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Psalms 94:11 — Word Study

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WLCיְֽהוָ֗ה יֹ֭דֵעַ מַחְשְׁב֣וֹת אָדָ֑ם כִּי־ הֵ֥מָּה הָֽבֶל׃

BSAThe LORDYᵉhôvâh [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] knowsyâdaʻ [to ascertain by seeing, to learn] the thoughtsmachăshâbâh [plans, devices] of manʼâdâm [human beings, Adam's descendants] thatkîy theyhêm [specifically them, as a group] are futilehebel [in reality, by nature, vanity, empty, a breath of air, useless]

Word
Listen & take awayPsalms 94
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 11 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 (Ha.vel) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Psalms 94:11quick helps
In a sentenceThe verse states that the LORD is aware of human thoughts, which are ultimately empty.
Who is speakingThe psalmist, reflecting on God's omniscience.
Where we areThis verse is part of a meditation on God's justice and knowledge.
The hard wordהֶבֶל
Take awayHuman thoughts, without divine insight, are of no lasting value.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectיהוה verbיָדַע 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 94:11

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 Knowledge of Humanitygenerated

10He who admonishes the nations, does He not discipline? He who teaches man, does He lack knowledge?
11The LORD knows the thoughts of man, that they are futile.
12Blessed is the man You discipline, O LORD, and teach from Your law,
13to grant him relief from days of trouble, until a pit is dug for the wicked.

Psalm 94:11 emphasizes the contrast between God's infinite wisdom and the fleeting nature of human thoughts. The psalmist reflects on the futility of human reasoning in light of God's understanding, reminding readers of the importance of divine insight. This section serves as a reminder of God's sovereignty and the limitations of human perspective.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Psalm 49:10–13For it is clear that wise men die, and the foolish and the senseless both perish and leave their wealth to others.
2Job 11:11–12Surely He knows the deceit of men. If He sees iniquity, does He not take note?
3Romans 1:21–22For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and darkened in their foolish hearts.
41 Corinthians 1:19–21For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 4 references, hung on the phrase they belong to

The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity.Psalm 49:10–13 Job 11:11–12 Romans 1:21–22 1 Corinthians 1:19–21

The Key Word יְהוָ֗ה, Yah.wehgenerated

The name יְהוָ֗ה (Yahweh) signifies the self-existent and eternal nature of God. It is the proper name of the God of Israel, often rendered as 'the LORD'. This name is deeply rooted in the Jewish faith and is associated with God's covenant with His people.

In this verse, יְהוָ֗ה is the subject who knows the thoughts of man, highlighting His omniscience. The use of this divine name underscores the personal relationship between God and humanity, as well as His authority over all creation.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

The translations generally agree on the meaning of the verse.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The finite verb יֹ֭דֵעַ (knows) governs the entire statement, with a noun phrase מַחְשְׁב֣וֹת (thoughts) as the object. The structure emphasizes God's knowledge as the main focus of the verse.

The sentence flows logically, presenting God's awareness of human thoughts followed by a declaration of their nature as futile.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, the Hebrew יְהוָ֗ה is rendered as κύριος (kurios), which also means 'Lord.' This reflects the continuity of the divine name across translations.

The Greek word γινώσκει (ginōskei) is used for 'knows,' indicating a similar understanding of God's omniscience in both the Hebrew and Greek texts.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalm 94:11 tells us that the LORD knows what people are thinking, and that their thoughts are ultimately empty and without value. This verse reminds us of God's understanding of humanity and the limitations of our own reasoning.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that the LORD knows the thoughts of man?

It means that God is fully aware of human intentions and reasoning, understanding them completely.

Why are human thoughts described as futile?

Human thoughts are considered futile because they often lack lasting significance and can be misguided without divine insight.

How does this verse relate to God's justice?

This verse highlights God's omniscience, suggesting that He sees beyond human reasoning and will ultimately judge accordingly.

What can we learn from this verse about our own thoughts?

We should recognize the limitations of our understanding and seek God's wisdom in our thoughts and actions.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what areas of my life do I need to seek God's wisdom rather than relying on my own understanding?
  2. How can I ensure that my thoughts align with God's perspective?
  3. What does it mean to me that God knows my thoughts?
  4. How can I apply the truth of this verse in my daily life?

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

Early Church Fathers referenced this verse to discuss the nature of human understanding in relation to God's knowledge, emphasizing the contrast between divine insight and human folly.

Augustine of HippoExposition on Psalms 94 354–430
"The Lord knows the thoughts of man, that they are but vain" [Psalms 94:11].
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 94 →
Augustine of HippoSERMON 242:1 354–430
People argue against this evident truth. What else, after all, could you expect from mere people, who savor the things of humankind, but to argue about God against God? I mean, he is God, they are mere individuals.
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 94 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 94:11 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man,.... He not only hears their words, and sees their actions; but he knows their thoughts, the secret thoughts of their hearts, though he is afar off from them,

Read John Gill on Psalms 94 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity. The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity.

Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 94 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

This is an answer to the foregoing question, shall not he know? Yes, he knoweth all things, yea, even the most secret things, as the thoughts of men; and in particular your atheistical thoughts, and much more doth he know your wicked practices, which you said he did not see, ,7. And he knows that they are generally vain and foolish, and that whilst you mock God and applaud yourselves in such thoughts, you do not relieve, but only delude yourselves with them.

Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 94 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Psalms 94:11 The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they [are] vanity.Ver. 11. The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity] Or worse; that they are ever weaving spiders’ webs, or else hatching cockatrices’ eggs, Isaiah 59:5. This sentence St Paul allegeth against the world’ s wizards, 1 Corinthians 3:20, who, the wiser they were the vainer they were, Romans 1:21. As Austin, writing to a man of great parts, saith, Ornari abs te Diabolus quaerit, The devil would fain be tricked up by thee.

Read John Trapp on Psalms 94 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(11) That they are vanity—The literal rendering, “for they are breath,” referring not to thoughts, but to man collectively, gives equally good sense, and would, notwithstanding the order of the words, be natural, since the masculine pronoun is used. But the LXX. stands as the Authorised Version, and is so quoted by St. Paul (1 Corinthians 3:20), with the substitution of wise men for men.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 94 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

11. The positive answer to the self-delusion of the wicked and the doubts of the faithless. Jehovah not only sees their works, but knows their very thoughts. that they are vanity] So the LXX, quoted by St Paul in 1 Corinthians 3:20, with the substitution of the wise for men to suit his argument. This rendering gives a good sense, and suggests an emphatic contrast between the designs of men and the designs of God (Psalms 92:5). But the masculine pronoun they is more naturally referred to man than to the feminine word for thoughts, and its emphatic position further points to the rendering, For they, in contrast to Jehovah, are (but) a breath (Psalms 39:5). How can man, the feeble creature of…

Read Cambridge on Psalms 94 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man - That is, He who teaches people all that they know Psalms 94:10, must understand all that there is in the mind. See the notes at 1 Corinthians 3:20.

Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 94 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

11. The Lord knoweth—A direct affirmation of what had been put interrogatively in Psalms 94:9-10.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Psalms 94 →

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

The LORD knows the thoughts of man, that they are futile.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Yahweh knows the thoughts of man, that they are futile.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

The LORD knows the thoughts of man, that they are futile.

NETBNew English Translation2006

The Lord knows that peoples’ thoughts are morally bankrupt.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Jehovah knoweth the thoughts of man, That they are vanity.

RVARevised Version, American1894

The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

The Lord knoweth the thoughtes of man, that they are vanitie.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Jehovah knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

He knoweth the thoughts of man, that they [are] vanity.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

He knows the thoughts of man, that they [are] vanity.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are nought.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Yahweh knows the thoughts of men, that they are vapor.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And these men have not known my ways: so I swore in my wrath that they shall not enter into my rest.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

The Lord knows the thoughts of human beings—he knows they are pointless.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

The Lord has knowledge of the thoughts of man, for they are only a breath.

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.

clauseclausesubjectיְֽהוָ֗הYahwehverbיֹ֭דֵעַ[is].knowingnoun phrase · objectמַחְשְׁב֣וֹת[the].thoughtsאָדָ֑םof.a.personclauseכִּי(dm).thatclausesubjectהֵ֥מָּהtheypredicateהָֽבֶל[are].a.breath

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


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

The Masoretic Text, the Septuagint, and the Dead Sea Scrolls all agree on the wording of this verse, affirming that the LORD knows the thoughts of man and that they are futile. The consistency across these texts highlights the reliability of this passage.

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

יְֽהוָ֗ה יֹ֭דֵעַ מַחְשְׁב֣וֹת אָדָ֑ם כִּי־ הֵ֥מָּה הָֽבֶל׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
יְֽהוָ֗הκύριοςיֹ֭דֵעַγινώσκειמַחְשְׁב֣וֹתδιαλογισμοὺςאָדָ֑םἀνθρώπωνכִּי־ὅτιהֵ֥מָּהεἰσὶνהָֽבֶל׃μάταιοι

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.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q84a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

יהוה ידע מחשבות אדם כי המה הבל

7 words on the leather.

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 94:11יהוהYahwehYahwehיהוהיָדַע[is] knowin[is] knowingיָדַעמַחֲשָׁבָה[the] thoug[the] thoughts מַחֲשָׁבָהאָדָםa persona personאָדָםכִּיthatthatכִּיהֵ֫מָּהtheytheyהֵ֫מָּההֶ֫בֶל[are] a bre[are] a breathהֶ֫בֶלחָשַׁבto devise:to devise: counחָשַׁבהָיָהto beto beהָיָהאָדֹםto reddento reddenאָדֹםהֲלַךְto goto goהֲלַךְהָבַלto become to become vainהָבַלנְאֻםutteranceutteranceנְאֻםצָבָאarmyarmyצָבָאאֲנִיIIאֲנִיבִּיןto understto understandבִּיןדְּמוּתlikenesslikenessדְּמוּתבְּהֵמָהanimalanimalבְּהֵמָהיָדַעto knowto knowיָדַעמְרִיrebellionrebellionמְרִיסֵ֫פֶרscroll: doscroll: documenסֵ֫פֶרקֹהֶ֫לֶתpreacherpreacherקֹהֶ֫לֶתרְעוּתlonginglongingרְעוּת
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 94:11

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.

Yahweh [is] knowing [the] thoughts of a person that they [are] a breath
יְֽהוָ֗הYah.weh 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 Name of 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
Yahweh [is] knowing [the] thoughts of a person that they [are] a breath
יֹ֭דֵעַYo.de.a' [is] knowing H3045 Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine singular
945× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for to know means to ascertain by seeing, and is used in many senses, including to learn, perceive, and recognize, as seen in various KJV translations.
Amplified meaning
to ascertain by seeing, to learn
Tyndale gloss
to know
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָדַע (yada`) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to know,' encompassing a wide range of senses including perception, recognition, and experience. It can refer to knowing someone intimately or being skilled in a task. The word has various forms, indicating actions such as making known or being made known. Lexicons note its use in both literal and figurative contexts, but there is no significant disagreement among them.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָדַע 943 vb. know

Qal

know, learn to know

perceive

perceive and see; find out and discern

discriminate, distinguish

know by experience

recognize, admit, acknowledge, confess

consider

not know = not expect

know a person, be acquainted with

know a person carnally, of sexual intercourse

know how, to do a thing, be able to do it

be skilful in

abs. have knowledge, be wise

Niph.

be made known, be or become known, of things

make oneself known of pers.

be perceived

be instructed

Pi. cause to know

Pu. known

Hiph. make known, declare

Hoph. made known

Hithp. make oneself known

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3045 יָדַע know .. . know, learn to know

. perceive

. perceive and see; find out and discern

. discriminate, distinguish

. know by experience

. recognize, admit, acknowledge, confess

. consider

. not know = not expect

. know a person, be acquainted with

. know a person carnally, of sexual intercourse

. . know how, to do a thing, be able to do it

. be skilful in

. abs. have knowledge, be wise

. . be made known, be or become known, of things

. make oneself known of pers.

. be perceived

. be instructed

. cause to know

. known

. make known, declare

. made known

. make oneself known

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3045 yada` yaw-dah'

a primitive root; to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing);

used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally,

euphemistically and inferentially (including observation,

care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation,

punishment, etc.) (as follow):--acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted

with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware,

(un-)awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, X

could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to)

discern, discover, endued with, familiar friend, famous, feel,

can have, be (ig-)norant, instruct, kinsfolk, kinsman, (cause

to let, make) know, (come to give, have, take) knowledge, have

(knowledge), (be, make, make to be, make self) known, + be

learned, + lie by man, mark, perceive, privy to, X

prognosticator, regard, have respect, skilful, shew, can (man

of) skill, be sure, of a surety, teach, (can) tell,

Read the full entry →
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָדַע (ya.da) — to know.

1) to know

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to know

1a1a) to know, learn to know

1a1b) to perceive

1a1c) to perceive and see, find out and discern

1a1d) to discriminate, distinguish

1a1e) to know by experience

1a1f) to recognise, admit, acknowledge, confess

1a1g) to consider

1a2) to know, be acquainted with

1a3) to know (a person carnally)

1a4) to know how, be skilful in

1a5) to have knowledge, be wise

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be made known, be or become known, be revealed

1b2) to make oneself known

1b3) to be perceived

1b4) to be instructed

1c) (Piel) to cause to know

1d) (Poal) to cause to know

1e) (Pual)

1e1) to be known

1e2) known, one known, acquaintance (participle)

1f) (Hiphil) to make known, declare

1g) (Hophal) to be made known

1h) (Hithpael) to make oneself known, reveal oneself

Aramaic equivalent: ye.da (יְדַע "to know" H3046)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal — Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine singular
HVqrmsa
Yahweh [is] knowing [the] thoughts of a person that they [are] a breath
מַחְשְׁב֣וֹתmach.she.Vot [the] thoughts of H4284 Noun common · feminine plural construct
56× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word refers to a plan, device, or invention, which can be either good or bad. It appears in places like 2 Chronicles 2:11 and Esther 8:3, where it is used to describe clever ideas or schemes. The word is associated with creativity and problem-solving.
Amplified meaning
plans, devices
Tyndale gloss
plot
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מַחֲשָׁבָה (machashabah) refers to thoughts, devices, plans, or inventions, encompassing both good and bad intentions. It is derived from a root meaning to contrive or devise. The entries consistently highlight its use in contexts relating to intention and creativity.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מַחֲשָׁבָה n.f. thought, device

thought

device, plan, purpose

invention

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4284 מַחֲשָׁבָה thought, device . thought

. device, plan, purpose

. invention

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4284 machashabah makh-ash-aw-baw'

or machashebeth {makh-ash-eh'-beth}; from 2803; a

contrivance, i.e. (concretely) a texture, machine, or

(abstractly) intention, plan (whether bad, a plot; or good,

advice):--cunning (work), curious work, device(-sed),

imagination, invented, means, purpose, thought.

see HEBREW for 02803

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מַחֲשָׁבָה (ma.cha.sha.vah) — plot.

1) thought, device

1a) thought

1b) device, plan, purpose

1c) invention

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fp — Noun common · feminine plural construct
HNcfpc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ov:

(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Lamentations 3:1.

The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.

Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.

That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.

Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…

Yahweh [is] knowing [the] thoughts of a person that they [are] a breath
אָדָ֑ם'a.Dam a person H120 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
551× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Adam was the first human, created by God and mentioned in Genesis 2:19, who married Eve and had sons including Cain, Abel, and Seth.
Amplified meaning
human beings, Adam's descendants
Tyndale gloss
the man (Adam)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָדָם (adam) refers to 'man' or 'mankind,' encompassing both individual humans and the species as a whole. It is also the name of the first man in the Bible, Adam, who is mentioned in various verses, including Genesis 2:19. The term can denote a city in the Jordan valley as well. The entries indicate a range of meanings, but there is no significant disagreement among them.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָדָם 560 n.m. Gn 1:27 man, mankind

a man = human being

coll. man, mankind

n.pr.m. Adam, first man (without art.)

n.pr.loc. city in Jordan valley (as built?)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H120 אָדָם man, mankind . a man = human being

. coll. man, mankind

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

120 'adam aw-dawm'

from 119; ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the

species, mankind, etc.):--X another, + hypocrite, + common

sort, X low, man (mean, of low degree), person.

see HEBREW for 0119

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָדָם (a.dam) — man.

1) man, mankind

1a) man, human being

1b) man, mankind (much more frequently intended sense in OT)

1c) Adam, first man

1d) city in Jordan valley

אָדָם (a.dam) — the man (Adam).

The first named man living at the time before the Flood, first mentioned at Gen.2.19;

married to Eve (H2332);

father of: Cain (H7014B), Abel (H1893) and Seth (H8352); also translated "man" at Gen.2.19,21,23; 3.8,9,20; 5.2; "mankind" at Deu.32.8; "others" at Job.31.33;

Another spelling of a.dam (אָדָם "Adam" H0121)

man, human being

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
Yahweh [is] knowing [the] thoughts of a person that they [are] a breath
כִּי־ki- that H3588 Particle
4,483× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A conjunction used to show cause or connection, as in Genesis 2:23 where Adam says the woman is bone of his bone because she was taken out of him. It is often translated as 'for', 'because', or 'since'.
Tyndale gloss
for
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כִּי (ki) is a conjunction primarily meaning 'that,' 'for,' or 'when.' It indicates causal relationships and can express conditions like 'if' or 'though.' The word is versatile, appearing in various contexts to convey certainty, exception, or concession. Notably, it can combine with other particles to modify its meaning, such as in the phrase כִּי אם־ (ki im), meaning 'that if.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כִּי conj. that, for, when

that

Of time, when, of the past

elsewhere כִּי has a force approximating to if, though it usu. represents a case as more likely to occur than אִם

when or if, with a concessive force, i.e. though

Because, since

base

כִּי אם־

each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause:

that if

for if

(About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause—

limiting the prec. clause, except

the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but

after an oath, surely

base

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3588a כִּי that, for, when . that

. . Of time, when, of the past

. elsewhere כִּי has a force approximating to if, though it usu. represents a case as more likely to occur than אִם

. when or if, with a concessive force, i.e. though

. Because, since

H3588b כִּי אם־ . each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause: . that if

. for if

. (About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause— . limiting the prec. clause, except

. the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but

. after an oath, surely

H3588c כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3588 kiy kee

a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional

prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent

or consequent; (by implication) very widely used as a relative

conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by

other particles annexed:--and, + (forasmuch, inasmuch,

where-)as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else,

even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, +

nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then,

therefore, + (al- )though, + till, truly, + until, when,

whether, while, whom, yea, yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כִּי (ki) — for.

1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since

1a) that

1a1) yea, indeed

1b) when (of time)

1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force)

1c) because, since (causal connection)

1d) but (after negative)

1e) that if, for if, indeed if, for though, but if

1f) but rather, but

1g) except that

1h) only, nevertheless

1i) surely

1j) that is

1k) but if

1l) for though

1m) forasmuch as, for therefore

כִּי [אם] (ki im) — that if: except.

1) except if

1a) but if

1b) even though

כִּי [עַל כֵּן] (ki [al ken]) — for as that: since.

1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since

1a) that

1a1) yea, indeed

1b) when (of time)

1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force)

1c) because, since (causal connection)

1d) but (after negative)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj — Particle
HTc
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
Yahweh [is] knowing [the] thoughts of a person that they [are] a breath
הֵ֥מָּהHe.mah they H1992 Pronoun
553× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word is used to refer to a group of men, emphasizing that it is specifically them. It is often translated as 'they' or 'them' in the Bible, and appears in books like Exodus and Isaiah.
Amplified meaning
specifically them, as a group
Tyndale gloss
they(masc.)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הֵ֫מָּה (hemmah) is a masculine plural pronoun meaning 'they.' The entries indicate that it can also mean 'these,' 'the same,' or refer to people in an emphatic context. There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its usage.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הֵ֫מָּה and הֵם (without appreciable distinction in usage, except prob. in so far as the longer or shorter form was better adapted to the rhythm of particular sentences) pron. 3 pl. masc. they

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1992 הֵ֫מָּה, הֵם (without appreciable distinction in usage, except prob. in so far as the longer or shorter form was better adapted to the rhythm of particular sentences) they

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1992 hem haym

or (prolonged) hemmah {haym'-maw}; masculine plural from

1981; they (only used when emphatic):--it, like, X (how, so)

many (soever, more as) they (be), (the) same, X so, X such,

their, them, these, they, those, which, who, whom, withal, ye.

see HEBREW for 01981

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הֵ֫מָּה (hem.mah) — they(masc.).

they, these, the same, who

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Pron — Pronoun
HPp3mp
Yahweh [is] knowing [the] thoughts of a person that they [are] a breath
הָֽבֶל׃Ha.vel [are] a breath H1892 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
73× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Hebel means emptiness or vanity, describing something transitory and unsatisfactory, like a breath of air. It appears in the book of Ecclesiastes, where Solomon writes about life's fleeting nature. The KJV translates it as vanity or altogether.
Amplified meaning
in reality, by nature, vanity, empty, a breath of air, useless
Tyndale gloss
vanity
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הֶ֫בֶל (hevel) refers to vapour or breath, and is often associated with concepts of emptiness or vanity, indicating something transitory and unsatisfactory. The word can function as an adverb meaning 'vainly.' It is derived from a root meaning 'to breathe' and appears in contexts discussing the fleeting nature of life.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הֶ֫בֶל 73 n.m. vapour, breath

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1892 הֶ֫בֶל vapour, breath

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1892 hebel heh'bel

or (rarely in the abs.) habel {hab-ale'}; from 1891;

emptiness or vanity; figuratively, something transitory and

unsatisfactory; often used as an adverb:--X altogether, vain,

vanity.

see HEBREW for 01891

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הֶ֫בֶל (he.vel) — vanity.

1) vapour, breath

1a) breath, vapour

1b) vanity (fig.)

adv

2) vainly

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Nave's Topical Bible

→ Of life Ge 2:7; 7:22; Ac 17:25

→ Of God 2Sa 22:16; Job 4:9; 15:30; 33:4; 37:10; Ps 18:15; 33:6; Isa 30:33

→ FIGURATIVE Eze 37:9

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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