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Isaiah 21:11 — Word Study

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WLCמַשָּׂ֖א דּוּמָ֑ה אֵלַי֙ קֹרֵ֣א מִשֵּׂעִ֔יר שֹׁמֵר֙ מַה־ מִלַּ֔יְלָה שֹׁמֵ֖ר מַה־ מִלֵּֽיל׃

BSA[This is] the burdenmassâʼ [message from God, prophecy] against DumahDûwmâh [a region in Arabia, associated with Edom] One callsqârâʼ [cries out, summons] to meʼêl from SeirSêʻîyr [a mountain in Idumaea] Watchmanshâmar [guardian, protector] what is leftmâh [remaining, passing] of the nightlayil [time of darkness, period of rest] Watchmanshâmar what is leftmâh [remaining, passing] of the nightlayil

Word
Listen & take awayIsaiah 21
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 11 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 (mi.Leil) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Isaiah 21:11quick helps
In a sentenceIsaiah presents a prophetic message regarding Dumah, questioning the watchman about the night.
Who is speakingA voice from Seir calls out to the watchman.
Where we areThis verse is part of a prophecy concerning Dumah, a region associated with Edom.
The hard wordמַשָּׂא
Take awayThe watchman is asked to report on the night, emphasizing a sense of urgency.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectדּוּמָה verbקָרָא 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 — Isaiah 21:11

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 Burden Against Dumahgenerated

10O my people, crushed on the threshing floor, I tell you what I have heard from the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel.
11This is the burden against Dumah: One calls to me from Seir, “Watchman, what is left of the night? Watchman, what is left of the night?”
12The watchman replies, “Morning has come, but also the night. If you would inquire, then inquire. Come back yet again.”
13This is the burden against Arabia: In the thickets of Arabia you must lodge, O caravans of Dedanites.

Isaiah 21:11 conveys a message from God about Dumah, where a voice from Seir questions the watchman about the night. This is part of a larger prophecy that addresses various nations, reflecting the themes of vigilance and the passage of time. The context highlights the watchman's role in observing and reporting, which is crucial in times of uncertainty, as seen in the surrounding verses.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Genesis 25:14Mishma, Dumah, Massa,
21 Chronicles 1:30Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema,
3Isaiah 34:1–17Come near, O nations, to listen; pay attention, O peoples. Let the earth hear, and all that fills it, the world and all that springs from it.
4Isaiah 63:1–6Who is this coming from Edom, from Bozrah with crimson-stained garments? Who is this robed in splendor, marching in the greatness of His strength? “It is I, proclaiming vindication, mighty to save.”
5Numbers 24:18Edom will become a possession, as will Seir, his enemy; but Israel will perform with valor.

The Key Word מַשָּׂא, ma.Sa'generated

The word מַשָּׂא (massa') refers to a burden or oracle, often conveying a message from God through a prophet. Its root indicates lifting or carrying, which aligns with the notion of delivering a significant message. In this verse, it signifies the weighty prophecy concerning Dumah.

This term appears frequently in prophetic literature, emphasizing the serious nature of the message being delivered. The use of מַשָּׂא here indicates that what follows is not merely a casual statement but a divine communication meant to be heeded.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

The translations agree on the rendering of מַשָּׂא as 'burden' or 'oracle', emphasizing its prophetic nature.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The finite verb קֹרֵא (ko.Re') governs the main clause, with two phrases following it that pose questions. The structure emphasizes the call to the watchman and the repeated inquiry about the night, highlighting the urgency and importance of the watchman's role.

The Hebrew word order places the questions at the end, which serves to build anticipation and focus on the watchman's response.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates דּוּמָה as ιδουμαίας, indicating a geographical association with Edom. This choice reflects the translators' understanding of Dumah as tied to the broader context of Edom's fate.

The Greek rendering of the prophetic message maintains the sense of urgency found in the Hebrew, preserving the call to the watchman.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Isaiah 21:11 presents a message about Dumah, where someone calls out from Seir to a watchman, asking about the night. The watchman is urged to respond, emphasizing the importance of vigilance during uncertain times.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does the term 'burden' mean in this context?

In this context, 'burden' refers to a prophetic message or oracle that carries significant weight and importance.

Who is the watchman in this verse?

The watchman symbolizes a guardian or protector who is responsible for observing and reporting on the happenings of the night.

What is the significance of the repeated question about the night?

The repetition of the question highlights a sense of urgency and the need for awareness regarding the passing time and potential dangers.

How does this verse relate to the surrounding context?

This verse is part of a prophecy that addresses various nations, emphasizing themes of vigilance and the consequences of neglecting watchfulness.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What does it mean to be a watchman in my own life, and how can I fulfill that role?
  2. How can I remain vigilant during times of uncertainty or darkness?
  3. What messages or burdens has God placed on my heart to share with others?
  4. In what ways can I seek to understand the times and respond appropriately?

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

Early commentators reference this verse to discuss themes of vigilance and prophecy, with quotations provided from Jerome and Gregory the Dialogist.

JeromeVerse 11, 12. c. 347–420
Oracle concerning Dumah. One calls to me from Seir: 'Watchman, what time of the night? Watchman, what time of the night?' The watchman says: 'Morning comes, and also the night.
Early Church Fathers on Isaiah 21 →
JeromeVerse 11, 12. c. 347–420
The burden of Dumah: he calls to me out of Seir: Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night? The watchman said, The morning comes, and also the night: if you will inquire, inquire: turn back, and come.
Early Church Fathers on Isaiah 21 →
Gregory the DialogistMorals on the Book of Job, Book 6.34 c. 540–604
Again he says, “Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night? The watchman said, ‘The morning comes, and also the night.’ ” For “the watchman came by night,” in that the guardian of the human race even showed himself manifest…
Early Church Fathers on Isaiah 21 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Isaiah 21:11 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

The burden of Dumah,.... Whether this prophecy concerns the Edomites or Idumeans, or whether the Arabians, particularly the Dumean Arabians, is a question, since Dumah was a son of Ishmael, Genesis

Read John Gill on Isaiah 21 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

The burden of Dumah. He calleth to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?

Read Robert Jamieson on Isaiah 21 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Of Dumah; either, 1. Of a part of Arabia, so called from Dumah, one of Ishmael’ s race, . Or rather, 2. Of Edom or Idumea, as seems most probable from the mention of Mount Seir, which was a part of Edom; which may here be called Dumah, either by an abbreviation, or cutting off the first letter from Idumea, as Ram is put for Aram, , or rather prophetically and sarcastically; for Dumah signifies silent; whereby he intimates that Edom, which was much given to vain boasting and railing against God, and against his people, as we read elsewhere, should be brought to silence and utter ruin. And such new, and enigmatical, and significant names are elsewhere given by the prophets to divers known…

Read Matthew Poole on Isaiah 21 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Isaiah 21:11 The burden of Dumah. He calleth to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?Ver. 11. The burden of Dumah,] i.e., Of Idumea, or of the Edomites. For burden, see on Isaiah 13:1. This prophecy is the shorter the harder. The Jews apply this prophecy to Rome. They read for Dumah, Roma. The Romans they call the new Idumeans, and the Pope’ s kingdom the wicked kingdom of Edom. Some of them say that Julius Caesar was an Idumean; others that Aeneas came out of Idumea into Egypt; from thence into Lybia; thence to Carthage; thence to Italy, and that there he built Alba, out of which sprang Rome. The rise of this fiction seemeth to have been the destruction…

Read John Trapp on Isaiah 21 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(11) The burden of Dumah.—Several places of the name are mentioned in the Old Testament (Genesis 25:14; Joshua 15:52), but these are not in the direction of Seir. Probably here, as in Isaiah 21:1 and Isaiah 22:1, we have a mystical prophetic name, Edom being altered to Dumah, i.e., “silence,” as in Psalms 94:17; Psalms 115:17, the silence of the grave. In this case, as in the preceding, there is first the oppressive silence of expectancy, and then of desolation. He calleth . . . out of Seir . . .—The subject is indefinite: one calleth. The watchman hears the silence of the night broken by a voice from Seir. It is probable that the prophet had actually been consulted by the Edomites, and…

Read Charles John Ellicott on Isaiah 21 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 11. The burden of Dumah - "The oracle concerning Dumah."] Pro דומה Dumah, Codex R. Meiri habet אדום Edom; and so the Septuagint, Vid. Kimchi ad h. l. Biblia Michaelis, Halae, 1720, not. ad l. See also De Rossi. Bishop Lowth translates the prophecy thus: - 11. THE ORACLE CONCERNING DUMAH. A voice crieth to me from Seir: Watchman, what from the night? 12. The watchman replieth: - The morning cometh, and also the night. If ye will inquire, inquire ye: come again. This differs very little from our common Version. One of Kennicott's MSS., and one of my own, omit the repetition, "Watchman, what from the night?" This prophecy, from the uncertainty of the occasion on which it was uttered, and…

Read AdamClarke on Isaiah 21 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

The oracle on Edom. Isaiah 21:11-12 The prophet hears (whether in reality or in imagination it is impossible to say) an urgent cry from Seir, inquiring whether the night of distress is nearly over (Isaiah 21:11). His reply (Isaiah 21:12) is equivocal and confessedly incomplete; at a later time he may be able to read the signs of the times with a surer vision. The passage is too short and vague to permit any confident conclusion as to its date; but it contains nothing inconsistent with the supposition that it belongs generally to the same period as Isaiah 21:1-10. Towards the end of the Exile the Edomites seem to have been on friendly terms with the Babylonians, from whom they had received a…

Read Cambridge on Isaiah 21 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Analysis of Isa 21:11, Isaiah 21:12. - VISION 17. Dumah, or Idumea. This prophecy is very obscure. It comprises but two verses. When it was delivered, or on what occasion, or what was its design, it is not easy to determine.

Read Albert Barnes on Isaiah 21 →

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

This is the burden against Dumah: One calls to me from Seir, “Watchman, what is left of the night? Watchman, what is left of the night?”

WEBWorld English Bible2000

The burden of Dumah. One calls to me out of Seir, “Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?”

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

This is the burden against Dumah: One calls to me from Seir, “Watchman, what is left of the night? Watchman, what is left of the night?”

NETBNew English Translation2006

Here is a message about Dumah: Someone calls to me from Seir, “Watchman, what is left of the night? Watchman, what is left of the night?”

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

¶ The burden of Dumah. He calleth to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

The burden of Dumah. One calleth unto me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?

RVARevised Version, American1894

The burden of Dumah. One calleth unto me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?

NWBWebster's Bible1833

The burden of Dumah. He calleth to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?

GNVGeneva Bible1599

The burden of Dumah. He calleth vnto me out of Seir, Watchman, what was in ye night? Watchman, what was in the night?

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

The burden of Dumah. He calleth to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

The burden of Dumah. Unto me is [one] calling from Seir 'Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?'

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

The burden of Dumah. [One] is calling to me from Seir, “Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?”

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

The doom of Dumah. Unto me one calleth out of Se'ir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

A declaration about Dumah. One calls to me from Seir, “Watchman, what is left of the night? Watchman, what is left of the night?”

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

The burden of Duma calleth to me out of Seir: Watchman, what of the eight? watchman, what of the night?

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

A message about Edom. A voice is calling to me from Seir, asking, “Watchman, what time of night is it? Watchman, what time of night is it?”

BBEBible in Basic English1949

The word about Edom. A voice comes to me from Seir, Watchman, how far gone is the night? how far gone is the night?

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.

clausenoun phrase · predicateמַשָּׂ֖אthe.oracleדּוּמָ֑הof.Dumahclauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalאֵלַtoי֙meverbקֹרֵ֣א[someone.is].callingprepositional phrase · prepositionalמִfromשֵּׂעִ֔ירSeirclauseclauseשֹׁמֵר֙O.watchmanclausesubjectמַהwhat?prepositional phrase · predicateמִ[is].from.[the]לַּ֔יְלָהnightclauseclauseשֹׁמֵ֖רO.watchmanclausesubjectמַהwhat?prepositional phrase · predicateמִ[is].from.[the]לֵּֽילnight

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 Dead Sea Scrolls agree on the core wording of the verse, with the scrolls providing partial restorations. The Septuagint, while differing in word order, captures the essence of the Hebrew message.

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

מַשָּׂ֖א דּוּמָ֑ה אֵלַי֙ קֹרֵ֣א מִשֵּׂעִ֔יר שֹׁמֵר֙ מַה־ מִלַּ֔יְלָה שֹׁמֵ֖ר מַה־ מִלֵּֽיל׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
דּוּמָ֑הιδουμαίαςאֵלַי֙ἐμὲקֹרֵ֣אκαλεῖמִשֵּׂעִ֔ירσηιρשֹׁמֵר֙φυλάσσετε

5 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.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 1Qisaaa copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

משא דומה אל׳י קרא משעיר שומר מה מליל שומר מה מליל

11 words on the leather.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q55a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[משא] [דומה] [אל׳י] [קרא] [משעיר] [שמר] [מה] [מלילה] [שמר] [מה] [מליל]

nothing on the leather here — 11 supplied entire by an editor.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q56a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[משא] דומה אל׳י קרא [משעיר] [שמר] [מה] [מלילה] [שמר] [מה] [מליל]

1 word on the leather — 2 partly restored, 8 supplied entire by an editor.

Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.


The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

Isaiah 21:11מַשָּׂא[the] oracl[the] oracle ofמַשָּׂאדּוּמָהDumahDumahדּוּמָהאֶלto meto meאֶלקָרָא[someone is[someone is] caקָרָאשֵׂעִירfrom Seirfrom SeirשֵׂעִירשָׁמַרO watchmanO watchmanשָׁמַרמָהwhat?what?מָהלַ֫יְלָה[is] from [[is] from [the]לַ֫יְלָהשָׁמַרO watchmanO watchmanשָׁמַרמָהwhat?what?מָהלַ֫יְלָה[is] from [[is] from [the]לַ֫יְלָהנָשָׂאto lift: rto lift: raiseנָשָׂאלוּלstairsstairsלוּלדּוּמָהsilencesilenceדּוּמָהקָרָאto encountto encounter: mקָרָאשָׂעִרhairyhairyשָׂעִרמִשְׁמֶ֫רֶתchargechargeמִשְׁמֶ֫רֶתמִצְוָהcommandmencommandmentמִצְוָהכָּ֫כָהthusthusכָּ֫כָהפָּעַלto workto workפָּעַליוֹמָםby dayby dayיוֹמָםאוֹרto lightto lightאוֹריָסַרto disciplto disciplineיָסַרדַּמֶּשֶׂקDamascusDamascusדַּמֶּשֶׂקמַשָּׂאMassaMassaמַשָּׂאמִשְׁמָעMishmaMishmaמִשְׁמָעפָּלַלto prayto prayפָּלַליִרְמְיָ֫הJeremiahJeremiahיִרְמְיָ֫הצוֹםfastfastצוֹם
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 Isaiah 21:11

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.

[the] oracle of Dumah to me [someone is] calling from Seir O watchman what? [is] from [the] night O watchman what? [is] from [the] night
מַשָּׂ֖אma.Sa' [the] oracle of H4853 Noun common · masculine singular construct
66× 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 message from God, like a prophecy or oracle, often given through a prophet. It can also mean a burden or a song. It appears in books like Isaiah and Ezekiel, where God speaks through prophets to His people.
Amplified meaning
message from God, prophecy
Tyndale gloss
burden
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מַשָּׂא (massa') refers to a load or burden, encompassing meanings like tribute and lifting. It can also signify an utterance or oracle, often linked to prophecy or song. The word is built from the root meaning to carry or lift, and it appears in contexts related to both physical and figurative burdens.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מַשָּׂא n.m. load, burden, lifting, bearing, tribute

base

מַשָּׂא n.m. utterance, oracle

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4853a מַשָּׂא load, burden, lifting, bearing, tribute H4853b מַשָּׂא utterance, oracle

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4853 massa' mas-saw'

from 5375; a burden; specifically, tribute, or (abstractly)

porterage; figuratively, an utterance, chiefly a doom,

especially singing; mental, desire:--burden, carry away,

prophecy, X they set, song, tribute.

see HEBREW for 05375

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מַשָּׂא (mas.sa) — burden.

1) load, bearing, tribute, burden, lifting

1a) load, burden

1b) lifting, uplifting, that to which the soul lifts itself up

1c) bearing, carrying

1d) tribute, that which is carried or brought or borne

מַשָּׂא (mas.sa) — oracle.

utterance, oracle, burden

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular construct
HNcmsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ov:

(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Lamentations 3:1.

The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.

Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.

That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.

Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…

[the] oracle of Dumah to me [someone is] calling from Seir O watchman what? [is] from [the] night O watchman what? [is] from [the] night
דּוּמָ֑הdu.Mah Dumah H1746 Noun proper
3× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Dumah is a place in the Bible, a region in Arabia. The name Dumah means silence, and it is also associated with Edom, a nation that was often at odds with Israel.
Amplified meaning
a region in Arabia, associated with Edom
Tyndale gloss
Dumah
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

דּוּמָה (Duwmah) refers to a son of Ishmael, a man associated with the Ishmaelite tribe of Arabia. It also denotes a city in the mountainous region of Judah and serves as a mystical name for Edom, symbolizing death and ruin. The name itself translates to 'silence.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

דּוּמָה n.pr.

m. son of Ishmael

city in mountains of Judah

name of Edom with mystic mng.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1746 דּוּמָה . son of Ishmael

. city in mountains of Judah

. name of Edom with mystic mng.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1746 Duwmah doo-maw'

the same as 1745; Dumah, a tribe and region of

Arabia:--Dumah.

see HEBREW for 01745

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

דּוּמָה (du.mah) — Dumah.

A man of the Arabs living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.25.14;

son of: Ishmael (H3458);

brother of: Nebaioth (H5032), Kedar (H6938), Adbeel (H0110), Mibsam (H4017), Mishma (H4927), Massa (H4854), Hadad (H2301), Tema (H8485), Jetur (H3195), Naphish (H5305), Kedemah (H6929) and Mahalath (H4258)

§ Dumah = "silence"

1) son of Ishmael and most probably the founder of the Ishmaelite tribe of Arabia

2) a town in the mountainous district of Judah, near Hebron

3) a mystical name of Edom indicating death and ruin

דּוּמָה (du.mah) — Dumah.

§ Dumah = "silence"

a mystical name of Edom indicating death and ruin

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper
HNpl
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

du'-ma (dumah, "silence"): This word occurs in the Old Testament with the following significations:

(1) the land of silence or death, the grave (Ps 94:17; 115:17);

(2) a town in the highlands of Judah between Hebron and Beersheba, now ed-Daume (Jos 15:52);

(3) an emblematical designation of Edom in the obscure oracle (Isa 21:11,12);

(4) an Ishmaelite tribe in Arabia (Ge 25:14; 1Ch 1:30). According to the Arabic geographies this son of Ishmael rounded the town of Dumat-el-Jandal, the stone-built Dumah, so called to distinguish it from another Dumah near the Euphrates. The former now bears the name of the Jauf ("belly")…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Dumah

Silence, (comp. Ps. 94:17), the fourth son of Ishmael; also the tribe descended from him; and hence also the region in Arabia which they inhabited (Gen. 25:14; 1 Chr. 1:30).

There was also a town of this name in Judah (Josh. 15:52), which has been identified with ed-Domeh, about 10 miles southwest of Hebron. The place mentioned in the “burden” of the prophet Isaiah (21:11) is Edom or Idumea.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(silence). A son of Ishmael, most probably the founder of the Ishmaelite tribe of Arabia, and thence the name of the principal place of district inhabited by that tribe. (Genesis 25:14; 1 Chronicles 1:30; Isaiah 21:11) A city in the mountainous district of Judah, near Hebron, (Joshua 15:52) represented by the ruins of a village called ed-Daumeh , six miles southwest of Hebron.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A tribe and country of the Ishmaelites in Arabia, Ge 25:14; 1Ch 1:30; Isa 21:11. This is doubtless the same which is still called by the Arabs "Duma the stony" and "the Syrian Duma," situated on the confines of the Arabian and Syrian desert, with a fortress.

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
[the] oracle of Dumah to me [someone is] calling from Seir O watchman what? [is] from [the] night O watchman what? [is] from [the] night
אֵלַי֙'e.Lai to me H413 Preposition · suffix
5,518× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means 'to' or 'toward', showing direction or movement. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus, to indicate where someone is going. The KJV translates it in various ways, like 'about', 'according to', or 'against'.
Tyndale gloss
to(wards)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֶל (el) is primarily a preposition indicating motion towards or direction to a person or place. It can also imply entering a limit, presence at a location, or a hostile direction (against). Additionally, it may express concepts such as concerning, in addition to, or according to. The entries highlight its versatility in both physical and metaphorical contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph),

prep. denoting motion to or direction towards (whether physical or mental).of motion to or unto a person or place

Where the limit is actually entered, into

Of direction towards anything

Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against

Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to

Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

Of rule or standard according to (rare)

Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion

Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H413 אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph), . of motion to or unto a person or place

. Where the limit is actually entered, into

. Of direction towards anything

. Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against

. Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to

. Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

. Of rule or standard according to (rare)

. Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion

. Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

413 'el ale

(but only used in the shortened constructive form sel {el});

a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but

occasionally used of a quiescent position, i.e. near, with or

among; often in general, to:--about, according to ,after,

against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and,

by, concerning, for, from, X hath, in(- to), near, (out) of,

over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether,

with(-in).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶל (el) — to(wards).

1) to, toward, unto (of motion)

2) into (limit is actually entered)

2a) in among

3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion)

4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character)

5) in addition to, to

6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of

7) according to (rule or standard)

8) at, by, against (of one's presence)

9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | Suff — Preposition · suffix
HR/Sp1bs
[the] oracle of Dumah to me [someone is] calling from Seir O watchman what? [is] from [the] night O watchman what? [is] from [the] night
קֹרֵ֣אko.Re' [someone is] calling H7121 Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine singular
733× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to call out to someone or something, often by name. It's used in many situations, like calling for help or reading aloud. In Genesis, God calls out to Adam in the Garden.
Amplified meaning
cries out, summons
Tyndale gloss
to call: call to
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word קָרָא (qara') is a primitive root meaning to call, proclaim, or read. It encompasses a range of actions including calling out, crying for help, reading aloud, and summoning. The word can also imply being called or named in various contexts. There are no significant disagreements among the lexicons regarding its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

קָרָא 724 vb. call, proclaim, read

Qal

call, cry, utter a loud sound

call, cry

call unto some one

cry for help

proclaim

read aloud

read to oneself

summon

call = name

Niph.

reflex.

pass. be called

Pu. be called

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7121 קָרָא call, proclaim, read .. . call, cry, utter a loud sound

. call, cry

. . call unto some one

. cry for help

. proclaim

. . read aloud

. read to oneself

. summon

. call = name

. . reflex.

. pass. be called

. be called

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7121 qara' kaw-raw'

a primitive root (rather identical with 7122 through the idea

of accosting a person met); to call out to (i.e. properly,

address by name, but used in a wide variety of

applications):--bewray (self), that are bidden, call (for,

forth, self, upon), cry (unto), (be) famous, guest, invite,

mention, (give) name, preach, (make) proclaim(- ation),

pronounce, publish, read, renowned, say.

see HEBREW for 07122

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קָרָא (qa.ra) — to call: call to.

: call_to/invite/entreat

1) to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to call, cry, utter a loud sound

1a2) to call unto, cry (for help), call (with name of God)

1a3) to proclaim

1a4) to read aloud, read (to oneself), read

1a5) to summon, invite, call for, call and commission, appoint, call and endow

1a6) to call, name, give name to, call by

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to call oneself

1b2) to be called, be proclaimed, be read aloud, be summoned, be named

1c) (Pual) to be called, be named, be called out, be chosen

קָרָא (qa.ra) — to call: call by.

: call_by/name

1) to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to call, cry, utter a loud sound

1a2) to call unto, cry (for help), call (with name of God)

1a3) to proclaim

1a4) to read aloud, read (to oneself), read

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal — Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine singular
HVqrmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

kol'-ing (klesis, from kaleo, "I call"): Is a New Testament expression. The word is used chiefly by Paul, though the idea and term are found also elsewhere. It has a definite, technical sense, the invitation given to men by God to accept salvation in His kingdom through Jesus Christ. This invitation is given outwardly by the preaching of the gospel, inwardly by the work of the Holy Spirit. With reference to Israel, it is on the part of God irrevocable, not repented of. Having in His eternal counsel called this people, He entrusted them with great gifts, and because He did thus enrich them, He also, in the course of time, summoned them to fulfill the task of initiating the world into the way of salvation, and of preparing salvation for the world. Therefore, He will not desert His people, for He Will not revoke that call (Ro 11:29).…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Calling

A profession, or as we usually say, a vocation (1 Cor. 7:20). The “hope of your calling” in Eph. 4:4 is the hope resulting from your being called into the kingdom of God.

[the] oracle of Dumah to me [someone is] calling from Seir O watchman what? [is] from [the] night O watchman what? [is] from [the] night
מִשֵּׂעִ֔ירmi.se.'Ir from Seir H8165 Preposition · noun proper
39× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Seir refers to a mountain in Idumaea and its original inhabitants, with the name meaning hairy or shaggy, as seen in Genesis 32:3 and Deuteronomy 2:1.
Amplified meaning
a mountain in Idumaea
Tyndale gloss
(Mount) Seir
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שֵׂעִיר (Se`iyr) refers to a mountainous region in Edom, south of the Dead Sea, and is associated with its early inhabitants, the Horites. The term can mean 'hairy' or 'shaggy' and also denotes a patriarch of the Horites mentioned in Genesis 36:20. The entries collectively emphasize its geographical and genealogical significance.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שֵׂעִיר n.pr. Sē‛ir

terr. land of Edom, S. of Dead Sea

specif. mont. E. of Arabah

gent. = Edom

personif. as m.

mont. in Judah

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8165a שֵׂעִיר Sēir H8165b שֵׂעִיר Sēir

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8165 Se`iyr say-eer'

formed like 8163; rough; Seir, a mountain of Idumaea and its

aboriginal occupants, also one in Palestine:--Seir.

see HEBREW for 08163

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שֵׂעִיר (se.ir) — Seir.

§ Seir = "hairy" or "shaggy"

n pr terr

2) the land of Edom, south of the Dead Sea n pr mont

3) a mountain range in Edom extending from the Dead Sea to the Elanitic Gulf

3a) apparently also called 'Mount Seir' and extending most of the distance of the mountain range itself

4) a mountain in northern Judah lying westward from Kirjath-jearim

שֵׂעִיר (se.ir) — Seir.

A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.36.20;

father of: Lotan (H3877), Shobal (H7732), Zibeon (H6649H), Anah (H6034H), Dishon (H1787), Ezer (H0687), Dishan (H1789), Timna (H8555H)

§ Seir = "hairy" or "shaggy"

patriarch of the Horites, the inhabitants of Edom before the descendants of Esau, the Edomites

שֵׂעִיר (se.ir) — (Mount) Seir.

§ Seir = "hairy" or "shaggy"

patriarch of the Horites, the inhabitants of Edom before the descendants of Esau, the Edomites

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

se'-ir:

(1) (har se'-ir, "Mt. Seir" (Ge 14:6, etc.), 'erets se`-ir (Ge 32:3, etc.); to oros Seeir, ge Seeir): In Ge 32:3 "the land of Seir" is equated with "the field of Edom." The Mount and the Land of Seir are alternative appellations of the mountainous tract which runs along the eastern side of the Arabah, occupied by the descendants of Esau, who succeeded the ancient Horites (Ge 14:6; 36:20), "cave-dwellers," in possession. For a description of the land see EDOM.

(2) (har se`ir; Codex Vaticanus Assar; Codex Alexandrinus Seeir): A landmark on the boundary of Judah (Jos 15:10), not far from Kiriath-jearim and Chesalon.…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Seir

Rough; hairy. (1.) A Horite; one of the “dukes” of Edom (Gen. 36:20-30).

(2.) The name of a mountainous region occupied by the Edomites, extending along the eastern side of the Arabah from the south-eastern extremity of the Dead Sea to near the Akabah, or the eastern branch of the Red Sea. It was originally occupied by the Horites (Gen. 14:6), who were afterwards driven out by the Edomites (Gen. 32:3; 33:14, 16). It was allotted to the descendants of Esau (Deut. 2:4, 22; Josh. 24:4; 2 Chr. 20:10; Isa.…

(hairy, Shaggy), We have both "land of Seir," (Genesis 32:3; 36:50) and "Mount Seir." (Genesis 14:6) It is the original name of the mountain range extending along the east side of the valley of Arabah, from the Dead Sea to the Elanitic, Golf. The Horites appear to have been the chief of the aboriginal inhabitants, (Genesis 36:20) but it was ever afterward the possession of the Edomites, the descendants of Esau. The Mount Seir of the: Bible extended much farther south than the modern province, as is shown by the words of (2:1-8) It had the Arabah on the west, vs. 1 and 8; it extended as far south as the head of the Gulf of Akabah, ver. 8; its eastern border ran along the base of the mountain range where the plateau of Arabia…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

1. A mountain of Judah, near Kirjath-jearim, Jos 15:10.

2. A Horite, one of the primitive rulers of the country south and southeast of the Dead Sea, Ge 36:20 De 2:12.

3. A mountainous tract lying between the southern extremity of the Dead Sea and the eastern gulf of the Red Sea. Mount Hor formed part of Seir, and is the only part that retains its original name. See IDUMEA.

[the] oracle of Dumah to me [someone is] calling from Seir O watchman what? [is] from [the] night O watchman what? [is] from [the] night
שֹׁמֵר֙sho.Mer O watchman H8104 Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine singular
469× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To keep or obey means to protect, attend to, or guard something, like keeping a promise or watching over someone, as seen in the commands to observe the Sabbath.
Amplified meaning
guardian, protector
Tyndale gloss
to keep: obey
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word שָׁמַר (*shamar*) is a primitive root meaning to keep, guard, or observe. It encompasses a wide range of actions including protecting, waiting for, and celebrating obligations like the Sabbath. The verb appears in various forms, indicating nuances such as being on guard or refraining from certain actions. It is used extensively in the Old Testament, reflecting both physical and moral vigilance.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁמַר 465 vb. keep, watch, preserve

Qal 425

keep, have charge of

keep, guard, captives

hence, watch for, wait for

watch, observe

keep, retain, of storing up (food)

keep within bounds, restrain

observe, celebrate

keep sabbath

of other obligations

observe = follow dictates of (prudence, justice, kindness, wisdom)

sts. י׳ subj.

keep, reserve, weeks of harvest

Niph.

36be on one's guard

keep oneself, refrain, abstain

be kept, guarded

Pi. those paying regard to false vanities

Hithp. I kept myself from

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8104 שָׁמַר keep, watch, preserve .. . keep, have charge of

. keep, guard, captives

. hence, watch for, wait for

. watch, observe

. . keep, retain, of storing up (food)

. keep within bounds, restrain

. . observe, celebrate

. keep sabbath

. of other obligations

. observe = follow dictates of (prudence, justice, kindness, wisdom)

. sts. י׳ subj.

. keep, reserve, weeks of harvest

. . be on one's guard

. keep oneself, refrain, abstain

. be kept, guarded

. those paying regard to false vanities

. I kept myself from

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8104 shamar shaw-mar'

a primitive root; properly, to hedge about (as with thorns),

i.e. guard; generally, to protect, attend to, etc.:--beward,

be circumspect, take heed (to self), keep(-er, self), mark,

look narrowly, observe, preserve, regard, reserve, save

(self), sure, (that lay) wait (for), watch(-man).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁמַר (sha.mar) — to keep: obey.

: obey/observe

1) to keep, guard, observe, give heed

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to keep, have charge of

1a2) to keep, guard, keep watch and ward, protect, save life

1a2a) watch, watchman (participle)

1a3) to watch for, wait for

1a4) to watch, observe

1a5) to keep, retain, treasure up (in memory)

1a6) to keep (within bounds), restrain

1a7) to observe, celebrate, keep (sabbath or covenant or commands), perform (vow)

1a8) to keep, preserve, protect

1a9) to keep, reserve

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be on one's guard, take heed, take care, beware

1b2) to keep oneself, refrain, abstain

1b3) to be kept, be guarded

1c) (Piel) to keep, pay heed

1d) (Hithpael) to keep oneself from

שָׁמַר (sha.mar) — to keep: guard.

: guard

1) to keep, guard, observe, give heed

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to keep, have charge of

1a2) to keep, guard, keep watch and ward, protect, save life

1a2a) watch, watchman (participle)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal — Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine singular
HVqrmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

woch'-man (tsopheh, shomer, metsappeh, notser): Used to designate a sentinel on the city walls (2Sa 18:25; 2Ki 9:18; Ps 127:1; Isa 62:6) or on the hilltops (Jer 31:6). So 3:3; 5:7 introduces another class, "the watchmen that go about the city," and thus, it would seem, points to some system of municipal police. The distinction in meaning between the various words is clear, tsopheh having the idea of "outlooker" and notser that of "careful watcher" (being applied even to besiegers from outside: Jer 4:16

Nave's Topical Bible

→ (A sentinel)

→ On the walls of cities So 3:3; 5:7

→ Of Jerusalem 2Sa 13:34; 18:24,25; Ne 4:9; 7:3; Isa 52:8; 62:6

→ Of Babylon Jer 51:12

→ On towers 2Ki 9:17; 2Ch 20:24; Isa 21:5-12; Jer 31:6

→ At the gates of the temple 2Ki 11:6,7

→ Alarm of, given by trumpets Eze 33:3-6

[the] oracle of Dumah to me [someone is] calling from Seir O watchman what? [is] from [the] night O watchman what? [is] from [the] night
מַה־mah- what? H4100 Pronoun
753× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means what or how, often used to ask questions or express surprise, like in Genesis when God asks Adam what he has done. It can also mean why or when, and is used in various ways throughout the Old Testament. It appears in many KJV translations, including how or what.
Amplified meaning
remaining, passing
Tyndale gloss
what?
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מָה (mah) is a Hebrew word primarily used as an interrogative particle meaning 'what?' or 'how?'. It can also function as an indefinite pronoun, encompassing meanings like 'anything' or 'whatever'. The word is versatile, appearing in various adverbial forms and often used with prefixes to express different nuances, such as reason or manner.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מָה, rarely מָה־, מַה־, מַה‍ּ, מֶה, מַ‍ּ, מָ—pron.interrog. and indef. what? how? aught

interrog. what?

Used adverbially

Indef. pron.

With preps.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4100 מָה, rarely מָה־, מַה־, מַה‍ּ, מֶה, מַ‍ּ, מָ—pron. interrog. and indef. what? how? aught . interrog. what?

. Used adverbially

. Indef. pron.

. With preps.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4100 mah maw

or mah {mah}; or ma {maw}; or ma {mah}; also meh {meh}; a

primitive particle; properly, interrogative what? (including

how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including

how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and even

relatively, that which); often used with prefixes in various

adverbial or conjunctive senses:--how (long, oft, (-

soever)), (no-)thing, what (end, good, purpose, thing),

whereby(-fore, -in, -to, -with), (for) why.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מָה (mah) — what?.

interr pron

1) what, how, of what kind

1a) (interrogative)

1a1) what?

1a2) of what kind

1a3) what? (rhetorical)

1a4) whatsoever, whatever, what

1b) (adverb)

1b1) how, how now

1b2) why

1b3) how! (exclamation)

1c) (with prep)

1c1) wherein?, whereby?, wherewith?, by what means?

1c2) because of what?

1c3) the like of what?

1c3a) how much?, how many?, how often?

1c3b) for how long?

1c4) for what reason?, why?, to what purpose?

1c5) until when?, how long?, upon what?, wherefore?

indef pron

2) anything, aught, what may

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part — Pronoun
HPi
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
[the] oracle of Dumah to me [someone is] calling from Seir O watchman what? [is] from [the] night O watchman what? [is] from [the] night
מִלַּ֔יְלָהmi.Lay.lah [is] from [the] night H3915 Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
233× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Night refers to the time of darkness, opposed to day, and can also symbolize adversity or hardship. It is a period of rest, but also of potential danger or uncertainty.
Amplified meaning
time of darkness, period of rest
Tyndale gloss
night
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

לַ֫יְלָה (layil) means 'night' and is derived from a root that suggests a twist away from light. It encompasses the literal sense of night as opposed to day, as well as figurative uses related to gloom or adversity. The term appears in contexts like Isaiah 21:11.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לַ֫יְלָה, לַ֫יִל 242 n.m. night

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3915 לַ֫יְלָה, לַ֫יִל night

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3915 layil lah'-yil

or (Isa. 21:11) leyl {lale}; also laylah {lah'- yel-aw}; from

the same as 3883; properly, a twist (away of the light), i.e.

night; figuratively, adversity:--((mid-))night (season).

see HEBREW for 03883

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לַ֫יְלָה (lay.lah) — night.

1) night

1a) night (as opposed to day)

1b) of gloom, protective shadow (fig.)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
HR/Ncmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

nit.

See DAY AND NIGHT for the natural usage and the various terms.

1. In the Old Testament:

Figurative uses: The word "night" (laylah or layil is sometimes used figuratively in the Old Testament. Thus, Moses compares the brevity of time, the lapse of a thousand years, to "a watch in the night" (Ps 90:4). Adversity is depicted by it in such places as Job 35:10; compare Isa 8:20; Jer 15:9. Disappointment and despair are apparently depicted by it in the "burden of Dumah" (Isa 21:11,12); and spiritual blindness, coming upon the false prophets (Mic 3:6); again sudden and…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

[DAY]

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The ancient Hebrews began their artificial day at evening, and ended it the next evening, so that the night proceeded the day. This usage may probably be traced to the terms employed in describing the creation, Ge 1:5,8,13, etc., "The evening and the morning were the first day." The Hebrews allowed twelve to the day; but these hours were not equal, except at the equinox. At other times, when the hours of the night were long, those of the day were short, as in winter; and when the hours of night were short, as at midsummer, the hours of the day were long in proportion. See HOURS.

The nights are sometimes extremely cold in Syria, when the days are very hot; and travelers in the deserts and among the mountains near Palestine refer to their own sufferings from these opposite extremes, in illustration of Jacob’s words in

→ General scriptures concerning Ge 1:5,16,18

→ Meditations in Ps 19:2; 77:6; 119:148; 139:11

→ Worship in Ps 134:1

→ Jesus prays all night Lu 6:12

→ No night in heaven Re 21:25; 22:5

→ Divided into watches Ex 14:24; Jud 7:19; 1Sa 11:11; Ne 12:9; Ps 63:6; 119:148; La 2:19;

[the] oracle of Dumah to me [someone is] calling from Seir O watchman what? [is] from [the] night O watchman what? [is] from [the] night
שֹׁמֵ֖רsho.Mer O watchman H8104 Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine singular
469× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To keep or obey means to protect, attend to, or guard something, like keeping a promise or watching over someone, as seen in the commands to observe the Sabbath.
Tyndale gloss
to keep: obey
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word שָׁמַר (*shamar*) is a primitive root meaning to keep, guard, or observe. It encompasses a wide range of actions including protecting, waiting for, and celebrating obligations like the Sabbath. The verb appears in various forms, indicating nuances such as being on guard or refraining from certain actions. It is used extensively in the Old Testament, reflecting both physical and moral vigilance.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁמַר 465 vb. keep, watch, preserve

Qal 425

keep, have charge of

keep, guard, captives

hence, watch for, wait for

watch, observe

keep, retain, of storing up (food)

keep within bounds, restrain

observe, celebrate

keep sabbath

of other obligations

observe = follow dictates of (prudence, justice, kindness, wisdom)

sts. י׳ subj.

keep, reserve, weeks of harvest

Niph.

36be on one's guard

keep oneself, refrain, abstain

be kept, guarded

Pi. those paying regard to false vanities

Hithp. I kept myself from

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8104 שָׁמַר keep, watch, preserve .. . keep, have charge of

. keep, guard, captives

. hence, watch for, wait for

. watch, observe

. . keep, retain, of storing up (food)

. keep within bounds, restrain

. . observe, celebrate

. keep sabbath

. of other obligations

. observe = follow dictates of (prudence, justice, kindness, wisdom)

. sts. י׳ subj.

. keep, reserve, weeks of harvest

. . be on one's guard

. keep oneself, refrain, abstain

. be kept, guarded

. those paying regard to false vanities

. I kept myself from

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8104 shamar shaw-mar'

a primitive root; properly, to hedge about (as with thorns),

i.e. guard; generally, to protect, attend to, etc.:--beward,

be circumspect, take heed (to self), keep(-er, self), mark,

look narrowly, observe, preserve, regard, reserve, save

(self), sure, (that lay) wait (for), watch(-man).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁמַר (sha.mar) — to keep: obey.

: obey/observe

1) to keep, guard, observe, give heed

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to keep, have charge of

1a2) to keep, guard, keep watch and ward, protect, save life

1a2a) watch, watchman (participle)

1a3) to watch for, wait for

1a4) to watch, observe

1a5) to keep, retain, treasure up (in memory)

1a6) to keep (within bounds), restrain

1a7) to observe, celebrate, keep (sabbath or covenant or commands), perform (vow)

1a8) to keep, preserve, protect

1a9) to keep, reserve

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be on one's guard, take heed, take care, beware

1b2) to keep oneself, refrain, abstain

1b3) to be kept, be guarded

1c) (Piel) to keep, pay heed

1d) (Hithpael) to keep oneself from

שָׁמַר (sha.mar) — to keep: guard.

: guard

1) to keep, guard, observe, give heed

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to keep, have charge of

1a2) to keep, guard, keep watch and ward, protect, save life

1a2a) watch, watchman (participle)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal — Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine singular
HVqrmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

woch'-man (tsopheh, shomer, metsappeh, notser): Used to designate a sentinel on the city walls (2Sa 18:25; 2Ki 9:18; Ps 127:1; Isa 62:6) or on the hilltops (Jer 31:6). So 3:3; 5:7 introduces another class, "the watchmen that go about the city," and thus, it would seem, points to some system of municipal police. The distinction in meaning between the various words is clear, tsopheh having the idea of "outlooker" and notser that of "careful watcher" (being applied even to besiegers from outside: Jer 4:16

Nave's Topical Bible

→ (A sentinel)

→ On the walls of cities So 3:3; 5:7

→ Of Jerusalem 2Sa 13:34; 18:24,25; Ne 4:9; 7:3; Isa 52:8; 62:6

→ Of Babylon Jer 51:12

→ On towers 2Ki 9:17; 2Ch 20:24; Isa 21:5-12; Jer 31:6

→ At the gates of the temple 2Ki 11:6,7

→ Alarm of, given by trumpets Eze 33:3-6

[the] oracle of Dumah to me [someone is] calling from Seir O watchman what? [is] from [the] night O watchman what? [is] from [the] night
מַה־mah- what? H4100 Pronoun
753× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means what or how, often used to ask questions or express surprise, like in Genesis when God asks Adam what he has done. It can also mean why or when, and is used in various ways throughout the Old Testament. It appears in many KJV translations, including how or what.
Amplified meaning
remaining, passing
Tyndale gloss
what?
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מָה (mah) is a Hebrew word primarily used as an interrogative particle meaning 'what?' or 'how?'. It can also function as an indefinite pronoun, encompassing meanings like 'anything' or 'whatever'. The word is versatile, appearing in various adverbial forms and often used with prefixes to express different nuances, such as reason or manner.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מָה, rarely מָה־, מַה־, מַה‍ּ, מֶה, מַ‍ּ, מָ—pron.interrog. and indef. what? how? aught

interrog. what?

Used adverbially

Indef. pron.

With preps.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4100 מָה, rarely מָה־, מַה־, מַה‍ּ, מֶה, מַ‍ּ, מָ—pron. interrog. and indef. what? how? aught . interrog. what?

. Used adverbially

. Indef. pron.

. With preps.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4100 mah maw

or mah {mah}; or ma {maw}; or ma {mah}; also meh {meh}; a

primitive particle; properly, interrogative what? (including

how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including

how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and even

relatively, that which); often used with prefixes in various

adverbial or conjunctive senses:--how (long, oft, (-

soever)), (no-)thing, what (end, good, purpose, thing),

whereby(-fore, -in, -to, -with), (for) why.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מָה (mah) — what?.

interr pron

1) what, how, of what kind

1a) (interrogative)

1a1) what?

1a2) of what kind

1a3) what? (rhetorical)

1a4) whatsoever, whatever, what

1b) (adverb)

1b1) how, how now

1b2) why

1b3) how! (exclamation)

1c) (with prep)

1c1) wherein?, whereby?, wherewith?, by what means?

1c2) because of what?

1c3) the like of what?

1c3a) how much?, how many?, how often?

1c3b) for how long?

1c4) for what reason?, why?, to what purpose?

1c5) until when?, how long?, upon what?, wherefore?

indef pron

2) anything, aught, what may

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part — Pronoun
HPi
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
[the] oracle of Dumah to me [someone is] calling from Seir O watchman what? [is] from [the] night O watchman what? [is] from [the] night
מִלֵּֽיל׃mi.Leil [is] from [the] night H3915 Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
233× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Night refers to the time of darkness, opposed to day, and can also symbolize adversity or hardship. It is a period of rest, but also of potential danger or uncertainty.
Tyndale gloss
night
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

לַ֫יְלָה (layil) means 'night' and is derived from a root that suggests a twist away from light. It encompasses the literal sense of night as opposed to day, as well as figurative uses related to gloom or adversity. The term appears in contexts like Isaiah 21:11.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לַ֫יְלָה, לַ֫יִל 242 n.m. night

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3915 לַ֫יְלָה, לַ֫יִל night

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3915 layil lah'-yil

or (Isa. 21:11) leyl {lale}; also laylah {lah'- yel-aw}; from

the same as 3883; properly, a twist (away of the light), i.e.

night; figuratively, adversity:--((mid-))night (season).

see HEBREW for 03883

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לַ֫יְלָה (lay.lah) — night.

1) night

1a) night (as opposed to day)

1b) of gloom, protective shadow (fig.)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
HR/Ncmsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

nit.

See DAY AND NIGHT for the natural usage and the various terms.

1. In the Old Testament:

Figurative uses: The word "night" (laylah or layil is sometimes used figuratively in the Old Testament. Thus, Moses compares the brevity of time, the lapse of a thousand years, to "a watch in the night" (Ps 90:4). Adversity is depicted by it in such places as Job 35:10; compare Isa 8:20; Jer 15:9. Disappointment and despair are apparently depicted by it in the "burden of Dumah" (Isa 21:11,12); and spiritual blindness, coming upon the false prophets (Mic 3:6); again sudden and…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

[DAY]

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The ancient Hebrews began their artificial day at evening, and ended it the next evening, so that the night proceeded the day. This usage may probably be traced to the terms employed in describing the creation, Ge 1:5,8,13, etc., "The evening and the morning were the first day." The Hebrews allowed twelve to the day; but these hours were not equal, except at the equinox. At other times, when the hours of the night were long, those of the day were short, as in winter; and when the hours of night were short, as at midsummer, the hours of the day were long in proportion. See HOURS.

The nights are sometimes extremely cold in Syria, when the days are very hot; and travelers in the deserts and among the mountains near Palestine refer to their own sufferings from these opposite extremes, in illustration of Jacob’s words in

→ General scriptures concerning Ge 1:5,16,18

→ Meditations in Ps 19:2; 77:6; 119:148; 139:11

→ Worship in Ps 134:1

→ Jesus prays all night Lu 6:12

→ No night in heaven Re 21:25; 22:5

→ Divided into watches Ex 14:24; Jud 7:19; 1Sa 11:11; Ne 12:9; Ps 63:6; 119:148; La 2:19;

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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