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Jeremiah 51:40 — Word Study

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WLCאֽוֹרִידֵ֖ם כְּכָרִ֣ים לִטְב֑וֹחַ כְּאֵילִ֖ים עִם־ עַתּוּדִֽים׃

BSAI will bring them downyârad [to a place of death and destruction] like lambskar [innocent and helpless] to the slaughterṭâbach [to be ruthlessly killed] like ramsʼayil [strong and powerful] withʻim male goatsʻattûwd [full-grown and mature]

Word
Listen & take awayJeremiah 51
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 40 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 ('a.tu.Dim) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Jeremiah 51:40quick helps
In a sentenceGod declares He will lead them to destruction, comparing them to innocent lambs and strong rams.
Who is speakingThe LORD, speaking through the prophet Jeremiah.
Where we areA prophetic declaration about the fate of Babylon.
The hard wordאֽוֹרִידֵ֖ם
Take awayThe imagery of slaughter conveys a sense of inevitable judgment.
7 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause 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 51:40

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 Prophecy Against Babylongenerated

39While they are flushed with heat, I will serve them a feast, and I will make them drunk so that they may revel; then they will fall asleep forever and never wake up, declares the LORD.
40I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter, like rams with male goats.
41How Sheshach has been captured! The praise of all the earth has been seized. What a horror Babylon has become among the nations!
42The sea has come up over Babylon; she is covered in turbulent waves.

Jeremiah 51:40 presents a vivid metaphor of judgment, where God will bring down Babylon like lambs to slaughter. This imagery emphasizes the helplessness of the victims and the certainty of their fate. The surrounding verses depict a scene of divine retribution against Babylon, highlighting the destruction that awaits this once-mighty city, which is further detailed in the context of Jeremiah 51:39 and Jeremiah 51:41.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Jeremiah 50:27Kill all her young bulls; let them go down to the slaughter. Woe to them, for their day has come— the time of their punishment.
2Psalm 37:20But the wicked and enemies of the LORD will perish like the glory of the fields. They will vanish; like smoke they will fade away.
3Psalm 44:22Yet for Your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.
4Isaiah 34:6The sword of the LORD is bathed in blood. It drips with fat— with the blood of lambs and goats, with the fat of the kidneys of rams. For the LORD has a sacrifice in Bozrah, a great slaughter in the land of Edom.
5Ezekiel 39:18You will eat the flesh of the mighty and drink the blood of the princes of the earth as though they were rams, lambs, goats, and bulls—all the fattened animals of Bashan.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 5 references, hung on the phrase they belong to

I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter, like rams with he goats.Jeremiah 50:27 Psalm 37:20 Psalm 44:22 Isaiah 34:6 Ezekiel 39:18

The Key Word אֽוֹרִידֵ֖ם, 'o.ri.Demgenerated

The verb אֽוֹרִידֵ֖ם ('o.ri.Dem) is a hiphil imperfect form of the root יָרַד (yarad), meaning 'to bring down' or 'to descend.' This construction indicates an active role in the action, where God is the subject who brings down the people to destruction.

This word carries a strong connotation of lowering or leading to a place of death, emphasizing the severity of the judgment being pronounced against Babylon.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

All translations agree on the rendering of אֽוֹרִידֵ֖ם as 'I will bring them down.' The BSB, KJV, ASV, YLT, WEB, and BBE all convey the same meaning without significant variation.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb אֽוֹרִידֵ֖ם governs the sentence, with a series of comparisons following it: a prepositional phrase describing the manner of descent and two noun phrases that illustrate the objects of comparison. This structure emphasizes the action of bringing down in a dramatic and vivid manner.

The use of similes throughout the verse, such as 'like lambs' and 'like rams,' highlights the nature of those being judged, contrasting innocence with strength.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates אֽוֹרִידֵ֖ם as αὐτοὺς, meaning 'them,' which indicates a straightforward rendering without additional interpretative layers. This choice reflects a direct correspondence to the Hebrew without expanding the metaphor.

The Greek term used for 'lambs' is ἄρνας, which carries the same sacrificial connotation found in the Hebrew, maintaining the imagery of innocence and vulnerability.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Jeremiah 51:40 describes how God will bring down Babylon, comparing the people to lambs and rams being led to slaughter. This imagery illustrates their helplessness and the certainty of their destruction.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that God will bring them down like lambs?

This metaphor emphasizes the vulnerability and innocence of those being judged, suggesting they will face inevitable destruction.

Why are rams mentioned in this verse?

Rams symbolize strength, contrasting with the lambs to highlight the complete downfall of Babylon, regardless of its former power.

What is the significance of the slaughter imagery?

The imagery of slaughter conveys a sense of ruthless judgment and the finality of God's decision against Babylon.

How does this verse connect to the surrounding context?

This verse fits within a broader prophecy of judgment against Babylon, illustrating the totality of its impending destruction.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways do I see the consequences of actions leading to downfall in my own life or society?
  2. How can I understand the balance of strength and vulnerability in the context of judgment?
  3. What lessons can I learn from the imagery of sacrifice in this verse?
  4. How does this verse challenge my understanding of justice and mercy?

Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Jeremiah 51:40 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter,.... To the place of slaughter; who shall be able to make no more resistance than lambs.

Read John Gill on Jeremiah 51 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter, like rams with he goats. I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter, like rams with he goats. No JFB commentary on this verse.

Read Robert Jamieson on Jeremiah 51 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

That is, they shall be destroyed before they are aware of it.

Read Matthew Poole on Jeremiah 51 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Jeremiah 51:40 I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter, like rams with he goats.Ver. 40. I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter.] All that which followeth here to the end of this oration is no less easy than elegant in holding forth the power, justice, and truth of God in fulfilling this prophecy exactly, though serveral years after.

Read John Trapp on Jeremiah 51 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(40) I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter . . .—The figure is changed, and the revellers appear as themselves destined to be the victims of the slaughter-house (Jeremiah 48:15; Jeremiah 50:27). As the “bullocks” of Jeremiah 50:27 are the chosen warriors, so the lambs, sheep, he-goats represent the different classes of the population of Babylon (Isaiah 34:6; Ezekiel 39:18). All alike are given over to the sword.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Jeremiah 51 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

40. lambs … rams … he-goats] Cp. Jeremiah 50:27; Isaiah 34:6.

Read Cambridge on Jeremiah 51 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Lambs ... rams ... he goats - i. e., all classes of the population (see Isaiah 34:6 note).

Read Albert Barnes on Jeremiah 51 →

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

I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter, like rams with male goats.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

“I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter, like rams with male goats.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter, like rams with male goats.

NETBNew English Translation2006

“I will lead them off to be slaughtered like lambs, rams, and male goats.”

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter, like rams with he goats.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter, like rams with he-goats.

RVARevised Version, American1894

I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter, like rams with he-goats.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter, like rams with he-goats.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

I wil bring them downe like lambes to the slaughter, and like rams and goates.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter, like rams with he-goats.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

I cause them to go down as lambs to slaughter, As rams with he-goats.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

“I cause them to go down as lambs to slaughter, || As rams with male goats.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter, like wethers with he-goats.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

I will send them down like lambs to the slaughter, like rams with male goats.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter, and like rams with kids.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

I will take them down like lambs to be slaughtered, like rams and goats.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

I will make them go down to death like lambs, like he-goats together.

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.

clauseverbאֽוֹרִידֵ֖Iobjectםwill.bring.them.downprepositional phrase · prepositionalprepositional phraseכְּlikeכָרִ֣יםlambsprepositional phraseכְּlikenoun phraseאֵילִ֖יםramsprepositional phraseעִםwithעַתּוּדִֽיםgoatsprepositional phrase · prepositionalלִforclauseverbטְב֑וֹחַslaughtering

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


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

The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree closely, with all six words matched in the Hebrew and Greek. This indicates a strong consistency in the understanding of the text across these traditions.

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

אֽוֹרִידֵ֖ם כְּכָרִ֣ים לִטְב֑וֹחַ כְּאֵילִ֖ים עִם־ עַתּוּדִֽים׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
אֽוֹרִידֵ֖םαὐτοὺςכְּכָרִ֣יםἄρναςלִטְב֑וֹחַκριοὺςכְּאֵילִ֖יםἐρίφωνעִם־εἰςעַתּוּדִֽים׃σφαγὴν

6 of the 6 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 51:40יָרַדI will brinI will bring doיָרַדכָּרlike lambslike lambsכָּרטָבַחto slaughteto slaughterטָבַחאַ֫יִלlike ramslike ramsאַ֫יִלעִםwithwithעִםעַתּוּדgoatsgoatsעַתּוּדכָּרַרto danceto danceכָּרַרעָמַםto darkento darkenעָמַםעָתֹדbe readybe readyעָתֹדאוּלstrengthstrengthאוּלעַתּוּדgoatgoatעַתּוּדכֶּ֫בֶשׂlamblambכֶּ֫בֶשׂשְׁאוֹלhell: Sheohell: Sheolשְׁאוֹלבּוֹרpitpitבּוֹרסָחַרto tradeto tradeסָחַרטֶ֫בַחslaughterslaughterטֶ֫בַחשׁוֹרcattlecattleשׁוֹרשָׁכַבto lie dowto lie down: laשָׁכַבקָבַרto buryto buryקָבַראַ֫יִלramramאַ֫יִל
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 51:40

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.

I will bring down them like lambs to slaughter like rams with goats
אֽוֹרִידֵ֖ם'o.ri.Dem I will bring down them H3381 Verb hiphil imperfect first person common singular · suffix
381× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To go down or descend, like going to a lower place or falling. It appears in Genesis and Exodus, describing people and things moving downwards.
Amplified meaning
to a place of death and destruction
Tyndale gloss
to go down
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word יָרַד (yarad) means to come or go down, covering various contexts such as descending from mountains, going to battle, or sinking in water. It can also refer to divine manifestations descending or being prostrated. The word has different forms including Qal, Hiphil, and Hophal, which indicate various nuances of bringing down or being brought down.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָרַד 380 vb. come or go down, descend

Qal 306

come or go down

go down (usu. from mountain or hill-country into plain), to battle

go down to (acc.) threshing-floor

go down (abs.) from Palestine to Egypt

from Jerusalem

from altar

go down

= sink, in water

go down to She’ôl

fig. going down (dissolving) in tears

= be prostrated

of divine manifestations: descend

of inanimate things

Hiph.

cause to come or go down

bring down

send down rain = cause to flow down

= lay prostrate to (acc.) threshing-floor

bring down to She’ôl

take down (from cart)

let down

Hoph.

be brought down

be taken down

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3381 יָרַד come or go down, descend .. . come or go down

. go down (usu. from mountain or hill-country into plain), to battle

. go down to (acc.) threshing-floor

. go down (abs.) from Palestine to Egypt

. from Jerusalem

. from altar

. go down

. = sink, in water

. go down to She’ôl

. fig. going down (dissolving) in tears

. = be prostrated

. of divine manifestations: descend

. of inanimate things

. . cause to come or go down . bring down

. send down rain = cause to flow down

. = lay prostrate to (acc.) threshing-floor

. bring down to She’ôl

. take down (from cart)

. let down

. . be brought down

. be taken down

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3381 yarad yaw-rad'

a primitive root; to descend (literally, to go downwards; or

conventionally to a lower region, as the shore, a boundary,

the enemy, etc.; or figuratively, to fall); causatively, to

bring down (in all the above applications); -X abundantly,

bring down, carry down, cast down, (cause to) come(-ing) down,

fall (down), get down, go(-ing) down(-ward), hang down, X

indeed, let down, light (down), put down (off), (cause to,

let) run down, sink, subdue, take down.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָרַד (ya.rad) — to go down.

1) to go down, descend, decline, march down, sink down

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go or come down

1a2) to sink

1a3) to be prostrated

1a4) to come down (of revelation)

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to bring down

1b2) to send down

1b3) to take down

1b4) to lay prostrate

1b5) to let down

1c) (Hophal)

1c1) to be brought down

1c2) to be taken down

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Hiphil-Imperf-1cs | Suff — Verb hiphil imperfect first person common singular · suffix
HVhi1cs/Sp3mp
I will bring down them like lambs to slaughter like rams with goats
כְּכָרִ֣יםke.kha.Rim like lambs H3733 Preposition · noun common masculine plural absolute
16× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A kar is a full-grown ram, often used for sacrifice or as a symbol of strength. It can also refer to a battering-ram used in battle or a type of furniture. In the Bible, it is sometimes translated as 'lamb' or 'captain'.
Amplified meaning
innocent and helpless
Tyndale gloss
saddle
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כָּר (kar) has several meanings, including 'basket-saddle,' 'pasture,' and 'he-lamb' or 'battering-ram.' It is derived from a root related to plumpness, suggesting fullness in its various uses. The word appears in contexts related to livestock and tools, reflecting its diverse applications.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[כָּר] n.[m.] basket-saddle, Gn 31:34

ref

כַּר n.m. pasture

base

כַּר n.[m.] he-lamb, battering-ram

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3733a כָּר basket-saddle H3733b כַּר pasture H3733c כַּר he-lamb, battering-ram

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3733 kar kar

from 3769 in the sense of plumpness; a ram (as full-grown and

fat), including a battering-ram (as butting); hence, a meadow

(as for sheep); also a pad or camel's saddle (as puffed

out):--captain, furniture, lamb, (large) pasture, ram. See

also 1033, 3746.

see HEBREW for 03769

see HEBREW for 01033

see HEBREW for 03746

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כָּר (kar) — saddle.

1) howdah, palanquin, basket saddle

1a) an enclosed riding space erected on a camel's saddle

כַּר (kar) — pasture.

pasture, meadow

כַּר (kar) — ram.

1) ram, lamb, he-lamb

2) battering-ram

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-mp — Preposition · noun common masculine plural absolute
HR/Ncmpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Smith's Bible Dictionary

are the young of sheep, but originally included also the young of goats. They formed an important part of almost every sacrifice. (Exodus 29:38-41; Numbers 28:9,11; 29:2,13-40) etc. [On the paschal lamb see PASSOVER]

I will bring down them like lambs to slaughter like rams with goats
לִטְב֑וֹחַlit.Vo.ach to slaughter H2873 Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
11× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means to slaughter or kill animals or people, often in a ruthless manner, as seen in violent battles or sacrifices. It is used in various forms throughout the Old Testament. This concept is also used figuratively to describe spiritual slaughter.
Amplified meaning
to be ruthlessly killed
Tyndale gloss
to slaughter
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

טָבַח (tabach) is a primitive root meaning to slaughter or kill, applicable to both animals and humans. It encompasses actions like butchering and slaying ruthlessly, with a figurative sense of killing. The entries consistently emphasize its violent connotations without significant disagreement among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[טָבַח] vb. slaughter, butcher, slay

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2873 [טָבַח] slaughter, butcher, slay

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2873 tabach taw-bakh'

a primitive root; to slaughter (animals or men):--kill,

(make) slaughter, slay.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

טָבַח (ta.vach) — to slaughter.

1) to slaughter, slay, butcher, kill ruthlessly

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to slaughter, butcher

1a2) to slay, kill ruthlessly (fig.)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a — Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
HR/Vqcc
I will bring down them like lambs to slaughter like rams with goats
כְּאֵילִ֖יםke.'ei.Lim like rams H352 Preposition · noun common masculine plural absolute
187× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A strong tree, like an oak or a ram, symbolizes strength and power, as seen in 1 Kings 7:2 where Solomon builds a house with strong pillars. It can also refer to a chief or leader, like in 1 Chronicles 12:14 where the leaders of the tribes are listed.
Amplified meaning
strong and powerful
Tyndale gloss
ram
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אַ֫יִל (ayil) encompasses several meanings, including 'ram,' 'projecting pillar or pilaster,' 'leader or chief,' and 'terebinth.' It is derived from a root meaning strength, suggesting a connection to might and support. The term appears in various contexts, reflecting its diverse applications in the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אַ֫יִל 156 n.m. ram (as leader of flock)

base

אַ֫יִל n.[m.] projecting pillar or pilaster

base

[אַ֫יִל ?] n.m. leader, chief

base

[אַ֫יִל ?] n.m. terebinth

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H352a אַ֫יִל ram H352b אַ֫יִל projecting pillar or pilaster H352c אַ֫יִל leader, chief H352d אַ֫יִל terebinth

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

352 'ayil ah'-yil

from the same as 193; properly, strength; hence, anything

strong; specifically a chief (politically); also a ram (from

his strength); a pilaster (as a strong support); an oak or

other strong tree:--mighty (man), lintel, oak, post, ram,

tree.

see HEBREW for 0193

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אַ֫יִל (a.yil) — ram.

1) ram

1a) ram (as food)

1b) ram (as sacrifice)

1c) ram (skin dyed red, for tabernacle)

אַ֫יִל (a.yil) — pillar.

pillar, door post, jambs, pilaster

אַ֫יִל (a.yil) — leader.

strong man, leader, chief

אַ֫יִל (a.yil) — terebinth.

mighty tree, terebinth

Aramaic equivalent: i.lan (אִילָן "tree" H0363)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-mp — Preposition · noun common masculine plural absolute
HR/Ncmpa
I will bring down them like lambs to slaughter like rams with goats
עִם־'im- with H5973 Preposition
1,052× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means with or together, like when God is with his people in Exodus 33:14-15. It's used to describe accompaniment or association, and can also mean against or beside. The word is used to convey a sense of relationship or proximity between people or things.
Tyndale gloss
with
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עִם (im) is a preposition meaning 'with' and covers a range of relationships, including companionship, locality, and possession. It can imply actions done jointly, equality, or even opposition in contexts like combat. The related form מֵעִם (me.im) means 'from with' or 'beside.' The entries reflect various nuances but do not present significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עִם prep. with

of fellowship and companionship

of aid

Of actions done jointly with another

If the common action be of the nature of a contest or combat, with in the sense of against

Of dealing with a person, or of the relation in which one stands with, or towards, another

Of a common lot together with the wicked

Of equality or resemblance generally aid

Of time, as long as

Of a locality, close to, beside

Of persons, עִם is spec.

in the house or family or service of

In possession of

In the custody or care of

Beside = except

With = friendly with

Idiom. of a thought or purpose present with one

Metaph. together with = in spite of, notwithstanding

base

מֵעִם 72 from with or beside

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5973a עִם with . of fellowship and companionship

. Of a locality, close to, beside

. Of persons, עִם is spec. . in the house or family or service of

. In possession of

. In the custody or care of

. Beside = except

. With = friendly with

. Idiom. of a thought or purpose present with one

. Metaph. together with = in spite of, notwithstanding

H5973b מֵעִם from with, beside

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5973 `im eem

from 6004; adverb or preposition, with (i.e. in conjunction

with), in varied applications; specifically, equally with;

often with prepositional prefix (and then usually

unrepresented in English):--accompanying, against, and, as (X

long as), before, beside, by (reason of), for all, from

(among, between), in, like, more than, of, (un-)to,

with(-al).

see HEBREW for 06004

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עִם (im) — with.

1) with

1a) with

1b) against

1c) toward

1d) as long as

מֵעִם (me.im) — from with.

1a) beside, except

1b) in spite of

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Preposition
HR
I will bring down them like lambs to slaughter like rams with goats
עַתּוּדִֽים׃'a.tu.Dim goats H6260 Noun common · masculine plural absolute
29× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word can refer to a full-grown male goat, like the ones used in sacrifices in Leviticus. It can also be used figuratively to describe leaders or important people, like the chiefs of the tribes of Israel in Numbers.
Amplified meaning
full-grown and mature
Tyndale gloss
goat
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עַתּוּד (attuwd) refers to a he-goat or ram, specifically indicating a full-grown animal. It can also figuratively denote leaders among people, described as 'chief ones.' The word is derived from a root meaning 'prepared' and is used only in the plural form.

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6260 עַתּוּד he-goat

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6260 `attuwd at-tood'

or sattud {at-tood'}; from 6257; prepared, i.e. full grown;

spoken only (in plural) of he-goats, or (figuratively) leaders

of the people:--chief one, (he) goat, ram.

see HEBREW for 06257

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עַתּוּד (at.tud) — goat.

ram, he-goat, chief one

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural absolute
HNcmpa
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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