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Job 34:28 — Word Study

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WLCלְהָבִ֣יא עָ֭לָיו צַֽעֲקַת־ דָּ֑ל וְצַעֲקַ֖ת עֲנִיִּ֣ים יִשְׁמָֽע׃

BSAThey caused the crytsaʻăqâh [voice of distress, outcry] of the poordal [needy, weak, destitute] to comebôwʼ before Himʻal [to His attention, into His presence] and He heardshâmaʻ [listened to, gave attention to] the outcrytsaʻăqâh [cry of anguish, desperate plea] of the afflictedʻânîy [oppressed, humble, suffering ones]

Word
Listen & take awayJob 34
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 28 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 (yish.Ma') — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Job 34:28quick helps
In a sentenceThe verse describes how the cries of the poor reach God, and He responds to the suffering of the afflicted.
Who is speakingElihu, one of Job's friends, addressing the issue of God's justice.
Where we areIn a discourse on God's attentiveness to human suffering, particularly the plight of the needy.
The hard wordצְעָקָה, tza'akah
Take awayGod hears the cries of those in need and responds to their distress.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbשָׁמַע 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 34:28

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 — Elihu's Discourse on Justicegenerated

27because they turned aside from Him and had no regard for any of His ways.
28They caused the cry of the poor to come before Him, and He heard the outcry of the afflicted.
29But when He remains silent, who can condemn Him? When He hides His face, who can see Him? Yet He watches over both man and nation,
30that godless men should not rule or lay snares for the people.

Job 34:28 is part of Elihu's argument that God is just and attentive to the cries of the oppressed. Elihu emphasizes that God listens to the outcry of the poor and afflicted, demonstrating His concern for justice. This discourse highlights the moral responsibility of humanity to care for the needy, reflecting a broader theme found throughout the book of Job.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Job 22:9–10You sent widows away empty-handed, and the strength of the fatherless was crushed.
2Job 24:12From the city, men groan, and the souls of the wounded cry out, yet God charges no one with wrongdoing.
3Job 29:12–13because I rescued the poor who cried out and the fatherless who had no helper.
4Job 31:19–20if I have seen one perish for lack of clothing, or a needy man without a cloak,
5Job 35:9Men cry out under great oppression; they plead for relief from the arm of the mighty.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 11 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word צְעָקָה, tza.'a.kat-generated

The word צְעָקָה (tza'akah) refers to a cry or outcry, often associated with distress and anguish. It is derived from a root that conveys a strong emotional expression, indicating a plea for help. In this verse, it signifies the desperate call of the poor and afflicted, reaching God's ears.

This term emphasizes the emotional weight of the cries of those who suffer. It is used in contexts where individuals are seeking relief from oppression, making it a powerful representation of human suffering that demands divine attention.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

In the Berean Standard Bible, the verse uses outcry to translate צְעָקַת and poor for דָּל, which is consistent with the KJV and ASV.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The finite verbs in this verse are הָבִ֣יא (he caused to come) and יִשְׁמָֽע (he heard), which govern the structure. The first verb introduces the action of bringing the cries before God, while the second verb indicates God's response to those cries.

The sentence structure emphasizes the cause-and-effect relationship: the cries of the poor are brought to God's attention, and in turn, He hears and responds to them.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates לְהָבִ֣יא as ἐπαγαγεῖν, which means 'to bring in' or 'to lead to.' This choice reflects the act of presenting the cries of the needy before God, emphasizing the importance of bringing their plight to His attention.

For צְעָקָה, the LXX uses κραυγὴν, which carries a similar connotation of a loud cry or outcry, reinforcing the urgency and desperation of the pleas from the afflicted.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Job 34:28 explains that the cries of the poor reach God, and He listens to the outcry of those who are suffering. This verse highlights God's attentiveness to the needs of the afflicted and the importance of their voices being heard.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that God hears the cry of the poor?

It signifies that God is aware of and responsive to the suffering of those in need, emphasizing His justice and compassion.

How does this verse relate to the overall message of Job?

It reinforces the theme of God's justice and the importance of caring for the needy, contrasting with the arguments of Job's friends who questioned God's fairness.

Why is the cry of the afflicted significant?

The cry represents a plea for help and justice, highlighting the emotional and physical suffering that demands attention and response from God.

What can we learn from God's response to the cries of the poor?

We learn the importance of listening to and advocating for those who are suffering, reflecting God's character in our own actions.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways can I be more attentive to the needs of those who are suffering around me?
  2. How does understanding God's attentiveness to the cries of the poor change my perspective on justice?
  3. What practical steps can I take to advocate for the afflicted in my community?
  4. How can I ensure that I am not turning a blind eye to the cries of the needy?

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

Gregory the Dialogist references this verse to discuss the relationship between pride and the cries of the oppressed, emphasizing God's attentiveness to their pleas.

Gregory the DialogistMorals on the Book of Job, Book XXV c. 540–604
That they might cause the cry of the needy to come to Him, and that He might hear the voice of the poor. For when these men are proud, they who are oppressed by their pride, cry aloud to God.
Early Church Fathers on Job 34 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Job 34:28 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

So that they cause the cry of the poor to come to him,.... To God; through their oppressions of the poor they are made to cry by reason of them, and who come to God with their cries, and tears, and

Read John Gill on Job 34 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Because they turned back from him, and would not consider any of his ways: The grounds of their punishment in Job 34:26; Job 34:28 states in what respect they "considered not God's ways" - namely, by

Read Robert Jamieson on Job 34 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

So that they cause, Heb. to bring, &c., which is ambiguous, and may be read, either, 1. That he, i.e. God, might bring, &c. So this is a reason why God smote them, &c., as is said, . Or, 2. That they, i.e. those wicked men, might bring, &c.; and so these words contain either, 1. A reason of what was last mentioned, to wit, why they would not consider nor walk in God’ s ways, because they were resolved to oppress the poor, and give them cause to cry unto God; which they neither could nor would have done, if they had thoroughly understood and considered God’ s ways. Or, 2. An evidence or instance of it, wherein it did appear that they had turned back from God, &c. Unto him, i.e. unto God, as…

Read Matthew Poole on Job 34 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Job 34:28 So that they cause the cry of the poor to come unto him, and he heareth the cry of the afflicted.Ver. 28. So that they cause the cry of the poor, &c.] These they compel, by their oppressions, to wash the earth with their tears, and to importune heaven with their complaints, as Senault phraseth it. The wicked do, as it were, bring up to God the cries of the poor oppressed, and so pull upon themselves inevitable destruction, for he is the poor man’ s patron, and heareth the cry of the afflicted. The Grand Signior would have the world take notice, that such as lament unto him shall be sure to have redress and succour from him. Wherefore also he calleth himself, Awlem Penawh, The…

Read John Trapp on Job 34 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 28. So that they cause the cry of the poor] They were cruel and oppressive: the poor cried through their distresses, and against their oppressors; and God heard the cry of the poor. Nothing so dreadful appears in the court of heaven against an unfeeling, hardhearted, and cruel man of power, as the prayers, tears, and groans of the poor. In times of little liberality, when some men thought they did God service by persecuting those who did not exactly receive their creed, nor worship God in their way, a certain great man in Scotland grievously persecuted his tenants, because they had religious meetings in private houses out of the order of the establishment; though he never molested…

Read AdamClarke on Job 34 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

28. so that they cause the cry] Rather, thus he causeth the cry of the poor to come before Him; lit. to cause (or, causing) to come. The words sum up the general purpose (or, effect) of God’s destructive judgments on the oppressors; He thus brings before Him and hears the cry of the afflicted.

Read Cambridge on Job 34 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

So that they cause the cry of the poor to come unto him - - Their character is that of oppressors.

Read Albert Barnes on Job 34 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

28. The cry of the poor — Apostasy and neglect of God culminated in the cruel treatment of the poor, which brings down upon the wicked his wrath.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Job 34 →

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

They caused the cry of the poor to come before Him, and He heard the outcry of the afflicted.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

so that they caused the cry of the poor to come to him. He heard the cry of the afflicted.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

They caused the cry of the poor to come before Him, and He heard the outcry of the afflicted.

NETBNew English Translation2006

so that they caused the cry of the poor to come before him, so that he hears the cry of the needy.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

So that they cause the cry of the poor to come unto him, and he heareth the cry of the afflicted.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

So that they caused the cry of the poor to come unto him, And he heard the cry of the afflicted.

RVARevised Version, American1894

So that they caused the cry of the poor to come unto him, and he heard the cry of the afflicted.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

So that they cause the cry of the poor to come to him, and he heareth the cry of the afflicted.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

So that they haue caused the voyce of the poore to come vnto him, and he hath heard the cry of the afflicted.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

So that they cause the cry of the poor to come unto him, and he heareth the cry of the afflicted.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

To cause to come in unto Him The cry of the poor, And the cry of the afflicted He heareth.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

To cause to come to Him || The cry of the poor, || And He hears the cry of the afflicted.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Bringing before them the cry of the indigent, and the cry of the afflicted which he had to hear.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

In this way, they made the cry of poor people come to him; he heard the cry of afflicted people.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

So that they caused the cry of the needy to come to him, and he heard the voice of the poor.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

They made the poor call out to him, and he heard the cries of the oppressed.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

So that the cry of the poor might come up to him, and the prayer of those in need come to his ears.

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.

clauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalלְtoclauseverbהָבִ֣יאcause.to.comeprepositional phrase · prepositionalעָ֭לָיtoוhimnoun phrase · objectצַֽעֲקַת[the].outcryדָּ֑לof.[the].poorוְand.[the]clausenoun phrase · objectצַעֲקַ֖תoutcryעֲנִיִּ֣יםof.afflicted.[people]verbיִשְׁמָֽעhe.heard

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 agree closely in wording, with all seven words matched. This indicates a strong consistency in the transmission of this verse across these ancient texts.

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

לְהָבִ֣יא עָ֭לָיו צַֽעֲקַת־ דָּ֑ל וְצַעֲקַ֖ת עֲנִיִּ֣ים יִשְׁמָֽע׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
לְהָבִ֣יאἐπαγαγεῖνעָ֭לָיוαὐτὸνצַֽעֲקַת־κραυγὴνדָּ֑לπένητοςוְצַעֲקַ֖תκραυγὴνעֲנִיִּ֣יםπτωξῶνיִשְׁמָֽע׃εἰσακούσεται

7 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.

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 34:28בּוֹאto cause toto cause to comבּוֹאעַלto himto himעַלצְעָקָה[the] outcr[the] outcry ofצְעָקָהדַּל[the] poor[the] poorדַּלצְעָקָהand [the] oand [the] outcrצְעָקָהעָנִיafflicted [afflicted [peopעָנִישָׁמַעhe heardhe heardשָׁמַעצָעַקto cryto cryצָעַקדָּלַלto languisto languishדָּלַלעָנָהbe occupiebe occupiedעָנָהעַלheightheightעַליְלָלָהwailingwailingיְלָלָהחֹרוֹנַיִםHoronaimHoronaimחֹרוֹנַיִםאֶבְיוֹןneedyneedyאֶבְיוֹןשֶׁ֫מֶשׁsunsunשֶׁ֫מֶשׁכִּפֶּרto atoneto atoneכִּפֶּרכִּסֵּאthronethroneכִּסֵּאעָשִׁירrichrichעָשִׁירחָטַףto catchto catchחָטַףקוֹלvoice: souvoice: soundקוֹלקָשַׁבto listento listenקָשַׁב
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 34:28

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.

to cause to come to him [the] outcry of [the] poor and [the] outcry of afflicted [people] he heard
לְהָבִ֣יאle.ha.Vi' to cause to come H935 Preposition · verb hiphil infinitive construct common
2,573× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to go or come, and is used in many contexts, such as entering a place or approaching someone, as seen in the book of Genesis. It can also mean to abide or apply, and is translated in various ways in the KJV Bible. This term is related to the name Lebo Hamath.
Tyndale gloss
Lebo
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בּוֹא (bo) is a Hebrew verb meaning to come or go in, with a wide range of applications including entering, arriving, and bringing in. It can refer to both physical movement and abstract concepts like events coming to pass. The verb appears in various forms, such as Qal (to come), Hiphil (to cause to come), and Hophal (to be brought). There is no significant disagreement among lexicons regarding its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בּוֹא 2569 vb. come in, come, go in, go

Qal

come in

come (approach, arrive)

go, i.e. walk, associate with

go from speaker, but with limit of motion given

Hiph.

cause to come in, bring in (conduct, lead, obj. persons and animals)

cause to come, bring, bring near, etc. (animate obj.)

Hoph.

be brought in (of pers. and things)

be brought

be introduced, put

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H935 בּוֹא come in, come, go in, go .. come in

. come (approach, arrive)

. go, i.e. walk, associate with

. go from speaker, but with limit of motion given

. . cause to come in, bring in (conduct, lead, obj. persons and animals)

. cause to come, bring, bring near, etc. (animate obj.)

. . be brought in (of pers. and things)

. be brought

. be introduced, put

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

935 bow' bo

a primitive root; to go or come (in a wide variety of

applications):--abide, apply, attain, X be, befall, +

besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, X

certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out,

upon, to pass), depart, X doubtless again, + eat, + employ,

(cause to) enter (in, into, -tering, -trance, -try), be

fallen, fetch, + follow, get, give, go (down, in, to war),

grant, + have, X indeed, (in-)vade, lead, lift (up), mention,

pull in, put, resort, run (down), send, set, X (well) stricken

(in age), X surely, take (in), way.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בּוֹא (bo) — to come (in): come.

: come/go_in

1) to go in, enter, come, go, come in

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to enter, come in

1a2) to come

1a2a) to come with

1a2b) to come upon, fall or light upon, attack (enemy)

1a2c) to come to pass

1a3) to attain to

1a4) to be enumerated

1a5) to go

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to lead in

1b2) to carry in

1b3) to bring in, cause to come in, gather, cause to come, bring near, bring against, bring upon

1b4) to bring to pass

1c) (Hophal)

1c1) to be brought, brought in

1c2) to be introduced, be put

לְב֥וֹא (bo) — Lebo-(Hamath).

This name means to go in, enter

Combined with cha.mat (חֲמָת "Hamath" H2574)

בּוֹא (bo) — to come (in): towards.

: towards/entrance

1) to go in, enter, come, go, come in

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to enter, come in

1a2) to come

1a2a) to come with

1a2b) to come upon, fall or light upon, attack (enemy)

1a2c) to come to pass

1a3) to attain to

1a4) to be enumerated

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | V-Hiphil-Inf-a — Preposition · verb hiphil infinitive construct common
HR/Vhcc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

kum: The translation of many Hebrew and Greek words. In the phrase "The Spirit of Yahweh came mightily upon him" (Jud 14:6,19; 15:14; 1Sa 10:10; 11:6; 16:13), the word is tsaleah; Jud 14:6; 15:14 "came mightily," which is the uniform translation of the Revised Version (British and American) (compare Jud 13:25 "to move," i.e. to disturb or stir up). In Jud 6:34; 1Ch 12:18; 2Ch 24:20, it is labhesh, "to clothe"; the Revised Version, margin "The Spirit .... clothed itself with Gideon" and .... "with Zechariah,"…

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
to cause to come to him [the] outcry of [the] poor and [the] outcry of afflicted [people] he heard
עָ֭לָיו'A.lav to him H5921 Preposition · suffix
5,774× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means on or above something, like a physical object or a situation. It can also imply a sense of responsibility or accountability, as in being on behalf of someone.
Amplified meaning
to His attention, into His presence
Tyndale gloss
upon
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עַל (*al*) is a preposition meaning 'upon' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including 'on account of,' 'beside,' 'above,' and 'against.' It can indicate physical placement, emotional burdens, or duties imposed on a person. The entries also note its use in idiomatic expressions and with verbs of motion. There is a mention of its function as a conjunction in certain contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

base

עַל, עָ֑ל

subst. height

As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against

Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed

of clothing, etc., which any one wears

With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it

Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him

Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him

על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him

חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5921a עַל, עָ֑ל . As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against . Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed . — . of clothing, etc., which any one wears

. With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it

. Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him

. Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him

. על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him

. חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5921 `al al

properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the

singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a

particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always

in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great

variety of applications (as follow):--above, according

to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because

of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both

and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in

(that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-)on, over, than,

through(-out), to, touching, X with.

see HEBREW for 05920

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עַל (al) — upon.

prep

1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against

1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards

1b) above, beyond, over (of excess)

1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence)

1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition)

1e) over (of suspension or extension)

1f) by, adjoining, next, at, over, around (of contiguity or proximity)

1g) down upon, upon, on, from, up upon, up to, towards, over towards, to, against (with verbs of motion)

1h) to (as a dative)

[כִּי] עַל [כֵּן] ([ki] al [ken]) — as.

conj

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | Suff — Preposition · suffix
HR/Sp3ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
to cause to come to him [the] outcry of [the] poor and [the] outcry of afflicted [people] he heard
צַֽעֲקַת־tza.'a.kat- [the] outcry of H6818 Noun common · feminine singular construct
21× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A cry or outcry is what this word represents, often a cry of distress that reaches God's ears, as seen in Exodus where the Israelites cry out against slavery.
Amplified meaning
voice of distress, outcry
Tyndale gloss
cry
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

צְעָקָה (tsa`aqah) refers to a cry or outcry, often associated with distress. It is derived from the root word for a shriek, indicating a strong emotional expression. The term encompasses both general cries and specific outcries against injustice, particularly those that are heard by God.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

צְעָקָה n.f. cry, outcry

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6818 צְעָקָה, צַעֲקָה

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6818 tsa`aqah tsah-ak-aw'

from 6817; a shriek:--cry(-ing).

see HEBREW for 06817

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

צְעָקָה (tsa.a.qah) — cry.

1) cry, outcry

1a) outcry (against)

1b) cry of distress (especially as heard by God)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs — 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…

to cause to come to him [the] outcry of [the] poor and [the] outcry of afflicted [people] he heard
דָּ֑לDal [the] poor H1800 Adj
47× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for someone who is poor or weak, often describing those in need of help or assistance. In the book of Proverbs, it warns against oppressing the poor, and in Psalm 35:10, it describes the needy and the poor. The word is also used in Isaiah 41:17.
Amplified meaning
needy, weak, destitute
Tyndale gloss
poor
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word דַּל (dal) is built from the root meaning 'dangling' or 'weak.' It covers a range of meanings including low, weak, poor, and thin, and is particularly noted in wisdom literature and poetry. The entries consistently emphasize its connotations of neediness and weakness.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

דַּל adj. low, weak, poor, thin (especially common in Wisd. lit. and poet.)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1800 דַּל low, weak, poor, thin (especially common in Wisd. lit. and poet.)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1800 dal dal

from 1809; properly, dangling, i.e. (by implication) weak or

thin:--lean, needy, poor (man), weaker.

see HEBREW for 01809

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

דַּל (dal) — poor.

low, poor, weak, thin, one who is low

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Adj
HAamsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

poor ('ebhyon, dal, `ani, rush; ptochos):

I. In the Old Testament.

The poor have great prominence in the Bible; it is said, indeed, that there should be no poor among the Hebrews because Yahweh should so greatly bless them (De 15:4 the Revised Version (British and American) and the King James Version margin); but this was only to be realized on certain conditions of obedience (De 15:5), and in De 15:11 it is said,"The poor will never cease out of the land"; but they were to see to it that none was left in destitution. The very foundation of the Hebrew religion was God's pity on a poor and oppressed people.

1. The Terms Employed:

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Poor

The Mosaic legislation regarding the poor is specially important. (1.) They had the right of gleaning the fields (Lev. 19:9, 10; Deut. 24:19,21).

(2.) In the sabbatical year they were to have their share of the produce of the fields and the vineyards (Ex. 23:11; Lev. 25:6).

(3.) In the year of jubilee they recovered their property (Lev. 25:25-30).

(4.) Usury was forbidden, and the pledged raiment was to be returned before the sun went down (Ex. 22:25-27; Deut. 24:10-13). The rich were to be generous to the…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

The general kindly spirit of the law toward the poor is sufficiently shown by such passages as (15:7) for the reason that (ver. 11) "the poor shall never cease out of the land." Among the special enactments in their favor the following must be mentioned: The right of gleaning. (Leviticus 19:9,10; 24:19,21) From the produce of the land in sabbatical years the poor and the stranger were to have their portion. (Exodus 23:11; Leviticus 25:6) Re-entry upon land in the jubilee year, with the limitation as to town homes. (Leviticus 25:25-30) Prohibition of usury and of retention of pledges. (Exodus 22:25-27;

Ps 12:5 41:1-3, especially cared for in the Jewish dispensation, Ex 23:6 Pr 14:31, and even more so under the gospel, Mt 25:42-45 Jas 2:5. The slight offerings required of them by the law were as acceptable as the hecatombs of the rich, Le 5:7-13 Mr 12:41-44. The gleanings of the fields, the olive trees, and the vines, were to be left for them, Le 19:9 De 24:19

to cause to come to him [the] outcry of [the] poor and [the] outcry of afflicted [people] he heard
וְצַעֲקַ֖תve.tza.'a.Kat and [the] outcry of H6818 Conjunction · noun common feminine singular construct
21× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A cry or outcry is what this word represents, often a cry of distress that reaches God's ears, as seen in Exodus where the Israelites cry out against slavery.
Amplified meaning
cry of anguish, desperate plea
Tyndale gloss
cry
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

צְעָקָה (tsa`aqah) refers to a cry or outcry, often associated with distress. It is derived from the root word for a shriek, indicating a strong emotional expression. The term encompasses both general cries and specific outcries against injustice, particularly those that are heard by God.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

צְעָקָה n.f. cry, outcry

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6818 צְעָקָה, צַעֲקָה

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6818 tsa`aqah tsah-ak-aw'

from 6817; a shriek:--cry(-ing).

see HEBREW for 06817

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

צְעָקָה (tsa.a.qah) — cry.

1) cry, outcry

1a) outcry (against)

1b) cry of distress (especially as heard by God)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | N-fs — Conjunction · noun common feminine singular construct
HC/Ncfsc
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…

to cause to come to him [the] outcry of [the] poor and [the] outcry of afflicted [people] he heard
עֲנִיִּ֣ים'a.ni.Yim afflicted [people] H6041 Adj
74× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word describes someone who is depressed, humble, or weak, often due to difficult circumstances, as described in the Psalms and other biblical books.
Amplified meaning
oppressed, humble, suffering ones
Tyndale gloss
afflicted
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עָנִי (aniy) describes a state of being poor, afflicted, or humble. It is built from the root meaning to be depressed in mind or circumstances. The entries indicate it covers a range of meanings including needy, lowly, and wretched. There is a noted disagreement regarding its relationship to another word, עָנָה (anah), with some lexicons viewing one as subjective and the other as objective.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עָנִי adj. poor, afflicted, humble

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6041 עָנִי poor, afflicted, humble

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6041 `aniy aw-nee'

from 6031; depressed, in mind or circumstances (practically

the same as 6035, although the margin constantly disputes

this, making 6035 subjective and 6041 objective):--afflicted,

humble, lowly, needy, poor.

see HEBREW for 06031

see HEBREW for 06035

see HEBREW for 06035

see HEBREW for 06041

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עָנִי (a.ni) — afflicted.

1) poor, afflicted, humble, wretched

1a) poor, needy

1b) poor and weak

1c) poor, weak, afflicted, wretched

1d) humble, lowly

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Adj
HAampa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

pe'-p'-l: In English Versions of the Bible represents something over a dozen Hebrew and Greek words. Of these, in the Old Testament, `am, is overwhelmingly the most common (about 2,000 times), with le'om, and goy, next in order; but the various Hebrew words are used with very little or no difference in force (e.g. Pr 14:28; but, on the other hand, in Ps 44 contrast verses 12 and 14). Of the changes introduced by the Revised Version (British and American) the only one of significance (cited explicitly in the Preface to the English Revised Version) is the frequent use of the plural "peoples" (strangely avoided in the King James Version except Re 10:11; 17:15), where other nations than Israel are in question. So, for instance, in Ps…

to cause to come to him [the] outcry of [the] poor and [the] outcry of afflicted [people] he heard
יִשְׁמָֽע׃yish.Ma' he heard H8085 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
1,160× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To hear and listen is what this Hebrew word means, often implying attention and obedience. In Exodus and Deuteronomy, it is used when God speaks to the people, and they must listen and obey.
Amplified meaning
listened to, gave attention to
Tyndale gloss
to hear: hear
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word שָׁמַע (shama`) means 'to hear' and encompasses a range of meanings including listening, obeying, and proclaiming. It is built from a primitive root and can imply attention and understanding. The entries highlight various grammatical forms, such as Qal, Niphal, Piel, and Hiphil, indicating different nuances of hearing and obeying. There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁמַע 1152 vb. hear

Qal 1052

subj. pers. hum.

י׳ (God) subj.

Niph. 42 be heard, of voice, sound

be heard of

be regarded, obeyed

= (favourable) hearing was granted to their voice.

Pi. he caused the people to hear

Hiph. 63

of man

י׳ subj.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8085 שָׁמַע hear

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8085 shama` shaw-mah'

a primitive root; to hear intelligently (often with

implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to

tell, etc.):--X attentively, call (gather) together, X

carefully, X certainly, consent, consider, be content,

declare, X diligently, discern, give ear, (cause to, let, make

to) hear(-ken, tell), X indeed, listen, make (a) noise, (be)

obedient, obey, perceive, (make a) proclaim(-ation), publish,

regard, report, shew (forth), (make a) sound, X surely, tell,

understand, whosoever (heareth), witness.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁמַע (sha.ma) — to hear: hear.

: hear

v

1) to hear, listen to, obey

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to hear (perceive by ear)

1a2) to hear of or concerning

1a3) to hear (have power to hear)

1a4) to hear with attention or interest, listen to

1a5) to understand (language)

1a6) to hear (of judicial cases)

1a7) to listen, give heed

1a7a) to consent, agree

1a7b) to grant request

1a8) to listen to, yield to

1a9) to obey, be obedient

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be heard (of voice or sound)

1b2) to be heard of

1b3) to be regarded, be obeyed

1c) (Piel) to cause to hear, call to hear, summon

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to cause to hear, tell, proclaim, utter a sound

1d2) to sound aloud (musical term)

1d3) to make proclamation, summon

1d4) to cause to be heard

n m

2) sound

שָׁמַע (sha.ma) — to hear: obey.

: obey

v

1) to hear, listen to, obey

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to hear (perceive by ear)

1a2) to hear of or concerning

1a3) to hear (have power to hear)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
HVqi3ms
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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