Psalms 72:6 — Word Study
WLCיֵ֭רֵד כְּמָטָ֣ר עַל־ גֵּ֑ז כִּ֝רְבִיבִ֗ים זַרְזִ֥יף אָֽרֶץ׃
BSAMay he be like rainmâṭar [refreshing and life-giving] that fallsyârad▸ onʻal freshly cut grassgêz [mown grass, fleece] like spring showersrâbîyb [heavy rain, abundant blessings] that waterzarzîyph△ [nourish and replenish] the earthʼerets [land, territory]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| יֵ֭רֵד | he will come down | Verb, Qal, imperfect third person masculine singular |
| כְּמָטָ֣ר | like rain | Preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| עַל־ | on | Preposition |
| גֵּ֑ז | mown grass | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| כִּ֝רְבִיבִ֗ים | like copious showers | Preposition, noun common masculine plural absolute |
| זַרְזִ֥יף | dropping of | Noun common, masculine singular construct |
| אָֽרֶץ׃ | [the] earth | Noun common, feminine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | May he be like rain that falls on freshly cut grass, like spring showers that water the earth. |
| KJV | He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth. |
| ASV | He will come down like rain upon the mown grass, As showers that water the earth. |
| YLT | He cometh down as rain on mown grass, As showers — sprinkling the earth. |
| WEB | He will come down like rain on the mown grass, as showers that water the earth. |
| BBE | May he come down like rain on the cut grass; like showers watering the earth. |
Where they part company is in the metaphorical expressions, particularly regarding the imagery of rain and its effects.
The sentence has one main clause with several descriptive phrases that elaborate on the metaphor of rain.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbיָרַד
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
1 of 7 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 72:6
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 Prayer for the Kinggenerated
Psalms 72:6 expresses a wish for the king to bring blessings akin to rain, which is essential for growth and sustenance. This verse is situated in a larger prayer for the king's reign, where the psalmist envisions a time of prosperity and righteousness, as seen in the surrounding verses. The metaphor of rain is powerful, symbolizing divine favor and the life-giving nature of a righteous ruler.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Deuteronomy 32:2 | Let my teaching fall like rain and my speech settle like dew, like gentle rain on new grass, like showers on tender plants. |
| 2 | 2 Samuel 23:4 | is like the light of the morning at sunrise of a cloudless dawn, the glistening after the rain on the sprouting grass of the earth.’ |
| 3 | Proverbs 16:15 | When a king’s face brightens, there is life; his favor is like a rain cloud in spring. |
| 4 | Proverbs 19:12 | A king’s rage is like the roar of a lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass. |
| 5 | Isaiah 5:6 | I will make it a wasteland, neither pruned nor cultivated, and thorns and briers will grow up. I will command the clouds that rain shall not fall on it.” |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 9 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — יָרַד, Ye.redgenerated
The verb יָרַד (yarad) means 'to go down' or 'to descend'. It is used here to express the action of rain falling, which is vital for life. This word appears in various contexts, often describing a physical descent or divine intervention.
The parsing indicates that this is a third person masculine singular imperfect verb, suggesting a future action — the king will come down like rain, implying his presence brings blessings.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses the phrase like rain to emphasize the refreshing nature of the king's reign.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb יֵ֭רֵד governs the structure of the verse, indicating the action of coming down. The verse is built around this verb, with several phrases expanding on the imagery of rain and its effects.
The use of prepositional phrases, such as כְּמָטָר (like rain) and עַל־ גֵּ֑ז (on freshly cut grass), adds layers to the metaphor, illustrating the king's blessings as nourishing and refreshing.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates יָרַד as καταβήσεται, which also means 'he will come down'. This choice aligns with the imagery of divine intervention and blessing, reinforcing the idea of the king's presence as a source of life.
The Greek term used for rain, ὑετὸς, captures the essence of the Hebrew מָטַר, emphasizing the life-giving nature of rain in both texts.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalms 72:6 compares the king to rain that falls on freshly cut grass, illustrating how his presence brings life and nourishment to the land. This imagery emphasizes the blessings that come with a righteous ruler, akin to the refreshing effects of rain on the earth.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
This metaphor suggests that the king's reign will bring blessings and sustenance, much like rain is essential for the growth of crops and the health of the land.
Freshly cut grass symbolizes new life and vitality, indicating that the king's reign will rejuvenate and refresh the people and the land.
Spring showers represent abundance and fertility, reinforcing the idea that the king's rule will be characterized by prosperity and blessings.
The imagery of rain as a blessing is common in the Bible, often associated with God's provision and favor, as seen in other passages like Deuteronomy 32:2 and Isaiah 5:6.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways can I seek to be a source of nourishment and blessing to those around me?
- How does understanding the king's role as a provider change my perspective on leadership?
- What are some examples of how I have experienced blessings in my life that felt like refreshing rain?
- How can I cultivate an attitude of gratitude for the 'rain' in my life — the blessings that sustain me?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early interpretations of this verse, such as Augustine's, highlight its significance in understanding the nature of divine blessings and leadership.
"And He shall come down like rain into a fleece, and like drops distilling upon the earth" [Psalms 72:6].Early Church Fathers on Psalms 72 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 72:6 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleHe shall come down like rain upon the mown grass,.... That is, the King and King's Son, the Messiah, whose coming is compared to rain, and showers of it; see Hosea 6:3; and may be understood of his
Read John Gill on Psalms 72 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryHe shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth. He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 72 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleCome down, to wit, by the influences of his government upon his people under him. But this phrase doth much better agree to Christ, who was yet to come, and who did come down from heaven, and brought or sent down from heaven his doctrine, which is oft compared to rain, and the sweet and powerful influences of his Spirit. Rain upon the mown grass; which it both refresheth and improveth, or causeth to grow and flourish, and therefore was very acceptable, especially in Canaan, where rain was more scarce and more necessary than in many other places, because of the scorching heat, and the natural dryness of the soil, and the want of rivers to overflow or water the land.
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 72 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 72:6 He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers [that] water the earth.Ver. 6. He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass] That is, he shall be very dear to us, and much delighted in. See Job 29:23, As showers that water the earth] This is chiefly fulfilled in Christ, who, by raining down righteousness, maketh his Church to grow and flourish.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 72 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(6) He shall come down.—The rule of the monarch is to be beneficent as the rain refreshing the earth, and covering it with blessings as with verdure. Under a similar image, David’s last words (2 Samuel 23:4) describe a good government. Mown grass.—The Hebrew word means “a shearing,” and is used of a fleece (Judges 6:37; so here, LXX., Vulg., and Prayer Book version); of a hay crop (Amos 7:1). The reference here may be either to a “mown field,” on which a shower would cause fresh grass to sprout, or to meadow grass ready for mowing.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 72 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 6. He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass] The word גז gez, which we translate mown grass, more properly means pastured grass or pastured land; for the dew of the night is intended to restore the grass which has been eaten in the course of the day. This very idea the Chaldee has seized, and renders the place thus: "He shall descend gently, like rain upon the grass which has been eaten by the locust." But there seems to be a reference to the thick night dews which in summer fall on the pasturages, and become the means of restoring the grass consumed in the day-time by the cattle. This is finely expressed by the most accomplished of all poets and agriculturists: - Et quantum…
Read AdamClarke on Psalms 72 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges6. He shall come down &c.] A condensed comparison, for, ‘he shall be like rain coming down.’ The simile may have been suggested by the ‘last words of David,’ 2 Samuel 23:4 : cp. Proverbs 16:15; Hosea 6:3; Micah 5:7. the mown grass] The meadow which has been mown, and which needs rain to start the aftermath (Amos 7:1). The P.B.V. into a fleece of wool is an amplification of the rendering of LXX, Vulg., Symm., Jer., upon a fleece. The Heb. word means a shorn fleece or a mown meadow; probably the Ancient Versions meant fleece metaphorically of the meadow: Coverdale’s paraphrase a fleece of wool may have been prompted by the recollection of the dew on Gideon’s fleece.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 72 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleHe shall come down - That is, The influence of his reign will be like fertilising showers. The word” he” in this place might have been “it,” referring to his reign, or to the influence of his government.
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 72 →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
May he be like rain that falls on freshly cut grass, like spring showers that water the earth.
He will come down like rain on the mown grass, as showers that water the earth.
May he be like rain that falls on freshly cut grass, like spring showers that water the earth.
He will descend like rain on the mown grass, like showers that drench the earth.
Tyndale line
He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth.
He will come down like rain upon the mown grass, As showers that water the earth.
He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth.
He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth.
He shall come downe like the rayne vpon the mowen grasse, and as the showres that water the earth.
Strictly literal
He shall come down like rain on the mown grass, as showers that water the earth.
He cometh down as rain on mown grass, As showers — sprinkling the earth.
He comes down as rain on mown grass, || As showers—sprinkling the earth.
He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass, as showers which are dropping on the earth.
May he come down like rain on the mown grass, like showers that water the earth.
From the Latin
Therefore pride hath held them fast: they are covered with their iniquity and their wickedness.
Simplified
May his reign be like rain falling on new grass, like showers that water the earth.
May he come down like rain on the cut grass; like showers watering the earth.
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 Septuagint agree on the wording of this verse, with all seven words matched in the Hebrew and Greek texts. This consistency suggests a strong preservation of the original meaning across translations.
יֵ֭רֵד כְּמָטָ֣ר עַל־ גֵּ֑ז כִּ֝רְבִיבִ֗ים זַרְזִ֥יף אָֽרֶץ׃
7 of the 7 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Psalms 72:6
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.
The Hebrew word יָרַד (yarad) means to come or go down, covering various contexts such as descending from mountains, going to battle, or sinking in water. It can also refer to divine manifestations descending or being prostrated. The word has different forms including Qal, Hiphil, and Hophal, which indicate various nuances of bringing down or being brought down.
יָרַד 380 vb. come or go down, descend
Qal 306
come or go down
go down (usu. from mountain or hill-country into plain), to battle
go down to (acc.) threshing-floor
go down (abs.) from Palestine to Egypt
from Jerusalem
from altar
go down
= sink, in water
go down to She’ôl
fig. going down (dissolving) in tears
= be prostrated
of divine manifestations: descend
of inanimate things
Hiph.
cause to come or go down
bring down
send down rain = cause to flow down
= lay prostrate to (acc.) threshing-floor
bring down to She’ôl
take down (from cart)
let down
Hoph.
be brought down
be taken down
base
H3381 יָרַד come or go down, descend .. . come or go down
. go down (usu. from mountain or hill-country into plain), to battle
. go down to (acc.) threshing-floor
. go down (abs.) from Palestine to Egypt
. from Jerusalem
. from altar
. go down
. = sink, in water
. go down to She’ôl
. fig. going down (dissolving) in tears
. = be prostrated
. of divine manifestations: descend
. of inanimate things
. . cause to come or go down . bring down
. send down rain = cause to flow down
. = lay prostrate to (acc.) threshing-floor
. bring down to She’ôl
. take down (from cart)
. let down
. . be brought down
. be taken down
3381 yarad yaw-rad'
a primitive root; to descend (literally, to go downwards; or
conventionally to a lower region, as the shore, a boundary,
the enemy, etc.; or figuratively, to fall); causatively, to
bring down (in all the above applications); -X abundantly,
bring down, carry down, cast down, (cause to) come(-ing) down,
fall (down), get down, go(-ing) down(-ward), hang down, X
indeed, let down, light (down), put down (off), (cause to,
let) run down, sink, subdue, take down.
יָרַד (ya.rad) — to go down.
1) to go down, descend, decline, march down, sink down
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to go or come down
1a2) to sink
1a3) to be prostrated
1a4) to come down (of revelation)
1b) (Hiphil)
1b1) to bring down
1b2) to send down
1b3) to take down
1b4) to lay prostrate
1b5) to let down
1c) (Hophal)
1c1) to be brought down
1c2) to be taken down
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singularHVqi3ms
מָטַר (matar) means 'rain' in Hebrew. It is derived from the root word מָטַר (H4305), which also relates to rain. The entries consistently define it simply as rain, with no significant disagreement among the lexicons.
H4306 מָטַר rain
4306 matar maw-tawr'
from 4305; rain:--rain.
see HEBREW for 04305
מָטַר (ma.tar) — rain.
rain
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHR/Ncmsa
ran (maTar, Arabic (?), maTar, "rain" geshem, "heavy rain" moreh, "early rain," yoreh, "former rain," malqosh, "latter rain"; brecho, huetos):
1. Water-Supply in Egypt and Palestine:
In Egypt there is little or no rainfall, the water for vegetation being supplied in great abundance by the river Nile; but in Syria and Palestine there are no large rivers, and the people have to depend entirely on the fall of rain for water for themselves, their animals and their fields. The children of Israel when in Egypt were promised by Yahweh a land which "drinketh water of the rain of heaven" (De 11:11). Springs and fountains are found in most of the valleys, but the flow of the springs depends directly on the fall of rain or snow in the mountains.
2. Importance of Rain in Season:
Rain
There are three Hebrew words used to denote the rains of different seasons, (1.) Yoreh (Hos. 6:3), or moreh (Joel 2:23), denoting the former or the early rain. (2.) Melqosh, the “latter rain” (Prov. 16:15). (3.) Geshem, the winter rain, “the rains.” The heavy winter rain is mentioned in Gen. 7:12; Ezra 10:9; Cant. 2:11. The “early” or “former” rains commence in autumn in the latter part of October or beginning of November (Deut. 11:14; Joel 2:23; comp.
In the Bible "early rain" signifies the rain of the autumn, (11:14) and "latter rain" the rain of spring. (Proverbs 16:1,5) For six months in the year, from May to October, no rain falls, the whole land becomes dry, parched and brown. The autumnal rains are eagerly looked for, to prepare the earth for the reception of the seed. These, the early rains, commence about the latter end of October continuing through November and December. January and February are the coldest months, and snow falls, sometimes to the depth of a foot or more, at Jerusalem, but it does not lie long; it is very seldom seen along the coast and in the low plains. Rain continues to fall more or less during the month of March it is very rare in April. Robinson observes that there are not, at the present day, "any particular periods of rain or succession of showers…
In Scripture the "early" and the "latter" rain of Palestine is spoken of, De 11:14 Ho 6:3. The former falls in the latter part of October, the seed-time of Palestine; and the weather then continues variable, with more or less rain the whole winter, until after the latter or spring rain in April. Afterwards, the weather becomes serene, and the crops ripen. The wheat harvest takes place in May; by the middle of August, the fruits are gathered in; and from that time to the coming of the first or October rains, prevail the scorching heats and droughts of summer. Nothing can more expressively represent spiritual blessings than copious showers of rain after this trying season is past, De 32:2
The Hebrew word עַל (*al*) is a preposition meaning 'upon' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including 'on account of,' 'beside,' 'above,' and 'against.' It can indicate physical placement, emotional burdens, or duties imposed on a person. The entries also note its use in idiomatic expressions and with verbs of motion. There is a mention of its function as a conjunction in certain contexts.
כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as
base
עַל, עָ֑ל
subst. height
As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against
Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed
—
of clothing, etc., which any one wears
With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it
Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him
Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him
על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him
חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)
H5921a עַל, עָ֑ל . As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against . Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed . — . of clothing, etc., which any one wears
. With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it
. Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him
. Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him
. על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him
. חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)
5921 `al al
properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the
singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a
particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always
in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great
variety of applications (as follow):--above, according
to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because
of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both
and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in
(that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-)on, over, than,
through(-out), to, touching, X with.
see HEBREW for 05920
עַל (al) — upon.
prep
1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against
1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards
1b) above, beyond, over (of excess)
1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence)
1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition)
1e) over (of suspension or extension)
1f) by, adjoining, next, at, over, around (of contiguity or proximity)
1g) down upon, upon, on, from, up upon, up to, towards, over towards, to, against (with verbs of motion)
1h) to (as a dative)
[כִּי] עַל [כֵּן] ([ki] al [ken]) — as.
conj
Prep — PrepositionHR
On
Light; the sun, (Gen. 41:45, 50), the great seat of sun-worship, called also Bethshemesh (Jer. 43:13) and Aven (Ezek. 30:17), stood on the east bank of the Nile, a few miles north of Memphis, and near Cairo, in the north-east. The Vulgate and the LXX. Versions have “Heliopolis” (“city of the sun”) instead of On in Genesis and of Aven in Ezekiel. The “city of destruction” Isaiah speaks of (19:18, marg. “of Heres;” Heb. ‘Ir-ha-heres, which some MSS. read Ir-ha-heres, i.e., “city of the sun”) may be the name given to On, the prophecy being that the time will come when that city which was known as the “city of the sun-god” shall become the “city of destruction” of the sun-god, i.e., when idolatry shall cease, and the worship…
(abode or city of the sun), a town of lower Egypt, called BETH-SHEMESH in (Jeremiah 43:13) On is better known under its Greek name Heliopolis. It was situated on the east side of the Pelusiac branch of the Nile, just below the point of the Delta, and about twenty miles northeast of Memphis. The chief object of worship at Heliopolis was the sun, whose temple, described by Strabo, is now only represented by the single beautiful obelisk, of red granite so feet 2 inches high above the pedestal which has stood for more than 4000 years, having been erected by Usirtesen, the second king of the twelfth dynasty. Heliopolis was anciently famous for its learning, and Eudoxus and Plato studied under its priests. The first mention of this place in the Bible is in the history of Joseph, to whom we read Pharaoh gave "to wife Asenath the daughter…
See HELIOPOLIS.
pain; force; iniquity
גֵּז (gez) refers to shearing or mowing, particularly in the context of fleece or mown grass. It is derived from a root meaning to shear, and its usage encompasses both the act of shearing and the result, such as fleece or cut grass.
גֵּז n.[m.] shearing, mowing
base
H1488 גֵּז shearing, mowing
1488 gez gaze
from 1494; a fleece (as shorn); also mown grass:--fleece,
mowing, mown grass.
see HEBREW for 01494
גֵּז (gez) — fleece.
1) a shearing, mowing
1a) shearing, that sheared off
1b) a mowing, mown grass
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
gras:
(1) chatsir, from a root meaning "greenness"; compare Arabic Khudra, which includes grasses and green vegetables (1Ki 18:5; 2Ki 19:26; Job 40:15; Ps 104:14, etc.). Isa 15:6 is translated in the King James Version "have," the Revised Version (British and American) "grass"; Pr 27:25, English Versions of the Bible "hay," margin "Hebrew grass"; Nu 11:5 English Versions of the Bible translates "leeks." It is a term for herbage in general.
Grass
(1.) Heb. hatsir, ripe grass fit for mowing (1 Kings 18:5; Job 40:15; Ps. 104:14). As the herbage rapidly fades under the scorching sun, it is used as an image of the brevity of human life (Isa. 40:6, 7; Ps. 90:5). In Num. 11:5 this word is rendered “leeks.”
(2.) Heb. deshe’, green grass (Gen. 1:11, 12; Isa. 66:14; Deut. 32:2). “The sickly and forced blades of grass which spring up on the flat…
Sometimes means any green herbage, Isa 15:6, and sometimes the usual food of cattle, Ps 104:14. The quick growth of grass, its tenderness, and its rapid combustion when dry, have furnished the sacred writers with some of their most appropriate illustrations, Ps 90:5,6 92:7 103:15,16 Isa 40:6-8 51:12 Jas 1:10 1Pe 1:24. All sorts of grass and small shrubs are still used in Syria for fuel, on account of the scarcity of wood, Mt 6:28-30. Travelers in that country often see grass growing on the housetops, the roofs…
רְבִיבִים (rabiyb) refers to copious or heavy showers that promote fertility. It is derived from the root meaning rain, emphasizing the idea of accumulation. The term can also have a figurative sense related to prophetic influence.
רְבִיבִים n.m. pl. copious showers, causing fertility
base
H7241 רְבִיבִים copious showers, causing fertility
7241 rabiyb raw-beeb'
from 7231; a rain (as an accumulation of drops):--shower.
see HEBREW for 07231
רְבִיבִים (ra.viv) — shower.
1) copious showers, heavy showers
1a) as bringing fertility
1b) of prophetic influence (fig)
Prep | N-mp — Preposition · noun common masculine plural absoluteHR/Ncmpa
זָרַף (i.e., *zaraph*) likely means 'to drip' and can refer to causing something to drip. The related term זַרְזִיף (i.e., *zarziyph*) denotes a drop or dripping, often associated with water. The entries suggest a focus on the action of dripping or pouring rain, with a specific reference to Psalm 72:6.
[זָרַף] vb. prob. drip—Hiph. rd. in ψ 72:6
base
זַרְזִיף drop, dripping
base
H2222a זָרַף prob. drip H2222b זַרְזִיף drop, dripping
2222 zarziyph zar-zeef'
by reduplication from an unused root meaning to flow; a
pouring rain:--water.
זָרַף (za.raph) — to drip.
v
1) drip
1a) (Hiph) to cause to drip
זַרְזִיף (zar.ziph) — drip.
drop, dripping, a soaking, a saturation
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular constructHNcmsc
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.
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…
אֶ֫רֶץ (erets) is a feminine noun meaning 'earth' or 'land.' It encompasses various meanings, including the whole earth, specific territories like Canaan, and even inhabitants of the land. It can refer to soil, ground, or regions, and is used in phrases related to distance and the living. There is a note on the plural form אֲרָצוֹת, which mainly appears in later texts to denote multiple lands.
אֶ֫רֶץ n. f. & (seld.) m. earth, land
earth, whole earth (opp. to a part)
earth, opp. to heaven, sky
earth = inhabitants of earth
land =
country, territory
district, region
trial territory
piece of ground
specif. land of Canaan, or Israel
= inhabitants of land
used even of Shᵉʼôl
ground, surface of ground
soil, as productive
אֶרֶץ in phrases
people of the land
in measurements of distance
the country of the plain, level or plain country
land of the living
end(s) of the earth
pl. אֲרָצוֹת is almost wholly late; it denotes lands, countries, often in contrast to Canaan, lands of the nations, etc.
base
H776 אֶ֫רֶץ n. f. & (seld.) m. earth, land . . earth, whole earth (opp. to a part)
. earth, opp. to heaven, sky
. earth = inhabitants of earth
. land = . country, territory
. district, region
. trial territory
. piece of ground
. specif. land of Canaan, or Israel
. = inhabitants of land
. used even of Shᵉʼôl
. . ground, surface of ground
. soil, as productive
. אֶרֶץ in phrases . people of the land
. in measurements of distance
. the country of the plain, level or plain country
. land of the living
. end(s) of the earth
. pl. אֲרָצוֹת is almost wholly late; it denotes lands, countries, often in contrast to Canaan, lands of the nations, etc.
776 'erets eh'-rets
from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth
(at large, or partitively a land):--X common, country, earth,
field, ground, land, X natins, way, + wilderness, world.
אֶ֫רֶץ (e.rets) — land: country/planet.
: country/field
1) land, earth
1a) earth
1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part)
1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven)
1a3) earth (inhabitants)
1b) land
1b1) country, territory
1b2) district, region
1b3) tribal territory
1b4) piece of ground
1b5) land of Canaan, Israel
1b6) inhabitants of land
1b7) Sheol, land without return, (under) world
1b8) city (-state)
1c) ground, surface of the earth
1c1) ground
1c2) soil
1d) (in phrases)
1d1) people of the land
1d2) space or distance of country (in measurements of distance)
1d3) level or plain country
1d4) land of the living
1d5) end(s) of the earth
1e) (almost wholly late in usage)
1e1) lands, countries
1e1a) often in contrast to Canaan
אֶ֫רֶץ (e.rets) — land: soil.
: soil
1) land, earth
1a) earth
1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part)
1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven)
1a3) earth (inhabitants)
1b) land
1b1) country, territory
N-cs — Noun common · feminine singular absoluteHNcfsa
urth ('adhamah, 'erets, 'aphar; ge, oikoumene):
In a hilly limestone country like Palestine, the small amount of iron oxide in the rocks tends to be oxidized, and thereby to give a prevailing reddish color to the soil. This is especially the case on relatively barren hills where there is little organic matter present to prevent reddening and give a more blackish tinge.
'Adhamah (compare 'adham, "a man," and Adam) is from 'adham, "to be red," and is used in the senses: "earth" (Ex 20:24), "land" (Ps 105:35), a "land" or country (Isa 14:2), "ground" (Ge 4:11), "the earth" (Ge 7:4).
Earth
(1.) In the sense of soil or ground, the translation of the word adamah’. In Gen. 9:20 “husbandman” is literally “man of the ground or earth.” Altars were to be built of earth (Ex. 20:24). Naaman asked for two mules’ burden of earth (2 Kings 5:17), under the superstitious notion that Jehovah, like the gods of the heathen, could be acceptably worshipped only on his own soil.
(2). As the rendering of ’erets, it means the whole world (Gen. 1:2); the land as opposed to the sea (1:10). Erets also denotes a country (21:32); a plot of ground (23:15); the ground on which a man stands (33:3); the inhabitants of the earth (6:1; 11:1); all the world except Israel (
The term is used in two widely-different senses: (1) for the material of which the earth’s surface is composed; (2) as the name of the planet on which man dwells. The Hebrew language discriminates between these two by the use of separate terms, adamah for the former, erets for the latter. Adamah is the earth in the sense of soil or ground, particularly as being susceptible of cultivation. (Genesis 2:7) Erets is applied in a more or less extended sense-- (1) to the whole world, (Genesis 1:1) (2) to land as opposed to sea, (Genesis 1:10) (3) to a country, (Genesis 21:32) (4) to a plot of ground, (Genesis 23:15) and (5) to…
In both Hebrew and Greek the same word is used to denote the earth as a whole, and a particular land. Only the context can enable us to decide in which of these senses it is to be taken in a given passage.
Thus in Mt 27:45 we might, so far as the original word is concerned, render either "there was darkness over all the land," or over all the earth. The expression "all the earth" is sometimes used hyperbolically for a large portion of it, Ezr 1:2. The word is used of the whole world, etc. In a moral sense, earthly is opposed to what is heavenly, spiritual and holy, Joh 3:31 1Co 15:47 Col 3:2