Genesis 42:3 — Word Study
WLCוַיֵּרְד֥וּ אֲחֵֽי־ יוֹסֵ֖ף עֲשָׂרָ֑ה לִשְׁבֹּ֥ר בָּ֖ר מִמִּצְרָֽיִם׃
BSASo tenʻeser of Joseph’sYôwçêph [Jehovah has added] brothersʼâch [male siblings, close relatives] went downyârad▸ [to go down, descend] to buyshâbar [to purchase, acquire] grainbâr [food, corn, provisions] from EgyptMitsrayim [a country in northeastern Africa, the land of the Nile]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וַיֵּרְד֥וּ | and they went down | Verb, Qal, sequential imperfect third person masculine plural |
| אֲחֵֽי־ | [the] brothers of | Noun common, masculine plural construct |
| יוֹסֵ֖ף | Joseph | Noun proper masculine |
| עֲשָׂרָ֑ה | ten | Noun common, feminine singular absolute |
| לִשְׁבֹּ֥ר | to buy grain | Preposition, verb qal infinitive construct common |
| בָּ֖ר | grain | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| מִמִּצְרָֽיִם׃ | from Egypt | Preposition, noun proper |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | So ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt. |
| KJV | ¶ And Joseph’s ten brethren went down to buy corn in Egypt. |
| ASV | And Joseph’s ten brethren went down to buy grain from Egypt. |
| YLT | and the ten brethren of Joseph go down to buy corn in Egypt, |
| WEB | Joseph’s ten brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt. |
| BBE | So Joseph's ten brothers went down to get grain from Egypt. |
Where they part company is שְׁבֹּ֥ר — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence is structured around a main action with two phrases detailing the purpose and location of the brothers' journey.
6 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, Ellicott & more — read them ›
clause
verbיָרַד
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
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 42:3
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's Brothers Go to Egyptgenerated
Genesis 42:3 describes the moment when Joseph's brothers, facing famine, travel to Egypt to buy grain. This event marks a significant turning point in the narrative, as it sets the stage for their eventual reunion with Joseph, who they do not recognize. The famine has spread beyond Egypt, affecting their homeland of Canaan, prompting their desperate journey.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Genesis 42:5–13 | So the sons of Israel were among those who came to buy grain, since the famine had also spread to the land of Canaan. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 1 reference, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — שְׁבֹּ֥ר, shəḇôrgenerated
The Hebrew word שְׁבֹּ֥ר (shəḇôr) means 'to buy grain' and is derived from the root that conveys the action of purchasing or acquiring food. This verb is used in contexts involving trade, particularly in relation to grain, which was essential for survival during famines.
In this verse, the infinitive form emphasizes the brothers' purpose for descending to Egypt: to procure grain that they desperately need. The action reflects both their immediate need and the broader theme of sustenance during a time of crisis.
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 וַיֵּרְד֥וּ (vai.ye.re.Du), meaning 'and they went down', governs the sentence. It sets the action of the subject, which is 'the brothers of Joseph'. Following the verb, a prepositional phrase indicates the purpose of their descent: to buy grain.
The structure highlights the main action of the brothers traveling to Egypt, with the infinitive phrase לִשְׁבֹּ֥ר (lish.Bor) directly explaining their intent. The sequence emphasizes their desperation and determination.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates וַיֵּרְד֥וּ as κατέβησαν (katébēsan), which also means 'they went down'. This choice maintains the action of descent, aligning closely with the Hebrew.
For שְׁבֹּ֥ר, the LXX uses πρίασθαι (priasthai), which specifically means 'to buy'. This choice reflects a direct and practical understanding of the brothers' intent to acquire grain.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Genesis 42:3 tells us that ten of Joseph's brothers went to Egypt to buy grain during a famine. This journey reflects their urgent need for food, as they sought provisions to survive the crisis affecting their homeland.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
They went to buy grain because there was a severe famine in their land, and they needed food to survive.
Joseph means 'Jehovah has added,' reflecting his family's hope for increase and blessing.
Ten of Joseph's brothers traveled to Egypt for this purpose.
Buying grain from Egypt was crucial for survival during the famine, showing the desperation of Joseph's family.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What can we learn about the importance of community during times of crisis from Joseph's brothers' actions?
- How does the journey to Egypt reflect the themes of desperation and hope in our own lives?
- In what ways can we seek help from others when facing difficult situations?
- What does Joseph's story teach us about forgiveness and reconciliation?
Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Genesis 42:3 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAnd Joseph's ten brethren went down to buy corn in Egypt. They obeyed their father's orders, and immediately set out for Egypt; "ten" of them went down in a body together, all but Benjamin, so that
Read John Gill on Genesis 42 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd he said, Behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt: get you down thither, and buy for us from thence; that we may live, and not die. No JFB commentary on these verses.
Read Robert Jamieson on Genesis 42 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsGenesis 42:3 And Joseph’ s ten brethren went down to buy corn in Egypt. Ver. 3. And Joseph’ s ten brethren went.] Forty or fifty miles an end: Austin saith three hundred. Should we think much to go a few steps, say it be miles, to get food for our souls? Beware of that famine. The seven churches of Asia, Bohemia, the Palatinate, and many other parts of Germany, are under it already. So is the large region of Nubia in Africa, which had from the apostles’ time, as it is thought, professed the Christian faith, but now embraced Mohammedanism through lack of ministers. For, as Alvarez hath recorded, at his being in the king of Habasaia’ s court, there were ambassadors out of Nubia to entreat him…
Read John Trapp on Genesis 42 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(3) Joseph’s ten brethren.—Either their cattle and households had been already greatly reduced by the mortality caused by the famine, or each patriarch must have taken a number of servants with him, if the corn carried home was to be enough to be of any real use. We learn, however, that they still possessed flocks and herds when they went down into Egypt (Genesis 47:1), and also households of servants (Genesis 46:5, where see Note). Joseph, moreover, besides the wagons and their contents, sends twenty loads of provisions for the use of his father by the way (Genesis 45:21-23), showing thereby that there were very many mouths to feed. Probably, therefore, there was some small amount of rain…
Read Charles John Ellicott on Genesis 42 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges3. ten brethren] Jacob’s sons are here mentioned, not as heads of families, or as separate householders, but as the capable male members of a single family. The whole ten are needed, in order to carry back enough corn.
Read Cambridge on Genesis 42 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible3. Joseph’s ten brethren went — No one of them would go alone, and they conclude it is best for all of them to go together. They might thus mutually protect and help each other.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Genesis 42 →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
So ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt.
Joseph’s ten brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt.
So ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt.
So ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt.
Tyndale line
¶ And Joseph’s ten brethren went down to buy corn in Egypt.
And Joseph’s ten brethren went down to buy grain from Egypt.
And Joseph’s ten brethren went down to buy corn from Egypt.
And Joseph's ten brethren went down to buy corn in Egypt.
So went Iosephs ten brethren downe to bye corne of the Egyptians.
Strictly literal
And Joseph's ten brethren went down to buy [grain] out of Egypt.
and the ten brethren of Joseph go down to buy corn in Egypt,
and the ten brothers of Joseph go down to buy grain in Egypt,
And ten brothers of Joseph went down to buy corn in Egypt,
Joseph's ten brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt.
From the Latin
So the ten brethren of Joseph went down, to buy corn in Egypt:
Simplified
So ten of Joseph's brothers went to Egypt to buy grain.
So Joseph's ten brothers went down to get grain from Egypt.
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.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text reads: וַיֵּרְד֥וּ אֲחֵֽי־ יוֹסֵ֖ף עֲשָׂרָ֑ה לִשְׁבֹּ֥ר בָּ֖ר מִמִּצְרָֽיִם׃. The Septuagint matches the MT closely, with all seven words corresponding directly. The Samaritan Pentateuch also agrees with the MT, word for word.
וַיֵּרְד֥וּ אֲחֵֽי־ יוֹסֵ֖ף עֲשָׂרָ֑ה לִשְׁבֹּ֥ר בָּ֖ר מִמִּצְרָֽיִם׃
7 of the 7 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
וירדו אחי יוסף עשׂרה לשׁבר בר ממצרים
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.
Lexicons — every word in Genesis 42:3
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.
The Hebrew word יָרַד (yarad) means to come or go down, covering various contexts such as descending from mountains, going to battle, or sinking in water. It can also refer to divine manifestations descending or being prostrated. The word has different forms including Qal, Hiphil, and Hophal, which indicate various nuances of bringing down or being brought down.
יָרַד 380 vb. come or go down, descend
Qal 306
come or go down
go down (usu. from mountain or hill-country into plain), to battle
go down to (acc.) threshing-floor
go down (abs.) from Palestine to Egypt
from Jerusalem
from altar
go down
= sink, in water
go down to She’ôl
fig. going down (dissolving) in tears
= be prostrated
of divine manifestations: descend
of inanimate things
Hiph.
cause to come or go down
bring down
send down rain = cause to flow down
= lay prostrate to (acc.) threshing-floor
bring down to She’ôl
take down (from cart)
let down
Hoph.
be brought down
be taken down
base
H3381 יָרַד come or go down, descend .. . come or go down
. go down (usu. from mountain or hill-country into plain), to battle
. go down to (acc.) threshing-floor
. go down (abs.) from Palestine to Egypt
. from Jerusalem
. from altar
. go down
. = sink, in water
. go down to She’ôl
. fig. going down (dissolving) in tears
. = be prostrated
. of divine manifestations: descend
. of inanimate things
. . cause to come or go down . bring down
. send down rain = cause to flow down
. = lay prostrate to (acc.) threshing-floor
. bring down to She’ôl
. take down (from cart)
. let down
. . be brought down
. be taken down
3381 yarad yaw-rad'
a primitive root; to descend (literally, to go downwards; or
conventionally to a lower region, as the shore, a boundary,
the enemy, etc.; or figuratively, to fall); causatively, to
bring down (in all the above applications); -X abundantly,
bring down, carry down, cast down, (cause to) come(-ing) down,
fall (down), get down, go(-ing) down(-ward), hang down, X
indeed, let down, light (down), put down (off), (cause to,
let) run down, sink, subdue, take down.
יָרַד (ya.rad) — to go down.
1) to go down, descend, decline, march down, sink down
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to go or come down
1a2) to sink
1a3) to be prostrated
1a4) to come down (of revelation)
1b) (Hiphil)
1b1) to bring down
1b2) to send down
1b3) to take down
1b4) to lay prostrate
1b5) to let down
1c) (Hophal)
1c1) to be brought down
1c2) to be taken down
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine pluralHc/Vqw3mp
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.
אָח 630 n.m. brother
brother, born of same mother (& father)
indef. = relative
fig. of resemblance
in phr. one … another
base
H251 אָח brother
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
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
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural constructHNcmpc
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.
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…
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.
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
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
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
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)
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
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…
(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…
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…
increase; addition
עֶשֶׂר (eser) means 'ten' in Hebrew. It is a masculine noun derived from the root related to counting, specifically indicating the number ten and its use in combination with other numbers. The Aramaic equivalent is עֲשַׂר (asar), also meaning 'ten.'
עֶשֶׂר, עֲשָׂרָה 176 n.m. and f. ten
base
H6235 עֶשֶׂר, עֲשָׂרָה ten
6235 `eser eh'ser
masculine of term aasarah {as-aw-raw'}; from 6237; ten (as an
accumulation to the extent of the digits):--ten, (fif-,
seven-)teen.
see HEBREW for 06237
עֶשֶׂר (e.ser) — ten.
1) ten
1a) ten
1b) with other numbers
Aramaic equivalent: a.sar (עֲשַׂר "ten" H6236)
Adj — Noun common · feminine singular absoluteHNcfsa
שָׁבַר (shabar) is a verb meaning to buy grain, derived from a related root. It covers the actions of purchasing grain in the Qal form and selling it in the Hiphil form. The word emphasizes trade in grain, with no significant disagreement noted among the lexicons.
[שָׁבַר] vb. denom. buy grain
Qal buy grain for food
Hiph. sell grain (prop. cause to buy grain)
base
H7666 שָׁבַר vb. denom. buy grain
7666 shabar shaw-bar'
denominative from 7668; to deal in grain:--buy, sell.
see HEBREW for 07668
שָׁבַר (sha.var) — to buy grain.
1) to buy or purchase grain
1a) (Qal) to buy grain
1b) (Hiphil) to sell grain
Aramaic equivalent: ze.van (זְבַן "to buy" H2084)
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a — Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct commonHR/Vqcc
gran.
See AGRICULTURE; GARNER.
Grain
Used, in Amos 9:9, of a small stone or kernel; in Matt. 13:31, of an individual seed of mustard; in John 12:24, 1 Cor. 15:37, of wheat. The Hebrews sowed only wheat, barley, and spelt; rye and oats are not mentioned in Scripture.
See CORN.
בַּר (bar) primarily means 'grain' or 'corn,' and can also refer to a 'field.' It is derived from the sense of winnowing, indicating its agricultural context. The term appears in various forms, including its Aramaic equivalent, which also means 'field.' There is a specific reference to its use in Job 39:4.
ref
H1250a בַּר grain, corn H1250b בָּר field
1250 bar bawr
or bar {bar}; from 1305 (in the sense of winnowing); grain of
any kind (even while standing in the field); by extens. the
open country:--corn, wheat.
see HEBREW for 01305
בַּר (bar) — grain.
corn, grain
בָּר (bar) — field.
field (Aram. usage)
Aramaic equivalent: bar (בַּר "field" H1251)
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
gran.
See AGRICULTURE; GARNER.
Grain
Used, in Amos 9:9, of a small stone or kernel; in Matt. 13:31, of an individual seed of mustard; in John 12:24, 1 Cor. 15:37, of wheat. The Hebrews sowed only wheat, barley, and spelt; rye and oats are not mentioned in Scripture.
See CORN.
מִצְרַ֫יִם (mitsrayim) refers to Egypt, a country in northeastern Africa known for the Nile River. The term can denote both the land and its inhabitants, the Egyptians. It is derived from a dual form suggesting Upper and Lower Egypt, and is linked to the biblical figure Mizraim, a son of Ham. The lexicons note its significance in the context of the table of nations.
מִצְרַ֫יִם 681 n.pr.terr. et gent. Egypt, Egyptians
of land, Egypt
combinations
of people:
in table of nations, personif. as second son of Ham
= Egypt (as a people), Egyptians
base
H4714 מִצְרַ֫יִם Egypt, Egyptians . . of land, Egypt
. combinations
. of people: . in table of nations, personif. as second son of Ham
. = Egypt (as a people), Egyptians
4714 Mitsrayim mits-rah'-yim
dual of 4693; Mitsrajim, i.e. Upper and Lower Egypt:--Egypt,
Egyptians, Mizraim.
see HEBREW for 04693
מִצְרַ֫יִם (mits.ra.yim) — Egypt.
§ Egypt = "land of the Copts"
a country at the northeastern section of Africa, adjacent to Palestine, and through which the Nile flows
Egyptians = "double straits"
מִצְרַ֫יִם (mits.ra.yim) — Egypt.
A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.10.6;
son of: Ham (H2526);
brother of: Canaan (H3667), Cush (H3568) and Put (H6316);
father of: Ludim (H3866), Anamim (H6047), Lehabim (H3853), Naphtuhim (H5320), Pathrusim (H6625), Casluhim (H3695) and Caphtorim (H3732)
§ Egypt = "land of the Copts"
1) a country at the northeastern section of Africa, adjacent to Palestine, and through which the Nile flows
Egyptians = "double straits"
adj
2) the inhabitants or natives of Egypt
מִצְרַ֫יִם (mits.ra.yim) — (Sea of) Egypt.
§ Egypt = "land of the Copts"
Prep | N-proper — Preposition · noun properHR/Npl
e'-jipt:
I. THE COUNTRY
1. The Basis of the Land 2. The Nile Valley 3. Earliest Human Remains 4. Climate 5. Conditions of Life 6. The Nile 7. The Fauna 8. The Flora 9. The Prehistoric Races
II. THE HISTORY
1. 1st and 2nd Ages: Prehistoric 2. 3d Age: Ist and IInd Dynasties 3. 4th Age: IIIrd through VIth Dynasties 4. 5th Age: VIIth through XIVth Dynasties 5. 6th Age: XVth through XXIVth Dynasties 6. 7th Age: XXVth Dynasty to Roman Times 7. 8th Age: Arabic 8. Early Foreign Connections
III. THE OLD TESTAMENT CONNECTIONS
1. Semitic Connections 2. Abramic Times 3. Circumcision 4. Joseph 5. Descent into Egypt 6. The Oppression 7. The Historic Position 8. The Plagues 9. Date of the Exodus 10. Route of the Exodus 11. Numbers of the Exodus 12. Israel in Canaan 13. Hadad 14. Pharaoh's Daughter 15. Shishak 16. Zerakh 17. The Ethiopians 18. Tahpanhes 19. Hophra 20. The Jews of Syene 21. The New Jerusalem…
Egypt
The land of the Nile and the pyramids, the oldest kingdom of which we have any record, holds a place of great significance in Scripture.
The Egyptians belonged to the white race, and their original home is still a matter of dispute. Many scholars believe that it was in Southern Arabia, and recent excavations have shown that the valley of the Nile was originally inhabited by a low-class population, perhaps belonging to the Nigritian stock, before the Egyptians of history entered it. The ancient Egyptian language, of which the latest form is Coptic, is distantly connected with the Semitic family of speech.
Egypt consists geographically of two halves, the northern being the Delta, and the southern Upper Egypt, between Cairo and the First Cataract. In the Old Testament, Northern or Lower Egypt is called Mazor, “the fortified land” (Isa.…
(land of the Copts), a country occupying the northeast angle of Africa. Its limits appear always to have been very nearly the same. It is bounded on the north by the Mediterranean Sea, on the east by Palestine, Arabia and the Red Sea, on the south by Nubia, and on the west by the Great Desert. It is divided into upper Egypt --the valley of the Nile --and lower Egypt, the plain of the Delta, from the Greek letter; it is formed by the branching mouths of the Nile, and the Mediterranean Sea. The portions made fertile by the Nile comprise about 9582 square geographical miles, of which only about 5600 is under cultivation. --Encyc. Brit. The Delta extends about 200 miles along the Mediterranean, and Egypt is 520 miles long from north to south from the sea to the First Cataract. NAMES. --The common name of Egypt in the Bible is "Mizraim." It is in the dual number, which indicates the two…
A celebrated country in the north of Africa, at the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea. The Hebrews called it Mizraim, Ge 10:6, and hence it is now called by the Arabs, Mizr. The Greeks and Romans called it Aegyptus, whence Egypt; but the origin of this name is unknown.
The habitable land of Egypt is for the most part a great valley, through which the river Nile pours its waters, extending in a straight line from north to south, and skirted on the east and west by ranges of mountains, which approach and recede from the river more or less in different parts. Where this valley terminates, towards the north, the Nile divides itself, about forty or fifty miles from the seacoast, into several arms, which inclose the so-called Delta. The ancients numbered seven arms and mouths; the eastern was that of Pelusium, now that of Tineh; and the…