Psalms 141:3 — Word Study
WLCשִׁיתָ֣ה יְ֭הוָה שָׁמְרָ֣ה לְפִ֑י נִ֝צְּרָ֗ה עַל־ דַּ֥ל שְׂפָתָֽי׃
BSASetshîyth [appoint, establish] a guardshomrâh△ [watch, protection] O LORDYᵉhôvâh [Yehovah, the Lord God] over my mouthpeh [lips, speech] keep watchnâtsar [be vigilant, protect] atʻal the doordeleth [entrance, gate] of my lipssâphâh [words, language]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| שִׁיתָ֣ה | set ! | Verb qal imperative second person masculine singular, suffix |
| יְ֭הוָה | O Yahweh | Noun proper |
| שָׁמְרָ֣ה | a guard | Noun common, feminine singular absolute |
| לְפִ֑י | for mouth my | Preposition, noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
| נִ֝צְּרָ֗ה | keep watch ! | Verb qal imperative second person masculine singular, suffix |
| עַל־ | over | Preposition |
| דַּ֥ל | [the] door of | Noun common, masculine singular construct |
| שְׂפָתָֽי׃ | lips my | Noun common feminine dual construct, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch at the door of my lips. |
| KJV | Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips. |
| ASV | Set a watch, O Jehovah, before my mouth; Keep the door of my lips. |
| YLT | Set, O Jehovah, a watch for my mouth, Watch Thou over the door of my lips. |
| WEB | Set a watch, Yahweh, before my mouth. Keep the door of my lips. |
| BBE | O Lord, keep a watch over my mouth; keep the door of my lips. |
Where they part company is שִׁיתָ֣ה — see How Translations Differ.
The verse features a main request followed by a complementary imperative, emphasizing the psalmist's plea for divine oversight.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
1 of 8 occurs nowhere else in the Old Testament — a word chosen on purpose.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Psalms 141:3
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 Prayer for Protectiongenerated
Psalm 141:3 is a plea from the psalmist to the LORD for help in guarding his speech. The psalmist desires to avoid saying anything harmful or sinful, recognizing the power of words. This verse is part of a larger prayer that seeks divine assistance in living a righteous life, as seen in the surrounding verses.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 17:3–5 | You have tried my heart; You have visited me in the night. You have tested me and found no evil; I have resolved not to sin with my mouth. |
| 2 | Psalm 39:1 | I said, “I will watch my ways so that I will not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth with a muzzle as long as the wicked are present.” |
| 3 | Psalm 71:8 | My mouth is filled with Your praise and with Your splendor all day long. |
| 4 | Micah 7:5 | Do not rely on a friend; do not trust in a companion. Seal the doors of your mouth from her who lies in your arms. |
| 5 | James 1:26 | If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not bridle his tongue, he deceives his heart and his religion is worthless. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 6 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — שִׁיתָ֣ה, shi.Tahgenerated
The Hebrew word שִׁית (shi.Tah) is a verb in the imperative form, meaning to set or appoint. It conveys the action of placing something in a specific position or state, often with a sense of intention or purpose. In this context, it emphasizes the psalmist's request for God to actively set a guard over his mouth.
This word has a broad range of applications, from appointing leaders to establishing boundaries. The psalmist's use of it here indicates a desire for divine intervention in controlling his speech, highlighting the importance of words in one's moral and spiritual life.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The verse is rendered in the Berean Standard Bible as Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch at the door of my lips.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The verse consists of two main clauses, with the finite verb שִׁיתָ֣ה (shi.Tah) governing the first clause. The second clause introduces a similar imperative verb נִ֝צְּרָ֗ה (ni.tze.Rah), creating a parallel structure that emphasizes the psalmist's dual request for protection.
The word order places the requests for guarding and watching at the forefront, highlighting their significance in the psalmist's prayer.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, the Hebrew שִׁית is rendered as θοῦ (thou), which captures the imperative nature of the request. This choice reflects a direct appeal to God for action, maintaining the urgency of the psalmist's plea.
The translation of נִ֝צְּרָ֗ה as φυλακὴν (phulakēn) also emphasizes the idea of guarding, reinforcing the theme of divine protection over speech.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 141:3 is a prayer asking God to guard the psalmist's mouth and watch over his lips. The psalmist recognizes the importance of controlling his speech and seeks God's help to avoid saying anything harmful.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The psalmist understands the power of words and wishes to avoid speaking harmfully or sinfully.
This phrase signifies a desire for vigilance over what is spoken, ensuring that only good and righteous words are expressed.
It encourages individuals to seek God's help in controlling their speech and being mindful of the impact of their words.
Addressing God as 'LORD' emphasizes His authority and the psalmist's reliance on Him for guidance and protection.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what situations do I find it difficult to control my speech?
- How can I invite God to help me guard my words more effectively?
- What are some practical steps I can take to be more mindful of what I say?
- How does understanding the power of words influence my interactions with others?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early church fathers reference this verse to discuss the importance of controlling speech and seeking God's guidance in our words.
“Let not my heart incline to evil words, to make excuses in sins.” O unhappy race of human beings! We seek excuse for sin by saying, “Nature got the better of me,” and all the while it has been in our power to sin or not to sin.Early Church Fathers on Psalms 141 →
When a person is advanced in years, you must not be too ready to believe evil of him; his past life is itself a defense, and so also is his rank as an elder.Early Church Fathers on Psalms 141 →
..."Set, O Lord, a watch before my mouth, and a door of restraint around my lips" [Psalms 141:3].Early Church Fathers on Psalms 141 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 141:3 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleSet a watch, O Lord, before my mouth,.... While praying, as Jarchi and Kimchi; that he might not utter any rash, unguarded, and unbecoming word; but take and use the words which God gives, even the
Read John Gill on Psalms 141 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentarySet a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips. Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth ... Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practice wicked works - (cf.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 141 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleThat I may not through mine own infirmity, and the great provocations of mine enemies, break forth into any unadvised speeches, or any expressions of impatience, or distrust, or envy, or malice, &c. My lips, which are the door of my mouth whence words come forth.
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 141 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 141:3 Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.Ver. 3. Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth] Orat pro patientia, saith one, here he prayeth for patience; lest by giving himself leave to overlash, he make the matter much worse. The best patience, long tried and hard put to it, may miscarry, to its cost. Keep the door of my lips] That it move not creaking, and complaining, as on rusty hinges, for want of the oil of joy and gladness, Dal pro Deleth per Apocopen poetieam. David had somewhat to do with his tongue, as we see, Psalms 39:1; Psalms 39:3, and when he had carted the ark, how untowardly spake he, as if the fault were more in God than himself, that there was…
Read John Trapp on Psalms 141 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(3) Watch.—The image drawn from the guard set at city gates at night seems to indicate the evening as the time of composition of the psalm. Door of my lips.—Comp. “doors of thy mouth” (Micah 7:5), and so in Euripides, πύλαιστόματος. For the probable motive of the prayer, see Introduction. The poet’s feeling is that of Xenocrates: “I have often repented of having spoken, but never of having been silent.”
Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 141 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 3. Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth] While there are so many spies on my actions and words, I have need to be doubly guarded, that my enemies may have no advantage against me. Some think the prayer is against impatience; but if he were now going to Gath, it is more natural to suppose that he was praying to be preserved from dishonouring the truth, and from making sinful concessions in a heathen land; and at a court where, from his circumstances, it was natural to suppose he might be tempted to apostasy by the heathen party. The following verse seems to support this opinion.
Read AdamClarke on Psalms 141 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges3–5. Prayer for grace to resist the temptation to sin in word and thought and deed.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 141 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleSet a watch, O Lord, before my mouth - That I may not say anything rashly, unadvisedly, improperly. Compare Psalms 39:1. The prayer here is, that God would guard him from the temptation to say something wrong.
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 141 →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
Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch at the door of my lips.
Set a watch, Yahweh, before my mouth. Keep the door of my lips.
Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch at the door of my lips.
O Lord, place a guard on my mouth! Protect the opening of my lips!
Tyndale line
Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.
Set a watch, O Jehovah, before my mouth; Keep the door of my lips.
Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my tips.
Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.
Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth, and keepe the doore of my lips.
Strictly literal
Set a watch, O Jehovah, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.
Set, O Jehovah, a watch for my mouth, Watch Thou over the door of my lips.
Set, O YHWH, a watch for my mouth, || Watch over the door of my lips.
Set, O Lord, a watch unto my mouth: keep a guard at the door of my lips.
Yahweh, place a guard over my mouth; guard the door of my lips.
From the Latin
In his sight I pour out my prayer, and before him I declare my trouble:
Simplified
Lord, make sure I don't say anything I shouldn't—keep a watch over my conversations.
O Lord, keep a watch over my mouth; keep the door of my lips.
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 agree closely in this verse, with all eight words matched. This indicates a consistent transmission of the text across these traditions, affirming the psalmist's request for divine oversight.
שִׁיתָ֣ה יְ֭הוָה שָׁמְרָ֣ה לְפִ֑י נִ֝צְּרָ֗ה עַל־ דַּ֥ל שְׂפָתָֽי׃
8 of the 8 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 141:3
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.
The Hebrew word שִׁית (shiyth) is a primitive root meaning to put or set, with a wide range of applications including appointing, laying, and constituting. It can also imply taking a stand or being imposed upon. The entries consistently emphasize its versatility in contexts of action and intention.
שִׁית vb. put, set
Qal
put, lay
set, station
set one's mind to, give heed, attention
set, fix
constitute, make one something
internally trans., = take one's stand
Hoph. if a ransom be imposed
base
H7896 שִׁית put, set .. put, lay
. . set, station
. set one's mind to, give heed, attention
. set, fix
. constitute, make one something
. internally trans., = take one's stand
. if a ransom be imposed
7896 shiyth sheeth
a primitive root; to place (in a very wide
application):--apply, appoint, array, bring, consider, lay
(up), let alone, X look, make, mark, put (on), + regard, set,
shew, be stayed, X take.
שִׁית (shit) — to set: make.
: make/establish
1) to put, set
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to put, lay (hand upon)
1a2) to set, station, appoint, fix, set mind to
1a3) to constitute, make (one something), make like, perform
1a4) to take one's stand
1a5) to lay waste
1b) (Hophal) to be imposed, be set upon
שִׁית (shit) — to set: put.
: put/bring
1) to put, set
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to put, lay (hand upon)
1a2) to set, station, appoint, fix, set mind to
1a3) to constitute, make (one something), make like, perform
1a4) to take one's stand
1a5) to lay waste
1b) (Hophal) to be imposed, be set upon
שִׁית (shit) — to set: appoint.
: appoint
1) to put, set
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to put, lay (hand upon)
1a2) to set, station, appoint, fix, set mind to
1a3) to constitute, make (one something), make like, perform
1a4) to take one's stand
1a5) to lay waste
1b) (Hophal) to be imposed, be set upon
שִׁית (shit) — to set: accuse.
V-Qal-Impv-2ms | Suff — Verb qal imperative second person masculine singular · suffixHVqv2ms/Sh
Few words in the English language have such a rich variety of meaning and are used in so rich a variety of idiomatic expression as the word "set." A glance at any of the great dictionaries will convince anyone of the truth of this statement. The Standard Dictionary devotes three and a half columns to the word. In its primary meaning it there denotes 22 distinct things, in its secondary meaning 17 more, while 18 distinct phrases are given in which it is used, in some cases again in a variety of meanings. It is indeed a word calculated to drive a foreigner to despair. Some 70 Hebrew and about 30 Greek words in the original tongues of the Holy Scriptures have been rendered by the word "set," in the King James Version and also in the Revised Version (British and American). A careful comparative study of the original and of translations in other tongues will at once indicate that a lack of…
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) is the proper name of the God of Israel, often rendered as Jehovah or the Lord. It signifies the self-existent or eternal nature of God. The name is closely associated with the revelation to Moses in Exodus 3:12-15 and is used in conjunction with other terms to denote sacred places. Some scholars suggest it derives from a root meaning 'to bring into being.'
יהוה c. 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel—(1. MT יְהֹוָה 6518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהֹוִה 305 (Qr אֱלֹהִים) 2. Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of הוה (= היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver)
יהוה is not used by E in Gn, but is given Ex 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb
יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D
the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy
יהוה is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh
base
H3068 יהוה i.e. יַהְוֶה n. pr. dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel
3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw'
from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish
national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.
see HEBREW for 01961
see HEBREW for 03050
see HEBREW for 03069
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — LORD.
Jehovah = "the existing One"
1) the proper name of the one true God
1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of a.do.na (אֲדֹנָי "Lord" H0136)
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — The Lord.
Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — (Jerusalem of) the Lord.
Combined with ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
N-proper — Noun properHNpt
שׇׁמְרָה (shomrah) is a feminine noun derived from an unused form of the root meaning to guard. It encompasses the concepts of guard and watchfulness, as noted in the entries. The word appears in Psalm 141:3.
שׇׁמְרָה n.f. guard, watch;—ψ 141:3
ref
H8108 שׇׁמְרָה
8108 shomrah shom-raw'
feminine of an unused noun from 8104 meaning a guard;
watchfulness:--watch.
see HEBREW for 08104
שׇׁמְרָה (shom.rah) — guard.
guard, watch
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absoluteHNcfsa
gard:
(1) sar ha-Tabbachim, "captain of the guard," literally, "slaughterers" (Ge 37:36; 39:1; 40:3,1; 41:10,12); rabh Tabbachim (2Ki 25:8,11,20; Jer 39:9, etc.); rabh tabbachayyah (Da 2:14); ratsim, "guard," the King James Version "footmen" (1Sa 22:17); sare ha-ratsim, "chief of the guard" the King James Version "captains of the guard" (1Ki 14:27); ta' ha-ratsim, "guard-chamber" (1Ki 14:28; compare Eze 40:21, etc., where "lodges" are "guardrooms"; see A.B.…
Guard
(1.) Heb. tabbah (properly a “cook,” and in a secondary sense “executioner,” because this office fell to the lot of the cook in Eastern countries), the bodyguard of the kings of Egypt (Gen. 37:36) and Babylon (2 Kings 25:8; Jer. 40:1; Dan. 2:14).
(2.) Heb. rats, properly a “courier,” one whose office was to run before the king’s chariot (2 Sam. 15:1; 1 Kings 1:5). The couriers were also military guards (1 Sam. 22:17; 2 Kings 10:25). They were…
→ See WATCHMAN
The Hebrew word פֶּה (*peh*) means 'mouth' and encompasses various meanings, including the mouth of a person or animal, as well as openings or orifices. It can also refer to speech, edges, and portions. Additionally, it denotes a weight equal to one third of a shekel, found in 1 Samuel 13:21.
פֶּה 485 n.m. mouth
mouth, of man, organ of eating and drinking
external organ
much oftener, as organ of speech, of man
as laughing; panting
of God
of idols
of musical instr. = sound
of animals; hence of edge of sword
mouth = opening, orifice
extremity, end
= portion
with preps.
base
H6310 פֶּה mouth . . mouth, of man, organ of eating and drinking
. external organ
. . much oftener, as organ of speech, of man
. as laughing; panting
. of God
. of idols
. of musical instr. = sound
. of animals
. mouth = opening, orifice
. . extremity, end
. = portion
. with preps.
6310 peh peh
from 6284; the mouth (as the means of blowing), whether
literal or figurative (particularly speech); specifically
edge, portion or side; adverbially (with preposition)
according to:--accord(-ing as, -ing to), after, appointment,
assent, collar, command(-ment), X eat, edge, end, entry, +
file, hole, X in, mind, mouth, part, portion, X (should)
say(-ing), sentence, skirt, sound, speech, X spoken, talk,
tenor, X to, + two-edged, wish, word.
see HEBREW for 06284
פֶּה (peh) — lip.
: lip/mouth
peh
1) mouth
1a) mouth (of man)
1b) mouth (as organ of speech)
1c) mouth (of animals)
1d) mouth, opening, orifice (of a well, river, etc)
1e) extremity, end pim
2) a weight equal to one third of a shekel, occurs only in 1Sa 13:21
פֶּה (peh) — lip: edge.
: edge
peh
1) mouth
1a) mouth (of man)
1b) mouth (as organ of speech)
1c) mouth (of animals)
1d) mouth, opening, orifice (of a well, river, etc)
1e) extremity, end pim
2) a weight equal to one third of a shekel, occurs only in 1Sa 13:21
פֶּה (peh) — lip: word.
: word/command
peh
1) mouth
1a) mouth (of man)
1b) mouth (as organ of speech)
1c) mouth (of animals)
1d) mouth, opening, orifice (of a well, river, etc)
1e) extremity, end pim
Prep | N-ms | Suff — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHR/Ncmsc/Sp1bs
נָצַר (natsar) is a Hebrew verb meaning to watch, guard, or keep. It encompasses a range of actions including protecting, preserving, and observing, as well as concealing or keeping secret. The entries suggest both positive and negative connotations, such as guarding from danger or hiding something. The term can also refer to a watchman.
[נָצַר] vb. watch, guard, keep;—Qal
Watch, guard, keep
Guard from dangers, preserve
Guard with fidelity, keep, observe
Guard, keep secret
Keep close, blockaded
base
H5341 נָצַר watch, guard, keep . Watch, guard, keep
. Guard from dangers, preserve
. Guard with fidelity, keep, observe
. Guard, keep secret
. Keep close, blockaded
5341 natsar naw-tsar'
a primitive root; to guard, in a good sense (to protect,
maintain, obey, etc.) or a bad one (to conceal, etc.):--
besieged, hidden thing, keep(-er, -ing), monument, observe,
preserve(-r), subtil, watcher(-man).
נָצַר (na.tsar) — to watch.
1) to guard, watch, watch over, keep
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to watch, guard, keep
1a2) to preserve, guard from dangers
1a3) to keep, observe, guard with fidelity
1a4) to guard, keep secret
1a5) to be kept close, be blockaded
1a6) watchman (participle)
V-Qal-Impv-2ms | Suff — Verb qal imperative second person masculine singular · suffixHVqv2ms/Sh
woch ('ashmurah, 'ashmoreth; phulake): A division of the night. The night was originally divided into three watches (Jud 7:19), but later into four, as we find in the New Testament (Mt 14:25; Mr 6:48). We do not know the limits of the watches in the first division, but the middle watch probably began two hours before midnight and ended two hours after. The fourfold division was according to the Roman system, each of which was a fourth part of the night.
See TIME.
"Watch" is also the guard placed on watch (mishmar, Ne 4:9; koustodia, from Latin custodia, Mt 27:65,66; 28:11). It sometimes refers to the act of watching, as in…
A division of the night. See HOURS.
→ (A division of time)
See NIGHT TIME
The Hebrew word עַל (*al*) is a preposition meaning 'upon' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including 'on account of,' 'beside,' 'above,' and 'against.' It can indicate physical placement, emotional burdens, or duties imposed on a person. The entries also note its use in idiomatic expressions and with verbs of motion. There is a mention of its function as a conjunction in certain contexts.
כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as
base
עַל, עָ֑ל
subst. height
As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against
Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed
—
of clothing, etc., which any one wears
With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it
Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him
Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him
על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him
חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)
H5921a עַל, עָ֑ל . As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against . Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed . — . of clothing, etc., which any one wears
. With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it
. Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him
. Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him
. על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him
. חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)
5921 `al al
properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the
singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a
particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always
in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great
variety of applications (as follow):--above, according
to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because
of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both
and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in
(that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-)on, over, than,
through(-out), to, touching, X with.
see HEBREW for 05920
עַל (al) — upon.
prep
1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against
1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards
1b) above, beyond, over (of excess)
1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence)
1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition)
1e) over (of suspension or extension)
1f) by, adjoining, next, at, over, around (of contiguity or proximity)
1g) down upon, upon, on, from, up upon, up to, towards, over towards, to, against (with verbs of motion)
1h) to (as a dative)
[כִּי] עַל [כֵּן] ([ki] al [ken]) — as.
conj
Prep — PrepositionHR
דָּל (dal), דָּלָה (da.lah), and דֶּ֫לֶת (de.let) all refer to a 'door' or 'gate' in Hebrew. The entries indicate various uses, including literal doors and figurative meanings, such as a door of a chamber or even metaphorical doors in poetry. Notably, dal is mentioned in Psalm 141:3.
[דָּל] n.[m.] door only fig.: ψ 141:3.
ref
[דָּלָה] n.f. door, Is 26:20 fig., door of chamber in which people (personified) hides
ref
דֶּ֫לֶת n.f. door
door of house
door of room
gates of city
in other senses
base
H1817a דָּל door H1817b דָּלָה door H1817c דֶּ֫לֶת door
1817 deleth deh'-leth
from 1802; something swinging, i.e. the valve of a
door:--door (two-leaved), gate, leaf, lid. (In Psa. 141:3,
dal, irreg.).
see HEBREW for 01802
דָּל (dal) — door.
door (fig.)
דָּלָה (da.lah) — door.
door (fig., door of chamber in which people (personified) hide)
דֶּ֫לֶת (de.let) — door.
1) door, gate
1a) a door
1b) a gate
1c) (fig.)
1c1) of chest lid
1c2) of crocodile jaws
1c3) of doors of the heavens
1c4) of an easily-accessible woman
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular constructHNcmsc
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…
The Hebrew word שָׂפָה (*saphah*) encompasses meanings related to 'lip,' 'speech,' and 'edge.' It is derived from concepts of termination, suggesting boundaries like the edge of a vessel or the bank of a river. The word can refer to physical lips, language, or the edges of various objects, including shores.
שָׂפָה 176 n.f. lip, speech, edge
lip
language
edge: shore of sea; bank of river
base
H8193 שָׂפָה lip, speech, edge . lip
. language
. edge: shore of sea; bank of river
8193 saphah saw-faw'
or (in dual and plural) sepheth {sef-eth'}; probably from
5595 or 8192 through the idea of termination (compare 5490);
the lip (as a natural boundary); by implication, language; by
analogy, a margin (of a vessel, water, cloth, etc.):--band,
bank, binding, border, brim, brink, edge, language, lip,
prating, ((sea-))shore, side, speech, talk, (vain) words.
see HEBREW for 05595
see HEBREW for 08192
see HEBREW for 05490
שָׂפָה (sa.phah) — lips.
: lips/mouth
1) lip, language, speech, shore, bank, brink, brim, side, edge, border, binding
1a) lip (as body part)
1b) language
1c) edge, shore, bank (of cup, sea, river, etc)
שָׂפָה (sa.phah) — lip: words.
: words/language
1) lip, language, speech, shore, bank, brink, brim, side, edge, border, binding
1a) lip (as body part)
1b) language
1c) edge, shore, bank (of cup, sea, river, etc)
שָׂפָה (sa.phah) — lip: edge.
: edge/border/opening
1) lip, language, speech, shore, bank, brink, brim, side, edge, border, binding
1a) lip (as body part)
1b) language
1c) edge, shore, bank (of cup, sea, river, etc)
שָׂפָה (sa.phah) — lip: shore.
: shore/bank(of_sea/river)
1) lip, language, speech, shore, bank, brink, brim, side, edge, border, binding
1a) lip (as body part)
1b) language
1c) edge, shore, bank (of cup, sea, river, etc)
N-fd | Suff — Noun common feminine dual construct · suffixHNcfdc/Sp1bs