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2 Kings 12:1 — Word Study

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WLCבִּשְׁנַת־ שֶׁ֤בַע לְיֵהוּא֙ מָלַ֣ךְ יְהוֹאָ֔שׁ וְאַרְבָּעִ֣ים שָׁנָ֔ה מָלַ֖ךְ בִּירֽוּשָׁלִָ֑ם וְשֵׁ֣ם אִמּ֔וֹ צִבְיָ֖ה מִבְּאֵ֥ר שָֽׁבַע׃

BSAIn the seventhshebaʻ yearshâneh JoashYᵉhôwʼâsh [Jehoash, God-supported king] became kingmâlak

Word
Listen & take away2 Kings 12
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 1 opens the 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 (Sha.va') — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
2 Kings 12:1quick helps
In a sentenceJoash became king in the seventh year of Jehu and reigned for forty years in Jerusalem.
Who is speakingThe narrator recounts the history of Joash, a king of Judah.
Where we areThis verse serves as an introduction to Joash's reign and background.
The hard wordמָלַךְ
Take awayJoash's reign is marked by a significant duration and a connection to his lineage.
6 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, Ellicott & more — read them › clause subjectהוּא verbמָלַךְ 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 12:1

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 Reign of Joashgenerated

1In the seventh year of Jehu, Joash became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem forty years. His mother’s name was Zibiah; she was from Beersheba.
2And Joash did what was right in the eyes of the LORD all the days he was instructed by Jehoiada the priest.
3Nevertheless, the high places were not removed; the people continued sacrificing and burning incense there.
4Then Joash said to the priests, “Collect all the money brought as sacred gifts into the house of the LORD—the census money, the money from vows, and the money brought voluntarily into the house of the LORD.

2 Kings 12:1 introduces Joash, who became king during a pivotal time in Israel's history. His reign lasted forty years, during which he is noted for his relationship with the priest Jehoiada, who guided him in doing what was right in the eyes of the LORD as seen in 2 Kings 12:2. However, despite his initial faithfulness, the high places were not removed, indicating ongoing challenges in the nation, as noted in 2 Kings 12:3.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
12 Kings 9:27When King Ahaziah of Judah saw this, he fled up the road toward Beth-haggan. And Jehu pursued him, shouting, “Shoot him too!” So they shot Ahaziah in his chariot on the Ascent of Gur, near Ibleam, and he fled to Megiddo and died there.
22 Kings 11:1–3When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she proceeded to annihilate all the royal heirs.
32 Chronicles 24:1–14Joash was seven years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem forty years. His mother’s name was Zibiah; she was from Beersheba.
42 Kings 11:2But Jehosheba daughter of King Joram, the sister of Ahaziah, took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the sons of the king who were being murdered. She put him and his nurse in a bedroom to hide him from Athaliah, and he was not killed.
51 Chronicles 3:11Joram his son, Ahaziah his son, Joash his son,

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 5 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word מָלַךְ, ma.Lakhgenerated

The verb מָלַךְ (ma.Lakh) means to reign or to become king. It is a Qal verb, indicating a simple action, and in this context, it describes Joash's ascension to kingship. This word is often used in the context of leadership and governance in the Hebrew Bible.

The use of this verb emphasizes Joash's authority and role as a ruler in Jerusalem. His reign is significant not only for its duration but also for the influence of his mother and the priest Jehoiada during his kingship.


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 מָלַךְ (ma.Lakh) governs the main clause, with several noun phrases and prepositional phrases providing additional information. The structure highlights Joash's kingship and the context of his reign.

The sentence begins with a prepositional phrase indicating the time of Jehu's reign, followed by the subject and verb, establishing Joash's identity and actions.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint uses ἐβασίλευσε (ebasileuse) to translate מָלַךְ, which means 'he reigned.' This choice reflects a focus on Joash's kingship and authority, consistent with the Hebrew meaning.

The translation emphasizes the act of ruling, aligning with the overall narrative of Joash's reign in Jerusalem.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

2 Kings 12:1 tells us that Joash became king in the seventh year of Jehu and reigned for forty years in Jerusalem. His mother was Zibiah from Beersheba, highlighting his lineage and background.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

Who was Joash?

Joash was a king of Judah who reigned for forty years, known for his relationship with the priest Jehoiada.

What does the name Zibiah mean?

Zibiah means 'roe' or 'gazelle' and was the mother of Joash.

Why is the number forty significant?

The number forty often signifies a period of testing or trial in the Bible, such as the Israelites' forty years in the wilderness.

What does it mean that Joash reigned in Jerusalem?

Reigning in Jerusalem indicates his role as king of the capital city, which was central to Israel's identity and worship.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What qualities do you think made Joash a good king during his reign?
  2. How does the influence of a mother, like Zibiah, shape a leader's character?
  3. In what ways can we see the significance of numbers, like forty, in our own lives?
  4. How can we learn from Joash's early faithfulness and later challenges in leadership?

Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on 2 Kings 12:1 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

In the seventh year of Jehu Jehoash began to reign,.... So that he reigned twenty one or twenty two years contemporary with Jehu's reign, for Jehu reigned twenty eight years: and forty years reigned

Read John Gill on 2 Kings 12 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

In the seventh year of Jehu Jehoash began to reign; and forty years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Zibiah of Beersheba. No JFB commentary on this verse.

Read Robert Jamieson on 2 Kings 12 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

2 Kings 12:1 In the seventh year of Jehu Jehoash began to reign; and forty years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother’ s name [was] Zibiah of Beersheba.Ver. 1. Forty years reigned he in Jerusalem.] A great part of these years, Jehoiada lived with him; and so long, did he not "eat and drink, and do judgment and justice, and then it was well with him?" as Jeremiah 22:15.

Read John Trapp on 2 Kings 12 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

XII. THE REIGN OF JEHOASH, OR JOASH. (Comp. 2 Chronicles 24) (1) Forty years.—A common round number. David and Solomon are each said to have reigned forty years. His mother’s name.—The author of these short abstracts generally gives this particular in regard to the kings of Judah. Beer-sheba.—A famous Simeonite sanctuary, and resort of pilgrims (Amos 5:5; Amos 8:14).

Read Charles John Ellicott on 2 Kings 12 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

CHAPTER XII Jehoash reigns well under the instructions of Jehoiada the priest, 1-3. He directs the repairing of the temple; the account of what was done, 4-16. Hazael takes Gath; and, proceeding to besiege Jerusalem, is prevented by Jehoash, who gives him all the treasures and hallowed things of the house of the Lord, 17, 18. The servants of Jehoash conspire against and slay him, 19-21. NOTES ON CHAP. XII

Read AdamClarke on 2 Kings 12 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Ch. 2 Kings 12:1-16. Joash reigns well but the high places are not removed. The house of the Lord is restored (2 Chronicles 24:1-14) 1. Jehoash began to reign, and forty years reigned he in Jerusalem] The R.V. puts the words into the usual order in these recitals, by placing ‘began’ before ‘Jehoash’ and ‘he reigned’ before ‘forty years’.

Read Cambridge on 2 Kings 12 →

The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company

Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.

Modern formal

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

In the seventh year of Jehu, Joash became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem forty years. His mother’s name was Zibiah; she was from Beersheba.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Jehoash began to reign in the seventh year of Jehu, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Zibiah of Beersheba.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

In the seventh year of Jehu, Joash became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem forty years. His mother’s name was Zibiah; she was from Beersheba.

NETBNew English Translation2006

In Jehu’s seventh year Jehoash became king; he reigned for forty years in Jerusalem. His mother was Zibiah, who was from Beer Sheba.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

In the seventh year of Jehu Jehoash began to reign; and forty years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Zibiah of Beer-sheba.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

In the seventh year of Jehu began Jehoash to reign; and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Zibiah of Beer-sheba.

RVARevised Version, American1894

In the seventh year of Jehu began Jehoash to reign; and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Zibiah of Beer-sheba.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

In the seventh year of Jehu, Jehoash began to reign; and forty years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Zibiah of Beer-sheba.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

In the seuenth yere of Iehu Iehoash began to reigne, and reigned fourty yeres in Ierusalem, and his mothers name was Zibiah of Beer-sheba.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

In the seventh year of Jehu, Jehoash began to reign; and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem; and his mother's name was Zibiah of Beer-sheba.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

In the seventh year of Jehu reigned hath Jehoash, and forty years he hath reigned in Jerusalem, and the name of his mother [is] Zibiah of Beer-Sheba,

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

In the seventh year of Jehu, Jehoash has reigned, and he has reigned forty years in Jerusalem, and the name of his mother [is] Zibiah of Beer-Sheba,

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

(12:2) In the seventh year of Jehu became Jehoash king; and forty years did he reign in Jerusalem; and the name of his mother was Zibyah of Beer-sheba'.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

In the seventh year of Jehu, the reign of Joash began; he reigned for forty years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Zibiah, of Beersheba.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

In the seventh year of Jehu Joas began to reign: and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. The name of his mother was Sebia of Bersabee.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Joash became king in the seventh year of the reign of Jehu, and he reigned in Jerusalem for forty years. His mother's name was Zibiah of Beersheba.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

In the seventh year of Jehu's rule, Jehoash became king; and he was ruling for forty years in Jerusalem; his mother's name was Zibiah of Beer-sheba.

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.

clauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalבִּinnoun phrasenoun phraseשְׁנַתyearשֶׁ֤בַעsevenprepositional phraseלְofיֵהוּא֙Jehuverbמָלַ֣ךְhe.became.kingsubjectיְהוֹאָ֔שׁJehoashוְandclausenoun phrase · adverbialאַרְבָּעִ֣יםfortyשָׁנָ֔הyear[s]verbמָלַ֖ךְhe.reignedprepositional phrase · prepositionalבִּinירֽוּשָׁלִָ֑םJerusalemוְandclausenoun phrase · subjectשֵׁ֣םthe.namenoun phraseאִמּ֔his.motherוֹhisnoun phrase · predicateצִבְיָ֖ה[was].Zibiahprepositional phraseמִfrom

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 show significant agreement in the content, although the Septuagint's wording differs. Both sources confirm Joash's reign and lineage, but the Septuagint does not preserve the same structure as the Hebrew text.

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

בִּשְׁנַת־ שֶׁ֤בַע לְיֵהוּא֙ מָלַ֣ךְ יְהוֹאָ֔שׁ וְאַרְבָּעִ֣ים שָׁנָ֔ה מָלַ֖ךְ בִּירֽוּשָׁלִָ֑ם וְשֵׁ֣ם אִמּ֔וֹ צִבְיָ֖ה מִבְּאֵ֥ר שָֽׁבַע׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
בִּשְׁנַת־ἑπτὰלְיֵהוּא֙ἐν

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

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


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

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

2 Kings 12:1שָׁנָהin yearin yearשָׁנָהשֶׁ֫בַעsevensevenשֶׁ֫בַעיֵהוּאof Jehuof Jehuיֵהוּאמָלַךְhe became khe became kingמָלַךְיְהוֹאָשׁJehoashJehoashיְהוֹאָשׁאַרְבָּעִיםand fortyand fortyאַרְבָּעִיםשָׁנָהyear[s]year[s]שָׁנָהמָלַךְhe reignedhe reignedמָלַךְיְרוּשָׁלִַ֫in Jerusalein Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַ֫שֵׁםand [the] nand [the] name שֵׁםאֵםmother hismother hisאֵםצִבְיָה[was] Zibia[was] Zibiahצִבְיָהבְּאֵרfrom Beerfrom BeerבְּאֵרבְּאֵרShebaShebaבְּאֵרשָׁנָהto changeto changeשָׁנָהיהוהThe LordThe Lordיהוהבְּאֵרwellwellבְּאֵרשָׁבַעto swearto swearשָׁבַעשׂוּםto set: mato set: makeשׂוּםאַרְבַּעfourfourאַרְבַּעיְרוּשְׁלֵםJerusalemJerusalemיְרוּשְׁלֵםיָרָאto shootto shootיָרָאאָבfatherfatherאָבצְבִיָּהgazellegazelleצְבִיָּהמָלַךְto reignto reignמָלַךְעֶשְׂרִיםtwentytwentyעֶשְׂרִיםשָׁנָהyearyearשָׁנָהתַּחַתunderneathunderneath: undתַּחַתחֲצַרחֲצַרפַּ֫עַםbeatbeatפַּ֫עַםנִמְשִׁיNimshiNimshiנִמְשִׁיחֲנָנִיHananiHananiחֲנָנִי
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 12:1

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.

in year seven of Jehu he became king Jehoash and forty year[s] he reigned in Jerusalem and [the] name of mother his [was] Zibiah from Beer Sheba
בִּשְׁנַת־bish.nat- in year H8141 Preposition · noun common feminine singular construct
877× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word also means a year, like when Abraham was 100 years old in Genesis 21. It is used to describe a period of time, age, or a lifetime.
Tyndale gloss
year
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

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

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8141 שָׁנָה year (etym. v. √[8138a])

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8141 shaneh shaw-neh'

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

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

year(X -ly).

see HEBREW for 08138

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁנָה (sha.neh) — year.

1) year

1a) as division of time

1b) as measure of time

1c) as indication of age

1d) a lifetime (of years of life)

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fp — Preposition · noun common feminine singular construct
HR/Ncfsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

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

See ASTRONOMY; TIME.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Year

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

Smith's Bible Dictionary

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

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

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

in year seven of Jehu he became king Jehoash and forty year[s] he reigned in Jerusalem and [the] name of mother his [was] Zibiah from Beer Sheba
שֶׁ֤בַעShe.va' seven H7651 Noun common · both singular absolute
395× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means the number seven, which was considered a special or sacred number. It can also mean seven times or a week, and is used in the Bible to describe completeness or perfection. The KJV translates it as seven or sevenfold.
Tyndale gloss
seven
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שֶׁ֫בַע (sheba`) means 'seven' and is a cardinal number. It can also imply 'seven times' or refer to a week. The term appears in various contexts, including combinations like 17 or 700. Its Aramaic equivalent is שִׁבְעָה (shiv.ah), also meaning 'seven'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שֶׁ֫בַע, שִׁבְעָה 394 n.m. et f. seven

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7651 שֶׁ֫בַע, שִׁבְעָה seven

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7651 sheba` sheh'-bah

or (masculine) shibrah {shib-aw'}; from 7650; a primitive

cardinal number; seven (as the sacred full one); also

(adverbially) seven times; by implication, a week; by

extension, an indefinite number:--(+ by) seven(-fold),-s,

(-teen, -teenth), -th, times). Compare 7658.

see HEBREW for 07650

see HEBREW for 07658

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שֶׁ֫בַע (she.va) — seven.

1) seven (cardinal number)

1a) as ordinal number

1b) in combination-17, 700 etc

Aramaic equivalent: shiv.ah (שִׁבְעָה "seven" H7655)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Noun common · both singular absolute
HNcbsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

sev'-'-n (shebha`; hepta).

See NUMBER.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Seven

This number occurs frequently in Scripture, and in such connections as lead to the supposition that it has some typical meaning. On the seventh day God rested, and hallowed it (Gen. 2:2, 3). The division of time into weeks of seven days each accounts for many instances of the occurrence of this number. This number has been called the symbol of perfection, and also the symbol of rest. “Jacob’s seven years’ service to Laban; Pharaoh’s seven fat oxen and seven lean ones; the seven branches of the golden candlestick; the seven trumpets and the seven priests who sounded them; the seven days’ siege of Jericho; the seven churches, seven spirits, seven stars, seven seals, seven vials, and many others, sufficiently prove the importance of this sacred number” (see Lev. 25:4;

Smith's Bible Dictionary

The frequent recurrence of certain numbers in the sacred literature of the Hebrews is obvious to the most superficial reader, but seven so far surpasses the rest, both in the frequency with which it recurs and in the importance of the objects with which it is associated, that it may fairly be termed the representative symbolic number. The influence of the number seven was not restricted to the Hebrews; it prevailed among the Persians, ancient Indians, Greeks and Romans. The peculiarity of the Hebrew view consists in the special dignity of the seventh, and not simply in that of seen. The Sabbath being the seventh day suggested the adoption of seven as the coefficient, so to say, for their appointment of all sacred periods; and we thus find the 7th month ushered in by the Feast of Trumpets, and signalized by the celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles and the Great Day of Atonement; 7…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

As from the beginning this was the number of days in the week, so it often has in Scripture a sort of emphasis attached to it, and is very generally used as a round or perfect number. Clean beasts were taken into the ark by sevens, Ge 7:1-24. The years of plenty and famine in Egypt were marked by sevens, Ge 41:1-57. With the Jews, not only was there a seventh day Sabbath, but every seventh year was a Sabbath, and after every seven times seven years came a jubilee. Their great feasts of unleavened bread and of tabernacles were observed for seven days; the number of animals in many of their sacrifices was limited to seven. The golden candlestick had seven branches. Seven priests with seven trumpets went around the walls of Jericho seven days, and seven times on the seventh day. In…

in year seven of Jehu he became king Jehoash and forty year[s] he reigned in Jerusalem and [the] name of mother his [was] Zibiah from Beer Sheba
לְיֵהוּא֙le.ye.Hu' of Jehu H3058 Preposition · noun proper masculine
58× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Jehu was the name of several Israelites, including a king who overthrew the dynasty of Omri and a prophet who lived during the time of Baasha and Jehoshaphat. His name means Jehovah is He.
Tyndale gloss
Jehu
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יֵהוּא (yehu) means 'Jehovah is He' and refers primarily to Jehu, a king of Israel known for overthrowing the Omri dynasty. The name also identifies several other individuals from the Old Testament, including a prophet and warriors from the tribes of Judah and Simeon, as well as a notable figure in David's court. The entries consistently highlight Jehu's significance during the Divided Monarchy.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יֵהוּא n.pr.m.

king of Israel who overthrew the dynasty of Omri

prophet of N. Israel in time of Baasha & Jehoshaphat

one of David’s heroes

a Judahite

a Simeonite prince

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3058 יֵהוּא

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3058 Yehuw' yay-hoo'

from 3068 and 1931; Jehovah (is) He; Jehu, the name of five

Israelites:--Jehu.

see HEBREW for 03068

see HEBREW for 01931

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יֵהוּא (ye.hu) — Jehu.

A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ki.16.1;

son of: Hanani (H2607)

§ Jehu = "Jehovah is He"

1) the king of the northern kingdom Israel who overthrew the dynasty of Omri

2) son of Hanani and an Israelite prophet in the time of Baasha and Jehoshaphat

3) the Antothite, a Benjamite, one of David's mighty warriors

4) a descendant of Judah of the house of Hezron

5) son of Josibiah and a chief of the tribe of Simeon

יֵהוּא (ye.hu) — Jehu.

A king of the Kingdom of Israel, living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ki.19.16;

son of: Jehoshaphat (H3092J);

father of: Jehoahaz (H3059)

§ Jehu = "Jehovah is He"

1) the king of the northern kingdom Israel who overthrew the dynasty of Omri

2) son of Hanani and an Israelite prophet in the time of Baasha and Jehoshaphat

3) the Antothite, a Benjamite, one of David's mighty warriors

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Npm — Preposition · noun proper masculine
HR/Npm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

je'-hu (yehu; meaning uncertain, perhaps "Yahweh is he"; 1Ki 19:16,17; 2Ki 9; 10; Eiou): Son of Jehoshaphat, and descendant of Nimshi, hence, commonly called "the son of Nimshi"; 10th king of Israel, and founder of its IVth Dynasty. Jehu reign for 28 years. His accession may be reckoned at circa 752 BC (some date a few years later).

1. Officer of Ahab:

A soldier of fortune, Jehu appears first as an officer in the body-guard of Ahab. To himself we owe the information that he was present at the judicial murder of Naboth, and that Naboth's sons were put to death with their father (2Ki 9:26). He was in attendance when Ahab drove from Samaria to inspect his new possession in Jezreel, and was witness of the dramatic encounter at the vineyard between the king and the prophet Elijah…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Jehu

Jehovah is he. (1.) The son of Obed, and father of Azariah (1 Chr. 2:38).

(2.) One of the Benjamite slingers that joined David at Ziklag (1 Chr. 12:3).

(3.) The son of Hanani, a prophet of Judah (1 Kings 16:1, 7; 2 Chr. 19:2; 20:34), who pronounced the sentence of God against Baasha, the king of Israel.

(4.) King of Israel, the son of Jehoshaphat (2 Kings 9:2), and grandson of Nimshi. The story of his exaltation to the throne is deeply interesting. During the progress of a war against the Syrians, who were becoming more and more troublesome to Israel, in a battle at Ramoth-gilead Jehoram, the king of Israel, had been…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(the living). The founder of the fifth dynasty of the kingdom of Israel, son of Jehoshaphat. (2 Kings 9:2) He reigned over Israel 28 years, B.C. 884-856. His first appearance in history is when he heard the warning of Elijah against the murderer of Naboth. (2 Kings 9:25) In the reigns of Ahaziah and Jehoram, Jehu rose to importance. He was, under the last-named king, captain of the host in the siege of Ramoth-gilead. During this siege he was anointed by Elisha’s servant, and told that he was appointed to be king of Israel and destroyer of the house of Ahab. (2 Kings 9:12) The army at once ordained him king, and he set off full speed for Jezreel. Jehoram, who was lying ill in Jezreel, came out to meet him, as it happened on the…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The son of Hanani, a prophet, sent with messages from God to Baasha king of Israel, and many years afterwards, to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, 1Ki 16:1-7 2Ch 19:1-3 20:34.

The "son" of Jehoshaphat and grandson of Nimshi, (compare 1Ki 19:16 2Ki 9:2) a general of the army of Joram, slew his master, and usurped the throne of Israel, B. C. 884. He reigned twentyeight years. See his history in 1Ki 19:16,17 2Ki 9:1-10:36. He fulfilled the divine purpose in extirpating the family of the impious Ahab, and zealously destroyed the priests of Baal and many other friends of Ahab. But…

in year seven of Jehu he became king Jehoash and forty year[s] he reigned in Jerusalem and [the] name of mother his [was] Zibiah from Beer Sheba
מָלַ֣ךְma.Lakh he became king H4427 Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singular
348× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To advise or counsel is the meaning of this Hebrew word, which can also mean to reign or rule as a king. It is used in the Bible to describe the actions of leaders, like King Solomon, who sought wisdom to rule God's people. This word is found in the book of 1 Kings.
Tyndale gloss
to reign
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מָלַךְ (malak) is a Hebrew verb meaning to reign, become king or queen, or to counsel. It encompasses various forms, including Qal (to reign), Hiphil (to make someone king), and Niphal (to consider). The word appears in contexts related to royalty and governance, with a notable reference in Daniel 9:1 for its use in the passive form.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מָלַךְ 346 vb. denom. be, or become king, or queen, reign

Qal 296 be (become) king, reign

Hiph. make king, or queen, cause to reign

Hoph. Dn 9:1.

base

[מָלַךְ] vb. counsel, advise;—only Niph. Impf. i.e. I considered carefully, Ne 5:7.

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4427a מָלַךְ vb. denom. be, or become king, or queen, reign H4427b מָלַךְ counsel, advise—only Niph. Impf.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4427 malak maw-lak'

a primitive root; to reign; inceptively, to ascend the

throne; causatively, to induct into royalty; hence (by

implication) to take counsel:--consult, X indeed, be (make,

set a, set up) king, be (make) queen, (begin to, make to)

reign(-ing), rule, X surely.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מָלַךְ (ma.lakh) — to reign.

1) to be or become king or queen, reign

1a) (Qal) to be or become king or queen, reign

1b) (Hiphil) to make one king or queen, cause to reign

1c) (Hophal) to be made king or queen

מָלַךְ (ma.lakh) — to advise.

1) to counsel, advise

1a) (Niphal) to consider

Aramaic equivalent: me.lakh (מְלֵךְ "counsel" H4431)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a | Suff — Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singular
HVqp3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

King

Is in Scripture very generally used to denote one invested with authority, whether extensive or limited. There were thirty-one kings in Canaan (Josh. 12:9, 24), whom Joshua subdued. Adonibezek subdued seventy kings (Judg. 1:7). In the New Testament the Roman emperor is spoken of as a king (1 Pet. 2:13, 17); and Herod Antipas, who was only a tetrarch, is also called a king (Matt. 14:9; Mark 6:22).

This title is applied to God (1 Tim. 1:17), and to Christ, the Son of God (1 Tim. 6:15, 16;

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Called KING OF KINGS Ezr 7:12; Eze 26:7; Da 2:37

→ Divinely authorized De 17:15; 1Sa 9:16,17; 16:12; 1Ch 22:10; 2Ch 2:11,12; Pr 8:15; Da 2:21,37; 4:17; 5:20; Ho 8:4; 13:11

→ How chosen

By divine appointment, Saul 1Sa 10:1

in year seven of Jehu he became king Jehoash and forty year[s] he reigned in Jerusalem and [the] name of mother his [was] Zibiah from Beer Sheba
יְהוֹאָ֔שׁye.ho.'Ash Jehoash H3060 Noun proper masculine
17× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Jehoash was the name of two Israelite kings, including a king of Israel who was the son of Jehoahaz and father of Jeroboam. His name means given by the Lord, and he is also referred to as Joash.
Amplified meaning
Jehoash, God-supported king
Tyndale gloss
Jehoash
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יְהוֹאָשׁ (Yhow'ash) refers to two kings in the Old Testament: one from Judah, son of Ahaziah, and one from Israel, son of Jehoahaz. The name means 'given by the Lord' and is associated with various biblical figures, including a prince of Ahab's house and a hero of David. The entries indicate a connection to the Hebrew roots for Jehovah and possibly 'fire'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יְהוֹאָשׁ, יוֹאָשׁ n.pr.m. (י׳ is strong)

king of Judah, son of Ahaziah

king of Israel, son of Jehoahaz

father of Gideon

a prince of Ahab’s house

one of David’s heroes

a Judaite prince

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3060 יְהוֹאָשׁ, יוֹאָשׁ

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3060 Yhow'ash yeh-ho-awsh'

from 3068 and (perhaps) 784; Jehovah-fired; Jehoash, the name

of two Israelite kings:--Jehoash. Compare 3101.

see HEBREW for 03068

see HEBREW for 0784

see HEBREW for 03101

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יְהוֹאָשׁ (ye.ho.ash) — Jehoash.

A king of the tribe of Judah living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 2Ki.11.2;

son of: Ahaziah (H0274H) and Zibiah (H6645); married to Jehoaddan (H3086);

father of: Amaziah (H0558); also called Jehoash at 2Ki.11.21; 12.1,2,4,6,7,18; 14.13b;

Another name of yo.ash (יוֹאָשׁ "Joash" H3101I)

§ Jehoash = "given by the Lord"

1) son of king Ahaziah and the 8th king of Judah

2) son of king Jehoahaz and the 12th king of the northern kingdom of Israel

יְהוֹאָשׁ (ye.ho.ash) — Jehoash.

A king of the Kingdom of Israel, living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 2Ki.13.9;

son of: Jehoahaz (H3059);

father of: Jeroboam (H3379H); also called Jehoash at 2Ki.13.10,25; 14.8,9,11,13,15,16,17;

Another name of yo.ash (יוֹאָשׁ "Joash" H3101J)

§ Jehoash = "given by the Lord"

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper masculine
HNpm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Jehoash

Jehovah-given. (1.) The son of King Ahaziah. While yet an infant, he was saved from the general massacre of the family by his aunt Jehosheba, and was apparently the only surviving descendant of Solomon (2 Chr. 21:4, 17). His uncle, the high priest Jehoiada, brought him forth to public notice when he was eight years of age, and crowned and anointed him king of Judah with the usual ceremonies. Athaliah was taken by surprise when she heard the shout of the people, “Long live the king;” and when she appeared in the temple, Jehoiada commanded her to be led forth to death (2 Kings 11:13-20). While the high priest lived, Jehoash favoured the worship of God and observed the law; but on his death he fell away into evil courses, and the land was defiled with idolatry. Zechariah, the…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(given by the Lord), the uncontracted form of Joash. The eighth king of Judah; son of Ahaziah. (2 Kings 11:21; 12:1,2,4,6,7,18; 14:13) [JOASH, 1] The twelfth king of Israel; son of Jehoahaz. (2 Kings 13:10,25; 14:8,9,11,13,15,16,17) [JOASH, 2]

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

See JOASH.

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

fire of the Lord

in year seven of Jehu he became king Jehoash and forty year[s] he reigned in Jerusalem and [the] name of mother his [was] Zibiah from Beer Sheba
וְאַרְבָּעִ֣יםve.'ar.ba.'Im and forty H705 Conjunction · noun common masculine plural absolute
136× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The number forty is what this Hebrew word represents, often used in the Bible to mark significant periods of time, like the 40 days of rain in Genesis or the 40 years of Israel's wilderness journey.
Tyndale gloss
forty
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אַרְבָּעִים (arba`iym) simply means 'forty' in Hebrew. It is a multiple of the number 702 and is consistently defined across various lexicons. There are no significant disagreements among the entries regarding its meaning.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אַרְבָּעִים a forty

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H705 אַרְבָּעִים a forty

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

705 'arba`iym ar-baw-eem'

multiple of 702; forty:---forty.

see HEBREW for 0702

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אַרְבָּעִים (ar.ba.im) — forty.

forty

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HC/Ncmpa — Conjunction · noun common masculine plural absolute
HC/Ncmpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

for'-ti ('arba`im; tessarakonta).

See FOUR (5); NUMBER.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Remarkable coincidences in the number

→ DAYS

Of rain, at the time of the flood Ge 7:17

Of flood, before sending forth the raven Ge 8:6

For embalming Ge 50:3

Of fasting

By Moses Ex 24:18; 34:28; De 9:9,25

By Elijah 1Ki 19:8

By spies in the land of promise Nu 13:25

Of probation, given to the Ninevites Jon 3:4

By Jesus Mt 4:2

Christ's stay after the resurrection Ac 1:3

in year seven of Jehu he became king Jehoash and forty year[s] he reigned in Jerusalem and [the] name of mother his [was] Zibiah from Beer Sheba
שָׁנָ֔הsha.Nah year[s] H8141 Noun common · feminine singular absolute
877× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word also means a year, like when Abraham was 100 years old in Genesis 21. It is used to describe a period of time, age, or a lifetime.
Tyndale gloss
year
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

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

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8141 שָׁנָה year (etym. v. √[8138a])

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8141 shaneh shaw-neh'

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

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

year(X -ly).

see HEBREW for 08138

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁנָה (sha.neh) — year.

1) year

1a) as division of time

1b) as measure of time

1c) as indication of age

1d) a lifetime (of years of life)

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcfsa — Noun common · feminine singular absolute
HNcfsa
in year seven of Jehu he became king Jehoash and forty year[s] he reigned in Jerusalem and [the] name of mother his [was] Zibiah from Beer Sheba
מָלַ֖ךְma.Lakh he reigned H4427 Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singular
348× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To advise or counsel is the meaning of this Hebrew word, which can also mean to reign or rule as a king. It is used in the Bible to describe the actions of leaders, like King Solomon, who sought wisdom to rule God's people. This word is found in the book of 1 Kings.
Tyndale gloss
to reign
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מָלַךְ (malak) is a Hebrew verb meaning to reign, become king or queen, or to counsel. It encompasses various forms, including Qal (to reign), Hiphil (to make someone king), and Niphal (to consider). The word appears in contexts related to royalty and governance, with a notable reference in Daniel 9:1 for its use in the passive form.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מָלַךְ 346 vb. denom. be, or become king, or queen, reign

Qal 296 be (become) king, reign

Hiph. make king, or queen, cause to reign

Hoph. Dn 9:1.

base

[מָלַךְ] vb. counsel, advise;—only Niph. Impf. i.e. I considered carefully, Ne 5:7.

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4427a מָלַךְ vb. denom. be, or become king, or queen, reign H4427b מָלַךְ counsel, advise—only Niph. Impf.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4427 malak maw-lak'

a primitive root; to reign; inceptively, to ascend the

throne; causatively, to induct into royalty; hence (by

implication) to take counsel:--consult, X indeed, be (make,

set a, set up) king, be (make) queen, (begin to, make to)

reign(-ing), rule, X surely.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מָלַךְ (ma.lakh) — to reign.

1) to be or become king or queen, reign

1a) (Qal) to be or become king or queen, reign

1b) (Hiphil) to make one king or queen, cause to reign

1c) (Hophal) to be made king or queen

מָלַךְ (ma.lakh) — to advise.

1) to counsel, advise

1a) (Niphal) to consider

Aramaic equivalent: me.lakh (מְלֵךְ "counsel" H4431)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVqp3ms — Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singular
HVqp3ms
in year seven of Jehu he became king Jehoash and forty year[s] he reigned in Jerusalem and [the] name of mother his [was] Zibiah from Beer Sheba
בִּירֽוּשָׁלִָ֑םbi.ru.sha.Lim in Jerusalem H3389 Preposition · noun proper
643× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Jerusalem is the capital city of Palestine, also known as the city of peace. It was the chief city of the united kingdom and the nation of Judah after the split.
Tyndale gloss
Jerusalem
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫͏ם (Yruwshalaim) refers to Jerusalem, the capital city of Palestine. The name is thought to derive from terms meaning 'founded peaceful' and is linked to its two main hills. It is described as the chief city of the united kingdom and the nation of Judah.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫͏ם, יְרוּשָׁלַ֫יִם 644 n.pr.loc. Jerusalem

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3389 יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫͏ם, יְרוּשָׁלַ֫יִם Jerusalem

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3389 Yruwshalaim yer-oo-shaw-lah'-im

rarely Yruwshalayim {yer-oo- shaw-lah'-yim}; a dual (in

allusion to its two main hills (the true pointing, at least of

the former reading, seems to be that of 3390)); probably from

(the passive participle of) 3384 and 7999; founded peaceful;

Jerushalaim or Jerushalem, the capital city of

Palestine:--Jerusalem.

see HEBREW for 03390

see HEBREW for 03384

see HEBREW for 07999

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם (ye.ru.sha.laim) — Jerusalem.

§ Jerusalem = "teaching of peace"

the chief city of Palestine and capital of the united kingdom and the nation of Judah after the split

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Npl — Preposition · noun proper
HR/Npl
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

je-roo'-sa-lem:

I. THE NAME

1. In Cuneiform

2. In Hebrew

3. In Greek and Latin

4. The Meaning of Jerusalem

5. Other Names

II. GEOLOGY, CLIMATE AND SPRINGS

1. Geology

2. Climate and Rainfall

3. The Natural Springs

III. THE NATURAL SITE

1. The Mountains Around

2. The Valleys

3. The Hills

IV. GENERAL TOPOGRAPHY OF JERUSALEM

1. Description of Josephus

2. Summary of the Names of the Five Hills

3. The Akra

4. The Lower City

5. City of David and Zion

V. EXCAVATIONS AND ANTIQUITIES

1. Robinson

2. Wilson, and the Palestine Exploration Fund (1865)

3. Warren and Conder

4. Maudslay

5. Schick

6. Clermont-Ganneau

7. Bliss and Dickie

8. Jerusalem Archaeological Societies

VI. THE CITY'S WALLS AND GATES

1. The Existing Walls

2. Wilson's Theory

3. The Existing Gates

4. Buried Remains of Earlier Walls

5. The Great Dam of the Tyropoeon

6. Ruins of Ancient Gates

7. Josephus' Description of the Walls

8. First Wall

9. Second Wall

10. Third Wall

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Jerusalem

Called also Salem, Ariel, Jebus, the “city of God,” the “holy city;” by the modern Arabs el-Khuds, meaning “the holy;” once “the city of Judah” (2 Chr. 25:28). This name is in the original in the dual form, and means “possession of peace,” or “foundation of peace.” The dual form probably refers to the two mountains on which it was built, viz., Zion and Moriah; or, as some suppose, to the two parts of the city, the “upper” and the “lower city.” Jerusalem is a “mountain city enthroned on a mountain fastness” (comp. Ps. 68:15, 16; 87:1; 125:2; 76:1, 2; 122:3). It stands on the edge of one of the highest table-lands in Palestine, and is surrounded on the south-eastern, the southern, and the western sides by deep and precipitous ravines.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(the habitation of peace), Jerusalem stands in latitude 31 degrees 46’ 35" north and longitude 35 degrees 18’ 30" east of Greenwich. It is 32 miles distant from the sea and 18 from the Jordan, 20 from Hebron and 36 from Samaria. "In several respects," says Dean Stanley, "its situation is singular among the cities of Palestine. Its elevation is remarkable; occasioned not from its being on the summit of one of the numerous hills of Judea, like most of the towns and villages, but because it is on the edge of one of the highest table-lands of the country. Hebron indeed is higher still by some hundred feet, and from the south, accordingly (even from Bethlehem), the approach to Jerusalem is by a slight descent. But from any other side the ascent is perpetual; and to the traveller approaching the city from the east or west it must always have presented the appearance beyond any other capital…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The chief city of the Holy Land, and to the Christian the most illustrious in the world. It is situated in 31 degrees 46’43" N. lat., and 35 degrees 13’ E. long. on elevated ground south of the center of the country, about thirty-seven miles from the Mediterranean, and about twenty-four from the Jordan. Its site was early hallowed by God’s trial of Abraham’s faith, Ge 22:1-24 2Ch 3:1. It was on the border of the tribes of Benjamin and Judah, mostly within the limits of the former, but reckoned as belonging to the latter, because conquered by it, Jos 15:8 18:16,28 Jud 1:18. The most ancient name of the city was Salem, Ge…

in year seven of Jehu he became king Jehoash and forty year[s] he reigned in Jerusalem and [the] name of mother his [was] Zibiah from Beer Sheba
וְשֵׁ֣םve.Shem and [the] name of H8034 Conjunction · noun common masculine singular construct
864× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, a name represents a person's identity, honor, and character, like God's name symbolizing His power and authority. It appears in Genesis and other books, often referring to God's name or a person's reputation. This concept is central to understanding biblical identity.
Tyndale gloss
name
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שֵׁם (shem) means 'name' and encompasses various meanings such as reputation, fame, and glory. It can refer to the designation of God and is often associated with memorials or monuments. The word is built from a primitive root and highlights individuality and honor. There is a mention of its use in relation to false gods, which is forbidden.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שֵׁם 864 n.m. name (√ unknown)

of river, beasts, city, i.e. exact designation of it

usu. of pers.

= reputation

esp. as giving a man a kind of posthumous life, esp. in his sons

name, as designation of God

of false gods, use forbidden

= memorial, monument

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8034 שֵׁם name (√ unknown)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8034 shem shame

a primitive word (perhaps rather from 7760 through the idea

of definite and conspicuous position; compare 8064); an

appellation, as a mark or memorial of individuality; by

implication honor, authority, character:--+ base,

(in-)fame(-ous), named(-d), renown, report.

see HEBREW for 07760

see HEBREW for 08064

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שֵׁם (shem) — name.

1) name

1a) name

1b) reputation, fame, glory

1c) the Name (as designation of God)

1d) memorial, monument

Aramaic equivalent: shum (שֻׁם "name" H8036)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HC/Ncmsc — 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…

in year seven of Jehu he became king Jehoash and forty year[s] he reigned in Jerusalem and [the] name of mother his [was] Zibiah from Beer Sheba
אִמּ֔וֹ'i.Mo mother his H517 Noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
220× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for 'mother' is used in the Bible to describe a female parent or a maternal figure. It can also refer to the source or origin of something, such as a river or a family. In some cases, it is used figuratively to describe a person's relationship to others.
Tyndale gloss
mother
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֵם (em) means 'mother' and can refer to a human mother, an animal's dam, or even a figurative sense, such as Deborah's nurturing role for her people. It also conveys the idea of a point of departure or division. This word is built from a primitive root and encompasses both literal and figurative meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵם 221 n.f. mother

lit. (human) mother

fig. of Deborah as caring for her people

of animals, dam

= point of departure or division

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H517 אֵם mother . lit. (human) mother

. fig. of Deborah as caring for her people

. of animals, dam

. = point of departure or division

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

517 'em ame

a primitive word; a mother (as the bond of the family); in a

wide sense (both literally and figuratively (like 1):--dam,

mother, X parting.

see HEBREW for 01

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵם (em) — mother.

1) mother

1a) of humans

1b) of Deborah's relationship to the people (fig.)

1c) of animals

2) point of departure or division

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcfsc/Sp3ms — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
HNcfsc/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."

in year seven of Jehu he became king Jehoash and forty year[s] he reigned in Jerusalem and [the] name of mother his [was] Zibiah from Beer Sheba
צִבְיָ֖הtziv.Yah [was] Zibiah H6645 Noun proper feminine
2× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Zibiah was a woman from Beersheba, married to King Ahaziah of Judah, and mother of King Joash, as seen in 2 Kings 12:1. Her name also means 'roe', symbolizing gentleness.
Tyndale gloss
Zibiah
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

צִבְיָה (Tsibyah) refers to a female name meaning "roe" or "gazelle." It is associated with Zibiah, the wife of King Ahaziah and mother of King Joash of Judah, mentioned in 2 Kings 12:1. The entries indicate that this name is specifically linked to a historical figure during the Divided Monarchy.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

צִבְיָה n.pr.f. (= צִבְיָּה gazelle);—mother of Jehoash of Judah

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6645 צִבְיָה, צִבְיָּה

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6645 Tsibyah tsib-yaw'

for 6646; Tsibjah, an Israelitess:--Zibiah.

see HEBREW for 06646

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

צִבְיָה (tsiv.y.yah) — Zibiah.

A woman living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 2Ki.12.1; married to Ahaziah (H0274H);

mother of: Joash (H3101I)

§ Zibiah = "roe"

a native of Beersheba, wife of king Ahaziah and mother of king Joash both of Judah

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

zib'-i-a (tsibhyah, probably "gazelle"): A woman of Beersheba, mother of King Jehoash (Joash) of Judah (2Ki 12:1 (Hebrew verse 2); 2Ch 24:1. Codex Alexandrinus and Codex Vaticanus have Abia).

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Zibiah

The mother of King Joash (2 Kings 12:1; 2 Chr. 24:1).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(roe), a native of Beersheba and mother of King Joash. (2 Kings 12:1; 2 Chronicles 24:1) (B.C. 876)

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

the Lord dwells; deer; goat

in year seven of Jehu he became king Jehoash and forty year[s] he reigned in Jerusalem and [the] name of mother his [was] Zibiah from Beer Sheba
מִבְּאֵ֥רmi.be.'Er from Beer H884 Preposition · noun proper
68× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Beersheba was a city in Palestine, located at the south edge of Israel, and its name means 'well of the sevenfold oath'. It was an important place in the Bible.
Tyndale gloss
Beersheba
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בְּאֵר שֶׁ֫בַע (B'er Sheba) refers to Beersheba, a location in Palestine. The name means 'well of an oath,' derived from the roots for 'well' and 'oath.' It is noted as a city at the southern edge of Israel.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בְּאֵר שֶׁ֫בַע n.pr.loc. Beersheba

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H884 בְּאֵר שֶׁ֫בַע Beersheba

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

884 B'er Sheba` be-ayr' sheh'-bah

from 875 and 7651 (in the sense of 7650); well of an oath;

Beer-Sheba, a place in Palestine:--Beer-shebah.

see HEBREW for 0875

see HEBREW for 07651

see HEBREW for 07650

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בְּאֵר שֶׁ֫בַע (be.er she.va) — Beersheba.

§ Beer-sheba = "well of the sevenfold oath"

a city at the south edge of Israel

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Npl — Preposition · noun proper
HR/Npl
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

be'-er (be'er; phrear; Latin puteus = "well"):

(1) A station on the march of the Israelites to the North of the Arnon (Nu 21:16). Here it was that they sang round the well this song: `Spring up O well; greet it with song, Well, that the princes have dug, The nobles of the people have bored, With the scepter--with their staves' (Nu 21:16 ff). The place is not identified.

(2) The town to which Jotham fled from his brother Abimelech after declaring his parable from Mt. Gerizim (Jud 9:21). This may be identical with BEEROTH, which see.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Beer

Well. (1.) A place where a well was dug by the direction of Moses, at the forty-fourth station of the Hebrews in their wanderings (Num. 21:16-18) in the wilderness of Moab. (See WELL.)

(2.) A town in the tribe of Judah to which Jotham fled for fear of Abimelech (Judg. 9:21). Some have identified this place with Beeroth.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(a well). One of the latest halting-places of the Israelites, lying beyond the Arnon. (Numbers 21:16-18) This is possibly the BEER-ELIM of (Isaiah 15:8) A place to which Jotham, the son of Gideon, fled for fear of his brother Abimelech. (Judges 9:21)

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A well,

1. A station of the Hebrews in Moab, where God gave them water, Nu 21:16-18; Isa 15:8.

2. A town in Judah, according to Eusebius and Jerome a few miles west of Jerusalem, near Beth-shemesh. Jotham took refuge there from his brother Abimelech, Jud 9:21.

in year seven of Jehu he became king Jehoash and forty year[s] he reigned in Jerusalem and [the] name of mother his [was] Zibiah from Beer Sheba
שָֽׁבַע׃Sha.va' Sheba H884 Noun proper
68× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Beersheba was a city in Palestine, located at the south edge of Israel, and its name means 'well of the sevenfold oath'. It was an important place in the Bible.
Tyndale gloss
Beersheba
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בְּאֵר שֶׁ֫בַע (B'er Sheba) refers to Beersheba, a location in Palestine. The name means 'well of an oath,' derived from the roots for 'well' and 'oath.' It is noted as a city at the southern edge of Israel.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בְּאֵר שֶׁ֫בַע n.pr.loc. Beersheba

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H884 בְּאֵר שֶׁ֫בַע Beersheba

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

884 B'er Sheba` be-ayr' sheh'-bah

from 875 and 7651 (in the sense of 7650); well of an oath;

Beer-Sheba, a place in Palestine:--Beer-shebah.

see HEBREW for 0875

see HEBREW for 07651

see HEBREW for 07650

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בְּאֵר שֶׁ֫בַע (be.er she.va) — Beersheba.

§ Beer-sheba = "well of the sevenfold oath"

a city at the south edge of Israel

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNpl — Noun proper
HNpl
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Sheba

An oath, seven. (1.) Heb. shebha, the son of Raamah (Gen. 10:7), whose descendants settled with those of Dedan on the Persian Gulf.

(2.) Heb. id. A son of Joktan (Gen. 10:28), probably the founder of the Sabeans.

(3.) Heb. id. A son of Jokshan, who was a son of Abraham by Keturah (Gen. 25:3).

(4.) Heb. id. A kingdom in Arabia Felix. Sheba, in fact, was Saba in Southern Arabia, the Sabaeans of classical geography, who carried on the trade in spices with the other peoples of the ancient world. They were Semites, speaking one of the two main dialects of Himyaritic or South Arabic. Sheba had become a monarchy before the days of Solomon. Its queen brought him gold, spices, and precious stones (

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

1. Son of Raamah, Ge 10:7. His posterity is supposed to have settled near the head of the Persian Gulf. See CUSH and RAAMAH.

2. Son of Joktan, of the race of Shem, Ge 10:28. See SABEANS 2.

3. Son of Jokshan, and grandson of Abraham by Keturah, Ge 25:3. He is supposed to have settled in Arabia Deserta.

4. A turbulent Benjamite, who after the death of Absalom made a fruitless effort to excite a rebellion in Israel against David. Being pursued, and besieged in Abel-beth-maachah, near the southern part of Lebanon, he was beheaded by the people of the city, 2Sa 20:1-26.

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

captivity; old man; repose; oath

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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