Isaiah 57:3 — Word Study
WLCוְאַתֶּ֥ם קִרְבוּ־ הֵ֖נָּה בְּנֵ֣י עֹנְנָ֑ה זֶ֥רַע מְנָאֵ֖ף וַתִּזְנֶֽה׃
BSABut comeqârab herehênnâh [draw near, approach] ◂youʼattâh sonsbên [descendants, offspring] of a sorceressʻânan [one who practices magic, divination] you offspringzeraʻ [seed, descendants] of adulterersnâʼaph [those who commit adultery, are unfaithful] and prostituteszânâh▸ [those who fornicate, are immoral, harlots]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וְאַתֶּ֥ם | and you | Conjunction, pronoun |
| קִרְבוּ־ | draw near | Verb, Qal, imperative second person masculine plural |
| הֵ֖נָּה | hither | Adverb |
| בְּנֵ֣י | O children of | Noun common, masculine plural construct |
| עֹנְנָ֑ה | a soothsayer | Verb, Piel, participle (active) feminine singular |
| זֶ֥רַע | offspring | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| מְנָאֵ֖ף | adulterous | Verb, Piel, participle (active) masculine singular |
| וַתִּזְנֶֽה׃ | and she has played [the] prostitute | Verb, Qal, sequential imperfect third person feminine singular |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | “But come here, you sons of a sorceress, you offspring of adulterers and prostitutes! |
| KJV | ¶ But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the whore. |
| ASV | But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the harlot. |
| YLT | And ye, come near hither, O sons of a sorceress, seed of an adulterer, Even thou dost commit whoredom. |
| WEB | “But draw near here, you sons of a sorceress, you offspring of adulterers and prostitutes. |
| BBE | But come near, you sons of her who is wise in secret arts, the seed of her who is false to her husband, and of the loose woman. |
Where they part company is הֵ֖נָּה — see How Translations Differ.
One main clause with two subordinate phrases, emphasizing the direct address to the audience.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectאַתֶּם
verbקָרַב
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 57:3
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 — A Call to Accountabilitygenerated
Isaiah 57:3 challenges the descendants of sorcerers and adulterers to come forward. This passage addresses the consequences of their actions and the legacy of sin passed down through generations. Isaiah's direct address serves to highlight the seriousness of their behavior and the need for repentance, echoing themes found throughout the prophetic literature regarding faithfulness to God.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Isaiah 45:20 | Come, gather together, and draw near, you fugitives from the nations. Ignorant are those who carry idols of wood and pray to a god that cannot save. |
| 2 | Joel 3:9–11 | Proclaim this among the nations: “Prepare for war; rouse the mighty men; let all the men of war advance and attack! |
| 3 | Genesis 3:15 | And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel. ” |
| 4 | Hosea 1:2 | When the LORD first spoke through Hosea, He told him, “Go, take a prostitute as your wife and have children of adultery, because this land is flagrantly prostituting itself by departing from the LORD.” |
| 5 | Matthew 3:7 | But when John saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his place of baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 13 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — עֹנְנָה, 'o.ne.Nahgenerated
The word עֹנְנָה ('o.ne.Nah) is derived from the root עָנַן (anan), meaning 'to cloud.' In this context, it refers to a soothsayer or one who practices magic, indicating a covert and deceptive practice. The parsing shows it as a feminine singular participle, emphasizing the active role of those engaging in such practices.
This term is used to describe individuals who engage in divination or sorcery, often associated with idolatry and unfaithfulness to God. The use of this word in Isaiah serves to condemn such actions and highlight their moral implications.
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. The BSB has draw near, which is consistent with the KJV and ASV.
Where they part company is הֵ֖נָּה — the BSB and KJV use draw near, while the GNV and YLT prefer hither, and the NETB opts for approach.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb קִרְבוּ (kirvu), meaning 'draw near,' governs the structure of the verse, with the subject אַתֶּם (atem) and the adverbial הֵ֖נָּה (henah) indicating location. This arrangement emphasizes the call to action directed at the audience.
The sentence structure is straightforward, with the imperative form commanding the subjects to approach, highlighting the urgency of the message.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates עֹנְנָה as ἄνομοι (anomoí), meaning 'wicked.' This choice reflects a broader interpretation of the term, emphasizing moral corruption rather than simply a practice of magic.
The LXX's rendering indicates a focus on the ethical implications of the actions being condemned, aligning with the prophetic call for righteousness.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Isaiah 57:3 calls out to the children of those who practice sorcery and adultery, urging them to come forward. The verse highlights the serious consequences of their actions and serves as a reminder of the need for accountability and repentance.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It refers to being a descendant of someone who practices magic or divination, indicating a legacy of immoral behavior.
Isaiah calls out to them to confront their actions and the consequences of their unfaithfulness, both physically and spiritually.
It emphasizes the importance of faithfulness to God and the condemnation of practices that lead people away from Him.
It is a call for the people to come forward and acknowledge their actions, highlighting the need for repentance and accountability.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways do I see the influence of my spiritual heritage in my life?
- How can I confront areas of unfaithfulness in my own life?
- What steps can I take to draw nearer to God and seek His guidance?
- How do I respond to calls for accountability in my community?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Jerome comments on this verse, highlighting the condemnation of immoral practices and the call to accountability.
But you come here, sons of a fortune teller: whose seed have you played with? Whose mouth have you opened wide, and whose tongue have you cast out? LXX: But you come here, wicked sons, seed of adulterers and prostitutes,Early Church Fathers on Isaiah 57 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Isaiah 57:3 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleBut draw near hither,.... The death of the righteous, and their happiness after it, being observed: the wicked, who thought themselves safe from danger, and the happier that they were rid of the
Read John Gill on Isaiah 57 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryBut draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the whore. But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress.
Read Robert Jamieson on Isaiah 57 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleDraw near hither, to God’ s tribunal, to answer for yourselves, and to hear what I have to say against you, and to receive your sentence. Sons of the sorceress; not by propagation, but by imitation; such being frequently called a man or woman’ s sons that learn their art, and follow their example: you sorcerers, either properly or metaphorically so called; for the Jews were guilty of it both ways. The seed of the adulterer and the whore; not the genuine children of Abraham, as you pretend and boast, but begotten in fornication upon a common whore; which is not to be understood properly, but figuratively, because their dispositions and carriages were far more suitable to a bastardly brood…
Read Matthew Poole on Isaiah 57 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsIsaiah 57:3 But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the whore.Ver. 3. But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress.] Here "Esaias is very bold," as the apostle saith of him in another case, and maketh it appear that he was none of those dumb dogs he had rated at in the former chapter. The Jews gloried much in their pedigree and descent from Abraham, and that they were "born of the free woman." He telleth them flat and plain that they were witches’ children, whores’ sons, a bastardly brood, as our Saviour afterwards called them, a race of rebels, a seed of serpents, shamefully degenerate from their praiseworthy progenitors. γενεαμοιχαλις.
Read John Trapp on Isaiah 57 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(3) Ye sons of the sorceress.—The words may be purely figurative, as meaning those who practise sorcery, but it is also possible that they may have reference to the female soothsayers, such as are described in Ezekiel 13:17-23. The adulterer.—Here again the epithet may have had both a figurative and a literal application. (Comp. Matthew 12:39; Matthew 16:4; James 4:4.)
Read Charles John Ellicott on Isaiah 57 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges3–13. Invective against an idolatrous party.—With regard to the reference of this obscure and difficult passage the following points have to be noticed: (1) The scenery of Isa 57:5-6 is unmistakeably Palestinian (wadis, clefts of the rock, terebinths). (2) Several of the rites specified bear the complexion of Canaanitish heathenism, and could not have been performed in Babylonia. (3) The opening words (“But ye”) seem to imply that the people addressed are distinct from those whose leaders are denounced in Isaiah 56:10-12. (4) Those spoken of are animated by contempt and hatred of the cause and people of Jehovah (Isaiah 57:4), while at the same time they advance pretensions to…
Read Cambridge on Isaiah 57 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleBut draw near hither - That is, come near to hear the solemn sentence which God pronounces in regard to your character and doom.
Read Albert Barnes on Isaiah 57 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible3, 4. Draw near… ye sons of the sorceress — The Hebrew here is very emphatic: You, you.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Isaiah 57 →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
“But come here, you sons of a sorceress, you offspring of adulterers and prostitutes!
“But draw near here, you sons of a sorceress, you offspring of adulterers and prostitutes.
“But come here, you sons of a sorceress, you offspring of adulterers and prostitutes!
But approach, you sons of omen readers, you offspring of adulteresses and prostitutes!
Tyndale line
¶ But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the whore.
But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the harlot.
But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the whore.
But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the lewd.
But you witches children, come hither, the seede of the adulterer and of the whore.
Strictly literal
But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the harlot.
And ye, come near hither, O sons of a sorceress, seed of an adulterer, Even thou dost commit whoredom.
“And you, come near here, || O sons of a sorceress, seed of an adulterer, || Even you commit whoredom.
But ye draw near hither, sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the harlot.
But come here, you sons of the sorceress, children of the adulterer and the woman who has prostituted herself.
From the Latin
But draw near hither, you sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer, and of the harlot.
Simplified
But as for you, children of fortune-tellers, the product of adultery and prostitution—come here!
But come near, you sons of her who is wise in secret arts, the seed of her who is false to her husband, and of the loose woman.
Word by word, the decisions they made
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text, Septuagint, and the Dead Sea Scrolls largely agree on the wording of this verse, with the Septuagint providing a different order and emphasis. The 1Qisaa scroll matches the MT closely, while the 1Q8 scroll has some words restored by an editor, indicating textual preservation with minor variations.
וְאַתֶּ֥ם קִרְבוּ־ הֵ֖נָּה בְּנֵ֣י עֹנְנָ֑ה זֶ֥רַע מְנָאֵ֖ף וַתִּזְנֶֽה׃
8 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.
ואתמה קרובו הנה בני עננה זרע מנאף ותזנו
8 words on the leather.
ואתם קרבו [הנה] [בני] [עננה] זרע [מנאף] [ותזנה]
3 words on the leather — 5 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.
Lexicons — every word in Isaiah 57:3
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.
אַתָּ֫ה (attah) is a second-person pronoun in Hebrew, used to address someone directly. It has masculine and feminine forms: אַתָּה for singular masculine, אַתְּ for singular feminine, אַתֶּם for plural masculine, and אַתֵּן for plural feminine. The entries indicate variations in form and usage, reflecting the pronoun's grammatical complexity.
אַתָּ֫ה, אָ֑תָּה pron. 2 s. m. thou
base
אתי, i.e. אתִּי, the older & more original form of אַתְּ thou (fem.)
base
אַתְּ, אָ֑תְּ pron. 2 s. f. thou (fem.)
base
אַתֶּם pron. 2 m. pl. you (masc.)
base
אַתֵּן pron. 2 f. pl. you (fem.)
base
H859a אַתָּ֫ה, אָ֑תָּה pron. 2 s. m. thou H859b אתי, i.e. אתִּי, the older & more original form of אַתְּ thou (fem.) H859c אַתְּ, אָ֑תְּ pron. 2 s. f. thou (fem.) H859d אַתֶּם pron. 2 m. pl. you (masc.) H859e אַתֵּן pron. 2 f. pl. you (fem.)
859 'attah at-taw'
or (shortened); aatta {at-taw'}; or wath {ath}; feminine
(irregular) sometimes nattiy {at-tee'}; plural masculine attem
{at- tem'}; feminine atten {at-ten'}; or oattenah
{at-tay'naw}; or fattennah {at-tane'-naw}; a primitive pronoun
of the second person; thou and thee, or (plural) ye and
you:--thee, thou, ye, you.
אַתָּ֫ה (at.tah) — you(m.s.).
you (second pers. sing. masc.)
אתִּי (ti) — you(f.s.).
you (second pers. sing. fem.)
A grammatical form of at.tah (אַתָּ֫ה "you(m.s.)" H0859A)
אַתְּ (at.te) — you(f.s.).
you (second pers. sing. fem.)
A grammatical form of at.tah (אַתָּ֫ה "you(m.s.)" H0859A)
אַתֶּם (at.tem) — you(m.p.).
you (second pers. pl. masc.)
Aramaic equivalent: an.tun (אַנְתּוּן "you" H0608)
אַתֵּן (at.ten) — you(f.p.).
you (second pers. pl. fem.)
A grammatical form of at.tah (אַתָּ֫ה "you(m.s.)" H0859A)
Conj | Pron — Conjunction · pronounHC/Pp2mp
קָרַב (qarab) is a Hebrew verb meaning to approach or come near, with various nuances including bringing or presenting something. It encompasses different forms such as Qal (to approach), Niphal (to be brought near), and Hiphil (to bring near). The term is often associated with offerings or dedications to God, particularly in the context of the book of Ezekiel.
[קָרֵב], קָרַב 279 vb. come near, approach
Qal 93 approach
Niph. he shall be brought unto God
Pi. cause to approach, bring near
Hiph.
177
bring near, bring, present
of time
as term techn. (c. 158 t.), chiefly Ez HP, bring near, of presenting, dedicating, or offering to י׳
base
H7126 קָרֵב, קָרַב come near, approach .approach
. he shall be brought unto God
. cause to approach, bring near
. . . bring near, bring, present
. of time
. as term techn. (c. 158 t.), chiefly Ez HP, bring near, of presenting, dedicating, or offering to י׳
7126 qarab kaw-rab'
a primitive root; to approach (causatively, bring near) for
whatever purpose:--(cause to) approach, (cause to) bring
(forth, near), (cause to) come (near, nigh), (cause to) draw
near (nigh), go (near), be at hand, join, be near, offer,
present, produce, make ready, stand, take.
קָרַב (qa.rav) — to present: come.
: come/approach
1) to come near, approach, enter into, draw near
1a) (Qal) to approach, draw near
1b) (Niphal) to be brought near
1c) (Piel) to cause to approach, bring near, cause to draw near
1d) (Hiphil) to bring near, bring, present
קָרַב (qa.rav) — to present: bring.
: bring/offer
1) to come near, approach, enter into, draw near
1a) (Qal) to approach, draw near
1b) (Niphal) to be brought near
1c) (Piel) to cause to approach, bring near, cause to draw near
1d) (Hiphil) to bring near, bring, present
V-Qal-Impv-2mp — Verb · Qal · imperative second person masculine pluralHVqv2mp
הֵ֫נָּה (hennah) is an adverb meaning 'hither' or 'here,' and it can refer to both place and time. It is derived from the root word for 'to be' and encompasses meanings like 'now,' 'thus far,' and 'to and fro.' The entries indicate its usage in various contexts, but there is no significant disagreement among the lexicons.
הֵ֫נָּה 49 adv. hither
of place
of time
base
H2008 הֵ֫נָּה hither
2008 hennah hane'-naw
from 2004; hither or thither (but used both of place and
time):--here, hither(-to), now, on this (that) side, + since,
this (that) way, thitherward, + thus far, to...fro, + yet.
see HEBREW for 02004
הֵ֫נָּה (hen.nah) — here/thus.
here, there, now, hither
Adv — AdverbHD
בֵּן (ben) means 'son' or 'male child' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including descendants, young animals, and even figurative uses like sparks or arrows. It can refer to members of a tribe or class and is used in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, such as in 1 Chronicles 24:26. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to build' and implies a connection to family or lineage.
בֵּן 4870 n.m. son
son, male child, born of a woman
children (male and female)
youth, young men
the young of animals
of plant shoots
fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows
member of a guild, order or class
of animals son of (the) herd
ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.
n. relat. of age
base
בְּנוֹ 1 Ch 24:26, 27 as n.pr.m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son, cf. VB & Be Öt.
done
H1121a בֵּן son . son, male child, born of a woman
. children (male and female)
. youth, young men
. the young of animals
. of plant shoots
. fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows
. . member of a guild, order or class
. of animals son of (the) herd
. ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.
. n. relat. of age
H1121b בְּנוֹ as n. pr. m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son
1121 ben bane
from 1129; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the
widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship,
including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition,
etc., (like 1, 251, etc.)):--+ afflicted, age, (Ahoh-)
(Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-)ite, (anoint-)ed one, appointed to,
(+) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-)ian, one born,
bough, branch, breed, + (young) bullock, + (young) calf, X
came up in, child, colt, X common, X corn, daughter, X of
first, + firstborn, foal, + very fruitful, + postage, X in, +
kid, + lamb, (+) man, meet, + mighty, + nephew, old, (+)
people, + rebel, + robber, X servant born, X soldier, son, +
spark, + steward, + stranger, X surely, them of, + tumultuous
one, + valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.
see HEBREW for 01129
see HEBREW for 01
see HEBREW for 0251
בֵּן (ben) — son: child.
: child/son
בְּנוֹ (be.no) — Beno.
A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ch.24.26;
son of: Jaaziah (H3269);
brother of: Shoham (H7719), Zaccur (H2139I) and Ibri (H5681)
§ Beno = "his son"
the sons of Jaaziah and the sons of Merari by Jaahziah (his son)
בֵּן (ben) — son: descendant/people.
: descendant, people, tribe, nation
A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)
§ : child/son
בֵּן (ben) — son: young animal.
: calf/lamb/young(ANIMAL)
A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)
§ : descendant
בֵּן (ben) — son: type of.
: rebel/son(Belial)
A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)
§ : people/men/nation/tribe
בֵּן (ben) — son.
: [inheriting]son/heir
A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)
בֵּן (ben) — son: warrior.
: warrior/son(strong)
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural constructHNcmpc
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…
עָנַן (anan) is a Hebrew verb that primarily means 'to cloud' and is derived from the root for 'cloud' (עָנָן). It has a figurative sense of practicing magic or soothsaying, indicating a covert action. The word appears in contexts related to bringing clouds and is associated with divination practices.
[עָנַן] vb. denom. Pi. Inf. cstr. sf. c. acc. cogn. Gn 9:14 (P) when I bring clouds, etc.
ref
[עָנַן] vb. Pō‛. practise soothsaying
base
H6049a עָנַן vb. denom. Pi. Inf. cstr. sf. c. acc. when I bring clouds, etc. H6049b עָנַן Pō‛. practise soothsaying
6049 `anan aw-nan'
a primitive root; to cover; used only as a denominative from
6051, to cloud over; figuratively, to act covertly, i.e.
practise magic:--X bring, enchanter, Meonemin, observe(-r of)
times, soothsayer, sorcerer.
see HEBREW for 06051
עָנַן (a.nan) — to cloud.
(Piel) to make appear, produce, bring (clouds)
עָנַן (a.nan) — to divine.
1) (Poel) to practise soothsaying, conjure
1a) to observe times, practice soothsaying or spiritism or magic or augury or witchcraft
1b) soothsayer, enchanter, sorceress, diviner, fortuneteller, barbarian, Meonenim (participle)
עָנַן (a.nan) — Diviners' (Oak).
This name means soothsaying or augury
V-o — Verb · Piel · participle (active) feminine singularHVprfsa
Soothsayer
One who pretends to prognosticate future events. Baalam is so called (Josh. 13:22; Heb. kosem, a “diviner,” as rendered 1 Sam. 6:2; rendered “prudent,” Isa. 3:2). In Isa. 2:6 and Micah 5:12 (Heb. yonenim, i.e., “diviners of the clouds”) the word is used of the Chaldean diviners who studied the clouds. In Dan. 2:27; 5:7 the word is the rendering of the Chaldee gazrin, i.e., “deciders” or “determiners”, here applied to Chaldean astrologers, “who, by casting nativities from the place of the stars at one’s birth, and by various arts of computing and divining…
[DIVINATION]
See SORCERER.
→ See SORCERY
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.
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
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
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
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)
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
of'-spring.
See CHILDREN.
נָאַף (na'aph) is a Hebrew verb meaning to commit adultery, typically referring to a man with another's wife. It can also denote idolatrous worship in a figurative sense. The root encompasses both the act of adultery and its implications, including the role of women in this context.
[נָאַף] vb. commit adultery
base
H5003 נָאַף commit adultery
5003 na'aph naw-af'
a primitive root; to commit adultery; figuratively, to
apostatize:--adulterer(-ess), commit(-ing) adultery, woman
that breaketh wedlock.
נָאַף (na.aph) — to commit adultery.
1) to commit adultery
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to commit adultery
1a1a) usually of man
1a1a1) always with wife of another
1a1b) adultery (of women) (participle)
1a2) idolatrous worship (fig.)
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to commit adultery
1b1a) of man
1b1b) adultery (of women) (participle)
1b2) idolatrous worship (fig.)
V-Piel — Verb · Piel · participle (active) masculine singularHVprmsa
זָנָה (zanah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to commit fornication or to be a harlot. It encompasses a range of actions, including adultery and idolatry, with a focus on unfaithfulness, particularly in a figurative sense regarding one's relationship with God. The entries indicate that it can also refer to cult prostitution and moral defection, with various grammatical forms expressing different nuances of the term.
זָנָה vb. commit fornication, be a harlot
Qal
be or act as a harlot
fig. of improper intercourse with foreign nations
of intercourse with other deities
of moral defection
Pu. fornication was not done (in going) after thee
Hiph.
cause to commit fornication
commit fornication
base
H2181 זָנָה commit fornication, be a harlot
2181 zanah zaw-naw'
a primitive root (highly-fed and therefore wanton); to commit
adultery (usually of the female, and less often of simple
fornication, rarely of involuntary ravishment); figuratively,
to commit idolatry (the Jewish people being regarded as the
spouse of Jehovah):--(cause to) commit fornication, X
continually, X great, (be an, play the) harlot, (cause to be,
play the) whore, (commit, fall to) whoredom, (cause to) go
a-whoring, whorish.
זָנָה (za.nah) — to fornicate.
1) to commit fornication, be a harlot, play the harlot
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to be a harlot, act as a harlot, commit fornication
1a2) to commit adultery
1a3) to be a cult prostitute
1a4) to be unfaithful (to God) (fig.)
1b) (Pual) to play the harlot
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to cause to commit adultery
1c2) to force into prostitution
1c3) to commit fornication
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3fs — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person feminine singularHc/Vqw3fs