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Ezekiel 27:36 — Word Study

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WLCסֹֽחֲרִים֙ בָּ֣עַמִּ֔ים שָׁרְק֖וּ עָלָ֑יִךְ בַּלָּה֣וֹת הָיִ֔ית וְאֵינֵ֖ךְ עַד־ עוֹלָֽם׃ ס

BSAThose who tradeçâchar [travel around for, among the peoples, doing business] among the nationsʻam [or peoples, a multitude of ethnic groups] hissshâraq [whistle, expressing scorn] at youʻal you have comehâyâh to a horrible endballâhâh [dreadful, terrible, becoming a terror, a thing of fear] and will be no moreʼayin [exist no more, nothing, till forever, to the age]

Word
Listen & take awayEzekiel 27
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 36 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 (o.Lam) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Ezekiel 27:36quick helps
In a sentenceEzekiel declares that traders from various nations express scorn at the downfall of a once-great entity.
Who is speakingThe prophet Ezekiel, delivering a message about judgment.
Where we areThe conclusion of a lament over the fate of a powerful trading city.
The hard wordבַּלָּה֣וֹת
Take awayThe once-thriving trade has ended in terror and desolation.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbסָחַר 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 27:36

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 Lament Over Tyregenerated

33When your wares went out to sea, you satisfied many nations. You enriched the kings of the earth with your abundant wealth and merchandise.
34Now you are shattered by the seas in the depths of the waters; your merchandise and the people among you have gone down with you.
35All the people of the coastlands are appalled over you. Their kings shudder with fear; their faces are contorted.
36Those who trade among the nations hiss at you; you have come to a horrible end and will be no more.’”

Ezekiel 27:36 reflects on the downfall of Tyre, a prominent trading city. This verse captures the scorn of traders who once benefited from its wealth, now witnessing its devastating end. The surrounding nations, once enriched by Tyre's commerce, now express their disdain and horror at its fate, marking a significant shift in the city's status. This lamentation serves as a warning about the consequences of pride and the impermanence of power and prosperity.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Ezekiel 26:2“Son of man, because Tyre has said of Jerusalem, ‘Aha! The gate to the nations is broken; it has swung open to me; now that she lies in ruins I will be filled,’
21 Kings 9:8And when this temple has become a heap of rubble, all who pass by it will be appalled and will hiss and say, ‘Why has the LORD done such a thing to this land and to this temple?’
3Jeremiah 18:16They have made their land a desolation, a perpetual object of scorn; all who pass by will be appalled and shake their heads.
4Jeremiah 19:8I will make this city a desolation and an object of scorn. All who pass by will be appalled and will scoff at all her wounds.
5Lamentations 2:15All who pass by clap their hands at you in scorn. They hiss and shake their heads at the Daughter of Jerusalem: “Is this the city that was called the perfection of beauty, the joy of all the earth?”

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 8 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word סֹֽחֲרִים֙, so.cha.Rimgenerated

The word סֹֽחֲרִים (so.cha.Rim) is a participle derived from the root סָחַר (sachar), meaning to trade or engage in commerce. It emphasizes the active role of traders who travel for business, highlighting their mobility and the economic interactions they facilitate.

In this verse, it describes those who once thrived on trade and now express contempt for Tyre's downfall. The participial form indicates ongoing action, suggesting that these traders are not merely passive observers but are actively responding to the city's demise.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses hiss for שָׁרְק֖וּ and horrible end for בַּלָּה֣וֹת.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb of the verse is שָׁרְק֖וּ, they have hissed, which governs the subject סֹֽחֲרִים֙ (traders) and the object בַּלָּה֣וֹת (terrors). The structure indicates a clear action taken by the traders in response to Tyre's end.

The clause structure reveals a direct connection between the traders' scorn and the fate of Tyre, emphasizing the impact of the city's downfall on those who once profited from it.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates סֹֽחֲרִים as ἔμποροι, meaning merchants, which aligns closely with the Hebrew meaning of traders. This choice highlights the commercial aspect of Tyre's identity and its significance in the ancient world.

The use of ἀπώλεια for בַּלָּה֣וֹת indicates a focus on destruction or loss, reinforcing the theme of judgment and the severe consequences faced by Tyre.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Ezekiel 27:36 describes how traders from various nations express scorn at Tyre's downfall. They hiss at the city, which has met a dreadful end and will no longer exist. This verse serves as a warning about the consequences of pride and the fleeting nature of power.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that traders hiss at Tyre?

The traders' hissing signifies scorn and derision, reflecting their contempt for the city's downfall.

Why is Tyre's end described as horrible?

Tyre's end is described as horrible due to the catastrophic loss of its power and influence, which once brought wealth to many.

What can we learn from Tyre's downfall?

Tyre's downfall serves as a reminder of the impermanence of wealth and power, and the consequences of pride.

How does this verse relate to the surrounding context?

This verse fits within a larger lament over Tyre, emphasizing the reactions of those who once benefited from its trade and wealth.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What are some modern examples of pride leading to downfall?
  2. How can we remain humble in positions of power or influence?
  3. What does this verse teach about the nature of judgment?
  4. In what ways can we apply the lessons from Tyre's fate to our lives today?

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Ezekiel 27:36 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

The merchants among the people shall hiss at thee,.... As Tyre had done at Jerusalem, Ezekiel 26:2 as she hoped to make better markets upon the fall of Jerusalem, and therefore rejoiced at it; so

Read John Gill on Ezekiel 27 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

The merchants among the people shall hiss at thee; thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt be any more. The merchants among the people shall hiss - with astonishment, as in 1 Kings 9:8.

Read Robert Jamieson on Ezekiel 27 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Hiss: this usually is an expression of scorn and contempt poured forth on the person hissed at; if thus understood, the meaning is, there should be some among Tyre’ s customers that would rejoice at her fall, and flout at her, either perhaps wronged by her in their trade, , or else with envy, and expectation of her trade to turn to them, return to her the wicked carriage she showed to Jerusalem fallen and sacked: if it be a sign of aught else, it is of wonder, as . A terror; matter of many fears, and to many people, who do or shall hear how terribly thine enemies have raged against thee and prevailed. Never shalt be any more: see .

Read Matthew Poole on Ezekiel 27 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Ezekiel 27:36 The merchants among the people shall hiss at thee; thou shalt be a terror, and never [shalt be] any more.Ver. 36. The merchants shall hiss at thee.] Either as astonied at thee, or rather as deriding thee, like as he who seeth another fall into the dirt, first pitieth him and then jeereth him. See the like, Jeremiah 19:8; Jeremiah 49:17. Thou shalt be a terror.] Because God hath hanged thee up in gibbets, as it were. Or thou wast a terror once, but now a scorn. And never shalt be any more.] See on Ezekiel 26:14. A Lapide.

Read John Trapp on Ezekiel 27 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(36) Shall hiss at thee.—In Ezekiel 27:35 the prophet again drops the figure of the ship, and looking forward (as in Ezekiel 26:4-6; Ezekiel 26:12-14) to the end, speaks of the final and utter overthrow which shall come upon Tyre. The word hiss is used, as in Isaiah 5:26; Isaiah 7:18; Zechariah 10:8, &c., in the sense of calling for. The prophet tells us that the people who have had commercial connection with Tyre shall call for her in vain; she shall be (not a terror, but, as in Ezekiel 26:21) a sudden destruction, and shall not be for ever.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Ezekiel 27 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 36. Shall hiss at thee] שרקו shareku, shall shriek for thee. This powerfully expresses the sensation made on the feelings of the spectators on the shore when they saw the vessel swallowed up.

Read AdamClarke on Ezekiel 27 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

36. among the people] peoples. “Hiss” here is hardly the expression of malicious joy, rather of astonishment and dismay, or other vivid emotion, 1 Kings 9:8. shalt be a terror] lit. terrors, i.e. destructions—thou shalt be utterly destroyed, cf. Ezekiel 26:21.

Read Cambridge on Ezekiel 27 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

36. People — Literally, peoples. Shall hiss — Toy translates are shocked.Terror — Literally, terrors (Ezekiel 26:21).

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Ezekiel 27 →

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

Those who trade among the nations hiss at you; you have come to a horrible end and will be no more.’”

WEBWorld English Bible2000

The merchants among the peoples hiss at you. You have come to a terrible end, and you will be no more.”’”

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Those who trade among the nations hiss at you; you have come to a horrible end and will be no more.’”

NETBNew English Translation2006

The traders among the peoples hiss at you; you have become a horror, and will be no more.’”

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

The merchants among the people shall hiss at thee; thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt be any more.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

The merchants among the peoples hiss at thee; thou art become a terror, and thou shalt nevermore have any being.

RVARevised Version, American1894

The merchants among the peoples hiss at thee; thou art become a terror, and thou shalt never be any more.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

The merchants among the people shall hiss at thee; thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt be any more.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

The marchants among the people shall hisse at thee: thou shalt be a terrour, and neuer shalt be any more.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

The merchants among the peoples hiss at thee; thou art become a terror, and thou shalt never be any more.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Merchants among the peoples have shrieked for thee, Wastes thou hast been, and thou art not — to the age!'

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Merchants among the peoples have shrieked for you, || You have been terrors, and you are not—for all time!”

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

The traders among the people shall hiss concerning thee: thou wast rendered as though thou hadst not been, and thou shalt not be any more for ever.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

The merchants of the people hiss at you; you have become a horror, and you will be no more forever.”

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

The merchants of people have hissed at thee: thou art brought to nothing, and thou shalt never be any more.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

The traders of the nations hiss at you in derision; disaster has brought you down and you're finished forever.’”

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Those who do business among the peoples make sounds of surprise at you; you have become a thing of fear, you have come to an end for ever.

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 · subjectסֹֽחֲרִים֙tradersprepositional phraseבָּ֣amongnoun phrasetheעַמִּ֔יםpeoplesverbשָׁרְק֖וּthey.have.hissedprepositional phrase · prepositionalעָלָ֑יִonךְyouclauseobjectבַּלָּה֣וֹתsudden.terror(s)verbהָיִ֔יתyou.have.becomeוְandclausepredicateאֵינֵ֖you.[will]subjectךְnot.[be]prepositional phrase · prepositionalעַדuntilעוֹלָֽםperpetuity

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


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

The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree closely, with 9 of the 9 words matched. This indicates a strong consistency in the transmission of this verse across different traditions, underscoring its importance in the prophetic message.

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

סֹֽחֲרִים֙ בָּ֣עַמִּ֔ים שָׁרְק֖וּ עָלָ֑יִךְ בַּלָּה֣וֹת הָיִ֔ית וְאֵינֵ֖ךְ עַד־ עוֹלָֽם׃ ס

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
סֹֽחֲרִים֙ἔμποροιבָּ֣עַמִּ֔יםἐθνῶνשָׁרְק֖וּἐσύρισάνעָלָ֑יִךְσεבַּלָּה֣וֹתἀπώλειαהָיִ֔יתἐγένουוְאֵינֵ֖ךְἔσῃעַד־εἰςעוֹלָֽם׃ סαἰῶνα

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

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


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

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

Ezekiel 27:36סָחַרtraderstradersסָחַרעַםamong the pamong the peoplעַםשָׁרַקthey have hthey have hisseשָׁרַקעַלon youon youעַלבַּלָּהָהterrorsterrorsבַּלָּהָההָיָהyou have beyou have becomeהָיָהאַ֫יִןand there nand there not [אַ֫יִןעַדuntiluntilעַדעוֹלָםperpetuityperpetuityעוֹלָםעָמַםto darkento darkenעָמַםבָּלַהּto troubleto troubleבָּלַהּעַדperpetuityperpetuityעַדעָלַםto concealto concealעָלַםעַלheightheightעַלהָוָאto fallto fallהָוָאאַ֫יִןwhere?where?אַ֫יִןקֹוֶהKueKueקֹוֶהרֹבabundanceabundanceרֹבמַכָּהwoundwoundמַכָּהנוּעַto shaketo shakeנוּעַכִּפֶּרto atoneto atoneכִּפֶּרכִּסֵּאthronethroneכִּסֵּאצַלְמָ֫וֶתshadowshadowצַלְמָ֫וֶתאַ֫יִןnothingnothingאַ֫יִןכְּמוֹlikelikeכְּמוֹמָתַיhowhowמָתַיעֶ֫רֶבeveningeveningעֶ֫רֶב
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 27:36

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.

traders among the peoples they have hissed on you terrors you have become and there not [will be] you until perpetuity
סֹֽחֲרִים֙so.cha.Rim traders H5503 Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine plural
21× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to travel around, often for trade or business. It can also describe a person who goes around buying and selling goods. In the Bible, it is used to describe merchants or traders.
Amplified meaning
travel around for, among the peoples, doing business
Tyndale gloss
to trade
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

סָחַר (sachar) means to go around or travel about, particularly in the context of trade. It can refer to a trader or trafficker, emphasizing movement in business. The root suggests both the act of trading and a sense of palpitation, though the latter is less commonly emphasized.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[סָחַר] vb. go around, about, travel about in

Qal

go about, to and fro

Pt. = subst. a trafficker, trader (who goes about with wares, etc.)

Pilp. my heart palpitates

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5503 סָחַר go around, about, travel about in

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5503 cachar saw-khar'

a primitive root; to travel round (specifically as a pedlar);

intensively, to palpitate:--go about, merchant(-man), occupy

with, pant, trade, traffick.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

סָחַר (sa.char) — to trade.

1) to go around, go about, travel about in, go about in trade

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go about to and fro (in business)

1a2) trader, trafficker (participle)

1b) (Pilpel) to palpitate

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal — Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine plural
HVqrmpa
traders among the peoples they have hissed on you terrors you have become and there not [will be] you until perpetuity
בָּ֣עַמִּ֔יםba.'a.Mim among the peoples H5971 Preposition · noun common masculine plural absolute
1,873× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A people or nation is what this Hebrew word represents, like the nation of Israel in Exodus 33:13. It can also mean a tribe, troops, or attendants, and is used to describe a group of people gathered together. The word is often used to refer to the people of God.
Amplified meaning
or peoples, a multitude of ethnic groups
Tyndale gloss
Amaw
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עַם, עָם 1810 n.m. people

a people, nation

= smaller units

= common people

people in gen., persons

phrases

base

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

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5971 `am am

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

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

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

people.

see HEBREW for 06004

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עַם (am) — people.

: people/nation

1) nation, people

1a) people, nation

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

עַם (am) — kinsman.

kinsman, kindred

עַם (am) — Ammi.

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

§ kinsman, kindred

עַם (am) — People's (Gate).

§ kinsman, kindred

עַם (am) — (Ibleam)-am.

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

§ kinsman, kindred

עַם (am) — Amaw.

This name means nation, people

עַם (am) — people: soldiers.

: soldiers/army

1) nation, people

1a) people, nation

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

עַם (am) — people: creatures.

: creatures

1) nation, people

1a) people, nation

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-mp — Preposition · noun common masculine plural absolute
HRd/Ncmpa
traders among the peoples they have hissed on you terrors you have become and there not [will be] you until perpetuity
שָׁרְק֖וּsha.re.Ku they have hissed H8319 Verb · Qal · perfect third person common plural
12× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To whistle or hiss is the meaning of this Hebrew word, used to express scorn or call out to someone. In the Bible, it appears in books like Job and Jeremiah, often as a sign of derision or warning.
Amplified meaning
whistle, expressing scorn
Tyndale gloss
to whistle
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׁרַק (sharaq) is a Hebrew verb meaning to hiss, and possibly also to whistle or pipe. It is described as a primitive root, indicating a shrill sound used as a call or in scorn. The entries consistently emphasize its use in making a hissing or whistling noise.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁרַק vb. hiss, perh. also, whistle, pipe

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8319 שָׁרַק hiss, perh. also, whistle, pipe

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8319 sharaq shaw-rak'

a primitive root; properly, to be shrill, i.e. to whistle or

hiss (as a call or in scorn):--hiss.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁרַק (sha.raq) — to whistle.

1) to hiss, whistle, pipe

1a) (Qal) to hiss (as a signal)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-3cp — Verb · Qal · perfect third person common plural
HVqp3cp
traders among the peoples they have hissed on you terrors you have become and there not [will be] you until perpetuity
עָלָ֑יִךְ'a.La.yikh on you H5921 Preposition · suffix
5,774× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means on or above something, like a physical object or a situation. It can also imply a sense of responsibility or accountability, as in being on behalf of someone.
Tyndale gloss
upon
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עַל (*al*) is a preposition meaning 'upon' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including 'on account of,' 'beside,' 'above,' and 'against.' It can indicate physical placement, emotional burdens, or duties imposed on a person. The entries also note its use in idiomatic expressions and with verbs of motion. There is a mention of its function as a conjunction in certain contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

base

עַל, עָ֑ל

subst. height

As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against

Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed

of clothing, etc., which any one wears

With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it

Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him

Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him

על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him

חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5921a עַל, עָ֑ל . As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against . Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed . — . of clothing, etc., which any one wears

. With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it

. Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him

. Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him

. על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him

. חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)

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Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5921 `al al

properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the

singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a

particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always

in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great

variety of applications (as follow):--above, according

to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because

of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both

and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in

(that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-)on, over, than,

through(-out), to, touching, X with.

see HEBREW for 05920

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עַל (al) — upon.

prep

1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against

1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards

1b) above, beyond, over (of excess)

1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence)

1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition)

1e) over (of suspension or extension)

1f) by, adjoining, next, at, over, around (of contiguity or proximity)

1g) down upon, upon, on, from, up upon, up to, towards, over towards, to, against (with verbs of motion)

1h) to (as a dative)

[כִּי] עַל [כֵּן] ([ki] al [ken]) — as.

conj

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | Suff — Preposition · suffix
HR/Sp2fs
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
traders among the peoples they have hissed on you terrors you have become and there not [will be] you until perpetuity
בַּלָּה֣וֹתba.la.Hot terrors H1091 Noun common · feminine plural absolute
10× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means terror or destruction, causing alarm and trouble. It is used to describe dreadful events in the Bible, such as wars and disasters.
Amplified meaning
dreadful, terrible, becoming a terror, a thing of fear
Tyndale gloss
terror
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בַּלָּהָה (ballahah) refers to concepts of terror, calamity, and destruction. It is derived from a root meaning alarm and primarily denotes dreadful events or troubles. The entries consistently emphasize its association with fear and disastrous occurrences, without notable disagreements among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בַּלָּהָה n.f. terror, dreadful event, calamity, destruction

only pl. terrors

calamity

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1091 בַּלָּהָה terror, dreadful event, calamity, destruction

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1091 ballahah bal-law-haw'

from 1089; alarm; hence, destruction:--terror, trouble.

see HEBREW for 01089

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בַּלָּהָה (bal.la.hah) — terror.

terror, destruction, calamity, dreadful event

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fp — Noun common · feminine plural absolute
HNcfpa
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
traders among the peoples they have hissed on you terrors you have become and there not [will be] you until perpetuity
הָיִ֔יתha.Yit you have become H1961 Verb · Qal · perfect second person feminine singular
3,562× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for to be means to exist or come into being. It is used to describe something that happens or comes to pass, like in Genesis where God creates the world.
Tyndale gloss
to be
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word הָיָה (hayah) is a primitive root meaning to exist or become, and it encompasses a range of meanings including to happen, occur, and come to pass. It is often used in narrative contexts, particularly in phrases like "and it came to pass." The word can also denote a state of being or existence, and it appears frequently in various forms throughout the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הָיָה 3570 vb. fall out, come to pass, become, be

Qal

Fall out, happen

occur, take place, come about, come to pass

esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass

וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)

rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה

less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)

Come into being, become

abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come

sq. prep.

become

sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)

sq. pred. adj.

become like

sq. pred. לְ pers.

sq. לְ pred.

oft. c. לְ pred. לְ pers.

with עַל and לְ

sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of

Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming)

exist, be in existence

abide, remain, continue

with word of locality, be in or at a place, be situated, stand, lie

as copula, joining subj. & pred.

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1961 הָיָה fall out, come to pass, become, be .. . . Fall out, happen

. occur, take place, come about, come to pass

. esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass . . וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)

. rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה

. less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)

. Come into being, become . . abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come

. sq. prep.

. become . sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)

. sq. pred. adj.

. become like

. sq. pred. + לְ pers.

. sq. לְ pred.

. oft. c. לְ pred. + לְ pers.

. with עַל and לְ

. sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of

. Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming) . exist, be in existence

. abide, remain, continue

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1961 hayah haw-yaw

a primitive root (compare 1933); to exist, i.e. be or become,

come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or

auxiliary):--beacon, X altogether, be(-come), accomplished,

committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint,

fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit

(one-)self, require, X use.

see HEBREW for 01933

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הָיָה (ha.yah) — to be.

1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out

1a) (Qal)

1a1) ---

1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass

1a1b) to come about, come to pass

1a2) to come into being, become

1a2a) to arise, appear, come

1a2b) to become

1a2b1) to become

1a2b2) to become like

1a2b3) to be instituted, be established

1a3) to be

1a3a) to exist, be in existence

1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time)

1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality)

1a3d) to accompany, be with

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to occur, come to pass, be done, be brought about

1b2) to be done, be finished, be gone

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-2fs — Verb · Qal · perfect second person feminine singular
HVqp2fs
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

be-kum':

(1) Greek ginomai, used in New Testament for a change of state, corresponding to Hebrew hayah of Old Testament. Compare Mt 18:3 with De 27:9.

(2) For what is fitting, suitable, proper, in New Testament: "prepei" (Mt 3:15; Eph 5:3; 1Ti 2:10); in Old Testament, na'awah, na'ah, Ps 93:5: "Holiness becometh thy house." in this sense, the adverb "becomingly" must be interpreted: "Walk becomingly toward them that are without" (1Th 4:12), i.e. in a way that is consistent with your profession.

traders among the peoples they have hissed on you terrors you have become and there not [will be] you until perpetuity
וְאֵינֵ֖ךְve.'ei.Nekh and there not [will be] you H369 Conjunction · noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
789× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means nothing or not, often used to indicate the absence of something, as in Genesis 1:2 where the earth was without form. It emphasizes the idea of something lacking or non-existent.
Amplified meaning
exist no more, nothing, till forever, to the age
Tyndale gloss
nothing
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אַ֫יִן (ayin) primarily means 'nothing' or 'nought' and serves as a negative particle indicating absence or negation, such as 'is not' or 'there is not.' It can also express lack of possession or existence. The word is derived from a root meaning to be non-existent, and it appears frequently in various grammatical constructions.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אַ֫יִן, אָ֑֫יִן cstr. אֵין subst. prop. nothing, nought

to nothing, as nothing

cstr. אֵין, very freq. as particle of negation, is not, are not, was not, were not

אֵין לְ׳, with subst., or pron., there is (was) not to … = … have, has, had, etc. not

in circumst. clauses

with inf. and ל׳, it is not to …

with prefixes

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H369 אַ֫יִן, אָ֑֫יִן cstr. אֵין subst. prop. nothing, nought . to nothing, as nothing

. cstr. אֵין, very freq. as particle of negation, is not, are not, was not, were not

. אֵין לְ׳, with subst., or pron., there is (was) not to … = … have, has, had, etc. not

. in circumst. clauses

. with inf. and ל׳, it is not to …

. with prefixes

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

369 'ayin ah'-yin

as if from a primitive root meaning to be nothing or not

exist; a non-entity; generally used as a negative

particle:--else, except, fail, (father-)less, be gone,

in(-curable), neither, never, no (where), none, nor, (any,

thing), not, nothing, to nought, past, un(-searchable),

well-nigh, without. Compare 370.

see HEBREW for 0370

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אַ֫יִן (a.yin) — nothing.

1) nothing, not, nought n

1a) nothing, nought neg

1b) not

1c) to have not (of possession) adv

1d) without w/prep

1e) for lack of

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Part | Suff — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HC/Ncmsc/Sp2fs
traders among the peoples they have hissed on you terrors you have become and there not [will be] you until perpetuity
עַד־'ad- until H5704 Preposition
1,261× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means until or as far as, describing a point in time or space. It's used in the Bible to set boundaries or limits, like in Exodus when describing the Israelites' journey.
Tyndale gloss
till
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עַד (ad) primarily functions as a preposition, adverb, or conjunction meaning 'until,' 'up to,' or 'as far as.' It can denote spatial, temporal, or degree-related contexts, such as 'even to' or 'while.' The entries indicate its use in poetry and in various combinations, but there is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עַד, in poetry עֲדֵי prep. as far as, even to, up to, until, while

prep.

of space

Of time

Of degree

conj.

until

While

Of degree, to the point that, so that even (rare)

עַד לְ, a strengthened form for עַד. Thus

of space

Of time

Of degree

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5704 עַד, in poetry עֲדֵי as far as, even to, up to, until, while . prep. . of space

. Of time

. Of degree

. conj. . until

. While

. Of degree, to the point that, so that even (rare)

. עַד לְ, a strengthened form for עַד. Thus . of space

. Of time

. Of degree

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5704 `ad ad

properly, the same as 5703 (used as a preposition, adverb or

conjunction; especially with a preposition); as far (or long,

or much) as, whether of space (even unto) or time (during,

while, until) or degree (equally with):--against, and, as,

at, before, by (that), even (to), for(-asmuch as),

(hither-)to, + how long, into, as long (much) as, (so) that,

till, toward, until, when, while, (+ as) yet.

see HEBREW for 05703

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עַד (ad) — till.

prep

1) as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as

1a) of space

1a1) as far as, up to, even to

1b) in combination

1b1) from...as far as, both...and (with 'min' -from)

1c) of time

1c1) even to, until, unto, till, during, end

1d) of degree

1d1) even to, to the degree of, even like

conj

2) until, while, to the point that, so that even

Aramaic equivalent: ad (עַד "till" H5705)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR — Preposition
HR
traders among the peoples they have hissed on you terrors you have become and there not [will be] you until perpetuity
עוֹלָֽם׃ סo.Lam perpetuity H5769 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
438× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means forever or always, describing something that lasts an eternity. It is used in the Bible to describe God's eternal nature and his lasting promises.
Tyndale gloss
forever: antiquity
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עוֹלָם (owlam) refers to concepts of long duration, antiquity, and futurity, encompassing meanings like eternity and perpetual existence. It is derived from a root meaning 'concealed' or 'the vanishing point.' The term is used to describe both ancient times and an indefinite future, indicating continuity and everlastingness.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עוֹלָם 439 n.m. long duration, antiquity, futurity

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5769 עוֹלָם long duration, antiquity, futurity

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5769 `owlam o-lawm'

or lolam {o-lawm'}; from 5956; properly, concealed, i.e. the

vanishing point; generally, time out of mind (past or future),

i.e. (practically) eternity; frequentatively, adverbial

(especially with prepositional prefix) always:--alway(-s),

ancient (time), any more, continuance, eternal, (for,

(n-))ever(-lasting, -more, of old), lasting, long (time), (of)

old (time), perpetual, at any time, (beginning of the) world

(+ without end). Compare 5331, 5703.

see HEBREW for 05956

see HEBREW for 05331

see HEBREW for 05703

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עוֹלָם (o.lam) — forever: enduring.

: enduring/eternal

1) long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, old, ancient, world

1a) ancient time, long time (of past)

1b) (of future)

1b1) for ever, always

1b2) continuous existence, perpetual

1b3) everlasting, indefinite or unending future, eternity

עוֹלָם (o.lam) — Everlasting.

This name means long duration, everlasting, perpetual

Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)

עוֹלָם (o.lam) — forever: any time.

: any_time

1) long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, old, ancient, world

1a) ancient time, long time (of past)

1b) (of future)

1b1) for ever, always

1b2) continuous existence, perpetual

1b3) everlasting, indefinite or unending future, eternity

עוֹלָם (o.lam) — forever: antiquity.

: old/ancient

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcmsa — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
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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