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Psalms 104:27 — Word Study

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WLCכֻּ֭לָּם אֵלֶ֣יךָ יְשַׂבֵּר֑וּן לָתֵ֖ת אָכְלָ֣ם בְּעִתּֽוֹ׃

BSAAll [creatures]kôl [every single one, everything, living beings, all of them] looksâbar [wait with expectation, hope] to Youʼêl [toward Your presence] to give [them]nâthan [provide, supply] their foodʼôkel [sustenance, nourishment] in due seasonʻêth [appointed, proper, time, occasion]

Word
Listen & take awayPsalms 104
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 27 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 (be.'i.To) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Psalms 104:27quick helps
In a sentenceAll living beings look to God for their sustenance at the right time.
Who is speakingThe psalmist, reflecting on God's provision for creation.
Where we areThis verse is part of a psalm celebrating God's care for all creatures.
The hard wordיְשַׂבֵּר֑וּן, ye.sab.erun
Take awayGod provides food for all creatures in due time.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause 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 104:27

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 — God's Provision for Creationgenerated

26There the ships pass, and Leviathan, which You formed to frolic there.
27All creatures look to You to give them their food in due season.
28When You give it to them, they gather it up; when You open Your hand, they are satisfied with good things.
29When You hide Your face, they are terrified; when You take away their breath, they die and return to dust.

Psalm 104:27 expresses the dependence of all living beings on God for their sustenance. The psalmist poetically illustrates how every creature looks to God for food at the appropriate time, emphasizing His role as the provider. This theme of divine provision is echoed throughout the psalm, which celebrates God's care for creation, including the majestic Leviathan and the natural order.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Psalm 36:6Your righteousness is like the highest mountains; Your judgments are like the deepest sea. O LORD, You preserve man and beast.
2Psalm 136:25He gives food to every creature. His loving devotion endures forever.
3Psalm 145:15–16The eyes of all look to You, and You give them their food in season.
4Psalm 147:9He provides food for the animals, and for the young ravens when they call.
5Job 38:41Who provides food for the raven when its young cry out to God as they wander about for lack of food?

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 6 references, hung on the phrase they belong to

These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give them their meat in due season.Psalm 36:6 Psalm 136:25 Psalm 145:15–16 Psalm 147:9 Job 38:41 Luke 12:24–28

The Key Word כֻּ֭לָּם, Ku.lomgenerated

The term כֹּל (kol) means 'all' or 'everything,' encompassing totality. It indicates every creature, emphasizing that no being is excluded from God's provision. The parsing as a noun with a suffix shows it is used here in a collective sense, referring to all living beings.

This word appears frequently in the Hebrew Bible, often highlighting God's comprehensive care and authority over creation. Its use in this verse underscores the idea that every creature relies on God for sustenance.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

Translations of this verse generally agree on the meaning, all rendering the essence of the phrase similarly.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb יְשַׂבֵּר֑וּן, ye.sab.erun ('they wait') governs the structure of the sentence, with the subject כֻּ֭לָּם ('all creatures') preceding it. The sentence is constructed to show the relationship between the creatures and their expectation of God's provision.

The prepositional phrases clarify the direction of their looking and the object of their waiting, creating a clear picture of dependence on God.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates כֻּ֭לָּם as πάντα (panta), which also means 'all.' This choice aligns closely with the Hebrew meaning, maintaining the emphasis on totality in God's provision.

The Greek word προσδοκῶσιν (prosdokōsin) for 'they wait' suggests a similar sense of expectation, showing that the translators understood the creatures' reliance on God.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalm 104:27 tells us that all creatures depend on God for their food at the right time. This verse highlights God's care for every living being, showing that they look to Him for sustenance, which He provides when it is needed.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that all creatures look to God?

It signifies that every living being relies on God for their needs, indicating His role as the ultimate provider.

How does this verse reflect God's care for creation?

The verse illustrates that God is attentive to the needs of all creatures, ensuring they receive sustenance at the appropriate time.

What is the significance of 'in due season'?

This phrase emphasizes that God provides food at the right time, highlighting His perfect timing and wisdom in caring for creation.

How does this verse connect with other scriptures about God's provision?

It echoes themes found in other psalms and biblical texts that speak of God's faithfulness in providing for His creation.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways have I seen God's provision in my own life?
  2. How can I cultivate a sense of expectation and trust in God's timing for my needs?
  3. What does it mean to me that all creatures depend on God for sustenance?
  4. How can I better appreciate the natural world as a reflection of God's care?

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

The early Church Fathers referenced this verse to discuss God's providence and the relationship between creation and the Creator. Their quotations illustrate the theological implications of God's care for all living beings.

Methodius of OlympusON THE RESURRECTION 1:9 d. c. 311
But if our opponents say, How then is it, if the universe will not be destroyed, that the Lord says that “heaven and earth shall pass away”;
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 104 →
Gregory of NazianzusON PENTECOST, ORATION 41:14 c. 329–390
This Spirit shares with the Son in working both the creation and the resurrection, as you may be shown by this Scripture: “By the Word of the Lord were the heavens made, and all the power of them by the breath of his mouth”;
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 104 →
Basil of CaesareaLETTER 8 c. 330–379
But, if we must go on with our discussion and make a deeper study, let us, from this point, contemplate especially the divine power of the Holy Spirit.
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 104 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 104:27 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

These wait all upon thee,.... Or "hope in thee" (s); not only the fishes of the sea, but the beasts of the field; for to them the psalmist returns, as Aben Ezra observes; to whom hope and expectation

Read John Gill on Psalms 104 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give them their meat in due season. -All God's creatures obtain from Him their food in due season.

Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 104 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

These all, both beasts and fishes, wait upon thee, expect supplies only from thy providence; which is said of them figuratively, and with an allusion to the manner of tame beasts and fowls, which commonly look after and wait upon those persons who bring their food to them. In due season; when it is necessary or convenient for them; by which expression he intimates the moderation of the beasts in their desires of food, and tacitly reproves the intemperance of men who feed themselves in season and out of season.

Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 104 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Psalms 104:27 These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give [them] their meat in due season.Ver. 27. These wait all upon thee] The great housekeeper of the world, who carvest them out their meet measures of meat, and at fit seasons. Of thee they have it, per causarum concatenationem.

Read John Trapp on Psalms 104 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 27. These wait all upon thee] The innumerable fry of the smaller aquatic animals, as well as whales, dolphins, porpoises, and sharks, all have their meat from God. He has in his gracious providence furnished that sort of food which is suitable to all. And this provision is various; not only for every kind of fish does God provide food, but a different kind of aliment for each in its different periods of growth. Here are displayed the goodness and infinitely varied providence of God: "He giveth them their meat in due season."

Read AdamClarke on Psalms 104 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

27. These wait all &c.] All of them wait upon thee. Not marine animals only, but all living creatures are meant, as in Genesis 1:29-30. God is the great householder, dispensing to all His family their portions. Cp. Psalms 145:15-16; Psalms 147:9.

Read Cambridge on Psalms 104 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

These wait all upon thee - That is, These are all dependent on thee. It does not, of course, mean that they “wait” in the sense that they are conscious of their dependence on God, but that they are “actually” dependent.

Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 104 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

27. These wait all upon thee—Here is the moral of all these beautiful allusions to living creatures. God feeds them. They wait on God as if their eyes were fixed on him in expectation of being fed, as the Hebrew denotes.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Psalms 104 →

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 creatures look to You to give them their food in due season.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

These all wait for you, that you may give them their food in due season.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

All creatures look to You to give them their food in due season.

NETBNew English Translation2006

All of your creatures wait for you to provide them with food on a regular basis.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give them their meat in due season.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

These wait all for thee, That thou mayest give them their food in due season.

RVARevised Version, American1894

These wait all upon thee, that thou mayest give them their meat in due season.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give them their food in due season.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

All these waite vpon thee, that thou maiest giue them foode in due season.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

These all look unto thee, that thou mayest give their food in its season:

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

All of them unto Thee do look, To give their food in its season.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

All of them look to You, || To give their food in its season.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

All of these wait upon thee, to give them their food in its due season.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

All these look to you to give them their food on time.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

He gave them power to shew his signs, and his wonders in the land of Cham.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

All creatures look to you to give them food at the right time.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

All of them are waiting for you, to give them their food in its time.

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 · subjectכֻּ֭לָּof.themםallprepositional phrase · prepositionalאֵלֶ֣יtoךָyouverb phrase · verbיְשַׂבֵּר֑וּtheyןhopeprepositional phrase · prepositionalלָtoclauseverbתֵ֖תgivenoun phrase · objectאָכְלָ֣foodםtheirprepositional phrase · prepositionalבְּatnoun phraseעִתּֽits.appropriateוֹtime

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


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

The Masoretic Text is supported by the Septuagint and the Dead Sea Scrolls. The Septuagint matches four out of six words in the Hebrew, while the Dead Sea Scrolls contain a similar phrase, confirming the core message of the verse across these ancient witnesses.

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

כֻּ֭לָּם אֵלֶ֣יךָ יְשַׂבֵּר֑וּן לָתֵ֖ת אָכְלָ֣ם בְּעִתּֽוֹ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
כֻּ֭לָּםπάνταאֵלֶ֣יךָσὲיְשַׂבֵּר֑וּןπροσδοκῶσινלָתֵ֖תδοῦναι

4 of the 6 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.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 11Q5a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

כול׳ם אלי׳כה ישברו לתת ל׳הם אוכל׳ם בעת׳ו

7 words on the leather.

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 104:27כֹּלall of themall of themכֹּלאֶלto youto youאֶלשָׂבַרthey wait !they wait !שָׂבַרנָתַןto giveto giveנָתַןאֹ֫כֶלfood theirfood theirאֹ֫כֶלעֵתat appropriat appropriate עֵתכָּלַלto perfectto perfectכָּלַלאָכַלto eatto eatאָכַלעַדperpetuityperpetuityעַדבָּיַיoh that!oh that!בָּיַיעֵדָהcongregaticongregationעֵדָהעֲבֹדָהserviceserviceעֲבֹדָהפָּלַלto prayto prayפָּלַליִרְמְיָ֫הJeremiahJeremiahיִרְמְיָ֫החוֹמָהwallwallחוֹמָהנָתַןto give: gto give: giveנָתַןנַחֲלָהinheritancinheritanceנַחֲלָהזֶ֫רַעseedseedזֶ֫רַעשָׁבַרto buy grato buy grainשָׁבַרנֶ֫שֶׁךְinterestinterestנֶ֫שֶׁךְמָחָרtomorrowtomorrowמָחָר
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 104:27

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 of them to you they wait ! to give food their at appropriate time its
כֻּ֭לָּםKu.lom all of them H3605 Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
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.
Amplified meaning
every single one, everything, living beings, all of them
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
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HNcmsc/Sp3mp
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
all of them to you they wait ! to give food their at appropriate time its
אֵלֶ֣יךָ'e.Lei.kha to you H413 Preposition · suffix
5,518× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means 'to' or 'toward', showing direction or movement. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus, to indicate where someone is going. The KJV translates it in various ways, like 'about', 'according to', or 'against'.
Amplified meaning
toward Your presence
Tyndale gloss
to(wards)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֶל (el) is primarily a preposition indicating motion towards or direction to a person or place. It can also imply entering a limit, presence at a location, or a hostile direction (against). Additionally, it may express concepts such as concerning, in addition to, or according to. The entries highlight its versatility in both physical and metaphorical contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph),

prep. denoting motion to or direction towards (whether physical or mental).of motion to or unto a person or place

Where the limit is actually entered, into

Of direction towards anything

Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against

Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to

Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

Of rule or standard according to (rare)

Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion

Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H413 אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph), . of motion to or unto a person or place

. Where the limit is actually entered, into

. Of direction towards anything

. Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against

. Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to

. Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

. Of rule or standard according to (rare)

. Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion

. Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

413 'el ale

(but only used in the shortened constructive form sel {el});

a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but

occasionally used of a quiescent position, i.e. near, with or

among; often in general, to:--about, according to ,after,

against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and,

by, concerning, for, from, X hath, in(- to), near, (out) of,

over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether,

with(-in).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶל (el) — to(wards).

1) to, toward, unto (of motion)

2) into (limit is actually entered)

2a) in among

3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion)

4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character)

5) in addition to, to

6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of

7) according to (rule or standard)

8) at, by, against (of one's presence)

9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | Suff — Preposition · suffix
HR/Sp2ms
all of them to you they wait ! to give food their at appropriate time its
יְשַׂבֵּר֑וּןye.sa.be.Run they wait ! H7663 Verb piel imperfect third person masculine plural · suffix
8× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to wait or hope for something, often with patience and expectation. It involves watching and waiting with a sense of anticipation. In the Bible, it's translated as hope, tarry, or wait.
Amplified meaning
wait with expectation, hope
Tyndale gloss
to inspect
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׂבַר (sabar) is a Hebrew verb meaning to inspect or examine, as well as to wait or hope. It is built from a primitive root and covers both the act of scrutinizing and the implications of expectation and patience. The word appears in contexts related to waiting and hoping, with Nehemiah 2:13, 15 noted for its usage.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[שָׂבַר] vb. inspect, examine

base

[שָׂבַר] vb. Pi. wait, hope

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7663a שָׂבַר inspect, examine H7663b שָׂבַר Pi. wait, hope

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7663 sabar saw-bar'

erroneously shabar (Nehemiah 2:13, 15) {shaw-bar'}; a

primitive root; to scrutinize; by implication (of watching) to

expect (with hope and patience):--hope, tarry, view, wait.

see HEBREW for 015

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׂבַר (sa.var) — to inspect.

(Qal) to inspect, examine

שָׂבַר (sa.var) — to await.

1) (Piel)

1a) to wait (for), wait upon

1b) to hope (for)

Aramaic equivalent: se.var (סְבַר "to intend" H5452)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Piel-Imperf-3mp | Suff — Verb piel imperfect third person masculine plural · suffix
HVpi3mp/Sn
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

wat:

1. The Substantive:

The word is used in the Old Testament both as a substantive add as a verb. In the New Testament it appears as a verb only. 'erebh, ma'arabh, mean a concealed hiding-place for purposes of sudden attack, an ambuscade.

(1) "Lie in wait": "Abimelech rose up .... from lying in wait" (Jud 9:35 the King James Version); "When they .... abide in the covert to lie in wait" (Job 38:40).

(2) "Lay wait": "They compassed him in, and laid wait for him" (Jud 16:2).

2. The Verb:

(1) sharath, "to serve," "to minister," to act in the capacity of servant or attendant: "These waited on the king" (2Ch 17:19). Used especially in this sense with regard to the ceremonial service…

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
all of them to you they wait ! to give food their at appropriate time its
לָתֵ֖תla.Tet to give H5414 Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
2,011× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to give, put, or set something, with a wide range of applications. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus, describing God's actions and human interactions. The word is used to convey giving, selling, or exchanging something.
Amplified meaning
provide, supply
Tyndale gloss
to give: give
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word נָתַן (natan) means 'to give' and encompasses a wide range of applications such as putting, setting, and making. It can also indicate actions like bestowing, delivering, and assigning. The entries describe its use in various forms, including Qal, Niphal, and Hophal, but do not present any significant disagreements among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נָתַן 2007 vb. give, put, set

Qal 1917

give

Put, set

Make, constitute

Niph.

82be given

Be put, set

Hoph.

be given, bestowed

= be given to one for wife

be put upon

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5414 נָתַן give, put, set .. give

. Put, set

. Make, constitute

. . be given

. Be put, set

. . . be given, bestowed

. = be given to one for wife

. be put upon

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5414 nathan naw-than'

a primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of

application (put, make, etc.):--add, apply, appoint, ascribe,

assign, X avenge, X be ((healed)), bestow, bring (forth,

hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, +

cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, X doubtless, X

without fail, fasten, frame, X get, give (forth, over, up),

grant, hang (up), X have, X indeed, lay (unto charge, up),

(give) leave, lend, let (out), + lie, lift up, make, + O that,

occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, X

pull , put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send

(out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), + sing, + slander,

strike, (sub-)mit, suffer, X surely, X take, thrust, trade,

turn, utter, + weep, + willingly, + withdraw, + would (to)

God, yield.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָתַן (na.tan) — to give: give.

: give/deliver/send/produce

1) to give, put, set

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to give, bestow, grant, permit, ascribe, employ, devote, consecrate, dedicate, pay wages, sell, exchange, lend, commit, entrust, give over, deliver up, yield produce, occasion, produce, requite to, report, mention, utter, stretch out, extend

1a2) to put, set, put on, put upon, set, appoint, assign, designate

1a3) to make, constitute

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be given, be bestowed, be provided, be entrusted to, be granted to, be permitted, be issued, be published, be uttered, be assigned

1b2) to be set, be put, be made, be inflicted

1c) (Hophal)

1c1) to be given, be bestowed, be given up, be delivered up

1c2) to be put upon

נָתַן (na.tan) — to give: put.

: put/set/apppoint

1) to give, put, set

1a) (Qal)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a — Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
HR/Vqcc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

(nathan, yahabh, sum; didomi): "Give" is a very common word in the Old Testament. It is most frequently the translation of nathan, "to give" (Ge 1:29; 3:6; Ex 2:9; De 18,20, etc., over 800 instances); nathan is also translated "to give up" (De 23:14; Isa 43:6; Ho 11:8); of yahabh, "to give" (Ge 30:1; 1Ch 16:28 the King James Version). In Ps 55:22 we have the perfect with suffix, "Cast thy burden upon Yahweh," margin "what he hath given thee"; elsewhere it is…

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
all of them to you they wait ! to give food their at appropriate time its
אָכְלָ֣ם'a.khe.Lam food their H400 Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
43× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word refers to food or a meal, including cereal, meat, and other supplies. It is used in stories about everyday life, like eating and sharing meals.
Amplified meaning
sustenance, nourishment
Tyndale gloss
food
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֹ֫כֶל (okel) means food and encompasses a range of meanings including meal, meat, and food supply. It is derived from the root word for eating. The entries highlight its use in various contexts, such as meals and victuals, but do not indicate any significant disagreement among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֹ֫כֶל 40 n.m. food

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H400 אֹ֫כֶל food

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

400 'okel o'-kel

from 398; food:--eating, food, meal(-time), meat, prey,

victuals.

see HEBREW for 0398

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֹ֫כֶל (o.khel) — food.

1) food

1a) cereal

1b) meat

2) food supply

3) meal, dinner

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HNcmsc/Sp3mp
all of them to you they wait ! to give food their at appropriate time its
בְּעִתּֽוֹ׃be.'i.To at appropriate time its H6256 Preposition · noun common both singular construct · suffix
296× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Eth means time, especially now or when, and can refer to an event, experience, or occasion. It is often used to describe a specific moment or period.
Amplified meaning
appointed, proper, time, occasion
Tyndale gloss
time
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עֵת (eth) means 'time,' covering various aspects such as the time of an event, a usual time, or an appointed time. It can also refer to experiences or occurrences. The entries suggest it can denote both specific and uncertain times, but they do not indicate any significant disagreement among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עֵת 297 n.f. time

time of an event

= usual time

proper, suitable time

appointed time

as uncertain

= experience, fortunes

occurrence, occasion

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6256 עֵת time . time of an event

. . = usual time

. proper, suitable time

. appointed time

. as uncertain

. = experience, fortunes

. occurrence, occasion

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6256 `eth ayth

from 5703; time, especially (adverb with preposition) now,

when, etc.:--+ after, (al-)ways, X certain, + continually, +

evening, long, (due) season, so (long) as, (even-, evening-,

noon-)tide, ((meal-)), what) time, when.

see HEBREW for 05703

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עֵת (et) — time.

1) time

1a) time (of an event)

1b) time (usual)

1c) experiences, fortunes

1d) occurrence, occasion

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-cs | Suff — Preposition · noun common both singular construct · suffix
HR/Ncbsc/Sp3ms
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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