Menu

Genesis 42:31 — Word Study

Depth

WLCוַנֹּ֥אמֶר אֵלָ֖יו כֵּנִ֣ים אֲנָ֑חְנוּ לֹ֥א הָיִ֖ינוּ מְרַגְּלִֽים׃

BSABut we toldʼâmar himʼêl Weʼănachnûw [truly, as honest men] arehâyâh honest menkên [true, right, and faithful] notlôʼ [in no way, absolutely not] spiesrâgal [those who secretly gather information, to spy or explore]

Word
Listen & take awayGenesis 42
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 31 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (me.ra.ge.Lim) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Genesis 42:31quick helps
In a sentenceThe brothers assure the Egyptian ruler that they are honest men, not spies.
Who is speakingThe brothers of Joseph, speaking to the ruler of Egypt.
Where we areIn the narrative of Joseph's brothers in Egypt, as they explain their situation.
The hard wordכֵּנִ֣ים
Take awayThe brothers emphasize their honesty in a moment of accusation.
3 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectאֲנַחְנוּ verbאָמַר The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.

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

Deep Study — Genesis 42:31

Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.

Context — Joseph's Brothers in Egyptgenerated

30“The man who is lord of the land spoke harshly to us and accused us of spying on the country.
31But we told him, ‘We are honest men, not spies.
32We are twelve brothers, sons of one father. One is no more, and the youngest is now with our father in the land of Canaan.’
33Then the man who is lord of the land said to us, ‘This is how I will know whether you are honest: Leave one brother with me, take food to relieve the hunger of your households, and go.

Genesis 42:31 recounts how Joseph's brothers, accused of being spies, declare their honesty to the Egyptian ruler. They emphasize their integrity as they navigate a tense situation, revealing their familial ties and the gravity of their circumstances. This moment highlights the themes of trust and deception that run throughout the Joseph narrative.


Cross References


The Key Word כֵּן, ke.Nimgenerated

The word כֵּן (ken) is an adjective meaning 'honest' or 'right.' It is derived from a root that signifies being set upright, reflecting a state of moral integrity. In this context, it signifies the brothers' claim to be truthful.

As an adjective, it describes the subject אֲנָ֑חְנוּ (anachnu), emphasizing their assertion of honesty in contrast to the accusation of being spies. The use of this word reinforces their position and attempts to establish credibility.


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. The BSB has honest, which is also reflected in the KJV and ASV.

Where translations differ is in the rendering of כֵּןtrue (ASV, KJV) vs. right (YLT, LSV). This difference highlights the nuance in the concept of honesty and integrity.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The finite verb וַנֹּ֥אמֶר (va.No.mer), 'and we said,' governs the main clause, while the subject אֲנָ֑חְנוּ (anachnu) and the predicate כֵּנִ֣ים (ke.Nim) describe the brothers' assertion of honesty. The structure emphasizes their claim in response to the accusation.

The sentence features a straightforward structure, with a main clause followed by a negation לֹ֥א (lo') and the object מְרַגְּלִֽים (me.ra.ge.Lim), 'spies,' reinforcing the contrast between their honesty and the accusation.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates כֵּן as εἰρηνικοί (eirēnikoi), meaning 'peaceful' or 'honest.' This choice indicates a broader interpretation of their honesty, suggesting a peaceful demeanor rather than merely truthful.

This translation reflects a nuanced understanding of the brothers' claim, emphasizing their intention to convey integrity and trustworthiness in a foreign land.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Genesis 42:31 tells how Joseph's brothers, when accused of being spies, insist that they are honest men. They emphasize their integrity and family ties, stating that they are not spies, but rather truthful individuals.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean for the brothers to claim they are honest men?

The brothers are asserting their integrity in a moment of accusation, hoping to gain the trust of the Egyptian ruler.

Why are they concerned about being called spies?

Being accused of spying could lead to severe consequences, including imprisonment or death, as they are in a foreign land.

How does this claim of honesty reflect their character?

Their claim highlights their desire to be seen as trustworthy, especially in light of their past actions and the current tense situation.

What is the significance of their familial ties in this context?

Their mention of being brothers emphasizes unity and loyalty, which they hope will persuade the ruler of their honesty.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways do I strive to demonstrate honesty in my own life?
  2. How can I respond to accusations or misunderstandings with integrity?
  3. What role do family and community play in establishing trust?
  4. How do I define honesty, and how does that align with my actions?

Commentators on this verse — 3 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Genesis 42:31 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

And we said unto him, we [are] true [men],.... Honest, upright men, not given to treacherous and treasonable practices, either in the country where they lived, or any other; they came to Egypt with

Read John Gill on Genesis 42 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And we said unto him, We are true men; we are no spies: No JFB commentary on these verses.

Read Robert Jamieson on Genesis 42 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Genesis 42:31 And we said unto him, We [are] true [men]; we are no spies: Ver. 31. See Genesis 42:9; Genesis 42:11; Genesis 42:13; Genesis 42:19, &c

Read John Trapp 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

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

But we told him, ‘We are honest men, not spies.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

We said to him, ‘We are honest men. We are no spies.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

But we told him, ‘We are honest men, not spies.

NETBNew English Translation2006

But we said to him, ‘We are honest men; we are not spies!

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And we said unto him, We are true men; we are no spies:

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And we said unto him, We are true men; we are no spies:

RVARevised Version, American1894

And we said unto him, We are true men; we are no spies:

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And we said to him, We are true men; we are no spies:

GNVGeneva Bible1599

And we sayd vnto him, We are true men, and are no spies.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And we said to him, We are honest; we are not spies:

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

and we say unto him, We [are] right men, we have not been spies,

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

and we say to him, We [are] right men, we have not been spies,

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And we said unto him, We are true men; we have never been spies:

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

We said to him, 'We are honest men. We are not spies.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And we answered him: We are peaceable men, and we mean no plot.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

“We told him, ‘We are honest men. We're not spies!

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And we said to him, We are true men, we have no evil designs;

Word by word, the decisions they made

כֵּנִ֣יםke.Nim [are] honest H3651 2 different renderings
trueASV BBE GNV ILT KJV NWB RVA
rightLSV YLT

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.

וַandclauseverbנֹּ֥אמֶרwe.saidprepositional phrase · prepositionalאֵלָ֖יtoוhimclauseclausepredicateכֵּנִ֣ים[are].honestsubjectאֲנָ֑חְנוּweclauseadverbialלֹ֥אnotverbהָיִ֖ינוּwe.areobjectמְרַגְּלִֽיםspies

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 matched by the Septuagint and the Samaritan Pentateuch, which agree word for word. This consistency across witnesses suggests a stable transmission of this verse.

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

וַנֹּ֥אמֶר אֵלָ֖יו כֵּנִ֣ים אֲנָ֑חְנוּ לֹ֥א הָיִ֖ינוּ מְרַגְּלִֽים׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַנֹּ֥אמֶרεἴπαμενאֵלָ֖יוαὐτῷכֵּנִ֣יםεἰρηνικοίאֲנָ֑חְנוּἐσμενלֹ֥אοὔκהָיִ֖ינוּἐσμενמְרַגְּלִֽים׃κατάσκοποι

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

Samaritan Pentateuchthe Torah as the Samaritan community kept it

ונאמר אליו כנים אנחנו לא היינו מרגלים

Agrees with the Masoretic Text here, word for word.

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


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

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

Genesis 42:31אָמַרand we saidand we saidאָמַראֶלto himto himאֶלכֵּן[are] hones[are] honestכֵּןאֲנַ֫חְנוּweweאֲנַ֫חְנוּלֹאnotnotלֹאהָיָהwe arewe areהָיָהרָגַלspiesspiesרָגַלכּוּןto establito establish: pכּוּןאָֽנֹכִ֫יIIאָֽנֹכִ֫ירֶ֫גֶלfootfootרֶ֫גֶלהָוָאto fallto fallהָוָאכֹּהthusthusכֹּהיהוהYHWH/GodYHWH/Godיהוהפָּלַלto prayto prayפָּלַליִרְמְיָ֫הJeremiahJeremiahיִרְמְיָ֫האָדוֹןLordLordאָדוֹןאֵיךְhow?how?אֵיךְפֹּהherehereפֹּהיָכֹלbe ablebe ableיָכֹלעוֹדstillstillעוֹדחָקַרto searchto searchחָקַראֱנוֹשׁhumanhumanאֱנוֹשׁ
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 42:31

One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.

Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.

and we said to him [are] honest we not we are spies
וַנֹּ֥אמֶרva.No.mer and we said H559 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect first person common plural
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-1cp — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect first person common plural
Hc/Vqw1cp
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and we said to him [are] honest we not we are spies
אֵלָ֖יו'e.Lav to him H413 Preposition · suffix
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 | Suff — Preposition · suffix
HRd/Sp3ms
and we said to him [are] honest we not we are spies
כֵּנִ֣יםke.Nim [are] honest H3651 Adj
771× 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 'so' or 'thus', often used to show agreement or confirmation, like in the book of Genesis. It can also mean 'rightly' or 'justly', as in doing something the correct way. It appears in various forms throughout the Old Testament.
Amplified meaning
true, right, and faithful
Tyndale gloss
right
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word כֵּן (*ken*) is built from the root meaning 'set upright.' It functions as an adjective meaning 'right,' 'veritable,' or 'honest,' and as an adverb meaning 'so,' 'therefore,' or 'thus.' It appears in various contexts, often indicating manner or relation, and is used in phrases like 'forasmuch as.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כֵּן adj. right, veritable, honest

right

veritable, true

pl. concr. honest (men)

base

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

base

כֵּן adv. so

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3651a כֵּן adj. right, veritable, honest H3651b כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as H3651c כֵּן so

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3651 ken kane

from 3559; properly, set upright; hence (figuratively as

adjective) just; but usually (as adverb or conjunction)

rightly or so (in various applications to manner, time and

relation; often with other particles):--+ after that

(this, -ward, -wards), as ... as, + (for-)asmuch as yet, + be

(for which) cause, + following, howbeit, in (the) like

(manner, -wise), X the more, right, (even) so, state,

straightway, such (thing), surely, + there (where)-fore, this,

thus, true, well, X you.

see HEBREW for 03559

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כֵּן (ken) — right.

adv

adj

1) right, just, honest, true, veritable

1a) right, just, honest

1b) correct

1c) true, veritable

[כִּי עַל] כֵּן ([ki al] ken) — as.

adv

forasmuch as, since

כֵּן (ken) — so.

adv

1) so, therefore, thus

1a) thus, so

1b) just so

1c) therefore

1d) so...as (paired with adv)

1e) then

1f) forasmuch as (in phrase)

1g) (with prep)

1g1) therefore, this being so (specific)

1g2) hitherto

1g3) therefore, on this ground (general)

1g4) afterwards

1g5) in such case

Aramaic equivalent: ken (כֵּן "thus" H3652)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Adj
HAampa
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and we said to him [are] honest we not we are spies
אֲנָ֑חְנוּ'a.Na.che.nu we H587 Pronoun
120× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A Hebrew word for we or us, used for emphasis, like when Moses said we will follow God's commands, emphasizing the community's commitment.
Amplified meaning
truly, as honest men
Tyndale gloss
we
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֲנַ֫חְנוּ (anachnuw) is the first-person plural pronoun meaning 'we' or 'ourselves.' It is used for emphasis and is derived from another Hebrew word, אֲנִי (ani), meaning 'I.' The entries consistently define it as a pronoun without significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֲנַ֫חְנוּ, אֲנָ֑חְנוּ pron. 1pl. comm. we

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H587 אֲנַ֫חְנוּ, אֲנָ֑חְנוּ we

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

587 'anachnuw an-akh'-noo

apparently from 595; we:--ourselves, us, we.

see HEBREW for 0595

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֲנַ֫חְנוּ (a.nach.nu) — we.

we (first pers. pl. -usually used for emphasis)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Pron — Pronoun
HPp1bp
and we said to him [are] honest we not we are spies
לֹ֥אlo' not H3808 Particle
5,170× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Amplified meaning
in no way, absolutely not
Tyndale gloss
not
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לֹא or לוֹא adv. not

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3808 lo' lo

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לֹא (lo) — not.

1) not, no

1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)

1b) not (with modifier-negation)

1c) nothing (subst)

1d) without (with particle)

1e) before (of time)

Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part — Particle
HTn
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and we said to him [are] honest we not we are spies
הָיִ֖ינוּha.Yi.nu we are H1961 Verb · Qal · perfect first person common plural
3,562× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for to be means to exist or come into being. It is used to describe something that happens or comes to pass, like in Genesis where God creates the world.
Tyndale gloss
to be
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word הָיָה (hayah) is a primitive root meaning to exist or become, and it encompasses a range of meanings including to happen, occur, and come to pass. It is often used in narrative contexts, particularly in phrases like "and it came to pass." The word can also denote a state of being or existence, and it appears frequently in various forms throughout the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הָיָה 3570 vb. fall out, come to pass, become, be

Qal

Fall out, happen

occur, take place, come about, come to pass

esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass

וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)

rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה

less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)

Come into being, become

abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come

sq. prep.

become

sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)

sq. pred. adj.

become like

sq. pred. לְ pers.

sq. לְ pred.

oft. c. לְ pred. לְ pers.

with עַל and לְ

sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of

Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming)

exist, be in existence

abide, remain, continue

with word of locality, be in or at a place, be situated, stand, lie

as copula, joining subj. & pred.

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1961 הָיָה fall out, come to pass, become, be .. . . Fall out, happen

. occur, take place, come about, come to pass

. esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass . . וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)

. rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה

. less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)

. Come into being, become . . abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come

. sq. prep.

. become . sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)

. sq. pred. adj.

. become like

. sq. pred. + לְ pers.

. sq. לְ pred.

. oft. c. לְ pred. + לְ pers.

. with עַל and לְ

. sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of

. Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming) . exist, be in existence

. abide, remain, continue

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1961 hayah haw-yaw

a primitive root (compare 1933); to exist, i.e. be or become,

come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or

auxiliary):--beacon, X altogether, be(-come), accomplished,

committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint,

fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit

(one-)self, require, X use.

see HEBREW for 01933

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הָיָה (ha.yah) — to be.

1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out

1a) (Qal)

1a1) ---

1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass

1a1b) to come about, come to pass

1a2) to come into being, become

1a2a) to arise, appear, come

1a2b) to become

1a2b1) to become

1a2b2) to become like

1a2b3) to be instituted, be established

1a3) to be

1a3a) to exist, be in existence

1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time)

1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality)

1a3d) to accompany, be with

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to occur, come to pass, be done, be brought about

1b2) to be done, be finished, be gone

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-1cp — Verb · Qal · perfect first person common plural
HVqp1cp
and we said to him [are] honest we not we are spies
מְרַגְּלִֽים׃me.ra.ge.Lim spies H7270 Verb · Piel · participle (active) masculine plural
25× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to spy or explore a place, like Moses sending scouts to Canaan in Numbers 13:2. It can also mean to slander or gossip about someone, as warned against in Proverbs 11:13.
Amplified meaning
those who secretly gather information, to spy or explore
Tyndale gloss
to spy
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רָגַל (ragal) is a Hebrew verb that primarily means to walk or go about, but it has specific connotations of spying or slandering. It can denote actions like reconnoitering or being a tale-bearer, and it also includes the idea of teaching someone to walk. The entries indicate a range of meanings from casual movement to malicious gossip.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רָגַל vb. denom. foot it, go about

Qal go about (maliciously, as slanderer)

Pi.

slander

go about as explorer, spy

Tiph. I taught Ephr. to walk

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7270 רָגַל vb. denom. foot it, go about

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7270 ragal raw-gal'

a primitive root; to walk along; but only in specifically,

applications, to reconnoiter, to be a tale-bearer (i.e.

slander); also (as denominative from 7272) to lead

about:--backbite, search, slander, (e-)spy (out), teach to

go, view.

see HEBREW for 07272

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רָגַל (ra.gal) — to spy.

1) to go on foot, spy out, foot it, go about, walk along, move the feet

1a) (Qal) to be a tale-bearer, slander, go about

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to slander

1b2) to go about as explorer, spy

1c) (Tiphel) to teach to walk

Also means: tir.gal (תִּרְגַּל "to teach" H8637)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Piel — Verb · Piel · participle (active) masculine plural
HVprmpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Spies

When the Israelites reached Kadesh for the first time, and were encamped there, Moses selected twelve spies from among the chiefs of the divisions of the tribes, and sent them forth to spy the land of Canaan (Num. 13), and to bring back to him a report of its actual condition. They at once proceeded on their important errand, and went through the land as far north as the district round Lake Merom. After about six weeks’ absence they returned. Their report was very discouraging, and the people were greatly alarmed, and in a rebellious spirit proposed to elect a new leader and return to Egypt. Only two of the spies, Caleb and Joshua, showed themselves on this occasion stout-hearted and faithful. All their appeals and remonstrances were in vain. Moses announced that as a punishment for their rebellion they must now wander in the wilderness till a new generation should arise which…

Nave's Topical Bible

→ General scriptures concerning Ge 42:9

→ Sent to investigate

Canaan Nu 13

Jaazer Nu 21:32

Jericho Jos 2:1

→ Used by David 1Sa 26:4

→ Used at the court of Absalom 2Sa 15:10; 17:1-17

→ Pharisees acted as Lu 20:20

→ In the congregation of Galatia Ga 2:4

Thompson Chain Reference topics

Ge 42:9; Nu 13:16; 14:36; 21:32; De 1:22; Jos 2:1; 6:23; 7:2

Jud 1:24; 18:2; 2Sa 15:10; 2Ki 6:13; Lu 20:20

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.

Everything we make is available for free because of a generous community of supporters.

Donate