Menu

Psalms 68:15 — Word Study

Depth

WLCהַר־ אֱ֭לֹהִים הַר־ בָּשָׁ֑ן הַ֥ר גַּ֝בְנֻנִּ֗ים הַר־ בָּשָֽׁן׃

BSAto spreadpâras AlmightyShadday King'smelek to snowshâlag ZalmonTsalmôwn

Word
Listen & take awayPsalms 68
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 15 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 (ba.Shan) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Psalms 68:15quick helps
In a sentenceThe psalmist describes Mount Bashan as a majestic mountain of God, emphasizing its grandeur.
Where we areThis verse sits within a celebration of God's power and choice of dwelling.
The hard wordבָּשָׁן
Take awayMount Bashan is highlighted as a significant and lofty place.
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 68:15

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 Majesty of God's Mountaingenerated

14When the Almighty scattered the kings in the land, it was like the snow falling on Zalmon.
15A mountain of God is Mount Bashan; a mountain of many peaks is Mount Bashan.
16Why do you gaze in envy, O mountains of many peaks? This is the mountain God chose for His dwelling, where the LORD will surely dwell forever.
17The chariots of God are tens of thousands— thousands of thousands are they; the Lord is in His sanctuary as He was at Sinai.

Psalm 68:15 speaks of Mount Bashan, a mountain recognized for its height and beauty. This psalm reflects on God's might and the significance of the mountains, particularly in relation to His chosen dwelling place. The surrounding verses celebrate God's power in scattering kings and establishing His presence among His people.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Psalm 2:6“I have installed My King on Zion, upon My holy mountain.”
2Psalm 78:68–69But He chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion, which He loved.
3Psalm 87:1–2He has founded His city on the holy mountains.
4Isaiah 2:2–3In the last days the mountain of the house of the LORD will be established as the chief of the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it.
5Deuteronomy 3:10all the cities of the plateau, all of Gilead, and all of Bashan as far as the cities of Salecah and Edrei in the kingdom of Og.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 6 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word בָּשָׁן, ba.Shangenerated

The word בָּשָׁן (ba.Shan) refers to a region known for its fertility and is often associated with strength and abundance. It is a proper noun indicating a specific geographical area east of the Jordan River, significant for its lushness and historical importance in the biblical narrative.

In this verse, it emphasizes the grandeur of Mount Bashan, portraying it as a mountain of many peaks, which highlights its impressive and majestic nature in the landscape.


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 structure of the verse revolves around two main clauses, both centered on the subject of Mount Bashan. The first clause identifies it as a mountain of God, while the second emphasizes its many peaks. This parallel structure reinforces the significance of Bashan as both a divine and geographical landmark.

The repetition of the phrase 'mountain of' serves to highlight the majesty of Bashan, while the descriptive elements enhance the imagery of its peaks, creating a vivid picture of its grandeur.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, the word for Bashan is rendered as βασιλεῖς (basileis), which translates to 'kings.' This choice reflects a broader interpretation, possibly emphasizing the power and significance of the mountain in relation to rulers.

This rendering indicates a potential thematic focus on authority and strength associated with Mount Bashan, contrasting with the more straightforward geographical reference in the Hebrew.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalm 68:15 describes Mount Bashan as a mountain of God, emphasizing its high peaks and majestic nature. This reflects God's power and choice of dwelling, highlighting the significance of this region in the biblical narrative.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does Mount Bashan represent in this verse?

Mount Bashan represents a majestic and significant mountain, symbolizing God's power and choice of dwelling place.

Why is Bashan described as having many peaks?

The description of Bashan as having many peaks emphasizes its grandeur and beauty, highlighting its prominence in the landscape.

How does this verse relate to the surrounding context?

This verse fits within a larger celebration of God's might, illustrating His power in scattering kings and choosing a dwelling place among His people.

What is the significance of mountains in the Bible?

Mountains often symbolize spiritual high points, divine presence, and places of revelation in the biblical narrative.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What does Mount Bashan teach us about God's presence and majesty?
  2. How can we recognize and appreciate the 'mountains' in our lives that signify God's work?
  3. In what ways does this verse inspire us to reflect on the significance of our spiritual high points?
  4. How can we apply the imagery of Bashan to our understanding of God's choices and blessings in our lives?

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

Early commentary on this verse highlights its significance, with Augustine of Hippo referencing it in his exposition on the Psalms to illustrate the mountain's fruitful nature.

Augustine of HippoExposition on Psalms 68 354–430
But this mountain he calls the "mountain of God, a mountain fruitful, a mountain full of curds" [Psalms 68:15],
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 68 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 68:15 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

The hill of God [is as] the hill of Bashan,.... The church is the hill of God, an excellent and supereminent one, and in which he dwells, as is said in Psalms 68:16; called an hill for its

Read John Gill on Psalms 68 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

The hill of God is as the hill of Bashan; an high hill as the hill of Bashan. -God has chosen Zion whereon to dwell forever, with His countless chariots, in spite of all the resistance of the pagan.

Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 68 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

The hill of God, i.e. of Zion, the seat of God’ s ark. As the hill of Bashan; equal to it, to wit, in height, as the next clause explains it; which yet is not to be understood of an external and visible height, for Zion was a low and little hill, and Bashan a very high hill; but of its spiritual height, or exaltation, in regard of the glorious privileges of God’ s presence, and worship, and blessing conferred upon it, in which respect the mountain of the Lord’ s house is said to be established on the top of the mountains, and exalted above the hills, .

Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 68 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Psalms 68:15 The hill of God [is as] the hill of Bashan; an high hill [as] the hill of Bashan.Ver. 15. The hill of God is as the hill of Bashan] Bashan was fat and fertile, but Sion was better; because the place where God’ s honour dwelled, any relation to whom doth greatly ennoble any place or person: so Genesis 17:21-22, Ishmael have I blessed, twelve princes shall he beget; but my covenant will I establish with Isaac. Since thou hast been precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, Isaiah 43:4.

Read John Trapp on Psalms 68 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(15-18) A third retrospect follows—the third scene in the sacred drama of Israel’s early fortunes. It sets forth the glory of God’s chosen mountain. A finer passage could hardly be found. The towering ranges of Bashan—Hermon with its snowy peaks—are personified. They become, in the poet’s imagination, envious of the distinction given to the petty heights of Judæa. (Perhaps a similar envy is implied in Psalms 133:3.) The contrast between the littleness of Palestine and the vast extent of the empires which hung upon its northern and southern skirts, is rarely absent from the minds of the prophets and psalmists. (See Isaiah 49:19-20.) Here the watchful jealousy with which these powers regarded…

Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 68 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 15. The hill of God is as the hill of Bashan] This and the following verse should be read thus: "Is Mount Bashan the craggy mount, Mount Bashan, the mount of God? Why envy ye, ye craggy mounts? This is the mount of God in which he has desired to dwell." The Targum countenances this translation: Mount Moriah, the place where our fathers of old worshipped God, is chosen to build on it the house of the sanctuary, and Mount Sinai for the giving of the law. Mount Bashan, Mount Tabor, and Carmel are rejected; they are made as Mount Bashan."

Read AdamClarke on Psalms 68 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

7–18. After this general introduction the Psalmist proceeds to review the past history of Israel in proof of God’s victorious power and of His gracious love towards His people.

Read Cambridge on Psalms 68 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The hill of God - The phrase “the hill of God,” or the mountain of God, is elsewhere applied in the Scriptures only to Mount Horeb or Sinai Exodus 3:1; Exodus 18:5; Exodus 24:13; 1 Kings 19:8, and to

Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 68 →

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

A mountain of God is Mount Bashan; a mountain of many peaks is Mount Bashan.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

The mountains of Bashan are majestic mountains. The mountains of Bashan are rugged.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

A mountain of God is Mount Bashan; a mountain of many peaks is Mount Bashan.

NETBNew English Translation2006

The mountain of Bashan is a towering mountain; the mountain of Bashan is a mountain with many peaks.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

The hill of God is as the hill of Bashan; an high hill as the hill of Bashan.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

A mountain of God is the mountain of Bashan; A high mountain is the mountain of Bashan.

RVARevised Version, American1894

A mountain of God is the mountain of Bashan; an high mountain is the mountain of Bashan.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

The hill of God is as the hill of Bashan; a high hill as the hill of Bashan.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

The mountaine of God is like the mountaine of Bashan: it is an high Mountaine, as mount Bashan.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

[As] mount Bashan is the mount of God, a many-peaked mountain, [as] mount Bashan.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

A hill of God [is] the hill of Bashan, A hill of heights [is] the hill of Bashan.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

A hill of God [is] the hill of Bashan, || A hill of heights [is] the hill of Bashan.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

(68:16) A mountain of God is the mount of Bashan; many peaks hath the mount of Bashan.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

A mighty mountain is the hill country of Bashan; a high mountain is the hill country of Bashan.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Draw me out of the mire, that I may not stick fast: deliver me from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

“Mountain of God,” Mount Bashan, with your many high peaks, Mount Bashan,

BBEBible in Basic English1949

A hill of God is the hill of Bashan; a hill with high tops is the hill of Bashan.

Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.


The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank

This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.

clausenoun phrase · predicateהַרO.mountainאֱ֭לֹהִיםof.Godnoun phrase · subjectהַרO.mountainבָּשָׁ֑ןof.Bashanclausenoun phrase · predicateהַ֥רO.mountainגַּ֝בְנֻנִּ֗יםof.peaksnoun phrase · subjectהַרO.mountainבָּשָֽׁןof.Bashan

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 content, with six of the eight words matching. The Dead Sea Scrolls fragment contains six words supplied by an editor, indicating some textual preservation despite damage.

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

הַר־ אֱ֭לֹהִים הַר־ בָּשָׁ֑ן הַ֥ר גַּ֝בְנֻנִּ֗ים הַר־ בָּשָֽׁן׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
הַר־ἐνבָּשָׁ֑ןβασιλεῖςהַ֥רἐπ’גַּ֝בְנֻנִּ֗יםαὐτῆςהַר־ξιονωθήσονταιבָּשָֽׁן׃ἐν

6 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 — 11Q8a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[בפרש] [שדי] [מלכים] [ב׳ה] [תשלג] [בצלמון]

6 words of the verse are on this fragment — 6 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 68:15הַרO mountain O mountain ofהַראֱלֹהִיםGodGodאֱלֹהִיםהַרO mountain O mountain ofהַרבָּשָׁןBashanBashanבָּשָׁןהַרO mountain O mountain ofהַרגַּבְנֹןpeakspeaksגַּבְנֹןהַרO mountain O mountain ofהַרבָּשָׁןBashanBashanבָּשָׁןהַרmountainmountainהַראֱלֹהַּgodgodאֱלֹהַּגִּבֵןhumpbackedhumpbackedגִּבֵןגִּבְעָהGibeatGibeatגִּבְעָהאֶפְרַ֫יִםEphraimEphraimאֶפְרַ֫יִםעוֹגOgOgעוֹגגּוֹלָןGolanGolanגּוֹלָןאַחֵרanotheranotherאַחֵראֲרוֹןarkarkאֲרוֹן
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 68:15

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.

O mountain of God O mountain of Bashan O mountain of peaks O mountain of Bashan
הַר־har- O mountain of H2022 Noun common · masculine singular construct
546× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A mountain or hill, sometimes used to describe a spiritual high point. In the Bible, it can refer to a real mountain or a figurative one. The word is often translated as hill or mount.
Tyndale gloss
mountain: mount
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הַר (har) means 'mountain' or 'hill,' and can refer to a range of hills or hill-country. It is derived from a root that suggests elevation and can be used figuratively. The entries consistently highlight its geographical connotations without significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הַר 568 n.m. mountain, hill, hill-country

mountain, hill

hill-country, mountain-region

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2022 הַר mountain, hill, hill-country

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2022 har har

a shortened form of 2042; a mountain or range of hills

(sometimes used figuratively):--hill (country), mount(-ain), X

promotion.

see HEBREW for 02042

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הַר (har) — mountain: mount.

: mount/hill

hill, mountain, hill country, mount

הַר (har) — mountain: hill country.

: hill_country

hill, mountain, hill country, mount

A sub-meaning of har (הַר ": mount" H2022)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcmsc — Noun common · masculine singular construct
HNcmsc
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…

O mountain of God O mountain of Bashan O mountain of peaks O mountain of Bashan
אֱ֭לֹהִים'E.lo.Him God H430 Noun common · masculine plural absolute
2,603× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for God, elohim, refers to the one supreme God, and is sometimes used to show respect to judges or magistrates. It is also used to describe angels or mighty beings. This word is closely related to the name of the Lord, Yahweh, and is often translated as God or gods in the Bible.
Tyndale gloss
God
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֱלֹהִים (elohiym) is a plural noun meaning 'gods' or 'God,' often referring to the supreme deity in the Old Testament. It encompasses divine beings, rulers, and judges, reflecting divine majesty and power. The term can also denote angels and is used in a superlative sense. Notably, it is sometimes combined with יהוה (YHWH), the personal name of God.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֱלֹהִים 2570 n.m.pl.

pl. in number.

rulers, judges, either as divine representatives at sacred places or as reflecting divine majesty and power

divine ones, superhuman beings including God and angels

angels

gods

pl. intensive

god or goddess

godlike one

works of God, or things belongng to him

God

הָאֱלֹהִים the (true) God

אֱלֹהִים = God

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H430 אֱלֹהִים n. m. pl. . pl. in number. . rulers, judges, either asdivine representatives at sacred places or as reflecting divine majesty and power

. divine ones, superhuman beings including God and angels

. angels

. gods

. pl. intensive . god or goddess

. godlike one

. works of God, or things belongng to him

. God

. הָאֱלֹהִים the (true) God

. אֱלֹהִים = God

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

430 'elohiym el-o-heem'

plural of 433; gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically

used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the

supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to

magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative:--angels, X

exceeding, God (gods)(-dess, -ly), X (very) great, judges, X

mighty.

see HEBREW for 0433

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֱלֹהִים (e.lo.him) — God.

This name means "gods" (plural intensive-singular meaning), "God"

Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)

אֱלֹהִים (e.lo.him) — (LORD)-Elohe.

Combined with ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068)

אֱלֹהִים (e.lo.him) — (Gibeath)-elohim.

Combined with giv.ah (גִּבְעָה "Gibeath" H1389)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcmpa — Noun common · masculine plural absolute
HNcmpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

god ('Elohim, 'El, [`Elyon], Shadday, Yahweh; Theos):

I. INTRODUCTION TO THE GENERAL IDEA

1. The Idea in Experience and in Thought

2. Definition of the Idea

3. The Knowledge of God

4. Ethnic Ideas of God

(1) Animism

(2) Fetishism

(3) Idolatry

(4) Polytheism

(5) Henotheism

(6) Pantheism

(7) Deism

(8) Semitic Monolatry

(9) Monotheism

II. THE IDEA OF GOD IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

1. The Course of Its Development

2. Forms of Its Manifestation

(1) The Face or Countenance of God

(2) The Voice and Word of God

(3) The Glory of God

(4) The Angel of God

(5) The Spirit of God

(6) The Name of God

(7) Occasional Forms

3. The Names of God

(1) Generic

(2) Attributive

(3) Yahweh

4. Pre-prophetic Conceptions of God

(1) Yahweh Alone Is the God of Israel

(a) His Early Worship

(b) Popular Religion

(c) Polytheistic Tendencies

(i) Coordination

(ii) Assimilation

(iii) Disintegration

(d) No Hebrew Goddesses

(e) Human Sacrifices

Easton's Bible Dictionary

God

(A.S. and Dutch God; Dan. Gud; Ger. Gott), the name of the Divine Being. It is the rendering (1) of the Hebrew ’El, from a word meaning to be strong; (2) of ’Eloah_, plural _’Elohim. The singular form, Eloah, is used only in poetry. The plural form is more commonly used in all parts of the Bible, The Hebrew word Jehovah (q.v.), the only other word generally employed to denote the Supreme Being, is uniformly rendered in the Authorized Version by “LORD,” printed in small capitals. The existence of God is taken for granted in the Bible. There is nowhere any argument to prove it. He who disbelieves this truth is spoken of as one devoid of understanding (Ps. 14:1).

The arguments generally adduced by theologians in proof of the being of God are:

(1.) The a priori argument, which is the testimony afforded by reason.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(good). Throughout the Hebrew Scriptures two chief names are used for the one true divine Being--ELOHIM, commonly translated God in our version, and JEHOVAH, translated Lord . Elohim is the plural of Eloah (in Arabic Allah); it is often used in the short form EL (a word signifying strength , as in EL-SHADDAI, God Almighty, the name by which God was specially known to the patriarchs. (Genesis 17:1; 28:3; Exodus 6:3) The etymology is uncertain, but it is generally agreed that the primary idea is that of strength, power of effect , and that it properly describes God in that character in which he is exhibited to all men in his works, as the creator, sustainer and supreme governor of the world. The plural form of Elohim has given rise to much discussion. The fanciful idea that it…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

This name, the derivation of which is uncertain, we give to that eternal, infinite, perfect, and incomprehensible Being, the Creator of all things, who preserves and governs all by his almighty power and wisdom, and is the only proper object of worship. The proper Hebrew name for God is JEHOVAH, which signifies He is. But the Jews, from a feeling of reverence, avoid pronouncing this name, substituting for it, wherever it occurs in the sacred test, the word ADONAI, Lord; except in the expression, ADONAI JEHOVAH, Lord Jehovah, for which they put, ADONAI ELOHIM, Lord God. This usage, which is not without an element of superstition, is very ancient, dating its origin some centuries before Christ; but there is no good ground for assuming its existence in the days of the inspired Old Testament writers. The proper word for God is ELOHIM, which is plural in its form, being thus used to signify…

O mountain of God O mountain of Bashan O mountain of peaks O mountain of Bashan
הַר־har- O mountain of H2022 Noun common · masculine singular construct
546× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A mountain or hill, sometimes used to describe a spiritual high point. In the Bible, it can refer to a real mountain or a figurative one. The word is often translated as hill or mount.
Tyndale gloss
mountain: mount
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הַר (har) means 'mountain' or 'hill,' and can refer to a range of hills or hill-country. It is derived from a root that suggests elevation and can be used figuratively. The entries consistently highlight its geographical connotations without significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הַר 568 n.m. mountain, hill, hill-country

mountain, hill

hill-country, mountain-region

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2022 הַר mountain, hill, hill-country

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2022 har har

a shortened form of 2042; a mountain or range of hills

(sometimes used figuratively):--hill (country), mount(-ain), X

promotion.

see HEBREW for 02042

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הַר (har) — mountain: mount.

: mount/hill

hill, mountain, hill country, mount

הַר (har) — mountain: hill country.

: hill_country

hill, mountain, hill country, mount

A sub-meaning of har (הַר ": mount" H2022)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcmsc — Noun common · masculine singular construct
HNcmsc
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…

O mountain of God O mountain of Bashan O mountain of peaks O mountain of Bashan
בָּשָׁ֑ןba.Shan Bashan H1316 Noun proper
60× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Bashan was a fertile region east of the Jordan River, given to the half-tribe of Manasseh. It was known for its fruitfulness and is mentioned in the Bible as a significant area.
Tyndale gloss
Bashan
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בָּשָׁן (Bashan) refers to a fertile region east of the Jordan River, first noted as the kingdom of Og. It extends from the Jabboḳ stream to Mount Hermon, and is associated with smooth and fruitful land, significant for the half-tribe of Manasseh.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בָּשָׁן 60 n.pr.terr.m. (smooth (& fertile) land) Bashan, first mentioned as kingdom of Og, E. of Jordan, stretching from stream Jabboḳ (thus including northern Gilead) northward to Hermon, between Gennesaret (W) and mts of Hauran (E)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1316 בָּשָׁן Bashan, first mentioned as kingdom of Og, E. of Jordan, stretching from stream Jabboḳ (thus including northern Gilead) northward to Hermon, between Gennesaret (W) and mts of Hauran (E)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1316 Bashan baw-shawn'

of uncertain derivation; Bashan (often with the article), a

region East of the Jordan:--Bashan.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בָּשָׁן (ba.shan) — Bashan.

§ Bashan = "fruitful"

a district east of the Jordan known for its fertility which was given to the half-tribe of Manasseh

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNpl — Noun proper
HNpl
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ba'-shan (ha-bashan, "the Bashan"; Basan): This name is probably the same in meaning as the cognate Arabic bathneh, "soft, fertile land," or bathaniyeh (batanaea), "this land sown with wheat" ("wheatland").

1. Boundaries:

It often occurs with the article, "the Bashan," to describe the kingdom of Og, the most northerly part of the land East of the Jordan. It stretched from the border of Gilead in the South to the slopes of Hermen in the North. Hermon itself is never definitely included in Bashan, although Og is said to have ruled in that mountain (Jos 12:5; 13:11). In De 3:10 Salecah and Edrei seem to indicate the East and West limits respectively. This would agree with Jos 12:5; 13:11, which seem to make Geshur and Maacath the…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Bashan

Light soil, first mentioned in Gen. 14:5, where it is said that Chedorlaomer and his confederates “smote the Rephaim in Ashteroth,” where Og the king of Bashan had his residence. At the time of Israel’s entrance into the Promised Land, Og came out against them, but was utterly routed (Num. 21:33-35; Deut. 3:1-7). This country extended from Gilead in the south to Hermon in the north, and from the Jordan on the west to Salcah on the east. Along with the half of Gilead it was given to the half-tribe of Manasseh (Josh. 13:29-31). Golan, one of its cities, became a “city of refuge” (Josh. 21:27). Argob, in Bashan, was…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(fruitful), a district on the east of Jordan. It is sometimes spoken of as the "land of Bashan," (1 Chronicles 5:11) and comp. Numb 21:33; 32:33 And sometimes as "all Bashan." (3:10,13; Joshua 12:5; 13:12,30) It was taken by the children of Israel after their conquest of the land of Sihon from Arnon to Jabbok. The limits of Bashan are very strictly defined. It extended from the "border of Gilead" on the south to Mount Hermon on the north, (3:3,10,14; Joshua 12:5; 1 Chronicles 5:23) and from the Arabah or Jordan valley on the west to Salchah (Sulkhad) and the border of the Geshurites and the Maachathites on the east. (Joshua…

Fat, fruitful, Nu 21:33, a rich hilly district lying east of the Jordan, and between the mountains of Hermon on the north, and those of Gilead and Ammon on the south. The country takes its name from its soft and sandy soil. It is celebrated in Scripture for its rich pasturage: "Rams, of the breed of Bashan," De 32:14; "Rams, bulls, goats, all of them fatlings of Bashan," Eze 39:18. The oaks of Bashan are mentioned in connection with the cedars of Lebanon, Isa 2:13. Modern travelers describe the country as still abounding with verdant and fertile meadows, valleys traversed by refreshing streams, hills crowned with forests, and pastures offering an abundance to the flocks…

O mountain of God O mountain of Bashan O mountain of peaks O mountain of Bashan
הַ֥רhar O mountain of H2022 Noun common · masculine singular construct
546× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A mountain or hill, sometimes used to describe a spiritual high point. In the Bible, it can refer to a real mountain or a figurative one. The word is often translated as hill or mount.
Tyndale gloss
mountain: mount
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הַר (har) means 'mountain' or 'hill,' and can refer to a range of hills or hill-country. It is derived from a root that suggests elevation and can be used figuratively. The entries consistently highlight its geographical connotations without significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הַר 568 n.m. mountain, hill, hill-country

mountain, hill

hill-country, mountain-region

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2022 הַר mountain, hill, hill-country

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2022 har har

a shortened form of 2042; a mountain or range of hills

(sometimes used figuratively):--hill (country), mount(-ain), X

promotion.

see HEBREW for 02042

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הַר (har) — mountain: mount.

: mount/hill

hill, mountain, hill country, mount

הַר (har) — mountain: hill country.

: hill_country

hill, mountain, hill country, mount

A sub-meaning of har (הַר ": mount" H2022)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcmsc — Noun common · masculine singular construct
HNcmsc
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…

O mountain of God O mountain of Bashan O mountain of peaks O mountain of Bashan
גַּ֝בְנֻנִּ֗יםgav.nu.Nim peaks H1386 Noun common · masculine plural absolute
2× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means a peak or high point of hills, a rounded summit. It is used in the Bible to describe the geography of Israel.
Tyndale gloss
peak
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

גַּבְנֹן (gabnon) refers to a peak or rounded summit, particularly in the context of hills or mountains. It is derived from a related term that also denotes a hump or peak. The entries consistently emphasize its meaning as a high point in the landscape.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[גַּבְנֹן] n.[m.] peak, rounded summit;

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1386 גַּבְנֹן

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1386 gabnon gab-nohn'

from the same as 1384; a hump or peak of hills:--high.

see HEBREW for 01384

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

גַּבְנֹן (gav.non) — peak.

peak, rounded summit, a mountain peak

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcmpa — Noun common · masculine plural absolute
HNcmpa
O mountain of God O mountain of Bashan O mountain of peaks O mountain of Bashan
הַר־har- O mountain of H2022 Noun common · masculine singular construct
546× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A mountain or hill, sometimes used to describe a spiritual high point. In the Bible, it can refer to a real mountain or a figurative one. The word is often translated as hill or mount.
Tyndale gloss
mountain: mount
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הַר (har) means 'mountain' or 'hill,' and can refer to a range of hills or hill-country. It is derived from a root that suggests elevation and can be used figuratively. The entries consistently highlight its geographical connotations without significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הַר 568 n.m. mountain, hill, hill-country

mountain, hill

hill-country, mountain-region

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2022 הַר mountain, hill, hill-country

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2022 har har

a shortened form of 2042; a mountain or range of hills

(sometimes used figuratively):--hill (country), mount(-ain), X

promotion.

see HEBREW for 02042

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הַר (har) — mountain: mount.

: mount/hill

hill, mountain, hill country, mount

הַר (har) — mountain: hill country.

: hill_country

hill, mountain, hill country, mount

A sub-meaning of har (הַר ": mount" H2022)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcmsc — Noun common · masculine singular construct
HNcmsc
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…

O mountain of God O mountain of Bashan O mountain of peaks O mountain of Bashan
בָּשָֽׁן׃ba.Shan Bashan H1316 Noun proper
60× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Bashan was a fertile region east of the Jordan River, given to the half-tribe of Manasseh. It was known for its fruitfulness and is mentioned in the Bible as a significant area.
Tyndale gloss
Bashan
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בָּשָׁן (Bashan) refers to a fertile region east of the Jordan River, first noted as the kingdom of Og. It extends from the Jabboḳ stream to Mount Hermon, and is associated with smooth and fruitful land, significant for the half-tribe of Manasseh.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בָּשָׁן 60 n.pr.terr.m. (smooth (& fertile) land) Bashan, first mentioned as kingdom of Og, E. of Jordan, stretching from stream Jabboḳ (thus including northern Gilead) northward to Hermon, between Gennesaret (W) and mts of Hauran (E)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1316 בָּשָׁן Bashan, first mentioned as kingdom of Og, E. of Jordan, stretching from stream Jabboḳ (thus including northern Gilead) northward to Hermon, between Gennesaret (W) and mts of Hauran (E)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1316 Bashan baw-shawn'

of uncertain derivation; Bashan (often with the article), a

region East of the Jordan:--Bashan.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בָּשָׁן (ba.shan) — Bashan.

§ Bashan = "fruitful"

a district east of the Jordan known for its fertility which was given to the half-tribe of Manasseh

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNpl — Noun proper
HNpl
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ba'-shan (ha-bashan, "the Bashan"; Basan): This name is probably the same in meaning as the cognate Arabic bathneh, "soft, fertile land," or bathaniyeh (batanaea), "this land sown with wheat" ("wheatland").

1. Boundaries:

It often occurs with the article, "the Bashan," to describe the kingdom of Og, the most northerly part of the land East of the Jordan. It stretched from the border of Gilead in the South to the slopes of Hermen in the North. Hermon itself is never definitely included in Bashan, although Og is said to have ruled in that mountain (Jos 12:5; 13:11). In De 3:10 Salecah and Edrei seem to indicate the East and West limits respectively. This would agree with Jos 12:5; 13:11, which seem to make Geshur and Maacath the…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Bashan

Light soil, first mentioned in Gen. 14:5, where it is said that Chedorlaomer and his confederates “smote the Rephaim in Ashteroth,” where Og the king of Bashan had his residence. At the time of Israel’s entrance into the Promised Land, Og came out against them, but was utterly routed (Num. 21:33-35; Deut. 3:1-7). This country extended from Gilead in the south to Hermon in the north, and from the Jordan on the west to Salcah on the east. Along with the half of Gilead it was given to the half-tribe of Manasseh (Josh. 13:29-31). Golan, one of its cities, became a “city of refuge” (Josh. 21:27). Argob, in Bashan, was…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(fruitful), a district on the east of Jordan. It is sometimes spoken of as the "land of Bashan," (1 Chronicles 5:11) and comp. Numb 21:33; 32:33 And sometimes as "all Bashan." (3:10,13; Joshua 12:5; 13:12,30) It was taken by the children of Israel after their conquest of the land of Sihon from Arnon to Jabbok. The limits of Bashan are very strictly defined. It extended from the "border of Gilead" on the south to Mount Hermon on the north, (3:3,10,14; Joshua 12:5; 1 Chronicles 5:23) and from the Arabah or Jordan valley on the west to Salchah (Sulkhad) and the border of the Geshurites and the Maachathites on the east. (Joshua…

Fat, fruitful, Nu 21:33, a rich hilly district lying east of the Jordan, and between the mountains of Hermon on the north, and those of Gilead and Ammon on the south. The country takes its name from its soft and sandy soil. It is celebrated in Scripture for its rich pasturage: "Rams, of the breed of Bashan," De 32:14; "Rams, bulls, goats, all of them fatlings of Bashan," Eze 39:18. The oaks of Bashan are mentioned in connection with the cedars of Lebanon, Isa 2:13. Modern travelers describe the country as still abounding with verdant and fertile meadows, valleys traversed by refreshing streams, hills crowned with forests, and pastures offering an abundance to the flocks…

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