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Joshua 11:9 — Word Study

Depth

WLCוַיַּ֤עַשׂ לָהֶם֙ יְהוֹשֻׁ֔עַ כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר אָֽמַר־ ל֖וֹ יְהוָ֑ה אֶת־ סוּסֵיהֶ֣ם עִקֵּ֔ר וְאֶת־ מַרְכְּבֹתֵיהֶ֖ם שָׂרַ֥ף בָּאֵֽשׁ׃ ס

BSAJoshuaYᵉhôwshûwaʻ [the leader, Yahweh's servant] treatedʻâsâh asʼăsher the LORDYᵉhôvâh [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] had toldʼâmar he hamstrungʻâqar [houghed, cut the leg muscles of] their horsesçûwç [swallow, chariot horses] and burned upsâraph [set on fire, kindled flames on] their chariotsmerkâbâh [war-carriages, vehicles for transportation or warfare]

Word
Listen & take awayJoshua 11
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 9 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 (ba.'Esh) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Joshua 11:9quick helps
In a sentenceJoshua obeyed the LORD's command by hamstringing the horses and burning the chariots.
Who is speakingJoshua, acting as the leader of Israel.
Where we areIn the narrative of Israel's conquest of Canaan, detailing Joshua's actions against enemy forces.
The hard wordעִקֵּ֔ר
Take awayJoshua's actions fulfill God's command, demonstrating obedience.
6 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, Ellicott & more — read them › clause subjectיְהֹושֻׁעַ verbעָשָׂה 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 — Joshua 11:9

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 Conquest of Canaangenerated

8and the LORD delivered them into the hand of Israel, who struck them down and pursued them all the way to Greater Sidon and Misrephoth-maim, and eastward as far as the Valley of Mizpeh. They struck them down, leaving no survivors.
9Joshua treated them as the LORD had told him; he hamstrung their horses and burned up their chariots.
10At that time Joshua turned back and captured Hazor and put its king to the sword, because Hazor was formerly the head of all these kingdoms.
11The Israelites put everyone in Hazor to the sword, devoting them to destruction. Nothing that breathed remained, and Joshua burned down Hazor itself.

Joshua 11:9 describes Joshua's obedience to the LORD's commands during the conquest of Canaan. After defeating the enemy, he took specific actions against their horses and chariots, which were critical to their military strength. This reflects the broader theme of Israel's conquest and God's guidance in their victories, as seen in earlier chapters of Joshua.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Joshua 11:6Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them, for by this time tomorrow I will deliver all of them slain before Israel. You are to hamstring their horses and burn up their chariots.”
2Ezekiel 39:9–10Then those who dwell in the cities of Israel will go out, kindle fires, and burn up the weapons—the bucklers and shields, the bows and arrows, the clubs and spears. For seven years they will use them for fuel.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 2 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word עָשָׂה, vai.Ya.'asgenerated

The verb עָשָׂה (asah) means to do or make, encompassing a wide range of actions such as producing, preparing, and observing. In this verse, it indicates Joshua's decisive actions in response to God's command.

This form is a sequential imperfect, indicating that Joshua's actions were ongoing or habitual in the narrative context. It highlights his role as a leader who actively implements God's instructions.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

In this study, the verse is read in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses treated for the verb עָשָׂה.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The verse contains a main clause led by the verb וַיַּ֤עַשׂ, and he did, with several phrases detailing what Joshua did. The structure emphasizes Joshua's obedience to the command given by the LORD.

The actions are sequentially presented: first, the hamstringing of horses, and then the burning of chariots, illustrating a clear order of events.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates עָשָׂה as ἐποίησεν, which means 'he made' or 'he did'. This choice reflects a direct correlation between the Hebrew and Greek terms, maintaining the sense of action.

The translation aligns closely with the Hebrew meaning, emphasizing Joshua's active role in fulfilling God's command.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Joshua 11:9 tells us that Joshua acted according to the LORD's command by hamstringing the horses and burning the chariots of the enemies. This shows his obedience and commitment to following God's instructions during the conquest of Canaan.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that Joshua hamstrung their horses?

Hamstringing horses was a military tactic to render them useless for battle, demonstrating Joshua's commitment to following God's command to weaken the enemy.

Why did Joshua burn their chariots?

Burning the chariots served to destroy the enemy's means of transportation and warfare, ensuring they could not regroup or pursue Israel.

How does this verse reflect Joshua's leadership?

This verse illustrates Joshua's decisive action and obedience to God's commands, showcasing his role as a faithful leader of Israel.

What is the significance of the LORD's command?

The command from the LORD emphasizes the importance of obedience in the conquest of Canaan, highlighting that victory comes through following God's instructions.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. How can I demonstrate obedience to God's commands in my own life?
  2. What are some ways I can prepare for spiritual battles I face?
  3. In what areas do I need to trust God's guidance like Joshua did?
  4. How can I apply the lessons from Joshua's leadership in my own leadership roles?

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

Early Church Fathers like Origen referenced this verse to discuss themes of obedience and the symbolic meaning of Joshua's actions against the enemies of Israel.

Origen of AlexandriaHOMILIES ON Joshua 15.3 c. 185–253
The horses and the chariots that are removed seem to hold the figure of those who, although placed in the heavens, fell away through wantonness and pride,
Early Church Fathers on Joshua 11 →
Origen of AlexandriaHOMILIES ON Joshua 15.3 c. 185–253
If we understand the horses that are commanded by the precept of God to be hamstrung, together with their chariots, as the passions of the body—that is, lust, petulance or pride, and fickleness, by whom the unhappy soul, just as a rider,
Early Church Fathers on Joshua 11 →

Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Joshua 11:9 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

And Joshua did unto them as the Lord bade him,.... Namely, in the following instances: he houghed their horses, and burnt their chariots with fire; not consulting his own worldly interest or that of

Read John Gill on Joshua 11 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And Joshua did unto them as the LORD bade him: he houghed their horses, and burnt their chariots with fire. Joshua did ... as the Lord (Joshua 11:6) bade him.

Read Robert Jamieson on Joshua 11 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Joshua 11:9 And Joshua did unto them as the LORD bade him: he houghed their horses, and burnt their chariots with fire. Ver. 9. See Joshua 11:6.

Read John Trapp on Joshua 11 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(9) He houghed their horses.—In what particular way this was done we are not informed; we cannot, therefore, be certain whether it was done so as to destroy the lives of the horses, or merely to make them useless for purposes of warfare.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Joshua 11 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 9. He houghed their horses] The Hebrew word עקר akar, which we render to hough or hamstring, signifies to wound, cut, or lop off. It is very likely that it means here, not only an act by which they were rendered useless, but by which they were destroyed; as God had purposed that his people should not possess any cattle of this kind, that a warlike and enterprising spirit might not be cultivated among them; and that, when obliged to defend themselves and their country, they might be led to depend upon God for protection and victory. On the same ground, God had forbidden the kings of Israel to multiply horses, Deuteronomy 17:16. See the note there containing the reasons on which this…

Read AdamClarke on Joshua 11 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

9. he houghed their horses] “he kuttide the sinewis at the knee,” Wyclif. The command, to render the horses useless, was intended to lead Israel not to place its confidence in horses and chariots (Psalms 20:7; Psalms 147:10), and wisely incapacitated them from extending their conquests beyond the borders of Canaan. See Deuteronomy 17:16.

Read Cambridge on Joshua 11 →

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

Joshua treated them as the LORD had told him; he hamstrung their horses and burned up their chariots.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Joshua did to them as Yahweh told him. He hamstrung their horses and burned their chariots with fire.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Joshua treated them as the LORD had told him; he hamstrung their horses and burned up their chariots.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Joshua did to them as the Lord had commanded him; he hamstrung their horses and burned their chariots.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And Joshua did unto them as the LORD bade him: he houghed their horses, and burnt their chariots with fire.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And Joshua did unto them as Jehovah bade him: he hocked their horses, and burnt their chariots with fire.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And Joshua did unto them as the LORD bade him: he houghed their horses, and burnt their chariots with fire.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And Joshua did to them as the LORD bade him: he houghed their horses, and burnt their chariots with fire.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

And Ioshua did vnto them as the Lord bade him: he houghed their horses, and burnt their charets with fire.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And Joshua did to them as Jehovah had said to him: he houghed their horses, and burned their chariots with fire.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

and Joshua doth to them as Jehovah said to him; their horses he hath houghed, and their chariots burnt with fire.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

and Joshua does to them as YHWH commanded to him; he has hamstrung their horses, and burned their chariots with fire.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And Joshua did unto them as the Lord had said unto him: their horses he hamstringed and their chariots he burnt with fire.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Joshua did to them just as Yahweh told him. He hamstrung the horses and burned the chariots.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And he did as the Lord had commanded him, he hamstringed their horses and burned their chariots.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Afterwards Joshua did what the Lord had ordered: he crippled the horses and burned the chariots.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And Joshua did to them as the Lord had said to him; he had the leg-muscles of their horses cut and their war-carriages burned with fire.

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.

וַandclauseverbיַּ֤עַשׂhe.didprepositional phrase · prepositionalלָtoהֶם֙themsubjectיְהוֹשֻׁ֔עַJoshuaprepositional phrase · prepositionalכַּjustrelpאֲשֶׁ֥רasclauseverbאָֽמַרhe.had.saidprepositional phrase · prepositionalל֖toוֹhimsubjectיְהוָ֑הYahwehclausenoun phrase · objectאֶת(et)noun phraseסוּסֵיhorsesהֶ֣םtheirverbעִקֵּ֔רhe.hamstrungוְandclausenoun phrase · objectאֶת(et)noun phraseמַרְכְּבֹתֵיchariotsהֶ֖םtheirverbשָׂרַ֥ףhe.burnedprepositional phrase · prepositionalבָּwithnoun phrase(the)אֵֽשׁfire

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 largely agree in their rendering of this verse, with a near word-for-word correspondence in most instances. The Septuagint, however, may present the words in a different order, which is typical of its translation style.

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

וַיַּ֤עַשׂ לָהֶם֙ יְהוֹשֻׁ֔עַ כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר אָֽמַר־ ל֖וֹ יְהוָ֑ה אֶת־ סוּסֵיהֶ֣ם עִקֵּ֔ר וְאֶת־ מַרְכְּבֹתֵיהֶ֖ם שָׂרַ֥ף בָּאֵֽשׁ׃ ס

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיַּ֤עַשׂἐποίησενלָהֶם֙αὐτοῖςיְהוֹשֻׁ֔עַἰησοῦςכַּאֲשֶׁ֥רτρόπονאָֽמַר־ἐνετείλατοל֖וֹαὐτῷיְהוָ֑הκύριοςסוּסֵיהֶ֣םἵππουςעִקֵּ֔רἐνευροκόπησενוְאֶת־καὶשָׂרַ֥ףἐνέπρησενבָּאֵֽשׁ׃ סπυρί

12 of the 14 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.

Joshua 11:9עָשָׂהand he didand he didעָשָׂההֶםto themto themהֶםיְהוֹשׁוּעַJoshuaJoshuaיְהוֹשׁוּעַאֲשֶׁרjust asjust asאֲשֶׁראָמַרhe had saidhe had saidאָמַרוֹto himto himוֹיהוהYahwehYahwehיהוהאֵתthe object the object markאֵתסוּסhorses theihorses theirסוּסעָקַרhe hamstrunhe hamstrungעָקַראֵתand the objand the object אֵתמֶרְכָּבָהchariots thchariots theirמֶרְכָּבָהשָׂרַףhe burnedhe burnedשָׂרַףאֵשׁwith firewith fireאֵשׁאוֹתsign: mirasign: miraculouאוֹתיהוהThe LordThe Lordיהוההָיָהto beto beהָיָהפָּרָשׁhorsehorseפָּרָשׁמֶרְכָּבchariotchariotמֶרְכָּבבֵּיתבֵּיתמִגְרָשׁpasturepastureמִגְרָשׁמֶרְכָּבָהchariotchariotמֶרְכָּבָהמְלָאכָהworkworkמְלָאכָהתּוֹעֵבַהabominatioabominationתּוֹעֵבַהנוּןNunNunנוּןיְהוֹצָדָקJehozadakJehozadakיְהוֹצָדָקצָוָהto commandto commandצָוָהכֹּהthusthusכֹּהיהוהYHWH/GodYHWH/Godיהוהנְאֻםutteranceutteranceנְאֻםצָבָאarmyarmyצָבָאפֶּ֫רֶדmulemuleפֶּ֫רֶד
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 Joshua 11:9

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.

and he did to them Joshua just as he had said to him Yahweh the object marker horses their he hamstrung and the object marker chariots their he burned with fire
וַיַּ֤עַשׂvai.Ya.'as and he did H6213 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
2,629× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to make or do something, and is used over 2,600 times in the Bible. It is first used in Genesis 1:7 to describe God's creation of the world and is also used in Exodus 31:5 to describe the work of skilled craftsmen.
Tyndale gloss
to make
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עָשָׂה (asah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to do or make, encompassing a wide range of actions such as producing, preparing, and observing. It can refer to both concrete and abstract activities, including making offerings and attending to tasks. The verb also has forms indicating passive meanings, such as being made or offered. Notably, the Piel form refers to pressing or squeezing.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עָשָׂה 2622 vb. do, make

Qal 2524

do (1560 t.)

deal with

oft. in phr. do kindness with

abs. act, act with effect

make (670 t.)

produce, yield

prepare, esp. of dressing and cooking food

make offering

attend to, put in order

observe, celebrate, religious festival

acquire property of various kinds

appoint priests

bring about of י׳’s effecting a deliverance

use

spend, pass, days of life

Niph.

97be done

be made, of concr. things

be produced from vine

be prepared, of food

be offered

be observed, passover

be used

Pu. I was made

base

[עָשָׂה] vb. Pi. press, squeeze

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6213a עָשָׂה do, make .. . do (1560 + t.)

. deal with

. oft. in phr. do kindness with

. abs. act, act with effect

. . make (670 + t.)

. produce, yield

. prepare, esp. of dressing and cooking food

. make offering

. attend to, put in order

. observe, celebrate, religious festival

. acquire property of various kinds

. appoint priests

. bring about of י׳’s effecting a deliverance

. use

. spend, pass, days of life

. . be done

. . be made, of concr. things

. be produced from vine

. be prepared, of food

. be offered

. be observed, passover

. be used

. I was made

H6213b עָשָׂה Pi. press, squeeze

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6213 `asah aw-saw'

a primitive root; to do or make, in the broadest sense and

widest application (as follows):--accomplish, advance,

appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth,

bruise, be busy, X certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal

(with), deck, + displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in)

execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, + feast, (fight-)ing man, +

finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go

about, govern, grant, great, + hinder, hold ((a feast)), X

indeed, + be industrious, + journey, keep, labour, maintain,

make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, + officer, pare,

bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure,

provide, put, requite, X sacrifice, serve, set, shew, X sin,

spend, X surely, take, X thoroughly, trim, X very, + vex, be

(warr-)ior, work(-man), yield, use.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עָשָׂה (a.sah) — to make: do.

: do/perform

1) to do, fashion, accomplish, make

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to do, work, make, produce

1a1a) to do

1a1b) to work

1a1c) to deal (with)

1a1d) to act, act with effect, effect

1a2) to make

1a2a) to make

1a2b) to produce

1a2c) to prepare

1a2d) to make (an offering)

1a2e) to attend to, put in order

1a2f) to observe, celebrate

1a2g) to acquire (property)

1a2h) to appoint, ordain, institute

1a2i) to bring about

1a2j) to use

1a2k) to spend, pass

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be done

1b2) to be made

1b3) to be produced

1b4) to be offered

1b5) to be observed

1b6) to be used

1c) (Pual) to be made

עָשָׂה (a.sah) — to press.

(Piel) to press, squeeze

עָשָׂה (a.sah) — to make.

: make(OBJECT)

1) to do, fashion, accomplish, make

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to do, work, make, produce

1a1a) to do

1a1b) to work

1a1c) to deal (with)

1a1d) to act, act with effect, effect

1a2) to make

1a2a) to make

1a2b) to produce

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ha: The fifth letter of the Hebrew alphabet; transliterated in this Encyclopedia as "h." It came also to be used for the number 5. For name, etc., see ALPHABET.

and he did to them Joshua just as he had said to him Yahweh the object marker horses their he hamstrung and the object marker chariots their he burned with fire
לָהֶם֙la.Hem to them H9038 Preposition · suffix
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הֶם (hem) — them.

Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 3rd person masculine plural

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HRd/Sp3mp — Preposition · suffix
HRd/Sp3mp
and he did to them Joshua just as he had said to him Yahweh the object marker horses their he hamstrung and the object marker chariots their he burned with fire
יְהוֹשֻׁ֔עַye.ho.Shu.a' Joshua H3091 Noun proper masculine
218× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Joshua was a leader in the Bible, first mentioned in Ezra 2:2, who helped the Israelites return from exile. His name means Jehovah is salvation, and he is also known as Jeshua in some parts of the Bible. He was a key figure in the conquest of Canaan.
Amplified meaning
the leader, Yahweh's servant
Tyndale gloss
Joshua
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word יְהוֹשׁוּעַ (*Yhowshuwa`*) refers to Joshua, the successor of Moses and leader of the Israelites. It encompasses various figures, including a resident of Beth-shemesh, a high priest after the restoration, and a governor of Jerusalem under Josiah. The name means 'Jehovah is salvation' and appears in different contexts throughout the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יְהוֹשׁוּעַ, יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, and (later) יֵשׁוּעַ, n.pr.m. (& loc., v. 9 infr.) (י׳ is salvation or י׳ is opulence)

Moses’ successor, son of Nun

a Bethshemite

h.p. after the restoration, son of Jehozadak

governor of Jerusalem under Josiah

head of one of the classes of priests

a Levitical family-name of frequent occurrence

father of a builder at the wall

a Judaite family-name

n.pr.loc. in south of Judah

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3091 יְהוֹשׁוּעַ, יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, and (later) יֵשׁוּעַ . Moses’ successor, son of Nun

. a Bethshemite

. h. p. after the restoration, son of Jehozadak

. governor of Jerusalem under Josiah

. head of one of the classes of priests

. a Levitical family-name of frequent occurrence

. father of a builder at the wall

. a Judaite family-name

. n. pr. loc. in south of Judah

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3091 Yhowshuwa` yeh-ho-shoo'-ah

or Yhowshua {yeh-ho-shoo'-ah}; from 3068 and 3467;

Jehovah-saved; Jehoshua (i.e. Joshua), the Jewish

leader:--Jehoshua, Jehoshuah, Joshua. Compare 1954, 3442.

see HEBREW for 03068

see HEBREW for 03467

see HEBREW for 01954

see HEBREW for 03442

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יְהוֹשׁוּעַ (ye.ho.shu.a) — Joshua.

A man of the tribe of Ephraim living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness and Israel before the Monarchy, first mentioned at Exo.17.9;

son of: Nun (H5126); also called Hoshea (KJV: Oshea) at Num.13.8; Jeshua at Neh.8.17;

§ Joshua or Jehoshua = "Jehovah is salvation"

1) son of Nun of the tribe of Ephraim and successor to Moses as the leader of the children of Israel; led the conquest of Canaan

2) a resident of Beth-shemesh on whose land the Ark of the Covenant came to a stop after the Philistines returned it

3) son of Jehozadak and high priest after the restoration

4) governor of Jerusalem under king Josiah who gave his name to a gate of the city of Jerusalem

יְהוֹשׁוּעַ (ye.ho.shu.a) — Joshua.

A man living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Sa.6.14

§ Joshua or Jehoshua = "Jehovah is salvation"

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper masculine
HNpm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Joshua

Jehovah is his help, or Jehovah the Saviour. The son of Nun, of the tribe of Ephraim, the successor of Moses as the leader of Israel. He is called Jehoshua in Num. 13:16 (A.V.), and Jesus in Acts 7:45 and Heb. 4:8 (R.V., Joshua).

He was born in Egypt, and was probably of the age of Caleb, with whom he is generally associated. He shared in all the events of the Exodus, and held the place of commander of the host of the Israelites at their great battle against the Amalekites in Rephidim (Ex. 17:8-16). He became Moses’ minister or servant, and accompanied him part of the way when he ascended Mount Sinai to receive the two tables (

(saviour, or whose help is Jehovah). His name appears in the various forms of HOSHEAHOSHEA, OSHEA, JEHOSHUA, JESHUA and JESUS. The son of Nun, of the tribe of Ephraim. (1 Chronicles 7:27) (B.C. 1530-1420.) He was nearly forty years old when he shared in the hurried triumph of the exodus. He is mentioned first in connection with the fight against Amalek at Rephidim, when he was chosen by Moses to lead the Israelites. (Exodus 17:9) Soon afterward he was one of the twelve chiefs who were sent, (Numbers 13:17) to explore the land of Canaan, and one of the two, ch. (Numbers 14:6) who gave an encouraging report of their journey. Moses, shortly before his death, was directed, (

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

1. The son of Nun, a distinguished leader of the Hebrews, and the successor of Moses. His name at first was Oshea, Nu 13:8,16; and in the New Testament he is called Jesus, Ac 7:45 Heb 4:8. Both the names, Joshua and Jesus, signify savior, deliverer. See JESUS. Joshua led Israel over the Jordan, and took possession of the promised land; he conquered the Canaanites, and then distributed the country among the tribes. He is first mentioned as the leader of Israel against the Amalekites at Rephidim,

Ex 17:8-16. See also Nu 14:6. At the passage over Jordan he was eighty-four years of age; and after about twenty-six years employed…

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

a savior; a deliverer

and he did to them Joshua just as he had said to him Yahweh the object marker horses their he hamstrung and the object marker chariots their he burned with fire
כַּאֲשֶׁ֥רka.'a.Sher just as H834 Preposition · particle
5,500× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word is a conjunction that connects ideas and events in the Bible, like in the book of Genesis, where it's used to describe the relationship between God and His creation.
Tyndale gloss
which
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֲשֶׁר (*asher*) is a relative pronoun that can mean 'who,' 'which,' or 'that.' It serves various grammatical functions, including as an adverb or conjunction, indicating relationships between clauses, places, or conditions. Variants like בַאֲשֶׁר (*ba-asher*), מֵאֲשֶׁר (*me-asher*), and כַּאֲשֶׁר (*ka-asher*) expand its usage to specific contexts such as location, causation, and time.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֲשֶׁר part. of relation A sign of relation, bringing the clause introduced by it into relation with an antecedent clause.

base

בַאֲשֶׁר

in (that) which

adv. in (the place) where

conj. in that, inasmuch as

on account of whom?

base

מֵאֲשֶׁר

from (or than) that which

adv. from (the place) where

conj. from (the fact) that …, since

base

כַּאֲשֶׁר conj. according as, as, when

according to that which, according as, as

with a causal force, in so far as, since

with a temporal force, when

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H834a אֲשֶׁר part. of relation A sign of relation, bringing the clause introduced by it into relation with an antecedent clause. H834b בַאֲשֶׁר . in (that) which

. adv. in (the place) where

. conj. in that, inasmuch as

. on account of whom?

H834c מֵאֲשֶׁר . from (or than) that which

. adv. from (the place) where

. conj. from (the fact) that …, since

H834d כַּאֲשֶׁר conj. according as, as, when . according to that which, according as, as

. with a causal force, in so far as, since

. with a temporal force, when

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

834 'aher ash-er'

a primitive relative pronoun (of every gender and number);

who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction)

when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.:--X after, X

alike, as (soon as), because, X every, for, + forasmuch, +

from whence, + how(-soever), X if, (so) that ((thing) which,

wherein), X though, + until, + whatsoever, when, where

(+ -as, -in, -of, -on, -soever, -with), which, whilst, +

whither(- soever), who(-m, -soever, -se). As it is

indeclinable, it is often accompanied by the personal pronoun

expletively, used to show the connection.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֲשֶׁר (a.sher) — which.

A: 1) (relative part.)

1a) which, who

1b) that which

2) (conj)

2a) that (in obj clause)

2b) when

2c) since

2d) as

2e) conditional if

B: Beth+ 1) in (that) which

2) (adv)

2a) where

3) (conj)

3a) in that, inasmuch as

3b) on account of

C: Mem+ 1) from (or than) that which

2) from (the place) where

3) from (the fact) that, since

D: Kaph+

1) (conj.), according as, as, when

1a) according to that which, according as, as

1b) with a causal force: in so far as, since

1c) with a temporal force: when

בַאֲשֶׁר (ba.a.sher) — in which.

1) in (that) which

2) (adv)

2a) where

3) (conj)

3a) in that, inasmuch as

3b) on account of

מֵאֲשֶׁר (me.a.sher) — whence.

1) from (or than) that which

2) from (the place) where

3) from (the fact) that, since

כַּאֲשֶׁר (ka.a.sher) — as which.

conj

1) according as, as, when

1a) according to that which, according as, as

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | Rel — Preposition · particle
HR/Tr
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

az: Conj. and adverb (usually Greek hos hosper, kathos), designating:

(1) Likeness: (a) between nouns (Ge 3:5; Jud 6:5; Php 2:8; Heb 11:27,29); (b) between verbs (Lu 6:36; Joh 5:30; 1Co 10:7); (c) between adjectives (1Co 15:48).

(2) Limitation (with respect to a particular aspect or relation) (1Pe 4:15,16).

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he did to them Joshua just as he had said to him Yahweh the object marker horses their he hamstrung and the object marker chariots their he burned with fire
אָֽמַר־'a.mar- he had said H559 Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singular
5,309× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to say or speak, and it's used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to command, promise, or think, and it's translated in the KJV as 'answer', 'appoint', or 'command'.
Tyndale gloss
to say
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָמַר (amar) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to say' or 'to utter,' with a broad range of uses including to promise, command, or even boast. It appears in various forms, such as in the Qal (to say), Niphal (to be told), and Hiphil (to avow). The entries highlight its versatility in both spoken and internal contexts, though no specific verse is noted.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָמַר 5287 vb. utter, say

Qal

Say

Say in the heart (= think)

Promise

Command (esp. late)

Niph. be said, told

Hiph. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

Hithp. act proudly, boast

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H559 אָמַר utter, say .. Say

. Say in the heart (= think)

. Promise

. Command (esp. late)

. be said, told

. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

. act proudly, boast

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

559 'amar aw-mar'

a primitive root; to say (used with great

latitude):--answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call,

certify, challenge, charge, + (at the, give) command(-ment),

commune, consider, declare, demand, X desire, determine, X

expressly, X indeed, X intend, name, X plainly, promise,

publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), X still, X

suppose, talk, tell, term, X that is, X think, use (speech),

utter, X verily, X yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָמַר (a.mar) — to say.

1) to say, speak, utter

1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend

1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called

1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly

1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch

Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-3ms — Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singular
HVqp3ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he did to them Joshua just as he had said to him Yahweh the object marker horses their he hamstrung and the object marker chariots their he burned with fire
ל֖וֹlo to him H9033 Preposition · suffix
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

וֹ (o) — him.

Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 3rd person masculine singular

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HRd/Sp3ms — Preposition · suffix
HRd/Sp3ms
and he did to them Joshua just as he had said to him Yahweh the object marker horses their he hamstrung and the object marker chariots their he burned with fire
יְהוָ֑הYah.weh Yahweh H3068 Noun proper
6,528× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Yehovah is another name for God, often translated as 'the Lord'. It is a national name for God in the Jewish faith. This name is used throughout the Old Testament.
Amplified meaning
Yehovah, The covenant Name of God
Tyndale gloss
The Lord
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) is the proper name of the God of Israel, often rendered as Jehovah or the Lord. It signifies the self-existent or eternal nature of God. The name is closely associated with the revelation to Moses in Exodus 3:12-15 and is used in conjunction with other terms to denote sacred places. Some scholars suggest it derives from a root meaning 'to bring into being.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יהוה c. 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel—(1. MT יְהֹוָה 6518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהֹוִה 305 (Qr אֱלֹהִים) 2. Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of הוה (= היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver)

יהוה is not used by E in Gn, but is given Ex 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb

יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D

the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy

יהוה is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3068 יהוה i.e. יַהְוֶה n. pr. dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw'

from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish

national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.

see HEBREW for 01961

see HEBREW for 03050

see HEBREW for 03069

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — LORD.

Jehovah = "the existing One"

1) the proper name of the one true God

1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of a.do.na (אֲדֹנָי "Lord" H0136)

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — The Lord.

Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — (Jerusalem of) the Lord.

Combined with ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper
HNpt
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he did to them Joshua just as he had said to him Yahweh the object marker horses their he hamstrung and the object marker chariots their he burned with fire
אֶת־'et- the object marker H853 Particle
10,946× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the original Hebrew, this word points out the object of a verb or preposition, like 'namely' or 'even'. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus. It's not directly translated in English, but helps clarify the meaning of sentences.
Tyndale gloss
[Obj.]
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֵת (eth) is primarily a grammatical marker in Hebrew, indicating the definite direct object of a verb. It is not translated into English and typically precedes nouns that are definite. The word is derived from a demonstrative sense of entity, related to the Hebrew word for 'self.' Its Aramaic equivalent is יָת (yat).

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

853 'eth ayth

apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of

entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more

definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or

namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).

see HEBREW for 0226

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵת (et) — [Obj.].

sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative

Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTo — Particle
HTo
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he did to them Joshua just as he had said to him Yahweh the object marker horses their he hamstrung and the object marker chariots their he burned with fire
סוּסֵיהֶ֣םsu.sei.Hem horses their H5483 Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
140× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means a horse, often referring to chariot horses. It also describes a swallow due to its swift flight, as seen in the book of Jeremiah. The word is used to describe strong and fast animals.
Amplified meaning
swallow, chariot horses
Tyndale gloss
swallow
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

סוּס (sus) refers to both a 'swallow' and a 'horse,' derived from a root meaning to skip or leap. The word captures the swift nature of both the bird and the animal, often associated with chariot horses in the context of the Old Testament. There is a note in the entries about a comparison with another Hebrew word, but no significant disagreement among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

סוּס n.[m.] swallow or swift

base

סוּס 138 n.m. horse

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5483a סוּס swallow or swift H5483b סוּס horse

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5483 cuwc soos

or cuc {soos}; from an unused root meaning to skip (properly,

for joy); a horse (as leaping); also a swallow (from its rapid

flight):--crane, horse((-back, -hoof)). Compare 6571.

see HEBREW for 06571

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

סוּס (sus) — swallow.

swallow, swift

סוּס (sus) — Horse (Gate).

This name means horse

סוּס (sus) — horse.

1) horse

1a) chariot horses

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
HNcmpc/Sp3mp
and he did to them Joshua just as he had said to him Yahweh the object marker horses their he hamstrung and the object marker chariots their he burned with fire
עִקֵּ֔ר'i.Ker he hamstrung H6131 Verb · Piel · perfect third person masculine singular
7× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To hamstring means to cut or pluck up something, especially by the roots. In the Bible, it can also mean to exterminate or destroy something completely, like in the book of Judges.
Amplified meaning
houghed, cut the leg muscles of
Tyndale gloss
to uproot
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עָקַר (aqar) is a Hebrew verb meaning to uproot or pluck up, particularly by the roots. It can also refer to hamstringing horses. The entries indicate its use in various forms, such as Qal and Niphal, with references to Ecclesiastes 3:2 and Zephaniah 2:4.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[עָקַר] vb. denom. pluck or root up

Qal Ec 3:2

Niph. Zp 2:4

ref

עִקֵּר vb. Pi. denom. hamstring horses

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6131a עָקַר vb. denom. pluck or root up H6131b עִקֵר vb. Pi. denom. hamstring horses

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6131 `aqar aw-kar'

a primitive root; to pluck up (especially by the roots);

specifically, to hamstring; figuratively, to

exterminate:--dig down, hough, pluck up, root up.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עָקַר (a.qar) — to uproot.

1) to pluck up, root up

1a) (Qal) to pluck up, root up

1b) (Niphal) to be plucked up

Aramaic equivalent: a.qar (עֲקַר "be uprooted" H6132)

עִקֵּר (iq.qer) — to hamstring.

1) to cut, hamstring

1a) (Piel) to cut, hamstring

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Piel-Perf-3ms — Verb · Piel · perfect third person masculine singular
HVpp3ms
and he did to them Joshua just as he had said to him Yahweh the object marker horses their he hamstrung and the object marker chariots their he burned with fire
וְאֶת־ve.'Et and the object marker H853 Conjunction · particle
10,946× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the original Hebrew, this word points out the object of a verb or preposition, like 'namely' or 'even'. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus. It's not directly translated in English, but helps clarify the meaning of sentences.
Tyndale gloss
[Obj.]
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֵת (eth) is primarily a grammatical marker in Hebrew, indicating the definite direct object of a verb. It is not translated into English and typically precedes nouns that are definite. The word is derived from a demonstrative sense of entity, related to the Hebrew word for 'self.' Its Aramaic equivalent is יָת (yat).

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

853 'eth ayth

apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of

entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more

definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or

namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).

see HEBREW for 0226

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵת (et) — [Obj.].

sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative

Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HC/To — Conjunction · particle
HC/To
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he did to them Joshua just as he had said to him Yahweh the object marker horses their he hamstrung and the object marker chariots their he burned with fire
מַרְכְּבֹתֵיהֶ֖םmar.ke.vo.tei.Hem chariots their H4818 Noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
44× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word is also used for a chariot, a vehicle used for transportation or warfare in ancient times. It is similar to H4817 and appears in stories about the prophet Ezekiel's visions, like in Ezekiel 1:15. The word is usually translated as 'chariot' in English Bibles.
Amplified meaning
war-carriages, vehicles for transportation or warfare
Tyndale gloss
chariot
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מֶרְכָּבָה (merkabah) means 'chariot' in Hebrew. It is a feminine noun derived from the related word for chariot, מֶרְכָּב (merkav). The entries consistently define it as a chariot, with no significant disagreement among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מֶרְכָּבָה n.f. chariot

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4818 מֶרְכָּבָה chariot

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4818 merkabah mer-kaw-baw'

feminine of 4817; a chariot:--chariot. See also 1024.

see HEBREW for 04817

see HEBREW for 01024

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מֶרְכָּבָה (mer.ka.vah) — chariot.

chariot

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fp | Suff — Noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
HNcfpc/Sp3mp
and he did to them Joshua just as he had said to him Yahweh the object marker horses their he hamstrung and the object marker chariots their he burned with fire
שָׂרַ֥ףsa.Raf he burned H8313 Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singular
117× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to set something on fire, and is used in the Bible to describe burning or kindling flames, like in Psalm 83:14. It can also mean to utterly destroy something. The word is related to fire and burning, and is used in various forms throughout the Old Testament.
Amplified meaning
set on fire, kindled flames on
Tyndale gloss
to burn
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word שָׂרַף (*saraph*) is a primitive root meaning 'to burn.' It encompasses various forms, including Qal (to burn), Niphal (to be burned), Piel (burner), and Pual (to be burnt up). The entries suggest a focus on the act of burning and its implications, with no significant disagreements noted among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׂרַף 117 vb. burn

Qal burn

Niph. be burned

Pi. his burner, usu. one burning him, but prob. burning spices for him

Pu. it was burnt up (and gone).

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8313 שָׂרַף burn

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8313 saraph saw-raf'

a primitive root; to be (causatively, set) on fire:--(cause

to, make a) burn((-ing), up) kindle, X utterly.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׂרַף (sa.raph) — to burn.

1) to burn

1a) (Qal) to burn

1b) (Niphal) to be burned

1c) (Piel) burner, burning (participle)

1d) (Pual) to be burnt up, be burned

Also means: sa.raph (סָרַף "to burn" H5635)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-3ms — Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singular
HVqp3ms
and he did to them Joshua just as he had said to him Yahweh the object marker horses their he hamstrung and the object marker chariots their he burned with fire
בָּאֵֽשׁ׃ סba.'Esh with fire H784 Preposition · noun common both singular absolute
378× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Fire is a powerful symbol in the Bible, representing both God's anger and his refining presence, as seen in Deuteronomy 4:24 and Malachi 3:2-3. It is also used for cooking and warmth. This concept is central to many biblical stories.
Tyndale gloss
fire
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֵשׁ (esh) means 'fire' and encompasses various types, including natural fire, supernatural fire associated with divine appearances, and fire used for cooking or on altars. It can also figuratively represent God's anger. The entries consistently highlight its literal and metaphorical uses, with no significant disagreement among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵשׁ 377 n.f. fire

fire, of conflagration

of supernatural fire

fire for cooking, roasting, parching

esp. of altar fire

fig. of Yahweh's anger

in various combinations

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H784 אֵשׁ fire . fire, of conflagration

. of supernatural fire

. fire for cooking, roasting, parching

. esp. of altar fire

. fig. of Yahweh's anger

. in various combinations

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

784 'esh aysh

a primitive word; fire (literally or figuratively):--

burning, fiery, fire, flaming, hot.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵשׁ (esh) — fire.

1) fire

1a) fire, flames

1b) supernatural fire (accompanying theophany)

1c) fire (for cooking, roasting, parching)

1d) altar-fire

1e) God's anger (fig.)

Aramaic equivalent: esh (אֶשָּׁא "fire" H0785)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HRd/Ncbsa — Preposition · noun common both singular absolute
HRd/Ncbsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

fir ('esh; pur):

These are the common words for fire, occurring very frequently. 'Ur, "light" (Isa 24:15 the King James Version; compare the Revised Version (British and American); Isa 31:9, and see FIRES), nur (Aramaic) (Da 3:22 ff) are found a few times, also 'eshshah (Jer 6:29), and be`erah (Ex 22:6), once each. Ac 28:2,3 has pura, "pyre," and Mr 14:54; Lu 22:56, phos, "light," the Revised Version (British and American) "in the light (of the fire)." "To set…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Fire

(1.) For sacred purposes. The sacrifices were consumed by fire (Gen. 8:20). The ever-burning fire on the altar was first kindled from heaven (Lev. 6:9, 13; 9:24), and afterwards rekindled at the dedication of Solomon’s temple (2 Chr. 7:1, 3). The expressions “fire from heaven” and “fire of the Lord” generally denote lightning, but sometimes also the fire of the altar was so called (Ex. 29:18; Lev. 1:9; 2:3; 3:5, 9).

Fire for a sacred purpose obtained otherwise than from the altar was called “strange fire” (Lev. 10:1, 2;

is represented as the symbol of Jehovah’s presence and the instrument of his power, in the way either of approval or of destruction. (Exodus 3:2; 14:19) etc. There could not be a better symbol for Jehovah than this of fire, it being immaterial, mysterious, but visible, warming, cheering, comforting, but also terrible and consuming. Parallel with this application of fire and with its symbolical meaning are to be noted the similar use for sacrificial purposes and the respect paid to it, or to the heavenly bodies as symbols of deity, which prevailed among so many nations of antiquity, and of which the traces are not even now extinct; e.g. the Sabean and Magian systems of worship. (Isaiah 27:9) Fire for sacred purposes obtained elsewhere than from the altar was called "strange fire," and for the use of such Nadab and Abihu were punished…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

In Scripture, is often connected with the presence of Jehovah; as in the burning bush, and on Mount Sinai, Ex 3:2 19:18 Ps 18:1-50 Hab 1:1-3:19. The second coming of Christ will be "in flaming fire," 2Th 1:8. In the New Testament it illustrates the enlightening, cheering, and purifying agency of the Holy Spirit, Mt 3:11 Ac 2:3. By sending fire from heaven to consume sacrifices, God often signified his acceptance of them: as in the case of Abel, Ge 4:4; Abraham, Ge…

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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