Exodus 21:16 — Word Study
WLCוְגֹנֵ֨ב אִ֧ישׁ וּמְכָר֛וֹ וְנִמְצָ֥א בְיָד֖וֹ מ֥וֹת יוּמָֽת׃ ס
BSAWhoever kidnapsgânab [stealeth, takes by force or deception] another manʼîysh [a male person, an individual] must be put to deathmûwth [executed, die the death] whether he sells himmâkar [selleth, disposes of for gain] or the man is foundmâtsâʼ [discovered, caught] in his possessionyâd [hand, power or control]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וְגֹנֵ֨ב | and [one who] will steal | Conjunction, verb qal participle (active) masculine singular |
| אִ֧ישׁ | anyone | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| וּמְכָר֛וֹ | and he will sell him | Verb qal sequential perfect third person masculine singular, suffix |
| וְנִמְצָ֥א | and he will be found | Verb, Niphal, sequential perfect third person masculine singular |
| בְיָד֖וֹ | in hand his | Preposition, noun common both singular construct, suffix |
| מ֥וֹת | certainly | Verb, Qal, infinitive absolute |
| יוּמָֽת׃ ס | he will be put to death | Verb, Hophal, imperfect third person masculine singular |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Whoever kidnaps another man must be put to death, whether he sells him or the man is found in his possession. |
| KJV | ¶ And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death. |
| ASV | And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death. |
| YLT | 'And he who stealeth a man, and hath sold him, and he hath been found in his hand, is certainly put to death. |
| WEB | “Anyone who kidnaps someone and sells him, or if he is found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death. |
| BBE | Any man who gets another into his power in order to get a price for him is to be put to death, if you take him in the act. |
Where they part company is מְכָר֛וֹ — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence is structured around a main clause with two conditional clauses that define the circumstances of the punishment.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbמָצָא
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Exodus 21:16
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 Laws Concerning Personal Injury and Propertygenerated
Exodus 21:16 outlines the severe consequences for kidnapping, emphasizing the gravity of taking another person's freedom. This law is part of a broader set of regulations aimed at maintaining justice and order within the community, reflecting the value placed on individual rights and the protection of personal safety.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Genesis 40:15 | For I was kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews, and even here I have done nothing for which they should have put me in this dungeon.” |
| 2 | Deuteronomy 24:7 | If a man is caught kidnapping one of his Israelite brothers, whether he treats him as a slave or sells him, the kidnapper must die. So you must purge the evil from among you. |
| 3 | 1 Timothy 1:10 | for the sexually immoral, for homosexuals, for slave traders and liars and perjurers, and for anyone else who is averse to sound teaching |
| 4 | Revelation 18:12 | cargo of gold, silver, precious stones, and pearls; of fine linen, purple, silk, and scarlet; of all kinds of citron wood and every article of ivory, precious wood, bronze, iron, and marble; |
| 5 | Genesis 37:28 | So when the Midianite traders passed by, his brothers pulled Joseph out of the pit and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 6 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — גָּנַב, ve.go.Nevgenerated
The verb גָּנַב (ganab) means 'to steal' and encompasses various forms of theft, including taking by force or deception. It is a participle in the active voice, indicating an ongoing action or state of being.
This word is used frequently in the Hebrew Bible, highlighting its significance in legal and moral contexts. The parsing as a qal participle suggests that the act of stealing is not just a one-time event but can be seen as a characteristic behavior of the individual.
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 יוּמָֽת (yu.Mat), meaning 'he will be put to death', governs the entire verse. It is followed by multiple clauses detailing the conditions under which the punishment applies.
The structure emphasizes the seriousness of the crime, with the subject being the act of kidnapping and the consequences clearly laid out in a straightforward manner.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates גָּנַב as κλέψῃ (klepsē), which also means 'to steal'. This choice reflects a direct correlation between the Hebrew and Greek terms, maintaining the focus on theft.
The use of θανάτῳ (thanatō) for the concept of death further aligns with the Hebrew meaning, reinforcing the severity of the punishment prescribed.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Exodus 21:16 states that anyone who kidnaps another person must be executed. This applies whether the kidnapper sells the victim or is found with him. The law emphasizes the seriousness of kidnapping and the consequences for such actions.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Kidnapping refers to the act of taking someone away by force or deception, often for ransom or other motives.
The consequence for kidnapping is capital punishment, meaning the offender must be put to death.
No, the law states that the punishment applies whether the kidnapper sells the victim or is found in possession of him.
The strictness reflects the value placed on individual freedom and the protection of personal safety within the community.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- How does this law reflect the value of human life and freedom in ancient Israel?
- What modern implications can we draw from the seriousness of kidnapping as presented in this verse?
- In what ways can we advocate for the protection of vulnerable individuals in our communities today?
- How can understanding these laws help us engage with issues of justice and morality in our society?
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Exodus 21:16 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAnd he that stealeth a man, and selleth him,.... One of the children of Israel, as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan, and so the Septuagint version: but though this law was given to the Israelites
Read John Gill on Exodus 21 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death. Man - stealing to sell into slavery.
Read Robert Jamieson on Exodus 21 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Biblei.e. In the manstealer’ s hand; q.d. though he keep him in his own hands for his own use; for still it is a theft, and he is made that man’ s slave, and it is in his power to sell him to another when he pleaseth, and therefore deserves death.
Read Matthew Poole on Exodus 21 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsExodus 21:16 And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.Ver. 16. He that stealeth a man.] Akin to these are they that steal other men’ s books, and father them, setting them out in their own names. Diagoras was so served by a plagiary, which, when he saw, and that the thief was not presently struck with a thunderbolt, he, out of stomach, turned atheist. Thus, of late, Fabricius stole Tremelius’ s Syriac translation. Villavincentius stole Hyperius’ s treatise, "De Ratione Studii Theologici." And Possevinus stole Dr James’ s "Cyprianus Redivivus."
Read John Trapp on Exodus 21 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(15-17) And he that smiteth his father . . .-With homicide are conjoined some other offences, regarded as of a heinous character, and made punishable by death: viz. (1), striking a parent; (2) kidnapping; and (3) cursing a parent. The immediate sequence of these crimes upon murder, and their punishment by the same penalty, marks strongly God’s abhorrence of them. The parent is viewed as God’s representative, and to smite him is to offer God an insult in his person. To curse him implies, if possible, a greater want of reverence; and, since curses can only be effectual as appeals to God, it is an attempt to enlist God on our side against His representative. Kidnapping is a crime against the…
Read Charles John Ellicott on Exodus 21 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 16. He that stealeth a man] By this law every man-stealer, and every receiver of the stolen person, should lose his life; no matter whether the latter stole the man himself, or gave money to a slave captain or negro-dealer to steal him for him.
Read AdamClarke on Exodus 21 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges16. Man-stealing. Cf. Deuteronomy 24:7, where the present law is merely expanded, and recast in Deuteronomic phraseology. a man] in Deuteronomy 24:7, expressly limited to an Israelite: so LXX Targ. add here, ‘of the children of Israel.’ No doubt this interprets correctly the intention of the law. and selleth him] into a foreign country is probably what is thought (cf. v. 8). This would not only sever the victim cruelly from his own people, and his own religion (1 Samuel 26:19), but also expose him to many risks of death. The Phoenicians (Amos 1:9, and, at a later time, Joe 3:4-6), to say nothing of other nations (Genesis 37:36), would be ready purchasers of slaves. or if he be found in his…
Read Cambridge on Exodus 21 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible16, 17. Stealeth a man — Note that manstealing was placed on the same plane with the crime of murder. Cursing a parent was also treated as a capital offence.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Exodus 21 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Whoever kidnaps another man must be put to death, whether he sells him or the man is found in his possession.
“Anyone who kidnaps someone and sells him, or if he is found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.
Whoever kidnaps another man must be put to death, whether he sells him or the man is found in his possession.
“Whoever kidnaps someone and sells him, or is caught still holding him, must surely be put to death.
Tyndale line
¶ And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.
And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.
And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.
And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he shall be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.
And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, if it be founde with him, shall die the death.
Strictly literal
And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall certainly be put to death.
'And he who stealeth a man, and hath sold him, and he hath been found in his hand, is certainly put to death.
And he who steals a man, and has sold him, and he has been found in his hand, is certainly put to death.
And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, and he be found in his hand, shall surely be put to death.
Whoever kidnaps a person—whether the kidnapper sells him, or that person is found in his hand—that kidnapper must be put to death.
From the Latin
He that shall steal a man, and sell him, being convicted of guilt, shall be put to death.
Simplified
Anyone who kidnaps someone else must be executed, whether the victim is sold or is still in their possession.
Any man who gets another into his power in order to get a price for him is to be put to death, if you take him in the act.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text is supported by the Samaritan Pentateuch, which agrees word for word. The Septuagint matches 6 of the 7 words from the Hebrew, indicating a strong consistency across these ancient texts.
וְגֹנֵ֨ב אִ֧ישׁ וּמְכָר֛וֹ וְנִמְצָ֥א בְיָד֖וֹ מ֥וֹת יוּמָֽת׃ ס
6 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.
וגנב אישׁ ומכרו ונמצא בידו מות יומת
Agrees with the Masoretic Text here, word for word.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Exodus 21:16
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.
גָּנַב (ganab) is a Hebrew verb meaning to steal. It encompasses various forms, including stealing, being stolen, and going by stealth. The entries indicate its use in different grammatical aspects, such as Qal, Niphal, Piel, Pual, and Hithpael, which cover both the act of stealing and the state of being stolen.
[גָּנַב] vb. steal
Qal steal
Niph. be stolen
Pi. steal away (trans.)
Pu. be stolen away
Hithp. go by stealth, syeal away
base
H1589 גָּנַב steal
1589 ganab gaw-nab'
a primitive root; to thieve (literally or figuratively); by
implication, to deceive:--carry away, X indeed, secretly
bring, steal (away), get by stealth.
גָּנַב (ga.nav) — to steal.
1) to steal, steal away, carry away
1a) (Qal) to steal
1b) (Niphal) to be stolen
1c) (Piel) to steal away
1d)(Pual) to be stolen away, be brought by stealth
1e) (Hithpael) to go by stealth, steal away
Conj | V-Qal — Conjunction · verb qal participle (active) masculine singularHC/Vqrmsa
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.
אִישׁ 2166 n.m. man (= vir)
base
H376 אִישׁ man (= vir)
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
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)
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
מָכַר (makar) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to sell.' It encompasses various forms, including selling merchandise, giving a daughter in marriage, or even selling oneself into slavery. The word appears in different grammatical forms, such as Qal (to sell), Niphal (to be sold), and Hithpael (to sell oneself). It reflects both literal and figurative senses of selling.
מָכַר vb. sell
Qal sell
Niph. be sold
Hithp. sell oneself as slave
base
H4376 מָכַר sell
4376 makar maw-kar'
a primitive root; to sell, literally (as merchandise, a
daughter in marriage, into slavery), or figuratively (to
surrender):--X at all, sell (away, -er, self).
מָכַר (ma.khar) — to sell.
1) to sell
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to sell
1a2) seller (participle)
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be sold
1b2) to sell oneself
1b3) to be given over to death
1c) (Hithpael) to sell oneself
Conj | V-Qal-3ms | Suff — Verb qal sequential perfect third person masculine singular · suffixHc/Vqq3ms/Sp3ms
מָצָא (matsa') is a Hebrew verb meaning to find or attain. It encompasses a range of actions, including discovering something lost, encountering someone, or coming upon a situation. The word can also imply being present or sufficient. Lexicons note various forms and uses, including Qal, Niphal, and Hiphil, which indicate different nuances of finding and encountering.
מָצָא 452 vb. attain to, find
Qal
find
find out
= come upon, light upon
noteworthy phrases
Niph. pass. of Qal, be found
Hiph.
cause to find, attain
cause to light upon, come upon, come
cause to encounter
present unto
base
H4672 מָצָא attain to, find
4672 matsa' maw-tsaw'
a primitive root; properly, to come forth to, i.e. appear or
exist; transitively, to attain, i.e. find or acquire;
figuratively, to occur, meet or be present:--+ be able,
befall, being, catch, X certainly, (cause to) come (on, to, to
hand), deliver, be enough (cause to) find(-ing, occasion,
out), get (hold upon), X have (here), be here, hit, be left,
light (up-)on, meet (with), X occasion serve, (be) present,
ready, speed, suffice, take hold on.
מָצָא (ma.tsa) — to find.
1) to find, attain to
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to find
1a1a) to find, secure, acquire, get (thing sought)
1a1b) to find (what is lost)
1a1c) to meet, encounter
1a1d) to find (a condition)
1a1e) to learn, devise
1a2) to find out
1a2a) to find out
1a2b) to detect
1a2c) to guess
1a3) to come upon, light upon
1a3a) to happen upon, meet, fall in with
1a3b) to hit
1a3c) to befall
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be found
1b1a) to be encountered, be lighted upon, be discovered
1b1b) to appear, be recognised
1b1c) to be discovered, be detected
1b1d) to be gained, be secured
1b2) to be, be found
1b2a) to be found in
1b2b) to be in the possession of
1b2c) to be found in (a place), happen to be
1b2d) to be left (after war)
1b2e) to be present
1b2f) to prove to be
1b2g) to be found sufficient, be enough
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to cause to find, attain
1c2) to cause to light upon, come upon, come
1c3) to cause to encounter
Conj | V-Niphal-3ms — Verb · Niphal · sequential perfect third person masculine singularHc/VNq3ms
יָד (yad) means 'hand' and can also refer to strength or power in a figurative sense. It encompasses various technical uses, such as a sign or monument, parts or shares, and even specific components in construction, like axle-trees and supports for the laver. The word is versatile, appearing in both literal and metaphorical contexts.
יָד 1604 n.f. hand
hand
Fig. = strength, power
Fig. = side
יָד is used in various special, technical senses:—
sign, monument
part, fractional part or share
time, repetition
axle-trees
stays, supports for laver
tenons on sides of boards of tabernacle
a (beckoning) hand
יַד with prep.
base
H3027 יָד hand . hand
. Fig. = strength, power
. Fig. = side
. יָד is used in various special, technical senses:— . sign, monument
. part, fractional part or share
. time, repetition
. axle-trees
. stays, supports for laver
. tenons on sides of boards of tabernacle
. a (beckoning) hand
. יַד with prep.
3027 yad yawd
a primitive word; a hand (the open one (indicating power,
means, direction, etc.), in distinction from 3709, the closed
one); used (as noun, adverb, etc.) in a great variety of
applications, both literally and figuratively, both proximate
and remote (as follows):--(+ be) able, X about, + armholes,
at, axletree, because of, beside, border, X bounty, + broad,
(broken-)handed, X by, charge, coast, + consecrate, +
creditor, custody, debt, dominion, X enough, + fellowship,
force, X from, hand(-staves, -y work), X he, himself, X in,
labour, + large, ledge, (left-)handed, means, X mine,
ministry, near, X of, X order, ordinance, X our, parts, pain,
power, X presumptuously, service, side, sore, state, stay,
draw with strength, stroke, + swear, terror, X thee, X by
them, X themselves, X thine own, X thou, through, X throwing,
+ thumb, times, X to, X under, X us, X wait on, (way-)side,
יָד (yad) — hand.
: hand/arm[anatomy]
1) hand
1a) hand (of man)
1b) strength, power (fig.)
1c) side (of land), part, portion (metaph.) (fig.)
1d) (various special, technical senses)
1d1) sign, monument
1d2) part, fractional part, share
1d3) time, repetition
1d4) axle-trees, axle
1d5) stays, support (for laver)
1d6) tenons (in tabernacle)
1d7) a phallus, a hand (meaning unsure)
1d8) wrists
יָד (yad) — hand: power.
: hand/arm[anatomy]
1) hand
1a) hand (of man)
1b) strength, power (fig.)
1c) side (of land), part, portion (metaph.) (fig.)
1d) (various special, technical senses)
1d1) sign, monument
1d2) part, fractional part, share
1d3) time, repetition
1d4) axle-trees, axle
1d5) stays, support (for laver)
1d6) tenons (in tabernacle)
1d7) a phallus, a hand (meaning unsure)
1d8) wrists
יָד (yad) — hand: themselves.
: hand/arm[anatomy]
1) hand
1a) hand (of man)
1b) strength, power (fig.)
Prep | N-cs | Suff — Preposition · noun common both singular construct · suffixHR/Ncbsc/Sp3ms
מוּת (mūth) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to die' or 'to kill.' It encompasses a range of meanings from dying naturally to being executed as a penalty. The word can refer to both humans and animals, and it includes various forms such as causing death or being killed. There is a distinction in usage based on the subject, whether it is a person or God inflicting death.
מוּת vb. die
Qal
die, of natural or other causes
die as a penalty = be put to death
Po‛lel. kill, put to death, despatch (intens.)
Hiph.
abs., elsewhere c. acc., subj. man
subj. God, by inflicting penalty
of animals killing men
bring to a premature death
Hoph. be killed, put to death
base
H4191 מוּת die .. die, of natural or other causes
. die as a penalty = be put to death
. kill, put to death, despatch (intens.)
. . abs., elsewhere c. acc., subj. man
. subj. God, by inflicting penalty
. of animals killing men
. bring to a premature death
. be killed, put to death
4191 muwth mooth
a primitive root: to die (literally or figuratively);
causatively, to kill:--X at all, X crying, (be) dead (body,
man, one), (put to, worthy of) death, destroy(-er), (cause to,
be like to, must) die, kill, necro(-mancer), X must needs,
slay, X surely, X very suddenly, X in (no) wise.
מוּת (mut) — to die.
1) to die, kill, have one executed
1a)(Qal)
1a1) to die
1a2) to die (as penalty), be put to death
1a3) to die, perish (of a nation)
1a4) to die prematurely (by neglect of wise moral conduct)
1b) (Polel) to kill, put to death, dispatch
1c) (Hiphil) to kill, put to death
1d) (Hophal)
1d1) to be killed, be put to death
1d1a) to die prematurely
V-Qal-Ptc — Verb · Qal · infinitive absoluteHVqaa
מוּת (mūth) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to die' or 'to kill.' It encompasses a range of meanings from dying naturally to being executed as a penalty. The word can refer to both humans and animals, and it includes various forms such as causing death or being killed. There is a distinction in usage based on the subject, whether it is a person or God inflicting death.
מוּת vb. die
Qal
die, of natural or other causes
die as a penalty = be put to death
Po‛lel. kill, put to death, despatch (intens.)
Hiph.
abs., elsewhere c. acc., subj. man
subj. God, by inflicting penalty
of animals killing men
bring to a premature death
Hoph. be killed, put to death
base
H4191 מוּת die .. die, of natural or other causes
. die as a penalty = be put to death
. kill, put to death, despatch (intens.)
. . abs., elsewhere c. acc., subj. man
. subj. God, by inflicting penalty
. of animals killing men
. bring to a premature death
. be killed, put to death
4191 muwth mooth
a primitive root: to die (literally or figuratively);
causatively, to kill:--X at all, X crying, (be) dead (body,
man, one), (put to, worthy of) death, destroy(-er), (cause to,
be like to, must) die, kill, necro(-mancer), X must needs,
slay, X surely, X very suddenly, X in (no) wise.
מוּת (mut) — to die.
1) to die, kill, have one executed
1a)(Qal)
1a1) to die
1a2) to die (as penalty), be put to death
1a3) to die, perish (of a nation)
1a4) to die prematurely (by neglect of wise moral conduct)
1b) (Polel) to kill, put to death, dispatch
1c) (Hiphil) to kill, put to death
1d) (Hophal)
1d1) to be killed, be put to death
1d1a) to die prematurely
HVHi3ms — Verb · Hophal · imperfect third person masculine singularHVHi3ms
(maweth; thanatos):
PHYSIOLOGICAL AND FIGURATIVE VIEW
The word "Death" is used in the sense of
(1) the process of dying (Ge 21:16);
(2) the period of decease (Ge 27:7);
(3) as a possible synonym for poison (2Ki 4:40);
(4) as descriptive of person in danger of perishing (Jud 15:18; "in deaths oft" 2Co 11:23). In this sense the shadow of death is a familiar expression in Job, the Psalms and the Prophets;
Death
May be simply defined as the termination of life. It is represented under a variety of aspects in Scripture: (1.) “The dust shall return to the earth as it was” (Eccl. 12:7).
(2.) “Thou takest away their breath, they die” (Ps. 104:29).
(3.) It is the dissolution of “our earthly house of this tabernacle” (2 Cor. 5:1); the “putting off this tabernacle” (2 Pet. 1:13, 14).
(4.) Being “unclothed” (2 Cor. 5:3, 4).
(5.) “Falling on sleep” (Ps. 76:5; Jer. 51:39;
Is taken in Scripture, first, for the separation of body and soul, the first death, Ge 25:11; secondly, for alienation from God, and exposure to his wrath, 1Jo 3:14, etc.; thirdly, for the second death, that of eternal damnation. Death was the penalty affixed to Adam’s transgression, Ge 2:17 3:19; and all his posterity are transgressors, and share the curse inflicted upon him. CHRIST is "our life." All believers share his life, spiritually and eternally; and though sin and bodily is taken away, and in the resurrection the last enemy shall be trampled under foot, Ro 5:12-21 1Co 15:1-58.