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Nehemiah 5:1 — Word Study

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WLCוַתְּהִ֨י צַעֲקַ֥ת הָעָ֛ם וּנְשֵׁיהֶ֖ם גְּדוֹלָ֑ה אֶל־ אֲחֵיהֶ֖ם הַיְּהוּדִֽים׃

BSAAbout that time there washâyâh [at that point in time, during, period, season, existed, came into being] a greatgâdôwl [large, significant] outcrytsaʻăqâh [cry of distress, loud complaint] from the peopleʻam [nation, community] and their wivesʼishshâh [women, female partners] againstʼêl [toward, in opposition to] their fellowʼâch [brotherly, related] JewsYᵉhûwdîy [of Judah, Israelites]

Word
Listen & take awayNehemiah 5
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 1 opens the 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 (hai.ye.hu.Dim) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Nehemiah 5:1quick helps
In a sentenceThe people and their wives raised a loud complaint against their fellow Jews during a time of distress.
Who is speakingThe people of Judah, expressing their grievances.
Where we areThe context is a moment of crisis due to famine, as described in the surrounding verses.
The hard wordצְעָקָה
Take awayThe outcry reflects deep distress and communal struggle.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbהָיָה 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 5:1

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 Outcry of the Peoplegenerated

1About that time there was a great outcry from the people and their wives against their fellow Jews.
2Some were saying, “We and our sons and daughters are numerous. We must get grain in order to eat and stay alive.”
3Others were saying, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our homes to get grain during the famine.”
4Still others were saying, “We have borrowed money to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards.

Nehemiah 5:1 describes a significant moment when the people of Judah, facing hardship, voiced their complaints against their fellow Jews. This outcry was a response to the economic strain and famine affecting their community, highlighting the struggles they endured as they sought to survive. The following verses elaborate on the specific grievances related to food shortages and the burden of debts, emphasizing the dire situation they faced.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Exodus 3:7The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the affliction of My people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their oppressors, and I am aware of their sufferings.
2Exodus 22:25–27If you lend money to one of My people among you who is poor, you must not act as a creditor to him; you are not to charge him interest.
3Job 31:38–39if my land cries out against me and its furrows weep together,
4Job 34:28They caused the cry of the poor to come before Him, and He heard the outcry of the afflicted.
5Isaiah 5:7For the vineyard of the LORD of Hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are the plant of His delight. He looked for justice, but saw bloodshed; for righteousness, but heard a cry of distress.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 11 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word צְעָקָה, tza.'a.Katgenerated

The noun צְעָקָה (tza'a.kah) signifies a strong cry or outcry, often associated with distress. It is derived from a root that conveys the idea of shrieking or calling out, indicating a powerful emotional expression. In this context, it represents the collective voice of the people in their time of need.

This word emphasizes the urgency and seriousness of their situation, as they cry out for help and justice. The emotional weight of their complaint is underscored by the fact that it is not just a simple expression of dissatisfaction, but a desperate plea for relief during a time of famine.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

In this study, we reference the Berean Standard Bible, which uses the term outcry.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb of the verse is וַתְּהִ֨י, and it was, which establishes the existence of the situation. This verb governs the entire clause, indicating that at a specific time, there was a significant outcry.

The structure includes a noun phrase for the subject צַעֲקַ֥ת (the cry) and a series of noun phrases that elaborate on the source of the cry, namely הָעָ֛ם (the people) and וּנְשֵׁיהֶ֖ם (their wives), as well as the object of their complaint, אֲחֵיהֶ֖ם (their fellow Jews).


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates וַתְּהִ֨י as ἦν (ēn), indicating a state of being that aligns with the Hebrew meaning. This choice reflects a direct correspondence in conveying existence.

For צְעָקָה, the Greek term used is κραυγὴ (kraugē), which also denotes a loud cry, emphasizing the emotional intensity of the situation.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Nehemiah 5:1 tells us that during a difficult time, the people and their wives cried out against their fellow Jews. They were expressing their distress due to the hardships they faced, which is further explained in the following verses.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What caused the outcry from the people?

The outcry was caused by the economic struggles and famine that the people were facing, leading them to voice their grievances against their fellow Jews.

What does the term 'great outcry' signify?

The term 'great outcry' signifies a loud and urgent complaint, indicating the seriousness of the people's distress during a time of need.

How did the wives contribute to the outcry?

The wives were included in the outcry, highlighting that the distress affected the entire family unit and emphasizing the communal nature of their complaint.

What were the specific grievances mentioned?

The specific grievances included the need for food to survive, the mortgaging of fields and homes, and the burden of taxes during the famine.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. How do I respond to situations of distress in my community?
  2. What can I learn from the people's outcry about the importance of voicing grievances?
  3. In what ways can I support those who are struggling in my community?
  4. How does this passage encourage us to seek justice for those in need?

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

Bede comments on this verse, noting the people's desire to build the city wall while being hindered by famine, which led to their outcry.

BedeCommentary on Ezra and Nehemiah c. 673–735
And there was a great outcry of the people and their wives, etc. Indeed, the people desired to build the city wall, but due to the great famine, they were hindered from the sacred work.
Early Church Fathers on Nehemiah 5 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Nehemiah 5:1 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

And there was a great cry of the people, and of their wives,.... Those of the poorer sort: against their brethren the Jews; the rich that oppressed them; and this cry or complaint was made to Nehemiah for redress.

Read John Gill on Nehemiah 5 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews. There was a great cry of the people ... against their brethren.

Read Robert Jamieson on Nehemiah 5 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

CHAPTER 5 The people complain of their brethren, by reason of their debts, mortgages, and bondage, . Nehemiah rebuketh the usurers, and causeth them to make a covenant of restitution, . He forbeareth his own allowance, and keepeth hospitality, . The quantity of his preparations, and his prayer, ,19. To wit, the great and rich who had oppressed their brethren.

Read Matthew Poole on Nehemiah 5 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Nehemiah 5:1 And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews.Ver. 1. And there was a great cry] Such as seditious ones use to set up in their outrageous uproars; or such as is the expression of great grief and anguish of heart. Of the people] The ignobile common people, a most dangerous and heady water, when once it is out. And of their wives] Who being pinched with penury, made piteous outcries. Invalidum omne, natura querulum. Significat clamorem vel querulum, vel imperiosum, iracundum, minacem (Seneca). Against their brethren the Jews] The richer sort, who oppressed them and drew them before the judgment seats, as St James hath it of the Jews of…

Read John Trapp on Nehemiah 5 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(1) Their brethren the Jews.—Nehemiah’s other troubles had come from the enemies without: he begins this account by laying emphasis on the hard treatment of Jews by Jews.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Nehemiah 5 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

CHAPTER V The people complain that they are oppressed and enthralled by their richer brethren, 1-3. Nehemiah calls them to account; upbraids them for their cruelty; and obliges them to swear that they will forgive the debts, restore the mortgaged estates, and free their servants, 4-13. Nehemiah's generosity and liberality, 14-17. The daily provision for his table, 18, 19. NOTES ON CHAP. V

Read AdamClarke on Nehemiah 5 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

1. And there was a great cry, &c.] R.V. Then there arose a great cry, &c. The R.V. rightly shows that the outbreak of the discontentment described in these verses was connected with the rebuilding of the walls. A general stoppage of trade must have resulted from the national undertaking. The presence of the enemy in the neighbourhood prevented free agricultural labour. the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews] By ‘the people and their wives’ are denoted the poorer classes, the great bulk of the nation as distinguished from the nobles and the priests. ‘Their brethren the Jews,’ seem here to denote ‘the nobles and the rulers’ whom Nehemiah rebukes in Nehemiah 5:7. At any…

Read Cambridge on Nehemiah 5 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

OF ABUSES, Nehemiah 5:1-13. 1. A great cry — The outcry of poverty, oppression, and abuse. Against… brethren — So there were troubles and abuses among themselves, as well as from their enemies.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Nehemiah 5 →

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

About that time there was a great outcry from the people and their wives against their fellow Jews.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Then there arose a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brothers the Jews.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

About that time there was a great outcry from the people and their wives against their fellow Jews.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Then there was a great outcry from the people and their wives against their fellow Jews.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Then there arose a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Then there arose a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Nowe there was a great crie of the people, and of their wiues against their brethren the Iewes.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And there is a great cry of the people and their wives, concerning their brethren the Jews,

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And there is a great cry of the people and their wives, concerning their brothers the Jews,

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And there arose a great outcry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Then the men and their wives raised a great outcry against their fellow Jews.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Now there was a great cry of the people, and of their wives against their brethren the Jews.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Around this time some people and their wives started a tremendous argument with the other Jews.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Then there was a great outcry from the people and their wives against their countrymen the Jews.

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.

וַandclauseverbתְּהִ֨יit.wasnoun phrase · subjectצַעֲקַ֥ת(the).cry.of.distressnoun phrasenoun phraseהָofעָ֛םthe.peopleוּandnoun phraseנְשֵׁיwivesהֶ֖םtheirobjectגְּדוֹלָ֑הgreatprepositional phrase · prepositionalאֶלagainstnoun phrasenoun phraseאֲחֵיcountrymenהֶ֖םtheirnoun phraseהַtheיְּהוּדִֽיםJews

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 agree in their wording for וַתְּהִ֨י צַעֲקַ֥ת הָעָ֛ם וּנְשֵׁיהֶ֖ם גְּדוֹלָ֑ה אֶל־ אֲחֵיהֶ֖ם הַיְּהוּדִֽים׃, with all eight words matched. This indicates a strong consistency between these texts.

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

וַתְּהִ֨י צַעֲקַ֥ת הָעָ֛ם וּנְשֵׁיהֶ֖ם גְּדוֹלָ֑ה אֶל־ אֲחֵיהֶ֖ם הַיְּהוּדִֽים׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַתְּהִ֨יἦνצַעֲקַ֥תκραυγὴהָעָ֛םλαοῦוּנְשֵׁיהֶ֖םαὐτῶνגְּדוֹלָ֑הμεγάληאֶל־πρὸςאֲחֵיהֶ֖םἀδελφοὺςהַיְּהוּדִֽים׃ιουδαίους

8 of the 8 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 5:1הָיָהand it wasand it wasהָיָהצְעָקָהcry of distcry of distressצְעָקָהעַםthe peoplethe peopleעַםאִשָּׁהand wives tand wives theirאִשָּׁהגָּדוֹלgreatgreatגָּדוֹלאֶלagainstagainstאֶלאָחcountrymen countrymen theiאָחיְהוּדִיthe Jewsthe Jewsיְהוּדִיצָעַקto cryto cryצָעַקעָמַםto darkento darkenעָמַםגָּדַלto magnifyto magnifyגָּדַליְהוּדָה(Baalah of(Baalah of)Judaיְהוּדָההָוָאto fallto fallהָוָאאִישׁmanmanאִישׁאֱנוֹשׁhumanhumanאֱנוֹשׁאָבfatherfatherאָביְלָלָהwailingwailingיְלָלָהחֹרוֹנַיִםHoronaimHoronaimחֹרוֹנַיִםטַףchildchildטַףנָכְרִיforeignforeignנָכְרִיקָטָןsmallsmallקָטָןמְאֹדmuchmuchמְאֹדפָּלַלto prayto prayפָּלַליִרְמְיָ֫הJeremiahJeremiahיִרְמְיָ֫העֵשָׂו(Mount) Es(Mount) EsauעֵשָׂויוֹסֵףJosephJosephיוֹסֵף
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 5:1

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 it was cry of distress of the people and wives their great against countrymen their the Jews
וַתְּהִ֨יva.te.Hi and it was H1961 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person feminine singular
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
at that point in time, during, period, season, existed, came 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-ConsecImperf-3fs — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person feminine singular
Hc/Vqw3fs
and it was cry of distress of the people and wives their great against countrymen their the Jews
צַעֲקַ֥תtza.'a.Kat cry of distress of H6818 Noun common · feminine singular construct
21× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A cry or outcry is what this word represents, often a cry of distress that reaches God's ears, as seen in Exodus where the Israelites cry out against slavery.
Amplified meaning
cry of distress, loud complaint
Tyndale gloss
cry
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

צְעָקָה (tsa`aqah) refers to a cry or outcry, often associated with distress. It is derived from the root word for a shriek, indicating a strong emotional expression. The term encompasses both general cries and specific outcries against injustice, particularly those that are heard by God.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

צְעָקָה n.f. cry, outcry

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6818 צְעָקָה, צַעֲקָה

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6818 tsa`aqah tsah-ak-aw'

from 6817; a shriek:--cry(-ing).

see HEBREW for 06817

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

צְעָקָה (tsa.a.qah) — cry.

1) cry, outcry

1a) outcry (against)

1b) cry of distress (especially as heard by God)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular construct
HNcfsc
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 it was cry of distress of the people and wives their great against countrymen their the Jews
הָעָ֛םha.'Am the people H5971 Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
1,873× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A people or nation is what this Hebrew word represents, like the nation of Israel in Exodus 33:13. It can also mean a tribe, troops, or attendants, and is used to describe a group of people gathered together. The word is often used to refer to the people of God.
Amplified meaning
nation, community
Tyndale gloss
Amaw
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עַם (am) primarily means 'people' or 'nation,' referring to a collective group, often in the context of tribes such as those of Israel. It can also denote kinsmen or compatriots. The term appears in various contexts, including military and familial references. There is a mention of a specific individual named Ammi in Song of Solomon 6:12.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עַם, עָם 1810 n.m. people

a people, nation

= smaller units

= common people

people in gen., persons

phrases

base

[עַם] n.[m.] kinsman (on father's side)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5971a עַם, עָם people H5971b עַם kinsman (on father's side)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5971 `am am

from 6004; a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a

tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or

attendants; figuratively, a flock:--folk, men, nation,

people.

see HEBREW for 06004

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עַם (am) — people.

: people/nation

1) nation, people

1a) people, nation

1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men

עַם (am) — kinsman.

kinsman, kindred

עַם (am) — Ammi.

A man living at the time of United Monarchy, only mentioned at Sng.6.12

§ kinsman, kindred

עַם (am) — People's (Gate).

§ kinsman, kindred

עַם (am) — (Ibleam)-am.

Combined with yiv.le.am (יִבְלְעָם "Ibleam" H2991)

§ kinsman, kindred

עַם (am) — Amaw.

This name means nation, people

עַם (am) — people: soldiers.

: soldiers/army

1) nation, people

1a) people, nation

1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men

עַם (am) — people: creatures.

: creatures

1) nation, people

1a) people, nation

1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-ms — Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
HTd/Ncmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

pe'-p'-l: In English Versions of the Bible represents something over a dozen Hebrew and Greek words. Of these, in the Old Testament, `am, is overwhelmingly the most common (about 2,000 times), with le'om, and goy, next in order; but the various Hebrew words are used with very little or no difference in force (e.g. Pr 14:28; but, on the other hand, in Ps 44 contrast verses 12 and 14). Of the changes introduced by the Revised Version (British and American) the only one of significance (cited explicitly in the Preface to the English Revised Version) is the frequent use of the plural "peoples" (strangely avoided in the King James Version except Re 10:11; 17:15), where other nations than Israel are in question. So, for instance, in Ps…

and it was cry of distress of the people and wives their great against countrymen their the Jews
וּנְשֵׁיהֶ֖םu.ne.shei.Hem and wives their H802 Conjunction · noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
781× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for woman, used to describe a female person, wife, or animal, appears in many biblical passages, including Genesis and Exodus, and is often translated as woman, wife, or female.
Amplified meaning
women, female partners
Tyndale gloss
woman
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אִשָּׁה (ishshah) means 'woman,' 'wife,' or 'female.' It can refer to a woman in general, a wife in relation to a man, or the female of animals. The term also has distributive and reciprocal uses, indicating 'each woman' from her neighbor. The word is derived from the masculine forms אִישׁ (ish) and אִישָׁה (ishah), indicating a broad range of meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אִשָּׁה 773 n.f. woman, wife, female

woman

Wife (woman belonging to a man, usually cstr. or sf.)

Female of animals

With distrib. & recipr. sense, each woman from her neighbor; each one

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H802 אִשָּׁה woman, wife, female . woman

. Wife (woman belonging to a man, usually cstr. or sf.)

. Female of animals

. With distrib. & recipr. sense, each woman from her neighbor; each one

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

802 'ishshah ish-shaw'

feminine of 376 or 582; irregular plural, nashiym

{naw-sheem'}; a woman (used in the same wide sense as

582):--(adulter)ess, each, every, female, X many, + none,

one, + together, wife, woman. Often unexpressed in English.

see HEBREW for 0376

see HEBREW for 0582

see HEBREW for 0582

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אִשָּׁה (ish.shah) — woman.

: woman

1) woman, wife, female

1a) woman (opposite of man)

1b) wife (woman married to a man)

1c) female (of animals)

1d) each, every (pronoun)

אִשָּׁה (ish.shah) — woman: wife.

: wife/widow

1) woman, wife, female

1a) woman (opposite of man)

1b) wife (woman married to a man)

1c) female (of animals)

1d) each, every (pronoun)

אִשָּׁה (ish.shah) — woman: another.

: another

1) woman, wife, female

1a) woman (opposite of man)

1b) wife (woman married to a man)

1c) female (of animals)

1d) each, every (pronoun)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | N-fp | Suff — Conjunction · noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
HC/Ncmpc/Sp3mp
and it was cry of distress of the people and wives their great against countrymen their the Jews
גְּדוֹלָ֑הge.do.Lah great H1419 Adj
526× 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 something or someone great, whether in size, age, or importance. It appears in descriptions of the Great Sea and the Philistines. The word is used to convey a sense of magnitude or grandeur.
Amplified meaning
large, significant
Tyndale gloss
Great (Sea)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

גָּדוֹל (gadol) means 'great' and covers a wide range of meanings, including large in size, number, intensity, sound, age, and importance. It can also refer to notable individuals or even God. Additionally, it appears as a proper noun in reference to a person named in Nehemiah 11:14. The lexicons note its use in various contexts, but do not present significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

גָּדוֹל 622 adj. great

in magnitude and extent

in number

in intensity

in sound, loud

in age

in importance

in phrases

cstr.

as subst. concr. do great things

† as subst. neut. greatness of arm

base

הַגְּדוֹלִים n.pr.m. father of Zabdiel Ne 11:14 (RV & so most; but 𝔊 RVm al. the great).

done

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1419a גָּדוֹל great . in magnitude and extent

. in number

. in intensity

. in sound, loud

. in age

. in importance

. in phrases

. cstr.

. as subst. concr. do great things

. † as subst. neut. greatness of arm

H1419b הַגְּדוֹלִים father of Zabdiel

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1419 gadowl gaw-dole'

or (shortened) gadol {gaw-dole'}; from 1431; great (in any

sense); hence, older; also insolent:--+ aloud, elder(-est), +

exceeding(-ly), + far, (man of) great (man, matter,

thing,-er,-ness), high, long, loud, mighty, more, much, noble,

proud thing, X sore, (X ) very.

see HEBREW for 01431

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

גָּדוֹל (ga.dol) — great: large.

adj

1) great

1a) large (in magnitude and extent)

1b) in number

1c) in intensity

1d) loud (in sound)

1e) older (in age)

1f) in importance

1f1) important things

1f2) great, distinguished (of men)

1f3) God Himself (of God)

subst

1g) great things

1h) haughty things

1i) greatness

Also means: ga.dol (גָּדוֹל ": old" H1419K)

§ Haggedolim = "the great one"

(CLBL) Haggedolim, the great man?, father of Zabdiel

גָּדוֹל (ga.dol) — Haggedolim.

A man living at the time of Exile and Return, only mentioned at Neh.11.14

§ Haggedolim = "the great one"

(CLBL) Haggedolim, the great man?, father of Zabdiel

גָּדוֹל (ga.dol) — Great (Sea).

adj

great

Also named: pe.lish.ti (פְּלִשְׁתִּי "(Sea of the )Philistines" H6430I)

גָּדוֹל (ga.dol) — great: old.

adj

1) great

1a) large (in magnitude and extent)

1b) in number

1c) in intensity

1d) loud (in sound)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Adj
HAafsa
and it was cry of distress of the people and wives their great against countrymen their the Jews
אֶל־'el- against H413 Preposition
5,518× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means 'to' or 'toward', showing direction or movement. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus, to indicate where someone is going. The KJV translates it in various ways, like 'about', 'according to', or 'against'.
Amplified meaning
toward, in opposition to
Tyndale gloss
to(wards)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֶל (el) is primarily a preposition indicating motion towards or direction to a person or place. It can also imply entering a limit, presence at a location, or a hostile direction (against). Additionally, it may express concepts such as concerning, in addition to, or according to. The entries highlight its versatility in both physical and metaphorical contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph),

prep. denoting motion to or direction towards (whether physical or mental).of motion to or unto a person or place

Where the limit is actually entered, into

Of direction towards anything

Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against

Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to

Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

Of rule or standard according to (rare)

Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion

Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H413 אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph), . of motion to or unto a person or place

. Where the limit is actually entered, into

. Of direction towards anything

. Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against

. Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to

. Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

. Of rule or standard according to (rare)

. Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion

. Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

413 'el ale

(but only used in the shortened constructive form sel {el});

a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but

occasionally used of a quiescent position, i.e. near, with or

among; often in general, to:--about, according to ,after,

against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and,

by, concerning, for, from, X hath, in(- to), near, (out) of,

over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether,

with(-in).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶל (el) — to(wards).

1) to, toward, unto (of motion)

2) into (limit is actually entered)

2a) in among

3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion)

4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character)

5) in addition to, to

6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of

7) according to (rule or standard)

8) at, by, against (of one's presence)

9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Preposition
HR
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

a-genst' (kata; enantion; pros): Preposition expressing contrast. When used of direction, equivalent to "toward" (Mt 10:35; 12:14, etc.); when of position, meaning "opposite," "facing," "in front of" (1Ki 7:5; Ge 15:10, Ro 8:31); when of action, "opposed to" (Mt 5:11; 26:59; 1Co 4:6); "in resistance to" (Heb 12:4); "provision for" (Greek eis, literally, "unto, toward" (1Ti 6:19)). Sometimes also applied to what breaks an established order as "customs" (

and it was cry of distress of the people and wives their great against countrymen their the Jews
אֲחֵיהֶ֖ם'a.chei.Hem countrymen their H251 Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
630× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means a brother or male sibling, but it can also refer to a close relative, friend, or someone with a similar relationship. It is used to describe the bond between brothers, like the relationship between Cain and Abel in Genesis.
Amplified meaning
brotherly, related
Tyndale gloss
brother: male-sibling
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָח (ach) means 'brother' and encompasses a broad range of relationships, including literal siblings, half-brothers, and metaphorical kinship. It can refer to any male relative or compatriot, and it may also imply resemblance or reciprocal relationships. The term is used in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, highlighting both familial and figurative connections.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָח 630 n.m. brother

brother, born of same mother (& father)

indef. = relative

fig. of resemblance

in phr. one … another

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H251 אָח brother

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

251 'ach awkh

a primitive word; a brother (used in the widest sense of

literal relationship and metaphorical affinity or resemblance

(like 1)):--another, brother(-ly); kindred, like, other.

Compare also the proper names beginning with "Ah-" or "Ahi-".

see HEBREW for 01

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָח (ach) — brother: male-sibling.

: male-sibling

1) brother

1a) brother of same parents

1b) half-brother (same father)

1c) relative, kinship, same tribe

1d) each to the other (reciprocal relationship)

1e) (fig.) of resemblance

אָח (ach) — brother: male-relative.

: male-relative

1) brother

1a) brother of same parents

1b) half-brother (same father)

1c) relative, kinship, same tribe

1d) each to the other (reciprocal relationship)

1e) (fig.) of resemblance

אָח (ach) — brother: compatriot.

: compatriot

1) brother

1a) brother of same parents

1b) half-brother (same father)

1c) relative, kinship, same tribe

1d) each to the other (reciprocal relationship)

1e) (fig.) of resemblance

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
HNcmpc/Sp3mp
and it was cry of distress of the people and wives their great against countrymen their the Jews
הַיְּהוּדִֽים׃hai.ye.hu.Dim the Jews H3064 Particle · noun gentilic masculine plural absolute
75× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This term refers to people from the tribe of Judah, including Judah himself, who was the son of Israel and Leah. It is used to describe the descendants of Judah, who are also known as Jews.
Amplified meaning
of Judah, Israelites
Tyndale gloss
of Judah
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word יְהוּדִי (*yehudiy*) refers to a Jew or someone descended from Judah. It is derived from the root word for Judah (יְהוּדָה), indicating a connection to the tribe of Judah or the region of Judea. The term is used in various contexts in the Old Testament, including mentions in 2 Kings and Genesis.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יְהוּדִי adj.gent. Jewish, as subst. a Jew

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3064 יְהוּדִי, יְהֻדִיָּה

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3064 Yhuwdiy yeh-hoo-dee'

patronymically from 3063; a Jehudite (i.e. Judaite or Jew),

or descendant of Jehudah (i.e. Judah):--Jew.

see HEBREW for 03063

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יְהוּדִי (ye.hu.di) — Jew.

Someone descended from Judah (H3063) and possibly other tribes, first mentioned at 2Ki.25.25

§ Jew

יְהוּדִי (ye.hu.di) — Judean.

Someone from the tribal area of Judea or descended from Judah, or possibly other tribes

Group of ye.hu.dah (יְהוּדָה "Judea" H3063N)

§ Jew

יְהוּדִי (ye.hu.di) — of Judah.

People descended from Judah, living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.29.35;

son of: Israel (H3478) and Leah (H3812);

brother of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074) and Dinah (H1783);

half-brother of: Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Joseph (H3130) and Benjamin (H1144); married to Bath-shua (H1323I) and Tamar (H8559);

father of: Er (H6147), Onan (H0209), Shelah (H7956), Perez (H6557) and Zerah (H2226I)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | Ngmpa — Particle · noun gentilic masculine plural absolute
HTd/Ngmpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

juz, jooz.

See JEW.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The name borne by the Hebrews among foreign nations, especially after the return from Babylon; from Judah their ancestor. See HEBREWS.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ A corrupted form, doubtless, of Judah, and applied to the people of the kingdom of Judah and Benjamin 2Ki 16:6; 25:25; 2Ch 32:18

→ (After the dissolution of the kingdom of Israel the name was applied to all Israelites, as well as to those of the two remaining tribes)

→ See ISRAEL

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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