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Proverbs 23:35 — Word Study

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WLCהִכּ֥וּנִי בַל־ חָלִיתִי֮ הֲלָמ֗וּנִי בַּל־ יָ֫דָ֥עְתִּי מָתַ֥י אָקִ֑יץ א֝וֹסִ֗יף אֲבַקְשֶׁ֥נּוּ עֽוֹד׃

BSAThey struck menâkâh [hit, smote] but I feel nobal [do not sense, am not aware of] painchâlâh [suffering, hurt] They beat mehâlam [overcame, drew] but I did notbal [was, felt] know it!yâdaʻ [perceive, understand] Whenmâthay [how long, at what time] can I wake upqûwts [arise, become awake] to search forbâqash [seek, look] anotheryâçaph [more, additional] drinkʻôwd [wine, intoxicating beverage]

Word
Listen & take awayProverbs 23
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 35 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 (od) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Proverbs 23:35quick helps
In a sentenceThe speaker reflects on the numbness that follows their suffering, questioning when they can seek another drink.
Who is speakingA person who has been struck and beaten, expressing their detachment from pain.
Where we areA reflection on the consequences of excessive drinking, found in a series of warnings.
The hard wordחָלִיתִי, cha.li.Ti
Take awayThe speaker's awareness of their suffering is overshadowed by their desire for more drink.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbחָלָה 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 23:35

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 — Warnings Against Excessive Drinkinggenerated

32In the end it bites like a snake and stings like a viper.
33Your eyes will see strange things, and your mind will utter perversities.
34You will be like one sleeping on the high seas or lying on the top of a mast:
35“They struck me, but I feel no pain! They beat me, but I did not know it! When can I wake up to search for another drink?”

Proverbs 23:35 captures the disorienting effects of excessive drinking, where the speaker describes being struck and beaten without feeling pain. This verse is part of a broader warning about the dangers of alcohol, emphasizing the loss of awareness and control that can come with intoxication. The surrounding verses illustrate the consequences of such behavior, urging caution and self-awareness.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Proverbs 27:22Though you grind a fool like grain with mortar and a pestle, yet his folly will not depart from him.
2Jeremiah 5:3O LORD, do not Your eyes look for truth? You struck them, but they felt no pain. You finished them off, but they refused to accept discipline. They have made their faces harder than stone and refused to repent.
3Jeremiah 31:18I have surely heard Ephraim’s moaning: ‘You disciplined me severely, like an untrained calf. Restore me, that I may return, for You are the LORD my God.
4Ephesians 4:19Having lost all sense of shame, they have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity, with a craving for more.
5Proverbs 26:11As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly.

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

I felt it notEphesians 4:19

The Key Word חָלִיתִי, cha.li.Tigenerated

The word חָלָה (chalah) indicates a state of weakness or sickness, derived from a root meaning to be rubbed or worn. In this context, it emphasizes the speaker's numbness to pain, suggesting a deeper issue of emotional or physical distress.

The verb's parsing as a perfect form indicates a completed action, reinforcing the idea that the speaker has already experienced this state of being unwell. This highlights a sense of resignation to their condition, as they continue to seek another drink despite their suffering.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

Translations largely agree on the meaning of the key phrases in this verse.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The verse consists of multiple clauses, each contributing to the overall expression of the speaker's state. The first clause introduces the action of being struck, followed by a negation of pain, and then a question about awakening to seek more drink.

The structure emphasizes the progression from suffering to a state of unawareness, culminating in the speaker's longing for another drink, which reflects the cyclical nature of their experience.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates the Hebrew with ἐπόνεσα for חָלִיתִי, indicating a direct connection to suffering or pain. This choice aligns with the Hebrew meaning but may carry a slightly different emphasis in the Greek context.

The translation choices in the Septuagint suggest a focus on the physical aspect of suffering, which complements the emotional detachment expressed in the Hebrew.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Proverbs 23:35 describes a person who has been struck and beaten but feels no pain. They question when they will wake up to seek another drink, illustrating the effects of excessive drinking and the resulting numbness to their suffering.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does the speaker mean by feeling no pain?

The speaker indicates a disconnection from their suffering, possibly due to intoxication or emotional numbness.

Why do they want to seek another drink?

This reflects a desire to escape their current state, highlighting the cycle of dependence on alcohol.

What is the significance of the question about waking up?

It suggests a longing for clarity and awareness, contrasting with their current state of oblivion.

How does this verse relate to the warnings about alcohol?

It serves as a vivid illustration of the dangers of excessive drinking and the loss of control that can accompany it.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways do I see the effects of overindulgence in my own life or the lives of those around me?
  2. How can I cultivate greater awareness and control over my choices?
  3. What steps can I take to avoid the pitfalls of excessive drinking?
  4. How do I respond to situations where I see others struggling with similar issues?

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

Early commentators like Gregory the Dialogist and Bede reflect on this verse to discuss the consequences of excessive drinking and the state of the mind.

Gregory the DialogistThe Book of Pastoral Rule, Part 3, Chapter 32 c. 540–604
Whence, also, the utterance of one that is stricken and yet sleeps is expressed by Solomon, who says, "They have beaten thee, and I was not pained; they have dragged me, and I felt it not.
Early Church Fathers on Proverbs 23 →
BedeCommentary on Proverbs c. 673–735
And you will say, They struck me, but I was not hurt, etc. The voice of one beaten and sleeping is expressed. The mind, indeed, sleeping from the care of diligence, is struck and does not hurt,
Early Church Fathers on Proverbs 23 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Proverbs 23:35 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

They have stricken me, [shalt thou say, and] I was not sick,.... Or "grieved not" (x); or was not wounded or skin broken (y); see Jeremiah 5:3.

Read John Gill on Proverbs 23 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.

Read Robert Jamieson on Proverbs 23 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

They have stricken me; I cannot deny that I exposed myself by my drunkenness to manifold abuses and injuries. I was not sick; I was not then sensible of it, neither do I now find any great hurt by it; it was but the effect of a present frolic, at which I have no cause to be much troubled. When shall I awake? I will seek it yet again; at present I find some inconvenience, and my condition requires sleep to settle myself, and when I am composed and refreshed, I purpose to return to my former course. But that which Solomon here expresseth, seems rather to be the language of their hearts or lives than of their tongues. Compare .

Read Matthew Poole on Proverbs 23 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Proverbs 23:35 They have stricken me, [shalt thou say, and] I was not sick; they have beaten me, [and] I felt [it] not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.Ver. 35. They have stricken me.] A drunken man, we say, takes no hurt, feels no smart, is turned into a very stock. Dionysius the Heracleot felt not needles thrust into his fat belly. Pliny mentioneth certain bears, that being sound asleep, cannot be wakened with the sharpest prickles. Mathiolus reports of the asses of Etruria, that, feeding upon henbane, they fall into such a dead sleep, that being taken for dead, they are half hideled, ere they can be aroused. Lo, such is the drunkard’ s lethargy; neither is he more insensible…

Read John Trapp on Proverbs 23 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(35) They have stricken me, and I was not sick.—The drunken man feels no blows or ill usage. When shall I awake?—He longs to rouse himself from his slumber that he may return to his debauch.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Proverbs 23 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 35. They have stricken me] Though beat and abused, full of pain, and exhibiting a frightful figure; yet so drunk was he, as to be insensible who had struck him: still, after all this abuse and disgrace, he purposes to embrace the next opportunity of repeating his excesses! SIN makes a man contemptible in life, miserable in death, and wretched to all eternity. Is it not strange, then, that men should LOVE it?

Read AdamClarke on Proverbs 23 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

35. sick] Rather, hurt, R.V. or pained; ἐπόνεσα, LXX.; dolui, Vulg. Both the physical and moral insensibility of the drunkard to the consequences of his vice are perhaps pointed at. awake] i.e. shake off completely the stupor from which he is beginning to rouse himself. His first thought on regaining consciousness is to repeat his fault. it] the wine which though it has not been mentioned since Proverbs 23:31, is uppermost in his thoughts. The whole description is strikingly vivid.

Read Cambridge on Proverbs 23 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

35. Stricken me… beaten me — The drunkard, in his sottish stupidity, soliloquizes, apparently unconscious of any evil effects from his indulgence, and is urged by the strength of his appetite and habits to pursue his old vice.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Proverbs 23 →

The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company

Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.

Modern formal

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

“They struck me, but I feel no pain! They beat me, but I did not know it! When can I wake up to search for another drink?”

WEBWorld English Bible2000

“They hit me, and I was not hurt! They beat me, and I don’t feel it! When will I wake up? I can do it again. I will look for more.”

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

“They struck me, but I feel no pain! They beat me, but I did not know it! When can I wake up to search for another drink?”

NETBNew English Translation2006

You will say, “They have struck me, but I am not harmed! They beat me, but I did not know it! When will I awake? I will look for another drink.”

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not hurt; They have beaten me, and I felt it not: When shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.

RVARevised Version, American1894

They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not hurt; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

They have stricken me, wilt thou say , and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

They haue stricken mee, shalt thou say, but I was not sicke: they haue beaten mee, but I knew not, when I awoke: therefore will I seeke it yet still.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

— “They have smitten me, [and] I am not sore; they have beaten me, [and] I knew it not. When shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.”

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

'They smote me, I have not been sick, They beat me, I have not known. When I awake — I seek it yet again!'

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

“They struck me, I have not been sick, || They beat me, I have not known. When I awake—I seek it yet again!”

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

“They smote me, [but] I suffered no pain; they struck me hard, [but] I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will continue to seek it again.”

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

“They hit me,” you will say, “but I was not hurt. They beat me, but I did not feel it. When will I wake up? I will seek another drink.”

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And thou shalt say: They have beaten me, but I was not sensible of pain: they drew me, and I felt not: when shall I awake, and find wine again?

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

“People punched me, but it didn't hurt me; they beat me, but I didn't feel a thing. I've got to get up because I need another drink.”

BBEBible in Basic English1949

They have overcome me, you will say, and I have no pain; they gave me blows without my feeling them: when will I be awake from my wine? I will go after it again.

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.

clauseverbהִכּ֥וּtheyobjectנִיstruck.meclauseadverbialבַלnotverbחָלִיתִי֮I.am.sickclauseverbהֲלָמ֗וּtheyobjectנִיstruck.meclauseadverbialבַּלnotverbיָ֫דָ֥עְתִּיI.knowclauseadverbialמָתַ֥יwhen?verbאָקִ֑יץwill.I.awakeclauseclauseverbא֝וֹסִ֗יףI.will.repeatclauseverbאֲבַקְשֶׁ֥Iobjectנּוּwill.seek.itadverbialעֽוֹדagain

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 show agreement in the core phrases of the verse, although the Septuagint's word order differs. The Hebrew maintains a consistent structure, while the Greek version reflects its own syntactical norms.

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

הִכּ֥וּנִי בַל־ חָלִיתִי֮ הֲלָמ֗וּנִי בַּל־ יָ֫דָ֥עְתִּי מָתַ֥י אָקִ֑יץ א֝וֹסִ֗יף אֲבַקְשֶׁ֥נּוּ עֽוֹד׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
הִכּ֥וּנִיμεבַל־οὐκחָלִיתִי֮ἐπόνεσαהֲלָמ֗וּנִיμοιבַּל־οὐκיָ֫דָ֥עְתִּיᾔδεινמָתַ֥יπότεאֲבַקְשֶׁ֥נּוּζητήσω

8 of the 11 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 23:35נָכָהthey struckthey struck meנָכָהבַּלnotnotבַּלחָלָהI am sickI am sickחָלָההָלַםthey beat mthey beat meהָלַםבַּלnotnotבַּליָדַעI knowI knowיָדַעמָתַיwhen?when?מָתַיקִיץwill I awakwill I awakeקִיץיָסַףI will repeI will repeatיָסַףבָּקַשׁI will seekI will seek itבָּקַשׁעוֹדagainagainעוֹדבָּלָהto become to become oldבָּלָהעוּדto upholdto upholdעוּדחוּלto twist: to twist: trembחוּלקַ֫יִץto summerto summerקַ֫יִץיָקַץto awaketo awakeיָקַץמַכָּהwoundwoundמַכָּהמוֹטto shaketo shakeמוֹטפְּלִשְׁתִּי(Sea of th(Sea of the) Phפְּלִשְׁתִּישֶׁ֫בֶרbreakingbreakingשֶׁ֫בֶרבַּלnotnotבַּלרֹאשׁheadheadרֹאשׁאֲנִיIIאֲנִיבִּיןto understto understandבִּיןאָבַלto mournto mournאָבַלשֵׁנָהsleepsleepשֵׁנָהעוּרto rouseto rouseעוּרחֲמִישִׁיfifthfifthחֲמִישִׁיעֹלyokeyokeעֹל
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 23:35

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.

they struck me not I am sick they beat me not I know when? will I awake I will repeat I will seek it again
הִכּ֥וּנִיhi.Ku.ni they struck me H5221 Verb hiphil perfect third person common plural · suffix
500× 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 to strike or hit something, and it's used in many different ways, like in Exodus when God strikes down the Egyptians. It can also mean to punish or destroy, as seen in Isaiah. The word is used to describe God's judgment.
Amplified meaning
hit, smote
Tyndale gloss
to smite
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נָכָה (nakah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to strike or smite, encompassing a range of actions from lightly hitting to fatal blows. It appears in various forms, indicating actions like attacking, punishing, or causing disease. The entries suggest its use in both literal and figurative contexts, including divine judgment and applause. There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[נָכָה] 501 vb. smite (not in Qal)

Niph. and he shall be smitten [struck by weapon in battle] and die

Pu. both be smitten down by the hail

Hiph.

lit., smite (with a single, non-fatal, blow), strike

smite repeatedly, beat a man

and they clapped hands (in applause)

give a thrust (with fork) into pot; strike roots

rarely smite (in battle) so as (merely) to wound

smite, of sun

Smite fatally

Smite = attack, attack and destroy a company

Of God

smite with a plague, disease, etc.

smite = chastise, or send judgment upon

of God’s destroying palaces

Hoph. be smitten

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5221 נָכָה smite (not in Qal) . and he shall be smitten [struck by weapon in battle] and die

. both be smitten down by the hail

. . . lit., smite (with a single, non-fatal, blow), strike

. smite repeatedly, beat a man

. and they clapped hands (in applause)

. give a thrust (with fork) into pot; strike roots

. rarely smite (in battle) so as (merely) to wound

. smite, of sun

. Smite fatally

. Smite = attack, attack and destroy a company

. Of God . smite with a plague, disease, etc.

. smite = chastise, or send judgment upon

. of God’s destroying palaces

. be smitten

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5221 nakah naw-kaw'

a primitive root; to strike (lightly or severely, literally

or figuratively):--beat, cast forth, clap, give (wounds), X

go forward, X indeed, kill, make (slaughter), murderer,

punish, slaughter, slay(-er, -ing), smite(-r, -ing), strike,

be stricken, (give) stripes, X surely, wound.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָכָה (na.khah) — to smite.

1) to strike, smite, hit, beat, slay, kill

1a)(Niphal) to be stricken or smitten

1b) (Pual) to be stricken or smitten

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to smite, strike, beat, scourge, clap, applaud, give a thrust

1c2) to smite, kill, slay (man or beast)

1c3) to smite, attack, attack and destroy, conquer, subjugate, ravage

1c4) to smite, chastise, send judgment upon, punish, destroy

1d) (Hophal) to be smitten

1d1) to receive a blow

1d2) to be wounded

1d3) to be beaten

1d4) to be (fatally) smitten, be killed, be slain

1d5) to be attacked and captured

1d6) to be smitten (with disease)

1d7) to be blighted (of plants)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Hiphil-Perf-3cp | Suff — Verb hiphil perfect third person common plural · suffix
HVhp3cp/Sp1bs
they struck me not I am sick they beat me not I know when? will I awake I will repeat I will seek it again
בַל־val- not H1077 Particle
73× 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 not or nothing, often used to show something is absent or non-existent. It appears in various forms, like lest or neither. The KJV Bible translates it in different ways, including not or none.
Amplified meaning
do not sense, am not aware of
Tyndale gloss
not
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בַּל (bal) is an adverb meaning 'not' or 'none.' It conveys a sense of negation, indicating absence or failure. The word is derived from a root that implies nothingness and can also be used in contexts like 'lest' or 'neither.' The entries consistently emphasize its function as a negation in various forms.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בַּל 69 adv. not

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1077 בַּל not

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1077 bal bal

from 1086; properly, a failure; by implication nothing;

usually (adverb) not at all; also lest:--lest, neither, no,

none (that...), not (any), nothing.

see HEBREW for 01086

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בַּל (bal) — not.

not, hardly, else

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part — Particle
HTn
they struck me not I am sick they beat me not I know when? will I awake I will repeat I will seek it again
חָלִיתִי֮cha.li.Ti I am sick H2470 Verb · Qal · perfect first person common singular
76× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To beg or entreat means to ask or pray for something, often with a sense of weakness or sickness, like when someone is grieving or in pain.
Amplified meaning
suffering, hurt
Tyndale gloss
be weak: weak
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word חָלָה (*chalah*) is built from a primitive root meaning to be rubbed or worn, covering a range of meanings related to weakness, sickness, and grief. It can refer to becoming weak or ill, making oneself sick, or even entreating favor. The entries indicate various grammatical forms, including Qal, Piel, and Hiphil, which express different nuances of these concepts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חָלָה vb. be weak, sick

Qal

be or become weak

become sick, ill

Niph.

make oneself sick, fig. for strain oneself

be made sick

Pi. make sick

Pu. be made weak

Hithp. make oneself sick

Hiph.

make (sick, i.e.) sore thy smiting

make sick

shew (signs of) sickness, become sick

Hoph. make sick = wounded

base

[חָלָה] vb. only Pi. mollify, appease, entreat the favour of

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2470a חָלָה be weak, sick .. be or become weak

. become sick, ill

. . make oneself sick, fig. for strain oneself

. be made sick

. make sick

. be made weak

. make oneself sick

. . make (sick, i.e.) sore thy smiting

. make sick

. shew (signs of) sickness, become sick

. make sick = wounded

H2470b חָלָה only Pi. mollify, appease, entreat the favour of

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2470 chalah khaw-law'

a primitive root (compare 2342, 2470, 2490); properly, to be

rubbed or worn; hence (figuratively) to be weak, sick,

afflicted; or (causatively) to grieve, make sick; also to

stroke (in flattering), entreat:--beseech, (be) diseased, (put

to) grief, be grieved, (be) grievous, infirmity, intreat, lay

to, put to pain, X pray, make prayer, be (fall, make) sick,

sore, be sorry, make suit (X supplication), woman in travail,

be (become) weak, be wounded.

see HEBREW for 02342

see HEBREW for 02470

see HEBREW for 02490

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חָלָה (cha.lah) — be weak: weak.

: weak/disabled

1) to be or become weak, be or become sick, be or become diseased, be or become grieved, be or become sorry

1a) (Qal) to be weak, be sick

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to be or become weak, feel weak

1b2) to become sick, become ill

1c) (Niphal)

1c1) to make oneself sick

1c2) to be made sick

1c3) to be tired

1d) (Pual) to be made weak, become weak

1e) (Hithpael) to make oneself sick

1f) (Hiphil)

1f1) to make sore

1f2) to make sick

1f3) to show signs of sickness, become sick

1f4) to grieve

1g) (Hophal)

1g1) to be made sick

1g2) to be wounded

חָלָה (cha.lah) — to beg.

1) (Piel)

1a) (CLBL) to mollify, entreat, pray, beg

חָלָה (cha.lah) — be weak: ill.

: ill/injured

1) to be or become weak, be or become sick, be or become diseased, be or become grieved, be or become sorry

1a) (Qal) to be weak, be sick

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to be or become weak, feel weak

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-1cs — Verb · Qal · perfect first person common singular
HVqp1cs
they struck me not I am sick they beat me not I know when? will I awake I will repeat I will seek it again
הֲלָמ֗וּנִיha.la.Mu.ni they beat me H1986 Verb qal perfect third person common plural · suffix
8× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To smite means to strike down or conquer, like God smiting the Egyptians in Exodus 3:20. It can also mean to hammer or overcome, as in Jeremiah 23:29.
Amplified meaning
overcame, drew
Tyndale gloss
to smite
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הָלַם (halam) is a Hebrew verb meaning to strike, hammer, or strike down. It conveys actions such as beating down, breaking, or overcoming. The entries indicate that this word is a primitive root and primarily used in the context of physical actions like smiting or conquering.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[הָלַם] vb. strike, hammer, strike down

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1986 [הָלַם] strike, hammer, strike down

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1986 halam haw-lam'

a primitive root; to strike down; by implication, to hammer,

stamp, conquer, disband:--beat (down), break (down), overcome,

smite (with the hammer).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הָלַם (ha.lam) — to smite.

(Qal) to smite, strike, hammer, strike down

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-3cp | Suff — Verb qal perfect third person common plural · suffix
HVqp3cp/Sp1bs
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
they struck me not I am sick they beat me not I know when? will I awake I will repeat I will seek it again
בַּל־bal- not H1077 Particle
73× 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 not or nothing, often used to show something is absent or non-existent. It appears in various forms, like lest or neither. The KJV Bible translates it in different ways, including not or none.
Amplified meaning
was, felt
Tyndale gloss
not
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בַּל (bal) is an adverb meaning 'not' or 'none.' It conveys a sense of negation, indicating absence or failure. The word is derived from a root that implies nothingness and can also be used in contexts like 'lest' or 'neither.' The entries consistently emphasize its function as a negation in various forms.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בַּל 69 adv. not

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1077 בַּל not

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1077 bal bal

from 1086; properly, a failure; by implication nothing;

usually (adverb) not at all; also lest:--lest, neither, no,

none (that...), not (any), nothing.

see HEBREW for 01086

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בַּל (bal) — not.

not, hardly, else

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part — Particle
HTn
they struck me not I am sick they beat me not I know when? will I awake I will repeat I will seek it again
יָ֫דָ֥עְתִּיya.Da.'e.ti I know H3045 Verb · Qal · perfect first person common singular
945× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for to know means to ascertain by seeing, and is used in many senses, including to learn, perceive, and recognize, as seen in various KJV translations.
Amplified meaning
perceive, understand
Tyndale gloss
to know
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָדַע (yada`) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to know,' encompassing a wide range of senses including perception, recognition, and experience. It can refer to knowing someone intimately or being skilled in a task. The word has various forms, indicating actions such as making known or being made known. Lexicons note its use in both literal and figurative contexts, but there is no significant disagreement among them.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָדַע 943 vb. know

Qal

know, learn to know

perceive

perceive and see; find out and discern

discriminate, distinguish

know by experience

recognize, admit, acknowledge, confess

consider

not know = not expect

know a person, be acquainted with

know a person carnally, of sexual intercourse

know how, to do a thing, be able to do it

be skilful in

abs. have knowledge, be wise

Niph.

be made known, be or become known, of things

make oneself known of pers.

be perceived

be instructed

Pi. cause to know

Pu. known

Hiph. make known, declare

Hoph. made known

Hithp. make oneself known

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3045 יָדַע know .. . know, learn to know

. perceive

. perceive and see; find out and discern

. discriminate, distinguish

. know by experience

. recognize, admit, acknowledge, confess

. consider

. not know = not expect

. know a person, be acquainted with

. know a person carnally, of sexual intercourse

. . know how, to do a thing, be able to do it

. be skilful in

. abs. have knowledge, be wise

. . be made known, be or become known, of things

. make oneself known of pers.

. be perceived

. be instructed

. cause to know

. known

. make known, declare

. made known

. make oneself known

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3045 yada` yaw-dah'

a primitive root; to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing);

used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally,

euphemistically and inferentially (including observation,

care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation,

punishment, etc.) (as follow):--acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted

with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware,

(un-)awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, X

could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to)

discern, discover, endued with, familiar friend, famous, feel,

can have, be (ig-)norant, instruct, kinsfolk, kinsman, (cause

to let, make) know, (come to give, have, take) knowledge, have

(knowledge), (be, make, make to be, make self) known, + be

learned, + lie by man, mark, perceive, privy to, X

prognosticator, regard, have respect, skilful, shew, can (man

of) skill, be sure, of a surety, teach, (can) tell,

Read the full entry →
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָדַע (ya.da) — to know.

1) to know

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to know

1a1a) to know, learn to know

1a1b) to perceive

1a1c) to perceive and see, find out and discern

1a1d) to discriminate, distinguish

1a1e) to know by experience

1a1f) to recognise, admit, acknowledge, confess

1a1g) to consider

1a2) to know, be acquainted with

1a3) to know (a person carnally)

1a4) to know how, be skilful in

1a5) to have knowledge, be wise

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be made known, be or become known, be revealed

1b2) to make oneself known

1b3) to be perceived

1b4) to be instructed

1c) (Piel) to cause to know

1d) (Poal) to cause to know

1e) (Pual)

1e1) to be known

1e2) known, one known, acquaintance (participle)

1f) (Hiphil) to make known, declare

1g) (Hophal) to be made known

1h) (Hithpael) to make oneself known, reveal oneself

Aramaic equivalent: ye.da (יְדַע "to know" H3046)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-1cs — Verb · Qal · perfect first person common singular
HVqp1cs
they struck me not I am sick they beat me not I know when? will I awake I will repeat I will seek it again
מָתַ֥יma.Tai when? H4970 Particle
43× 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 'when' or 'how long', often used to ask about time or duration, like in Genesis when asking how long a task will take.
Amplified meaning
how long, at what time
Tyndale gloss
how
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מָתַי (mathay) is an adverb meaning 'when?' It is derived from an unused root that suggests extension, particularly in relation to time. The word is used interrogatively to ask about timeframes, such as 'how long?' or 'until when?'. It appears in contexts that require a temporal inquiry.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מָתַי 43 interrog.adv. when?

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4970 מָתַי when?

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4970 mathay maw-thah'ee

from an unused root meaning to extend; properly, extent (of

time); but used only adverbially (especially with other

particle prefixes), when (either relative or

interrogative):--long, when.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מָתַי (ma.tay) — how.

1) when?

1a) with prep

1a1) against when?, until when?, how long?, after how long?

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part — Particle
HTi
they struck me not I am sick they beat me not I know when? will I awake I will repeat I will seek it again
אָקִ֑יץ'a.Kitz will I awake H6974 Verb · Hiphil · imperfect first person common singular
22× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word means to wake up or be awake, like when God told Samuel to arise and anoint a new king in 1 Samuel 16:3. It can also mean to be watchful, as in Psalm 102:7.
Amplified meaning
arise, become awake
Tyndale gloss
to awake
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

קִיץ (quts) is a Hebrew verb meaning to awake or wake up, primarily in the Hiphil form, which indicates causing to awaken. The entries emphasize its literal and figurative use, relating to the abruptness of waking, and suggest a connection to similar roots. There are no significant disagreements among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[קִיץ] vb. Hiph. awake

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6974 [קִיץ] Hiph. awake

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6974 quwts koots

a primitive root (identical with 6972 through the idea of

abruptness in starting up from sleep (compare 3364)); to awake

(literally or figuratively):--arise, (be) (a-)wake, watch.

see HEBREW for 06972

see HEBREW for 03364

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קִיץ (quts) — to awake.

1) to awake, wake up

1a) (Hiphil) to awaken, arouse, show signs of waking, awake

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Hiphil-Imperf-1cs — Verb · Hiphil · imperfect first person common singular
HVhi1cs
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

a-wak' yaqats, ("to waken"; `ur, "to rouse up" from sleep; egeiro, "to arouse from sleep"): The ordinary terms for awaking from natural slumber: as of Jacob at Bethel (Ge 28:16); of Solomon at Gibeon (1Ki 3:15); of Jesus in the storm-tossed boat (Lu 8:24).

Used figure with striking effect of awaking from mental, moral and spiritual sleep: as when Deborah calls upon herself to awake to the fervor and eloquence of poetry (Jud 5:12); of Zion's awaking to moral vigor and beauty (Isa 52:1); of waking from spiritual death (Eph 5:14); from the grave in resurrection (

they struck me not I am sick they beat me not I know when? will I awake I will repeat I will seek it again
א֝וֹסִ֗יף'o.Sif I will repeat H3254 Verb · Hiphil · imperfect first person common singular
212× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To add means to increase or do something again, like adding more of something or continuing an action. This word is used in the Bible to describe growth or repetition.
Amplified meaning
more, additional
Tyndale gloss
to add
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָסַף (yacaph) is a Hebrew verb meaning to add or increase. It can denote actions like joining oneself to something or continuing to do a task. The entries indicate its use in various forms, including Qal, Niphal, and Hiphil, with nuances of doing something again or augmenting an amount.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָסַף 214 vb. add

Qal add

Niph.

join (intr.), join oneself to

be joined, added to

Hiph.

add

sq. inf. add to do = do again or more

sq. Impf.

sq. Impf. asynd.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3254 יָסַף add . add

. . join (intr.), join oneself to

. be joined, added to

. . add

. . sq. inf. add to do = do again or more

. sq. Impf.

. sq. Impf. asynd.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3254 yacaph yaw-saf'

a primitive root; to add or augment (often adverbial, to

continue to do a thing):--add, X again, X any more, X cease, X

come more, + conceive again, continue, exceed, X further, X

gather together, get more, give more-over, X henceforth,

increase (more and more), join, X longer (bring, do, make,

much, put), X (the, much, yet) more (and more), proceed

(further), prolong, put, be (strong-) er, X yet, yield.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָסַף (ya.saph) — to add: again.

: again/continue/more[instances]

1) to add, increase, do again

1a) (Qal) to add, increase, do again

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to join, join oneself to

1b2) to be joined, be added to

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to cause to add, increase

1c2) to do more, do again

יָסַף (ya.saph) — to add.

: add/more[amount]

1) to add, increase, do again

1a) (Qal) to add, increase, do again

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to join, join oneself to

1b2) to be joined, be added to

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to cause to add, increase

1c2) to do more, do again

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Hiphil-Imperf-1cs — Verb · Hiphil · imperfect first person common singular
HVhi1cs
they struck me not I am sick they beat me not I know when? will I awake I will repeat I will seek it again
אֲבַקְשֶׁ֥נּוּ'a.vak.She.nu I will seek it H1245 Verb piel imperfect first person common singular · suffix
225× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew verb means to seek or search for something. In Psalm 105:4, it's used to encourage seeking God's face. It's also used in 1 Samuel 28:8 where Saul seeks a medium.
Amplified meaning
seek, look
Tyndale gloss
to seek
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בָּקַשׁ (baqash) is a Hebrew verb meaning to seek or search out, often in the context of worship or prayer. It encompasses a range of actions including asking, desiring, and requiring. The verb can appear in different forms, such as Piel and Pual, indicating various nuances of seeking or being sought.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[בָּקַשׁ] 224 vb. seek

Pi.

seek to find

seek to secure

seek the face

desire, demand

require, exact

exact equivalent or penalty for

(late) ask, request

Pu. be sought

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1245 בָּקַשׁ seek

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1245 baqash baw-kash'

a primitive root; to search out (by any method, specifically

in worship or prayer); by implication, to strive after:--ask,

beg, beseech, desire, enquire, get, make inquisition, procure,

(make) request, require, seek (for).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בָּקַשׁ (ba.qash) — to seek.

1) to seek, require, desire, exact, request

1a) (Piel)

1a1) to seek to find

1a2) to seek to secure

1a3) to seek the face

1a4) to desire, demand

1a5) to require, exact

1a6) to ask, request

1b) (Pual) to be sought

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Piel-Imperf-1cs | Suff — Verb piel imperfect first person common singular · suffix
HVpi1cs/Sp3ms
they struck me not I am sick they beat me not I know when? will I awake I will repeat I will seek it again
עֽוֹד׃od again H5750 Adv
490× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The word 'still' means something continues or happens again, like in Genesis 29:26 and Isaiah 2:11. It can also mean 'more' or 'additionally'.
Amplified meaning
wine, intoxicating beverage
Tyndale gloss
still
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עוֹד (owd) primarily denotes a sense of iteration or continuance, functioning mostly as an adverb meaning 'still,' 'yet,' or 'again.' It can also imply addition or repetition, as in 'more' or 'besides.' The word appears in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, emphasizing persistence or continuation.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עוֹד and (14 t.) עֹד subst. a going round, continuance, but used mostly as adv. acc. still, yet, again, besides

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5750 עוֹד and (14 t.) עֹד subst. a going round, continuance, but used mostly as adv. acc. still, yet, again, besides

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5750 `owd ode

or rod {ode}; from 5749; properly, iteration or continuance;

used only adverbially (with or without preposition), again,

repeatedly, still, more:--again, X all life long, at all,

besides, but, else, further(-more), henceforth, (any) longer,

(any) more(-over), X once, since, (be) still, when, (good,

the) while (having being), (as, because, whether, while) yet

(within).

see HEBREW for 05749

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עוֹד (od) — still.

subst

1) a going round, continuance

adv

2) still, yet, again, besides

2a) still, yet (of continuance or persistence)

2b) still, yet, more (of addition or repetition)

2c) again

2d) still, moreover, besides

Aramaic equivalent: od (עוֹד "still" H5751)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adv — Adv
HAcmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

a-gen': Advb. denoting repetition; in New Testament, generally for palin, "back," "once more." Occasionally, it has the force of a connective, synonymous with "moreover," as in Ro 15:10 ff; 1Co 3:20, etc. The expression "born again" of the King James Version, Joh 3:3,7; 1Pe 1:23, translating the Greek "anothen" and "ana" in composition, becomes in the Revised Version (British and American) "anew," i.e. "over again." As these particles mean "from above" and "up," their use as indicating repetition is sometimes disputed, but without further foundation than that "again" does not exhaust the meaning.

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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