Job 42:6 — Word Study
WLCעַל־ כֵּ֭ן אֶמְאַ֣ס וְנִחַ֑מְתִּי עַל־ עָפָ֥ר וָאֵֽפֶר׃ פ
BSAThereforeʻal I despise [myself]mâʼaç▸ and I repentnâcham [am deeply sorry, comfort myself] inʻal dustʻâphâr [dry earth, clay] and ashesʼêpher [something worthless]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| עַל־ | there- | Preposition |
| כֵּ֭ן | -fore | Adverb |
| אֶמְאַ֣ס | I reject | Verb, Qal, imperfect first person common singular |
| וְנִחַ֑מְתִּי | and I repent | Verb, Niphal, sequential perfect first person common singular |
| עַל־ | on | Preposition |
| עָפָ֥ר | dust | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| וָאֵֽפֶר׃ פ | and ash[es] | Conjunction, noun common masculine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Therefore I retract my words, and I repent in dust and ashes.” |
| KJV | Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes. |
| ASV | Wherefore I abhor myself, And repent in dust and ashes. |
| YLT | Therefore do I loathe [it], And I have repented on dust and ashes. |
| WEB | Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” |
| BBE | For this cause I give witness that what I said is false, and in sorrow I take my seat in the dust. |
Where they part company is עַל — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence is structured around a main clause with two subordinate elements, emphasizing Job's dual action of retracting and repenting.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbמָאַס
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 42:6
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 — Job's Repentancegenerated
Job 42:6 reveals Job's response to God's revelations about His power and wisdom. After a long period of suffering and questioning, Job recognizes his own limitations and repents for his earlier words. This moment emphasizes the importance of humility before God, as seen in the surrounding verses where God addresses Job and his friends regarding their understanding of divine justice.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Job 9:31 | then You would plunge me into the pit, and even my own clothes would despise me. |
| 2 | Job 40:3–4 | Then Job answered the LORD: |
| 3 | Ezra 9:6 | and said: “O my God, I am ashamed and embarrassed to lift up my face to You, my God, because our iniquities are higher than our heads, and our guilt has reached the heavens. |
| 4 | Psalm 51:17 | The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise. |
| 5 | Isaiah 5:5 | Now I will tell you what I am about to do to My vineyard: I will take away its hedge, and it will be consumed; I will tear down its wall, and it will be trampled. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 22 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — אֶמְאַ֣ס, 'em.'Asgenerated
The verb מָאַס (*ma'ac*) means to reject or spurn, indicating a strong denial of previous statements. Job uses this word to express his decision to renounce his earlier complaints against God, demonstrating a shift from accusation to submission.
The parsing as a first person singular imperfect verb shows that Job is actively engaging in this rejection. His repentance is not just an acknowledgment of wrongdoing but a heartfelt decision to turn away from his former stance.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb אֶמְאַ֣ס governs the entire statement, with two clauses following it: one expressing Job's rejection of his former words and the other detailing his act of repentance. The structure emphasizes Job's active choice to turn away from his previous mindset.
The use of prepositional phrases עַל־ עָפָ֥ר וָאֵֽפֶר highlights the physical and metaphorical significance of dust and ashes, reinforcing Job's humility and recognition of his mortality.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates the key terms with διὸ for 'therefore' and ἀποστρέφω for 'I retract,' which indicates a direct acknowledgment of Job's change of heart. This choice reflects a similar emphasis on repentance and transformation.
The use of σποδόν for 'ashes' suggests a consistent understanding of worthlessness, aligning with the Hebrew connotation of humility and submission.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Job 42:6 shows Job admitting he was wrong and feeling deep sorrow for his earlier words. He expresses this regret by saying he repents in dust and ashes, a traditional sign of humility and mourning.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Job is demonstrating humility and recognizing his lowly state before God, using dust and ashes as symbols of repentance and mourning.
Job retracts his words as a response to God's revelation of His sovereignty and wisdom, acknowledging that he spoke out of ignorance.
This verse encapsulates Job's journey from questioning God to accepting his limitations, highlighting the transformative power of divine encounter.
Job's repentance teaches us the importance of humility and the need to recognize our own limitations in the face of God's greatness.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what areas of my life do I need to acknowledge my mistakes and seek forgiveness?
- How can I practice humility in my daily interactions with others?
- What does it mean to me to repent in a meaningful way?
- How can I better understand the nature of God's sovereignty in my life?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early commentators have drawn from this verse to discuss themes of humility and repentance, as seen in the writings of John Chrysostom and Gregory the Dialogist.
God clearly said to him, “Do you think that I have dealt with you in any other way than that you might appear to be righteous?” That was in order, he says, to make you speak as you are speaking now, and not in order to condemn you.Early Church Fathers on Job 42 →
Wherefore I reproach myself. 6. For the less a person sees himself, the less is he displeased with himself; and the more he discerns the light of greater grace, the more blameworthy does he acknowledge himself to be.Early Church Fathers on Job 42 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Job 42:6 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleWherefore I abhor [myself],.... Or all my words, as Aben Ezra; all the indecent expressions he had uttered concerning God; he could not bear to think of them; he loathed them, and himself on account
Read John Gill on Job 42 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryWherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes. Myself - rather, 'I abhor,' and retract the rash speeches I made against thee (Job 42:3-4). (Umbreit.)
Read Robert Jamieson on Job 42 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleI abhor, i.e. dislike, and detest, and loathe myself, or my former words and carriage. One of these or some like supplement is necessary to complete the sense, and is clearly gathered from the following words. In dust and ashes; sitting in dust and ashes; which hitherto I have done in token of my grief for my affliction; but now I desire and resolve to do in testimony of my penitence for my sins.
Read Matthew Poole on Job 42 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJob 42:6 Wherefore I abhor [myself], and repent in dust and ashes.Ver. 6. Wherefore I abhor myself] Aspernor illa, so Tremellius. I utterly dislike those my former base and bald conceits of thee, my hard and unsavoury speeches, mine impatient and imprudent carriages. Horreo quicquid de meo est, ut meus sim, as Bernard expresseth it. Reprobo meipsum, so Brentius; I do utterly reject myself, I condemn mine own folly: I eat those words of discontent at thy righteous proceedings. Digna sane quae per iugulum redeant. Abiecio vitam meam, so Mercer and Lavater render it. I cast away my life, and look upon it as lost, if thou shouldest take the forfeiture: I humbly put myself into the hands of…
Read John Trapp on Job 42 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 6. I abhor myself] Compared with thine, my strength is weakness; my wisdom, folly; and my righteousness, impurity. "I loathe myself when thee I see; And into nothing fall." Repent] I am deeply distressed on account of the imaginations of my heart, the words of my tongue, and the acts of my life. I roll myself in the dust, and sprinkle ashes upon my head. Job is now sufficiently humbled at the feet of Jehovah; and having earnestly and piously prayed for instruction, the Lord, in a finishing speech, which appears to be contained in Job 40:1-14, perfects his teaching on the subject of the late controversy, which is concluded with, "When thou canst act like the Almighty," which is, in…
Read AdamClarke on Job 42 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges6. The effect of this deeper knowledge of God upon Job’s heart. I abhor myself] The word myself is not expressed; what has to be supplied as the object of “abhor” is rather it, that is, my former language and demeanour. The word means, I retract, or repudiate.
Read Cambridge on Job 42 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleWherefore I abhor myself - I see that I am a sinner to be loathed and abhorred.
Read Albert Barnes on Job 42 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible6. I abhor myself — àîàñ. As in Job 7:16, (which see,) the object of the verb abhor is not given.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Job 42 →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
Therefore I retract my words, and I repent in dust and ashes.”
Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.”
Therefore I despise myself, and I repent in dust and ashes.”
Therefore I despise myself, and I repent in dust and ashes!
Tyndale line
Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.
Wherefore I abhor myself, And repent in dust and ashes.
Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.
Wherefore I abhor myself , and repent in dust and ashes.
Therefore I abhorre my selfe, and repent in dust and ashes.
Strictly literal
Wherefore I abhor [myself], and repent in dust and ashes.
Therefore do I loathe [it], And I have repented on dust and ashes.
Therefore I loathe [it], || And I have sighed on dust and ashes.”
Therefore I reject [what I have said], and repent; because I am dust and ashes.
So I despise myself; I repent in dust and ashes.”
From the Latin
Therefore I reprehend myself, and do penance in dust and ashes.
Simplified
That is why I'm sorry for what I said, and I repent in dust and ashes.”
For this cause I give witness that what I said is false, and in sorrow I take my seat in the dust.
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 of Job 42:6 reads, "עַל־ כֵּ֭ן אֶמְאַ֣ס וְנִחַ֑מְתִּי עַל־ עָפָ֥ר וָאֵֽפֶר׃ פ," which translates to "Therefore I retract my words, and I repent in dust and ashes." The Septuagint, while not providing a direct translation, shows that 4 out of the 7 words correspond with the Hebrew text, indicating some level of agreement in meaning, though the exact phrasing and structure differ. The Samaritan Pentateuch and the Dead Sea Scrolls do not provide additional text for this verse, so no further comparison can be made from those sources.
עַל־ כֵּ֭ן אֶמְאַ֣ס וְנִחַ֑מְתִּי עַל־ עָפָ֥ר וָאֵֽפֶר׃ פ
4 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 42:6
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 עַל (*al*) is a preposition meaning 'upon' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including 'on account of,' 'beside,' 'above,' and 'against.' It can indicate physical placement, emotional burdens, or duties imposed on a person. The entries also note its use in idiomatic expressions and with verbs of motion. There is a mention of its function as a conjunction in certain contexts.
כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as
base
עַל, עָ֑ל
subst. height
As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against
Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed
—
of clothing, etc., which any one wears
With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it
Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him
Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him
על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him
חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)
H5921a עַל, עָ֑ל . As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against . Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed . — . of clothing, etc., which any one wears
. With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it
. Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him
. Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him
. על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him
. חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)
5921 `al al
properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the
singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a
particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always
in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great
variety of applications (as follow):--above, according
to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because
of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both
and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in
(that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-)on, over, than,
through(-out), to, touching, X with.
see HEBREW for 05920
עַל (al) — upon.
prep
1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against
1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards
1b) above, beyond, over (of excess)
1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence)
1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition)
1e) over (of suspension or extension)
1f) by, adjoining, next, at, over, around (of contiguity or proximity)
1g) down upon, upon, on, from, up upon, up to, towards, over towards, to, against (with verbs of motion)
1h) to (as a dative)
[כִּי] עַל [כֵּן] ([ki] al [ken]) — as.
conj
Prep — PrepositionHR
The Hebrew word כֵּן (*ken*) is built from the root meaning 'set upright.' It functions as an adjective meaning 'right,' 'veritable,' or 'honest,' and as an adverb meaning 'so,' 'therefore,' or 'thus.' It appears in various contexts, often indicating manner or relation, and is used in phrases like 'forasmuch as.'
כֵּן adj. right, veritable, honest
right
veritable, true
pl. concr. honest (men)
base
כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as
base
כֵּן adv. so
base
H3651a כֵּן adj. right, veritable, honest H3651b כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as H3651c כֵּן so
3651 ken kane
from 3559; properly, set upright; hence (figuratively as
adjective) just; but usually (as adverb or conjunction)
rightly or so (in various applications to manner, time and
relation; often with other particles):--+ after that
(this, -ward, -wards), as ... as, + (for-)asmuch as yet, + be
(for which) cause, + following, howbeit, in (the) like
(manner, -wise), X the more, right, (even) so, state,
straightway, such (thing), surely, + there (where)-fore, this,
thus, true, well, X you.
see HEBREW for 03559
כֵּן (ken) — right.
adv
adj
1) right, just, honest, true, veritable
1a) right, just, honest
1b) correct
1c) true, veritable
[כִּי עַל] כֵּן ([ki al] ken) — as.
adv
forasmuch as, since
כֵּן (ken) — so.
adv
1) so, therefore, thus
1a) thus, so
1b) just so
1c) therefore
1d) so...as (paired with adv)
1e) then
1f) forasmuch as (in phrase)
1g) (with prep)
1g1) therefore, this being so (specific)
1g2) hitherto
1g3) therefore, on this ground (general)
1g4) afterwards
1g5) in such case
Aramaic equivalent: ken (כֵּן "thus" H3652)
HD — AdverbHD
מָאַס (ma'ac) is a Hebrew verb primarily meaning to reject or despise. It can also denote the action of flowing or running in its Niph'al form. The entries highlight its usage in contexts of refusal and disdain, with no significant disagreement among lexicons regarding its meanings.
[מָאַס] vb. reject
Qal
reject, refuse
despise
Niph. be rejected
base
[מָאַס] vb. Niph. flow, run
base
H3988a מָאַס reject H3988b מָאַס Niph. flow, run
3988 ma'ac maw-as'
a primitive root; to spurn; also (intransitively) to
disappear:--abhor, cast away (off), contemn, despise, disdain,
(become) loathe(some), melt away, refuse, reject, reprobate, X
utterly, vile person.
מָאַס (ma.as) — to reject.
1) to reject, despise, refuse
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to reject, refuse
1a2) to despise
1b) (Niphal) to be rejected
מָאַס (ma.as) — to flow.
(Niphal) to flow, run
V-Qal-Imperf-1cs — Verb · Qal · imperfect first person common singularHVqi1cs
נָחַם (nacham) is a Hebrew root that conveys a range of meanings related to feelings of sorrow, compassion, and comfort. It can signify being sorry, repenting, or consoling oneself, as well as avenging oneself in a more negative context. The verb appears in various forms, including Niph., Piel, Pual, and Hithpael, each reflecting different nuances of comfort and regret.
[נחם] vb. Niph. be sorry, console oneself, etc.
Niph.
be sorry, moved to pity, have compassion, for others
be sorry, rue, suffer grief, repent, of one’s own doings
comfort oneself, be comforted
comfort oneself, ease oneself, by taking vengeance
Piel—comfort, console
Pual; be comforted, consoled
Hithpa.—
be sorry, have compassion
rue, repent of
comfort oneself, be comforted
ease oneself, by taking vengeance
base
H5162 נחם Niph. be sorry, console oneself, etc. .comfort, console
. be comforted, consoled
.— . be sorry, have compassion
. rue, repent of
. comfort oneself, be comforted
. ease oneself, by taking vengeance
5162 nacham naw-kham'
a primitive root; properly, to sigh, i.e. breathe strongly;
by implication, to be sorry, i.e. (in a favorable sense) to
pity, console or (reflexively) rue; or (unfavorably) to avenge
(oneself):--comfort (self), ease (one's self),
repent(-er,-ing, self).
נָחַם (na.cham) — to be sorry: comfort.
: comfort
1) to be sorry, console oneself, repent, regret, comfort, be comforted
1a) (Niphal)
1a1) to be sorry, be moved to pity, have compassion
1a2) to be sorry, rue, suffer grief, repent
1a3) to comfort oneself, be comforted
1a4) to comfort oneself, ease oneself
1b) (Piel) to comfort, console
1c) (Pual) to be comforted, be consoled
1d) (Hithpael)
1d1) to be sorry, have compassion
1d2) to rue, repent of
1d3) to comfort oneself, be comforted
1d4) to ease oneself
Also means: na.cham (נָחַם ": relent" H5162H)
נָחַם (na.cham) — to be sorry: relent.
: relent
1) to be sorry, console oneself, repent, regret, comfort, be comforted
1a) (Niphal)
1a1) to be sorry, be moved to pity, have compassion
1a2) to be sorry, rue, suffer grief, repent
1a3) to comfort oneself, be comforted
1a4) to comfort oneself, ease oneself
1b) (Piel) to comfort, console
Conj | V-Niphal-1cs — Verb · Niphal · sequential perfect first person common singularHc/VNq1cs
The Hebrew word עַל (*al*) is a preposition meaning 'upon' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including 'on account of,' 'beside,' 'above,' and 'against.' It can indicate physical placement, emotional burdens, or duties imposed on a person. The entries also note its use in idiomatic expressions and with verbs of motion. There is a mention of its function as a conjunction in certain contexts.
כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as
base
עַל, עָ֑ל
subst. height
As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against
Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed
—
of clothing, etc., which any one wears
With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it
Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him
Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him
על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him
חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)
H5921a עַל, עָ֑ל . As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against . Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed . — . of clothing, etc., which any one wears
. With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it
. Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him
. Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him
. על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him
. חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)
5921 `al al
properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the
singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a
particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always
in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great
variety of applications (as follow):--above, according
to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because
of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both
and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in
(that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-)on, over, than,
through(-out), to, touching, X with.
see HEBREW for 05920
עַל (al) — upon.
prep
1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against
1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards
1b) above, beyond, over (of excess)
1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence)
1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition)
1e) over (of suspension or extension)
1f) by, adjoining, next, at, over, around (of contiguity or proximity)
1g) down upon, upon, on, from, up upon, up to, towards, over towards, to, against (with verbs of motion)
1h) to (as a dative)
[כִּי] עַל [כֵּן] ([ki] al [ken]) — as.
conj
Prep — PrepositionHR
On
Light; the sun, (Gen. 41:45, 50), the great seat of sun-worship, called also Bethshemesh (Jer. 43:13) and Aven (Ezek. 30:17), stood on the east bank of the Nile, a few miles north of Memphis, and near Cairo, in the north-east. The Vulgate and the LXX. Versions have “Heliopolis” (“city of the sun”) instead of On in Genesis and of Aven in Ezekiel. The “city of destruction” Isaiah speaks of (19:18, marg. “of Heres;” Heb. ‘Ir-ha-heres, which some MSS. read Ir-ha-heres, i.e., “city of the sun”) may be the name given to On, the prophecy being that the time will come when that city which was known as the “city of the sun-god” shall become the “city of destruction” of the sun-god, i.e., when idolatry shall cease, and the worship…
(abode or city of the sun), a town of lower Egypt, called BETH-SHEMESH in (Jeremiah 43:13) On is better known under its Greek name Heliopolis. It was situated on the east side of the Pelusiac branch of the Nile, just below the point of the Delta, and about twenty miles northeast of Memphis. The chief object of worship at Heliopolis was the sun, whose temple, described by Strabo, is now only represented by the single beautiful obelisk, of red granite so feet 2 inches high above the pedestal which has stood for more than 4000 years, having been erected by Usirtesen, the second king of the twelfth dynasty. Heliopolis was anciently famous for its learning, and Eudoxus and Plato studied under its priests. The first mention of this place in the Bible is in the history of Joseph, to whom we read Pharaoh gave "to wife Asenath the daughter…
See HELIOPOLIS.
pain; force; iniquity
עָפָר (aphar) refers to dry earth or dust, encompassing meanings such as powder, ashes, and rubbish. It is derived from a root meaning to be dry and is used in various contexts, including clay and mortar. The entries consistently highlight its association with loose earth and debris.
עָפָר n.m. dry earth, dust
base
H6083 עָפָר dry earth, dust
6083 `aphar aw-fawr'
from 6080; dust (as powdered or gray); hence, clay, earth,
mud:--ashes, dust, earth, ground, morter, powder, rubbish.
see HEBREW for 06080
עָפָר (a.phar) — dust.
1) dry earth, dust, powder, ashes, earth, ground, mortar, rubbish
1a) dry or loose earth
1b) debris
1c) mortar
1d) ore
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
dust (`aphar; koniortos, chous): Small particles of earth. The word has several figurative and symbolic meanings:
(1) Dust being the material out of which God is said to have formed man (Ge 2:7), it became a symbol of man's frailty (Ps 103:14, "For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust"; compare Ge 18:27; Job 4:19, etc.), and of his mortality (Ge 3:19, "Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return"; compare Job 34:15; Ps 104:29; Ec 3:20…
Dust
Storms of sand and dust sometimes overtake Eastern travellers. They are very dreadful, many perishing under them. Jehovah threatens to bring on the land of Israel, as a punishment for forsaking him, a rain of “powder and dust” (Deut. 28:24).
To cast dust on the head was a sign of mourning (Josh. 7:6); and to sit in dust, of extreme affliction (Isa. 47:1). “Dust” is used to denote the grave (Job 7:21). “To shake off the dust from one’s feet” against another is to renounce all future intercourse with him (Matt. 10:14; Acts 13:51). To “lick the dust” is a sign of…
[MOURNING]
Jos 7:6. Dust or ashes put upon the head was a sign of mourning; sitting in the dust, a sign of affliction, La 3:29 Isa 47:1. "Dust" is also put for the grave, Ge 3:19 Job 7:21. It signifies a multitude, Ge 13:16, and a low and mean condition, 1Sa 2:8. We have two remarkable instances of casting dust recorded in Scripture, and they seem to illustrate a practice common in Asia: those who demanded justice against a criminal were accustomed to throw dust upon him, signifying that he deserved to be cast into the grave.…
The Hebrew word אֵ֫פֶר (*epher*) means 'ashes' and is derived from an unused root meaning to bestrew. It primarily refers to ashes, but can also imply worthlessness in a figurative sense. The entries suggest a connection to the light and flying nature of ashes.
אֵ֫פֶר n.[m.] ashes (as light, flying?)
base
H665 אֵ֫פֶר ashes (as light, flying?)
665 'epher ay'-fer
from an unused root meaning to bestrew; ashes:--ashes.
אֵ֫פֶר (e.pher) — ashes.
1) ashes
2) (CLBL) worthlessness (fig.)
Conj | N-ms — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular absoluteHC/Ncmsa