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Isaiah 54:3 — Word Study

Depth

WLCכִּי־ יָמִ֥ין וּשְׂמֹ֖אול תִּפְרֹ֑צִי וְזַרְעֵךְ֙ גּוֹיִ֣ם יִירָ֔שׁ וְעָרִ֥ים נְשַׁמּ֖וֹת יוֹשִֽׁיבוּ׃

BSAForkîy you will spread outpârats [break forth, increase] to the rightyâmîyn [the south] and leftsᵉmôʼwl [the north] your descendantszeraʻ [seed, offspring] will dispossessyârash [possess, inherit] the nationsgôwy [Gentiles, non-Hebrew peoples] and inhabityâshab [dwell, settle] the desolateshâmêm [abandoned, devastated] citiesʻîyr [towns, communities]

Word
Listen & take awayIsaiah 54
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 3 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.Shi.vu) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Isaiah 54:3quick helps
In a sentenceThe Lord promises expansion and inheritance for His people.
Who is speakingThe Lord, addressing Zion, the people of Israel.
Where we areA message of hope and restoration in the book of Isaiah.
The hard wordתִּפְרֹ֑צִי
Take awayThe people will grow and reclaim what was lost.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbפָּרַץ 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 54:3

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 Promise of Expansiongenerated

2“Enlarge the site of your tent, stretch out the curtains of your dwellings, do not hold back. Lengthen your ropes and drive your stakes in deep.
3For you will spread out to the right and left; your descendants will dispossess the nations and inhabit the desolate cities.
4Do not be afraid, for you will not be put to shame; do not be intimidated, for you will not be humiliated. For you will forget the shame of your youth and will remember no more the reproach of your widowhood.
5For your husband is your Maker— the LORD of Hosts is His name— the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; He is called the God of all the earth.

Isaiah 54:3 is part of a larger passage where the Lord encourages His people to prepare for growth and restoration. The context emphasizes God's faithfulness and the hope of a future where His people will thrive and reclaim their inheritance, contrasting with their current desolation.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Isaiah 2:2–4In the last days the mountain of the house of the LORD will be established as the chief of the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it.
2Isaiah 11:9–12They will neither harm nor destroy on all My holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the sea is full of water.
3Isaiah 35:1–2The wilderness and the land will be glad; the desert will rejoice and blossom like a rose.
4Isaiah 42:1–12“Here is My Servant, whom I uphold, My Chosen One, in whom My soul delights. I will put My Spirit on Him, and He will bring justice to the nations.
5Isaiah 43:5–6Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east and gather you from the west.

The Key Word תִּפְרֹ֑צִי, tif.Ro.tzigenerated

The verb תִּפְרֹ֑צִי (tif.Ro.tzi) is in the imperfect tense, indicating a future action. It means 'you will spread out' or 'you will break forth', suggesting a powerful and dynamic expansion.

This verb is derived from the root פָּרַץ (parats), which conveys the idea of breaking through barriers or limitations. It can describe both physical and metaphorical growth, such as the flourishing of a community or the increase of descendants.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

The verse is rendered in the Berean Standard Bible as 'you will spread out', which is consistent across the KJV, ASV, and other translations.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb תִּפְרֹ֑צִי governs the sentence, with two clauses following: one describing the direction of the expansion and the other detailing the actions of the descendants. The structure emphasizes the promise of growth and inheritance.

The sentence begins with a clear subject-verb relationship, establishing the action of spreading out and its implications for the descendants who will inherit the nations.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates תִּפְרֹ֑צִי as ἐκπέτασον, which means 'to spread out' or 'to extend'. This choice reflects a similar understanding of the action as one of expansion.

The use of ἐκπέτασον indicates a focus on the act of spreading forth, aligning with the Hebrew meaning while adapting to the Greek language's nuances.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Isaiah 54:3 assures the people that they will expand to the right and left, indicating growth and recovery. Their descendants will take possession of nations and inhabit cities that were once desolate, highlighting God's promise of restoration.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean to spread out to the right and left?

This phrase signifies growth and expansion in all directions, symbolizing prosperity and the reclaiming of territory.

Who are the descendants mentioned in this verse?

The descendants refer to the people of Israel, who are promised a future of inheritance and prosperity.

What is meant by dispossessing the nations?

To dispossess the nations means to take control of the land occupied by other peoples, reclaiming it as their own inheritance.

What does it mean for cities to be desolated?

Desolated cities refer to places that have been abandoned or devastated, which the descendants will inhabit once again.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what areas of my life do I feel called to expand and grow, like the promise given in this verse?
  2. How can I actively participate in reclaiming what has been lost in my community?
  3. What does it mean for me to inherit the promises God has for His people?
  4. How can I find hope in God's promises during times of desolation or struggle?

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

Theodoret of Cyrus comments on this verse, interpreting it as a call for the barren to fill the world with places of worship, indicating a future of abundance.

Theodoret of CyrusCOMMENTARY ON Isaiah 17:54.2 c. 393–460
He accordingly bids the barren one to fill the world with houses of prayer and to make them left and right, that is to say, in the south and the north.
Early Church Fathers on Isaiah 54 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Isaiah 54:3 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

For thou shall break forth on the right hand and on the left,.... To the south, and to the north, as the Targum, like an inundation of water, that breaks through and overflows the banks of the river,

Read John Gill on Isaiah 54 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.

Read Robert Jamieson on Isaiah 54 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Thou shalt break forth; thou shalt bring forth a multitude of children; for this word is commonly used of any great and extraordinary propagation of living creatures, whether beasts or men, . On the right hand and on the left; on every side, in all the parts of the world. Thy seed; either, 1. Thy spiritual seed, the church of the new testament, which is accounted Abraham’ s seed, or children, ,29. Or, 2. Thy natural seed, Christ and his apostles, and other ministers, who were Jews, by whom this work was first and most eminently done. Shall inherit the Gentiles; shall subdue the Gentile world to the church, and to the obedience of the faith. The desolate cities; those cities and countries…

Read Matthew Poole on Isaiah 54 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Isaiah 54:3 For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.Ver. 3. For thou shalt break forth,] i.e., Bring forth abundantly, and beyond belief. Margaret Countess of Henneberg, brought forth at a birth in Holland three hundred and sixty-five children, one skull whereof I have seen, saith mine author, no bigger than a bead or bean. The Church brought forth three thousand at one birth, and some whole nations at another. And thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles.] Shall spiritually become lords of the world, peopling it with a new and holy generation of such as "seek God’ s face, this is Jacob."…

Read John Trapp on Isaiah 54 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(3) On the right hand and on the left.—Comp. Genesis 28:14. Strictly speaking, the words indicate specially the north and the south, in relation to one who stands looking towards the East. Here, of course, they mean “on every side.” The words that follow have, like others, a lower or material and a higher or spiritual meaning.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Isaiah 54 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

3. The tent must be larger than of old, for the new community shall spread abroad (cf. Genesis 28:14; Genesis 30:30; Genesis 30:43) on the right hand and on the left, i.e. in all directions. inherit the Gentiles] take possession of nations (cf. Genesis 22:17; Genesis 24:60). The reference is not to be limited to the heathen who had occupied the soil of Palestine; although the desolate cities in the parallel clause are no doubt primarily those of the holy land.

Read Cambridge on Isaiah 54 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For thou shalt break forth - (See the notes at Isaiah 49:19-20). And make the desolate cities - (See the notes at Isaiah 44:26).

Read Albert Barnes on Isaiah 54 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

2, 3. Enlarge… thy tent — It is now due that Zion be alert to extend her dwelling-place, her tabernacle area, in every direction. Spare not — Spare no pains, grudge no labour.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Isaiah 54 →

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

For you will spread out to the right and left; your descendants will dispossess the nations and inhabit the desolate cities.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

For you will spread out on the right hand and on the left; and your offspring will possess the nations and settle in desolate cities.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

For you will spread out to the right and left; your descendants will dispossess the nations and inhabit the desolate cities.

NETBNew English Translation2006

For you will spread out to the right and to the left; your children will conquer nations and will resettle desolate cities.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

For thou shalt spread abroad on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall possess the nations, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.

RVARevised Version, American1894

For thou shalt spread abroad on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall possess the nations, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

For thou shalt increase on the right hande and on the left, and thy seede shall possesse the Gentiles, and dwell in the desolate cities.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

For thou shalt spread abroad on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall possess nations, and they shall make desolate cities to be inhabited.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

For right and left thou breakest forth, And thy seed doth nations possess,

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

For you break forth right and left, || And nations possess your seed,

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

For to the right and to the left shalt thou spread forth; and thy seed shall drive out nations, desolate cities shall they repeople.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

For you will spread out to the right hand and to the left, and your descendants will conquer nations and resettle desolate cities.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

For thou shalt pass on to the right hand, and to the left: and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and shall inhabit the desolate cities.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

You're going to be spreading out right and left; your descendants will take over the land of other nations and live in towns that were once abandoned.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

For I will make wide your limits on the right hand and on the left; and your seed will take the nations for a heritage, and make the waste towns full of people.

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.

כִּי(dm)clausenoun phrase · adverbialיָמִ֥יןrightוּandשְׂמֹ֖אולleftverbתִּפְרֹ֑צִיyou.will.spread.outוְandclausenoun phrase · subjectזַרְעֵoffspringךְ֙yourobjectגּוֹיִ֣םnationsverbיִירָ֔שׁhe.will.dispossessוְandclausenoun phrase · objectעָרִ֥יםcitiesנְשַׁמּ֖וֹתdesolatedverbיוֹשִֽׁיבוּthey.will.cause.to.be.inhabited

Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.


The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran

The Masoretic Text presents this verse consistently, while the Septuagint matches closely, differing only in word order. The Dead Sea Scrolls also support the text, with minor restorations indicating a strong preservation of the original wording.

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

כִּי־ יָמִ֥ין וּשְׂמֹ֖אול תִּפְרֹ֑צִי וְזַרְעֵךְ֙ גּוֹיִ֣ם יִירָ֔שׁ וְעָרִ֥ים נְשַׁמּ֖וֹת יוֹשִֽׁיבוּ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
כִּי־ἔτιיָמִ֥יןδεχιὰתִּפְרֹ֑צִיἐκπέτασονוְזַרְעֵךְ֙σουגּוֹיִ֣םἔθνηיִירָ֔שׁκληρονομήσειוְעָרִ֥יםπόλειςנְשַׁמּ֖וֹתἠρημωμέναςיוֹשִֽׁיבוּ׃κατοικιεῖς

9 of the 10 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

כיא ימין ושמואל תפרוצי וזרע׳ך גואים יירשו וערים נשמות יושיבו

10 words on the leather.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 1Q8a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[כי] [ימין] [ושמאול] תפרצי וזרע׳ך גוים יירשו וערים [נשמות] [יושיבו]

4 words on the leather — 1 partly restored, 5 supplied entire by an editor.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q57a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[כי] [ימין] [ושמאול] [תפרצי] [וזרע׳ך] [גוים] [יירש] [וערים] נשמות יושיבו

nothing on the leather here — 2 partly restored, 8 supplied entire by an editor.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q58a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[כי] [ימין] [ושמאול] [תפרצי] [וזרע׳ך] [גוים] [יירש] [וערים] נשמות [יושיבו]

nothing on the leather here — 1 partly restored, 9 supplied entire by an editor.

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


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

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

Isaiah 54:3כִּיforforכִּייָמִיןrightrightיָמִיןשְׂמֹאלand leftand leftשְׂמֹאלפָּרַץyou will spyou will spreadפָּרַץזֶ֫רַעand offspriand offspring yזֶ֫רַעגּוֹיnationsnationsגּוֹייָרַשׁhe will takhe will take poיָרַשׁעִירand citiesand citiesעִירשָׁמֵםdesolateddesolatedשָׁמֵםיָשַׁבthey will cthey will causeיָשַׁבזָרַעto sowto sowזָרַעיָמַןto go righto go rightיָמַןעוּרto rouseto rouseעוּרשִׂמְלָהmantlemantleשִׂמְלָהגֵּוָהbackbackגֵּוָהיָדַעto knowto knowיָדַעשְׂמֹאלleftleftשְׂמֹאלשׁוֹקleglegשׁוֹקיָמִין[Ben]jamin[Ben]jaminיָמִיןסוּרto turn asto turn aside: סוּרגָּדֵרwallwallגָּדֵרפֶּ֫רֶץbreachbreachפֶּ֫רֶץעָצוּםmightymightyעָצוּםמַמְלָכָהkingdomkingdomמַמְלָכָהיַרְדֵןJordanJordanיַרְדֵןמִגְרָשׁpasturepastureמִגְרָשׁלָכַדto captureto captureלָכַדשָׁרַקto whistleto whistleשָׁרַק
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 54:3

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.

for right and left you will spread out and offspring your nations he will take possession of and cities desolated they will cause to be inhabited
כִּי־ki- for H3588 Particle
4,483× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A conjunction used to show cause or connection, as in Genesis 2:23 where Adam says the woman is bone of his bone because she was taken out of him. It is often translated as 'for', 'because', or 'since'.
Tyndale gloss
for
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כִּי (ki) is a conjunction primarily meaning 'that,' 'for,' or 'when.' It indicates causal relationships and can express conditions like 'if' or 'though.' The word is versatile, appearing in various contexts to convey certainty, exception, or concession. Notably, it can combine with other particles to modify its meaning, such as in the phrase כִּי אם־ (ki im), meaning 'that if.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כִּי conj. that, for, when

that

Of time, when, of the past

elsewhere כִּי has a force approximating to if, though it usu. represents a case as more likely to occur than אִם

when or if, with a concessive force, i.e. though

Because, since

base

כִּי אם־

each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause:

that if

for if

(About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause—

limiting the prec. clause, except

the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but

after an oath, surely

base

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3588a כִּי that, for, when . that

. . Of time, when, of the past

. elsewhere כִּי has a force approximating to if, though it usu. represents a case as more likely to occur than אִם

. when or if, with a concessive force, i.e. though

. Because, since

H3588b כִּי אם־ . each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause: . that if

. for if

. (About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause— . limiting the prec. clause, except

. the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but

. after an oath, surely

H3588c כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3588 kiy kee

a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional

prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent

or consequent; (by implication) very widely used as a relative

conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by

other particles annexed:--and, + (forasmuch, inasmuch,

where-)as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else,

even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, +

nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then,

therefore, + (al- )though, + till, truly, + until, when,

whether, while, whom, yea, yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כִּי (ki) — for.

1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since

1a) that

1a1) yea, indeed

1b) when (of time)

1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force)

1c) because, since (causal connection)

1d) but (after negative)

1e) that if, for if, indeed if, for though, but if

1f) but rather, but

1g) except that

1h) only, nevertheless

1i) surely

1j) that is

1k) but if

1l) for though

1m) forasmuch as, for therefore

כִּי [אם] (ki im) — that if: except.

1) except if

1a) but if

1b) even though

כִּי [עַל כֵּן] (ki [al ken]) — for as that: since.

1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since

1a) that

1a1) yea, indeed

1b) when (of time)

1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force)

1c) because, since (causal connection)

1d) but (after negative)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj — Particle
HTc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

for (ki (conjunction), le, from 'el (preposition), and various other words. In the New Testament also the words are various, chiefly gar, kai gar, hoti (conjunctions); anti apo eis dia (accusative), epi (dative and accusative), peri (genitive), pros (genitive and accusative), huper (genitive) (prepositions)): the English Revised Version and the American Standard Revised Version give in many cases more literal or more accurate renderings than those in the King James Version.

In the New Testament the most important preps. from a doctrinal point of view are anti, "face to face," "over against," "instead," "on behalf of," peri, "around," "about," "concerning," huper, "over," "on behalf of." The first has been claimed as stating the substitutionary nature of Christ's sacrifice as contrasted with huper and peri, more frequently used of it. But, although anti in the New Testament often means…

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
for right and left you will spread out and offspring your nations he will take possession of and cities desolated they will cause to be inhabited
יָמִ֥יןya.Min right H3225 Noun common · feminine singular absolute
140× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Benjamin was a son of Israel and Rachel, and the brother of Joseph, mentioned in Genesis 35:18. The name also refers to the right hand or south direction.
Amplified meaning
the south
Tyndale gloss
[Ben]jamin
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word יָמִין (*yamiyn*) means 'right hand' or 'right side,' and it can also refer to the direction south, as the right hand points south when facing east. It is derived from the root word for 'to be strong' and covers various contexts, including body parts and directional references.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָמִין 137 n.f. right hand

right hand

of situation on, or direction toward the right

of other parts of the body

= south, because when facing east the right hand is toward the south

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3225 יָמִין right hand . right hand

. of situation on, or direction toward the right

. of other parts of the body

. = south, because when facing east the right hand is toward the south

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3225 yamiyn yaw-meen'

from 3231; the right hand or side (leg, eye) of a person or

other object (as the stronger and more dexterous); locally,

the south:--+ left-handed, right (hand, side), south.

see HEBREW for 03231

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָמִין (ya.min) — right.

1) right, right hand, right side

1a) right hand

1b) right (of direction)

1c) south (the direction of the right hand when facing East)

Also means: ya.min (יָמִין ": south" H3225H)

יָמִין (ya.min) — right: south.

1) right, right hand, right side

1a) right hand

1b) right (of direction)

1c) south (the direction of the right hand when facing East)

יָמִין (ya.min) — [Ben]jamin.

A man of the tribe of Benjamin living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.35.18;

son of: Israel (H3478) and Rachel (H7354);

brother of: Joseph (H3130);

half-brother of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Judah (H3063), Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074) and Dinah (H1783);

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absolute
HNcfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

rit (yashar, mishpaT; dikaios, euthus): Many Hebrew words are translated "right," with different shades of meaning. Of these the two noted are the most important: yashar, with the sense of being straight, direct, as "right in the sight" of Yahweh (Ex 15:26; De 12:25, etc.), in one's own eyes (Jud 17:6), "right words" (Job 6:25 the King James Version, yosher), "right paths" (Pr 4:11 the King James Version); and mishpaT "judgment" "cause" etc., a forensic term, as "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" (Ge 18:25). In

for right and left you will spread out and offspring your nations he will take possession of and cities desolated they will cause to be inhabited
וּשְׂמֹ֖אולu.se.Mol and left H8040 Conjunction · noun common masculine singular absolute
54× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means 'left' or 'north', referring to the left hand or side, as seen in KJV translations. It describes direction or orientation.
Amplified meaning
the north
Tyndale gloss
left
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שְׂמֹאל (semol) means 'left' and can refer to the left hand or side. It also denotes the direction north when facing east. The word is derived from the idea of darkness or being enveloped, suggesting a connection to the north. The entries consistently highlight these meanings without significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שְׂמֹאל, שְׂמֹאול 54 n.[m.] the left (√ dub.)

left, region on the left

left hand

= north (on left of one facing east)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8040 שְׂמֹאל, שְׂמֹאול the left (√ dub.) . left, region on the left

. left hand

. = north (on left of one facing east)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8040 smo'wl sem-ole'

or smosl {sem-ole'}; a primitive word (rather perhaps from

the same as 8071 (by insertion of the aleph) through the idea

of wrapping up); properly, dark (as enveloped), i.e. the

north; hence (by orientation), the left hand:--left (hand,

side).

see HEBREW for 08071

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שְׂמֹאל (se.mo.l) — left.

1) the left, the left hand, the left side

1a) left

1b) left hand

1c) north (as one faces east)

שְׂמֹאל (se.mo.l) — left: north.

1) the left, the left hand, the left side

1a) left

1b) left hand

1c) north (as one faces east)

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

left (sama'l, "to go to the left," "to turn to the left," semo'l, "the left hand," sema'li, "belonging to the left," "situated on the left"; aristeros, and euphemistically euonumos, literally, "having a good name," "of good omen"): The words are chiefly used in orientation with or without the addition of the word "hand." So Abraham says to Lot: "If thou wilt take the left hand (semo'l), then I will go to the right; or if thou take the right hand, then I will go to the left (sama'l)" (Ge 13:9). Frequently in Hebrew idiom the right hand and the left are mentioned together in order to express the idea "everywhere," "anywhere," "altogether" (Ge 24:49; Ex 14:22,29; Nu 22:26

for right and left you will spread out and offspring your nations he will take possession of and cities desolated they will cause to be inhabited
תִּפְרֹ֑צִיtif.Ro.tzi you will spread out H6555 Verb · Qal · imperfect second person feminine singular
49× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To break through means to burst out or force one's way, like when a baby is born or a wall is broken down. This word is used in many situations, like when God breaks through to help someone or when a crowd breaks out in violence.
Amplified meaning
break forth, increase
Tyndale gloss
to break through
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

פָּרַץ (parats) is a Hebrew verb meaning to break through or burst out, with applications that range from literal actions like breaking open to figurative uses such as increasing or spreading. It can describe violent actions, breaches, or the act of breaking away. The entries suggest a variety of contexts, including mining and the dispersion of visions.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

פָּרַץ vb. break through

Qal

break or burst out

break through, down (from without)

break into

break open, a mining shaft

break up, break in pieces

break out (violently) upon

use violence

break over [limits], increase

burst open, intrans., of wine vats

spread, i.e. become known

Niph. no vision spread abroad

Hithp. slaves who break away

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6555 פָּרַץ break through .. break or burst out

. break through, down (from without)

. break into

. break open, a mining shaft

. break up, break in pieces

. break out (violently) upon

. use violence

. break over [limits], increase

. burst open, intrans., of wine vats

. spread, i.e. become known

. no vision spread abroad

. slaves who break away

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6555 parats paw-rats'

a primitive root; to break out (in many applications, direct

and indirect, literal and figurative):--X abroad, (make a)

breach, break (away, down, -er, forth, in, up), burst out,

come (spread) abroad, compel, disperse, grow, increase, open,

press, scatter, urge.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

פָּרַץ (pa.rats) — to break through.

1) to break through or down or over, burst, breach

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to break or burst out (from womb or enclosure)

1a2) to break through or down, make a breach in

1a3) to break into

1a4) to break open

1a5) to break up, break in pieces

1a6) to break out (violently) upon

1a7) to break over (limits), increase

1a8) to use violence

1a9) to burst open 1a10) to spread, distribute

1b) (Niphal) to be broken through

1c) (Pual) to be broken down

1d) (Hithpael) to break away

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-2fs — Verb · Qal · imperfect second person feminine singular
HVqi2fs
for right and left you will spread out and offspring your nations he will take possession of and cities desolated they will cause to be inhabited
וְזַרְעֵךְ֙ve.zar.'eKh and offspring your H2233 Conjunction · noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
229× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means seed or offspring, like in Genesis where God promises Abraham many descendants. It can also mean a plant or sowing time, as in Isaiah 55:10. This concept is central to God's plan for humanity.
Amplified meaning
seed, offspring
Tyndale gloss
seed
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

זֶ֫רַע (zera`) means seed, sowing, or offspring. It can refer to literal seed, such as in agriculture, or figuratively to descendants and moral qualities of individuals or communities. The term encompasses concepts like sowing time and can denote a practitioner of righteousness. There is a consistent emphasis on both physical and moral implications of the word.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

זֶ֫רַע n.m. sowing, seed, offspring

lit.:

a sowing

sowing as regularly recurring at its season

seed

seed = semen virile

seed = offspring

seed as marked by moral quality = persons (or community) of such a quality

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2233 זֶ֫רַע sowing, seed, offspring . lit.: . a sowing

. sowing as regularly recurring at its season

. seed

. seed = semen virile

. seed = offspring

. seed as marked by moral quality = persons (or community) of such a quality

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2233 zera` zeh'-rah

from 2232; seed; figuratively, fruit, plant, sowing-time,

posterity:--X carnally, child, fruitful, seed(-time), sowing-

time.

see HEBREW for 02232

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

זֶ֫רַע (ze.ra) — seed.

: seed/sowing

1) seed, sowing, offspring

1a) a sowing

1b) seed

1c) semen virile

1d) offspring, descendants, posterity, children

1e) of moral quality

1e1) a practitioner of righteousness (fig.)

1f) sowing time (by meton)

זֶ֫רַע (ze.ra) — seed: children.

: children/descendants

1) seed, sowing, offspring

1a) a sowing

1b) seed

1c) semen virile

1d) offspring, descendants, posterity, children

1e) of moral quality

1e1) a practitioner of righteousness (fig.)

1f) sowing time (by meton)

זֶ֫רַע (ze.ra) — seed: semen.

: semen

1) seed, sowing, offspring

1a) a sowing

1b) seed

1c) semen virile

1d) offspring, descendants, posterity, children

1e) of moral quality

1e1) a practitioner of righteousness (fig.)

1f) sowing time (by meton)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | N-ms | Suff — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HC/Ncmsc/Sp2fs
for right and left you will spread out and offspring your nations he will take possession of and cities desolated they will cause to be inhabited
גּוֹיִ֣םgo.Yim nations H1471 Noun common · masculine plural absolute
561× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a Gentile, someone who is not Hebrew or Israeli. It can also describe a large group of animals or a nation of people, emphasizing their unity and shared identity.
Amplified meaning
Gentiles, non-Hebrew peoples
Tyndale gloss
Gentile
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

גּוֹי (goy) refers to a nation or people, often indicating non-Hebrew groups, but can also encompass descendants of Abraham and Israel. It may figuratively describe a swarm of locusts or animals. The plural form, גּוֹיִם (goyim), is noted as a proper noun referring to the people of Goim, specifically mentioned in Genesis 14:1.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

גּוֹי 661 n.m. nation, people

base

גּוֹיִם n.pr.gent. Tid‛al king of Goim

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1471a גּוֹי nation, people H1471b גּוֹיִם n. pr. gent. Tid‛al king of Goim

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1471 gowy go'-ee

rarely (shortened) goy {go'-ee}; apparently from the same

root as 1465 (in the sense of massing); a foreign nation;

hence, a Gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a

flight of locusts:--Gentile, heathen, nation, people.

see HEBREW for 01465

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

גּוֹי (goy) — nation.

1) nation, people

1a) nation, people

1a1) usually of non-Hebrew people

1a2) of descendants of Abraham

1a3) of Israel

1b) of swarm of locusts, other animals (fig.)

גּוֹיִם (go.yim) — Goiim.

People descended from Goy(?), first mentioned at Gen.14.1

§ Goyim (Tidgal, king of)

גּוֹי (goy) — Gentile.

1) nation, people

1a) nation, people

1a1) usually of non-Hebrew people

1a2) of descendants of Abraham

1a3) of Israel

1b) of swarm of locusts, other animals (fig.)

1c) Goyim? = "nations"

Also named: ethnos (ἔθνος "Gentiles" G1484)

גּוֹי (goy) — (Harosheth)-hagoyim.

Goyim (Tidgal, king of)

Combined with cha.ro.shet (חֲרֹ֫שֶׁת "Harosheth" H2800)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural absolute
HNcmpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

na'-shunz.

See GENTILES; GOIIM; HEATHEN; TABLE OF NATIONS.

for right and left you will spread out and offspring your nations he will take possession of and cities desolated they will cause to be inhabited
יִירָ֔שׁyi.Rash he will take possession of H3423 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
231× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To possess means to take control of something, like a piece of land, by driving out others and occupying it. This word is used in the Bible to describe inheriting property or seizing power.
Amplified meaning
possess, inherit
Tyndale gloss
to possess: possess
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word יָרַשׁ (*yarash*) is a verb meaning to take possession, inherit, or dispossess. It encompasses a range of actions from seizing and occupying land to impoverishing or ruining others. The entries indicate various forms of the verb, including Qal, Niphal, Piel, and Hiphil, which express different nuances of possession and dispossession.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָרַשׁ 229 vb. take possession of, inherit, dispossess

Qal

take possession of, esp. bu force, have as a possession, often with collat. idea of taking in place of others, succeeding to, inheriting

inherit, sq. acc. pers. = be one's heir

= impoverish

Niph. be (dispossessed =) impoverished, come to poverty

Pi. the fruit of thy ground shall the cricket get full possession

Hiph.

cause to possess or inherit

cause (others) to possess or inherit, then gen. dispossess

= impoverish

nearly = bring to ruin, destroy

take possession of a land

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3423 יָרַשׁ take possession of, inherit, dispossess .. take possession of, esp. bu force, have as a possession, often with collat. idea of taking in place of others, succeeding to, inheriting

. inherit, sq. acc. pers. = be one's heir

. = impoverish

. be (dispossessed =) impoverished, come to poverty

. the fruit of thy ground shall the cricket get full possession

. . cause to possess or inherit

. cause (others) to possess or inherit, then gen. dispossess

. = impoverish

. nearly = bring to ruin, destroy

. take possession of a land

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3423 yarash yaw-rash'

or yaresh {yaw-raysh'}; a primitive root; to occupy (by

driving out previous tenants, and possessing in their place);

by implication, to seize, to rob, to inherit; also to expel,

to impoverish, to ruin:--cast out, consume, destroy,

disinherit, dispossess, drive(-ing) out, enjoy, expel, X

without fail, (give to, leave for) inherit(-ance, -or) +

magistrate, be (make) poor, come to poverty, (give to, make

to) possess, get (have) in (take) possession, seize upon,

succeed, X utterly.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָרַשׁ (ya.rash) — to possess: possess.

: possess/inherit

1) to seize, dispossess, take possession off, inherit, disinherit, occupy, impoverish, be an heir

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to take possession of

1a2) to inherit

1a3) to impoverish, come to poverty, be poor

1b) (Niphal) to be dispossessed, be impoverished, come to poverty

1c) (Piel) to devour

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to cause to possess or inherit

1d2) to cause others to possess or inherit

1d3) to impoverish

1d4) to dispossess

1d5) to destroy, bring to ruin, disinherit

יָרַשׁ (ya.rash) — to possess: take.

: take/conquer/drive_out

1) to seize, dispossess, take possession off, inherit, disinherit, occupy, impoverish, be an heir

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to take possession of

1a2) to inherit

1a3) to impoverish, come to poverty, be poor

1b) (Niphal) to be dispossessed, be impoverished, come to poverty

1c) (Piel) to devour

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to cause to possess or inherit

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
HVqi3ms
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…

for right and left you will spread out and offspring your nations he will take possession of and cities desolated they will cause to be inhabited
וְעָרִ֥יםve.'a.Rim and cities H5892 Conjunction · noun common masculine plural absolute
1,090× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word refers to a city or town, often a place with a wall or a watchman. It is used to describe a settlement or encampment, like the city of Ai, which is mentioned in the book of Joshua. The word is used to identify specific locations in the Bible.
Amplified meaning
towns, communities
Tyndale gloss
excitement
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עִיר (*'iyr*) has meanings related to both excitement and city. It can denote excitement, particularly of terror or rage, as well as refer to a city or town, indicating a place that is guarded or inhabited. The entries suggest a broad application, from fortified cities to simple encampments. There is a specific mention of a man named Ir in 1 Chronicles 4:12.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עִיר n.[m.] excitement;—of terror; of rage

base

עִיר 1092 n.f. city, town

city, town, abode of men

of fortress in a city

appar. fortified place, of any size

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5892a עִיר excitement;—of terror; of rage H5892b עִיר city, town . city, town, abode of men

. of fortress in a city

. appar. fortified place, of any size

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5892 `iyr eer

or (in the plural) par {awr}; or ayar (Judges 10:4)

{aw-yar'}; from 5782 a city (a place guarded by waking or a

watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or

post):--Ai (from margin), city, court (from margin), town.

see HEBREW for 05782

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עִיר (ir) — excitement.

1) excitement, anguish

1a) of terror

עִיר (ir) — city.

1) city, town (a place of waking, guarded)

1a) city, town (a place of waking, guarded)

1a) city, town

עִיר (ir) — City (of On).

Combined with on (אֹן "On" H0204)

This name means city, town

Another name of on (אֹן "On" H0204)

עִיר (ir) — Ir-.

#A man of the tribe of Judah living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.4.12;

son of: Tehinnah (H8468)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | N-fp — Conjunction · noun common masculine plural absolute
HC/Ncmpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Smith's Bible Dictionary

The earliest notice in Scripture of city-building is of Enoch by Cain, in the land of his exile. (Genesis 4:17) After the confusion of tongues the descendants of Nimrod founded Babel, Erech, Accad and Calneh, in the land of Shinar, and Asshur, a branch from the same stock, built Nineveh, Rehoboth-by-the-river, Calah and Resen, the last being "a great city." The earliest description of a city, properly so called, is that of Sodom, (Genesis 19:1-22) Even before the time of Abraham there were cities in Egypt, (Genesis 12:14,15; Numbers 13:22) and the Israelites, during their sojourn there, were employed in building or fortifying the "treasure cities" of Pithom and Raamses.…

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Ancient Ge 4:17; 10:10-12

→ Fortified Nu 32:36; De 9:1; Jos 10:20; 14:12; 2Ch 8:5; 11:10-12; 17:2,19; 21:3; Isa 23:11

→ Gates of

See GATES

→ Designated as

Royal Jos 10:2; 1Sa 27:5; 2Sa 12:26; 1Ch 11:7

Treasure Ge 41:48; Ex 1:11;

- First mention of

Ge 4:17

- Designed for habitations

Ps 107:7,36

- Often built to perpetuate a name

Ge 11:4

- Often founded and enlarged by blood and rapine

Mic 3:10; Hab 2:12

- BUILT

. Of brick and slime

Ge 11:3

. Of stone and wood

Ps 102:14; Eze 26:12

. Of brick and mortar

Ex 1:11,14

. On solid foundations

Thompson Chain Reference topics

(1) General References to

Ge 11:4; 18:24; 41:48; Nu 13:28; De 6:10; 2Ki 13:25

Ps 55:9; Mic 5:14

(2) Fenced

Nu 32:17; De 3:5; Jos 10:20; 2Ki 18:13; 2Ch 14:6; 17:2

2Ch 19:5; 21:3; 33:14; Jer 5:17

for right and left you will spread out and offspring your nations he will take possession of and cities desolated they will cause to be inhabited
נְשַׁמּ֖וֹתne.sha.Mot desolated H8074 Verb · Niphal · participle (active) feminine plural
86× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The word 'shamem' means to be desolate or devastated, like a place left empty and destroyed, often used to describe the aftermath of war or disaster.
Amplified meaning
abandoned, devastated
Tyndale gloss
be desolate: destroyed
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׁמֵם (shamem) is a Hebrew verb meaning to be desolated or appalled. It is built from a primitive root and encompasses a range of meanings including to stun, devastate, and cause horror. The verb appears in various forms, such as Qal, Niphal, and Hiphil, indicating different nuances like being made desolate or causing desolation.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[שָׁמֵם] vb. be desolated, appalled

Qal

be desolated

be appalled, awestruck

Niph.

be desolated

be appalled

Pō‛.

I sat appalled

transit. appalling, causing horror

Hiph.

devastate, ravage

appal

inwardly trans., shewing horror

Hoph. all the days of (its) being desolate

Hithpō‛.

be appalled, astounded

cause oneself desolation, ruin

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8074 [שָׁמֵם] be desolated, appalled

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8074 shamem shaw-mame'

a primitive root; to stun (or intransitively, grow numb),

i.e. devastate or (figuratively) stupefy (both usually in a

passive sense):--make amazed, be astonied, (be an)

astonish(-ment), (be, bring into, unto, lay, lie, make)

desolate(-ion, places), be destitute, destroy (self), (lay,

lie, make) waste, wonder.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁמֵם (sha.mem) — be desolate: destroyed.

: destroyed/deserted

1) to be desolate, be appalled, stun, stupefy

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to be desolated, be deflowered, be deserted, be appalled

1a2) to be appalled, be awestruck

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be desolated, be made desolate

1b2) to be appalled

1c) (Polel)

1c1) to be stunned

1c2) appalling, causing horror (participle)

1c2a) horror-causer, appaller (subst)

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to devastate, ravage, make desolated

1d2) to appal, show horror

1e) (Hophal) to lay desolate, be desolated

1f) (Hithpolel)

1f1) to cause to be desolate

1f2) to be appalled, be astounded

1f3) to cause oneself desolation, cause oneself ruin

שָׁמֵם (sha.mem) — be desolate: appalled.

: appalled

1) to be desolate, be appalled, stun, stupefy

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to be desolated, be deflowered, be deserted, be appalled

1a2) to be appalled, be awestruck

1b) (Niphal)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Niphal — Verb · Niphal · participle (active) feminine plural
HVNrfpa
for right and left you will spread out and offspring your nations he will take possession of and cities desolated they will cause to be inhabited
יוֹשִֽׁיבוּ׃yo.Shi.vu they will cause to be inhabited H3427 Verb · Hiphil · imperfect third person masculine plural
1,079× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to sit or dwell, and can also mean to remain or abide. It's used in the Bible to describe people living in a place or staying with someone, like in the book of Genesis.
Amplified meaning
dwell, settle
Tyndale gloss
to dwell
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָשַׁב (yashab) is a Hebrew verb meaning to sit, remain, or dwell. It encompasses a range of actions from simply sitting down to more complex ideas like establishing a home or causing a place to be inhabited. The entries indicate various forms, including Qal (to sit), Niphal (to be inhabited), and Hiphil (to cause to dwell). There is an Aramaic equivalent, יְתִב (ye.tiv), meaning 'to dwell'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָשַׁב 1090 vb. sit, remain, dwell

Qal

sit

sit, sit down

sit down

sit = be set (as a jewel)

remain, stay, tarry

with special emphasis of qualifying phr.

dwell, have one’s abode

of a land or city, sit, abide, seated in its place, fig. for be inhabited

Niph. be inhabited, of land

Pi. and they shall set their encampments in thee

Hiph.

cause to sit

cause to abide

cause to dwell

cause cities to be inhabited

marry (prop. give a dwelling to)

Hoph. and ye be made to dwell alone in the midst of the land

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3427 יָשַׁב sit, remain, dwell

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3427 yashab yaw-shab'

a primitive root; properly, to sit down (specifically as

judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to

remain; causatively, to settle, to marry:--(make to)

abide(-ing), continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-ing), ease

self, endure, establish, X fail, habitation, haunt, (make to)

inhabit(-ant), make to keep (house), lurking, X marry(-ing),

(bring again to) place, remain, return, seat, set(- tle),

(down-)sit(-down, still, -ting down, -ting (place) -uate),

take, tarry.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָשַׁב (ya.shav) — to dwell.

1) to dwell, remain, sit, abide

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to sit, sit down

1a2) to be set

1a3) to remain, stay

1a4) to dwell, have one's abode

1b) (Niphal) to be inhabited

1c) (Piel) to set, place

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to cause to sit

1d2) to cause to abide, set

1d3) to cause to dwell

1d4) to cause (cities) to be inhabited

1d5) to marry (give an dwelling to)

1e) (Hophal)

1e1) to be inhabited

1e2) to make to dwell

Aramaic equivalent: ye.tiv (יְתִב "to dwell" H3488)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Hiphil-Imperf-3mp — Verb · Hiphil · imperfect third person masculine plural
HVhi3mp
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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