Psalms 68:16 — Word Study
WLCלָ֤מָּה׀ תְּֽרַצְּדוּן֮ הָרִ֪ים גַּבְנֻ֫נִּ֥ים הָהָ֗ר חָמַ֣ד אֱלֹהִ֣ים לְשִׁבְתּ֑וֹ אַף־ יְ֝הוָ֗ה יִשְׁכֹּ֥ן לָנֶֽצַח׃
BSAO mountainshar [high hills, lofty peaks] of many peaksgabnôn [summits, high points] [This is] the mountainhar [hill] Godʼĕlôhîym [Elohim, the supreme One]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| לָ֤מָּה׀ | why? | Preposition, pronoun |
| תְּֽרַצְּדוּן֮ | do you watch with envy ! | Verb piel imperfect second person masculine plural, suffix |
| הָרִ֪ים | O mountains | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
| גַּבְנֻ֫נִּ֥ים | peaks | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
| הָהָ֗ר | the mountain | Particle, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| חָמַ֣ד | [which] he desired | Verb, Qal, perfect third person masculine singular |
| אֱלֹהִ֣ים | God | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
| לְשִׁבְתּ֑וֹ | to dwell in he | Preposition, verb qal infinitive construct common, suffix |
| אַף־ | also | Particle |
| יְ֝הוָ֗ה | Yahweh | Noun proper |
| יִשְׁכֹּ֥ן | he will dwell | Verb, Qal, imperfect third person masculine singular |
| לָנֶֽצַח׃ | to perpetuity | Preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Why 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. |
| KJV | Why leap ye, ye high hills? this is the hill which God desireth to dwell in; yea, the LORD will dwell in it for ever. |
| ASV | Why look ye askance, ye high mountains, At the mountain which God hath desired for his abode? Yea, Jehovah will dwell in it for ever. |
| YLT | Why do ye envy, O high hills, The hill God hath desired for His seat? Jehovah also doth tabernacle for ever. |
| WEB | Why do you look in envy, you rugged mountains, at the mountain where God chooses to reign? Yes, Yahweh will dwell there forever. |
| BBE | Why are you looking with envy, you high hills, on the hill desired by God as his resting-place? truly, God will make it his house for ever. |
Where they part company is חָמַ֣ד — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence begins with a question, followed by a statement of God's choice and a description of His eternal dwelling.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectH430
verbH2530
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
1 of 12 occurs nowhere else in the Old Testament — a word chosen on purpose.
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 68:16
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 — God's Chosen Dwellinggenerated
Psalm 68:16 reflects on the mountains of Bashan, which are portrayed as envious of the mountain that God has chosen for His dwelling. This mountain symbolizes God's presence among His people, contrasting the majesty of the surrounding peaks with the special status of God's chosen place. The psalmist emphasizes that this is where the LORD will dwell forever, highlighting the significance of God's choice.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 114:4–6 | the mountains skipped like rams, the hills like lambs. |
| 2 | Isaiah 2:2 | In 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. |
| 3 | Psalm 132:13–14 | For the LORD has chosen Zion; He has desired it for His home: |
| 4 | Deuteronomy 12:5–11 | Instead, you must seek the place the LORD your God will choose from among all your tribes to establish as a dwelling for His Name, and there you must go. |
| 5 | 1 Kings 9:3 | And the LORD said to him: “I have heard your prayer and petition before Me. I have consecrated this temple you have built by putting My Name there forever; My eyes and My heart will be there for all time. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 7 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — חָמַ֣ד, cha.Madgenerated
The verb חָמַד (chamad) means to desire or take pleasure in something. It conveys a strong emotional attachment or value, indicating that God has taken great delight in the mountain He has chosen.
This word is used in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, often reflecting a deep appreciation or longing. In this verse, it emphasizes God's intentional choice of a dwelling place, which is significant for His relationship with His people.
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 verse is structured around a main clause that poses a question: לָ֤מָּה׀ תְּֽרַצְּדוּן֮, Why do you gaze in envy? This is followed by a declarative clause that identifies the mountain God has chosen, emphasizing its significance.
The syntax highlights the contrast between the mountains' envy and God's sovereign choice, creating a poetic tension that underscores the theme of divine selection.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, the word חָמַ֣ד is rendered as ἐξελέξατο, which means 'He chose'. This choice indicates a clear emphasis on God's active selection rather than a passive desire, aligning with the overall theme of divine sovereignty in the text.
This translation choice reflects a narrowing of the focus from mere desire to the act of choosing, highlighting God's authority in determining His dwelling place.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 68:16 asks why the mountains of Bashan are envious. It states that God has chosen a specific mountain for His dwelling, where He will reside forever. This highlights the significance of God's choice and the eternal nature of His presence.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It signifies God's presence among His people and His intentional selection of a place that holds spiritual significance.
The mountains are portrayed as envious because they are majestic, yet God has chosen a specific mountain, emphasizing His sovereign choice.
It indicates the permanence of God's presence and His commitment to be with His people eternally.
This verse connects with themes found in other scriptures, such as Psalm 132:13-14, which also emphasizes God's choice of a dwelling place.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What does it mean for God to choose a dwelling place among His people?
- How can I recognize and appreciate God's presence in my life?
- In what ways do I see envy or competition in my own life, similar to the mountains?
- How can I cultivate a deeper understanding of God's choices and His plans for me?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Augustine of Hippo comments on the significance of God's chosen mountain, arguing against comparisons with others.
Secondly, in the expression, "Mountain of God, Mountain full of curds," Mountain "fruitful," let no one dare from this to compare the Lord Jesus Christ with the rest of the Saints,Early Church Fathers on Psalms 68 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 68:16 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleWhy leap ye, ye high hills?.... Meaning the kingdoms of this world that lift up themselves above, and look with contempt upon the interest, kingdom, and church of Christ; lie in wait for it, leap
Read John Gill on Psalms 68 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThe 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 BibleWhy leap ye? why do you triumph and boast of your height, and look upon poor Zion with scorn and contempt, as an obscure and inconsiderable hill, if compared with you? He speaks to the hills by a usual figure called prosopopaeia. This hill, though despicable in your eyes, is precious and honourable in God’ s eyes, and chosen by him for his settled and perpetual residence. For though the ark was removed from this particular place, in which it was now to be placed, to the hill of Moriah, upon which the temple was built, yet it must be remembered that Zion and Moriah stood one near to the other, being both in Jerusalem, and are by some said to have been but two tops of one and the same hill.
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 68 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 68:16 Why leap ye, ye high hills? [this is] the hill [which] God desireth to dwell in; yea, the LORD will dwell [in it] for ever.Ver. 16. Why leap ye, ye high hills?] Why do ye pride and please yourselves in your privileges of nature, so far above this of Sion? Quare contenditis, montes gibbosi? so some render it, and tell us, that the original word ratsad is Syriac, and significth to envy, to irritate, to insult, or contend with any one. This is the hill which God desireth to dwell in] This low, little, barren hill of Sion; and God’ s election maketh the difference, as it did of Aaron’ s rod from the rest, and doth still of the Church from the rest of the world. The Lamb Christ is…
Read John Trapp on Psalms 68 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(16) Why leap ye?—The verb occurs only here, but is explained by Delitzsch, by comparison with an Arabic root, to express the attitude of a beast crouching down for a spring on its prey; a fine image: the jealous hills lying, like panthers, ready to spring on the passing Israelites. Or does the old feeling of jealousy of the tribes on the other side of Jordan still show itself lurking in this verse? Browning has an image some what similar:— “Those two hills on the right Crouched like two bulls.” Others make the meaning simply “to look enviously on.” The older versions have caught the sense, “Why watch with suspicion?” We may translate the verse, Why, mountains of many peaks, glare ye at the…
Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 68 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 16. Why leap ye, ye high hills?] "God said, Why leap ye, ye high hills? It is not pleasing to me to give my law upon high and towering hills. Behold, Mount Sinai is low; and the WORD of the Lord has desired to place on it the Divine majesty. Moreover, the Lord dwells for ever in the heaven of heavens." - Targum. The psalmist is speaking particularly of the mountains of Judea, and those of Gilead; the former were occupied by the Canaanites, and the others by Og, king of Bashan, and Sihon, king of the Amorites, whom Moses defeated.
Read AdamClarke on Psalms 68 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges16. Why look ye enviously, ye high-peaked mountains, At the mountain which God hath desired for his abode? Yea, Jehovah will dwell in it for ever. The grander mountains of Bashan, not Hermon only, but the rugged basaltic mountains which rise in precipitous peaks, suggesting ideas of majesty, antiquity, impregnability, are represented as looking enviously upon the insignificant mountain of Zion which God has chosen for His earthly dwelling-place. Sinai had been his temporary abode (Exodus 24:16); on Zion He will dwell for ever. Cp. 1 Kings 8:12-13. The choice of Zion is a parable of the method of God’s dealings with men. Cp. 1 Corinthians 1:26-29. The A.V. why leap ye comes from the Targ.…
Read Cambridge on Psalms 68 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleWhy leap ye, ye high hills? - That is, with exultation; with pride; with conscious superiority. Why do you seem to regard yourselves as so superior to Mount Zion, in strength, in beauty, in grandeur?
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
Why 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.
Why do you look in envy, you rugged mountains, at the mountain where God chooses to reign? Yes, Yahweh will dwell there forever.
Why 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.
Why do you look with envy, O mountains with many peaks, at the mountain where God has decided to live? Indeed the Lord will live there permanently!
Tyndale line
Why leap ye, ye high hills? this is the hill which God desireth to dwell in; yea, the LORD will dwell in it for ever.
Why look ye askance, ye high mountains, At the mountain which God hath desired for his abode? Yea, Jehovah will dwell in it for ever.
Why look ye askance, ye high mountains, at the mountain which God hath desired for his abode? yea, the LORD will dwell in it for ever.
Why leap ye, ye lofty hills? this is the hill which God desireth to dwell in; yes, the LORD will dwell in it for ever.
Why leape ye, ye high mountaines? as for this Mountaine, God deliteth to dwell in it: yea, the Lord will dwell in it for euer.
Strictly literal
Why do ye look with envy, ye many-peaked mountains, upon the mount that God hath desired for his abode? yea, Jehovah will dwell [there] for ever.
Why do ye envy, O high hills, The hill God hath desired for His seat? Jehovah also doth tabernacle for ever.
Why do you envy, O high hills, || The hill God has desired for His seat? YHWH also dwells forever.
(68:17) Why watch ye enviously, ye many-peaked mountains, yonder mountain which God hath chosen for his residence? yea, the Lord will also dwell [there] for ever.
Why do you look in envy, you high hill country, at the mountain which God desires for the place he will live? Indeed, Yahweh will live in it forever.
From the Latin
Let not the tempest of water drown me, nor the deep swallow me up: and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me.
Simplified
why do you look enviously, mountain with many peaks, at the mountain God chose as his home, where the Lord will live forever?
Why are you looking with envy, you high hills, on the hill desired by God as his resting-place? truly, God will make it his house for ever.
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.
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 Dead Sea Scrolls show agreement in the essential wording of the verse, with minor restorations in the scrolls. The Septuagint, while not a direct match, captures the essence of God's choice.
לָ֤מָּה׀ תְּֽרַצְּדוּן֮ הָרִ֪ים גַּבְנֻ֫נִּ֥ים הָהָ֗ר חָמַ֣ד אֱלֹהִ֣ים לְשִׁבְתּ֑וֹ אַף־ יְ֝הוָ֗ה יִשְׁכֹּ֥ן לָנֶֽצַח׃
5 of the 12 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.
[הר] אלוהים זה [הר] [בשן] [הר] [גבננים] [הר] [בשן]
9 words of the verse are on this fragment — 1 partly restored, 7 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.
Lexicons — every word in Psalms 68:16
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.
מָה (mah) is a Hebrew word primarily used as an interrogative particle meaning 'what?' or 'how?'. It can also function as an indefinite pronoun, encompassing meanings like 'anything' or 'whatever'. The word is versatile, appearing in various adverbial forms and often used with prefixes to express different nuances, such as reason or manner.
מָה, rarely מָה־, מַה־, מַהּ, מֶה, מַּ, מָ—pron.interrog. and indef. what? how? aught
interrog. what?
Used adverbially
Indef. pron.
With preps.
base
H4100 מָה, rarely מָה־, מַה־, מַהּ, מֶה, מַּ, מָ—pron. interrog. and indef. what? how? aught . interrog. what?
. Used adverbially
. Indef. pron.
. With preps.
4100 mah maw
or mah {mah}; or ma {maw}; or ma {mah}; also meh {meh}; a
primitive particle; properly, interrogative what? (including
how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including
how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and even
relatively, that which); often used with prefixes in various
adverbial or conjunctive senses:--how (long, oft, (-
soever)), (no-)thing, what (end, good, purpose, thing),
whereby(-fore, -in, -to, -with), (for) why.
מָה (mah) — what?.
interr pron
1) what, how, of what kind
1a) (interrogative)
1a1) what?
1a2) of what kind
1a3) what? (rhetorical)
1a4) whatsoever, whatever, what
1b) (adverb)
1b1) how, how now
1b2) why
1b3) how! (exclamation)
1c) (with prep)
1c1) wherein?, whereby?, wherewith?, by what means?
1c2) because of what?
1c3) the like of what?
1c3a) how much?, how many?, how often?
1c3b) for how long?
1c4) for what reason?, why?, to what purpose?
1c5) until when?, how long?, upon what?, wherefore?
indef pron
2) anything, aught, what may
HR/Pi — Preposition · pronounHR/Pi
[רָצַד] vb. Pi. watch stealthily, or with envious hostility;—only ψ 68:17
ref
H7520 רָצַד
7520 ratsad raw-tsad'
a primitive root; probably to look askant, i.e.
(figuratively) be jealous:--leap.
רָצַד (ra.tsad) — to watch with envy.
(Piel) to watch stealthily or with envious hostility, watch with enmity, watch with envy
HVpi2mp/Sn — Verb piel imperfect second person masculine plural · suffixHVpi2mp/Sn
en'-vi (qin'ah; zelos, phthonos):
"Envy," from Latin in, "against," and video, "to look," "to look with ill-will," etc., toward another, is an evil strongly condemned in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. It is to be distinguished from jealousy. "We are jealous of our own; we are envious of another man's possessions. Jealousy fears to lose what it has; envy is pained at seeing another have" (Crabb's English Synonyms). In the Old Testament it is the translation of qin'ah from kana', "to redden," "to glow" (Job 5:2, the Revised Version (British and American) "jealousy," margin "indignation"; in Isa 26:11 the Revised Version (British and American) renders "see thy zeal for the people"; Pr 27:4, etc.); the verb occurs in…
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.
הַר 568 n.m. mountain, hill, hill-country
mountain, hill
hill-country, mountain-region
base
H2022 הַר mountain, hill, hill-country
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
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)
N-ms — Noun common · masculine plural absoluteHNcmpa
Are among the most sublime and impressive of the Creator’s works on earth, and from the noblest and most enduring monuments of great events. Most of the mountains of Scripture thus stand as witnesses for God—every view of their lofty summits, and every recurrence to them in thought reminding us of the sacred facts and truths connected with them. Thus Mount Ararat is a standing memorial of the deluge of man’s sin, God’s justice, and God’s mercy. Mount Sinai asserts the terrors of the divine law. Mount Carmel summons us, like the prophet Elijah of old, not to "halt between two opinions;" but if Jehovah is God, to love and serve him. The mount of the Transfiguration still shines with the glory of the truths there taught, and Mounts Ebal and Gerizim still echo the curses and the blessings once so solemnly pronounced from them. So Mount Hor, Nebo, Lebanon, and Gilboa have been signalized by…
- The elevated parts of the earth
Ge 7:19,20
- GOD
. Formed
. Set fast
. Gives strength to
. Weighs, in a balance
. Waters, from his chambers
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.
[גַּבְנֹן] n.[m.] peak, rounded summit;
base
H1386 גַּבְנֹן
1386 gabnon gab-nohn'
from the same as 1384; a hump or peak of hills:--high.
see HEBREW for 01384
גַּבְנֹן (gav.non) — peak.
peak, rounded summit, a mountain peak
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural absoluteHNcmpa
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.
הַר 568 n.m. mountain, hill, hill-country
mountain, hill
hill-country, mountain-region
base
H2022 הַר mountain, hill, hill-country
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
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)
N-ms — Particle · noun common masculine singular absoluteHTd/Ncmsa
The Hebrew word חָמַד (chamad) is a primitive root meaning to desire or take pleasure in something. It encompasses a range of meanings including delight, coveting, and preciousness, with related forms like חֲמוּדָה (chamudah) referring to desirableness. The word appears in various contexts, reflecting strong emotional attachment or value.
חָמַד vb. desire, take pleasure in
Qal desire
Niph. desirable
Pi. delight greatly
base
[חֲמוּדָה] n.f. desirableness, preciousness
base
H2530a חָמַד desire, take pleasure in .desire
. desirable
. delight greatly
H2530b חֲמוּדָה desirableness, preciousness
2530 chamad khaw-mad'
a primitive root; to delight in:--beauty, greatly beloved,
covet, delectable thing, (X great) delight, desire, goodly,
lust, (be) pleasant (thing), precious (thing).
חָמַד (cha.mad) — to desire.
v
1) to desire, covet, take pleasure in, delight in
1a) (Qal) to desire
1b) (Niphal) to be desirable
1c) (Piel) to delight greatly, desire greatly
חֲמוּדָה (cha.mu.dah) — precious thing.
desirableness, preciousness
HVqp3ms — Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singularHVqp3ms
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.
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
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
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
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)
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural absoluteHNcmpa
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
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.
(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…
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…
יָשַׁב (yashab) is a Hebrew verb meaning to sit, remain, or dwell. It encompasses a range of actions from simply sitting down to more complex ideas like establishing a home or causing a place to be inhabited. The entries indicate various forms, including Qal (to sit), Niphal (to be inhabited), and Hiphil (to cause to dwell). There is an Aramaic equivalent, יְתִב (ye.tiv), meaning 'to dwell'.
יָשַׁב 1090 vb. sit, remain, dwell
Qal
sit
sit, sit down
sit down
sit = be set (as a jewel)
remain, stay, tarry
with special emphasis of qualifying phr.
dwell, have one’s abode
of a land or city, sit, abide, seated in its place, fig. for be inhabited
Niph. be inhabited, of land
Pi. and they shall set their encampments in thee
Hiph.
cause to sit
cause to abide
cause to dwell
cause cities to be inhabited
marry (prop. give a dwelling to)
Hoph. and ye be made to dwell alone in the midst of the land
base
H3427 יָשַׁב sit, remain, dwell
3427 yashab yaw-shab'
a primitive root; properly, to sit down (specifically as
judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to
remain; causatively, to settle, to marry:--(make to)
abide(-ing), continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-ing), ease
self, endure, establish, X fail, habitation, haunt, (make to)
inhabit(-ant), make to keep (house), lurking, X marry(-ing),
(bring again to) place, remain, return, seat, set(- tle),
(down-)sit(-down, still, -ting down, -ting (place) -uate),
take, tarry.
יָשַׁב (ya.shav) — to dwell.
1) to dwell, remain, sit, abide
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to sit, sit down
1a2) to be set
1a3) to remain, stay
1a4) to dwell, have one's abode
1b) (Niphal) to be inhabited
1c) (Piel) to set, place
1d) (Hiphil)
1d1) to cause to sit
1d2) to cause to abide, set
1d3) to cause to dwell
1d4) to cause (cities) to be inhabited
1d5) to marry (give an dwelling to)
1e) (Hophal)
1e1) to be inhabited
1e2) to make to dwell
Aramaic equivalent: ye.tiv (יְתִב "to dwell" H3488)
HR/Vqcc/Sp3ms — Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common · suffixHR/Vqcc/Sp3ms
ha: The fifth letter of the Hebrew alphabet; transliterated in this Encyclopedia as "h." It came also to be used for the number 5. For name, etc., see ALPHABET.
The Hebrew word אַף (aph) is a conjunction that indicates addition, often implying something greater. It can mean 'also,' 'yea,' or 'though,' and is used to connect ideas in a sentence. The entries highlight its use as both an adverb and conjunction, with a focus on its additive nature.
אַף conj. denoting addition, esp. of something greater, also, yea
base
H637 אַף conj. denoting addition, esp. of something greater, also, yea
637 'aph af
a primitive particle; meaning accession (used as an adverb or
conjunction); also or yea; adversatively though:--also, +
although, and (furthermore, yet), but, even, + how much less
(more, rather than), moreover, with, yea.
אַף (aph) — also.
conj (denoting addition, esp of something greater)
1) also, yea, though, so much the more
adv
2) furthermore, indeed
Aramaic equivalent: aph (אַף "also" H0638)
HTj — ParticleHTj
ol'-so: In the Greek kai, when it is equivalent to "also" or "even," is always placed before the word or phrase which it is intended to emphasize (e.g. Ac 12:3; 1 Joh 4:21). Mt 6:14 should therefore read, "Your heavenly Father will forgive you also"; Lu 6:13, "Whom also he named apostles"; Heb 8:6, "The mediator of a better covenant also"; and 1Th 4:14, `If we believe that Jesus died and rose again, so also (we believe that) those who are fallen asleep in Jesus, God will bring with Him.'
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) is the proper name of the God of Israel, often rendered as Jehovah or the Lord. It signifies the self-existent or eternal nature of God. The name is closely associated with the revelation to Moses in Exodus 3:12-15 and is used in conjunction with other terms to denote sacred places. Some scholars suggest it derives from a root meaning 'to bring into being.'
יהוה c. 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel—(1. MT יְהֹוָה 6518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהֹוִה 305 (Qr אֱלֹהִים) 2. Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of הוה (= היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver)
יהוה is not used by E in Gn, but is given Ex 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb
יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D
the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy
יהוה is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh
base
H3068 יהוה i.e. יַהְוֶה n. pr. dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel
3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw'
from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish
national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.
see HEBREW for 01961
see HEBREW for 03050
see HEBREW for 03069
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — LORD.
Jehovah = "the existing One"
1) the proper name of the one true God
1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of a.do.na (אֲדֹנָי "Lord" H0136)
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — The Lord.
Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — (Jerusalem of) the Lord.
Combined with ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
HNpt — Noun properHNpt
שָׁכַן (shakan) is a Hebrew verb meaning to settle down, abide, or dwell. It encompasses various forms of residing, both literally and figuratively, and includes nuances of establishing or causing to dwell. The entries indicate its use in different grammatical forms, such as Qal, Piel, and Hiphil, which express actions related to dwelling and establishing habitation.
שָׁכַן, שָׁכֵ֑ן 129 vb. settle down, abide, dwell
Qal
settle down to abide
abide, dwell
Pi.
make settle down, establish
make to dwell
Hiph.
lay
cause birds to settle
cause to dwell
base
H7931 שָׁכַן, שָׁכֵ֑ן settle down, abide, dwell
7931 shakan shaw-kan'
a primitive root (apparently akin (by transmission) to 7901
through the idea of lodging; compare 5531, 7925); to reside or
permanently stay (literally or figuratively):--abide,
continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-er), have habitation,
inhabit, lay, place, (cause to) remain, rest, set (up).
see HEBREW for 05531
see HEBREW for 07925
שָׁכַן (sha.khan) — to dwell.
1) to settle down, abide, dwell, tabernacle, reside
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to settle down to abide
1a2) to abide, dwell, reside
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to make settle down, establish
1b2) to make or cause to dwell
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to lay, place, set, establish, settle, fix
1c2) to cause to dwell or abide
Aramaic equivalent: she.khan (שְׁכֵן "to dwell" H7932)
HVqi3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singularHVqi3ms
dwel:
(1) In the Old Testament "dwell" is a translation of 9 words, of which by far the most frequent is yashabh, "to sit down," translated "dwell" over 400 times (Ge 4:20; Jos 20:4; 1Ch 17:1,4,5, etc.); also very frequently "sit," and sometimes "abide," "inhabit," "remain." Another word often rendered "dwell" is shakhan or shakhen ("to settle down"), from which is derived the rabbinic word shekhinah (literally, "that which dwells"), the light on the mercy-seat which symbolized the Divine presence (Ex 25:8, etc.). In order to avoid appearing to localize the Divine Being, wherever God is said to "dwell" in a place, the Targum renders that He "causes His Shekinah to dwell"…
Dwell
Tents were in primitive times the common dwellings of men. Houses were afterwards built, the walls of which were frequently of mud (Job 24:16; Matt. 6:19, 20) or of sun-dried bricks.
God “dwells in light” (1 Tim. 6:16; 1 John 1:7), in heaven (Ps. 123:1), in his church (Ps. 9:11; 1 John 4:12). Christ dwelt on earth in the days of his humiliation (John 1:14). He now dwells in the hearts of his people (Eph.…
נֵ֫צַח (netsach) encompasses concepts of eminence, enduring strength, and perpetuity. It is derived from a root meaning 'goal' or 'bright object' and conveys ideas of splendor, truthfulness, and confidence. The term is used to express notions of victory and continual existence, often implying an everlasting quality.
נֵ֫צַח n.m. eminence, enduring, everlasting, perpetuity
base
H5331 נֵ֫צַח eminence, enduring, everlasting, perpetuity
5331 netsach neh'-tsakh
or netsach {nay'-tsakh}; from 5329; properly, a goal, i.e.
the bright object at a distance travelled towards; hence
(figuratively), splendor, or (subjectively) truthfulness, or
(objectively) confidence; but usually (adverbially),
continually (i.e. to the most distant point of
view); --alway(-s), constantly, end, (+ n-)ever(more),
perpetual, strength, victory.
see HEBREW for 05329
נֵ֫צַח (ne.tsach) — perpetuity.
1) eminence, perpetuity, strength, victory, enduring, everlastingness
1a) eminence
1b) enduring of life
1c) endurance in time, perpetual, continual, unto the end
1d) everlastingness, ever
HR/Ncmsa — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHR/Ncmsa