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Proverbs 5:10 — Word Study

Depth

WLCפֶּֽן־ יִשְׂבְּע֣וּ זָרִ֣ים כֹּחֶ֑ךָ וַ֝עֲצָבֶ֗יךָ בְּבֵ֣ית נָכְרִֽי׃

BSAlestpên [beware that, be cautious] strangerszûwr [foreigners, those outside the family] feastsâbaʻ [be filled, satisfy their desires] on your wealthkôach [strength, resources] and your laborsʻetseb [toil, painful work] [enrich] the housebayith [benefit, bring profit to, dwelling place, family] of a foreignernokrîy [stranger, one who is not a part of the community]

Word
Listen & take awayProverbs 5
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 10 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 (na.khe.Ri) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Proverbs 5:10quick helps
In a sentenceThe verse warns against allowing outsiders to benefit from your hard work and resources.
Who is speakingThe author of Proverbs, advising the reader on the dangers of misplaced trust.
Where we areThis is part of a larger warning about the consequences of foolish choices.
The hard wordנָכְרִי
Take awayBe mindful of where your efforts are directed; they should not enrich those who do not belong.
7 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectזָר verbשָׂבֵעַ 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 5:10

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 Adultery and Foolishnessgenerated

9lest you concede your vigor to others, and your years to one who is cruel;
10lest strangers feast on your wealth, and your labors enrich the house of a foreigner.
11At the end of your life you will groan when your flesh and your body are spent,
12and you will say, “How I hated discipline, and my heart despised reproof!

Proverbs 5:10 is part of a series of admonitions that caution against the dangers of infidelity and the loss of one's resources to outsiders. The surrounding verses emphasize the importance of maintaining one's strength and labor within the family or community, rather than allowing them to be squandered on those who do not share in one's values or commitments.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Proverbs 6:35He will not be appeased by any ransom, or persuaded by lavish gifts.
2Hosea 7:9Foreigners consume his strength, but he does not notice. Even his hair is streaked with gray, but he does not know.
3Luke 15:30But when this son of yours returns from squandering your wealth with prostitutes, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
4Proverbs 31:3Do not spend your strength on women or your vigor on those who ruin kings.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 4 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word נָכְרִי, na.khe.Rigenerated

The word נָכְרִי (nokriy) refers to a foreigner or stranger, emphasizing the idea of someone who is not part of the community. This term can imply a sense of alienation or estrangement, particularly in the context of relationships and trust.

In this verse, it serves as a warning against allowing one's efforts and resources to benefit those who are outside one's familial or communal bonds, highlighting the potential consequences of misplaced trust.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

The verse is rendered consistently across translations, with the BSB using a foreigner and the KJV opting for stranger. Both terms convey the idea of someone who is not part of the community.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb is יִשְׂבְּע֣וּ, they should be satisfied, which governs the action of the sentence. The subject זָרִ֣ים, strangers, is placed before the verb, emphasizing the outsiders who will benefit.

The sentence structure highlights the relationship between the subject and the action, indicating that the focus is on the consequences of allowing these outsiders to feast on one's wealth.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates נָכְרִי as ἀλλοτρίων (allotriōn), which carries a similar meaning of being foreign or alien. This choice reflects a consistent understanding of the term as someone who is not part of the community.

The Greek word emphasizes the same caution against allowing one's resources to benefit those who do not belong, aligning with the original Hebrew intent.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Proverbs 5:10 warns that if you are not careful, outsiders will take advantage of your hard work and resources. It advises against letting your efforts enrich those who are not part of your family or community.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean to let strangers feast on your wealth?

It means allowing those who do not belong to benefit from your hard work and resources, which can lead to negative consequences.

Why is it important to protect your labor?

Protecting your labor ensures that your efforts benefit those who are part of your community or family, rather than outsiders who may not appreciate or reciprocate.

How can I apply this warning in my life?

Consider where you invest your time and resources, ensuring they support those who share your values and commitments.

What are the broader implications of this verse?

This verse serves as a reminder to be cautious about whom we trust and to be mindful of the consequences of our choices in relationships and resource management.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what areas of my life might I be allowing outsiders to benefit from my efforts?
  2. How can I ensure that my labor enriches my own family or community?
  3. What steps can I take to be more cautious in my relationships to avoid negative influences?
  4. How does this verse relate to the broader themes of wisdom and foolishness in Proverbs?

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

The verse has been commented on by early writers, including Bede, who warns against assisting the deeds of outsiders through one's strength.

BedeCommentary on Proverbs c. 673–735
Lest strangers be filled with your strength, etc. Lest you assist the deeds of demons, if you lend either the ingenuity of your mind or the strengths of your body to perform crimes;
Early Church Fathers on Proverbs 5 →

Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Proverbs 5:10 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Lest strangers be filled with thy wealth,.... The adulteress, her husband, children, friends, bawds, and such like persons she is concerned with; these share the wealth of the adulterer, abound with

Read John Gill on Proverbs 5 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Lest strangers be filled with thy wealth; and thy labours be in the house of a stranger; Lest strangers be filled with thy wealth, and thy labours (be) in the house of a stranger.

Read Robert Jamieson on Proverbs 5 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Strangers; not only the strange women themselves, but bawds, panders, and other adulterers, who are in league with them. Thy labours; wealth gotten by thy labours.

Read Matthew Poole on Proverbs 5 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Proverbs 5:10 Lest strangers be filled with thy wealth; and thy labours [be] in the house of a stranger;Ver. 10. Lest strangers be filled.] This sin is a purgatory to the purse, though a paradise to the desires. How soon had the prodigal wasted his portion when once he fell among harlots, those sordida poscinummia, those crumenimulgae. "Ask me never so much gift, and I will give it," said Shechem. "What pledge shall I give thee? and she said, Thy signet, thy bracelets," &c., and if she had asked more, she might have had it. "Ask what thou wilt, and it shall be given thee," said Herod to his dancing damsel; nay, he sware "to her that whatsoever she should ask, he would give it to her to the…

Read John Trapp on Proverbs 5 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

10. wealth] The word may mean either that which a man acquires, his wealth (A.V. text, R.V. marg.), or that by which he acquires it, his strength (R.V. text, A.V. marg.) of mind and body. Genesis 49:3 would seem to favour the latter rendering here. σῆςἰσχύος, LXX., viribus tuis, Vulg. The suggestion of Ewald and others that these verses (9, 10) point to the commutation of the capital sentence into one of slavery, whether voluntarily undergone by the adulterer to escape death, or exacted by the injured husband, and that thus the guilty man’s years would be given unto the cruel, and his labours would be in the house of an alien, is not supported by any proof that such commutation was…

Read Cambridge on Proverbs 5 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Strangers - The whole gang of those into whose hands the slave of lust yields himself.

Read Albert Barnes on Proverbs 5 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

10. Lest strangers — Those of another family, perhaps of another country, satiate their lusts at thy expense, and furnish their house and table with the fruits of thy labour.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Proverbs 5 →

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

lest strangers feast on your wealth, and your labors enrich the house of a foreigner.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

lest strangers feast on your wealth, and your labors enrich another man’s house.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

lest strangers feast on your wealth, and your labors enrich the house of a foreigner.

NETBNew English Translation2006

lest strangers devour your strength, and your labor benefit another man’s house.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Lest strangers be filled with thy wealth; and thy labours be in the house of a stranger;

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Lest strangers be filled with thy strength, And thy labors be in the house of an alien,

RVARevised Version, American1894

Lest strangers be filled with thy strength; and thy labours be in the house of an alien;

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Lest strangers be filled with thy wealth; and thy labors be in the house of a stranger;

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Least the stranger should be silled with thy strength, and thy labours bee in the house of a stranger,

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

lest strangers be filled with thy wealth, and the fruits of thy toil [come] into the house of a stranger;

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Lest strangers be filled [with] thy power, And thy labours in the house of a stranger,

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Lest strangers be filled [with] your power, || And your labors in the house of a stranger,

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

That strangers may not satisfy themselves with thy strength, and with thy exertions, in the house of an alien:

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

strangers will not feast on your wealth; what you have worked for will not go into the house of strangers.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Lest strangers be filled with thy strength, and thy labours be in another man’s house,

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Strangers will spend your wealth; everything you've worked for will go to someone else.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And strange men may be full of your wealth, and the fruit of your work go to the house of others;

Word by word, the decisions they made

נָכְרִֽי׃na.khe.Ri a foreigner H5237 2 different renderings
strangerDBY GNV KJV LSV NWB YLT
a foreignerBSB MSB

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.

פֶּֽןlestclauseverbיִשְׂבְּע֣וּthey.should.be.satisfiedsubjectזָרִ֣יםstrangersnoun phrase · objectכֹּחֶ֑strengthךָyourוַ֝andclausenoun phrase · subjectעֲצָבֶ֗יyour.hardךָlaborsprepositional phrase · predicateבְּ[be].in.[the]noun phraseבֵ֣יתhouseנָכְרִֽיof.a.foreigner

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


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

The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree closely, with all words matched. This indicates a strong consistency in the transmission of this verse across different traditions.

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

פֶּֽן־ יִשְׂבְּע֣וּ זָרִ֣ים כֹּחֶ֑ךָ וַ֝עֲצָבֶ֗יךָ בְּבֵ֣ית נָכְרִֽי׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
פֶּֽן־μὴיִשְׂבְּע֣וּπλησθῶσινזָרִ֣יםἀλλότριοιכֹּחֶ֑ךָσῆςוַ֝עֲצָבֶ֗יךָσοὶבְּבֵ֣יתοἴκουςנָכְרִֽי׃ἀλλοτρίων

7 of the 7 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

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


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

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

Proverbs 5:10פֶּן־lestlestפֶּן־שָׂבֵעַthey shouldthey should be שָׂבֵעַזוּרstrangersstrangersזוּרכֹּחַstrength yostrength yourכֹּחַעֶ֫צֶבand labor yand labor yourעֶ֫צֶבבֵּית[be] in [th[be] in [the] hבֵּיתנָכְרִיa foreignera foreignerנָכְרִיבָּנָהto buildto buildבָּנָהפָּנָהCorner (GaCorner (Gate)פָּנָהעָצַבto hurtto hurtעָצַבנֶ֫כֶרmisfortunemisfortuneנֶ֫כֶרפָּגַעto fall onto fall onפָּגַעשָׁכַחto forgetto forgetשָׁכַחלֶ֫חֶםfoodfoodלֶ֫חֶםפֶּן־lestlestפֶּן־קָרֵבapproachinapproachingקָרֵבעָרַבto pledgeto pledgeעָרַבעָצַרto restraito restrainעָצַרזְרוֹעַarmarmזְרוֹעַדָּבָרChroniclesChroniclesדָּבָראוֹצָרtreasuretreasureאוֹצָרזוּרbe a stranbe a strangerזוּרמָכַרto sellto sellמָכַר
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 5:10

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.

lest they should be satisfied strangers strength your and labor your [be] in [the] house of a foreigner
פֶּֽן־pen- lest H6435 Particle
133× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word is used to express caution or warning, similar to saying 'lest' or 'beware that'. It is often used in the Bible to advise against certain actions or to warn of potential consequences.
Amplified meaning
beware that, be cautious
Tyndale gloss
lest
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

פֶּן־ (pen) is a conjunction meaning 'lest' or 'not,' often used to express a warning or fear of a potential negative outcome. It is derived from a root meaning 'removal' and is typically found in constructions that indicate a precautionary context. The entries consistently emphasize its adverbial use in cautionary statements.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

פֶּן־ 133 (alw. with Makkeph) conj. (adverting or deprecating), lest

with impf.

with Pf., the result feared being conceived as having possibly already taken place

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6435 פֶּן־ (alw. with Makkeph) (adverting or deprecating), lest . with impf.

. with Pf., the result feared being conceived as having possibly already taken place

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6435 pen pane

from 6437; properly, removal; used only (in the construction)

adverb as conjunction, lest:--(lest) (peradventure),

that...not.

see HEBREW for 06437

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

פֶּן־ (pen) — lest.

conj

1) lest, not, beware lest

adv

2) lest

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj — Particle
HTc
lest they should be satisfied strangers strength your and labor your [be] in [the] house of a foreigner
יִשְׂבְּע֣וּyis.be.'U they should be satisfied H7646 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine plural
97× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To satisfy means to fill someone with enough of something, like food or desire, and can also mean to have too much of something.
Amplified meaning
be filled, satisfy their desires
Tyndale gloss
to satisfy
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׂבֵעַ (saba`) means to be sated or satisfied, particularly in relation to food. It can also imply having one's desires fulfilled or being surfeited with excess. The verb has various forms, including Qal, Piel, and Hiphil, which cover meanings from simply being full to enriching or satisfying others. The entries indicate a focus on both literal and figurative senses of satisfaction.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[שָׂבֵעַ], שָׂבַע 96 vb. be sated, satisfied, surfeited

Qal 79

be sated (with food), esp. human subj.

more gen., be sated, have desire satisfied

have in excess, be surfeited with

Niph. Pt. sated

Pi. satisfy

Hiph.

satisfy (esp. with material blessings), subj. י׳

c. acc. of food pers., י׳ subj.

י׳ subj.

י׳ subj., c. acc. of beasts

enrich

sate, glut (with the undesired)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7646 שָׂבֵעַ, שָׂבַע be sated, satisfied, surfeited .. be sated (with food), esp. human subj.

. more gen., be sated, have desire satisfied

. have in excess, be surfeited with

. Pt. sated

. satisfy

. . . satisfy (esp. with material blessings), subj. י׳

. c. acc. of food + pers., י׳ subj.

. י׳ subj.

. י׳ subj., c. acc. of beasts

. enrich

. sate, glut (with the undesired)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7646 saba` saw-bah'

or sabeay {saw-bay'-ah}; a primitive root; to sate, i.e. fill

to satisfaction (literally or figuratively):--have enough,

fill (full, self, with), be (to the) full (of), have plenty

of, be satiate, satisfy (with), suffice, be weary of.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׂבֵעַ (sa.va) — to satisfy.

1) to be satisfied, be sated, be fulfilled, be surfeited

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to be sated (with food)

1a2) to be sated, be satisfied with, be fulfilled, be filled, have one's fill of (have desire satisfied)

1a3) to have in excess, be surfeited, be surfeited with

1a3a) to be weary of (fig)

1b) (Piel) to satisfy

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to satisfy

1c2) to enrich

1c3) to sate, glut (with the undesired)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine plural
HVqi3mp
lest they should be satisfied strangers strength your and labor your [be] in [the] house of a foreigner
זָרִ֣יםza.Rim strangers H2114 Adj
77× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word has several meanings, including being a stranger or foreigner, like when Abraham lived in Egypt as a foreigner. It can also mean to commit adultery, highlighting the idea of turning aside from what is right and proper, as warned against in Proverbs 5.
Amplified meaning
foreigners, those outside the family
Tyndale gloss
be a stranger
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

זוּר (zuwr) is a Hebrew verb meaning to be a stranger or to become estranged. It can describe a person as strange or foreign, and it also has connotations of loathsomeness. The word can refer to committing adultery or being alienated, with its usage found in contexts involving estrangement or foreignness.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[זוּר] vb. be a stranger

Qal

Pf. become estranged

Pt. as adj. strange, or as noun stranger

Niph. Pf. be estranged

Hoph. Pt. estranged

base

[זוּר, זִיר] vb. be loathsome, only 3 fs. Jb 19:17

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2114a זוּר be a stranger .. Pf. become estranged

. Pt. as adj. strange, or as noun stranger

. Pf. be estranged

. Pt. estranged

H2114b זוּר, זִיר be loathsome

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2114 zuwr zoor

a primitive root; to turn aside (especially for lodging);

hence to be a foreigner, strange, profane; specifically

(active participle) to commit adultery:--(come from) another

(man, place), fanner, go away, (e-)strange(-r, thing, woman).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

זוּר (zur) — be a stranger.

1) to be strange, be a stranger

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to become estranged

1a2) strange, another, stranger, foreigner, an enemy (participle)

1a3) strange woman, prostitute, harlot (meton)

1b) (Niphal) to be estranged

1c) (Hophal) to be a stranger, be one alienated

זוּר (zur) — be loathsome.

loathsome (of breath) (participle)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Adj
HAampa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Nave's Topical Bible

→ (Aliens, foreigners)

→ Mosaic law relating to

Authorized bondservice of Le 25:44,45

Usury of De 15:3; 23:20

Sale to, of the meat of animals that had died De 14:21

Forbid their being made kings over Israel De 17:15

Their eating the Passover meal Ex 12:43,48

Their eating things offered in sacrifice Ex 29:33; Le 22:10,12,25

Their blaspheming Le 24:16

Their approaching the tabernacle Nu 1:51

Thompson Chain Reference topics

(1) Duty to. See SOCIAL LIFE

(2) Jewish Prohibitions concerning

Ex 12:43; Le 17:8; 24:16; Nu 1:51; 16:40; De 5:14; 17:15

Eze 44:9

--SEE Separation, SEPARATION

& SEPARATION

(3) General Laws concerning

Ex 12:19,49; 20:10; Le 16:29; 17:15; Nu 15:30

-- Believers as Pilgrims and Strangers on the Earth

--SEE Pilgrimage, PILGRIMAGE

lest they should be satisfied strangers strength your and labor your [be] in [the] house of a foreigner
כֹּחֶ֑ךָko.Che.kha strength your H3581 Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
126× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Koach means strength or power, referring to human, angelic, or God's might. It can also describe the strength of animals or the produce of soil.
Amplified meaning
strength, resources
Tyndale gloss
reptile
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כֹּחַ (koach) refers to both a small reptile, likely a type of lizard, and the concepts of strength and power. The entries highlight its use in contexts of human and divine strength, as well as its association with wealth and capacity. Notably, it appears in Leviticus 11:30 regarding unclean animals.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כֹּחַ n.[m.] a small reptile, prob. a kind of lizard, in list of unclean creeping things Lv 11:30; chameleon

ref

כֹּחַ and כּוֹחַ n.m. strength, power

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3581a כֹּחַ a small reptile, prob. a kind of lizard, in list of unclean creeping things; chameleon H3581b כֹּחַ and כּוֹחַ strength, power

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3581 koach ko'-akh

or (Dan. 11:6) kowach {ko'-akh}; from an unused root meaning

to be firm; vigor, literally (force, in a good or a bad sense)

or figuratively (capacity, means, produce); also (from its

hardiness) a large lizard: -ability, able, chameleon, force,

fruits, might, power(-ful), strength, substance, wealth.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כֹּחַ (ko.ach) — reptile.

1) a small reptile, probably a kind of lizard, which is unclean

1a) perhaps an extinct animal, exact meaning is unknown

כֹּחַ (ko.ach) — strength.

1) strength, power, might

1a) human strength

1b) strength (of angels)

1c) power (of God)

1d) strength (of animals)

1e) strength, produce, wealth (of soil)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HNcmsc/Sp2ms
lest they should be satisfied strangers strength your and labor your [be] in [the] house of a foreigner
וַ֝עֲצָבֶ֗יךָva.'a.tza.Vei.kha and labor your H6089 Conjunction · noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
7× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
An earthen vessel or a painful toil, this word can also describe a pang of body or mind, like the labor pains of a woman in John 16:21 or the sorrow of the prophet Jeremiah in Lamentations 1:12.
Amplified meaning
toil, painful work
Tyndale gloss
toil
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עֶ֫צֶב (etseb) has meanings related to both physical and emotional experiences, including pain, toil, and sorrow, as well as a reference to a vessel. It is derived from a root that suggests painful toil and can also denote an object or idol. The term appears in contexts that emphasize hardship and labor.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עֶ֫צֶב n.[m.] pain, hurt, toil

base

עֶ֫צֶב n.m. vessel (as fashioned);—Je 22:28

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6089a עֶ֫צֶב pain, hurt, toil H6089b עֶ֫צֶב vessel (as fashioned)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6089 `etseb eh'-tseb

from 6087; an earthen vessel; usually (painful) toil; also a

pang (whether of body or mind): grievous, idol, labor, sorrow.

see HEBREW for 06087

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עֶ֫צֶב (e.tsev) — toil.

1) pain, hurt, toil, sorrow, labour, hardship

1a) pain

1b) hurt, offense

1c) toil, hardship

עֶ֫צֶב (e.tsev) — vessel.

1) vessel, creation, object

2) (TWOT) idol

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | N-mp | Suff — Conjunction · noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
HC/Ncmpc/Sp2ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
lest they should be satisfied strangers strength your and labor your [be] in [the] house of a foreigner
בְּבֵ֣יתbe.Veit [be] in [the] house of H1004 Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
2,049× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for house refers to a dwelling place, including a family home, temple, or even the human body. It appears in various contexts, such as the temple in Jerusalem or the household of a family. In the Bible, it is often used to describe a place of worship or a family's living space.
Amplified meaning
benefit, bring profit to, dwelling place, family
Tyndale gloss
place
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word בַּיִת (*bayith*) means 'house' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including dwelling, family, and place. It can refer to physical structures, such as homes and temples, as well as metaphorical uses like the body or household affairs. The word is built from the root related to 'between' and appears in various contexts throughout the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בֵּית fem. of בַּיִן, בֵּין prep. between

base

בַּ֫יִת 2034 n.m. house

house

place

receptacle

of house as containing a family

household, family (592 t.)

house, including household affairs

lit. housewards, hence metaph. inwards

מִבַּיִת

adv. on the inside

prep. within

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1004a בֵּית fem. of בַּיִן, בֵּין prep. between H1004b בַּ֫יִת house

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1004 bayith bah'-yith

probably from 1129 abbreviated; a house (in the greatest

variation of applications, especially family, etc.):--court,

daughter, door, + dungeon, family, + forth of, X great as

would contain, hangings, home(born), (winter)house(-hold),

inside(-ward), palace, place, + prison, + steward, + tablet,

temple, web, + within(-out).

see HEBREW for 01129

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בֵּית (bet) — place.

nm

place, origin, between

בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — house: home.

: home/temple/building

nm

1) house

1a) house, dwelling habitation

1b) shelter or abode of animals

1c) human bodies (fig.)

1d) of Sheol

1e) of abode of light and darkness

1f) of land of Ephraim

2) place

3) receptacle

4) home, house as containing a family

5) household, family

5a) those belonging to the same household

5b) family of descendants, descendants as organized body

6) household affairs

7) inwards (metaph.)

8) (TWOT) temple

adv

9) on the inside

prep

10) within

בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — Beth-(ashbea).

nm

This name is used for a house, habitation

Combined with ash.be.a (אַשְׁבֵּעַ "Ashbea" H0791)

בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — Beth (Haggan).

nm

This name is used for a house, habitation

Combined with hag (גַּן "Haggan" H1588)

בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — Beth-(togarmah).

nm

This name is used for a house, habitation

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
HR/Ncmsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ov:

(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Lamentations 3:1.

The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.

Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.

That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.

Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
lest they should be satisfied strangers strength your and labor your [be] in [the] house of a foreigner
נָכְרִֽי׃na.khe.Ri a foreigner H5237 Adj
45× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word describes something or someone foreign or unfamiliar, including people, women, or things. It can also mean wonderful or outlandish. In the Bible, it is often translated as alien or foreigner.
Amplified meaning
stranger, one who is not a part of the community
Tyndale gloss
foreign
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נָכְרִי (nokriy) means foreign or alien, covering a range of meanings from a foreign person to something unfamiliar or strange. It can also refer specifically to a foreign woman or harlot. The word is built from a root that suggests strangeness in various contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נָכְרִי adj. foreign, alien

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5237 נָכְרִי foreign, alien

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5237 nokriy nok-ree'

from 5235 (second form); strange, in a variety of degrees and

applications (foreign, non-relative, adulterous, different,

wonderful):--alien, foreigner, outlandish, strange(-r,

woman).

see HEBREW for 05235

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נׇכְרִי (nokh.ri) — foreign.

1) foreign, alien

1a) foreign

1b) foreigner (subst)

1c) foreign woman, harlot

1d) unknown, unfamiliar (fig.)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Adj
HAamsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

for'-in-er" The translation of nokhri, "unknown," "foreign," frequently rendered "stranger" (De 15:3; Ob 1:11); of toshabh, "a settler," "an alien resident" (Ex 12:45; the Revised Version (British and American) "sojourner"; compare Le 25:47; Ps 39:12); of paroikos, "dwelling near," "sojourner" (Eph 2:19, the Revised Version (British and American) sojourners").

Revised Version has "foreigner" for "stranger" (De 17:15; 23:20; 29:22; Ru 2:10;

Foreigner

A Gentile. Such as resided among the Hebrews were required by the law to be treated with kindness (Ex. 22:21; 23:9; Lev. 19:33, 34; 23:22; Deut. 14:28; 16:10, 11; 24:19). They enjoyed in many things equal rights with the native-born residents (Ex. 12:49; Lev. 24:22; Num. 15:15; 35:15), but were not allowed to do anything which was an abomination according to the Jewish law (Ex. 20:10; Lev. 17:15,16; 18:26; 20:2; 24:16, etc.).

Nave's Topical Bible

→ FIGURATIVE Eph 2:19

See ALIENS

See GENTILES

See STRANGERS

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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