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Proverbs 27:14 — Word Study

Depth

WLCמְבָ֘רֵ֤ךְ רֵעֵ֨הוּ׀ בְּק֣וֹל גָּ֭דוֹל בַּבֹּ֣קֶר הַשְׁכֵּ֑ים קְ֝לָלָ֗ה תֵּחָ֥שֶׁב לֽוֹ׃

BSAIf one blessesbârak [praises, honors] his neighborrêaʻ [friend, companion] with a loudgâdôwl [great, boisterous] voiceqôwl [sound, utterance] earlyshâkam [at the break of day] in the morningbôqer [at dawn, when day begins] it will be countedchâshab [reckoned, considered] as a curseqᵉlâlâh [a wish for harm, evil]

Word
Listen & take awayProverbs 27
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 14 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 (lo) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Proverbs 27:14quick helps
In a sentenceThe verse warns that blessing a neighbor loudly in the morning can be perceived negatively.
Who is speakingThe speaker is an anonymous voice offering wisdom.
Where we areThis verse is part of a collection of proverbs providing practical advice.
The hard wordקְלָלָה
Take awayThe intention behind words matters; loud blessings can backfire.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectקְלָלָה verbבָּרַךְ 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 27:14

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 — Practical Wisdom in Proverbsgenerated

13Take the garment of him who posts security for a stranger; get collateral if it is for a foreigner.
14If one blesses his neighbor with a loud voice early in the morning, it will be counted to him as a curse.
15A constant dripping on a rainy day and a contentious woman are alike—
16restraining her is like holding back the wind or grasping oil with one’s right hand.

Proverbs 27:14 presents a warning about the consequences of how we express our intentions. The surrounding verses emphasize the importance of careful speech and consideration for others, suggesting that even well-meaning words can be misinterpreted when delivered insensitively. This proverb serves as a reminder to be mindful of how our actions and words affect those around us.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
12 Samuel 15:2–7He would get up early and stand beside the road leading to the city gate. Whenever anyone had a grievance to bring before the king for a decision, Absalom would call out and ask, “What city are you from?” And if he replied, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel,”
22 Samuel 16:16–19And David’s friend Hushai the Archite went to Absalom and said to him, “Long live the king! Long live the king!”
32 Samuel 17:7–13Hushai replied, “This time the advice of Ahithophel is not sound.”
41 Kings 22:6–13So the king of Israel assembled the prophets, about four hundred men, and asked them, “Should I go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should I refrain?” “Go up,” they replied, “and the Lord will deliver it into the hand of the king.”
5Jeremiah 28:2–4“This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: ‘I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 6 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word בָּרַךְ, me.Va.Rekhgenerated

The verb בָּרַךְ (*barak*) is a Piel participle meaning '[one who] blesses.' It is derived from a root that implies kneeling, suggesting an act of reverence or honor. In this context, it refers to the act of praising or honoring someone, typically in a positive light.

However, the word can also carry a dual meaning, as it can imply a curse in certain contexts. This nuanced understanding is important here, as the verse suggests that a loud blessing may not be received as intended, reflecting the complexity of human interactions.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb of the verse is מְבָרֵךְ, blesses, which governs the structure. The clause is followed by a series of phrases detailing how and when the blessing occurs, emphasizing the manner of speech and the time of day.

The sentence is structured with the subject followed by the action and then additional descriptors, highlighting the importance of the context in which the blessing is given.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates בָּרַךְ with εὐλογῶν, which carries a similar meaning of blessing but may imply a more formal or religious context. This choice reflects the translators' understanding of the act of blessing as a significant and solemn expression.

The Greek term emphasizes the act of blessing as a positive gesture, yet the context of the verse warns of its potential misinterpretation, aligning with the Hebrew's dual meaning.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Proverbs 27:14 warns that if someone blesses their neighbor loudly in the morning, it may be seen as a curse instead. This verse teaches that the way we express our words matters, and that loud blessings can sometimes be misinterpreted.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean to bless someone?

To bless someone generally means to praise or honor them, often wishing them well.

Why might a loud blessing be considered a curse?

A loud blessing early in the morning could be perceived as insincere or disruptive, leading to a negative interpretation.

How can I apply this verse in my life?

Consider the tone and timing of your words when speaking to others, ensuring they are received positively.

What does this verse teach about communication?

It highlights the importance of being mindful of how our words may be perceived by others, especially in sensitive situations.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what situations have I seen words misinterpreted, and how can I avoid that?
  2. How can I ensure my blessings to others are received positively?
  3. What are some examples of how tone and volume can affect communication?
  4. How can I practice being more mindful of my words in daily interactions?

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

Bede comments on this verse, emphasizing the impact of excessive praise and its potential misinterpretation.

BedeCommentary on Proverbs c. 673–735
He who blesses his neighbor with a loud voice, etc. He who blesses his neighbor with a loud voice extols him with the favor of excessive praise;
Early Church Fathers on Proverbs 27 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Proverbs 27:14 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice,.... So as not only to be heard by him, but by others; who is extravagant in his praises and commendations of him; who exceeds all bounds of modesty,

Read John Gill on Proverbs 27 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be counted a curse to him.

Read Robert Jamieson on Proverbs 27 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

He that blesseth his friend, that saluteth, or praiseth, and applaudeth him to his face, as the manner of flatterers is, with a loud voice, that both he and others may be sure to take notice of it; rising early in the morning to perform this office, to show his great forwardness, and diligence, and zeal in his service, which was the custom of the Romans afterward, and possibly of some of the Jews at this time; it shall be counted a curse to him his friend will value this kind of blessing no more than a curse, because it plainly discovers a base design, and is a high reflection upon him, as if he either did not understand such gross and palpable flattery, or were so ridiculously…

Read Matthew Poole on Proverbs 27 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Proverbs 27:14 He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be counted a curse to him.Ver. 14. He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice.] Qui leonum laudibus murem obruit, that extols a man above measure, - as the false prophets did Ahab, and the people Herod, - that praiseth him to his face; which, when a court parasite did to Sigismund the emperor, he gave him a sound box on the ear. A preacher in Constantine’ s time, ausus est imperatorem in os beatum dicere, saith Eusebius, presumed to call the emperor a saint to his face; but he went away with a check. When Aristobulus the historian presented to Alexander the great book that he had written…

Read John Trapp on Proverbs 27 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(14) He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice . . .—If gratitude is to be acceptable, the time, place, and manner of shewing it must all be well chosen. A man who is so eager to express his thanks that he begins early in the morning, and in so loud a voice as to draw upon his patron the attention of all the bystanders, is looked upon as a nuisance; any one would as soon be cursed as blessed by him. So God loves heartfelt gratitude offered in secret. (Comp. Matthew 6:5-6.)

Read Charles John Ellicott on Proverbs 27 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 14. He that blesseth his friend] He who makes loud and public protestations of acknowledgments to his friend for favours received, subjects his sincerity to suspicion; and remember the Italian proverb elsewhere quoted:-"He who praises you more than he was wont to do, has either deceived you, or is about to do it." Extravagant public professions are little to be regarded.

Read AdamClarke on Proverbs 27 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

14. Ostentatious professions of regard, like the profuse kisses of an enemy (Proverbs 27:6), justly incur the suspicion of sinister design.

Read Cambridge on Proverbs 27 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The picture of the ostentatious flatterer going at daybreak to pour out blessings on his patron. For any good that he does, for any thanks he gets, he might as well utter curses.

Read Albert Barnes on Proverbs 27 →

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

If one blesses his neighbor with a loud voice early in the morning, it will be counted to him as a curse.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

He who blesses his neighbor with a loud voice early in the morning, it will be taken as a curse by him.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

If one blesses his neighbor with a loud voice early in the morning, it will be counted to him as a curse.

NETBNew English Translation2006

If someone blesses his neighbor with a loud voice early in the morning, it will be counted as a curse to him.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be counted a curse to him.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, It shall be counted a curse to him.

RVARevised Version, American1894

He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be counted a curse to him.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be counted a curse to him.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

He that prayseth his friend with a loude voyce, rising earely in the morning, it shall be counted to him as a curse.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be reckoned a curse to him.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Whoso is saluting his friend with a loud voice, In the morning rising early, A light thing it is reckoned to him.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Whoever is greeting his friend with a loud voice, || Rising early in the morning, || It is reckoned a light thing to him.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

When one saluteth his friend with a loud voice, when rising early in the morning, it will be counted a curse to him.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Whoever gives his neighbor a blessing with a loud voice early in the morning, that blessing will be considered to be a curse!

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

He that blesseth his neighbour with a loud voice, rising in the night, shall be like to him that curseth.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

If when you get up every morning you shout a loud hello to your neighbors, they will see that as a curse!

BBEBible in Basic English1949

He who gives a blessing to his friend with a loud voice, getting up early in the morning, will have it put to his account as a curse.

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.

clauseclauseverbמְבָ֘רֵ֤ךְ[one.who].blessesnoun phrase · objectרֵעֵ֨neighborהוּhisprepositional phrase · prepositionalבְּwithnoun phraseק֣וֹלa.voiceגָּ֭דוֹלgreatclause · adverbialprepositional phrase · prepositionalבַּinnoun phrasetheבֹּ֣קֶרmorningverbהַשְׁכֵּ֑יםrising.earlyclausesubjectקְ֝לָלָ֗הa.curseverbתֵּחָ֥שֶׁבit.is.reckonedprepositional phrase · prepositionalלֽtoוֹhim

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 some agreement in the core concepts, though only a few words match directly. The Septuagint's rendering suggests a more formal interpretation of the blessing, while the Hebrew retains a more conversational tone.

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

מְבָ֘רֵ֤ךְ רֵעֵ֨הוּ׀ בְּק֣וֹל גָּ֭דוֹל בַּבֹּ֣קֶר הַשְׁכֵּ֑ים קְ֝לָלָ֗ה תֵּחָ֥שֶׁב לֽוֹ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
רֵעֵ֨הוּ׀φίλονבַּבֹּ֣קֶרπρωὶקְ֝לָלָ֗הκαταρωμένου

3 of the 9 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 27:14בָּרַךְ[one who] b[one who] blessבָּרַךְרֵעַneighbor hineighbor hisרֵעַקוֹלwith a voicwith a voiceקוֹלגָּדוֹלgreatgreatגָּדוֹלבֹּ֫קֶרin the mornin the morningבֹּ֫קֶרשָׁכַםrising earlrising earlyשָׁכַםקְלָלָהa cursea curseקְלָלָהחָשַׁבit is reckoit is reckonedחָשַׁבוֹto himto himוֹגָּדַלto magnifyto magnifyגָּדַלבָּקַרto enquireto enquireבָּקַרשְׁכֶםshouldershoulderשְׁכֶםקָלַלto lightento lightenקָלַלבֵּית־עֵ֫קֶדHouse of SHouse of Shepheבֵּית־עֵ֫קֶדאָרַרto curseto curseאָרַרנָאַףto commit to commit adultנָאַףאִישׁmanmanאִישׁתְּרוּעָהshoutshoutתְּרוּעָהשֹׁפָרtrumpettrumpetשֹׁפָרקָטָןsmallsmallקָטָןמְאֹדmuchmuchמְאֹדשָׁכַםto riseto riseשָׁכַםעֶ֫רֶבeveningeveningעֶ֫רֶבבֹּ֫קֶרmorningmorningבֹּ֫קֶרמָחֳרָתmorrowmorrowמָחֳרָתשַׁמָּהhorror: dehorror: destroyשַׁמָּהבְּרָכָהblessingblessingבְּרָכָה
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 27:14

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.

[one who] blesses neighbor his with a voice great in the morning rising early a curse it is reckoned to him
מְבָ֘רֵ֤ךְme.Va.Rekh [one who] blesses H1288 Verb · Piel · participle (active) masculine singular
330× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To bless means to praise or honor God, often by kneeling in worship. In the Bible, people bless God and God blesses people, showing favor and care for them, as seen in the story of Abraham and his descendants.
Amplified meaning
praises, honors
Tyndale gloss
to bless
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word בָּרַךְ (*barak*) is built from a primitive root meaning 'to kneel' and encompasses a range of meanings including 'to bless' and 'to curse.' It can refer to blessing God or men, as well as the act of kneeling in adoration. The entries note that it can also imply a curse in certain contexts, reflecting a nuanced use in greetings and farewells.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[בָּרַךְ] 329 vb. kneel, bless

Qal

kneel down

bless

Niph. bless oneself

Pi.

bless God, adore with bended knees

God blesses

men bless men

salute, greet, with an invocation of blessing

bless, with the antithetical meaning curse from the greeting in departing, saying adieu to, taking leave of; but rather a blessing overdone and so really a curse as in vulgar English as well as in the Shemitic cognates

Pu.

pass. to be blessed, adored

prospered by God

have prosperity invoked, by Balaam

in gratitude

Hiph. and he made his camel kneel

Hithp. bless oneself, congratulate oneself in his heart

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1288 בָּרַךְ kneel, bless .. kneel down

. bless

. bless oneself

. . bless God, adore with bended knees

. God blesses

. men bless men

. salute, greet, with an invocation of blessing

. bless, with the antithetical meaning curse from the greeting in departing, saying adieu to, taking leave of; but rather a blessing overdone and so really a curse as in vulgar English as well as in the Shemitic cognates

. . pass. to be blessed, adored

. prospered by God

. have prosperity invoked, by Balaam

. in gratitude

. and he made his camel kneel

. bless oneself, congratulate oneself in his heart

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1288 barak baw-rak'

a primitive root; to kneel; by implication to bless God (as

an act of adoration), and (vice-versa) man (as a benefit);

also (by euphemism) to curse (God or the king, as treason):--X

abundantly, X altogether, X at all, blaspheme, bless,

congratulate, curse, X greatly, X indeed, kneel (down),

praise, salute, X still, thank.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בָּרַךְ (ba.rakh) — to bless.

1) to bless, kneel

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to kneel

1a2) to bless

1b) (Niphal) to be blessed, bless oneself

1c) (Piel) to bless

1d) (Pual) to be blessed, be adored

1e) (Hiphil) to cause to kneel

1f) (Hithpael) to bless oneself

2) (TWOT) to praise, salute, curse

Aramaic equivalent: be.rakh (בְּרַךְ "to bless" H1289)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Piel — Verb · Piel · participle (active) masculine singular
HVprmsa
[one who] blesses neighbor his with a voice great in the morning rising early a curse it is reckoned to him
רֵעֵ֨הוּ׀re.'E.hu neighbor his H7453 Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
188× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A neighbor or friend is what this word means, describing someone close to you. It can also refer to a companion, fellow citizen, or another person, and is often translated as brother or friend.
Amplified meaning
friend, companion
Tyndale gloss
neighbor
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רֵעַ (rea`) refers to a friend, companion, or fellow, emphasizing close associations such as brotherhood or intimacy. It can also denote a neighbor or another person in a broader sense. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to associate.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רֵעַ 187 n.m. friend, companion, fellow

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7453 רֵעַ friend, companion, fellow

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7453 rea` ray'-ah

or reya2 {ray'-ah}; from 7462; an associate (more or less

close):--brother, companion, fellow, friend, husband, lover,

neighbour, X (an-)other.

see HEBREW for 0reya2

see HEBREW for 07462

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רֵעַ (re.a) — neighbor.

1) friend, companion, fellow, another person

1a) friend, intimate

1b) fellow, fellow-citizen, another person (weaker sense)

1c) other, another (reciprocal phrase)

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."

[one who] blesses neighbor his with a voice great in the morning rising early a curse it is reckoned to him
בְּק֣וֹלbe.Kol with a voice H6963 Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
506× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A voice or sound, it can refer to the sound of a person speaking, an animal, or a musical instrument. In the Bible, it is often used to describe God's voice or the sound of praise and worship.
Amplified meaning
sound, utterance
Tyndale gloss
voice: sound
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

קוֹל (qol) primarily means 'voice' or 'sound,' encompassing various contexts such as music, noise, and even thunder. It can also denote lightness or frivolity. The word is built from a root meaning to call aloud and appears in various forms throughout the Old Testament, including a reference in Jeremiah 3:9.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

קוֹל 506 n.m. sound, voice

base

קֹל n.[m.] lightness, frivolity;—Je 3:9

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6963a קוֹל sound, voice H6963b קֹל lightness, frivolity

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6963 qowl kole

or qol {kole}; from an unused root meaning to call aloud; a

voice or sound:--+ aloud, bleating, crackling, cry (+ out),

fame, lightness, lowing, noise, + hold peace, (pro-)claim,

proclamation, + sing, sound, + spark, thunder(-ing), voice, +

yell.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קוֹל (qol) — voice.

: voice/shout/loud

1) voice, sound, noise

1a) voice

1b) sound (of instrument)

קֹל (qol) — frivolity.

lightness, frivolity

קוֹל (qol) — voice: sound.

: sound/noise

1) voice, sound, noise

1a) voice

1b) sound (of instrument)

קוֹל (qol) — voice: thunder.

: thunder

1) voice, sound, noise

1a) voice

1b) sound (of instrument)

קוֹל (qol) — voice: message.

: message/proclaim

1) voice, sound, noise

1a) voice

1b) sound (of instrument)

קוֹל (qol) — voice: [sound of].

: [sound_of](THING)

1) voice, sound, noise

1a) voice

1b) sound (of instrument)

קוֹל (qol) — voice: listen.

: listen

1) voice, sound, noise

1a) voice

1b) sound (of instrument)

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

vois.

See BATH KOL.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ OF GOD Eze 1:24,28; 10:5; Joh 5:37; 12:28-30; Ac 7:31; 9:4,7; 26:14,15

See ANTHROPOMORPHISMS

[one who] blesses neighbor his with a voice great in the morning rising early a curse it is reckoned to him
גָּ֭דוֹלGa.dol great H1419 Adj
526× 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 something or someone great, whether in size, age, or importance. It appears in descriptions of the Great Sea and the Philistines. The word is used to convey a sense of magnitude or grandeur.
Amplified meaning
great, boisterous
Tyndale gloss
Great (Sea)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

גָּדוֹל (gadol) means 'great' and covers a wide range of meanings, including large in size, number, intensity, sound, age, and importance. It can also refer to notable individuals or even God. Additionally, it appears as a proper noun in reference to a person named in Nehemiah 11:14. The lexicons note its use in various contexts, but do not present significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

גָּדוֹל 622 adj. great

in magnitude and extent

in number

in intensity

in sound, loud

in age

in importance

in phrases

cstr.

as subst. concr. do great things

† as subst. neut. greatness of arm

base

הַגְּדוֹלִים n.pr.m. father of Zabdiel Ne 11:14 (RV & so most; but 𝔊 RVm al. the great).

done

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1419a גָּדוֹל great . in magnitude and extent

. in number

. in intensity

. in sound, loud

. in age

. in importance

. in phrases

. cstr.

. as subst. concr. do great things

. † as subst. neut. greatness of arm

H1419b הַגְּדוֹלִים father of Zabdiel

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1419 gadowl gaw-dole'

or (shortened) gadol {gaw-dole'}; from 1431; great (in any

sense); hence, older; also insolent:--+ aloud, elder(-est), +

exceeding(-ly), + far, (man of) great (man, matter,

thing,-er,-ness), high, long, loud, mighty, more, much, noble,

proud thing, X sore, (X ) very.

see HEBREW for 01431

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

גָּדוֹל (ga.dol) — great: large.

adj

1) great

1a) large (in magnitude and extent)

1b) in number

1c) in intensity

1d) loud (in sound)

1e) older (in age)

1f) in importance

1f1) important things

1f2) great, distinguished (of men)

1f3) God Himself (of God)

subst

1g) great things

1h) haughty things

1i) greatness

Also means: ga.dol (גָּדוֹל ": old" H1419K)

§ Haggedolim = "the great one"

(CLBL) Haggedolim, the great man?, father of Zabdiel

גָּדוֹל (ga.dol) — Haggedolim.

A man living at the time of Exile and Return, only mentioned at Neh.11.14

§ Haggedolim = "the great one"

(CLBL) Haggedolim, the great man?, father of Zabdiel

גָּדוֹל (ga.dol) — Great (Sea).

adj

great

Also named: pe.lish.ti (פְּלִשְׁתִּי "(Sea of the )Philistines" H6430I)

גָּדוֹל (ga.dol) — great: old.

adj

1) great

1a) large (in magnitude and extent)

1b) in number

1c) in intensity

1d) loud (in sound)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Adj
HAamsa
[one who] blesses neighbor his with a voice great in the morning rising early a curse it is reckoned to him
בַּבֹּ֣קֶרba.Bo.ker in the morning H1242 Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
214× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The break of day or morning, a time of new beginnings, as in the morning sacrifices in Exodus 29:39 or the resurrection of Jesus on the first day of the week in John 20:1.
Amplified meaning
at dawn, when day begins
Tyndale gloss
morning
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בֹּ֫קֶר (boqer) means 'morning' and is derived from the root word for 'dawn.' It encompasses the time of day when light begins to appear, marking the end of night and the start of a new day. The term can also refer to the next day or morning after a specific point in time. It is associated with brightness and joy following periods of distress.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בֹּ֫קֶר 214 n.m. morning

morning (of point of time, time at which, never during which, Eng. morning = forenoon

morrow, next day

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1242 בֹּ֫קֶר morning . morning (of point of time, time at which, never during which, Eng. morning = forenoon

. morrow, next day

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1242 boqer bo'-ker

from 1239; properly, dawn (as the break of day); generally,

morning:--(+) day, early, morning, morrow.

see HEBREW for 01239

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בֹּ֫קֶר (bo.qer) — morning.

1) morning, break of day

1a) morning

1a1) of end of night

1a2) of coming of daylight

1a3) of coming of sunrise

1a4) of beginning of day

1a5) of bright joy after night of distress (fig.)

1b) morrow, next day, next morning

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

mor'-ning: There are several Hebrew and Greek words which are rendered "morning," the most common in Hebrew being boqer, which occurs 180 times. It properly means "the breaking forth of the light," "the dawn," as in Ge 19:27; Jud 19:8,25,27. Another word with the same meaning is shachar (Ge 19:15; Ne 4:21; Isa 58:8). mishchar ("womb of the morning," Ps 110:3) is a poetical term derived from. the same root. See HIND OF THE MORNING. noghah, naghha' (Da 6:19 (Hebrew 20)), mean "brightness." hashkem, comes from…

Torrey's New Topical Textbook

- The second part of the day at the creation

Ge 1:5,8,13,19,23,31

- The first part of the natural day

Mr 16:2

- Ordained by God

Job 38:12

- Began with first dawn

Jos 6:15; Ps 119:147

- Continued until noon

1Ki 18:26; Ne 8:3

- First dawning of, called the eyelids of the morning

Job 3:9; 41:18

- The outgoings of, made to rejoice

Ps 65:8

- THE JEWS

. Generally rose early in

[one who] blesses neighbor his with a voice great in the morning rising early a curse it is reckoned to him
הַשְׁכֵּ֑יםhash.Keim rising early H7925 Verb · Hiphil · infinitive absolute
65× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to rise or start early, like loading up a burden. It is used in Genesis to describe early morning activities.
Amplified meaning
at the break of day
Tyndale gloss
to rise
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׁכַם (shakam) is a verb that means to rise or start early. It is a denominative form derived from a root meaning to incline or load up. The entries indicate its use primarily in the Hiphil form, suggesting actions like getting up early or making an early start.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[שָׁכַם] 65 vb. Hiph. denom. start, rise, early

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7925 שָׁכַם vb. Hiph. denom. start, rise, early

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7925 shakam shaw-kam'

a primitive root; properly, to incline (the shoulder to a

burden); but used only as denominative from 7926; literally,

to load up (on the back of man or beast), i.e. to start early

in the morning:--(arise, be up, get (oneself) up, rise up)

early (betimes), morning.

see HEBREW for 07926

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁכַם (sha.kham) — to rise.

1) to rise or start early

1a) (Hiphil)

1a1) to rise early, make an early start

1a2) early (as adverb)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Hiphil-Ptc — Verb · Hiphil · infinitive absolute
HVhaa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ur'-li (orthros, and related words; proi):

The word generally refers to the day, and means the hour of dawn or soon after (Ge 19:2; 2Ch 36:15; Ho 6:4; Lu 24:22). Sometimes it refers to the beginning of the season, eg. the early rain (Ps 84:6; Jas 5:7; see RAIN). It may also have the sense of "speedily" (Ps 46:5). The early morning is frequently commended as the hour for prayer. See examples of Jesus (Mr 1:35; Lu…

[one who] blesses neighbor his with a voice great in the morning rising early a curse it is reckoned to him
קְ֝לָלָ֗הke.la.Lah a curse H7045 Noun common · feminine singular absolute
33× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means a curse, which is a wish for harm or evil to come to someone. It is used in many places, including the book of Numbers and Deuteronomy. Curses were taken seriously in biblical times.
Amplified meaning
a wish for harm, evil
Tyndale gloss
curse
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

קְלָלָה (qlalah) means 'curse' and is derived from the root word for vilification. It encompasses meanings related to cursing, vilification, and execration. The term appears in contexts of condemnation and negative speech.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

קְלָלָה 33 n.f. curse

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7045 קְלָלָה curse

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7045 qlalah kel-aw-law'

from 7043; vilification:--(ac-)curse(-d, - ing).

see HEBREW for 07043

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קְלָלָה (qe.la.lah) — curse.

curse, vilification, execration

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absolute
HNcfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

kurs ('alah (Nu 5:21,23,17, etc.), me'erah (Pr 3:33; Mal 2:2, etc.), klalah (Ge 27:12,13); katara (Ga 3:10,13)): This word as noun and verb renders different Hebrew words, some of them being more or less synonymous, differing only in degree of strength. It is often used in contrast with "bless" or "blessing" (De 11:29). When a curse is pronounced against any person, we are not to understand this as a mere wish, however violent, that disaster should overtake the person in question, any more than we are to understand that a corresponding "blessing" conveys simply a wish…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Curse

Denounced by God against the serpent (Gen. 3:14), and against Cain (4:11). These divine maledictions carried their effect with them. Prophetical curses were sometimes pronounced by holy men (Gen. 9:25; 49:7; Deut. 27:15; Josh. 6:26). Such curses are not the consequence of passion or revenge, they are predictions.

No one on pain of death shall curse father or mother (Ex. 21:17), nor the prince of his people (22:28), nor the deaf (Lev. 19:14). Cursing God or blaspheming was punishable by death (Lev. 24:10-16).…

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Denounced

Against the serpent Ge 3:14,15

Against Adam and Eve Ge 3:15-19

Against the ground Ge 3:17,18

Against Cain Ge 4:11-16

Against Canaan, Noah's son Ge 9:24-27

Against Meroz Jud 5:23

Against Gehazi 2Ki 5:27

→ Barak commands Balaam to curse Israel Nu 22:6; 23:11

→ See BENEDICTIONS

→ CURSES OF THE MOSAIC LAW De 27:1-26; Jos 8:30-34

See BLESSINGS

[one who] blesses neighbor his with a voice great in the morning rising early a curse it is reckoned to him
תֵּחָ֥שֶׁבte.Cha.shev it is reckoned H2803 Verb · Niphal · imperfect third person feminine singular
124× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To devise means to think or plan something, often in a clever way. In the Bible, it can mean to plot or contrive, as seen in the story of David and Goliath.
Amplified meaning
reckoned, considered
Tyndale gloss
to devise: count
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word חָשַׁב (chashab) is a primitive root meaning to think, account, or devise. It encompasses a range of actions including planning, valuing, and inventing, both for humans and in relation to God. The entries indicate various grammatical forms, such as Qal, Niphal, Piel, and Hithpael, each reflecting different nuances of thought and consideration.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חָשַׁב vb. think, account

Qal

of man:

think, account

devise, plan, mean

charge, impute

esteem, value, regard

invent ingenious and artistic things

of God:

think

devise, plan, mean

inpute, reckon

esteem, value, regard

invent ingenious and artistic things

Niph.

be accounted, thought, esteemed

be computed, reckoned

be imputed to any one

Pi.

think upon, consider, be mindful of

think to do, devise, plan

count, reckon, the years since a sale of land

Hithp. among the nations it shall not reckon itself

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2803 חָשַׁב think, account .. of man: . think, account

. devise, plan, mean

. charge, impute

. esteem, value, regard

. invent ingenious and artistic things

. of God: . think

. devise, plan, mean

. inpute, reckon

. esteem, value, regard

. invent ingenious and artistic things

. . be accounted, thought, esteemed

. be computed, reckoned

. be imputed to any one

. . think upon, consider, be mindful of

. think to do, devise, plan

. count, reckon, the years since a sale of land

. among the nations it shall not reckon itself

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2803 chashab khaw-shab'

a primitive root; properly, to plait or interpenetrate, i.e.

(literally) to weave or (gen.) to fabricate; figuratively, to

plot or contrive (usually in a malicious sense); hence (from

the mental effort) to think, regard, value, compute:--(make)

account (of), conceive, consider, count, cunning (man, work,

workman), devise, esteem, find out, forecast, hold, imagine,

impute, invent, be like, mean, purpose, reckon(-ing be made),

regard, think.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חָשַׁב (cha.shav) — to devise: design.

: design/skillful

1) to think, plan, esteem, calculate, invent, make a judgment, imagine, count

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to think, account

1a2) to plan, devise, mean

1a3) to charge, impute, reckon

1a4) to esteem, value, regard

1a5) to invent

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be accounted, be thought, be esteemed

1b2) to be computed, be reckoned

1b3) to be imputed

1c) (Piel)

1c1) to think upon, consider, be mindful of

1c2) to think to do, devise, plan

1c3) to count, reckon

1d) (Hithpael) to be considered

חָשַׁב (cha.shav) — to devise: count.

: count/regard_as

1) to think, plan, esteem, calculate, invent, make a judgment, imagine, count

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to think, account

1a2) to plan, devise, mean

1a3) to charge, impute, reckon

1a4) to esteem, value, regard

1a5) to invent

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be accounted, be thought, be esteemed

1b2) to be computed, be reckoned

1b3) to be imputed

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Niphal-Imperf-3fs — Verb · Niphal · imperfect third person feminine singular
HVNi3fs
[one who] blesses neighbor his with a voice great in the morning rising early a curse it is reckoned to him
לֽוֹ׃lo to him H9033 Preposition · suffix
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

וֹ (o) — him.

Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 3rd person masculine singular

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Sp3ms — Preposition · suffix
HR/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.

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