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Job 33:24 — Word Study

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WLCוַיְחֻנֶּ֗נּוּ וַיֹּ֗אמֶר פְּ֭דָעֵהוּ מֵרֶ֥דֶת שָׁ֗חַת מָצָ֥אתִי כֹֽפֶר׃

BSAto be graciouschânan [show kindness, have mercy] to him and sayʼâmar Spare himpâdaʻ [deliver, release] from going downyârad [descending, falling] to the Pitshachath [grave, place of destruction] I have foundmâtsâʼ [discovered, attained] his ransomkôpher [redemption price, payment for his life]

Word
Listen & take awayJob 33
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 24 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 (Kho.fer) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Job 33:24quick helps
In a sentenceGod shows kindness and offers a way to rescue a person from death.
Who is speakingA messenger or mediator, acting on God's behalf.
Where we areIn a poetic section of Job discussing divine intervention and mercy.
The hard wordחָנַן
Take awayGod's mercy provides a path to life, even from death.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbאָמַר The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

1 of 7 occurs nowhere else in the Old Testament — a word chosen on purpose.

Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.

Deep Study — Job 33:24

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 — God's Mercy in Jobgenerated

23Yet if there is a messenger on his side, one mediator in a thousand, to tell a man what is right for him,
24to be gracious to him and say, ‘Spare him from going down to the Pit; I have found his ransom,’
25then his flesh is refreshed like a child’s; he returns to the days of his youth.
26He prays to God and finds favor; he sees God’s face and shouts for joy, and God restores His righteousness to that man.

Job 33:24 is part of a discourse on how God communicates with humanity through messengers. The speaker emphasizes God's willingness to show grace and offer redemption, illustrating a theme of divine mercy and intervention in human suffering. This verse follows a discussion about the importance of having a mediator who can convey God's intentions to a person in distress, highlighting the relationship between God and humanity.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Job 33:18to preserve his soul from the Pit and his life from perishing by the sword.
2Job 22:21Reconcile now and be at peace with Him; thereby good will come to you.
3Exodus 33:19“I will cause all My goodness to pass before you,” the LORD replied, “and I will proclaim My name—the LORD—in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”
4Exodus 34:6–7Then the LORD passed in front of Moses and called out: “The LORD, the LORD God, is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion and faithfulness,
5Psalm 86:5–15For You, O Lord, are kind and forgiving, rich in loving devotion to all who call on You.

The Key Word חָנַן, chanangenerated

The verb חָנַן (chanan) means to show favor or be gracious, often by bending down to help someone in need. It implies a deep kindness and mercy, reflecting God's attitude towards those who seek His help.

In this verse, it indicates God's willingness to intervene and provide a way of escape from destruction, emphasizing His compassionate nature.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

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


Sentence Structuregenerated

The structure of the verse is governed by a series of clauses, beginning with the finite verb וַיְחֻנֶּ֗נּוּ, and he showed favor to him. This is followed by a direct speech clause introduced by וַיֹּ֗אמֶר, and he said, which expresses God's command or declaration.

The subsequent clauses detail the action of delivering from the pit, with the final clause stating the finding of the ransom. The arrangement emphasizes God's initiative in offering rescue.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates חָנַן as ἀνθέχεται, which conveys a similar meaning of showing favor or kindness. This choice indicates a continuity in the understanding of God's mercy across the Hebrew and Greek texts.

The use of ἀνθέχεται also suggests a broader interpretation of God's willingness to intervene and aid those in need, aligning with the themes present in the Hebrew text.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Job 33:24 shows that God is willing to be gracious and speak to a person in trouble, offering to spare them from death. This verse highlights God's mercy and the idea that He provides a way to save someone by finding a ransom for their life.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean for God to be gracious?

To be gracious means that God shows kindness and mercy, often intervening to help those in need, as reflected in this verse.

What is the significance of the ransom mentioned?

The ransom represents the price paid for someone's life, indicating that God provides a means of redemption from death or destruction.

How does this verse relate to the concept of mediation?

This verse emphasizes the role of a mediator who communicates God's intentions and offers a way for individuals to receive mercy and deliverance.

Can we see examples of God's mercy in other parts of the Bible?

Yes, God's mercy is a recurring theme throughout the Bible, seen in stories of deliverance, forgiveness, and restoration, such as in Exodus and the Psalms.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways have I experienced God's grace in my life?
  2. How can I be a messenger of God's mercy to others?
  3. What does it mean to me that God provides a ransom for my life?
  4. How can I better understand the concept of mediation in my relationship with God?

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Job 33:24 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Then he is gracious to him,.... To the sick man; either the messenger or the minister that is with him, who pities his case and prays for him; and by some the following words are supposed to be a prayer of his, "deliver me", c.

Read John Gill on Job 33 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Then he is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom. He is gracious - God. This verse is the apodosis to Job 33:23.

Read Robert Jamieson on Job 33 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Then; in that case, or upon the sick man’ s knowledge and practice of his duty. He; either, 1. The messenger or interpreter last mentioned, who is pitiful unto the sick man, and in companion to him doth all that he can for him, counselling and comforting him, and praying to God for his recovery in the following words, Deliver him, & c. for the sake of that ransom which thou hast revealed and I have discovered to him. Or rather, 2. God, who is oft in this book designed by this particle he, or him; whose property and prerogative it is to be gracious unto man, and who alone can speak the following words with power and authority. Is gracious unto him; pardoning his sins, and delivering him from…

Read Matthew Poole on Job 33 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Job 33:24 Then he is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom.Ver. 24. Then is he gracious unto him, and saith] If the sick man, thus counselled and comforted, repent and believe the gospel, delivering himself up to God, and to that his messenger by the will of God, mercy and truth shall be with him, he shall be cured on both sides, as that palsy man was, Matthew 9:2, the Lord shall raise him up, if it may stand with his eternal welfare. But howsoever, if he have committed sins, it shall be forgiven him, James 5:15. Both the guilt and filth of them shall be taken away, so that he shall be able to look death in the face with everlasting…

Read John Trapp on Job 33 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(24) Then he is gracious unto him—i.e., God is gracious; He accepts the mediation of the mediating angel. These words of Elihu’s must have fallen on Job’s ear with a grateful and refreshing sound, confirming to him his longing for the daysman (Job 9:33). And saith—i.e., to the destroying angels of Job 33:22. It is remarkable that it is God who finds the ransom, as it was by God’s grace that the interpreting angel was forthcoming. It is not man’s righteousness that has saved him, but the ransom that God has found, even though God, who judgeth the actions, may have justly recognised what of righteousness there was in man.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Job 33 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 24. Then he is gracious unto him] He exercises mercy towards fallen man, and gives command for his respite and pardon. Deliver him from going down to the pit] Let him who is thus instructed, penitent, and afflicted, and comes to me, find a pardon; for:- VI. I have found a ransom.] כפר copher, an atonement. Pay a ransom for him, פדעהו pedaehu, that he may not go down to the pit-to corruption or destruction, for I have found out an atonement. It is this that gives efficacy to all the preceding means; without which they would be useless, and the salvation of man impossible. I must think that the redemption of a lost world, by Jesus Christ, is not obscurely signified in Job 33:23-24.…

Read AdamClarke on Job 33 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

24. then he is gracious] God is gracious; God, not the angel, is the speaker in the rest of the verse. It is assumed that when the sufferer is shewn what is right (Job 33:23) he follows it; then God is gracious unto him, and commands that he be delivered from his affliction and saved from death. It is hardly of consequence to enquire what the ransom is which God has found. It may be the sinner’s repentance and return to rectitude; or it may be that the affliction is held sufficient (Isaiah 40:2; Job 36:18); or possibly the words may mean nothing more than that God is pleased of His goodness to hold the sinner as ransomed and delivered from the consequences of his sin.

Read Cambridge on Job 33 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Then he is gracious unto him - That is, on the supposition that he hears and regards what the messenger of God communicates.

Read Albert Barnes on Job 33 →

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

to be gracious to him and say, ‘Spare him from going down to the Pit; I have found his ransom,’

WEBWorld English Bible2000

then God is gracious to him, and says, ‘Deliver him from going down to the pit, I have found a ransom.’

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

to be gracious to him and say, ‘Spare him from going down to the Pit; I have found his ransom,’

NETBNew English Translation2006

and if God is gracious to him and says, ‘Spare him from going down to the place of corruption, I have found a ransom for him,’

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Then he is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Then God is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit, I have found a ransom.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Then he is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit, I have found a ransom.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Then he is gracious to him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Then will he haue mercie vpon him, and will say, Deliuer him, that he go not downe into the pit: for I haue receiued a reconciliation.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Then he will be gracious unto him, and say, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Then He doth favour him and saith, 'Ransom him from going down to the pit, I have found an atonement.'

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Then He favors him and says, || Ransom him from going down to the pit, || I have found an atonement.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Then is he gracious unto him, and saith, Release him from going down to the pit, I have found an atonement.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

and if the angel is kind to him and says to God, 'Save this person from going down to the pit; I have found a ransom for him,'

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

He shall have mercy on him, and shall say: Deliver him, that he may not go down to corruption: I have found wherein I may be merciful to him.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

he will be gracious to them. He will say, ‘Save them from going down into the grave, for I have found a way to free them.’

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And if he has mercy on him, and says, Let him not go down to the underworld, I have given the price for his life:

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.

וַandclauseverbיְחֻנֶּ֗heobjectנּוּshowed.favor.to.himוַandclauseverbיֹּ֗אמֶרhe.saidclauseclauseverbפְּ֭דָעֵdeliverobjectהוּhimprepositional phrase · prepositionalמֵfromclauseverbרֶ֥דֶתgoing.downadverbialשָׁ֗חַת[the].pitclauseverbמָצָ֥אתִיI.have.foundobjectכֹֽפֶרa.ransom

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


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

The Masoretic Text presents the verse as it stands, while the Septuagint shows less correspondence, with only one word matched. The Dead Sea Scrolls (4Q99) provide a version that aligns closely with the Masoretic Text, although it includes several supplied words by an editor, indicating some textual restoration.

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

וַיְחֻנֶּ֗נּוּ וַיֹּ֗אמֶר פְּ֭דָעֵהוּ מֵרֶ֥דֶת שָׁ֗חַת מָצָ֥אתִי כֹֽפֶר׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
פְּ֭דָעֵהוּἀνθέχεται

1 of the 7 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q99a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[ויחנ׳נו] [ויאמר] [פדע׳הו] [מרדת] [שחת] [מצאתי] [כפר]

nothing on the leather here — 7 supplied entire by an editor.

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 33:24חָנַןand he showand he showed fחָנַןאָמַרand he saidand he saidאָמַרפָּדַעdeliver himdeliver himפָּדַעיָרַדfrom going from going downיָרַדשַׁ֫חַת[the] pit[the] pitשַׁ֫חַתמָצָאI have founI have foundמָצָאכֹּפֶרa ransoma ransomכֹּפֶרשׁוּחַto sinkto sinkשׁוּחַכִּפֶּרto atoneto atoneכִּפֶּרחָנָהto campto campחָנָהלָוָהto jointo joinלָוָהכֹּהthusthusכֹּהיהוהYHWH/GodYHWH/Godיהוהשְׁאוֹלhell: Sheohell: Sheolשְׁאוֹלבּוֹרpitpitבּוֹרכוּרto digto digכוּררֶ֫שֶׁתnetnetרֶ֫שֶׁתחֵןfavorfavorחֵןבָּקַשׁto seekto seekבָּקַשׁצַדִּיקrighteousrighteousצַדִּיקנָטָהto stretchto stretchנָטָה
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 33:24

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.

and he showed favor to him and he said deliver him from going down [the] pit I have found a ransom
וַיְחֻנֶּ֗נּוּvay.chun.Ne.nu and he showed favor to him H2603 Verb qal sequential imperfect third person masculine singular · suffix
78× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to show kindness or favor, often by bending or stooping to help someone in need, as seen in the actions of God towards his people.
Amplified meaning
show kindness, have mercy
Tyndale gloss
be gracious
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חָנַן (chanan) is a Hebrew verb meaning to show favor or be gracious. It encompasses various forms, including being pitied, directing favor, and seeking favor through imploration. The word can also mean to be loathsome, as noted in Job 19:17. The lexicons provide a range of uses, primarily focusing on kindness and mercy.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חָנַן vb. shew favour, be gracious

Qal favour, shew favour

Niph. be pitied

Po‛el direct favour to

Hoph. be shewn favour, consideration

Hithp. seek or implore favour

base

[חָנַן] be loathsome—only Jb 19:17

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2603a חָנַן shew favour, be gracious .favour, shew favour

. be pitied

.direct favour to

. be shewn favour, consideration

. seek or implore favour

H2603b חָנַן be loathsome

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2603 chanan khaw-nan'

a primitive root (compare 2583); properly, to bend or stoop

in kindness to an inferior; to favor, bestow; causatively to

implore (i.e. move to favor by petition):--beseech, X fair,

(be, find, shew) favour(-able), be (deal, give, grant

(gracious(-ly), intreat, (be) merciful, have (shew) mercy (on,

upon), have pity upon, pray, make supplication, X very.

see HEBREW for 02583

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חָנַן (cha.nan) — be gracious.

1) to be gracious, show favour, pity

1a) (Qal) to show favour, be gracious

1b) (Niphal) to be pitied

1c) (Piel) to make gracious, make favourable, be gracious

1d) (Poel) to direct favour to, have mercy on

1e) (Hophal) to be shown favour, be shown consideration

1f) (Hithpael) to seek favour, implore favour

חָנַן (cha.nan) — be loathsome.

to be loathsome

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms | Suff — Verb qal sequential imperfect third person masculine singular · suffix
Hc/Vqw3ms/Sp3ms
and he showed favor to him and he said deliver him from going down [the] pit I have found a ransom
וַיֹּ֗אמֶרvai.Yo.mer and he said H559 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
5,309× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to say or speak, and it's used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to command, promise, or think, and it's translated in the KJV as 'answer', 'appoint', or 'command'.
Tyndale gloss
to say
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָמַר (amar) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to say' or 'to utter,' with a broad range of uses including to promise, command, or even boast. It appears in various forms, such as in the Qal (to say), Niphal (to be told), and Hiphil (to avow). The entries highlight its versatility in both spoken and internal contexts, though no specific verse is noted.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָמַר 5287 vb. utter, say

Qal

Say

Say in the heart (= think)

Promise

Command (esp. late)

Niph. be said, told

Hiph. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

Hithp. act proudly, boast

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H559 אָמַר utter, say .. Say

. Say in the heart (= think)

. Promise

. Command (esp. late)

. be said, told

. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

. act proudly, boast

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

559 'amar aw-mar'

a primitive root; to say (used with great

latitude):--answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call,

certify, challenge, charge, + (at the, give) command(-ment),

commune, consider, declare, demand, X desire, determine, X

expressly, X indeed, X intend, name, X plainly, promise,

publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), X still, X

suppose, talk, tell, term, X that is, X think, use (speech),

utter, X verily, X yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָמַר (a.mar) — to say.

1) to say, speak, utter

1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend

1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called

1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly

1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch

Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he showed favor to him and he said deliver him from going down [the] pit I have found a ransom
פְּ֭דָעֵהוּPe.da.'e.hu deliver him H6308 Verb qal imperative second person masculine singular · suffix
1× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to deliver or retrieve, like when God delivered the Israelites from the Egyptians. Its meaning is not entirely certain, but it involves rescuing or saving someone from a difficult situation. This concept appears in various stories throughout the Old Testament.
Amplified meaning
deliver, release
Tyndale gloss
to deliver
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

פָּדַע (pada`) is a Hebrew verb that means to deliver, though its precise meaning is uncertain. It is a primitive root and appears in contexts suggesting retrieval or rescue, notably in Job 33:24. The entries indicate some ambiguity regarding its usage and meaning.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[פָּדַע] vb. dub. only Jb 33:24 a mng. like deliver him needed

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6308 פָּדַע

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6308 pada` paw-dah'

a primitive root; to retrieve:--deliver.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

פָּדַע (pa.da) — to deliver.

1) (Qal) to deliver

1a) meaning uncertain

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Impv-2ms | Suff — Verb qal imperative second person masculine singular · suffix
HVqv2ms/Sp3ms
and he showed favor to him and he said deliver him from going down [the] pit I have found a ransom
מֵרֶ֥דֶתme.Re.det from going down H3381 Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
381× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To go down or descend, like going to a lower place or falling. It appears in Genesis and Exodus, describing people and things moving downwards.
Amplified meaning
descending, falling
Tyndale gloss
to go down
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word יָרַד (yarad) means to come or go down, covering various contexts such as descending from mountains, going to battle, or sinking in water. It can also refer to divine manifestations descending or being prostrated. The word has different forms including Qal, Hiphil, and Hophal, which indicate various nuances of bringing down or being brought down.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָרַד 380 vb. come or go down, descend

Qal 306

come or go down

go down (usu. from mountain or hill-country into plain), to battle

go down to (acc.) threshing-floor

go down (abs.) from Palestine to Egypt

from Jerusalem

from altar

go down

= sink, in water

go down to She’ôl

fig. going down (dissolving) in tears

= be prostrated

of divine manifestations: descend

of inanimate things

Hiph.

cause to come or go down

bring down

send down rain = cause to flow down

= lay prostrate to (acc.) threshing-floor

bring down to She’ôl

take down (from cart)

let down

Hoph.

be brought down

be taken down

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3381 יָרַד come or go down, descend .. . come or go down

. go down (usu. from mountain or hill-country into plain), to battle

. go down to (acc.) threshing-floor

. go down (abs.) from Palestine to Egypt

. from Jerusalem

. from altar

. go down

. = sink, in water

. go down to She’ôl

. fig. going down (dissolving) in tears

. = be prostrated

. of divine manifestations: descend

. of inanimate things

. . cause to come or go down . bring down

. send down rain = cause to flow down

. = lay prostrate to (acc.) threshing-floor

. bring down to She’ôl

. take down (from cart)

. let down

. . be brought down

. be taken down

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3381 yarad yaw-rad'

a primitive root; to descend (literally, to go downwards; or

conventionally to a lower region, as the shore, a boundary,

the enemy, etc.; or figuratively, to fall); causatively, to

bring down (in all the above applications); -X abundantly,

bring down, carry down, cast down, (cause to) come(-ing) down,

fall (down), get down, go(-ing) down(-ward), hang down, X

indeed, let down, light (down), put down (off), (cause to,

let) run down, sink, subdue, take down.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָרַד (ya.rad) — to go down.

1) to go down, descend, decline, march down, sink down

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go or come down

1a2) to sink

1a3) to be prostrated

1a4) to come down (of revelation)

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to bring down

1b2) to send down

1b3) to take down

1b4) to lay prostrate

1b5) to let down

1c) (Hophal)

1c1) to be brought down

1c2) to be taken down

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a — Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
HR/Vqcc
and he showed favor to him and he said deliver him from going down [the] pit I have found a ransom
שָׁ֗חַתSha.chat [the] pit H7845 Noun common · feminine singular absolute
23× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This noun refers to a pit or grave, and it is often used figuratively to describe destruction or corruption, as seen in Proverbs and other books.
Amplified meaning
grave, place of destruction
Tyndale gloss
pit: grave
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word שַׁ֫חַת (shachath) means 'pit' and is derived from a root that suggests destruction or corruption. It covers a range of meanings including a physical pit, grave, and figuratively, hell or destruction. The entries note its use in contexts related to traps and Sheol, the grave.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שַׁ֫חַת n.f. pit

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7845 שַׁ֫חַת pit

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7845 shachath shakh'-ath

from 7743; a pit (especially as a trap); figuratively,

destruction:--corruption, destruction, ditch, grave, pit.

see HEBREW for 07743

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שַׁ֫חַת (sha.chat) — Pit: hell.

Pit, of hell

Another name of she.ol (שְׁאוֹל "Sheol" H7585)

This name means pit, grave

שַׁ֫חַת (sha.chat) — pit: grave.

1) pit, destruction, grave

1a) pit (for catching lions)

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

The word translates different Hebrew words of which the most important are:

(1) bor, "pit" or "cistern," made by digging, (Ge 37:20); hence, "dungeon" (Jer 38:6, margin "pit");

(2) be'er, "pit" or "well" made by digging (Ge 21:25);

(3) she'ol, generally rendered "hell" in the King James Version (see HELL);

(4) shachath, a pit in the ground to catch wild animals. (1), (2) and (4) above are used metaphorically of the pit of the "grave" or of "sheol" (Ps 28:1; 30:3; Job 33:24). the King James Version sometimes incorrectly renders (4) by "corruption."

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Pit

A hole in the ground (Ex. 21:33, 34), a cistern for water (Gen. 37:24; Jer. 14:3), a vault (41:9), a grave (Ps. 30:3). It is used as a figure for mischief (Ps. 9:15), and is the name given to the unseen place of woe (Rev. 20:1, 3). The slime-pits in the vale of Siddim were wells which yielded asphalt (Gen. 14:10).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

[HELL]

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A reservoir, either natural or artificial, for water. Pits were sometimes used as dungeons, Ge 37:20; Jer 38:6; or being slightly covered, and baited, they served as traps to catch wild beasts, a device which illustrates the plots of designing men and women, Ps 119:85; Pr 22:14; 26:27; Eze 19:4. The word pit is also used to denote the grave, Ps 28:1; 30:3,9; and hell, Re 20:1.

and he showed favor to him and he said deliver him from going down [the] pit I have found a ransom
מָצָ֥אתִיma.Tza.ti I have found H4672 Verb · Qal · perfect first person common singular
455× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Matsa means to find or attain something, whether it is a physical object, a person, or a condition, as seen in various KJV translations.
Amplified meaning
discovered, attained
Tyndale gloss
to find
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מָצָא (matsa') is a Hebrew verb meaning to find or attain. It encompasses a range of actions, including discovering something lost, encountering someone, or coming upon a situation. The word can also imply being present or sufficient. Lexicons note various forms and uses, including Qal, Niphal, and Hiphil, which indicate different nuances of finding and encountering.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מָצָא 452 vb. attain to, find

Qal

find

find out

= come upon, light upon

noteworthy phrases

Niph. pass. of Qal, be found

Hiph.

cause to find, attain

cause to light upon, come upon, come

cause to encounter

present unto

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4672 מָצָא attain to, find

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4672 matsa' maw-tsaw'

a primitive root; properly, to come forth to, i.e. appear or

exist; transitively, to attain, i.e. find or acquire;

figuratively, to occur, meet or be present:--+ be able,

befall, being, catch, X certainly, (cause to) come (on, to, to

hand), deliver, be enough (cause to) find(-ing, occasion,

out), get (hold upon), X have (here), be here, hit, be left,

light (up-)on, meet (with), X occasion serve, (be) present,

ready, speed, suffice, take hold on.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מָצָא (ma.tsa) — to find.

1) to find, attain to

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to find

1a1a) to find, secure, acquire, get (thing sought)

1a1b) to find (what is lost)

1a1c) to meet, encounter

1a1d) to find (a condition)

1a1e) to learn, devise

1a2) to find out

1a2a) to find out

1a2b) to detect

1a2c) to guess

1a3) to come upon, light upon

1a3a) to happen upon, meet, fall in with

1a3b) to hit

1a3c) to befall

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be found

1b1a) to be encountered, be lighted upon, be discovered

1b1b) to appear, be recognised

1b1c) to be discovered, be detected

1b1d) to be gained, be secured

1b2) to be, be found

1b2a) to be found in

1b2b) to be in the possession of

1b2c) to be found in (a place), happen to be

1b2d) to be left (after war)

1b2e) to be present

1b2f) to prove to be

1b2g) to be found sufficient, be enough

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to cause to find, attain

1c2) to cause to light upon, come upon, come

1c3) to cause to encounter

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-1cs — Verb · Qal · perfect first person common singular
HVqp1cs
and he showed favor to him and he said deliver him from going down [the] pit I have found a ransom
כֹֽפֶר׃Kho.fer a ransom H3724 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
17× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means a cover or a village, and also refers to bitumen, henna, and a redemption price. It is translated as bribe, ransom, or satisfaction in the KJV Bible. The word has various meanings in different contexts.
Amplified meaning
redemption price, payment for his life
Tyndale gloss
ransom
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כֹּפֶר (kofer) has several meanings, including 'ransom' or 'price of a life,' 'pitch' (as in bitumen), 'henna' (a plant), and 'village.' It is derived from a root meaning 'cover.' The word appears in contexts related to redemption and construction, notably in Genesis 6:14 and 1 Samuel 6:18.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כֹּפֶר n.m. the price of a life, ransom

base

כֹּ֫פֶר n.m. pitch—Gn 6:14 (P).

ref

כֹּ֫פֶר n.m. name of a plant, El Ḥenna

base

כֹּפֶר n.[m.] village;—only sg. cstr. 1 S 6:18

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3724a כֹּפֶר the price of a life, ransom H3724b כֹּ֫פֶר pitch H3724c כֹּ֫פֶר name of a plant H3724d כֹּפֶר village

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3724 kopher ko'-fer

from 3722; properly, a cover, i.e. (literally) a village (as

covered in); (specifically) bitumen (as used for coating), and

the henna plant (as used for dyeing); figuratively, a

redemption-price:--bribe, camphire, pitch, ransom,

satisfaction, sum of money, village.

see HEBREW for 03722

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כֹּפֶר (ko.pher) — ransom.

price of a life, ransom, bribe

כֹּ֫פֶר (ko.pher) — pitch.

asphalt, pitch (as a covering)

כֹּ֫פֶר (ko.pher) — henna.

the henna plant, name of a plant (henna?)

כֹּפֶר (ko.pher) — village.

village

Another spelling of ka.phar (כָּפָר "village" H3723H)

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

ran'-sum (the noun occurs in the English Bible 12 times (Ex 21:30 the King James Version pidhyon; Ex 30:12; Job 33:24; 36:18; Pr 6:35; 13:8; 21:18; Isa 43:3, kopher; Mt 20:28; Mr 10:45, lutron; 1Ti 2:6, antilutron); the verbal form occurs 4 times (Isa 35:10; Ho 13:14, padhah; Isa 51:10 the King…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Ransom

The price or payment made for our redemption, as when it is said that the Son of man “gave his life a ransom for many” (Matt. 20:28; comp. Acts 20:28; Rom. 3:23, 24; 1 Cor. 6:19, 20; Gal. 3:13; 4:4, 5: Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:14; 1 Tim. 2:6; Titus 2:14; 1 Pet. 1:18, 19. In all these passages the same idea is expressed). This word is derived from the Fr.…

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Of a man' s life Ex 21:30; 30:12; Job 36:18; Ps 49:7,8; Pr 6:35; 13:8; Ho 13:14

→ FIGURATIVE Job 33:24; Isa 35:10; 51:10; Mt 20:28; 1Ti 2:6

See JESUS

See SAVIOUR

See REDEMPTION

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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