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Judges 5:9 — Word Study

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WLCלִבִּי֙ לְחוֹקְקֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הַמִּֽתְנַדְּבִ֖ים בָּעָ֑ם בָּרֲכ֖וּ יְהוָֽה׃

BSAMy heartlêb [innermost being, feelings, and will] is with the princeschâqaq [governors, rulers, or leaders] of IsraelYisrâʼêl with the volunteersnâdab [those who offer themselves willingly] among the peopleʻam [nation, people, or community] Blessbârak [praise, honor, or magnify] the LORDYᵉhôvâh [Yehovah, the Lord God]

Word
Listen & take awayJudges 5
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 9 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 (Yah.weh) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Judges 5:9quick helps
In a sentenceDeborah expresses her loyalty to Israel's leaders and praises God for the willing volunteers among the people.
Who is speakingDeborah, a prophetess and judge of Israel, speaks from her heart.
Where we areThis verse is part of Deborah's song, celebrating Israel's victory and calling for praise.
The hard wordהַמִּֽתְנַדְּבִ֖ים
Take awayThe call to bless the LORD emphasizes gratitude for His guidance and the courage of His people.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbבָּרַךְ 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 5:9

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 — Deborah's Song of Victorygenerated

8When they chose new gods, then war came to their gates. Not a shield or spear was found among forty thousand in Israel.
9My heart is with the princes of Israel, with the volunteers among the people. Bless the LORD!
10You who ride white donkeys, who sit on saddle blankets, and you who travel the road, ponder
11the voices of the singers at the watering places. There they shall recount the righteous acts of the LORD, the righteous deeds of His villagers in Israel. Then the people of the LORD went down to the gates:

Judges 5:9 is part of a song sung by Deborah after a significant victory for Israel. In this song, she reflects on her deep connection with Israel's leaders and expresses appreciation for those who willingly offered themselves to serve. This moment captures the unity and commitment of the people in their struggle against oppression, highlighting both leadership and volunteerism in the face of adversity.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Judges 5:2“When the princes take the lead in Israel, when the people volunteer, bless the LORD.
21 Chronicles 29:9And the people rejoiced at the willing response of their leaders, for they had given to the LORD freely and wholeheartedly. And King David also rejoiced greatly.
32 Corinthians 8:3–4For I testify that they gave according to their ability and even beyond it. Of their own accord,
42 Corinthians 9:5So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to visit you beforehand and make arrangements for the bountiful gift you had promised. This way, your gift will be prepared generously and not begrudgingly.

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


The Key Word לִבִּי, li.Bigenerated

The word לֵב (lev) means 'heart' and encompasses emotions, will, and intellect. It is used to express the innermost being and feelings of a person, indicating a deep emotional and spiritual connection to the leaders of Israel.

In this context, Deborah's heart symbolizes her loyalty and support for the princes, reflecting her commitment to the nation's well-being.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

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


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb בָּרֲכ֖וּ, bless, governs the entire verse, with two phrases describing the subjects of the blessing: the princes of Israel and the volunteers among the people. The structure emphasizes Deborah's heartfelt connection to both groups.

The order of the phrases places the emphasis on the leaders first, followed by the volunteers, showcasing the importance of both roles in the victory celebrated in this song.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates לִבִּי as μου (mou), meaning 'my.' This choice reflects a personal and intimate expression of Deborah's feelings towards the leaders.

The term הַמִּֽתְנַדְּבִ֖ים is rendered as ἑκουσιαζόμενοι, which emphasizes the voluntary nature of their service, aligning with the Hebrew's focus on willingness.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Judges 5:9 shows Deborah expressing her deep connection to Israel's leaders and the volunteers among the people. She calls on them to bless the LORD, highlighting the importance of both leadership and the willingness of the people to serve.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does Deborah mean by 'my heart is with the princes of Israel'?

Deborah expresses her emotional and spiritual support for the leaders of Israel, showing her loyalty and connection to their leadership.

Who are the 'volunteers' mentioned in this verse?

The 'volunteers' refer to those among the people who willingly offered themselves to serve in the battle, demonstrating their commitment to Israel's cause.

Why does Deborah call on the people to bless the LORD?

Deborah emphasizes the importance of praising God for His guidance and support during their victory, recognizing His role in their success.

What is the significance of Deborah's song?

Deborah's song serves as a celebration of victory and unity among the Israelites, highlighting the roles of both leaders and volunteers in their struggle.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. How can I show support for the leaders in my community, similar to Deborah's support for Israel's princes?
  2. In what ways can I volunteer my time and resources to help others, as the volunteers did in this verse?
  3. What are some moments in my life where I have felt a strong connection to a cause or community, like Deborah's connection to Israel?
  4. How can I express gratitude and praise to God for the blessings in my life, as Deborah calls the people to do?

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

Jerome comments on this verse, noting Deborah's love for the leaders of Israel and emphasizing the importance of teachers who study God's law.

JeromeJudges 5:9-10 c. 347–420
My heart loves the leaders of Israel. It should be noted that in Hebrew, not leaders, but teachers is read. This is spoken by Deborah in the person of God, that God loves the teachers who study the law of God.
Early Church Fathers on Judges 5 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Judges 5:9 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

My heart is towards the governors of Israel,.... Most of the Jewish commentators interpret this of their wise men and Scribes, who were willing to teach the people the law and the commandments, even

Read John Gill on Judges 5 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

My heart is toward the governors of Israel, that offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless ye the LORD. My heart is toward the governors of Israel.

Read Robert Jamieson on Judges 5 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

I greatly honour and love those, who being the chief of the people in wealth and dignity, did not withdraw themselves from the work, as such usually do; but did expose themselves to the same hazards, and joined with their meaner brethren in this noble but dangerous attempt, and by their examples and countenance engaged others in it. Bless ye the Lord; who inclined their hearts to this undertaking, and gave them success in it. As she gives instruments their due, so she is careful the sovereign Cause and Lord of all lose not his glory.

Read Matthew Poole on Judges 5 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Judges 5:9 My heart [is] toward the governors of Israel, that offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless ye the LORD.Ver. 9. My heart is toward the governors of Israel.] Heb., Those in whom was the legislative power, that they should lay by their parliament robes and gird on their swords to fight against the common enemy: that these he goats should go before the flocks, this got them a great deal of love and honour.

Read John Trapp on Judges 5 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(9) My heart is toward the governors of Israel.—The fact that even in this extremity Israel had men (literally, law-givers) who were willing to brave any danger to rescue their people fills Deborah with gratitude to them and to God. Among the people.—When the leaders moved, the people moved with them.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Judges 5 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

9–11. The celebration of Jehovah’s acts. This seems to be the meaning of Jdg 5:11; Judges 5:9-10 are exceedingly obscure, owing to the condition of the text. After dwelling upon Israel’s sufferings, the poet, so far as we understand him, turns with thankful emotion to those who helped to put an end to them.

Read Cambridge on Judges 5 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

My heart ... - In this deplorable weakness of Israel how noble was the conduct of the governors who volunteered to lead the people against their oppressors.

Read Albert Barnes on Judges 5 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

9. My heart is towards the rulers — That is, her heart now turns with feelings of gratitude towards those noble Israelitish heroes and chieftains who volunteered in the battle with Sisera.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Judges 5 →

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

My heart is with the princes of Israel, with the volunteers among the people. Bless the LORD!

WEBWorld English Bible2000

My heart is toward the governors of Israel, who offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless Yahweh!

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

My heart is with the princes of Israel, with the volunteers among the people. Bless the LORD!

NETBNew English Translation2006

My heart went out to Israel’s leaders, to the people who answered the call to war. Praise the Lord!

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

My heart is toward the governors of Israel, that offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless ye the LORD.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

My heart is toward the governors of Israel, That offered themselves willingly among the people: Bless ye Jehovah.

RVARevised Version, American1894

My heart is toward the governors of Israel, that offered themselves willingly among the people: bless ye the LORD.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

My heart is towards the governors of Israel that offered themselves willingly among the people: Bless ye the LORD.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Mine heart is set on the gouernours of Israel, and on them that are willing among the people: praise ye the Lord.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

My heart is toward the governors of Israel, who offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless Jehovah!

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

My heart [is] to the lawgivers of Israel, Who are offering themselves willingly among the people, Bless ye Jehovah!

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

My heart [is] to the lawgivers of Israel, || Who are offering themselves willingly among the people, || Bless YHWH!

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

My heart [belongeth] to the governors of Israel, that offered themselves willingly among the people: praise ye the Lord.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

My heart goes out to the commanders of Israel, along with the people who gladly volunteered— we bless Yahweh for them!

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

My heart loveth the princes of Israel: O you that of your own good will offered yourselves to danger, bless the Lord.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

My thoughts are with the Israelite commanders and those people who volunteered. Praise the Lord!

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Come, you rulers of Israel, you who gave yourselves freely among the people: give praise to the Lord.

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.

clausenoun phrase · subjectלִבִּheartי֙myprepositional phrase · predicateלְ[is].tonoun phrasenoun phraseחוֹקְקֵ֣יthe.commandersיִשְׂרָאֵ֔לof.Israelnoun phraseהַ[thosenoun phraseclauseverbמִּֽתְנַדְּבִ֖יםwho].volunteeredprepositional phrase · prepositionalבָּamongnoun phrasetheעָ֑םpeopleclauseverbבָּרֲכ֖וּblessobjectיְהוָֽהYahweh

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


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

The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree on the wording of Judges 5:9. The Septuagint's word order differs but retains the same essential meaning, showing consistency in the translation of this verse.

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

לִבִּי֙ לְחוֹקְקֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הַמִּֽתְנַדְּבִ֖ים בָּעָ֑ם בָּרֲכ֖וּ יְהוָֽה׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
לִבִּי֙μουלְחוֹקְקֵ֣יεἰςיִשְׂרָאֵ֔לισραηλהַמִּֽתְנַדְּבִ֖יםἑκουσιαζόμενοιבָּעָ֑םλαῷבָּרֲכ֖וּεὐλογεῖτεיְהוָֽה׃κύριον

7 of the 7 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

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 5:9לֵבheart myheart myלֵבחָקַק[is] for [t[is] for [the] חָקַקיִשְׂרָאֵלIsraelIsraelיִשְׂרָאֵלנָדַבthose [who]those [who] volנָדַבעַםamong the pamong the peoplעַםבָּרַךְblessblessבָּרַךְיהוהYahwehYahwehיהוהשָׂרָהto striveto striveשָׂרָהעָמַםto darkento darkenעָמַםהָיָהto beto beהָיָהלֵבָבheartheartלֵבָבחָסֵרlackinglackingחָסֵרחָכָםwisewiseחָכָםמָעוֹזsecuritysecurityמָעוֹזסֵ֫פֶרscroll: doscroll: documenסֵ֫פֶרשֵׁ֫בֶטtribetribeשֵׁ֫בֶטקָדוֹשׁholyholyקָדוֹשׁשָׁלֵםcompletecompleteשָׁלֵםלֵבheartheartלֵבאָרַרto curseto curseאָרַרנְאֻםutteranceutteranceנְאֻםצָבָאarmyarmyצָבָא
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 5:9

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.

heart my [is] for [the] commanders of Israel those [who] volunteered among the people bless Yahweh
לִבִּי֙li.Bi heart my H3820 Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
595× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Leb refers to the heart, but also represents feelings, will, and intellect in the Bible. It is used figuratively to describe the center of something, and is often translated as heart or mind. Leb is a complex concept that encompasses emotions and thoughts.
Amplified meaning
innermost being, feelings, and will
Tyndale gloss
heart
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word לֵב (lev) means 'heart' and encompasses the inner man, mind, will, and emotions. It refers to the center of feelings, intellect, and moral character, as well as the seat of appetites and courage. The entries suggest a broad range of meanings related to human experience and thought, with a specific mention of its use in Jeremiah 51:1.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לֵב 599 n.m. (f.) inner man, mind, will, heart

seldom of things in the midst of the sea

elsewhere of men

the inner man in contrast with the outer

the inner man, indef., soul, comprehending mind, affections and will

specific reference to mind

spec. ref. to inclinations, resolutions and determinations of the will

spec. ref. to conscience

[various]

for the man himself

as seat of appetites

as seat of emotions and passions

seat of courage

base

לֵב קָמָי prob. late Atbash Je 51:1.

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3820a לֵב inner man, mind, will, heart . seldom of things in the midst of the sea

. elsewhere of men . the inner man in contrast with the outer

. the inner man, indef., soul, comprehending mind, affections and will

. specific reference to mind

. spec. ref. to inclinations, resolutions and determinations of the will

. spec. ref. to conscience

. [various]

. for the man himself

. as seat of appetites

. as seat of emotions and passions

. seat of courage

H3820b לֵב קָמָי prob. late Atbash

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3820 leb labe

a form of 3824; the heart; also used (figuratively) very

widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect;

likewise for the centre of anything:--+ care for, comfortably,

consent, X considered, courag(-eous), friend(-ly), ((broken-),

(hard-), (merry-), (stiff-), (stout-), double) heart((-ed)), X

heed, X I, kindly, midst, mind(-ed), X regard((-ed)), X

themselves, X unawares, understanding, X well, willingly,

wisdom.

see HEBREW for 03824

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לֵב (lev) — heart.

1) inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding

1a) inner part, midst

1a1) midst (of things)

1a2) heart (of man)

1a3) soul, heart (of man)

1a4) mind, knowledge, thinking, reflection, memory

1a5) inclination, resolution, determination (of will)

1a6) conscience

1a7) heart (of moral character)

1a8) as seat of appetites

1a9) as seat of emotions and passions 1a10) as seat of courage

לֵב (lev) — Leb.

§ Leb- = "heart of"

(probably a cryptic name for Babylon by Atbash)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HNcmsc/Sp1bs
heart my [is] for [the] commanders of Israel those [who] volunteered among the people bless Yahweh
לְחוֹקְקֵ֣יle.cho.Kei [is] for [the] commanders of H2710 Preposition · verb qal participle (active) masculine plural common
19× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to decree or enact a law, like writing it in stone. It appears in Judges 5:14, where it talks about being a scribe. In the Bible, it is often used to describe God's laws and decrees.
Amplified meaning
governors, rulers, or leaders
Tyndale gloss
to decree
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חָקַק (chaqaq) is a Hebrew verb meaning to cut in, engrave, or inscribe. It encompasses the actions of marking out or tracing, particularly in the context of laws or decrees. The word can also imply a sense of authority, as in a lawgiver or commander. Notably, it is linked to the act of enacting laws, suggesting a foundational role in governance.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[חָקַק] vb. cut in, inscribe, decree

Qal

cut in

cut in or on, upon, engrave, inscribe

trace, mark out

of a law, engrave, inscribe

Po‛el inscribe (as a law), enact (poet.)

prescriber of laws, hence (as sovereign authority in a warlike clan) commander

commander’s staff

Pu. that which is decreed

Hoph. inscribed

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2710 [חָקַק] cut in, inscribe, decree .. cut in

. cut in or on, upon, engrave, inscribe

. trace, mark out

. of a law, engrave, inscribe

.inscribe (as a law), enact (poet.) . prescriber of laws, hence (as sovereign authority in a warlike clan) commander

. commander’s staff

. that which is decreed

. inscribed

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2710 chaqaq khaw-kak'

a primitive root; properly, to hack, i.e. engrave (Judges

5:14, to be a scribe simply); by implication, to enact (laws

being cut in stone or metal tablets in primitive times) or

(gen.) prescribe:--appoint, decree, governor, grave, lawgiver,

note, pourtray, print, set.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חָקַק (cha.qaq) — to decree.

1) to cut out, decree, inscribe, set, engrave, portray, govern

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to cut in

1a2) to cut in or on, cut upon, engrave, inscribe

1a3) to trace, mark out

1a4) to engrave, inscribe (of a law)

1b) (Poel)

1b1) to inscribe, enact, decree

1b2) one who decrees, lawgiver (participle)

1c) (Pual) something decreed, the law (participle)

1d) (Hophal) to be inscribed

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | V-Qal — Preposition · verb qal participle (active) masculine plural common
HR/Vqrmpc
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…

heart my [is] for [the] commanders of Israel those [who] volunteered among the people bless Yahweh
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔לYis.ra.'El Israel H3478 Noun proper
2,508× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Israel is the symbolic name of Jacob, also referring to his descendants. Jacob, son of Isaac and Rebekah, had 12 sons who became the tribes of Israel, as told in Genesis 25:26. His story is crucial to the Bible's narrative.
Tyndale gloss
Israel
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisra'el) refers to both the second name of Jacob, meaning 'God prevails,' and the name of the Hebrew nation descended from him. It is derived from roots meaning 'to rule' and 'God.' The term encompasses Jacob's descendants and is used historically for the northern kingdom of Israel and the nation as a whole after the Babylonian exile.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יִשְׂרָאֵל 2507 n.pr.m. et gent. Israel (Ēl persisteth, persevereth)

n.pr.m. second name of Jacob

n.pr.gent. name of Hebrew nation

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3478 יִשְׂרָאֵל Israel (Ēl persisteth, persevereth) . n. pr. m. second name of Jacob

. n. pr. gent. name of Hebrew nation

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3478 Yisra'el yis-raw-ale'

from 8280 and 410; he will rule as God; Jisrael, a symbolical

name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity:

--Israel.

see HEBREW for 08280

see HEBREW for 0410

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יִשְׂרָאֵל (yis.ra.el) — Israel.

A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.25.26;

son of: Isaac (H3327) and Rebekah (H7259);

brother of: Esau (H6215); married to Rachel (H7354), Leah (H3812), Zilpah (H2153) and Bilhah (H1090A);

father of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Judah (H3063), Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074), Dinah (H1783), Joseph (H3130) and Benjamin (H1144); also called Jacob frequently

§ Israel = "God prevails"

1) the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel

2) the name of the descendants and the nation of the descendants of Jacob

2a) the name of the nation until the death of Solomon and the split

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper
HNpl
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

iz'-ra-el.

See JACOB.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Israel

The name conferred on Jacob after the great prayer-struggle at Peniel (Gen. 32:28), because “as a prince he had power with God and prevailed.” (See JACOB.) This is the common name given to Jacob’s descendants. The whole people of the twelve tribes are called “Israelites,” the “children of Israel” (Josh. 3:17; 7:25; Judg. 8:27; Jer. 3:21), and the “house of Israel” (Ex. 16:31; 40:38).

This name Israel is sometimes used emphatically for the true Israel (Ps. 73:1: Isa. 45:17; 49:3;

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(the prince that prevails with God). The name given, (Genesis 32:28) to Jacob after his wrestling with the angel, (Hosea 12:4) at Peniel. Gesenius interprets Israel "soldier of God." It became the national name of the twelve tribes collectively. They are so called in (Exodus 3:16) and afterward. It is used in a narrower sense, excluding Judah, in (1 Samuel 11:8; 2 Samuel 20:1; 1 Kings 12:16) Thenceforth it was assumed and accepted as the name of the northern kingdom. After the Babylonian captivity, the returned exiles resumed the name Israel as the designation of…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Who prevails with God, a name given to Jacob, after having wrestled with the Angel-Jehovah at Penuel. Ge 32:1,2,28,30 Ho 12:3. See JACOB. By the name Israel is sometimes understood all the posterity of Israel, the seed of Jacob, 1Co 10:18; sometimes all true believers, his spiritual seed, Ro 9:6; and sometimes the kingdom of Israel, or the ten tribes, as distinct from the kingdom of Judah.

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
heart my [is] for [the] commanders of Israel those [who] volunteered among the people bless Yahweh
הַמִּֽתְנַדְּבִ֖יםha.mit.na.de.Vim those [who] volunteered H5068 Particle · verb hithpael participle (active) masculine plural
17× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To be willing or volunteer, like David in 2 Samuel 6:1, and can also mean to offer freely, as in Ezra 2:68.
Amplified meaning
those who offer themselves willingly
Tyndale gloss
be willing
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נָדַב (nadab) is a Hebrew verb meaning to incite or impel, often associated with volunteering or offering freely. It encompasses the idea of being willing, either to act or to present oneself spontaneously, particularly in a context of free-will offerings. The Aramaic equivalent is נְדַב (H5069).

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נָדַב vb. incite, impel

Qal whose heart incited

Hithp.

volunteer

offer free-will-offerings

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5068 נָדַב incite, impel .whose heart incited

. . volunteer

. offer free-will-offerings

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5068 nadab naw-dab'

a primitive root; to impel; hence, to volunteer (as a

soldier), to present spontaneously:--offer freely, be (give,

make, offer self) willing(-ly).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָדַב (na.dav) — be willing.

1) to incite, impel, make willing

1a) (Qal) to incite, impel

1b) (Hithpael)

1b1) to volunteer

1b2) to offer free-will offerings

Aramaic equivalent: ne.dav (נְדַב "be willing" H5069)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | V-Hithpael — Particle · verb hithpael participle (active) masculine plural
HTd/Vtrmpa
heart my [is] for [the] commanders of Israel those [who] volunteered among the people bless Yahweh
בָּעָ֑םba.'Am among the people H5971 Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
1,873× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A people or nation is what this Hebrew word represents, like the nation of Israel in Exodus 33:13. It can also mean a tribe, troops, or attendants, and is used to describe a group of people gathered together. The word is often used to refer to the people of God.
Amplified meaning
nation, people, or community
Tyndale gloss
Amaw
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עַם (am) primarily means 'people' or 'nation,' referring to a collective group, often in the context of tribes such as those of Israel. It can also denote kinsmen or compatriots. The term appears in various contexts, including military and familial references. There is a mention of a specific individual named Ammi in Song of Solomon 6:12.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עַם, עָם 1810 n.m. people

a people, nation

= smaller units

= common people

people in gen., persons

phrases

base

[עַם] n.[m.] kinsman (on father's side)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5971a עַם, עָם people H5971b עַם kinsman (on father's side)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5971 `am am

from 6004; a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a

tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or

attendants; figuratively, a flock:--folk, men, nation,

people.

see HEBREW for 06004

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עַם (am) — people.

: people/nation

1) nation, people

1a) people, nation

1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men

עַם (am) — kinsman.

kinsman, kindred

עַם (am) — Ammi.

A man living at the time of United Monarchy, only mentioned at Sng.6.12

§ kinsman, kindred

עַם (am) — People's (Gate).

§ kinsman, kindred

עַם (am) — (Ibleam)-am.

Combined with yiv.le.am (יִבְלְעָם "Ibleam" H2991)

§ kinsman, kindred

עַם (am) — Amaw.

This name means nation, people

עַם (am) — people: soldiers.

: soldiers/army

1) nation, people

1a) people, nation

1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men

עַם (am) — people: creatures.

: creatures

1) nation, people

1a) people, nation

1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men

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

pe'-p'-l: In English Versions of the Bible represents something over a dozen Hebrew and Greek words. Of these, in the Old Testament, `am, is overwhelmingly the most common (about 2,000 times), with le'om, and goy, next in order; but the various Hebrew words are used with very little or no difference in force (e.g. Pr 14:28; but, on the other hand, in Ps 44 contrast verses 12 and 14). Of the changes introduced by the Revised Version (British and American) the only one of significance (cited explicitly in the Preface to the English Revised Version) is the frequent use of the plural "peoples" (strangely avoided in the King James Version except Re 10:11; 17:15), where other nations than Israel are in question. So, for instance, in Ps…

heart my [is] for [the] commanders of Israel those [who] volunteered among the people bless Yahweh
בָּרֲכ֖וּba.ra.Khu bless H1288 Verb · Piel · imperative second person masculine plural
330× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To bless means to praise or honor God, often by kneeling in worship. In the Bible, people bless God and God blesses people, showing favor and care for them, as seen in the story of Abraham and his descendants.
Amplified meaning
praise, honor, or magnify
Tyndale gloss
to bless
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word בָּרַךְ (*barak*) is built from a primitive root meaning 'to kneel' and encompasses a range of meanings including 'to bless' and 'to curse.' It can refer to blessing God or men, as well as the act of kneeling in adoration. The entries note that it can also imply a curse in certain contexts, reflecting a nuanced use in greetings and farewells.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[בָּרַךְ] 329 vb. kneel, bless

Qal

kneel down

bless

Niph. bless oneself

Pi.

bless God, adore with bended knees

God blesses

men bless men

salute, greet, with an invocation of blessing

bless, with the antithetical meaning curse from the greeting in departing, saying adieu to, taking leave of; but rather a blessing overdone and so really a curse as in vulgar English as well as in the Shemitic cognates

Pu.

pass. to be blessed, adored

prospered by God

have prosperity invoked, by Balaam

in gratitude

Hiph. and he made his camel kneel

Hithp. bless oneself, congratulate oneself in his heart

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1288 בָּרַךְ kneel, bless .. kneel down

. bless

. bless oneself

. . bless God, adore with bended knees

. God blesses

. men bless men

. salute, greet, with an invocation of blessing

. bless, with the antithetical meaning curse from the greeting in departing, saying adieu to, taking leave of; but rather a blessing overdone and so really a curse as in vulgar English as well as in the Shemitic cognates

. . pass. to be blessed, adored

. prospered by God

. have prosperity invoked, by Balaam

. in gratitude

. and he made his camel kneel

. bless oneself, congratulate oneself in his heart

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1288 barak baw-rak'

a primitive root; to kneel; by implication to bless God (as

an act of adoration), and (vice-versa) man (as a benefit);

also (by euphemism) to curse (God or the king, as treason):--X

abundantly, X altogether, X at all, blaspheme, bless,

congratulate, curse, X greatly, X indeed, kneel (down),

praise, salute, X still, thank.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בָּרַךְ (ba.rakh) — to bless.

1) to bless, kneel

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to kneel

1a2) to bless

1b) (Niphal) to be blessed, bless oneself

1c) (Piel) to bless

1d) (Pual) to be blessed, be adored

1e) (Hiphil) to cause to kneel

1f) (Hithpael) to bless oneself

2) (TWOT) to praise, salute, curse

Aramaic equivalent: be.rakh (בְּרַךְ "to bless" H1289)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Piel-Impv-2mp — Verb · Piel · imperative second person masculine plural
HVpv2mp
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

(barakh): This word is found more frequently in the Old Testament than in the New Testament, and is used in different relations.

(1) It is first met in Ge 1:22 at the introduction of animal life upon the earth, where it is written, "And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply," etc. The context furnishes the key to its meaning, which is the bestowal of good, and in this particular place the pleasure and power of increase in kind. Thus it is generally employed in both Testaments, the context always determining the character of the bestowal; for instance (where man is the recipient), whether the good is temporal or spiritual, or both.

Occasionally, however, a different turn is given to it as in Ge 2:3 the King James Version, where it is written, "And God blessed the seventh…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Bless

(1.) God blesses his people when he bestows on them some gift temporal or spiritual (Gen. 1:22; 24:35; Job 42:12; Ps. 45:2; 104:24, 35).

(2.) We bless God when we thank him for his mercies (Ps. 103:1, 2; 145:1, 2).

(3.) A man blesses himself when he invokes God’s blessing (Isa. 65:16), or rejoices in God’s goodness to him (Deut. 29:19; Ps. 49:18).

(4.) One blesses another when he expresses good wishes or offers prayer to God for his welfare (Gen.…

heart my [is] for [the] commanders of Israel those [who] volunteered among the people bless Yahweh
יְהוָֽה׃Yah.weh Yahweh H3068 Noun proper
6,528× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Yehovah is another name for God, often translated as 'the Lord'. It is a national name for God in the Jewish faith. This name is used throughout the Old Testament.
Amplified meaning
Yehovah, the Lord God
Tyndale gloss
The Lord
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

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

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

יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D

the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy

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

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw'

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

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

see HEBREW for 01961

see HEBREW for 03050

see HEBREW for 03069

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — LORD.

Jehovah = "the existing One"

1) the proper name of the one true God

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

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — The Lord.

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

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

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper
HNpt
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
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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