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Psalms 34:22 — Word Study

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WLCפּוֹדֶ֣ה יְ֭הוָה נֶ֣פֶשׁ עֲבָדָ֑יו וְלֹ֥א יֶ֝אְשְׁמ֗וּ כָּֽל־ הַחֹסִ֥ים בּֽוֹ׃

BSAwill be condemnedʼâsham [are, shall be, desolate, guilty, punished]

Word
Listen & take awayPsalms 34
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 22 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 (bo) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Psalms 34:22quick helps
In a sentenceThe LORD redeems His servants, ensuring that none who take refuge in Him will be condemned.
Who is speakingThe psalmist, declaring the faithfulness of Yahweh.
Where we areThis verse concludes a section on the protection and deliverance of the righteous.
The hard wordפּוֹדֶ֣ה
Take awayGod's redemption is a promise of safety for those who trust in Him.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectרָשָׁע verbמוּת 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 34:22

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

Context — The Assurance of God's Deliverancegenerated

19Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him from them all.
20He protects all his bones; not one of them will be broken.
21Evil will slay the wicked, and the haters of the righteous will be condemned.
22The LORD redeems His servants, and none who take refuge in Him will be condemned.

Psalm 34:22 assures believers of the LORD's redemptive power. The psalmist emphasizes that God actively redeems His servants and protects those who seek refuge in Him. This theme of divine rescue is woven throughout the psalm, highlighting God's commitment to deliverance amidst afflictions, as seen in the preceding verses that speak of the trials faced by the righteous and God's faithful response.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Psalm 31:5Into Your hands I commit my spirit; You have redeemed me, O LORD, God of truth.
2Psalm 71:23When I sing praise to You my lips will shout for joy, along with my soul, which You have redeemed.
3Psalm 103:4who redeems your life from the Pit and crowns you with loving devotion and compassion,
4Psalm 130:8And He will redeem Israel from all iniquity.
5Genesis 48:16the angel who has redeemed me from all harm— may He bless these boys. And may they be called by my name and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac, and may they grow into a multitude upon the earth.”

The Key Word פּוֹדֶ֣ה, po.Dehgenerated

The word פּוֹדֶ֣ה (po.Deh) is a participle from the root פָּדָה (padah), which means to ransom or redeem. It conveys the action of paying a price to set someone free, often in a spiritual context where God redeems His people from sin or danger.

In this verse, it signifies God's active role in rescuing His servants, emphasizing His protective nature. The use of the participle form indicates an ongoing action, reinforcing the idea that redemption is a continuous aspect of God's relationship with His faithful.


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 finite verb פּוֹדֶ֣ה governs the structure of the verse, establishing the main action of redemption. The subject יְ֭הוָה (Yahweh) is clearly identified as the one performing this action, while the phrase עֲבָדָ֑יו (His servants) acts as the object receiving the action.

Following this, a negative clause introduced by וְלֹ֥א (and not) leads into the consequences for those who do not trust in the LORD, creating a clear contrast between the redeemed and the condemned.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, the Hebrew פּוֹדֶ֣ה is rendered as ἀπολύει (apolyei), meaning 'releases' or 'frees.' This choice emphasizes the act of liberation rather than merely redemption, suggesting a broader scope of deliverance.

The translation of יֶ֝אְשְׁמ֗וּ as ἁμαρτωλῶν (of sinners) indicates a specific focus on moral accountability, highlighting the nature of those who will face condemnation.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalm 34:22 tells us that the LORD redeems His servants, meaning He saves and protects them. It assures us that those who take refuge in God will not be condemned or guilty. This verse emphasizes God's faithfulness to those who trust in Him.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that the LORD redeems His servants?

It means that God actively rescues and saves those who serve Him, providing protection and deliverance from harm.

Who are considered the LORD's servants?

The LORD's servants are those who trust in Him and follow His ways, often described as faithful believers.

What does it mean to take refuge in the LORD?

To take refuge in the LORD means to seek safety, protection, and trust in Him during times of trouble or distress.

What is the significance of not being condemned?

Not being condemned signifies that those who trust in God are spared from judgment and punishment, receiving instead His mercy and grace.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways have I experienced God's redemption in my life?
  2. How can I encourage others to take refuge in the LORD?
  3. What does it mean to me to be a servant of God?
  4. How can I trust God more deeply in difficult times?

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

Early Church Fathers have commented on this verse, discussing the nature of sin and the hope of redemption for the righteous.

Augustine of HippoExposition on Psalms 34 354–430
But because there are many kinds of sinners, and not to be a sinner is difficult, or perhaps in this life impossible, he added immediately, of what kind of sinners the death is worst.
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 34 →
CassiodorusEXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 34:23 c. 485–585
This psalm has certainly ended well in the hope of those who are good that, after forsaking the association of the wicked, they may instead reach toward the good things yet to come.
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 34 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 34:22 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

The Lord redeemeth the soul of his servants,.... Who are made so by his grace in the day of his power, and are willing to serve him, and to serve him with their minds, readily and cheerfully; and the

Read John Gill on Psalms 34 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.

Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 34 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

i.e. Their lives or their persons, from the malicious designs of all their enemies, and from desolation or utter ruin, as it follows.

Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 34 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Psalms 34:22 The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.Ver. 22. The Lord redeemeth the souls of his servants] Though to themselves and others they may seem helpless and hopeless, yet they shall not perish in their sins and for their sins, as do the wicked.

Read John Trapp on Psalms 34 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(22) Redeemeth.—Comp. Psalms 25:22, which begins with the same letter, out of its place, and the same word.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 34 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 22. The Lord redeemeth] Both the life and soul of God's followers are ever in danger but God is continually redeeming both. Shall be desolate.] Literally, shall be guilty. They shall be preserved from sin, and neither forfeit life nor soul. This verse probably should come in after the fifth. See the introduction to this Psalm. ANALYSIS OF THE THIRTY-FOURTH PSALM This Psalm is composed with great art, and this must be attended to by those who would analyze it. The scope of it is to praise God, and to instruct in his fear. Its parts are, in general, the following: - I. He praises God himself, and calls upon others to follow his example, Psalms 34:1-8. II. He assumes the office of a…

Read AdamClarke on Psalms 34 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

22. A second verse beginning with Pç, like Psalms 25:22, where see note.

Read Cambridge on Psalms 34 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The Lord redeemeth the soul of his servants - The literal meaning of this is, that the Lord rescues the lives of his servants, or that he saves them from death.

Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 34 →

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

The LORD redeems His servants, and none who take refuge in Him will be condemned.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Yahweh redeems the soul of his servants. None of those who take refuge in him shall be condemned.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

The LORD redeems His servants, and none who take refuge in Him will be condemned.

NETBNew English Translation2006

The Lord rescues his servants; all who take shelter in him escape punishment.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Jehovah redeemeth the soul of his servants; And none of them that take refuge in him shall be condemned.

RVARevised Version, American1894

The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be condemned.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

The Lord redeemeth the soules of his seruants: and none, that trust in him, shall perish.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Jehovah redeemeth the soul of his servants; and none of them that trust in him shall bear guilt.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Jehovah redeemeth the soul of His servants, And none trusting in Him are desolate!

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

YHWH redeems the soul of His servants, || And none trusting in Him are desolate!

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

(34:23) The Lord redeemeth the soul of his servants: and all that trust in him shall not incur guiltiness.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Yahweh rescues the lives of his servants. None of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Thou hast seen, O Lord, be not thou silent: O Lord, depart not from me.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

The Lord saves the lives of his servants. Those who trust in his protection will not suffer for their wrongdoings.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

The Lord will be the saviour of the souls of his servants, and no one who has faith in him will be put to shame.

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.

clauseverbפּוֹדֶ֣ה[is].redeemingsubjectיְ֭הוָהYahwehnoun phrase · objectנֶ֣פֶשׁthe.lifenoun phraseעֲבָדָ֑יhis.servantsוhisוְandclauseadverbialלֹ֥אnotverbיֶ֝אְשְׁמ֗וּthey.will.be.held.guiltynoun phrase · subjectכָּֽלallnoun phraseהַ[thosenoun phraseclauseverbחֹסִ֥יםwho].take.refugeprepositional phrase · prepositionalבּֽinוֹhim

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


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

The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint share similarities, with five of the nine words matching directly. However, the Septuagint's phrasing differs, reflecting a unique interpretative approach. The Dead Sea Scrolls fragment 4Q83 contains partial text that aligns closely with the Masoretic Text, showing consistency in the core message of redemption and condemnation.

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

פּוֹדֶ֣ה יְ֭הוָה נֶ֣פֶשׁ עֲבָדָ֑יו וְלֹ֥א יֶ֝אְשְׁמ֗וּ כָּֽל־ הַחֹסִ֥ים בּֽוֹ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
פּוֹדֶ֣הθάνατοςיְ֭הוָהἁμαρτωλῶνנֶ֣פֶשׁπονηρόςעֲבָדָ֑יוμισοῦντεςוְלֹ֥אπλημμελήσουσιν

5 of the 9 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 — 4Q83a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

תמותת [רשע] [רעה] [ושנאי] [צדיק] [יאשמו]

6 words of the verse are on this fragment — 1 partly restored, 5 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 34:22פָּדָה[is] redeem[is] redeemingפָּדָהיהוהYahwehYahwehיהוהנֶ֫פֶשׁ[the] life [the] life ofנֶ֫פֶשׁעֶ֫בֶדservants hiservants hisעֶ֫בֶדלֹאand notand notלֹאאָשַׁםthey will bthey will be heאָשַׁםכֹּלallallכֹּלחָסָהthose [who]those [who] takחָסָהוֹin himin himוֹהָיָהto beto beהָיָהנָפַשׁbe refreshbe refreshedנָפַשׁעָבַדto serveto serveעָבַדכָּלַלto perfectto perfectכָּלַלבָּטַחto trustto trustבָּטַחבְּכוֹרfirstbornfirstbornבְּכוֹרנְאֻםutteranceutteranceנְאֻםצָבָאarmyarmyצָבָאבָּקַשׁto seekto seekבָּקַשׁחַיalivealiveחַיאָמָהmaidservanmaidservantאָמָהשִׁפְחָהmaidservanmaidservantשִׁפְחָהיָכֹלbe ablebe ableיָכֹלעוֹדstillstillעוֹדצַרnarrownarrowצַרעֵדָהcongregaticongregationעֵדָהעֲבֹדָהserviceserviceעֲבֹדָהצֵלshadowshadowצֵל
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 34:22

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.

[is] redeeming Yahweh [the] life of servants his and not they will be held guilty all those [who] take refuge in him
פּוֹדֶ֣הpo.Deh [is] redeeming H6299 Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine singular
59× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To pay a price to set someone free, like a ransom to rescue a person. It's used in the Bible to describe God redeeming his people.
Tyndale gloss
to ransom
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

פָּדָה (padah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to ransom or redeem. It encompasses actions like delivering or rescuing, with various forms indicating different nuances, such as being ransomed or allowing someone to be ransomed. The entries highlight its use in contexts of release and preservation, but do not specify any particular verses.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

פָּדָה vb. ransom

Qal ransom

Niph. she hath not been at all ransomed (from bondage)

Hiph. he shall let her be ransomed.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6299 פָּדָה ransom

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6299 padah paw-daw'

a primitive root; to sever, i.e. ransom; gener. to release,

preserve:--X at all, deliver, X by any means, ransom, (that

are to be, let be) redeem(-ed), rescue, X surely.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

פָּדָה (pa.dah) — to ransom.

1) to ransom, redeem, rescue, deliver

1a) (Qal) to ransom

1b) (Niphal) to be ransomed

1c) (Hiphil) to allow one to be ransomed

1d) (Hophal) redeemed

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVqrmsa — Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine singular
HVqrmsa
[is] redeeming Yahweh [the] life of servants his and not they will be held guilty all those [who] take refuge in him
יְ֭הוָהYah.weh 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.
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
HNpt — Noun proper
HNpt
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
[is] redeeming Yahweh [the] life of servants his and not they will be held guilty all those [who] take refuge in him
נֶ֣פֶשׁNe.fesh [the] life of H5315 Noun common · feminine singular construct
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.
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
HNcfsc — Noun common · feminine singular construct
HNcfsc
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…

[is] redeeming Yahweh [the] life of servants his and not they will be held guilty all those [who] take refuge in him
עֲבָדָ֑יו'a.va.Dav servants his H5650 Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
801× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a servant or slave, often in the context of serving God or a human master. It can also describe a prophet or Levite. The KJV translates it as bondage, bondman, or servant.
Tyndale gloss
servant/slave
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עֶ֫בֶד (*ebed*) means 'slave' or 'servant' and encompasses various roles, including household servants, subjects, and worshippers of God. It can also refer to Israel as a collective servant of God and is used in polite address among equals. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to work' or 'to serve'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עֶ֫בֶד 799 n.m. slave, servant

slave, servant of household

Subjects, of chief

Servants, worshippers of God

Servant of י׳, in a special sense

Israel as a people is servant of י׳

In polite address of equals or superiors the Hebrews used עַבְדְּךָ thy servant = 1 pers. sing., I

Phrases

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5650 עֶ֫בֶד slave, servant . slave, servant of household

. Subjects, of chief

. Servants, worshippers of God

. Servant of י׳, in a special sense

. Israel as a people is servant of י׳

. In polite address of equals or superiors the Hebrews used עַבְדְּךָ thy servant = 1 pers. sing., I

. Phrases

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5650 `ebed eh'-bed

from 5647; a servant:--X bondage, bondman, (bond-)servant,

(man-)servant.

see HEBREW for 05647

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עֶ֫בֶד (e.ved) — servant/slave.

1) slave, servant

1a) slave, servant, man-servant

1b) subjects

1c) servants, worshippers (of God)

1d) servant (in special sense as prophets, Levites etc)

1e) servant (of Israel)

1f) servant (as form of address between equals)

Aramaic equivalent: a.vad (עֲבַד "servant/slave" H5649)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcmpc/Sp3ms — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
HNcmpc/Sp3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hiz: Used often in the King James Version with reference to a neuter or inanimate thing, or to a lower animal (Ge 1:11, "after his kind"; Le 1:16, "pluck away his crop"; Ac 12:10, "of his own accord"; 1Co 15:38, "his own body"), etc. the Revised Version (British and American) substitutes "its."

[is] redeeming Yahweh [the] life of servants his and not they will be held guilty all those [who] take refuge in him
וְלֹ֥אve.Lo' and not H3808 Conjunction · particle
5,170× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Tyndale gloss
not
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לֹא or לוֹא adv. not

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3808 lo' lo

or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often

used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,

ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,

no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out

of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +

of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לֹא (lo) — not.

1) not, no

1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)

1b) not (with modifier-negation)

1c) nothing (subst)

1d) without (with particle)

1e) before (of time)

Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HC/Tn — Conjunction · particle
HC/Tn
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
[is] redeeming Yahweh [the] life of servants his and not they will be held guilty all those [who] take refuge in him
יֶ֝אְשְׁמ֗וּye'.she.Mu they will be held guilty H816 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine plural
35× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To be guilty means to have done something wrong and deserve punishment, as seen in the story of Adam and Eve in Genesis 3:8-10.
Amplified meaning
are, shall be, desolate, guilty, punished
Tyndale gloss
be guilty
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָשַׁם (asham) means to offend or be guilty, covering actions like committing an offense or trespass. It can also imply suffering punishment or being declared guilty. The entries indicate that it can denote both personal guilt and the consequences of wrongdoing, with some nuances in how it is used in different grammatical forms.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָשַׁם, אָשֵׁם vb. offend, be guilty

commit an offence, a trespass, do a wrong, or an injury

be or become guilty

be held guilty, bear punishment

Niph. suffer punishment

Hiph. declare them guilty

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H816 אָשַׁם, אָשֵׁם offend, be guilty

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

816 'asham aw-sham'

or mashem {aw-shame'}; a primitive root; to be guilty; by

implication to be punished or perish:--X certainly, be(-come,

made) desolate, destroy, X greatly, be(-come, found, hold)

guilty, offend (acknowledge offence), trespass.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָשַׁם (a.sham) — be guilty.

1) to offend, be guilty, trespass

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to do wrong, offend, trespass, commit an offense, do injury

1a2) to be or become guilty

1a3) to be held guilty

1a4) to be incriminated

1b) (Niphal) to suffer punishment

1c) (Hiphil) to declare guilty

2) (TWOT) to be desolate, acknowledge offense

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine plural
HVqi3mp
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

gil'-ti: In addition to the general discussion under GUILT (which see), several New Testament passages demand special notice because the word "guilty" is not used in the principal sense of blameworthy, but with one of the two lesser meanings noted above which go to make up the complete idea. In 3 of these passages the King James Version renders "guilty" and the Revised Version (British and American) gives another rendering. In Mt 26:66 the King James Version, Jesus' foes declare he is "guilty of death" (enochos, "liable to"). Here "guilty" simply means the one who is legally held, and the reference is not to the blame but to the consequence. This is a true use of the word in the lower and legal sense. It does not correspond with our higher usage, and so we have it in the Revised Version (British and American) "worthy of death." So…

[is] redeeming Yahweh [the] life of servants his and not they will be held guilty all those [who] take refuge in him
כָּֽל־kal- all H3605 Noun common · masculine singular construct
5,415× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for 'all' or 'everything' is used throughout the Bible, like in Genesis 1:31, where God sees all He has made as very good. It encompasses the entirety of something, whether people, things, or situations.
Tyndale gloss
all
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כֹּל (kol) means 'all' or 'the whole.' It can refer to totality, including every person or thing, and is often used with a following genitive to specify what is included. The term can also denote a broader sense of everything in existence or all circumstances of life. The lexicons do not show significant disagreement on its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כֹּל once כּוֹל n.m. the whole, all

with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

Absolutely:

without the art., all things, all

with the art. הַכֹּל

where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3605 כֹּל once כּוֹל the whole, all . with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

. Absolutely: . without the art., all things, all

. with the art. הַכֹּל . where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

. in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3605 kol kole

or (Jer. 33:8) kowl {kole}; from 3634; properly, the whole;

hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a

plural sense):--(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any

(manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as

many as, (no-)thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole,

whoso(-ever).

see HEBREW for 03634

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כֹּל (kol) — all.

1) all, the whole

1a) all, the whole of

1b) any, each, every, anything

1c) totality, everything

Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcmsc — Noun common · masculine singular construct
HNcmsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ol: Used in various combinations, and with different meanings.

(1) All along, "Weeping all along as he went" (Jer 41:6), i.e. throughout the whole way he went, feigning equal concern with the men from Shiloh, etc., for the destruction of the Temple, so as to put them off their guard.

(2) All in all, "That God may be all in all" (1Co 15:28, Greek: panta en pasin, "all things in all (persons and) things"). "The universe, with all it comprises, will wholly answer to God's will and reflect His mind" (Dummelow).

(3) All one, "It is all one" (Job 9:22), "it makes no difference whether I live or die."

(4) At all, "If thy father miss me at all" (1Sa 20:6), "in any way," "in the least."

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
[is] redeeming Yahweh [the] life of servants his and not they will be held guilty all those [who] take refuge in him
הַחֹסִ֥יםha.cho.Sim those [who] take refuge H2620 Particle · verb qal participle (active) masculine plural
37× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To seek refuge means to flee to a safe place for protection, and it can also mean to trust in God. In the Bible, it appears in Psalms and Proverbs, where people put their hope in God. This concept is important in the Old Testament.
Tyndale gloss
to seek refuge
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חָסָה (chacah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to seek refuge or flee for protection, often used in a figurative sense to express trust or hope in God. It is primarily found in poetic contexts, emphasizing the act of confiding in divine protection.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חָסָה vb. (mostly poet. and fig.) seek refuge

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2620 חָסָה (mostly poet. and fig.) seek refuge

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2620 chacah khaw-saw'

a primitive root; to flee for protection (compare 982);

figuratively, to confide in:--have hope, make refuge, (put)

trust.

see HEBREW for 0982

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חָסָה (cha.sah) — to seek refuge.

1) (Qal) to seek refuge, flee for protection

1a) to put trust in (God), confide or hope in (God) (fig.)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTd/Vqrmpa — Particle · verb qal participle (active) masculine plural
HTd/Vqrmpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ref'-uj: A place of resort and safety. The principal words in the Old Testament are machceh (Ps 14:6; 46:1; 62:7,8; Isa 4:6, etc.), and manoc (2Sa 22:3; Ps 59:16, etc.), both applied chiefly to God as a "refuge" for His people. For the King James Version "refuge" in De 33:27, the Revised Version (British and American) has "dwelling-place," and in Ps 9:9, "high tower." Conversely, the Revised Version (British and American) has "refuge" for the King James Version "shelter" in Ps 61:3, and "hope" in

[is] redeeming Yahweh [the] life of servants his and not they will be held guilty all those [who] take refuge in him
בּֽוֹ׃bo in him H9033 Preposition · suffix
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

וֹ (o) — him.

Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 3rd person masculine singular

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Sp3ms — Preposition · suffix
HR/Sp3ms
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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