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2 Kings 23:7 — Word Study

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WLCוַיִּתֹּץ֙ אֶת־ בָּתֵּ֣י הַקְּדֵשִׁ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּבֵ֣ית יְהוָ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר הַנָּשִׁ֗ים אֹרְג֥וֹת שָׁ֛ם בָּתִּ֖ים לָאֲשֵׁרָֽה׃

BSAHe also tore downnâthats [demolished, broke down] the quartersbayith [houses, rooms] of the male shrine prostitutesqâdêsh [cult prostitutes, sodomites] that [were]ʼăsher in the housebayith [temple, dwelling place] of the LORDYᵉhôvâh [Yehovah, the Lord God] whereʼăsher the womenʼishshâh [females, wives] had wovenʼârag [were weaving, made] tapestriesbayith [hangings, robes] for Asherahʼăshêrâh [the goddess, a tree or pole near an altar]

Word
Listen & take away2 Kings 23
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 7 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 (la.'a.she.Rah) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
2 Kings 23:7quick helps
In a sentenceJosiah destroyed the quarters of male shrine prostitutes in the temple of the LORD.
Who is speakingThe narrative describes King Josiah's actions in reforming worship in Judah.
Where we areThis verse is part of Josiah's reforms, where he cleanses the temple and removes idolatrous practices.
The hard wordוַיִּתֹּץ
Take awayIdolatrous practices were actively removed from the temple.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbנָתַץ 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 23:7

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 — Josiah's Reformsgenerated

6He brought the Asherah pole from the house of the LORD to the Kidron Valley outside Jerusalem, and there he burned it, ground it to powder, and threw its dust on the graves of the common people.
7He also tore down the quarters of the male shrine prostitutes that were in the house of the LORD, where the women had woven tapestries for Asherah.
8Then Josiah brought all the priests from the cities of Judah and desecrated the high places, from Geba to Beersheba, where the priests had burned incense. He tore down the high places of the gates at the entrance of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city, which was to the left of the city gate.
9Although the priests of the high places did not come up to the altar of the LORD in Jerusalem, they ate unleavened bread with their fellow priests.

2 Kings 23:7 describes King Josiah's significant reforms in Judah, particularly his efforts to eliminate idolatry and restore proper worship in the temple. This action reflects his commitment to following the laws of the LORD and purifying the worship practices of the Israelites. Josiah's reforms are a pivotal moment in the history of Judah, as they represent a return to the covenantal faithfulness that had been neglected for generations.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Genesis 19:4–5Before they had gone to bed, all the men of the city of Sodom, both young and old, surrounded the house.
21 Kings 14:24There were even male shrine prostitutes in the land. They imitated all the abominations of the nations the LORD had driven out before the Israelites.
31 Kings 15:12He banished the male shrine prostitutes from the land and removed all the idols that his fathers had made.
41 Kings 22:46He banished from the land the male shrine prostitutes who remained from the days of his father Asa.
52 Chronicles 34:33And Josiah removed all the abominations from all the lands belonging to the Israelites, and he required everyone in Israel to serve the LORD their God. Throughout his reign they did not turn aside from following the LORD, the God of their fathers.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 10 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word וַיִּתֹּץ, vai.yi.Totzgenerated

The verb נָתַץ (nathats) means 'to tear down' or 'to break down.' It is a Qal verb in the sequential imperfect form, indicating an ongoing action performed by Josiah. This word conveys a strong sense of destruction, emphasizing the thoroughness of Josiah's reform efforts.

The usage here indicates a decisive act of demolition, which is not just physical but also symbolic of removing the corrupt practices associated with idolatry. The context of this action highlights the seriousness of Josiah's commitment to restoring true worship in the house of the LORD.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses the phrase tore down to translate וַיִּתֹּץ.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb וַיִּתֹּץ governs the entire verse, indicating Josiah's action. The structure includes several noun phrases that specify what was torn down, with the object marker אֶת־ indicating the specific objects of the action.

The sentence flows from the action of tearing down to the description of the locations and items associated with the male shrine prostitutes, culminating in the context of the temple where these activities took place.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates וַיִּתֹּץ as καθεῖλεν (katheilen), which means 'he brought down' or 'he demolished.' This choice reflects a similar intent of destruction but may carry a slightly different nuance in terms of the completeness of the action.

This choice in translation suggests a focus on the act of removal and destruction, aligning with the overall theme of purging idolatrous practices from the temple.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

2 Kings 23:7 tells us that King Josiah tore down the quarters of the male shrine prostitutes in the house of the LORD, where the women had woven tapestries for Asherah. This action was part of Josiah's reforms to eliminate idolatry and restore proper worship in Judah.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that Josiah tore down the quarters of the male shrine prostitutes?

This indicates that Josiah actively removed places associated with idolatrous worship and immoral practices from the temple, aiming to purify the worship of the LORD.

Why were women weaving tapestries for Asherah?

The women were likely participating in idolatrous practices associated with the worship of Asherah, a goddess linked to fertility and nature, which was condemned in the biblical text.

What is the significance of the house of the LORD in this context?

The house of the LORD represents the central place of worship for the Israelites, and its purification was crucial for restoring the covenant relationship between God and His people.

How does this verse relate to the broader theme of Josiah's reforms?

This verse exemplifies Josiah's commitment to eradicating idolatry and restoring true worship, reflecting a significant turning point in the spiritual life of Judah.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What are some modern practices that might be similar to the idolatry condemned in this verse?
  2. How can we ensure that our places of worship remain focused on honoring God alone?
  3. In what ways can we actively participate in purifying our communities from practices that do not align with our faith?
  4. What steps can we take to educate others about the importance of true worship and the dangers of idolatry?

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on 2 Kings 23:7 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

And he brake down the houses of the Sodomites that were by the house of the Lord,.... Near the temple were apartments, in which men, the worshippers of idols, prostituted their bodies to each other;

Read John Gill on 2 Kings 23 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And he brake down the houses of the sodomites, that were by the house of the LORD, where the women wove hangings for the grove.

Read Robert Jamieson on 2 Kings 23 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

The houses of the sodomites; wherein some males prostituted their bodies to the lusts of others; which abominable practice was both a punishment of idolatry, ,24,27, and a part of idol worship, this being done to the honour of some of their idols, and by the appointment and instigation of those impure and diabolical spirits which were worshipped in their idols. See 15:12 22:46. Hangings, or curtains, either to draw before the idol or idols which were worshipped in the grove, to preserve them from defilement, or to gain more reverence for them; or which were set up in the grove, that the abominable filthiness last mentioned might be committed within them. Or, garments for the service of the…

Read Matthew Poole on 2 Kings 23 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

2 Kings 23:7 And he brake down the houses of the sodomites, that [were] by the house of the LORD, where the women wove hangings for the grove.Ver. 7. The houses of the sodomites.] Abominable brothel houses. Where the women wove hangings.] Heb., Houses, aedicula, sacella textilia, as Acts 19:24. There were at Ephesus that made templa portabilia, small portable temples, resembling that greater temple.

Read John Trapp on 2 Kings 23 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(7) The houses . . . by the house.—The cabins of the Kedçshim . . . in the house. The Kedçshim were males, perhaps eunuchs, who prostituted themselves like women in honour of the Asherah. (See 1 Kings 14:24; 1 Kings 15:12; Hosea 4:14.) The passage shows that the last infamy of Canaanite nature-worship had been established in the very sanctuary of Jehovah. The revolt of Judah could go no farther. Where the women wove hangings for the grove.—Wherein the women used to weave tents for the Ashçrah. The word we have rendered cabins and tents is bâttîm, “houses.” What is meant in the latter case is not clear. Perhaps the female harlots attached to the Temple wove portable tabernacles or…

Read Charles John Ellicott on 2 Kings 23 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 7. The houses of the sodomites] We have already often met with these קדשים kedeshim or consecrated persons. The word implies all kinds of prostitutes, as well as abusers of themselves with mankind. Wove hangings for the grove.] For Asherah; curtains or tent coverings for the places where the rites of the impure goddess were performed. 2Kg 21:26.

Read AdamClarke on 2 Kings 23 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

7. And he brake down] On like reforms cf. 1 Kings 15:12; 1 Kings 22:46. by [R.V. in] the house of the Lord] The text says that these abominations were in the temple. There is no reason why the English should not represent it plainly. the women wove hangings for the grove] R.V. the Asherah. It seems that at some of the shrines dedicated to the false gods, instead of more permanent erections, tents were put up, and it was for these that the women were employed in weaving curtains. The Hebrew word rendered ‘hangings’ is the same which is used in other passages for ‘houses’ of the high places. The Jewish tradition explains it by ‘curtains’. Some have thought that the ‘tabernacles’ alluded to in…

Read Cambridge on 2 Kings 23 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

7. Sodomites — See note on 1 Kings 14:24. These abominable prostitutes had grown so bold as to build their houses, or tents, by the house of the Lord, striking evidence of the fearful extent to which

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on 2 Kings 23 →

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 also tore down the quarters of the male shrine prostitutes that were in the house of the LORD, where the women had woven tapestries for Asherah.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

He broke down the houses of the male shrine prostitutes that were in Yahweh’s house, where the women wove hangings for the Asherah.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

He also tore down the quarters of the male shrine prostitutes that were in the house of the LORD, where the women had woven tapestries for Asherah.

NETBNew English Translation2006

He tore down the quarters of the male cultic prostitutes in the Lord’s temple, where women were weaving shrines for Asherah.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And he brake down the houses of the sodomites, that were by the house of the LORD, where the women wove hangings for the grove.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And he brake down the houses of the sodomites, that were in the house of Jehovah, where the women wove hangings for the Asherah.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And he brake down the houses of the sodomites, that were in the house of the LORD, where the women wove hangings for the Asherah.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And he broke down the houses of the sodomites that were by the house of the LORD, where the women wove hangings for the grove.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

And hee brake downe the houses of the Sodomites, that were in the house of the Lord, where the women woue hangings for the groue.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And he broke down the houses of the sodomites, which were in the house of Jehovah, where the women wove tents for the Asherah.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And he breaketh down the houses of the whoremongers that [are] in the house of Jehovah, where the women are weaving houses for the shrine.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And he breaks down the houses of the whoremongers that [are] in the house of YHWH, where the women are weaving houses for the Asherah.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And he pulled down the houses of the sodomites, that were by the house of the Lord, where the women wove hangings for the Asherah.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

He cleared out the rooms of the cultic prostitutes who were in the temple of Yahweh, where the women wove garments for Asherah.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

He destroyed also the pavilions of the effeminate, which were in the house of the Lord, for which the women wove as it were little dwellings for the grove.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

He also demolished the quarters of the cult prostitutes that were in the Lord's Temple, where the women used to weave tapestries for the Asherah pole.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And he had the houses pulled down of those who were used for sex purposes in the house of the Lord, where women were making robes for the Asherah.

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.

וַandclauseverbיִּתֹּץ֙he.broke.downnoun phrase · objectאֶת(et)noun phrasenoun phrasenoun phraseבָּתֵּ֣יthe.housesnoun phraseהַofקְּדֵשִׁ֔יםthe.male.cult.prostitutesrelpאֲשֶׁ֖רwhichclauseprepositional phrase · predicateבְּ[were].innoun phraseבֵ֣יתthe.houseיְהוָ֑הof.Yahwehrelpאֲשֶׁ֣רwhereclausenoun phrase · subjectהַtheנָּשִׁ֗יםwomenverbאֹרְג֥וֹת[were].weavingadverbialשָׁ֛םthereobjectבָּתִּ֖יםhousesprepositional phrase · prepositionalלָfornoun phrase(the)אֲשֵׁרָֽהAsherah

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


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

The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint largely agree in content, with 11 of the 13 words matched. However, the Septuagint's word order and articles differ from the Hebrew text, indicating a translation effort that maintains the original meaning while adapting to Greek syntax.

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

וַיִּתֹּץ֙ אֶת־ בָּתֵּ֣י הַקְּדֵשִׁ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּבֵ֣ית יְהוָ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר הַנָּשִׁ֗ים אֹרְג֥וֹת שָׁ֛ם בָּתִּ֖ים לָאֲשֵׁרָֽה׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיִּתֹּץ֙καθεῖλενבָּתֵּ֣יοἶκονהַקְּדֵשִׁ֔יםκαδησιμאֲשֶׁ֖רτῶνבְּבֵ֣יתοἴκῳיְהוָ֑הκυρίουאֲשֶׁ֣רοὗהַנָּשִׁ֗יםγυναῖκεςאֹרְג֥וֹתὕφαινονשָׁ֛םἐκεῖלָאֲשֵׁרָֽה׃ἄλσει

11 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 23:7נָתַץand he brokand he broke doנָתַץאֵתthe object the object markאֵתבֵּית[the] house[the] houses ofבֵּיתקָדֵשׁthe male cuthe male cult pקָדֵשׁאֲשֶׁרwhichwhichאֲשֶׁרבֵּית[were] in [[were] in [the]בֵּיתיהוהYahwehYahwehיהוהאֲשֶׁרwherewhereאֲשֶׁראִשָּׁהthe womenthe womenאִשָּׁהאָרַג[were] weav[were] weavingאָרַגשָׁםtherethereשָׁםבֵּיתcontainerscontainersבֵּיתאֲשֵׁרָהfor Asherahfor Asherahאֲשֵׁרָהבָּנָהto buildto buildבָּנָהאוֹתsign: mirasign: miraculouאוֹתקָדַשׁto consecrto consecrate: קָדַשׁהָיָהto beto beהָיָהאָשַׁרto blessto blessאָשַׁראִישׁmanmanאִישׁאֱנוֹשׁhumanhumanאֱנוֹשׁאֲשֶׁרwhichwhichאֲשֶׁראוֹצָרtreasuretreasureאוֹצָרמַצֵּבָהpillarpillarמַצֵּבָהצָוָהto commandto commandצָוָהבַּ֫עַלBaalBaalבַּ֫עַלמִגְרָשׁpasturepastureמִגְרָשׁבֵּיתplaceplaceבֵּיתיִשְׂרָאֵלIsraelIsraelיִשְׂרָאֵלנְאֻםutteranceutteranceנְאֻםצָבָאarmyarmyצָבָאטַףchildchildטַף
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 23:7

One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.

Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.

and he broke down the object marker [the] houses of the male cult prostitutes which [were] in [the] house of Yahweh where the women [were] weaving there containers for Asherah
וַיִּתֹּץ֙vai.yi.Totz and he broke down H5422 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
42× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The act of tearing down or destroying something, like a wall or a city, is what this word describes, and it can also mean to overthrow or defeat someone.
Amplified meaning
demolished, broke down
Tyndale gloss
to tear
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word נָתַץ (nathats) is a primitive root meaning to tear down or break down. It encompasses various forms, including pulling down, destroying, and overthrowing, with different grammatical aspects indicating active and passive forms. The entries describe its use in both literal and figurative contexts, but do not reference specific verses.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נָתַץ vb. pull down, break down

Qal

lit. pull down a structure

fig.

Niph. be pulled, broken, down

Pi. tear down (chiefly late)

Pu. be torn down

Hoph. be broken down, broken

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5422 נָתַץ pull down, break down

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5422 nathats naw-thats'

a primitive root; to tear down:--beat down, break down

(out), cast down, destroy, overthrow, pull down, throw down.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָתַץ (na.tats) — to tear.

1) to pull down, break down, cast down, throw down, beat down, destroy, overthrow, break out (teeth)

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to pull down

1a2) to break down, break off

1b) (Niphal) to be pulled or broken down

1c) (Piel) to tear down

1d) (Pual) to be torn down

1e) (Hophal) to be broken, be broken down

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
and he broke down the object marker [the] houses of the male cult prostitutes which [were] in [the] house of Yahweh where the women [were] weaving there containers for Asherah
אֶת־'et- the object marker H853 Particle
10,946× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the original Hebrew, this word points out the object of a verb or preposition, like 'namely' or 'even'. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus. It's not directly translated in English, but helps clarify the meaning of sentences.
Tyndale gloss
[Obj.]
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

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

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

853 'eth ayth

apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of

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

definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or

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

see HEBREW for 0226

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵת (et) — [Obj.].

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

Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTo — Particle
HTo
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he broke down the object marker [the] houses of the male cult prostitutes which [were] in [the] house of Yahweh where the women [were] weaving there containers for Asherah
בָּתֵּ֣יba.Tei [the] houses of H1004 Noun common · masculine plural construct
2,049× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for house refers to a dwelling place, including a family home, temple, or even the human body. It appears in various contexts, such as the temple in Jerusalem or the household of a family. In the Bible, it is often used to describe a place of worship or a family's living space.
Amplified meaning
houses, rooms
Tyndale gloss
place
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בֵּית fem. of בַּיִן, בֵּין prep. between

base

בַּ֫יִת 2034 n.m. house

house

place

receptacle

of house as containing a family

household, family (592 t.)

house, including household affairs

lit. housewards, hence metaph. inwards

מִבַּיִת

adv. on the inside

prep. within

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1004 bayith bah'-yith

probably from 1129 abbreviated; a house (in the greatest

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

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

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

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

temple, web, + within(-out).

see HEBREW for 01129

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בֵּית (bet) — place.

nm

place, origin, between

בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — house: home.

: home/temple/building

nm

1) house

1a) house, dwelling habitation

1b) shelter or abode of animals

1c) human bodies (fig.)

1d) of Sheol

1e) of abode of light and darkness

1f) of land of Ephraim

2) place

3) receptacle

4) home, house as containing a family

5) household, family

5a) those belonging to the same household

5b) family of descendants, descendants as organized body

6) household affairs

7) inwards (metaph.)

8) (TWOT) temple

adv

9) on the inside

prep

10) within

בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — Beth-(ashbea).

nm

This name is used for a house, habitation

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

בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — Beth (Haggan).

nm

This name is used for a house, habitation

Combined with hag (גַּן "Haggan" H1588)

בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — Beth-(togarmah).

nm

This name is used for a house, habitation

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural construct
HNcmpc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ov:

(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Lamentations 3:1.

The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.

Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.

That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.

Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he broke down the object marker [the] houses of the male cult prostitutes which [were] in [the] house of Yahweh where the women [were] weaving there containers for Asherah
הַקְּדֵשִׁ֔יםha.ke.de.Shim the male cult prostitutes H6945 Particle
6× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A male cult prostitute was someone who practiced idolatry and immorality in the name of religion, like the ones condemned by the prophets. The Bible strongly condemns such practices, calling them unclean and sinful.
Amplified meaning
cult prostitutes, sodomites
Tyndale gloss
male cult prostitute
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

קָדֵשׁ (qadesh) refers to a male temple prostitute associated with idolatry and licentious practices. It is derived from a root meaning 'sacred' and is used in contexts related to cultic prostitution. The feminine form is קְדֵשָׁה (qedeshah), which denotes a female counterpart. The entries consistently emphasize its connection to idolatrous worship.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

קָדֵשׁ n.m. temple-prostitute (man); also f. קְדֵשָׁה (woman) = harlot

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6945 קָדֵשׁ temple-prostitute (man)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6945 qadesh kaw-dashe'

from 6942; a (quasi) sacred person, i.e. (technically) a

(male) devotee (by prostitution) to licentious idolatry:--

sodomite, unclean.

see HEBREW for 06942

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קָדֵשׁ (qa.desh) — male cult prostitute.

male temple prostitute

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | Adj — Particle
HTd/Aampa
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he broke down the object marker [the] houses of the male cult prostitutes which [were] in [the] house of Yahweh where the women [were] weaving there containers for Asherah
אֲשֶׁ֖ר'a.Sher which H834 Particle
5,500× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word is a conjunction that connects ideas and events in the Bible, like in the book of Genesis, where it's used to describe the relationship between God and His creation.
Tyndale gloss
which
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֲשֶׁר (*asher*) is a relative pronoun that can mean 'who,' 'which,' or 'that.' It serves various grammatical functions, including as an adverb or conjunction, indicating relationships between clauses, places, or conditions. Variants like בַאֲשֶׁר (*ba-asher*), מֵאֲשֶׁר (*me-asher*), and כַּאֲשֶׁר (*ka-asher*) expand its usage to specific contexts such as location, causation, and time.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֲשֶׁר part. of relation A sign of relation, bringing the clause introduced by it into relation with an antecedent clause.

base

בַאֲשֶׁר

in (that) which

adv. in (the place) where

conj. in that, inasmuch as

on account of whom?

base

מֵאֲשֶׁר

from (or than) that which

adv. from (the place) where

conj. from (the fact) that …, since

base

כַּאֲשֶׁר conj. according as, as, when

according to that which, according as, as

with a causal force, in so far as, since

with a temporal force, when

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H834a אֲשֶׁר part. of relation A sign of relation, bringing the clause introduced by it into relation with an antecedent clause. H834b בַאֲשֶׁר . in (that) which

. adv. in (the place) where

. conj. in that, inasmuch as

. on account of whom?

H834c מֵאֲשֶׁר . from (or than) that which

. adv. from (the place) where

. conj. from (the fact) that …, since

H834d כַּאֲשֶׁר conj. according as, as, when . according to that which, according as, as

. with a causal force, in so far as, since

. with a temporal force, when

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

834 'aher ash-er'

a primitive relative pronoun (of every gender and number);

who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction)

when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.:--X after, X

alike, as (soon as), because, X every, for, + forasmuch, +

from whence, + how(-soever), X if, (so) that ((thing) which,

wherein), X though, + until, + whatsoever, when, where

(+ -as, -in, -of, -on, -soever, -with), which, whilst, +

whither(- soever), who(-m, -soever, -se). As it is

indeclinable, it is often accompanied by the personal pronoun

expletively, used to show the connection.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֲשֶׁר (a.sher) — which.

A: 1) (relative part.)

1a) which, who

1b) that which

2) (conj)

2a) that (in obj clause)

2b) when

2c) since

2d) as

2e) conditional if

B: Beth+ 1) in (that) which

2) (adv)

2a) where

3) (conj)

3a) in that, inasmuch as

3b) on account of

C: Mem+ 1) from (or than) that which

2) from (the place) where

3) from (the fact) that, since

D: Kaph+

1) (conj.), according as, as, when

1a) according to that which, according as, as

1b) with a causal force: in so far as, since

1c) with a temporal force: when

בַאֲשֶׁר (ba.a.sher) — in which.

1) in (that) which

2) (adv)

2a) where

3) (conj)

3a) in that, inasmuch as

3b) on account of

מֵאֲשֶׁר (me.a.sher) — whence.

1) from (or than) that which

2) from (the place) where

3) from (the fact) that, since

כַּאֲשֶׁר (ka.a.sher) — as which.

conj

1) according as, as, when

1a) according to that which, according as, as

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Rel — Particle
HTr
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he broke down the object marker [the] houses of the male cult prostitutes which [were] in [the] house of Yahweh where the women [were] weaving there containers for Asherah
בְּבֵ֣יתbe.Veit [were] in [the] house of H1004 Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
2,049× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for house refers to a dwelling place, including a family home, temple, or even the human body. It appears in various contexts, such as the temple in Jerusalem or the household of a family. In the Bible, it is often used to describe a place of worship or a family's living space.
Amplified meaning
temple, dwelling place
Tyndale gloss
place
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בֵּית fem. of בַּיִן, בֵּין prep. between

base

בַּ֫יִת 2034 n.m. house

house

place

receptacle

of house as containing a family

household, family (592 t.)

house, including household affairs

lit. housewards, hence metaph. inwards

מִבַּיִת

adv. on the inside

prep. within

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1004 bayith bah'-yith

probably from 1129 abbreviated; a house (in the greatest

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

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

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

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

temple, web, + within(-out).

see HEBREW for 01129

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בֵּית (bet) — place.

nm

place, origin, between

בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — house: home.

: home/temple/building

nm

1) house

1a) house, dwelling habitation

1b) shelter or abode of animals

1c) human bodies (fig.)

1d) of Sheol

1e) of abode of light and darkness

1f) of land of Ephraim

2) place

3) receptacle

4) home, house as containing a family

5) household, family

5a) those belonging to the same household

5b) family of descendants, descendants as organized body

6) household affairs

7) inwards (metaph.)

8) (TWOT) temple

adv

9) on the inside

prep

10) within

בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — Beth-(ashbea).

nm

This name is used for a house, habitation

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

בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — Beth (Haggan).

nm

This name is used for a house, habitation

Combined with hag (גַּן "Haggan" H1588)

בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — Beth-(togarmah).

nm

This name is used for a house, habitation

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
HR/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…

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he broke down the object marker [the] houses of the male cult prostitutes which [were] in [the] house of Yahweh where the women [were] weaving there containers for Asherah
יְהוָ֑הYah.weh Yahweh H3068 Noun proper
6,528× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Yehovah is another name for God, often translated as 'the Lord'. It is a national name for God in the Jewish faith. This name is used throughout the Old Testament.
Amplified meaning
Yehovah, the Lord God
Tyndale gloss
The Lord
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

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

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

יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D

the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy

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

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw'

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

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

see HEBREW for 01961

see HEBREW for 03050

see HEBREW for 03069

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — LORD.

Jehovah = "the existing One"

1) the proper name of the one true God

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

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — The Lord.

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

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

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper
HNpt
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he broke down the object marker [the] houses of the male cult prostitutes which [were] in [the] house of Yahweh where the women [were] weaving there containers for Asherah
אֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.Sher where H834 Particle
5,500× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word is a conjunction that connects ideas and events in the Bible, like in the book of Genesis, where it's used to describe the relationship between God and His creation.
Tyndale gloss
which
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֲשֶׁר (*asher*) is a relative pronoun that can mean 'who,' 'which,' or 'that.' It serves various grammatical functions, including as an adverb or conjunction, indicating relationships between clauses, places, or conditions. Variants like בַאֲשֶׁר (*ba-asher*), מֵאֲשֶׁר (*me-asher*), and כַּאֲשֶׁר (*ka-asher*) expand its usage to specific contexts such as location, causation, and time.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֲשֶׁר part. of relation A sign of relation, bringing the clause introduced by it into relation with an antecedent clause.

base

בַאֲשֶׁר

in (that) which

adv. in (the place) where

conj. in that, inasmuch as

on account of whom?

base

מֵאֲשֶׁר

from (or than) that which

adv. from (the place) where

conj. from (the fact) that …, since

base

כַּאֲשֶׁר conj. according as, as, when

according to that which, according as, as

with a causal force, in so far as, since

with a temporal force, when

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H834a אֲשֶׁר part. of relation A sign of relation, bringing the clause introduced by it into relation with an antecedent clause. H834b בַאֲשֶׁר . in (that) which

. adv. in (the place) where

. conj. in that, inasmuch as

. on account of whom?

H834c מֵאֲשֶׁר . from (or than) that which

. adv. from (the place) where

. conj. from (the fact) that …, since

H834d כַּאֲשֶׁר conj. according as, as, when . according to that which, according as, as

. with a causal force, in so far as, since

. with a temporal force, when

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

834 'aher ash-er'

a primitive relative pronoun (of every gender and number);

who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction)

when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.:--X after, X

alike, as (soon as), because, X every, for, + forasmuch, +

from whence, + how(-soever), X if, (so) that ((thing) which,

wherein), X though, + until, + whatsoever, when, where

(+ -as, -in, -of, -on, -soever, -with), which, whilst, +

whither(- soever), who(-m, -soever, -se). As it is

indeclinable, it is often accompanied by the personal pronoun

expletively, used to show the connection.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֲשֶׁר (a.sher) — which.

A: 1) (relative part.)

1a) which, who

1b) that which

2) (conj)

2a) that (in obj clause)

2b) when

2c) since

2d) as

2e) conditional if

B: Beth+ 1) in (that) which

2) (adv)

2a) where

3) (conj)

3a) in that, inasmuch as

3b) on account of

C: Mem+ 1) from (or than) that which

2) from (the place) where

3) from (the fact) that, since

D: Kaph+

1) (conj.), according as, as, when

1a) according to that which, according as, as

1b) with a causal force: in so far as, since

1c) with a temporal force: when

בַאֲשֶׁר (ba.a.sher) — in which.

1) in (that) which

2) (adv)

2a) where

3) (conj)

3a) in that, inasmuch as

3b) on account of

מֵאֲשֶׁר (me.a.sher) — whence.

1) from (or than) that which

2) from (the place) where

3) from (the fact) that, since

כַּאֲשֶׁר (ka.a.sher) — as which.

conj

1) according as, as, when

1a) according to that which, according as, as

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Rel — Particle
HTr
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he broke down the object marker [the] houses of the male cult prostitutes which [were] in [the] house of Yahweh where the women [were] weaving there containers for Asherah
הַנָּשִׁ֗יםha.na.Shim the women H802 Particle · noun common masculine plural absolute
781× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for woman, used to describe a female person, wife, or animal, appears in many biblical passages, including Genesis and Exodus, and is often translated as woman, wife, or female.
Amplified meaning
females, wives
Tyndale gloss
woman
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אִשָּׁה (ishshah) means 'woman,' 'wife,' or 'female.' It can refer to a woman in general, a wife in relation to a man, or the female of animals. The term also has distributive and reciprocal uses, indicating 'each woman' from her neighbor. The word is derived from the masculine forms אִישׁ (ish) and אִישָׁה (ishah), indicating a broad range of meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אִשָּׁה 773 n.f. woman, wife, female

woman

Wife (woman belonging to a man, usually cstr. or sf.)

Female of animals

With distrib. & recipr. sense, each woman from her neighbor; each one

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H802 אִשָּׁה woman, wife, female . woman

. Wife (woman belonging to a man, usually cstr. or sf.)

. Female of animals

. With distrib. & recipr. sense, each woman from her neighbor; each one

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

802 'ishshah ish-shaw'

feminine of 376 or 582; irregular plural, nashiym

{naw-sheem'}; a woman (used in the same wide sense as

582):--(adulter)ess, each, every, female, X many, + none,

one, + together, wife, woman. Often unexpressed in English.

see HEBREW for 0376

see HEBREW for 0582

see HEBREW for 0582

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אִשָּׁה (ish.shah) — woman.

: woman

1) woman, wife, female

1a) woman (opposite of man)

1b) wife (woman married to a man)

1c) female (of animals)

1d) each, every (pronoun)

אִשָּׁה (ish.shah) — woman: wife.

: wife/widow

1) woman, wife, female

1a) woman (opposite of man)

1b) wife (woman married to a man)

1c) female (of animals)

1d) each, every (pronoun)

אִשָּׁה (ish.shah) — woman: another.

: another

1) woman, wife, female

1a) woman (opposite of man)

1b) wife (woman married to a man)

1c) female (of animals)

1d) each, every (pronoun)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-fp — Particle · noun common masculine plural absolute
HTd/Ncmpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Smith's Bible Dictionary

The position of women in the Hebrew commonwealth contrasts favorably with that which in the present day is assigned to them generally in eastern countries. The most salient point of contrast in the usages of ancient as compared with modern Oriental society was the large amount of liberty enjoyed by women. Instead of being immured in a harem, or appearing in public with the face covered. The wives and maidens of ancient times mingled freely and openly with the other sex in the duties and amenities of ordinary life. Rebekah travelled on a camel with her face unveiled until she came into the presence of her affianced. (Genesis 24:64,65) Jacob saluted Rachel with a kiss in the presence of the shepherds. (Genesis 29:11) Women played no inconsiderable part in public celebrations (

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Creation of Ge 1:27; 2:21,22

→ Named Ge 2:23

→ Fall of, and curse upon Ge 3:1-16; 2Co 11:3; 1Ti 2:14

→ Promise to Ge 3:15

→ Had separate apartments in dwellings Ge 24:67; 31:33; Es 2:9,11

→ Veiled the face Ge 24:65

→ See VAIL

→ Vows of Nu 30:3-16

Thompson Chain Reference topics

(A) MISCELLANEOUS TOPICS relating to (Select Reading Prov. 31)

Pr 31:1-31

(1) Creation and Temptation of

Ge 1:27; 2:22; 3:1,6,13; 2Co 11:3; 1Ti 2:14

(2) Rights of

Nu 27:1-8

(3) The Subjection of

Ge 3:16; 1Co 11:3; 14:34; Eph 5:22; 1Ti 2:11; 1Pe 3:1,5

(4) As Wives

and he broke down the object marker [the] houses of the male cult prostitutes which [were] in [the] house of Yahweh where the women [were] weaving there containers for Asherah
אֹרְג֥וֹת'o.re.goyt [were] weaving H707 Verb · Qal · participle (active) feminine plural
14× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to weave or plait, and is used to describe everyday tasks like weaving cloth or braiding hair. It also has figurative meanings, such as intrigue or plotting.
Amplified meaning
were weaving, made
Tyndale gloss
to weave
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָרַג (arag) is a Hebrew verb meaning to weave or plait, applicable to both cloth and hair, as noted in the context of Samson's hair. It can also refer to the act of weaving in a more figurative sense, such as in intrigue. The entries consistently emphasize its primary meaning related to weaving.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[אָרַג] vb. weave

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H707 אָרַג weave

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

707 'arag aw-rag'

a primitive root; to plait or weave:--weaver(-r).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָרַג (a.rag) — to weave.

1) to weave

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to weave (cloth)

1a2) to braid (Samson's hair)

1a3) weaver (subst.)

1a4) intrigue (fig.)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal — Verb · Qal · participle (active) feminine plural
HVqrfpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

we'-ving: Although weaving was one of the most important and best developed of the crafts of Bible times, yet we have but few Biblical references to enlighten us as to the processes used in those early days. A knowledge of the technique of weaving is necessary, however, if we are to understand some of the Biblical incidents. The principle of weaving in all ages is illustrated by the process of darning. The hole to be darned is laid over with parallel threads which correspond to the "warp" (shethi) of a woven fabric. Then, by means of a darning needle which takes the place of the shuttle in the loom, other threads are interlaced back and forth at right angles to the first set of strands. This second set corresponds to the woof (`erebh) or weft of woven cloth. The result is a web of threads across the hole. If the warp threads, instead of being attached to the edges of a fabric, are…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

The art of weaving appears to be coeval with the first dawning of civilization. We find it practiced with great skill by the Egyptians at a very early period; The vestures of fine linen" such as Joseph wore, (Genesis 41:42) were the product of Egyptian looms. The Israelites were probably acquainted with the process before their sojourn in Egypt; but it was undoubtedly there that they attained the proficiency which enabled them to execute the hangings of the tabernacle, (Exodus 35:35; 1 Chronicles 4:21) and other artistic textures. The Egyptian loom was usually upright, and the weaver stood at his work. The cloth was fixed sometimes at the top, sometimes at the bottom. The modern Arabs use a procumbent loom, raised above the…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

An art very early practiced by all nations, and exhibited on the ancient monuments of Egypt, Ge 41:42. See FLAX.

It is usually performed by women, 2Ki 23:7 Pr 31:13,19. The Jews say that the high-priest’s tunic was made without a needle, being "woven from the top throughout;" thus also "the High-priest of our profession" was clothed, Joh 19:23.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ General scriptures concerning Isa 19:9; 38:12

→ Bezaleel skilled in Ex 35:35

→ Performed by women 2Ki 23:7

→ Of the ephod Ex 28:32; 39:22

→ Of coats Ex 39:27

→ Weaver' s shuttle Job 7:6

→ Beam Jud 16:14; 2Sa 21:19; 1Ch 11:23

and he broke down the object marker [the] houses of the male cult prostitutes which [were] in [the] house of Yahweh where the women [were] weaving there containers for Asherah
שָׁ֛םsham there H8033 Adverb
834× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word sham means there or then, often used to describe a location or point in time. It can also mean thither or thence, indicating movement or direction. This word is used frequently in the Bible to provide context and clarify the setting of a story.
Tyndale gloss
there
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׁם (sham) is a Hebrew adverb meaning 'there' or 'thither,' indicating a location or direction. It can also refer to a point in time, translating to 'then.' The word is derived from a relative pronoun and is used in various contexts, including movement and temporal references.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁם adv. there, thither

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8033 שָׁם there, thither

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8033 sham shawm

a primitive particle (rather from the relative pronoun, 834);

there (transferring to time) then; often thither, or

thence:--in it, + thence, there (-in, + of, + out), +

thither, + whither.

see HEBREW for 0834

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁם (sham) — there.

1) there, thither

1a) there

1b) thither (after verbs of motion)

1c) from there, thence

1d) then (as an adverb of time)

Aramaic equivalent: tam.mah (תַּמָּה "there" H8536)

שָׁם (sham) — (Jerusalem) Is There.

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

This name means there, thither

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HD — Adverb
HD
and he broke down the object marker [the] houses of the male cult prostitutes which [were] in [the] house of Yahweh where the women [were] weaving there containers for Asherah
בָּתִּ֖יםba.Tim containers H1004 Noun common · masculine plural absolute
2,049× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for house refers to a dwelling place, including a family home, temple, or even the human body. It appears in various contexts, such as the temple in Jerusalem or the household of a family. In the Bible, it is often used to describe a place of worship or a family's living space.
Amplified meaning
hangings, robes
Tyndale gloss
place
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בֵּית fem. of בַּיִן, בֵּין prep. between

base

בַּ֫יִת 2034 n.m. house

house

place

receptacle

of house as containing a family

household, family (592 t.)

house, including household affairs

lit. housewards, hence metaph. inwards

מִבַּיִת

adv. on the inside

prep. within

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1004 bayith bah'-yith

probably from 1129 abbreviated; a house (in the greatest

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

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

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

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

temple, web, + within(-out).

see HEBREW for 01129

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בֵּית (bet) — place.

nm

place, origin, between

בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — house: home.

: home/temple/building

nm

1) house

1a) house, dwelling habitation

1b) shelter or abode of animals

1c) human bodies (fig.)

1d) of Sheol

1e) of abode of light and darkness

1f) of land of Ephraim

2) place

3) receptacle

4) home, house as containing a family

5) household, family

5a) those belonging to the same household

5b) family of descendants, descendants as organized body

6) household affairs

7) inwards (metaph.)

8) (TWOT) temple

adv

9) on the inside

prep

10) within

בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — Beth-(ashbea).

nm

This name is used for a house, habitation

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

בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — Beth (Haggan).

nm

This name is used for a house, habitation

Combined with hag (גַּן "Haggan" H1588)

בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — Beth-(togarmah).

nm

This name is used for a house, habitation

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural absolute
HNcmpa
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he broke down the object marker [the] houses of the male cult prostitutes which [were] in [the] house of Yahweh where the women [were] weaving there containers for Asherah
לָאֲשֵׁרָֽה׃la.'a.she.Rah for Asherah H842 Preposition · noun
40× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Asherah was a goddess worshipped by the Canaanites and Phoenicians, often represented by a tree or pole near an altar. The Bible warns against worshipping her, as in Deuteronomy and Judges. She was considered a consort of Baal.
Amplified meaning
the goddess, a tree or pole near an altar
Tyndale gloss
Asherah
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֲשֵׁרָה (asherah) refers to a Phoenician goddess associated with happiness and fortune, as well as to the images or groves used for idol worship. It is linked to the goddess Astarte and is often represented by sacred trees or poles near altars. The term appears in contexts related to idol worship in the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֲשֵׁרָה, אֲשֵׁירָה n.pr.f. Ashera

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H842 אֲשֵׁרָה, אֲשֵׁירָה Ashera

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

842 'asherah ash-ay-raw'

or masheyrah {ash-ay-raw'}; from 833; happy; Asherah (or

Astarte) a Phoenician goddess; also an image of the same:--

grove. Compare 6253.

see HEBREW for 0833

see HEBREW for 06253

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֲשֵׁרָה (a.she.rah) — Asherah.

§ Ashera(h) = "groves (for idol worship)"

a Babylonian (Astarte)-Canaanite goddess (of fortune and happiness), the supposed consort of Baal, her images

her images

sacred trees or poles set up near an altar

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-proper — Preposition · noun
HRd/Ntfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

a-she'-ra, ash'-er-im ('asherah; alsos, mistranslated "grove" in the King James Version, after the Septuagint and Vulgate):

1. References to the Goddess

2. Assyrian Origin of the Goddess

3. Her Symbol

4. The Attributes of the Goddess

Was the name of a goddess whose worship was widely spread throughout Syria and Canaan; plural Asherim.

1. References to the Goddess:

Her "image" is mentioned in the Old Testament (1Ki 15:13; 2Ki 21:7; 2Ch 15:16), as well as her "prophets" (1Ki 18:19) and the vessels used in her service (2Ki 23:4). In Assyria the name appears under the two forms of Asratu and Asirtu; it was to Asratu that a…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Asherah

And pl. Asherim in Revised Version, instead of “grove” and “groves” of the Authorized Version. This was the name of a sensual Canaanitish goddess Astarte, the feminine of the Assyrian Ishtar. Its symbol was the stem of a tree deprived of its boughs, and rudely shaped into an image, and planted in the ground. Such religious symbols (“groves”) are frequently alluded to in Scripture (Ex. 34:13; Judg. 6:25; 2 Kings 23:6; 1 Kings 16:33, etc.). These images were also sometimes made of silver or of carved stone (2 Kings 21:7; “the graven image of Asherah,” R.V.). (See GROVE [1].).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(straight), the name of a Phoenician goddess, or rather of the idol itself (Authorized Version "grove"). Asherah is closely connected with ASHTORETH and her worship, (Judges 3:7) comp. Judg 2:3; 6:25; 1Kin 18:19 Ashtoreth being, perhaps, the proper name of the goddess, whilst Asherah is the name of her image or symbol, which was of wood. See (Judges 6:25-30; 2 Kings 23:14)

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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