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Psalms 139:2 — Word Study

Depth

WLCאַתָּ֣ה יָ֭דַעְתָּ שִׁבְתִּ֣י וְקוּמִ֑י בַּ֥נְתָּה לְ֝רֵעִ֗י מֵרָחֽוֹק׃

BSAYouʼattâh [the personal God] knowyâdaʻ [are intimately aware of, perceive] when I sityâshab [am seated, dwell] and when I riseqûwm [stand up, get up] You understandbîyn [the all-knowing God, discern, comprehend] my thoughtsrêaʻ [ideas, intentions] from afarrâchôwq [at a distance, far off]

Word
Listen & take awayPsalms 139
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 2 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (me.ra.Chok) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Psalms 139:2quick helps
In a sentenceThe psalmist expresses God's intimate knowledge of his actions and thoughts.
Who is speakingThe psalmist, addressing God directly.
Where we areIn a meditation on God's omniscience and care.
The hard wordיָדַעְתָּ
Take awayGod is aware of every aspect of our lives.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectאַתָּה verbיָדַע 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 139:2

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

Context — The Omniscience of Godgenerated

1O LORD, You have searched me and known me.
2You know when I sit and when I rise; You understand my thoughts from afar.
3You search out my path and my lying down; You are aware of all my ways.
4Even before a word is on my tongue, You know all about it, O LORD.

Psalm 139:2 reveals the profound understanding that God has of the psalmist's life. The psalmist acknowledges that God is aware of his actions, both when he is seated and when he rises, indicating God's constant presence and awareness. This theme of divine knowledge continues throughout the psalm, emphasizing God's intimate relationship with humanity.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Psalm 56:8You have taken account of my wanderings. Put my tears in Your bottle— are they not in Your book?
2Genesis 16:13So Hagar gave this name to the LORD who had spoken to her: “You are the God who sees me, ” for she said, “Here I have seen the One who sees me!”
32 Kings 6:12But one of his servants replied, “No one, my lord the king. For Elisha, the prophet in Israel, tells the king of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom.”
42 Kings 19:27But I know your sitting down, your going out and coming in, and your raging against Me.
5Proverbs 15:3The eyes of the LORD are in every place, observing the evil and the good.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 13 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word יָדַעְתָּ, Ya.da'.tagenerated

The verb יָדַע (yada`) means 'to know' and encompasses a range of meanings including perception, recognition, and experience. It indicates a deep, intimate knowledge, suggesting that God is not just aware of facts but understands the psalmist's heart and intentions.

In this verse, the second-person singular form יָדַעְתָּ (ya.da'.ta) emphasizes the personal relationship between the psalmist and God. It conveys that God knows the psalmist's actions and thoughts intimately, highlighting the closeness of their connection.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

All translations agree on the essential meaning of the verse, emphasizing God's knowledge of the psalmist's actions and thoughts.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The finite verb יָדַעְתָּ (you know) governs the sentence, with two clauses following: one describing the actions of sitting and rising, and the other stating God's understanding of thoughts. This structure reflects the psalmist's acknowledgment of God's comprehensive awareness.

The Hebrew word order places emphasis on God's knowledge first, setting the stage for the subsequent details about the psalmist's actions and thoughts.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates יָדַעְתָּ as ἔγνως (egnōs), which also means 'to know.' This choice maintains the intimate and personal aspect of God's knowledge, aligning closely with the Hebrew text.

The use of σὺ (sy) for 'you' further emphasizes the direct relationship between God and the psalmist.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalm 139:2 tells us that God knows when the psalmist sits and when he rises. God understands the psalmist's thoughts even from a distance, showing His deep awareness of the psalmist's life.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that God knows my thoughts?

It means that God is aware of our innermost intentions and feelings, understanding us deeply and completely.

How does God know when I sit and when I rise?

This indicates that God is always aware of our actions and movements, showing His constant presence in our lives.

Why is it significant that God understands thoughts from afar?

It emphasizes that God's knowledge is not limited by distance; He comprehends our thoughts regardless of where we are.

What does this verse teach about God's relationship with us?

It illustrates that God is intimately involved in our lives, knowing us personally and caring for us deeply.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways have I felt God's awareness in my daily actions?
  2. How can I be more mindful of my thoughts, knowing that God understands them?
  3. What comfort does it bring to know that God is aware of my struggles and triumphs?
  4. How can I cultivate a deeper relationship with God, recognizing His intimate knowledge of me?

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

Augustine of Hippo comments on this verse, exploring the meanings of sitting and rising in relation to humility and God's knowledge.

Augustine of HippoExposition on Psalms 139 354–430
"You have known My down-sitting and Mine up-rising" [Psalms 139:2]. What here is "down-sitting," what "up-rising"? He who sits, humbles himself.
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 139 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 139:2 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising,.... Here the psalmist proceeds to observe the particular circumstances and actions of his life, which were known to God; as his "downsitting", either to

Read John Gill on Psalms 139 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou knowest my down-sitting and mine up-rising - "my down-sitting," to rest after work, and "mine up-rising," to go to work (Psalms 127:2).

Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 139 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Known me, i.e. known me exactly, as men do those things which they diligently search out. My downsitting and mine uprising; all my postures and motions, my actions and my cessations from action. My thought; all my secret counsels and designs. Afar off; before they are perfectly formed in my mind. Thou knowest what my thoughts will be in such and such circumstances long before I know it, yea, from all eternity.

Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 139 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Psalms 139:2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.Ver. 2. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising] All my postures, gestures, practices, sive sedeam, sive surgam, whether I sit, stand, walk, lie; thou searchest and knowest all. Some search, but know not; thou dost both; thine eyes behold, thine eyelids try, the children of men, Psalms 11:4. Thou understandest my thought] Heb. my familiar thoughts, such as I am delighted in; voluntatem meam, some render it, my will; others, propinquitatem meam, my nearness, and that afar off, even from heaven, being intimo meo mihi intimior, not so far from me as the bark is from the tree, the skin from…

Read John Trapp on Psalms 139 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(2) Down-sitting and uprising—as in Deuteronomy 6:7, to denote the whole daily life—business and rest. Thought.—An Aramaic form found nowhere else, but, from one possible derivation (“companion”), meaning the thoughts which are inseparable companions, most intimate thoughts.Comp. Macbeth 3:2: “How now, my lord? Why do you keep alone, Of sorriest fancies your companions making?” Afar off.—Exactly as in Psalms 138:6. Jehovah notes and recognises the proud from afar off, so here though He has His home in heaven He knows what are the thoughts and feelings amid which a man habitually lives. (Comp. Job 22:12-13.) The Hebrew expression literally means, thou hast intelligence as to my thought from…

Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 139 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 2. My downsitting and mine uprising] Even these inconsiderable and casual things are under thy continual notice. I cannot so much as take a seat, or leave it, without being marked by thee. Thou understandest my thought] לרעי lerei, "my cogitation." This word is Chaldee, see Daniel 2:29-30. Afar off.] While the figment is forming that shall produce them.

Read AdamClarke on Psalms 139 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

2. Thou knowest] Thou is emphatic. It is God alone Who possesses this absolute knowledge of His creatures. my downsitting and mine uprising] My whole life, at rest or in activity. Cp. Psalms 127:2; Deuteronomy 6:7. thought] The word used here and in Psalms 139:17 is an Aramaism, found here only in the O.T. afar off] Cp. Psalms 138:6; Jeremiah 23:23. The P.B.V. long before is also a possible rendering. Neither space nor time exist for God.

Read Cambridge on Psalms 139 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Thou knowest my downsitting ... - In the various circumstances of life, thou knowest me. Thou knowest me in one place as well as in another.

Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 139 →

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

You know when I sit and when I rise; You understand my thoughts from afar.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

You know my sitting down and my rising up. You perceive my thoughts from afar.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

You know when I sit and when I rise; You understand my thoughts from afar.

NETBNew English Translation2006

You know when I sit down and when I get up; even from far away you understand my motives.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising; Thou understandest my thought afar off.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Thou knowest my down-sitting and my up rising, thou understandest my thought afar off.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Thou knowest my sitting and my rising: thou vnderstandest my thought afarre off.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Thou knowest my down-sitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off;

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Thou — Thou hast known my sitting down, And my rising up, Thou hast attended to my thoughts from afar.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

You have known my sitting down, || And my rising up, || You have attended to my thoughts from afar.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Thou indeed knowest my sitting down and my rising up, thou understandest my thinking while yet afar off.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

You know when I sit down and when I get up; you understand my thoughts from far away.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil man: rescue me from the unjust man.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

You know when I sit down and when I get up. You know what I'm thinking even when I'm a long way away.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

You have knowledge when I am seated and when I get up, you see my thoughts from far away.

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.

clausesubjectאַתָּ֣הyouverbיָ֭דַעְתָּyou.knownoun phrase · objectnoun phraseclauseverbשִׁבְתִּ֣sittingsubjectיmyוְandnoun phraseclauseverbקוּמִ֑standingsubjectיmyclauseverbבַּ֥נְתָּהyou.understandprepositional phrase · prepositionalלְ֝(to)noun phraseרֵעִ֗thought[s]יmyprepositional phrase · prepositionalמֵfromרָחֽוֹקa.distance

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


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

The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree on the wording of this verse, with all seven Hebrew words matched in the Septuagint translation, indicating a consistent understanding of God's omniscience.

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

אַתָּ֣ה יָ֭דַעְתָּ שִׁבְתִּ֣י וְקוּמִ֑י בַּ֥נְתָּה לְ֝רֵעִ֗י מֵרָחֽוֹק׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
אַתָּ֣הσὺיָ֭דַעְתָּἔγνωςשִׁבְתִּ֣יμουוְקוּמִ֑יμουבַּ֥נְתָּהσυνῆκαςלְ֝רֵעִ֗יμουמֵרָחֽוֹק׃μακρόθεν

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.

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 139:2אַתָּ֫הyouyouאַתָּ֫היָדַעyou knowyou knowיָדַעיָשַׁבsitting mysitting myיָשַׁבלֵבand standinand standing myלֵבבִּיןyou understyou understandבִּיןרֵעַthought[s] thought[s] myרֵעַרָחֹקfrom a distfrom a distanceרָחֹקבֵּית־עֵ֫קֶדHouse of SHouse of Shepheבֵּית־עֵ֫קֶדרָחַקto removeto removeרָחַקיָרַשׁto possessto possess: posיָרַשׁאֲנִיIIאֲנִיבִּיןto understto understandבִּיןבֶּ֫טַחsecuritysecurityבֶּ֫טַחכְּנַעֲנִיCanaanitesCanaanitessכְּנַעֲנִינֶ֫דֶרvowvowנֶ֫דֶרעֵדwitnesswitnessעֵדדַּ֫עַתknowledgeknowledgeדַּ֫עַתחָכָםwisewiseחָכָםקָרֹבnearnearקָרֹבקָצֶהendendקָצֶה
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 139:2

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.

you you know sitting my and standing my you understand thought[s] my from a distance
אַתָּ֣ה'a.Tah you H859 Pronoun
1,094× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
You is the translation of a Hebrew word used to address someone directly, like when God says you to someone in the Bible. It can be singular or plural, and is often translated as thee, thou, or ye.
Amplified meaning
the personal God
Tyndale gloss
you(m.s.)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אַתָּ֫ה (attah) is a second-person pronoun in Hebrew, used to address someone directly. It has masculine and feminine forms: אַתָּה for singular masculine, אַתְּ for singular feminine, אַתֶּם for plural masculine, and אַתֵּן for plural feminine. The entries indicate variations in form and usage, reflecting the pronoun's grammatical complexity.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אַתָּ֫ה, אָ֑תָּה pron. 2 s. m. thou

base

אתי, i.e. אתִּי, the older & more original form of אַתְּ thou (fem.)

base

אַתְּ, אָ֑תְּ pron. 2 s. f. thou (fem.)

base

אַתֶּם pron. 2 m. pl. you (masc.)

base

אַתֵּן pron. 2 f. pl. you (fem.)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H859a אַתָּ֫ה, אָ֑תָּה pron. 2 s. m. thou H859b אתי, i.e. אתִּי, the older & more original form of אַתְּ thou (fem.) H859c אַתְּ, אָ֑תְּ pron. 2 s. f. thou (fem.) H859d אַתֶּם pron. 2 m. pl. you (masc.) H859e אַתֵּן pron. 2 f. pl. you (fem.)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

859 'attah at-taw'

or (shortened); aatta {at-taw'}; or wath {ath}; feminine

(irregular) sometimes nattiy {at-tee'}; plural masculine attem

{at- tem'}; feminine atten {at-ten'}; or oattenah

{at-tay'naw}; or fattennah {at-tane'-naw}; a primitive pronoun

of the second person; thou and thee, or (plural) ye and

you:--thee, thou, ye, you.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אַתָּ֫ה (at.tah) — you(m.s.).

you (second pers. sing. masc.)

אתִּי (ti) — you(f.s.).

you (second pers. sing. fem.)

A grammatical form of at.tah (אַתָּ֫ה "you(m.s.)" H0859A)

אַתְּ (at.te) — you(f.s.).

you (second pers. sing. fem.)

A grammatical form of at.tah (אַתָּ֫ה "you(m.s.)" H0859A)

אַתֶּם (at.tem) — you(m.p.).

you (second pers. pl. masc.)

Aramaic equivalent: an.tun (אַנְתּוּן "you" H0608)

אַתֵּן (at.ten) — you(f.p.).

you (second pers. pl. fem.)

A grammatical form of at.tah (אַתָּ֫ה "you(m.s.)" H0859A)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Pron — Pronoun
HPp2ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
you you know sitting my and standing my you understand thought[s] my from a distance
יָ֭דַעְתָּYa.da'.ta you know H3045 Verb · Qal · perfect second person masculine singular
945× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for to know means to ascertain by seeing, and is used in many senses, including to learn, perceive, and recognize, as seen in various KJV translations.
Amplified meaning
are intimately aware of, perceive
Tyndale gloss
to know
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָדַע (yada`) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to know,' encompassing a wide range of senses including perception, recognition, and experience. It can refer to knowing someone intimately or being skilled in a task. The word has various forms, indicating actions such as making known or being made known. Lexicons note its use in both literal and figurative contexts, but there is no significant disagreement among them.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָדַע 943 vb. know

Qal

know, learn to know

perceive

perceive and see; find out and discern

discriminate, distinguish

know by experience

recognize, admit, acknowledge, confess

consider

not know = not expect

know a person, be acquainted with

know a person carnally, of sexual intercourse

know how, to do a thing, be able to do it

be skilful in

abs. have knowledge, be wise

Niph.

be made known, be or become known, of things

make oneself known of pers.

be perceived

be instructed

Pi. cause to know

Pu. known

Hiph. make known, declare

Hoph. made known

Hithp. make oneself known

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3045 יָדַע know .. . know, learn to know

. perceive

. perceive and see; find out and discern

. discriminate, distinguish

. know by experience

. recognize, admit, acknowledge, confess

. consider

. not know = not expect

. know a person, be acquainted with

. know a person carnally, of sexual intercourse

. . know how, to do a thing, be able to do it

. be skilful in

. abs. have knowledge, be wise

. . be made known, be or become known, of things

. make oneself known of pers.

. be perceived

. be instructed

. cause to know

. known

. make known, declare

. made known

. make oneself known

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3045 yada` yaw-dah'

a primitive root; to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing);

used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally,

euphemistically and inferentially (including observation,

care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation,

punishment, etc.) (as follow):--acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted

with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware,

(un-)awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, X

could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to)

discern, discover, endued with, familiar friend, famous, feel,

can have, be (ig-)norant, instruct, kinsfolk, kinsman, (cause

to let, make) know, (come to give, have, take) knowledge, have

(knowledge), (be, make, make to be, make self) known, + be

learned, + lie by man, mark, perceive, privy to, X

prognosticator, regard, have respect, skilful, shew, can (man

of) skill, be sure, of a surety, teach, (can) tell,

Read the full entry →
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָדַע (ya.da) — to know.

1) to know

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to know

1a1a) to know, learn to know

1a1b) to perceive

1a1c) to perceive and see, find out and discern

1a1d) to discriminate, distinguish

1a1e) to know by experience

1a1f) to recognise, admit, acknowledge, confess

1a1g) to consider

1a2) to know, be acquainted with

1a3) to know (a person carnally)

1a4) to know how, be skilful in

1a5) to have knowledge, be wise

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be made known, be or become known, be revealed

1b2) to make oneself known

1b3) to be perceived

1b4) to be instructed

1c) (Piel) to cause to know

1d) (Poal) to cause to know

1e) (Pual)

1e1) to be known

1e2) known, one known, acquaintance (participle)

1f) (Hiphil) to make known, declare

1g) (Hophal) to be made known

1h) (Hithpael) to make oneself known, reveal oneself

Aramaic equivalent: ye.da (יְדַע "to know" H3046)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-2ms — Verb · Qal · perfect second person masculine singular
HVqp2ms
you you know sitting my and standing my you understand thought[s] my from a distance
שִׁבְתִּ֣יshiv.Ti sitting my H3427 Verb qal infinitive construct common · suffix
1,079× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to sit or dwell, and can also mean to remain or abide. It's used in the Bible to describe people living in a place or staying with someone, like in the book of Genesis.
Amplified meaning
am seated, dwell
Tyndale gloss
to dwell
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָשַׁב (yashab) is a Hebrew verb meaning to sit, remain, or dwell. It encompasses a range of actions from simply sitting down to more complex ideas like establishing a home or causing a place to be inhabited. The entries indicate various forms, including Qal (to sit), Niphal (to be inhabited), and Hiphil (to cause to dwell). There is an Aramaic equivalent, יְתִב (ye.tiv), meaning 'to dwell'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָשַׁב 1090 vb. sit, remain, dwell

Qal

sit

sit, sit down

sit down

sit = be set (as a jewel)

remain, stay, tarry

with special emphasis of qualifying phr.

dwell, have one’s abode

of a land or city, sit, abide, seated in its place, fig. for be inhabited

Niph. be inhabited, of land

Pi. and they shall set their encampments in thee

Hiph.

cause to sit

cause to abide

cause to dwell

cause cities to be inhabited

marry (prop. give a dwelling to)

Hoph. and ye be made to dwell alone in the midst of the land

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3427 יָשַׁב sit, remain, dwell

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3427 yashab yaw-shab'

a primitive root; properly, to sit down (specifically as

judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to

remain; causatively, to settle, to marry:--(make to)

abide(-ing), continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-ing), ease

self, endure, establish, X fail, habitation, haunt, (make to)

inhabit(-ant), make to keep (house), lurking, X marry(-ing),

(bring again to) place, remain, return, seat, set(- tle),

(down-)sit(-down, still, -ting down, -ting (place) -uate),

take, tarry.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָשַׁב (ya.shav) — to dwell.

1) to dwell, remain, sit, abide

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to sit, sit down

1a2) to be set

1a3) to remain, stay

1a4) to dwell, have one's abode

1b) (Niphal) to be inhabited

1c) (Piel) to set, place

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to cause to sit

1d2) to cause to abide, set

1d3) to cause to dwell

1d4) to cause (cities) to be inhabited

1d5) to marry (give an dwelling to)

1e) (Hophal)

1e1) to be inhabited

1e2) to make to dwell

Aramaic equivalent: ye.tiv (יְתִב "to dwell" H3488)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Inf-a | Suff — Verb qal infinitive construct common · suffix
HVqcc/Sp1bs
you you know sitting my and standing my you understand thought[s] my from a distance
וְקוּמִ֑יve.ku.Mi and standing my H6965 Conjunction · verb qal infinitive construct common · suffix
628× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Qum means to rise or stand up, used in various contexts like rising to power or standing firm, as seen in Jeremiah and Ezra.
Amplified meaning
stand up, get up
Tyndale gloss
(Leb)-kamai
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word קוּם (qum) is a primitive root meaning 'to rise' and encompasses a range of actions such as standing, becoming powerful, and establishing. It can imply a sudden or hostile rise, as well as the act of fulfilling or confirming something. The entries also note various grammatical forms, indicating its use in different contexts, including raising up or causing to stand.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לֵב קָמָי prob. late Atbash Je 51:1.

ref

קוּם 628 vb. arise, stand up, stand

Qal 460

arise

arise, in hostile sense (oft. with idea of suddenness)

arise, abs., = become powerful

arise = come on the scene, appear, of leader, prophet

arise for, i.e. to become

arise for action

arise (out of inaction), introducing some specific deed

esp. arise = start, make a move, to go somewhere

stand

Pi.

fulfil

confirm, ratify

confirm, establish

impose, an obligation

Pō‛l. raise up

Hithpō‛l. raise oneself, = rise up

Hiph.

146cause to arise, raise

raise, set up, stones

erect, build

fig, of setting up law

raise up = bring on the scene

raise up = rouse, stir up

instigate, build

fig, of setting up law

raise up = constitute

cause to stand

Hoph. be raised up

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6965a לֵב קָמָי prob. late Atbash H6965b קוּם arise, stand up, stand .. arise

. arise, in hostile sense (oft. with idea of suddenness)

. arise, abs., = become powerful

. arise = come on the scene, appear, of leader, prophet

. arise for, i.e. to become

. . arise for action

. arise (out of inaction), introducing some specific deed

. esp. arise = start, make a move, to go somewhere

. stand

. . fulfil

. . confirm, ratify

. confirm, establish

. impose, an obligation

. raise up

. raise oneself, = rise up

. . cause to arise, raise

. . raise, set up, stones

. erect, build

. fig, of setting up law

. raise up = bring on the scene

. . raise up = rouse, stir up

. instigate, build

. fig, of setting up law

. raise up = constitute

. cause to stand

. be raised up

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6965 quwm koom

a primitive root; to rise (in various applications, literal,

figurative, intensive and causative):--abide, accomplish, X

be clearer, confirm, continue, decree, X be dim, endure, X

enemy, enjoin, get up, make good, help, hold, (help to) lift

up (again), make, X but newly, ordain, perform, pitch, raise

(up), rear (up), remain, (a-)rise (up) (again, against), rouse

up, set (up), (e-)stablish, (make to) stand (up), stir up,

strengthen, succeed, (as-, make) sure(-ly), (be) up(-hold, -

rising).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קָמָי (qa.may) — (Leb)-kamai.

Combined with lev (לֵב "Leb" H3820B)

§ -Kamai = "my adversary"

Leb-kamai, i.e., people of Gambulai

קוּם (qum) — to arise: rise.

: rise/get_going

1) to rise, arise, stand, rise up, stand up

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to arise

1a2) to arise (hostile sense)

1a3) to arise, become powerful

1a4) to arise, come on the scene

1a5) to stand

1a5a) to maintain oneself

1a5b) to be established, be confirmed

1a5c) to stand, endure

1a5d) to be fixed

1a5e) to be valid

1a5f) to be proven

1a5g) to be fulfilled

1a5h) to persist

1a5i) to be set, be fixed

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to fulfil

1b2) to confirm, ratify, establish, impose

1c) (Polel) to raise up

1d) (Hithpael) to raise oneself, rise up

1e) (Hiphil)

1e1) to cause to arise, raise

1e2) to raise, set up, erect, build

1e3) to raise up, bring on the scene

1e4) to raise up, rouse, stir up, investigate

1e5) to raise up, constitute

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-Inf-a | Suff — Conjunction · verb qal infinitive construct common · suffix
HC/Vqcc/Sp1bs
you you know sitting my and standing my you understand thought[s] my from a distance
בַּ֥נְתָּהBan.tah you understand H995 Verb · Qal · perfect second person masculine singular
170× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To understand or discern, this verb means to separate mentally and know something with your mind, as seen in Proverbs where it talks about gaining insight.
Amplified meaning
the all-knowing God, discern, comprehend
Tyndale gloss
to understand
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בִּין (biyn) is a Hebrew verb meaning to discern or understand. It encompasses a range of meanings including perceiving, considering, and teaching, with various forms indicating different nuances, such as being intelligent or discreet. The entries highlight its use in contexts requiring mental separation or insight, but do not present any significant disagreement among lexicographers.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בִּין vb. discern

Qal

perceive

understand, know (with mind)

observe, mark, give heed to, distinguish, consider (with attention)

have discernment, insight, understanding

Niph. be intelligent, discreet, discerning, distinguish, have understanding

Po. he attentively considereth him

Hiph.

understand

give heed to, attend to, observe, discern

give understanding, make understand, teach

Hithp.

shew oneself attentive, consider diligently

get understanding, understand

shew oneself to have understanding

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H995 בִּין discern .. perceive

. understand, know (with mind)

. observe, mark, give heed to, distinguish, consider (with attention)

. have discernment, insight, understanding

. be intelligent, discreet, discerning, distinguish, have understanding

. he attentively considereth him

. . understand

. give heed to, attend to, observe, discern

. give understanding, make understand, teach

. . shew oneself attentive, consider diligently

. get understanding, understand

. shew oneself to have understanding

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

995 biyn bene

a primitive root; to separate mentally (or distinguish),

i.e.(generally) understand:--attend, consider, be cunning,

diligently, direct, discern, eloquent, feel, inform, instruct,

have intelligence, know, look well to, mark, perceive, be

prudent, regard, (can) skill(-full), teach, think, (cause,

make to, get, give, have) understand(-ing), view, (deal)

wise(-ly, man).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בִּין (bin) — to understand.

1) to discern, understand, consider

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to perceive, discern

1a2) to understand, know (with the mind)

1a3) to observe, mark, give heed to, distinguish, consider

1a4) to have discernment, insight, understanding

1b) (Niphal) to be discerning, intelligent, discreet, have understanding

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to understand

1c2) to cause to understand, give understanding, teach

1d) (Hithpolel) to show oneself discerning or attentive, consider diligently

1e) (Polel) to teach, instruct

2) (TWOT) prudent, regard

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-2ms — Verb · Qal · perfect second person masculine singular
HVqp2ms
you you know sitting my and standing my you understand thought[s] my from a distance
לְ֝רֵעִ֗יle.re.'I thought[s] my H7454 Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
2× 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 a thought or idea, often referring to a person's intention or purpose. It appears in various books, including Proverbs and Psalms. This concept is key to understanding human decision-making.
Amplified meaning
ideas, intentions
Tyndale gloss
thought
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רֵעַ (rea') is a Hebrew word meaning 'thought,' 'purpose,' or 'aim.' It is derived from another root, רֵעַ (H7462), and is categorized as a masculine noun. The entries consistently emphasize its connection to ideas and intentions.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[רֵעַ] n.[m.] purpose, aim

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7454 רֵעַ

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7454 rea` ray'-ah

from 7462; a thought (as association of ideas):--thought.

see HEBREW for 07462

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רֵעַ (re.a) — thought.

purpose, aim, thought

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms | Suff — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HR/Ncmsc/Sp1bs
you you know sitting my and standing my you understand thought[s] my from a distance
מֵרָחֽוֹק׃me.ra.Chok from a distance H7350 Preposition
84× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means something or someone is far away, either physically or in time. It is often used to describe distant lands or events that happened long ago. In the Bible, it appears in books like Genesis and Psalms.
Amplified meaning
at a distance, far off
Tyndale gloss
distant
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רָחֹק (rachowq) means distant or far, and can refer to both physical distance and time. It can also denote a sense of remoteness or preciousness. The word can be used adverbially and is associated with the concept of distance in various contexts, including distant lands or times.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רָחֹק, רָחוֹק adj. distant, far, et n.m. distance

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7350 רָחֹק, רָחוֹק distant, far, distance

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7350 rachowq raw-khoke'

or rachoq {raw-khoke'}; from 7368; remote, literally or

figuratively, of place or time; specifically, precious; often

used adverbially (with preposition):--(a-)far (abroad, off),

long ago, of old, space, great while to come.

see HEBREW for 07368

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רָחֹק (ra.choq) — distant.

adj

1) remote, far, distant, distant lands, distant ones

1a) of distance, time

n m

2) distance

2a) from a distance (with prep)

Aramaic equivalent: ra.chiq (רְחִיק "far" H7352)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | Adj — Preposition
HR/Aamsa
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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