Menu

Proverbs 14:23 — Word Study

Depth

WLCבְּכָל־ עֶ֭צֶב יִהְיֶ֣ה מוֹתָ֑ר וּדְבַר־ שְׂ֝פָתַ֗יִם אַךְ־ לְמַחְסֽוֹר׃

BSAThere ishâyâh profitmôwthâr [abundance, advantage] in allkôl [every kind of] laborʻetseb [toil, hard work] but mere talkdâbâr [idle words, empty speech] leads onlyʼak to povertymachçôwr [need, lack, want]

Word
Listen & take awayProverbs 14
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 23 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 (le.mach.Sor) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Proverbs 14:23quick helps
In a sentenceThe verse contrasts the benefits of hard work with the emptiness of idle talk.
Who is speakingThe author of Proverbs, offering wisdom on labor and speech.
Where we areIn the context of practical wisdom, the author addresses the value of work versus words.
The hard wordמוֹתָר
Take awayWork brings profit; talk without action leads to need.
7 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectמוֹתָר 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 — Proverbs 14:23

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 — Wisdom on Labor and Speechgenerated

22Do not those who contrive evil go astray? But those who plan goodness find loving devotion and faithfulness.
23There is profit in all labor, but mere talk leads only to poverty.
24The crown of the wise is their wealth, but the effort of fools is folly.
25A truthful witness saves lives, but one who utters lies is deceitful.

Proverbs 14:23 emphasizes the importance of labor and contrasts it with the futility of mere talk. The surrounding verses also reflect on the outcomes of good versus evil planning, highlighting the value of wisdom and integrity in actions and speech. This passage serves as a reminder that diligence in work yields benefits, while empty words lead to lack and poverty.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Proverbs 12:24The hand of the diligent will rule, but laziness ends in forced labor.
2Proverbs 28:19The one who works his land will have plenty of food, but whoever chases fantasies will have his fill of poverty.
3John 6:27Do not work for food that perishes, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on Him God the Father has placed His seal of approval.”
4Hebrews 6:10–11For God is not unjust. He will not forget your work and the love you have shown for His name as you have ministered to the saints and continue to do so.
5Proverbs 10:10He who winks the eye causes grief, and foolish lips will come to ruin.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 8 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word מוֹתָר, mo.Targenerated

The noun מוֹתָר (mowthar) signifies profit or advantage, encapsulating the idea of gain or superiority. It appears in contexts that emphasize abundance and the benefits of wise actions.

In this verse, it conveys that there is a tangible benefit in all forms of labor, reinforcing the theme that hard work is rewarded.


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 finite verb יִהְיֶ֣ה, it is, governs the structure of the verse, linking the subject מוֹתָר, profit, with the adverbial אַךְ, only.

The sentence presents a clear contrast: the first part states the positive outcome of labor, while the second part describes the negative outcome of idle talk, underscoring the importance of action over words.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates מוֹתָר as περισσόν (perisson), which means abundance or excess. This choice highlights a broader sense of profit, emphasizing not just gain but an overflowing advantage.

The translation of דָּבָר as ῥῆμα (rhēma) indicates a focus on spoken words, aligning with the idea of empty speech leading to lack.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Proverbs 14:23 teaches that all hard work brings profit, while just talking without action leads to poverty. It shows the value of diligence in our efforts and warns against empty speech.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does the verse say about labor?

The verse states that there is profit in all labor, meaning that hard work leads to benefits and rewards.

What is the consequence of mere talk?

Mere talk leads only to poverty, indicating that without action, words alone do not provide for one's needs.

How does this verse relate to other proverbs?

This verse aligns with other proverbs that emphasize the value of hard work and the dangers of idleness or empty speech.

What can we learn from this verse?

We learn that diligence in our work is essential for success, and we should be cautious of engaging in idle talk.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what areas of my life can I apply more hard work to see greater profit?
  2. How can I ensure that my words are backed by action?
  3. What examples from my own experience illustrate the contrast between hard work and idle talk?
  4. How can I encourage others to focus on productive labor rather than empty speech?

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

The Desert Fathers also reflect on this verse, using it to emphasize the importance of action over empty words in their teachings.

Desert FathersThe Desert Fathers, Sayings of the Early Christian Monks 4th–5th c.
Another brother spoke with the same Theodore, and he began to talk about matters of which he had no experience. Theodore said to him, ‘You’ve not yet found a ship to sail in, nor put your luggage aboard, nor put out to sea,
Early Church Fathers on Proverbs 14 →

Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Proverbs 14:23 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

In all labour there is profit,.... Or "abundance" (u); much is got by it, food, raiment, riches, wealth, wisdom, honour; either with the labour of the hands or head, and nothing is to be got without

Read John Gill on Proverbs 14 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

In all labour there is profit: but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury. In all labour (Hebrew, painful labour) there is profit: but the talk of the lips (tendeth) only to penury.

Read Robert Jamieson on Proverbs 14 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Diligent labour is the ready way to riches, but idle talking, wherein too many spend most of their precious thee, will bring a man to poverty.

Read Matthew Poole on Proverbs 14 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Proverbs 14:23 In all labour there is profit: but the talk of the lips [tendeth] only to penury.Ver. 23. In all labour there is profit.] In all honest labour, for there are those who "do wickedly with both hands earnestly"; and "what profit have such of all their labour?" Do they not take pains to go to hell? There are also that labour about ματαιοτεκνηματα, toilsome toys that pay not for the pains - that do magno conatu magnas nugas agere. Such a one was Paleottus, Archbishop of Bonony, who made a great book of the shadow of Christ’ s body in a sindon; and it was commented upon by the professor there. This Aristotle calls ‘ laborious loss of time.’ The apostle calls upon men to "labour…

Read John Trapp on Proverbs 14 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 23. In all labour there is profit] If a man work at his trade, he gains by it; if he cultivate the earth, it will yield an increase; and in proportion as he labours, so will be his profit: but he who talks much labours little. And a man of words is seldom a man of deeds. Less talk and more work, is one of our own ancient advices.

Read AdamClarke on Proverbs 14 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The contrast between a single, thorough deed, and the mere emptiness of speech.

Read Albert Barnes on Proverbs 14 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

23. Profit — Something to show for the toil. Talk of the lips — Literally, word or thing of the lips, that which is only of the lips — mere talk. Only to penury — To lack or want.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Proverbs 14 →

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

There is profit in all labor, but mere talk leads only to poverty.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

In all hard work there is profit, but the talk of the lips leads only to poverty.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

There is profit in all labor, but mere talk leads only to poverty.

NETBNew English Translation2006

In all hard work there is profit, but merely talking about it only brings poverty.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

In all labour there is profit: but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

In all labor there is profit; But the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury.

RVARevised Version, American1894

In all labour there is profit: but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

In all labor there is profit: but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

In all labour there is abundance: but the talke of the lippes bringeth onely want.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

In all labour there is profit; but the talk of the lips [tendeth] only to want.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

In all labour there is advantage, And a thing of the lips [is] only to want.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

In all labor there is advantage, || And a thing of the lips [is] only to want.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

In all painful labor there is profit; but mere words of the lips [lead] only to want.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

With all hard work comes a profit, but when there is only talk, it leads to poverty.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

In much work there shall be abundance: but where there are many words, there is oftentimes want.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

There's profit in hard work, but just talking leads to poverty.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

In all hard work there is profit, but talk only makes a man poor.

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.

clauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalבְּinnoun phraseכָלallעֶ֭צֶבhard.laborverbיִהְיֶ֣הit.issubjectמוֹתָ֑רprofitוּandclausenoun phrase · subjectדְבַרwordשְׂ֝פָתַ֗יִםof.lipsadverbialאַךְ[is].onlyprepositional phrase · predicateלְtoמַחְסֽוֹרlack

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


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

The Masoretic Text reads: בְּכָל־ עֶ֭צֶב יִהְיֶ֣ה מוֹתָ֑ר וּדְבַר־ שְׂ֝פָתַ֗יִם אַךְ־ לְמַחְסֽוֹר׃. The Septuagint matches 4 out of 8 words, indicating a degree of alignment in meaning but differing in structure.

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

בְּכָל־ עֶ֭צֶב יִהְיֶ֣ה מוֹתָ֑ר וּדְבַר־ שְׂ֝פָתַ֗יִם אַךְ־ לְמַחְסֽוֹר׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
בְּכָל־παντὶיִהְיֶ֣הἔνεστινמוֹתָ֑רπερισσόνלְמַחְסֽוֹר׃ἐνδείᾳ

4 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.

Proverbs 14:23כֹּלin allin allכֹּלעֶ֫צֶבhard laborhard laborעֶ֫צֶבהָיָהit isit isהָיָהמוֹתָרprofitprofitמוֹתָרדָּבָרand word ofand word ofדָּבָרשָׂפָהlipslipsשָׂפָהאַךְonlyonlyאַךְמַחְסוֹרto povertyto povertyמַחְסוֹרכָּלַלto perfectto perfectכָּלַלעָצַבto hurtto hurtעָצַביָתַרto remainto remainיָתַרדָבַרto speak: to speak: speakדָבַרסָפָהto snatchto snatchסָפָהחָסֵרto lackto lackחָסֵרהָוָאto fallto fallהָוָאאָכֵןsurelysurelyאָכֵןעֵדָהcongregaticongregationעֵדָהעֲבֹדָהserviceserviceעֲבֹדָהדָּבָרChroniclesChroniclesדָּבָראַךְsurelysurelyאַךְכֹּלallallכֹּליֶ֫תֶרremainderremainderיֶ֫תֶרסֵ֫פֶרscroll: doscroll: documenסֵ֫פֶריְרִיעָהcurtaincurtainיְרִיעָהלָשׁוֹןtonguetongueלָשׁוֹןמַחְסוֹרneedneedמַחְסוֹר
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 Proverbs 14:23

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.

in all hard labor it is profit and word of lips only to poverty
בְּכָל־be.khol in all H3605 Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
5,415× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for 'all' or 'everything' is used throughout the Bible, like in Genesis 1:31, where God sees all He has made as very good. It encompasses the entirety of something, whether people, things, or situations.
Amplified meaning
every kind of
Tyndale gloss
all
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כֹּל once כּוֹל n.m. the whole, all

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

Absolutely:

without the art., all things, all

with the art. הַכֹּל

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

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

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

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

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

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

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3605 kol kole

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

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

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

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

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

whoso(-ever).

see HEBREW for 03634

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כֹּל (kol) — all.

1) all, the whole

1a) all, the whole of

1b) any, each, every, anything

1c) totality, everything

Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
HR/Ncmsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ol: Used in various combinations, and with different meanings.

(1) All along, "Weeping all along as he went" (Jer 41:6), i.e. throughout the whole way he went, feigning equal concern with the men from Shiloh, etc., for the destruction of the Temple, so as to put them off their guard.

(2) All in all, "That God may be all in all" (1Co 15:28, Greek: panta en pasin, "all things in all (persons and) things"). "The universe, with all it comprises, will wholly answer to God's will and reflect His mind" (Dummelow).

(3) All one, "It is all one" (Job 9:22), "it makes no difference whether I live or die."

(4) At all, "If thy father miss me at all" (1Sa 20:6), "in any way," "in the least."

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
in all hard labor it is profit and word of lips only to poverty
עֶ֭צֶב'E.tzev hard labor H6089 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
7× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
An earthen vessel or a painful toil, this word can also describe a pang of body or mind, like the labor pains of a woman in John 16:21 or the sorrow of the prophet Jeremiah in Lamentations 1:12.
Amplified meaning
toil, hard work
Tyndale gloss
toil
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עֶ֫צֶב (etseb) has meanings related to both physical and emotional experiences, including pain, toil, and sorrow, as well as a reference to a vessel. It is derived from a root that suggests painful toil and can also denote an object or idol. The term appears in contexts that emphasize hardship and labor.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עֶ֫צֶב n.[m.] pain, hurt, toil

base

עֶ֫צֶב n.m. vessel (as fashioned);—Je 22:28

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6089a עֶ֫צֶב pain, hurt, toil H6089b עֶ֫צֶב vessel (as fashioned)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6089 `etseb eh'-tseb

from 6087; an earthen vessel; usually (painful) toil; also a

pang (whether of body or mind): grievous, idol, labor, sorrow.

see HEBREW for 06087

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עֶ֫צֶב (e.tsev) — toil.

1) pain, hurt, toil, sorrow, labour, hardship

1a) pain

1b) hurt, offense

1c) toil, hardship

עֶ֫צֶב (e.tsev) — vessel.

1) vessel, creation, object

2) (TWOT) idol

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

la'-ber (yeghia`, `amal; kopos): The word (noun and verb) denoting hard work or "toil" (thus in the Revised Version (British and American) of De 26:7; Jos 7:3; Re 2:2) represents several Hebrew and Greek words, chiefly those above. Occasionally, as in Hab 3:17 (ma`aseh), it stands for "fruit of labor." Sometimes, in conjunction with "travail," it refers to childbirth (Ge 35:16,17, yaladh; compare 1Th 2:9; 2Th 3:8). Examples of the word in the ordinary sense are: of yeghia`,

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
in all hard labor it is profit and word of lips only to poverty
יִהְיֶ֣הyih.Yeh it is H1961 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine 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.
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
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
HVqi3ms
in all hard labor it is profit and word of lips only to poverty
מוֹתָ֑רmo.Tar profit H4195 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
3× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means advantage or superiority, and is used in books like Proverbs and Isaiah. It can refer to having more than enough, or being better than others. In the Bible, this concept is often associated with wisdom and humility.
Amplified meaning
abundance, advantage
Tyndale gloss
advantage
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מוֹתָר (mowthar) refers to concepts of abundance, preeminence, and profit. It is derived from a root meaning gain and encompasses ideas of superiority and plenty. The term appears in contexts that highlight advantages or superior qualities.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מוֹתָר n.m. abundance, pre-eminence

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4195 מוֹתָר

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4195 mowthar mo-thar'

from 3498; literally, gain; figuratively,

superiority:--plenteousness, preeminence, profit.

see HEBREW for 03498

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מוֹתָר (mo.tar) — advantage.

1) pre-eminence, abundance, profit, superiority

1a) abundance, plenty

1b) pre-eminence, superiority

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
in all hard labor it is profit and word of lips only to poverty
וּדְבַר־u.de.va.rS- and word of H1697 Conjunction · noun common masculine singular construct
1,442× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A word or thing, like a matter or affair, as seen in the book of Chronicles where it refers to the events and words of kings. It can also mean a cause or reason for something.
Amplified meaning
idle words, empty speech
Tyndale gloss
Chronicles
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

דָּבָר 1439 n.m. speech, word

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

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

sg. a word, words

sg. matter, affair, thing about which one speaks

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

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

. sg. a word, words

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

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1697 dabar daw-baw'

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

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

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

cause, certain rate, + chronicles, commandment, X

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

see HEBREW for 01696

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

דָּבָר (da.var) — word.

: word/speech/command

1) speech, word, speaking, thing

1a) speech

1b) saying, utterance

1c) word, words

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

דָּבָר (da.var) — word: speaking.

: speaking

1) speech, word, speaking, thing

1a) speech

1b) saying, utterance

1c) word, words

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

דָּבָר (da.var) — word: thing.

: thing/matter

1) speech, word, speaking, thing

1a) speech

1b) saying, utterance

1c) word, words

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

דָּבָר (da.var) — word: promised.

: promised/duty

1) speech, word, speaking, thing

1a) speech

1b) saying, utterance

1c) word, words

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

דָּבָר (da.var) — word: deed.

: deed

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | N-ms — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular construct
HC/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…

in all hard labor it is profit and word of lips only to poverty
שְׂ֝פָתַ֗יִםSe.fa.Ta.yim lips H8193 Noun common · feminine dual absolute
176× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to lips or language, and can also mean the edge or border of something. It is used in the Bible to describe the shore of a sea or the edge of a cup.
Tyndale gloss
lips
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word שָׂפָה (*saphah*) encompasses meanings related to 'lip,' 'speech,' and 'edge.' It is derived from concepts of termination, suggesting boundaries like the edge of a vessel or the bank of a river. The word can refer to physical lips, language, or the edges of various objects, including shores.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׂפָה 176 n.f. lip, speech, edge

lip

language

edge: shore of sea; bank of river

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8193 שָׂפָה lip, speech, edge . lip

. language

. edge: shore of sea; bank of river

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8193 saphah saw-faw'

or (in dual and plural) sepheth {sef-eth'}; probably from

5595 or 8192 through the idea of termination (compare 5490);

the lip (as a natural boundary); by implication, language; by

analogy, a margin (of a vessel, water, cloth, etc.):--band,

bank, binding, border, brim, brink, edge, language, lip,

prating, ((sea-))shore, side, speech, talk, (vain) words.

see HEBREW for 05595

see HEBREW for 08192

see HEBREW for 05490

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׂפָה (sa.phah) — lips.

: lips/mouth

1) lip, language, speech, shore, bank, brink, brim, side, edge, border, binding

1a) lip (as body part)

1b) language

1c) edge, shore, bank (of cup, sea, river, etc)

שָׂפָה (sa.phah) — lip: words.

: words/language

1) lip, language, speech, shore, bank, brink, brim, side, edge, border, binding

1a) lip (as body part)

1b) language

1c) edge, shore, bank (of cup, sea, river, etc)

שָׂפָה (sa.phah) — lip: edge.

: edge/border/opening

1) lip, language, speech, shore, bank, brink, brim, side, edge, border, binding

1a) lip (as body part)

1b) language

1c) edge, shore, bank (of cup, sea, river, etc)

שָׂפָה (sa.phah) — lip: shore.

: shore/bank(of_sea/river)

1) lip, language, speech, shore, bank, brink, brim, side, edge, border, binding

1a) lip (as body part)

1b) language

1c) edge, shore, bank (of cup, sea, river, etc)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcfda — Noun common · feminine dual absolute
HNcfda
in all hard labor it is profit and word of lips only to poverty
אַךְ־'akh- only H389 Adverb
161× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word is used to emphasize something, like saying 'surely' or 'certainly'. It can also be used to limit or restrict something, like saying 'only' or 'but'.
Tyndale gloss
surely
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אַךְ (ak) is an adverb meaning 'surely' or 'indeed,' often used to emphasize what follows. It can also carry a restrictive sense, translating to 'only' or 'but.' The entries indicate its use in various contexts, but do not provide specific verse references.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אַךְ 159 adv. 1. surely. 2. with a restrictive force, emphasizing what follows

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H389 אַךְ 1. surely. 2. with a restrictive force, emphasizing what follows

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

389 'ak ak

akin to 403; a particle of affirmation, surely; hence (by

limitation) only:--also, in any wise, at least, but,

certainly, even, howbeit, nevertheless, notwithstanding, only,

save, surely, of a surety, truly, verily, + wherefore, yet

(but).

see HEBREW for 0403

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אַךְ (akh) — surely.

1) indeed, surely (emphatic)

2) howbeit, only, but, yet (restrictive)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
DirObjM — Adverb
HD
in all hard labor it is profit and word of lips only to poverty
לְמַחְסֽוֹר׃le.mach.Sor to poverty H4270 Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
13× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word describes a lack or shortage of something, like a need for food or money. It is used in the Bible to describe poverty and want. In Deuteronomy 15:8, God commands the Israelites to lend to those in need.
Amplified meaning
need, lack, want
Tyndale gloss
need
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מַחְסוֹר (machsor) refers to need or lack, encompassing concepts such as poverty and the things that are required. It is derived from a root meaning deficiency. The entries consistently highlight its general use in contexts of need and impoverishment.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מַחְסוֹר, מַחְסֹר n.[m.] need, thing needed, poverty

need = thing needed

lack, want

in gen., need, poverty

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4270 מַחְסוֹר, מַחְסֹר need, thing needed, poverty . need = thing needed

. lack, want

. in gen., need, poverty

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4270 machcowr makh-sore'

or machcor {makh-sore'}; from 2637; deficiency; hence,

impoverishment:--lack, need, penury, poor, poverty, want.

see HEBREW for 02637

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מַחְסוֹר (mach.sor) — need.

1) need, poverty, thing needed

1a) need, thing needed

1b) lack, want

1c) need, poverty

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

pov'-er-ti:

1. Old Testament References:

This word, found but once in the Old Testament (Ge 45:11) outside of the Book of Proverbs in which it occurs 11 times (6:11; 10:15; 11:24 the King James Version; 13:18; 20:13; 23:21; 24:34; 28:19,22 the King James Version; 30:8; 31:7), is a translation of yiwaresh, "to be poor," "to come to poverty" (Ge 45:11). Four different Hebrew words are used in the 11 references in Prov, all bearing the idea of being in need of the necessities of life, although a distinction is made between being in want and being in extreme want. Pr 18:23 well illustrates the general meaning of "poverty" as found in this book: "The poor (rush, "to be impoverished," "destitute") useth entreaties; but the rich…

Nave's Topical Bible

→ General scriptures concerning Pr 6:11; 10:15; 15:16; 16:8; Ec 4:6; Pr 20:13; 23:21; 24:33,34; 28:19; 30:8,9

→ See POOR, THE

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.

Everything we make is available for free because of a generous community of supporters.

Donate