Isaiah 29:21 — Word Study
WLCמַחֲטִיאֵ֤י אָדָם֙ בְּדָבָ֔ר וְלַמּוֹכִ֥יחַ בַּשַּׁ֖עַר יְקֹשׁ֑וּן וַיַּטּ֥וּ בַתֹּ֖הוּ צַדִּֽיק׃ ס
BSAthose who indictchâṭâʼ [bring a false charge against] a manʼâdâm with a worddâbâr [a single statement, a matter] who ensnareqôwsh△▸ [set a trap for, lay a snare] the mediatoryâkach [one who reproves, corrects] at the gateshaʻar [the city entrance, the place of judgment] and who with false chargestôhûw [lying testimony, deceitful accusations] deprive the innocenttsaddîyq [the just, the righteous] of justicenâṭâh▸ [what is right, moral deflection]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| מַחֲטִיאֵ֤י | [those who] cause to sin | Verb, Hiphil, participle (active) masculine plural common |
| אָדָם֙ | a person | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| בְּדָבָ֔ר | with a word | Preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| וְלַמּוֹכִ֥יחַ | and for the [one who] adjudicates | Conjunction, preposition, verb hiphil participle (active) masculine singular |
| בַּשַּׁ֖עַר | in the gate | Preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| יְקֹשׁ֑וּן | they lay a trap ! | Verb qal imperfect third person masculine plural, suffix |
| וַיַּטּ֥וּ | and they have turned aside | Verb, Hiphil, sequential imperfect third person masculine plural |
| בַתֹּ֖הוּ | with emptiness | Preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| צַדִּֽיק׃ ס | [the] righteous [person] | Adj |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | those who indict a man with a word, who ensnare the mediator at the gate, and who with false charges deprive the innocent of justice. |
| KJV | That make a man an offender for a word, and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate, and turn aside the just for a thing of nought. |
| ASV | that make a man an offender in his cause, and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate, and turn aside the just with a thing of nought. |
| YLT | Causing men to sin in word, And for a reprover in the gate lay a snare, And turn aside into emptiness the righteous. |
| WEB | who cause a person to be indicted by a word, and lay a snare for one who reproves in the gate, and who deprive the innocent of justice with false testimony. |
| BBE | Who give help to a man in a wrong cause, and who put a net for the feet of him who gives decisions in the public place, taking away a man's right without cause. |
Where they part company is צַדִּֽיק — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence consists of a main clause followed by two participial phrases that expand on the actions of the subjects.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbחָטָא
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
1 of 9 occurs nowhere else in the Old Testament — a word chosen on purpose.
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 29:21
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 Injusticegenerated
Isaiah 29:21 warns about those who unjustly accuse others, ensnaring the innocent and distorting justice. This verse is part of a larger passage that highlights the consequences of such actions, emphasizing God's concern for righteousness and justice. The surrounding verses speak of the fate of the ruthless and mockers, illustrating a broader theme of divine judgment against wrongdoing.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Judges 12:6 | they told him, “Please say Shibboleth.” If he said, “Sibboleth,” because he could not pronounce it correctly, they seized him and killed him at the fords of the Jordan. So at that time 42,000 Ephraimites were killed. |
| 2 | Matthew 22:15 | Then the Pharisees went out and conspired to trap Jesus in His words. |
| 3 | Luke 11:53–54 | As Jesus went on from there, the scribes and Pharisees began to oppose Him bitterly and to ply Him with questions about many things, |
| 4 | Jeremiah 18:18 | Then some said, “Come, let us make plans against Jeremiah, for the law will never be lost to the priest, nor counsel to the wise, nor an oracle to the prophet. Come, let us denounce him and pay no heed to any of his words.” |
| 5 | Jeremiah 20:7–10 | You have deceived me, O LORD, and I was deceived. You have overcome me and prevailed. I am a laughingstock all day long; everyone mocks me. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 16 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — מַחֲטִיאֵ֤י, ma.cha.ti.'Eigenerated
The word מַחֲטִיאֵ֤י (maḥti'ei) is a Hiphil participle meaning 'those who cause to sin.' It is derived from the root חָטָא (chata'), which means to miss the mark or go wrong, incurring guilt. This term carries the weight of leading others into sin, indicating a serious moral failing.
In this verse, it describes those who falsely accuse a person, suggesting a deliberate act of wrongdoing that has significant consequences for justice. The use of the participle form emphasizes the ongoing nature of their actions, portraying them as habitual offenders against righteousness.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses indict for מַחֲטִיאֵ֤י, while other translations like the KJV and ASV use cause to sin. This reflects a variation in how the act of falsely accusing is understood.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb in this verse is יְקֹשׁ֑וּן, they lay a trap, which governs the actions described in the clauses. The structure includes a series of participial phrases that detail the actions of those who falsely accuse, ensnare, and deprive the innocent.
The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the actions of the subjects, with the verbs leading the clauses, indicating the severity and ongoing nature of their wrongdoing.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, מַחֲטִיאֵ֤י is rendered as ἀδίκοις (adikoi), which means 'unjust.' This choice narrows the focus to the moral quality of the actions, emphasizing their injustice rather than simply their sinful nature.
This translation choice reflects the translators' understanding of the broader implications of the actions being condemned, linking them to a lack of righteousness in the community.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Isaiah 29:21 warns against those who accuse others falsely, ensnaring the innocent and distorting justice. This verse highlights the moral corruption that arises from such actions and God's judgment against them.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
To indict someone with a word means to falsely accuse them or bring a charge against them based on a single statement, often without proper evidence.
The mediator refers to someone who corrects or adjudicates, likely a judge or an authority figure who is supposed to uphold justice.
The gate symbolizes a place of judgment, where important decisions are made and justice is administered.
To deprive the innocent of justice means to wrongfully deny them their rights or fair treatment, often through deceitful means.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- How can we ensure that we do not participate in unjust accusations against others?
- What steps can we take to support those who are wrongfully accused?
- In what ways can we promote justice in our communities?
- How does this verse challenge us to reflect on our own actions and words?
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Isaiah 29:21 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThat make a man an offender for a word,.... Inadvertently spoken, unwarily dropped, without any bad design or ill meaning; or for a word misplaced or misconstrued; or for preaching and professing the
Read John Gill on Isaiah 29 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThat make a man an offender for a word, and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate, and turn aside the just for a thing of nought.
Read Robert Jamieson on Isaiah 29 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleThat make a man an offender; that condemn and punish a man as if he were a great criminal. For a word; for a verbal reproof, as appears from the next clause. For him that reproveth; for God’ s faithful prophets and ministers, whose office it is to reprove ungodly men, such as these were. In the gate, publicly; which they took for a great affront and disgrace; although the reproof ought to be public, where the sin is public and scandalous. He mentions the gate, because there the people used to assemble, both upon civil and sacred accounts, and there prophets used to deliver their prophecies; of which see 17:19. Turn aside, to wit, from judgment, as this phrase is more fully delivered, , or…
Read Matthew Poole on Isaiah 29 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsIsaiah 29:21 That make a man an offender for a word, and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate, and turn aside the just for a thing of nought.Ver. 21. That make a man an offender for a word.] When he meant no hurt, or by perverting and misconstruing his speeches. Thus they sought to trap Christ in his speeches; and thus they dealt by many of the martyrs and confessors. To say, the Lord, and not our Lord, is called by Stephen Gardner symbolum haereticorum, a note of a heretic. Dr Storie’ s rule to know a heretic was, they will say, the Lord, and we praise God, and, the living God. Robert Cook was abjured for saying that the blessing with a shoe sole was as good as the bishop’ s…
Read John Trapp on Isaiah 29 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(21) That make a man an offender for a word . . .—The words indicate that Isaiah had been accused, as Jeremiah was afterwards (Jeremiah 37:13), of being unpatriotic, because he had rebuked the sins of Israel and its rulers. Another interpretation gives, “that make men sinners in word,” i.e., suborn false witnesses against him. The former seems preferable, but the general drift of the passage is the same. The “snare” was laid for the “righteous man,” precisely because he “reproved in the gate:” i.e., preached in the open air in the places of public concourse, even in the presence of the rulers and judges as they sat there. Turn aside the just.—The phrase is used in Exodus 23:6; Amos 5:12…
Read Charles John Ellicott on Isaiah 29 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 21. Him that reproveth in the gate - "Him that pleaded in the gate"] "They are heard by the treasurer, master of the horse, and other principal officers of the regency of Algiers, who sit constantly in the gate of the palace for that purpose:" that is, the distribution of justice. - Shaw's Travels, p. 315, fol. He adds in the note, "That we read of the elders in the gate. Deuteronomy 21:15; Deuteronomy 25:7; and, Isaiah 29:21; Amos 5:10, of him that reproveth and rebuketh in the gate. The Ottoman court likewise seems to have been called the Porte, from the distribution of justice and the despatch of public business that is carried on in the gates of it."
Read AdamClarke on Isaiah 29 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges21. That make a man an offender for a word] The verb rendered “make an offender” usually means “lead into sin” (Exodus 23:33; Ecclesiastes 5:6, &c.); and is so understood in R.V. marg. “make men to offend by their words.” Here, however, the second part of the verse seems to shew that it is used in a declarative sense (= “make a man out to be an offender”). for a word should be translated either by a (false) word; or (as R.V.) in a cause. him that reproveth in the gate] (cf. Amos 5:10). The person indicated may be either a judge (“umpire, as Job 9:33) or a private individual who stands up for justice in the place of public assembly. turn aside the just (from his right, ch. Isaiah 10:2; Amos…
Read Cambridge on Isaiah 29 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleThat make a man an offender - literally, ‘who cause a man to sin’ (מחטיאי machăṭı̂y'ēy); that is, who hold a man to be guilty, or a criminal.
Read Albert Barnes on Isaiah 29 →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
those who indict a man with a word, who ensnare the mediator at the gate, and who with false charges deprive the innocent of justice.
who cause a person to be indicted by a word, and lay a snare for one who reproves in the gate, and who deprive the innocent of justice with false testimony.
those who indict a man with a word, who ensnare the mediator at the gate, and who with false charges deprive the innocent of justice.
those who bear false testimony against a person, who entrap the one who arbitrates at the city gate and deprive the innocent of justice by making false charges.
Tyndale line
That make a man an offender for a word, and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate, and turn aside the just for a thing of nought.
that make a man an offender in his cause, and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate, and turn aside the just with a thing of nought.
that make a man an offender in a cause, and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate, and turn aside the just with a thing of nought.
That make a man an offender for a word, and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate, and turn aside the just for a thing of naught.
Which made a man to sinne in ye worde, and tooke him in a snare: which reproued them in the gate, and made the iust to fall without cause.
Strictly literal
that make a man an offender for a word, and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate, and pervert [the judgment of] the righteous by futility.
Causing men to sin in word, And for a reprover in the gate lay a snare, And turn aside into emptiness the righteous.
Who cause men to sin in word, || And lay a snare for a reprover in the gate, || And turn aside the righteous into emptiness.
That cause mankind to sin by [their] word; and lay a snare for him that reproveth [them] in the gate; and pervert through fraud the cause of the just.
who by a word make a man out to be an offender. They lay a snare for him who seeks justice at the gate and put the righteous down with empty lies.
From the Latin
That made men sin by word, and supplanted him that reproved them in the gate, and declined in vain from the just.
Simplified
those who say things to trick others into sin, those who trap people by legal arguments in court, those who lie to mislead the innocent.
Who give help to a man in a wrong cause, and who put a net for the feet of him who gives decisions in the public place, taking away a man's right without cause.
Word by word, the decisions they made
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 aligns closely with the Dead Sea Scrolls, with both texts preserving the core message of the verse regarding false accusations and injustice. The Septuagint, while maintaining much of the same content, presents it with a different structure and vocabulary.
מַחֲטִיאֵ֤י אָדָם֙ בְּדָבָ֔ר וְלַמּוֹכִ֥יחַ בַּשַּׁ֖עַר יְקֹשׁ֑וּן וַיַּטּ֥וּ בַתֹּ֖הוּ צַדִּֽיק׃ ס
8 of the 9 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
מחטיאי אדם בדבר ולמוכיח בשער יקשו׳ן ויטו בתהו צדיק
9 words on the leather.
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 29:21
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.
חָטָא (chata') means to miss a goal or way, and is commonly translated as 'to sin.' It encompasses a range of meanings including incurring guilt, making a sin offering, and purifying from uncleanness. The word can also imply leading others to sin or causing oneself to lose one's way. It appears in various forms, such as Qal, Piel, Hiphil, and Hithpael, indicating different nuances of the concept of sin.
חָטָא 238 vb. miss (a goal or way), go wrong, sin
Qal
miss
sin, miss the goal or path of right and duty
incur guilt, penalty by sin, forfeit
Pi.
bear loss
make a sin offering
purify from sin
purify from uncleanness
Hiph.
miss the mark
induce or cause to sin
bring into guilt, condemnation, punishment
Hithp.
miss oneself, lose oneself, fig. for be bewildered, beside oneself
purify oneself from uncleanness
base
H2398 חָטָא miss (a goal or way), go wrong, sin .. miss
. sin, miss the goal or path of right and duty
. incur guilt, penalty by sin, forfeit
. . bear loss
. make a sin offering
. purify from sin
. purify from uncleanness
. . miss the mark
. induce or cause to sin
. bring into guilt, condemnation, punishment
. . miss oneself, lose oneself, fig. for be bewildered, beside oneself
. purify oneself from uncleanness
2398 chata' khaw-taw'
a primitive root; properly, to miss; hence (figuratively and
generally) to sin; by inference, to forfeit, lack, expiate,
repent, (causatively) lead astray, condemn:--bear the blame,
cleanse, commit (sin), by fault, harm he hath done, loss,
miss, (make) offend(-er), offer for sin, purge, purify (self),
make reconciliation, (cause, make) sin(-ful, -ness), trespass.
חָטָא (cha.ta) — to sin.
1) to sin, miss, miss the way, go wrong, incur guilt, forfeit, purify from uncleanness
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to miss
1a2) to sin, miss the goal or path of right and duty
1a3) to incur guilt, incur penalty by sin, forfeit
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to bear loss
1b2) to make a sin-offering
1b3) to purify from sin
1b4) to purify from uncleanness
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to miss the mark
1c2) to induce to sin, cause to sin
1c3) to bring into guilt or condemnation or punishment
1d) (Hithpael)
1d1) to miss oneself, lose oneself, wander from the way
1d2) to purify oneself from uncleanness
V-Hiphil — Verb · Hiphil · participle (active) masculine plural commonHVhrmpc
Sin
Is “any want of conformity unto or transgression of the law of God” (1 John 3:4; Rom. 4:15), in the inward state and habit of the soul, as well as in the outward conduct of the life, whether by omission or commission (Rom. 6:12-17; 7:5-24). It is “not a mere violation of the law of our constitution, nor of the system of things, but an offence against a personal lawgiver and moral governor who vindicates his law with penalties. The soul that sins is always conscious that his sin is (1) intrinsically vile and polluting, and (2) that it justly deserves punishment, and calls down the righteous wrath of God. Hence sin carries with it two inalienable characters, (1) ill-desert, guilt (reatus); and (2) pollution (macula).”, Hodge’s…
a city of Egypt, mentioned only by Ezekiel. (Ezekiel 30:15,16) The name is Hebrew, or at least Semitic, perhaps signifying clay . It is identified in the Vulgate with Pelusium, "the clayey or muddy" town. Its antiquity may perhaps be inferred from the mention of "the wilderness of Sin" in the journeys of the Israelites. (Exodus 16:1; Numbers 33:11) Ezekiel speaks of Sin as "Sin the strongholds of Egypt." (Ezekiel 30:15) This place was held by Egypt from that time until the period of the Romans. Herodotus relates that Sennacherib advanced against Pelusium, and that near Pelusium Cambyses defeated Psammenitus. In like manner the decisive battle in which Ochus defeated the…
1. Any thought, word, desire, action, or omission of action, contrary to the law of God, or defective when compared with it.
The origin of sin is a subject which baffles all investigation; and our inquiries are much better directed when we seek through Christ a release from its penalty and power, for ourselves and the world. Its entrance into the world, and infection of the whole human race, its nature, forms, and effects, and its fatal possession of every unregenerate soul, are fully described in the Bible, Ge 6:5 Ps 51:5 Mt 15:19 Ro 5:12 Jas 1:14,15.
bush
אָדָם (adam) refers to 'man' or 'mankind,' encompassing both individual humans and the species as a whole. It is also the name of the first man in the Bible, Adam, who is mentioned in various verses, including Genesis 2:19. The term can denote a city in the Jordan valley as well. The entries indicate a range of meanings, but there is no significant disagreement among them.
אָדָם 560 n.m. Gn 1:27 man, mankind
a man = human being
coll. man, mankind
n.pr.m. Adam, first man (without art.)
n.pr.loc. city in Jordan valley (as built?)
base
H120 אָדָם man, mankind . a man = human being
. coll. man, mankind
120 'adam aw-dawm'
from 119; ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the
species, mankind, etc.):--X another, + hypocrite, + common
sort, X low, man (mean, of low degree), person.
see HEBREW for 0119
אָדָם (a.dam) — man.
1) man, mankind
1a) man, human being
1b) man, mankind (much more frequently intended sense in OT)
1c) Adam, first man
1d) city in Jordan valley
אָדָם (a.dam) — the man (Adam).
The first named man living at the time before the Flood, first mentioned at Gen.2.19;
married to Eve (H2332);
father of: Cain (H7014B), Abel (H1893) and Seth (H8352); also translated "man" at Gen.2.19,21,23; 3.8,9,20; 5.2; "mankind" at Deu.32.8; "others" at Job.31.33;
Another spelling of a.dam (אָדָם "Adam" H0121)
man, human being
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
דָּבָר (dabar) means 'word' or 'speech' and encompasses a range of meanings including discourse, saying, and matter. It can refer to anything spoken or a topic of discussion, extending to concepts like business or affairs. The entries consistently highlight its use in various contexts, but do not indicate any significant disagreement among lexicographers.
דָּבָר 1439 n.m. speech, word
sg. speech, discourse, saying, word, as the sum of that which is spoken
sg. saying, utterance, sentence, as a section of a discourse
sg. a word, words
sg. matter, affair, thing about which one speaks
base
H1697 דָּבָר speech, word . sg. speech, discourse, saying, word, as the sum of that which is spoken
. sg. saying, utterance, sentence, as a section of a discourse
. sg. a word, words
. sg. matter, affair, thing about which one speaks
1697 dabar daw-baw'
from 1696; a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or
thing; adverbially, a cause:--act, advice, affair, answer, X
any such (thing), because of, book, business, care, case,
cause, certain rate, + chronicles, commandment, X
commune(-ication), + concern(-ing), + confer, counsel, +
dearth, decree, deed, X disease, due, duty, effect, +
eloquent, errand, (evil favoured-)ness, + glory, + harm, hurt,
+ iniquity, + judgment, language, + lying, manner, matter,
message, (no) thing, oracle, X ought, X parts, + pertaining, +
please, portion, + power, promise, provision, purpose,
question, rate, reason, report, request, X (as hast) said,
sake, saying, sentence, + sign, + so, some (uncleanness),
somewhat to say, + song, speech, X spoken, talk, task, + that,
X there done, thing (concerning), thought, + thus, tidings,
what(-soever), + wherewith, which, word, work.
see HEBREW for 01696
דָּבָר (da.var) — word.
: word/speech/command
1) speech, word, speaking, thing
1a) speech
1b) saying, utterance
1c) word, words
1d) business, occupation, acts, matter, case, something, manner (by extension)
דָּבָר (da.var) — word: speaking.
: speaking
1) speech, word, speaking, thing
1a) speech
1b) saying, utterance
1c) word, words
1d) business, occupation, acts, matter, case, something, manner (by extension)
דָּבָר (da.var) — word: thing.
: thing/matter
1) speech, word, speaking, thing
1a) speech
1b) saying, utterance
1c) word, words
1d) business, occupation, acts, matter, case, something, manner (by extension)
דָּבָר (da.var) — word: promised.
: promised/duty
1) speech, word, speaking, thing
1a) speech
1b) saying, utterance
1c) word, words
1d) business, occupation, acts, matter, case, something, manner (by extension)
דָּבָר (da.var) — word: deed.
: deed
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHR/Ncmsa
wurd: The commonest term in the Old Testament for "word" is dabhar (also "matter" "thing"); in the New Testament logos ("reason," "discourse," "speech"); but also frequently rhema. Rhema is a "word" in itself considered; logos is a spoken word, with reference generally to that which is in the speaker's mind. Some of the chief applications of the terms may thus be exhibited:
(1) We have the word of Yahweh (or God; see below)
(a) as the revelation to the patriarch, prophet, or inspired person (Ge 15:1; Ex 20:1; Nu 22:38, etc.);
One of the titles of the second person of the Trinity, indicating perhaps that by his acts and teachings God is revealed, somewhat as thought is by words, 1Jo 1:1 5:7 Re 19:13. "The word of the Lord" was a common phrase in the Old Testament, always denoting some revelation of Jehovah. Long before the coming of Christ, the Jewish paraphrasts of the Bible used "The Word" in the passage where Jehovah occurred in the original; and the term was familiar to Jewish writers as the name of a divine being, the Son of God.
To show its true meaning and its application to our Savior, was of great importance to John, the last of the inspired writers, in whose later years certain errors as to the person of Christ, borrowed from Eastern philosophy, had begun to creep into the Christian church. He describes "The Word" as a personal and divine Being…
The Hebrew word יָכַח (yakach) is a primitive root that encompasses a range of meanings related to judgment and correction, including to decide, prove, and rebuke. It appears in various forms, such as Hiphil for active judgment and Niphal for reasoning together. Notably, it conveys ideas of justification and argumentation, with some entries referencing the concept of being chastened.
[יָכַח] vb. Hiph. decide, adjudge, prove
Hiph.
decide, judge
adjudge, appoint
shew to be right, prove
convince, convict
reprove, chide
correct, rebuke
Hoph. he is chastened also with pain
Niph. come now and let us reason together; there an upright man might reason with him; and thou art set right, righted, justified
Hithp. with Israel he will argue
base
H3198 יָכַח Hiph. decide, adjudge, prove . . decide, judge
. adjudge, appoint
. shew to be right, prove
. convince, convict
. reprove, chide
. correct, rebuke
. he is chastened also with pain
. come now and let us reason together; there an upright man might reason with him; and thou art set right, righted, justified
. with Israel he will argue
3198 yakach yaw-kahh'
a primitive root; to be right (i.e. correct); reciprocal, to
argue; causatively, to decide, justify or convict:--appoint,
argue, chasten, convince, correct(-ion), daysman, dispute,
judge, maintain, plead, reason (together), rebuke,
reprove(-r), surely, in any wise.
יָכַח (ya.khach) — to rebuke.
1) to prove, decide, judge, rebuke, reprove, correct, be right
1a) (Hiphil)
1a1) to decide, judge
1a2) to adjudge, appoint
1a3) to show to be right, prove
1a4) to convince, convict
1a5) to reprove, chide
1a6) to correct, rebuke
1b) (Hophal) to be chastened
1c) (Niphal) to reason, reason together
1d) (Hithp) to argue
Conj | Prep | V-Hiphil — Conjunction · preposition · verb hiphil participle (active) masculine singularHC/Rd/Vhrmsa
שַׁ֫עַר (sha'ar) means 'gate' and is derived from a root that signifies an opening. It encompasses various types of gates, including those of cities, palaces, and temples, as well as metaphorical uses like 'gate of heaven.' The entries consistently highlight its role as an entrance or threshold.
שַׁ֫עַר 373 n.m. gate
base
H8179 שַׁ֫עַר gate
8179 sha`ar shah'-ar
from 8176 in its original sense; an opening, i.e. door or
gate:--city, door, gate, port (X -er).
see HEBREW for 08176
שַׁ֫עַר (sha.ar) — gate.
: gate
1) gate
1a) gate (of entrance)
1b) gate (of space inside gate, i.e. marketplace, public meeting place)
1b1) city, town
1c) gate (of palace, royal castle, temple, court of tabernacle)
1d) heaven
שַׁ֫עַר (sha.ar) — gate: town.
: town
1) gate
1a) gate (of entrance)
1b) gate (of space inside gate, i.e. marketplace, public meeting place)
1b1) city, town
1c) gate (of palace, royal castle, temple, court of tabernacle)
1d) heaven
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHRd/Ncmsa
gat (Hebrew normally (over 300 times) sha`ar; occasionally deleth, properly, "gateway" (but compare De 3:5); elsewhere the gateway is pethach (compare especially Ge 19:6); Aramaic tera`; Greek pulon, pule; the English Revised Version and the King James Version add caph, "threshold," in 1Ch 9:19,22; and the King James Version adds delathayim, "double-door," in Isa 45:1; thura, "door," Ac 3:2):
(1) The usual gateway was provided with double doors, swung on projections that fitted into sockets in the sill and lintel. Ordinarily the material was wood (Ne 2:3,17), but greater…
Gate
(1.) Of cities, as of Jerusalem (Jer. 37:13; Neh. 1:3; 2:3; 3:3), of Sodom (Gen. 19:1), of Gaza (Judg. 16:3).
(2.) Of royal palaces (Neh. 2:8).
(3.) Of the temple of Solomon (1 Kings 6:34, 35; 2 Kings 18:16); of the holy place (1 Kings 6:31, 32; Ezek. 41:23, 24); of the outer courts of the temple, the beautiful gate (Acts 3:2).
The gate and gateways of eastern cities anciently held and still hold an important part, not only in the defence but in the public economy of the place. They are thus sometimes taken as representing the city itself. (Genesis 22:17; 24:60; 12:12; Judges 5:8; Ruth 4:10; Psalms 87:2; 122:2) Among the special purposes for which they were used may be mentioned. As places of public resort. (Genesis 19:1; 23:10; 34:20; 24; 1 Samuel 4:18) etc. Places for public deliberation, administration of Justice, or of audience for kings and rulers or ambassadors. (16:18; 21:19; 25:7;
The gates of eastern walled towns were usually of wood, Jud 16:3, often covered with thick plates of iron or copper, Ps 107:16 Isa 45:2 Ac 12:10, secured by bolts and bars, De 3:5 1Ki 4:13, and flanked by towers, 2Sa 18:24,33. A city was usually regarded as taken when its gates were won, De 28:52 Jud 5:8. Hence "gate" sometimes signifies power, dominion; almost in the same sense as the Turkish sultan’s…
קוּשׁ (qowsh) is a Hebrew verb meaning to lay bait or lure, specifically used in the context of setting a trap. The entries indicate that it is a primitive root related to bending and is primarily found in the Qal form, as noted in Isaiah 29:21.
[קוּשׁ] vb. lay bait, lure;—Qal Is 29:21
ref
H6983 קוּשׁ lay bait, lure
6983 qowsh koshe
a primitive root; to bend; used only as denominative for
3369, to set a trap:--lay a snare.
see HEBREW for 03369
קוּשׁ (qosh) — to lure.
(Qal) to lay bait or lure, lay a snare, lure
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp | Suff — Verb qal imperfect third person masculine plural · suffixHVqi3mp/Sn
(moqesh; thera, literally, "hunting," used metaphorically in Psalms and Romans as "trap"): Any of the methods for taking birds; see SNARE; NET; GIN, etc. It is probable that a trap was more particularly a hole in the ground covered with twigs, concealed by leaves and baited with food. Such devices were common in taking the largest animals and may have been used with birds also. Trap is mentioned frequently in connection with snare and in such manner as to indicate that they were different devices: "Know for a certainty that Yahweh your God will no more drive these nations from out of your sight; but they shall be a snare and a trap unto you" (Jos 23:13). Another such reference will be found in Ps 69:22:
"Let their table before them become a snare;
נָטָה (natah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to stretch out, spread out, or extend. It encompasses a wide range of actions, including bending, inclining, and pitching a tent. The word can also imply moral deflection or turning aside. The entries suggest various applications, from physical actions to metaphorical uses, but do not indicate significant disagreement among the lexicons.
נָטָה 215 vb. stretch out, spread out, extend, incline, bend
Qal
stretch out, extend, hand, rod
stretch line and plummet
= offer
Spread out, i.e. pitch, tent
Bend, turn, incline
Niph. be stretched out
Hiph.
rarely stretch out, hand
rarely spread out cloth on rock
usu. turn, incline
base
H5186 נָטָה stretch out, spread out, extend, incline, bend .. . stretch out, extend, hand, rod
. stretch line and plummet
. = offer
. Spread out, i.e. pitch, tent
. Bend, turn, incline
. be stretched out
. . rarely stretch out, hand
. rarely spread out cloth on rock
. usu. turn, incline
5186 natah naw-taw'
a primitive root; to stretch or spread out; by implication,
to bend away (including moral deflection); used in a great
variety of application (as follows):--+ afternoon, apply, bow
(down, - ing), carry aside, decline, deliver, extend, go down,
be gone, incline, intend, lay, let down, offer, outstretched,
overthrown, pervert, pitch, prolong, put away, shew, spread
(out), stretch (forth, out), take (aside), turn (aside, away),
wrest, cause to yield.
נָטָה (na.tah) — to stretch.
1) to stretch out, extend, spread out, pitch, turn, pervert, incline, bend, bow
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to stretch out, extend, stretch, offer
1a2) to spread out, pitch (tent)
1a3) to bend, turn, incline
1a3a) to turn aside, incline, decline, bend down
1a3b) to bend, bow
1a3c) to hold out, extend (fig.)
1b) (Niphal) to be stretched out
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to stretch out
1c2) to spread out
1c3) to turn, incline, influence, bend down, hold out, extend, thrust aside, thrust away
Conj | V-Hiphil-ConsecImperf-3mp — Verb · Hiphil · sequential imperfect third person masculine pluralHc/Vhw3mp
a-sid': "Distinct from others," "privately," such is the sense of the word in 2Ki 4:4; Mr 7:33. Also "to withdraw" (Lu 9:10 the King James Version; Ac 23:19: hupochoreo, also anachoreo). One is said to have turned aside when he departs from the path of rectitude (Ps 14:3; Sirach 2:7; 1Ti 1:6). In a figurative sense it is used to express the thought of putting aside, to renounce, every hindrance or impediment to a consecrated earnest Christian life (Heb 12:1: apotithemi).
תֹּ֫הוּ (tohu) refers to formlessness, confusion, and emptiness, often conveying a sense of desolation or worthlessness. It can describe both physical emptiness, like wilderness, and abstract concepts such as vanity or unreality. The term is rooted in a meaning related to lying waste, and it appears in contexts discussing chaos or the primeval state of the earth.
תֹּ֫הוּ n.m. formlessness, confusion, unreality, emptiness (primary meaning difficult to seize)
formlessness
fig. of what is empty, unreal
base
H8414 תֹּ֫הוּ formlessness, confusion, unreality, emptiness (primary meaning difficult to seize) . formlessness
. fig. of what is empty, unreal
8414 tohuw to'-hoo
from an unused root meaning to lie waste; a desolation (of
surface), i.e. desert; figuratively, a worthless thing;
adverbially, in vain:--confusion, empty place, without form,
nothing, (thing of) nought, vain, vanity, waste, wilderness.
תֹּ֫הוּ (to.hu) — formlessness.
1) formlessness, confusion, unreality, emptiness
1a) formlessness (of primeval earth)
1a1) nothingness, empty space
1b) that which is empty or unreal (of idols) (fig)
1c) wasteland, wilderness (of solitary places)
1d) place of chaos
1e) vanity
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHRd/Ncmsa
צַדִּיק (tsaddiyq) means just or righteous, covering various aspects such as lawful behavior, moral conduct, and being justified by God. It is derived from a related root and is used to describe individuals who are upright in character and actions.
צַדִּיק 206 adj. just, righteous
base
H6662 צַדִּיק just, righteous
6662 tsaddiyq tsad-deek'
from 6663; just:--just, lawful, righteous (man).
see HEBREW for 06663
צַדִּיק (tsad.diq) — righteous.
1) just, lawful, righteous
1a) just, righteous (in government)
1b) just, right (in one's cause)
1c) just, righteous (in conduct and character)
1d) righteous (as justified and vindicated by God)
1e) right, correct, lawful
Adj — AdjHAamsa