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Job 28:6 — Word Study

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WLCמְקוֹם־ סַפִּ֥יר אֲבָנֶ֑יהָ וְעַפְרֹ֖ת זָהָ֣ב לֽוֹ׃

BSAIts rocksʼeben [containing lapis lazuli, place of sapphires] are the sourcemâqôwm of sapphiresçappîyr [very valuable blue stones] containing flecksʻâphâr [having dust of] of goldzâhâb [a valuable metal, yellow and brilliant]

Word
Listen & take awayJob 28
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 6 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 (lo) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Job 28:6quick helps
In a sentenceJob describes the earth's rocks as a source of precious sapphires and flecks of gold.
What is being describedThe rocks of the earth, highlighting their value.
Where we areIn a poetic meditation on the hidden treasures of the earth.
The hard wordסַפִּ֥יר
Take awayThe earth holds valuable resources that are often overlooked.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause 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 28:6

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 Hidden Treasures of the Earthgenerated

5Food may come from the earth, but from below it is transformed as by fire.
6Its rocks are the source of sapphires, containing flecks of gold.
7No bird of prey knows that path; no falcon’s eye has seen it.
8Proud beasts have never trodden it; no lion has ever prowled over it.

Job 28:6 speaks of the earth's rocks as a source of sapphires and gold. This verse is part of a larger reflection on the hidden wisdom and treasures found beneath the surface of the earth, emphasizing the contrast between earthly riches and the wisdom that comes from God. Job highlights that while food may come from the earth, true value lies in what is hidden and transformed within it, as seen in the verses surrounding this one.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Job 28:16It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir, in precious onyx or sapphire.
2Exodus 24:10and they saw the God of Israel. Under His feet was a work like a pavement made of sapphire, as clear as the sky itself.
3Song of Solomon 5:14
4Isaiah 54:11“O afflicted city, lashed by storms, without solace, surely I will set your stones in antimony and lay your foundations with sapphires.
5Revelation 21:19The foundations of the city walls were adorned with every kind of precious stone: The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald,

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 5 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word סַפִּ֥יר, sa.Pirgenerated

The word סַפִּיר (sappir) refers to the precious gemstone known as sapphire, which is highly valued for its beauty and rarity. It is derived from a root meaning to scratch, indicating its use in various applications, including as a tool for scratching other materials. In this verse, it emphasizes the value of the rocks mentioned.

Sapphires are often associated with luxury and wealth, and their mention here serves to illustrate the hidden treasures of the earth. The parsing as a masculine singular absolute noun indicates that it stands alone as a significant element in the description of the rocks.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

In the Berean Standard Bible, the verse uses sapphires and flecks of gold, which aligns with the KJV and ASV.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The finite verb is implicit in the structure of the sentence, with the main focus on the noun phrases describing the rocks and their properties. The sentence can be broken down into a noun phrase for the subject, followed by clauses that elaborate on the characteristics of the rocks.

The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the rocks as the subject, highlighting their significance as the source of sapphires and gold.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates סַפִּ֥יר as σαπφείρου, which maintains the focus on the precious nature of the stones. This choice reflects a consistent understanding of the value attributed to sapphires in both the Hebrew and Greek texts.

The Greek term broadens the understanding of the original Hebrew, emphasizing the worth of these gems in the context of ancient literature.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Job 28:6 tells us that the rocks of the earth are the source of sapphires and contain flecks of gold. This verse highlights the hidden treasures found beneath the surface, emphasizing the value of these precious stones and metals.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does Job mean by 'the source of sapphires'?

Job is referring to the rocks of the earth that contain sapphires, which are precious gemstones valued for their beauty.

Why are sapphires significant in this verse?

Sapphires represent hidden treasures and wealth, illustrating the value of what lies beneath the earth's surface.

What is the significance of 'flecks of gold'?

Flecks of gold highlight the richness and value found within the earth, complementing the description of sapphires.

How does this verse relate to the surrounding context?

This verse is part of a larger meditation on the hidden wisdom of the earth, contrasting physical treasures with the wisdom that comes from God.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What hidden treasures have I discovered in my own life that reflect God's wisdom?
  2. How can I appreciate the beauty of creation, including the valuable resources found in nature?
  3. In what ways does this verse challenge my understanding of value and worth?
  4. How can I apply the lessons of seeking hidden wisdom in my daily life?

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

The verse has been referenced by early commentators like Gregory the Dialogist, who reflect on its implications regarding earthly treasures and divine wisdom.

Gregory the DialogistMorals on the Book of Job, Book XVIII c. 540–604
The stones of it are the place of sapphire, and her clods gold. The proclaim of the glory going before adds to the guilt of the sin following after.
Early Church Fathers on Job 28 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Job 28:6 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

The stones of it [are] the place of sapphires,.... In some parts of the earth its stones are a quarry of sapphires, put here for all precious stones: this is a most excellent precious stone, of a sky

Read John Gill on Job 28 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

The stones of it are the place of sapphires: and it hath dust of gold. Sapphires are found in alluvial soil near rocks and embedded in gneiss.

Read Robert Jamieson on Job 28 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

The place of sapphires, i.e. of precious stones; the sapphire, as one of the most eminent, being put for all the rest. In some parts of the earth the sapphires are mixed with stones, and cut out of them and polished. Of this stone, see . It hath, i.e. the earth containeth in or under it. Dust of gold; which is a distinct thing from that gold which is found in the mass or lump, of which ; both sorts of gold being found in the earth.

Read Matthew Poole on Job 28 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Job 28:6 The stones of it [are] the place of sapphires: and it hath dust of gold.Ver. 6. The stones of it are the place of sapphires] Which are excellent stones, and, therefore, here joined with gold, Quod punctis aureis collucant, because they shine with golden sparklings. Exodus 24:10, the Sanhedrim "saw the God of Israel, and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone," &c. To show, saith one, that God had now changed their condition, their bricks made in their bondage to sapphire. So, Isaiah 54:11, God graciously promiseth unto his afflicted Church, that had been tossed with tempests, and not comforted, to lay her stones with fair colours and her foundation…

Read John Trapp on Job 28 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(6) The stones of it are the place of sapphires.—So ingenious is man that he discovereth a place of which the stones are sapphires and the very dust gold, and a path that no bird of prey knoweth, and which the falcon’s eye hath not seen.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Job 28 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 6. The stones - the place of sapphires] In the language of mineralogists, the gangue, matrix, or bed in which the sapphire is found. For a description of this stone, see on Job 28:16. Dust of gold] Or rather, gold dust.

Read AdamClarke on Job 28 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

6. Through these operations which carry ruin into the bowels of the earth men, however, find the richest reward. The stones of the heart of the earth are the place of sapphires, and of auriferous dust. it hath dust of gold] “It” refers to the “place” in the first clause, hardly to the sapphire, although a particular kind of sapphire is described as being grained or striated with gold. This, however, can hardly be what is meant by “dust of gold.” Instead of it hath dust we might render he hath—i. e. man; he finds his way to the place of sapphires and possesses himself of the auriferous earth.

Read Cambridge on Job 28 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The stones of it are the place - Among the stones of the earth sapphires are found.

Read Albert Barnes on Job 28 →

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

Its rocks are the source of sapphires, containing flecks of gold.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Sapphires come from its rocks. It has dust of gold.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Its rocks are the source of sapphires, containing flecks of gold.

NETBNew English Translation2006

a place whose stones are sapphires and which contains dust of gold;

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

The stones of it are the place of sapphires: and it hath dust of gold.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

The stones thereof are the place of sapphires, And it hath dust of gold.

RVARevised Version, American1894

The stones thereof are the place of sapphires, and it hath dust of gold.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

The stones of it are the place of sapphires: and it hath dust of gold.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

The stones thereof are a place of saphirs, and the dust of it is golde.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

The stones of it are the place of sapphires, and it hath dust of gold.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

A place of the sapphire [are] its stones, And it hath dust of gold.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

A place of the sapphire [are] its stones, || And it has dust of gold.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Her stones are the place whence the sapphire cometh; and golden dust is also there;

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Its stones are the place where sapphires are found, and its dust contains gold.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

The stones of it are the place of sapphires, and the clods of it are gold.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Here the rocks contain lapis lazuli and the dust contains gold.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Its stones are the place of sapphires, and it has dust of gold.

Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.


The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank

This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.

clausenoun phrase · predicateמְקוֹם[are].a.placeסַפִּ֥ירof.sapphirenoun phrase · subjectאֲבָנֶ֑יstonesהָitsוְandclausenoun phrase · subjectעַפְרֹ֖תdust(s)זָהָ֣בof.goldprepositional phrase · predicateלֽ[belong].toוֹit

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


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

Both the Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree on the wording of this verse, confirming the presence of the same key terms related to sapphires and gold. This consistency across witnesses highlights the enduring significance of these treasures.

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

מְקוֹם־ סַפִּ֥יר אֲבָנֶ֑יהָ וְעַפְרֹ֖ת זָהָ֣ב לֽוֹ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
מְקוֹם־τόποςסַפִּ֥ירσαπφείρουאֲבָנֶ֑יהָοἱוְעַפְרֹ֖תξῶμαזָהָ֣בξρυσίονלֽוֹ׃αὐτῷ

6 of the 6 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 28:6מָקוֹם[are] a pla[are] a place oמָקוֹםסַפִּירsapphiresapphireסַפִּיראֶ֫בֶןstones itsstones itsאֶ֫בֶןעָפָרand dust ofand dust ofעָפָרזָהָבgoldgoldזָהָבוֹ[belong] to[belong] to itוֹלֵב(Leb)-kama(Leb)-kamaiלֵבסָפַרto recountto recountסָפַרעָפַרto throwto throwעָפַרבָּנָהto buildto buildבָּנָהבָּחַרto chooseto chooseבָּחַרשָׁחַטto slaughtto slaughterשָׁחַטנֹ֫פֶךְemeraldemeraldנֹ֫פֶךְשֹׁ֫הַםonyxonyxשֹׁ֫הַםיָקָרpreciouspreciousיָקָרלוּחַtablettabletלוּחַאֵ֫פֶרashesashesאֵ֫פֶרצָפָהto overlayto overlayצָפָהכֶּ֫סֶףsilver: mosilver: moneyכֶּ֫סֶף
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 28:6

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.

[are] a place of sapphire stones its and dust of gold [belong] to it
מְקוֹם־me.kom- [are] a place of H4725 Noun common · masculine singular construct
401× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Maqom means a place or location, like a city or a region. It can also refer to a condition of the body or mind. This term is used to describe a wide range of locations and situations.
Tyndale gloss
place
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מָקוֹם (maqom) means 'place' and encompasses a variety of contexts, including a standing place, station, or post. It can refer to human abodes, localities, regions, and even figurative conditions of body or mind. The term is derived from a root meaning 'standing' and is used broadly in the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מָקוֹם, מָקֹם 399 n.m. standing-place, place

standing-place

station, where soldiers are placed

post, office

place where a thing belongs

esp.

place of human abode

of י׳’s abode

place

in gen. place, locality, spot

space, room

space, distance, between

region, quarter, direction

peculiar uses

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4725 מָקוֹם, מָקֹם standing-place, place . . standing-place

. station, where soldiers are placed

. post, office

. . place where a thing belongs

. esp. . place of human abode

. of י׳’s abode

. place

. in gen. place, locality, spot

. . space, room

. space, distance, between

. region, quarter, direction

. peculiar uses

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4725 maqowm maw-kome'

or maqom {maw-kome'}; also (feminine) mqowmah {mek-o-mah'};

or mqomah {mek-o-mah'}; from 6965; properly, a standing, i.e.

a spot; but used widely of a locality (general or specific);

also (figuratively) of a condition (of body or

mind):--country, X home, X open, place, room, space, X

whither(-soever).

see HEBREW for 06965

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מָקוֹם (ma.qom) — place.

1) standing place, place

1a) standing place, station, post, office

1b) place, place of human abode

1c) city, land, region

1d) place, locality, spot

1e) space, room, distance

1f) region, quarter, direction

1g) give place to, instead of

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular construct
HNcmsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ov:

(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Lamentations 3:1.

The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.

Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.

That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.

Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…

[are] a place of sapphire stones its and dust of gold [belong] to it
סַפִּ֥ירsa.Pir sapphire H5601 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
11× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The sapphire is a precious gemstone mentioned in the Bible, possibly used to scratch other materials, as seen in Exodus 24:10. It is a blue gem, highly valued for its beauty and rarity. The KJV translates it as sapphire.
Amplified meaning
very valuable blue stones
Tyndale gloss
sapphire
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

סַפִּיר (sappir) refers to sapphire, and possibly lapis lazuli. It is identified as a gem, potentially used for scratching other materials. The word is derived from a root meaning to scratch, and it is noted in various lexicons for its association with these precious stones.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

סַפִּיר n.[m.] sapphire, perh. also lapis lazuli

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5601 סַפִּיר sapphire, perh. also lapis lazuli

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5601 cappiyr sap-peer'

from 5608; a gem (perhaps used for scratching other

substances), probably the sapphire:--sapphire.

see HEBREW for 05608

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

סַפִּיר (sap.pir) — sapphire.

sapphire, lapis lazuli

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

saf'-ir.

See STONES, PRECIOUS.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Sapphire

Associated with diamonds (Ex. 28:18) and emeralds (Ezek. 28:13); one of the stones in the high priest’s breastplate. It is a precious stone of a sky-blue colour, probably the lapis lazuli, brought from Babylon. The throne of God is described as of the colour of a sapphire (Ex. 24:10; comp. Ezek. 1:26).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(Heb. sappir), a precious stone, apparently of a bright-blue color, set: (Exodus 24:10) the second stone in the second row of the high priest’s breastplate, (Exodus 28:18) extremely precious, (Job 28:16) it was one of the precious stones that ornamented the king of Tyre. (Ezekiel 28:13) The sapphire of the ancients was not our gem of that name, viz. the azure or indigo-blue, crystalline variety of corundum, but our lapis lazuli (ultra-marine).

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A gem next in hardness and value to the diamond, and comprising, as varieties, all those precious stones known by the name of oriental gems, namely, the oriental ruby, oriental topaz, and oriental emerald, Joh 21:25. In general the name of sapphire is given to the blue variety, which is either of deep indigo blue, or of various lighter tints, Ex 24:10, and sometimes gradually passes into perfectly white or colorless, which, when cut, may also pass for a diamond, Ex 28:18; 39:11; Re 21:19.

[are] a place of sapphire stones its and dust of gold [belong] to it
אֲבָנֶ֑יהָ'a.va.Nei.ha stones its H68 Noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
273× 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 stone, which could be a rock, a weight, or even a precious gem. It is used to describe a variety of objects, from building materials to hailstones. The KJV translates it as stone or weight.
Amplified meaning
containing lapis lazuli, place of sapphires
Tyndale gloss
stone: weight
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֶ֫בֶן (*eben*) means 'stone' and encompasses various types, including common stones, precious stones, and stones used as weights or tools. It can also refer to metaphorical uses, such as a hardened heart or sinking in water. The entries highlight its physical and symbolic significance, with no notable disagreements among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶ֫בֶן 274 n.f. stone

in natural state

stone, as material

precious stone, gen. with modifying word

stone containing metal, = ore

a weight, as orig. stone

plummet

objects like stone

in sim. (mostly poet.) of sinking in water

In topogr. terms

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H68 אֶ֫בֶן stone . in natural state

. stone, as material

. precious stone, gen. with modifying word

. stone containing metal, = ore

. a weight, as orig. stone

. plummet

. objects like stone

. in sim. (mostly poet.) of sinking in water

. In topogr. terms

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

68 'eben eh'-ben

from the root of 1129 through the meaning to build; a

stone:--+ carbuncle, + mason, + plummet, (chalk-, hail-,

head-, sling-)stone(-ny), (divers) weight(-s).

see HEBREW for 01129

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶ֫בֶן (e.ven) — stone.

: stone

1) stone (large or small)

1a) common stone (in natural state)

1b) stone, as material

1b1) of tablets

1b2) marble, hewn stones

1c) precious stones, stones of fire

1d) stones containing metal (ore), tool for work or weapon

1e) weight

1f) plummet (stones of destruction) also made of metal

1g) stonelike objects, eg hailstones, stony heart, ice

1h) sacred object, as memorial Samuel set up to mark where God helped Israel to defeat the Philistines

1i) (simile)

1i1) sinking in water, motionlessness

1i2) strength, firmness, solidity

1i3) commonness

1j) (metaph)

1j1) petrified with terror

1j2) perverse, hard heart

אֶ֫בֶן (e.ven) — stone: weight.

: weight

1) stone (large or small)

1a) common stone (in natural state)

1b) stone, as material

1b1) of tablets

1b2) marble, hewn stones

1c) precious stones, stones of fire

1d) stones containing metal (ore), tool for work or weapon

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fp | Suff — Noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
HNcfpc/Sp3fs
[are] a place of sapphire stones its and dust of gold [belong] to it
וְעַפְרֹ֖תve.'af.Rot and dust of H6083 Conjunction · noun common feminine plural construct
110× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Aphar means dust or dry earth, and is also used to describe clay, earth, or mortar. It appears in various forms throughout the Bible.
Amplified meaning
having dust of
Tyndale gloss
dust
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עָפָר (aphar) refers to dry earth or dust, encompassing meanings such as powder, ashes, and rubbish. It is derived from a root meaning to be dry and is used in various contexts, including clay and mortar. The entries consistently highlight its association with loose earth and debris.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עָפָר n.m. dry earth, dust

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6083 עָפָר dry earth, dust

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6083 `aphar aw-fawr'

from 6080; dust (as powdered or gray); hence, clay, earth,

mud:--ashes, dust, earth, ground, morter, powder, rubbish.

see HEBREW for 06080

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עָפָר (a.phar) — dust.

1) dry earth, dust, powder, ashes, earth, ground, mortar, rubbish

1a) dry or loose earth

1b) debris

1c) mortar

1d) ore

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | N-mp — Conjunction · noun common feminine plural construct
HC/Ncfpc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ov:

(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Lamentations 3:1.

The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.

Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.

That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.

Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…

[are] a place of sapphire stones its and dust of gold [belong] to it
זָהָ֣בza.Hav gold H2091 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
389× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Gold is a valuable metal, also used to describe something yellow or brilliant, like oil or a clear sky. It is often mentioned in the Bible as a precious resource.
Amplified meaning
a valuable metal, yellow and brilliant
Tyndale gloss
gold
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

זָהָב (zahab) means gold and is derived from an unused root that conveys the idea of shimmering. It encompasses various aspects of gold, including its value as a precious metal, its use as a measure of weight, and its figurative brilliance. The term appears in contexts related to wealth, merchandise, and gifts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

זָהָב 385 n.m. gold

= gold-ore, gold in raw state

gold as wealth

gold as spoil of war

gold as merchandise

gold as costly gift

gold as material

gold described by its source

gold defined by var. adj. and pts.

as measure of weight and value

= golden oil, from colour

often named with

the chief vbs. used

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2091 זָהָב gold

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2091 zahab zaw-hawb'

from an unused root meaning to shimmer; gold, figuratively,

something gold-colored (i.e. yellow), as oil, a clear sky:--

gold(-en), fair weather.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

זָהָב (za.hav) — gold.

1) gold

1a) as precious metal

1b) as a measure of weight

1c) of brilliance, splendour (fig.)

Aramaic equivalent: de.hav (דְּהַב "gold" H1722)

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

gold (zahabh; chrusos):

1. Terms:

No metal has been more frequently mentioned in Old Testament writings than gold, and none has had more terms applied to it. Among these terms the one most used is zahabh. The Arabic equivalent, dhahab, is still the common name for gold throughout Palestine, Syria and Egypt. With zahabh frequently occur other words which, translated, mean "pure" (Ex 25:11), "refined" (1Ch 28:18), "finest" (1Ki 10:18), "beaten" (1Ki 10:17), "Ophir" (Ps 45:9).

Other terms occurring are: paz, "fine gold" (Job 28:17;

Gold

(1.) Heb. zahab, so called from its yellow colour (Ex. 25:11; 1 Chr. 28:18; 2 Chr. 3:5).

(2.) Heb. segor, from its compactness, or as being enclosed or treasured up; thus precious or “fine gold” (1 Kings 6:20; 7:49).

(3.) Heb. paz, native or pure gold (Job 28:17; Ps. 19:10; 21:3, etc.).

(4.) Heb. betzer, “ore of gold or silver” as dug out of the mine (Job 36:19, where it means simply riches).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Gold was known from the very earliest times. (Genesis 2:11) It was at first used chiefly for ornaments, etc. (Genesis 24:22) Coined money was not known to the ancients till a comparatively late period; and on the Egyptian tombs gold is represented as being weighed in rings for commercial purposes. Comp. (Genesis 43:21) Gold was extremely abundant in ancient times, (1 Chronicles 22:14; 2 Chronicles 1:15; 9:9; Daniel 3:1; Nahum 2:9) but this did not depreciate its value, because of the enormous quantities consumed by…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A well-known valuable metal, found in many parts of the world, and obtained anciently in Ophir, Job 28:16; Parvaim, 2Ch 3:6; Sheba, and Raamah, Eze 27:22. Job alludes to gold in various forms, Job 22:24 28:15-19. Abraham was rich in it, and female ornaments were early made of it, Ge 13:2 24:22,35. It is spoken of throughout Scripture; and the use of it among and ancient Hebrews, in its native and mixed state, and for the same purposes as at present, was very common. The Ark of the Covenant was overlaid with pure gold; the mercy seat, the vessels and utensils belonging to the tabernacle, and those also of the house of…

[are] a place of sapphire stones its and dust of gold [belong] to it
לֽוֹ׃lo [belong] to it H9033 Preposition · suffix
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

וֹ (o) — him.

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Sp3ms — Preposition · suffix
HR/Sp3ms
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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