Menu

Proverbs 6:15 — Word Study

Depth

WLCעַל־ כֵּ֗ן פִּ֭תְאֹם יָב֣וֹא אֵיד֑וֹ פֶּ֥תַע יִ֝שָּׁבֵ֗ר וְאֵ֣ין מַרְפֵּֽא׃ פ

BSAThereforeʻal [as a result, to such a one] calamityʼêyd [disaster, oppression, or misfortune] will come upon himbôwʼ [arrive, happen, on or against him] suddenlypithʼôwm [without warning] in an instantpethaʻ [suddenness, quickness] he will be shatteredshâbar [broken, crushed, or ruined] beyondʼayin [without] recoverymarpêʼ [healing, cure, or remedy]

Word
Listen & take awayProverbs 6
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 15 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 (mar.Pe') — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Proverbs 6:15quick helps
In a sentenceThe verse warns of sudden disaster for those who plot evil.
Who is speakingThe author of Proverbs, addressing the consequences of deceitful actions.
Where we areThis verse is part of a warning against wicked behavior, specifically in the context of deceit.
The hard wordאֵיד, eyd
Take awayCalamity will come unexpectedly, leading to irreversible destruction.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectמַרְפֵּא verbבּוֹא 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 6:15

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 — Consequences of Deceitgenerated

14With deceit in his heart he devises evil; he continually sows discord.
15Therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly; in an instant he will be shattered beyond recovery.
16There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to Him:
17haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,

Proverbs 6:15 warns that calamity will strike suddenly for those who engage in deceitful practices. This verse is part of a broader discussion on the behaviors that the LORD detests, as seen in the surrounding verses. The emphasis is on the swift and irrevocable nature of the consequences faced by the wicked, contrasting with the righteousness expected of the faithful.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Proverbs 1:27when your dread comes like a storm, and your destruction like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish overwhelm you.
2Proverbs 29:1A man who remains stiff-necked after much reproof will suddenly be shattered beyond recovery.
3Psalm 73:18–20Surely You set them on slick ground; You cast them down into ruin.
4Isaiah 30:13this iniquity of yours is like a breach about to fail, a bulge in a high wall, whose collapse will come suddenly— in an instant!
51 Thessalonians 5:3While people are saying, “Peace and security,” destruction will come upon them suddenly, like labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 8 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word אֵיד, eydgenerated

The word אֵיד (*eyd*) refers to calamity or disaster, encompassing various forms of misfortune such as oppression and ruin. It is derived from a root meaning to bend down, indicating a sense of burden or distress. In this verse, it highlights the severe consequences that befall those who plot evil.

This noun appears in contexts related to suffering and disaster, emphasizing the gravity of the situation faced by the deceitful. The parsing indicates it is a masculine singular construct, suggesting a specific calamity directed at the individual.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

Translations agree on the rendering of אֵיד as calamity in the BSB, KJV, ASV, YLT, WEB, and BBE, all conveying the notion of disaster or misfortune.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The finite verb יָב֣וֹא, it will come, governs the main clause, with two adverbial phrases describing the manner of the calamity. The structure emphasizes the suddenness of the event, with the prepositional phrase עַל־, upon, indicating the target of the calamity.

The use of adverbial modifiers like פִּתְאֹם, suddenly, and פֶּ֥תַע, an instant, further reinforces the immediacy and unexpected nature of the disaster.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint uses the Greek word διὰ, through, to translate עַל־, indicating a sense of causation or reason for the calamity. This choice suggests a nuanced understanding of the relationship between the actions of the wicked and the consequences they face.

The use of ἐχαπίνης for פִּתְאֹם also emphasizes suddenness, aligning closely with the Hebrew meaning while offering a slightly different perspective.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Proverbs 6:15 warns that calamity will come suddenly upon those who act deceitfully. The verse emphasizes that this disaster will happen in an instant, leading to irreversible destruction without any chance of recovery.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does 'calamity' refer to in this verse?

'Calamity' refers to disaster or misfortune that befalls a person due to their deceitful actions, indicating severe consequences.

Why does the calamity come suddenly?

The suddenness highlights the unexpected nature of the consequences for those who plot evil, suggesting that they will not see it coming.

What does it mean to be 'shattered beyond recovery'?

Being 'shattered beyond recovery' means that the person will face irreversible destruction, with no hope of healing or remedy.

How does this verse connect to the surrounding context?

This verse connects to the broader theme of the consequences of wicked behavior, as outlined in the preceding and following verses, which detail the actions that the LORD detests.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What are some ways I might be tempted to act deceitfully, and how can I resist those temptations?
  2. How can I ensure that my actions align with righteousness rather than deceit?
  3. What does it mean to me that calamity can come suddenly for those who plot evil?
  4. In what areas of my life do I need to seek healing or recovery from past mistakes?

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Proverbs 6:15 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly,.... Unthought of and unexpected: he that deviseth mischief to others secretly shall have no warning of his own ruin, nor time and means of preventing it;

Read John Gill on Proverbs 6 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.

Read Robert Jamieson on Proverbs 6 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Heb. and there shall be no healing; no prevention of it beforehand, nor recovery afterward.

Read Matthew Poole on Proverbs 6 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Proverbs 6:15 Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.Ver. 15. Suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.] A dismal doom: broken, and not bruised only; "suddenly" broken, when they least dream or dread the danger. And this "without remedy"; no possibility of piecing them up again, or putting them into a better condition. See this exemplified in Nabal, and Doeg.

Read John Trapp on Proverbs 6 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(15) Suddenly shall he be broken.—Shattered as a potter’s vessel (Isaiah 30:14), without hope of recovery. This character of a malicious mischief-maker would seem to be especially hateful to God; it is described in like terms in Psalms 64 and a similar fate foretold of it; in Proverbs 6:19 also it is held up as the very worst of the seven detestable things there mentioned.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Proverbs 6 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 15. Suddenly shall he be broken] Probably alluding to some punishment of the adulterer, such as being stoned to death. A multitude shall join together, and so overwhelm him with stones, that he shall have his flesh and bones broken to pieces, and there shall be no remedy-none to deliver or pity him.

Read AdamClarke on Proverbs 6 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Thirteenth Address. Chap. 6. Proverbs 6:12-19. The Worthless PersonThis short section might seem at first sight to break itself into two (Proverbs 6:12-19). But the note of character, “he soweth discord,” repeated in Proverbs 6:19 from Proverbs 6:14, helps to identify the worthless person as being the subject throughout, and a closer examination exhibits the connection. Would you recognise the worthless man? Here is his description, Proverbs 6:12-14. Would you understand his end? Here is his destiny, Proverbs 6:15. Would you know what God, the Judge of all, sees in him to hate and punish? Here are the six, yea seven things that undo him, Proverbs 6:16-19. The connection is well worked out…

Read Cambridge on Proverbs 6 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The duper and the dupe shall share the same calamity.

Read Albert Barnes on Proverbs 6 →

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

Therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly; in an instant he will be shattered beyond recovery.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Therefore his calamity will come suddenly. He will be broken suddenly, and that without remedy.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly; in an instant he will be shattered beyond recovery.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Therefore, his disaster will come suddenly; in an instant he will be broken, and there will be no remedy.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; On a sudden shall he be broken, and that without remedy.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; on a sudden shall he be broken and that without remedy.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Therefore shall his destruction come speedily: hee shall be destroyed suddenly without recouerie.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly: in a moment shall he be broken, and without remedy.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Therefore suddenly cometh his calamity, Instantly he is broken — and no healing.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Therefore his calamity comes suddenly, || He is broken instantly—and no healing.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Therefore shall suddenly come his calamity: unawares shalt he be broken without a remedy.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Therefore his disaster will overtake him in an instant; in a moment he will be broken beyond healing.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

To such a one his destruction shall presently come, and he shall suddenly be destroyed, and shall no longer have any remedy.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

As a result, disaster falls suddenly on such people; in just a moment they're destroyed without hope of healing.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

For this cause his downfall will be sudden; quickly he will be broken, and there will be no help for him.

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.

conjunction phraseprepositional phraseעַלthereforeכֵּ֗ןsuchclauseadverbialפִּ֭תְאֹםsuddenlyverbיָב֣וֹאit.will.comenoun phrase · subjectאֵיד֑disasterוֹhisclauseadverbialפֶּ֥תַעsuddennessverbיִ֝שָּׁבֵ֗רhe.will.be.brokenוְandclausepredicateאֵ֣יןthere.[will].not.[be]subjectמַרְפֵּֽאhealing

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


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

The Masoretic Text of Proverbs 6:15 states that calamity will come suddenly, and he will be shattered beyond recovery. The Septuagint, while it has a different word order and articles, agrees with the overall meaning of the verse, though the exact wording may differ. There are no significant variations noted in the Samaritan Pentateuch or the Dead Sea Scrolls for this verse, indicating a consistent understanding across these witnesses.

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

עַל־ כֵּ֗ן פִּ֭תְאֹם יָב֣וֹא אֵיד֑וֹ פֶּ֥תַע יִ֝שָּׁבֵ֗ר וְאֵ֣ין מַרְפֵּֽא׃ פ

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
עַל־διὰכֵּ֗ןτοῦτοפִּ֭תְאֹםἐχαπίνηςיָב֣וֹאἔρξεταιאֵיד֑וֹαὐτοῦפֶּ֥תַעδιακοπὴ

6 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 6:15עַלthere-there-עַלכֵּן-fore-foreכֵּןפִּתְאֹםsuddenlysuddenlyפִּתְאֹםבּוֹאit will comit will comeבּוֹאאֵידdisaster hidisaster hisאֵידפֶּתַעan instantan instantפֶּתַעשָׁבַרhe will be he will be brokשָׁבַראַ֫יִןand there nand there notאַ֫יִןמַרְפֵּא[will be] h[will be] healiמַרְפֵּאפֶּתַעsuddennesssuddennessפֶּתַעכּוּןto establito establish: pכּוּןרָפָאto healto healרָפָאעַלheightheightעַלאוּדfirebrandfirebrandאוּדשָׂבַרto inspectto inspectשָׂבַראַ֫יִןwhere?where?אַ֫יִןפִּתְאֹםsuddenlysuddenlyפִּתְאֹםכִּפֶּרto atoneto atoneכִּפֶּרכִּסֵּאthronethroneכִּסֵּאכֹּהthusthusכֹּהאָדוֹןLordLordאָדוֹןאֵידcalamitycalamityאֵידשֶׁ֫מֶשׁsunsunשֶׁ֫מֶשׁקָרֹבnearnearקָרֹבמַרְפֵּאhealinghealingמַרְפֵּאמַצֵּבָהpillarpillarמַצֵּבָהגָּדַעto cut dowto cut down/offגָּדַע
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 6:15

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.

there- -fore suddenly it will come disaster his an instant he will be broken and there not [will be] healing
עַל־'al- there- H5921 Preposition
5,774× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means on or above something, like a physical object or a situation. It can also imply a sense of responsibility or accountability, as in being on behalf of someone.
Amplified meaning
as a result, to such a one
Tyndale gloss
upon
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עַל (*al*) is a preposition meaning 'upon' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including 'on account of,' 'beside,' 'above,' and 'against.' It can indicate physical placement, emotional burdens, or duties imposed on a person. The entries also note its use in idiomatic expressions and with verbs of motion. There is a mention of its function as a conjunction in certain contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

base

עַל, עָ֑ל

subst. height

As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against

Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed

of clothing, etc., which any one wears

With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it

Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him

Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him

על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him

חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5921a עַל, עָ֑ל . As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against . Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed . — . of clothing, etc., which any one wears

. With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it

. Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him

. Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him

. על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him

. חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5921 `al al

properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the

singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a

particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always

in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great

variety of applications (as follow):--above, according

to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because

of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both

and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in

(that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-)on, over, than,

through(-out), to, touching, X with.

see HEBREW for 05920

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עַל (al) — upon.

prep

1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against

1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards

1b) above, beyond, over (of excess)

1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence)

1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition)

1e) over (of suspension or extension)

1f) by, adjoining, next, at, over, around (of contiguity or proximity)

1g) down upon, upon, on, from, up upon, up to, towards, over towards, to, against (with verbs of motion)

1h) to (as a dative)

[כִּי] עַל [כֵּן] ([ki] al [ken]) — as.

conj

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Preposition
HR
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
there- -fore suddenly it will come disaster his an instant he will be broken and there not [will be] healing
כֵּ֗ןKen -fore H3651 Adverb
771× 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 'so' or 'thus', often used to show agreement or confirmation, like in the book of Genesis. It can also mean 'rightly' or 'justly', as in doing something the correct way. It appears in various forms throughout the Old Testament.
Tyndale gloss
right
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word כֵּן (*ken*) is built from the root meaning 'set upright.' It functions as an adjective meaning 'right,' 'veritable,' or 'honest,' and as an adverb meaning 'so,' 'therefore,' or 'thus.' It appears in various contexts, often indicating manner or relation, and is used in phrases like 'forasmuch as.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כֵּן adj. right, veritable, honest

right

veritable, true

pl. concr. honest (men)

base

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

base

כֵּן adv. so

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3651a כֵּן adj. right, veritable, honest H3651b כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as H3651c כֵּן so

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3651 ken kane

from 3559; properly, set upright; hence (figuratively as

adjective) just; but usually (as adverb or conjunction)

rightly or so (in various applications to manner, time and

relation; often with other particles):--+ after that

(this, -ward, -wards), as ... as, + (for-)asmuch as yet, + be

(for which) cause, + following, howbeit, in (the) like

(manner, -wise), X the more, right, (even) so, state,

straightway, such (thing), surely, + there (where)-fore, this,

thus, true, well, X you.

see HEBREW for 03559

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כֵּן (ken) — right.

adv

adj

1) right, just, honest, true, veritable

1a) right, just, honest

1b) correct

1c) true, veritable

[כִּי עַל] כֵּן ([ki al] ken) — as.

adv

forasmuch as, since

כֵּן (ken) — so.

adv

1) so, therefore, thus

1a) thus, so

1b) just so

1c) therefore

1d) so...as (paired with adv)

1e) then

1f) forasmuch as (in phrase)

1g) (with prep)

1g1) therefore, this being so (specific)

1g2) hitherto

1g3) therefore, on this ground (general)

1g4) afterwards

1g5) in such case

Aramaic equivalent: ken (כֵּן "thus" H3652)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HD — Adverb
HD
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
there- -fore suddenly it will come disaster his an instant he will be broken and there not [will be] healing
פִּ֭תְאֹםPit.'om suddenly H6597 Adverb
25× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means happening suddenly or quickly, like an unexpected event. It is used in the Bible to describe surprising things that happen to people like Jacob and Joseph.
Amplified meaning
without warning
Tyndale gloss
suddenly
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

פִּתְאֹם (pit'om) means 'suddenly' and can also refer to 'suddenness.' It is primarily used as an adverb to describe an unexpected occurrence. The word is derived from another Hebrew term, but the entries do not provide specific verses where it is used.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

פִּתְאֹם, once פֵּתְאוֹם subst. suddenness, usu. as adv. acc. suddenly

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6597 פִּתְאֹם, once פֵּתְאוֹם suddenness, usu. as adv. acc. suddenly

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6597 pith'owm pith-ome'

or pith.om {pith-ome'}; from 6621; instantly:--straightway,

sudden(-ly).

see HEBREW for 06621

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

פִּתְאֹם (pit.om) — suddenly.

adv

1) suddenly, surprisingly

subst

2) suddenness

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adv — Adverb
HD
there- -fore suddenly it will come disaster his an instant he will be broken and there not [will be] healing
יָב֣וֹאya.Vo' it will come H935 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
2,573× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to go or come, and is used in many contexts, such as entering a place or approaching someone, as seen in the book of Genesis. It can also mean to abide or apply, and is translated in various ways in the KJV Bible. This term is related to the name Lebo Hamath.
Amplified meaning
arrive, happen, on or against him
Tyndale gloss
Lebo
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בּוֹא (bo) is a Hebrew verb meaning to come or go in, with a wide range of applications including entering, arriving, and bringing in. It can refer to both physical movement and abstract concepts like events coming to pass. The verb appears in various forms, such as Qal (to come), Hiphil (to cause to come), and Hophal (to be brought). There is no significant disagreement among lexicons regarding its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בּוֹא 2569 vb. come in, come, go in, go

Qal

come in

come (approach, arrive)

go, i.e. walk, associate with

go from speaker, but with limit of motion given

Hiph.

cause to come in, bring in (conduct, lead, obj. persons and animals)

cause to come, bring, bring near, etc. (animate obj.)

Hoph.

be brought in (of pers. and things)

be brought

be introduced, put

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H935 בּוֹא come in, come, go in, go .. come in

. come (approach, arrive)

. go, i.e. walk, associate with

. go from speaker, but with limit of motion given

. . cause to come in, bring in (conduct, lead, obj. persons and animals)

. cause to come, bring, bring near, etc. (animate obj.)

. . be brought in (of pers. and things)

. be brought

. be introduced, put

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

935 bow' bo

a primitive root; to go or come (in a wide variety of

applications):--abide, apply, attain, X be, befall, +

besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, X

certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out,

upon, to pass), depart, X doubtless again, + eat, + employ,

(cause to) enter (in, into, -tering, -trance, -try), be

fallen, fetch, + follow, get, give, go (down, in, to war),

grant, + have, X indeed, (in-)vade, lead, lift (up), mention,

pull in, put, resort, run (down), send, set, X (well) stricken

(in age), X surely, take (in), way.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בּוֹא (bo) — to come (in): come.

: come/go_in

1) to go in, enter, come, go, come in

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to enter, come in

1a2) to come

1a2a) to come with

1a2b) to come upon, fall or light upon, attack (enemy)

1a2c) to come to pass

1a3) to attain to

1a4) to be enumerated

1a5) to go

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to lead in

1b2) to carry in

1b3) to bring in, cause to come in, gather, cause to come, bring near, bring against, bring upon

1b4) to bring to pass

1c) (Hophal)

1c1) to be brought, brought in

1c2) to be introduced, be put

לְב֥וֹא (bo) — Lebo-(Hamath).

This name means to go in, enter

Combined with cha.mat (חֲמָת "Hamath" H2574)

בּוֹא (bo) — to come (in): towards.

: towards/entrance

1) to go in, enter, come, go, come in

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to enter, come in

1a2) to come

1a2a) to come with

1a2b) to come upon, fall or light upon, attack (enemy)

1a2c) to come to pass

1a3) to attain to

1a4) to be enumerated

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
HVqi3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

kum: The translation of many Hebrew and Greek words. In the phrase "The Spirit of Yahweh came mightily upon him" (Jud 14:6,19; 15:14; 1Sa 10:10; 11:6; 16:13), the word is tsaleah; Jud 14:6; 15:14 "came mightily," which is the uniform translation of the Revised Version (British and American) (compare Jud 13:25 "to move," i.e. to disturb or stir up). In Jud 6:34; 1Ch 12:18; 2Ch 24:20, it is labhesh, "to clothe"; the Revised Version, margin "The Spirit .... clothed itself with Gideon" and .... "with Zechariah,"…

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
there- -fore suddenly it will come disaster his an instant he will be broken and there not [will be] healing
אֵיד֑וֹ'ei.Do disaster his H343 Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
24× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means calamity or disaster, and can also mean oppression or misfortune. It's used in the Bible to describe difficult times, like in the book of Job.
Amplified meaning
disaster, oppression, or misfortune
Tyndale gloss
calamity
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֵיד (eyd) refers to distress or calamity, encompassing various forms of misfortune such as national calamities, burdens of the righteous, and disasters affecting the wicked. It is derived from a root meaning to bend down, indicating oppression or ruin. The term appears in contexts related to suffering and disaster.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵיד n.m. distress, calamity

national calam. of Isr. (apostate)

of righteous sufferer

oft. of wicked

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H343 אֵיד distress, calamity

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

343 'eyd ade

from the same as 181 (in the sense of bending down);

oppression; by implication misfortune, ruin:--calamity,

destruction.

see HEBREW for 0181

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵיד (ed) — calamity.

1) distress, burden, calamity

1a) burden (of the righteous)

1b) calamity (of nation)

1c) disaster (of wicked)

1d) day of calamity

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."

there- -fore suddenly it will come disaster his an instant he will be broken and there not [will be] healing
פֶּ֥תַעPe.ta' an instant H6621 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
7× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means suddenness or quickness, often used to describe something happening in an instant. It appears in the Bible to convey a sense of urgency or surprise. In the KJV, it is translated as 'at an instant' or 'suddenly'.
Amplified meaning
suddenness, quickness
Tyndale gloss
suddenness
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

פֶּתַע (petha`) refers to suddenness or an instant, derived from an unused root meaning to open the eyes. It conveys the idea of something happening quickly or unexpectedly. The entries consistently emphasize this notion of suddenness without notable disagreement among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

פֶּתַע subst. suddenness (√ unknown)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6621 פֶּתַע suddenness

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6621 petha` peh'-thah

from an unused root meaning to open (the eyes); a wink, i.e.

moment (compare 6597) (used only (with or without preposition)

adverbially, quickly or unexpectedly):--at an instant,

suddenly, X very.

see HEBREW for 06597

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

פֶּתַע (pe.ta) — suddenness.

suddenness, in an instant

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adv — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
there- -fore suddenly it will come disaster his an instant he will be broken and there not [will be] healing
יִ֝שָּׁבֵ֗רyi.sha.Ver he will be broken H7665 Verb · Niphal · imperfect third person masculine singular
147× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to break or shatter something, either physically or emotionally. It can also mean to burst or rupture, and is often used to describe intense violence or destruction. In the Bible, it's translated as break or crush.
Amplified meaning
broken, crushed, or ruined
Tyndale gloss
to break
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׁבַר (shabar) means to break or shatter, with various nuances including breaking in pieces, causing to break out (like bringing to birth), and being broken or crushed. It appears in different forms, such as Qal, Niphal, Piel, Hiphil, and Hophal, indicating active and passive meanings. The lexicons do not present any significant disagreements.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁבַר 148 vb. break, break in pieces

Qal 53 break, lit.

Niph. 57 be broken

Pi. 26 shatter, break

Hiph. cause to break out, i.e. bring to the birth

Hoph. be broken, shattered (in heart)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7665 שָׁבַר break, break in pieces .break, lit.

. be broken

. shatter, break

. cause to break out, i.e. bring to the birth

. be broken, shattered (in heart)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7665 shabar shaw-bar'

a primitive root; to burst (literally or

figuratively):--break (down, off, in pieces, up),

broken((-hearted)), bring to the birth, crush, destroy, hurt,

quench, X quite, tear, view (by mistake for 7663).

see HEBREW for 07663

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁבַר (sha.var) — to break.

1) to break, break in pieces

1a) (Qal)

1a1) break, break in or down, rend violently, wreck, crush, quench

1a2) to break, rupture (fig)

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be broken, be maimed, be crippled, be wrecked

1b2) to be broken, be crushed (fig)

1c) (Piel) to shatter, break

1d) (Hiphil) to cause to break out, bring to the birth

1e) (Hophal) to be broken, be shattered

Aramaic equivalent: te.var (תְּבַר "to break" H8406)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Niphal-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Niphal · imperfect third person masculine singular
HVNi3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

bro'-k'-n: Occurs both as past participle of the verb translated "to break" and as an adjective, the former use will be dealt with here only so far as verbs occur which are thus translated but do not present the non-participial forms. Such are: meroach = "bruised," "emasculated" (Le 21:20); chathath = "to frustrate," hence, "to break down" either by violence or by confusion and fear (1Sa 2:10; Jer 48:20,39); dakhah = "to collapse" (Ps 44:19; 51:8); ratsats = "to crack in pieces" "crush" (Ec 12:6); kathath = "to bruise or violently strike," "break in pieces" (Isa…

there- -fore suddenly it will come disaster his an instant he will be broken and there not [will be] healing
וְאֵ֣יןve.'Ein and there not H369 Conjunction · noun common masculine singular construct
789× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means nothing or not, often used to indicate the absence of something, as in Genesis 1:2 where the earth was without form. It emphasizes the idea of something lacking or non-existent.
Amplified meaning
without
Tyndale gloss
nothing
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אַ֫יִן (ayin) primarily means 'nothing' or 'nought' and serves as a negative particle indicating absence or negation, such as 'is not' or 'there is not.' It can also express lack of possession or existence. The word is derived from a root meaning to be non-existent, and it appears frequently in various grammatical constructions.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אַ֫יִן, אָ֑֫יִן cstr. אֵין subst. prop. nothing, nought

to nothing, as nothing

cstr. אֵין, very freq. as particle of negation, is not, are not, was not, were not

אֵין לְ׳, with subst., or pron., there is (was) not to … = … have, has, had, etc. not

in circumst. clauses

with inf. and ל׳, it is not to …

with prefixes

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H369 אַ֫יִן, אָ֑֫יִן cstr. אֵין subst. prop. nothing, nought . to nothing, as nothing

. cstr. אֵין, very freq. as particle of negation, is not, are not, was not, were not

. אֵין לְ׳, with subst., or pron., there is (was) not to … = … have, has, had, etc. not

. in circumst. clauses

. with inf. and ל׳, it is not to …

. with prefixes

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

369 'ayin ah'-yin

as if from a primitive root meaning to be nothing or not

exist; a non-entity; generally used as a negative

particle:--else, except, fail, (father-)less, be gone,

in(-curable), neither, never, no (where), none, nor, (any,

thing), not, nothing, to nought, past, un(-searchable),

well-nigh, without. Compare 370.

see HEBREW for 0370

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אַ֫יִן (a.yin) — nothing.

1) nothing, not, nought n

1a) nothing, nought neg

1b) not

1c) to have not (of possession) adv

1d) without w/prep

1e) for lack of

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Part — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular construct
HC/Ncmsc
there- -fore suddenly it will come disaster his an instant he will be broken and there not [will be] healing
מַרְפֵּֽא׃ פmar.Pe' [will be] healing H4832 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
16× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Means healing or a cure, like medicine. It can also mean deliverance or a state of being calm and peaceful. This word is used in the Bible to describe physical and emotional healing.
Amplified meaning
healing, cure, or remedy
Tyndale gloss
healing
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מַרְפֵּא (marpe') refers to healing, cure, and health, often in a figurative sense. It is derived from the root meaning 'curative' and can imply both literal medicine and abstract concepts like deliverance or placidity. The term encompasses various aspects of health, including the idea of being incurable.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מַרְפֵּא, מַרְפֵּה n.m. healing, cure, health (usu. fig.)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4832 מַרְפֵּא, מַרְפֵּה healing, cure, health (usu. fig.)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4832 marpe' mar-pay'

from 7495; properly, curative, i.e. literally (concretely) a

medicine, or (abstractly) a cure; figuratively (concretely)

deliverance, or (abstractly) placidity:--((in-))cure(-able),

healing(-lth), remedy, sound, wholesome, yielding.

see HEBREW for 07495

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מַרְפֵּא (mar.pe) — healing.

1) health, healing, cure

1a) healing, cure

1b) health, profit, sound (of mind)

1c) healing

1c1) incurable (with negative)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hel'-ing (marpe', te`alah, kehah): In the Old Testament this word is always used in its figurative sense; marpe', which literally means "a cure," is used in Jer 14:19 twice, and in Mal 4:2; te`alah, which literally means "an irrigation canal," here means something applied externally, as a plaster, in which sense it is used metaphorically in Jer 30:13; kehah occurs only in Na 3:19 the King James Version and is translated "assuagings" in the Revised Version (British and American).

In the New Testament 5 times the verb is therapeuo; once (Ac 10:38) iaomai; in the other passages it is either iama, as in

Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

Everything we make is available for free because of a generous community of supporters.

Donate