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Job 27:12 — Word Study

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WLCהֵן־ אַתֶּ֣ם כֻּלְּכֶ֣ם חֲזִיתֶ֑ם וְלָמָּה־ זֶּ֝֗ה הֶ֣בֶל תֶּהְבָּֽלוּ׃

BSASurelyhên [truly, indeed] all of youkôl [each one of you, yourselves] have seen [it]châzâh [perceived, understood, this truth, this situation] for yourselvesʼattâh [with your own eyes, personally] Why thenmâh [for what reason, on what account] do you keep up thiszeh [continue, persist in, such, this kind of] empty talkhebel [vain, meaningless, speech, conversation]

Word
Listen & take awayJob 27
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 12 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 (teh.Ba.lu) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Job 27:12quick helps
In a sentenceJob asserts that his audience has witnessed the truth for themselves and questions their continued empty chatter.
Who is speakingJob, addressing his friends directly.
Where we areIn a dialogue where Job challenges the validity of his friends' arguments.
The hard wordהֶ֣בֶל
Take awayJob emphasizes the futility of their arguments.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbחָזָה 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 27:12

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

Context — Job's Defense Against His Friendsgenerated

11I will instruct you in the power of God. I will not conceal the ways of the Almighty.
12Surely all of you have seen it for yourselves. Why then do you keep up this empty talk?
13This is the wicked man’s portion from God— the heritage the ruthless receive from the Almighty.
14Though his sons are many, they are destined for the sword; and his offspring will never have enough food.

Job 27:12 is part of Job's response to his friends who have been accusing him of wrongdoing. He insists that they have seen the truth of his situation with their own eyes, yet they continue to engage in meaningless discussions. Job's assertion highlights the disconnect between their perceptions and the reality of his innocence. This passage reflects the broader themes of suffering and the nature of true wisdom found throughout the book of Job.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Job 21:28–30For you say, ‘Where now is the nobleman’s house, and where are the tents in which the wicked dwell?’
2Ecclesiastes 8:14There is a futility that is done on the earth: There are righteous men who get what the actions of the wicked deserve, and there are wicked men who get what the actions of the righteous deserve. I say that this too is futile.
3Ecclesiastes 9:1–3So I took all this to heart and concluded that the righteous and the wise, as well as their deeds, are in God’s hands. Man does not know what lies ahead, whether love or hate.
4Job 6:25–29How painful are honest words! But what does your argument prove?
5Job 13:4–9You, however, smear with lies; you are all worthless physicians.

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


The Key Word חֲזִיתֶם, cha.zi.Temgenerated

The verb חָזָה (chazah) means to see or perceive, and it encompasses a range of meanings including understanding and having visions. In this context, it emphasizes that Job's friends have witnessed the truth of his situation, implying that their continued accusations are unfounded.

As a perfect form in the second person masculine plural, it suggests that Job is directly addressing his friends, reminding them of their shared experience and urging them to acknowledge what they have seen.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

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


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb is חֲזִיתֶם, you have seen, which governs the sentence. It is followed by a subordinate clause that poses a rhetorical question, emphasizing the contrast between their knowledge and their actions.

The structure highlights Job's challenge to his friends, with the main assertion standing out clearly, while the question at the end serves to provoke thought about their behavior.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates חָזָה as οἴδατε, which means 'you know.' This choice suggests a more definitive understanding of the truth, reinforcing Job's claim that his friends are aware of the reality yet choose to ignore it.

The Greek word κενὰ for הֶ֣בֶל indicates emptiness, aligning with the Hebrew meaning but also emphasizing the futility of their discussions.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Job 27:12 reminds his friends that they have seen the truth of his situation with their own eyes. He questions why they continue to speak empty words, highlighting the futility of their arguments against him.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does Job mean by saying 'you have seen it for yourselves'?

Job is asserting that his friends have witnessed the truth of his innocence and the injustice of his suffering.

Why does Job question their continued talk?

Job is challenging the validity of their accusations and pointing out the disconnect between what they know and what they say.

What does 'empty talk' refer to in this context?

It refers to the meaningless arguments and accusations made by Job's friends that do not reflect the reality of his situation.

How does this verse relate to the overall themes in the book of Job?

This verse encapsulates the struggle between truth and perception, a central theme in Job's dialogues with his friends.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. How do I respond when I know the truth but face accusations from others?
  2. What are some ways I can ensure my words reflect reality rather than assumptions?
  3. In what situations have I witnessed someone being misunderstood like Job?
  4. How can I cultivate a deeper understanding of others' experiences before forming judgments?

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

The early Church Fathers referenced Job's words to discuss the nature of truth and folly. Here is a quotation from Gregory the Dialogist, who reflects on the implications of Job's challenge.

Gregory the DialogistMorals on the Book of Job, Book XVIII c. 540–604
I will teach you by the hand of God, that which is with the Almighty; I will not conceal. Behold, all ye yourselves know: why then do ye utter vain things without cause? This is the portion of an ungodly man with God,
Early Church Fathers on Job 27 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Job 27:12 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Behold, all ye yourselves have seen [it],.... As they were men of observation, at least made great pretensions to it, as well as of age and experience, they must have seen and observed somewhat at

Read John Gill on Job 27 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

I will teach you by the hand of God: that which is with the Almighty will I not conceal. These words are contrary to Job's previous sentiments (notes, Job 21:22-33; Job 24:22-25).

Read Robert Jamieson on Job 27 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

I speak no false or strange things, but what is known and confirmed by your own as well as others’ experiences. Why then are ye thus altogether vain, in maintaining such a foolish and false opinion against your own knowledge and experience? Why do you obstinately defend your opinion, and not comply with mine, for the truth of which I appeal to your own consciences?

Read Matthew Poole on Job 27 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Job 27:12 Behold, all ye yourselves have seen [it]; why then are ye thus altogether vain?Ver. 12. Behold, all ye yourselves have seen it] And can say as much to it as I can in these sc. that God afflicteth good men as well as bad, &c. Ecce autem cum vos omnes speculationibus (theologicis) operam dederitis, quare tam vanas opiniones habetis? So the Tigurine translation hath it; that is, But behold, whereas all ye have spent your time in theological speculations, how is it that ye have taken up such vain opinions? The Hebrew runs thus, Behold, you all have seen, or are seers (and he that is now called a prophet was before time called a seer, 1 Samuel 9:9), ye are knowing men, and of great…

Read John Trapp on Job 27 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(12) Behold, all ye yourselves have seen it.—That is, “You have seen me so proclaim the great power of God.”

Read Charles John Ellicott on Job 27 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 12. Ye yourselves have seen it] Your own experience and observation have shown you that the righteous are frequently in affliction, and the wicked in affluence. Why then are ye thus altogether vain?] The original is very emphatical: הבל תהבלו hebel tehbalu, and well expressed by Mr. Good: "Why then should ye thus babble babblings!" It our language would allow it, we might say vanitize vanity.

Read AdamClarke on Job 27 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

12. are ye thus altogether vain?] i. e. wherefore do ye cherish and express opinions regarding me so foolish? “Two things are surprising here,” says Dillmann, “first, that Job should undertake to teach the three friends what they had always affirmed; and second, that he should say the opposite of what he had maintained in ch. 21, and 24 of the prosperity of the wicked even to their death.” A third thing might also seem surprising, namely that Job, while now coinciding with his friends in opinion, should reproach them with folly. To appropriate their sentiments and cover the operation by calling them foolish persons was not generous. The connexion, however, of the two clauses in this verse…

Read Cambridge on Job 27 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Behold, all ye yourselves have seen it - You have had an opportunity of tracing the proofs of the wisdom of God in his works.

Read Albert Barnes on Job 27 →

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

Surely all of you have seen it for yourselves. Why then do you keep up this empty talk?

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Behold, all of you have seen it yourselves; why then have you become altogether vain?

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Surely all of you have seen it for yourselves. Why then do you keep up this empty talk?

NETBNew English Translation2006

If you yourselves have all seen this, Why in the world do you continue this meaningless talk?

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Behold, all ye yourselves have seen it; why then are ye thus altogether vain?

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Behold, all ye yourselves have seen it; Why then are ye become altogether vain?

RVARevised Version, American1894

Behold, all ye yourselves have seen it; why then are ye become altogether vain?

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Behold, all ye yourselves have seen it ; why then are ye thus altogether vain?

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Beholde, all ye your selues haue seene it: why then doe you thus vanish in vanitie?

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Behold, ye yourselves have all seen [it]; and why are ye thus altogether vain?

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Lo, ye — all of you — have seen, And why [is] this — ye are altogether vain?

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Behold, you—all of you—have seen, || And why [is] this—you are altogether vain?

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Lo! ye yourselves have all beheld it: why is it then that ye deal in such vanities?

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

See, all of you have seen this yourselves; why then have you spoken all this nonsense?

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Behold you all know it, and why do you speak vain things without cause?

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

If all of you have recognized this, why do you talk such vain nonsense?

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Truly, you have all seen it yourselves; why then have you become completely foolish?

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.

clauseclauseהֵןthere!clausenoun phrase · subjectאַתֶּ֣םyounoun phraseכֻּלְּof.youכֶ֣םallverbחֲזִיתֶ֑םyou.have.seenוְandclauseprepositional phrase · predicateלָמָּהwhy?noun phrase · subjectזֶּ֝֗הthisclauseobjectהֶ֣בֶלvanityverbתֶּהְבָּֽלוּdo.you.become.vain

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 27:12 reads, 'Surely all of you have seen it for yourselves. Why then do you keep up this empty talk?' The Septuagint, while it has similarities, does not provide a complete word-for-word match and has a different structure in its translation. It is noted that five of the eight words in the Septuagint correspond with those in the Masoretic Text, but the overall wording and order differ significantly. There are no surviving readings from the Samaritan Pentateuch or the Dead Sea Scrolls for this verse, so we cannot compare them to the Masoretic Text in this instance. Thus, the Masoretic Text stands as the primary witness for this verse.

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

הֵן־ אַתֶּ֣ם כֻּלְּכֶ֣ם חֲזִיתֶ֑ם וְלָמָּה־ זֶּ֝֗ה הֶ֣בֶל תֶּהְבָּֽלוּ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
הֵן־ἰδοὺכֻּלְּכֶ֣םπάντεςחֲזִיתֶ֑םοἴδατεהֶ֣בֶלκενὰתֶּהְבָּֽלוּ׃κενοῖς

5 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 27:12הֵןthere!there!הֵןאַתָּ֫הyouyouאַתָּ֫הכֹּלall of youall of youכֹּלחָזָהyou have seyou have seenחָזָהמָהand why?and why?מָהזֶהthisthisזֶההֶ֫בֶלvanityvanityהֶ֫בֶלהָבַלdo you act do you act in vהָבַלכָּלַלto perfectto perfectכָּלַלהָבַלto become to become vainהָבַלזֶהthisthisזֶהזֹהthisthisזֹההֶ֫בֶלvanityvanityהֶ֫בֶליָפֶהbeautifulbeautifulיָפֶהיהוהYHWH/GodYHWH/Godיהוהיָרַשׁto possessto possess: posיָרַשׁעֵדָהcongregaticongregationעֵדָהעֲבֹדָהserviceserviceעֲבֹדָהקָסַםto divineto divineקָסַםאָמוֹץAmozAmozאָמוֹץכָּ֫כָהthusthusכָּ֫כָהפָּעַלto workto workפָּעַלאַיwhere?where?אַיקֹהֶ֫לֶתpreacherpreacherקֹהֶ֫לֶתרְעוּתlonginglongingרְעוּתאַחַרafterafterאַחַר
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 27:12

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.

there! you all of you you have seen and why? this vanity do you act in vain
הֵן־hen- there! H2005 Particle
316× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
An expression meaning look or behold, used to get someone's attention, like in the prophet Isaiah's writings. It can also express surprise or introduce a hypothetical situation.
Amplified meaning
truly, indeed
Tyndale gloss
look!
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הֵן (hen) is a demonstrative adverb or interjection meaning 'lo!' or 'behold!'. It is primarily used to draw attention to a fact that prompts action or leads to a conclusion. The word can also express surprise and is less common than its counterpart הִנֵּה (hinneh). Additionally, it can function hypothetically as 'if'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הֵן 100 demonstr.adv. or interj. lo!, behold (on etym. v. הִנֵּה), less widely used than הִנֵּה, and in prose mostly confined to calling attention to some fact upon which action is to be taken, or a conclusion based

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2005 הֵן demonstr. adv. or interj. lo!, behold (on etym. v. הִנֵּה), less widely used than הִנֵּה, and in prose mostly confined to calling attention to some fact upon which action is to be taken, or a conclusion based

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2005 hen hane

a primitive particle; lo!; also (as expressing surprise)

if:--behold, if, lo, though.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הֵן (hen) — look!.

interj

1) behold, lo, though hypothetical part

2) if

Aramaic equivalent: hen (הֵן "look!" H2006A)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part — Particle
HTj
there! you all of you you have seen and why? this vanity do you act in vain
אַתֶּ֣ם'a.Tem you H859 Pronoun
1,094× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
You is the translation of a Hebrew word used to address someone directly, like when God says you to someone in the Bible. It can be singular or plural, and is often translated as thee, thou, or ye.
Amplified meaning
with your own eyes, personally
Tyndale gloss
you(m.s.)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אַתָּ֫ה (attah) is a second-person pronoun in Hebrew, used to address someone directly. It has masculine and feminine forms: אַתָּה for singular masculine, אַתְּ for singular feminine, אַתֶּם for plural masculine, and אַתֵּן for plural feminine. The entries indicate variations in form and usage, reflecting the pronoun's grammatical complexity.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אַתָּ֫ה, אָ֑תָּה pron. 2 s. m. thou

base

אתי, i.e. אתִּי, the older & more original form of אַתְּ thou (fem.)

base

אַתְּ, אָ֑תְּ pron. 2 s. f. thou (fem.)

base

אַתֶּם pron. 2 m. pl. you (masc.)

base

אַתֵּן pron. 2 f. pl. you (fem.)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H859a אַתָּ֫ה, אָ֑תָּה pron. 2 s. m. thou H859b אתי, i.e. אתִּי, the older & more original form of אַתְּ thou (fem.) H859c אַתְּ, אָ֑תְּ pron. 2 s. f. thou (fem.) H859d אַתֶּם pron. 2 m. pl. you (masc.) H859e אַתֵּן pron. 2 f. pl. you (fem.)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

859 'attah at-taw'

or (shortened); aatta {at-taw'}; or wath {ath}; feminine

(irregular) sometimes nattiy {at-tee'}; plural masculine attem

{at- tem'}; feminine atten {at-ten'}; or oattenah

{at-tay'naw}; or fattennah {at-tane'-naw}; a primitive pronoun

of the second person; thou and thee, or (plural) ye and

you:--thee, thou, ye, you.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אַתָּ֫ה (at.tah) — you(m.s.).

you (second pers. sing. masc.)

אתִּי (ti) — you(f.s.).

you (second pers. sing. fem.)

A grammatical form of at.tah (אַתָּ֫ה "you(m.s.)" H0859A)

אַתְּ (at.te) — you(f.s.).

you (second pers. sing. fem.)

A grammatical form of at.tah (אַתָּ֫ה "you(m.s.)" H0859A)

אַתֶּם (at.tem) — you(m.p.).

you (second pers. pl. masc.)

Aramaic equivalent: an.tun (אַנְתּוּן "you" H0608)

אַתֵּן (at.ten) — you(f.p.).

you (second pers. pl. fem.)

A grammatical form of at.tah (אַתָּ֫ה "you(m.s.)" H0859A)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Pron — Pronoun
HPp2mp
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
there! you all of you you have seen and why? this vanity do you act in vain
כֻּלְּכֶ֣םku.le.Khem all of you H3605 Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
5,415× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for 'all' or 'everything' is used throughout the Bible, like in Genesis 1:31, where God sees all He has made as very good. It encompasses the entirety of something, whether people, things, or situations.
Amplified meaning
each one of you, yourselves
Tyndale gloss
all
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כֹּל (kol) means 'all' or 'the whole.' It can refer to totality, including every person or thing, and is often used with a following genitive to specify what is included. The term can also denote a broader sense of everything in existence or all circumstances of life. The lexicons do not show significant disagreement on its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כֹּל once כּוֹל n.m. the whole, all

with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

Absolutely:

without the art., all things, all

with the art. הַכֹּל

where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3605 כֹּל once כּוֹל the whole, all . with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

. Absolutely: . without the art., all things, all

. with the art. הַכֹּל . where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

. in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3605 kol kole

or (Jer. 33:8) kowl {kole}; from 3634; properly, the whole;

hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a

plural sense):--(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any

(manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as

many as, (no-)thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole,

whoso(-ever).

see HEBREW for 03634

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כֹּל (kol) — all.

1) all, the whole

1a) all, the whole of

1b) any, each, every, anything

1c) totality, everything

Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HNcmsc/Sp2mp
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
there! you all of you you have seen and why? this vanity do you act in vain
חֲזִיתֶ֑םcha.zi.Tem you have seen H2372 Verb · Qal · perfect second person masculine plural
55× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Chazah means to see or perceive, and can also mean to have a vision or prophesy. It is used to describe seeing something with your eyes or in your mind.
Amplified meaning
perceived, understood, this truth, this situation
Tyndale gloss
to see
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חָזָה (chazah) is a Hebrew verb primarily used in poetic contexts, meaning to see or behold. It encompasses a range of meanings including perceiving, contemplating, and having visions, often in an ecstatic state. The entries highlight its use in prophesying and providing insight, with an Aramaic equivalent also noted.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חָזָה vb. (almost wholly poet.) see, behold

Qal

see, behold

see as a seer in the ecstatic state

see, perceive

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2372 חָזָה (almost wholly poet.) see, behold

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2372 chazah khaw-zaw'

a primitive root; to gaze at; mentally, to perceive,

contemplate (with pleasure); specifically, to have a vision

of:--behold, look, prophesy, provide, see.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חָזָה (cha.zah) — to see.

1) to see, perceive, look, behold, prophesy, provide

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to see, behold

1a2) to see as a seer in the ecstatic state

1a3) to see, perceive

1a3a) with the intelligence

1a3b) to see (by experience)

1a3c) to provide

Aramaic equivalent: cha.zah (חֲזָה "to see" H2370)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-2mp — Verb · Qal · perfect second person masculine plural
HVqp2mp
there! you all of you you have seen and why? this vanity do you act in vain
וְלָמָּה־ve.la.mah- and why? H4100 Conjunction · preposition · pronoun
753× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means what or how, often used to ask questions or express surprise, like in Genesis when God asks Adam what he has done. It can also mean why or when, and is used in various ways throughout the Old Testament. It appears in many KJV translations, including how or what.
Amplified meaning
for what reason, on what account
Tyndale gloss
what?
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

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

interrog. what?

Used adverbially

Indef. pron.

With preps.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

. Used adverbially

. Indef. pron.

. With preps.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4100 mah maw

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

primitive particle; properly, interrogative what? (including

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

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

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

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

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

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

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מָה (mah) — what?.

interr pron

1) what, how, of what kind

1a) (interrogative)

1a1) what?

1a2) of what kind

1a3) what? (rhetorical)

1a4) whatsoever, whatever, what

1b) (adverb)

1b1) how, how now

1b2) why

1b3) how! (exclamation)

1c) (with prep)

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

1c2) because of what?

1c3) the like of what?

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

1c3b) for how long?

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

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

indef pron

2) anything, aught, what may

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Prep | Part — Conjunction · preposition · pronoun
HC/R/Pi
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
there! you all of you you have seen and why? this vanity do you act in vain
זֶּ֝֗הZeh this H2088 Particle
1,180× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word is a pronoun meaning this or that, used to point out a specific person or thing. It appears in many contexts, including Genesis and Psalms, to indicate something specific. The KJV translates it as he, here, or it.
Amplified meaning
continue, persist in, such, this kind of
Tyndale gloss
this
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

זֶה (zeh) is a demonstrative pronoun meaning 'this' or 'here.' It can stand alone, be used appositively, or function as a predicate. The word can also attach enclitically to interrogative pronouns, adding emphasis and directness. In poetry, it may serve as a relative pronoun, though this usage is rare.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

זֶה demonstr.pron. and adv.; fem. זֹאת, once זֹאתָה; this, here

standing alone

In appos. to subst.

More oft. as pred.

It is attached enclitically, almost as an adv., to certain words, esp. interrog. pronouns, to impart, in a manner often not reproducible in Engl. idiom, directness and force, bringing the question or statement made into close relation with the speaker.

In poetry, as a relative pron. (rare)

With prefixes (in special senses)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2088 זֶה demonstr. pron. and adv.; fem. זֹאת, once זֹאתָה; this, here . standing alone

. In appos. to subst.

. More oft. as pred.

. It is attached enclitically, almost as an adv., to certain words, esp. interrog. pronouns, to impart, in a manner often not reproducible in Engl. idiom, directness and force, bringing the question or statement made into close relation with the speaker.

. In poetry, as a relative pron. (rare)

. With prefixes (in special senses)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2088 zeh zeh

a primitive word; the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this

or that:--he, X hence, X here, it(-self), X now, X of him, the

one...the other, X than the other, (X out of) the (self) same,

such (a one) that, these, this (hath, man), on this side...on

that side, X thus, very, which. Compare 2063, 2090, 2097,

2098.

see HEBREW for 02063

see HEBREW for 02090

see HEBREW for 02097

see HEBREW for 02098

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

זֶה (zeh) — this.

1) this, this one, here, which, this...that, the one...the other, another, such

1a) (alone)

1a1) this one

1a2) this...that, the one...the other, another

1b) (appos to subst)

1b1) this

1c) (as predicate)

1c1) this, such

1d) (enclitically)

1d1) then

1d2) who, whom

1d3) how now, what now

1d4) what now

1d5) wherefore now

1d6) behold here

1d7) just now

1d8) now, now already

1e) (poetry)

1e1) wherein, which, those who

1f) (with prefixes)

1f1) in this (place) here, then

1f2) on these conditions, herewith, thus provided, by, through this, for this cause, in this matter

1f3) thus and thus

1f4) as follows, things such as these, accordingly, to that effect, in like manner, thus and thus

1f5) from here, hence, on one side...on the other side

1f6) on this account

1f7) in spite of this, which, whence, how

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Pron — Particle
HTm
there! you all of you you have seen and why? this vanity do you act in vain
הֶ֣בֶלHe.vel vanity H1892 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
73× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Hebel means emptiness or vanity, describing something transitory and unsatisfactory, like a breath of air. It appears in the book of Ecclesiastes, where Solomon writes about life's fleeting nature. The KJV translates it as vanity or altogether.
Amplified meaning
vain, meaningless, speech, conversation
Tyndale gloss
vanity
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הֶ֫בֶל (hevel) refers to vapour or breath, and is often associated with concepts of emptiness or vanity, indicating something transitory and unsatisfactory. The word can function as an adverb meaning 'vainly.' It is derived from a root meaning 'to breathe' and appears in contexts discussing the fleeting nature of life.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הֶ֫בֶל 73 n.m. vapour, breath

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1892 הֶ֫בֶל vapour, breath

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1892 hebel heh'bel

or (rarely in the abs.) habel {hab-ale'}; from 1891;

emptiness or vanity; figuratively, something transitory and

unsatisfactory; often used as an adverb:--X altogether, vain,

vanity.

see HEBREW for 01891

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הֶ֫בֶל (he.vel) — vanity.

1) vapour, breath

1a) breath, vapour

1b) vanity (fig.)

adv

2) vainly

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Does not usually denote, in Scripture, self-conceit or personal pride, 2Pe 2:18, but sometimes emptiness and fruitlessness, Job 7:3 Ps 144:4 Ec 1:1-18. It often denotes wickedness, particularly falsehood, De 32:21 Ps 4:2 24:4 119:37, and sometimes idols and idol-worship, 2Ki 17:15 Jer 2:5 18:15 Jon 2:8. Compare Paul’s expression, "they turned the truth of God into a lie,"

→ A consequence of the fall Ro 8:20

→ Every man has Ps 39:11

→ Every state of man is Ps 62:9

→ Man, at his best estate, is Ps 39:5

→ Man is similar to Ps 144:4

→ The thoughts of man are Ps 94:11

→ The days of man are Job 7:16; Ec 6:12

→ Childhood and youth are Ec 11:10

Torrey's New Topical Textbook

- A consequence of the fall

Ro 8:20

- Every man is

Ps 39:11

- Every state of man is

Ps 62:9

- Man at his best estate is

Ps 39:5

- Man is like to

Ps 144:4

- The thoughts of man are

Ps 94:11

- The days of man are

Job 7:16; Ec 6:12

- Childhood and youth are

Ec 11:10

- The beauty of man is

Ps 39:11; Pr 31:30

there! you all of you you have seen and why? this vanity do you act in vain
תֶּהְבָּֽלוּ׃teh.Ba.lu do you act in vain H1891 Verb · Qal · imperfect second person masculine plural
5× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to become empty or meaningless, like a vain hope. It appears in the Bible as 'be vain' or 'become vain', warning against pointless actions, like in Isaiah 49:4. It's about futility
Tyndale gloss
to become vain
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הָבַל (haval) means to become vain or act emptily. It can refer to individuals becoming vain themselves or being led astray, particularly by false prophets who fill others with vain hopes. The entries emphasize both the Qal form, indicating a state of vanity, and the Hiphil form, which involves causing others to become vain.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הָבַל vb. denom. act emptily, become vain

Qal they went after vanity and became vain

Hiph. cause to become vain (of false prophets) i.e. fill you with vain hopes.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1891 הָבַל vb. denom. act emptily, become vain .they went after vanity and became vain

. cause to become vain (of false prophets) i.e. fill you with vain hopes.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1891 habal haw-bal'

a primitive root; to be vain in act, word, or expectation;

specifically to lead astray:--be (become, make) vain.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הָבַל (ha.val) — to become vain.

1) to act emptily, become vain, be vain

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to become vain

1a2) to be utterly vain (with cognate acc)

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to cause to become vain

1b2) to fill with vain hopes

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVqi2mp — Verb · Qal · imperfect second person masculine plural
HVqi2mp
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

van: The adjective of "vanity," and representing the same Hebrew and Greek words as does the latter, with a few additions (chiefly kenos, "empty," and its compounds in the New Testament). And "vain" can always be replaced by its synonym "empty," often with advantage in modern English (Job 15:2; 1Co 15:14, etc.). The exception is the phrase "in vain," and even there the interchange can be made if some (understood) noun such as "ways" be added. So "to take God's name in vain" (Ex 20:7; De 5:11) means simply to take it for an "empty" ("not good") purpose.

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
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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