Menu

Exodus 21:9 — Word Study

Depth

WLCוְאִם־ לִבְנ֖וֹ יִֽיעָדֶ֑נָּה כְּמִשְׁפַּ֥ט הַבָּנ֖וֹת יַעֲשֶׂה־ לָּֽהּ׃

BSAAnd ifʼim [in the event that, whether] he chooses heryâʻad [selects, espouses] for his sonbên [as a wife for his descendant] he must dealʻâsâh [treat, act] as withmishpâṭ [according to the manner of, like] a daughterbath [a female child, a woman under his care]

Word
Listen & take awayExodus 21
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 9 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 (Lah) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Exodus 21:9quick helps
In a sentenceThis verse outlines the treatment a man must give to a woman he chooses for his son.
Who is speakingThe speaker is a legal authority, providing guidelines for familial relationships.
Where we areThis verse is part of the laws concerning marriage and family in the book of Exodus.
The hard wordיִֽיעָדֶ֑נָּה
Take awayThe man must treat her with the same respect and care as he would a daughter.
6 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbעָשָׂה 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 21:9

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 — Laws Concerning Marriagegenerated

8If she is displeasing in the eyes of her master who had designated her for himself, he must allow her to be redeemed. He has no right to sell her to foreigners, since he has broken faith with her.
9And if he chooses her for his son, he must deal with her as with a daughter.
10If he takes another wife, he must not reduce the food, clothing, or marital rights of his first wife.
11If, however, he does not provide her with these three things, she is free to go without monetary payment.

Exodus 21:9 outlines the responsibilities of a man who chooses a woman for his son. The verse emphasizes that he must treat her with the same respect and care as he would a daughter, reflecting the importance of familial relationships in the laws given to the Israelites. This section of Exodus provides insight into the social and legal structures of ancient Israel, particularly regarding marriage and the treatment of women.


Cross References


The Key Word יִֽיעָדֶ֑נָּה, yi.'a.De.nahgenerated

The verb יָעַד (ya`ad) means to appoint or designate, often in a context of commitment or agreement. In this verse, it indicates the act of choosing a woman for marriage, highlighting the formal nature of such a decision.

The parsing as a third-person masculine singular imperfect verb indicates that this action is ongoing or habitual, suggesting a responsibility that the man holds in this relationship.


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 verse is structured around a conditional clause introduced by וְאִם־ (ve.'im-), meaning 'and if'. The main action is governed by the verb יִֽיעָדֶ֑נָּה, with the object being the woman chosen, followed by a prepositional phrase indicating the manner of treatment.

This structure emphasizes the conditional nature of the man's responsibilities, focusing on the treatment of the woman in relation to familial roles.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates יִֽיעָדֶ֑נָּה as αὐτήν (autēn), which means 'her'. This choice reflects a direct and personal commitment to the woman being chosen, aligning with the Hebrew's emphasis on the relationship.

The use of δικαίωμα for כְּמִשְׁפַּ֥ט indicates a legal or custom-based framework, suggesting that the treatment of the woman is not only personal but also bound by societal norms.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Exodus 21:9 explains that if a man chooses a woman for his son, he must treat her like a daughter. This shows the importance of respect and care in family relationships. The laws in this part of Exodus guide how families should interact and the responsibilities they hold towards one another.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean to choose a woman for his son?

It means that the man is selecting a wife for his son, which is a significant decision that involves commitment and responsibility.

Why must he treat her as a daughter?

This emphasizes the importance of respect and care in relationships, indicating that she should be valued and treated well within the family.

Are there specific customs related to this choice?

Yes, the verse implies that there are established customs regarding how a man should treat a woman he chooses for marriage, reflecting societal norms.

How does this verse relate to other laws in Exodus?

This verse is part of a broader set of laws that govern family dynamics and responsibilities, showing the importance of justice and care in relationships.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways can I show respect and care to those I am responsible for?
  2. How do societal norms influence the way we treat family members?
  3. What does it mean to me to be part of a family, and how can I fulfill my responsibilities?
  4. How can understanding these laws help me navigate my own relationships today?

Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Exodus 21:9 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

And if he have betrothed her unto his son,.... Not caring to betroth and marry her himself, as being more suitable in age for his son than for himself; he shall deal with her after the manner of

Read John Gill on Exodus 21 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And if he have betrothed her unto his son, he shall deal with her after the manner of daughters. And if he hath betrothed her unto his son. This is the second supposed contingency.

Read Robert Jamieson on Exodus 21 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

i.e. Give her a convenient portion, as he doth to his own daughters, .

Read Matthew Poole on Exodus 21 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Exodus 21:9 And if he have betrothed her unto his son, he shall deal with her after the manner of daughters.Ver. 9. After the manner of daughters.] Not put her off, as they say they do their daughters in Hungary, without a portion, only with a new coat at their wedding: much less set her to sale, as the Thracians did their young brides; quae non moribus nubebant, sed praemiis. Solin, cap. 15.

Read John Trapp on Exodus 21 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 9. Betrothed her unto his son, he shall deal with her] He shall give her the same dowry he would give to one of his own daughters. From these laws we learn, that if a man's son married his servant, by his father's consent, the father was obliged to treat her in every respect as a daughter; and if the son married another woman, as it appears he might do, Exodus 21:10, he was obliged to make no abatement in the privileges of the first wife, either in her food, raiment, or duty of marriage. The word ענתה onathah, here, is the same with St. Paul's οφειλομενηνευνοιαν, the marriage debt, and with the ομιλιαν of the Septuagint, which signifies the cohabitation of man and wife.

Read AdamClarke on Exodus 21 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

9. Second special case: if at the time of purchasing the woman, her master intends her for his son. If he designate her for his son, he shall deal with her according to the rights of daughters] i.e. treat her as a daughter of his own household, give her the maintenance, clothing, &c. which a daughter would naturally have. for his son] ‘as in Persia (Chardin, Voyage, ii. 259), Arabia, Niebuhr, Arabia, p. 74, Snouck-Hurgronje, Mekka, p. 157’ (Dillm.-Ryss.).

Read Cambridge 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

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

And if he chooses her for his son, he must deal with her as with a daughter.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

If he marries her to his son, he shall deal with her as a daughter.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

And if he chooses her for his son, he must deal with her as with a daughter.

NETBNew English Translation2006

If he designated her for his son, then he will deal with her according to the customary rights of daughters.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And if he have betrothed her unto his son, he shall deal with her after the manner of daughters.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And if he espouse her unto his son, he shall deal with her after the manner of daughters.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And if he espouse her unto his son, he shall deal with her after the manner of daughters.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And if he hath betrothed her to his son, he shall deal with her after the manner of daughters.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

But if he hath betrothed her vnto his sonne, he shall deale with her according to the custome of the daughters.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And if he have appointed her unto his son, he shall deal with her after the law of daughters.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

'And if to his son he betroth her, according to the right of daughters he doth to her.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And if he betroths her to his son, he does to her according to the right of daughters.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And if he should assign her unto his son, then shall he do unto her after the right of the daughters.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

If her master designates her as a wife for his son, he must treat her the same as if she were his daughter.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

But if he have betrothed her to his son, he shall deal with her after the manner of daughters.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

If he chooses to give her to his son, he must treat her as a daughter.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And if he gives her to his son, he is to do everything for her as if she was his daughter.

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.

וְandclauseclauseאִםifclauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalלִfornoun phraseבְנ֖sonוֹhisverbיִֽיעָדֶ֑heobjectנָּהwill.designate.herclauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalכְּaccordingnoun phraseמִשְׁפַּ֥טto.the.customnoun phraseהַof.(the)בָּנ֖וֹתdaughtersverbיַעֲשֶׂהhe.will.doprepositional phrase · prepositionalלָּֽtoהּher

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 on the core elements of the verse, with the Septuagint providing a direct translation. However, the Samaritan Pentateuch differs slightly, using בנו for 'his son' and יעידנה for 'he will designate her', indicating a variation in wording but not in meaning.

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

וְאִם־ לִבְנ֖וֹ יִֽיעָדֶ֑נָּה כְּמִשְׁפַּ֥ט הַבָּנ֖וֹת יַעֲשֶׂה־ לָּֽהּ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וְאִם־ἐὰνלִבְנ֖וֹυἱῷיִֽיעָדֶ֑נָּהαὐτήνכְּמִשְׁפַּ֥טδικαίωμαהַבָּנ֖וֹתθυγατέρωνיַעֲשֶׂה־ποιήσειלָּֽהּ׃αὐτῇ

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

ואם לבנו יעידנה כמשׁפט הבנות יעשׂה לה

2 words differ from the Masoretic Text: בנו (son), יעידנה (designate)

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 21:9אִםand ifand ifאִםבֵּןfor son hisfor son hisבֵּןיָעַדhe will deshe will designaיָעַדמִשְׁפָּטaccording taccording to [tמִשְׁפָּטבַּתdaughtersdaughtersבַּתעָשָׂהhe will dohe will doעָשָׂההָto herto herהָבָּנָהto buildto buildבָּנָהשָׁפַטto judgeto judgeשָׁפַטחֵןfavorfavorחֵןיֵשׁtherethereיֵשׁעַמּוֹןAmmonAmmonעַמּוֹןרְאוּבֵןReubenReubenרְאוּבֵןעֵדָהcongregaticongregationעֵדָהיַ֫חַדunitednessunitednessיַ֫חַדחֻקָּהstatutestatuteחֻקָּהחֹקstatute: dstatute: decreeחֹקצִיּוֹןZionZionצִיּוֹןאֵםmothermotherאֵםמְלָאכָהworkworkמְלָאכָהתּוֹעֵבַהabominatioabominationתּוֹעֵבַה
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 21:9

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 if for son his he will designate her according to [the] custom of daughters he will do to her
וְאִם־ve.'im- and if H518 Conjunction · particle
1,070× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word is used to express conditions or questions, like if or whether. It can also be used to make oaths or express wishes, as in Oh that! It appears in various forms in the KJV, including if, though, and when.
Amplified meaning
in the event that, whether
Tyndale gloss
if
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אִם (im) is a Hebrew conjunction primarily meaning 'if' and is used in various contexts, including conditional clauses and interrogative situations. It can also express negation, alternatives, or exceptions, and appears frequently in the Old Testament. The lexicons note its use in oaths and its ability to connect different clauses, sometimes altering their meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אִם conj.

hypoth. part. if

Interrog. part.

base

כִּי אם־

each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause:

that if

for if

(About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause—

limiting the prec. clause, except

the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but

after an oath, surely

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H518a אִם conj. . hypoth. part. if

. Interrog. part.

H518b כִּי אם־ . each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause: . that if

. for if

. (About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause— . limiting the prec. clause, except

. the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but

. after an oath, surely

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

518 'im eem

a primitive particle; used very widely as demonstrative, lo!;

interrog., whether?; or conditional, if, although; also Oh

that!, when; hence, as a negative, not:--(and, can-,

doubtless, if, that) (not), + but, either, + except, +

more(-over if, than), neither, nevertheless, nor, oh that, or,

+ save (only, -ing), seeing, since, sith, + surely (no more,

none, not), though, + of a truth, + unless, + verily, when,

whereas, whether, while, + yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אִם (im) — if.

: if/whether_or/though

1) if

1a) conditional clauses

1a1) of possible situations

1a2) of impossible situations

1b) oath contexts

1b1) no, not

1c) if...if, whether...or, whether...or...or

1d) when, whenever

1e) since

1f) interrogative particle

1g) but rather

[כִּי] אם (ki im) — if: except.

1) except if

1a) but if

אִם (im) — if: surely no.

: surely_no

1) if

1a) conditional clauses

1a1) of possible situations

1a2) of impossible situations

1b) oath contexts

1b1) no, not

1c) if...if, whether...or, whether...or...or

1d) when, whenever

1e) since

1f) interrogative particle

1g) but rather

אִם (im) — if: surely yes.

: surely_yes

1) if

1a) conditional clauses

1a1) of possible situations

1a2) of impossible situations

1b) oath contexts

1b1) no, not

1c) if...if, whether...or, whether...or...or

1d) when, whenever

1e) since

1f) interrogative particle

1g) but rather

אִם (im) — if: until.

: until/except

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Conj — Conjunction · particle
HC/Tc
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and if for son his he will designate her according to [the] custom of daughters he will do to her
לִבְנ֖וֹliv.No for son his H1121 Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
4,943× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word means a son or descendant, and can also refer to a grandson, nation, or quality. It appears in 1 Chronicles 24, describing a Levite named Beno. The word is used to show family relationships and inheritance.
Amplified meaning
as a wife for his descendant
Tyndale gloss
son: child
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בֵּן (ben) means 'son' or 'male child' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including descendants, young animals, and even figurative uses like sparks or arrows. It can refer to members of a tribe or class and is used in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, such as in 1 Chronicles 24:26. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to build' and implies a connection to family or lineage.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בֵּן 4870 n.m. son

son, male child, born of a woman

children (male and female)

youth, young men

the young of animals

of plant shoots

fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows

member of a guild, order or class

of animals son of (the) herd

ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.

n. relat. of age

base

בְּנוֹ 1 Ch 24:26, 27 as n.pr.m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son, cf. VB & Be Öt.

done

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1121a בֵּן son . son, male child, born of a woman

. children (male and female)

. youth, young men

. the young of animals

. of plant shoots

. fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows

. . member of a guild, order or class

. of animals son of (the) herd

. ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.

. n. relat. of age

H1121b בְּנוֹ as n. pr. m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1121 ben bane

from 1129; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the

widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship,

including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition,

etc., (like 1, 251, etc.)):--+ afflicted, age, (Ahoh-)

(Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-)ite, (anoint-)ed one, appointed to,

(+) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-)ian, one born,

bough, branch, breed, + (young) bullock, + (young) calf, X

came up in, child, colt, X common, X corn, daughter, X of

first, + firstborn, foal, + very fruitful, + postage, X in, +

kid, + lamb, (+) man, meet, + mighty, + nephew, old, (+)

people, + rebel, + robber, X servant born, X soldier, son, +

spark, + steward, + stranger, X surely, them of, + tumultuous

one, + valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.

see HEBREW for 01129

see HEBREW for 01

see HEBREW for 0251

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בֵּן (ben) — son: child.

: child/son

בְּנוֹ (be.no) — Beno.

A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ch.24.26;

son of: Jaaziah (H3269);

brother of: Shoham (H7719), Zaccur (H2139I) and Ibri (H5681)

§ Beno = "his son"

the sons of Jaaziah and the sons of Merari by Jaahziah (his son)

בֵּן (ben) — son: descendant/people.

: descendant, people, tribe, nation

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

§ : child/son

בֵּן (ben) — son: young animal.

: calf/lamb/young(ANIMAL)

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

§ : descendant

בֵּן (ben) — son: type of.

: rebel/son(Belial)

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

§ : people/men/nation/tribe

בֵּן (ben) — son.

: [inheriting]son/heir

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

בֵּן (ben) — son: warrior.

: warrior/son(strong)

Read the full entry →
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."

and if for son his he will designate her according to [the] custom of daughters he will do to her
יִֽיעָדֶ֑נָּהyi.'a.De.nah he will designate her H3259 Verb qal imperfect third person masculine singular · suffix
29× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To appoint or agree on something, like setting a time to meet or making a plan, as seen in Esther when the king appoints a new leader. It can also mean to gather or assemble people for a purpose.
Amplified meaning
selects, espouses
Tyndale gloss
to appoint
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָעַד (ya`ad) is a Hebrew verb meaning to appoint or fix upon, often in the context of time or place. It encompasses meanings such as to gather or assemble by appointment, to meet, and to designate someone for a role, including betrothal. The entries indicate various grammatical forms, including reflexive and causative uses, but do not present significant disagreement among sources.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָעַד vb. appoint

Qal appoint, a time; place; a rod; assign or designate as concubine

Niph.

reflexive, meet at an appointed place

meet by appointment

gather, assemble by appointment

Po‛ēl Pf.

Hiph. Impf. who will make me meet him at the appointed place (of judgment)

Hoph. Pt. be set, placed before

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3259 יָעַד appoint .appoint, a time; place; a rod; assign or designate as concubine

. . reflexive, meet at an appointed place

. meet by appointment

. gather, assemble by appointment

.Pf.

. Impf. who will make me meet him at the appointed place (of judgment)

. Pt. be set, placed before

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3259 ya`ad yaw-ad'

a primitive root; to fix upon (by agreement or appointment);

by implication, to meet (at a stated time), to summon (to

trial), to direct (in a certain quarter or position), to

engage (for marriage): -agree,(maxke an) appoint(-ment,a

time), assemble (selves), betroth, gather (selves, together),

meet (together), set (a time).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָעַד (ya.ad) — to appoint.

1) to fix, appoint, assemble, meet, set, betroth

1a)(Qal) to appoint, assign, designate

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to meet

1b2) to meet by appointment

1b3) to gather, assemble by appointment

1c) (Hiphil) to cause to meet

1d) (Hophal) to be set, be placed before, be fixed

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms | Suff — Verb qal imperfect third person masculine singular · suffix
HVqi3ms/Sp3fs
and if for son his he will designate her according to [the] custom of daughters he will do to her
כְּמִשְׁפַּ֥טke.mish.Pat according to [the] custom of H4941 Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
422× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Mishpat means justice or judgment, and is often used to describe God's righteous judgment, as well as human laws and decisions, in books like Deuteronomy and Isaiah.
Amplified meaning
according to the manner of, like
Tyndale gloss
justice: judgement
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word מִשְׁפָּט (mishpat) primarily means judgment or justice and encompasses various aspects such as legal rights, ordinances, and decisions. It is derived from a root meaning to pronounce a verdict, covering both human and divine law. The entries highlight its application in legal contexts, including the act of deciding cases and the attributes of justice and rectitude.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מִשְׁפָּט 422 n.m. judgment

judgment

justice, right, rectitude

ordinance

decision

one's (legal) right, privilege, due

proper, fitting, measure

custom, manner

what manner of

plan

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4941 מִשְׁפָּט judgment . judgment

. justice, right, rectitude

. ordinance

. decision

. one's (legal) right, privilege, due

. . proper, fitting, measure

. custom, manner

. what manner of

. plan

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4941 mishpat mish-pawt'

from 8199; properly, a verdict (favorable or unfavorable)

pronounced judicially, especially a sentence or formal decree

(human or (participant's) divine law, individual or

collective), including the act, the place, the suit, the

crime, and the penalty; abstractly, justice, including a

participant's right or privilege (statutory or customary), or

even a style:--+ adversary, ceremony, charge, X crime,

custom, desert, determination, discretion, disposing, due,

fashion, form, to be judged, judgment, just(-ice, -ly),

(manner of) law(-ful), manner, measure, (due) order,

ordinance, right, sentence, usest, X worthy, + wrong.

see HEBREW for 08199

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מִשְׁפָּט (mish.pat) — justice: judgement.

: judgement/punishment

1) judgment, justice, ordinance

1a) judgment

1a1) act of deciding a case

1a2) place, court, seat of judgment

1a3) process, procedure, litigation (before judges)

1a4) case, cause (presented for judgment)

1a5) sentence, decision (of judgment)

1a6) execution (of judgment)

1a7) time (of judgment)

1b) justice, right, rectitude (attributes of God or man)

1c) ordinance

1d) decision (in law)

1e) right, privilege, due (legal)

1f) proper, fitting, measure, fitness, custom, manner, plan

מִשְׁפָּט (mish.pat) — justice.

: justice/right/righteousness

1) judgment, justice, ordinance

1a) judgment

1a1) act of deciding a case

1a2) place, court, seat of judgment

1a3) process, procedure, litigation (before judges)

1a4) case, cause (presented for judgment)

1a5) sentence, decision (of judgment)

1a6) execution (of judgment)

1a7) time (of judgment)

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

ov:

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

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

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

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

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

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

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

Lamentations 3:1.

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

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

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

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

and if for son his he will designate her according to [the] custom of daughters he will do to her
הַבָּנ֖וֹתha.ba.Not daughters H1323 Particle · noun common feminine plural absolute
588× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for daughter is used to describe a female child or a woman, and can also be used figuratively. In the Bible, it is used to describe women like Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah and later of King David.
Amplified meaning
a female child, a woman under his care
Tyndale gloss
Bath (Shua)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בַּת (bat) means 'daughter' and encompasses a range of meanings including female child, young women, and even personifications of cities or inhabitants. It can also refer to villages in certain contexts. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to build' and is used in various figurative senses, such as 'branch' or 'apple of the eye.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בַּת 587 n.f. daughter

daughter, female child

young women, women

with name of city, land, or people, poet. personif. of that city or inhabitants

pl. = villages, after name of city

in phrases denoting character, quality, etc.

ostrich

fig.

of vine = branch

as n. relat.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1323 בַּת daughter . daughter, female child

. young women, women

. with name of city, land, or people, poet. personif. of that city or inhabitants

. pl. = villages, after name of city

. in phrases denoting character, quality, etc.

. ostrich

. fig.

. of vine = branch

. as n. relat.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1323 bath bath

from 1129 (as feminine of 1121); a daughter (used in the same

wide sense as other terms of relationship, literally and

figuratively):--apple (of the eye), branch, company, daughter,

X first, X old, + owl, town, village.

see HEBREW for 01129

see HEBREW for 01121

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בַּת (bat) — daughter.

: daughter

1) daughter

1a) daughter, girl, adopted daughter, daughter-in-law, sister, granddaughters, female child, cousin

1a1) as polite address

1a2) as designation of women of a particular place

2) young women, women

1a3) as personification

1a4) daughter-villages

1a5) description of character

Also means: bat (בַּת ": village" H1323H)

בַּת (bat) — daughter: village.

: village

1) daughter

1a) daughter, girl, adopted daughter, daughter-in-law, sister, granddaughters, female child, cousin

1a1) as polite address

1a2) as designation of women of a particular place

2) young women, women

1a3) as personification

1a4) daughter-villages

1a5) description of character

בַּת (bat) — Bath (Shua).

A woman living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.38.2;

daughter of: Shua (H7770); married to Judah (H3063);

mother of: Er (H6147), Onan (H0209) and Shelah (H7956)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-fp — Particle · noun common feminine plural absolute
HTd/Ncfpa
and if for son his he will designate her according to [the] custom of daughters he will do to her
יַעֲשֶׂה־ya.'a.seh- he will do H6213 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
2,629× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to make or do something, and is used over 2,600 times in the Bible. It is first used in Genesis 1:7 to describe God's creation of the world and is also used in Exodus 31:5 to describe the work of skilled craftsmen.
Amplified meaning
treat, act
Tyndale gloss
to make
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עָשָׂה (asah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to do or make, encompassing a wide range of actions such as producing, preparing, and observing. It can refer to both concrete and abstract activities, including making offerings and attending to tasks. The verb also has forms indicating passive meanings, such as being made or offered. Notably, the Piel form refers to pressing or squeezing.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עָשָׂה 2622 vb. do, make

Qal 2524

do (1560 t.)

deal with

oft. in phr. do kindness with

abs. act, act with effect

make (670 t.)

produce, yield

prepare, esp. of dressing and cooking food

make offering

attend to, put in order

observe, celebrate, religious festival

acquire property of various kinds

appoint priests

bring about of י׳’s effecting a deliverance

use

spend, pass, days of life

Niph.

97be done

be made, of concr. things

be produced from vine

be prepared, of food

be offered

be observed, passover

be used

Pu. I was made

base

[עָשָׂה] vb. Pi. press, squeeze

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6213a עָשָׂה do, make .. . do (1560 + t.)

. deal with

. oft. in phr. do kindness with

. abs. act, act with effect

. . make (670 + t.)

. produce, yield

. prepare, esp. of dressing and cooking food

. make offering

. attend to, put in order

. observe, celebrate, religious festival

. acquire property of various kinds

. appoint priests

. bring about of י׳’s effecting a deliverance

. use

. spend, pass, days of life

. . be done

. . be made, of concr. things

. be produced from vine

. be prepared, of food

. be offered

. be observed, passover

. be used

. I was made

H6213b עָשָׂה Pi. press, squeeze

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6213 `asah aw-saw'

a primitive root; to do or make, in the broadest sense and

widest application (as follows):--accomplish, advance,

appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth,

bruise, be busy, X certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal

(with), deck, + displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in)

execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, + feast, (fight-)ing man, +

finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go

about, govern, grant, great, + hinder, hold ((a feast)), X

indeed, + be industrious, + journey, keep, labour, maintain,

make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, + officer, pare,

bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure,

provide, put, requite, X sacrifice, serve, set, shew, X sin,

spend, X surely, take, X thoroughly, trim, X very, + vex, be

(warr-)ior, work(-man), yield, use.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עָשָׂה (a.sah) — to make: do.

: do/perform

1) to do, fashion, accomplish, make

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to do, work, make, produce

1a1a) to do

1a1b) to work

1a1c) to deal (with)

1a1d) to act, act with effect, effect

1a2) to make

1a2a) to make

1a2b) to produce

1a2c) to prepare

1a2d) to make (an offering)

1a2e) to attend to, put in order

1a2f) to observe, celebrate

1a2g) to acquire (property)

1a2h) to appoint, ordain, institute

1a2i) to bring about

1a2j) to use

1a2k) to spend, pass

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be done

1b2) to be made

1b3) to be produced

1b4) to be offered

1b5) to be observed

1b6) to be used

1c) (Pual) to be made

עָשָׂה (a.sah) — to press.

(Piel) to press, squeeze

עָשָׂה (a.sah) — to make.

: make(OBJECT)

1) to do, fashion, accomplish, make

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to do, work, make, produce

1a1a) to do

1a1b) to work

1a1c) to deal (with)

1a1d) to act, act with effect, effect

1a2) to make

1a2a) to make

1a2b) to produce

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
HVqi3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

See TESTAMENT.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ THE MENTAL FACULTY

Freedom of, recognized by God Ge 4:6-10; De 5:29; 1Ki 20:42; Isa 1:18-20; 43:26; Jer 36:3,7; Joh 7:17

See BLESSINGS, CONTINGENT UPON OBEDIENCE

See CHOICE

See CONTINGENCY

→ OF GOD, THE SUPREME RULE OF DUTY Mt 6:10; 12:50; 26:39,42; Mr 3:35; 14:36; Lu 11:2; 22:42; Joh 4:34; 5:30; 6:38-40; Ac…

and if for son his he will designate her according to [the] custom of daughters he will do to her
לָּֽהּ׃Lah to her H9034 Preposition · suffix
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הָ (ha) — her.

Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 3rd person feminine singular

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HRd/Sp3fs — Preposition · suffix
HRd/Sp3fs
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.

Everything we make is available for free because of a generous community of supporters.

Donate