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Genesis 43:20 — Word Study

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WLCוַיֹּאמְר֖וּ בִּ֣י אֲדֹנִ֑י יָרֹ֥ד יָרַ֛דְנוּ בַּתְּחִלָּ֖ה לִשְׁבָּר־ אֹֽכֶל׃

BSAPleasebîy [oh that, if it please you] sirʼâdôwn [lord, master] they saidʼâmar we really did come downyârad [descend, go to a lower place] here the first timetᵉchillâh [at the beginning, from the start] to buyshâbar [trade, acquire] foodʼôkel [grain, sustenance, provisions]

Word
Listen & take awayGenesis 43
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 20 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 ('O.khel) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Genesis 43:20quick helps
In a sentenceThe brothers plead with Joseph, explaining their initial journey to buy food.
Who is speakingThe brothers of Joseph, addressing him as their lord.
Where we areIn the midst of a tense encounter, recounting their previous visit.
The hard wordיָרַד
Take awayThey emphasize their original purpose of coming down to buy food.
5 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, AdamClarke & more — read them › clause 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 43:20

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

Context — The Brothers' Plea to Josephgenerated

19So they approached Joseph’s steward and spoke to him at the entrance to the house.
20“Please, sir,” they said, “we really did come down here the first time to buy food.
21But when we came to the place we lodged for the night, we opened our sacks and, behold, each of us found his silver in the mouth of his sack! It was the full amount of our silver, and we have brought it back with us.
22We have brought additional silver with us to buy food. We do not know who put our silver in our sacks.”

Genesis 43:20 records the moment when Joseph's brothers, uncertain of their fate, explain their previous visit to Egypt. They recall how they came to buy food during a time of famine, highlighting their honesty and desperation. This plea sets the stage for the unfolding drama of reconciliation and revelation in the narrative.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Genesis 43:3–7But Judah replied, “The man solemnly warned us, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’
2Genesis 42:3–10So ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 2 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word יָרַד, ya.Rodgenerated

The Hebrew word יָרַד (yarad) means to go down or descend, indicating movement to a lower place. This verb is used in various contexts, including physical descents, such as coming down from a mountain, or metaphorical ones, like lowering oneself in humility.

Here, it emphasizes the brothers' journey to Egypt, underscoring their vulnerability and need as they seek sustenance during a famine. The form used is the infinitive absolute, which adds a sense of certainty to their descent.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

The translations agree on the meaning conveyed in this verse.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb יֹּאמְר֖וּ (vai.yo.me.Ru, and they said) governs the entire sentence. It is followed by a series of phrases that elaborate on their request and the context of their visit.

The structure emphasizes the brothers' direct address to Joseph, with their plea framed by their recounting of past events, creating a narrative flow that highlights their urgency.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates יָרַד as κατέβημεν (katebēmen), meaning 'we came down.' This choice retains the original sense of descent, emphasizing the brothers' journey to Egypt.

This rendering aligns closely with the Hebrew, preserving the narrative's focus on their need for food and their humble position.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Genesis 43:20 tells us that Joseph's brothers approached him, pleading for understanding. They explained that they had come to Egypt the first time to buy food, emphasizing their need during a time of famine.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does the phrase 'we really did come down' imply?

It emphasizes the brothers' honesty and their original intent in coming to Egypt.

Why do the brothers address Joseph as 'lord'?

They use this title to show respect and acknowledge his authority, unaware of his true identity.

What is the significance of mentioning 'at the beginning'?

It highlights the initial purpose of their journey, contrasting it with their current situation.

How does this verse connect to the larger narrative?

It sets the stage for the unfolding drama of Joseph's recognition of his brothers and the eventual reconciliation.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What can I learn from the brothers' honesty in their plea?
  2. How do I respond when I find myself in a difficult situation, like the brothers did?
  3. What does it mean to show respect to those in authority in my life?
  4. How can I reflect on my own intentions when I seek help from others?

Commentators on this verse — 5 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Genesis 43:20 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

And said, O sir,.... Or, "on me, my lord" (a), one said in the name of the rest, perhaps Judah, on me let the blame lie, if guilty of rudeness in making our address to thee; or as the Vulgate Latin

Read John Gill on Genesis 43 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And they came near to the steward of Joseph's house, and they communed with him at the door of the house, No JFB commentary on these verses.

Read Robert Jamieson on Genesis 43 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Genesis 43:20 And said, O sir, we came indeed down at the first time to buy food:Ver. 20. O sir, we came indeed, &c.] We must not lie wretchlessly under suspicion of dishonesty; but carefully clear ourselves, as there is opportunity.

Read John Trapp on Genesis 43 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 20. O sir, we came indeed - to buy food] There is a frankness now in the conduct of Joseph's brethren that did not exist before; they simply and honestly relate the whole circumstance of the money being found in their sacks on their return from their last journey. Afflictions from the hand of God, and under his direction, have a wonderful tendency to humble the soul. Did men know how gracious his designs are in sending such, no murmur would ever be heard against the dispensations of Divine Providence.

Read AdamClarke on Genesis 43 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

20. Oh my lord] Cf. Genesis 44:18. The expression introduces an appeal. The word for “my lord” (adoni) is rendered by LXX êýñéå, and by the Lat. domine. See Numbers 12:11; Judges 6:13; 1 Samuel 1:26; 1 Kings 3:17; 1 Kings 3:26.

Read Cambridge on Genesis 43 →

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

“Please, sir,” they said, “we really did come down here the first time to buy food.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

and said, “Oh, my lord, we indeed came down the first time to buy food.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

“Please, sir,” they said, “we really did come down here the first time to buy food.

NETBNew English Translation2006

They said, “My lord, we did indeed come down the first time to buy food.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And said, O sir, we came indeed down at the first time to buy food:

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

and said, Oh, my lord, we came indeed down at the first time to buy food:

RVARevised Version, American1894

and said, Oh my lord, we came indeed down at the first time to buy food:

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And said, O sir, we came down indeed at the first time to buy food:

GNVGeneva Bible1599

And said, Oh syr, we came in deede down hither at the first time to bye foode,

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

and said, Ah! my lord, we came indeed down at the first to buy food.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

and say, 'O, my lord, we really come down at the commencement to buy food;

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

and say, “O my lord, we really come down at the commencement to buy food;

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And they said, Pardon, my lord, we came down at the first time to buy food:

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

saying, “My master, we came down the first time to buy food.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

They said: Sir, we desire thee to hear us: We came down once before to buy food:

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

“Please excuse us, my lord,” they said. “We came down the first time to buy food,

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And said, O my lord, we only came down the first time to get food;

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.

וַandclauseverbיֹּאמְר֖וּthey.saidclauseclauseבִּ֣יpardon.usclausenoun phraseאֲדֹנִ֑my.lordיmyclauseadverbialיָרֹ֥דindeed.(come.down)verbיָרַ֛דְנוּwe.came.downprepositional phrase · prepositionalבַּatnoun phrasetheתְּחִלָּ֖הbeginningprepositional phrase · prepositionalלִtoclauseverbשְׁבָּרbuyobjectאֹֽכֶלfood

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


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

The Masoretic Text and the Samaritan Pentateuch agree word for word in this verse. The Septuagint matches seven of the eight words, though its word order differs, reflecting a consistent understanding of the text across these ancient witnesses.

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

וַיֹּאמְר֖וּ בִּ֣י אֲדֹנִ֑י יָרֹ֥ד יָרַ֛דְנוּ בַּתְּחִלָּ֖ה לִשְׁבָּר־ אֹֽכֶל׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיֹּאמְר֖וּλέγοντεςבִּ֣יδεόμεθαאֲדֹנִ֑יκύριεיָרַ֛דְנוּκατέβημενבַּתְּחִלָּ֖הἀρξὴνלִשְׁבָּר־πρίασθαιאֹֽכֶל׃βρώματα

7 of the 8 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

ויאמרו בי אדני ירד ירדנו בתחלה לשׁבר אכל

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 43:20אָמַרand they saand they saidאָמַרבִּיpardon uspardon usבִּיאָדוֹןO lord myO lord myאָדוֹןיָרַדcertainlycertainlyיָרַדיָרַדwe came dowwe came downיָרַדתְּחִלָּהat the begiat the beginninתְּחִלָּהשָׁבַרto buyto buyשָׁבַראֹ֫כֶלfoodfoodאֹ֫כֶלבָּעָהto enquireto enquireבָּעָהחָלַלto boreto boreחָלַלשֶׁ֫בֶרgraingrainשֶׁ֫בֶראָכַלto eatto eatאָכַלשְׁאוֹלhell: Sheohell: SheolשְׁאוֹלבּוֹרpitpitבּוֹרכֹּהthusthusכֹּהיהוהYHWH/GodYHWH/GodיהוהאָדוֹןlordlordאָדוֹןאָדוֹןLordLordאָדוֹןבִּיpleasepleaseבִּיחֵןfavorfavorחֵןקָצִירharvestharvestקָצִירבֵּֽיתְאֵלBethelBethelבֵּֽיתְאֵלאֹ֫כֶלfoodfoodאֹ֫כֶליוֹסֵףJosephJosephיוֹסֵףשָׁבַרto buy grato buy grainשָׁבַרנֶ֫שֶׁךְinterestinterestנֶ֫שֶׁךְ
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 43:20

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 they said pardon us O lord my certainly we came down at the beginning to buy food
וַיֹּאמְר֖וּvai.yo.me.Ru and they said H559 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine 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-3mp — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
Hc/Vqw3mp
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and they said pardon us O lord my certainly we came down at the beginning to buy food
בִּ֣יbi pardon us H994 Particle
12× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This phrase means please or oh that, used to introduce a request or entreaty, like saying excuse me or if it please you.
Amplified meaning
oh that, if it please you
Tyndale gloss
please
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בִּי (biy) is a particle used in entreaties, expressing a request or plea, often directed towards a superior. It conveys meanings like 'I pray,' 'please,' or 'excuse me,' and is typically used adverbially in contexts of asking for permission.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בִּי part. of entreaty, craving permission to address a superior, I pray, excuse me

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H994 בִּי part. of entreaty, craving permission to address a superior, I pray, excuse me

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

994 biy bee

perhaps from 1158 (in the sense of asking); properly, a

request; used only adverbially (always with "my Lord"); Oh

that!; with leave, or if it please:--alas, O, oh.

see HEBREW for 01158

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בִּי (bi) — please.

1) if it please, pray excuse me, excuse me please

1a) used to introduce an entreaty or request

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part — Particle
HTj
English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

US, pronoun objective case of we.

Give us this day our daily bread.

Us , pron. [OE. us, AS. s; akin to OFries. & OS. s, D. ons, G. uns, Icel. & Sw. oss, Dan. os, Goth. uns, L. nos we, us, Gr. we, Skr. nas us. . Cf. Nostrum, Our.] The persons speaking, regarded as an object; ourselves; — the objective case of we. See We. “Tell us a tale.” Chaucer.

Give us this day our daily bread. Matt. vi. 11.

Us, pron. oblique case of we

and they said pardon us O lord my certainly we came down at the beginning to buy food
אֲדֹנִ֑י'a.do.Ni O lord my H113 Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
333× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word ʼâdôwn refers to a lord or master, and can be used to describe human leaders or God. It emphasizes the person's power and control over others or things, and is often translated as lord or master.
Amplified meaning
lord, master
Tyndale gloss
lord
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אָדוֹן (*'adown*) means 'lord' and is derived from a root meaning to rule. It covers a range of meanings, referring to both human and divine authority, including terms like master, king, and superintendent. Variations exist for divine references, such as אֲדֹנָי (*Adonai*), distinguishing God from human lords.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

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

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H113 אָדוֹן lord

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

113 'adown aw-done'

or (shortened) adon {aw-done'}; from an unused root (meaning

to rule); sovereign, i.e. controller (human or divine):--

lord, master, owner. Compare also names beginning with

"Adoni-".

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָדוֹן (a.don) — lord.

1) firm, strong, lord, master

1a) lord, master

1a1) reference to men

1a1a) superintendent of household, of affairs

1a1b) master

1a1c) king

1a2) reference to God

1a2a) the Lord God

1a2b) Lord of the whole earth

1b) lords, kings

1b1) reference to men

1b1a) proprietor of hill of Samaria

1b1b) master

1b1c) husband

1b1d) prophet

1b1e) governor

1b1f) prince

1b1g) king

1b2) reference to God

1b2a) Lord of lords (probably = "thy husband, Yahweh")

1c) my lord, my master

1c1) reference to men

1c1a) master

1c1b) husband

1c1c) prophet

1c1d) prince

1c1e) king

1c1f) father

1c1g) Moses

1c1h) priest

1c1i) theophanic angel

1c1j) captain

1c1k) general recognition of superiority

1c2) reference to God

1c2a) my Lord, my Lord and my God

1c2b) Adonai (parallel with Yahweh)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HNcmsc/Sp1bs
and they said pardon us O lord my certainly we came down at the beginning to buy food
יָרֹ֥דya.Rod certainly H3381 Verb · Qal · infinitive absolute
381× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To go down or descend, like going to a lower place or falling. It appears in Genesis and Exodus, describing people and things moving downwards.
Amplified meaning
descend, go to a lower place
Tyndale gloss
to go down
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

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.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Ptc — Verb · Qal · infinitive absolute
HVqaa
and they said pardon us O lord my certainly we came down at the beginning to buy food
יָרַ֛דְנוּya.Rad.nu we came down H3381 Verb · Qal · perfect first person common plural
381× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To go down or descend, like going to a lower place or falling. It appears in Genesis and Exodus, describing people and things moving downwards.
Tyndale gloss
to go down
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

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.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVqp1cp — Verb · Qal · perfect first person common plural
HVqp1cp
and they said pardon us O lord my certainly we came down at the beginning to buy food
בַּתְּחִלָּ֖הba.te.chi.Lah at the beginning H8462 Preposition · noun common feminine singular absolute
22× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word means the start of something, like the beginning of a project or a new phase of life, as seen in Genesis and Psalms.
Amplified meaning
at the beginning, from the start
Tyndale gloss
beginning
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

תְּחִלָּה (tchillah) means 'beginning' and is derived from a root that conveys the sense of opening or commencement. It covers meanings related to the start of something, including 'first' and 'the first time.' The term appears in contexts discussing beginnings, such as 'from the beginning' or 'in the beginning.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

תְּחִלָּה n.f. beginning

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8462 תְּחִלָּה beginning

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8462 tchillah tekh-il-law'

from 2490 in the sense of opening; a commencement; rel.

original (adverb, -ly):--begin(-ning), first (time).

see HEBREW for 02490

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

תְּחִלָּה (te.chil.lah) — beginning.

1) beginning, first

1a) the first time

1b) from the beginning, in the beginning (with prep)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-fs — Preposition · noun common feminine singular absolute
HRd/Ncfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

be-gin'-ing (re'-shith; arche): The natural meaning of the word is with reference to time. The primitive Greek root means "to be long," "to draw out." Thus, it is used to refer to some point of time long drawn out, or long past (Ge 1:1). It is used also to express the inauguration of a particular event (Ex 12:2). The principal interest in the word centers in the use of it in Joh 1:1. It must be interpreted here by that which follows in the statement as to the relation of the Logos to the Eternal God and the use of the word "was." It is true that the word arche cannot be separated from the idea of time, but when time began He already was, and therefore He was from eternity.

See TIME; ETERNITY.

and they said pardon us O lord my certainly we came down at the beginning to buy food
לִשְׁבָּר־lish.bor- to buy H7666 Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
21× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To buy or sell grain, as in trading food for survival, is the meaning of this Hebrew word, used in various forms throughout the Old Testament.
Amplified meaning
trade, acquire
Tyndale gloss
to buy grain
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[שָׁבַר] vb. denom. buy grain

Qal buy grain for food

Hiph. sell grain (prop. cause to buy grain)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7666 שָׁבַר vb. denom. buy grain

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7666 shabar shaw-bar'

denominative from 7668; to deal in grain:--buy, sell.

see HEBREW for 07668

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

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)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a — Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
HR/Vqcc
and they said pardon us O lord my certainly we came down at the beginning to buy food
אֹֽכֶל׃'O.khel food H400 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
43× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word refers to food or a meal, including cereal, meat, and other supplies. It is used in stories about everyday life, like eating and sharing meals.
Amplified meaning
grain, sustenance, provisions
Tyndale gloss
food
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֹ֫כֶל (okel) means food and encompasses a range of meanings including meal, meat, and food supply. It is derived from the root word for eating. The entries highlight its use in various contexts, such as meals and victuals, but do not indicate any significant disagreement among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֹ֫כֶל 40 n.m. food

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H400 אֹ֫כֶל food

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

400 'okel o'-kel

from 398; food:--eating, food, meal(-time), meat, prey,

victuals.

see HEBREW for 0398

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֹ֫כֶל (o.khel) — food.

1) food

1a) cereal

1b) meat

2) food supply

3) meal, dinner

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

food:

I. VEGETABLE FOODS

1. Primitive Habits

2. Cereals

3. Leguminous Plants

4. Food of Trees

II. ANIMAL FOOD

LITERATURE

In a previous article (see BREAD) it has been shown that in the Bible "bread" usually stands for food in general and how this came to be so. In a complementary article on MEALS the methods of preparing and serving food will be dealt with. This article is devoted specifically to the foodstuffs of the Orient, more especially to articles of food in use among the Hebrews in Bible times. These are divisible into two main classes.

I. Vegetable Foods.

1. Primitive Habits:

Orientals in general are vegetarians, rather than flesh eaters. There is some reason to believe that primitive man was a vegetarian (see Ge 2:16; 3:2,6). It would seem, indeed, from a comparison of Ge 1:29 f…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Food

Originally the Creator granted the use of the vegetable world for food to man (Gen. 1:29), with the exception mentioned (2:17). The use of animal food was probably not unknown to the antediluvians. There is, however, a distinct law on the subject given to Noah after the Deluge (Gen. 9:2-5). Various articles of food used in the patriarchal age are mentioned in Gen. 18:6-8; 25:34; 27:3, 4; 43:11. Regarding the food of the Israelites in Egypt, see Ex. 16:3; Num. 11:5. In the wilderness their ordinary food was miraculously supplied in the manna. They had also quails (Ex.…

The diet of eastern nations has been in all ages light and simple. Vegetable food was more used than animal. The Hebrews used a great variety of articles, (John 21:5) to give a relish to bread. Milk and its preparations hold a conspicuous place in eastern diet, as affording substantial nourishment; generally int he form of the modern leben , i.e. sour milk. Authorized Version "butter;" (Genesis 18:8; Judges 5:25; 2 Samuel 17:29) Fruit was another source of subsistence: figs stood first in point of importance; they were generally dried and pressed into cakes. Grapes were generally eaten in a dried state as raisins. Of vegetables we have most frequent notice of lentils…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

In ancient the food of a people was more entirely the product of their own country than in our day. Palestine was favored with an abundance of animal food, grain, and vegetables. But throughout the East, vegetable food is more used than animal. Bread was the principal food. Grain of various kinds, beans, lentils, onions, grapes, together with olive oil, honey, and the milk of goats and cows were the ordinary fare. The wandering Arabs live much upon a coarse black bread. A very common dish in Syria is rice, with shreds of meat, vegetables, olive oil, etc., intermixed. A similar dish, made with beans, lentils, and various kinds of pulse, was in frequent use at an earlier age, Ge 25:29-34 2Ki 4:38-1.

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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