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Psalms 90:13 — Word Study

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WLCשׁוּבָ֣ה יְ֭הוָה עַד־ מָתָ֑י וְ֝הִנָּחֵ֗ם עַל־ עֲבָדֶֽיךָ׃

BSAReturnshûwb [come back, turn back] O LORDYᵉhôvâh [Yehovah, the covenant God] How long will it beʻad [till when, how much longer] Have compassionnâcham [be sorry, show pity] onʻal Your servantsʻebed [those who serve, Your people]

Word
Listen & take awayPsalms 90
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 ('a.va.Dei.kha) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Psalms 90:13quick helps
In a sentenceThe psalmist calls on the LORD to return and show compassion to His servants.
Who is speakingThe psalmist, addressing God directly.
Where we areA plea for divine intervention within a context of suffering.
The hard wordשׁוּבָ֣ה
Take awayThe desire for God's mercy in times of distress.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause 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 90:13

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 Plea for God's Compassiongenerated

12So teach us to number our days, that we may present a heart of wisdom.
13Return, O LORD! How long will it be? Have compassion on Your servants.
14Satisfy us in the morning with Your loving devotion, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.
15Make us glad for as many days as You have afflicted us, for as many years as we have seen evil.

Psalm 90:13 is part of a prayer reflecting on human mortality and the need for divine mercy. The psalmist acknowledges the brevity of life and pleads for God to return and show compassion to His people. This verse is situated in a broader context of lament and supplication, as seen in the surrounding verses that express a longing for joy and relief from suffering.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Psalm 6:4Turn, O LORD, and deliver my soul; save me because of Your loving devotion.
2Psalm 80:14Return, O God of Hosts, we pray! Look down from heaven and see! Attend to this vine—
3Jeremiah 12:15But after I have uprooted them, I will once again have compassion on them and return each one to his inheritance and to his land.
4Joel 2:13–14So rend your hearts and not your garments, and return to the LORD your God. For He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion. And He relents from sending disaster.
5Zechariah 1:16Therefore this is what the LORD says: ‘I will return to Jerusalem with mercy, and there My house will be rebuilt, declares the LORD of Hosts, and a measuring line will be stretched out over Jerusalem.’

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 13 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word שׁוּבָ֣ה, shu.Vahgenerated

The verb שׁוּב (shuwb) is a qal imperative, indicating a command or request for action. It conveys a sense of returning or turning back, applicable in both physical and spiritual contexts. In this verse, it expresses a heartfelt plea for God to return to His people.

This word can denote repentance or a change in course, emphasizing the psalmist's desire for God to act in compassion. The imperative form highlights urgency and the deep need for divine intervention.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

The verse is presented in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses Return for שׁוּבָ֣ה.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb שׁוּבָ֣ה governs the verse, commanding God to return. The structure follows a series of clauses that express the psalmist's questions and requests.

The syntax reflects a direct address to God, highlighting the urgency and emotional weight of the plea.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates שׁוּבָ֣ה as ἐπίστρεψον (epistrepson), which carries a similar meaning of returning. This choice emphasizes the request for God to come back to His people.

The use of ἐπίστρεψον aligns with the Hebrew's call for divine action, maintaining the urgency of the psalmist's plea.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalm 90:13 is a heartfelt plea for God to return and show compassion to His servants. The psalmist is asking how long they must wait for God's mercy, reflecting a deep longing for relief and support during difficult times.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does the psalmist mean by 'Return, O LORD'?

The psalmist is asking God to come back and intervene in their situation, showing His presence and compassion.

Why is there a sense of urgency in the plea?

The urgency reflects the psalmist's deep distress and the need for immediate divine help in times of suffering.

What does 'Have compassion on Your servants' imply?

This phrase indicates a request for God's mercy and pity towards His people, acknowledging their need for His care.

How does this verse connect to the themes of the entire psalm?

This verse encapsulates the themes of mortality, the need for wisdom, and the longing for God's compassion, which are central to Psalm 90.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what areas of my life do I need to ask God to return and show compassion?
  2. How can I cultivate a heart that seeks God's mercy like the psalmist?
  3. What does it mean for me to serve God as His servant?
  4. How can I find comfort in God's promises during difficult times?

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

Early interpretations of this verse, such as Augustine's reflections, highlight the call for divine compassion and the testimony of faith amidst suffering.

Augustine of HippoExposition on Psalms 90 354–430
And as when they became so well known, as to despise these things, and by setting their affections on things eternal, gave a testimony through their sufferings (whence they are called witnesses or martyrs in the Greek),
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 90 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 90:13 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Return, O Lord,.... Either from the fierceness of thine anger, according to Aben Ezra and Jarchi; of which complaint is made, Psalms 90:7, or unto us, from whom he had departed; for though God is

Read John Gill on Psalms 90 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Return, O LORD, how long? and let it repent thee concerning thy servants. -The Second division of the Second part. Prayer for God's mercy as the source to us of joy, and of the establishment of our work. Verse 13.

Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 90 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Return, O Lord, to us in mercy; for thou seemest to have forsaken us and cast us off. How long; understand, wilt thou be angry; or, will it be ere thou return to us? Concerning thy servants; i.e. of thy severe proceedings against us, and change thy course and carriage to us.

Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 90 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Psalms 90:13 Return, O LORD, how long? and let it repent thee concerning thy servants.Ver. 13. Let it repent thee] Or, comfort thou thy servants.

Read John Trapp on Psalms 90 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(13) Return.—Better, turn, either from anger (Exodus 32:12), or merely as in Psalms 6:4, “turn to thy servant.” Plainly we have here the experience of some particular epoch, and a prayer for Israel. From his meditation on the shortness of human existence the poet does not pass to a prayer for a prolonged life for himself, like Hezekiah, but for some intervention in relief of the suffering community of which he forms. part. How long?—See Note, Psalms 74:9. Let it repent thee.—Better, have pity on. (See Deuteronomy 32:36.)

Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 90 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 13. Return, O Lord, how long?] Wilt thou continue angry with us for ever? Let it repent thee] הנחם hinnachem, be comforted, rejoice over them to do them good. Be glorified rather in our salvation than in our destruction.

Read AdamClarke on Psalms 90 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

13–17. Prayer for such a restoration of God’s favour to His people as will gladden the members of it through the brief span of life. Perhaps the connexion with the preceding verses is the hope that Israel’s resipiscence may prepare the way for Jehovah’s return.

Read Cambridge on Psalms 90 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Return, O Lord - Come back to thy people; show mercy by sparing them.

Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 90 →

The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company

Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.

Modern formal

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

Return, O LORD! How long will it be? Have compassion on Your servants.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Relent, Yahweh! How long? Have compassion on your servants!

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Return, O LORD! How long will it be? Have compassion on Your servants.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Turn back toward us, O Lord! How long must this suffering last? Have pity on your servants!

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Return, O LORD, how long? and let it repent thee concerning thy servants.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Return, O Jehovah; how long? And let it repent thee concerning thy servants.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Return, O LORD; how long? and let it repent thee concerning thy servants.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Return, O LORD, how long? and repent thou concerning thy servants.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Returne (O Lord, howe long?) and be pacified toward thy seruants.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Return, Jehovah: how long? and let it repent thee concerning thy servants.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Turn back, O Jehovah, till when? And repent concerning Thy servants.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Turn back, O YHWH, until when? And regret concerning Your servants.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Return, O Lord, how long yet? and bethink thee concerning thy servants.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Turn back, Yahweh! How long will it be? Have pity on your servants.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Thou shalt walk upon the asp and the basilisk: and thou shalt trample under foot the lion and the dragon.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Lord, how long will it be before you come back to us and have pity on us your servants?

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Come back, O Lord; how long? let your purpose for your servants be changed.

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.

clauseclauseverb phrase · verbשׁוּבָ֣returnהclauseיְ֭הוָהO.Yahwehclauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalעַדuntilמָתָ֑יwhen?וְ֝andclauseverbהִנָּחֵ֗םhave.compassionprepositional phrase · prepositionalעַלonnoun phraseעֲבָדֶֽיservantsךָyour

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 שׁוּבָ֣ה יְ֭הוָה עַד־ מָתָ֑י וְ֝הִנָּחֵ֗ם עַל־ עֲבָדֶֽיךָ׃, and the Septuagint matches all seven words, indicating agreement between the two texts.

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

שׁוּבָ֣ה יְ֭הוָה עַד־ מָתָ֑י וְ֝הִנָּחֵ֗ם עַל־ עֲבָדֶֽיךָ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
שׁוּבָ֣הἐπίστρεψονיְ֭הוָהκύριεעַד־ἕωςמָתָ֑יπότεוְ֝הִנָּחֵ֗םπαρακλήθητιעַל־ἐπὶעֲבָדֶֽיךָ׃σου

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 90:13שׁוּבreturn !return !שׁוּביהוהO YahwehO Yahwehיהוהעַדuntiluntilעַדמָתַיwhen?when?מָתַינחםand have coand have compasנחםעַלononעַלעֶ֫בֶדservants yoservants yourעֶ֫בֶדהָיָהto beto beהָיָהעָבַדto serveto serveעָבַדעַדperpetuityperpetuityעַדעַלheightheightעַלשְׁבִיתcaptivitycaptivityשְׁבִיתחָרוֹןburning anburning angerחָרוֹןנְאֻםutteranceutteranceנְאֻםצָבָאarmyarmyצָבָאמָתַיhowhowמָתַיעֶ֫רֶבeveningeveningעֶ֫רֶבאָבַלto mournto mournאָבַלרַעbad: harmfbad: harmfulרַעכִּפֶּרto atoneto atoneכִּפֶּרכִּסֵּאthronethroneכִּסֵּאאָמָהmaidservanmaidservantאָמָהשִׁפְחָהmaidservanmaidservantשִׁפְחָה
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 90:13

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.

return ! O Yahweh until when? and have compassion on servants your
שׁוּבָ֣הshu.Vah return ! H7725 Verb qal imperative second person masculine singular · suffix
1,057× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to return or turn back, and can be used literally or figuratively. It is often used to describe someone returning to God or repenting from sin, as seen in the book of Psalms and the prophets.
Amplified meaning
come back, turn back
Tyndale gloss
to return: return
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word שׁוּב (shuwb) means to turn back or return, covering a wide range of contexts including physical, spiritual, and relational. It can denote returning to a previous state, repenting, or even apostatizing. The entries describe various forms and uses, including bringing back, restoring, and refreshing. Notably, it can also imply a change in course of action.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שׁוּב 1056 vb. turn back, return

Qal 683;—turn back, return:

turn back

return, come or go back

esp. return unto

of dying

of revival from death

fig. of human relations:

return to leader, king

= change so as to appoach (in purpose, desire)

turn, i.e. resort to

return to a physical condition

abs. = change course of action

fig., specif. of spiritual relations:

turn back from God = apostatize

of י׳, turn away

turn back to God (= seek penitently)

abs. repent

turn back from evil

of י׳

of י׳, return (to shew favour)

of inanimate things (sts. personified, or treated as things of life):

denoting repetition, etc.

trans.

Pō‛l.

bring back

fig. restore, refresh

restore, repair

lead away (enticingly)

shew turning = apostatize

Hiph. 353 cause to return, bring back

bring back into bondage

put back

= draw back

= give back, restore

= relinguish

= give in payment, requital

bring one back (from dead)

bring back heart

= refresh

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7725 שׁוּב turn back, return .—turn back, return: . turn back

. return, come or go back

. esp. return unto

. . of dying

. of revival from death

. fig. of human relations: . return to leader, king

. = change so as to appoach (in purpose, desire)

. turn, i.e. resort to

. return to a physical condition

. abs. = change course of action

. fig., specif. of spiritual relations: . turn back from God = apostatize

. of י׳, turn away

. turn back to God (= seek penitently)

. abs. repent

. turn back from evil

. of י׳

. of י׳, return (to shew favour)

. of inanimate things (sts. personified, or treated as things of life):

. denoting repetition, etc.

. trans.

. . bring back

. . fig. restore, refresh

. restore, repair

. lead away (enticingly)

. shew turning = apostatize

. cause to return, bring back . . bring back into bondage

. put back

. = draw back

. = give back, restore

. = relinguish

. = give in payment, requital

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7725 shuwb shoob

a primitive root; to turn back (hence, away) transitively or

intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily

with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to

retreat; often adverbial, again:--((break, build, circumcise,

dig, do anything, do evil, feed, lay down, lie down, lodge,

make, rejoice, send, take, weep)) X again, (cause to) answer

(+ again), X in any case (wise), X at all, averse, bring

(again, back, home again), call (to mind), carry again (back),

cease, X certainly, come again (back), X consider, +

continually, convert, deliver (again), + deny, draw back,

fetch home again, X fro, get (oneself) (back) again, X give

(again), go again (back, home), (go) out, hinder, let, (see)

more, X needs, be past, X pay, pervert, pull in again, put

(again, up again), recall, recompense, recover, refresh,

relieve, render (again), requite, rescue, restore, retrieve,

Read the full entry →
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שׁוּב (shuv) — to return: return.

: return

1) to return, turn back

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to turn back, return

1a1a) to turn back

1a1b) to return, come or go back

1a1c) to return unto, go back, come back

1a1d) of dying

1a1e) of human relations (fig)

1a1f) of spiritual relations (fig)

1a1f1) to turn back (from God), apostatise

1a1f2) to turn away (of God)

1a1f3) to turn back (to God), repent

1a1f4) turn back (from evil)

1a1g) of inanimate things

1a1h) in repetition

1b) (Polel)

1b1) to bring back

1b2) to restore, refresh, repair (fig)

1b3) to lead away (enticingly)

1b4) to show turning, apostatise

1c) (Pual) restored (participle)

1d) (Hiphil) to cause to return, bring back

1d1) to bring back, allow to return, put back, draw back, give back, restore, relinquish, give in payment

1d2) to bring back, refresh, restore

1d3) to bring back, report to, answer

1d4) to bring back, make requital, pay (as recompense)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Impv-2ms | Suff — Verb qal imperative second person masculine singular · suffix
HVqv2ms/Sh
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
return ! O Yahweh until when? and have compassion on servants your
יְ֭הוָהYah.weh O Yahweh H3068 Noun proper
6,528× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Yehovah is another name for God, often translated as 'the Lord'. It is a national name for God in the Jewish faith. This name is used throughout the Old Testament.
Amplified meaning
Yehovah, the covenant God
Tyndale gloss
The Lord
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) is the proper name of the God of Israel, often rendered as Jehovah or the Lord. It signifies the self-existent or eternal nature of God. The name is closely associated with the revelation to Moses in Exodus 3:12-15 and is used in conjunction with other terms to denote sacred places. Some scholars suggest it derives from a root meaning 'to bring into being.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יהוה c. 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel—(1. MT יְהֹוָה 6518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהֹוִה 305 (Qr אֱלֹהִים) 2. Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of הוה (= היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver)

יהוה is not used by E in Gn, but is given Ex 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb

יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D

the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy

יהוה is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3068 יהוה i.e. יַהְוֶה n. pr. dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw'

from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish

national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.

see HEBREW for 01961

see HEBREW for 03050

see HEBREW for 03069

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — LORD.

Jehovah = "the existing One"

1) the proper name of the one true God

1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of a.do.na (אֲדֹנָי "Lord" H0136)

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — The Lord.

Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — (Jerusalem of) the Lord.

Combined with ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper
HNpt
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
return ! O Yahweh until when? and have compassion on servants your
עַד־'ad- until H5704 Preposition
1,261× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means until or as far as, describing a point in time or space. It's used in the Bible to set boundaries or limits, like in Exodus when describing the Israelites' journey.
Amplified meaning
till when, how much longer
Tyndale gloss
till
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עַד (ad) primarily functions as a preposition, adverb, or conjunction meaning 'until,' 'up to,' or 'as far as.' It can denote spatial, temporal, or degree-related contexts, such as 'even to' or 'while.' The entries indicate its use in poetry and in various combinations, but there is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עַד, in poetry עֲדֵי prep. as far as, even to, up to, until, while

prep.

of space

Of time

Of degree

conj.

until

While

Of degree, to the point that, so that even (rare)

עַד לְ, a strengthened form for עַד. Thus

of space

Of time

Of degree

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5704 עַד, in poetry עֲדֵי as far as, even to, up to, until, while . prep. . of space

. Of time

. Of degree

. conj. . until

. While

. Of degree, to the point that, so that even (rare)

. עַד לְ, a strengthened form for עַד. Thus . of space

. Of time

. Of degree

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5704 `ad ad

properly, the same as 5703 (used as a preposition, adverb or

conjunction; especially with a preposition); as far (or long,

or much) as, whether of space (even unto) or time (during,

while, until) or degree (equally with):--against, and, as,

at, before, by (that), even (to), for(-asmuch as),

(hither-)to, + how long, into, as long (much) as, (so) that,

till, toward, until, when, while, (+ as) yet.

see HEBREW for 05703

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עַד (ad) — till.

prep

1) as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as

1a) of space

1a1) as far as, up to, even to

1b) in combination

1b1) from...as far as, both...and (with 'min' -from)

1c) of time

1c1) even to, until, unto, till, during, end

1d) of degree

1d1) even to, to the degree of, even like

conj

2) until, while, to the point that, so that even

Aramaic equivalent: ad (עַד "till" H5705)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Preposition
HR
return ! O Yahweh until when? and have compassion on servants your
מָתָ֑יma.Tai when? H4970 Particle
43× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means 'when' or 'how long', often used to ask about time or duration, like in Genesis when asking how long a task will take.
Tyndale gloss
how
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מָתַי (mathay) is an adverb meaning 'when?' It is derived from an unused root that suggests extension, particularly in relation to time. The word is used interrogatively to ask about timeframes, such as 'how long?' or 'until when?'. It appears in contexts that require a temporal inquiry.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מָתַי 43 interrog.adv. when?

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4970 מָתַי when?

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4970 mathay maw-thah'ee

from an unused root meaning to extend; properly, extent (of

time); but used only adverbially (especially with other

particle prefixes), when (either relative or

interrogative):--long, when.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מָתַי (ma.tay) — how.

1) when?

1a) with prep

1a1) against when?, until when?, how long?, after how long?

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTi — Particle
HTi
return ! O Yahweh until when? and have compassion on servants your
וְ֝הִנָּחֵ֗םve.hi.na.Chem and have compassion H5162 Conjunction · verb niphal imperative second person masculine singular
108× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To comfort means showing pity or sympathy, as seen in God's actions throughout the Bible, such as in Isaiah 40. The word can also imply regret or remorse, like in the story of Jonah, who was sorry for his actions. It involves easing someone's pain or discomfort.
Amplified meaning
be sorry, show pity
Tyndale gloss
to be sorry: comfort
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נָחַם (nacham) is a Hebrew root that conveys a range of meanings related to feelings of sorrow, compassion, and comfort. It can signify being sorry, repenting, or consoling oneself, as well as avenging oneself in a more negative context. The verb appears in various forms, including Niph., Piel, Pual, and Hithpael, each reflecting different nuances of comfort and regret.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[נחם] vb. Niph. be sorry, console oneself, etc.

Niph.

be sorry, moved to pity, have compassion, for others

be sorry, rue, suffer grief, repent, of one’s own doings

comfort oneself, be comforted

comfort oneself, ease oneself, by taking vengeance

Piel—comfort, console

Pual; be comforted, consoled

Hithpa.—

be sorry, have compassion

rue, repent of

comfort oneself, be comforted

ease oneself, by taking vengeance

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5162 נחם Niph. be sorry, console oneself, etc. .comfort, console

. be comforted, consoled

.— . be sorry, have compassion

. rue, repent of

. comfort oneself, be comforted

. ease oneself, by taking vengeance

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5162 nacham naw-kham'

a primitive root; properly, to sigh, i.e. breathe strongly;

by implication, to be sorry, i.e. (in a favorable sense) to

pity, console or (reflexively) rue; or (unfavorably) to avenge

(oneself):--comfort (self), ease (one's self),

repent(-er,-ing, self).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָחַם (na.cham) — to be sorry: comfort.

: comfort

1) to be sorry, console oneself, repent, regret, comfort, be comforted

1a) (Niphal)

1a1) to be sorry, be moved to pity, have compassion

1a2) to be sorry, rue, suffer grief, repent

1a3) to comfort oneself, be comforted

1a4) to comfort oneself, ease oneself

1b) (Piel) to comfort, console

1c) (Pual) to be comforted, be consoled

1d) (Hithpael)

1d1) to be sorry, have compassion

1d2) to rue, repent of

1d3) to comfort oneself, be comforted

1d4) to ease oneself

Also means: na.cham (נָחַם ": relent" H5162H)

נָחַם (na.cham) — to be sorry: relent.

: relent

1) to be sorry, console oneself, repent, regret, comfort, be comforted

1a) (Niphal)

1a1) to be sorry, be moved to pity, have compassion

1a2) to be sorry, rue, suffer grief, repent

1a3) to comfort oneself, be comforted

1a4) to comfort oneself, ease oneself

1b) (Piel) to comfort, console

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Niphal-Impv-2ms — Conjunction · verb niphal imperative second person masculine singular
HC/VNv2ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

kom-pash'-un: Compassion is the translation of racham, "to love," "pity," "be merciful" (De 13:17; 30:3); of rachamim, "mercies" (1Ki 8:50); of chamal, "to pity," "spare" (Ex 2:6; 1Sa 23:21); rachum (Ps 78:38; 86:15; 111:4; 112:4; 145:8), is rendered by the American Standard Revised Version "merciful." We have splagchnizomai, "to have the bowels yearning," in Mt 9:36; 14:14, etc.; sumpatheo (Heb 10:34), "to suffer with (another)"; sumpathes (1Pe 3:8, the…

Nave's Topical Bible

→ OF GOD

See GOD, MERCY OF

→ OF CHRIST

See JESUS, COMPASSION OF

return ! O Yahweh until when? and have compassion on servants your
עַל־'al- on H5921 Preposition
5,774× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means on or above something, like a physical object or a situation. It can also imply a sense of responsibility or accountability, as in being on behalf of someone.
Tyndale gloss
upon
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עַל (*al*) is a preposition meaning 'upon' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including 'on account of,' 'beside,' 'above,' and 'against.' It can indicate physical placement, emotional burdens, or duties imposed on a person. The entries also note its use in idiomatic expressions and with verbs of motion. There is a mention of its function as a conjunction in certain contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

base

עַל, עָ֑ל

subst. height

As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against

Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed

of clothing, etc., which any one wears

With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it

Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him

Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him

על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him

חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5921a עַל, עָ֑ל . As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against . Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed . — . of clothing, etc., which any one wears

. With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it

. Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him

. Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him

. על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him

. חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5921 `al al

properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the

singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a

particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always

in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great

variety of applications (as follow):--above, according

to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because

of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both

and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in

(that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-)on, over, than,

through(-out), to, touching, X with.

see HEBREW for 05920

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עַל (al) — upon.

prep

1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against

1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards

1b) above, beyond, over (of excess)

1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence)

1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition)

1e) over (of suspension or extension)

1f) by, adjoining, next, at, over, around (of contiguity or proximity)

1g) down upon, upon, on, from, up upon, up to, towards, over towards, to, against (with verbs of motion)

1h) to (as a dative)

[כִּי] עַל [כֵּן] ([ki] al [ken]) — as.

conj

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Preposition
HR
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

On

Light; the sun, (Gen. 41:45, 50), the great seat of sun-worship, called also Bethshemesh (Jer. 43:13) and Aven (Ezek. 30:17), stood on the east bank of the Nile, a few miles north of Memphis, and near Cairo, in the north-east. The Vulgate and the LXX. Versions have “Heliopolis” (“city of the sun”) instead of On in Genesis and of Aven in Ezekiel. The “city of destruction” Isaiah speaks of (19:18, marg. “of Heres;” Heb. ‘Ir-ha-heres, which some MSS. read Ir-ha-heres, i.e., “city of the sun”) may be the name given to On, the prophecy being that the time will come when that city which was known as the “city of the sun-god” shall become the “city of destruction” of the sun-god, i.e., when idolatry shall cease, and the worship…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(abode or city of the sun), a town of lower Egypt, called BETH-SHEMESH in (Jeremiah 43:13) On is better known under its Greek name Heliopolis. It was situated on the east side of the Pelusiac branch of the Nile, just below the point of the Delta, and about twenty miles northeast of Memphis. The chief object of worship at Heliopolis was the sun, whose temple, described by Strabo, is now only represented by the single beautiful obelisk, of red granite so feet 2 inches high above the pedestal which has stood for more than 4000 years, having been erected by Usirtesen, the second king of the twelfth dynasty. Heliopolis was anciently famous for its learning, and Eudoxus and Plato studied under its priests. The first mention of this place in the Bible is in the history of Joseph, to whom we read Pharaoh gave "to wife Asenath the daughter…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

See HELIOPOLIS.

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

pain; force; iniquity

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
return ! O Yahweh until when? and have compassion on servants your
עֲבָדֶֽיךָ׃'a.va.Dei.kha servants your H5650 Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
801× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a servant or slave, often in the context of serving God or a human master. It can also describe a prophet or Levite. The KJV translates it as bondage, bondman, or servant.
Amplified meaning
those who serve, Your people
Tyndale gloss
servant/slave
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עֶ֫בֶד (*ebed*) means 'slave' or 'servant' and encompasses various roles, including household servants, subjects, and worshippers of God. It can also refer to Israel as a collective servant of God and is used in polite address among equals. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to work' or 'to serve'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עֶ֫בֶד 799 n.m. slave, servant

slave, servant of household

Subjects, of chief

Servants, worshippers of God

Servant of י׳, in a special sense

Israel as a people is servant of י׳

In polite address of equals or superiors the Hebrews used עַבְדְּךָ thy servant = 1 pers. sing., I

Phrases

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5650 עֶ֫בֶד slave, servant . slave, servant of household

. Subjects, of chief

. Servants, worshippers of God

. Servant of י׳, in a special sense

. Israel as a people is servant of י׳

. In polite address of equals or superiors the Hebrews used עַבְדְּךָ thy servant = 1 pers. sing., I

. Phrases

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5650 `ebed eh'-bed

from 5647; a servant:--X bondage, bondman, (bond-)servant,

(man-)servant.

see HEBREW for 05647

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עֶ֫בֶד (e.ved) — servant/slave.

1) slave, servant

1a) slave, servant, man-servant

1b) subjects

1c) servants, worshippers (of God)

1d) servant (in special sense as prophets, Levites etc)

1e) servant (of Israel)

1f) servant (as form of address between equals)

Aramaic equivalent: a.vad (עֲבַד "servant/slave" H5649)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
HNcmpc/Sp2ms
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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