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Nehemiah 13:20 — Word Study

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WLCוַיָּלִ֨ינוּ הָרֹכְלִ֜ים וּמֹכְרֵ֧י כָל־ מִמְכָּ֛ר מִח֥וּץ לִירוּשָׁלִָ֖ם פַּ֥עַם וּשְׁתָּֽיִם׃

BSAOncepaʻam [or two times, on one or two occasions] or twiceshᵉnayim the merchantsrâkal [traders, those who travel for business] and those who sellmâkar [trade, exchange goods] all kindskôl [every type, variety] of goodsmimkâr [merchandise, wares] campedlûwn [lodged, stayed] outsidechûwts [beyond the walls, in the street] JerusalemYᵉrûwshâlaim [the city of peace, the capital of Palestine]

Word
Listen & take awayNehemiah 13
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 (u.she.Ta.yim) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Nehemiah 13:20quick helps
In a sentenceMerchants camped outside Jerusalem on a few occasions.
Who is speakingNehemiah, reporting on the merchants' actions.
Where we areThe narrative describes events during Nehemiah's leadership.
The hard wordוַיָּלִ֨ינוּ
Take awayThe merchants showed persistent disregard for the Sabbath.
7 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, Ellicott & more — read them › clause verbלין 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 — Nehemiah 13:20

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 — Nehemiah's Reformsgenerated

19When the evening shadows began to fall on the gates of Jerusalem, just before the Sabbath, I ordered that the gates be shut and not opened until after the Sabbath. I posted some of my servants at the gates so that no load could enter on the Sabbath day.
20Once or twice, the merchants and those who sell all kinds of goods camped outside Jerusalem,
21but I warned them, “Why are you camping in front of the wall? If you do it again, I will lay hands on you.” From that time on, they did not return on the Sabbath.
22Then I instructed the Levites to purify themselves and guard the gates in order to keep the Sabbath day holy. Remember me for this as well, O my God, and show me mercy according to Your abundant loving devotion.

Nehemiah 13:20 describes Nehemiah's efforts to enforce the Sabbath laws in Jerusalem. After ordering the gates to be shut on the Sabbath, he noticed merchants camping outside the city, which prompted him to take further action to maintain the sanctity of the day. This reflects the challenges Nehemiah faced in restoring proper worship and community practices among the returned exiles.


Cross References


The Key Word וַיָּלִ֨ינוּ, vai.ya.Li.nugenerated

The verb לוּן (luwn) means to lodge or pass the night. In this context, it indicates that the merchants camped outside Jerusalem, which implies a sense of persistence in their activities. The parsing as a sequential imperfect third person masculine plural shows that this was a repeated action, emphasizing their disregard for the Sabbath.

The negative connotation associated with this word suggests a sense of grumbling or complaint, indicating that their presence outside the city was unwelcome and problematic for Nehemiah's reforms.


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 וַיָּלִ֨ינוּ governs the entire clause, indicating the action of the merchants. The structure is straightforward, with the subject 'the merchants' followed by their actions and the location where they camped.

The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the merchants and their actions, highlighting their repeated presence outside the city, which Nehemiah found concerning.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates וַיָּלִ֨ינוּ as ηὐλίσθησαν, which means 'they lodged.' This choice shows a direct correspondence to the Hebrew meaning but may carry a slightly different nuance in the Greek context, focusing on the act of lodging rather than the implications of discontent.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Nehemiah 13:20 reports that merchants camped outside Jerusalem on a few occasions, despite Nehemiah's orders to keep the gates shut on the Sabbath. This indicates a challenge to the observance of the Sabbath and Nehemiah's efforts to maintain order in the city.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that the merchants camped outside Jerusalem?

It indicates that they were disregarding the Sabbath laws and attempting to conduct business despite Nehemiah's orders.

Why did Nehemiah shut the gates?

Nehemiah shut the gates to prevent any trade or work from occurring on the Sabbath, aiming to keep the day holy.

What actions did Nehemiah take against the merchants?

Nehemiah warned the merchants not to camp outside the city again, indicating he was serious about enforcing the Sabbath.

How does this verse reflect Nehemiah's leadership?

It shows his commitment to restoring proper worship and community practices among the people of Jerusalem.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What are some ways we can honor the Sabbath in our own lives today?
  2. How can we ensure that our actions align with our values, as Nehemiah sought to do?
  3. What challenges do we face in maintaining our commitments, similar to Nehemiah's struggle with the merchants?
  4. In what ways can we be vigilant in our communities to uphold shared values and practices?

Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Nehemiah 13:20 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

For the merchants and sellers of all kind of ware,.... The Tyrians particularly, Ne 13:16 lodged without Jerusalem once or twice; one sabbath day or two, not being able to get into the city, such

Read John Gill on Nehemiah 13 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought fish, and all manner of ware, and sold on the sabbath unto the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem. No JFB commentary on these verses.

Read Robert Jamieson on Nehemiah 13 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Nehemiah 13:20 So the merchants and sellers of all kind of ware lodged without Jerusalem once or twice. Ver. 20. So the merchants … lodged without Jerusalem] They would not easily be said, or take an answer, so desirous they were of some takings from the Jews. There is nothing in the world that is more pertinacious, and that cleaveth closer to a man, than a strong lust; say it be covetousness, wantonness, passionateness, or any the like, entreat it to be gone, as Naomi did Ruth, threaten it, as Abner did Asahel, or as Nehemiah did these merchants, you prevail nothing, till God comes and strikes a parting blow, &c.

Read John Trapp on Nehemiah 13 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(20) Once or twice.—For a time they lodged outside; the unseemliness of this, and the evidence it gave that they were only waiting to evade the law, made Nehemiah testify in word, and threaten forcible action. This effectually removed the evil.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Nehemiah 13 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 20. So the merchants - lodged without Jerusalem] They exposed their wares for sale on the outside of the walls.

Read AdamClarke on Nehemiah 13 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

20. So the merchants, &c.] The device only partially succeeded; and various merchants, who had been compelled for 24 hours to remain without the walls, seem to have carried on their trade with such of the inhabitants as came outside to deal with them. We gather from the verse that the chief market was held on the first day of the week. lodged] i.e. passed the night, as in Genesis 19:2; Genesis 24:25.

Read Cambridge on Nehemiah 13 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

20. Lodged without Jerusalem — This enabled them to carry on their impious traffic to some extent without the gates, and, as Keil observes, “because egress from the city could not be refused to the

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Nehemiah 13 →

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

Once or twice, the merchants and those who sell all kinds of goods camped outside Jerusalem,

WEBWorld English Bible2000

So the merchants and sellers of all kinds of wares camped outside of Jerusalem once or twice.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Once or twice, the merchants and those who sell all kinds of goods camped outside Jerusalem,

NETBNew English Translation2006

The traders and sellers of all kinds of merchandise spent the night outside Jerusalem once or twice.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

So the merchants and sellers of all kind of ware lodged without Jerusalem once or twice.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

So the merchants and sellers of all kind of wares lodged without Jerusalem once or twice.

RVARevised Version, American1894

So the merchants and sellers of all kind of ware lodged without Jerusalem once or twice.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

So the merchants and sellers of all kind of wares lodged without Jerusalem once or twice.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

So the chapmen and marchants of al marchandise remained once or twise all night without Ierusalem.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And the dealers and sellers of all kind of ware passed the night without Jerusalem once or twice.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And they lodge — the merchants and sellers of all ware — at the outside of Jerusalem, once or twice,

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And they lodge—the merchants and sellers of all ware—at the outside of Jerusalem, once or twice,

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

But the merchants and sellers of all kinds of wares lodged outside of Jerusalem once or twice.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

The merchants and sellers of all kinds of wares camped outside Jerusalem once or twice.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

So the merchants, and they that sold all kinds of wares, stayed without Jerusalem once or twice.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

A couple of times merchants and sellers of all kinds of goods spent the night outside of Jerusalem.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

So the traders in all sorts of goods took their night's rest outside Jerusalem once or twice.

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.

וַandclauseverbיָּלִ֨ינוּthey.passed.the.nightnoun phrase · subjectהָthenoun phraseרֹכְלִ֜יםtradersוּand.[the]noun phraseמֹכְרֵ֧יsellersnoun phraseכָלof.everyמִמְכָּ֛רthing.soldprepositional phrase · prepositionalמִfrom.[the]noun phraseח֥וּץoutsideprepositional phraseלִofירוּשָׁלִָ֖םJerusalemnoun phrase · adverbialפַּ֥עַםa.timeוּandשְׁתָּֽיִםtwo.[times]

Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.


The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran

The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint largely agree in their wording, with eight of the nine words matching. This suggests a high degree of consistency between the Hebrew and Greek traditions, although the Septuagint's word order differs.

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

וַיָּלִ֨ינוּ הָרֹכְלִ֜ים וּמֹכְרֵ֧י כָל־ מִמְכָּ֛ר מִח֥וּץ לִירוּשָׁלִָ֖ם פַּ֥עַם וּשְׁתָּֽיִם׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיָּלִ֨ינוּηὐλίσθησανוּמֹכְרֵ֧יἐποίησανכָל־πάντεςמִמְכָּ֛רπρᾶσινמִח֥וּץἔχωלִירוּשָׁלִָ֖םιερουσαλημפַּ֥עַםἅπαχוּשְׁתָּֽיִם׃δίς

8 of the 9 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.

Nehemiah 13:20לוּןand they paand they passedלוּןרָכַלthe tradersthe tradersרָכַלמָכַרand [the] sand [the] selleמָכַרכֹּלeveryeveryכֹּלמִמְכָּרmerchandisemerchandiseמִמְכָּרחוּץfrom [the] from [the] outsחוּץיְרוּשָׁלִַ֫of Jerusaleof Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַ֫פַּ֫עַםa timea timeפַּ֫עַםשְׁנַ֫יִםand two [tiand two [times]שְׁנַ֫יִםמָכַרto sellto sellמָכַרכָּלַלto perfectto perfectכָּלַלפָּעַםto troubleto troubleפָּעַםיְרוּשְׁלֵםJerusalemJerusalemיְרוּשְׁלֵםיָרָאto shootto shootיָרָאשֵׁנִיsecondsecondשֵׁנִיעֵדָהcongregaticongregationעֵדָהקָנָהto buyto buyקָנָהלַ֫יְלָהnightnightלַ֫יְלָהכִּלְמָדChilmadChilmadכִּלְמָדרַעְמָהRaamahRaamahרַעְמָהעֲבֹדָהserviceserviceעֲבֹדָהמַחֲנֶהcampcampמַחֲנֶהרְחוֹבstreet/plastreet/plazaרְחוֹבמָלַךְto reignto reignמָלַךְחוֹמָהwallwallחוֹמָהשֶׁ֫בַעsevensevenשֶׁ֫בַעעָשָׂרtentenעָשָׂר
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 Nehemiah 13:20

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 they passed [the] night the traders and [the] sellers of every merchandise from [the] outside of Jerusalem a time and two [times]
וַיָּלִ֨ינוּvai.ya.Li.nu and they passed [the] night H3885 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
84× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To grumble or complain, this word describes a negative attitude of discontent or murmuring. It is used in the Bible to describe people who are unhappy or stubborn.
Amplified meaning
lodged, stayed
Tyndale gloss
to lodge
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

לוּן (luwn) is a Hebrew verb meaning to lodge or pass the night, and it can also imply abiding or remaining. It has a negative connotation when referring to murmuring or complaining. The word can be used in various forms, including Qal, Hiphil, and Hithpalpel, indicating different nuances of lodging and grumbling.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לוּן, לִין vb. lodge, pass the night, fig. abide

Qal

lodge, pass the night

fig. abide, remain

Hiph. cause to rest, lodge

Hithpalp. dwell, abide, of eagle

base

[לוּן] vb. murmur

Niph. murmur against

Hiph. murmur; cause to murmur

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3885a לוּן, לִין lodge, pass the night, fig. abide H3885b לוּן murmur

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3885 luwn loon

or liyn {leen}; a primitive root; to stop (usually over

night); by implication, to stay permanently; hence (in a bad

sense) to be obstinate (especially in words, to

complain):--abide (all night), continue, dwell, endure,

grudge, be left, lie all night, (cause to) lodge (all night,

in, -ing, this night), (make to) murmur, remain, tarry (all

night, that night).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לוּן (lun) — to lodge.

1) to lodge, stop over, pass the night, abide

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to lodge, pass the night

1a2) to abide, remain (fig.)

1b) (Hiphil) to cause to rest, lodge

1c) (Hithpalpel) to dwell, abide

לוּן (lun) — to grumble.

1) to grumble, complain, murmur

1a) (Niphal) to grumble, murmur

1b) (Hiphil) to complain, cause to grumble

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
Hc/Vqw3mp
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

nit.

See DAY AND NIGHT for the natural usage and the various terms.

1. In the Old Testament:

Figurative uses: The word "night" (laylah or layil is sometimes used figuratively in the Old Testament. Thus, Moses compares the brevity of time, the lapse of a thousand years, to "a watch in the night" (Ps 90:4). Adversity is depicted by it in such places as Job 35:10; compare Isa 8:20; Jer 15:9. Disappointment and despair are apparently depicted by it in the "burden of Dumah" (Isa 21:11,12); and spiritual blindness, coming upon the false prophets (Mic 3:6); again sudden and…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

[DAY]

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The ancient Hebrews began their artificial day at evening, and ended it the next evening, so that the night proceeded the day. This usage may probably be traced to the terms employed in describing the creation, Ge 1:5,8,13, etc., "The evening and the morning were the first day." The Hebrews allowed twelve to the day; but these hours were not equal, except at the equinox. At other times, when the hours of the night were long, those of the day were short, as in winter; and when the hours of night were short, as at midsummer, the hours of the day were long in proportion. See HOURS.

The nights are sometimes extremely cold in Syria, when the days are very hot; and travelers in the deserts and among the mountains near Palestine refer to their own sufferings from these opposite extremes, in illustration of Jacob’s words in

→ General scriptures concerning Ge 1:5,16,18

→ Meditations in Ps 19:2; 77:6; 119:148; 139:11

→ Worship in Ps 134:1

→ Jesus prays all night Lu 6:12

→ No night in heaven Re 21:25; 22:5

→ Divided into watches Ex 14:24; Jud 7:19; 1Sa 11:11; Ne 12:9; Ps 63:6; 119:148; La 2:19;

and they passed [the] night the traders and [the] sellers of every merchandise from [the] outside of Jerusalem a time and two [times]
הָרֹכְלִ֜יםha.ro.khe.Lim the traders H7402 Particle · verb qal participle (active) masculine plural
17× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To trade means to travel for business, exchanging goods or services. In the Bible, it describes a merchant or trader who goes about selling spices or other commodities. The KJV translates it as merchant.
Amplified meaning
traders, those who travel for business
Tyndale gloss
to trade
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רָכַל (rakal) is a primitive root meaning to travel for trading. It primarily refers to a trafficker or trader, indicating movement from one place to another for the purpose of commerce. The exact nuances of the term are uncertain, but it is consistently linked to the concept of trading.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[רָכַל] vb. prob. go about, from one to another

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7402 רָכַל

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7402 rakal raw-kal'

a primitive root; to travel for trading:--(spice) merchant.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רָכַל (ra.khal) — to trade.

1) to go about (meaning uncertain)

1a) (Qal) trafficker, trader (participle) (subst)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | V-Qal — Particle · verb qal participle (active) masculine plural
HTd/Vqrmpa
and they passed [the] night the traders and [the] sellers of every merchandise from [the] outside of Jerusalem a time and two [times]
וּמֹכְרֵ֧יu.mo.khe.Rei and [the] sellers of H4376 Conjunction · verb qal participle (active) masculine plural common
80× 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 sell something or someone, like a merchant selling goods or a father selling his daughter into marriage. It appears in books like Genesis and Exodus. The word can also mean to surrender or give something up.
Amplified meaning
trade, exchange goods
Tyndale gloss
to sell
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מָכַר (makar) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to sell.' It encompasses various forms, including selling merchandise, giving a daughter in marriage, or even selling oneself into slavery. The word appears in different grammatical forms, such as Qal (to sell), Niphal (to be sold), and Hithpael (to sell oneself). It reflects both literal and figurative senses of selling.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מָכַר vb. sell

Qal sell

Niph. be sold

Hithp. sell oneself as slave

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4376 מָכַר sell

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4376 makar maw-kar'

a primitive root; to sell, literally (as merchandise, a

daughter in marriage, into slavery), or figuratively (to

surrender):--X at all, sell (away, -er, self).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מָכַר (ma.khar) — to sell.

1) to sell

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to sell

1a2) seller (participle)

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be sold

1b2) to sell oneself

1b3) to be given over to death

1c) (Hithpael) to sell oneself

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal — Conjunction · verb qal participle (active) masculine plural common
HC/Vqrmpc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ov:

(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Lamentations 3:1.

The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.

Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.

That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.

Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…

and they passed [the] night the traders and [the] sellers of every merchandise from [the] outside of Jerusalem a time and two [times]
כָל־khol- every H3605 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.
Amplified meaning
every type, variety
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 construct
HNcmsc
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and they passed [the] night the traders and [the] sellers of every merchandise from [the] outside of Jerusalem a time and two [times]
מִמְכָּ֛רmi.Kar merchandise H4465 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
10× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means something that is for sale, like merchandise or a product. It is used in the Bible to describe buying and selling, as seen in Matthew and Revelation, and can also refer to the act of selling something, like a business transaction.
Amplified meaning
merchandise, wares
Tyndale gloss
sale
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word מִמְכָּר (mimkar) refers to a sale or merchandise. It is derived from the root word for selling, and is used to describe items that are sold or the act of selling itself. The entries consistently emphasize its connection to commerce and trade.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מִמְכָּר n.m. sale, ware

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4465 מִמְכָּר sale, ware

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4465 mimkar mim-kawr'

from 4376; merchandise; abstractly, a selling:--X ought,

(that which cometh of) sale, that which...sold, ware.

see HEBREW for 04376

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מִמְכָּר (mim.kar) — sale.

sale, ware, thing sold

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

mur'-chan-diz

(1) `amar

(2) cachar,

(3) cachar,

(4) cechorach,

(5) rekhullah,

(6) ma`arabh,

(7) markoleth;

(8) emporia

(9) emporion,

(10) gomos)

: There seem to be 4 distinct meanings of the word according to the Revised Version (British and American), namely: (1) The products, i.e. goods or things sold or exchanged, and so merchandise in the present-day usage:

(a) cachar is translated thus in Pr 31:18; Isa 23:18;

(b) cachar is translated thus in Isa 45:14; these two are from a root meaning "to travel around as a peddler";

(c) rekhullah, translated thus in Eze 26:12, from a root meaning "to travel for trading purposes";

Nave's Topical Bible

→ See COMMERCE

and they passed [the] night the traders and [the] sellers of every merchandise from [the] outside of Jerusalem a time and two [times]
מִח֥וּץmi.Chutz from [the] outside H2351 Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
164× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means outside or outdoors, referring to something beyond a wall or boundary. It can also mean a street or highway, as seen in various KJV translations, including abroad, field, and without.
Amplified meaning
beyond the walls, in the street
Tyndale gloss
outside
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חוּץ (chuwts) refers to the concept of being outside or outward, often associated with streets or highways. It is derived from a root meaning to sever, indicating separation by a wall. The term covers various contexts, including outdoors and fields.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חוּץ n.[m.] the outside, sts., esp. in pl., spec. a street

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2351 חוּץ

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2351 chuwts khoots

or (shortened) chuts {khoots}; (both forms feminine in the

plural) from an unused root meaning to sever; properly,

separate by a wall, i.e. outside, outdoors:--abroad, field,

forth, highway, more, out(-side, -ward), street, without.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חוּץ (chuts) — outside.

outside, outward, street, the outside

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
HR/Ncmsa
and they passed [the] night the traders and [the] sellers of every merchandise from [the] outside of Jerusalem a time and two [times]
לִירוּשָׁלִָ֖םli.ru.sha.Lim of Jerusalem H3389 Preposition · noun proper
643× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Jerusalem is the capital city of Palestine, also known as the city of peace. It was the chief city of the united kingdom and the nation of Judah after the split.
Amplified meaning
the city of peace, the capital of Palestine
Tyndale gloss
Jerusalem
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫͏ם (Yruwshalaim) refers to Jerusalem, the capital city of Palestine. The name is thought to derive from terms meaning 'founded peaceful' and is linked to its two main hills. It is described as the chief city of the united kingdom and the nation of Judah.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫͏ם, יְרוּשָׁלַ֫יִם 644 n.pr.loc. Jerusalem

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3389 יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫͏ם, יְרוּשָׁלַ֫יִם Jerusalem

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3389 Yruwshalaim yer-oo-shaw-lah'-im

rarely Yruwshalayim {yer-oo- shaw-lah'-yim}; a dual (in

allusion to its two main hills (the true pointing, at least of

the former reading, seems to be that of 3390)); probably from

(the passive participle of) 3384 and 7999; founded peaceful;

Jerushalaim or Jerushalem, the capital city of

Palestine:--Jerusalem.

see HEBREW for 03390

see HEBREW for 03384

see HEBREW for 07999

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם (ye.ru.sha.laim) — Jerusalem.

§ Jerusalem = "teaching of peace"

the chief city of Palestine and capital of the united kingdom and the nation of Judah after the split

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-proper — Preposition · noun proper
HR/Npl
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

je-roo'-sa-lem:

I. THE NAME

1. In Cuneiform

2. In Hebrew

3. In Greek and Latin

4. The Meaning of Jerusalem

5. Other Names

II. GEOLOGY, CLIMATE AND SPRINGS

1. Geology

2. Climate and Rainfall

3. The Natural Springs

III. THE NATURAL SITE

1. The Mountains Around

2. The Valleys

3. The Hills

IV. GENERAL TOPOGRAPHY OF JERUSALEM

1. Description of Josephus

2. Summary of the Names of the Five Hills

3. The Akra

4. The Lower City

5. City of David and Zion

V. EXCAVATIONS AND ANTIQUITIES

1. Robinson

2. Wilson, and the Palestine Exploration Fund (1865)

3. Warren and Conder

4. Maudslay

5. Schick

6. Clermont-Ganneau

7. Bliss and Dickie

8. Jerusalem Archaeological Societies

VI. THE CITY'S WALLS AND GATES

1. The Existing Walls

2. Wilson's Theory

3. The Existing Gates

4. Buried Remains of Earlier Walls

5. The Great Dam of the Tyropoeon

6. Ruins of Ancient Gates

7. Josephus' Description of the Walls

8. First Wall

9. Second Wall

10. Third Wall

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Jerusalem

Called also Salem, Ariel, Jebus, the “city of God,” the “holy city;” by the modern Arabs el-Khuds, meaning “the holy;” once “the city of Judah” (2 Chr. 25:28). This name is in the original in the dual form, and means “possession of peace,” or “foundation of peace.” The dual form probably refers to the two mountains on which it was built, viz., Zion and Moriah; or, as some suppose, to the two parts of the city, the “upper” and the “lower city.” Jerusalem is a “mountain city enthroned on a mountain fastness” (comp. Ps. 68:15, 16; 87:1; 125:2; 76:1, 2; 122:3). It stands on the edge of one of the highest table-lands in Palestine, and is surrounded on the south-eastern, the southern, and the western sides by deep and precipitous ravines.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(the habitation of peace), Jerusalem stands in latitude 31 degrees 46’ 35" north and longitude 35 degrees 18’ 30" east of Greenwich. It is 32 miles distant from the sea and 18 from the Jordan, 20 from Hebron and 36 from Samaria. "In several respects," says Dean Stanley, "its situation is singular among the cities of Palestine. Its elevation is remarkable; occasioned not from its being on the summit of one of the numerous hills of Judea, like most of the towns and villages, but because it is on the edge of one of the highest table-lands of the country. Hebron indeed is higher still by some hundred feet, and from the south, accordingly (even from Bethlehem), the approach to Jerusalem is by a slight descent. But from any other side the ascent is perpetual; and to the traveller approaching the city from the east or west it must always have presented the appearance beyond any other capital…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The chief city of the Holy Land, and to the Christian the most illustrious in the world. It is situated in 31 degrees 46’43" N. lat., and 35 degrees 13’ E. long. on elevated ground south of the center of the country, about thirty-seven miles from the Mediterranean, and about twenty-four from the Jordan. Its site was early hallowed by God’s trial of Abraham’s faith, Ge 22:1-24 2Ch 3:1. It was on the border of the tribes of Benjamin and Judah, mostly within the limits of the former, but reckoned as belonging to the latter, because conquered by it, Jos 15:8 18:16,28 Jud 1:18. The most ancient name of the city was Salem, Ge…

and they passed [the] night the traders and [the] sellers of every merchandise from [the] outside of Jerusalem a time and two [times]
פַּ֥עַםPa.'am a time H6471 Noun common · feminine singular absolute
118× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a beat or stroke, like a footstep or a blow. It can also mean a time or occurrence, and is used in the Bible to describe things like a single step or a repeated action.
Amplified meaning
or two times, on one or two occasions
Tyndale gloss
beat
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

פַּ֫עַם (pa'am) refers to a beat or stroke, and encompasses meanings such as foot, anvil, and occurrence. It can denote a footstep or time, indicating repetitions like once, twice, or thrice. The word is built from a root that suggests various applications related to rhythm and timing.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

פַּ֫עַם 118 n.f. beat, foot, anvil, occurrence

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6471 פַּ֫עַם beat, foot, anvil, occurrence

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6471 pa`am pah'-am

or (feminine) pa;amah {pah-am-aw'}; from 6470; a stroke,

literally or figuratively (in various applications, as

follow):--anvil, corner, foot(-step), going, (hundred-)fold,

X now, (this) + once, order, rank, step, + thrice, ((often-)),

second, this, two) time(-s), twice, wheel.

see HEBREW for 06470

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

פַּ֫עַם (pa.am) — beat.

1) stroke, beat, foot, step, anvil, occurrence

1a) foot, hoof-beat, footfall, footstep

1b) anvil

1c) occurrence, time, stroke, beat

1c1) one time, once, twice, thrice, as time on time, at this repetition, this once, now at length, now...now, at one time...at another

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absolute
HNcfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

tim: The basis of the Hebrew measurement of time was the day and the lunar month, as with the Semites generally. The division of the day into hours was late, probably not common until after the exile, although the sun-dial of Ahaz (2Ki 20:9; Isa 38:8) would scent to indicate some division of the day into periods of some sort, as we know the night was divided, The word used for "hour" is Aramaic she`a' (sha`ta'), and does not occur in the Old Testament until the Book of Daniel (4:33; 5:5), and even there it stands for an indefinite period for which "time" would answer as well.

1. The Day:

The term "day" (yom) was in use from the earliest times, as is indicated in the story of the Creation (Ge 1). It there doubtless denotes an indefinite period, but is marked off by "evening and…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Besides the ordinary uses of this word, the Bible sometimes employs it to denote a year, as in Da 4:16; or a prophetic year, consisting of three hundred and sixty natural year, a day being taken for a year. Thus in Da 7:25 12:7, the phrase "a time, times, and the dividing of a time" is supposed to mean three and a half prophetic years, or 1,260 natural years. This period is elsewhere paralleled by the expression, "forty-two months," each month including thirty years, Re 11:2-3 12:6,14 13:5.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Beginning of Ge 1:1,14

→ Epochs of

Before the flood Jos 24:2

→ The exodus Ex 19:1; 40:17; 1Ki 6:1

→ Daniel' s reckoning of time, and times, and half times Da 7:25; 12:7

→ Indicated by a sun-dial 2Ki 20:9-11; Isa 38:8

→ Division of, into watches Ex 14:24; 1Sa 11:11; Mt 14:25; Mr 6:48

Torrey's New Topical Textbook

- The duration of the world

Job 22:16; Re 10:6

- The measure of the continuance of anything

Jud 18:31

- An appointed season

Ne 2:6; Ec 3:1,17

- COMPUTED BY

. Years

Ge 15:13; 2Sa 21:1; Da 9:2

. Months

Nu 10:10; 1Ch 27:1; Job 3:6

. Weeks

and they passed [the] night the traders and [the] sellers of every merchandise from [the] outside of Jerusalem a time and two [times]
וּשְׁתָּֽיִם׃u.she.Ta.yim and two [times] H8147 Conjunction
769× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for the number two appears in Genesis and Exodus, describing pairs and dualities. It can also mean double or twice. In the Bible, it is often used to describe things that come in twos, like two witnesses or two tablets.
Tyndale gloss
two
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שְׁנַ֫יִם (shnayim) means 'two' and serves as both a cardinal and ordinal number. It can denote 'both,' 'double,' or 'twice,' and is used in various combinations with other numbers. The word is derived as a dual form of שָׁנָה (shanah), which relates to the concept of pairs.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שְׁנַ֫יִם, שְׁתַּיִם 768 n.m. et f. du. two

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8147 שְׁנַ֫יִם, שְׁתַּיִם two

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8147 shnayim shen-ah'-yim

dual of 8145; feminine shttayim {shet-tah'-yim}; two; also

(as ordinal) twofold:--both, couple, double, second, twain, +

twelfth, + twelve, + twenty (sixscore) thousand, twice, two.

see HEBREW for 08145

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שְׁנַ֫יִם (she.na.yim) — two.

1) two

1a) two (the cardinal number)

1a1) two, both, double, twice

1b) second (the ordinal number)

1c) in combination with other numbers

1d) both (a dual number)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Adj — Conjunction
HC/Acfda
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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