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Ezekiel 11:3 — Word Study

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WLCהָאֹ֣מְרִ֔ים לֹ֥א בְקָר֖וֹב בְּנ֣וֹת בָּתִּ֑ים הִ֣יא הַסִּ֔יר וַאֲנַ֖חְנוּ הַבָּשָֽׂר׃

BSAThey are sayingʼâmar [speaking, proclaiming] Is notlôʼ [certainly not, by no means] the time nearqârôwb [season, opportunity, at hand, close] to buildbânâh [construct, establish] housesbayith [dwelling places, homes] The cityhûwʼ [metropolis, community] [is] the cooking potçîyr [caldron, vessel] and weʼănachnûw [us, ourselves] are the meatbâsâr [flesh, living beings]

Word
Listen & take awayEzekiel 11
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 3 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 (ha.ba.Sar) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Ezekiel 11:3quick helps
In a sentenceThe people are questioning the timing of rebuilding, seeing themselves as the meat in a cooking pot.
Who is speakingThe people of Jerusalem, expressing their thoughts to Ezekiel.
Where we areIn a prophetic context, where God reveals the thoughts of the people.
The hard wordבָּנָה, banah
Take awayThey see the city as a cooking pot, and themselves as the meat within it.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectהִיא verbבָּנָה 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 — Ezekiel 11:3

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 Prophecy of Ezekielgenerated

2And the LORD said to me, “Son of man, these are the men who plot evil and give wicked counsel in this city.
3They are saying, ‘Is not the time near to build houses? The city is the cooking pot, and we are the meat.’
4Therefore prophesy against them; prophesy, O son of man!”
5And the Spirit of the LORD fell upon me and told me to declare that this is what the LORD says: “That is what you are thinking, O house of Israel; and I know the thoughts that arise in your minds.

Ezekiel 11:3 reveals the thoughts of the people in Jerusalem who are eager to build their homes, interpreting their situation as one of being trapped in a cooking pot. This reflects their desire for safety and stability in a time of turmoil, as they express their frustrations and aspirations to the prophet Ezekiel, who serves as God's mouthpiece.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Ezekiel 7:7Doom has come to you, O inhabitants of the land. The time has come; the day is near; there is panic on the mountains instead of shouts of joy.
2Ezekiel 12:22–27“Son of man, what is this proverb that you have in the land of Israel: ‘The days go by, and every vision fails’?
3Isaiah 5:19to those who say, “Let Him hurry and hasten His work so that we may see it! Let the plan of the Holy One of Israel come so that we may know it!”
4Jeremiah 1:11–12And the word of the LORD came to me, asking, “Jeremiah, what do you see?” “I see a branch of an almond tree,” I replied.
5Amos 6:5You improvise songs on the harp like David and invent your own musical instruments.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 9 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word בָּנָה, be.Notgenerated

The Hebrew word בָּנָה (banah) means 'to build' and encompasses various forms such as constructing, establishing, and making permanent. It can refer to physical construction, like building a house, as well as metaphorical uses, such as the establishment of a community or family.

In this verse, it emphasizes the urgency and desire of the people to build houses, indicating a longing for stability and a return to normalcy amidst their current struggles.


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 is אֹ֣מְרִ֔ים, who say, which governs the entire sentence. The structure includes a noun phrase followed by a series of clauses that elaborate on the people's statement about building houses and their situation.

The sentence is constructed with a clear subject and predicate, reflecting the people's thoughts and their metaphorical comparison of the city to a cooking pot.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates אֹ֣מְרִ֔ים as λέγοντες, indicating a direct speech or proclamation, which aligns with the Hebrew meaning of expressing thoughts or statements.

This choice of word in Greek emphasizes the active voice of the people as they articulate their concerns, maintaining the urgency of their plea.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Ezekiel 11:3 shows the people of Jerusalem expressing their desire to build homes, feeling trapped like meat in a cooking pot. They are questioning the timing of this rebuilding, indicating their longing for stability during a difficult period.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that the city is the cooking pot?

The metaphor suggests that the city is a place of danger or entrapment, where the people feel vulnerable and exposed.

Why do the people want to build houses?

They seek security and stability in their lives, desiring to establish a sense of normalcy amidst the chaos.

How does this verse reflect the people's mindset?

It shows their anxiety and desire for safety, as they articulate their thoughts to the prophet Ezekiel.

What is the significance of the phrase 'we are the meat'?

This phrase emphasizes their vulnerability and the precariousness of their situation, highlighting their feelings of being at the mercy of external forces.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What are some ways I can seek stability in my own life during times of uncertainty?
  2. How can I express my concerns and desires to God, like the people did to Ezekiel?
  3. In what ways do I see myself as vulnerable in my current situation, and how can I find strength?
  4. How can I support others who feel trapped or vulnerable, just as the people of Jerusalem felt?

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Ezekiel 11:3 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Which say [it is] not near, let us build houses,.... Meaning that the destruction of the city was not near, as the prophet had foretold, Ezekiel 7:3; and therefore encourage the people to build

Read John Gill on Ezekiel 11 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Which say, It is not near; let us build houses: this city is the caldron, and we be the flesh. It is not near - namely, the destruction of the city; therefore "let us build houses," as if there was no fear.

Read Robert Jamieson on Ezekiel 11 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

What counsel was by these men given appears by their words. It is not near; either the threatened danger and ruin by the Chaldeans; or else, build, but not in the suburbs, not near, but in the city, that your houses may not shelter the enemy. This city is the caldron: this is an impious scoff, yet mixed with some fear, of the prophets, . They deride the prophets, yet secretly dread the thing. Jerusalem is the pot, we the flesh that are to be boiled therein; but this will take up some time however, we were better be so destroyed than to fall by the hands of the Chaldeans, who perhaps may roast what is not boiled here.

Read Matthew Poole on Ezekiel 11 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Ezekiel 11:3 Which say, [It is] not near; let us build houses: this [city is] the caldron, and we [be] the flesh.Ver. 3. Which say, It is not near,] sc., The evil day is not. The vision that he seeth is for many days to come; and he prophesieth of the times that are far off. See Amos 6:3 Isaiah 29:1 2 Peter 3:4. And this was likely the evil counsel they gave the king and people, lulling them asleep in the cradle of carnal security. Let us build houses.] Though Jeremiah hath counselled us to the contrary, though he, with all the wit he hath, hath told us that this city is the caldron, and we are the flesh. Some such thing Jeremiah had indeed foretold, and these profane scoffers made a jeer…

Read John Trapp on Ezekiel 11 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(3) It is not near; let us build houses. -Neither the text nor the marginal reading of the Authorised Version quite accurately represent the original. The expression is literally not near to build houses; and it is to be explained by the prophecy and narrative of Jeremiah 29. After the 10,000 (among whom was Ezekiel) had been carried captive—and apparently shortly after—Jeremiah had sent word to the captives to build houses and make themselves comfortable. because the captivity would be long (Ezekiel 11:5-10). This greatly offended the captives; and Shemaiah, a false prophet among them, had consequently sent letters to Jerusalem asking that Jeremiah might be punished for thus prophesying…

Read Charles John Ellicott on Ezekiel 11 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 3. It is not near] That is, the threatened invasion. This city is the caldron, and we be the flesh.] See the vision of the seething pot, Jeremiah 1:13. These infidels seem to say: "We will run all risks, we will abide in the city. Though it be the caldron, and we the flesh, yet we will share its fate: if it perish, we will perish with it." Or they may allude to the above prediction of Jeremiah, in order to ridicule it: "We were to have been boiled long ago: but the fulfilment of that prediction is not near yet."

Read AdamClarke on Ezekiel 11 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

3. It is not near; let us build] Rather as R.V. The time to build houses is not near, lit. the building of houses is not near. The phrase “to build houses” is to be taken as in ch. Ezekiel 28:26, “And they shall dwell with confidence therein, and shall build houses and plant vineyards and shall dwell with confidence.” To build houses is a sign and a consequence of a time of peace and security (Isaiah 65:21; Jeremiah 29:5; Jeremiah 29:28). These agitators desire to turn men’s minds away from peaceful occupations, and make them contemplate other measures, assuring them that when war comes the strong city will be their salvation—it is the pot which will protect the flesh from the fire around…

Read Cambridge on Ezekiel 11 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

It is not near - In contradiction to Ezekiel 7:2. Let us build houses - “To build houses” implies a sense of security.

Read Albert Barnes on Ezekiel 11 →

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

They are saying, ‘Is not the time near to build houses? The city is the cooking pot, and we are the meat.’

WEBWorld English Bible2000

who say, ‘The time is not near to build houses. This is the cauldron, and we are the meat.’

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

They are saying, ‘Is not the time near to build houses? The city is the cooking pot, and we are the meat.’

NETBNew English Translation2006

They say, ‘The time is not near to build houses; the city is a cooking pot and we are the meat in it.’

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Which say, It is not near; let us build houses: this city is the caldron, and we be the flesh.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

that say, The time is not near to build houses: this city is the caldron, and we are the flesh.

RVARevised Version, American1894

which say, The time is not near to build houses: this city is the caldron, and we be the flesh.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Who say, It is not near; let us build houses: this city is the caldron, and we are the flesh.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

For they say, It is not neere, let vs builde houses: this citie is the caldron, and wee be the flesh.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

who say, It is not the time to build houses: this is the cauldron, and we are the flesh.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

who are saying, It [is] not near — to build houses, it [is] the pot, and we the flesh.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

who are saying, It [is] not near—to build houses, it [is] the pot, and we [are] the flesh.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Who say, [The evil] is not near; so let us build houses: this [city] is the pot, and we are the flesh.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

They are saying, 'The time to build houses is not now; this city is the pot, and we are the meat.'

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Saying: Were not houses lately built? This city is the caldron, and we the flesh.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

They're saying, ‘Is this the time for us to be building houses? The city is the cooking pot, and we are the meat inside it.’

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Who say, This is not the time for building houses: this town is the cooking-pot and we are the flesh.

Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.


The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank

This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.

clausenoun phrase · predicateהָ[who]noun phraseclauseverbאֹ֣מְרִ֔יםsayclause · objectclauseadverbialלֹ֥אnotprepositional phrase · predicateבְ[is].in.[the]קָר֖וֹבnear.[future]noun phrase · subjectclauseverbבְּנ֣וֹתto.buildobjectבָּתִּ֑יםhousesclauseclausesubjectהִ֣יאitnoun phrase · predicateהַ[is].theסִּ֔ירpotוַandclausesubjectאֲנַ֖חְנוּwenoun phrase · predicateהַ[are].theבָּשָֽׂרmeat

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 largely agree, with 8 of the 9 words matching. The Dead Sea Scrolls contain partial restorations, indicating some textual variations, but the core message remains consistent across these witnesses.

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

הָאֹ֣מְרִ֔ים לֹ֥א בְקָר֖וֹב בְּנ֣וֹת בָּתִּ֑ים הִ֣יא הַסִּ֔יר וַאֲנַ֖חְנוּ הַבָּשָֽׂר׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
הָאֹ֣מְרִ֔יםλέγοντεςלֹ֥אοὐξὶבְקָר֖וֹבπροσφάτωςבְּנ֣וֹתᾠκοδόμηνταιהִ֣יאαὕτηהַסִּ֔ירλέβηςוַאֲנַ֖חְנוּἡμεῖςהַבָּשָֽׂר׃κρέα

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

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q73a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[האמרים] [לא] [בקרוב] [בנות] בתים היא הסיר [ואנחנו] [הבשר]

2 words on the leather — 1 partly restored, 6 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.

Ezekiel 11:3אָמַרwho saywho sayאָמַרלֹאnotnotלֹאקָרֹב[is] in [th[is] in [the] nקָרֹבבָּנָהto buildto buildבָּנָהבֵּיתhouseshousesבֵּיתהוּאititהוּאסִיר[is] the po[is] the potסִיראֲנַ֫חְנוּand weand weאֲנַ֫חְנוּבָּשָׂר[are] the m[are] the meatבָּשָׂרבָּנָהto buildto buildבָּנָהקָרֵבto presentto present: comקָרֵבאָֽנֹכִ֫יIIאָֽנֹכִ֫יבָּשַׂרto bear tito bear tidingsבָּשַׂרכֹּהthusthusכֹּהיהוהYHWH/GodYHWH/Godיהוהיָכֹלbe ablebe ableיָכֹלעוֹדstillstillעוֹדרָחֹקdistantdistantרָחֹקאֵידcalamitycalamityאֵידחוֹמָהwallwallחוֹמָהמִזְבֵּחַaltaraltarמִזְבֵּחַאוֹצָרtreasuretreasureאוֹצָרטָמֵאuncleanuncleanטָמֵאעֵתtimetimeעֵתיָעshovelshovelיָעשָׁפַתto setto setשָׁפַתאֵיךְhow?how?אֵיךְ
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 Ezekiel 11:3

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.

who say not [is] in [the] near [future] to build houses it [is] the pot and we [are] the meat
הָאֹ֣מְרִ֔יםha.'O.me.Rim who say H559 Particle · verb qal participle (active) masculine plural
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'.
Amplified meaning
speaking, proclaiming
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
Art | V-Qal — Particle · verb qal participle (active) masculine plural
HTd/Vqrmpa
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
who say not [is] in [the] near [future] to build houses it [is] the pot and we [are] the meat
לֹ֥אlo' not H3808 Particle
5,170× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Amplified meaning
certainly not, by no means
Tyndale gloss
not
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לֹא or לוֹא adv. not

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3808 lo' lo

or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often

used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,

ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,

no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out

of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +

of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לֹא (lo) — not.

1) not, no

1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)

1b) not (with modifier-negation)

1c) nothing (subst)

1d) without (with particle)

1e) before (of time)

Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part — Particle
HTn
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
who say not [is] in [the] near [future] to build houses it [is] the pot and we [are] the meat
בְקָר֖וֹבve.ka.Rov [is] in [the] near [future] H7138 Preposition
77× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means near, describing something close in place, time, or relationship. It is used in the book of Genesis to describe family relationships. The word is used to describe a close connection.
Amplified meaning
season, opportunity, at hand, close
Tyndale gloss
near
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

קָרֹב (qarowb) means 'near' and can refer to proximity in place, time, or personal relationships, including kinship. It is derived from the root meaning to approach or be allied. The term appears in various contexts, such as describing the nearest city or a neighbor, as well as in relation to God.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

קָרֹב, קָרוֹב 78 adj. near;—

of city, the nearest

of pers.:

the nearest to; his neighbour.

abs.

of near relationship

near to י׳

near to י׳ in ceremon. function

of God (י׳)

of word

of time

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7138 קָרֹב, קָרוֹב near

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7138 qarowb kaw-robe'

or qarob {kaw-robe'}; from 7126; near (in place, kindred or

time):--allied, approach, at hand, + any of kin,

kinsfold(-sman), (that is) near (of kin), neighbour, (that is)

next, (them that come) nigh (at hand), more ready, short(-ly).

see HEBREW for 07126

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קָרֹב (qa.rov) — near.

1) near

1a) of place

1b) of time

1c) of personal relationship

1c1) kinship

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | Adj — Preposition
HR/Aamsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

fu'-tur, fu'-chur.

See ESCHATOLOGY.

who say not [is] in [the] near [future] to build houses it [is] the pot and we [are] the meat
בְּנ֣וֹתbe.Not to build H1129 Verb · Qal · infinitive construct common
376× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word bânâh means to build something, like a house or a family. It can also mean to establish or repair something, and is used in various contexts throughout the Bible.
Amplified meaning
construct, establish
Tyndale gloss
to build
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word בָּנָה (banah) means "to build" and encompasses various forms such as rebuilding, establishing, and making permanent. It can refer to physical construction, like building a house or family, as well as metaphorical uses, such as the establishment of restored exiles. The entries indicate that it can also imply being built up, particularly in the context of a childless wife becoming a mother.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בָּנָה 373 vb. build

Qal build

Niph.

be built

be rebuilt

(fig.) of restored exiles, = established

established, made permanent

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1129 בָּנָה build .build

.. . be built

. be rebuilt

. . (fig.) of restored exiles, = established

. established, made permanent

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1129 banah baw-naw'

a primitive root; to build (literally and

figuratively):--(begin to) build(-er), obtain children, make,

repair, set (up), X surely.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בָּנָה (ba.nah) — to build.

1) to build, rebuild, establish, cause to continue

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to build, rebuild

1a2) to build a house (ie, establish a family)

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be built

1b2) to be rebuilt

1b3) established (of restored exiles) (fig.)

1b4) established (made permanent)

1b5) to be built up (of childless wife becoming the mother of a family through the children of a concubine)

Aramaic equivalent: be.nah (בְּנָה "to build" H1124)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Inf-a — Verb · Qal · infinitive construct common
HVqcc
who say not [is] in [the] near [future] to build houses it [is] the pot and we [are] the meat
בָּתִּ֑יםba.Tim houses H1004 Noun common · masculine plural absolute
2,049× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for house refers to a dwelling place, including a family home, temple, or even the human body. It appears in various contexts, such as the temple in Jerusalem or the household of a family. In the Bible, it is often used to describe a place of worship or a family's living space.
Amplified meaning
dwelling places, homes
Tyndale gloss
place
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word בַּיִת (*bayith*) means 'house' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including dwelling, family, and place. It can refer to physical structures, such as homes and temples, as well as metaphorical uses like the body or household affairs. The word is built from the root related to 'between' and appears in various contexts throughout the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בֵּית fem. of בַּיִן, בֵּין prep. between

base

בַּ֫יִת 2034 n.m. house

house

place

receptacle

of house as containing a family

household, family (592 t.)

house, including household affairs

lit. housewards, hence metaph. inwards

מִבַּיִת

adv. on the inside

prep. within

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1004a בֵּית fem. of בַּיִן, בֵּין prep. between H1004b בַּ֫יִת house

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1004 bayith bah'-yith

probably from 1129 abbreviated; a house (in the greatest

variation of applications, especially family, etc.):--court,

daughter, door, + dungeon, family, + forth of, X great as

would contain, hangings, home(born), (winter)house(-hold),

inside(-ward), palace, place, + prison, + steward, + tablet,

temple, web, + within(-out).

see HEBREW for 01129

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בֵּית (bet) — place.

nm

place, origin, between

בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — house: home.

: home/temple/building

nm

1) house

1a) house, dwelling habitation

1b) shelter or abode of animals

1c) human bodies (fig.)

1d) of Sheol

1e) of abode of light and darkness

1f) of land of Ephraim

2) place

3) receptacle

4) home, house as containing a family

5) household, family

5a) those belonging to the same household

5b) family of descendants, descendants as organized body

6) household affairs

7) inwards (metaph.)

8) (TWOT) temple

adv

9) on the inside

prep

10) within

בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — Beth-(ashbea).

nm

This name is used for a house, habitation

Combined with ash.be.a (אַשְׁבֵּעַ "Ashbea" H0791)

בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — Beth (Haggan).

nm

This name is used for a house, habitation

Combined with hag (גַּן "Haggan" H1588)

בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — Beth-(togarmah).

nm

This name is used for a house, habitation

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural absolute
HNcmpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Torrey's New Topical Textbook

- Antiquity of

Ge 12:1; 19:3

- Deep and solid foundations required for

Mt 7:24; Lu 6:48

- Sometimes built without foundation

Mt 7:26; Lu 6:49

- BUILT OF

. Clay

Job 4:19

. Bricks

Ex 1:11-14; Isa 9:10

. Stone and wood

Le 14:40,42; Hab 2:11

. Hewn or cut stone

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
who say not [is] in [the] near [future] to build houses it [is] the pot and we [are] the meat
הִ֣יאhi' it H1931 Pronoun
1,879× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word is a pronoun meaning 'he', 'she', or 'it', used to refer to a person or thing. It is used in the Bible to emphasize a subject or make it clear who is being talked about.
Amplified meaning
metropolis, community
Tyndale gloss
he/she/it
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הוּא (hu) is a third-person singular pronoun meaning he, she, or it, used for emphasis or when no verb is present. It can also refer to oneself or serve as a demonstrative pronoun. The word has various nuances, including resuming the subject with emphasis or expressing it unobtrusively. It can indicate 'that' or 'those' when used with the definite article.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הוּא m. הִיא f., pron. of the 3rd ps. sing. he, she, used also (in both genders) for the neuter it

an emph. he (she, it, they), sometimes equivalent to himself (herself, itself, themselves), or (esp. with the art.) that (those)

It resumes the subj. with emph.

Where, however, the pron. follows the pred., its position gives it the minimum of emphasis, and it expresses (or resumes) the subject as unobtrusively as possible

It anticipates (as it seems) the subject

As an emph. predicate, of God

In a neuter sense, that, it (of an action, occurrence, matte, etc.)

With the art.: so regularly when joined to a subst. defined itself by the art.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1931 הוּא, הִיא he, she, used also (in both genders) for the neuter it . an emph. he (she, it, they), sometimes equivalent to himself (herself, itself, themselves), or (esp. with the art.) that (those)

. It resumes the subj. with emph.

. Where, however, the pron. follows the pred., its position gives it the minimum of emphasis, and it expresses (or resumes) the subject as unobtrusively as possible

. It anticipates (as it seems) the subject

. As an emph. predicate, of God

. In a neuter sense, that, it (of an action, occurrence, matte, etc.)

. With the art.: so regularly when joined to a subst. defined itself by the art.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1931 huw' hoo

of which the feminine (beyond the Pentateuch) is hiyw {he}; a

primitive word, the third person pronoun singular, he (she or

it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also

(intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same;

sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally

(instead of copula) as or are:--he, as for her, him(-self),

it, the same, she (herself), such, that (...it), these, they,

this, those, which (is), who.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הוּא (hu) — he/she/it.

pron 3p s

1) he, she, it

1a) himself (with emphasis)

1b) resuming subj with emphasis

1c) (with minimum emphasis following predicate)

1d) (anticipating subj)

1e) (emphasising predicate)

1f) that, it (neuter) demons pron

2) that (with article)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Pron — Pronoun
HPp3fs
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
who say not [is] in [the] near [future] to build houses it [is] the pot and we [are] the meat
הַסִּ֔ירha.Sir [is] the pot H5518 Particle · noun common feminine singular absolute
34× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a thorn or a hook, something that springs up rapidly. It can also mean a pot or a pan, and is used in various contexts in the Bible, including cooking and fishing.
Amplified meaning
caldron, vessel
Tyndale gloss
pot
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

סִיר (sir) has meanings related to both cooking and nature, referring to a 'pot' or 'caldron' as well as a 'thorn' or 'hook.' It is derived from a root meaning to boil up, indicating its connection to cooking utensils. The word appears in contexts like Jeremiah 52:18, where it is used in reference to a pot.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

סִיר n.m. et f. pot

base

[סִיר] n.[m.] thorn, hook

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5518a סִיר pot H5518b סִיר thorn, hook

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5518 ciyr seer

or (feminine) ciyrah {see-raw'}; or cirah (Jeremiah 52:18)

{see-raw'}; from a primitive root meaning to boil up; a pot;

also a thorn (as springing up rapidly); by implication, a

hook:--caldron, fishhook, pan, ((wash-))pot, thorn.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

סִיר (sir) — pot.

1) pot

1a) pot (household utensil)

1b) pot (of temple)

סִיר (sir) — thorn.

1) thorn, hook, brier

1a) thorns

1b) hooks

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

pot: A term used as the translation of a number of Hebrew and Greek words whose fundamental meaning seems to describe them as intended for the most part to hold liquid or semi-liquid substances, but the pots of Ex 27:3 are intended to hold ashes.

(1) cir, the most common word for "pot." It designates most frequently some household utensil, probably a pot or kettle for boiling. So 2Ki 4:38 ff; Ex 16:3; Jer 1:13 the King James Version; Eze 11:3,7,11, "caldron"; 24:3,6 the King James Version; Mic 3:3; Zec 14:21, etc. It…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

The term "pot" is applicable to so many sorts of vessels that it can scarcely be restricted to any one in particular. Asuc (2 Kings 4:2) the earthen jar, deep and narrow, without handles, probably like the Roman and Egyptian amphora, inserted in a stand of wood or stone. Cheres , an earthen vessel for stewing or seething. (Leviticus 6:28; Ezekiel 4:9) Dud , a vessel for culinary purposes, perhaps of smaller size. (1 Samuel 2:14) The "pots" set before the Rachabites, (Jeremiah 35:5) were probably bulging jars or bowls. The water-pots of Cana appear to have been large amphorae, such as are in use at the present day in Syria.…

who say not [is] in [the] near [future] to build houses it [is] the pot and we [are] the meat
וַאֲנַ֖חְנוּva.'a.Nach.nu and we H587 Conjunction · pronoun
120× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A Hebrew word for we or us, used for emphasis, like when Moses said we will follow God's commands, emphasizing the community's commitment.
Amplified meaning
us, ourselves
Tyndale gloss
we
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֲנַ֫חְנוּ (anachnuw) is the first-person plural pronoun meaning 'we' or 'ourselves.' It is used for emphasis and is derived from another Hebrew word, אֲנִי (ani), meaning 'I.' The entries consistently define it as a pronoun without significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֲנַ֫חְנוּ, אֲנָ֑חְנוּ pron. 1pl. comm. we

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H587 אֲנַ֫חְנוּ, אֲנָ֑חְנוּ we

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

587 'anachnuw an-akh'-noo

apparently from 595; we:--ourselves, us, we.

see HEBREW for 0595

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֲנַ֫חְנוּ (a.nach.nu) — we.

we (first pers. pl. -usually used for emphasis)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Pron — Conjunction · pronoun
HC/Pp1bp
who say not [is] in [the] near [future] to build houses it [is] the pot and we [are] the meat
הַבָּשָֽׂר׃ha.ba.Sar [are] the meat H1320 Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
270× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for flesh refers to the body or a person, and can also describe living things or animals. In the Bible, it is used to describe humans and animals, as in Genesis and Leviticus.
Amplified meaning
flesh, living beings
Tyndale gloss
flesh
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בָּשָׂר (basar) means 'flesh' and encompasses various meanings, including the physical body, kinship, and a euphemism for male genitalia. It can refer to humans, animals, and all living things, highlighting the frailty of man in relation to God. The entries consistently emphasize its bodily and relational aspects.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בָּשָׂר 266 n.m. flesh

of the body

flesh for the body itself

male organ of generation (euphemism)

flesh for kindred, blood-relations

man over against God as frail or erring

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1320 בָּשָׂר flesh . of the body

. flesh for the body itself

. male organ of generation (euphemism)

. flesh for kindred, blood-relations

. man over against God as frail or erring

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1320 basar baw-sawr'

from 1319; flesh (from its freshness); by extension, body,

person; also (by euphem.) the pudenda of a man:--body, (fat,

lean) flesh(-ed), kin, (man-)kind, + nakedness, self, skin.

see HEBREW for 01319

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בָּשָׂר (ba.sar) — flesh.

1) flesh

1a) of the body

1a1) of humans

1a2) of animals

1b) the body itself

1c) male organ of generation (euphemism)

1d) kindred, blood-relations

1e) flesh as frail or erring (man against God)

1f) all living things

1g) animals

1h) mankind

Aramaic equivalent: be.shar (בְּשַׁר "flesh" H1321)

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

met (broma, brosis): In the King James Version used for food in general, e.g. "I had my meat of herbs" (2 Esdras 12:51); "his disciples were gone away into the city to buy meat," the Revised Version (British and American) "food" (Joh 4:8). The English word signified whatever is eaten, whether of flesh or other food.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

It does not appear that the word "meat" is used in any one instance in the Authorized Version of either the Old or New Testament in the sense which it now almost exclusively bears of animal food. The latter is denoted uniformly by "flesh." The word "meat," when our English version was made, meant food in general; or if any particular kind was designated, it referred to meal, flour or grain. The only real and inconvenient ambiguity caused by the change which has taken place in the meaning of the word is in the case of the "meat offering." [MEAT OFFERING OFFERING]

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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