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Jeremiah 2:25 — Word Study

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WLCמִנְעִ֤י רַגְלֵךְ֙ מִיָּחֵ֔ף וּגְרוֹנֵ֖ךְ מִצִּמְאָ֑ה וַתֹּאמְרִ֣י נוֹאָ֔שׁ ל֕וֹא כִּֽי־ אָהַ֥בְתִּי זָרִ֖ים וְאַחֲרֵיהֶ֥ם אֵלֵֽךְ׃

BSAYou should have keptmânaʻ [withheld, restrained] your feetregel [steps, paths] from going bareyâchêph [unshod, without sandals] and your throatgôren [neck, parched area] from being thirstytsimʼâh [parched, dry from need of water] But you saidʼâmar It is hopelessyâʼash [incurable, desperate] Forkîy I loveʼâhab [have affection for, am devoted to] foreign [gods]zûwr [strangers, idols] and I must go afterʼachar [follow, walk after]

Word
Listen & take awayJeremiah 2
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 25 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 ('e.Lekh) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Jeremiah 2:25quick helps
In a sentenceGod admonishes Israel to avoid vulnerability and thirst, but they express hopelessness and devotion to foreign gods.
Who is speakingThe prophet Jeremiah, conveying God's message to Israel.
Where we areA rebuke to Israel for their unfaithfulness and idolatry.
The hard wordנוֹאָ֔שׁ
Take awayThe people have turned away from God, choosing instead to pursue idols.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbמָנַע The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

1 of 13 occurs nowhere else in the Old Testament — a word chosen on purpose.

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 2:25

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 — God's Call to Repentancegenerated

24a wild donkey at home in the wilderness, sniffing the wind in the heat of her desire. Who can restrain her passion? All who seek her need not weary themselves; in mating season they will find her.
25You should have kept your feet from going bare and your throat from being thirsty. But you said, ‘It is hopeless! For I love foreign gods, and I must go after them.’
26As the thief is ashamed when he is caught, so the house of Israel is disgraced. They, their kings, their officials, their priests, and their prophets
27say to a tree, ‘You are my father,’ and to a stone, ‘You gave me birth.’ For they have turned their backs to Me and not their faces, yet in the time of trouble they beg, ‘Rise up and save us!’

Jeremiah 2:25 presents a stark warning from God to Israel, urging them to refrain from actions that lead to spiritual and physical desolation. The context reveals Israel's tendency to abandon God for foreign idols, highlighting their unfaithfulness and the consequences of their choices. This passage emphasizes the need for repentance and the futility of seeking satisfaction in false gods, as seen in the surrounding verses.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Jeremiah 13:22And if you ask yourself, “Why has this happened to me?” It is because of the magnitude of your iniquity that your skirts have been stripped off and your body has been exposed.
2Deuteronomy 28:48you will serve your enemies the LORD will send against you in famine, thirst, nakedness, and destitution. He will place an iron yoke on your neck until He has destroyed you.
3Isaiah 20:2–4the LORD had already spoken through Isaiah son of Amoz, saying, “Go, remove the sackcloth from your waist and the sandals from your feet.” And Isaiah did so, walking around naked and barefoot.
4Lamentations 4:4The nursing infant’s tongue clings in thirst to the roof of his mouth. Little children beg for bread, but no one gives them any.
5Hosea 2:3Otherwise, I will strip her naked and expose her like the day of her birth. I will make her like a desert and turn her into a parched land, and I will let her die of thirst.

The Key Word מִנְעִ֤י, min.'Igenerated

The verb מָנַע (mana) means to restrain or withhold. It carries the sense of holding back from actions that lead to negative outcomes. In this verse, it calls Israel to avoid the vulnerability of going barefoot, which symbolizes a lack of protection and readiness.

The imperative form indicates a direct command, emphasizing the urgency of God's message. The choice to ignore this command leads to spiritual thirst and despair, as the people choose to pursue foreign gods instead.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

The translations generally agree on the meaning of the verse, with variations in phrasing.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The verse is structured around two main clauses, each beginning with a verb: מִנְעִ֤י (restrain) and וַתֹּאמְרִ֣י (and you said). The first clause issues a command to avoid vulnerability, while the second clause presents the people's response, revealing their despair and commitment to foreign gods.

The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the actions of the people and God's command, highlighting the contrast between divine instruction and human rebellion.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates מִנְעִ֤י as ἀπόστρεψον (turn away), suggesting a call for Israel to turn away from harmful actions. This choice implies a broader interpretation, focusing on the need for a complete change in direction.

The LXX also captures the essence of despair with ἀνδριοῦμαι (to despair), aligning with the Hebrew meaning but emphasizing the emotional state of hopelessness.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Jeremiah 2:25 warns Israel to keep their feet from going bare and their throat from being thirsty. However, they respond with hopelessness, declaring their love for foreign gods and their intention to pursue them. This reflects their unfaithfulness to God and the consequences of their choices.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean to keep your feet from going bare?

It symbolizes avoiding vulnerability and unpreparedness, which can lead to spiritual desolation.

Why do the people express hopelessness?

They feel despair over their situation and choose to turn to foreign gods instead of repenting.

What is the significance of loving foreign gods?

It indicates a betrayal of their covenant with God and a choice to seek fulfillment in idols rather than in Him.

How does this verse relate to the overall message of Jeremiah?

It encapsulates the theme of Israel's unfaithfulness and the call to repentance throughout the book.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what areas of my life am I choosing to pursue things that lead to spiritual thirst?
  2. How can I better recognize and resist the allure of 'foreign gods' in my life?
  3. What steps can I take to ensure I am keeping my spiritual path protected and nourished?
  4. How does understanding this verse help me in my relationship with God?

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

Early Church Fathers commented on this verse to illustrate the dangers of despair and idolatry, emphasizing the importance of faith in God.

JeromeLETTER 122.1 c. 347–420
Nothing makes God as angry as when people from despair of better things cling to those that are worse. Indeed, this despair in itself is a sign of unbelief. One who despairs of salvation can have no expectation of a judgment to come.
Early Church Fathers on Jeremiah 2 →
JeromeVerse 25. c. 347–420
Keep your foot from nakedness, and your throat from thirst. And you said, I have despaired, I will not do it. I have loved strangers, and will follow after them. LXX: Turn your foot away from the rough path, and your throat from thirst.
Early Church Fathers on Jeremiah 2 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Jeremiah 2:25 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Withhold thy foot from being unshod,.... That it may not be unshod, be naked and bare.

Read John Gill on Jeremiah 2 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Withhold thy foot from being unshod, and thy throat from thirst: but thou saidst, There is no hope: no; for I have loved strangers, and after them will I go.

Read Robert Jamieson on Jeremiah 2 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Withhold thy foot from being unshod; good counsel given them by the prophet to tarry at home; either that they do not go a gadding after their spiritual or corporal adulteries, or seek foreign aids, thereby to wear out their shoes; a metonymy of the effect, : or, that thou put not off thy shoes to go into the bed of lust, or uncover thy feet; a modest Hebrew expression, as also of other languages, for exposing thy nakedness, : or, take not those courses that will reduce thee to poverty, to go bare-foot, and bare-legged, and to want wherewith to quench thy thirst, as in the next clause, Proverbs 6 26 Isaiah 20:2,4. See . There is no hope: she seems to return a cross answer, the word pointing…

Read Matthew Poole on Jeremiah 2 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Jeremiah 2:25 Withhold thy foot from being unshod, and thy throat from thirst: but thou saidst, There is no hope: no; for I have loved strangers, and after them will I go.Ver. 25. Withhold thy foot from being unshod, &c.] Cease thy vain vagaries to the wearing out of thy shoes, and exposing thyself to extreme thirst; or rather take a timely course to prevent captivity, and the miseries that attend it. But thou saidst, There is no hope,] viz., Of reclaiming us; we are resolved on our course, and will take our swing in sin whatsoever come of it. Some grow desperately sinful, saith a reverend modern writer, like those Italian senators that, despairing of their lives, when upon submission they…

Read John Trapp on Jeremiah 2 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(25) Withhold thy foot.—From the brute types of passion the prophet passes to the human. Here he has Hosea as giving a prototype (Hosea 2:5; Hosea 2:7), perhaps also Isaiah (Isaiah 23:15-16). The picture may probably enough have been drawn from the life, but that sketched in Proverbs 7:10-23 may well have supplied the outline. Jehovah, as her true husband, bids the apostate wife to refrain for very shame from acting as the harlot, rushing barefoot into the streets, panting, as with a thirst that craves to be quenched, for the gratification of her desires. The “unshod” may possibly refer to one feature of the worship of Baal or Ashtaroth, men and women taking off their shoes when they…

Read Charles John Ellicott on Jeremiah 2 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 25. Withhold thy foot from being unshod] When it was said to them, "Cease from discovering thy feet; prostitute thyself no more to thy idols." And thy throat from thirst] Drink no more of their libations, nor use those potions which tend only to increase thy appetite for pollution. Thou didst say, There is no hope: it is useless to advise me thus; I am determined; I have loved these strange gods, and to them will I cleave.

Read AdamClarke on Jeremiah 2 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

25. Withhold thy foot from being unshod, and thy throat from thirst] Do not pursue thy shameless quest in recklessness and heat, till thy sandals are worn out, and thy throat parched. The words of the reply, the first part of which we might render, “Hopeless! No!” express the desperate determination to continue in sin. strangers] i.e. foreign gods. Cp. Deuteronomy 32:16.

Read Cambridge on Jeremiah 2 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

God the true husband exhorts Israel not to run barefoot, and with parched throat, like a shameless adulteress, after strangers. There is no hope - i. e., It is in vain.

Read Albert Barnes on Jeremiah 2 →

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

You should have kept your feet from going bare and your throat from being thirsty. But you said, ‘It is hopeless! For I love foreign gods, and I must go after them.’

WEBWorld English Bible2000

“Keep your feet from being bare, and your throat from thirst. But you said, ‘It is in vain. No, for I have loved strangers, and I will go after them.’

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

You should have kept your feet from going bare and your throat from being thirsty. But you said, ‘It is hopeless! For I love foreign gods, and I must go after them.’

NETBNew English Translation2006

Do not chase after other gods until your shoes wear out and your throats become dry. But you say, ‘It is useless for you to try and stop me because I love those foreign gods and want to pursue them!’

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Withhold thy foot from being unshod, and thy throat from thirst: but thou saidst, There is no hope: no; for I have loved strangers, and after them will I go.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Withhold thy foot from being unshod, and thy throat from thirst. But thou saidst, It is in vain; no, for I have loved strangers, and after them will I go.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Withhold thy foot from being unshod, and thy throat from thirst: but thou saidst, There is no hope: no; for I have loved strangers, and after them will I go.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Withhold thy foot from being unshod, and thy throat from thirst: but thou saidst, There is no hope: no; for I have loved strangers, and after them will I go.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Keepe thou thy feete from barenes, and thy throte from thirst: but thou saidest desperately, No, for I haue loued strangers, and them will I follow.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Withhold thy foot from being unshod, and thy throat from thirst. But thou saidst, There is no hope; no, for I love strangers, and after them will I go.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Withhold thy foot from being unshod, And thy throat from thirst, And thou sayest, 'It is incurable, No, for I have loved strangers, and after them I go.'

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Withhold your foot from being unshod, || And your throat from thirst, || And you say, It is incurable, || No, for I have loved strangers, and I go after them.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

“Prevent thy foot from being unshod, and thy throat from being thirsty;” but thou saidst, It is useless; no, for I have loved strangers, and after them will I go.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

You must restrain your feet from becoming bare and your throat from being thirsty! But you have said, 'It is hopeless! No, I love strangers and go after them!'

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Keep thy foot from being bare, and thy throat from thirst. But thou saidst: I have lost all hope, I will not do it: for I have loved strangers, and I will walk after them.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

You don't have to run around barefoot or have your throat go dry. But you reply, “No, it's impossible! I'm in love with foreign gods—I must go to them.”

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Do not let your foot be without shoes, or your throat dry from need of water: but you said, There is no hope: no, for I have been a lover of strange gods, and after them I will go.

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.

clauseclauseverbמִנְעִ֤יrestrainnoun phrase · objectרַגְלֵfootךְ֙yourprepositional phrase · prepositionalמִfromיָּחֵ֔ףbarefootוּandclausenoun phrase · objectגְרוֹנֵ֖throatךְyourprepositional phrase · prepositionalמִfromצִּמְאָ֑הthirstוַandclauseverbתֹּאמְרִ֣יyou.saidclauseverbנוֹאָ֔שׁdespairingclauseadverbialל֕וֹאnoכִּֽי(dm)clauseclauseverbאָהַ֥בְתִּיI.loveobjectזָרִ֖יםstrange.[gods]וְandclauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalאַחֲרֵיafterהֶ֥םthemverbאֵלֵֽךְI.will.walk

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


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

The Masoretic Text (MT) of Jeremiah 2:25 states, "You should have kept your feet from going bare and your throat from being thirsty. But you said, ‘It is hopeless! For I love foreign gods, and I must go after them.’" The Septuagint (LXX) matches 12 of the 13 words from the MT, indicating a high degree of agreement, though the specific wording and structure may differ slightly due to translation choices. There are no significant differences in meaning between the MT and the LXX for this verse, as both convey the same message about the people's refusal to refrain from idolatry. The Samaritan Pentateuch and the Dead Sea Scrolls do not provide additional witnesses for this specific verse, so the primary comparison remains between the MT and the LXX.

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

מִנְעִ֤י רַגְלֵךְ֙ מִיָּחֵ֔ף וּגְרוֹנֵ֖ךְ מִצִּמְאָ֑ה וַתֹּאמְרִ֣י נוֹאָ֔שׁ ל֕וֹא כִּֽי־ אָהַ֥בְתִּי זָרִ֖ים וְאַחֲרֵיהֶ֥ם אֵלֵֽךְ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
מִנְעִ֤יἀπόστρεψονרַגְלֵךְ֙σουמִיָּחֵ֔ףἀπὸוּגְרוֹנֵ֖ךְσουמִצִּמְאָ֑הδίψουςוַתֹּאמְרִ֣יδὲנוֹאָ֔שׁἀνδριοῦμαιכִּֽי־ὅτιאָהַ֥בְתִּיἠγαπήκειזָרִ֖יםἀλλοτρίουςוְאַחֲרֵיהֶ֥םαὐτῶνאֵלֵֽךְ׃ἐπορεύετο

12 of the 13 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.

Jeremiah 2:25מָנַעrestrainrestrainמָנַערֶ֫גֶלfoot yourfoot yourרֶ֫גֶליָחֵףfrom barefofrom barefootיָחֵףגָּרוֹןand throat and throat yourגָּרוֹןצִמְאָהfrom thirstfrom thirstצִמְאָהאָמַרand you saiand you saidאָמַריָאַשׁdespairingdespairingיָאַשׁלֹאIn-In-לֹאכִּיdeeddeedכִּיאָהֵבI loveI loveאָהֵבזוּרstrange [gostrange [gods]זוּראַחַרand after tand after themאַחַרהָלַךְI will walkI will walkהָלַךְרָגַלto spyto spyרָגַלגָּרַרto drag/chto drag/chew/saגָּרַראָחַרto delayto delayאָחַרצָמָאthirstthirstצָמָאהָלַךְto walkto walkהָלַךְכָּבֵדto honor: to honor: honouכָּבֵדרֶ֫גֶלfootfootרֶ֫גֶלבֹּ֫הֶןthumb/big thumb/big toeבֹּ֫הֶןיְמָנִיrightrightיְמָנִיעָרוֹםnakednakedעָרוֹםהָלַךְto go: walto go: walkהָלַךְקָרָאto call: cto call: call tקָרָאעַ֫יִןeyeeyeעַ֫יִןכֹּהthusthusכֹּהיהוהYHWH/GodYHWH/Godיהוהאָמַרto sayto sayאָמַריָכֹלbe ablebe ableיָכֹלעוֹדstillstillעוֹד
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 2:25

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.

restrain foot your from barefoot and throat your from thirst and you said despairing In- deed I love strange [gods] and after them I will walk
מִנְעִ֤יmin.'I restrain H4513 Verb · Qal · imperative second person feminine singular
29× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To withhold means to hold something back or keep it from someone. In the Bible, this word is used to describe God withholding something from people, or people withholding things from each other.
Amplified meaning
withheld, restrained
Tyndale gloss
to withhold
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מָנַע (mana) is a Hebrew verb meaning to withhold or hold back. It can refer to denying or restraining something, either positively or negatively. The verb appears in different forms, such as Qal (to withhold) and Niphal (to be withheld). The entries do not indicate any significant disagreement among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מָנַע vb. withhold, hold back

Qal withhold

Niph. be withholden

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4513 מָנַע withhold, hold back

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4513 mana` maw-nah'

a primitive root; to debar (negatively or positively) from

benefit or injury:--deny, keep (back), refrain, restrain,

withhold.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מָנַע (ma.na) — to withhold.

1) to withhold, hold back, keep back, refrain, deny, keep restrain, hinder

1a) (Qal) to withhold

1b) (Niphal) to be withheld

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Impv-2fs — Verb · Qal · imperative second person feminine singular
HVqv2fs
restrain foot your from barefoot and throat your from thirst and you said despairing In- deed I love strange [gods] and after them I will walk
רַגְלֵךְ֙rag.leKh foot your H7272 Noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
247× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word also means a foot, like when God says he will tread on the wicked in Malachi 4:3. It's used to describe human and animal feet, as well as the base of objects like tables or idols.
Amplified meaning
steps, paths
Tyndale gloss
foot
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רֶ֫גֶל (regel) means 'foot' and can refer to a foot or leg in various contexts, including anthropomorphic references to God and other beings. It also implies steps or paces. The word is derived from a root meaning related to walking, and it appears in multiple forms, such as feet and paces.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רֶ֫גֶל 247 n.f. foot

foot

three times (feet, paces)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7272 רֶ֫גֶל foot . foot

. three times (feet, paces)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7272 regel reh'-gel

from 7270; a foot (as used in walking); by implication, a

step; by euphem. the pudenda:--X be able to endure, X

according as, X after, X coming, X follow,

((broken-))foot((-ed, -stool)), X great toe, X haunt, X

journey, leg, + piss, + possession, time.

see HEBREW for 07270

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רֶ֫גֶל (re.gel) — foot.

1) foot

1a) foot, leg

1b) of God (anthropomorphic)

1c) of seraphim, cherubim, idols, animals, table

1d) according to the pace of (with prep)

1e) three times (feet, paces)

Aramaic equivalent: re.gal (רְגַל "foot" H7271)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs | Suff — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
HNcfsc/Sp2fs
restrain foot your from barefoot and throat your from thirst and you said despairing In- deed I love strange [gods] and after them I will walk
מִיָּחֵ֔ףmi.ya.Chef from barefoot H3182 Preposition
5× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Being barefoot or unsandaled is described by this Hebrew word, which appears in Exodus and Isaiah, often symbolizing humility or mourning. In biblical times, removing shoes was a sign of respect or grief, and this word conveys that sense of vulnerability.
Amplified meaning
unshod, without sandals
Tyndale gloss
barefoot
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָחֵף (yacheph) means 'barefoot' and is derived from an unused root that suggests taking off shoes. The word covers the concept of being unshod, indicating bareness. It appears in contexts related to lack of footwear.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָחֵף adj. barefoot

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3182 יָחֵף barefoot

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3182 yacheph yaw-khafe'

from an unused root meaning to take off the shoes;

unsandalled:--barefoot, being unshod.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָחֵף (ya.cheph) — barefoot.

1) barefoot

1a) bareness, being unshod (subst)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | Adj — Preposition
HR/Aamsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

bar'-foot.

1. Introductory:

The word is found in the following passages: English Versions of the Bible, "He went barefoot" (2Sa 15:30); "(Isaiah) did so, walking .... barefoot" (Isa 20:2); and like the Egyptians, "naked and barefoot" (Isa 20:3,4). It seems that David in his flight before Absalom "went barefoot," not to facilitate his flight, but to show his grief (2Sa 15:30), and that Micah (Mi 1:8) makes "going barefoot" a sign of mourning (Septuagint: "to be barefoot"; the King James Version "stripped"). The nakedness and bare feet of the prophet Isaiah (20:2) may have been intended to symbolize and express sympathy for the forlorn condition of captives (compare

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Barefoot

To go barefoot was a sign of great distress (Isa. 20:2, 3, 4), or of some great calamity having fallen on a person (2 Sam. 15:30).

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
restrain foot your from barefoot and throat your from thirst and you said despairing In- deed I love strange [gods] and after them I will walk
וּגְרוֹנֵ֖ךְu.go.ro.nekh and throat your H1627 Conjunction · noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
8× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The throat refers to the neck or throat area, as in Ezekiel 38:21 where God says the open sepulchre will be stopped. It can also mean to speak aloud or mouth something.
Tyndale gloss
throat
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

גָּרוֹן (garown) refers to the neck or throat, emphasizing its physical characteristics and functions, such as swallowing and speech. The term can also have a figurative use, as seen in its association with an open sepulchre. The entries consistently define it in this way, with no significant disagreement noted.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

גָּרוֹן n.m. neck, throat

of the visible exterior (front) of throat, neck

throat, as capable of thirst; as organ of speech

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1627 גָּרוֹן neck, throat

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1627 garown gaw-rone'

or (shortened) garon {gaw-rone'}; from 1641; the throat

(compare 1621) (as roughened by swallowing):--X aloud, mouth,

neck, throat.

see HEBREW for 01641

see HEBREW for 01621

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

גָּרוֹן (ga.ron) — throat.

1) neck, throat

1a) neck

1b) throat

1b1) of open sepulchre (fig.)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HC/Ncmsc/Sp2fs — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HC/Ncmsc/Sp2fs
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
restrain foot your from barefoot and throat your from thirst and you said despairing In- deed I love strange [gods] and after them I will walk
מִצִּמְאָ֑הmi.tzim.'Ah from thirst H6773 Preposition · noun common feminine singular absolute
1× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word describes a state of being parched or dry, either physically or spiritually, and is used in the Bible to describe a lack of fulfillment or satisfaction, like in Isaiah 29:8 where it talks about a thirsty dream. It can also refer to a strong desire or craving.
Amplified meaning
parched, dry from need of water
Tyndale gloss
parched
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

צִמְאָה (tsim'ah) is a feminine noun derived from צָמָא (tzamah), meaning thirst or a parched condition. It conveys the idea of physical thirst and can also suggest a figurative sense of longing or desire. The word appears in contexts such as Jeremiah 2:25.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

צִמְאָה n.f. parched condition;—Je 2:25

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6773 צִמְאָה

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6773 tsim'ah tsim-aw'

feminine of 6772; thirst (figuratively, of

libidinousnes):--thirst.

see HEBREW for 06772

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

צִמְאָה (tsim.ah) — parched.

parched condition, thirst, dehydration

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-fs — Preposition · noun common feminine singular absolute
HR/Ncfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

thurst (tsama', verb tsame'; dipsao, dipsos, dipsa): One of the most powerful natural appetities, the craving for water or other drink. Besides its natural significance, thirst is figuratively used of strong spiritual desire. The soul thirsts for God (Ps 42:2; 63:1). Jesus meets the soul's thirst with water of life (Joh 4:13 ff; 6:35; 7:37). It is said of the heavenly bliss, "They shall hunger no more; neither thirst any more" (Re 7:16,17; compare Isa 49:10).

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Figurative of the ardent desire of the devout mind Ps 42:1-4; 63:1; 143:6; Isa 55:1; Am 8:11-13; Mt 5:6; Joh 4:14,15; 7:37; Re 21:6; 22:17

→ See DESIRE, SPIRITUAL

→ See DILIGENCE

→ See HUNGER, SPIRITUAL

→ See ZEAL

restrain foot your from barefoot and throat your from thirst and you said despairing In- deed I love strange [gods] and after them I will walk
וַתֹּאמְרִ֣יva.tom.Ri and you said H559 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect second person feminine singular
5,309× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to say or speak, and it's used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to command, promise, or think, and it's translated in the KJV as 'answer', 'appoint', or 'command'.
Tyndale gloss
to say
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָמַר (amar) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to say' or 'to utter,' with a broad range of uses including to promise, command, or even boast. It appears in various forms, such as in the Qal (to say), Niphal (to be told), and Hiphil (to avow). The entries highlight its versatility in both spoken and internal contexts, though no specific verse is noted.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָמַר 5287 vb. utter, say

Qal

Say

Say in the heart (= think)

Promise

Command (esp. late)

Niph. be said, told

Hiph. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

Hithp. act proudly, boast

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H559 אָמַר utter, say .. Say

. Say in the heart (= think)

. Promise

. Command (esp. late)

. be said, told

. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

. act proudly, boast

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

559 'amar aw-mar'

a primitive root; to say (used with great

latitude):--answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call,

certify, challenge, charge, + (at the, give) command(-ment),

commune, consider, declare, demand, X desire, determine, X

expressly, X indeed, X intend, name, X plainly, promise,

publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), X still, X

suppose, talk, tell, term, X that is, X think, use (speech),

utter, X verily, X yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָמַר (a.mar) — to say.

1) to say, speak, utter

1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend

1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called

1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly

1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch

Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-2fs — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect second person feminine singular
Hc/Vqw2fs
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
restrain foot your from barefoot and throat your from thirst and you said despairing In- deed I love strange [gods] and after them I will walk
נוֹאָ֔שׁno.'Ash despairing H2976 Verb · Niphal · participle (active) masculine singular
6× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To despair or lose hope is the meaning of this word. It involves giving up or feeling desperate, like saying 'it's hopeless' in the face of a difficult situation.
Amplified meaning
incurable, desperate
Tyndale gloss
to despair
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָאַשׁ (ya'ash) is a Hebrew verb meaning to despair. It can refer to a state of being despaired or desperate in the Niphal form, and in the Piel form, it can mean to cause someone to despair. The entries indicate that it conveys a sense of hopelessness.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[יָאַשׁ] vb. despair

Niph. despair

Pi. to make my heart despair, concerning all the toil.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2976 יָאַשׁ despair

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2976 ya'ash yaw-ash'

a primitive root; to desist, i.e. (figuratively) to

despond:--(cause to) despair, one that is desperate, be no

hope.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָאַשׁ (ya.ash) — to despair.

1) to despair

1a) (Niphal) to be despaired, be desperate

1b) (Piel) to cause to despair

interj

2) it is hopeless!

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Niphal — Verb · Niphal · participle (active) masculine singular
HVNrmsa
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
restrain foot your from barefoot and throat your from thirst and you said despairing In- deed I love strange [gods] and after them I will walk
ל֕וֹאLo' In- H3808 Particle
5,170× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Tyndale gloss
not
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לֹא or לוֹא adv. not

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3808 lo' lo

or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often

used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,

ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,

no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out

of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +

of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לֹא (lo) — not.

1) not, no

1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)

1b) not (with modifier-negation)

1c) nothing (subst)

1d) without (with particle)

1e) before (of time)

Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTn — Particle
HTn
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

A principal thing to notice about this preposition, which in the King James Version represents about 16 Hebrew and as many Greek words and prepositions, is that, in hundreds of cases (especially in the Old Testament, but frequently also in the New Testament) in the Revised Version (British and American) the rendering is changed to more exact forms ("to," "unto," "by," "upon," "at," "with," "among," "for," "throughout," etc.; compare e.g. Ge 6:16; 13:8; 17:7,9,12; 18:1; Ex 8:17; Le 1:9, etc.); while, nearly as often, "in" is substituted for divergent forms of the King James Version (e.g. Ge 2:14; 17:11; 31:54; 40:7; 49:17; Ex…

restrain foot your from barefoot and throat your from thirst and you said despairing In- deed I love strange [gods] and after them I will walk
כִּֽי־ki- deed H3588 Particle
4,483× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A conjunction used to show cause or connection, as in Genesis 2:23 where Adam says the woman is bone of his bone because she was taken out of him. It is often translated as 'for', 'because', or 'since'.
Tyndale gloss
for
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כִּי conj. that, for, when

that

Of time, when, of the past

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

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

Because, since

base

כִּי אם־

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

that if

for if

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

limiting the prec. clause, except

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

after an oath, surely

base

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3588a כִּי that, for, when . that

. . Of time, when, of the past

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

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

. Because, since

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

. for if

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

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

. after an oath, surely

H3588c כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3588 kiy kee

a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional

prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

whether, while, whom, yea, yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כִּי (ki) — for.

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

1a) that

1a1) yea, indeed

1b) when (of time)

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

1c) because, since (causal connection)

1d) but (after negative)

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

1f) but rather, but

1g) except that

1h) only, nevertheless

1i) surely

1j) that is

1k) but if

1l) for though

1m) forasmuch as, for therefore

כִּי [אם] (ki im) — that if: except.

1) except if

1a) but if

1b) even though

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

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

1a) that

1a1) yea, indeed

1b) when (of time)

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

1c) because, since (causal connection)

1d) but (after negative)

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

ded: Used in its ordinary modern sense in EV. In the Old Testament it is used to translates five Hebrew words: gemylah, literally, "recompense" (Isa 59:18); dabhar, literally, "word," "thing" (2Ch 35:27 the King James Version, the Revised Version (British and American) "acts"; Es 1:17,18; Jer 5:28); ma`aseh (Ge 20:9; 44:15; Ezr 9:13); `alilah (1Ch 16:8 the King James Version, the Revised Version (British and American) "doings"; Ps 105:1 the King James Version…

Nave's Topical Bible

→ To land Jer 32:12,14; 44

→ See LAND

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
restrain foot your from barefoot and throat your from thirst and you said despairing In- deed I love strange [gods] and after them I will walk
אָהַ֥בְתִּי'a.Hav.ti I love H157 Verb · Qal · perfect first person common singular
211× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To love means to have affection for someone or something, including family, romance, or God. It can also describe being a friend or having appetite for things like food or wisdom.
Amplified meaning
have affection for, am devoted to
Tyndale gloss
to love: lover
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אָהֵב (*'ahab*) means 'to love' and encompasses various forms of affection, including human love for others, love for God, and even appetites for things like food and wisdom. It can also refer to friendship and divine love towards humanity, particularly Israel. The entries indicate that it can function in different grammatical forms, such as participles for 'lovely' or 'loveable'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָהֵב 216 vb. love

Qal

human love to human object

less oft. of appetite

love to God

esp. Pt.

of divine love

Niph. Pt. pl. lovely, loveable

Pi.

friends

lovers

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H157 אָהֵב love

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

157 'ahab aw-hab'

or raheb {aw-habe'}; a primitive root; to have affection for

(sexually or otherwise):--(be-)love(-d, -ly, -r), like,

friend.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָהֵב (a.hav) — to love: lover.

: lover

1) to love

1a) (Qal)

1a1) human love for another, includes family, and sexual

1a2) human appetite for objects such as food, drink, sleep, wisdom

1a3) human love for or to God

1a4) act of being a friend

1a4a) lover (participle)

1a4b) friend (participle)

1a5) God's love toward man

1a5a) to individual men

1a5b) to people Israel

1a5c) to righteousness

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) lovely (participle)

1b2) loveable (participle)

1c) (Piel)

1c1) friends

1c2) lovers (fig. of adulterers)

2) to like

Also means: a.hav (אָהֵב ": friend" H0157H)

אָהֵב (a.hav) — to love: friend.

: friend

1) to love

1a) (Qal)

1a1) human love for another, includes family, and sexual

1a2) human appetite for objects such as food, drink, sleep, wisdom

1a3) human love for or to God

1a4) act of being a friend

1a4a) lover (participle)

1a4b) friend (participle)

1a5) God's love toward man

1a5a) to individual men

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-1cs — Verb · Qal · perfect first person common singular
HVqp1cs
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

luv ('ahebh, 'ahabhah, noun; phileo, agapao, verb; agape, noun): Love to both God and man is fundamental to true religion, whether as expressed in the Old Testament or the New Testament. Jesus Himself declared that all the law and the prophets hang upon love (Mt 22:40; Mr 12:28-34). Paul, in his matchless ode on love (1Co 13), makes it the greatest of the graces of the Christian life--greater than speaking with tongues, or the gift of prophecy, or the possession of a faith of superior excellence; for without love all these gifts and graces, desirable and useful as they are in themselves, are as nothing, certainly of no permanent value in the sight of God. Not that either Jesus or Paul underestimates the faith from which all the graces proceed, for this grace is recognized as…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Love

This word seems to require explanation only in the case of its use by our Lord in his interview with “Simon, the son of Jonas,” after his resurrection (John 21:16, 17). When our Lord says, “Lovest thou me?” he uses the Greek word agapas; and when Simon answers, he uses the Greek word philo, i.e., “I love.” This is the usage in the first and second questions put by our Lord; but in the third our Lord uses Simon’s word. The distinction between these two Greek words is thus fitly described by Trench:, ”Agapan has more of judgment and deliberate choice; philein has more of attachment and peculiar personal affection. Thus the ‘Lovest thou’ (Gr. agapas) on the lips of the Lord seems to Peter at this moment too cold a word, as though his Lord were keeping him at a distance, or at least not inviting him to draw near, as in the…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

GOD IS LOVE; AND HE THAT DWELLETH IN LOVE DWELLETH IN GOD, AND GOD IN HIM, 1Jo 4:16. Love is a chief attribute of Jehovah, the length and breadth and height and depth of which are beyond comprehension, for they are infinite, Eph 3:18,19. Between the three Persons of the Godhead, love is unutterable full, perfect, and blissful; towards holy angels and Christians, God’s love is an infinite fatherly complacency and affection; towards sinners, it is immeasurable compassion. It is shown in all his works and ways, and dictated his holy law, but is most signally displayed in the gospel, Joh 3:16. "Herein is love."

Holy love in man would make the whole heart and soul supremely delight in and obey God, and cordially and practically love all beings according to their character-the good…

Nave's Topical Bible

→ OF CHILDREN FOR PARENTS

See CHILDREN

→ OF GOD, LOVE OF

→ OF MAN FOR GOD Ex 20:6; De 5:10; 6:5; 7:9; 10:12; 11:1,13,22; 13:3; 30:6,16,20; Jos 22:5; 23:11; Ps 18:1; 31:23; 37:4; 45:10,11; 63:5,6; 69:35,36; 73:25,26; 91:14; 97:10; 116:1; 145:20; Pr 8:17; 23:26; Isa 56:6,7; Jer 2:2,3; Mt 22:37,38; Mr 12:29,30,32,33; Lu 11:42;

restrain foot your from barefoot and throat your from thirst and you said despairing In- deed I love strange [gods] and after them I will walk
זָרִ֖יםza.Rim strange [gods] H2114 Adj
77× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word has several meanings, including being a stranger or foreigner, like when Abraham lived in Egypt as a foreigner. It can also mean to commit adultery, highlighting the idea of turning aside from what is right and proper, as warned against in Proverbs 5.
Amplified meaning
strangers, idols
Tyndale gloss
be a stranger
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

זוּר (zuwr) is a Hebrew verb meaning to be a stranger or to become estranged. It can describe a person as strange or foreign, and it also has connotations of loathsomeness. The word can refer to committing adultery or being alienated, with its usage found in contexts involving estrangement or foreignness.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[זוּר] vb. be a stranger

Qal

Pf. become estranged

Pt. as adj. strange, or as noun stranger

Niph. Pf. be estranged

Hoph. Pt. estranged

base

[זוּר, זִיר] vb. be loathsome, only 3 fs. Jb 19:17

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2114a זוּר be a stranger .. Pf. become estranged

. Pt. as adj. strange, or as noun stranger

. Pf. be estranged

. Pt. estranged

H2114b זוּר, זִיר be loathsome

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2114 zuwr zoor

a primitive root; to turn aside (especially for lodging);

hence to be a foreigner, strange, profane; specifically

(active participle) to commit adultery:--(come from) another

(man, place), fanner, go away, (e-)strange(-r, thing, woman).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

זוּר (zur) — be a stranger.

1) to be strange, be a stranger

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to become estranged

1a2) strange, another, stranger, foreigner, an enemy (participle)

1a3) strange woman, prostitute, harlot (meton)

1b) (Niphal) to be estranged

1c) (Hophal) to be a stranger, be one alienated

זוּר (zur) — be loathsome.

loathsome (of breath) (participle)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Adj
HAampa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

See GOD, STRANGE.

restrain foot your from barefoot and throat your from thirst and you said despairing In- deed I love strange [gods] and after them I will walk
וְאַחֲרֵיהֶ֥םve.'a.cha.rei.Hem and after them H310 Conjunction · suffix
716× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Achar means backwards or after, used to describe something that happens later or in the rear. It is used in various senses in the Bible, including in 1 Kings 12:18.
Amplified meaning
follow, walk after
Tyndale gloss
after
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אַחַר (*achar*) primarily denotes the concept of 'after' or 'behind' in both spatial and temporal contexts. It functions as a substantive, adverb, preposition, and conjunction, indicating a following part or time. The related form אַחֲרַי (*acharai*) refers to a person who turns backwards. There is a reference to Proverbs 28:23 in relation to the latter.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אַחַר prop. subst. the hinder or following part

adv.

of place, behind

of time, afterwards

prep.

of place, behind, after

of time, after

conj. after that.

base

אַחֲרַי adj. Pr 28:23 a man that turneth backwards.

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H310a אַחַר prop. subst. the hinder or following part . adv. . of place, behind

. of time, afterwards

. prep. . of place, behind, after

. of time, after

. conj. after that.

H310b אַחֲרַי a man that turneth backwards.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

310 'achar akh-ar'

from 309; properly, the hind part; generally used as an

adverb or conjunction, after (in various senses):--after

(that, -ward), again, at, away from, back (from, -side),

behind, beside, by, follow (after, -ing), forasmuch, from,

hereafter, hinder end, + out (over) live, + persecute,

posterity, pursuing, remnant, seeing, since, thence(-forth),

when, with.

see HEBREW for 0309

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אַחַר (a.char) — after.

1) after the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time)

1a) as an adverb

1a1) behind (of place)

1a2) afterwards (of time)

1b) as a preposition

1b1) behind, after (of place)

1b2) after (of time)

1b3) besides

1c) as a conjunction

1c) after that

1d) as a substantive

1d1) hinder part

1e) with other prepositions

1e1) from behind

1e2) from following after

אַחֲרַי (a.cha.ray) — backwards.

backwards (of a man that turns backwards)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Prep | Suff — Conjunction · suffix
HC/Acmpc/Sp3mp
restrain foot your from barefoot and throat your from thirst and you said despairing In- deed I love strange [gods] and after them I will walk
אֵלֵֽךְ׃'e.Lekh I will walk H1980 Verb · Qal · imperfect first person common singular
1,549× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Means to walk or go, used in many different contexts in the Bible. It can describe physical movement, but also spiritual or emotional journeys. Appears in various forms, such as 'to go' or 'to walk'.
Tyndale gloss
to go: walk
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הָלַךְ (halak) means 'to go,' 'come,' or 'walk,' and covers a wide range of literal and figurative uses, including aspects of life and death. It can describe physical movement, moral conduct, and even influence on character. The verb appears in various forms, such as Qal, Piel, and Hithpael, indicating different nuances like leading or traversing.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הָלַךְ 1546 vb. go, come, walk

Qal Impf. usually (629 t.) as if from ילך

lit.

of persons

Also of animals, in similar meanings and combinations

in like manner of inanimate things

The inf. abs. is often used

as in other vbs., quite independently

to intensify meaning of finite form

most noteworthy is the joining of the Inf. abs.

with a following Inf. abs. denoting a simutaneous action or process, and so emphasizing duration or continuance

with a foll. vb. fin. c. ו consec. (rare)

in cases where vb. fin. is foll. by Inf. abs. adj. denoting progress, advance

twice, where vb. fin. is not הלך, but another vb. denoting motion

quite by itself

13 t. the Inf. abs. = Imv. & is followed by Pf. consec.

akin to the use of Inf. abs. are some instances of Pt.

In combination with other verbal forms

Fig.; the most common uses follow; in most the origin in a literal meaning is evident:

pass away, die

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1980 הָלַךְ go, come, walk .Impf. usually (629 t.) as if from ילך . lit. . of persons

. Also of animals, in similar meanings and combinations

. in like manner of inanimate things

. The inf. abs. is often used . as in other vbs., quite independently

. to intensify meaning of finite form

. most noteworthy is the joining of the Inf. abs. . with a following Inf. abs. denoting a simutaneous action or process, and so emphasizing duration or continuance

. with a foll. vb. fin. c. ו consec. (rare)

. in cases where vb. fin. is foll. by Inf. abs. + adj. denoting progress, advance

. twice, where vb. fin. is not הלך, but another vb. denoting motion

. quite by itself

. 13 t. the Inf. abs. = Imv. & is followed by Pf. consec.

. akin to the use of Inf. abs. are some instances of Pt.

. In combination with other verbal forms

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1980 halak haw-lak'

akin to 3212; a primitive root; to walk (in a great variety

of applications, literally and figuratively):--(all) along,

apace, behave (self), come, (on) continually, be conversant,

depart, + be eased, enter, exercise (self), + follow, forth,

forward, get, go (about, abroad, along, away, forward, on,

out, up and down), + greater, grow, be wont to haunt, lead,

march, X more and more, move (self), needs, on, pass (away),

be at the point, quite, run (along), + send, speedily, spread,

still, surely, + tale-bearer, + travel(-ler), walk (abroad,

on, to and fro, up and down, to places), wander, wax,

(way-)faring man, X be weak, whirl.

see HEBREW for 03212

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: went.

: went/go[away]

1) to go, walk, come

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away

1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to walk

1b2) to walk (fig.)

1c) (Hithpael)

1c1) to traverse

1c2) to walk about

1d) (Niphal) to lead, bring, lead away, carry, cause to walk

הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: come.

: come[nearer]

1) to go, walk, come

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away

1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to walk

1b2) to walk (fig.)

1c) (Hithpael)

1c1) to traverse

1c2) to walk about

1d) (Niphal) to lead, bring, lead away, carry, cause to walk

הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: walk.

: walk/move

1) to go, walk, come

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away

1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to walk

1b2) to walk (fig.)

1c) (Hithpael)

1c1) to traverse

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVqi1cs — Verb · Qal · imperfect first person common singular
HVqi1cs
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

wok (peripatein): Aside from its frequent occurrence in the usual sense, the word "walk" is used figuratively of conduct and of spiritual states. (1) Observance of laws or customs: "Thou teachest all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs" (Ac 21:21). (2) Of the spiritual life: "If we walk in the light, as he is in the light" (1Joh 1:7); "That like as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life" (Ro 6:4); "Walk by the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh" (Ga 5:16); "For we walk by faith, not by sight"…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Is often figuratively used to denote a man’s mode of life, or his spiritual character, course, and relations, Eze 11:20. He may walk as a carnal or as a spiritual man, Ro 8:1; with God, or in ignorance and sin, Ge 5:24 1Jo 5:21; in the fire of affliction, Isa 43:2, or in the light, purity, and joy of Christ’s favor here and in heaven, Ps 89:15 Re 3:4.

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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