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Job 23:3 — Word Study

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WLCמִֽי־ יִתֵּ֣ן יָ֭דַעְתִּי וְאֶמְצָאֵ֑הוּ אָ֝ב֗וֹא עַד־ תְּכוּנָתֽוֹ׃

BSAIf onlymîy I knewyâdaʻ [had knowledge of, was aware of] where to find Himmâtsâʼ [discover, locate] so that I could gobôwʼ [come, approach] toʻad His seattᵉkûwnâh [throne, place of judgment, where He sits in judgment]

Word
Listen & take awayJob 23
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 3 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (te.khu.na.To) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Job 23:3quick helps
In a sentenceJob expresses a deep desire to know where he can find God and approach Him.
Who is speakingJob, in a moment of anguish, seeks to understand God's presence.
Where we areJob is lamenting his suffering and longing for a direct encounter with God.
The hard wordתְּכוּנָתֽוֹ
Take awayJob's yearning illustrates the human desire for divine connection.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectמִי verbנָתַן The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

1 of 7 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 23:3

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

Context — Job's Lamentgenerated

2“Even today my complaint is bitter. His hand is heavy despite my groaning.
3If only I knew where to find Him, so that I could go to His seat.
4I would plead my case before Him and fill my mouth with arguments.
5I would learn how He would answer, and consider what He would say.

Job 23:3 reveals Job's profound struggle as he seeks to locate God amidst his suffering. Job feels a heavy burden, expressing a wish to find God and present his case before Him. This passage reflects Job's desire for understanding and justice, as he longs for an audience with the divine to plead his case, as seen in the surrounding verses.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Job 13:3Yet I desire to speak to the Almighty and argue my case before God.
2Job 16:21Oh, that a man might plead with God as he pleads with his neighbor!
3Job 40:1–5And the LORD said to Job:
4Isaiah 26:8Yes, we wait for You, O LORD; we walk in the path of Your judgments. Your name and renown are the desire of our souls.
5Jeremiah 14:7Although our iniquities testify against us, O LORD, act for the sake of Your name. Indeed, our rebellions are many; we have sinned against You.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 9 references, hung on the phrase they belong to

that I mightJob 31:35–37

The Key Word תְּכוּנָתֽוֹ, te.khu.na.Togenerated

The noun תְּכוּנָה (te.khu.na) refers to a fixed or arranged place, often translated as 'seat' or 'throne'. It conveys the idea of a designated location where judgment occurs, emphasizing the authority associated with that place.

In this verse, it signifies Job's desire to approach God's judgment seat, illustrating his yearning for a direct encounter with the divine authority. The parsing indicates that it is a feminine singular noun in construct, showing its relationship to the following suffix.


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 finite verb יִתֵּ֣ן (yi.Ten) governs the main clause, indicating Job's request. The structure includes several phrases: an interrogative pronoun asking about the subject, a verb expressing knowledge, and a conjunction linking to Job's desire to find and approach God.

The sentence is complex, with multiple clauses that build upon Job's longing and inquiry, reflecting the depth of his emotional state and desire for divine connection.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates מִי as τίς, indicating a direct inquiry about who can provide the knowledge Job seeks. This choice maintains the interrogative nature of Job's question, emphasizing the search for understanding.

The translation of תְּכוּנָתֽוֹ as τέλος suggests a focus on the finality or destination of Job's search, aligning with the concept of a fixed place where God adjudicates.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Job 23:3 shows Job's deep desire to know where he can find God so he can approach Him. He feels heavy with his complaints and longs for a chance to plead his case before God, as expressed in the surrounding verses.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does Job mean by wanting to find God?

Job is expressing his deep desire for a direct encounter with God to present his grievances and seek understanding.

Why does Job refer to God's seat?

Job uses the term 'seat' to signify a place of authority and judgment, where he hopes to find justice.

How does Job's longing reflect human experience?

Job's yearning illustrates the universal human desire for connection with the divine, especially in times of suffering.

What can we learn from Job's approach to God?

Job's approach teaches us the importance of seeking God earnestly, especially when facing trials and uncertainties.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways do I seek to find God in my own life, especially during difficult times?
  2. How can I approach God with my concerns and desires, as Job did?
  3. What does it mean to me to know that God has a place of judgment?
  4. How can I better understand God's presence in my circumstances?

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

Gregory the Dialogist references this verse to illustrate the longing for divine connection, emphasizing the importance of knowing and loving God.

Gregory the DialogistMorals on the Book of Job, Book XVI c. 540–604
O that one would grant me that I might know and find Him, that I might come even to His seat! An elect person if he did not know God, assuredly would not love Him.
Early Church Fathers on Job 23 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Job 23:3 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

O that I knew where I might find him,.... That is, God, who is understood, though not expressed, a relative without an antecedent, as in Psalms 87:1; Jarchi supplies, and interprets it, "my Judge",

Read John Gill on Job 23 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Oh that I knew where I might find him! that I might come even to his seat!

Read Robert Jamieson on Job 23 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Where I might find him, to wit, God, as his friends well knew, and the thing itself showeth. Thou biddest me acquaint myself with him, . I desire nothing more than his acquaintance and presence; but, alas, he hides his face from me that I cannot see him, nor come near him. To his seat, i.e. to his throne or judgment-seat, to plead my cause before him, as it here follows, , not upon terms of strict justice, but upon those terms of grace and mercy upon which God is pleased to deal with his sinful creatures: see before, ,35 16:21 17:3. And this my confidence may be some evidence that I am not such a gross hypocrite as you imagine me to be.

Read Matthew Poole on Job 23 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Job 23:3 Oh that I knew where I might find him! [that] I might come [even] to his seat!Ver. 3. Oh that I knew where I might find him!] That is, God, so oft in his mind and mouth, that his acquaintance might easily know whom he meant. Aph-Hu, even he, 2 Kings 2:4, as held by some to be one of God’ s attributes (Weems). And Mατον, without mention of Dια, was an ordinary oath in Plato’ s mouth, as Suidas recordeth. That I might come even to his seat!] His tribunal prepared for him. Venirem usque ad stationem eius (Mercer). Great is the confidence of a good conscience. See Genesis 20:5 1 Peter 3:21. But yet haec certe omnia audacius dicuntur a misero homuncione, this was too bold a speech for a…

Read John Trapp on Job 23 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(3) Oh that I knew where I might find him.—The piteous complaint of a man who feels that God is with him for chastisement, but not for healing.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Job 23 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 3. O that I knew where I might find him!] This and the following verse may be read thus: "Who will give me the knowledge of God, that I may find him out? I would come to his establishment; (the place or way in which he has promised to communicate himself;) I would exhibit, in detail, my judgment (the cause I wish to be tried) before his face; and my mouth would I fill with convincing or decisive arguments;" arguments drawn from his common method of saving sinners, which I should prove applied fully to my case. Hence the confidence with which he speaks, Job 23:6.

Read AdamClarke on Job 23 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

3–7. Job ardently desires that he could come to God’s judgment-seat to plead his cause before Him; and that God would give heed to him and answer him. Then assuredly his innocence would be established.

Read Cambridge on Job 23 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Oh that I knew where I might find him! - Where I might find “God.” He had often expressed a wish to bring his cause directly before God, and to be permitted to plead his cause there; see Job 13:3, note; Job 13:20, notes.

Read Albert Barnes on Job 23 →

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 only I knew where to find Him, so that I could go to His seat.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Oh that I knew where I might find him! That I might come even to his seat!

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

If only I knew where to find Him, so that I could go to His seat.

NETBNew English Translation2006

O that I knew where I might find him, that I could come to his place of residence!

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Oh that I knew where I might find him! that I might come even to his seat!

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Oh that I knew where I might find him! That I might come even to his seat!

RVARevised Version, American1894

Oh that I knew where I might find him, that I might come even to his seat!

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Oh that I knew where I might find him! that I might come even to his seat!

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Would God yet I knew how to finde him, I would enter vnto his place.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Oh that I knew where I might find him, that I might come to his seat!

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

O that I had known — and I find Him, I come in unto His seat,

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

O that I had known—and I find Him, || I come to His seat,

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Oh who would grant that I knew where I might find him! that I might attain to his Judgment throne!

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Oh, that I knew where I might find him! Oh, that I might come to his place!

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Who will grant me that I might know and find him, and come even to his throne?

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

If only I knew where I could find him so I could go to where he sits in judgment.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

If only I had knowledge of where he might be seen, so that I might come even to his seat!

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.

clausesubjectמִֽיwho?verbיִתֵּ֣ןwill.he.giveclause · objectclauseverbיָ֭דַעְתִּיI.knewוְandclauseverbאֶמְצָאֵ֑Iobjectהוּwill.find.himclauseverbאָ֝ב֗וֹאI.will.comeprepositional phrase · prepositionalעַדtonoun phraseתְּכוּנָתֽplaceוֹhis

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 on the wording of this verse, with five out of seven words matched. The differences in word order and articles reflect the distinct grammatical structures of Hebrew and Greek, but the core message remains consistent.

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

מִֽי־ יִתֵּ֣ן יָ֭דַעְתִּי וְאֶמְצָאֵ֑הוּ אָ֝ב֗וֹא עַד־ תְּכוּנָתֽוֹ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
מִֽי־τίςיָ֭דַעְתִּיγνοίηוְאֶמְצָאֵ֑הוּαὐτὸνעַד־εἰςתְּכוּנָתֽוֹ׃τέλος

5 of the 7 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 23:3מִיwho?who?מִינָתַןwill he givwill he giveנָתַןיָדַעI knewI knewיָדַעמָצָאand I will and I will findמָצָאבּוֹאI will comeI will comeבּוֹאעַדtotoעַדתְּכוּנָהplace hisplace hisתְּכוּנָהכּוּןto establito establish: pכּוּןמָהwhat?what?מָהעַדperpetuityperpetuityעַדיָעַדto appointto appointיָעַדכְּמוֹlikelikeכְּמוֹנַחֲלָהinheritancinheritanceנַחֲלָהזֶ֫רַעseedseedזֶ֫רַעאֲנִיIIאֲנִיבִּיןto understto understandבִּיןחֵןfavorfavorחֵןבָּקַשׁto seekto seekבָּקַשׁשֶׁ֫מֶשׁsunsunשֶׁ֫מֶשׁמָתַיhowhowמָתַיעֶ֫רֶבeveningeveningעֶ֫רֶב
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 23:3

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

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

who? will he give I knew and I will find him I will come to place his
מִֽי־mi- who? H4310 Pronoun
423× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word is used to ask questions like who, whose, or whom. It can also be used to express a wish, like would that or whoever. It appears in many forms throughout the Bible, often in phrases like O that or what.
Tyndale gloss
who?
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מִי 423 pron.interrog. who? of persons

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

in the gen. whose

in an indirect qu.

מִי ב׳ who among … ?

strengthened and emph. forms of interrog.

various rhetorical uses whose

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

once, following a verb, any one

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

. in the gen. whose

. in an indirect qu.

. מִי ב׳ who among … ?

. strengthened and emph. forms of interrog.

. various rhetorical uses whose

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

. once, following a verb, any one

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4310 miy me

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

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

(indefinitely) whoever; often used in oblique construction

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

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

see HEBREW for 04100

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מִי (mi) — who?.

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part — Pronoun
HPi
who? will he give I knew and I will find him I will come to place his
יִתֵּ֣ןyi.Ten will he give H5414 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
2,011× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to give, put, or set something, with a wide range of applications. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus, describing God's actions and human interactions. The word is used to convey giving, selling, or exchanging something.
Tyndale gloss
to give: give
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word נָתַן (natan) means 'to give' and encompasses a wide range of applications such as putting, setting, and making. It can also indicate actions like bestowing, delivering, and assigning. The entries describe its use in various forms, including Qal, Niphal, and Hophal, but do not present any significant disagreements among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נָתַן 2007 vb. give, put, set

Qal 1917

give

Put, set

Make, constitute

Niph.

82be given

Be put, set

Hoph.

be given, bestowed

= be given to one for wife

be put upon

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5414 נָתַן give, put, set .. give

. Put, set

. Make, constitute

. . be given

. Be put, set

. . . be given, bestowed

. = be given to one for wife

. be put upon

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5414 nathan naw-than'

a primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of

application (put, make, etc.):--add, apply, appoint, ascribe,

assign, X avenge, X be ((healed)), bestow, bring (forth,

hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, +

cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, X doubtless, X

without fail, fasten, frame, X get, give (forth, over, up),

grant, hang (up), X have, X indeed, lay (unto charge, up),

(give) leave, lend, let (out), + lie, lift up, make, + O that,

occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, X

pull , put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send

(out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), + sing, + slander,

strike, (sub-)mit, suffer, X surely, X take, thrust, trade,

turn, utter, + weep, + willingly, + withdraw, + would (to)

God, yield.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָתַן (na.tan) — to give: give.

: give/deliver/send/produce

1) to give, put, set

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to give, bestow, grant, permit, ascribe, employ, devote, consecrate, dedicate, pay wages, sell, exchange, lend, commit, entrust, give over, deliver up, yield produce, occasion, produce, requite to, report, mention, utter, stretch out, extend

1a2) to put, set, put on, put upon, set, appoint, assign, designate

1a3) to make, constitute

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be given, be bestowed, be provided, be entrusted to, be granted to, be permitted, be issued, be published, be uttered, be assigned

1b2) to be set, be put, be made, be inflicted

1c) (Hophal)

1c1) to be given, be bestowed, be given up, be delivered up

1c2) to be put upon

נָתַן (na.tan) — to give: put.

: put/set/apppoint

1) to give, put, set

1a) (Qal)

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

(nathan, yahabh, sum; didomi): "Give" is a very common word in the Old Testament. It is most frequently the translation of nathan, "to give" (Ge 1:29; 3:6; Ex 2:9; De 18,20, etc., over 800 instances); nathan is also translated "to give up" (De 23:14; Isa 43:6; Ho 11:8); of yahabh, "to give" (Ge 30:1; 1Ch 16:28 the King James Version). In Ps 55:22 we have the perfect with suffix, "Cast thy burden upon Yahweh," margin "what he hath given thee"; elsewhere it is…

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
who? will he give I knew and I will find him I will come to place his
יָ֭דַעְתִּיYa.da'.ti I knew H3045 Verb · Qal · perfect first person common singular
945× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for to know means to ascertain by seeing, and is used in many senses, including to learn, perceive, and recognize, as seen in various KJV translations.
Amplified meaning
had knowledge of, was aware of
Tyndale gloss
to know
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָדַע (yada`) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to know,' encompassing a wide range of senses including perception, recognition, and experience. It can refer to knowing someone intimately or being skilled in a task. The word has various forms, indicating actions such as making known or being made known. Lexicons note its use in both literal and figurative contexts, but there is no significant disagreement among them.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָדַע 943 vb. know

Qal

know, learn to know

perceive

perceive and see; find out and discern

discriminate, distinguish

know by experience

recognize, admit, acknowledge, confess

consider

not know = not expect

know a person, be acquainted with

know a person carnally, of sexual intercourse

know how, to do a thing, be able to do it

be skilful in

abs. have knowledge, be wise

Niph.

be made known, be or become known, of things

make oneself known of pers.

be perceived

be instructed

Pi. cause to know

Pu. known

Hiph. make known, declare

Hoph. made known

Hithp. make oneself known

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3045 יָדַע know .. . know, learn to know

. perceive

. perceive and see; find out and discern

. discriminate, distinguish

. know by experience

. recognize, admit, acknowledge, confess

. consider

. not know = not expect

. know a person, be acquainted with

. know a person carnally, of sexual intercourse

. . know how, to do a thing, be able to do it

. be skilful in

. abs. have knowledge, be wise

. . be made known, be or become known, of things

. make oneself known of pers.

. be perceived

. be instructed

. cause to know

. known

. make known, declare

. made known

. make oneself known

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3045 yada` yaw-dah'

a primitive root; to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing);

used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally,

euphemistically and inferentially (including observation,

care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation,

punishment, etc.) (as follow):--acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted

with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware,

(un-)awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, X

could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to)

discern, discover, endued with, familiar friend, famous, feel,

can have, be (ig-)norant, instruct, kinsfolk, kinsman, (cause

to let, make) know, (come to give, have, take) knowledge, have

(knowledge), (be, make, make to be, make self) known, + be

learned, + lie by man, mark, perceive, privy to, X

prognosticator, regard, have respect, skilful, shew, can (man

of) skill, be sure, of a surety, teach, (can) tell,

Read the full entry →
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָדַע (ya.da) — to know.

1) to know

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to know

1a1a) to know, learn to know

1a1b) to perceive

1a1c) to perceive and see, find out and discern

1a1d) to discriminate, distinguish

1a1e) to know by experience

1a1f) to recognise, admit, acknowledge, confess

1a1g) to consider

1a2) to know, be acquainted with

1a3) to know (a person carnally)

1a4) to know how, be skilful in

1a5) to have knowledge, be wise

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be made known, be or become known, be revealed

1b2) to make oneself known

1b3) to be perceived

1b4) to be instructed

1c) (Piel) to cause to know

1d) (Poal) to cause to know

1e) (Pual)

1e1) to be known

1e2) known, one known, acquaintance (participle)

1f) (Hiphil) to make known, declare

1g) (Hophal) to be made known

1h) (Hithpael) to make oneself known, reveal oneself

Aramaic equivalent: ye.da (יְדַע "to know" H3046)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-1cs — Verb · Qal · perfect first person common singular
HVqp1cs
who? will he give I knew and I will find him I will come to place his
וְאֶמְצָאֵ֑הוּve.'em.tza.'E.hu and I will find him H4672 Conjunction · verb qal first person common singular · suffix
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
discover, locate
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
Conj | V-Qal-Imperf-1cs | Suff — Conjunction · verb qal first person common singular · suffix
HC/Vqu1cs/Sp3ms
who? will he give I knew and I will find him I will come to place his
אָ֝ב֗וֹא'a.Vo' I will come H935 Verb · Qal · imperfect first person common singular
2,573× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to go or come, and is used in many contexts, such as entering a place or approaching someone, as seen in the book of Genesis. It can also mean to abide or apply, and is translated in various ways in the KJV Bible. This term is related to the name Lebo Hamath.
Amplified meaning
come, approach
Tyndale gloss
Lebo
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בּוֹא (bo) is a Hebrew verb meaning to come or go in, with a wide range of applications including entering, arriving, and bringing in. It can refer to both physical movement and abstract concepts like events coming to pass. The verb appears in various forms, such as Qal (to come), Hiphil (to cause to come), and Hophal (to be brought). There is no significant disagreement among lexicons regarding its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בּוֹא 2569 vb. come in, come, go in, go

Qal

come in

come (approach, arrive)

go, i.e. walk, associate with

go from speaker, but with limit of motion given

Hiph.

cause to come in, bring in (conduct, lead, obj. persons and animals)

cause to come, bring, bring near, etc. (animate obj.)

Hoph.

be brought in (of pers. and things)

be brought

be introduced, put

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H935 בּוֹא come in, come, go in, go .. come in

. come (approach, arrive)

. go, i.e. walk, associate with

. go from speaker, but with limit of motion given

. . cause to come in, bring in (conduct, lead, obj. persons and animals)

. cause to come, bring, bring near, etc. (animate obj.)

. . be brought in (of pers. and things)

. be brought

. be introduced, put

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

935 bow' bo

a primitive root; to go or come (in a wide variety of

applications):--abide, apply, attain, X be, befall, +

besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, X

certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out,

upon, to pass), depart, X doubtless again, + eat, + employ,

(cause to) enter (in, into, -tering, -trance, -try), be

fallen, fetch, + follow, get, give, go (down, in, to war),

grant, + have, X indeed, (in-)vade, lead, lift (up), mention,

pull in, put, resort, run (down), send, set, X (well) stricken

(in age), X surely, take (in), way.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בּוֹא (bo) — to come (in): come.

: come/go_in

1) to go in, enter, come, go, come in

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to enter, come in

1a2) to come

1a2a) to come with

1a2b) to come upon, fall or light upon, attack (enemy)

1a2c) to come to pass

1a3) to attain to

1a4) to be enumerated

1a5) to go

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to lead in

1b2) to carry in

1b3) to bring in, cause to come in, gather, cause to come, bring near, bring against, bring upon

1b4) to bring to pass

1c) (Hophal)

1c1) to be brought, brought in

1c2) to be introduced, be put

לְב֥וֹא (bo) — Lebo-(Hamath).

This name means to go in, enter

Combined with cha.mat (חֲמָת "Hamath" H2574)

בּוֹא (bo) — to come (in): towards.

: towards/entrance

1) to go in, enter, come, go, come in

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to enter, come in

1a2) to come

1a2a) to come with

1a2b) to come upon, fall or light upon, attack (enemy)

1a2c) to come to pass

1a3) to attain to

1a4) to be enumerated

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-1cs — Verb · Qal · imperfect first person common singular
HVqi1cs
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,"…

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
who? will he give I knew and I will find him I will come to place his
עַד־'ad- to H5704 Preposition
1,261× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means until or as far as, describing a point in time or space. It's used in the Bible to set boundaries or limits, like in Exodus when describing the Israelites' journey.
Tyndale gloss
till
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עַד (ad) primarily functions as a preposition, adverb, or conjunction meaning 'until,' 'up to,' or 'as far as.' It can denote spatial, temporal, or degree-related contexts, such as 'even to' or 'while.' The entries indicate its use in poetry and in various combinations, but there is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עַד, in poetry עֲדֵי prep. as far as, even to, up to, until, while

prep.

of space

Of time

Of degree

conj.

until

While

Of degree, to the point that, so that even (rare)

עַד לְ, a strengthened form for עַד. Thus

of space

Of time

Of degree

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5704 עַד, in poetry עֲדֵי as far as, even to, up to, until, while . prep. . of space

. Of time

. Of degree

. conj. . until

. While

. Of degree, to the point that, so that even (rare)

. עַד לְ, a strengthened form for עַד. Thus . of space

. Of time

. Of degree

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5704 `ad ad

properly, the same as 5703 (used as a preposition, adverb or

conjunction; especially with a preposition); as far (or long,

or much) as, whether of space (even unto) or time (during,

while, until) or degree (equally with):--against, and, as,

at, before, by (that), even (to), for(-asmuch as),

(hither-)to, + how long, into, as long (much) as, (so) that,

till, toward, until, when, while, (+ as) yet.

see HEBREW for 05703

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עַד (ad) — till.

prep

1) as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as

1a) of space

1a1) as far as, up to, even to

1b) in combination

1b1) from...as far as, both...and (with 'min' -from)

1c) of time

1c1) even to, until, unto, till, during, end

1d) of degree

1d1) even to, to the degree of, even like

conj

2) until, while, to the point that, so that even

Aramaic equivalent: ad (עַד "till" H5705)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Preposition
HR
who? will he give I knew and I will find him I will come to place his
תְּכוּנָתֽוֹ׃te.khu.na.To place his H8499 Noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
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 a fixed or arranged place, often translated as seat. It appears in various books, including Genesis and Psalms, to describe a specific location. This concept is important in understanding biblical settings and events.
Amplified meaning
throne, place of judgment, where He sits in judgment
Tyndale gloss
place
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

תְּכוּנָה (tkuwnah) refers to an arrangement or a fixed place, often translated as 'seat.' It is derived from the root meaning to arrange or fix, and is closely related to another Hebrew word, תְּכוּנָה (tkuwnah), which can also imply fitting or preparation. The entries suggest a focus on the concept of a designated or established location.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

תְּכוּנָה n.f. arrangement, preparation, fixed place

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8499 תְּכוּנָה, תְּכוּנָה

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8499 tkuwnah tek-oo-naw'

from 3559; or probably ident. with 8498; something arranged

or fixed, i.e. a place:--seat.

see HEBREW for 03559

see HEBREW for 08498

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

תְּכוּנָה (te.khu.nah) — place.

fixed place, seat, place

Another spelling of te.khu.nah (תְּכוּנָה "fitting" H8498)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs | Suff — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
HNcfsc/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."

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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