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Jeremiah 18:16 — Word Study

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WLCלָשׂ֥וּם אַרְצָ֛ם לְשַׁמָּ֖ה שְׁרִיק֣וֹת עוֹלָ֑ם כֹּ֚ל עוֹבֵ֣ר עָלֶ֔יהָ יִשֹּׁ֖ם וְיָנִ֥יד בְּרֹאשֽׁוֹ׃

BSAThey have madesûwm their landʼerets [a desolate wasteland, a thing of wonder] a desolationshammâh [shammah, a state of horror or ruin] a perpetualʻôwlâm [forever, always] object of scornshᵉrêqâh [a hissing, a piping sound] allkôl [everything, every person] who passʻâbar byʻal [cross over, transition] will be appalledshâmêm [astonished, overcome with wonder] and shakenûwd their headsrôʼsh [in disbelief, to show shock]

Word
Listen & take awayJeremiah 18
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 16 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 (be.ro.Sho) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Jeremiah 18:16quick helps
In a sentenceThe people have turned their land into a desolation, provoking scorn from all who pass by.
Who is speakingThe prophet Jeremiah, conveying God's message about the consequences of disobedience.
Where we areIn a prophetic warning about the devastation that will come as a result of the people's actions.
The hard wordשַׁמָּה
Take awayThe land has become a wasteland, and those who witness it react with shock.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbעָבַר 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 — Jeremiah 18:16

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 Consequences of Disobediencegenerated

15Yet My people have forgotten Me. They burn incense to worthless idols that make them stumble in their ways, leaving the ancient roads to walk on rutted bypaths instead of on the highway.
16They have made their land a desolation, a perpetual object of scorn; all who pass by will be appalled and shake their heads.
17I will scatter them before the enemy like the east wind. I will show them My back and not My face in the day of their calamity.”
18Then some said, “Come, let us make plans against Jeremiah, for the law will never be lost to the priest, nor counsel to the wise, nor an oracle to the prophet. Come, let us denounce him and pay no heed to any of his words.”

Jeremiah 18:16 describes the dire state of the land due to the people's abandonment of God. This verse highlights the transformation of their homeland into a desolate wasteland, a perpetual object of scorn, as a direct consequence of their actions. The surrounding verses emphasize the people's forgetfulness of God and their inclination towards idolatry, leading to their impending judgment.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Jeremiah 9:11“And I will make Jerusalem a heap of rubble, a haunt for jackals; and I will make the cities of Judah a desolation, without inhabitant.”
2Jeremiah 19:8I will make this city a desolation and an object of scorn. All who pass by will be appalled and will scoff at all her wounds.
3Jeremiah 25:9behold, I will summon all the families of the north, declares the LORD, and I will send for My servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, whom I will bring against this land, against its residents, and against all the surrounding nations. So I will devote them to destruction and make them an object of horror and contempt, an everlasting desolation.
4Jeremiah 49:13For by Myself I have sworn, declares the LORD, that Bozrah will become a desolation, a disgrace, a ruin, and a curse, and all her cities will be in ruins forever.”
5Jeremiah 50:13Because of the wrath of the LORD, she will not be inhabited; she will become completely desolate. All who pass through Babylon will be horrified and will hiss at all her wounds.

The Key Word שׂוּם, la.Sumgenerated

The Hebrew word שׂוּם (sum) means to put, place, or set, with a wide range of applications including appointing, establishing, and making. In this context, it indicates the action of making the land desolate, emphasizing the severity of the transformation.

As a verb in the infinitive construct, it suggests an ongoing or intended action, reinforcing the idea that the people's choices have led to a permanent state of ruin in their land.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

The verse is presented in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses the phrase made their land a desolation.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb שׂוּם governs the sentence, indicating the action of making. The structure includes a prepositional phrase describing the state of the land, followed by a noun phrase that identifies the object of scorn, and concludes with clauses detailing the response of those who pass by.

The sentence's flow emphasizes the transformation of the land and the reaction of the observers, highlighting the gravity of the situation.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates שׂוּם as τάχαι, which conveys a sense of urgency in the action of making desolate. This choice suggests a more immediate and impactful understanding of the desolation described.

The Greek term carries a similar weight, indicating that the land's state is not just a passive outcome but an urgent consequence of the people's actions.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Jeremiah 18:16 tells us that the people have made their land desolate and a source of scorn for others. Those who pass by will be shocked and will shake their heads in disbelief at what has happened.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that their land became a desolation?

It signifies that the land has been devastated and is now a wasteland, reflecting the consequences of the people's disobedience to God.

Why will those who pass by shake their heads?

They will shake their heads as a sign of disbelief and astonishment at the extent of the destruction and ruin in the land.

What is the significance of the phrase 'perpetual object of scorn'?

This phrase indicates that the desolation will not only be temporary but will continue to provoke disdain and mockery from others indefinitely.

How does this verse connect to the surrounding context?

This verse is part of a larger warning about the consequences of turning away from God, illustrating the drastic changes that will occur as a result of the people's actions.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways can we see the consequences of disobedience in our own lives or communities?
  2. How can we respond to the warnings in scripture about turning away from God?
  3. What steps can we take to ensure we honor and remember God in our daily lives?
  4. How does this verse challenge our understanding of the relationship between actions and their consequences?

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

The early Church Father Jerome references this verse, indicating its significance in understanding the desolation of the land as a consequence of sin.

JeromeVerse 16. c. 347–420
So that their land became a desolation and an eternal hissing, everyone who passes by it will be astonished and shake his head.
Early Church Fathers on Jeremiah 18 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Jeremiah 18:16 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

To make their land desolate,.... Not that this was the intention either of those that led them out of the right way into those wrong paths, or of them that went into them; but so it was eventually;

Read John Gill on Jeremiah 18 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

To make their land desolate, and a perpetual hissing; every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and wag his head.

Read Robert Jamieson on Jeremiah 18 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Not that this was finis operantis, their end which they aimed at, none wisheth ill or doth any thing designedly to bring evil upon himself; but it was finis operis the end these courses would certainly issue in, they would bring the land of Judah to desolations, and to be a reproach; so as strangers that were wont to admire at the prosperity of this people above any other people should stand astonished, and wag their heads at them in scorn and derision.

Read Matthew Poole on Jeremiah 18 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Jeremiah 18:16 To make their land desolate, [and] a perpetual hissing; every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and wag his head.Ver. 16. To make their land desolate.] Not intentionally so; but yet eventually. Idolatry is a land desolating sin.

Read John Trapp on Jeremiah 18 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(16) Desolate . . . astonished.—Better, desolate in both clauses. The Hebrew verb is the same, and there is a manifest emphasis in the repetition which it is better to reproduce in English. A perpetual hissing.—The Hebrew word is onomatopoetic, and expresses the inarticulate sounds which we utter on seeing anything that makes us shudder, rather than “hissing in its modern use as an expression of contempt or disapproval. Wag his head.—Better, shake his head. The verb is not the same as that which describes the gesture of scorn in Psalms 22:7; Psalms 109:25; Lamentations 2:15; Zephaniah 2:15, and describes pity or bemoaning rather than contempt. Men would not mock the desolation of Israel…

Read Charles John Ellicott on Jeremiah 18 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 16. A perpetual hissing] שריקות sherikoth, a shrieking, hissing; an expression of contempt.

Read AdamClarke on Jeremiah 18 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Hissing - Not derision, but the drawing in of the breath quickly as men do when they shudder. Way his head - Or, “shake his head,” a sign among the Jews not of scorn but of pity.

Read Albert Barnes on Jeremiah 18 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

16. Wag his head — Rather, shake his head, a sign, not of contempt, but pity.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Jeremiah 18 →

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

They have made their land a desolation, a perpetual object of scorn; all who pass by will be appalled and shake their heads.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

to make their land an astonishment, and a perpetual hissing. Everyone who passes by it will be astonished, and shake his head.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

They have made their land a desolation, a perpetual object of scorn; all who pass by will be appalled and shake their heads.

NETBNew English Translation2006

So their land will become an object of horror. People will forever hiss out their scorn over it. All who pass that way will be filled with horror and will shake their heads in derision.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

To make their land desolate, and a perpetual hissing; every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and wag his head.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

to make their land an astonishment, and a perpetual hissing; every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and shake his head.

RVARevised Version, American1894

to make their land an astonishment, and a perpetual hissing; every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and shake his head.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

To make their land desolate, and a perpetual hissing; every one that passeth by it shall be astonished, and wag his head.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

To make their land desolate and a perpetual derision, so that euery one that passeth thereby, shalbe astonished and wagge his head,

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

to make their land an astonishment, a perpetual hissing: every one that passeth by shall be astonished, and shake his head.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

To make their land become a desolation, A hissing age-during, Every passer by it is astonished, And bemoaneth with his head.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

To make their land become a desolation, || A continuous hissing, || Everyone passing by it is astonished, || And bemoans with his head.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

To make their land desolate, a perpetual derision: every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and shake his head.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Their land will become a horror, an object of everlasting hissing. Everyone who passes by her will shudder and shake his head.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

That their land might be given up to desolation, and to a perpetual hissing: every one that shall pass by it, shall be astonished, and wag his head.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

They have turned their country into a horrific wasteland, a place that will always be treated with contempt. People passing by will be shocked, shaking their heads in disbelief.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Making their land a thing of wonder, causing sounds of surprise for ever; everyone who goes by will be overcome with wonder, shaking his head.

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.

clauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalלָtoclauseverbשׂ֥וּםmakenoun phrase · objectאַרְצָ֛landםtheirprepositional phrase · prepositionalלְintonoun phraseשַׁמָּ֖הa.wastenoun phraseשְׁרִיק֣וֹתhissingsעוֹלָ֑םof.perpetuityclauseclausenoun phrase · subjectכֹּ֚לeverynoun phraseclauseverbעוֹבֵ֣ר[one.who].passes.byprepositional phrase · prepositionalעָלֶ֔יatהָitverbיִשֹּׁ֖םhe.will.be.appalledוְandclauseverbיָנִ֥ידhe.will.wagprepositional phrase · prepositionalבְּwithnoun phraseרֹאשֽׁheadוֹhis

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 largely agree on the wording of this verse, with a near-complete match of terms. The Dead Sea Scrolls provide partial support, with some words restored by an editor, indicating a shared tradition in the understanding of this text.

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

לָשׂ֥וּם אַרְצָ֛ם לְשַׁמָּ֖ה שְׁרִיק֣וֹת עוֹלָ֑ם כֹּ֚ל עוֹבֵ֣ר עָלֶ֔יהָ יִשֹּׁ֖ם וְיָנִ֥יד בְּרֹאשֽׁוֹ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
לָשׂ֥וּםτάχαιאַרְצָ֛םγῆνלְשַׁמָּ֖הἀφανισμὸνעוֹלָ֑םαἰώνιονכֹּ֚לπάντεςעוֹבֵ֣רδιαπορευόμενοιעָלֶ֔יהָαὐτῆςיִשֹּׁ֖םἐκστήσονταιוְיָנִ֥ידκινήσουσινבְּרֹאשֽׁוֹ׃αὐτῶν

10 of the 11 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q70a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

לשום [ארצ׳ם] [לשמה] [שרוקת] [עולם] [כל] עובר עלי׳ה ישום ויניד בראש׳ו

5 words on the leather — 1 partly restored, 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.

Jeremiah 18:16שׂוּםto maketo makeשׂוּםאֶ֫רֶץland theirland theirאֶ֫רֶץשַׁמָּהinto a wastinto a wasteשַׁמָּהשְׁרִיקָהwhistling owhistling ofשְׁרִיקָהעוֹלָםperpetuityperpetuityעוֹלָםכֹּלeveryeveryכֹּלעָבַר[one who] p[one who] passeעָבַרעַלat itat itעַלשָׁמֵםhe will be he will be appaשָׁמֵםנוּדand he may and he may wagנוּדרֹאשׁwith head hwith head hisרֹאשׁשָׁמֵםbe desolatbe desolate: deשָׁמֵםשָׁרַקto whistleto whistleשָׁרַקעָלַםto concealto concealעָלַםכָּלַלto perfectto perfectכָּלַלעַלheightheightעַלשַׁמָּהhorror: dehorror: destroyשַׁמָּהשְׁמָמָהDesolateDesolateשְׁמָמָהכְּנַ֫עַןCanaanCanaanכְּנַ֫עַןמִצְרַ֫יִם(Sea of) E(Sea of) Egyptמִצְרַ֫יִםשְׁרֵקָהhissinghissingשְׁרֵקָהקְלָלָהcursecurseקְלָלָהעַדperpetuityperpetuityעַדדּוֹרgenerationgenerationדּוֹרעֵדָהcongregaticongregationעֵדָהעֲבֹדָהserviceserviceעֲבֹדָהיַרְדֵןJordanJordanיַרְדֵןחָלַץto rescueto rescueחָלַץכִּפֶּרto atoneto atoneכִּפֶּר
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 Jeremiah 18:16

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.

to make land their into a waste whistling of perpetuity every [one who] passes by at it he will be appalled and he may wag with head his
לָשׂ֥וּםla.Sum to make H7760 Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
585× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to put or place something, and is used in many different ways in the Bible, such as to appoint or determine something. It is first used in Genesis to describe God's creation. In the KJV, it is translated as 'appoint' or 'set' in various contexts.
Tyndale gloss
to set: make
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word שׂוּם (sum) is a verb meaning to put, place, or set, with a wide range of applications including appointing, establishing, and making. It can also refer to laying something upon or directing it. There is a related noun שׂוּמָה (sumah), which may denote a token of unluckiness. The entries do not present any significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שׂוּם, שִׂים 582 vb. put, place, set

Qal

put, set, in a place

put something upon

put, lay, set

put, c. בֵּין

set, direct

set, ordain, in a place

set, establish a law, statute

set, found a nation

set, appoint (as ruler, official)

set, constitute, make

set, determine, fix, bounds

set, station, at a post

put in position, sacred bread, sword, staves, bars

set up altars

= plant, wheat

set, fix (countenance)

make a thing, or pers. (acc.), for, transform into

make, constitute

work, bring to pass

appoint, give

set, fix (countenance)

Hiph. I will make him for a sign

Hoph. there was set before him

base

שׂוּמָה perhaps n. f. token of unluckiness, scowl;—2 S 13:32

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7760a שׂוּם, שִׂים put, place, set .. . put, set, in a place

. put something upon

. put, lay, set

. put, c. בֵּין

. set, direct

. . set, ordain, in a place

. set, establish a law, statute

. set, found a nation

. set, appoint (as ruler, official)

. set, constitute, make

. set, determine, fix, bounds

. . set, station, at a post

. put in position, sacred bread, sword, staves, bars

. set up altars

. = plant, wheat

. set, fix (countenance)

. . make a thing, or pers. (acc.), for, transform into

. make, constitute

. work, bring to pass

. appoint, give

. set, fix (countenance)

. I will make him for a sign

. there was set before him

H7760b שׂוּמָה perhaps n. f. token of unluckiness, scowl

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7760 suwm soom

or siym {seem}; a primitive root; to put (used in a great

variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially,

and elliptically):--X any wise, appoint, bring, call (a

name), care, cast in, change, charge, commit, consider,

convey, determine, + disguise, dispose, do, get, give, heap

up, hold, impute, lay (down, up), leave, look, make (out),

mark, + name, X on, ordain, order, + paint, place, preserve,

purpose, put (on), + regard, rehearse, reward, (cause to) set

(on, up), shew, + stedfastly, take, X tell, + tread down,

((over-))turn, X wholly, work.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שׂוּם (sum) — to set: make.

: make/establish

1) to put, place, set, appoint, make

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to put, set, lay, put or lay upon, lay (violent) hands on

1a2) to set, direct, direct toward

1a2a) to extend (compassion) (fig)

1a3) to set, ordain, establish, found, appoint, constitute, make, determine, fix

1a4) to set, station, put, set in place, plant, fix

1a5) to make, make for, transform into, constitute, fashion, work, bring to pass, appoint, give

1b) (Hiphil) to set or make for a sign

1c) (Hophal) to be set

שׂוּמָה (su.mah) — fate.

token of unluckiness, scowl

שׂוּם (sum) — to set: put.

: put/give

1) to put, place, set, appoint, make

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to put, set, lay, put or lay upon, lay (violent) hands on

1a2) to set, direct, direct toward

1a2a) to extend (compassion) (fig)

1a3) to set, ordain, establish, found, appoint, constitute, make, determine, fix

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a — Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
HR/Vqcc
to make land their into a waste whistling of perpetuity every [one who] passes by at it he will be appalled and he may wag with head his
אַרְצָ֛ם'ar.Tzam land their H776 Noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
2,504× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The land or earth refers to the soil or ground, and can also mean a country, territory, or region. In the Bible, it is used to describe the earth and its inhabitants, and is often translated as 'land' or 'country'.
Amplified meaning
a desolate wasteland, a thing of wonder
Tyndale gloss
land: soil
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֶ֫רֶץ (erets) is a feminine noun meaning 'earth' or 'land.' It encompasses various meanings, including the whole earth, specific territories like Canaan, and even inhabitants of the land. It can refer to soil, ground, or regions, and is used in phrases related to distance and the living. There is a note on the plural form אֲרָצוֹת, which mainly appears in later texts to denote multiple lands.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶ֫רֶץ n. f. & (seld.) m. earth, land

earth, whole earth (opp. to a part)

earth, opp. to heaven, sky

earth = inhabitants of earth

land =

country, territory

district, region

trial territory

piece of ground

specif. land of Canaan, or Israel

= inhabitants of land

used even of Shᵉʼôl

ground, surface of ground

soil, as productive

אֶרֶץ in phrases

people of the land

in measurements of distance

the country of the plain, level or plain country

land of the living

end(s) of the earth

pl. אֲרָצוֹת is almost wholly late; it denotes lands, countries, often in contrast to Canaan, lands of the nations, etc.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H776 אֶ֫רֶץ n. f. & (seld.) m. earth, land . . earth, whole earth (opp. to a part)

. earth, opp. to heaven, sky

. earth = inhabitants of earth

. land = . country, territory

. district, region

. trial territory

. piece of ground

. specif. land of Canaan, or Israel

. = inhabitants of land

. used even of Shᵉʼôl

. . ground, surface of ground

. soil, as productive

. אֶרֶץ in phrases . people of the land

. in measurements of distance

. the country of the plain, level or plain country

. land of the living

. end(s) of the earth

. pl. אֲרָצוֹת is almost wholly late; it denotes lands, countries, often in contrast to Canaan, lands of the nations, etc.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

776 'erets eh'-rets

from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth

(at large, or partitively a land):--X common, country, earth,

field, ground, land, X natins, way, + wilderness, world.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶ֫רֶץ (e.rets) — land: country/planet.

: country/field

1) land, earth

1a) earth

1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part)

1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven)

1a3) earth (inhabitants)

1b) land

1b1) country, territory

1b2) district, region

1b3) tribal territory

1b4) piece of ground

1b5) land of Canaan, Israel

1b6) inhabitants of land

1b7) Sheol, land without return, (under) world

1b8) city (-state)

1c) ground, surface of the earth

1c1) ground

1c2) soil

1d) (in phrases)

1d1) people of the land

1d2) space or distance of country (in measurements of distance)

1d3) level or plain country

1d4) land of the living

1d5) end(s) of the earth

1e) (almost wholly late in usage)

1e1) lands, countries

1e1a) often in contrast to Canaan

אֶ֫רֶץ (e.rets) — land: soil.

: soil

1) land, earth

1a) earth

1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part)

1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven)

1a3) earth (inhabitants)

1b) land

1b1) country, territory

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-cs | Suff — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
HNcfsc/Sp3mp
to make land their into a waste whistling of perpetuity every [one who] passes by at it he will be appalled and he may wag with head his
לְשַׁמָּ֖הle.sha.Mah into a waste H8047 Preposition · noun common feminine singular absolute
39× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Shammâh refers to a state of horror or ruin, often describing a waste or desolate land. It can also mean consternation or appalment, and is used in the Bible to describe the aftermath of war or disaster.
Amplified meaning
shammah, a state of horror or ruin
Tyndale gloss
horror: destroyed
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שַׁמָּה (shammah) refers to concepts of waste and horror, indicating destruction or desolation. It encompasses meanings such as appalment and ruin, often related to land or cities. The word is derived from another Hebrew root, שָׁמַם (shamam), which also conveys similar themes of devastation.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שַׁמָּה n.f. waste, appalment

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8047 שַׁמָּה waste, appalment

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8047 shammah sham-maw'

from 8074; ruin; by implication,

consternation:--astonishment, desolate(-ion), waste,

wonderful thing.

see HEBREW for 08074

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שַׁמָּה (sham.mah) — horror: destroyed.

: destroyed/waste

1) waste, horror, appalment

1a) a waste (of land, city, etc)

1b) appalment, horror

Also means: sham.mah (שַׁמָּה ": appalled" H8047H)

שַׁמָּה (sham.mah) — horror: appalled.

: appalled

1) waste, horror, appalment

1a) a waste (of land, city, etc)

1b) appalment, horror

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-fs — Preposition · noun common feminine singular absolute
HR/Ncfsa
to make land their into a waste whistling of perpetuity every [one who] passes by at it he will be appalled and he may wag with head his
שְׁרִיק֣וֹתshe.ru.kat whistling of H8292 Noun common · feminine plural construct
2× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word describes a whistling or piping sound, often used to express scorn or mockery. In the KJV, it is translated as hissing or bleating.
Tyndale gloss
piping
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שְׁרִיקָה (shruqah) refers to a feminine noun meaning a whistling or hissing sound, often associated with scorn. It is derived from the root word for whistling, and can also imply piping or bleating. The entries consistently emphasize its auditory characteristics without significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[שְׁרִיקָה] n.[f.] hissing, perhaps also whistling, piping

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8292 שְׁרִיקָה, שְׁרוּקָה

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8292 shruwqah sher-oo-kaw'

or (by permutation) shriyqah {sher-ee- kaw'}; feminine

passive participle of 8319; a whistling (in scorn); by

analogy, a piping:--bleating, hissing.

see HEBREW for 08319

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שְׁרִיקָה (she.ru.qah) — piping.

piping, whistling, hissing

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcfpc — Noun common · feminine plural construct
HNcfpc
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…

to make land their into a waste whistling of perpetuity every [one who] passes by at it he will be appalled and he may wag with head his
עוֹלָ֑םo.Lam perpetuity H5769 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
438× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means forever or always, describing something that lasts an eternity. It is used in the Bible to describe God's eternal nature and his lasting promises.
Amplified meaning
forever, always
Tyndale gloss
forever: antiquity
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עוֹלָם (owlam) refers to concepts of long duration, antiquity, and futurity, encompassing meanings like eternity and perpetual existence. It is derived from a root meaning 'concealed' or 'the vanishing point.' The term is used to describe both ancient times and an indefinite future, indicating continuity and everlastingness.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עוֹלָם 439 n.m. long duration, antiquity, futurity

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5769 עוֹלָם long duration, antiquity, futurity

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5769 `owlam o-lawm'

or lolam {o-lawm'}; from 5956; properly, concealed, i.e. the

vanishing point; generally, time out of mind (past or future),

i.e. (practically) eternity; frequentatively, adverbial

(especially with prepositional prefix) always:--alway(-s),

ancient (time), any more, continuance, eternal, (for,

(n-))ever(-lasting, -more, of old), lasting, long (time), (of)

old (time), perpetual, at any time, (beginning of the) world

(+ without end). Compare 5331, 5703.

see HEBREW for 05956

see HEBREW for 05331

see HEBREW for 05703

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עוֹלָם (o.lam) — forever: enduring.

: enduring/eternal

1) long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, old, ancient, world

1a) ancient time, long time (of past)

1b) (of future)

1b1) for ever, always

1b2) continuous existence, perpetual

1b3) everlasting, indefinite or unending future, eternity

עוֹלָם (o.lam) — Everlasting.

This name means long duration, everlasting, perpetual

Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)

עוֹלָם (o.lam) — forever: any time.

: any_time

1) long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, old, ancient, world

1a) ancient time, long time (of past)

1b) (of future)

1b1) for ever, always

1b2) continuous existence, perpetual

1b3) everlasting, indefinite or unending future, eternity

עוֹלָם (o.lam) — forever: antiquity.

: old/ancient

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
to make land their into a waste whistling of perpetuity every [one who] passes by at it he will be appalled and he may wag with head his
כֹּ֚לkol every H3605 Noun common · masculine singular construct
5,415× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for 'all' or 'everything' is used throughout the Bible, like in Genesis 1:31, where God sees all He has made as very good. It encompasses the entirety of something, whether people, things, or situations.
Amplified meaning
everything, every person
Tyndale gloss
all
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כֹּל (kol) means 'all' or 'the whole.' It can refer to totality, including every person or thing, and is often used with a following genitive to specify what is included. The term can also denote a broader sense of everything in existence or all circumstances of life. The lexicons do not show significant disagreement on its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כֹּל once כּוֹל n.m. the whole, all

with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

Absolutely:

without the art., all things, all

with the art. הַכֹּל

where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3605 כֹּל once כּוֹל the whole, all . with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

. Absolutely: . without the art., all things, all

. with the art. הַכֹּל . where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

. in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3605 kol kole

or (Jer. 33:8) kowl {kole}; from 3634; properly, the whole;

hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a

plural sense):--(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any

(manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as

many as, (no-)thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole,

whoso(-ever).

see HEBREW for 03634

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כֹּל (kol) — all.

1) all, the whole

1a) all, the whole of

1b) any, each, every, anything

1c) totality, everything

Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular construct
HNcmsc
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
to make land their into a waste whistling of perpetuity every [one who] passes by at it he will be appalled and he may wag with head his
עוֹבֵ֣רo.Ver [one who] passes by H5674 Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine singular
556× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb can mean to cross over or transition from one thing to another, and is sometimes used to describe being arrogant or crossing a boundary.
Tyndale gloss
to pass
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עָבַר (abar) is a versatile verb meaning to pass over, through, or by, and it encompasses a range of actions including crossing, traversing, and alienating. It can also imply causing something to pass or be transferred, as well as emotional states like anger in its Hithpael form. The entries highlight its use in various contexts, though they do not provide specific verse references.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עָבַר 648 vb. pass over, through, by, pass on

Qal

pass over

Pass beyond

Pass through, traverse

pass along by

pass by

sweep by, of scourge

be past, over, of time

pass along (from hand to hand)

Pass on, go on

Pass away

Niph. Impf. a stream which cannot be forded

Pi.

his bull impregnateth

cause one to cross river

cause something to pass over

make over to

devote children to (לְ) heathen god

pass along (from hand to hand)

cause to pass through

let pass through

cause to pass by

let pass by

cause arrow to pass beyond

cause to pass under rod, for counting

cause to pass away, take away

Hiph.

cause to pass over, bring over

he made to pass across with chains of gold

base

[עָבַר] vb. denom. Hithp. be arrogant, infuriate oneself

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5674a עָבַר pass over, through, by, pass on .. pass over

. Pass beyond

. Pass through, traverse

. . pass along by

. pass by

. sweep by, of scourge

. be past, over, of time

. pass along (from hand to hand)

. Pass on, go on

. Pass away

. Impf. a stream which cannot be forded

. . his bull impregnateth . cause one to cross river

. cause something to pass over

. make over to

. devote children to (לְ) heathen god

. pass along (from hand to hand)

. . cause to pass through

. let pass through

. . cause to pass by

. let pass by

. cause arrow to pass beyond

. cause to pass under rod, for counting

. cause to pass away, take away

. . cause to pass over, bring over

. he made to pass across with chains of gold

H5674b עָבַר vb. denom. Hithp. be arrogant, infuriate oneself

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5674 `abar aw-bar'

a primitive root; to cross over; used very widely of any

transition (literal or figurative; transitive, intransitive,

intensive, causative); specifically, to cover (in

copulation):--alienate, alter, X at all, beyond, bring (over,

through), carry over, (over-)come (on, over), conduct (over),

convey over, current, deliver, do away, enter, escape, fail,

gender, get over, (make) go (away, beyond, by, forth, his way,

in, on, over, through), have away (more), lay, meddle,

overrun, make partition, (cause to, give, make to, over)

pass(-age, along, away, beyond, by, -enger, on, out, over,

through), (cause to, make) + proclaim(-amation), perish,

provoke to anger, put away, rage, + raiser of taxes, remove,

send over, set apart, + shave, cause to (make) sound, X

speedily, X sweet smelling, take (away), (make to)

transgress(-or), translate, turn away, (way-)faring man, be

wrath.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עָבַר (a.var) — to pass.

1) to pass over or by or through, alienate, bring, carry, do away, take, take away, transgress

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to pass over, cross, cross over, pass over, march over, overflow, go over

1a2) to pass beyond

1a3) to pass through, traverse

1a3a) passers-through (participle)

1a3b) to pass through (the parts of victim in covenant)

1a4) to pass along, pass by, overtake and pass, sweep by

1a4a) passer-by (participle)

1a4b) to be past, be over

1a5) to pass on, go on, pass on before, go in advance of, pass along, travel, advance

1a6) to pass away

1a6a) to emigrate, leave (one's territory)

1a6b) to vanish

1a6c) to perish, cease to exist

1a6d) to become invalid, become obsolete (of law, decree)

1a6e) to be alienated, pass into other hands

1b) (Niphal) to be crossed

1c) (Piel) to impregnate, cause to cross

1d) (Hiphil)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal — Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine singular
HVqrmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

In the sense of "against" which survives only in dialectal English (compare Wright, Dialect Dict., I, 470, for examples) is the King James Version rendering of the dative emauto of 1Co 4:4 (the American Standard Revised Version renders this "against"). In classical Greek the same idiom sunoida with dative = "be conscious" or "be cognizant of" a thing.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

By

In the expression “by myself” (A.V., 1 Cor. 4:4), means, as rendered in the Revised Version, “against myself.”

to make land their into a waste whistling of perpetuity every [one who] passes by at it he will be appalled and he may wag with head his
עָלֶ֔יהָ'a.Lei.ha at it H5921 Preposition · suffix
5,774× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means on or above something, like a physical object or a situation. It can also imply a sense of responsibility or accountability, as in being on behalf of someone.
Amplified meaning
cross over, transition
Tyndale gloss
upon
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עַל (*al*) is a preposition meaning 'upon' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including 'on account of,' 'beside,' 'above,' and 'against.' It can indicate physical placement, emotional burdens, or duties imposed on a person. The entries also note its use in idiomatic expressions and with verbs of motion. There is a mention of its function as a conjunction in certain contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

base

עַל, עָ֑ל

subst. height

As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against

Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed

of clothing, etc., which any one wears

With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it

Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him

Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him

על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him

חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5921a עַל, עָ֑ל . As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against . Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed . — . of clothing, etc., which any one wears

. With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it

. Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him

. Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him

. על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him

. חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5921 `al al

properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the

singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a

particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always

in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great

variety of applications (as follow):--above, according

to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because

of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both

and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in

(that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-)on, over, than,

through(-out), to, touching, X with.

see HEBREW for 05920

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עַל (al) — upon.

prep

1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against

1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards

1b) above, beyond, over (of excess)

1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence)

1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition)

1e) over (of suspension or extension)

1f) by, adjoining, next, at, over, around (of contiguity or proximity)

1g) down upon, upon, on, from, up upon, up to, towards, over towards, to, against (with verbs of motion)

1h) to (as a dative)

[כִּי] עַל [כֵּן] ([ki] al [ken]) — as.

conj

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | Suff — Preposition · suffix
HRd/Sp3fs
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
to make land their into a waste whistling of perpetuity every [one who] passes by at it he will be appalled and he may wag with head his
יִשֹּׁ֖םyi.Shom he will be appalled H8074 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
86× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The word 'shamem' means to be desolate or devastated, like a place left empty and destroyed, often used to describe the aftermath of war or disaster.
Amplified meaning
astonished, overcome with wonder
Tyndale gloss
be desolate: destroyed
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[שָׁמֵם] vb. be desolated, appalled

Qal

be desolated

be appalled, awestruck

Niph.

be desolated

be appalled

Pō‛.

I sat appalled

transit. appalling, causing horror

Hiph.

devastate, ravage

appal

inwardly trans., shewing horror

Hoph. all the days of (its) being desolate

Hithpō‛.

be appalled, astounded

cause oneself desolation, ruin

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8074 [שָׁמֵם] be desolated, appalled

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8074 shamem shaw-mame'

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

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

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

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

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

lie, make) waste, wonder.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

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

: destroyed/deserted

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

1a) (Qal)

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

1a2) to be appalled, be awestruck

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be desolated, be made desolate

1b2) to be appalled

1c) (Polel)

1c1) to be stunned

1c2) appalling, causing horror (participle)

1c2a) horror-causer, appaller (subst)

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to devastate, ravage, make desolated

1d2) to appal, show horror

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

1f) (Hithpolel)

1f1) to cause to be desolate

1f2) to be appalled, be astounded

1f3) to cause oneself desolation, cause oneself ruin

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

: appalled

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

1a) (Qal)

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

1a2) to be appalled, be awestruck

1b) (Niphal)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
HVqi3ms
to make land their into a waste whistling of perpetuity every [one who] passes by at it he will be appalled and he may wag with head his
וְיָנִ֥ידve.ya.Nid and he may wag H5110 Conjunction · verb hiphil third person masculine singular
24× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To wander means to move aimlessly, showing grief or sympathy, and is used to describe someone who is lost or in need of comfort, like a mourner or a fugitive.
Tyndale gloss
to wander
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word נוּד (*nuwd*) is a primitive root meaning to move to and fro or wander. It encompasses a range of actions including shaking, fluttering, and showing grief, as well as more figurative uses like taunting or consoling. The entries detail various forms and nuances, such as causing others to wander or moving oneself in grief.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נוּד vb. move to and fro, wander, shudder, shew grief

Qal

move to and fro, wander aimlessly, as fugitive

flutter

waver, wave, shake

shew grief (i.e. by shaking or nodding head)

Hiph.

cause to wander aimlessly, as fugitives

make a wagging, wag with the head

Hoph. and the worthless, like briers made to flutter (tossed away) are they

Hithpo‛lel

move oneself to and fro, sway, totter

shake oneself, in excitement

bemoan oneself

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5110 נוּד move to and fro, wander, shudder, shew grief

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5110 nuwd nood

a primitive root; to nod, i.e. waver; figuratively, to

wander, flee, disappear; also (from shaking the head in

sympathy), to console, deplore, or (from tossing the head in

scorn) taunt:--bemoan, flee, get, mourn, make to move, take

pity, remove, shake, skip for joy, be sorry, vagabond, way,

wandering.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נוּד (nud) — to wander.

1) to shake, waver, wander, move to and fro, flutter, show grief, have compassion on

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to move to and fro, wander (aimlessly), take flight

1a2) to flutter

1a3) to waver, wave, shake

1a4) to show grief

1a4a) to lament, condole, show sympathy

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to cause to wander (aimlessly)

1b2) to make a wagging, wag (with the head)

1c) (Hithpolel)

1c1) to move oneself to and fro, sway, totter

1c2) to shake oneself

1c3) to bemoan oneself

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Hiphil-Imperf-3ms — Conjunction · verb hiphil third person masculine singular
HC/Vhu3ms
to make land their into a waste whistling of perpetuity every [one who] passes by at it he will be appalled and he may wag with head his
בְּרֹאשֽׁוֹ׃be.ro.Sho with head his H7218 Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
600× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means chief or prince, and is used to describe leaders in the Bible, such as in the book of 1 Samuel. It signifies a position of authority and importance.
Amplified meaning
in disbelief, to show shock
Tyndale gloss
head
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רֹאשׁ (ro'sh) means 'head' and encompasses various meanings related to position and rank. It can refer to the head of a person or animal, the top of a mountain, or a chief in various contexts, such as a city or nation. The word also signifies beginnings and sums, appearing in phrases related to enumeration. Additionally, it serves as a proper noun for 'Rosh,' a title for a chief or prince.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רֹאשׁ 599 n.m.

(c. 230 t.) head, of human being

head, of animals

top (88 t.)

height, of stars

head = chief (man)

= chief (city)

chief nation

= chief (place, position)

= chief priest

= head of a family

head = front, leader's place

of time, beginning, of night watch

of things, river-heads

chief, choicest, best, of spices

head = division of army, company, band

= sum, esp. in phr. take sum of, enumerate

other phr.

base

רֹאשׁ n.pr.gent. Rôsh

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7218a רֹאשׁ . . (c. 230 t.) head, of human being

. head, of animals

. . top (88 t.)

. height, of stars

. . head = chief (man)

. = chief (city)

. chief nation

. = chief (place, position)

. = chief priest

. = head of a family

. . head = front, leader's place

. of time, beginning, of night watch

. of things, river-heads

. chief, choicest, best, of spices

. head = division of army, company, band

. = sum, esp. in phr. take sum of, enumerate

. other phr.

H7218b רֹאשׁ n. pr. gent. Rôsh

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7218 ro'sh roshe

from an unused root apparently meaning to shake; the head (as

most easily shaken), whether literal or figurative (in many

applications, of place, time, rank, itc.):--band, beginning,

captain, chapiter, chief(-est place, man, things), company,

end, X every (man), excellent, first, forefront, ((be-))head,

height, (on) high(-est part, (priest)), X lead, X poor,

principal, ruler, sum, top.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רֹאשׁ (rosh) — head.

: head

1) head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning

1a) head (of man, animals)

1b) top, tip (of mountain)

1c) height (of stars)

1d) chief, head (of man, city, nation, place, family, priest)

1e) head, front, beginning

1f) chief, choicest, best

1g) head, division, company, band

1h) sum

רֹאשׁ (rosh) — prince.

Rosh, a tite for a chief or prince

רֹאשׁ (rosh) — head: leader.

: leader

1) head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning

1a) head (of man, animals)

1b) top, tip (of mountain)

1c) height (of stars)

1d) chief, head (of man, city, nation, place, family, priest)

1e) head, front, beginning

1f) chief, choicest, best

1g) head, division, company, band

1h) sum

רֹאשׁ (rosh) — head: top.

: top/best

1) head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning

1a) head (of man, animals)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms | Suff — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hiz: Used often in the King James Version with reference to a neuter or inanimate thing, or to a lower animal (Ge 1:11, "after his kind"; Le 1:16, "pluck away his crop"; Ac 12:10, "of his own accord"; 1Co 15:38, "his own body"), etc. the Revised Version (British and American) substitutes "its."

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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