Isaiah 10:9 — Word Study
WLCהֲלֹ֥א כְּכַרְכְּמִ֖ישׁ כַּלְנ֑וֹ אִם־ לֹ֤א כְאַרְפַּד֙ חֲמָ֔ת אִם־ לֹ֥א כְדַמֶּ֖שֶׂק שֹׁמְרֽוֹן׃
BSAIs notlôʼ [as strong as, comparable to] CalnoKalneh [a city in the Assyrian empire, Calneh] like CarchemishKarkᵉmîysh [similar to, equivalent to, a major city in Syria] Is notlôʼ [as significant as, like] HamathChămâth [a key location in Syria, Emath] like ArpadʼArpâd [comparable to, as, a city in northern Syria, Arphad] Is notlôʼ [as vulnerable as, like] SamariaShômᵉrôwn [the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel, watch mountain] like DamascusDammeseq [similar to, equivalent to, the capital city of Syria, an important trading center]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| הֲלֹ֥א | ¿ not | Particle, particle |
| כְּכַרְכְּמִ֖ישׁ | like Carchemish | Preposition, noun proper |
| כַּלְנ֑וֹ | [is] Calneh | Noun proper |
| אִם־ | or? | Particle |
| לֹ֤א | not | Particle |
| כְאַרְפַּד֙ | like Arpad | Preposition, noun proper |
| חֲמָ֔ת | [is] Hamath | Noun proper |
| אִם־ | or? | Particle |
| לֹ֥א | not | Particle |
| כְדַמֶּ֖שֶׂק | like Damascus | Preposition, noun proper |
| שֹׁמְרֽוֹן׃ | [is] Samaria | Noun proper |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | “Is not Calno like Carchemish? Is not Hamath like Arpad? Is not Samaria like Damascus? |
| KJV | Is not Calno as Carchemish? is not Hamath as Arpad? is not Samaria as Damascus? |
| ASV | Is not Calno as Carchemish? is not Hamath as Arpad? is not Samaria as Damascus? |
| YLT | Is not Calno as Carchemish? Is not Hamath as Arpad? Is not Samaria as Damascus? |
| WEB | Isn’t Calno like Carchemish? Isn’t Hamath like Arpad? Isn’t Samaria like Damascus?” |
| BBE | Will not the fate of Calno be like that of Carchemish? is not Hamath as Arpad? is not Samaria as Damascus? |
Where they part company is in the rhetorical structure of the questions — see How Translations Differ.
The structure of the verse consists of three main rhetorical questions, each comparing a city to another, emphasizing the theme of vulnerability.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectכַּלְנֹו
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
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 — Isaiah 10:9
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 Judgment Against Israelgenerated
Isaiah 10:9 presents a series of rhetorical questions where the prophet Isaiah compares various cities to emphasize the vulnerability of Samaria, the capital of Israel. By likening it to other significant cities, Isaiah underscores the impending judgment and the fate that awaits them as well. This passage is part of a larger discourse on the consequences of Israel's disobedience and idolatry, as seen in the surrounding verses.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Amos 6:1–2 | Woe to those at ease in Zion and those secure on Mount Samaria, the distinguished ones of the foremost nation, to whom the house of Israel comes. |
| 2 | 2 Chronicles 35:20 | After all this, when Josiah had set the temple in order, Neco king of Egypt marched up to fight at Carchemish by the Euphrates, and Josiah went out to confront him. |
| 3 | Jeremiah 46:2 | concerning Egypt and the army of Pharaoh Neco king of Egypt, which was defeated at Carchemish on the Euphrates River by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah: |
| 4 | Isaiah 36:19 | Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim? Have they delivered Samaria from my hand? |
| 5 | Isaiah 37:13 | Where are the kings of Hamath, Arpad, Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah?’” |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 13 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — כְּכַרְכְּמִ֖ישׁ, ke.khar.ke.Mishgenerated
The word כְּכַרְכְּמִ֖ישׁ (ke.khar.ke.Mish) refers to Carchemish, a major city in Syria. This word is a preposition paired with a proper noun, indicating a comparison. Carchemish was historically significant, known for its fortifications and strategic location on the Euphrates River.
In this verse, the comparison serves to question the strength and significance of Samaria by aligning it with Carchemish, suggesting that just as Carchemish faced its downfall, so too could Samaria.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which employs the phrase like Carchemish to maintain the comparative structure of the original Hebrew.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The verse consists of a series of clauses, each beginning with a rhetorical question. The finite verb structure is implied in the questions, with the comparisons serving as predicates. The repetition of הֲלֹ֥א (ha.Lo') at the beginning of each clause emphasizes the questioning tone.
The word order places the cities at the forefront of each comparison, highlighting their significance in the context of judgment. This structure effectively conveys the urgency of Isaiah's message.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates כְּכַרְכְּמִ֖ישׁ as ἀραβίαν, indicating a shift in focus from the specific city of Carchemish to a broader context. This choice may reflect the translators' understanding of the cities in relation to their historical and cultural significance.
The use of δαμασκὸν for Damascus in the LXX suggests a consistent recognition of its importance as a trading center, paralleling the Hebrew text's emphasis on the significance of these cities.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Isaiah 10:9 asks a series of questions comparing Calno, Hamath, Samaria, and other cities to emphasize their vulnerability. Each comparison illustrates that just as these cities faced challenges, so too does Samaria, the capital of Israel, face judgment.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The comparisons highlight the vulnerability of Samaria by relating it to other cities that have faced destruction, emphasizing the consequences of Israel's disobedience.
Rhetorical questions engage the audience and provoke thought, underscoring the seriousness of the message regarding judgment and accountability.
The fate of these cities serves as a warning about the consequences of turning away from God and the importance of remaining faithful.
This passage fits into Isaiah's broader theme of judgment and the need for repentance, illustrating the dire consequences of idolatry and disobedience.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What parallels can you draw between the cities mentioned and modern cities today?
- How can understanding the historical context of these cities enhance your reading of this passage?
- In what ways do you see the themes of vulnerability and judgment reflected in today's world?
- How can we apply the lessons from this passage to our own lives and communities?
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Isaiah 10:9 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible[Is] not Calno as Carchemish?.... Jarchi's note is, "as the children of Carchemish are princes and rulers, so are the children of Calno;'' as if this was giving an instance of the grandeur of his
Read John Gill on Isaiah 10 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryFor he saith, Are not my princes altogether kings? -Vauntings of the Assyrians. Illustrated by the self-laudatory inscriptions of Assyria deciphered by Hincks. Verse 8. (Are) not my princes altogether kings?
Read Robert Jamieson on Isaiah 10 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleIs not Calno as Carchemish? have not I conquered one place as well as another, the stronger as well as the weaker? Have I not from time to time added new conquests to the old? Calno seems to be the same with Calneh, , a great and strong city. Carchemish was a city upon Euphrates, of which . Is not Hamath as Arpad? Hamath was an eminent city of Syria, not far from Euphrates, called Hemath, or Hamath the great, ; of which see 17:24 . Arpad seems to have been an obscure place, not being elsewhere named. Is not that as soon conquered as this? Is not Samaria as Damascus? or, shall not Samaria be as Damascus? Shall I not take that as I have done this city? For although Damascus possibly was not…
Read Matthew Poole on Isaiah 10 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsIsaiah 10:9 [Is] not Calno as Carchemish? [is] not Hamath as Arpad? [is] not Samaria as Damascus?Ver. 9. Is not Calno as Carchemish?] Here in a vaunt he reckoneth up six royal cities vanquished by himself and his ancestors; and boasteth how with a wet finger, as we say, he had taken in all the country between Nineveh and Jerusalem. Of the destruction of Calno and Hamath, see Amos 6:2. Is not Hamath.] Afterwards called Antiochia. As Arpad?] Hear how this proud braggard: “ Proiecit ampullas et sesquipedalia verba! ” Is not Samaria as Damascus?] Have not I subdued them both pari fortitudine et felicitate?
Read John Trapp on Isaiah 10 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(9) Is not Calno as Carchemish?—The six names obviously pointed to more recent conquests in which Sargon and his predecessors had exulted. One after another they had fallen. Could Judah hope to escape? (1) Calno, the Calneh of Gen 10:10, Amos 6:2. That prophet had held up its fate in vain as a warning to Samaria. It has been identified by Kay with Ctesiphon on the east bank of the Tigris, by Lenormant (Manual, i. 80) with Ur of the Chaldees and with the ruins known now as the Mugheir, by Rawlinson (Five Great Monarchies, i. 20) with Nipur. The Assyrian form, Kil-Anu, means the “house” or “temple” of Anu, an Assyrian deity). Sennacherib (Lenormant i. 398), speaks of having reconquered it…
Read Charles John Ellicott on Isaiah 10 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges9. The six cities are enumerated in geographical order from north to south, the first of each pair being, however, nearer to Jerusalem than the second. (1) The site of Carchemish (Ass. Gargamîsh) was identified by Mr G. Smith with the ruins of Jerabîs on the right bank of the Euphrates. As a great centre of the Hittite confederacy it had been frequently subdued by Assyrian kings, and was ultimately incorporated in the Empire by Sargon in 717. (2) Calno is probably Kullani, a city near Arpad, captured by Tiglath-pileser III. about 738. It is probably identical with the Calneh mentioned in Amos 6:2; but quite distinct from the Babylonian Calnçh of Gen 10:10. (3) Arpad (now Tell Erfâd, about…
Read Cambridge on Isaiah 10 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleIs not Calno as Carchemish? - The meaning of this confident boasting is, that none of the cities and nations against which be had directed his arms, had been able to resist him.
Read Albert Barnes on Isaiah 10 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible9. Is not Calno as Carchemish — Rawlinson puts Calno, or Calneh, sixty miles southeast by east from Babylon. Carchemish, he thinks, is not the classical Circesium, but lay higher up the Euphrates.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Isaiah 10 →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
“Is not Calno like Carchemish? Is not Hamath like Arpad? Is not Samaria like Damascus?
Isn’t Calno like Carchemish? Isn’t Hamath like Arpad? Isn’t Samaria like Damascus?”
“Is not Calno like Carchemish? Is not Hamath like Arpad? Is not Samaria like Damascus?
Is not Calneh like Carchemish? Hamath like Arpad? Samaria like Damascus?
Tyndale line
Is not Calno as Carchemish? is not Hamath as Arpad? is not Samaria as Damascus?
Is not Calno as Carchemish? is not Hamath as Arpad? is not Samaria as Damascus?
Is not Calno as Carchemish? is not Hamath as Arpad? is not Samaria as Damascus?
Is not Calno as Carchemish? is not Hamath as Arpad? is not Samaria as Damascus?
Is not Calno as Carchemish? Is not Hamath like Arpad? Is not Samaria as Damascus?
Strictly literal
Is not Calno as Karkemish? Is not Hamath as Arpad? Is not Samaria as Damascus?
Is not Calno as Carchemish? Is not Hamath as Arpad? Is not Samaria as Damascus?
Is not Calno as Carchemish? Is not Hamath as Arpad? Is not Samaria as Damascus?
Is not Calno like Karkemish? is not Chamath like Arpad? is not Samaria like Damascus?
Is not Kalno like Carchemish? Is not Hamath like Arpad? Is not Samaria like Damascus?
From the Latin
Are not my princes as so many kings? is not Calano as Charcamis: and Emath as Arphad? is not Samaria as Damascus?
Simplified
We conquered Calno like we did Carchemish; Hamath like Arpad; Samaria like Damascus.
Will not the fate of Calno be like that of Carchemish? is not Hamath as Arpad? is not Samaria as Damascus?
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.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text (MT) of Isaiah 10:9 reads: 'הֲלֹ֥א כְּכַרְכְּמִ֖ישׁ כַּלְנ֑וֹ אִם־ לֹ֤א כְאַרְפַּד֙ חֲמָ֔ת אִם־ לֹ֥א כְדַמֶּ֖שֶׂק שֹׁמְרֽוֹן׃' The Dead Sea Scrolls (1Qisaa) largely agree with the MT, presenting a similar text with minor orthographic differences: 'הלוא ככרכמיש כלנו אמ לוא כארפד חמת אמ לוא כדרמשק שומרון.' However, the Septuagint does not provide a direct equivalent for this verse, as only 3 out of the 11 words match the MT, indicating a significant divergence in translation or textual tradition. The 4Q59 manuscript of the Dead Sea Scrolls has incomplete text, with 2 words partly restored and 9 supplied by an editor, further complicating its comparison with the MT.
הֲלֹ֥א כְּכַרְכְּמִ֖ישׁ כַּלְנ֑וֹ אִם־ לֹ֤א כְאַרְפַּד֙ חֲמָ֔ת אִם־ לֹ֥א כְדַמֶּ֖שֶׂק שֹׁמְרֽוֹן׃
3 of the 11 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.
הלוא ככרכמיש כלנו אמ לוא כארפד חמת אמ לוא כדרמשק שומרון
11 words on the leather.
[הלא] [ככרכמיש] [כלנו] [אם] לא [כארפד] [חמת] [אם] [לא] [כדמשק] שמרון
nothing on the leather here — 2 partly restored, 9 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.
Lexicons — every word in Isaiah 10:9
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.
לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'
לֹא or לוֹא adv. not
base
H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not
3808 lo' lo
or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often
used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,
ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,
no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out
of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +
of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.
לֹא (lo) — not.
1) not, no
1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)
1b) not (with modifier-negation)
1c) nothing (subst)
1d) without (with particle)
1e) before (of time)
Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)
Part | Part — Particle · particleHTi/Tn
כַּרְכְּמִישׁ (Karkmiysh) refers to Carchemish, a city located on the Euphrates River. The name is of foreign origin and is associated with the Hittite capital known as the 'fortress of Chemosh.' It was significant in ancient history, notably captured by Pharaoh Necho and later by Nebuchadnezzar.
כַּרְכְּמִישׁ, כַּרְכְּמִשׁ n.pr.loc. city on Euphrates
base
H3751 כַּרְכְּמִישׁ, כַּרְכְּמִשׁ city on Euphrates
3751 Karkmiysh kar-kem-eesh'
of foreign derivation; Karkemish, a place in
Syria:--Carchemish.
כַּרְכְּמִישׁ (kar.ke.mish) — Carchemish.
§ Carchemish = "fortress of Chemosh"
a Hittite capital northeast of Israel on the Euphrates river captured by Pharaoh Necho and then from him by Nebuchadnezzar
Prep | N-proper — Preposition · noun properHR/Npl
kar'-ke-mish (karkemish; Charmeis, Karchameis) : An exceedingly ancient Hittite city on the banks of the Euphrates, identified with Jerablus (Hierapolis) about 23 hours from Aleppo, between Birejik and Membij. The Assyrian form of the name is Kargamis or Gargamis, but its meaning is doubtful, the interpretation "Fort of the god Chemosh" having been suggested before it was known that the Assyrian-Babylon form of Chemosh was not Kamish or Gamish, but Kammusu (Kammosu). Systematic excavations on the site have apparently only just been made, those undertaken by Consul J. Henderson, after the death of G. Smith the Assyriologist, having been mainly devoted to the excavation of sculptures, etc. The site has vast walls and palace-mounds about. 8,000 ft. in circumference.
1. Evidence of the City's Early Existence:
Carchemish
Fortress of Chemosh, a city on the west bank of the Euphrates (Jer. 46:2; 2 Chr. 35:20), not, as was once supposed, the Circesium at the confluence of the Chebar and the Euphrates, but a city considerably higher up the river, and commanding the ordinary passage of the Euphrates; probably identical with Hierapolis. It was the capital of the kingdom of the northern Hittites. The Babylonian army, under Nebuchadnezzar, the son of Nabopolassar, here met and conquered the army of Pharaoh-necho, king of Egypt (B.C. 607). It is mentioned in monuments in B.C. 1600 and down to B.C. 717.
(fortress of Chemosh) occupied nearly the site of the later Mabug or Hierapolis. It seems to have commanded the ordinary passage of the Euphrates at Bir or Birekjik . Carchemish appears to have been taken by Pharoah Necho shortly after the battle of Megiddo (cir. B.C. 608), and retaken by Nebuchadnezzar after a battle three years later, B.C. 605. (Jeremiah 46:2)
Probably the same with Circesium or Circusium, a fortified city on the west of the Euphrates, where the river Chaboras enters it. In Isa 10:9, it appears as taken by some king of Assyria. It was attacked by Pharaohnecho king of Egypt, near the close of king Josiah’s reign, 2Ch 35:20. Five years afterwards Necho was signally defeated by Nebuchadnezzar, Jer 46:1-12. In later times was held as a frontier post of the Roman empire on the east.
כַּלְנֵ֑ה (kalneh) refers to Calneh or Calno, a city in Babylonia associated with Nimrod. It is described as a fortress of Anu and may be linked to the modern site 'Niffer.' The entries note its capture by Assyria under Sargon, with some ambiguity about its precise historical context.
כַּלְנֵ֑ה n.pr.loc. in Babylonia, Gn 10:10 (J)
ref
כַּלְנֶה n.pr.loc. city (conquered by Assyria under Sargon?)
base
H3641a כַּלְנֵ֑ה in Babylonia H3641b כַּלְנֶה city (conquered by Assyria under Sargon?)
3641 Kalneh kal-neh'
or Kalneh {kal-nay'}; also Kalnow {kal-no'}; of foreign
derivation; Calneh or Calno, a place in the Assyrian empire:--
Calneh, Calno. Compare 3656.
see HEBREW for 03656
כַּלְנֵ֑ה (kal.neh) — Calneh.
§ Calneh or Calno = "fortress of Anu"
a city of Babylonia named among the cities of Nimrod
maybe modern 'Niffer'
כַּלְנֶה (kal.neh) — Calneh.
Calneh or Calno = "fortress of Anu"
an Assyrian city near Aleppo
captured by Assyria in the 8th century BC
Another spelling of kal.neh (כַּלְנֵ֑ה "Calneh" H3641A)
N-proper — Noun properHNpl
kal'-ne (kalneh; Chalanne): The name of the fourth city of Nimrod's kingdom (Ge 10:10), the three preceding it being Babel, Erech, and Accad, i.e. the capital of the realm of Babylonia and the chief cities of three of the principal states. The meaning of the name is unknown, and many regard the identification as uncertain athers and burned C. who had fled into an outhouse with others who had set the sacred gates on fire, "the meet reward of their impiety" (2 Macc 8:33).
1. Identified with Nippur:
G. Rawlinson thought it to be the modern Niffer (or Noufar), comparing the Talmudic (compare Yoma') Nopher, which is said to be the same as Calneh. What place-name Calneh corresponds with in cuneiform is doubtful. Fried. Delitzsch (Wo lag das Paradies?) compared it with Kul-unu, but as we are told to pronounce this group as Kullaba, it seems…
Calneh
Fort, one of the four cities founded by Nimrod (Gen. 10:10). It is the modern Niffer, a lofty mound of earth and rubbish situated in the marshes on the left, i.e., the east, bank of the Euphrates, but 30 miles distant from its present course, and about 60 miles south-south-east from Babylon. It is mentioned as one of the towns with which Tyre carried on trade. It was finally taken and probably destroyed by one of the Assyrian kings (Amos 6:2). It is called Calno (Isa. 10:9) and Canneh (Ezek. 27:23).
Called Calno, Isa 10:9 and Canneh, Eze 27:23, one of Nimrod’s cities, Ge 10:10, and afterwards called Ctesiphon; it lay on the east bank of the Tigris opposite Seleucia, twenty miles below Bagdad. Ctesiphon was a winter residence of the Parthian kings. Nothing now remains but the ruins of a palace and mounds of rubbish.
our consummation
אִם (im) is a Hebrew conjunction primarily meaning 'if' and is used in various contexts, including conditional clauses and interrogative situations. It can also express negation, alternatives, or exceptions, and appears frequently in the Old Testament. The lexicons note its use in oaths and its ability to connect different clauses, sometimes altering their meanings.
אִם conj.
hypoth. part. if
Interrog. part.
base
כִּי אם־
each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause:
that if
for if
(About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause—
limiting the prec. clause, except
the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but
after an oath, surely
base
H518a אִם conj. . hypoth. part. if
. Interrog. part.
H518b כִּי אם־ . each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause: . that if
. for if
. (About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause— . limiting the prec. clause, except
. the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but
. after an oath, surely
518 'im eem
a primitive particle; used very widely as demonstrative, lo!;
interrog., whether?; or conditional, if, although; also Oh
that!, when; hence, as a negative, not:--(and, can-,
doubtless, if, that) (not), + but, either, + except, +
more(-over if, than), neither, nevertheless, nor, oh that, or,
+ save (only, -ing), seeing, since, sith, + surely (no more,
none, not), though, + of a truth, + unless, + verily, when,
whereas, whether, while, + yet.
אִם (im) — if.
: if/whether_or/though
1) if
1a) conditional clauses
1a1) of possible situations
1a2) of impossible situations
1b) oath contexts
1b1) no, not
1c) if...if, whether...or, whether...or...or
1d) when, whenever
1e) since
1f) interrogative particle
1g) but rather
[כִּי] אם (ki im) — if: except.
1) except if
1a) but if
אִם (im) — if: surely no.
: surely_no
1) if
1a) conditional clauses
1a1) of possible situations
1a2) of impossible situations
1b) oath contexts
1b1) no, not
1c) if...if, whether...or, whether...or...or
1d) when, whenever
1e) since
1f) interrogative particle
1g) but rather
אִם (im) — if: surely yes.
: surely_yes
1) if
1a) conditional clauses
1a1) of possible situations
1a2) of impossible situations
1b) oath contexts
1b1) no, not
1c) if...if, whether...or, whether...or...or
1d) when, whenever
1e) since
1f) interrogative particle
1g) but rather
אִם (im) — if: until.
: until/except
HTc — ParticleHTc
or: The word is used once for either (1Sa 26:10), and is still in poetic use in this sense; as in, "Without or wave or wind" (Coleridge); "Or the bakke or some bone he breketh in his dzouthe" (Piers Plowman (B), VII, 93; compare Merchant of Venice, III, ii, 65). It is also used with "ever" for before (Ps 90:2; Ecclesiasticus 18:19), which the American Standard Revised Version substitutes in Ec 12:6 (compare 12:1,2); So 6:12; Da 6:24.
לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'
לֹא or לוֹא adv. not
base
H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not
3808 lo' lo
or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often
used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,
ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,
no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out
of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +
of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.
לֹא (lo) — not.
1) not, no
1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)
1b) not (with modifier-negation)
1c) nothing (subst)
1d) without (with particle)
1e) before (of time)
Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)
Part — ParticleHTn
אַרְפַּד (Arpad) refers to a city in northern Syria. The name is derived from a root meaning 'to spread out' and is associated with the Assyrian conquest. It is mentioned in various contexts, highlighting its significance in ancient geography.
אַרְפַּד n.pr.loc. city in northern Syria
base
H774 אַרְפַּד city in northern Syria
774 'Arpad ar-pawd'
from 7502; spread out; Arpad, a place in Syria:--Arpad,
Arphad.
see HEBREW for 07502
אַרְפַּד (ar.pad) — Arpad.
§ Arpad or Arphad = "I shall be spread out (or supported)"
a city in northern Syria cited as an example of the Assyrian conquest
Prep | N-proper — Preposition · noun properHR/Npl
Arpad
(Isa. 10:9; 36:19; 37:13), also Arphad, support, a Syrian city near Hamath, along with which it is invariably mentioned (2 Kings 19:13; 18:34; Isa. 10:9), and Damascus (Jer. 49:23). After a siege of three years it fell (B.C. 742) before the Assyrian king Tiglath-pileser II. Now Tell Erfud.
the light of redemption
The Hebrew word חֲמָת (*Chamath*) refers to a location, specifically a city in upper Syria known as Hamath, which means 'fortress.' It is noted in the context of being a significant city in the valley of the Orontes. The term is associated with the root meaning of 'walled' and is mentioned in Amos 6:2 as 'great Hamath.'
חֲמָת, חֲמַת n.pr.loc. (√ dub.; fortress). It is called great Hamath by Am 6:2 (חֲמַת רַבָּה)
base
H2574 חֲמָת, חֲמַת (√ dub.; fortress)
2574 Chamath kham-awth'
from the same as 2346; walled; Chamath, a place in
Syria:--Hamath, Hemath.
see HEBREW for 02346
חֲמָת (cha.mat) — Hamath.
§ Hamath = "fortress"
the principle city of upper Syria in the valley of the Orontes
חֲמָת (cha.mat) — (Zobah)-Hamath.
Hamath = "fortress"
the principle city of upper Syria in the valley of the Orontes
Combined with tso.va (צוֹבָא "Zobah" H6678)
N-proper — Noun properHNpl
ha'-math (chamath; Hemath, Haimath; Swete also has Hemath): The word signifies a defense or citadel, and such designation was very suitable for this chief royal city of the Hittites, situated between their northern and southern capitals, Carchemish and Kadesh, on a gigantic mound beside the Orontes. In Am 6:2 it is named Great Hamath, but not necessarily to distinguish it from other places of the same name.
1. Early History:
The Hamathite is mentioned in Ge 10:18 among the sons of Canaan, but in historic times the population, as the personal names testify, seems to have been for the most part Semitic. The ideal boundary of Israel reached the territory, but not the city of Hamath (Nu 34:8;
Hamath
Fortress, the capital of one of the kingdoms of Upper Syria of the same name, on the Orontes, in the valley of Lebanon, at the northern boundary of Palestine (Num. 13:21; 34:8), at the foot of Hermon (Josh. 13:5) towards Damascus (Zech. 9:2; Jer. 49:23). It is called “Hamath the great” in Amos 6:2, and “Hamath-zobah” in 2 Chr. 8:3.
Hamath, now Hamah, had an Aramaean population, but Hittite monuments discovered there show that it must have been at one time occupied by the Hittites. It was among the conquests of the Pharaoh Thothmes III. Its king, Tou or Toi…
(fortress), the principal city of upper Syria, was situated in the valley of the Orontes, which it commanded from the low screen of hills which forms the water-shed between the source of the Orontes and Antioch. The Hamathites were a Hamitic race, and are included among the descendants of Canaan. (Genesis 10:18) Nothing appears of the power of Hamath until the time of David. (2 Samuel 8:9) Hamath seems clearly to have been included in the dominions of Solomon. (1 Kings 4:21-24) The "store-cities" which Solomon "built in Hamath," (2 Chronicles 8:4) were perhaps staples for trade. In the Assyrian inscriptions of the time of Ahab (B.C. 900) Hamath appears as a separate power, in…
A celebrated city of Syria. Hamath, like Jerusalem and Damascus, is one of the few places in Syria and Palestine which have retained a certain degree of importance from the very earliest ages to the present time. The name occurs in Ge 10:18, as the seat of a Canaanitish tribe; and it is often mentioned as the northern limits of Canaan in its widest extent, Nu 13:21; Jos 13:5; Jud 3:3. In David’s time, Toi king of Hamath was his ally, 2Sa 8:9,10.
Burckhardt describes Hamath as "situated on both sides of the Orontes; a part of it is built on the declivity of a hill, and a part in the plain. The town is of considerable…
אִם (im) is a Hebrew conjunction primarily meaning 'if' and is used in various contexts, including conditional clauses and interrogative situations. It can also express negation, alternatives, or exceptions, and appears frequently in the Old Testament. The lexicons note its use in oaths and its ability to connect different clauses, sometimes altering their meanings.
אִם conj.
hypoth. part. if
Interrog. part.
base
כִּי אם־
each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause:
that if
for if
(About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause—
limiting the prec. clause, except
the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but
after an oath, surely
base
H518a אִם conj. . hypoth. part. if
. Interrog. part.
H518b כִּי אם־ . each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause: . that if
. for if
. (About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause— . limiting the prec. clause, except
. the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but
. after an oath, surely
518 'im eem
a primitive particle; used very widely as demonstrative, lo!;
interrog., whether?; or conditional, if, although; also Oh
that!, when; hence, as a negative, not:--(and, can-,
doubtless, if, that) (not), + but, either, + except, +
more(-over if, than), neither, nevertheless, nor, oh that, or,
+ save (only, -ing), seeing, since, sith, + surely (no more,
none, not), though, + of a truth, + unless, + verily, when,
whereas, whether, while, + yet.
אִם (im) — if.
: if/whether_or/though
1) if
1a) conditional clauses
1a1) of possible situations
1a2) of impossible situations
1b) oath contexts
1b1) no, not
1c) if...if, whether...or, whether...or...or
1d) when, whenever
1e) since
1f) interrogative particle
1g) but rather
[כִּי] אם (ki im) — if: except.
1) except if
1a) but if
אִם (im) — if: surely no.
: surely_no
1) if
1a) conditional clauses
1a1) of possible situations
1a2) of impossible situations
1b) oath contexts
1b1) no, not
1c) if...if, whether...or, whether...or...or
1d) when, whenever
1e) since
1f) interrogative particle
1g) but rather
אִם (im) — if: surely yes.
: surely_yes
1) if
1a) conditional clauses
1a1) of possible situations
1a2) of impossible situations
1b) oath contexts
1b1) no, not
1c) if...if, whether...or, whether...or...or
1d) when, whenever
1e) since
1f) interrogative particle
1g) but rather
אִם (im) — if: until.
: until/except
HTc — ParticleHTc
or: The word is used once for either (1Sa 26:10), and is still in poetic use in this sense; as in, "Without or wave or wind" (Coleridge); "Or the bakke or some bone he breketh in his dzouthe" (Piers Plowman (B), VII, 93; compare Merchant of Venice, III, ii, 65). It is also used with "ever" for before (Ps 90:2; Ecclesiasticus 18:19), which the American Standard Revised Version substitutes in Ec 12:6 (compare 12:1,2); So 6:12; Da 6:24.
לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'
לֹא or לוֹא adv. not
base
H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not
3808 lo' lo
or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often
used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,
ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,
no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out
of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +
of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.
לֹא (lo) — not.
1) not, no
1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)
1b) not (with modifier-negation)
1c) nothing (subst)
1d) without (with particle)
1e) before (of time)
Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)
Part — ParticleHTn
דַּמֶּשֶׂק (Dammeseq) refers to Damascus, an ancient city in Syria known for its significance as a trading center. The name is thought to mean 'silent is the sackcloth weaver.' It appears in various contexts in the Old Testament, emphasizing its historical prominence.
דַּמֶּ֫שֶׂק n.pr.loc. Damascus
base
H1834 דַּמֶּשֶׂק Damascus
1834 Dammeseq dam-meh'-sek
or Duwmeseq {doo-meh'-sek}; or Darmeseq {dar-meh'-sek}; of
foreign origin; Damascus, a city of Syria:--Damascus.
דַּמֶּ֫שֶׂק (dam.me.seq) — Damascus.
§ Damascus = "silent is the sackcloth weaver"
an ancient trading city, capital of Syria, located in the plain east of Hermon, 130 (205 km) miles northeast of Jerusalem
Prep | N-proper — Preposition · noun properHR/Npl
da-mas'-kus:
1. The Name
2. Situation and Natural Features
3. The City Itself
4. Its History
(1) The Early Period (to circa 950 BC)
(2) The Aramean Kingdom (circa 950-732 BC)
(3) The Middle Period (732 BC-650 AD)
(4) Under Islam
1. Name:
The English name is the same as the Greek Damaskos. The Hebrew name is Dammeseq, but the Aramaic form Darmeseq, occurs in 1Ch 18:5; 2Ch 28:5. The name appears in Egyptian inscriptions as Ti-mas-ku (16th century BC), and Sa-ra-mas-ki (13th century BC), which W. M. Muller, Asien u. Europa, 227, regards as representing Ti-ra-mas-ki, concluding from the "ra" in this form that Damascus had by that time passed under Aramaic influence. In the Tell el-Amarna Letters the forms Ti-ma-as-gi and Di-mas-ka occur. The Arabic name is Dimashk esh-Sham ("Damascus of Syria")…
Damascus
Activity, the most ancient of Oriental cities; the capital of Syria (Isa. 7:8; 17:3); situated about 133 miles to the north of Jerusalem. Its modern name is Esh-Sham; i.e., “the East.”
The situation of this city is said to be the most beautiful of all Western Asia. It is mentioned among the conquests of the Egyptian king Thothmes III. (B.C. 1500), and in the Amarna tablets (B.C. 1400).
It is first mentioned in Scripture in connection with Abraham’s victory over the confederate kings under Chedorlaomer (Gen. 14:15). It was the native place of Abraham’s steward (15:2). It is not again noticed till the time of David, when “the Syrians of Damascus came to succour Hadadezer” (q.v.), 2 Sam. 8:5;
one of the most ancient and most important of the cities of Syria. It is situated 130 miles northeast of Jerusalem, in a plain of vast size and of extreme fertility, which lies east of the great chain of Anti-Libanus, on the edge of the desert. This fertile plain, which is nearly circular and about 30 miles in diameter, is due to the river Barada , which is probably the "Abana" of Scripture. Two other streams the Wady Helbon upon the north and the Awaj, which flows direct from Hermon upon the south, increase the fertility of the Damascene plain, and contend for the honor of representing the "Pharpar" of Scripture. According to Josephus, Damascus was founded by Uz grandson of Shem. It is first mentioned in Scripture in connection with Abraham, (Genesis 14:15) whose steward was a native of the place. (
A celebrated metropolis of Syria, first mentioned in Ge 14:15 15:2, and now probably the oldest city on the globe. It stands on the river Barada, the ancient Chrysorrhoas, in a beautiful and fertile plain on the east and south east of Anti-Lebanon. See ABANA, and Pharpar. This plain is about fifty miles in circumference; it is open to the desert of Arabiaon the south and east, and is bounded on the other sides by the mountains. The region around and north of Damascus, including probably the valley between the ridges of Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon, is called in the Scriptures, "Syria of Damascus," 2Sa 8:5, and by Strabo, Coelesyria. This city, which at first had its own kings, was taken by David, 2Sa 8:5,6; and by Jeroboam
שִׁמְרוֹן (Shomrown) refers to Samaria, the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel established during Omri's reign. The name is derived from a root meaning 'watch-station' or 'watch mountain.' It denotes both the city and the surrounding region, which played a significant role in the history of Israel after the kingdom split.
שִׁמְרוֹן 109 n.pr.loc. capital of N. Isr. from Omri's time
base
H8111 שִׁמְרוֹן capital of N. Isr. from Omri's time
8111 Shomrown sho-mer-one'
from the active participle of 8104; watch-station; Shomeron,
a place in Palestine:--Samaria.
see HEBREW for 08104
שֹׁמְרוֹן (sho.me.ron) — Samaria.
§ Samaria = "watch mountain"
1) the region of northern Palestine associated with the northern kingdom of the 10 tribes of Israel which split from the kingdom after the death of Solomon during the reign of his son Rehoboam and were ruled by Jeroboam
2) the capital city of the northern kingdom of Israel located 30 miles (50 km) north of Jerusalem and 6 miles (10 km) northwest of Shechem
N-proper — Noun properHNpl
Samaria
A watch-mountain or a watch-tower. In the heart of the mountains of Israel, a few miles north-west of Shechem, stands the “hill of Shomeron,” a solitary mountain, a great “mamelon.” It is an oblong hill, with steep but not inaccessible sides, and a long flat top. Omri, the king of Israel, purchased this hill from Shemer its owner for two talents of silver, and built on its broad summit the city to which he gave the name of “Shomeron”, i.e., Samaria, as the new capital of his kingdom instead of Tirzah (1 Kings 16:24). As such it possessed many advantages. Here Omri resided during the last six years of his reign. As the result of an unsuccessful war with Syria, he appears to have been obliged to grant to the Syrians the right to “make streets in Samaria”, i.e., probably permission to the Syrian merchants to carry on their trade…
(watch mountain). This city is situated 30 miles north of Jerusalem and about six miles to the northwest of Shechem, in a wide basin-shaped valley, six miles in diameter, encircled with high hills, almost on the edge of the great plain which borders upon the Mediterranean. In the centre of this basin, which is on a lower level than the valley of Shechem, rises a less elevated hill, with steep yet accessible sides and a long fiat top. This hill was chosen by Omri as the site of the capital of the kingdom of Israel. He "bought the hill of Samaria of Shemer for two talents of silver, and built on the hill, and called the name of the city which he built, after the name of the owner of the hill, Samaria." (1 Kings 16:23,24) From the that of Omri’s purchase, B.C. 925, Samaria retained its dignity as the capital of the ten tribes, and the…
1. One of the three divisions of the Holy Land in the time of our Savior, having Galilee on the north and Judea on the south, the Jordan on the east and the Mediterranean on the west, and occupying parts of the territory assigned at first to Ephraim, Mahasseh, and Issachar, Lu 17:11 Joh 4:4. It is described as having its hills less bare than those of Judea, and its valleys and plains more cultivated and fruitful. See CANAAN. Many gospel churches were early planted here, Ac 8:1,25 9:31 15:3.
2. A city situated near the middle of Palestine, some six miles northwest of Shechem. It was built by Omri king of Israel, about 920 B. C., and named after Shemer the previous owner of the mountain or hill on which the city stood, 1Ki…
watch-mountain