Menu

Psalms 143:7 — Word Study

Depth

WLCמַ֘הֵ֤ר עֲנֵ֨נִי׀ יְהוָה֮ כָּלְתָ֪ה ר֫וּחִ֥י אַל־ תַּסְתֵּ֣ר פָּנֶ֣יךָ מִמֶּ֑נִּי וְ֝נִמְשַׁ֗לְתִּי עִם־ יֹ֥רְדֵי בֽוֹר׃

BSAAnswer meʻânâh quicklymahêr [hasten to respond, with urgency] O LORDYᵉhôvâh [Yehovah, the sovereign God] my spiritrûwach [breath of life, the essence of my being] failskâlâh [is weakened, losing strength] Do notʼal hideçâthar [conceal, turn away] Your facepânîym [presence, countenance] from memin or I will be like thosemâshal [resemble, compared to] who descendyârad [go down, sink] to the Pitbôwr [a place of darkness, the abyss]

Word
Listen & take awayPsalms 143
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 7 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 (Vor) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Psalms 143:7quick helps
In a sentenceThe psalmist pleads for an urgent response from God, expressing a deep sense of despair.
Who is speakingThe psalmist, addressing God directly as Yahweh.
Where we areThis verse is part of a lament, where the psalmist seeks God's presence and help.
The hard wordכָּלְתָ֪ה
Take awayThe psalmist's spirit is failing, emphasizing his urgent need for divine assistance.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbמַהֵר 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 143:7

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 — A Plea for Helpgenerated

6I stretch out my hands to You; my soul thirsts for You like a parched land. Selah
7Answer me quickly, O LORD; my spirit fails. Do not hide Your face from me, or I will be like those who descend to the Pit.
8Let me hear Your loving devotion in the morning, for I have put my trust in You. Teach me the way I should walk, for to You I lift up my soul.
9Deliver me from my enemies, O LORD; I flee to You for refuge.

Psalm 143:7 is a heartfelt cry from the psalmist, who is in a state of distress and seeks God's immediate attention. This plea highlights the urgency of his situation, as he feels his spirit weakening and fears being abandoned by God. The surrounding verses further illustrate the psalmist's longing for God's guidance and deliverance from his enemies, as seen in Psalm 143:6 and Psalm 143:8.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Psalm 13:1–4How long, O LORD? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me?
2Psalm 40:13–17Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me; hurry, O LORD, to help me.
3Psalm 70:5But I am poor and needy; hurry to me, O God. You are my help and my deliverer; O LORD, do not delay.
4Psalm 71:12Be not far from me, O God. Hurry, O my God, to help me.
5Psalm 40:12For evils without number surround me; my sins have overtaken me, so that I cannot see. They are more than the hairs of my head, and my heart has failed within me.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 15 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word מַהֵר, ma.Hergenerated

The verb מַהֵר (mahar) is a Piel imperative, meaning to hurry or act quickly. It conveys a sense of urgency, indicating that the psalmist is in a desperate situation and needs God's swift response. The use of the imperative form emphasizes the psalmist's plea for immediate action.

In this context, מַהֵר reflects the psalmist's emotional state, as he feels his spirit weakening. The urgency of the request underscores the gravity of his plight, highlighting the need for divine intervention.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The verse contains a series of clauses that express the psalmist's urgent plea. The main verb עֲנֵ֨נִי (answer me) governs the request, while the subsequent phrases elaborate on the psalmist's condition and his fear of abandonment.

The structure emphasizes the psalmist's desperation, with the imperative forms highlighting his direct appeal to God. The arrangement of clauses reflects the flow of thought from urgency to the consequences of divine silence.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates מַהֵר as ταξὺ (taxy), which carries the same sense of urgency. This choice indicates that the translators recognized the critical nature of the psalmist's request.

The use of ἀποστρέψῃς (apostréphēs) for תַּסְתֵּ֣ר shows a similar concern for the implications of God's face being hidden, emphasizing the relational aspect of the plea.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalm 143:7 expresses a deep plea from the psalmist for God to respond quickly in a time of distress. The psalmist feels his spirit weakening and fears being abandoned, asking God not to hide His face from him. This urgent request reflects the psalmist's need for divine help and presence.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does the psalmist mean by 'my spirit fails'?

The psalmist is expressing a sense of despair and weakness, feeling overwhelmed and in need of God's support.

Why does the psalmist ask God not to hide His face?

Hiding God's face symbolizes abandonment; the psalmist fears losing God's presence and help in his time of need.

What is the significance of the word 'quickly' in this verse?

The urgency of 'quickly' highlights the psalmist's desperate situation, indicating that he needs immediate assistance from God.

How does this verse relate to other psalms of lament?

This verse shares themes with other psalms of lament, where the psalmist cries out for help and expresses feelings of abandonment, as seen in Psalm 13:1.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what areas of my life do I feel like my spirit is failing, and how can I seek God's help?
  2. How can I cultivate a sense of urgency in my prayers when I feel desperate?
  3. What does it mean for me to seek God's face, and how can I ensure I am not hiding from Him?
  4. How can I support others who may feel abandoned or in despair, similar to the psalmist's experience?

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

Augustine of Hippo comments on this verse, emphasizing the urgency of the psalmist's plea for God's quick response to his thirst for divine presence.

Augustine of HippoExposition on Psalms 143 354–430
"Speedily hear me, Lord" [Psalms 143:7]. For what need of delay to inflame my thirst, when already I thirst so eagerly? You delayed the rain, that I might drink and imbibe,
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 143 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 143:7 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Hear me speedily, O Lord: my spirit faileth,.... Ready to sink, swoon, and faint away, through the weight of the affliction on him, by reason of the persecution of his enemy, and for want of the

Read John Gill on Psalms 143 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Hear me speedily, O LORD: my spirit faileth: hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit. Hear me speedily, O Lord; my spirit faileth.

Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 143 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

That are dead and buried, of whom there is no hope.

Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 143 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Psalms 143:7 Hear me speedily, O LORD: my spirit faileth: hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit.Ver. 7. Hear me speedily] A very pathetic prayer uttered in many words to like purpose; as the manner is, in extreme danger. My spirit faileth] I am ready to sink and to swoon. This David knew; God hath a great care that the spirit fail not before him, and the souls which he hath made, Isaiah 57:16. When Bezoard stone is beaten we see that none of it be lost; not so when ordinary spices: so here, for ordinary spirits God cares not much what becometh of them, as he doth of the choice spirits of his people.

Read John Trapp on Psalms 143 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(7) With the first clause comp. Psalms 69:17, with the second, Psalms 102:2, This dependence on former psalms does not detract from the reality of the feeling expressed by means of these ancient sobs and cries. The contrast of the present with former times (Psalms 143:5) with the recollection of God’s dealings then, joined to thoughtful contemplation of the reality of His power as displayed in His works, makes the psalmist’s anguish the more intense, his longing the more consuming, his supplication the more urgent.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 143 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 7. Hear me speedily] מהר maher, make haste to answer me. A few hours, and my state may be irretrievable. In a short time my unnatural son may put an end to my life.

Read AdamClarke on Psalms 143 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

7–12. Prayer for speedy hearing, for guidance and deliverance, for the destruction of his enemies. The language is borrowed almost entirely from older Psalms.

Read Cambridge on Psalms 143 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

“Hear me speedily, O Lord.” Hasten to hear me; do not delay. Literally, “Hasten; answer me.” I am in imminent danger. Do not delay to come to my relief. My spirit faileth - My strength is declining. I can hold out no longer.

Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 143 →

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

Answer me quickly, O LORD; my spirit fails. Do not hide Your face from me, or I will be like those who descend to the Pit.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Hurry to answer me, Yahweh. My spirit fails. Don’t hide your face from me, so that I don’t become like those who go down into the pit.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Answer me quickly, O LORD; my spirit fails. Do not hide Your face from me, or I will be like those who descend to the Pit.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Answer me quickly, Lord! My strength is fading. Do not reject me, or I will join those descending into the grave.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Hear me speedily, O LORD: my spirit faileth: hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Make haste to answer me, O Jehovah; my spirit faileth: Hide not thy face from me, Lest I become like them that go down into the pit.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Make haste to answer me, O LORD; my spirit faileth: hide not thy face from me; lest I become like them that go down into the pit.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Hear me speedily, O LORD: my spirit faileth: hide not thy face from me, lest I be like them that go down into the pit.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Heare me spedely, O Lord, for my spirit faeleth: hide not thy face from me, els I shall be like vnto them that go downe into the pit.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Answer me speedily, O Jehovah; my spirit faileth: hide not thy face from me, or I shall be like unto them that go down into the pit.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Haste, answer me, O Jehovah, My spirit hath been consumed, Hide not Thou Thy face from me, Or I have been compared with those going down [to] the pit.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Hurry, answer me, O YHWH, || My spirit has been consumed, || Do not hide Your face from me, || Or I have been compared with those going down [to] the pit.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Hasten, answer me, O Lord, my spirit falleth: hide not thy face from me, that I may not become like those that go down into the pit.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Answer me quickly, Yahweh, because my spirit faints. Do not hide your face from me, or I will become like those who go down into the pit.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Put forth thy hand from on high, take me out, and deliver me from many waters: from the hand of strange children:

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Please answer me quickly, Lord! I'm dying! Don't turn away otherwise I'll be just like those who are going down into the grave.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Be quick in answering me, O Lord, for the strength of my spirit is gone: let me see your face, so that I may not be like those who go down into the underworld.

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.

clauseclauseverbמַ֘הֵ֤רhurryclauseverbעֲנֵ֨answerobjectנִיmeclauseיְהוָה֮O.Yahwehclauseverbכָּלְתָ֪הit.is.exhaustednoun phrase · subjectר֫וּחִ֥spiritיmyclauseadverbialאַלdo.notverbתַּסְתֵּ֣רhidenoun phrase · objectפָּנֶ֣יfaceךָyourprepositional phrase · prepositionalמִמֶּ֑fromנִּיmeוְ֝andclauseverbנִמְשַׁ֗לְתִּיI.will.be.equalprepositional phrase · prepositionalעִםwithnoun phraseיֹ֥רְדֵי[those.who].go.downבֽוֹרof.[the].pit

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


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

The Masoretic Text is supported by the Septuagint and the Dead Sea Scrolls, which agree closely with the wording of the MT. The variations in the scrolls involve minor restorations, but the core message remains consistent across these witnesses.

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

מַ֘הֵ֤ר עֲנֵ֨נִי׀ יְהוָה֮ כָּלְתָ֪ה ר֫וּחִ֥י אַל־ תַּסְתֵּ֣ר פָּנֶ֣יךָ מִמֶּ֑נִּי וְ֝נִמְשַׁ֗לְתִּי עִם־ יֹ֥רְדֵי בֽוֹר׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
מַ֘הֵ֤רταξὺעֲנֵ֨נִי׀μουיְהוָה֮κύριεכָּלְתָ֪הἐχέλιπενר֫וּחִ֥יμουאַל־μὴתַּסְתֵּ֣רἀποστρέψῃςפָּנֶ֣יךָσουמִמֶּ֑נִּיἐμοῦוְ֝נִמְשַׁ֗לְתִּיὁμοιωθήσομαιעִם־τοῖςיֹ֥רְדֵיκαταβαίνουσινבֽוֹר׃λάκκον

13 of the 13 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q97a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[מהר] ענ׳ני יהוה כלתה רוח׳י [אל] [תסתר] [פני׳ך] [ממ׳ני] [ונמשלתי] [עם] ירדי בור

5 words on the leather — 1 partly restored, 7 supplied entire by an editor.

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

מהר ענ׳ני יהוה כלתה רוח׳י אל תסתר פני׳כה ממ׳ני ונמשלתי עם יורדי [בור]

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

Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.


The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

Psalms 143:7מָהַרhurryhurryמָהַרעוּןanswer meanswer meעוּןיהוהO YahwehO Yahwehיהוהכָּלָהit is exhauit is exhaustedכָּלָהרוּחַspirit myspirit myרוּחַאַלmay notmay notאַלסָתַרyou hideyou hideסָתַרפָּנֶהface yourface yourפָּנֶהמִן־from mefrom meמִן־מָשַׁלand I will and I will be eמָשַׁלעִםwithwithעִםיָרַד[those who][those who] go יָרַדבּוֹר[the] pit[the] pitבּוֹרמָשָׁלproverbproverbמָשָׁלעָנָהbe occupiebe occupiedעָנָההָיָהto beto beהָיָהרִיחַto smellto smellרִיחַפָּנָהCorner (GaCorner (Gate)פָּנָהעָמַםto darkento darkenעָמַםבּוּרto explainto explainבּוּרלֹאnotnotלֹאמֵןstringstringמֵןאֲבִיגַ֫יִלAbigailAbigailאֲבִיגַ֫יִלכַּדjarjarכַּדאִיּוֹבJobJobאִיּוֹבשָׁוַעto cryto cryשָׁוַענְאֻםutteranceutteranceנְאֻםצָבָאarmyarmyצָבָאקָצִירharvestharvestקָצִירחֵמָהragerageחֵמָהנְשָׁמָהbreathbreathנְשָׁמָה
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 143:7

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.

hurry answer me O Yahweh it is exhausted spirit my may not you hide face your from me and I will be equal with [those who] go down of [the] pit
מַ֘הֵ֤רma.Her hurry H4116 Verb · Piel · imperative second person masculine singular
68× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to hurry or do something quickly, like when someone is in a rush. It can also mean to buy something by paying a price. The Bible uses it in Genesis.
Tyndale gloss
to hasten
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מָהַר (mahar) primarily means to hasten or hurry, conveying a sense of urgency or quickness. It can describe being anxious or impetuous, as well as the act of preparing or bringing something quickly. Additionally, it has a secondary meaning related to acquiring something by payment. The lexicons agree on these definitions without notable disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[מָהַר] vb. hasten

Niph. be hurried = anxious, disturbed; hasty, precipitate; impetuous

Pi.

hasten, make haste = go or come quickly

hasten vb.

trans. hasten, = prepare quickly; = bring quickly; = do quickly

base

מָהַר vb. denom. acquire by paying purchase-price

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4116a [מָהַר] hasten . be hurried = anxious, disturbed; hasty, precipitate; impetuous

. . hasten, make haste = go or come quickly

. hasten vb.

. trans. hasten, = prepare quickly; = bring quickly; = do quickly

H4116b מָהַר vb. denom. acquire by paying purchase-price

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4116 mahar maw-har'

a primitive root; properly, to be liquid or flow easily, i.e.

(by implication); to hurry (in a good or a bad sense); often

used (with another verb) adverbially, promptly:--be carried

headlong, fearful, (cause to make, in, make) haste(-n, -ily),

(be) hasty, (fetch, make ready) X quickly, rash, X shortly,

(be so) X soon, make speed, X speedily, X straightway, X

suddenly, swift.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מָהַר (ma.har) — to hasten.

1)(Qal) to hasten

1a) (Niphal) to be hurried, be anxious

1a) hasty, precipitate, impetuous

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to hasten, make haste

1b2) hasten (used as adverb with another verb)

1b3) to hasten, prepare quickly, do quickly, bring quickly

מָהַר (ma.har) — to buy.

acquire by paying purchase-price

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVpv2ms — Verb · Piel · imperative second person masculine singular
HVpv2ms
hurry answer me O Yahweh it is exhausted spirit my may not you hide face your from me and I will be equal with [those who] go down of [the] pit
עֲנֵ֨נִי׀'a.Ne.ni answer me H6030 Verb qal imperative second person masculine singular · suffix
332× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to sing or make music, but also to respond or give an answer. In the Bible, it is used to describe praising God in song or responding to a question. The KJV translates it as 'sing' or 'answer'.
Tyndale gloss
to dwell
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עָנָה (*anah*) is built from a primitive root meaning to heed or pay attention, covering a range of meanings including to answer, respond, testify, and sing. It appears in contexts where one responds to speech or circumstances, and can also refer to singing. The lexicons indicate that it can imply both verbal responses and musical expression.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[עוּן] vb. dwell

base

עָנָה 316 vb. answer, respond

Qal

answer, respond to sthg. said, actual or implied

respond to an occasion, speak in view of circumstances

money meets all demands

specif. respond as a witness, testify

less oft. make response as one accused (respondent)

Niph.

make answer

be answered

Hiph. wholly dub.; causes all things to respond in the joy of his heart

base

עָנָה vb. sing

Qal sing, utter tunefully

Pi. sing sweetly of it

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6030a עוּן dwell H6030b עָנָה answer, respond .. answer, respond to sthg. said, actual or implied

. . respond to an occasion, speak in view of circumstances

. money meets all demands

. . specif. respond as a witness, testify

. less oft. make response as one accused (respondent)

. . make answer

. be answered

. wholly dub.; causes all things to respond in the joy of his heart

H6030c עָנָה sing

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6030 `anah aw-naw'

a primitive root; properly, to eye or (generally) to heed,

i.e. pay attention; by implication, to respond; by extens. to

begin to speak; specifically to sing, shout, testify,

announce:--give account, afflict (by mistake for 6031),

(cause to, give) answer, bring low (by mistake for 6031), cry,

hear, Leannoth, lift up, say, X scholar, (give a) shout, sing

(together by course), speak, testify, utter, (bear) witness.

See also 1042, 1043.

see HEBREW for 06031

see HEBREW for 06031

see HEBREW for 01042

see HEBREW for 01043

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עוּן (un) — to dwell.

(Qal) to dwell

עָנָה (a.nah) — to answer.

1) to answer, respond, testify, speak, shout

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to answer, respond to

1a2) to testify, respond as a witness

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to make answer

1b2) to be answered, receive answer

Aramaic equivalent: a.nah (עֲנָה "to answer" H6032)

עָנָה (a.nah) — to sing.

(Qal) to sing, utter tunefully

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Impv-2ms | Suff — Verb qal imperative second person masculine singular · suffix
HVqv2ms/Sp1bs
hurry answer me O Yahweh it is exhausted spirit my may not you hide face your from me and I will be equal with [those who] go down of [the] pit
יְהוָה֮Yah.weh O Yahweh H3068 Noun proper
6,528× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Yehovah is another name for God, often translated as 'the Lord'. It is a national name for God in the Jewish faith. This name is used throughout the Old Testament.
Amplified meaning
Yehovah, the sovereign God
Tyndale gloss
The Lord
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

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

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

יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D

the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy

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

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw'

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

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

see HEBREW for 01961

see HEBREW for 03050

see HEBREW for 03069

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — LORD.

Jehovah = "the existing One"

1) the proper name of the one true God

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

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — The Lord.

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

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

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper
HNpt
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
hurry answer me O Yahweh it is exhausted spirit my may not you hide face your from me and I will be equal with [those who] go down of [the] pit
כָּלְתָ֪הkal.Tah it is exhausted H3615 Verb · Qal · perfect third person feminine singular
208× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to finish or end something, like completing a task or using up a resource, as seen in Genesis 2:2 where God finished creating the heavens and earth.
Amplified meaning
is weakened, losing strength
Tyndale gloss
to end: finish
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word כָּלָה (*kalah*) is a primitive root meaning to end or finish. It encompasses a range of meanings, including to complete, accomplish, perish, and destroy. The entries indicate various uses in both intransitive and transitive forms, covering actions like finishing a task or causing something to cease. Notably, it can also imply negative connotations, such as plotting or destruction.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כָּלָה 204 vb. be complete, at an end, finished, accomplished, spent

Qal

be complete, at an end, of a period of time

be completed, finished, of a work

be accomplished, fulfilled

be idealy complete, be determined, always in a bad sense, plotted

be spent, used up (prop. come to an end), of water

waste away, be exhausted, fail

come to an end, vanish = perish, be destroyed

Pi.

complete, bring to an end, finish, a thing, task, work, etc.

complete a period of time

finish doing a thing

make an end, end

accomplish, fulfil, bring to pass

accomplish in thought, determine

put an end to, cause to cease

cause to fail, exhaust, use up, spend

destroy, sts. exterminate

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3615 כָּלָה be complete, at an end, finished, accomplished, spent .. . be complete, at an end, of a period of time

. be completed, finished, of a work

. be accomplished, fulfilled

. be idealy complete, be determined, always in a bad sense, plotted

. . be spent, used up (prop. come to an end), of water

. waste away, be exhausted, fail

. come to an end, vanish = perish, be destroyed

. . . complete, bring to an end, finish, a thing, task, work, etc.

. complete a period of time

. finish doing a thing

. make an end, end

. accomplish, fulfil, bring to pass

. accomplish in thought, determine

. . put an end to, cause to cease

. cause to fail, exhaust, use up, spend

. destroy, sts. exterminate

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3615 kalah kaw-law'

a primitive root; to end, whether intransitive (to cease, be

finished, perish) or transitived (to complete, prepare,

consume):--accomplish, cease, consume (away), determine,

destroy (utterly), be (when ... were) done, (be an) end (of),

expire, (cause to) fail, faint, finish, fulfil, X fully, X

have, leave (off), long, bring to pass, wholly reap, make

clean riddance, spend, quite take away, waste.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כָּלָה (ka.lah) — to end: finish.

: finish

1) to accomplish, cease, consume, determine, end, fail, finish, be complete, be accomplished, be ended, be at an end, be finished, be spent

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to be complete, be at an end

1a2) to be completed, be finished

1a3) to be accomplished, be fulfilled

1a4) to be determined, be plotted (bad sense)

1a5) to be spent, be used up

1a6) to waste away, be exhausted, fail

1a7) to come to an end, vanish, perish, be destroyed

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to complete, bring to an end, finish

1b2) to complete (a period of time)

1b3) to finish (doing a thing)

1b4) to make an end, end

1b5) to accomplish, fulfil, bring to pass

1b6) to accomplish, determine (in thought)

1b7) to put an end to, cause to cease

1b8) to cause to fail, exhaust, use up, spend

1b9) to destroy, exterminate

1c) (Pual) to be finished, be ended, be completed

כָּלָה (ka.lah) — to end: destroy.

: destroy

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-3fs — Verb · Qal · perfect third person feminine singular
HVqp3fs
hurry answer me O Yahweh it is exhausted spirit my may not you hide face your from me and I will be equal with [those who] go down of [the] pit
ר֫וּחִ֥יru.Chi spirit my H7307 Noun common both singular construct · suffix
378× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word for spirit refers to the breath of life, the wind, or a person's mind and emotions, as seen in the book of Ezekiel.
Amplified meaning
breath of life, the essence of my being
Tyndale gloss
spirit
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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.)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

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

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

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

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-cs | Suff — Noun common both singular construct · suffix
HNcbsc/Sp1fs
hurry answer me O Yahweh it is exhausted spirit my may not you hide face your from me and I will be equal with [those who] go down of [the] pit
אַל־'al- may not H408 Particle
724× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Means not or nothing, used to express negation, as in the phrase do not or let not be.
Tyndale gloss
not
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אַל (al) is a negative particle meaning 'not' or 'no,' often used to express a wish or prohibition rather than an objective fact. It can also function as a noun meaning 'nothing.' The lexicons highlight its use in various contexts, including deprecative forms, but do not show significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אַל adv. of negation, denying however, not objectively as a fact, but subjectively as a wish, expressing therefore a deprecation or prohibition

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H408 אַל adv. of negation, denying however, not objectively as a fact, but subjectively as a wish, expressing therefore a deprecation or prohibition

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

408 'al al

a negative particle (akin to 3808); not (the qualified

negation, used as a deprecative); once (Job 24:25) as a noun,

nothing:--nay, neither, + never, no ,nor, not, nothing

(worth), rather than.

see HEBREW for 03808

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אַל (al) — not.

1) not, no, nor, neither, nothing (as wish or preference)

1a) do not, let not (with a verb)

1b) let there not be (with a verb understood)

1c) not, no (with substantive)

1d) nothing (as substantive)

Aramaic equivalent: al (אַל "not" H0409)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part — Particle
HTn
hurry answer me O Yahweh it is exhausted spirit my may not you hide face your from me and I will be equal with [those who] go down of [the] pit
תַּסְתֵּ֣רtas.Ter you hide H5641 Verb · Hiphil · jussive second person masculine singular
81× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to hide or conceal something, like covering it up. It can also mean to keep something secret or hidden from others, as in Psalm 27:5.
Amplified meaning
conceal, turn away
Tyndale gloss
to hide
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

סָתַר (sa.tar) is a Hebrew verb meaning to hide or conceal. It encompasses various forms, including hiding oneself, being hidden, and carefully concealing something or someone. The entries indicate its use in different grammatical aspects, such as the Niphal, Piel, Pual, Hiphil, and Hithpael stems. The Aramaic equivalent is noted as סְתַר.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

סָתַר vb. hide, conceal

Niph.

hide oneself

be hid, concealed

Pi. Imv. carefully hide (i.e. shelter) the outcasts

Pu. Pt. love carefully concealed

Hithp. hide oneself carefully

Hiph. conceal, hide

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5641 סָתַר hide, conceal . . hide oneself

. be hid, concealed

. Imv. carefully hide (i.e. shelter) the outcasts

. Pt. love carefully concealed

. hide oneself carefully

. conceal, hide

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5641 cathar saw-thar'

a primitive root; to hide (by covering), literally or

figuratively:--be absent, keep close, conceal, hide (self),

(keep) secret, X surely.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

סָתַר (sa.tar) — to hide.

1) to hide, conceal

1a) (Niphal)

1a1) to hide oneself

1a2) to be hidden, be concealed

1b) (Piel) to hide carefully

1c) (Pual) to be hidden carefully, be concealed

1d) (Hiphil) to conceal, hide

1e) (Hithpael) to hide oneself carefully

Aramaic equivalent: se.tar (סְתַר "to hide" H5642A)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Hiphil-Juss-2ms — Verb · Hiphil · jussive second person masculine singular
HVhj2ms
hurry answer me O Yahweh it is exhausted spirit my may not you hide face your from me and I will be equal with [those who] go down of [the] pit
פָּנֶ֣יךָpa.Nei.kha face your H6440 Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
2,127× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means face or presence, like being in front of someone or something. It's used in many contexts, like in Genesis, Exodus, and Psalms, to describe interactions and relationships.
Amplified meaning
presence, countenance
Tyndale gloss
face
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[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

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

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)

Read the full entry →
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

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…

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-cp | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
HNcmpc/Sp2ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
hurry answer me O Yahweh it is exhausted spirit my may not you hide face your from me and I will be equal with [those who] go down of [the] pit
מִמֶּ֑נִּיmi.Me.ni from me H4480 Preposition · suffix
1,189× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means a portion or part of something, and is often used to show the relationship between things, like from or out of something.
Tyndale gloss
from
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word מִן־ (*min*) is a preposition meaning 'from' or 'out of,' indicating separation or origin. It covers various uses, including temporal references, comparisons, and causal relationships. Additionally, it can denote a portion when used as a noun מֵן (*men*). The entries highlight its versatility in expressing different nuances of separation and position.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מִן־, and מִ, before יְ, prep. expressing the idea of separation, hence out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not

with verbs expressing (or implying) separation or removal

from, against

מן also, without a verb of similar significance, sometimes expresses the idea of separation, away from, far from

of position, off, on the side of, on

Out of, Gk. ἐκ, Lat. ex

Partitively

Of time—

as marking the terminus a quo, the anterior limit of a continuous period from, since

as marking the period immediately succeeding the limit after

towards, to

(וְעַד) עַד … מִן from … even to

In comparisons, beyond, above

מן is prefixed to an infin.:

with causal force, from, on account of, through

after verbs implying restraint, prevention, cessation, etc.

with a temporal force, since, after

Once as a conj. before a finite verb. that

In compounds:

base

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4480a מִן־, מִ, prep. expressing the idea of separation, hence out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not . with verbs expressing (or implying) separation or removal . from, against

. מן also, without a verb of similar significance, sometimes expresses the idea of separation, away from, far from

. of position, off, on the side of, on

. Out of, Gk. ἐκ, Lat. ex

. Partitively

. Of time— . as marking the terminus a quo, the anterior limit of a continuous period from, since

. as marking the period immediately succeeding the limit after

. towards, to

. (וְעַד) עַד … מִן from … even to

. In comparisons, beyond, above

. מן is prefixed to an infin.: . with causal force, from, on account of, through

. after verbs implying restraint, prevention, cessation, etc.

. with a temporal force, since, after

. Once as a conj. before a finite verb. that

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4480 min min

or minniy {min-nee'}; or minney (constructive plural)

{min-nay'}; (Isaiah 30:11); for 4482; properly, a part of;

hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many senses (as

follows):--above, after, among, at, because of, by (reason

of), from (among), in, X neither, X nor, (out) of, over,

since, X then, through, X whether, with.

see HEBREW for 04482

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מִן־ (min) — from.

prep

1) from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than

1a) from (expressing separation), off, on the side of

1b) out of

1b1) (with verbs of proceeding, removing, expelling)

1b2) (of material from which something is made)

1b3) (of source or origin)

1c) out of, some of, from (partitively)

1d) from, since, after (of time)

1e) than, more than (in comparison)

1f) from...even to, both...and, either...or

1g) than, more than, too much for (in comparisons)

1h) from, on account of, through, because (with infinitive)

conj

2) that

Aramaic equivalent: min (מִן־ "from" H4481)

מֵן (men) — portion.

n.m.

portion

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | Suff — Preposition · suffix
HR/Sp1bs
hurry answer me O Yahweh it is exhausted spirit my may not you hide face your from me and I will be equal with [those who] go down of [the] pit
וְ֝נִמְשַׁ֗לְתִּיve.nim.Shal.ti and I will be equal H4911 Verb · Niphal · sequential perfect first person common singular
16× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To use a proverb means to speak in a way that teaches a lesson, often using metaphors or poems, as seen in Jesus' parables in the Gospels. This word is about comparing things to make a point. It appears in books like Proverbs and Psalms.
Amplified meaning
resemble, compared to
Tyndale gloss
to liken
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מָשַׁל (mashal) means to liken or represent, and can refer to using figurative language such as proverbs or poetry. It encompasses various forms, including comparing and becoming like something. The word appears notably in the context of speaking in parables, particularly in the book of Ezekiel.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[מָשַׁל] vb. represent, be like

Niph. be like, similar

Hiph. compare

Hithp. and I have become like dust

base

מָשַׁל vb. denom. use a proverb, speak in parables or sentences of poetry, esp. Ezek.

Qal use a proverb

Pi. is he not a maker of parables?

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4911a מָשַׁל represent, be like . be like, similar

. compare

. and I have become like dust

H4911b מָשַׁל vb. denom. use a proverb, speak in parables or sentences of poetry, esp. Ezek.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4911 mashal maw-shal'

denominative from 4912; to liken, i.e. (transitively) to use

figurative language (an allegory, adage, song or the like);

intransitively, to resemble:--be(-come) like, compare, use

(as a) proverb, speak (in proverbs), utter.

see HEBREW for 04912

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מָשַׁל (ma.shal) — to liken.

1) to represent, liken, be like

1a) (Niphal) to liken, be like, be similar

1b) (Hiphil) to compare

1c) (Hithpael) to become like

מָשַׁל (ma.shal) — to use a proverb.

1) to speak in a proverb, use a proverb, speak in parables, speak in sentences of poetry

1a) (Qal) to use a proverb, speak a parable or proverb

1b) (Piel) to make a parable

1b1) maker of parables (participle)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Niphal-1cs — Verb · Niphal · sequential perfect first person common singular
Hc/VNq1cs
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

e'-kwal isos:

In Eze 18:25; 29; 33:17,20, "The way of the Lord is not equal" translates Hebrew yittakhen for takhan, "to weigh," and means "is not adjusted to any fixed standard," "arbitrary," "fitful," and, therefore, "not equitable, fair, or impartial" Septuagint ("is not set straight"). Compare same Hebrew word in 1Sa 2:3, where the Lord is said to `weigh actions.' "Equal," therefore, is what will bear the closest investigation and strictest judgment. In Mt 20:12, "made them equal" means "put them upon the same footing," i.e. regarded their brief service as though it were the very same as our long hours of toil. In Lu 20:36 the context restricts the equality to a…

hurry answer me O Yahweh it is exhausted spirit my may not you hide face your from me and I will be equal with [those who] go down of [the] pit
עִם־'im- with H5973 Preposition
1,052× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means with or together, like when God is with his people in Exodus 33:14-15. It's used to describe accompaniment or association, and can also mean against or beside. The word is used to convey a sense of relationship or proximity between people or things.
Tyndale gloss
with
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עִם (im) is a preposition meaning 'with' and covers a range of relationships, including companionship, locality, and possession. It can imply actions done jointly, equality, or even opposition in contexts like combat. The related form מֵעִם (me.im) means 'from with' or 'beside.' The entries reflect various nuances but do not present significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עִם prep. with

of fellowship and companionship

of aid

Of actions done jointly with another

If the common action be of the nature of a contest or combat, with in the sense of against

Of dealing with a person, or of the relation in which one stands with, or towards, another

Of a common lot together with the wicked

Of equality or resemblance generally aid

Of time, as long as

Of a locality, close to, beside

Of persons, עִם is spec.

in the house or family or service of

In possession of

In the custody or care of

Beside = except

With = friendly with

Idiom. of a thought or purpose present with one

Metaph. together with = in spite of, notwithstanding

base

מֵעִם 72 from with or beside

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5973a עִם with . of fellowship and companionship

. Of a locality, close to, beside

. Of persons, עִם is spec. . in the house or family or service of

. In possession of

. In the custody or care of

. Beside = except

. With = friendly with

. Idiom. of a thought or purpose present with one

. Metaph. together with = in spite of, notwithstanding

H5973b מֵעִם from with, beside

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5973 `im eem

from 6004; adverb or preposition, with (i.e. in conjunction

with), in varied applications; specifically, equally with;

often with prepositional prefix (and then usually

unrepresented in English):--accompanying, against, and, as (X

long as), before, beside, by (reason of), for all, from

(among, between), in, like, more than, of, (un-)to,

with(-al).

see HEBREW for 06004

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עִם (im) — with.

1) with

1a) with

1b) against

1c) toward

1d) as long as

מֵעִם (me.im) — from with.

1a) beside, except

1b) in spite of

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR — Preposition
HR
hurry answer me O Yahweh it is exhausted spirit my may not you hide face your from me and I will be equal with [those who] go down of [the] pit
יֹ֥רְדֵיYo.re.dei [those who] go down of H3381 Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine plural common
381× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To go down or descend, like going to a lower place or falling. It appears in Genesis and Exodus, describing people and things moving downwards.
Amplified meaning
go down, sink
Tyndale gloss
to go down
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word יָרַד (yarad) means to come or go down, covering various contexts such as descending from mountains, going to battle, or sinking in water. It can also refer to divine manifestations descending or being prostrated. The word has different forms including Qal, Hiphil, and Hophal, which indicate various nuances of bringing down or being brought down.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָרַד 380 vb. come or go down, descend

Qal 306

come or go down

go down (usu. from mountain or hill-country into plain), to battle

go down to (acc.) threshing-floor

go down (abs.) from Palestine to Egypt

from Jerusalem

from altar

go down

= sink, in water

go down to She’ôl

fig. going down (dissolving) in tears

= be prostrated

of divine manifestations: descend

of inanimate things

Hiph.

cause to come or go down

bring down

send down rain = cause to flow down

= lay prostrate to (acc.) threshing-floor

bring down to She’ôl

take down (from cart)

let down

Hoph.

be brought down

be taken down

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3381 יָרַד come or go down, descend .. . come or go down

. go down (usu. from mountain or hill-country into plain), to battle

. go down to (acc.) threshing-floor

. go down (abs.) from Palestine to Egypt

. from Jerusalem

. from altar

. go down

. = sink, in water

. go down to She’ôl

. fig. going down (dissolving) in tears

. = be prostrated

. of divine manifestations: descend

. of inanimate things

. . cause to come or go down . bring down

. send down rain = cause to flow down

. = lay prostrate to (acc.) threshing-floor

. bring down to She’ôl

. take down (from cart)

. let down

. . be brought down

. be taken down

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3381 yarad yaw-rad'

a primitive root; to descend (literally, to go downwards; or

conventionally to a lower region, as the shore, a boundary,

the enemy, etc.; or figuratively, to fall); causatively, to

bring down (in all the above applications); -X abundantly,

bring down, carry down, cast down, (cause to) come(-ing) down,

fall (down), get down, go(-ing) down(-ward), hang down, X

indeed, let down, light (down), put down (off), (cause to,

let) run down, sink, subdue, take down.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָרַד (ya.rad) — to go down.

1) to go down, descend, decline, march down, sink down

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go or come down

1a2) to sink

1a3) to be prostrated

1a4) to come down (of revelation)

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to bring down

1b2) to send down

1b3) to take down

1b4) to lay prostrate

1b5) to let down

1c) (Hophal)

1c1) to be brought down

1c2) to be taken down

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal — Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine plural common
HVqrmpc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ov:

(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Lamentations 3:1.

The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.

Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.

That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.

Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…

hurry answer me O Yahweh it is exhausted spirit my may not you hide face your from me and I will be equal with [those who] go down of [the] pit
בֽוֹר׃Vor [the] pit H953 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
66× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a cistern or pit, often used to hold water or as a prison. In the Bible, it is used to describe a place of confinement, like a dungeon or well. It is a physical hole in the ground.
Amplified meaning
a place of darkness, the abyss
Tyndale gloss
pit
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בּוֹר (bor) refers to a pit, well, or cistern, often used for water storage or as a dungeon. It can also denote a grave pit. The term appears in various contexts, including the specific location known as the cistern of Sirah, mentioned in 2 Samuel 3:26. The entries consistently emphasize its function as a hole or pit.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בּוֹר n.m. pit, cistern, well

cistern, containing water, made by digging

later appar. well

pit

dungeon

(poet. & late; never c. art.) pit of the grave

base

בּוֹר הַסִּרָה n.pr.loc. 2 S 3:26 (cistern of Sirah)

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H953a בּוֹר pit, cistern, well H953b בּוֹר הַסִּרָה (cistern of Sirah)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

953 bowr bore

from 952 (in the sense of 877); a pit hole (especially one

used as a cistern or a prison):--cistern, dungeon, fountain,

pit, well.

see HEBREW for 0952

see HEBREW for 0877

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בּוֹר (bor) — pit.

pit, well, cistern, dungeon, pit of the grave

בּוֹר (bor) — Cistern.

Cistern of Sirah

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

The word translates different Hebrew words of which the most important are:

(1) bor, "pit" or "cistern," made by digging, (Ge 37:20); hence, "dungeon" (Jer 38:6, margin "pit");

(2) be'er, "pit" or "well" made by digging (Ge 21:25);

(3) she'ol, generally rendered "hell" in the King James Version (see HELL);

(4) shachath, a pit in the ground to catch wild animals. (1), (2) and (4) above are used metaphorically of the pit of the "grave" or of "sheol" (Ps 28:1; 30:3; Job 33:24). the King James Version sometimes incorrectly renders (4) by "corruption."

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Pit

A hole in the ground (Ex. 21:33, 34), a cistern for water (Gen. 37:24; Jer. 14:3), a vault (41:9), a grave (Ps. 30:3). It is used as a figure for mischief (Ps. 9:15), and is the name given to the unseen place of woe (Rev. 20:1, 3). The slime-pits in the vale of Siddim were wells which yielded asphalt (Gen. 14:10).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

[HELL]

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A reservoir, either natural or artificial, for water. Pits were sometimes used as dungeons, Ge 37:20; Jer 38:6; or being slightly covered, and baited, they served as traps to catch wild beasts, a device which illustrates the plots of designing men and women, Ps 119:85; Pr 22:14; 26:27; Eze 19:4. The word pit is also used to denote the grave, Ps 28:1; 30:3,9; and hell, Re 20:1.

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.

Everything we make is available for free because of a generous community of supporters.

Donate