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Job 38:13 — Word Study

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WLCלֶ֭אֱחֹז בְּכַנְפ֣וֹת הָאָ֑רֶץ וְיִנָּעֲר֖וּ רְשָׁעִ֣ים מִמֶּֽנָּה׃

BSAthat it might spreadʼâchaz [take hold, grasp] to the endskânâph [corners, extremities] of the earthʼerets [land, territory] and shakenâʻar [tremble, be shaken out] the wickedrâshâʻ [morally wrong, guilty] out of itmin [from the land, from its borders]

Word
Listen & take awayJob 38
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 13 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 (mi.Me.nah) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Job 38:13quick helps
In a sentenceGod questions Job about His power over creation and justice.
Who is speakingThe Lord, addressing Job directly.
Where we areIn a poetic section where God speaks out of the whirlwind.
The hard wordאֱחֹז
Take awayThe earth is under God's control, and the wicked will be removed.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectרָשָׁע 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 38:13

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 Challenge to Jobgenerated

12In your days, have you commanded the morning or assigned the dawn its place,
13that it might spread to the ends of the earth and shake the wicked out of it?
14The earth takes shape like clay under a seal; its hills stand out like the folds of a garment.
15Light is withheld from the wicked, and their upraised arm is broken.

Job 38:13 is part of a series of questions that God poses to Job, emphasizing His sovereignty over creation and the moral order of the world. This verse specifically refers to the power of God to extend His influence to the farthest reaches of the earth and to enact justice by shaking the wicked from it. The surrounding verses illustrate God's authority in the natural world, as He challenges Job's understanding of divine power and justice.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Psalm 19:4–6their voice has gone out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens He has pitched a tent for the sun.
2Psalm 139:9–12If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle by the farthest sea,
3Job 37:3He unleashes His lightning beneath the whole sky and sends it to the ends of the earth.
4Job 24:13–17Then there are those who rebel against the light, not knowing its ways or staying on its paths.
5Exodus 14:27So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea returned to its normal state. As the Egyptians were retreating, the LORD swept them into the sea.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 6 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word אֱחֹז, Le.'e.chozgenerated

The verb אָחַז (achaz) means to grasp or take hold of something. It is used here in the infinitive construct, indicating the action of taking hold is part of a larger purpose.

This word conveys a sense of possession or control, suggesting that God's reach extends to all corners of the earth, asserting His authority over creation and the moral order.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

All translations agree on the meaning of אֱחֹז as 'to take hold.' The BSB, KJV, ASV, YLT, WEB, and BBE all reflect this idea in their renderings.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The finite verbs in this verse are אֱחֹז and יִנָּעֲר֖וּ, which govern the actions described. The structure highlights God's command over the earth and the consequences for the wicked.

The Hebrew word order emphasizes the actions of taking hold and shaking out, showing God's active role in both creation and judgment.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates אֱחֹז as ἐπιλαβέσθαι (to take hold), which aligns closely with the Hebrew meaning but also suggests a more intentional grasping or seizing.

This choice of word indicates a strong emphasis on God's active engagement with creation, reinforcing His authority.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Job 38:13 asks whether God has the power to extend His influence to the ends of the earth and remove the wicked from it. This verse highlights God's sovereignty and control over both the earth and moral order.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean for God to shake the wicked out of the earth?

It signifies God's judgment and authority to remove those who are morally wrong from His creation.

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

It underscores the theme of God's sovereignty and the mystery of His ways in the face of human suffering and questioning.

Why does God use the imagery of the earth and corners?

This imagery emphasizes the totality of God's power and the extent of His control over all creation.

What can we learn about God's nature from this verse?

We learn that God is sovereign, just, and has the authority to enact His will upon the earth.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways do I see God's authority over the world around me?
  2. How can I better understand the concept of divine justice as presented in this verse?
  3. What does it mean for me to be aware of God's sovereignty in my own life?
  4. How can I respond to the idea that God will ultimately judge the wicked?

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

Gregory the Dialogist interprets this verse allegorically, discussing God's control over the ends of the earth and His power to judge the wicked.

Gregory the DialogistMorals on the Book of Job, Book XXIX c. 540–604
Hast Thou held and shaken the ends of the earth, and hast Thou shaken the wicked out of it? [ALLEGORICAL INTERPRETATION] The Lord 'held the ends of the earth,' because He came in the end of the world to the synagogue which was now forsaken…
Early Church Fathers on Job 38 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Job 38:13 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

That it might take hold of the ends of the earth,.... As when the morning light springs forth, it quickly does, reaching in a short time the extreme part of the hemisphere; which, and what goes

Read John Gill on Job 38 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days; and caused the dayspring to know his place; Passing from creation to phenomena in the existing inanimate world. Verse 12. Hast thou - as God daily does.

Read Robert Jamieson on Job 38 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

That this morning light should in a moment spread itself over the face of the whole earth, from one end of the hemisphere to the other. Shaken out of it, from the face of the earth. And this effect the morning light hath upon the wicked, partly because it discovers them, and drives them into their lurking holes; whereas the darkness hides them, and draws them forth, and gives them opportunity to execute their villanies without observation, ; and partly because it brings them to condign punishment, the morning being the most fit and the most usual time for executing judgment; of which see .

Read Matthew Poole on Job 38 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Job 38:13 That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be shaken out of it?Ver. 13. That it might take hold of the ends of the earth] That is, suddenly illighten the whole horizon; for which cause also David ascribeth wings to the morning, Psalms 139:9, so that the light is not a body, nor, as some will have it, a substance, but an accident. The truth is, no man can tell what it is of any certainty; an admirable creature it is, surely a divine and heavenly thing, than which nothing is more desirable, nothing more profitable. Two excellent uses of it are here set forth: 1. To refresh men by the sight of the earth, and the things thereon. 2. To set us upon serious…

Read John Trapp on Job 38 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(13) Shaken out of it.—The figure is that of a man shaking a cloth (Job 24:15-17).

Read Charles John Ellicott on Job 38 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 13. That the wicked might be shaken out of it?] The meaning appears to be this: as soon as the light begins to dawn upon the earth, thieves, assassins, murderers, and adulterers, who all hate and shun the light, fly like ferocious beasts to their several dens and hiding places; for such do not dare to come to the light, lest their works be manifest, which are not wrought in God. To this verse the fifteenth appears to belong, as it connects immediately with it, which connection the introduction of the fourteenth verse disturbs. "And from the wicked," such as are mentioned above "their light is withholden;" they love darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil; and as they…

Read AdamClarke on Job 38 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

13. ends of the earth] lit. skirts or wings of the earth. The figure is beautiful; the dawn as it pours forth along the whole horizon, on both sides of the beholder, lays hold of the borders of the earth, over which night lay like a covering; and seizing this covering by its extremities it shakes the wicked out of it. The wicked flee from the light. The dawn is not a physical phenomenon merely, it is a moral agent.

Read Cambridge on Job 38 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

That it might take hold of the ends of the earth - Margin, as in Hebrew “wings.” Wings are in the Scriptures frequently given to the earth, because it seems to be spread out, and the expression refers to its extremities.

Read Albert Barnes on Job 38 →

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

that it might spread to the ends of the earth and shake the wicked out of it?

WEBWorld English Bible2000

that it might take hold of the ends of the earth, and shake the wicked out of it?

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

that it might spread to the ends of the earth and shake the wicked out of it?

NETBNew English Translation2006

that it might seize the corners of the earth, and shake the wicked out of it?

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be shaken out of it?

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, And the wicked be shaken out of it?

RVARevised Version, American1894

That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, and the wicked be shaken out of it?

NWBWebster's Bible1833

That it might take hold of the ends of earth, that the wicked might be shaken out of it?

GNVGeneva Bible1599

That it might take hold of the corners of the earth, and that the wicked might be shaken out of it?

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, and the wicked might be shaken out of it?

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

To take hold on the skirts of the earth, And the wicked are shaken out of it,

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

To take hold on the skirts of the earth, || And the wicked are shaken out of it,

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

That it might lay hold of the ends of the earth, so that the wicked might be shaken out therefrom?

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

so that it might take hold of the edges of the earth and shake the wicked out of it?

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And didst thou hold the extremities of the earth shaking them, and hast thou shaken the ungodly out of it?

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Have you ever told the dawn where to appear that it might take hold of the corners of the earth and shake the wicked out?

BBEBible in Basic English1949

So that it might take a grip of the skirts of the earth, shaking all the evil-doers out of it?

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 · prepositionalלֶ֭toclauseclauseverbאֱחֹזtake.holdprepositional phrase · prepositionalבְּonnoun phraseכַנְפ֣וֹתthe.cornersnoun phraseהָofאָ֑רֶץthe.earthוְandclauseverbיִנָּעֲר֖וּthey.are.shakensubjectרְשָׁעִ֣יםwicked.[people]prepositional phrase · prepositionalמִמֶּֽfromנָּהit

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 in the wording of this verse, with all six words matching in their respective translations. This indicates a consistent understanding of the text across these traditions.

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

לֶ֭אֱחֹז בְּכַנְפ֣וֹת הָאָ֑רֶץ וְיִנָּעֲר֖וּ רְשָׁעִ֣ים מִמֶּֽנָּה׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
לֶ֭אֱחֹזἐπιλαβέσθαιבְּכַנְפ֣וֹתπτερύγωνהָאָ֑רֶץγῆςוְיִנָּעֲר֖וּἐκτινάχαιרְשָׁעִ֣יםἀσεβεῖςמִמֶּֽנָּה׃αὐτῆς

6 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.


The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

Job 38:13אָחַזto take holto take holdאָחַזכָּנָףon [the] coon [the] cornerכָּנָףאֶ֫רֶץthe earththe earthאֶ֫רֶץנָעַרso they mayso they may be נָעַררָשָׁעwicked [peowicked [people]רָשָׁעמִן־from itfrom itמִן־כָּנַףto cornerto cornerכָּנַףרָשַׁעbe wickedbe wickedרָשַׁענָעַרto growlto growlנָעַרמֵןstringstringמֵןרַ֫עַדtremblingtremblingרַ֫עַדצִירenvoyenvoyצִירכְּרוּבcherubcherubכְּרוּבכְּנַ֫עַןCanaanCanaanכְּנַ֫עַןמִצְרַ֫יִם(Sea of) E(Sea of) Egyptמִצְרַ֫יִםכָּ֫כָהthusthusכָּ֫כָהצַדִּיקrighteousrighteousצַדִּיקאָבַדto perishto perishאָבַדרָחַקto removeto removeרָחַקיָתַרto remainto remainיָתַר
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 38:13

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 take hold on [the] corners of the earth so they may be shaken wicked [people] from it
לֶ֭אֱחֹזLe.'e.choz to take hold H270 Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
68× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word means to grasp or take hold of something, often holding it in possession. It can also mean to be caught or settled. This verb is used in various forms throughout the Bible, including in the books of Exodus and Psalms.
Amplified meaning
take hold, grasp
Tyndale gloss
to grasp
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אָחַז (achaz) means to grasp, take hold of, or seize. It has various forms, including Qal (to grasp), Niphal (to be caught), Piel (to enclose), and Hophal (to be fastened). The entries highlight its use in contexts of possession and holding, but do not provide specific verse references.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָחַז 68 vb. grasp, take hold of, take possession

Qal grasp, take hold of

Niph. be caught

Pi. enclose, overlay

Hoph. fastened

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H270 אָחַז grasp, take hold of, take possession .grasp, take hold of

. be caught

. enclose, overlay

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

270 'achaz aw-khaz'

a primitive root; to seize (often with the accessory idea of

holding in possession):--+ be affrighted, bar, (catch, lay,

take) hold (back), come upon, fasten, handle, portion, (get,

have or take) possess(-ion).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָחַז (a.chaz) — to grasp.

1) grasp, take hold, seize, take possession

1a) (Qal) to grasp, take hold of

1b) (Niphal) to be caught, grasped, be settled

1c) (Piel) to enclose, overlay

1d) (Hophal) fastened

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a — Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
HR/Vqcc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hold: In the American Standard Revised Version frequently "stronghold" (Jud 9:49; 1Sa 22:4; 24:22; 2Sa 5:17; 23:14; 1Ch 11:16; 12:16). See FORTIFICATION. In Re 18:2 for the King James Version "cage" (phulake) the Revised Version (British and American) substitutes, as in first clause, "hold," and in the margin "prison."

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Hold

A fortress, the name given to David’s lurking-places (1 Sam. 22:4, 5; 24:22).

to take hold on [the] corners of the earth so they may be shaken wicked [people] from it
בְּכַנְפ֣וֹתbe.khan.Fot on [the] corners of H3671 Preposition · noun common feminine plural construct
109× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for wing, used to describe the edge or extremity of something, like a bird's wing or the corner of a garment. It appears in the Bible to describe various objects and locations, including the wing of a bird.
Amplified meaning
corners, extremities
Tyndale gloss
wing
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כָּנָף (kanaph) means 'wing' or 'extremity' and can refer to various edges or corners, such as those of a bird, garment, or building. It encompasses meanings like border, corner, and skirt, indicating both physical and metaphorical edges. The word is derived from a root that suggests an edge or extremity.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כָּנָף 109 n.f. wing, extremity

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3671 כָּנָף wing, extremity

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3671 kanaph kaw-nawf'

from 3670; an edge or extremity; specifically (of a bird or

army) a wing, (of a garment or bed-clothing) a flap, (of the

earth) a quarter, (of a building) a pinnacle:--+ bird, border,

corner, end, feather(-ed), X flying, + (one an-)other,

overspreading, X quarters, skirt, X sort, uttermost part,

wing((-ed)).

see HEBREW for 03670

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כָּנָף (ka.naph) — wing.

1) wing, extremity, edge, winged, border, corner, shirt

1a) wing

1b) extremity

1b1) skirt, corner (of garment)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-fp — Preposition · noun common feminine plural construct
HR/Ncfpc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ov:

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

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

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

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

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

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

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

Lamentations 3:1.

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

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

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

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

to take hold on [the] corners of the earth so they may be shaken wicked [people] from it
הָאָ֑רֶץha.'A.retz the earth H776 Particle · noun common feminine singular absolute
2,504× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The land or earth refers to the soil or ground, and can also mean a country, territory, or region. In the Bible, it is used to describe the earth and its inhabitants, and is often translated as 'land' or 'country'.
Amplified meaning
land, territory
Tyndale gloss
land: soil
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֶ֫רֶץ (erets) is a feminine noun meaning 'earth' or 'land.' It encompasses various meanings, including the whole earth, specific territories like Canaan, and even inhabitants of the land. It can refer to soil, ground, or regions, and is used in phrases related to distance and the living. There is a note on the plural form אֲרָצוֹת, which mainly appears in later texts to denote multiple lands.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶ֫רֶץ n. f. & (seld.) m. earth, land

earth, whole earth (opp. to a part)

earth, opp. to heaven, sky

earth = inhabitants of earth

land =

country, territory

district, region

trial territory

piece of ground

specif. land of Canaan, or Israel

= inhabitants of land

used even of Shᵉʼôl

ground, surface of ground

soil, as productive

אֶרֶץ in phrases

people of the land

in measurements of distance

the country of the plain, level or plain country

land of the living

end(s) of the earth

pl. אֲרָצוֹת is almost wholly late; it denotes lands, countries, often in contrast to Canaan, lands of the nations, etc.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H776 אֶ֫רֶץ n. f. & (seld.) m. earth, land . . earth, whole earth (opp. to a part)

. earth, opp. to heaven, sky

. earth = inhabitants of earth

. land = . country, territory

. district, region

. trial territory

. piece of ground

. specif. land of Canaan, or Israel

. = inhabitants of land

. used even of Shᵉʼôl

. . ground, surface of ground

. soil, as productive

. אֶרֶץ in phrases . people of the land

. in measurements of distance

. the country of the plain, level or plain country

. land of the living

. end(s) of the earth

. pl. אֲרָצוֹת is almost wholly late; it denotes lands, countries, often in contrast to Canaan, lands of the nations, etc.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

776 'erets eh'-rets

from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth

(at large, or partitively a land):--X common, country, earth,

field, ground, land, X natins, way, + wilderness, world.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶ֫רֶץ (e.rets) — land: country/planet.

: country/field

1) land, earth

1a) earth

1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part)

1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven)

1a3) earth (inhabitants)

1b) land

1b1) country, territory

1b2) district, region

1b3) tribal territory

1b4) piece of ground

1b5) land of Canaan, Israel

1b6) inhabitants of land

1b7) Sheol, land without return, (under) world

1b8) city (-state)

1c) ground, surface of the earth

1c1) ground

1c2) soil

1d) (in phrases)

1d1) people of the land

1d2) space or distance of country (in measurements of distance)

1d3) level or plain country

1d4) land of the living

1d5) end(s) of the earth

1e) (almost wholly late in usage)

1e1) lands, countries

1e1a) often in contrast to Canaan

אֶ֫רֶץ (e.rets) — land: soil.

: soil

1) land, earth

1a) earth

1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part)

1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven)

1a3) earth (inhabitants)

1b) land

1b1) country, territory

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-cs — Particle · noun common feminine singular absolute
HTd/Ncfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

urth ('adhamah, 'erets, 'aphar; ge, oikoumene):

In a hilly limestone country like Palestine, the small amount of iron oxide in the rocks tends to be oxidized, and thereby to give a prevailing reddish color to the soil. This is especially the case on relatively barren hills where there is little organic matter present to prevent reddening and give a more blackish tinge.

'Adhamah (compare 'adham, "a man," and Adam) is from 'adham, "to be red," and is used in the senses: "earth" (Ex 20:24), "land" (Ps 105:35), a "land" or country (Isa 14:2), "ground" (Ge 4:11), "the earth" (Ge 7:4).

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Earth

(1.) In the sense of soil or ground, the translation of the word adamah’. In Gen. 9:20 “husbandman” is literally “man of the ground or earth.” Altars were to be built of earth (Ex. 20:24). Naaman asked for two mules’ burden of earth (2 Kings 5:17), under the superstitious notion that Jehovah, like the gods of the heathen, could be acceptably worshipped only on his own soil.

(2). As the rendering of ’erets, it means the whole world (Gen. 1:2); the land as opposed to the sea (1:10). Erets also denotes a country (21:32); a plot of ground (23:15); the ground on which a man stands (33:3); the inhabitants of the earth (6:1; 11:1); all the world except Israel (

Smith's Bible Dictionary

The term is used in two widely-different senses: (1) for the material of which the earth’s surface is composed; (2) as the name of the planet on which man dwells. The Hebrew language discriminates between these two by the use of separate terms, adamah for the former, erets for the latter. Adamah is the earth in the sense of soil or ground, particularly as being susceptible of cultivation. (Genesis 2:7) Erets is applied in a more or less extended sense-- (1) to the whole world, (Genesis 1:1) (2) to land as opposed to sea, (Genesis 1:10) (3) to a country, (Genesis 21:32) (4) to a plot of ground, (Genesis 23:15) and (5) to…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

In both Hebrew and Greek the same word is used to denote the earth as a whole, and a particular land. Only the context can enable us to decide in which of these senses it is to be taken in a given passage.

Thus in Mt 27:45 we might, so far as the original word is concerned, render either "there was darkness over all the land," or over all the earth. The expression "all the earth" is sometimes used hyperbolically for a large portion of it, Ezr 1:2. The word is used of the whole world, etc. In a moral sense, earthly is opposed to what is heavenly, spiritual and holy, Joh 3:31 1Co 15:47 Col 3:2

to take hold on [the] corners of the earth so they may be shaken wicked [people] from it
וְיִנָּעֲר֖וּve.yi.na.'a.Ru so they may be shaken H5287 Conjunction · verb niphal third person masculine plural
11× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To shake or tremble is the meaning of this Hebrew word, which is used in various forms throughout the Old Testament. It can describe physical shaking, like an earthquake, or emotional turmoil. The prophet Isaiah used this word to describe God's judgment.
Amplified meaning
tremble, be shaken out
Tyndale gloss
to shake
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נָעַר (na'ar) is a Hebrew verb meaning to shake, shake out, or shake off. It encompasses various forms, including Qal (to shake out), Niphal (to be shaken), Piel (to shake off), and Hithpael (to shake oneself). The entries suggest a connection to the rustling of a mane, possibly linked to a lion's roar, and highlight its use in expressions of being shaken or tossed.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[נָעַר] vb. shake, shake out or off

Qal shake out

Niph. I am shaken out like a locust

Pi. so may God shake utterly out every man from his house

Hithp. shake thyself (free)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5287 נָעַר shake, shake out or off

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5287 na`ar naw-ar'

a primitive root (probably identical with 5286, through the

idea of the rustling of mane, which usually accompanies the

lion's roar); to tumble about:--shake (off, out, self),

overthrow, toss up and down.

see HEBREW for 05286

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָעַר (na.ar) — to shake.

1) to shake, shake out or off

1a) (Qal) to shake out, show emptiness

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be shaken

1b2) to shake oneself

1c) (Piel) to shake off or out

1d) (Hithpael) to shake oneself

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Niphal-Imperf-3mp — Conjunction · verb niphal third person masculine plural
HC/VNu3mp
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
to take hold on [the] corners of the earth so they may be shaken wicked [people] from it
רְשָׁעִ֣יםre.sha.'Im wicked [people] H7563 Noun common · masculine plural absolute
263× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word describes someone who is morally wrong, a bad person who is guilty of crime or sin against God or others. It is used to describe the wicked in biblical stories, such as in the book of Genesis.
Amplified meaning
morally wrong, guilty
Tyndale gloss
wicked
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רָשָׁע (rasha`) refers to someone who is wicked or criminal, encompassing meanings such as guilty and ungodly. It is derived from a root that implies moral wrongdoing. The term is used to describe individuals who are hostile to God or guilty of sin against others.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רָשָׁע 263 adj. wicked, criminal

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7563 רָשָׁע wicked, criminal

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7563 rasha` raw-shaw'

from 7561; morally wrong; concretely, an (actively) bad

person:--+ condemned, guilty, ungodly, wicked (man), that did

wrong.

see HEBREW for 07561

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רָשָׁע (ra.sah) — wicked.

1) wicked, criminal

1a) guilty one, one guilty of crime (subst)

1b) wicked (hostile to God)

1c) wicked, guilty of sin (against God or man)

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

→ Compared with

Abominable branches Isa 14:19

Ashes under the feet Mal 4:3

Bad fish Mt 13:48

Animals Ps 49:12; 2Pe 2:12

Blind people Zep 1:17; Mt 15:14

Bronze and iron Jer 6:28; Eze 22:18

Briers add thorns Isa 55:13; Eze 2:6

The bulls of Bashan Ps 22:12

to take hold on [the] corners of the earth so they may be shaken wicked [people] from it
מִמֶּֽנָּה׃mi.Me.nah from it H4480 Preposition · suffix
1,189× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means a portion or part of something, and is often used to show the relationship between things, like from or out of something.
Amplified meaning
from the land, from its borders
Tyndale gloss
from
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word מִן־ (*min*) is a preposition meaning 'from' or 'out of,' indicating separation or origin. It covers various uses, including temporal references, comparisons, and causal relationships. Additionally, it can denote a portion when used as a noun מֵן (*men*). The entries highlight its versatility in expressing different nuances of separation and position.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מִן־, and מִ, before יְ, prep. expressing the idea of separation, hence out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not

with verbs expressing (or implying) separation or removal

from, against

מן also, without a verb of similar significance, sometimes expresses the idea of separation, away from, far from

of position, off, on the side of, on

Out of, Gk. ἐκ, Lat. ex

Partitively

Of time—

as marking the terminus a quo, the anterior limit of a continuous period from, since

as marking the period immediately succeeding the limit after

towards, to

(וְעַד) עַד … מִן from … even to

In comparisons, beyond, above

מן is prefixed to an infin.:

with causal force, from, on account of, through

after verbs implying restraint, prevention, cessation, etc.

with a temporal force, since, after

Once as a conj. before a finite verb. that

In compounds:

base

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4480a מִן־, מִ, prep. expressing the idea of separation, hence out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not . with verbs expressing (or implying) separation or removal . from, against

. מן also, without a verb of similar significance, sometimes expresses the idea of separation, away from, far from

. of position, off, on the side of, on

. Out of, Gk. ἐκ, Lat. ex

. Partitively

. Of time— . as marking the terminus a quo, the anterior limit of a continuous period from, since

. as marking the period immediately succeeding the limit after

. towards, to

. (וְעַד) עַד … מִן from … even to

. In comparisons, beyond, above

. מן is prefixed to an infin.: . with causal force, from, on account of, through

. after verbs implying restraint, prevention, cessation, etc.

. with a temporal force, since, after

. Once as a conj. before a finite verb. that

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4480 min min

or minniy {min-nee'}; or minney (constructive plural)

{min-nay'}; (Isaiah 30:11); for 4482; properly, a part of;

hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many senses (as

follows):--above, after, among, at, because of, by (reason

of), from (among), in, X neither, X nor, (out) of, over,

since, X then, through, X whether, with.

see HEBREW for 04482

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מִן־ (min) — from.

prep

1) from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than

1a) from (expressing separation), off, on the side of

1b) out of

1b1) (with verbs of proceeding, removing, expelling)

1b2) (of material from which something is made)

1b3) (of source or origin)

1c) out of, some of, from (partitively)

1d) from, since, after (of time)

1e) than, more than (in comparison)

1f) from...even to, both...and, either...or

1g) than, more than, too much for (in comparisons)

1h) from, on account of, through, because (with infinitive)

conj

2) that

Aramaic equivalent: min (מִן־ "from" H4481)

מֵן (men) — portion.

n.m.

portion

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | Suff — Preposition · suffix
HR/Sp3fs
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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