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Joshua 2:20 — Word Study

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WLCוְאִם־ תַּגִּ֖ידִי אֶת־ דְּבָרֵ֣נוּ זֶ֑ה וְהָיִ֣ינוּ נְקִיִּ֔ם מִשְּׁבֻעָתֵ֖ךְ אֲשֶׁ֥ר הִשְׁבַּעְתָּֽנוּ׃

BSAAnd ifʼim [under these circumstances, in this case] you reportnâgad [tell, declare openly] our missiondâbâr [business, affair] we will behâyâh [exist, come into being] releasednâqîy [innocent, guiltless] from the oathshᵉbûwʻâh [promise, vow] you made us swearshâbaʻ [caused, take an oath, pledge]

Word
Listen & take awayJoshua 2
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 20 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 (hish.ba'.Ta.nu) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Joshua 2:20quick helps
In a sentenceThe spies warn that if their mission is disclosed, they will be free from the oath made.
Who is speakingThe spies, addressing Rahab, outline the terms of their agreement.
Where we areThis verse is part of the dialogue between Rahab and the Israelite spies.
The hard wordנְקִיִּ֔ם
Take awayThe spies emphasize the conditions for their safety.
4 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, AdamClarke, Whedon & more — read them › clause verbנָגַד 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 2:20

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 Agreement with Rahabgenerated

19If anyone goes out the door of your house into the street, his blood will be on his own head, and we will be innocent. But if a hand is laid on anyone with you in the house, his blood will be on our heads.
20And if you report our mission, we will be released from the oath you made us swear.”
21“Let it be as you say,” she replied, and she sent them away. And when they had gone, she tied the scarlet cord in the window.
22So the spies went out into the hill country and stayed there three days, until their pursuers had returned without finding them, having searched all along the road.

Joshua 2:20 is part of the narrative where Rahab, a Canaanite woman, aids Israelite spies by hiding them from the king of Jericho. In return for her protection, the spies promise her safety during the conquest of Jericho, establishing a crucial alliance that highlights themes of faith and deliverance.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Proverbs 11:13A gossip reveals a secret, but a trustworthy person keeps a confidence.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 1 reference, hung on the phrase they belong to

And if thouProverbs 11:13

The Key Word נְקִיִּ֔ם, ne.ki.Yimgenerated

The word נְקִי (naqiy) is an adjective meaning innocent or guiltless. It describes a state of moral purity, free from blame or obligation. In this context, it indicates that the spies will be free from the consequences of their oath if Rahab keeps their mission secret.

This term emphasizes the stakes involved in the agreement between Rahab and the spies, as it ties their safety to her discretion.


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. The BSB has released, and so do the KJV and ASV: all three maintain the meaning of being free from the oath.

Where others part company with the BSB, they differ over the rendering of נְקִיִּ֔ם. Guiltless (ASV, WEB) implies a legal or moral innocence, while free (BBE, ILT) emphasizes liberation from obligations.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The sentence contains a main clause introduced by the conjunction וְאִם־ (ve.'im-), meaning 'and if', which sets the condition for what follows. The structure is straightforward, with a conditional statement followed by the consequences.

The finite verbs תַּגִּ֖ידִי (ta.Gi.di) and הָיִ֣ינוּ (ve.ha.Yi.nu) govern the main actions, while the object phrases clarify the mission and the state of being innocent.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates תַּגִּ֖ידִי as ἀποκαλύψῃ (apokalupsēi), meaning 'you will reveal'. This choice suggests an interpretation that emphasizes the act of disclosure rather than simply reporting.

The Greek term ἀθῷοι (athōioi) for נְקִיִּ֔ם broadens the concept of being guiltless to include a sense of being unpunished, which aligns with the idea of being free from the consequences of an oath.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Joshua 2:20 shows the spies telling Rahab that if she reveals their mission, they will no longer be bound by the oath she made them take. This emphasizes the importance of her keeping their secret for both their safety and hers.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean to be 'released from the oath'?

To be 'released from the oath' means that the spies will not be held accountable for their promise if Rahab discloses their mission.

Why is the condition of secrecy important?

The condition of secrecy is crucial for the safety of both the spies and Rahab, as it ensures that their plans remain undisclosed to their enemies.

What is the significance of the word 'innocent' in this context?

The word 'innocent' signifies that the spies will not bear guilt or blame for their actions if the agreement is honored.

How does this verse reflect the theme of faith?

This verse illustrates faith through Rahab's willingness to protect the spies, trusting in their promise of safety.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What does this agreement reveal about the nature of trust and loyalty?
  2. How can we apply the concept of keeping promises in our own lives?
  3. In what ways can we demonstrate faith in situations where the outcome is uncertain?
  4. How does this story encourage us to consider the impact of our actions on others?

Commentators on this verse — 4 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Joshua 2:20 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

And if thou utter this our business,.... So that others would either hang out scarlet threads or get into her house for shelter, [See comments on Joshua 2:14]; then we will be quit of thine oath

Read John Gill on Joshua 2 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And if thou utter this our business, then we will be quit of thine oath which thou hast made us to swear. No JFB commentary on this verse.

Read Robert Jamieson on Joshua 2 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 20. If thou utter this our business] It was prudent to make her life depend on her secresy; had it been otherwise she might have been tempted to give information, not only concerning the spies, but concerning the designs of the Israelites. But her life being at stake, added to every other motive, she kept the secret for the sake of her own personal safety and that of all her relatives.

Read AdamClarke on Joshua 2 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

20. Quit of thine oath — Released from its obligation. The condition mentioned in Joshua 2:14 is here repeated as if to give it emphasis.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Joshua 2 →

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

And if you report our mission, we will be released from the oath you made us swear.”

WEBWorld English Bible2000

But if you talk about this business of ours, then we shall be guiltless of your oath which you’ve made us to swear.”

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

And if you report our mission, we will be released from the oath you made us swear.”

NETBNew English Translation2006

If you should report what we’ve been up to, we are not bound by this oath you made us swear.”

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And if thou utter this our business, then we will be quit of thine oath which thou hast made us to swear.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

But if thou utter this our business, then we shall be guiltless of thine oath which thou hast made us to swear.

RVARevised Version, American1894

But if thou utter this our business, then we will be guiltless of thine oath which thou hast made us to swear.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And if thou shalt utter this our business, then we will be quit of thy oath which thou hast made us to swear.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

And if thou vtter this our matter, we will be quite of thine othe, which thou hast made vs sweare.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And if thou make known this our business, we will be quit of thine oath which thou hast made us swear.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

and if thou declare this our matter, then we have been acquitted from thine oath which thou hast caused us to swear.'

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

and if you declare this—our matter, then we have been acquitted from your oath which you have caused us to swear.”

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And if thou tell this our business, then will we be free of thy oath which thou hast caused us to swear.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

But if you speak about our business, we will be free from the oath you made us swear.”

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

But if thou wilt betray us, and utter this word abroad, we shall be quit of this oath which thou hast made us swear.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

But if you tell anyone about this then we will be freed from the promise you made us swear.”

BBEBible in Basic English1949

But if you say anything about our business here, then we will be free from the oath you have made us take.

Word by word, the decisions they made

נְקִיִּ֔םne.ki.Yim free H5355 2 different renderings
guiltlessASV RVA WEB
freeBBE ILT ULB

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.

וְandclauseclauseאִםifclauseverbתַּגִּ֖ידִיyou.will.tellnoun phrase · objectאֶת(et)noun phrasenoun phraseדְּבָרֵ֣businessנוּourזֶ֑הthisוְandclauseverbהָיִ֣ינוּwe.will.beobjectנְקִיִּ֔םfreeprepositional phrase · prepositionalמִfromnoun phrasenoun phraseשְּׁבֻעָתֵ֖oathךְyourrelpאֲשֶׁ֥רwhichclauseverbהִשְׁבַּעְתָּֽyouobjectנוּmade.us.swear

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 Joshua 2:20 states, "And if you report our mission, we will be released from the oath you made us swear." The Septuagint shows a significant agreement with the Masoretic Text, matching 7 of the 10 words, although it presents them in a different order and with its own articles, indicating a close but not identical translation. The Samaritan Pentateuch and the Dead Sea Scrolls do not provide additional variants for this verse, so the primary differences arise from the translation choices in the Septuagint compared to the Masoretic Text.

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

וְאִם־ תַּגִּ֖ידִי אֶת־ דְּבָרֵ֣נוּ זֶ֑ה וְהָיִ֣ינוּ נְקִיִּ֔ם מִשְּׁבֻעָתֵ֖ךְ אֲשֶׁ֥ר הִשְׁבַּעְתָּֽנוּ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וְאִם־ἐὰνתַּגִּ֖ידִיἀποκαλύψῃדְּבָרֵ֣נוּἡμῶνזֶ֑הτούτουςוְהָיִ֣ינוּἐσόμεθαנְקִיִּ֔םἀθῷοιמִשְּׁבֻעָתֵ֖ךְσου

7 of the 10 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 2:20אִםand ifand ifאִםנָגַדyou will teyou will tellנָגַדאֵתthe object the object markאֵתדָּבָרbusiness oubusiness ourדָּבָרזֶהthisthisזֶההָיָהand we willand we will beהָיָהנָקִיfreefreeנָקִישְׁבוּעָהfrom oath yfrom oath yourשְׁבוּעָהאֲשֶׁרwhichwhichאֲשֶׁרשָׁבַעyou made swyou made swear שָׁבַעאוֹתsign: mirasign: miraculouאוֹתדָבַרto speak: to speak: speakדָבַרשֶׁ֫בַעsevensevenשֶׁ֫בַעזֶהthisthisזֶהזֹהthisthisזֹההָוָאto fallto fallהָוָאנָקָהto clearto clearנָקָהאֵבfruitfruitאֵבשָׁבַעto swearto swearשָׁבַעחֵןfavorfavorחֵןיֵשׁtherethereיֵשׁקָרָאto encountto encounter: mקָרָאמִגְרָשׁpasturepastureמִגְרָשׁיֶ֫תֶרremainderremainderיֶ֫תֶרסֵ֫פֶרscroll: doscroll: documenסֵ֫פֶראַיwhere?where?אַיהֶ֫בֶלvanityvanityהֶ֫בֶלשָׁפַךְto pour: pto pour: pourשָׁפַךְ
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 2:20

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 if you will tell the object marker business our this and we will be free from oath your which you made swear us
וְאִם־ve.'im- and if H518 Conjunction · particle
1,070× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word is used to express conditions or questions, like if or whether. It can also be used to make oaths or express wishes, as in Oh that! It appears in various forms in the KJV, including if, though, and when.
Amplified meaning
under these circumstances, in this case
Tyndale gloss
if
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אִם (im) is a Hebrew conjunction primarily meaning 'if' and is used in various contexts, including conditional clauses and interrogative situations. It can also express negation, alternatives, or exceptions, and appears frequently in the Old Testament. The lexicons note its use in oaths and its ability to connect different clauses, sometimes altering their meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אִם conj.

hypoth. part. if

Interrog. part.

base

כִּי אם־

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

that if

for if

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

limiting the prec. clause, except

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

after an oath, surely

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H518a אִם conj. . hypoth. part. if

. Interrog. part.

H518b כִּי אם־ . each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause: . that if

. for if

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

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

. after an oath, surely

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

518 'im eem

a primitive particle; used very widely as demonstrative, lo!;

interrog., whether?; or conditional, if, although; also Oh

that!, when; hence, as a negative, not:--(and, can-,

doubtless, if, that) (not), + but, either, + except, +

more(-over if, than), neither, nevertheless, nor, oh that, or,

+ save (only, -ing), seeing, since, sith, + surely (no more,

none, not), though, + of a truth, + unless, + verily, when,

whereas, whether, while, + yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אִם (im) — if.

: if/whether_or/though

1) if

1a) conditional clauses

1a1) of possible situations

1a2) of impossible situations

1b) oath contexts

1b1) no, not

1c) if...if, whether...or, whether...or...or

1d) when, whenever

1e) since

1f) interrogative particle

1g) but rather

[כִּי] אם (ki im) — if: except.

1) except if

1a) but if

אִם (im) — if: surely no.

: surely_no

1) if

1a) conditional clauses

1a1) of possible situations

1a2) of impossible situations

1b) oath contexts

1b1) no, not

1c) if...if, whether...or, whether...or...or

1d) when, whenever

1e) since

1f) interrogative particle

1g) but rather

אִם (im) — if: surely yes.

: surely_yes

1) if

1a) conditional clauses

1a1) of possible situations

1a2) of impossible situations

1b) oath contexts

1b1) no, not

1c) if...if, whether...or, whether...or...or

1d) when, whenever

1e) since

1f) interrogative particle

1g) but rather

אִם (im) — if: until.

: until/except

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Conj — Conjunction · particle
HC/Tc
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and if you will tell the object marker business our this and we will be free from oath your which you made swear us
תַּגִּ֖ידִיta.Gi.di you will tell H5046 Verb · Hiphil · imperfect second person feminine singular
371× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To tell or declare something openly, as in Genesis 3:11 where God asks Adam to tell the truth. It means to stand boldly and announce something to someone present. In Exodus 32:27, Moses tells the Levites to declare their actions to the people.
Amplified meaning
tell, declare openly
Tyndale gloss
to tell
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נָגַד (nagad) is a Hebrew verb meaning to declare or tell, with implications of being conspicuous or manifesting something. It covers a range of meanings including to announce, report, and make known, often through spoken word. The entries indicate that it can also mean to expose or predict, and in the Hophil form, it refers to something being told or reported.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[נָגַד] 363 vb. be conspicuous

Hiph. declare, tell

Hoph. be told, announced, reported

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5046 נָגַד be conspicuous . declare, tell

. be told, announced, reported

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5046 nagad naw-gad'

a primitive root; properly, to front, i.e. stand boldly out

opposite; by implication (causatively), to manifest;

figuratively, to announce (always by word of mouth to one

present); specifically, to expose, predict, explain,

praise:--bewray, X certainly, certify, declare(-ing),

denounce, expound, X fully, messenger, plainly, profess,

rehearse, report, shew (forth), speak, X surely, tell, utter.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָגַד (na.gad) — to tell.

1) to be conspicuous, tell, make known

1a) (Hiphil) to tell, declare

1a1) to tell, announce, report

1a2) to declare, make known, expound

1a3) to inform of

1a4) to publish, declare, proclaim

1a5) to avow, acknowledge, confess

1a5a) messenger (participle)

1b) (Hophal) to be told, be announced, be reported

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Hiphil-Imperf-2fs — Verb · Hiphil · imperfect second person feminine singular
HVhi2fs
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

See TALE.

and if you will tell the object marker business our this and we will be free from oath your which you made swear us
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 if you will tell the object marker business our this and we will be free from oath your which you made swear us
דְּבָרֵ֣נוּde.va.Re.nu business our H1697 Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
1,442× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A word or thing, like a matter or affair, as seen in the book of Chronicles where it refers to the events and words of kings. It can also mean a cause or reason for something.
Amplified meaning
business, affair
Tyndale gloss
Chronicles
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

דָּבָר (dabar) means 'word' or 'speech' and encompasses a range of meanings including discourse, saying, and matter. It can refer to anything spoken or a topic of discussion, extending to concepts like business or affairs. The entries consistently highlight its use in various contexts, but do not indicate any significant disagreement among lexicographers.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

דָּבָר 1439 n.m. speech, word

sg. speech, discourse, saying, word, as the sum of that which is spoken

sg. saying, utterance, sentence, as a section of a discourse

sg. a word, words

sg. matter, affair, thing about which one speaks

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1697 דָּבָר speech, word . sg. speech, discourse, saying, word, as the sum of that which is spoken

. sg. saying, utterance, sentence, as a section of a discourse

. sg. a word, words

. sg. matter, affair, thing about which one speaks

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1697 dabar daw-baw'

from 1696; a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or

thing; adverbially, a cause:--act, advice, affair, answer, X

any such (thing), because of, book, business, care, case,

cause, certain rate, + chronicles, commandment, X

commune(-ication), + concern(-ing), + confer, counsel, +

dearth, decree, deed, X disease, due, duty, effect, +

eloquent, errand, (evil favoured-)ness, + glory, + harm, hurt,

+ iniquity, + judgment, language, + lying, manner, matter,

message, (no) thing, oracle, X ought, X parts, + pertaining, +

please, portion, + power, promise, provision, purpose,

question, rate, reason, report, request, X (as hast) said,

sake, saying, sentence, + sign, + so, some (uncleanness),

somewhat to say, + song, speech, X spoken, talk, task, + that,

X there done, thing (concerning), thought, + thus, tidings,

what(-soever), + wherewith, which, word, work.

see HEBREW for 01696

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

דָּבָר (da.var) — word.

: word/speech/command

1) speech, word, speaking, thing

1a) speech

1b) saying, utterance

1c) word, words

1d) business, occupation, acts, matter, case, something, manner (by extension)

דָּבָר (da.var) — word: speaking.

: speaking

1) speech, word, speaking, thing

1a) speech

1b) saying, utterance

1c) word, words

1d) business, occupation, acts, matter, case, something, manner (by extension)

דָּבָר (da.var) — word: thing.

: thing/matter

1) speech, word, speaking, thing

1a) speech

1b) saying, utterance

1c) word, words

1d) business, occupation, acts, matter, case, something, manner (by extension)

דָּבָר (da.var) — word: promised.

: promised/duty

1) speech, word, speaking, thing

1a) speech

1b) saying, utterance

1c) word, words

1d) business, occupation, acts, matter, case, something, manner (by extension)

דָּבָר (da.var) — word: deed.

: deed

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HNcmsc/Sp1bp
and if you will tell the object marker business our this and we will be free from oath your which you made swear us
זֶ֑הZeh this H2088 Particle
1,180× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word is a pronoun meaning this or that, used to point out a specific person or thing. It appears in many contexts, including Genesis and Psalms, to indicate something specific. The KJV translates it as he, here, or it.
Tyndale gloss
this
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

זֶה (zeh) is a demonstrative pronoun meaning 'this' or 'here.' It can stand alone, be used appositively, or function as a predicate. The word can also attach enclitically to interrogative pronouns, adding emphasis and directness. In poetry, it may serve as a relative pronoun, though this usage is rare.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

זֶה demonstr.pron. and adv.; fem. זֹאת, once זֹאתָה; this, here

standing alone

In appos. to subst.

More oft. as pred.

It is attached enclitically, almost as an adv., to certain words, esp. interrog. pronouns, to impart, in a manner often not reproducible in Engl. idiom, directness and force, bringing the question or statement made into close relation with the speaker.

In poetry, as a relative pron. (rare)

With prefixes (in special senses)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2088 זֶה demonstr. pron. and adv.; fem. זֹאת, once זֹאתָה; this, here . standing alone

. In appos. to subst.

. More oft. as pred.

. It is attached enclitically, almost as an adv., to certain words, esp. interrog. pronouns, to impart, in a manner often not reproducible in Engl. idiom, directness and force, bringing the question or statement made into close relation with the speaker.

. In poetry, as a relative pron. (rare)

. With prefixes (in special senses)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2088 zeh zeh

a primitive word; the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this

or that:--he, X hence, X here, it(-self), X now, X of him, the

one...the other, X than the other, (X out of) the (self) same,

such (a one) that, these, this (hath, man), on this side...on

that side, X thus, very, which. Compare 2063, 2090, 2097,

2098.

see HEBREW for 02063

see HEBREW for 02090

see HEBREW for 02097

see HEBREW for 02098

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

זֶה (zeh) — this.

1) this, this one, here, which, this...that, the one...the other, another, such

1a) (alone)

1a1) this one

1a2) this...that, the one...the other, another

1b) (appos to subst)

1b1) this

1c) (as predicate)

1c1) this, such

1d) (enclitically)

1d1) then

1d2) who, whom

1d3) how now, what now

1d4) what now

1d5) wherefore now

1d6) behold here

1d7) just now

1d8) now, now already

1e) (poetry)

1e1) wherein, which, those who

1f) (with prefixes)

1f1) in this (place) here, then

1f2) on these conditions, herewith, thus provided, by, through this, for this cause, in this matter

1f3) thus and thus

1f4) as follows, things such as these, accordingly, to that effect, in like manner, thus and thus

1f5) from here, hence, on one side...on the other side

1f6) on this account

1f7) in spite of this, which, whence, how

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTm — Particle
HTm
and if you will tell the object marker business our this and we will be free from oath your which you made swear us
וְהָיִ֣ינוּve.ha.Yi.nu and we will be H1961 Verb · Qal · sequential perfect first person common plural
3,562× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for to be means to exist or come into being. It is used to describe something that happens or comes to pass, like in Genesis where God creates the world.
Amplified meaning
exist, come into being
Tyndale gloss
to be
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word הָיָה (hayah) is a primitive root meaning to exist or become, and it encompasses a range of meanings including to happen, occur, and come to pass. It is often used in narrative contexts, particularly in phrases like "and it came to pass." The word can also denote a state of being or existence, and it appears frequently in various forms throughout the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הָיָה 3570 vb. fall out, come to pass, become, be

Qal

Fall out, happen

occur, take place, come about, come to pass

esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass

וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)

rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה

less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)

Come into being, become

abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come

sq. prep.

become

sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)

sq. pred. adj.

become like

sq. pred. לְ pers.

sq. לְ pred.

oft. c. לְ pred. לְ pers.

with עַל and לְ

sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of

Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming)

exist, be in existence

abide, remain, continue

with word of locality, be in or at a place, be situated, stand, lie

as copula, joining subj. & pred.

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1961 הָיָה fall out, come to pass, become, be .. . . Fall out, happen

. occur, take place, come about, come to pass

. esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass . . וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)

. rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה

. less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)

. Come into being, become . . abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come

. sq. prep.

. become . sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)

. sq. pred. adj.

. become like

. sq. pred. + לְ pers.

. sq. לְ pred.

. oft. c. לְ pred. + לְ pers.

. with עַל and לְ

. sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of

. Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming) . exist, be in existence

. abide, remain, continue

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1961 hayah haw-yaw

a primitive root (compare 1933); to exist, i.e. be or become,

come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or

auxiliary):--beacon, X altogether, be(-come), accomplished,

committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint,

fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit

(one-)self, require, X use.

see HEBREW for 01933

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הָיָה (ha.yah) — to be.

1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out

1a) (Qal)

1a1) ---

1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass

1a1b) to come about, come to pass

1a2) to come into being, become

1a2a) to arise, appear, come

1a2b) to become

1a2b1) to become

1a2b2) to become like

1a2b3) to be instituted, be established

1a3) to be

1a3a) to exist, be in existence

1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time)

1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality)

1a3d) to accompany, be with

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to occur, come to pass, be done, be brought about

1b2) to be done, be finished, be gone

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-1cp — Verb · Qal · sequential perfect first person common plural
Hc/Vqq1cp
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

See TESTAMENT.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ THE MENTAL FACULTY

Freedom of, recognized by God Ge 4:6-10; De 5:29; 1Ki 20:42; Isa 1:18-20; 43:26; Jer 36:3,7; Joh 7:17

See BLESSINGS, CONTINGENT UPON OBEDIENCE

See CHOICE

See CONTINGENCY

→ OF GOD, THE SUPREME RULE OF DUTY Mt 6:10; 12:50; 26:39,42; Mr 3:35; 14:36; Lu 11:2; 22:42; Joh 4:34; 5:30; 6:38-40; Ac…

and if you will tell the object marker business our this and we will be free from oath your which you made swear us
43× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Innocent or guiltless, this word is used to describe someone who is morally clean or free from blame, such as Noah in Genesis 6:9. It emphasizes a person's integrity and moral purity.
Amplified meaning
innocent, guiltless
Tyndale gloss
innocent
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נָקִי (naqiy) is an adjective meaning clean, free from, or exempt. It also conveys innocence, being blameless or guiltless. The word has variations, including נָקִיא (naqiyi), which also means innocent. It appears in contexts related to purity and freedom from obligations or guilt.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נָקִי adj. clean, free from, exempt

base

נָקִיא adj. innocent

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5355a נָקִי clean, free from, exempt H5355b נָקִיא innocent

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5355 naqiy naw-kee'

or naqiyi (Joel 4 : 19; Jonah 1 : 14), {naw-kee'}; from 5352;

innocent:--blameless, clean, clear, exempted, free,

guiltless, innocent, quit.

see HEBREW for 04

see HEBREW for 019

see HEBREW for 01

see HEBREW for 014

see HEBREW for 05352

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָקִי (na.qi) — innocent.

1) clean, free from, exempt, clear, innocent

1a) free from guilt, clean, innocent

1b) free from punishment

1c) free or exempt from obligations

Also means: na.qi (נָקִיא "innocent" H5355B)

נָקִיא (na.qi) — innocent.

innocent

Another spelling of na.qi (נָקִי "innocent" H5355A)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Adj
HAampa
and if you will tell the object marker business our this and we will be free from oath your which you made swear us
מִשְּׁבֻעָתֵ֖ךְmi.she.vu.'a.Tekh from oath your H7621 Preposition · noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
30× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means an oath or curse, like a promise or vow. In the Bible, it appears in Numbers 5:21 and Deuteronomy 29:12, referring to God's oath. The KJV translates it as 'oath' or 'curse'.
Amplified meaning
promise, vow
Tyndale gloss
oath
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שְׁבוּעָה (shbuw`ah) refers to an oath or a curse, derived from the root meaning to swear. It encompasses the concept of something sworn, including the attesting of innocence and specifically an oath of Jehovah. The entries consistently highlight its dual meaning without significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שְׁבוּעָה, שְׁבֻעָה n.f. oath, curse

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7621 שְׁבוּעָה, שְׁבֻעָה oath, curse

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7621 shbuw`ah sheb-oo-aw'

feminine passive participle of 7650; properly, something

sworn, i.e. an oath:--curse, oath, X sworn.

see HEBREW for 07650

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שְׁבוּעָה (she.vu.ah) — oath.

1) oath, curse

1a) oath

1a1) attesting of innocence

1a2) curse

1b) oath (of Jehovah)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-fs | Suff — Preposition · noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
HR/Ncfsc/Sp2fs
and if you will tell the object marker business our this and we will be free from oath your which you made swear us
אֲשֶׁ֥ר'a.Sher which H834 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
HTr — Particle
HTr
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and if you will tell the object marker business our this and we will be free from oath your which you made swear us
הִשְׁבַּעְתָּֽנוּ׃hish.ba'.Ta.nu you made swear us H7650 Verb hiphil perfect second person masculine singular · suffix
186× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to swear an oath, like making a promise or vow. In the Bible, it is used when someone is making a serious promise, often with God as a witness. The KJV translates it as adjure or take an oath.
Amplified meaning
caused, take an oath, pledge
Tyndale gloss
to swear
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׁבַע (shaba`) primarily means to swear or take an oath, possibly derived from the idea of binding oneself by seven things. It can also mean to adjure or to cause someone to take an oath. The word appears in various forms, including participles and different verb stems, indicating actions related to swearing and oaths.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[שָׁבַע] 186 vb. swear (prob. so to say, seven oneself, or bind oneself by seven things)

Qal Pt. pass. those sworn with (= who have sworn) oaths

Niph.;—swear, take an oath

Hiph.

cause take an oath, subj. always man

adjure

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7650 שָׁבַע swear (prob. so to say, seven oneself, or bind oneself by seven things) .Pt. pass. those sworn with (= who have sworn) oaths

.;—swear, take an oath

. . cause take an oath, subj. always man

. adjure

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7650 shaba` shaw-bah'

a primitive root; propr. to be complete, but used only as a

denominative from 7651; to seven oneself, i.e. swear (as if by

repeating a declaration seven times):--adjure, charge (by an

oath, with an oath), feed to the full (by mistake for 7646),

take an oath, X straitly, (cause to, make to) swear.

see HEBREW for 07651

see HEBREW for 07646

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁבַע (sha.va) — to swear.

1) to swear, adjure

1a) (Qal) sworn (participle)

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to swear, take an oath

1b2) to swear (of Jehovah by Himself)

1b3) to curse

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to cause to take an oath

1c2) to adjure

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Hiphil-Perf-2fs | Suff — Verb hiphil perfect second person masculine singular · suffix
HVhp2ms/Sp1bp
English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

US, pronoun objective case of we.

Give us this day our daily bread.

Us , pron. [OE. us, AS. s; akin to OFries. & OS. s, D. ons, G. uns, Icel. & Sw. oss, Dan. os, Goth. uns, L. nos we, us, Gr. we, Skr. nas us. . Cf. Nostrum, Our.] The persons speaking, regarded as an object; ourselves; — the objective case of we. See We. “Tell us a tale.” Chaucer.

Give us this day our daily bread. Matt. vi. 11.

Us, pron. oblique case of we

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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