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Job 19:8 — Word Study

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WLCאָרְחִ֣י גָ֭דַר וְלֹ֣א אֶעֱב֑וֹר וְעַ֥ל נְ֝תִיבוֹתַ֗י חֹ֣שֶׁךְ יָשִֽׂים׃

BSAHe has blockedgâdar [completely] my wayʼôrach [path, journey] so I cannotlôʼ passʻâbar [cross over, transition] He has veiledʻal [completely, hedged up, walled off] my pathsnâthîyb [roads, journey] with darknesschôshek [in, surrounded by, spiritual gloom, misery]

Word
Listen & take awayJob 19
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 8 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (ya.Sim) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Job 19:8quick helps
In a sentenceJob laments that God has obstructed his path and shrouded his journey in darkness.
Who is speakingJob, expressing his deep anguish and confusion.
Where we areIn the midst of Job's profound suffering, he reflects on his blocked way and the darkness surrounding him.
The hard wordגָ֭דַר
Take awayJob feels trapped and unable to move forward in life.
7 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbגָּדַר 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 19:8

Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.

Context — Job's Lamentationgenerated

7Though I cry out, ‘Violence!’ I get no response; though I call for help, there is no justice.
8He has blocked my way so I cannot pass; He has veiled my paths with darkness.
9He has stripped me of my honor and removed the crown from my head.
10He tears me down on every side until I am gone; He uproots my hope like a tree.

Job 19:8 captures Job's despair as he feels that God has obstructed his path and enveloped his journey in darkness. This verse is part of a larger discourse where Job expresses his suffering and the sense of abandonment he feels in his trials, as he seeks justice and answers from God amidst his afflictions.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Job 3:23Why is life given to a man whose way is hidden, whom God has hedged in?
2Psalm 88:8You have removed my friends from me; You have made me repulsive to them; I am confined and cannot escape.
3Lamentations 3:7–9He has walled me in so I cannot escape; He has weighed me down with chains.
4Hosea 2:6Therefore, behold, I will hedge up her path with thorns; I will enclose her with a wall, so she cannot find her way.
5Joshua 24:7So your fathers cried out to the LORD, and He put darkness between you and the Egyptians, over whom He brought the sea and engulfed them. Your very eyes saw what I did to the Egyptians. Then you lived in the wilderness for a long time.

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


The Key Word אָרְחִ֣י, 'a.re.Chigenerated

The word אָרְחִ֣י ('a.re.Chi) is a noun that refers to a way or path, indicating both physical routes and metaphorical journeys in life. It is often used in wisdom literature to discuss the direction of one's life and choices, emphasizing the journey one undertakes.

In this verse, Job uses אָרְחִ֣י to express his feeling of being blocked in his life's journey. The construct form indicates possession, as in 'my way,' highlighting Job's personal struggle with the obstacles he perceives God has placed in his path.


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 in this verse is גָ֭דַר, he has walled up, which governs the sentence. It is followed by a negation and an infinitive phrase indicating what Job cannot do, along with a prepositional phrase describing the darkness surrounding his paths.

The structure emphasizes Job's feelings of entrapment and despair, as he articulates both the physical and emotional barriers he faces.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, אָרְחִ֣י is rendered as κύκλῳ (kukloi), which suggests a sense of being surrounded or encircled, adding a layer of meaning to Job's sense of entrapment.

The choice of περιῳκοδόμημαι for גָ֭דַר indicates a similar interpretation of being enclosed or built around, reinforcing Job's feelings of being blocked from moving forward.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Job 19:8 shows Job expressing his deep sorrow, feeling that God has blocked his way and surrounded his paths with darkness. This reflects his struggle and the overwhelming sense of being trapped in his suffering.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does Job mean by 'blocked my way'?

Job feels that God has obstructed his ability to move forward in life, both physically and spiritually.

How does darkness play a role in this verse?

Darkness symbolizes Job's despair and confusion, indicating a lack of clarity and hope in his circumstances.

Why does Job feel that he cannot pass?

Job's sense of being blocked reflects his feelings of helplessness and the trials he faces, as he seeks understanding and justice.

What can we learn from Job's expression of suffering?

Job's lament teaches us about the depth of human suffering and the struggle to find meaning and hope amidst despair.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what areas of my life do I feel blocked or hindered, similar to Job's experience?
  2. How can I find light in times of darkness and confusion?
  3. What does it mean to me to have my paths veiled, and how can I seek clarity?
  4. How can I support others who feel trapped in their circumstances, as Job did?

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

The early Church Fathers referenced Job's lament to discuss human suffering and divine justice. Their insights shed light on the enduring nature of Job's struggles.

Gregory the DialogistMorals on the Book of Job, Book XIV c. 540–604
He hath fenced up my way, that I cannot pass: and He hath set darkness in my paths. He saw his 'way fenced up' with strokes, when anxiously desiring to pass into a state of security, he was not able to escape the scourges,
Early Church Fathers on Job 19 →
Olympiodorus of AlexandriaCOMMENTARY ON Job 19:8-11 6th c.
“No speech,” Job says, “can describe my misfortunes. As those who are surrounded on every side by a wall or are oppressed by darkness, I cannot proceed any further.
Early Church Fathers on Job 19 →

Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Job 19:8 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

He hath fenced up my way that I cannot pass,.... A metaphor taken from travellers, who not only meet with obstacles and obstructions in their way, which make it difficult; but sometimes with such

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

He hath fenced up my way that I cannot pass, and he hath set darkness in my paths. Image from a benighted traveler (Job 3:23; Lamentations 3:7; Lamentations 3:9).

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

That I cannot pass, i.e. so that I know not what to say or do, and can see no means nor possibility of getting out of my troubles. He hath set darkness in my paths; so that I cannot discern my way, or what course I should take.

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

Job 19:8 He hath fenced up my way that I cannot pass, and he hath set darkness in my paths.Ver. 8. He hath fenced up my way, &c.] Here Job, carried away, as it were, with a torrent of grief, amplifieth his miseries by many other comparisons. And first of a traveller, whom nothing so much troubleth in his journey as hedges and darkness. God, saith Job, hath every way hedged me out of content and comfort, so that, though I seek it never so, I cannot find it. God’ s people are oft brought into greatest straits, as David, Psalms 31:1-24 and Psalms 142:1-7, Israel at the Red Sea, Jehoshaphat, 2 Chronicles 20:1-29, that they may learn to depend upon the Divine providence, &c. And he hath set…

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

Verse 8. He hath fenced up my way] This may allude to the mode of hunting the elephant, described at the conclusion of the preceding chapter; or to the operations of an invading army. See under Job 19:11.

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

8. No outgo or escape was possible, for there rose a wall before him if he would move; neither was there any outlook, for thick darkness fell close about him. These images are common to express the extremest perplexity.

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

He hath fenced up my way - This figure is taken from a traveler, whose way is obstructed by trees, rocks, or fences, so that he cannot get along, and Job says it was so with him.

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

He has blocked my way so I cannot pass; He has veiled my paths with darkness.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

He has walled up my way so that I can’t pass, and has set darkness in my paths.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

He has blocked my way so I cannot pass; He has veiled my paths with darkness.

NETBNew English Translation2006

He has blocked my way so I cannot pass, and has set darkness over my paths.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

He hath fenced up my way that I cannot pass, and he hath set darkness in my paths.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

He hath walled up my way that I cannot pass, And hath set darkness in my paths.

RVARevised Version, American1894

He hath fenced up my way that I cannot pass, and hath set darkness in my paths.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

He hath fenced up my way that I cannot pass, and he hath set darkness in my paths.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Hee hath hedged vp my way that I cannot passe, and he hath set darkenesse in my paths.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

He hath hedged up my way that I cannot pass, and he hath set darkness in my paths.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

My way He hedged up, and I pass not over, And on my paths darkness He placeth.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

He hedged up my way, and I do not pass over, || And He places darkness on my paths.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

My road hath he fenced up, so that I cannot pass out; and on my paths he placeth darkness.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

He has walled up my way so that I cannot pass, and he has set darkness in my path.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

He hath hedged in my path round about, and I cannot pass, and in my way he hath set darkness.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

God has walled me in so I can't escape; he has plunged my path into darkness.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

My way is walled up by him so that I may not go by: he has made my roads dark.

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 · objectאָרְחִ֣wayיmyverbגָ֭דַרhe.has.walled.upוְandclauseadverbialלֹ֣אnotverbאֶעֱב֑וֹרI.will.passוְandclauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalעַ֥לonnoun phraseנְ֝תִיבוֹתַ֗pathsיmyobjectחֹ֣שֶׁךְdarknessverbיָשִֽׂיםhe.puts

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


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

The Masoretic Text of Job 19:8 states, "He has blocked my way so I cannot pass; He has veiled my paths with darkness," which is preserved in the Septuagint, where all eight words correspond to the Hebrew text, indicating agreement in meaning. There are no significant differences noted in the Samaritan Pentateuch or the Dead Sea Scrolls for this verse, further supporting the consistency of the Masoretic Text across these ancient witnesses.

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

אָרְחִ֣י גָ֭דַר וְלֹ֣א אֶעֱב֑וֹר וְעַ֥ל נְ֝תִיבוֹתַ֗י חֹ֣שֶׁךְ יָשִֽׂים׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
אָרְחִ֣יκύκλῳגָ֭דַרπεριῳκοδόμημαιוְלֹ֣אοὐאֶעֱב֑וֹרδιαβῶוְעַ֥לἐπὶנְ֝תִיבוֹתַ֗יμουחֹ֣שֶׁךְσκότοςיָשִֽׂים׃ἔθετο

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

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


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

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

Job 19:8אֹ֫רַחway myway myאֹ֫רַחגָּדַרhe has wallhe has walled uגָּדַרלֹאand notand notלֹאעָבַרI will passI will passעָבַרעַלand onand onעַלנָתִיבpaths mypaths myנָתִיבחֹ֫שֶׁךְdarknessdarknessחֹ֫שֶׁךְשׂוּםhe putshe putsשׂוּםאָרַחto journeyto journeyאָרַחחָשַׁךְto darkento darkenחָשַׁךְעַלheightheightעַליָשַׁרto smoothto smoothיָשַׁררֶ֫גֶלfootfootרֶ֫גֶלגָּדֵרwallwallגָּדֵרפֶּ֫רֶץbreachbreachפֶּ֫רֶץיָכֹלbe ablebe ableיָכֹלעוֹדstillstillעוֹדיַרְדֵןJordanJordanיַרְדֵןחָלַץto rescueto rescueחָלַץכִּפֶּרto atoneto atoneכִּפֶּרכִּסֵּאthronethroneכִּסֵּאגָּדַרto wall upto wall up/offגָּדַראֹ֫רַחwaywayאֹ֫רַחאֲפֵלָהdarknessdarknessאֲפֵלָהצַלְמָ֫וֶתshadowshadowצַלְמָ֫וֶתשַׁמָּהhorror: dehorror: destroyשַׁמָּה
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 19:8

One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.

Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.

way my he has walled up and not I will pass and on paths my darkness he puts
אָרְחִ֣י'a.re.Chi way my H734 Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
58× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A way or path, describing a road or journey, whether physical or metaphorical. This term is used to talk about travel, direction, and life's journey, often in wisdom literature and prophetic writings. It is found in books like Proverbs and Isaiah.
Amplified meaning
path, journey
Tyndale gloss
way
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֹ֫רַח (orach) means 'way' or 'path,' and can refer to both literal and figurative routes in life, including one's manner of living or character. It also denotes a traveler or wayfarer. The word is derived from a root meaning a well-trodden road, and it encompasses various aspects of life’s journey.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֹ֫רַח n.m. way, path

lit.

fig. path, way, of course & fortunes of life

fig. way, of mode of living, or character

by meton. traveller, wayfarer

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H734 אֹ֫רַח way, path . lit.

. fig. path, way, of course & fortunes of life

. fig. way, of mode of living, or character

. by meton. traveller, wayfarer

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

734 'orach o'-rakh

from 732; a well-trodden road (literally or figuratively);

also a caravan:--manner, path, race, rank, traveller, troop,

(by-, high-)way.

see HEBREW for 0732

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֹ֫רַח (o.rach) — way.

1) way, path

1a) path, road

1b) the path, way, passing of life (fig.)

1c) way of living (fig.)

1d) traveller, wayfarer (meton)

Aramaic equivalent: o.rach (אֹ֫רַח "way" H0735)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-cs | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HNcmsc/Sp1bs
way my he has walled up and not I will pass and on paths my darkness he puts
גָ֭דַרGa.dar he has walled up H1443 Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singular
10× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To wall up or off means to build a barrier around something. This word is used in the Bible to describe the work of masons and the act of closing off or shutting in a place. It is often translated as 'to fence up' or 'to repair'.
Amplified meaning
completely
Tyndale gloss
to wall up/off
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

גָּדַר (gadar) is a Hebrew verb meaning to wall up or wall off, indicating actions like closing in, fencing, or building a wall. It is described as a primitive root and includes meanings related to masons and repairers. The entries consistently emphasize its use in constructing barriers or enclosures.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

גָּדַר vb. wall up or wall off, build a wall

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1443 גָּדַר wall up or wall off, build a wall

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1443 gadar gaw-dar'

a primitive root; to wall in or around:--close up, fence up,

hedge, inclose, make up (a wall), mason, repairer.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

גָּדַר (ga.dar) — to wall up/off.

1) to wall up, wall off, close off, build a wall

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to wall up, shut off

1a2) masons (participle)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-3ms — Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singular
HVqp3ms
way my he has walled up and not I will pass and on paths my darkness he puts
וְלֹ֣אve.Lo' and not H3808 Conjunction · particle
5,170× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Tyndale gloss
not
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לֹא or לוֹא adv. not

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3808 lo' lo

or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often

used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,

ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,

no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out

of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +

of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לֹא (lo) — not.

1) not, no

1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)

1b) not (with modifier-negation)

1c) nothing (subst)

1d) without (with particle)

1e) before (of time)

Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Part — Conjunction · particle
HC/Tn
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
way my he has walled up and not I will pass and on paths my darkness he puts
אֶעֱב֑וֹר'e.'e.Vor I will pass H5674 Verb · Qal · imperfect first person common singular
556× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb can mean to cross over or transition from one thing to another, and is sometimes used to describe being arrogant or crossing a boundary.
Amplified meaning
cross over, transition
Tyndale gloss
to pass
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עָבַר (abar) is a versatile verb meaning to pass over, through, or by, and it encompasses a range of actions including crossing, traversing, and alienating. It can also imply causing something to pass or be transferred, as well as emotional states like anger in its Hithpael form. The entries highlight its use in various contexts, though they do not provide specific verse references.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עָבַר 648 vb. pass over, through, by, pass on

Qal

pass over

Pass beyond

Pass through, traverse

pass along by

pass by

sweep by, of scourge

be past, over, of time

pass along (from hand to hand)

Pass on, go on

Pass away

Niph. Impf. a stream which cannot be forded

Pi.

his bull impregnateth

cause one to cross river

cause something to pass over

make over to

devote children to (לְ) heathen god

pass along (from hand to hand)

cause to pass through

let pass through

cause to pass by

let pass by

cause arrow to pass beyond

cause to pass under rod, for counting

cause to pass away, take away

Hiph.

cause to pass over, bring over

he made to pass across with chains of gold

base

[עָבַר] vb. denom. Hithp. be arrogant, infuriate oneself

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5674a עָבַר pass over, through, by, pass on .. pass over

. Pass beyond

. Pass through, traverse

. . pass along by

. pass by

. sweep by, of scourge

. be past, over, of time

. pass along (from hand to hand)

. Pass on, go on

. Pass away

. Impf. a stream which cannot be forded

. . his bull impregnateth . cause one to cross river

. cause something to pass over

. make over to

. devote children to (לְ) heathen god

. pass along (from hand to hand)

. . cause to pass through

. let pass through

. . cause to pass by

. let pass by

. cause arrow to pass beyond

. cause to pass under rod, for counting

. cause to pass away, take away

. . cause to pass over, bring over

. he made to pass across with chains of gold

H5674b עָבַר vb. denom. Hithp. be arrogant, infuriate oneself

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5674 `abar aw-bar'

a primitive root; to cross over; used very widely of any

transition (literal or figurative; transitive, intransitive,

intensive, causative); specifically, to cover (in

copulation):--alienate, alter, X at all, beyond, bring (over,

through), carry over, (over-)come (on, over), conduct (over),

convey over, current, deliver, do away, enter, escape, fail,

gender, get over, (make) go (away, beyond, by, forth, his way,

in, on, over, through), have away (more), lay, meddle,

overrun, make partition, (cause to, give, make to, over)

pass(-age, along, away, beyond, by, -enger, on, out, over,

through), (cause to, make) + proclaim(-amation), perish,

provoke to anger, put away, rage, + raiser of taxes, remove,

send over, set apart, + shave, cause to (make) sound, X

speedily, X sweet smelling, take (away), (make to)

transgress(-or), translate, turn away, (way-)faring man, be

wrath.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עָבַר (a.var) — to pass.

1) to pass over or by or through, alienate, bring, carry, do away, take, take away, transgress

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to pass over, cross, cross over, pass over, march over, overflow, go over

1a2) to pass beyond

1a3) to pass through, traverse

1a3a) passers-through (participle)

1a3b) to pass through (the parts of victim in covenant)

1a4) to pass along, pass by, overtake and pass, sweep by

1a4a) passer-by (participle)

1a4b) to be past, be over

1a5) to pass on, go on, pass on before, go in advance of, pass along, travel, advance

1a6) to pass away

1a6a) to emigrate, leave (one's territory)

1a6b) to vanish

1a6c) to perish, cease to exist

1a6d) to become invalid, become obsolete (of law, decree)

1a6e) to be alienated, pass into other hands

1b) (Niphal) to be crossed

1c) (Piel) to impregnate, cause to cross

1d) (Hiphil)

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Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-1cs — Verb · Qal · imperfect first person common singular
HVqi1cs
way my he has walled up and not I will pass and on paths my darkness he puts
וְעַ֥לve.'Al and on H5921 Conjunction · preposition
5,774× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means on or above something, like a physical object or a situation. It can also imply a sense of responsibility or accountability, as in being on behalf of someone.
Amplified meaning
completely, hedged up, walled off
Tyndale gloss
upon
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עַל (*al*) is a preposition meaning 'upon' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including 'on account of,' 'beside,' 'above,' and 'against.' It can indicate physical placement, emotional burdens, or duties imposed on a person. The entries also note its use in idiomatic expressions and with verbs of motion. There is a mention of its function as a conjunction in certain contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

base

עַל, עָ֑ל

subst. height

As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against

Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed

of clothing, etc., which any one wears

With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it

Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him

Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him

על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him

חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)

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Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5921a עַל, עָ֑ל . As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against . Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed . — . of clothing, etc., which any one wears

. With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it

. Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him

. Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him

. על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him

. חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)

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Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5921 `al al

properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the

singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a

particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always

in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great

variety of applications (as follow):--above, according

to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because

of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both

and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in

(that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-)on, over, than,

through(-out), to, touching, X with.

see HEBREW for 05920

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עַל (al) — upon.

prep

1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against

1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards

1b) above, beyond, over (of excess)

1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence)

1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition)

1e) over (of suspension or extension)

1f) by, adjoining, next, at, over, around (of contiguity or proximity)

1g) down upon, upon, on, from, up upon, up to, towards, over towards, to, against (with verbs of motion)

1h) to (as a dative)

[כִּי] עַל [כֵּן] ([ki] al [ken]) — as.

conj

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Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Prep — Conjunction · preposition
HC/R
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

On

Light; the sun, (Gen. 41:45, 50), the great seat of sun-worship, called also Bethshemesh (Jer. 43:13) and Aven (Ezek. 30:17), stood on the east bank of the Nile, a few miles north of Memphis, and near Cairo, in the north-east. The Vulgate and the LXX. Versions have “Heliopolis” (“city of the sun”) instead of On in Genesis and of Aven in Ezekiel. The “city of destruction” Isaiah speaks of (19:18, marg. “of Heres;” Heb. ‘Ir-ha-heres, which some MSS. read Ir-ha-heres, i.e., “city of the sun”) may be the name given to On, the prophecy being that the time will come when that city which was known as the “city of the sun-god” shall become the “city of destruction” of the sun-god, i.e., when idolatry shall cease, and the worship…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(abode or city of the sun), a town of lower Egypt, called BETH-SHEMESH in (Jeremiah 43:13) On is better known under its Greek name Heliopolis. It was situated on the east side of the Pelusiac branch of the Nile, just below the point of the Delta, and about twenty miles northeast of Memphis. The chief object of worship at Heliopolis was the sun, whose temple, described by Strabo, is now only represented by the single beautiful obelisk, of red granite so feet 2 inches high above the pedestal which has stood for more than 4000 years, having been erected by Usirtesen, the second king of the twelfth dynasty. Heliopolis was anciently famous for its learning, and Eudoxus and Plato studied under its priests. The first mention of this place in the Bible is in the history of Joseph, to whom we read Pharaoh gave "to wife Asenath the daughter…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

See HELIOPOLIS.

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

pain; force; iniquity

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
way my he has walled up and not I will pass and on paths my darkness he puts
נְ֝תִיבוֹתַ֗יne.ti.vo.Tai paths my H5410 Noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
26× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word means a path or road that people walk on, like a beaten track. It appears in books like Isaiah and Jeremiah, referring to a traveler's journey. The word is used to describe a way or pathway.
Amplified meaning
roads, journey
Tyndale gloss
path
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נָתִיב (nathiyb) refers to a path or pathway, emphasizing a trodden track. It can denote both a physical path and the concept of travel or a traveler. The feminine form נְתִיבָה (nethiybah) shares the same meaning. The word is derived from an unused root meaning to tramp.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נָתִיב n.m. path, pathway

base

נְתִיבָה n.f. id. [n.gd.ab];—path

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5410a נָתִיב path, pathway H5410b נְתִיבָה id. [5410a]

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5410 nathiyb naw-theeb'

or (feminine) nthiybah {neth-ee-baw'}; or nthibah (Jeremiah

6:16) {neth-ee-baw'}; from an unused root meaning to tramp; a

(beaten) track:--path((-way)), X travel(-ler), way.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָתִיב (na.tiv) — path.

1) trodden with the feet, path, pathway

2) path, pathway, traveller

נְתִיבָה (ne.ti.vah) — path.

1) trodden with the feet, path, pathway

2) path, pathway, traveller

Also means: na.tiv (נָתִיב "path" H5410A)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-cp | Suff — Noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
HNcfpc/Sp1bs
way my he has walled up and not I will pass and on paths my darkness he puts
חֹ֣שֶׁךְCho.shekh darkness H2822 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
80× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to darkness, both physical and spiritual. It can also mean misery, destruction, or wickedness. In the Bible, it is often used to describe a state of being without light or hope.
Amplified meaning
in, surrounded by, spiritual gloom, misery
Tyndale gloss
darkness
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חֹ֫שֶׁךְ (choshek) refers to darkness or obscurity, both in a literal sense and in various figurative contexts such as distress, ignorance, and evil. It can also denote secret or hiding places. The word is built from a root meaning 'dark' and encompasses a range of meanings related to judgment and confusion.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חֹ֫שֶׁךְ n.m. darkness, obscurity

darkness (opp. אוֹר)

= secret place(s); = hiding-place

fig.

= distress

= dread, terror, symbol. of judgment

= mourning

= perplexity; confusion

= ignorance

= evil, sin

= obscurity

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2822 חֹ֫שֶׁךְ darkness, obscurity . darkness (opp. אוֹר)

. = secret place(s); = hiding-place

. fig. . = distress

. = dread, terror, symbol. of judgment

. = mourning

. = perplexity; confusion

. = ignorance

. = evil, sin

. = obscurity

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2822 choshek kho-shek'

from 2821; the dark; hence (literally) darkness;

figuratively, misery, destruction, death, ignorance, sorrow,

wickedness:--dark(-ness), night, obscurity.

see HEBREW for 02821

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חֹ֫שֶׁךְ (cho.shekh) — darkness.

1) darkness, obscurity

1a) darkness

1b) secret place

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Darkness

The plague (the ninth) of darkness in Egypt (Ex. 10:21) is described as darkness “which may be felt.” It covered “all the land of Egypt,” so that “they saw not one another.” It did not extend to the land of Goshen (ver. 23).

When Jesus hung upon the cross (Matt. 27:45; Luke 23:44), from the “sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.”

On Mount Sinai, Moses (Ex. 20:21) “drew near unto the thick darkness where God was.” This was the “thick cloud upon the mount” in which Jehovah was when he spake unto Moses there. The Lord dwelt in the cloud upon the mercy-seat (1 Kings…

is spoken of as encompassing the actual presence of God, as that out of which he speaks, --the envelope, as it were, of divine glory. (Exodus 20:21; 1 Kings 8:12) The plague of darkness in Egypt was miraculous. The darkness "over all the land," (Matthew 27:45) attending the crucifixion has been attributed to an eclipse, but was undoubtedly miraculous, as no eclipse of the sun could have taken place at that time, the moon being at the full at the time of the passover. Darkness is also, as in the expression "land of darkness," used for the state of the dead, (Job 10:21,22) and frequently, figuratively, for ignorance and unbelief, as the privation of spiritual light. (

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The absence of natural light, Ge 1:2, and hence figuratively a state of misery and adversity, Job 18:6 Ps 107:10 Isa 8:22 9:1; also the absence of the sun and stars, and hence the fall of chief men and national convulsions, Isa 13:10 Ac 2:20. "Works of darkness," are the impure mysteries practiced in heathen worship, Eph 5:11. "Outer darkness" illustrates the gloom of those on whom the gates of heaven are closed, Mt 8:12. The darkness in Egypt,

→ Over the face of the earth Ge 1:2; Job 38:9; Jer 4:23

→ Called NIGHT Ge 1:5

→ God creates Isa 45:7

→ Miraculous

In Egypt Ex 10:21,22; Ps 105:28

At Mount Sinai Ex 20:21; Heb 12:18

At the crucifixion Mt 27:45; Mr 15:33

→ FIGURATIVE

way my he has walled up and not I will pass and on paths my darkness he puts
יָשִֽׂים׃ya.Sim he puts H7760 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
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
HVqi3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
HVqi3ms
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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