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Genesis 44:28 — Word Study

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WLCוַיֵּצֵ֤א הָֽאֶחָד֙ מֵֽאִתִּ֔י וָאֹמַ֕ר אַ֖ךְ טָרֹ֣ף טֹרָ֑ף וְלֹ֥א רְאִיתִ֖יו עַד־ הֵֽנָּה׃

BSAWhen one of themʼechâd [a single, unique son] was goneyâtsâʼ [to come out, departed] I saidʼâmar Surelyʼak [certainly, without a doubt] he has been torn to piecesṭâraph [ripped apart, devoured by a wild animal] And I have notlôʼ seen himrâʼâh [looked upon, provided for] sincehênnâh [until now, from that time on]

Word
Listen & take awayGenesis 44
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 28 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 (He.nah) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Genesis 44:28quick helps
In a sentenceJacob expresses his sorrow over the loss of his son, believing he has been killed.
Who is speakingJacob, speaking about his son Joseph.
Where we areIn a conversation where Jacob recounts the loss of his son to his other sons.
The hard wordטָרֹ֣ף
Take awayJacob believes his son has been violently killed and has not seen him since.
3 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Cambridge & more — read them › clause verbיָצָא 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 44:28

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 — Jacob's Grief Over Josephgenerated

27And your servant my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife bore me two sons.
28When one of them was gone, I said: “Surely he has been torn to pieces.” And I have not seen him since.
29Now if you also take this one from me and harm comes to him, you will bring my gray hair down to Sheol in sorrow.’
30So if the boy is not with us when I return to your servant, and if my father, whose life is wrapped up in the boy’s life,

Genesis 44:28 describes Jacob's reaction to the news of his son Joseph's supposed death. He expresses his deep sorrow, believing that Joseph has been torn apart by a wild animal. This moment highlights Jacob's emotional turmoil and the impact of loss within the family, as he reflects on the absence of Joseph since that tragic event.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Genesis 37:13–14Israel said to him, “Are not your brothers pasturing the flocks at Shechem? Get ready; I am sending you to them.” “I am ready,” Joseph replied.
2Genesis 37:33His father recognized it and said, “It is my son’s robe! A vicious animal has devoured him. Joseph has surely been torn to pieces!”
3Genesis 42:36–38Their father Jacob said to them, “You have deprived me of my sons. Joseph is gone and Simeon is no more. Now you want to take Benjamin. Everything is going against me!”

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


The Key Word טָרֹ֣ף, ta.Rofgenerated

The verb טָרַף (taraph) means to tear or rend, often used to describe violent actions, such as being torn apart by a wild animal. It emphasizes the brutality of the act and the resulting devastation.

In this context, it conveys Jacob's belief that Joseph has been violently killed, reflecting his grief and the severity of the situation. The parsing indicates it is in the perfect tense, suggesting a completed action that has lasting consequences.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses the phrase he has been torn to pieces, consistent with the KJV and ASV.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb governing the sentence is וָאֹמַ֕ר, and I said, which introduces Jacob's statement. The structure includes a noun phrase as the subject, a prepositional phrase indicating the source, and several clauses that elaborate on Jacob's thoughts.

The sentence's weight lies in the main clause, with subordinate clauses providing additional context about the son who is missing and Jacob's emotional response.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates טָרַף as θηριόβρωτος, which means 'devoured by a wild animal.' This choice emphasizes the violent nature of the event that Jacob fears has occurred.

This translation aligns with the Hebrew meaning but adds a layer of interpretation by explicitly connecting the tearing to a wild animal, highlighting Jacob's fear of a brutal death.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Genesis 44:28 shows Jacob expressing his grief over the loss of his son Joseph, believing he has been killed by a wild animal. He has not seen Joseph since that event, highlighting the deep sorrow and impact of loss within his family.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

Why does Jacob believe Joseph has been torn to pieces?

Jacob believes this because he has not seen Joseph since he was taken away, and he fears the worst has happened, as he imagines a wild animal has attacked him.

What does the word 'torn' imply in this context?

The word 'torn' implies a violent act, suggesting that Jacob envisions a brutal death for his son, which adds to his sorrow.

How does Jacob's grief affect his relationship with his other sons?

Jacob's grief is profound, and it affects his interactions with his other sons, as he expresses deep concern for their safety and the potential loss of another son.

What can we learn from Jacob's reaction to the news of Joseph?

Jacob's reaction illustrates the depth of parental love and the pain of loss, reminding us of the emotional weight that family relationships carry.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. How do you respond to loss in your own life, and what can Jacob's experience teach you?
  2. What are some ways to support others who are grieving, as Jacob would need in this moment?
  3. In what ways can we express our feelings honestly, like Jacob does in this verse?
  4. How does the fear of loss shape our relationships with those we love?

Commentators on this verse — 3 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Genesis 44:28 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

And the one went out from, me,.... Being sent by him to see how his brethren did, who were feeding his flocks at Shechem, and he had never returned to him to that day: and I said, surely he is torn

Read John Gill on Genesis 44 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And he said, God forbid that I should do so: but the man in whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my servant; and as for you, get you up in peace unto your father. No JFB commentary on these verses.

Read Robert Jamieson on Genesis 44 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

28. and I have not seen him since] The unconscious pathos in the words which Judah uses must have struck Joseph to the heart.

Read Cambridge on Genesis 44 →

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

When one of them was gone, I said: “Surely he has been torn to pieces.” And I have not seen him since.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

One went out from me, and I said, “Surely he is torn in pieces;” and I haven’t seen him since.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

When one of them was gone, I said: “Surely he has been torn to pieces.” And I have not seen him since.

NETBNew English Translation2006

The first disappeared and I said, “He has surely been torn to pieces.” I have not seen him since.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And the one went out from me, and I said, Surely he is torn in pieces; and I saw him not since:

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

and the one went out from me, and I said, Surely he is torn in pieces; and I have not seen him since:

RVARevised Version, American1894

and the one went out from me, and I said, Surely he is torn in pieces; and I have not seen him since:

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And the one went out from me, and I said, Surely he is torn in pieces; and I have not seen him since:

GNVGeneva Bible1599

And the one went out from me, and I said, Of a suretie he is torne in pieces, and I sawe him not since.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

and the one went out from me, and I said, He must certainly have been torn in pieces; and I have not seen him [again] hitherto.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

and the one goeth out from me, and I say, Surely he is torn — torn! and I have not seen him since;

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

and one goes out from me, and I say, Surely he is torn—torn! And I have not seen him since;

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And the one went out from me, and I said, Surely he hath been torn to pieces; and I have not seen him up to this time.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

One of them went out from me and I said, “Surely he is torn in pieces, and I have not seen him since.”

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

One went out, and you said: A beast devoured him: and hitherto he appeareth not.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

One is no more, ripped to pieces no doubt, for I've never seen him since.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

The one went away from me, and I said, Truly he has come to a violent death; and from that time I have not seen him,

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.

וַandclauseverbיֵּצֵ֤אhe.went.outnoun phrase · subjectהָֽtheאֶחָד֙oneprepositional phrase · prepositionalprepositional phraseמֵֽfromאִתִּ֔withיmeוָandclauseverbאֹמַ֕רI.saidclauseadverbialאַ֖ךְsurelyadverbialטָרֹ֣ףsurely.(tear)verbטֹרָ֑ףhe.has.been.torn.to.piecesוְandclauseadverbialלֹ֥אnotverbרְאִיתִ֖יIobjectוhave.seen.himprepositional phrase · prepositionalעַדuntilהֵֽנָּהnow

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 Septuagint agree closely, with all words matched. However, the Samaritan Pentateuch differs by using the word הך (only) instead of the expected term, which may indicate a different interpretation or textual tradition.

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

וַיֵּצֵ֤א הָֽאֶחָד֙ מֵֽאִתִּ֔י וָאֹמַ֕ר אַ֖ךְ טָרֹ֣ף טֹרָ֑ף וְלֹ֥א רְאִיתִ֖יו עַד־ הֵֽנָּה׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיֵּצֵ֤אἐχῆλθενהָֽאֶחָד֙εἷςמֵֽאִתִּ֔יἐμοῦוָאֹמַ֕רεἴπατεאַ֖ךְὅτιטָרֹ֣ףθηριόβρωτοςטֹרָ֑ףγέγονενוְלֹ֥אοὐκרְאִיתִ֖יוαὐτὸνעַד־ἔτιהֵֽנָּה׃νῦν

11 of the 11 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

ויצא האחד מאתי ואמר הך טרף טרף ולא ראיתיו עד הנה

1 word differs from the Masoretic Text: הך (only)

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 44:28יָצָאand he wentand he went outיָצָאאֶחָדthe onethe oneאֶחָדאֵתfrom with mfrom with meאֵתאָמַרand I saidand I saidאָמַראַךְsurelysurelyאַךְטָרַףcertainlycertainlyטָרַףטָרַףhe has beenhe has been torטָרַףלֹאand notand notלֹארָאָהI have seenI have seen himרָאָהעַדuntiluntilעַדהֵ֫נָּהnownowהֵ֫נָּהחָדַדto go eithto go either waחָדַדאָנָהto meetto meetאָנָההֵן3 fem3 femהֵןאָכֵןsurelysurelyאָכֵןעַדperpetuityperpetuityעַדטֶ֫רֶףpreypreyטֶ֫רֶףקָרָאto encountto encounter: mקָרָאגּוֹרָלallottedallottedגּוֹרָלכֶּ֫בֶשׂlamblambכֶּ֫בֶשׂאַ֫יִלramramאַ֫יִלרִיבto contendto contendרִיבבְּרִיתcovenantcovenantבְּרִיתכֹּהthusthusכֹּהיהוהYHWH/GodYHWH/Godיהוהמַחְסוֹרneedneedמַחְסוֹרהֶ֫בֶלvanityvanityהֶ֫בֶליָכֹלbe ablebe ableיָכֹלעוֹדstillstillעוֹד
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 44:28

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

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

and he went out the one from with me and I said surely certainly he has been torn to pieces and not I have seen him until now
וַיֵּצֵ֤אvai.ye.Tze' and he went out H3318 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
1,067× 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 to go out or come out, and it's used in many different ways, like leaving a place or starting a new journey, as seen in Genesis and Exodus.
Amplified meaning
to come out, departed
Tyndale gloss
to come out: come
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָצָא (yatsa') is a Hebrew verb meaning to go or come out, with various applications including departure, escape, and emergence. It can refer to both animate and inanimate subjects and emphasizes the idea of origin or source. The verb appears in different forms, such as Qal, Hiphil, and Hophal, indicating actions like leading out or being brought forth.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָצָא 1068 vb. go or come out

Qal

go or come out or forth

from (מִן) a place

go forth from (the presence of) a person

in technical senses

of flight, involving escape

depart

of inanimate things

with especial emphasis on idea of origin, source

of children as going forth from loins (of father)

go forth to a place

go forward, proceed to or toward something

come or go forth, with esp. ref. to purpose or result

of combinations

Hiph.

cause to go or come out, bring out, lead out

fig. obj. persons, bring out of (מִן) distress, etc.

bring out animals

inanimate obj.

fig. subj. י׳, bring forth from (מִן)

Hoph. be brought forth

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3318 יָצָא go or come out .. go or come out or forth . from (מִן) a place

. go forth from (the presence of) a person

. in technical senses

. of flight, involving escape

. depart

. of inanimate things

. with especial emphasis on idea of origin, source

. of children as going forth from loins (of father)

. . go forth to a place

. go forward, proceed to or toward something

. come or go forth, with esp. ref. to purpose or result

. of combinations

. . cause to go or come out, bring out, lead out

. fig. obj. persons, bring out of (מִן) distress, etc.

. bring out animals

. inanimate obj.

. fig. subj. י׳, bring forth from (מִן)

. be brought forth

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3318 yatsa' yaw-tsaw'

a primitive root; to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great

variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct

and proxim.:--X after, appear, X assuredly, bear out, X

begotten, break out, bring forth (out, up), carry out, come

(abroad, out, thereat, without), + be condemned,

depart(-ing, -ure), draw forth, in the end, escape, exact,

fail, fall (out), fetch forth (out), get away (forth, hence,

out), (able to, cause to, let) go abroad (forth, on, out),

going out, grow, have forth (out), issue out, lay (lie) out,

lead out, pluck out, proceed, pull out, put away, be risen, X

scarce, send with commandment, shoot forth, spread, spring

out, stand out, X still, X surely, take forth (out), at any

time, X to (and fro), utter.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָצָא (ya.tsa) — to come out: come.

: come/go_out/escape

1) to go out, come out, exit, go forth

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go or come out or forth, depart

1a2) to go forth (to a place)

1a3) to go forward, proceed to (to or toward something)

1a4) to come or go forth (with purpose or for result)

1a5) to come out of

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to cause to go or come out, bring out, lead out

1b2) to bring out of

1b3) to lead out

1b4) to deliver

1c) (Hophal) to be brought out or forth

יָצָא (ya.tsa) — to come out: send.

: send/take_out/release

1) to go out, come out, exit, go forth

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go or come out or forth, depart

1a2) to go forth (to a place)

1a3) to go forward, proceed to (to or toward something)

1a4) to come or go forth (with purpose or for result)

1a5) to come out of

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to cause to go or come out, bring out, lead out

1b2) to bring out of

1b3) to lead out

1b4) to deliver

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
and he went out the one from with me and I said surely certainly he has been torn to pieces and not I have seen him until now
הָֽאֶחָד֙ha.'e.Chad the one H259 Particle
971× 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 one or united, and is used to describe something that is single or unique. It is often translated as one, first, or alone. For example, in Genesis 1:5, God calls the light day and the darkness night, and separates them into one thing from another.
Amplified meaning
a single, unique son
Tyndale gloss
one
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֶחָד (echad) means 'one' and is derived from a numeral. It encompasses meanings such as each, every, a certain, and can serve as an indefinite article. It is also used as an ordinal to denote 'first' and appears in various combinations, including eleven. The entries consistently emphasize its numerical and qualitative aspects.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶחָד 972 adj.num. one

one

= each, every

= a certain

= indef. art.

only, & (fem.) once

one … another, one … the other

as ordinal first

in combin.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H259 אֶחָד one . one

. = each, every

. = a certain

. = indef. art.

. only, & (fem.) once

. one … another, one … the other

. as ordinal first

. in combin.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

259 'echad ekh-awd'

a numeral from 258; properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an

ordinal) first:--a, alike, alone, altogether, and,

any(-thing), apiece, a certain, (dai-)ly, each (one), +

eleven, every, few, first, + highway, a man, once, one, only,

other, some, together,

see HEBREW for 0258

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶחָד (e.chad) — one.

1) one (number)

1a) one (number)

1b) each, every

1c) a certain

1d) an (indefinite article)

1e) only, once, once for all

1f) one...another, the one...the other, one after another, one by one

1g) first

1h) eleven (in combination), eleventh (ordinal)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | Adj — Particle
HTd/Acfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

wun.

See NUMBER.

and he went out the one from with me and I said surely certainly he has been torn to pieces and not I have seen him until now
מֵֽאִתִּ֔יme.'i.Ti from with me H854 Preposition · preposition · suffix
929× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew preposition means 'with' or 'near', indicating a close relationship or physical proximity. It's used in Genesis 1:26 to describe God's relationship with humanity, and in many other places to show connection or closeness.
Tyndale gloss
with
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֵת (eth) is a preposition indicating nearness or proximity, often translated as 'with' or 'near.' It conveys a sense of companionship or association, distinguishing itself from similar terms by expressing closer relationships. The entries highlight its use in various contexts, including possession and memory, but do not provide specific verse references.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵת, prep. with—prep. denoting proximity

Of companionship, together with

Of localities

אֵת פּ׳ denotes specially

in one's possession or keeping

in one's knowledge or memory

מֵאֵת from proximity with

Note. אֵת expresses closer association than עִם: hence while מֵעִם sts. denotes hardly more than from the surroundings or belongings of, מֵאֵת expresses from close proximity to.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H854 אֵת with—prep. denoting proximity . Of companionship, together with

. Of localities

. אֵת פּ׳ denotes specially . in one's possession or keeping

. in one's knowledge or memory

. מֵאֵת from proximity with

Note. אֵת expresses closer association than עִם: hence while מֵעִם sts. denotes hardly more than from the surroundings or belongings of, מֵאֵת expresses from close proximity to.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

854 'eth ayth

probably from 579; properly, nearness (used only as a

preposition or an adverb), near; hence, generally, with, by,

at, among, etc.:--against, among, before, by, for, from,

in(-to), (out) of, with. Often with another prepositional

prefix.

see HEBREW for 0579

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵת (et) — with.

1) with, near, together with

1a) with, together with

1b) with (of relationship)

1c) near (of place)

1d) with (poss.)

1e) from...with, from (with other prep)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Rd/Sp1bs — Preposition · preposition · suffix
HR/Rd/Sp1bs
and he went out the one from with me and I said surely certainly he has been torn to pieces and not I have seen him until now
וָאֹמַ֕רva.'o.Mar and I said H559 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect first person common singular
5,309× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to say or speak, and it's used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to command, promise, or think, and it's translated in the KJV as 'answer', 'appoint', or 'command'.
Tyndale gloss
to say
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָמַר (amar) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to say' or 'to utter,' with a broad range of uses including to promise, command, or even boast. It appears in various forms, such as in the Qal (to say), Niphal (to be told), and Hiphil (to avow). The entries highlight its versatility in both spoken and internal contexts, though no specific verse is noted.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָמַר 5287 vb. utter, say

Qal

Say

Say in the heart (= think)

Promise

Command (esp. late)

Niph. be said, told

Hiph. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

Hithp. act proudly, boast

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H559 אָמַר utter, say .. Say

. Say in the heart (= think)

. Promise

. Command (esp. late)

. be said, told

. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

. act proudly, boast

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

559 'amar aw-mar'

a primitive root; to say (used with great

latitude):--answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call,

certify, challenge, charge, + (at the, give) command(-ment),

commune, consider, declare, demand, X desire, determine, X

expressly, X indeed, X intend, name, X plainly, promise,

publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), X still, X

suppose, talk, tell, term, X that is, X think, use (speech),

utter, X verily, X yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָמַר (a.mar) — to say.

1) to say, speak, utter

1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend

1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called

1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly

1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch

Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-1cs — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect first person common singular
Hc/Vqw1cs
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he went out the one from with me and I said surely certainly he has been torn to pieces and not I have seen him until now
אַ֖ךְ'akh surely H389 Adverb
161× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word is used to emphasize something, like saying 'surely' or 'certainly'. It can also be used to limit or restrict something, like saying 'only' or 'but'.
Amplified meaning
certainly, without a doubt
Tyndale gloss
surely
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אַךְ (ak) is an adverb meaning 'surely' or 'indeed,' often used to emphasize what follows. It can also carry a restrictive sense, translating to 'only' or 'but.' The entries indicate its use in various contexts, but do not provide specific verse references.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אַךְ 159 adv. 1. surely. 2. with a restrictive force, emphasizing what follows

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H389 אַךְ 1. surely. 2. with a restrictive force, emphasizing what follows

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

389 'ak ak

akin to 403; a particle of affirmation, surely; hence (by

limitation) only:--also, in any wise, at least, but,

certainly, even, howbeit, nevertheless, notwithstanding, only,

save, surely, of a surety, truly, verily, + wherefore, yet

(but).

see HEBREW for 0403

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אַךְ (akh) — surely.

1) indeed, surely (emphatic)

2) howbeit, only, but, yet (restrictive)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
DirObjM — Adverb
HD
and he went out the one from with me and I said surely certainly he has been torn to pieces and not I have seen him until now
טָרֹ֣ףta.Rof certainly H2963 Verb · Qal · infinitive absolute
25× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to tear or pull something apart, and it can also mean to provide food. In the Bible, it appears in Exodus 22:13 and Proverbs 30:14. It describes an act of violence or providing for someone.
Amplified meaning
ripped apart, devoured by a wild animal
Tyndale gloss
to tear
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

טָרַף (taraph) is a Hebrew verb meaning to tear, rend, or pluck. It can describe the action of tearing in various forms, such as being torn in pieces or providing food. The entries indicate a range of uses, from physical tearing to metaphorical feeding, with specific examples in contexts like animals being torn apart.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

טָרַף vb. tear, rend, pluck

Qal tear, rend

Niph. of animal torn

Pu. Joseph has certainly been torn in pieces

Hiph. let me devour my appointed bread

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2963 טָרַף tear, rend, pluck

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2963 taraph taw-raf'

a primitive root; to pluck off or pull to pieces; causatively

to supply with food (as in morsels):--catch, X without doubt,

feed, ravin, rend in pieces, X surely, tear (in pieces).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

טָרַף (ta.raph) — to tear.

1) to tear, rend, pluck

1a) (Qal) to tear, rend

1b) (Niphal) to be torn in pieces

1c) (Poal) to be torn in pieces

1d) (Hiphil) to provide food

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Ptc — Verb · Qal · infinitive absolute
HVqaa
and he went out the one from with me and I said surely certainly he has been torn to pieces and not I have seen him until now
טֹרָ֑ףto.Raf he has been torn to pieces H2963 Verb · Pual · perfect third person masculine singular
25× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to tear or pull something apart, and it can also mean to provide food. In the Bible, it appears in Exodus 22:13 and Proverbs 30:14. It describes an act of violence or providing for someone.
Tyndale gloss
to tear
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

טָרַף (taraph) is a Hebrew verb meaning to tear, rend, or pluck. It can describe the action of tearing in various forms, such as being torn in pieces or providing food. The entries indicate a range of uses, from physical tearing to metaphorical feeding, with specific examples in contexts like animals being torn apart.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

טָרַף vb. tear, rend, pluck

Qal tear, rend

Niph. of animal torn

Pu. Joseph has certainly been torn in pieces

Hiph. let me devour my appointed bread

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2963 טָרַף tear, rend, pluck

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2963 taraph taw-raf'

a primitive root; to pluck off or pull to pieces; causatively

to supply with food (as in morsels):--catch, X without doubt,

feed, ravin, rend in pieces, X surely, tear (in pieces).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

טָרַף (ta.raph) — to tear.

1) to tear, rend, pluck

1a) (Qal) to tear, rend

1b) (Niphal) to be torn in pieces

1c) (Poal) to be torn in pieces

1d) (Hiphil) to provide food

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVPp3ms — Verb · Pual · perfect third person masculine singular
HVPp3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Pieces

(1) of silver. In Ps. 68:30 denotes “fragments,” and not properly money. In 1 Sam. 2:36 (Heb. agorah), properly a “small sum” as wages, weighed rather than coined. Josh. 24:32 (Heb. kesitah, q.v.), supposed by some to have been a piece of money bearing the figure of a lamb, but rather simply a certain amount. (Comp. Gen. 33:19).

(2.) The word pieces is omitted in many passages, as Gen. 20:16; 37:28; 45:22, etc. The passage in Zech. 11:12, 13 is quoted in the Gospel (Matt. 26:15), and from this we…

and he went out the one from with me and I said surely certainly he has been torn to pieces and not I have seen him until now
וְלֹ֥אve.Lo' and not H3808 Conjunction · 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.
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
Conj | Part — Conjunction · particle
HC/Tn
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he went out the one from with me and I said surely certainly he has been torn to pieces and not I have seen him until now
רְאִיתִ֖יוre.'i.Tiv I have seen him H7200 Verb qal perfect first person common singular · suffix
1,300× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for provider means to see or look after, and is used to describe God's care for his people. It appears in various forms throughout the Bible, including in Genesis and other books.
Amplified meaning
looked upon, provided for
Tyndale gloss
Provider
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רָאָה (ra'ah) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to see' and encompasses a wide range of visual and perceptual actions, including looking, observing, and causing others to see. It can refer to both literal sight and figurative understanding, with various grammatical forms indicating different nuances, such as appearing or being visible. The entries indicate a rich semantic field without significant disagreement among lexicographers.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רָאָה 1315 vb. see

Qal 1141

see, subj.

see, c. acc. rei

see, sq. acc. cl. or phr. of closer design

see, so as to learn to know

abs. see, have (power of) vision

see = perceive

look at, see, by direct volition

of mental observation

c. ב, lit., look into, hence look at with interest

see, c. acc. rei

Niph.

appear

be seen

be visible

Pu. appar. his bones are not detected

Hithp. recipr. look at each other

Hiph.

cause one to see something, shew

cause to experience something

cause to look intently at, to behold

Hoph.

be caused to see, be shewn

be exhibited to

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7200a רָאָה see .. . see, subj.

. see, c. acc. rei

. see, sq. acc. + cl. or phr. of closer design

. see, so as to learn to know

. abs. see, have (power of) vision

. see = perceive

. look at, see, by direct volition

. of mental observation

. . c. ב, lit., look into, hence look at with interest

. see, c. acc. rei

. . appear

. be seen

. be visible

. appar. his bones are not detected

. recipr. look at each other

. . . cause one to see something, shew

. cause to experience something

. cause to look intently at, to behold

. . be caused to see, be shewn

. be exhibited to

H7200b רְאוּת look

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7200 ra'ah raw-aw'

a primitive root; to see, literally or figuratively (in

numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive,

intransitive and causative):--advise self, appear, approve,

behold, X certainly, consider, discern, (make to) enjoy, have

experience, gaze, take heed, X indeed, X joyfully, lo, look

(on, one another, one on another, one upon another, out, up,

upon), mark, meet, X be near, perceive, present, provide,

regard, (have) respect, (fore-, cause to, let) see(-r, -m, one

another), shew (self), X sight of others, (e-)spy, stare, X

surely, X think, view, visions.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רָאָה (ra.ah) — to see: see.

: see/show

1) to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to see

1a2) to see, perceive

1a3) to see, have vision

1a4) to look at, see, regard, look after, see after, learn about, observe, watch, look upon, look out, find out

1a5) to see, observe, consider, look at, give attention to, discern, distinguish

1a6) to look at, gaze at

1a7) to provide, choose

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to appear, present oneself

1b2) to be seen

1b3) to be visible

1c) (Pual) to be seen

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to cause to see, show

1d2) to cause to look intently at, behold, cause to gaze at

1e) (Hophal)

1e1) to be caused to see, be shown

1e2) to be exhibited to

1f) (Hithpael) to look at each other, face

רָאָה (ra.ah) — to see: examine.

: examine/consider

1) to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to see

1a2) to see, perceive

1a3) to see, have vision

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-1cs | Suff — Verb qal perfect first person common singular · suffix
HVqp1cs/Sp3ms
and he went out the one from with me and I said surely certainly he has been torn to pieces and not I have seen him until now
עַד־'ad- until H5704 Preposition
1,261× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means until or as far as, describing a point in time or space. It's used in the Bible to set boundaries or limits, like in Exodus when describing the Israelites' journey.
Tyndale gloss
till
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עַד (ad) primarily functions as a preposition, adverb, or conjunction meaning 'until,' 'up to,' or 'as far as.' It can denote spatial, temporal, or degree-related contexts, such as 'even to' or 'while.' The entries indicate its use in poetry and in various combinations, but there is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עַד, in poetry עֲדֵי prep. as far as, even to, up to, until, while

prep.

of space

Of time

Of degree

conj.

until

While

Of degree, to the point that, so that even (rare)

עַד לְ, a strengthened form for עַד. Thus

of space

Of time

Of degree

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5704 עַד, in poetry עֲדֵי as far as, even to, up to, until, while . prep. . of space

. Of time

. Of degree

. conj. . until

. While

. Of degree, to the point that, so that even (rare)

. עַד לְ, a strengthened form for עַד. Thus . of space

. Of time

. Of degree

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5704 `ad ad

properly, the same as 5703 (used as a preposition, adverb or

conjunction; especially with a preposition); as far (or long,

or much) as, whether of space (even unto) or time (during,

while, until) or degree (equally with):--against, and, as,

at, before, by (that), even (to), for(-asmuch as),

(hither-)to, + how long, into, as long (much) as, (so) that,

till, toward, until, when, while, (+ as) yet.

see HEBREW for 05703

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עַד (ad) — till.

prep

1) as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as

1a) of space

1a1) as far as, up to, even to

1b) in combination

1b1) from...as far as, both...and (with 'min' -from)

1c) of time

1c1) even to, until, unto, till, during, end

1d) of degree

1d1) even to, to the degree of, even like

conj

2) until, while, to the point that, so that even

Aramaic equivalent: ad (עַד "till" H5705)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR — Preposition
HR
and he went out the one from with me and I said surely certainly he has been torn to pieces and not I have seen him until now
הֵֽנָּה׃He.nah now H2008 Adverb
49× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means a location or direction, like here or there, and can also refer to a point in time, such as now. It is used in various contexts, including Genesis and Psalms. The KJV translates it as 'here' or 'hither'.
Amplified meaning
until now, from that time on
Tyndale gloss
here/thus
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הֵ֫נָּה (hennah) is an adverb meaning 'hither' or 'here,' and it can refer to both place and time. It is derived from the root word for 'to be' and encompasses meanings like 'now,' 'thus far,' and 'to and fro.' The entries indicate its usage in various contexts, but there is no significant disagreement among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הֵ֫נָּה 49 adv. hither

of place

of time

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2008 הֵ֫נָּה hither

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2008 hennah hane'-naw

from 2004; hither or thither (but used both of place and

time):--here, hither(-to), now, on this (that) side, + since,

this (that) way, thitherward, + thus far, to...fro, + yet.

see HEBREW for 02004

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הֵ֫נָּה (hen.nah) — here/thus.

here, there, now, hither

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adv — Adverb
HD
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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