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Psalms 45:11 — Word Study

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WLCוְיִתְאָ֣ו הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ יָפְיֵ֑ךְ כִּי־ ה֥וּא אֲ֝דֹנַ֗יִךְ וְהִשְׁתַּֽחֲוִי־ לֽוֹ׃

BSAto hearshâmaʻ Bath (Shua)bath Providerrâʼâh to stretchnâṭâh earʼôzen to forgetshâkach Amawʻam placebayith fatherʼâb

Word
Listen & take awayPsalms 45
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 11 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 (lo) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Psalms 45:11quick helps
In a sentenceThe king desires the beauty of the bride, calling her to bow before him.
Who is speakingThe psalmist, addressing the daughter.
Where we areIn a royal wedding context, where the bride is urged to honor her king.
The hard wordיָפְיֵךְ
Take awayThe king's desire reflects both admiration and authority.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectהוּא 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 45:11

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 Royal Wedding Songgenerated

10Listen, O daughter! Consider and incline your ear: Forget your people and your father’s house,
11and the king will desire your beauty; bow to him, for he is your lord.
12The Daughter of Tyre will come with a gift; men of wealth will seek your favor.
13All glorious is the princess in her chamber; her gown is embroidered with gold.

Psalms 45:11 is part of a wedding song celebrating the beauty and majesty of the bride and her relationship with the king. This verse highlights the king's desire for the bride's beauty and calls for her reverence towards him, emphasizing their bond and the royal authority he holds. The surrounding verses further illustrate the grandeur of the occasion and the significance of the bride's role in this royal context.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Song of Solomon 1:8–12
2Song of Solomon 2:2–14
3Song of Solomon 4:1–5
4Song of Solomon 6:4
5Song of Solomon 7:1–10

The Key Word יָפְיֵךְ, ya.fe.Yekhgenerated

The word יָפְיֵךְ (*yopheh*) means 'your beauty' and is derived from the root יָפָה (*yafah*), which conveys the idea of being pleasing or attractive. It is a noun in the construct form, indicating possession, and is used here to express the beauty that the king desires in the bride.

This term captures not just physical beauty but also the allure and charm that comes with it, reflecting the admiration the king has for the bride. The parsing as a noun with a suffix shows that it is directly linked to the subject of the king's desire.


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 יִתְאָ֣ו (*yit'av*) governs the main clause, indicating the king's desire. This is followed by a noun phrase that serves as the object of desire, יָפְיֵךְ, and a prepositional phrase that provides context, emphasizing the relationship between the king and the bride.

The structure highlights the king's authority and the call for the bride's submission, with the imperative הִשְׁתַּֽחֲוִי (*hish'tachavi*) urging her to bow down, reinforcing the theme of reverence.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, the Hebrew term יָפְיֵךְ is rendered as κλῖνον (*klinon*), which means 'to incline' or 'to bow.' This choice emphasizes the act of submission and reverence towards the king.

The translation reflects a broader interpretation of the bride's beauty, suggesting that her beauty is not just physical but also linked to her posture of humility before the king.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalms 45:11 tells us that the king desires the beauty of the bride and calls her to bow down to him, recognizing his authority as her lord. This verse emphasizes the relationship between the king and the bride, highlighting themes of admiration and reverence.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that the king desires the bride's beauty?

It signifies the king's admiration for the bride, reflecting her attractiveness and the importance of her role in the royal setting.

Why is the bride instructed to bow to the king?

Bowing is a sign of respect and submission, acknowledging the king's authority and position.

How does this verse relate to the overall theme of the psalm?

The verse fits within a wedding context, celebrating the beauty and majesty of the bride while emphasizing the king's desire and authority.

What can we learn about the nature of beauty from this verse?

Beauty is portrayed as something that is desired and admired, suggesting that it encompasses both physical appearance and the character of the individual.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways do I see beauty reflected in the people around me?
  2. How can I show reverence and respect to those in authority in my life?
  3. What does it mean for me to acknowledge the beauty within myself?
  4. How can I cultivate a spirit of humility in my relationships?

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

Early Church Fathers have commented on this verse, discussing themes of beauty and obedience in relation to the king's desire for the bride.

IrenaeusAGAINST HERESIES 4:39.2 c. 130–202
You do not make God, but God makes you. If, then, you are God’s workmanship, await the hand of your Maker that creates everything in due time; in due time as far as you are concerned, whose creation is being carried out.
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 45 →
John ChrysostomCOMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 45:11 c. 347–407
The reference is not to beauty of body, since he says it arises from obedience to him. Obedience, however, gives rise not to beauty of body but to beauty of soul.
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 45 →
Augustine of HippoExposition on Psalms 45 354–430
"For the King has greatly desired your beauty" [Psalms 45:11]. What "beauty" is that, save that which is His own work? "Greatly desired the beauty"— Of whom? Of her the sinner,
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 45 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 45:11 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

So shall the King greatly desire thy beauty,.... Which lies in the comeliness or righteousness of Christ put upon her; in the holiness of Christ reckoned to her; in being washed from all sin in the

Read John Gill on Psalms 45 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty: for he is thy Lord; and worship thou him.

Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 45 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

So doing thou shalt be amiable and acceptable to thy Husband; which will abundantly recompense thee for the loss of thy father’ s house. He is thy Lord; as he is thy Husband, and also as he is thy King and God, as he was called, . And this is added as a reason, not of the last words, why the King would desire her beauty, but of the advice given to her, . Worship thou him; by which he implies that her Husband was no mere man, but God also, and therefore might be adored without any violation of that known and immutable precept of worshipping God only.

Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 45 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Psalms 45:11 So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty: for he [is] thy Lord; and worship thou him.Ver. 11. So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty] If thou deny thyself and forego all others to please him alone he shall set his whole heart upon thee, and be ravished with thy love, as Proverbs 5:19. How could that Persian lady’ s husband do less than love her, who, having been at Cyrus’ s wedding, and asked how she liked the bridegroom? Like him? said she, I know not how I like him; for I looked upon no man there but mine own husband. Aspasia Milesia was very dear to Cyrus, because she was καληκαισοφη, fair, and wise (Aelian). For he is thy Lord] And, therefore, not to be slighted by…

Read John Trapp on Psalms 45 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(11) Worship thou him.—Literally, Bow down or prostrate thyself.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 45 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

11. So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty] Omit greatly.worship thou him] Better, do him homage: not necessarily in the literal sense of prostrating herself before him (1 Samuel 25:41; 1 Kings 1:16; 1 Kings 1:31), but by shewing him befitting respect and submission. This exhortation, and the title lord for husband (cp. Genesis 18:12) reflect the subordinate position of women in ancient times and Oriental countries. Yet see also 1 Peter 3:5-6. The rendering of P.B.V., for he is thy Lord God, follows the Vulg. But God is not in the LXX, and was no doubt a gloss in accordance with the Messianic interpretation.

Read Cambridge on Psalms 45 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty - That is, in consequence of your love to him, and your entire devotion of yourself to him.

Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 45 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

11. For he is thy Lord— “Lord,” here, is ΰγεπ, Adon, (often written ΰγπι, Adonah,) which is here to be understood of Christ in its prophetic application, the bride being the Church, of which,

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Psalms 45 →

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

and the king will desire your beauty; bow to him, for he is your lord.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

So the king will desire your beauty, honor him, for he is your lord.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

and the king will desire your beauty; bow to him, for he is your lord.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Then the king will be attracted by your beauty. After all, he is your master! Submit to him!

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty: for he is thy Lord; and worship thou him.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

So will the king desire thy beauty; For he is thy lord; and reverence thou him.

RVARevised Version, American1894

So shall the king desire thy beauty: for he is thy Lord; and worship thou him.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty: for he is thy lord; and worship thou him.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

So shall the King haue pleasure in thy beautie: for he is thy Lord, and reuerence thou him.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And the king will desire thy beauty; for he is thy Lord, and worship thou him.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And the king doth desire thy beauty, Because he [is] thy lord — bow thyself to him,

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And the King desires your beauty, || Because He [is] your Lord—bow yourself to Him,

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

(45:12) Then will the king long for thy beauty; for he is thy Lord; and bow thyself to him.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

In this way the king will desire your beauty; he is your master; revere him.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Be still and see that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, and I will be exalted in the earth.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

May the king desire you in your beauty; respect him, for he is your lord.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

So will the king have a great desire for you, seeing how beautiful you are; because he is your lord, give him honour.

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.

וְsoclauseverbיִתְאָ֣וthat.he.may.desirenoun phrase · subjectהַtheמֶּ֣לֶךְkingnoun phrase · objectיָפְיֵ֑beautyךְyourכִּי(dm)clausesubjectה֥וּאhenoun phrase · predicateאֲ֝דֹנַ֗יִlord(s)ךְ[is].yourוְandclauseverbהִשְׁתַּֽחֲוִיbow.downprepositional phrase · prepositionalלֽtoוֹhim

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


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

The Masoretic Text reads וְיִתְאָ֣ו הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ יָפְיֵ֑ךְ כִּי־ ה֥וּא אֲ֝דֹנַ֗יִךְ וְהִשְׁתַּֽחֲוִי־ לֽוֹ׃, and the Septuagint matches it closely with all words accounted for. The Dead Sea Scrolls show some restoration but agree in substance with the Masoretic Text.

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

וְיִתְאָ֣ו הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ יָפְיֵ֑ךְ כִּי־ ה֥וּא אֲ֝דֹנַ֗יִךְ וְהִשְׁתַּֽחֲוִי־ לֽוֹ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וְיִתְאָ֣וθύγατερהַמֶּ֣לֶךְἰδὲיָפְיֵ֑ךְκλῖνονכִּי־οὖςה֥וּאσουאֲ֝דֹנַ֗יִךְἐπιλάθουוְהִשְׁתַּֽחֲוִי־σουלֽוֹ׃οἴκου

8 of the 8 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q85a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[שמעי] [בת] [וראי] והטי אזנ׳ך ושכחי עמ׳ך [ובית] [אבי׳ך]

3 words on the leather — 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 45:11אָוָהso may he dso may he desirאָוָהמֶ֫לֶךְthe kingthe kingמֶ֫לֶךְיֳפִיbeauty yourbeauty yourיֳפִיכִּיforforכִּיהוּאheheהוּאאָדוֹן[is] lord y[is] lord yourאָדוֹןשָׁחָהand bow dowand bow downשָׁחָהוֹto himto himוֹמָלַךְto reignto reignמָלַךְיָפָהbe beautifbe beautifulיָפָהמַטְעָםdelicacydelicacyמַטְעָםתַּאֲוָהdesiredesireתַּאֲוָהנְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּרNebuchadneNebuchadnezzarנְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּראַשּׁוּרAsshurAsshurאַשּׁוּרכָּלַלto perfectto perfectכָּלַלכָּלִילentireentireכָּלִיליָדַעto knowto knowיָדַעטָמֵאuncleanuncleanטָמֵאעֵתtimetimeעֵתבִּיpleasepleaseבִּיחֵןfavorfavorחֵןקָדַדto bowto bowקָדַדאַחֵרanotheranotherאַחֵר
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 45:11

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.

so may he desire the king beauty your for he [is] lord your and bow down to him
וְיִתְאָ֣וve.yit.'Av so may he desire H183 Conjunction · verb hithpael jussive third person masculine singular
26× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To desire means to strongly wish for something, and can be used to describe physical or emotional longings. This word is used in the Bible to describe feelings of coveting or lusting after something.
Tyndale gloss
to desire
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָוָה (avah) is a primitive root meaning to desire or wish for. It encompasses a range of meanings including to covet, long for, and lust after, often relating to bodily appetites. The verb appears in various forms, such as in the Piel and Hithpael stems, which indicate different nuances of desire.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[אָוָה] vb. incline, desire

Pi. desire

Hithp. desire, long for, lust after

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H183 [אָוָה] incline, desire . desire

. desire, long for, lust after

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

183 'avah aw-vaw'

a primitive root; to wish for:--covet, (greatly) desire, be

desirous, long, lust (after).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָוָה (a.vah) — to desire.

1) desire, incline, covet, wait longingly, wish, sigh, want, be greedy, prefer

1a) (Piel) to desire, crave (food and drink)

1b) (Hithpael) to desire, long for, lust after (of bodily appetites)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HC/Vtj3ms — Conjunction · verb hithpael jussive third person masculine singular
HC/Vtj3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

de-zir': The verb "to desire" in the Scriptures usually means "to long for," "to ask for," "to demand," and may be used in a good or bad sense (compare De 7:25 the King James Version). the Revised Version (British and American) frequently renders the more literal meaning of the Hebrew. Compare Job 20:20, "delight"; Pr 21:20, "precious"; Ps 40:6, "delight"; aiteo (except Col 1:9), and erotao (except Lu 7:36) are rendered "to ask" and zeteo, "to seek" (compare Lu 9:9 et. al.). The Hebrew kacaph, literally, "to lose in…

Nave's Topical Bible

→ SPIRITUAL De 4:29; Ps 9:1; 17:1; 22:26; 24:6; 25:5,15; 27:8,14; 33:20; 34:10; 37:4,7,9,34; 39:12; 40:1,8; 42:1-11; 51:1-17; 62:1; 63:1,8; 68:28; 69:3,32; 70:4; 81:10; 84:2; 86:11,12,16; 94:19; 105:4; 118:17; 119:2,10,20,40,77,88,116,117,122,133,149,156; 123:1,2; 130:5,6; 143:5,6; Pr 2:3-5; 8:17,34; Isa 8:17,19; 26:8,9; 40:31; 55:1,2,6; Jer 29:13; La 3:25,26,41; Ho 10:12; Hab 3:2; Mt 5:6;

so may he desire the king beauty your for he [is] lord your and bow down to him
הַמֶּ֣לֶךְha.Me.lekh the king H4428 Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
2,526× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a king or royal person, like King David or King Saul. It can also describe something related to a king, like the King's Valley in Genesis. The Bible often uses this word to talk about the rulers of Israel.
Tyndale gloss
King's
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word מֶ֫לֶךְ (*melek*) means 'king.' It is derived from a root that suggests royalty. The term appears in various contexts, including references to specific kings and locations, such as the 'King's Highway' in Numbers 20:17 and the 'King's Valley' in Genesis 14:17. The lexicons note its Aramaic equivalent and mention its use in the context of individuals like Hammelech in Jeremiah.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מֶ֫לֶךְ 2513 n.m. king

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4428 מֶ֫לֶךְ king

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4428 melek meh'-lek

from 4427; a king:--king, royal.

see HEBREW for 04427

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — king.

1) king

Aramaic equivalent: me.lekh (מֶ֫לֶךְ "king" H4430)

הַמֶּלֶךְ (me.lekh) — `the king`.

'the king' or a name, Hammelech in KJV of Jer.36.26; 38.6- a man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at Jer.36.26;

father of: Jerahmeel (H3396I) and Malchijah (H4441H); also translated "the king";

§ A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at Jer.36.26;

father of: Jerahmeel (H3396I) and Malchijah (H4441H); also translated "the king";

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — King's.

King's (Highway) (Num.20.17)

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — King's.

Another name of she.lach (שֶׁ֫לַח "Shelah" H7975A)

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — Milcom.

Another name of mo.lekh (מֹ֫לֶךְ "Molech" H4432)

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — King's.

King's (Valley) (Gen.14.17)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTd/Ncmsa — Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
HTd/Ncmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

King

Is in Scripture very generally used to denote one invested with authority, whether extensive or limited. There were thirty-one kings in Canaan (Josh. 12:9, 24), whom Joshua subdued. Adonibezek subdued seventy kings (Judg. 1:7). In the New Testament the Roman emperor is spoken of as a king (1 Pet. 2:13, 17); and Herod Antipas, who was only a tetrarch, is also called a king (Matt. 14:9; Mark 6:22).

This title is applied to God (1 Tim. 1:17), and to Christ, the Son of God (1 Tim. 6:15, 16;

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Called KING OF KINGS Ezr 7:12; Eze 26:7; Da 2:37

→ Divinely authorized De 17:15; 1Sa 9:16,17; 16:12; 1Ch 22:10; 2Ch 2:11,12; Pr 8:15; Da 2:21,37; 4:17; 5:20; Ho 8:4; 13:11

→ How chosen

By divine appointment, Saul 1Sa 10:1

so may he desire the king beauty your for he [is] lord your and bow down to him
יָפְיֵ֑ךְya.fe.Yekh beauty your H3308 Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
19× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means beauty, describing something pleasing and attractive. In Psalm 27:4, it describes the beauty of God's presence. The word is used to convey a sense of wonder and awe.
Tyndale gloss
beauty
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יֳפִי (yophiy) means 'beauty' and is derived from the root word represented by Strong's H3302. The entries consistently define it as a noun referring to beauty, without any significant disagreement among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[יֳפִי] n.m. beauty

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3308 [יֳפִי] beauty

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3308 yophiy yof-ee'

from 3302; beauty:--beauty.

see HEBREW for 03302

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יֳפִי (yo.phi) — beauty.

beauty

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcmsc/Sp2fs — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HNcmsc/Sp2fs
so may he desire the king beauty your for he [is] lord your and bow down to him
כִּי־ki- for H3588 Particle
4,483× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A conjunction used to show cause or connection, as in Genesis 2:23 where Adam says the woman is bone of his bone because she was taken out of him. It is often translated as 'for', 'because', or 'since'.
Tyndale gloss
for
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כִּי (ki) is a conjunction primarily meaning 'that,' 'for,' or 'when.' It indicates causal relationships and can express conditions like 'if' or 'though.' The word is versatile, appearing in various contexts to convey certainty, exception, or concession. Notably, it can combine with other particles to modify its meaning, such as in the phrase כִּי אם־ (ki im), meaning 'that if.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כִּי conj. that, for, when

that

Of time, when, of the past

elsewhere כִּי has a force approximating to if, though it usu. represents a case as more likely to occur than אִם

when or if, with a concessive force, i.e. though

Because, since

base

כִּי אם־

each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause:

that if

for if

(About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause—

limiting the prec. clause, except

the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but

after an oath, surely

base

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3588a כִּי that, for, when . that

. . Of time, when, of the past

. elsewhere כִּי has a force approximating to if, though it usu. represents a case as more likely to occur than אִם

. when or if, with a concessive force, i.e. though

. Because, since

H3588b כִּי אם־ . each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause: . that if

. for if

. (About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause— . limiting the prec. clause, except

. the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but

. after an oath, surely

H3588c כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3588 kiy kee

a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional

prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent

or consequent; (by implication) very widely used as a relative

conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by

other particles annexed:--and, + (forasmuch, inasmuch,

where-)as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else,

even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, +

nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then,

therefore, + (al- )though, + till, truly, + until, when,

whether, while, whom, yea, yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כִּי (ki) — for.

1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since

1a) that

1a1) yea, indeed

1b) when (of time)

1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force)

1c) because, since (causal connection)

1d) but (after negative)

1e) that if, for if, indeed if, for though, but if

1f) but rather, but

1g) except that

1h) only, nevertheless

1i) surely

1j) that is

1k) but if

1l) for though

1m) forasmuch as, for therefore

כִּי [אם] (ki im) — that if: except.

1) except if

1a) but if

1b) even though

כִּי [עַל כֵּן] (ki [al ken]) — for as that: since.

1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since

1a) that

1a1) yea, indeed

1b) when (of time)

1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force)

1c) because, since (causal connection)

1d) but (after negative)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTc — Particle
HTc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

for (ki (conjunction), le, from 'el (preposition), and various other words. In the New Testament also the words are various, chiefly gar, kai gar, hoti (conjunctions); anti apo eis dia (accusative), epi (dative and accusative), peri (genitive), pros (genitive and accusative), huper (genitive) (prepositions)): the English Revised Version and the American Standard Revised Version give in many cases more literal or more accurate renderings than those in the King James Version.

In the New Testament the most important preps. from a doctrinal point of view are anti, "face to face," "over against," "instead," "on behalf of," peri, "around," "about," "concerning," huper, "over," "on behalf of." The first has been claimed as stating the substitutionary nature of Christ's sacrifice as contrasted with huper and peri, more frequently used of it. But, although anti in the New Testament often means…

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
so may he desire the king beauty your for he [is] lord your and bow down to him
ה֥וּאhu' 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
HPp3ms — 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
so may he desire the king beauty your for he [is] lord your and bow down to him
אֲ֝דֹנַ֗יִךְ'a.do.Na.yikh [is] lord your H113 Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
333× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word ʼâdôwn refers to a lord or master, and can be used to describe human leaders or God. It emphasizes the person's power and control over others or things, and is often translated as lord or master.
Tyndale gloss
lord
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אָדוֹן (*'adown*) means 'lord' and is derived from a root meaning to rule. It covers a range of meanings, referring to both human and divine authority, including terms like master, king, and superintendent. Variations exist for divine references, such as אֲדֹנָי (*Adonai*), distinguishing God from human lords.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָדוֹן n.m. lord (אֲדֹנִי, אֲדֹנַי, אֲדֹנָי are variations of Mass. pointing to distinguish divine reference fr. human. Pl., with few exc. an intens. pl. of rank; word takes sf. as pl. in all other pers.; so doubtless here. Orig. reading prob. in all cases אֲדֹנַי; אֲדֹנִי now found in J 51 t.)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H113 אָדוֹן lord

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

113 'adown aw-done'

or (shortened) adon {aw-done'}; from an unused root (meaning

to rule); sovereign, i.e. controller (human or divine):--

lord, master, owner. Compare also names beginning with

"Adoni-".

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָדוֹן (a.don) — lord.

1) firm, strong, lord, master

1a) lord, master

1a1) reference to men

1a1a) superintendent of household, of affairs

1a1b) master

1a1c) king

1a2) reference to God

1a2a) the Lord God

1a2b) Lord of the whole earth

1b) lords, kings

1b1) reference to men

1b1a) proprietor of hill of Samaria

1b1b) master

1b1c) husband

1b1d) prophet

1b1e) governor

1b1f) prince

1b1g) king

1b2) reference to God

1b2a) Lord of lords (probably = "thy husband, Yahweh")

1c) my lord, my master

1c1) reference to men

1c1a) master

1c1b) husband

1c1c) prophet

1c1d) prince

1c1e) king

1c1f) father

1c1g) Moses

1c1h) priest

1c1i) theophanic angel

1c1j) captain

1c1k) general recognition of superiority

1c2) reference to God

1c2a) my Lord, my Lord and my God

1c2b) Adonai (parallel with Yahweh)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcmpc/Sp2fs — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
HNcmpc/Sp2fs
so may he desire the king beauty your for he [is] lord your and bow down to him
וְהִשְׁתַּֽחֲוִי־ve.hish.ta.cha.vi- and bow down H7812 Conjunction · verb pilpel imperative second person feminine singular
172× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to bow down, often as a sign of respect or worship. It is used in Genesis 24:52 to describe Abraham's servant bowing down to God. The word is about showing humility and respect to someone or something.
Tyndale gloss
to bow
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word שָׁחָה (*shachah*) is a primitive root meaning to bow down or prostrate oneself, particularly in homage to a superior or in worship before God. It can also imply a figurative sense of being depressed by anxiety. The entries highlight its use in various contexts, including worship of both God and false gods.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[שָׁחָה] 172 vb. bow down

Qal bow down

Hiph. fig., anxiety depresses it

Hithpa‛lēl

bow down, prostrate oneself, before a monarch or superior, in homage, etc.

before God, in worship

before other gods

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7812 שָׁחָה bow down .bow down

. fig., anxiety depresses it

.. bow down, prostrate oneself, before a monarch or superior, in homage, etc.

. before God, in worship

. before other gods

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7812 shachah shaw-khaw'

a primitive root; to depress, i.e. prostrate (especially

reflexive, in homage to royalty or God):--bow (self) down,

crouch, fall down (flat), humbly beseech, do (make) obeisance,

do reverence, make to stoop, worship.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁחָה (sha.chah) — to bow.

1) to bow down

1a) (Qal) to bow down

1b)(Hiphil) to depress (fig)

1c) (Hithpael)

1c1) to bow down, prostrate oneself

1c1a) before superior in homage

1c1b) before God in worship

1c1c) before false gods

1c1d) before angel

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HC/Vvv2fs — Conjunction · verb pilpel imperative second person feminine singular
HC/Vvv2fs
so may he desire the king beauty your for he [is] lord your and bow down to him
לֽוֹ׃lo to 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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