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Esther 6:7 — Word Study

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WLCוַיֹּ֥אמֶר הָמָ֖ן אֶל־ הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ אִ֕ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֥ר הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ חָפֵ֥ץ בִּיקָרֽוֹ׃

BSAAnd HamanHâmân [the powerful Persian official] toldʼâmar the kingmelek For the manʼîysh [a male person, an individual] whomʼăsher the kingmelek [the royal person, a ruler] is delightedchâphêts to honoryᵉqâr [takes pleasure in, has delight in his preciousness]

Word
Listen & take awayEsther 6
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 7 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (bi.ka.Ro) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Esther 6:7quick helps
In a sentenceHaman speaks to the king about a man deserving honor.
Who is speakingHaman, a Persian official, addressing the king.
Where we areIn the midst of Haman's plot against Mordecai.
The hard wordחָפֵץ
Take awayHaman reveals his own ambition while suggesting honor for another.
4 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, Cambridge & more — read them › clause subjectהָמָן verbאָמַר 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 — Esther 6:7

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 — Haman's Plot Against Mordecaigenerated

6Haman entered, and the king asked him, “What should be done for the man whom the king is delighted to honor?” Now Haman thought to himself, “Whom would the king be delighted to honor more than me?”
7And Haman told the king, “For the man whom the king is delighted to honor,
8have them bring a royal robe that the king himself has worn and a horse on which the king himself has ridden—one with a royal crest placed on its head.
9Let the robe and the horse be entrusted to one of the king’s most noble princes. Let them array the man the king wants to honor and parade him on the horse through the city square, proclaiming before him, ‘This is what is done for the man whom the king is delighted to honor!’”

Esther 6:7 captures Haman's conversation with the king, where he suggests how to honor a man, unaware that he is actually referring to Mordecai, whom he despises. This moment is pivotal as it sets the stage for Haman's downfall and Mordecai's elevation, illustrating the irony in Haman's intentions.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Esther 6:9–11Let the robe and the horse be entrusted to one of the king’s most noble princes. Let them array the man the king wants to honor and parade him on the horse through the city square, proclaiming before him, ‘This is what is done for the man whom the king is delighted to honor!’”

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 1 reference, hung on the phrase they belong to

whom the king, etcEsther 6:9–11

The Key Word חָפֵץ, cha.Fetzgenerated

The verb חָפֵץ (cha.Fetz) means to delight in or take pleasure in something. It conveys a sense of favor or inclination towards a person or action, highlighting the emotional aspect of honor.

In this context, it indicates the king's pleasure in honoring someone, which Haman is keen to exploit for his own gain. The parsing as a perfect tense verb indicates a completed action, suggesting that the king has already made a decision to honor the man in question.


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 יֹּ֥אמֶר (he said) governs the sentence, with a noun phrase הָמָ֖ן (Haman) as the subject. The structure reveals Haman's direct speech to the king about another man.

The sentence is built around Haman's declaration, with the prepositional phrase אֶל־ הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ (to the king) indicating the direction of his speech, and the clause אִ֕ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֥ר הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ חָפֵ֥ץ בִּיקָרֽוֹ (whom the king is delighted to honor) providing the context of his suggestion.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates יֹּ֥אמֶר as εἶπεν (he said), indicating a direct correspondence in meaning. This choice reflects a straightforward rendering of Haman's speech.

The translation of חָפֵץ as θέλει (he desires) suggests a slight nuance, emphasizing the king's intention rather than simply his delight.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Esther 6:7 shows Haman telling the king about a man whom he believes deserves honor. Haman is unaware that he is speaking about Mordecai, the very man he wishes to destroy. This moment highlights Haman's ambition and the irony of his situation.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does Haman mean by 'the man whom the king is delighted to honor'?

Haman is referring to himself, thinking he will receive honor, but he is actually describing Mordecai.

Why is Haman so eager to suggest honoring someone?

Haman seeks to elevate his own status and eliminate Mordecai, whom he sees as a threat.

What does the king's delight in honoring someone indicate?

It shows the king's power to bestow honor and the significance of recognition in the royal court.

How does this moment set the stage for future events in Esther?

It foreshadows Haman's downfall and Mordecai's rise, highlighting the theme of divine justice.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. How do I respond when I see someone else being honored instead of myself?
  2. What can I learn from Haman's ambition and its consequences?
  3. In what ways do I seek recognition or honor in my own life?
  4. How can I ensure that my actions align with humility rather than pride?

Commentators on this verse — 4 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Esther 6:7 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

And Haman answered the king,.... At once, being very prompt to suggest the honours he hoped to have done to himself: for the man whom the king delighteth to honour; let the following things be done.

Read John Gill on Esther 6 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And Haman answered the king, For the man whom the king delighteth to honour, No JFB commentary on this verse.

Read Robert Jamieson on Esther 6 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Esther 6:7 And Haman answered the king, For the man whom the king delighteth to honour,Ver. 7. And Haman answered the king] After a short pause, he had his answer ready; but making a bridge of his own shadow, he soon fell into the brook. Ambition rideth without reins, and like those horses, Amos 6:11 runneth upon the rocks, where first she breaks her hoofs, and then her neck. It seemeth, by that which followeth, that Haman aspired to the kingdom: why, else did he ask the crown royal, and the kings horse? &c. When David would declare Solomon his successor in the kingdom, he set him upon his own mule, 1 Kings 1:33. But Haman little thought that his high hopes should end in a rope. So did…

Read John Trapp on Esther 6 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

7. For the man etc.] lit. The man etc., the broken character of the sentence shewing Haman’s eagerness and excitement.

Read Cambridge on Esther 6 →

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

And Haman told the king, “For the man whom the king is delighted to honor,

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Haman said to the king, “For the man whom the king delights to honor,

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

And Haman told the king, “For the man whom the king is delighted to honor,

NETBNew English Translation2006

So Haman said to the king, “For the man whom the king wishes to honor,

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And Haman answered the king, For the man whom the king delighteth to honour,

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And Haman said unto the king, For the man whom the king delighteth to honor,

RVARevised Version, American1894

And Haman said unto the king, For the man whom the king delighteth to honour,

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And Haman answered the king, For the man whom the king delighteth to honor,

GNVGeneva Bible1599

And Haman answered the King, The man whome the King would honour,

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And Haman answered the king, For the man whom the king delights to honour,

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And Haman saith unto the king, 'The man in whose honour the king hath delighted,

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And Haman says to the king, “The man in whose honor the king has delighted,

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Haman therefore said to the king, [For] the man whom the king desireth to honor,

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Haman said to the king, “For the man whom the king takes pleasure in honoring,

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Answered: The man whom the king desireth to honour,

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

So Haman said to the king, “A man whom the king wants to honor

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And Haman, answering the king, said, For the man whom the king has delight in honouring,

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.

וַandclauseverbיֹּ֥אמֶרhe.saidsubjectהָמָ֖ןHamanprepositional phrase · prepositionalאֶלtonoun phraseהַtheמֶּ֑לֶךְkingclausenoun phraseאִ֕ישׁa.manrelpאֲשֶׁ֥רwhomclausenoun phrase · subjectהַtheמֶּ֖לֶךְkingverbחָפֵ֥ץhe.delightsprepositional phrase · prepositionalבִּinnoun phraseיקָרֽhonorוֹhis

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


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

The Masoretic Text (MT) of Esther 6:7 reads, "וַיֹּ֥אמֶר הָמָ֖ן אֶל־ הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ אִ֕ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֥ר הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ חָפֵ֥ץ בִּיקָרֽוֹ׃" which translates to, "And Haman told the king, 'For the man whom the king is delighted to honor.' The Septuagint (LXX) has a word-by-word correspondence with the MT for 7 of the 9 words, indicating a significant level of agreement, although the exact wording and order may differ in the Greek translation. The Samaritan Pentateuch and the Dead Sea Scrolls do not provide additional variants for this verse, thus reinforcing the consistency found in the MT and LXX.

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

וַיֹּ֥אמֶר הָמָ֖ן אֶל־ הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ אִ֕ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֥ר הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ חָפֵ֥ץ בִּיקָרֽוֹ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיֹּ֥אמֶרεἶπενאֶל־πρὸςהַמֶּ֑לֶךְβασιλέαאִ֕ישׁἄνθρωπονאֲשֶׁ֥רὃνהַמֶּ֖לֶךְβασιλεὺςחָפֵ֥ץθέλει

7 of the 9 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.


The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

Esther 6:7אָמַרand he saidand he saidאָמַרהָמָןHamanHamanהָמָןאֶלtotoאֶלמֶ֫לֶךְthe kingthe kingמֶ֫לֶךְאִישׁa mana manאִישׁאֲשֶׁרwhomwhomאֲשֶׁרמֶ֫לֶךְthe kingthe kingמֶ֫לֶךְחָפֵץhe delightshe delightsחָפֵץיְקָרin honor hiin honor hisיְקָרמָלַךְto reignto reignמָלַךְיָקַרbe precioube preciousיָקַראֱנוֹשׁhumanhumanאֱנוֹשׁאִשָּׁהwomanwomanאִשָּׁהנְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּרNebuchadneNebuchadnezzarנְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּראַשּׁוּרAsshurAsshurאַשּׁוּרכֹּהthusthusכֹּהיהוהYHWH/GodYHWH/GodיהוההַמְּדָתָאHammedathaHammedathaהַמְּדָתָאאֲגָגִיAgagiteAgagiteאֲגָגִיפָּלַלto prayto prayפָּלַליִרְמְיָ֫הJeremiahJeremiahיִרְמְיָ֫הרֵעַneighborneighborרֵעַצָוָהto commandto commandצָוָהיְקָרpreciousnepreciousnessיְקָרדַּ֫עַתknowledgeknowledgeדַּ֫עַתגְּדוּלָּהgreatnessgreatnessגְּדוּלָּהמָשַׁלto likento likenמָשַׁל
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 Esther 6:7

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

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

and he said Haman to the king a man whom the king he delights in honor his
וַיֹּ֥אמֶרvai.Yo.mer and he said H559 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
5,309× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to say or speak, and it's used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to command, promise, or think, and it's translated in the KJV as 'answer', 'appoint', or 'command'.
Tyndale gloss
to say
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָמַר 5287 vb. utter, say

Qal

Say

Say in the heart (= think)

Promise

Command (esp. late)

Niph. be said, told

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

Hithp. act proudly, boast

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H559 אָמַר utter, say .. Say

. Say in the heart (= think)

. Promise

. Command (esp. late)

. be said, told

. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

. act proudly, boast

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

559 'amar aw-mar'

a primitive root; to say (used with great

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

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

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

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

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

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

utter, X verily, X yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָמַר (a.mar) — to say.

1) to say, speak, utter

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

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

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

1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he said Haman to the king a man whom the king he delights in honor his
הָמָ֖ןha.Man Haman H2001 Noun proper masculine
54× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Haman was a powerful Persian official who opposed the Jews, as told in the book of Esther. He was the son of Hammedatha and the enemy of Mordecai, and his story is a significant part of the biblical narrative.
Amplified meaning
the powerful Persian official
Tyndale gloss
Haman
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הָמָן (Haman) refers to a Persian vizier known for his role as an antagonist in the Book of Esther. He is described as the son of Hammedatha and married to Zeresh, and he plotted against the Jews, ultimately facing execution. The name Haman is derived from a term meaning 'magnificent.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הָמָן n.pr.m. Haman, favourite of Ahasuerus

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2001 הָמָן

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2001 Haman haw-mawn'

of foreign derivation; Haman, a Persian vizier:--Haman.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הָמָן (ha.man) — Haman.

A man living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at Est.3.1;

son of: Hammedatha (H4099); married to Zeresh (H2238);

father of: Parshandatha (H6577), Dalphon (H1813), Aspatha (H0630), Poratha (H6334), Adalia (H0118), Aridatha (H0743), Parmashta (H6534), Arisai (H0747), Aridai (H0742), Vaizatha (H2055)

§ Haman = "magnificent"

chief minister of Ahasuerus, enemy of Mordecai and the Jews, who plotted to kill the Jews but, being foiled by Esther, was hanged, with his family, on the gallows he had made for Mordecai

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

ha'-man (haman; Haman): A Persian noble and vizier of the empire under Xerxes. He was the enemy of Mordecai, the cousin of Esther. Mordecai, being a Jew, was unable to prostrate himself before the great official and to render to him the adoration which was due to him in accordance with Persian custom. Haman's wrath was so inflamed that one man's life seemed too mean a sacrifice, and he resolved that Mordecai's nation should perish with him. This was the cause of Haman's downfall and death. A ridiculous notion, which, though widely accepted, has no better foundation than a rabbinic suggestion or guess, represents him as a descendant of Agag, the king of Amalek, who was slain by Samuel. But the language of Scripture (1Sa 15:33) indicates that when Agag fell, he was the last of his house. Besides, why should his descendants, if any…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Haman

(of Persian origin), magnificent, the name of the vizier (i.e., the prime minister) of the Persian king Ahasuerus (Esther 3:1, etc.). He is called an “Agagite,” which seems to denote that he was descended from the royal family of the Amalekites, the bitterest enemies of the Jews, as Agag was one of the titles of the Amalekite kings. He or his parents were brought to Persia as captives taken in war. He was hanged on the gallows which he had erected for Mordecai the Jew (Esther 7:10). (See ESTHER.)

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(magnificent), the chief minister or vizier of King Ahasuerus. (Esther 3:1) (B.C. 473.) After the failure of his attempt to cut off all the Jews in the Persian empire, he was hanged on the gallows which he had erected for Mordecai. The Targum and Josephus interpret the inscription of him--the Agagite --as signifying that he was of Amalekitish descent. The Jews hiss whenever his name is mentioned on the day of Purim.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A favorite of Ashasuerus, king of Persia. In order to revenge himself upon Mordecai the Jew, he plotted the extermination of all the Jews in the kingdom; but in the providence of God he as thwarted by Esther, fell into disgrace with the king, and wrought his own ruin and the upbuilding of the Jews. He is called an Agaite; and as Agag was a common name of the Amalekite kings, the Jews believe he was of that race. This would help to explain his malice against the Jews. See AMALEKITES. Similar wholesale slaughters are still plotted in Asia, and the whole narrative is confirmed and illustrated by the descriptions of eastern life furnished by modern travellers in the same region. The death of Haman took place about 485 B. C. His eventful history shows that pride goes before destruction; that the providence of God directs all things; that his people are safe in the midst of perils; and that…

and he said Haman to the king a man whom the king he delights in honor his
אֶל־'el- to H413 Preposition
5,518× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means 'to' or 'toward', showing direction or movement. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus, to indicate where someone is going. The KJV translates it in various ways, like 'about', 'according to', or 'against'.
Tyndale gloss
to(wards)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph),

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

Where the limit is actually entered, into

Of direction towards anything

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

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

Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

Of rule or standard according to (rare)

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

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

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

. Where the limit is actually entered, into

. Of direction towards anything

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

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

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

. Of rule or standard according to (rare)

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

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

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

413 'el ale

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

a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but

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

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

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

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

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

with(-in).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶל (el) — to(wards).

1) to, toward, unto (of motion)

2) into (limit is actually entered)

2a) in among

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

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

5) in addition to, to

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

7) according to (rule or standard)

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

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR — Preposition
HR
and he said Haman to the king a man whom the king he delights in honor his
הַמֶּ֑לֶךְha.Me.lekh the king H4428 Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
2,526× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a king or royal person, like King David or King Saul. It can also describe something related to a king, like the King's Valley in Genesis. The Bible often uses this word to talk about the rulers of Israel.
Tyndale gloss
King's
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word מֶ֫לֶךְ (*melek*) means 'king.' It is derived from a root that suggests royalty. The term appears in various contexts, including references to specific kings and locations, such as the 'King's Highway' in Numbers 20:17 and the 'King's Valley' in Genesis 14:17. The lexicons note its Aramaic equivalent and mention its use in the context of individuals like Hammelech in Jeremiah.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מֶ֫לֶךְ 2513 n.m. king

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4428 מֶ֫לֶךְ king

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4428 melek meh'-lek

from 4427; a king:--king, royal.

see HEBREW for 04427

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — king.

1) king

Aramaic equivalent: me.lekh (מֶ֫לֶךְ "king" H4430)

הַמֶּלֶךְ (me.lekh) — `the king`.

'the king' or a name, Hammelech in KJV of Jer.36.26; 38.6- a man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at Jer.36.26;

father of: Jerahmeel (H3396I) and Malchijah (H4441H); also translated "the king";

§ A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at Jer.36.26;

father of: Jerahmeel (H3396I) and Malchijah (H4441H); also translated "the king";

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — King's.

King's (Highway) (Num.20.17)

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — King's.

Another name of she.lach (שֶׁ֫לַח "Shelah" H7975A)

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — Milcom.

Another name of mo.lekh (מֹ֫לֶךְ "Molech" H4432)

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — King's.

King's (Valley) (Gen.14.17)

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

King

Is in Scripture very generally used to denote one invested with authority, whether extensive or limited. There were thirty-one kings in Canaan (Josh. 12:9, 24), whom Joshua subdued. Adonibezek subdued seventy kings (Judg. 1:7). In the New Testament the Roman emperor is spoken of as a king (1 Pet. 2:13, 17); and Herod Antipas, who was only a tetrarch, is also called a king (Matt. 14:9; Mark 6:22).

This title is applied to God (1 Tim. 1:17), and to Christ, the Son of God (1 Tim. 6:15, 16;

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Called KING OF KINGS Ezr 7:12; Eze 26:7; Da 2:37

→ Divinely authorized De 17:15; 1Sa 9:16,17; 16:12; 1Ch 22:10; 2Ch 2:11,12; Pr 8:15; Da 2:21,37; 4:17; 5:20; Ho 8:4; 13:11

→ How chosen

By divine appointment, Saul 1Sa 10:1

and he said Haman to the king a man whom the king he delights in honor his
אִ֕ישׁ'ish a man H376 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
a male person, an individual
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
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
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
and he said Haman to the king a man whom the king he delights in honor his
אֲשֶׁ֥ר'a.Sher whom H834 Particle
5,500× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word is a conjunction that connects ideas and events in the Bible, like in the book of Genesis, where it's used to describe the relationship between God and His creation.
Tyndale gloss
which
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

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

base

בַאֲשֶׁר

in (that) which

adv. in (the place) where

conj. in that, inasmuch as

on account of whom?

base

מֵאֲשֶׁר

from (or than) that which

adv. from (the place) where

conj. from (the fact) that …, since

base

כַּאֲשֶׁר conj. according as, as, when

according to that which, according as, as

with a causal force, in so far as, since

with a temporal force, when

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

. adv. in (the place) where

. conj. in that, inasmuch as

. on account of whom?

H834c מֵאֲשֶׁר . from (or than) that which

. adv. from (the place) where

. conj. from (the fact) that …, since

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

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

. with a temporal force, when

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

834 'aher ash-er'

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

indeclinable, it is often accompanied by the personal pronoun

expletively, used to show the connection.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֲשֶׁר (a.sher) — which.

A: 1) (relative part.)

1a) which, who

1b) that which

2) (conj)

2a) that (in obj clause)

2b) when

2c) since

2d) as

2e) conditional if

B: Beth+ 1) in (that) which

2) (adv)

2a) where

3) (conj)

3a) in that, inasmuch as

3b) on account of

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

2) from (the place) where

3) from (the fact) that, since

D: Kaph+

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

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

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

1c) with a temporal force: when

בַאֲשֶׁר (ba.a.sher) — in which.

1) in (that) which

2) (adv)

2a) where

3) (conj)

3a) in that, inasmuch as

3b) on account of

מֵאֲשֶׁר (me.a.sher) — whence.

1) from (or than) that which

2) from (the place) where

3) from (the fact) that, since

כַּאֲשֶׁר (ka.a.sher) — as which.

conj

1) according as, as, when

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

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Rel — Particle
HTr
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he said Haman to the king a man whom the king he delights in honor his
הַמֶּ֖לֶךְha.Me.lekh the king H4428 Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
2,526× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a king or royal person, like King David or King Saul. It can also describe something related to a king, like the King's Valley in Genesis. The Bible often uses this word to talk about the rulers of Israel.
Amplified meaning
the royal person, a ruler
Tyndale gloss
King's
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word מֶ֫לֶךְ (*melek*) means 'king.' It is derived from a root that suggests royalty. The term appears in various contexts, including references to specific kings and locations, such as the 'King's Highway' in Numbers 20:17 and the 'King's Valley' in Genesis 14:17. The lexicons note its Aramaic equivalent and mention its use in the context of individuals like Hammelech in Jeremiah.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מֶ֫לֶךְ 2513 n.m. king

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4428 מֶ֫לֶךְ king

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4428 melek meh'-lek

from 4427; a king:--king, royal.

see HEBREW for 04427

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — king.

1) king

Aramaic equivalent: me.lekh (מֶ֫לֶךְ "king" H4430)

הַמֶּלֶךְ (me.lekh) — `the king`.

'the king' or a name, Hammelech in KJV of Jer.36.26; 38.6- a man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at Jer.36.26;

father of: Jerahmeel (H3396I) and Malchijah (H4441H); also translated "the king";

§ A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at Jer.36.26;

father of: Jerahmeel (H3396I) and Malchijah (H4441H); also translated "the king";

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — King's.

King's (Highway) (Num.20.17)

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — King's.

Another name of she.lach (שֶׁ֫לַח "Shelah" H7975A)

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — Milcom.

Another name of mo.lekh (מֹ֫לֶךְ "Molech" H4432)

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — King's.

King's (Valley) (Gen.14.17)

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

King

Is in Scripture very generally used to denote one invested with authority, whether extensive or limited. There were thirty-one kings in Canaan (Josh. 12:9, 24), whom Joshua subdued. Adonibezek subdued seventy kings (Judg. 1:7). In the New Testament the Roman emperor is spoken of as a king (1 Pet. 2:13, 17); and Herod Antipas, who was only a tetrarch, is also called a king (Matt. 14:9; Mark 6:22).

This title is applied to God (1 Tim. 1:17), and to Christ, the Son of God (1 Tim. 6:15, 16;

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Called KING OF KINGS Ezr 7:12; Eze 26:7; Da 2:37

→ Divinely authorized De 17:15; 1Sa 9:16,17; 16:12; 1Ch 22:10; 2Ch 2:11,12; Pr 8:15; Da 2:21,37; 4:17; 5:20; Ho 8:4; 13:11

→ How chosen

By divine appointment, Saul 1Sa 10:1

and he said Haman to the king a man whom the king he delights in honor his
חָפֵ֥ץcha.Fetz he delights H2654 Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singular
74× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to be pleased with something or someone. In the Bible, it describes God's delight in his people and their desire to follow him, like in Psalm 51.
Tyndale gloss
to delight in
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חָפֵץ (chaphets) is a Hebrew verb meaning to delight in or take pleasure in something. It can refer to both human desire and divine pleasure, indicating a sense of inclination or favor. The word is also noted to mean to bend down, though this usage is rare. The entries suggest a range of meanings focused on desire and pleasure.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חָפֵץ vb. delight in

base

[חָפַץ] vb. bend down—only Qal Jb 40:17

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2654a חָפֵץ delight in H2654b חָפֵץ bend down

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2654 chaphets khaw-fates'

a primitive root; properly, to incline to; by implication

(literally but rarely) to bend; figuratively, to be pleased

with, desire:--X any at all, (have, take) delight, desire,

favour, like, move, be (well) pleased, have pleasure, will,

would.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חָפֵץ (cha.phets) — to delight in.

1) to delight in, take pleasure in, desire, be pleased with

1a) (Qal)

1a1) of men

1a1a) to take pleasure in, delight in

1a1b) to delight, desire, be pleased to do

1a2) of God

1a2a) to delight in, have pleasure in

1a2b) to be pleased to do

חָפַץ (ch.ph) — to sway.

1) to move, bend down

1a) (Qal) to bend down

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-3ms — Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singular
HVqp3ms
and he said Haman to the king a man whom the king he delights in honor his
בִּיקָרֽוֹ׃bi.ka.Ro in honor his H3366 Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
17× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word refers to the state of being precious or valuable, and can also mean wealth or dignity. It is used in the Bible to describe something of great worth or honor.
Amplified meaning
takes pleasure in, has delight in his preciousness
Tyndale gloss
preciousness
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יְקָר (yqar) refers to concepts of value and preciousness, encompassing meanings such as wealth, costliness, honour, and dignity. It is derived from a root associated with value and is used in various contexts to denote things that are esteemed or costly. The Aramaic equivalent is also noted, which shares similar meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יְקָר n.m. preciousness, price, honour

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3366 יְקָר

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3366 yqar yek-awr'

from 3365; value, i.e. (concretely) wealth; abstractly,

costliness, dignity:--honour, precious (things), price.

see HEBREW for 03365

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יְקָר (ye.qar) — preciousness.

1) price, value, preciousness, honour, splendour, pomp

1a) preciousness

1b) price

1c) honour, esteem

Aramaic equivalent: ye.qar (יְקָר "honor" H3367)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms | Suff — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hiz: Used often in the King James Version with reference to a neuter or inanimate thing, or to a lower animal (Ge 1:11, "after his kind"; Le 1:16, "pluck away his crop"; Ac 12:10, "of his own accord"; 1Co 15:38, "his own body"), etc. the Revised Version (British and American) substitutes "its."

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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