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Song of Solomon 5:16 — Word Study

Depth

WLCחִכּוֹ֙ מַֽמְתַקִּ֔ים וְכֻלּ֖וֹ מַחֲמַדִּ֑ים זֶ֤ה דוֹדִי֙ וְזֶ֣ה רֵעִ֔י בְּנ֖וֹת יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃

BSAHis mouthchêk [the roof of his palate, source of sweet words] [is] most sweetmamtaq [extremely delicious, full of sweetness] he is altogetherkôl lovelymachmâd [totally desirable, my delight] Thiszeh [the one I adore] [is] my beloveddôwd [my loved one, dear to my heart] and thiszeh is my friendrêaʻ [my companion, neighbor] O daughtersbath [women, female children] of JerusalemYᵉrûwshâlaim [the city of peace]

Word
Listen & take awaySong of Solomon 5
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (ye.ru.sha.Lim) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Song of Solomon 5:16quick helps
In a sentenceThe speaker describes the beloved's sweetness and loveliness, affirming their deep affection.
Who is speakingA lover addressing the daughters of Jerusalem, expressing admiration for their beloved.
Where we areIn a poetic celebration of love, highlighting the beloved's qualities.
The hard wordמַחֲמַדִּ֑ים
Take awayThe beloved is cherished and delightful, a source of joy and companionship.
clause subjectזֶה 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 — Song of Solomon 5:16

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 — The Celebration of Lovegenerated

13His cheeks are like beds of spice, towers of perfume. His lips are like lilies, dripping with flowing myrrh.
14His arms are rods of gold set with beryl. His body is an ivory panel bedecked with sapphires.
15His legs are pillars of marble set on bases of pure gold. His appearance is like Lebanon, as majestic as the cedars.
16His mouth is most sweet; he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.

Song of Solomon 5:16 is part of a poetic dialogue that emphasizes the beauty and desirability of the beloved. This passage captures the essence of romantic admiration, where the speaker expresses affection towards their beloved while addressing the daughters of Jerusalem, inviting them to witness this love.


The Key Word מַחֲמַדִּ֑ים, ma.cha.ma.Dimgenerated

The word מַחְמָד (machmad) refers to something desirable or delightful, derived from a root meaning 'delightful.' It encompasses notions of affection and cherished qualities, indicating that the beloved is not only loved but also a source of great joy.

In this verse, it highlights the beloved's overall desirability, reinforcing the theme of love and admiration present throughout the Song of Solomon.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The verse is structured around multiple clauses, with the finite verb מַֽמְתַקִּ֔ים serving as the predicate for the beloved's qualities. The subjects זֶ֤ה and וְזֶ֣ה introduce the beloved and friend, respectively, emphasizing their significance.

The sentence flows with a series of predicates describing the beloved's attributes, creating a rich tapestry of admiration and affection.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates מַחֲמַדִּ֑ים as ἐπιθυμία, which means 'desire' or 'longing.' This choice reflects a broader interpretation of the beloved's qualities, emphasizing not just desirability but also the deep longing that accompanies such affection.

This translation choice aligns with the overall theme of love and longing found throughout the Song of Solomon, capturing the emotional depth of the original Hebrew.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Song of Solomon 5:16 describes the beloved's mouth as sweet and highlights their overall loveliness. The speaker expresses that this person is both beloved and a friend, addressing the daughters of Jerusalem, inviting them to recognize this affection.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What qualities are highlighted about the beloved?

The beloved is described as sweet and lovely, indicating a deep affection and admiration.

What does the speaker mean by calling the beloved 'my friend'?

By calling the beloved 'my friend,' the speaker emphasizes a close and intimate relationship, suggesting companionship and mutual affection.

How does this verse fit into the overall theme of the Song of Solomon?

This verse encapsulates the themes of love, desire, and admiration that permeate the Song of Solomon, celebrating the beauty of romantic relationships.

Who are the 'daughters of Jerusalem'?

The 'daughters of Jerusalem' are likely a group of women or friends being addressed by the speaker, inviting them to witness and appreciate the love being expressed.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What qualities do I find most admirable in those I love?
  2. How can I express affection and appreciation for my friends and loved ones?
  3. In what ways does love manifest in my relationships?
  4. How does the imagery in this verse resonate with my understanding of love?

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

His mouth is most sweet; he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

His mouth is sweetness; yes, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, daughters of Jerusalem.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

His mouth is most sweet; he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.

NETBNew English Translation2006

His mouth is very sweet; he is totally desirable. This is my beloved! This is my companion, O maidens of Jerusalem!

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

His mouth is most sweet; Yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.

RVARevised Version, American1894

His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

His mouth is most sweet: yes, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

His mouth is as sweete thinges, and hee is wholy delectable: this is my welbeloued, and this is my louer, O daughters of Ierusalem.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

His mouth is most sweet: Yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, yea, this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

His mouth is sweetness — and all of him desirable, This [is] my beloved, and this my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem!

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

His mouth is sweetness—and all of him desirable, || This [is] my beloved, and this my friend, || O daughters of Jerusalem!

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

His palate is full of sweets, and every thing in him is agreeable. This is my friend, and this is my beloved, O daughters of Jerusalem.—

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

His mouth is most sweet; he is completely lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, daughters of Jerusalem.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

His throat most sweet, and he is all lovely: such is my beloved, and he is my friend, O ye daughters of Jerusalem.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

His mouth is the sweetest ever; he is totally desirable! This is my love, my friend, women of Jerusalem.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

His mouth is most sweet; yes, he is all beautiful. This is my loved one, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.

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.

clausenoun phrase · subjectחִכּmouthוֹ֙hispredicateמַֽמְתַקִּ֔ים[is].sweetness(es)וְandclausenoun phrase · subjectכֻלּ֖allוֹof.himpredicateמַחֲּמַדִּ֑ים[is].desirableness(es)clauseclauseclausesubjectזֶ֤הthisnoun phrase · predicateדוֹדִloverי֙[is].myוְandclausesubjectזֶ֣הthisnoun phrase · predicateרֵעִ֔friendי[is].myclausenoun phraseבְּנ֖וֹתO.daughtersיְרוּשָׁלִָֽםof.Jerusalem

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


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

The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree on the wording of this verse, with all ten words matched in the Hebrew and Greek translations. This consistency indicates a shared understanding of the beloved's qualities across these ancient texts.

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

חִכּוֹ֙ מַֽמְתַקִּ֔ים וְכֻלּ֖וֹ מַחֲמַדִּ֑ים זֶ֤ה דוֹדִי֙ וְזֶ֣ה רֵעִ֔י בְּנ֖וֹת יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
חִכּוֹ֙αὐτοῦמַֽמְתַקִּ֔יםγλυκασμοὶוְכֻלּ֖וֹὅλοςמַחֲמַדִּ֑יםἐπιθυμίαזֶ֤הοὗτοςדוֹדִי֙μουוְזֶ֣הοὗτοςרֵעִ֔יμουבְּנ֖וֹתθυγατέρεςיְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ιερουσαλημ

10 of the 10 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.

Song of Solomon 5:16חֵךְmouth hismouth hisחֵךְמַמְתַֿקִּים[is] sweetn[is] sweetnessמַמְתַֿקִּיםכֹּלand all of and all of himכֹּלמַחְמָד[is] desira[is] desirablenמַחְמָדזֶהthisthisזֶהדּוֹד[is] lover [is] lover myדּוֹדזֶהand thisand thisזֶהרֵעַ[is] friend[is] friend myרֵעַבַּתO daughtersO daughters ofבַּתיְרוּשָׁלִַ֫JerusalemJerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַ֫חָנַךְto dedicatto dedicateחָנַךְמָתֹקbe sweetbe sweetמָתֹקכָּלַלto perfectto perfectכָּלַלחָמַדto desireto desireחָמַדזֶהthisthisזֶהזֹהthisthisזֹהבָּנָהto buildto buildבָּנָהבֵּית־עֵ֫קֶדHouse of SHouse of Shepheבֵּית־עֵ֫קֶדיְרוּשְׁלֵםJerusalemJerusalemיְרוּשְׁלֵםיָרָאto shootto shootיָרָאאַיwhere?where?אַיהֶ֫בֶלvanityvanityהֶ֫בֶלטָעַםto perceivto perceiveטָעַםמָתוֹקsweetsweetמָתוֹקעֵדָהcongregaticongregationעֵדָהעֲבֹדָהserviceserviceעֲבֹדָהצַרnarrownarrowצַרעַ֫יִןeyeeyeעַ֫יִן
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 Song of Solomon 5:16

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.

mouth his [is] sweetness and all of him [is] desirableness this [is] lover my and this [is] friend my O daughters of Jerusalem
חִכּוֹ֙chi.Ko mouth his H2441 Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
18× 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 the roof of the mouth or palate, like when Isaiah describes the mouth as a source of praise or shame. It's also related to taste and speech, as seen in the book of Job.
Amplified meaning
the roof of his palate, source of sweet words
Tyndale gloss
palate
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חֵךְ (chek) refers to the palate or roof of the mouth, encompassing meanings related to taste and the mouth as an organ for speech and kissing. The entries consistently describe it as relating to the mouth and taste, with no significant disagreement among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חֵךְ n.m. palate, roof of mouth, gums

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2441 חֵךְ

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2441 chek khake

probably from 2596 in the sense of tasting; properly, the

palate or inside of the mouth; hence, the mouth itself (as the

organ of speech, taste and kissing):--(roof of the) mouth,

taste.

see HEBREW for 02596

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חֵךְ (chekh) — palate.

mouth, palate, taste, gums

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

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

mouth his [is] sweetness and all of him [is] desirableness this [is] lover my and this [is] friend my O daughters of Jerusalem
מַֽמְתַקִּ֔יםmam.ta.Kim [is] sweetness H4477 Noun common · masculine plural absolute
2× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word describes something sweet, like a delicious treat. It's used in Ezekiel 3:3 to describe a sweet taste, like honey.
Amplified meaning
extremely delicious, full of sweetness
Tyndale gloss
sweetness
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מַמְתַֿקִים (mamtaq) refers to sweetness or sweet things, derived from the root meaning 'sweet.' It encompasses both literal and figurative senses of sweetness. The entries consistently highlight its meaning without significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מַמְתַֿקִּים n.[m.]pl. sweetness = sweet things

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4477 מַמְתַֿקִּים, מַמְתַּק

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4477 mamtaq mam-tak'

from 4985; something sweet (literally or

figuratively):--(most) sweet.

see HEBREW for 04985

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מַמְתַֿקִּים (mam.taq) — sweetness.

sweetness, sweet thing

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural absolute
HNcmpa
mouth his [is] sweetness and all of him [is] desirableness this [is] lover my and this [is] friend my O daughters of Jerusalem
וְכֻלּ֖וֹve.khu.Lo and all of him H3605 Conjunction · noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
5,415× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for 'all' or 'everything' is used throughout the Bible, like in Genesis 1:31, where God sees all He has made as very good. It encompasses the entirety of something, whether people, things, or situations.
Tyndale gloss
all
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כֹּל (kol) means 'all' or 'the whole.' It can refer to totality, including every person or thing, and is often used with a following genitive to specify what is included. The term can also denote a broader sense of everything in existence or all circumstances of life. The lexicons do not show significant disagreement on its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כֹּל once כּוֹל n.m. the whole, all

with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

Absolutely:

without the art., all things, all

with the art. הַכֹּל

where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3605 כֹּל once כּוֹל the whole, all . with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

. Absolutely: . without the art., all things, all

. with the art. הַכֹּל . where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

. in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3605 kol kole

or (Jer. 33:8) kowl {kole}; from 3634; properly, the whole;

hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a

plural sense):--(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any

(manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as

many as, (no-)thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole,

whoso(-ever).

see HEBREW for 03634

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כֹּל (kol) — all.

1) all, the whole

1a) all, the whole of

1b) any, each, every, anything

1c) totality, everything

Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | N-ms | Suff — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HC/Ncmsc/Sp3ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
mouth his [is] sweetness and all of him [is] desirableness this [is] lover my and this [is] friend my O daughters of Jerusalem
מַחֲמַדִּ֑יםma.cha.ma.Dim [is] desirableness H4261 Noun common · masculine plural absolute
13× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A delight or object of affection, this word describes something desirable, as seen in KJV translations as beloved or pleasant things. It represents a cherished or lovely thing.
Amplified meaning
totally desirable, my delight
Tyndale gloss
desire
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מַחְמָד (machmad) refers to a desire or a desirable thing, encompassing notions of delight and affection. It is derived from a root meaning 'delightful' and can describe something beloved or pleasant. The entries consistently highlight its association with desire and pleasantness, without notable disagreement among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מַחְמָד n.m. desire, desirable thing

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4261 מַחְמָד desire, desirable thing

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4261 machmad makh-mawd'

from 2530; delightful; hence, a delight, i.e. object of

affection or desire:--beloved, desire, goodly, lovely,

pleasant (thing).

see HEBREW for 02530

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מַחְמָד (mach.mad) — desire.

desire, desirable thing, pleasant thing

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural absolute
HNcmpa
mouth his [is] sweetness and all of him [is] desirableness this [is] lover my and this [is] friend my O daughters of Jerusalem
זֶ֤הzeh this H2088 Particle
1,180× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word is a pronoun meaning this or that, used to point out a specific person or thing. It appears in many contexts, including Genesis and Psalms, to indicate something specific. The KJV translates it as he, here, or it.
Amplified meaning
the one I adore
Tyndale gloss
this
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

זֶה (zeh) is a demonstrative pronoun meaning 'this' or 'here.' It can stand alone, be used appositively, or function as a predicate. The word can also attach enclitically to interrogative pronouns, adding emphasis and directness. In poetry, it may serve as a relative pronoun, though this usage is rare.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

זֶה demonstr.pron. and adv.; fem. זֹאת, once זֹאתָה; this, here

standing alone

In appos. to subst.

More oft. as pred.

It is attached enclitically, almost as an adv., to certain words, esp. interrog. pronouns, to impart, in a manner often not reproducible in Engl. idiom, directness and force, bringing the question or statement made into close relation with the speaker.

In poetry, as a relative pron. (rare)

With prefixes (in special senses)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2088 זֶה demonstr. pron. and adv.; fem. זֹאת, once זֹאתָה; this, here . standing alone

. In appos. to subst.

. More oft. as pred.

. It is attached enclitically, almost as an adv., to certain words, esp. interrog. pronouns, to impart, in a manner often not reproducible in Engl. idiom, directness and force, bringing the question or statement made into close relation with the speaker.

. In poetry, as a relative pron. (rare)

. With prefixes (in special senses)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2088 zeh zeh

a primitive word; the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this

or that:--he, X hence, X here, it(-self), X now, X of him, the

one...the other, X than the other, (X out of) the (self) same,

such (a one) that, these, this (hath, man), on this side...on

that side, X thus, very, which. Compare 2063, 2090, 2097,

2098.

see HEBREW for 02063

see HEBREW for 02090

see HEBREW for 02097

see HEBREW for 02098

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

זֶה (zeh) — this.

1) this, this one, here, which, this...that, the one...the other, another, such

1a) (alone)

1a1) this one

1a2) this...that, the one...the other, another

1b) (appos to subst)

1b1) this

1c) (as predicate)

1c1) this, such

1d) (enclitically)

1d1) then

1d2) who, whom

1d3) how now, what now

1d4) what now

1d5) wherefore now

1d6) behold here

1d7) just now

1d8) now, now already

1e) (poetry)

1e1) wherein, which, those who

1f) (with prefixes)

1f1) in this (place) here, then

1f2) on these conditions, herewith, thus provided, by, through this, for this cause, in this matter

1f3) thus and thus

1f4) as follows, things such as these, accordingly, to that effect, in like manner, thus and thus

1f5) from here, hence, on one side...on the other side

1f6) on this account

1f7) in spite of this, which, whence, how

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Pron — Particle
HTm
mouth his [is] sweetness and all of him [is] desirableness this [is] lover my and this [is] friend my O daughters of Jerusalem
דוֹדִי֙do.Di [is] lover my H1730 Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
61× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means 'beloved' or 'love', implying a strong affection, and can also refer to an uncle or close relative.
Amplified meaning
my loved one, dear to my heart
Tyndale gloss
beloved
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

דּוֹד (dod) means 'beloved' and can refer to love in a general sense, as well as specifically to an uncle. It is derived from a root meaning 'to boil,' figuratively relating to love. The entries consistently emphasize its meanings related to affection and familial ties.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

דּוֹד n.m. beloved, love (pl.), uncle

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1730 דּוֹד beloved, love (pl.), uncle

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1730 dowd dode

or (shortened) dod {dode}; from an unused root meaning

properly, to boil, i.e. (figuratively) to love; by

implication, a love- token, lover, friend; specifically an

uncle:--(well-)beloved, father's brother, love, uncle.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

דּוֹד (dod) — beloved.

: beloved

1) beloved, love, uncle

1a) loved one, beloved

1b) uncle

1c) love (pl. abstract)

דּוֹד (dod) — beloved: love.

: love

1) beloved, love, uncle

1a) loved one, beloved

1b) uncle

1c) love (pl. abstract)

דּוֹד (dod) — beloved: male relative.

: male_relative

1) beloved, love, uncle

1a) loved one, beloved

1b) uncle

1c) love (pl. abstract)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HNcmsc/Sp1bs
mouth his [is] sweetness and all of him [is] desirableness this [is] lover my and this [is] friend my O daughters of Jerusalem
וְזֶ֣הve.Zeh and this H2088 Conjunction · particle
1,180× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word is a pronoun meaning this or that, used to point out a specific person or thing. It appears in many contexts, including Genesis and Psalms, to indicate something specific. The KJV translates it as he, here, or it.
Tyndale gloss
this
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

זֶה (zeh) is a demonstrative pronoun meaning 'this' or 'here.' It can stand alone, be used appositively, or function as a predicate. The word can also attach enclitically to interrogative pronouns, adding emphasis and directness. In poetry, it may serve as a relative pronoun, though this usage is rare.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

זֶה demonstr.pron. and adv.; fem. זֹאת, once זֹאתָה; this, here

standing alone

In appos. to subst.

More oft. as pred.

It is attached enclitically, almost as an adv., to certain words, esp. interrog. pronouns, to impart, in a manner often not reproducible in Engl. idiom, directness and force, bringing the question or statement made into close relation with the speaker.

In poetry, as a relative pron. (rare)

With prefixes (in special senses)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2088 זֶה demonstr. pron. and adv.; fem. זֹאת, once זֹאתָה; this, here . standing alone

. In appos. to subst.

. More oft. as pred.

. It is attached enclitically, almost as an adv., to certain words, esp. interrog. pronouns, to impart, in a manner often not reproducible in Engl. idiom, directness and force, bringing the question or statement made into close relation with the speaker.

. In poetry, as a relative pron. (rare)

. With prefixes (in special senses)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2088 zeh zeh

a primitive word; the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this

or that:--he, X hence, X here, it(-self), X now, X of him, the

one...the other, X than the other, (X out of) the (self) same,

such (a one) that, these, this (hath, man), on this side...on

that side, X thus, very, which. Compare 2063, 2090, 2097,

2098.

see HEBREW for 02063

see HEBREW for 02090

see HEBREW for 02097

see HEBREW for 02098

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

זֶה (zeh) — this.

1) this, this one, here, which, this...that, the one...the other, another, such

1a) (alone)

1a1) this one

1a2) this...that, the one...the other, another

1b) (appos to subst)

1b1) this

1c) (as predicate)

1c1) this, such

1d) (enclitically)

1d1) then

1d2) who, whom

1d3) how now, what now

1d4) what now

1d5) wherefore now

1d6) behold here

1d7) just now

1d8) now, now already

1e) (poetry)

1e1) wherein, which, those who

1f) (with prefixes)

1f1) in this (place) here, then

1f2) on these conditions, herewith, thus provided, by, through this, for this cause, in this matter

1f3) thus and thus

1f4) as follows, things such as these, accordingly, to that effect, in like manner, thus and thus

1f5) from here, hence, on one side...on the other side

1f6) on this account

1f7) in spite of this, which, whence, how

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Pron — Conjunction · particle
HC/Tm
mouth his [is] sweetness and all of him [is] desirableness this [is] lover my and this [is] friend my O daughters of Jerusalem
רֵעִ֔יre.'I [is] friend my H7453 Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
188× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A neighbor or friend is what this word means, describing someone close to you. It can also refer to a companion, fellow citizen, or another person, and is often translated as brother or friend.
Amplified meaning
my companion, neighbor
Tyndale gloss
neighbor
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רֵעַ (rea`) refers to a friend, companion, or fellow, emphasizing close associations such as brotherhood or intimacy. It can also denote a neighbor or another person in a broader sense. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to associate.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רֵעַ 187 n.m. friend, companion, fellow

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7453 רֵעַ friend, companion, fellow

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7453 rea` ray'-ah

or reya2 {ray'-ah}; from 7462; an associate (more or less

close):--brother, companion, fellow, friend, husband, lover,

neighbour, X (an-)other.

see HEBREW for 0reya2

see HEBREW for 07462

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רֵעַ (re.a) — neighbor.

1) friend, companion, fellow, another person

1a) friend, intimate

1b) fellow, fellow-citizen, another person (weaker sense)

1c) other, another (reciprocal phrase)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HNcmsc/Sp1bs
mouth his [is] sweetness and all of him [is] desirableness this [is] lover my and this [is] friend my O daughters of Jerusalem
בְּנ֖וֹתbe.Not O daughters of H1323 Noun common · feminine plural construct
588× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for daughter is used to describe a female child or a woman, and can also be used figuratively. In the Bible, it is used to describe women like Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah and later of King David.
Amplified meaning
women, female children
Tyndale gloss
Bath (Shua)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בַּת (bat) means 'daughter' and encompasses a range of meanings including female child, young women, and even personifications of cities or inhabitants. It can also refer to villages in certain contexts. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to build' and is used in various figurative senses, such as 'branch' or 'apple of the eye.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בַּת 587 n.f. daughter

daughter, female child

young women, women

with name of city, land, or people, poet. personif. of that city or inhabitants

pl. = villages, after name of city

in phrases denoting character, quality, etc.

ostrich

fig.

of vine = branch

as n. relat.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1323 בַּת daughter . daughter, female child

. young women, women

. with name of city, land, or people, poet. personif. of that city or inhabitants

. pl. = villages, after name of city

. in phrases denoting character, quality, etc.

. ostrich

. fig.

. of vine = branch

. as n. relat.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1323 bath bath

from 1129 (as feminine of 1121); a daughter (used in the same

wide sense as other terms of relationship, literally and

figuratively):--apple (of the eye), branch, company, daughter,

X first, X old, + owl, town, village.

see HEBREW for 01129

see HEBREW for 01121

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בַּת (bat) — daughter.

: daughter

1) daughter

1a) daughter, girl, adopted daughter, daughter-in-law, sister, granddaughters, female child, cousin

1a1) as polite address

1a2) as designation of women of a particular place

2) young women, women

1a3) as personification

1a4) daughter-villages

1a5) description of character

Also means: bat (בַּת ": village" H1323H)

בַּת (bat) — daughter: village.

: village

1) daughter

1a) daughter, girl, adopted daughter, daughter-in-law, sister, granddaughters, female child, cousin

1a1) as polite address

1a2) as designation of women of a particular place

2) young women, women

1a3) as personification

1a4) daughter-villages

1a5) description of character

בַּת (bat) — Bath (Shua).

A woman living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.38.2;

daughter of: Shua (H7770); married to Judah (H3063);

mother of: Er (H6147), Onan (H0209) and Shelah (H7956)

Read the full entry →
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…

mouth his [is] sweetness and all of him [is] desirableness this [is] lover my and this [is] friend my O daughters of Jerusalem
יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ye.ru.sha.Lim Jerusalem H3389 Noun proper
643× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Jerusalem is the capital city of Palestine, also known as the city of peace. It was the chief city of the united kingdom and the nation of Judah after the split.
Amplified meaning
the city of peace
Tyndale gloss
Jerusalem
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫͏ם (Yruwshalaim) refers to Jerusalem, the capital city of Palestine. The name is thought to derive from terms meaning 'founded peaceful' and is linked to its two main hills. It is described as the chief city of the united kingdom and the nation of Judah.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫͏ם, יְרוּשָׁלַ֫יִם 644 n.pr.loc. Jerusalem

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3389 יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫͏ם, יְרוּשָׁלַ֫יִם Jerusalem

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3389 Yruwshalaim yer-oo-shaw-lah'-im

rarely Yruwshalayim {yer-oo- shaw-lah'-yim}; a dual (in

allusion to its two main hills (the true pointing, at least of

the former reading, seems to be that of 3390)); probably from

(the passive participle of) 3384 and 7999; founded peaceful;

Jerushalaim or Jerushalem, the capital city of

Palestine:--Jerusalem.

see HEBREW for 03390

see HEBREW for 03384

see HEBREW for 07999

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם (ye.ru.sha.laim) — Jerusalem.

§ Jerusalem = "teaching of peace"

the chief city of Palestine and capital of the united kingdom and the nation of Judah after the split

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

je-roo'-sa-lem:

I. THE NAME

1. In Cuneiform

2. In Hebrew

3. In Greek and Latin

4. The Meaning of Jerusalem

5. Other Names

II. GEOLOGY, CLIMATE AND SPRINGS

1. Geology

2. Climate and Rainfall

3. The Natural Springs

III. THE NATURAL SITE

1. The Mountains Around

2. The Valleys

3. The Hills

IV. GENERAL TOPOGRAPHY OF JERUSALEM

1. Description of Josephus

2. Summary of the Names of the Five Hills

3. The Akra

4. The Lower City

5. City of David and Zion

V. EXCAVATIONS AND ANTIQUITIES

1. Robinson

2. Wilson, and the Palestine Exploration Fund (1865)

3. Warren and Conder

4. Maudslay

5. Schick

6. Clermont-Ganneau

7. Bliss and Dickie

8. Jerusalem Archaeological Societies

VI. THE CITY'S WALLS AND GATES

1. The Existing Walls

2. Wilson's Theory

3. The Existing Gates

4. Buried Remains of Earlier Walls

5. The Great Dam of the Tyropoeon

6. Ruins of Ancient Gates

7. Josephus' Description of the Walls

8. First Wall

9. Second Wall

10. Third Wall

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Jerusalem

Called also Salem, Ariel, Jebus, the “city of God,” the “holy city;” by the modern Arabs el-Khuds, meaning “the holy;” once “the city of Judah” (2 Chr. 25:28). This name is in the original in the dual form, and means “possession of peace,” or “foundation of peace.” The dual form probably refers to the two mountains on which it was built, viz., Zion and Moriah; or, as some suppose, to the two parts of the city, the “upper” and the “lower city.” Jerusalem is a “mountain city enthroned on a mountain fastness” (comp. Ps. 68:15, 16; 87:1; 125:2; 76:1, 2; 122:3). It stands on the edge of one of the highest table-lands in Palestine, and is surrounded on the south-eastern, the southern, and the western sides by deep and precipitous ravines.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(the habitation of peace), Jerusalem stands in latitude 31 degrees 46’ 35" north and longitude 35 degrees 18’ 30" east of Greenwich. It is 32 miles distant from the sea and 18 from the Jordan, 20 from Hebron and 36 from Samaria. "In several respects," says Dean Stanley, "its situation is singular among the cities of Palestine. Its elevation is remarkable; occasioned not from its being on the summit of one of the numerous hills of Judea, like most of the towns and villages, but because it is on the edge of one of the highest table-lands of the country. Hebron indeed is higher still by some hundred feet, and from the south, accordingly (even from Bethlehem), the approach to Jerusalem is by a slight descent. But from any other side the ascent is perpetual; and to the traveller approaching the city from the east or west it must always have presented the appearance beyond any other capital…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The chief city of the Holy Land, and to the Christian the most illustrious in the world. It is situated in 31 degrees 46’43" N. lat., and 35 degrees 13’ E. long. on elevated ground south of the center of the country, about thirty-seven miles from the Mediterranean, and about twenty-four from the Jordan. Its site was early hallowed by God’s trial of Abraham’s faith, Ge 22:1-24 2Ch 3:1. It was on the border of the tribes of Benjamin and Judah, mostly within the limits of the former, but reckoned as belonging to the latter, because conquered by it, Jos 15:8 18:16,28 Jud 1:18. The most ancient name of the city was Salem, Ge…

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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