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Psalms 126:1 — Word Study

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WLCבְּשׁ֣וּב יְ֭הוָה אֶת־ שִׁיבַ֣ת צִיּ֑וֹן הָ֝יִ֗ינוּ כְּחֹלְמִֽים׃

BSAA songshîyr of ascentsmaʻălâh When the LORDYᵉhôvâh [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] restoredshûwb [turned back, brought back] the captivesshîybâh [those held in bondage, prisoners of war] of ZionTsîyôwn [the mountain in Jerusalem] we werehâyâh like dreamerschâlam [as if, seemed to be, those who experience a vision, have a prophetic dream]

Word
Listen & take awayPsalms 126
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 (ke.cho.le.Mim) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Psalms 126:1quick helps
In a sentenceThe psalm reflects on the joyful restoration of Zion's captives by the LORD.
Who is speakingThe psalmist, expressing collective memory.
Where we areA song of ascents, celebrating divine deliverance.
The hard wordשׁ֣וּב
Take awayRestoration brings joy and a sense of wonder.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectמַעֲלָה verbאֵת 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 126:1

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

1When the LORD restored the captives of Zion, we were like dreamers.
2Then our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with shouts of joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them.”
3The LORD has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.
4Restore our captives, O LORD, like streams in the Negev.

Psalm 126:1 reflects on the moment when the LORD restored the captives of Zion, evoking a sense of amazement and joy among the people. This psalm captures the collective memory of a community that experienced God's deliverance, celebrating their return from exile and the restoration of their fortunes. The following verses expand on the joy and laughter that accompanied this divine act, emphasizing the impact of restoration on their lives.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Psalm 120:1In my distress I cried to the LORD, and He answered me.
2Psalm 121:1I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come?
3Psalm 122:1I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the LORD.”
4Psalm 123:1I lift up my eyes to You, the One enthroned in heaven.
5Psalm 124:1If the LORD had not been on our side— let Israel now declare—

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 17 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word שׁ֣וּב, be.Shuvgenerated

The word שׁוּב (shuv) means to return or turn back, and is used to describe various forms of restoration. It can denote a physical return, a spiritual turning back to God, or a metaphorical return to a previous state. In this verse, it signifies the act of the LORD bringing back the captives, highlighting the transformative power of divine intervention.

The parsing as a verb in the Qal stem indicates a simple action, emphasizing the straightforward nature of the restoration. This word is often associated with repentance and returning to a rightful state, which adds depth to the understanding of the captives' experience.


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 שׁ֣וּב governs the main clause, indicating the action of restoration. The subject, יְ֭הוָה, is placed before the verb, emphasizing God's active role in the restoration process. The sentence structure flows from the action to the result, illustrating the impact of the LORD's intervention.

The phrase שִׁיבַ֣ת צִיּ֑וֹן serves as the object of the verb, clearly defining what is being restored. The prepositional phrase כְּחֹלְמִֽים describes the state of the people, likening their joy to that of dreamers, which adds a layer of imagery to the experience of restoration.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates שׁוּב as ἀναβαθμῶν, which conveys a sense of elevation or bringing back to a higher state. This choice reflects a broader interpretation of restoration, emphasizing not just a return but an uplifting of the captives' condition.

This rendering shows a slight widening of the concept of restoration, suggesting that the act of returning is also one of being raised up, which aligns with the overall theme of joy and celebration in the psalm.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalm 126:1 speaks of the moment when the LORD restored the captives of Zion, comparing their joy to that of dreamers. This captures the excitement and amazement of the people as they experienced God's deliverance, which is celebrated throughout the psalm.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that the LORD restored the captives of Zion?

It signifies God's intervention to bring back those who were held in bondage, restoring their freedom and fortunes.

Why are the captives compared to dreamers?

This comparison highlights the amazement and joy of the people, as if their restoration was so wonderful that it felt like a dream.

What is the significance of Zion in this psalm?

Zion represents the heart of Jerusalem and the Jewish identity, symbolizing the place of God's presence and the hope of restoration.

How does this psalm reflect the theme of restoration?

It celebrates the return from exile and the joy that accompanies divine deliverance, emphasizing the transformative power of God's actions.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways have I experienced restoration in my own life?
  2. How can I recognize and celebrate the moments when God intervenes in my circumstances?
  3. What does it mean to me to be 'like dreamers' in my faith journey?
  4. How can I share the joy of restoration with others who may be feeling lost or in bondage?

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

Early church fathers have commented on this psalm, noting its themes of joy and divine restoration, as illustrated in the quotations provided.

Augustine of HippoExposition on Psalms 126 354–430
"When the Lord turned back the captivity of Sion, we became as those that are comforted" [Psalms 126:1]. He meant by this to say, we became joyful.
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 126 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 126:1 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion,.... Or returned the Jews from their captivity in Babylon; who are called Zion, from the city of David, built on Mount Zion, which was in Judea, and

Read John Gill on Psalms 126 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.

Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 126 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Psalms 126 THE This Psalm was composed by Ezra, or some other man of God, at the return of Israel from Babylon. The church, celebrating and praising God for her return out of the Babylonian captivity, , prayeth him to perfect his work, and foretelleth the good success thereof, . Turned again the captivity of Zion, i.e. brought the captive Israelites out of Babylon into their own land. We were like them that dream; we were so surprised and astonished with the report of such a favour, that we could not believe our own eyes and ears, but thought it to be but a dream or delusion of our own fancies; as is usual in matters of great joy, as .

Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 126 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Psalms 126:1 « A Song of degrees. » When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.Ver. 1. When the Lord turned again] viz. From Babylon; and therefore that which some translations have in the title, A psalm of David (which is not in the Hebrew) would be left out; for it seemeth to have been penned by Ezra, or some prophet of his time. We were like them that dream] Tanta fuit liberationis admirabilitas, so admirable was the deliverance, that we could hardly believe it; as fearing the certainty, and yet hoping the truth. Such a passion was upon Peter when enlarged by the angel, Acts 12:7-11; upon the Grecians when set free by Flaminius, the Roman general…

Read John Trapp on Psalms 126 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(1) When the Lord . . .—Literally, In turning by Jehovah the turning of Zion. The phrase is not precisely the same as that in Psalms 126:4, which is usual, and offers no difficulty. Here the form of the noun “turning” presents some difficulty; but, after the analogy of a few other words, it can bear the concrete meaning “returned:” when Jehovah brought back the returned of Zion.Like them that dream.—The LXX. and Vulg. have “as if consoled.” The Hebrew word primarily means “to be fat,” or “fleshy,” and in Isaiah 38:16 is rendered “recover”—a meaning that would give a good sense here, and which is adopted by the Chaldean paraphrases: “We were like unto such men who have recovered.” On the…

Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 126 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

PSALM CXXVI The joy of the Israelites on their return from captivity, and the effect their deliverance had upon the heathen, 1-3. The prayer which they had offered up, 4. The inference they draw from the whole, 5, 6. NOTES ON PSALM CXXVI This Psalm is not of David, has no title in the Hebrew or any of the Versions, and certainly belongs to the close of the captivity. It might have been composed by Haggai and Zechariah, as the Syriac supposes; or by Ezra, according to others. It is beautiful, and highly descriptive of the circumstances which it represents. Verse 1. When the Lord turned again the captivity] When Cyrus published his decree in favour of the Jews, giving them liberty to return…

Read AdamClarke on Psalms 126 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

1–3. Israel’s rejoicing at the incredible marvel of restoration to its own land.

Read Cambridge on Psalms 126 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion - Margin, as in Hebrew, “returned the returning of Zion.” The Hebrew word which is rendered in the text captivity means properly return; and then, those returning.

Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 126 →

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

When the LORD restored the captives of Zion, we were like dreamers.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

When Yahweh brought back those who returned to Zion, we were like those who dream.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

A song of ascents. When the LORD restored the captives of Zion, we were like dreamers.

NETBNew English Translation2006

When the Lord restored the well-being of Zion, we thought we were dreaming.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

When Jehovah brought back those that returned to Zion, We were like unto them that dream.

RVARevised Version, American1894

When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like unto them that dream.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

A Song of degrees. When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

A song of degrees, or Psalme of David. When ye Lord brought againe the captiuitie of Zion, we were like them that dreame.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

When Jehovah turned the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

A Song of the Ascents. In Jehovah's turning back [to] the captivity of Zion, We have been as dreamers.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

A SONG OF THE ASCENTS. In YHWH’s turning back [to] the captivity of Zion, || We have been as dreamers.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

“A song of the degrees.” When the Lord bringeth back again the captivity of Zion, then shall we be like dreamers.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

When Yahweh restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Unless the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it. Unless the Lord keep the city, he watcheth in vain that keepeth it.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

When the Lord brought his people back from captivity to Zion, it was as if we were dreaming!

BBEBible in Basic English1949

When the Lord made a change in Zion's fate, we were like men in a dream.

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


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

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

clausenoun phrase · predicateשִׁ֗ירthe.songnoun phraseהַֽofמַּ֫עֲל֥וֹתthe.ascentsclauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalבְּwhenclauseverbשׁ֣וּבrestoredsubjectיְ֭הוָהYahwehnoun phrase · objectאֶת(et)noun phraseשִׁיבַ֣תthe.restorationצִיּ֑וֹןof.Zionverbהָ֝יִ֗ינוּwe.wereprepositional phrase · prepositionalכְּlikeחֹלְמִֽים[those.who].dream

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 largely agree on the wording of this verse, with six of the seven words matched. The Dead Sea Scrolls present some variations, with certain words being restored or supplied by editors, but the core message of restoration remains consistent across these texts.

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

בְּשׁ֣וּב יְ֭הוָה אֶת־ שִׁיבַ֣ת צִיּ֑וֹן הָ֝יִ֗ינוּ כְּחֹלְמִֽים׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
בְּשׁ֣וּבτῶνיְ֭הוָהἀναβαθμῶνאֶת־ἐνשִׁיבַ֣תἐπιστρέψαιצִיּ֑וֹןκύριονכְּחֹלְמִֽים׃σιων

6 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 — 4Q87a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

שיר המעלות בשוב יהוה את שבות [ציון] [היינו] כחלמים

6 words on the leather — 1 partly restored, 2 supplied entire by an editor.

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

שיר המעלות בשוב יהוה [את] [שיבת] [ציון] היינו כחלומים

6 words on the leather — 3 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 126:1שׁוּבwhen restorwhen restoredשׁוּביהוהYahwehYahwehיהוהאֵתthe object the object markאֵתשִׁיבָה[the] resto[the] restoratiשִׁיבָהצִיּוֹןZionZionצִיּוֹןהָיָהwe werewe wereהָיָהחָלַםlike [thoselike [those whoחָלַםהָיָהto beto beהָיָהאוֹתsign: mirasign: miraculouאוֹתשׁוּבto return:to return: retuשׁוּבצִיוּןsignpostsignpostצִיוּןהָוָאto fallto fallהָוָאשְׁבִיתcaptivitycaptivityשְׁבִיתחָרוֹןburning anburning angerחָרוֹןנְאֻםutteranceutteranceנְאֻםצָבָאarmyarmyצָבָאמִגְרָשׁpasturepastureמִגְרָשׁגִּילto rejoiceto rejoiceגִּילקִנְאָהjealousyjealousyקִנְאָהחֲלוֹםdreamdreamחֲלוֹם
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 126:1

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.

when restored Yahweh the object marker [the] restoration of Zion we were like [those who] dream
בְּשׁ֣וּבbe.Shuv when restored H7725 Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
1,057× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to return or turn back, and can be used literally or figuratively. It is often used to describe someone returning to God or repenting from sin, as seen in the book of Psalms and the prophets.
Amplified meaning
turned back, brought back
Tyndale gloss
to return: return
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word שׁוּב (shuwb) means to turn back or return, covering a wide range of contexts including physical, spiritual, and relational. It can denote returning to a previous state, repenting, or even apostatizing. The entries describe various forms and uses, including bringing back, restoring, and refreshing. Notably, it can also imply a change in course of action.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שׁוּב 1056 vb. turn back, return

Qal 683;—turn back, return:

turn back

return, come or go back

esp. return unto

of dying

of revival from death

fig. of human relations:

return to leader, king

= change so as to appoach (in purpose, desire)

turn, i.e. resort to

return to a physical condition

abs. = change course of action

fig., specif. of spiritual relations:

turn back from God = apostatize

of י׳, turn away

turn back to God (= seek penitently)

abs. repent

turn back from evil

of י׳

of י׳, return (to shew favour)

of inanimate things (sts. personified, or treated as things of life):

denoting repetition, etc.

trans.

Pō‛l.

bring back

fig. restore, refresh

restore, repair

lead away (enticingly)

shew turning = apostatize

Hiph. 353 cause to return, bring back

bring back into bondage

put back

= draw back

= give back, restore

= relinguish

= give in payment, requital

bring one back (from dead)

bring back heart

= refresh

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7725 שׁוּב turn back, return .—turn back, return: . turn back

. return, come or go back

. esp. return unto

. . of dying

. of revival from death

. fig. of human relations: . return to leader, king

. = change so as to appoach (in purpose, desire)

. turn, i.e. resort to

. return to a physical condition

. abs. = change course of action

. fig., specif. of spiritual relations: . turn back from God = apostatize

. of י׳, turn away

. turn back to God (= seek penitently)

. abs. repent

. turn back from evil

. of י׳

. of י׳, return (to shew favour)

. of inanimate things (sts. personified, or treated as things of life):

. denoting repetition, etc.

. trans.

. . bring back

. . fig. restore, refresh

. restore, repair

. lead away (enticingly)

. shew turning = apostatize

. cause to return, bring back . . bring back into bondage

. put back

. = draw back

. = give back, restore

. = relinguish

. = give in payment, requital

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7725 shuwb shoob

a primitive root; to turn back (hence, away) transitively or

intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily

with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to

retreat; often adverbial, again:--((break, build, circumcise,

dig, do anything, do evil, feed, lay down, lie down, lodge,

make, rejoice, send, take, weep)) X again, (cause to) answer

(+ again), X in any case (wise), X at all, averse, bring

(again, back, home again), call (to mind), carry again (back),

cease, X certainly, come again (back), X consider, +

continually, convert, deliver (again), + deny, draw back,

fetch home again, X fro, get (oneself) (back) again, X give

(again), go again (back, home), (go) out, hinder, let, (see)

more, X needs, be past, X pay, pervert, pull in again, put

(again, up again), recall, recompense, recover, refresh,

relieve, render (again), requite, rescue, restore, retrieve,

Read the full entry →
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שׁוּב (shuv) — to return: return.

: return

1) to return, turn back

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to turn back, return

1a1a) to turn back

1a1b) to return, come or go back

1a1c) to return unto, go back, come back

1a1d) of dying

1a1e) of human relations (fig)

1a1f) of spiritual relations (fig)

1a1f1) to turn back (from God), apostatise

1a1f2) to turn away (of God)

1a1f3) to turn back (to God), repent

1a1f4) turn back (from evil)

1a1g) of inanimate things

1a1h) in repetition

1b) (Polel)

1b1) to bring back

1b2) to restore, refresh, repair (fig)

1b3) to lead away (enticingly)

1b4) to show turning, apostatise

1c) (Pual) restored (participle)

1d) (Hiphil) to cause to return, bring back

1d1) to bring back, allow to return, put back, draw back, give back, restore, relinquish, give in payment

1d2) to bring back, refresh, restore

1d3) to bring back, report to, answer

1d4) to bring back, make requital, pay (as recompense)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a — Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
HR/Vqcc
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
when restored Yahweh the object marker [the] restoration of Zion we were like [those who] dream
יְ֭הוָהYah.weh Yahweh H3068 Noun proper
6,528× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Yehovah is another name for God, often translated as 'the Lord'. It is a national name for God in the Jewish faith. This name is used throughout the Old Testament.
Amplified meaning
Yehovah, The covenant Name of God
Tyndale gloss
The Lord
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) is the proper name of the God of Israel, often rendered as Jehovah or the Lord. It signifies the self-existent or eternal nature of God. The name is closely associated with the revelation to Moses in Exodus 3:12-15 and is used in conjunction with other terms to denote sacred places. Some scholars suggest it derives from a root meaning 'to bring into being.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יהוה c. 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel—(1. MT יְהֹוָה 6518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהֹוִה 305 (Qr אֱלֹהִים) 2. Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of הוה (= היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver)

יהוה is not used by E in Gn, but is given Ex 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb

יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D

the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy

יהוה is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3068 יהוה i.e. יַהְוֶה n. pr. dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw'

from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish

national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.

see HEBREW for 01961

see HEBREW for 03050

see HEBREW for 03069

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — LORD.

Jehovah = "the existing One"

1) the proper name of the one true God

1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of a.do.na (אֲדֹנָי "Lord" H0136)

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — The Lord.

Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — (Jerusalem of) the Lord.

Combined with ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper
HNpt
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
when restored Yahweh the object marker [the] restoration of Zion we were like [those who] dream
אֶת־'et- the object marker H853 Particle
10,946× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the original Hebrew, this word points out the object of a verb or preposition, like 'namely' or 'even'. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus. It's not directly translated in English, but helps clarify the meaning of sentences.
Tyndale gloss
[Obj.]
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֵת (eth) is primarily a grammatical marker in Hebrew, indicating the definite direct object of a verb. It is not translated into English and typically precedes nouns that are definite. The word is derived from a demonstrative sense of entity, related to the Hebrew word for 'self.' Its Aramaic equivalent is יָת (yat).

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

853 'eth ayth

apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of

entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more

definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or

namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).

see HEBREW for 0226

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵת (et) — [Obj.].

sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative

Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTo — Particle
HTo
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
when restored Yahweh the object marker [the] restoration of Zion we were like [those who] dream
שִׁיבַ֣תshi.Vat [the] restoration of H7870 Noun common · feminine singular construct
1× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word describes a return or restoration, often of property or people. In the Bible, it is used to describe the return of the Israelites from captivity. The KJV translates it as captivity.
Amplified meaning
those held in bondage, prisoners of war
Tyndale gloss
captivity
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שִׁיבָה (shiybah) refers to a return of property or captivity. The entries suggest it can imply restoration, with a possible connection to Psalm 126:1. There is some uncertainty about its exact meaning, particularly regarding the term 'restoration'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[שִׁיבָה] cstr. restoration (?) ψ 126:1

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7870 שִׁיבָה

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7870 shiybah shee-baw'

by permutation from 7725; a return (of

property):--captivity.

see HEBREW for 07725

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שִׁיבָה (shi.vah) — captivity.

restoration

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular construct
HNcfsc
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…

when restored Yahweh the object marker [the] restoration of Zion we were like [those who] dream
צִיּ֑וֹןtzi.Yon Zion H6726 Noun proper
154× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Zion refers to a mountain in Jerusalem, often used as another name for the city, especially in prophetic books like Isaiah and Jeremiah.
Amplified meaning
the mountain in Jerusalem
Tyndale gloss
Zion
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

צִיּוֹן (Tsiyyôn) refers to Zion, often identified as a mountain in Jerusalem and a symbolic name for the city itself, particularly in prophetic contexts. The term is linked to the Hebrew word for Jerusalem and is noted for meaning 'parched place.' It is consistently recognized across lexicons as a proper noun.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

צִיּוֹן 154 n.pr.loc. Ṣiyyôn, Zion

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6726 צִיּוֹן Ṣiyyôn, Zion

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6726 Tsiyown tsee-yone'

the same (regularly) as 6725; Tsijon (as a permanent

capital), a mountain of Jerusalem:--Zion.

see HEBREW for 06725

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

צִיּוֹן (tsiy.yon) — Zion.

Zion = "parched place"

another name for Jerusalem especially in the prophetic books

Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)

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

zi'-on (tsiyon; Sion):

1. Meaning of the Word

2. The Zion of the Jebusites

3. Zion of the Prophets

4. Zion in Later Poetical Writings and Apocrypha

5. Omission of Name by Some Writers

6. The Name "Zion" in Christian Times

LITERATURE

1. Meaning of the Word:

A name applied to Jerusalem, or to certain parts of it, at least since the time of David. Nothing certain is known of the meaning. Gesenius and others have derived it from a Hebrew root tsahah, "to be dry"; Delitzsch from tsiwwah, "to set up" and Wetzstein from tsin, "to protect." Gesenius finds a more hopeful suggestion in the Arabic equivalent cihw, the Arabic cahwat signifying "ridge of a mountain" or "citadel," which at any rate suitably applies to what we know to have been the original Zion (compare Smith, HGHL, under the word).

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Zion

Sunny; height, one of the eminences on which Jerusalem was built. It was surrounded on all sides, except the north, by deep valleys, that of the Tyropoeon (q.v.) separating it from Moriah (q.v.), which it surpasses in height by 105 feet. It was the south-eastern hill of Jerusalem.

When David took it from the Jebusites (Josh. 15:63; 2 Sam. 5:7) he built on it a citadel and a palace, and it became “the city of David” (1 Kings 8:1; 2 Kings 19:21, 31; 1 Chr. 11:5). In the later books of the Old Testament this name was sometimes used (Ps. 87:2; 149:2;

when restored Yahweh the object marker [the] restoration of Zion we were like [those who] dream
הָ֝יִ֗ינוּha.Yi.nu we were H1961 Verb · Qal · perfect first person common plural
3,562× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for to be means to exist or come into being. It is used to describe something that happens or comes to pass, like in Genesis where God creates the world.
Tyndale gloss
to be
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word הָיָה (hayah) is a primitive root meaning to exist or become, and it encompasses a range of meanings including to happen, occur, and come to pass. It is often used in narrative contexts, particularly in phrases like "and it came to pass." The word can also denote a state of being or existence, and it appears frequently in various forms throughout the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הָיָה 3570 vb. fall out, come to pass, become, be

Qal

Fall out, happen

occur, take place, come about, come to pass

esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass

וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)

rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה

less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)

Come into being, become

abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come

sq. prep.

become

sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)

sq. pred. adj.

become like

sq. pred. לְ pers.

sq. לְ pred.

oft. c. לְ pred. לְ pers.

with עַל and לְ

sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of

Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming)

exist, be in existence

abide, remain, continue

with word of locality, be in or at a place, be situated, stand, lie

as copula, joining subj. & pred.

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1961 הָיָה fall out, come to pass, become, be .. . . Fall out, happen

. occur, take place, come about, come to pass

. esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass . . וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)

. rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה

. less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)

. Come into being, become . . abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come

. sq. prep.

. become . sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)

. sq. pred. adj.

. become like

. sq. pred. + לְ pers.

. sq. לְ pred.

. oft. c. לְ pred. + לְ pers.

. with עַל and לְ

. sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of

. Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming) . exist, be in existence

. abide, remain, continue

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1961 hayah haw-yaw

a primitive root (compare 1933); to exist, i.e. be or become,

come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or

auxiliary):--beacon, X altogether, be(-come), accomplished,

committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint,

fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit

(one-)self, require, X use.

see HEBREW for 01933

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הָיָה (ha.yah) — to be.

1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out

1a) (Qal)

1a1) ---

1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass

1a1b) to come about, come to pass

1a2) to come into being, become

1a2a) to arise, appear, come

1a2b) to become

1a2b1) to become

1a2b2) to become like

1a2b3) to be instituted, be established

1a3) to be

1a3a) to exist, be in existence

1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time)

1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality)

1a3d) to accompany, be with

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to occur, come to pass, be done, be brought about

1b2) to be done, be finished, be gone

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-1cp — Verb · Qal · perfect first person common plural
HVqp1cp
when restored Yahweh the object marker [the] restoration of Zion we were like [those who] dream
כְּחֹלְמִֽים׃ke.cho.le.Mim like [those who] dream H2492 Preposition · verb qal participle (active) masculine plural
29× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to dream, like in Genesis 37:5-10 where Joseph dreams about his future. It can also mean to recover or be in good health, as in Psalm 73:4.
Amplified meaning
as if, seemed to be, those who experience a vision, have a prophetic dream
Tyndale gloss
be healthy
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word חָלַם (chalam) has two primary meanings: to be healthy or strong, and to dream. It can refer to physical health or restoration in the Hiphil form, while the Qal form encompasses ordinary, prophetic, and false dreams. The entries indicate a connection between health and dreaming, but do not show any significant disagreement among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[חָלַם] vb. be healthy, strong

Qal their young are healthy

Hiph. and restore me to health

base

חָלַם vb. dream

Qal dream

Hiph. dream

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2492a חָלַם be healthy, strong .their young are healthy

. and restore me to health

H2492b חָלַם dream

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2492 chalam khaw-lam'

a primitive root; properly, to bind firmly, i.e. (by

implication) to be (causatively to make) plump; also (through

the figurative sense of dumbness) to dream:--(cause to)

dream(-er), be in good liking, recover.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חָלַם (cha.lam) — be healthy.

1) to be healthy, be strong

1a) (Qal) to be healthy

1b) (Hiphil) to restore to health

חָלַם (cha.lam) — to dream.

1) to dream

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to dream (ordinary)

1a2) to dream (prophetic)

1a3) to dream (of false prophets)

1b) (Hiphil) to dream

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | V-Qal — Preposition · verb qal participle (active) masculine plural
HR/Vqrmpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Dream

God has frequently made use of dreams in communicating his will to men. The most remarkable instances of this are recorded in the history of Jacob (Gen. 28:12; 31:10), Laban (31:24), Joseph (37:9-11), Gideon (Judg. 7), and Solomon (1 Kings 3:5). Other significant dreams are also recorded, such as those of Abimelech (Gen. 20:3-7), Pharaoh’s chief butler and baker (40:5), Pharaoh (41:1-8), the Midianites (Judg. 7:13), Nebuchadnezzar (Dan. 2:1; 4:10, 18), the wise men from the east (Matt. 2:12), and Pilate’s wife (27:19).

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The orientals, and in particular the Jews, greatly regarded dreams, and applied for their interpretation to those who undertook to explain them. We see the antiquity of this custom in the history of Pharaoh’s butler and baker, Ge 40:1-23; and Pharaoh himself and Nebuchadnezzar are also instances. God expressly forbade his people to observe dreams, and to consult explainers of them. He condemned to death all who pretended to have prophetic dreams, even though what they foretold came to pass, if they had any tendency to promote idolatry, De 13:1-3. But they were not forbidden, when they thought they had a significant dream, to address the prophets of the Lord, or the high priest in his ephod, to have it explained. The Lord frequently made known his will in dreams, and enabled…

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Evanescent Job 20:8

→ Vanity of Ec 5:3,7

→ INSTANCES OF

Of Abimelech,, concerning Sarah Ge 20:3

Of Jacob, concerning the ladder Ge 28:12

The ring-straked cattle Ge 31:10-13

Concerning his going down into Egypt Ge 46:2

Of Laban, concerning Jacob Ge 31:24

Of Joseph, concerning the sheaves Ge 37:5-10

Of Midianite concerning the cake of barley Jud 7:13

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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