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Psalms 121:1 — Word Study

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WLCאֶשָּׂ֣א עֵ֭ינַי אֶל־ הֶהָרִ֑ים מֵ֝אַ֗יִן יָבֹ֥א עֶזְרִֽי׃

BSAA songshîyr of ascentsmaʻălâh I lift upnâsâʼ [raise, elevate] my eyesʻayin [the source of sight, understanding] toʼêl the hillshar [mountains, high places] From whereʼayin [whence, from what source] does my helpʻêzer [aid, assistance, support] comebôwʼ [originate, arise]

Word
Listen & take awayPsalms 121
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 1 opens the 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 ('ez.Ri) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Psalms 121:1quick helps
In a sentenceThe psalmist looks to the hills, questioning the source of his help.
Who is speakingThe psalmist, expressing a personal plea for assistance.
Where we areA reflective moment, contemplating the origins of support.
The hard wordאֶשָּׂ֣א
Take awayHelp is sought from a higher source.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbשִׁיר 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 121:1

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 Song of Ascentsgenerated

1I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come?
2My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.
3He will not allow your foot to slip; your Protector will not slumber.
4Behold, the Protector of Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

Psalm 121:1 expresses the psalmist's act of lifting his eyes toward the hills, a gesture of seeking help or guidance. The surrounding verses reveal that this help comes from the Lord, the Creator of all. This psalm is part of a collection known as the Songs of Ascents, which were sung by pilgrims traveling to Jerusalem, emphasizing themes of trust and divine protection.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Psalm 120:1In my distress I cried to the LORD, and He answered me.
2Jeremiah 3:23Surely deception comes from the hills, and commotion from the mountains. Surely the salvation of Israel is in the LORD our God.
3Psalm 2:6“I have installed My King on Zion, upon My holy mountain.”
4Psalm 68:15–16A mountain of God is Mount Bashan; a mountain of many peaks is Mount Bashan.
5Psalm 78:68But He chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion, which He loved.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 8 references, hung on the phrase they belong to

I will, etcJeremiah 3:23

The Key Word אֶשָּׂ֣א, 'e.Sa'generated

The verb אֶשָּׂ֣א ('e.Sa) is a Qal imperfect first person singular form of the root נָשָׂא (nasa'), meaning 'to lift' or 'to raise'. It indicates an action of elevating one's gaze, both literally and figuratively, often used in contexts of seeking support or assistance.

In this verse, the psalmist is not merely looking up; he is actively lifting his eyes in search of help. This act of lifting implies a desire for elevation, both of vision and spirit, as he turns to the hills, which may symbolize a place of divine aid.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

The verse is rendered in the Berean Standard Bible as 'I lift up my eyes to the hills.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb of the verse is אֶשָּׂ֣א, I lift up, which governs the entire structure. The sentence begins with this action, followed by a noun phrase עֵ֭ינַי (my eyes), indicating the subject of the action, and concludes with a prepositional phrase אֶל־ הֶהָרִ֑ים (to the hills), showing the direction of the gaze.

The structure emphasizes the act of looking upward, suggesting a search for help, with the question of origin introduced by the subsequent clause.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates אֶשָּׂ֣א with ἦρα (ēra), which means 'I lifted'. This choice maintains the sense of elevation and seeking help, aligning with the Hebrew intent.

The Greek word choice reflects a direct action of lifting, similar to the Hebrew, emphasizing the psalmist's active role in seeking assistance.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalm 121:1 shows the psalmist lifting his eyes to the hills, asking where his help comes from. This reflects a search for divine assistance, which is confirmed in the following verses as coming from the Lord, the Creator of heaven and earth.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean to lift my eyes to the hills?

Lifting one's eyes to the hills symbolizes seeking help or guidance, often associated with looking toward a divine source.

Why does the psalmist ask where his help comes from?

The question emphasizes the psalmist's reliance on God for support, acknowledging that true help originates from the Lord.

What is the significance of the hills in this verse?

The hills may represent a place of safety or divine presence, symbolizing the psalmist's trust in God's protection.

How does this verse relate to the rest of Psalm 121?

This verse introduces the theme of divine help, which is elaborated upon in subsequent verses that affirm God's constant protection.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what areas of my life do I need to lift my eyes and seek help from God?
  2. How can I remind myself to look to God as my source of support in difficult times?
  3. What does it mean for me to trust in God's protection as described in this psalm?
  4. How can I encourage others to seek help from the Lord in their struggles?

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

Early Church Fathers, like Augustine, referenced this verse to discuss the nature of divine help and the human condition in seeking assistance.

Augustine of HippoTRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF John 1:6.2 354–430
And say, "I have lifted my eyes to the mountains from which help shall come to me" in such a way that you add to it immediately, "My help is from the Lord,
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 121 →
Augustine of HippoSERMON 379:7 354–430
However just people may be, however preeminent in grace, however luminous their wisdom, however great the merits that set them on a pinnacle, they are only mountains.
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 121 →
Augustine of HippoExposition on Psalms 121 354–430
...Let them "lift up their eyes to the hills whence comes their help" [Psalms 121:1].
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 121 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 121:1 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills,.... Not to the hills and mountains in Judea, looking about to see if the inhabitants of them, or any bodies of men, appeared upon them to his help in

Read John Gill on Psalms 121 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. The pilgrims' even-song as they caught the first sight of the hills (Psalms 121:1) round Jerusalem.

Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 121 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Psalms 121 THE The matter of this Psalm sufficiently showeth that the psalmist was conflicting with great difficulties and oppositions, and looking. hither and thither for help, as men in such cases use to do, and then turning his eyes to God and his providence, and encouraging himself by God’ s promises made to his people. The psalmist showeth that the great safety of the godly is from the Lord, , who keepeth them in their outgoings and incomings from all evil, . Unto the hills; either to Zion and Moriah, which are called the holy mountains, ; or rather, 2. To the hills in general, whereof there were many in the land of Canaan, and upon which the forces, which he hoped would come to his…

Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 121 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Psalms 121:1 « A Song of degrees. » I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.A Song of degrees] On, of ascensions, in singing whereof there should be ascensions in our hearts. See Psalms 120:1. Ver. 1. I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills] Not to your mountains, Psalms 11:1, human helps and carnal combinations, Jeremiah 3:23, much less to those mountains, in quibus gentes idola collocant et colunt, wherein the heathens set and serve their idols, Deuteronomy 12:2, but to Zion and Moriah, where God’ s sanctuary is, Psalms 87:1, or rather to heaven, Psalms 18:9, with 2 Samuel 22:10; 2 Samuel 22:14, where God himself is; and so it followeth.

Read John Trapp on Psalms 121 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(1) Whence.—Our version is certainly incorrect in following the LXX. and Vulg. in making whence a relative. The Hebrew word is always interrogative; even in Joshua 2:4 it is indirectly interrogative. But the margin is hardly right in making the whole verse interrogative. Render, I will lift up mine eyes to the hills. Whence comes my help? The hills are those on which Jerusalem is built, the plural being understood, as in Psalms 87:1. (See Note.) This gaze of hope does not absolutely decide the standpoint of the poet. He might have been like Ezekiel (Ezekiel 6:2) when bidden to turn “towards the mountains of Israel” in the distant plain of Mesopotamia; or he may have been close on the end of…

Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 121 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

PSALM CXXI The resolution of a godly man, 1, 2. The safety and prosperity of such, as they and theirs shall be under the continual protection of God, 3-8. NOTES ON PSALM CXXI This appears to be a prayer of the Jews in their captivity, who are solicitous for their restoration. It is in the form of a dialogue. Ver. 1, 2. The person who worships God speaks the two first verses, "I will lift up mine eyes - my help cometh," - Psalms 121:1-2. Ver. 3. The ministering priest answers him, "He will not suffer thy foot to be moved." "He that keepeth thee will not slumber," Psalms 121:3. To which the worshipper answers, that he knows that "he who keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep," Psalms…

Read AdamClarke on Psalms 121 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

1. I will lift up mine eyes unto the mountains: From whence shall my help come? (R.V.) The mountains are not the “mountains of Israel” (Ezekiel 6:2 and often), to which the exile turns his longing eyes, but the mountains upon which Zion is built (Psalms 87:1; Psalms 125:1-2; Psalms 133:3), the seat of Jehovah’s throne (Psalms 78:68), from which He sends help to His people (Psalms 3:4; Psalms 20:2; Psalms 134:3). The question of the second line (which cannot be taken as a relative clause) is not one of doubt or despondency, but is simply asked to introduce the answer which follows in Psalms 121:2. That answer gives a deeper turn to the thought of the question. It is not from the mountains of…

Read Cambridge on Psalms 121 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

I will lift up mine eyes - Margin, “Shall I lift up mine eyes to the hills?

Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 121 →

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

I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come?

WEBWorld English Bible2000

I will lift up my eyes to the hills. Where does my help come from?

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

A song of ascents. I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come?

NETBNew English Translation2006

I look up toward the hills. From where does my help come?

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

I will lift up mine eyes unto the mountains: From whence shall my help come?

RVARevised Version, American1894

I will lift up mine eyes unto the mountains: from whence shall my help come?

NWBWebster's Bible1833

A Song of degrees. I will lift up my eyes to the hills, from whence cometh my help.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

A song of degrees. I will lift mine eyes vnto the mountaines, from whence mine helpe shall come.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

I lift up mine eyes unto the mountains: whence shall my help come?

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

A Song of the Ascents. I lift up mine eyes unto the hills, Whence doth my help come?

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

A SONG OF THE ASCENTS. I lift up my eyes to the hills, || From where does my help come?

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

“A song for the degrees.” I lift up my eyes unto the mountains: whence shall come my help?

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

I will lift up my eyes to the mountains. From where will my help come?

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

I rejoiced at the things that were said to me: We shall go into the house of the Lord.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

I look to the hills —but is that where my help comes from?

BBEBible in Basic English1949

My eyes are lifted up to the hills: O where will my help come from?

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.

clausesubjectשִׁ֗ירa.songprepositional phrase · predicateלַֽofnoun phrasetheמַּ֫עֲל֥וֹתascentsclauseverbאֶשָּׂ֣אI.lift.upnoun phrase · objectעֵ֭ינַeyesיmyprepositional phrase · prepositionalאֶלtonoun phraseהֶtheהָרִ֑יםmountainsclauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalמֵ֝fromאַ֗יִןwhere?verbיָבֹ֥אwill.it.comenoun phrase · subjectעֶזְרִֽhelpיmy

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


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

The Masoretic Text reads אֶשָּׂ֣א עֵ֭ינַי אֶל־ הֶהָרִ֑ים מֵ֝אַ֗יִן יָבֹ֥א עֶזְרִֽי׃, which aligns with the Septuagint, showing consistency in the core message. The Dead Sea Scrolls contain a similar phrase, with one word supplied by an editor, indicating minor textual restoration but no significant variation in meaning.

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

אֶשָּׂ֣א עֵ֭ינַי אֶל־ הֶהָרִ֑ים מֵ֝אַ֗יִן יָבֹ֥א עֶזְרִֽי׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
אֶשָּׂ֣אὠιδὴעֵ֭ינַיἀναβαθμῶνאֶל־ἦραהֶהָרִ֑יםμουמֵ֝אַ֗יִןτὰיָבֹ֥אὄρηעֶזְרִֽי׃πόθεν

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

שיר המעלות אשא עינ׳י אל ההרים מאין יבוא [עזר׳י]

8 words on the leather — 1 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 121:1נָשָׂאI lift upI lift upנָשָׂאעַ֫יִןeyes myeyes myעַ֫יִןאֶלtotoאֶלהַרthe mountaithe mountainsהַראַ֫יִןfrom where?from where?אַ֫יִןבּוֹאwill it comwill it comeבּוֹאעֵ֫זֶרhelp myhelp myעֵ֫זֶרעָזַרto helpto helpעָזַראֵבfruitfruitאֵבאָבַדto perishto perishאָבַדהַרmountainmountainהַראַ֫יִןnothingnothingאַ֫יִןאִיnotnotאִיכְּלִמָּהshameshameכְּלִמָּהמָשָׁלproverbproverbמָשָׁלחֵןfavorfavorחֵןיָשָׁרJasharJasharיָשָׁרפָּלַלto prayto prayפָּלַליִרְמְיָ֫הJeremiahJeremiahיִרְמְיָ֫הגִּבְעָהGibeatGibeatגִּבְעָהאֶפְרַ֫יִםEphraimEphraimאֶפְרַ֫יִםחָכְמָהwisdomwisdomחָכְמָהאֱנוֹשׁhumanhumanאֱנוֹשׁשֶׁ֫מֶשׁsunsunשֶׁ֫מֶשׁגַּאֲוָהprideprideגַּאֲוָה
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 121:1

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.

I lift up eyes my to the mountains from where? will it come help my
אֶשָּׂ֣א'e.Sa' I lift up H5375 Verb · Qal · imperfect first person common singular
656× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means to lift or raise something, and it's used in many ways, like lifting a burden or raising someone's status. It appears in books like Genesis and Isaiah, often talking about God lifting people up. It's about supporting or carrying something or someone.
Amplified meaning
raise, elevate
Tyndale gloss
to lift: raise
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word נָשָׂא (nasa') means to lift, carry, or take, encompassing a wide range of applications both literal and figurative. It can refer to actions like bearing burdens, taking away, or being exalted. The entries indicate various forms and uses, including the ability to lift oneself up or cause others to bear iniquity. There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נָשָׂא 656 vb. lift, carry, take

Qal

lift, lift up

Bear, carry

Take, take away

Niph.

be lifted up

refl. lift oneself up = rise up, of י׳, to display power in judgment

be borne, carried

be taken away, carried off

Pi.

lift up = exalt

fig. = desire, long

carry, bear continuously

take, take away

Hithp. lift oneself up

Hiph.

cause one to bear iniquity

appar. cause to bring, have brought

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5375 נָשָׂא lift, carry, take .. lift, lift up

. Bear, carry

. Take, take away

. . be lifted up

. refl. lift oneself up = rise up, of י׳, to display power in judgment

. be borne, carried

. be taken away, carried off

. . lift up = exalt

. fig. = desire, long

. carry, bear continuously

. take, take away

. lift oneself up

. . cause one to bear iniquity

. appar. cause to bring, have brought

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5375 nasa' naw-saw'

or nacah (Psalm 4 : 6 (7)) {naw-saw'}; a primitive root; to

lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and

figurative, absol. and rel. (as follows):--accept, advance,

arise, (able to, (armor), suffer to) bear(-er, up), bring

(forth), burn, carry (away), cast, contain, desire, ease,

exact, exalt (self), extol, fetch, forgive, furnish, further,

give, go on, help, high, hold up, honorable (+ man), lade,

lay, lift (self) up, lofty, marry, magnify, X needs, obtain,

pardon, raise (up), receive, regard, respect, set (up), spare,

stir up, + swear, take (away, up), X utterly, wear, yield.

see HEBREW for 04

see HEBREW for 06

see HEBREW for 07

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָשָׂא (na.sa) — to lift: raise.

: raise/take_up

1) to lift, bear up, carry, take

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to lift, lift up

1a2) to bear, carry, support, sustain, endure

1a3) to take, take away, carry off, forgive

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be lifted up, be exalted

1b2) to lift oneself up, rise up

1b3) to be borne, be carried

1b4) to be taken away, be carried off, be swept away

1c) (Piel)

1c1) to lift up, exalt, support, aid, assist

1c2) to desire, long (fig.)

1c3) to carry, bear continuously

1c4) to take, take away

1d) (Hithpael) to lift oneself up, exalt oneself

1e) (Hiphil)

1e1) to cause one to bear (iniquity)

1e2) to cause to bring, have brought

נָשָׂא (na.sa) — to lift: bear.

: look/lift(eyes)

1) to lift, bear up, carry, take

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to lift, lift up

1a2) to bear, carry, support, sustain, endure

1a3) to take, take away, carry off, forgive

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be lifted up, be exalted

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-1cs — Verb · Qal · imperfect first person common singular
HVqi1cs
I lift up eyes my to the mountains from where? will it come help my
עֵ֭ינַי'Ei.nai eyes my H5869 Noun common feminine dual construct · suffix
887× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word can mean a spring or fountain, but also refers to the eye or a source of something. It is often translated as affliction, outward appearance, or countenance, and is used in various contexts throughout the Bible.
Amplified meaning
the source of sight, understanding
Tyndale gloss
eye
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עַ֫יִן (*'ayin*) means 'eye' and can refer to both the physical organ and its figurative uses, such as mental qualities and desires. It also denotes a 'spring' or 'fountain' of water. The entries highlight various phrases and contexts, including appearances and expressions of emotion, but do not indicate any significant disagreement among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עַ֫יִן 859 n.f. eye

lit. as physical organ

eyes as showing mental qualities

desire of the eyes, abominations of the eyes

Fig. of mental and physical faculties, acts and states

Transferred mngs.:

visible surface of earth

appearance

gleam, sparkle

Other phrases are: an eye for an eye; eye to eye; in the presence of, in full view of; of business transaction; on the forehead

base

עַ֫יִן n.f. spring (of water). Particular springs are:

ע׳ חֲרֹר Ju 7:1

ע׳ הַקּוֹרֵא (partridge-spring) Ju 15:19

ע׳ רֹגֵל near Jerus.

ע׳ הַתַּנִּין (dragon-spring)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5869a עַ֫יִן eye . lit. as physical organ

. . eyes as showing mental qualities

. desire of the eyes, abominations of the eyes

. Fig. of mental and physical faculties, acts and states

. Transferred mngs.: . visible surface of earth

. appearance

. gleam, sparkle

. Other phrases are: an eye for an eye; eye to eye; in the presence of, in full view of; of business transaction; on the forehead

H5869b עַ֫יִן spring (of water)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5869 `ayin ah'-yin

probably a primitive word; an eye (literally or

figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the

landscape):--affliction, outward appearance, + before, +

think best, colour, conceit, + be content, countenance, +

displease, eye((-brow), (-d), -sight), face, + favour,

fountain, furrow (from the margin), X him, + humble,

knowledge, look, (+ well), X me, open(-ly), + (not) please,

presence, + regard, resemblance, sight, X thee, X them, +

think, X us, well, X you(-rselves).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — eye.

: eye

1) eye

1a) eye

1a1) of physical eye

1a2) as showing mental qualities

1a3) of mental and spiritual faculties (fig.)

עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — Fountain (Gate).

§ spring, fountain

עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — Fountain of.

§ spring, fountain

עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — eye: seeing.

: seeing

1) eye

1a) eye

1a1) of physical eye

1a2) as showing mental qualities

1a3) of mental and spiritual faculties (fig.)

עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — eye: appearance.

: appearance

1) eye

1a) eye

1a1) of physical eye

1a2) as showing mental qualities

1a3) of mental and spiritual faculties (fig.)

עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — eye: before(the eyes).

: before(the_eyes)

1) eye

1a) eye

1a1) of physical eye

1a2) as showing mental qualities

1a3) of mental and spiritual faculties (fig.)

עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — eye: sin.

: sin

1) eye

1a) eye

1a1) of physical eye

1a2) as showing mental qualities

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-cd | Suff — Noun common feminine dual construct · suffix
HNcfdc/Sp1bs
I lift up eyes my to the mountains from where? will it come help my
אֶל־'el- to H413 Preposition
5,518× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means 'to' or 'toward', showing direction or movement. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus, to indicate where someone is going. The KJV translates it in various ways, like 'about', 'according to', or 'against'.
Tyndale gloss
to(wards)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph),

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

Where the limit is actually entered, into

Of direction towards anything

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

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

Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

Of rule or standard according to (rare)

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

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

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

. Where the limit is actually entered, into

. Of direction towards anything

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

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

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

. Of rule or standard according to (rare)

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

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

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

413 'el ale

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

a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but

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

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

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

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

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

with(-in).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶל (el) — to(wards).

1) to, toward, unto (of motion)

2) into (limit is actually entered)

2a) in among

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

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

5) in addition to, to

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

7) according to (rule or standard)

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

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Preposition
HR
I lift up eyes my to the mountains from where? will it come help my
הֶהָרִ֑יםhe.ha.Rim the mountains H2022 Particle · noun common masculine plural absolute
546× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A mountain or hill, sometimes used to describe a spiritual high point. In the Bible, it can refer to a real mountain or a figurative one. The word is often translated as hill or mount.
Amplified meaning
mountains, high places
Tyndale gloss
mountain: mount
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הַר (har) means 'mountain' or 'hill,' and can refer to a range of hills or hill-country. It is derived from a root that suggests elevation and can be used figuratively. The entries consistently highlight its geographical connotations without significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הַר 568 n.m. mountain, hill, hill-country

mountain, hill

hill-country, mountain-region

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2022 הַר mountain, hill, hill-country

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2022 har har

a shortened form of 2042; a mountain or range of hills

(sometimes used figuratively):--hill (country), mount(-ain), X

promotion.

see HEBREW for 02042

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הַר (har) — mountain: mount.

: mount/hill

hill, mountain, hill country, mount

הַר (har) — mountain: hill country.

: hill_country

hill, mountain, hill country, mount

A sub-meaning of har (הַר ": mount" H2022)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-mp — Particle · noun common masculine plural absolute
HTd/Ncmpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Are among the most sublime and impressive of the Creator’s works on earth, and from the noblest and most enduring monuments of great events. Most of the mountains of Scripture thus stand as witnesses for God—every view of their lofty summits, and every recurrence to them in thought reminding us of the sacred facts and truths connected with them. Thus Mount Ararat is a standing memorial of the deluge of man’s sin, God’s justice, and God’s mercy. Mount Sinai asserts the terrors of the divine law. Mount Carmel summons us, like the prophet Elijah of old, not to "halt between two opinions;" but if Jehovah is God, to love and serve him. The mount of the Transfiguration still shines with the glory of the truths there taught, and Mounts Ebal and Gerizim still echo the curses and the blessings once so solemnly pronounced from them. So Mount Hor, Nebo, Lebanon, and Gilboa have been signalized by…

Torrey's New Topical Textbook

- The elevated parts of the earth

Ge 7:19,20

- GOD

. Formed

Am 4:13

. Set fast

Ps 65:6

. Gives strength to

Ps 95:4

. Weighs, in a balance

Isa 40:12

. Waters, from his chambers

Ps 104:13

. Parches, with draught

Hag 1:11

. Causes, to smoke

Ps 104:32; 144:5

. Sets the foundations of, on fire

De 32:22

. Makes waste

Isa 42:15

. Causes, to tremble

I lift up eyes my to the mountains from where? will it come help my
מֵ֝אַ֗יִןme.'A.yin from where? H370 Preposition · particle
17× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Ayin is a Hebrew word that means 'where' or 'whence'. It's used in many Bible verses, including Genesis 3:9 and Exodus 2:13, to ask about a location or origin.
Amplified meaning
whence, from what source
Tyndale gloss
where?
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אַ֫יִן (aiyn) is an adverb meaning 'whence?' or 'where?'. It is likely related to another Hebrew word, suggesting a sense of inquiry. The entries consistently emphasize its use in questions regarding location, particularly when prefixed with a preposition.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[אַ֫יִן] adv. whence?

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H370 [אַ֫יִן] whence?

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

370 'aiyn ah-yin'

probably identical with 369 in the sense of query (compare

336); --where? (only in connection with prepositional prefix,

whence):--whence, where.

see HEBREW for 0369

see HEBREW for 0336

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אַ֫יִן (a.yin) — where?.

where?, whence?

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | Part — Preposition · particle
HR/Ti
I lift up eyes my to the mountains from where? will it come help my
יָבֹ֥אya.Vo' will it come H935 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
2,573× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to go or come, and is used in many contexts, such as entering a place or approaching someone, as seen in the book of Genesis. It can also mean to abide or apply, and is translated in various ways in the KJV Bible. This term is related to the name Lebo Hamath.
Amplified meaning
originate, arise
Tyndale gloss
Lebo
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

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

Qal

come in

come (approach, arrive)

go, i.e. walk, associate with

go from speaker, but with limit of motion given

Hiph.

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

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

Hoph.

be brought in (of pers. and things)

be brought

be introduced, put

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

. come (approach, arrive)

. go, i.e. walk, associate with

. go from speaker, but with limit of motion given

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

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

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

. be brought

. be introduced, put

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

935 bow' bo

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בּוֹא (bo) — to come (in): come.

: come/go_in

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

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to enter, come in

1a2) to come

1a2a) to come with

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

1a2c) to come to pass

1a3) to attain to

1a4) to be enumerated

1a5) to go

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to lead in

1b2) to carry in

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

1b4) to bring to pass

1c) (Hophal)

1c1) to be brought, brought in

1c2) to be introduced, be put

לְב֥וֹא (bo) — Lebo-(Hamath).

This name means to go in, enter

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

בּוֹא (bo) — to come (in): towards.

: towards/entrance

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

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to enter, come in

1a2) to come

1a2a) to come with

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

1a2c) to come to pass

1a3) to attain to

1a4) to be enumerated

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
HVqi3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

kum: The translation of many Hebrew and Greek words. In the phrase "The Spirit of Yahweh came mightily upon him" (Jud 14:6,19; 15:14; 1Sa 10:10; 11:6; 16:13), the word is tsaleah; Jud 14:6; 15:14 "came mightily," which is the uniform translation of the Revised Version (British and American) (compare Jud 13:25 "to move," i.e. to disturb or stir up). In Jud 6:34; 1Ch 12:18; 2Ch 24:20, it is labhesh, "to clothe"; the Revised Version, margin "The Spirit .... clothed itself with Gideon" and .... "with Zechariah,"…

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
I lift up eyes my to the mountains from where? will it come help my
עֶזְרִֽי׃'ez.Ri help my H5828 Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
21× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A helper or one who provides aid is the meaning of this word, used to describe someone who assists or supports others. It is used in the Psalms to express gratitude for God's help and in the book of Isaiah to describe God's aid to his people.
Amplified meaning
aid, assistance, support
Tyndale gloss
helper
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עֵ֫זֶר (ezer) means help or succour, referring to assistance or support. It can denote both the act of helping and a person who provides help. The term is derived from a root meaning to aid. The entries consistently emphasize its meaning as a source of assistance.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עֵ֫זֶר n.m. help, succour

help, succour

concr. = one who helps

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5828 עֵ֫זֶר help, succour

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5828 `ezer ay'-zer

from 5826; aid:--help.

see HEBREW for 05826

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עֵ֫זֶר (e.zer) — helper.

1) help, succour

1a) help, succour

1b) one who helps

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HNcmsc/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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