Psalms 137:8 — Word Study
WLCבַּת־ בָּבֶ֗ל הַשְּׁד֫וּדָ֥ה אַשְׁרֵ֥י שֶׁיְשַׁלֶּם־ לָ֑ךְ אֶת־ גְּ֝מוּלֵ֗ךְ שֶׁגָּמַ֥לְתְּ לָֽנוּ׃
BSAO Daughterbath [woman, female child] of BabylonBâbel [city of confusion] doomed to destructionshâdad [worthy, destined, ruin, devastation] blessedʼesher [happy, joyful] is he who repaysshâlam▸ [rewards, gives recompense] asgᵉmûwl you have donegâmal■ [served, treated]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| בַּת־ | O daughter of | Noun common, feminine singular construct |
| בָּבֶ֗ל | Babylon | Noun proper |
| הַשְּׁד֫וּדָ֥ה | that is about to be destroyed | Particle, verb qal participle (passive) feminine singular |
| אַשְׁרֵ֥י | how blessed! | Noun common, masculine plural construct |
| שֶׁיְשַׁלֶּם־ | [is one] who he will repay | Particle, verb piel imperfect third person masculine singular |
| לָ֑ךְ | to you | Preposition, suffix |
| אֶת־ | the object marker | Particle |
| גְּ֝מוּלֵ֗ךְ | dealing your | Noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
| שֶׁגָּמַ֥לְתְּ | that you dealt | Particle, verb qal perfect second person feminine singular |
| לָֽנוּ׃ | to us | Preposition, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | O Daughter of Babylon, doomed to destruction, blessed is he who repays you as you have done to us. |
| KJV | O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us. |
| ASV | O daughter of Babylon, that art to be destroyed, Happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee As thou hast served us. |
| YLT | O daughter of Babylon, O destroyed one, O the happiness of him who repayeth to thee thy deed, That thou hast done to us. |
| WEB | Daughter of Babylon, doomed to destruction, he will be happy who repays you, as you have done to us. |
| BBE | O daughter of Babylon, whose fate is destruction; happy is the man who does to you what you have done to us. |
The translations agree on the core message of the verse, with no significant differences noted.
The verse consists of a main clause followed by a predicate and two subordinate clauses, creating a layered expression of lament and blessing.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
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 137:8
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — A Lament Over Babylongenerated
Psalms 137:8 reflects the deep sorrow of the Israelites in exile, mourning Jerusalem's destruction and calling for justice against Babylon. The psalmist expresses a desire for retribution, highlighting the pain inflicted upon God's people and the hope for divine justice. This lament serves as a powerful reminder of the consequences of oppression and the longing for restoration, resonating with themes found throughout the Psalms.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Isaiah 47:1–5 | “Go down and sit in the dust, O Virgin Daughter of Babylon. Sit on the ground without a throne, O Daughter of Chaldea! For you will no longer be called tender or delicate. |
| 2 | Jeremiah 50:42 | They grasp the bow and spear; they are cruel and merciless. Their voice roars like the sea, and they ride upon horses, lined up like men in formation against you, O Daughter of Babylon. |
| 3 | Jeremiah 51:33 | For this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: “The Daughter of Babylon is like a threshing floor at the time it is trampled. In just a little while her harvest time will come.” |
| 4 | Zechariah 2:7 | “Get up, O Zion! Escape, you who dwell with the Daughter of Babylon!” |
| 5 | Isaiah 13:1–22 | This is the burden against Babylon that Isaiah son of Amoz received: |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 20 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — בַּת־, bat-generated
The word בַּת (bat) means 'daughter' and can refer to a female child or woman. In this context, it personifies Babylon, depicting it as a daughter who has inflicted harm. The feminine construct form emphasizes the relationship between Babylon and the actions taken against Israel.
This term is often used in a figurative sense to denote cities or nations, as seen here with Babylon. The use of בַּת evokes a sense of familial connection, intensifying the emotional weight of the psalmist's words.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The translations generally agree on the meaning of the terms used in this verse.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The verse contains a main clause that establishes the subject, אֲשֶׁר (how blessed!), followed by a subordinate clause detailing the action of repayment. The structure emphasizes the psalmist's focus on the fate of Babylon and the consequences of its actions.
The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the subject of the blessing and the subsequent action, highlighting the psalmist's desire for justice in a poetic lament.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, the Hebrew term בַּת is rendered as θυγάτηρ (thugatēr), maintaining the personification of Babylon. This choice underscores the emotional connection and familial imagery present in the original Hebrew.
The Greek translation also reflects the concept of destruction with the term ταλαίπωρος (talaiōporos), which suggests a state of misery or wretchedness, aligning with the original Hebrew's connotation of devastation.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalms 137:8 speaks to the sorrow of the Israelites over Babylon's destruction of Jerusalem. The psalmist expresses a desire for justice, proclaiming a blessing on those who will repay Babylon for its actions against God's people.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The term 'Daughter of Babylon' personifies the city, depicting it as a female figure that has caused suffering to Israel.
The psalmist seeks justice for the destruction of Jerusalem and the suffering of its people at the hands of Babylon.
The use of 'blessed' emphasizes the joy and approval for those who will enact justice against Babylon, contrasting the city's fate with the psalmist's desire for restoration.
This psalm captures the deep sorrow, longing for justice, and hope for restoration felt by the Israelites in exile following the destruction of Jerusalem.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- How can we understand the concept of justice in our own lives, as reflected in this psalm?
- What does it mean to seek retribution or justice in a way that aligns with God's will?
- In what ways can we express our sorrow over injustice in the world today?
- How does this psalm encourage us to reflect on our own actions towards others?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
The early Church Fathers referenced Psalms 137:8 to discuss themes of justice and retribution, highlighting the moral implications of the psalmist's words.
And in this way also the just give up to destruction all their enemies, which are their vices, so that they do not spare even the children, that is, the early beginnings and promptings of evil.Early Church Fathers on Psalms 137 →
And David, pitying her, says, “O wretched daughter of Babylon.” Wretched indeed, as being the daughter of Babylon, when she ceased to be the daughter of Jerusalem.Early Church Fathers on Psalms 137 →
Then he turns himself to her, "O daughter of Babylon, unhappy;" unhappy in your very exulting, your presumption, your enmity; "unhappy daughter of Babylon!" [Psalms 137:8].Early Church Fathers on Psalms 137 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 137:8 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleO daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed,.... By the determinate counsel and decree of God, and according to divine predictions; see Jeremiah 50:1; so mystical Babylon, antichrist, and the man
Read John Gill on Psalms 137 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryO daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 137 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleDaughter of Babylon; by which he understands the city and empire of Babylon, and the people thereof. Who art to be destroyed; who art by God’ s righteous and irrevocable sentence devoted to certain destruction. Happy shall he be; as being God’ s instrument to vindicate his honour, and execute his just judgments, and fulfil his counsel and word; which Cyrus was to his own great glory and advantage, as appears both from sacred and profane history. That rewardeth thee as thou hast served us; that shall use thee with equal cruelty.
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 137 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 137:8 O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy [shall he be], that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us.Ver. 8. That art to be destroyed] Spoliatrix, saith the Syriac, Isaiah 33:1. Happy shall he be] i.e. Well rewarded with wealth and good wishes.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 137 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(8) Daughter of Babylon—i.e., Babylon itself. (See Psalms 9:14, Note.) Who art to be destroyed.—Considerable doubt attaches to the meaning of the Hebrew word here. Our version is that of Theodotion. Aquila and Jerome have “wasted” (comp. Prayer Book version); Symmachus, “robber;” the LXX. and Vulg., “wretched.” As pointed, the word is a passive participle, and must be rendered as by Aquila, “wasted” or “destroyed,” but with the recollection that a Hebrew would thus speak proleptically of a doom foreseen though not accomplished. Delitzsch quotes an Arab saying: “Pursue the caught one “—i.e., sure to be caught. The “luxury of revenge” is well expressed in this beatitude, pronounced on him who…
Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 137 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 8. O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed] Or, O thou daughter of Babylon the destroyer, or, who art to be ruined. In being reduced under the empire of the Persians, Babylon was already greatly humbled and brought low from what it was in the days of Nebuchadnezzar; but it was afterwards so totally ruined that not a vestige of it remains. After its capture by Cyrus, A.M. 3468, it could never be considered a capital city; but it appeared to follow the fortunes of its various conquerors till it was, as a city, finally destroyed. Rewardeth thee as thou hast served us.] This was Cyrus, who was chosen of God to do this work, and is therefore called happy, as being God's agent in its…
Read AdamClarke on Psalms 137 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges8. O daughter of Babylon] The city of Babylon personified. who art to be destroyed] The most obvious translation is that of R.V. marg., that art laid waste. So Aq. and Jerome, vastata. But the following clauses apparently imply that Babylon has not been destroyed, and the participle may be ‘prophetic,’ that art doomed to be laid waste[84]. Delitzsch quotes examples of a similar idiom in Arabic. ‘The stricken one,’=‘one who is doomed to be stricken.’ So Theodotion, ἡδιαρπασθησομένη. Some of the Ancient Versions, however (Symm., Syr., Targ.), render thou waster, a rendering which only requires a slight change of the text, and is adopted by many critics. [84] Coverdale and the Great Bible of…
Read Cambridge on Psalms 137 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleO daughter of Babylon - That is, Babylon itself; the city of Babylon. On the word “daughter” as thus used, see the notes at Isaiah 1:8.
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 137 →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
O Daughter of Babylon, doomed to destruction, blessed is he who repays you as you have done to us.
Daughter of Babylon, doomed to destruction, he will be happy who repays you, as you have done to us.
O Daughter of Babylon, doomed to destruction, blessed is he who repays you as you have done to us.
O daughter Babylon, soon to be devastated! How blessed will be the one who repays you for what you dished out to us!
Tyndale line
O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us.
O daughter of Babylon, that art to be destroyed, Happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee As thou hast served us.
O daughter of Babylon, that art to be destroyed; happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us.
O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy shall he be , that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us.
O daughter of Babel, worthy to be destroyed, blessed shall he be that rewardeth thee, as thou hast serued vs.
Strictly literal
Daughter of Babylon, who art to be laid waste, happy he that rendereth unto thee that which thou hast meted out to us.
O daughter of Babylon, O destroyed one, O the happiness of him who repayeth to thee thy deed, That thou hast done to us.
O daughter of Babylon, O destroyed one, || O the blessedness of him who repays to you your deed, || That you have done to us.
O daughter of Babylon, who art wasted: happy he, that repayeth thee thy recompense for what thou hast done to us.
Daughter of Babylon, soon to be destroyed— may the person be blessed, whoever pays you back for what you have done to us.
From the Latin
The Lord will repay for me: thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever: O despise not the work of thy hands.
Simplified
Daughter of Babylon, you will be destroyed! Happy is the one who pays you back, who does to you what you did to us!
O daughter of Babylon, whose fate is destruction; happy is the man who does to you what you have done to us.
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.
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 in their wording, with a strong correspondence in meaning. The Septuagint's translation reflects the emotional weight of the original Hebrew while adapting the syntax to Greek.
בַּת־ בָּבֶ֗ל הַשְּׁד֫וּדָ֥ה אַשְׁרֵ֥י שֶׁיְשַׁלֶּם־ לָ֑ךְ אֶת־ גְּ֝מוּלֵ֗ךְ שֶׁגָּמַ֥לְתְּ לָֽנוּ׃
9 of the 10 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.
Lexicons — every word in Psalms 137:8
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
בַּת (bat) means 'daughter' and encompasses a range of meanings including female child, young women, and even personifications of cities or inhabitants. It can also refer to villages in certain contexts. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to build' and is used in various figurative senses, such as 'branch' or 'apple of the eye.'
בַּת 587 n.f. daughter
daughter, female child
young women, women
with name of city, land, or people, poet. personif. of that city or inhabitants
pl. = villages, after name of city
in phrases denoting character, quality, etc.
ostrich
fig.
of vine = branch
as n. relat.
base
H1323 בַּת daughter . daughter, female child
. young women, women
. with name of city, land, or people, poet. personif. of that city or inhabitants
. pl. = villages, after name of city
. in phrases denoting character, quality, etc.
. ostrich
. fig.
. of vine = branch
. as n. relat.
1323 bath bath
from 1129 (as feminine of 1121); a daughter (used in the same
wide sense as other terms of relationship, literally and
figuratively):--apple (of the eye), branch, company, daughter,
X first, X old, + owl, town, village.
see HEBREW for 01129
see HEBREW for 01121
בַּת (bat) — daughter.
: daughter
1) daughter
1a) daughter, girl, adopted daughter, daughter-in-law, sister, granddaughters, female child, cousin
1a1) as polite address
1a2) as designation of women of a particular place
2) young women, women
1a3) as personification
1a4) daughter-villages
1a5) description of character
Also means: bat (בַּת ": village" H1323H)
בַּת (bat) — daughter: village.
: village
1) daughter
1a) daughter, girl, adopted daughter, daughter-in-law, sister, granddaughters, female child, cousin
1a1) as polite address
1a2) as designation of women of a particular place
2) young women, women
1a3) as personification
1a4) daughter-villages
1a5) description of character
בַּת (bat) — Bath (Shua).
A woman living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.38.2;
daughter of: Shua (H7770); married to Judah (H3063);
mother of: Er (H6147), Onan (H0209) and Shelah (H7956)
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular constructHNcfsc
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.
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…
בָּבֶ֫ל (Babel) refers to Babylon, an ancient city and capital of Babylonia, associated with the idea of confusion. It is derived from a root meaning 'confusion' and is mentioned in various contexts throughout the Old Testament. The lexicons agree on its meaning and significance, with no noted disagreements.
בָּבֶ֫ל 262 n.pr.loc. Babel, Babylon
base
H894 בָּבֶ֫ל Babel, Babylon
894 Babel baw-bel'
from 1101; confusion; Babel (i.e. Babylon), including
Babylonia and the Babylonian empire:--Babel, Babylon.
see HEBREW for 01101
בָּבֶ֫ל, בָּבֶל (ba.vel) — Babylon.
§ Babel or Babylon = "confusion (by mixing)"
Babel or Babylon, the ancient site and/or capital of Babylonia (modern Hillah) situated on the Euphrates
N-proper — Noun properHNpl
Babylon
The Greek form of BABEL; Semitic form Babilu, meaning “The Gate of God.” In the Assyrian tablets it means “The city of the dispersion of the tribes.” The monumental list of its kings reaches back to B.C. 2300, and includes Khammurabi, or Amraphel (q.v.), the contemporary of Abraham. It stood on the Euphrates, about 200 miles above its junction with the Tigris, which flowed through its midst and divided it into two almost equal parts. The Elamites invaded Chaldea (i.e., Lower Mesopotamia, or Shinar, and Upper Mesopotamia, or Accad, now combined into one) and held it in subjection. At length Khammu-rabi delivered it from the foreign yoke, and founded the new empire of Chaldea (q.v.), making Babylon the capital of the united kingdom. This city gradually grew in extent and grandeur, but in process of time it became subject to Assyria. On the fall of Nineveh (B.C. 606) it threw off…
in the Apocalypse, is the symbolical name by which Rome is denoted. (Revelation 14:8; 17:18) The power of Rome was regarded by the later Jews as was that of Babylon by their forefathers. Comp. (Jeremiah 51:7) with Reve 14:8 The occurrence of this name in (1 Peter 5:13) has given rise to a variety of conjectures, many giving it the same meaning as in the Apocalypse; others refer it to Babylon in Asia, and others still to Babylon in Egypt. The most natural supposition of all is that by Babylon is intended the old Babylon of Assyria, which was largely inhabited by Jews at the time in question.
1. A celebrated city situated on the Euphrates, the original foundation of which is described under the word Babel. Wit this coincide many ancient traditions, while some speak of Semiramis as the founder, and others of Nebuchadnezzar. These accounts may all be reconciled, by supposing that Semiramis rebuilt the ancient city, and the Nebuchadnezzar. These accounts may all be reconciled, by supposing that Semiramis rebuilt the ancient city, and that Nebuchadnezzar afterwards greatly enlarged and adorned it.
Babylon lay in a vast and fertile plain watered by the Euphrates, with flowed through the city. Its walls are described as 60 miles in circumference, 300 feet high, and 75 feet wide, Jer 51:44- 58. A deep trench ran parallel with the walls. In each of the four sides were 25 brazen gates, from which roads crossed to the opposite…
same as Babel
שָׁדַד (shadad) is a Hebrew verb that conveys the idea of dealing violently with something, including meanings like despoil, devastate, and ruin. It has various forms, indicating actions such as violently destroying, being utterly ruined, or assaulting. The entries suggest a strong connotation of destruction and oppression, with the word appearing in contexts related to devastation.
[שָׁדַד] 56 vb. deal violently with, despoil, devastate, ruin
Qal violently destroy, pers. = slay
Niph. we are utterly ruined.
Pi. assault not his dwelling-place
Pu. be devastated
Pō‛el violently destroy
Hoph. be devastated
base
H7703 [שָׁדַד] deal violently with, despoil, devastate, ruin
7703 shadad shaw-dad'
a primitive root; properly, to be burly, i.e. (figuratively)
powerful (passively, impregnable); by implication, to
ravage:--dead, destroy(-er), oppress, robber, spoil(-er), X
utterly, (lay) waste.
שָׁדַד (sha.dad) — to ruin.
1) to deal violently with, despoil, devastate, ruin, destroy, spoil
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to violently destroy, devastate, despoil, assail
1a2) devastator, despoiler (participle) (subst)
1b) (Niphal) to be utterly ruined
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to assault
1c2) to devastate
1d) (Pual) to be devastated
1e) (Poel) to violently destroy
1f) (Hophal) to be devastated
Also means: shud (שׁוּד "to waste" H7736)
Art | V-Qal-Inf-c — Particle · verb qal participle (passive) feminine singularHTd/Vqsfsa
אֶ֫שֶׁר (esher) refers to happiness or blessedness, often used as an interjection to express joy. It is derived from a related root and appears primarily in a masculine plural form. The entries consistently highlight its meaning related to happiness and blessing.
[אֶ֫שֶׁר, or אָשָׁר] n.[m.] happiness, blessedness
base
H835 [אֶ֫שֶׁר, or אָשָׁר] happiness, blessedness
835 'esher eh'-sher
from 833; happiness; only in masculine plural construction as
interjection, how happy!:--blessed, happy.
see HEBREW for 0833
אֶ֫שֶׁר (e.sher) — blessed.
1) happiness, blessedness
1a) often used as interjection
1b) blessed are
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural constructHNcmpc
bles'-ed (barukh): Where God is referred to, this word has the sense of "praise," as in 1Sa 25:32, "Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel." But where man is in mind it is used in the sense of "happy" or "favored," and most frequently so in the Psalms and the Gospels, as for example, "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the wicked" (Ps 1:1); "Blessed art thou among women" (Lu 1:42); "Blessed are the poor in spirit" (Mt 5:3).
See BEATITUDES.
שָׁלֵם (shalam) is a Hebrew root meaning to be complete or sound, covering a range of meanings from finishing or restoring to making peace. It can refer to being uninjured, completing a task, or making recompense. The verb also has a denominative form indicating a covenant of peace, suggesting relationships of harmony and safety.
[שָׁלֵם] 103 vb. be complete, sound
Qal
be complete, finished, ended
be sound, uninjured
Pi.
complete, finish, temple
make safe
make whole or good, restore
make good, i.e. pay, vows
requite, recompense, reward
Pu.
be performed, of vow
be repaid, requited
Hiph.
complete, perform
make an end of
base
[שָׁלַם] vb. denom. be in covenant of peace
Qal be at peace
Pu. Pt. one in covt. of peace
Hiph.
make peace with
cause to be at peace
Hoph. live at peace with
base
H7999a שָׁלֵם be complete, sound .. be complete, finished, ended
. be sound, uninjured
. . complete, finish, temple
. make safe
. make whole or good, restore
. make good, i.e. pay, vows
. requite, recompense, reward
. . be performed, of vow
. be repaid, requited
. . complete, perform
. make an end of
H7999b [שָׁלַם] vb. denom. be in covenant of peace .be at peace
. Pt. one in covt. of peace
. . make peace with
. cause to be at peace
. live at peace with
7999 shalam shaw-lam'
a primitive root; to be safe (in mind, body or estate);
figuratively, to be (causatively, make) completed; by
implication, to be friendly; by extension, to reciprocate (in
various applications):--make amends, (make an) end, finish,
full, give again, make good, (re-)pay (again), (make) (to) (be
at) peace(-able), that is perfect, perform, (make)
prosper(-ous), recompense, render, requite, make restitution,
restore, reward, X surely.
שָׁלֵם (sa.lem) — to complete.
1) to be complete, be sound
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to be complete, be finished, be ended
1a2) to be sound, be uninjured
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to complete, finish
1b2) to make safe
1b3) to make whole or good, restore, make compensation
1b4) to make good, pay
1b5) to requite, recompense, reward
1c) (Pual)
1c1) to be performed
1c2) to be repaid, be requited
1d) (Hiphil)
1d1) to complete, perform
1d2) to make an end of
Aramaic equivalent: she.lam (שְׁלֵם "be complete" H8000)
שָׁלַם (sha.lam) — to ally.
1) to be in a covenant of peace, be at peace
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to be at peace
1a2) peaceful one (participle)
1b) (Pual) one in covenant of peace (participle)
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to make peace with
1c2) to cause to be at peace
1d) (Hophal) to live in peace
Rel | V-Piel-Imperf-3ms — Particle · verb piel imperfect third person masculine singularHTr/Vpi3ms
ךְ (kh) — you.
Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 2nd person feminine singular
HR/Sp2fs — Preposition · suffixHR/Sp2fs
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).
אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
base
H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
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
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)
HTo — ParticleHTo
גְּמוּל (gmuwl) refers to dealing, recompense, or benefit, encompassing acts of good or ill and implying service or requital. It is built from the root meaning treatment or act, and covers concepts of reward and deserving. The term appears in contexts related to how one has been treated or compensated.
גְּמוּל n.m. dealing, recompense, benefit
base
H1576 גְּמוּל dealing, recompense, benefit
1576 gmuwl ghem-ool'
from 1580; treatment, i.e. an act (of good or ill); by
implication, service or requital:--+ as hast served, benefit,
desert, deserving, that which he hath given, recompense,
reward.
see HEBREW for 01580
גְּמוּל (ge.mul) — recompense.
1) dealing, recompense, benefit
1a) dealing (of one's hand)
1b) recompense
1c) benefit
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHNcmsc/Sp2fs
גָּמַל (gamal) is a Hebrew root meaning to deal fully or adequately with someone, which includes concepts like recompensing or rewarding. It also specifically refers to weaning a child and can denote the ripening of fruit, particularly almonds. The entries consistently highlight these meanings without significant disagreement.
גָּמַל vb. 1. deal fully or adequately with, deal out to. 2. wean. 3. ripen
Qal
deal out to, do to
deal bountifully with
recompense, repay, requite
wean a child (complete his nursing)
trans. ripen, bear ripe (almonds)
Niph. be weaned
base
H1580 גָּמַל 1. deal fully or adequately with, deal out to. 2. wean. 3. ripen
1580 gamal gaw-mal'
a primitive root; to treat a person (well or ill), i.e.
benefit or requite; by implication (of toil), to ripen, i.e.
(specifically) to wean:--bestow on, deal bountifully, do
(good), recompense, requite, reward, ripen, + serve, mean,
yield.
גָּמַל (ga.mal) — to wean.
1) to deal fully with, recompense
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to deal out to, do to
1a2) to deal bountifully with
1a3) to recompense, repay, requite
2) (Qal) to wean a child (Niphal) to be weaned
3) (Qal) to ripen, bear ripe (almonds)
Rel | V-Qal-Perf-2fs — Particle · verb qal perfect second person feminine singularHTr/Vqp2fs
נוּ (nu) — us.
Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 1st person plural
HR/Sp1bp — Preposition · suffixHR/Sp1bp
US, pronoun objective case of we.
Give us this day our daily bread.
Us , pron. [OE. us, AS. s; akin to OFries. & OS. s, D. ons, G. uns, Icel. & Sw. oss, Dan. os, Goth. uns, L. nos we, us, Gr. we, Skr. nas us. . Cf. Nostrum, Our.] The persons speaking, regarded as an object; ourselves; — the objective case of we. See We. “Tell us a tale.” Chaucer.
Give us this day our daily bread. Matt. vi. 11.
Us, pron. oblique case of we