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Proverbs 9:3 — Word Study

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WLCשָֽׁלְחָ֣ה נַעֲרֹתֶ֣יהָ תִקְרָ֑א עַל־ גַּ֝פֵּ֗י מְרֹ֣מֵי קָֽרֶת׃

BSAShe has sent outshâlach her maidservantsnaʻărâh [servant girls, maidens] she calls outqârâʼ [cries, invites] fromʻal the heightsmârôwm [highest, lofty] of the cityqereth [town, urban area]

Word
Listen & take awayProverbs 9
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 3 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 (Ka.ret) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Proverbs 9:3quick helps
In a sentenceWisdom sends out her maidservants to call the simple to her feast.
Who is speakingWisdom, personified as a woman.
Where we areIn a poetic invitation to the city, inviting those who lack understanding.
The hard wordשָׁלְחָה
Take awayWisdom actively seeks to gather the simple to her table.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbשָׁלַח 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 9:3

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 Call of Wisdomgenerated

2She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine; she has also set her table.
3She has sent out her maidservants; she calls out from the heights of the city.
4“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!” she says to him who lacks judgment.
5“Come, eat my bread and drink the wine I have mixed.

Proverbs 9:3 presents a vivid image of Wisdom as a woman who prepares a feast and sends out her maidservants to invite those who are simple. This passage illustrates the accessibility of Wisdom and her desire to reach out to those who lack understanding, as seen in the surrounding verses that emphasize the invitation to partake in her offerings.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Matthew 22:3–4He sent his servants to call those he had invited to the banquet, but they refused to come.
2Luke 11:49Because of this, the wisdom of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles; some of them they will kill and others they will persecute.’
3Luke 14:17–21When it was time for the banquet, he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’
4Romans 10:15And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”
52 Corinthians 5:20–21Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ: Be reconciled to God.

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


The Key Word שָׁלְחָה, sha.le.Chahgenerated

The verb שָׁלַח (shalach) means 'to send' and is used here in the perfect tense, indicating a completed action. It conveys the idea of sending out with purpose, suggesting that Wisdom has actively dispatched her maidservants to fulfill her invitation.

This word has a wide range of applications, including sending away or letting go. In this context, it emphasizes the proactive nature of Wisdom in reaching out to those who need guidance.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

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


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb שָׁלְחָה, she has sent out, governs the whole verse, with two phrases hanging off it: a noun phrase for the object and a prepositional phrase indicating the location from which she calls. The structure emphasizes the action of sending as central to the verse.

The prepositional phrase עַל־ גַּ֝פֵּי מְרֹ֣מֵי קָֽרֶת specifies the heights of the city, highlighting the elevated position from which Wisdom calls out, suggesting a place of prominence.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates שָׁלְחָה as ἀπέστειλεν (apestēlen), meaning 'she sent out.' This choice aligns closely with the Hebrew meaning, emphasizing the action of sending.

The Greek word συγκαλούσα for תִקְרָא reflects a similar intent, indicating a calling or summoning, which maintains the invitation aspect of Wisdom's message.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Proverbs 9:3 shows Wisdom sending out her maidservants to call out from the heights of the city. This reflects her desire to invite those who are simple to partake in her feast.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that Wisdom sends out her maidservants?

It signifies that Wisdom actively seeks to reach those who lack understanding, inviting them to partake in her teachings.

Who are the maidservants in this verse?

The maidservants represent those who assist Wisdom in her mission, serving as messengers to call others to her.

What is the significance of calling from the heights?

Calling from the heights symbolizes a position of authority and prominence, emphasizing the importance of Wisdom's invitation.

How does this passage relate to the overall theme of Proverbs?

This passage illustrates the theme of seeking wisdom and understanding, showing that it is accessible to all who are willing to listen.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways have I responded to invitations for wisdom in my own life?
  2. How can I be a messenger of wisdom to others, like the maidservants in this verse?
  3. What does it mean to me that wisdom calls out from a place of prominence?
  4. How can I better recognize and accept the invitations to wisdom that come my way?

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

Bede comments on this verse, noting how Wisdom sends out her maidservants to gather the faithful to her heavenly feast.

BedeCommentary on Proverbs c. 673–735
She has also sent out her maidens, etc. She chose weak and despised preachers, who would gather the faithful people to the heavenly edifices of the supernal homeland.
Early Church Fathers on Proverbs 9 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Proverbs 9:3 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

She hath sent forth her maidens,.... Not moral virtues, or good works, which subserve the interest of Christ and religion, adorn the Gospel and its professors; nor the liberal arts and sciences, said

Read John Gill on Proverbs 9 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

She hath sent forth her maidens: she crieth upon the highest places of the city, She hath sent forth her maidens: she crieth upon the highest places of the city - literally, 'upon the pinnacles of

Read Robert Jamieson on Proverbs 9 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Her maidens; her servants, to invite the guests; ministers of the word, whom he calls maidens, partly for the decency of the parable; for wisdom being compared to a great princess, was fit to be attended upon by maidens; and partly to show that God by his word did work sweetly, though strongly, and did allure and draw rather than drive sinners to repentance. Upon the highest places: either upon the tops of the houses, which were flat; or rather, from such high seats as those from which judges delivered their sentences, and officers made proclamations, for the conveniency of the people’ s better hearing.

Read Matthew Poole on Proverbs 9 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Proverbs 9:3 She hath sent forth her maidens: she crieth upon the highest places of the city,Ver. 3. She hath sent forth her maidens.] So ministers are called - in prosecution of the allegory, for it is fit that this great lady should have suitable attendants - to teach them innocence, purity, and sedulity as maidens, keeping the word in sincerity, and not adulterating and corrupting it, as vintners oft do their wines, or hucksters their wares. Hence Isaiah also putteth the prophets and evangelists in the feminine gender, Mebashereth She crieth upon, &c.] She, together with her maids, crieth; she puts not off all the business to them, but hath a hand in it herself. We are workers together…

Read John Trapp on Proverbs 9 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(3) She hath sent forth her maidens.—Wisdom being here described under the figure of a woman, is properly represented as attended by her maidens, whom she sends forth to summon the guests. But the King (Matthew 22) despatches His servants for the same work, viz., His prophets and wise men and scribes (Matthew 23:34), whom from age to age He sends forth as His messengers. She crieth upon the highest places of the city—so that all may hear. (Comp. our Lord’s command to proclaim His message “upon the housetops,” Matthew 10:27).

Read Charles John Ellicott on Proverbs 9 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 3. She hath sent forth her maidens] The wisdom of God has made use of the most proper means to communicate Divine knowledge to the inhabitants of the earth; as a good and gracious Creator wills to teach them whence they came, how they are supported, whither they are going, and for what end they were formed. It is a custom to the present day, in Asiatic countries, to send their invitations to guests by a company of females, preceded by eunuchs: they go to the doors of the invited, and deliver their message.

Read AdamClarke on Proverbs 9 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Wisdom and the “foolish woman” Proverbs 9:13 speak from the same places and to the same class - the simple, undecided, wavering, standing at the diverging point of the two paths that lead to life or death.

Read Albert Barnes on Proverbs 9 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

3. Sent forth her maidens — πςψϊιδ, her young women. Wisdom being personified as a woman, a queen, it is fitting that her attendants should also be women. She crieth — That is, by her maidens.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Proverbs 9 →

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

She has sent out her maidservants; she calls out from the heights of the city.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

She has sent out her maidens. She cries from the highest places of the city:

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

She has sent out her maidservants; she calls out from the heights of the city.

NETBNew English Translation2006

She has sent out her female servants; she calls out on the highest places of the city.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

She hath sent forth her maidens: she crieth upon the highest places of the city,

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

She hath sent forth her maidens; She crieth upon the highest places of the city:

RVARevised Version, American1894

She hath sent forth her maidens, she crieth upon the highest places of the city,

NWBWebster's Bible1833

She hath sent forth her maidens: she crieth upon the highest places of the city,

GNVGeneva Bible1599

She hath sent forth her maydens and cryeth vpon the highest places of the citie, saying,

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

she hath sent forth her maidens: she crieth upon the summits of the high places of the city,

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

She hath sent forth her damsels, She crieth on the tops of the high places of the city:

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

She has sent forth her girls, || She cries on the tops of the high places of the city:

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

She hath sent forth her maidens: she inviteth [her guests] upon the top of the highest places of the town.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

She has sent out her maids; she calls out from the highest points of the city,

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

She hath sent her maids to invite to the tower, and to the walls of the city:

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

She has sent out her servant girls with invitations. She calls out from the highest places of the town,

BBEBible in Basic English1949

She has sent out her women-servants; her voice goes out to the highest places of the town, saying,

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.

clauseverbשָֽׁלְחָ֣הshe.has.sent.outnoun phrase · objectנַעֲרֹתֶ֣יservantsהָher.femaleclauseverbתִקְרָ֑אshe.calls.outprepositional phrase · prepositionalעַלonnoun phraseגַּ֝פֵּ֗י[the].elevationsnoun phraseמְרֹ֣מֵיof.[the].heightsקָֽרֶתof.[the].town

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 six of the seven words matched. This shows a strong consistency in the core message of the verse, although the Septuagint's word order and articles differ.

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

שָֽׁלְחָ֣ה נַעֲרֹתֶ֣יהָ תִקְרָ֑א עַל־ גַּ֝פֵּ֗י מְרֹ֣מֵי קָֽרֶת׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
שָֽׁלְחָ֣הἀπέστειλενנַעֲרֹתֶ֣יהָτοὺςתִקְרָ֑אσυγκαλούσαעַל־μετὰמְרֹ֣מֵיὑψηλοῦקָֽרֶת׃κηρύγματος

6 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 9:3שָׁלַחshe has senshe has sent ouשָׁלַחנַעֲרָהfemale servfemale servantsנַעֲרָהקָרָאshe calls oshe calls outקָרָאעַלononעַלגַּף[the] eleva[the] elevationגַּףמָרוֹם[the] heigh[the] heights oמָרוֹםקֶ֫רֶת[the] town[the] townקֶ֫רֶתרוּםto exaltto exaltרוּםקָרָהto meetto meetקָרָהנַ֫עַרyouthyouthנַ֫עַרקָרָאto encountto encounter: mקָרָאעַלheightheightעַלחָפְשִׁיfreefreeחָפְשִׁימַלְאָךְmessengermessengerמַלְאָךְאָרַשׂto betrothto betrothאָרַשׂבְּתוּלָהvirginvirginבְּתוּלָהצוֹםfastfastצוֹםשֵׁםnamenameשֵׁםכִּפֶּרto atoneto atoneכִּפֶּרכִּסֵּאthronethroneכִּסֵּאיָצָאto come outo come out: coיָצָאסֶ֫לַעcragcragסֶ֫לַעקָדוֹשׁholyholyקָדוֹשׁמָרוֹםheightheightמָרוֹםשַׁ֫עַרgategateשַׁ֫עַר
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 9:3

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.

she has sent out female servants her she calls out on [the] elevations of [the] heights of [the] town
שָֽׁלְחָ֣הsha.le.Chah she has sent out H7971 Verb · Qal · perfect third person feminine singular
847× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To send or depart is the meaning of this Hebrew word, which has various applications in the Bible. It can describe sending someone or something away, or letting something go.
Tyndale gloss
to send: depart
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word שָׁלַח (shalach) is a primitive root meaning 'to send' with a wide range of applications. It can refer to sending away, stretching out (especially a hand), or letting go. The entries indicate various forms, including sending off, casting out, and setting free. Notably, it can also imply divorce or being sent away in a marital context.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁלַח 814 vb. send

Qal

send: human subj.

send: subj. י׳ (God)

stretch out, esp. acc. hand

rarely send away: human subj.

let loose

Niph. letters were sent

Pi.

send off, away, human subj.

send away, subj. י׳

give over

cast out

send out, forth

let go, set free

shoot forth branches

let down

shoot

Phrases

Pu. be sent off (started on journey); be put away, divorced, of wife; be impelled(?)

Hiph. and I (י׳) will send

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7971 שָׁלַח send .. send: human subj.

. send: subj. י׳ (God)

. stretch out, esp. acc. hand

. rarely send away: human subj.

. let loose

. letters were sent

. . send off, away, human subj.

. . send away, subj. י׳

. give over

. cast out

. send out, forth

. let go, set free

. shoot forth branches

. let down

. shoot

. Phrases

. be sent off (started on journey); be put away, divorced, of wife; be impelled(?)

. and I (י׳) will send

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7971 shalach shaw-lakh'

a primitive root; to send away, for, or out (in a great

variety of applications):--X any wise, appoint, bring (on the

way), cast (away, out), conduct, X earnestly, forsake, give

(up), grow long, lay, leave, let depart (down, go, loose),

push away, put (away, forth, in, out), reach forth, send

(away, forth, out), set, shoot (forth, out), sow, spread,

stretch forth (out).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁלַח (sha.lach) — to send: depart.

: depart/send

1) to send, send away, let go, stretch out

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to send

1a2) to stretch out, extend, direct

1a3) to send away

1a4) to let loose

1b) (Niphal) to be sent

1c) (Piel)

1c1) to send off or away or out or forth, dismiss, give over, cast out

1c2) to let go, set free

1c3) to shoot forth (of branches)

1c4) to let down

1c5) to shoot

1d) (Pual) to be sent off, be put away, be divorced, be impelled

1e) (Hiphil) to send

שָׁלַח (sha.lach) — to send: let go.

: let_go/free

1) to send, send away, let go, stretch out

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to send

1a2) to stretch out, extend, direct

1a3) to send away

1a4) to let loose

1b) (Niphal) to be sent

1c) (Piel)

1c1) to send off or away or out or forth, dismiss, give over, cast out

1c2) to let go, set free

1c3) to shoot forth (of branches)

1c4) to let down

1c5) to shoot

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-3fs — Verb · Qal · perfect third person feminine singular
HVqp3fs
she has sent out female servants her she calls out on [the] elevations of [the] heights of [the] town
נַעֲרֹתֶ֣יהָna.'a.ro.Tei.ha female servants her H5291 Noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
63× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A maiden is a young, unmarried woman, often described as a servant or attendant. In the Bible, it refers to women like the maidens who served in the temple or the young women who were eligible for marriage.
Amplified meaning
servant girls, maidens
Tyndale gloss
maiden
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word נַעֲרָה (*na`arah*) means 'girl' or 'damsel' and refers to a young female from infancy to adolescence. It can also denote a young woman, including terms like maid or female servant. The entries indicate a range of meanings that include marriageable young women and even concubines or prostitutes.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נַעֲרָה n.f. girl, damsel

girl, damsel

of female attendants, maids

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5291 נַעֲרָה girl, damsel

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5291 na`arah nah-ar-aw'

feminine of 5288; a girl (from infancy to

adolescence):--damsel, maid(-en), young (woman).

see HEBREW for 05288

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נַעֲרָה (na.a.rah) — maiden.

1) girl, damsel, female servant

1a) girl, damsel, little girl

1a1) of young woman, marriageable young woman, concubine, prostitute

1b) maid, female attendant, female servant

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fp | Suff — Noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
HNcfpc/Sp3fs
she has sent out female servants her she calls out on [the] elevations of [the] heights of [the] town
תִקְרָ֑אtik.Ra' she calls out H7121 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person feminine singular
733× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to call out to someone or something, often by name. It's used in many situations, like calling for help or reading aloud. In Genesis, God calls out to Adam in the Garden.
Amplified meaning
cries, invites
Tyndale gloss
to call: call to
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word קָרָא (qara') is a primitive root meaning to call, proclaim, or read. It encompasses a range of actions including calling out, crying for help, reading aloud, and summoning. The word can also imply being called or named in various contexts. There are no significant disagreements among the lexicons regarding its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

קָרָא 724 vb. call, proclaim, read

Qal

call, cry, utter a loud sound

call, cry

call unto some one

cry for help

proclaim

read aloud

read to oneself

summon

call = name

Niph.

reflex.

pass. be called

Pu. be called

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7121 קָרָא call, proclaim, read .. . call, cry, utter a loud sound

. call, cry

. . call unto some one

. cry for help

. proclaim

. . read aloud

. read to oneself

. summon

. call = name

. . reflex.

. pass. be called

. be called

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7121 qara' kaw-raw'

a primitive root (rather identical with 7122 through the idea

of accosting a person met); to call out to (i.e. properly,

address by name, but used in a wide variety of

applications):--bewray (self), that are bidden, call (for,

forth, self, upon), cry (unto), (be) famous, guest, invite,

mention, (give) name, preach, (make) proclaim(- ation),

pronounce, publish, read, renowned, say.

see HEBREW for 07122

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קָרָא (qa.ra) — to call: call to.

: call_to/invite/entreat

1) to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to call, cry, utter a loud sound

1a2) to call unto, cry (for help), call (with name of God)

1a3) to proclaim

1a4) to read aloud, read (to oneself), read

1a5) to summon, invite, call for, call and commission, appoint, call and endow

1a6) to call, name, give name to, call by

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to call oneself

1b2) to be called, be proclaimed, be read aloud, be summoned, be named

1c) (Pual) to be called, be named, be called out, be chosen

קָרָא (qa.ra) — to call: call by.

: call_by/name

1) to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to call, cry, utter a loud sound

1a2) to call unto, cry (for help), call (with name of God)

1a3) to proclaim

1a4) to read aloud, read (to oneself), read

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-3fs — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person feminine singular
HVqi3fs
she has sent out female servants her she calls out on [the] elevations of [the] heights of [the] town
עַל־'al- on 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.
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)

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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)

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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

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Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Preposition
HR
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

On

Light; the sun, (Gen. 41:45, 50), the great seat of sun-worship, called also Bethshemesh (Jer. 43:13) and Aven (Ezek. 30:17), stood on the east bank of the Nile, a few miles north of Memphis, and near Cairo, in the north-east. The Vulgate and the LXX. Versions have “Heliopolis” (“city of the sun”) instead of On in Genesis and of Aven in Ezekiel. The “city of destruction” Isaiah speaks of (19:18, marg. “of Heres;” Heb. ‘Ir-ha-heres, which some MSS. read Ir-ha-heres, i.e., “city of the sun”) may be the name given to On, the prophecy being that the time will come when that city which was known as the “city of the sun-god” shall become the “city of destruction” of the sun-god, i.e., when idolatry shall cease, and the worship…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(abode or city of the sun), a town of lower Egypt, called BETH-SHEMESH in (Jeremiah 43:13) On is better known under its Greek name Heliopolis. It was situated on the east side of the Pelusiac branch of the Nile, just below the point of the Delta, and about twenty miles northeast of Memphis. The chief object of worship at Heliopolis was the sun, whose temple, described by Strabo, is now only represented by the single beautiful obelisk, of red granite so feet 2 inches high above the pedestal which has stood for more than 4000 years, having been erected by Usirtesen, the second king of the twelfth dynasty. Heliopolis was anciently famous for its learning, and Eudoxus and Plato studied under its priests. The first mention of this place in the Bible is in the history of Joseph, to whom we read Pharaoh gave "to wife Asenath the daughter…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

See HELIOPOLIS.

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

pain; force; iniquity

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
she has sent out female servants her she calls out on [the] elevations of [the] heights of [the] town
גַּ֝פֵּ֗יga.Pei [the] elevations of H1610 Noun common · masculine plural construct
4× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[גַּף] n.m. body, self, height, elevation

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1610 גַּף body, self, height, elevation

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1610 gaph gaf

from an unused root meaning to arch; the back; by extensive

the body or self:--+ highest places, himself.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

גַּף (gaph) — single/height.

1) body, self (only in phrase, eg by himself)

2) height, elevation

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcmpc — Noun common · masculine plural construct
HNcmpc
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
she has sent out female servants her she calls out on [the] elevations of [the] heights of [the] town
מְרֹ֣מֵיme.Ro.mei [the] heights of H4791 Noun common · masculine plural construct
54× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a high or elevated place, either physically or figuratively. It can describe a location, such as a mountain, or a state of being, like pride or haughtiness. It is used in various books of the Bible.
Amplified meaning
highest, lofty
Tyndale gloss
height
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מָרוֹם (marowm) means 'height' and encompasses both concrete and abstract uses, referring to elevated places, elevation, and even pride. It can describe physical heights or be used figuratively for dignity and nobility. The word is poetically used in the Old Testament, with its root linked to the concept of altitude.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מָרוֹם n.m. height (poet.)

height, elevation (concr.), elevated place

alone = height of heaven

adv. fig., = proudly

fig. of nobles

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4791 מָרוֹם height (poet.)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4791 marowm maw-rome'

from 7311; altitude, i.e. concretely (an elevated place),

abstractly (elevation, figuratively (elation), or adverbially

(aloft):--(far) above, dignity, haughty, height, (most, on)

high (one, place), loftily, upward.

see HEBREW for 07311

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מָרוֹם (ma.rom) — height.

1) height

1a) height, elevation, elevated place

1a1) in a high place (adv)

1b) height

1c) proudly (adv)

1d) of nobles (fig.)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural construct
HNcmpc
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…

she has sent out female servants her she calls out on [the] elevations of [the] heights of [the] town
קָֽרֶת׃Ka.ret [the] town H7176 Noun common · feminine singular absolute
5× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means a city or town, a place where people live and work together. It is used to describe various cities in the Bible, including Jerusalem. The KJV translates it as 'city'.
Amplified meaning
town, urban area
Tyndale gloss
town
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

קֶ֫רֶת (qereth) refers to a town or city. It is derived from the root word meaning 'to build' and is used in the context of urban settlements. The entries consistently define it as a city or town, with no significant disagreement among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[קֶ֫רֶת] n.f. town, city

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7176 קֶ֫רֶת

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7176 qereth keh'-reth

from 7136 in the sense of building; a city:--city.

see HEBREW for 07136

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קֶ֫רֶת (qe.ret) — town.

city, town

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

toun: This word is used to represent a number of different Hob terms in the Old Testament.

(1) When any explanatory word or attendant circumstances show that a "city" was unwalled, and sometimes in the contrary case (1Sa 23:7), the Hebrew `ir is translated "town" by the King James Version, and the Revised Version (British and American) generally agrees with it (De 3:5; 1Sa 27:5; Es 9:19).

(2) Both the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American) translate chawwoth by "towns" (Nu 32:41; Jos 13:30; 1Ki…

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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