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Ezekiel 36:35 — Word Study

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WLCוְאָמְר֗וּ הָאָ֤רֶץ הַלֵּ֙זוּ֙ הַנְּשַׁמָּ֔ה הָיְתָ֖ה כְּגַן־ עֵ֑דֶן וְהֶעָרִ֧ים הֶחֳרֵב֛וֹת וְהַֽנְשַׁמּ֥וֹת וְהַנֶּהֱרָס֖וֹת בְּצוּר֥וֹת יָשָֽׁבוּ׃

BSAThen they will sayʼâmar Thishallêzûw [deserted, waste] landʼerets that was desolateshâmêm [laid waste, desolate] has becomehâyâh like the gardengan [beautiful, lush] of EdenʻÊden [a place of pleasure and delight] The citiesʻîyr that were once ruinedchârêb [demolished, ruined] desolateshâmêm and destroyedhâraç [desolate, empty] are now fortifiedbâtsar [restored, fortified] and inhabitedyâshab [populated]

Word
Listen & take awayEzekiel 36
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 35 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 (ya.Sha.vu) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Ezekiel 36:35quick helps
In a sentenceThe people will proclaim that the desolate land has transformed into a flourishing garden, and the ruined cities are now fortified and inhabited.
Who is speakingThe people, expressing their amazement at the restoration of the land.
Where we areIn a prophetic declaration about the future restoration of Israel.
The hard wordהַנְּשַׁמָּה
Take awayThe transformation from desolation to life is complete.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbאָמַר The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

1 of 13 occurs nowhere else in the Old Testament — a word chosen on purpose.

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 36:35

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 Restoration of Israelgenerated

34The desolate land will be cultivated instead of lying desolate in the sight of all who pass through.
35Then they will say, ‘This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden. The cities that were once ruined, desolate, and destroyed are now fortified and inhabited.’
36Then the nations around you that remain will know that I, the LORD, have rebuilt what was destroyed, and I have replanted what was desolate. I, the LORD, have spoken, and I will do it.
37This is what the Lord GOD says: Once again I will hear the plea of the house of Israel and do for them this: I will multiply their people like a flock.

Ezekiel 36:35 describes a future time when the land of Israel, once desolate and ruined, will be restored to a state of beauty and life, likened to the Garden of Eden. This transformation signifies God's promise to revive His people and their land, as echoed in the surrounding verses that emphasize restoration and renewal.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Psalm 58:11Then men will say, “There is surely a reward for the righteous! There is surely a God who judges the earth!”
2Psalm 64:9Then all mankind will fear and proclaim the work of God; so they will ponder what He has done.
3Psalm 126:2Then our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with shouts of joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them.”
4Jeremiah 33:9So this city will bring Me renown, joy, praise, and glory before all the nations of the earth, who will hear of all the good I do for it. They will tremble in awe because of all the goodness and prosperity that I will provide for it.
5Ezekiel 37:13Then you, My people, will know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and bring you up from them.

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


The Key Word הַנְּשַׁמָּה, ha.ne.sha.Mahgenerated

The word שָׁמֵם (shamem) means to be desolate or devastated. It describes a state of emptiness and destruction, often resulting from divine judgment or calamity. In this verse, it highlights the previous condition of the land, emphasizing the dramatic change that has occurred.

In the Niphal form, it indicates a passive state of being desolated, suggesting that the land has been left in ruins by external forces. This verb encapsulates the transformation from a state of devastation to one of flourishing life.


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. The BSB has fortified, and so do the KJV and the ASV: all three maintain the sense of strength and security.

Where others part company with the BSB they part company over a real fork in the lexicon. Restored (FBV) takes a more general sense of renewal, while the BSB emphasizes the aspect of fortification.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The finite verb אָמְר֗וּ, they will say, governs the entire sentence, introducing a proclamation about the state of the land and cities. The structure includes descriptive phrases that detail the transformation of both the land and the cities.

The sentence is built around the main clause with several noun phrases that elaborate on the subjects: the land and the cities. This organization emphasizes the contrast between the past desolation and the present restoration.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates הַנְּשַׁמָּה as ἠφανισμένη, which carries a similar meaning of being desolated or made invisible. This choice reflects the translators' understanding of the land's previous state of utter devastation.

The use of ἠφανισμένη suggests a more complete removal from existence, indicating not just physical desolation but a loss of identity, which aligns with the prophetic message of restoration.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Ezekiel 36:35 tells us that the land, which was once desolate, will be transformed into a beautiful garden, like Eden. The cities that were ruined and empty will now be fortified and populated, showing God's promise of restoration.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that the land has become like the garden of Eden?

It signifies a complete transformation from desolation to beauty, representing God's restoration and blessing upon the land and its people.

Why are the cities described as fortified?

Fortified cities imply safety and security, indicating that the land will not only be inhabited but also protected from threats.

What is the significance of the people saying this?

Their proclamation reflects a communal recognition of God's miraculous work in restoring their land, serving as a testimony to His faithfulness.

How does this verse connect with God's promises to Israel?

This verse illustrates the fulfillment of God's promises to restore Israel after judgment, reinforcing His commitment to His covenant people.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what areas of my life do I see God bringing restoration and renewal?
  2. How can I recognize and celebrate the transformations God has made in my community?
  3. What does it mean for me to be a part of a 'fortified' community of faith?
  4. How can I share the story of God's restoration in my life with others?

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Ezekiel 36:35 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

And they shall say,.... Either the neighbouring nations that lived round about the land of Israel, Ezekiel 36:36, or rather the travellers, as before, who having as they passed by observed what it

Read John Gill on Ezekiel 36 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And they shall say, This land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden; and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are become fenced, and are inhabited.

Read Robert Jamieson on Ezekiel 36 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

They shall say; strangers or foreigners, who had heard or seen the sad wastes, and now either hear or see the replanting of it, and how it succeedeth. Like the garden of Eden; see the phrase ; most fruitful, pleasant, and desirable. This is true of the church of Christ without an hyperbole, but here it is to be accommodated by a comparative, thus; that good state the Jews are now in, compared with what they were in, is as an Eden to a wilderness. Fenced; not only built for habitation, but fortified for defence.

Read Matthew Poole on Ezekiel 36 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Ezekiel 36:35 And they shall say, This land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden; and the waste and desolate and ruined cities [are become] fenced, [and] are inhabited.Ver. 35. This land.] Such a change can God soon make for worse or better. Fear him therefore; fear the Lord and his goodness.

Read John Trapp on Ezekiel 36 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(35) Like the garden of Eden.—This may be meant merely to describe the exceeding excellence and prosperity of the land; but, in connection with what has been previously said, it seems rather to point forward to that state in which man shall again be entirely freed from sin, which has been the state for which the Church in all ages has been preparing.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Ezekiel 36 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 35. This land that was desolate by sin, is become like the garden of Eden by righteousness. - Satan's blast is removed; God's blessing has taken place.

Read AdamClarke on Ezekiel 36 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

16–38. Not for Israel’s sake but for his own name’s sake does Jehovah do all this in behalf of his people The passage is remarkable and deserves to be studied almost more than any other part of Ezek. when one is seeking to understand his general conceptions. It exhibits his philosophy of history (cf. ch. 20), and also describes with great beauty the principles of Jehovah’s redemption of his people, and how step by step this shall be accomplished. The prophet reviews the history of the people from the beginning, running it out till it is lost in its eternal issues, and shewing how it will read to all the nations of the earth the true lesson of that which Jehovah, the God of Israel, is, and…

Read Cambridge on Ezekiel 36 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

28-36. The new Israel, which possesses the new heart and the new spirit, shall be permitted to re-establish covenant relations with Jehovah and shall once more return to their old land, which shall

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Ezekiel 36 →

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

Then they will say, ‘This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden. The cities that were once ruined, desolate, and destroyed are now fortified and inhabited.’

WEBWorld English Bible2000

They will say, ‘This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden. The waste, desolate, and ruined cities are fortified and inhabited.’

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Then they will say, ‘This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden. The cities that were once ruined, desolate, and destroyed are now fortified and inhabited.’

NETBNew English Translation2006

They will say, “This desolate land has become like the garden of Eden; the ruined, desolate, and destroyed cities are now fortified and inhabited.”

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And they shall say, This land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden; and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are become fenced, and are inhabited.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And they shall say, This land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden; and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are fortified and inhabited.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And they shall say, This land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden; and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are fenced and inhabited.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And they shall say, This land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden; and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are become fortified, and are inhabited.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

For they sayd, This waste land was like the garden of Eden, and these waste and desolate and ruinous cities were strong, and were inhabited.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And they shall say, This land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden; and the waste and desolate and ruined cities [are] fortified [and] inhabited.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And they have said: This land, that was desolated, Hath been as the garden of Eden, And the cities — the wasted, And the desolated, and the broken down, Fenced places have remained.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And they have said: This land, that was desolated, || Has been as the Garden of Eden, || And the cities—the dried up, || And the desolated, and the broken down, || [And the] fortified have remained.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Then shall they say, This land, that was desolate, is become like the garden of 'Eden; and the cities that were ruined, and desolate, and broken down, are become fortified, and inhabited.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Then they will say, “This land was desolate, but it has become like the garden of Eden; the desolate cities and the uninhabited ruins that were torn down are now fortified and inhabited.”

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

They shall say: This land that was untilled is become as a garden of pleasure: and the cities that were abandoned, and desolate, and destroyed, are peopled and fenced.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Then they will say, ‘This deserted land is now like the garden of Eden. The towns that were demolished, abandoned, and destroyed have been restored and strengthened, and people are living in them.’

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And they will say, This land which was waste has become like the garden of Eden; and the towns which were unpeopled and wasted and pulled down are walled and peopled.

Word by word, the decisions they made

בְּצוּר֥וֹתbe.tzu.Rot [are] fortified H1219 2 different renderings
fortifiedASV BSB DBY ILT LSV MSB NETB NWB ULB WEB
restoredFBV

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.

וְandclauseverbאָמְר֗וּpeople.will.sayclauseclausenoun phrase · subjectnoun phrasenoun phraseהָtheאָ֤רֶץlandהַלֵּ֨זוּ֙thisnoun phraseהַ(the)נְּשַׁמָּ֔הdesolatedverbהָיְתָ֖הit.has.becomeprepositional phrase · prepositionalכְּlikenoun phraseגַןthe.gardenעֵ֑דֶןof.Edenוְandclausenoun phrase · subjectהֶthenoun phraseעָרִ֧יםcitiesadjective phraseadjective phraseהֶ(the)חֳרֵב֛וֹתdesolateוְandadjective phraseהַֽ(the)נְשַׁמּ֥וֹתdesolatedוְand.(the)adjective phraseהַbrokenנֶּהֱרָס֖וֹתdownpredicateבְּצוּר֥וֹתfortified.[cities]clauseverbיָשָֽׁבוּthey.have.remained

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


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

The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree closely in their wording for this verse, with all 13 words matched. The Dead Sea Scrolls show some restoration by an editor, indicating that while some words are missing, the overall message remains consistent with the Masoretic Text.

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

וְאָמְר֗וּ הָאָ֤רֶץ הַלֵּ֙זוּ֙ הַנְּשַׁמָּ֔ה הָיְתָ֖ה כְּגַן־ עֵ֑דֶן וְהֶעָרִ֧ים הֶחֳרֵב֛וֹת וְהַֽנְשַׁמּ֥וֹת וְהַנֶּהֱרָס֖וֹת בְּצוּר֥וֹת יָשָֽׁבוּ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וְאָמְר֗וּἐροῦσινהָאָ֤רֶץγῆהַלֵּ֙זוּ֙ἐκείνηהַנְּשַׁמָּ֔הἠφανισμένηהָיְתָ֖הἐγενήθηכְּגַן־κῆποςעֵ֑דֶןτρυφῆςוְהֶעָרִ֧יםπόλειςהֶחֳרֵב֛וֹתἔρημοιוְהַֽנְשַׁמּ֥וֹתἠφανισμέναιוְהַנֶּהֱרָס֖וֹתκατεσκαμμέναιבְּצוּר֥וֹתὀξυραὶיָשָֽׁבוּ׃ἐκάθισαν

13 of the 13 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 — Mas1da copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[ואמרו] הארץ הלזו הנשמה [היתה] [כגן] [עדן] [והערים] החרבות [והנשמות] [והנהרסות] [בצורות] [ישבו]

1 word on the leather — 3 partly restored, 9 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 36:35אָמַרand people and people willאָמַראֶ֫רֶץthe landthe landאֶ֫רֶץהַלֵּ֫זוּthisthisהַלֵּ֫זוּשָׁמֵםdesolateddesolatedשָׁמֵםהָיָהit has becoit has becomeהָיָהגַּןlike [the] like [the] gardגַּןעֵ֫דֶןEdenEdenעֵ֫דֶןעִירand the citand the citiesעִירחָרֵבwastedwastedחָרֵבשָׁמֵםand desolatand desolatedשָׁמֵםהָרַסand broken and broken downהָרַסבָּצַר[are] forti[are] fortifiedבָּצַריָשַׁבthey have rthey have remaiיָשַׁבגָּנַןto defendto defendגָּנַןעוּרto rouseto rouseעוּרחָרֵבto dryto dryחָרֵבבָּצִירvintagevintageבָּצִירהַלָּזֶהthisthisהַלָּזֶההָוָאto fallto fallהָוָאעֵ֫דֶןdelicacydelicacyעֵ֫דֶןשָׁרַקto whistleto whistleשָׁרַקנָוֶהpasturepastureנָוֶהכֹּהthusthusכֹּהיהוהYHWH/GodYHWH/Godיהוהכְּנַ֫עַןCanaanCanaanכְּנַ֫עַןמִצְרַ֫יִם(Sea of) E(Sea of) Egyptמִצְרַ֫יִםעֵ֫דֶןEdenEdenעֵ֫דֶןבֹּ֫שֶׂםspicespiceבֹּ֫שֶׂםגַּןgardengardenגַּןיוֹאָחJoahJoahיוֹאָחמִגְרָשׁpasturepastureמִגְרָשׁ
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 36:35

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 people will say the land this desolated it has become like [the] garden of Eden and the cities wasted and desolated and broken down [are] fortified they have remained
וְאָמְר֗וּve.'a.me.Ru and people will say H559 Verb · Qal · sequential perfect third person common 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'.
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
Conj | V-Qal-3cp — Verb · Qal · sequential perfect third person common plural
Hc/Vqq3cp
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and people will say the land this desolated it has become like [the] garden of Eden and the cities wasted and desolated and broken down [are] fortified they have remained
הָאָ֤רֶץha.'A.retz the land H776 Particle · noun common feminine singular absolute
2,504× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The land or earth refers to the soil or ground, and can also mean a country, territory, or region. In the Bible, it is used to describe the earth and its inhabitants, and is often translated as 'land' or 'country'.
Tyndale gloss
land: soil
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֶ֫רֶץ (erets) is a feminine noun meaning 'earth' or 'land.' It encompasses various meanings, including the whole earth, specific territories like Canaan, and even inhabitants of the land. It can refer to soil, ground, or regions, and is used in phrases related to distance and the living. There is a note on the plural form אֲרָצוֹת, which mainly appears in later texts to denote multiple lands.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶ֫רֶץ n. f. & (seld.) m. earth, land

earth, whole earth (opp. to a part)

earth, opp. to heaven, sky

earth = inhabitants of earth

land =

country, territory

district, region

trial territory

piece of ground

specif. land of Canaan, or Israel

= inhabitants of land

used even of Shᵉʼôl

ground, surface of ground

soil, as productive

אֶרֶץ in phrases

people of the land

in measurements of distance

the country of the plain, level or plain country

land of the living

end(s) of the earth

pl. אֲרָצוֹת is almost wholly late; it denotes lands, countries, often in contrast to Canaan, lands of the nations, etc.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H776 אֶ֫רֶץ n. f. & (seld.) m. earth, land . . earth, whole earth (opp. to a part)

. earth, opp. to heaven, sky

. earth = inhabitants of earth

. land = . country, territory

. district, region

. trial territory

. piece of ground

. specif. land of Canaan, or Israel

. = inhabitants of land

. used even of Shᵉʼôl

. . ground, surface of ground

. soil, as productive

. אֶרֶץ in phrases . people of the land

. in measurements of distance

. the country of the plain, level or plain country

. land of the living

. end(s) of the earth

. pl. אֲרָצוֹת is almost wholly late; it denotes lands, countries, often in contrast to Canaan, lands of the nations, etc.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

776 'erets eh'-rets

from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth

(at large, or partitively a land):--X common, country, earth,

field, ground, land, X natins, way, + wilderness, world.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶ֫רֶץ (e.rets) — land: country/planet.

: country/field

1) land, earth

1a) earth

1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part)

1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven)

1a3) earth (inhabitants)

1b) land

1b1) country, territory

1b2) district, region

1b3) tribal territory

1b4) piece of ground

1b5) land of Canaan, Israel

1b6) inhabitants of land

1b7) Sheol, land without return, (under) world

1b8) city (-state)

1c) ground, surface of the earth

1c1) ground

1c2) soil

1d) (in phrases)

1d1) people of the land

1d2) space or distance of country (in measurements of distance)

1d3) level or plain country

1d4) land of the living

1d5) end(s) of the earth

1e) (almost wholly late in usage)

1e1) lands, countries

1e1a) often in contrast to Canaan

אֶ֫רֶץ (e.rets) — land: soil.

: soil

1) land, earth

1a) earth

1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part)

1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven)

1a3) earth (inhabitants)

1b) land

1b1) country, territory

Read the full entry →
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

((1) 'erets;

(2) 'adhamah;

(3) sadheh,

"a piece of land";

(4) ge, "earth";

(5) agros, "field";

(6) chora, "region";

(7) chorion, diminutive of chora;

(8) xeros, "dry land";

(9) 'ezrach, "native" the King James Version "born in the land," "born among you," the Revised Version (British and American) "home-born" (Le 19:34; 14:16; Nu 15:30); "like a green tree in its native soil" (Ps 37:35)):

'Erets occurs hundreds of times and is used in much the same way as 'adhamah, which also occurs often: e.g. "land of Egypt," 'erets mitsrayim (Ge 13:10), and 'adhmath mitsrayim (Ge 47:20). The other words occur less often, and are used in the…

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Appeared on the third creative day Ge 1:9

→ Original title to, from God Ge 13:14-17; 15:7; Ex 23:31; Le 25:23

→ Bought and sold Ge 23:3-18; 33:19; Ac 4:34; 5:1-8

→ Sale and redemption of, laws concerning Le 25:15,16,23-33; 27:17-24; Nu 36:4; Jer 32:7-16,25,44; Eze 46:18

and people will say the land this desolated it has become like [the] garden of Eden and the cities wasted and desolated and broken down [are] fortified they have remained
הַלֵּ֙זוּ֙ha.Le.zu this H1977 Particle
1× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means that or this, often used to refer to something previously mentioned. In the Bible, it's used to connect ideas or point to a specific thing, like in Deuteronomy where Moses says this is what God commands.
Amplified meaning
deserted, waste
Tyndale gloss
this
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הַלֵּ֫זוּ (*hallezuw*) means 'this' or 'this one' in Hebrew. It is a demonstrative pronoun used to refer to something specific. The word appears in Ezekiel 36:35 and is noted as a feminine form. The entries consistently define it as a form of the related word for 'that'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הַלֵּ֫זוּ Ez 36:35 (fem.) [e.bl.aa]

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1977 הַלֵּ֫זוּ

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1977 hallezuw hal-lay-zoo'

another form of 1976; that:--this.

see HEBREW for 01976

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הַלֵּ֫זוּ (hal.le.zu) — this.

this, this one (without subst), yonder

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Pron — Particle
HTm
and people will say the land this desolated it has become like [the] garden of Eden and the cities wasted and desolated and broken down [are] fortified they have remained
הַנְּשַׁמָּ֔הha.ne.sha.Mah desolated H8074 Particle · verb niphal participle (active) feminine singular
86× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The word 'shamem' means to be desolate or devastated, like a place left empty and destroyed, often used to describe the aftermath of war or disaster.
Amplified meaning
laid waste, desolate
Tyndale gloss
be desolate: destroyed
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׁמֵם (shamem) is a Hebrew verb meaning to be desolated or appalled. It is built from a primitive root and encompasses a range of meanings including to stun, devastate, and cause horror. The verb appears in various forms, such as Qal, Niphal, and Hiphil, indicating different nuances like being made desolate or causing desolation.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[שָׁמֵם] vb. be desolated, appalled

Qal

be desolated

be appalled, awestruck

Niph.

be desolated

be appalled

Pō‛.

I sat appalled

transit. appalling, causing horror

Hiph.

devastate, ravage

appal

inwardly trans., shewing horror

Hoph. all the days of (its) being desolate

Hithpō‛.

be appalled, astounded

cause oneself desolation, ruin

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8074 [שָׁמֵם] be desolated, appalled

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8074 shamem shaw-mame'

a primitive root; to stun (or intransitively, grow numb),

i.e. devastate or (figuratively) stupefy (both usually in a

passive sense):--make amazed, be astonied, (be an)

astonish(-ment), (be, bring into, unto, lay, lie, make)

desolate(-ion, places), be destitute, destroy (self), (lay,

lie, make) waste, wonder.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁמֵם (sha.mem) — be desolate: destroyed.

: destroyed/deserted

1) to be desolate, be appalled, stun, stupefy

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to be desolated, be deflowered, be deserted, be appalled

1a2) to be appalled, be awestruck

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be desolated, be made desolate

1b2) to be appalled

1c) (Polel)

1c1) to be stunned

1c2) appalling, causing horror (participle)

1c2a) horror-causer, appaller (subst)

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to devastate, ravage, make desolated

1d2) to appal, show horror

1e) (Hophal) to lay desolate, be desolated

1f) (Hithpolel)

1f1) to cause to be desolate

1f2) to be appalled, be astounded

1f3) to cause oneself desolation, cause oneself ruin

שָׁמֵם (sha.mem) — be desolate: appalled.

: appalled

1) to be desolate, be appalled, stun, stupefy

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to be desolated, be deflowered, be deserted, be appalled

1a2) to be appalled, be awestruck

1b) (Niphal)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | V-Niphal-Inf-c — Particle · verb niphal participle (active) feminine singular
HTd/VNrfsa
and people will say the land this desolated it has become like [the] garden of Eden and the cities wasted and desolated and broken down [are] fortified they have remained
הָיְתָ֖הha.ye.Tah it has become H1961 Verb · Qal · perfect third 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-3fs — Verb · Qal · perfect third person feminine singular
HVqp3fs
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.

and people will say the land this desolated it has become like [the] garden of Eden and the cities wasted and desolated and broken down [are] fortified they have remained
כְּגַן־ke.gan- like [the] garden of H1588 Preposition · noun common both singular construct
42× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The word for garden refers to an enclosed area, like the Garden of Eden. It can also symbolize a bride or a place for plants.
Amplified meaning
beautiful, lush
Tyndale gloss
garden
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

גַּן (gan) means 'garden' or 'enclosure' and can refer to a physical garden or, figuratively, to a bride. It is derived from a root meaning to fence in. The term is used in various contexts, including the Garden of Eden and specific locations like Beth-haggan.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

גַּן n.m. & f. enclosure, garden

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1588 גַּן enclosure, garden

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1588 gan gan

from 1598; a garden (as fenced):--garden.

see HEBREW for 01598

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

גַּן (gan) — Garden (of Uzza).

This name means garden, enclosure

גַּן (gan) — (Beth)-haggan.

Combined with ba.yit (בַּ֫יִת "Beth" H1004H)

גַּן (gan) — garden.

1) garden, enclosure

1a) enclosed garden

1a1) (fig. of a bride)

1b) garden (of plants)

1c) Garden of Eden

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-cs — Preposition · noun common both singular construct
HR/Ncbsc
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 people will say the land this desolated it has become like [the] garden of Eden and the cities wasted and desolated and broken down [are] fortified they have remained
עֵ֑דֶן'E.den Eden H5731 Noun proper
16× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Eden refers to the garden where Adam and Eve lived, a place of pleasure and beauty. It is also the name of a person who lived during the Divided Monarchy. The word means pleasure in Hebrew.
Amplified meaning
a place of pleasure and delight
Tyndale gloss
Eden
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עֵ֫דֶן (*Eden*) refers to both a geographical region, identified as the home of Adam and Eve, and a Levite name found in 2 Chronicles 29:12 and 31:15. The term is associated with the meaning 'pleasure.' The entries highlight its dual use as a place and a personal name, with no significant disagreement among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עֵ֫דֶן n.pr.m. Levite name 2 Ch 29:12 (𝔊 Ιω(α)δαν), 31:15 (𝔊 Οδαμ, 𝔊L Ιαδαν).

done

עֵ֫דֶן n.pr.terr. (prob. associated by Heb. with I. עֵ֫דֶן);—district in which lay garden of י׳, home of Adam and Eve

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5731a עֵ֫דֶן Levite name H5731b עֵ֫דֶן n. pr. terr. (prob. associated by Heb. with I. עֵ֫דֶן);—district in which lay garden of י׳, home of Adam and Eve

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5731 `Eden ay'-den

the same as 5730 (masculine); Eden, the region of Adam's

home:--Eden.

see HEBREW for 05730

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עֵ֫דֶן (e.den) — Eden.

A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 2Ch.29.12;

son of: Joah (H3098L)

§ Eden= "pleasure"

a Gershonite Levite, son of Joah in the days of king Hezekiah of Judah

עֵ֫דֶן (e.den) — Eden.

§ Eden= "pleasure"

the first habitat of man after the creation

עֵ֫דֶן (e.den) — Eden.

A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 2Ch.31.15

§ Eden= "pleasure"

the first habitat of man after the creation

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

e'-d'-n (`edhen, "delight"; Edem):

(1) The land in which "Yahweh God planted a garden," where upon his creation "he put the man whom he had formed" (Ge 2:8).

In the Assyrian inscriptions idinu (Accadian, edin) means "plain" and it is from this that the Biblical word is probably derived. Following are the references to Eden in the Bible, aside from those in Ge 2 and 3: Ge 4:16; Isa 51:3; Eze 28:13; 31:9,16,18; 36:35; Joe 2:3. The Garden of Eden is said to be "eastward, in Eden" Ge (2:8); where the vegetation was luxurious (2:9) and the fig tree indigenous (3:7), and where it was watered by irrigation.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Eden

Delight. (1.) The garden in which our first parents dewlt (Gen. 2:8-17). No geographical question has been so much discussed as that bearing on its site. It has been placed in Armenia, in the region west of the Caspian Sea, in Media, near Damascus, in Palestine, in Southern Arabia, and in Babylonia. The site must undoubtedly be sought for somewhere along the course of the great streams the Tigris and the Euphrates of Western Asia, in “the land of Shinar” or Babylonia. The region from about lat. 33 degrees 30’ to lat. 31 degrees, which is a very rich and fertile tract, has been by the most competent authorities agreed on as the probable site of Eden. “It is a region where streams abound, where they divide and re-unite, where alone in the Mesopotamian tract can be found the phenomenon of a single river parting into four arms, each…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

A Gershonite Levite, son of Joah, in the days of Hezekiah. (2 Chronicles 29:12) (B.C. 727.) Also a Levite, probably identical with the preceding. (2 Chronicles 31:15)

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A province in Asia, in which was Paradise. "The Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there he put the man whom he had formed," Ge 2:8. The topography of Eden is thus described: "And a river went out of Eden to water the garden, and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads. The name of the first is Pison," etc.

This obscure passage has received many different explanations and applications, none of which are fully satisfactory; and now it is impossible to say with certainty where Eden lay. Most writers have sought for it in some elevated and central region, the heights of which would give rise to various rivers flowing off in different directions through lower grounds to their outlets. Such a region exists in the high lands of Armenia, west of Mount Ararat and 5,000 feet above the sea. Here, within a circle but a…

and people will say the land this desolated it has become like [the] garden of Eden and the cities wasted and desolated and broken down [are] fortified they have remained
וְהֶעָרִ֧יםve.he.'a.Rim and the cities H5892 Conjunction · particle · noun common masculine plural absolute
1,090× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word refers to a city or town, often a place with a wall or a watchman. It is used to describe a settlement or encampment, like the city of Ai, which is mentioned in the book of Joshua. The word is used to identify specific locations in the Bible.
Tyndale gloss
excitement
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עִיר (*'iyr*) has meanings related to both excitement and city. It can denote excitement, particularly of terror or rage, as well as refer to a city or town, indicating a place that is guarded or inhabited. The entries suggest a broad application, from fortified cities to simple encampments. There is a specific mention of a man named Ir in 1 Chronicles 4:12.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עִיר n.[m.] excitement;—of terror; of rage

base

עִיר 1092 n.f. city, town

city, town, abode of men

of fortress in a city

appar. fortified place, of any size

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5892a עִיר excitement;—of terror; of rage H5892b עִיר city, town . city, town, abode of men

. of fortress in a city

. appar. fortified place, of any size

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5892 `iyr eer

or (in the plural) par {awr}; or ayar (Judges 10:4)

{aw-yar'}; from 5782 a city (a place guarded by waking or a

watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or

post):--Ai (from margin), city, court (from margin), town.

see HEBREW for 05782

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עִיר (ir) — excitement.

1) excitement, anguish

1a) of terror

עִיר (ir) — city.

1) city, town (a place of waking, guarded)

1a) city, town (a place of waking, guarded)

1a) city, town

עִיר (ir) — City (of On).

Combined with on (אֹן "On" H0204)

This name means city, town

Another name of on (אֹן "On" H0204)

עִיר (ir) — Ir-.

#A man of the tribe of Judah living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.4.12;

son of: Tehinnah (H8468)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Art | N-fp — Conjunction · particle · noun common masculine plural absolute
HC/Td/Ncmpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Smith's Bible Dictionary

The earliest notice in Scripture of city-building is of Enoch by Cain, in the land of his exile. (Genesis 4:17) After the confusion of tongues the descendants of Nimrod founded Babel, Erech, Accad and Calneh, in the land of Shinar, and Asshur, a branch from the same stock, built Nineveh, Rehoboth-by-the-river, Calah and Resen, the last being "a great city." The earliest description of a city, properly so called, is that of Sodom, (Genesis 19:1-22) Even before the time of Abraham there were cities in Egypt, (Genesis 12:14,15; Numbers 13:22) and the Israelites, during their sojourn there, were employed in building or fortifying the "treasure cities" of Pithom and Raamses.…

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Ancient Ge 4:17; 10:10-12

→ Fortified Nu 32:36; De 9:1; Jos 10:20; 14:12; 2Ch 8:5; 11:10-12; 17:2,19; 21:3; Isa 23:11

→ Gates of

See GATES

→ Designated as

Royal Jos 10:2; 1Sa 27:5; 2Sa 12:26; 1Ch 11:7

Treasure Ge 41:48; Ex 1:11;

- First mention of

Ge 4:17

- Designed for habitations

Ps 107:7,36

- Often built to perpetuate a name

Ge 11:4

- Often founded and enlarged by blood and rapine

Mic 3:10; Hab 2:12

- BUILT

. Of brick and slime

Ge 11:3

. Of stone and wood

Ps 102:14; Eze 26:12

. Of brick and mortar

Ex 1:11,14

. On solid foundations

Thompson Chain Reference topics

(1) General References to

Ge 11:4; 18:24; 41:48; Nu 13:28; De 6:10; 2Ki 13:25

Ps 55:9; Mic 5:14

(2) Fenced

Nu 32:17; De 3:5; Jos 10:20; 2Ki 18:13; 2Ch 14:6; 17:2

2Ch 19:5; 21:3; 33:14; Jer 5:17

and people will say the land this desolated it has become like [the] garden of Eden and the cities wasted and desolated and broken down [are] fortified they have remained
הֶחֳרֵב֛וֹתhe.cho.re.Vot wasted H2720 Particle
10× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word describes a place that is dry and barren, often due to lack of water. In the Bible, it is used to describe the consequences of God's judgment. The prophet Isaiah used this word to describe a desolate land.
Amplified meaning
demolished, ruined
Tyndale gloss
dry
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חָרֵב (chareb) is an adjective meaning 'dry' or 'desolate.' It is built from the root associated with parched or ruined states. The entries consistently highlight its meanings of being dry and waste or desolate, with no significant disagreement noted among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[חָרֵב] adj. dry

base

חָרֵב adj. waste, desolate

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2720a חָרֵב dry H2720b חָרֵב waste, desolate

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2720 chareb khaw-rabe'

from 2717; parched or ruined:--desolate, dry, waste.

see HEBREW for 02717

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חָרֵב (cha.rev) — dry.

dry

חָרֵב (cha.rev) — desolate.

waste, desolate

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | Adj — Particle
HTd/Aafpa
and people will say the land this desolated it has become like [the] garden of Eden and the cities wasted and desolated and broken down [are] fortified they have remained
וְהַֽנְשַׁמּ֥וֹתve.han.sha.Mot and desolated H8074 Conjunction · particle · verb niphal participle (active) feminine plural
86× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The word 'shamem' means to be desolate or devastated, like a place left empty and destroyed, often used to describe the aftermath of war or disaster.
Tyndale gloss
be desolate: destroyed
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׁמֵם (shamem) is a Hebrew verb meaning to be desolated or appalled. It is built from a primitive root and encompasses a range of meanings including to stun, devastate, and cause horror. The verb appears in various forms, such as Qal, Niphal, and Hiphil, indicating different nuances like being made desolate or causing desolation.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[שָׁמֵם] vb. be desolated, appalled

Qal

be desolated

be appalled, awestruck

Niph.

be desolated

be appalled

Pō‛.

I sat appalled

transit. appalling, causing horror

Hiph.

devastate, ravage

appal

inwardly trans., shewing horror

Hoph. all the days of (its) being desolate

Hithpō‛.

be appalled, astounded

cause oneself desolation, ruin

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8074 [שָׁמֵם] be desolated, appalled

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8074 shamem shaw-mame'

a primitive root; to stun (or intransitively, grow numb),

i.e. devastate or (figuratively) stupefy (both usually in a

passive sense):--make amazed, be astonied, (be an)

astonish(-ment), (be, bring into, unto, lay, lie, make)

desolate(-ion, places), be destitute, destroy (self), (lay,

lie, make) waste, wonder.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁמֵם (sha.mem) — be desolate: destroyed.

: destroyed/deserted

1) to be desolate, be appalled, stun, stupefy

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to be desolated, be deflowered, be deserted, be appalled

1a2) to be appalled, be awestruck

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be desolated, be made desolate

1b2) to be appalled

1c) (Polel)

1c1) to be stunned

1c2) appalling, causing horror (participle)

1c2a) horror-causer, appaller (subst)

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to devastate, ravage, make desolated

1d2) to appal, show horror

1e) (Hophal) to lay desolate, be desolated

1f) (Hithpolel)

1f1) to cause to be desolate

1f2) to be appalled, be astounded

1f3) to cause oneself desolation, cause oneself ruin

שָׁמֵם (sha.mem) — be desolate: appalled.

: appalled

1) to be desolate, be appalled, stun, stupefy

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to be desolated, be deflowered, be deserted, be appalled

1a2) to be appalled, be awestruck

1b) (Niphal)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Art | V-Niphal-Inf-c — Conjunction · particle · verb niphal participle (active) feminine plural
HC/Td/VNrfpa
and people will say the land this desolated it has become like [the] garden of Eden and the cities wasted and desolated and broken down [are] fortified they have remained
וְהַנֶּהֱרָס֖וֹתve.ha.ne.he.ra.Sot and broken down H2040 Conjunction · particle · verb niphal participle (active) feminine plural
43× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to overthrow or destroy something, like breaking down a wall or throwing something to the ground. It is used to describe God's power and judgment.
Amplified meaning
desolate, empty
Tyndale gloss
to overthrow
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הָרַס (harac) is a Hebrew verb meaning to throw down, break, or tear down. It covers a range of actions including overthrowing, destroying, and breaking through. The entries indicate it can be used in various forms, such as Qal, Niphal, and Piel, each reflecting different nuances of the action.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הָרַס vb. throw down, break or tear down

Qal

throw down, tear down

break down, break away

break through

Niph. be thrown or torn down

Pi. overthrow, tear down

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2040 הָרַס throw down, break or tear down .. throw down, tear down

. break down, break away

. break through

. be thrown or torn down

. overthrow, tear down

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2040 harac haw-ras'

a primitive root; to pull down or in pieces, break,

&Š destroy:--beat down, break (down, through), destroy,

overthrow, pluck down, pull down, ruin, throw down, X utterly.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הָרַס (ha.ras) — to overthrow.

1) to tear down, break down, overthrow, beat down, break, break through, destroy, pluck down, pull down, throw down, ruined, destroyer, utterly

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to throw down, tear down

1a2) to break through

1a3) to break down, break away

1b) (Niphal) to be torn down, be thrown down

1c) (Piel)

1c1) to overthrow, tear down

1c2) destroyer (participle)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Art | V-Niphal-Inf-c — Conjunction · particle · verb niphal participle (active) feminine plural
HC/Td/VNrfpa
and people will say the land this desolated it has become like [the] garden of Eden and the cities wasted and desolated and broken down [are] fortified they have remained
בְּצוּר֥וֹתbe.tzu.Rot [are] fortified H1219 Adj
37× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to gather or fortify, often used to describe harvesting grapes or building strong walls. It appears in the Bible to describe the gathering of crops, such as in the book of Isaiah. It can also mean to restrain or make something inaccessible.
Amplified meaning
restored, fortified
Tyndale gloss
to gather/restrain/fortify
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בָּצַר (batsar) is a Hebrew verb meaning to cut off or make inaccessible, often through fortification. It can refer to gathering grapes, as well as to restraining or enclosing something. The word encompasses various forms, including being withheld or fortified, and is associated with secrets or inaccessible things.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[בָּצַר] vb. cut off, make inaccessible (esp. by fortifying), enclose

Qal cut off, grape-clusters; hence grape-gathering, -gatherer; fig. cut off (= take away)

Niph. be withheld

Pi. fortify

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1219 [בָּצַר] cut off, make inaccessible (esp. by fortifying), enclose .cut off, grape-clusters; hence grape-gathering, -gatherer; fig. cut off (= take away)

. be withheld

. fortify

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1219 batsar baw-tsar'

a primitive root; to clip off; specifically (as denominative

from 1210) to gather grapes; also to be isolated (i.e.

inaccessible by height or fortification):--cut off,

(de-)fenced, fortify, (grape) gather(-er), mighty things,

restrain, strong, wall (up), withhold.

see HEBREW for 01210

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בָּצַר (ba.tsar) — to gather/restrain/fortify.

1) to gather, restrain, fence, fortify, make inaccessible, enclose

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to cut off

1a2) fortified, cut off, made inaccessible (pass participle)

1a3) secrets, mysteries, inaccessible things (subst)

1b) (Niphal) to be withheld

1c) (Piel) to fortify

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Adj
HAafpa
and people will say the land this desolated it has become like [the] garden of Eden and the cities wasted and desolated and broken down [are] fortified they have remained
יָשָֽׁבוּ׃ya.Sha.vu they have remained H3427 Verb · Qal · perfect third person common plural
1,079× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to sit or dwell, and can also mean to remain or abide. It's used in the Bible to describe people living in a place or staying with someone, like in the book of Genesis.
Amplified meaning
populated
Tyndale gloss
to dwell
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָשַׁב (yashab) is a Hebrew verb meaning to sit, remain, or dwell. It encompasses a range of actions from simply sitting down to more complex ideas like establishing a home or causing a place to be inhabited. The entries indicate various forms, including Qal (to sit), Niphal (to be inhabited), and Hiphil (to cause to dwell). There is an Aramaic equivalent, יְתִב (ye.tiv), meaning 'to dwell'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָשַׁב 1090 vb. sit, remain, dwell

Qal

sit

sit, sit down

sit down

sit = be set (as a jewel)

remain, stay, tarry

with special emphasis of qualifying phr.

dwell, have one’s abode

of a land or city, sit, abide, seated in its place, fig. for be inhabited

Niph. be inhabited, of land

Pi. and they shall set their encampments in thee

Hiph.

cause to sit

cause to abide

cause to dwell

cause cities to be inhabited

marry (prop. give a dwelling to)

Hoph. and ye be made to dwell alone in the midst of the land

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3427 יָשַׁב sit, remain, dwell

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3427 yashab yaw-shab'

a primitive root; properly, to sit down (specifically as

judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to

remain; causatively, to settle, to marry:--(make to)

abide(-ing), continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-ing), ease

self, endure, establish, X fail, habitation, haunt, (make to)

inhabit(-ant), make to keep (house), lurking, X marry(-ing),

(bring again to) place, remain, return, seat, set(- tle),

(down-)sit(-down, still, -ting down, -ting (place) -uate),

take, tarry.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָשַׁב (ya.shav) — to dwell.

1) to dwell, remain, sit, abide

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to sit, sit down

1a2) to be set

1a3) to remain, stay

1a4) to dwell, have one's abode

1b) (Niphal) to be inhabited

1c) (Piel) to set, place

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to cause to sit

1d2) to cause to abide, set

1d3) to cause to dwell

1d4) to cause (cities) to be inhabited

1d5) to marry (give an dwelling to)

1e) (Hophal)

1e1) to be inhabited

1e2) to make to dwell

Aramaic equivalent: ye.tiv (יְתִב "to dwell" H3488)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-3cp — Verb · Qal · perfect third person common plural
HVqp3cp
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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