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Psalms 81:13 — Word Study

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WLCל֗וּ עַ֭מִּי שֹׁמֵ֣עַֽ לִ֑י יִ֝שְׂרָאֵ֗ל בִּדְרָכַ֥י יְהַלֵּֽכוּ׃

BSAto sendshâlach stubbornnessshᵉrîyrûwth heartlêb to walkyâlak counselmôwʻêtsâh

Word
Listen & take awayPsalms 81
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 13 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 (ye.ha.Le.khu) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Psalms 81:13quick helps
In a sentenceGod expresses a longing for His people to listen and follow His ways.
Who is speakingGod, addressing His people, Israel.
Where we areA lamentation over Israel's disobedience and a wish for their faithfulness.
The hard wordשֹׁמֵעַ
Take awayGod desires His people to heed His guidance.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, Ellicott & more — read them › clause subjectהוּא verbבְּ 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 81:13

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 Call to Obediencegenerated

12So I gave them up to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices.
13If only My people would listen to Me, if Israel would follow My ways,
14how soon I would subdue their enemies and turn My hand against their foes!
15Those who hate the LORD would feign obedience, and their doom would last forever.

Psalms 81:13 expresses God's deep desire for His people, Israel, to listen to Him and follow His ways. This plea reflects the ongoing relationship between God and His chosen people, highlighting their tendency to stray from His guidance. The surrounding verses emphasize the consequences of disobedience and the blessings of following God's paths, as seen in Psalms 81:14.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Deuteronomy 5:29If only they had such a heart to fear Me and keep all My commandments always, so that it might be well with them and with their children forever.
2Deuteronomy 10:12–13And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God by walking in all His ways, to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul,
3Deuteronomy 32:29If only they were wise, they would understand it; they would comprehend their fate.
4Isaiah 48:18If only you had paid attention to My commandments, your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like waves of the sea.
5Matthew 23:37O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling!

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


The Key Word שֹׁמֵעַ, sho.Me.a'generated

The Hebrew word שָׁמַע (shama`) means 'to hear' and encompasses listening with the intent to obey. It is often used in contexts where God speaks to His people, urging them to pay attention and act accordingly.

In this verse, the participle form indicates an ongoing action, suggesting that God wishes for His people to continually listen to Him. The emphasis is on both hearing and heeding His words, which is central to the covenant relationship.


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 consists of two main clauses, both beginning with conditional phrases. The first clause expresses the desire for the people to listen, while the second expresses the wish for Israel to follow God's ways. This structure highlights the parallelism in God's longing for His people's attention and obedience.

The finite verbs שֹׁמֵעַ and יְהַלֵּֽכוּ anchor the clauses, indicating the actions God desires from His people. The use of conditional phrases emphasizes the hypothetical nature of the plea.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, the Hebrew שֹׁמֵעַ is rendered as ἀκούσουσι, which means 'they will hear.' This choice emphasizes the expectation of a future response from the people, aligning with God's desire for their obedience.

The translation of יְהַלֵּֽכוּ as πορεύσονται indicates a similar focus on the action of walking, reinforcing the call for Israel to follow God's paths.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalms 81:13 expresses God's desire for His people, Israel, to listen to Him and follow His ways. This verse highlights the importance of obedience and attentiveness to God's guidance, reflecting the relationship He desires with His people.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean for God's people to listen to Him?

Listening to God involves not just hearing His words but also understanding and obeying His guidance, as emphasized throughout the Scriptures.

Why is following God's ways important?

Following God's ways leads to blessings and protection, as seen in the context of this psalm, where disobedience brings consequences.

How can I apply this verse in my life?

You can apply this verse by actively seeking to listen to God's voice through prayer, Scripture, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, striving to follow His teachings in your daily life.

What are the consequences of not listening to God?

The consequences of not listening to God can include spiritual distance, missed blessings, and the challenges that arise from straying from His guidance.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways can I be more attentive to God's voice in my life?
  2. What are some practical steps I can take to follow God's ways more closely?
  3. How does understanding God's desire for my obedience change my perspective on His commands?
  4. What are some examples in my life where I have seen the blessings of following God's guidance?

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

Early Church Fathers commented on this verse to highlight God's desire for His people's faithfulness and the consequences of disobedience.

JeromeHOMILIES ON THE Psalms 13 c. 347–420
“And he fed them with the fat of wheat.” He led them into the land of promise. He fed them, not with manna as in the desert, but the wheat that had fallen, that had risen again.
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 81 →
Augustine of HippoExposition on Psalms 81 354–430
"If My people would have heard Me, if Israel would have walked in My ways" [Psalms 81:13].
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 81 →
Theodoret of CyrusCOMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 81:8 c. 393–460
“If my people listened to me, if Israel traveled in my ways, I would have reduced their foes to nothing and laid my hand on those afflicting them.” If they had adhered to my advice and followed my commandments,
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 81 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 81:13 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

O that my people had hearkened unto me,.... This might have been expected from them, as they were his professing people; and it would have been to their advantage if they had hearkened to him, as

Read John Gill on Psalms 81 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways! -God still yearns over them, in spite of their perversity and its penal consequence, waiting to be gracious. Verse 13.

Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 81 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Psalms 81:13 Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, [and] Israel had walked in my ways!Ver. 13. Oh that my people had hearkened unto me] A wish after the manner of men; to set forth God’ s great desire of our welfare, which he here uttereth, as it were, with a sigh and a groan.

Read John Trapp on Psalms 81 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(13, 14) Hearken . . . subdue.—The verbs should be taken in a future sense, “Oh that my people would hearken . . . I should soon subdue,” &c. The poet changes from reminiscences of the past to the needs of the present.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 81 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 13. O that my people had hearkened unto me, - Israel had walked in my ways] Nothing can be more plaintive than the original; sense and sound are surprisingly united. I scruple not to say to him who understands the Hebrew, however learned, he has never found in any poet, Greek or Latin, a finer example of deep-seated grief, unable to express itself in appropriate words without frequent interruptions of sighs and sobs, terminated with a mournful cry. לו עמי שמע לי ישראי בדרכי יהלכו Lo ammi shomea li Yishrael bidrachi yehallechu! He who can give the proper guttural pronunciation to the letter ע ain; and gives the ו vau, and the י yod, their full Asiatic sound, not pinching them to death…

Read AdamClarke on Psalms 81 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

13–16. Yet God’s mercy is inexhaustible. Even now if Israel would obey Him, He would subdue their enemies, and bless them abundantly. Cp. Isaiah 48:17-19.

Read Cambridge on Psalms 81 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Oh that my people had hearkened unto me - This passage is designed mainly to show what would have been the consequences if the Hebrew people had been obedient to the commands of God, Psalms 81:14-16.

Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 81 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

13. Oh that—So Christ lamented over Jerusalem. Matthew 23:37. God sees the magnitude of the evils incurred, and the excellence of the blessings lost, and his regrets are commensurate.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Psalms 81 →

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

If only My people would listen to Me, if Israel would follow My ways,

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Oh that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways!

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

If only My people would listen to Me, if Israel would follow My ways,

NETBNew English Translation2006

If only my people would obey me! If only Israel would keep my commands!

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways!

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Oh that my people would hearken unto me, That Israel would walk in my ways!

RVARevised Version, American1894

Oh that my people would hearken unto me, that Israel would walk in my ways!

NWBWebster's Bible1833

O that my people had hearkened to me, and Israel had walked in my ways!

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Oh that my people had hearkened vnto me, and Israel had walked in my wayes.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, that Israel had walked in my ways!

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

O that My people were hearkening to Me, Israel in My ways would walk.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

O that My people were listening to Me, || Israel would walk in My ways.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

(81:14) Oh that my people would hearken unto me, that Israel would walk in my ways!

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Oh, that my people would listen to me; oh, that my people would walk in my paths.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

If only my people would listen to me; if only Israel would follow my ways!

BBEBible in Basic English1949

If only my people would give ear to me, walking in my ways!

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.

clauseל֗וּifclausenoun phrase · subjectעַ֭מִּpeopleיmyverbשֹׁמֵ֣עַֽ[will.be].listeningprepositional phrase · prepositionalלִ֑toיmeclausesubjectיִ֝שְׂרָאֵ֗לIsraelprepositional phrase · prepositionalבִּinnoun phraseדְרָכַ֥waysיmyverbיְהַלֵּֽכוּthey.will.walk

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


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

The Masoretic Text reads, 'If only My people would listen to Me, if Israel would follow My ways,' which emphasizes the plea for obedience. The Septuagint has a partial agreement with the Masoretic Text, matching 4 of the 7 words, but its word order and articles differ, reflecting a distinct translation approach. The Dead Sea Scrolls fragment contains 5 words, but 3 of them are restored by an editor, making it difficult to draw direct comparisons. Overall, while the Masoretic Text stands as the primary witness, the other versions show variations in wording and structure, indicating a diverse textual tradition.

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

ל֗וּ עַ֭מִּי שֹׁמֵ֣עַֽ לִ֑י יִ֝שְׂרָאֵ֗ל בִּדְרָכַ֥י יְהַלֵּֽכוּ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
ל֗וּκαὶעַ֭מִּיαὐτοὺςלִ֑יκαρδιῶνבִּדְרָכַ֥יἐν

4 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.

Dead Sea Scrolls — Mas1ea copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[ואשלח׳הו] בשררות לב׳ם [ילכו] [במועצותי׳הם]

5 words of the verse are on this fragment — 3 supplied entire by an editor.

Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.


The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

Psalms 81:13לוּififלוּעַםpeople mypeople myעַםשָׁמַע[will be] l[will be] listeשָׁמַענִיto meto meנִייִשְׂרָאֵלIsraelIsraelיִשְׂרָאֵלדֶּ֫רֶךְin ways myin ways myדֶּ֫רֶךְהָלַךְthey will wthey will walkהָלַךְעָמַםto darkento darkenעָמַםשָׂרָהto striveto striveשָׂרָהדָּרַךְto treadto treadדָּרַךְהָלַךְto walkto walkהָלַךְשָׁקַלto weighto weighשָׁקַלגָּוַעto dieto dieגָּוַעקוֹלvoice: souvoice: soundקוֹלקָשַׁבto listento listenקָשַׁבשֵׁ֫בֶטtribetribeשֵׁ֫בֶטקָדוֹשׁholyholyקָדוֹשׁפָּנָהCorner (GaCorner (Gate)פָּנָהצָפוֹןZaphonZaphonצָפוֹןדֶּ֫רֶךְway: roadway: roadדֶּ֫רֶךְחֻקָּהstatutestatuteחֻקָּה
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 81:13

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.

if people my [will be] listening to me Israel in ways my they will walk
ל֗וּLu if H3863 Conjunction
22× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means if or wish, used in phrases like if only or would that, expressing a desire or unlikely condition, as seen in Jeremiah and Daniel.
Tyndale gloss
if
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

לוּ (lu) is a conditional particle meaning 'if' and expresses a wish, as in 'O that!' or 'if only!'. It indicates unlikely conditions or hypothetical situations. The entries consistently highlight its use in expressing desires or wishes, with no significant disagreement among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לוּ 17 and לוּא conj. if, O that

if (stating a case which has not been, or is not likely to be, realized)

If only …! i.e. O that! would that!

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3863 לוּ, לוּא if, O that

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3863 luw' loo

or lu {loo}; or luw {loo}; a conditional particle; if; by

implication (interj. as a wish) would that!:--if (haply),

peradventure, I pray thee, though, I would, would God (that).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לוּ (lu) — if.

1) if, oh that!, if only!

1a) if (unlikely condition)

1b) if only!, oh that!, would that!

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HC — Conjunction
HC
if people my [will be] listening to me Israel in ways my they will walk
עַ֭מִּי'A.mi people my H5971 Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
1,873× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A people or nation is what this Hebrew word represents, like the nation of Israel in Exodus 33:13. It can also mean a tribe, troops, or attendants, and is used to describe a group of people gathered together. The word is often used to refer to the people of God.
Tyndale gloss
Amaw
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עַם (am) primarily means 'people' or 'nation,' referring to a collective group, often in the context of tribes such as those of Israel. It can also denote kinsmen or compatriots. The term appears in various contexts, including military and familial references. There is a mention of a specific individual named Ammi in Song of Solomon 6:12.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עַם, עָם 1810 n.m. people

a people, nation

= smaller units

= common people

people in gen., persons

phrases

base

[עַם] n.[m.] kinsman (on father's side)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5971a עַם, עָם people H5971b עַם kinsman (on father's side)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5971 `am am

from 6004; a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a

tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or

attendants; figuratively, a flock:--folk, men, nation,

people.

see HEBREW for 06004

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עַם (am) — people.

: people/nation

1) nation, people

1a) people, nation

1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men

עַם (am) — kinsman.

kinsman, kindred

עַם (am) — Ammi.

A man living at the time of United Monarchy, only mentioned at Sng.6.12

§ kinsman, kindred

עַם (am) — People's (Gate).

§ kinsman, kindred

עַם (am) — (Ibleam)-am.

Combined with yiv.le.am (יִבְלְעָם "Ibleam" H2991)

§ kinsman, kindred

עַם (am) — Amaw.

This name means nation, people

עַם (am) — people: soldiers.

: soldiers/army

1) nation, people

1a) people, nation

1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men

עַם (am) — people: creatures.

: creatures

1) nation, people

1a) people, nation

1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcmsc/Sp1bs — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HNcmsc/Sp1bs
if people my [will be] listening to me Israel in ways my they will walk
שֹׁמֵ֣עַֽsho.Me.a' [will be] listening H8085 Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine singular
1,160× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To hear and listen is what this Hebrew word means, often implying attention and obedience. In Exodus and Deuteronomy, it is used when God speaks to the people, and they must listen and obey.
Tyndale gloss
to hear: hear
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word שָׁמַע (shama`) means 'to hear' and encompasses a range of meanings including listening, obeying, and proclaiming. It is built from a primitive root and can imply attention and understanding. The entries highlight various grammatical forms, such as Qal, Niphal, Piel, and Hiphil, indicating different nuances of hearing and obeying. There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁמַע 1152 vb. hear

Qal 1052

subj. pers. hum.

י׳ (God) subj.

Niph. 42 be heard, of voice, sound

be heard of

be regarded, obeyed

= (favourable) hearing was granted to their voice.

Pi. he caused the people to hear

Hiph. 63

of man

י׳ subj.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8085 שָׁמַע hear

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8085 shama` shaw-mah'

a primitive root; to hear intelligently (often with

implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to

tell, etc.):--X attentively, call (gather) together, X

carefully, X certainly, consent, consider, be content,

declare, X diligently, discern, give ear, (cause to, let, make

to) hear(-ken, tell), X indeed, listen, make (a) noise, (be)

obedient, obey, perceive, (make a) proclaim(-ation), publish,

regard, report, shew (forth), (make a) sound, X surely, tell,

understand, whosoever (heareth), witness.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁמַע (sha.ma) — to hear: hear.

: hear

v

1) to hear, listen to, obey

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to hear (perceive by ear)

1a2) to hear of or concerning

1a3) to hear (have power to hear)

1a4) to hear with attention or interest, listen to

1a5) to understand (language)

1a6) to hear (of judicial cases)

1a7) to listen, give heed

1a7a) to consent, agree

1a7b) to grant request

1a8) to listen to, yield to

1a9) to obey, be obedient

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be heard (of voice or sound)

1b2) to be heard of

1b3) to be regarded, be obeyed

1c) (Piel) to cause to hear, call to hear, summon

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to cause to hear, tell, proclaim, utter a sound

1d2) to sound aloud (musical term)

1d3) to make proclamation, summon

1d4) to cause to be heard

n m

2) sound

שָׁמַע (sha.ma) — to hear: obey.

: obey

v

1) to hear, listen to, obey

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to hear (perceive by ear)

1a2) to hear of or concerning

1a3) to hear (have power to hear)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVqrmsa — Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine singular
HVqrmsa
if people my [will be] listening to me Israel in ways my they will walk
לִ֑יLi to me H9030 Preposition · suffix
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נִי (ni) — me.

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Sp1bs — Preposition · suffix
HR/Sp1bs
if people my [will be] listening to me Israel in ways my they will walk
יִ֝שְׂרָאֵ֗לYis.ra.'El Israel H3478 Noun proper
2,508× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Israel is the symbolic name of Jacob, also referring to his descendants. Jacob, son of Isaac and Rebekah, had 12 sons who became the tribes of Israel, as told in Genesis 25:26. His story is crucial to the Bible's narrative.
Tyndale gloss
Israel
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisra'el) refers to both the second name of Jacob, meaning 'God prevails,' and the name of the Hebrew nation descended from him. It is derived from roots meaning 'to rule' and 'God.' The term encompasses Jacob's descendants and is used historically for the northern kingdom of Israel and the nation as a whole after the Babylonian exile.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יִשְׂרָאֵל 2507 n.pr.m. et gent. Israel (Ēl persisteth, persevereth)

n.pr.m. second name of Jacob

n.pr.gent. name of Hebrew nation

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3478 יִשְׂרָאֵל Israel (Ēl persisteth, persevereth) . n. pr. m. second name of Jacob

. n. pr. gent. name of Hebrew nation

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3478 Yisra'el yis-raw-ale'

from 8280 and 410; he will rule as God; Jisrael, a symbolical

name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity:

--Israel.

see HEBREW for 08280

see HEBREW for 0410

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יִשְׂרָאֵל (yis.ra.el) — Israel.

A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.25.26;

son of: Isaac (H3327) and Rebekah (H7259);

brother of: Esau (H6215); married to Rachel (H7354), Leah (H3812), Zilpah (H2153) and Bilhah (H1090A);

father of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Judah (H3063), Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074), Dinah (H1783), Joseph (H3130) and Benjamin (H1144); also called Jacob frequently

§ Israel = "God prevails"

1) the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel

2) the name of the descendants and the nation of the descendants of Jacob

2a) the name of the nation until the death of Solomon and the split

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

iz'-ra-el.

See JACOB.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Israel

The name conferred on Jacob after the great prayer-struggle at Peniel (Gen. 32:28), because “as a prince he had power with God and prevailed.” (See JACOB.) This is the common name given to Jacob’s descendants. The whole people of the twelve tribes are called “Israelites,” the “children of Israel” (Josh. 3:17; 7:25; Judg. 8:27; Jer. 3:21), and the “house of Israel” (Ex. 16:31; 40:38).

This name Israel is sometimes used emphatically for the true Israel (Ps. 73:1: Isa. 45:17; 49:3;

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(the prince that prevails with God). The name given, (Genesis 32:28) to Jacob after his wrestling with the angel, (Hosea 12:4) at Peniel. Gesenius interprets Israel "soldier of God." It became the national name of the twelve tribes collectively. They are so called in (Exodus 3:16) and afterward. It is used in a narrower sense, excluding Judah, in (1 Samuel 11:8; 2 Samuel 20:1; 1 Kings 12:16) Thenceforth it was assumed and accepted as the name of the northern kingdom. After the Babylonian captivity, the returned exiles resumed the name Israel as the designation of…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Who prevails with God, a name given to Jacob, after having wrestled with the Angel-Jehovah at Penuel. Ge 32:1,2,28,30 Ho 12:3. See JACOB. By the name Israel is sometimes understood all the posterity of Israel, the seed of Jacob, 1Co 10:18; sometimes all true believers, his spiritual seed, Ro 9:6; and sometimes the kingdom of Israel, or the ten tribes, as distinct from the kingdom of Judah.

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
if people my [will be] listening to me Israel in ways my they will walk
בִּדְרָכַ֥יbid.ra.Khai in ways my H1870 Preposition · noun common both plural construct · suffix
708× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Derek refers to a road or path, and can also mean a way of life or manner of action. It is often used to describe a journey or direction, and can be used figuratively to describe a person's character or moral path.
Tyndale gloss
way: road
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

דֶּ֫רֶךְ (derek) means way, road, or journey, and can refer to both literal paths and figurative courses of life or actions. It encompasses various aspects such as direction, manner, and moral character, often highlighting the nature of one's conduct. The term is used in both positive and negative contexts, reflecting the moral implications of one's path.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

דֶּ֫רֶךְ 715 n.m. way, road, distance, journey, manner

way, road, path

journey

of direction, almost or quite = toward

way, manner

fig. of course of life, or action, undertakings

of moral action and character

of duty

specif.: in good sense

oftener in bad sense

way of י׳

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1870 דֶּ֫רֶךְ way, road, distance, journey, manner . way, road, path

. journey

. of direction, almost or quite = toward

. way, manner

. fig. of course of life, or action, undertakings

. . of moral action and character

. of duty

. specif.: in good sense

. oftener in bad sense

. way of י׳

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1870 derek deh'-rek

from 1869; a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of

life or mode of action, often adverb:--along, away, because

of, + by, conversation, custom, (east-)ward, journey, manner,

passenger, through, toward, (high-) (path-)way(-side),

whither(-soever).

see HEBREW for 01869

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

דֶּ֫רֶךְ (de.rekh) — way: conduct.

: conduct/lifestyle

1) way, road, distance, journey, manner

1a) road, way, path

1b) journey

1c) direction

1d) manner, habit, way

1e) of course of life (fig.)

1f) of moral character (fig.)

דֶּ֫רֶךְ (de.rekh) — Way.

This name means way, road

דֶּ֫רֶךְ (de.rekh) — (King's) Highway.

This name means way, road

Combined with me.lekh (מֶ֫לֶךְ "King's" H4428I)

דֶּ֫רֶךְ (de.rekh) — way: direction.

: direction

1) way, road, distance, journey, manner

1a) road, way, path

1b) journey

1c) direction

1d) manner, habit, way

1e) of course of life (fig.)

1f) of moral character (fig.)

דֶּ֫רֶךְ (de.rekh) — way: road.

: road/route

1) way, road, distance, journey, manner

1a) road, way, path

1b) journey

1c) direction

1d) manner, habit, way

1e) of course of life (fig.)

1f) of moral character (fig.)

דֶּ֫רֶךְ (de.rekh) — way: journey.

: journey

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Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Ncbpc/Sp1bs — Preposition · noun common both plural construct · suffix
HR/Ncbpc/Sp1bs
if people my [will be] listening to me Israel in ways my they will walk
יְהַלֵּֽכוּ׃ye.ha.Le.khu they will walk H1980 Verb · Piel · imperfect third person masculine plural
1,549× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Means to walk or go, used in many different contexts in the Bible. It can describe physical movement, but also spiritual or emotional journeys. Appears in various forms, such as 'to go' or 'to walk'.
Tyndale gloss
to go: walk
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הָלַךְ (halak) means 'to go,' 'come,' or 'walk,' and covers a wide range of literal and figurative uses, including aspects of life and death. It can describe physical movement, moral conduct, and even influence on character. The verb appears in various forms, such as Qal, Piel, and Hithpael, indicating different nuances like leading or traversing.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הָלַךְ 1546 vb. go, come, walk

Qal Impf. usually (629 t.) as if from ילך

lit.

of persons

Also of animals, in similar meanings and combinations

in like manner of inanimate things

The inf. abs. is often used

as in other vbs., quite independently

to intensify meaning of finite form

most noteworthy is the joining of the Inf. abs.

with a following Inf. abs. denoting a simutaneous action or process, and so emphasizing duration or continuance

with a foll. vb. fin. c. ו consec. (rare)

in cases where vb. fin. is foll. by Inf. abs. adj. denoting progress, advance

twice, where vb. fin. is not הלך, but another vb. denoting motion

quite by itself

13 t. the Inf. abs. = Imv. & is followed by Pf. consec.

akin to the use of Inf. abs. are some instances of Pt.

In combination with other verbal forms

Fig.; the most common uses follow; in most the origin in a literal meaning is evident:

pass away, die

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Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1980 הָלַךְ go, come, walk .Impf. usually (629 t.) as if from ילך . lit. . of persons

. Also of animals, in similar meanings and combinations

. in like manner of inanimate things

. The inf. abs. is often used . as in other vbs., quite independently

. to intensify meaning of finite form

. most noteworthy is the joining of the Inf. abs. . with a following Inf. abs. denoting a simutaneous action or process, and so emphasizing duration or continuance

. with a foll. vb. fin. c. ו consec. (rare)

. in cases where vb. fin. is foll. by Inf. abs. + adj. denoting progress, advance

. twice, where vb. fin. is not הלך, but another vb. denoting motion

. quite by itself

. 13 t. the Inf. abs. = Imv. & is followed by Pf. consec.

. akin to the use of Inf. abs. are some instances of Pt.

. In combination with other verbal forms

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Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1980 halak haw-lak'

akin to 3212; a primitive root; to walk (in a great variety

of applications, literally and figuratively):--(all) along,

apace, behave (self), come, (on) continually, be conversant,

depart, + be eased, enter, exercise (self), + follow, forth,

forward, get, go (about, abroad, along, away, forward, on,

out, up and down), + greater, grow, be wont to haunt, lead,

march, X more and more, move (self), needs, on, pass (away),

be at the point, quite, run (along), + send, speedily, spread,

still, surely, + tale-bearer, + travel(-ler), walk (abroad,

on, to and fro, up and down, to places), wander, wax,

(way-)faring man, X be weak, whirl.

see HEBREW for 03212

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: went.

: went/go[away]

1) to go, walk, come

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away

1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to walk

1b2) to walk (fig.)

1c) (Hithpael)

1c1) to traverse

1c2) to walk about

1d) (Niphal) to lead, bring, lead away, carry, cause to walk

הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: come.

: come[nearer]

1) to go, walk, come

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away

1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to walk

1b2) to walk (fig.)

1c) (Hithpael)

1c1) to traverse

1c2) to walk about

1d) (Niphal) to lead, bring, lead away, carry, cause to walk

הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: walk.

: walk/move

1) to go, walk, come

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away

1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to walk

1b2) to walk (fig.)

1c) (Hithpael)

1c1) to traverse

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Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVpi3mp — Verb · Piel · imperfect third person masculine plural
HVpi3mp
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

wok (peripatein): Aside from its frequent occurrence in the usual sense, the word "walk" is used figuratively of conduct and of spiritual states. (1) Observance of laws or customs: "Thou teachest all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs" (Ac 21:21). (2) Of the spiritual life: "If we walk in the light, as he is in the light" (1Joh 1:7); "That like as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life" (Ro 6:4); "Walk by the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh" (Ga 5:16); "For we walk by faith, not by sight"…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Is often figuratively used to denote a man’s mode of life, or his spiritual character, course, and relations, Eze 11:20. He may walk as a carnal or as a spiritual man, Ro 8:1; with God, or in ignorance and sin, Ge 5:24 1Jo 5:21; in the fire of affliction, Isa 43:2, or in the light, purity, and joy of Christ’s favor here and in heaven, Ps 89:15 Re 3:4.

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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