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Haggai 1:4 — Word Study

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WLCהַעֵ֤ת לָכֶם֙ אַתֶּ֔ם לָשֶׁ֖בֶת בְּבָתֵּיכֶ֣ם סְפוּנִ֑ים וְהַבַּ֥יִת הַזֶּ֖ה חָרֵֽב׃

BSAIs it a timeʻêth [an occasion, a season] yourselvesʼattâh [personally] to liveyâshab [to dwell, to reside] in your paneledçâphan [ceiled, covered] housesbayith [homes, dwellings] while thiszeh [specific] housebayith [temple, the Lord's house] lies in ruinschârêb [remains, is left, waste, desolate, a state of decay]

Word
Listen & take awayHaggai 1
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 4 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 (cha.Rev) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Haggai 1:4quick helps
In a sentenceHaggai questions the priorities of the people, highlighting their focus on personal comfort over the neglected temple.
Who is speakingHaggai, the prophet, conveying the message of the LORD.
Where we areIn a prophetic admonition regarding the people's neglect of the temple.
The hard wordחָרֵב
Take awayThe contrast between personal dwellings and the ruined state of the temple.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbסָפַן 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 — Haggai 1:4

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 Call to Consider Their Waysgenerated

3Then the word of the LORD came through Haggai the prophet, saying:
4“Is it a time for you yourselves to live in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins?”
5Now this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Consider carefully your ways.
6You have planted much but harvested little. You eat but never have enough. You drink but never have your fill. You put on clothes but never get warm. You earn wages to put into a bag pierced through.”

Haggai 1:4 presents a challenge from the LORD through the prophet Haggai, asking the people if it is right for them to live comfortably in their paneled houses while the temple lies in ruins. This question serves to provoke reflection on their priorities and actions, urging them to reconsider their focus on personal comfort at the expense of communal worship and devotion. The context emphasizes the need for the people to realign their priorities with God's desires for His house.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
12 Samuel 7:2he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of God remains in a tent.”
2Psalm 132:3–5“I will not enter my house or get into my bed,
3Matthew 6:33But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.
4Philippians 2:21For all the others look after their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.
5Psalm 74:7They have burned Your sanctuary to the ground; they have defiled the dwelling place of Your Name.

The Key Word חָרֵב, cha.Revgenerated

The Hebrew word חָרֵב (cha.Rev) is an adjective meaning 'desolate' or 'waste.' It describes a state of decay or ruin, often resulting from neglect or divine judgment. The parsing indicates it is used here to describe the temple's condition, emphasizing its abandonment and the consequences of the people's choices.

This word carries a strong connotation of barrenness and destruction, calling attention to the stark contrast between the people's well-kept homes and the decaying state of the temple. It serves as a powerful reminder of the spiritual implications of neglecting what is sacred.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

In the Berean Standard Bible, the word is rendered as desolate, which aligns with the KJV and ASV, both emphasizing the state of ruin.

However, the FBV opts for remains, while others like the DRA choose waste. This shows a divergence in how the translations interpret the severity of the temple's condition.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The verse's structure is governed by a main clause, with the finite verb חָרֵב (is desolate) serving as the predicate. The sentence contrasts the people's living situation with the state of the temple, creating a rhetorical question that emphasizes their misplaced priorities.

The order of the Hebrew words places emphasis on the contrast between the comfortable homes and the desolate temple, effectively highlighting the urgent call to action for the people.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates חָרֵב as ἐχηρήμωται, which carries a similar meaning of desolation but may imply a more complete state of abandonment. This choice reflects the translators' understanding of the temple's dire condition and serves to underline the urgency of the message.

The use of this Greek term indicates a consistent theme of neglect and abandonment, aligning with the Hebrew text's call for the people to take action regarding their priorities.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Haggai 1:4 asks the people if it is right for them to live in comfortable homes while the temple of the LORD is in ruins. This question highlights their misplaced priorities and calls them to reflect on their actions.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that the house lies in ruins?

It signifies the neglect of the temple, which is meant to be a place of worship and connection with God.

Why does Haggai emphasize paneled houses?

Paneled houses indicate a level of comfort and luxury, contrasting sharply with the neglected state of the temple.

What is the significance of the temple in this context?

The temple represents God's presence among His people, and its neglect symbolizes a failure in their spiritual priorities.

How can this verse apply to our lives today?

It challenges us to consider our priorities and whether we are investing in what is spiritually significant or focusing solely on personal comfort.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways do I prioritize my personal comfort over spiritual commitments?
  2. How can I contribute to the upkeep and care of my community or church?
  3. What does it mean to me to have a place of worship, and how do I value it?
  4. How can I encourage others to reflect on their priorities regarding their faith?

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

Jerome comments on this verse, emphasizing the need for action in response to God's commandments, highlighting the importance of aligning words with deeds.

JeromeVerse 4. c. 347–420
And now thus says the Lord of hosts: Set your hearts upon your ways. Let there not be a time for speaking one thing and doing another: turn my commandments immediately into action.
Early Church Fathers on Haggai 1 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Haggai 1:4 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

[Is it] time for you, O ye, to dwell in your panelled houses,.... They could not only find time, leisure, and convenience to build houses to dwell in; but to wainscot them, and line them with boards

Read John Gill on Haggai 1 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste? Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste? Is it time.

Read Robert Jamieson on Haggai 1 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Is it time? you think it full time to build your own houses, you judge it seasonable enough to lay out much cost on adorning them, what pretence can you make that it is not seasonable to build my house? For you, Jews, who were by a king (that knew not your God) sent to build my house, you unthankful and forgetful ones. To dwell; to settle yourselves securely, and for continuance with stateliness. Ceiled; searched and with cedar wainscot, curiously carved and covered, and as richly adorned as if you were full of treasures. Houses: it seems to intimate some of them had more than one house, a city and a country house, and whilst God’ s house lay waste; they thus lavish out their wealth on…

Read Matthew Poole on Haggai 1 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Haggai 1:4 [Is it] time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house [lie] waste?Ver. 4. Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your ceiled houses, &c.] Not covered only, but ceiled with cedar (as the Chaldee here hath it), arched and garnished, as the Greek, carved and trimmed, as Ambrose rendereth it (Lib. 3. epist. 12). Sure, either your beds are very soft or your hearts very hard, that you can not only come into the tabernacles of your houses, but give sleep to your eyes, or slumber to your eyelids, before ye have found "a place for the Lord, a habitation for the mighty God of Jacob," Psalms 132:4-5. Good David could not find in his heart to dwell in a house of cedar…

Read John Trapp on Haggai 1 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(4) Is it time for you . . .—Literally, Is it time for you to dwell in your houses, and those ceiled?—i.e., probably with cedar and other costly woods. A crushing retort. If the adverse decree of Artaxerxes, which disallowed the building of Jerusalem (Ezra 4:21), had not hindered them from erecting magnificent residences for themselves, how could it reasonably excuse an utter neglect of God’s House?

Read Charles John Ellicott on Haggai 1 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 4. Is it time for you] If the time be not come to rebuild the temple, it cannot be come for you to build yourselves comfortable houses: but ye are rebuilding your houses; why then do ye not rebuild the house of the Lord? The foundation of the temple had been laid fourteen years before, and some considerable progress made in the building; and it had been lying waste in that unfinished state to the present time.

Read AdamClarke on Haggai 1 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

4. for you, O ye] Lit., for you, you: you, yourselves, R. V. The repetition of the pronoun is emphatic, “you are the people I mean;” or you in implied contrast to Almighty God, comp. 1 Samuel 25:24, where Abigail, anxious to appease David’s anger at the churlishness of Nabal, exclaims, “upon me, my Lord, I (am the person at fault), let this iniquity be.” your cieled houses] Lit. your houses cieled, i.e. your houses (and they too) cieled. The adjective thus added without an article has the force of a predicate and so becomes emphatic. With the article it would form part of the subject. Comp. Psalms 143:10 : “Let Thy Spirit good (as it is, and therefore ready to help and guide the sinful and…

Read Cambridge on Haggai 1 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Is it time for you - You, being what you are, the creatures of God, “to dwell in your ceiled houses,” more emphatically, in your houses, and those “ceiled,” probably with costly woods, such as cedar .

Read Albert Barnes on Haggai 1 →

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

“Is it a time for you yourselves to live in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins?”

WEBWorld English Bible2000

“Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies waste?

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

“Is it a time for you yourselves to live in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins?”

NETBNew English Translation2006

“Is it right for you to live in richly paneled houses while my temple is in ruins?

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste?

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your ceiled houses, while this house lieth waste?

RVARevised Version, American1894

Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your cieled houses, while this house lieth waste?

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your ceiled houses, and this house lie waste?

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Is it time for your selues to dwell in your sieled houses, and this House lie waste?

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Is it time for you that ye should dwell in your wainscoted houses, while this house lieth waste?

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Is it time for you — you! To dwell in your covered houses, And this house to lie waste?

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

“Is it time for you to dwell in your covered houses, || And this house to lie waste?”

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your ceiled houses, while this house lieth in ruins?

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

“Is it a time for you yourselves to live in your finished houses, while this house lies ruined?

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Is it time for you to dwell in ceiled houses, and this house lie desolate?

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Is it the proper time for you to live in your paneled houses while this house remains a ruin?

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Is it a time for you to be living in roofed houses while this house is a waste?

Word by word, the decisions they made

חָרֵֽב׃cha.Rev [is] desolate H2720 3 different renderings
wasteASV BBE DBY GNV KJV LSV NWB RVA WEB YLT
desolateDRA
remainsFBV

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.

clauseהַ[does].aclausepredicateעֵ֤תtime?prepositional phrase · prepositionalלָ[belong].tonoun phraseכֶם֙youאַתֶּ֔םyouprepositional phrase · prepositionalלָtoclauseverbשֶׁ֖בֶתdwellprepositional phrase · prepositionalבְּinnoun phrasenoun phraseבָתֵּיhousesכֶ֣םyourסְפוּנִ֑יםpaneledוְandclausenoun phrase · subjectהַthenoun phraseבַּ֥יִתhouseadjective phraseהַ(the)זֶּ֖הthispredicateחָרֵֽב[is].desolate

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 largely agree in content, with eight out of nine words matching. However, the Dead Sea Scrolls show some restoration, indicating that parts of the text were lost, but the overall message remains consistent with the Masoretic Text.

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

הַעֵ֤ת לָכֶם֙ אַתֶּ֔ם לָשֶׁ֖בֶת בְּבָתֵּיכֶ֣ם סְפוּנִ֑ים וְהַבַּ֥יִת הַזֶּ֖ה חָרֵֽב׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
הַעֵ֤תκαιρὸςלָכֶם֙ὑμῖνלָשֶׁ֖בֶתοἰκεῖνבְּבָתֵּיכֶ֣םὑμῶνסְפוּנִ֑יםκοιλοστάθμοιςוְהַבַּ֥יִתοἶκοςהַזֶּ֖הοὗτοςחָרֵֽב׃ἐχηρήμωται

8 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

[העת] [ל׳כם] [אתם] [לשבת] [בבתי׳כם] ספונים והבית הזה חרב

3 words on the leather — 1 partly restored, 5 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.

Haggai 1:4עֵת¿ [does] a ¿ [does] a timeעֵתכֶם[belong] to[belong] to youכֶםאַתָּ֫הyouyouאַתָּ֫היָשַׁבto dwellto dwellיָשַׁבבֵּיתin houses yin houses yourבֵּיתסָפַןcoveredcoveredסָפַןבֵּיתand the houand the houseבֵּיתזֶהthisthisזֶהחָרֵב[is] desola[is] desolateחָרֵבבָּנָהto buildto buildבָּנָהעַדperpetuityperpetuityעַדחָרֵבto dryto dryחָרֵבזֶהthisthisזֶהזֹהthisthisזֹהאוֹצָרtreasuretreasureאוֹצָרמָחָרtomorrowtomorrowמָחָריָרַשׁto possessto possess: posיָרַשׁבֶּ֫טַחsecuritysecurityבֶּ֫טַחכְּנַעֲנִיCanaanitesCanaanitessכְּנַעֲנִיאֶ֫רֶזcedarcedarאֶ֫רֶזבֵּיתplaceplaceבֵּיתאַיwhere?where?אַיהֶ֫בֶלvanityvanityהֶ֫בֶלמָלֵאfullfullמָלֵאאָדָםthe man (Athe man (Adam)אָדָם
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 Haggai 1:4

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.

¿ [does] a time [belong] to you you to dwell in houses your covered and the house this [is] desolate
הַעֵ֤תha.'Et ¿ [does] a time H6256 Particle · noun common both singular absolute
296× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Eth means time, especially now or when, and can refer to an event, experience, or occasion. It is often used to describe a specific moment or period.
Amplified meaning
an occasion, a season
Tyndale gloss
time
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עֵת (eth) means 'time,' covering various aspects such as the time of an event, a usual time, or an appointed time. It can also refer to experiences or occurrences. The entries suggest it can denote both specific and uncertain times, but they do not indicate any significant disagreement among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עֵת 297 n.f. time

time of an event

= usual time

proper, suitable time

appointed time

as uncertain

= experience, fortunes

occurrence, occasion

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6256 עֵת time . time of an event

. . = usual time

. proper, suitable time

. appointed time

. as uncertain

. = experience, fortunes

. occurrence, occasion

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6256 `eth ayth

from 5703; time, especially (adverb with preposition) now,

when, etc.:--+ after, (al-)ways, X certain, + continually, +

evening, long, (due) season, so (long) as, (even-, evening-,

noon-)tide, ((meal-)), what) time, when.

see HEBREW for 05703

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עֵת (et) — time.

1) time

1a) time (of an event)

1b) time (usual)

1c) experiences, fortunes

1d) occurrence, occasion

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part | N-cs — Particle · noun common both singular absolute
HTi/Ncbsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

tim: The basis of the Hebrew measurement of time was the day and the lunar month, as with the Semites generally. The division of the day into hours was late, probably not common until after the exile, although the sun-dial of Ahaz (2Ki 20:9; Isa 38:8) would scent to indicate some division of the day into periods of some sort, as we know the night was divided, The word used for "hour" is Aramaic she`a' (sha`ta'), and does not occur in the Old Testament until the Book of Daniel (4:33; 5:5), and even there it stands for an indefinite period for which "time" would answer as well.

1. The Day:

The term "day" (yom) was in use from the earliest times, as is indicated in the story of the Creation (Ge 1). It there doubtless denotes an indefinite period, but is marked off by "evening and…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Besides the ordinary uses of this word, the Bible sometimes employs it to denote a year, as in Da 4:16; or a prophetic year, consisting of three hundred and sixty natural year, a day being taken for a year. Thus in Da 7:25 12:7, the phrase "a time, times, and the dividing of a time" is supposed to mean three and a half prophetic years, or 1,260 natural years. This period is elsewhere paralleled by the expression, "forty-two months," each month including thirty years, Re 11:2-3 12:6,14 13:5.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Beginning of Ge 1:1,14

→ Epochs of

Before the flood Jos 24:2

→ The exodus Ex 19:1; 40:17; 1Ki 6:1

→ Daniel' s reckoning of time, and times, and half times Da 7:25; 12:7

→ Indicated by a sun-dial 2Ki 20:9-11; Isa 38:8

→ Division of, into watches Ex 14:24; 1Sa 11:11; Mt 14:25; Mr 6:48

Torrey's New Topical Textbook

- The duration of the world

Job 22:16; Re 10:6

- The measure of the continuance of anything

Jud 18:31

- An appointed season

Ne 2:6; Ec 3:1,17

- COMPUTED BY

. Years

Ge 15:13; 2Sa 21:1; Da 9:2

. Months

Nu 10:10; 1Ch 27:1; Job 3:6

. Weeks

¿ [does] a time [belong] to you you to dwell in houses your covered and the house this [is] desolate
לָכֶם֙la.Khem [belong] to you H9036 Preposition · suffix
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כֶם (khem) — you.

Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 2nd person masculine plural

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Sp2mp — Preposition · suffix
HR/Sp2mp
¿ [does] a time [belong] to you you to dwell in houses your covered and the house this [is] desolate
אַתֶּ֔ם'a.Tem you H859 Pronoun
1,094× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
You is the translation of a Hebrew word used to address someone directly, like when God says you to someone in the Bible. It can be singular or plural, and is often translated as thee, thou, or ye.
Amplified meaning
personally
Tyndale gloss
you(m.s.)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אַתָּ֫ה (attah) is a second-person pronoun in Hebrew, used to address someone directly. It has masculine and feminine forms: אַתָּה for singular masculine, אַתְּ for singular feminine, אַתֶּם for plural masculine, and אַתֵּן for plural feminine. The entries indicate variations in form and usage, reflecting the pronoun's grammatical complexity.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אַתָּ֫ה, אָ֑תָּה pron. 2 s. m. thou

base

אתי, i.e. אתִּי, the older & more original form of אַתְּ thou (fem.)

base

אַתְּ, אָ֑תְּ pron. 2 s. f. thou (fem.)

base

אַתֶּם pron. 2 m. pl. you (masc.)

base

אַתֵּן pron. 2 f. pl. you (fem.)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H859a אַתָּ֫ה, אָ֑תָּה pron. 2 s. m. thou H859b אתי, i.e. אתִּי, the older & more original form of אַתְּ thou (fem.) H859c אַתְּ, אָ֑תְּ pron. 2 s. f. thou (fem.) H859d אַתֶּם pron. 2 m. pl. you (masc.) H859e אַתֵּן pron. 2 f. pl. you (fem.)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

859 'attah at-taw'

or (shortened); aatta {at-taw'}; or wath {ath}; feminine

(irregular) sometimes nattiy {at-tee'}; plural masculine attem

{at- tem'}; feminine atten {at-ten'}; or oattenah

{at-tay'naw}; or fattennah {at-tane'-naw}; a primitive pronoun

of the second person; thou and thee, or (plural) ye and

you:--thee, thou, ye, you.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אַתָּ֫ה (at.tah) — you(m.s.).

you (second pers. sing. masc.)

אתִּי (ti) — you(f.s.).

you (second pers. sing. fem.)

A grammatical form of at.tah (אַתָּ֫ה "you(m.s.)" H0859A)

אַתְּ (at.te) — you(f.s.).

you (second pers. sing. fem.)

A grammatical form of at.tah (אַתָּ֫ה "you(m.s.)" H0859A)

אַתֶּם (at.tem) — you(m.p.).

you (second pers. pl. masc.)

Aramaic equivalent: an.tun (אַנְתּוּן "you" H0608)

אַתֵּן (at.ten) — you(f.p.).

you (second pers. pl. fem.)

A grammatical form of at.tah (אַתָּ֫ה "you(m.s.)" H0859A)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Pron — Pronoun
HPp2mp
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
¿ [does] a time [belong] to you you to dwell in houses your covered and the house this [is] desolate
לָשֶׁ֖בֶתla.She.vet to dwell H3427 Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
1,079× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to sit or dwell, and can also mean to remain or abide. It's used in the Bible to describe people living in a place or staying with someone, like in the book of Genesis.
Amplified meaning
to dwell, to reside
Tyndale gloss
to dwell
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָשַׁב (yashab) is a Hebrew verb meaning to sit, remain, or dwell. It encompasses a range of actions from simply sitting down to more complex ideas like establishing a home or causing a place to be inhabited. The entries indicate various forms, including Qal (to sit), Niphal (to be inhabited), and Hiphil (to cause to dwell). There is an Aramaic equivalent, יְתִב (ye.tiv), meaning 'to dwell'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָשַׁב 1090 vb. sit, remain, dwell

Qal

sit

sit, sit down

sit down

sit = be set (as a jewel)

remain, stay, tarry

with special emphasis of qualifying phr.

dwell, have one’s abode

of a land or city, sit, abide, seated in its place, fig. for be inhabited

Niph. be inhabited, of land

Pi. and they shall set their encampments in thee

Hiph.

cause to sit

cause to abide

cause to dwell

cause cities to be inhabited

marry (prop. give a dwelling to)

Hoph. and ye be made to dwell alone in the midst of the land

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3427 יָשַׁב sit, remain, dwell

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3427 yashab yaw-shab'

a primitive root; properly, to sit down (specifically as

judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to

remain; causatively, to settle, to marry:--(make to)

abide(-ing), continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-ing), ease

self, endure, establish, X fail, habitation, haunt, (make to)

inhabit(-ant), make to keep (house), lurking, X marry(-ing),

(bring again to) place, remain, return, seat, set(- tle),

(down-)sit(-down, still, -ting down, -ting (place) -uate),

take, tarry.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָשַׁב (ya.shav) — to dwell.

1) to dwell, remain, sit, abide

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to sit, sit down

1a2) to be set

1a3) to remain, stay

1a4) to dwell, have one's abode

1b) (Niphal) to be inhabited

1c) (Piel) to set, place

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to cause to sit

1d2) to cause to abide, set

1d3) to cause to dwell

1d4) to cause (cities) to be inhabited

1d5) to marry (give an dwelling to)

1e) (Hophal)

1e1) to be inhabited

1e2) to make to dwell

Aramaic equivalent: ye.tiv (יְתִב "to dwell" H3488)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a — Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
HR/Vqcc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

dwel:

(1) In the Old Testament "dwell" is a translation of 9 words, of which by far the most frequent is yashabh, "to sit down," translated "dwell" over 400 times (Ge 4:20; Jos 20:4; 1Ch 17:1,4,5, etc.); also very frequently "sit," and sometimes "abide," "inhabit," "remain." Another word often rendered "dwell" is shakhan or shakhen ("to settle down"), from which is derived the rabbinic word shekhinah (literally, "that which dwells"), the light on the mercy-seat which symbolized the Divine presence (Ex 25:8, etc.). In order to avoid appearing to localize the Divine Being, wherever God is said to "dwell" in a place, the Targum renders that He "causes His Shekinah to dwell"…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Dwell

Tents were in primitive times the common dwellings of men. Houses were afterwards built, the walls of which were frequently of mud (Job 24:16; Matt. 6:19, 20) or of sun-dried bricks.

God “dwells in light” (1 Tim. 6:16; 1 John 1:7), in heaven (Ps. 123:1), in his church (Ps. 9:11; 1 John 4:12). Christ dwelt on earth in the days of his humiliation (John 1:14). He now dwells in the hearts of his people (Eph.…

¿ [does] a time [belong] to you you to dwell in houses your covered and the house this [is] desolate
בְּבָתֵּיכֶ֣םbe.va.tei.Khem in houses your H1004 Preposition · noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
2,049× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for house refers to a dwelling place, including a family home, temple, or even the human body. It appears in various contexts, such as the temple in Jerusalem or the household of a family. In the Bible, it is often used to describe a place of worship or a family's living space.
Amplified meaning
homes, dwellings
Tyndale gloss
place
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word בַּיִת (*bayith*) means 'house' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including dwelling, family, and place. It can refer to physical structures, such as homes and temples, as well as metaphorical uses like the body or household affairs. The word is built from the root related to 'between' and appears in various contexts throughout the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בֵּית fem. of בַּיִן, בֵּין prep. between

base

בַּ֫יִת 2034 n.m. house

house

place

receptacle

of house as containing a family

household, family (592 t.)

house, including household affairs

lit. housewards, hence metaph. inwards

מִבַּיִת

adv. on the inside

prep. within

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1004a בֵּית fem. of בַּיִן, בֵּין prep. between H1004b בַּ֫יִת house

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1004 bayith bah'-yith

probably from 1129 abbreviated; a house (in the greatest

variation of applications, especially family, etc.):--court,

daughter, door, + dungeon, family, + forth of, X great as

would contain, hangings, home(born), (winter)house(-hold),

inside(-ward), palace, place, + prison, + steward, + tablet,

temple, web, + within(-out).

see HEBREW for 01129

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בֵּית (bet) — place.

nm

place, origin, between

בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — house: home.

: home/temple/building

nm

1) house

1a) house, dwelling habitation

1b) shelter or abode of animals

1c) human bodies (fig.)

1d) of Sheol

1e) of abode of light and darkness

1f) of land of Ephraim

2) place

3) receptacle

4) home, house as containing a family

5) household, family

5a) those belonging to the same household

5b) family of descendants, descendants as organized body

6) household affairs

7) inwards (metaph.)

8) (TWOT) temple

adv

9) on the inside

prep

10) within

בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — Beth-(ashbea).

nm

This name is used for a house, habitation

Combined with ash.be.a (אַשְׁבֵּעַ "Ashbea" H0791)

בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — Beth (Haggan).

nm

This name is used for a house, habitation

Combined with hag (גַּן "Haggan" H1588)

בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — Beth-(togarmah).

nm

This name is used for a house, habitation

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-mp | Suff — Preposition · noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
HR/Ncmpc/Sp2mp
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
¿ [does] a time [belong] to you you to dwell in houses your covered and the house this [is] desolate
סְפוּנִ֑יםse.fu.Nim covered H5603 Verb · Qal · participle (passive) masculine plural
6× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To cover something, like a roof or a wall, is what this Hebrew word means, as seen in Deuteronomy 22:8. It can also mean to reserve or hide something, often used in a literal or figurative sense. The KJV translates it as cieled, cover, or seated.
Amplified meaning
ceiled, covered
Tyndale gloss
to cover
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

סָפַן (safan) is a Hebrew verb meaning to cover or to panel. It can refer to covering something in, such as with boards or wainscot, and is also used in a figurative sense to mean reserving. The word appears in the Old Testament in contexts related to roofing or covering.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[סָפַן, once, erron., שׂ׳] vb. cover, cover in, panel

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5603 [סָפַן, once, erron., שׂ׳] cover, cover in, panel

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5603 caphan saw-fan'

a primitive root; to hide by covering; specifically, to roof

(passive participle as noun, a roof) or wainscot;

figuratively, to reserve:--cieled, cover, seated.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

סָפַן (sa.phan) — to cover.

1) to cover, cover in, wainscotted, covered with boards or panelling

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to cover in, panel

1a2) covered, panelled (participle)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Inf-c — Verb · Qal · participle (passive) masculine plural
HVqsmpa
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
¿ [does] a time [belong] to you you to dwell in houses your covered and the house this [is] desolate
וְהַבַּ֥יִתve.ha.Ba.yit and the house H1004 Conjunction · particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
2,049× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for house refers to a dwelling place, including a family home, temple, or even the human body. It appears in various contexts, such as the temple in Jerusalem or the household of a family. In the Bible, it is often used to describe a place of worship or a family's living space.
Amplified meaning
temple, the Lord's house
Tyndale gloss
place
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word בַּיִת (*bayith*) means 'house' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including dwelling, family, and place. It can refer to physical structures, such as homes and temples, as well as metaphorical uses like the body or household affairs. The word is built from the root related to 'between' and appears in various contexts throughout the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בֵּית fem. of בַּיִן, בֵּין prep. between

base

בַּ֫יִת 2034 n.m. house

house

place

receptacle

of house as containing a family

household, family (592 t.)

house, including household affairs

lit. housewards, hence metaph. inwards

מִבַּיִת

adv. on the inside

prep. within

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1004a בֵּית fem. of בַּיִן, בֵּין prep. between H1004b בַּ֫יִת house

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1004 bayith bah'-yith

probably from 1129 abbreviated; a house (in the greatest

variation of applications, especially family, etc.):--court,

daughter, door, + dungeon, family, + forth of, X great as

would contain, hangings, home(born), (winter)house(-hold),

inside(-ward), palace, place, + prison, + steward, + tablet,

temple, web, + within(-out).

see HEBREW for 01129

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בֵּית (bet) — place.

nm

place, origin, between

בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — house: home.

: home/temple/building

nm

1) house

1a) house, dwelling habitation

1b) shelter or abode of animals

1c) human bodies (fig.)

1d) of Sheol

1e) of abode of light and darkness

1f) of land of Ephraim

2) place

3) receptacle

4) home, house as containing a family

5) household, family

5a) those belonging to the same household

5b) family of descendants, descendants as organized body

6) household affairs

7) inwards (metaph.)

8) (TWOT) temple

adv

9) on the inside

prep

10) within

בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — Beth-(ashbea).

nm

This name is used for a house, habitation

Combined with ash.be.a (אַשְׁבֵּעַ "Ashbea" H0791)

בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — Beth (Haggan).

nm

This name is used for a house, habitation

Combined with hag (גַּן "Haggan" H1588)

בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — Beth-(togarmah).

nm

This name is used for a house, habitation

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Art | N-ms — Conjunction · particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
HC/Td/Ncmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hous (bayith; oikos, in classical Greek generally "an estate," oikia, oikema (literally, "habitation"), in Ac 12:1, "prison"):

I. CAVE DWELLINGS

II. STONE-BUILT AND MUD/BRICK-BUILT HOUSES

1. Details of Plan and Construction

(1) Corner-Stone

(2) Floor

(3) Gutter

(4) Door

(5) Hinge

(6) Lock and Key

(7) Threshold

(8) Hearth

(9) Window

(10) Roof

2. Houses of More than One Story

(1) Upper Chambers and Stairs

(2) Palaces and Castles

3. Internal Appearance

III. OTHER MEANINGS

LITERATURE

I. Cave Dwellings.

The earliest permanent habitations of the prehistoric inhabitants of Palestine were the natural caves which abound throughout the country. As the people increased and grouped themselves into communities, these abodes were supplemented by systems of artificial caves which, in some cases, developed into extensive burrowings of many adjoining compartments, having…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

House

Till their sojourn in Egypt the Hebrews dwelt in tents. They then for the first time inhabited cities (Gen. 47:3; Ex. 12:7; Heb. 11:9). From the earliest times the Assyrians and the Canaanites were builders of cities. The Hebrews after the Conquest took possession of the captured cities, and seem to have followed the methods of building that had been pursued by the Canaanites. Reference is made to the stone (1 Kings 7:9; Isa. 9:10) and marble (1 Chr. 29:2) used in building, and to the internal wood-work of the houses (

The houses of the rural poor in Egypt, as well as in most parts of Syria, Arabia and Persia, are generally mere huts of mud or sunburnt bricks. In some parts of Palestine and Arabia stone is used, and in certain districts caves in the rocks are used as dwellings. (Amos 5:11) The houses are usually of one story only, viz., the ground floor, and often contain only one apartment. Sometimes a small court for the cattle is attached; and in some cases the cattle are housed in the same building, or the live in a raised platform, and, the cattle round them on the ground. (1 Samuel 28:24) The windows are small apertures high up in the walls, sometimes grated with wood. The roofs are commonly but not always flat, and are usually formed of plaster of mud and straw laid upon boughs or…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Is often put for dwelling, residence; and hence the temple, and even the tabernacle, are called the house of God.

The universal mode of building houses in the East, is in the form of a hollow square, with an open court or yard in the center; which is thus entirely shut in by the walls of the house around it. Into this court all the windows open, there being usually no windows towards the street. Some houses of large size require several courts, and these usually communicate with each other. These courts are commonly paved; and in many large houses parts of them are planted with shrubs and trees, Ps 84:3 128:3; they have also, when possible, a fountain in them, often with a jet d’ eau, 2Sa 17:18. It is customary in many houses to extend an awning over the whole court in hot…

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
¿ [does] a time [belong] to you you to dwell in houses your covered and the house this [is] desolate
הַזֶּ֖הha.Zeh this H2088 Particle · particle
1,180× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word is a pronoun meaning this or that, used to point out a specific person or thing. It appears in many contexts, including Genesis and Psalms, to indicate something specific. The KJV translates it as he, here, or it.
Amplified meaning
specific
Tyndale gloss
this
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

זֶה (zeh) is a demonstrative pronoun meaning 'this' or 'here.' It can stand alone, be used appositively, or function as a predicate. The word can also attach enclitically to interrogative pronouns, adding emphasis and directness. In poetry, it may serve as a relative pronoun, though this usage is rare.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

זֶה demonstr.pron. and adv.; fem. זֹאת, once זֹאתָה; this, here

standing alone

In appos. to subst.

More oft. as pred.

It is attached enclitically, almost as an adv., to certain words, esp. interrog. pronouns, to impart, in a manner often not reproducible in Engl. idiom, directness and force, bringing the question or statement made into close relation with the speaker.

In poetry, as a relative pron. (rare)

With prefixes (in special senses)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2088 זֶה demonstr. pron. and adv.; fem. זֹאת, once זֹאתָה; this, here . standing alone

. In appos. to subst.

. More oft. as pred.

. It is attached enclitically, almost as an adv., to certain words, esp. interrog. pronouns, to impart, in a manner often not reproducible in Engl. idiom, directness and force, bringing the question or statement made into close relation with the speaker.

. In poetry, as a relative pron. (rare)

. With prefixes (in special senses)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2088 zeh zeh

a primitive word; the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this

or that:--he, X hence, X here, it(-self), X now, X of him, the

one...the other, X than the other, (X out of) the (self) same,

such (a one) that, these, this (hath, man), on this side...on

that side, X thus, very, which. Compare 2063, 2090, 2097,

2098.

see HEBREW for 02063

see HEBREW for 02090

see HEBREW for 02097

see HEBREW for 02098

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

זֶה (zeh) — this.

1) this, this one, here, which, this...that, the one...the other, another, such

1a) (alone)

1a1) this one

1a2) this...that, the one...the other, another

1b) (appos to subst)

1b1) this

1c) (as predicate)

1c1) this, such

1d) (enclitically)

1d1) then

1d2) who, whom

1d3) how now, what now

1d4) what now

1d5) wherefore now

1d6) behold here

1d7) just now

1d8) now, now already

1e) (poetry)

1e1) wherein, which, those who

1f) (with prefixes)

1f1) in this (place) here, then

1f2) on these conditions, herewith, thus provided, by, through this, for this cause, in this matter

1f3) thus and thus

1f4) as follows, things such as these, accordingly, to that effect, in like manner, thus and thus

1f5) from here, hence, on one side...on the other side

1f6) on this account

1f7) in spite of this, which, whence, how

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | Pron — Particle · particle
HTd/Tm
¿ [does] a time [belong] to you you to dwell in houses your covered and the house this [is] desolate
חָרֵֽב׃cha.Rev [is] desolate H2720 Adj
10× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word describes a place that is dry and barren, often due to lack of water. In the Bible, it is used to describe the consequences of God's judgment. The prophet Isaiah used this word to describe a desolate land.
Amplified meaning
remains, is left, waste, desolate, a state of decay
Tyndale gloss
dry
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חָרֵב (chareb) is an adjective meaning 'dry' or 'desolate.' It is built from the root associated with parched or ruined states. The entries consistently highlight its meanings of being dry and waste or desolate, with no significant disagreement noted among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[חָרֵב] adj. dry

base

חָרֵב adj. waste, desolate

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2720a חָרֵב dry H2720b חָרֵב waste, desolate

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2720 chareb khaw-rabe'

from 2717; parched or ruined:--desolate, dry, waste.

see HEBREW for 02717

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חָרֵב (cha.rev) — dry.

dry

חָרֵב (cha.rev) — desolate.

waste, desolate

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

des'-o-lat (very frequently in the Old Testament for shamem, and its derivatives; less frequently, charebh, and its derivatives, and other words. In the New Testament it stands for eremos (Mt 23:38; Ac 1:20; Ga 4:27) eremoo (Re 17:16), and monoo (1Ti 5:5)): From Latin de, intens., solus, alone. Several shades of meaning can be distinguished:

(1) Its primary sense is "left lonely," "forlorn," e. g. Ps 25:16, "Have mercy upon me; for I am desolate" (Hebrew yachidh, "alone"); 1Ti 5:5, "she that is a widow indeed, and…

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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