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Psalms 56:2 — Word Study

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WLCשָׁאֲפ֣וּ שׁ֭וֹרְרַי כָּל־ הַיּ֑וֹם כִּֽי־ רַבִּ֨ים לֹחֲמִ֖ים לִ֣י מָרֽוֹם׃

BSApursue meshâʼaph allkôl [the entire, every] day [long]yôwm forkîy assaillâcham

Word
Listen & take awayPsalms 56
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 2 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 (ma.Rom) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Psalms 56:2quick helps
In a sentenceThe psalmist expresses the relentless pursuit of his enemies, who attack him with pride throughout the day.
Who is speakingThe psalmist, addressing God in a plea for mercy.
Where we areThis verse is part of a lament where the psalmist cries out to God amidst distress.
The hard wordשָׁאֲפ֣וּ
Take awayThe enemies are numerous and aggressive, and their attacks are characterized by arrogance.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbחָנַן 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 56:2

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 Cry for Mercy Amidst Enemiesgenerated

1Be merciful to me, O God, for men are hounding me; all day they press their attack.
2My enemies pursue me all day long, for many proudly assail me.
3When I am afraid, I put my trust in You.
4In God, whose word I praise— in God I trust. I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?

Psalms 56:2 reveals the psalmist's anguish as he faces relentless attacks from his enemies. This verse emphasizes the emotional and physical toll of being pursued and assailed, highlighting the need for divine intervention. The psalmist's plea for mercy is a common theme in the Psalms, where individuals seek refuge in God during times of distress, as seen in Psalm 54:5 and Psalm 3:1.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Psalm 54:5He will reward my enemies with evil. In Your faithfulness, destroy them.
2Psalm 3:1O LORD, how my foes have increased! How many rise up against me!
3Psalm 118:10–12All the nations surrounded me, but in the name of the LORD I cut them off.
4Acts 4:25–27You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of Your servant, our father David: ‘Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?
5Revelation 16:14These are demonic spirits that perform signs and go out to all the kings of the earth, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 12 references, hung on the phrase they belong to

enemiesPsalm 54:5

The Key Word שָׁאֲפ֣וּ, sha.'a.Fugenerated

The verb שָׁאַף (sha'aph) is a perfect tense form indicating that the enemies have consistently and actively pursued the psalmist. This word carries the connotation of crushing or trampling, suggesting not only physical aggression but also emotional distress.

The use of this verb in the context of the psalm illustrates the intensity of the enemies' actions, portraying them as relentless and overwhelming. The psalmist's choice of language conveys a deep sense of vulnerability and urgency in seeking God's help.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

Translations of this verse are consistent in conveying the relentless pursuit of the psalmist by his enemies.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb שָׁאֲפ֣וּ (they have crushed) governs the entire clause, with a noun phrase indicating the subject ('my enemies') and an adverbial phrase describing the time ('all day long'). This structure emphasizes the continuous nature of the attacks.

The sentence is built around the action of pursuit and assault, with the enemies' pride highlighted as a significant aspect of their behavior.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates שָׁאֲפ֣וּ as ἐλέησόν, which means 'have mercy.' This choice reflects an interpretive shift, focusing on the psalmist's plea for divine compassion in the face of adversity.

This translation indicates a broader understanding of the psalmist's situation, emphasizing the need for God's mercy amidst the relentless attacks.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalms 56:2 shows the psalmist crying out to God about his enemies who relentlessly pursue him every day. They attack him with pride, causing him great distress. This plea for mercy highlights the psalmist's vulnerability and need for divine help.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does the psalmist mean by 'my enemies'?

The term refers to those who are hostile towards the psalmist, actively seeking to harm him, which is a common theme in the Psalms.

Why does the psalmist emphasize the pride of his enemies?

The pride of the enemies underscores their arrogance and the intensity of their attacks, making the psalmist's plea for mercy even more urgent.

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

This verse reflects the recurring theme in the Psalms of seeking God's protection and mercy in times of trouble and distress.

What can we learn from the psalmist's response to his enemies?

The psalmist's response teaches us the importance of turning to God for help and acknowledging our vulnerability in the face of adversity.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what situations have I felt pursued or attacked, and how did I respond?
  2. How can I seek God's mercy in my own life when facing challenges?
  3. What does it mean to me that the psalmist expresses his vulnerability to God?
  4. How can I support others who may be feeling overwhelmed by their enemies or challenges?

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

Early Christian writers, such as Augustine of Hippo, reference this verse to illustrate the psalmist's plight and the nature of his enemies.

Augustine of HippoExposition on Psalms 56 354–430
"Mine enemies have trodden me down all day long" [Psalms 56:2]. They that have been put afar off from holy men, these are mine enemies.
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 56 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 56:2 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Mine enemies would daily swallow [me] up,.... For not one man only, but many, were his enemies; who observed and watched him, and were eagerly desirous of his ruin.

Read John Gill on Psalms 56 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Mine enemies would daily swallow me up: for they be many that fight against me, O thou most High. Mine enemies - literally, 'my watchers;' 'those who lie in wait for me' (Psalms 5:8). For they be many that fight against me.

Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 56 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Mine enemies, Heb. my observers, that narrowly look to all my paths, and watch for my haltings, and for an opportunity to destroy me. Many that fight against me: they trust to their great numbers, wherein they know themselves to be much superior to me. O thou Most High; who from thine high place beholdest all their plots, and canst most easily disturb and blast them.

Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 56 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Psalms 56:2 Mine enemies would daily swallow [me] up: for [they be] many that fight against me, O thou most High. Ver. 2. Mine enemies (or observers) would daily swallow me up] Anhelant observatores mei. To set forth the indignity of the thing, he repeateth the same sentence again in the plural number; noting that there were not a few of them bitterly bent by might and main to mischief him, a poor forlorn, friendless man. For they be many that fight against me, O thou most High] Or, though there be many that fight for me from on high, that is, the angels, as Aben Ezra rendereth and senseth the text.

Read John Trapp on Psalms 56 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(2) Swallow me up.—The root idea of the Hebrew word so rendered is by no means clear. In many passages where it is used the meaning given here by the LXX., “trample on,” will suit the context quite as well as, or even better than, the meaning, “pant after,” given in the Lexicons. (See Job 5:5; Isaiah 42:14; Ecclesiastes 1:5; Amos 2:7; Amos 8:4.) And this sense of bruising by trampling also suits the cognate verb, shûph, used only three times (Genesis 3:15; Job 9:17; Psalms 139:11). Symmachus also here has “bruise,” or “grind.” On the other hand in Psalms 119:131; Job 7:2, &c, we want the idea of “haste” or “desire.” Possibly the original meaning of “trample” may have passed through the…

Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 56 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 2. O thou Most High.] מרום marom. I do not think that this word expresses any attribute of God, or indeed is at all addressed to him. It signifies, literally, from on high, or from a high or elevated place: "For the multitudes fight against me from the high or elevated place;" the place of authority - the court and cabinet of Saul. Most of the Versions begin the next verse with this word: "From the light of the day, though I fear, yet will I trust in thee." From the time that persecution waxes hot against me, though I often am seized with fear, yet I am enabled to maintain my trust in thee. Dr. Kennicott thinks there is a corruption here, and proposes to read: "I look upwards all the…

Read AdamClarke on Psalms 56 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

2. They that lie in wait for me would swallow me up [or, crush me] all the day long: For many are they that fight against me haughtily. For they that lie in wait for me see note on Psalms 54:5. The word rendered O thou most High in A.V. is not Elyôn, the word usually so rendered (e.g. Psalms 57:2), but mârôm. This word is applied to God, as in Micah 6:6, “the high God,” Psalms 92:8, “Thou, O Lord, art on high for evermore:” but it can hardly stand by itself as a vocative, and probably means ‘with a high hand,’ ‘haughtily.’ Cp. Psalms 73:8. ‘Be thou exalted’ in Psalms 57:5; Psalms 57:11 is derived from the same root. The Psalmist prays that God will prove His own supreme exaltation against…

Read Cambridge on Psalms 56 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Mine enemies - Margin, “mine observers.” The Hebrew word here used means properly to twist, to twist totogether; then, to be firm, hard, tough; then, “to press together,” as a rope that is twisted -

Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 56 →

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

My enemies pursue me all day long, for many proudly assail me.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

My enemies want to swallow me up all day long, for they are many who fight proudly against me.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

My enemies pursue me all day long, for many proudly assail me.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Those who anticipate my defeat attack me all day long. Indeed, many are fighting against me, O Exalted One.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Mine enemies would daily swallow me up: for they be many that fight against me, O thou most High.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Mine enemies would swallow me up all the day long; For they are many that fight proudly against me.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Mine enemies would swallow me up all the day long: for they be many that fight proudly against me.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

My enemies would daily swallow me up: for they are many that fight against me, O thou Most High.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Mine enemies would dayly swallowe mee vp: for many fight against me, O thou most High.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Mine enemies would swallow [me] up all the day long; for they are many that fight against me haughtily.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Mine enemies have swallowed up all the day, For many [are] fighting against me, O most High,

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

My enemies have swallowed up all the day, || For many [are] fighting against me, O Most High,

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

(56:3) Those that regard me with envy long to swallow [me] up all the time; for many are they that fight against me, O thou Most High.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

My enemies trample me all day long; for there are many who arrogantly fight against me.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me: for my soul trusteth in thee. And in the shadow of thy wings will I hope, until iniquity pass away.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

My enemies chase me down all the time—there are many of them, attacking me in their arrogance.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

My haters are ever ready to put an end to me; great numbers are lifting themselves up against me.

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.

clauseverbשָׁאֲפ֣וּthey.have.trampled.on.[me]noun phrase · subjectשׁ֭וֹרְרַenemiesיmynoun phrase · adverbialכָּלallnoun phraseהַtheיּ֑וֹםdayכִּֽי(dm)clausepredicateרַבִּ֨יםmany.[people]noun phrase · subjectclauseverbלֹחֲמִ֖ים[are].fightingprepositional phrase · prepositionalלִ֣toיmeadverbialמָרֽוֹםheight

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 agree closely in wording, with 9 out of 9 words matching. This alignment suggests a strong consistency in the transmission of this verse across different textual traditions.

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

שָׁאֲפ֣וּ שׁ֭וֹרְרַי כָּל־ הַיּ֑וֹם כִּֽי־ רַבִּ֨ים לֹחֲמִ֖ים לִ֣י מָרֽוֹם׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
שָׁאֲפ֣וּἐλέησόνשׁ֭וֹרְרַיκύριεכָּל־ὅτιהַיּ֑וֹםμεכִּֽי־ἄνθρωποςרַבִּ֨יםὅληνלֹחֲמִ֖יםτὴνלִ֣יπολεμῶνמָרֽוֹם׃ἔθλιψέν

9 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.

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 56:2שָׁאַףthey have cthey have crushשָׁאַףשׁוֹרֵרenemies myenemies myשׁוֹרֵרכֹּלallallכֹּליוֹםthe daythe dayיוֹםכִּיforforכִּירַבmany [peoplmany [people]רַבלָחַם[are] fight[are] fightingלָחַםנִיto meto meנִימָרוֹםheightheightמָרוֹםכָּלַלto perfectto perfectכָּלַלרָבַבto multiplto multiplyרָבַברוּםto exaltto exaltרוּםיַעַןbecausebecauseיַעַןרוּחַspiritspiritרוּחַמַ֫עַןbecausebecauseמַ֫עַןעֵדָהcongregaticongregationעֵדָהעֲבֹדָהserviceserviceעֲבֹדָהשְׁבִיעִיseventhseventhשְׁבִיעִישַׁבָּתSabbathSabbathשַׁבָּתיָדַעto knowto knowיָדַענְבוּזַרְאֲדָןNebuzaradaNebuzaradanנְבוּזַרְאֲדָןטַבָּחguardguardטַבָּחעַמּוֹןAmmonAmmonעַמּוֹןפְּלִשְׁתִּי(Sea of th(Sea of the) Phפְּלִשְׁתִּיסֶ֫לַעcragcragסֶ֫לַעקָדוֹשׁholyholyקָדוֹשׁ
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 56:2

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.

they have crushed [me] enemies my all the day for many [people] [are] fighting to me height
שָׁאֲפ֣וּsha.'a.Fu they have crushed [me] H7602 Verb · Qal · perfect third person common plural
14× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To crush or trample something, also to desire or hasten eagerly, as seen in Psalm 7:2. It implies a strong emotional response, like anger or intense longing. This word is used to describe God's judgment in Isaiah 13:3.
Tyndale gloss
to long for
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׁאַף (sha'aph) is a Hebrew verb with two primary meanings: to gasp or pant, often in a context of longing or desire, and to crush or trample. The word conveys both a sense of eager inhalation and a physical act of crushing. It appears in various forms, indicating both emotional and physical intensity.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁאַף vb. gasp, pant, pant after, long for

base

[שָׁאַף] vb. crush, trample on

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7602a שָׁאַף gasp, pant, pant after, long for H7602b שָׁאַף crush, trample on

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7602 sha'aph shaw-af'

a primitive root; to inhale eagerly; figuratively, to cover;

by implication, to be angry; also to hasten:--desire

(earnestly), devour, haste, pant, snuff up, swallow up.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁאַף (sha.aph) — to long for.

1) to gasp, pant, pant after, long for, breathe heavily

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to gasp, pant after, snuff up

1a2) to gasp or pant (with desire), pant after, be eager for

1a3) to thirst for one's blood (from actions of animals) (fig)

שָׁאַף (sha.aph) — to crush.

1) to crush, trample, trample upon

1a) (Qal) to trample upon, crush

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-3ms | Suff — Verb · Qal · perfect third person common plural
HVqp3cp
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
they have crushed [me] enemies my all the day for many [people] [are] fighting to me height
שׁ֭וֹרְרַיShor.rai enemies my H8324 Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
5× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word describes an enemy or opponent, someone who is hostile towards others, like the enemies of Israel in the Old Testament.
Tyndale gloss
enemy
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שׁוֹרֵר (shorer) refers to an insidious watcher or an enemy. It is derived from a primitive root meaning to be hostile. The term primarily denotes an opponent, emphasizing the active role of hostility.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[שׁוֹרֵר] n.m. (insidious) watcher

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8324 שׁוֹרֵר (insidious) watcher

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8324 sharar shaw-rar'

a primitive root; to be hostile (only active participle an

opponent):--enemy.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שׁוֹרֵר (sha.rar) — enemy.

(Qal) to be an enemy

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcmpc/Sp1bs — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
HNcmpc/Sp1bs
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
they have crushed [me] enemies my all the day for many [people] [are] fighting to me height
כָּל־kol- 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.
Amplified meaning
the entire, every
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
N-ms — 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
they have crushed [me] enemies my all the day for many [people] [are] fighting to me height
הַיּ֑וֹםhai.Yom the day H3117 Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
2,306× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word 'yom' refers to a day, which can be a literal 24-hour period or a figurative space of time. It is used in the Bible to describe a wide range of time periods, from a single day to a year or a lifetime. The word 'yom' is used in many different contexts throughout the Bible.
Tyndale gloss
day
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יוֹם (yowm) means 'day' and refers to a division of time, contrasting with night. It can denote a literal 24-hour period, a general time span, or even a year. The term is used in various contexts, including the 'day of Yahweh,' which signifies a time of divine judgment. It also appears in phrases indicating temporal references like today, yesterday, and tomorrow.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יוֹם 2285 n.m. day

day, opp. night

Day as division of time

יוֹם י׳ day of Yahweh, chiefly as time of his coming in judgment, involving often blessedness for righteous

Pl. days of anyone

Days

יוֹם = time

Phrases

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3117 יוֹם day . day, opp. night

. Day as division of time

. יוֹם י׳ day of Yahweh, chiefly as time of his coming in judgment, involving often blessedness for righteous

. Pl. days of anyone

. Days

. יוֹם = time

. Phrases

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3117 yowm yome

from an unused root meaning to be hot; a day (as the warm

hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one

sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by

an associated term), (often used adverb):--age, + always, +

chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to)

day, (now a, two) days (agone), + elder, X end, + evening, +

(for) ever(-lasting, -more), X full, life, as (so) long as

(... live), (even) now, + old, + outlived, + perpetually,

presently, + remaineth, X required, season, X since, space,

then, (process of) time, + as at other times, + in trouble,

weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), X whole

(+ age), (full) year(-ly), + younger.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יוֹם (yom) — day.

: day/when/time/period

1) day, time, year

1a) day (as opposed to night)

1b) day (24 hour period)

1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1

1b2) as a division of time

1b2a) a working day, a day's journey

1c) days, lifetime (pl.)

1d) time, period (general)

1e) year

1f) temporal references

1f1) today

1f2) yesterday

1f3) tomorrow

יוֹם (yom) — day: old.

: old/(full/many)[days]

1) day, time, year

1a) day (as opposed to night)

1b) day (24 hour period)

1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1

1b2) as a division of time

1b2a) a working day, a day's journey

1c) days, lifetime (pl.)

1d) time, period (general)

1e) year

1f) temporal references

1f1) today

1f2) yesterday

1f3) tomorrow

יוֹם (yom) — day: year.

: year[of_days]

1) day, time, year

1a) day (as opposed to night)

1b) day (24 hour period)

1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1

1b2) as a division of time

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-ms — Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
HTd/Ncmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

da (yom; hemera): This common word has caused some trouble to plain readers, because they have not noticed that the word is used in several different senses in the English Bible. When the different uses of the word are understood the difficulty of interpretation vanishes. We note several different uses of the word:

(1) It sometimes means the time from daylight till dark. This popular meaning is easily discovered by the context, e. g. Ge 1:5; 8:22, etc. The marked periods of this daytime were morning, noon and night, as with us. See Ps 55:17. The early hours were sometimes called "the cool of the day" (Ge 3:8). After the exile the day. or daytime was divided into twelve hours and the night into twelve (see

Day

The Jews reckoned the day from sunset to sunset (Lev. 23:32). It was originally divided into three parts (Ps. 55:17). “The heat of the day” (1 Sam. 11:11; Neh. 7:3) was at our nine o’clock, and “the cool of the day” just before sunset (Gen. 3:8). Before the Captivity the Jews divided the night into three watches, (1) from sunset to midnight (Lam. 2:19); (2) from midnight till the cock-crowing (Judg. 7:19); and (3) from the cock-crowing till sunrise (Ex.…

The variable length of the natural day at different seasons led in the very earliest times to the adoption of the civil day (or one revolution of the sun) as a standard of time. The Hebrews reckoned the day from evening to evening, (Leviticus 23:32) deriving it from (Genesis 1:5) "the evening and the morning were the first day." The Jews are supposed, like the modern Arabs, to have adopted from an early period minute specifications of the parts of the natural day. Roughly, indeed, they were content to divide it into "morning, evening and noonday," (Psalms 55:17) but when they wished for greater accuracy they pointed to six unequal parts, each of which was again subdivided. These are held to have been -- "the dawn." "Sunrise."…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The day is distinguished into natural, civil, and artificial. The natural day is one revolution of the earth on its axis. The civil day is that, the beginning and the end of which are determined by the custom of any nation. The Hebrews began their day in the evening, Le 23:32; the Babylonians at sunrise; and we begin at midnight. The artificial day is the time of the sun’s continuance above the horizon, which is unequal according to different seasons, on account of the obliquity of the equator. The sacred writers generally divide the day into twelve hours. The sixth hour always ends at noon throughout the year; and the twelfth hour is the last hour before sunset. But in summer, all the hours of the day were longer than in winter, while those of night were shorter. See HOURS, and THREE.

they have crushed [me] enemies my all the day for many [people] [are] fighting to me height
כִּֽי־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
Conj — 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
they have crushed [me] enemies my all the day for many [people] [are] fighting to me height
רַבִּ֨יםra.Bim many [people] H7227
454× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means a chief or captain, someone in charge. It is used in 2 Samuel 23:19 to describe a great and powerful man. The idea is one of leadership and authority.
Tyndale gloss
many
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רַב (rav) means much, many, or great, often used in contrast to מְעַט (me'at). It can describe abundance in quantity or rank and is also used as a noun for chief or captain. The word conveys a range of meanings from numerous to exceedingly, and it can function as both an adjective and a noun.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רַב 429 adj. much, many, great

(oft. opp. מְעַט)

much: of substances

esp. of collectives, numerous

pl. many

רַב as subst. coll. pers.

cstr. = abounding in

מִן comp. = more numerous than

רַב = abundant, enough

as adv. much, exceedingly

less oft. great

base

רַב 49 n.m. chief

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7227a רַב much, many, great . (oft. opp. מְעַט) . . much: of substances

. esp. of collectives, numerous

. pl. many

. רַב as subst. coll. pers.

. cstr. = abounding in

. + מִן comp. = more numerous than

. רַב = abundant, enough

. as adv. much, exceedingly

. less oft. great

H7227b רַב chief

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7227 rab rab

by contracted from 7231; abundant (in quantity, size, age,

number, rank, quality):--(in) abound(-undance, -ant, -antly),

captain, elder, enough, exceedingly, full, great(-ly, man,

one), increase, long (enough, (time)), (do, have) many(-ifold,

things, a time), ((ship-))master, mighty, more, (too, very)

much, multiply(-tude), officer, often(-times), plenteous,

populous, prince, process (of time), suffice(-lent).

see HEBREW for 07231

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רַב (rav) — many.

adj

1) much, many, great

1a) much

1b) many

1c) abounding in

1d) more numerous than

1e) abundant, enough

1f) great

1g) strong

1h) greater than

adv

1i) much, exceedingly

רַב (rav) — chief.

captain, chief

Aramaic equivalent: rav.re.van (רַבְרְבָן "noble" H7261)

רַב (rav) — (Sidon) the Great.

Combined with tsi.don (צִידוֹן "Sidon" H6721H)

§ captain, chief

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HAampa
HAampa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

pe'-p'-l: In English Versions of the Bible represents something over a dozen Hebrew and Greek words. Of these, in the Old Testament, `am, is overwhelmingly the most common (about 2,000 times), with le'om, and goy, next in order; but the various Hebrew words are used with very little or no difference in force (e.g. Pr 14:28; but, on the other hand, in Ps 44 contrast verses 12 and 14). Of the changes introduced by the Revised Version (British and American) the only one of significance (cited explicitly in the Preface to the English Revised Version) is the frequent use of the plural "peoples" (strangely avoided in the King James Version except Re 10:11; 17:15), where other nations than Israel are in question. So, for instance, in Ps…

they have crushed [me] enemies my all the day for many [people] [are] fighting to me height
לֹחֲמִ֖יםlo.cha.Mim [are] fighting H3898 Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine plural
177× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word means to feed on or consume something, often referring to eating food or battling against someone. It's used in stories like David's battles and the Israelites' struggles in the wilderness.
Tyndale gloss
to fight
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word לָחַם (lacham) has two primary meanings: to fight or do battle, and to eat or use as food. It is a primitive root that conveys both the act of engaging in combat and the act of consuming food. The entries indicate that the word can imply destruction in the context of battle.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[לָחַם] 171 vb. fight, do battle

Qal fight, do battle

Niph. engage in battle (recipr.), sometimes wage war

base

[לָחַם] vb. use as food, eat

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3898a לָחַם fight, do battle .fight, do battle

. engage in battle (recipr.), sometimes wage war

H3898b לָחַם use as food, eat

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3898 lacham law-kham'

a primitive root; to feed on; figuratively, to consume; by

implication, to battle (as destruction):--devour, eat, X ever,

fight(-ing), overcome, prevail, (make) war(-ring).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לָחַם (la.cham) — to fight.

1) to fight, do battle, make war

1a) (Qal) to fight, do battle

1b) (Niphal) to engage in battle, wage war

לָחַם (la.cham) — to feed on.

(Qal) to eat, use as food

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal — Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine plural
HVqrmpa
they have crushed [me] enemies my all the day for many [people] [are] fighting to me height
לִ֣יli to me H9030 Preposition · suffix
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נִי (ni) — me.

Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 1st person singular

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Sp1bs — Preposition · suffix
HR/Sp1bs
they have crushed [me] enemies my all the day for many [people] [are] fighting to me height
מָרֽוֹם׃ma.Rom height H4791 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
54× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a high or elevated place, either physically or figuratively. It can describe a location, such as a mountain, or a state of being, like pride or haughtiness. It is used in various books of the Bible.
Tyndale gloss
height
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מָרוֹם (marowm) means 'height' and encompasses both concrete and abstract uses, referring to elevated places, elevation, and even pride. It can describe physical heights or be used figuratively for dignity and nobility. The word is poetically used in the Old Testament, with its root linked to the concept of altitude.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מָרוֹם n.m. height (poet.)

height, elevation (concr.), elevated place

alone = height of heaven

adv. fig., = proudly

fig. of nobles

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4791 מָרוֹם height (poet.)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4791 marowm maw-rome'

from 7311; altitude, i.e. concretely (an elevated place),

abstractly (elevation, figuratively (elation), or adverbially

(aloft):--(far) above, dignity, haughty, height, (most, on)

high (one, place), loftily, upward.

see HEBREW for 07311

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מָרוֹם (ma.rom) — height.

1) height

1a) height, elevation, elevated place

1a1) in a high place (adv)

1b) height

1c) proudly (adv)

1d) of nobles (fig.)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcmsa — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
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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