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Leviticus 11:31 — Word Study

Depth

WLCאֵ֛לֶּה הַטְּמֵאִ֥ים לָכֶ֖ם בְּכָל־ הַשָּׁ֑רֶץ כָּל־ הַנֹּגֵ֧עַ בָּהֶ֛ם בְּמֹתָ֖ם יִטְמָ֥א עַד־ הָעָֽרֶב׃

BSAThese [animals]ʼêl-leh [specific, pointed out] are uncleanṭâmêʼ [considered, morally or ceremonially impure] among allkôl the crawling creaturessherets [swarming, teeming] Whoeverkôl touchesnâgaʻ [reaches, strikes] when they are deadmâveth [lifeless, deceased] shall be uncleanṭâmêʼ [defiled, contaminated] untilʻad [as far as, till] eveningʻereb [sunset, end of day]

Word
Listen & take awayLeviticus 11
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 31 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 (ha.'A.rev) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Leviticus 11:31quick helps
In a sentenceCertain animals are declared unclean, and touching them when dead results in ceremonial impurity.
Who is speakingThe Lord, through Moses, addressing the Israelites.
Where we areIn the laws concerning clean and unclean animals, part of the holiness code.
The hard wordטָמֵא
Take awayTouching these creatures when dead renders one unclean until evening.
4 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, Ellicott & more — read them › clause subjectאֵלֶּה verbטָמֵא 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 — Leviticus 11:31

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 — Laws on Clean and Unclean Animalsgenerated

30the gecko, the monitor lizard, the common lizard, the skink, and the chameleon.
31These animals are unclean for you among all the crawling creatures. Whoever touches them when they are dead shall be unclean until evening.
32When one of them dies and falls on something, that article becomes unclean; any article of wood, clothing, leather, sackcloth, or any implement used for work must be rinsed with water and will remain unclean until evening; then it will be clean.
33If any of them falls into a clay pot, everything in it will be unclean; you must break the pot.

Leviticus 11:31 outlines specific animals that are considered unclean for the Israelites, emphasizing the importance of ceremonial purity. This law is part of a larger set of guidelines that govern the Israelites' behavior and their relationship with God, as seen throughout the book of Leviticus. The context of these laws serves to maintain holiness among the people, distinguishing them from other nations.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Leviticus 11:8–24You must not eat their meat or touch their carcasses; they are unclean for you.

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

These are unclean to you among all that creep: whosoever doth touch them, when they be dead, shall be unclean until the even.Leviticus 11:8–24

The Key Word טָמֵא, ha.te.me.'Imgenerated

The word טָמֵא (tame') means 'unclean' and indicates a state of moral or ceremonial impurity. It is derived from a root that conveys defilement, particularly in a religious context. In this verse, it describes animals that are not suitable for consumption and the resulting state of a person who comes into contact with them.

This term is crucial in understanding the purity laws in Leviticus, where it signifies not just physical cleanliness but a deeper spiritual condition. The parsing as a participle indicates an ongoing state of being unclean, which highlights the need for ritual cleansing after contact.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb of the verse is יִטְמָא, he will be unclean, governing the subject הַנֹּגֵעַ, [one who] touches. The structure indicates that the act of touching leads to the state of being unclean.

The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the subject and the action, with the conditions following, creating a clear cause-and-effect relationship.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates טָמֵא as ἀκάθαρτα (akatharta), which carries a similar meaning of 'unclean' but can also imply a broader sense of moral impurity. This choice reflects the translators' understanding of the term's significance in both ritual and ethical contexts.

The translation of בְּמֹתָם as ἐν τῷ θανεῖν αὐτούς (in their dying) emphasizes the state of death, aligning with the Hebrew intent but shifting the focus slightly to the condition of the animals.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Leviticus 11:31 teaches that certain animals are unclean for the Israelites. If someone touches these animals when they are dead, they become unclean until evening. This law helps the Israelites maintain their ceremonial purity.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean for an animal to be unclean?

An unclean animal is one that is considered impure according to the laws given to the Israelites, often due to its nature or behavior, making it unsuitable for consumption.

Why does touching a dead animal make someone unclean?

Touching a dead animal is seen as a source of ceremonial impurity, which requires a person to undergo a cleansing process to restore their state of purity.

What is the significance of evening in this context?

Evening marks the end of the day, and in this context, it signifies the time when a person can be considered clean again after performing the necessary purification rituals.

How do these laws apply today?

While these specific laws are part of the ceremonial code for ancient Israel, they highlight the broader biblical themes of purity, holiness, and the importance of distinguishing between clean and unclean.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What are some modern practices that reflect the idea of cleanliness and purity in our lives?
  2. How can understanding these laws help us appreciate the holiness of God?
  3. In what ways do we distinguish between what is spiritually clean and unclean in our daily lives?
  4. How do these concepts of purity and impurity relate to our relationships with others?

Commentators on this verse — 4 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Leviticus 11:31 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

These are unclean to you of all that creep,.... Unfit for food, and not to be touched, at least when dead, as in the next clause, that is, these eight sorts of creeping things before mentioned, as

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

These are unclean to you among all that creep: whosoever doth touch them, when they be dead, shall be unclean until the even. These are unclean to you among all that creep.

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

Leviticus 11:31 These [are] unclean to you among all that creep: whosoever doth touch them, when they be dead, shall be unclean until the even.Ver. 31. Touch them, when they be dead.] There is no kind of living creature that is defiled while it is alive, or that defileth while it is alive, save man only, saith Maimony. Others note that there were more remarkable expressions of God’ s anger upon man’ s sin in the dead body of a man than of a beast. The one made unclean but till evening: the other seven days.

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

(31) These are unclean.—Better, these are the most unclean, as Leviticus 11:29. That is, the eight animals thus enumerated are pre-eminently unclean of all the creeping things. When they be dead.—The phrase, “whosoever doth touch them when they be dead,” is simply another expression for “whosoever toucheth the carcase of them,” which is used in Leviticus 11:24. Defilement is only contracted when their dead bodies are touched, but not if touched when alive. According to the canon which obtained during the second Temple, “there is no kind of living creature that becomes defiled while it is alive, or defiles when it is alive, save man only.”

Read Charles John Ellicott on Leviticus 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

These animals are unclean for you among all the crawling creatures. Whoever touches them when they are dead shall be unclean until evening.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

These are they which are unclean to you among all that creep. Whoever touches them when they are dead shall be unclean until the evening.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

These animals are unclean for you among all the crawling creatures. Whoever touches them when they are dead shall be unclean until evening.

NETBNew English Translation2006

These are the ones that are unclean to you among all the swarming things. Anyone who touches them when they die will be unclean until evening.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

These are unclean to you among all that creep: whosoever doth touch them, when they be dead, shall be unclean until the even.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

These are they which are unclean to you among all that creep: whosoever doth touch them, when they are dead, shall be unclean until the even.

RVARevised Version, American1894

These are they which are unclean to you among all that creep: whosoever doth touch them, when they are dead, shall be unclean until the even.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

These are unclean to you among all that creep: whoever doth touch them, when they are dead, shall be unclean until the evening.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

These shall be vncleane to you among all that creepe: whosoeuer doeth touch them when they be dead, shalbe vncleane vntil the euen.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

These shall be unclean unto you among all that crawl: whoever toucheth them when they are dead, shall be unclean until the even.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

these [are] the unclean to you among all which are teeming; any one who is coming against them in their death is unclean till the evening.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

these [are] the unclean to you among all which are teeming; anyone who is coming against them in their death is unclean until the evening.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

These shall be unclean to you among all that creep: whosoever doth touch them, when they are dead, shall be unclean until the evening.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Of all the animals that creep, these are the animals which will be unclean to you. Whoever touches them when they are dead will be unclean until evening.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

All these are unclean. He that toucheth their carcasses shall be unclean until the evening.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

These animals that run along the ground are unclean for you. If you touch a dead one of them you will be unclean until the evening.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

All these are unclean to you: anyone touching them when they are dead will be unclean till evening.

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.

clausesubjectאֵ֛לֶּהtheseadjective phrase · predicateהַ[are].theטְּמֵאִ֥יםuncleanprepositional phrase · prepositionalלָtoכֶ֖םyouprepositional phrase · prepositionalבְּamongnoun phraseכָלeverynoun phraseהַ(the).swarmingשָּׁ֑רֶץthingclausenoun phrase · subjectכָּלeverynoun phraseהַ(the).[onenoun phraseclauseverbנֹּגֵ֧עַwho].touchesprepositional phrase · prepositionalבָּ(in)הֶ֛םthemprepositional phrase · prepositionalבְּinnoun phraseמֹתָ֖deathםtheirverbיִטְמָ֥אhe.will.be.uncleanprepositional phrase · prepositionalעַדuntilnoun phraseהָtheעָֽרֶבevening

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 content, with the Samaritan Pentateuch differing slightly in wording. The differences include the use of מ (from) in the Samaritan text, which is not present in the Masoretic Text. The Dead Sea Scrolls show partial restorations but align closely with the Masoretic Text in meaning.

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

אֵ֛לֶּה הַטְּמֵאִ֥ים לָכֶ֖ם בְּכָל־ הַשָּׁ֑רֶץ כָּל־ הַנֹּגֵ֧עַ בָּהֶ֛ם בְּמֹתָ֖ם יִטְמָ֥א עַד־ הָעָֽרֶב׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
אֵ֛לֶּהταῦταהַטְּמֵאִ֥יםἀκάθαρταלָכֶ֖םὑμῖνבְּכָל־πάντωνהַשָּׁ֑רֶץἑρπετῶνכָּל־πᾶςהַנֹּגֵ֧עַἁπτόμενοςבָּהֶ֛םαὐτῶνעַד־ἕωςהָעָֽרֶב׃ἑσπέρας

10 of the 12 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.

Samaritan Pentateuchthe Torah as the Samaritan community kept it

אלה הטמאים לכם מכל השׁרץ כל הנגע בהם במותם יטמא עד הערב

2 words differ from the Masoretic Text: מ (from), מותם (death)

Dead Sea Scrolls — 11Q1a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[אלה] [הטמאימ] [ל׳כמ] [בכל] [השרצ] [כל] [הנגע] ב׳המ במות׳מ יטמא עד [הערב]

3 words on the leather — 1 partly restored, 8 supplied entire by an editor.

Dead Sea Scrolls — Mas1ba copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

אלה הטמאים ל׳כם [בכל] השרץ כל הנגע ב׳הם במת׳ם [יטמא] עד הערב

8 words on the leather — 2 partly restored, 2 supplied entire by an editor.

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.

Leviticus 11:31אֵ֫לֶּהthesetheseאֵ֫לֶּהטָמֵא[are] the u[are] the uncleטָמֵאכֶםto youto youכֶםכֹּלamong everyamong everyכֹּלשֶׁ֫רֶץswarming thswarming thingשֶׁ֫רֶץכֹּלeveryeveryכֹּלנָגַע[one who] t[one who] touchנָגַעהֶםthemthemהֶםמָ֫וֶתin death thin death theirמָ֫וֶתטָמֵאhe will be he will be unclטָמֵאעַדuntiluntilעַדעֶ֫רֶבthe eveningthe eveningעֶ֫רֶבכָּלַלto perfectto perfectכָּלַלטָמֵאto defileto defileטָמֵאשָׁרַץto swarmto swarmשָׁרַץאֵלthesetheseאֵלמוּתto dieto dieמוּתעָרַבto grow dato grow darkעָרַבעַדperpetuityperpetuityעַדנְבֵלָהcarcasscarcassנְבֵלָהעֵדָהcongregaticongregationעֵדָהעֲבֹדָהserviceserviceעֲבֹדָהעֶ֫רֶבeveningeveningעֶ֫רֶבתּוֹלֵדוֹתgenerationgenerationתּוֹלֵדוֹתאַלּוּףtametameאַלּוּףטָהוֹרpurepureטָהוֹרעוֹףbirdbirdעוֹףטָמֵאuncleanuncleanטָמֵאשְׁאוֹלhell: Sheohell: Sheolשְׁאוֹלרָחַץto wash: wto wash: washרָחַץ
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 Leviticus 11:31

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.

these [are] the unclean to you among every swarming thing every [one who] touches them in death their he will be unclean until the evening
אֵ֛לֶּה'E.leh these H428 Particle
746× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word is used to point out specific people or things, like saying 'these' or 'those'. It appears in the book of Genesis, where God says 'let there be light' and separates the light from the darkness.
Amplified meaning
specific, pointed out
Tyndale gloss
these
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֵ֫לֶּה (el-leh) means 'these' and is used in various grammatical contexts, often in apposition to a noun with a pronoun suffix. It can appear with or without the definite article and is sometimes paired with other terms like וְאֵלֶּה (and these). The word conveys a sense of proximity or specification, referring to particular items or people.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵ֫לֶּה pr.pl.m. & f. these

in appos. to a subst. with a pron. suff. (always without the article)

repeated, אלה … ואלה, these … those

with the art. (but only after a subst. determined likewise by the art.)

with preps.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H428 אֵ֫לֶּה these . in appos. to a subst. with a pron. suff. (always without the article)

. repeated, אלה … ואלה, these … those

. with the art. (but only after a subst. determined likewise by the art.)

. with preps.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

428 'el-leh ale'-leh

prolonged from 411; these or those:--an- (the) other; one

sort, so, some, such, them, these (same), they, this, those,

thus, which, who(-m).

see HEBREW for 0411

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵ֫לֶּה (el.leh) — these.

1) these

1a) used before antecedent

1b) used following antecedent

Aramaic equivalent: el.leh (אֵלֶּה "these" H0429)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Pron — Particle
HTm
these [are] the unclean to you among every swarming thing every [one who] touches them in death their he will be unclean until the evening
הַטְּמֵאִ֥יםha.te.me.'Im [are] the unclean H2931 Particle
88× 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 to be unclean in a spiritual sense, often due to sin or impurity, as seen in Leviticus. It can refer to people, places, or things. The concept is key to understanding biblical purity laws.
Amplified meaning
considered, morally or ceremonially impure
Tyndale gloss
unclean
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

טָמֵא (tame') means 'unclean' and is derived from a root that conveys a sense of defilement or pollution, particularly in a religious context. It covers ethical, religious, and ritual impurity, and can refer to both people and places.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

טָמֵא adj. unclean

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2931 טָמֵא unclean

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2931 tame' taw-may'

from 2930; foul in a relig. sense:--defiled, + infamous,

polluted(-tion), unclean.

see HEBREW for 02930

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

טָמֵא (ta.me) — unclean.

1) unclean, impure

1a) ethically and religiously

1b) ritually

1c) of places

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | Adj — Particle
HTd/Aampa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

See CLEAN.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ (Ceremonially speaking)

Creatures designated as such Le 11; De 14

→ See UNCLEANNESS

these [are] the unclean to you among every swarming thing every [one who] touches them in death their he will be unclean until the evening
לָכֶ֖םla.Khem to you H9036 Preposition · suffix
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כֶם (khem) — you.

Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 2nd person masculine plural

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HRd/Sp2mp — Preposition · suffix
HRd/Sp2mp
these [are] the unclean to you among every swarming thing every [one who] touches them in death their he will be unclean until the evening
בְּכָל־be.khol among every H3605 Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
5,415× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for 'all' or 'everything' is used throughout the Bible, like in Genesis 1:31, where God sees all He has made as very good. It encompasses the entirety of something, whether people, things, or situations.
Tyndale gloss
all
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כֹּל (kol) means 'all' or 'the whole.' It can refer to totality, including every person or thing, and is often used with a following genitive to specify what is included. The term can also denote a broader sense of everything in existence or all circumstances of life. The lexicons do not show significant disagreement on its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כֹּל once כּוֹל n.m. the whole, all

with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

Absolutely:

without the art., all things, all

with the art. הַכֹּל

where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3605 כֹּל once כּוֹל the whole, all . with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

. Absolutely: . without the art., all things, all

. with the art. הַכֹּל . where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

. in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3605 kol kole

or (Jer. 33:8) kowl {kole}; from 3634; properly, the whole;

hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a

plural sense):--(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any

(manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as

many as, (no-)thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole,

whoso(-ever).

see HEBREW for 03634

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כֹּל (kol) — all.

1) all, the whole

1a) all, the whole of

1b) any, each, every, anything

1c) totality, everything

Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
HR/Ncmsc
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
these [are] the unclean to you among every swarming thing every [one who] touches them in death their he will be unclean until the evening
הַשָּׁ֑רֶץha.Sha.retz swarming thing H8318 Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
15× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means a swarm of small animals like insects or reptiles, often found in the book of Genesis. It describes a large group of tiny creatures moving together. In the Bible, it is used to describe the abundance of God's creation.
Amplified meaning
swarming, teeming
Tyndale gloss
swarm
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שֶׁ֫רֶץ (sherets) refers to swarmers or swarming things, encompassing a variety of small creatures like insects, reptiles, and other animals. It is derived from a related term indicating a swarm or active mass of minute animals. The entries consistently describe it as a collective noun for these types of creatures.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שֶׁ֫רֶץ n.m. coll. swarmers, swarming things

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8318 שֶׁ֫רֶץ swarmers, swarming things

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8318 sherets sheh'-rets

from 8317; a swarm, i.e. active mass of minute

animals:--creep(-ing thing), move(-ing creature).

see HEBREW for 08317

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שֶׁ֫רֶץ (she.rets) — swarm.

1) teeming or swarming things, creepers, swarmers

1a) of insects, animals, small reptiles, quadrupeds

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-ms — Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
HTd/Ncmsa
these [are] the unclean to you among every swarming thing every [one who] touches them in death their he will be unclean until the evening
כָּל־kol- every H3605 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
5,415× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for 'all' or 'everything' is used throughout the Bible, like in Genesis 1:31, where God sees all He has made as very good. It encompasses the entirety of something, whether people, things, or situations.
Tyndale gloss
all
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כֹּל (kol) means 'all' or 'the whole.' It can refer to totality, including every person or thing, and is often used with a following genitive to specify what is included. The term can also denote a broader sense of everything in existence or all circumstances of life. The lexicons do not show significant disagreement on its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כֹּל once כּוֹל n.m. the whole, all

with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

Absolutely:

without the art., all things, all

with the art. הַכֹּל

where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3605 כֹּל once כּוֹל the whole, all . with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

. Absolutely: . without the art., all things, all

. with the art. הַכֹּל . where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

. in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3605 kol kole

or (Jer. 33:8) kowl {kole}; from 3634; properly, the whole;

hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a

plural sense):--(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any

(manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as

many as, (no-)thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole,

whoso(-ever).

see HEBREW for 03634

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כֹּל (kol) — all.

1) all, the whole

1a) all, the whole of

1b) any, each, every, anything

1c) totality, everything

Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
these [are] the unclean to you among every swarming thing every [one who] touches them in death their he will be unclean until the evening
הַנֹּגֵ֧עַha.no.Ge.a' [one who] touches H5060 Particle · verb qal participle (active) masculine singular
150× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to touch or reach something, and can also mean to strike or defeat someone. It is used in Exodus to describe God's power and in Psalms to describe human emotions. The word has various translations, including beat, bring, and plague.
Amplified meaning
reaches, strikes
Tyndale gloss
to touch
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נָגַע (naga`) is a Hebrew verb meaning to touch, reach, or strike. It encompasses a range of actions from physical contact to figurative implications like arriving or acquiring. The word can also denote being stricken or defeated, particularly in battle or by disease. The entries indicate various grammatical forms, including Qal, Niph, Piel, Pual, and Hiphil, each with specific nuances.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נָגַע 150 vb. touch, reach, strike

Qal

touch

of י׳ touching earth, mountains, etc.

nearly = strike, pass. stricken

touch = harm

reach, extend to

Niph. be stricken, defeated (in battle), i.e. feign to be so

Pi. strike (with leprosy, 2 acc.)

Pu. be stricken by diseases

Hiph. cause to touch; reach, approach, arrive

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5060 נָגַע touch, reach, strike .. . touch

. of י׳ touching earth, mountains, etc.

. nearly = strike, pass. stricken

. touch = harm

. reach, extend to

. be stricken, defeated (in battle), i.e. feign to be so

. strike (with leprosy, 2 acc.)

. be stricken by diseases

. cause to touch; reach, approach, arrive

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5060 naga` naw-gah'

a primitive root; properly, to touch, i.e. lay the hand upon

(for any purpose; euphem., to lie with a woman); by

implication, to reach (figuratively, to arrive, acquire);

violently, to strike (punish, defeat, destroy, etc.):--beat,

(X be able to) bring (down), cast, come (nigh), draw near

(nigh), get up, happen, join, near, plague, reach (up), smite,

strike, touch.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָגַע (na.ga) — to touch.

1) to touch, reach, strike

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to touch

1a2) to strike

1a3) to reach, extend to

1a4) to be stricken

1a4a) stricken (participle)

1b) (Niphal) to be stricken, be defeated

1c) (Piel) to strike

1d) (Pual) to be stricken (by disease)

1e) (Hiphil) to cause to touch, reach, approach, arrive

1e1) to cause to touch, apply

1e2) to reach, extend, attain, arrive, come

1e3) to approach (of time)

1e4) to befall (of fate)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | V-Qal — Particle · verb qal participle (active) masculine singular
HTd/Vqrmsa
these [are] the unclean to you among every swarming thing every [one who] touches them in death their he will be unclean until the evening
בָּהֶ֛םba.Hem 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
these [are] the unclean to you among every swarming thing every [one who] touches them in death their he will be unclean until the evening
בְּמֹתָ֖םbe.mo.Tam in death their H4194 Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
156× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word refers to death, whether natural or violent, and is used in books like Genesis and Isaiah. It can also mean the place of the dead, or a state of ruin. This concept is seen in the story of Moses, where death is a punishment for disobedience.
Amplified meaning
lifeless, deceased
Tyndale gloss
death
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מָ֫וֶת (maveth) means 'death' and encompasses various aspects such as natural or violent death, the state of being dead, and the realm of the dead (hades). It can also refer to pestilence or ruin. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to die' and has an Aramaic equivalent, מוֹת (mot).

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מָ֫וֶת 161 n.m. death

death, opp. life

death by violence

state of death or place of death

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4194 מָ֫וֶת death

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4194 maveth maw'-veth

from 4191; death (natural or violent); concretely, the dead,

their place or state (hades); figuratively, pestilence,

ruin:--(be) dead((-ly)), death, die(-d).

see HEBREW for 04191

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מָ֫וֶת (ma.vet) — death.

1) death, dying, Death (personified), realm of the dead

1a) death

1b) death by violence (as a penalty)

1c) state of death, place of death

Aramaic equivalent: mot (מוֹת "death" H4193)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms | Suff — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HR/Ncmsc/Sp3mp
these [are] the unclean to you among every swarming thing every [one who] touches them in death their he will be unclean until the evening
יִטְמָ֥אyit.Ma' he will be unclean H2930 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
162× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to be foul or contaminated, often in a moral or ceremonial sense. It is used in the Bible to describe something that is unclean or polluted. In the book of Leviticus, it talks about being unclean and how to become clean again.
Amplified meaning
defiled, contaminated
Tyndale gloss
to defile
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

טָמֵא (tame') is a Hebrew root meaning to be or become unclean, covering various contexts such as sexual, religious, and ceremonial impurity. The noun form, טָמְאָה (tam'ah), refers to uncleanness itself. The entries indicate that the word can be used reflexively to mean defiling oneself.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

טָמֵא vb. be or become unclean

Qal be or become unclean

Niph. defile oneself, be defiled

Pi. defile

Pu. myself is not polluted

Hithp.—reflexive, defile oneself

Hothp. after that she has been defiled

base

טָמְאָה n.f. uncleanness Mi 2:10

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2930a טָמֵא be or become unclean .be or become unclean

. defile oneself, be defiled

. defile

. myself is not pulluted

.—reflexive, defile oneself

. after that she has been defiled

H2930b טָמְאָה uncleanness

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2930 tame' taw-may'

a primitive root; to be foul, especially in a ceremial or

moral sense (contaminated):--defile (self), pollute (self), be

(make, make self, pronounce) unclean, X utterly.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

טָמֵא (ta.me) — to defile.

1) to be unclean, become unclean, become impure

1a) (Qal) to be or become unclean

1a1) sexually

1a2) religiously

1a3) ceremonially

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to defile oneself, be defiled

1b1a) sexually

1b1b) by idolatry

1b1c) ceremonially

1b2) to be regarded as unclean

1c) (Piel)

1c1) to defile

1c1a) sexually

1c1b) religiously

1c1c) ceremonially

1c2) to pronounce unclean, declare unclean (ceremonially)

1c3) to profane (God's name)

1d) (Pual) to be defiled

1e) (Hithpael) to be unclean

1f) (Hothpael) to be defiled

טָמְאָה (tam.ah) — uncleanness.

uncleanness

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
HVqi3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

See CLEAN.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ (Ceremonially speaking)

Creatures designated as such Le 11; De 14

→ See UNCLEANNESS

these [are] the unclean to you among every swarming thing every [one who] touches them in death their he will be unclean until the evening
עַד־'ad- until H5704 Preposition
1,261× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means until or as far as, describing a point in time or space. It's used in the Bible to set boundaries or limits, like in Exodus when describing the Israelites' journey.
Amplified meaning
as far as, till
Tyndale gloss
till
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עַד (ad) primarily functions as a preposition, adverb, or conjunction meaning 'until,' 'up to,' or 'as far as.' It can denote spatial, temporal, or degree-related contexts, such as 'even to' or 'while.' The entries indicate its use in poetry and in various combinations, but there is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עַד, in poetry עֲדֵי prep. as far as, even to, up to, until, while

prep.

of space

Of time

Of degree

conj.

until

While

Of degree, to the point that, so that even (rare)

עַד לְ, a strengthened form for עַד. Thus

of space

Of time

Of degree

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5704 עַד, in poetry עֲדֵי as far as, even to, up to, until, while . prep. . of space

. Of time

. Of degree

. conj. . until

. While

. Of degree, to the point that, so that even (rare)

. עַד לְ, a strengthened form for עַד. Thus . of space

. Of time

. Of degree

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5704 `ad ad

properly, the same as 5703 (used as a preposition, adverb or

conjunction; especially with a preposition); as far (or long,

or much) as, whether of space (even unto) or time (during,

while, until) or degree (equally with):--against, and, as,

at, before, by (that), even (to), for(-asmuch as),

(hither-)to, + how long, into, as long (much) as, (so) that,

till, toward, until, when, while, (+ as) yet.

see HEBREW for 05703

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עַד (ad) — till.

prep

1) as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as

1a) of space

1a1) as far as, up to, even to

1b) in combination

1b1) from...as far as, both...and (with 'min' -from)

1c) of time

1c1) even to, until, unto, till, during, end

1d) of degree

1d1) even to, to the degree of, even like

conj

2) until, while, to the point that, so that even

Aramaic equivalent: ad (עַד "till" H5705)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Preposition
HR
these [are] the unclean to you among every swarming thing every [one who] touches them in death their he will be unclean until the evening
הָעָֽרֶב׃ha.'A.rev the evening H6153 Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
134× 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 evening or sunset, like when God created daylight and darkness in Genesis. It refers to the time of day, often marking the end of a workday. This word is used in many verses, including Exodus and Psalms.
Amplified meaning
sunset, end of day
Tyndale gloss
evening
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עֶ֫רֶב (ereb) refers to the time of day known as evening or dusk, originally associated with sunset. It can also denote night, particularly in poetic contexts. The phrase 'between two evenings' suggests a time frame between sunset and darkness.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עֶ֫רֶב 131 n.[m.] (sun)set, evening

evening, orig. sunset

du. in phrase between two evenings, i.e. prob. between sunset and dark

(late poet.) = night

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6153 עֶ֫רֶב (sun)set, evening . . evening, orig. sunset

. du. in phrase between two evenings, i.e. prob. between sunset and dark

. (late poet.) = night

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6153 `ereb eh'-reb

from 6150; dusk:--+ day, even(-ing, tide), night.

see HEBREW for 06150

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עֶ֫רֶב (e.rev) — evening.

1) evening, night, sunset

1a) evening, sunset

1b) night

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-ms — Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
HTd/Ncmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Evening

The period following sunset with which the Jewish day began (Gen. 1:5; Mark 13:35). The Hebrews reckoned two evenings of each day, as appears from Ex. 16:12: 30:8; 12:6 (marg.); Lev. 23:5 (marg. R.V., “between the two evenings”). The “first evening” was that period when the sun was verging towards setting, and the “second evening” the moment of actual sunset. The word “evenings” in Jer. 5:6 should be “deserts” (marg. R.V.).

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The Hebrews reckoned two evenings in each day; as in the phrase, "between the two evenings," Ex 12:6 Nu 9:3 28:4. In this interval the Passover was to be killed, and the daily evening sacrifice offered, Ex 29:39-41, Hebrew. According to the Carites, this time between the evenings is the interval from sunset to complete darkness, that is, the evening is the interval from sunset to complete darkness, that is, the evening twilight. Compare De 16:6. According to the Pharisees and the rabbins, the first evening began when the sun inclined to descend more rapidly, that is, at the ninth hour; while the second or real evening commenced at sunset. See DAY.

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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