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Habakkuk 2:7 — Word Study

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WLCהֲל֣וֹא פֶ֗תַע יָק֙וּמוּ֙ נֹשְׁכֶ֔יךָ וְיִקְצ֖וּ מְזַעְזְעֶ֑יךָ וְהָיִ֥יתָ לִמְשִׁסּ֖וֹת לָֽמוֹ׃

BSAWill notlôʼ [certainly, surely] your creditorsnâshak [those to whom you owe, debtors] suddenlypethaʻ [in an instant, without warning] ariseqûwm [stand up, take action] and those who disturb youzûwaʻ [tremble, shake] Then you will becomehâyâh [be made, come to be] their preymᵉshiççâh [plunder, spoil, booty]

Word
Listen & take awayHabakkuk 2
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 7 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 (la.mo) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Habakkuk 2:7quick helps
In a sentenceThe verse warns that creditors will rise suddenly, and those who disturb will awaken, leading to the debtor becoming prey.
Who is speakingThe prophet Habakkuk addresses those who have wronged others.
Where we areThis verse is part of a taunt against the oppressor, highlighting the consequences of unjust actions.
The hard wordמְזַעְזְעֶיךָ, me.za'.ze.'Ei.kha
Take awayThe sudden rise of creditors signifies impending judgment.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbקוּם 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 — Habakkuk 2:7

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 Consequences of Oppressiongenerated

6Will not all of these take up a taunt against him, speaking with mockery and derision: ‘Woe to him who amasses what is not his and makes himself rich with many loans! How long will this go on?’
7Will not your creditors suddenly arise and those who disturb you awaken? Then you will become their prey.
8Because you have plundered many nations, the remnant of the people will plunder you— because of your bloodshed against man and your violence against the land, the city, and all their dwellers.
9Woe to him who builds his house by unjust gain, to place his nest on high and escape the hand of disaster!

Habakkuk 2:7 warns that those who exploit others will face sudden retribution from their creditors and those they have disturbed. This verse emphasizes the theme of divine justice, as it follows a series of declarations about the fate of the wicked. The surrounding verses illustrate the consequences of greed and violence, reminding readers of the inevitable judgment that follows such actions.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Proverbs 29:1A man who remains stiff-necked after much reproof will suddenly be shattered beyond recovery.
2Isaiah 13:1–5This is the burden against Babylon that Isaiah son of Amoz received:
3Isaiah 21:2–9A dire vision is declared to me: “The traitor still betrays, and the destroyer still destroys. Go up, O Elam! Lay siege, O Media! I will put an end to all her groaning.”
4Isaiah 41:25I have raised up one from the north, and he has come— one from the east who calls on My name. He will march over rulers as if they were mortar, like a potter who treads the clay.
5Isaiah 45:1–3This is what the LORD says to Cyrus His anointed, whose right hand I have grasped to subdue nations before him, to disarm kings, to open the doors before him, so that the gates will not be shut:

The Key Word הֲל֣וֹא, ha.Lo'generated

The Hebrew word לֹא (lo') is a particle meaning 'not' or 'no,' indicating negation or absence. It is used to emphasize the certainty of the statement that follows, in this case, questioning the inevitability of the creditors' actions.

This word serves as a strong negation, setting the tone for the verse and highlighting the urgency of the situation. The use of לֹא underscores the prophetic nature of Habakkuk's message, as he calls attention to the consequences that await the oppressors.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses will not for הֲל֣וֹא and suddenly for פֶ֗תַע.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The verse consists of multiple clauses, with the first clause introducing the question of the creditors' sudden rise — יָק֙וּמוּ, will they arise. This is followed by a second clause that questions whether those who disturb will awaken — וְיִקְצ֖וּ, and may they awake? The final clause presents the consequence: וְהָיִ֥יתָ, and you will become their prey.

The structure emphasizes the immediacy of the creditors' actions and the resulting fate of the debtor, creating a sense of urgency in the prophetic warning.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates הֲל֣וֹא as ὅτι, which introduces a reason or explanation. This choice indicates a shift in focus from a direct question to a statement about the consequences of actions.

The Greek word ἐχαίφνης for פֶ֗תַע captures the suddenness implied in the Hebrew, reinforcing the idea of unexpected action from the creditors.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Habakkuk 2:7 warns that creditors will rise suddenly and those who disturb will awaken, leading to the debtor becoming their prey. This verse emphasizes the consequences of unjust actions and the certainty of divine judgment.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that creditors will arise suddenly?

It indicates that those who have lent money or have a claim will take action unexpectedly, highlighting the urgency of the situation for the debtor.

Who are the ones that disturb?

The ones who disturb refer to those who cause trouble or fear, likely the oppressors in the context of the verse.

What does becoming their prey signify?

Becoming prey signifies being vulnerable to the consequences of one's actions, especially for those who have exploited others.

How does this verse relate to the theme of justice?

This verse illustrates the theme of divine justice, showing that those who exploit others will ultimately face retribution.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways have I seen justice served in situations of oppression?
  2. How can I ensure that my actions do not lead to the exploitation of others?
  3. What are some examples in my life where I have felt the weight of my choices?
  4. How can I respond when I see injustice in the world around me?

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Habakkuk 2:7 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Shall not they rise up suddenly that shall bite thee,.... Or, "thy usurers", or "creditors" (d), as some render it; the Christians, whose money, goods, and substance, they had spoiled them of, but

Read John Gill on Habakkuk 2 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee, and awake that shall vex thee, and thou shalt be for booties unto them? Shall they not rise up suddenly - the answer to the question, "how long?" (Habakkuk 2:6).

Read Robert Jamieson on Habakkuk 2 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Shall they not? this question doth more fully ascertain the thing. Rise up; either grow up, or else, as men who resolve to do a thing thoroughly, get upon their feet and stand to it. The Medes and Persians were growing to power, and would ere long rise up to ruin Babylon. Suddenly; and surprise it in security, so they were down ere they did perceive themselves falling; and such sudden ruin is most dreadful. Bite thee; devour and eat thee up. And awake; thou, O Belshazzar, (and Babylon with thee,) wilt in drunken slumbers (unable to resist) fall into the hands of the awakened Medes and Persians. Vex thee; as thou hast been, O Babylon, vexation to others by thy proud and insolent behaviour…

Read Matthew Poole on Habakkuk 2 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Habakkuk 2:7 Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee, and awake that shall vex thee, and thou shalt be for booties unto them?Ver. 7. Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee?] Rend and tear thee as hunting dogs do the beast they pursue. See Isaiah 13:14; Isaiah 13:21 Jeremiah 51:58. The interrogation here used importeth both the certainty of the thing and their security, as if no such thing could possibly befall them. Suddenly, therefore, saith the prophet, shalt thou be surprised and spoiled by the Persians, when thy city Babylon is held impregnable, and boasteth of provision enough laid in for twenty years’ siege. Security is the certain usher of destruction, as…

Read John Trapp on Habakkuk 2 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(7) Bite.—This verb nâshac also means “to oppress with usury,” and this is its force here. Thy turn shall come, and men shall exact usury from thee. Similarly, the verb translated “vex” is, literally, to shake violently, in allusion to a creditor’s forcible seizure of his debtor. (Comp. Matthew 18:28.) The prediction of Habakkuk in these verses was fulfilled by the rise of the Medo-Persian power, and the capture of Babylon by the forces of Cyrus, cir. B.C. 538.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Habakkuk 2 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 7. Shall they not rise up suddenly] Does not this refer to the sudden and unexpected taking of Babylon by Cyrus, whose troops entered into the city through the bed of the Euphrates, whose waters they had diverted by another channel; so that the Babylonians knew nothing of the matter till they saw the Persian soldiers rise up as in a moment, in the very heart of their city?

Read AdamClarke on Habakkuk 2 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

7. that shall bite thee] Such is the usual sense of the word, which is used of the serpent, Genesis 49:17; Numbers 21:8-9; cf. Micah 3:5. The term is employed here in a figurative sense of the attack of enemies. In one form the verb means to exact usury from one, Deuteronomy 23:20, and some would render here thy creditors. This double sense is supposed by some to be one of the taunting allusions (Habakkuk 2:6). shall vex thee] Or, violently shake thee. Ecclesiastes 12:3; Esther 5:9; cf. Daniel 5:19; Daniel 6:27; Deuteronomy 28:25; Isaiah 28:19.

Read Cambridge on Habakkuk 2 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Shall not they rise up suddenly that shall bite thee, and awake that shall vex thee? - The destruction of the wicked is ever sudden at last.

Read Albert Barnes on Habakkuk 2 →

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

Will not your creditors suddenly arise and those who disturb you awaken? Then you will become their prey.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Won’t your debtors rise up suddenly, and wake up those who make you tremble, and you will be their victim?

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Will not your creditors suddenly arise and those who disturb you awaken? Then you will become their prey.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Your creditors will suddenly attack; those who terrify you will spring into action, and they will rob you.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee, and awake that shall vex thee, and thou shalt be for booties unto them?

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee, and awake that shall vex thee, and thou shalt be for booty unto them?

RVARevised Version, American1894

Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee, and awake that shall vex thee, and thou shalt be for booties unto them?

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Shall they not rise suddenly that shall bite thee, and awake that shall disturb thee, and thou shalt be for booties to them?

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Shall they not rise vp suddenly, that shall bite thee? and awake, that shall stirre thee? and thou shalt be their praye?

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee, and they awake up that shall vex thee, and thou shalt be for booties unto them?

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Do not thy usurers instantly rise up, And those shaking thee awake up, And thou hast been for a spoil to them?

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Do your usurers not instantly rise up, || And those shaking you awake, || And you have been a spoil to them?

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Behold, suddenly will rise up those that afflict thee, and awake those that plague thee, and thou shalt become a booty unto them.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Will the ones biting at you not rise up suddenly, and the ones terrifying you awaken? You will become a victim for them.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee: and they be stirred up that shall tear thee, and thou shalt be a spoil to them?

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Won't your debtors suddenly act? Won't they wake up to the situation and make you tremble? You will be plunder for them!

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Will not your creditors suddenly be moved against you, and your troublers get up from their sleep, and you will be to them like goods taken in war?

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.

clauseהֲ?clauseל֣וֹאnotclauseclauseadverbialפֶ֗תַעsuddennessverbיָק֨וּמוּ֙will.they.arisenoun phrase · subjectנֹשְׁכֶ֔י[thoseךָwho].pay.interest.to.youוְandclauseverbיִקְצ֖וּwill.they.awake?noun phrase · subjectמְזַעְזְעֶ֑י[thoseךָwho.will].make.you.trembleוְandclauseverbהָיִ֥יתָyou.will.becomeprepositional phrase · prepositionalלִ(into)מְשִׁסּ֖וֹתplunder(s)prepositional phrase · prepositionalלָֽforמוֹthem

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


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

The Masoretic Text of Habakkuk 2:7 states, 'Will not your creditors suddenly arise and those who disturb you awaken? Then you will become their prey.' The Septuagint agrees with the Masoretic Text in meaning, though the word order and articles differ as it presents a word-by-word correspondence rather than a direct translation. The Dead Sea Scrolls (Mur88) also align closely with the Masoretic Text, although some words are partially restored or supplied by an editor. Overall, all ancient witnesses convey the same essential message, affirming the consistency of this verse across different textual traditions.

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

הֲל֣וֹא פֶ֗תַע יָק֙וּמוּ֙ נֹשְׁכֶ֔יךָ וְיִקְצ֖וּ מְזַעְזְעֶ֑יךָ וְהָיִ֥יתָ לִמְשִׁסּ֖וֹת לָֽמוֹ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
הֲל֣וֹאὅτιפֶ֗תַעἐχαίφνηςיָק֙וּמוּ֙ἀναστήσονταιנֹשְׁכֶ֔יךָαὐτόνוְיִקְצ֖וּἐκνήψουσινמְזַעְזְעֶ֑יךָσουוְהָיִ֥יתָἔσῃלִמְשִׁסּ֖וֹתδιαρπαγὴνלָֽמוֹ׃αὐτοῖς

9 of the 9 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.

Dead Sea Scrolls — Mur88a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[הלוא] [פתע] [יקומו] [נשכי׳ך] [ויקצו] מזעזעי׳ך [והיית] [למשסות] [ל׳מו]

nothing on the leather here — 1 partly restored, 8 supplied entire by an editor.

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.

Habakkuk 2:7לֹא¿ not¿ notלֹאפֶּתַעsuddenlysuddenlyפֶּתַעלֵבwill they awill they ariseלֵבנָשַׁךְ[those who][those who] payנָשַׁךְיָקַץand may theand may they awיָקַץזוּעַ[those who [those who willזוּעַהָיָהand you wiland you will beהָיָהמְשִׁסָּהplunderplunderמְשִׁסָּההֶםfor themfor themהֶםפִּתְאֹםsuddenlysuddenlyפִּתְאֹםשָׁסַסto plunderto plunderשָׁסַסהָוָאto fallto fallהָוָאיָכֹלbe ablebe ableיָכֹלעוֹדstillstillעוֹדמַרְפֵּאhealinghealingמַרְפֵּאנֶ֫דֶרvowvowנֶ֫דֶרעֵדwitnesswitnessעֵדלַ֫חַשׁcharmcharmלַ֫חַשׁנָחָשׁserpentserpentנָחָשׁיָשֵׁןsleepingsleepingיָשֵׁןבָּרִיאfatfatבָּרִיאלֵב(Leb)-kama(Leb)-kamaiלֵבלֹאnotnotלֹאבַּזplunderplunderבַּזבָּזַזto plunderto plunderבָּזַז
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 Habakkuk 2:7

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.

¿ not suddenly will they arise [those who] pay interest to you and may they awake? [those who will] make tremble you and you will become plunder for them
הֲל֣וֹאha.Lo' ¿ not H3808 Particle · particle
5,170× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Amplified meaning
certainly, surely
Tyndale gloss
not
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לֹא or לוֹא adv. not

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3808 lo' lo

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לֹא (lo) — not.

1) not, no

1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)

1b) not (with modifier-negation)

1c) nothing (subst)

1d) without (with particle)

1e) before (of time)

Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part | Part — Particle · particle
HTi/Tn
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
¿ not suddenly will they arise [those who] pay interest to you and may they awake? [those who will] make tremble you and you will become plunder for them
פֶ֗תַעFe.ta' suddenly H6621 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
7× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means suddenness or quickness, often used to describe something happening in an instant. It appears in the Bible to convey a sense of urgency or surprise. In the KJV, it is translated as 'at an instant' or 'suddenly'.
Amplified meaning
in an instant, without warning
Tyndale gloss
suddenness
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

פֶּתַע (petha`) refers to suddenness or an instant, derived from an unused root meaning to open the eyes. It conveys the idea of something happening quickly or unexpectedly. The entries consistently emphasize this notion of suddenness without notable disagreement among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

פֶּתַע subst. suddenness (√ unknown)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6621 פֶּתַע suddenness

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6621 petha` peh'-thah

from an unused root meaning to open (the eyes); a wink, i.e.

moment (compare 6597) (used only (with or without preposition)

adverbially, quickly or unexpectedly):--at an instant,

suddenly, X very.

see HEBREW for 06597

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

פֶּתַע (pe.ta) — suddenness.

suddenness, in an instant

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adv — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
¿ not suddenly will they arise [those who] pay interest to you and may they awake? [those who will] make tremble you and you will become plunder for them
יָק֙וּמוּ֙ya.Ku.mu will they arise H6965 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine plural
628× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Qum means to rise or stand up, used in various contexts like rising to power or standing firm, as seen in Jeremiah and Ezra.
Amplified meaning
stand up, take action
Tyndale gloss
(Leb)-kamai
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word קוּם (qum) is a primitive root meaning 'to rise' and encompasses a range of actions such as standing, becoming powerful, and establishing. It can imply a sudden or hostile rise, as well as the act of fulfilling or confirming something. The entries also note various grammatical forms, indicating its use in different contexts, including raising up or causing to stand.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לֵב קָמָי prob. late Atbash Je 51:1.

ref

קוּם 628 vb. arise, stand up, stand

Qal 460

arise

arise, in hostile sense (oft. with idea of suddenness)

arise, abs., = become powerful

arise = come on the scene, appear, of leader, prophet

arise for, i.e. to become

arise for action

arise (out of inaction), introducing some specific deed

esp. arise = start, make a move, to go somewhere

stand

Pi.

fulfil

confirm, ratify

confirm, establish

impose, an obligation

Pō‛l. raise up

Hithpō‛l. raise oneself, = rise up

Hiph.

146cause to arise, raise

raise, set up, stones

erect, build

fig, of setting up law

raise up = bring on the scene

raise up = rouse, stir up

instigate, build

fig, of setting up law

raise up = constitute

cause to stand

Hoph. be raised up

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6965a לֵב קָמָי prob. late Atbash H6965b קוּם arise, stand up, stand .. arise

. arise, in hostile sense (oft. with idea of suddenness)

. arise, abs., = become powerful

. arise = come on the scene, appear, of leader, prophet

. arise for, i.e. to become

. . arise for action

. arise (out of inaction), introducing some specific deed

. esp. arise = start, make a move, to go somewhere

. stand

. . fulfil

. . confirm, ratify

. confirm, establish

. impose, an obligation

. raise up

. raise oneself, = rise up

. . cause to arise, raise

. . raise, set up, stones

. erect, build

. fig, of setting up law

. raise up = bring on the scene

. . raise up = rouse, stir up

. instigate, build

. fig, of setting up law

. raise up = constitute

. cause to stand

. be raised up

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6965 quwm koom

a primitive root; to rise (in various applications, literal,

figurative, intensive and causative):--abide, accomplish, X

be clearer, confirm, continue, decree, X be dim, endure, X

enemy, enjoin, get up, make good, help, hold, (help to) lift

up (again), make, X but newly, ordain, perform, pitch, raise

(up), rear (up), remain, (a-)rise (up) (again, against), rouse

up, set (up), (e-)stablish, (make to) stand (up), stir up,

strengthen, succeed, (as-, make) sure(-ly), (be) up(-hold, -

rising).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קָמָי (qa.may) — (Leb)-kamai.

Combined with lev (לֵב "Leb" H3820B)

§ -Kamai = "my adversary"

Leb-kamai, i.e., people of Gambulai

קוּם (qum) — to arise: rise.

: rise/get_going

1) to rise, arise, stand, rise up, stand up

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to arise

1a2) to arise (hostile sense)

1a3) to arise, become powerful

1a4) to arise, come on the scene

1a5) to stand

1a5a) to maintain oneself

1a5b) to be established, be confirmed

1a5c) to stand, endure

1a5d) to be fixed

1a5e) to be valid

1a5f) to be proven

1a5g) to be fulfilled

1a5h) to persist

1a5i) to be set, be fixed

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to fulfil

1b2) to confirm, ratify, establish, impose

1c) (Polel) to raise up

1d) (Hithpael) to raise oneself, rise up

1e) (Hiphil)

1e1) to cause to arise, raise

1e2) to raise, set up, erect, build

1e3) to raise up, bring on the scene

1e4) to raise up, rouse, stir up, investigate

1e5) to raise up, constitute

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine plural
HVqi3mp
¿ not suddenly will they arise [those who] pay interest to you and may they awake? [those who will] make tremble you and you will become plunder for them
נֹשְׁכֶ֔יךָno.she.Khei.kha [those who] pay interest to you H5391 Verb qal participle (active) masculine plural common · suffix
16× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word refers to paying interest on a loan, often with excessive or unfair rates. It is condemned in the Bible as usury, and is seen in passages like Exodus 22:25 and Leviticus 25:35-37. The concept of fair lending is emphasized in the book of Deuteronomy.
Amplified meaning
those to whom you owe, debtors
Tyndale gloss
to bite
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נָשַׁךְ (nashak) primarily means 'to bite,' as in the action of striking with a sting, often associated with serpents. It also has a figurative sense related to financial transactions, specifically to 'pay interest' or 'lend upon usury.' The entries indicate that it can be used in different grammatical forms, such as Qal and Piel for biting, and Qal and Hiphil for lending with interest.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נָשַׁךְ vb. bite

Qal bite

Pi. and they shall bite you fatally

base

[נָשַׁךְ] vb. denom pay, give interest

Qal interest of anything off which one giveth interest

Hiph. make one give interest

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5391a נָשַׁךְ bite H5391b נָשַׁךְ vb. denom pay, give interest

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5391 nashak naw-shak'

a primitive root; to strike with a sting (as a serpent);

figuratively, to oppress with interest on a loan:--bite, lend

upon usury.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָשַׁךְ (na.shakh) — to bite.

1) to bite

1a) (Qal) to bite

1b) (Piel) to bite

נָשַׁךְ (na.shakh) — to pay interest.

1) to pay, give interest, lend for interest or usury

1a) (Qal) to give interest

1b) (Hiphil) to make to give interest

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal | Suff — Verb qal participle (active) masculine plural common · suffix
HVqrmpc/Sp2ms
¿ not suddenly will they arise [those who] pay interest to you and may they awake? [those who will] make tremble you and you will become plunder for them
וְיִקְצ֖וּve.yik.Tzu and may they awake? H3364 Conjunction · verb qal third person masculine plural
11× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to wake up or become active, and is used in the Bible to describe someone awakening from sleep. It is translated as 'awake' in the KJV.
Tyndale gloss
to awake
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָקַץ (yaqats) is a primitive root meaning 'to awake' or 'to become active.' The entries indicate it is used intransitively, focusing on the state of being awake or awakened.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[יָקַץ] vb. awake

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3364 יָקַץ awake

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3364 yaqats yaw-kats'

a primitive root; to awake (intransitive):--(be) awake(-d).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָקַץ (ya.qats) — to awake.

(Qal) to awake, awaken, become active

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HC/Vqu3mp — Conjunction · verb qal third person masculine plural
HC/Vqu3mp
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

a-wak' yaqats, ("to waken"; `ur, "to rouse up" from sleep; egeiro, "to arouse from sleep"): The ordinary terms for awaking from natural slumber: as of Jacob at Bethel (Ge 28:16); of Solomon at Gibeon (1Ki 3:15); of Jesus in the storm-tossed boat (Lu 8:24).

Used figure with striking effect of awaking from mental, moral and spiritual sleep: as when Deborah calls upon herself to awake to the fervor and eloquence of poetry (Jud 5:12); of Zion's awaking to moral vigor and beauty (Isa 52:1); of waking from spiritual death (Eph 5:14); from the grave in resurrection (

¿ not suddenly will they arise [those who] pay interest to you and may they awake? [those who will] make tremble you and you will become plunder for them
מְזַעְזְעֶ֑יךָme.za'.ze.'Ei.kha [those who will] make tremble you H2111 Verb piel participle (active) masculine plural common · suffix
3× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to tremble or shake with fear, like when God's people feared His power in Exodus. It describes a strong emotional response, often to something frightening or overwhelming. The prophet Isaiah used it to convey the fear of God's judgment.
Amplified meaning
tremble, shake
Tyndale gloss
to tremble
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

זוּעַ (zu'a) is a Hebrew verb meaning to tremble or quake. It conveys a sense of agitation or fear, with forms indicating both a simple act of trembling and a more intense shaking. The word appears in various contexts, including the causative form, which suggests causing someone or something to tremble violently.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

זוּעַ vb. tremble, quake

Qal tremble, quake

Pilp. causat. and intens. they that shall violently shake thee

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2111 זוּעַ

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2111 zuwa` zoo'-ah

a primitive root; properly, to shake off, i.e. (figuratively)

to agitate (as with fear):--move, tremble, vex.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

זוּעַ (zu.a) — to tremble.

1) to tremble, quiver, quake, be in terror

1a) (Qal) to tremble, quake

1b) (Pilpel)

1b1) to shake violently

1b2) to cause to tremble

Aramaic equivalent: zu.a (זוּעַ "to tremble" H2112)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-l | Suff — Verb piel participle (active) masculine plural common · suffix
HVprmpc/Sp2ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
¿ not suddenly will they arise [those who] pay interest to you and may they awake? [those who will] make tremble you and you will become plunder for them
וְהָיִ֥יתָve.ha.Yi.ta and you will become H1961 Verb · Qal · sequential perfect second person masculine singular
3,562× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for to be means to exist or come into being. It is used to describe something that happens or comes to pass, like in Genesis where God creates the world.
Amplified meaning
be made, come to be
Tyndale gloss
to be
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

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

Qal

Fall out, happen

occur, take place, come about, come to pass

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

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

rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה

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

Come into being, become

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

sq. prep.

become

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

sq. pred. adj.

become like

sq. pred. לְ pers.

sq. לְ pred.

oft. c. לְ pred. לְ pers.

with עַל and לְ

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

Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming)

exist, be in existence

abide, remain, continue

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

as copula, joining subj. & pred.

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Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

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

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

. rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה

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

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

. sq. prep.

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

. sq. pred. adj.

. become like

. sq. pred. + לְ pers.

. sq. לְ pred.

. oft. c. לְ pred. + לְ pers.

. with עַל and לְ

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

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

. abide, remain, continue

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1961 hayah haw-yaw

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

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

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

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

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

(one-)self, require, X use.

see HEBREW for 01933

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הָיָה (ha.yah) — to be.

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

1a) (Qal)

1a1) ---

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

1a1b) to come about, come to pass

1a2) to come into being, become

1a2a) to arise, appear, come

1a2b) to become

1a2b1) to become

1a2b2) to become like

1a2b3) to be instituted, be established

1a3) to be

1a3a) to exist, be in existence

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

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

1a3d) to accompany, be with

1b) (Niphal)

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

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-2ms — Verb · Qal · sequential perfect second person masculine singular
Hc/Vqq2ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

be-kum':

(1) Greek ginomai, used in New Testament for a change of state, corresponding to Hebrew hayah of Old Testament. Compare Mt 18:3 with De 27:9.

(2) For what is fitting, suitable, proper, in New Testament: "prepei" (Mt 3:15; Eph 5:3; 1Ti 2:10); in Old Testament, na'awah, na'ah, Ps 93:5: "Holiness becometh thy house." in this sense, the adverb "becomingly" must be interpreted: "Walk becomingly toward them that are without" (1Th 4:12), i.e. in a way that is consistent with your profession.

¿ not suddenly will they arise [those who] pay interest to you and may they awake? [those who will] make tremble you and you will become plunder for them
לִמְשִׁסּ֖וֹתlim.shi.Sot plunder H4933 Preposition · noun common feminine plural absolute
6× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Meshissah means plunder or spoil, referring to the booty or spoils of war, like the treasures or riches taken from an enemy, as seen in the conquests of the Israelites.
Amplified meaning
plunder, spoil, booty
Tyndale gloss
plunder
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מְשִׁסָּה (mchiccah) refers to plunder or booty, indicating goods taken by force. It is derived from a root meaning to strip or take away. The term is consistently defined across entries, emphasizing its association with spoil and plunder.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מְשִׁסָּה n.f. booty, plunder

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4933 מְשִׁסָּה booty, plunder

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4933 mchiccah mesh-is-saw'

from 8155; plunder:--booty, spoil.

see HEBREW for 08155

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מְשִׁסָּה (me.shis.sah) — plunder.

booty, spoil, plunder

Also means: me.shu.sah (מְשׁוּסָה "spoil" H4882)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-fp — Preposition · noun common feminine plural absolute
HR/Ncfpa
¿ not suddenly will they arise [those who] pay interest to you and may they awake? [those who will] make tremble you and you will become plunder for them
לָֽמוֹ׃la.mo for them H9038 Preposition · suffix
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הֶם (hem) — them.

Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 3rd person masculine plural

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Sp3mp — Preposition · suffix
HR/Sp3mp
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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