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Exodus 15:24 — Word Study

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WLCוַיִּלֹּ֧נוּ הָעָ֛ם עַל־ מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹ֖ר מַה־ נִּשְׁתֶּֽה׃

BSASo the peopleʻam [murmured, complained] grumbledlûwn againstʻal MosesMôsheh sayingʼâmar Whatmâh [shall we have, are we to have] are we to drinkshâthâh [to quench our thirst, for refreshment]

Word
Listen & take awayExodus 15
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 24 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 (nish.Teh) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Exodus 15:24quick helps
In a sentenceThe people complained to Moses about their lack of drink.
Who is speakingThe Israelites, expressing their discontent.
Where we areAt Marah, where the water was bitter.
The hard wordוַיִּלֹּ֧נוּ
Take awayThe people's grumbling highlights their dissatisfaction and need.
6 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, AdamClarke & more — read them › clause verbלוּן 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 — Exodus 15:24

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 Bitter Water at Marahgenerated

23And when they came to Marah, they could not drink the water there because it was bitter. (That is why it was named Marah.)
24So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What are we to drink?”
25And Moses cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a log. And when he cast it into the waters, they were sweetened. There the LORD made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there He tested them,
26saying, “If you will listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your God, and do what is right in His eyes, and pay attention to His commands, and keep all His statutes, then I will not bring on you any of the diseases I inflicted on the Egyptians. For I am the LORD who heals you.”

Exodus 15:24 describes the moment when the Israelites, after leaving Egypt, encountered bitter water at Marah. In their distress, they turned to Moses with complaints about their thirst, showing their lack of faith in God's provision. This event illustrates the ongoing struggles of the Israelites during their journey to the Promised Land, as they faced various challenges and tests of faith.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Exodus 14:11They said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us into the wilderness to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt?
2Exodus 16:2–8And there in the desert they all grumbled against Moses and Aaron.
3Exodus 17:3–4But the people thirsted for water there, and they grumbled against Moses: “Why have you brought us out of Egypt—to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?”
4Numbers 11:1–6Soon the people began to complain about their hardship in the hearing of the LORD, and when He heard them, His anger was kindled, and fire from the LORD blazed among them and consumed the outskirts of the camp.
5Numbers 14:1–4Then the whole congregation lifted up their voices and cried out, and that night the people wept.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 15 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word לוּן, vai.yi.Lo.nugenerated

The verb לוּן (luwn) means to grumble or complain, reflecting a negative attitude of discontent. It is used in the Niphal form here, indicating that the action is done by the people rather than to them.

This word carries a strong connotation of dissatisfaction and stubbornness, as the Israelites express their grievances against Moses. It is a common term in the narrative of their journey, highlighting their struggles with trust in God's provision.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

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


Sentence Structuregenerated

The finite verb וַיִּלֹּ֧נוּ governs the main clause, with a noun phrase as the subject and a prepositional phrase indicating the object of their complaint. The structure emphasizes the action of grumbling as the central focus of the verse.

The syntax shows a straightforward expression of discontent, with the people directly addressing Moses about their need for water, which is critical to understanding their plight.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates לוּן with διεγόγγυζενthey grumbled. This choice reflects a similar nuance of dissatisfaction, aligning closely with the Hebrew meaning but also suggesting a more continuous action.

This translation choice indicates a consistent interpretation of the people's complaints, emphasizing their ongoing discontent during their journey.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Exodus 15:24 tells us that the people of Israel complained to Moses about the bitter water they found at Marah, asking what they would drink. This reflects their struggle and need for faith in God’s provision during their journey.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that the people grumbled against Moses?

It indicates their dissatisfaction with their circumstances and a lack of faith in God's provision.

Why were the waters at Marah bitter?

The waters were bitter, making them undrinkable, which led to the people's complaints.

What was Moses' role in this situation?

Moses was the leader who the people turned to when they faced difficulties, showing their reliance on him.

How does this event reflect the Israelites' journey?

It highlights the ongoing challenges and tests of faith they faced as they traveled to the Promised Land.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways do I express dissatisfaction in my own life, similar to the Israelites?
  2. How can I learn to trust in God's provision during difficult times?
  3. What role do leaders play in addressing the concerns of their communities?
  4. How can I support others who are struggling with their faith or circumstances?

Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Exodus 15:24 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

And the people murmured against Moses,.... For bringing them into a wilderness where they could find no water fit to drink; saying: what shall we drink? what shall we do for drink? where can we drink?

Read John Gill on Exodus 15 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink? No JFB commentary on this verse.

Read Robert Jamieson on Exodus 15 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Exodus 15:24 And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?Ver. 24. Murmured against Moses.] He must bear the blame of all. Public persons are sure to have an ill life of it. Qui vitaverit culpam, non effugit infamiam. Seneca.

Read John Trapp on Exodus 15 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 24. The people murmured] They were in a state of great mental degradation, owing to their long and oppressive vassalage, and had no firmness of character. See Clarke on Exodus 13:17.

Read AdamClarke on Exodus 15 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

24. murmured] as Exodus 16:2; Exodus 16:7-8, Exodus 17:3, Numbers 14:2; Numbers 14:27; Numbers 14:29; Numbers 14:36; Numbers 16:11; Numbers 16:41; Numbers 17:5, Joshua 9:18†. Cf. ‘murmurings,’ Exodus 16:7-9; Exodus 16:12, Numbers 14:27; Numbers 17:5; Numbers 17:10†.

Read Cambridge on Exodus 15 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

24. Murmured against Moses — Burckhardt says that nothing is more common than to hear such complaints from Egyptian peasants and servants who travel in the Arabian deserts.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Exodus 15 →

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

So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What are we to drink?”

WEBWorld English Bible2000

The people murmured against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?”

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What are we to drink?”

NETBNew English Translation2006

So the people murmured against Moses, saying, “What can we drink?”

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?

RVARevised Version, American1894

And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Then the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drinke?

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And the people murmur against Moses, saying, 'What do we drink?'

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And the people murmur against Moses, saying, “What do we drink?”

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

So the people complained to Moses and said, “What can we drink?”

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And the people murmured against Moses, saying: What shall we drink?

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

So the people complained to Moses, asking, “What are we going to drink?”

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And the people, crying out against Moses, said, What are we to have for drink?

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.

וַandclauseverbיִּלֹּ֧נוּthey.grumblednoun phrase · subjectהָtheעָ֛םpeopleprepositional phrase · prepositionalעַלonמֹשֶׁ֥הMosesprepositional phrase · prepositionalלֵּ(cmp)clauseverbאמֹ֖רsayingclauseobjectמַהwhat?verbנִּשְׁתֶּֽהwill.we.drink

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


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

The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree closely in wording, with all seven words matched. However, the Samaritan Pentateuch differs slightly, using the word ילן (lodge) instead of וַיִּלֹּ֧נוּ, which shifts the focus from grumbling to lodging.

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

וַיִּלֹּ֧נוּ הָעָ֛ם עַל־ מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹ֖ר מַה־ נִּשְׁתֶּֽה׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיִּלֹּ֧נוּδιεγόγγυζενהָעָ֛םλαὸςעַל־ἐπὶמֹשֶׁ֥הμωυσῆνלֵּאמֹ֖רλέγοντεςמַה־τίנִּשְׁתֶּֽה׃πιόμεθα

7 of the 7 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

וילן העם על משׁה לאמר מה נשׁתה

1 word differs from the Masoretic Text: ילן (lodge)

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q22a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[וילנו] [העם] [על] [משה] [לאמור] מה נשתה

2 words on the leather — 5 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.

Exodus 15:24לוּןand they grand they grumblלוּןעַםthe peoplethe peopleעַםעַלononעַלמֹשֶׁהMosesMosesמֹשֶׁהאָמַרsayingsayingאָמַרמָהwhat?what?מָהשָׁתָהwill we driwill we drinkשָׁתָהעָמַםto darkento darkenעָמַםמָשָׁהto drawto drawמָשָׁהעַלheightheightעַלשָׁקָהto water: to water: waterשָׁקָהלַ֫יְלָהnightnightלַ֫יְלָהעֵדָהcongregaticongregationעֵדָהכִּפֶּרto atoneto atoneכִּפֶּרכִּסֵּאthronethroneכִּסֵּאאַהֲרֹןAaronAaronאַהֲרֹןצָוָהto commandto commandצָוָהכֹּהthusthusכֹּהיהוהYHWH/GodYHWH/Godיהוהכָּ֫כָהthusthusכָּ֫כָהפָּעַלto workto workפָּעַלשֵׁכָרstrong dristrong drinkשֵׁכָריַ֫יִןwinewineיַ֫יִן
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 Exodus 15:24

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 they grumbled the people on Moses saying what? will we drink
וַיִּלֹּ֧נוּvai.yi.Lo.nu and they grumbled H3885 Verb · Niphal · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
84× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To grumble or complain, this word describes a negative attitude of discontent or murmuring. It is used in the Bible to describe people who are unhappy or stubborn.
Tyndale gloss
to lodge
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

לוּן (luwn) is a Hebrew verb meaning to lodge or pass the night, and it can also imply abiding or remaining. It has a negative connotation when referring to murmuring or complaining. The word can be used in various forms, including Qal, Hiphil, and Hithpalpel, indicating different nuances of lodging and grumbling.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לוּן, לִין vb. lodge, pass the night, fig. abide

Qal

lodge, pass the night

fig. abide, remain

Hiph. cause to rest, lodge

Hithpalp. dwell, abide, of eagle

base

[לוּן] vb. murmur

Niph. murmur against

Hiph. murmur; cause to murmur

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3885a לוּן, לִין lodge, pass the night, fig. abide H3885b לוּן murmur

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3885 luwn loon

or liyn {leen}; a primitive root; to stop (usually over

night); by implication, to stay permanently; hence (in a bad

sense) to be obstinate (especially in words, to

complain):--abide (all night), continue, dwell, endure,

grudge, be left, lie all night, (cause to) lodge (all night,

in, -ing, this night), (make to) murmur, remain, tarry (all

night, that night).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לוּן (lun) — to lodge.

1) to lodge, stop over, pass the night, abide

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to lodge, pass the night

1a2) to abide, remain (fig.)

1b) (Hiphil) to cause to rest, lodge

1c) (Hithpalpel) to dwell, abide

לוּן (lun) — to grumble.

1) to grumble, complain, murmur

1a) (Niphal) to grumble, murmur

1b) (Hiphil) to complain, cause to grumble

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Niphal-ConsecImperf-3mp — Verb · Niphal · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
Hc/VNw3mp
and they grumbled the people on Moses saying what? will we drink
הָעָ֛םha.'Am the people H5971 Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
1,873× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A people or nation is what this Hebrew word represents, like the nation of Israel in Exodus 33:13. It can also mean a tribe, troops, or attendants, and is used to describe a group of people gathered together. The word is often used to refer to the people of God.
Amplified meaning
murmured, complained
Tyndale gloss
Amaw
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עַם (am) primarily means 'people' or 'nation,' referring to a collective group, often in the context of tribes such as those of Israel. It can also denote kinsmen or compatriots. The term appears in various contexts, including military and familial references. There is a mention of a specific individual named Ammi in Song of Solomon 6:12.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עַם, עָם 1810 n.m. people

a people, nation

= smaller units

= common people

people in gen., persons

phrases

base

[עַם] n.[m.] kinsman (on father's side)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5971a עַם, עָם people H5971b עַם kinsman (on father's side)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5971 `am am

from 6004; a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a

tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or

attendants; figuratively, a flock:--folk, men, nation,

people.

see HEBREW for 06004

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עַם (am) — people.

: people/nation

1) nation, people

1a) people, nation

1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men

עַם (am) — kinsman.

kinsman, kindred

עַם (am) — Ammi.

A man living at the time of United Monarchy, only mentioned at Sng.6.12

§ kinsman, kindred

עַם (am) — People's (Gate).

§ kinsman, kindred

עַם (am) — (Ibleam)-am.

Combined with yiv.le.am (יִבְלְעָם "Ibleam" H2991)

§ kinsman, kindred

עַם (am) — Amaw.

This name means nation, people

עַם (am) — people: soldiers.

: soldiers/army

1) nation, people

1a) people, nation

1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men

עַם (am) — people: creatures.

: creatures

1) nation, people

1a) people, nation

1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men

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

pe'-p'-l: In English Versions of the Bible represents something over a dozen Hebrew and Greek words. Of these, in the Old Testament, `am, is overwhelmingly the most common (about 2,000 times), with le'om, and goy, next in order; but the various Hebrew words are used with very little or no difference in force (e.g. Pr 14:28; but, on the other hand, in Ps 44 contrast verses 12 and 14). Of the changes introduced by the Revised Version (British and American) the only one of significance (cited explicitly in the Preface to the English Revised Version) is the frequent use of the plural "peoples" (strangely avoided in the King James Version except Re 10:11; 17:15), where other nations than Israel are in question. So, for instance, in Ps…

and they grumbled the people on Moses saying what? will we drink
עַל־'al- on H5921 Preposition
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)

Read the full entry →
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)

Read the full entry →
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

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Preposition
HR
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

On

Light; the sun, (Gen. 41:45, 50), the great seat of sun-worship, called also Bethshemesh (Jer. 43:13) and Aven (Ezek. 30:17), stood on the east bank of the Nile, a few miles north of Memphis, and near Cairo, in the north-east. The Vulgate and the LXX. Versions have “Heliopolis” (“city of the sun”) instead of On in Genesis and of Aven in Ezekiel. The “city of destruction” Isaiah speaks of (19:18, marg. “of Heres;” Heb. ‘Ir-ha-heres, which some MSS. read Ir-ha-heres, i.e., “city of the sun”) may be the name given to On, the prophecy being that the time will come when that city which was known as the “city of the sun-god” shall become the “city of destruction” of the sun-god, i.e., when idolatry shall cease, and the worship…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(abode or city of the sun), a town of lower Egypt, called BETH-SHEMESH in (Jeremiah 43:13) On is better known under its Greek name Heliopolis. It was situated on the east side of the Pelusiac branch of the Nile, just below the point of the Delta, and about twenty miles northeast of Memphis. The chief object of worship at Heliopolis was the sun, whose temple, described by Strabo, is now only represented by the single beautiful obelisk, of red granite so feet 2 inches high above the pedestal which has stood for more than 4000 years, having been erected by Usirtesen, the second king of the twelfth dynasty. Heliopolis was anciently famous for its learning, and Eudoxus and Plato studied under its priests. The first mention of this place in the Bible is in the history of Joseph, to whom we read Pharaoh gave "to wife Asenath the daughter…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

See HELIOPOLIS.

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

pain; force; iniquity

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and they grumbled the people on Moses saying what? will we drink
מֹשֶׁ֥הmo.Sheh Moses H4872 Noun proper masculine
766× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Moses, the Israelite leader, was born to Amram and Jochebed and led the Exodus from Egypt. He received the law from God and is considered a key figure in the Bible. Moses means 'drawn' in Hebrew.
Tyndale gloss
Moses
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מֹשֶׁה (Mosheh) refers to Moses, the prominent Hebrew leader, prophet, and lawgiver. The name is derived from the root meaning 'drawing out,' indicating his rescue from water. He is a key figure in the Old Testament, first mentioned in Exodus 2:10, and is known for leading the Israelites during the Exodus.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מֹשֶׁה 767 n.pr.m. Moses, the great Hebrew leader, prophet and lawgiver

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4872 מֹשֶׁה Moses, the great Hebrew leader, prophet and lawgiver

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4872 Mosheh mo-sheh'

from 4871; drawing out (of the water), i.e. rescued; Mosheh,

the Israelite lawgiver:--Moses.

see HEBREW for 04871

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מֹשֶׁה (mo.sheh) — Moses.

A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Exo.2.10;

son of: Amram (H6019) and Jochebed (H3115);

brother of: Aaron (H0175) and Miriam (H4813); married to Zipporah (H6855);

father of: Gershom (H1647) and Eliezer (H0461H); also called Manasseh at Jdg.18.30(?)

§ Moses = "drawn"

the prophet and lawgiver, leader of the exodus

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

mo'-zez, mo'-ziz (mosheh; Egyptian mes, "drawn out," "born"; Septuagint Mouse(s)). The great Hebrew national hero, leader, author, law-giver and prophet.

I. LIFE

1. Son of Levi

2. Foundling Prince

3. Friend of the People

4. Refuge in Midian

5. Leader of Israel

II. WORK AND CHARACTER

1. The Author

2. The Lawgiver

3. The Prophet

LITERATURE

The traditional view of the Jewish church and of the Christian church, that Moses was a person and that the narrative with which his life-story is interwoven is real history, is in the main sustained by commentators and critics of all classes.

It is needless to mention the old writers among whom these questions were hardly under discussion. Among the advocates of the current radical criticism may be mentioned Stade and Renan, who minimize the historicity of the Bible narrative at this point. Renan thinks the narrative "may be very probable." Ewald, Wellhausen…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Moses

Drawn (or Egypt. mesu, “son;” hence Rameses, royal son). On the invitation of Pharaoh (Gen. 45:17-25), Jacob and his sons went down into Egypt. This immigration took place probably about 350 years before the birth of Moses. Some centuries before Joseph, Egypt had been conquered by a pastoral Semitic race from Asia, the Hyksos, who brought into cruel subjection the native Egyptians, who were an African race. Jacob and his retinue were accustomed to a shepherd’s life, and on their arrival in Egypt were received with favour by the king, who assigned them the “best of the land”, the land of Goshen, to dwell in. The Hyksos or “shepherd” king who thus showed favour to Joseph and his family was in all probability the Pharaoh Apopi (or Apopis).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(Heb. Mosheh , "drawn," i.e. from the water; in the Coptic it means "saved from the water"), the legislator of the Jewish people, and in a certain sense the founder of the Jewish religion. The immediate pedigree of Moses is as follows: Levi was the father of: Gershon -- Kohath -- Merari Kohath was the father of: Amram = Jochebed Amram = Jochebed was the father of: Hur = Miriam -- Aaron = Elisheba -- Moses = Zipporah Aaron = Elisheba was the father of: Nadab -- Abihu -- Eleazar -- Ithamar Eleazar was the father of: Phineas Moses = Zipporah was the father of: Gershom -- Eliezer Gershom was the father of: Jonathan The history of Moses naturally divides itself into three periods of 40 years each. Moses was born at Goshen, In Egypt, B.C. 1571. The story of his birth is thoroughly Egyptian in its scene. His mother made extraordinary efforts for his preservation from the general destruction of…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The name of the illustrious prophet and legislator of the Hebrews, who led them from Egypt to the Promised Land. Having been originally imposed by a native Egyptian princess, the word is no doubt Egyptian in its origin, and Josephus gives its true derivation—from the two Egyptian words, MO, water, and USE, saved. With this accords the Septuagint form, MOUSES. The Hebrews by a slight change accommodated it to their own language, as they did also in the case of some other foreign words; calling it MOSHIE, from the verb MASHA, to draw. See Ex 2:10. Moses was born about 15.71 B. C., the son of Amram and Jochebed, of the tribe of Levi, and the younger brother of Miriam and Aaron. His history is too extensive to permit insertion here, and in general too well known to need it. It is enough simply to remark, that it is divided into three…

and they grumbled the people on Moses saying what? will we drink
לֵּאמֹ֖רle.Mor saying H559 Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
5,309× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to say or speak, and it's used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to command, promise, or think, and it's translated in the KJV as 'answer', 'appoint', or 'command'.
Tyndale gloss
to say
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָמַר 5287 vb. utter, say

Qal

Say

Say in the heart (= think)

Promise

Command (esp. late)

Niph. be said, told

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

Hithp. act proudly, boast

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H559 אָמַר utter, say .. Say

. Say in the heart (= think)

. Promise

. Command (esp. late)

. be said, told

. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

. act proudly, boast

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

559 'amar aw-mar'

a primitive root; to say (used with great

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

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

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

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

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

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

utter, X verily, X yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָמַר (a.mar) — to say.

1) to say, speak, utter

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

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

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

1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a — Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
HR/Vqcc
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and they grumbled the people on Moses saying what? will we drink
מַה־mah- what? H4100 Pronoun
753× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means what or how, often used to ask questions or express surprise, like in Genesis when God asks Adam what he has done. It can also mean why or when, and is used in various ways throughout the Old Testament. It appears in many KJV translations, including how or what.
Amplified meaning
shall we have, are we to have
Tyndale gloss
what?
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מָה (mah) is a Hebrew word primarily used as an interrogative particle meaning 'what?' or 'how?'. It can also function as an indefinite pronoun, encompassing meanings like 'anything' or 'whatever'. The word is versatile, appearing in various adverbial forms and often used with prefixes to express different nuances, such as reason or manner.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מָה, rarely מָה־, מַה־, מַה‍ּ, מֶה, מַ‍ּ, מָ—pron.interrog. and indef. what? how? aught

interrog. what?

Used adverbially

Indef. pron.

With preps.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4100 מָה, rarely מָה־, מַה־, מַה‍ּ, מֶה, מַ‍ּ, מָ—pron. interrog. and indef. what? how? aught . interrog. what?

. Used adverbially

. Indef. pron.

. With preps.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4100 mah maw

or mah {mah}; or ma {maw}; or ma {mah}; also meh {meh}; a

primitive particle; properly, interrogative what? (including

how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including

how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and even

relatively, that which); often used with prefixes in various

adverbial or conjunctive senses:--how (long, oft, (-

soever)), (no-)thing, what (end, good, purpose, thing),

whereby(-fore, -in, -to, -with), (for) why.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מָה (mah) — what?.

interr pron

1) what, how, of what kind

1a) (interrogative)

1a1) what?

1a2) of what kind

1a3) what? (rhetorical)

1a4) whatsoever, whatever, what

1b) (adverb)

1b1) how, how now

1b2) why

1b3) how! (exclamation)

1c) (with prep)

1c1) wherein?, whereby?, wherewith?, by what means?

1c2) because of what?

1c3) the like of what?

1c3a) how much?, how many?, how often?

1c3b) for how long?

1c4) for what reason?, why?, to what purpose?

1c5) until when?, how long?, upon what?, wherefore?

indef pron

2) anything, aught, what may

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part — Pronoun
HPi
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and they grumbled the people on Moses saying what? will we drink
נִּשְׁתֶּֽה׃nish.Teh will we drink H8354 Verb · Qal · imperfect first person common 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.
Amplified meaning
to quench our thirst, for refreshment
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-1cp — Verb · Qal · imperfect first person common plural
HVqi1cp
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

See FOOD; DRINK, STRONG.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Drink

The drinks of the Hebrews were water, wine, “strong drink,” and vinegar. Their drinking vessels were the cup, goblet or “basin,” the “cruse” or pitcher, and the saucer.

To drink water by measure (Ezek. 4:11), and to buy water to drink (Lam. 5:4), denote great scarcity. To drink blood means to be satiated with slaughter.

The Jews carefully strained their drinks through a sieve, through fear of violating the law of Lev. 11:20, 23, 41, 42. (See Matt. 23:24. “Strain at” should be “strain out.”)

Nave's Topical Bible

→ INTOXICATING

See ABSTINENCE, TOTAL

→ See DRUNKARD

→ See DRUNKENNESS

→ See WINE

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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