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Numbers 33:6 — Word Study

Depth

WLCוַיִּסְע֖וּ מִסֻּכֹּ֑ת וַיַּחֲנ֣וּ בְאֵתָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֖ר בִּקְצֵ֥ה הַמִּדְבָּֽר׃

BSAThey set outnâçaʻ [journeyed, departed] from SuccothÇukkôwth [a place of booths, the first stop for Israelites leaving Egypt] and campedchânâh [encamped, pitched their tents] at EthamʼÊthâm [a stopping place, on the border] on the edgeqâtseh [end, border] of the wildernessmidbâr [desert, open field, a place of testing]

Word
Listen & take awayNumbers 33
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 6 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (ha.mid.Bar) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Numbers 33:6quick helps
In a sentenceThe Israelites journeyed from Succoth and set up camp at Etham, located at the edge of the wilderness.
Who is speakingThe narrator recounts the movements of the Israelites during their Exodus from Egypt.
Where we areThis verse is part of the narrative detailing the Israelites' journey through the wilderness.
The hard wordנָסַע
Take awayThe Israelites are actively moving towards their destination, marking significant stops along their journey.
4 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, AdamClarke, Whedon & more — read them › clause verbנָסַע 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 — Numbers 33:6

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 Journey of the Israelitesgenerated

5The Israelites set out from Rameses and camped at Succoth.
6They set out from Succoth and camped at Etham, on the edge of the wilderness.
7They set out from Etham and turned back to Pi-hahiroth, opposite Baal-zephon, and they camped near Migdol.
8They set out from Pi-hahiroth and crossed through the sea, into the wilderness, and they journeyed three days into the Wilderness of Etham and camped at Marah.

Numbers 33:6 describes the Israelites' journey as they left Egypt, detailing their stops and encampments. This verse highlights their movement from Succoth to Etham, showing the progression of their Exodus. The journey is marked by significant locations that play a role in their escape from slavery and their path to the Promised Land, which is a central theme in the Book of Numbers.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Exodus 13:20They set out from Succoth and camped at Etham on the edge of the wilderness.

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

departedExodus 13:20

The Key Word נָסַע, vai.yis.'Ugenerated

The verb נָסַע (nāsaʿ) is a Qal sequential imperfect form meaning 'to set out' or 'to journey.' It conveys the action of starting a journey, as seen in the context of the Israelites leaving Egypt. The word encompasses both physical movement and the idea of departure, indicating a significant transition.

This verb appears frequently in the narrative of the Exodus, emphasizing the Israelites' continual movement towards their promised destination. The use of this verb in the context of their journey underscores the theme of liberation and the transition from bondage to freedom.


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

Two finite verbs govern the verse: נָסַע (they set out) and חָנָה (they encamped). The first verb indicates the action of departing, while the second describes the subsequent action of camping. The structure emphasizes the sequential nature of the Israelites' journey.

The Hebrew word order places the verbs at the forefront, highlighting the actions of the Israelites as they move and settle. The prepositional phrases that follow provide context for their locations, linking their journey to specific places in the wilderness.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, נָסַע is rendered as ἀπῆραν (aperan), which also means 'to depart.' This choice reflects a direct translation of the concept of setting out, maintaining the focus on the action of leaving.

The Greek translation captures the essence of the Hebrew verb while also adapting it to the linguistic context of the Greek-speaking audience, ensuring the meaning is preserved across languages.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Numbers 33:6 tells us that the Israelites left the place called Succoth and set up camp at Etham, which is located at the edge of the wilderness. This verse is part of their journey from Egypt, showing the significant stops they made along the way to the Promised Land.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that they set out from Succoth?

Setting out from Succoth indicates the beginning of the Israelites' journey into the wilderness, marking their departure from a place of temporary shelter.

Why is Etham significant?

Etham is significant as it was a stopping place for the Israelites, located at the edge of the wilderness, indicating their transition from one phase of their journey to another.

What does 'the edge of the wilderness' refer to?

The 'edge of the wilderness' refers to the boundary between the wilderness and the more settled areas, highlighting the challenges the Israelites faced as they journeyed through uninhabited land.

How does this verse connect to the overall narrative of the Exodus?

This verse connects to the Exodus narrative by illustrating the Israelites' movements as they follow God's direction towards freedom and the Promised Land, emphasizing the importance of each stop along their journey.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What does the journey from Succoth to Etham teach us about the importance of each step in our own lives?
  2. How can we find significance in the places we stop along our own journeys?
  3. In what ways does the wilderness represent challenges we face in our lives?
  4. How can we rely on God during our own journeys, just as the Israelites did?

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

Origen of Alexandria comments on this verse, interpreting the stages of the Israelites' journey as symbolic of spiritual progress.

Origen of AlexandriaHOMILIES ON Numbers 27:9 c. 185–253
Then when the soul thinks it is ready, it sets out from Succoth and camps at Buthan [Etham]. Buthan means “valley.” Now we have said that the stages refer to progress in the virtues.
Early Church Fathers on Numbers 33 →

Commentators on this verse — 4 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Numbers 33:6 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

And they departed from Succoth, and pitched in Etham,.... Which was eight miles from Succoth: which is in the edge of the wilderness; of the name, see Exodus 13:20 but Dr.

Read John Gill on Numbers 33 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And they departed from Succoth, and pitched in Etham, which is in the edge of the wilderness.

Read Robert Jamieson on Numbers 33 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

STAT. II. Verse 6. ETHAM, which is in the edge of the wilderness.] This place is not well known; Dr. Shaw supposes it to have been one mile from Cairo. Calmet thinks it is the city of Buthum mentioned by Herodotus, which he places in Arabia, on the frontiers of Egypt.

Read AdamClarke on Numbers 33 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

THE OF THE , Numbers 33:1-49.Having reached the Land of Promise, and taken possession of its eastern portion, it is proper that the history of the desert wandering should close with a list of

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Numbers 33 →

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

They set out from Succoth and camped at Etham, on the edge of the wilderness.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

They traveled from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, which is in the edge of the wilderness.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

They set out from Succoth and camped at Etham, on the edge of the wilderness.

NETBNew English Translation2006

They traveled from Succoth, and camped in Etham, which is on the edge of the wilderness.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And they departed from Succoth, and pitched in Etham, which is in the edge of the wilderness.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And they journeyed from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, which is in the edge of the wilderness.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And they journeyed from Succoth, and pitched in Etham, which is in the edge of the wilderness.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And they departed from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, which is in the edge of the wilderness.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

And they departed from Succoth, and pitched in Etham, which is in the edge of the wildernesse.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And they removed from Succoth and encamped in Etham, which is at the end of the wilderness.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And they journey from Succoth, and encamp in Etham, which [is] in the extremity of the wilderness;

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And they journey from Succoth and encamp in Etham, which [is] in the extremity of the wilderness.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And they removed from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, which is on the edge of the wilderness:

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

They set out from Succoth and camped at Etham, on the edge of the wilderness.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And from Soccoth they came into Etham, which is in the uttermost borders of the wilderness.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

They moved on from Succoth and set up camp at Etham, on the edge of the desert.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And they went on from Succoth and put up their tents in Etham on the edge of the waste land.

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.

וַandclauseverbיִּסְע֖וּthey.set.outprepositional phrase · prepositionalמִfromסֻּכֹּ֑תSuccothוַandclauseverbיַּחֲנ֣וּthey.encampedprepositional phrase · prepositionalבְatnoun phraseאֵתָ֔םEthamrelpאֲשֶׁ֖רwhichclauseprepositional phrase · predicateבִּ[is].onnoun phraseקְצֵ֥הthe.edgenoun phraseהַofמִּדְבָּֽרthe.wilderness

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


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

The Masoretic Text, Septuagint, and Samaritan Pentateuch all convey similar ideas in this verse, though the Samaritan Pentateuch uses a different form for Succoth and a variant for the verb 'to camp.' The Dead Sea Scrolls show partial restoration, indicating some loss of text but aligning closely with the Masoretic Text.

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

וַיִּסְע֖וּ מִסֻּכֹּ֑ת וַיַּחֲנ֣וּ בְאֵתָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֖ר בִּקְצֵ֥ה הַמִּדְבָּֽר׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיִּסְע֖וּἀπῆρανמִסֻּכֹּ֑תσοκξωθוַיַּחֲנ֣וּπαρενέβαλονבְאֵתָ֔םβουθανבִּקְצֵ֥הτιהַמִּדְבָּֽר׃ἐρήμου

6 of the 7 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Samaritan Pentateuchthe Torah as the Samaritan community kept it

ויסעו מסכות ויחנו באתם אשׁר בקצה המדבר

2 words differ from the Masoretic Text: סכות (Succoth), באתם (come)

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q23a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

ויסעו [מסכת] [ויחנו] באתם [אשר] [בקצה] [המדבר]

nothing on the leather here — 2 partly restored, 5 supplied entire by an editor.

Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.


The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

Numbers 33:6נָסַעand they seand they set ouנָסַעסֻכּוֹתfrom Succotfrom Succothסֻכּוֹתחָנָהand they enand they encampחָנָהאֵתָםat Ethamat Ethamאֵתָםאֲשֶׁרwhichwhichאֲשֶׁרקָצֶה[is] on [th[is] on [the] eקָצֶהמִדְבָּרthe wildernthe wildernessמִדְבָּרקָצָהto cut offto cut offקָצָהדָבַרto speak: to speak: speakדָבַרסֻכָּהboothboothסֻכָּהחָנַןbe gracioube graciousחָנַןבְּנֵי(Beeroth) (Beeroth) Bene-בְּנֵידֶּ֫גֶלstandardstandardדֶּ֫גֶלבֵּיתof Jordan,of Jordan, in GבֵּיתאֵתָםEthamEthamאֵתָםנָסַעto set outto set outנָסַעמִשְׁכָּןtabernacletabernacleמִשְׁכָּןסֻכּוֹתSuccothSuccothסֻכּוֹתחָנָהto campto campחָנָהצָוָהto commandto commandצָוָהגְּבוּלborder: boborder: boundarגְּבוּלצִןZinZinצִןסִינַיSinaiSinaiסִינַי
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 Numbers 33:6

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 set out from Succoth and they encamped at Etham which [is] on [the] edge of the wilderness
וַיִּסְע֖וּvai.yis.'U and they set out H5265 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
146× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word means to set out or start a journey, like the Israelites departing from Egypt, or to remove something, as in pulling up tent pins.
Amplified meaning
journeyed, departed
Tyndale gloss
to set out
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נָסַע (naca`) means to pull out or up, particularly in the context of setting out on a journey. It encompasses actions like departing, marching, and removing, with nuances related to both physical movement and the wind. The word can also imply causing someone or something to set out or be led away.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נָסַע 147 vb. pull out or up, set out, journey

Qal 137

pull out or up

hence (from pulling up tent-pegs),

set out

depart

journey, march (by stages)

of wind

Niph. be pulled up, removed

Hiph.

cause to set out, lead out

remove

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5265 נָסַע pull out or up, set out, journey .. pull out or up

. hence (from pulling up tent-pegs), . set out

. depart

. journey, march (by stages)

. of wind

. be pulled up, removed

. . cause to set out, lead out

. remove

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5265 naca` naw-sah'

a primitive root; properly, to pull up, especially the

tent-pins, i.e. start on a journey:--cause to blow, bring,

get, (make to) go (away, forth, forward, onward, out), (take)

journey, march, remove, set aside (forward), X still, be on

his (go their) way.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָסַע (na.sa) — to set out.

1) to pull out, pull up, set out, journey, remove, set forward, depart

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to pull out or up

1a2) to set out, depart

1a3) to journey, march

1a4) to set forth (of wind)

1b) (Niphal) to be pulled up, be removed, be plucked up

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to cause to set out, lead out, cause to spring up

1c2) to remove, quarry

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
Hc/Vqw3mp
and they set out from Succoth and they encamped at Etham which [is] on [the] edge of the wilderness
מִסֻּכֹּ֑תmi.su.Kot from Succoth H5523 Preposition · noun proper
18× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Succoth means booths, the first stop for Israelites leaving Egypt. It appears in the Bible as a place in Egypt and Palestine.
Amplified meaning
a place of booths, the first stop for Israelites leaving Egypt
Tyndale gloss
Succoth
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

סֻכּוֹת (suk.kot) refers to 'booths' and is the name of a location associated with Jacob and the Israelites' journey from Egypt. It is noted as the first station of the Israelites during the Exodus and is linked to the construction of booths for cattle. The term is a plural form derived from another Hebrew word for 'booth'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

סֻכּוֹת 18 n.pr.loc.

(expl. from Jacob making booths)

first station of Isr. at Exodus

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5523 סֻכּוֹת . (expl. from Jacob making booths)

. first station of Isr. at Exodus

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5523 Cukkowth sook-kohth'

or Cukkoth {sook-kohth'}; plural of 5521; booths; Succoth,

the name of a place in Egypt and of three in Palestine:--

Succoth.

see HEBREW for 05521

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

סֻכּוֹת (suk.kot) — Succoth.

§ Succoth = "booths"

the site where Jacob put up booths for his cattle and built a house for himself; apparently east of the Jordan near the ford of the torrent Jabbok and later allotted to the tribe of Gad

סֻכּוֹת (suk.kot) — Succoth.

§ Succoth = "booths"

the first stopping place of the Israelites when they left Egypt

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-proper — Preposition · noun proper
HR/Npl
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Succoth

Booths. (1.) The first encampment of the Israelites after leaving Ramesses (Ex. 12:37); the civil name of Pithom (q.v.).

(2.) A city on the east of Jordan, identified with Tell Dar’ala, a high mound, a mass of debris, in the plain north of Jabbok and about one mile from it (Josh. 13:27). Here Jacob (Gen. 32:17, 30; 33:17), on his return from Padan-aram after his interview with Esau, built a house for himself and made booths for his cattle. The princes of this city churlishly refused to afford help to Gideon and his 300 men when “faint yet pursuing” they followed one of the bands of the fugitive Midianites after the great victory at Gilboa. After overtaking and routing this band at Karkor, Gideon on his return visited…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(booths). An ancient town, first heard of in the account of the homeward journey of Jacob from Padan-aram. (Genesis 35:17) The name is derived from the fact of Jacob’s having there put up "booths" (succoth) for his cattle as well as a house for himself. From the itinerary of Jacob’s return it seems that Succoth lay between Peniel, near the ford of the torrent Jabbok and Shechem. Comp. (Genesis 32:30) and Genesis33:18 In accordance with this is the mention of Succoth in the narrative of Gideon’s pursuit of Zebah and Zalluunna. (Judges 5:5-17) It would appear from this passage that it lay east of the Jordan, which is corroborated by the fact that it was allotted to the tribe…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Booths,

1. A spot in the valley of the Jordan and near the Jabbok, where Jacob set up his tents on his return from Mesopotamia, Ge 33:17. Joshua assigned the city subsequently built here to the tribe of Gad, Jos 13:27. Gideon tore the flesh of the principal men of Succoth with thorn and briars, because they returned him a haughty answer when pursuing the Midianites, Jud 8:5. It seems to have lain on the east side of the Jordan; but may possibly have been on the west side, at the place now called Sakut. Compare 1Ki 7:46; Ps 60:6.

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

tents; tabernacles

and they set out from Succoth and they encamped at Etham which [is] on [the] edge of the wilderness
וַיַּחֲנ֣וּvai.ya.cha.Nu and they encamped H2583 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
143× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew verb means to set up camp or pitch a tent, like when the Israelites encamped in the wilderness. It can also mean to lay siege against a city.
Amplified meaning
encamped, pitched their tents
Tyndale gloss
to camp
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חָנָה (chanah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to decline, bend down, or encamp. It conveys the idea of inclining or settling, particularly in the context of pitching a tent or establishing a temporary dwelling. The word appears in various forms, including the act of encamping or laying siege. It is associated with the imagery of the evening's slanting rays and the conclusion of a day's journey.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חָנָה 143 vb. decline, bend down, encamp

Qal

decline, of day drawing to its close

encamp (prop. verge toward, incline to, settle at, of goal of day’s march)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2583 חָנָה decline, bend down, encamp

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2583 chanah khaw-naw'

a primitive root (compare 2603); properly, to incline; by

implication, to decline (of the slanting rays of evening);

specifically, to pitch a tent; gen. to encamp (for abode or

siege):--abide (in tents), camp, dwell, encamp, grow to an

end, lie, pitch (tent), rest in tent.

see HEBREW for 02603

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חָנָה (cha.nah) — to camp.

1) to decline, incline, encamp, bend down, lay siege against

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to decline

1a2) to encamp

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
Hc/Vqw3mp
and they set out from Succoth and they encamped at Etham which [is] on [the] edge of the wilderness
בְאֵתָ֔םve.'e.Tam at Etham H864 Preposition · noun proper
4× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Etham was a stopping place for the Israelites during the Exodus from Egypt. It is mentioned in Exodus and Numbers as a location where the people camped before continuing their journey. This place is significant in the history of the Israelites.
Amplified meaning
a stopping place, on the border
Tyndale gloss
Etham
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֵתָם (Etham) is a proper noun referring to a location in Egypt, possibly derived from the Egyptian word for 'Chetem.' It is noted as a stopping place for the Israelites during the Exodus, situated at the edge of the desert. The entries suggest a connection to both geography and the historical context of the Exodus.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵתָם n.pr.loc. (perh. = Egypt. Chetem) in Egypt, place on edge of desert

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H864 אֵתָם (perh. = Egypt. Chetem) in Egypt, place on edge of desert

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

864 'Etham ay-thawm'

of Egyptian derivation; Etham, a place in the

Desert:--Etham.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵתָם (e.tam) — Etham.

§ Etham = "with them: their plowshare"

a stopping place for Israel during the Exodus

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

e'-tham ('etham; Othom, Ex 13:20; Bouthan, Nu 33:6,7; in 33:8 the Septuagint has a different reading, "in their wilderness" showing another pointing for the word):

The name used to be explained as the Coptic Atium, "border of the Sea" (Gesenius, Lexicon, under the word) which would agree with the Hebrew (Nu 33:8) where the "wilderness of Etham" is noticed instead of that of Shur (Ex 15:22) East of the Red Sea (see SHUR). At Etham (Ex 13:20), the Hebrews camped in the "edge," or at "the end," of the desert West of the sea that they were to cross (see EXODUS). This camp was probably near the North end of the Bitter Lakes…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Etham

Perhaps another name for Khetam, or “fortress,” on the Shur or great wall of Egypt, which extended from the Mediterranean to the Gulf of Suez. Here the Israelites made their third encampment (Ex. 13:20; Num. 33:6). The camp was probably a little to the west of the modern town of Ismailia. Here the Israelites were commanded to change their route (Ex. 14:2), and “turn” towards the south, and encamp before Pi-hahiroth. (See EXODUS; PITHOM.)

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(bounded by the sea), one of the early resting-places of the Israelites when they quitted Egypt; described as "in the edge of the wilderness." (Exodus 13:20; Numbers 33:6,7) Etham may be placed where the cultivable land ceases, near the Seba Biar or Seven Wells, about three miles from the western side of the ancient head of the gulf.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A station of the Israelites soon after leaving Egypt, Ex 13:20; Nu 33:6. It lay near the head of the west gulf of the Red Sea, and the wilderness east of it was often called by the same name.

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and they set out from Succoth and they encamped at Etham which [is] on [the] edge of the wilderness
אֲשֶׁ֖ר'a.Sher which H834 Particle
5,500× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word is a conjunction that connects ideas and events in the Bible, like in the book of Genesis, where it's used to describe the relationship between God and His creation.
Tyndale gloss
which
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

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

base

בַאֲשֶׁר

in (that) which

adv. in (the place) where

conj. in that, inasmuch as

on account of whom?

base

מֵאֲשֶׁר

from (or than) that which

adv. from (the place) where

conj. from (the fact) that …, since

base

כַּאֲשֶׁר conj. according as, as, when

according to that which, according as, as

with a causal force, in so far as, since

with a temporal force, when

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

. adv. in (the place) where

. conj. in that, inasmuch as

. on account of whom?

H834c מֵאֲשֶׁר . from (or than) that which

. adv. from (the place) where

. conj. from (the fact) that …, since

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

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

. with a temporal force, when

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

834 'aher ash-er'

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

indeclinable, it is often accompanied by the personal pronoun

expletively, used to show the connection.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֲשֶׁר (a.sher) — which.

A: 1) (relative part.)

1a) which, who

1b) that which

2) (conj)

2a) that (in obj clause)

2b) when

2c) since

2d) as

2e) conditional if

B: Beth+ 1) in (that) which

2) (adv)

2a) where

3) (conj)

3a) in that, inasmuch as

3b) on account of

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

2) from (the place) where

3) from (the fact) that, since

D: Kaph+

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

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

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

1c) with a temporal force: when

בַאֲשֶׁר (ba.a.sher) — in which.

1) in (that) which

2) (adv)

2a) where

3) (conj)

3a) in that, inasmuch as

3b) on account of

מֵאֲשֶׁר (me.a.sher) — whence.

1) from (or than) that which

2) from (the place) where

3) from (the fact) that, since

כַּאֲשֶׁר (ka.a.sher) — as which.

conj

1) according as, as, when

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

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTr — Particle
HTr
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and they set out from Succoth and they encamped at Etham which [is] on [the] edge of the wilderness
בִּקְצֵ֥הbik.Tzeh [is] on [the] edge of H7097 Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
97× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the book of Joshua, this word refers to an end or border of a territory. It can also mean the edge or brink of something. This concept is used to describe the boundaries of the Promised Land.
Amplified meaning
end, border
Tyndale gloss
end
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

קָצֶה (qatseh) means 'end' or 'extremity' and can refer to various contexts such as borders, edges, and limits. It is derived from a root meaning to cut off and encompasses a range of applications, including the idea of the whole as defined by its extremities. Another form, קֵ֫צֶה (qetseh), also means 'end'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

קָצֶה 92 n.[m.] end, extremity

base

קֵ֫צֶה n.[m.] end

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7097a קָצֶה end, extremity H7097b קֵ֫צֶה end

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7097 qatseh kaw-tseh'

or (negative only) qetseh {kay'-tseh}; from 7096; an

extremity (used in a great variety of applications and idioms;

compare 7093):--X after, border, brim, brink, edge, end,

(in-)finite, frontier, outmost coast, quarter, shore,

(out-)side, X some, ut(-ter-)most (part).

see HEBREW for 07096

see HEBREW for 07093

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קָצֶה (qa.tseh) — end.

1) end, extremity

1a) end, mouth, extremity

1b) border, outskirts

1c) the whole (condensed term for what is included within extremities)

1d) at the end of (a certain time)

Also means: qe.tseh (קֵ֫צֶה "end" H7097B)

קֵ֫צֶה (qe.tseh) — end.

end

Another spelling of qa.tseh (קָצֶה "end" H7097A)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-cs — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
HR/Ncmsc
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 set out from Succoth and they encamped at Etham which [is] on [the] edge of the wilderness
הַמִּדְבָּֽר׃ha.mid.Bar the wilderness H4057 Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
271× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The wilderness refers to a desert or open field, like the one the Israelites wandered in after leaving Egypt. It can also mean a place of solitude or a region without many people. In the Bible, it is often associated with the journey to the Promised Land.
Amplified meaning
desert, open field, a place of testing
Tyndale gloss
mouth
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מִדְבָּר (midbar) primarily means 'mouth' in the sense of an organ of speech, but it also refers to 'wilderness' or 'desert.' The word is derived from a root meaning to drive, suggesting open fields for pasturing cattle. It encompasses various forms of uninhabited land and is notably used in contexts related to the wilderness, such as the Wilderness of Sinai.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[מִדְבָּר] n.m. mouth, as organ of speech, Ct 4:3

ref

מִדְבָר 270 n.m. wilderness

tracts of land, used for the pasturage of flocks and herds

uninhabited land

large tracts of such land bearing various names, in certain districts of which there might be towns and cities

fig.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4057a מִדְבָּר mouth, as organ of speech H4057b מִדְבָר wilderness

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4057 midbar mid-bawr'

from 1696 in the sense of driving; a pasture (i.e. open

field, whither cattle are driven); by implication, a desert;

also speech (including its organs):--desert, south, speech,

wilderness.

see HEBREW for 01696

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מִדְבָּר (mid.bar) — mouth.

1) mouth

1a) mouth (as organ of speech)

מִדְבָּר (mid.bar) — wilderness.

1) wilderness

1a) pasture

1b) uninhabited land, wilderness

1c) large tracts of wilderness (around cities)

1d) wilderness (fig.)

מִדְבָּר (mid.bar) — Wilderness (of Sinai).

This name means wilderness, uninhabited land

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

wil'-der-nes.

See DESERT; JUDAEA, WILDERNESS OF; WANDERINGS OF ISRAEL.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Wilderness

(1.) Heb. midhbar, denoting not a barren desert but a district or region suitable for pasturing sheep and cattle (Ps. 65:12; Isa. 42:11; Jer. 23:10; Joel 1:19; 2:22); an uncultivated place. This word is used of the wilderness of Beersheba (Gen. 21:14), on the southern border of Palestine; the wilderness of the Red Sea (Ex. 13:18); of Shur (15:22), a portion of the Sinaitic peninsula; of Sin (17:1), Sinai (Lev. 7:38), Moab (Deut. 2:8), Judah (

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

See DESERT.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Wandering of the Israelites in, see ISRAEL

→ Typical of the sinner' s state De 32:10

→ Jesus' temptation in Mt 4:1; Mr 1:12,13; Lu 4:1

→ See DESERT

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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