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Genesis 40:18 — Word Study

Depth

WLCוַיַּ֤עַן יוֹסֵף֙ וַיֹּ֔אמֶר זֶ֖ה פִּתְרֹנ֑וֹ שְׁלֹ֙שֶׁת֙ הַסַּלִּ֔ים שְׁלֹ֥שֶׁת יָמִ֖ים הֵֽם׃

BSAJosephYôwçêph [the one Jehovah has added] repliedʻânâh Thiszeh [specific, particular] is the interpretationpithrôwn [explanation, meaning] The threeshâlôwsh [a quantity of, thrice] basketsçal [containers, woven vessels] are threeshâlôwsh [a period of, a span of] daysyôwm [24-hour periods, time]

Word
Listen & take awayGenesis 40
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 18 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 (Hem) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Genesis 40:18quick helps
In a sentenceJoseph interprets the dream, explaining that the three baskets represent three days.
Who is speakingJoseph, the son of Jacob, responding to the chief baker.
Where we areIn the context of Joseph interpreting dreams while in prison.
The hard wordפִּתְרֹן
Take awayThe interpretation is clear: the baskets and the days are directly linked.
3 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectיוֹסֵף verbעָנָה 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 40:18

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 — Joseph Interprets Dreamsgenerated

17In the top basket were all sorts of baked goods for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating them out of the basket on my head.”
18Joseph replied, “This is the interpretation: The three baskets are three days.
19Within three days Pharaoh will lift off your head and hang you on a tree. Then the birds will eat the flesh of your body.”
20On the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, he held a feast for all his officials, and in their presence he lifted up the heads of the chief cupbearer and the chief baker.

Genesis 40:18 finds Joseph in prison, interpreting the dreams of Pharaoh's officials. He provides clarity about their futures through the symbolism of the baskets and days, showing his God-given ability to understand dreams. This moment is pivotal in the narrative, as it leads to Joseph's eventual rise to power in Egypt.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Genesis 40:12Joseph replied, “This is the interpretation: The three branches are three days.
2Genesis 41:26The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven ripe heads of grain are seven years. The dreams have the same meaning.
31 Corinthians 10:4and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.
41 Corinthians 11:24and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 4 references, hung on the phrase they belong to

And Joseph answered and said, This is the interpretation thereof: The three baskets are three days:Genesis 40:12 Genesis 41:26 1 Corinthians 10:4 1 Corinthians 11:24

The Key Word פִּתְרֹן, pit.ro.Nogenerated

The noun פִּתְרֹן (*pitron*) means 'interpretation,' particularly in the context of dreams. It derives from a root meaning 'to explain,' indicating a deeper understanding of a message or vision.

In this verse, it serves as the focal point of Joseph's response, linking the dreams to their meanings. The construction emphasizes the importance of interpretation in understanding divine messages.


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 is וַיַּ֤עַן, and he answered, governing the entire sentence. It is followed by Joseph's identification, his statement, and the interpretation of the baskets.

The structure reveals a clear progression: Joseph first answers, then states the interpretation, and finally connects the baskets to the days.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint uses ἀποκριθεὶς, having answered, to translate the Hebrew verb, indicating a direct response to a question. This choice emphasizes the act of responding, aligning with the narrative's focus on communication.

The translation of פִּתְרֹן as αὐτοῦ shows a direct connection to the interpretation, maintaining the significance of understanding the dream's meaning.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Genesis 40:18 shows Joseph interpreting a dream for the chief baker, explaining that the three baskets represent three days. This interpretation is crucial as it foreshadows the baker's fate, highlighting Joseph's ability to understand dreams.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does Joseph mean by 'the three baskets are three days'?

Joseph is explaining that the three baskets in the dream symbolize a period of three days until a significant event occurs.

Why is interpretation important in this context?

Interpretation reveals the hidden meanings behind dreams, which can provide insight into future events, as shown in Joseph's explanations.

How does Joseph's ability to interpret dreams affect his story?

Joseph's interpretations lead to his eventual rise in Egypt, showcasing how God uses his gifts for a greater purpose.

What role do dreams play in the narrative of Joseph?

Dreams are a central theme in Joseph's story, serving as a means of divine communication and foreshadowing future events.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. How can I seek understanding in situations that seem unclear, like Joseph did with the dreams?
  2. What gifts or abilities has God given me that I can use to help others?
  3. In what ways can I interpret the events in my life to find deeper meaning?
  4. How does the story of Joseph inspire me to trust in God's plan, even when facing difficulties?

Commentators on this verse — 3 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Genesis 40:18 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

And Joseph answered and said,.... Immediately, directly, without any further thought and meditation, being divinely instructed: this [is] the interpretation thereof; of the above dream: the three

Read John Gill on Genesis 40 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And Joseph answered and said, This is the interpretation thereof: The three baskets are three days: Joseph answered ... This is the interpretation. The purport was that in three days his execution should be ordered.

Read Robert Jamieson on Genesis 40 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Genesis 40:18 And Joseph answered and said, This [is] the interpretation thereof: The three baskets [are] three days:Ver. 18. And Joseph answered, &c.] It is probable he used some preface to this sad destiny he reads him; as Philo brings him in saying, I would thou hadst not dreamed such a dream: or as Daniel prefaced to Nebuchadnezzar; "My lord, the dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation to thine enemies." If ministers, God’ s interpreters, must be mannerly in the form, yet in the matter of their message they must be resolute. Not only toothless, but bitter truths must be told, however they be taken. "If I yet please men, I should not be the servant of Christ." Utinam tale…

Read John Trapp on Genesis 40 →

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

Joseph replied, “This is the interpretation: The three baskets are three days.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Joseph answered, “This is its interpretation. The three baskets are three days.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Joseph replied, “This is the interpretation: The three baskets are three days.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Joseph replied, “This is its meaning: The three baskets represent three days.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And Joseph answered and said, This is the interpretation thereof: The three baskets are three days:

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And Joseph answered and said, This is the interpretation thereof: the three baskets are three days;

RVARevised Version, American1894

And Joseph answered and said, This is the interpretation thereof: the three baskets are three days;

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And Joseph answered, and said, This is the interpretation of it: The three baskets are three days:

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Then Ioseph answered, and saide, This is the interpretation thereof: The three baskets are three dayes:

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And Joseph answered and said, This is the interpretation of it: the three baskets are three days.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And Joseph answereth and saith, 'This [is] its interpretation: the three baskets are three days;

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And Joseph answers and says, “This [is] its interpretation: the three baskets are three days;

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And Joseph answered and said, This is the interpretation: The three baskets are three days;

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Joseph answered and said, “This is the interpretation. The three baskets are three days.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Joseph answered: This is the interpretation of the dream: The three baskets are yet three days:

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

“This is the meaning,” Joseph told him. “The three baskets represent three days.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Then Joseph said, This is the sense of your dream: the three baskets are three days;

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.

וַandclauseverbיַּ֤עַןhe.answeredsubjectיוֹסֵף֙Josephוַandclauseverbיֹּ֔אמֶרhe.saidclausepredicateזֶ֖הthisnoun phrase · subjectפִּתְרֹנ֑interpretationוֹ[is].itsclauseclausenoun phraseשְׁלֹ֨שֶׁת֙the.threenoun phraseהַtheסַּלִּ֔יםbasketsclausenoun phrase · predicateשְׁלֹ֥שֶׁת[are].threeיָמִ֖יםdayssubjectהֵֽםthey

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 Samaritan Pentateuch, which agrees word for word. The Septuagint matches 9 of the 10 words, reflecting a close relationship to the Hebrew text, while the Dead Sea Scrolls show some restoration but align with the overall meaning.

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

וַיַּ֤עַן יוֹסֵף֙ וַיֹּ֔אמֶר זֶ֖ה פִּתְרֹנ֑וֹ שְׁלֹ֙שֶׁת֙ הַסַּלִּ֔ים שְׁלֹ֥שֶׁת יָמִ֖ים הֵֽם׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיַּ֤עַןἀποκριθεὶςיוֹסֵף֙ιωσηφוַיֹּ֔אמֶרεἶπενזֶ֖הαὕτηפִּתְרֹנ֑וֹαὐτοῦהַסַּלִּ֔יםκανᾶשְׁלֹ֥שֶׁתτρεῖςיָמִ֖יםἡμέραιהֵֽם׃εἰσίν

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

ויען יוסף ויאמר זה פתרנו שׁלשׁת הסלים שׁלשׁת ימים הם

Agrees with the Masoretic Text here, word for word.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q3a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[ויען] [יוסף] [ויאמר] [זה] [פתרנ׳ו] [שלשת] [הסלים] שלשת [ימים] [הם]

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

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

[ויען] [יוסף] [ויאמר] [זה] [פתרנ׳ו] [שלשת] [הסלים] [שלשת] ימים [הם]

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 40:18עוּןand he answand he answeredעוּןיוֹסֵףJosephJosephיוֹסֵףאָמַרand he saidand he saidאָמַרזֶהthisthisזֶהפִּתְרוֹן[is] interp[is] interpretaפִּתְרוֹןשָׁלֹשׁ[the] three[the] threeשָׁלֹשׁסַלthe basketsthe basketsסַלשָׁלֹשׁ[are] three[are] threeשָׁלֹשׁיוֹםdaysdaysיוֹםהֵ֫מָּהtheytheyהֵ֫מָּהעָנָהbe occupiebe occupiedעָנָהפָּתַרto interprto interpretפָּתַרשָׁלִthirdthirdשָׁלִסָלַלto buildto buildסָלַלהֲלַךְto goto goהֲלַךְיָסַףto addto addיָסַףיוֹסֵףJosephJosephיוֹסֵףזֶהthisthisזֶהזֹהthisthisזֹהחֲלוֹםdreamdreamחֲלוֹםמֵאָהhundredhundredמֵאָהפַּ֫עַםbeatbeatפַּ֫עַםאִיּוֹבJobJobאִיּוֹבשָׁוַעto cryto cryשָׁוַעמְנַשֶּׁהMosesMosesמְנַשֶּׁהכֹּהthusthusכֹּהיהוהYHWH/GodYHWH/Godיהוהאַיwhere?where?אַי
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 40:18

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 answered Joseph and he said this [is] interpretation its [the] three the baskets [are] three days they
וַיַּ֤עַןvai.Ya.'an and he answered H6030 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
332× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to sing or make music, but also to respond or give an answer. In the Bible, it is used to describe praising God in song or responding to a question. The KJV translates it as 'sing' or 'answer'.
Tyndale gloss
to dwell
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עָנָה (*anah*) is built from a primitive root meaning to heed or pay attention, covering a range of meanings including to answer, respond, testify, and sing. It appears in contexts where one responds to speech or circumstances, and can also refer to singing. The lexicons indicate that it can imply both verbal responses and musical expression.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[עוּן] vb. dwell

base

עָנָה 316 vb. answer, respond

Qal

answer, respond to sthg. said, actual or implied

respond to an occasion, speak in view of circumstances

money meets all demands

specif. respond as a witness, testify

less oft. make response as one accused (respondent)

Niph.

make answer

be answered

Hiph. wholly dub.; causes all things to respond in the joy of his heart

base

עָנָה vb. sing

Qal sing, utter tunefully

Pi. sing sweetly of it

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6030a עוּן dwell H6030b עָנָה answer, respond .. answer, respond to sthg. said, actual or implied

. . respond to an occasion, speak in view of circumstances

. money meets all demands

. . specif. respond as a witness, testify

. less oft. make response as one accused (respondent)

. . make answer

. be answered

. wholly dub.; causes all things to respond in the joy of his heart

H6030c עָנָה sing

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6030 `anah aw-naw'

a primitive root; properly, to eye or (generally) to heed,

i.e. pay attention; by implication, to respond; by extens. to

begin to speak; specifically to sing, shout, testify,

announce:--give account, afflict (by mistake for 6031),

(cause to, give) answer, bring low (by mistake for 6031), cry,

hear, Leannoth, lift up, say, X scholar, (give a) shout, sing

(together by course), speak, testify, utter, (bear) witness.

See also 1042, 1043.

see HEBREW for 06031

see HEBREW for 06031

see HEBREW for 01042

see HEBREW for 01043

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עוּן (un) — to dwell.

(Qal) to dwell

עָנָה (a.nah) — to answer.

1) to answer, respond, testify, speak, shout

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to answer, respond to

1a2) to testify, respond as a witness

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to make answer

1b2) to be answered, receive answer

Aramaic equivalent: a.nah (עֲנָה "to answer" H6032)

עָנָה (a.nah) — to sing.

(Qal) to sing, utter tunefully

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
and he answered Joseph and he said this [is] interpretation its [the] three the baskets [are] three days they
יוֹסֵף֙yo.Sef Joseph H3130 Noun proper masculine
213× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Joseph means Jehovah has added, a name given to several Israelites, including the son of Jacob and Rachel. Joseph was a significant figure in the book of Genesis and the story of his brothers. He became a leader in Egypt.
Amplified meaning
the one Jehovah has added
Tyndale gloss
Joseph
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יוֹסֵף (Yowceph) means 'he adds' or 'increases' and refers primarily to Joseph, the eldest son of Jacob and Rachel. The name appears in various contexts, including other individuals named Joseph, such as a man of Issachar, a son of Asaph, and a priest. The entries highlight his familial relationships and roles during different periods, including the Exile and Return.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יוֹסֵף 212 and יְהוֹסֵף n.pr.m. (he adds, increases)

elder son of Jacob and Rachael

a man of Issachar

a son of Asaph

one of those who took strange wives

a priest

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3130 יוֹסֵף and יְהוֹסֵף (he adds, increases) . elder son of Jacob and Rachael

. a man of Issachar

. a son of Asaph

. one of those who took strange wives

. a priest

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3130 Yowceph yo-safe'

future of 3254; let him add (or perhaps simply active

participle adding); Joseph, the name of seven

Israelites:--Joseph. Compare 3084.

see HEBREW for 03254

see HEBREW for 03084

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יוֹסֵף (yo.seph) — Joseph.

A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.30.24;

son of: Israel (H3478) and Rachel (H7354);

brother of: Benjamin (H1144);

half-brother of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Judah (H3063), Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074) and Dinah (H1783); married to Asenath (H0621);

father of: Manasseh (H4519) and Ephraim (H0669); also called Zaphenath-paneah at Gen.41.45;

§ Joseph = "Jehovah has added"

1) the eldest son of Jacob by Rachel

2) father of Igal, who represented the tribe of Issachar among the spies

3) a son of Asaph

4) a man who took a foreign wife in the time of Ezra

5) a priest of the family of Shebaniah in the time of Nehemiah

יוֹסֵף (yo.seph) — Joseph.

A man living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, only mentioned at Num.13.7;

father of: Igal (H3008)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper masculine
HNpm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Joseph

Remover or increaser. (1.) The elder of the two sons of Jacob by Rachel (Gen. 30:23, 24), who, on the occasion of his birth, said, “God hath taken away [Heb. ‘asaph] my reproach.” “The Lord shall add [Heb. yoseph] to me another son” (Gen. 30:24). He was a child of probably six years of age when his father returned from Haran to Canaan and took up his residence in the old patriarchal town of Hebron. “Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age,” and he “made him a long garment with sleeves” (Gen. 37:3, R.V. marg.), i.e., a garment long and full, such as was worn by the children of nobles. This seems to be the correct rendering of the words. The phrase, however, may also be…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(increase). The elder of the two sons of Jacob by Rachel. He was born in Padan-aram (Mesopotamia), probably about B.C. 1746. He is first mentioned when a youth, seventeen years old. Joseph brought the evil report of his brethren to his father, and they hated him because his father loved him more than he did them, and had shown his preference by making a dress which appears to have been a long tunic with sleeves, worn by youths and maidens of the richer class. (Genesis 37:2) He dreamed a dream foreshadowing his future power, which increased the hatred of his brethren. (Genesis 37:5-7) He was sent by his father to visit his brothers, who were tending flocks in the fields of Dothan. They resolved to kill him, but he was saved by Reuben, who persuaded the brothers to cast Joseph into…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

1. The son of Jacob and his beloved Rachel, born in Mesopotamia, Ge 30:22-24, B. C. 1747. He is memorable for the wonderful providence of God, which raised him from a prison to be the grandvizier of Egypt, and made him the honored means of saving countless human lives. His history is one of the most pleasing and instructive in the Bible; and is related in language inimitably natural, simple, and touching. It is too beautiful for abridgment, and too familiar to need rehearsal. It throws much light on the superintending providence of God, as embracing all things, great and small in the perpetual unfolding of his universal plan. No narrative in the Bible more strikingly illustrates the protective and elevating power of the fear of God, and its especial value for the young. To behold this lovely image of filial piety and unwavering…

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

increase; addition

and he answered Joseph and he said this [is] interpretation its [the] three the baskets [are] three days they
וַיֹּ֔אמֶרvai.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
Hc/Vqw3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he answered Joseph and he said this [is] interpretation its [the] three the baskets [are] three days they
זֶ֖הzeh this H2088 Particle
1,180× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word is a pronoun meaning this or that, used to point out a specific person or thing. It appears in many contexts, including Genesis and Psalms, to indicate something specific. The KJV translates it as he, here, or it.
Amplified meaning
specific, particular
Tyndale gloss
this
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

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

standing alone

In appos. to subst.

More oft. as pred.

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

In poetry, as a relative pron. (rare)

With prefixes (in special senses)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

. In appos. to subst.

. More oft. as pred.

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

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

. With prefixes (in special senses)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2088 zeh zeh

a primitive word; the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this

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

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

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

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

2098.

see HEBREW for 02063

see HEBREW for 02090

see HEBREW for 02097

see HEBREW for 02098

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

זֶה (zeh) — this.

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

1a) (alone)

1a1) this one

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

1b) (appos to subst)

1b1) this

1c) (as predicate)

1c1) this, such

1d) (enclitically)

1d1) then

1d2) who, whom

1d3) how now, what now

1d4) what now

1d5) wherefore now

1d6) behold here

1d7) just now

1d8) now, now already

1e) (poetry)

1e1) wherein, which, those who

1f) (with prefixes)

1f1) in this (place) here, then

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

1f3) thus and thus

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

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

1f6) on this account

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Pron — Particle
HTm
and he answered Joseph and he said this [is] interpretation its [the] three the baskets [are] three days they
פִּתְרֹנ֑וֹpit.ro.No [is] interpretation its H6623 Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
5× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This noun refers to the interpretation or explanation of something, often a dream. It is used in the Bible to describe understanding the meaning of a vision or message. In the KJV, it is translated as 'interpretation'.
Amplified meaning
explanation, meaning
Tyndale gloss
interpretation
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

פִּתְרוֹן (pithrown) means 'interpretation,' specifically in the context of dreams. It is derived from the root word for 'to explain' and is mentioned in Genesis 40 and 41. The Aramaic equivalent is פְּשַׁר (pe.shar), which also means 'interpretation.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

פִּתְרוֹן n.m. interpretation (of a dream), only Gn 40, 41

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6623 פִּתְרוֹן interpretation

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6623 pithrown pith-rone'

or pithron {pith-rone'}; from 6622; interpretation (of a

dream):--interpretation.

see HEBREW for 06622

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

פִּתְרוֹן (pit.ron) — interpretation.

interpretation

Aramaic equivalent: pe.shar (פְּשַׁר "interpretation" H6591)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HNcmsc/Sp3ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he answered Joseph and he said this [is] interpretation its [the] three the baskets [are] three days they
שְׁלֹ֙שֶׁת֙she.Lo.shet [the] three H7969 Adj
432× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means three or thrice, and is used to describe quantities or repetitions in the Bible. It appears in various forms, including three, third, and thirteen.
Amplified meaning
a quantity of, thrice
Tyndale gloss
three
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word שָׁלֹשׁ (*shalosh*) means 'three' or 'triad.' It can also refer to the ordinal 'third' and is used in various contexts, including multiplication as 'thrice.' The entries consistently define it as a primitive number without significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁלֹשׁ, שָׁלוֹשׁ, שְׁלֹשָׁה 430 n.m. et f. a three, triad

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7969 שָׁלֹשׁ, שָׁלוֹשׁ, שְׁלֹשָׁה a three, triad

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7969 shalowsh shaw-loshe'

or shalosh {shaw-loshe'}; masculine shlowshah {shel-o-shaw'};

or shloshah {shel-o-shaw'}; a primitive number; three;

occasionally (ordinal) third, or (multipl.) thrice:--+ fork,

+ often(-times), third, thir(-teen, -teenth), three, + thrice.

Compare 7991.

see HEBREW for 07991

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁלֹשׁ (sha.losh) — three.

1) three, triad

1a) 3, 300, third

Aramaic equivalent: te.lat (תְּלָת "three" H8532)

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

(shalosh; treis).

See NUMBER.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The phrase "three days and three nights," Mt 12:40, was equivalent in Hebrew to the English "three days;" the Jews employing the expression "a day and a night" to denote our "day" of twentyfour hours. Nor did "three days," 1Sa 30:13, literally "this third day," according to their usage, necessarily include the whole of three days, but a part of three days, a continuous period including one whole day of twenty-four hours, and a portion of the day preceding it and the day following it. Compare Ge 7:12,17 1Sa 30:12-13.

and he answered Joseph and he said this [is] interpretation its [the] three the baskets [are] three days they
הַסַּלִּ֔יםha.sa.Lim the baskets H5536 Particle · noun common masculine plural absolute
15× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This noun refers to a basket, often made of woven willow twigs or osiers. In the Bible, it is used to carry food, like bread or fish, and is sometimes used as a symbol of provision or abundance.
Amplified meaning
containers, woven vessels
Tyndale gloss
basket
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

סַל (sal) means 'basket' and is derived from a word meaning 'willow twig.' It specifically refers to a woven basket. The entries consistently define it in this way, with no significant disagreement noted.

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5536 סַל basket

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5536 cal sal

from 5549; properly, a willow twig (as pendulous), i.e. an

osier; but only as woven into a basket:--basket.

see HEBREW for 05549

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

סַל (sal) — basket.

basket

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-mp — Particle · noun common masculine plural absolute
HTd/Ncmpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Thompson Chain Reference topics
and he answered Joseph and he said this [is] interpretation its [the] three the baskets [are] three days they
שְׁלֹ֥שֶׁתshe.Lo.shet [are] three H7969 Adj
432× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means three or thrice, and is used to describe quantities or repetitions in the Bible. It appears in various forms, including three, third, and thirteen.
Amplified meaning
a period of, a span of
Tyndale gloss
three
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word שָׁלֹשׁ (*shalosh*) means 'three' or 'triad.' It can also refer to the ordinal 'third' and is used in various contexts, including multiplication as 'thrice.' The entries consistently define it as a primitive number without significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁלֹשׁ, שָׁלוֹשׁ, שְׁלֹשָׁה 430 n.m. et f. a three, triad

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7969 שָׁלֹשׁ, שָׁלוֹשׁ, שְׁלֹשָׁה a three, triad

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7969 shalowsh shaw-loshe'

or shalosh {shaw-loshe'}; masculine shlowshah {shel-o-shaw'};

or shloshah {shel-o-shaw'}; a primitive number; three;

occasionally (ordinal) third, or (multipl.) thrice:--+ fork,

+ often(-times), third, thir(-teen, -teenth), three, + thrice.

Compare 7991.

see HEBREW for 07991

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁלֹשׁ (sha.losh) — three.

1) three, triad

1a) 3, 300, third

Aramaic equivalent: te.lat (תְּלָת "three" H8532)

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

(shalosh; treis).

See NUMBER.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The phrase "three days and three nights," Mt 12:40, was equivalent in Hebrew to the English "three days;" the Jews employing the expression "a day and a night" to denote our "day" of twentyfour hours. Nor did "three days," 1Sa 30:13, literally "this third day," according to their usage, necessarily include the whole of three days, but a part of three days, a continuous period including one whole day of twenty-four hours, and a portion of the day preceding it and the day following it. Compare Ge 7:12,17 1Sa 30:12-13.

and he answered Joseph and he said this [is] interpretation its [the] three the baskets [are] three days they
יָמִ֖יםya.Mim days H3117 Noun common · masculine plural absolute
2,306× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word 'yom' refers to a day, which can be a literal 24-hour period or a figurative space of time. It is used in the Bible to describe a wide range of time periods, from a single day to a year or a lifetime. The word 'yom' is used in many different contexts throughout the Bible.
Amplified meaning
24-hour periods, time
Tyndale gloss
day
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יוֹם 2285 n.m. day

day, opp. night

Day as division of time

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

Pl. days of anyone

Days

יוֹם = time

Phrases

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3117 יוֹם day . day, opp. night

. Day as division of time

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

. Pl. days of anyone

. Days

. יוֹם = time

. Phrases

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3117 yowm yome

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יוֹם (yom) — day.

: day/when/time/period

1) day, time, year

1a) day (as opposed to night)

1b) day (24 hour period)

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

1b2) as a division of time

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

1c) days, lifetime (pl.)

1d) time, period (general)

1e) year

1f) temporal references

1f1) today

1f2) yesterday

1f3) tomorrow

יוֹם (yom) — day: old.

: old/(full/many)[days]

1) day, time, year

1a) day (as opposed to night)

1b) day (24 hour period)

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

1b2) as a division of time

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

1c) days, lifetime (pl.)

1d) time, period (general)

1e) year

1f) temporal references

1f1) today

1f2) yesterday

1f3) tomorrow

יוֹם (yom) — day: year.

: year[of_days]

1) day, time, year

1a) day (as opposed to night)

1b) day (24 hour period)

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

1b2) as a division of time

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural absolute
HNcmpa
and he answered Joseph and he said this [is] interpretation its [the] three the baskets [are] three days they
הֵֽם׃Hem they H1992 Pronoun
553× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word is used to refer to a group of men, emphasizing that it is specifically them. It is often translated as 'they' or 'them' in the Bible, and appears in books like Exodus and Isaiah.
Tyndale gloss
they(masc.)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הֵ֫מָּה (hemmah) is a masculine plural pronoun meaning 'they.' The entries indicate that it can also mean 'these,' 'the same,' or refer to people in an emphatic context. There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its usage.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הֵ֫מָּה and הֵם (without appreciable distinction in usage, except prob. in so far as the longer or shorter form was better adapted to the rhythm of particular sentences) pron. 3 pl. masc. they

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1992 הֵ֫מָּה, הֵם (without appreciable distinction in usage, except prob. in so far as the longer or shorter form was better adapted to the rhythm of particular sentences) they

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1992 hem haym

or (prolonged) hemmah {haym'-maw}; masculine plural from

1981; they (only used when emphatic):--it, like, X (how, so)

many (soever, more as) they (be), (the) same, X so, X such,

their, them, these, they, those, which, who, whom, withal, ye.

see HEBREW for 01981

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הֵ֫מָּה (hem.mah) — they(masc.).

they, these, the same, who

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HPp3mp — Pronoun
HPp3mp
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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