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Proverbs 19:22 — Word Study

Depth

WLCתַּאֲוַ֣ת אָדָ֣ם חַסְדּ֑וֹ וְטֽוֹב־ רָ֝שׁ מֵאִ֥ישׁ כָּזָֽב׃

BSAThe desiretaʼăvâh [longing, craving] of a manʼâdâm [Adam, humanity] is loving devotionchêçêd [kindness, mercy] betterṭôwb [more pleasant, more beneficial] to be poorrûwsh [destitute, lacking] thanʼîysh a liarkâzâb [one who tells falsehoods, deceives]

Word
Listen & take awayProverbs 19
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 22 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 (ka.Zav) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Proverbs 19:22quick helps
In a sentenceThis verse contrasts the value of loving devotion with the emptiness of deceit.
Who is speakingThe author of Proverbs, addressing the nature of human desire.
Where we areIn the book of Proverbs, which offers wisdom and practical guidance.
The hard wordחַסְדּוֹ
Take awayTrue devotion is more valuable than wealth built on lies.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectרוּשׁ verbרוּשׁ 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 19:22

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 in Human Desiresgenerated

21Many plans are in a man’s heart, but the purpose of the LORD will prevail.
22The desire of a man is loving devotion; better to be poor than a liar.
23The fear of the LORD leads to life, that one may rest content, without visitation from harm.
24The slacker buries his hand in the dish; he will not even bring it back to his mouth.

Proverbs 19:22 highlights the importance of genuine love and devotion over deceit. The surrounding verses discuss the contrast between human plans and divine purpose, emphasizing that true fulfillment comes from integrity rather than falsehood. This passage encourages reflection on the nature of our desires and the value of honesty in our relationships.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
11 Chronicles 29:2–3Now with all my ability I have made provision for the house of my God—gold for the gold articles, silver for the silver, bronze for the bronze, iron for the iron, and wood for the wood, as well as onyx for the settings, turquoise, stones of various colors, all kinds of precious stones, and slabs of marble—all in abundance.
22 Chronicles 6:8But the LORD said to my father David, ‘Since it was in your heart to build a house for My Name, you have done well to have this in your heart.
3Mark 12:41–44As Jesus was sitting opposite the treasury, He watched the crowd putting money into it. And many rich people put in large amounts.
4Mark 14:6–8But Jesus said, “Leave her alone; why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful deed to Me.
52 Corinthians 8:2–3In the terrible ordeal they suffered, their abundant joy and deep poverty overflowed into rich generosity.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 10 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word תַּאֲוָה, ta.'a.Vatgenerated

The word תַּאֲוָה (ta'avah) is a feminine singular noun meaning 'desire' or 'longing'. It can refer to both positive and negative yearnings, encompassing a wide range of emotions from craving to covetousness. This word appears frequently in the Bible, often describing the desires of the heart, as in Psalm 38:9.

In this verse, it signifies the deep longing of a person for loving devotion, contrasting the emptiness of deceit. The parsing indicates that it functions as the subject of the sentence, highlighting the central theme of human desire.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

The translations agree on the rendering of תַּאֲוָה as 'desire' and חַסְדּוֹ as 'loving devotion'.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main finite verb in this verse is חַסְדּוֹ, is loving devotion, which serves as the predicate. The structure features a noun phrase as the subject, followed by a conjunction linking to a contrasting clause about being poor versus a liar.

The Hebrew word order emphasizes the subject תַּאֲוָה at the beginning, drawing attention to human desire as the focal point of the verse.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, תַּאֲוָה is rendered as καρπὸς (karpos), meaning 'fruit'. This choice suggests a focus on the outcome or result of desire, indicating that true devotion yields positive results.

The term for 'poor' in the Septuagint is πτωξὸς (ptōxos), which aligns with the Hebrew meaning but emphasizes a state of extreme need.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Proverbs 19:22 tells us that a person's true desire is for loving devotion, and it is better to be poor than to tell lies. This verse reminds us of the value of honesty and the importance of genuine relationships over material wealth.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does 'loving devotion' mean in this context?

It refers to a deep, sincere commitment to kindness and mercy, reflecting the character of true love.

Why is being poor considered better than being a liar?

This suggests that integrity and honesty are more valuable than wealth gained through deceit.

How does this verse relate to the overall message of Proverbs?

It emphasizes the importance of wisdom in making choices that reflect true values rather than superficial gains.

What can we learn about human desires from this verse?

It teaches that our deepest longings should align with love and kindness rather than selfishness or deceit.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways do I seek loving devotion in my relationships?
  2. How can I ensure that my desires align with honesty and integrity?
  3. What does this verse teach me about the value of humility?
  4. How can I cultivate a heart that prioritizes kindness over material gain?

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

Early commentators like Bede draw from this verse to discuss the value of mercy and humility, highlighting the contrast between the humble and the deceitful.

BedeCommentary on Proverbs c. 673–735
A needy man is merciful. He calls the needy humble, who continually remembers that he is in need of eternal goods. Such a one, so that he may obtain mercy from the Lord, never refuses to show mercy to his neighbor.
Early Church Fathers on Proverbs 19 →
BedeCommentary on Proverbs c. 673–735
And a poor man is better than a lying man. Indeed, better is the humble in heart, who trusts nothing in his own works, than he who, by the excellence of virtues, considering himself worthy of the name of man, is deceived;
Early Church Fathers on Proverbs 19 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Proverbs 19:22 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

The desire of a man [is] his kindness,.... Either the grace and kindness of God, which is, desirable by every sensible man, as being most excellent, and better than life and anything in it; or it is his desire to show kindness.

Read John Gill on Proverbs 19 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

The desire of a man is his kindness: and a poor man is better than a liar. The desire of a man is his kindness: and a poor man is better than a liar.

Read Robert Jamieson on Proverbs 19 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

The desire of a man; either, 1. Of any or every man. All men desire, and it is desirable, to be in a capacity of being kind and bountiful to others, whereby they gain love and honour, and many other great advantages. Or, 2. Of the poor man, expressed in the next clause. The hearty will or desire of being kind or liberal to others in necessity is all the kindness which a poor man can show, and is accepted by God, and should be owned by men as a real kindness. Compare . Or, 3. Of the rich man, as may be gathered from the opposition of this man to the poor man in the following clause; such ellipses being very common in this book, as hath been noted again and again. So the sense may be this…

Read Matthew Poole on Proverbs 19 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Proverbs 19:22 The desire of a man [is] his kindness: and a poor man [is] better than a liar.Ver. 22. The desire of a man is his kindness.] Or, His mercy. Many have a great mind to be held merciful men, and vainly give out what they would do, if they had wherewith; and perhaps they speak as they think too. This may be one of those many devices, those variae et vance cogitationes in the heart of a man. But the poor man is better than a liar.] For though he hath nothing to give, yet having a giving affection, he is better than a liar, that is, than such a rich man, who, before he was rich, would brag what he would do if he were rich, and yet now is a niggard.

Read John Trapp on Proverbs 19 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(22) The desire of a man is his kindness—i.e., what makes a man desired or beloved is his kindness. Or, the kindness of a man consists in—is shewn by—his good-will, even though he cannot carry it out. And a poor man (who would do a kindness if he could) is better than a liar.—Than a rich man who could help another, but professes to be unable to do so.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Proverbs 19 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

22. is his kindness] The R.V. renders, is the measure of his kindness, in order to make the meaning clearer. The “kindness,” or “benevolence” of a man is to be measured, not by what he does, but by what he desires to do (2 Corinthians 8:12). a liar] A poor man who would help but cannot is better than one whose circumstances or promises warrant expectations which are not fulfilled. The proverb holds together better and is more forcible thus than if rendered, with R.V. marg., that which maketh a man to be desired is his kindness.

Read Cambridge on Proverbs 19 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The “liar” is probably the man, who makes false excuses for not giving, and so is inferior to the poor man, whose “desire,” the wish to do good, is taken, in the absence of means to carry it into

Read Albert Barnes on Proverbs 19 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

22. The desire of a man — The good wishes; “the charm” — Conant. “Pleasure.” — Miller.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Proverbs 19 →

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

The desire of a man is loving devotion; better to be poor than a liar.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

That which makes a man to be desired is his kindness. A poor man is better than a liar.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

The desire of a man is loving devotion; better to be poor than a liar.

NETBNew English Translation2006

What is desirable for a person is to show loyal love, and a poor person is better than a liar.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

The desire of a man is his kindness: and a poor man is better than a liar.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

That which maketh a man to be desired is his kindness; And a poor man is better than a liar.

RVARevised Version, American1894

The desire of a man is the measure of his kindness: and a poor man is better than a liar.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

The desire of a man is his kindness: and a poor man is better than a liar.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

That that is to be desired of a man, is his goodnes, and a poore man is better then a lyer.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

The charm of a man is his kindness; and a poor [man] is better than a liar.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

The desirableness of a man [is] his kindness, And better [is] the poor than a liar.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

The desirableness of a man [is] his kindness, || And the poor [is] better than a liar.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

The longing of a man is [to exercise] his kindness; and a poor man is better than a liar.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Loyalty is what a person desires and a poor person is better than a liar.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

A needy man is merciful: and better is the poor than the lying man.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

The most desirable thing in anyone is trustworthy love; it is better to be poor than a liar.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

The ornament of a man is his mercy, and a poor man is better than one who is false.

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.

clausenoun phrase · subjectתַּאֲוַ֣ת[is.the].desireאָדָ֣םof.a.personnoun phrase · predicateחַסְדּ֑loyaltyוֹhisוְand.[is]clausepredicateטֽוֹבgoodsubjectרָ֝שׁ[one.who.is].poorprepositional phrase · prepositionalמֵmorenoun phraseאִ֥ישׁthan.a.personכָּזָֽבof.falsehood

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 on the wording and meaning of this verse, with all seven Hebrew words matched in the Greek translation, indicating a consistent understanding across these texts.

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

תַּאֲוַ֣ת אָדָ֣ם חַסְדּ֑וֹ וְטֽוֹב־ רָ֝שׁ מֵאִ֥ישׁ כָּזָֽב׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
תַּאֲוַ֣תκαρπὸςאָדָ֣םἀνδρὶחַסְדּ֑וֹἐλεημοσύνηוְטֽוֹב־κρείσσωνרָ֝שׁπτωξὸςמֵאִ֥ישׁπλούσιοςכָּזָֽב׃ψεύστης

7 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.

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 19:22תַּאֲוָה[is the] de[is the] desireתַּאֲוָהאָדָםa persona personאָדָםחֶ֫סֶדloyalty hisloyalty hisחֶ֫סֶדטוֹבand [is] goand [is] goodטוֹברוּשׁa poor [pera poor [person]רוּשׁאִישׁmore than amore than a perאִישׁכָּזָבfalsehoodfalsehoodכָּזָבאָוָהto desireto desireאָוָהאָדֹםto reddento reddenאָדֹםחָסַדbe kindbe kindחָסַדטוֹבbe pleasinbe pleasingטוֹבכָּזַבto lieto lieכָּזַבאֱנוֹשׁhumanhumanאֱנוֹשׁאִשָּׁהwomanwomanאִשָּׁהמַאֲכָלfoodfoodמַאֲכָלדְּמוּתlikenesslikenessדְּמוּתבְּהֵמָהanimalanimalבְּהֵמָהאֱמֶתtruth: faitruth: faithfulאֱמֶתרֶ֫חֶםwombwombרֶ֫חֶםיָשָׁרJasharJasharיָשָׁרמַרְאֶהappearanceappearanceמַרְאֶהעָשִׁירrichrichעָשִׁירעִקֵּשׁtwistedtwistedעִקֵּשׁרֵעַneighborneighborרֵעַפּוּחַto breatheto breatheפּוּחַ
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 19:22

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.

[is the] desire of a person loyalty his and [is] good a poor [person] more than a person of falsehood
תַּאֲוַ֣תta.'a.Vat [is the] desire of H8378 Noun common · feminine singular construct
20× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means desire or longing, and can refer to a positive or negative yearning. In the Bible, it is used to describe the desires of the heart, as seen in Psalm 38:9. It can also imply a delight or satisfaction.
Amplified meaning
longing, craving
Tyndale gloss
desire
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

תַּאֲוָה (ta'avah) means 'desire' and encompasses a range of meanings including longing, appetite, and covetousness. It can refer to both a subjective feeling of satisfaction and an objective charm or delight. The term is used in various contexts, sometimes with negative connotations such as lust or greed.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

תַּאֲוָה n.f. desire

thing desired

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8378 תַּאֲוָה desire

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8378 ta'avah tah-av-aw'

from 183 (abbreviated); a longing; by implication, a delight

(subjectively, satisfaction, objectively, a charm):--dainty,

desire, X exceedingly, X greedily, lust(ing), pleasant. See

also 6914.

see HEBREW for 0183

see HEBREW for 06914

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

תַּאֲוָה (ta.a.vah) — desire.

1) desire

1a) desire, wish, longings of one's heart

1a1) lust, appetite, covetousness (bad sense)

1b) thing desired, object of desire

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…

[is the] desire of a person loyalty his and [is] good a poor [person] more than a person of falsehood
אָדָ֣ם'a.Dam a person H120 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
551× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Adam was the first human, created by God and mentioned in Genesis 2:19, who married Eve and had sons including Cain, Abel, and Seth.
Amplified meaning
Adam, humanity
Tyndale gloss
the man (Adam)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָדָם (adam) refers to 'man' or 'mankind,' encompassing both individual humans and the species as a whole. It is also the name of the first man in the Bible, Adam, who is mentioned in various verses, including Genesis 2:19. The term can denote a city in the Jordan valley as well. The entries indicate a range of meanings, but there is no significant disagreement among them.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָדָם 560 n.m. Gn 1:27 man, mankind

a man = human being

coll. man, mankind

n.pr.m. Adam, first man (without art.)

n.pr.loc. city in Jordan valley (as built?)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H120 אָדָם man, mankind . a man = human being

. coll. man, mankind

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

120 'adam aw-dawm'

from 119; ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the

species, mankind, etc.):--X another, + hypocrite, + common

sort, X low, man (mean, of low degree), person.

see HEBREW for 0119

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָדָם (a.dam) — man.

1) man, mankind

1a) man, human being

1b) man, mankind (much more frequently intended sense in OT)

1c) Adam, first man

1d) city in Jordan valley

אָדָם (a.dam) — the man (Adam).

The first named man living at the time before the Flood, first mentioned at Gen.2.19;

married to Eve (H2332);

father of: Cain (H7014B), Abel (H1893) and Seth (H8352); also translated "man" at Gen.2.19,21,23; 3.8,9,20; 5.2; "mankind" at Deu.32.8; "others" at Job.31.33;

Another spelling of a.dam (אָדָם "Adam" H0121)

man, human being

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
[is the] desire of a person loyalty his and [is] good a poor [person] more than a person of falsehood
חַסְדּ֑וֹchas.Do loyalty his H2617 Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
247× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to kindness, mercy, or pity, often used to describe God's loving actions towards humanity. It is translated as 'favour', 'kindness', or 'mercy' in the KJV. It emphasizes God's loving character.
Amplified meaning
kindness, mercy
Tyndale gloss
kindness
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חֶ֫סֶד (che.sed) primarily means kindness or goodness, often referring to the kindness of people towards one another, especially towards the needy. It can also denote God's lovingkindness and mercy. Additionally, it has a secondary meaning of shame or reproach. The entries reflect a range of uses, from human interactions to divine attributes.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חֶ֫סֶד 247 n.m. goodness, kindness

of man:

kindness of men toward men, in doing favours and benefits

kindness (especially as extended to the lowly, needy and miserable), mercy

(rarely) affection of Isr. to י׳, love to God, piety

lovely appearance

of God: kindness, lovingkindness in condescending to the needs of his creatures.

base

חֶ֫סֶד n.m. shame, reproach

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2617a חֶ֫סֶד goodness, kindness . of man: . kindness of men toward men, in doing favours and benefits

. kindness (especially as extended to the lowly, needy and miserable), mercy

. (rarely) affection of Isr. to י׳, love to God, piety

. lovely appearance

. of God: kindness, lovingkindness in condescending to the needs of his creatures.

H2617b חֶ֫סֶד shame, reproach

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2617 checed kheh'-sed

from 2616; kindness; by implication (towards God) piety:

rarely (by opposition) reproof, or (subject.) beauty:--favour,

good deed(-liness, -ness), kindly, (loving-)kindness, merciful

(kindness), mercy, pity, reproach, wicked thing.

see HEBREW for 02616

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חֶ֫סֶד (che.sed) — kindness.

goodness, kindness, faithfulness

חֶ֫סֶד (che.sed) — shame.

a reproach, shame

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HNcmsc/Sp3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hiz: Used often in the King James Version with reference to a neuter or inanimate thing, or to a lower animal (Ge 1:11, "after his kind"; Le 1:16, "pluck away his crop"; Ac 12:10, "of his own accord"; 1Co 15:38, "his own body"), etc. the Revised Version (British and American) substitutes "its."

[is the] desire of a person loyalty his and [is] good a poor [person] more than a person of falsehood
וְטֽוֹב־ve.tov- and [is] good H2896 Conjunction
538× 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 good or welfare, describing something that is beneficial or pleasing, like a good deed or a happy time. It is used in many contexts, including Genesis and Psalms. This word is often translated as 'good' or 'beautiful'.
Amplified meaning
more pleasant, more beneficial
Tyndale gloss
pleasant
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

טוֹב (tov) is a Hebrew word meaning good or pleasant, encompassing a wide range of meanings from agreeable to the senses to ethical goodness. It can function as an adjective, noun, or adverb, referring to things like welfare, happiness, and prosperity. The feminine form, טוֹבָה (tovah), specifically denotes welfare or good things.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

טוֹב adj. pleasant, agreeable, good

pleasant, agreeable to the senses

pleasant to the higher nature, giving pleasure, happiness, prosperity, and so agreeable, pleasing, well

good, excellent, of its kind

good, rich, valuable in estimation

good, appropriate, becoming

c. מִן compar. = better

of man's sensuous nature, glad, happy, prosperous

of man's intellectual nature, good understanding

good, kind, benign

good (ethical), right

base

טוֹב n.m. a good thing, benefit, welfare

welfare, prosperity, happiness

good things

good = benefit

moral good

base

טוֹבָה n.f. welfare, benefit, good things, good

welfare, prosperity, happiness

good things

bounty, good

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2896a טוֹב pleasant, agreeable, good . pleasant, agreeable to the senses

. pleasant to the higher nature, giving pleasure, happiness, prosperity, and so agreeable, pleasing, well

. good, excellent, of its kind

. good, rich, valuable in estimation

. good, appropriate, becoming

. c. מִן compar. =better

. of man's sensuous nature, glad, happy, prosperous

. of man's intellectual nature, good understanding

. good, kind, benign

. good (ethical), right

H2896b טוֹב a good thing, benefit, welfare H2896c טוֹבָה welfare, benefit, good things, good

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2896 towb tobe

from 2895; good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used

likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine,

the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing, a

good man or woman; the good, goods or good things, good men or

women), also as an adverb (well):--beautiful, best, better,

bountiful, cheerful, at ease, X fair (word), (be in) favour,

fine, glad, good (deed, -lier, -liest, -ly, -ness, -s),

graciously, joyful, kindly, kindness, liketh (best), loving,

merry, X most, pleasant, + pleaseth, pleasure, precious,

prosperity, ready, sweet, wealth, welfare, (be) well

((-favoured)).

see HEBREW for 02895

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

טוֹב (tov) — pleasant.

adj

1) good, pleasant, agreeable

1a) pleasant, agreeable (to the senses)

1b) pleasant (to the higher nature)

1c) good, excellent (of its kind)

1d) good, rich, valuable in estimation

1e) good, appropriate, becoming

1f) better (comparative)

1g) glad, happy, prosperous (of man's sensuous nature)

1h) good understanding (of man's intellectual nature)

1i) good, kind, benign

1j) good, right (ethical)

Aramaic equivalent: tav (טָב "fine" H2869)

טוֹב (tov) — good.

1) a good thing, benefit, welfare

1a) welfare, prosperity, happiness

1b) good things (collective)

1c) good, benefit

1d) moral good

טוֹבָה (to.vah) — welfare.

1) welfare, benefit, good things

1a) welfare, prosperity, happiness

1b) good things (collective)

1c) bounty

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Adj — Conjunction
HC/Aamsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

good (Tobh, Tubh, yaTabh; agathos, agathon, kalos, kalon): In English "good" is used in various senses, most of which are represented in the Bible.

(1) In the Old Testament the commonest word is Tobh, occurring very frequently and translated in a great variety of ways. Of the different shades of meaning, which frequently run into each other, the following may be distinguished:

(a) Possessing desirable qualities, beneficial, agreeable, e.g. "good for food" (Ge 2:9); "We will do thee good" (Nu 10:29); Who will show us any good?" (Ps 4:6); "good tidings of good" (Isa 52:7).

[is the] desire of a person loyalty his and [is] good a poor [person] more than a person of falsehood
רָ֝שׁrash a poor [person] H7326 Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine singular
24× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To be poor or destitute, often used to describe someone who lacks material possessions or is in need, as seen in the story of the poor widow in Mark 12:42. This verb can also be used to describe someone who is spiritually poor or lacking.
Amplified meaning
destitute, lacking
Tyndale gloss
be poor
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רוּשׁ (ruwsh) means to be poor or in want, covering the state of lacking resources or necessities. It can refer to a poor man or the action of impoverishing oneself, as noted in various forms like the Qal and Hithpolel. The entries indicate a focus on destitution and neediness.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[רוּשׁ or רִישׁ] 24 vb. be in want, poor

Qal young lions are in want and hunger

Hithpō‛lēl one impoverishing himself

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7326 [רוּשׁ or רִישׁ] be in want, poor

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7326 ruwsh roosh

a primitive root; to be destitute:--lack, needy, (make self)

poor (man).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רוּשׁ (rush) — be poor.

1) to be poor, be in want, lack

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to be poor

1a2) to be in want or hunger

1a3) poor man (subst)

1b)(Hithpolel) one impoverishing himself (participle)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal — Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine singular
HVqrmsa
[is the] desire of a person loyalty his and [is] good a poor [person] more than a person of falsehood
מֵאִ֥ישׁme.'Ish more than a person of H376 Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
1,664× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for man, referring to a male person or individual, is used in the Bible to describe humans in contrast to God or animals, as seen in Genesis and Psalms. It can also mean husband or servant. In the KJV, it is translated as man or male.
Tyndale gloss
man
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אִישׁ (iysh) means 'man' and can refer to an individual male, a husband, or a human being in general. It encompasses various meanings, including champion and great man, and can also imply 'whosoever' or 'each.' The word is built from a root suggesting existence and is used throughout the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אִישׁ 2166 n.m. man (= vir)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H376 אִישׁ man (= vir)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

376 'iysh eesh

contracted for 582 (or perhaps rather from an unused root

meaning to be extant); a man as an individual or a male

person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and

in such cases frequently not expressed in

translation):--also, another, any (man), a certain, +

champion, consent, each, every (one), fellow, (foot-,

husband-)man, (good-, great, mighty) man, he, high (degree),

him (that is), husband, man(-kind), + none, one, people,

person, + steward, what (man) soever, whoso(-ever), worthy.

Compare 802.

see HEBREW for 0582

see HEBREW for 0802

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אִישׁ (ish) — man.

: man

1) man

1a) man, male (in contrast to woman, female)

1b) husband

1c) human being, person (in contrast to God)

1d) servant

1e) mankind

1f) champion

1g) great man

2) whosoever

3) each (adjective)

אִישׁ (ish) — man: husband.

: husband

1) man

1a) man, male (in contrast to woman, female)

1b) husband

1c) human being, person (in contrast to God)

1d) servant

1e) mankind

1f) champion

1g) great man

2) whosoever

3) each (adjective)

אִישׁ (ish) — man: anyone.

: anyone/someone

1) man

1a) man, male (in contrast to woman, female)

1b) husband

1c) human being, person (in contrast to God)

1d) servant

1e) mankind

1f) champion

1g) great man

2) whosoever

3) each (adjective)

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

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…

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
[is the] desire of a person loyalty his and [is] good a poor [person] more than a person of falsehood
כָּזָֽב׃ka.Zav falsehood H3577 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
31× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A lie or falsehood is what this word represents, whether it is a literal untruth or a figurative idol, and is often used to describe the deceitful nature of humanity.
Amplified meaning
one who tells falsehoods, deceives
Tyndale gloss
lie
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כָּזָב (kazab) refers to a lie or falsehood, encompassing meanings like deceit and untruth. It is derived from a root that suggests the concept of deception. The entries consistently describe it as a term for falsehood without significant disagreement among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כָּזָב n.m. lie, falsehood, deceptive thing

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3577 כָּזָב lie, falsehood, deceptive thing

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3577 kazab kaw-zawb'

from 3576; falsehood; literally (untruth) or figuratively

(idol):--deceitful, false, leasing, + liar, lie, lying.

see HEBREW for 03576

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כָּזָב (ka.zav) — lie.

a lie, untruth, falsehood, deceptive thing

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

fols'-hood.

See LYING.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ General scriptures concerning Ex 20:16; 23:1; Le 6:2-7; 19:11,12,16; Job 13:4; 21:34; 27:4; 31:5,6,33; 36:4; Ps 5:6,9; 10:7; 12:2,3; 28:3; 31:18; 34:13; 36:3; 50:19,20; 52:2-5; 55:21,23; 58:3; 59:12; 62:4; 63:11; 101:5,7; 109:2; 116:11; 119:29,69,163; 120:2-4; 144:8,11; Pr 2:12-15; 3:3; 6:12,13,17-19; 10:9,10,18,31; 11:9; 12:17,19,20,22; 13:5; 14:5,8,25; 17:4,7; 19:5,9,22,28; 20:17; 21:6; 26:18,19,24-26,28; 27:14; Ec 5:6; Isa 28:15; 32:7; 57:11; 59:3,4,12,13; 63:8;

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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