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Hosea 14:6 — Word Study

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WLCיֵֽלְכוּ֙ יֹֽנְקוֹתָ֔יו וִיהִ֥י כַזַּ֖יִת הוֹד֑וֹ וְרֵ֥יחַֽ ל֖וֹ כַּלְּבָנֽוֹן׃

BSAwill behâyâh like [the cedars of] LebanonLᵉbânôwn [reminiscent of, similar to, trees, evergreen forests, a mountain range]

Word
Listen & take awayHosea 14
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 6 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 (ka.le.va.Non) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Hosea 14:6quick helps
In a sentenceHosea describes Israel's renewal and beauty using rich imagery of nature.
Who is speakingThe prophet Hosea, conveying God's message to Israel.
Where we areA poetic depiction of Israel's restoration, set in a larger context of God's love.
The hard wordיֹֽנְקוֹתָ֔יו
Take awayIsrael will flourish like a well-cared-for garden.
7 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbהָיָה 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 — Hosea 14:6

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 Promise of Restorationgenerated

5I will be like the dew to Israel; he will blossom like the lily and take root like the cedars of Lebanon.
6His shoots will sprout, and his splendor will be like the olive tree, his fragrance like the cedars of Lebanon.
7They will return and dwell in his shade; they will grow grain and blossom like the vine. His renown will be like the wine of Lebanon.
8O Ephraim, what have I to do anymore with idols? It is I who answer and watch over him. I am like a flourishing cypress; your fruit comes from Me.

Hosea 14:6 presents a vivid image of Israel's future flourishing, likening it to the growth of young shoots and the splendor of olive trees and cedars of Lebanon. This verse is part of a larger message of hope and restoration, where God promises to revive His people, drawing on natural imagery to convey beauty and abundance. The context emphasizes God's love and the transformation awaiting Israel, as seen in the surrounding verses that depict their return and growth.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Psalm 80:9–11You cleared the ground for it, and it took root and filled the land.
2Ezekiel 17:5–8He took some of the seed of the land and planted it in fertile soil; he placed it by abundant waters and set it out like a willow.
3Ezekiel 31:3–10Look at Assyria, a cedar in Lebanon, with beautiful branches that shaded the forest. It towered on high; its top was among the clouds.
4Daniel 4:10–15In these visions of my mind as I was lying in bed, I saw this come to pass: There was a tree in the midst of the land, and its height was great.
5Matthew 13:31He put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man planted in his field.

The Key Word יֹֽנְקוֹתָ֔יו, yo.ne.ko.Tavgenerated

The word יוֹנֶ֫קֶת (yowneqeth) refers to young shoots or sprouts, emphasizing new growth and vitality. It is a feminine noun in the plural form, indicating multiple young branches or tender plants, capturing the essence of renewal and life.

This term conveys the idea of freshness and development, symbolizing Israel's return to a state of flourishing under God's care. The use of this word in the context of the verse highlights the theme of rejuvenation and the promise of a fruitful future.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

All translations agree on the imagery of flourishing and beauty in Hosea 14:6.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main clause is governed by the finite verb וִיהִ֥י, and it may be, which introduces the subject יֹֽנְקוֹתָ֔יו, its young shoots. The structure emphasizes the flourishing state of Israel, with descriptive phrases elaborating on its beauty and fragrance.

The sentence flows from the subject to the descriptions of splendor and fragrance, illustrating a harmonious relationship between Israel and nature, suggesting that their renewal is both a physical and spiritual transformation.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates יֹֽנְקוֹתָ֔יו as δρόσος (dew), which shifts the focus from young shoots to the refreshing qualities of dew. This choice emphasizes the nurturing aspect of God's provision, suggesting a broader interpretation of how Israel will be revitalized.

This translation highlights a different aspect of renewal, focusing on the life-giving properties of dew as opposed to the imagery of growth found in the Hebrew text.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Hosea 14:6 describes Israel's future as one of growth and beauty, comparing it to young shoots and the splendor of olive trees and cedars of Lebanon. This verse is part of a message of hope, where God promises to restore His people and bring them back to a flourishing state.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that Israel will sprout like young shoots?

This imagery indicates a time of renewal and growth for Israel, suggesting that they will thrive and flourish under God's care.

Why are olive trees and cedars of Lebanon used in this verse?

These trees symbolize strength, beauty, and longevity, representing the flourishing state that God promises to Israel.

How does this verse connect to the overall message of Hosea?

This verse encapsulates the theme of restoration found throughout Hosea, where God expresses His desire to revive His people and bring them back to a state of blessing.

What can we learn from the imagery of nature in this verse?

The use of natural imagery teaches us about God's provision and care, illustrating how He nurtures His people and brings about transformation.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what areas of my life do I need to seek renewal and growth, like the young shoots described in this verse?
  2. How can I better appreciate the beauty and strength of God's creation, as seen in the olive trees and cedars?
  3. What steps can I take to cultivate a flourishing relationship with God, reflecting the imagery of this verse?
  4. How does understanding God's promise of restoration impact my view of challenges in my life?

Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Hosea 14:6 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

His branches shall spread,.... As the well rooted cedars in Lebanon; see Numbers 24:6.

Read John Gill on Hosea 14 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon. His branches shall spread - shoots, or suckers. And his beauty shall be as the olive - which never loses its verdure.

Read Robert Jamieson on Hosea 14 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

His branches, his tenderest branches which are new sprung out, shall gather strength, not be broken off, but by these shall they multiply in number of boughs. Shall spread; grow great and beautiful, and excellent for shade. As the olive tree; which retains its verdure all the winter, and is rich in fruit; so the true Israel of God shall flourish, pot in fruitless beauty and stateliness, but in desirable and lovely fruit, even in winters of affliction and troubles. As Lebanon; the mountain famous for cedars, where also were the trees that afford the frankincense, which sweat out that excellent aromatic, and where many more sweetest flowers grow and perfume the air; such shall the spiritual…

Read Matthew Poole on Hosea 14 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Hosea 14:6 His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon.Ver. 6. His branches shall spread] Heb. shall walk, or expatiate; shall reach out, and stretch themselves all abroad: so shall the Church be propagated all the earth over; she shall flourish as the palm tree, which though it have many weights hung on the top, and many snakes hissing at the root, yet it still saith, Nec premor, nec perimor, I am insuperable: "I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever," Psalms 52:8. And his beauty shall be as the olive tree] That goodly tree, Leviticus 23:40, that retaineth her greenness in the depth…

Read John Trapp on Hosea 14 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(5, 6) As the Dew.—For this imagery see Psalms 130:3. Properly it is “a copious mist, shedding small invisible rain, that comes in rich abundance every night in the hot weather, when west or north-west winds blow, and which brings intense refreshment to all organised life” (Neil’s Palestine Explored, p. 136). The lily, which carpets the fields of Palestine (Matthew 6:29), has slender roots, which might easily be uptorn, but under God’s protection, even these are to strike downward like the roots of the cedars.[13] Branches are to grow like the banyan-tree, until one tree becomes a forest, and the beauty of the olive in its dancing radiance is to cover all, while the fragrance shall go…

Read Charles John Ellicott on Hosea 14 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

6. His branches shall spread] For ‘branches’ render saplings. It is the same word as in Isaiah 53:2 (where A. V. ‘tender branch’). There the prophet’s idea is that after Israel’s vine has been cut down, a slender plant will spring up from the root; here, that the root of the living tree shall send forth many fresh plants. In fact, Israel is to be like not merely a tree, but a garden. as the olive-tree] Beautiful doubtless in itself, but with a beauty enhanced by the serviceableness of the fruits. Jeremiah compares Israel to ‘a fresh-green olive-tree, fair, and of goodly fruit’ (Jeremiah 11:16). his smell as Lebanon] As the balsamic odour of the cedars and of aromatic shrubs. Comp. Son 4:11.

Read Cambridge on Hosea 14 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

4-8. The sentiments expressed in Hosea 14:1-3, are essentially different from those expressed in Hosea 6:1-3.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Hosea 14 →

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

His shoots will sprout, and his splendor will be like the olive tree, his fragrance like the cedars of Lebanon.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

His branches will spread, and his beauty will be like the olive tree, and his fragrance like Lebanon.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

His shoots will sprout, and his splendor will be like the olive tree, his fragrance like the cedars of Lebanon.

NETBNew English Translation2006

His young shoots will grow; his splendor will be like an olive tree, his fragrance like a cedar of Lebanon.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive-tree, and his smell as Lebanon.

RVARevised Version, American1894

His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive-tree, and his smell as Lebanon.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

I will be as the dewe vnto Israel: he shall grow as the lilie and fasten his rootes, as the trees of Lebanon.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

His shoots shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive-tree, and his smell as Lebanon.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Go on do his sucklings, And his beauty is as an olive, And he hath fragrance as Lebanon.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

His shoots go on, || And his splendor is as an olive, || And he has fragrance as Lebanon.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

(14:7) His suckers shall spread out, and his beauty shall be as that of the olive-tree, and his smell as that of the Lebanon.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

His branches will spread out; his beauty will be like the olive trees, and his fragrance like the cedars in Lebanon.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

I will be as the dew, Israel shall spring as the lily, and his root shall shoot forth as that of Libanus.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

They will send out new shoots, their splendor will be like the olive tree, and their scent will be like the cedars of Lebanon.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

His branches will be stretched out, he will be beautiful as the olive-tree and sweet-smelling as Lebanon.

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.

clauseverbיֵֽלְכוּ֙they.will.gonoun phrase · subjectיֹֽנְקוֹתָ֔יshootsוits.youngוִandclauseclauseverbיהִ֥יit.will.beprepositional phrase · prepositionalכַlike.(the)noun phraseoliveזַּ֖יִתtreenoun phrase · subjectהוֹד֑splendorוֹitsוְandclausenoun phrase · subjectרֵ֥יחַֽfragranceprepositional phraseל֖ofוֹitprepositional phrase · prepositionalכַּlikenoun phrase(the)לְּבָנֽוֹןLebanon

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


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

The Masoretic Text reads יֵֽלְכוּ֙ יֹֽנְקוֹתָ֔יו וִיהִ֥י כַזַּ֖יִת הוֹד֑וֹ וְרֵ֥יחַֽ ל֖וֹ כַּלְּבָנֽוֹן׃, while the Septuagint matches 7 of the 8 words. The Dead Sea Scrolls contain partial readings and some restored words, indicating a close relationship with the Masoretic Text.

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

יֵֽלְכוּ֙ יֹֽנְקוֹתָ֔יו וִיהִ֥י כַזַּ֖יִת הוֹד֑וֹ וְרֵ֥יחַֽ ל֖וֹ כַּלְּבָנֽוֹן׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
יֵֽלְכוּ֙ἔσομαιיֹֽנְקוֹתָ֔יוδρόσοςוִיהִ֥יισραηλכַזַּ֖יִתὡςהוֹד֑וֹκαὶוְרֵ֥יחַֽῥίζαςל֖וֹὡς

7 of the 8 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q78a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[אהיה] [כטל] [לישראל] יפרח כשושנה יכ שרשי׳ו [כלבנון]

3 words on the leather — 1 partly restored, 4 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.

Hosea 14:6הָלַךְthey will gthey will goהָלַךְיוֹנֶ֫קֶתyoung shootyoung shoots itיוֹנֶ֫קֶתהָיָהand it may and it may beהָיָהזַ֫יִתlike olive like olive treeזַ֫יִתהוֹדsplendor itsplendor itsהוֹדרֵיחַand fragranand fragranceרֵיחַוֹof itof itוֹלְבָנוֹןlike Lebanolike Lebanonלְבָנוֹןרִיחַto smellto smellרִיחַלְבַבheartheartלְבַבהָלַךְto walkto walkהָלַךְיוֹנֵקsaplingsaplingיוֹנֵקהָוָאto fallto fallהָוָאזִוZivZivזִודֶּ֫רֶךְway: roadway: roadדֶּ֫רֶךְחֻקָּהstatutestatuteחֻקָּהסוּרto turn asto turn aside: סוּרעָלֶהleafleafעָלֶהכֶּרֶםvineyardvineyardכֶּרֶםהָדָרglorygloryהָדָרהוֹיwoe!woe!הוֹינִיחֹחַsoothingsoothingנִיחֹחַאִשֶּׁהfood offerfood offeringאִשֶּׁהבַ֫עַלבַ֫עַלחוֹחַthistlethistleחוֹחַ
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 Hosea 14:6

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.

they will go young shoots its and it may be like olive tree splendor its and fragrance of it like Lebanon
יֵֽלְכוּ֙ye.le.Khu they will go H1980 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine plural
1,549× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Means to walk or go, used in many different contexts in the Bible. It can describe physical movement, but also spiritual or emotional journeys. Appears in various forms, such as 'to go' or 'to walk'.
Tyndale gloss
to go: walk
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הָלַךְ (halak) means 'to go,' 'come,' or 'walk,' and covers a wide range of literal and figurative uses, including aspects of life and death. It can describe physical movement, moral conduct, and even influence on character. The verb appears in various forms, such as Qal, Piel, and Hithpael, indicating different nuances like leading or traversing.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הָלַךְ 1546 vb. go, come, walk

Qal Impf. usually (629 t.) as if from ילך

lit.

of persons

Also of animals, in similar meanings and combinations

in like manner of inanimate things

The inf. abs. is often used

as in other vbs., quite independently

to intensify meaning of finite form

most noteworthy is the joining of the Inf. abs.

with a following Inf. abs. denoting a simutaneous action or process, and so emphasizing duration or continuance

with a foll. vb. fin. c. ו consec. (rare)

in cases where vb. fin. is foll. by Inf. abs. adj. denoting progress, advance

twice, where vb. fin. is not הלך, but another vb. denoting motion

quite by itself

13 t. the Inf. abs. = Imv. & is followed by Pf. consec.

akin to the use of Inf. abs. are some instances of Pt.

In combination with other verbal forms

Fig.; the most common uses follow; in most the origin in a literal meaning is evident:

pass away, die

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1980 הָלַךְ go, come, walk .Impf. usually (629 t.) as if from ילך . lit. . of persons

. Also of animals, in similar meanings and combinations

. in like manner of inanimate things

. The inf. abs. is often used . as in other vbs., quite independently

. to intensify meaning of finite form

. most noteworthy is the joining of the Inf. abs. . with a following Inf. abs. denoting a simutaneous action or process, and so emphasizing duration or continuance

. with a foll. vb. fin. c. ו consec. (rare)

. in cases where vb. fin. is foll. by Inf. abs. + adj. denoting progress, advance

. twice, where vb. fin. is not הלך, but another vb. denoting motion

. quite by itself

. 13 t. the Inf. abs. = Imv. & is followed by Pf. consec.

. akin to the use of Inf. abs. are some instances of Pt.

. In combination with other verbal forms

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1980 halak haw-lak'

akin to 3212; a primitive root; to walk (in a great variety

of applications, literally and figuratively):--(all) along,

apace, behave (self), come, (on) continually, be conversant,

depart, + be eased, enter, exercise (self), + follow, forth,

forward, get, go (about, abroad, along, away, forward, on,

out, up and down), + greater, grow, be wont to haunt, lead,

march, X more and more, move (self), needs, on, pass (away),

be at the point, quite, run (along), + send, speedily, spread,

still, surely, + tale-bearer, + travel(-ler), walk (abroad,

on, to and fro, up and down, to places), wander, wax,

(way-)faring man, X be weak, whirl.

see HEBREW for 03212

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: went.

: went/go[away]

1) to go, walk, come

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away

1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to walk

1b2) to walk (fig.)

1c) (Hithpael)

1c1) to traverse

1c2) to walk about

1d) (Niphal) to lead, bring, lead away, carry, cause to walk

הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: come.

: come[nearer]

1) to go, walk, come

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away

1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to walk

1b2) to walk (fig.)

1c) (Hithpael)

1c1) to traverse

1c2) to walk about

1d) (Niphal) to lead, bring, lead away, carry, cause to walk

הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: walk.

: walk/move

1) to go, walk, come

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away

1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to walk

1b2) to walk (fig.)

1c) (Hithpael)

1c1) to traverse

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVqi3mp — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine plural
HVqi3mp
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

(halakh, yalakh, bo', yatsa'; ago, hupago, anabaino, erchomi, aperchomai, poreuomai): "Go" ("went," etc.) occurs very frequently in the English Bible, and is the translation of a great many different Hebrew and Greek terms. As the word implies movement of all kinds, physical and mental, it has naturally many applications.

1. In the Old Testament:

In the Old Testament halakh and yalakh are among the commonest words, meaning "to go" in its original sense of "to walk," but also in the most varied senses, according to the verbal conjugations, etc., the preposition attached, and the words in connection with which the terms stand; halakh and yalakh are often used figuratively (translated "to walk," etc.) for to live, to pursue a way of life, e.g. "to walk ever in his ways" (De 19:9; compare

Mt 9:13; 21:28; 28:7; Lu 10:37; Joh 8:11

--SEE Divine Direction, GUIDANCE

they will go young shoots its and it may be like olive tree splendor its and fragrance of it like Lebanon
יֹֽנְקוֹתָ֔יוyo.ne.ko.Tav young shoots its H3127 Noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
6× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means a young shoot or sprout, like a small branch on a tree. It describes something that is new and growing.
Tyndale gloss
shoot
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יוֹנֶ֫קֶת (yowneqeth) refers to a young shoot or twig, derived from the related word for sprout. It is a feminine noun that captures the idea of a tender branch or young plant.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[יוֹנֶ֫קֶת] n.f. young shoot, twig

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3127 יוֹנֶ֫קֶת

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3127 yowneqeth yo-neh'-keth

feminine of 3126; a sprout:--(tender) branch, young twig.

see HEBREW for 03126

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יוֹנֶ֫קֶת (yo.ne.qet) — shoot.

young plant, twig, young shoot

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcfpc/Sp3ms — Noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
HNcfpc/Sp3ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
they will go young shoots its and it may be like olive tree splendor its and fragrance of it like Lebanon
וִיהִ֥יvi.Hi and it may be H1961 Conjunction · verb qal jussive third 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.
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.

Read the full entry →
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
V-Qal-Imperf-1cs — Conjunction · verb qal jussive third person masculine singular
HC/Vqj3ms
they will go young shoots its and it may be like olive tree splendor its and fragrance of it like Lebanon
כַזַּ֖יִתkha.Za.yit like olive tree H2132 Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
38× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for olive tree or olive berry, often associated with oil and light. In Deuteronomy 8:8, the olive tree is listed as one of the blessings of the Promised Land, and in Matthew 24:3, Jesus teaches on the Mount of Olives.
Tyndale gloss
olive
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

זַ֫יִת (zayith) refers to an olive or olive tree, including its fruit. It is associated with illuminating oil and appears in place names like the Mount of Olives. The entries suggest it encompasses both the tree and its produce, with some lexicons noting its connection to specific locations.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

זַ֫יִת n.m. olive-tree, olive

olive-tree

of fruit of olive-tree, olives

in designations of place

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2132 זַ֫יִת olive-tree, olive

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2132 zayith zay'-yith

probably from an unused root (akin to 2099); an olive (as

yielding illuminating oil), the tree, the branch or the

berry:--olive (tree, -yard), Olivet.

see HEBREW for 02099

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

זַ֫יִת (za.yit) — (Mount of) Olives.

This name means olive, olive tree

Also named: elaiōn (ἐλαιών "Olivet" G1638)

זַ֫יִת (za.yit) — olive.

1) olive, olive tree

1a) olive tree

1b) olives

2) mountain facing Jerusalem on the east side

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HRd/Ncmsa — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
HRd/Ncmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

tre.

See BOTANY.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Of life Ge 2:9; 3:22,24; Re 22:14

→ Of knowledge Ge 2:9,17; 3:3-6,11,12,17

→ FIGURATIVE Ps 1:3; Jer 17:8

→ SYMBOLICAL Da 4:10-12

they will go young shoots its and it may be like olive tree splendor its and fragrance of it like Lebanon
הוֹד֑וֹho.Do splendor its H1935 Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
24× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word describes something as glorious or majestic, like God's splendor in Psalm 138:5. It's about an impressive appearance or grandeur.
Tyndale gloss
splendor
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word הוֹד (*hod*) encompasses meanings related to splendour, majesty, and vigour, primarily in a poetic context. It is derived from an unused root and conveys concepts of grandeur and beauty, as noted in various lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הוֹד n.m. splendour, majesty, vigour (chiefly poet.)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1935 הוֹד splendour, majesty, vigour (chiefly poet.)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1935 howd hode

from an unused root; grandeur (i.e. an imposing form and

appearance):--beauty, comeliness, excellency, glorious, glory,

goodly, honour, majesty.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הוֹד (hod) — splendor.

splendour, majesty, vigour

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcmsc/Sp3ms — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HNcmsc/Sp3ms
they will go young shoots its and it may be like olive tree splendor its and fragrance of it like Lebanon
וְרֵ֥יחַֽve.Rei.ach and fragrance H7381 Conjunction · noun common masculine singular absolute
58× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word refers to a pleasant aroma or fragrance, often associated with sacrifices to God. It is used in books like Leviticus and Numbers to describe the soothing smell of offerings, and appears in various forms throughout the Old Testament.
Tyndale gloss
aroma
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רֵיחַ (reyach) refers to scent or odor, derived from the root meaning breath. It encompasses general fragrances and specifically the odor associated with sacrifices to God. The term appears in various contexts, highlighting its significance in both everyday and ritualistic settings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רֵיחַ 58 n.m. scent, odour (prop. breath)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7381 רֵיחַ scent, odour (prop. breath)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7381 reyach ray'-akh

from 7306; odor (as if blown):--savour, scent, smell.

see HEBREW for 07306

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רֵיחַ (re.ach) — aroma.

1) scent, fragrance, aroma, odour

1a) scent, odour

1b) odour of soothing (technical term for sacrifice to God)

Aramaic equivalent: re.ach (רֵיחַ "smell" H7382)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HC/Ncmsa — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular absolute
HC/Ncmsa
they will go young shoots its and it may be like olive tree splendor its and fragrance of it like Lebanon
ל֖וֹlo of it H9033 Preposition · suffix
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

וֹ (o) — him.

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Sp3ms — Preposition · suffix
HR/Sp3ms
they will go young shoots its and it may be like olive tree splendor its and fragrance of it like Lebanon
כַּלְּבָנֽוֹן׃ka.le.va.Non like Lebanon H3844 Preposition · noun proper
71× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Lebanon is a mountain range in Israel, named for its white snow or limestone peaks, often mentioned in Psalms and other books.
Amplified meaning
reminiscent of, similar to, trees, evergreen forests, a mountain range
Tyndale gloss
(Valley of) Lebanon
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

לְבָנוֹן (le.van.on) refers to Lebanon, a mountain range in Palestine known for its whiteness, likely due to its snow-capped peaks. The term is derived from a root meaning 'white' and is associated with various geographical features, including valleys and houses in the region. It appears in contexts describing the northern border of Israel.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לְבָנוֹן 71 n.pr.mont. Lebanon

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3844 לְבָנוֹן Lebanon

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3844 Lbanown leb-aw-nohn'

from 3825; (the) white mountain (from its snow); Lebanon, a

mountain range in Palestine:--Lebanon.

see HEBREW for 03825

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לְבָנוֹן (le.va.non) — Lebanon.

§ Lebanon = "whiteness"

a wooded mountain range on the northern border of Israel

לְבָנוֹן (le.va.non) — (Mount) Lebanon.

§ Lebanon = "whiteness"

a wooded mountain range on the northern border of Israel

לְבָנוֹן (le.va.non) — (Valley of) Lebanon.

Combined with biq.ah (בִּקְעָה " Valley" H1237I)

§ Lebanon = "whiteness"

a wooded mountain range on the northern border of Israel

לְבָנוֹן (le.va.non) — (House of the Forest of) Lebanon.

Combined with ba.yit (בַּ֫יִת "House" H1004K)

§ Lebanon = "whiteness"

a wooded mountain range on the northern border of Israel

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-proper — Preposition · noun proper
HRd/Npl
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

leb'-a-non (lebanon; Septuagint Libanos; Vulgate (Jerome's Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) Libanus):

1. Name:

Derived from the root labhen, "to be white," probably from the snow which covers its summits the greater part of the year. "White mountains" are found in almost every country. The light color of the upper limestone may, however, form a sufficient reason for the name. In prose the article is usually connected with the name. In poetry it is more often without the article. In the Septuagint, however, the article is generally present both in prose and poetry.

2. General Description:

The Lebanon range proper borders the east coast of the Mediterranean, for a distance of 100 miles, running North-Northeast and South-Southwest from the mouth of the Litany river, the classic Leontes (which enters the sea a little North of Tyre), to the mouth of the Eleuthurus (Nahr el-Kebir), a few miles North of…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Lebanon

White, “the white mountain of Syria,” is the loftiest and most celebrated mountain range in Syria. It is a branch running southward from the Caucasus, and at its lower end forking into two parallel ranges, the eastern or Anti-Lebanon, and the western or Lebanon proper. They enclose a long valley (Josh. 11:17) of from 5 to 8 miles in width, called by Roman writers Coele-Syria, now called el-Buka’a, “the valley,” a prolongation of the valley of the Jordan.

Lebanon proper, Jebel es-Sharki, commences at its southern extremity in the gorge of the Leontes, the ancient Litany, and extends north-east, parallel to the Mediterranean coast, as far as the river Eleutherus, at the plain of Emesa, “the entering of Hamath” (Num. 34:8;

a mountain range in the north of Palestine. The name Lebanon signifies white, and was applied either on account of snow which, during a great part of the year, cover its whole summit, or on account of the white color of its limestone cliffs and peaks. It is the "white mountain" --the Mont Blane of Palestine. Lebanon is represented in Scripture as lying upon the northern border of the land of Israel. (1:7; 11:24; Joshua 1:4) Two distinct ranges bear this name. They run in parallel lines from southwest to northeast for about 90 geographical miles, enclosing between them a long, fertile valley from five to eight miles wide, anciently called Coele-Syria . The western range is the "Libanus" of the old geographers and the Lebanon of Scripture. The eastern range was called "Anti-Libanus" by geographers, and "Lebanon toward the sunrising" by…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

White, a long chain of mountains on the north of Palestine, so named from the whitish limestone of which they are composed and in part perhaps from their snowy whiteness in winter. It consists of two main ridges running northeast and southwest, nearly parallel with each other and with the coast of the Mediterranean. See view in SIDON. The western ridge was called Libanus by the Greeks, and the eastern AntiLibanus. Between them lies a long valley called Coele-Syria, that is, Hollow Syria, and the "valley of Lebanon," Jos 11:17, at present Bukkah. It opens towards the north, but is exceedingly narrow towards the south, where the river Litany, anciently Orontes, issues form the valley and flows west to the sea, north of Tyre. The western ridge is generally higher than the eastern, and several of its peaks are thought to be towards…

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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