Menu

Psalms 39:8 — Word Study

Depth

WLCמִכָּל־ פְּשָׁעַ֥י הַצִּילֵ֑נִי חֶרְפַּ֥ת נָ֝בָ֗ל אַל־ תְּשִׂימֵֽנִי׃

BSAnowʻattâh what?mâh to awaitqâvâh LordʼĂdônây hopetôwcheleth he/she/ithûwʼ

Word
Listen & take awayPsalms 39
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 8 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 (te.si.Me.ni) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Psalms 39:8quick helps
In a sentenceThe psalmist pleads for deliverance from his sins and not to be made a mockery.
Who is speakingThe psalmist, expressing deep concern over his transgressions.
Where we areA personal lament, seeking God's mercy and intervention.
The hard wordחֶרְפַּת
Take awayThe plea is for rescue from shame and disgrace.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause 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 39:8

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 Personal Lamentgenerated

7And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in You.
8Deliver me from all my transgressions; do not make me the reproach of fools.
9I have become mute; I do not open my mouth because of what You have done.
10Remove Your scourge from me; I am perishing by the force of Your hand.

Psalms 39:8 expresses the psalmist's urgent request for deliverance from his sins and a desire to avoid being a source of ridicule among the foolish. This plea reflects a deep awareness of personal failure and the need for God's mercy, paralleling themes found in other psalms such as Psalm 51:7-10 where confession and repentance are central.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Psalm 25:11–18For the sake of Your name, O LORD, forgive my iniquity, for it is great.
2Psalm 51:7–10Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
3Psalm 65:3When iniquities prevail against me, You atone for our transgressions.
4Psalm 130:8And He will redeem Israel from all iniquity.
5Micah 7:19He will again have compassion on us; He will vanquish our iniquities. You will cast out all our sins into the depths of the sea.

The Key Word חֶרְפַּת, cher.Patgenerated

The word חֶרְפָּה (cherpah) refers to reproach or shame, often associated with scorn or disgrace. It conveys feelings of humiliation and the condition of being reproached, stemming from a root that relates to scorn.

In this verse, the psalmist asks God not to allow him to become a target of mockery, highlighting the emotional weight of being ridiculed by those who lack wisdom.


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 הַצִּילֵ֑נִי (deliver me) governs the whole verse, with two main phrases following: a noun phrase indicating the source of transgressions and a second clause expressing the desire to avoid reproach.

The structure emphasizes the psalmist's urgent plea, with the verb positioned at the forefront, indicating the primary request for divine intervention.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, the Hebrew word חֶרְפַּת is rendered with a Greek term that conveys a similar sense of shame or disgrace. This choice indicates a consistent understanding of the emotional weight of the term.

The translation reflects the psalmist's concern about being ridiculed, maintaining the original's plea for deliverance from such a fate.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalms 39:8 is a heartfelt plea from the psalmist asking God to rescue him from his sins and not to let him be a source of mockery among the foolish. This reflects a deep need for mercy and understanding of his failures.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does the psalmist mean by 'transgressions'?

Transgressions refer to acts of rebellion against God or others, involving intentional wrongdoing.

Why does the psalmist ask not to be made a reproach?

Being a reproach signifies shame and humiliation, especially among the foolish, which the psalmist wishes to avoid.

How does this verse reflect the psalmist's relationship with God?

It shows a deep reliance on God's mercy and a recognition of personal failure, seeking forgiveness and deliverance.

What can we learn from the psalmist's plea?

We learn the importance of acknowledging our transgressions and seeking God's help to avoid shame and ridicule.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what areas of my life do I need to seek God's deliverance from my transgressions?
  2. How can I avoid becoming a source of mockery or shame in my interactions with others?
  3. What does it mean to rely on God's mercy in times of personal failure?
  4. How can I apply the psalmist's plea for deliverance in my own prayers?

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

Early church fathers commented on this verse, emphasizing the need for God's forgiveness and the seriousness of sin, as reflected in their quotations.

Ambrose of MilanCommentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms c. 339–397
It is not merely one lapse that he is confessing, for he prays to be forgiven all his iniquities. He knows that without God’s forgiveness no one can be saved. For we were born in sin. We have inherited a stain.
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 39 →
Augustine of HippoExposition on Psalms 39 354–430
"Deliver me from all my transgressions" [Psalms 39:8]. I have "over-leaped" a great deal of ground, a very great deal of ground already;
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 39 →
CassiodorusEXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 39:9 c. 485–585
Although this holy man was conducting himself in noble devotion, he still asks to be freed from all of his iniquities by the Lord’s mercy.
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 39 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 39:8 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Deliver me from all my transgressions,.... Which were the cause and occasion of all his distresses, inward and outward; and the deliverance prayed for includes a freedom from the dominion of sin,

Read John Gill on Psalms 39 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Deliver me from all my transgressions: make me not the reproach of the foolish. Deliver me from all my transgressions - alike from their guilt, power, and penalty; especially from being delivered up to mine enemies (cf.

Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 39 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Deliver me from all my transgressions; that I may not be disappointed of my hopes of enjoying thee and thy favour, which is the only thing that I desire, pardon all my sins, which stand like a thick cloud between thee and me, and fill me with fears about my condition both here and hereafter. Make me not the reproach; let not their prosperity and my misery give them occasion to deride and reproach me for my serving of thee, and trusting in thee, to so little purpose or advantage. Of the foolish, i.e. of wicked men, who though they profess and think themselves to be wise, yet indeed are fools, as is manifest from their eager pursuit of fruitless vanities, , and from their gross neglect of…

Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 39 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Psalms 39:8 Deliver me from all my transgressions: make me not the reproach of the foolish.Ver. 8. Deliver me from all my transgressions] But especially from that of impatiently desiring to die out of discontent, Psalms 39:4. The sense of this one sin brought many more to remembrance; as a man, by looking over his debt book for one thing, meets with more. God giveth the penitent general discharges; neither calleth he any to an after reckoning. Make me not the reproach of the foolish] Let not any wicked one (for such are all fools in God’ s dictionary) lay this folly in my dish, that I so foolishly desired death in a pet.

Read John Trapp on Psalms 39 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(8) Here the psalmist recurs to his initial thought, but lets us see deeper down into his heart. It was no mere fancy that if he gave vent to his feelings the wicked might find cause for reproach; the cause was there in his own consciousness of transgression. The reproach of the foolish.—Better, The scorn of the fool. (Comp. Psalms 22:6.)

Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 39 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 8. Deliver one from all my transgressions] I seek the pardon of my sins; I expect it from thy mercy. Grant it, "that I be not the reproach of the foolish," (the godless and the profane,) who deride my expectation, and say no such blessings can be had. Let them know, by thy saving me, that there is a God who heareth prayer, and giveth his Holy Spirit to all them that ask him.

Read AdamClarke on Psalms 39 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

8. The Psalmist prays to be delivered not merely from his present afflictions but from the power of the sins which he recognises as the cause of them. Sin gets hold of its victim and brings him into punishment. Cp. Psalms 40:12; Job 8:4. the reproach of the foolish] The fool (Psalms 14:1 note) regards the sufferings of the godly as a mark of God’s wrath, and taunts him accordingly (Psalms 38:16; Psalms 22:8; Psalms 31:11). Cp. the plea of the nation, Psalms 44:13 ff.; Psalms 74:18; Psalms 74:22.

Read Cambridge on Psalms 39 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Deliver me from all my transgressions - Recognising, as in Psalms 38:3-5, his sins as the source of all his troubles and sorrows. If his transgressions were forgiven, he felt assured that his trouble would be removed.

Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 39 →

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

Deliver me from all my transgressions; do not make me the reproach of fools.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Deliver me from all my transgressions. Don’t make me the reproach of the foolish.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Deliver me from all my transgressions; do not make me the reproach of fools.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Deliver me from all my sins of rebellion! Do not make me the object of fools’ insults!

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Deliver me from all my transgressions: make me not the reproach of the foolish.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Deliver me from all my transgressions: Make me not the reproach of the foolish.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Deliver me from all my transgressions: make me not the reproach of the foolish.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Deliver me from all my transgressions: make me not the reproach of the foolish.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Deliuer me from all my transgressions, and make me not a rebuke vnto the foolish.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Deliver me from all my transgressions; make me not the reproach of the foolish.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

From all my transgressions deliver me, A reproach of the fool make me not.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Deliver me from all my transgressions, || Do not make me a reproach of the fool.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

(39:9) From all my transgressions deliver thou me: render me not the object of reproach of the worthless.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Rescue me from my sins; do not make me the reproach of fools.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Then said I, Behold I come. In the head of the book it is written of me

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Save me from my rebellion. Don't let me be mocked by fools.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Make me free from all my sins; do not let me be shamed by the man of evil behaviour.

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.

clauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalמִfromnoun phraseכָּלallnoun phraseפְּשָׁעַ֥transgressionsיmyverbהַצִּילֵ֑deliverobjectנִיmeclausenoun phrase · second objectחֶרְפַּ֥תa.reproachנָ֝בָ֗לof.[the].foolishadverbialאַלdo.notverbתְּשִׂימֵֽmakeobjectנִיme

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


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

The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint largely agree in their wording, with six out of seven words matching. The Septuagint's structure may differ, but it conveys the same core message of seeking deliverance from shame.

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

מִכָּל־ פְּשָׁעַ֥י הַצִּילֵ֑נִי חֶרְפַּ֥ת נָ֝בָ֗ל אַל־ תְּשִׂימֵֽנִי׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
מִכָּל־νῦνפְּשָׁעַ֥יτίςהַצִּילֵ֑נִיκύριοςנָ֝בָ֗לμουאַל־παρὰתְּשִׂימֵֽנִי׃ἐστιν

6 of the 7 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 39:8כֹּלfrom allfrom allכֹּלפֶּ֫שַׁעtransgressitransgressions פֶּ֫שַׁענָצַלdeliver medeliver meנָצַלחֶרְפָּהa reproach a reproach ofחֶרְפָּהנָבָל[the] fooli[the] foolishנָבָלאַלmay notmay notאַלשׂוּםyou make meyou make meשׂוּםכָּלַלto perfectto perfectכָּלַלפָּשַׁעto transgrto transgressפָּשַׁעחָרַףto tauntto tauntחָרַףנָבֵלbe senselebe senselessנָבֵללֹאnotnotלֹאעֵדָהcongregaticongregationעֵדָהעֲבֹדָהserviceserviceעֲבֹדָהחַטָּאָהsinsinחַטָּאָהעָוֹןiniquity: iniquity: crimeעָוֹןצְדָקָהrighteousnrighteousnessצְדָקָהכְּלִמָּהshameshameכְּלִמָּהקְלָלָהcursecurseקְלָלָהאֲבִינֵרAbnerAbnerאֲבִינֵרחֶרְפָּהreproachreproachחֶרְפָּהחָתַתto to be dto to be dismayחָתַתיָרֵאto fearto fearיָרֵאשַׁמָּהhorror: dehorror: destroyשַׁמָּהשְׁמָמָהDesolateDesolateשְׁמָמָה
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 39:8

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.

from all transgressions my deliver me a reproach of [the] foolish may not you make me
מִכָּל־mi.kol from all H3605 Preposition · 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
HR/Ncmsc — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
HR/Ncmsc
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
from all transgressions my deliver me a reproach of [the] foolish may not you make me
פְּשָׁעַ֥יpe.sha.'Ai transgressions my H6588 Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
93× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Transgression refers to a revolt or rebellion against God or others, resulting in guilt and punishment, as in Genesis 3:6-7. It involves intentional disobedience.
Tyndale gloss
transgression
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

פֶּ֫שַׁע (pesha`) means transgression and is derived from a root that implies revolt, whether national, moral, or religious. It encompasses various forms of wrongdoing, including offenses against individuals, nations, and God, as well as the associated guilt and punishment. The entries do not indicate any significant disagreement among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

פֶּ֫שַׁע n.m. transgression

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6588 פֶּ֫שַׁע transgression

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6588 pesha` peh'-shah

from 6586; a revolt (national, moral or

religious):--rebellion, sin, transgression, trespass.

see HEBREW for 06586

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

פֶּ֫שַׁע (pe.sah) — transgression.

1) transgression, rebellion

1a1) transgression (against individuals)

1a2) transgression (nation against nation)

1a3) transgression (against God)

1a3a) in general

1a3b) as recognised by sinner

1a3c) as God deals with it

1a3d) as God forgives

1a4) guilt of transgression

1a5) punishment for transgression

1a6) offering for transgression

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcmpc/Sp1bs — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
HNcmpc/Sp1bs
from all transgressions my deliver me a reproach of [the] foolish may not you make me
הַצִּילֵ֑נִיha.tzi.Le.ni deliver me H5337 Verb hiphil imperative second person masculine singular · suffix
213× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To rescue means to snatch away or deliver from danger. It can also mean to strip or plunder, depending on the context, and appears in various forms throughout the Bible.
Tyndale gloss
to rescue
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word נָצַל (natsal) is built from a primitive root meaning to snatch away, with various usages across different stems. It covers a range of meanings including to rescue, deliver, plunder, and strip. The word appears in contexts of delivering oneself or being delivered, as well as rescuing from enemies or sin.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[נָצַל] 212 vb. not in Qal; Pi. strip, plunder; Niph. deliver oneself, be delivered Hiph. snatch away, deliver

Niph.

reflex. tear oneself away, deliver oneself

passive, be torn out or away

Pi.

strip off, spoil

deliver

Hiph.

take away, snatch away

rescue, recover

deliver from

deliver from sin and guilt

Hoph. as a brand plucked out of the burning

Hithp. and they stripped themselves of their ornaments.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5337 נָצַל not in Qal; Pi. strip, plunder; Niph. deliver oneself, be delivered Hiph. snatch away, deliver

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5337 natsal naw-tsal'

a primitive root; to snatch away, whether in a good or a bad

sense:- X at all, defend, deliver (self), escape, X without

fail, part, pluck, preserve, recover, rescue, rid, save,

spoil, strip, X surely, take (out).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָצַל (na.tsal) — to rescue.

1) to snatch away, deliver, rescue, save, strip, plunder

1a)(Niphal)

1a1) to tear oneself away, deliver oneself

1a2) to be torn out or away, be delivered

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to strip off, spoil

1b2) to deliver

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to take away, snatch away

1c2) to rescue, recover

1c3) to deliver (from enemies or troubles or death)

1c4) to deliver from sin and guilt

1d) (Hophal) to be plucked out

1e) (Hithpael) to strip oneself

Aramaic equivalent: ne.tsal (נְצַל "to rescue" H5338)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVhv2ms/Sp1bs — Verb hiphil imperative second person masculine singular · suffix
HVhv2ms/Sp1bs
from all transgressions my deliver me a reproach of [the] foolish may not you make me
חֶרְפַּ֥תcher.Pat a reproach of H2781 Noun common · feminine singular construct
73× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Cherpah means reproach or shame, often used to describe scorn or disgrace. In the Bible, it is used to express strong feelings of shame or humiliation.
Tyndale gloss
reproach
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חֶרְפָּה (cherpah) means reproach or taunt, often associated with shame or disgrace. It can refer to the condition of being reproached or the object of reproach itself. The word is derived from חָרַף (charaf), which relates to scorn or rebuke.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חֶרְפָּה n.f. reproach

taunt of enemy

reproach which rests upon one, condition of shame, disgrace

a reproach, the object of reproach, the person or thing reproached

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2781 חֶרְפָּה reproach . taunt of enemy

. reproach which rests upon one, condition of shame, disgrace

. a reproach, the object of reproach, the person or thing reproached

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2781 cherpah kher-paw'

from 2778; contumely, disgrace, the pudenda:--rebuke,

reproach(-fully), shame.

see HEBREW for 02778

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חֶרְפָּה (cher.pah) — reproach.

1) reproach, scorn

1a) taunt, scorn (upon enemy)

1b) reproach (resting upon condition of shame, disgrace)

1c) a reproach (an object)

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…

from all transgressions my deliver me a reproach of [the] foolish may not you make me
נָ֝בָ֗לna.Val [the] foolish H5036
18× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A foolish person is someone who acts stupidly or wickedly, often in a way that is impious or against God. This word is used to describe someone who lacks sense or wisdom.
Tyndale gloss
foolish
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word נָבָל (nabal) means foolish or senseless, particularly describing a person lacking ethical and religious understanding. It conveys notions of ignobility and disgracefulness. The word is derived from a root meaning 'stupid' or 'wicked.' It can also refer to a vile person.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נָבָל adj. foolish, senseless, esp. of the man who has no perception of ethical and religious claims, and with collat. idea of ignoble, disgraceful; elsewh. as subst. (impious and presumptuous) fool

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5036 נָבָל foolish, senseless, esp. of the man who has no perception of ethical and religious claims, and with collat. idea of ignoble, disgraceful

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5036 nabal naw-bawl'

from 5034; stupid; wicked (especially impious):--

fool(-ish, -ish man, -ish woman), vile person.

see HEBREW for 05034

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָבָל (na.val) — foolish.

foolish, senseless, fool

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HAamsa
HAamsa
from all transgressions my deliver me a reproach of [the] foolish may not you make me
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
HTn — Particle
HTn
from all transgressions my deliver me a reproach of [the] foolish may not you make me
תְּשִׂימֵֽנִי׃te.si.Me.ni you make me H7760 Verb qal jussive second person masculine singular · suffix
585× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to put or place something, and is used in many different ways in the Bible, such as to appoint or determine something. It is first used in Genesis to describe God's creation. In the KJV, it is translated as 'appoint' or 'set' in various contexts.
Tyndale gloss
to set: make
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word שׂוּם (sum) is a verb meaning to put, place, or set, with a wide range of applications including appointing, establishing, and making. It can also refer to laying something upon or directing it. There is a related noun שׂוּמָה (sumah), which may denote a token of unluckiness. The entries do not present any significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שׂוּם, שִׂים 582 vb. put, place, set

Qal

put, set, in a place

put something upon

put, lay, set

put, c. בֵּין

set, direct

set, ordain, in a place

set, establish a law, statute

set, found a nation

set, appoint (as ruler, official)

set, constitute, make

set, determine, fix, bounds

set, station, at a post

put in position, sacred bread, sword, staves, bars

set up altars

= plant, wheat

set, fix (countenance)

make a thing, or pers. (acc.), for, transform into

make, constitute

work, bring to pass

appoint, give

set, fix (countenance)

Hiph. I will make him for a sign

Hoph. there was set before him

base

שׂוּמָה perhaps n. f. token of unluckiness, scowl;—2 S 13:32

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7760a שׂוּם, שִׂים put, place, set .. . put, set, in a place

. put something upon

. put, lay, set

. put, c. בֵּין

. set, direct

. . set, ordain, in a place

. set, establish a law, statute

. set, found a nation

. set, appoint (as ruler, official)

. set, constitute, make

. set, determine, fix, bounds

. . set, station, at a post

. put in position, sacred bread, sword, staves, bars

. set up altars

. = plant, wheat

. set, fix (countenance)

. . make a thing, or pers. (acc.), for, transform into

. make, constitute

. work, bring to pass

. appoint, give

. set, fix (countenance)

. I will make him for a sign

. there was set before him

H7760b שׂוּמָה perhaps n. f. token of unluckiness, scowl

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7760 suwm soom

or siym {seem}; a primitive root; to put (used in a great

variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially,

and elliptically):--X any wise, appoint, bring, call (a

name), care, cast in, change, charge, commit, consider,

convey, determine, + disguise, dispose, do, get, give, heap

up, hold, impute, lay (down, up), leave, look, make (out),

mark, + name, X on, ordain, order, + paint, place, preserve,

purpose, put (on), + regard, rehearse, reward, (cause to) set

(on, up), shew, + stedfastly, take, X tell, + tread down,

((over-))turn, X wholly, work.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שׂוּם (sum) — to set: make.

: make/establish

1) to put, place, set, appoint, make

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to put, set, lay, put or lay upon, lay (violent) hands on

1a2) to set, direct, direct toward

1a2a) to extend (compassion) (fig)

1a3) to set, ordain, establish, found, appoint, constitute, make, determine, fix

1a4) to set, station, put, set in place, plant, fix

1a5) to make, make for, transform into, constitute, fashion, work, bring to pass, appoint, give

1b) (Hiphil) to set or make for a sign

1c) (Hophal) to be set

שׂוּמָה (su.mah) — fate.

token of unluckiness, scowl

שׂוּם (sum) — to set: put.

: put/give

1) to put, place, set, appoint, make

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to put, set, lay, put or lay upon, lay (violent) hands on

1a2) to set, direct, direct toward

1a2a) to extend (compassion) (fig)

1a3) to set, ordain, establish, found, appoint, constitute, make, determine, fix

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVqj2ms/Sp1bs — Verb qal jussive second person masculine singular · suffix
HVqj2ms/Sp1bs
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