Menu

Proverbs 21:20 — Word Study

Depth

WLCאוֹצָ֤ר׀ נֶחְמָ֣ד וָ֭שֶׁמֶן בִּנְוֵ֣ה חָכָ֑ם וּכְסִ֖יל אָדָ֣ם יְבַלְּעֶֽנּוּ׃

BSAPreciouschâmad treasuresʼôwtsâr [a store of great value, pleasant treasure] and oilshemen [olive oil] are in the dwellingnâveh [a pleasant place, home] of the wisechâkâm [intelligent, skilled, prudent] but a foolishkᵉçîyl manʼâdâm [stupid, silly, rejecting God] consumes thembâlaʻ [swallows up, spends, wastes]

Word
Listen & take awayProverbs 21
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 20 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (ye.val.le.'E.nu) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Proverbs 21:20quick helps
In a sentenceThe wise person possesses valuable treasures and oil in their home, while the foolish person squanders them.
Who is speakingThe author of Proverbs, reflecting on wisdom and foolishness.
Where we areIn a collection of sayings contrasting the wise and the foolish.
The hard wordאוֹצָר
Take awayWisdom leads to the preservation of valuable resources.
7 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbחָמַד 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 21:20

Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.

Context — Contrasting the Wise and the Foolishgenerated

19Better to live in the desert than with a contentious and ill-tempered wife.
20Precious treasures and oil are in the dwelling of the wise, but a foolish man consumes them.
21He who pursues righteousness and loving devotion finds life, righteousness, and honor.
22A wise man scales the city of the mighty and pulls down the stronghold in which they trust.

Proverbs 21:20 contrasts the wise and the foolish, illustrating how wisdom leads to the accumulation of valuable resources, while foolishness results in wastefulness. This theme is prevalent throughout the book of Proverbs, emphasizing the importance of wisdom in daily living and decision-making. The surrounding verses further explore the nature of relationships and the pursuit of righteousness, as seen in Proverbs 21:19 and Proverbs 21:21.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Proverbs 10:22The blessing of the LORD enriches, and He adds no sorrow to it.
2Proverbs 15:6The house of the righteous has great treasure, but the income of the wicked is trouble.
3Psalm 112:3Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever.
4Ecclesiastes 5:19Furthermore, God has given riches and wealth to every man, and He has enabled him to enjoy them, to accept his lot, and to rejoice in his labor. This is a gift from God.
5Ecclesiastes 7:11Wisdom, like an inheritance, is good, and it benefits those who see the sun.

The Key Word אוֹצָר, 'o.Tzargenerated

The Hebrew word אוֹצָר ('o-tsar) refers to a treasure or storehouse, indicating a place where valuable items are kept. It encompasses various types of treasures, including precious metals and food supplies, suggesting a broader significance of value and storage.

As a masculine singular noun, it emphasizes a singular store of great value, which aligns with the context of wise stewardship in the verse. The word appears frequently in the Old Testament, often in contexts related to wealth and resources.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

In this study, the verse is read in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses precious treasures and oil to describe the possessions of the wise.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb in this verse is יְבַלְּעֶֽן (yeval'enu), he swallows up, which governs the structure. The subject is אֲדָם (adam), a man, indicating the foolish person, while the predicate describes what is found in the dwelling of the wise.

The sentence structure emphasizes the contrast between the wise and the foolish, with the treasures and oil being positioned prominently as the focus of the wise person's dwelling.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates אוֹצָר as θησαυρὸς (thēsauros), which also means 'treasure' and carries a similar connotation of value and storage. This choice reflects the same emphasis on the worth of what is held by the wise.

The Greek term for the foolish man, however, is not directly provided in the data but aligns with the overall message of wastefulness found in the Hebrew.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Proverbs 21:20 shows that wise people have valuable treasures and oil in their homes, while foolish people waste these resources. This verse teaches the importance of wisdom in managing what we have.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that the wise have treasures and oil?

This indicates that wise individuals possess valuable resources and are able to manage them effectively, leading to a prosperous life.

What is the significance of a foolish person consuming treasures?

It highlights the consequences of foolishness, where valuable resources are squandered rather than preserved.

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

It emphasizes the contrast between wisdom and foolishness, a recurring theme in Proverbs, encouraging readers to seek wisdom for a fruitful life.

What types of treasures might be referred to in this verse?

The treasures could include material wealth, knowledge, and spiritual insights that wise individuals accumulate and cherish.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways can I cultivate wisdom in my life to manage my resources better?
  2. What are some treasures I have that I might be taking for granted?
  3. How can I avoid the pitfalls of foolishness in my daily decisions?
  4. What practical steps can I take to share my resources wisely with others?

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

Early Church Fathers comment on the themes of wisdom and foolishness in this verse, emphasizing the value of wisdom and the dangers of neglecting it.

Augustine of HippoREPLY TO FAUSTUS THE MANICHAEAN 6:7 354–430
Another passage of Scripture speaks of the precious treasure of wisdom and describes ruminating on wisdom as clean and not ruminating as unclean: “A precious treasure rests in the mouth of a wise man;
Early Church Fathers on Proverbs 21 →
Augustine of HippoSERMON 149:4 354–430
So those who hear and out of carelessness forget, so to say swallow what they have heard, so that they no longer have a taste of it in their mouth but just bury what they hear under forgetfulness.
Early Church Fathers on Proverbs 21 →
BedeCommentary on Proverbs c. 673–735
A desirable treasure, and oil in the dwelling of the just, etc. The cheerfulness of good works, always lovable to God; and the fatness of love shines in the church of the saints.
Early Church Fathers on Proverbs 21 →

Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Proverbs 21:20 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

[There is] a treasure to be desired,.... Gold, silver, jewels, and precious stones; all sorts food, as Aben Ezra explains it, and rich and costly, raiment; all which may be lawfully desired and

Read John Gill on Proverbs 21 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up.

Read Robert Jamieson on Proverbs 21 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Wise men lay up all necessary and desirable treasures for their own use, and for their children and families. Oil is particularly mentioned, partly because that was a considerable part of their wealth and treasures in those countries, of which see 28:40,51 Jud 9:9 , &c.; and partly to show that his providence reached not only to necessaries, but even to matters of just and lawful delight.

Read Matthew Poole on Proverbs 21 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Proverbs 21:20 [There is] treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up.Ver. 20. There is a treasure to be desired.] He had said before, He that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich. Here he shows, that though these things may not be loved or lavished, yet they may and must be had and heaped up in a way of good husbandry for necessity, yea, for honest affluence; that we may not only live, but live comfortably; that we may not only have prisoner’ s pittance, so much as will keep us alive, but that we may have plenty of things desirable, both for profit, as treasure, and for delight, as oil. And these things must not be foolishly wasted, as they…

Read John Trapp on Proverbs 21 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

20. spendeth] Lit. swalloweth, R.V. So LXX. καταπίονται; but Vulg. dissipabit.

Read Cambridge on Proverbs 21 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Spendeth it up - literally, swalloweth it. The wise man keeps a store in reserve. He gains uprightly, spends moderately, never exhausts himself. But the proverb may have also a higher application.

Read Albert Barnes on Proverbs 21 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

20. Treasure to be desired — All desirable stores, including oil, the emblem of abundance and comfort. Dwelling — Abode or cottage. The word seems to imply comeliness, beauty.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Proverbs 21 →

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

Precious treasures and oil are in the dwelling of the wise, but a foolish man consumes them.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

There is precious treasure and oil in the dwelling of the wise, but a foolish man swallows it up.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Precious treasures and oil are in the dwelling of the wise, but a foolish man consumes them.

NETBNew English Translation2006

There is desirable treasure and olive oil in the dwelling of the wise, but a foolish person devours all he has.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

There is precious treasure and oil in the dwelling of the wise; But a foolish man swalloweth it up.

RVARevised Version, American1894

There is precious treasure and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man swalloweth it up.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

There is a treasure to be desired, and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

In the house of the wise is a pleasant treasure and oyle: but a foolish man deuoureth it.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

There is costly store and oil in the dwelling of a wise [man]; but a foolish man swalloweth it up.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

A treasure to be desired, and oil, [Is] in the habitation of the wise, And a foolish man swalloweth it up.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

A treasure to be desired, and oil, || [Is] in the habitation of the wise, || And a foolish man swallows it up.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

There are a desirable treasure and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man will swallow it up.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Desirable treasure and oil are kept in the dwelling of the wise, but a foolish person swallows it all up.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

There is a treasure to be desired, and oil in the dwelling of the just: and the foolish man shall spend it.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

The wise hold on to their wealth and olive oil, but stupid people use up everything they have.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

There is a store of great value in the house of the wise, but it is wasted by the foolish man.

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 · subjectnoun phraseאוֹצָ֤רtreasureנֶחְמָ֣דdesirableוָ֭andשֶׁמֶןoilprepositional phrase · predicateבִּ[are].in.[the]noun phraseנְוֵ֣הhabitationחָכָ֑םof.a.wise.[person]וּandclausenoun phrase · subjectכְסִ֖ילa.foolאָדָ֣םa.personverbיְבַלְּעֶֽheobjectנּוּswallows.it.up

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 closely on this verse, with all eight words matched. This indicates a strong consistency in the transmission of the text through these traditions.

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

אוֹצָ֤ר׀ נֶחְמָ֣ד וָ֭שֶׁמֶן בִּנְוֵ֣ה חָכָ֑ם וּכְסִ֖יל אָדָ֣ם יְבַלְּעֶֽנּוּ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
אוֹצָ֤ר׀θησαυρὸςנֶחְמָ֣דἐπιθυμητὸςוָ֭שֶׁמֶןἀναπαύσεταιבִּנְוֵ֣הστόματοςחָכָ֑םσοφοῦוּכְסִ֖ילδὲאָדָ֣םἄνδρεςיְבַלְּעֶֽנּוּ׃αὐτόν

8 of the 8 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

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


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

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

Proverbs 21:20אוֹצָרtreasuretreasureאוֹצָרחָמַדdesirabledesirableחָמַדשֶׁ֫מֶןand oiland oilשֶׁ֫מֶןנָוֶה[are] in [t[are] in [the] נָוֶהחָכָםa wise [pera wise [person]חָכָםכְּסִילand a fooland a foolכְּסִילאָדָםa persona personאָדָםבָּלַעhe swallowshe swallows up בָּלַעאָצַרto storeto storeאָצַרשָׁמֵןto grow fato grow fatשָׁמֵןנָוָהto beautifto beautifyנָוָהחָכַםbe wisebe wiseחָכַםכָּסַלbe stupidbe stupidכָּסַלאָדֹםto reddento reddenאָדֹםזָהָבgoldgoldזָהָברֵעַneighborneighborרֵעַמַרְאֶהappearanceappearanceמַרְאֶהבָּלַלto mixto mixבָּלַלמִשְׁחָהanointinganointingמִשְׁחָהרָבַץto stretchto stretchרָבַץשָׁמֵםbe desolatbe desolate: deשָׁמֵםכְּסִילfoolfoolכְּסִילדַּ֫עַתknowledgeknowledgeדַּ֫עַתאִוֶּ֫לֶתfollyfollyאִוֶּ֫לֶתחָכָםwisewiseחָכָםדְּמוּתlikenesslikenessדְּמוּת
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 21:20

One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.

Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.

treasure desirable and oil [are] in [the] habitation of a wise [person] and a fool a person he swallows up it
אוֹצָ֤ר׀'o.Tzar treasure H214 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
79× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for treasure refers to a storehouse or depository, like a treasure house or armory, as seen in 1 Kings 7:51.
Amplified meaning
a store of great value, pleasant treasure
Tyndale gloss
treasure
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אוֹצָר (o-tsar) means 'treasure' or 'storehouse.' It encompasses various types of treasures, including valuable items like gold and silver, as well as supplies of food or drink. The term can also refer to a treasury or a depository for weapons, indicating a broader range of meanings related to storage and value.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אוֹצָר n.m. treasure, store, treasury, storehouse

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H214 אוֹצָר treasure, store, treasury, storehouse

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

214 'owtsar o-tsaw'

from 686; a depository:--armory, cellar, garner,

store(-house), treasure(-house) (-y).

see HEBREW for 0686

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אוֹצָר (o.tsar) — treasure.

1) treasure, storehouse

1a) treasure (gold, silver, etc)

1b) store, supplies of food or drink

1c) treasure-house, treasury

1c1) treasure-house

1c2) storehouse, magazine

1c3) treasury

1c4) magazine of weapons (fig. of God's armoury)

1c5) storehouses (of God for rain, snow, hail, wind, sea)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Nave's Topical Bible

1. A thing of highly-estimated value

Money Ge 42:25,27,28,35; 43:23; with 43:18,21,22

Precious stones 1Ch 29:8

Jesus forbids the hoarding of Mt 6:19; 19:21; Lu 12:33

Hidden Mt 13:44

→ FIGURATIVE

Of the graces of the spirit Pr 21:20; Isa 33:6

Of spiritual understanding Mt 13:52; Col 2:3

treasure desirable and oil [are] in [the] habitation of a wise [person] and a fool a person he swallows up it
נֶחְמָ֣דnech.Mad desirable H2530 Verb · Niphal · participle (active) masculine singular
25× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to take great pleasure in something or someone, like a precious treasure. It's used to describe the beauty of God's creation and the joy of being in a loving relationship. In the Bible, it appears in Genesis and Psalms to express delight and desire.
Tyndale gloss
to desire
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word חָמַד (chamad) is a primitive root meaning to desire or take pleasure in something. It encompasses a range of meanings including delight, coveting, and preciousness, with related forms like חֲמוּדָה (chamudah) referring to desirableness. The word appears in various contexts, reflecting strong emotional attachment or value.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חָמַד vb. desire, take pleasure in

Qal desire

Niph. desirable

Pi. delight greatly

base

[חֲמוּדָה] n.f. desirableness, preciousness

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2530a חָמַד desire, take pleasure in .desire

. desirable

. delight greatly

H2530b חֲמוּדָה desirableness, preciousness

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2530 chamad khaw-mad'

a primitive root; to delight in:--beauty, greatly beloved,

covet, delectable thing, (X great) delight, desire, goodly,

lust, (be) pleasant (thing), precious (thing).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חָמַד (cha.mad) — to desire.

v

1) to desire, covet, take pleasure in, delight in

1a) (Qal) to desire

1b) (Niphal) to be desirable

1c) (Piel) to delight greatly, desire greatly

חֲמוּדָה (cha.mu.dah) — precious thing.

desirableness, preciousness

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Niphal — Verb · Niphal · participle (active) masculine singular
HVNrmsa
treasure desirable and oil [are] in [the] habitation of a wise [person] and a fool a person he swallows up it
וָ֭שֶׁמֶןVa.she.men and oil H8081 Conjunction · noun common masculine singular absolute
193× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for oil, often referring to olive oil, which was highly valued in ancient times. It symbolizes richness, anointing, and healing, and is used in various biblical contexts, including rituals and medicinal practices.
Amplified meaning
olive oil
Tyndale gloss
oil
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שֶׁ֫מֶן (shemen) refers to fat or oil, particularly olive oil, and includes meanings related to richness and anointing. It is derived from the root word for grease and can also metaphorically describe fertile land. The entries consistently highlight its use in contexts like medicinal applications and anointing.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שֶׁ֫מֶן 192 n.m. fat, oil

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8081 שֶׁ֫מֶן fat, oil

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8081 shemen sheh'-men

from 8080; grease, especially liquid (as from the olive,

often perfumed); figuratively, richness:--anointing, X fat

(things), X fruitful, oil((-ed)), ointment, olive, + pine.

see HEBREW for 08080

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שֶׁ֫מֶן (she.men) — oil.

1) fat, oil

1a) fat, fatness

1b) oil, olive oil

1b1) as staple, medicament or unguent

1b2) for anointing

1c) fat (of fruitful land, valleys) (metaph)

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

oil (shemen; elaion):

1. Terms

2. Production and Storage

3. Uses

(1) As a Commodity of Exchange

(2) As a Cosmetic

(3) As a Medicine

(4) As a Food

(5) As an Illuminant

(6) In Religious Rites

(a) Consecration

(b) Offerings

(c) Burials

4. Figurative Uses

Shemen, literally, "fat," corresponds to the common Arabic senin of similar meaning, although now applied to boiled butter fat.

1. Terms:

Another Hebrew word, zayith (zeth), "olive," occurs with shemen in several passages (Ex 27:20; 30:24; Le 24:2). The corresponding Arabic zeit, a contraction of zeitun, which is the name for the olive tree as well as the fruit, is now applied to oils in general, to distinguish them from solid fats. Zeit usually means olive oil, unless some qualifying name indicates another oil. A corresponding use was made of…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Oil

Only olive oil seems to have been used among the Hebrews. It was used for many purposes: for anointing the body or the hair (Ex. 29:7; 2 Sam. 14:2; Ps. 23:5; 92:10; 104:15; Luke 7:46); in some of the offerings (Ex. 29:40; Lev. 7:12; Num. 6:15; 15:4), but was excluded from the sin-offering (Lev. 5:11) and the jealousy-offering (Num. 5:15); for burning in lamps (

Was employed from the earliest periods in the east, not only for the purpose of consecration, but to anoint the head, the beard, and the whole person in daily life, Ge 28:18. See ANOINTING. It was also universally used for food, Eze 16:13. Fresh and sweet olive oil was greatly preferred to butter and animal fat as a seasoning for food, and to this day in Syria almost every kind of food is cooked with oil. It had a place also among the meat-offerings in the temple, being usually mixed with the meal of the oblation, Le 5:11 6:21. For lamps, also, pure olive oil was regarded as the best, and was used in illuminating the tabernacle. These many uses for oil made the culture of the olive-tree an extensive and lucrative business,

treasure desirable and oil [are] in [the] habitation of a wise [person] and a fool a person he swallows up it
בִּנְוֵ֣הbin.Veh [are] in [the] habitation of H5116 Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
35× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A dwelling is a home or a pleasant place, like a sheepfold or a temple. It can describe a place where people or animals live, and is used in many Bible books, including Genesis and Isaiah.
Amplified meaning
a pleasant place, home
Tyndale gloss
pasture
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נָוֶה (naveh) refers to a place of dwelling, often associated with shepherds and flocks, such as a pasture or meadow. It can denote a home or habitation, including divine spaces like temples. The term conveys a sense of comfort and beauty, suggesting a pleasant living environment. There is some overlap in the definitions provided, but all entries emphasize its pastoral and residential qualities.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נָוֶה n.m. abode of shepherd, or flocks, poet. habitation

abode, of sheep

abode of shepherds

= meadow

habitation, usu. of country, or of domains in the country (chiefly poet.)

base

[נָוֶה] adj. dwelling, abiding

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5116a נָוֶה abode of shepherd, or flocks, poet. habitation . . abode, of sheep

. abode of shepherds

. = meadow

. habitation, usu. of country, or of domains in the country (chiefly poet.)

H5116b נָוֶה dwelling, abiding

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5116 naveh naw-veh'

or (feminine) navah {naw-vaw'}; from 5115; (adjectively) at

home; hence (by implication of satisfaction) lovely; also

(noun) a home, of God (temple), men (residence), flocks

(pasture), or wild animals (den):--comely, dwelling (place),

fold, habitation, pleasant place, sheepcote, stable, tarried.

see HEBREW for 05115

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָוֶה (na.veh) — pasture.

1) abode, habitation, abode of shepherds or flocks, pasture

1a) abode (of sheep)

1b) abode (of shepherds)

1c) meadow

1d) habitation

נָוֶה (na.veh) — dwelling.

adj

dwelling, abiding

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…

treasure desirable and oil [are] in [the] habitation of a wise [person] and a fool a person he swallows up it
חָכָ֑םcha.Kham a wise [person] H2450 Adj
138× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means wise or skilled, describing someone intelligent or crafty, like a cunning man or a prudent leader.
Amplified meaning
intelligent, skilled, prudent
Tyndale gloss
wise
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word חָכָם (*chakam*) means 'wise' and encompasses various aspects of wisdom, including skillfulness in technical work, shrewdness, and ethical understanding. It can refer to a class of learned individuals, including those involved in astrology and magic. The word is derived from a related term, חָכַם (*chakam*), which also relates to intelligence and craftiness.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חָכָם adj. wise

skilful in technical work

wise in the administration of affairs

shrewd, crafty, cunning

pl. class of learned and shrewd men, incl. astrologers, magicians and the like

prudent

wise, ethically and religiously

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2450 חָכָם wise . skilful in technical work

. wise in the administration of affairs

. shrewd, crafty, cunning

. pl. class of learned and shrewd men, incl. astrologers, magicians and the like

. prudent

. wise, ethically and religiously

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2450 chakam khaw-kawm'

from 2449; wise, (i.e. intelligent, skilful or

artful):--cunning (man), subtil, ((un-)), wise((hearted),

man).

see HEBREW for 02449

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חָכָם (cha.kham) — wise.

1) wise, wise (man)

1a) skilful (in technical work)

1b) wise (in administration)

1c) shrewd, crafty, cunning, wily, subtle

1d) learned, shrewd (class of men)

1e) prudent

1f) wise (ethically and religiously)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Adj
HAamsa
treasure desirable and oil [are] in [the] habitation of a wise [person] and a fool a person he swallows up it
וּכְסִ֖ילu.khe.Sil and a fool H3684 Conjunction
70× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word describes a fool or someone who is stupid and silly. It is often used to describe people who reject God's wisdom. The Bible uses this word to warn against foolish behavior.
Tyndale gloss
fool
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כְּסִיל (kciyl) refers to a fool or a stupid person. It is derived from a root meaning 'fat' and is used figuratively to describe someone who is foolish, simple-minded, or arrogant. The term appears in various contexts in the Old Testament, emphasizing a lack of wisdom or understanding.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כְּסִיל 70 n.m. stupid fellow, dullard, fool

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3684 כְּסִיל

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3684 kciyl kes-eel'

from 3688; properly, fat, i.e. (figuratively) stupid or

silly:--fool(-ish).

see HEBREW for 03688

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כְּסִיל (ke.sil) — fool.

fool, stupid fellow, dullard, simpleton, arrogant one

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Adj — Conjunction
HC/Aamsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Any person who does not act wisely, that is, does not follow the warnings and requirements of God, which are founded in infinite wisdom. Hence "a fool" is put for a wicked man, an enemy or neglecter of God, Ps 14:1 Pr 19:1. So folly is put for wickedness, 2Sa 13:12,13 Ps 38:5, foolish lusts for wicked lusts, etc. Foolish talking, foolish questions, are vain, empty, unprofitable conversation, 2Ti 2:23.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ General scriptures concerning Ps 5:5; 14:1; 53:1; 74:18-22; 107:17; Pr 1:7,22; 3:35; 9:6-8,13-17; 10:1,8,10,13,14,18,23; 14:1,7-9,15; 15:7,20,21; 17:24,25; 18:2,6,7; 19:13; 20:3; 21:20; 26:3-12; 29:9,11; Ec 4:5; 7:9; 10:11-15; Mt 7:26,27; Tit 3:3

→ PARABLES OF

Of the foolish virgns Mt 25:1-13

Of the rich fool Lu 12:16-20

treasure desirable and oil [are] in [the] habitation of a wise [person] and a fool a person he swallows up it
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
stupid, silly, rejecting God
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
treasure desirable and oil [are] in [the] habitation of a wise [person] and a fool a person he swallows up it
יְבַלְּעֶֽנּוּ׃ye.val.le.'E.nu he swallows up it H1104 Verb piel imperfect third person masculine singular · suffix
49× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to swallow or destroy something completely. It can be used to describe something being eaten up or destroyed, like in a natural disaster or a strong storm. The Bible uses it to convey total destruction.
Amplified meaning
swallows up, spends, wastes
Tyndale gloss
to swallow up
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בָּלַע (bala) is a Hebrew verb meaning to swallow down or engulf. It encompasses various forms, including actions of devouring and being consumed, as well as figurative uses like squandering. The entries indicate that it can be used in different grammatical aspects, such as Qal, Niphal, Piel, Pual, and Hithpael, each with slightly different nuances.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בָּלַע vb. swallow down, swallow up, engulf

Qal

swallow down

swallow up, engulf

Niph. swallowed up, i.e. devastated

Pi.

swallow

swallow up, engulf

Pu. be swallowed up

Hithp. their wisdom is all gone, ‘they are at their wit’s end’

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1104 בָּלַע swallow down, swallow up, engulf

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1104 bala` baw-lah'

a primitive root; to make away with (specifically by

swallowing); generally, to destroy:--cover, destroy, devour,

eat up, be at end, spend up, swallow down (up).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בָּלַע (ba.la) — to swallow up.

1) to swallow down, swallow up, engulf, eat up

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to swallow down

1a2) to swallow up, engulf

1b) (Niphal) to be swallowed up

1c) (Piel)

1c1) to swallow

1c2) to swallow up, engulf

1c3) squandering (fig.)

1d) (Pual) to be swallowed up

1e) (Hithpael) to be ended

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Piel-Imperf-3ms | Suff — Verb piel imperfect third person masculine singular · suffix
HVpi3ms/Sp3ms
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