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Job 17:3 — Word Study

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WLCשִֽׂימָה־ נָּ֭א עָרְבֵ֣נִי עִמָּ֑ךְ מִֽי ה֝֗וּא לְיָדִ֥י יִתָּקֵֽעַ׃

BSAGive [me]sûwm I praynâʼ [please, I ask of you] the pledgeʻârab [a guarantee, security] You [demand]ʻim [require, expect] Who elsemîy [what person, which one] will be my guarantoryâd [one who will vouch for me, stand in my place]

Word
Listen & take awayJob 17
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 3 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 (yi.ta.Ke.a') — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Job 17:3quick helps
In a sentenceJob asks God for a pledge or guarantee, expressing his need for assurance.
Who is speakingJob, in a moment of despair, speaks directly to God.
Where we areIn a plea for security amidst suffering, Job reflects on his circumstances.
The hard wordעָרְבֵ֣נִי
Take awayJob seeks a guarantee that he will not be abandoned.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbתָּקַע 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 17:3

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 Plea for Assurancegenerated

2Surely mockers surround me, and my eyes must gaze at their rebellion.
3Give me, I pray, the pledge You demand. Who else will be my guarantor?
4You have closed their minds to understanding; therefore You will not exalt them.
5If a man denounces his friends for a price, the eyes of his children will fail.

Job 17:3 captures Job's desperation as he requests a pledge from God, highlighting his need for a guarantor in his time of suffering. This plea comes amidst mockery from others, as he grapples with his circumstances and seeks assurance of support from the Divine. Job's situation reflects the broader theme of human vulnerability and the search for security in faith.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Job 9:33Nor is there a mediator between us, to lay his hand upon us both.
2Genesis 43:9I will guarantee his safety. You may hold me personally responsible. If I do not bring him back and set him before you, then may I bear the guilt before you all my life.
3Genesis 44:32Indeed, your servant guaranteed the boy’s safety to my father, saying, ‘If I do not return him to you, I will bear the guilt before you, my father, all my life.’
4Proverbs 11:15He who puts up security for a stranger will surely suffer, but the one who hates indebtedness is secure.
5Proverbs 20:16Take the garment of the one who posts security for a stranger; get collateral if it is for a foreigner.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 10 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word עָרְבֵ֣נִי, 'a.re.Ve.nigenerated

The verb עָרַב (arab) means to pledge or stand as surety, indicating a commitment or guarantee. In this context, Job is asking God to take responsibility for him, to act as his security in a time of need.

This verb's usage here suggests a deep relational aspect, as Job seeks not just any guarantee, but one that comes from a personal connection with God. The imperative form indicates urgency and necessity in his request.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb is שִֽׂימָה־, give, which governs the request for a pledge. The structure follows a straightforward imperative form, emphasizing Job's urgent plea.

Two clauses follow the main verb: the first is a prepositional phrase indicating the nature of the pledge, and the second is an interrogative clause asking who will act as his guarantor. This arrangement highlights Job's reliance on God as he seeks assurance.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates עָרְבֵ֣נִי as μου, meaning my. This choice narrows the focus from a general request for a guarantor to a personal connection, emphasizing the intimate nature of Job's plea.

The LXX's rendering reflects an interpretation that underscores Job's vulnerability and need for personal assurance from God.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Job 17:3 shows Job asking God for a pledge or guarantee during a difficult time. He feels surrounded by mockers and seeks assurance that someone will stand by him. This plea highlights his need for support and security in his suffering.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does Job mean by asking for a pledge?

Job is seeking assurance from God that he will not be abandoned during his suffering, emphasizing his need for a guarantee.

Why does Job feel the need for a guarantor?

Job feels isolated and mocked, making him desperate for someone to vouch for him and provide security.

How does this verse reflect Job's state of mind?

Job's plea reveals his vulnerability and deep need for God's support amidst his trials.

What can we learn from Job's request for a pledge?

Job's request highlights the importance of seeking assurance and support from God during difficult times.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what areas of my life do I feel the need for assurance or support from God?
  2. How can I express my needs to God as openly as Job did?
  3. What does it mean to have God as my guarantor in times of trouble?
  4. How can I provide support to others who are seeking assurance in their struggles?

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

The early commentary on this verse reflects on Job's plea for assurance, as seen in Gregory the Dialogist's work, which discusses the nature of Job's suffering and his relationship with God.

Gregory the DialogistMorals on the Book of Job, Book XIII c. 540–604
Ver. 3. Set me free, and put me beside thee, and let the hand of anyone fight against me. For He did not sin either in thought or deed: He was made to 'abide in bitterness' by His Passion, He was 'set free' by the Resurrection,
Early Church Fathers on Job 17 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Job 17:3 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Lay down now,.... A pledge that thou wilt provide a surety, appoint and admit one to plead for me, and that thou wilt hear my cause, and determine it; or "put now", or "put, I pray thee" (r), thy

Read John Gill on Job 17 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Lay down now, put me in a surety with thee; who is he that will strike hands with me? Lay down - namely, a pledge or security - i:e., be my surety; do thou attest my innocence, since my friends only mock me (Job 17:2).

Read Robert Jamieson on Job 17 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

He turneth his speech either to Eliphaz, who spoke last; or rather to God, as is evident from the matter and scope of the words, and from the next verse. These words contain either, 1. A humble desire to God that he would appoint him a surety, who should undertake for his friends; that they should refer the cause in difference between them to God or to some other person, who should determine the matter in God’ s name, and according to God’ s will; or that God would be his Surety, or appoint him a surety who should maintain his righteous cause against his opposers; for so this phrase is oft used, as ,122 Isa 38:14. And some expound this, as they did , of Christ Jesus, who was called our…

Read Matthew Poole on Job 17 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Job 17:3 Lay down now, put me in a surety with thee; who [is] he [that] will strike hands with me?Ver. 3. Lay down now, put me in a surety with thee] This Job speaketh not to Eliphaz (as R. Moses, Beza, and some others would have it), but to God himself, as Job 16:7, whom be desireth to lay down or appoint, as Exodus 1:11, and put in Christ as a surety to plead for him; see Hebrews 7:22; and so Brentius expoundeth it: There is one only surety, saith he, one only intercessor, the Lord Jesus Christ, who if he appear not in the eyes of our faith, we have none else that can undertake for us to God; neither is there any creature which can stand in the judgment of God, though he would never so…

Read John Trapp on Job 17 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(3) Lay down now . . .—i.e., Give now a pledge; be surety for me with Thyself. He has declared that he has a witness in the heavens, but he desires some present token of the vindication to come of which he is confident, and so he asks God to give him such a pledge. This is virtually the same prayer that we find Hezekiah using (Isaiah 38:14): “O Lord, I am oppressed: undertake for me,” that is, “Be surety for me.” (See also Psalms 119:122 : “Be surety for thy servant for good.”) There is that in man which demands exact and rigorous fulfilment or expiation of non-fulfilment. Job felt that his only hope of this fulfilment or expiation of non-fulfilment lay with God Himself: that same God who…

Read Charles John Ellicott on Job 17 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 3. Lay down now] Deposit a pledge; stake your conduct against mine, and your life and soul on the issue; let the cause come before God, let him try it; and see whether any of you shall be justified by him, while I am condemned.

Read AdamClarke on Job 17 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

3–9. New appeal to God that He would undertake for Job or give him a pledge that he would cause his innocence to be acknowledged by God, Job 17:3; with the grounds for this prayer as before, Job 17:4-9.

Read Cambridge on Job 17 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Lay down now - This is evidently an address to God - a repetition of the wish which he had so often expressed, that he might be permitted to bring his cause directly before him; see Job 13:3.

Read Albert Barnes on Job 17 →

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

Give me, I pray, the pledge You demand. Who else will be my guarantor?

WEBWorld English Bible2000

“Now give a pledge. Be collateral for me with yourself. Who is there who will strike hands with me?

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Give me, I pray, the pledge You demand. Who else will be my guarantor?

NETBNew English Translation2006

Make then my pledge with you. Who else will put up security for me?

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Lay down now, put me in a surety with thee; who is he that will strike hands with me?

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Give now a pledge, be surety for me with thyself; Who is there that will strike hands with me?

RVARevised Version, American1894

Give now a pledge, be surety for me with thyself; who is there that will strike hands with me?

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Lay down now, put me in a surety with thee; who is he that will strike hands with me?

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Lay downe nowe and put me in suretie for thee: who is hee, that will touch mine hand?

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Lay down now [a pledge], be thou surety for me with thyself: who is he that striketh hands with me?

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Place, I pray Thee, my pledge with Thee; Who is he that striketh hand with me?

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Now place my pledge with You; Who is he that strikes hand with me?

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And thou, [Creator!] attend, I pray thee, be my surety with thyself: who else is there that would strike hands with me?

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Give now a pledge, be a guarantee for me with yourself; who else is there who will help me?

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Deliver me O Lord, and set me beside thee, and let any man’s hand fight against me.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

God, you need to put down a pledge for me with yourself, for who else will be my guarantor?

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Be pleased, now, to be responsible for me to yourself; for there is no other who will put his hand in mine.

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.

clauseverb phrase · verbשִֽׂימָmakeהadverbialנָּ֭אpleaseclauseverbעָרְבֵ֣standobjectנִיsurety.for.meprepositional phrase · prepositionalעִמָּ֑withךְyourselfclausepredicateמִֽיwho?noun phrase · subjectה֝֗וּאthatclauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalלְtonoun phraseיָדִ֥handיmyverbיִתָּקֵֽעַwill.he.strike.himself

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


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

The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint largely agree in their wording, with seven out of eight words matching. The Septuagint's translation reflects a similar plea but presents it in a different structure, emphasizing the personal nature of Job's request.

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

שִֽׂימָה־ נָּ֭א עָרְבֵ֣נִי עִמָּ֑ךְ מִֽי ה֝֗וּא לְיָדִ֥י יִתָּקֵֽעַ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
שִֽׂימָה־ἔκλεψανנָּ֭אδέעָרְבֵ֣נִיμουמִֽיτίςה֝֗וּאἐστινלְיָדִ֥יμουיִתָּקֵֽעַ׃συνδεθήτω

7 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 17:3שׂוּםmake !make !שׂוּםנָאpleasepleaseנָאעָרַבstand suretstand surety foעָרַבעִםwith yoursewith yourselfעִםמִיwho?who?מִיהוּאthatthatהוּאיָדto hand myto hand myיָדתָּקַעwill he strwill he strike תָּקַעעָמַםto darkento darkenעָמַםכַּףpalmpalmכַּףמָהwhat?what?מָהשַׁמָּהhorror: dehorror: destroyשַׁמָּהשְׁמָמָהDesolateDesolateשְׁמָמָהחֵןfavorfavorחֵןעַתָּ֫הnownowעַתָּ֫הזוּרbe a stranbe a strangerזוּרתָּקַעto blowto blowתָּקַעשָׁכַבto lie dowto lie down: laשָׁכַבקָבַרto buryto buryקָבַריָעַדto appointto appointיָעַדכְּמוֹlikelikeכְּמוֹטָמֵאuncleanuncleanטָמֵאעֵתtimetimeעֵתחָזָקstrongstrongחָזָקנָצַלto rescueto rescueנָצַלשֹׁפָרtrumpettrumpetשֹׁפָר
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 17:3

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.

make ! please stand surety for me with yourself who? that to hand my will he strike himself
שִֽׂימָה־si.mah- make ! H7760 Verb qal imperative second person masculine singular · suffix
585× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to put or place something, and is used in many different ways in the Bible, such as to appoint or determine something. It is first used in Genesis to describe God's creation. In the KJV, it is translated as 'appoint' or 'set' in various contexts.
Tyndale gloss
to set: make
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שׂוּם, שִׂים 582 vb. put, place, set

Qal

put, set, in a place

put something upon

put, lay, set

put, c. בֵּין

set, direct

set, ordain, in a place

set, establish a law, statute

set, found a nation

set, appoint (as ruler, official)

set, constitute, make

set, determine, fix, bounds

set, station, at a post

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

set up altars

= plant, wheat

set, fix (countenance)

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

make, constitute

work, bring to pass

appoint, give

set, fix (countenance)

Hiph. I will make him for a sign

Hoph. there was set before him

base

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

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

. put something upon

. put, lay, set

. put, c. בֵּין

. set, direct

. . set, ordain, in a place

. set, establish a law, statute

. set, found a nation

. set, appoint (as ruler, official)

. set, constitute, make

. set, determine, fix, bounds

. . set, station, at a post

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

. set up altars

. = plant, wheat

. set, fix (countenance)

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

. make, constitute

. work, bring to pass

. appoint, give

. set, fix (countenance)

. I will make him for a sign

. there was set before him

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

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7760 suwm soom

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

variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שׂוּם (sum) — to set: make.

: make/establish

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

1a) (Qal)

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

1a2) to set, direct, direct toward

1a2a) to extend (compassion) (fig)

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

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

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

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

1c) (Hophal) to be set

שׂוּמָה (su.mah) — fate.

token of unluckiness, scowl

שׂוּם (sum) — to set: put.

: put/give

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

1a) (Qal)

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

1a2) to set, direct, direct toward

1a2a) to extend (compassion) (fig)

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

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Impv-2ms | Suff — Verb qal imperative second person masculine singular · suffix
HVqv2ms/Sh
make ! please stand surety for me with yourself who? that to hand my will he strike himself
נָּ֭אna' please H4994 Particle
404× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word 'nâ'' is used to express a polite request, like 'please' or 'I pray', and is often added to verbs to make them more polite. In the Bible, it appears in passages like Ezra's reading of the law to the people.
Amplified meaning
please, I ask of you
Tyndale gloss
please
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נָא (na') is a Hebrew particle used primarily for entreaty or exhortation, meaning 'I pray,' 'now,' or 'please.' It often appears attached to verbs in the imperative or future forms, and can also modify interjections, adverbs, or conjunctions. The entries consistently emphasize its role in expressing a plea or request.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נָא part. of entreaty or exhortation, I (we) pray, now (enclitic)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4994 נָא I (we) pray, now (enclitic)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4994 na' naw

a primitive particle of incitement and entreaty, which may

usually be rendered: "I pray," "now," or "then"; added mostly

to verbs (in the Imperative or Future), or to interjections,

occasionally to an adverb or conjunction:--I beseech (pray)

thee (you), go to, now, oh.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָא (na) — please.

1) I (we) pray, now, please

1a) used in entreaty or exhortation

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part — Particle
HTj
make ! please stand surety for me with yourself who? that to hand my will he strike himself
עָרְבֵ֣נִי'a.re.Ve.ni stand surety for me H6148 Verb qal infinitive construct common · suffix
22× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to pledge or exchange something, often in the context of giving security or taking on a responsibility. It can also mean to occupy or undertake something, such as going surety for someone or giving pledges.
Amplified meaning
a guarantee, security
Tyndale gloss
to pledge
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עָרַב (arab) is a primitive root that encompasses meanings related to pledging, exchanging, and engaging in trade. It can refer to taking on a pledge, giving a pledge, or exchanging items, as well as having fellowship or sharing. The entries indicate various usages, including going surety for someone or making a bargain.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עָרַב vb. take on pledge, give in pledge, exchange

Qal

c. acc. pers. take on pledge, i.e. go surety for

give in pledge

exchange (in trade)

Hithp.

recipr. exchange pledges (make a bargain) with my lord

have fellowship with

share in

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6148 עָרַב take on pledge, give in pledge, exchange .. c. acc. pers. take on pledge, i.e. go surety for

. give in pledge

. exchange (in trade)

. . recipr. exchange pledges (make a bargain) with my lord

. . have fellowship with

. share in

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6148 `arab aw-rab'

a primitive root; to braid, i.e. intermix; technically, to

traffic (as if by barter); also or give to be security (as a

kind of exchange):--engage, (inter-)meddle (with), mingle

(self), mortgage, occupy, give pledges, be(-come, put in)

surety, undertake.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עָרַב (a.rav) — to pledge.

1) to pledge, exchange, mortgage, engage, occupy, undertake for, give pledges, be or become surety, take on pledge, give in pledge

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to take on pledge, go surety for

1a2) to give in pledge

1a3) to exchange

1a4) to pledge

1b) (Hithpael)

1b1) to exchange pledges

1b2) to have fellowship with, share

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Impv-2ms | Suff — Verb qal infinitive construct common · suffix
HVqcc/Sp1bs
make ! please stand surety for me with yourself who? that to hand my will he strike himself
עִמָּ֑ךְ'i.Makh with yourself H5973 Preposition · suffix
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.
Amplified meaning
require, expect
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 | Suff — Preposition · suffix
HR/Sp2ms
make ! please stand surety for me with yourself who? that to hand my will he strike himself
מִֽיmi who? H4310 Pronoun
423× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word is used to ask questions like who, whose, or whom. It can also be used to express a wish, like would that or whoever. It appears in many forms throughout the Bible, often in phrases like O that or what.
Amplified meaning
what person, which one
Tyndale gloss
who?
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מִי (mi) is an interrogative pronoun primarily used to ask about persons, meaning 'who?' or 'whose?'. It can also appear in rhetorical questions and has some idiomatic uses, such as 'who among...?' or 'whosoever'. The word is rarely applied to things, and its forms can vary in emphasis.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מִי 423 pron.interrog. who? of persons

מִי is rarely used of things, and usually where persons are understood or implied

in the gen. whose

in an indirect qu.

מִי ב׳ who among … ?

strengthened and emph. forms of interrog.

various rhetorical uses whose

מִי may sometimes be rendered whosoever, though, as the examples will shew, it does not really mean it

once, following a verb, any one

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4310 מִי who? of persons . מִי is rarely used of things, and usually where persons are understood or implied

. in the gen. whose

. in an indirect qu.

. מִי ב׳ who among … ?

. strengthened and emph. forms of interrog.

. various rhetorical uses whose

. מִי may sometimes be rendered whosoever, though, as the examples will shew, it does not really mean it

. once, following a verb, any one

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4310 miy me

an interrogative pronoun of persons, as 4100 is of things,

who? (occasionally, by a peculiar idiom, of things); also

(indefinitely) whoever; often used in oblique construction

with prefix or suffix:--any (man), X he, X him, + O that!

what, which, who(-m, -se, -soever), + would to God.

see HEBREW for 04100

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מִי (mi) — who?.

who?, whose?, whom?, would that, whoever, whosoever

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part — Pronoun
HPi
make ! please stand surety for me with yourself who? that to hand my will he strike himself
ה֝֗וּאHu' that H1931 Pronoun
1,879× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word is a pronoun meaning 'he', 'she', or 'it', used to refer to a person or thing. It is used in the Bible to emphasize a subject or make it clear who is being talked about.
Tyndale gloss
he/she/it
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הוּא (hu) is a third-person singular pronoun meaning he, she, or it, used for emphasis or when no verb is present. It can also refer to oneself or serve as a demonstrative pronoun. The word has various nuances, including resuming the subject with emphasis or expressing it unobtrusively. It can indicate 'that' or 'those' when used with the definite article.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הוּא m. הִיא f., pron. of the 3rd ps. sing. he, she, used also (in both genders) for the neuter it

an emph. he (she, it, they), sometimes equivalent to himself (herself, itself, themselves), or (esp. with the art.) that (those)

It resumes the subj. with emph.

Where, however, the pron. follows the pred., its position gives it the minimum of emphasis, and it expresses (or resumes) the subject as unobtrusively as possible

It anticipates (as it seems) the subject

As an emph. predicate, of God

In a neuter sense, that, it (of an action, occurrence, matte, etc.)

With the art.: so regularly when joined to a subst. defined itself by the art.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1931 הוּא, הִיא he, she, used also (in both genders) for the neuter it . an emph. he (she, it, they), sometimes equivalent to himself (herself, itself, themselves), or (esp. with the art.) that (those)

. It resumes the subj. with emph.

. Where, however, the pron. follows the pred., its position gives it the minimum of emphasis, and it expresses (or resumes) the subject as unobtrusively as possible

. It anticipates (as it seems) the subject

. As an emph. predicate, of God

. In a neuter sense, that, it (of an action, occurrence, matte, etc.)

. With the art.: so regularly when joined to a subst. defined itself by the art.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1931 huw' hoo

of which the feminine (beyond the Pentateuch) is hiyw {he}; a

primitive word, the third person pronoun singular, he (she or

it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also

(intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same;

sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally

(instead of copula) as or are:--he, as for her, him(-self),

it, the same, she (herself), such, that (...it), these, they,

this, those, which (is), who.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הוּא (hu) — he/she/it.

pron 3p s

1) he, she, it

1a) himself (with emphasis)

1b) resuming subj with emphasis

1c) (with minimum emphasis following predicate)

1d) (anticipating subj)

1e) (emphasising predicate)

1f) that, it (neuter) demons pron

2) that (with article)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HPp3ms — Pronoun
HPp3ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
make ! please stand surety for me with yourself who? that to hand my will he strike himself
לְיָדִ֥יle.ya.Di to hand my H3027 Preposition · noun common both singular construct · suffix
1,619× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, 'yad' refers to an open hand, symbolizing power or direction. It can also mean strength or a part of something, like a side or a share. The word is used in many contexts, including anatomy and everyday life.
Amplified meaning
one who will vouch for me, stand in my place
Tyndale gloss
hand
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָד (yad) means 'hand' and can also refer to strength or power in a figurative sense. It encompasses various technical uses, such as a sign or monument, parts or shares, and even specific components in construction, like axle-trees and supports for the laver. The word is versatile, appearing in both literal and metaphorical contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָד 1604 n.f. hand

hand

Fig. = strength, power

Fig. = side

יָד is used in various special, technical senses:—

sign, monument

part, fractional part or share

time, repetition

axle-trees

stays, supports for laver

tenons on sides of boards of tabernacle

a (beckoning) hand

יַד with prep.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3027 יָד hand . hand

. Fig. = strength, power

. Fig. = side

. יָד is used in various special, technical senses:— . sign, monument

. part, fractional part or share

. time, repetition

. axle-trees

. stays, supports for laver

. tenons on sides of boards of tabernacle

. a (beckoning) hand

. יַד with prep.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3027 yad yawd

a primitive word; a hand (the open one (indicating power,

means, direction, etc.), in distinction from 3709, the closed

one); used (as noun, adverb, etc.) in a great variety of

applications, both literally and figuratively, both proximate

and remote (as follows):--(+ be) able, X about, + armholes,

at, axletree, because of, beside, border, X bounty, + broad,

(broken-)handed, X by, charge, coast, + consecrate, +

creditor, custody, debt, dominion, X enough, + fellowship,

force, X from, hand(-staves, -y work), X he, himself, X in,

labour, + large, ledge, (left-)handed, means, X mine,

ministry, near, X of, X order, ordinance, X our, parts, pain,

power, X presumptuously, service, side, sore, state, stay,

draw with strength, stroke, + swear, terror, X thee, X by

them, X themselves, X thine own, X thou, through, X throwing,

+ thumb, times, X to, X under, X us, X wait on, (way-)side,

Read the full entry →
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָד (yad) — hand.

: hand/arm[anatomy]

1) hand

1a) hand (of man)

1b) strength, power (fig.)

1c) side (of land), part, portion (metaph.) (fig.)

1d) (various special, technical senses)

1d1) sign, monument

1d2) part, fractional part, share

1d3) time, repetition

1d4) axle-trees, axle

1d5) stays, support (for laver)

1d6) tenons (in tabernacle)

1d7) a phallus, a hand (meaning unsure)

1d8) wrists

יָד (yad) — hand: power.

: hand/arm[anatomy]

1) hand

1a) hand (of man)

1b) strength, power (fig.)

1c) side (of land), part, portion (metaph.) (fig.)

1d) (various special, technical senses)

1d1) sign, monument

1d2) part, fractional part, share

1d3) time, repetition

1d4) axle-trees, axle

1d5) stays, support (for laver)

1d6) tenons (in tabernacle)

1d7) a phallus, a hand (meaning unsure)

1d8) wrists

יָד (yad) — hand: themselves.

: hand/arm[anatomy]

1) hand

1a) hand (of man)

1b) strength, power (fig.)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-cs | Suff — Preposition · noun common both singular construct · suffix
HR/Ncbsc/Sp1bs
make ! please stand surety for me with yourself who? that to hand my will he strike himself
יִתָּקֵֽעַ׃yi.ta.Ke.a' will he strike himself H8628 Verb · Niphal · imperfect third person masculine singular
69× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to blow or strike something, like a trumpet or a nail. In the Bible, it is used to describe making a loud noise or driving something into place. The KJV translates it as blow, clap, or strike.
Tyndale gloss
to blow
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

תָּקַע (taqa) is a Hebrew verb meaning to thrust, clap, or give a blow, with a range of uses including striking, blowing a trumpet, or pledging oneself. It appears in various forms, such as Qal and Niphal, indicating actions like driving a weapon or the sound of a blast. The entries do not present any significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

תָּקַע 67 vb. thrust, clap, give a blow, blast

Qal

thrust, drive

give a blast, blow

strike, clap hands

Niph.

if a horn shall be blown

who is there that will strike himself (i.e. pledge himself) into my hand?

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8628 תָּקַע thrust, clap, give a blow, blast

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8628 taqa` taw-kah'

a primitive root; to clatter, i.e. slap (the hands together),

clang (an instrument); by analogy, to drive (a nail or

tent-pin, a dart, etc.); by implication, to become bondsman by

handclasping):--blow ((a trumpet)), cast, clap, fasten, pitch

(tent), smite, sound, strike, X suretiship, thrust.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

תָּקַע (ta.qa) — to blow.

1) to blow, clap, strike, sound, thrust, give a blow, blast

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to thrust, drive (of weapon)

1a2) to give a blast, give a blow

1a3) to strike or clap hands

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be blown, blast (of horn)

1b2) to strike or pledge oneself

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVNi3ms — Verb · Niphal · imperfect third person masculine singular
HVNi3ms
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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