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Judges 14:11 — Word Study

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WLCוַיְהִ֖י כִּרְאוֹתָ֣ם אוֹת֑וֹ וַיִּקְחוּ֙ שְׁלֹשִׁ֣ים מֵֽרֵעִ֔ים וַיִּהְי֖וּ אִתּֽוֹ׃

BSAAnd whenhâyâh [the Philistines] saw himrâʼâh [the citizens of that place, came into view, perceived] they selectedlâqach [brought, took] thirtyshᵉlôwshîym [thirtieth in number] men to accompany himmêrêaʻ [be with, near, as companions, friends]

Word
Listen & take awayJudges 14
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 11 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 ('i.To) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
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Judges 14:11quick helps
In a sentenceThe Philistines saw Samson and chose thirty companions to be with him.
Who is speakingThe Philistines, responding to Samson's presence.
Where we areIn the narrative of Samson's life, during a feast.
The hard wordמֵרֵעִים
Take awayThe Philistines acted to surround Samson with companions.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbהָיָה 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 — Judges 14:11

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 Selection of Companionsgenerated

10Then his father went to visit the woman, and Samson prepared a feast there, as was customary for the bridegroom.
11And when the Philistines saw him, they selected thirty men to accompany him.
12“Let me tell you a riddle,” Samson said to them. “If you can solve it for me within the seven days of the feast, I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty sets of clothes.
13But if you cannot solve it, you must give me thirty linen garments and thirty sets of clothes.” “Tell us your riddle,” they replied. “Let us hear it.”

Judges 14:11 recounts how the Philistines, upon seeing Samson, decided to select thirty men to accompany him. This action reflects their intent to engage with him, possibly to keep him under watch during the festivities. The context is set during a wedding feast, highlighting the cultural practices of the time, where companions played a significant role in social events.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
11 Samuel 10:23So they ran and brought Saul, and when he stood among the people, he was a head taller than any of the others.
21 Samuel 16:6When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and said, “Surely here before the LORD is His anointed.”
3Matthew 9:15Jesus replied, “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while He is with them? But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.
4John 3:29The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom stands and listens for him, and is overjoyed to hear the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 4 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word מֵרֵעִים, me.re.'Imgenerated

The Hebrew word מֵרֵעַ (me.re.a) refers to a companion or friend, emphasizing a close relationship. It is derived from a root meaning companionship, indicating trust and intimacy. This word is used to denote those who are not just acquaintances but rather close associates, often seen in contexts where loyalty and friendship are highlighted.

In this verse, it signifies the Philistines' choice to surround Samson with trusted companions, reflecting their strategy in engaging with him during the feast. The use of this term indicates a social expectation of companionship during significant events.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

The verse is rendered in the Berean Standard Bible as well as the KJV, ASV, YLT, WEB, and BBE, which all agree on the phrase 'thirty men to accompany him.'

There are no significant differences among the translations regarding the key terms in this verse.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The finite verb וַיִּקְחוּ֙, and they took, governs the main action of the verse, with the subject being the Philistines and the object being the thirty companions. The structure is straightforward, with the main action followed by a description of the companions chosen.

The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the action of taking companions, which is central to the narrative of Samson's encounter with the Philistines.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates וַיִּקְחוּ֙ as ἔλαβον, which means 'they took.' This choice reflects a direct correspondence to the Hebrew, maintaining the same sense of action.

The use of ἔλαβον shows a consistent understanding of the event, emphasizing the act of selecting companions in the context of the narrative.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Judges 14:11 describes how the Philistines saw Samson and chose thirty men to accompany him. This reflects their intention to engage with him during a feast, emphasizing the importance of companionship in social gatherings.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that the Philistines selected companions for Samson?

It indicates their strategy to engage with him closely during the festivities, reflecting cultural norms of companionship.

Why is the number thirty significant?

Thirty is simply the quantity chosen by the Philistines, indicating a group large enough to surround and accompany Samson.

What role do companions play in this narrative?

Companions are important in social contexts, providing support and engagement during significant events like feasts.

How does this verse relate to the overall story of Samson?

It highlights the interactions between Samson and the Philistines, setting the stage for subsequent events in his life.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What does it mean to have companions in my life, and how can I choose them wisely?
  2. How do the actions of the Philistines reflect cultural practices in my own community?
  3. In what ways can I be a supportive companion to others?
  4. How does the idea of companionship influence my understanding of social gatherings?

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Judges 14:11 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

And it came to pass; when they saw him,.... That is, the Philistines, the citizens of Timnath, when they saw that he was come to consummate his marriage: that they brought thirty companions to be

Read John Gill on Judges 14 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And it came to pass, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions to be with him. No JFB commentary on this verse.

Read Robert Jamieson on Judges 14 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

When they saw him, or, observed or considered him, his stature, and strength, and countenance, and carriage, which were extraordinary. They brought thirty companions to be with him; partly in compliance with the custom of having bridemen; of which see , though they were not so numerous; and principally by way of caution, and as a guard put upon him under a pretence of respect and affection.

Read Matthew Poole on Judges 14 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Judges 14:11 And it came to pass, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions to be with him.Ver. 11. And it came to pass, when they saw him.] His stature, strength, countenance, carriage, &c. That they brought thirty companions to be with him.] Honoris quidem specie, sed cautionis ergo: under a pretence of doing him honour, but indeed to secure themselves, they set a guard upon him. So the Turks at this day suffer no stranger to come into the presence of their Emperor, but they clasp him by the arms, under colour of doing him honour, but indeed lest he should offer the Emperor any violence, as Miles Cobelite, a poor wounded Christian soldier, did Amurah III, whom he slew under…

Read John Trapp on Judges 14 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(11) When they saw him.—The reason why this clause is added is somewhat obscure, and this is perhaps the reason why the LXX. and Josephus, without any warrant, render it “when they were afraid of him, which would involve a change in the reading. They brought thirty companions.—It was necessary to the splendour of the marriage feast that there should be these paranymphs (shoshbenim, or “children of the bride-chamber,” Matthew 9:15). The fact that Samson had brought none with him seems to prove that his marriage was highly unpopular among his own countrymen. Thirty, however, was a most unusual number.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Judges 14 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 11. They brought thirty companions] These are called in Scripture children of the bride-chamber, and friends of the bridegroom. See the whole of this subject particularly illustrated in the observations at the end, Clarke "John 3:25".

Read AdamClarke on Judges 14 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

11. when they saw him] With a slight change LXX. cod. A etc. read because they feared him; they must be the Philistines, though not mentioned in the context. The sight of Samson, or their fear of him, induced the Philistines to procure thirty companions (cf. Judges 14:20), nominally as friends and supporters, but really in self-defence. The text does not give an altogether satisfactory sense, and may have suffered from alterations. If we read that he brought, which would be an improvement, we must treat when they saw him as an interpolation. This is Moore’s view, and Budde proposes further re-arrangements; the original state of the verse is not easy to recover. The thirty (cf. Son 3:7…

Read Cambridge on Judges 14 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Thirty companions - These were “the children of the bride-chamber” (Matthew 9:15; see Judges 14:20). From the number of them it may be inferred that Samson’s family was of some wealth and importance.

Read Albert Barnes on Judges 14 →

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

And when the Philistines saw him, they selected thirty men to accompany him.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

When they saw him, they brought thirty companions to be with him.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

And when the Philistines saw him, they selected thirty men to accompany him.

NETBNew English Translation2006

When the Philistines saw he had no attendants, they gave him thirty groomsmen who kept him company.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And it came to pass, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions to be with him.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And it came to pass, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions to be with him.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And it came to pass, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions to be with him.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And it came to pass, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions to be with him.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

And when they sawe him, they brought thirtie companions to be with him.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And it came to pass when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions, and they were with him.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

and it cometh to pass when they see him, that they take thirty companions, and they are with him.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

and it comes to pass, when they see him, that they take thirty companions, and they are with him.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And it came to pass, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions, and they remained with him.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

As soon as her relatives saw him, they brought him thirty of their friends to be with him.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And when the citizens of that place saw him, they brought him thirty companions to be with him.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

When the Philistine people saw him, they arranged for thirty men to accompany him.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And he took thirty friends, and they were with him.

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.

וַandclauseverbיְהִ֖יit.wasprepositional phrase · prepositionalכִּjustclauseverbרְאוֹתָ֣assubjectםthey.sawnoun phrase · objectאוֹת֑וֹhimוַandclauseverbיִּקְחוּ֙they.tooknoun phrase · objectשְׁלֹשִׁ֣יםthirtyמֵֽרֵעִ֔יםclose.friendsוַandclauseverbיִּהְי֖וּthey.wereprepositional phrase · prepositionalאִתּֽwithוֹhim

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


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

Both the Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree on the wording of the verse, with all eight words matched. This consistency indicates a shared understanding of the text across these ancient witnesses.

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

וַיְהִ֖י כִּרְאוֹתָ֣ם אוֹת֑וֹ וַיִּקְחוּ֙ שְׁלֹשִׁ֣ים מֵֽרֵעִ֔ים וַיִּהְי֖וּ אִתּֽוֹ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיְהִ֖יἐγένετοכִּרְאוֹתָ֣םεἶδονאוֹת֑וֹαὐτόνוַיִּקְחוּ֙ἔλαβονשְׁלֹשִׁ֣יםτριάκονταמֵֽרֵעִ֔יםκλητούςוַיִּהְי֖וּἦσανאִתּֽוֹ׃αὐτοῦ

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.

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.

Judges 14:11הָיָהand it wasand it wasהָיָהרָאָהwhen saw thwhen saw theyרָאָהאֵתthe object the object markאֵתלָקַחand they toand they tookלָקַחשְׁלֹשִׁיםthirtythirtyשְׁלֹשִׁיםמֵרֵעַcompanionscompanionsמֵרֵעַהָיָהand they weand they wereהָיָהאֵתwith himwith himאֵתהָוָאto fallto fallהָוָאאוֹתsign: mirasign: miraculouאוֹתבֵּית־עֵ֫קֶדHouse of SHouse of Shepheבֵּית־עֵ֫קֶדאָנָהto meetto meetאָנָהשָׁלֹשׁthreethreeשָׁלֹשׁשָׁלִthirdthirdשָׁלִאִשָּׁהwomanwomanאִשָּׁהעֳנִיafflictionafflictionעֳנִינָבַטto lookto lookנָבַטמִגְרָשׁpasturepastureמִגְרָשׁמוּסָרdisciplinedisciplineמוּסָרמֵאָהhundredhundredמֵאָהשָׁנָהyearyearשָׁנָהשָׂנֵאto hateto hateשָׂנֵארִיבto contendto contendרִיבבְּרִיתcovenantcovenantבְּרִית
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 Judges 14:11

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.

and it was when saw they the object marker him and they took thirty companions and they were with him
וַיְהִ֖יvay.Hi and it was H1961 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
3,562× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for to be means to exist or come into being. It is used to describe something that happens or comes to pass, like in Genesis where God creates the world.
Tyndale gloss
to be
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word הָיָה (hayah) is a primitive root meaning to exist or become, and it encompasses a range of meanings including to happen, occur, and come to pass. It is often used in narrative contexts, particularly in phrases like "and it came to pass." The word can also denote a state of being or existence, and it appears frequently in various forms throughout the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הָיָה 3570 vb. fall out, come to pass, become, be

Qal

Fall out, happen

occur, take place, come about, come to pass

esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass

וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)

rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה

less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)

Come into being, become

abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come

sq. prep.

become

sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)

sq. pred. adj.

become like

sq. pred. לְ pers.

sq. לְ pred.

oft. c. לְ pred. לְ pers.

with עַל and לְ

sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of

Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming)

exist, be in existence

abide, remain, continue

with word of locality, be in or at a place, be situated, stand, lie

as copula, joining subj. & pred.

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1961 הָיָה fall out, come to pass, become, be .. . . Fall out, happen

. occur, take place, come about, come to pass

. esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass . . וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)

. rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה

. less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)

. Come into being, become . . abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come

. sq. prep.

. become . sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)

. sq. pred. adj.

. become like

. sq. pred. + לְ pers.

. sq. לְ pred.

. oft. c. לְ pred. + לְ pers.

. with עַל and לְ

. sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of

. Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming) . exist, be in existence

. abide, remain, continue

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1961 hayah haw-yaw

a primitive root (compare 1933); to exist, i.e. be or become,

come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or

auxiliary):--beacon, X altogether, be(-come), accomplished,

committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint,

fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit

(one-)self, require, X use.

see HEBREW for 01933

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הָיָה (ha.yah) — to be.

1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out

1a) (Qal)

1a1) ---

1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass

1a1b) to come about, come to pass

1a2) to come into being, become

1a2a) to arise, appear, come

1a2b) to become

1a2b1) to become

1a2b2) to become like

1a2b3) to be instituted, be established

1a3) to be

1a3a) to exist, be in existence

1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time)

1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality)

1a3d) to accompany, be with

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to occur, come to pass, be done, be brought about

1b2) to be done, be finished, be gone

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
and it was when saw they the object marker him and they took thirty companions and they were with him
כִּרְאוֹתָ֣םkir.'o.Tam when saw they H7200 Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common · suffix
1,300× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for provider means to see or look after, and is used to describe God's care for his people. It appears in various forms throughout the Bible, including in Genesis and other books.
Amplified meaning
the citizens of that place, came into view, perceived
Tyndale gloss
Provider
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רָאָה (ra'ah) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to see' and encompasses a wide range of visual and perceptual actions, including looking, observing, and causing others to see. It can refer to both literal sight and figurative understanding, with various grammatical forms indicating different nuances, such as appearing or being visible. The entries indicate a rich semantic field without significant disagreement among lexicographers.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רָאָה 1315 vb. see

Qal 1141

see, subj.

see, c. acc. rei

see, sq. acc. cl. or phr. of closer design

see, so as to learn to know

abs. see, have (power of) vision

see = perceive

look at, see, by direct volition

of mental observation

c. ב, lit., look into, hence look at with interest

see, c. acc. rei

Niph.

appear

be seen

be visible

Pu. appar. his bones are not detected

Hithp. recipr. look at each other

Hiph.

cause one to see something, shew

cause to experience something

cause to look intently at, to behold

Hoph.

be caused to see, be shewn

be exhibited to

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7200a רָאָה see .. . see, subj.

. see, c. acc. rei

. see, sq. acc. + cl. or phr. of closer design

. see, so as to learn to know

. abs. see, have (power of) vision

. see = perceive

. look at, see, by direct volition

. of mental observation

. . c. ב, lit., look into, hence look at with interest

. see, c. acc. rei

. . appear

. be seen

. be visible

. appar. his bones are not detected

. recipr. look at each other

. . . cause one to see something, shew

. cause to experience something

. cause to look intently at, to behold

. . be caused to see, be shewn

. be exhibited to

H7200b רְאוּת look

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7200 ra'ah raw-aw'

a primitive root; to see, literally or figuratively (in

numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive,

intransitive and causative):--advise self, appear, approve,

behold, X certainly, consider, discern, (make to) enjoy, have

experience, gaze, take heed, X indeed, X joyfully, lo, look

(on, one another, one on another, one upon another, out, up,

upon), mark, meet, X be near, perceive, present, provide,

regard, (have) respect, (fore-, cause to, let) see(-r, -m, one

another), shew (self), X sight of others, (e-)spy, stare, X

surely, X think, view, visions.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רָאָה (ra.ah) — to see: see.

: see/show

1) to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to see

1a2) to see, perceive

1a3) to see, have vision

1a4) to look at, see, regard, look after, see after, learn about, observe, watch, look upon, look out, find out

1a5) to see, observe, consider, look at, give attention to, discern, distinguish

1a6) to look at, gaze at

1a7) to provide, choose

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to appear, present oneself

1b2) to be seen

1b3) to be visible

1c) (Pual) to be seen

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to cause to see, show

1d2) to cause to look intently at, behold, cause to gaze at

1e) (Hophal)

1e1) to be caused to see, be shown

1e2) to be exhibited to

1f) (Hithpael) to look at each other, face

רָאָה (ra.ah) — to see: examine.

: examine/consider

1) to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to see

1a2) to see, perceive

1a3) to see, have vision

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a | Suff — Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common · suffix
HR/Vqcc/Sp3mp
and it was when saw they the object marker him and they took thirty companions and they were with him
אוֹת֑וֹ'o.To the object marker him H853 Particle · suffix
10,946× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the original Hebrew, this word points out the object of a verb or preposition, like 'namely' or 'even'. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus. It's not directly translated in English, but helps clarify the meaning of sentences.
Tyndale gloss
[Obj.]
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

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

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

853 'eth ayth

apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of

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

definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or

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

see HEBREW for 0226

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵת (et) — [Obj.].

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

Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTo/Sp3ms — Particle · suffix
HTo/Sp3ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and it was when saw they the object marker him and they took thirty companions and they were with him
וַיִּקְחוּ֙vai.yik.Chu and they took H3947 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
966× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to take or get something, and it is used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to take a wife, to take possession of something, or to receive a gift. For example, in Genesis 2:22, God takes a rib from Adam to create Eve.
Amplified meaning
brought, took
Tyndale gloss
to take: take
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word לָקַח (*laqach*) means 'to take' and encompasses a wide range of actions, including to receive, seize, capture, and carry away. It can refer to taking something in hand, taking a wife, or even taking vengeance. The verb has various forms indicating different nuances, such as being taken away or captured.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לָקַח 965 vb. take

Qal

take, take in hand

take and carry along with oneself

take from, or out of

take, carry away

take away from, so as to deprive of

esp. take away life

take to or for a person

take up, upon = put upon

= fetch

take = lead, conduct (with or without contact)

take = capture, seize

take = carry off

in phr. take vengeance

Niph.

be captured, of ark

be taken away, removed

be taken, brought unto

Pu.

be taken from, out of

= be stolen from

be taken captive

be taken away, removed

Hoph.

be taken, brought unto

be taken out of

be taken away from

Hithp. lit. fire taking hold of itself, of lightning

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3947 לָקַח take .. take, take in hand

. take and carry along with oneself

. . take from, or out of

. take, carry away

. take away from, so as to deprive of

. esp. take away life

. take to or for a person

. take up, upon = put upon

. = fetch

. take = lead, conduct (with or without contact)

. take = capture, seize

. take = carry off

. in phr. take vengeance

. . be captured, of ark

. be taken away, removed

. be taken, brought unto

. . be taken from, out of

. = be stolen from

. be taken captive

. be taken away, removed

. . be taken, brought unto

. be taken out of

. be taken away from

. lit. fire taking hold of itself, of lightning

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3947 laqach law-kakh'

a primitive root; to take (in the widest variety of

applications):--accept, bring, buy, carry away, drawn, fetch,

get, infold, X many, mingle, place, receive(-ing), reserve,

seize, send for, take (away, -ing, up), use, win.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לָקַח (la.qach) — to take: take.

: take

1) to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to take, take in the hand

1a2) to take and carry along

1a3) to take from, take out of, take, carry away, take away

1a4) to take to or for a person, procure, get, take possession of, select, choose, take in marriage, receive, accept

1a5) to take up or upon, put upon

1a6) to fetch

1a7) to take, lead, conduct

1a8) to take, capture, seize

1a9) to take, carry off 1a10) to take (vengeance)

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be captured

1b2) to be taken away, be removed

1b3) to be taken, brought unto

1c) (Pual)

1c1) to be taken from or out of

1c2) to be stolen from

1c3) to be taken captive

1c4) to be taken away, be removed

1d) (Hophal)

1d1) to be taken unto, be brought unto

1d2) to be taken out of

1d3) to be taken away

1e) (Hithpael)

1e1) to take hold of oneself

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
Hc/Vqw3mp
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and it was when saw they the object marker him and they took thirty companions and they were with him
שְׁלֹשִׁ֣יםshe.lo.Shim thirty H7970 Noun common · masculine plural absolute
173× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Thirty is the meaning of this Hebrew word, which can also be used as an ordinal to describe something as thirtieth. It is used to count quantities in the Bible.
Amplified meaning
thirtieth in number
Tyndale gloss
thirty
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שְׁלֹשִׁים (*shlowshiym*) means 'thirty' and can also refer to 'thirtieth' as an ordinal number. It is an indeclinable noun and is derived from the root word for 'three.' The entries indicate that it is used in various contexts, but there are no significant disagreements among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שְׁלֹשִׁים (very seldom שְׁלוֹשִׁים, שְׁלֹשִׁם) 174 n.indecl. thirty

bef. n. sg.

as ordin.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7970 שְׁלֹשִׁים (very seldom שְׁלוֹשִׁים, שְׁלֹשִׁם) n. indecl. thirty . bef. n. sg.

. as ordin.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7970 shlowshiym shel-o-sheem'

or shloshiym {shel-o-sheem'}; multiple of 7969; thirty; or

(ordinal) thirtieth:--thirty, thirtieth. Compare 7991.

see HEBREW for 07969

see HEBREW for 07991

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שְׁלֹשִׁים (she.lo.shim) — thirty.

thirty, thirtieth

Aramaic equivalent: te.la.tin (תְּלָתִין "thirty" H8533)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Noun common · masculine plural absolute
HNcmpa
and it was when saw they the object marker him and they took thirty companions and they were with him
מֵֽרֵעִ֔יםme.re.'Im companions H4828 Noun common · masculine plural absolute
7× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A companion or friend, this word describes a close relationship. It refers to someone you trust and spend time with, like a confidential friend. The Bible values strong friendships.
Amplified meaning
be with, near, as companions, friends
Tyndale gloss
companion
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מֵרֵעַ (me.re.a) refers to a friend or companion, emphasizing companionship. It is derived from the root word for companionship, indicating a close relationship. The entries consistently highlight its meaning as a friend or companion without significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[מֵרֵעַ] n.m. friend, companion

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4828 מֵרֵעַ friend, companion

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4828 merea` may-ray'-ah

from 7462 in the sense of companionship; a

friend:--companion, friend.

see HEBREW for 07462

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מֵרֵעַ (me.re.a) — companion.

companion, friend, confidential friend

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural absolute
HNcmpa
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and it was when saw they the object marker him and they took thirty companions and they were with him
וַיִּהְי֖וּvai.yih.Yu and they were H1961 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
3,562× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for to be means to exist or come into being. It is used to describe something that happens or comes to pass, like in Genesis where God creates the world.
Tyndale gloss
to be
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word הָיָה (hayah) is a primitive root meaning to exist or become, and it encompasses a range of meanings including to happen, occur, and come to pass. It is often used in narrative contexts, particularly in phrases like "and it came to pass." The word can also denote a state of being or existence, and it appears frequently in various forms throughout the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הָיָה 3570 vb. fall out, come to pass, become, be

Qal

Fall out, happen

occur, take place, come about, come to pass

esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass

וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)

rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה

less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)

Come into being, become

abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come

sq. prep.

become

sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)

sq. pred. adj.

become like

sq. pred. לְ pers.

sq. לְ pred.

oft. c. לְ pred. לְ pers.

with עַל and לְ

sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of

Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming)

exist, be in existence

abide, remain, continue

with word of locality, be in or at a place, be situated, stand, lie

as copula, joining subj. & pred.

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1961 הָיָה fall out, come to pass, become, be .. . . Fall out, happen

. occur, take place, come about, come to pass

. esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass . . וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)

. rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה

. less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)

. Come into being, become . . abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come

. sq. prep.

. become . sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)

. sq. pred. adj.

. become like

. sq. pred. + לְ pers.

. sq. לְ pred.

. oft. c. לְ pred. + לְ pers.

. with עַל and לְ

. sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of

. Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming) . exist, be in existence

. abide, remain, continue

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1961 hayah haw-yaw

a primitive root (compare 1933); to exist, i.e. be or become,

come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or

auxiliary):--beacon, X altogether, be(-come), accomplished,

committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint,

fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit

(one-)self, require, X use.

see HEBREW for 01933

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הָיָה (ha.yah) — to be.

1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out

1a) (Qal)

1a1) ---

1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass

1a1b) to come about, come to pass

1a2) to come into being, become

1a2a) to arise, appear, come

1a2b) to become

1a2b1) to become

1a2b2) to become like

1a2b3) to be instituted, be established

1a3) to be

1a3a) to exist, be in existence

1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time)

1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality)

1a3d) to accompany, be with

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to occur, come to pass, be done, be brought about

1b2) to be done, be finished, be gone

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Hc/Vqw3mp — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
Hc/Vqw3mp
and it was when saw they the object marker him and they took thirty companions and they were with him
אִתּֽוֹ׃'i.To with him H854 Preposition · suffix
929× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew preposition means 'with' or 'near', indicating a close relationship or physical proximity. It's used in Genesis 1:26 to describe God's relationship with humanity, and in many other places to show connection or closeness.
Tyndale gloss
with
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֵת (eth) is a preposition indicating nearness or proximity, often translated as 'with' or 'near.' It conveys a sense of companionship or association, distinguishing itself from similar terms by expressing closer relationships. The entries highlight its use in various contexts, including possession and memory, but do not provide specific verse references.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵת, prep. with—prep. denoting proximity

Of companionship, together with

Of localities

אֵת פּ׳ denotes specially

in one's possession or keeping

in one's knowledge or memory

מֵאֵת from proximity with

Note. אֵת expresses closer association than עִם: hence while מֵעִם sts. denotes hardly more than from the surroundings or belongings of, מֵאֵת expresses from close proximity to.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H854 אֵת with—prep. denoting proximity . Of companionship, together with

. Of localities

. אֵת פּ׳ denotes specially . in one's possession or keeping

. in one's knowledge or memory

. מֵאֵת from proximity with

Note. אֵת expresses closer association than עִם: hence while מֵעִם sts. denotes hardly more than from the surroundings or belongings of, מֵאֵת expresses from close proximity to.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

854 'eth ayth

probably from 579; properly, nearness (used only as a

preposition or an adverb), near; hence, generally, with, by,

at, among, etc.:--against, among, before, by, for, from,

in(-to), (out) of, with. Often with another prepositional

prefix.

see HEBREW for 0579

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵת (et) — with.

1) with, near, together with

1a) with, together with

1b) with (of relationship)

1c) near (of place)

1d) with (poss.)

1e) from...with, from (with other prep)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HRd/Sp3ms — Preposition · suffix
HRd/Sp3ms
Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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