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Job 19:28 — Word Study

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WLCכִּ֣י תֹ֭אמְרוּ מַה־ נִּרְדָּף־ ל֑וֹ וְשֹׁ֥רֶשׁ דָּ֝בָ֗ר נִמְצָא־ בִֽי׃

BSAIfkîy you sayʼâmar [to yourselves] [Let us]mâh persecuterâdaph [pursue, chase after] since the rootsheresh [source, foundation] of the matterdâbâr [affair, thing] liesmâtsâʼ [is found, exists]

Word
Listen & take awayJob 19
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 28 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 (Vi) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Job 19:28quick helps
In a sentenceJob challenges his accusers, suggesting they are the ones with the root of the matter.
Who is speakingJob, addressing those who seek to persecute him.
Where we areJob is responding to his friends who have accused him, emphasizing the truth of his situation.
The hard wordנִּרְדָּף־
Take awayThe accusation of persecution is turned back on the accusers.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbאָמַר 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 19:28

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 Defense Against Accusationgenerated

26Even after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God.
27I will see Him for myself; my eyes will behold Him, and not as a stranger. How my heart yearns within me!
28If you say, ‘Let us persecute him, since the root of the matter lies with him, ’
29then you should fear the sword yourselves, because wrath brings punishment by the sword, so that you may know there is a judgment.”

Job 19:28 occurs in a passage where Job is asserting his integrity and the reality of his suffering. He is speaking to his friends who have accused him of wrongdoing, suggesting that their desire to persecute him reveals their own lack of understanding. Job emphasizes that the root of the matter lies within him, indicating that the truth of his situation is deeper than their accusations. This reflects the broader theme of the book of Job, where the nature of suffering and divine justice is explored amidst human misunderstanding.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Job 19:22Why do you persecute me as God does? Will you never get enough of my flesh?
2Psalm 69:26For they persecute the one You struck and recount the pain of those You wounded.
31 Kings 14:13All Israel will mourn for him and bury him. For this is the only one belonging to Jeroboam who will receive a proper burial, because only in him has the LORD, the God of Israel, found any good in the house of Jeroboam.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 3 references, hung on the phrase they belong to

seeing, etc1 Kings 14:13

The Key Word נִּרְדָּף־, nir.dof-generated

The verb נִּרְדָּף־ (nir.dof-) is a first person plural imperfect form of the root רָדַף (radaph), meaning to pursue or chase after. It carries a connotation of hostile intent, indicating that Job is responding to his friends with a challenge about their motives.

This word encapsulates the act of persecution, suggesting a pursuit not just in a physical sense but also in a moral or social context. Job's use of this verb highlights the seriousness of their intentions against him.


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 תֹ֭אמְרוּ (To.me.ru), you will say, which governs the entire sentence. It is followed by a direct question, מַה־ (mah-), meaning what?, and the subsequent clauses describe the action of persecution and the nature of the matter.

The structure emphasizes Job's challenge to his accusers, placing the responsibility of the accusation back on them. The arrangement of the clauses reflects a logical flow from accusation to justification.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates נִּרְדָּף־ as ἐροῦμεν (eroumen), meaning we will say. This choice maintains the original challenge of Job's statement while adapting it to a Greek-speaking audience.

This translation choice shows a direct engagement with the Hebrew text, preserving the confrontational tone of Job's words.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Job 19:28 expresses Job's response to his friends who want to persecute him. He questions their motives, suggesting that the true issue lies within him. This highlights the theme of misunderstanding and the deeper realities of his suffering.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does Job mean by 'the root of the matter'?

Job refers to the underlying truth of his situation, indicating that the real issue is not his supposed wrongdoing but rather the misunderstanding of his friends.

Why does Job challenge his accusers?

Job challenges his accusers to highlight their lack of insight into his suffering and to turn the accusation back on them, questioning their motives.

What is the significance of the word 'persecute'?

The word 'persecute' indicates a hostile pursuit, emphasizing the seriousness of the accusations Job faces from his friends.

How does this verse fit into the larger context of Job's story?

This verse fits into Job's defense of his integrity amidst his friends' accusations, showcasing the theme of suffering and the search for truth.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What are some ways I might misunderstand the suffering of others, like Job's friends did?
  2. How can I ensure that I seek the truth in difficult situations rather than jumping to conclusions?
  3. In what ways can I support those who are being unjustly persecuted?
  4. How can I reflect on my own motives when I judge others?

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

Gregory the Dialogist comments on Job's challenge to his accusers, emphasizing the need to recognize the truth and the consequences of their actions.

Gregory the DialogistMorals on the Book of Job, Book XIV c. 540–604
Wherefore then do ye now say, Let us persecute him, and find out the root of the word against him? Fly therefore from the face of the sword, for the sword is an avenger of wickedness; and know that there is a judgment.
Early Church Fathers on Job 19 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Job 19:28 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

But ye should say,.... Here Job directs his friends what use they should make of this confession of his faith; they should upon this say within themselves, and to one another, why persecute we him,

Read John Gill on Job 19 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

But ye should say, Why persecute we him, seeing the root of the matter is found in me? Rather, ye will then (when the Vindicator cometh) say, Why did we persecute him?

Read Robert Jamieson on Job 19 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

But; or, therefore; because this is my case, and my faith and hope in God. Ye should say: so the future is used potentially, as it is ; and the sense is, it would become you; or, it is your duty upon this account to say. Or, you will say, i.e. either, 1. I hope you will say so, and that you will be more moderate in your censures and expressions concerning me, as being convinced and sweetened by this sincere and solemn profession of my faith and hope. Or, 2. Peradventure you will say, to wit, by way of excuse for yourselves. Why persecute we him? so it is a correction of themselves. Seeing things are thus with him, we are blameworthy, that we have persecuted him with such bitter invectives…

Read Matthew Poole on Job 19 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Job 19:28 But ye should say, Why persecute we him, seeing the root of the matter is found in me?Ver. 28. But ye should say, Why persecute we him?] Nam olim dicitis cur eum persequebamur? (Tigur.) This ye shall one day surely say, "Then shall ye return and discern between the righteous and the wicked," &c., Malachi 3:18. Then shall it repent you (it should do so now) that ye have rated and reviled me for a hypocrite; viz. when God hath cleared mine integrity (as he did, Job 42:10), or at the last day howsoever, what time there shall be a resurrection of names as well as of bodies. Would ye but say so now it would be some satisfaction. Quem poenitet peccasse poene est innocens. You have…

Read John Trapp on Job 19 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(28) Seeing the root of the matter.—This verse is variously understood, according as “the root of the matter” is interpreted of the cause of suffering or the essence of piety. “For ye say, How we will persecute him, and that the root of the matter is found in me.” The Authorised Version takes the other view. It seems preferable to render, “For ye say, What is a persecuted man to Him (why should He persecute any man without cause?), and therefore the root of the matter (i.e., the cause of the afflictions) is, i.e., must be found in me.”

Read Charles John Ellicott on Job 19 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 28. But ye should say] Or, Then ye shall say. Why persecute we him] Or, as Mr. Good, How did we persecute him! Alas! we are now convinced that we did wrong. Seeing the root of the matter] A pure practice, and a sound hope, resting on the solid ground of sound faith, received from God himself. Instead of בי bi, in ME, בי bo, in HIM, is the reading of more than one hundred of Kennicott's and De Rossi's MSS., and in several of the versions. Seeing the root of the matter is found in HIM.

Read AdamClarke on Job 19 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

28, 29. Brief threat to his three friends. God’s appearance, which will bring joy to Job, will carry terror to those who persecute him and fasten false charges of guilt upon him. The language in these verses is in some parts obscure, and there may be faults in the text. Job 19:28 reads in connexion with Job 19:29, If ye say, How we will pursue him! And the root of the matter is found in me: Be ye afraid of the sword, &c. Job 19:28 forms the supposition and Job 19:29 states the consequence, the penalty of the conduct referred to on the part of Job’s friends. If they shall continue their unjust persecution of him, asserting that the “root of the matter,” i. e. the real cause of his…

Read Cambridge on Job 19 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

But ye should say - Noyes renders this, “Since ye say, ‘How may we persecute him, and find grounds of accusation against him?’” Dr.

Read Albert Barnes on Job 19 →

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

If you say, ‘Let us persecute him, since the root of the matter lies with him, ’

WEBWorld English Bible2000

If you say, ‘How we will persecute him!’ because the root of the matter is found in me,

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

If you say, ‘Let us persecute him, since the root of the matter lies with him,’

NETBNew English Translation2006

If you say, ‘How we will pursue him, since the root of the trouble is found in him!’

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

But ye should say, Why persecute we him, seeing the root of the matter is found in me?

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

If ye say, How we will persecute him! And that the root of the matter is found in me;

RVARevised Version, American1894

If ye say, How we will persecute him! seeing that the root of the matter is found in me;

NWBWebster's Bible1833

But ye would say, Why persecute we him, seeing the root of the matter is found in me?

GNVGeneva Bible1599

But yee sayde, Why is hee persecuted? And there was a deepe matter in me.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

If ye say, How shall we persecute him? when the root of the matter is found in me,

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

But ye say, 'Why do we pursue after him?' And the root of the matter hath been found in me.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

But you say, Why do we pursue after him? And the root of the matter has been found in me.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

But if ye should say, How will we pursue him? seeing the root of the matter is found in me:

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

If you say, 'How we will persecute him! The root of his troubles lies in him,'

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Why then do you say now: Let us persecute him, and let us find occasion of word against him?

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

You say to yourselves, ‘How can we make him suffer so he can see he is the source of his problems?’

BBEBible in Basic English1949

If you say, How cruel we will be to him! because the root of sin is clearly in him:

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.

כִּ֣י(dm)clauseverbתֹ֭אמְרוּyou.will.sayclauseclauseadverbialמַהwhat?verbנִּרְדָּףwill.we.persecuteprepositional phrase · prepositionalל֑(to)וֹhimוְand.[the]clausenoun phrase · subjectשֹׁ֥רֶשׁrootדָּ֝בָ֗רof.[the].matterverbנִמְצָאit.has.been.foundprepositional phrase · prepositionalבִֽinיme

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


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

The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree closely in their wording, with all nine words matched in the Hebrew and Greek versions. This consistency indicates a strong preservation of the text across these traditions.

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

כִּ֣י תֹ֭אמְרוּ מַה־ נִּרְדָּף־ ל֑וֹ וְשֹׁ֥רֶשׁ דָּ֝בָ֗ר נִמְצָא־ בִֽי׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
כִּ֣יεἰתֹ֭אמְרוּἐρεῖτεמַה־τίנִּרְדָּף־ἐροῦμενל֑וֹαὐτοῦוְשֹׁ֥רֶשׁῥίζανדָּ֝בָ֗רλόγουנִמְצָא־εὑρήσομενבִֽי׃αὐτῷ

9 of the 9 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 19:28כִּיififכִּיאָמַרyou will sayou will sayאָמַרמָהwhat?what?מָהרָדַףwill we perwill we persecuרָדַףוֹhimhimוֹשֹׁ֫רֶשׁand [the] rand [the] root שֹׁ֫רֶשׁדָּבָר[the] matte[the] matterדָּבָרמָצָאit has beenit has been fouמָצָאנִיin mein meנִישָׁרַשׁto uprootto uprootשָׁרַשׁדָבַרto speak: to speak: speakדָבַריָדַעto knowto knowיָדַעכֹּהthusthusכֹּהיהוהYHWH/GodYHWH/Godיהוהכָּ֫כָהthusthusכָּ֫כָהפָּעַלto workto workפָּעַלנָשַׂגto overtakto overtakeנָשַׂגאַחַרafterafterאַחַרדָּלִיּוֹתbranchbranchדָּלִיּוֹתפְּרִיfruitfruitפְּרִייֶ֫תֶרremainderremainderיֶ֫תֶרסֵ֫פֶרscroll: doscroll: documenסֵ֫פֶרחֵןfavorfavorחֵןבָּקַשׁto seekto seekבָּקַשׁ
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 19:28

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.

if you will say what? will we persecute him and [the] root of [the] matter it has been found in me
כִּ֣יki if H3588 Particle
4,483× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A conjunction used to show cause or connection, as in Genesis 2:23 where Adam says the woman is bone of his bone because she was taken out of him. It is often translated as 'for', 'because', or 'since'.
Tyndale gloss
for
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כִּי conj. that, for, when

that

Of time, when, of the past

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

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

Because, since

base

כִּי אם־

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

that if

for if

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

limiting the prec. clause, except

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

after an oath, surely

base

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3588a כִּי that, for, when . that

. . Of time, when, of the past

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

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

. Because, since

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

. for if

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

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

. after an oath, surely

H3588c כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3588 kiy kee

a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional

prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

whether, while, whom, yea, yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כִּי (ki) — for.

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

1a) that

1a1) yea, indeed

1b) when (of time)

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

1c) because, since (causal connection)

1d) but (after negative)

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

1f) but rather, but

1g) except that

1h) only, nevertheless

1i) surely

1j) that is

1k) but if

1l) for though

1m) forasmuch as, for therefore

כִּי [אם] (ki im) — that if: except.

1) except if

1a) but if

1b) even though

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

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

1a) that

1a1) yea, indeed

1b) when (of time)

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

1c) because, since (causal connection)

1d) but (after negative)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj — Particle
HTc
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
if you will say what? will we persecute him and [the] root of [the] matter it has been found in me
תֹ֭אמְרוּTo.me.ru you will say H559 Verb · Qal · imperfect second person masculine plural
5,309× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to say or speak, and it's used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to command, promise, or think, and it's translated in the KJV as 'answer', 'appoint', or 'command'.
Amplified meaning
to yourselves
Tyndale gloss
to say
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָמַר 5287 vb. utter, say

Qal

Say

Say in the heart (= think)

Promise

Command (esp. late)

Niph. be said, told

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

Hithp. act proudly, boast

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H559 אָמַר utter, say .. Say

. Say in the heart (= think)

. Promise

. Command (esp. late)

. be said, told

. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

. act proudly, boast

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

559 'amar aw-mar'

a primitive root; to say (used with great

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

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

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

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

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

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

utter, X verily, X yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָמַר (a.mar) — to say.

1) to say, speak, utter

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

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

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

1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-2mp — Verb · Qal · imperfect second person masculine plural
HVqi2mp
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
if you will say what? will we persecute him and [the] root of [the] matter it has been found in me
מַה־mah- what? H4100 Pronoun
753× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means what or how, often used to ask questions or express surprise, like in Genesis when God asks Adam what he has done. It can also mean why or when, and is used in various ways throughout the Old Testament. It appears in many KJV translations, including how or what.
Tyndale gloss
what?
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מָה (mah) is a Hebrew word primarily used as an interrogative particle meaning 'what?' or 'how?'. It can also function as an indefinite pronoun, encompassing meanings like 'anything' or 'whatever'. The word is versatile, appearing in various adverbial forms and often used with prefixes to express different nuances, such as reason or manner.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מָה, rarely מָה־, מַה־, מַה‍ּ, מֶה, מַ‍ּ, מָ—pron.interrog. and indef. what? how? aught

interrog. what?

Used adverbially

Indef. pron.

With preps.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4100 מָה, rarely מָה־, מַה־, מַה‍ּ, מֶה, מַ‍ּ, מָ—pron. interrog. and indef. what? how? aught . interrog. what?

. Used adverbially

. Indef. pron.

. With preps.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4100 mah maw

or mah {mah}; or ma {maw}; or ma {mah}; also meh {meh}; a

primitive particle; properly, interrogative what? (including

how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including

how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and even

relatively, that which); often used with prefixes in various

adverbial or conjunctive senses:--how (long, oft, (-

soever)), (no-)thing, what (end, good, purpose, thing),

whereby(-fore, -in, -to, -with), (for) why.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מָה (mah) — what?.

interr pron

1) what, how, of what kind

1a) (interrogative)

1a1) what?

1a2) of what kind

1a3) what? (rhetorical)

1a4) whatsoever, whatever, what

1b) (adverb)

1b1) how, how now

1b2) why

1b3) how! (exclamation)

1c) (with prep)

1c1) wherein?, whereby?, wherewith?, by what means?

1c2) because of what?

1c3) the like of what?

1c3a) how much?, how many?, how often?

1c3b) for how long?

1c4) for what reason?, why?, to what purpose?

1c5) until when?, how long?, upon what?, wherefore?

indef pron

2) anything, aught, what may

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part — Pronoun
HPi
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
if you will say what? will we persecute him and [the] root of [the] matter it has been found in me
נִּרְדָּף־nir.dof- will we persecute H7291 Verb · Qal · imperfect first person common plural
143× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To pursue or chase after someone means to follow them with hostile intent. This can be a physical pursuit or a pursuit of someone's life or well-being, as seen in many biblical stories.
Amplified meaning
pursue, chase after
Tyndale gloss
to pursue
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רָדַף (radaph) is a Hebrew verb meaning to pursue, chase, or persecute. It conveys the idea of running after something, often with hostile intent, and can also figuratively refer to following time or securing something. The word has various forms, including Qal, Niphal, Piel, Pual, and Hiphil, each indicating different nuances of pursuit or being pursued.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רָדַף 141 vb. pursue, chase, persecute

Qal 128

pursue

lit. put to flight, chase

lit., the pursuers

chase, hunt

pursue

fig. persecute, harass

pursue, dog

fig. follow after, aim to secure

Niph. upon the neck (i.e. closely) we are pursued

Pi. pursue ardently

Pu. it shall be chased away like chaff of the mountains

Hiph. usu. they chased him

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7291 רָדַף pursue, chase, persecute

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7291 radaph raw-daf'

a primitive root; to run after (usually with hostile intent;

figuratively (of time) gone by):--chase, put to flight,

follow (after, on), hunt, (be under) persecute(-ion, -or),

pursue(-r).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רָדַף (ra.daph) — to pursue.

1) to be behind, follow after, pursue, persecute, run after

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to pursue, put to flight, chase, dog, attend closely upon

1a2) to persecute, harass (fig)

1a3) to follow after, aim to secure (fig)

1a4) to run after (a bribe) (fig)

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be pursued

1b2) one pursued (participle)

1c) (Piel) to pursue ardently, aim eagerly to secure, pursue

1d) (Pual) to be pursued, be chased away

1e) (Hiphil) to pursue, chase

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-1cp — Verb · Qal · imperfect first person common plural
HVqi1cp
if you will say what? will we persecute him and [the] root of [the] matter it has been found in me
ל֑וֹlo him H9033 Preposition · suffix
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

וֹ (o) — him.

Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 3rd person masculine singular

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Sp3ms — Preposition · suffix
HR/Sp3ms
if you will say what? will we persecute him and [the] root of [the] matter it has been found in me
וְשֹׁ֥רֶשׁve.Sho.resh and [the] root of H8328 Conjunction · noun common masculine singular construct
33× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A root is the underground part of a plant. In the Bible, it can also mean a source or foundation, like in the book of Job.
Amplified meaning
source, foundation
Tyndale gloss
root
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word שֹׁ֫רֶשׁ (*sheresh*) means 'root' and can refer to both literal roots and metaphorical uses, such as a foundation or source of something. It is associated with concepts of depth and permanence. The word is derived from a related term, שָׁרַשׁ (*sharash*, H8327), which also pertains to roots.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שֹׁ֫רֶשׁ n.m. root

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8328 שֹׁ֫רֶשׁ root

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8328 sheresh sheh'-resh

from 8327; a root (literally or figuratively):--bottom,

deep, heel, root.

see HEBREW for 08327

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שֹׁ֫רֶשׁ (she.resh) — root.

1) root

1a) root (literal)

1b) root (of people involving firmness or permanence) (fig)

1c) root, bottom (as lowest stratum) (fig)

Aramaic equivalent: sho.resh (שֹׁ֫רֶשׁ "root" H8330)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | N-ms — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular construct
HC/Ncmsc
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…

if you will say what? will we persecute him and [the] root of [the] matter it has been found in me
דָּ֝בָ֗רda.Var [the] matter H1697 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
1,442× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A word or thing, like a matter or affair, as seen in the book of Chronicles where it refers to the events and words of kings. It can also mean a cause or reason for something.
Amplified meaning
affair, thing
Tyndale gloss
Chronicles
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

דָּבָר (dabar) means 'word' or 'speech' and encompasses a range of meanings including discourse, saying, and matter. It can refer to anything spoken or a topic of discussion, extending to concepts like business or affairs. The entries consistently highlight its use in various contexts, but do not indicate any significant disagreement among lexicographers.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

דָּבָר 1439 n.m. speech, word

sg. speech, discourse, saying, word, as the sum of that which is spoken

sg. saying, utterance, sentence, as a section of a discourse

sg. a word, words

sg. matter, affair, thing about which one speaks

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1697 דָּבָר speech, word . sg. speech, discourse, saying, word, as the sum of that which is spoken

. sg. saying, utterance, sentence, as a section of a discourse

. sg. a word, words

. sg. matter, affair, thing about which one speaks

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1697 dabar daw-baw'

from 1696; a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or

thing; adverbially, a cause:--act, advice, affair, answer, X

any such (thing), because of, book, business, care, case,

cause, certain rate, + chronicles, commandment, X

commune(-ication), + concern(-ing), + confer, counsel, +

dearth, decree, deed, X disease, due, duty, effect, +

eloquent, errand, (evil favoured-)ness, + glory, + harm, hurt,

+ iniquity, + judgment, language, + lying, manner, matter,

message, (no) thing, oracle, X ought, X parts, + pertaining, +

please, portion, + power, promise, provision, purpose,

question, rate, reason, report, request, X (as hast) said,

sake, saying, sentence, + sign, + so, some (uncleanness),

somewhat to say, + song, speech, X spoken, talk, task, + that,

X there done, thing (concerning), thought, + thus, tidings,

what(-soever), + wherewith, which, word, work.

see HEBREW for 01696

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

דָּבָר (da.var) — word.

: word/speech/command

1) speech, word, speaking, thing

1a) speech

1b) saying, utterance

1c) word, words

1d) business, occupation, acts, matter, case, something, manner (by extension)

דָּבָר (da.var) — word: speaking.

: speaking

1) speech, word, speaking, thing

1a) speech

1b) saying, utterance

1c) word, words

1d) business, occupation, acts, matter, case, something, manner (by extension)

דָּבָר (da.var) — word: thing.

: thing/matter

1) speech, word, speaking, thing

1a) speech

1b) saying, utterance

1c) word, words

1d) business, occupation, acts, matter, case, something, manner (by extension)

דָּבָר (da.var) — word: promised.

: promised/duty

1) speech, word, speaking, thing

1a) speech

1b) saying, utterance

1c) word, words

1d) business, occupation, acts, matter, case, something, manner (by extension)

דָּבָר (da.var) — word: deed.

: deed

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

mat'-er: This word being a very general term may express various ideas. the Revised Version (British and American) therefore frequently changes the reading of the King James Version in order to state more definitely the meaning of the context (compare Ex 24:14; 1Sa 16:18; 1Ki 8:59; 2Sa 11:19; Es 3:4; Ps 35:20; 64:5; Pr 16:20; 18:13). dabhar, and the Greek logos, both meaning "word," are very frequently translated by "matter." hule, "wood," is rendered "matter" in

if you will say what? will we persecute him and [the] root of [the] matter it has been found in me
נִמְצָא־nim.tza'- it has been found H4672 Verb · Niphal · perfect third person masculine singular
455× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Matsa means to find or attain something, whether it is a physical object, a person, or a condition, as seen in various KJV translations.
Amplified meaning
is found, exists
Tyndale gloss
to find
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מָצָא (matsa') is a Hebrew verb meaning to find or attain. It encompasses a range of actions, including discovering something lost, encountering someone, or coming upon a situation. The word can also imply being present or sufficient. Lexicons note various forms and uses, including Qal, Niphal, and Hiphil, which indicate different nuances of finding and encountering.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מָצָא 452 vb. attain to, find

Qal

find

find out

= come upon, light upon

noteworthy phrases

Niph. pass. of Qal, be found

Hiph.

cause to find, attain

cause to light upon, come upon, come

cause to encounter

present unto

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4672 מָצָא attain to, find

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4672 matsa' maw-tsaw'

a primitive root; properly, to come forth to, i.e. appear or

exist; transitively, to attain, i.e. find or acquire;

figuratively, to occur, meet or be present:--+ be able,

befall, being, catch, X certainly, (cause to) come (on, to, to

hand), deliver, be enough (cause to) find(-ing, occasion,

out), get (hold upon), X have (here), be here, hit, be left,

light (up-)on, meet (with), X occasion serve, (be) present,

ready, speed, suffice, take hold on.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מָצָא (ma.tsa) — to find.

1) to find, attain to

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to find

1a1a) to find, secure, acquire, get (thing sought)

1a1b) to find (what is lost)

1a1c) to meet, encounter

1a1d) to find (a condition)

1a1e) to learn, devise

1a2) to find out

1a2a) to find out

1a2b) to detect

1a2c) to guess

1a3) to come upon, light upon

1a3a) to happen upon, meet, fall in with

1a3b) to hit

1a3c) to befall

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be found

1b1a) to be encountered, be lighted upon, be discovered

1b1b) to appear, be recognised

1b1c) to be discovered, be detected

1b1d) to be gained, be secured

1b2) to be, be found

1b2a) to be found in

1b2b) to be in the possession of

1b2c) to be found in (a place), happen to be

1b2d) to be left (after war)

1b2e) to be present

1b2f) to prove to be

1b2g) to be found sufficient, be enough

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to cause to find, attain

1c2) to cause to light upon, come upon, come

1c3) to cause to encounter

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Niphal-Perf-3ms — Verb · Niphal · perfect third person masculine singular
HVNp3ms
if you will say what? will we persecute him and [the] root of [the] matter it has been found in me
בִֽי׃Vi in me H9030 Preposition · suffix
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נִי (ni) — me.

Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 1st person singular

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Sp1bs — Preposition · suffix
HR/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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