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Psalms 33:20 — Word Study

Depth

WLCנַ֭פְשֵׁנוּ חִכְּתָ֣ה לַֽיהוָ֑ה עֶזְרֵ֖נוּ וּמָגִנֵּ֣נוּ הֽוּא׃

BSAOur soulnephesh [living being, essence of a person] waitschâkâh [patiently, with expectation] for the LORDYᵉhôvâh [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] Hehûwʼ is our helpʻêzer [assistant, one who provides aid] and our shieldmâgên [protector, defense, like a shield protects a soldier]

Word
Listen & take awayPsalms 33
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 20 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 (Hu') — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Psalms 33:20quick helps
In a sentenceThe psalmist expresses a deep trust in the LORD, affirming that He is both our help and our protector.
Who is speakingThe community of believers, collectively expressing their hope in God.
Where we areIn a psalm of trust and reliance on God amidst difficulties.
The hard wordנַ֭פְשֵׁנוּ
Take awayThe essence of our being is anchored in waiting for God's deliverance.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectהוּא verbחָכָה 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 33:20

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 Psalm of Trustgenerated

19to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine.
20Our soul waits for the LORD; He is our help and our shield.
21For our hearts rejoice in Him, since we trust in His holy name.
22May Your loving devotion rest on us, O LORD, as we put our hope in You.

Psalm 33:20 reflects the collective hope of the faithful in God as their source of help and protection. This psalm emphasizes the importance of waiting for the LORD, who is seen as a refuge and strength in times of trouble. The verses surrounding this one highlight God's ability to deliver and sustain His people, reinforcing the theme of reliance on divine assistance.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Psalm 27:14Wait patiently for the LORD; be strong and courageous. Wait patiently for the LORD!
2Psalm 62:1–2In God alone my soul finds rest; my salvation comes from Him.
3Psalm 130:5–6I wait for the LORD; my soul does wait, and in His word I put my hope.
4Isaiah 40:31But those who wait upon the LORD will renew their strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.
5Psalm 115:9–12O Israel, trust in the LORD! He is their help and shield.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 7 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word נַ֭פְשֵׁנוּ, Naf.she.nugenerated

The word נֶ֫פֶשׁ (*nephesh*) translates to 'soul' or 'living being,' encapsulating the essence of a person. It signifies life, breath, and vitality, and is central to the biblical understanding of humanity.

In this context, it emphasizes the depth of longing and expectation as the psalmist expresses that their very being waits for the LORD. This waiting is not passive but filled with hope and trust in God's promises.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses waits, help, and shield consistently with the KJV and ASV.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The finite verb חִכְּתָ֣ה, it waits, governs the entire verse, with the subject נַ֭פְשֵׁנוּ (our soul) preceding it. This structure places emphasis on the soul's active waiting for the LORD.

The sentence flows from the subject to the action, clearly stating the relationship between the waiting soul and the LORD, who is both help and shield.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates נַ֭פְשֵׁנוּ as ἡμῶν, which emphasizes the collective aspect of the community's soul. This choice reflects the communal nature of faith in the Hebrew text.

The Greek rendering maintains the essence of waiting and reliance on God, aligning closely with the Hebrew text while adapting it for a Hellenistic audience.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalm 33:20 expresses a deep trust in the LORD, affirming that He is our help and shield. The psalmist emphasizes the importance of waiting for God, who delivers and protects His people in times of need.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean to wait for the LORD?

Waiting for the LORD involves trusting in His timing and provision, expecting His help and deliverance.

How is God described in this verse?

God is described as both our help and our shield, indicating His role as a provider and protector.

Why is the soul mentioned in this context?

The soul represents the essence of the person, emphasizing the depth of longing and dependence on God.

What can we learn from this verse about reliance on God?

This verse teaches us the importance of patient trust in God as our source of strength and protection.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what areas of my life do I need to practice waiting on the LORD?
  2. How can I better recognize God's help and protection in my daily life?
  3. What does it mean for me to consider God as my shield?
  4. How can I encourage others to wait on the LORD during difficult times?

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

The early church fathers comment on this verse to highlight God's role as a protector and helper, emphasizing the importance of trust and patience in faith.

Theodore of MopsuestiaCOMMENTARY ON Psalms 33:20A c. 350–428
[God] is always helping and providing us with salvation. The term “protector,” you see, is a metaphor from those thrusting their own shields among the enemy and by protection from these often sheltering others and freeing them from every…
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 33 →
Augustine of HippoExposition on Psalms 33 354–430
"My soul shall be patient for the Lord:" that hereafter it may be filled with dainties incorruptible, meanwhile, while here it remains, my soul shall be patient for the Lord.
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 33 →
CassiodorusEXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 33:20 c. 485–585
When the psalmist says “he waits,” he indicates the endurance of the Christian … since it is endurance that makes the martyrs glorious, that watches over the good things of our faith, that conquers everything that stands against us,
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 33 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 33:20 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Our soul waiteth for the Lord,.... This, and what follows, are the words of the church, expressing her expectation, faith, and joy, by reason of what is suggested in the preceding verses.

Read John Gill on Psalms 33 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Our soul waiteth for the LORD: he is our help and our shield. Conclusion.

Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 33 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

The help of us Israelites, to whom he hath made many promises and glorious discoveries of his goodness.

Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 33 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Psalms 33:20 Our soul waiteth for the LORD: he [is] our help and our shield.Ver. 20. Our soul waiteth for the Lord] i.e. Patiently tarrieth the Lord’ s leisure. We can both wait and want for a need.

Read John Trapp on Psalms 33 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(20-22) Hope—wait—trust.—The Hebrew language was naturally rich in words expressive of that attitude of expectancy which was characteristic of a nation whose golden age was not in the past, but in the future—a nation for which its great ancestor left in his dying words so suitable a motto— “I have waited for thy salvation, O Lord,” and which, while itself held back outside the promised land of the hope of immortality, was to be the birth-race of the great and consoling doctrine that alone could satisfy the natural craving expressed by the moralist in the well-known line— “Man never is, but always to be, blest;” and by the Christian apostle— “For here we have no continuing city, but we seek…

Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 33 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 20. Our soul waiteth] Our whole life is employed in this blessed work; we trust in nothing but him; neither in multitudes of armed men, nor in natural strength, nor in the fleetest animals, nor in any thing human: we trust in Him alone "who is our help and our shield."

Read AdamClarke on Psalms 33 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

20–22. The people’s concluding profession of patient trust and hope, corresponding to the introductory invitation of Psa 33:1-3, and springing naturally out of the consideration of Jehovah’s character in Psalms 33:12-19.

Read Cambridge on Psalms 33 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Our soul waiteth for the Lord - This and the subsequent verses to the end of the psalm refer to the people of God, expressing their faith in him in view of the considerations suggested in the former part of the psalm.

Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 33 →

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

Our soul waits for the LORD; He is our help and our shield.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Our soul has waited for Yahweh. He is our help and our shield.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Our soul waits for the LORD; He is our help and our shield.

NETBNew English Translation2006

We wait for the Lord; he is our deliverer and shield.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Our soul waiteth for the LORD: he is our help and our shield.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Our soul hath waited for Jehovah: He is our help and our shield.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Our soul hath waited for the LORD: he is our help and our shield.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Our soul waiteth for the LORD: he is our help and our shield.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Our soule waiteth for the Lord: for he is our helpe and our shielde.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Our soul waiteth for Jehovah: he is our help and our shield.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Our soul hath waited for Jehovah, Our help and our shield [is] He,

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Our soul has waited for YHWH, || He [is] our help and our shield,

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Our soul waiteth for the Lord: our help and our shield is he.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

We wait for Yahweh; he is our help and our shield.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Many are the afflictions of the just; but out of them all will the Lord deliver them.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

We place our confidence in the Lord; he is our help and our defender.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Our souls are waiting for the Lord; he is our help and our salvation.

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.

clausenoun phrase · subjectנַ֭פְשֵׁselfנוּourverbחִכְּתָ֣הit.waitsprepositional phrase · prepositionalלַֽforיהוָ֑הYahwehclausenoun phrase · predicatenoun phraseעֶזְרֵ֖helpנוּ[is].ourוּandnoun phraseמָגִנֵּ֣shieldנוּoursubjectהֽוּאhe

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


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

Both the Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree on the wording of Psalm 33:20, with no variations noted. This consistency reinforces the integrity of the text across different traditions.

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

נַ֭פְשֵׁנוּ חִכְּתָ֣ה לַֽיהוָ֑ה עֶזְרֵ֖נוּ וּמָגִנֵּ֣נוּ הֽוּא׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
נַ֭פְשֵׁנוּἡμῶνחִכְּתָ֣הὑπομένειלַֽיהוָ֑הκυρίῳעֶזְרֵ֖נוּβοηθὸςוּמָגִנֵּ֣נוּἡμῶνהֽוּא׃ἐστιν

6 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

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


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

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

Psalms 33:20נֶ֫פֶשׁself ourself ourנֶ֫פֶשׁחָכָהit waitsit waitsחָכָהיהוהfor Yahwehfor Yahwehיהוהעֵ֫זֶר[is] help o[is] help ourעֵ֫זֶרמָגֵןand shield and shield ourמָגֵןהוּאheheהוּאנָפַשׁbe refreshbe refreshedנָפַשׁהָיָהto beto beהָיָהעָזַרto helpto helpעָזַרגָּנַןto defendto defendגָּנַןחָקָהto engraveto engraveחָקָהבָּקַשׁto seekto seekבָּקַשׁחַיalivealiveחַיאֶ֫שֶׁרblessedblessedאֶ֫שֶׁרכֵּןrightrightכֵּןנְאֻםutteranceutteranceנְאֻםצָבָאarmyarmyצָבָאגַּאֲוָהprideprideגַּאֲוָהיָעַלto gainto gainיָעַלעֵ֫זֶרhelperhelperעֵ֫זֶרצִנָּהhookhookצִנָּהטָמֵאuncleanuncleanטָמֵאעֵתtimetimeעֵת
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 33:20

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.

self our it waits for Yahweh [is] help our and shield our he
נַ֭פְשֵׁנוּNaf.she.nu self our H5315 Noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
754× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for soul or living being, used in the Bible to describe the essence of a person or animal. It encompasses the ideas of life, breath, and vitality, and is translated as 'soul' or 'creature' in the KJV. This word is central to biblical concepts of humanity and existence.
Amplified meaning
living being, essence of a person
Tyndale gloss
soul
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word נֶ֫פֶשׁ (*nephesh*) broadly means 'soul' or 'living being,' encompassing concepts like life, self, person, desire, and emotion. It is derived from the root meaning 'to breathe' and signifies both physical and mental aspects of existence. The lexicons note its use in various contexts, including as the seat of appetites and emotions, though its application to will and character is uncertain.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נֶ֫פֶשׁ 756 n.f. soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion

= that which breathes, the breathing substance or being

The נפשׁ becomes a living being

The נפשׁ is specif.

The נפשׁ as the essential of man stands for the man himself

נפשׁ = seat of the appetites, in all periods (46 t.)

נ׳ = seat of emotions and passions

נפשׁ is used occasionally for mental acts

נפשׁ for acts of the will is dub.

נפשׁ = character is still more dub.

נ׳ in D

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5315 נֶ֫פֶשׁ soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion . = that which breathes, the breathing substance or being

. The נפשׁ becomes a living being

. The נפשׁ is specif.

. The נפשׁ as the essential of man stands for the man himself

. נפשׁ = seat of the appetites, in all periods (46 t.)

. נ׳ = seat of emotions and passions

. נפשׁ is used occasionally for mental acts

. נפשׁ for acts of the will is dub.

. נפשׁ = character is still more dub.

. נ׳ in D

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5315 nephesh neh'-fesh

from 5314; properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of

(abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal,

accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental):--any,

appetite, beast, body, breath, creature, X dead(-ly), desire,

X (dis-)contented, X fish, ghost, + greedy, he, heart(-y),

(hath, X jeopardy of) life (X in jeopardy), lust, man, me,

mind, mortally, one, own, person, pleasure, (her-, him-, my-,

thy-)self, them (your)-selves, + slay, soul, + tablet, they,

thing, (X she) will, X would have it.

see HEBREW for 05314

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נֶ֫פֶשׁ (ne.phesh) — soul.

1) soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion

1a) that which breathes, the breathing substance or being, soul, the inner being of man

1b) living being

1c) living being (with life in the blood)

1d) the man himself, self, person or individual

1e) seat of the appetites

1f) seat of emotions and passions

1g) activity of mind

1g1) uncertain

1h) activity of the will

1h1) uncertain

1i) activity of the character

1i1) uncertain

נֶ֫פֶשׁ (ne.phesh) — soul: life.

1) soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion

1a) that which breathes, the breathing substance or being, soul, the inner being of man

1b) living being

1c) living being (with life in the blood)

1d) the man himself, self, person or individual

1e) seat of the appetites

1f) seat of emotions and passions

1g) activity of mind

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-cs | Suff — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
HNcfsc/Sp1bp
self our it waits for Yahweh [is] help our and shield our he
חִכְּתָ֣הchi.ke.Tah it waits H2442 Verb · Piel · perfect third person feminine singular
14× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To wait patiently is what this Hebrew word means, as when David waited for God's deliverance in the Psalms. It involves trusting and expecting God's help, like when the prophet Isaiah encouraged the Israelites to wait on God.
Amplified meaning
patiently, with expectation
Tyndale gloss
to wait
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חָכָה (chakah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to wait or await. It encompasses various nuances, including waiting in ambush or longing for something. The root suggests an idea of adhering or tarrying, and it appears in different forms, such as Qal and Piel, indicating different aspects of waiting.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[חָכָה] vb. wait, await

Qal waiting for him

Pi.

wait, tarry

wait (in ambush)

wait for, long for

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2442 [חָכָה] wait, await

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2442 chakah khaw-kaw'

a primitive root (apparently akin to 2707 through the idea of

piercing); properly, to adhere to; hence, to await:--long,

tarry, wait.

see HEBREW for 02707

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חָכָה (cha.khah) — to wait.

1) to wait, wait for, await

1a) (Qal) to wait for

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to wait, tarry

1b2) to wait (in ambush)

1b3) to wait for, long for

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Piel-Perf-3fs — Verb · Piel · perfect third person feminine singular
HVpp3fs
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
self our it waits for Yahweh [is] help our and shield our he
לַֽיהוָ֑הla.Yah.weh for Yahweh H3068 Preposition · 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 covenant Name of 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
Prep | N-proper — Preposition · noun proper
HR/Npt
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
self our it waits for Yahweh [is] help our and shield our he
עֶזְרֵ֖נוּ'ez.Re.nu [is] help our H5828 Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
21× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A helper or one who provides aid is the meaning of this word, used to describe someone who assists or supports others. It is used in the Psalms to express gratitude for God's help and in the book of Isaiah to describe God's aid to his people.
Amplified meaning
assistant, one who provides aid
Tyndale gloss
helper
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עֵ֫זֶר (ezer) means help or succour, referring to assistance or support. It can denote both the act of helping and a person who provides help. The term is derived from a root meaning to aid. The entries consistently emphasize its meaning as a source of assistance.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עֵ֫זֶר n.m. help, succour

help, succour

concr. = one who helps

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5828 עֵ֫זֶר help, succour

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5828 `ezer ay'-zer

from 5826; aid:--help.

see HEBREW for 05826

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עֵ֫זֶר (e.zer) — helper.

1) help, succour

1a) help, succour

1b) one who helps

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HNcmsc/Sp1bp
self our it waits for Yahweh [is] help our and shield our he
וּמָגִנֵּ֣נוּu.ma.gi.Ne.nu and shield our H4043 Conjunction · noun common both singular construct · suffix
63× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A shield in biblical times, this word also symbolizes protection, like God being a shield to those who trust in Him, as seen in Psalm 3:3. It can also refer to a ruler or leader who defends their people.
Amplified meaning
protector, defense, like a shield protects a soldier
Tyndale gloss
shield
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מָגֵן (magen) means 'shield' and can refer to both a small shield or buckler and a figurative protector. It can also denote the scaly hide of a crocodile. The word is feminine in plural form, מִגִּנָּה (mginnah), and is derived from a root meaning to cover or protect.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מָגֵן n.m. & f. shield

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4043 מָגֵן shield

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4043 magen maw-gane'

also (in plural) feminine mginnah {meg-in-naw'}; from 1598; a

shield (i.e. the small one or buckler); figuratively, a

protector; also the scaly hide of the crocodile:--X armed,

buckler, defence, ruler, + scale, shield.

see HEBREW for 01598

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מָגֵן (ma.gen) — shield.

shield, buckler

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | N-cs | Suff — Conjunction · noun common both singular construct · suffix
HC/Ncbsc/Sp1mp
self our it waits for Yahweh [is] help our and shield our he
הֽוּא׃Hu' he H1931 Pronoun
1,879× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word is a pronoun meaning 'he', 'she', or 'it', used to refer to a person or thing. It is used in the Bible to emphasize a subject or make it clear who is being talked about.
Tyndale gloss
he/she/it
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הוּא (hu) is a third-person singular pronoun meaning he, she, or it, used for emphasis or when no verb is present. It can also refer to oneself or serve as a demonstrative pronoun. The word has various nuances, including resuming the subject with emphasis or expressing it unobtrusively. It can indicate 'that' or 'those' when used with the definite article.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הוּא m. הִיא f., pron. of the 3rd ps. sing. he, she, used also (in both genders) for the neuter it

an emph. he (she, it, they), sometimes equivalent to himself (herself, itself, themselves), or (esp. with the art.) that (those)

It resumes the subj. with emph.

Where, however, the pron. follows the pred., its position gives it the minimum of emphasis, and it expresses (or resumes) the subject as unobtrusively as possible

It anticipates (as it seems) the subject

As an emph. predicate, of God

In a neuter sense, that, it (of an action, occurrence, matte, etc.)

With the art.: so regularly when joined to a subst. defined itself by the art.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1931 הוּא, הִיא he, she, used also (in both genders) for the neuter it . an emph. he (she, it, they), sometimes equivalent to himself (herself, itself, themselves), or (esp. with the art.) that (those)

. It resumes the subj. with emph.

. Where, however, the pron. follows the pred., its position gives it the minimum of emphasis, and it expresses (or resumes) the subject as unobtrusively as possible

. It anticipates (as it seems) the subject

. As an emph. predicate, of God

. In a neuter sense, that, it (of an action, occurrence, matte, etc.)

. With the art.: so regularly when joined to a subst. defined itself by the art.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1931 huw' hoo

of which the feminine (beyond the Pentateuch) is hiyw {he}; a

primitive word, the third person pronoun singular, he (she or

it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also

(intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same;

sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally

(instead of copula) as or are:--he, as for her, him(-self),

it, the same, she (herself), such, that (...it), these, they,

this, those, which (is), who.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הוּא (hu) — he/she/it.

pron 3p s

1) he, she, it

1a) himself (with emphasis)

1b) resuming subj with emphasis

1c) (with minimum emphasis following predicate)

1d) (anticipating subj)

1e) (emphasising predicate)

1f) that, it (neuter) demons pron

2) that (with article)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Pron — Pronoun
HPp3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ha: The fifth letter of the Hebrew alphabet; transliterated in this Encyclopedia as "h." It came also to be used for the number 5. For name, etc., see ALPHABET.

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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