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Proverbs 30:21 — Word Study

Depth

WLCתַּ֣חַת שָׁ֭לוֹשׁ רָ֣גְזָה אֶ֑רֶץ וְתַ֥חַת אַ֝רְבַּ֗ע לֹא־ תוּכַ֥ל שְׂאֵֽת׃

BSAUndertachath [beneath, underneath] three thingsshâlôwsh [a specific number, a triad] the earthʼerets [land, ground, terrestrial sphere] tremblesrâgaz [shakes, quakes, is disquieted] undertachath [beneath, underneath] fourʼarbaʻ [a specific number, a quadruplet] it cannotlôʼ [is not able, lacks the power] bear upnâsâʼ [lift, support, sustain]

Word
Listen & take awayProverbs 30
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 21 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 (se.'Et) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Proverbs 30:21quick helps
In a sentenceThe verse states that the earth trembles under three specific conditions, and it cannot endure four.
What is tremblingThe earth, symbolizing the physical world, is described as shaking under certain circumstances.
The number mattersThe verse emphasizes the significance of the numbers three and four in relation to the earth's stability.
The hard wordרָ֣גְזָה
Take awayThe earth has limits to what it can bear.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectאֶרֶץ verbרָגַז 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 30:21

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 — The Limitations of the Earthgenerated

20This is the way of an adulteress: She eats and wipes her mouth and says, ‘I have done nothing wrong.’
21Under three things the earth trembles, under four it cannot bear up:
22a servant who becomes king, a fool who is filled with food,
23an unloved woman who marries, and a maidservant who supplants her mistress.

Proverbs 30:21 presents a poetic observation about the earth's inability to withstand certain situations. This verse is part of a larger section that reflects on various human experiences and the natural order. The preceding verse discusses the behavior of an adulteress, while the following verses illustrate specific scenarios that cause upheaval in society, highlighting the fragility of human conditions.


Cross References


The Key Word רָ֣גְזָה, Ra.ge.zahgenerated

The verb רָגַז (ragaz) means to tremble or quake, often in response to strong emotions or events. In this context, it indicates a physical reaction of the earth to certain pressures or circumstances, suggesting that these situations provoke a significant disturbance.

The parsing as a perfect third person feminine singular verb indicates a completed action, suggesting that the trembling of the earth is a definitive response to the stated conditions.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

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


Sentence Structuregenerated

The finite verb רָגְזָה governs the main clause, indicating the earth's reaction, while two prepositional phrases set the conditions under which this trembling occurs. The structure emphasizes the cause-and-effect relationship between the conditions and the earth's response.

The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the conditions of trembling, with the numbers three and four highlighted as pivotal to understanding the limitations of the earth.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates תַּחַת as διὰ (through), which shifts the focus slightly from 'under' to a sense of causation or means. This choice suggests a broader interpretation of the conditions that lead to the earth's trembling.

The Greek word for 'three' is τριῶν, aligning closely with the Hebrew, while the word for 'four' is τέταρτον, maintaining the numerical emphasis found in the Hebrew.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Proverbs 30:21 tells us that there are three things that make the earth tremble, and four things that it cannot bear. This verse highlights the limitations of the earth in response to certain situations, emphasizing the significance of the numbers three and four.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that the earth trembles?

The trembling of the earth symbolizes a reaction to significant events or conditions that disrupt the natural order.

Why are the numbers three and four important?

These numbers highlight specific conditions that cause instability, emphasizing the earth's limitations in bearing certain situations.

What kinds of things might cause the earth to tremble?

The verse implies that certain human actions or societal changes can provoke a strong reaction from the earth, reflecting a deeper moral or spiritual truth.

How does this verse relate to the rest of Proverbs 30?

This verse fits into a series of observations about human behavior and its consequences, illustrating the broader themes of wisdom and the natural order.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What are some situations in my life that feel overwhelming or unmanageable, similar to what this verse describes?
  2. How can I recognize the limits of what I can bear in my own life?
  3. In what ways do I see the natural world responding to human actions or societal changes?
  4. What lessons can I learn from the imagery of the earth trembling in this verse?

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

Early commentators, including Hippolytus of Rome, have drawn from this verse to discuss the nature of earthly stability and divine influence.

Hippolytus of RomeFragments from Commentaries on Various Books of Scripture c. 170–235
The shaking (of the earth) signifies the change of things upon earth.-Sin, then, which in its own nature is a slave, has reigned in the mortal body of men: once, indeed, at the time of the flood;
Early Church Fathers on Proverbs 30 →
Hippolytus of RomeFragments from Commentaries on Various Books of Scripture c. 170–235
"By three things the earth is moved," viz., by the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. "And the fourth it cannot bear," viz., the last appearing of Christ.
Early Church Fathers on Proverbs 30 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Proverbs 30:21 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

For three [things] the earth is disquieted,.... The inhabitants of it are made very uneasy; and for four [which] it cannot bear; they are a load and burden upon it, and are intolerable to those that

Read John Gill on Proverbs 30 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

For three things the earth is disquieted, and for four which it cannot bear: For three (things) the earth is disquieted ... for a servant when he reigned (Proverbs 19:10); (and) a fool, when he is

Read Robert Jamieson on Proverbs 30 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

The earth is disquieted; either, 1. The earth itself trembleth and is moved; so it is an hyperbole. Or rather, 2. The inhabitants of the earth. They do by their insolence and impudence cause great and dreadful disturbances in the places where they live. Which it cannot bear; which are intolerable in human societies.

Read Matthew Poole on Proverbs 30 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Proverbs 30:21 For three [things] the earth is disquieted, and for four [which] it cannot bear:Ver. 21. For three things the earth is disquieted.] Such trouble towns are odious creatures; the places where they live, long for a vomit to spew them out. As they live wickedly, so they die wishedly; there is a good world’ s riddance of them, as there was of Nabal, and of those in Job 27:23; Job 27:15, who were buried before half dead, being hissed and kicked off the stage of the world, as Phocas was by Heraclius. And for four which it cannot bear.] The very axle of the world is even ready to crack under them, the earth to open and swallow them up.

Read John Trapp on Proverbs 30 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 21. For three things the earth is disquieted, and for four which it cannot bear] This is another enigma. Four things insupportable to men. 1. A slave, when he becomes ruler. 2. An overfed fool. 3. An ill-tempered woman, when mistress of a family. And, 4. A servant maid, when the rule of the house is committed to her. 1. A slave, when he comes to bear rule, is an unprincipled tyrant. It has been often observed both in America and in the West Indies, when it was judged necessary to arm some of the most confidential slaves, that no regiments were used so cruelly in the drill, c., as those black regiments that had black officers. 2. The overfed fool. The intellectually weak man, who has…

Read AdamClarke on Proverbs 30 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

21–23. Four things that are intolerable.Two of them are drawn from each sex, and in each case they are unbearable because they are out of place, in a false position.

Read Cambridge on Proverbs 30 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For four which it cannot bear - Better: four it cannot bear. Here the common element is that of being intolerable, and the four examples are divided equally between the two sexes.

Read Albert Barnes on Proverbs 30 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

21-23. Three… four — Hence follows another enigma, the four intolerable things. The earth is disquieted — The land is disturbed, thrown into commotion. A servant when he reigneth — When he becomes a ruler.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Proverbs 30 →

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

Under three things the earth trembles, under four it cannot bear up:

WEBWorld English Bible2000

“For three things the earth trembles, and under four, it can’t bear up:

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Under three things the earth trembles, under four it cannot bear up:

NETBNew English Translation2006

Under three things the earth trembles, and under four things it cannot bear up:

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

For three things the earth is disquieted, and for four which it cannot bear:

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

For three things the earth doth tremble, And for four, which it cannot bear:

RVARevised Version, American1894

For three things the earth doth tremble, and for four, which it cannot bear:

NWBWebster's Bible1833

For three things the earth is disquieted, and for four which it cannot bear:

GNVGeneva Bible1599

For three things the earth is moued: yea, for foure it cannot susteine it selfe:

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Under three [things] the earth is disquieted, and under four it cannot bear up:

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

For three things hath earth been troubled, And for four — it is not able to bear:

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

For three things has earth been troubled, || And for four—it is not able to bear:

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Under three things the earth trembleth, and under four which she cannot bear:

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Under three things the earth trembles, and under four it cannot bear up:

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

By three things the earth is disturbed, and the fourth it cannot bear:

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Three things make the earth tremble, there are four things it can't support:

BBEBible in Basic English1949

For three things the earth is moved, and there are four which it will not put up with:

Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.


The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank

This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.

clauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalתַּ֣חַתunderשָׁ֭לוֹשׁthree.[things]verbרָ֣גְזָהit.quakessubjectאֶ֑רֶץ[the].earthוְandclauseclause · objectprepositional phrase · prepositionalתַ֥חַתunderאַ֝רְבַּ֗עfour.[things]verbשְׂאֵֽתto.bear.upadverbialלֹאnotverbתוּכַ֥לit.is.able

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


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

The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree in their wording for this verse, with no significant variations in meaning. Both texts convey the same ideas regarding the earth's trembling and inability to bear specific conditions.

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

תַּ֣חַת שָׁ֭לוֹשׁ רָ֣גְזָה אֶ֑רֶץ וְתַ֥חַת אַ֝רְבַּ֗ע לֹא־ תוּכַ֥ל שְׂאֵֽת׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
תַּ֣חַתδιὰשָׁ֭לוֹשׁτριῶνרָ֣גְזָהσείεταιאֶ֑רֶץγῆוְתַ֥חַתτὸאַ֝רְבַּ֗עτέταρτονלֹא־φέρεινתוּכַ֥לοὐשְׂאֵֽת׃δύναται

9 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 30:21תַּחַתunderunderתַּחַתשָׁלֹשׁthree [thinthree [things]שָׁלֹשׁרָגַזit quakesit quakesרָגַזאֶ֫רֶץ[the] earth[the] earthאֶ֫רֶץתַּחַתand underand underתַּחַתאַרְבַּעfour [thingfour [things]אַרְבַּעלֹאnotnotלֹאיָכֹלit is ableit is ableיָכֹלנָשָׂאto bear upto bear upנָשָׂאתּוֹחַתּוֹחַרָבַעto squareto squareרָבַעשָׁלִthirdthirdשָׁלִאֵבfruitfruitאֵבאָבַדto perishto perishאָבַדאֶ֫דֶןsocketsocketאֶ֫דֶןשֶׁ֫מֶשׁsunsunשֶׁ֫מֶשׁמֵאָהhundredhundredמֵאָהפַּ֫עַםbeatbeatפַּ֫עַםשַׁאֲנָןsecuresecureשַׁאֲנָןרָעַשׁto shaketo shakeרָעַשׁכְּנַ֫עַןCanaanCanaanכְּנַ֫עַןמִצְרַ֫יִם(Sea of) E(Sea of) Egyptמִצְרַ֫יִםעָשָׂרtentenעָשָׂריָכֹלbe ablebe ableיָכֹלעוֹדstillstillעוֹדפָּתָהto open wito open wideפָּתָהאוּלַיperhapsperhapsאוּלַי
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 30:21

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.

under three [things] it quakes [the] earth and under four [things] not it is able to bear up
תַּ֣חַתTa.chat under H8478 Noun common · masculine singular construct
505× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means underneath or below, often used to describe physical locations or positions. It appears in various books, including Genesis, Exodus, and Psalms, to indicate something is under or beneath something else. The word has several related meanings.
Amplified meaning
beneath, underneath
Tyndale gloss
underneath: under
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

תַּחַת (tachath) refers to the concept of being underneath or below. It can function as a noun meaning 'the under part,' or as an adverb and preposition indicating position or substitution, such as 'instead of' or 'for the sake of.' The word encompasses various uses, including physical placement and metaphorical meanings related to subjection or exchange.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

תַּחַת n.[m.] the under part, hence as adv. accus. and prep. underneath, below, instead of

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8478 תַּחַת the under part, hence as adv. accus. and prep. underneath, below, instead of

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8478 tachath takh'-ath

from the same as 8430; the bottom (as depressed); only

adverbially, below (often with prepositional prefix

underneath), in lieu of, etc.:--as, beneath, X flat,

in(-stead), (same) place (where...is), room, for...sake, stead

of, under, X unto, X when...was mine, whereas, (where-)fore,

with.

see HEBREW for 08430

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

תַּחַת (ta.chat) — underneath: under.

: under/below

1) the under part, beneath, instead of, as, for, for the sake of, flat, unto, where, whereas n m

1a) the under part adv accus

1b) beneath prep

1c) under, beneath

1c1) at the foot of (idiom)

1c2) sweetness, subjection, woman, being burdened or oppressed (fig)

1c3) of subjection or conquest

1d) what is under one, the place in which one stands

1d1) in one's place, the place in which one stands (idiom with reflexive pronoun)

1d2) in place of, instead of (in transferred sense)

1d3) in place of, in exchange or return for (of things mutually interchanged)

conj

1e) instead of, instead of that

1f) in return for that, because that in compounds

1g) in, under, into the place of (after verbs of motion)

1h) from under, from beneath, from under the hand of, from his place, under, beneath

תַּחַת (ta.chat) — underneath: instead.

: instead/in_place/exchange

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Noun common · masculine singular construct
HNcmsc
under three [things] it quakes [the] earth and under four [things] not it is able to bear up
שָׁ֭לוֹשׁSha.lo.osh three [things] H7969 Adj
432× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means three or thrice, and is used to describe quantities or repetitions in the Bible. It appears in various forms, including three, third, and thirteen.
Amplified meaning
a specific number, a triad
Tyndale gloss
three
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word שָׁלֹשׁ (*shalosh*) means 'three' or 'triad.' It can also refer to the ordinal 'third' and is used in various contexts, including multiplication as 'thrice.' The entries consistently define it as a primitive number without significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁלֹשׁ, שָׁלוֹשׁ, שְׁלֹשָׁה 430 n.m. et f. a three, triad

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7969 שָׁלֹשׁ, שָׁלוֹשׁ, שְׁלֹשָׁה a three, triad

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7969 shalowsh shaw-loshe'

or shalosh {shaw-loshe'}; masculine shlowshah {shel-o-shaw'};

or shloshah {shel-o-shaw'}; a primitive number; three;

occasionally (ordinal) third, or (multipl.) thrice:--+ fork,

+ often(-times), third, thir(-teen, -teenth), three, + thrice.

Compare 7991.

see HEBREW for 07991

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁלֹשׁ (sha.losh) — three.

1) three, triad

1a) 3, 300, third

Aramaic equivalent: te.lat (תְּלָת "three" H8532)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Adj
HAcbsa
under three [things] it quakes [the] earth and under four [things] not it is able to bear up
רָ֣גְזָהRa.ge.zah it quakes H7264 Verb · Qal · perfect third person feminine singular
41× 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 shake or tremble with strong emotions like fear, anger, or excitement. It can also mean to provoke or disturb someone, causing them to become agitated. The KJV Bible translates it in various ways, including 'tremble', 'quake', and 'rage'.
Amplified meaning
shakes, quakes, is disquieted
Tyndale gloss
to tremble
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רָגַז (ragaz) is a Hebrew verb meaning to tremble or quake, often in response to strong emotions like anger or fear. It can describe both a state of agitation and the act of causing agitation in others. The entries indicate its use in various forms, including Qal, Hiphil, and Hithpael, covering a range of emotional responses.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רָגַז vb. be agitated, quiver, quake, be excited, perturbed

Qal quake

Hiph. cause to quake, disquiet, enrage

Hithp. excite oneself

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7264 רָגַז be agitated, quiver, quake, be excited, perturbed .quake

. cause to quake, disquiet, enrage

. excite oneself

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7264 ragaz raw-gaz'

a primitive root; to quiver (with any violent emotion,

especially anger or fear):--be afraid, stand in awe,

disquiet, fall out, fret, move, provoke, quake, rage, shake,

tremble, trouble, be wroth.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רָגַז (ra.gaz) — to tremble.

1) tremble, quake, rage, quiver, be agitated, be excited, be perturbed

1a)(Qal) to quake, be disquieted, be excited, be perturbed

1b) (Hiphil) to cause to quake, disquiet, enrage, disturb

1c) (Hithpael) to excite oneself

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-3fs — Verb · Qal · perfect third person feminine singular
HVqp3fs
under three [things] it quakes [the] earth and under four [things] not it is able to bear up
אֶ֑רֶץ'E.retz [the] earth H776 Noun common · feminine singular absolute
2,504× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The land or earth refers to the soil or ground, and can also mean a country, territory, or region. In the Bible, it is used to describe the earth and its inhabitants, and is often translated as 'land' or 'country'.
Amplified meaning
land, ground, terrestrial sphere
Tyndale gloss
land: soil
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֶ֫רֶץ (erets) is a feminine noun meaning 'earth' or 'land.' It encompasses various meanings, including the whole earth, specific territories like Canaan, and even inhabitants of the land. It can refer to soil, ground, or regions, and is used in phrases related to distance and the living. There is a note on the plural form אֲרָצוֹת, which mainly appears in later texts to denote multiple lands.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶ֫רֶץ n. f. & (seld.) m. earth, land

earth, whole earth (opp. to a part)

earth, opp. to heaven, sky

earth = inhabitants of earth

land =

country, territory

district, region

trial territory

piece of ground

specif. land of Canaan, or Israel

= inhabitants of land

used even of Shᵉʼôl

ground, surface of ground

soil, as productive

אֶרֶץ in phrases

people of the land

in measurements of distance

the country of the plain, level or plain country

land of the living

end(s) of the earth

pl. אֲרָצוֹת is almost wholly late; it denotes lands, countries, often in contrast to Canaan, lands of the nations, etc.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H776 אֶ֫רֶץ n. f. & (seld.) m. earth, land . . earth, whole earth (opp. to a part)

. earth, opp. to heaven, sky

. earth = inhabitants of earth

. land = . country, territory

. district, region

. trial territory

. piece of ground

. specif. land of Canaan, or Israel

. = inhabitants of land

. used even of Shᵉʼôl

. . ground, surface of ground

. soil, as productive

. אֶרֶץ in phrases . people of the land

. in measurements of distance

. the country of the plain, level or plain country

. land of the living

. end(s) of the earth

. pl. אֲרָצוֹת is almost wholly late; it denotes lands, countries, often in contrast to Canaan, lands of the nations, etc.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

776 'erets eh'-rets

from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth

(at large, or partitively a land):--X common, country, earth,

field, ground, land, X natins, way, + wilderness, world.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶ֫רֶץ (e.rets) — land: country/planet.

: country/field

1) land, earth

1a) earth

1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part)

1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven)

1a3) earth (inhabitants)

1b) land

1b1) country, territory

1b2) district, region

1b3) tribal territory

1b4) piece of ground

1b5) land of Canaan, Israel

1b6) inhabitants of land

1b7) Sheol, land without return, (under) world

1b8) city (-state)

1c) ground, surface of the earth

1c1) ground

1c2) soil

1d) (in phrases)

1d1) people of the land

1d2) space or distance of country (in measurements of distance)

1d3) level or plain country

1d4) land of the living

1d5) end(s) of the earth

1e) (almost wholly late in usage)

1e1) lands, countries

1e1a) often in contrast to Canaan

אֶ֫רֶץ (e.rets) — land: soil.

: soil

1) land, earth

1a) earth

1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part)

1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven)

1a3) earth (inhabitants)

1b) land

1b1) country, territory

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-cs — Noun common · feminine singular absolute
HNcfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

urth ('adhamah, 'erets, 'aphar; ge, oikoumene):

In a hilly limestone country like Palestine, the small amount of iron oxide in the rocks tends to be oxidized, and thereby to give a prevailing reddish color to the soil. This is especially the case on relatively barren hills where there is little organic matter present to prevent reddening and give a more blackish tinge.

'Adhamah (compare 'adham, "a man," and Adam) is from 'adham, "to be red," and is used in the senses: "earth" (Ex 20:24), "land" (Ps 105:35), a "land" or country (Isa 14:2), "ground" (Ge 4:11), "the earth" (Ge 7:4).

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Earth

(1.) In the sense of soil or ground, the translation of the word adamah’. In Gen. 9:20 “husbandman” is literally “man of the ground or earth.” Altars were to be built of earth (Ex. 20:24). Naaman asked for two mules’ burden of earth (2 Kings 5:17), under the superstitious notion that Jehovah, like the gods of the heathen, could be acceptably worshipped only on his own soil.

(2). As the rendering of ’erets, it means the whole world (Gen. 1:2); the land as opposed to the sea (1:10). Erets also denotes a country (21:32); a plot of ground (23:15); the ground on which a man stands (33:3); the inhabitants of the earth (6:1; 11:1); all the world except Israel (

Smith's Bible Dictionary

The term is used in two widely-different senses: (1) for the material of which the earth’s surface is composed; (2) as the name of the planet on which man dwells. The Hebrew language discriminates between these two by the use of separate terms, adamah for the former, erets for the latter. Adamah is the earth in the sense of soil or ground, particularly as being susceptible of cultivation. (Genesis 2:7) Erets is applied in a more or less extended sense-- (1) to the whole world, (Genesis 1:1) (2) to land as opposed to sea, (Genesis 1:10) (3) to a country, (Genesis 21:32) (4) to a plot of ground, (Genesis 23:15) and (5) to…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

In both Hebrew and Greek the same word is used to denote the earth as a whole, and a particular land. Only the context can enable us to decide in which of these senses it is to be taken in a given passage.

Thus in Mt 27:45 we might, so far as the original word is concerned, render either "there was darkness over all the land," or over all the earth. The expression "all the earth" is sometimes used hyperbolically for a large portion of it, Ezr 1:2. The word is used of the whole world, etc. In a moral sense, earthly is opposed to what is heavenly, spiritual and holy, Joh 3:31 1Co 15:47 Col 3:2

under three [things] it quakes [the] earth and under four [things] not it is able to bear up
וְתַ֥חַתve.Ta.chat and under H8478 Conjunction · noun common masculine singular construct
505× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means underneath or below, often used to describe physical locations or positions. It appears in various books, including Genesis, Exodus, and Psalms, to indicate something is under or beneath something else. The word has several related meanings.
Amplified meaning
beneath, underneath
Tyndale gloss
underneath: under
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

תַּחַת (tachath) refers to the concept of being underneath or below. It can function as a noun meaning 'the under part,' or as an adverb and preposition indicating position or substitution, such as 'instead of' or 'for the sake of.' The word encompasses various uses, including physical placement and metaphorical meanings related to subjection or exchange.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

תַּחַת n.[m.] the under part, hence as adv. accus. and prep. underneath, below, instead of

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8478 תַּחַת the under part, hence as adv. accus. and prep. underneath, below, instead of

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8478 tachath takh'-ath

from the same as 8430; the bottom (as depressed); only

adverbially, below (often with prepositional prefix

underneath), in lieu of, etc.:--as, beneath, X flat,

in(-stead), (same) place (where...is), room, for...sake, stead

of, under, X unto, X when...was mine, whereas, (where-)fore,

with.

see HEBREW for 08430

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

תַּחַת (ta.chat) — underneath: under.

: under/below

1) the under part, beneath, instead of, as, for, for the sake of, flat, unto, where, whereas n m

1a) the under part adv accus

1b) beneath prep

1c) under, beneath

1c1) at the foot of (idiom)

1c2) sweetness, subjection, woman, being burdened or oppressed (fig)

1c3) of subjection or conquest

1d) what is under one, the place in which one stands

1d1) in one's place, the place in which one stands (idiom with reflexive pronoun)

1d2) in place of, instead of (in transferred sense)

1d3) in place of, in exchange or return for (of things mutually interchanged)

conj

1e) instead of, instead of that

1f) in return for that, because that in compounds

1g) in, under, into the place of (after verbs of motion)

1h) from under, from beneath, from under the hand of, from his place, under, beneath

תַּחַת (ta.chat) — underneath: instead.

: instead/in_place/exchange

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Prep — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular construct
HC/Ncmsc
under three [things] it quakes [the] earth and under four [things] not it is able to bear up
אַ֝רְבַּ֗ע'ar.Ba' four [things] H702 Adj
318× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The number four is a simple counting number in Hebrew, used to describe quantities of things, such as people, objects, or groups.
Amplified meaning
a specific number, a quadruplet
Tyndale gloss
four
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אַרְבַּע (arba) means 'four' in Hebrew. It is a masculine noun derived from the root associated with the number four. The entries consistently affirm this meaning without any significant disagreement among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אַרְבַּע, אַרְבָּעָה four

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H702 אַרְבַּע, אַרְבָּעָה four

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

702 'arba` ar-bah'

masculine oarbaah {ar-baw-aw'}; from 7251; four:--four.

see HEBREW for 07251

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אַרְבַּע (ar.ba) — four.

four

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Adj
HAcbsa
under three [things] it quakes [the] earth and under four [things] not it is able to bear up
לֹא־lo'- not H3808 Particle
5,170× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Amplified meaning
is not able, lacks the power
Tyndale gloss
not
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לֹא or לוֹא adv. not

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3808 lo' lo

or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often

used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,

ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,

no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out

of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +

of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לֹא (lo) — not.

1) not, no

1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)

1b) not (with modifier-negation)

1c) nothing (subst)

1d) without (with particle)

1e) before (of time)

Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part — Particle
HTn
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
under three [things] it quakes [the] earth and under four [things] not it is able to bear up
תוּכַ֥לtu.Khal it is able H3201 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person feminine singular
194× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to be able or have power, used in various contexts, such as overcoming or enduring, and is translated as 'be able' or 'have power' in the KJV.
Tyndale gloss
be able
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָכֹל (yakol) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to be able' or 'to have power.' It encompasses a range of abilities, including physical, moral, and constitutional strength, as well as the capacity to endure or prevail. The entries highlight its use in various contexts, but do not provide specific verse references.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָכֹל, יָכוֹל 193 vb. be able, have power, prevail, endure

Qal

be able, to do a thing,, whether ability be physical, moral, constitutional, or dependent on external authority

prevail

abs. have ability, strength, only neg.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3201 יָכֹל, יָכוֹל be able, have power, prevail, endure .. be able, to do a thing,, whether ability be physical, moral, constitutional, or dependent on external authority

. prevail

. abs. have ability, strength, only neg.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3201 yakol yaw-kole'

or (fuller) yakowl {yaw-kole'}; a primitive root; to be able,

literally (can, could) or morally (may, might):--be able, any

at all (ways), attain, can (away with, (-not)), could, endure,

might, overcome, have power, prevail, still, suffer.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָכֹל (ya.khol) — be able.

1) to prevail, overcome, endure, have power, be able

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to be able, be able to gain or accomplish, be able to endure, be able to reach

1a2) to prevail, prevail over or against, overcome, be victor

1a3) to have ability, have strength

Aramaic equivalent: ye.khel (יְכִל "be able" H3202)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVqi3fs — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person feminine singular
HVqi3fs
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

a'-b'-l: The Greek dunamai, "to have power," may refer either to inherent strength, or to the absence of in external obstacles, or to what may be allowable or permitted. The Greek ischuo, as in Lu 13:24; Joh 21:6, refers always to the first of the above meanings. The use of the word as an adjective the King James Version of 2Co 3:6, is misleading, and has been properly changed in the Revised Version (British and American) into "sufficient as ministers," i.e. "hath fitted us to be ministers."

under three [things] it quakes [the] earth and under four [things] not it is able to bear up
שְׂאֵֽת׃se.'Et to bear up H5375 Verb · Qal · infinitive construct common
656× 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 lift or raise something, and it's used in many ways, like lifting a burden or raising someone's status. It appears in books like Genesis and Isaiah, often talking about God lifting people up. It's about supporting or carrying something or someone.
Amplified meaning
lift, support, sustain
Tyndale gloss
to lift: raise
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word נָשָׂא (nasa') means to lift, carry, or take, encompassing a wide range of applications both literal and figurative. It can refer to actions like bearing burdens, taking away, or being exalted. The entries indicate various forms and uses, including the ability to lift oneself up or cause others to bear iniquity. There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נָשָׂא 656 vb. lift, carry, take

Qal

lift, lift up

Bear, carry

Take, take away

Niph.

be lifted up

refl. lift oneself up = rise up, of י׳, to display power in judgment

be borne, carried

be taken away, carried off

Pi.

lift up = exalt

fig. = desire, long

carry, bear continuously

take, take away

Hithp. lift oneself up

Hiph.

cause one to bear iniquity

appar. cause to bring, have brought

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5375 נָשָׂא lift, carry, take .. lift, lift up

. Bear, carry

. Take, take away

. . be lifted up

. refl. lift oneself up = rise up, of י׳, to display power in judgment

. be borne, carried

. be taken away, carried off

. . lift up = exalt

. fig. = desire, long

. carry, bear continuously

. take, take away

. lift oneself up

. . cause one to bear iniquity

. appar. cause to bring, have brought

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5375 nasa' naw-saw'

or nacah (Psalm 4 : 6 (7)) {naw-saw'}; a primitive root; to

lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and

figurative, absol. and rel. (as follows):--accept, advance,

arise, (able to, (armor), suffer to) bear(-er, up), bring

(forth), burn, carry (away), cast, contain, desire, ease,

exact, exalt (self), extol, fetch, forgive, furnish, further,

give, go on, help, high, hold up, honorable (+ man), lade,

lay, lift (self) up, lofty, marry, magnify, X needs, obtain,

pardon, raise (up), receive, regard, respect, set (up), spare,

stir up, + swear, take (away, up), X utterly, wear, yield.

see HEBREW for 04

see HEBREW for 06

see HEBREW for 07

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָשָׂא (na.sa) — to lift: raise.

: raise/take_up

1) to lift, bear up, carry, take

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to lift, lift up

1a2) to bear, carry, support, sustain, endure

1a3) to take, take away, carry off, forgive

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be lifted up, be exalted

1b2) to lift oneself up, rise up

1b3) to be borne, be carried

1b4) to be taken away, be carried off, be swept away

1c) (Piel)

1c1) to lift up, exalt, support, aid, assist

1c2) to desire, long (fig.)

1c3) to carry, bear continuously

1c4) to take, take away

1d) (Hithpael) to lift oneself up, exalt oneself

1e) (Hiphil)

1e1) to cause one to bear (iniquity)

1e2) to cause to bring, have brought

נָשָׂא (na.sa) — to lift: bear.

: look/lift(eyes)

1) to lift, bear up, carry, take

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to lift, lift up

1a2) to bear, carry, support, sustain, endure

1a3) to take, take away, carry off, forgive

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be lifted up, be exalted

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Inf-a — Verb · Qal · infinitive construct common
HVqcc
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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