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Psalms 78:69 — Word Study

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WLCוַיִּ֣בֶן כְּמוֹ־ רָ֭מִים מִקְדָּשׁ֑וֹ כְּ֝אֶ֗רֶץ יְסָדָ֥הּ לְעוֹלָֽם׃

BSAHe builtbânâh [established, founded] His sanctuarymiqdâsh [holy place, temple] likekᵉmôw [as high as] the heightsrûwm [high heavens, lofty regions] like the earthʼerets [similar to, land, ground] He has establishedyâçad [founded, settled] foreverʻôwlâm [for all eternity, always]

Word
Listen & take awayPsalms 78
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 69 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 (le.'o.Lam) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Psalms 78:69quick helps
In a sentenceThe psalmist describes God's act of establishing His sanctuary with permanence and grandeur.
Who is speakingThe psalmist, reflecting on God's actions towards His chosen people.
Where we areA poetic declaration of God's greatness in establishing a holy place.
The hard wordיְסָדָ֥הּ
Take awayGod's sanctuary is built to last, reflecting His eternal nature.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbבָּנָה 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 78:69

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 Establishment of His Sanctuarygenerated

68But He chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion, which He loved.
69He built His sanctuary like the heights, like the earth He has established forever.
70He chose David His servant and took him from the sheepfolds;
71from tending the ewes He brought him to be shepherd of His people Jacob, of Israel His inheritance.

Psalms 78:69 highlights the significance of God's choice of Jerusalem and His establishment of a sanctuary that reflects His glory and permanence. This verse is part of a larger narrative that recounts God's faithfulness to His people, emphasizing His acts of deliverance and provision, as seen in the preceding verses and throughout the psalm.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
11 Kings 6:2The house that King Solomon built for the LORD was sixty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and thirty cubits high.
21 Kings 9:8And when this temple has become a heap of rubble, all who pass by it will be appalled and will hiss and say, ‘Why has the LORD done such a thing to this land and to this temple?’
32 Chronicles 3:4The portico at the front, extending across the width of the temple, was twenty cubits long and twenty cubits high. He overlaid the inside with pure gold.
41 Chronicles 29:1–19Then King David said to the whole assembly, “My son Solomon, the one whom God has chosen, is young and inexperienced. The task is great because this palace is not for man, but for the LORD God.
52 Chronicles 2:9to prepare for me timber in abundance, because the temple I am building will be great and wonderful.

The Key Word יְסָדָ֥הּ, ye.sa.Dahgenerated

The verb יָסַד (yacad) means to establish or found, indicating a strong sense of permanence. This word conveys not only the act of building but also the idea of laying a foundation that will endure.

In this verse, it emphasizes that God's sanctuary is not just a temporary structure but a lasting establishment, reflecting His eternal nature. The parsing as a perfect verb shows that this action has been completed, underscoring the certainty of God's promise.


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 main finite verb in the verse is יִּ֣בֶן, he built, with two phrases hanging off it: a prepositional phrase describing how He built and a noun phrase indicating what was built. The structure emphasizes the grandeur of the sanctuary in relation to the heights and the earth.

The use of the preposition כְּמוֹ (like) introduces a simile, comparing the sanctuary's establishment to both the heights and the earth, which adds depth to the description of God's creative power.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates וַיִּ֣בֶן as ᾠκοδόμησεν, which means 'He built' and carries a similar connotation of permanence. This choice reflects the translators' understanding of God's action as foundational and enduring.

The Greek word used for the sanctuary, μικρὸν, suggests a focus on the sacredness of the space, aligning with the Hebrew concept of a holy place set apart for God.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalms 78:69 tells us that God built His sanctuary like the heights and established it like the earth forever. This verse emphasizes the greatness of God's actions in creating a lasting holy place for His people.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that God built His sanctuary like the heights?

It signifies that God's sanctuary is established with the same majesty and permanence as the high heavens, indicating its importance and sacredness.

Why is the sanctuary compared to the earth?

This comparison emphasizes that just as the earth is a stable and enduring foundation, so too is God's sanctuary established to last forever.

What does 'forever' signify in this context?

It indicates the eternal nature of God's promises and His commitment to His people, ensuring that His sanctuary will remain a holy place for all time.

How does this verse reflect God's character?

This verse illustrates God's faithfulness and His desire to dwell among His people in a place that is both sacred and everlasting.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways do I see God's faithfulness in my life, similar to how He established His sanctuary?
  2. How can I better appreciate the sacredness of places set apart for worship?
  3. What does it mean for me to establish a foundation in my life that reflects God's permanence?
  4. How can I contribute to the lasting legacy of faith in my community?

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 78:69 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

And he built his sanctuary like high palaces,.... The temple at Jerusalem, called a sanctuary, or holy place, because separated and dedicated to holy use and service; where the holy God had his

Read John Gill on Psalms 78 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Then the Lord awaked as one out of sleep, and like a mighty man that shouteth by reason of wine.

Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 78 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

His sanctuary; the temple of Solomon. High palaces; magnificent and glorious. Established for ever; not now to be removed from place to place, as the tabernacle was, but as a fixed place for the ark’ s perpetual residence, unless the people by their apostasy should cause its removal.

Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 78 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Psalms 78:69 And he built his sanctuary like high [palaces], like the earth which he hath established for ever.Ver. 69. Like high palaces] Not places, as some books absurdly have it. Like the earth, there shall be a Church to the world’ s end.

Read John Trapp on Psalms 78 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(69) He built.—The first clause is vague, but evidently the poet is drawing attention to the grandeur and solidity of the Temple. Perhaps, high as heaven—firm as earth.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 78 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 69. He built his sanctuary like high palaces] כמו רמים kemo ramim, which several of the Versions understand of the monoceros or rhinoceros. The temple of God at Jerusalem was the only one in the land, and stood as prominent on Mount Zion as the horn of the unicorn or rhinoceros does upon his snout. And there he established his ark, to go no more out as long as the temple should last. Before this time it was frequently in a migratory state, not only in the wilderness, but afterwards in the promised land. See Clarke on Psalms 78:60.

Read AdamClarke on Psalms 78 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

69. like high palaces] Rather, like the heights of heaven, which along with the earth are emblems of grandeur and stability.

Read Cambridge on Psalms 78 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And he built his sanctuary - His holy place; that is, his tabernacle. The temple was not then built; and, when reared, it was not on Mount Zion, but on Mount Moriah. The name Zion, however, was often given to the whole city.

Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 78 →

The verse in English, compared — 16 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

He built His sanctuary like the heights, like the earth He has established forever.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

He built his sanctuary like the heights, like the earth which he has established forever.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

He built His sanctuary like the heights, like the earth He has established forever.

NETBNew English Translation2006

He made his sanctuary as enduring as the heavens above; as secure as the earth, which he established permanently.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And he built his sanctuary like high palaces, like the earth which he hath established for ever.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And he built his sanctuary like the heights, Like the earth which he hath established for ever.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And he built his sanctuary like the heights, like the earth which he hath established for ever.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And he built his sanctuary like high palaces , like the earth which he hath established for ever.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

And he built his Sanctuarie as an high palace, like the earth, which he stablished for euer.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And he built his sanctuary like the heights, like the earth which he hath founded for ever.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And buildeth His sanctuary as a high place, Like the earth, He founded it to the age.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And builds His sanctuary as a high place, || Like the earth, He founded it for all time.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And he built like high [mountains] his sanctuary, like the earth which he hath founded for ever.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

He built his sanctuary like the heavens, like the earth that he has established forever.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

There he built his sanctuary, high like the heavens, on earth that he made to last forever.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And he made his holy place like the high heaven, like the earth which is fixed by him 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.

וַandclauseverbיִּ֣בֶןhe.builtprepositional phrase · prepositionalכְּמוֹlikeרָ֭מִים[the].high.[things]noun phrase · objectמִקְדָּשׁ֑sanctuaryוֹhisprepositional phrase · prepositionalכְּ֝like.[the]noun phraseאֶ֗רֶץearthclauseverbיְסָדָ֥[which].heobjectהּfounded.itprepositional phrase · prepositionalלְforeverעוֹלָֽםof.perpetuity

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


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

The Masoretic Text states, "וַיִּ֣בֶן כְּמוֹ־ רָ֭מִים מִקְדָּשׁ֑וֹ כְּ֝אֶ֗רֶץ יְסָדָ֥הּ לְעוֹלָֽם׃" which translates to, "He built His sanctuary like the heights, like the earth He has established forever." The Septuagint agrees with the Masoretic Text in meaning, as all seven words correspond directly in a word-by-word translation, indicating consistency between these ancient witnesses. There are no significant differences noted in the wording or meaning between the Masoretic Text and the Septuagint for this verse.

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

וַיִּ֣בֶן כְּמוֹ־ רָ֭מִים מִקְדָּשׁ֑וֹ כְּ֝אֶ֗רֶץ יְסָדָ֥הּ לְעוֹלָֽם׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיִּ֣בֶןᾠκοδόμησενכְּמוֹ־ὡςרָ֭מִיםμονοκερώτωνמִקְדָּשׁ֑וֹαὐτοῦכְּ֝אֶ֗רֶץγῇיְסָדָ֥הּαὐτὴνלְעוֹלָֽם׃αἰῶνα

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.

Psalms 78:69בָּנָהand he builand he builtבָּנָהכְּמוֹlikelikeכְּמוֹרוּם[the] high [the] high [thiרוּםמִקְדָּשׁsanctuary hsanctuary hisמִקְדָּשׁאֶ֫רֶץlike [the] like [the] eartאֶ֫רֶץיָסַד[which] he [which] he founיָסַדעוֹלָםfor everfor everעוֹלָםקָדַשׁto consecrto consecrate: קָדַשׁעָלַםto concealto concealעָלַםכֵּןrightrightכֵּןחוֹמָהwallwallחוֹמָהמִזְבֵּחַaltaraltarמִזְבֵּחַחֹ֫מֶרclayclayחֹ֫מֶרתְּרוּמָהcontributicontributionתְּרוּמָהקֶ֫רֶןhornhornקֶ֫רֶןחָלַלto boreto boreחָלַלשָׁרַתto ministeto ministerשָׁרַתכְּנַ֫עַןCanaanCanaanכְּנַ֫עַןמִצְרַ֫יִם(Sea of) E(Sea of) Egyptמִצְרַ֫יִםיָקָרpreciouspreciousיָקָרהֵיכָלtempletempleהֵיכָלעַדperpetuityperpetuityעַדדּוֹרgenerationgenerationדּוֹר
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 78:69

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.

and he built like [the] high [things] sanctuary his like [the] earth [which] he founded it for ever
וַיִּ֣בֶןvai.Yi.ven and he built H1129 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
376× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word bânâh means to build something, like a house or a family. It can also mean to establish or repair something, and is used in various contexts throughout the Bible.
Amplified meaning
established, founded
Tyndale gloss
to build
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word בָּנָה (banah) means "to build" and encompasses various forms such as rebuilding, establishing, and making permanent. It can refer to physical construction, like building a house or family, as well as metaphorical uses, such as the establishment of restored exiles. The entries indicate that it can also imply being built up, particularly in the context of a childless wife becoming a mother.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בָּנָה 373 vb. build

Qal build

Niph.

be built

be rebuilt

(fig.) of restored exiles, = established

established, made permanent

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1129 בָּנָה build .build

.. . be built

. be rebuilt

. . (fig.) of restored exiles, = established

. established, made permanent

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1129 banah baw-naw'

a primitive root; to build (literally and

figuratively):--(begin to) build(-er), obtain children, make,

repair, set (up), X surely.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בָּנָה (ba.nah) — to build.

1) to build, rebuild, establish, cause to continue

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to build, rebuild

1a2) to build a house (ie, establish a family)

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be built

1b2) to be rebuilt

1b3) established (of restored exiles) (fig.)

1b4) established (made permanent)

1b5) to be built up (of childless wife becoming the mother of a family through the children of a concubine)

Aramaic equivalent: be.nah (בְּנָה "to build" H1124)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
and he built like [the] high [things] sanctuary his like [the] earth [which] he founded it for ever
כְּמוֹ־ke.mov- like H3644 Preposition
143× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means like or as, used to compare things. It appears in the Bible to describe similarities or to make comparisons, such as in the book of Psalms.
Amplified meaning
as high as
Tyndale gloss
like
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כְּמוֹ (kemo) is an adverb and conjunction meaning 'like' or 'as,' often used to draw comparisons or indicate similarity. It can also mean 'when' or 'according to.' The word is derived from a pleonastic form of the prefix כְּ (k-) and is related to the word מוֹ (mo). There are no significant disagreements among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כְּמוֹ adv. and conj. like, as, when (lit. the like of what (viz.) …, a pleon. form of כְּ (v. מוֹ), and, like it, prop. a subst.)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3644 כְּמוֹ adv. and conj. like, as, when (lit. the like of what (viz.) …, a pleon. form of כְּ (v. מוֹ), and, like it, prop. a subst.)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3644 kmow kem-o'

or kamow {kaw-mo'}; a form of the prefix "k-", but used

separately (compare 3651); as, thus, so:--according to, (such)

as (it were, well as), in comparison of, like (as, to, unto),

thus, when, worth.

see HEBREW for 03651

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כְּמוֹ (ke.mo) — like.

adv

1) like, as, the like of which

conj

2) when, according as, as it were

כְּמוֹ (ke.mo) — (Geruth) Chimham.

Combined with ge.rut (גֵּרוּת "Geruth" H1628)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Preposition
HR
and he built like [the] high [things] sanctuary his like [the] earth [which] he founded it for ever
רָ֭מִיםRa.mim [the] high [things] H7311 Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine plural
190× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb can mean to lift something or someone up, like a parent lifting a child, or to exalt oneself in pride. In the Bible, it's used to describe God lifting up the humble and bringing down the proud.
Amplified meaning
high heavens, lofty regions
Tyndale gloss
to exalt
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רוּם (ruwm) is a Hebrew verb meaning to be high or exalted, covering a range of actions such as rising, lifting, and promoting. It can refer to physical elevation, like raising an ark or setting up a throne, as well as figurative exaltation, particularly in relation to God. The word also has a related form, רָמַם (ramam), which means to be wormy.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רוּם vb. be high, exalted, rise

Qal

be high, lit. rock (in fig.)

esp. of י׳

be raised, uplifted

be lifted, rise, of ark

Pō‛lēl

raise, rear, children

cause tree to grow

lift up

exalt, extol, acc. י׳

Pō‛lal be lift up

Hiph.

raise, rear, c. acc., hand

raise poor

lift up voice

(take into one's hand and) lift, take up, stone

set up, erect, stone

set on high, throne

lift up, exalt, c. acc. pers.

lift up and take away, remove

lift off and present, contribute, offer

Hoph. be taken off from; be abolished

Hithpō‛l. and he shall exalt and magnify himself above, etc.; I will raise myself

base

[רָמַם] vb. denom. be wormy;—Ex 16:20

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7311a רוּם be high, exalted, rise .. . be high, lit. rock (in fig.)

. esp. of י׳

. be raised, uplifted

. be lifted, rise, of ark

.. . raise, rear, children

. cause tree to grow

. lift up

. exalt, extol, acc. י׳

.be lift up

. . . . raise, rear, c. acc., hand

. raise poor

. lift up voice

. (take into one's hand and) lift, take up, stone

. set up, erect, stone

. set on high, throne

. lift up, exalt, c. acc. pers.

. lift up and take away, remove

. lift off and present, contribute, offer

. be taken off from; be abolished

. and he shall exalt and magnify himself above, etc.; I will raise myself

H7311b רָמַם vb. denom. be wormy

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7311 ruwm room

a primitive root; to be high actively, to rise or raise (in

various applications, literally or figuratively):--bring up,

exalt (self), extol, give, go up, haughty, heave (up), (be,

lift up on, make on, set up on, too) high(-er, one), hold up,

levy, lift(-er) up, (be) lofty, (X a-)loud, mount up, offer

(up), + presumptuously, (be) promote(-ion), proud, set up,

tall(-er), take (away, off, up), breed worms.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רוּם (rum) — to exalt.

1) to rise, rise up, be high, be lofty, be exalted

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to be high, be set on high

1a2) to be raised, be uplifted, be exalted

1a3) to be lifted, rise

1b) (Polel)

1b1) to raise or rear (children), cause to grow up

1b2) to lift up, raise, exalt

1b3) to exalt, extol

1c) (Polal) to be lifted up

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to raise, lift, lift up, take up, set up, erect, exalt, set on high

1d2) to lift up (and take away), remove

1d3) to lift off and present, contribute, offer, contribute

1e) (Hophal) to be taken off, be abolished

1f) (Hithpolel) to exalt oneself, magnify oneself

Aramaic equivalent: rum (רוּם "to rise" H7313)

רָמַם (ra.mam) — be rotten.

(Qal) to be rotten, be wormy

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal — Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine plural
HVqrmpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

The translation of hupselos, "high," "lofty," "elevated" (Ro 12:16, "Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate," the King James Version margin "be contented with mean things," the Revised Version (British and American) "Set not your mind on high things, but condescend to (margin "Greek: be carried away with") things (margin "them") that are lowly"); high things are proud things, things regarded by the world as high.

High thing is hupsoma, "a high place," "elevation," etc. (2Co 10:5, "casting down every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God," "like a lofty tower or fortress built up proudly by the enemy"). In /APC Judith 10:8; 13:4, hupsoma is rendered "exaltation."

W. L. Walker

and he built like [the] high [things] sanctuary his like [the] earth [which] he founded it for ever
מִקְדָּשׁ֑וֹmik.da.Sho sanctuary his H4720 Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
75× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A sanctuary or holy place, like a temple or palace, set apart for God or idols, a sacred space.
Amplified meaning
holy place, temple
Tyndale gloss
sanctuary
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מִקְדָּשׁ (miqdash) refers to a sacred place or sanctuary, often associated with the temple or tabernacle of Jehovah. It can denote a consecrated space, including those dedicated to idols, and is derived from a root meaning to consecrate. The term encompasses various types of holy places, such as chapels and asylums.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מִקְדָּשׁ 74 n.m. sacred place, sanctuary

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4720 מִקְדָּשׁ sacred place, sanctuary

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4720 miqdash mik-dawsh'

or miqqdash (Exod. 15:17) {mik-ked-awsh'}; from 6942; a

consecrated thing or place, especially, a palace, sanctuary

(whether of Jehovah or of idols) or asylum:--chapel, hallowed

part, holy place, sanctuary.

see HEBREW for 06942

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מִקְדָּשׁ (miq.dash) — sanctuary.

1) sacred place, sanctuary, holy place

1a) sanctuary

1a1) of the temple

1a2) of the tabernacle

1a3) of Ezekiel's temple

1a4) of Jehovah

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HNcmsc/Sp3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hiz: Used often in the King James Version with reference to a neuter or inanimate thing, or to a lower animal (Ge 1:11, "after his kind"; Le 1:16, "pluck away his crop"; Ac 12:10, "of his own accord"; 1Co 15:38, "his own body"), etc. the Revised Version (British and American) substitutes "its."

and he built like [the] high [things] sanctuary his like [the] earth [which] he founded it for ever
כְּ֝אֶ֗רֶץke.'E.retz like [the] earth H776 Preposition · noun common feminine singular absolute
2,504× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The land or earth refers to the soil or ground, and can also mean a country, territory, or region. In the Bible, it is used to describe the earth and its inhabitants, and is often translated as 'land' or 'country'.
Amplified meaning
similar to, land, ground
Tyndale gloss
land: soil
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

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.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

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

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-cs — Preposition · noun common feminine singular absolute
HR/Ncfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

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).

Easton's Bible Dictionary

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 (

Smith's Bible Dictionary

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…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

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

and he built like [the] high [things] sanctuary his like [the] earth [which] he founded it for ever
יְסָדָ֥הּye.sa.Dah [which] he founded it H3245 Verb qal perfect third person masculine singular · suffix
43× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To found or establish something is the meaning of this Hebrew word. It also means to sit down together and consult, as in a meeting or council.
Amplified meaning
founded, settled
Tyndale gloss
to found
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָסַד (yacad) means to establish or found, with nuances of fixing and laying a foundation. It can refer to both literal and figurative settings, such as appointing or consulting. The verb appears in various forms, including Qal (to found), Niphal (to be founded), and Piel (to establish). The entries do not indicate any significant disagreement among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָסַד vb. establish, found, fix

Qal found, establish

Niph.

fix or seat themselves close together, sit in conclave

be founded

Pi.

found

establish

Pu. be founded, be laid, of a foundation

Hoph. be founded

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3245 יָסַד establish, found, fix

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3245 yacad yaw-sad'

a primitive root; to set (literally or figuratively);

intensively, to found; reflexively, to sit down together, i.e.

settle, consult:--appoint, take counsel, establish, (lay the,

lay for a) found(-ation), instruct, lay, ordain, set, X sure.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָסַד (ya.sad) — to found.

1) to found, fix, establish, lay foundation

1a) (Qal) to found, establish, begin

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to fix or seat themselves close together, sit in conclave

1b2) to be founded

1c) (Piel)

1c1) to found

1c2) to establish, appoint, ordain

1d) (Pual) to be founded, be laid

1e) (Hophal) to be founded

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-3ms | Suff — Verb qal perfect third person masculine singular · suffix
HVqp3ms/Sp3fs
and he built like [the] high [things] sanctuary his like [the] earth [which] he founded it for ever
לְעוֹלָֽם׃le.'o.Lam for ever H5769 Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
438× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means forever or always, describing something that lasts an eternity. It is used in the Bible to describe God's eternal nature and his lasting promises.
Amplified meaning
for all eternity, always
Tyndale gloss
forever: antiquity
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עוֹלָם (owlam) refers to concepts of long duration, antiquity, and futurity, encompassing meanings like eternity and perpetual existence. It is derived from a root meaning 'concealed' or 'the vanishing point.' The term is used to describe both ancient times and an indefinite future, indicating continuity and everlastingness.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עוֹלָם 439 n.m. long duration, antiquity, futurity

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5769 עוֹלָם long duration, antiquity, futurity

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5769 `owlam o-lawm'

or lolam {o-lawm'}; from 5956; properly, concealed, i.e. the

vanishing point; generally, time out of mind (past or future),

i.e. (practically) eternity; frequentatively, adverbial

(especially with prepositional prefix) always:--alway(-s),

ancient (time), any more, continuance, eternal, (for,

(n-))ever(-lasting, -more, of old), lasting, long (time), (of)

old (time), perpetual, at any time, (beginning of the) world

(+ without end). Compare 5331, 5703.

see HEBREW for 05956

see HEBREW for 05331

see HEBREW for 05703

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עוֹלָם (o.lam) — forever: enduring.

: enduring/eternal

1) long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, old, ancient, world

1a) ancient time, long time (of past)

1b) (of future)

1b1) for ever, always

1b2) continuous existence, perpetual

1b3) everlasting, indefinite or unending future, eternity

עוֹלָם (o.lam) — Everlasting.

This name means long duration, everlasting, perpetual

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

עוֹלָם (o.lam) — forever: any time.

: any_time

1) long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, old, ancient, world

1a) ancient time, long time (of past)

1b) (of future)

1b1) for ever, always

1b2) continuous existence, perpetual

1b3) everlasting, indefinite or unending future, eternity

עוֹלָם (o.lam) — forever: antiquity.

: old/ancient

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
HR/Ncmsa
Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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