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Psalms 102:8 — Word Study

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WLCכָּל־ הַ֭יּוֹם חֵרְפ֣וּנִי אוֹיְבָ֑י מְ֝הוֹלָלַ֗י בִּ֣י נִשְׁבָּֽעוּ׃

BSAto watchshâqad to behâyâh birdtsippôwr be alonebâdad uponʻal roofgâg

Word
Listen & take awayPsalms 102
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 8 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 (nish.Ba.'u) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Psalms 102:8quick helps
In a sentenceThe psalmist expresses the relentless taunts and curses from his enemies throughout the day.
Who is speakingThe psalmist, reflecting on his suffering and the hostility he faces.
Where we areIn a lament, the psalmist describes his emotional and physical distress.
The hard wordחֵרְפ֣וּנִי
Take awayThe enemies' mockery and cursing are constant, adding to the psalmist's anguish.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbH7650 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 — Psalms 102:8

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 — A Lament of Distressgenerated

7I lie awake; I am like a lone bird on a housetop.
8All day long my enemies taunt me; they ridicule me and curse me.
9For I have eaten ashes like bread and mixed my drink with tears
10because of Your indignation and wrath, for You have picked me up and cast me aside.

Psalm 102:8 reveals the psalmist's deep anguish as he faces relentless mockery from his enemies. This verse is part of a broader lament where the psalmist articulates his suffering and isolation, as seen in the preceding verse where he compares himself to a solitary bird. The emotional weight of this psalm resonates with other passages of lament in the Psalms, where the faithful cry out to God amidst their troubles.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Psalm 31:11–13Among all my enemies I am a disgrace, and among my neighbors even more. I am dreaded by my friends— they flee when they see me on the street.
2Psalm 55:3at the voice of the enemy, at the pressure of the wicked. For they release disaster upon me and revile me in their anger.
3Psalm 69:9–10because zeal for Your house has consumed me, and the insults of those who insult You have fallen on me.
4Psalm 89:51how Your enemies have taunted, O LORD, and have mocked every step of Your anointed one!
5Romans 15:3For even Christ did not please Himself, but as it is written: “The insults of those who insult You have fallen on Me.”

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


The Key Word חֵרְפ֣וּנִי, che.re.Fu.nigenerated

The verb חֵרַף (charaph) means to taunt or reproach. It is a piel form, indicating an intensive action, suggesting that the enemies are not merely mocking but doing so with intent to harm or defame. This word captures the essence of the psalmist's experience of being publicly ridiculed.

In this context, the use of חֵרְפ֣וּנִי emphasizes the ongoing nature of the taunts, as the enemies continuously attack the psalmist's dignity and worth. The intensity of the verb reflects the emotional turmoil faced by the psalmist.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

The verse is rendered in the Berean Standard Bible as 'All day long my enemies taunt me; they ridicule me and curse me.' The KJV and ASV also use 'taunt' and 'ridicule', maintaining a consistent meaning across translations.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb of the verse is חֵרְפ֣וּ, they have taunted, which governs the subject אוֹיְבָ֑י, my enemies. The structure shows that the enemies are the active agents of mockery, while the psalmist is the object of their derision.

The sentence is straightforward, with a clear subject-verb-object order that emphasizes the psalmist's experience of being taunted and cursed.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates the Hebrew חֵרְפ֣וּ with the Greek word ἐπὶ, indicating a focus on the action directed at the psalmist. This choice highlights the adversarial nature of the relationship between the psalmist and his enemies.

This translation reflects a similar understanding of the taunting as an active and hostile action, consistent with the Hebrew text.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalm 102:8 expresses the psalmist's pain as he describes how his enemies constantly mock and curse him. This verse highlights the emotional distress he faces daily, as he feels isolated and attacked by those who oppose him.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that the enemies taunt the psalmist all day long?

It signifies relentless harassment and emotional torment that the psalmist is experiencing, highlighting the severity of his suffering.

How does the psalmist respond to the taunts?

The psalmist expresses his anguish and seeks comfort from God, as seen in the broader context of the psalm.

What is the significance of the psalmist feeling like a solitary bird?

It emphasizes his feelings of isolation and vulnerability amidst the attacks from his enemies.

How does this verse connect to other psalms of lament?

It shares themes of suffering and cries for help, similar to other lament psalms where the faithful express their distress to God.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. How do I respond to mockery or criticism in my own life?
  2. In what ways can I find comfort in God during times of distress?
  3. What does this verse teach me about the nature of enemies and opposition?
  4. How can I support others who are facing ridicule or hardship?

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

Early commentators, such as Augustine of Hippo, reference this verse to discuss the psalmist's experience of being reviled by enemies.

Augustine of HippoExposition on Psalms 102 354–430
"Mine enemies revile me all day, and they that praised me are sworn together against me" [Psalms 102:8].
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 102 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 102:8 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Mine enemies reproach me all the day,.... For his principles and practices, being different from theirs; for his religion, and preciseness in it; for his faith and profession of it, and for his holy walk and conversation.

Read John Gill on Psalms 102 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Mine enemies reproach me all the day; and they that are mad against me are sworn against me.

Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 102 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Or, and being mad or enraged at or against me, they swear against me; they swear they will do me yet more mischief: or, they swear by me; they make use of my name and misery in their forms of swearing and imprecation; as when they would express their malicious and mischievous intentions against another, they swear that they will use him or make him as miserable as a Jew. See the like expressions .

Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 102 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Psalms 102:8 Mine enemies reproach me all the day; [and] they that are mad against me are sworn against me.Ver. 8. Mine enemies reproach me all the day] This is an evil that man’ s nature is most impatient with. See Psal. cxxxvii. And they that are mad against me] That let fly at me, or that once praised me, flattered me. So the Sept. Are sworn against me] Have sworn my death, or do swear and curse by me, as the Turks do at this day, when, to confirm a truth, they say, Iudaeus sim si fallam, I would I were a Jew, it is so. See Zechariah 8:13 Isaiah 6:11-13 Jeremiah 29:22. God make thee as Ahab, and as Zedekiah, &c.

Read John Trapp on Psalms 102 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(8) Sworn against me.—Rather, swear by me, i.e., make his name a byeword of execration, to be explained by Isaiah 65:15; Jeremiah 29:22. LXX. and Vulg., “were swearing against me.”

Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 102 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 8. They that are mad against me are sworn against me.] The Chaldeans are determined to destroy us; and they have bound themselves by oath to do it. See a similar case related Acts 23:12-14, where a number of Jews had bound themselves by an oath neither to eat nor drink till they had slain Paul.

Read AdamClarke on Psalms 102 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

8. His enemies aggravate his sufferings by mocking him as one forsaken by God (Psalms 42:10; Psalms 44:13). are sworn against me] Rather as R.V., do curse by me; using my name in formulas of execration, ‘God make thee like yonder miserable wretch.’ Cp. Isaiah 65:15; Jeremiah 29:22.

Read Cambridge on Psalms 102 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Mine enemies reproach me all the day - Continually. They reproach me as one of thy people; or, I bear reproaches in common with others, and it becomes to me a personal matter, so entirely are my

Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 102 →

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

All day long my enemies taunt me; they ridicule me and curse me.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

My enemies reproach me all day. Those who are mad at me use my name as a curse.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

All day long my enemies taunt me; they ridicule me and curse me.

NETBNew English Translation2006

All day long my enemies taunt me; those who mock me use my name in their curses.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Mine enemies reproach me all the day; and they that are mad against me are sworn against me.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Mine enemies reproach me all the day; They that are mad against me do curse by me.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Mine enemies reproach me all the day; they that are mad against me do curse by me.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

My enemies reproach me all the day; and they that are enraged against me are sworn against me.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Mine enemies reuile me dayly, and they that rage against me, haue sworne against me.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Mine enemies reproach me all the day; they that are mad against me swear by me.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

All the day mine enemies reproached me, Those mad at me have sworn against me.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

All the day my enemies reproached me, || Those mad at me have sworn against me.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

(102:9) All the day my enemies reproach me: they that mock me swear by me.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

My enemies taunt me all day long; those who mock me use my name in curses.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

The ford is compassionate and merciful: longsuffering and plenteous in mercy.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

My enemies taunt me all day long. They mock me and swear at me.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

My haters say evil of me all day; those who are violent against me make use of my name as a curse.

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


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

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

clausenoun phrase · adverbialכָּלallnoun phraseהַ֭theיּוֹםdayverbחֵרְפ֣וּtheyobjectנִיhave.taunted.menoun phrase · subjectאוֹיְבָ֑enemiesיmyclausenoun phrase · subjectמְ֝הוֹלָלַ֗[thoseיwho].mock.meprepositional phrase · prepositionalבִּ֣byיmeverbנִשְׁבָּֽעוּthey.have.sworn

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 largely agree, with five out of seven words matching. The Septuagint's word order differs, but it captures the same essence of the psalmist's lament.

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

כָּל־ הַ֭יּוֹם חֵרְפ֣וּנִי אוֹיְבָ֑י מְ֝הוֹלָלַ֗י בִּ֣י נִשְׁבָּֽעוּ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
כָּל־ἠγρύπνησαהַ֭יּוֹםἐγενήθηνחֵרְפ֣וּנִיστρουθίονאוֹיְבָ֑יἐπὶמְ֝הוֹלָלַ֗יδώματι

5 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.

Psalms 102:8כֹּלallallכֹּליוֹםthe daythe dayיוֹםחָרַףthey have tthey have tauntחָרַףאָיַבenemies myenemies myאָיַבהָלַל[those who][those who] mocהָלַלנִיby meby meנִישָׁבַעthey have sthey have swornשָׁבַעכָּלַלto perfectto perfectכָּלַלחֹ֫רֶףautumnautumnחֹ֫רֶףשֶׁ֫בַעsevensevenשֶׁ֫בַעאָיַבbe hostilebe hostileאָיַבעֵדָהcongregaticongregationעֵדָהעֲבֹדָהserviceserviceעֲבֹדָהשְׁבִיעִיseventhseventhשְׁבִיעִישַׁבָּתSabbathSabbathשַׁבָּתגָּדַףto blaspheto blasphemeגָּדַףמַעֲרָכָהrankrankמַעֲרָכָהצַרnarrownarrowצַרשָׂנֵאto hateto hateשָׂנֵאיָהּLORDLORDיָהּשְׁבוּעָהoathoathשְׁבוּעָהאַבְרָםAbrahamAbrahamאַבְרָם
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 Psalms 102:8

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.

all the day they have taunted me enemies my [those who] mock me by me they have sworn
כָּל־kol- all H3605 Noun common · masculine singular construct
5,415× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for 'all' or 'everything' is used throughout the Bible, like in Genesis 1:31, where God sees all He has made as very good. It encompasses the entirety of something, whether people, things, or situations.
Tyndale gloss
all
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כֹּל (kol) means 'all' or 'the whole.' It can refer to totality, including every person or thing, and is often used with a following genitive to specify what is included. The term can also denote a broader sense of everything in existence or all circumstances of life. The lexicons do not show significant disagreement on its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כֹּל once כּוֹל n.m. the whole, all

with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

Absolutely:

without the art., all things, all

with the art. הַכֹּל

where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3605 כֹּל once כּוֹל the whole, all . with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

. Absolutely: . without the art., all things, all

. with the art. הַכֹּל . where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

. in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3605 kol kole

or (Jer. 33:8) kowl {kole}; from 3634; properly, the whole;

hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a

plural sense):--(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any

(manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as

many as, (no-)thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole,

whoso(-ever).

see HEBREW for 03634

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כֹּל (kol) — all.

1) all, the whole

1a) all, the whole of

1b) any, each, every, anything

1c) totality, everything

Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcmsc — Noun common · masculine singular construct
HNcmsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ol: Used in various combinations, and with different meanings.

(1) All along, "Weeping all along as he went" (Jer 41:6), i.e. throughout the whole way he went, feigning equal concern with the men from Shiloh, etc., for the destruction of the Temple, so as to put them off their guard.

(2) All in all, "That God may be all in all" (1Co 15:28, Greek: panta en pasin, "all things in all (persons and) things"). "The universe, with all it comprises, will wholly answer to God's will and reflect His mind" (Dummelow).

(3) All one, "It is all one" (Job 9:22), "it makes no difference whether I live or die."

(4) At all, "If thy father miss me at all" (1Sa 20:6), "in any way," "in the least."

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
all the day they have taunted me enemies my [those who] mock me by me they have sworn
הַ֭יּוֹםHai.yom the day H3117 Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
2,306× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word 'yom' refers to a day, which can be a literal 24-hour period or a figurative space of time. It is used in the Bible to describe a wide range of time periods, from a single day to a year or a lifetime. The word 'yom' is used in many different contexts throughout the Bible.
Tyndale gloss
day
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יוֹם (yowm) means 'day' and refers to a division of time, contrasting with night. It can denote a literal 24-hour period, a general time span, or even a year. The term is used in various contexts, including the 'day of Yahweh,' which signifies a time of divine judgment. It also appears in phrases indicating temporal references like today, yesterday, and tomorrow.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יוֹם 2285 n.m. day

day, opp. night

Day as division of time

יוֹם י׳ day of Yahweh, chiefly as time of his coming in judgment, involving often blessedness for righteous

Pl. days of anyone

Days

יוֹם = time

Phrases

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3117 יוֹם day . day, opp. night

. Day as division of time

. יוֹם י׳ day of Yahweh, chiefly as time of his coming in judgment, involving often blessedness for righteous

. Pl. days of anyone

. Days

. יוֹם = time

. Phrases

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3117 yowm yome

from an unused root meaning to be hot; a day (as the warm

hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one

sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by

an associated term), (often used adverb):--age, + always, +

chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to)

day, (now a, two) days (agone), + elder, X end, + evening, +

(for) ever(-lasting, -more), X full, life, as (so) long as

(... live), (even) now, + old, + outlived, + perpetually,

presently, + remaineth, X required, season, X since, space,

then, (process of) time, + as at other times, + in trouble,

weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), X whole

(+ age), (full) year(-ly), + younger.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יוֹם (yom) — day.

: day/when/time/period

1) day, time, year

1a) day (as opposed to night)

1b) day (24 hour period)

1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1

1b2) as a division of time

1b2a) a working day, a day's journey

1c) days, lifetime (pl.)

1d) time, period (general)

1e) year

1f) temporal references

1f1) today

1f2) yesterday

1f3) tomorrow

יוֹם (yom) — day: old.

: old/(full/many)[days]

1) day, time, year

1a) day (as opposed to night)

1b) day (24 hour period)

1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1

1b2) as a division of time

1b2a) a working day, a day's journey

1c) days, lifetime (pl.)

1d) time, period (general)

1e) year

1f) temporal references

1f1) today

1f2) yesterday

1f3) tomorrow

יוֹם (yom) — day: year.

: year[of_days]

1) day, time, year

1a) day (as opposed to night)

1b) day (24 hour period)

1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1

1b2) as a division of time

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTd/Ncmsa — Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
HTd/Ncmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

da (yom; hemera): This common word has caused some trouble to plain readers, because they have not noticed that the word is used in several different senses in the English Bible. When the different uses of the word are understood the difficulty of interpretation vanishes. We note several different uses of the word:

(1) It sometimes means the time from daylight till dark. This popular meaning is easily discovered by the context, e. g. Ge 1:5; 8:22, etc. The marked periods of this daytime were morning, noon and night, as with us. See Ps 55:17. The early hours were sometimes called "the cool of the day" (Ge 3:8). After the exile the day. or daytime was divided into twelve hours and the night into twelve (see

Day

The Jews reckoned the day from sunset to sunset (Lev. 23:32). It was originally divided into three parts (Ps. 55:17). “The heat of the day” (1 Sam. 11:11; Neh. 7:3) was at our nine o’clock, and “the cool of the day” just before sunset (Gen. 3:8). Before the Captivity the Jews divided the night into three watches, (1) from sunset to midnight (Lam. 2:19); (2) from midnight till the cock-crowing (Judg. 7:19); and (3) from the cock-crowing till sunrise (Ex.…

The variable length of the natural day at different seasons led in the very earliest times to the adoption of the civil day (or one revolution of the sun) as a standard of time. The Hebrews reckoned the day from evening to evening, (Leviticus 23:32) deriving it from (Genesis 1:5) "the evening and the morning were the first day." The Jews are supposed, like the modern Arabs, to have adopted from an early period minute specifications of the parts of the natural day. Roughly, indeed, they were content to divide it into "morning, evening and noonday," (Psalms 55:17) but when they wished for greater accuracy they pointed to six unequal parts, each of which was again subdivided. These are held to have been -- "the dawn." "Sunrise."…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The day is distinguished into natural, civil, and artificial. The natural day is one revolution of the earth on its axis. The civil day is that, the beginning and the end of which are determined by the custom of any nation. The Hebrews began their day in the evening, Le 23:32; the Babylonians at sunrise; and we begin at midnight. The artificial day is the time of the sun’s continuance above the horizon, which is unequal according to different seasons, on account of the obliquity of the equator. The sacred writers generally divide the day into twelve hours. The sixth hour always ends at noon throughout the year; and the twelfth hour is the last hour before sunset. But in summer, all the hours of the day were longer than in winter, while those of night were shorter. See HOURS, and THREE.

all the day they have taunted me enemies my [those who] mock me by me they have sworn
חֵרְפ֣וּנִיche.re.Fu.ni they have taunted me H2778 Verb piel perfect third person common plural · suffix
41× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word 'châraph' means to acquire or expose something, and can also mean to betroth or defame someone. It is translated as 'betroth', 'blaspheme', or 'reproach' in the KJV Bible.
Tyndale gloss
to taunt
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word חָרַף (charaph) has a range of meanings including to reproach, taunt, and defame, as well as to remain in harvest time and to acquire. It is built from a primitive root and can be used in various forms, such as Qal and Piel. Notably, it appears in Isaiah 18:6 and Leviticus 19:20.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[חָרַף] vb. reproach

Qal

Piel. reproach,—prop. say sharp things against,—taunt

base

[חָרַף] vb. denom. remain in harvest time—only Qal Is 18:6

ref

[חָרַף] vb. acquire—only Niph. Lv 19:20

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2778a [חָרַף] reproach H2778b חָרַף vb. denom. remain in harvest time H2778c חָרַף acquire

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2778 charaph. khaw-raf'

a primitive root; to pull off, i.e. (by implication) to

expose (as by stripping); specifically, to betroth (as if a

surrender); figuratively, to carp at, i.e. defame;

denominative (from 2779) to spend the winter:--betroth,

blaspheme, defy, jeopard, rail, reproach, upbraid.

see HEBREW for 02779

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חָרַף (cha.raph) — to taunt.

1) to reproach, taunt, blaspheme, defy, jeopardise, rail, upbraid

1a) (Qal) to reproach

1b) (Piel) to reproach, defy, taunt

חָרַף (cha.raph) — to winter.

(Qal) to winter, spend harvest time, remain in harvest time

חָרַף (cha.raph) — to acquire.

(Niphal) to acquire, be betrothed

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVpp3cp/Sp1bs — Verb piel perfect third person common plural · suffix
HVpp3cp/Sp1bs
all the day they have taunted me enemies my [those who] mock me by me they have sworn
אוֹיְבָ֑י'oy.Vai enemies my H341 Verb qal participle (active) masculine plural common · suffix
283× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means enemy or adversary, referring to someone who hates or opposes another person or nation. It is used to describe personal or national enemies in the Bible.
Tyndale gloss
enemy
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֹיֵב (oyeb) means 'enemy' or 'foe,' indicating hostility. It can refer to personal or national adversaries. The word is derived from the active participle of another root, אָיַב (ayab), which also conveys the sense of being hostile.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[אָיַב] 283 vb. be hostile to (enemy = אֹיֵב)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H341 אָיַב be hostile to (enemy = אֹיֵב)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

341 'oyeb o-yabe'

or (fully) owyeb {o-yabe'}; active participle of 340;

hating; an adversary:--enemy, foe.

see HEBREW for 0340

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֹיֵב (o.yev) — enemy.

1) (Qal) enemy

1a) personal

1b) national

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVqrmpc/Sp1bs — Verb qal participle (active) masculine plural common · suffix
HVqrmpc/Sp1bs
all the day they have taunted me enemies my [those who] mock me by me they have sworn
מְ֝הוֹלָלַ֗יme.ho.la.Lai [those who] mock me H1984 Verb piel participle (active) masculine plural common · suffix
165× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To be foolish means to act wildly or make a show, like the prophets of Baal in 1 Kings 18:29. It can also mean to celebrate or boast, as in Psalm 38:5.
Tyndale gloss
to shine
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word הָלַל (halal) is a primitive root that encompasses meanings related to shining, boasting, and foolishness. It can signify to praise or celebrate, often in a clamorously foolish manner, and includes the idea of making a boast or being made a fool of. The entries indicate a range of uses, from expressing God's favor to acting madly.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[הָלַל] vb. shine

Qal when it, viz. his lamp, shone upon my head, fig. of God’s favour.

Hiph. flash forth light

base

[הָלַל] vb. be boastful, Pi. praise

Qal be boastful

Pi.

praise man or woman

usually praise י׳

appar. boast, make one’s boast

Pu. be praised

Hithpa. glory, boast, make one’s boast

Po‛el make into a fool, make a fool of

Po‛al of laughter I said, It is mad (folly)

Hithpo. act madly, or like a madman

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1984a הָלַל shine H1984b הָלַל be boastful, Pi. praise H1984c הָלַל be boastful, Pi. praise .be boastful

. . praise man or woman

. usually praise י׳

. appar. boast, make one’s boast

. be praised

. glory, boast, make one’s boast

.make into a fool, make a fool of

.of laughter I said, It is mad (folly)

. act madly, or like a madman

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1984 halal haw-lal'

a primitive root; to be clear (orig. of sound, but usually of

color); to shine; hence, to make a show, to boast; and thus to

be (clamorously) foolish; to rave; causatively, to celebrate;

also to stultify:--(make) boast (self), celebrate, commend,

(deal, make), fool(- ish, -ly), glory, give (light), be (make,

feign self) mad (against), give in marriage, (sing, be worthy

of) praise, rage, renowned, shine.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הָלַל (ha.lal) — to shine.

1) to shine

1a) (Qal) to shine (fig. of God's favour)

1b) (Hiphil) to flash forth light

הָלַל (ha.lal) — to boast: praise.

: praise

1) to praise, boast, be boastful

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to be boastful

1a2) boastful ones, boasters (participle)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to praise

1b2) to boast, make a boast

1c) (Pual)

1c1) to be praised, be made praiseworthy, be commended, be worthy of praise

1d) (Hithpael) to boast, glory, make one's boast

הָלַל (ha.lal) — to be foolish.

1) (Poel) to make a fool of, make into a fool

1f) (Hithpoel) to act madly, act like a madman

הָלַל (ha.lal) — to boast: boast.

: boast

1) to praise, boast, be boastful

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to be boastful

1a2) boastful ones, boasters (participle)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to praise

1b2) to boast, make a boast

1c) (Pual)

1c1) to be praised, be made praiseworthy, be commended, be worthy of praise

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVprmpc/Sp1bs — Verb piel participle (active) masculine plural common · suffix
HVprmpc/Sp1bs
all the day they have taunted me enemies my [those who] mock me by me they have sworn
בִּ֣יbi by me H9030 Preposition · suffix
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נִי (ni) — me.

Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 1st person singular

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Sp1bs — Preposition · suffix
HR/Sp1bs
all the day they have taunted me enemies my [those who] mock me by me they have sworn
נִשְׁבָּֽעוּ׃nish.Ba.'u they have sworn H7650 Verb · Niphal · perfect third person common plural
186× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to swear an oath, like making a promise or vow. In the Bible, it is used when someone is making a serious promise, often with God as a witness. The KJV translates it as adjure or take an oath.
Tyndale gloss
to swear
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׁבַע (shaba`) primarily means to swear or take an oath, possibly derived from the idea of binding oneself by seven things. It can also mean to adjure or to cause someone to take an oath. The word appears in various forms, including participles and different verb stems, indicating actions related to swearing and oaths.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[שָׁבַע] 186 vb. swear (prob. so to say, seven oneself, or bind oneself by seven things)

Qal Pt. pass. those sworn with (= who have sworn) oaths

Niph.;—swear, take an oath

Hiph.

cause take an oath, subj. always man

adjure

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7650 שָׁבַע swear (prob. so to say, seven oneself, or bind oneself by seven things) .Pt. pass. those sworn with (= who have sworn) oaths

.;—swear, take an oath

. . cause take an oath, subj. always man

. adjure

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7650 shaba` shaw-bah'

a primitive root; propr. to be complete, but used only as a

denominative from 7651; to seven oneself, i.e. swear (as if by

repeating a declaration seven times):--adjure, charge (by an

oath, with an oath), feed to the full (by mistake for 7646),

take an oath, X straitly, (cause to, make to) swear.

see HEBREW for 07651

see HEBREW for 07646

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁבַע (sha.va) — to swear.

1) to swear, adjure

1a) (Qal) sworn (participle)

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to swear, take an oath

1b2) to swear (of Jehovah by Himself)

1b3) to curse

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to cause to take an oath

1c2) to adjure

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVNp3cp — Verb · Niphal · perfect third person common plural
HVNp3cp
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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