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Psalms 89:33 — Word Study

Depth

WLCוְ֭חַסְדִּי לֹֽא־ אָפִ֣יר מֵֽעִמּ֑וֹ וְלֹֽא־ אֲ֝שַׁקֵּ֗ר בֶּאֱמוּנָתִֽי׃

BSAto reckonpâqad tribeshêbeṭ transgressionpeshaʻ plaguenegaʻ iniquityʻâvôn

Word
Listen & take awayPsalms 89
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 33 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 (be.'e.mu.na.Ti) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Psalms 89:33quick helps
In a sentenceGod promises to maintain His loving devotion and faithfulness.
Who is speakingThe speaker is God, affirming His unwavering commitment.
Where we areThis verse is part of a declaration of God's covenant promises.
The hard wordחַסְדִּי
Take awayGod's loving devotion and faithfulness are assured.
7 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbפֶּשַׁע 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 89:33

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 Promises to Davidgenerated

32I will attend to their transgression with the rod, and to their iniquity with stripes.
33But I will not withdraw My loving devotion from him, nor ever betray My faithfulness.
34I will not violate My covenant or alter the utterance of My lips.
35Once and for all I have sworn by My holiness— I will not lie to David—

Psalms 89:33 is a promise from God that despite human failings, His loving devotion and faithfulness will remain steadfast. This assurance is part of a broader context where God speaks about His relationship with David and the covenant made with him. The surrounding verses emphasize God's commitment to discipline while also affirming His unwavering love and loyalty, as seen in Psalm 89:32 and Psalm 89:34.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
12 Samuel 7:13–15He will build a house for My Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
21 Kings 11:13–32Yet I will not tear the whole kingdom away from him. I will give one tribe to your son for the sake of My servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, which I have chosen.”
3Isaiah 54:8–10In a surge of anger I hid My face from you for a moment, but with everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you,” says the LORD your Redeemer.
4Jeremiah 33:20–26“This is what the LORD says: If you can break My covenant with the day and My covenant with the night, so that day and night cease to occupy their appointed time,
5Lamentations 3:31–32For the Lord will not cast us off forever.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 9 references, hung on the phrase they belong to

not utterly takePsalm 89:39 1 Samuel 15:29

The Key Word חַסְדִּי, Ve.chas.digenerated

The word חֶסֶד (che.sed) signifies kindness, mercy, or loving devotion. It is often used to describe God's faithful and loving actions toward humanity. In this verse, it emphasizes the unbreakable bond of love and loyalty that God maintains.

This noun is in the construct state, indicating a possessive relationship, as in 'my loving devotion.' The parsing shows it as a common masculine singular noun, reflecting the nature of God's character as one who is merciful and kind.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

The verse is rendered consistently across translations, with all agreeing on the core meanings of God's loving devotion and faithfulness.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb is אָפִ֣יר (‘a.Fir), meaning 'I will break off,' which governs the structure of the verse. It is followed by two clauses that express negation: 'not withdraw' and 'not betray.' This structure emphasizes God's commitment by framing it in terms of what He will not do.

The sentence is built around the negation of actions that would break God's covenant, highlighting the certainty of His promises through the repeated use of 'not.'


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates חַסְדִּי as ἐν (en), which can indicate presence or accompaniment. This choice reflects the idea of God's lovingkindness being ever-present with His people.

The Greek rendering captures the essence of the Hebrew, though it may lack some of the depth of the original terms related to mercy and covenant loyalty.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalms 89:33 assures that God will not take away His loving devotion or be unfaithful. This promise highlights God's unwavering commitment to His covenant with David, emphasizing His mercy and reliability.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does God's loving devotion mean?

God's loving devotion refers to His kindness and mercy, which He promises to maintain regardless of circumstances.

Why does God say He will not betray His faithfulness?

God emphasizes that His faithfulness is unchanging and reliable, assuring His people that He will always keep His promises.

How does this verse relate to God's covenant with David?

This verse reinforces the covenant relationship God has with David, highlighting that despite failures, God's commitment remains steadfast.

What is the significance of the repeated 'not' in this verse?

The repetition of 'not' emphasizes God's determination to uphold His lovingkindness and faithfulness, ensuring that He will never abandon His promises.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. How can I recognize God's loving devotion in my life?
  2. In what ways can I reflect God's faithfulness in my relationships?
  3. What does it mean to trust in God's promises during difficult times?
  4. How can I ensure that I remain faithful in my commitments, as God does?

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

Augustine of Hippo quotes this verse in his exposition, arguing for the consistency of God's mercy.

Augustine of HippoExposition on Psalms 89 354–430
"Nevertheless, My mercy will I not utterly take from Him" [Psalms 89:33].
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 89 →

Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 89:33 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Nevertheless, my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him,.... Or "make it void" (k), not from Christ, who always was, and ever will be, the dear Son of his love, even while he was obeying,

Read John Gill on Psalms 89 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Then thou spakest in vision to thy holy one, and saidst, I have laid help upon one that is mighty; I have exalted one chosen out of the people.

Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 89 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

My loving-kindness; my mercy promised to David.

Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 89 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Psalms 89:33 Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail.Ver. 33. Nevertheless my lovingkindness, &c.] For that were to break covenant: I will correct him in mercy, and in measure. Sinite virgam corrigentem, ne sentiatis malleum conterentem, saith Bernard. Nor suffer my faithfulness to fail] Non mentiar in veritate mea, God is very careful to keep touch with his.

Read John Trapp on Psalms 89 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(30-33) An elaboration of 2 Samuel 7:14-15, and evidently made with a purpose. The poet acknowledges the sin of Israel in past times, but also regards the sufferings of the exile as having been the punishment foretold by them. Hence the sin has been expiated, and the perplexity arises why Israel is still afflicted.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 89 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

33. But my lovingkindness will I not break off from him, Neither be false to my faithfulness. The word rendered break off is an unusual one to apply to lovingkindness, and its form is anomalous. The change of one letter however gives the word used in 1 Chronicles 17:13, I will not take away, and this emendation should probably be adopted. Be false to is the word found in 1 Samuel 15:29, “The Strength of Israel will not lie.”

Read Cambridge on Psalms 89 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Nevertheless my loving-kindness - My mercy; my favor. I will not utterly cast him off. He shall not be in the condition of those who are my enemies, or who are entirely forsaken.

Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 89 →

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

But I will not withdraw My loving devotion from him, nor ever betray My faithfulness.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

But I will not completely take my loving kindness from him, nor allow my faithfulness to fail.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

But I will not withdraw My loving devotion from him, nor ever betray My faithfulness.

NETBNew English Translation2006

But I will not remove my loyal love from him, nor be unfaithful to my promise.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

But my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, Nor suffer my faithfulness to fail.

RVARevised Version, American1894

But my mercy will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Nevertheless my loving-kindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Yet my louing kindnesse will I not take from him, neither will I falsifie my trueth.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Nevertheless my loving-kindness will I not utterly take from him, nor belie my faithfulness;

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And My kindness I break not from him, Nor do I deal falsely in My faithfulness.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And I do not break My kindness from him, || Nor do I deal falsely in My faithfulness.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

(89:34) Nevertheless my kindness will I not make utterly void from him, and I will not act falsely against my faithfulness.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

But I will not remove my steadfast love from him or be unfaithful to my promise.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

However, I will not take away my love from him; I will not break my promise to him.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

But I will not take away my mercy from him, and will not be false to my faith.

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.

וְ֭andclausenoun phrase · objectחַסְדִּmy.covenantיloyaltyadverbialלֹֽאnotverbאָפִ֣ירI.will.break.offprepositional phrase · prepositionalprepositional phraseמֵֽfromעִמּ֑withוֹhimוְandclauseadverbialלֹֽאnotverbאֲ֝שַׁקֵּ֗רI.will.deal.falselyprepositional phrase · prepositionalבֶּwithnoun phraseאֱמוּנָתִֽfaithfulnessיmy

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: וְ֭חַסְדִּי לֹֽא־ אָפִ֣יר מֵֽעִמּ֑וֹ וְלֹֽא־ אֲ֝שַׁקֵּ֗ר בֶּאֱמוּנָתִֽי׃. The Septuagint matches 4 of the 7 words, indicating a close relationship between the two texts, though the word order and structure differ.

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

וְ֭חַסְדִּי לֹֽא־ אָפִ֣יר מֵֽעִמּ֑וֹ וְלֹֽא־ אֲ֝שַׁקֵּ֗ר בֶּאֱמוּנָתִֽי׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וְ֭חַסְדִּיἐνלֹֽא־ῥάβδῳמֵֽעִמּ֑וֹἐνוְלֹֽא־μάστιχιν

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.

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 89:33חֶ֫סֶדand covenanand covenant loחֶ֫סֶדלֹאnotnotלֹאפָּרַרI will breaI will break ofפָּרַרעִםfrom with hfrom with himעִםלֹאand notand notלֹאשָׁקַרI will dealI will deal falשָׁקַראֱמוּנָהwith faithfwith faithfulneאֱמוּנָהחָסַדbe kindbe kindחָסַדעָמַםto darkento darkenעָמַםאֵמֻןfaithfulfaithfulאֵמֻןיָכֹלbe ablebe ableיָכֹלעוֹדstillstillעוֹדלֹאnotnotלֹאאֱמֶתtruth: faitruth: faithfulאֱמֶתרֶ֫חֶםwombwombרֶ֫חֶםשָׁכַבto lie dowto lie down: laשָׁכַבקָבַרto buryto buryקָבַרצֶ֫דֶקRighteousnRighteousnessצֶ֫דֶקדּוֹרgenerationgenerationדּוֹר
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 89:33

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 covenant loyalty my not I will break off from with him and not I will deal falsely with faithfulness my
וְ֭חַסְדִּיVe.chas.di and covenant loyalty my H2617 Conjunction · noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
247× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to kindness, mercy, or pity, often used to describe God's loving actions towards humanity. It is translated as 'favour', 'kindness', or 'mercy' in the KJV. It emphasizes God's loving character.
Tyndale gloss
kindness
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חֶ֫סֶד (che.sed) primarily means kindness or goodness, often referring to the kindness of people towards one another, especially towards the needy. It can also denote God's lovingkindness and mercy. Additionally, it has a secondary meaning of shame or reproach. The entries reflect a range of uses, from human interactions to divine attributes.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חֶ֫סֶד 247 n.m. goodness, kindness

of man:

kindness of men toward men, in doing favours and benefits

kindness (especially as extended to the lowly, needy and miserable), mercy

(rarely) affection of Isr. to י׳, love to God, piety

lovely appearance

of God: kindness, lovingkindness in condescending to the needs of his creatures.

base

חֶ֫סֶד n.m. shame, reproach

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2617a חֶ֫סֶד goodness, kindness . of man: . kindness of men toward men, in doing favours and benefits

. kindness (especially as extended to the lowly, needy and miserable), mercy

. (rarely) affection of Isr. to י׳, love to God, piety

. lovely appearance

. of God: kindness, lovingkindness in condescending to the needs of his creatures.

H2617b חֶ֫סֶד shame, reproach

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2617 checed kheh'-sed

from 2616; kindness; by implication (towards God) piety:

rarely (by opposition) reproof, or (subject.) beauty:--favour,

good deed(-liness, -ness), kindly, (loving-)kindness, merciful

(kindness), mercy, pity, reproach, wicked thing.

see HEBREW for 02616

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חֶ֫סֶד (che.sed) — kindness.

goodness, kindness, faithfulness

חֶ֫סֶד (che.sed) — shame.

a reproach, shame

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HC/Ncmsc/Sp1bs — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HC/Ncmsc/Sp1bs
and covenant loyalty my not I will break off from with him and not I will deal falsely with faithfulness my
לֹֽא־lo'- not H3808 Particle
5,170× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Tyndale gloss
not
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לֹא or לוֹא adv. not

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3808 lo' lo

or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often

used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,

ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,

no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out

of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +

of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לֹא (lo) — not.

1) not, no

1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)

1b) not (with modifier-negation)

1c) nothing (subst)

1d) without (with particle)

1e) before (of time)

Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTn — Particle
HTn
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and covenant loyalty my not I will break off from with him and not I will deal falsely with faithfulness my
אָפִ֣יר'a.Fir I will break off H6331 Verb · Hiphil · imperfect first person common singular
3× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to break or crush something, and is often translated as break or bring to nought. It appears in various forms, such as utterly take, and is related to another Hebrew word for breaking.
Tyndale gloss
to break
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

פָּרַר (parar) primarily means to break or frustrate, with its Hiphil form indicating an active sense of breaking or crushing. The entries suggest a range of meanings related to destruction or nullification, including the idea of being frustrated or shattered. There is a mention of an alternative spelling, פּוּר (pur), which also conveys the idea of breaking.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[פָּרַר] vb. Hiph. break, frustrate

Hoph.

be frustrated

be broken

Pilp. he hath shattered me.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6331 פָּרַר Hiph. break, frustrate

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6331 puwr poor

a primitive root; to crush:--break, bring to nought, X

utterly take.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

פּוּר (pur) — to break.

(Hiphil) to break, crush

Another spelling of pa.rar (פָּרַר "to break" H6565A)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVhi1cs — Verb · Hiphil · imperfect first person common singular
HVhi1cs
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and covenant loyalty my not I will break off from with him and not I will deal falsely with faithfulness my
מֵֽעִמּ֑וֹme.'i.Mo from with him H5973 Preposition · preposition · suffix
1,052× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means with or together, like when God is with his people in Exodus 33:14-15. It's used to describe accompaniment or association, and can also mean against or beside. The word is used to convey a sense of relationship or proximity between people or things.
Tyndale gloss
with
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עִם (im) is a preposition meaning 'with' and covers a range of relationships, including companionship, locality, and possession. It can imply actions done jointly, equality, or even opposition in contexts like combat. The related form מֵעִם (me.im) means 'from with' or 'beside.' The entries reflect various nuances but do not present significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עִם prep. with

of fellowship and companionship

of aid

Of actions done jointly with another

If the common action be of the nature of a contest or combat, with in the sense of against

Of dealing with a person, or of the relation in which one stands with, or towards, another

Of a common lot together with the wicked

Of equality or resemblance generally aid

Of time, as long as

Of a locality, close to, beside

Of persons, עִם is spec.

in the house or family or service of

In possession of

In the custody or care of

Beside = except

With = friendly with

Idiom. of a thought or purpose present with one

Metaph. together with = in spite of, notwithstanding

base

מֵעִם 72 from with or beside

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5973a עִם with . of fellowship and companionship

. Of a locality, close to, beside

. Of persons, עִם is spec. . in the house or family or service of

. In possession of

. In the custody or care of

. Beside = except

. With = friendly with

. Idiom. of a thought or purpose present with one

. Metaph. together with = in spite of, notwithstanding

H5973b מֵעִם from with, beside

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5973 `im eem

from 6004; adverb or preposition, with (i.e. in conjunction

with), in varied applications; specifically, equally with;

often with prepositional prefix (and then usually

unrepresented in English):--accompanying, against, and, as (X

long as), before, beside, by (reason of), for all, from

(among, between), in, like, more than, of, (un-)to,

with(-al).

see HEBREW for 06004

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עִם (im) — with.

1) with

1a) with

1b) against

1c) toward

1d) as long as

מֵעִם (me.im) — from with.

1a) beside, except

1b) in spite of

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Rd/Sp3ms — Preposition · preposition · suffix
HR/Rd/Sp3ms
and covenant loyalty my not I will break off from with him and not I will deal falsely with faithfulness my
וְלֹֽא־ve.lo'- and not H3808 Conjunction · particle
5,170× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Tyndale gloss
not
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לֹא or לוֹא adv. not

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3808 lo' lo

or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often

used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,

ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,

no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out

of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +

of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לֹא (lo) — not.

1) not, no

1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)

1b) not (with modifier-negation)

1c) nothing (subst)

1d) without (with particle)

1e) before (of time)

Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HC/Tn — Conjunction · particle
HC/Tn
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and covenant loyalty my not I will break off from with him and not I will deal falsely with faithfulness my
אֲ֝שַׁקֵּ֗ר'a.sha.Ker I will deal falsely H8266 Verb · Piel · imperfect first person common singular
6× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to cheat or deceive, often through lying or false words. It's used in the Bible to describe dishonest behavior, like in Leviticus 19:11, where God commands against dealing falsely with others.
Tyndale gloss
to deal
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׁקַר (shaqar) is a Hebrew verb meaning to deal falsely or to cheat. It is primarily used to describe actions of dishonesty, particularly in speech. The entries indicate that it can appear in different forms, such as the Qal and Piel stems, both emphasizing the act of falsehood. A notable verse referencing this word is one that states, 'thou wilt not do falsely to me'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[שָׁקַר] vb. denom. do or deal falsely;—

Qal thou wilt not do falsely to me

Pi. deal falsely

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8266 שָׁקַר vb. denom. do or deal falsely

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8266 shaqar shaw-kar'

a primitive root; to cheat, i.e. be untrue (usually in

words):--fail, deal falsely, lie.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁקַר (sha.qar) — to deal.

1) to do or deal falsely, be false, trick, cheat

1a) (Piel) to deal falsely

1b) (Qal) to deal falsely

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVpi1cs — Verb · Piel · imperfect first person common singular
HVpi1cs
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and covenant loyalty my not I will break off from with him and not I will deal falsely with faithfulness my
בֶּאֱמוּנָתִֽי׃be.'e.mu.na.Ti with faithfulness my H530 Preposition · noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
49× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for faithfulness, meaning firmness, security, or fidelity. It describes being steady and trustworthy, as seen in the KJV translations of faith, stability, and truth. This concept is essential in the Bible, particularly in relationships and commitments.
Tyndale gloss
faithfulness
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֱמוּנָה (*emuwnah*) is built from the root of H529, indicating concepts of firmness and steadfastness. It encompasses meanings such as fidelity, trust, and stability. The entries consistently highlight its moral implications, particularly in relation to faithfulness.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֱמוּנָה n.f. firmness, steadfastness, fidelity

lit. firmness, steadiness

steadfastness

faithfulness, trust

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H530 אֱמוּנָה firmness, steadfastness, fidelity . lit. firmness, steadiness

. steadfastness

. faithfulness, trust

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

530 'emuwnah em-oo-naw'); or (shortened) >emunah {em-oo-naw'

feminine of 529; literally firmness; figuratively security;

morally fidelity:--faith(-ful, -ly, -ness, (man)), set

office, stability, steady, truly, truth, verily.

see HEBREW for 0529

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֱמוּנָה (e.mu.nah) — faithfulness.

firmness, fidelity, steadfastness, steadiness

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Ncfsc/Sp1bs — Preposition · noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
HR/Ncfsc/Sp1bs
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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