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Job 41:10 — Word Study

Depth

WLCלֹֽא־ אַ֭כְזָר כִּ֣י יְעוּרֶ֑נּוּ וּמִ֥י ה֝֗וּא לְפָנַ֥י יִתְיַצָּֽב׃

BSAsneezingʻăṭîyshâh to shinehâlal lightʼôwr eyeʻayin eyelidʻaphʻaph dawnshachar

Word
Listen & take awayJob 41
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 10 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 (yit.ya.Tzav) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Job 41:10quick helps
In a sentenceJob asserts that no one possesses the strength to provoke Leviathan, emphasizing God's unmatched power.
Who is speakingGod, speaking to Job about His sovereignty over creation.
Where we areIn a discourse on the power of Leviathan, illustrating the limits of human strength.
The hard wordאַכְזָר
Take awayGod's power is absolute; no creature can stand against Him.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectהוּא verbH3320 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 41:10

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 Sovereignty Over Creationgenerated

9Surely hope of overcoming him is false. Is not the sight of him overwhelming?
10No one is so fierce as to rouse Leviathan. Then who is able to stand against Me?
11Who has given to Me that I should repay him? Everything under heaven is Mine.
12I cannot keep silent about his limbs, his power and graceful form.

Job 41:10 is part of God's response to Job, where He emphasizes His unmatched power and the futility of challenging His authority. The context highlights the grandeur of creation, particularly the formidable Leviathan, and serves to remind Job of the limitations of human understanding and strength in the face of divine power.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Genesis 49:9Judah is a young lion— my son, you return from the prey. Like a lion he crouches and lies down; like a lioness, who dares to rouse him?
2Numbers 24:9He crouches, he lies down like a lion; like a lioness, who dares to rouse him? Blessed are those who bless you and cursed are those who curse you.”
3Psalm 2:11–12Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
4Ezekiel 8:17–18“Son of man,” He said to me, “do you see this? Is it not enough for the house of Judah to commit the abominations they are practicing here, that they must also fill the land with violence and continually provoke Me to anger? Look, they are even putting the branch to their nose!
5Job 9:4God is wise in heart and mighty in strength. Who has resisted Him and prospered?

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 8 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word אַכְזָר, 'Akh.zorgenerated

The Hebrew word אַכְזָר (*akzar*) means fierce or cruel. It describes a character that is harsh and often violent, but can also imply strength and bravery in certain contexts. In this verse, it emphasizes the intensity of Leviathan's nature, suggesting that even the fiercest beings cannot provoke it.

The word is used sparingly in the Hebrew Bible, appearing only four times, which adds to its weight in this passage. Here, it underscores the idea that no creature, no matter how fierce, can challenge God's authority.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, where the translation uses fierce for אַכְזָר, aligning with the KJV and ASV.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The verse contains two main clauses, with the first clause establishing the negation of human capability to rouse Leviathan, and the second clause posing a rhetorical question about standing against God. The structure highlights the contrast between human limitations and divine power.

The finite verb יְעוּרֶ֑נּוּ (he will rouse it) governs the first clause, while the second clause begins with the interrogative מִי (who?), emphasizing the rhetorical nature of the question.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates אַכְזָר as αὐτοῦ, which suggests a focus on the subject's nature rather than the fierceness implied in the Hebrew. This choice may reflect a broader interpretation of the creature's character.

The translation of יִתְיַצָּב is not directly matched in the LXX, indicating a divergence in how the translators understood the action of standing before God.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Job 41:10 tells us that no one is fierce enough to provoke Leviathan, a powerful creature. God emphasizes that no one can stand against Him, highlighting His supreme authority over all creation.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that no one can rouse Leviathan?

It means that Leviathan is a creature of such power and ferocity that no one can provoke or awaken it, symbolizing the limits of human strength.

What is the significance of God asking who can stand against Him?

This rhetorical question emphasizes God's unmatched power and sovereignty, illustrating that no being can challenge His authority.

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

This verse highlights the theme of God's sovereignty and the limitations of human understanding, reminding Job of his place in the grand scheme of creation.

What does Leviathan represent in this context?

Leviathan represents chaos and the untamable aspects of creation, serving as a metaphor for the challenges and fears that humans face.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways can I recognize the limits of my own strength in my life?
  2. How does understanding God's sovereignty change the way I approach challenges?
  3. What are some 'Leviathans' in my life that I need to confront with faith?
  4. How can I cultivate a deeper trust in God's power over my circumstances?

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

Early Church Fathers comment on God's sovereignty in this verse, illustrating the power dynamics between creation and the Creator.

Ephrem the SyrianCOMMENTARY ON Job 41:2-3 c. 306–373
“All that is under heaven belongs to me. And I will not be silent.” These words indicate the devil, whose prodigious nature is described in these two beasts,
Early Church Fathers on Job 41 →
Gregory the DialogistMorals on the Book of Job, Book XXXIII c. 540–604
For who can resist My countenance? and who hath first given to Me that I should repay him? All things that are under heaven are Mine. 38.
Early Church Fathers on Job 41 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Job 41:10 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

None [is so] fierce that dare stir him up,.... This seems best to agree with the crocodile, who frequently lies down and sleeps on the ground (q), and in the water by night (r); see Ezekiel 29:3;

Read John Gill on Job 41 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

None is so fierce that dare stir him up: who then is able to stand before me? Fierce - courageous; foolhardy.

Read Robert Jamieson on Job 41 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

That dare stir him up, when he sleepeth or is quiet. None dare provoke him to the battle. To stand before me; to contend with me his Creator, as thou, Job, dost, when one of my creatures is too hard for him.

Read Matthew Poole on Job 41 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Job 41:10 None [is so] fierce that dare stir him up: who then is able to stand before me?Ver. 10. None is so fierce that dare stir him up] Unless he be ambitious of his own destruction; cruel (so the word here signifieth) to his own life, which hereby he desperately casteth away. Aristotle telleth us that fishes do sleep: and perhaps these greater fishes take more sleep. Now who dare awake them sleeping, or encounter them waking, and rolling in the waters? None surely but a mad man. Who then is able to stand before me?] Et est qui coram me stet? No more surely than a man before a whale, or a glass bottle before a cannon shot. Here then we have the accommodation and application of the former…

Read John Trapp on Job 41 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(10) None is so fierce that dare stir him up.—“If, therefore, the creatures of My hand strike so much terror, how far more terrible must I be? If thou canst not save thyself from them, how much less canst thou be saved without Me?” (See Job 40:14.) The first clause may be understood thus: “He is not so cruel (the common meaning of the word rendered fierce)—i.e., to himself—that he should venture to rouse him up.”

Read Charles John Ellicott on Job 41 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 10. None is so fierce that dare stir him up] The most courageous of men dare not provoke the crocodile to fight, or even attempt to rouse him, when, sated with fish, he takes his repose among the reeds. The strongest of men cannot match him. Who then is able] If thou canst not stand against the crocodile, one of the creatures of my hand, how canst thou resist me, who am his Maker? This is the use which God makes of the formidable description which he has thus far given of this terrible animal.

Read AdamClarke on Job 41 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

10, 11. In these verses the speaker turns aside from describing the invincibility of Leviathan to impress the moral which he intends to teach by introducing the monster. If none dare stir up this creature, which God has made, who will stand before God who created him, or venture to contend with Him?

Read Cambridge on Job 41 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

None is so fierce that dare stir him up - No one has courage to rouse and provoke him. Who then is able to stand before me? - The meaning of this is plain.

Read Albert Barnes on Job 41 →

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

No one is so fierce as to rouse Leviathan. Then who is able to stand against Me?

WEBWorld English Bible2000

None is so fierce that he dare stir him up. Who then is he who can stand before me?

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

No one is so fierce as to rouse Leviathan. Then who is able to stand against Me?

NETBNew English Translation2006

Is it not fierce when it is awakened? Who is he, then, who can stand before it?

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

None is so fierce that dare stir him up: who then is able to stand before me?

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

None is so fierce that he dare stir him up; Who then is he that can stand before me?

RVARevised Version, American1894

None is so fierce that he dare stir him up: who then is he that can stand before me?

NWBWebster's Bible1833

None is so fierce that he dare rouse him: who then is able to stand before me?

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Out of his mouth go lampes, and sparkes of fire leape out.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

None is so bold as to stir him up; and who is he that will stand before me?

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

None so fierce that he doth awake him, And who [is] he before Me stationeth himself?

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

None so fierce that he awakes him, || And who [is] he [who] stations himself before Me?

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

(41:2) None is so daring that he would stir him up: and who is there that will stand up before me?

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

None is so fierce that he dare stir Leviathan up; who, then, is he who can stand before me?

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Out of his mouth go forth lamps, like torches of lighted fire.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Since no one has the courage to provoke Leviathan, who would dare to stand up against me?

BBEBible in Basic English1949

He is so cruel that no one is ready to go against him. Who then is able to keep his place before me?

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.

clauseclausepredicateלֹֽאnotsubjectאַ֭כְזָרfierceclauseכִּ֣י(cmp)clauseverbיְעוּרֶ֑heobjectנּוּwill.rouse.itוּandclausepredicateמִ֥יwho?noun phrase · subjectה֝֗וּאthatclauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalלְbeforenoun phraseפָנַ֥יmeverbיִתְיַצָּֽבwill.he.take.his.stand

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


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

The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint show some agreement in content, with five out of eight words matched. However, the Septuagint's word order and phrasing differ, reflecting a distinct interpretative approach.

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

לֹֽא־ אַ֭כְזָר כִּ֣י יְעוּרֶ֑נּוּ וּמִ֥י ה֝֗וּא לְפָנַ֥י יִתְיַצָּֽב׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
אַ֭כְזָרαὐτοῦכִּ֣יἐπιφαύσκεταιיְעוּרֶ֑נּוּδὲוּמִ֥יαὐτοῦלְפָנַ֥יἑωσφόρου

5 of the 8 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 41:10לֹאnotnotלֹאאַכְזָרfiercefierceאַכְזָרכִּיthatthatכִּיעוּרhe will rouhe will rouse iעוּרמִיand who?and who?מִיהוּאthatthatהוּאפָּנֶהbefore mebefore meפָּנֶהיָצַבwill he takwill he take hiיָצַבפָּנָהCorner (GaCorner (Gate)פָּנָהעוּרעוּרמָהwhat?what?מָהיָכֹלbe ablebe ableיָכֹלעוֹדstillstillעוֹדיָדַעto knowto knowיָדַענֵ֫בֶלbagbagנֵ֫בֶליָעַדto appointto appointיָעַדכְּמוֹlikelikeכְּמוֹטָמֵאuncleanuncleanטָמֵאעֵתtimetimeעֵתסָתַרto hideto hideסָתַרנוּסto fleeto fleeנוּסמוֹעֵדmeetingmeetingמוֹעֵדתָּ֫וֶךְmidstmidstתָּ֫וֶךְ
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 41:10

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.

not fierce that he will rouse it and who? that before me will he take his stand
לֹֽא־lo'- not H3808 Particle
5,170× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Tyndale gloss
not
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לֹא or לוֹא adv. not

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3808 lo' lo

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לֹא (lo) — not.

1) not, no

1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)

1b) not (with modifier-negation)

1c) nothing (subst)

1d) without (with particle)

1e) before (of time)

Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTn — Particle
HTn
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
not fierce that he will rouse it and who? that before me will he take his stand
אַ֭כְזָר'Akh.zor fierce H393
4× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Means 'cruel' or 'fierce', often describing violent or deadly behavior. However, it can also imply bravery or strength in a positive sense. It appears in various Bible books, including Psalms and Proverbs, to describe human nature and behavior.
Tyndale gloss
cruel
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אַכְזָר (*akzar*) means cruel or fierce. It is derived from an unused root that suggests acting harshly and can imply violence or deadliness. The entries consistently describe it in a negative sense, with no significant disagreement among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אַכְזָר adj. cruel, fierce

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H393 אַכְזָר cruel, fierce

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

393 'akzar ak-zawr'

from an unused root (apparently meaning to act harshly);

violent; by implication deadly; also (in a good sense)

brave:--cruel, fierce.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אַכְזָר (akh.zar) — cruel.

cruel, fierce

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HAamsa
HAamsa
not fierce that he will rouse it and who? that before me will he take his stand
כִּ֣יki that H3588 Particle
4,483× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A conjunction used to show cause or connection, as in Genesis 2:23 where Adam says the woman is bone of his bone because she was taken out of him. It is often translated as 'for', 'because', or 'since'.
Tyndale gloss
for
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כִּי conj. that, for, when

that

Of time, when, of the past

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

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

Because, since

base

כִּי אם־

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

that if

for if

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

limiting the prec. clause, except

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

after an oath, surely

base

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3588a כִּי that, for, when . that

. . Of time, when, of the past

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

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

. Because, since

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

. for if

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

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

. after an oath, surely

H3588c כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3588 kiy kee

a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional

prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

whether, while, whom, yea, yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כִּי (ki) — for.

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

1a) that

1a1) yea, indeed

1b) when (of time)

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

1c) because, since (causal connection)

1d) but (after negative)

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

1f) but rather, but

1g) except that

1h) only, nevertheless

1i) surely

1j) that is

1k) but if

1l) for though

1m) forasmuch as, for therefore

כִּי [אם] (ki im) — that if: except.

1) except if

1a) but if

1b) even though

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

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

1a) that

1a1) yea, indeed

1b) when (of time)

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

1c) because, since (causal connection)

1d) but (after negative)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTc — Particle
HTc
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
not fierce that he will rouse it and who? that before me will he take his stand
יְעוּרֶ֑נּוּye.'u.Re.nu he will rouse it H5782 Verb qal imperfect third person masculine singular · suffix
80× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To rouse means to wake up or stir someone into action. It can also mean to be excited or triumphant, and is used in the Bible to describe God stirring up his people. This word is about being awakened or energized.
Tyndale gloss
to rouse
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עוּר (uwr) is a Hebrew verb meaning to rouse or awaken. It encompasses various forms, including to rouse oneself, be incited, or act in an excited manner. The entries suggest a range of uses from literal waking to figurative stirring up of emotions or actions, with different grammatical forms indicating nuances in meaning.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[עוּר] vb. rouse oneself, awake

Qal rouse oneself to activity

Niph. be roused; be incited to activity

Pō‛l. rouse, incite to activity

Pilp. rouse (i.e. raise ?) a cry of destruction

Hithpō‛l. and I was (joyfully) excited, triumphant

Hiph.

rouse

declarative or exhibitive sense, act in an aroused manner, awake

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5782 [עוּר] rouse oneself, awake

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5782 `uwr oor

a primitive root (rather identical with 5783 through the idea

of opening the eyes); to wake (literally or

figuratively):--(a- )wake(-n, up), lift up (self), X master,

raise (up), stir up (self).

see HEBREW for 05783

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עוּר (ur) — to rouse.

1) to rouse oneself, awake, awaken, incite

1a) (Qal) to rouse oneself, awake

1b) (Niphal) to be roused

1c) (Polel) to stir up, rouse, incite

1d) (Hithpolel) to be excited, be triumphant

1e) (Hiphil)

1e1) to rouse, stir up

1e2) to act in an aroused manner, awake

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVqi3ms/Sp3ms — Verb qal imperfect third person masculine singular · suffix
HVqi3ms/Sp3ms
not fierce that he will rouse it and who? that before me will he take his stand
וּמִ֥יu.Mi and who? H4310 Conjunction · pronoun
423× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word is used to ask questions like who, whose, or whom. It can also be used to express a wish, like would that or whoever. It appears in many forms throughout the Bible, often in phrases like O that or what.
Tyndale gloss
who?
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מִי (mi) is an interrogative pronoun primarily used to ask about persons, meaning 'who?' or 'whose?'. It can also appear in rhetorical questions and has some idiomatic uses, such as 'who among...?' or 'whosoever'. The word is rarely applied to things, and its forms can vary in emphasis.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מִי 423 pron.interrog. who? of persons

מִי is rarely used of things, and usually where persons are understood or implied

in the gen. whose

in an indirect qu.

מִי ב׳ who among … ?

strengthened and emph. forms of interrog.

various rhetorical uses whose

מִי may sometimes be rendered whosoever, though, as the examples will shew, it does not really mean it

once, following a verb, any one

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4310 מִי who? of persons . מִי is rarely used of things, and usually where persons are understood or implied

. in the gen. whose

. in an indirect qu.

. מִי ב׳ who among … ?

. strengthened and emph. forms of interrog.

. various rhetorical uses whose

. מִי may sometimes be rendered whosoever, though, as the examples will shew, it does not really mean it

. once, following a verb, any one

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4310 miy me

an interrogative pronoun of persons, as 4100 is of things,

who? (occasionally, by a peculiar idiom, of things); also

(indefinitely) whoever; often used in oblique construction

with prefix or suffix:--any (man), X he, X him, + O that!

what, which, who(-m, -se, -soever), + would to God.

see HEBREW for 04100

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מִי (mi) — who?.

who?, whose?, whom?, would that, whoever, whosoever

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HC/Pi — Conjunction · pronoun
HC/Pi
not fierce that he will rouse it and who? that before me will he take his stand
ה֝֗וּאHu' that H1931 Pronoun
1,879× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word is a pronoun meaning 'he', 'she', or 'it', used to refer to a person or thing. It is used in the Bible to emphasize a subject or make it clear who is being talked about.
Tyndale gloss
he/she/it
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הוּא (hu) is a third-person singular pronoun meaning he, she, or it, used for emphasis or when no verb is present. It can also refer to oneself or serve as a demonstrative pronoun. The word has various nuances, including resuming the subject with emphasis or expressing it unobtrusively. It can indicate 'that' or 'those' when used with the definite article.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הוּא m. הִיא f., pron. of the 3rd ps. sing. he, she, used also (in both genders) for the neuter it

an emph. he (she, it, they), sometimes equivalent to himself (herself, itself, themselves), or (esp. with the art.) that (those)

It resumes the subj. with emph.

Where, however, the pron. follows the pred., its position gives it the minimum of emphasis, and it expresses (or resumes) the subject as unobtrusively as possible

It anticipates (as it seems) the subject

As an emph. predicate, of God

In a neuter sense, that, it (of an action, occurrence, matte, etc.)

With the art.: so regularly when joined to a subst. defined itself by the art.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1931 הוּא, הִיא he, she, used also (in both genders) for the neuter it . an emph. he (she, it, they), sometimes equivalent to himself (herself, itself, themselves), or (esp. with the art.) that (those)

. It resumes the subj. with emph.

. Where, however, the pron. follows the pred., its position gives it the minimum of emphasis, and it expresses (or resumes) the subject as unobtrusively as possible

. It anticipates (as it seems) the subject

. As an emph. predicate, of God

. In a neuter sense, that, it (of an action, occurrence, matte, etc.)

. With the art.: so regularly when joined to a subst. defined itself by the art.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1931 huw' hoo

of which the feminine (beyond the Pentateuch) is hiyw {he}; a

primitive word, the third person pronoun singular, he (she or

it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also

(intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same;

sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally

(instead of copula) as or are:--he, as for her, him(-self),

it, the same, she (herself), such, that (...it), these, they,

this, those, which (is), who.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הוּא (hu) — he/she/it.

pron 3p s

1) he, she, it

1a) himself (with emphasis)

1b) resuming subj with emphasis

1c) (with minimum emphasis following predicate)

1d) (anticipating subj)

1e) (emphasising predicate)

1f) that, it (neuter) demons pron

2) that (with article)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HPp3ms — Pronoun
HPp3ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
not fierce that he will rouse it and who? that before me will he take his stand
לְפָנַ֥יle.fa.Nai before me H6440 Preposition · noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
2,127× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means face or presence, like being in front of someone or something. It's used in many contexts, like in Genesis, Exodus, and Psalms, to describe interactions and relationships.
Tyndale gloss
face
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word פָּנֶה (*pāneh*) is a noun meaning 'face' or 'presence,' and it appears in various contexts, including the faces of seraphim and animals, as well as the surface of the ground. It can also function as an adverb meaning 'before' or 'in front of.' The word is built from a root that suggests turning or facing, and it encompasses a wide range of applications, both literal and figurative.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[פָּנֶה], pl. פָּנִים 2123 n.m. face, also faces

face, faces

presence, person

technically, see one's face, i.e. appear before one, in one's presence

face of seraphim

face of animals

face (= surface) of ground

as adv.loc. before

for other phrases

with prepositions

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6440 פָּנֶה, pl. פָּנִים face, also faces . . face, faces

. . presence, person

. technically, see one's face, i.e. appear before one, in one's presence

. face of seraphim

. face of animals

. face (= surface) of ground

. as adv. loc. before

. for other phrases

. with prepositions

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6440 paniym paw-neem'

plural (but always as singular) of an unused noun (paneh

{paw-neh'}; from 6437); the face (as the part that turns);

used in a great variety of applications (literally and

figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a

preposition (before, etc.):--+ accept, a-(be- )fore(-time),

against, anger, X as (long as), at, + battle, + because (of),

+ beseech, countenance, edge, + employ, endure, + enquire,

face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-part), form(-er

time, -ward), from, front, heaviness, X him(-self), +

honourable, + impudent, + in, it, look(-eth) (- s), X me, +

meet, X more than, mouth, of, off, (of) old (time), X on,

open, + out of, over against, the partial, person, + please,

presence, propect, was purposed, by reason of, + regard, right

forth, + serve, X shewbread, sight, state, straight, + street,

X thee, X them(-selves), through (+ - out), till, time(-s)

Read the full entry →
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

פָּנֶה (pa.neh) — face: before.

: before/to/front

1) face

1a) face, faces

1b) presence, person

1c) face (of seraphim or cherubim)

1d) face (of animals)

1e) face, surface (of ground)

1f) as adv of loc/temp

1f1) before and behind, toward, in front of, forward, formerly, from beforetime, before

1g) with prep

1g1) in front of, before, to the front of, in the presence of, in the face of, at the face or front of, from the presence of, from before, from before the face of

פָּנֶה (pa.neh) — face.

: face

1) face

1a) face, faces

1b) presence, person

1c) face (of seraphim or cherubim)

1d) face (of animals)

1e) face, surface (of ground)

1f) as adv of loc/temp

1f1) before and behind, toward, in front of, forward, formerly, from beforetime, before

1g) with prep

1g1) in front of, before, to the front of, in the presence of, in the face of, at the face or front of, from the presence of, from before, from…

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Ncmpc/Sp1bs — Preposition · noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
HR/Ncmpc/Sp1bs
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
not fierce that he will rouse it and who? that before me will he take his stand
יִתְיַצָּֽב׃yit.ya.Tzav will he take his stand H3320 Verb · Hithpael · imperfect third person masculine singular
48× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To stand or place something firmly is what this word means, and it's used in the Bible to describe presenting oneself or standing firm in faith, as seen in the book of Psalms.
Tyndale gloss
to stand
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word יָצַב (yatsab) primarily means to stand or to station oneself, particularly in the Hithpael form, which indicates a reflexive action. It encompasses the ideas of placing, setting, or presenting oneself. The entries do not indicate any significant disagreement among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[יָצַב] vb. only Hithp. set or station oneself, take one's stand

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3320 יָצַב only Hithp. set or station oneself, take one's stand

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3320 yatsab yaw-tsab'

a primitive root; to place (any thing so as to stay);

reflexively, to station, offer, continue:--present selves,

remaining, resort, set (selves), (be able to, can, with-)

stand (fast, forth, -ing, still, up).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָצַב (ya.tsav) — to stand.

1) to place, set, stand, set or station oneself, present oneself

1a) (Hithpael) to station oneself, take one's stand, stand, present oneself, stand with someone

Aramaic equivalent: ye.tsav (יְצַב "to know" H3321)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVti3ms — Verb · Hithpael · imperfect third person masculine singular
HVti3ms
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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