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Psalms 119:86 — Word Study

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WLCכָּל־ מִצְוֹתֶ֥יךָ אֱמוּנָ֑ה שֶׁ֖קֶר רְדָפ֣וּנִי עָזְרֵֽנִי׃

BSAAllkôl [every single one] Your commandmentsmitsvâh [laws, teachings] [are] faithfulʼĕmûwnâh [trustworthy, reliable] I am persecutedrâdaph [pursued, chased] without causesheqer [falsely, wrongfully] help meʻâzar [assist, aid, give me relief]

Word
Listen & take awayPsalms 119
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 86 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 ('a.ze.Re.ni) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Psalms 119:86quick helps
In a sentenceThe psalmist affirms the faithfulness of God's commandments while pleading for help against wrongful persecution.
Who is speakingThe psalmist, expressing personal distress.
Where we arePart of a meditation on the faithfulness of God's laws amidst suffering.
The hard wordאֱמוּנָ֑ה
Take awayGod's commandments are always reliable, even when one faces unjust treatment.
7 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 119:86

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 — Meditation on God's Faithfulnessgenerated

85The arrogant have dug pits for me in violation of Your law.
86All Your commandments are faithful; I am persecuted without cause—help me!
87They almost wiped me from the earth, but I have not forsaken Your precepts.
88Revive me according to Your loving devotion, that I may obey the testimony of Your mouth.

Psalm 119:86 is part of a longer reflection on the psalmist's experiences with both God's commandments and the hostility faced from others. The psalmist acknowledges the reliability of God's laws while simultaneously expressing a plea for divine assistance in the face of unjust persecution. This verse highlights the tension between faithfulness to God's commandments and the challenges that arise from the actions of others.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Psalm 119:128–138Therefore I admire all Your precepts and hate every false way.
2Psalm 19:9The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever; the judgments of the LORD are true, being altogether righteous.
3Romans 7:12So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous, and good.
4Psalm 119:78May the arrogant be put to shame for subverting me with a lie; I will meditate on Your precepts.
5Psalm 7:1–5O LORD my God, I take refuge in You; save me and deliver me from all my pursuers,

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 12 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word אֱמוּנָ֑ה, 'e.mu.Nahgenerated

The Hebrew word אֱמוּנָה ('emunah) signifies faithfulness, reliability, and trustworthiness. It is derived from a root that conveys firmness and stability, indicating a sense of moral integrity. In this verse, it underscores the unwavering nature of God's commandments, which are dependable and secure.

The parsing indicates that this word is a feminine singular noun in absolute form, emphasizing the concept of faithfulness as a quality inherent to God's commandments. This term is often associated with the idea of fidelity in relationships, making it a key concept in understanding the nature of divine law.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

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


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb in this verse is עָזְרֵֽנִי, help me, which governs the entire plea. The structure includes a subject noun phrase, a predicate, and two clauses that provide details about the commandments and the psalmist's persecution.

The emphasis is on the contrast between the reliability of God's commandments and the wrongful actions of others. The Hebrew word order places the commandments at the forefront, highlighting their importance in the psalmist's appeal for assistance.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, the Hebrew אֱמוּנָ֑ה is rendered as ἀλήθεια (aletheia), meaning 'truth.' This choice indicates a slight shift in focus from faithfulness to the concept of truthfulness, which reflects the reliability of God's commandments in a broader sense.

The translation choices in the Septuagint suggest an interpretation that aligns God's commandments not just with faithfulness but also with the absolute nature of truth, emphasizing their unchanging and trustworthy character.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalm 119:86 expresses a strong affirmation of the faithfulness of God's commandments while the psalmist seeks help against wrongful persecution. The verse highlights the reliability of God's laws and the psalmist's distress in facing unjust treatment.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that God's commandments are faithful?

It means that God's laws are reliable and trustworthy, guiding the faithful in their actions and decisions.

Why does the psalmist feel persecuted without cause?

The psalmist feels unjustly targeted by others, indicating that their persecution is not based on any wrongdoing.

How can I relate to the psalmist's plea for help?

Many people experience unjust treatment and can find comfort in seeking God's assistance during difficult times.

What is the significance of asking for help in this verse?

Asking for help reflects a reliance on God for support and relief in times of distress, emphasizing the importance of divine assistance.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. How do I see God's commandments as trustworthy in my own life?
  2. In what ways have I experienced unjust treatment, and how did I respond?
  3. How can I seek God's help when I feel overwhelmed by challenges?
  4. What does it mean to me to rely on God's faithfulness during difficult times?

Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 119:86 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

All thy commandments [are] faithful,.... Or, "faithfulness" (x) they are made by a faithful God, who is holy, just, and true; they command faithfulness, sincerity, and uprightness; and require men to

Read John Gill on Psalms 119 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

All thy commandments are faithful: they persecute me wrongfully; help thou me.

Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 119 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Are faithful; they are in themselves most just and true, and they require justice and faithfulness from men, promising many blessings to those that perform it, and severely forbid all fraud and falseness, threatening grievous punishments to those that use it; and such promises and threatenings are true, and shall certainly be executed.

Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 119 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Psalms 119:86 All thy commandments [are] faithful: they persecute me wrongfully; help thou me.Ver. 86. All thy commandments are faithful] Heb. faithfulness, that is, they are true, sure, equal, infallible. They persecute me wrongfully] For asserting thy truths, and adhering thereunto. Help thou me] The more eagerly men molest us the more earnestly should we implore the Divine help.

Read John Trapp on Psalms 119 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

86. faithful] Lit. faithfulness (cp. Psalms 119:75; Psalms 119:138); they are an expression of the character of God, in strong contrast to the falsehood (cp. Psalms 119:78) with which his persecutors assail him.

Read Cambridge on Psalms 119 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

All thy commandments are faithful - Margin, “faithfulness.” The idea in the Hebrew is that they are worthy to be relied on. They are founded in truth, and they should secure our confidence.

Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 119 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

ë, Caph. 81-88. My soul fainteth—Affliction and trial are again upon him. “The clouds return after the rain.” The exact point of the grief is expressed in Psalms 119:83.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Psalms 119 →

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

All Your commandments are faithful; I am persecuted without cause—help me!

WEBWorld English Bible2000

All of your commandments are faithful. They persecute me wrongfully. Help me!

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

All Your commandments are faithful; I am persecuted without cause—help me!

NETBNew English Translation2006

All your commands are reliable. I am pursued without reason. Help me!

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

All thy commandments are faithful: they persecute me wrongfully; help thou me.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

All thy commandments are faithful: They persecute me wrongfully; help thou me.

RVARevised Version, American1894

All thy commandments are faithful: they persecute me wrongfully; help thou me.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

All thy commandments are faithful: they persecute me wrongfully; help thou me.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

All thy commandements are true: they persecute me falsely: helpe me.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

All thy commandments are faithfulness. They persecute me wrongfully: help thou me.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

All Thy commands [are] faithfulness, [With] falsehood they have pursued me, Help Thou me.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

All Your commands [are] faithfulness, || They have pursued me [with] falsehood, || Help me.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

All thy commandments are founded on truth: without cause they persecute me; help thou me.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

All your commandments are reliable; those people persecute me wrongfully; help me.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

All your commands are trustworthy. Help me against these people who persecute me with their lies!

BBEBible in Basic English1949

All your teachings are certain; they go after me with evil design; give me your help.

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 · subjectכָּלallnoun phraseמִצְוֺתֶ֥יcommandmentsךָyourpredicateאֱמוּנָ֑ה[are].faithfulnessclauseadverbialשֶׁ֖קֶרfalsehoodverbרְדָפ֣וּtheyobjectנִיhave.harassed.meclauseverbעָזְרֵֽhelpobjectנִיme

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 align closely, with six words matched in their translations. The Dead Sea Scrolls also support the Masoretic Text, indicating consistency across these ancient witnesses.

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

כָּל־ מִצְוֹתֶ֥יךָ אֱמוּנָ֑ה שֶׁ֖קֶר רְדָפ֣וּנִי עָזְרֵֽנִי׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
כָּל־πᾶσαιמִצְוֹתֶ֥יךָσουאֱמוּנָ֑הἀλήθειαשֶׁ֖קֶרἀδίκωςרְדָפ֣וּנִיμεעָזְרֵֽנִי׃μοι

6 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 מצוותי׳כה אמונה שקר רדפו׳ני עוזר׳ני

6 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 119:86כֹּלallallכֹּלמִצְוָהcommandmentcommandments yoמִצְוָהאֱמוּנָה[are] faith[are] faithfulnאֱמוּנָהשֶׁ֫קֶרfalsehoodfalsehoodשֶׁ֫קֶררָדַףthey have hthey have harasרָדַףעָזַרhelp mehelp meעָזַרכָּלַלto perfectto perfectכָּלַלצָוָהto commandto commandצָוָהשָׁקַרto dealto dealשָׁקַראֵמֻןfaithfulfaithfulאֵמֻןעֵדָהcongregaticongregationעֵדָהעֲבֹדָהserviceserviceעֲבֹדָהחֻקָּהstatutestatuteחֻקָּהחֹקstatute: dstatute: decreeחֹקצֶ֫דֶקRighteousnRighteousnessצֶ֫דֶקדּוֹרgenerationgenerationדּוֹרעֵדwitnesswitnessעֵדנָבָאto prophesto prophesyנָבָאנָשַׂגto overtakto overtakeנָשַׂגאַחַרafterafterאַחַרכָּשַׁלto stumbleto stumbleכָּשַׁל
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 119:86

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 commandments your [are] faithfulness falsehood they have harassed me help me
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.
Amplified meaning
every single one
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 — 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 commandments your [are] faithfulness falsehood they have harassed me help me
מִצְוֹתֶ֥יךָmitz.vo.Tei.kha commandments your H4687 Noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
182× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means a command or law given by God or humans, as seen in the Bible's rules and guidelines. It appears in books like Exodus and Deuteronomy. The commandments guide people's actions.
Amplified meaning
laws, teachings
Tyndale gloss
commandment
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מִצְוָה (mitsvah) means 'commandment' and can refer to commands from both humans and God. It encompasses laws, ordinances, and precepts, indicating a range of directives within religious and moral contexts. The term is derived from a root meaning to command, linking it to the broader framework of divine law.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מִצְוָה 181 n.f. commandment

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4687 מִצְוָה commandment

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4687 mitsvah mits-vaw'

from 6680; a command, whether human or divine (collectively,

the Law):--(which was) commanded(-ment), law, ordinance,

precept.

see HEBREW for 06680

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מִצְוָה (mits.vah) — commandment.

1) commandment

1a) commandment (of man)

1b) the commandment (of God)

1c) commandment (of code of wisdom)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fp | Suff — Noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
HNcfpc/Sp2ms
all commandments your [are] faithfulness falsehood they have harassed me help me
אֱמוּנָ֑ה'e.mu.Nah [are] faithfulness H530 Noun common · feminine singular absolute
49× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for faithfulness, meaning firmness, security, or fidelity. It describes being steady and trustworthy, as seen in the KJV translations of faith, stability, and truth. This concept is essential in the Bible, particularly in relationships and commitments.
Amplified meaning
trustworthy, reliable
Tyndale gloss
faithfulness
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֱמוּנָה (*emuwnah*) is built from the root of H529, indicating concepts of firmness and steadfastness. It encompasses meanings such as fidelity, trust, and stability. The entries consistently highlight its moral implications, particularly in relation to faithfulness.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֱמוּנָה n.f. firmness, steadfastness, fidelity

lit. firmness, steadiness

steadfastness

faithfulness, trust

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H530 אֱמוּנָה firmness, steadfastness, fidelity . lit. firmness, steadiness

. steadfastness

. faithfulness, trust

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

530 'emuwnah em-oo-naw'); or (shortened) >emunah {em-oo-naw'

feminine of 529; literally firmness; figuratively security;

morally fidelity:--faith(-ful, -ly, -ness, (man)), set

office, stability, steady, truly, truth, verily.

see HEBREW for 0529

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֱמוּנָה (e.mu.nah) — faithfulness.

firmness, fidelity, steadfastness, steadiness

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absolute
HNcfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

An infinite attribute of Jehovah; adapted to make perfect both the confidence of those who believe his word and rely on his promises, and the despair of those who doubt his word and defy his threatenings, De 28:26 Nu 23:19 Ps 89:33-34 Heb 10:23.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ EXHORTATION TO Ps 12:1; 31:23; Pr 20:6; 28:20; Mt 10:22; 24:45-47; 25:14-23; Lu 12:42-44; 16:10-12; 19:12-27; 1Co 4:2; Re 2:10

See OBEDIENCE, EXHORTATION TO

See PERSEVERANCE

See MINISTERS, FAITHFUL

See REPROOF, FAITHFULNESS IN

→ INSTANCES OF

Abraham Ga 3:9

Moses Heb 3:5

David 2Sa 22:22-25

Elijah 1Ki 19:10,14

Torrey's New Topical Textbook

- A characteristic of saints

Eph 1:1; Col 1:2; 1Ti 6:2; Re 17:14

- EXHIBITED IN

. The service of God

Mt 24:45

. Declaring the word of God

Jer 23:28; 2Co 2:17; 4:2

. The care of dedicated things

2Ch 31:12

. Helping the brethren

3Jo 1:5

. Bearing witness

Pr 14:5

. Reproving others

Pr 27:6; Ps 141:5

. Situations of trust

all commandments your [are] faithfulness falsehood they have harassed me help me
שֶׁ֖קֶרShe.ker falsehood H8267 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
113× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to deception or falsehood, often implying a sense of betrayal or disappointment. It's used in the Bible to describe lies, false testimony, or deceitful behavior, like in Psalm 116:11, where the psalmist says all men are liars.
Amplified meaning
falsely, wrongfully
Tyndale gloss
deception
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שֶׁ֫קֶר (sheqer) refers to deception, falsehood, and disappointment. It encompasses various forms of deceit, including fraud and wrongful testimony. The word is built from the root associated with untruths and can imply sham or lying. It is used in contexts involving false prophets and general dishonesty.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שֶׁ֫קֶר 113 n.m. deception, disappointment, falsehood

deception, what deceives, disappoints, and betrays one

deceit, fraud, wrong

injurious falsehood, in testimony

falsity, of false or self-deceived prophets

lie, falsehood, in gen.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8267 שֶׁ֫קֶר deception, disappointment, falsehood . deception, what deceives, disappoints, and betrays one

. deceit, fraud, wrong

. injurious falsehood, in testimony

. falsity, of false or self-deceived prophets

. lie, falsehood, in gen.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8267 sheqer sheh'-ker

from 8266; an untruth; by implication, a sham (often

adverbial):--without a cause, deceit(-ful),

false(-hood, -ly), feignedly, liar, + lie, lying, vain

(thing), wrongfully.

see HEBREW for 08266

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שֶׁ֫קֶר (she.qer) — deception.

1) lie, deception, disappointment, falsehood

1a) deception (what deceives or disappoints or betrays one)

1b) deceit, fraud, wrong

1b1) fraudulently, wrongfully (as adverb)

1c) falsehood (injurious in testimony)

1c1) testify falsehood, false oath, swear falsely

1d) falsity (of false or self-deceived prophets)

1e) lie, falsehood (in general)

1e1) false tongue

1f) in vain

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

fols'-hood.

See LYING.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ General scriptures concerning Ex 20:16; 23:1; Le 6:2-7; 19:11,12,16; Job 13:4; 21:34; 27:4; 31:5,6,33; 36:4; Ps 5:6,9; 10:7; 12:2,3; 28:3; 31:18; 34:13; 36:3; 50:19,20; 52:2-5; 55:21,23; 58:3; 59:12; 62:4; 63:11; 101:5,7; 109:2; 116:11; 119:29,69,163; 120:2-4; 144:8,11; Pr 2:12-15; 3:3; 6:12,13,17-19; 10:9,10,18,31; 11:9; 12:17,19,20,22; 13:5; 14:5,8,25; 17:4,7; 19:5,9,22,28; 20:17; 21:6; 26:18,19,24-26,28; 27:14; Ec 5:6; Isa 28:15; 32:7; 57:11; 59:3,4,12,13; 63:8;

all commandments your [are] faithfulness falsehood they have harassed me help me
רְדָפ֣וּנִיre.da.Fu.ni they have harassed me H7291 Verb qal perfect third person common plural · suffix
143× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To pursue or chase after someone means to follow them with hostile intent. This can be a physical pursuit or a pursuit of someone's life or well-being, as seen in many biblical stories.
Amplified meaning
pursued, chased
Tyndale gloss
to pursue
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רָדַף (radaph) is a Hebrew verb meaning to pursue, chase, or persecute. It conveys the idea of running after something, often with hostile intent, and can also figuratively refer to following time or securing something. The word has various forms, including Qal, Niphal, Piel, Pual, and Hiphil, each indicating different nuances of pursuit or being pursued.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רָדַף 141 vb. pursue, chase, persecute

Qal 128

pursue

lit. put to flight, chase

lit., the pursuers

chase, hunt

pursue

fig. persecute, harass

pursue, dog

fig. follow after, aim to secure

Niph. upon the neck (i.e. closely) we are pursued

Pi. pursue ardently

Pu. it shall be chased away like chaff of the mountains

Hiph. usu. they chased him

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7291 רָדַף pursue, chase, persecute

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7291 radaph raw-daf'

a primitive root; to run after (usually with hostile intent;

figuratively (of time) gone by):--chase, put to flight,

follow (after, on), hunt, (be under) persecute(-ion, -or),

pursue(-r).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רָדַף (ra.daph) — to pursue.

1) to be behind, follow after, pursue, persecute, run after

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to pursue, put to flight, chase, dog, attend closely upon

1a2) to persecute, harass (fig)

1a3) to follow after, aim to secure (fig)

1a4) to run after (a bribe) (fig)

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be pursued

1b2) one pursued (participle)

1c) (Piel) to pursue ardently, aim eagerly to secure, pursue

1d) (Pual) to be pursued, be chased away

1e) (Hiphil) to pursue, chase

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-3cp | Suff — Verb qal perfect third person common plural · suffix
HVqp3cp/Sp1bs
all commandments your [are] faithfulness falsehood they have harassed me help me
עָזְרֵֽנִי׃'a.ze.Re.ni help me H5826 Verb qal imperative second person masculine singular · suffix
81× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To help or aid is the meaning of this Hebrew word, used to describe God's protection or assistance. It is used in the Psalms to express trust in God's help and in the book of Exodus to describe God's aid to the Israelites.
Amplified meaning
assist, aid, give me relief
Tyndale gloss
to help
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עָזַר (azar) is a Hebrew verb meaning to help or succour. It is built from a primitive root that conveys the idea of surrounding or protecting. The entries indicate its use in various forms: Qal (to help), Niphal (to be helped), and Hiphil (to help). The word captures the essence of providing support or aid.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[עָזַר] 82 vb. help, succour

Qal help

Niph. I am helped

Hiph. v. Qal.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5826 [עָזַר] help, succour

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5826 `azar aw-zar'

a primitive root; to surround, i.e. protect or aid:--help,

succour.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עָזַר (a.zar) — to help.

1) to help, succour, support

1a) (Qal) to help

1b) (Niphal) to be helped

1c) (Hiphil) to help

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Impv-2ms | Suff — Verb qal imperative second person masculine singular · suffix
HVqv2ms/Sp1bs
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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