Menu

Psalms 12:8 — Word Study

Depth

WLCסָבִ֗יב רְשָׁעִ֥ים יִתְהַלָּכ֑וּן כְּרֻ֥ם זֻ֝לּ֗וּת לִבְנֵ֥י אָדָֽם׃

BSAyou(m.s.)ʼattâh The LordYᵉhôvâh to keepshâmar to watchnâtsar frommin generationdôwr thiszûw foreverʻôwlâm

Word
Listen & take awayPsalms 12
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 8 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration ('a.Dam) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Psalms 12:8quick helps
In a sentenceThe verse describes the wicked who roam freely while moral corruption is celebrated among humanity.
Who is speakingThe psalmist, reflecting on the state of society.
Where we areIn a lament about the moral decay observed in the world.
The hard wordזֻ֝לּ֗וּת
Take awayThe contrast between the freedom of the wicked and the exaltation of vileness.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectאַתָּה The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

1 of 7 occurs nowhere else in the Old Testament — a word chosen on purpose.

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 12:8

Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.

Context — The State of the Wickedgenerated

5“For the cause of the oppressed and for the groaning of the needy, I will now arise,” says the LORD. “I will bring safety to him who yearns.”
6The words of the LORD are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace, like gold purified sevenfold.
7You, O LORD, will keep us; You will forever guard us from this generation.
8The wicked wander freely, and vileness is exalted among men.

Psalms 12:8 reflects on the troubling reality where the wicked are allowed to roam freely, and moral depravity is not only present but is celebrated among people. This verse serves as a poignant observation about the moral landscape of society, highlighting the contrast between the behavior of the wicked and the values upheld by the righteous.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Proverbs 29:12If a ruler listens to lies, all his officials will be wicked.
2Hosea 5:11Ephraim is oppressed, crushed in judgment, for he is determined to follow worthless idols.
3Micah 6:16You have kept the statutes of Omri and all the practices of Ahab’s house; you have followed their counsel. Therefore I will make you a desolation, and your inhabitants an object of contempt; you will bear the scorn of the nations. ”
4Judges 9:18–57but you have risen up against my father’s house this day and killed his seventy sons on a single stone, and you have made Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the leaders of Shechem because he is your brother—
51 Samuel 18:17–18Then Saul said to David, “Here is my older daughter Merab. I will give her to you in marriage. Only be valiant for me and fight the LORD’s battles.” But Saul was thinking, “I need not raise my hand against him; let the hand of the Philistines be against him.”

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


The Key Word רְשָׁעִ֥ים, re.sha.'Imgenerated

The word רָשָׁע (rasha`) refers to individuals who are wicked or morally corrupt. It encompasses meanings such as guilty and ungodly, often depicting those who act against God's commandments or harm others.

In this verse, it describes the wicked people who are characterized by their wrongdoing and their lack of restraint, wandering freely without accountability.


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 verb יִתְהַלָּכ֑וּן (they walk about) governs the main action of the verse, with two phrases following it: an adverbial phrase indicating the manner of their wandering and a noun phrase describing the state of vileness.

The structure emphasizes the contrast between the wicked's freedom to roam and the exaltation of vileness, highlighting the moral decay in society.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates רְשָׁעִ֥ים with σύ (you), indicating a direct address or implication towards the wicked. This choice reflects a more personal engagement with the subject of wickedness.

The Greek word for vileness, ἀπὸ, suggests a separation or distance from goodness, reinforcing the idea of moral corruption being distinct from righteousness.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalms 12:8 points out that the wicked people move about without restraint, while moral corruption is celebrated among humanity. This verse highlights the troubling state of society where wrongdoing is not only prevalent but also honored.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that the wicked wander freely?

It indicates that those who commit wrongdoings are not held accountable and can act without fear of consequences.

What is vileness in this context?

Vileness refers to moral corruption or depravity that is being exalted or honored in society.

How does this verse reflect on society today?

It serves as a commentary on how moral decay can be normalized and even celebrated in modern contexts.

What can be done to address the issues raised in this verse?

Addressing these issues involves promoting righteousness, accountability, and moral integrity within communities.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways do I see wickedness being normalized in my surroundings?
  2. How can I stand against the vileness that is celebrated in society?
  3. What actions can I take to promote righteousness in my community?
  4. How does this verse challenge me to reflect on my own moral choices?

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

The early commentators reflect on the implications of this verse regarding the nature of wickedness and moral decay. Their insights are drawn from various works that engage with the text and its meanings.

Augustine of HippoExposition on Psalms 12 354–430
"The ungodly walk in a circle round about" [Psalms 12:8]: that is, in the desire of things temporal, which revolves as a wheel in a repeated circle of seven days;
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 12 →
Diodorus of TarsusCOMMENTARY ON Psalms 12 d. c. 390
When you care for us, even if we are abandoned among those guilty of hostility and scheming, we emerge superior on account of the care of the Most High.
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 12 →
CassiodorusEXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 12:9 c. 485–585
“The wicked walk in a circle” so that they are never able to arrive at the right path, since crooked paths are always associated with bad character.… For this reason, they are not able to attain the rest of the eighth day,
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 12 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 12:8 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

The wicked walk on every side,.... Of the poor and needy, of the righteous ones, to watch them, lay snares for them, and hurt them; therefore, Lord, keep and preserve them: the wicked are everywhere

Read John Gill on Psalms 12 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted. The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted.

Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 12 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

The wicked walk on every side; which phrase may note, 1. Their great numbers; they fill all places. 2. Their freedom and safety; they are not restrained nor punished, but go about boldly and securely whither they please. 3. Their proficiency and success, which is sometimes signified by this verb, as . They grow worse and worse, and prosper in and by their wickedness. 4. Their incessant and unwearied industry in doing mischief to good men. Compare . And this is very fitly here added, as another argument to prevail with God to arise to help his poor people who are oppressed by wicked men. The vilest men, Heb. vilenesses, i.e. all manner of wickedness, lying and slandering, profaneness…

Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 12 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Psalms 12:8 The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted.Ver. 8. The wicked walk on every side] In circuitu, saith the Vulgate; the circular motion is most subtle, the devil walketh the rounds to do mischief; but better render it circumquaque, on every side, to show their numbers and their insolence. All places are full of them, such dust heaps are found in every corner; when as the godly are as the salt of the earth, sprinkled here and there, as salt useth to be, to keep the rest from putrefying. When the vilest men are exalted] Heb. Vilities, the abstract for the concrete, quisquiliae, ουτιδανοι. Oft empty vessels swim aloft, rotten posts are gilt with adulterate gold…

Read John Trapp on Psalms 12 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(8) The wicked.—Gesenius translates this verse, “The wicked walk on every side like the rising of a tempest upon the sons of men.” There seems no reason to question his rendering of the word zullûth (Authorised Version, “vilest”), which is peculiar to this passage; but by comparison with Psalms 39:6; Psalms 58:7, we may render the first clause, the wicked vanish on every side; and a slight change gives for the second clause, at the rising of a tempest on the sons of men.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 12 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 8. The wicked walk on every side] The land is full of them. When the vilest men are exalted; rather, As villany gains ground among the sons of Adam. See the Hebrew. The Vulgate has, "In circuito impii ambulant; secundum altitudinem tuam multiplicasti filios hominum;" which is thus translated and paraphrased in my old MS.: - Trans. In umgang wiked gos: eftir thy heenes thu has multiplied the sons of man. Par. Us thy kepes; bot wiked gas in umgang; that es, in covatyng of erdley gudes, that turned with the whele of seven daies: in the qwilk covatys, thai ryn ay aboute; for that sett nane endyng of thaire syn: and tharfor settes God na terme of thair pyne, but sons of men that lyfs…

Read AdamClarke on Psalms 12 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

8. Jehovah will preserve the righteous; although when vileness is exalted among the sons of men, when worthless or profligate men are raised to positions of authority, the wicked stalk insolently everywhere, unabashed and unrestrained. Cp. Psalms 11:1-3. The Psalmist returns to the thought of the prevailing corruption, from which he started.

Read Cambridge on Psalms 12 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The wicked walk on every side - Everywhere. They have full license, or seem to be wholly unrestrained.

Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 12 →

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 wicked wander freely, and vileness is exalted among men.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

The wicked walk on every side, when what is vile is exalted among the sons of men.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

The wicked wander freely, and vileness is exalted among men.

NETBNew English Translation2006

for the wicked seem to be everywhere, when people promote evil.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

The wicked walk on every side, When vileness is exalted among the sons of men.

RVARevised Version, American1894

The wicked walk on every side, when vileness is exalted among the sons of men.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

The wicked walke on euery side: when they are exalted, it is a shame for the sonnes of men.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

The wicked walk about on every side, when vileness is exalted among the children of men.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Around the wicked walk continually, According as vileness is exalted by sons of men!

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

The wicked walk around continually, || According as vileness is exalted by sons of men!

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

(12:9) On every side do the wicked walk about, when the vile are exalted over the sons of man.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

The wicked walk on every side when evil is exalted among the children of mankind.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

even though the wicked are all around us, and evil is being promoted everywhere.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

The sinners are walking on every side, and evil is honoured among the children of men.

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.

clauseadverbialסָבִ֗יבall.aroundsubjectרְשָׁעִ֥יםwicked.[people]verb phrase · verbיִתְהַלָּכ֑וּtheyןwalk.aboutprepositional phrase · prepositionalכְּjustclauseverbרֻ֥םas.is.exaltedsubjectזֻ֝לּ֗וּתvilenessprepositional phrase · prepositionalלִby.[the]noun phraseבְנֵ֥יchildrenאָדָֽםof.humankind

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


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

The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree closely, with all seven words matched between them. The Dead Sea Scrolls, however, show some restoration, indicating that parts of the text were missing and had to be supplied by an editor.

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

סָבִ֗יב רְשָׁעִ֥ים יִתְהַלָּכ֑וּן כְּרֻ֥ם זֻ֝לּ֗וּת לִבְנֵ֥י אָדָֽם׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
סָבִ֗יבκύριεרְשָׁעִ֥יםσύיִתְהַלָּכ֑וּןἡμᾶςכְּרֻ֥םἡμᾶςזֻ֝לּ֗וּתἀπὸלִבְנֵ֥יγενεᾶςאָדָֽם׃ταύτης

7 of the 7 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 11Q7a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[אתה] [יהוה] [תשמר׳מה] תצר׳נו מן הדור זה [לעולם]

3 words on the leather — 1 partly restored, 4 supplied entire by an editor.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 5/6hev1ba copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

אתה יהוה תשמר׳ם תצר׳נו [מן] [הדור] [זו] [לעולם]

3 words on the leather — 1 partly restored, 4 supplied entire by an editor.

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 12:8סָבִיבall aroundall aroundסָבִיברָשָׁעwicked [peowicked [people]רָשָׁעהָלַךְthey walk athey walk aboutהָלַךְרוּםwhen is exawhen is exaltedרוּםזֻלֻּתvilenessvilenessזֻלֻּתבֵּןby [the] chby [the] childrבֵּןאָדָםhumankindhumankindאָדָםסָבַבto turn: tto turn: turnסָבַברָשַׁעbe wickedbe wickedרָשַׁעזָלַלto shaketo shakeזָלַלבָּנָהto buildto buildבָּנָהאָדֹםto reddento reddenאָדֹםהָלַךְto walkto walkהָלַךְאֵילָםarchesarchesאֵילָםחַלּוֹןwindowwindowחַלּוֹןצַדִּיקrighteousrighteousצַדִּיקאָבַדto perishto perishאָבַדדֶּ֫רֶךְway: roadway: roadדֶּ֫רֶךְחֻקָּהstatutestatuteחֻקָּהתְּרוּמָהcontributicontributionתְּרוּמָהקֶ֫רֶןhornhornקֶ֫רֶןעַמּוֹןAmmonAmmonעַמּוֹןרְאוּבֵןReubenReubenרְאוּבֵןדְּמוּתlikenesslikenessדְּמוּתבְּהֵמָהanimalanimalבְּהֵמָה
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 12:8

One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.

Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.

all around wicked [people] they walk about ! when is exalted vileness by [the] children of humankind
סָבִ֗יבsa.Viv all around H5439 Noun common · both singular absolute
336× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word describes something that surrounds or encompasses, like a circle or neighborhood, and can also mean around or about, as in on every side. It is used to describe physical locations and proximity. The KJV translates it as about or circuit.
Tyndale gloss
around
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

סָבִיב (cabiyb) primarily means 'around' and is used as a noun, adverb, and preposition. It denotes a circle, neighbors, or the surrounding area, often implying a sense of being on every side or in a circuit. The entries consistently emphasize its usage in contexts of proximity and encirclement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

סָבִיב 336 subst., used mostly as adv. and prep., circuit, round about

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5439 סָבִיב subst., used mostly as adv. and prep., circuit, round about

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5439 cabiyb saw-beeb'

or (feminine) cbiybah {seb-ee-baw'}; from 5437; (as noun) a

circle, neighbour, or environs; but chiefly (as adverb, with

or without preposition) around:--(place, round) about,

circuit, compass, on every side.

see HEBREW for 05437

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

סָבִיב (sa.viv) — around.

: around/border

subst

1) places round about, circuit, round about

adv

2) in a circuit, a circuit, round about

prep

3) in the circuit, from every side

סָבִיב (sa.viv) — around: side.

: side

subst

1) places round about, circuit, round about

adv

2) in a circuit, a circuit, round about

prep

3) in the circuit, from every side

סָבִיב (sa.viv) — around: whole.

: whole

subst

1) places round about, circuit, round about

adv

2) in a circuit, a circuit, round about

prep

3) in the circuit, from every side

סָבִיב (sa.viv) — around: neighours.

: neighours

subst

1) places round about, circuit, round about

adv

2) in a circuit, a circuit, round about

prep

3) in the circuit, from every side

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcbsa — Noun common · both singular absolute
HNcbsa
all around wicked [people] they walk about ! when is exalted vileness by [the] children of humankind
רְשָׁעִ֥יםre.sha.'Im wicked [people] H7563 Noun common · masculine plural absolute
263× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word describes someone who is morally wrong, a bad person who is guilty of crime or sin against God or others. It is used to describe the wicked in biblical stories, such as in the book of Genesis.
Tyndale gloss
wicked
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רָשָׁע (rasha`) refers to someone who is wicked or criminal, encompassing meanings such as guilty and ungodly. It is derived from a root that implies moral wrongdoing. The term is used to describe individuals who are hostile to God or guilty of sin against others.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רָשָׁע 263 adj. wicked, criminal

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7563 רָשָׁע wicked, criminal

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7563 rasha` raw-shaw'

from 7561; morally wrong; concretely, an (actively) bad

person:--+ condemned, guilty, ungodly, wicked (man), that did

wrong.

see HEBREW for 07561

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רָשָׁע (ra.sah) — wicked.

1) wicked, criminal

1a) guilty one, one guilty of crime (subst)

1b) wicked (hostile to God)

1c) wicked, guilty of sin (against God or man)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcmpa — Noun common · masculine plural absolute
HNcmpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Nave's Topical Bible

→ Compared with

Abominable branches Isa 14:19

Ashes under the feet Mal 4:3

Bad fish Mt 13:48

Animals Ps 49:12; 2Pe 2:12

Blind people Zep 1:17; Mt 15:14

Bronze and iron Jer 6:28; Eze 22:18

Briers add thorns Isa 55:13; Eze 2:6

The bulls of Bashan Ps 22:12

all around wicked [people] they walk about ! when is exalted vileness by [the] children of humankind
יִתְהַלָּכ֑וּןyit.ha.la.Khun they walk about ! H1980 Verb hithpael imperfect third person masculine plural · suffix
1,549× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Means to walk or go, used in many different contexts in the Bible. It can describe physical movement, but also spiritual or emotional journeys. Appears in various forms, such as 'to go' or 'to walk'.
Tyndale gloss
to go: walk
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הָלַךְ (halak) means 'to go,' 'come,' or 'walk,' and covers a wide range of literal and figurative uses, including aspects of life and death. It can describe physical movement, moral conduct, and even influence on character. The verb appears in various forms, such as Qal, Piel, and Hithpael, indicating different nuances like leading or traversing.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הָלַךְ 1546 vb. go, come, walk

Qal Impf. usually (629 t.) as if from ילך

lit.

of persons

Also of animals, in similar meanings and combinations

in like manner of inanimate things

The inf. abs. is often used

as in other vbs., quite independently

to intensify meaning of finite form

most noteworthy is the joining of the Inf. abs.

with a following Inf. abs. denoting a simutaneous action or process, and so emphasizing duration or continuance

with a foll. vb. fin. c. ו consec. (rare)

in cases where vb. fin. is foll. by Inf. abs. adj. denoting progress, advance

twice, where vb. fin. is not הלך, but another vb. denoting motion

quite by itself

13 t. the Inf. abs. = Imv. & is followed by Pf. consec.

akin to the use of Inf. abs. are some instances of Pt.

In combination with other verbal forms

Fig.; the most common uses follow; in most the origin in a literal meaning is evident:

pass away, die

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1980 הָלַךְ go, come, walk .Impf. usually (629 t.) as if from ילך . lit. . of persons

. Also of animals, in similar meanings and combinations

. in like manner of inanimate things

. The inf. abs. is often used . as in other vbs., quite independently

. to intensify meaning of finite form

. most noteworthy is the joining of the Inf. abs. . with a following Inf. abs. denoting a simutaneous action or process, and so emphasizing duration or continuance

. with a foll. vb. fin. c. ו consec. (rare)

. in cases where vb. fin. is foll. by Inf. abs. + adj. denoting progress, advance

. twice, where vb. fin. is not הלך, but another vb. denoting motion

. quite by itself

. 13 t. the Inf. abs. = Imv. & is followed by Pf. consec.

. akin to the use of Inf. abs. are some instances of Pt.

. In combination with other verbal forms

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1980 halak haw-lak'

akin to 3212; a primitive root; to walk (in a great variety

of applications, literally and figuratively):--(all) along,

apace, behave (self), come, (on) continually, be conversant,

depart, + be eased, enter, exercise (self), + follow, forth,

forward, get, go (about, abroad, along, away, forward, on,

out, up and down), + greater, grow, be wont to haunt, lead,

march, X more and more, move (self), needs, on, pass (away),

be at the point, quite, run (along), + send, speedily, spread,

still, surely, + tale-bearer, + travel(-ler), walk (abroad,

on, to and fro, up and down, to places), wander, wax,

(way-)faring man, X be weak, whirl.

see HEBREW for 03212

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: went.

: went/go[away]

1) to go, walk, come

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away

1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to walk

1b2) to walk (fig.)

1c) (Hithpael)

1c1) to traverse

1c2) to walk about

1d) (Niphal) to lead, bring, lead away, carry, cause to walk

הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: come.

: come[nearer]

1) to go, walk, come

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away

1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to walk

1b2) to walk (fig.)

1c) (Hithpael)

1c1) to traverse

1c2) to walk about

1d) (Niphal) to lead, bring, lead away, carry, cause to walk

הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: walk.

: walk/move

1) to go, walk, come

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away

1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to walk

1b2) to walk (fig.)

1c) (Hithpael)

1c1) to traverse

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVti3mp/Sn — Verb hithpael imperfect third person masculine plural · suffix
HVti3mp/Sn
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

a-bout': The use of this word as a preposition, in the sense of "around," is confined to the Old Testament. In the New Testament, generally an adverb, for Greek hos or "hosei." The Revised Version (British and American) adopts it in several idiomatic translations of mello, referring to what is about to be, i.e. on the point of occurring, or immediately impending, amending the King James Version, in Ac 5:35; 27:2; Re 12:4, etc.

all around wicked [people] they walk about ! when is exalted vileness by [the] children of humankind
כְּרֻ֥םke.Rum when is exalted H7311 Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
190× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb can mean to lift something or someone up, like a parent lifting a child, or to exalt oneself in pride. In the Bible, it's used to describe God lifting up the humble and bringing down the proud.
Tyndale gloss
to exalt
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רוּם (ruwm) is a Hebrew verb meaning to be high or exalted, covering a range of actions such as rising, lifting, and promoting. It can refer to physical elevation, like raising an ark or setting up a throne, as well as figurative exaltation, particularly in relation to God. The word also has a related form, רָמַם (ramam), which means to be wormy.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רוּם vb. be high, exalted, rise

Qal

be high, lit. rock (in fig.)

esp. of י׳

be raised, uplifted

be lifted, rise, of ark

Pō‛lēl

raise, rear, children

cause tree to grow

lift up

exalt, extol, acc. י׳

Pō‛lal be lift up

Hiph.

raise, rear, c. acc., hand

raise poor

lift up voice

(take into one's hand and) lift, take up, stone

set up, erect, stone

set on high, throne

lift up, exalt, c. acc. pers.

lift up and take away, remove

lift off and present, contribute, offer

Hoph. be taken off from; be abolished

Hithpō‛l. and he shall exalt and magnify himself above, etc.; I will raise myself

base

[רָמַם] vb. denom. be wormy;—Ex 16:20

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7311a רוּם be high, exalted, rise .. . be high, lit. rock (in fig.)

. esp. of י׳

. be raised, uplifted

. be lifted, rise, of ark

.. . raise, rear, children

. cause tree to grow

. lift up

. exalt, extol, acc. י׳

.be lift up

. . . . raise, rear, c. acc., hand

. raise poor

. lift up voice

. (take into one's hand and) lift, take up, stone

. set up, erect, stone

. set on high, throne

. lift up, exalt, c. acc. pers.

. lift up and take away, remove

. lift off and present, contribute, offer

. be taken off from; be abolished

. and he shall exalt and magnify himself above, etc.; I will raise myself

H7311b רָמַם vb. denom. be wormy

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7311 ruwm room

a primitive root; to be high actively, to rise or raise (in

various applications, literally or figuratively):--bring up,

exalt (self), extol, give, go up, haughty, heave (up), (be,

lift up on, make on, set up on, too) high(-er, one), hold up,

levy, lift(-er) up, (be) lofty, (X a-)loud, mount up, offer

(up), + presumptuously, (be) promote(-ion), proud, set up,

tall(-er), take (away, off, up), breed worms.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רוּם (rum) — to exalt.

1) to rise, rise up, be high, be lofty, be exalted

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to be high, be set on high

1a2) to be raised, be uplifted, be exalted

1a3) to be lifted, rise

1b) (Polel)

1b1) to raise or rear (children), cause to grow up

1b2) to lift up, raise, exalt

1b3) to exalt, extol

1c) (Polal) to be lifted up

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to raise, lift, lift up, take up, set up, erect, exalt, set on high

1d2) to lift up (and take away), remove

1d3) to lift off and present, contribute, offer, contribute

1e) (Hophal) to be taken off, be abolished

1f) (Hithpolel) to exalt oneself, magnify oneself

Aramaic equivalent: rum (רוּם "to rise" H7313)

רָמַם (ra.mam) — be rotten.

(Qal) to be rotten, be wormy

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Vqcc — Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
HR/Vqcc
all around wicked [people] they walk about ! when is exalted vileness by [the] children of humankind
זֻ֝לּ֗וּתzu.Lut vileness H2149 Noun common · feminine singular absolute
1× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

זֻלֻּת n.f. worthlessness, only ψ 12:9

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2149 זֻלֻּת, זֻלּוּת

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2149 zulluwth zool-looth'

from 2151; properly, a shaking, i.e. perhaps a

tempest:--vilest.

see HEBREW for 02151

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

זֻלּוּת (zul.lut) — vileness.

vileness, worthlessness

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcfsa — Noun common · feminine singular absolute
HNcfsa
all around wicked [people] they walk about ! when is exalted vileness by [the] children of humankind
לִבְנֵ֥יliv.Nei by [the] children of H1121 Preposition · noun common masculine plural construct
4,943× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word means a son or descendant, and can also refer to a grandson, nation, or quality. It appears in 1 Chronicles 24, describing a Levite named Beno. The word is used to show family relationships and inheritance.
Tyndale gloss
son: child
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בֵּן (ben) means 'son' or 'male child' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including descendants, young animals, and even figurative uses like sparks or arrows. It can refer to members of a tribe or class and is used in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, such as in 1 Chronicles 24:26. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to build' and implies a connection to family or lineage.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בֵּן 4870 n.m. son

son, male child, born of a woman

children (male and female)

youth, young men

the young of animals

of plant shoots

fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows

member of a guild, order or class

of animals son of (the) herd

ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.

n. relat. of age

base

בְּנוֹ 1 Ch 24:26, 27 as n.pr.m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son, cf. VB & Be Öt.

done

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1121a בֵּן son . son, male child, born of a woman

. children (male and female)

. youth, young men

. the young of animals

. of plant shoots

. fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows

. . member of a guild, order or class

. of animals son of (the) herd

. ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.

. n. relat. of age

H1121b בְּנוֹ as n. pr. m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1121 ben bane

from 1129; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the

widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship,

including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition,

etc., (like 1, 251, etc.)):--+ afflicted, age, (Ahoh-)

(Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-)ite, (anoint-)ed one, appointed to,

(+) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-)ian, one born,

bough, branch, breed, + (young) bullock, + (young) calf, X

came up in, child, colt, X common, X corn, daughter, X of

first, + firstborn, foal, + very fruitful, + postage, X in, +

kid, + lamb, (+) man, meet, + mighty, + nephew, old, (+)

people, + rebel, + robber, X servant born, X soldier, son, +

spark, + steward, + stranger, X surely, them of, + tumultuous

one, + valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.

see HEBREW for 01129

see HEBREW for 01

see HEBREW for 0251

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בֵּן (ben) — son: child.

: child/son

בְּנוֹ (be.no) — Beno.

A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ch.24.26;

son of: Jaaziah (H3269);

brother of: Shoham (H7719), Zaccur (H2139I) and Ibri (H5681)

§ Beno = "his son"

the sons of Jaaziah and the sons of Merari by Jaahziah (his son)

בֵּן (ben) — son: descendant/people.

: descendant, people, tribe, nation

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

§ : child/son

בֵּן (ben) — son: young animal.

: calf/lamb/young(ANIMAL)

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

§ : descendant

בֵּן (ben) — son: type of.

: rebel/son(Belial)

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

§ : people/men/nation/tribe

בֵּן (ben) — son.

: [inheriting]son/heir

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

בֵּן (ben) — son: warrior.

: warrior/son(strong)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Ncmpc — Preposition · noun common masculine plural construct
HR/Ncmpc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ov:

(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Lamentations 3:1.

The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.

Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.

That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.

Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…

all around wicked [people] they walk about ! when is exalted vileness by [the] children of humankind
אָדָֽם׃'a.Dam humankind H120 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
551× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Adam was the first human, created by God and mentioned in Genesis 2:19, who married Eve and had sons including Cain, Abel, and Seth.
Tyndale gloss
the man (Adam)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָדָם (adam) refers to 'man' or 'mankind,' encompassing both individual humans and the species as a whole. It is also the name of the first man in the Bible, Adam, who is mentioned in various verses, including Genesis 2:19. The term can denote a city in the Jordan valley as well. The entries indicate a range of meanings, but there is no significant disagreement among them.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָדָם 560 n.m. Gn 1:27 man, mankind

a man = human being

coll. man, mankind

n.pr.m. Adam, first man (without art.)

n.pr.loc. city in Jordan valley (as built?)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H120 אָדָם man, mankind . a man = human being

. coll. man, mankind

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

120 'adam aw-dawm'

from 119; ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the

species, mankind, etc.):--X another, + hypocrite, + common

sort, X low, man (mean, of low degree), person.

see HEBREW for 0119

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָדָם (a.dam) — man.

1) man, mankind

1a) man, human being

1b) man, mankind (much more frequently intended sense in OT)

1c) Adam, first man

1d) city in Jordan valley

אָדָם (a.dam) — the man (Adam).

The first named man living at the time before the Flood, first mentioned at Gen.2.19;

married to Eve (H2332);

father of: Cain (H7014B), Abel (H1893) and Seth (H8352); also translated "man" at Gen.2.19,21,23; 3.8,9,20; 5.2; "mankind" at Deu.32.8; "others" at Job.31.33;

Another spelling of a.dam (אָדָם "Adam" H0121)

man, human being

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcmsa — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
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.

Everything we make is available for free because of a generous community of supporters.

Donate