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Genesis 18:31 — Word Study

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WLCוַיֹּ֗אמֶר הִנֵּֽה־ נָ֤א הוֹאַ֙לְתִּי֙ לְדַבֵּ֣ר אֶל־ אֲדֹנָ֔י אוּלַ֛י יִמָּצְא֥וּן שָׁ֖ם עֶשְׂרִ֑ים וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א אַשְׁחִ֔ית בַּעֲב֖וּר הָֽעֶשְׂרִֽים׃

BSAAnd [Abraham] saidʼâmar Now thathinnêh I have venturedyâʼal [taken the initiative, been bold enough] to speakdâbar [to communicate, express his thoughts] toʼêl the LordʼĂdônây [Adonay, the sovereign God] supposeʼûwlay [perhaps, it may be that] twentyʻesrîym [a specific number, a quantifiable amount] are foundmâtsâʼ [discovered, located] thereshâm [in that place, at that location] He answeredʼâmar On accountʻâbûwr of the twentyʻesrîym [for the sake of, because of, this specific group, these individuals] I will notlôʼ [I shall not, I refuse to] destroy [it]shâchath [ruin, bring to nothing, the city, the people]

Word
Listen & take awayGenesis 18
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 31 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (Ha.'es.Rim) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Genesis 18:31quick helps
In a sentenceAbraham speaks to the Lord, asking if the city can be spared for the sake of twenty righteous people.
Who is speakingAbraham, boldly addressing God in a moment of intercession.
Where we areAbraham's negotiation with God regarding the fate of Sodom.
The hard wordהוֹאַ֙לְתִּי֙
Take awayThe plea for mercy is based on the presence of the righteous.
3 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectשָׁם verbאָמַר 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 18:31

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 — Abraham's Plea for Sodomgenerated

30Then Abraham said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak further. Suppose thirty are found there?” He replied, “If I find thirty there, I will not do it.”
31And Abraham said, “Now that I have ventured to speak to the Lord, suppose twenty are found there?” He answered, “On account of the twenty, I will not destroy it.”
32Finally, Abraham said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak once more. Suppose ten are found there?” And He answered, “On account of the ten, I will not destroy it.”
33When the LORD had finished speaking with Abraham, He departed, and Abraham returned home.

Genesis 18:31 shows Abraham's boldness in speaking to God about the fate of Sodom. He intercedes on behalf of the city, asking if it can be spared for the sake of twenty righteous people. This conversation highlights Abraham's role as an intercessor and his relationship with God, as he seeks to understand God's justice and mercy.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Genesis 18:27Then Abraham answered, “Now that I have ventured to speak to the Lord—though I am but dust and ashes—
2Matthew 7:7–11Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.
3Luke 11:8I tell you, even though he will not get up to provide for him because of his friendship, yet because of the man’s persistence, he will get up and give him as much as he needs.
4Luke 18:1Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray at all times and not lose heart:
5Ephesians 6:18Pray in the Spirit at all times, with every kind of prayer and petition. To this end, stay alert with all perseverance in your prayers for all the saints.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 7 references, hung on the phrase they belong to

And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for twenty's sake.Genesis 18:27 Matthew 7:7–11 Luke 11:8 Luke 18:1 Ephesians 6:18 Hebrews 4:16 Hebrews 10:20–22

The Key Word הוֹאַ֙לְתִּי֙, ho.'Al.tigenerated

The verb יָאַל (ya'al) means to be willing or to undertake something, indicating a sense of initiative and boldness. In this context, it reflects Abraham's willingness to engage in dialogue with God, demonstrating his courage in approaching the divine with a request.

This verb is in the Hiphil form, which often conveys causative action, suggesting that Abraham is not only willing but is taking the initiative to speak to God. This highlights the relational aspect of prayer and intercession.


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 יֹּ֗אמֶר (he said) governs the main clause, with several phrases hanging off it: an infinitive phrase indicating the action of speaking, a prepositional phrase indicating the direction of his speech, and an adverbial phrase specifying the location of the twenty.

The structure emphasizes Abraham's direct address to God and his intercessory role, with the main action centered around his bold inquiry.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates הוֹאַ֙לְתִּי֙ as ἔξω (exō), which means 'I have undertaken' or 'I have been bold.' This choice reflects a similar understanding of Abraham's initiative in approaching God.

The use of this Greek term indicates a continuity in the theme of boldness and willingness to engage with the divine, aligning with the Hebrew sense of the verb.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Genesis 18:31 shows Abraham talking to God about Sodom. He asks if the city can be spared if there are twenty righteous people there. God responds that for the sake of the twenty, He will not destroy it, highlighting Abraham's role as an intercessor.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does Abraham mean by 'I have ventured to speak to the Lord'?

Abraham is expressing his boldness in approaching God to plead for the city, indicating a willingness to engage in dialogue on behalf of others.

Why does Abraham specify the number twenty?

Abraham uses the number twenty as a specific figure to negotiate with God, seeking to understand the threshold for God's mercy.

What does God's response indicate about His character?

God's willingness to spare the city for the sake of twenty righteous people demonstrates His mercy and justice, showing that He considers the presence of the righteous in His decisions.

How does this passage relate to the theme of intercession in the Bible?

This passage illustrates the role of intercession, where one person pleads with God on behalf of others, a theme that recurs throughout Scripture.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways can I be bold in my prayers like Abraham?
  2. How do I understand the balance between God's justice and mercy in my own life?
  3. What specific situations can I intercede for on behalf of others?
  4. How does this passage encourage me to approach God with my requests?

Commentators on this verse — 3 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Genesis 18:31 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

And he said, behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord,.... [See comments on Genesis 18:27]: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there; wouldest thou destroy it, such a number

Read John Gill on Genesis 18 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein? No JFB commentary on these verses.

Read Robert Jamieson on Genesis 18 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Genesis 18:31 And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy [it] for twenty’ s sake.Ver. 31. Behold now, I have taken upon me.]

Read John Trapp on Genesis 18 →

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

And Abraham said, “Now that I have ventured to speak to the Lord, suppose twenty are found there?” He answered, “On account of the twenty, I will not destroy it.”

WEBWorld English Bible2000

He said, “See now, I have taken it on myself to speak to the Lord. What if there are twenty found there?” He said, “I will not destroy it for the twenty’s sake.”

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

And Abraham said, “Now that I have ventured to speak to the Lord, suppose twenty are found there?” He answered, “On account of the twenty, I will not destroy it.”

NETBNew English Translation2006

Abraham said, “Since I have undertaken to speak to the Lord, what if only twenty are found there?” He replied, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the twenty.”

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for twenty’s sake.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for the twenty’s sake.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for the twenty’s sake.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak to the LORD: Peradventure there will be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for twenty's sake.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Moreouer he said, Behold, now I haue begonne to speake vnto my Lord, What if twentie be founde there? And he answered, I will not destroy it for twenties sake.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And he said, Behold now, I have ventured to speak with the Lord. Perhaps there may be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy [it] for the twenty's sake.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And he saith, 'Lo, I pray thee, I have willed to speak unto the Lord: peradventure there are found there twenty?' and He saith, 'I do not destroy [it], because of the twenty.'

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And he says, “Now behold, I have willed to speak to the Lord: perhaps there are found there twenty?” And He says, “I do not destroy [it], because of the twenty.”

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: Peradventure there will be found there twenty. And he said, I will not destroy for the sake of the twenty.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

He said, “Look, I have undertaken to speak to my Lord! Perhaps twenty will be found there.” He replied, “I will not destroy it for the twenty's sake.”

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Seeing, saith he, I have once begun, I will speak to my Lord. What if twenty be found there? He said: I will not destroy it for the sake of twenty.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

“I admit I've been very bold to speak to my Lord like this,” Abraham said. “What if only twenty are found there?” “I won't do it for the sake of the twenty,” the Lord replied.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And he said, See now, I have undertaken to put my thoughts before the Lord: what if there are twenty there? And he said, I will have mercy because of the twenty.

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.

וַandclauseverbיֹּ֗אמֶרhe.saidclauseclauseverbהִנֵּֽהhere!adverbialנָ֤אpleaseclauseverbהוֹאַ֨לְתִּי֙I.have.undertakenprepositional phrase · prepositionalלְtoclauseverbדַבֵּ֣רspeakprepositional phrase · prepositionalאֶלtonoun phraseאֲדֹנָ֔Lordי[the]clauseאוּלַ֛יperhapsclauseverb phrase · verbיִמָּצְא֥וּtheyןwill.be.foundadverbialשָׁ֖םtheresubjectעֶשְׂרִ֑יםtwentyוַandclauseverbיֹּ֨אמֶר֙he.saidclauseadverbialלֹ֣אnotverbאַשְׁחִ֔יתI.will.destroy.[it]prepositional phrase · prepositionalבַּbecausenoun phraseעֲב֖וּרofnoun phraseהָֽtheעֶשְׂרִֽיםtwenty

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 Samaritan Pentateuch agree word for word in this verse, affirming the consistency of the text across these traditions.

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

וַיֹּ֗אמֶר הִנֵּֽה־ נָ֤א הוֹאַ֙לְתִּי֙ לְדַבֵּ֣ר אֶל־ אֲדֹנָ֔י אוּלַ֛י יִמָּצְא֥וּן שָׁ֖ם עֶשְׂרִ֑ים וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א אַשְׁחִ֔ית בַּעֲב֖וּר הָֽעֶשְׂרִֽים׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיֹּ֗אמֶרεἶπενנָ֤אἐπειδὴהוֹאַ֙לְתִּי֙ἔξωלְדַבֵּ֣רλαλῆσαιאֶל־πρὸςאֲדֹנָ֔יτὸνאוּלַ֛יκύριονיִמָּצְא֥וּןεὑρεθῶσινעֶשְׂרִ֑יםἐκεῖוַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙καὶלֹ֣אεἶπενאַשְׁחִ֔יתοὐבַּעֲב֖וּרἀπολέσωהָֽעֶשְׂרִֽים׃τῶν

14 of the 16 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

ויאמר הנה נא הואלתי לדבר אל אדני אולי ימצאון שׁם עשׂרים ויאמר לא אשׁחית בעבור העשׂרים

Agrees with the Masoretic Text here, word for word.

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 18:31אָמַרand he saidand he saidאָמַרהִנֵּהhere!here!הִנֵּהנָאpleasepleaseנָאיָאַלI have undeI have undertakיָאַלדָבַרto speakto speakדָבַראֶלtotoאֶלאָדוֹן[the] Lord[the] Lordאָדוֹןאוּלַיperhapsperhapsאוּלַימָצָאthey will bthey will be foמָצָאשָׁםtherethereשָׁםעֶשְׂרִיםtwentytwentyעֶשְׂרִיםאָמַרand he saidand he saidאָמַרלֹאnotnotלֹאשָׁחַתI will destI will destroy שָׁחַתעָבוּרfor sake offor sake ofעָבוּרעֶשְׂרִיםthe twentythe twentyעֶשְׂרִיםעֶשֶׂרtentenעֶשֶׂראוֹororאוֹהֵןlook!look!הֵןיָאַלbe foolishbe foolishיָאַלאָדוֹןlordlordאָדוֹןאֲשֶׁרwhichwhichאֲשֶׁרעָבַרto passto passעָבַרכֹּהthusthusכֹּהיהוהYHWH/GodYHWH/Godיהוהחֵןfavorfavorחֵןרֹ֫חַבwidthwidthרֹ֫חַבאַמָּהcubitcubitאַמָּהנֶ֫גַעplagueplagueנֶ֫גַעחֲלוֹםdreamdreamחֲלוֹםעַתָּ֫הnownowעַתָּ֫הכְּנַעֲנִיCanaanitesCanaanitessכְּנַעֲנִיאֱמֹרִיAmoriteAmoriteאֱמֹרִימֹשֶׁהMosesMosesמֹשֶׁה
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 18:31

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 he said here! please I have undertaken to speak to [the] Lord perhaps they will be found ! there twenty and he said not I will destroy [it] for sake of the twenty
וַיֹּ֗אמֶרvai.Yo.mer and he said H559 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
5,309× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to say or speak, and it's used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to command, promise, or think, and it's translated in the KJV as 'answer', 'appoint', or 'command'.
Tyndale gloss
to say
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָמַר (amar) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to say' or 'to utter,' with a broad range of uses including to promise, command, or even boast. It appears in various forms, such as in the Qal (to say), Niphal (to be told), and Hiphil (to avow). The entries highlight its versatility in both spoken and internal contexts, though no specific verse is noted.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָמַר 5287 vb. utter, say

Qal

Say

Say in the heart (= think)

Promise

Command (esp. late)

Niph. be said, told

Hiph. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

Hithp. act proudly, boast

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H559 אָמַר utter, say .. Say

. Say in the heart (= think)

. Promise

. Command (esp. late)

. be said, told

. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

. act proudly, boast

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

559 'amar aw-mar'

a primitive root; to say (used with great

latitude):--answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call,

certify, challenge, charge, + (at the, give) command(-ment),

commune, consider, declare, demand, X desire, determine, X

expressly, X indeed, X intend, name, X plainly, promise,

publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), X still, X

suppose, talk, tell, term, X that is, X think, use (speech),

utter, X verily, X yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָמַר (a.mar) — to say.

1) to say, speak, utter

1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend

1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called

1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly

1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch

Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he said here! please I have undertaken to speak to [the] Lord perhaps they will be found ! there twenty and he said not I will destroy [it] for sake of the twenty
הִנֵּֽה־hi.neh- here! H2009 Particle
843× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word is an expression that means 'behold' or 'look', often used to draw attention to something. It appears in Genesis and Isaiah, and is translated as 'behold' or 'lo' in the KJV.
Tyndale gloss
behold
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הִנֵּה (hinneh) is a Hebrew word meaning 'behold' or 'lo!' It serves as a demonstrative particle used to draw attention, appearing in contexts such as Genesis 19:2. The word is derived from a prolongation of another Hebrew term, but the entries do not provide further details on its usage beyond this.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הִנֵּה, once הִנֶּה־ Gn 19:2, demonstr.part. lo!, behold!

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2009 הִנֵּה, הִנֶּה־ lo!, behold!

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2009 hinneh hin-nay'

prolongation for 2005; lo!:--behold, lo, see.

see HEBREW for 02005

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הִנֵּה (hin.neh) — behold.

behold, lo, see, if

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part — Particle
HTj
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

her, in composition:

and he said here! please I have undertaken to speak to [the] Lord perhaps they will be found ! there twenty and he said not I will destroy [it] for sake of the twenty
נָ֤אna' please H4994 Particle
404× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word 'nâ'' is used to express a polite request, like 'please' or 'I pray', and is often added to verbs to make them more polite. In the Bible, it appears in passages like Ezra's reading of the law to the people.
Tyndale gloss
please
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נָא (na') is a Hebrew particle used primarily for entreaty or exhortation, meaning 'I pray,' 'now,' or 'please.' It often appears attached to verbs in the imperative or future forms, and can also modify interjections, adverbs, or conjunctions. The entries consistently emphasize its role in expressing a plea or request.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נָא part. of entreaty or exhortation, I (we) pray, now (enclitic)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4994 נָא I (we) pray, now (enclitic)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4994 na' naw

a primitive particle of incitement and entreaty, which may

usually be rendered: "I pray," "now," or "then"; added mostly

to verbs (in the Imperative or Future), or to interjections,

occasionally to an adverb or conjunction:--I beseech (pray)

thee (you), go to, now, oh.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָא (na) — please.

1) I (we) pray, now, please

1a) used in entreaty or exhortation

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTj — Particle
HTj
and he said here! please I have undertaken to speak to [the] Lord perhaps they will be found ! there twenty and he said not I will destroy [it] for sake of the twenty
הוֹאַ֙לְתִּי֙ho.'Al.ti I have undertaken H2974 Verb · Hiphil · perfect first person common singular
19× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To be willing or undertake something is the meaning of this word. It involves agreeing to or showing willingness to do something, like accepting an invitation or resolving to take action.
Amplified meaning
taken the initiative, been bold enough
Tyndale gloss
be willing
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָאַל (ya'al) is a Hebrew verb primarily found in the Hiphil form, meaning to show willingness or to undertake something. It conveys a sense of agreement, determination, and the act of beginning or accepting an invitation. The entries suggest a focus on voluntary action and mental assent, but do not provide specific verse references.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[יָאַל] vb. only Hiph. shew willingness, be pleased, determine, undertake to do anything (and do it)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2974 יָאַל only Hiph. shew willingness, be pleased, determine, undertake to do anything (and do it)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2974 ya'al yaw-al'

a primitive root (probably rather the same as 2973 through

the idea of mental weakness); properly, to yield, especially

assent; hence (pos.) to undertake as an act of

volition:--assay, begin, be content, please, take upon, X

willingly, would.

see HEBREW for 02973

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָאַל (ya.al) — be willing.

1) to begin, make a beginning, show willingness, undertake to do, be pleased, be determined

1a) (Hiphil)

1a1) to agree to, show willingness, acquiesce, accept an invitation, be willing

1a2) to undertake

1a3) to resolve, be pleased, be determined

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Hiphil-Perf-1cs — Verb · Hiphil · perfect first person common singular
HVhp1cs
English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828)

UNDERTA'KEN, participle passive of undertake. The work was undertaken at his own expense.

and he said here! please I have undertaken to speak to [the] Lord perhaps they will be found ! there twenty and he said not I will destroy [it] for sake of the twenty
לְדַבֵּ֣רle.da.Ber to speak H1696 Preposition · verb piel infinitive construct common
1,142× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To speak or communicate, like God speaking to Moses in Exodus or a king commanding his people. It can also mean to promise or warn someone.
Amplified meaning
to communicate, express his thoughts
Tyndale gloss
to speak: speak
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

דָבַר (dabar) is a Hebrew verb primarily meaning 'to speak.' It encompasses a range of actions including declaring, commanding, and conversing. The root suggests a figurative use of words, with some entries noting a rare destructive sense of subduing. Various forms of the verb indicate different nuances, such as speaking with one another or making promises.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[דָבַר] 1142 vb. speak (original mng. dub.)

Qal speak

Niph. reciprocal sense, speak with one another, talk

Pi. speak

Pu. in the day when she may be spoken for

Hithp. speaking this word

Hiph. either leads subject, or puts to flight, fig. for subdues

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1696 דָבַר speak (original mng. dub.)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1696 dabar daw-bar'

a primitive root; perhaps properly, to arrange; but used

figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive

sense) to subdue:--answer, appoint, bid, command, commune,

declare, destroy, give, name, promise, pronounce, rehearse,

say, speak, be spokesman, subdue, talk, teach, tell, think,

use (entreaties), utter, X well, X work.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

דָבַר (da.var) — to speak: speak.

: speak/tell/command

1) to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing

1a) (Qal) to speak

1b) (Niphal) to speak with one another, talk

1c) (Piel)

1c1) to speak

1c2) to promise

1d) (Pual) to be spoken

1e) (Hithpael) to speak

1f) (Hiphil) to lead away, put to flight

דָבַר (da.var) — to speak: subdue.

: subdue

1) to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing

1a) (Qal) to speak

1b) (Niphal) to speak with one another, talk

1c) (Piel)

1c1) to speak

1c2) to promise

1d) (Pual) to be spoken

1e) (Hithpael) to speak

1f) (Hiphil) to lead away, put to flight

דָבַר (da.var) — to speak: promise.

: promise/declare

1) to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing

1a) (Qal) to speak

1b) (Niphal) to speak with one another, talk

1c) (Piel)

1c1) to speak

1c2) to promise

1d) (Pual) to be spoken

1e) (Hithpael) to speak

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | V-Piel-Inf-a — Preposition · verb piel infinitive construct common
HR/Vpcc
and he said here! please I have undertaken to speak to [the] Lord perhaps they will be found ! there twenty and he said not I will destroy [it] for sake of the twenty
אֶל־'el- to H413 Preposition
5,518× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means 'to' or 'toward', showing direction or movement. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus, to indicate where someone is going. The KJV translates it in various ways, like 'about', 'according to', or 'against'.
Tyndale gloss
to(wards)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֶל (el) is primarily a preposition indicating motion towards or direction to a person or place. It can also imply entering a limit, presence at a location, or a hostile direction (against). Additionally, it may express concepts such as concerning, in addition to, or according to. The entries highlight its versatility in both physical and metaphorical contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph),

prep. denoting motion to or direction towards (whether physical or mental).of motion to or unto a person or place

Where the limit is actually entered, into

Of direction towards anything

Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against

Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to

Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

Of rule or standard according to (rare)

Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion

Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H413 אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph), . of motion to or unto a person or place

. Where the limit is actually entered, into

. Of direction towards anything

. Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against

. Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to

. Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

. Of rule or standard according to (rare)

. Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion

. Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

413 'el ale

(but only used in the shortened constructive form sel {el});

a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but

occasionally used of a quiescent position, i.e. near, with or

among; often in general, to:--about, according to ,after,

against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and,

by, concerning, for, from, X hath, in(- to), near, (out) of,

over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether,

with(-in).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶל (el) — to(wards).

1) to, toward, unto (of motion)

2) into (limit is actually entered)

2a) in among

3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion)

4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character)

5) in addition to, to

6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of

7) according to (rule or standard)

8) at, by, against (of one's presence)

9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Preposition
HR
and he said here! please I have undertaken to speak to [the] Lord perhaps they will be found ! there twenty and he said not I will destroy [it] for sake of the twenty
אֲדֹנָ֔י'a.do.Nai [the] Lord H136 Noun proper
440× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Adonay is a title used to refer to God, spoken in place of Yahweh as a sign of reverence and respect. It is used throughout the Bible to address God or refer to Him in a formal way. Adonay is a term of worship and devotion.
Amplified meaning
Adonay, the sovereign God
Tyndale gloss
Lord
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֲדֹנָי (Adonay) means 'Lord' and is an emphatic form of another Hebrew word for lord. It is used specifically as a title for God, often in place of Yahweh to show reverence. Variations include אֲדֹנִי and אֲדֹנַי, which help distinguish divine from human references.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָדוֹן n.m. lord (אֲדֹנִי, אֲדֹנַי, אֲדֹנָי are variations of Mass. pointing to distinguish divine reference fr. human. Pl., with few exc. an intens. pl. of rank; word takes sf. as pl. in all other pers.; so doubtless here. Orig. reading prob. in all cases אֲדֹנַי; אֲדֹנִי now found in J 51 t.)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H136 אָדוֹן lord (אֲדֹנִי, אֲדֹנַי, אֲדֹנָי are variations of Mass. pointing to distinguish divine reference fr. human. Pl., with few exc. an intens. pl. of rank; word takes sf. as pl. in all other pers.; so doubtless here. Orig. reading prob. in all cases אֲדֹנַי; אֲדֹנִי now found in J 51 t.)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

136 'Adonay ad-o-noy'

am emphatic form of 113; the Lord (used as a proper name of

God only):--(my) Lord.

see HEBREW for 0113

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֲדֹנָי (a.do.nai) — Lord.

Lord - a title, spoken in place of Yahweh in Jewish display of reverence

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp | Suff — Noun proper
HNpt
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Lord

There are various Hebrew and Greek words so rendered.

(1.) Heb. Jehovah, has been rendered in the English Bible LORD, printed in small capitals. This is the proper name of the God of the Hebrews. The form “Jehovah” is retained only in Ex. 6:3; Ps. 83:18; Isa. 12:2; 26:4, both in the Authorized and the Revised Version.

(2.) Heb. ‘adon, means one possessed of absolute control. It denotes a master, as of slaves (Gen. 24:14, 27), or a ruler of his subjects (45:8), or a husband, as lord of his wife (18:12).

The old plural form of this Hebrew word is ’adonai. From a superstitious reverence for the name “Jehovah,” the Jews, in reading their Scriptures, whenever that name…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

[GOD]

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

This name belongs to God by preeminence; and in this sense ought never to be given to any creature. Jesus Christ, as the Messiah, the Son of God, and equal with the Father, is often called Lord in Scripture, especially in the writing of Paul. The word LORD, in the English Bible, when printed in small capitals, stands always for JEHOVAH in the Hebrew. See JEHOVAH.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ A prince Jos 13:3; Jud 3:3; 1Sa 5:8; 6:4

→ See GOD

→ See JESUS

and he said here! please I have undertaken to speak to [the] Lord perhaps they will be found ! there twenty and he said not I will destroy [it] for sake of the twenty
אוּלַ֛י'u.Lai perhaps H194 Adverb
45× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Ulay means perhaps or if not, used to express uncertainty or doubt. It appears in various forms, such as peradventure or unless. It helps to convey tentative ideas.
Amplified meaning
perhaps, it may be that
Tyndale gloss
perhaps
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אוּלַי (uwlay) means 'perhaps' or 'peradventure,' often expressing a hope or uncertainty. It can introduce a conditional clause, functioning similarly to 'if peradventure' or 'unless.' The term appears in contexts like Genesis 24:39, where it conveys a sense of possibility.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אוּלַי 44 and (Gn 24:39) אֻלַי adv.

peradventure, perhaps; usually expressing a hope

followed by another clause, it expresses virtually the protasis = if peradventure

unless

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H194 אוּלַי, אֻלַי . peradventure, perhaps; usually expressing a hope

. followed by another clause, it expresses virtually the protasis = if peradventure

. unless

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

194 'uwlay oo-lah'ee

or (shortened) rulay {oo-lah'ee}; from 176; if not; hence

perhaps:--if so be, may be, peradventure, unless.

see HEBREW for 0176

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אוּלַי (u.lay) — perhaps.

1) perhaps, peradventure

2) if peradventure

3) unless

4) suppose

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adv — Adverb
HD
and he said here! please I have undertaken to speak to [the] Lord perhaps they will be found ! there twenty and he said not I will destroy [it] for sake of the twenty
יִמָּצְא֥וּןyi.ma.tze.'Un they will be found ! H4672 Verb niphal imperfect third person masculine plural · suffix
455× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Matsa means to find or attain something, whether it is a physical object, a person, or a condition, as seen in various KJV translations.
Amplified meaning
discovered, located
Tyndale gloss
to find
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מָצָא (matsa') is a Hebrew verb meaning to find or attain. It encompasses a range of actions, including discovering something lost, encountering someone, or coming upon a situation. The word can also imply being present or sufficient. Lexicons note various forms and uses, including Qal, Niphal, and Hiphil, which indicate different nuances of finding and encountering.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מָצָא 452 vb. attain to, find

Qal

find

find out

= come upon, light upon

noteworthy phrases

Niph. pass. of Qal, be found

Hiph.

cause to find, attain

cause to light upon, come upon, come

cause to encounter

present unto

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4672 מָצָא attain to, find

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4672 matsa' maw-tsaw'

a primitive root; properly, to come forth to, i.e. appear or

exist; transitively, to attain, i.e. find or acquire;

figuratively, to occur, meet or be present:--+ be able,

befall, being, catch, X certainly, (cause to) come (on, to, to

hand), deliver, be enough (cause to) find(-ing, occasion,

out), get (hold upon), X have (here), be here, hit, be left,

light (up-)on, meet (with), X occasion serve, (be) present,

ready, speed, suffice, take hold on.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מָצָא (ma.tsa) — to find.

1) to find, attain to

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to find

1a1a) to find, secure, acquire, get (thing sought)

1a1b) to find (what is lost)

1a1c) to meet, encounter

1a1d) to find (a condition)

1a1e) to learn, devise

1a2) to find out

1a2a) to find out

1a2b) to detect

1a2c) to guess

1a3) to come upon, light upon

1a3a) to happen upon, meet, fall in with

1a3b) to hit

1a3c) to befall

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be found

1b1a) to be encountered, be lighted upon, be discovered

1b1b) to appear, be recognised

1b1c) to be discovered, be detected

1b1d) to be gained, be secured

1b2) to be, be found

1b2a) to be found in

1b2b) to be in the possession of

1b2c) to be found in (a place), happen to be

1b2d) to be left (after war)

1b2e) to be present

1b2f) to prove to be

1b2g) to be found sufficient, be enough

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to cause to find, attain

1c2) to cause to light upon, come upon, come

1c3) to cause to encounter

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Niphal-Imperf-3mp | Suff — Verb niphal imperfect third person masculine plural · suffix
HVNi3mp/Sn
and he said here! please I have undertaken to speak to [the] Lord perhaps they will be found ! there twenty and he said not I will destroy [it] for sake of the twenty
שָׁ֖םsham there H8033 Adverb
834× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word sham means there or then, often used to describe a location or point in time. It can also mean thither or thence, indicating movement or direction. This word is used frequently in the Bible to provide context and clarify the setting of a story.
Amplified meaning
in that place, at that location
Tyndale gloss
there
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׁם (sham) is a Hebrew adverb meaning 'there' or 'thither,' indicating a location or direction. It can also refer to a point in time, translating to 'then.' The word is derived from a relative pronoun and is used in various contexts, including movement and temporal references.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁם adv. there, thither

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8033 שָׁם there, thither

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8033 sham shawm

a primitive particle (rather from the relative pronoun, 834);

there (transferring to time) then; often thither, or

thence:--in it, + thence, there (-in, + of, + out), +

thither, + whither.

see HEBREW for 0834

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁם (sham) — there.

1) there, thither

1a) there

1b) thither (after verbs of motion)

1c) from there, thence

1d) then (as an adverb of time)

Aramaic equivalent: tam.mah (תַּמָּה "there" H8536)

שָׁם (sham) — (Jerusalem) Is There.

Combined with ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)

This name means there, thither

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adv — Adverb
HD
and he said here! please I have undertaken to speak to [the] Lord perhaps they will be found ! there twenty and he said not I will destroy [it] for sake of the twenty
עֶשְׂרִ֑ים'es.Rim 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 number, a quantifiable amount
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 he said here! please I have undertaken to speak to [the] Lord perhaps they will be found ! there twenty and he said not I will destroy [it] for sake of the twenty
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙vai.Yo.mer and he said H559 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
5,309× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to say or speak, and it's used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to command, promise, or think, and it's translated in the KJV as 'answer', 'appoint', or 'command'.
Tyndale gloss
to say
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָמַר (amar) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to say' or 'to utter,' with a broad range of uses including to promise, command, or even boast. It appears in various forms, such as in the Qal (to say), Niphal (to be told), and Hiphil (to avow). The entries highlight its versatility in both spoken and internal contexts, though no specific verse is noted.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָמַר 5287 vb. utter, say

Qal

Say

Say in the heart (= think)

Promise

Command (esp. late)

Niph. be said, told

Hiph. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

Hithp. act proudly, boast

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H559 אָמַר utter, say .. Say

. Say in the heart (= think)

. Promise

. Command (esp. late)

. be said, told

. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

. act proudly, boast

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

559 'amar aw-mar'

a primitive root; to say (used with great

latitude):--answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call,

certify, challenge, charge, + (at the, give) command(-ment),

commune, consider, declare, demand, X desire, determine, X

expressly, X indeed, X intend, name, X plainly, promise,

publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), X still, X

suppose, talk, tell, term, X that is, X think, use (speech),

utter, X verily, X yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָמַר (a.mar) — to say.

1) to say, speak, utter

1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend

1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called

1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly

1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch

Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he said here! please I have undertaken to speak to [the] Lord perhaps they will be found ! there twenty and he said not I will destroy [it] for sake of the twenty
לֹ֣אlo' not H3808 Particle
5,170× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Amplified meaning
I shall not, I refuse to
Tyndale gloss
not
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לֹא or לוֹא adv. not

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3808 lo' lo

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לֹא (lo) — not.

1) not, no

1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)

1b) not (with modifier-negation)

1c) nothing (subst)

1d) without (with particle)

1e) before (of time)

Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part — Particle
HTn
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he said here! please I have undertaken to speak to [the] Lord perhaps they will be found ! there twenty and he said not I will destroy [it] for sake of the twenty
אַשְׁחִ֔ית'ash.Chit I will destroy [it] H7843 Verb · Hiphil · imperfect first person common singular
146× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to ruin or destroy something, and it is used in various forms throughout the Bible to describe corruption and decay.
Amplified meaning
ruin, bring to nothing, the city, the people
Tyndale gloss
to ruin
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׁחַת (shachath) is a Hebrew verb meaning to ruin or corrupt. It encompasses a range of actions including decay, spoilage, and moral perversion, with various grammatical forms indicating different nuances of destruction or corruption. The word appears in contexts that suggest both physical and moral degradation.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[שָׁחַת] 161 vb. go to ruin (?)

Niph. be marred, spoiled

Pi.

spoil, ruin

pervert, corrupt

Hiph.

spoil, ruin

pervert, corrupt

Hoph. spoiled, ruined

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7843 [שָׁחַת] go to ruin (?) . be marred, spoiled

. . spoil, ruin

. pervert, corrupt

. . spoil, ruin

. pervert, corrupt

. spoiled, ruined

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7843 shachath shaw-khath'

a primitive root; to decay, i.e. (causatively) ruin

(literally or figuratively):--batter, cast off, corrupt(-er,

thing), destroy(-er, -uction), lose, mar, perish, spill,

spoiler, X utterly, waste(-r).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁחַת (sha.chat) — to ruin.

1) to destroy, corrupt, go to ruin, decay

1a) (Niphal) to be marred, be spoiled, be corrupted, be corrupt, be injured, be ruined, be rotted

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to spoil, ruin

1b2) to pervert, corrupt, deal corruptly (morally)

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to spoil, ruin, destroy

1c2) to pervert, corrupt (morally)

1c3) destroyer (participle)

1d) (Hophal) spoiled, ruined (participle)

Aramaic equivalent: she.chat (שְׁחַת "to corrupt" H7844)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Hiphil-Imperf-1cs — Verb · Hiphil · imperfect first person common singular
HVhi1cs
and he said here! please I have undertaken to speak to [the] Lord perhaps they will be found ! there twenty and he said not I will destroy [it] for sake of the twenty
בַּעֲב֖וּרba.'a.Vur for sake of H5668 Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
49× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means for the sake of or because of something, like in Genesis when God acts on account of his people's needs. It shows a reason or purpose behind an action. The KJV often translates it as because of or for someone's sake.
Tyndale gloss
for the sake of
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עָבוּר (*'abuwr*) is used only in the forms בַּעֲבוּר and בַּעֲבֻר, functioning as a preposition and conjunction. It conveys meanings such as 'for the sake of,' 'on account of,' and 'in order that.' The entries indicate it derives from the root related to crossing or transit.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[עָבוּר] n. only in בַּעֲבוּר 47, בַּעֲבֻר, prep. and conj. for the sake of, on account of, in order that

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5668 עָבוּר only in בַּעֲבוּר, בַּעֲבֻר, prep. and conj. for the sake of, on account of, in order that

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5668 `abuwr aw-boor'

or rabur {aw-boor'}; passive participle of 5674; properly,

crossed, i.e. (abstractly) transit; used only adverbially, on

account of, in order that:--because of, for (...'s sake),

(intent) that, to.

see HEBREW for 05674

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עָבוּר (a.vur) — for the sake of.

prep

1) for the sake of, on account of, because of, in order to

conj

2) in order that

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

ov:

(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Lamentations 3:1.

The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.

Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.

That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.

Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…

and he said here! please I have undertaken to speak to [the] Lord perhaps they will be found ! there twenty and he said not I will destroy [it] for sake of the twenty
הָֽעֶשְׂרִֽים׃Ha.'es.Rim the twenty H6242 Particle
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
for the sake of, because of, this specific group, these individuals
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
Art | Adj — Particle
HTd/Acmpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

twen'-ti.

See NUMBER.

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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