Job 41:24 — Word Study
WLCלִ֭בּוֹ יָצ֣וּק כְּמוֹ־ אָ֑בֶן וְ֝יָצ֗וּק כְּפֶ֣לַח תַּחְתִּֽית׃
BSAafterʼachar to lightʼôwr pathnâthîyb to devisechâshab abysstᵉhôwm greyheadedsêybâh
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| לִ֭בּוֹ | heart its | Noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
| יָצ֣וּק | [is] hard | Verb, Qal, participle (passive) masculine singular |
| כְּמוֹ־ | like | Preposition |
| אָ֑בֶן | a stone | Noun common, feminine singular absolute |
| וְ֝יָצ֗וּק | and hard | Conjunction, verb qal participle (passive) masculine singular |
| כְּפֶ֣לַח | like a mill-stone | Preposition, noun common feminine singular absolute |
| תַּחְתִּֽית׃ | lower |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | His chest is as hard as a rock, as hard as a lower millstone! |
| KJV | His heart is as firm as a stone; yea, as hard as a piece of the nether millstone. |
| ASV | His heart is as firm as a stone; Yea, firm as the nether millstone. |
| YLT | His heart [is] firm as a stone, Yea, firm as the lower piece. |
| WEB | His heart is as firm as a stone, yes, firm as the lower millstone. |
| BBE | His heart is as strong as a stone, hard as the lower crushing-stone. |
Where they part company is in the use of יָצ֣וּק — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence is structured with a main clause followed by a simile, emphasizing the comparison.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbאוֹר
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
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 41:24
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Description of Leviathangenerated
Job 41:24 presents a vivid metaphor comparing Leviathan's chest to hard stone, illustrating its strength and resilience. This verse is part of a larger passage where Job reflects on the fearsome nature of this creature, which symbolizes chaos and power in the world. The surrounding verses (Job 41:23-26) further emphasize Leviathan's formidable physical attributes and the futility of human attempts to conquer it.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Isaiah 48:4 | For I knew that you are stubborn; your neck is iron and your forehead is bronze. |
| 2 | Jeremiah 5:3 | O LORD, do not Your eyes look for truth? You struck them, but they felt no pain. You finished them off, but they refused to accept discipline. They have made their faces harder than stone and refused to repent. |
| 3 | Zechariah 7:12 | They made their hearts like flint and would not listen to the law or to the words that the LORD of Hosts had sent by His Spirit through the earlier prophets. Therefore great anger came from the LORD of Hosts. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 3 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — יָצ֣וּק, ya.Tzukgenerated
The verb יָצַק (*yatsaq*) means to pour, cast, or flow. In this context, it conveys the idea of something being made firm or hard, akin to pouring metal into a mold. The participle form here suggests a continuous state of hardness, emphasizing the unyielding nature of Leviathan's heart.
This word choice evokes a strong image of strength and durability, indicating that Leviathan's heart is not just hard, but firmly established, making it impervious to external forces.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The translations agree on the description of Leviathan's chest as hard as a rock.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The verse consists of two main clauses connected by a conjunction: the first clause describes Leviathan's chest, while the second clause reinforces this description with a simile. The structure emphasizes the comparison, creating a vivid image of strength.
The finite verb יָצ֣וּק governs both clauses, indicating that both descriptions of hardness are linked to Leviathan's formidable nature.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates the Hebrew word יָצַק with ἀβύσσου (abyss), which suggests a depth of strength and impenetrability. This choice reflects a broader interpretation, associating Leviathan with the depths of chaos and the unknown.
This translation choice indicates a shift from a focus on physical hardness to a more abstract representation of Leviathan's overwhelming power.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Job 41:24 describes Leviathan's chest as being as hard as a rock and as a lower millstone. This imagery highlights the creature's strength and unyielding nature, emphasizing its fearsome characteristics.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
This description emphasizes Leviathan's strength and resilience, suggesting it is impervious to harm.
A millstone is a heavy stone used for grinding grain, symbolizing durability and the crushing power of Leviathan.
Leviathan is portrayed as a powerful and fearsome creature, representing chaos and the untamable aspects of nature.
It illustrates the theme of God's sovereignty over creation, highlighting the limitations of human power in contrast to divine authority.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What characteristics of Leviathan stand out to you in this verse?
- How does the imagery of hardness relate to your understanding of strength?
- In what ways do you see the theme of chaos represented in nature around you?
- How can recognizing the power of creation lead to a deeper understanding of God's sovereignty?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
The early Church Fathers, like Gregory the Dialogist, referenced this verse to discuss the unyielding nature of evil, drawing on the imagery of hardness.
His heart shall be hardened as a stone, and he will be bound as the anvil of the hammerer. 11. For the heart of the ancient enemy will be hardened as a stone, because it will never be softened by any penitence of conversion.Early Church Fathers on Job 41 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Job 41:24 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleHis heart is as firm as a stone; yea, as hard as a piece of the nether [millstone].
Read John Gill on Job 41 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryHis heart is as firm as a stone; yea, as hard as a piece of the nether millstone. Heart. 'In large beasts, which are less acute in feeling, there is great firmness of the heart, and slower motion' (Bochart).
Read Robert Jamieson on Job 41 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleHis heart; either, 1. That part of the body is most firm, and hard, and strong. Or, 2. His courage is invincible; he is void of fear for himself, and of compassion to others, which is oft called hardness of heart. Hard as a piece of the nether millstone; which being to bear the weight of the upper, ought to be the harder and stronger of the two.
Read Matthew Poole on Job 41 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJob 41:24 His heart is as firm as a stone; yea, as hard as a piece of the nether [millstone].Ver. 24. His heart is as firm as a stone] He is corpore et corde validissimus. Of the sword fish, Plutarch saith, that he hath a sword, but not a heart to use it, μαχαιρανμενεχει, εχει, καρδιανδεμηεχει. But the whale hath courage to his bulk: his heart is as firm as a stone, as his head (saith Scaliger) is as hard as a flint. In the hearts of some creatures, saith Aristotle, is found a bony or grisly hardness; but the whale’ s heart is all as it were a bone; and this bone as a stone. As a piece of the nether millstone] Metae, upon which the whole weight lieth. The Greek call it ονοςμυλικος, Matthew…
Read John Trapp on Job 41 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(24) His heart—i.e., his nature, his disposition. This seems to be the meaning, rather than the physical organ of life.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Job 41 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 24. Hard as a piece of the nether millstone.] Which is required to be harder than that which runs above.
Read AdamClarke on Job 41 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges24. The second clause reads, Yea, firm as the nether millstone. Gen. “as hard as the nether millstone.” The term “firm,” lit. cast, is repeated from the first clause (cf. Job 41:23). The nether millstone, bearing all the pressure upon it, needs to be harder even than the upper stone.
Read Cambridge on Job 41 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleHis heart is as firm as a stone - As hard; as solid. Bochart remarks that the word “heart” here is not to be regarded as denoting the “courage” of the animal, as it sometimes does, but the heart literally.
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
His chest is as hard as a rock, as hard as a lower millstone!
His heart is as firm as a stone, yes, firm as the lower millstone.
His chest is as hard as a rock, as hard as a lower millstone!
Its heart is hard as rock, hard as a lower millstone.
Tyndale line
His heart is as firm as a stone; yea, as hard as a piece of the nether millstone.
His heart is as firm as a stone; Yea, firm as the nether millstone.
His heart is as firm as a stone; yea, firm as the nether millstone.
His heart is as firm as a stone; yes, as hard as a piece of the nether millstone .
In the earth there is none like him: hee is made without feare.
Strictly literal
His heart is firm as a stone, yea, firm as the nether [millstone].
His heart [is] firm as a stone, Yea, firm as the lower piece.
His heart [is] firm as a stone, || Indeed, firm as the lower piece.
(41:16) His heart is firm like a stone: yea, as firm as the nether millstone.
His heart is as hard as a stone— indeed, as hard as a lower millstone.
From the Latin
There is no power upon earth that can be compared with him who was made to fear no one.
Simplified
Its heart is rock-hard, like a millstone.
His heart is as strong as a stone, hard as the lower crushing-stone.
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.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text reads לִ֭בּוֹ יָצ֣וּק כְּמוֹ־ אָ֑בֶן וְ֝יָצ֗וּק כְּפֶ֣לַח תַּחְתִּֽית׃, while the Septuagint has fewer matched words. This indicates that the Septuagint may have interpreted the text differently, focusing on the broader implications of Leviathan's nature.
לִ֭בּוֹ יָצ֣וּק כְּמוֹ־ אָ֑בֶן וְ֝יָצ֗וּק כְּפֶ֣לַח תַּחְתִּֽית׃
1 of the 7 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
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.
Lexicons — every word in Job 41:24
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
The Hebrew word לֵב (lev) means 'heart' and encompasses the inner man, mind, will, and emotions. It refers to the center of feelings, intellect, and moral character, as well as the seat of appetites and courage. The entries suggest a broad range of meanings related to human experience and thought, with a specific mention of its use in Jeremiah 51:1.
לֵב 599 n.m. (f.) inner man, mind, will, heart
seldom of things in the midst of the sea
elsewhere of men
the inner man in contrast with the outer
the inner man, indef., soul, comprehending mind, affections and will
specific reference to mind
spec. ref. to inclinations, resolutions and determinations of the will
spec. ref. to conscience
[various]
for the man himself
as seat of appetites
as seat of emotions and passions
seat of courage
base
לֵב קָמָי prob. late Atbash Je 51:1.
ref
H3820a לֵב inner man, mind, will, heart . seldom of things in the midst of the sea
. elsewhere of men . the inner man in contrast with the outer
. the inner man, indef., soul, comprehending mind, affections and will
. specific reference to mind
. spec. ref. to inclinations, resolutions and determinations of the will
. spec. ref. to conscience
. [various]
. for the man himself
. as seat of appetites
. as seat of emotions and passions
. seat of courage
H3820b לֵב קָמָי prob. late Atbash
3820 leb labe
a form of 3824; the heart; also used (figuratively) very
widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect;
likewise for the centre of anything:--+ care for, comfortably,
consent, X considered, courag(-eous), friend(-ly), ((broken-),
(hard-), (merry-), (stiff-), (stout-), double) heart((-ed)), X
heed, X I, kindly, midst, mind(-ed), X regard((-ed)), X
themselves, X unawares, understanding, X well, willingly,
wisdom.
see HEBREW for 03824
לֵב (lev) — heart.
1) inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding
1a) inner part, midst
1a1) midst (of things)
1a2) heart (of man)
1a3) soul, heart (of man)
1a4) mind, knowledge, thinking, reflection, memory
1a5) inclination, resolution, determination (of will)
1a6) conscience
1a7) heart (of moral character)
1a8) as seat of appetites
1a9) as seat of emotions and passions 1a10) as seat of courage
לֵב (lev) — Leb.
§ Leb- = "heart of"
(probably a cryptic name for Babylon by Atbash)
HNcmsc/Sp3ms — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHNcmsc/Sp3ms
The Hebrew word יָצַק (*yatsaq*) means to pour, cast, or flow. It is a primitive root that encompasses actions like pouring out, melting, and establishing something firmly. The entries detail its uses in different forms, including Qal, Hiphil, and Hophal, indicating various aspects of pouring and casting, as well as being firmly established.
יָצַק vb. pour, cast, flow
Qal
pour, pour out
cast (objects of metal)
Pt.pass. as adj. fig. cast, hard, of crocodile’s scales
intrans. flow, pour
Hiph. pour (oil)
Hoph.
be poured
Pt. = cast, molten
Pt., fig. firmly established
base
H3332 יָצַק pour, cast, flow
3332 yatsaq yaw-tsak'
a primitive root; properly, to pour out (transitive or
intransitive); by implication, to melt or cast as metal; by
extension, to place firmly, to stiffen or grow hard:--cast,
cleave fast, be (as) firm, grow, be hard, lay out, molten,
overflow, pour (out), run out, set down, stedfast.
יָצַק (ya.tsaq) — to pour: pour.
: pour
1) to pour, flow, cast, pour out
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to pour, pour out
1a2) to cast
1a3) to flow
1b) (Hiphil) to pour, pour out
1c) (Hophal)
1c1) to be poured
1c2) cast, molten (participle)
1c3) being firmly established (participle)
יָצַק (ya.tsaq) — to pour: cast metal.
: cast_metal
1) to pour, flow, cast, pour out
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to pour, pour out
1a2) to cast
1a3) to flow
1b) (Hiphil) to pour, pour out
1c) (Hophal)
1c1) to be poured
1c2) cast, molten (participle)
1c3) being firmly established (participle)
יָצַק (ya.tsaq) — to pour: set down.
: set_down
1) to pour, flow, cast, pour out
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to pour, pour out
1a2) to cast
1a3) to flow
1b) (Hiphil) to pour, pour out
1c) (Hophal)
1c1) to be poured
1c2) cast, molten (participle)
1c3) being firmly established (participle)
יָצַק (ya.tsaq) — to pour: firm.
: firm
1) to pour, flow, cast, pour out
1a) (Qal)
HVqsmsa — Verb · Qal · participle (passive) masculine singularHVqsmsa
כְּמוֹ (kemo) is an adverb and conjunction meaning 'like' or 'as,' often used to draw comparisons or indicate similarity. It can also mean 'when' or 'according to.' The word is derived from a pleonastic form of the prefix כְּ (k-) and is related to the word מוֹ (mo). There are no significant disagreements among the lexicons.
כְּמוֹ adv. and conj. like, as, when (lit. the like of what (viz.) …, a pleon. form of כְּ (v. מוֹ), and, like it, prop. a subst.)
base
H3644 כְּמוֹ adv. and conj. like, as, when (lit. the like of what (viz.) …, a pleon. form of כְּ (v. מוֹ), and, like it, prop. a subst.)
3644 kmow kem-o'
or kamow {kaw-mo'}; a form of the prefix "k-", but used
separately (compare 3651); as, thus, so:--according to, (such)
as (it were, well as), in comparison of, like (as, to, unto),
thus, when, worth.
see HEBREW for 03651
כְּמוֹ (ke.mo) — like.
adv
1) like, as, the like of which
conj
2) when, according as, as it were
כְּמוֹ (ke.mo) — (Geruth) Chimham.
Combined with ge.rut (גֵּרוּת "Geruth" H1628)
HR — PrepositionHR
The Hebrew word אֶ֫בֶן (*eben*) means 'stone' and encompasses various types, including common stones, precious stones, and stones used as weights or tools. It can also refer to metaphorical uses, such as a hardened heart or sinking in water. The entries highlight its physical and symbolic significance, with no notable disagreements among lexicons.
אֶ֫בֶן 274 n.f. stone
in natural state
stone, as material
precious stone, gen. with modifying word
stone containing metal, = ore
a weight, as orig. stone
plummet
objects like stone
in sim. (mostly poet.) of sinking in water
In topogr. terms
base
H68 אֶ֫בֶן stone . in natural state
. stone, as material
. precious stone, gen. with modifying word
. stone containing metal, = ore
. a weight, as orig. stone
. plummet
. objects like stone
. in sim. (mostly poet.) of sinking in water
. In topogr. terms
68 'eben eh'-ben
from the root of 1129 through the meaning to build; a
stone:--+ carbuncle, + mason, + plummet, (chalk-, hail-,
head-, sling-)stone(-ny), (divers) weight(-s).
see HEBREW for 01129
אֶ֫בֶן (e.ven) — stone.
: stone
1) stone (large or small)
1a) common stone (in natural state)
1b) stone, as material
1b1) of tablets
1b2) marble, hewn stones
1c) precious stones, stones of fire
1d) stones containing metal (ore), tool for work or weapon
1e) weight
1f) plummet (stones of destruction) also made of metal
1g) stonelike objects, eg hailstones, stony heart, ice
1h) sacred object, as memorial Samuel set up to mark where God helped Israel to defeat the Philistines
1i) (simile)
1i1) sinking in water, motionlessness
1i2) strength, firmness, solidity
1i3) commonness
1j) (metaph)
1j1) petrified with terror
1j2) perverse, hard heart
אֶ֫בֶן (e.ven) — stone: weight.
: weight
1) stone (large or small)
1a) common stone (in natural state)
1b) stone, as material
1b1) of tablets
1b2) marble, hewn stones
1c) precious stones, stones of fire
1d) stones containing metal (ore), tool for work or weapon
HNcfsa — Noun common · feminine singular absoluteHNcfsa
Stone
Stones were commonly used for buildings, also as memorials of important events (Gen. 28:18; Josh. 24:26, 27; 1 Sam. 7:12, etc.). They were gathered out of cultivated fields (Isa. 5:2; comp. 2 Kings 3:19). This word is also used figuratively of believers (1 Pet. 2:4, 5), and of the Messiah (Ps. 118:22; Isa. 28:16; Matt. 21:42; Acts 4:11, etc.). In…
The allusion in Re 2:17 may be to the practice at the Olympic games of giving the successful competitor a white stone, inscribed with his name and the value of his prize; or to the mode of balloting with black and white stones on the question of the acquittal of an accused person, or his admission to certain privileges; if the stones deposited in the urn by the judges were all white, the decision was favorable. In early ages, flint-stone knives were in common use, instead of steel, Ex 4:25 Jos 5:2.
It was also customary to raise a heap or mound of stones in commemoration of any remarkable event, Ge 31:46 Jos 4:5-7 7:26 8:29…
The Hebrew word יָצַק (*yatsaq*) means to pour, cast, or flow. It is a primitive root that encompasses actions like pouring out, melting, and establishing something firmly. The entries detail its uses in different forms, including Qal, Hiphil, and Hophal, indicating various aspects of pouring and casting, as well as being firmly established.
יָצַק vb. pour, cast, flow
Qal
pour, pour out
cast (objects of metal)
Pt.pass. as adj. fig. cast, hard, of crocodile’s scales
intrans. flow, pour
Hiph. pour (oil)
Hoph.
be poured
Pt. = cast, molten
Pt., fig. firmly established
base
H3332 יָצַק pour, cast, flow
3332 yatsaq yaw-tsak'
a primitive root; properly, to pour out (transitive or
intransitive); by implication, to melt or cast as metal; by
extension, to place firmly, to stiffen or grow hard:--cast,
cleave fast, be (as) firm, grow, be hard, lay out, molten,
overflow, pour (out), run out, set down, stedfast.
יָצַק (ya.tsaq) — to pour: pour.
: pour
1) to pour, flow, cast, pour out
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to pour, pour out
1a2) to cast
1a3) to flow
1b) (Hiphil) to pour, pour out
1c) (Hophal)
1c1) to be poured
1c2) cast, molten (participle)
1c3) being firmly established (participle)
יָצַק (ya.tsaq) — to pour: cast metal.
: cast_metal
1) to pour, flow, cast, pour out
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to pour, pour out
1a2) to cast
1a3) to flow
1b) (Hiphil) to pour, pour out
1c) (Hophal)
1c1) to be poured
1c2) cast, molten (participle)
1c3) being firmly established (participle)
יָצַק (ya.tsaq) — to pour: set down.
: set_down
1) to pour, flow, cast, pour out
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to pour, pour out
1a2) to cast
1a3) to flow
1b) (Hiphil) to pour, pour out
1c) (Hophal)
1c1) to be poured
1c2) cast, molten (participle)
1c3) being firmly established (participle)
יָצַק (ya.tsaq) — to pour: firm.
: firm
1) to pour, flow, cast, pour out
1a) (Qal)
HC/Vqsmsa — Conjunction · verb qal participle (passive) masculine singularHC/Vqsmsa
פֶּ֫לַח (pelach) refers to a slice or piece, often associated with a millstone. The word is built from a root meaning to cut or cleave, and it encompasses meanings related to cleavage and slicing. The entries consistently emphasize its connection to millstones and parts that are cut off.
פֶּ֫לַח n.f. cleavage, mill-stone
base
H6400 פֶּ֫לַח
6400 pelach peh'-lakh
from 6398; a slice:--piece.
see HEBREW for 06398
פֶּ֫לַח (pe.lach) — millstone.
1) cleavage, mill-stone, cut, slice, part cut off
1a) mill-stone
1b) cleavage, slice
HR/Ncfsa — Preposition · noun common feminine singular absoluteHR/Ncfsa
Stone
Stones were commonly used for buildings, also as memorials of important events (Gen. 28:18; Josh. 24:26, 27; 1 Sam. 7:12, etc.). They were gathered out of cultivated fields (Isa. 5:2; comp. 2 Kings 3:19). This word is also used figuratively of believers (1 Pet. 2:4, 5), and of the Messiah (Ps. 118:22; Isa. 28:16; Matt. 21:42; Acts 4:11, etc.). In…
The allusion in Re 2:17 may be to the practice at the Olympic games of giving the successful competitor a white stone, inscribed with his name and the value of his prize; or to the mode of balloting with black and white stones on the question of the acquittal of an accused person, or his admission to certain privileges; if the stones deposited in the urn by the judges were all white, the decision was favorable. In early ages, flint-stone knives were in common use, instead of steel, Ex 4:25 Jos 5:2.
It was also customary to raise a heap or mound of stones in commemoration of any remarkable event, Ge 31:46 Jos 4:5-7 7:26 8:29…
תַּחְתִּי (tachtiy) means 'lower' or 'lowest,' referring to positions or places. It can be used as an adjective or a noun, indicating the depths or lower parts, such as a pit or womb. The word is derived from a root meaning 'low' and is noted in various contexts in the Old Testament.
תַּחְתִּי adj. and subst. lower, lowest (places)
base
H8482 תַּחְתִּי lower, lowest (places)
8482 tachtiy takh-tee'
from 8478; lowermost; as noun (feminine plural) the depths
(figuratively, a pit, the womb):--low (parts, -er, -er
parts, - est), nether (part).
see HEBREW for 08478
תַּחְתִּי (tach.ti) — lower.
1) low, lower, lowest
1a) lowest (as adj)
1b) the lower parts (subst)
HAafsa — HAafsa