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Deuteronomy 21:15 — Word Study

Depth

WLCכִּֽי־ תִהְיֶ֨יןָ לְאִ֜ישׁ שְׁתֵּ֣י נָשִׁ֗ים הָאַחַ֤ת אֲהוּבָה֙ וְהָאַחַ֣ת שְׂנוּאָ֔ה וְיָֽלְדוּ־ ל֣וֹ בָנִ֔ים הָאֲהוּבָ֖ה וְהַשְּׂנוּאָ֑ה וְהָיָ֛ה הַבֵּ֥ן הַבְּכ֖וֹר לַשְּׂנִיאָֽה׃

BSAIfkîy a manʼîysh [husband, male person] hashâyâh twoshᵉnayim wivesʼishshâh [women, female partners] oneʼechâd [the first, primary] belovedʼâhab [loved, cherished, with affection] and the otherʼechâd [second, secondary] unlovedsânêʼ [hated, disliked, with hostility] and [both]ʼâhab [together, as a pair] bearyâlad sonsbên [male children, descendants] but the unlovedsânîyʼ [despised, unwanted] wife hashâyâh the firstbornbᵉkôwr [first in birth order, primary] sonbên [male child, heir]

Word
Listen & take awayDeuteronomy 21
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 15 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.se.ni.'Ah) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Deuteronomy 21:15quick helps
In a sentenceThe verse outlines a situation involving a man with two wives, one loved and the other hated, and their sons.
Who is speakingThe speaker is addressing the laws concerning family dynamics in ancient Israel.
Where we areThis verse is part of a larger legal framework in Deuteronomy regarding marriage and inheritance.
The hard wordשְׂנוּאָ֔ה
Take awayThe text addresses the complexities of familial relationships and inheritance rights.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbהָיָה The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

1 of 18 occurs nowhere else in the Old Testament — a word chosen on purpose.

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 — Deuteronomy 21:15

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 — Laws Concerning Marriage and Inheritancegenerated

14And if you are not pleased with her, you are to let her go wherever she wishes. But you must not sell her for money or treat her as a slave, since you have dishonored her.
15If a man has two wives, one beloved and the other unloved, and both bear him sons, but the unloved wife has the firstborn son,
16when that man assigns his inheritance to his sons he must not appoint the son of the beloved wife as the firstborn over the son of the unloved wife.
17Instead, he must acknowledge the firstborn, the son of his unloved wife, by giving him a double portion of all that he has. For that son is the firstfruits of his father’s strength; the right of the firstborn belongs to him.

Deuteronomy 21:15 discusses the case of a man who has two wives, emphasizing the legal implications of love and favoritism in family structures. This passage is part of a broader discourse on how to handle familial relationships and inheritance rights, which can be seen in the context of other laws in Deuteronomy.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Genesis 29:18–20Since Jacob loved Rachel, he answered, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.”
21 Samuel 1:4–5And whenever the day came for Elkanah to present his sacrifice, he would give portions to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 2 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word שְׂנוּאָ֔ה, se.nu.'Ahgenerated

The word שְׂנוּאָ֔ה (senu'ah) is a passive participle form of the verb שָׂנֵא (sane'), meaning 'to hate.' It conveys a strong sense of aversion or hostility, indicating the emotional state of being disliked or rejected.

In this verse, it describes the relationship between the man and one of his wives, highlighting the social and familial tensions that arise from such dynamics. The use of this term underscores the legal and moral complexities involved in matters of love and familial obligations.


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 of the verse is תִהְיֶ֨ן, they will belong, which governs the entire sentence. The structure includes multiple clauses that describe the conditions under which the relationships exist, emphasizing the roles of the wives and their offspring.

The syntax reflects a layered approach to the relationships, with the subject being the two wives and the verbs indicating their respective statuses and roles in the family unit.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates שְׂנוּאָ֔ה as μισουμένη, which means 'hated.' This choice aligns closely with the Hebrew meaning, emphasizing the emotional conflict present in the familial relationships described.

The use of this term in the Greek text suggests a similar understanding of the social dynamics at play, reinforcing the idea of animosity in contrast to love.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Deuteronomy 21:15 presents a scenario where a man has two wives, one loved and one hated, and both have borne him sons. This verse highlights the complexities of love and favoritism within families, especially concerning inheritance rights.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that one wife is 'hated'?

In this context, 'hated' indicates a lack of affection or preference, which can lead to complex family dynamics and legal implications regarding inheritance.

Why does this verse specify two wives?

The verse addresses a specific cultural practice of the time, reflecting the realities of polygamous marriages and their associated legal challenges.

What is the significance of the firstborn son?

The firstborn son holds a special status in terms of inheritance rights, which is a critical aspect of the laws governing family and property.

How does this verse relate to other laws in Deuteronomy?

This verse is part of a larger legal framework in Deuteronomy that addresses marriage, family relationships, and inheritance, highlighting the importance of fairness and justice in familial matters.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. How do cultural practices around marriage impact family dynamics today?
  2. What can we learn about favoritism and its consequences in our own relationships?
  3. How does understanding the historical context of this verse help us apply its lessons today?
  4. In what ways can we ensure fairness in our own family relationships?

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

The early Church Fathers referenced this passage to discuss familial relationships and moral implications, as seen in the quotation from Ambrose of Milan.

Ambrose of MilanLetters 31-40 c. 339–397
And inasmuch as my discourse took as a proof of its assertion that passage in the Book of Deuteronomy which speaks of the man who had two wives, one beloved and the other hated,
Early Church Fathers on Deuteronomy 21 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Deuteronomy 21:15 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

If a man have two wives,.... Which is supposed, but not approved of, though permitted because of the hardness of men's hearts; for it was not so from the beginning, when only one man and one woman

Read John Gill on Deuteronomy 21 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

If a man have two wives, one beloved, and another hated, and they have born him children, both the beloved and the hated; and if the firstborn son be hers that was hated: If a man have two wives, one beloved, and another hated.

Read Robert Jamieson on Deuteronomy 21 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Two wives; either, 1. Both together; which practice, though tolerated, is not hereby made lawful, but only provision is made for the children in that case. Or, 2. One after another. Hated, comparatively, i.e. less loved, as .

Read Matthew Poole on Deuteronomy 21 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Deuteronomy 21:15 If a man have two wives, one beloved, and another hated, and they have born him children, [both] the beloved and the hated; and [if] the firstborn son be hers that was hated:Ver. 15. And another hated,] i.e., Less loved, as Genesis 29:31.

Read John Trapp on Deuteronomy 21 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

Deuteronomy 21:15-17. THE .(15) One beloved, and another hated—i.e., one preferred above the other, according to the idiomatic use of this phrase in Hebrew. (17) A double portion.—Literally, the mouth of two, i.e., two shares. Supposing there were four sons, the estate would be divided into five shares, and the firstborn would take two. So Jacob said to Joseph (Genesis 48:22): “I have given thee one portion above thy brethren.” The birthright of which Reuben was deprived for ill conduct, was given to Joseph’s sons (1 Chronicles 5:1). So Elisha said to Elijah before they were parted. “I pray thee let a double portion (the first-born’s share) of thy spirit be upon me (2 Kings 2:9).

Read Charles John Ellicott on Deuteronomy 21 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 15. One beloved, and another hated] That is, one loved less than the other. This is the true notion of the word hate in Scripture. So Jacob HATED Leah, that is, he loved her less than he did Rachel; and Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I HATED, that is, I have shown a more particular affection to the posterity of Jacob than I have to the posterity of Esau. See Clarke on Genesis 29:31. From this verse we see that polygamy did exist under the Mosaic laws, and that it was put under certain regulations; but it was not enjoined, Moses merely suffered it, because of the hardness of their hearts, as our Lord justly remarks Matthew 19:8.

Read AdamClarke on Deuteronomy 21 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

15–17. Of the right of the Firstborn If a man have two sons by different wives, one loved and one hated, and his firstborn is the son of the latter, he must not give the firstborn’s double portion to the son of the favourite.—Not in the direct address nor with any of D’s characteristic phrases; possibly therefore a previous law adopted by D, but hardly an ancient one, as it vetoes what was at least the occasional practice in early Israel. Like others it opens by putting a definite case (if there be a man, etc., cp. Deuteronomy 21:18; Deuteronomy 21:22, Deuteronomy 22:2; Deuteronomy 22:6; Deuteronomy 22:13, etc.), it covers this alone, and hence is incomplete. We do not learn, e.g., whether…

Read Cambridge on Deuteronomy 21 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Moses did not originate the rights of primogeniture (compare Genesis 25:31), but recognized them, since he found them pre-existing in the general social system of the East.

Read Albert Barnes on Deuteronomy 21 →

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

If a man has two wives, one beloved and the other unloved, and both bear him sons, but the unloved wife has the firstborn son,

WEBWorld English Bible2000

If a man has two wives, the one beloved and the other hated, and they have borne him children, both the beloved and the hated, and if the firstborn son is hers who was hated,

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

If a man has two wives, one beloved and the other unloved, and both bear him sons, but the unloved wife has the firstborn son,

NETBNew English Translation2006

Suppose a man has two wives, one whom he loves more than the other, and they both bear him sons, with the firstborn being the child of the less loved wife.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

¶ If a man have two wives, one beloved, and another hated, and they have born him children, both the beloved and the hated; and if the firstborn son be hers that was hated:

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

If a man have two wives, the one beloved, and the other hated, and they have borne him children, both the beloved and the hated; and if the first-born son be hers that was hated;

RVARevised Version, American1894

If a man have two wives, the one beloved, and the other hated, and they have borne him children, both the beloved and the hated; and if the firstborn son be hers that was hated;

NWBWebster's Bible1833

If a man shall have two wives, one beloved, and another hated, and they have borne him children, both the beloved and the hated; and if the first-born son be hers that was hated:

GNVGeneva Bible1599

If a man haue two wiues, one loued and another hated, and they haue borne him children, both the loued and also the hated: if the first borne be the sonne of the hated,

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

If a man have two wives, one beloved, and one hated, and they have borne him children, both the beloved and the hated, and the firstborn son be hers that was hated;

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

'When a man hath two wives, the one loved and the other hated, and they have borne to him sons (the loved one and the hated one), and the first-born son hath been to the hated one;

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

When a man has two wives, one loved and the other hated, and they have borne sons to him (the loved one and the hated one), and the firstborn son has been to the hated one,

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

If a man have two wives, one beloved, and the other hated, and they bear him children, both the beloved and the hated; so that the first-born son be hers that is hated:

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

If a man has two wives and one is loved and the other is hated, and they have both borne him children—both the beloved wife and the hated wife—if the firstborn son is of her that is hated,

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

If a man have two wives, one beloved, and the other hated, and they have had children by him, and the son of the hated be the firstborn,

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

If a man has two wives, one he loves and one he doesn't, and both have sons by him, but the firstborn son is from the wife he doesn't love,

BBEBible in Basic English1949

If a man has two wives, one greatly loved and the other hated, and the two of them have had children by him; and if the first son is the child of the hated wife:

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.

כִּֽי(dm)clauseverbתִהְיֶ֨יןָthey.will.belongprepositional phrase · prepositionalלְtoאִ֜ישׁa.mannoun phrase · subjectשְׁתֵּ֣יtwoנָשִׁ֗יםwivesclausenoun phrase · subjectהָtheאַחַ֤תoneverbאֲהוּבָה֙[is].lovedוְandclausenoun phrase · subjectהָtheאַחַ֣תoneverbשְׂנוּאָ֔ה[is].hatedוְandclauseverbיָֽלְדוּthey.will.bearprepositional phrase · prepositionalל֣toוֹhimobjectבָנִ֔יםsonsnoun phrase · subjectnoun phraseהָthe.lovedאֲהוּבָ֖ה[wife]וְandnoun phraseהַthe.hatedשְּׂנוּאָ֑ה[wife]וְandclauseverbהָיָ֛הhe.will.belongnoun phrase · subjectnoun phraseהַtheבֵּ֥ןsonnoun phraseהַtheבְּכ֖וֹרfirstbornprepositional phrase · prepositionalלַtonoun phrasethe.hatedשְּׂנִיאָֽה[wife]

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 their wording, with the Septuagint providing a close translation of the Hebrew. However, the Samaritan Pentateuch shows a slight variation with the word תהיינה (be), indicating a different nuance in the relationship dynamics.

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

כִּֽי־ תִהְיֶ֨יןָ לְאִ֜ישׁ שְׁתֵּ֣י נָשִׁ֗ים הָאַחַ֤ת אֲהוּבָה֙ וְהָאַחַ֣ת שְׂנוּאָ֔ה וְיָֽלְדוּ־ ל֣וֹ בָנִ֔ים הָאֲהוּבָ֖ה וְהַשְּׂנוּאָ֑ה וְהָיָ֛ה הַבֵּ֥ן הַבְּכ֖וֹר לַשְּׂנִיאָֽה׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
כִּֽי־ἐὰνתִהְיֶ֨יןָγένωνταιלְאִ֜ישׁἀνθρώπῳשְׁתֵּ֣יδύοנָשִׁ֗יםγυναῖκεςהָאַחַ֤תαὐτῶνאֲהוּבָה֙ἠγαπημένηוְהָאַחַ֣תαὐτῶνשְׂנוּאָ֔הμισουμένηוְיָֽלְדוּ־τέκωσινל֣וֹαὐτῷהָאֲהוּבָ֖הἠγαπημένηוְהַשְּׂנוּאָ֑הμισουμένηוְהָיָ֛הγένηταιהַבֵּ֥ןυἱὸςהַבְּכ֖וֹרπρωτότοκοςלַשְּׂנִיאָֽה׃μισουμένης

17 of the 18 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.

Samaritan Pentateuchthe Torah as the Samaritan community kept it

כי תהיינה לאישׁ שׁתי נשׁים אחת אהובה ואחת שׂנואה וילדו לו בנים האהובה והשׂנואה והיה הבן הבכור לשׂנואה

1 word differs from the Masoretic Text: תהיינה (be)

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.

Deuteronomy 21:15כִּיififכִּיהָיָהthey will bthey will belonהָיָהאִישׁto a manto a manאִישׁשְׁנַ֫יִםtwotwoשְׁנַ֫יִםאִשָּׁהwiveswivesאִשָּׁהאֶחָדthe onethe oneאֶחָדאָהֵב[is] loved[is] lovedאָהֵבאֶחָדand the oneand the oneאֶחָדשָׂנֵא[is] hated[is] hatedשָׂנֵאיָלַדand they wiand they will bיָלַדוֹto himto himוֹבֵּןsonssonsבֵּןאָהֵבthe loved [the loved [one]אָהֵבשָׂנֵאand the hatand the hated [שָׂנֵאהָיָהand he willand he will belהָיָהבֵּןthe sonthe sonבֵּןבְּכוֹרthe firstbothe firstbornבְּכוֹרשָׂנִיאto the hateto the hated [wשָׂנִיאחָדַדto go eithto go either waחָדַדבָּנָהto buildto buildבָּנָההָוָאto fallto fallהָוָאאֱנוֹשׁhumanhumanאֱנוֹשׁבָּכַרto be/bearto be/bear firsבָּכַראִשָּׁהwomanwomanאִשָּׁהשֵׁנִיsecondsecondשֵׁנִיאִישׁmanmanאִישׁשָׂנֵאto hateto hateשָׂנֵאאַ֫יִלramramאַ֫יִלכֶּ֫בֶשׂlamblambכֶּ֫בֶשׂאָהֵבto love: lto love: loverאָהֵבשֶׁ֫קֶרdeceptiondeceptionשֶׁ֫קֶרעַמּוֹןAmmonAmmonעַמּוֹןרְאוּבֵןReubenReubenרְאוּבֵןיָדַעto knowto knowיָדַערֵעַneighborneighborרֵעַעָשָׂרtentenעָשָׂר
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 Deuteronomy 21:15

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.

if they will belong to a man two wives the one [is] loved and the one [is] hated and they will bear to him sons the loved [one] and the hated [one] and he will belong the son the firstborn to the hated [wife]
כִּֽי־ki- if H3588 Particle
4,483× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A conjunction used to show cause or connection, as in Genesis 2:23 where Adam says the woman is bone of his bone because she was taken out of him. It is often translated as 'for', 'because', or 'since'.
Tyndale gloss
for
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כִּי (ki) is a conjunction primarily meaning 'that,' 'for,' or 'when.' It indicates causal relationships and can express conditions like 'if' or 'though.' The word is versatile, appearing in various contexts to convey certainty, exception, or concession. Notably, it can combine with other particles to modify its meaning, such as in the phrase כִּי אם־ (ki im), meaning 'that if.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כִּי conj. that, for, when

that

Of time, when, of the past

elsewhere כִּי has a force approximating to if, though it usu. represents a case as more likely to occur than אִם

when or if, with a concessive force, i.e. though

Because, since

base

כִּי אם־

each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause:

that if

for if

(About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause—

limiting the prec. clause, except

the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but

after an oath, surely

base

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3588a כִּי that, for, when . that

. . Of time, when, of the past

. elsewhere כִּי has a force approximating to if, though it usu. represents a case as more likely to occur than אִם

. when or if, with a concessive force, i.e. though

. Because, since

H3588b כִּי אם־ . each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause: . that if

. for if

. (About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause— . limiting the prec. clause, except

. the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but

. after an oath, surely

H3588c כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3588 kiy kee

a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional

prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent

or consequent; (by implication) very widely used as a relative

conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by

other particles annexed:--and, + (forasmuch, inasmuch,

where-)as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else,

even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, +

nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then,

therefore, + (al- )though, + till, truly, + until, when,

whether, while, whom, yea, yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כִּי (ki) — for.

1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since

1a) that

1a1) yea, indeed

1b) when (of time)

1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force)

1c) because, since (causal connection)

1d) but (after negative)

1e) that if, for if, indeed if, for though, but if

1f) but rather, but

1g) except that

1h) only, nevertheless

1i) surely

1j) that is

1k) but if

1l) for though

1m) forasmuch as, for therefore

כִּי [אם] (ki im) — that if: except.

1) except if

1a) but if

1b) even though

כִּי [עַל כֵּן] (ki [al ken]) — for as that: since.

1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since

1a) that

1a1) yea, indeed

1b) when (of time)

1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force)

1c) because, since (causal connection)

1d) but (after negative)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj — Particle
HTc
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
if they will belong to a man two wives the one [is] loved and the one [is] hated and they will bear to him sons the loved [one] and the hated [one] and he will belong the son the firstborn to the hated [wife]
תִהְיֶ֨יןָtih.Yei.na they will belong H1961 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person feminine plural
3,562× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for to be means to exist or come into being. It is used to describe something that happens or comes to pass, like in Genesis where God creates the world.
Tyndale gloss
to be
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word הָיָה (hayah) is a primitive root meaning to exist or become, and it encompasses a range of meanings including to happen, occur, and come to pass. It is often used in narrative contexts, particularly in phrases like "and it came to pass." The word can also denote a state of being or existence, and it appears frequently in various forms throughout the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הָיָה 3570 vb. fall out, come to pass, become, be

Qal

Fall out, happen

occur, take place, come about, come to pass

esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass

וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)

rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה

less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)

Come into being, become

abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come

sq. prep.

become

sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)

sq. pred. adj.

become like

sq. pred. לְ pers.

sq. לְ pred.

oft. c. לְ pred. לְ pers.

with עַל and לְ

sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of

Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming)

exist, be in existence

abide, remain, continue

with word of locality, be in or at a place, be situated, stand, lie

as copula, joining subj. & pred.

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1961 הָיָה fall out, come to pass, become, be .. . . Fall out, happen

. occur, take place, come about, come to pass

. esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass . . וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)

. rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה

. less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)

. Come into being, become . . abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come

. sq. prep.

. become . sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)

. sq. pred. adj.

. become like

. sq. pred. + לְ pers.

. sq. לְ pred.

. oft. c. לְ pred. + לְ pers.

. with עַל and לְ

. sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of

. Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming) . exist, be in existence

. abide, remain, continue

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1961 hayah haw-yaw

a primitive root (compare 1933); to exist, i.e. be or become,

come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or

auxiliary):--beacon, X altogether, be(-come), accomplished,

committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint,

fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit

(one-)self, require, X use.

see HEBREW for 01933

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הָיָה (ha.yah) — to be.

1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out

1a) (Qal)

1a1) ---

1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass

1a1b) to come about, come to pass

1a2) to come into being, become

1a2a) to arise, appear, come

1a2b) to become

1a2b1) to become

1a2b2) to become like

1a2b3) to be instituted, be established

1a3) to be

1a3a) to exist, be in existence

1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time)

1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality)

1a3d) to accompany, be with

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to occur, come to pass, be done, be brought about

1b2) to be done, be finished, be gone

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-3fp — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person feminine plural
HVqi3fp
if they will belong to a man two wives the one [is] loved and the one [is] hated and they will bear to him sons the loved [one] and the hated [one] and he will belong the son the firstborn to the hated [wife]
לְאִ֜ישׁle.'Ish to a man H376 Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
1,664× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for man, referring to a male person or individual, is used in the Bible to describe humans in contrast to God or animals, as seen in Genesis and Psalms. It can also mean husband or servant. In the KJV, it is translated as man or male.
Amplified meaning
husband, male person
Tyndale gloss
man
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אִישׁ 2166 n.m. man (= vir)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H376 אִישׁ man (= vir)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

376 'iysh eesh

contracted for 582 (or perhaps rather from an unused root

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

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

in such cases frequently not expressed in

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

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

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

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

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

Compare 802.

see HEBREW for 0582

see HEBREW for 0802

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אִישׁ (ish) — man.

: man

1) man

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

1b) husband

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

1d) servant

1e) mankind

1f) champion

1g) great man

2) whosoever

3) each (adjective)

אִישׁ (ish) — man: husband.

: husband

1) man

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

1b) husband

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

1d) servant

1e) mankind

1f) champion

1g) great man

2) whosoever

3) each (adjective)

אִישׁ (ish) — man: anyone.

: anyone/someone

1) man

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

1b) husband

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

1d) servant

1e) mankind

1f) champion

1g) great man

2) whosoever

3) each (adjective)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
HR/Ncmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

See ANTHROPOLOGY.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Man

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

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

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

See CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF GOD, below

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
if they will belong to a man two wives the one [is] loved and the one [is] hated and they will bear to him sons the loved [one] and the hated [one] and he will belong the son the firstborn to the hated [wife]
שְׁתֵּ֣יshe.Tei two H8147 Noun common · feminine dual construct
769× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for the number two appears in Genesis and Exodus, describing pairs and dualities. It can also mean double or twice. In the Bible, it is often used to describe things that come in twos, like two witnesses or two tablets.
Tyndale gloss
two
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שְׁנַ֫יִם (shnayim) means 'two' and serves as both a cardinal and ordinal number. It can denote 'both,' 'double,' or 'twice,' and is used in various combinations with other numbers. The word is derived as a dual form of שָׁנָה (shanah), which relates to the concept of pairs.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שְׁנַ֫יִם, שְׁתַּיִם 768 n.m. et f. du. two

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8147 שְׁנַ֫יִם, שְׁתַּיִם two

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8147 shnayim shen-ah'-yim

dual of 8145; feminine shttayim {shet-tah'-yim}; two; also

(as ordinal) twofold:--both, couple, double, second, twain, +

twelfth, + twelve, + twenty (sixscore) thousand, twice, two.

see HEBREW for 08145

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שְׁנַ֫יִם (she.na.yim) — two.

1) two

1a) two (the cardinal number)

1a1) two, both, double, twice

1b) second (the ordinal number)

1c) in combination with other numbers

1d) both (a dual number)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Noun common · feminine dual construct
HNcfdc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

too.

See NUMBER.

if they will belong to a man two wives the one [is] loved and the one [is] hated and they will bear to him sons the loved [one] and the hated [one] and he will belong the son the firstborn to the hated [wife]
נָשִׁ֗יםna.Shim wives H802 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
women, female partners
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
N-fp — Noun common · masculine plural absolute
HNcmpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Torrey's New Topical Textbook

- Not to be selected from among the ungodly

Ge 24:3; 26:34,35; 28:1

- DUTIES OF, TO THEIR HUSBANDS

. To love them

Tit 2:4

. To reverence them

Eph 5:33

. To be faithful to them

1Co 7:3-5,10

. To be subject to them

Ge 3:16; Eph 5:22,24; 1Pe 3:1

. To obey them

1Co 14:34; Tit 2:5

. To remain with them for life

Ro 7:2,3

- SHOULD BE ADORNED

. Not with ornaments

if they will belong to a man two wives the one [is] loved and the one [is] hated and they will bear to him sons the loved [one] and the hated [one] and he will belong the son the firstborn to the hated [wife]
הָאַחַ֤תha.'a.Chat the one H259 Particle · noun common feminine singular absolute
971× 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 one or united, and is used to describe something that is single or unique. It is often translated as one, first, or alone. For example, in Genesis 1:5, God calls the light day and the darkness night, and separates them into one thing from another.
Amplified meaning
the first, primary
Tyndale gloss
one
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֶחָד (echad) means 'one' and is derived from a numeral. It encompasses meanings such as each, every, a certain, and can serve as an indefinite article. It is also used as an ordinal to denote 'first' and appears in various combinations, including eleven. The entries consistently emphasize its numerical and qualitative aspects.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶחָד 972 adj.num. one

one

= each, every

= a certain

= indef. art.

only, & (fem.) once

one … another, one … the other

as ordinal first

in combin.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H259 אֶחָד one . one

. = each, every

. = a certain

. = indef. art.

. only, & (fem.) once

. one … another, one … the other

. as ordinal first

. in combin.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

259 'echad ekh-awd'

a numeral from 258; properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an

ordinal) first:--a, alike, alone, altogether, and,

any(-thing), apiece, a certain, (dai-)ly, each (one), +

eleven, every, few, first, + highway, a man, once, one, only,

other, some, together,

see HEBREW for 0258

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶחָד (e.chad) — one.

1) one (number)

1a) one (number)

1b) each, every

1c) a certain

1d) an (indefinite article)

1e) only, once, once for all

1f) one...another, the one...the other, one after another, one by one

1g) first

1h) eleven (in combination), eleventh (ordinal)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | Adj — Particle · noun common feminine singular absolute
HTd/Ncfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

wun.

See NUMBER.

if they will belong to a man two wives the one [is] loved and the one [is] hated and they will bear to him sons the loved [one] and the hated [one] and he will belong the son the firstborn to the hated [wife]
אֲהוּבָה֙'a.hu.Vah [is] loved H157 Verb · Qal · participle (passive) feminine singular
211× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To love means to have affection for someone or something, including family, romance, or God. It can also describe being a friend or having appetite for things like food or wisdom.
Amplified meaning
loved, cherished, with affection
Tyndale gloss
to love: lover
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אָהֵב (*'ahab*) means 'to love' and encompasses various forms of affection, including human love for others, love for God, and even appetites for things like food and wisdom. It can also refer to friendship and divine love towards humanity, particularly Israel. The entries indicate that it can function in different grammatical forms, such as participles for 'lovely' or 'loveable'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָהֵב 216 vb. love

Qal

human love to human object

less oft. of appetite

love to God

esp. Pt.

of divine love

Niph. Pt. pl. lovely, loveable

Pi.

friends

lovers

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H157 אָהֵב love

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

157 'ahab aw-hab'

or raheb {aw-habe'}; a primitive root; to have affection for

(sexually or otherwise):--(be-)love(-d, -ly, -r), like,

friend.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָהֵב (a.hav) — to love: lover.

: lover

1) to love

1a) (Qal)

1a1) human love for another, includes family, and sexual

1a2) human appetite for objects such as food, drink, sleep, wisdom

1a3) human love for or to God

1a4) act of being a friend

1a4a) lover (participle)

1a4b) friend (participle)

1a5) God's love toward man

1a5a) to individual men

1a5b) to people Israel

1a5c) to righteousness

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) lovely (participle)

1b2) loveable (participle)

1c) (Piel)

1c1) friends

1c2) lovers (fig. of adulterers)

2) to like

Also means: a.hav (אָהֵב ": friend" H0157H)

אָהֵב (a.hav) — to love: friend.

: friend

1) to love

1a) (Qal)

1a1) human love for another, includes family, and sexual

1a2) human appetite for objects such as food, drink, sleep, wisdom

1a3) human love for or to God

1a4) act of being a friend

1a4a) lover (participle)

1a4b) friend (participle)

1a5) God's love toward man

1a5a) to individual men

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Inf-c — Verb · Qal · participle (passive) feminine singular
HVqsfsa
if they will belong to a man two wives the one [is] loved and the one [is] hated and they will bear to him sons the loved [one] and the hated [one] and he will belong the son the firstborn to the hated [wife]
וְהָאַחַ֣תve.ha.'a.Chat and the one H259 Conjunction · particle · noun common feminine singular absolute
971× 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 one or united, and is used to describe something that is single or unique. It is often translated as one, first, or alone. For example, in Genesis 1:5, God calls the light day and the darkness night, and separates them into one thing from another.
Amplified meaning
second, secondary
Tyndale gloss
one
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֶחָד (echad) means 'one' and is derived from a numeral. It encompasses meanings such as each, every, a certain, and can serve as an indefinite article. It is also used as an ordinal to denote 'first' and appears in various combinations, including eleven. The entries consistently emphasize its numerical and qualitative aspects.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶחָד 972 adj.num. one

one

= each, every

= a certain

= indef. art.

only, & (fem.) once

one … another, one … the other

as ordinal first

in combin.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H259 אֶחָד one . one

. = each, every

. = a certain

. = indef. art.

. only, & (fem.) once

. one … another, one … the other

. as ordinal first

. in combin.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

259 'echad ekh-awd'

a numeral from 258; properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an

ordinal) first:--a, alike, alone, altogether, and,

any(-thing), apiece, a certain, (dai-)ly, each (one), +

eleven, every, few, first, + highway, a man, once, one, only,

other, some, together,

see HEBREW for 0258

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶחָד (e.chad) — one.

1) one (number)

1a) one (number)

1b) each, every

1c) a certain

1d) an (indefinite article)

1e) only, once, once for all

1f) one...another, the one...the other, one after another, one by one

1g) first

1h) eleven (in combination), eleventh (ordinal)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Art | Adj — Conjunction · particle · noun common feminine singular absolute
HC/Td/Ncfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

wun.

See NUMBER.

if they will belong to a man two wives the one [is] loved and the one [is] hated and they will bear to him sons the loved [one] and the hated [one] and he will belong the son the firstborn to the hated [wife]
שְׂנוּאָ֔הse.nu.'Ah [is] hated H8130 Verb · Qal · participle (passive) feminine singular
146× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To hate means to feel intense dislike or hostility, as seen in the actions of enemies or foes in the Bible. It can also describe God's hatred of sin.
Amplified meaning
hated, disliked, with hostility
Tyndale gloss
to hate
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׂנֵא (sane') is a primitive root meaning 'to hate.' It covers various forms of hatred, including personal animosity and enmity, and can refer to both humans and God. The word appears in different grammatical forms, with uses in Qal, Niphal, and Piel, indicating actions of hating or being hated. Its Aramaic equivalent is שְׂנָא.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׂנֵא 145 vb. hate

Qal 128 hate

Niph. is hated

Pi. enemy

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8130 שָׂנֵא hate

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8130 sane' saw-nay'

a primitive root; to hate (personally):--enemy, foe, (be)

hate(-ful, -r), odious, X utterly.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׂנֵא (sa.ne) — to hate.

1) to hate, be hateful

1a) (Qal) to hate

1a1) of man

1a2) of God

1a3) hater, one hating, enemy (participle) (subst)

1b) (Niphal) to be hated

1c) (Piel) hater (participle)

1c1) of persons, nations, God, wisdom

Aramaic equivalent: se.ne (שְׂנָא "to hate" H8131)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Inf-c — Verb · Qal · participle (passive) feminine singular
HVqsfsa
if they will belong to a man two wives the one [is] loved and the one [is] hated and they will bear to him sons the loved [one] and the hated [one] and he will belong the son the firstborn to the hated [wife]
וְיָֽלְדוּ־ve.yal.du- and they will bear H3205 Verb · Qal · sequential perfect third person common plural
496× 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 give birth or beget a child, like when Eve gave birth to Cain in Genesis 4:1. It can also mean to help someone give birth, like a midwife. This word is used in many KJV translations, including Genesis and Isaiah.
Tyndale gloss
to beget
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word יָלַד (*yalad*) means to bear, bring forth, or beget, and it encompasses various forms of childbirth and lineage declaration. It can refer to both the act of giving birth and the role of a midwife. The entries also note its use in contexts of distress and wicked behavior, as well as in reference to birthdays.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָלַד 497 vb. bear, bring forth, beget

Qal

bear, bring forth

less often beget

of both parents

Niph. be born

Pi. cause (or help) to bring forth, viz., assist or tend as midwife

Pu. be born

Hiph.

beget (a father a child)

bear

Hoph. day of one's being born = birthday

Hithp. declared their pedigree

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3205 יָלַד bear, bring forth, beget .. bear, bring forth

. less often beget

. of both parents

. be born

. cause (or help) to bring forth, viz., assist or tend as midwife

. be born

. . beget (a father a child)

. bear

. day of one's being born = birthday

. declared their pedigree

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3205 yalad yaw-lad'

a primitive root; to bear young; causatively, to beget;

medically, to act as midwife; specifically, to show

lineage:--bear, beget, birth((-day)), born, (make to) bring

forth (children, young), bring up, calve, child, come, be

delivered (of a child), time of delivery, gender, hatch,

labour, (do the office of a) midwife, declare pedigrees, be

the son of, (woman in, woman that) travail(-eth, -ing woman).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָלַד (ya.lad) — to beget.

1) to bear, bringforth, beget, gender, travail

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to bear, bring forth

1a1a) of child birth

1a1b) of distress (simile)

1a1c) of wicked (behaviour)

1a2) to beget

1b) (Niphal) to be born

1c) (Piel)

1c1) to cause or help to bring forth

1c2) to assist or tend as a midwife

1c3) midwife (participle)

1d) (Pual) to be born

1e) (Hiphil)

1e1) to beget (a child)

1e2) to bear (fig. -of wicked bringing forth iniquity)

1f) (Hophal) day of birth, birthday (infinitive)

1g) (Hithpael) to declare one's birth (pedigree)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-3cp — Verb · Qal · sequential perfect third person common plural
Hc/Vqq3cp
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

bar (dobh; compare Arabic dubb): In 1Sa 17:34-37, David tells Saul how as a shepherd boy he had overcome a lion and a bear. In 2Ki 2:24 it is related that two she bears came out of the wood and tore forty-two of the children who had been mocking Elisha. All the other references to bears are figurative; compare 2Sa 17:8; Pr 17:12; 28:15; Isa 11:7; 59:11; La 3:10; Da 7:5; Ho 13:8; Am 5:19;

Bear

A native of the mountain regions of Western Asia, frequently mentioned in Scripture. David defended his flocks against the attacks of a bear (1 Sam. 17:34-37). Bears came out of the wood and destroyed the children who mocked the prophet Elisha (2 Kings 2:24). Their habits are referred to in Isa. 59:11; Prov. 28:15; Lam. 3:10. The fury of the female bear when robbed of her young is spoken of (2 Sam. 17:8; Prov. 17:12; Hos. 13:8). In Daniel’s vision of the…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(1 Samuel 17:34; 2 Samuel 17:8) The Syrian bear, Ursus syriacus, which is without doubt the animal mentioned in the Bible, is still found on the higher mountains of Palestine. During the summer months these bears keep to the snowy parts of Lebanon, but descend in winter to the villages and Gardens. It is probable also that at this period in former days they extended their visits to other parts of Palestine.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

That bears were common in Palestine appears from several passages in the Old Testament, 1Sa 17:34,36,37; 2Sa 17:8; 2Ki 2:24. The species known in Syria resembles the common brown bear; it is sill met in the recesses of Lebanon. To a sullen and ferocious disposition, the bear joins immense strength, considerable sagacity, and the power of climbing trees. Her ferocity, especially when her young are injured, is proverbial. See 2Sa 17:8; Pr 17:12; Isa 11:7; Ho 13:8.

if they will belong to a man two wives the one [is] loved and the one [is] hated and they will bear to him sons the loved [one] and the hated [one] and he will belong the son the firstborn to the hated [wife]
ל֣וֹlo to him H9033 Preposition · suffix
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

וֹ (o) — him.

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HRd/Sp3ms — Preposition · suffix
HRd/Sp3ms
if they will belong to a man two wives the one [is] loved and the one [is] hated and they will bear to him sons the loved [one] and the hated [one] and he will belong the son the firstborn to the hated [wife]
בָנִ֔יםva.Nim sons H1121 Noun common · masculine plural absolute
4,943× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word means a son or descendant, and can also refer to a grandson, nation, or quality. It appears in 1 Chronicles 24, describing a Levite named Beno. The word is used to show family relationships and inheritance.
Amplified meaning
male children, descendants
Tyndale gloss
son: child
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בֵּן (ben) means 'son' or 'male child' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including descendants, young animals, and even figurative uses like sparks or arrows. It can refer to members of a tribe or class and is used in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, such as in 1 Chronicles 24:26. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to build' and implies a connection to family or lineage.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בֵּן 4870 n.m. son

son, male child, born of a woman

children (male and female)

youth, young men

the young of animals

of plant shoots

fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows

member of a guild, order or class

of animals son of (the) herd

ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.

n. relat. of age

base

בְּנוֹ 1 Ch 24:26, 27 as n.pr.m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son, cf. VB & Be Öt.

done

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1121a בֵּן son . son, male child, born of a woman

. children (male and female)

. youth, young men

. the young of animals

. of plant shoots

. fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows

. . member of a guild, order or class

. of animals son of (the) herd

. ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.

. n. relat. of age

H1121b בְּנוֹ as n. pr. m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1121 ben bane

from 1129; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the

widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship,

including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition,

etc., (like 1, 251, etc.)):--+ afflicted, age, (Ahoh-)

(Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-)ite, (anoint-)ed one, appointed to,

(+) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-)ian, one born,

bough, branch, breed, + (young) bullock, + (young) calf, X

came up in, child, colt, X common, X corn, daughter, X of

first, + firstborn, foal, + very fruitful, + postage, X in, +

kid, + lamb, (+) man, meet, + mighty, + nephew, old, (+)

people, + rebel, + robber, X servant born, X soldier, son, +

spark, + steward, + stranger, X surely, them of, + tumultuous

one, + valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.

see HEBREW for 01129

see HEBREW for 01

see HEBREW for 0251

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בֵּן (ben) — son: child.

: child/son

בְּנוֹ (be.no) — Beno.

A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ch.24.26;

son of: Jaaziah (H3269);

brother of: Shoham (H7719), Zaccur (H2139I) and Ibri (H5681)

§ Beno = "his son"

the sons of Jaaziah and the sons of Merari by Jaahziah (his son)

בֵּן (ben) — son: descendant/people.

: descendant, people, tribe, nation

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

§ : child/son

בֵּן (ben) — son: young animal.

: calf/lamb/young(ANIMAL)

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

§ : descendant

בֵּן (ben) — son: type of.

: rebel/son(Belial)

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

§ : people/men/nation/tribe

בֵּן (ben) — son.

: [inheriting]son/heir

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

בֵּן (ben) — son: warrior.

: warrior/son(strong)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural absolute
HNcmpa
if they will belong to a man two wives the one [is] loved and the one [is] hated and they will bear to him sons the loved [one] and the hated [one] and he will belong the son the firstborn to the hated [wife]
הָאֲהוּבָ֖הha.'a.hu.Vah the loved [one] H157 Particle · verb qal participle (passive) feminine singular
211× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To love means to have affection for someone or something, including family, romance, or God. It can also describe being a friend or having appetite for things like food or wisdom.
Amplified meaning
together, as a pair
Tyndale gloss
to love: lover
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אָהֵב (*'ahab*) means 'to love' and encompasses various forms of affection, including human love for others, love for God, and even appetites for things like food and wisdom. It can also refer to friendship and divine love towards humanity, particularly Israel. The entries indicate that it can function in different grammatical forms, such as participles for 'lovely' or 'loveable'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָהֵב 216 vb. love

Qal

human love to human object

less oft. of appetite

love to God

esp. Pt.

of divine love

Niph. Pt. pl. lovely, loveable

Pi.

friends

lovers

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H157 אָהֵב love

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

157 'ahab aw-hab'

or raheb {aw-habe'}; a primitive root; to have affection for

(sexually or otherwise):--(be-)love(-d, -ly, -r), like,

friend.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָהֵב (a.hav) — to love: lover.

: lover

1) to love

1a) (Qal)

1a1) human love for another, includes family, and sexual

1a2) human appetite for objects such as food, drink, sleep, wisdom

1a3) human love for or to God

1a4) act of being a friend

1a4a) lover (participle)

1a4b) friend (participle)

1a5) God's love toward man

1a5a) to individual men

1a5b) to people Israel

1a5c) to righteousness

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) lovely (participle)

1b2) loveable (participle)

1c) (Piel)

1c1) friends

1c2) lovers (fig. of adulterers)

2) to like

Also means: a.hav (אָהֵב ": friend" H0157H)

אָהֵב (a.hav) — to love: friend.

: friend

1) to love

1a) (Qal)

1a1) human love for another, includes family, and sexual

1a2) human appetite for objects such as food, drink, sleep, wisdom

1a3) human love for or to God

1a4) act of being a friend

1a4a) lover (participle)

1a4b) friend (participle)

1a5) God's love toward man

1a5a) to individual men

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | V-Qal-Inf-c — Particle · verb qal participle (passive) feminine singular
HTd/Vqsfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

wun.

See NUMBER.

if they will belong to a man two wives the one [is] loved and the one [is] hated and they will bear to him sons the loved [one] and the hated [one] and he will belong the son the firstborn to the hated [wife]
וְהַשְּׂנוּאָ֑הve.ha.se.nu.'Ah and the hated [one] H8130 Conjunction · particle · verb qal participle (passive) feminine singular
146× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To hate means to feel intense dislike or hostility, as seen in the actions of enemies or foes in the Bible. It can also describe God's hatred of sin.
Tyndale gloss
to hate
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׂנֵא (sane') is a primitive root meaning 'to hate.' It covers various forms of hatred, including personal animosity and enmity, and can refer to both humans and God. The word appears in different grammatical forms, with uses in Qal, Niphal, and Piel, indicating actions of hating or being hated. Its Aramaic equivalent is שְׂנָא.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׂנֵא 145 vb. hate

Qal 128 hate

Niph. is hated

Pi. enemy

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8130 שָׂנֵא hate

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8130 sane' saw-nay'

a primitive root; to hate (personally):--enemy, foe, (be)

hate(-ful, -r), odious, X utterly.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׂנֵא (sa.ne) — to hate.

1) to hate, be hateful

1a) (Qal) to hate

1a1) of man

1a2) of God

1a3) hater, one hating, enemy (participle) (subst)

1b) (Niphal) to be hated

1c) (Piel) hater (participle)

1c1) of persons, nations, God, wisdom

Aramaic equivalent: se.ne (שְׂנָא "to hate" H8131)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HC/Td/Vqsfsa — Conjunction · particle · verb qal participle (passive) feminine singular
HC/Td/Vqsfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

wun.

See NUMBER.

if they will belong to a man two wives the one [is] loved and the one [is] hated and they will bear to him sons the loved [one] and the hated [one] and he will belong the son the firstborn to the hated [wife]
וְהָיָ֛הve.ha.Yah and he will belong H1961 Verb · Qal · sequential perfect third person masculine singular
3,562× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for to be means to exist or come into being. It is used to describe something that happens or comes to pass, like in Genesis where God creates the world.
Tyndale gloss
to be
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word הָיָה (hayah) is a primitive root meaning to exist or become, and it encompasses a range of meanings including to happen, occur, and come to pass. It is often used in narrative contexts, particularly in phrases like "and it came to pass." The word can also denote a state of being or existence, and it appears frequently in various forms throughout the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הָיָה 3570 vb. fall out, come to pass, become, be

Qal

Fall out, happen

occur, take place, come about, come to pass

esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass

וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)

rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה

less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)

Come into being, become

abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come

sq. prep.

become

sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)

sq. pred. adj.

become like

sq. pred. לְ pers.

sq. לְ pred.

oft. c. לְ pred. לְ pers.

with עַל and לְ

sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of

Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming)

exist, be in existence

abide, remain, continue

with word of locality, be in or at a place, be situated, stand, lie

as copula, joining subj. & pred.

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1961 הָיָה fall out, come to pass, become, be .. . . Fall out, happen

. occur, take place, come about, come to pass

. esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass . . וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)

. rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה

. less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)

. Come into being, become . . abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come

. sq. prep.

. become . sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)

. sq. pred. adj.

. become like

. sq. pred. + לְ pers.

. sq. לְ pred.

. oft. c. לְ pred. + לְ pers.

. with עַל and לְ

. sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of

. Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming) . exist, be in existence

. abide, remain, continue

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1961 hayah haw-yaw

a primitive root (compare 1933); to exist, i.e. be or become,

come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or

auxiliary):--beacon, X altogether, be(-come), accomplished,

committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint,

fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit

(one-)self, require, X use.

see HEBREW for 01933

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הָיָה (ha.yah) — to be.

1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out

1a) (Qal)

1a1) ---

1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass

1a1b) to come about, come to pass

1a2) to come into being, become

1a2a) to arise, appear, come

1a2b) to become

1a2b1) to become

1a2b2) to become like

1a2b3) to be instituted, be established

1a3) to be

1a3a) to exist, be in existence

1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time)

1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality)

1a3d) to accompany, be with

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to occur, come to pass, be done, be brought about

1b2) to be done, be finished, be gone

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential perfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqq3ms
if they will belong to a man two wives the one [is] loved and the one [is] hated and they will bear to him sons the loved [one] and the hated [one] and he will belong the son the firstborn to the hated [wife]
הַבֵּ֥ןha.Ben the son H1121 Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
4,943× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word means a son or descendant, and can also refer to a grandson, nation, or quality. It appears in 1 Chronicles 24, describing a Levite named Beno. The word is used to show family relationships and inheritance.
Amplified meaning
male child, heir
Tyndale gloss
son: child
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בֵּן (ben) means 'son' or 'male child' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including descendants, young animals, and even figurative uses like sparks or arrows. It can refer to members of a tribe or class and is used in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, such as in 1 Chronicles 24:26. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to build' and implies a connection to family or lineage.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בֵּן 4870 n.m. son

son, male child, born of a woman

children (male and female)

youth, young men

the young of animals

of plant shoots

fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows

member of a guild, order or class

of animals son of (the) herd

ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.

n. relat. of age

base

בְּנוֹ 1 Ch 24:26, 27 as n.pr.m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son, cf. VB & Be Öt.

done

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1121a בֵּן son . son, male child, born of a woman

. children (male and female)

. youth, young men

. the young of animals

. of plant shoots

. fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows

. . member of a guild, order or class

. of animals son of (the) herd

. ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.

. n. relat. of age

H1121b בְּנוֹ as n. pr. m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1121 ben bane

from 1129; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the

widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship,

including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition,

etc., (like 1, 251, etc.)):--+ afflicted, age, (Ahoh-)

(Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-)ite, (anoint-)ed one, appointed to,

(+) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-)ian, one born,

bough, branch, breed, + (young) bullock, + (young) calf, X

came up in, child, colt, X common, X corn, daughter, X of

first, + firstborn, foal, + very fruitful, + postage, X in, +

kid, + lamb, (+) man, meet, + mighty, + nephew, old, (+)

people, + rebel, + robber, X servant born, X soldier, son, +

spark, + steward, + stranger, X surely, them of, + tumultuous

one, + valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.

see HEBREW for 01129

see HEBREW for 01

see HEBREW for 0251

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בֵּן (ben) — son: child.

: child/son

בְּנוֹ (be.no) — Beno.

A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ch.24.26;

son of: Jaaziah (H3269);

brother of: Shoham (H7719), Zaccur (H2139I) and Ibri (H5681)

§ Beno = "his son"

the sons of Jaaziah and the sons of Merari by Jaahziah (his son)

בֵּן (ben) — son: descendant/people.

: descendant, people, tribe, nation

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

§ : child/son

בֵּן (ben) — son: young animal.

: calf/lamb/young(ANIMAL)

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

§ : descendant

בֵּן (ben) — son: type of.

: rebel/son(Belial)

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

§ : people/men/nation/tribe

בֵּן (ben) — son.

: [inheriting]son/heir

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

בֵּן (ben) — son: warrior.

: warrior/son(strong)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-ms — Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
HTd/Ncmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Smith's Bible Dictionary

The term "son" is used in Scripture language to imply almost any kind of descent or succession, as ben shanah , "son of a year," i.e. a year old; ben kesheth , "son of a bow," i.e. an arrow. The word bar is often found in the New Testament in composition, as Bar-timaeus.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Sometimes denotes a grandson, or any remote descendant, Ge 29:5 2Sa 19:24. At other times a son by adoption is meant, Ge 48:5; or by law, Ru 4:17; or by education, 1Sa 3:6 20:35; or by conversion, as Titus was Paul’s "son father the common faith," Tit 1:4. And again it denotes a mental or moral resemblance, etc., Jud 19:22 Ps 89:6 Isa 57:3 Ac 13:10. In a…

Nave's Topical Bible

→ FIGURATIVE

Of a person' s relation to God Ex 4:22

See ADOPTION

See GOD, FATHERHOOD OF

See JESUS, SON OF GOD

See JESUS, SON OF MAN

if they will belong to a man two wives the one [is] loved and the one [is] hated and they will bear to him sons the loved [one] and the hated [one] and he will belong the son the firstborn to the hated [wife]
הַבְּכ֖וֹרha.be.Khor the firstborn H1060 Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
122× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word refers to the firstborn child or animal, often holding a special status or responsibility. It appears in stories like Genesis and Exodus, highlighting the importance of birth order. The KJV translates it as 'eldest' or 'firstborn'.
Amplified meaning
first in birth order, primary
Tyndale gloss
firstborn
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בְּכוֹר (bekor) means 'first-born' and can refer to both humans and animals. It denotes the eldest son or daughter and can also be used figuratively. The word is derived from a root that emphasizes the concept of being first or chief.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בְּכוֹר 122 n.m. first-born

men and women

animals

figurative

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1060 בְּכוֹר first-born

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1060 bkowr bek-ore'

from 1069; firstborn; hence, chief:--eldest (son),

firstborn(-ling).

see HEBREW for 01069

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בְּכוֹר (be.khor) — firstborn.

1) firstborn, firstling

1a) of men and women

1b) of animals

1c) noun of relation (fig.)

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

Under the law, in memory of the exodus (when the first-born of the Egyptians were slain), the eldest son was regarded as devoted to God, and was in very case to be redeemed by an offering not exceeding five shekels, within one month from birth. If he died before the expiration of thirty days, the Jewish doctors held the father excused, but liable to the payment if he outlived that time. (Exodus 13:12-15,16; Leviticus 27:6) The eldest son received a double portion of the father’s inheritance, (21:17) but not of the mother’s. Under the monarchy the eldest son usually, but no always, as appears in the case of Solomon, succeeded his father in the kingdom. (1 Kings 1:30; 2:22) The male first-born of animals was also devoted to God.…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

This phrase is not always to be understood literally; it is sometimes taken for the prime, most excellent, most distinguished of things, Ps 89:27 Ro 8:29 Heb 1:4-6. Thus Jesus Christ is "the firstborn of every creature," Col 1:15, inasmuch as he was the "Only begotten" of the Father before any creature was produced. He is "the firstborn from the dead," Col 1:18, because he is the beginning, and the author of the resurrection of all who die in faith.

After the destroying angel had slain the firstborn of the Egyptians, God ordained that all the Jewish firstborn, both of men and of beasts for service, should be consecrated to…

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Of man and beast, reserved to himself by God Ex 13:2,12-16; 22:29,30; 34:19,20; Le 27:26; Nu 3:13; 8:17,18; De 15:19-23; Ne 10:36

→ Redemption of Ex 13:13; 34:20; Le 27:27; Nu 3:40-51; 18:15-17

→ Levites taken instead of firstborn of the families of Israel Nu 3:12,40-45; 8:16-18

if they will belong to a man two wives the one [is] loved and the one [is] hated and they will bear to him sons the loved [one] and the hated [one] and he will belong the son the firstborn to the hated [wife]
לַשְּׂנִיאָֽה׃la.se.ni.'Ah to the hated [wife] H8146 Preposition
1× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to be hated or despised, like when Jacob's sons hated Joseph in Genesis 37:4-5. It describes a strong feeling of dislike or hostility towards someone.
Amplified meaning
despised, unwanted
Tyndale gloss
hated
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׂנִיא (saniy') means 'hated' or 'held in aversion.' It is derived from the root found in שָׂנֵא (sane'). The term appears in the context of expressing strong dislike or aversion, specifically noted in Deuteronomy 21:15b.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[שָׂנִיא] adj. hated, held in aversion;—fs. Dt 21:15b

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8146 [שָׂנִיא] hated, held in aversion

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8146 saniy' saw-nee'

from 8130; hated:--hated.

see HEBREW for 08130

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׂנִיא (sa.ni) — hated.

hated, held in aversion

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | Adj — Preposition
HRd/Aafsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

wif.

See MARRIAGE; RELATIONSHIPS, FAMILY.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Wife

The ordinance of marriage was sanctioned in Paradise (Gen. 2:24; Matt. 19:4-6). Monogamy was the original law under which man lived, but polygamy early commenced (Gen. 4:19), and continued to prevail all down through Jewish history. The law of Moses regulated but did not prohibit polygamy. A man might have a plurality of wives, but a wife could have only one husband. A wife’s legal rights (Ex. 21:10) and her duties (Prov. 31:10-31; 1 Tim. 5:14) are specified. She could be divorced in special cases (Deut.…

→ Called

DESIRE OF THE EYES Eze 24:16

→ HELP Ge 2:18,20

→ FRUITFUL VINE Ps 128:3

→ The judgment denounced against Eve Ge 3:16

→ Relation of, to husband Ge 2:18,23,24; 1Co 11:3-12

→ Domestic duties of Ge 18:6; Pr 31:13-27

→ Beloved, by Isaac Ge 24:67

→ Beloved, by Jacob Ge 29:30

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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