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2 Kings 5:10 — Word Study

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WLCוַיִּשְׁלַ֥ח אֵלָ֛יו אֱלִישָׁ֖ע מַלְאָ֣ךְ לֵאמֹ֑ר הָל֗וֹךְ וְרָחַצְתָּ֤ שֶֽׁבַע־ פְּעָמִים֙ בַּיַּרְדֵּ֔ן וְיָשֹׁ֧ב בְּשָׂרְךָ֛ לְךָ֖ וּטְהָֽר׃

BSAThen ElishaʼĔlîyshâʻ [the prophet, God's messenger] sentshâlach himʼêl a messengermălʼâk [a representative] who saidʼâmar Gohâlak [walk, proceed] and wash yourselfrâchats [bathe, cleanse] sevenshebaʻ timespaʻam [occurrences, repetitions] in the JordanYardên [the river, a place of spiritual renewal] and your fleshbâsâr [body, humanity] will be restoredshûwb [healed, made whole] and you will be cleanṭâhêr [pure, ceremonially cleansed, righteous]

Word
Listen & take away2 Kings 5
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 10 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 (u.te.Har) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
2 Kings 5:10quick helps
In a sentenceElisha instructs Naaman through a messenger to wash in the Jordan for healing.
Who is speakingElisha, the prophet of God, communicates through a messenger.
Where we areThis event occurs during Naaman's visit to Elisha's house.
The hard wordוְיָשֹׁ֧ב
Take awayHealing comes through obedience to God's command.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectאֱלִישָׁע verbשָׁלַח 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 5:10

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 — Naaman's Healinggenerated

9So Naaman came with his horses and chariots and stood at the door of Elisha’s house.
10Then Elisha sent him a messenger, who said, “Go and wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored, and you will be clean.”
11But Naaman went away angry, saying, “I thought that he would surely come out, stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the spot to cure my leprosy.
12Are not the Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not have washed in them and been cleansed?” So he turned and went away in a rage.

2 Kings 5:10 describes how Elisha, the prophet, sends a messenger to Naaman with instructions to wash in the Jordan River. This command is pivotal for Naaman’s healing from leprosy, illustrating the power of obedience to divine instruction. The narrative emphasizes the contrast between Naaman's expectations and God's simple requirement for healing.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Matthew 15:23–26But Jesus did not answer a word. So His disciples came and urged Him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.”
22 Kings 2:21and Elisha went out to the spring, cast the salt into it, and said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘I have healed this water. No longer will it cause death or unfruitfulness. ’”
32 Kings 3:16and he said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Dig this valley full of ditches.’
42 Kings 4:41Then Elisha said, “Get some flour.” He threw it into the pot and said, “Pour it out for the people to eat.” And there was nothing harmful in the pot.
5John 9:7Then He told him, “Go, wash in the Pool of Siloam” (which means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came back seeing.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 12 references, hung on the phrase they belong to

sent a messengerMatthew 15:23–26

The Key Word וַיִּשְׁלַ֥ח, vai.yish.Lachgenerated

The verb שָׁלַח (shalach) means 'to send' and is used here in the Qal form, indicating a simple action performed by Elisha. It emphasizes the act of sending a messenger, which is crucial in the communication of God's will.

This word appears frequently throughout the Hebrew Bible, highlighting its importance in various contexts, from sending messages to dispatching individuals. In this instance, it underscores Elisha's role as a prophet who conveys God's instructions.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb in the verse is וַיִּשְׁלַ֥ח, and he sent, which governs the entire sentence. The structure includes a subject, Elisha, and a direct object, the messenger, followed by a series of clauses detailing the messenger's message and instructions.

The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the action of sending, with the messenger's speech following directly, indicating the importance of the instructions given to Naaman.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates וַיִּשְׁלַ֥ח as ἀπέστειλεν, which means 'he sent.' This choice reflects a direct correspondence to the Hebrew, maintaining the emphasis on the act of sending.

The translation of מַלְאָךְ as ἄγγελον indicates a broader interpretation, suggesting a divine messenger, which may imply a more significant role than just a human representative.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

2 Kings 5:10 tells how Elisha sent a messenger to Naaman with instructions to wash in the Jordan River seven times. Following these instructions would lead to Naaman's healing from leprosy and restoration of his health.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does Elisha instruct Naaman to do?

Elisha instructs Naaman to wash himself seven times in the Jordan River for healing.

Why is washing in the Jordan significant?

The Jordan River is a significant location in the Bible, often associated with spiritual renewal and cleansing.

What happens to Naaman after he follows Elisha's instructions?

After washing in the Jordan seven times, Naaman's flesh is restored, and he is cleansed of his leprosy.

What does this story teach about obedience?

This story illustrates the importance of obedience to God's commands, even when they seem simple or unconventional.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What does this story reveal about the nature of God's instructions?
  2. In what ways can I demonstrate obedience to God's commands in my life?
  3. How can I apply the lessons from Naaman's healing to my own experiences of healing or restoration?
  4. What does the act of washing in the Jordan symbolize in the context of spiritual renewal?

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

Early Christian writers have commented on this passage, noting the significance of Naaman's healing and the symbolism of the Jordan River in the process of purification.

Origen of AlexandriaCOMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF John 6.242-45 c. 185–253
But in addition, that we may accept the interpretation of the Jordan, that river that is so fresh and grants so much grace, it is useful to present both Naaman the Syrian, who was cleansed from leprosy,
Early Church Fathers on 2 Kings 5 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on 2 Kings 5:10 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

And Elisha sent a messenger unto him,.... Or returned an answer by Naaman's messenger; he did not go out to him, choosing to be retired, as he commonly did; and being perhaps employed in prayer for

Read John Gill on 2 Kings 5 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha. No JFB commentary on these verses.

Read Robert Jamieson on 2 Kings 5 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Elisha sent a messenger; partly, to try and exercise Naaman’ s faith and obedience; partly, for the honour of his religion and ministry, that it might appear he sought not his own glory and profit in his miraculous performances, but only God’ s honour, and the good of men; and partly, for the discovery of the almighty power of God, that could by such slight means cure so desperate a disease. Thy flesh shall come again; which was in great part consumed by the leprosy. See .

Read Matthew Poole on 2 Kings 5 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

2 Kings 5:10 And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean.Ver. 10. Go and wash in Jordan seven times.] This was the prophet’ s oracle, which he construeth for a contempt, and thereupon blustereth. The simplicity of Christ is still much mistaken by the mad world, ever besides itself in point of salvation.

Read John Trapp on 2 Kings 5 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(10) Elisha sent a messenger.—Avoiding personal contact with a leper. (Comp. 2 Kings 5:15, where Naaman, when restored, goes in and stands before the prophet.) Perhaps reverence held back those who consulted a great prophet from entering his presence (comp. 2 Kings 4:12); and therefore, Naaman stopped with his followers outside the house. Keil suggests that Elisha did not come out to Naaman, because he wished to humble his pride, and to show that his worldly magnificence did not impress the prophet. But, as Thenius says, there is no trace of pride about Naaman. Go.—Infinitive, equivalent to the imperative. (Comp. 2 Kings 3:16; and perhaps 2 Kings 4:43.) Wash in (the) Jordan.—This command…

Read Charles John Ellicott on 2 Kings 5 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 10. Sent a messenger] Did not come out to speak with him: he had got his orders from God, and he transmitted them to Naaman by his servant. Wash in Jordan seven times] The waters of Jordan had no tendency to remove this disorder but God chose to make them the means by which he would convey his healing power. He who is the author of life, health, and salvation, has a right to dispense, convey, and maintain them, by whatsoever means he pleases.

Read AdamClarke on 2 Kings 5 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

10. Elisha sent a messenger unto him] The princely cavalcade waited at Elisha’s door, but the prophet did not come forth. We need not think of him as avoiding a leprous person, either from fear of infection, or from legal scruples. It was rather that he wished to prevent any thought of himself as the worker of the cure coming into Naaman’s mind. The Syrian captain’s idea was, as we can see from the sequel, that Jehovah was specially the God of the land of Israel. If he were sent to one of the streams of that land, he would be most likely, to connect, as he actually did, his recovery with the might of the God of Israel. The prophet would therefore only be the mouthpiece of Jehovah, and for…

Read Cambridge on 2 Kings 5 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Elisha was not deterred from personally meeting Naaman because he was a leper. He sent a messenger because Naaman had over-estimated his own importance 2 Kings 5:11), and needed rebuke.

Read Albert Barnes on 2 Kings 5 →

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

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

Modern formal

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

Then Elisha sent him a messenger, who said, “Go and wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored, and you will be clean.”

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall come again to you, and you shall be clean.”

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Then Elisha sent him a messenger, who said, “Go and wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored, and you will be clean.”

NETBNew English Translation2006

Elisha sent out a messenger who told him, “Go and wash seven times in the Jordan; your skin will be restored and you will be healed.”

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And Elisha sent a messenger unto him saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

And Elisha sent a messenger vnto him, saying, Go and wash thee in Iorden seuen times, and thy flesh shall come againe to thee, and thou shalt be clensed.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

and Elisha sendeth unto him a messenger, saying, 'Go, and thou hast washed seven times in Jordan, and thy flesh doth turn back to thee — and be thou clean.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

and Elisha sends a messenger to him, saying, “Go, and you have washed seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh turns back to you—and be clean.”

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And Elisha' sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and bathe seven times in the Jordan, and thy flesh shall be restored [healthy] to thee, and thou shalt become clean.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and dip yourself into the Jordan seven times, and your flesh will be restored; you will be clean.”

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And Eliseus sent a messenger to him, saying: Go, and wash seven times in the Jordan, and thy flesh shall recover health, and thee shalt be clean.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash yourself seven times in the Jordan. Then your body will be healed, and you will be clean.”

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And Elisha sent a servant to him, saying, Go to Jordan, and after washing seven times in its waters your flesh will be well again and you will be clean.

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.

וַandclauseverbיִּשְׁלַ֥חhe.sentprepositional phrase · prepositionalאֵלָ֛יtoוhimsubjectאֱלִישָׁ֖עElishaobjectמַלְאָ֣ךְa.messengerprepositional phrase · prepositionalלֵ(cmp)clauseverbאמֹ֑רsayingclauseclauseverbהָל֗וֹךְgoוְandclauseverbרָחַצְתָּ֤you.will.washnoun phrase · adverbialשֶֽׁבַעsevenפְּעָמִים֙timesprepositional phrase · prepositionalבַּinnoun phrasetheיַּרְדֵּ֔ןJordanוְandclauseverbיָשֹׁ֧בit.will.returnnoun phrase · subjectבְּשָׂרְfleshךָ֛yourprepositional phrase · prepositionalלְtoךָ֖youוּandclauseverbטְהָֽרbe.clean

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 on the wording of this verse, with 13 of the 14 words matched. The differences lie in the word order and the articles used, which reflect the distinct styles of Hebrew and Greek.

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

וַיִּשְׁלַ֥ח אֵלָ֛יו אֱלִישָׁ֖ע מַלְאָ֣ךְ לֵאמֹ֑ר הָל֗וֹךְ וְרָחַצְתָּ֤ שֶֽׁבַע־ פְּעָמִים֙ בַּיַּרְדֵּ֔ן וְיָשֹׁ֧ב בְּשָׂרְךָ֛ לְךָ֖ וּטְהָֽר׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיִּשְׁלַ֥חἀπέστειλενאֵלָ֛יוαὐτὸνאֱלִישָׁ֖עελισαιεמַלְאָ֣ךְἄγγελονלֵאמֹ֑רλέγωνהָל֗וֹךְπορευθεὶςוְרָחַצְתָּ֤λοῦσαιפְּעָמִים֙ἑπτάκιςבַּיַּרְדֵּ֔ןἐνוְיָשֹׁ֧בἐπιστρέψειבְּשָׂרְךָ֛σούלְךָ֖σοιוּטְהָֽר׃καθαρισθήσῃ

13 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 5:10שָׁלַחand he sentand he sentשָׁלַחאֶלto himto himאֶלאֱלִישָׁעElishaElishaאֱלִישָׁעמַלְאָךְa messengera messengerמַלְאָךְאָמַרsayingsayingאָמַרהָלַךְgogoהָלַךְרָחַץand you wiland you will waרָחַץשֶׁ֫בַעsevensevenשֶׁ֫בַעפַּ֫עַםtimestimesפַּ֫עַםיַרְדֵןin the Jordin the Jordanיַרְדֵןשׁוּבand it may and it may retuשׁוּבבָּשָׂרflesh yourflesh yourבָּשָׂרךָּto youto youךָּטָהֵרand be cleaand be cleanטָהֵרשָׁבַעto swearto swearשָׁבַעפָּעַםto troubleto troubleפָּעַםיָרַדto go downto go downיָרַדבָּשַׂרto bear tito bear tidingsבָּשַׂראֱלִישׁוּעַElishuaElishuaאֱלִישׁוּעַהָלַךְto walkto walkהָלַךְכָּבַסto washto washכָּבַסחָפְשִׁיfreefreeחָפְשִׁימַלְאָךְmessengermessengerמַלְאָךְפָּלַלto prayto prayפָּלַליִרְמְיָ֫הJeremiahJeremiahיִרְמְיָ֫השָׁפָטShaphatShaphatשָׁפָטאֵלִיָּהElijahElijahאֵלִיָּהמָנוֹחַManoahManoahמָנוֹחַשָׁלַחto send: dto send: departשָׁלַחכֹּהthusthusכֹּהיהוהYHWH/GodYHWH/Godיהוהדֶּ֫רֶךְway: roadway: roadדֶּ֫רֶךְ
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 5:10

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 sent to him Elisha a messenger saying go and you will wash seven times in the Jordan and it may return flesh your to you and be clean
וַיִּשְׁלַ֥חvai.yish.Lach and he sent H7971 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
847× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To send or depart is the meaning of this Hebrew word, which has various applications in the Bible. It can describe sending someone or something away, or letting something go.
Tyndale gloss
to send: depart
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word שָׁלַח (shalach) is a primitive root meaning 'to send' with a wide range of applications. It can refer to sending away, stretching out (especially a hand), or letting go. The entries indicate various forms, including sending off, casting out, and setting free. Notably, it can also imply divorce or being sent away in a marital context.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁלַח 814 vb. send

Qal

send: human subj.

send: subj. י׳ (God)

stretch out, esp. acc. hand

rarely send away: human subj.

let loose

Niph. letters were sent

Pi.

send off, away, human subj.

send away, subj. י׳

give over

cast out

send out, forth

let go, set free

shoot forth branches

let down

shoot

Phrases

Pu. be sent off (started on journey); be put away, divorced, of wife; be impelled(?)

Hiph. and I (י׳) will send

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7971 שָׁלַח send .. send: human subj.

. send: subj. י׳ (God)

. stretch out, esp. acc. hand

. rarely send away: human subj.

. let loose

. letters were sent

. . send off, away, human subj.

. . send away, subj. י׳

. give over

. cast out

. send out, forth

. let go, set free

. shoot forth branches

. let down

. shoot

. Phrases

. be sent off (started on journey); be put away, divorced, of wife; be impelled(?)

. and I (י׳) will send

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7971 shalach shaw-lakh'

a primitive root; to send away, for, or out (in a great

variety of applications):--X any wise, appoint, bring (on the

way), cast (away, out), conduct, X earnestly, forsake, give

(up), grow long, lay, leave, let depart (down, go, loose),

push away, put (away, forth, in, out), reach forth, send

(away, forth, out), set, shoot (forth, out), sow, spread,

stretch forth (out).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁלַח (sha.lach) — to send: depart.

: depart/send

1) to send, send away, let go, stretch out

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to send

1a2) to stretch out, extend, direct

1a3) to send away

1a4) to let loose

1b) (Niphal) to be sent

1c) (Piel)

1c1) to send off or away or out or forth, dismiss, give over, cast out

1c2) to let go, set free

1c3) to shoot forth (of branches)

1c4) to let down

1c5) to shoot

1d) (Pual) to be sent off, be put away, be divorced, be impelled

1e) (Hiphil) to send

שָׁלַח (sha.lach) — to send: let go.

: let_go/free

1) to send, send away, let go, stretch out

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to send

1a2) to stretch out, extend, direct

1a3) to send away

1a4) to let loose

1b) (Niphal) to be sent

1c) (Piel)

1c1) to send off or away or out or forth, dismiss, give over, cast out

1c2) to let go, set free

1c3) to shoot forth (of branches)

1c4) to let down

1c5) to shoot

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

(shalach; apostello): "Sent" in the Old Testament is the translation of shalach, "to send" (of presents, messengers, etc., Ge 32:18; 44:3; Jud 6:14; 1Ki 14:6; Es 3:13; Pr 17:11; Jer 49:14; Eze 3:5; 23:40; Da 10:11; Ob 1:1); of shelach, Aramaic (Ezr 7:14; Da 5:24); of shilluchim, "sending" (

and he sent to him Elisha a messenger saying go and you will wash seven times in the Jordan and it may return flesh your to you and be clean
אֵלָ֛יו'e.Lav to him H413 Preposition · suffix
5,518× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means 'to' or 'toward', showing direction or movement. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus, to indicate where someone is going. The KJV translates it in various ways, like 'about', 'according to', or 'against'.
Tyndale gloss
to(wards)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph),

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

Where the limit is actually entered, into

Of direction towards anything

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

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

Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

Of rule or standard according to (rare)

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

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

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

. Where the limit is actually entered, into

. Of direction towards anything

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

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

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

. Of rule or standard according to (rare)

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

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

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

413 'el ale

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

a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but

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

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

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

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

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

with(-in).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶל (el) — to(wards).

1) to, toward, unto (of motion)

2) into (limit is actually entered)

2a) in among

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

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

5) in addition to, to

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

7) according to (rule or standard)

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

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | Suff — Preposition · suffix
HR/Sp3ms
and he sent to him Elisha a messenger saying go and you will wash seven times in the Jordan and it may return flesh your to you and be clean
אֱלִישָׁ֖ע'e.li.Sha' Elisha H477 Noun proper masculine
58× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Elisha was a famous prophet in the Bible who lived during the time of the divided kingdom. His name means God is salvation, and he is first mentioned in 1 Kings 19:16. Elisha succeeded Elijah as a great prophet.
Amplified meaning
the prophet, God's messenger
Tyndale gloss
Elisha
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֱלִישָׁע (Eliysha`) refers to Elisha, a prominent prophet in the Old Testament known for succeeding Elijah. The name means 'God is salvation' and he is first mentioned in 1 Kings 19:16. Elisha is also associated with the Greek name Elissaios.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֱלִישָׁע n.pr.m. (God is salvation) the prophet Elisha, the successor of Elijah

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H477 אֱלִישָׁע

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

477 'Eliysha` el-ee-shaw'

contracted for 474.; Elisha, the famous prophet:--Elisha.

see HEBREW for 0474

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֱלִישָׁע (e.li.sah) — Elisha.

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

son of: Shaphat (H8202H)

Also named: Elissaios (Ἐλισσαῖος "Elisha" G1666)

§ Elisha = "God is salvation"

the great prophet who succeeded Elijah

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

e-li'-sha 'elisha`, "God is salvalion"; Septuagint Eleisaie; New Testament Elisaios, Eliseus, (Lu 4:27 the King James Version):

Contents

I. HIS CALL AND PREPARATION

1. His Call 2. His Preparation 3. The Parting Gift of Elijah

II. His PROPHETIC CAREER

1. Record of His Career 2. His Ministry in a Private Capacity 3. His Ministry in a Public and National Capacity 4. Characteristics of His Ministry

(1) In Comparison with Elijah

(2) General Features of His Ministry

III. GENERAL ESTIMATE LITERATURE

A prophet, the disciple and successor of Elijah. He was the son of Shaphat, lived at Abel-meholah, at the northern end of the Jordan valley and a little South of the Sea of Galilee. Nothing is told of his parents but the father's name, though he must have been a man of some wealth and doubtless of earnest piety. No hint is given of Elisha's age or…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Elisha

God his salvation, the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah, who became the attendant and disciple of Elijah (1 Kings 19:16-19). His name first occurs in the command given to Elijah to anoint him as his successor (1 Kings 19:16). This was the only one of the three commands then given to Elijah which he accomplished. On his way from Sinai to Damascus he found Elisha at his native place engaged in the labours of the field, ploughing with twelve yoke of oxen. He went over to him, threw over his shoulders his rough mantle, and at once adopted him as a son, and invested him with the prophetical office (comp. Luke 9:61, 62). Elisha accepted the call thus given (about four years before the death of Ahab), and for some seven or eight…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(God his salvation), son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah; the attendant and disciple of Elijan, and subsequently his successor as prophet of the kingdom of Israel. The earliest mention of his name is in the command to Elijah in the cave at Horeb. (1 Kings 19:16,17) (B.C. about 900.) Elijah sets forth to obey the command, and comes upon his successor engaged in ploughing. He crosses to him and throws over his shoulders the rough mantle --a token at once of investiture with the prophet’s office and of adoption as a son. Elisha delayed merely to give the farewell kiss to his father and mother and preside at a parting feast with his people, and then followed the great prophet on his northward road. We hear nothing more of Elisha for eight years, until the translation of his master, when he reappears, to become the most prominent figure in…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The pupil and successor of Elijah, a prophet of Israel during the reign of Jehoram, Jehu, Jehoahaz, and Joash, B. C. 903-838. He was a native of Abel-meholah, where he was at work ploughing when Elijah called him to become a prophet, 1Ki 19:16. Some years afterwards he witnessed the miraculous ascension of Elijah, divided the Jordan with his mantle, and took his place at the head of the schools of the prophets. During his long ministry he acted an important part in the public affairs of Israel. Many miracles also were wrought at his word; some of these were, healing the waters of Jericho; supplying the widow’s cruse with oil, and the allied armies of Judah, Israel, and Edom with water; gaining a son for the woman of Shunem, and restoring him to life; healing the leprosy of Naaman; detecting and punishing Ghazi. His history is…

and he sent to him Elisha a messenger saying go and you will wash seven times in the Jordan and it may return flesh your to you and be clean
מַלְאָ֣ךְmal.'Akh a messenger H4397 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
214× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A messenger or representative, often of God, like an angel, prophet, or priest, as seen in Isaiah 42:19 and Haggai 1:13, carrying out God's will.
Amplified meaning
a representative
Tyndale gloss
messenger
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מַלְאָךְ (mal'ak) means 'messenger' and can refer to an angel, particularly as a messenger of God. It is derived from a root meaning to dispatch as a deputy and encompasses roles such as ambassador, prophet, and teacher. The term is used in contexts that include divine communication.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מַלְאָךְ 214 n.m. messenger

messenger

angel, as messenger of God

the theophanic angel

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4397 מַלְאָךְ messenger . messenger

. angel, as messenger of God

. the theophanic angel

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4397 mal'ak mal-awk'

from an unused root meaning to despatch as a deputy; a

messenger; specifically, of God, i.e. an angel (also a

prophet, priest or teacher):--ambassador, angel, king,

messenger.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מַלְאָךְ (ma.le.akh) — messenger.

: messenger

1) messenger, representative

1a) messenger

1b) angel

1c) the theophanic angel

מַלְאָךְ (ma.le.akh) — messenger: angel.

: angel

1) messenger, representative

1a) messenger

1b) angel

1c) the theophanic angel

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

mes'-en-jer: The regular Hebrew word for "messenger" is mal'akh, the Greek aggelos. This may be a human messenger or a messenger of God, an angel. The context must decide the right translation. In Hag 1:13 the prophet is called God's messenger; Job 33:23 changes the King James Version to "angel" (margin "messenger"); and Mal 3:1 margin, suggests "angel" instead of "messenger." Mal 2:7 and Mal 3:1 (twice) have caused a great deal of comment. See MALACHI. The Greek apostolos, "apostle," is rendered "messenger" in 2Co 8:23;

Nave's Topical Bible

→ FIGURATIVE Hag 1:13; Mal 2:7; 3:1; 4:5,6; Mt 11:10; Mr 1:2; Lu 7:27

Of Satan 2Co 12:7

and he sent to him Elisha a messenger saying go and you will wash seven times in the Jordan and it may return flesh your to you and be clean
לֵאמֹ֑רle.Mor saying H559 Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
5,309× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to say or speak, and it's used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to command, promise, or think, and it's translated in the KJV as 'answer', 'appoint', or 'command'.
Tyndale gloss
to say
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָמַר 5287 vb. utter, say

Qal

Say

Say in the heart (= think)

Promise

Command (esp. late)

Niph. be said, told

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

Hithp. act proudly, boast

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H559 אָמַר utter, say .. Say

. Say in the heart (= think)

. Promise

. Command (esp. late)

. be said, told

. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

. act proudly, boast

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

559 'amar aw-mar'

a primitive root; to say (used with great

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

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

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

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

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

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

utter, X verily, X yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָמַר (a.mar) — to say.

1) to say, speak, utter

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

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

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

1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a — Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
HR/Vqcc
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he sent to him Elisha a messenger saying go and you will wash seven times in the Jordan and it may return flesh your to you and be clean
הָל֗וֹךְha.Lokh go H1980 Verb · Qal · infinitive absolute
1,549× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Means to walk or go, used in many different contexts in the Bible. It can describe physical movement, but also spiritual or emotional journeys. Appears in various forms, such as 'to go' or 'to walk'.
Amplified meaning
walk, proceed
Tyndale gloss
to go: walk
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הָלַךְ 1546 vb. go, come, walk

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

lit.

of persons

Also of animals, in similar meanings and combinations

in like manner of inanimate things

The inf. abs. is often used

as in other vbs., quite independently

to intensify meaning of finite form

most noteworthy is the joining of the Inf. abs.

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

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

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

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

quite by itself

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

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

In combination with other verbal forms

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

pass away, die

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

. Also of animals, in similar meanings and combinations

. in like manner of inanimate things

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

. to intensify meaning of finite form

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

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

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

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

. quite by itself

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

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

. In combination with other verbal forms

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1980 halak haw-lak'

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

see HEBREW for 03212

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: went.

: went/go[away]

1) to go, walk, come

1a) (Qal)

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

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

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to walk

1b2) to walk (fig.)

1c) (Hithpael)

1c1) to traverse

1c2) to walk about

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

הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: come.

: come[nearer]

1) to go, walk, come

1a) (Qal)

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

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

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to walk

1b2) to walk (fig.)

1c) (Hithpael)

1c1) to traverse

1c2) to walk about

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

הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: walk.

: walk/move

1) to go, walk, come

1a) (Qal)

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

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

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to walk

1b2) to walk (fig.)

1c) (Hithpael)

1c1) to traverse

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Ptc — Verb · Qal · infinitive absolute
HVqaa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

(halakh, yalakh, bo', yatsa'; ago, hupago, anabaino, erchomi, aperchomai, poreuomai): "Go" ("went," etc.) occurs very frequently in the English Bible, and is the translation of a great many different Hebrew and Greek terms. As the word implies movement of all kinds, physical and mental, it has naturally many applications.

1. In the Old Testament:

In the Old Testament halakh and yalakh are among the commonest words, meaning "to go" in its original sense of "to walk," but also in the most varied senses, according to the verbal conjugations, etc., the preposition attached, and the words in connection with which the terms stand; halakh and yalakh are often used figuratively (translated "to walk," etc.) for to live, to pursue a way of life, e.g. "to walk ever in his ways" (De 19:9; compare

Mt 9:13; 21:28; 28:7; Lu 10:37; Joh 8:11

--SEE Divine Direction, GUIDANCE

and he sent to him Elisha a messenger saying go and you will wash seven times in the Jordan and it may return flesh your to you and be clean
וְרָחַצְתָּ֤ve.ra.chatz.Ta and you will wash H7364 Verb · Qal · sequential perfect second person masculine singular
72× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for washing or bathing, used in Exodus 30:19 where priests had to wash their hands and feet before entering the temple. It means to clean or purify oneself, as seen in 2 Kings 5:10 where Elisha tells Naaman to wash in the Jordan River.
Amplified meaning
bathe, cleanse
Tyndale gloss
to wash: wash
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רָחַץ (rachats) is a Hebrew verb meaning to wash or bathe. It covers various forms of washing, including washing oneself and being washed. The entries indicate its use in different grammatical forms, such as Qal, Pual, and Hithpael, which reflect actions of washing and being washed. The lexicons do not present any significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רָחַץ 72 vb. wash, wash off, away, bathe

Qal 69

trans. wash (with water)

intrans. wash, bathe (oneself)

Pu. be washed

Hithp. if I washed myself in snow

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7364 רָחַץ wash, wash off, away, bathe

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7364 rachats raw-khats'

a primitive root; to lave (the whole or a part of a

thing):--bathe (self), wash (self).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רָחַץ (ra.chats) — to wash: wash.

: wash

1) to wash, wash off, wash away, bathe

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to wash, wash off, wash away

1a2) to wash, bathe (oneself)

1b) (Pual) to be washed

1c) (Hithpael) to wash oneself

2a) (Hithpael Passive) to be regarded clean, trustworthy

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-2ms — Verb · Qal · sequential perfect second person masculine singular
Hc/Vqq2ms
and he sent to him Elisha a messenger saying go and you will wash seven times in the Jordan and it may return flesh your to you and be clean
שֶֽׁבַע־she.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…

and he sent to him Elisha a messenger saying go and you will wash seven times in the Jordan and it may return flesh your to you and be clean
פְּעָמִים֙pe.'a.Mim times H6471 Noun common · masculine plural absolute
118× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a beat or stroke, like a footstep or a blow. It can also mean a time or occurrence, and is used in the Bible to describe things like a single step or a repeated action.
Amplified meaning
occurrences, repetitions
Tyndale gloss
beat
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

פַּ֫עַם (pa'am) refers to a beat or stroke, and encompasses meanings such as foot, anvil, and occurrence. It can denote a footstep or time, indicating repetitions like once, twice, or thrice. The word is built from a root that suggests various applications related to rhythm and timing.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

פַּ֫עַם 118 n.f. beat, foot, anvil, occurrence

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6471 פַּ֫עַם beat, foot, anvil, occurrence

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6471 pa`am pah'-am

or (feminine) pa;amah {pah-am-aw'}; from 6470; a stroke,

literally or figuratively (in various applications, as

follow):--anvil, corner, foot(-step), going, (hundred-)fold,

X now, (this) + once, order, rank, step, + thrice, ((often-)),

second, this, two) time(-s), twice, wheel.

see HEBREW for 06470

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

פַּ֫עַם (pa.am) — beat.

1) stroke, beat, foot, step, anvil, occurrence

1a) foot, hoof-beat, footfall, footstep

1b) anvil

1c) occurrence, time, stroke, beat

1c1) one time, once, twice, thrice, as time on time, at this repetition, this once, now at length, now...now, at one time...at another

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fp — Noun common · masculine plural absolute
HNcmpa
and he sent to him Elisha a messenger saying go and you will wash seven times in the Jordan and it may return flesh your to you and be clean
בַּיַּרְדֵּ֔ןbai.yar.Den in the Jordan H3383 Preposition · noun proper
182× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Jordan River, which runs from Lebanon to the Dead Sea, is a key location in the Bible, including in the stories of Jesus and the Israelites.
Amplified meaning
the river, a place of spiritual renewal
Tyndale gloss
Jordan
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יַרְדֵן (Yarden) refers to the Jordan River, named for its meaning 'descender.' It is the main river in Palestine, flowing approximately 200 miles from Anti-Lebanon to the Dead Sea. The entries consistently identify it as a geographical feature without significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יַרְדֵן 182 n.pr.fl. Jordan

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3383 יַרְדֵן Jordan

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3383 Yarden yar-dane'

from 3381; a descender; Jarden, the principal river of

Palestine:--Jordan.

see HEBREW for 03381

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יַרְדֵּן (yar.den) — Jordan.

Jordan = "descender"

the river of Palestine running from the roots of Anti-Lebanon to the Dead Sea a distance of approx 200 miles (320 km)

Also named: Iordanēs (Ἰορδάνης "Jordan" G2446)

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

jor'-dan (yarden, "flowing downward"; 'Iordanes):

1. Source:

The Jordan river proper begins at the junction of four streams (the Bareighit, the Hasbany, the Leddan, and the Banias), in the upper part of the plain of Lake Huleh. The Bareighit receives its supply of water from the hills on the West, which separate the valley from the river Litany, and is the least important of the four. The Hasbany is the longest of the four (40 miles), issuing from a great fountain at the western foot of Mt. Hermon near Hasbeiya, 1,700 ft. above the sea, and descends 1,500 ft. in its course to the plain. The Leddan is the largest of the four streams, issuing in several fountains at the foot of the mound Tell el-kady (Dan, or Laish) at an elevation of 505 ft. above the sea. The Banias issues from a celebrated fountain near the town of Banias, which is identified as the Caesarea Philippi associated with the…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Jordan

Heb. Yarden, “the descender;” Arab. Nahr-esh-Sheriah, “the watering-place” the chief river of Palestine. It flows from north to south down a deep valley in the centre of the country. The name descender is significant of the fact that there is along its whole course a descent to its banks; or it may simply denote the rapidity with which it “descends” to the Dead Sea.

It originates in the snows of Hermon, which feed its perennial fountains. Two sources are generally spoken of. (1.) From the western base of a hill on which once stood the city of Dan, the northern border-city of Palestine, there gushes forth a considerable fountain called the Leddan, which is the largest fountain in Syria and the principal source of the Jordan. (2.) Beside the ruins of Banias, the ancient Caesarea Philippi and the yet more ancient Panium, is a lofty cliff of limestone, at the base of which…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(the descender), the one river of Palestine, has a course of little more than 200 miles, from the roots of Anti-Lebanon to the head of the Dead Sea. (136 miles in a straight line. --Schaff.) It is the river of the "great plain" of Palestine --the "descender," if not "the river of God" in the book of Psalms, at least that of his chosen people throughout their history. There were fords over against Jericho, to which point the men of Jericho pursued the spies. (Joshua 2:7) comp. Judg 3:28 Higher up where the fords or passages of Bethbarah, where Gideon lay in wait for the Midianites, (Judges 7:24) and where the men of Gilead slew the Ephraimites. ch. (Judges 12:6) These fords…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The chief river of Palestine, running from north to south, and dividing the Holy Land into two parts, of which the larger and more important lay on the west. There are two small streams, each of which claims to be its source. One of these, near Banias, anciently Caesarea Philippi, issues from a large cave in a rocky mountain side, and flows several miles towards the south-west, where it is joined by the second and larger stream, which originates in a fountain at Tellel-Kady, three miles west of Banias. But besides these, there is a third and longer stream, which rises beyond the northern limit of Palestine, near Hasbeia on the west side of mount Hermon, flows twenty-four miles to the south, and unites with the other streams before they enter the "waters of Merom," now lake Huleh, the Jordan flows about nine miles south-ward to the sea of Tiberias, through which its clear and smooth…

and he sent to him Elisha a messenger saying go and you will wash seven times in the Jordan and it may return flesh your to you and be clean
וְיָשֹׁ֧בve.ya.Sho and it may return H7725 Conjunction · verb qal jussive third person masculine singular
1,057× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to return or turn back, and can be used literally or figuratively. It is often used to describe someone returning to God or repenting from sin, as seen in the book of Psalms and the prophets.
Amplified meaning
healed, made whole
Tyndale gloss
to return: return
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word שׁוּב (shuwb) means to turn back or return, covering a wide range of contexts including physical, spiritual, and relational. It can denote returning to a previous state, repenting, or even apostatizing. The entries describe various forms and uses, including bringing back, restoring, and refreshing. Notably, it can also imply a change in course of action.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שׁוּב 1056 vb. turn back, return

Qal 683;—turn back, return:

turn back

return, come or go back

esp. return unto

of dying

of revival from death

fig. of human relations:

return to leader, king

= change so as to appoach (in purpose, desire)

turn, i.e. resort to

return to a physical condition

abs. = change course of action

fig., specif. of spiritual relations:

turn back from God = apostatize

of י׳, turn away

turn back to God (= seek penitently)

abs. repent

turn back from evil

of י׳

of י׳, return (to shew favour)

of inanimate things (sts. personified, or treated as things of life):

denoting repetition, etc.

trans.

Pō‛l.

bring back

fig. restore, refresh

restore, repair

lead away (enticingly)

shew turning = apostatize

Hiph. 353 cause to return, bring back

bring back into bondage

put back

= draw back

= give back, restore

= relinguish

= give in payment, requital

bring one back (from dead)

bring back heart

= refresh

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7725 שׁוּב turn back, return .—turn back, return: . turn back

. return, come or go back

. esp. return unto

. . of dying

. of revival from death

. fig. of human relations: . return to leader, king

. = change so as to appoach (in purpose, desire)

. turn, i.e. resort to

. return to a physical condition

. abs. = change course of action

. fig., specif. of spiritual relations: . turn back from God = apostatize

. of י׳, turn away

. turn back to God (= seek penitently)

. abs. repent

. turn back from evil

. of י׳

. of י׳, return (to shew favour)

. of inanimate things (sts. personified, or treated as things of life):

. denoting repetition, etc.

. trans.

. . bring back

. . fig. restore, refresh

. restore, repair

. lead away (enticingly)

. shew turning = apostatize

. cause to return, bring back . . bring back into bondage

. put back

. = draw back

. = give back, restore

. = relinguish

. = give in payment, requital

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7725 shuwb shoob

a primitive root; to turn back (hence, away) transitively or

intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily

with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to

retreat; often adverbial, again:--((break, build, circumcise,

dig, do anything, do evil, feed, lay down, lie down, lodge,

make, rejoice, send, take, weep)) X again, (cause to) answer

(+ again), X in any case (wise), X at all, averse, bring

(again, back, home again), call (to mind), carry again (back),

cease, X certainly, come again (back), X consider, +

continually, convert, deliver (again), + deny, draw back,

fetch home again, X fro, get (oneself) (back) again, X give

(again), go again (back, home), (go) out, hinder, let, (see)

more, X needs, be past, X pay, pervert, pull in again, put

(again, up again), recall, recompense, recover, refresh,

relieve, render (again), requite, rescue, restore, retrieve,

Read the full entry →
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שׁוּב (shuv) — to return: return.

: return

1) to return, turn back

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to turn back, return

1a1a) to turn back

1a1b) to return, come or go back

1a1c) to return unto, go back, come back

1a1d) of dying

1a1e) of human relations (fig)

1a1f) of spiritual relations (fig)

1a1f1) to turn back (from God), apostatise

1a1f2) to turn away (of God)

1a1f3) to turn back (to God), repent

1a1f4) turn back (from evil)

1a1g) of inanimate things

1a1h) in repetition

1b) (Polel)

1b1) to bring back

1b2) to restore, refresh, repair (fig)

1b3) to lead away (enticingly)

1b4) to show turning, apostatise

1c) (Pual) restored (participle)

1d) (Hiphil) to cause to return, bring back

1d1) to bring back, allow to return, put back, draw back, give back, restore, relinquish, give in payment

1d2) to bring back, refresh, restore

1d3) to bring back, report to, answer

1d4) to bring back, make requital, pay (as recompense)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-Imperf-3ms — Conjunction · verb qal jussive third person masculine singular
HC/Vqj3ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he sent to him Elisha a messenger saying go and you will wash seven times in the Jordan and it may return flesh your to you and be clean
בְּשָׂרְךָ֛be.sa.re.Kha flesh your H1320 Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
270× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for flesh refers to the body or a person, and can also describe living things or animals. In the Bible, it is used to describe humans and animals, as in Genesis and Leviticus.
Amplified meaning
body, humanity
Tyndale gloss
flesh
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בָּשָׂר (basar) means 'flesh' and encompasses various meanings, including the physical body, kinship, and a euphemism for male genitalia. It can refer to humans, animals, and all living things, highlighting the frailty of man in relation to God. The entries consistently emphasize its bodily and relational aspects.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בָּשָׂר 266 n.m. flesh

of the body

flesh for the body itself

male organ of generation (euphemism)

flesh for kindred, blood-relations

man over against God as frail or erring

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1320 בָּשָׂר flesh . of the body

. flesh for the body itself

. male organ of generation (euphemism)

. flesh for kindred, blood-relations

. man over against God as frail or erring

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1320 basar baw-sawr'

from 1319; flesh (from its freshness); by extension, body,

person; also (by euphem.) the pudenda of a man:--body, (fat,

lean) flesh(-ed), kin, (man-)kind, + nakedness, self, skin.

see HEBREW for 01319

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בָּשָׂר (ba.sar) — flesh.

1) flesh

1a) of the body

1a1) of humans

1a2) of animals

1b) the body itself

1c) male organ of generation (euphemism)

1d) kindred, blood-relations

1e) flesh as frail or erring (man against God)

1f) all living things

1g) animals

1h) mankind

Aramaic equivalent: be.shar (בְּשַׁר "flesh" H1321)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HNcmsc/Sp2ms
and he sent to him Elisha a messenger saying go and you will wash seven times in the Jordan and it may return flesh your to you and be clean
לְךָ֖le.Kha to you H9031 Preposition · suffix
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

ךָּ (ka) — you.

Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 2nd person masculine singular

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Sp2ms — Preposition · suffix
HR/Sp2ms
and he sent to him Elisha a messenger saying go and you will wash seven times in the Jordan and it may return flesh your to you and be clean
וּטְהָֽר׃u.te.Har and be clean H2891 Conjunction · verb qal imperative second person masculine singular
94× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means to be pure, either physically, morally, or ceremonially. It appears in Leviticus for purification rituals and in Psalm 51 where David asks God to purify his heart. This concept is central to Jewish and Christian ideas of cleanliness and holiness.
Amplified meaning
pure, ceremonially cleansed, righteous
Tyndale gloss
be pure
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

טָהֵר (taher) means to be clean or pure, covering physical, ceremonial, and moral aspects of purity. It can refer to being free from disease, ceremonially clean, or morally innocent. The verb has various forms, including Qal (to be clean), Piel (to cleanse), and Hithpael (to purify oneself). Brown-Driver-Briggs notes a specific instance of miraculous cleansing related to leprosy.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

טָהֵר vb. be clean, pure

Qal

be clean, i.e. (miraculously) freed from leprosy by washing in the Jordan

be clean ceremonially

be clean morally

Pi.

cleanse, purify

pronounce clean, ceremonially

perform the ceremony of cleansing

Pu. a land not cleansed

Hithp.

purify oneself

present oneself for purification

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2891 טָהֵר be clean, pure

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2891 taher taw-hare'

a primitive root; properly, to be bright; i.e. (by

implication) to be pure (physical sound, clear, unadulterated;

Levitically, uncontaminated; morally, innocent or holy):--be

(make, make self, pronounce) clean, cleanse (self), purge,

purify(-ier, self).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

טָהֵר (ta.her) — be pure.

1) to be clean, be pure

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to be clean (physically-of disease)

1a2) to be clean ceremonially

1a3) to purify, be clean morally, made clean

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to cleanse, purify

1b1a) physically

1b1b) ceremonially

1b1c) morally

1b2) to pronounce clean

1b3) to perform the ceremony of cleansing

1c) (Pual) to be cleansed, be pronounced clean

1d) (Hithpael)

1d1) to purify oneself

1d1a) ceremonially

1d1b) morally

1d2) to present oneself for purification

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-Impv-2ms — Conjunction · verb qal imperative second person masculine singular
HC/Vqv2ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

klen (Anglo-Saxon cloene, "clear," "pure"): Rendering four Hebrew roots: bar, etc., "purify," "select," "make shining"; zakh, etc., "bright," "clean" "pure"; naqi, "free from," "exempt"; Taher, "clean," "pure," "empty," "bright" (?) the principal root, rendered "clean" 80 times (the King James Version); occurring in all its forms in various renderings about 200 times; also one Greek root, katharos, etc., akin to castus, "chaste," "free from admixture or adhesion of anything that soils, adulterates, corrupts" (Thayer's Lexicon). The physical, ritual, ethical, spiritual, figurative uses continually overlap, especially the last four.

1. Physical:

The physical use is infrequent: "Wash .... with snow water, and make my hands never so clean" (zakhakh, Job 9:30; figurative also); "clean provender" (hamits, the Revised Version (British and…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Clean

The various forms of uncleanness according to the Mosaic law are enumerated in Lev. 11-15; Num. 19. The division of animals into clean and unclean was probably founded on the practice of sacrifice. It existed before the Flood (Gen. 7:2). The regulations regarding such animals are recorded in Lev. 11 and Deut. 14:1-21.

The Hebrews were prohibited from using as food certain animal substances, such as (1) blood; (2) the fat covering the intestines, termed the caul; (3) the fat on the intestines, called the mesentery; (4) the fat of the kidneys; and (5) the fat tail of certain sheep (Ex. 29:13, 22; Lev. 3:4-9; 9:19; 17:10; 19:26).

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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