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Job 3:16 — Word Study

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WLCא֤וֹ כְנֵ֣פֶל טָ֭מוּן לֹ֣א אֶהְיֶ֑ה כְּ֝עֹלְלִ֗ים לֹא־ רָ֥אוּ אֽוֹר׃

BSAOrʼôw [as an alternative, if I had a choice] why washâyâh I notlôʼ hiddenṭâman [concealed, secretly buried] like a stillborn childnephel [miscarriage, untimely birth] like an infantʻôwlêl [young child, newborn] who neverlôʼ seesrâʼâh [looks upon, experiences] daylightʼôwr [natural light, spiritual illumination]

Word
Listen & take awayJob 3
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 16 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 ('or) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Job 3:16quick helps
In a sentenceJob expresses a wish that he had never been born, comparing himself to a stillborn child.
Who is speakingJob, lamenting his suffering and questioning the purpose of his existence.
Where we areIn a moment of deep despair, Job reflects on the pain of life and the relief of non-existence.
The hard wordנֵפֶל
Take awayJob longs for the peace of being hidden away from suffering.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbטָמַן 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 3:16

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

15or with princes who had gold, who filled their houses with silver.
16Or why was I not hidden like a stillborn child, like an infant who never sees daylight?
17There the wicked cease from raging, and there the weary find rest.
18The captives enjoy their ease; they do not hear the voice of the oppressor.

Job 3:16 presents Job in a moment of profound anguish, wishing he had never been born. He compares his existence to that of a stillborn child, expressing the depth of his suffering and questioning the value of life when faced with such pain. This verse is part of a larger discourse where Job grapples with his circumstances and the silence of God in his suffering.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Psalm 58:8Like a slug that dissolves in its slime, like a woman’s stillborn child, may they never see the sun.
21 Corinthians 15:8And last of all He appeared to me also, as to one of untimely birth.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 2 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word נֵפֶל, khe.Ne.felgenerated

The word נֵפֶל (nephel) refers specifically to a miscarriage or untimely birth, highlighting the tragic nature of being born without a chance at life. It is derived from a root meaning 'to fall,' emphasizing the loss associated with such a birth.

In this context, Job uses נֵפֶל to illustrate his desire for a fate that spares him from the suffering he currently endures. The passive nuance of the word suggests a state of being that is beyond the control of the child, underscoring the helplessness he feels.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

The translations of this verse agree on the general meaning, with variations in how they render specific phrases.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The verse consists of a main clause introduced by the conjunction אוֹ ('o), indicating a choice or alternative. The structure is built around Job's lament, with two similes comparing his existence to a stillborn child and an infant who never sees light.

The finite verb אֶהְיֶה ('eh.Yeh) anchors the verse, while the phrases that follow elaborate on Job's desire for concealment, emphasizing the depth of his despair.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates נֵפֶל as ἔκτρωμα (ektroma), which also means miscarriage, aligning closely with the Hebrew meaning. This choice reflects a similar understanding of the tragic implications of untimely birth.

The Greek word (ē) corresponds to the Hebrew אוֹ, indicating an alternative or choice, maintaining the original sentiment of Job's question.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Job 3:16 shows Job wishing he had never been born, comparing himself to a stillborn child. He expresses deep sorrow and questions the purpose of his existence, reflecting a moment of profound despair.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does Job mean by wishing he was like a stillborn child?

Job expresses a desire to escape his suffering, suggesting that non-existence would be preferable to the pain he is experiencing.

Why does Job compare himself to an infant who never sees light?

This comparison emphasizes the idea of being spared from the trials of life, as such a child would not have to endure suffering or hardship.

What is the significance of the word נֵפֶל in this verse?

The word נֵפֶל conveys the tragic nature of untimely birth, highlighting Job's feelings of loss and despair regarding his own existence.

How does this verse reflect Job's overall situation?

This verse captures Job's intense anguish and questioning of life's value in the face of overwhelming suffering, a central theme throughout the book of Job.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. How do I respond to feelings of despair or hopelessness in my own life?
  2. What can I learn from Job's expression of pain and his longing for relief?
  3. In what ways can I find hope or meaning in difficult circumstances?
  4. How can I support others who are experiencing deep sorrow or loss?

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

Early interpretations of this verse, such as those by Gregory the Dialogist, explore the moral implications of Job's lament and the nature of suffering.

Gregory the DialogistMorals on the Book of Job, Book IV c. 540–604
MORAL INTERPRETATION. Or as an hidden untimely birth I had not been; as infants which never saw light. An abortive child, because it is born before the full period, being dead is forthwith put out of sight.
Early Church Fathers on Job 3 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Job 3:16 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Or as an hidden untimely birth,.... Or "hid, as one born out of time", as Mr.

Read John Gill on Job 3 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Or as an hidden untimely birth I had not been; as infants which never saw light. Untimely birth (Psalms 58:8) - preferable to the life of the restless miser (Ecclesiastes 6:3-5).

Read Robert Jamieson on Job 3 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Hidden; undiscerned and unregarded. Untimely birth; born before the due time, and therefore extinct. I had not been, to wit, in the land of the living, of which he here speaketh. As infants which never saw light; being stifled and dead before they were born.

Read Matthew Poole on Job 3 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Job 3:16 Or as an hidden untimely birth I had not been; as infants [which] never saw light.Ver. 16. Or as an hidden untimely birth I had not been] As an abortive or miscarrying embryo that falleth from the mother, as untimely fruit falleth off from the tree. See Revelation 6:13. Hidden it is called, because cast aside as an unsightly spectacle, that cometh in with vanity, and departeth in darkness, and his name is covered with darkness, Ecclesiastes 6:4. Job could have wished some way or other never to have been, rather than to have been in so calamitous a condition; and herein he sinned, no doubt: for that which is of the flesh is flesh, John 3:6. As infants which never saw light] But were…

Read John Trapp on Job 3 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(16) Untimely birth.—Another condition which would have relieved him from the experience of suffering.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Job 3 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 16. Or as a hidden untimely birth] An early miscarriage, which was scarcely perceptible by the parent herself; and in this case he had not been - he had never had the distinguishable form of a human being, whether male or female. As infants] Little ones; those farther advanced in maturity, but miscarried long before the time of birth.

Read AdamClarke on Job 3 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

16. With strong revulsion from the anguish of life Job desires even if possible a deeper death than to have died when born, even the death of having been dead born, scarcely to be distinguished from non-existence itself. Comp. Ecclesiastes 4:2-3, with Plumptre’s notes and citations from the classics.

Read Cambridge on Job 3 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Or as an hidden untimely birth - As an abortion which is hid, or concealed; that is, which is soon removed from the sight.

Read Albert Barnes on Job 3 →

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

Or why was I not hidden like a stillborn child, like an infant who never sees daylight?

WEBWorld English Bible2000

or as a hidden untimely birth I had not been, as infants who never saw light.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Or why was I not hidden like a stillborn child, like an infant who never sees daylight?

NETBNew English Translation2006

Or why was I not buried like a stillborn infant, like infants who have never seen the light?

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Or as an hidden untimely birth I had not been; as infants which never saw light.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Or as a hidden untimely birth I had not been, As infants that never saw light.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Or as an hidden untimely birth I had not been; as infants which never saw light.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Or as a hidden untimely birth I had not been; as infants which never saw light.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Or why was I not hid, as an vntimely birth, either as infants, which haue not seene the light?

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Or as a hidden untimely birth I had not been; as infants that have not seen the light.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

(Or as a hidden abortion I am not, As infants — they have not seen light.)

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

(Or I am not as a hidden abortion, || As infants—they have not seen light.)

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Or as an untimely birth, hidden [from view] I should not exist; as infants that never have seen the light;

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Or perhaps I would have been stillborn, like infants that never see the light.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Or as a hidden untimely birth I should not be, or as they that being conceived have not seen the light.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Why wasn't I a miscarriage, buried in secret, a baby who never saw the light?

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Or as a child dead at birth I might never have come into existence; like young children who have not seen the light.

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.

א֤וֹorclauseclauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalכְlikenoun phraseנֵ֣פֶלa.miscarriageטָ֭מוּןhiddenadverbialלֹ֣אnotverbאֶהְיֶ֑הwas.I?clauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalכְּ֝likenoun phraseעֹלְלִ֗יםchildrenclauseadverbialלֹא[who].notverbרָ֥אוּthey.have.seenobjectאֽוֹרlight

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 show agreement in the core message of the verse, with the Septuagint reflecting a similar structure and meaning. However, the word order and specific articles differ, which is characteristic of the translation process.

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

א֤וֹ כְנֵ֣פֶל טָ֭מוּן לֹ֣א אֶהְיֶ֑ה כְּ֝עֹלְלִ֗ים לֹא־ רָ֥אוּ אֽוֹר׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
א֤וֹכְנֵ֣פֶלἔκτρωμαכְּ֝עֹלְלִ֗יםνήπιοιלֹא־οὐκרָ֥אוּεἶδονאֽוֹר׃φῶς

6 of the 9 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 3:16אוֹororאוֹנֵ֫פֶלlike a misclike a miscarriנֵ֫פֶלטָמַןhiddenhiddenטָמַןלֹאnotnotלֹאהָיָהwas I?was I?הָיָהעוֹלֵלlike childrlike childrenעוֹלֵללֹא[who] not[who] notלֹארָאָהthey have sthey have seenרָאָהאוֹרlightlightאוֹרנָפַלto fall: fto fall: fallנָפַלעוּלto nurseto nurseעוּלאוֹרto lightto lightאוֹראַוָּהdesiredesireאַוָּההָוָאto fallto fallהָוָאיָכֹלbe ablebe ableיָכֹלעוֹדstillstillעוֹדשְׁתִיwarpwarpשְׁתִיעֵ֫רֶבracial-mixracial-mixעֵ֫רֶבזוּthisthisזוּרֶ֫שֶׁתnetnetרֶ֫שֶׁתרָטַשׁto dash into dash in piecרָטַשׁיָנַקto suckleto suckleיָנַקעֳנִיafflictionafflictionעֳנִינָבַטto lookto lookנָבַטחֹ֫שֶׁךְdarknessdarknessחֹ֫שֶׁךְיָרֵחַmoonmoonיָרֵחַ
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 3:16

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.

or like a miscarriage hidden not was I? like children [who] not they have seen light
א֤וֹ'o or H176 Conjunction
321× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Desire can also mean or, and, or if, showing a choice between options, as seen in Proverbs 31:4. It is used to express alternatives or possibilities.
Amplified meaning
as an alternative, if I had a choice
Tyndale gloss
or
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אוֹ (*'ow*) primarily functions as a conjunction meaning 'or,' often indicating a preference or choice between options. It can also introduce examples, express conditions, or imply alternatives. Additionally, it is associated with the noun meaning 'desire' in Proverbs 31:4. The entries reflect a range of uses, but do not present significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אוֹ 320 conj. or

sometimes implying a preference, nearly or rather

introducing a sentence, esp. a particular case under a general principle, or = or if

if perchance

once, with the juss. = except

base

[אֵו] n.m. אוֹ, Kt Pr 31:4 desire, so Thes MV; but < Qr אֵי q.v.

done

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H176 אוֹ or . sometimes implying a preference, nearly or rather

. introducing a sentence, esp. a particular case under a general principle, or = or if

. if perchance

. once, with the juss. = except

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

176 'ow o

presumed to be the "constructive" or genitival form of -av

{av}; short for 185; desire (and so probably in Prov. 31:4);

hence (by way of alternative) or, also if:--also, and,

either, if, at the least, X nor, or, otherwise, then, whether.

see HEBREW for 0185

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אוֹ (o) — or.

1) or, rather

1a) implying that the latter choice is preferred

1b) or if, introducing an example to be seen under a particular principle

1c) (in series) either...or, whether...or

1d) if perchance

1e) except, or else

2) whether, not the least, if, otherwise, also, and, then

אוֹ (o) — desire.

desire

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj — Conjunction
HC
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

or: The word is used once for either (1Sa 26:10), and is still in poetic use in this sense; as in, "Without or wave or wind" (Coleridge); "Or the bakke or some bone he breketh in his dzouthe" (Piers Plowman (B), VII, 93; compare Merchant of Venice, III, ii, 65). It is also used with "ever" for before (Ps 90:2; Ecclesiasticus 18:19), which the American Standard Revised Version substitutes in Ec 12:6 (compare 12:1,2); So 6:12; Da 6:24.

or like a miscarriage hidden not was I? like children [who] not they have seen light
כְנֵ֣פֶלkhe.Ne.fel like a miscarriage H5309 Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
3× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a miscarriage or an untimely birth, and it's used in the Bible to describe a sad event. It appears in books like Exodus and Job, where it talks about the pain of losing a child.
Amplified meaning
miscarriage, untimely birth
Tyndale gloss
miscarriage
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נֵ֫פֶל (nephel) refers to something that has fallen, specifically an untimely birth or abortion. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to fall' and is consistently defined across lexicons as relating to miscarriage or abortion.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נֵ֫פֶל n.m. untimely birth, abortion

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5309 נֵ֫פֶל, נֶפֶל

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5309 nephel neh'-fel

or nephel {nay'-fel}; from 5307; something fallen, i.e. an

abortion:--untimely birth.

see HEBREW for 05307

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נֵ֫פֶל (ne.phel) — miscarriage.

untimely birth, abortion, miscarriage

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
HR/Ncmsa
or like a miscarriage hidden not was I? like children [who] not they have seen light
טָ֭מוּןTa.mun hidden H2934 Verb · Qal · participle (passive) masculine singular
31× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word means to hide or conceal something, often secretly, as in Joshua. It can also mean to bury or lay something aside, out of sight or knowledge.
Amplified meaning
concealed, secretly buried
Tyndale gloss
to hide
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

טָמַן (taman) is a Hebrew verb meaning to hide or conceal. It can refer to hiding something by covering it over, as well as to the act of burying or laying something secretly. The verb appears in various forms, including Qal, Niphal, and Hiphil, indicating different nuances of hiding, such as hiding oneself or causing something to be hidden.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

טָמַן vb. hide, conceal

Qal

hide

often of hiding, concealing, secretly laying a snare

that which is darkened = darkness

Niph. hide thyself in the dust

Hiph. and they went and hid (it)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2934 טָמַן hide, conceal

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2934 taman taw-man'

a primitive root; to hide (by covering over):--hide, lay

privily, in secret.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

טָמַן (ta.man) — to hide.

1) to hide, conceal, bury

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to hide

1a2) hiding, concealing, secretly laying (participle)

1a3) darkness (participle)

1b) (Niphal) to hide oneself

1c) (Hiphil) to hide

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Inf-c — Verb · Qal · participle (passive) masculine singular
HVqsmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hid'-'n: The translation of Taman, "to hide," "to bury" (Job 3:16); of tsaphan "to conceal," "store up" (Job 15:20, "The number of years is hidden to the oppressor," the Revised Version (British and American) "even the number of years that are laid up for the oppressor," margin "and years that are numbered are laid up"; Job 24:1, "Why, seeing times are not hidden from the Almighty," the Revised Version (British and American) "Why are times not laid up by the Almighty?" margin as the King James Version with "Why is it?" prefixed; Ps 83:3, "They consulted (the Revised Version (British and American) "consult") against thy hidden ones"); of matspunim (from tsaphan), "hidden…

or like a miscarriage hidden not was I? like children [who] not they have seen light
לֹ֣אlo' not H3808 Particle
5,170× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Tyndale gloss
not
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לֹא or לוֹא adv. not

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3808 lo' lo

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לֹא (lo) — not.

1) not, no

1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)

1b) not (with modifier-negation)

1c) nothing (subst)

1d) without (with particle)

1e) before (of time)

Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part — Particle
HTn
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
or like a miscarriage hidden not was I? like children [who] not they have seen light
אֶהְיֶ֑ה'eh.Yeh was I? H1961 Verb · Qal · imperfect first person common singular
3,562× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for to be means to exist or come into being. It is used to describe something that happens or comes to pass, like in Genesis where God creates the world.
Tyndale gloss
to be
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word הָיָה (hayah) is a primitive root meaning to exist or become, and it encompasses a range of meanings including to happen, occur, and come to pass. It is often used in narrative contexts, particularly in phrases like "and it came to pass." The word can also denote a state of being or existence, and it appears frequently in various forms throughout the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הָיָה 3570 vb. fall out, come to pass, become, be

Qal

Fall out, happen

occur, take place, come about, come to pass

esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass

וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)

rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה

less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)

Come into being, become

abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come

sq. prep.

become

sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)

sq. pred. adj.

become like

sq. pred. לְ pers.

sq. לְ pred.

oft. c. לְ pred. לְ pers.

with עַל and לְ

sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of

Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming)

exist, be in existence

abide, remain, continue

with word of locality, be in or at a place, be situated, stand, lie

as copula, joining subj. & pred.

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1961 הָיָה fall out, come to pass, become, be .. . . Fall out, happen

. occur, take place, come about, come to pass

. esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass . . וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)

. rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה

. less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)

. Come into being, become . . abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come

. sq. prep.

. become . sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)

. sq. pred. adj.

. become like

. sq. pred. + לְ pers.

. sq. לְ pred.

. oft. c. לְ pred. + לְ pers.

. with עַל and לְ

. sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of

. Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming) . exist, be in existence

. abide, remain, continue

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1961 hayah haw-yaw

a primitive root (compare 1933); to exist, i.e. be or become,

come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or

auxiliary):--beacon, X altogether, be(-come), accomplished,

committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint,

fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit

(one-)self, require, X use.

see HEBREW for 01933

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הָיָה (ha.yah) — to be.

1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out

1a) (Qal)

1a1) ---

1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass

1a1b) to come about, come to pass

1a2) to come into being, become

1a2a) to arise, appear, come

1a2b) to become

1a2b1) to become

1a2b2) to become like

1a2b3) to be instituted, be established

1a3) to be

1a3a) to exist, be in existence

1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time)

1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality)

1a3d) to accompany, be with

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to occur, come to pass, be done, be brought about

1b2) to be done, be finished, be gone

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-1cs — Verb · Qal · imperfect first person common singular
HVqi1cs
or like a miscarriage hidden not was I? like children [who] not they have seen light
כְּ֝עֹלְלִ֗יםke.'o.le.Lim like children H5768 Preposition · noun common masculine plural absolute
20× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a young child or infant, often describing a baby or toddler. It is used in the Bible to describe the early stages of life.
Amplified meaning
young child, newborn
Tyndale gloss
infant
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עוֹלֵל (owlel) refers to a child or infant, emphasizing youth and vulnerability. It is derived from a root meaning to suckle, indicating a very young child or babe. The term is consistently used across lexicons to denote a young child, with no significant disagreement among sources.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עוֹלֵל, עוֹלָל n.m. child

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5768 עוֹלֵל, עוֹלָל child

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5768 `owlel o-lale'

or lolal {o-lawl'}; from 5763; a suckling:--babe, (young)

child, infant, little one.

see HEBREW for 05763

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עוֹלֵל (o.lel) — infant.

child, boy

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-mp — Preposition · noun common masculine plural absolute
HR/Ncmpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Smith's Bible Dictionary

The blessing of offspring, but especially of the male sex, is highly valued among all eastern nations, while a the absence is regarded as one of the severest punishments. (Genesis 16:2; 7:14; 1 Samuel 1:6; 2 Samuel 6:23; 2 Kings 4:14; Isaiah 47:9; Jeremiah 20:15; Psalms 127:3,5) As soon as the child was born it was washed in a bath, rubbed with salt and wrapped in swaddling clothes. (Ezekiel 16:4; Job 38:9; Luke…

A numerous offspring was regarded as a signal blessing, Ps 127:3-5, and childless wives sought various means to escape the reproach of barrenness, which was deprecated in the blessing given to a newly married couple, Ru 4:11. The pangs of childbirth, in their suddenness and sharpness, are often alluded to in Scripture. The apostle Paul speaks of them as fruits and evidences of the fall; but assures those who abide in faith, that, amid all the suffering that reminds them that woman was first in the transgression, Ge 3:16, they may yet look trustfully to God for acceptance and salvation, 1Ti 2:15.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ In answer to prayer

To Abraham Ge 15:2-5; with 21:1,2

Isaac Ge 25:21

Leah Ge 30:17-22

Rachel Ge 30:22-24

Hannah 1Sa 1:9-20

Zacharias Lu 1:13

→ Treatment of, at birth Eze 16:4-6; Lu 2:7,12

→ Circumcision of

→ See CIRCUMCISION

→ Dedicated to God in infancy

Samson Jud 13:5,7

Samuel 1Sa 1:24-28

Torrey's New Topical Textbook

- Christ was an example to

Lu 2:51; Joh 19:26,27

- Are a gift from God

Ge 33:5; Ps 127:3

- Are capable of glorifying God

Ps 8:2; 148:12,13; Mt 21:15,16

- SHOULD BE

. Brought to Christ

Mr 10:13-16

. Brought early to the house of God

1Sa 1:24

. Instructed in the ways of God

De 31:12,13; Pr 22:6

. Judiciously trained

or like a miscarriage hidden not was I? like children [who] not they have seen light
לֹא־lo'- [who] not H3808 Particle
5,170× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Tyndale gloss
not
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לֹא or לוֹא adv. not

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3808 lo' lo

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לֹא (lo) — not.

1) not, no

1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)

1b) not (with modifier-negation)

1c) nothing (subst)

1d) without (with particle)

1e) before (of time)

Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part — Particle
HTn
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
or like a miscarriage hidden not was I? like children [who] not they have seen light
רָ֥אוּRa.'u they have seen H7200 Verb · Qal · perfect third person common plural
1,300× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for provider means to see or look after, and is used to describe God's care for his people. It appears in various forms throughout the Bible, including in Genesis and other books.
Amplified meaning
looks upon, experiences
Tyndale gloss
Provider
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רָאָה (ra'ah) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to see' and encompasses a wide range of visual and perceptual actions, including looking, observing, and causing others to see. It can refer to both literal sight and figurative understanding, with various grammatical forms indicating different nuances, such as appearing or being visible. The entries indicate a rich semantic field without significant disagreement among lexicographers.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רָאָה 1315 vb. see

Qal 1141

see, subj.

see, c. acc. rei

see, sq. acc. cl. or phr. of closer design

see, so as to learn to know

abs. see, have (power of) vision

see = perceive

look at, see, by direct volition

of mental observation

c. ב, lit., look into, hence look at with interest

see, c. acc. rei

Niph.

appear

be seen

be visible

Pu. appar. his bones are not detected

Hithp. recipr. look at each other

Hiph.

cause one to see something, shew

cause to experience something

cause to look intently at, to behold

Hoph.

be caused to see, be shewn

be exhibited to

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7200a רָאָה see .. . see, subj.

. see, c. acc. rei

. see, sq. acc. + cl. or phr. of closer design

. see, so as to learn to know

. abs. see, have (power of) vision

. see = perceive

. look at, see, by direct volition

. of mental observation

. . c. ב, lit., look into, hence look at with interest

. see, c. acc. rei

. . appear

. be seen

. be visible

. appar. his bones are not detected

. recipr. look at each other

. . . cause one to see something, shew

. cause to experience something

. cause to look intently at, to behold

. . be caused to see, be shewn

. be exhibited to

H7200b רְאוּת look

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7200 ra'ah raw-aw'

a primitive root; to see, literally or figuratively (in

numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive,

intransitive and causative):--advise self, appear, approve,

behold, X certainly, consider, discern, (make to) enjoy, have

experience, gaze, take heed, X indeed, X joyfully, lo, look

(on, one another, one on another, one upon another, out, up,

upon), mark, meet, X be near, perceive, present, provide,

regard, (have) respect, (fore-, cause to, let) see(-r, -m, one

another), shew (self), X sight of others, (e-)spy, stare, X

surely, X think, view, visions.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רָאָה (ra.ah) — to see: see.

: see/show

1) to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to see

1a2) to see, perceive

1a3) to see, have vision

1a4) to look at, see, regard, look after, see after, learn about, observe, watch, look upon, look out, find out

1a5) to see, observe, consider, look at, give attention to, discern, distinguish

1a6) to look at, gaze at

1a7) to provide, choose

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to appear, present oneself

1b2) to be seen

1b3) to be visible

1c) (Pual) to be seen

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to cause to see, show

1d2) to cause to look intently at, behold, cause to gaze at

1e) (Hophal)

1e1) to be caused to see, be shown

1e2) to be exhibited to

1f) (Hithpael) to look at each other, face

רָאָה (ra.ah) — to see: examine.

: examine/consider

1) to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to see

1a2) to see, perceive

1a3) to see, have vision

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-3cp — Verb · Qal · perfect third person common plural
HVqp3cp
or like a miscarriage hidden not was I? like children [who] not they have seen light
אֽוֹר׃'or light H216 Noun common · feminine singular absolute
121× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Light, including natural light from the sun or stars, and also spiritual light from God. It can refer to happiness, prosperity, or understanding. In the Bible, God is often described as the source of light and life.
Amplified meaning
natural light, spiritual illumination
Tyndale gloss
light
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אוֹר (or) means 'light' and encompasses various forms of illumination, including daylight, dawn, and the light of heavenly bodies like the sun and stars. It can also refer to metaphorical concepts such as the light of life, prosperity, and instruction, as well as Yahweh as a source of light.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אוֹר 121 n.m. light

light as diffused in nature, light of day

morning light, dawn

light of the heavenly luminaries

daylight

lightning

light of lamp

light of life

light of prosperity

light of instruction

light of face

Yahweh

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H216 אוֹר light . light as diffused in nature, light of day

. morning light, dawn

. light of the heavenly luminaries

. daylight

. lightning

. light of lamp

. light of life

. light of prosperity

. light of instruction

. light of face

. Yahweh

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

216 'owr ore

from 215; illumination or (concrete) luminary (in every

sense, including lightning, happiness, etc.):--bright, clear,

+ day, light (-ning), morning, sun.

see HEBREW for 0215

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אוֹר (or) — light.

1) light

1a) light of day

1b) light of heavenly luminaries (moon, sun, stars)

1c) day-break, dawn, morning light

1d) daylight

1e) lightning

1f) light of lamp

1g) light of life

1h) light of prosperity

1i) light of instruction

1j) light of face (fig.)

1k) Jehovah as Israel's light

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-cs — Noun common · feminine singular absolute
HNcfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

lit ('or, ma'or; phos; many other words):

1. Origin of Light

2. A Comprehensive Term

(1) Natural Light

(2) Artificial Light

(3) Miraculous Light

(4) Mental, Moral, Spiritual Light

3. An Attribute of Holiness

(1) God

(2) Christ

(3) Christians

(4) The Church

4. Symbolism

5. Expressive Terms

1. Origin of Light:

The creation of light was the initial step in the creation of life. "Let there be light" (Ge 1:3) was the first word of God spoken after His creative Spirit "moved" upon the primary material out of which He created the heavens and the earth, and which lay, until the utterance of that word, in the chaos of darkness and desolation. Something akin, possibly, to the all-pervasive electro-magnetic activity of the aurora borealis penetrated the chaotic night of the world. The ultimate focusing of light (on the 4th day of creation,

Light

The offspring of the divine command (Gen. 1:3). “All the more joyous emotions of the mind, all the pleasing sensations of the frame, all the happy hours of domestic intercourse were habitually described among the Hebrews under imagery derived from light” (1 Kings 11:36; Isa. 58:8; Esther 8:16; Ps. 97:11). Light came also naturally to typify true religion and the felicity it imparts (Ps. 119:105; Isa. 8:20; Matt. 4:16, etc.), and the glorious inheritance…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

One of the most wonderful, cheering, and useful of all the works of God; called into being on the first of the six days of creation, by his voice: "Let there be light;" and there was light. No object better illustrates whatever is pure, glorious, spiritual, joyful, and beneficent. Hence the beauty and force of the expressions, "God is light," 1Jo 1:5, and "the Father of lights," Jas 1:17; Christ is the "Sun of righteousness," and "the light of the world," Joh 1:9 8:12. So also the word of God is "a light," Ps 119:105; truth and Christians are lights, Joh 3:19 12:36; prosperity is "light," Es 8:16; and heaven is full of…

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Created Ge 1:3-5; Isa 45:7; 2Co 4:6

→ Miraculous Mt 17:2; Ac 9:3

→ FIGURATIVE AND SYMBOLICAL 1Ki 11:36; Ps 27:1; 119:105,130; Pr 6:23; Ec 2:13; Isa 8:20; 49:6; 58:8; 60:19,20; Mt 4:16; 5:14,16; Lu 2:32; 11:34; 16:8;

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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