Isaiah 40:23 — Word Study
WLCהַנּוֹתֵ֥ן רוֹזְנִ֖ים לְאָ֑יִן שֹׁ֥פְטֵי אֶ֖רֶץ כַּתֹּ֥הוּ עָשָֽׂה׃
BSAHe bringsnâthan [to nothing, reduces to powerlessness] the princesrâzan [leaders, rulers] to nothingʼayin [emptiness, void] and makesʻâsâh■ [renders, causes to be] the rulersshâphaṭ [judges, authorities] of the earthʼerets [land, world] meaninglesstôhûw
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| הַנּוֹתֵ֥ן | the [one who] appoints | Particle, verb qal participle (active) masculine singular |
| רוֹזְנִ֖ים | rulers | Verb, Qal, participle (active) masculine plural |
| לְאָ֑יִן | to nothing | Preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| שֹׁ֥פְטֵי | judges of | Verb, Qal, participle (active) masculine plural common |
| אֶ֖רֶץ | [the] earth | Noun common, feminine singular absolute |
| כַּתֹּ֥הוּ | like nothingness | Preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| עָשָֽׂה׃ | he makes | Verb, Qal, perfect third person masculine singular |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | He brings the princes to nothing and makes the rulers of the earth meaningless. |
| KJV | That bringeth the princes to nothing; he maketh the judges of the earth as vanity. |
| ASV | that bringeth princes to nothing; that maketh the judges of the earth as vanity. |
| YLT | He who is making princes become nothing, Judges of earth as emptiness hath made; |
| WEB | who brings princes to nothing, who makes the judges of the earth meaningless. |
| BBE | He makes rulers come to nothing; the judges of the earth are of no value. |
Where they part company is רוֹזְנִ֖ים — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence consists of two main clauses connected by 'and', presenting God's actions in a parallel structure.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbרָזַן
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Isaiah 40:23
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 — God's Sovereignty Over Nationsgenerated
Isaiah 40:23 emphasizes God's authority over the rulers of the earth, illustrating how He diminishes their power and significance. This verse is part of a larger section where Isaiah contrasts God's eternal nature with the fleeting nature of human authority, reminding the audience of God's ultimate control over all creation, as seen in the preceding verses.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Isaiah 19:13–14 | The princes of Zoan have become fools; the princes of Memphis are deceived. The cornerstones of her tribes have led Egypt astray. |
| 2 | Isaiah 23:9 | The LORD of Hosts planned it, to defile all its glorious beauty, to disgrace all the renowned of the earth. |
| 3 | Isaiah 24:21–22 | In that day the LORD will punish the host of heaven above and the kings of the earth below. |
| 4 | Job 12:21 | He pours out contempt on nobles and disarms the mighty. |
| 5 | Job 34:19–20 | who is not partial to princes and does not favor rich over poor? For they are all the work of His hands. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 10 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — הַנּוֹתֵ֥ן, ha.no.Tengenerated
The word נָתַן (natan) is a verb meaning 'to give' or 'to appoint'. It is used here in the participle form, indicating an ongoing action of appointing or giving authority. This word carries a wide range of meanings, from bestowing power to setting something in place.
In this context, it conveys the idea that God actively appoints rulers, but ultimately, He has the power to reduce them to nothing. The use of this word highlights God's sovereignty and control over human affairs.
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 main verb of the verse is הַנּוֹתֵ֥ן, the one who appoints, governing the entire structure. It is followed by a noun phrase indicating the object of the action, רוֹזְנִ֖ים, rulers, and concludes with a second verb phrase, עָשָֽׂה, he makes, which describes the result of God's action.
The Hebrew word order places emphasis on God's action first, highlighting His authority before introducing the subjects affected by that action.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates הַנּוֹתֵ֥ן as διδοὺς (giving), which maintains the active sense of God’s role in appointing rulers. This choice emphasizes the ongoing action of giving authority, aligning with the Hebrew meaning.
For רוֹזְנִ֖ים, the LXX uses ἄρξοντας (rulers), which captures the essence of leadership and authority, consistent with the Hebrew context.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Isaiah 40:23 tells us that God has the power to bring leaders to nothing, showing that even the mightiest rulers are insignificant compared to Him. This verse reminds us of God's ultimate authority over the earth and its inhabitants.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It means that God has the power to diminish the authority and significance of earthly rulers, showing that they are ultimately powerless compared to His sovereignty.
This verse emphasizes God's greatness and sovereignty, contrasting it with the frailty of human power, which is a central theme in Isaiah 40.
Recognizing God's authority over rulers can provide comfort and assurance that no matter how powerful a leader may seem, God remains in control.
It reminds us that all leaders are accountable to God and that true authority comes from Him, encouraging us to seek His guidance in leadership matters.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways have I seen God’s authority over leaders in my life or community?
- How can I remember that God is ultimately in control when I feel overwhelmed by human authority?
- What does it mean to me that God reduces rulers to nothing?
- How can I apply the truth of God's sovereignty in my daily decisions?
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Isaiah 40:23 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThat bringeth princes to nothing,.... The great men of the earth, kings, rulers, and nobles, these he brings to the dust; and all their counsels, schemes, and purposes, come to nothing; and their
Read John Gill on Isaiah 40 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThat bringeth the princes to nothing; he maketh the judges of the earth as vanity.
Read Robert Jamieson on Isaiah 40 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleThat bringeth the princes to nothing; that can at his pleasure destroy all the great potentates of the world.
Read Matthew Poole on Isaiah 40 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsIsaiah 40:23 That bringeth the princes to nothing; he maketh the judges of the earth as vanity.Ver. 23. That bringeth princes to nothing.] After their part acted here a while, they go off the stage of life, and are seen no more. Augustus Caesar said, that his life was nothing else but a kind of a comedy; and that he had acted his part, as became him, and therefore, at his death, he called for a Plaudite. applause.
Read John Trapp on Isaiah 40 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(23) That bringeth the princes to nothing.—The words imply, like those of Isa 14:9, the prophetic strain of experience. The past is full of the records of kingdoms that are no more; so also shall the future be; mortalia facta peribunt. In “vanity” we have the familiar tohu once more.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Isaiah 40 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges22, 23. The majesty of the God who reveals Himself in Creation and Providence is described in interjectional participial clauses, the force of which should not be blunted by the superfluous “It is” of E.V. upon (rather: above, R.V. marg.) the circle of the earth] i. e. the horizon, where earth and heaven meet (see Proverbs 8:27), “at the confines of light and darkness” (Job 26:10). The earth with its surrounding ocean is conceived as a flat disc, on which the arch of heaven comes down. The rendering “on the vault of the earth” (see Job 22:14, “vault of heaven,” the same word) is possible, though not so good. and (so that) the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers] Comp. for the expression…
Read Cambridge on Isaiah 40 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleThat bringeth the princes to nothing - That is, all princes and kings. No matter how great their power, their wealth, and their dignity, they are, by his hand, reduced to nothing before him.
Read Albert Barnes on Isaiah 40 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible23, 24. Princes… judges… vanity — Other predicates are here added respecting God, the ruler of the universe. He annihilates the potentates and judges of the earth when they displease him. In various ways hevisits them.
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
He brings the princes to nothing and makes the rulers of the earth meaningless.
who brings princes to nothing, who makes the judges of the earth meaningless.
He brings the princes to nothing and makes the rulers of the earth meaningless.
He is the one who reduces rulers to nothing; he makes the earth’s leaders insignificant.
Tyndale line
That bringeth the princes to nothing; he maketh the judges of the earth as vanity.
that bringeth princes to nothing; that maketh the judges of the earth as vanity.
that bringeth princes to nothing; he maketh the judges of the earth as vanity.
That bringeth the princes to nothing; he maketh the judges of the earth as vanity.
He bringeth the princes to nothing, and maketh the iudges of the earth, as vanitie,
Strictly literal
that bringeth the princes to nothing, that maketh the judges of the earth as vanity.
He who is making princes become nothing, Judges of earth as emptiness hath made;
He who is making princes become nothing, || Has made judges of earth formless;
That bringeth princes to naught; rendering the judges of the earth as vanity.
He reduces rulers to nothing and makes the rulers of the earth insignificant.
From the Latin
He that bringeth the searchers of secrets to nothing, that hath made the judges of the earth as vanity.
Simplified
He brings leaders down; he makes the rulers of the world like nothing.
He makes rulers come to nothing; the judges of the earth are of no value.
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 reads, "הַנּוֹתֵ֥ן רוֹזְנִ֖ים לְאָ֑יִן שֹׁ֥פְטֵי אֶ֖רֶץ כַּתֹּ֥הוּ עָשָֽׂה׃" The Septuagint matches this text closely in meaning but presents it with its own word order and articles. The Dead Sea Scrolls contain two variants; 1Qisaa reads, "הנותן רוזנים לאין שופטי ארץ כתהו עשה," which agrees with the Masoretic Text, while 4Q56 uses "רזנים" instead of "רוֹזְנִ֖ים" but maintains the overall meaning. Thus, the primary differences lie in the specific wording of the terms for 'princes' and 'rulers,' but the essential message remains consistent across the witnesses.
הַנּוֹתֵ֥ן רוֹזְנִ֖ים לְאָ֑יִן שֹׁ֥פְטֵי אֶ֖רֶץ כַּתֹּ֥הוּ עָשָֽׂה׃
7 of the 7 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.
הנותן רוזנים לאין שופטי ארץ כתהו עשה
7 words on the leather.
הנותן רזנים לאין שפטי ארץ כתהו עשה
7 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 40:23
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 Hebrew word נָתַן (natan) means 'to give' and encompasses a wide range of applications such as putting, setting, and making. It can also indicate actions like bestowing, delivering, and assigning. The entries describe its use in various forms, including Qal, Niphal, and Hophal, but do not present any significant disagreements among lexicons.
נָתַן 2007 vb. give, put, set
Qal 1917
give
Put, set
Make, constitute
Niph.
82be given
Be put, set
Hoph.
be given, bestowed
= be given to one for wife
be put upon
base
H5414 נָתַן give, put, set .. give
. Put, set
. Make, constitute
. . be given
. Be put, set
. . . be given, bestowed
. = be given to one for wife
. be put upon
5414 nathan naw-than'
a primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of
application (put, make, etc.):--add, apply, appoint, ascribe,
assign, X avenge, X be ((healed)), bestow, bring (forth,
hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, +
cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, X doubtless, X
without fail, fasten, frame, X get, give (forth, over, up),
grant, hang (up), X have, X indeed, lay (unto charge, up),
(give) leave, lend, let (out), + lie, lift up, make, + O that,
occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, X
pull , put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send
(out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), + sing, + slander,
strike, (sub-)mit, suffer, X surely, X take, thrust, trade,
turn, utter, + weep, + willingly, + withdraw, + would (to)
God, yield.
נָתַן (na.tan) — to give: give.
: give/deliver/send/produce
1) to give, put, set
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to give, bestow, grant, permit, ascribe, employ, devote, consecrate, dedicate, pay wages, sell, exchange, lend, commit, entrust, give over, deliver up, yield produce, occasion, produce, requite to, report, mention, utter, stretch out, extend
1a2) to put, set, put on, put upon, set, appoint, assign, designate
1a3) to make, constitute
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be given, be bestowed, be provided, be entrusted to, be granted to, be permitted, be issued, be published, be uttered, be assigned
1b2) to be set, be put, be made, be inflicted
1c) (Hophal)
1c1) to be given, be bestowed, be given up, be delivered up
1c2) to be put upon
נָתַן (na.tan) — to give: put.
: put/set/apppoint
1) to give, put, set
1a) (Qal)
Art | V-Qal — Particle · verb qal participle (active) masculine singularHTd/Vqrmsa
רָזַן (razan) is a Hebrew verb that conveys the idea of being weighty or honorable, often associated with ruling or commanding. The entries suggest it encompasses meanings related to authority and wisdom, indicating a role of leadership. There is some uncertainty about its earlier form, רָזֹן, but the core concept remains centered on rulership and judiciousness.
[רָזַן, ? earlier רָזֹן] vb. be weighty, judicious, commanding
base
H7336 [רָזַן, ? earlier רָזֹן] be weighty, judicious, commanding
7336 razan raw-zan'
a primitive root; probably to be heavy, i.e. (figuratively)
honorable:--prince, ruler.
רָזַן (ra.zan) — to rule.
(Qal) to be weighty, be judicious, be commanding
V-Qal — Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine pluralHVqrmpa
→ (Appointed and removed by God)
→ See GOVERNMENT, GOD IN
→ Chastised Da 4
→ See NATION
→ Monarchical
See KINGS
→ Patriarchal Ge 27:29,37
→ INSTANCES OF
Nimrod Ge 10:8-10
Abraham Ge 14:13-24; 17:6; 21:21-32
Melchizedek Ge 14:18
Isaac Ge 26:26-31
Judah Ge 38:24
Heads of families Ex 6:14
Ishmael Ge 17:20
Esau, and the dukes of Edom Ge 36
Theocratic
See GOVERNMENT
אַ֫יִן (ayin) primarily means 'nothing' or 'nought' and serves as a negative particle indicating absence or negation, such as 'is not' or 'there is not.' It can also express lack of possession or existence. The word is derived from a root meaning to be non-existent, and it appears frequently in various grammatical constructions.
אַ֫יִן, אָ֑֫יִן cstr. אֵין subst. prop. nothing, nought
to nothing, as nothing
cstr. אֵין, very freq. as particle of negation, is not, are not, was not, were not
אֵין לְ׳, with subst., or pron., there is (was) not to … = … have, has, had, etc. not
in circumst. clauses
with inf. and ל׳, it is not to …
with prefixes
base
H369 אַ֫יִן, אָ֑֫יִן cstr. אֵין subst. prop. nothing, nought . to nothing, as nothing
. cstr. אֵין, very freq. as particle of negation, is not, are not, was not, were not
. אֵין לְ׳, with subst., or pron., there is (was) not to … = … have, has, had, etc. not
. in circumst. clauses
. with inf. and ל׳, it is not to …
. with prefixes
369 'ayin ah'-yin
as if from a primitive root meaning to be nothing or not
exist; a non-entity; generally used as a negative
particle:--else, except, fail, (father-)less, be gone,
in(-curable), neither, never, no (where), none, nor, (any,
thing), not, nothing, to nought, past, un(-searchable),
well-nigh, without. Compare 370.
see HEBREW for 0370
אַ֫יִן (a.yin) — nothing.
1) nothing, not, nought n
1a) nothing, nought neg
1b) not
1c) to have not (of possession) adv
1d) without w/prep
1e) for lack of
Prep | Part — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHR/Ncmsa
nuth'-ing (lo', lo' @me'umah, etc.; medeis, oudeis): "Nothing" is represented by various words and phrases, often with lo', which is properly a substantive with the meaning of "nothing." Most frequently we have lo' me'umah, "not anything" (Ge 40:15; Jud 14:6).
Other forms are lo' dhabhar, "not anything"; (Ge 19:8); lo'khol, "not any(thing)" (Ge 11:6; Pr 13:7); la' (Aramaic), "no," "nothing" (Da 4:35, "as nothing"); 'ephec, "end," "cessation" (Isa 34:12); bilti, "without," "save," "not" (
שָׁפַט (shaphat) is a Hebrew verb meaning to judge or govern. It encompasses a range of actions including pronouncing sentences, executing judgments, and deciding controversies in various contexts such as civil and religious matters. The word can also imply being judged or entering into legal disputes. There is a specific mention of its use in the context of final judgment.
שָׁפַט 185 vb. judge, govern
Qal
act as law-giver, judge, governor
specif. decide controversy, discriminate betw. persons, in civil, political, domestic and religious questions
execute judgment
Niph.
recipr., enter into controversy, plead
pass. be judged
Pô‛el = my opponent-at-law
base
H8199 שָׁפַט judge, govern .. act as law-giver, judge, governor
. specif. decide controversy, discriminate betw. persons, in civil, political, domestic and religious questions
. execute judgment
. . recipr., enter into controversy, plead
. pass. be judged
.= my opponent-at-law
8199 shaphat shaw-fat'
a primitive root; to judge, i.e. pronounce sentence (for or
against); by implication, to vindicate or punish; by
extenssion, to govern; passively, to litigate (literally or
figuratively):--+ avenge, X that condemn, contend, defend,
execute (judgment), (be a) judge(-ment), X needs, plead,
reason, rule.
שָׁפַט (sha.phat) — to judge.
1) to judge, govern, vindicate, punish
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to act as law-giver or judge or governor (of God, man)
1a1a) to rule, govern, judge
1a2) to decide controversy (of God, man)
1a3) to execute judgment
1a3a) discriminating (of man)
1a3b) vindicating
1a3c) condemning and punishing
1a3d) at theophanic advent for final judgment
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to enter into controversy, plead, have controversy together
1b2) to be judged
1c) (Poel) judge, opponent-at-law (participle)
V-Qal — Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine plural commonHVqrmpc
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.
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…
אֶ֫רֶץ (erets) is a feminine noun meaning 'earth' or 'land.' It encompasses various meanings, including the whole earth, specific territories like Canaan, and even inhabitants of the land. It can refer to soil, ground, or regions, and is used in phrases related to distance and the living. There is a note on the plural form אֲרָצוֹת, which mainly appears in later texts to denote multiple lands.
אֶ֫רֶץ n. f. & (seld.) m. earth, land
earth, whole earth (opp. to a part)
earth, opp. to heaven, sky
earth = inhabitants of earth
land =
country, territory
district, region
trial territory
piece of ground
specif. land of Canaan, or Israel
= inhabitants of land
used even of Shᵉʼôl
ground, surface of ground
soil, as productive
אֶרֶץ in phrases
people of the land
in measurements of distance
the country of the plain, level or plain country
land of the living
end(s) of the earth
pl. אֲרָצוֹת is almost wholly late; it denotes lands, countries, often in contrast to Canaan, lands of the nations, etc.
base
H776 אֶ֫רֶץ n. f. & (seld.) m. earth, land . . earth, whole earth (opp. to a part)
. earth, opp. to heaven, sky
. earth = inhabitants of earth
. land = . country, territory
. district, region
. trial territory
. piece of ground
. specif. land of Canaan, or Israel
. = inhabitants of land
. used even of Shᵉʼôl
. . ground, surface of ground
. soil, as productive
. אֶרֶץ in phrases . people of the land
. in measurements of distance
. the country of the plain, level or plain country
. land of the living
. end(s) of the earth
. pl. אֲרָצוֹת is almost wholly late; it denotes lands, countries, often in contrast to Canaan, lands of the nations, etc.
776 'erets eh'-rets
from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth
(at large, or partitively a land):--X common, country, earth,
field, ground, land, X natins, way, + wilderness, world.
אֶ֫רֶץ (e.rets) — land: country/planet.
: country/field
1) land, earth
1a) earth
1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part)
1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven)
1a3) earth (inhabitants)
1b) land
1b1) country, territory
1b2) district, region
1b3) tribal territory
1b4) piece of ground
1b5) land of Canaan, Israel
1b6) inhabitants of land
1b7) Sheol, land without return, (under) world
1b8) city (-state)
1c) ground, surface of the earth
1c1) ground
1c2) soil
1d) (in phrases)
1d1) people of the land
1d2) space or distance of country (in measurements of distance)
1d3) level or plain country
1d4) land of the living
1d5) end(s) of the earth
1e) (almost wholly late in usage)
1e1) lands, countries
1e1a) often in contrast to Canaan
אֶ֫רֶץ (e.rets) — land: soil.
: soil
1) land, earth
1a) earth
1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part)
1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven)
1a3) earth (inhabitants)
1b) land
1b1) country, territory
N-cs — Noun common · feminine singular absoluteHNcfsa
urth ('adhamah, 'erets, 'aphar; ge, oikoumene):
In a hilly limestone country like Palestine, the small amount of iron oxide in the rocks tends to be oxidized, and thereby to give a prevailing reddish color to the soil. This is especially the case on relatively barren hills where there is little organic matter present to prevent reddening and give a more blackish tinge.
'Adhamah (compare 'adham, "a man," and Adam) is from 'adham, "to be red," and is used in the senses: "earth" (Ex 20:24), "land" (Ps 105:35), a "land" or country (Isa 14:2), "ground" (Ge 4:11), "the earth" (Ge 7:4).
Earth
(1.) In the sense of soil or ground, the translation of the word adamah’. In Gen. 9:20 “husbandman” is literally “man of the ground or earth.” Altars were to be built of earth (Ex. 20:24). Naaman asked for two mules’ burden of earth (2 Kings 5:17), under the superstitious notion that Jehovah, like the gods of the heathen, could be acceptably worshipped only on his own soil.
(2). As the rendering of ’erets, it means the whole world (Gen. 1:2); the land as opposed to the sea (1:10). Erets also denotes a country (21:32); a plot of ground (23:15); the ground on which a man stands (33:3); the inhabitants of the earth (6:1; 11:1); all the world except Israel (
The term is used in two widely-different senses: (1) for the material of which the earth’s surface is composed; (2) as the name of the planet on which man dwells. The Hebrew language discriminates between these two by the use of separate terms, adamah for the former, erets for the latter. Adamah is the earth in the sense of soil or ground, particularly as being susceptible of cultivation. (Genesis 2:7) Erets is applied in a more or less extended sense-- (1) to the whole world, (Genesis 1:1) (2) to land as opposed to sea, (Genesis 1:10) (3) to a country, (Genesis 21:32) (4) to a plot of ground, (Genesis 23:15) and (5) to…
In both Hebrew and Greek the same word is used to denote the earth as a whole, and a particular land. Only the context can enable us to decide in which of these senses it is to be taken in a given passage.
Thus in Mt 27:45 we might, so far as the original word is concerned, render either "there was darkness over all the land," or over all the earth. The expression "all the earth" is sometimes used hyperbolically for a large portion of it, Ezr 1:2. The word is used of the whole world, etc. In a moral sense, earthly is opposed to what is heavenly, spiritual and holy, Joh 3:31 1Co 15:47 Col 3:2
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
עָשָׂה (asah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to do or make, encompassing a wide range of actions such as producing, preparing, and observing. It can refer to both concrete and abstract activities, including making offerings and attending to tasks. The verb also has forms indicating passive meanings, such as being made or offered. Notably, the Piel form refers to pressing or squeezing.
עָשָׂה 2622 vb. do, make
Qal 2524
do (1560 t.)
deal with
oft. in phr. do kindness with
abs. act, act with effect
make (670 t.)
produce, yield
prepare, esp. of dressing and cooking food
make offering
attend to, put in order
observe, celebrate, religious festival
acquire property of various kinds
appoint priests
bring about of י׳’s effecting a deliverance
use
spend, pass, days of life
Niph.
97be done
be made, of concr. things
be produced from vine
be prepared, of food
be offered
be observed, passover
be used
Pu. I was made
base
[עָשָׂה] vb. Pi. press, squeeze
base
H6213a עָשָׂה do, make .. . do (1560 + t.)
. deal with
. oft. in phr. do kindness with
. abs. act, act with effect
. . make (670 + t.)
. produce, yield
. prepare, esp. of dressing and cooking food
. make offering
. attend to, put in order
. observe, celebrate, religious festival
. acquire property of various kinds
. appoint priests
. bring about of י׳’s effecting a deliverance
. use
. spend, pass, days of life
. . be done
. . be made, of concr. things
. be produced from vine
. be prepared, of food
. be offered
. be observed, passover
. be used
. I was made
H6213b עָשָׂה Pi. press, squeeze
6213 `asah aw-saw'
a primitive root; to do or make, in the broadest sense and
widest application (as follows):--accomplish, advance,
appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth,
bruise, be busy, X certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal
(with), deck, + displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in)
execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, + feast, (fight-)ing man, +
finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go
about, govern, grant, great, + hinder, hold ((a feast)), X
indeed, + be industrious, + journey, keep, labour, maintain,
make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, + officer, pare,
bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure,
provide, put, requite, X sacrifice, serve, set, shew, X sin,
spend, X surely, take, X thoroughly, trim, X very, + vex, be
(warr-)ior, work(-man), yield, use.
עָשָׂה (a.sah) — to make: do.
: do/perform
1) to do, fashion, accomplish, make
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to do, work, make, produce
1a1a) to do
1a1b) to work
1a1c) to deal (with)
1a1d) to act, act with effect, effect
1a2) to make
1a2a) to make
1a2b) to produce
1a2c) to prepare
1a2d) to make (an offering)
1a2e) to attend to, put in order
1a2f) to observe, celebrate
1a2g) to acquire (property)
1a2h) to appoint, ordain, institute
1a2i) to bring about
1a2j) to use
1a2k) to spend, pass
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be done
1b2) to be made
1b3) to be produced
1b4) to be offered
1b5) to be observed
1b6) to be used
1c) (Pual) to be made
עָשָׂה (a.sah) — to press.
(Piel) to press, squeeze
עָשָׂה (a.sah) — to make.
: make(OBJECT)
1) to do, fashion, accomplish, make
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to do, work, make, produce
1a1a) to do
1a1b) to work
1a1c) to deal (with)
1a1d) to act, act with effect, effect
1a2) to make
1a2a) to make
1a2b) to produce
V-Qal-Perf-3ms — Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singularHVqp3ms