Deuteronomy 3:7 — Word Study
WLCוְכָל־ הַבְּהֵמָ֛ה וּשְׁלַ֥ל הֶעָרִ֖ים בַּזּ֥וֹנוּ לָֽנוּ׃
BSABut allkôl [every single thing, everything] the livestockbᵉhêmâh [cattle, animals, beasts] and plundershâlâl [spoils, booty, spoil of the cities] of the citiesʻîyr [towns, settlements] we carried offbâzaz■ [took for ourselves, took as prey]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וְכָל־ | and all | Conjunction, noun common masculine singular construct |
| הַבְּהֵמָ֛ה | the livestock | Particle, noun common feminine singular absolute |
| וּשְׁלַ֥ל | and [the] booty of | Conjunction, noun common masculine singular construct |
| הֶעָרִ֖ים | the cities | Particle, noun common masculine plural absolute |
| בַּזּ֥וֹנוּ | we plundered | Verb, Qal, perfect first person common plural |
| לָֽנוּ׃ | for ourselves | Preposition, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | But all the livestock and plunder of the cities we carried off for ourselves. |
| KJV | But all the cattle, and the spoil of the cities, we took for a prey to ourselves. |
| ASV | But all the cattle, and the spoil of the cities, we took for a prey unto ourselves. |
| YLT | and all the cattle, and the spoil of the cities, we have spoiled for ourselves. |
| WEB | But all the livestock, and the plunder of the cities, we took for plunder for ourselves. |
| BBE | But we took for ourselves all the cattle and the stored wealth of the towns. |
Where they part company is בַּזּ֥וֹנוּ — see How Translations Differ.
The main clause presents the action of plundering, while the noun phrase specifies what was taken and the prepositional phrase clarifies the beneficiaries.
2 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson & more — read them ›
clause
verbבָּזַז
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
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 — Deuteronomy 3:7
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Conquest of the Citiesgenerated
Deuteronomy 3:7 describes the actions of the Israelites after defeating the cities, emphasizing their right to the livestock and plunder. This verse highlights the spoils of war taken from the conquered cities, which were seen as a reward for their efforts in battle. The surrounding verses provide context for the conquest and the total destruction of the enemies, contrasting the destruction with the acquisition of resources.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Deuteronomy 2:35 | We carried off for ourselves only the livestock and the plunder from the cities we captured. |
| 2 | Joshua 8:27 | Israel took for themselves only the cattle and plunder of that city, as the LORD had commanded Joshua. |
| 3 | Joshua 11:11–14 | The Israelites put everyone in Hazor to the sword, devoting them to destruction. Nothing that breathed remained, and Joshua burned down Hazor itself. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 3 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — בַּזּ֥וֹנוּ, ba.Zo.nugenerated
The verb בַּזַּז (bazaz) means to plunder or take by force, often in a context of warfare. It is a Qal perfect form, indicating a completed action by the subjects, in this case, the Israelites. The action of plundering is a significant aspect of their military campaigns, as they took not just lives but also resources.
This word highlights the violence of the act, as it implies a forceful taking rather than a peaceful acquisition. It is used in various contexts throughout the Old Testament to describe the spoils taken in battles, emphasizing the harsh realities of warfare.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verb governing the sentence is בַּזּ֥וֹנוּ, we plundered, which is the main action taken by the subjects. The sentence structure includes several noun phrases: וְכָל־ (and all), הַבְּהֵמָ֛ה (the livestock), וּשְׁלַ֥ל (and the booty), and הֶעָרִ֖ים (the cities), followed by the prepositional phrase לָֽנוּ׃ (for ourselves).
The structure emphasizes the totality of what was taken, with the verb at the center of the action, supported by the various objects that clarify what was plundered.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates בַּזּ֥וֹנוּ with ἐπρονομεύσαμεν, indicating a choice that emphasizes the act of distributing or sharing out the spoils. This choice suggests a broader interpretation of the act of plundering, as it implies not just taking but also the allocation of what was taken.
The Greek term used here reflects a communal aspect of the spoils, which may indicate that the plunder was not only for personal gain but also for the benefit of the community as a whole.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Deuteronomy 3:7 tells us that the Israelites took all the livestock and plunder from the cities after defeating them. This verse highlights their right to claim these resources as part of their victory in battle.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
This indicates that the Israelites claimed everything of value from the defeated cities, which was common practice in ancient warfare.
Livestock and plunder represented wealth and resources that could support the Israelite community, especially after military campaigns.
This verse illustrates the consequences of conquest, where the victors take the spoils, thereby reinforcing their strength and resources.
While the context of warfare has changed, the principles of claiming resources after conflict can still be seen in various forms throughout history.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- How do we understand the ethics of plundering in the context of ancient warfare?
- What lessons can we learn from the Israelites' actions regarding resource acquisition?
- In what ways can we apply the concept of claiming what is rightfully ours in our own lives?
- How does this verse challenge our understanding of victory and spoils in modern contexts?
Commentators on this verse — 2 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Deuteronomy 3:7 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleBut all the cattle, and the spoil of the cities,.... The oxen and sheep, camels and asses; their gold and silver, and the furniture of their houses; their stores of corn, and of other fruits of the
Read John Gill on Deuteronomy 3 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryBut all the cattle, and the spoil of the cities, we took for a prey to ourselves. No JFB commentary on this verse.
Read Robert Jamieson on Deuteronomy 3 →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
But all the livestock and plunder of the cities we carried off for ourselves.
But all the livestock, and the plunder of the cities, we took for plunder for ourselves.
But all the livestock and plunder of the cities we carried off for ourselves.
But all the livestock and plunder from the cities we kept for ourselves.
Tyndale line
But all the cattle, and the spoil of the cities, we took for a prey to ourselves.
But all the cattle, and the spoil of the cities, we took for a prey unto ourselves.
But all the cattle, and the spoil of the cities, we took for a prey unto ourselves.
But all the cattle, and the spoil of the cities, we took for a prey to ourselves.
But all the cattell and the spoyle of the cities we tooke for our selues.
Strictly literal
But all the cattle and the spoil of the cities we took as booty for ourselves.
and all the cattle, and the spoil of the cities, we have spoiled for ourselves.
and all the livestock, and the spoil of the cities, we have spoiled for ourselves.
But all the cattle, and the spoil of the cities, we took as booty to ourselves.
But all the cattle and the spoil of the cities, we took as spoils for ourselves.
From the Latin
But the cattle and the spoils of the cities we took for our prey.
Simplified
But we took for ourselves all the livestock and plunder from the towns.
But we took for ourselves all the cattle and the stored wealth of the towns.
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.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree in the essential wording of the verse, with all six words matched. The Samaritan Pentateuch differs slightly, using בזזנו (we plundered) instead of בַּזּ֥וֹנוּ, which emphasizes the act of plundering directly.
וְכָל־ הַבְּהֵמָ֛ה וּשְׁלַ֥ל הֶעָרִ֖ים בַּזּ֥וֹנוּ לָֽנוּ׃
6 of the 6 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.
וכל הבהמה ושׁלל הערים בזזנו לנו
1 word differs from the Masoretic Text: בזזנו (spoil)
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.
Lexicons — every word in Deuteronomy 3:7
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
כֹּל (kol) means 'all' or 'the whole.' It can refer to totality, including every person or thing, and is often used with a following genitive to specify what is included. The term can also denote a broader sense of everything in existence or all circumstances of life. The lexicons do not show significant disagreement on its meanings.
כֹּל once כּוֹל n.m. the whole, all
with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every
Absolutely:
without the art., all things, all
with the art. הַכֹּל
where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned
in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)
base
H3605 כֹּל once כּוֹל the whole, all . with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every
. Absolutely: . without the art., all things, all
. with the art. הַכֹּל . where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned
. in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)
3605 kol kole
or (Jer. 33:8) kowl {kole}; from 3634; properly, the whole;
hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a
plural sense):--(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any
(manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as
many as, (no-)thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole,
whoso(-ever).
see HEBREW for 03634
כֹּל (kol) — all.
1) all, the whole
1a) all, the whole of
1b) any, each, every, anything
1c) totality, everything
Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)
Conj | N-ms — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular constructHC/Ncmsc
ol: Used in various combinations, and with different meanings.
(1) All along, "Weeping all along as he went" (Jer 41:6), i.e. throughout the whole way he went, feigning equal concern with the men from Shiloh, etc., for the destruction of the Temple, so as to put them off their guard.
(2) All in all, "That God may be all in all" (1Co 15:28, Greek: panta en pasin, "all things in all (persons and) things"). "The universe, with all it comprises, will wholly answer to God's will and reflect His mind" (Dummelow).
בְּהֵמָה (bhemah) refers to a beast or animal, typically denoting domesticated livestock or cattle, and occasionally wild beasts. It is derived from a root that suggests being mute, implying a 'dumb beast.' The term encompasses all living creatures other than humans, with a specific mention of large quadrupeds.
בְּהֵמָה 187 n.f. beast, animal, cattle
of living creatures other than man
opp. also to wild beasts
rarely of wild beasts, esp. carnivora
base
H929 בְּהֵמָה beast, animal, cattle . of living creatures other than man
. opp. also to wild beasts
. rarely of wild beasts, esp. carnivora
929 bhemah be-hay-maw'
from an unused root (probably meaning to be mute); properly,
a dumb beast; especially any large quadruped or animal (often
collective):--beast, cattle.
בְּהֵמָה (be.he.mah) — animal.
1) beast, cattle, animal
1a) beasts (coll of all animals)
1b) cattle, livestock (of domestic animals)
1c) wild beasts
Art | N-fs — Particle · noun common feminine singular absoluteHTd/Ncfsa
שָׁלָל (shalal) refers to prey, spoil, or plunder, often in the context of war. It is derived from the root word שָׁלַל (H7997). The term encompasses various forms of gain, including private plunder and booty. The entries consistently emphasize its association with spoils of war.
שָׁלָל 75 n.m. prey, spoil, plunder, booty
base
H7998 שָׁלָל prey, spoil, plunder, booty
7998 shalal shaw-lawl'
from 7997; booty:--prey, spoil.
see HEBREW for 07997
שָׁלָל (sha.lal) — spoil.
1) prey, plunder, spoil, booty
1a) prey
1b) booty, spoil, plunder (of war)
1c) plunder (private)
1d) gain (meaning uncertain)
Conj | N-ms — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular constructHC/Ncmsc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
The Hebrew word עִיר (*'iyr*) has meanings related to both excitement and city. It can denote excitement, particularly of terror or rage, as well as refer to a city or town, indicating a place that is guarded or inhabited. The entries suggest a broad application, from fortified cities to simple encampments. There is a specific mention of a man named Ir in 1 Chronicles 4:12.
עִיר n.[m.] excitement;—of terror; of rage
base
עִיר 1092 n.f. city, town
city, town, abode of men
of fortress in a city
appar. fortified place, of any size
base
H5892a עִיר excitement;—of terror; of rage H5892b עִיר city, town . city, town, abode of men
. of fortress in a city
. appar. fortified place, of any size
5892 `iyr eer
or (in the plural) par {awr}; or ayar (Judges 10:4)
{aw-yar'}; from 5782 a city (a place guarded by waking or a
watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or
post):--Ai (from margin), city, court (from margin), town.
see HEBREW for 05782
עִיר (ir) — excitement.
1) excitement, anguish
1a) of terror
עִיר (ir) — city.
1) city, town (a place of waking, guarded)
1a) city, town (a place of waking, guarded)
1a) city, town
עִיר (ir) — City (of On).
Combined with on (אֹן "On" H0204)
This name means city, town
Another name of on (אֹן "On" H0204)
עִיר (ir) — Ir-.
#A man of the tribe of Judah living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.4.12;
son of: Tehinnah (H8468)
Art | N-fp — Particle · noun common masculine plural absoluteHTd/Ncmpa
The earliest notice in Scripture of city-building is of Enoch by Cain, in the land of his exile. (Genesis 4:17) After the confusion of tongues the descendants of Nimrod founded Babel, Erech, Accad and Calneh, in the land of Shinar, and Asshur, a branch from the same stock, built Nineveh, Rehoboth-by-the-river, Calah and Resen, the last being "a great city." The earliest description of a city, properly so called, is that of Sodom, (Genesis 19:1-22) Even before the time of Abraham there were cities in Egypt, (Genesis 12:14,15; Numbers 13:22) and the Israelites, during their sojourn there, were employed in building or fortifying the "treasure cities" of Pithom and Raamses.…
בָּזַז (bazaz) is a primitive root meaning to plunder or spoil. It covers actions like robbing, seizing, and being taken as spoil, with forms in Qal (to spoil), Niphal (to be plundered), and Pual (to be taken as spoil). The entries consistently emphasize its focus on acts of taking or seizing by force.
בָּזַז vb. spoil, plunder
Qal spoil
Niph. be spoiled, plundered
Pu. be taken as spoil
base
H962 בָּזַז spoil, plunder
962 bazaz baw-zaz'
a primitive root; to plunder:--catch, gather, (take) for a
prey, rob(-ber), spoil, take (away, spoil), X utterly.
בָּזַז (ba.zaz) — to plunder.
1) to spoil, plunder, prey upon, seize
1a) (Qal) to spoil, plunder, despoil
1b) (Niphal) to be spoiled, plundered
1c) (Pual) to be taken as spoil
V-Qal-Perf-1cp — Verb · Qal · perfect first person common pluralHVqp1cp
נוּ (nu) — us.
Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 1st person plural
HR/Sp1bp — Preposition · suffixHR/Sp1bp