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Genesis 37:30 — Word Study

Depth

WLCוַיָּ֥שָׁב אֶל־ אֶחָ֖יו וַיֹּאמַ֑ר הַיֶּ֣לֶד אֵינֶ֔נּוּ וַאֲנִ֖י אָ֥נָה אֲנִי־ בָֽא׃

BSAreturnedshûwb [unto his brethren] toʼêl his brothersʼâch and saidʼâmar The boyyeled [youth, child, young person] is goneʼayin [is not, is no more] What am I going to doʼănîy [where shall I go, whither shall I, what can I do now]

Word
Listen & take awayGenesis 37
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 30 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 (Va') — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Genesis 37:30quick helps
In a sentenceReuben returns to his brothers in distress, realizing Joseph is missing.
Who is speakingReuben, the eldest brother, who is concerned about Joseph.
Where we areThe moment of crisis after discovering Joseph's disappearance.
The hard wordאֵינֶ֔נּוּ
Take awayThe loss of Joseph brings immediate panic and uncertainty.
7 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectאֲנִי verbשׁוּב 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 37:30

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 Betrayal of Josephgenerated

29When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not there, he tore his clothes,
30returned to his brothers, and said, “The boy is gone! What am I going to do?”
31Then they took Joseph’s robe, slaughtered a young goat, and dipped the robe in its blood.
32They sent the robe of many colors to their father and said, “We found this. Examine it to see whether it is your son’s robe or not.”

Genesis 37:30 describes Reuben's return to his brothers after discovering that Joseph is missing. This moment highlights the tension and fear among the brothers as they grapple with the consequences of their actions. The narrative sets the stage for the unfolding drama of Joseph's fate, which is pivotal in the story of Israel's history. Reuben's reaction reflects the emotional turmoil and responsibility he feels as the eldest brother, as seen in the broader context of Genesis 37:20 and Genesis 42:13–32.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Genesis 37:20“Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits. We can say that a vicious animal has devoured him. Then we shall see what becomes of his dreams!”
2Genesis 42:13–32But they answered, “Your servants are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan. The youngest is now with our father, and one is no more.”
3Jeremiah 31:15This is what the LORD says: “A voice is heard in Ramah, mourning and great weeping, Rachel weeping for her children, and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”

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

And he returned unto his brethren, and said, The child is not; and I, whither shall I go?Genesis 37:20 Genesis 42:13–32 Jeremiah 31:15

The Key Word שׁוּב, vai.Ya.shovgenerated

The verb שׁוּב (shuwb) means to return or turn back, covering various contexts from physical movement to spiritual repentance. In this verse, it indicates Reuben's return to his brothers after a distressing discovery, emphasizing his role in the family dynamics.

The Qal form suggests a straightforward action, while the sequential imperfect tense indicates that this action is part of a narrative sequence, showing the progression of events as they unfold.


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 main verb שׁוּב governs the sentence, indicating Reuben's action of returning. Following this verb, there are two clauses: one stating what he said and the other expressing his concern about Joseph's absence.

The structure emphasizes the emotional weight of Reuben's return and his immediate response, as he grapples with the implications of Joseph's disappearance.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates שׁוּב as ἀνέστρεψεν (anestrepsen), meaning 'he turned back.' This choice indicates a direct correlation to the Hebrew meaning, maintaining the focus on Reuben's return to his brothers.

The translation reflects the same urgency and emotional weight found in the Hebrew text, underscoring the significance of Reuben's actions.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Genesis 37:30 shows Reuben returning to his brothers after finding that Joseph is missing. He expresses his distress by saying, “The boy is gone! What am I going to do?” This moment highlights the tension among the brothers and sets the stage for the events that follow.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does Reuben mean when he says, 'The boy is gone'?

Reuben is expressing his shock and concern over Joseph's disappearance, indicating a sense of loss and responsibility for what has happened.

Why does Reuben return to his brothers?

Reuben returns to his brothers to report on Joseph's absence and to confront the reality of their actions, showing his leadership as the eldest brother.

What is the significance of Reuben's reaction?

Reuben's reaction signifies the emotional turmoil within the family and foreshadows the consequences of their betrayal of Joseph.

How does this moment impact the narrative?

This moment is pivotal as it sets off a chain of events that will lead to Joseph's eventual rise to power in Egypt and the reconciliation of the family.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. How do I respond when faced with unexpected loss or crisis, like Reuben?
  2. What role do I play in my family dynamics, and how can I lead with responsibility?
  3. How can I better understand the consequences of my actions on others?
  4. In what ways can I seek reconciliation in relationships that are strained or broken?

Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Genesis 37:30 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

And he returned unto his brethren,.... From the pit, and whom he suspected had took him and killed him, as was their first design, not being with them when they proposed to sell him, and did: and

Read John Gill on Genesis 37 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And Reuben returned unto the pit; and, behold, Joseph was not in the pit; and he rent his clothes. Reuben returned unto the pit.

Read Robert Jamieson on Genesis 37 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

He calls him the child comparatively to his brethren, though he was seventeen years old, . The child is not, i.e. is not in the land of the living, or is dead, as that phrase is commonly used, as ,36, compared with . I, whither shall I go, either to find the child, or to flee from our father? He is more solicitous than the rest, because he being the eldest brother, his father would require Joseph at his hand; and being so highly incensed against him for his former crime, would be the more apt to suspect him, and deal more severely with him.

Read Matthew Poole on Genesis 37 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Genesis 37:30 And he returned unto his brethren, and said, The child [is] not; and I, whither shall I go?Ver. 30. The child is not; and I, &c.] In an old manuscript, I met with these words thus pathetically rendered: - “ Heu quid agam! periit puer ille, puer puer ille.” Reuben was the oldest, and therefore thought he should be most blamed. Besides, he had not forgot how highly his father had been lately offended with him, for his detestable incest.

Read John Trapp on Genesis 37 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 30. The child is not; and I, whither shall I go?] The words in the original are very plaintive, הילד איננו ואני אנה אני בא haiyeled einennu, vaani anah, ani ba!

Read AdamClarke on Genesis 37 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

30. The child is not] Cf. Genesis 42:13; Genesis 42:32; Genesis 42:36, Genesis 44:31; Jeremiah 31:15; Lamentations 5:7. The word “child,” yeled, is appropriate for a small boy: see Genesis 21:8; Genesis 21:14.

Read Cambridge on Genesis 37 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

30. Whither shall I go — “It is a cry of distracting anxiety, which sounds touchingly mournful and pathetic in the Hebrew, from the repetition and alliteration.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Genesis 37 →

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

returned to his brothers, and said, “The boy is gone! What am I going to do?”

WEBWorld English Bible2000

He returned to his brothers, and said, “The child is no more; and I, where will I go?”

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

returned to his brothers, and said, “The boy is gone! What am I going to do?”

NETBNew English Translation2006

returned to his brothers, and said, “The boy isn’t there! And I, where can I go?”

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And he returned unto his brethren, and said, The child is not; and I, whither shall I go?

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And he returned unto his brethren, and said, The child is not; and I, whither shall I go?

RVARevised Version, American1894

And he returned unto his brethren, and said, The child is not; and I, whither shall I go?

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And he returned to his brethren, and said, The child is not: and I, whither shall I go?

GNVGeneva Bible1599

And returned to his brethren, and said, The childe is not yonder, and I, whither shall I goe?

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

and returned to his brethren, and said, The child is not; and I, where shall I go?

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

and he returneth unto his brethren, and saith, 'The lad is not, and I — whither am I going?'

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

and he returns to his brothers and says, “The boy is not, and I—to where am I going?”

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And he returned unto his brothers, and said, The child is not there; and I, whither shall I go?

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

He returned to his brothers and said, “The boy is not there! And I, where can I go?”

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And rending his garments he went to his brethren, and said: The boy doth not appear and whither shall I go?

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

He returned to his brothers. “The boy's gone!” he moaned. “What am I going to do now?”

BBEBible in Basic English1949

He went back to his brothers, and said, The child is gone; what am I to do?

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.

וַandclauseverbיָּ֥שָׁבhe.returnedprepositional phrase · prepositionalאֶלtonoun phraseאֶחָ֖יbrothersוhisוַandclauseverbיֹּאמַ֑רhe.saidclauseclausenoun phraseהַtheיֶּ֣לֶדboyclausepredicateאֵינֶ֔he.[is]subjectנּוּnotוַandclauseאֲנִ֖יIclauseadverbialאָ֥נָהwhere?subjectאֲנִי[am].Iverbבָֽאgoing

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


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

The Masoretic Text is supported by the Septuagint in nine out of ten words, indicating a strong textual agreement. The Samaritan Pentateuch differs slightly with the inclusion of the word הֵנֵּה (behold), which adds emphasis to Reuben's statement.

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

וַיָּ֥שָׁב אֶל־ אֶחָ֖יו וַיֹּאמַ֑ר הַיֶּ֣לֶד אֵינֶ֔נּוּ וַאֲנִ֖י אָ֥נָה אֲנִי־ בָֽא׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיָּ֥שָׁבἀνέστρεψενאֶל־πρὸςאֶחָ֖יוαὐτοῦוַיֹּאמַ֑רεἶπενהַיֶּ֣לֶדπαιδάριονאֵינֶ֔נּוּἔστινוַאֲנִ֖יἐγὼאָ֥נָהποῦבָֽא׃πορεύομαι

9 of the 10 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

וישׁב אל אחיו ויאמר הילד איננו ואני הנה אני בא

1 word differs from the Masoretic Text: הנה (behold)

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q5a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[וישב] [אל] [אחי׳ו] [ויאמר] הילד [אינ׳נו] [ואני] [אנ׳ה] [אני] [בא]

nothing on the leather here — 1 partly restored, 9 supplied entire by an editor.

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


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

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

Genesis 37:30שׁוּבand he retuand he returnedשׁוּבאֶלtotoאֶלאָחbrothers hibrothers hisאָחאָמַרand he saidand he saidאָמַריֶ֫לֶדthe boythe boyיֶ֫לֶדאַ֫יִןnot [is] henot [is] heאַ֫יִןאֲנִיand Iand Iאֲנִיאָןwhere?where?אָןאֲנִי[am] I[am] Iאֲנִיבּוֹאgoinggoingבּוֹאאָֽנֹכִ֫יIIאָֽנֹכִ֫יאַ֫יִןwhere?where?אַ֫יִןיָלַדto begetto begetיָלַדאָבfatherfatherאָבנְאֻםutteranceutteranceנְאֻםיָדַעto knowto knowיָדַעשְׁבִיתcaptivitycaptivityשְׁבִיתחָרוֹןburning anburning angerחָרוֹןפָּלַלto prayto prayפָּלַליִרְמְיָ֫הJeremiahJeremiahיִרְמְיָ֫העֵשָׂו(Mount) Es(Mount) EsauעֵשָׂויוֹסֵףJosephJosephיוֹסֵףכֹּהthusthusכֹּהיהוהYHWH/GodYHWH/GodיהוהלֵאָהLeahLeahלֵאָהגָּדַלto magnifyto magnifyגָּדַלכְּמוֹlikelikeכְּמוֹדּוֹדbelovedbelovedדּוֹד
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 37:30

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 returned to brothers his and he said the boy not [is] he and I where? [am] I going
וַיָּ֥שָׁבvai.Ya.shov and he returned H7725 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
1,057× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to return or turn back, and can be used literally or figuratively. It is often used to describe someone returning to God or repenting from sin, as seen in the book of Psalms and the prophets.
Amplified meaning
unto his brethren
Tyndale gloss
to return: return
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word שׁוּב (shuwb) means to turn back or return, covering a wide range of contexts including physical, spiritual, and relational. It can denote returning to a previous state, repenting, or even apostatizing. The entries describe various forms and uses, including bringing back, restoring, and refreshing. Notably, it can also imply a change in course of action.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שׁוּב 1056 vb. turn back, return

Qal 683;—turn back, return:

turn back

return, come or go back

esp. return unto

of dying

of revival from death

fig. of human relations:

return to leader, king

= change so as to appoach (in purpose, desire)

turn, i.e. resort to

return to a physical condition

abs. = change course of action

fig., specif. of spiritual relations:

turn back from God = apostatize

of י׳, turn away

turn back to God (= seek penitently)

abs. repent

turn back from evil

of י׳

of י׳, return (to shew favour)

of inanimate things (sts. personified, or treated as things of life):

denoting repetition, etc.

trans.

Pō‛l.

bring back

fig. restore, refresh

restore, repair

lead away (enticingly)

shew turning = apostatize

Hiph. 353 cause to return, bring back

bring back into bondage

put back

= draw back

= give back, restore

= relinguish

= give in payment, requital

bring one back (from dead)

bring back heart

= refresh

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7725 שׁוּב turn back, return .—turn back, return: . turn back

. return, come or go back

. esp. return unto

. . of dying

. of revival from death

. fig. of human relations: . return to leader, king

. = change so as to appoach (in purpose, desire)

. turn, i.e. resort to

. return to a physical condition

. abs. = change course of action

. fig., specif. of spiritual relations: . turn back from God = apostatize

. of י׳, turn away

. turn back to God (= seek penitently)

. abs. repent

. turn back from evil

. of י׳

. of י׳, return (to shew favour)

. of inanimate things (sts. personified, or treated as things of life):

. denoting repetition, etc.

. trans.

. . bring back

. . fig. restore, refresh

. restore, repair

. lead away (enticingly)

. shew turning = apostatize

. cause to return, bring back . . bring back into bondage

. put back

. = draw back

. = give back, restore

. = relinguish

. = give in payment, requital

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7725 shuwb shoob

a primitive root; to turn back (hence, away) transitively or

intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily

with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to

retreat; often adverbial, again:--((break, build, circumcise,

dig, do anything, do evil, feed, lay down, lie down, lodge,

make, rejoice, send, take, weep)) X again, (cause to) answer

(+ again), X in any case (wise), X at all, averse, bring

(again, back, home again), call (to mind), carry again (back),

cease, X certainly, come again (back), X consider, +

continually, convert, deliver (again), + deny, draw back,

fetch home again, X fro, get (oneself) (back) again, X give

(again), go again (back, home), (go) out, hinder, let, (see)

more, X needs, be past, X pay, pervert, pull in again, put

(again, up again), recall, recompense, recover, refresh,

relieve, render (again), requite, rescue, restore, retrieve,

Read the full entry →
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שׁוּב (shuv) — to return: return.

: return

1) to return, turn back

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to turn back, return

1a1a) to turn back

1a1b) to return, come or go back

1a1c) to return unto, go back, come back

1a1d) of dying

1a1e) of human relations (fig)

1a1f) of spiritual relations (fig)

1a1f1) to turn back (from God), apostatise

1a1f2) to turn away (of God)

1a1f3) to turn back (to God), repent

1a1f4) turn back (from evil)

1a1g) of inanimate things

1a1h) in repetition

1b) (Polel)

1b1) to bring back

1b2) to restore, refresh, repair (fig)

1b3) to lead away (enticingly)

1b4) to show turning, apostatise

1c) (Pual) restored (participle)

1d) (Hiphil) to cause to return, bring back

1d1) to bring back, allow to return, put back, draw back, give back, restore, relinquish, give in payment

1d2) to bring back, refresh, restore

1d3) to bring back, report to, answer

1d4) to bring back, make requital, pay (as recompense)

Read the full entry →
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 returned to brothers his and he said the boy not [is] he and I where? [am] I going
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 returned to brothers his and he said the boy not [is] he and I where? [am] I going
אֶחָ֖יו'e.Chav brothers his H251 Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
630× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means a brother or male sibling, but it can also refer to a close relative, friend, or someone with a similar relationship. It is used to describe the bond between brothers, like the relationship between Cain and Abel in Genesis.
Tyndale gloss
brother: male-sibling
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָח (ach) means 'brother' and encompasses a broad range of relationships, including literal siblings, half-brothers, and metaphorical kinship. It can refer to any male relative or compatriot, and it may also imply resemblance or reciprocal relationships. The term is used in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, highlighting both familial and figurative connections.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָח 630 n.m. brother

brother, born of same mother (& father)

indef. = relative

fig. of resemblance

in phr. one … another

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H251 אָח brother

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

251 'ach awkh

a primitive word; a brother (used in the widest sense of

literal relationship and metaphorical affinity or resemblance

(like 1)):--another, brother(-ly); kindred, like, other.

Compare also the proper names beginning with "Ah-" or "Ahi-".

see HEBREW for 01

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָח (ach) — brother: male-sibling.

: male-sibling

1) brother

1a) brother of same parents

1b) half-brother (same father)

1c) relative, kinship, same tribe

1d) each to the other (reciprocal relationship)

1e) (fig.) of resemblance

אָח (ach) — brother: male-relative.

: male-relative

1) brother

1a) brother of same parents

1b) half-brother (same father)

1c) relative, kinship, same tribe

1d) each to the other (reciprocal relationship)

1e) (fig.) of resemblance

אָח (ach) — brother: compatriot.

: compatriot

1) brother

1a) brother of same parents

1b) half-brother (same father)

1c) relative, kinship, same tribe

1d) each to the other (reciprocal relationship)

1e) (fig.) of resemblance

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
HNcmpc/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."

and he returned to brothers his and he said the boy not [is] he and I where? [am] I going
וַיֹּאמַ֑רvai.yo.Mar 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 returned to brothers his and he said the boy not [is] he and I where? [am] I going
הַיֶּ֣לֶדhai.Ye.led the boy H3206 Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
89× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word refers to a young person, like a child or teenager, such as the youth who helped David in 1 Samuel 20:1. It can also mean offspring or descendants, like the children of Israel in Exodus 12:37.
Amplified meaning
youth, child, young person
Tyndale gloss
youth
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יֶ֫לֶד (yeled) refers to a child, son, or youth, encompassing meanings like offspring and young man. It can also figuratively denote apostate Israelites. The word is derived from a root meaning something born, indicating its connection to birth and lineage.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יֶ֫לֶד 89 n.m. child, son, boy, youth

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3206 יֶ֫לֶד child, son, boy, youth

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3206 yeled yeh'-led

from 3205; something born, i.e. a lad or offspring:--boy,

child, fruit, son, young man (one).

see HEBREW for 03205

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יֶ֫לֶד (ye.led) — youth.

1) child, son, boy, offspring, youth

1a) child, son, boy

1b) child, children

1c) descendants

1d) youth

1e) apostate Israelites (fig.)

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

(yeledh, "child," na`ar, "lad," "youth"; ho pais and he pais): Refers to a child of any age, and is sometimes used of either sex: Joe 3:3; Zec 8:5; Mt 17:18; Lu 2:43; 8:51,54 fem.; Lu 9:42. In the East the word applies also to an adult who is a servant (Mt 8:6 the Revised Version, margin). The boy occupied a place of special importance in the family life of all ancient people. In Syria the father even was called by the name of his son. He was known as the father of Joseph, or whatever the n ame might be. As is true among all oriental people, while the father had absolute…

and he returned to brothers his and he said the boy not [is] he and I where? [am] I going
אֵינֶ֔נּוּ'ei.Ne.nu not [is] he H369 Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
789× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means nothing or not, often used to indicate the absence of something, as in Genesis 1:2 where the earth was without form. It emphasizes the idea of something lacking or non-existent.
Amplified meaning
is not, is no more
Tyndale gloss
nothing
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

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

to nothing, as nothing

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

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

in circumst. clauses

with inf. and ל׳, it is not to …

with prefixes

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

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

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

. in circumst. clauses

. with inf. and ל׳, it is not to …

. with prefixes

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

369 'ayin ah'-yin

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

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

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

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

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

well-nigh, without. Compare 370.

see HEBREW for 0370

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אַ֫יִן (a.yin) — nothing.

1) nothing, not, nought n

1a) nothing, nought neg

1b) not

1c) to have not (of possession) adv

1d) without w/prep

1e) for lack of

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HNcmsc/Sp3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ha: The fifth letter of the Hebrew alphabet; transliterated in this Encyclopedia as "h." It came also to be used for the number 5. For name, etc., see ALPHABET.

and he returned to brothers his and he said the boy not [is] he and I where? [am] I going
וַאֲנִ֖יva.'a.Ni and I H589 Conjunction · pronoun
874× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word is a simple way of saying 'I' or 'me', often used for emphasis. It is used by people like David in the Psalms to express their thoughts and feelings. The word is a basic part of the Hebrew language.
Amplified meaning
where shall I go, whither shall I, what can I do now
Tyndale gloss
I
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֲנִי, transliterated as aniy, is a first-person singular pronoun meaning 'I' or 'me.' It is often used for emphasis and can also imply possession, as in 'mine' or 'myself.' The word is derived from a form that indicates self-reference, and it appears in various contexts throughout the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֲנִי, אָ֑נִי pron. 1s. comm. I

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H589 אֲנִי, אָ֑נִי I

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

589 'aniy an-ee'

contracted from 595; I:--I, (as for) me, mine, myself, we, X

which, X who.

see HEBREW for 0595

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֲנִי (a.ni) — I.

I (first pers. sing. -usually used for emphasis)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Pron — Conjunction · pronoun
HC/Pp1bs
and he returned to brothers his and he said the boy not [is] he and I where? [am] I going
אָ֥נָה'A.nah where? H575 Particle
41× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for 'where' is used to ask about location or direction, like in Genesis 3:9 and Exodus 2:13. It can also mean 'when' or 'how long'.
Tyndale gloss
where?
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָן (an) is an adverb meaning 'where?' or 'whither?'. It can also refer to time, asking 'when?' or 'how long?'. The word is derived from a root meaning to indicate place or time, and it is used in contexts that inquire about location or duration.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָן adv. where? or whither?

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H575 אָן where? or whither?

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

575 'an awn

or manah {aw-naw'}; contracted from 370; where?; hence,

whither?, when?; also hither and thither:--+ any (no)

whither, now, where, whither(-soever).

see HEBREW for 0370

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָן (an) — where?.

1) where?, whither? (of place)

2) when?, until when?, how long? (of time)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTi — Particle
HTi
and he returned to brothers his and he said the boy not [is] he and I where? [am] I going
אֲנִי־'a.ni- [am] I H589 Pronoun
874× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word is a simple way of saying 'I' or 'me', often used for emphasis. It is used by people like David in the Psalms to express their thoughts and feelings. The word is a basic part of the Hebrew language.
Tyndale gloss
I
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֲנִי, transliterated as aniy, is a first-person singular pronoun meaning 'I' or 'me.' It is often used for emphasis and can also imply possession, as in 'mine' or 'myself.' The word is derived from a form that indicates self-reference, and it appears in various contexts throughout the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֲנִי, אָ֑נִי pron. 1s. comm. I

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H589 אֲנִי, אָ֑נִי I

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

589 'aniy an-ee'

contracted from 595; I:--I, (as for) me, mine, myself, we, X

which, X who.

see HEBREW for 0595

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֲנִי (a.ni) — I.

I (first pers. sing. -usually used for emphasis)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HPp1bs — Pronoun
HPp1bs
and he returned to brothers his and he said the boy not [is] he and I where? [am] I going
בָֽא׃Va' going H935 Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine singular
2,573× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to go or come, and is used in many contexts, such as entering a place or approaching someone, as seen in the book of Genesis. It can also mean to abide or apply, and is translated in various ways in the KJV Bible. This term is related to the name Lebo Hamath.
Tyndale gloss
Lebo
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בּוֹא (bo) is a Hebrew verb meaning to come or go in, with a wide range of applications including entering, arriving, and bringing in. It can refer to both physical movement and abstract concepts like events coming to pass. The verb appears in various forms, such as Qal (to come), Hiphil (to cause to come), and Hophal (to be brought). There is no significant disagreement among lexicons regarding its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בּוֹא 2569 vb. come in, come, go in, go

Qal

come in

come (approach, arrive)

go, i.e. walk, associate with

go from speaker, but with limit of motion given

Hiph.

cause to come in, bring in (conduct, lead, obj. persons and animals)

cause to come, bring, bring near, etc. (animate obj.)

Hoph.

be brought in (of pers. and things)

be brought

be introduced, put

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H935 בּוֹא come in, come, go in, go .. come in

. come (approach, arrive)

. go, i.e. walk, associate with

. go from speaker, but with limit of motion given

. . cause to come in, bring in (conduct, lead, obj. persons and animals)

. cause to come, bring, bring near, etc. (animate obj.)

. . be brought in (of pers. and things)

. be brought

. be introduced, put

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

935 bow' bo

a primitive root; to go or come (in a wide variety of

applications):--abide, apply, attain, X be, befall, +

besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, X

certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out,

upon, to pass), depart, X doubtless again, + eat, + employ,

(cause to) enter (in, into, -tering, -trance, -try), be

fallen, fetch, + follow, get, give, go (down, in, to war),

grant, + have, X indeed, (in-)vade, lead, lift (up), mention,

pull in, put, resort, run (down), send, set, X (well) stricken

(in age), X surely, take (in), way.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בּוֹא (bo) — to come (in): come.

: come/go_in

1) to go in, enter, come, go, come in

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to enter, come in

1a2) to come

1a2a) to come with

1a2b) to come upon, fall or light upon, attack (enemy)

1a2c) to come to pass

1a3) to attain to

1a4) to be enumerated

1a5) to go

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to lead in

1b2) to carry in

1b3) to bring in, cause to come in, gather, cause to come, bring near, bring against, bring upon

1b4) to bring to pass

1c) (Hophal)

1c1) to be brought, brought in

1c2) to be introduced, be put

לְב֥וֹא (bo) — Lebo-(Hamath).

This name means to go in, enter

Combined with cha.mat (חֲמָת "Hamath" H2574)

בּוֹא (bo) — to come (in): towards.

: towards/entrance

1) to go in, enter, come, go, come in

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to enter, come in

1a2) to come

1a2a) to come with

1a2b) to come upon, fall or light upon, attack (enemy)

1a2c) to come to pass

1a3) to attain to

1a4) to be enumerated

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVqrmsa — Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine singular
HVqrmsa
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
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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