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Job 12:8 — Word Study

Depth

WLCא֤וֹ שִׂ֣יחַ לָאָ֣רֶץ וְתֹרֶ֑ךָּ וִֽיסַפְּר֥וּ לְ֝ךָ֗ דְּגֵ֣י הַיָּֽם׃

BSAOrʼôw [as an alternative, if you wish] speaksîyach to the earthʼerets [the land, the ground] and it will teach youyârâh [show, instruct] let the fishdâg [sea creatures, aquatic life] of the seayâm [the ocean, the deep] informçâphar [declare, tell]

Word
Listen & take awayJob 12
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 8 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 (hai.Yam) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Job 12:8quick helps
In a sentenceJob invites us to consider nature as a teacher, suggesting that both the earth and the sea have wisdom to impart.
Who is speakingJob, addressing his friends and challenging their understanding.
Where we areIn a discourse on wisdom and knowledge, Job emphasizes the lessons found in creation.
The hard wordשִׂ֣יחַ
Take awayNature itself can instruct us about the Creator.
6 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, Cambridge & more — read them › clause verbשִׂיחַ 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 — Job 12:8

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 — Job's Discourse on Wisdomgenerated

7But ask the animals, and they will instruct you; ask the birds of the air, and they will tell you.
8Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you; let the fish of the sea inform you.
9Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this?
10The life of every living thing is in His hand, as well as the breath of all mankind.

Job 12:8 is part of Job's response to his friends, where he asserts that wisdom can be found in the natural world. He suggests that the earth and the creatures of the sea possess knowledge that can teach humanity about God's workings. This reflects Job's belief that understanding comes not only from human experience but also from observing creation, as he challenges the limited perspectives of his companions.


Cross References


The Key Word שִׂ֣יחַ, Si.achgenerated

The Hebrew word שִׂיחַ (*si'ach*) is a verb that means to muse or complain. It encompasses a range of actions such as talking, pondering, and reflecting. In this verse, it conveys the idea of engaging in deep thought or conversation, indicating that one should consider the earth's lessons seriously.

This verb is in the imperative form, suggesting a command to speak or engage in this thoughtful dialogue. It emphasizes the importance of communication with the earth as a source of wisdom.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses teach and inform for the actions attributed to the earth and the fish of the sea.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The verse contains two main clauses, with the finite verbs שִׂ֣יחַ and וִֽיסַפְּר֥וּ anchoring the structure. The first clause invites speaking to the earth, while the second clause shifts to the fish of the sea and their role in teaching.

The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the actions of speaking and recounting, highlighting the relationship between humanity and creation as sources of wisdom.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates שִׂ֣יחַ as ἐκδιήγησαι, which means to recount or narrate. This choice indicates a focus on the act of storytelling or sharing knowledge, aligning with the theme of learning from nature.

The use of θαλάσσης for הַיָּֽם emphasizes the vastness of the sea, reinforcing the idea that great wisdom can be found in the natural world.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Job 12:8 encourages us to speak to the earth and learn from it, just as we can learn from the fish of the sea. Job suggests that nature has valuable lessons to teach us about the world and about God.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does Job mean by speaking to the earth?

Job is suggesting that the earth has wisdom to impart, and by engaging with it, we can learn important truths.

How can fish inform us?

The fish of the sea represent the broader creation that reflects God's wisdom, and observing them can lead to insights about life and existence.

What is the significance of Job's challenge to his friends?

Job's challenge emphasizes that wisdom is not limited to human understanding; nature itself can provide profound insights.

How does this verse relate to the theme of suffering in Job?

This verse highlights Job's perspective that despite his suffering, there is still knowledge and wisdom to be found in the world around him.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways have I seen nature teach me lessons about life or faith?
  2. How can I better engage with the world around me to gain wisdom?
  3. What are some examples of wisdom I can learn from observing creation?
  4. How does understanding the lessons of nature help me in times of difficulty?

Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Job 12:8 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee,.... Or ask "a sprig of the earth" (n), any shrub, or tree, or whatsoever grows out of it, and they will all unite in this doctrine, that they are

Read John Gill on Job 12 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee: Ask now the beasts ... and the fowls ... and the fish.

Read Robert Jamieson on Job 12 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Job 12:8 Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.Ver. 8. Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee] Teach thee? what? Surely many good lessons; as that of humility and modesty, considering our origin, Terra quam terimus docet terram quam gerimus; that of fruitfulness, while she liberally yields her riches and strength, and brings forth food for the maintenance of those innumerable armies of creatures that live upon her; but especially, and for the purpose, this the earth teacheth, that the tabernacles of robbers prosper, that oppressors swallow down most of her delicates, eat the fat and drink the sweet, ruffle in her silks, and…

Read John Trapp on Job 12 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

8. speak to the earth] The “earth” here includes all the forms of lower life with which it teems.

Read Cambridge on Job 12 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee - Perhaps this appeal to the earth may mean, as Stuhlman supposes, that the same thing is shown in the productions of the earth, as in the case of fierce animals.

Read Albert Barnes on Job 12 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

8. Speak to the earth — That is, to “every creeping thing” (Genesis 1:30) which is on the earth. The division of animate creation is the same and in the same order as in Genesis 9:2. Beasts, birds, creeping things, fishes.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Job 12 →

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

Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you; let the fish of the sea inform you.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you. The fish of the sea will declare to you.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you; let the fish of the sea inform you.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Or speak to the earth and it will teach you, or let the fish of the sea declare to you.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee; And the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee; and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare to thee.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Or speake to the earth, and it shall shewe thee: or the fishes of the sea, and they shall declare vnto thee.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee; and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Or talk to the earth, and it sheweth thee, And fishes of the sea recount to thee:

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Or talk to the earth, and it shows you, || And fishes of the sea recount to you:

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Or speak to the earth, and she will instruct thee; and the fishes of the sea will inform thee

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you; the fish of the sea will declare to you.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Speak to the earth, and it shall answer thee: and the fishes of the sea shall tell.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

ask the earth and it will teach you, and the fishes in the sea will tell you.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Or to the things which go flat on the earth, and they will give you wisdom; and the fishes of the sea will give you news of it.

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.

א֤וֹorclauseverbשִׂ֣יחַcomplainprepositional phrase · prepositionalלָtonoun phrasetheאָ֣רֶץearthוְsoclauseverbתֹרֶ֑thatobjectךָּit.may.teach.youוִֽandclauseverbיסַפְּר֥וּlet.them.recountprepositional phrase · prepositionalלְ֝toךָ֗younoun phrase · subjectדְּגֵ֣יthe.fish(es)noun phraseהַofיָּֽםthe.sea

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


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

The Masoretic Text of Job 12:8 reads, 'Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you; let the fish of the sea inform you.' The Septuagint agrees with the Masoretic Text in meaning, as all eight words match in a word-by-word correspondence, although the order and articles may differ. There are no significant differences noted in the Samaritan Pentateuch or the Dead Sea Scrolls for this verse, indicating a strong consistency across these ancient witnesses.

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

א֤וֹ שִׂ֣יחַ לָאָ֣רֶץ וְתֹרֶ֑ךָּ וִֽיסַפְּר֥וּ לְ֝ךָ֗ דְּגֵ֣י הַיָּֽם׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
א֤וֹἐκδιήγησαιשִׂ֣יחַδὲלָאָ֣רֶץγῇוְתֹרֶ֑ךָּσοιוִֽיסַפְּר֥וּἐχηγήσονταίלְ֝ךָ֗σοιדְּגֵ֣יἰξθύεςהַיָּֽם׃θαλάσσης

8 of the 8 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.


The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

Job 12:8אוֹororאוֹשִׂיחַcomplaincomplainשִׂיחַאֶ֫רֶץto the eartto the earthאֶ֫רֶץיָרָאso it may tso it may teachיָרָאסָפַרand they maand they may reסָפַרךָּto youto youךָּדָּג[the] fish [the] fish ofדָּגיָםthe seathe seaיָםאַוָּהdesiredesireאַוָּהדָּגָהto multiplto multiplyדָּגָהדָּאַגbe anxiousbe anxiousדָּאַגשְׁתִיwarpwarpשְׁתִיעֵ֫רֶבracial-mixracial-mixעֵ֫רֶבפִּקּוּדpreceptpreceptפִּקּוּדפָּלָאto wonderto wonderפָּלָאכְּנַ֫עַןCanaanCanaanכְּנַ֫עַןמִצְרַ֫יִם(Sea of) E(Sea of) Egyptמִצְרַ֫יִםחֵץarrowarrowחֵץעֶזְרָאEzraEzraעֶזְרָאשָׁפָןrock badgerock badgerשָׁפָןיוֹנָהJonahJonahיוֹנָהעוֹףbirdbirdעוֹףסוּףreedreedסוּףפֵּאָהsidesideפֵּאָה
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 Job 12:8

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.

or complain to the earth so it may teach you and they may recount to you [the] fish of the sea
א֤וֹ'o or H176 Conjunction
321× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Desire can also mean or, and, or if, showing a choice between options, as seen in Proverbs 31:4. It is used to express alternatives or possibilities.
Amplified meaning
as an alternative, if you wish
Tyndale gloss
or
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אוֹ (*'ow*) primarily functions as a conjunction meaning 'or,' often indicating a preference or choice between options. It can also introduce examples, express conditions, or imply alternatives. Additionally, it is associated with the noun meaning 'desire' in Proverbs 31:4. The entries reflect a range of uses, but do not present significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אוֹ 320 conj. or

sometimes implying a preference, nearly or rather

introducing a sentence, esp. a particular case under a general principle, or = or if

if perchance

once, with the juss. = except

base

[אֵו] n.m. אוֹ, Kt Pr 31:4 desire, so Thes MV; but < Qr אֵי q.v.

done

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H176 אוֹ or . sometimes implying a preference, nearly or rather

. introducing a sentence, esp. a particular case under a general principle, or = or if

. if perchance

. once, with the juss. = except

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

176 'ow o

presumed to be the "constructive" or genitival form of -av

{av}; short for 185; desire (and so probably in Prov. 31:4);

hence (by way of alternative) or, also if:--also, and,

either, if, at the least, X nor, or, otherwise, then, whether.

see HEBREW for 0185

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אוֹ (o) — or.

1) or, rather

1a) implying that the latter choice is preferred

1b) or if, introducing an example to be seen under a particular principle

1c) (in series) either...or, whether...or

1d) if perchance

1e) except, or else

2) whether, not the least, if, otherwise, also, and, then

אוֹ (o) — desire.

desire

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj — Conjunction
HC
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

or: The word is used once for either (1Sa 26:10), and is still in poetic use in this sense; as in, "Without or wave or wind" (Coleridge); "Or the bakke or some bone he breketh in his dzouthe" (Piers Plowman (B), VII, 93; compare Merchant of Venice, III, ii, 65). It is also used with "ever" for before (Ps 90:2; Ecclesiasticus 18:19), which the American Standard Revised Version substitutes in Ec 12:6 (compare 12:1,2); So 6:12; Da 6:24.

or complain to the earth so it may teach you and they may recount to you [the] fish of the sea
שִׂ֣יחַSi.ach complain H7878 Verb · Qal · imperative second person masculine singular
20× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to think deeply about something, like a problem or an idea, and to talk to oneself or others about it, as seen in the book of Psalms where David ponders God's creation.
Tyndale gloss
to muse
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שִׂיחַ (siyach) is a Hebrew verb meaning to muse or complain, encompassing a range of actions such as talking, singing, and meditating. It can imply conversing with oneself or aloud, and includes nuances of pondering and declaring thoughts. The entries consistently highlight its use in contexts of communication and reflection.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שִׂיחַ vb. denom. muse, complain, poet. talk (of)

Qal

complain

muse

talk (about), sing (of)

talk (with)

Pôl‛el meditate, consider

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7878 שִׂיחַ vb. denom. muse, complain, poet. talk of

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7878 siyach see'-akh

a primitive root; to ponder, i.e. (by implication) converse

(with oneself, and hence, aloud) or (transitively) utter:--

commune, complain, declare, meditate, muse, pray, speak, talk

(with).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שִׂיחַ (si.ach) — to muse.

1) to put forth, mediate, muse, commune, speak, complain, ponder, sing

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to complain

1a2) to muse, meditate upon, study, ponder

1a3) to talk, sing, speak

1b) (Polel) to meditate, consider, put forth thoughts

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Impv-2ms — Verb · Qal · imperative second person masculine singular
HVqv2ms
or complain to the earth so it may teach you and they may recount to you [the] fish of the sea
לָאָ֣רֶץla.'A.retz to the earth H776 Preposition · noun common feminine singular absolute
2,504× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The land or earth refers to the soil or ground, and can also mean a country, territory, or region. In the Bible, it is used to describe the earth and its inhabitants, and is often translated as 'land' or 'country'.
Amplified meaning
the land, the ground
Tyndale gloss
land: soil
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶ֫רֶץ n. f. & (seld.) m. earth, land

earth, whole earth (opp. to a part)

earth, opp. to heaven, sky

earth = inhabitants of earth

land =

country, territory

district, region

trial territory

piece of ground

specif. land of Canaan, or Israel

= inhabitants of land

used even of Shᵉʼôl

ground, surface of ground

soil, as productive

אֶרֶץ in phrases

people of the land

in measurements of distance

the country of the plain, level or plain country

land of the living

end(s) of the earth

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

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

. earth, opp. to heaven, sky

. earth = inhabitants of earth

. land = . country, territory

. district, region

. trial territory

. piece of ground

. specif. land of Canaan, or Israel

. = inhabitants of land

. used even of Shᵉʼôl

. . ground, surface of ground

. soil, as productive

. אֶרֶץ in phrases . people of the land

. in measurements of distance

. the country of the plain, level or plain country

. land of the living

. end(s) of the earth

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

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

776 'erets eh'-rets

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

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

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

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

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

: country/field

1) land, earth

1a) earth

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

1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven)

1a3) earth (inhabitants)

1b) land

1b1) country, territory

1b2) district, region

1b3) tribal territory

1b4) piece of ground

1b5) land of Canaan, Israel

1b6) inhabitants of land

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

1b8) city (-state)

1c) ground, surface of the earth

1c1) ground

1c2) soil

1d) (in phrases)

1d1) people of the land

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

1d3) level or plain country

1d4) land of the living

1d5) end(s) of the earth

1e) (almost wholly late in usage)

1e1) lands, countries

1e1a) often in contrast to Canaan

אֶ֫רֶץ (e.rets) — land: soil.

: soil

1) land, earth

1a) earth

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

1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven)

1a3) earth (inhabitants)

1b) land

1b1) country, territory

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-cs — Preposition · noun common feminine singular absolute
HRd/Ncfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

urth ('adhamah, 'erets, 'aphar; ge, oikoumene):

In a hilly limestone country like Palestine, the small amount of iron oxide in the rocks tends to be oxidized, and thereby to give a prevailing reddish color to the soil. This is especially the case on relatively barren hills where there is little organic matter present to prevent reddening and give a more blackish tinge.

'Adhamah (compare 'adham, "a man," and Adam) is from 'adham, "to be red," and is used in the senses: "earth" (Ex 20:24), "land" (Ps 105:35), a "land" or country (Isa 14:2), "ground" (Ge 4:11), "the earth" (Ge 7:4).

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Earth

(1.) In the sense of soil or ground, the translation of the word adamah’. In Gen. 9:20 “husbandman” is literally “man of the ground or earth.” Altars were to be built of earth (Ex. 20:24). Naaman asked for two mules’ burden of earth (2 Kings 5:17), under the superstitious notion that Jehovah, like the gods of the heathen, could be acceptably worshipped only on his own soil.

(2). As the rendering of ’erets, it means the whole world (Gen. 1:2); the land as opposed to the sea (1:10). Erets also denotes a country (21:32); a plot of ground (23:15); the ground on which a man stands (33:3); the inhabitants of the earth (6:1; 11:1); all the world except Israel (

Smith's Bible Dictionary

The term is used in two widely-different senses: (1) for the material of which the earth’s surface is composed; (2) as the name of the planet on which man dwells. The Hebrew language discriminates between these two by the use of separate terms, adamah for the former, erets for the latter. Adamah is the earth in the sense of soil or ground, particularly as being susceptible of cultivation. (Genesis 2:7) Erets is applied in a more or less extended sense-- (1) to the whole world, (Genesis 1:1) (2) to land as opposed to sea, (Genesis 1:10) (3) to a country, (Genesis 21:32) (4) to a plot of ground, (Genesis 23:15) and (5) to…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

In both Hebrew and Greek the same word is used to denote the earth as a whole, and a particular land. Only the context can enable us to decide in which of these senses it is to be taken in a given passage.

Thus in Mt 27:45 we might, so far as the original word is concerned, render either "there was darkness over all the land," or over all the earth. The expression "all the earth" is sometimes used hyperbolically for a large portion of it, Ezr 1:2. The word is used of the whole world, etc. In a moral sense, earthly is opposed to what is heavenly, spiritual and holy, Joh 3:31 1Co 15:47 Col 3:2

or complain to the earth so it may teach you and they may recount to you [the] fish of the sea
וְתֹרֶ֑ךָּve.to.Re.ka so it may teach you H3384 Conjunction · verb hiphil third person feminine singular · suffix
80× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To show or teach something, like pointing it out or shooting an arrow. It is used in Psalms and Proverbs to describe instructing or directing others.
Amplified meaning
show, instruct
Tyndale gloss
to shoot
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word יָרָא (*yarah*) encompasses meanings related to shooting, pouring, and throwing. It can refer to actions like shooting arrows or casting water, as well as figurative uses such as teaching or directing. The entries indicate that it has both a literal and a figurative range, with roots in the idea of flowing or pointing out.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[יָרָא] vb. shoot, pour

Qal shoot with arrows

Hiph. and they shot at; Pt. pl. the shooters, archers

Hoph. he that watereth shall himself also be watered

base

יָרָה vb. throw, shoot

Qal

throw, cast

cast (= lay, set), corner-stone; pillar

shoot arrows

throw water, rain

Niph. shot through (with arrows)

Hiph.

throw, cast

shoot (arrows)

throw water, rain

point out, shew

direct, teach, instruct

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3384a יָרָא shoot, pour H3384b יָרָה throw, shoot .. throw, cast

. cast (= lay, set), corner-stone; pillar

. shoot arrows

. throw water, rain

. shot through (with arrows)

. . throw, cast

. shoot (arrows)

. throw water, rain

. point out, shew

. direct, teach, instruct

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3384 yarah yaw-raw'

or (2 Chr. 26:15) yara; {yaw-raw'}; a primitive root;

properly, to flow as water (i.e. to rain); transitively, to

lay or throw (especially an arrow, i.e. to shoot);

figuratively, to point out (as if by aiming the finger), to

teach:--(+) archer, cast, direct, inform, instruct, lay, shew,

shoot, teach(-er,-ing), through.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָרָא (ya.ra) — to shoot.

1) to shoot, pour

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to shoot arrows

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to shoot at

1b2) part. shooter, archer

1c) to throw water, rain

יָרָה (ya.rah) — to show.

1) to point out, show

1b) to direct, teach, instruct

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Hiphil-Imperf-3fs | Suff — Conjunction · verb hiphil third person feminine singular · suffix
HC/Vhu3fs/Sp2ms
or complain to the earth so it may teach you and they may recount to you [the] fish of the sea
וִֽיסַפְּר֥וּvi.sa.pe.Ru and they may recount H5608 Conjunction · verb piel third person masculine plural
159× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a scribe or secretary who records or inscribes information. It is used in the Bible to describe someone who counts or enumerates things. The KJV translates it as 'scribe, tell, writer'.
Amplified meaning
declare, tell
Tyndale gloss
to recount
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

סָפַר (safar) is a Hebrew verb meaning to count or recount, with various forms indicating actions like declaring or rehearsing. The noun form סֹפֵר (sofer) refers to a scribe or secretary. The entries highlight its use in contexts of enumeration and record-keeping, but do not present significant disagreement among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

סָפַר 107 vb. count, Pi. recount, relate

Qal 27

count things, to learn their number

number = take account of, carefully observe and consider, reckon

Niph. be counted, numbered

Pi. 67 recount, rehearse, declare

Pu. be recounted, related, rehearsed

base

סֹפֵר, סוֹפֵר n.m. enumerator, muster-officer, secretary, scribe

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5608a סָפַר count, Pi. recount, relate .. count things, to learn their number

. number = take account of, carefully observe and consider, reckon

. be counted, numbered

. recount, rehearse, declare

. be recounted, related, rehearsed

H5608b סֹפֵר, סוֹפֵר enumerator, muster-officer, secretary, scribe

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5608 caphar saw-far'

a primitive root; properly, to score with a mark as a tally

or record, i.e. (by implication) to inscribe, and also to

enumerate; intensively, to recount, i.e. celebrate:--commune,

(ac-)count; declare, number, + penknife, reckon, scribe, shew

forth, speak, talk, tell (out), writer.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

סָפַר (sa.phar) — to recount.

v

1) to count, recount, relate

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to count (things)

1a2) to number, take account of, reckon

1b) (Niphal) to be counted, be numbered

1c) (Piel) to recount, rehearse, declare

1c1) to recount (something), rehearse

1c2) to talk

1c3) to count exactly or accurately

1d) (Pual) to be recounted, be rehearsed, be related

סֹפֵר (so.pher) — secretary.

1) enumerator, muster-officer, secretary, scribe

1a) enumerator, muster-officer, secretary

1b) learned man, scribe

Aramaic equivalent: sa.pher (סָפִר "scribe" H5613)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Piel-Imperf-3mp — Conjunction · verb piel third person masculine plural
HC/Vpu3mp
or complain to the earth so it may teach you and they may recount to you [the] fish of the sea
לְ֝ךָ֗le.kha to you H9031 Preposition · suffix
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

ךָּ (ka) — you.

Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 2nd person masculine singular

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Sp2ms — Preposition · suffix
HR/Sp2ms
or complain to the earth so it may teach you and they may recount to you [the] fish of the sea
דְּגֵ֣יde.Gei [the] fish of H1709 Noun common · masculine plural construct
19× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means fish, often referring to a group of fish. It is used in various biblical stories, including those about Jesus and fishing.
Amplified meaning
sea creatures, aquatic life
Tyndale gloss
fish
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

דָּג (dag) means 'fish' in Hebrew. The word is derived from roots suggesting prolificacy and movement, particularly the squirming motion of a fish's tail. It is often used collectively to refer to fish in general. The term appears in Nehemiah 13:16.

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1709 דָּג fish

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1709 dag dawg

or (fully) dag (Nehemiah 13:16) {dawg}; from 1711; a fish

(as prolific); or perhaps rather from 1672 (as timid); but

still better from 1672 (in the sense of squirming, i.e. moving

by the vibratory action of the tail); a fish (often used

collectively):--fish.

see HEBREW for 01711

see HEBREW for 01672

see HEBREW for 01672

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

דָּג (dag) — Fish (Gate).

fish

דָּג (dag) — fish.

fish

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural construct
HNcmpc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ov:

(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Lamentations 3:1.

The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.

Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.

That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.

Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…

or complain to the earth so it may teach you and they may recount to you [the] fish of the sea
הַיָּֽם׃hai.Yam the sea H3220 Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
396× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Refers to a large body of water like the Mediterranean Sea or a sea in general, sometimes specifically the west or seaward direction.
Amplified meaning
the ocean, the deep
Tyndale gloss
(Mt. Ephron in the) West
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָם (yam) means 'sea' and refers to various large bodies of water, including the Mediterranean, Red, and Dead Seas, as well as the Sea of Galilee. It can also denote a mighty river like the Nile and has geographical implications, indicating directions such as west or south. The term is derived from a root meaning to roar, suggesting the noise of breaking surf.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָם 390 n.m. sea

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3220 יָם sea

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3220 yam yawm

from an unused root meaning to roar; a sea (as breaking in

noisy surf) or large body of water; specifically (with the

article), the Mediterranean Sea; sometimes a large river, or

an artifical basin; locally, the west, or (rarely) the

south:--sea (X -faring man, (-shore)), south, west (-ern,

side, -ward).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָם (yam) — sea.

: sea

1) sea

1a) Mediterranean Sea

1b) Red Sea

1c) Dead Sea

1d) Sea of Galilee

1e) sea (general)

1f) mighty river (Nile)

1g) the sea (the great basin in the temple court)

1h) seaward, west, westward

יָם (yam) — sea: west.

: west

1) sea

1a) Mediterranean Sea

1b) Red Sea

1c) Dead Sea

1d) Sea of Galilee

1e) sea (general)

1f) mighty river (Nile)

1g) the sea (the great basin in the temple court)

1h) seaward, west, westward

יָם (yam) — (Mt. Ephron in the) West.

This name means sea, seaward, westward

Another name of eph.ron (עֶפְרוֹן "(Mount )Ephron" H6085H)

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

se (yam; thalassa; in Ac 27:5 pelagos): The Mediterranean is called ha-yam ha-gadhol, "the great sea" (Nu 34:6; Jos 1:4; Eze 47:10, etc.); ha-yam ha-'acharon, "the hinder," or "western sea" (De 11:24; 34:2; Joe 2:20; Zec 14:8); yam pelishtim, "the sea of the Philis" (Ex 23:31); the King James Version translates yam yapho' in Ezr 3:7 by "sea of Joppa," perhaps rightly.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

The sea, yam , is used in Scripture to denote-- "The gathering of the waters," "the Ocean." (Genesis 1:2,10; 30:13) etc. Some portion of this, as the Mediterranean Sea, called the "hinder," the "western" and the "utmost" sea, (11:24; 34:2; Joel 2:20) "sea of the Philistines," (Exodus 23:31) "the great sea," (Numbers 36:6,7; Joshua 15:47) "the sea." Genesis49:13; Psal 80:11 Also frequently of the Red Sea. (Exodus 15:4) [RED SEA SEA] Inland lakes termed seas, as the Salt or Dead Sea. [See the special article] Any…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The Hebrews give the name of sea to any large collection of water, Job 14:11; as to the lakes of Tiberias and Asphaltites, and also to the rivers Nile and Euphrates, Isa 11:15 18:2 21:1 Jer 51:36,42. The principal seas mentioned in Scripture are the following:

1. The GREAT SEA, the Mediterranean, called also the Hinder or Western Sea. Indeed, the Hebrew word for sea, meaning the Mediterranean, is often put for the west. The Great Sea is 2,200 miles long, and in the widest part 1,200 miles in width. In many places it is so deep as to give no soundings. It is little affected by tides, but is often agitated by violent winds. The prevailing direction of the wind in spring is from the southeast and southwest and from the northeast…

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Creation of Ge 1:9,10; Ps 95:5; 148:4,5

→ Lake Galilee calmed by Jesus Mt 8:24-26; Mr 4:37-39

→ Jesus walked upon Lake Galilee Mt 14:25-31

→ The Dead, to be given up by the, at the resurrection Re 20:13

→ SYMBOLICAL

In Daniel' s vision Da 7:2,3

In John' s apocalyptic vision Re 4:6; 8:8,9; 10:2,5,6,8; 13:1; 15:2; 16:3; 21:1

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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