Psalms 139:7 — Word Study
WLCאָ֭נָ֥ה אֵלֵ֣ךְ מֵרוּחֶ֑ךָ וְ֝אָ֗נָה מִפָּנֶ֥יךָ אֶבְרָֽח׃
BSAWhereʼân [in what location or direction] to escape Your Spiritrûwach [the breath of life, Your divine presence] Whereʼân [to what place] can I fleebârach▸ [run away quickly] from Your presencepânîym [face, being before You]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| אָ֭נָ֥ה | where? | Particle |
| אֵלֵ֣ךְ | will I go | Verb, Qal, imperfect first person common singular |
| מֵרוּחֶ֑ךָ | from spirit your | Preposition, noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
| וְ֝אָ֗נָה | and where? | Conjunction, particle |
| מִפָּנֶ֥יךָ | from presence your | Preposition, noun common masculine plural construct, suffix |
| אֶבְרָֽח׃ | will I flee | Verb, Qal, imperfect first person common singular |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Where can I go to escape Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence? |
| KJV | Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? |
| ASV | Whither shall I go from thy Spirit? Or whither shall I flee from thy presence? |
| YLT | Whither do I go from Thy Spirit? And whither from Thy face do I flee? |
| WEB | Where could I go from your Spirit? Or where could I flee from your presence? |
| BBE | Where may I go from your spirit? how may I go in flight from you? |
The translations agree on the meaning of the verse, consistently conveying the psalmist's inquiry about escaping God's Spirit and presence.
The verse consists of two main clauses, each posing a question about escaping God's presence and Spirit.







8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbהלך
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 139:7
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 Omnipresence of Godgenerated
Psalms 139:7 reflects the psalmist's contemplation of God's omnipresence, exploring the idea that no matter where one goes, God's Spirit is always present. This theme is echoed throughout the psalm, emphasizing the inescapable nature of God's presence in both the heights of heaven and the depths of Sheol, as seen in verse 8.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jeremiah 23:23–24 | “Am I only a God nearby,” declares the LORD, “and not a God far away?” |
| 2 | Jonah 1:3–10 | Jonah, however, got up to flee to Tarshish, away from the presence of the LORD. He went down to Joppa and found a ship bound for Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went aboard to sail for Tarshish, away from the presence of the LORD. |
| 3 | Acts 5:9 | “How could you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord?” Peter replied. “Look, the feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.” |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 3 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — רוּחַ, ruachgenerated
The Hebrew word רוּחַ (ruach) means breath, wind, or spirit. It is often used to refer to the divine presence or the breath of life. The parsing indicates that it is a feminine noun in the singular form, suggesting a personal and active presence.
In this verse, רוּחַ emphasizes the idea that God's Spirit is not just a force but a living presence that cannot be escaped. This understanding of spirit encompasses both the physical and the spiritual realms.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The translations agree on the meaning of the verse, consistently conveying the psalmist's inquiry about escaping God's Spirit and presence.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The verse is structured around two main clauses, each beginning with a question: the first asks about escaping God's Spirit, and the second inquires about fleeing from His presence. The repetition of the word 'where' emphasizes the psalmist's search for an answer.
The use of the verbs אֵלֵךְ ('e.Lekh) and אֶבְרָח ('ev.Rach) indicates actions of going and fleeing, framing the psalmist's desperate inquiry.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates רוּחַ as πνεῦμα (pneuma), which also means spirit or breath. This choice aligns with the Hebrew meaning but emphasizes the spiritual aspect of God's presence.
The use of πνεῦμα in the LXX highlights the understanding of God's Spirit as an active force, further reinforcing the idea of His omnipresence.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalms 139:7 asks where one can go to escape God's Spirit and presence. The psalmist recognizes that no place is beyond God's reach, illustrating the belief in His constant presence.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It suggests a desire to find a place free from God's awareness, but the psalmist acknowledges that such a place does not exist.
It emphasizes God's omnipresence, showing that He is always with us, regardless of where we may go.
It illustrates the human experience of seeking distance from God, often in moments of fear or guilt.
Related verses include Jeremiah 23:23-24 and Jonah 1:3-10, both exploring God's omnipresence.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways have I felt God's presence in my life?
- How can I remind myself that I cannot escape from God's Spirit?
- What does it mean for me to know that God is always with me?
- How can I respond to the reality of God's presence in my daily life?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early church fathers have commented on the themes of divine presence and the nature of God as seen in this verse. Their insights reflect on the implications of God's omnipresence.
Since, therefore, all things are seen and heard, let us fear him and abandon the abominable lusts that spawn evil works, in order that we may be shielded by his mercy from the coming judgments.Early Church Fathers on Psalms 139 →
My mind, intent on the study of truth, took delight in these most pious teachings about God. For it did not consider any other thing worthy of God than that he is so far beyond the power of comprehension that the more the infinite spirit…Early Church Fathers on Psalms 139 →
If they really conceive of a kind of subordination of the Son in relation to the Father, as though he were in a lower place, so that the Father sits above and the Son is thrust off to the next seat below, let them confess what they mean.Early Church Fathers on Psalms 139 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 139:7 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleWhither shall I go from thy spirit?.... Or, "from thy wind?" which some interpret literally, the wind being God's creature; which he brings out of his treasures, and holds in his fists, and disposes
Read John Gill on Psalms 139 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryWhither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or where shall I flee from thy presence?
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 139 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleFrom thy spirit; either, 1. From the Holy Ghost, the third person in the Trinity: or, 2. From thee, who art a Spirit, and therefore canst penetrate into the most secret parts: or, 3. From thy mind or understanding, of which he is here speaking, as this word seems to be taken, , compared with ; for what there is called the spirit of the Lord, is here called the mind of the Lord. And as the Spirit of God is oft used in Scripture for its gifts and graces, so the spirit of God in this place may be put for that knowledge which is an attribute or action of God. From thy presence; a man can go to no place which is out of thy sight.
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 139 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 139:7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?Ver. 7. Whither shall I go from thy spirit?] Here he argueth God’ s omniscience from his omnipresence; and this the heathens also had heard of, as appeareth by their Iovis omnia plena; and - quascunque accesseris oras, Sub Iove semper eris, &c. Empedocles could say that God is a circle, whose centre is everywhere, whose circumference is nowhere. They could tell us that God is the soul of the world; and that as the soul is tota in tota, et tota in qualibet parte, so is he; that his eye is in every corner, &c.; to which purpose they so portrayed their goddess Minerva, that which way soever one cast his…
Read John Trapp on Psalms 139 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(7) Spirit.—If this clause stood alone we should naturally understand by God’s Spirit His creative and providential power, from which nothing can escape (comp. Psalms 104:30). But taken in parallelism with presence in the next clause the expression leads on to a thought towards which the theology of the Old Testament was dimly feeling, which it nearly reached in the Book of Wisdom. “The Spirit of the Lord filleth the world,” but which found its perfect expression in our Saviour’s announcement to the woman of Samaria.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 139 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 7. Whither shall I go from thy Spirit?] Surely רוח ruach in this sense must be taken personally, it certainly cannot mean either breath or wind; to render it so would make the passage ridiculous. From thy presence?] מפניך mippaneycha, "from thy faces." Why do we meet with this word so frequently in the plural number, when applied to God? And why have we his Spirit, and his appearances or faces, both here? A Trinitarian would at once say, "The plurality of persons in the Godhead is intended;" and who can prove that he is mistaken?
Read AdamClarke on Psalms 139 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges7–12. God is everywhere present: man cannot escape or hide himself.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 139 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleWhither shall I go from thy spirit? - Where shall I go where thy spirit is not; that is, where thou art not; where there is no God. The word “spirit” here does not refer particularly to the Holy Spirit, but to God “as” a spirit.
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
Where can I go to escape Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence?
Where could I go from your Spirit? Or where could I flee from your presence?
Where can I go to escape Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence?
Where can I go to escape your spirit? Where can I flee to escape your presence?
Tyndale line
Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
Whither shall I go from thy Spirit? Or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
Whither shall I from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
Whither shall I goe from thy Spirite? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
Strictly literal
Whither shall I go from thy Spirit? and whither flee from thy presence?
Whither do I go from Thy Spirit? And whither from Thy face do I flee?
To where do I go from Your Spirit? And to where do I flee from Your face?
Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee away from thy presence?
Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?
From the Latin
I said to the Lord: Thou art my God: hear, O Lord, the voice of my supplication.
Simplified
Where can I go that you're not already there? Where can I run to escape your presence?
Where may I go from your spirit? how may I go in flight from you?
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 for this verse, with five out of six words matching. This consistency reflects a shared understanding of the text's meaning across different traditions.
אָ֭נָ֥ה אֵלֵ֣ךְ מֵרוּחֶ֑ךָ וְ֝אָ֗נָה מִפָּנֶ֥יךָ אֶבְרָֽח׃
5 of the 6 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 139:7
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.
אָן (an) is an adverb meaning 'where?' or 'whither?'. It can also refer to time, asking 'when?' or 'how long?'. The word is derived from a root meaning to indicate place or time, and it is used in contexts that inquire about location or duration.
אָן adv. where? or whither?
base
H575 אָן where? or whither?
575 'an awn
or manah {aw-naw'}; contracted from 370; where?; hence,
whither?, when?; also hither and thither:--+ any (no)
whither, now, where, whither(-soever).
see HEBREW for 0370
אָן (an) — where?.
1) where?, whither? (of place)
2) when?, until when?, how long? (of time)
Adv — ParticleHTi
הָלַךְ (halak) means 'to go,' 'come,' or 'walk,' and covers a wide range of literal and figurative uses, including aspects of life and death. It can describe physical movement, moral conduct, and even influence on character. The verb appears in various forms, such as Qal, Piel, and Hithpael, indicating different nuances like leading or traversing.
הָלַךְ 1546 vb. go, come, walk
Qal Impf. usually (629 t.) as if from ילך
lit.
of persons
Also of animals, in similar meanings and combinations
in like manner of inanimate things
The inf. abs. is often used
as in other vbs., quite independently
to intensify meaning of finite form
most noteworthy is the joining of the Inf. abs.
with a following Inf. abs. denoting a simutaneous action or process, and so emphasizing duration or continuance
with a foll. vb. fin. c. ו consec. (rare)
in cases where vb. fin. is foll. by Inf. abs. adj. denoting progress, advance
twice, where vb. fin. is not הלך, but another vb. denoting motion
quite by itself
13 t. the Inf. abs. = Imv. & is followed by Pf. consec.
akin to the use of Inf. abs. are some instances of Pt.
In combination with other verbal forms
Fig.; the most common uses follow; in most the origin in a literal meaning is evident:
pass away, die
H1980 הָלַךְ go, come, walk .Impf. usually (629 t.) as if from ילך . lit. . of persons
. Also of animals, in similar meanings and combinations
. in like manner of inanimate things
. The inf. abs. is often used . as in other vbs., quite independently
. to intensify meaning of finite form
. most noteworthy is the joining of the Inf. abs. . with a following Inf. abs. denoting a simutaneous action or process, and so emphasizing duration or continuance
. with a foll. vb. fin. c. ו consec. (rare)
. in cases where vb. fin. is foll. by Inf. abs. + adj. denoting progress, advance
. twice, where vb. fin. is not הלך, but another vb. denoting motion
. quite by itself
. 13 t. the Inf. abs. = Imv. & is followed by Pf. consec.
. akin to the use of Inf. abs. are some instances of Pt.
. In combination with other verbal forms
1980 halak haw-lak'
akin to 3212; a primitive root; to walk (in a great variety
of applications, literally and figuratively):--(all) along,
apace, behave (self), come, (on) continually, be conversant,
depart, + be eased, enter, exercise (self), + follow, forth,
forward, get, go (about, abroad, along, away, forward, on,
out, up and down), + greater, grow, be wont to haunt, lead,
march, X more and more, move (self), needs, on, pass (away),
be at the point, quite, run (along), + send, speedily, spread,
still, surely, + tale-bearer, + travel(-ler), walk (abroad,
on, to and fro, up and down, to places), wander, wax,
(way-)faring man, X be weak, whirl.
see HEBREW for 03212
הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: went.
: went/go[away]
1) to go, walk, come
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away
1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.)
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to walk
1b2) to walk (fig.)
1c) (Hithpael)
1c1) to traverse
1c2) to walk about
1d) (Niphal) to lead, bring, lead away, carry, cause to walk
הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: come.
: come[nearer]
1) to go, walk, come
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away
1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.)
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to walk
1b2) to walk (fig.)
1c) (Hithpael)
1c1) to traverse
1c2) to walk about
1d) (Niphal) to lead, bring, lead away, carry, cause to walk
הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: walk.
: walk/move
1) to go, walk, come
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away
1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.)
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to walk
1b2) to walk (fig.)
1c) (Hithpael)
1c1) to traverse
HVqi1cs — Verb · Qal · imperfect first person common singularHVqi1cs
(halakh, yalakh, bo', yatsa'; ago, hupago, anabaino, erchomi, aperchomai, poreuomai): "Go" ("went," etc.) occurs very frequently in the English Bible, and is the translation of a great many different Hebrew and Greek terms. As the word implies movement of all kinds, physical and mental, it has naturally many applications.
1. In the Old Testament:
In the Old Testament halakh and yalakh are among the commonest words, meaning "to go" in its original sense of "to walk," but also in the most varied senses, according to the verbal conjugations, etc., the preposition attached, and the words in connection with which the terms stand; halakh and yalakh are often used figuratively (translated "to walk," etc.) for to live, to pursue a way of life, e.g. "to walk ever in his ways" (De 19:9; compare
רוּחַ (ruach) means breath, wind, or spirit. It encompasses various meanings, including the breath of life, emotional disposition, and the spirit of God. The term can refer to both physical phenomena, like wind, and abstract concepts, such as moral character or mental acts. Notably, it is used frequently in the context of divine inspiration and the Holy Spirit.
רוּחַ 378 n.f. (less oft. m.) breath, wind, spirit
breath of mouth or nostrils (33 t.)
wind (117 t.)
spirit, as that which breathes quickly in animation or agitation = temper, disposition (76 t.)
spirit of the living, breathing being
spirit as seat of emotion
occasionally (and late) = seat or organ of mental acts
rarely of the will
רוּחַ esp. of moral character
spirit of God (94 t.)
base
H7307 רוּחַ breath, wind, spirit . breath of mouth or nostrils (33 t.)
. wind (117 t.)
. spirit, as that which breathes quickly in animation or agitation = temper, disposition (76 t.)
. spirit of the living, breathing being
. spirit as seat of emotion
. occasionally (and late) = seat or organ of mental acts
. rarely of the will
. רוּחַ esp. of moral character
. spirit of God (94 t.)
7307 ruwach roo'-akh
from 7306; wind; by resemblance breath, i.e. a sensible (or
even violent) exhalation; figuratively, life, anger,
unsubstantiality; by extension, a region of the sky; by
resemblance spirit, but only of a rational being (including
its expression and functions):--air, anger, blast, breath, X
cool, courage, mind, X quarter, X side, spirit((-ual)),
tempest, X vain, ((whirl-))wind(-y).
see HEBREW for 07306
רוּחַ (ru.ach) — spirit.
: spirit
1) wind, breath, mind, spirit
1a) breath
1b) wind
1b1) of heaven
1b2) quarter (of wind), side
1b3) breath of air
1b4) air, gas
1b5) vain, empty thing
1c) spirit (as that which breathes quickly in animation or agitation)
1c1) spirit, animation, vivacity, vigour
1c2) courage
1c3) temper, anger
1c4) impatience, patience
1c5) spirit, disposition (as troubled, bitter, discontented)
1c6) disposition (of various kinds), unaccountable or uncontrollable impulse
1c7) prophetic spirit
1d) spirit (of the living, breathing being in man and animals)
1d1) as gift, preserved by God, God's spirit, departing at death, disembodied being
1e) spirit (as seat of emotion)
1e1) desire
1e2) sorrow, trouble
1f) spirit
1f1) as seat or organ of mental acts
1f2) rarely of the will
1f3) as seat especially of moral character
Prep | N-cs | Suff — Preposition · noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHR/Ncfsc/Sp2ms
אָן (an) is an adverb meaning 'where?' or 'whither?'. It can also refer to time, asking 'when?' or 'how long?'. The word is derived from a root meaning to indicate place or time, and it is used in contexts that inquire about location or duration.
אָן adv. where? or whither?
base
H575 אָן where? or whither?
575 'an awn
or manah {aw-naw'}; contracted from 370; where?; hence,
whither?, when?; also hither and thither:--+ any (no)
whither, now, where, whither(-soever).
see HEBREW for 0370
אָן (an) — where?.
1) where?, whither? (of place)
2) when?, until when?, how long? (of time)
Conj | Part — Conjunction · particleHC/Ti
The Hebrew word פָּנֶה (*pāneh*) is a noun meaning 'face' or 'presence,' and it appears in various contexts, including the faces of seraphim and animals, as well as the surface of the ground. It can also function as an adverb meaning 'before' or 'in front of.' The word is built from a root that suggests turning or facing, and it encompasses a wide range of applications, both literal and figurative.
[פָּנֶה], pl. פָּנִים 2123 n.m. face, also faces
face, faces
presence, person
technically, see one's face, i.e. appear before one, in one's presence
face of seraphim
face of animals
face (= surface) of ground
as adv.loc. before
for other phrases
with prepositions
base
H6440 פָּנֶה, pl. פָּנִים face, also faces . . face, faces
. . presence, person
. technically, see one's face, i.e. appear before one, in one's presence
. face of seraphim
. face of animals
. face (= surface) of ground
. as adv. loc. before
. for other phrases
. with prepositions
6440 paniym paw-neem'
plural (but always as singular) of an unused noun (paneh
{paw-neh'}; from 6437); the face (as the part that turns);
used in a great variety of applications (literally and
figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a
preposition (before, etc.):--+ accept, a-(be- )fore(-time),
against, anger, X as (long as), at, + battle, + because (of),
+ beseech, countenance, edge, + employ, endure, + enquire,
face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-part), form(-er
time, -ward), from, front, heaviness, X him(-self), +
honourable, + impudent, + in, it, look(-eth) (- s), X me, +
meet, X more than, mouth, of, off, (of) old (time), X on,
open, + out of, over against, the partial, person, + please,
presence, propect, was purposed, by reason of, + regard, right
forth, + serve, X shewbread, sight, state, straight, + street,
X thee, X them(-selves), through (+ - out), till, time(-s)
פָּנֶה (pa.neh) — face: before.
: before/to/front
1) face
1a) face, faces
1b) presence, person
1c) face (of seraphim or cherubim)
1d) face (of animals)
1e) face, surface (of ground)
1f) as adv of loc/temp
1f1) before and behind, toward, in front of, forward, formerly, from beforetime, before
1g) with prep
1g1) in front of, before, to the front of, in the presence of, in the face of, at the face or front of, from the presence of, from before, from before the face of
פָּנֶה (pa.neh) — face.
: face
1) face
1a) face, faces
1b) presence, person
1c) face (of seraphim or cherubim)
1d) face (of animals)
1e) face, surface (of ground)
1f) as adv of loc/temp
1f1) before and behind, toward, in front of, forward, formerly, from beforetime, before
1g) with prep
1g1) in front of, before, to the front of, in the presence of, in the face of, at the face or front of, from the presence of, from before, from…
Prep | N-cp | Suff — Preposition · noun common masculine plural construct · suffixHR/Ncmpc/Sp2ms
בָּרַח (barach) is a Hebrew verb meaning to flee or run away. It can also imply going through or hastening, with different nuances in its forms, such as causing someone to flee in the Hiphil stem. The entries highlight its use in various contexts, including sudden flight or urgency.
בָּרַח vb. go through, flee
Qal
go or pass through, of bar
flee
flee = hasten, come quickly
Hiph.
pass through
cause to flee, put to flight
base
H1272 בָּרַח go through, flee
1272 barach baw-rakh'
a primitive root; to bolt, i.e. figuratively, to flee
suddenly:--chase (away); drive away, fain, flee (away), put to
flight, make haste, reach, run away, shoot.
בָּרַח (ba.rach) — to flee.
1) to go through, flee, run away, chase, drive away, put to flight, reach, shoot (extend), hurry away
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to go, pass through
1a2) to flee
1a3) to hasten, come quickly
1b) (Hiphil)
1b1) to pass through
1b2) to cause to flee, put to flight
1b3) to drive away
V-Qal-Imperf-1cs — Verb · Qal · imperfect first person common singularHVqi1cs
fle.
See FLY.
