah 13:4, “a rough garment;” and Matthew 3:4, where it is said of John Baptist—the second Elias—that “he was clad in camel’s hair,” and had “a leather girdle about his loins.”) The girdle, as Thenius remarks, would not be mentioned alone. The common dress of the Bedawis is a sheep or goat’s skin with the hair left on. Girt with a girdle of leather.—Such as only the poorest would wear.…

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

Verse 8. He was a hairy man] That is, he wore a rough garment, either made of camels' hair, as his successor John Baptist's was, or he wore a skin dressed with the hair on. Some think that the meaning is, he had very long hair and a long beard. The ancient prophets all wore rough garments, or upper coats made of the skins of beasts: They wandered about in sheep-skins and goat-skins, says the apostle, Hebrews 11:37.

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

8. He was a hairy man] Literally, ‘lord, i.e. possessor, of hair’. This might equally be used of the long hair of the head and beard, or of the shaggy cloak of hair worn as a garment. But when we know of him who came ‘in the spirit and power of Elijah’ that ‘his raiment was of camel’s hair and a leathern girdle about his loins’, it seems better to accept the expression as a description of Elijah’s dress. We know too that the prophets (Zechariah 13:4) did wear a mantle of hair, probably adopted from the garb of this greatest among them, Elijah. It is Elijah the Tishbite] Though the messengers might not know the prophet, the king, from his father’s experience, must have heard a great deal…

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

An hairy man - Either in allusion to his shaggy cloak of untanned skin; or, more probably, an expression descriptive of the prophet’s person, of his long flowing locks, abundant beard, and general profusion of hair.

Read Albert Barnes on 2 Kings 1 →

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

“He was a hairy man, ” they answered, “with a leather belt around his waist.” “It was Elijah the Tishbite,” said the king.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

They answered him, “He was a hairy man, and wearing a leather belt around his waist.” He said, “It’s Elijah the Tishbite.”

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

“He was a hairy man,” they answered, “with a leather belt around his waist.” “It was Elijah the Tishbite,” said the king.

NETBNew English Translation2006

They replied, “He was a hairy man and had a leather belt tied around his waist.” The king said, “He is Elijah the Tishbite.”

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And they answered him, He was an hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins. And he said, It is Elijah the Tishbite.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And they answered him, He was a hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins. And he said, It is Elijah the Tishbite.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And they answered him, He was an hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins. And he said, It is Elijah the Tishbite.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And they answered him, He was a hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins. And he said, It is Elijah the Tishbite.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

And they said vnto him, He was an hearie man, and girded with a girdle of lether about his loynes. Then sayde he, It is Eliiah the Tishbite.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And they said to him, He was a man in a hairy [garment], and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins. And he said, It is Elijah the Tishbite.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And they say unto him, 'A man — hairy, and a girdle of skin girt about his loins;' and he saith, 'He [is] Elijah the Tishbite.'

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And they say to him, “A hairy man, and a girdle of skin girt around his loins”; and he says, “He [is] Elijah the Tishbite.”

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And they said unto him, He is a hairy man, with a girdle of leather girded about his loins. And he said, It is Elijah the Tishbite.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

They answered him, “He wore a garment made of hair and had a leather belt wrapped around his waist.” So the king replied, “That is Elijah the Tishbite.”

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

But they said: A hairy man with a girdle of leather about his loins. And he said: It is Elias the Thesbite.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

“He was a hairy man wearing a leather belt around his waist,” they replied. “It's Elijah the Tishbite,” said the king.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And they said in answer, He was a man clothed in a coat of hair, with a leather band about his body. Then he said, It is Elijah the Tishbite.

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.

וַandclauseverbיֹּאמְר֣וּthey.saidprepositional phrase · prepositionalאֵלָ֗יtoוhimclauseclausenoun phrase · predicateאִ֚ישׁa.mannoun phraseבַּ֣עַלan.ownerשֵׂעָ֔רof.hairוְandclausenoun phrase · subjectאֵז֥וֹרa.loinclothע֖וֹרof.hideverbאָז֣וּר[was].girdedprepositional phrase · prepositionalבְּonnoun phraseמָתְנָ֑יloinsוhisוַandclauseverbיֹּאמַ֕רhe.saidclausenoun phrase · predicateאֵלִיָּ֥ה[was].Elijahnoun phraseהַtheתִּשְׁבִּ֖יTishbitesubjectהֽוּאthat

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


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

The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree closely, with 12 of the 13 words matched. This indicates a strong consistency in the description of Elijah across these texts, affirming the importance of his appearance in the narrative.

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

וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ אֵלָ֗יו אִ֚ישׁ בַּ֣עַל שֵׂעָ֔ר וְאֵז֥וֹר ע֖וֹר אָז֣וּר בְּמָתְנָ֑יו וַיֹּאמַ֕ר אֵלִיָּ֥ה הַתִּשְׁבִּ֖י הֽוּא׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיֹּאמְר֣וּεἶπονאֵלָ֗יוαὐτόνאִ֚ישׁἀνὴρשֵׂעָ֔רδασὺςוְאֵז֥וֹרζώνηνע֖וֹרδερματίνηνאָז֣וּרπεριεζωσμένοςבְּמָתְנָ֑יוαὐτοῦוַיֹּאמַ֕רεἶπενאֵלִיָּ֥הηλιουהַתִּשְׁבִּ֖יθεσβίτηςהֽוּא׃ἐστιν

12 of the 13 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.


The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

2 Kings 1:8אָמַרand they saand they saidאָמַראֶלto himto himאֶלאִישׁa mana manאִישׁבַּעַלan owner ofan owner ofבַּעַלשֵׂעָרhairhairשֵׂעָראֵזוֹרand a loincand a loinclothאֵזוֹרעוֹרhidehideעוֹראָזַר[was] girde[was] girdedאָזַרמַתְנַ֫יִםon loins hion loins hisמַתְנַ֫יִםאָמַרand he saidand he saidאָמַראֵלִיָּה[was] Elija[was] Elijahאֵלִיָּהתִּשְׁבִּיthe Tishbitthe Tishbiteתִּשְׁבִּיהוּאthatthatהוּאבָּעַלrule: to mrule: to marryבָּעַלשָׂעַרto shudderto shudderשָׂעַראֲזֵקchainschainsאֲזֵקעוּרעוּראֵלgodgodאֵלאֱנוֹשׁhumanhumanאֱנוֹשׁאִשָּׁהwomanwomanאִשָּׁהכֹּהthusthusכֹּהיהוהYHWH/GodYHWH/Godיהוהפָּלַלto prayto prayפָּלַליִרְמְיָ֫הJeremiahJeremiahיִרְמְיָ֫הרֵעַneighborneighborרֵעַמִלּוֹאמִלּוֹאשְׁכֶםShechemShechemשְׁכֶםלָבָןwhitewhiteלָבָןשָׁפָלlowlowשָׁפָלמַתְנַ֫יִםloinloinמַתְנַ֫יִםאָדֹםto reddento reddenאָדֹם
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 2 Kings 1:8

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 they said to him a man an owner of hair and a loincloth of hide [was] girded on loins his and he said [was] Elijah the Tishbite that
וַיֹּאמְר֣וּvai.yo.me.Ru and they said H559 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
5,309× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to say or speak, and it's used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to command, promise, or think, and it's translated in the KJV as 'answer', 'appoint', or 'command'.
Tyndale gloss
to say
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָמַר 5287 vb. utter, say

Qal

Say

Say in the heart (= think)

Promise

Command (esp. late)

Niph. be said, told

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

Hithp. act proudly, boast

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H559 אָמַר utter, say .. Say

. Say in the heart (= think)

. Promise

. Command (esp. late)

. be said, told

. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

. act proudly, boast

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

559 'amar aw-mar'

a primitive root; to say (used with great

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

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

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

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

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

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

utter, X verily, X yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָמַר (a.mar) — to say.

1) to say, speak, utter

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

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

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

1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
Hc/Vqw3mp
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and they said to him a man an owner of hair and a loincloth of hide [was] girded on loins his and he said [was] Elijah the Tishbite that
אֵלָ֗יו'e.Lav to him H413 Preposition · suffix
5,518× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means 'to' or 'toward', showing direction or movement. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus, to indicate where someone is going. The KJV translates it in various ways, like 'about', 'according to', or 'against'.
Tyndale gloss
to(wards)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph),

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

Where the limit is actually entered, into

Of direction towards anything

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

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

Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

Of rule or standard according to (rare)

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

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

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

. Where the limit is actually entered, into

. Of direction towards anything

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

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

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

. Of rule or standard according to (rare)

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

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

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

413 'el ale

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

a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but

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

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

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

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

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

with(-in).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶל (el) — to(wards).

1) to, toward, unto (of motion)

2) into (limit is actually entered)

2a) in among

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

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

5) in addition to, to

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

7) according to (rule or standard)

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

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Sp3ms — Preposition · suffix
HR/Sp3ms
and they said to him a man an owner of hair and a loincloth of hide [was] girded on loins his and he said [was] Elijah the Tishbite that
אִ֚ישׁ'ish a man H376 Noun common · masculine singular construct
1,664× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for man, referring to a male person or individual, is used in the Bible to describe humans in contrast to God or animals, as seen in Genesis and Psalms. It can also mean husband or servant. In the KJV, it is translated as man or male.
Tyndale gloss
man
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אִישׁ 2166 n.m. man (= vir)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H376 אִישׁ man (= vir)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

376 'iysh eesh

contracted for 582 (or perhaps rather from an unused root

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

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

in such cases frequently not expressed in

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

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

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

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

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

Compare 802.

see HEBREW for 0582

see HEBREW for 0802

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אִישׁ (ish) — man.

: man

1) man

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

1b) husband

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

1d) servant

1e) mankind

1f) champion

1g) great man

2) whosoever

3) each (adjective)

אִישׁ (ish) — man: husband.

: husband

1) man

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

1b) husband

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

1d) servant

1e) mankind

1f) champion

1g) great man

2) whosoever

3) each (adjective)

אִישׁ (ish) — man: anyone.

: anyone/someone

1) man

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

1b) husband

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

1d) servant

1e) mankind

1f) champion

1g) great man

2) whosoever

3) each (adjective)

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

See ANTHROPOLOGY.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Man

(1.) Heb. ‘Adam, used as the proper name of the first man. The name is derived from a word meaning “to be red,” and thus the first man was called Adam because he was formed from the red earth. It is also the generic name of the human race (Gen. 1:26, 27; 5:2; 8:21; Deut. 8:3). Its equivalents are the Latin homo and the Greek anthropos (Matt. 5:13, 16). It denotes also man in opposition to woman (Gen. 3:12; Matt. 19:10).

(2.) Heb. ‘ish, like the Latin vir and Greek aner, denotes properly a man in opposition to a woman (1 Sam. 17:33;

→ CREATED Ge 1:26,27; 2:7; 5:1,2; De 4:32; Job 4:17; 10:2,3,8,9; 31:15; 33:4; 35:10; Ps 8:5; 100:3; 119:73; 138:8; 139:14; Ec 7:29; Isa 17:7; 42:5; 43:7; 45:12; 64:8; Jer 27:5; Zec 12:1; Mal 2:10; Mr 10:6; Heb 2:7

See CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF GOD, below

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and they said to him a man an owner of hair and a loincloth of hide [was] girded on loins his and he said [was] Elijah the Tishbite that
בַּ֣עַלBa.'al an owner of H1167 Noun common · masculine singular construct
84× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Means master or owner, often referring to a husband or leader, as seen in the book of Genesis and Exodus.
Tyndale gloss
master
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בַּעַל (ba`al) means owner or lord, and can refer to a husband, citizens, or rulers. It is derived from a root meaning 'to own' and is used in various contexts, including relationships and leadership. The term also appears as a divine name, Baal, in the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בַּעַל 166 n.m. owner, lord

owner

husband

citizens, inhabitants

rulers, lords

n. of relation

Esp. lord, specif. as divine name, Baal.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1167 בַּעַל owner, lord . owner

. husband

. citizens, inhabitants

. rulers, lords

. n. of relation

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1167 ba`al bah'-al

from 1166; a master; hence, a husband, or (figuratively)

owner (often used with another noun in modifications of this

latter sense):--+ archer, + babbler, + bird, captain, chief

man, + confederate, + have to do, + dreamer, those to whom it

is due, + furious, those that are given to it, great, + hairy,

he that hath it, have, + horseman, husband, lord, man, +

married, master, person, + sworn, they of.

see HEBREW for 01166

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בַּעַל (ba.al) — master.

: master/leader

1) owner, husband, lord

1a) owner

1b) a husband

1c) citizens, inhabitants

1d) rulers, lords

1e) (noun of relationship used to characterise-ie, master of dreams)

בַּעַל (ba.al) — master: husband.

: husband/groom

1) owner, husband, lord

1a) owner

1b) a husband

1c) citizens, inhabitants

1d) rulers, lords

1e) (noun of relationship used to characterise-ie, master of dreams)

בַּעַל (ba.al) — master: men.

: men/comrades

1) owner, husband, lord

1a) owner

1b) a husband

1c) citizens, inhabitants

1d) rulers, lords

1e) (noun of relationship used to characterise-ie, master of dreams)

בַּעַל (ba.al) — master: owning.

: owning/having

1) owner, husband, lord

1a) owner

1b) a husband

1c) citizens, inhabitants

1d) rulers, lords

1e) (noun of relationship used to characterise-ie, master of dreams)

בַּעַל (ba.al) — master: [master of].

: [master_of](DESCRIPTOR)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcmsc — Noun common · masculine singular construct
HNcmsc
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…

and they said to him a man an owner of hair and a loincloth of hide [was] girded on loins his and he said [was] Elijah the Tishbite that
שֵׂעָ֔רse.'Ar hair H8181 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
28× 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 hair on people or animals, like in Leviticus 13:30 where it talks about hair loss. It can also describe a hairy garment.
Amplified meaning
shaggy, having a lot of hair
Tyndale gloss
hair
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שֵׂעָר (se'ar) means 'hair' and can refer to the hair of both animals and humans, as well as hair used in garments. It is derived from the root meaning 'to dishevel' or 'toss,' suggesting a rough or bristly quality. The term is referenced in Isaiah 7:20.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שֵׂעָר 27 n.m. hair

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8181 שֵׂעָר hair

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8181 se`ar say-awr'

or sa.ar (Isaiah 7:20) {sah'-ar}; from 8175 in the sense of

dishevelling; hair (as if tossed or bristling):--hair(-y), X

rough.

see HEBREW for 08175

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שֵׂעָר (se.ar) — hair.

1) hair

1a) hair (of animals, man)

1b) hair (of garment made of hair)

Aramaic equivalent: se.ar (שְׂעַר "hair" H8177)

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

har (se`ar, sa`ar, Aramaic se`ar, and their derivatives; thrix, gen. case trichos, kome):

1. Hair Fashions:

Hair was worn in different fashions by the Orientals of Biblical times, and not always in the same way among the same people in different epochs. We know this clearly from Egyptian literature and monuments, as well as from the writings of Greek authors (especially Herodotus), that the dwellers on the Nile had their heads shaved in early youth, leaving but a side lock until maturity was attained, when this mark of childhood was taken away. Priests and warriors kept their heads closely shaved; nothing but the exigencies of arduous warfare were allowed to interfere with this custom. On the other hand, the Hebrew people, like their Babylonian neighbors (Herod. i.195), affected long and well-cared-for, bushy curls of hair as emblems of manly beauty. Proofs thereof are not infrequent in…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Hair

(1.) The Egyptians let the hair of their head and beard grow only when they were in mourning, shaving it off at other times. “So particular were they on this point that to have neglected it was a subject of reproach and ridicule; and whenever they intended to convey the idea of a man of low condition, or a slovenly person, the artists represented him with a beard.” Joseph shaved himself before going in to Pharoah (Gen. 41:14). The women of Egypt wore their hair long and plaited. Wigs were worn by priests and laymen to cover the shaven skull, and false beards were common. The great masses of hair seen in the portraits and statues of kings and priests are thus altogether artificial.

(2.) A precisely opposite practice, as regards men, prevailed among the Assyrians. In Assyrian sculptures the hair always appears long, and combed…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

The Hebrews were fully alive to the importance of the hair as an element of personal beauty. Long hair was admired in the case of young men. (2 Samuel 14:26) In times of affliction the hair was altogether cut off. (Isaiah 3:17,24; 15:2; Jeremiah 7:29) Tearing the hair (Ezra 9:3) and letting it go dishevelled were similar tokens of grief. The usual and favorite color of the hair was black, (Solomon 5:11) as is indicated in the comparisons in (Solomon 1:5; 4:1) a similar hue is probably intended by the purple of (Solomon 7:6) Pure white hair was deemed characteristic of the divine Majesty. (Daniel 7:9; Revelation 1:14) The…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The Jewish men, except Nazarites, Nu 6:5,9, and cases like that of Absalom, 2Sa 14:26, cut their hair moderately short, 1Co 11:14, and applied fragrant ointments to it, Ex 30:30-33 Ps 23:5 Ec 9:8. In mourning they wholly neglected it, or shaved it close, or plucked it out by handfuls, Jer 7:29. Women prized a fine head of hair, and plaited, perfumed, and decked it in many ways, Isa 3:18,24 1Co 11:15, so much…

and they said to him a man an owner of hair and a loincloth of hide [was] girded on loins his and he said [was] Elijah the Tishbite that
וְאֵז֥וֹרve.'e.Zor and a loincloth of H232 Conjunction · noun common masculine singular construct
14× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A girdle or belt, often used figuratively to represent God's power or faithfulness, such as in the prophet Isaiah's description of God's strength. It can also refer to a physical waistband or sash.
Tyndale gloss
girdle
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֵזוֹר (ezowr) refers to a waistcloth or girdle, an article of clothing that is tied around the waist. It can symbolize God's power over kings and faithfulness in a metaphorical sense. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to gird' and covers both literal and figurative uses.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵזוֹר n.m. waistcloth

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H232 אֵזוֹר waistcloth

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

232 'ezowr ay-zore'

from 246; something girt; a belt, also a band:--girdle.

see HEBREW for 0246

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵזוֹר (e.zor) — girdle.

1) waist-cloth, the innermost piece of clothing

1a) of God's power over kings (fig.)

1b) of faithfulness (metaph)

2) waistband

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | N-ms — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular construct
HC/Ncmsc
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…

and they said to him a man an owner of hair and a loincloth of hide [was] girded on loins his and he said [was] Elijah the Tishbite that
ע֖וֹרor hide H5785 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
99× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means skin, like human skin or animal hide, and is used in the Bible to describe leather. It appears in Exodus 25:5 to describe the materials used to build the tabernacle. The word is also used in Genesis 3:21 to describe the clothing God made for Adam and Eve.
Amplified meaning
made from animal skin
Tyndale gloss
skin
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עוֹר (owr) means skin or hide, specifically referring to the skin of humans and the hides of animals. It is derived from a root that implies nakedness. The term appears frequently in the Old Testament, with 55 occurrences related to human skin and 44 to animal hides.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עוֹר 99 n.m. skin

of men (55 t.)

hide of animals (44 t.)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5785 עוֹר skin . of men (55 t.)

. hide of men (44 t.)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5785 `owr ore

from 5783; skin (as naked); by implication, hide,

leather:--hide, leather, skin.

see HEBREW for 05783

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עוֹר (or) — skin.

1) skin, hide

1a) skin (of men)

1b) hide (of animals)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
and they said to him a man an owner of hair and a loincloth of hide [was] girded on loins his and he said [was] Elijah the Tishbite that
אָז֣וּר'a.Zur [was] girded H247 Verb · Qal · participle (passive) masculine singular
16× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To gird means to wear a belt or surround something, like God surrounding his people with strength. It appears in various forms in the Bible.
Tyndale gloss
to gird
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָזַר (azar) is a Hebrew verb meaning to gird, encompass, or equip. It has various forms, including Qal (to gird), Niphal (to be girded), and Piel (to hold close). The word conveys a sense of preparation and strength, often used in contexts related to readiness for action or war.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[אָזַר] vb. gird, encompass, equip

Qal gird, gird on

Niph. girded with might

Pi. gird

Hithp. gird oneself

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H247 [אָזַר] gird, encompass, equip

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

247 'azar aw-zar'

a primitive root; to belt:--bind (compass) about, gird (up,

with).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָזַר (a.zar) — to gird.

1) gird, encompass, equip, clothe

1a) (Qal) to gird, gird on (metaphorical of strength)

1b) (Niphal) be girded

1c)(Piel) hold close, clasp

1d) (Hiphpael) gird oneself (for war)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVqsmsa — Verb · Qal · participle (passive) masculine singular
HVqsmsa
and they said to him a man an owner of hair and a loincloth of hide [was] girded on loins his and he said [was] Elijah the Tishbite that
בְּמָתְנָ֑יוbe.ma.te.Nav on loins his H4975 Preposition · noun common masculine dual construct · suffix
47× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Refers to the waist or small of the back, often translated as loins or hips, as seen in Proverbs 30:31. It can also describe the sides of an animal. The word is only used in plural form.
Amplified meaning
loins, the area of the body between the ribs and hips
Tyndale gloss
loin
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מַתְנַ֫יִם (matanim) refers to the loins or hips, derived from a root meaning to be slender. It appears in the plural form and is associated with the term for a greyhound in Proverbs 30:31. The word captures the anatomical region of the waist or small of the back.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מַתְנַ֫יִם n.m.du. loins

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4975 מַתְנַ֫יִם loins

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4975 mothen mo'-then

from an unused root meaning to be slender; properly, the

waist or small of the back; only in plural the loins:--+

greyhound, loins, side.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מׇתְנַ֫יִם (mo.ten) — loin.

1) loins, hips

1a) used with zar.zir (זַרְזִיר "greyhound" H2223) in Pr 30:31; perhaps an extinct animal, exact meaning unknown

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-md | Suff — Preposition · noun common masculine dual construct · suffix
HR/Ncmdc/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 they said to him a man an owner of hair and a loincloth of hide [was] girded on loins his and he said [was] Elijah the Tishbite that
וַיֹּאמַ֕רvai.yo.Mar and he said H559 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
5,309× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to say or speak, and it's used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to command, promise, or think, and it's translated in the KJV as 'answer', 'appoint', or 'command'.
Tyndale gloss
to say
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָמַר 5287 vb. utter, say

Qal

Say

Say in the heart (= think)

Promise

Command (esp. late)

Niph. be said, told

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

Hithp. act proudly, boast

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H559 אָמַר utter, say .. Say

. Say in the heart (= think)

. Promise

. Command (esp. late)

. be said, told

. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

. act proudly, boast

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

559 'amar aw-mar'

a primitive root; to say (used with great

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

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

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

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

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

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

utter, X verily, X yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָמַר (a.mar) — to say.

1) to say, speak, utter

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

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

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

1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and they said to him a man an owner of hair and a loincloth of hide [was] girded on loins his and he said [was] Elijah the Tishbite that
אֵלִיָּ֥ה'e.li.Yah [was] Elijah H452 Noun proper masculine
71× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Elijah means my God is Jehovah, referring to the famous prophet who lived during King Ahab's reign. He is also the name of two other Israelites mentioned in the Bible. Elijah is known for his bravery and faith in God.
Amplified meaning
my God is Jehovah, a prophet
Tyndale gloss
Elijah
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֵלִיָּה (Eliyah) means "Yah(u) is God" and refers primarily to the prophet Elijah, known for his role during the reign of Ahab. The name also applies to a Benjamite, a son of Elam, and a priest from Ezra's time. The entries consistently highlight Elijah's significance, with no notable disagreements among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵלִיָּה; אֵלִיָּ֫הוּ n.pr.m. (Yah(u) is God)

Elijah, the great prophet of the reign of Ahab

Benjamite

a priest of Ezra’s time

a son of Elam

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H452 אֵלִיָּה; אֵלִיָּ֫הוּ (Yah(u) is God) . Elijah, the great prophet of the reign of Ahab

. Benjamite

. a priest of Ezra’s time

. a son of Elam

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

452 'Eliyah ay-lee-yaw'

or prolonged tEliyahuw {ay-lee-yaw'-hoo}; from 410 and 3050;

God of Jehovah; Elijah, the name of the famous prophet and of

two other Israelites:--Elijah, Eliah.

see HEBREW for 0410

see HEBREW for 03050

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵלִיָּה (e.liy.yah) — Elijah.

A prophet living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ki.17.1

Also named: Hēlias (Ἡλίας "Elijah" G2243)

§ Elijah or Eliah = "my God is Jehovah" or "Yah(u) is God"

1) the great prophet of the reign of Ahab

2) Benjamite son of Jeroham

3) a son of Elam with foreign wife during exile

4) a son of Harim, and priest, with foreign wife during exile

אֵלִיָּה (e.liy.yah) — Elijah.

A man of the tribe of Benjamin living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.8.27;

son of: Jeroham (H3395H);

brother of: Shamsherai (H8125), Shehariah (H7841), Athaliah (H6271H), Jaareshiah (H3298) and Zichri (H2147J)

§ Elijah or Eliah = "my God is Jehovah" or "Yah(u) is God"

1) the great prophet of the reign of Ahab

2) Benjamite son of Jeroham

3) a son of Elam with foreign wife during exile

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

e-li'-ja ('eliyahu or (4 times) 'eliyah, "Yah is God"; Septuagint Eleiou, New Testament Eleias or Elias, the King James Version of New Testament Elias):

Contents

I. THE WORKS OF ELIJAH

1. The Judgment of Drought 2. The Ordeal by Prayer 3. At Horeb 4. The Case of Naboth 5. Elijah and Ahaziah 6. Elijah Translated 7. The Letter to Jehoram

II. THE WORK OF ELIJAH

III. CHARACTER OF THE PROPHET

IV. MIRACLES IN THE ELIJAH NARRATIVES

V. ELIJAH IN THE NEW TESTAMENT

VI. LITERATURE

(1) The great prophet of the times of Ahab, king of Israel. Elijah is identified at his first appearance (1Ki 17:1) as "Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the sojourners of Gilead." Thus his native place must have been called Tishbeh. A Tishbeh (Thisbe) in the territory of Naphtali is known from Tobit 1:2; but if (with most modern commentators) the reading of the Septuagint in…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Elijah

Whose God is Jehovah. (1.) “The Tishbite,” the “Elias” of the New Testament, is suddenly introduced to our notice in 1 Kings 17:1 as delivering a message from the Lord to Ahab. There is mention made of a town called Thisbe, south of Kadesh, but it is impossible to say whether this was the place referred to in the name given to the prophet.

Having delivered his message to Ahab, he retired at the command of God to a hiding-place by the brook Cherith, beyond Jordan, where he was fed by ravens. When the brook dried up God sent him to the widow of Zarephath, a city of Zidon, from whose scanty store he was supported for the space of two years. During this period the widow’s son died, and was restored to life by Elijah (1 Kings 17: 2-24).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(my God is Jehovah) has been well entitled "the grandest and the most romantic character that Israel ever produced." "Elijah the Tishbite,... of the inhabitants of Gilead" is literally all that is given us to know of his parentage and locality. Of his appearance as he "stood before" Ahab (B.C. 910) with the suddenness of motion to this day characteristic of the Bedouins from his native hills, we can perhaps realize something from the touches, few but strong, of the narrative. His chief characteristic was his hair, long and thick, and hanging down his back. His ordinary clothing consisted of a girdle of skin round his loins, which he tightened when about to move quickly. (1 Kings 18:46) But in addition to this he occasionally wore the "mantle" or cape of sheepskin which has supplied us with one of our most familiar figures of speech.…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The prophet, a native of Tishbeh in Gilead, 1Ki 17:1. His parentage and early history are unknown. His bold faithfulness provoked the wrath of Ahab and Jezebel, especially when he threatened several years of drought and famine as a punishment for the sins of Israel, B. C. 908. By the divine direction the prophet took refuge on the bank of the brook Cherith, where he was miraculously fed by ravens. Thence he resorted to Zarephath, in Phoenicia; where one miracle provided him with sustenance and another restored to life the child of his hostess. Returning to King Ahab, he procured the great assembling at mount Carmel, where God "answered by fire," and the prophets of Baal were destroyed. Now too the long and terrible drought was broken, and a plentiful rain descended at the prophet’s prayer. Finding that not even these mighty works of…

and they said to him a man an owner of hair and a loincloth of hide [was] girded on loins his and he said [was] Elijah the Tishbite that
הַתִּשְׁבִּ֖יha.tish.Bi the Tishbite H8664 Particle · noun gentilic masculine singular absolute
6× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Tishbi refers to someone from Tishbe, a region in Gilead. The prophet Elijah was a Tishbite, meaning he was from this area.
Amplified meaning
from Tishbe, a region in Gilead
Tyndale gloss
Tishbite
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

תִּשְׁבִּי (Tishbiy) refers to a Tishbite, an inhabitant of Tishbeh in Gilead. The term is derived from a name that suggests a meaning related to recourse or captivity. The entries indicate that it is used as a gentilic adjective.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

תִּשְׁבִּי adj.gent.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8664 תִּשְׁבִּי

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8664 Tishbiy tish-bee'

patrial from an unused name meaning recourse; a Tishbite or

inhabitant of Tishbeh (in Gilead):--Tishbite.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

תִּשְׁבִּי (tish.bi) — Tishbite.

Group of tish.beh (תִּשְׁבֶּה "Tishbe" H8453B)

§ Tishbite = "captivity"

an inhabitant of Tishbe or Tishbi or Tesheb

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | Ngmsa — Particle · noun gentilic masculine singular absolute
HTd/Ngmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

tish'-bit.

See ELIJAH; Expostory Times, XII, 383.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Tishbite

Elijah the prophet was thus named (1 Kings 17:1; 21:17, 28, etc.). In 1 Kings 17:1 the word rendered “inhabitants” is in the original the same as that rendered “Tishbite,” hence that verse may be read as in the LXX., “Elijah the Tishbite of Tishbi in Gilead.” Some interpret this word as meaning “stranger,” and read the verse, “Elijah the stranger from among the strangers in Gilead.” This designation is probably given to the prophet as denoting that his birthplace was Tishbi, a place in Upper Galilee (mentioned in the apocryphal book of Tobit), from which for some reason he migrated into Gilead. Josephus, the Jewish historian (Ant. 8:13, 2), however, supposes that Tishbi was some place in the land of Gilead. It has been identified by some with el-Ishtib, a some place 22…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

From Tishbe in the tribe of Naphtali, where Elijah was born, 1Ki 17:1. It is mentioned in one of the apocryphal books.

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

that makes captive

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and they said to him a man an owner of hair and a loincloth of hide [was] girded on loins his and he said [was] Elijah the Tishbite that
הֽוּא׃Hu' that H1931 Pronoun
1,879× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word is a pronoun meaning 'he', 'she', or 'it', used to refer to a person or thing. It is used in the Bible to emphasize a subject or make it clear who is being talked about.
Tyndale gloss
he/she/it
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הוּא (hu) is a third-person singular pronoun meaning he, she, or it, used for emphasis or when no verb is present. It can also refer to oneself or serve as a demonstrative pronoun. The word has various nuances, including resuming the subject with emphasis or expressing it unobtrusively. It can indicate 'that' or 'those' when used with the definite article.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הוּא m. הִיא f., pron. of the 3rd ps. sing. he, she, used also (in both genders) for the neuter it

an emph. he (she, it, they), sometimes equivalent to himself (herself, itself, themselves), or (esp. with the art.) that (those)

It resumes the subj. with emph.

Where, however, the pron. follows the pred., its position gives it the minimum of emphasis, and it expresses (or resumes) the subject as unobtrusively as possible

It anticipates (as it seems) the subject

As an emph. predicate, of God

In a neuter sense, that, it (of an action, occurrence, matte, etc.)

With the art.: so regularly when joined to a subst. defined itself by the art.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1931 הוּא, הִיא he, she, used also (in both genders) for the neuter it . an emph. he (she, it, they), sometimes equivalent to himself (herself, itself, themselves), or (esp. with the art.) that (those)

. It resumes the subj. with emph.

. Where, however, the pron. follows the pred., its position gives it the minimum of emphasis, and it expresses (or resumes) the subject as unobtrusively as possible

. It anticipates (as it seems) the subject

. As an emph. predicate, of God

. In a neuter sense, that, it (of an action, occurrence, matte, etc.)

. With the art.: so regularly when joined to a subst. defined itself by the art.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1931 huw' hoo

of which the feminine (beyond the Pentateuch) is hiyw {he}; a

primitive word, the third person pronoun singular, he (she or

it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also

(intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same;

sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally

(instead of copula) as or are:--he, as for her, him(-self),

it, the same, she (herself), such, that (...it), these, they,

this, those, which (is), who.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הוּא (hu) — he/she/it.

pron 3p s

1) he, she, it

1a) himself (with emphasis)

1b) resuming subj with emphasis

1c) (with minimum emphasis following predicate)

1d) (anticipating subj)

1e) (emphasising predicate)

1f) that, it (neuter) demons pron

2) that (with article)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Pron — Pronoun
HPp3ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

Everything we make is available for free because of a generous community of supporters.

Donate