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Genesis 49:20 — Word Study

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WLCמֵאָשֵׁ֖ר שְׁמֵנָ֣ה לַחְמ֑וֹ וְה֥וּא יִתֵּ֖ן מַֽעֲדַנֵּי־ מֶֽלֶךְ׃ ס

BSAAsher’sʼÂshêr [descendants will eat] foodlechem [bread, grain, or nourishment] will be richshâmên [fat, abundant, and rich] hehûwʼ [as a tribe or nation] shall providenâthan [yield, give, or offer] royalmelek [fit for a king, luxurious] delicaciesmaʻădân [dainties, pleasures, or fine dishes]

Word
Listen & take awayGenesis 49
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 (Me.lekh) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Genesis 49:20quick helps
In a sentenceAsher's descendants will enjoy abundant food and provide luxurious delicacies.
Who is speakingJacob, blessing his sons and prophesying their futures.
Where we areThe blessings of Jacob to his sons, specifically addressing Asher.
The hard wordמַֽעֲדַנֵּי־
Take awayThe blessings promise prosperity and abundance for the tribe of Asher.
7 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectהוּא verbנָתַן 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 49:20

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 Blessing of Jacob to His Sonsgenerated

19Gad will be attacked by raiders, but he will attack their heels.
20Asher’s food will be rich; he shall provide royal delicacies.
21Naphtali is a doe set free that bears beautiful fawns.
22Joseph is a fruitful vine— a fruitful vine by a spring, whose branches scale the wall.

Genesis 49:20 is part of Jacob's blessings to his sons, where he speaks about the future of each tribe. Asher, the eighth son of Jacob, is prophesied to have a rich and prosperous lineage, known for their abundance and royal provisions. This reflects the overall theme of blessings in this chapter, where each son receives a unique prophecy that speaks to their character and future role within the nation of Israel.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Genesis 30:13Leah said, “How happy I am! For the women call me happy.” So she named him Asher.
2Genesis 46:17The children of Asher: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, Beriah, and their sister Serah. The sons of Beriah: Heber and Malchiel.
3Deuteronomy 33:24–25And concerning Asher he said: “May Asher be the most blessed of sons; may he be the most favored among his brothers and dip his foot in oil.
4Joshua 19:24–31The fifth lot came out for the clans of the tribe of Asher:

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

Out of Asher his bread shall be fat, and he shall yield royal dainties.Genesis 30:13 Genesis 46:17 Deuteronomy 33:24–25 Joshua 19:24–31

The Key Word אָשֵׁר, me.'a.Shergenerated

The name אָשֵׁר (Asher) comes from a root meaning 'happy' or 'blessed'. Asher was one of the twelve tribes of Israel, and his descendants are associated with joy and prosperity. The parsing indicates that it is a proper noun, specifically a masculine noun, signifying a tribe or family lineage.

In this verse, Asher's name is tied to the promise of abundance, indicating that his descendants will experience a rich life, both materially and spiritually. The blessings associated with Asher highlight the tribe's future significance in Israel's history.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

In the Berean Standard Bible, the verse reads that Asher’s food will be rich, and he shall provide royal delicacies, which is consistent across other translations like the KJV and ASV.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The finite verb יִתֵּ֖ן (he will provide) governs the main clause, with the subject ה֥וּא (he) and the object מַֽעֲדַנֵּי־ (delicacies of) hanging off it. The structure emphasizes the action of providing, central to Asher's blessing.

The syntax shows a clear relationship between Asher's abundance and his role in providing for others, highlighting the theme of generosity and richness in the tribe's future.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, אָשֵׁר is rendered as ασηρ, maintaining the connection to the tribe's identity. This choice reflects the translators' intention to preserve the meaning of happiness associated with Asher.

The Greek word τρυφὴν for delicacies suggests a focus on luxury and enjoyment, aligning with the Hebrew context of royal provisions.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Genesis 49:20 tells us that Asher will have rich food and provide royal delicacies. This reflects the blessings Jacob gives to his sons, highlighting the prosperity and abundance that Asher's descendants will enjoy.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that Asher’s food will be rich?

It signifies that the tribe of Asher will experience abundance and prosperity in their provisions.

Why is the term 'delicacies' used in this verse?

Delicacies refer to luxurious and enjoyable foods, indicating that Asher's descendants will provide high-quality nourishment.

How does Asher's blessing compare to the blessings of other tribes?

Each tribe receives a unique blessing, with Asher's focusing on abundance and richness, while others may emphasize different qualities or attributes.

What significance does the tribe of Asher hold in Israel's history?

Asher is known for its fruitful land and happy people, contributing to the overall prosperity of the nation of Israel.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways can I recognize and appreciate the blessings in my own life, similar to Asher's abundance?
  2. How can I share my resources and blessings with others, reflecting the generosity of Asher?
  3. What does it mean to me that the tribe of Asher is associated with happiness and prosperity?
  4. How can I cultivate a spirit of gratitude for the provisions I have, as highlighted in this blessing?

The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it

Early Church Fathers have commented on this verse, interpreting it as a prophecy about abundance and spiritual nourishment, connecting it to the blessings of Christ.

Hippolytus of RomeON THE BLESSINGS OF ISAAC AND JACOB 24 c. 170–235
Here the prophet speaks obscurely either about the apostles, who had the duty to provide and distribute the bread of life, or about the Savior himself, since he foretells and let us know the bread descending from heaven,
Early Church Fathers on Genesis 49 →
Ambrose of MilanOn the Blessings of the Patriarchs c. 339–397
His bread shall be fat, and he shall yield royal dainties. The Latin interpretation of Aser signifies riches. Who then is rich, unless where the height of riches is wisdom and knowledge of God? Who is rich but the Lord Jesus,
Early Church Fathers on Genesis 49 →
Tyrannius RufinusTHE BLESSINGS OF THE PATRIARCHS 2.21 c. 344–411
Since Asher means “blessed,” the bread of that one whom, after being recalled from error to penitence, we lead step by step to the present state of blessedness, after his conversion, after the spiritual knowledge,
Early Church Fathers on Genesis 49 →

Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Genesis 49:20 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Out of Asher his bread shall be fat,.... Which signifies that this tribe would have a sufficiency of food out of their own land, without being obliged to others, and that it would be of the best

Read John Gill on Genesis 49 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Out of Asher his bread shall be fat, and he shall yield royal dainties. Out of Asher his bread shall be fat.

Read Robert Jamieson on Genesis 49 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

i.e. Out of the land of Asher. Or, As for or concerning Asher, his bread-corn shall be fuller and sweeter and better than ordinary; and he shall yield royal dainties; not only oil for ointments, but also delicious and excellent fruits, fit to be presented to a king. See ,25.

Read Matthew Poole on Genesis 49 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Genesis 49:20 Out of Asher his bread [shall be] fat, and he shall yield royal dainties.Ver. 20. Out of Asher his bread shall be fat.] The "heart of the wheat," as the psalmist hath it. Or, choicest bread corn. Moses expoundeth this; Asher shall "dip his foot in oil." That is, he shall dwell in "the horn of the son of oil," as the expression is. Or in a very fruitful corn country, which was a singular blessing, according to his name, which signifieth bliss and happiness. He shall yield dainties for a king.] Kings use to feed of the finest. Yet of Augustus we read, that he was never elaborate in his diet; but content with ordinary and common food. He never drank but thrice at one meal, and…

Read John Trapp on Genesis 49 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(20) Asher.—The territory of this tribe, extending along the coast from Mount Carmel to Lebanon, was very productive. Zebulun, the trading tribe, could reach the sea only through their possessions.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Genesis 49 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

20. Out of Asher] Almost certainly the marg. gives the right reading, Asher, his bread &c. The preposition rendered “out of” is the letter m, which is superfluous here, but is required for the pronoun “their,” in the words “their heel” at the close of the preceding verse. The name of the tribe will then open the verse as a kind of nominativus pendens, i.e. “As for Asher, his bread, &c.” Cf. Deuteronomy 32:4, “The Rock, his work is perfect.” So the versions, LXX, Lat., Syr. bread shall be fat] Cf. Deuteronomy 33:24, “Blessed be Asher … and let him dip his foot in oil.” yield royal dainties] The fertility of Asher’s land will supply the wants of the kings of Tyre and Sidon. In Judges 5:17…

Read Cambridge on Genesis 49 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

20. Fat his bread — Grammatically, bread is in apposition with fat. The tribe of Asher occupied the rich and fertile region along the Mediterranean, north of Mount Carmel.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Genesis 49 →

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

Asher’s food will be rich; he shall provide royal delicacies.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

“Asher’s food will be rich. He will produce royal dainties.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Asher’s food will be rich; he shall provide royal delicacies.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Asher’s food will be rich, and he will provide delicacies to royalty.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

¶ Out of Asher his bread shall be fat, and he shall yield royal dainties.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Out of Asher his bread shall be fat, And he shall yield royal dainties.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Out of Asher his bread shall be fat, And he shall yield royal dainties.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Out of Asher his bread shall be fat, and he shall yield royal dainties.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Concerning Asher, his bread shalbe fat, and he shall giue pleasures for a king.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Out of Asher, his bread shall be fat, And he will give royal dainties.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Out of Asher his bread [is] fat; And he giveth dainties of a king.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Out of Asher his bread [is] fat; And he gives delicacies of a king.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Out of Asher cometh fat bread, and he shall yield royal dainties.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Asher's food will be rich, and he will provide royal delicacies.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Aser, his bread shall be fat, and he shall yield dainties to kings.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Asher will have delicious food—he'll produce fancy food for royalty.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Asher's bread is fat; he gives delicate food for kings.

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.

clauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalמֵfromאָשֵׁ֖רAsherpredicateשְׁמֵנָ֣ה[will.be].richnoun phrase · subjectלַחְמ֑foodוֹhisוְandclausesubjectה֥וּאheverbיִתֵּ֖ןhe.will.providenoun phrase · objectמַֽעֲדַנֵּיdelicaciesמֶֽלֶךְof.a.king

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 on the wording of this verse, with all seven words matching in meaning. However, the Samaritan Pentateuch differs by using the word for 'fat' instead of 'rich', indicating a slight variation in the understanding of Asher's blessings.

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

מֵאָשֵׁ֖ר שְׁמֵנָ֣ה לַחְמ֑וֹ וְה֥וּא יִתֵּ֖ן מַֽעֲדַנֵּי־ מֶֽלֶךְ׃ ס

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
מֵאָשֵׁ֖רασηρשְׁמֵנָ֣הπίωνלַחְמ֑וֹαὐτοῦוְה֥וּאαὐτὸςיִתֵּ֖ןδώσειמַֽעֲדַנֵּי־τρυφὴνמֶֽלֶךְ׃ סἄρξουσιν

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

Samaritan Pentateuchthe Torah as the Samaritan community kept it

מאשׁר שׁמן לחמו והוא יתן מעדני מלך

1 word differs from the Masoretic Text: שׁמן (fat)

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 49:20אָשֵׁרfrom Asherfrom Asherאָשֵׁרשָׁמֵן[will be] r[will be] richשָׁמֵןלֶ֫חֶםfood hisfood hisלֶ֫חֶםהוּאand heand heהוּאנָתַןhe will prohe will provideנָתַןמַעֲדָןdelicacies delicacies ofמַעֲדָןמֶ֫לֶךְa kinga kingמֶ֫לֶךְאָשַׁרto blessto blessאָשַׁרשָׁמֵןto grow fato grow fatשָׁמֵןלָחַםto fightto fightלָחַםעָדַןto luxuriato luxuriateעָדַןמָלַךְto reignto reignמָלַךְנַפְתָּלִיNaphtaliNaphtaliנַפְתָּלִיזְבוּלֻןZebulunZebulunזְבוּלֻןמִרְעֶהpasturepastureמִרְעֶהרָחָבbroad: widbroad: wideרָחָבפַּתmorselmorselפַּתשָׂבֵעַto satisfyto satisfyשָׂבֵעַטָמֵאuncleanuncleanטָמֵאעֵתtimetimeעֵתנַחֲלָהinheritancinheritanceנַחֲלָהזֶ֫רַעseedseedזֶ֫רַענָתַןto give: gto give: giveנָתַןנְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּרNebuchadneNebuchadnezzarנְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּראַשּׁוּרAsshurAsshurאַשּׁוּר
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 49:20

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.

from Asher [will be] rich food his and he he will provide delicacies of a king
מֵאָשֵׁ֖רme.'a.Sher from Asher H836 Preposition · noun proper masculine
43× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Asher was the eighth son of Jacob and one of the twelve tribes of Israel, mentioned in Genesis 30:13. The tribe of Asher was known for its happy and blessed people. Asher is also the name of a region in Palestine.
Amplified meaning
descendants will eat
Tyndale gloss
Asher
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָשֵׁר (Asher) refers to a son of Jacob and Zilpah, as well as the tribe descended from him. The name means 'happy' and is also associated with a city east of Shechem. The entries note that Asher is linked to the Hebrew root for happiness, but there is a mention of potential translations related to wood in Ezekiel.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָשֵׁר n.pr.m. Asher (happy one, Felix)

son of Jacob and Zilpah

the tribe

n.pr.loc. city E. of Shechem

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H836 אָשֵׁר Asher

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

836 'Asher aw-share'

from 833, happy; Asher, a son of Jacob, and the tribe

descended from him, with its territory; also a place in

Palestine:--Asher

see HEBREW for 0833

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָשֵׁר (a.sher) — Asher.

A man of the tribe of Asher living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.30.13;

son of: Israel (H3478) and Zilpah (H2153);

brother of: Gad (H1410);

half-brother of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Judah (H3063), Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074), Dinah (H1783), Joseph (H3130) and Benjamin (H1144);

father of: Imnah (H3232), Ishvah (H3438), Ishvi (H3440), Beriah (H1283) and Serah (H8294); also translated "pine" or "cypress wood" at Ezk.27.6(?); Ashurite at 2Sa.2.9(?);

§ Asher = "happy"

1) son of Jacob and Zilpah

2) the tribe descended from Asher

3) a city east of Shechem in Manasseh

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-proper — Preposition · noun proper masculine
HR/Npm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Asher

Happy, Jacob’s eigth son; his mother was Zilpah, Leah’s handmaid (Gen. 30:13). Of the tribe founded by him nothing is recorded beyond its holding a place in the list of the tribes (35:26; 46:17; Ex. 1:4, etc.) It increased in numbers twenty-nine percent, during the thirty-eight years’ wanderings. The place of this tribe during the march through the desert was between Dan and Naphtali (Num. 2:27). The boundaries of the inheritance given to it, which contained some of the richest soil in Palestine, and the names of its towns, are recorded in Josh. 19:24-31; Judg. 1:31, 32. Asher and Simeon were the only tribes west of…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

a place which formed one boundary of the tribe of Manasseh on the south. (Joshua 17:7) Mr. Porter suggests that Teyasir may be the Asher of Manasseh. Handbook , p.348.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The eighth son of Jacob and second of Zilpah, Ge 30:13 35:26. On entering Canaan his tribe was the fifth in order, numbering fifty-three thousand four hundred. The portion of Asher lay along the seaboard, having Levanon and Zidon on the north, Carmel and the tribe of Issachar on the south, and Zebulun and Naphtali on the east. It was fruitful in grain, wine, oil, and minerals, Ge 49:20 De 33:24,25. How much of the Phoenician coast was included is uncertain, Jos 19:25,28; but the Asherites were unable to expel the Canaanites, and dwelt in part among them, Jud 1:31,32. They are honorably mentioned in the history of…

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

happiness

from Asher [will be] rich food his and he he will provide delicacies of a king
שְׁמֵנָ֣הshe.me.Nah [will be] rich H8082 Adj
10× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word describes something or someone as rich or fat, implying a sense of abundance or prosperity. It can also describe food that is rich or plentiful, or people who are strong and healthy. In the Bible, it is used to describe fertile land and abundant resources.
Amplified meaning
fat, abundant, and rich
Tyndale gloss
rich
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׁמֵן (shamen) means fat or robust, often used to describe richness, whether in food or in a person's physique. It is derived from a root meaning 'greasy' or 'gross.' The term conveys a sense of abundance or plenteousness.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁמֵן adj. fat, robust

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8082 שָׁמֵן fat, robust

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8082 shamen shaw-mane'

from 8080; greasy, i.e. gross; figuratively, rich:--fat,

lusty, plenteous.

see HEBREW for 08080

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁמֵן (sha.men) — rich.

1) fat, rich, robust

1a) fat, rich (of food)

1b) stout, robust (of men)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Adj
HAafsa
from Asher [will be] rich food his and he he will provide delicacies of a king
לַחְמ֑וֹlach.Mo food his H3899 Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
298× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word refers to food, especially bread or grain. It's used throughout the Bible to describe meals, sacrifices, and daily life, highlighting the importance of food in ancient Israelite culture.
Amplified meaning
bread, grain, or nourishment
Tyndale gloss
food
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

לֶ֫חֶם (lechem) means bread or food, encompassing items like grain and provisions for both humans and animals. It is derived from a related root and is used in various contexts, particularly in the Old Testament. The entries consistently emphasize its primary association with bread, though they also acknowledge its broader meaning as food.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לֶ֫חֶם 296 n.m. and (rarely) f. bread, food

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3899 לֶ֫חֶם bread, food

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3899 lechem lekh'-em

from 3898; food (for man or beast), especially bread, or

grain (for making it):--((shew-))bread, X eat, food, fruit,

loaf, meat, victuals. See also 1036.

see HEBREW for 03898

see HEBREW for 01036

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לֶ֫חֶם (le.chem) — food.

: food(eating)

1) bread, food, grain

1a) bread

1a1) bread

1a2) bread-corn

1b) food (in general)

לֶ֫חֶם (le.chem) — food: bread.

: bread/loaf

1) bread, food, grain

1a) bread

1a1) bread

1a2) bread-corn

1b) food (in general)

לֶ֫חֶם (le.chem) — food: allowance.

: allowance

1) bread, food, grain

1a) bread

1a1) bread

1a2) bread-corn

1b) food (in general)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-cs | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HNcmsc/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."

from Asher [will be] rich food his and he he will provide delicacies of a king
וְה֥וּאve.Hu' and he H1931 Conjunction · pronoun
1,879× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word is a pronoun meaning 'he', 'she', or 'it', used to refer to a person or thing. It is used in the Bible to emphasize a subject or make it clear who is being talked about.
Amplified meaning
as a tribe or nation
Tyndale gloss
he/she/it
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הוּא (hu) is a third-person singular pronoun meaning he, she, or it, used for emphasis or when no verb is present. It can also refer to oneself or serve as a demonstrative pronoun. The word has various nuances, including resuming the subject with emphasis or expressing it unobtrusively. It can indicate 'that' or 'those' when used with the definite article.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הוּא m. הִיא f., pron. of the 3rd ps. sing. he, she, used also (in both genders) for the neuter it

an emph. he (she, it, they), sometimes equivalent to himself (herself, itself, themselves), or (esp. with the art.) that (those)

It resumes the subj. with emph.

Where, however, the pron. follows the pred., its position gives it the minimum of emphasis, and it expresses (or resumes) the subject as unobtrusively as possible

It anticipates (as it seems) the subject

As an emph. predicate, of God

In a neuter sense, that, it (of an action, occurrence, matte, etc.)

With the art.: so regularly when joined to a subst. defined itself by the art.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1931 הוּא, הִיא he, she, used also (in both genders) for the neuter it . an emph. he (she, it, they), sometimes equivalent to himself (herself, itself, themselves), or (esp. with the art.) that (those)

. It resumes the subj. with emph.

. Where, however, the pron. follows the pred., its position gives it the minimum of emphasis, and it expresses (or resumes) the subject as unobtrusively as possible

. It anticipates (as it seems) the subject

. As an emph. predicate, of God

. In a neuter sense, that, it (of an action, occurrence, matte, etc.)

. With the art.: so regularly when joined to a subst. defined itself by the art.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1931 huw' hoo

of which the feminine (beyond the Pentateuch) is hiyw {he}; a

primitive word, the third person pronoun singular, he (she or

it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also

(intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same;

sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally

(instead of copula) as or are:--he, as for her, him(-self),

it, the same, she (herself), such, that (...it), these, they,

this, those, which (is), who.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הוּא (hu) — he/she/it.

pron 3p s

1) he, she, it

1a) himself (with emphasis)

1b) resuming subj with emphasis

1c) (with minimum emphasis following predicate)

1d) (anticipating subj)

1e) (emphasising predicate)

1f) that, it (neuter) demons pron

2) that (with article)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Pron — Conjunction · pronoun
HC/Pp3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ha: The fifth letter of the Hebrew alphabet; transliterated in this Encyclopedia as "h." It came also to be used for the number 5. For name, etc., see ALPHABET.

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
from Asher [will be] rich food his and he he will provide delicacies of a king
יִתֵּ֖ןyi.Ten he will provide H5414 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
2,011× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to give, put, or set something, with a wide range of applications. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus, describing God's actions and human interactions. The word is used to convey giving, selling, or exchanging something.
Amplified meaning
yield, give, or offer
Tyndale gloss
to give: give
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word נָתַן (natan) means 'to give' and encompasses a wide range of applications such as putting, setting, and making. It can also indicate actions like bestowing, delivering, and assigning. The entries describe its use in various forms, including Qal, Niphal, and Hophal, but do not present any significant disagreements among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נָתַן 2007 vb. give, put, set

Qal 1917

give

Put, set

Make, constitute

Niph.

82be given

Be put, set

Hoph.

be given, bestowed

= be given to one for wife

be put upon

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5414 נָתַן give, put, set .. give

. Put, set

. Make, constitute

. . be given

. Be put, set

. . . be given, bestowed

. = be given to one for wife

. be put upon

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5414 nathan naw-than'

a primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of

application (put, make, etc.):--add, apply, appoint, ascribe,

assign, X avenge, X be ((healed)), bestow, bring (forth,

hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, +

cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, X doubtless, X

without fail, fasten, frame, X get, give (forth, over, up),

grant, hang (up), X have, X indeed, lay (unto charge, up),

(give) leave, lend, let (out), + lie, lift up, make, + O that,

occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, X

pull , put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send

(out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), + sing, + slander,

strike, (sub-)mit, suffer, X surely, X take, thrust, trade,

turn, utter, + weep, + willingly, + withdraw, + would (to)

God, yield.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָתַן (na.tan) — to give: give.

: give/deliver/send/produce

1) to give, put, set

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to give, bestow, grant, permit, ascribe, employ, devote, consecrate, dedicate, pay wages, sell, exchange, lend, commit, entrust, give over, deliver up, yield produce, occasion, produce, requite to, report, mention, utter, stretch out, extend

1a2) to put, set, put on, put upon, set, appoint, assign, designate

1a3) to make, constitute

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be given, be bestowed, be provided, be entrusted to, be granted to, be permitted, be issued, be published, be uttered, be assigned

1b2) to be set, be put, be made, be inflicted

1c) (Hophal)

1c1) to be given, be bestowed, be given up, be delivered up

1c2) to be put upon

נָתַן (na.tan) — to give: put.

: put/set/apppoint

1) to give, put, set

1a) (Qal)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
HVqi3ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
from Asher [will be] rich food his and he he will provide delicacies of a king
מַֽעֲדַנֵּי־ma.'a.da.nei- delicacies of H4574 Noun common · masculine plural construct
3× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word refers to a delicacy or something that brings pleasure, like a favorite food. It can also mean delight or joy. The KJV translates it as dainty or delight.
Amplified meaning
dainties, pleasures, or fine dishes
Tyndale gloss
delicacy
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מַעֲדָן (ma`adan) refers to a delicacy or dainty food and can also imply delight or pleasure. It is derived from the root meaning to be pleasant or delightful. The term is used in contexts relating to enjoyable or refined food.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[מַעֲדָן] n.[m.] dainty (food), delight

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4574 [מַעֲדָן] dainty (food), delight

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4574 ma`adan mah-ad-awn'

or (feminine) maadannah {mah-ad-an-naw'}; from 5727; a

delicacy or (abstractly) pleasure (adverbially,

cheerfully):--dainty, delicately, delight.

see HEBREW for 05727

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מַעֲדָן (ma.a.dan) — delicacy.

dainty (food), delight

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-cp — Noun common · masculine plural construct
HNcmpc
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…

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
from Asher [will be] rich food his and he he will provide delicacies of a king
מֶֽלֶךְ׃ סMe.lekh a king H4428 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
2,526× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a king or royal person, like King David or King Saul. It can also describe something related to a king, like the King's Valley in Genesis. The Bible often uses this word to talk about the rulers of Israel.
Amplified meaning
fit for a king, luxurious
Tyndale gloss
King's
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word מֶ֫לֶךְ (*melek*) means 'king.' It is derived from a root that suggests royalty. The term appears in various contexts, including references to specific kings and locations, such as the 'King's Highway' in Numbers 20:17 and the 'King's Valley' in Genesis 14:17. The lexicons note its Aramaic equivalent and mention its use in the context of individuals like Hammelech in Jeremiah.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מֶ֫לֶךְ 2513 n.m. king

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4428 מֶ֫לֶךְ king

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4428 melek meh'-lek

from 4427; a king:--king, royal.

see HEBREW for 04427

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — king.

1) king

Aramaic equivalent: me.lekh (מֶ֫לֶךְ "king" H4430)

הַמֶּלֶךְ (me.lekh) — `the king`.

'the king' or a name, Hammelech in KJV of Jer.36.26; 38.6- a man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at Jer.36.26;

father of: Jerahmeel (H3396I) and Malchijah (H4441H); also translated "the king";

§ A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at Jer.36.26;

father of: Jerahmeel (H3396I) and Malchijah (H4441H); also translated "the king";

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — King's.

King's (Highway) (Num.20.17)

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — King's.

Another name of she.lach (שֶׁ֫לַח "Shelah" H7975A)

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — Milcom.

Another name of mo.lekh (מֹ֫לֶךְ "Molech" H4432)

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — King's.

King's (Valley) (Gen.14.17)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

King

Is in Scripture very generally used to denote one invested with authority, whether extensive or limited. There were thirty-one kings in Canaan (Josh. 12:9, 24), whom Joshua subdued. Adonibezek subdued seventy kings (Judg. 1:7). In the New Testament the Roman emperor is spoken of as a king (1 Pet. 2:13, 17); and Herod Antipas, who was only a tetrarch, is also called a king (Matt. 14:9; Mark 6:22).

This title is applied to God (1 Tim. 1:17), and to Christ, the Son of God (1 Tim. 6:15, 16;

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Called KING OF KINGS Ezr 7:12; Eze 26:7; Da 2:37

→ Divinely authorized De 17:15; 1Sa 9:16,17; 16:12; 1Ch 22:10; 2Ch 2:11,12; Pr 8:15; Da 2:21,37; 4:17; 5:20; Ho 8:4; 13:11

→ How chosen

By divine appointment, Saul 1Sa 10:1

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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