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Job 20:25 — Word Study

Depth

WLCשָׁלַף֮ וַיֵּצֵ֪א מִגֵּ֫וָ֥ה וּ֭בָרָק מִֽמְּרֹרָת֥וֹ יַהֲלֹ֗ךְ עָלָ֥יו אֵמִֽים׃

BSAIt is drawnshâlaph [pulled, extracted] out ofyâtsâʼ his backgêvâh [body, behind] the gleaming pointbârâq [glittering, shining, sword, arrowhead] from his livermᵉrôrâh [gall, bile] Terrorsʼêymâh [fears, dread] comehâlak [go, proceed] over himʻal [upon, above]

Word
Listen & take awayJob 20
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 25 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 ('e.Mim) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Job 20:25quick helps
In a sentenceJob describes a terrifying fate for the wicked, illustrated through vivid imagery.
Who is speakingJob, expressing his understanding of divine justice.
Where we areIn a discourse on the fate of the wicked, specifically addressing their end.
The hard wordשָׁלַף
Take awayThe imagery evokes fear, illustrating the consequences of wickedness.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectבָּרָק verbשָׁלַף The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

1 of 8 occurs nowhere else in the Old Testament — a word chosen on purpose.

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 20:25

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 — The Fate of the Wickedgenerated

24Though he flees from an iron weapon, a bronze-tipped arrow will pierce him.
25It is drawn out of his back, the gleaming point from his liver. Terrors come over him.
26Total darkness is reserved for his treasures. A fire unfanned will consume him and devour what is left in his tent.
27The heavens will expose his iniquity, and the earth will rise up against him.

Job 20:25 is part of a speech by Job that discusses the fate of the wicked. In this passage, Job uses vivid imagery to depict the terror that befalls those who oppose God. The surrounding verses emphasize the inevitability of divine retribution, illustrating how the wicked may escape momentarily but ultimately face judgment. This theme resonates throughout the Book of Job, where the nature of suffering and justice is explored.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Job 16:13His archers surround me. He pierces my kidneys without mercy and spills my gall on the ground.
2Deuteronomy 32:41when I sharpen My flashing sword, and My hand grasps it in judgment, I will take vengeance on My adversaries and repay those who hate Me.
32 Samuel 18:14But Joab declared, “I am not going to wait like this with you!” And he took three spears in his hand and thrust them through the heart of Absalom while he was still alive in the oak tree.
4Psalm 7:12If one does not repent, God will sharpen His sword; He has bent and strung His bow.
5Job 6:4For the arrows of the Almighty have pierced me; my spirit drinks in their poison; the terrors of God are arrayed against me.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 12 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word שָׁלַף, sha.Lafgenerated

The verb שָׁלַף (*sha.Laf*) means to draw out or pull something from its place. It can refer to actions such as drawing a sword from its sheath or pulling a plant from the ground. The parsing indicates it is a perfect tense verb, suggesting a completed action by a subject, in this case, the wicked.

This word captures the moment of extraction, emphasizing the violent and sudden nature of the action. Job uses this term to convey the idea that the wicked will face a swift and terrifying fate, as if something deadly is being drawn forth from within them.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

All translations agree on the meaning of שָׁלַף, rendering it as 'drawn out' or similar phrases.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The finite verbs שָׁלַף and יָצָא govern the structure of the verse, with the first indicating the action of drawing out and the second indicating the act of coming out. The phrase structure emphasizes the sequence of actions, where the drawing out leads to the emergence of terror.

The arrangement of the words highlights the cause-and-effect relationship: the drawing out from the back leads to terror coming over the subject, illustrating the inevitable consequences of wickedness.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates שָׁלַף with διεχέλθοι, which suggests a similar action of coming forth but may imply a broader interpretation of the event. This choice indicates a slight widening of the concept from a specific drawing out to a more general emergence.

The choice of words in the Septuagint reflects the translators' understanding of the underlying themes of judgment and terror associated with the wicked.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Job 20:25 describes how the wicked will face a terrifying fate. Job uses the imagery of something being drawn out from the back and the point from the liver to illustrate the suddenness and severity of judgment. This verse is part of a larger discussion about the consequences of wickedness.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that something is drawn out of his back?

This imagery suggests a violent extraction, indicating the severity of the fate that befalls the wicked.

What is the significance of the gleaming point from his liver?

The gleaming point symbolizes a weapon or source of pain, emphasizing the idea of impending judgment.

How does this verse relate to the theme of divine justice?

It illustrates the belief that the wicked will ultimately face consequences for their actions, reinforcing the theme of divine retribution.

What do the terrors coming over him signify?

The terrors represent the fear and dread that accompany the judgment of the wicked, highlighting their inevitable fate.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. How does the imagery in this verse reflect the nature of divine judgment?
  2. In what ways can we see the consequences of wickedness in our own lives or society?
  3. What does this passage teach us about the relationship between actions and their outcomes?
  4. How can we apply the lessons of this verse to encourage righteousness in ourselves and others?

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

Early commentary on this verse reflects on the nature of judgment and the fate of the wicked, as seen in the writings of Gregory the Dialogist.

Gregory the DialogistMorals on the Book of Job, Book XV c. 540–604
Ver. 25. He is drawn and cometh out of his sheath, yea, lightening in his bitterness. 31. This wicked man lays plots in arts of robbery on his neighbours.
Early Church Fathers on Job 20 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Job 20:25 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

It is drawn, and cometh out of the body,.... That is, the arrow with which a wicked man is stricken through; either it is drawn, and comes out of the quiver, as Broughton; or rather is drawn out of

Read John Gill on Job 20 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

It is drawn, and cometh out of the body; yea, the glittering sword cometh out of his gall: terrors are upon him.

Read Robert Jamieson on Job 20 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

It is drawn; either, 1. A sword, which may be understood out of this Hebrew verb, which is for the most part used of that weapon, as ,31 Jud 8:20, &c., and out of the following branch of the verse. Or, 2. The arrow last mentioned, which had entered into his body, and now was drawn out of it either by himself, or by some other person, as is frequent in that case, if peradventure he might be cured. Out of the body; or, out of his body, i.e. the body of the wounded man; as appears both by the next clause of the verse, which is added to explain the former; where it is out of his gall; and from the use of this Hebrew word, which signifies a man’ s body or carcass, as . The glittering sword: the…

Read Matthew Poole on Job 20 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Job 20:25 It is drawn, and cometh out of the body; yea, the glittering sword cometh out of his gall: terrors [are] upon him.Ver. 25. It is drawn, and cometh out of the body] That is, the arrow out of the quiver, or the sword out of the sheath, as the Vulgate translateth it. By a like metaphor the body is called the soul’ s sheath, Daniel 7:15. But I rather take it properly: It cometh out of his body that is, out of the wicked man’ s body, who is under such a deep and deadly wound as Jehoram was, whom Jehu shot through the heart; and as William Rufus was by Walter Tyrrel, who in hunting mistook him for a deer. Yea, the glittering sword cometh out of his gall] And so the wound must needs be…

Read John Trapp on Job 20 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(25) Yea, terrors overtake him.—Even when he has escaped a second and a third calamity, terrors shall still be upon him. This was all perfectly true in a sense, yea, even a truism, but it was utterly false in its application to Job himself.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Job 20 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 25. It is drawn, and cometh out] This refers to archery: The arrow is drawn out of the sheaf or quiver, and discharged from the bow against its mark, and pierces the vitals, and passes through the body. So Coverdale. - The arowe shal be taken forth, and go out at his backe.

Read AdamClarke on Job 20 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

25. It is drawn] Rather, he draweth it forth—that is, the arrow (Job 20:24). the glistering sword] Rather, the glittering shaft (Isaiah 49:2), or, more generally, the glittering steel; what is meant is the arrow that strikes the sinner through (Job 20:24). He draws it out hoping to save himself, not knowing that he is mortally stricken, but with the drawing of it out there fall on him the terrors of death. The picture, particularly the last isolated sentence “terrors are upon him,” is graphic.

Read Cambridge on Job 20 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

It is drawn - Or rather, “he draws” - that is, he draws out the arrow that has been shot at him; or it may mean, as Prof.

Read Albert Barnes on Job 20 →

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

It is drawn out of his back, the gleaming point from his liver. Terrors come over him.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

He draws it out, and it comes out of his body. Yes, the glittering point comes out of his liver. Terrors are on him.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

It is drawn out of his back, the gleaming point from his liver. Terrors come over him.

NETBNew English Translation2006

When he pulls it out and it comes out of his back, the gleaming point out of his liver, terrors come over him.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

It is drawn, and cometh out of the body; yea, the glittering sword cometh out of his gall: terrors are upon him.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

He draweth it forth, and it cometh out of his body; Yea, the glittering point cometh out of his gall: Terrors are upon him.

RVARevised Version, American1894

He draweth it forth, and it cometh out of his body: yea, the glittering point cometh out of his gall; terrors are upon him.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

It is drawn, and cometh out of the body; yes, the glittering sword cometh out of his gall: terrors are upon him.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

The arrowe is drawen out, and commeth forth of the body, and shineth of his gall, so feare commeth vpon him.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

He draweth it forth; it cometh out of his body, and the glittering point out of his gall: terrors are upon him.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

One hath drawn, And it cometh out from the body, And a glittering weapon from his gall proceedeth. On him [are] terrors.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

One has drawn, || And it comes out from the body, || And a glittering weapon proceeds from his gall. Terrors [are] on him.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

He draweth it, and it cometh out of the body; yea, out of his gall the glittering [arrow] cometh forth: over him come the terrors [of death].

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

He pulls it out of his back and the gleaming point comes out of his liver. Terrors come over him.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

The sword is drawn out, and cometh forth from its scabbard, and glittereth in his bitterness: the terrible ones shall go and come upon him.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

The arrow is pulled out of their gall bladder, glistening with blood. They are absolutely terrified!

BBEBible in Basic English1949

He is pulling it out, and it comes out of his back; and its shining point comes out of his side; he is overcome by fears.

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.

clauseverbשָׁלַף֮he.will.draw.[it].outוַandclauseverbיֵּצֵ֪אit.came.outprepositional phrase · prepositionalמִfrom.[the]גֵּ֫וָ֥הbackוּ֭andclausesubjectבָרָקlightningprepositional phrase · prepositionalמִֽfromnoun phraseמְּרֹרָת֥gall-bladderוֹhisclauseverbיַהֲלֹ֗ךְit.will.comeprepositional phrase · prepositionalעָלָ֥י[are].onוhimsubjectאֵמִֽיםterrors

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 rendering of Job 20:25, with six out of the eight words matched. The differences primarily lie in the word order and specific phrasing, but the essential imagery and meaning remain consistent across both texts.

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

שָׁלַף֮ וַיֵּצֵ֪א מִגֵּ֫וָ֥ה וּ֭בָרָק מִֽמְּרֹרָת֥וֹ יַהֲלֹ֗ךְ עָלָ֥יו אֵמִֽים׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיֵּצֵ֪אδιεχέλθοιוּ֭בָרָקἀστραπαὶמִֽמְּרֹרָת֥וֹαὐτοῦיַהֲלֹ֗ךְπεριπατήσαισανעָלָ֥יוαὐτῷאֵמִֽים׃φόβοι

6 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 20:25שָׁלַףhe will drahe will draw [iשָׁלַףיָצָאand it cameand it came outיָצָאגֵּוָהfrom [the] from [the] backגֵּוָהבָּרַקand lightniand lightningבָּרַקמְרֹרָהfrom gall-bfrom gall-bladdמְרֹרָההָלַךְit will comit will comeהָלַךְעַלon himon himעַלאֵימָהterrorsterrorsאֵימָהבָּרַקto flashto flashבָּרַקמָרַרto provoketo provokeמָרַרגֵּוbackbackגֵּוהָלַךְto walkto walkהָלַךְעַלheightheightעַלאָיֹםterribleterribleאָיֹםחֶ֫רֶבswordswordחֶ֫רֶבפֶּן־lestlestפֶּן־קָרָאto encountto encounter: mקָרָאגּוֹרָלallottedallottedגּוֹרָלחֵץarrowarrowחֵץמָטַרrainrainמָטַרעַלuponuponעַלדֶּ֫רֶךְway: roadway: roadדֶּ֫רֶךְחֻקָּהstatutestatuteחֻקָּהכִּפֶּרto atoneto atoneכִּפֶּרכִּסֵּאthronethroneכִּסֵּאבָּעַתto terrifyto terrifyבָּעַת
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 20:25

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.

he will draw [it] out and it came out from [the] back and lightning from gall-bladder his it will come on him terrors
שָׁלַף֮sha.Laf he will draw [it] out H8025 Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singular
25× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew verb means to pull or draw something out, like drawing a plant out of the ground. It is used in various contexts, including pulling out a sword or growing up. In the Bible, it appears in descriptions of everyday life and warfare.
Amplified meaning
pulled, extracted
Tyndale gloss
to draw
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word שָׁלַף (*shalaph*) is a primitive root meaning to draw out, off, or to pull up. It encompasses actions such as drawing off or plucking, and can also refer to growth, like a blade of grass shooting up. The entries consistently highlight these meanings without significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁלַף vb. draw out, off

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8025 שָׁלַף draw out, off

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8025 shalaph saw-laf'

a primitive root; to pull out, up or off:--draw (off), grow

up, pluck off.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁלַף (sha.laph) — to draw.

1) to draw out or off, take off

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to draw out

1a2) to draw off

1a3) to shoot up, draw out (of blade of grass on roof)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-3ms — Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singular
HVqp3ms
he will draw [it] out and it came out from [the] back and lightning from gall-bladder his it will come on him terrors
וַיֵּצֵ֪אvai.ye.Tze' and it came out H3318 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
1,067× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means to go out or come out, and it's used in many different ways, like leaving a place or starting a new journey, as seen in Genesis and Exodus.
Tyndale gloss
to come out: come
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָצָא (yatsa') is a Hebrew verb meaning to go or come out, with various applications including departure, escape, and emergence. It can refer to both animate and inanimate subjects and emphasizes the idea of origin or source. The verb appears in different forms, such as Qal, Hiphil, and Hophal, indicating actions like leading out or being brought forth.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָצָא 1068 vb. go or come out

Qal

go or come out or forth

from (מִן) a place

go forth from (the presence of) a person

in technical senses

of flight, involving escape

depart

of inanimate things

with especial emphasis on idea of origin, source

of children as going forth from loins (of father)

go forth to a place

go forward, proceed to or toward something

come or go forth, with esp. ref. to purpose or result

of combinations

Hiph.

cause to go or come out, bring out, lead out

fig. obj. persons, bring out of (מִן) distress, etc.

bring out animals

inanimate obj.

fig. subj. י׳, bring forth from (מִן)

Hoph. be brought forth

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3318 יָצָא go or come out .. go or come out or forth . from (מִן) a place

. go forth from (the presence of) a person

. in technical senses

. of flight, involving escape

. depart

. of inanimate things

. with especial emphasis on idea of origin, source

. of children as going forth from loins (of father)

. . go forth to a place

. go forward, proceed to or toward something

. come or go forth, with esp. ref. to purpose or result

. of combinations

. . cause to go or come out, bring out, lead out

. fig. obj. persons, bring out of (מִן) distress, etc.

. bring out animals

. inanimate obj.

. fig. subj. י׳, bring forth from (מִן)

. be brought forth

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3318 yatsa' yaw-tsaw'

a primitive root; to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great

variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct

and proxim.:--X after, appear, X assuredly, bear out, X

begotten, break out, bring forth (out, up), carry out, come

(abroad, out, thereat, without), + be condemned,

depart(-ing, -ure), draw forth, in the end, escape, exact,

fail, fall (out), fetch forth (out), get away (forth, hence,

out), (able to, cause to, let) go abroad (forth, on, out),

going out, grow, have forth (out), issue out, lay (lie) out,

lead out, pluck out, proceed, pull out, put away, be risen, X

scarce, send with commandment, shoot forth, spread, spring

out, stand out, X still, X surely, take forth (out), at any

time, X to (and fro), utter.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָצָא (ya.tsa) — to come out: come.

: come/go_out/escape

1) to go out, come out, exit, go forth

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go or come out or forth, depart

1a2) to go forth (to a place)

1a3) to go forward, proceed to (to or toward something)

1a4) to come or go forth (with purpose or for result)

1a5) to come out of

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to cause to go or come out, bring out, lead out

1b2) to bring out of

1b3) to lead out

1b4) to deliver

1c) (Hophal) to be brought out or forth

יָצָא (ya.tsa) — to come out: send.

: send/take_out/release

1) to go out, come out, exit, go forth

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go or come out or forth, depart

1a2) to go forth (to a place)

1a3) to go forward, proceed to (to or toward something)

1a4) to come or go forth (with purpose or for result)

1a5) to come out of

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to cause to go or come out, bring out, lead out

1b2) to bring out of

1b3) to lead out

1b4) to deliver

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
he will draw [it] out and it came out from [the] back and lightning from gall-bladder his it will come on him terrors
מִגֵּ֫וָ֥הmi.Ge.Vah from [the] back H1465 Preposition · noun common feminine singular absolute
1× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word refers to the back or body of a person. It can also mean 'behind' something. The KJV translates it as 'body'.
Amplified meaning
body, behind
Tyndale gloss
back
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

גֵּוָה (gevah) is a feminine noun meaning 'back.' It refers to the physical back of a person and can also denote the concept of being 'behind.' The word appears in Job 20:25, where it is used in a specific context.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

גֵּוָה n.f. back Jb 20:25

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1465 גֵּוָה

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1465 gevah gay-vaw'

feminine of 1460; the back, i.e. (by extensive) the

person:--body.

see HEBREW for 01460

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

גֵּוָה (ge.vah) — back.

1) the back

adv

2) (CLBL) behind

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-fs — Preposition · noun common feminine singular absolute
HR/Ncfsa
he will draw [it] out and it came out from [the] back and lightning from gall-bladder his it will come on him terrors
וּ֭בָרָקU.va.rok and lightning H1300 Conjunction · noun common masculine singular absolute
21× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to lightning, a bright and powerful force of nature. It is also used to describe a flashing sword, conveying a sense of speed and intensity.
Amplified meaning
glittering, shining, sword, arrowhead
Tyndale gloss
to use lightning
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בָּרַק (baraq) refers to lightning and its associated phenomena, such as flashes of light or gleams. It can also describe a bright or glittering object, like a sword or an arrowhead. The entries consistently emphasize its connection to the natural phenomenon of lightning, with no significant disagreement among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בָּרַק vb. flash, of lightning

base

בָּרָק n.m. lightning

lit. mostly pl. = lightnings, lightning flashes

fig. (always sing.) of flashing arrow-head

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1300a בָּרַק flash of lightning H1300b בָּרָק lightning

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1300 baraq baw-rawk'

from 1299; lightning; by analogy, a gleam; concretely, a

flashing sword:--bright, glitter(-ing sword), lightning.

see HEBREW for 01299

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בָּרַק (ba.raq) — to use lightning.

to flash (with lightning)

בָּרָק (ba.raq) — lightning.

1) lightning

1a) lightnings, lightning flashes

1b) of flashing arrow-head (fig.)

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

lit'-ning (baraq, chaziz; astrape): Lightning is caused by the discharge of electricity between clouds or between clouds and the earth. In a thunder-storm there is a rapid gathering of particles of moisture into clouds and forming of large drops of rain. This gathers with it electric potential until the surface of the cloud (or the enlarged water particles) is insufficient to carry the charge, and a discharge takes place, producing a brilliant flash of light and the resulting thunder-clap. Thunder-storms are common in Syria and Palestine during the periods of heavy rain in the spring and fall and are often severe. Lightning is usually accompanied by heavy rainfall or by hail, as at the time of the plague of hail (Ex 9:24).

See HAIL.

In the Scriptures it is used:

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Lightning

Frequently referred to by the sacred writers (Nah. 1:3-6). Thunder and lightning are spoken of as tokens of God’s wrath (2 Sam. 22:15; Job 28:26; 37:4; Ps. 135:7; 144:6; Zech. 9:14). They represent God’s glorious and awful majesty (Rev. 4:5), or some judgment of God on the world (20:9).

Nave's Topical Bible

→ General scriptures concerning Job 28:26; 37:3; 38:25,35; Ps 18:14; 77:18; 78:48; 97:4; 135:7; 144:6; Jer 10:13; 51:16; Eze 1:13,14; Da 10:6; Na 2:4; Zec 9:14; 10:1; Mt 24:27; 28:3; Lu 10:18; Re 4:5; 8:5; 11:19; 16:18

he will draw [it] out and it came out from [the] back and lightning from gall-bladder his it will come on him terrors
מִֽמְּרֹרָת֥וֹmi.me.ro.ra.To from gall-bladder his H4846 Preposition · noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
4× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word describes something very bitter, like venom from a snake. It's also used to describe the gall bladder, where bile is stored. It's often translated as 'bitter' or 'gall'.
Amplified meaning
gall, bile
Tyndale gloss
gall
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מְרֹרָה (mrorah) refers to a bitter substance, including gall and poison. It is derived from the root word for bitterness and can denote bile or venom, particularly from a serpent. The entries consistently emphasize its association with bitterness and toxic substances.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[מְרֹרָה] n.f. bitter thing, gall, poison

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4846 [מְרֹרָה] bitter thing, gall, poison

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4846 mrorah mer-o-raw'

or mrowrah {mer-o-raw'}; from 4843; properly, bitterness;

concretely, a bitter thing; specifically bile; also venom (of

a serpent):--bitter (thing), gall.

see HEBREW for 04843

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מְרֹרָה (me.ro.rah) — gall.

1) bitter thing, gall, poison

1a) gall, gall-bladder (seat of gall)

1b) poison, venom

1c) bitter thing

1d) bitterness

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-fs | Suff — Preposition · noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
HR/Ncfsc/Sp3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hiz: Used often in the King James Version with reference to a neuter or inanimate thing, or to a lower animal (Ge 1:11, "after his kind"; Le 1:16, "pluck away his crop"; Ac 12:10, "of his own accord"; 1Co 15:38, "his own body"), etc. the Revised Version (British and American) substitutes "its."

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
he will draw [it] out and it came out from [the] back and lightning from gall-bladder his it will come on him terrors
יַהֲלֹ֗ךְya.ha.Lokh it will come H1980 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
1,549× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Means to walk or go, used in many different contexts in the Bible. It can describe physical movement, but also spiritual or emotional journeys. Appears in various forms, such as 'to go' or 'to walk'.
Amplified meaning
go, proceed
Tyndale gloss
to go: walk
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הָלַךְ (halak) means 'to go,' 'come,' or 'walk,' and covers a wide range of literal and figurative uses, including aspects of life and death. It can describe physical movement, moral conduct, and even influence on character. The verb appears in various forms, such as Qal, Piel, and Hithpael, indicating different nuances like leading or traversing.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הָלַךְ 1546 vb. go, come, walk

Qal Impf. usually (629 t.) as if from ילך

lit.

of persons

Also of animals, in similar meanings and combinations

in like manner of inanimate things

The inf. abs. is often used

as in other vbs., quite independently

to intensify meaning of finite form

most noteworthy is the joining of the Inf. abs.

with a following Inf. abs. denoting a simutaneous action or process, and so emphasizing duration or continuance

with a foll. vb. fin. c. ו consec. (rare)

in cases where vb. fin. is foll. by Inf. abs. adj. denoting progress, advance

twice, where vb. fin. is not הלך, but another vb. denoting motion

quite by itself

13 t. the Inf. abs. = Imv. & is followed by Pf. consec.

akin to the use of Inf. abs. are some instances of Pt.

In combination with other verbal forms

Fig.; the most common uses follow; in most the origin in a literal meaning is evident:

pass away, die

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1980 הָלַךְ go, come, walk .Impf. usually (629 t.) as if from ילך . lit. . of persons

. Also of animals, in similar meanings and combinations

. in like manner of inanimate things

. The inf. abs. is often used . as in other vbs., quite independently

. to intensify meaning of finite form

. most noteworthy is the joining of the Inf. abs. . with a following Inf. abs. denoting a simutaneous action or process, and so emphasizing duration or continuance

. with a foll. vb. fin. c. ו consec. (rare)

. in cases where vb. fin. is foll. by Inf. abs. + adj. denoting progress, advance

. twice, where vb. fin. is not הלך, but another vb. denoting motion

. quite by itself

. 13 t. the Inf. abs. = Imv. & is followed by Pf. consec.

. akin to the use of Inf. abs. are some instances of Pt.

. In combination with other verbal forms

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1980 halak haw-lak'

akin to 3212; a primitive root; to walk (in a great variety

of applications, literally and figuratively):--(all) along,

apace, behave (self), come, (on) continually, be conversant,

depart, + be eased, enter, exercise (self), + follow, forth,

forward, get, go (about, abroad, along, away, forward, on,

out, up and down), + greater, grow, be wont to haunt, lead,

march, X more and more, move (self), needs, on, pass (away),

be at the point, quite, run (along), + send, speedily, spread,

still, surely, + tale-bearer, + travel(-ler), walk (abroad,

on, to and fro, up and down, to places), wander, wax,

(way-)faring man, X be weak, whirl.

see HEBREW for 03212

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: went.

: went/go[away]

1) to go, walk, come

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away

1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to walk

1b2) to walk (fig.)

1c) (Hithpael)

1c1) to traverse

1c2) to walk about

1d) (Niphal) to lead, bring, lead away, carry, cause to walk

הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: come.

: come[nearer]

1) to go, walk, come

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away

1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to walk

1b2) to walk (fig.)

1c) (Hithpael)

1c1) to traverse

1c2) to walk about

1d) (Niphal) to lead, bring, lead away, carry, cause to walk

הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: walk.

: walk/move

1) to go, walk, come

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away

1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to walk

1b2) to walk (fig.)

1c) (Hithpael)

1c1) to traverse

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
HVqi3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

kum: The translation of many Hebrew and Greek words. In the phrase "The Spirit of Yahweh came mightily upon him" (Jud 14:6,19; 15:14; 1Sa 10:10; 11:6; 16:13), the word is tsaleah; Jud 14:6; 15:14 "came mightily," which is the uniform translation of the Revised Version (British and American) (compare Jud 13:25 "to move," i.e. to disturb or stir up). In Jud 6:34; 1Ch 12:18; 2Ch 24:20, it is labhesh, "to clothe"; the Revised Version, margin "The Spirit .... clothed itself with Gideon" and .... "with Zechariah,"…

he will draw [it] out and it came out from [the] back and lightning from gall-bladder his it will come on him terrors
עָלָ֥יו'a.Lav on him H5921 Preposition · suffix
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
upon, above
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)

Read the full entry →
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)

Read the full entry →
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

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | Suff — Preposition · suffix
HRd/Sp3ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
he will draw [it] out and it came out from [the] back and lightning from gall-bladder his it will come on him terrors
אֵמִֽים׃'e.Mim terrors H367 Noun common · masculine plural absolute
17× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for terror or dread, used to describe fear or horror, and sometimes an idol that inspires fear. It appears in the Bible to convey a sense of awe or fright. This word is used in various contexts, including descriptions of God's power.
Amplified meaning
fears, dread
Tyndale gloss
terror
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֵימָה (*'eymah*) means terror or dread. It is derived from a root related to fear and can also refer to an idol in a figurative sense. The entries consistently emphasize its meanings of fright and horror.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵימָה 17 n.f. terror, dread

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H367 אֵימָה terror, dread

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

367 'eymah ay-maw'

or (shortened) remah {ay-maw'}; from the same as 366; fright;

concrete, an idol (as a bugbear):--dread, fear, horror, idol,

terrible, terror.

see HEBREW for 0366

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵימָה (e.mah) — terror.

terror, dread

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fp — Noun common · masculine plural absolute
HNcmpa
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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