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Genesis 47:2 — Word Study

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WLCוּמִקְצֵ֣ה אֶחָ֔יו לָקַ֖ח חֲמִשָּׁ֣ה אֲנָשִׁ֑ים וַיַּצִּגֵ֖ם לִפְנֵ֥י פַרְעֹֽה׃

BSAAnd he choselâqach [selected, took] fivechâmêsh [a quantity of five men] his brothersʼâch [male siblings, relatives] and presented themyâtsag [set, introduced] beforepânîym [in the presence of, face to face with] PharaohParʻôh [the king of Egypt, a powerful leader]

Word
Listen & take awayGenesis 47
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 2 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 (far.'Oh) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Genesis 47:2quick helps
In a sentenceJoseph selects five of his brothers to introduce them to Pharaoh.
Who is speakingJoseph, presenting his brothers to Pharaoh.
Where we areJoseph's interaction with Pharaoh regarding his family.
The hard wordוַיַּצִּגֵ֖ם
Take awayJoseph actively chooses and presents his family to the ruler.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbלָקַח 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 47:2

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 Presents His Brothers to Pharaohgenerated

1So Joseph went and told Pharaoh: “My father and my brothers, with their flocks and herds and all they own, have come from the land of Canaan and are now in Goshen.”
2And he chose five of his brothers and presented them before Pharaoh.
3“What is your occupation?” Pharaoh asked Joseph’s brothers. “Your servants are shepherds,” they replied, “both we and our fathers.”
4Then they said to Pharaoh, “We have come to live in the land for a time, because there is no pasture for the flocks of your servants, since the famine in the land of Canaan has been severe. So now, please allow your servants to settle in the land of Goshen.”

Genesis 47:2 describes Joseph's action of choosing five of his brothers to present them to Pharaoh. This moment highlights Joseph's role in bridging his family's needs with the authority of Egypt, as they seek refuge during a time of famine. The surrounding verses illustrate the context of their arrival and the discussions about their occupation and needs in the land of Goshen.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Acts 7:13On their second visit, Joseph revealed his identity to his brothers, and his family became known to Pharaoh.
22 Corinthians 4:14knowing that the One who raised the Lord Jesus will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in His presence.
3Colossians 1:28We proclaim Him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.
4Jude 1:24Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you unblemished in His glorious presence, with great joy—

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


The Key Word לָקַ֖ח, la.Kachgenerated

The verb לָקַח (*laqach*) means 'to take' and encompasses a variety of actions, including receiving, seizing, or capturing. In this context, it indicates Joseph's deliberate choice to take five men from his family for a specific purpose.

The parsing as a perfect tense verb shows that this action has been completed in the past, emphasizing Joseph's decisive role in presenting his brothers to Pharaoh.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The finite verbs לָקַח and וַיַּצִּגֵ֖ם govern the main actions of the verse. The structure shows Joseph's choice followed by the act of presenting, indicating a clear sequence of actions.

The sentence flows from the subject (Joseph) taking his brothers to the subsequent action of presenting them to Pharaoh, illustrating a straightforward narrative style.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates לָקַח as παρέλαβεν, which also means 'to take' but carries a connotation of receiving or accepting. This choice aligns with the context of Joseph's familial relationships and his role in Egypt.

The Greek word for 'presented,' ἔστησεν, suggests a formal introduction, emphasizing the significance of the moment in the royal presence.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Genesis 47:2 tells us that Joseph chose five of his brothers to present them to Pharaoh. This action is significant as it shows Joseph's initiative in introducing his family to the ruler of Egypt, emphasizing their need for support during a time of famine.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

Why did Joseph choose five of his brothers?

Joseph selected five brothers to represent his family before Pharaoh, likely to facilitate their acceptance and support in Egypt.

What does the act of presenting imply?

Presenting his brothers to Pharaoh implies a formal introduction and the importance of their relationship to Joseph and their need for assistance.

How does this action reflect Joseph's position?

Joseph's action reflects his elevated status in Egypt and his desire to help his family during a time of crisis.

What can we learn from Joseph's choice?

Joseph's choice demonstrates the importance of family support and the proactive steps one can take to assist loved ones in difficult situations.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. How do I see the importance of family in my own life, similar to Joseph's relationship with his brothers?
  2. In what ways can I take initiative to support my loved ones during challenging times?
  3. What does it mean to present someone to an authority figure, and how can I apply that in my own context?
  4. How can Joseph's story inspire me to navigate relationships in times of need?

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Genesis 47:2 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

And he took some of his brethren,.... Along with him, when he left his father in Goshen; the word for "some" signifies the extremity of a thing: hence some have fancied that he took some of the

Read John Gill on Genesis 47 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And he took some of his brethren, even five men, and presented them unto Pharaoh. Took some of his brethren - probably the five oldest brothers, seniority being the least invidious principle of selection.

Read Robert Jamieson on Genesis 47 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Some of his brethren, or part, as this Hebrew word is used, ; or the extremity, or end, or tail of them, i.e. the meanest of them for person and presence, as the word is taken , lest if he, had presented the goodliest of them, Pharaoh might have required their attendance upon him, either at court or camp. And for the same reason for which he did industriously represent them to Pharaoh as contemptible in their employment, he might also present those to him who were so in their persons.

Read Matthew Poole on Genesis 47 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Genesis 47:2 And he took some of his brethren, [even] five men, and presented them unto Pharaoh.Ver. 2. Even five men.] R. Solomon telleth us (but who told him?) which five they were; sc., Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Issachar, and Benjamin.

Read John Trapp on Genesis 47 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(2) Even five men.—As the number “five” appears again and again in this narrative (Genesis 43:34; Genesis 45:22), it may have had some special importance among the Egyptians, like the number seven among the Jews.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Genesis 47 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 2. He took some of his brethren] There is something very strange in the original; literally translated it signifies "from the end or extremity (מקצה miktseh) of his brethren he took five men." This has been understood six different ways. 1. Joseph took five of his brethren that came first to hand - at random, without design or choice. 2. Joseph took five of the meanest-looking of his brethren to present before Pharaoh, fearing if he had taken the sightliest that Pharaoh would detain them for his service, whereby their religion and morals might be corrupted. 3. Joseph took five of the best made and finest-looking of his brethren, and presented them before Pharaoh, wishing to impress…

Read AdamClarke on Genesis 47 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

2. five men] How the five were selected we are not told. On the number “5” in connexion with Egypt, see note on Genesis 43:34. Cf. Genesis 47:24, Genesis 41:34, Genesis 43:34, Genesis 45:22; Isaiah 19:18.

Read Cambridge on Genesis 47 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

TO PHARAOH, AND IN EGYPT, Genesis 47:1-12. 1-3. They said unto Pharaoh, Thy servants are shepherds — “The Egyptian monuments abundantly illustrate the hatred and contempt which the ruling castes felt towards the shepherds.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Genesis 47 →

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

And he chose five of his brothers and presented them before Pharaoh.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

From among his brothers he took five men, and presented them to Pharaoh.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

And he chose five of his brothers and presented them before Pharaoh.

NETBNew English Translation2006

He took five of his brothers and introduced them to Pharaoh.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And he took some of his brethren, even five men, and presented them unto Pharaoh.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And from among his brethren he took five men, and presented them unto Pharaoh.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And from among his brethren he took five men, and presented them unto Pharaoh.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And he took some of his brethren, even five men, and presented them to Pharaoh.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

And Ioseph tooke part of his brethren, euen fiue men, and presented them vnto Pharaoh.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And he took from the whole number of his brethren, five men, and set them before Pharaoh.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And out of his brethren he hath taken five men, and setteth them before Pharaoh;

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And out of his brothers he has taken five men, and sets them before Pharaoh;

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And he took some of his brothers, five men, and presented them before Pharaoh.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

He took five of his brothers and introduced them to Pharaoh.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Five men also the last of his brethren, he presented before the king:

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Joseph took five of his brothers to go with him and introduced them to Pharaoh.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And he took five of his brothers to Pharaoh.

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.

וּandclauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalמִfromnoun phraseקְצֵ֣הthe.endnoun phraseאֶחָ֔יhis.brothersוhisverbלָקַ֖חhe.tooknoun phrase · objectחֲמִשָּׁ֣הfiveאֲנָשִׁ֑יםmenוַandclauseverbיַּצִּגֵ֖heobjectםpresented.themprepositional phrase · prepositionalלִbeforenoun phraseפְנֵ֥יbeforeפַרְעֹֽהPharaoh

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 show agreement in the main structure of the verse, with all words matched. However, the Samaritan Pentateuch introduces a variation with the word עמו (with), indicating a slightly different nuance in the presentation.

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

וּמִקְצֵ֣ה אֶחָ֔יו לָקַ֖ח חֲמִשָּׁ֣ה אֲנָשִׁ֑ים וַיַּצִּגֵ֖ם לִפְנֵ֥י פַרְעֹֽה׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וּמִקְצֵ֣הἀπὸאֶחָ֔יוαὐτοῦלָקַ֖חπαρέλαβενחֲמִשָּׁ֣הπέντεאֲנָשִׁ֑יםἄνδραςוַיַּצִּגֵ֖םαὐτοὺςלִפְנֵ֥יἐναντίονפַרְעֹֽה׃φαραω

8 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

ומקצה אחיו לקח עמו חמשׁה אנשׁים ויצגם לפני פרעה

1 word differs from the Masoretic Text: עמו (with)

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 47:2קָצֶהand from [tand from [the] קָצֶהאָחbrothers hibrothers hisאָחלָקַחhe tookhe tookלָקַחחָמֵשׁfivefiveחָמֵשׁאֱנוֹשׁmenmenאֱנוֹשׁיָצַגand he presand he presenteיָצַגפָּנֶהbeforebeforeפָּנֶהפַּרְעֹהPharaohPharaohפַּרְעֹהקָצָהto cut offto cut offקָצָהאָנַשׁbe incurabbe incurableאָנַשׁפָּנָהCorner (GaCorner (Gate)פָּנָהאָבfatherfatherאָביוֹסֵףJosephJosephיוֹסֵףגְּבוּלborder: boborder: boundarגְּבוּלעֵשָׂו(Mount) Es(Mount) Esauעֵשָׂומוּסָרdisciplinedisciplineמוּסָראִשָּׁהwomanwomanאִשָּׁהכֶּ֫בֶשׂlamblambכֶּ֫בֶשׂאַמָּהcubitcubitאַמָּהבְּלִיַּ֫עַלBelial: woBelial: worthleבְּלִיַּ֫עַלעַיAiAiעַידָּגוֹןDagonDagonדָּגוֹןאֲרוֹןarkarkאֲרוֹןסָתַרto hideto hideסָתַרנוּסto fleeto fleeנוּסמִצְרַ֫יִם(Sea of) E(Sea of) Egyptמִצְרַ֫יִם
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 47:2

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 from [the] end of brothers his he took five men and he presented them before Pharaoh
וּמִקְצֵ֣הu.mik.Tzeh and from [the] end of H7097 Conjunction · preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
97× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the book of Joshua, this word refers to an end or border of a territory. It can also mean the edge or brink of something. This concept is used to describe the boundaries of the Promised Land.
Tyndale gloss
end
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

קָצֶה (qatseh) means 'end' or 'extremity' and can refer to various contexts such as borders, edges, and limits. It is derived from a root meaning to cut off and encompasses a range of applications, including the idea of the whole as defined by its extremities. Another form, קֵ֫צֶה (qetseh), also means 'end'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

קָצֶה 92 n.[m.] end, extremity

base

קֵ֫צֶה n.[m.] end

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7097a קָצֶה end, extremity H7097b קֵ֫צֶה end

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7097 qatseh kaw-tseh'

or (negative only) qetseh {kay'-tseh}; from 7096; an

extremity (used in a great variety of applications and idioms;

compare 7093):--X after, border, brim, brink, edge, end,

(in-)finite, frontier, outmost coast, quarter, shore,

(out-)side, X some, ut(-ter-)most (part).

see HEBREW for 07096

see HEBREW for 07093

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קָצֶה (qa.tseh) — end.

1) end, extremity

1a) end, mouth, extremity

1b) border, outskirts

1c) the whole (condensed term for what is included within extremities)

1d) at the end of (a certain time)

Also means: qe.tseh (קֵ֫צֶה "end" H7097B)

קֵ֫צֶה (qe.tseh) — end.

end

Another spelling of qa.tseh (קָצֶה "end" H7097A)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HC/R/Ncmsc — Conjunction · preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
HC/R/Ncmsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ov:

(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Lamentations 3:1.

The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.

Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.

That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.

Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…

and from [the] end of brothers his he took five men and he presented them before Pharaoh
אֶחָ֔יו'e.Chav brothers his H251 Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
630× 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 a brother or male sibling, but it can also refer to a close relative, friend, or someone with a similar relationship. It is used to describe the bond between brothers, like the relationship between Cain and Abel in Genesis.
Amplified meaning
male siblings, relatives
Tyndale gloss
brother: male-sibling
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָח (ach) means 'brother' and encompasses a broad range of relationships, including literal siblings, half-brothers, and metaphorical kinship. It can refer to any male relative or compatriot, and it may also imply resemblance or reciprocal relationships. The term is used in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, highlighting both familial and figurative connections.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָח 630 n.m. brother

brother, born of same mother (& father)

indef. = relative

fig. of resemblance

in phr. one … another

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H251 אָח brother

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

251 'ach awkh

a primitive word; a brother (used in the widest sense of

literal relationship and metaphorical affinity or resemblance

(like 1)):--another, brother(-ly); kindred, like, other.

Compare also the proper names beginning with "Ah-" or "Ahi-".

see HEBREW for 01

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָח (ach) — brother: male-sibling.

: male-sibling

1) brother

1a) brother of same parents

1b) half-brother (same father)

1c) relative, kinship, same tribe

1d) each to the other (reciprocal relationship)

1e) (fig.) of resemblance

אָח (ach) — brother: male-relative.

: male-relative

1) brother

1a) brother of same parents

1b) half-brother (same father)

1c) relative, kinship, same tribe

1d) each to the other (reciprocal relationship)

1e) (fig.) of resemblance

אָח (ach) — brother: compatriot.

: compatriot

1) brother

1a) brother of same parents

1b) half-brother (same father)

1c) relative, kinship, same tribe

1d) each to the other (reciprocal relationship)

1e) (fig.) of resemblance

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
HNcmpc/Sp3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hiz: Used often in the King James Version with reference to a neuter or inanimate thing, or to a lower animal (Ge 1:11, "after his kind"; Le 1:16, "pluck away his crop"; Ac 12:10, "of his own accord"; 1Co 15:38, "his own body"), etc. the Revised Version (British and American) substitutes "its."

and from [the] end of brothers his he took five men and he presented them before Pharaoh
לָקַ֖חla.Kach he took H3947 Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singular
966× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to take or get something, and it is used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to take a wife, to take possession of something, or to receive a gift. For example, in Genesis 2:22, God takes a rib from Adam to create Eve.
Amplified meaning
selected, took
Tyndale gloss
to take: take
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word לָקַח (*laqach*) means 'to take' and encompasses a wide range of actions, including to receive, seize, capture, and carry away. It can refer to taking something in hand, taking a wife, or even taking vengeance. The verb has various forms indicating different nuances, such as being taken away or captured.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לָקַח 965 vb. take

Qal

take, take in hand

take and carry along with oneself

take from, or out of

take, carry away

take away from, so as to deprive of

esp. take away life

take to or for a person

take up, upon = put upon

= fetch

take = lead, conduct (with or without contact)

take = capture, seize

take = carry off

in phr. take vengeance

Niph.

be captured, of ark

be taken away, removed

be taken, brought unto

Pu.

be taken from, out of

= be stolen from

be taken captive

be taken away, removed

Hoph.

be taken, brought unto

be taken out of

be taken away from

Hithp. lit. fire taking hold of itself, of lightning

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3947 לָקַח take .. take, take in hand

. take and carry along with oneself

. . take from, or out of

. take, carry away

. take away from, so as to deprive of

. esp. take away life

. take to or for a person

. take up, upon = put upon

. = fetch

. take = lead, conduct (with or without contact)

. take = capture, seize

. take = carry off

. in phr. take vengeance

. . be captured, of ark

. be taken away, removed

. be taken, brought unto

. . be taken from, out of

. = be stolen from

. be taken captive

. be taken away, removed

. . be taken, brought unto

. be taken out of

. be taken away from

. lit. fire taking hold of itself, of lightning

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3947 laqach law-kakh'

a primitive root; to take (in the widest variety of

applications):--accept, bring, buy, carry away, drawn, fetch,

get, infold, X many, mingle, place, receive(-ing), reserve,

seize, send for, take (away, -ing, up), use, win.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לָקַח (la.qach) — to take: take.

: take

1) to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to take, take in the hand

1a2) to take and carry along

1a3) to take from, take out of, take, carry away, take away

1a4) to take to or for a person, procure, get, take possession of, select, choose, take in marriage, receive, accept

1a5) to take up or upon, put upon

1a6) to fetch

1a7) to take, lead, conduct

1a8) to take, capture, seize

1a9) to take, carry off 1a10) to take (vengeance)

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be captured

1b2) to be taken away, be removed

1b3) to be taken, brought unto

1c) (Pual)

1c1) to be taken from or out of

1c2) to be stolen from

1c3) to be taken captive

1c4) to be taken away, be removed

1d) (Hophal)

1d1) to be taken unto, be brought unto

1d2) to be taken out of

1d3) to be taken away

1e) (Hithpael)

1e1) to take hold of oneself

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-3ms — Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singular
HVqp3ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and from [the] end of brothers his he took five men and he presented them before Pharaoh
חֲמִשָּׁ֣הcha.mi.Shah five H2568 Adj
343× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word simply means the number five. It is used throughout the Bible to describe quantities of five, such as five loaves of bread in Matthew 14:17. It can also mean a multiple of five.
Amplified meaning
a quantity of five men
Tyndale gloss
five
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חָמֵשׁ (chamesh) means 'five' in Hebrew. It serves as both a cardinal number and can indicate a multiple of five when combined with another number. The word also has an ordinal form, 'fifth.' The entries consistently define this numeral without any noted disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חָמֵשׁ, חֲמִשָּׁה 342 n.m. and f. five

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2568 חָמֵשׁ, חֲמִשָּׁה five

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2568 chamesh khaw-maysh'

masculine chamishshah {kham-ish-shaw}; a primitive numeral;

five:--fif(-teen), fifth, five (X apiece).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חָמֵשׁ (cha.mesh) — five.

1) five

1a) five (cardinal number)

1b) a multiple of five (with another number)

1c) fifth (ordinal number)

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

fiv (chamesh; pente).

See NUMBER.

and from [the] end of brothers his he took five men and he presented them before Pharaoh
אֲנָשִׁ֑ים'a.na.Shim men H582 Noun common · masculine plural absolute
566× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Enosh refers to a human or mankind in general, used to describe individuals or people as a whole in the Bible.
Tyndale gloss
human
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֱנוֹשׁ (enowsh) refers to man or mankind, often used in a poetic context. It denotes a mortal individual, distinguishing humans from more dignified terms for man. The word encompasses both singular and collective meanings, indicating people or persons in general. Its Aramaic equivalent is אֱנָשׁ (e.nash), also meaning 'man'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֱנוֹשׁ n.m. man, mankind, mostly poet.

of individ.

coll. men

man, mankind

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H582 אֱנוֹשׁ man, mankind, mostly poet.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

582 'enowsh en-oshe'

from 605; properly, a mortal (and thus differing from the

more dignified 120); hence, a man in general (singly or

collectively):--another, X (blood-)thirsty, certain,

chap(-man); divers, fellow, X in the flower of their age,

husband, (certain, mortal) man, people, person, servant, some

( X of them), + stranger, those, + their trade. It is often

unexpressed in the English versions, especially when used in

apposition with another word . Compare 376.

see HEBREW for 0605

see HEBREW for 0120

see HEBREW for 0376

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֱנוֹשׁ (e.nosh) — human.

1) man, mortal man, person, mankind

1a) of an individual

1b) men (collective)

1c) man, mankind

Aramaic equivalent: e.nash (אֱנָשׁ "man" H0606)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcmpa — Noun common · masculine plural absolute
HNcmpa
and from [the] end of brothers his he took five men and he presented them before Pharaoh
וַיַּצִּגֵ֖םvai.ya.tzi.Gem and he presented them H3322 Verb hiphil sequential imperfect third person masculine singular · suffix
16× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To set something in place permanently, like establishing a foundation, as seen in Exodus and Leviticus. It means to put something in a fixed position. This concept is used in various contexts, including setting up a tent or a monument.
Amplified meaning
set, introduced
Tyndale gloss
to set
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָצַג (yatsag) is a Hebrew verb meaning to set or place. It has a Hiphil form that conveys actions like establishing or presenting, while the Hophal form indicates being stopped or detained. The word encompasses a range of meanings related to positioning or establishing something permanently.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[יָצַג] vb. Hiph. set, place

Hiph. set, place

Hoph. be stayed, stopped, detained

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3322 [יָצַג] Hiph. set, place

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3322 yatsag yaw-tsag'

a primitive root; to place permanently:--establish, leave,

make, present, put, set, stay.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָצַג (ya.tsag) — to set.

1) to place, set, establish

1a) (Hiphil)

1a1) to set, place

1a2) to present

1a3) to exhibit

1b) (Hophal) to be stopped, be stayed, be detained

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Hiphil-ConsecImperf-3ms | Suff — Verb hiphil sequential imperfect third person masculine singular · suffix
Hc/Vhw3ms/Sp3mp
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and from [the] end of brothers his he took five men and he presented them before Pharaoh
לִפְנֵ֥יlif.Nei before H6440 Preposition · noun common masculine plural construct
2,127× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means face or presence, like being in front of someone or something. It's used in many contexts, like in Genesis, Exodus, and Psalms, to describe interactions and relationships.
Amplified meaning
in the presence of, face to face with
Tyndale gloss
face
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word פָּנֶה (*pāneh*) is a noun meaning 'face' or 'presence,' and it appears in various contexts, including the faces of seraphim and animals, as well as the surface of the ground. It can also function as an adverb meaning 'before' or 'in front of.' The word is built from a root that suggests turning or facing, and it encompasses a wide range of applications, both literal and figurative.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[פָּנֶה], pl. פָּנִים 2123 n.m. face, also faces

face, faces

presence, person

technically, see one's face, i.e. appear before one, in one's presence

face of seraphim

face of animals

face (= surface) of ground

as adv.loc. before

for other phrases

with prepositions

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6440 פָּנֶה, pl. פָּנִים face, also faces . . face, faces

. . presence, person

. technically, see one's face, i.e. appear before one, in one's presence

. face of seraphim

. face of animals

. face (= surface) of ground

. as adv. loc. before

. for other phrases

. with prepositions

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6440 paniym paw-neem'

plural (but always as singular) of an unused noun (paneh

{paw-neh'}; from 6437); the face (as the part that turns);

used in a great variety of applications (literally and

figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a

preposition (before, etc.):--+ accept, a-(be- )fore(-time),

against, anger, X as (long as), at, + battle, + because (of),

+ beseech, countenance, edge, + employ, endure, + enquire,

face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-part), form(-er

time, -ward), from, front, heaviness, X him(-self), +

honourable, + impudent, + in, it, look(-eth) (- s), X me, +

meet, X more than, mouth, of, off, (of) old (time), X on,

open, + out of, over against, the partial, person, + please,

presence, propect, was purposed, by reason of, + regard, right

forth, + serve, X shewbread, sight, state, straight, + street,

X thee, X them(-selves), through (+ - out), till, time(-s)

Read the full entry →
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

פָּנֶה (pa.neh) — face: before.

: before/to/front

1) face

1a) face, faces

1b) presence, person

1c) face (of seraphim or cherubim)

1d) face (of animals)

1e) face, surface (of ground)

1f) as adv of loc/temp

1f1) before and behind, toward, in front of, forward, formerly, from beforetime, before

1g) with prep

1g1) in front of, before, to the front of, in the presence of, in the face of, at the face or front of, from the presence of, from before, from before the face of

פָּנֶה (pa.neh) — face.

: face

1) face

1a) face, faces

1b) presence, person

1c) face (of seraphim or cherubim)

1d) face (of animals)

1e) face, surface (of ground)

1f) as adv of loc/temp

1f1) before and behind, toward, in front of, forward, formerly, from beforetime, before

1g) with prep

1g1) in front of, before, to the front of, in the presence of, in the face of, at the face or front of, from the presence of, from before, from…

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-cp — Preposition · noun common masculine plural construct
HR/Ncmpc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

be-for': The translation of a great variety of Hebrew and Greek words. "Haran died before (the English Revised Version "in the presence of," literally "before the face of") his father Terah" (Ge 11:28). To be "before" God is to enjoy His favor (Ps 31:22). "The Syrians before" (Isa 9:12 the Revised Version, margin "on the east," as "behind," owing to the position of Canaan, relative to Syria, implies the west).

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and from [the] end of brothers his he took five men and he presented them before Pharaoh
פַרְעֹֽה׃far.'Oh Pharaoh H6547 Noun
274× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, Pharaoh refers to the king of Egypt, a powerful leader with great authority. The word is used in many passages, including Genesis 12:15 and Exodus 1:9, to describe the ruler of Egypt. It is a title of respect and power.
Amplified meaning
the king of Egypt, a powerful leader
Tyndale gloss
Pharaoh
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word פַּרְעֹה (*par'oh*) means 'Pharaoh,' which is a title for Egyptian kings. It is derived from Egyptian and is commonly associated with various rulers mentioned throughout the Old Testament, including those during the time of the Patriarchs and the Divided Monarchy. The term translates to 'great house,' reflecting its significance in ancient Egypt.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

פַּרְעֹה 275 n.m. Pharaoh, title of Egyptian kings

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6547 פַּרְעֹה Pharaoh, title of Egyptian kings

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6547 Par`oh par-o'

of Egyptian derivation; Paroh, a general title of Egyptian

kings:--Pharaoh.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

פַּרְעֹה (par.oh) — Pharaoh.

A man of the Egyptians living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.12.15

§ Pharaoh = "great house"

the common title of the king of Egypt

פַּרְעֹה (par.oh) — Pharaoh.

A man of the Egyptians living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.37.36

Also named: Pharaō (Φαραώ "Pharaoh" G5328)

§ Pharaoh = "great house"

the common title of the king of Egypt

פַּרְעֹה (par.oh) — Pharaoh.

A man of the Egyptians living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Exo.1.11

Also named: Pharaō (Φαραώ "Pharaoh" G5328H)

§ Pharaoh = "great house"

the common title of the king of Egypt

פַּרְעֹה (par.oh) — Pharaoh.

A man of the Egyptians living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Exo.3.10

Also named: Pharaō (Φαραώ "Pharaoh" G5328I)

§ Pharaoh = "great house"

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun
HNtmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

fa'-ro, fa'-ra-o (par`oh; Pharao); Egyptian per aa, "great house"):em; the King James Version Pharacim): One of the families of temple-servants who returned with Zerubbabel (1 Esdras 5:31; not found in Ezra or Nehemiah).

1. The Use of Name in Egypt:

Many and strange differences of opinion have been expressed concerning the use of this name in Egypt and elsewhere, because of its importance in critical discussions (see below). Encyclopaedia Biblica says "a name given to all Egyptian kings in the Bible"; it also claims that the name could not have been received by the Hebrews before 1000 BC. HDB (III, 819) says that a letter was addressed to Amenhotep as "Pharaoh, lord of," etc. According to Winckler's theory of a North Arabian Musri, it was the Hebrews alone in ancient times who adopted the term Pharaoh from the Egyptians, the name not being found even in the Tell el-Amarna Letters or…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Pharaoh

The official title borne by the Egyptian kings down to the time when that country was conquered by the Greeks. (See EGYPT.) The name is a compound, as some think, of the words Ra, the “sun” or “sun-god,” and the article phe, “the,” prefixed; hence phera, “the sun,” or “the sun-god.” But others, perhaps more correctly, think the name derived from Perao, “the great house” = his majesty = in Turkish, “the Sublime Porte.”

(1.) The Pharaoh who was on the throne when Abram went down into Egypt (Gen. 12:10-20) was probably one of the Hyksos, or “shepherd kings.” The Egyptians called the nomad tribes of Syria Shasu, “plunderers,” their king or chief Hyk, and hence the name of those invaders who conquered the native kings and established a strong government, with Zoan or Tanis as their capital. They were of…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

the common title of the native kings of Egypt in the Bible, corresponding to P-ra or Ph-ra "the sun," of the hieroglyphics. Brugsch, Ebers and other modern Egyptologists define it to mean ’the great house," which would correspond to our "the Sublime Porte." As several kings are mentioned only by the title "Pharaoh" in the Bible, it is important to endeavor to discriminate them: The Pharaoh of Abraham . (Genesis 12:15) --At the time at which the patriarch went into Egypt, it is generally held that the country, or at least lower Egypt, was ruled by the Shepherd kings, of whom the first and moat powerful line was the fifteenth dynasty, the undoubted territories of which would be first entered by one coming from the east. The date at which Abraham visited Egypt was about B.C. 2081, which would accord with the time of Salatis the head of…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Is properly an Egyptian word adopted into the Hebrew, and signifies king; so that when we find this name it means everywhere the king. Thus, also, Pharaoh Hophra is simply king Hophra.

Of the kings of Egypt, there are not less than twelve or thirteen mentioned in Scripture, all of whom bore the general title of Pharaoh, except four. Along with this title, two of them have also other proper names, Necho and Hophra. The following is their order. Some of them have been identified, by the labors of Champollion and others, with kings whose proper names we know from other sources, while others still remain in obscurity. Indeed, so brief, obscure, and conflicting are the details of Egyptian history and ancient chronology, which no name before that of Shishak can be regarded as identified beyond dispute.

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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