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Job 32:18 — Word Study

Depth

WLCכִּ֭י מָלֵ֣תִי מִלִּ֑ים הֱ֝צִיקַ֗תְנִי ר֣וּחַ בִּטְנִֽי׃

BSAForkîy [because of this reason] I am full ofmâlêʼ [completely filled, overflowing] wordsmillâh [speech, topics, subjects] and my spiritrûwach [breath of life, inner being] within mebeṭen [in my belly, in my deepest emotions] compels metsûwq [constrains, presses upon, urges me to speak]

Word
Listen & take awayJob 32
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 18 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 (bit.Ni) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Job 32:18quick helps
In a sentenceJob expresses a strong inner urge to speak due to being filled with words.
Who is speakingJob, addressing his friends and sharing his emotional state.
Where we areIn the midst of a debate about suffering and wisdom.
The hard wordמָלֵ֣תִי
Take awayJob feels a powerful need to articulate his thoughts.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbמָלֵא 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 32:18

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 Response to His Friendsgenerated

17I too will answer; yes, I will declare what I know.
18For I am full of words, and my spirit within me compels me.
19Behold, my belly is like unvented wine; it is about to burst like a new wineskin.
20I must speak and find relief; I must open my lips and respond.

Job 32:18 reveals Job's emotional turmoil as he feels compelled to speak. He is surrounded by friends who have been discussing suffering and justice, and he senses a pressing need to share his perspective. This moment highlights the tension between silence and expression in the face of profound experiences.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Psalm 39:3My heart grew hot within me; as I mused, the fire burned. Then I spoke with my tongue:
2Jeremiah 20:9If I say, “I will not mention Him or speak any more in His name,” His message becomes a fire burning in my heart, shut up in my bones, and I become weary of holding it in, and I cannot prevail.
3Ezekiel 3:14–27So the Spirit lifted me up and took me away, and I went in bitterness and in the anger of my spirit, with the strong hand of the LORD upon me.
4Acts 4:20For we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.”
52 Corinthians 5:13–14If we are out of our mind, it is for God; if we are of sound mind, it is for you.

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


The Key Word מָלֵ֣תִי, ma.Le.tigenerated

The verb מָלֵא (male') means 'to fill' or 'be full'. In this context, it indicates that Job is not just filled but overflowing with words, suggesting a sense of urgency and necessity to express his thoughts. The perfect tense indicates a completed action, emphasizing that he is currently in a state of fullness.

This word captures both literal and figurative meanings, allowing for a rich understanding of Job's emotional state. He is compelled to articulate his feelings and insights, as if they are bursting forth from within him.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

In this study, we reference the Berean Standard Bible (BSB), which uses full to translate מָלֵ֣תִי.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb of the verse is מָלֵ֣תִי (I am full), which governs the structure. The phrase מִלִּ֑ים (of words) serves as the object, indicating what Job is filled with. The clause הֱ֝צִיקַ֗תְנִי (it has constrained me) describes the effect of this fullness, while the phrase רוּחַ בִּטְנִֽי (my spirit within me) provides the source of the compulsion.

The structure emphasizes the relationship between Job's inner state and his need to express himself, with the verb at the center of the sentence.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates מָלֵא as πλήρης (full), which carries a similar meaning of being filled. This choice aligns with Job's expression of overflowing words, maintaining the emotional intensity of the original Hebrew.

The Greek word πνεῦμα (spirit) corresponds to רוּחַ, emphasizing the connection between Job's inner being and his urge to speak.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Job 32:18 shows Job feeling overwhelmed with words and compelled to speak. He expresses that his spirit is urging him to share what he knows, indicating a deep emotional state. This moment captures the tension between his inner thoughts and the need to articulate them.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does Job mean by being full of words?

Job is expressing that he has many thoughts and feelings that he needs to communicate, indicating a sense of urgency to share his perspective.

Why does Job feel compelled to speak?

He feels an inner pressure from his spirit, suggesting that his emotions and thoughts are so intense that he cannot remain silent.

How does this verse relate to the broader context of Job's dialogue?

This verse highlights Job's response to his friends' discussions about suffering, revealing his desire to contribute his insights and experiences.

What can we learn from Job's emotional state in this verse?

Job's experience teaches us about the importance of expressing our feelings and thoughts, especially in times of distress or confusion.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What are some situations where I have felt compelled to speak out about my feelings or experiences?
  2. How can I be more aware of the emotions that urge me to express myself?
  3. In what ways can I support others who may feel overwhelmed and need to share their thoughts?
  4. What can I learn from Job's example about the importance of speaking truthfully about our inner struggles?

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

The earliest commentary on this verse is from Gregory the Dialogist, who discusses Job's emotional state and urgency to speak.

Gregory the DialogistMorals on the Book of Job, Book XXIII c. 540–604
I am full of words, the spirit of my womb constraineth me. Behold, my belly is as new wine without a vent, which bursts in sunder new vessels. I will speak, and will take breath awhile; I will open my lips and answer.
Early Church Fathers on Job 32 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Job 32:18 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

For I am full of matter,.... Or "full [of] words" (y); not of mere words, such that have nothing solid and substantial in them; this is the character of a fool, Ecclesiastes 10:14; nor was Elihu a

Read John Gill on Job 32 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

For I am full of matter, the spirit within me constraineth me. 'I am full of words,' whereas the friends have not a word more to say.

Read Robert Jamieson on Job 32 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

I am full of matter, i.e. I have many things to say in this cause. The spirit within me; either my own spirit or soul, which is wholly dissatisfied with what hath been hitherto spoken, and clearly apprehends what may silence Job, and end the dispute; or God’ s Spirit, which he hath put in me; the Spirit of understanding, which hath discovered the truth of the matter to me; and the Spirit of zeal, which urgeth me to plead God’ s cause against Job. Constraineth me; forceth me to speak. It is a metaphor from a man or woman whose belly is full with wind, or with a child, and is never at rest till it be emptied and eased of its burden.

Read Matthew Poole on Job 32 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Job 32:18 For I am full of matter, the spirit within me constraineth me.Ver. 18. For I am full of matter] Heb. Of words; such as are weighty and stuffy, steeped in mine understanding (as Plutarch saith Phocion’ s words were), and very well digested. I am ειπεινδεινοτατος, in very good case to speak; as full of solid arguments as the moon is of light. Whether Elihu speaketh this arrogantly and from the flesh, or from the spirit, I determine not, saith Brentius here. But sure it is, that such words as these, howsoever they may seem arrogant and carnal, possunt tamen esse spiritualissima, yet they may be very spiritual, as Jeremiah 4:1-31 Jeremiah 20:1-18. And as sure it is, that we should be…

Read John Trapp on Job 32 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 18. I am full of matter] מלים millim, "I am full of WORDS," or sayings; i.e., wise sentences, and ancient opinions. The spirit within me constraineth me.] How similar to the words of St. Paul! The love of Christ constraineth us. Elihu considered himself under the influence of that Spirit of God which gives understanding, and felt anxiously concerned for the welfare both of Job and his friends.

Read AdamClarke on Job 32 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

15–22. Turning from the three friends Elihu seems to speak in soliloquy and present to his own mind the singular situation: the three friends are discomfited before Job and reduced to silence; this should not be; therefore he will express his convictions. His breast is filled with thoughts and emotions that will not be repressed: he must speak, that he may find relief. And he will speak fearlessly and in sincerity, not regarding the person of any man.

Read Cambridge on Job 32 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For I am full of matter - Margin, as in Hebrew words.” The three friends of Job had been silenced. They had not one word more to say. Elihu says that the reverse was true of him.

Read Albert Barnes on Job 32 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

18. The spirit within me — Literally, The spirit of my inward part, áùׂ ?ðé. The experience of the prophets was similar to that of Elihu. Jeremiah 4:19; Amos 3:8.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Job 32 →

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

For I am full of words, and my spirit within me compels me.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

For I am full of words. The spirit within me constrains me.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

For I am full of words, and my spirit within me compels me.

NETBNew English Translation2006

For I am full of words, and the spirit within me constrains me.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

For I am full of matter, the spirit within me constraineth me.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

For I am full of words; The spirit within me constraineth me.

RVARevised Version, American1894

For I am full of words; the spirit within me constraineth me.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

For I am full of matter, the spirit within me constraineth me.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

For I am full of matter, and the spirite within me compelleth me.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

For I am full of matter, the spirit within me constraineth me.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

For I have been full of words, Distressed me hath the spirit of my breast,

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

For I have been full of words, || The spirit of my breast has distressed me,

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

For I am full of words, the spirit in my bosom urgeth me hard.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

For I am full of words; the spirit in me compels me.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

For I am full of matter to speak of, and the spirit of my bowels straiteneth me.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

I have so much to say I can't hold the words back!

BBEBible in Basic English1949

For I am full of words, I am unable to keep in my breath any longer:

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.

כִּ֭י(dm)clauseverbמָלֵ֣תִיI.am.fulladverbialמִלִּ֑יםwordsclauseverbהֱ֝צִיקַ֗תְitobjectנִיhas.constrained.menoun phrase · subjectר֣וּחַthe.spiritnoun phraseבִּטְנִֽmy.bellyיmy

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


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

The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint largely agree in the wording of this verse, with five of the six words matching directly. The Septuagint's translation reflects the same core ideas, though its word order differs.

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

כִּ֭י מָלֵ֣תִי מִלִּ֑ים הֱ֝צִיקַ֗תְנִי ר֣וּחַ בִּטְנִֽי׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
מָלֵ֣תִיπλήρηςמִלִּ֑יםῥημάτωνהֱ֝צִיקַ֗תְנִיμεר֣וּחַπνεῦμαבִּטְנִֽי׃γαστρός

5 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 32:18כִּיforforכִּימָלֵאI am fullI am fullמָלֵאמִלָּהwordswordsמִלָּהצוּקit has consit has constraiצוּקרוּחַ[the] spiri[the] spirit ofרוּחַבֶּ֫טֶןbelly mybelly myבֶּ֫טֶןמָלַלto speakto speakמָלַלרִיחַto smellto smellרִיחַיָדַעto knowto knowיָדַעחָמָסviolenceviolenceחָמָסעָנָןcloudcloudעָנָןאָזַןto listento listenאָזַןאֹמֶרwordwordאֹמֶרמָצוֹקdistressdistressמָצוֹקמָצוֹרsiegesiegeמָצוֹרנְשָׁמָהbreathbreathנְשָׁמָהקָדִיםeasteastקָדִיםפְּרִיfruitfruitפְּרִימֵעֶהbellybellyמֵעֶה
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 32:18

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.

for I am full words it has constrained me [the] spirit of belly my
כִּ֭יki for H3588 Particle
4,483× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A conjunction used to show cause or connection, as in Genesis 2:23 where Adam says the woman is bone of his bone because she was taken out of him. It is often translated as 'for', 'because', or 'since'.
Amplified meaning
because of this reason
Tyndale gloss
for
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כִּי (ki) is a conjunction primarily meaning 'that,' 'for,' or 'when.' It indicates causal relationships and can express conditions like 'if' or 'though.' The word is versatile, appearing in various contexts to convey certainty, exception, or concession. Notably, it can combine with other particles to modify its meaning, such as in the phrase כִּי אם־ (ki im), meaning 'that if.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כִּי conj. that, for, when

that

Of time, when, of the past

elsewhere כִּי has a force approximating to if, though it usu. represents a case as more likely to occur than אִם

when or if, with a concessive force, i.e. though

Because, since

base

כִּי אם־

each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause:

that if

for if

(About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause—

limiting the prec. clause, except

the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but

after an oath, surely

base

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3588a כִּי that, for, when . that

. . Of time, when, of the past

. elsewhere כִּי has a force approximating to if, though it usu. represents a case as more likely to occur than אִם

. when or if, with a concessive force, i.e. though

. Because, since

H3588b כִּי אם־ . each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause: . that if

. for if

. (About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause— . limiting the prec. clause, except

. the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but

. after an oath, surely

H3588c כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3588 kiy kee

a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional

prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent

or consequent; (by implication) very widely used as a relative

conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by

other particles annexed:--and, + (forasmuch, inasmuch,

where-)as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else,

even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, +

nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then,

therefore, + (al- )though, + till, truly, + until, when,

whether, while, whom, yea, yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כִּי (ki) — for.

1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since

1a) that

1a1) yea, indeed

1b) when (of time)

1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force)

1c) because, since (causal connection)

1d) but (after negative)

1e) that if, for if, indeed if, for though, but if

1f) but rather, but

1g) except that

1h) only, nevertheless

1i) surely

1j) that is

1k) but if

1l) for though

1m) forasmuch as, for therefore

כִּי [אם] (ki im) — that if: except.

1) except if

1a) but if

1b) even though

כִּי [עַל כֵּן] (ki [al ken]) — for as that: since.

1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since

1a) that

1a1) yea, indeed

1b) when (of time)

1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force)

1c) because, since (causal connection)

1d) but (after negative)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj — Particle
HTc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

for (ki (conjunction), le, from 'el (preposition), and various other words. In the New Testament also the words are various, chiefly gar, kai gar, hoti (conjunctions); anti apo eis dia (accusative), epi (dative and accusative), peri (genitive), pros (genitive and accusative), huper (genitive) (prepositions)): the English Revised Version and the American Standard Revised Version give in many cases more literal or more accurate renderings than those in the King James Version.

In the New Testament the most important preps. from a doctrinal point of view are anti, "face to face," "over against," "instead," "on behalf of," peri, "around," "about," "concerning," huper, "over," "on behalf of." The first has been claimed as stating the substitutionary nature of Christ's sacrifice as contrasted with huper and peri, more frequently used of it. But, although anti in the New Testament often means…

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
for I am full words it has constrained me [the] spirit of belly my
מָלֵ֣תִיma.Le.ti I am full H4390 Verb · Qal · perfect first person common singular
249× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To fill means to make something full or complete, like filling a container or fulfilling a promise. This word is used in many contexts, including being full of joy or having a job completed.
Amplified meaning
completely filled, overflowing
Tyndale gloss
to fill
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מָלֵא (male') means 'to fill' or 'be full,' with applications ranging from literal filling to figurative uses like accomplishing or completing something. It appears in various forms, including Qal, Niphal, Piel, and Hithpael, indicating different nuances such as being satisfied or confirming. Notably, it can also refer to massing against someone.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מָלֵא 249 vb. be full, fill

Qal 99

be full, usu. c. acc. material

trans. fill

Niph.

be filled

be accomplished, ended

Pi.

fill

special uses are:

fulfil, accomplish, complete, obj. week, year, day

Pu. filled

Hithp. mass themselves against me

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4390 מָלֵא be full, fill .. be full, usu. c. acc. material

. trans. fill

. . be filled

. be accomplished, ended

. . fill

. special uses are:

. fulfil, accomplish, complete, obj. week, year, day

. filled

. mass themselves against me

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4390 male' maw-lay'

or malae (Esth. 7:5) {maw-law'}; a primitive root, to fill or

(intransitively) be full of, in a wide application (literally

and figuratively):--accomplish, confirm, + consecrate, be at

an end, be expired, be fenced, fill, fulfil, (be, become, X

draw, give in, go) full(-ly, -ly set, tale), (over-)flow,

fulness, furnish, gather (selves, together), presume,

replenish, satisfy, set, space, take a (hand-)full, + have

wholly.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מָלֵא (ma.le) — to fill.

1) to fill, be full

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to be full

1a1a) fulness, abundance (participle)

1a1b) to be full, be accomplished, be ended

1a2) to consecrate, fill the hand

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be filled, be armed, be satisfied

1b2) to be accomplished, be ended

1c) (Piel)

1c1) to fill

1c2) to satisfy

1c3) to fulfil, accomplish, complete

1c4) to confirm

1d) (Pual) to be filled

1e) (Hithpael) to mass themselves against

Aramaic equivalent: me.la (מְלָא "to fill" H4391)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-1cs — Verb · Qal · perfect first person common singular
HVqp1cs
for I am full words it has constrained me [the] spirit of belly my
מִלִּ֑יםmi.Lim words H4405 Noun common · masculine plural absolute
38× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means a word or speech, and can also refer to a topic or subject. It's used in the Bible to describe what people say or talk about.
Amplified meaning
speech, topics, subjects
Tyndale gloss
speech
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מִלָּה (millah) means 'word' or 'speech' and can refer to a discourse or topic. It is derived from a root that suggests collective speech or utterance. The term encompasses various forms of communication, including answers and by-words. The Aramaic equivalent is also מִלָּה.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מִלָּה n.f. word, speech, utterance

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4405 מִלָּה

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4405 millah mil-law'

from 4448 (plural masculine as if from milleh {mil-leh'}; a

word; collectively, a discourse; figuratively, a topic:--+

answer, by-word, matter, any thing (what) to say, to

speak(-ing), speak, talking, word.

see HEBREW for 04448

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מִלָּה (mil.lah) — speech.

word, speech, utterance

Aramaic equivalent: mil.lah (מִלָּה "word" H4406)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fp — Noun common · masculine plural absolute
HNcmpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Nave's Topical Bible

→ Of Jesus

Gracious Lu 4:22

Are spirit and life Joh 6:63

Of eternal life Joh 6:68

Will judge Joh 12:47,48

→ Of the wise

As goads, and as well-fastened nails Ec 12:11

Gracious Ec 10:12

→ Spoken at the proper moment Pr 15:23; Isa 50:4

→ Aptly spoken, like apples of gold in filigree of silver Pr 25:11

→ Of the complete man, gentle Jas 3:2

for I am full words it has constrained me [the] spirit of belly my
הֱ֝צִיקַ֗תְנִיhe.tzi.Kat.ni it has constrained me H6693 Verb hiphil perfect third person feminine singular · suffix
11× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To press means to squeeze or compress something. It can also mean to oppress or distress someone, making their situation difficult or hard to bear. This word is used to describe a challenging or tough circumstance.
Amplified meaning
constrains, presses upon, urges me to speak
Tyndale gloss
to press
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

צוּק (tsuq) is a Hebrew verb meaning to press or constrain. It conveys a sense of oppression or distress, often used in contexts where someone is brought into straits or compressed. The entries highlight its figurative use in distressing situations, particularly in the Hiphil form, which emphasizes the act of constraining or oppressing.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[צוּק] vb. Hiph. constrain, bring into straits, press upon

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6693 צוּק constrain, bring into straits, press upon

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6693 tsuwq tsook

a primitive root; to compress, i.e. (figuratively) oppress,

distress:--constrain, distress, lie sore, (op-)press(-or),

straiten.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

צוּק (tsuq) — to press.

(Hiphil) to constrain, press, bring into straits, straiten, oppress

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Hiphil-Perf-3fs | Suff — Verb hiphil perfect third person feminine singular · suffix
HVhp3fs/Sp1bs
for I am full words it has constrained me [the] spirit of belly my
ר֣וּחַRu.ach [the] spirit of H7307 Noun common · feminine singular construct
378× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word for spirit refers to the breath of life, the wind, or a person's mind and emotions, as seen in the book of Ezekiel.
Amplified meaning
breath of life, inner being
Tyndale gloss
spirit
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רוּחַ (ruach) means breath, wind, or spirit. It encompasses various meanings, including the breath of life, emotional disposition, and the spirit of God. The term can refer to both physical phenomena, like wind, and abstract concepts, such as moral character or mental acts. Notably, it is used frequently in the context of divine inspiration and the Holy Spirit.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רוּחַ 378 n.f. (less oft. m.) breath, wind, spirit

breath of mouth or nostrils (33 t.)

wind (117 t.)

spirit, as that which breathes quickly in animation or agitation = temper, disposition (76 t.)

spirit of the living, breathing being

spirit as seat of emotion

occasionally (and late) = seat or organ of mental acts

rarely of the will

רוּחַ esp. of moral character

spirit of God (94 t.)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7307 רוּחַ breath, wind, spirit . breath of mouth or nostrils (33 t.)

. wind (117 t.)

. spirit, as that which breathes quickly in animation or agitation = temper, disposition (76 t.)

. spirit of the living, breathing being

. spirit as seat of emotion

. occasionally (and late) = seat or organ of mental acts

. rarely of the will

. רוּחַ esp. of moral character

. spirit of God (94 t.)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7307 ruwach roo'-akh

from 7306; wind; by resemblance breath, i.e. a sensible (or

even violent) exhalation; figuratively, life, anger,

unsubstantiality; by extension, a region of the sky; by

resemblance spirit, but only of a rational being (including

its expression and functions):--air, anger, blast, breath, X

cool, courage, mind, X quarter, X side, spirit((-ual)),

tempest, X vain, ((whirl-))wind(-y).

see HEBREW for 07306

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רוּחַ (ru.ach) — spirit.

: spirit

1) wind, breath, mind, spirit

1a) breath

1b) wind

1b1) of heaven

1b2) quarter (of wind), side

1b3) breath of air

1b4) air, gas

1b5) vain, empty thing

1c) spirit (as that which breathes quickly in animation or agitation)

1c1) spirit, animation, vivacity, vigour

1c2) courage

1c3) temper, anger

1c4) impatience, patience

1c5) spirit, disposition (as troubled, bitter, discontented)

1c6) disposition (of various kinds), unaccountable or uncontrollable impulse

1c7) prophetic spirit

1d) spirit (of the living, breathing being in man and animals)

1d1) as gift, preserved by God, God's spirit, departing at death, disembodied being

1e) spirit (as seat of emotion)

1e1) desire

1e2) sorrow, trouble

1f) spirit

1f1) as seat or organ of mental acts

1f2) rarely of the will

1f3) as seat especially of moral character

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-cs — Noun common · feminine singular construct
HNcfsc
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…

for I am full words it has constrained me [the] spirit of belly my
בִּטְנִֽי׃bit.Ni belly my H990 Noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
72× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word refers to the belly or womb, and is used to describe the seat of hunger, emotions, and even the depths of the afterlife. It is used in the Bible to describe the body and its functions. The KJV translates it as belly, body, or womb.
Amplified meaning
in my belly, in my deepest emotions
Tyndale gloss
belly: abdomen
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word בֶּ֫טֶן (*beten*) primarily means 'belly,' 'body,' or 'womb.' It is derived from a root suggesting hollowness and encompasses various uses, including the physical abdomen and metaphorical meanings, such as the seat of hunger or mental faculties. The lexicons consistently highlight these aspects without significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בֶּ֫טֶן n.f. belly, body, womb

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H990 בֶּ֫טֶן belly, body, womb

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

990 beten beh'-ten

from an unused root probably meaning to be hollow; the belly,

especially the womb; also the bosom or body of anything:--

belly, body, + as they be born, + within, womb.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בֶּ֫טֶן (be.ten) — belly: abdomen.

: abdomen

1) belly, womb, body

1a) belly, abdomen

1a1) as seat of hunger

1a2) as seat of mental faculties

1a3) of depth of Sheol (fig.)

1b) womb

בֶּ֫טֶן (be.ten) — belly: womb.

: womb/pregnancy

1) belly, womb, body

1a) belly, abdomen

1a1) as seat of hunger

1a2) as seat of mental faculties

1a3) of depth of Sheol (fig.)

1b) womb

בֶּ֫טֶן (be.ten) — belly: hump.

: hump

1) belly, womb, body

1a) belly, abdomen

1a1) as seat of hunger

1a2) as seat of mental faculties

1a3) of depth of Sheol (fig.)

1b) womb

בֶּ֫טֶן (be.ten) — belly: body.

: body

1) belly, womb, body

1a) belly, abdomen

1a1) as seat of hunger

1a2) as seat of mental faculties

1a3) of depth of Sheol (fig.)

1b) womb

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs | Suff — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
HNcfsc/Sp1bs
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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