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Psalms 109:17 — Word Study

Depth

WLCוַיֶּאֱהַ֣ב קְ֭לָלָה וַתְּבוֹאֵ֑הוּ וְֽלֹא־ חָפֵ֥ץ בִּ֝בְרָכָ֗ה וַתִּרְחַ֥ק מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃

BSAThe cursing [that]qᵉlâlâh [reviling, wish for harm] he lovedʼâhab [took pleasure in, delighted in] may it fall on himbôwʼ [come unto, meet] the blessingBᵉrâkâh [gift from God, prosperity] [in which] he refusedlôʼ [did not delight, had no time] to delightchâphêts [be pleased, take pleasure] may it be farrâchaq [so let it be, cause it to be, distant, removed] from himmin

Word
Listen & take awayPsalms 109
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 17 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 (mi.Me.nu) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Psalms 109:17quick helps
In a sentenceThe psalmist expresses a wish that the curses the subject loved will fall upon him, while the blessings he rejected will be far from him.
Who is speakingThe psalmist, addressing God about a man who delights in cursing.
Where we areA section of a psalm that deals with justice and the consequences of one's actions.
The hard wordקְלָלָה
Take awayThe psalmist wishes for the very things the subject loved to return upon him.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbאָהֵב 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 109:17

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 Psalm of Justicegenerated

16For he never thought to show kindness, but pursued the poor and needy and brokenhearted, even to their death.
17The cursing that he loved, may it fall on him; the blessing in which he refused to delight, may it be far from him.
18The cursing that he wore like a coat, may it soak into his body like water, and into his bones like oil.
19May it be like a robe wrapped about him, like a belt tied forever around him.

Psalms 109:17 presents a stark contrast between the curses that the subject loves and the blessings he refuses. The psalmist calls for the consequences of the subject's choices to manifest, emphasizing the theme of divine justice. This section of the psalm serves as a reflection on the moral order and the repercussions of one's actions, echoing sentiments found in other psalms such as Psalm 52:4-5 and Proverbs 14:14.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Psalm 52:4–5You love every word that devours, O deceitful tongue.
2Psalm 59:12–13By the sins of their mouths and the words of their lips, let them be trapped in their pride, in the curses and lies they utter.
3Proverbs 14:14The backslider in heart receives the fill of his own ways, but a good man is rewarded for his ways.
4Ezekiel 35:6therefore as surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, I will give you over to bloodshed and it will pursue you. Since you did not hate bloodshed, it will pursue you.
5Matthew 7:2For with the same judgment you pronounce, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 7 references, hung on the phrase they belong to

As he loved cursing, so let it come unto him: as he delighted not in blessing, so let it be far from him.Psalm 52:4–5 Psalm 59:12–13 Proverbs 14:14 Ezekiel 35:6 Matthew 7:2 2 Thessalonians 2:10–11 Revelation 16:6

The Key Word אָהֵב, vai.ye.'e.Havgenerated

The Hebrew verb אָהֵב (*'ahab*) means 'to love' and encompasses various forms of affection, including human love for others, love for God, and even appetites for things like food and wisdom. In this verse, it indicates a strong preference or delight in cursing, which is a significant aspect of the subject's character.

The parsing as a sequential imperfect third person masculine singular suggests an ongoing or habitual action, indicating that the subject consistently takes pleasure in the act of cursing.


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 finite verbs govern the clauses: וַיֶּאֱהַ֣ב (*and he loved*) and וַתִּרְחַ֥ק (*and it was far*). The structure emphasizes the cause-and-effect relationship between the subject's actions and the consequences he faces.

The first clause expresses the action of loving a curse, while the second clause describes the distance of the blessings he rejected, creating a parallel that highlights the contrast in his choices.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates אָהֵב as ἠγάπησεν (*he loved*), which maintains the sense of affection but may carry a slightly different nuance in the Greek context.

The choice of κατάραν (*curse*) for קְלָלָה also reflects a direct correspondence, emphasizing the weight of the curse in both texts.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalms 109:17 shows the psalmist wishing that the curses the subject loves will come upon him, while the blessings he refuses will be far from him. This reflects a theme of justice, where one's actions lead to direct consequences.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean to love a curse?

To love a curse means to take pleasure in wishing harm or evil upon others, indicating a deep-seated malice in the individual.

Why does the psalmist wish for blessings to be far from the subject?

The psalmist wishes for blessings to be far from the subject as a form of poetic justice, reflecting the idea that those who reject goodness should not benefit from it.

What is the significance of the contrast between cursing and blessing?

The contrast highlights the moral choices of the subject, illustrating the consequences of choosing evil over good.

How does this verse relate to the theme of justice in the Psalms?

This verse exemplifies the theme of justice in the Psalms by asserting that those who delight in cursing will face the repercussions of their actions, aligning with the broader biblical principle of reaping what one sows.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What are some ways I might be tempted to delight in negative speech or cursing?
  2. How can I ensure that I am embracing blessings in my life rather than rejecting them?
  3. In what situations have I seen the consequences of my choices reflected in my life?
  4. How does understanding the relationship between my actions and their outcomes influence my decisions?

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

The early church fathers referenced this psalm in discussions of justice and moral consequences. Quotations from Augustine of Hippo are included, illustrating their interpretations.

Augustine of HippoExposition on Psalms 109 354–430
The Psalm then continues: "His delight was in cursing, and it shall happen to him" [Psalms 109:17].
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 109 →
Augustine of HippoPROCEEDINGS OF PELAGIANS 3:7 354–430
For in that same Book of Testimonies, in order to justify somehow his assertion that “all are ruled by their own will,” Pelagius has cited this passage from the psalm, “And he loved cursing, and it will come to him,
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 109 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 109:17 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

As he loved cursing, so let it come unto him,.... Judas loved that which brought a curse upon him, sin; and so he may be said to love the curse; just as sinners are said to love death, Proverbs 8:36.

Read John Gill on Psalms 109 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Let the extortioner catch all that he hath; and let the strangers spoil his labour. -God's visitation on the wicked man's property (Psalms 109:11-12); on his name and memorial (Psalms 109:13-15).

Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 109 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Cursing; either, 1. Cursed or sinful courses. Or rather, 2. To curse others, as appears from the blessing here opposed to it, and from the next verse; to wish and to procure to others, and especially to me. In blessing; in and promoting the welfare of others, which indeed an eye-sore and torment to him.

Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 109 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Psalms 109:17 As he loved cursing, so let it come unto him: as he delighted not in blessing, so let it be far from him.Ver. 17. As he loved cursing, &c.] "The backslidcr in heart shall be filled with his own ways," Proverbs 14:14. Cursing men are cursed men, as were easy to instance in sundry, as Hacker, hanged in Queen Elizabeth’ s reign, and Sir Jervase Elloways, lieutenant of the Tower in King James’ s days, according to their own wishes. See Mr. Clark’ s Mirror, p. 210, &c. The Jews are still great cursers of Christians, they shut up their daily prayers with Maledic Domine Nazaraeis, and how it cometh home to them who knoweth not, even wrath to the utmost? 1 Thessalonians 2:16.

Read John Trapp on Psalms 109 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(17, 18) Let.—The optatives in the English are wrong. These verses express facts, and the imprecation follows in Psalms 109:19. Render— He loved cursing; and it comes; He delighted not in blessing; and it departs; Yea, he clothed himself in cursing as with his cloak, And it came like water into his bowels, And like oil into his bones; May it be, &c. Comp. the proverb, “Curses, like chickens, always come home to roost.” The fabled shirt of Nessus, which ate into the mighty form of Hercules, has suggested itself to commentators in illustration of this image. In a good sense the same figure is a favourite one with the Hebrews. (See Isaiah 11:5.) Psalms 109:19 has struck most commentators as an…

Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 109 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 17. As he loved cursing, so let it come unto him] The Jews said, when crucifying our Lord, His blood be upon us and our children! Never was an imprecation more dreadfully fulfilled.

Read AdamClarke on Psalms 109 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

17. And he loved cursing, and it came to him; And delighted not in blessing, and it was far from him:

Read Cambridge on Psalms 109 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

As he loved cursing ... - As he loved to curse others; as he seemed to have a pleasure alike in the act of cursing and in the feeling which prompts to cursing, let him see what it is; let it come upon him in its fullness.

Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 109 →

The verse in English, compared — 16 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

The cursing that he loved, may it fall on him; the blessing in which he refused to delight, may it be far from him.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Yes, he loved cursing, and it came to him. He didn’t delight in blessing, and it was far from him.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

The cursing that he loved, may it fall on him; the blessing in which he refused to delight, may it be far from him.

NETBNew English Translation2006

He loved to curse others, so those curses have come upon him. He had no desire to bless anyone, so he has experienced no blessings.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

As he loved cursing, so let it come unto him: as he delighted not in blessing, so let it be far from him.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Yea, he loved cursing, and it came unto him; And he delighted not in blessing, and it was far from him.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Yea, he loved cursing, and it came unto him; and he delighted not in blessing, and it was far from him.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

As he loved cursing, so let it come to him: as he delighted not in blessing, so let it be far from him.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

As he loued cursing, so shall it come vnto him, and as he loued not blessing, so shall it be farre from him.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And he loved cursing; so let it come unto him. And he delighted not in blessing; and let it be far from him.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And he loveth reviling, and it meeteth him, And he hath not delighted in blessing, And it is far from him.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And he loves reviling, and it meets him, || And he has not delighted in blessing, || And it is far from him.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

As he loved cursing, so let it come over him: and as he delighted not in blessing, so let it be far from him.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

He loved cursing; may it come back upon him. He hated blessing; may no blessing come to him.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

He loved to put a curse on others—let it come back on him. He had no time for blessings—so may he never receive any.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

As he took pleasure in cursing, so let it come on him; and as he had no delight in blessing, let it be far from him.

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


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

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

וַandclauseverbיֶּאֱהַ֣בhe.lovedobjectקְ֭לָלָהa.curseוַandclauseverbתְּבוֹאֵ֑itadverbialהוּcame.to.himוְֽandclauseadverbialלֹאnotverbחָפֵ֥ץhe.delightedprepositional phrase · prepositionalבִּ֝inבְרָכָ֗הblessingוַandclauseverbתִּרְחַ֥קit.was.farprepositional phrase · prepositionalמִמֶּֽfromנּוּhim

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


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

The Masoretic Text of Psalms 109:17 states, "וַיֶּאֱהַ֣ב קְ֭לָלָה וַתְּבוֹאֵ֑הוּ וְֽלֹא־ חָפֵ֥ץ בִּ֝בְרָכָ֗ה וַתִּרְחַ֥ק מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃" The Septuagint agrees with the Masoretic Text, matching all eight words in a word-by-word correspondence, although the word order and articles differ due to the nature of the Greek translation. There are no significant differences in meaning between these texts for this verse.

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

וַיֶּאֱהַ֣ב קְ֭לָלָה וַתְּבוֹאֵ֑הוּ וְֽלֹא־ חָפֵ֥ץ בִּ֝בְרָכָ֗ה וַתִּרְחַ֥ק מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיֶּאֱהַ֣בἠγάπησενקְ֭לָלָהκατάρανוַתְּבוֹאֵ֑הוּαὐτῷוְֽלֹא־οὐκחָפֵ֥ץἠθέλησενבִּ֝בְרָכָ֗הεὐλογίανוַתִּרְחַ֥קμακρυνθήσεταιמִמֶּֽנּוּ׃αὐτοῦ

8 of the 8 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 109:17אָהֵבand he loveand he lovedאָהֵבקְלָלָהa cursea curseקְלָלָהבּוֹאand it cameand it came to בּוֹאלֹאand notand notלֹאחָפֵץhe delightehe delightedחָפֵץבְּרָכָהin blessingin blessingבְּרָכָהרָחַקand it was and it was farרָחַקמִן־from himfrom himמִן־קָלַלto lightento lightenקָלַלבָּרַךְto blessto blessבָּרַךְמֵןstringstringמֵןשָׂנֵאto hateto hateשָׂנֵאשַׁמָּהhorror: dehorror: destroyשַׁמָּהבְּרָכָהblessingblessingבְּרָכָהשֶׁ֫מֶשׁsunsunשֶׁ֫מֶשׁיָכֹלbe ablebe ableיָכֹלעוֹדstillstillעוֹדיְקָרpreciousnepreciousnessיְקָרדַּ֫עַתknowledgeknowledgeדַּ֫עַתקְלָלָהcursecurseקְלָלָהגֶּ֫שֶׁםrainrainגֶּ֫שֶׁםעָ֫וֶלinjusticeinjusticeעָ֫וֶלרָחַקto removeto removeרָחַקיָתַרto remainto remainיָתַר
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 109:17

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.

and he loved a curse and it came to him and not he delighted in blessing and it was far from him
וַיֶּאֱהַ֣בvai.ye.'e.Hav and he loved H157 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
211× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To love means to have affection for someone or something, including family, romance, or God. It can also describe being a friend or having appetite for things like food or wisdom.
Amplified meaning
took pleasure in, delighted in
Tyndale gloss
to love: lover
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אָהֵב (*'ahab*) means 'to love' and encompasses various forms of affection, including human love for others, love for God, and even appetites for things like food and wisdom. It can also refer to friendship and divine love towards humanity, particularly Israel. The entries indicate that it can function in different grammatical forms, such as participles for 'lovely' or 'loveable'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָהֵב 216 vb. love

Qal

human love to human object

less oft. of appetite

love to God

esp. Pt.

of divine love

Niph. Pt. pl. lovely, loveable

Pi.

friends

lovers

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H157 אָהֵב love

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

157 'ahab aw-hab'

or raheb {aw-habe'}; a primitive root; to have affection for

(sexually or otherwise):--(be-)love(-d, -ly, -r), like,

friend.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָהֵב (a.hav) — to love: lover.

: lover

1) to love

1a) (Qal)

1a1) human love for another, includes family, and sexual

1a2) human appetite for objects such as food, drink, sleep, wisdom

1a3) human love for or to God

1a4) act of being a friend

1a4a) lover (participle)

1a4b) friend (participle)

1a5) God's love toward man

1a5a) to individual men

1a5b) to people Israel

1a5c) to righteousness

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) lovely (participle)

1b2) loveable (participle)

1c) (Piel)

1c1) friends

1c2) lovers (fig. of adulterers)

2) to like

Also means: a.hav (אָהֵב ": friend" H0157H)

אָהֵב (a.hav) — to love: friend.

: friend

1) to love

1a) (Qal)

1a1) human love for another, includes family, and sexual

1a2) human appetite for objects such as food, drink, sleep, wisdom

1a3) human love for or to God

1a4) act of being a friend

1a4a) lover (participle)

1a4b) friend (participle)

1a5) God's love toward man

1a5a) to individual men

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
and he loved a curse and it came to him and not he delighted in blessing and it was far from him
קְ֭לָלָהKe.la.lah a curse H7045 Noun common · feminine singular absolute
33× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means a curse, which is a wish for harm or evil to come to someone. It is used in many places, including the book of Numbers and Deuteronomy. Curses were taken seriously in biblical times.
Amplified meaning
reviling, wish for harm
Tyndale gloss
curse
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

קְלָלָה (qlalah) means 'curse' and is derived from the root word for vilification. It encompasses meanings related to cursing, vilification, and execration. The term appears in contexts of condemnation and negative speech.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

קְלָלָה 33 n.f. curse

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7045 קְלָלָה curse

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7045 qlalah kel-aw-law'

from 7043; vilification:--(ac-)curse(-d, - ing).

see HEBREW for 07043

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קְלָלָה (qe.la.lah) — curse.

curse, vilification, execration

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

kurs ('alah (Nu 5:21,23,17, etc.), me'erah (Pr 3:33; Mal 2:2, etc.), klalah (Ge 27:12,13); katara (Ga 3:10,13)): This word as noun and verb renders different Hebrew words, some of them being more or less synonymous, differing only in degree of strength. It is often used in contrast with "bless" or "blessing" (De 11:29). When a curse is pronounced against any person, we are not to understand this as a mere wish, however violent, that disaster should overtake the person in question, any more than we are to understand that a corresponding "blessing" conveys simply a wish…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Curse

Denounced by God against the serpent (Gen. 3:14), and against Cain (4:11). These divine maledictions carried their effect with them. Prophetical curses were sometimes pronounced by holy men (Gen. 9:25; 49:7; Deut. 27:15; Josh. 6:26). Such curses are not the consequence of passion or revenge, they are predictions.

No one on pain of death shall curse father or mother (Ex. 21:17), nor the prince of his people (22:28), nor the deaf (Lev. 19:14). Cursing God or blaspheming was punishable by death (Lev. 24:10-16).…

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Denounced

Against the serpent Ge 3:14,15

Against Adam and Eve Ge 3:15-19

Against the ground Ge 3:17,18

Against Cain Ge 4:11-16

Against Canaan, Noah's son Ge 9:24-27

Against Meroz Jud 5:23

Against Gehazi 2Ki 5:27

→ Barak commands Balaam to curse Israel Nu 22:6; 23:11

→ See BENEDICTIONS

→ CURSES OF THE MOSAIC LAW De 27:1-26; Jos 8:30-34

See BLESSINGS

and he loved a curse and it came to him and not he delighted in blessing and it was far from him
וַתְּבוֹאֵ֑הוּva.te.vo.'E.hu and it came to him H935 Verb qal sequential imperfect third person feminine singular · suffix
2,573× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to go or come, and is used in many contexts, such as entering a place or approaching someone, as seen in the book of Genesis. It can also mean to abide or apply, and is translated in various ways in the KJV Bible. This term is related to the name Lebo Hamath.
Amplified meaning
come unto, meet
Tyndale gloss
Lebo
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

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

Qal

come in

come (approach, arrive)

go, i.e. walk, associate with

go from speaker, but with limit of motion given

Hiph.

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

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

Hoph.

be brought in (of pers. and things)

be brought

be introduced, put

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

. come (approach, arrive)

. go, i.e. walk, associate with

. go from speaker, but with limit of motion given

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

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

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

. be brought

. be introduced, put

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

935 bow' bo

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בּוֹא (bo) — to come (in): come.

: come/go_in

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

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to enter, come in

1a2) to come

1a2a) to come with

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

1a2c) to come to pass

1a3) to attain to

1a4) to be enumerated

1a5) to go

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to lead in

1b2) to carry in

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

1b4) to bring to pass

1c) (Hophal)

1c1) to be brought, brought in

1c2) to be introduced, be put

לְב֥וֹא (bo) — Lebo-(Hamath).

This name means to go in, enter

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

בּוֹא (bo) — to come (in): towards.

: towards/entrance

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

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to enter, come in

1a2) to come

1a2a) to come with

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

1a2c) to come to pass

1a3) to attain to

1a4) to be enumerated

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3fs | Suff — Verb qal sequential imperfect third person feminine singular · suffix
Hc/Vqw3fs/Sp3ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he loved a curse and it came to him and not he delighted in blessing and it was far from him
וְֽלֹא־ve.lo'- and not H3808 Conjunction · particle
5,170× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Amplified meaning
did not delight, had no time
Tyndale gloss
not
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לֹא or לוֹא adv. not

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3808 lo' lo

or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often

used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,

ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,

no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out

of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +

of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לֹא (lo) — not.

1) not, no

1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)

1b) not (with modifier-negation)

1c) nothing (subst)

1d) without (with particle)

1e) before (of time)

Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Part — Conjunction · particle
HC/Tn
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he loved a curse and it came to him and not he delighted in blessing and it was far from him
חָפֵ֥ץcha.Fetz he delighted H2654 Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singular
74× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to be pleased with something or someone. In the Bible, it describes God's delight in his people and their desire to follow him, like in Psalm 51.
Amplified meaning
be pleased, take pleasure
Tyndale gloss
to delight in
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חָפֵץ (chaphets) is a Hebrew verb meaning to delight in or take pleasure in something. It can refer to both human desire and divine pleasure, indicating a sense of inclination or favor. The word is also noted to mean to bend down, though this usage is rare. The entries suggest a range of meanings focused on desire and pleasure.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חָפֵץ vb. delight in

base

[חָפַץ] vb. bend down—only Qal Jb 40:17

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2654a חָפֵץ delight in H2654b חָפֵץ bend down

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2654 chaphets khaw-fates'

a primitive root; properly, to incline to; by implication

(literally but rarely) to bend; figuratively, to be pleased

with, desire:--X any at all, (have, take) delight, desire,

favour, like, move, be (well) pleased, have pleasure, will,

would.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חָפֵץ (cha.phets) — to delight in.

1) to delight in, take pleasure in, desire, be pleased with

1a) (Qal)

1a1) of men

1a1a) to take pleasure in, delight in

1a1b) to delight, desire, be pleased to do

1a2) of God

1a2a) to delight in, have pleasure in

1a2b) to be pleased to do

חָפַץ (ch.ph) — to sway.

1) to move, bend down

1a) (Qal) to bend down

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-3ms — Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singular
HVqp3ms
and he loved a curse and it came to him and not he delighted in blessing and it was far from him
בִּ֝בְרָכָ֗הbiv.ra.Khah in blessing H1293 Preposition · noun common feminine singular absolute
69× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, a blessing is a gift from God, bringing prosperity and praise. It appears in Genesis and Psalms, where people bless God and each other. This concept is central to Jewish and Christian traditions.
Amplified meaning
gift from God, prosperity
Tyndale gloss
blessing
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בְּרָכָה (berakah) means 'blessing' and encompasses a range of meanings including prosperity, praise of God, gifts, and treaties of peace. It is derived from the root word for 'to bless.' The entries highlight its use in various contexts, but do not indicate any significant disagreement among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בְּרָכָה n.f. blessing

blessing

source of blessing

blessing, prosperity

blessing, praise of God

a gift, present

treaty of peace

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1293 בְּרָכָה blessing

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1293 Brakah ber-aw-kaw'

from 1288; benediction; by implication prosperity:--blessing,

liberal, pool, present.

see HEBREW for 01288

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בְּרָכָה (be.ra.khah) — blessing.

1) blessing

2) (source of) blessing

3) blessing, prosperity

4) blessing, praise of God

5) a gift, present

6) treaty of peace

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-fs — Preposition · noun common feminine singular absolute
HR/Ncfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

(berakhah; eulogia): Sometimes means the form of words used in invoking the bestowal of good, as in De 33:1; Jos 8:34; and Jas 3:10. Sometimes it means the good or the benefit itself which has been conferred, as in Ge 27:36, "Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me?" and Pr 10:22, "The blessing of Yahweh, it maketh rich." "The cup of blessing" (to poterion tes eulogias, a special use of the word in 1Co 10:16), means the cup for which we bless God, or which represents to us so much blessin g from God.

James M. Gray

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Referring both to God and to man. When God blesses, he bestows that efficacy which renders his blessing effectual. His blessings are either temporal or spiritual, bodily or mental; but in every thing they really convey the good which they import, Nu 6:23-27. The blessings of men to other men, unless they be inspired prophecies, as in Ge 32:32 De 33:1 1:1-29, are only good wishes, personal or official, and as it were a peculiar kind of prayer to the Author of all good for the welfare of the subject of them. Blessing, on the part of man towards God, is an act of thanks-giving for his mercies, Ps 103:1; or rather, for that special mercy which at the time occasions the act of…

Nave's Topical Bible

→ For blessing before eating, see PRAYER

→ See THANKSGIVING AND PRAYER BEFORE TAKING FOOD

→ See also BENEDICTIONS

→ RESPONSIVE BLESSINGS OF THE LAW De 28:1-14

For the responsive curses of the law, see CURSE

→ CONTINGENT UPON OBEDIENCE Ex 15:26; 19:5; 20:6; 23:22; Le 26:3-43; De 4:1,40; 5:10,29; 7:9,12-15; 11:26-28; 12:28; 15:4,5; 28:1-14; 29:9; 30:1-10,15-20; Jos 1:8; 1Ki 2:3,4; 3:14; 8:23; 9:3-9; 1Ch 22:13; 28:7,8; 2Ch 7:17-22; 26:5; 27:6; 30:9; 31:10;

and he loved a curse and it came to him and not he delighted in blessing and it was far from him
וַתִּרְחַ֥קva.tir.Chak and it was far H7368 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person feminine singular
57× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To remove or go far away, as in Genesis 21:16 where Hagar is sent away by Abraham. It means to create distance or separate oneself from something or someone.
Amplified meaning
so let it be, cause it to be, distant, removed
Tyndale gloss
to remove
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word רָחַק (rachaq) is a primitive root meaning to be or become far or distant. It encompasses various forms, including intransitive meanings like receding and transitive meanings such as removing or sending away. The entries indicate uses in different stems, including Qal (to be distant), Piel (to send far away), and Hiphil (to cause to be distant).

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רָחַק vb. be, or become, far, distant

Qal be far, distant

Pi. send far away

Hiph.

dir. caus. make, or exhibit, distance, be gone for

indir. caus. remove, put far away

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7368 רָחַק be, or become, far, distant

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7368 rachaq raw-khak'

a primitive root; to widen (in any direction), i.e.

(intransitively) recede or (transitively) remove (literally or

figuratively, of place or relation):--(a-, be, cast, drive,

get, go, keep (self), put, remove, be too, (wander), withdraw)

far (away, off), loose, X refrain, very, (be) a good way

(off).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רָחַק (ra.chaq) — to remove.

v

1) to be or become far, be or become distant, be removed, go far away

1a) (Qal) to be far, be distant

1b) (Piel) to send far away, extend

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to make or exhibit distance, be gone far

1c2) to remove, put far away

2) (Niphal) loose

v inf (as adv)

3) at a distance

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3fs — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person feminine singular
Hc/Vqw3fs
and he loved a curse and it came to him and not he delighted in blessing and it was far from him
מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃mi.Me.nu from him H4480 Preposition · suffix
1,189× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means a portion or part of something, and is often used to show the relationship between things, like from or out of something.
Tyndale gloss
from
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word מִן־ (*min*) is a preposition meaning 'from' or 'out of,' indicating separation or origin. It covers various uses, including temporal references, comparisons, and causal relationships. Additionally, it can denote a portion when used as a noun מֵן (*men*). The entries highlight its versatility in expressing different nuances of separation and position.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מִן־, and מִ, before יְ, prep. expressing the idea of separation, hence out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not

with verbs expressing (or implying) separation or removal

from, against

מן also, without a verb of similar significance, sometimes expresses the idea of separation, away from, far from

of position, off, on the side of, on

Out of, Gk. ἐκ, Lat. ex

Partitively

Of time—

as marking the terminus a quo, the anterior limit of a continuous period from, since

as marking the period immediately succeeding the limit after

towards, to

(וְעַד) עַד … מִן from … even to

In comparisons, beyond, above

מן is prefixed to an infin.:

with causal force, from, on account of, through

after verbs implying restraint, prevention, cessation, etc.

with a temporal force, since, after

Once as a conj. before a finite verb. that

In compounds:

base

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4480a מִן־, מִ, prep. expressing the idea of separation, hence out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not . with verbs expressing (or implying) separation or removal . from, against

. מן also, without a verb of similar significance, sometimes expresses the idea of separation, away from, far from

. of position, off, on the side of, on

. Out of, Gk. ἐκ, Lat. ex

. Partitively

. Of time— . as marking the terminus a quo, the anterior limit of a continuous period from, since

. as marking the period immediately succeeding the limit after

. towards, to

. (וְעַד) עַד … מִן from … even to

. In comparisons, beyond, above

. מן is prefixed to an infin.: . with causal force, from, on account of, through

. after verbs implying restraint, prevention, cessation, etc.

. with a temporal force, since, after

. Once as a conj. before a finite verb. that

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4480 min min

or minniy {min-nee'}; or minney (constructive plural)

{min-nay'}; (Isaiah 30:11); for 4482; properly, a part of;

hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many senses (as

follows):--above, after, among, at, because of, by (reason

of), from (among), in, X neither, X nor, (out) of, over,

since, X then, through, X whether, with.

see HEBREW for 04482

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מִן־ (min) — from.

prep

1) from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than

1a) from (expressing separation), off, on the side of

1b) out of

1b1) (with verbs of proceeding, removing, expelling)

1b2) (of material from which something is made)

1b3) (of source or origin)

1c) out of, some of, from (partitively)

1d) from, since, after (of time)

1e) than, more than (in comparison)

1f) from...even to, both...and, either...or

1g) than, more than, too much for (in comparisons)

1h) from, on account of, through, because (with infinitive)

conj

2) that

Aramaic equivalent: min (מִן־ "from" H4481)

מֵן (men) — portion.

n.m.

portion

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | Suff — Preposition · suffix
HR/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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