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Ezekiel 4:10 — Word Study

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WLCוּמַאֲכָֽלְךָ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תֹּאכֲלֶ֔נּוּ בְּמִשְׁק֕וֹל עֶשְׂרִ֥ים שֶׁ֖קֶל לַיּ֑וֹם מֵעֵ֥ת עַד־ עֵ֖ת תֹּאכֲלֶֽנּוּ׃

BSAYou are to weigh outmishqôwl twentyʻesrîym [a specific ordinal number, twentieth] shekelssheqel [a unit of weight or money, like a coin] of foodmaʼăkâl [something to eat, like fruit or meat] to eatʼâkal [to devour or consume] each dayyôwm [a literal 24-hour period] and you are to eat itʼâkal at set timesʻêth [from time to time, at regular intervals, an event, experience, or occasion]

Word
Listen & take awayEzekiel 4
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 10 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 (to.kha.Le.nu) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Ezekiel 4:10quick helps
In a sentenceEzekiel instructs to measure out a specific amount of food to eat daily at designated times.
Who is speakingEzekiel, relaying God's command regarding sustenance.
Where we areThe context is a symbolic act of eating during a period of judgment.
The hard wordשֶׁ֖קֶל
Take awayThe command emphasizes the importance of precise measurements in times of scarcity.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

1 of 11 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 4:10

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 — Ezekiel's Symbolic Actsgenerated

9But take wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet, and spelt; put them in a single container and make them into bread for yourself. This is what you are to eat during the 390 days you lie on your side.
10You are to weigh out twenty shekels of food to eat each day, and you are to eat it at set times.
11You are also to measure out a sixth of a hin of water to drink, and you are to drink it at set times.
12And you shall eat the food as you would a barley cake, after you bake it over dried human excrement in the sight of the people.”

Ezekiel 4:10 is part of a series of symbolic actions commanded by God to Ezekiel, illustrating the coming siege of Jerusalem. In this verse, Ezekiel is instructed to weigh out a specific amount of food to consume daily, highlighting the dire conditions that the people would face. This act serves as a visual representation of the scarcity and suffering that would result from the siege, as detailed in the surrounding verses.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Ezekiel 4:16Then He told me, “Son of man, I am going to cut off the supply of food in Jerusalem. They will anxiously eat bread rationed by weight, and in despair they will drink water by measure.
2Ezekiel 14:13“Son of man, if a land sins against Me by acting unfaithfully, and I stretch out My hand against it to cut off its supply of food, to send famine upon it, and to cut off from it both man and beast,
3Leviticus 26:26When I cut off your supply of bread, ten women will bake your bread in a single oven and dole out your bread by weight, so that you will eat but not be satisfied.
4Deuteronomy 28:51–68They will eat the offspring of your livestock and the produce of your land until you are destroyed. They will leave you no grain or new wine or oil, no calves of your herds or lambs of your flocks, until they have caused you to perish.
5Isaiah 3:1For behold, the Lord GOD of Hosts is about to remove from Jerusalem and Judah both supply and support: the whole supply of food and water,

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 5 references, hung on the phrase they belong to

And thy meat which thou shalt eat shall be by weight, twenty shekels a day: from time to time shalt thou eat it.Ezekiel 4:16 Ezekiel 14:13 Leviticus 26:26 Deuteronomy 28:51–68 Isaiah 3:1

The Key Word שֶׁ֖קֶל, She.kelgenerated

The term שֶׁ֫קֶל (sheqel) refers to a unit of weight and measure, primarily known as the shekel. It is defined as a commercial standard, with specific weights for gold, silver, and copper. The word appears frequently in contexts of trade and commerce.

In this verse, the shekel signifies a precise measurement, underscoring the importance of rationing during a time of scarcity. The use of this term emphasizes the careful planning required in the face of impending hardship.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The finite verb תֹּאכֲלֶ֔נּוּ, you will eat it, governs the main clause, with a prepositional phrase specifying the manner of consumption. The structure indicates a command, emphasizing the necessity of following God's instructions precisely.

The sentence is organized around the main action of eating, with additional details about the quantity and timing provided in subordinate phrases.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates שֶׁ֫קֶל as σίκλους, indicating a direct correspondence to the Hebrew term for shekel. This choice reflects the translators' intent to maintain the concept of a specific unit of measure.

The use of σίκλους suggests a continuity in understanding the value and weight associated with this unit, linking the Hebrew context to the Greek-speaking audience.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Ezekiel 4:10 tells us that Ezekiel is instructed to measure out twenty shekels of food to eat each day at specific times. This command serves as a symbolic act to demonstrate the scarcity the people will face during the siege of Jerusalem.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

Why is the specific measurement of food important?

The measurement emphasizes the severity of the situation during the siege, highlighting the need for rationing and careful consumption.

What does the act of eating at set times signify?

Eating at set times reflects the discipline and structure that God is imposing on His people during a time of crisis.

How does this verse connect to the overall message of Ezekiel?

This verse is part of Ezekiel's prophetic actions that illustrate the coming judgment and the consequences of the people's disobedience.

What can we learn from Ezekiel's instructions?

Ezekiel's instructions remind us of the importance of obedience to God's commands, even in difficult circumstances.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What are some ways I can practice discipline in my daily life, similar to the set times for eating?
  2. How do I respond to God's commands in challenging situations?
  3. In what areas of my life do I need to be more mindful of scarcity and resource management?
  4. How can I share the lessons from Ezekiel's actions with others in my community?

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Ezekiel 4:10 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

And thy meat which thou shall eat [shall be] by weight, twenty shekels a day,.... To eat bread by weight was a sign of a grievous famine; see Leviticus 26:26; a shekel, according to Josephus (i),

Read John Gill on Ezekiel 4 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And thy meat which thou shalt eat shall be by weight, twenty shekels a day: from time to time shalt thou eat it.

Read Robert Jamieson on Ezekiel 4 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Thy meat; the mean and coarse bread which thou must eat and be content with. By weight; not full, as once; not as much as you will, but a small pittance delivered by weight to all; which bespeaks the extreme penury the city should be brought to. Twenty shekels; some say five ounces, others say ten ounces, the greater of the two scarce enough to maintain life, and yet, it is probable enough, it was but five ounces of bread which was his allowance. A hard case, when the law of the twelve tables allowed a pound of bread to prisoners daily for their diet. But here the prophet hath but half that allowance, if the twenty shekels were shekels of the sanctuary; and he hath but a quarter of that…

Read Matthew Poole on Ezekiel 4 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Ezekiel 4:10 And thy meat which thou shalt eat [shall be] by weight, twenty shekels a day: from time to time shalt thou eat it.Ver. 10. Twenty shekels a day.] Five ounces, or ten at most; not prisoners’ pittance, qua proinde per diem trahitur magis anima quam sustentatur. See this complained of, Lamentations 1:11; Lamentations 1:19; Lamentations 2:11-12; Lamentations 2:19-20; Lamentations 4:4; Lamentations 4:9-10; Lamentations 5:6; Lamentations 5:9-10. They had sinned in excess, and now they are punished with cleanness of teeth. The famine of the word is far worse.

Read John Trapp on Ezekiel 4 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(10) By weight, twenty shekels a day.—The weight of the shekel is somewhat differently estimated by different authorities. The best computations fix it at about 220 grains, and this would make the allowance of twenty shekels equal to something less than eleven ounces, scarcely enough to sustain life. “Meat” is here used, as often in Scripture, of any kind of food. The extreme scarcity of food is also denoted by its being weighed rather than measured. “From time to time” means at set intervals of time (see 1 Chronicles 9:25), here doubtless once a day. Only the longer period of 390 days is here mentioned, but the same command doubtless applied to both periods.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Ezekiel 4 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 10. Twenty shekels a day] The whole of the above grain, being ground, was to be formed into one mass, out of which he was to make three hundred and ninety loaves; one loaf for each day; and this loaf was to be of twenty shekels in weight. Now a shekel, being in weight about half an ounce, this would be ten ounces of bread for each day; and with this water to the amount of one sixth part of a hin, which is about a pint and a half of our measure. All this shows that so reduced should provisions be during the siege, that they should be obliged to eat the meanest sort of aliment, and that by weight, and their water by measure; each man's allowance being scarcely a pint and a half, and ten…

Read AdamClarke on Ezekiel 4 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

10. twenty shekels a day] Twenty shekels might be eight or nine ounces. In this country two pounds of bread is held an ordinary allowance.

Read Cambridge on Ezekiel 4 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

meat - A general term for food, which in this case consists of grain. Instead of measuring, it was necessary in extreme scarcity to weigh it Leviticus 26:26; Revelation 6:6.

Read Albert Barnes on Ezekiel 4 →

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

You are to weigh out twenty shekels of food to eat each day, and you are to eat it at set times.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Your food which you shall eat shall be by weight, twenty shekels a day. From time to time you shall eat it.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

You are to weigh out twenty shekels of food to eat each day, and you are to eat it at set times.

NETBNew English Translation2006

The food you eat will be eight ounces a day by weight; you must eat it at fixed times.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And thy meat which thou shalt eat shall be by weight, twenty shekels a day: from time to time shalt thou eat it.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And thy food which thou shalt eat shall be by weight, twenty shekels a day: from time to time shalt thou eat it.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And thy meat which thou shalt eat shall be by weight, twenty shekels a day: from time to time shalt thou eat it.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And thy food which thou shalt eat shall be by weight, twenty shekels a day: from time to time shalt thou eat it.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

And the meate, whereof thou shalt eate, shalbe by weight, euen twenty shekels a day: and from time to time shalt thou eate thereof.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And thy meat which thou shalt eat shall be by weight, twenty shekels a day: from time to time shalt thou eat it.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And thy food that thou dost eat [is] by weight, twenty shekels daily; from time to time thou dost eat it.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And your food that you eat [is] by weight, twenty shekels daily; from time to time you eat it.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And thy food which thou shalt eat shall be by weight, twenty shekels for every day: from one time to the other time shalt thou eat it.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

The food you will eat will be by weight, twenty shekels per day, and you will eat it at set times each day.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And thy meat that thou shalt eat, shall be in weight twenty staters a day: from time to time thou shalt eat it.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

You are allowed to eat twenty shekels weight of food each day, and you are to eat it at regular times.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And you are to take your food by weight, twenty shekels a day: you are to take it at regular times.

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.

וּandclausenoun phrase · subjectnoun phraseמַאֲכָֽלְfoodךָ֙yourrelpאֲשֶׁ֣רwhichclauseverbתֹּאכֲלֶ֔youobjectנּוּwill.eat.itprepositional phrase · predicateבְּbyמִשְׁק֕וֹלweightclausenoun phrase · subjectעֶשְׂרִ֥ים[will.be].twentyשֶׁ֖קֶלshekel[s]prepositional phrase · predicateלַtonoun phrasetheיּ֑וֹםdayclauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalprepositional phraseמֵfromעֵ֥תtimeprepositional phraseעַדtoעֵ֖תtimeverbתֹּאכֲלֶֽyouobjectנּוּwill.eat.it

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 this verse, with 11 of the 11 words matched. The Dead Sea Scrolls contain a fragment that partially restores the verse, indicating that the core message has been preserved across these texts.

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

וּמַאֲכָֽלְךָ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תֹּאכֲלֶ֔נּוּ בְּמִשְׁק֕וֹל עֶשְׂרִ֥ים שֶׁ֖קֶל לַיּ֑וֹם מֵעֵ֥ת עַד־ עֵ֖ת תֹּאכֲלֶֽנּוּ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וּמַאֲכָֽלְךָ֙σουאֲשֶׁ֣רתֹּאכֲלֶ֔נּוּφάγεσαιבְּמִשְׁק֕וֹלσταθμῷעֶשְׂרִ֥יםεἴκοσιשֶׁ֖קֶלσίκλουςלַיּ֑וֹםἡμέρανמֵעֵ֥תκαιροῦעַד־ἕωςעֵ֖תκαιροῦתֹּאכֲלֶֽנּוּ׃αὐτά

11 of the 11 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 — 11Q4a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[ומאכל׳ך] אשר תאכל׳נו [במשקול] [עשרים] [שקל] [ליום]

7 words of the verse are on this fragment — 1 partly restored, 5 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 4:10מַאֲכָלand food yoand food yourמַאֲכָלאֲשֶׁרwhichwhichאֲשֶׁראָכַלyou will eayou will eat itאָכַלמִשְׁקוֹלby weightby weightמִשְׁקוֹלעֶשְׂרִים[will be] t[will be] twentעֶשְׂרִיםשֶׁ֫קֶלshekel[s]shekel[s]שֶׁ֫קֶליוֹםto the dayto the dayיוֹםעֵתfrom timefrom timeעֵתעַדtotoעַדעֵתtimetimeעֵתאָכַלyou will eayou will eat itאָכַלעַדperpetuityperpetuityעַדשָׁקַלto weighto weighשָׁקַלאָכַלto eatto eatאָכַלעֶשֶׂרtentenעֶשֶׂרשָׁתָהto drinkto drinkשָׁתָהלֶ֫חֶםfoodfoodלֶ֫חֶםמָחָרtomorrowtomorrowמָחָרנְבֵלָהcarcasscarcassנְבֵלָהעוֹףbirdbirdעוֹףצָוָהto commandto commandצָוָהרֹ֫חַבwidthwidthרֹ֫חַבאַמָּהcubitcubitאַמָּהשִׁבְעִיםseventyseventyשִׁבְעִיםשְׁבִיעִיseventhseventhשְׁבִיעִישַׁבָּתSabbathSabbathשַׁבָּתמָתַיhowhowמָתַיעֶ֫רֶבeveningeveningעֶ֫רֶב
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 4:10

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 food your which you will eat it by weight [will be] twenty shekel[s] to the day from time to time you will eat it
וּמַאֲכָֽלְךָ֙u.ma.'a.kha.le.Kha and food your H3978 Conjunction · noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
30× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means food or something to eat, like fruit or meat, as seen in the story of Adam and Eve eating the forbidden fruit in Genesis. It's about nourishment and survival.
Amplified meaning
something to eat, like fruit or meat
Tyndale gloss
food
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מַאֲכָל (ma'akal) means 'food' and encompasses a range of edibles including fruit, meat, and provisions. It is derived from the root word for eating. The term appears in contexts related to nourishment, as noted in Judges 14:14.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מַאֲכָל 30 n.m. Ju 14:14 (f. Hb 1:16) food

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3978 מַאֲכָל food

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3978 ma'akal mah-ak-awl'

from 398; an eatable (includ. provender, flesh and

fruit):--food, fruit, ((bake-)) meat(-s), victual.

see HEBREW for 0398

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מַאֲכָל (ma.a.khal) — food.

food, fruit, meat

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | N-ms | Suff — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HC/Ncmsc/Sp2ms
and food your which you will eat it by weight [will be] twenty shekel[s] to the day from time to time you will eat it
אֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.Sher which H834 Particle
5,500× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word is a conjunction that connects ideas and events in the Bible, like in the book of Genesis, where it's used to describe the relationship between God and His creation.
Tyndale gloss
which
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֲשֶׁר (*asher*) is a relative pronoun that can mean 'who,' 'which,' or 'that.' It serves various grammatical functions, including as an adverb or conjunction, indicating relationships between clauses, places, or conditions. Variants like בַאֲשֶׁר (*ba-asher*), מֵאֲשֶׁר (*me-asher*), and כַּאֲשֶׁר (*ka-asher*) expand its usage to specific contexts such as location, causation, and time.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֲשֶׁר part. of relation A sign of relation, bringing the clause introduced by it into relation with an antecedent clause.

base

בַאֲשֶׁר

in (that) which

adv. in (the place) where

conj. in that, inasmuch as

on account of whom?

base

מֵאֲשֶׁר

from (or than) that which

adv. from (the place) where

conj. from (the fact) that …, since

base

כַּאֲשֶׁר conj. according as, as, when

according to that which, according as, as

with a causal force, in so far as, since

with a temporal force, when

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H834a אֲשֶׁר part. of relation A sign of relation, bringing the clause introduced by it into relation with an antecedent clause. H834b בַאֲשֶׁר . in (that) which

. adv. in (the place) where

. conj. in that, inasmuch as

. on account of whom?

H834c מֵאֲשֶׁר . from (or than) that which

. adv. from (the place) where

. conj. from (the fact) that …, since

H834d כַּאֲשֶׁר conj. according as, as, when . according to that which, according as, as

. with a causal force, in so far as, since

. with a temporal force, when

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

834 'aher ash-er'

a primitive relative pronoun (of every gender and number);

who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction)

when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.:--X after, X

alike, as (soon as), because, X every, for, + forasmuch, +

from whence, + how(-soever), X if, (so) that ((thing) which,

wherein), X though, + until, + whatsoever, when, where

(+ -as, -in, -of, -on, -soever, -with), which, whilst, +

whither(- soever), who(-m, -soever, -se). As it is

indeclinable, it is often accompanied by the personal pronoun

expletively, used to show the connection.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֲשֶׁר (a.sher) — which.

A: 1) (relative part.)

1a) which, who

1b) that which

2) (conj)

2a) that (in obj clause)

2b) when

2c) since

2d) as

2e) conditional if

B: Beth+ 1) in (that) which

2) (adv)

2a) where

3) (conj)

3a) in that, inasmuch as

3b) on account of

C: Mem+ 1) from (or than) that which

2) from (the place) where

3) from (the fact) that, since

D: Kaph+

1) (conj.), according as, as, when

1a) according to that which, according as, as

1b) with a causal force: in so far as, since

1c) with a temporal force: when

בַאֲשֶׁר (ba.a.sher) — in which.

1) in (that) which

2) (adv)

2a) where

3) (conj)

3a) in that, inasmuch as

3b) on account of

מֵאֲשֶׁר (me.a.sher) — whence.

1) from (or than) that which

2) from (the place) where

3) from (the fact) that, since

כַּאֲשֶׁר (ka.a.sher) — as which.

conj

1) according as, as, when

1a) according to that which, according as, as

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTr — Particle
HTr
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and food your which you will eat it by weight [will be] twenty shekel[s] to the day from time to time you will eat it
תֹּאכֲלֶ֔נּוּto.kha.Le.nu you will eat it H398 Verb qal imperfect second person masculine singular · suffix
810× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to eat or devour, and it's used in many stories, including when Jesus fed the 5000 with fish and bread in the book of Matthew. It's about taking in nourishment and being satisfied.
Amplified meaning
to devour or consume
Tyndale gloss
to eat
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָכַל (akal) means 'to eat' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including literal consumption by humans and animals, as well as figurative uses like devouring by fire or destruction. It can describe actions such as feeding or causing to eat, and it also appears in contexts of oppression and destruction. The verb has various forms, indicating different subjects and nuances.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָכַל 806 vb. eat

Qal

eat, human subject

of beasts, birds, etc., eat, devour

fig. of fire, devour, consume

of sword, devour, slay

in genl., devour, consume, destroy

fig. of oppression, devour the poor

Niph.

be eaten by man

be devoured by fire, consumed

be wasted, destroyed, of flesh

Pu. be consumed

Hiph.

cause to eat, feed with

cause to devoure, obj. sword

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H398 אָכַל eat .. eat, human subject

. of beasts, birds, etc., eat, devour

. fig. of fire, devour, consume

. of sword, devour, slay

. in genl., devour, consume, destroy

. fig. of oppression, devour the poor

. . be eaten by man

. be devoured by fire, consumed

. be wasted, destroyed, of flesh

. be consumed

. . cause to eat, feed with

. cause to devoure, obj. sword

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

398 'akal aw-kal'

a primitive root; to eat (literally or figuratively):--X at

all, burn up, consume, devour(-er, up), dine, eat(-er, up),

feed (with), food, X freely, X in...wise(-deed, plenty), (lay)

meat, X quite.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָכַל (a.khal) — to eat.

1) to eat, devour, burn up, feed

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to eat (human subject)

1a2) to eat, devour (of beasts and birds)

1a3) to devour, consume (of fire)

1a4) to devour, slay (of sword)

1a5) to devour, consume, destroy (inanimate subjects - ie, pestilence, drought)

1a6) to devour (of oppression)

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be eaten (by men)

1b2) to be devoured, consumed (of fire)

1b3) to be wasted, destroyed (of flesh)

1c) (Pual)

1c1) to cause to eat, feed with

1c2) to cause to devour

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to feed

1d2) to cause to eat

1e) (Piel)

1e1) consume

Aramaic equivalent: a.khal (אֲכַל "to devour" H0399)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-2ms | Suff — Verb qal imperfect second person masculine singular · suffix
HVqi2ms/Sp3ms
and food your which you will eat it by weight [will be] twenty shekel[s] to the day from time to time you will eat it
בְּמִשְׁק֕וֹלbe.mish.Kol by weight H4946 Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
1× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word simply means weight or heaviness, often used in the Bible to describe physical weight or burden. It appears in books like Leviticus and Proverbs, where it's used to describe the weight of objects or responsibilities.
Tyndale gloss
weight
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מִשְׁקוֹל (mishqowl) means 'heaviness' or 'weight.' It is derived from a root meaning to weigh, and its usage is primarily found in the context of weight or heaviness, as noted in Ezekiel 4:10. The entries consistently emphasize this meaning without significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מִשְׁקוֹל n.[m.] heaviness, weight;—Ez 4:10

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4946 מִשְׁקוֹל heaviness, weight

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4946 mishqowl mish-kole'

from 8254; weight:--weight.

see HEBREW for 08254

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מִשְׁקוֹל (mish.qol) — weight.

heaviness, weight

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
HR/Ncmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

wat (Measure of quantity) mishqal, (mishqol (Eze 4:10), from shaqkal, "to weigh" 'ebhen, "a stone" used for weighing in the balance): Weights were commonly of stone or bronze (or of lead, Zec 5:7,8). They were of various forms, such as the lion-shaped weights of Babylonia and Assyria, or in the form of birds and other animals. The Hebrew and Phoenician weights, when made of stone, were barrel-shaped or spindle-shaped, but in bronze they were often cubical or octagonal or with numerous faces (see illustration under WEIGHTS AND MEASURES). Hemispherical or dome-shaped stone weights have been found in Palestine (PEFS, 1902, p. 344; 1903, p. 117; 1904, p. 209).

and food your which you will eat it by weight [will be] twenty shekel[s] to the day from time to time you will eat it
עֶשְׂרִ֥ים'es.Rim [will be] twenty H6242 Adj
315× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means twenty, and is also used as an ordinal number, like twentieth, as seen in Genesis 31:38. It can refer to a specific age or quantity.
Amplified meaning
a specific ordinal number, twentieth
Tyndale gloss
twenty
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עֶשְׂרִים (esriym) means 'twenty' and can also refer to the ordinal 'twentieth.' It is derived from the root word for 'ten' and has an Aramaic equivalent, עֶשְׂרִין (es.rin). The entries consistently define the term without significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עֶשְׂרִים (a) twenty

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6242 עֶשְׂרִים (a) twenty

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6242 `esriym es-reem'

from 6235; twenty; also (ordinal) twentieth:--(six-)score,

twenty(-ieth).

see HEBREW for 06235

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עֶשְׂרִים (es.rim) — twenty.

twenty, twentieth

Aramaic equivalent: es.rin (עֶשְׂרִין "twenty" H6243)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Adj
HAcmpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

twen'-ti.

See NUMBER.

and food your which you will eat it by weight [will be] twenty shekel[s] to the day from time to time you will eat it
שֶׁ֖קֶלShe.kel shekel[s] H8255 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
88× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A shekel was a unit of weight or money in ancient Israel, like a coin or a measure of gold, silver, or copper. It was used for trade and commerce, as seen in the book of Exodus. The value varied depending on the material.
Amplified meaning
a unit of weight or money, like a coin
Tyndale gloss
shekel
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שֶׁ֫קֶל (sheqel) refers to a unit of weight and measure, primarily known as the shekel. It is defined as a commercial standard, with specific weights for gold, silver, and copper. The term is derived from a root meaning 'weight' and is also noted in Aramaic as תְּקֵל (teqel).

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שֶׁ֫קֶל 87 n.m. a weight, shekel

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8255 שֶׁ֫קֶל a weight, shekel

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8255 sheqel sheh'-kel

from 8254; probably a weight; used as a commercial

standard:--shekel.

see HEBREW for 08254

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שֶׁ֫קֶל (she.qel) — shekel.

1) shekel

1a) the chief unit of weight or measure

1a1) gold-1/10000 of a talent and equal to 220 grains

1a2) silver-1/3000 of a talent and equal to 132 grains

1a3) copper-1/1500 of a talent and equal to 528 grains

Aramaic equivalent: te.qel (תְּקֵל "shekel" H8625B)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
and food your which you will eat it by weight [will be] twenty shekel[s] to the day from time to time you will eat it
לַיּ֑וֹםlai.Yom to the day H3117 Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
2,306× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word 'yom' refers to a day, which can be a literal 24-hour period or a figurative space of time. It is used in the Bible to describe a wide range of time periods, from a single day to a year or a lifetime. The word 'yom' is used in many different contexts throughout the Bible.
Amplified meaning
a literal 24-hour period
Tyndale gloss
day
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יוֹם (yowm) means 'day' and refers to a division of time, contrasting with night. It can denote a literal 24-hour period, a general time span, or even a year. The term is used in various contexts, including the 'day of Yahweh,' which signifies a time of divine judgment. It also appears in phrases indicating temporal references like today, yesterday, and tomorrow.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יוֹם 2285 n.m. day

day, opp. night

Day as division of time

יוֹם י׳ day of Yahweh, chiefly as time of his coming in judgment, involving often blessedness for righteous

Pl. days of anyone

Days

יוֹם = time

Phrases

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3117 יוֹם day . day, opp. night

. Day as division of time

. יוֹם י׳ day of Yahweh, chiefly as time of his coming in judgment, involving often blessedness for righteous

. Pl. days of anyone

. Days

. יוֹם = time

. Phrases

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3117 yowm yome

from an unused root meaning to be hot; a day (as the warm

hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one

sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by

an associated term), (often used adverb):--age, + always, +

chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to)

day, (now a, two) days (agone), + elder, X end, + evening, +

(for) ever(-lasting, -more), X full, life, as (so) long as

(... live), (even) now, + old, + outlived, + perpetually,

presently, + remaineth, X required, season, X since, space,

then, (process of) time, + as at other times, + in trouble,

weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), X whole

(+ age), (full) year(-ly), + younger.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יוֹם (yom) — day.

: day/when/time/period

1) day, time, year

1a) day (as opposed to night)

1b) day (24 hour period)

1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1

1b2) as a division of time

1b2a) a working day, a day's journey

1c) days, lifetime (pl.)

1d) time, period (general)

1e) year

1f) temporal references

1f1) today

1f2) yesterday

1f3) tomorrow

יוֹם (yom) — day: old.

: old/(full/many)[days]

1) day, time, year

1a) day (as opposed to night)

1b) day (24 hour period)

1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1

1b2) as a division of time

1b2a) a working day, a day's journey

1c) days, lifetime (pl.)

1d) time, period (general)

1e) year

1f) temporal references

1f1) today

1f2) yesterday

1f3) tomorrow

יוֹם (yom) — day: year.

: year[of_days]

1) day, time, year

1a) day (as opposed to night)

1b) day (24 hour period)

1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1

1b2) as a division of time

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

da (yom; hemera): This common word has caused some trouble to plain readers, because they have not noticed that the word is used in several different senses in the English Bible. When the different uses of the word are understood the difficulty of interpretation vanishes. We note several different uses of the word:

(1) It sometimes means the time from daylight till dark. This popular meaning is easily discovered by the context, e. g. Ge 1:5; 8:22, etc. The marked periods of this daytime were morning, noon and night, as with us. See Ps 55:17. The early hours were sometimes called "the cool of the day" (Ge 3:8). After the exile the day. or daytime was divided into twelve hours and the night into twelve (see

Day

The Jews reckoned the day from sunset to sunset (Lev. 23:32). It was originally divided into three parts (Ps. 55:17). “The heat of the day” (1 Sam. 11:11; Neh. 7:3) was at our nine o’clock, and “the cool of the day” just before sunset (Gen. 3:8). Before the Captivity the Jews divided the night into three watches, (1) from sunset to midnight (Lam. 2:19); (2) from midnight till the cock-crowing (Judg. 7:19); and (3) from the cock-crowing till sunrise (Ex.…

The variable length of the natural day at different seasons led in the very earliest times to the adoption of the civil day (or one revolution of the sun) as a standard of time. The Hebrews reckoned the day from evening to evening, (Leviticus 23:32) deriving it from (Genesis 1:5) "the evening and the morning were the first day." The Jews are supposed, like the modern Arabs, to have adopted from an early period minute specifications of the parts of the natural day. Roughly, indeed, they were content to divide it into "morning, evening and noonday," (Psalms 55:17) but when they wished for greater accuracy they pointed to six unequal parts, each of which was again subdivided. These are held to have been -- "the dawn." "Sunrise."…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The day is distinguished into natural, civil, and artificial. The natural day is one revolution of the earth on its axis. The civil day is that, the beginning and the end of which are determined by the custom of any nation. The Hebrews began their day in the evening, Le 23:32; the Babylonians at sunrise; and we begin at midnight. The artificial day is the time of the sun’s continuance above the horizon, which is unequal according to different seasons, on account of the obliquity of the equator. The sacred writers generally divide the day into twelve hours. The sixth hour always ends at noon throughout the year; and the twelfth hour is the last hour before sunset. But in summer, all the hours of the day were longer than in winter, while those of night were shorter. See HOURS, and THREE.

and food your which you will eat it by weight [will be] twenty shekel[s] to the day from time to time you will eat it
מֵעֵ֥תme.'Et from time H6256 Preposition · noun common both singular absolute
296× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Eth means time, especially now or when, and can refer to an event, experience, or occasion. It is often used to describe a specific moment or period.
Amplified meaning
from time to time, at regular intervals, an event, experience, or occasion
Tyndale gloss
time
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עֵת (eth) means 'time,' covering various aspects such as the time of an event, a usual time, or an appointed time. It can also refer to experiences or occurrences. The entries suggest it can denote both specific and uncertain times, but they do not indicate any significant disagreement among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עֵת 297 n.f. time

time of an event

= usual time

proper, suitable time

appointed time

as uncertain

= experience, fortunes

occurrence, occasion

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6256 עֵת time . time of an event

. . = usual time

. proper, suitable time

. appointed time

. as uncertain

. = experience, fortunes

. occurrence, occasion

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6256 `eth ayth

from 5703; time, especially (adverb with preposition) now,

when, etc.:--+ after, (al-)ways, X certain, + continually, +

evening, long, (due) season, so (long) as, (even-, evening-,

noon-)tide, ((meal-)), what) time, when.

see HEBREW for 05703

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עֵת (et) — time.

1) time

1a) time (of an event)

1b) time (usual)

1c) experiences, fortunes

1d) occurrence, occasion

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-cs — Preposition · noun common both singular absolute
HR/Ncbsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

tim: The basis of the Hebrew measurement of time was the day and the lunar month, as with the Semites generally. The division of the day into hours was late, probably not common until after the exile, although the sun-dial of Ahaz (2Ki 20:9; Isa 38:8) would scent to indicate some division of the day into periods of some sort, as we know the night was divided, The word used for "hour" is Aramaic she`a' (sha`ta'), and does not occur in the Old Testament until the Book of Daniel (4:33; 5:5), and even there it stands for an indefinite period for which "time" would answer as well.

1. The Day:

The term "day" (yom) was in use from the earliest times, as is indicated in the story of the Creation (Ge 1). It there doubtless denotes an indefinite period, but is marked off by "evening and…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Besides the ordinary uses of this word, the Bible sometimes employs it to denote a year, as in Da 4:16; or a prophetic year, consisting of three hundred and sixty natural year, a day being taken for a year. Thus in Da 7:25 12:7, the phrase "a time, times, and the dividing of a time" is supposed to mean three and a half prophetic years, or 1,260 natural years. This period is elsewhere paralleled by the expression, "forty-two months," each month including thirty years, Re 11:2-3 12:6,14 13:5.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Beginning of Ge 1:1,14

→ Epochs of

Before the flood Jos 24:2

→ The exodus Ex 19:1; 40:17; 1Ki 6:1

→ Daniel' s reckoning of time, and times, and half times Da 7:25; 12:7

→ Indicated by a sun-dial 2Ki 20:9-11; Isa 38:8

→ Division of, into watches Ex 14:24; 1Sa 11:11; Mt 14:25; Mr 6:48

Torrey's New Topical Textbook

- The duration of the world

Job 22:16; Re 10:6

- The measure of the continuance of anything

Jud 18:31

- An appointed season

Ne 2:6; Ec 3:1,17

- COMPUTED BY

. Years

Ge 15:13; 2Sa 21:1; Da 9:2

. Months

Nu 10:10; 1Ch 27:1; Job 3:6

. Weeks

and food your which you will eat it by weight [will be] twenty shekel[s] to the day from time to time you will eat it
עַד־'ad- to 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
and food your which you will eat it by weight [will be] twenty shekel[s] to the day from time to time you will eat it
עֵ֖ת'et time H6256 Noun common · both singular absolute
296× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Eth means time, especially now or when, and can refer to an event, experience, or occasion. It is often used to describe a specific moment or period.
Tyndale gloss
time
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עֵת (eth) means 'time,' covering various aspects such as the time of an event, a usual time, or an appointed time. It can also refer to experiences or occurrences. The entries suggest it can denote both specific and uncertain times, but they do not indicate any significant disagreement among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עֵת 297 n.f. time

time of an event

= usual time

proper, suitable time

appointed time

as uncertain

= experience, fortunes

occurrence, occasion

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6256 עֵת time . time of an event

. . = usual time

. proper, suitable time

. appointed time

. as uncertain

. = experience, fortunes

. occurrence, occasion

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6256 `eth ayth

from 5703; time, especially (adverb with preposition) now,

when, etc.:--+ after, (al-)ways, X certain, + continually, +

evening, long, (due) season, so (long) as, (even-, evening-,

noon-)tide, ((meal-)), what) time, when.

see HEBREW for 05703

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עֵת (et) — time.

1) time

1a) time (of an event)

1b) time (usual)

1c) experiences, fortunes

1d) occurrence, occasion

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcbsa — Noun common · both singular absolute
HNcbsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

tim: The basis of the Hebrew measurement of time was the day and the lunar month, as with the Semites generally. The division of the day into hours was late, probably not common until after the exile, although the sun-dial of Ahaz (2Ki 20:9; Isa 38:8) would scent to indicate some division of the day into periods of some sort, as we know the night was divided, The word used for "hour" is Aramaic she`a' (sha`ta'), and does not occur in the Old Testament until the Book of Daniel (4:33; 5:5), and even there it stands for an indefinite period for which "time" would answer as well.

1. The Day:

The term "day" (yom) was in use from the earliest times, as is indicated in the story of the Creation (Ge 1). It there doubtless denotes an indefinite period, but is marked off by "evening and…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Besides the ordinary uses of this word, the Bible sometimes employs it to denote a year, as in Da 4:16; or a prophetic year, consisting of three hundred and sixty natural year, a day being taken for a year. Thus in Da 7:25 12:7, the phrase "a time, times, and the dividing of a time" is supposed to mean three and a half prophetic years, or 1,260 natural years. This period is elsewhere paralleled by the expression, "forty-two months," each month including thirty years, Re 11:2-3 12:6,14 13:5.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Beginning of Ge 1:1,14

→ Epochs of

Before the flood Jos 24:2

→ The exodus Ex 19:1; 40:17; 1Ki 6:1

→ Daniel' s reckoning of time, and times, and half times Da 7:25; 12:7

→ Indicated by a sun-dial 2Ki 20:9-11; Isa 38:8

→ Division of, into watches Ex 14:24; 1Sa 11:11; Mt 14:25; Mr 6:48

Torrey's New Topical Textbook

- The duration of the world

Job 22:16; Re 10:6

- The measure of the continuance of anything

Jud 18:31

- An appointed season

Ne 2:6; Ec 3:1,17

- COMPUTED BY

. Years

Ge 15:13; 2Sa 21:1; Da 9:2

. Months

Nu 10:10; 1Ch 27:1; Job 3:6

. Weeks

and food your which you will eat it by weight [will be] twenty shekel[s] to the day from time to time you will eat it
תֹּאכֲלֶֽנּוּ׃to.kha.Le.nu you will eat it H398 Verb qal imperfect second person masculine singular · suffix
810× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to eat or devour, and it's used in many stories, including when Jesus fed the 5000 with fish and bread in the book of Matthew. It's about taking in nourishment and being satisfied.
Tyndale gloss
to eat
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָכַל (akal) means 'to eat' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including literal consumption by humans and animals, as well as figurative uses like devouring by fire or destruction. It can describe actions such as feeding or causing to eat, and it also appears in contexts of oppression and destruction. The verb has various forms, indicating different subjects and nuances.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָכַל 806 vb. eat

Qal

eat, human subject

of beasts, birds, etc., eat, devour

fig. of fire, devour, consume

of sword, devour, slay

in genl., devour, consume, destroy

fig. of oppression, devour the poor

Niph.

be eaten by man

be devoured by fire, consumed

be wasted, destroyed, of flesh

Pu. be consumed

Hiph.

cause to eat, feed with

cause to devoure, obj. sword

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H398 אָכַל eat .. eat, human subject

. of beasts, birds, etc., eat, devour

. fig. of fire, devour, consume

. of sword, devour, slay

. in genl., devour, consume, destroy

. fig. of oppression, devour the poor

. . be eaten by man

. be devoured by fire, consumed

. be wasted, destroyed, of flesh

. be consumed

. . cause to eat, feed with

. cause to devoure, obj. sword

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

398 'akal aw-kal'

a primitive root; to eat (literally or figuratively):--X at

all, burn up, consume, devour(-er, up), dine, eat(-er, up),

feed (with), food, X freely, X in...wise(-deed, plenty), (lay)

meat, X quite.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָכַל (a.khal) — to eat.

1) to eat, devour, burn up, feed

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to eat (human subject)

1a2) to eat, devour (of beasts and birds)

1a3) to devour, consume (of fire)

1a4) to devour, slay (of sword)

1a5) to devour, consume, destroy (inanimate subjects - ie, pestilence, drought)

1a6) to devour (of oppression)

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be eaten (by men)

1b2) to be devoured, consumed (of fire)

1b3) to be wasted, destroyed (of flesh)

1c) (Pual)

1c1) to cause to eat, feed with

1c2) to cause to devour

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to feed

1d2) to cause to eat

1e) (Piel)

1e1) consume

Aramaic equivalent: a.khal (אֲכַל "to devour" H0399)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-2ms | Suff — Verb qal imperfect second person masculine singular · suffix
HVqi2ms/Sp3ms
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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