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Deuteronomy 32:38 — Word Study

Depth

WLCאֲשֶׁ֨ר חֵ֤לֶב זְבָחֵ֙ימוֹ֙ יֹאכֵ֔לוּ יִשְׁתּ֖וּ יֵ֣ין נְסִיכָ֑ם יָק֙וּמוּ֙ וְיַעְזְרֻכֶ֔ם יְהִ֥י עֲלֵיכֶ֖ם סִתְרָֽה׃

BSAwhichʼăsher [eating and devouring] ateʼâkal the fatcheleb [the richest part] of their sacrificeszebach [offerings to God] and drankshâthâh the wineyayin [fermented drink] of their drink offeringsnᵉçîyk [libations, ceremonial drinks] Let them rise upqûwm [stand and take action] and help youʻâzar [assist and support] let them give youhâyâh shelterçêther [be your protection, refuge]

Word
Listen & take awayDeuteronomy 32
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 38 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 (sit.Rah) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Deuteronomy 32:38quick helps
In a sentenceThe verse questions the reliability of false gods and challenges them to provide assistance.
Who is speakingMoses, addressing the Israelites and their relationship with God.
Where we areThis verse is part of Moses' song, which reflects on Israel's history and God's faithfulness.
The hard wordחֵלֶב
Take awayThe challenge to false gods emphasizes God's unique power and protection.
6 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbאָכַל The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.

Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.

Deep Study — Deuteronomy 32:38

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 Song of Mosesgenerated

37He will say: “Where are their gods, the rock in which they took refuge,
38which ate the fat of their sacrifices and drank the wine of their drink offerings? Let them rise up and help you; let them give you shelter!
39See now that I am He; there is no God besides Me. I bring death and I give life; I wound and I heal, and there is no one who can deliver from My hand.
40For I lift up My hand to heaven and declare: As surely as I live forever,

Deuteronomy 32:38 is a rhetorical question posed by Moses, highlighting the futility of relying on idols that cannot provide help. He contrasts the false gods with the true God, who is capable of delivering and protecting His people. This verse is part of a larger song that recounts Israel's journey and God's faithfulness to them, reminding them of the consequences of turning away from Him.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Leviticus 21:21No descendant of Aaron the priest who has a defect shall approach to present the offerings made by fire to the LORD. Since he has a defect, he is not to come near to offer the food of his God.
2Psalm 50:13Do I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?
3Ezekiel 16:18–19You took your embroidered garments to cover them, and you set My oil and incense before them.
4Hosea 2:8For she does not acknowledge that it was I who gave her grain, new wine, and oil, who lavished on her silver and gold— which they crafted for Baal.
5Zephaniah 2:11The LORD will be terrifying to them when He starves all the gods of the earth. Then the nations of every shore will bow in worship to Him, each in its own place.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 6 references, hung on the phrase they belong to

let themJudges 10:14

The Key Word חֵלֶב, Che.levgenerated

The Hebrew word חֵלֶב (*cheleb*) refers to fat, representing the richest or best part of something. It is often used in the context of sacrifices, indicating the choicest offerings made to God.

In this verse, it emphasizes the quality of the sacrifices that the false gods are said to consume, underscoring their inability to truly provide for their worshippers.


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 finite verb is יֹאכֵ֔לוּ, they ate, which governs the structure of the verse. It is followed by a series of phrases that describe what the false gods are said to consume and the actions they are challenged to take.

The sentence structure emphasizes the actions of the false gods and the call to rise up and assist, creating a clear contrast between their impotence and God's power.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates חֵלֶב as στέαρ, which carries the meaning of fat but may imply a different cultural understanding of offerings. This choice suggests a focus on the richness of the offerings rather than their sacrificial context.

The Greek word θυσιῶν for זְבָחֵ֙ימוֹ֙ indicates a specific emphasis on sacrifices, aligning with the ritual practices of the time.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Deuteronomy 32:38 challenges the false gods of Israel, asking if they can provide help or shelter. It emphasizes the futility of relying on idols that consume sacrifices but cannot act. This verse is part of a song by Moses that reflects on God's faithfulness and Israel's history.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does Moses mean by 'the fat of their sacrifices'?

Moses refers to the best parts of the offerings made to God, highlighting the quality of what was given to the false gods.

Why does Moses challenge the false gods to help?

He emphasizes their inability to act or provide assistance, contrasting them with the true God who is capable of delivering His people.

What is the significance of the word 'shelter'?

The term 'shelter' indicates protection and refuge, which only God can truly provide, unlike the idols.

How does this verse relate to the overall message of the Song of Moses?

It reinforces the theme of God's uniqueness and power compared to the false gods, reminding Israel of their reliance on Him.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways have I relied on things or people that cannot truly help me?
  2. How can I better recognize and trust in God's provision and protection in my life?
  3. What are some practices I can adopt to ensure I am offering my best to God?
  4. How does understanding the futility of false idols impact my faith?

Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Deuteronomy 32:38 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Which did eat the fat of their sacrifices, [and] drank the wine of their drink offerings,.... Alluding to the fat of the sacrifices under the law, which was claimed by the Lord as his, and

Read John Gill on Deuteronomy 32 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Which did eat the fat of their sacrifices, and drank the wine of their drink offerings? let them rise up and help you, and be your protection.

Read Robert Jamieson on Deuteronomy 32 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

i.e. To whom you offered sacrifices and oblations after the manner of the Gentiles. See . Let them help you, if they can do it. Compare .

Read Matthew Poole on Deuteronomy 32 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Deuteronomy 32:38 Which did eat the fat of their sacrifices, [and] drank the wine of their drink offerings? let them rise up and help you, [and] be your protection.Ver. 38. Which did eat.] Put them to a great deal of charge, but for no profit.

Read John Trapp on Deuteronomy 32 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

38. Let them be a covert above you] So LXX, etc.; Heb. let it.

Read Cambridge on Deuteronomy 32 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

38. Let them rise up — Comp. Jeremiah 2:28 : “But where are thy gods that thou hast made thee? Let them arise, if they can save thee in the time of the trouble.” Men need divine protection.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Deuteronomy 32 →

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

which ate the fat of their sacrifices and drank the wine of their drink offerings? Let them rise up and help you; let them give you shelter!

WEBWorld English Bible2000

which ate the fat of their sacrifices, and drank the wine of their drink offering? Let them rise up and help you! Let them be your protection.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

which ate the fat of their sacrifices and drank the wine of their drink offerings? Let them rise up and help you; let them give you shelter!

NETBNew English Translation2006

who ate the best of their sacrifices, and drank the wine of their drink offerings? Let them rise and help you; let them be your refuge!

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Which did eat the fat of their sacrifices, and drank the wine of their drink offerings? let them rise up and help you, and be your protection.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Which did eat the fat of their sacrifices, And drank the wine of their drink-offering? Let them rise up and help you, Let them be your protection.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Which did eat the fat of their sacrifices, And drank the wine of their drink offering? Let them rise up and help you, Let them be your protection.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Which ate the fat of their sacrifices, and drank the wine of their drink-offerings? let them rise up and help you, and be your protection.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Which did eate the fat of their sacrifices, and did drinke the wine of their drinke offring? let them rise vp, and help you: let him be your refuge.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Who ate the fat of their sacrifices, [And] drank the wine of their drink-offering? Let them rise up and help you, That there may be a protection over you.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Which the fat of their sacrifices do eat, They drink the wine of their libation! Let them arise and help you, Let it be for you a hiding-place!

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Who eat the fat of their sacrifices, || [And] drink the wine of their drink-offering? Let them arise and help you, || Let it be a hiding place for you!

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

They that ate the fat of their sacrifices, and drank the wine of their drink-offerings? let them arise and help you, let them be a protection over you.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

The gods who ate the fat of their sacrifices and drank the wine of their drink offerings? Let them rise up and help you; let them be your protection.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Of whose victims they ate the fat, and drank the wine of their drink offerings: let them arise and help you, and protect you in your distress.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Who ate the fat of your sacrifices and drank the wine of your drink offerings? Have them come and help you; have them come and protect you!

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Who took the fat of their offerings, and the wine of their drink offering? Let them now come to your help, let them be your salvation.

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.

clausenoun phrase · predicaterelpאֲשֶׁ֨רwhichclausenoun phrase · objectחֵ֤לֶבthe.fatnoun phraseזְבָחֵ֨יtheir.sacrificesמוֹ֙theirverbיֹאכֵ֔לוּthey.ateclauseverbיִשְׁתּ֖וּthey.dranknoun phrase · objectיֵ֣יןthe.winenoun phraseנְסִיכָ֑drink-offeringםtheirclauseverbיָק֨וּמוּ֙let.them.ariseוְandclauseverbיַעְזְרֻletobjectכֶ֔םthem.help.youclauseverbיְהִ֥יlet.it.beprepositional phrase · prepositionalעֲלֵיoverכֶ֖םyouobjectסִתְרָֽהa.shelter

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


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

The Masoretic Text is supported by the Septuagint in most parts, but the Samaritan Pentateuch shows variations in specific words, indicating different traditions in the text. The Dead Sea Scrolls reflect some restored words but align closely with the Masoretic Text overall.

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

אֲשֶׁ֨ר חֵ֤לֶב זְבָחֵ֙ימוֹ֙ יֹאכֵ֔לוּ יִשְׁתּ֖וּ יֵ֣ין נְסִיכָ֑ם יָק֙וּמוּ֙ וְיַעְזְרֻכֶ֔ם יְהִ֥י עֲלֵיכֶ֖ם סִתְרָֽה׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
אֲשֶׁ֨רὧνחֵ֤לֶבστέαρזְבָחֵ֙ימוֹ֙θυσιῶνיֹאכֵ֔לוּἠσθίετεיֵ֣יןοἶνονיָק֙וּמוּ֙ἀναστήτωσανוְיַעְזְרֻכֶ֔םὑμῖνעֲלֵיכֶ֖םὑμῖνסִתְרָֽה׃σκεπασταί

9 of the 12 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

אשׁר חלב זבחיהם יאכלו וישׁתו יין נסכם יקומו ויעזרוכם יהיו עליכם סתרה

4 words differ from the Masoretic Text: זבחיהם (sacrifice), נסכם (libation), יעזרוכם (help), יהיו (be)

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q44a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[אשר] חלבי זבחי׳מו [יאכלו] [ישתו] יין [נסיכ׳ם] [יקומו] [ויעזר׳כם] [יהי] [עלי׳כם] [סתרה]

1 word on the leather — 2 partly restored, 9 supplied entire by an editor.

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 32:38אֲשֶׁרwhichwhichאֲשֶׁרחֵ֫לֶב[the] fat o[the] fat ofחֵ֫לֶבזֶ֫בַחsacrifices sacrifices theiזֶ֫בַחאָכַלthey atethey ateאָכַלשָׁתָהthey drankthey drankשָׁתָהיַ֫יִן[the] wine[the] wineיַ֫יִןנָסִיךְdrink-offerdrink-offering נָסִיךְלֵבlet them arlet them ariseלֵבעָזַרand let theand let them heעָזַרהָיָהlet it belet it beהָיָהעַלover youover youעַלסֵ֫תֶרa sheltera shelterסֵ֫תֶרזָבַחto sacrifito sacrificeזָבַחסָתַרto hideto hideסָתַרנָסַךְto pourto pourנָסַךְשָׁקָהto water: to water: waterשָׁקָההָוָאto fallto fallהָוָאעַלheightheightעַלשָׁתָהto drinkto drinkשָׁתָהשֵׁכָרstrong dristrong drinkשֵׁכָרצָוָהto commandto commandצָוָהכִּלְיָהkidneykidneyכִּלְיָהקָטַרto offer: to offer: burnקָטַרשֶׁ֫לֶםpeace offepeace offeringשֶׁ֫לֶםלֶ֫חֶםfoodfoodלֶ֫חֶםיַ֫יִןwinewineיַ֫יִןעִםwithwithעִםכֹּלallallכֹּלנֶ֫דֶרvowvowנֶ֫דֶרעֵדwitnesswitnessעֵד
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 32:38

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.

which [the] fat of sacrifices their they ate they drank [the] wine drink-offering their let them arise and let them help you let it be over you a shelter
אֲשֶׁ֨ר'a.Sher which H834 Particle
5,500× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word is a conjunction that connects ideas and events in the Bible, like in the book of Genesis, where it's used to describe the relationship between God and His creation.
Amplified meaning
eating and devouring
Tyndale gloss
which
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

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

base

בַאֲשֶׁר

in (that) which

adv. in (the place) where

conj. in that, inasmuch as

on account of whom?

base

מֵאֲשֶׁר

from (or than) that which

adv. from (the place) where

conj. from (the fact) that …, since

base

כַּאֲשֶׁר conj. according as, as, when

according to that which, according as, as

with a causal force, in so far as, since

with a temporal force, when

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

. adv. in (the place) where

. conj. in that, inasmuch as

. on account of whom?

H834c מֵאֲשֶׁר . from (or than) that which

. adv. from (the place) where

. conj. from (the fact) that …, since

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

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

. with a temporal force, when

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

834 'aher ash-er'

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

indeclinable, it is often accompanied by the personal pronoun

expletively, used to show the connection.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֲשֶׁר (a.sher) — which.

A: 1) (relative part.)

1a) which, who

1b) that which

2) (conj)

2a) that (in obj clause)

2b) when

2c) since

2d) as

2e) conditional if

B: Beth+ 1) in (that) which

2) (adv)

2a) where

3) (conj)

3a) in that, inasmuch as

3b) on account of

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

2) from (the place) where

3) from (the fact) that, since

D: Kaph+

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

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

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

1c) with a temporal force: when

בַאֲשֶׁר (ba.a.sher) — in which.

1) in (that) which

2) (adv)

2a) where

3) (conj)

3a) in that, inasmuch as

3b) on account of

מֵאֲשֶׁר (me.a.sher) — whence.

1) from (or than) that which

2) from (the place) where

3) from (the fact) that, since

כַּאֲשֶׁר (ka.a.sher) — as which.

conj

1) according as, as, when

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

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Rel — Particle
HTr
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
which [the] fat of sacrifices their they ate they drank [the] wine drink-offering their let them arise and let them help you let it be over you a shelter
חֵ֤לֶבChe.lev [the] fat of H2459 Noun common · masculine singular construct
92× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, cheleb refers to fat, whether literal or figurative, representing the richest or best part of something. It can describe the choicest products of the land or the best of human or animal fat. This term is used to convey abundance and richness.
Amplified meaning
the richest part
Tyndale gloss
fat
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חֵ֫לֶב (cheleb) means fat, referring to both human and animal fat, as well as the choicest parts of agricultural products. It conveys the idea of richness or abundance, highlighting the best or finest portions. The entries consistently emphasize its literal and figurative uses, but do not provide specific verse references.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חֵ֫לֶב n.m. fat

fat of human body

fat of beasts

choicest, best part of products of land

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2459 חֵ֫לֶב fat . fat of human body

. fat of beasts

. choicest, best part of products of land

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2459 cheleb kheh'-leb

or cheleb {khay'-leb}; from an unused root meaning to be fat;

fat, whether literally or figuratively; hence, the richest or

choice part:--X best, fat(-ness), X finest, grease, marrow.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חֵ֫לֶב (che.lev) — fat.

1) fat

1a) fat (of humans)

1b) fat (of beasts)

1c) choicest, best part, abundance (of products of the land)

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

ov:

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

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

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

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

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

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

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

Lamentations 3:1.

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

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

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

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

which [the] fat of sacrifices their they ate they drank [the] wine drink-offering their let them arise and let them help you let it be over you a shelter
זְבָחֵ֙ימוֹ֙ze.va.Chei.mov sacrifices their H2077 Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
162× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A sacrifice refers to the act of offering an animal's flesh to God, such as in the sacrifices of righteousness or the Passover. This term encompasses various types of sacrifices, including thank offerings and covenant sacrifices. The KJV translates it as 'offer' or 'sacrifice'.
Amplified meaning
offerings to God
Tyndale gloss
sacrifice
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

זֶ֫בַח (zebach) means 'sacrifice' and is derived from a root meaning 'to slaughter.' It encompasses various types of sacrifices, including those for feasts, covenant sacrifices, and thank offerings. The term appears in contexts related to both the God of Israel and other deities, indicating its broad use in ritual practices.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

זֶ֫בַח 162 n.m. sacrifice

general name for all sacrifices eaten at feasts

of the God of Israel

of other deities

there are several kinds which are gradually distinguished

the covenant sacrifice, between Jacob and Laban

the passover

annual sacrifice

thank offering

in ritual of H & P

the slaughter of hostile nations

the verb used

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2077 זֶ֫בַח sacrifice

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2077 zebach zeh'-bakh

from 2076; properly, a slaughter, i.e. the flesh of an

animal; by implication, a sacrifice (the victim or the

act):--offer(- ing), sacrifice.

see HEBREW for 02076

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

זֶ֫בַח (ze.vach) — sacrifice.

1) sacrifice

1a) sacrifices of righteousness

1b) sacrifices of strife

1c) sacrifices to dead things

1d) the covenant sacrifice

1e) the passover

1f) annual sacrifice

1g) thank offering

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
HNcmpc/Sp3mp
which [the] fat of sacrifices their they ate they drank [the] wine drink-offering their let them arise and let them help you let it be over you a shelter
יֹאכֵ֔לוּyo.Khe.lu they ate H398 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine plural
810× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to eat or devour, and it's used in many stories, including when Jesus fed the 5000 with fish and bread in the book of Matthew. It's about taking in nourishment and being satisfied.
Tyndale gloss
to eat
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָכַל (akal) means 'to eat' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including literal consumption by humans and animals, as well as figurative uses like devouring by fire or destruction. It can describe actions such as feeding or causing to eat, and it also appears in contexts of oppression and destruction. The verb has various forms, indicating different subjects and nuances.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָכַל 806 vb. eat

Qal

eat, human subject

of beasts, birds, etc., eat, devour

fig. of fire, devour, consume

of sword, devour, slay

in genl., devour, consume, destroy

fig. of oppression, devour the poor

Niph.

be eaten by man

be devoured by fire, consumed

be wasted, destroyed, of flesh

Pu. be consumed

Hiph.

cause to eat, feed with

cause to devoure, obj. sword

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H398 אָכַל eat .. eat, human subject

. of beasts, birds, etc., eat, devour

. fig. of fire, devour, consume

. of sword, devour, slay

. in genl., devour, consume, destroy

. fig. of oppression, devour the poor

. . be eaten by man

. be devoured by fire, consumed

. be wasted, destroyed, of flesh

. be consumed

. . cause to eat, feed with

. cause to devoure, obj. sword

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

398 'akal aw-kal'

a primitive root; to eat (literally or figuratively):--X at

all, burn up, consume, devour(-er, up), dine, eat(-er, up),

feed (with), food, X freely, X in...wise(-deed, plenty), (lay)

meat, X quite.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָכַל (a.khal) — to eat.

1) to eat, devour, burn up, feed

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to eat (human subject)

1a2) to eat, devour (of beasts and birds)

1a3) to devour, consume (of fire)

1a4) to devour, slay (of sword)

1a5) to devour, consume, destroy (inanimate subjects - ie, pestilence, drought)

1a6) to devour (of oppression)

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be eaten (by men)

1b2) to be devoured, consumed (of fire)

1b3) to be wasted, destroyed (of flesh)

1c) (Pual)

1c1) to cause to eat, feed with

1c2) to cause to devour

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to feed

1d2) to cause to eat

1e) (Piel)

1e1) consume

Aramaic equivalent: a.khal (אֲכַל "to devour" H0399)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine plural
HVqi3mp
which [the] fat of sacrifices their they ate they drank [the] wine drink-offering their let them arise and let them help you let it be over you a shelter
יִשְׁתּ֖וּyish.Tu they drank H8354 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine plural
217× 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 drink, and it's used in many ways, like drinking from a cup or feasting. It's also used to describe being drunk or taking part in a big celebration. We see it in stories like the Last Supper in Matthew 26:27.
Tyndale gloss
to drink
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׁתָה (shathah) means 'to drink' and can refer to both literal drinking and figurative uses, such as feasting or experiencing God's wrath. It is a primitive root that appears in various forms, including Qal and Niphal, indicating actions like drinking and being drunk. The lexicons note its connection to the Aramaic equivalent שְׁתָה (she.tah), but do not present significant disagreements.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁתָה 217 vb. drink

Qal 216

Niph. all which is (may be) drunk

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8354 שָׁתָה drink

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8354 shathah shaw-thaw'

a primitive root; to imbibe (literally or figuratively):--X

assuredly, banquet, X certainly, drink(-er, -ing), drunk

(X -ard), surely. (Prop. intensive of 8248.)

see HEBREW for 08248

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁתָה (sha.tah) — to drink.

1) to drink

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to drink

1a1a) of drinking cup of God's wrath, of slaughter, of wicked deeds (fig)

1a2) to feast

1b) (Niphal) to be drunk

Aramaic equivalent: she.tah (שְׁתָה "to drink" H8355)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine plural
HVqi3mp
which [the] fat of sacrifices their they ate they drank [the] wine drink-offering their let them arise and let them help you let it be over you a shelter
יֵ֣יןyein [the] wine H3196 Noun common · masculine singular construct
141× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for wine, 'yayin', refers to fermented wine and its effects, including intoxication. It is often mentioned in the Bible in the context of banquets and feasts, such as in the book of Esther.
Amplified meaning
fermented drink
Tyndale gloss
wine
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יַ֫יִן (yayin) means 'wine' and is associated with fermentation and intoxication. It appears in various contexts, including banqueting. The word is derived from an unused root that suggests the idea of effervescence.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יַ֫יִן 141 n.m. wine

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3196 יַ֫יִן wine

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3196 yayin yah'-yin

from an unused root meaning to effervesce; wine (as

fermented); by implication, intoxication:--banqueting, wine,

wine(-bibber).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יַ֫יִן (ya.yin) — wine.

wine

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular construct
HNcmsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Wine

The common Hebrew word for wine is yayin, from a root meaning “to boil up,” “to be in a ferment.” Others derive it from a root meaning “to tread out,” and hence the juice of the grape trodden out. The Greek word for wine is oinos_, and the Latin _vinun. But besides this common Hebrew word, there are several others which are thus rendered.

(1.) Ashishah (2 Sam. 6:19; 1 Chr. 16:3; Cant. 2:5; Hos. 3:1), which, however, rather denotes a solid cake of pressed grapes, or, as in the Revised Version, a cake of raisins.

(2.) ‘Asis, “sweet wine,” or “new wine,” the product of the same year (Cant. 8:2;

The manufacture of wine is carried back in the Bible to the age of Noah, (Genesis 9:20,21) to whom the discovery of the process is apparently, though not explicitly, attributed. The natural history and culture of the vine are described under a separate head. [VINE] The only other plant whose fruit is noticed as having been converted into wine was the pomegranate. (Solomon 8:2) In Palestine the vintage takes place in September, and is celebrated with great rejoicing. The ripe fruit was gathered in baskets, (Jeremiah 6:9) as represented in Egyptian paintings, and was carried to the wine-press. It was then placed in the upper one of the two vats or receptacles of which the winepress was formed, and was subjected to the process of "treading," which has prevailed in all ages in Oriental…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The vine being natural to the soil of Canaan and its vicinity, wine was much used as a beverage, especially at festivals, Es 1:7 5:6 Da 5:1-4 Joh 2:3. As one of the staple products of the Holy Land, it was employed for drink-offerings in the temple service, Ex 20:26 Nu 15:4-10; it was included among the "first-fruits," De 18:4, and was used in the celebration of the Passover, and subsequently of the Lord’s supper, Mt 26:27-29. Together with corn and oil it denoted all temporal supplies,

→ Made from grapes Ge 40:11; 49:11; Isa 25:6; Jer 40:1,12

→ From pomegranates So 8:2

→ Kept in jars Jer 13:12; 48:12

→ In skins (R. V.) Jos 9:4,13; Job 32:19; Mt 9:17; Lu 5:37,38

→ In bottles Jos 9:4,13; Job 32:19; Jer 13:12; 48:12;

which [the] fat of sacrifices their they ate they drank [the] wine drink-offering their let them arise and let them help you let it be over you a shelter
נְסִיכָ֑םne.si.Kham drink-offering their H5257 Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
6× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word refers to a prince or leader, often one who has been anointed with oil. It is used in the Bible to describe leaders like Saul and David, who were anointed as kings of Israel. The concept of a prince is also seen in the Messiah, who is referred to as the anointed one.
Amplified meaning
libations, ceremonial drinks
Tyndale gloss
libation
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נָסִיךְ (nasiyk) has two primary meanings: it can refer to a libation or drink offering, as well as a molten image. Additionally, it denotes a prince or anointed one. The word is derived from a root meaning something poured out, indicating its connection to offerings and leadership.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[נָסִיךְ] n.m. 1. libation; 2. molten image

wine of their drink-offering

molten image

base

[נָסִיךְ] n.m. prince

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5257a נָסִיךְ . libation

. molten image

H5257b נָסִיךְ prince

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5257 nciyk nes-eek'

from 5258; properly, something poured out, i.e. a libation;

also a molten image; by implication, a prince (as

anointed):--drink offering, duke, prince(-ipal).

see HEBREW for 05258

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָסִיךְ (ne.sikh) — libation.

1) poured out, libation, molten image

1a) libation, drink-offering

1b) molten image

נָסִיךְ (ne.sikh) — prince.

prince, anointed one

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HNcmsc/Sp3mp
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
which [the] fat of sacrifices their they ate they drank [the] wine drink-offering their let them arise and let them help you let it be over you a shelter
יָק֙וּמוּ֙ya.Ku.mu let them arise H6965 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine plural
628× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Qum means to rise or stand up, used in various contexts like rising to power or standing firm, as seen in Jeremiah and Ezra.
Amplified meaning
stand and take action
Tyndale gloss
(Leb)-kamai
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word קוּם (qum) is a primitive root meaning 'to rise' and encompasses a range of actions such as standing, becoming powerful, and establishing. It can imply a sudden or hostile rise, as well as the act of fulfilling or confirming something. The entries also note various grammatical forms, indicating its use in different contexts, including raising up or causing to stand.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לֵב קָמָי prob. late Atbash Je 51:1.

ref

קוּם 628 vb. arise, stand up, stand

Qal 460

arise

arise, in hostile sense (oft. with idea of suddenness)

arise, abs., = become powerful

arise = come on the scene, appear, of leader, prophet

arise for, i.e. to become

arise for action

arise (out of inaction), introducing some specific deed

esp. arise = start, make a move, to go somewhere

stand

Pi.

fulfil

confirm, ratify

confirm, establish

impose, an obligation

Pō‛l. raise up

Hithpō‛l. raise oneself, = rise up

Hiph.

146cause to arise, raise

raise, set up, stones

erect, build

fig, of setting up law

raise up = bring on the scene

raise up = rouse, stir up

instigate, build

fig, of setting up law

raise up = constitute

cause to stand

Hoph. be raised up

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6965a לֵב קָמָי prob. late Atbash H6965b קוּם arise, stand up, stand .. arise

. arise, in hostile sense (oft. with idea of suddenness)

. arise, abs., = become powerful

. arise = come on the scene, appear, of leader, prophet

. arise for, i.e. to become

. . arise for action

. arise (out of inaction), introducing some specific deed

. esp. arise = start, make a move, to go somewhere

. stand

. . fulfil

. . confirm, ratify

. confirm, establish

. impose, an obligation

. raise up

. raise oneself, = rise up

. . cause to arise, raise

. . raise, set up, stones

. erect, build

. fig, of setting up law

. raise up = bring on the scene

. . raise up = rouse, stir up

. instigate, build

. fig, of setting up law

. raise up = constitute

. cause to stand

. be raised up

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6965 quwm koom

a primitive root; to rise (in various applications, literal,

figurative, intensive and causative):--abide, accomplish, X

be clearer, confirm, continue, decree, X be dim, endure, X

enemy, enjoin, get up, make good, help, hold, (help to) lift

up (again), make, X but newly, ordain, perform, pitch, raise

(up), rear (up), remain, (a-)rise (up) (again, against), rouse

up, set (up), (e-)stablish, (make to) stand (up), stir up,

strengthen, succeed, (as-, make) sure(-ly), (be) up(-hold, -

rising).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קָמָי (qa.may) — (Leb)-kamai.

Combined with lev (לֵב "Leb" H3820B)

§ -Kamai = "my adversary"

Leb-kamai, i.e., people of Gambulai

קוּם (qum) — to arise: rise.

: rise/get_going

1) to rise, arise, stand, rise up, stand up

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to arise

1a2) to arise (hostile sense)

1a3) to arise, become powerful

1a4) to arise, come on the scene

1a5) to stand

1a5a) to maintain oneself

1a5b) to be established, be confirmed

1a5c) to stand, endure

1a5d) to be fixed

1a5e) to be valid

1a5f) to be proven

1a5g) to be fulfilled

1a5h) to persist

1a5i) to be set, be fixed

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to fulfil

1b2) to confirm, ratify, establish, impose

1c) (Polel) to raise up

1d) (Hithpael) to raise oneself, rise up

1e) (Hiphil)

1e1) to cause to arise, raise

1e2) to raise, set up, erect, build

1e3) to raise up, bring on the scene

1e4) to raise up, rouse, stir up, investigate

1e5) to raise up, constitute

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Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine plural
HVqi3mp
which [the] fat of sacrifices their they ate they drank [the] wine drink-offering their let them arise and let them help you let it be over you a shelter
וְיַעְזְרֻכֶ֔םve.ya'.ze.ru.Khem and let them help you H5826 Conjunction · verb qal third person masculine plural · suffix
81× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To help or aid is the meaning of this Hebrew word, used to describe God's protection or assistance. It is used in the Psalms to express trust in God's help and in the book of Exodus to describe God's aid to the Israelites.
Amplified meaning
assist and support
Tyndale gloss
to help
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עָזַר (azar) is a Hebrew verb meaning to help or succour. It is built from a primitive root that conveys the idea of surrounding or protecting. The entries indicate its use in various forms: Qal (to help), Niphal (to be helped), and Hiphil (to help). The word captures the essence of providing support or aid.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[עָזַר] 82 vb. help, succour

Qal help

Niph. I am helped

Hiph. v. Qal.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5826 [עָזַר] help, succour

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5826 `azar aw-zar'

a primitive root; to surround, i.e. protect or aid:--help,

succour.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עָזַר (a.zar) — to help.

1) to help, succour, support

1a) (Qal) to help

1b) (Niphal) to be helped

1c) (Hiphil) to help

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-Imperf-3mp | Suff — Conjunction · verb qal third person masculine plural · suffix
HC/Vqu3mp/Sp2mp
which [the] fat of sacrifices their they ate they drank [the] wine drink-offering their let them arise and let them help you let it be over you a shelter
יְהִ֥יye.Hi let it be H1961 Verb · Qal · jussive 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.

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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-Juss-3ms — Verb · Qal · jussive third person masculine singular
HVqj3ms
which [the] fat of sacrifices their they ate they drank [the] wine drink-offering their let them arise and let them help you let it be over you a shelter
עֲלֵיכֶ֖ם'a.lei.Khem over you H5921 Preposition · suffix
5,774× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means on or above something, like a physical object or a situation. It can also imply a sense of responsibility or accountability, as in being on behalf of someone.
Tyndale gloss
upon
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עַל (*al*) is a preposition meaning 'upon' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including 'on account of,' 'beside,' 'above,' and 'against.' It can indicate physical placement, emotional burdens, or duties imposed on a person. The entries also note its use in idiomatic expressions and with verbs of motion. There is a mention of its function as a conjunction in certain contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

base

עַל, עָ֑ל

subst. height

As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against

Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed

of clothing, etc., which any one wears

With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it

Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him

Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him

על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him

חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)

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Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5921a עַל, עָ֑ל . As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against . Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed . — . of clothing, etc., which any one wears

. With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it

. Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him

. Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him

. על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him

. חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)

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Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5921 `al al

properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the

singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a

particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always

in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great

variety of applications (as follow):--above, according

to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because

of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both

and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in

(that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-)on, over, than,

through(-out), to, touching, X with.

see HEBREW for 05920

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עַל (al) — upon.

prep

1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against

1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards

1b) above, beyond, over (of excess)

1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence)

1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition)

1e) over (of suspension or extension)

1f) by, adjoining, next, at, over, around (of contiguity or proximity)

1g) down upon, upon, on, from, up upon, up to, towards, over towards, to, against (with verbs of motion)

1h) to (as a dative)

[כִּי] עַל [כֵּן] ([ki] al [ken]) — as.

conj

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Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HRd/Sp2mp — Preposition · suffix
HRd/Sp2mp
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
which [the] fat of sacrifices their they ate they drank [the] wine drink-offering their let them arise and let them help you let it be over you a shelter
סִתְרָֽה׃sit.Rah a shelter H5643 Noun common · feminine singular absolute
36× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a shelter or covering, like a place to hide. It can also mean protection, as in Psalm 18:11 where God is a shelter from danger.
Amplified meaning
be your protection, refuge
Tyndale gloss
secrecy
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

סֵ֫תֶר (se.ter) refers to concepts of covering, hiding, and secrecy, encompassing both literal and figurative meanings. It can denote a hiding place or shelter, as well as the idea of secrecy, including slanderous speech. The feminine form, סִתְרָה (sit.rah), specifically means shelter or protection, with a reference to Deuteronomy 32:38.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

סֵ֫תֶר n.[m.] covering, hiding-place, secrecy

base

סִתְרָה n.f. shelter, protection, De 32:38

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5643a סֵ֫תֶר covering, hiding-place, secrecy H5643b סִתְרָה shelter, protection

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5643 cether say'-ther

or (feminine) cithrah (Deut. 32:38), {sith-raw'}; from 5641;

a cover (in a good or a bad, a literal or a figurative

sense):--backbiting, covering, covert, X disguise(-th),

hiding place, privily, protection, secret(-ly, place).

see HEBREW for 05641

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

סֵ֫תֶר (se.ter) — secrecy.

1) covering, shelter, hiding place, secrecy

1a) covering, cover

1b) hiding place, shelter, secret place

1c) secrecy

1c1) secrecy (of tongue being slanderous)

סִתְרָה (sit.rah) — shelter.

shelter, protection

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absolute
HNcfsa
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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