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Genesis 17:26 — Word Study

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WLCבְּעֶ֙צֶם֙ הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֔ה נִמּ֖וֹל אַבְרָהָ֑ם וְיִשְׁמָעֵ֖אל בְּנֽוֹ׃

BSAAbrahamʼAbrâhâm [the father of faith, Abram] and his sonbên [descendant, offspring] IshmaelYishmâʻêʼl [God will hear, his name meaning divine listening] were circumcisedmûwl [physically cut, spiritually dedicated] on thezeh sameʻetsem dayyôwm [in this selfsame day, at that very moment]

Word
Listen & take awayGenesis 17
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 26 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 (be.No) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Genesis 17:26quick helps
In a sentenceAbraham and his son Ishmael were both circumcised on the same day.
Who is speakingThe narrative focuses on Abraham, a key patriarch, and his son Ishmael.
Where we areThis verse is part of God's covenant with Abraham, marking a significant moment in their relationship.
The hard wordנִמּ֖וֹל
Take awayBoth father and son took part in this covenant sign on the same day.
4 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, Ellicott & more — read them › clause verbמוּל The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.

Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.

Deep Study — Genesis 17:26

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 Covenant of Circumcisiongenerated

24So Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised,
25and his son Ishmael was thirteen;
26Abraham and his son Ishmael were circumcised on the same day.
27And all the men of Abraham’s household—both servants born in his household and those purchased from foreigners—were circumcised with him.

Genesis 17:26 describes the moment when Abraham and his son Ishmael were circumcised, fulfilling God's command as a sign of the covenant. This act of circumcision is significant not only as a physical mark but also as a spiritual dedication to God, establishing their identity within the covenant community. The surrounding verses highlight Abraham's age and Ishmael's youth, emphasizing the importance of this moment in their lives and in the unfolding narrative of God's promises.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Genesis 12:4So Abram departed, as the LORD had directed him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran.
2Genesis 22:3–4So Abraham got up early the next morning, saddled his donkey, and took along two of his servants and his son Isaac. He split the wood for a burnt offering and set out for the place God had designated.
3Psalm 119:60I hurried without hesitating to keep Your commandments.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 3 references, hung on the phrase they belong to

In the selfsame day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his son.Genesis 12:4 Genesis 22:3–4 Psalm 119:60

The Key Word נִמּ֖וֹל, ni.Molgenerated

The verb מוּל (muwl) means to circumcise and is used in the Niphal form here, indicating that Abraham and Ishmael were acted upon, receiving the sign of the covenant. This act signifies both a physical change and a spiritual commitment to God.

Circumcision, as commanded by God, represents a cutting away, not just of flesh but also of the old life, marking the beginning of a new covenant relationship. The use of this verb in this context underscores the seriousness of the covenant that Abraham was entering into with God.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

The verse is rendered consistently across translations, including the Berean Standard Bible, King James Version, and American Standard Version.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb of the sentence is נִמּ֖וֹל, he was circumcised, which governs the entire clause. The structure emphasizes the timing of the action, with a prepositional phrase indicating when it occurred.

The sentence is straightforward, with a clear focus on the subjects, Abraham and Ishmael, and the action of circumcision, presented in a direct manner that highlights the significance of the event.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates the verb מוּל as περιετμήθη, indicating the act of circumcision. This choice reflects the Greek understanding of the term, emphasizing the physical act while aligning with the covenantal significance.

The Greek term carries a similar weight as the Hebrew, focusing on the act of cutting, which is central to the covenant established with Abraham.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Genesis 17:26 tells us that Abraham and his son Ishmael were both circumcised on the same day. This act was a sign of the covenant God made with Abraham, marking a significant moment in their relationship with Him.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does circumcision signify in this context?

Circumcision is a physical sign of the covenant between God and Abraham, representing a commitment to God and a mark of belonging to His people.

Why is the timing of the circumcision important?

The same day signifies unity and immediacy in following God's command, highlighting the seriousness of the covenant.

What does Ishmael's inclusion in this act mean?

Ishmael's circumcision indicates his place within Abraham's family and the covenant community, despite the later distinctions made in the biblical narrative.

How does this act relate to the broader covenant God made with Abraham?

Circumcision is a key sign of the covenant, establishing Abraham's descendants as God's chosen people and setting them apart for His purposes.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What does it mean to you that Abraham and Ishmael were circumcised on the same day?
  2. How can the act of circumcision be seen as both a physical and spiritual commitment?
  3. In what ways do you see God's covenant promises being fulfilled in your life?
  4. How does understanding this covenant help you grasp the significance of your own faith journey?

Commentators on this verse — 4 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Genesis 17:26 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

In the selfsame day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his son. This is repeated, that it might be taken notice of that both were circumcised according to the command of God, and on the very day in which it was given.

Read John Gill on Genesis 17 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all that were born in his house, and all that were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham's house; and circumcised the flesh of their

Read Robert Jamieson on Genesis 17 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Genesis 17:26 In the selfsame day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his son.Ver. 26. In the self-same day.] To show his prompt and present obedience, without shucking and hucking, without delays and consults.

Read John Trapp on Genesis 17 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(26) In the selfsame day.—Heb., In the bone of this day, and so in Genesis 17:23 (see Genesis 2:23). In the circumcising of the household together with Abraham and his son we see that no impassable interval separated the Hebrew slave from his master, but that he was to share all the national and religious privileges of the freeman.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Genesis 17 →

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

Abraham and his son Ishmael were circumcised on the same day.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

In the same day both Abraham and Ishmael, his son, were circumcised.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Abraham and his son Ishmael were circumcised on the same day.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Abraham and his son Ishmael were circumcised on the very same day.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

In the selfsame day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his son.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

In the selfsame day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his son.

RVARevised Version, American1894

In the selfsame day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his son.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

In the same day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his son.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

The selfe same day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his sonne:

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

In the selfsame day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his son;

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

in this self-same day hath Abraham been circumcised, and Ishmael his son;

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

in this very same day Abraham has been circumcised, and his son Ishmael;

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

On the self-same day was Abraham circumcised, with Ishmael his son.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

On the very same day Abraham and Ishmael his son were both circumcised.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

The selfsame day was Abraham circumcised and Ismael his son.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Both Abraham and his son Ishmael were circumcised on the same day.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Abraham and Ishmael, his son, underwent circumcision on that very day.

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.

clauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalבְּonnoun phraseעֶ֨צֶם֙the.substancenoun phraseהַofnoun phraseיּ֣וֹםthe.dayadjective phraseהַ(the)זֶּ֔הthisverbנִמּ֖וֹלhe.was.circumcisednoun phrase · subjectאַבְרָהָ֑םAbrahamוְandnoun phraseיִשְׁמָעֵ֖אלIshmaelnoun phraseבְּנֽsonוֹhis

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 the Septuagint providing a direct correspondence to the Hebrew. The Samaritan Pentateuch differs slightly, using the word נמל instead of נִמּוֹל, but the overall meaning remains consistent across the texts.

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

בְּעֶ֙צֶם֙ הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֔ה נִמּ֖וֹל אַבְרָהָ֑ם וְיִשְׁמָעֵ֖אל בְּנֽוֹ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
בְּעֶ֙צֶם֙ἐνהַיּ֣וֹםἡμέραςהַזֶּ֔הἐκείνηςנִמּ֖וֹלπεριετμήθηאַבְרָהָ֑םαβρααμוְיִשְׁמָעֵ֖אלισμαηλבְּנֽוֹ׃αὐτοῦ

7 of the 7 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Samaritan Pentateuchthe Torah as the Samaritan community kept it

בעצם היום הזה נמל אברהם וישׁמעאל בנו

1 word differs from the Masoretic Text: נמל (circumcise)

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.

Genesis 17:26עֶ֫צֶםon [the] suon [the] substaעֶ֫צֶםיוֹםthe daythe dayיוֹםזֶהthisthisזֶהמוּלhe was cirche was circumciמוּלאַבְרָםAbrahamAbrahamאַבְרָםיִשְׁמָעֵאלand Ishmaeland Ishmaelיִשְׁמָעֵאלבֵּןson hisson hisבֵּןעָצֹםbe vastbe vastעָצֹםאָבfatherfatherאָבשָׁמַעto hear: hto hear: hearשָׁמַעבָּנָהto buildto buildבָּנָהזֶהthisthisזֶהזֹהthisthisזֹהבָּשָׂרfleshfleshבָּשָׂרשְׁבִיעִיseventhseventhשְׁבִיעִישַׁבָּתSabbathSabbathשַׁבָּתאַיwhere?where?אַיהֶ֫בֶלvanityvanityהֶ֫בֶלעָרְלָהforeskinforeskinעָרְלָהזָכָרmalemaleזָכָריִצְחָקIsaacIsaacיִצְחָקשָׂרָהSarahSarahשָׂרָהנְתַנְיָ֫הוּNethaniahNethaniahנְתַנְיָ֫הוּתּוֹלֵדוֹתgenerationgenerationתּוֹלֵדוֹתעַמּוֹןAmmonAmmonעַמּוֹן
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 Genesis 17:26

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.

on [the] substance of the day this he was circumcised Abraham and Ishmael son his
בְּעֶ֙צֶם֙be.'E.tzem on [the] substance of H6106 Preposition · noun common feminine singular construct
126× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the original Hebrew, this word refers to a bone or the body, and can also mean the substance or essence of something. It is used in many parts of the Bible, including in the book of Genesis and Psalms, to describe the physical body.
Tyndale gloss
bone
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עֶ֫צֶם (etsem) primarily means 'bone' but extends to concepts of substance and self. It can refer to the physical body, limbs, or essence. The word is derived from a root related to strength, indicating a connection between physicality and identity.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עֶ֫צֶם 125 n.f. bone, substance, self

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6106 עֶ֫צֶם bone, substance, self

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6106 `etsem eh'tsem

from 6105; a bone (as strong); by extension, the body;

figuratively, the substance, i.e. (as pron.) selfsame:--body,

bone, X life, (self-)same, strength, X very.

see HEBREW for 06105

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עֶ֫צֶם (e.tsem) — bone.

: bone/limb

1) bone, essence, substance

1a) bone

1a1) body, limbs, members, external body

1b) bone (of animal)

1c) substance, self

עֶ֫צֶם (e.tsem) — bone: same.

: same/very

1) bone, essence, substance

1a) bone

1a1) body, limbs, members, external body

1b) bone (of animal)

1c) substance, self

עֶ֫צֶם (e.tsem) — bone: body.

: body

1) bone, essence, substance

1a) bone

1a1) body, limbs, members, external body

1b) bone (of animal)

1c) substance, self

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-fs — Preposition · noun common feminine singular construct
HR/Ncfsc
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…

on [the] substance of the day this he was circumcised Abraham and Ishmael son his
הַיּ֣וֹםhai.Yom the day H3117 Particle · 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
in this selfsame day, at that very moment
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
Art | N-ms — Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
HTd/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.

on [the] substance of the day this he was circumcised Abraham and Ishmael son his
הַזֶּ֔הha.Zeh this H2088 Particle · particle
1,180× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word is a pronoun meaning this or that, used to point out a specific person or thing. It appears in many contexts, including Genesis and Psalms, to indicate something specific. The KJV translates it as he, here, or it.
Tyndale gloss
this
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

זֶה (zeh) is a demonstrative pronoun meaning 'this' or 'here.' It can stand alone, be used appositively, or function as a predicate. The word can also attach enclitically to interrogative pronouns, adding emphasis and directness. In poetry, it may serve as a relative pronoun, though this usage is rare.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

זֶה demonstr.pron. and adv.; fem. זֹאת, once זֹאתָה; this, here

standing alone

In appos. to subst.

More oft. as pred.

It is attached enclitically, almost as an adv., to certain words, esp. interrog. pronouns, to impart, in a manner often not reproducible in Engl. idiom, directness and force, bringing the question or statement made into close relation with the speaker.

In poetry, as a relative pron. (rare)

With prefixes (in special senses)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2088 זֶה demonstr. pron. and adv.; fem. זֹאת, once זֹאתָה; this, here . standing alone

. In appos. to subst.

. More oft. as pred.

. It is attached enclitically, almost as an adv., to certain words, esp. interrog. pronouns, to impart, in a manner often not reproducible in Engl. idiom, directness and force, bringing the question or statement made into close relation with the speaker.

. In poetry, as a relative pron. (rare)

. With prefixes (in special senses)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2088 zeh zeh

a primitive word; the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this

or that:--he, X hence, X here, it(-self), X now, X of him, the

one...the other, X than the other, (X out of) the (self) same,

such (a one) that, these, this (hath, man), on this side...on

that side, X thus, very, which. Compare 2063, 2090, 2097,

2098.

see HEBREW for 02063

see HEBREW for 02090

see HEBREW for 02097

see HEBREW for 02098

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

זֶה (zeh) — this.

1) this, this one, here, which, this...that, the one...the other, another, such

1a) (alone)

1a1) this one

1a2) this...that, the one...the other, another

1b) (appos to subst)

1b1) this

1c) (as predicate)

1c1) this, such

1d) (enclitically)

1d1) then

1d2) who, whom

1d3) how now, what now

1d4) what now

1d5) wherefore now

1d6) behold here

1d7) just now

1d8) now, now already

1e) (poetry)

1e1) wherein, which, those who

1f) (with prefixes)

1f1) in this (place) here, then

1f2) on these conditions, herewith, thus provided, by, through this, for this cause, in this matter

1f3) thus and thus

1f4) as follows, things such as these, accordingly, to that effect, in like manner, thus and thus

1f5) from here, hence, on one side...on the other side

1f6) on this account

1f7) in spite of this, which, whence, how

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | Pron — Particle · particle
HTd/Tm
on [the] substance of the day this he was circumcised Abraham and Ishmael son his
נִמּ֖וֹלni.Mol he was circumcised H4135 Verb · Niphal · perfect third person masculine singular
37× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Circumcision is the literal meaning of this word, but it can also imply destruction or cutting off. In Genesis 17:10, God commands Abraham to circumcise all males as a sign of covenant. It represents a physical and spiritual separation.
Amplified meaning
physically cut, spiritually dedicated
Tyndale gloss
to circumcise
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מוּל (muwl) is a Hebrew verb meaning to circumcise, with various forms indicating different grammatical aspects, such as being circumcised or causing circumcision. It also carries connotations of cutting off or destruction. The entries note its use in contexts like Joshua 5:2 and Genesis 17:11, where it specifically refers to the act of circumcision.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[מוּל] vb. circumcise

Qal circumcise

Niph. be circumcised

Hiph. in the name of י׳, yea I will make them to be circumcised

Hithp. be cut off, of arrows, i.e. made blunt.

base

[מָלַל] vb. circumcise

Qal Jos 5:2.

Niph. Gn 17:11

Hithpo. be cut off: ψ 58:8.

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4135a מוּל circumcise H4135b מָלַל circumcise

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4135 muwl mool

a primitive root; to cut short, i.e. curtail (specifically

the prepuce, i.e. to circumcise); by implication, to blunt;

figuratively, to destroy:--circumcise(-ing), selves), cut

down (in pieces), destroy, X must needs.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מוּל (mul) — to circumcise.

1) to circumcise, let oneself be circumcised, cut, be cut off

1a) (Qal) to circumcise

1b) (Niphal) to be circumcised, circumcise oneself

1c) (Hiphil) to cause to be circumcised

1c1) of destruction (fig.)

1d) (Hithpolel) to be cut off

1e) (Polel) cut down

מָלַל (ma.lal) — to circumcise.

1) to circumcise

1a) (Qal)

1b) (Niphal)

2) (Hithpolel) to be cut off

Also means: mul (מוּל "to circumcise" H4135A)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Niphal-Perf-3ms — Verb · Niphal · perfect third person masculine singular
HVNp3ms
on [the] substance of the day this he was circumcised Abraham and Ishmael son his
אַבְרָהָ֑ם'av.ra.Ham Abraham H85 Noun proper masculine
175× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Abraham was a key figure in the Bible, the later name of Abram, and father of many children, including Ishmael and Isaac. He is first mentioned in Genesis 11:26 and his story is told throughout the book of Genesis. Abraham's life and faith are still studied today.
Amplified meaning
the father of faith, Abram
Tyndale gloss
Abraham
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אַבְרָם (*Abram*) refers to the biblical figure later known as אַבְרָהָם (*Abraham*), meaning 'father of a multitude.' He is first mentioned in Genesis 11:26 as the son of Terah and is notable for being the patriarch of the Hebrew nation through God's covenant. The name reflects his role as a significant ancestor.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אַבְרָם n.pr.m. (id., Thes al. exalted father) Abram = אַבְרָהָם Abraham

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H85 אַבְרָם Abram = אַבְרָהָם Abraham

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

85 'Abraham ab-raw-hawm'

contracted from 1 and an unused root (probably meaning to be

populous); father of a multitude; Abraham, the later name of

Abram:--Abraham.

see HEBREW for 01

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אַבְרָהָם (av.ra.ham) — Abraham.

A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.11.26;

son of: Terah (H8646);

brother of: Nahor (H5152H), Haran (H2039) and Sarah (H8283); married to Sarah (H8283), Hagar (H1904) and Keturah (H6989);

father of: Ishmael (H3458), Isaac (H3327), Zimran (H2175), Jokshan (H3370), Medan (H4091), Midian (H4080), Ishbak (H3435) and Shuah (H7744); also called Abram at Gen.11.26--17.5; 2x

§ Abraham = "father of a multitude" or "chief of multitude"

friend of God and founder of Hebrew nation via God's elective covenant

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

a'-bra-ham:

I. NAME 1. Various Forms 2. Etymology 3. Association II. KINDRED III. CAREER 1. Period of Wandering 2. Period of Residence at Hebron 3. Period of Residence in the Negeb IV. CONDITIONS OF LIFE 1. Economic Conditions 2. Social Conditions 3. Political Conditions 4. Cultural Conditions V. CHARACTER 1. Religious Beliefs 2. Morality 3. Personal Traits VI. SIGNIFICANCE IN THE HISTORY OF RELIGION 1. In the Old Testament 2. In the New Testament 3. In Jewish Tradition 4. In the Koran VII. INTERPRETATIONS OF THE STORY OTHER THAN HISTORICAL 1. The Allegorical Interpretation 2. The Personification Theory 3. The Mythical Theory 4. The "Saga" Theory

I. Name.

1. Various Forms:

In the Old Testament, when applied, to the patriarch, the name appears as 'abhram, up to Ge 17:5; thereafter always as 'abhraham. Two other persons are named 'abhiram.…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Abraham

Father of a multitude, son of Terah, named (Gen. 11:27) before his older brothers Nahor and Haran, because he was the heir of the promises. Till the age of seventy, Abram sojourned among his kindred in his native country of Chaldea. He then, with his father and his family and household, quitted the city of Ur, in which he had hitherto dwelt, and went some 300 miles north to Haran, where he abode fifteen years. The cause of his migration was a call from God (Acts 7:2-4). There is no mention of this first call in the Old Testament; it is implied, however, in Gen. 12. While they tarried at Haran, Terah died at the age of 205 years. Abram now received a second and more definite call, accompanied by a promise from God (Gen.…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Father of a multitude, Ge 17:4,5; the great founder of the Jewish nation. He was a son of Terah, a descendant of Shem, and born in Ur, a city of Chaldea, A.M. 2008, B. C. 1996, Ge 11:27,28. Here he lived seventy years, when at the call of God he left his idolatrous kindred, and removed to Haran, in Mesopotamia, Ac 7:2-4, accompanied by his father, his wife Sarai, his brother Nahor, and his nephew Lot. A few years after, having buried his father, he again removed at the call of God, with his wife and nephew, and entered the land of promise as a nomad or wandering shepherd. Sojourning for a time at Shechem, he built here, as was his custom, an alter to the Lord, who appeared to him, and promised that land to his seed. Removing…

on [the] substance of the day this he was circumcised Abraham and Ishmael son his
וְיִשְׁמָעֵ֖אלve.yish.ma.'El and Ishmael H3458 Conjunction · noun proper masculine
48× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Ishmael means God will hear, and refers to Abraham's son with Hagar, as well as several other Israelites. He is mentioned in Genesis and Ezra. Ishmael is considered the progenitor of the Arabian peoples.
Amplified meaning
God will hear, his name meaning divine listening
Tyndale gloss
Ishmael
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word יִשְׁמָעֵאל (*Yishma'el*) means 'God will hear' and refers primarily to Ishmael, the son of Abraham and Hagar. The entries detail various individuals named Ishmael, including a murderer of Gedaliah and several figures from the tribes of Benjamin and Judah. There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its meanings or references.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יִשְׁמָעֵאל 48 n.pr.m. (Ēl heareth)

son of Abraham and Hagar

murderer of Gedaliah

in Benj.

in Judah

Jew with foreign wife

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3458 יִשְׁמָעֵאל . son of Abraham and Hagar

. murderer of Gedaliah

. in Benj.

. in Judah

. Jew with foreign wife

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3458 Yishma`e'l yish-maw-ale'

from 8085 and 410; God will hear; Jishmael, the name of

Abraham's oldest son, and of five Israelites:--Ishmael.

see HEBREW for 08085

see HEBREW for 0410

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יִשְׁמָעֵאל (yish.ma.el) — Ishmael.

A man of Arabia living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.16.11;

son of: Abraham (H0085) and Hagar (H1904);

half-brother of: Isaac (H3327), Zimran (H2175), Jokshan (H3370), Medan (H4091), Midian (H4080), Ishbak (H3435) and Shuah (H7744);

father of: Nebaioth (H5032), Kedar (H6938), Adbeel (H0110), Mibsam (H4017), Mishma (H4927), Dumah (H1746), Massa (H4854), Hadad (H2301), Tema (H8485), Jetur (H3195), Naphish (H5305), Kedemah (H6929) and Mahalath (H4258)

§ Ishmael = "God will hear"

1) son of Abraham and Sarah's handmaid Hagar and the progenitor of the Arabian peoples

2) son of Nethaniah and the murderer of Gedaliah

3) a Benjamite, one of the sons of Azel a descendant of Saul through Meribbaal or Mephibosheth

4) a Judaite, father of Zebadiah

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | N-proper — Conjunction · noun proper masculine
HC/Npm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Ishmael

God hears. (1.) Abraham’s eldest son, by Hagar the concubine (Gen. 16:15; 17:23). He was born at Mamre, when Abraham was eighty-six years of age, eleven years after his arrival in Canaan (16:3; 21:5). At the age of thirteen he was circumcised (17:25). He grew up a true child of the desert, wild and wayward. On the occasion of the weaning of Isaac his rude and wayward spirit broke out in expressions of insult and mockery (21:9, 10); and Sarah, discovering this, said to Abraham, “Expel this slave and her son.” Influenced by a divine admonition, Abraham dismissed Hagar and her son with no more than a skin of water and some bread. The narrative describing this act is one of the most beautiful and touching incidents of patriarchal life (Gen. 21:14-16). (See HAGAR.)

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(whom God hears). The son of Abraham by Hagar the Egyptian his concubine; born when Abraham was fourscore and six years old. (Genesis 16:15,16) (B.C. 1910.) Ishmael was the first-born of his father. He was born in Abraham’s house when he dwelt in the plain of Mamre; and on the institution of the covenant of circumcision, was circumcised, he being then thirteen years old (Genesis 17:26) With the institution of the covenant, God renewed his promise respecting Ishmael. He does not again appear in the narrative until the weaning of Isaac. At the great feast made in celebration of the weaning, "Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had borne unto Abraham, mocking," and urged Abraham to cast him and his mother out. Comforted by the renewal of God’s promise to make of…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

1. Ge 16:1-16 21:1-34, son of Abraham and Hagar, B. C. 1910. He was at first regarded as "the son of the promise;" but after the birth and weaning of Isaac he was driven from his father’s house, at the age of about seventeen, and took with his mother the way to Egypt her native land. Overcome with heat and thirst, and then miraculously relieved, he remained in the wilderness of Paran, took a wife from Egypt, and was the father of twelve sons, heads of Arab tribes. He seems to have become on friendly terms with Isaac, and to have attended at the bedside of their dying father. At his own death, he was one hundred and thirty-seven years old, Ge 25:9,17.

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

God that hears

on [the] substance of the day this he was circumcised Abraham and Ishmael son his
בְּנֽוֹ׃be.No son his H1121 Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
4,943× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word means a son or descendant, and can also refer to a grandson, nation, or quality. It appears in 1 Chronicles 24, describing a Levite named Beno. The word is used to show family relationships and inheritance.
Amplified meaning
descendant, offspring
Tyndale gloss
son: child
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בֵּן 4870 n.m. son

son, male child, born of a woman

children (male and female)

youth, young men

the young of animals

of plant shoots

fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows

member of a guild, order or class

of animals son of (the) herd

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

n. relat. of age

base

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

done

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

. children (male and female)

. youth, young men

. the young of animals

. of plant shoots

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

. . member of a guild, order or class

. of animals son of (the) herd

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

. n. relat. of age

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

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1121 ben bane

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

widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship,

including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

see HEBREW for 01129

see HEBREW for 01

see HEBREW for 0251

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בֵּן (ben) — son: child.

: child/son

בְּנוֹ (be.no) — Beno.

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

son of: Jaaziah (H3269);

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

§ Beno = "his son"

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

בֵּן (ben) — son: descendant/people.

: descendant, people, tribe, nation

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

§ : child/son

בֵּן (ben) — son: young animal.

: calf/lamb/young(ANIMAL)

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

§ : descendant

בֵּן (ben) — son: type of.

: rebel/son(Belial)

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

§ : people/men/nation/tribe

בֵּן (ben) — son.

: [inheriting]son/heir

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

בֵּן (ben) — son: warrior.

: warrior/son(strong)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HNcmsc/Sp3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hiz: Used often in the King James Version with reference to a neuter or inanimate thing, or to a lower animal (Ge 1:11, "after his kind"; Le 1:16, "pluck away his crop"; Ac 12:10, "of his own accord"; 1Co 15:38, "his own body"), etc. the Revised Version (British and American) substitutes "its."

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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