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Psalms 120:5 — Word Study

Depth

WLCאֽוֹיָה־ לִ֭י כִּי־ גַ֣רְתִּי מֶ֑שֶׁךְ שָׁ֝כַ֗נְתִּי עִֽם־ אָהֳלֵ֥י קֵדָֽר׃

BSAWoeʼôwyâh [sorrow, lament] thatkîy I dwellgûwr [sojourn, live as a stranger] in MeshechMeshek [a land of darkness, a region of barbarism] that I liveshâkan [reside, abide] amongʻim the tentsʼôhel [nomadic homes, temporary dwellings] of KedarQêdâr [a people of darkness, descendants of Ishmael]

Word
Listen & take awayPsalms 120
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 5 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 (ke.Dar) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Psalms 120:5quick helps
In a sentenceThe psalmist expresses sorrow for living in a place far from peace.
Who is speakingThe psalmist, lamenting his circumstances.
Where we areIn a lament about dwelling among hostile people.
The hard wordאֽוֹיָה־
Take awayThe psalmist feels out of place and longs for peace.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectאוֹיָה verbגּוּר The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

1 of 9 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 120:5

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

Context — A Lament for Peacegenerated

4Sharp arrows will come from the warrior, with burning coals of the broom tree!
5Woe to me that I dwell in Meshech, that I live among the tents of Kedar!
6Too long have I dwelt among those who hate peace.
7I am in favor of peace; but when I speak, they want war.

Psalms 120:5 captures the psalmist's deep sorrow for living in a tumultuous environment, specifically in Meshech and among the tents of Kedar. These locations symbolize a life of conflict and distance from peace. The verses surrounding this lament further emphasize the psalmist's feelings of alienation and desire for harmony, as seen in Psalm 120:6 and Psalm 120:7.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Jeremiah 9:2–3If only I had a traveler’s lodge in the wilderness, I would abandon my people and depart from them, for they are all adulterers, a crowd of faithless people.
2Jeremiah 15:10Woe to me, my mother, that you have borne me, a man of strife and conflict in all the land. I have neither lent nor borrowed, yet everyone curses me.
3Micah 7:1–2Woe is me! For I am like one gathering summer fruit at the gleaning of the vineyard; there is no cluster to eat, no early fig that I crave.
42 Peter 2:7–8and if He rescued Lot, a righteous man distressed by the depraved conduct of the lawless
5Revelation 2:13I know where you live, where the throne of Satan sits. Yet you have held fast to My name and have not denied your faith in Me, even in the day when My faithful witness Antipas was killed among you, where Satan dwells.

The Key Word אֽוֹיָה, 'o.yah-generated

The word אוֹיָה ('o.yah) is a feminine form of 'woe,' indicating a cry of lament or grief. It expresses a profound sense of sorrow, as seen in contexts like Isaiah 6:5, where the prophet laments his own sinfulness.

This word conveys the psalmist's distress over his circumstances, emphasizing the emotional weight of living in a place that feels hostile and far from peace.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

The translations agree on the meaning of the verse, conveying the psalmist's lament for his dwelling in Meshech and Kedar.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main finite verb is גַ֣רְתִּי, I have sojourned, which governs the structure of the verse. It is followed by a prepositional phrase indicating where the psalmist has sojourned, and another clause that describes his dwelling.

The order emphasizes the psalmist's feelings of alienation, with the lament expressed first, followed by the specifics of his situation.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates the Hebrew words into Greek, using ἐμακρύνθη for גַ֣רְתִּי, suggesting a sense of distance or separation. This choice reflects the psalmist's feelings of being far from peace.

The Greek rendering captures the essence of the lament, although the word order differs from the Hebrew.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalms 120:5 expresses the psalmist's sorrow for living in Meshech and among the tents of Kedar, places associated with conflict and darkness. This lament highlights his feelings of being out of place and longing for peace.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does the psalmist mean by 'woe'?

The term 'woe' indicates deep sorrow and lament for his situation and surroundings.

Why does the psalmist mention Meshech and Kedar?

These places symbolize a life of conflict and distance from peace, reflecting the psalmist's feelings of alienation.

What is the significance of dwelling among tents?

Tents represent a transient and unstable existence, emphasizing the psalmist's longing for a permanent home of peace.

How does this verse relate to other scriptures?

It connects with themes of lament and longing for peace found in other passages, such as Jeremiah and Micah.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways do I feel out of place in my current environment, and how can I seek peace?
  2. How can I relate to the psalmist's feelings of sorrow and longing for a better situation?
  3. What steps can I take to create a sense of peace in my own life?
  4. How do the themes of this psalm resonate with my personal experiences?

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

Early church fathers like Jerome and Augustine reflect on the themes of this verse, discussing the nature of lament and the longing for peace.

JeromeLETTER 39.3 c. 347–420
But why should that be hard to bear which we must one day ourselves endure? And why do we grieve for the dead? We are not born to live forever.
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 120 →
Augustine of HippoExposition on Psalms 120 354–430
"Alas, that my sojourning has become far off!" [Psalms 120:5]. It has departed far from You: my pilgrimage has become a far one.
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 120 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 120:5 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Woe is me, that I sojourn in Mesech,.... Meshech was a son of Japheth, Genesis 10:2; whose posterity are thought by some to be the Muscovites (z) and Scythians, a barbarous sort of people: Mesech is

Read John Gill on Psalms 120 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Woe is me, that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar! Woe is me that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar! "Mesech" - i:e., the Moschi, in the regions of Iberia, Armenia, and Colchis.

Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 120 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Mesech and Kedar are two sorts of people, oft mentioned in Scripture, and reckoned amongst the heathen and barbarous nations. But their nurses are not here to be understood properly, (for we do not read that either David or the Israelites in the Babylonish captivity dwelt in their lands,) but only metaphorically, as the ungodly Israelites are called Sodom and Gomorrah, , and Amorites and Hittithes, ,45, and as in common speech among us, men of an evil character are called Turks or Jews. And so he explains himself in the next verse by this description of them, him or them that hated peace, although David sought peace with them, . And so he speaks either, 1. Of the Philistines, among whom he…

Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 120 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Psalms 120:5 Woe is me, that I sojourn in Mesech, [that] I dwell in the tents of Kedar!Ver. 5. Woe is me, that I sojourn in Mesech] That is, in Muscovio, say some; in Hetruria, say others; in Cappadocia rather, Magog’ s country, Ezekiel 38:2-3; anywhere out of the bosom of the true Church; or (as some sense it) in the Church, but among Israelites worse than any Ishmaelites or Pagans. That I dwell in the tents of Kedar!] With Kedarens or Saracens, as they were afterwards called. Among these David was in danger ne cum lupis ululando tandem et ipse ex ove lupus evaderet. Guilt or grief a good man is sure to get by being in bad company, which maketh him cry, "Oh that I had the wings of a dove,"…

Read John Trapp on Psalms 120 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(5) Mesech.—This name is generally identified with Moschi, mentioned by Herodotus (iii. 94), a tribe on the borders of Colchis and Armenia. It appears again in the prophet Ezekiel 27:13; Ezekiel 38:3; Ezekiel 39:1. The only reason for suspecting the accuracy of this identification is the remoteness from Kedar, who were a nomad tribe of Arabia. (See Genesis 25:13; Son 1:5.) But in the absence of any other indication of the motive for the mention of these tribes here, this very remoteness affords a sufficiently plausible one; or they may be types of savage life, selected the one from the north, and the other from the south, as poetry dictated. It is quite possible that the circumstances amid…

Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 120 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 5. That I sojourn in Mesech] The Chaldee has it, "Wo is me that I am a stranger with the Asiatics, (אוסאי useey,) and that I dwell in the tents of the Arabs." Calmet, who understands the Psalm as speaking of the state of the captives in Babylon and its provinces, says, "Meshec was apparently the father of the Mosquians, who dwelt in the mountains that separate Iberia from Armenia, and both from Colchis. These provinces were subjugated by Nebuchadnezzar; and it is evident from 2Kg 17:23-24; 2Kg 18:11; 2Kg 19:12-13, that many of the Jews were held in captivity in those countries. As to Kedar, it extended into Arabia Petraea, and towards the Euphrates; and is the country afterwards known…

Read AdamClarke on Psalms 120 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

5–7. The Psalmist laments that he is compelled to live among neighbours who are as hostile as rude barbarians.

Read Cambridge on Psalms 120 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Woe is me - My lot is a sad and pitiable one, that I am compelled to live in this manner, and to be exposed thus to malignant reproaches. It is like living in Mesech or in Kedar.

Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 120 →

The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company

Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.

Modern formal

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

Woe to me that I dwell in Meshech, that I live among the tents of Kedar!

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Woe is me, that I live in Meshech, that I dwell among the tents of Kedar!

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Woe to me that I dwell in Meshech, that I live among the tents of Kedar!

NETBNew English Translation2006

How miserable I am! For I have lived temporarily in Meshech; I have resided among the tents of Kedar.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Woe is me, that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar!

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Woe is me, that I sojourn in Meshech, That I dwell among the tents of Kedar!

RVARevised Version, American1894

Woe is me, that I sojourn in Meshech, that I dwell among the tents of Kedar!

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Woe is me, that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar!

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Woe is to me that I remaine in Meschech, and dwell in the tentes of Kedar.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Woe is me, that I sojourn in Meshech, that I dwell among the tents of Kedar!

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Woe to me, for I have inhabited Mesech, I have dwelt with tents of Kedar.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Woe to me, for I have inhabited Mesech, || I have dwelt with tents of Kedar.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Woe is me, that I sojourn in Meshech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar!

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Woe is me because I temporarily live in Meshech; I lived previously among the tents of Kedar.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

The Lord is thy keeper, the Lord is thy protection upon thy right hand.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

I'm sorry for myself, because I live as a foreigner in Meshech, or among the tent-dwellers of Kedar.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Sorrow is mine because I am strange in Meshech, and living in the tents of Kedar.

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.

clausesubjectאֽוֹיָהwoe!prepositional phrase · predicateלִ֭toיmeכִּי(dm)clauseverbגַ֣רְתִּיI.have.sojournedadverbialמֶ֑שֶׁךְMeshechclauseverbשָׁ֝כַ֗נְתִּיI.have.dweltprepositional phrase · prepositionalעִֽםwithnoun phraseאָהֳלֵ֥יthe.tentsקֵדָֽרof.Kedar

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 show significant agreement in the content of this verse, with six of the nine words matched. The Septuagint's word order and articles differ, but the core message remains consistent.

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

אֽוֹיָה־ לִ֭י כִּי־ גַ֣רְתִּי מֶ֑שֶׁךְ שָׁ֝כַ֗נְתִּי עִֽם־ אָהֳלֵ֥י קֵדָֽר׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
כִּי־ὅτιמֶ֑שֶׁךְἐμακρύνθηשָׁ֝כַ֗נְתִּיκατεσκήνωσαעִֽם־μετὰאָהֳלֵ֥יσκηνωμάτωνקֵדָֽר׃κηδαρ

6 of the 9 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 120:5אוֹיָהwoe!woe!אוֹיָהנִיto meto meנִיכִּיthatthatכִּיגּוּרI have sojoI have sojourneגּוּרמֶ֫שֶׁךְMeshechMeshechמֶ֫שֶׁךְשָׁכַןI have dwelI have dweltשָׁכַןעִםwithwithעִםאֹ֫הֶל[the] tents[the] tents ofאֹ֫הֶלקֵדָרKedarKedarקֵדָרעָמַםto darkento darkenעָמַםאָהַלto shineto shineאָהַלקָדַרbe darkbe darkקָדַראוֹיwoe!woe!אוֹימֶ֫שֶׁךְbag/pricebag/priceמֶ֫שֶׁךְסִכְלוּתfollyfollyסִכְלוּתשָׁכַםto riseto riseשָׁכַםיָדַעto knowto knowיָדַעגֵּרsojournersojournerגֵּרתָּ֫וֶךְmidstmidstתָּ֫וֶךְתִּירָ֑סTirasTirasתִּירָ֑סתּוּבַלTubalTubalתּוּבַלבֶּ֫טַחsecuritysecurityבֶּ֫טַחבָּחַרto chooseto chooseבָּחַרשָׁכַבto lie dowto lie down: laשָׁכַבקָבַרto buryto buryקָבַרמוֹעֵדmeetingmeetingמוֹעֵדפֶּ֫תַחentranceentranceפֶּ֫תַח
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 120:5

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.

woe! to me that I have sojourned Meshech I have dwelt with [the] tents of Kedar
אֽוֹיָה־'o.yah- woe! H190 Particle
1× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A cry of lament, as in Isaiah 6:5 where the prophet cries 'woe' at his own sinfulness.
Amplified meaning
sorrow, lament
Tyndale gloss
woe!
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אוֹיָה (owyah) is a feminine form of the word for 'woe,' indicating a lament or expression of grief. It appears in contexts of sorrow, such as in Psalm 120:5, where it conveys a sense of distress.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אוֹיָה = אוֹי ψ 120:5 א֣וֹיָה לִּ֭י.

done

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H190 אוֹיָה

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

190 'owyah o-yaw'

feminine of 188:--woe.

see HEBREW for 0188

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אוֹיָה (o.yah) — woe!.

woe!

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part — Particle
HTj
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Is sometimes used in our Bibles where a softer expression would be at least equally proper: "Woe to such a one!" is in our language a threat or imprecation of some calamity, natural or judicial, to befall a person; but this is not always the meaning of the word in Scripture. We find the expression, "Woe is me!" that is, Alas for my sufferings! And, "Woe to the women with child, and those who give suck!" that is, Alas for their redoubled sufferings in times of distress! If in the denunciatory language of Christ, we should read, "Alas for thee, Chorazin! Alas for thee, Bethsaida!" we should do not injustice to the general sentiments of the passage.

Yet in many cases the word woe is used in a fuller and more awful sense, expressing an inspired denunciation and foreshadowing of God’s wrath upon sinners; as when we read, "Woe to those who build houses by unrighteousness, and cities by blood;"…

woe! to me that I have sojourned Meshech I have dwelt with [the] tents of Kedar
לִ֭יli to me H9030 Preposition · suffix
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נִי (ni) — me.

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Sp1bs — Preposition · suffix
HR/Sp1bs
woe! to me that I have sojourned Meshech I have dwelt with [the] tents of Kedar
כִּי־ki- that H3588 Particle
4,483× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A conjunction used to show cause or connection, as in Genesis 2:23 where Adam says the woman is bone of his bone because she was taken out of him. It is often translated as 'for', 'because', or 'since'.
Tyndale gloss
for
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כִּי (ki) is a conjunction primarily meaning 'that,' 'for,' or 'when.' It indicates causal relationships and can express conditions like 'if' or 'though.' The word is versatile, appearing in various contexts to convey certainty, exception, or concession. Notably, it can combine with other particles to modify its meaning, such as in the phrase כִּי אם־ (ki im), meaning 'that if.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כִּי conj. that, for, when

that

Of time, when, of the past

elsewhere כִּי has a force approximating to if, though it usu. represents a case as more likely to occur than אִם

when or if, with a concessive force, i.e. though

Because, since

base

כִּי אם־

each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause:

that if

for if

(About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause—

limiting the prec. clause, except

the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but

after an oath, surely

base

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3588a כִּי that, for, when . that

. . Of time, when, of the past

. elsewhere כִּי has a force approximating to if, though it usu. represents a case as more likely to occur than אִם

. when or if, with a concessive force, i.e. though

. Because, since

H3588b כִּי אם־ . each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause: . that if

. for if

. (About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause— . limiting the prec. clause, except

. the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but

. after an oath, surely

H3588c כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3588 kiy kee

a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional

prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent

or consequent; (by implication) very widely used as a relative

conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by

other particles annexed:--and, + (forasmuch, inasmuch,

where-)as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else,

even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, +

nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then,

therefore, + (al- )though, + till, truly, + until, when,

whether, while, whom, yea, yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כִּי (ki) — for.

1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since

1a) that

1a1) yea, indeed

1b) when (of time)

1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force)

1c) because, since (causal connection)

1d) but (after negative)

1e) that if, for if, indeed if, for though, but if

1f) but rather, but

1g) except that

1h) only, nevertheless

1i) surely

1j) that is

1k) but if

1l) for though

1m) forasmuch as, for therefore

כִּי [אם] (ki im) — that if: except.

1) except if

1a) but if

1b) even though

כִּי [עַל כֵּן] (ki [al ken]) — for as that: since.

1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since

1a) that

1a1) yea, indeed

1b) when (of time)

1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force)

1c) because, since (causal connection)

1d) but (after negative)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj — Particle
HTc
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
woe! to me that I have sojourned Meshech I have dwelt with [the] tents of Kedar
גַ֣רְתִּיGar.ti I have sojourned H1481 Verb · Qal · perfect first person common singular
97× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to fear or dread something, like the fear of God. It implies a sense of awe or reverence, like the fear that the disciples felt during the storm on the lake in Matthew 8:24. It can also mean to be a stranger or sojourner in a place.
Amplified meaning
sojourn, live as a stranger
Tyndale gloss
to sojourn
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

גּוּר (gur) is a Hebrew verb with a range of meanings including to sojourn, abide, and seek hospitality, as well as to stir up strife or quarrel, and to dread or fear. It is built from a primitive root that conveys the idea of turning aside from a path, often for lodging. The lexicons indicate that it can imply both positive and negative interactions, such as hospitality and conflict.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

גּוּר vb. sojourn

Qal

sojourn

abide

Hithpol. seek hospitality with

base

[גּוּר] vb. stir up strife, quarrel

Qal.

stir up strife

quarrel

Hithpol. they excite themselves, but unlikely

base

[גּוּר] vb. dread

Qal

be afraid of

stand in awe of

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1481a גּוּר sojourn .. sojourn

. abide

. seek hospitality with

H1481b גּוּר stir up strife, quarrel H1481c גּוּר dread

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1481 guwr goor

a primitive root; properly, to turn aside from the road (for

a lodging or any other purpose), i.e. sojourn (as a guest);

also to shrink, fear (as in a strange place); also to gather

for hostility (as afraid):--abide, assemble, be afraid, dwell,

fear, gather (together), inhabitant, remain, sojourn, stand in

awe, (be) stranger, X surely.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

גּוּר (gur) — to sojourn.

1) to sojourn, abide, dwell in, dwell with, remain, inhabit, be a stranger, be continuing, surely

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to sojourn, dwell for a time

1a2) to abide, stay, temporarily dwell

1b) (Hithpolel)

1b1) to seek hospitality with

1b2) to assemble oneself

גּוּר (gur) — to quarrel.

1) to stir up trouble, strife, quarrel, gather together

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to stir up strife

1a2) to quarrel

1b) (Hithpolel) to excite oneself

גּוּר (gur) — to dread.

1) to dread, fear, stand in awe, be afraid

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to fear, be afraid

1a2) to be in awe, stand in awe

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-1cs — Verb · Qal · perfect first person common singular
HVqp1cs
woe! to me that I have sojourned Meshech I have dwelt with [the] tents of Kedar
מֶ֑שֶׁךְMe.shekh Meshech H4902 Noun proper
9× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Meshech was a son of Japheth and the ancestor of a people group, first mentioned in Genesis 10:23. They lived in the north of Israel and are often referenced in the Bible. Meshech means drawing out.
Amplified meaning
a land of darkness, a region of barbarism
Tyndale gloss
Meshech
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מֶ֫שֶׁךְ (Meshek) refers to a figure from the Old Testament, specifically a son of Japheth, who is associated with northern nations including the Moschi. The entries indicate that Meshech is linked to the descendants of Japheth and is often mentioned alongside other nations such as Tubal and Magog. The name is thought to mean 'drawing out,' but the lexicons do not provide further details on its derivation.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מֶ֫שֶׁךְ n.pr.gent. the Moschi;—‘son’ of Japeth

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4902 מֶ֫שֶׁךְ the Moschi

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4902 Meshek meh'-shek

the same in form as 4901, but probably of foreign derivation;

Meshek, a son of Japheth, and the people descended from

him:--Mesech, Meshech.

see HEBREW for 04901

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מֶ֫שֶׁךְ (me.shekh) — Meshech.

A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.10.2;

son of: Japheth (H3315);

brother of: Gomer (H1586), Magog (H4031), Madai (H4074), Javan (H3120), Tubal (H8422) and Tiras (H8494)

§ Mesech or Meshech = "drawing out"

1) son of Japheth, grandson of Noah, and progenitor of peoples to the north of Israel

1a) descendants of Mesech often mentioned in connection with Tubal, Magog, and other northern nations including the Moschi, a people on the borders of Colchis and Armenia

מֶ֫שֶׁךְ (me.shekh) — Meshech.

§ Mesech or Meshech = "drawing out"

descendants of Mesech often mentioned in connection with Tubal, Magog, and other northern nations including the Moschi, a people on the borders of Colchis and Armenia

מֶ֫שֶׁךְ (me.shekh) — Meshech.

§ Mesech or Meshech = "drawing out"

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper
HNpl
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Meshech

Drawing out, the sixth son of Japheth (Gen. 10:2), the founder of a tribe (1 Chr. 1:5; Ezek. 27:13; 38:2,3). They were in all probability the Moschi, a people inhabiting the Moschian Mountains, between the Black and the Caspian Seas. In Ps. 120:5 the name occurs as simply a synonym for foreigners or barbarians. “During the ascendency of the Babylonians and Persians in Western Asia, the Moschi were subdued; but it seems probable that a large number of them crossed the Caucasus range and spread over the northern steppes, mingling with the Scythians. There they became known as Muscovs, and gave that name to the Russian nation and its ancient capital by which they are…

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

who is drawn by force

Nave's Topical Bible

1. Also called MESECH

Son of Japheth Ge 10:2; 1Ch 1:5

2. Son of Shem 1Ch 1:17

3. A tribe Ps 120:5

4. The Moschi Eze 27:13; 32:26; 38:2,3

woe! to me that I have sojourned Meshech I have dwelt with [the] tents of Kedar
שָׁ֝כַ֗נְתִּיSha.Khan.ti I have dwelt H7931 Verb · Qal · perfect first person common singular
129× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to live or stay in a place, like when God dwells among his people. It appears in books like Exodus and Psalms, describing God's presence. It's about making a home or resting place.
Amplified meaning
reside, abide
Tyndale gloss
to dwell
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׁכַן (shakan) is a Hebrew verb meaning to settle down, abide, or dwell. It encompasses various forms of residing, both literally and figuratively, and includes nuances of establishing or causing to dwell. The entries indicate its use in different grammatical forms, such as Qal, Piel, and Hiphil, which express actions related to dwelling and establishing habitation.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁכַן, שָׁכֵ֑ן 129 vb. settle down, abide, dwell

Qal

settle down to abide

abide, dwell

Pi.

make settle down, establish

make to dwell

Hiph.

lay

cause birds to settle

cause to dwell

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7931 שָׁכַן, שָׁכֵ֑ן settle down, abide, dwell

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7931 shakan shaw-kan'

a primitive root (apparently akin (by transmission) to 7901

through the idea of lodging; compare 5531, 7925); to reside or

permanently stay (literally or figuratively):--abide,

continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-er), have habitation,

inhabit, lay, place, (cause to) remain, rest, set (up).

see HEBREW for 05531

see HEBREW for 07925

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁכַן (sha.khan) — to dwell.

1) to settle down, abide, dwell, tabernacle, reside

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to settle down to abide

1a2) to abide, dwell, reside

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to make settle down, establish

1b2) to make or cause to dwell

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to lay, place, set, establish, settle, fix

1c2) to cause to dwell or abide

Aramaic equivalent: she.khan (שְׁכֵן "to dwell" H7932)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-1cs — Verb · Qal · perfect first person common singular
HVqp1cs
woe! to me that I have sojourned Meshech I have dwelt with [the] tents of Kedar
עִֽם־'im- with H5973 Preposition
1,052× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means with or together, like when God is with his people in Exodus 33:14-15. It's used to describe accompaniment or association, and can also mean against or beside. The word is used to convey a sense of relationship or proximity between people or things.
Tyndale gloss
with
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עִם (im) is a preposition meaning 'with' and covers a range of relationships, including companionship, locality, and possession. It can imply actions done jointly, equality, or even opposition in contexts like combat. The related form מֵעִם (me.im) means 'from with' or 'beside.' The entries reflect various nuances but do not present significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עִם prep. with

of fellowship and companionship

of aid

Of actions done jointly with another

If the common action be of the nature of a contest or combat, with in the sense of against

Of dealing with a person, or of the relation in which one stands with, or towards, another

Of a common lot together with the wicked

Of equality or resemblance generally aid

Of time, as long as

Of a locality, close to, beside

Of persons, עִם is spec.

in the house or family or service of

In possession of

In the custody or care of

Beside = except

With = friendly with

Idiom. of a thought or purpose present with one

Metaph. together with = in spite of, notwithstanding

base

מֵעִם 72 from with or beside

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5973a עִם with . of fellowship and companionship

. Of a locality, close to, beside

. Of persons, עִם is spec. . in the house or family or service of

. In possession of

. In the custody or care of

. Beside = except

. With = friendly with

. Idiom. of a thought or purpose present with one

. Metaph. together with = in spite of, notwithstanding

H5973b מֵעִם from with, beside

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5973 `im eem

from 6004; adverb or preposition, with (i.e. in conjunction

with), in varied applications; specifically, equally with;

often with prepositional prefix (and then usually

unrepresented in English):--accompanying, against, and, as (X

long as), before, beside, by (reason of), for all, from

(among, between), in, like, more than, of, (un-)to,

with(-al).

see HEBREW for 06004

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עִם (im) — with.

1) with

1a) with

1b) against

1c) toward

1d) as long as

מֵעִם (me.im) — from with.

1a) beside, except

1b) in spite of

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Preposition
HR
woe! to me that I have sojourned Meshech I have dwelt with [the] tents of Kedar
אָהֳלֵ֥י'o.ho.Lei [the] tents of H168 Noun common · masculine plural construct
345× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for a tent, often used to describe the tabernacle or a nomad's home. In Exodus 33:7-11, it refers to the sacred tent where God meets with Moses.
Amplified meaning
nomadic homes, temporary dwellings
Tyndale gloss
tent
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֹ֫הֶל (*ohel*) means 'tent' and is derived from a root meaning 'to be conspicuous.' It encompasses various meanings, including a nomad's tent, a dwelling or home, and specifically refers to the sacred tent used for worship, known as the tabernacle. The entries consistently highlight its association with transience and habitation.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֹ֫הֶל 343 n.m. tent

tent of nomad

dwelling, habitation

the sacred tent used in worship of God

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H168 אֹ֫הֶל tent

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

168 'ohel o'-hel

from 166; a tent (as clearly conspicuous from a

distance):--covering, (dwelling)(place), home, tabernacle,

tent.

see HEBREW for 0166

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֹ֫הֶל (o.hel) — tent.

: tent

1) tent

1a) nomad's tent, and thus symbolic of wilderness life, transience

1b) dwelling, home, habitation

1c) the sacred tent of Jehovah (the tabernacle)

Also means: o.hel (אֹ֫הֶל ": home" H0168H)

אֹ֫הֶל (o.hel) — tent: home.

: home

1) tent

1a) nomad's tent, and thus symbolic of wilderness life, transience

1b) dwelling, home, habitation

1c) the sacred tent of Jehovah (the tabernacle)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural construct
HNcmpc
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…

woe! to me that I have sojourned Meshech I have dwelt with [the] tents of Kedar
קֵדָֽר׃ke.Dar Kedar H6938 Noun proper masculine
12× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Kedar was a son of Ishmael and the name also refers to his descendants, who were Bedouin people. The name Kedar means dark, and his story is found in Genesis 25:13.
Amplified meaning
a people of darkness, descendants of Ishmael
Tyndale gloss
Kedar
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

קֵדָר (Qedar) refers to a son of Ishmael and his descendants, often associated with a nomadic tribe in the Arabian desert. The name may imply a dark or swarthy appearance, possibly linked to their tents. It is first mentioned in Genesis 25:13, highlighting Kedar's role in the lineage of Arab peoples.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

קֵדָר n.pr.gent. (swarthy? black-tented?)

tribe of nomads in Arab. desert

ancestor of 1, son of Ishmael

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6938 קֵדָר (swarthy? black-tented?) . tribe of nomads in Arab. desert

. ancestor of 1, son of Ishmael

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6938 Qedar kay-dawr'

from 6937; dusky (of the skin or the tent); Kedar, a son of

Ishmael; also (collectively) Bedouin (as his descendants or

representatives):--Kedar.

see HEBREW for 06937

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קֵדָר (qe.dar) — Kedar.

A man of the Arabs living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.25.13;

son of: Ishmael (H3458);

brother of: Nebaioth (H5032), Adbeel (H0110), Mibsam (H4017), Mishma (H4927), Dumah (H1746), Massa (H4854), Hadad (H2301), Tema (H8485), Jetur (H3195), Naphish (H5305), Kedemah (H6929) and Mahalath (H4258)

§ Kedar = "dark"

1) a son of Ishmael

n pr people

2) the descendants of Kedar

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper masculine
HNpm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ke'-dar (qedhar; Kedar): Second in order of the sons of Ishmael (Ge 25:13 parallel 1Ch 1:29). The name occurs as typical of a distant eastern country in opposition to the lands of the Mediterranean (Jer 2:10). The author of Second Isa introduces this tribe in company with Nebaioth, and both are represented as owners of flocks (Isa 60:7). Evidence of their nomadic habits appears in Jer 49:28,29, where they are classed among the Bene-Qedhem, and mention is made of their flocks, camels, tents, curtains and furniture. They are spoken of (Isa 42:11) as dwelling in…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Kedar

Dark-skinned, the second son of Ishmael (Gen. 25:13).

It is the name for the nomadic tribes of Arabs, the Bedouins generally (Isa. 21:16; 42:11; 60:7; Jer. 2:10; Ezek. 27:21), who dwelt in the north-west of Arabia. They lived in black hair-tents (Cant. 1:5). To “dwell in the tents of Kedar” was to be cut off from the worship of the true God (Ps. 120:5). The Kedarites suffered at the hands of Nebuchadnezzar (Jer. 49:28, 29).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(dark-skinned), the second in order of the sons of Ishmael, (Genesis 25:13; 1 Chronicles 1:29) and the name of a great tribe of Arabs settled on the northwest of the peninsula and on the confines of Palestine. The "glory of Kedar" is recorded by the prophet Isaiah, (Isaiah 21:13-17) in the burden upon Arabia; and its importance may also be inferred from the "princes of Kedar" mentioned by Ezekiel, (Ezekiel 27:21) as well as the pastoral character of the tribe. They appear also to have been, like the wandering tribes of the present day, "archers" and "mighty men." (Isaiah 21:17) comp. Psal 120:5 That they also settled in villages or towns we find from Isaiah. (Isaiah 42:11) The tribe seems to have been one of the most…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A son of Ishmael, Ge 25:13, the father of the Kedarenians or Cedrei, mentioned by Pliny, who dwelt in the neighborhood of the Nabatheans, in Arabia Deserta. They were a numerous and powerful tribe, not of the best reputation, Ps 120:5, and their name is sometimes put for the whole of Arabia Desert and its wandering inhabitants, Isa 21:16,17 42:11. Their black camel’s hair tents are a picturesque feature in a landscape, So 1:5.

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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