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Job 16:20 — Word Study

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WLCמְלִיצַ֥י רֵעָ֑י אֶל־ אֱ֝ל֗וֹהַ דָּלְפָ֥ה עֵינִֽי׃

BSAMy friendsrêaʻ [neighbors, companions] are my scofferslûwts [those who mock, scorn me] as my eyesʻayin [the source of my tears, the window to my soul] pour out [tears]dâlaph [weep, drip with sorrow] toʼêl Godʼĕlôwahh [Eloah, the one true deity]

Word
Listen & take awayJob 16
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 20 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 ('ei.Ni) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Job 16:20quick helps
In a sentenceJob laments that his friends mock him while he cries out to God.
Who is speakingJob, expressing his deep sorrow and the betrayal he feels from his companions.
Where we areIn a moment of anguish, Job reflects on his suffering and the lack of support from those close to him.
The hard wordמְלִיצַ֥י
Take awayJob's tears flow as he seeks solace from God amidst mockery.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbדָּלַף 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 16:20

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 Lamentgenerated

19Even now my witness is in heaven, and my advocate is on high.
20My friends are my scoffers as my eyes pour out tears to God.
21Oh, that a man might plead with God as he pleads with his neighbor!
22For when only a few years are past I will go the way of no return.

Job 16:20 reveals Job's profound sorrow as he expresses that his friends have become his mockers. In this context, Job is grappling with his suffering and the apparent lack of empathy from those he once considered companions. This verse illustrates the emotional turmoil he faces, pouring out his tears to God in search of understanding and comfort, as seen throughout the Book of Job.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Job 16:4I could also speak like you if you were in my place; I could heap up words against you and shake my head at you.
2Job 12:4–5I am a laughingstock to my friends, though I called on God, and He answered. The righteous and upright man is a laughingstock.
3Job 17:2Surely mockers surround me, and my eyes must gaze at their rebellion.
4Psalm 109:4In return for my love they accuse me, but I am a man of prayer.
5Psalm 142:2I pour out my complaint before Him; I reveal my trouble to Him.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 8 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word מְלִיצַ֥י, me.li.Tzaigenerated

The word מְלִיצַ֥י (me.li.Tzai) is a hiphil participle meaning 'those who mock or scorn me.' It indicates an active role of Job's friends in deriding him during his time of distress. This word is derived from the root לִיץ (luwts), which conveys the idea of scorn or mockery, emphasizing the betrayal Job feels from those he trusted.

The usage here highlights the intensity of Job's suffering, as he feels not only physical pain but also emotional abandonment by his companions, who should have offered support.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

Translations generally agree on the meaning of מְלִיצַ֥י as 'scoffers' or 'mockers.' The BSB, KJV, ASV, YLT, WEB, and BBE all reflect this understanding, maintaining the sense of derision in Job's lament.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The finite verb דָּלְפָ֥ה (dal.Fah), meaning 'it has wept,' governs the structure of the verse, with two noun phrases and a prepositional phrase linked to it. The main clause presents Job's emotional state, while the prepositional phrase clarifies the direction of his tears — towards God.

The Hebrew word order places emphasis on Job's eyes as the source of his tears, highlighting the depth of his sorrow and the intimate connection between his emotional state and his plea to God.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, the word מְלִיצַ֥י is rendered as ἀφίκοιτό, which carries a similar meaning of mockery. This choice reflects a consistent understanding of Job's lament, emphasizing the scorn he receives from his friends.

The translation choice in the Septuagint maintains the focus on Job's emotional pain and the betrayal he feels, aligning closely with the Hebrew text.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Job 16:20 shows Job expressing deep sorrow as he feels mocked by his friends while he pours out his tears to God. He seeks comfort from the one true God, feeling abandoned by those he once trusted.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does Job mean by saying his friends are scoffers?

Job is expressing that those he considered friends are now mocking him during his time of suffering, adding to his pain.

Why does Job pour out tears to God?

Job turns to God in his anguish, seeking solace and understanding from the one who truly knows his heart.

How does this verse reflect Job's emotional state?

This verse illustrates Job's profound sense of betrayal and sorrow, as he feels abandoned by his friends and seeks comfort from God.

What can we learn from Job's response to his suffering?

Job's response teaches us the importance of seeking God in our times of distress, even when we feel let down by those around us.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. How do I respond when I feel mocked or scorned by others?
  2. In what ways can I seek comfort from God during my moments of sorrow?
  3. How can I be a better friend to those who are suffering?
  4. What does this passage teach me about the nature of true companionship?

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

Gregory the Dialogist comments on this verse, interpreting Job's tears as a reflection of the heart's intent.

Gregory the DialogistMorals on the Book of Job, Book XIII c. 540–604
Ver. 20. My friends are full of words; but mine eye poureth out tears unto God. For what is denoted by the eye, but the intent of the heart? as it is written, if thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
Early Church Fathers on Job 16 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Job 16:20 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

My friends scorn me,.... Not that they scoffed at his afflictions and calamities, and at his diseases and disorders, that would have been very brutish and inhuman, but at his words, the arguments and

Read John Gill on Job 16 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

My friends scorn me: but mine eye poureth out tears unto God. Hebrew, more forcibly, 'my mockers-my friends!' A heart-cutting paradox!

Read Robert Jamieson on Job 16 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

My friends, who should defend me from the scorns and injuries of others, scorn me; so this word is used 19:28. I pour forth my prayers and tears to God, that he would judge me according to my innocency, and plead my righteous cause against you.

Read Matthew Poole on Job 16 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Job 16:20 My friends scorn me: [but] mine eye poureth out [tears] unto God.Ver. 20. My friends scorn me] Or, play the rhetoricians against me. David likewise complaineth of his rhetorical mockers at feasts, that made as it were set speeches against him. One rendereth it, My friends are interpreters, or rather misinterpreters, of my speeches. "For my love they are my adversaries: but I give myself unto prayer," Psalms 109:4. But mine eye poureth out tears unto God] Expletur lachrymis egeriturque dolor. The Hebrew hath it, Mine eye droppeth or distilleth to God. Prayers and tears are the weapons of the saints, whose eyes, glazed with tears, are fitly compared to the fishpools of Heshbon, Son…

Read John Trapp on Job 16 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(20) My friends scorn me.—Or, as an apostrophe, “Ye my scorners who profess and ought to be my friends: mine eye poureth out tears unto God that He would maintain the right of man with God, and of the son of man with his neighbour;” or, “that one might plead for man with God as the son of man pleadeth for his neighbour”—this is what he has already longed for in Job 9:33.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Job 16 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 20. My friends scorn me] They deride and insult me, but my eye is towards God; I look to him to vindicate my cause.

Read AdamClarke on Job 16 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

20, 21. Job now names his Witness and states what he hopes for from Him.

Read Cambridge on Job 16 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

My friends scorn me - Margin “are my scorners.” That is, his friends had him in derision and mocked him, and he could only appeal with tears to God.

Read Albert Barnes on Job 16 →

The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company

Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.

Modern formal

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

My friends are my scoffers as my eyes pour out tears to God.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

My friends scoff at me. My eyes pour out tears to God,

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

My friends are my scoffers as my eyes pour out tears to God.

NETBNew English Translation2006

My intercessor is my friend as my eyes pour out tears to God;

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

My friends scorn me: but mine eye poureth out tears unto God.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

My friends scoff at me: But mine eye poureth out tears unto God,

RVARevised Version, American1894

My friends scorn me: but mine eye poureth out tears unto God;

NWBWebster's Bible1833

My friends scorn me: but my eye poureth out tears to God.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

My friends speake eloquently against me: but mine eye powreth out teares vnto God.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

My friends are my mockers; mine eye poureth out tears unto God.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

My interpreter [is] my friend, Unto God hath mine eye dropped:

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

My interpreter [is] my friend, || My eye has dropped to God;

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Are my friends my defenders? unto God my eye poureth out [its tears].

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

My friends scoff at me, but my eye pours out tears to God.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

For behold my witness is in heaven, and he that knoweth my conscience is on high.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

My friends scorn me, but my eyes pour out tears to God.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

My friends make sport of me; to God my eyes are weeping,

Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.


The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank

This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.

clausenoun phrase · predicateמְלִיצַ֥[are].mockingיmenoun phrase · subjectרֵעָ֑companionsיmyclauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalאֶלtoאֱ֝ל֗וֹהַGodverbדָּלְפָ֥הit.has.weptnoun phrase · subjectעֵינִֽeyeיmy

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 in the wording of מְלִיצַ֥י רֵעָ֑י אֶל־ אֱ֝ל֗וֹהַ דָּלְפָ֥ה עֵינִֽי׃. The Septuagint matches each Hebrew word, showing a consistent interpretation of Job's lament.

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

מְלִיצַ֥י רֵעָ֑י אֶל־ אֱ֝ל֗וֹהַ דָּלְפָ֥ה עֵינִֽי׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
מְלִיצַ֥יἀφίκοιτόרֵעָ֑יμουאֶל־πρὸςאֱ֝ל֗וֹהַκύριονדָּלְפָ֥הστάζοιעֵינִֽי׃μου

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.

Job 16:20לִיץ[are] scoff[are] scoffing לִיץרֵעַcompanions companions myרֵעַאֶלtotoאֶלאֱלֹהַּGodGodאֱלֹהַּדָּלַףit has weptit has weptדָּלַףעַ֫יִןeye myeye myעַ֫יִןאֵלgodgodאֵלבֵּית־עֵ֫קֶדHouse of SHouse of Shepheבֵּית־עֵ֫קֶדפֶּ֫תִיsimplesimpleפֶּ֫תִיזֵדarrogantarrogantזֵדנָאַףto commit to commit adultנָאַףאִישׁmanmanאִישׁפָּלַלto prayto prayפָּלַליִרְמְיָ֫הJeremiahJeremiahיִרְמְיָ֫השַׁדַּיAlmightyAlmightyשַׁדַּירֵעַneighborneighborרֵעַחֵןfavorfavorחֵןיָשָׁרJasharJasharיָשָׁר
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 16:20

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.

[are] scoffing at me companions my to God it has wept eye my
מְלִיצַ֥יme.li.Tzai [are] scoffing at me H3887 Verb hiphil participle (active) masculine plural common · suffix
28× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to mock or scorn someone, often by making fun of them or talking down to them. It can also refer to interpreting languages or acting as an ambassador. In some cases, it describes a person who is arrogant or boastful.
Amplified meaning
those who mock, scorn me
Tyndale gloss
to mock
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

לִיץ (luwts) means to scorn or mock, with various forms indicating actions like deriding or acting as a scorner. It can also refer to interpreting language or serving as an ambassador. The entries highlight its use in different contexts, including boasting and showing arrogance.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[לִיץ] vb. scorn

Qal scorn

Hiph.

deride

Pt. interpreter

Po‛lel scorners

Hithp. act as a scorner, shew oneself a mocker

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3887 [לִיץ] scorn .scorn

. . deride

. Pt. interpreter

.scorners

. act as a scorner, shew oneself a mocker

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3887 luwts loots

a primitive root; properly, to make mouths at, i.e. to scoff;

hence (from the effort to pronounce a foreign language) to

interpret, or (generally) intercede:--ambassador, have in

derision, interpreter, make a mock, mocker, scorn(-er, -ful),

teacher.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לִיץ (luts) — to mock.

1) to scorn, make mouths at, talk arrogantly

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to boast

1a2) to scorn

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to mock, deride

1b2) to interpret (language)

1b2a) interpreter (participle)

1b2b) ambassador (fig.)

1c) (Hithpalpel) to be inflated, scoff, act as a scorner, show oneself a mocker

Also means: la.tsats (לָצַץ "to scorn" H3945)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Hiphil | Suff — Verb hiphil participle (active) masculine plural common · suffix
HVhrmpc/Sp1bs
[are] scoffing at me companions my to God it has wept eye my
רֵעָ֑יre.'Ai companions my H7453 Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
188× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A neighbor or friend is what this word means, describing someone close to you. It can also refer to a companion, fellow citizen, or another person, and is often translated as brother or friend.
Amplified meaning
neighbors, companions
Tyndale gloss
neighbor
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רֵעַ (rea`) refers to a friend, companion, or fellow, emphasizing close associations such as brotherhood or intimacy. It can also denote a neighbor or another person in a broader sense. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to associate.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רֵעַ 187 n.m. friend, companion, fellow

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7453 רֵעַ friend, companion, fellow

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7453 rea` ray'-ah

or reya2 {ray'-ah}; from 7462; an associate (more or less

close):--brother, companion, fellow, friend, husband, lover,

neighbour, X (an-)other.

see HEBREW for 0reya2

see HEBREW for 07462

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רֵעַ (re.a) — neighbor.

1) friend, companion, fellow, another person

1a) friend, intimate

1b) fellow, fellow-citizen, another person (weaker sense)

1c) other, another (reciprocal phrase)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
HNcmpc/Sp1bs
[are] scoffing at me companions my to God it has wept eye my
אֶל־'el- to H413 Preposition
5,518× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means 'to' or 'toward', showing direction or movement. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus, to indicate where someone is going. The KJV translates it in various ways, like 'about', 'according to', or 'against'.
Tyndale gloss
to(wards)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֶל (el) is primarily a preposition indicating motion towards or direction to a person or place. It can also imply entering a limit, presence at a location, or a hostile direction (against). Additionally, it may express concepts such as concerning, in addition to, or according to. The entries highlight its versatility in both physical and metaphorical contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph),

prep. denoting motion to or direction towards (whether physical or mental).of motion to or unto a person or place

Where the limit is actually entered, into

Of direction towards anything

Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against

Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to

Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

Of rule or standard according to (rare)

Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion

Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H413 אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph), . of motion to or unto a person or place

. Where the limit is actually entered, into

. Of direction towards anything

. Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against

. Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to

. Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

. Of rule or standard according to (rare)

. Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion

. Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

413 'el ale

(but only used in the shortened constructive form sel {el});

a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but

occasionally used of a quiescent position, i.e. near, with or

among; often in general, to:--about, according to ,after,

against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and,

by, concerning, for, from, X hath, in(- to), near, (out) of,

over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether,

with(-in).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶל (el) — to(wards).

1) to, toward, unto (of motion)

2) into (limit is actually entered)

2a) in among

3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion)

4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character)

5) in addition to, to

6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of

7) according to (rule or standard)

8) at, by, against (of one's presence)

9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Preposition
HR
[are] scoffing at me companions my to God it has wept eye my
אֱ֝ל֗וֹהַ'e.Lo.ha God H433 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
57× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Eloah refers to God or a deity, and is used to describe the one true God or false gods. It is often translated as God in the KJV, and is related to the word Elohim, which also refers to God.
Amplified meaning
Eloah, the one true deity
Tyndale gloss
god
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֱלֹהַּ (*'elowahh*) refers to a deity or the Deity, translating to 'God' or 'god.' It is derived from a root meaning 'to be strong' and can also denote a false god. The term appears in various contexts, including ancient poetry and references to heathen gods.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֱלֹהַּ 67; elsewhere אֱלוֹהַּ n.m. god, God

a heathen god, late usage

God, used in ancient poems

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H433 אֱלֹהַּ; elsewhere אֱלוֹהַּ god, God

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

433 'elowahh el-o'-ah; rarely (shortened) >eloahh {el-o'-ah

probably prolonged (emphat.) from 410; a deity or the

Deity:--God, god. See 430.

see HEBREW for 0410

see HEBREW for 0430

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֱלֹהַּ (e.lo.ah) — god.

1) God

2) false god

Aramaic equivalent: e.lah (אֱלָהּ "god" H0426)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

god ('Elohim, 'El, [`Elyon], Shadday, Yahweh; Theos):

I. INTRODUCTION TO THE GENERAL IDEA

1. The Idea in Experience and in Thought

2. Definition of the Idea

3. The Knowledge of God

4. Ethnic Ideas of God

(1) Animism

(2) Fetishism

(3) Idolatry

(4) Polytheism

(5) Henotheism

(6) Pantheism

(7) Deism

(8) Semitic Monolatry

(9) Monotheism

II. THE IDEA OF GOD IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

1. The Course of Its Development

2. Forms of Its Manifestation

(1) The Face or Countenance of God

(2) The Voice and Word of God

(3) The Glory of God

(4) The Angel of God

(5) The Spirit of God

(6) The Name of God

(7) Occasional Forms

3. The Names of God

(1) Generic

(2) Attributive

(3) Yahweh

4. Pre-prophetic Conceptions of God

(1) Yahweh Alone Is the God of Israel

(a) His Early Worship

(b) Popular Religion

(c) Polytheistic Tendencies

(i) Coordination

(ii) Assimilation

(iii) Disintegration

(d) No Hebrew Goddesses

(e) Human Sacrifices

Easton's Bible Dictionary

God

(A.S. and Dutch God; Dan. Gud; Ger. Gott), the name of the Divine Being. It is the rendering (1) of the Hebrew ’El, from a word meaning to be strong; (2) of ’Eloah_, plural _’Elohim. The singular form, Eloah, is used only in poetry. The plural form is more commonly used in all parts of the Bible, The Hebrew word Jehovah (q.v.), the only other word generally employed to denote the Supreme Being, is uniformly rendered in the Authorized Version by “LORD,” printed in small capitals. The existence of God is taken for granted in the Bible. There is nowhere any argument to prove it. He who disbelieves this truth is spoken of as one devoid of understanding (Ps. 14:1).

The arguments generally adduced by theologians in proof of the being of God are:

(1.) The a priori argument, which is the testimony afforded by reason.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(good). Throughout the Hebrew Scriptures two chief names are used for the one true divine Being--ELOHIM, commonly translated God in our version, and JEHOVAH, translated Lord . Elohim is the plural of Eloah (in Arabic Allah); it is often used in the short form EL (a word signifying strength , as in EL-SHADDAI, God Almighty, the name by which God was specially known to the patriarchs. (Genesis 17:1; 28:3; Exodus 6:3) The etymology is uncertain, but it is generally agreed that the primary idea is that of strength, power of effect , and that it properly describes God in that character in which he is exhibited to all men in his works, as the creator, sustainer and supreme governor of the world. The plural form of Elohim has given rise to much discussion. The fanciful idea that it…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

This name, the derivation of which is uncertain, we give to that eternal, infinite, perfect, and incomprehensible Being, the Creator of all things, who preserves and governs all by his almighty power and wisdom, and is the only proper object of worship. The proper Hebrew name for God is JEHOVAH, which signifies He is. But the Jews, from a feeling of reverence, avoid pronouncing this name, substituting for it, wherever it occurs in the sacred test, the word ADONAI, Lord; except in the expression, ADONAI JEHOVAH, Lord Jehovah, for which they put, ADONAI ELOHIM, Lord God. This usage, which is not without an element of superstition, is very ancient, dating its origin some centuries before Christ; but there is no good ground for assuming its existence in the days of the inspired Old Testament writers. The proper word for God is ELOHIM, which is plural in its form, being thus used to signify…

[are] scoffing at me companions my to God it has wept eye my
דָּלְפָ֥הdal.Fah it has wept H1811 Verb · Qal · perfect third person feminine singular
3× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To drip means to drop or leak, and it can also imply weeping or crying. This word is used in the Bible to describe tears or liquid flowing. It is often translated as drop or melt.
Amplified meaning
weep, drip with sorrow
Tyndale gloss
to drip
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

דָּלַף (dalaph) is a primitive root meaning to drip or drop. It can imply leaking or weeping, particularly in the context of tears. The entries consistently emphasize its meanings related to dripping and weeping, with no significant disagreement noted among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[דָּלַף] vb. drop, drip

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1811 דָּלַף

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1811 dalaph daw-laf'

a primitive root; to drip; by implication, to weep:--drop

through, melt, pour out.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

דָּלַף (da.laph) — to drip.

1) to drop, drip

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to leak

1a2) to weep (of tears)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-3fs — Verb · Qal · perfect third person feminine singular
HVqp3fs
[are] scoffing at me companions my to God it has wept eye my
עֵינִֽי׃'ei.Ni eye my H5869 Noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
887× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word can mean a spring or fountain, but also refers to the eye or a source of something. It is often translated as affliction, outward appearance, or countenance, and is used in various contexts throughout the Bible.
Amplified meaning
the source of my tears, the window to my soul
Tyndale gloss
eye
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עַ֫יִן (*'ayin*) means 'eye' and can refer to both the physical organ and its figurative uses, such as mental qualities and desires. It also denotes a 'spring' or 'fountain' of water. The entries highlight various phrases and contexts, including appearances and expressions of emotion, but do not indicate any significant disagreement among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עַ֫יִן 859 n.f. eye

lit. as physical organ

eyes as showing mental qualities

desire of the eyes, abominations of the eyes

Fig. of mental and physical faculties, acts and states

Transferred mngs.:

visible surface of earth

appearance

gleam, sparkle

Other phrases are: an eye for an eye; eye to eye; in the presence of, in full view of; of business transaction; on the forehead

base

עַ֫יִן n.f. spring (of water). Particular springs are:

ע׳ חֲרֹר Ju 7:1

ע׳ הַקּוֹרֵא (partridge-spring) Ju 15:19

ע׳ רֹגֵל near Jerus.

ע׳ הַתַּנִּין (dragon-spring)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5869a עַ֫יִן eye . lit. as physical organ

. . eyes as showing mental qualities

. desire of the eyes, abominations of the eyes

. Fig. of mental and physical faculties, acts and states

. Transferred mngs.: . visible surface of earth

. appearance

. gleam, sparkle

. Other phrases are: an eye for an eye; eye to eye; in the presence of, in full view of; of business transaction; on the forehead

H5869b עַ֫יִן spring (of water)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5869 `ayin ah'-yin

probably a primitive word; an eye (literally or

figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the

landscape):--affliction, outward appearance, + before, +

think best, colour, conceit, + be content, countenance, +

displease, eye((-brow), (-d), -sight), face, + favour,

fountain, furrow (from the margin), X him, + humble,

knowledge, look, (+ well), X me, open(-ly), + (not) please,

presence, + regard, resemblance, sight, X thee, X them, +

think, X us, well, X you(-rselves).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — eye.

: eye

1) eye

1a) eye

1a1) of physical eye

1a2) as showing mental qualities

1a3) of mental and spiritual faculties (fig.)

עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — Fountain (Gate).

§ spring, fountain

עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — Fountain of.

§ spring, fountain

עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — eye: seeing.

: seeing

1) eye

1a) eye

1a1) of physical eye

1a2) as showing mental qualities

1a3) of mental and spiritual faculties (fig.)

עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — eye: appearance.

: appearance

1) eye

1a) eye

1a1) of physical eye

1a2) as showing mental qualities

1a3) of mental and spiritual faculties (fig.)

עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — eye: before(the eyes).

: before(the_eyes)

1) eye

1a) eye

1a1) of physical eye

1a2) as showing mental qualities

1a3) of mental and spiritual faculties (fig.)

עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — eye: sin.

: sin

1) eye

1a) eye

1a1) of physical eye

1a2) as showing mental qualities

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-cs | Suff — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
HNcfsc/Sp1bs
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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