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Isaiah 40:13 — Word Study

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WLCמִֽי־ תִכֵּ֥ן אֶת־ ר֖וּחַ יְהוָ֑ה וְאִ֥ישׁ עֲצָת֖וֹ יוֹדִיעֶֽנּוּ׃

BSAWhomîy [which person, no one] has directedtâkan [measured, taught] the Spiritrûwach [breath of life, divine presence] of the LORDYᵉhôvâh [Yehovah, the Lord God] or informed Himyâdaʻ [taught, given counsel to] [as] His counselorʻêtsâh [wise advisor, guide]

Word
Listen & take awayIsaiah 40
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 13 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 (yo.di.'E.nu) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Isaiah 40:13quick helps
In a sentenceThe verse poses a rhetorical question about who can direct or advise the Spirit of the LORD.
Who is speakingThe prophet Isaiah, speaking on behalf of God.
Where we areIn a poetic section emphasizing God's sovereignty and wisdom.
The hard wordתִכֵּ֥ן
Take awayNo one can claim to guide or counsel God.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectמִי verbתָּכַן 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 40:13

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 Sovereignty of Godgenerated

12Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or marked off the heavens with the span of his hand? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on a scale and the hills with a balance?
13Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD, or informed Him as His counselor?
14Whom did He consult to enlighten Him, and who taught Him the paths of justice? Who imparted knowledge to Him and showed Him the way of understanding?
15Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket; they are considered a speck of dust on the scales; He lifts up the islands like fine dust.

Isaiah 40:13 questions who among humans could possibly direct the Spirit of the LORD or offer counsel to Him. This rhetorical inquiry emphasizes God's unmatched wisdom and authority, contrasting human limitations with divine omniscience. The surrounding verses celebrate God's greatness in creation and governance, reinforcing the theme of His unparalleled power.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Job 21:22Can anyone teach knowledge to God, since He judges those on high?
2Job 36:22–23Behold, God is exalted in His power. Who is a teacher like Him?
3Luke 10:22All things have been entrusted to Me by My Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.”
4John 1:13children born not of blood, nor of the desire or will of man, but born of God.
5Romans 11:34“Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor?”

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 7 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word תִכֵּ֥ן, ti.Kengenerated

The verb תִכֵּן (ti.Ken) is a Piel form meaning 'to direct' or 'to measure'. It suggests an action of evaluating or teaching, indicating a relationship of authority and guidance. The parsing as a perfect third person masculine singular verb shows that this action is complete and refers to a singular subject.

This word's implications in the context of the verse highlight the absurdity of suggesting that any human could guide or measure God's Spirit, emphasizing the divine nature of God's wisdom and the futility of human attempts to counsel Him.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The finite verb תִכֵּ֥ן governs the main clause, with two phrases following: the noun phrase ר֖וּחַ and the conjunction leading to a second verb phrase. The structure emphasizes the rhetorical nature of the question, inviting the reader to consider the impossibility of directing God.

The subject מִֽי introduces the inquiry, setting the tone for the entire verse, while the subsequent phrases elaborate on the actions attributed to the subject, reinforcing the theme of divine supremacy.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates תִכֵּ֥ן as συμβιβᾷ (sumbibāi), meaning 'to direct' or 'to counsel'. This choice reflects a similar understanding of the original Hebrew, emphasizing the role of guidance.

This translation choice indicates a continuity of thought regarding the divine nature of wisdom and the futility of human counsel, aligning with the original rhetorical question posed in the Hebrew.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Isaiah 40:13 asks who has the authority to guide or advise the Spirit of the LORD. This verse highlights that no one can claim such a role, emphasizing God's supreme wisdom and power over all creation.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean to direct the Spirit of the LORD?

To direct the Spirit of the LORD implies having authority or wisdom to guide God's actions, which the verse asserts is impossible for any human.

Why does Isaiah use rhetorical questions?

Rhetorical questions in this context emphasize God's unmatched wisdom and the futility of human attempts to counsel Him.

How does this verse reflect God's sovereignty?

The verse illustrates God's sovereignty by asserting that no one can measure or direct His Spirit, highlighting His ultimate authority.

What is the significance of the Spirit of the LORD?

The Spirit of the LORD represents God's presence and power, which is beyond human understanding or control.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways do I sometimes try to take control of situations instead of trusting God's guidance?
  2. How can I better recognize and submit to God's wisdom in my life?
  3. What does this verse teach me about the nature of God's authority?
  4. How can understanding God's sovereignty impact my perspective on challenges I face?

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

Early Church Fathers referenced this verse to discuss God's wisdom and authority, often highlighting the futility of human counsel in the face of divine sovereignty.

Basil of CaesareaON THE HOLY SPIRIT 5:7 c. 330–379
“Who has known the mind of the Lord or who rather has been his counselor?” This passage is not merely a rhetorical question. If it were, “who” could not possibly refer to anyone.
Early Church Fathers on Isaiah 40 →
Ambrose of MilanOn the Holy Spirit 2.9.85, 90-91 c. 339–397
“Yet to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we to him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we through him.” … The apostle says according to the prophecy of Isaiah,
Early Church Fathers on Isaiah 40 →
JeromeCOMMENTARY ON Isaiah 11:25 c. 347–420
Symmachus translated, “Who has prepared the Spirit of the Lord and who has shown to him the man of his counsel? With whom has he entered into counsel and has given him understanding and has taught him the path of justice and instructed him…
Early Church Fathers on Isaiah 40 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Isaiah 40:13 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord,.... In the creation of all things, in garnishing the heavens, and moving upon the face of the waters?

Read John Gill on Isaiah 40 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him? Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord, or (being) his counselor, hath taught him?

Read Robert Jamieson on Isaiah 40 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Who did God either need or take to advise him in any of his works, either of creation or the government of the world? were they not all the effects of his own sole wisdom? Therefore though all the nations of the world contrive and conspire against him, and against this work of his, as indeed they will do, yet his own counsel shall confound all their devices, and carry on his work in spite of them.

Read Matthew Poole on Isaiah 40 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Isaiah 40:13 Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or [being] his counsellor hath taught him?Ver. 13. Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord?] Who was then of his council when he made the universe? None but his own essential wisdom. See Romans 11:34-35.

Read John Trapp on Isaiah 40 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(13) Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord?—The term, which had been used in a lower sense in Isaiah 40:7, is here clothed as with a Divine personality, answering, as it were, to the wisdom of Pro 8:22-30, with which the whole passage has a striking resemblance. Eastern cosmogonies might represent Bel or Ormuzd, as calling inferior deities into counsel (Cheyne). The prophet finds no other counsellor than One who is essentially one with the Eternal.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Isaiah 40 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

13. From the power of Jehovah, the writer passes to expatiate on His perfect and self-sufficing wisdom. Who hath directed] The verb is the same as “meted out” in the previous verse, and the transition from the literal to the metaphorical use is somewhat uncertain. From the idea of “weighing out” according to a fixed scale we get the notion of “regulating” or “determining”; cf. Ezekiel 18:25 (and pars.) “the way of Jehovah is not weighed out,” regulated, i.e. is arbitrary. Or, on the other hand, the meaning might be “rightly estimated,” “searched out” (as Proverbs 16:2; Proverbs 21:2). The first sense suits the context best; whether we render “direct” or “regulate” or “determine.” LXX.…

Read Cambridge on Isaiah 40 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Who hath directed - This passage is quoted by Paul in Romans 11:34, and referred to by him in 1 Corinthians 2:16.

Read Albert Barnes on Isaiah 40 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

12-14. In the presence and hearing of the Jewish people, the prophet asks, Who hath measured… meted… comprehended — The verbs are in the past tense, and the last is better rendered as here written

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Isaiah 40 →

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

Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD, or informed Him as His counselor?

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Who has directed Yahweh’s Spirit, or has taught him as his counselor?

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD, or informed Him as His counselor?

NETBNew English Translation2006

Who comprehends the mind of the Lord, or gives him instruction as his counselor?

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him?

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Who hath directed the Spirit of Jehovah, or being his counsellor hath taught him?

RVARevised Version, American1894

Who hath directed the spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him?

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counselor hath taught him?

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Who hath instructed ye Spirit of the Lord? or was his counseler or taught him?

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Who hath directed the Spirit of Jehovah, and, [as] his counsellor, hath taught him?

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Who hath meted out the Spirit of Jehovah, And, [being] His counsellor, doth teach Him!

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Who has meted out the Spirit of YHWH, || And [being] His counselor, teaches Him?

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Who hath meted out the Spirit of the Lord? and [who was] his counsellor that he could have given him information?

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Who has comprehended the mind of Yahweh, or instructed him as his counselor?

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Who hath forwarded the spirit of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor, and hath taught him?

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Who has measured the Spirit of the Lord, or taught him what to do as his counselor?

BBEBible in Basic English1949

By whom has the spirit of the Lord been guided, or who has been his teacher?

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.

clauseclausesubjectמִֽיwho?verbתִכֵּ֥ןhas.he.directednoun phrase · objectאֶת(et)noun phraseר֖וּחַthe.spiritיְהוָ֑הof.Yahwehוְandclausenoun phrase · predicatenoun phraseאִ֥ישׁthe.personnoun phraseעֲצָת֖his.counselוֹhisclauseverbיוֹדִיעֶֽwillobjectנּוּhe.inform.him?

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 both agree on the wording of the verse, affirming the original Hebrew text. The Septuagint, while translating the same concepts, presents them in a different order and structure, but retains the core meaning.

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

מִֽי־ תִכֵּ֥ן אֶת־ ר֖וּחַ יְהוָ֑ה וְאִ֥ישׁ עֲצָת֖וֹ יוֹדִיעֶֽנּוּ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
מִֽי־συμβιβᾷתִכֵּ֥ןαὐτόνר֖וּחַνοῦνיְהוָ֑הκυρίουוְאִ֥ישׁτίςעֲצָת֖וֹαὐτοῦ

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

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

מיא תכן את רוח יהוה איש ועצת׳ו יודיע׳נה

8 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.

Isaiah 40:13מִיwho?who?מִיתָּכַןhas he direhas he directedתָּכַןאֵתthe object the object markאֵתרוּחַ[the] spiri[the] spirit ofרוּחַיהוהYahwehYahwehיהוהאִישׁand [the] pand [the] persoאִישׁעֵצָהcounsel hiscounsel hisעֵצָהיָדַעwill he infwill he inform?יָדַעיָעַץto adviseto adviseיָעַץאוֹתsign: mirasign: miraculouאוֹתרִיחַto smellto smellרִיחַהָיָהto beto beהָיָהמָהwhat?what?מָהאֱנוֹשׁhumanhumanאֱנוֹשׁאִשָּׁהwomanwomanאִשָּׁהיָעַדto appointto appointיָעַדכְּמוֹlikelikeכְּמוֹלִבָּהheartheartלִבָּהדֶּ֫רֶךְway: roadway: roadדֶּ֫רֶךְמִגְרָשׁpasturepastureמִגְרָשׁנְשָׁמָהbreathbreathנְשָׁמָהקָדִיםeasteastקָדִיםנְאֻםutteranceutteranceנְאֻםצָבָאarmyarmyצָבָארֵעַneighborneighborרֵעַאֲחִיתֹ֫פֶלAhithophelAhithophelאֲחִיתֹ֫פֶל
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 40:13

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.

who? has he directed the object marker [the] spirit of Yahweh and [the] person of counsel his will he inform? him
מִֽי־mi- who? H4310 Pronoun
423× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word is used to ask questions like who, whose, or whom. It can also be used to express a wish, like would that or whoever. It appears in many forms throughout the Bible, often in phrases like O that or what.
Amplified meaning
which person, no one
Tyndale gloss
who?
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מִי (mi) is an interrogative pronoun primarily used to ask about persons, meaning 'who?' or 'whose?'. It can also appear in rhetorical questions and has some idiomatic uses, such as 'who among...?' or 'whosoever'. The word is rarely applied to things, and its forms can vary in emphasis.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מִי 423 pron.interrog. who? of persons

מִי is rarely used of things, and usually where persons are understood or implied

in the gen. whose

in an indirect qu.

מִי ב׳ who among … ?

strengthened and emph. forms of interrog.

various rhetorical uses whose

מִי may sometimes be rendered whosoever, though, as the examples will shew, it does not really mean it

once, following a verb, any one

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4310 מִי who? of persons . מִי is rarely used of things, and usually where persons are understood or implied

. in the gen. whose

. in an indirect qu.

. מִי ב׳ who among … ?

. strengthened and emph. forms of interrog.

. various rhetorical uses whose

. מִי may sometimes be rendered whosoever, though, as the examples will shew, it does not really mean it

. once, following a verb, any one

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4310 miy me

an interrogative pronoun of persons, as 4100 is of things,

who? (occasionally, by a peculiar idiom, of things); also

(indefinitely) whoever; often used in oblique construction

with prefix or suffix:--any (man), X he, X him, + O that!

what, which, who(-m, -se, -soever), + would to God.

see HEBREW for 04100

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מִי (mi) — who?.

who?, whose?, whom?, would that, whoever, whosoever

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part — Pronoun
HPi
who? has he directed the object marker [the] spirit of Yahweh and [the] person of counsel his will he inform? him
תִכֵּ֥ןti.Ken has he directed H8505 Verb · Piel · perfect third person masculine singular
18× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Means to measure or balance something, like weighing goods in trade, or estimating the value of something, as in Proverbs 24. It involves evaluating or testing something to determine its worth.
Amplified meaning
measured, taught
Tyndale gloss
to measure
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

תָּכַן (takan) is a Hebrew verb meaning to regulate, measure, or estimate. It encompasses actions like weighing, balancing, and adjusting to standards. The entries indicate various forms, including Qal (to estimate), Niphal (to be estimated), and Piel (to mete out). There are no significant disagreements among the lexicons regarding its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[תָּכַן] vb. regulate, measure, estimate

Qal estimate

Niph.

by him are actions estimated.

be adjusted to the standard, i.e. right, equitable

Pi. mete out

Pu. the silver which was measured out.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8505 [תָּכַן] regulate, measure, estimate

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8505 takan taw-kan'

a primitive root; to balance, i.e. measure out (by weight or

dimension); figuratively, arrange, equalize, through the idea

of levelling (ment. estimate, test):--bear up, direct, be

((un-))equal, mete, ponder, tell, weigh.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

תָּכַן (ta.khan) — to measure.

1) to regulate, measure, estimate, ponder, balance, make even, level, weigh, be equal, be weighed out, test, prove

1a) (Qal) estimate (participle)

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be estimated

1b2) to be made even or right, be adjusted to the standard

1c) (Piel) to weigh out, mete out

1d) (Pual)

1d1) to be weighed out, be measured out

1d2) measured out (participle)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Piel-Perf-3ms — Verb · Piel · perfect third person masculine singular
HVpp3ms
who? has he directed the object marker [the] spirit of Yahweh and [the] person of counsel his will he inform? him
אֶת־'et- the object marker H853 Particle
10,946× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the original Hebrew, this word points out the object of a verb or preposition, like 'namely' or 'even'. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus. It's not directly translated in English, but helps clarify the meaning of sentences.
Tyndale gloss
[Obj.]
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֵת (eth) is primarily a grammatical marker in Hebrew, indicating the definite direct object of a verb. It is not translated into English and typically precedes nouns that are definite. The word is derived from a demonstrative sense of entity, related to the Hebrew word for 'self.' Its Aramaic equivalent is יָת (yat).

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

853 'eth ayth

apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of

entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more

definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or

namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).

see HEBREW for 0226

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵת (et) — [Obj.].

sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative

Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTo — Particle
HTo
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
who? has he directed the object marker [the] spirit of Yahweh and [the] person of counsel his will he inform? him
ר֖וּחַRu.ach [the] spirit of H7307 Noun common · feminine singular construct
378× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word for spirit refers to the breath of life, the wind, or a person's mind and emotions, as seen in the book of Ezekiel.
Amplified meaning
breath of life, divine presence
Tyndale gloss
spirit
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רוּחַ (ruach) means breath, wind, or spirit. It encompasses various meanings, including the breath of life, emotional disposition, and the spirit of God. The term can refer to both physical phenomena, like wind, and abstract concepts, such as moral character or mental acts. Notably, it is used frequently in the context of divine inspiration and the Holy Spirit.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רוּחַ 378 n.f. (less oft. m.) breath, wind, spirit

breath of mouth or nostrils (33 t.)

wind (117 t.)

spirit, as that which breathes quickly in animation or agitation = temper, disposition (76 t.)

spirit of the living, breathing being

spirit as seat of emotion

occasionally (and late) = seat or organ of mental acts

rarely of the will

רוּחַ esp. of moral character

spirit of God (94 t.)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7307 רוּחַ breath, wind, spirit . breath of mouth or nostrils (33 t.)

. wind (117 t.)

. spirit, as that which breathes quickly in animation or agitation = temper, disposition (76 t.)

. spirit of the living, breathing being

. spirit as seat of emotion

. occasionally (and late) = seat or organ of mental acts

. rarely of the will

. רוּחַ esp. of moral character

. spirit of God (94 t.)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7307 ruwach roo'-akh

from 7306; wind; by resemblance breath, i.e. a sensible (or

even violent) exhalation; figuratively, life, anger,

unsubstantiality; by extension, a region of the sky; by

resemblance spirit, but only of a rational being (including

its expression and functions):--air, anger, blast, breath, X

cool, courage, mind, X quarter, X side, spirit((-ual)),

tempest, X vain, ((whirl-))wind(-y).

see HEBREW for 07306

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רוּחַ (ru.ach) — spirit.

: spirit

1) wind, breath, mind, spirit

1a) breath

1b) wind

1b1) of heaven

1b2) quarter (of wind), side

1b3) breath of air

1b4) air, gas

1b5) vain, empty thing

1c) spirit (as that which breathes quickly in animation or agitation)

1c1) spirit, animation, vivacity, vigour

1c2) courage

1c3) temper, anger

1c4) impatience, patience

1c5) spirit, disposition (as troubled, bitter, discontented)

1c6) disposition (of various kinds), unaccountable or uncontrollable impulse

1c7) prophetic spirit

1d) spirit (of the living, breathing being in man and animals)

1d1) as gift, preserved by God, God's spirit, departing at death, disembodied being

1e) spirit (as seat of emotion)

1e1) desire

1e2) sorrow, trouble

1f) spirit

1f1) as seat or organ of mental acts

1f2) rarely of the will

1f3) as seat especially of moral character

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-cs — Noun common · feminine singular construct
HNcfsc
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…

who? has he directed the object marker [the] spirit of Yahweh and [the] person of counsel his will he inform? him
יְהוָ֑הYah.weh Yahweh H3068 Noun proper
6,528× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Yehovah is another name for God, often translated as 'the Lord'. It is a national name for God in the Jewish faith. This name is used throughout the Old Testament.
Amplified meaning
Yehovah, the Lord God
Tyndale gloss
The Lord
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) is the proper name of the God of Israel, often rendered as Jehovah or the Lord. It signifies the self-existent or eternal nature of God. The name is closely associated with the revelation to Moses in Exodus 3:12-15 and is used in conjunction with other terms to denote sacred places. Some scholars suggest it derives from a root meaning 'to bring into being.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יהוה c. 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel—(1. MT יְהֹוָה 6518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהֹוִה 305 (Qr אֱלֹהִים) 2. Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of הוה (= היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver)

יהוה is not used by E in Gn, but is given Ex 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb

יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D

the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy

יהוה is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3068 יהוה i.e. יַהְוֶה n. pr. dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw'

from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish

national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.

see HEBREW for 01961

see HEBREW for 03050

see HEBREW for 03069

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — LORD.

Jehovah = "the existing One"

1) the proper name of the one true God

1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of a.do.na (אֲדֹנָי "Lord" H0136)

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — The Lord.

Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — (Jerusalem of) the Lord.

Combined with ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper
HNpt
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
who? has he directed the object marker [the] spirit of Yahweh and [the] person of counsel his will he inform? him
וְאִ֥ישׁve.'Ish and [the] person of H376 Conjunction · noun common masculine singular construct
1,664× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for man, referring to a male person or individual, is used in the Bible to describe humans in contrast to God or animals, as seen in Genesis and Psalms. It can also mean husband or servant. In the KJV, it is translated as man or male.
Tyndale gloss
man
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אִישׁ (iysh) means 'man' and can refer to an individual male, a husband, or a human being in general. It encompasses various meanings, including champion and great man, and can also imply 'whosoever' or 'each.' The word is built from a root suggesting existence and is used throughout the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אִישׁ 2166 n.m. man (= vir)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H376 אִישׁ man (= vir)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

376 'iysh eesh

contracted for 582 (or perhaps rather from an unused root

meaning to be extant); a man as an individual or a male

person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and

in such cases frequently not expressed in

translation):--also, another, any (man), a certain, +

champion, consent, each, every (one), fellow, (foot-,

husband-)man, (good-, great, mighty) man, he, high (degree),

him (that is), husband, man(-kind), + none, one, people,

person, + steward, what (man) soever, whoso(-ever), worthy.

Compare 802.

see HEBREW for 0582

see HEBREW for 0802

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אִישׁ (ish) — man.

: man

1) man

1a) man, male (in contrast to woman, female)

1b) husband

1c) human being, person (in contrast to God)

1d) servant

1e) mankind

1f) champion

1g) great man

2) whosoever

3) each (adjective)

אִישׁ (ish) — man: husband.

: husband

1) man

1a) man, male (in contrast to woman, female)

1b) husband

1c) human being, person (in contrast to God)

1d) servant

1e) mankind

1f) champion

1g) great man

2) whosoever

3) each (adjective)

אִישׁ (ish) — man: anyone.

: anyone/someone

1) man

1a) man, male (in contrast to woman, female)

1b) husband

1c) human being, person (in contrast to God)

1d) servant

1e) mankind

1f) champion

1g) great man

2) whosoever

3) each (adjective)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HC/Ncmsc — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular construct
HC/Ncmsc
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 company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
who? has he directed the object marker [the] spirit of Yahweh and [the] person of counsel his will he inform? him
עֲצָת֖וֹa.tza.To counsel his H6098 Noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
89× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means counsel or advice, implying a plan or purpose. It is used in the Bible when describing wise decision-making.
Amplified meaning
wise advisor, guide
Tyndale gloss
counsel
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עֵצָה (`etsah) refers to counsel or advice, and can also imply a plan or purpose. It is derived from a root meaning to advise or provide guidance. The entries consistently emphasize its use in contexts related to providing counsel or making decisions.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עֵצָה n.f. counsel, advice

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6098 עֵצָה counsel, advice

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6098 `etsah ay-tsaw'

from 3289; advice; by implication, plan; also

prudence:--advice, advisement, counsel(l-(or)), purpose.

see HEBREW for 03289

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עֵצָה (e.tsah) — counsel.

counsel, advice, purpose

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs | Suff — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
HNcfsc/Sp3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hiz: Used often in the King James Version with reference to a neuter or inanimate thing, or to a lower animal (Ge 1:11, "after his kind"; Le 1:16, "pluck away his crop"; Ac 12:10, "of his own accord"; 1Co 15:38, "his own body"), etc. the Revised Version (British and American) substitutes "its."

who? has he directed the object marker [the] spirit of Yahweh and [the] person of counsel his will he inform? him
יוֹדִיעֶֽנּוּ׃yo.di.'E.nu will he inform? him H3045 Verb hiphil imperfect third person masculine singular · suffix
945× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for to know means to ascertain by seeing, and is used in many senses, including to learn, perceive, and recognize, as seen in various KJV translations.
Amplified meaning
taught, given counsel to
Tyndale gloss
to know
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָדַע (yada`) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to know,' encompassing a wide range of senses including perception, recognition, and experience. It can refer to knowing someone intimately or being skilled in a task. The word has various forms, indicating actions such as making known or being made known. Lexicons note its use in both literal and figurative contexts, but there is no significant disagreement among them.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָדַע 943 vb. know

Qal

know, learn to know

perceive

perceive and see; find out and discern

discriminate, distinguish

know by experience

recognize, admit, acknowledge, confess

consider

not know = not expect

know a person, be acquainted with

know a person carnally, of sexual intercourse

know how, to do a thing, be able to do it

be skilful in

abs. have knowledge, be wise

Niph.

be made known, be or become known, of things

make oneself known of pers.

be perceived

be instructed

Pi. cause to know

Pu. known

Hiph. make known, declare

Hoph. made known

Hithp. make oneself known

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3045 יָדַע know .. . know, learn to know

. perceive

. perceive and see; find out and discern

. discriminate, distinguish

. know by experience

. recognize, admit, acknowledge, confess

. consider

. not know = not expect

. know a person, be acquainted with

. know a person carnally, of sexual intercourse

. . know how, to do a thing, be able to do it

. be skilful in

. abs. have knowledge, be wise

. . be made known, be or become known, of things

. make oneself known of pers.

. be perceived

. be instructed

. cause to know

. known

. make known, declare

. made known

. make oneself known

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3045 yada` yaw-dah'

a primitive root; to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing);

used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally,

euphemistically and inferentially (including observation,

care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation,

punishment, etc.) (as follow):--acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted

with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware,

(un-)awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, X

could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to)

discern, discover, endued with, familiar friend, famous, feel,

can have, be (ig-)norant, instruct, kinsfolk, kinsman, (cause

to let, make) know, (come to give, have, take) knowledge, have

(knowledge), (be, make, make to be, make self) known, + be

learned, + lie by man, mark, perceive, privy to, X

prognosticator, regard, have respect, skilful, shew, can (man

of) skill, be sure, of a surety, teach, (can) tell,

Read the full entry →
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָדַע (ya.da) — to know.

1) to know

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to know

1a1a) to know, learn to know

1a1b) to perceive

1a1c) to perceive and see, find out and discern

1a1d) to discriminate, distinguish

1a1e) to know by experience

1a1f) to recognise, admit, acknowledge, confess

1a1g) to consider

1a2) to know, be acquainted with

1a3) to know (a person carnally)

1a4) to know how, be skilful in

1a5) to have knowledge, be wise

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be made known, be or become known, be revealed

1b2) to make oneself known

1b3) to be perceived

1b4) to be instructed

1c) (Piel) to cause to know

1d) (Poal) to cause to know

1e) (Pual)

1e1) to be known

1e2) known, one known, acquaintance (participle)

1f) (Hiphil) to make known, declare

1g) (Hophal) to be made known

1h) (Hithpael) to make oneself known, reveal oneself

Aramaic equivalent: ye.da (יְדַע "to know" H3046)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Hiphil-Imperf-3ms | Suff — Verb hiphil imperfect third person masculine singular · suffix
HVhi3ms/Sp3ms
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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