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Song of Solomon 7:5 — Word Study

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WLCרֹאשֵׁ֤ךְ עָלַ֙יִךְ֙ כַּכַּרְמֶ֔ל וְדַלַּ֥ת רֹאשֵׁ֖ךְ כָּאַרְגָּמָ֑ן מֶ֖לֶךְ אָס֥וּר בָּרְהָטִֽים׃

BSAcrowns youʻal [crowned with beauty]

Word
Listen & take awaySong of Solomon 7
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 (ba.re.ha.Tim) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
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Song of Solomon 7:5quick helps
In a sentenceThe beauty of the beloved is compared to Mount Carmel and royal purple, captivating the king.
Who is speakingThe speaker is expressing admiration for their beloved.
Where we areThe Song of Solomon, a poetic celebration of love.
The hard wordאָס֥וּר
Take awayThe beloved's beauty enchants and holds the king captive.
clause subjectשַׁעַר verbבַּת רַבִּים 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 7:5

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 Beauty of the Belovedgenerated

4Your neck is like a tower made of ivory; your eyes are like the pools of Heshbon by the gate of Bath-rabbim; your nose is like the tower of Lebanon, facing toward Damascus.
5Your head crowns you like Mount Carmel, the hair of your head like purple threads; the king is captured in your tresses.
6How fair and pleasant you are, O love, with your delights!
7Your stature is like a palm tree; your breasts are clusters of fruit.

Song of Solomon 7:5 describes the beloved's head as a crown, likening it to Mount Carmel, a symbol of beauty and abundance. The hair is compared to royal purple threads, emphasizing luxury and nobility. The verse concludes with the king being captivated by the beloved's tresses, highlighting the power of beauty and love in this poetic context.


The Key Word רֹאשֵׁךְ, ro.Shekhgenerated

The word רֹאשׁ (ro'sh) means 'head' and encompasses various meanings related to position and rank. In this verse, it signifies the beauty and prominence of the beloved, as well as their authority in the speaker's heart.

The construct form indicates possession, showing that this head, crowned with beauty, belongs to the beloved. The imagery of a crown elevates the beloved's status, suggesting that they are cherished and esteemed.


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 main clause centers on the subject מֶ֖לֶךְ, the king, with the verb אָס֥וּר, is captured, indicating the king's enthrallment. The structure is complex, with multiple prepositional phrases elaborating on the beauty of the beloved.

The sentence begins with the subject followed by descriptive phrases that enhance the imagery of the beloved's beauty, emphasizing the connection between physical attributes and emotional impact.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates רֹאשֵׁךְ as σου, meaning 'your,' which maintains the possessive nature of the original text. This choice highlights the intimate connection between the speaker and the beloved.

The translation of כַּכַּרְמֶל as ἐλεφάντινος suggests a focus on beauty and grandeur, perhaps indicating a broader interpretation of the beloved's attributes.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Song of Solomon 7:5 compares the beloved's head to Mount Carmel, a symbol of beauty, and their hair to royal purple threads. The king is captivated by the beloved's tresses, illustrating the power of love and attraction.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that the beloved's head is like Mount Carmel?

It signifies beauty and abundance, as Mount Carmel is known for its fertile land.

Why is the hair compared to purple threads?

Purple is a color associated with royalty and luxury, emphasizing the beloved's noble beauty.

What does it mean that the king is captured in the beloved's tresses?

It suggests that the king is enthralled and captivated by the beloved's beauty and charm.

How does this verse reflect the theme of love in the Song of Solomon?

It highlights the admiration and desire between lovers, using rich imagery to convey deep emotional connections.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What qualities do you find most beautiful in someone you love?
  2. How can you express admiration for those you cherish in your life?
  3. In what ways does beauty impact relationships and connections?
  4. How does the imagery in this verse resonate with your 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

Your head crowns you like Mount Carmel, the hair of your head like purple threads; the king is captured in your tresses.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Your head on you is like Carmel. The hair of your head like purple. The king is held captive in its tresses.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Your head crowns you like Mount Carmel, the hair of your head like purple threads; the king is captured in your tresses.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Your head crowns you like Mount Carmel. The locks of your hair are like royal tapestries – the king is held captive in its tresses!

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Thine head upon thee is like Carmel, and the hair of thine head like purple; the king is held in the galleries.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Thy head upon thee is like Carmel, And the hair of thy head like purple; The king is held captive in the tresses thereof.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Thine head upon thee is like Carmel, and the hair of thine head like purple; the king is held captive in the tresses thereof.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Thy head upon thee is like Carmel, and the hair of thy head like purple; the king is held in the galleries.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Thine head vpon thee is as skarlet, and the bush of thine head like purple: the King is tyed in the rafters.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Thy head upon thee is like Carmel, And the locks of thy head like purple; The king is fettered by [thy] ringlets!

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Thy head upon thee as Carmel, And the locks of thy head as purple, The king is bound with the flowings!

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Your head on you as Carmel, || And the locks of your head as purple, || The king is bound with the flowings!

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

(7:6) Thy head upon thee is like Carmel, and the hair of thy head like purple: a king is held bound in the tresses.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Your head is on you like Carmel; the hair on your head is dark purple. The king is held captive by its tresses.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Thy head is like Carmel: and the hairs of thy head as the purple of the king bound in the channels.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Your head is as magnificent as Mount Carmel; your black hair has a purple sheen, as if a king was held captive in your locks!

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Your head is like Carmel, and the hair of your head is like purple, in whose net the king is prisoner.

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 · subjectnoun phraseרֹאשֵׁ֤headךְyourprepositional phraseעָלַ֨יִonךְ֙youprepositional phrase · predicateכַּ[is].likenoun phrase(the)כַּרְמֶ֔לCarmelוְandclausenoun phrase · subjectדַלַּ֥תthe.hairnoun phraseרֹאשֵׁ֖your.headךְyourprepositional phrase · predicateכָּ[is].like.(the)noun phrasepurpleאַרְגָּמָ֑ןwoolclausesubjectמֶ֖לֶךְ[the].kingverbאָס֥וּר[is].boundprepositional phrase · prepositionalבָּbynoun phrasetheרְהָטִֽיםtresses

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 show significant agreement, with 7 of the 9 words matched. However, the Dead Sea Scrolls contain some variations, with several words partly restored and others fully supplied by an editor, indicating some textual differences.

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

רֹאשֵׁ֤ךְ עָלַ֙יִךְ֙ כַּכַּרְמֶ֔ל וְדַלַּ֥ת רֹאשֵׁ֖ךְ כָּאַרְגָּמָ֑ן מֶ֖לֶךְ אָס֥וּר בָּרְהָטִֽים׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
רֹאשֵׁ֤ךְσουעָלַ֙יִךְ֙πύργοςכַּכַּרְמֶ֔לἐλεφάντινοςוְדַלַּ֥תσουרֹאשֵׁ֖ךְἐνכָּאַרְגָּמָ֑ןἐνמֶ֖לֶךְπύλαις

7 of the 9 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 — 4Q106a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[צואר׳ך] [כמגדל] [השן] עיני׳ך ברכות בחשבון [על] [שער] [בת] [רבים] [אפ׳ך] [כמגדל] הלבנון צפה פני דמשק

5 words on the leather — 2 partly restored, 9 supplied entire by an editor.

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


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

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

Song of Solomon 7:5רֹאשׁhead yourhead yourרֹאשׁעַלon youon youעַלכַּרְמֶל[is] like C[is] like Carmeכַּרְמֶלדַּלָּהand [the] hand [the] hair דַּלָּהרֹאשׁhead yourhead yourרֹאשׁאַרְגָּמָן[is] like p[is] like purplאַרְגָּמָןמֶ֫לֶךְ[the] king[the] kingמֶ֫לֶךְאָסַר[is] bound[is] boundאָסַררַ֫הַטby the tresby the tressesרַ֫הַטדָּלָהto draw (uto draw (up/outדָּלָהמָלַךְto reignto reignמָלַךְעַלheightheightעַלכַּרְמֶלplantationplantationכַּרְמֶלעֲטָרָהcrowncrownעֲטָרָהנָשִׂיאleaderleaderנָשִׂיאכִּפֶּרto atoneto atoneכִּפֶּרכִּסֵּאthronethroneכִּסֵּאבָּשָׁןBashanBashanבָּשָׁןלְבָנוֹן(Valley of(Valley of) Lebלְבָנוֹןשָׁאַרto remainto remainשָׁאַררֹאשׁheadheadרֹאשׁבּוּץfine linenfine linenבּוּץשָׁנִיscarletscarletשָׁנִינְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּרNebuchadneNebuchadnezzarנְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּראַשּׁוּרAsshurAsshurאַשּׁוּראִסָּרinjunctioninjunctionאִסָּרעֲבֹתcordcordעֲבֹת
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 7:5

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.

head your on you [is] like Carmel and [the] hair of head your [is] like purple wool [the] king [is] bound by the tresses
רֹאשֵׁ֤ךְro.Shekh head your H7218 Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
600× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means chief or prince, and is used to describe leaders in the Bible, such as in the book of 1 Samuel. It signifies a position of authority and importance.
Tyndale gloss
head
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רֹאשׁ (ro'sh) means 'head' and encompasses various meanings related to position and rank. It can refer to the head of a person or animal, the top of a mountain, or a chief in various contexts, such as a city or nation. The word also signifies beginnings and sums, appearing in phrases related to enumeration. Additionally, it serves as a proper noun for 'Rosh,' a title for a chief or prince.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רֹאשׁ 599 n.m.

(c. 230 t.) head, of human being

head, of animals

top (88 t.)

height, of stars

head = chief (man)

= chief (city)

chief nation

= chief (place, position)

= chief priest

= head of a family

head = front, leader's place

of time, beginning, of night watch

of things, river-heads

chief, choicest, best, of spices

head = division of army, company, band

= sum, esp. in phr. take sum of, enumerate

other phr.

base

רֹאשׁ n.pr.gent. Rôsh

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7218a רֹאשׁ . . (c. 230 t.) head, of human being

. head, of animals

. . top (88 t.)

. height, of stars

. . head = chief (man)

. = chief (city)

. chief nation

. = chief (place, position)

. = chief priest

. = head of a family

. . head = front, leader's place

. of time, beginning, of night watch

. of things, river-heads

. chief, choicest, best, of spices

. head = division of army, company, band

. = sum, esp. in phr. take sum of, enumerate

. other phr.

H7218b רֹאשׁ n. pr. gent. Rôsh

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7218 ro'sh roshe

from an unused root apparently meaning to shake; the head (as

most easily shaken), whether literal or figurative (in many

applications, of place, time, rank, itc.):--band, beginning,

captain, chapiter, chief(-est place, man, things), company,

end, X every (man), excellent, first, forefront, ((be-))head,

height, (on) high(-est part, (priest)), X lead, X poor,

principal, ruler, sum, top.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רֹאשׁ (rosh) — head.

: head

1) head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning

1a) head (of man, animals)

1b) top, tip (of mountain)

1c) height (of stars)

1d) chief, head (of man, city, nation, place, family, priest)

1e) head, front, beginning

1f) chief, choicest, best

1g) head, division, company, band

1h) sum

רֹאשׁ (rosh) — prince.

Rosh, a tite for a chief or prince

רֹאשׁ (rosh) — head: leader.

: leader

1) head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning

1a) head (of man, animals)

1b) top, tip (of mountain)

1c) height (of stars)

1d) chief, head (of man, city, nation, place, family, priest)

1e) head, front, beginning

1f) chief, choicest, best

1g) head, division, company, band

1h) sum

רֹאשׁ (rosh) — head: top.

: top/best

1) head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning

1a) head (of man, animals)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcmsc/Sp2fs — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HNcmsc/Sp2fs
head your on you [is] like Carmel and [the] hair of head your [is] like purple wool [the] king [is] bound by the tresses
עָלַ֙יִךְ֙'a.La.yikh on you H5921 Preposition · suffix
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.
Amplified meaning
crowned with beauty
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 · suffix
HR/Sp2fs
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
head your on you [is] like Carmel and [the] hair of head your [is] like purple wool [the] king [is] bound by the tresses
כַּכַּרְמֶ֔לka.kar.Mel [is] like Carmel H3760 Preposition · noun proper
22× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Mount Carmel is a hill and town in northern Israel, described in the Bible as a fruitful and plentiful field, as seen in 1 Kings 18. The name means garden-land.
Tyndale gloss
(Mount) Carmel
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כַּרְמֶל (kar-mel) refers to both a mountain and a town in Palestine, specifically known as Carmel. The name suggests meanings related to fertility and abundance, translating to 'garden-land.' It is located on the Mediterranean coast and south of Hebron, with fertile slopes noted in the entries.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כַּרְמֶל n.pr.mont. et urb. Carmel

mt.-promontory on Mediterranean, with fertile slopes, Tel el-Amarna

city, 3 h. S. of Hebron

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3760 כַּרְמֶל n. pr. mont. et urb. Carmel . mt.-promontory on Mediterranean, with fertile slopes, Tel el-Amarna

. city, 3 h. S. of Hebron

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3760 Karmel kar-mel'

the same as 3759; Karmel, the name of a hill and of a town in

Palestine:--Carmel, fruitful (plentiful) field, (place).

see HEBREW for 03759

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כַּרְמֶל (kar.mel) — Carmel.

§ Carmel = "garden-land"

a town in the mountains on the west side of the Dead Sea and south of Hebron

כַּרְמֶל (kar.mel) — (Mount) Carmel.

§ Carmel = "garden-land"

a mountain on the Mediterranean coast of northern Israel, just below Haifa

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HRd/Npl — Preposition · noun proper
HRd/Npl
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

(1) A beautifully wooded mountain range running for about 13 miles in a south-easterly direction from the promontory which drops on the shore of the Mediterranean near Haifa, at the southern extremity of the plain of Acre, to the height of el-Machraqah which overlooks the plain of Esdraelon. On the top of the promontory, at a height of 500 ft. the monastery of Elias stands. From this point there is a gradual ascent until the greatest height is reached at Esfiyeh (1,742 ft.), the peak at el-Machraqah being only some 55 ft. lower. The mountain--usually named with the article, "the Carmel"--still justifies its name, "the garden with fruit trees." The steep slopes on the North and East, indeed, afford little scope for cultivation, although trees and brushwood grow abundantly. But to the South and West the mountain falls away to the sea and the plain in a series of long, fertile valleys…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Carmel

A park; generally with the article, “the park.” (1.) A prominent headland of Central Palestine, consisting of several connected hills extending from the plain of Esdraelon to the sea, a distance of some 12 miles or more. At the east end, in its highest part, it is 1,728 feet high, and at the west end it forms a promontory to the bay of Acre about 600 feet above the sea. It lay within the tribe of Asher. It was here, at the east end of the ridge, at a place called el-Mukhrakah (i.e., the place of burning), that Elijah brought back the people to their allegiance to God, and slew the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18). Here were consumed the “fifties” of the royal guard; and here also Elisha received the visit of the bereaved mother whose son was restored by him to life (2 Kings 4:25-37). “No mountain in or around Palestine retains its…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(fruitful place or park). A mountain which forms one of the most striking and characteristic features of the country of Palestine. It is a noble ridge, the only headland of lower and central Palestine, and forms its southern boundary, running out with a bold bluff promontory, nearly 600 feet high, almost into the very waves of the Mediterranean, then extending southeast for a little more than twelve miles, when it terminates suddenly in a bluff somewhat corresponding to its western end. In form Carmel is a tolerably continuous ridge, its highest point,a bout four miles from the eastern end, being 1740 feet above the sea. That which has made the name of Carmel most familiar to the modern world is its intimate connection with the history of the two great prophets of Israel, Elijah and Elisha. (2 Kings 2:25; 4:25;

A fruitful field,

1. A city of Judah, on a mountain of the same name, eight miles south by east of Hebron, Jos 15:55. On this mountain Saul, returning from his expedition against Amalek, erected a trophy; and here Nabal the Carmelite, Abigail’s husband, dwelt, 1Sa 15:12,25. Its ruins indicate that it was a large place.

2. A celebrated range of hills running northwest from the Plain of Esdraelon, and ending in the promontory which forms the bay of Acre. Its greatest height is about 1,500 feet; at its northeastern foot runs the brook Kishon, and a little farther north, the river Belus. On its northern point stands a convent of the Carmelite friars, an order established in the twelfth century, and having at the present day various branches in Europe. The foot of the northern part…

head your on you [is] like Carmel and [the] hair of head your [is] like purple wool [the] king [is] bound by the tresses
וְדַלַּ֥תve.da.Lat and [the] hair of H1803 Conjunction · noun common feminine singular construct
8× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word describes someone who is poor or helpless, like a loose thread hanging by itself. It is often used to describe people who are struggling or in need.
Tyndale gloss
hair
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

דַּלָּה (dallah) refers to both 'hair' and 'the poor.' It is derived from a root meaning something that dangles, such as loose threads or hair. The term covers the concept of indigence, often associated with the most helpless individuals. The entries consistently highlight these two primary meanings without significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

דַּלָּה n.f. coll. hair, thrum

base

[דַּלָּה] n.f. the poor

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1803a דַּלָּה coll. hair, thrum H1803b דַּלָּה the poor

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1803 dallah dal-law'

from 1802; properly, something dangling, i.e. a loose thread

or hair; figuratively, indigent:--hair, pining sickness,

poor(-est sort).

see HEBREW for 01802

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

דַּלָּה (dal.lah) — hair.

hair, threads, thrum (threads of warp hanging in loom)

דַּלָּה (dal.lah) — poor.

1) poor (usually coll of helpless people)

2)(TWOT) poorest, lowest

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HC/Ncfsc — Conjunction · noun common feminine singular construct
HC/Ncfsc
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…

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
head your on you [is] like Carmel and [the] hair of head your [is] like purple wool [the] king [is] bound by the tresses
רֹאשֵׁ֖ךְro.Shekh head your H7218 Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
600× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means chief or prince, and is used to describe leaders in the Bible, such as in the book of 1 Samuel. It signifies a position of authority and importance.
Tyndale gloss
head
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רֹאשׁ (ro'sh) means 'head' and encompasses various meanings related to position and rank. It can refer to the head of a person or animal, the top of a mountain, or a chief in various contexts, such as a city or nation. The word also signifies beginnings and sums, appearing in phrases related to enumeration. Additionally, it serves as a proper noun for 'Rosh,' a title for a chief or prince.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רֹאשׁ 599 n.m.

(c. 230 t.) head, of human being

head, of animals

top (88 t.)

height, of stars

head = chief (man)

= chief (city)

chief nation

= chief (place, position)

= chief priest

= head of a family

head = front, leader's place

of time, beginning, of night watch

of things, river-heads

chief, choicest, best, of spices

head = division of army, company, band

= sum, esp. in phr. take sum of, enumerate

other phr.

base

רֹאשׁ n.pr.gent. Rôsh

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7218a רֹאשׁ . . (c. 230 t.) head, of human being

. head, of animals

. . top (88 t.)

. height, of stars

. . head = chief (man)

. = chief (city)

. chief nation

. = chief (place, position)

. = chief priest

. = head of a family

. . head = front, leader's place

. of time, beginning, of night watch

. of things, river-heads

. chief, choicest, best, of spices

. head = division of army, company, band

. = sum, esp. in phr. take sum of, enumerate

. other phr.

H7218b רֹאשׁ n. pr. gent. Rôsh

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7218 ro'sh roshe

from an unused root apparently meaning to shake; the head (as

most easily shaken), whether literal or figurative (in many

applications, of place, time, rank, itc.):--band, beginning,

captain, chapiter, chief(-est place, man, things), company,

end, X every (man), excellent, first, forefront, ((be-))head,

height, (on) high(-est part, (priest)), X lead, X poor,

principal, ruler, sum, top.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רֹאשׁ (rosh) — head.

: head

1) head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning

1a) head (of man, animals)

1b) top, tip (of mountain)

1c) height (of stars)

1d) chief, head (of man, city, nation, place, family, priest)

1e) head, front, beginning

1f) chief, choicest, best

1g) head, division, company, band

1h) sum

רֹאשׁ (rosh) — prince.

Rosh, a tite for a chief or prince

רֹאשׁ (rosh) — head: leader.

: leader

1) head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning

1a) head (of man, animals)

1b) top, tip (of mountain)

1c) height (of stars)

1d) chief, head (of man, city, nation, place, family, priest)

1e) head, front, beginning

1f) chief, choicest, best

1g) head, division, company, band

1h) sum

רֹאשׁ (rosh) — head: top.

: top/best

1) head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning

1a) head (of man, animals)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcmsc/Sp2fs — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HNcmsc/Sp2fs
head your on you [is] like Carmel and [the] hair of head your [is] like purple wool [the] king [is] bound by the tresses
כָּאַרְגָּמָ֑ןka.'ar.ga.Man [is] like purple wool H713 Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
38× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for purple, describing the color or dyed fabric, is used in the Bible to describe royal garments, like those worn by King Solomon. In Exodus 28:5, it is used to describe the priestly robes. The color symbolized wealth and power.
Tyndale gloss
purple
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אַרְגָּמָן (argaman) refers to the color purple or the dyed material itself, specifically purple thread and cloth. The entries indicate that it encompasses shades of purple and red-purple, with a focus on its use in textiles.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אַרְגָּמָן n.[m.] purple, red-purple, i.e. purple thread & cloth

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H713 אַרְגָּמָן purple

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

713 'argaman ar-gaw-mawn'

of foreign origin; purple (the color or the dyed

stuff):--purple.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אַרְגָּמָן (ar.ga.man) — purple.

purple, red-purple

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HRd/Ncmsa — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
HRd/Ncmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

wool (tsemer; erion): Wool and flax were the fibers most used by the ancient weavers. Wool was used principally for the outside garments (Le 13:48 ff; Pr 31:13; Eze 34:3; Ho 2:5,9). Syrian wool is found on the world's markets today, but it is not rated as first quality, partly because it is so contaminated with thorns, straw and other foreign matter which become entangled with the wool while the sheep are wandering over the barren, rocky mountain sides in search of food. Extensive pastures are almost unknown.

Two kinds of wool are sold:

(1) That obtained by shearing. This is removed from the animal as far as possible in one piece or fleece usually without previous washing.…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Wool

One of the first material used for making woven cloth (Lev. 13:47, 48, 52, 59; 19:19). The first-fruit of wool was to be offered to the priests (Deut. 18:4). The law prohibiting the wearing of a garment “of divers sorts, as of woollen and linen together” (Deut. 22:11) may, like some other laws of a similar character, have been intended to express symbolically the separateness and simplicity of God’s covenant people. The wool of Damascus, famous for its whiteness, was of great repute in the Tyrian market (Ezek. 27:18).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

was an article of the highest value among the Jews, as the staple material for the manufacture of clothing. (Leviticus 13:47; 22:11; Job 31:20; Proverbs 31:13; Ezekiel 34:3; Hosea 2:5) The importance of wool is incidentally shown by the notice that Mesha’s tribute was paid in a certain number of rams "with the wool." (2 Kings 3:1) The wool of Damascus was highly prized in the mart of Tyre. (Ezekiel 27:18)

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Used for clothing Le 13:47-52,59; Pr 31:13; Eze 34:3; 44:17

→ Prohibited in the priest' s temple dress Eze 44:17

→ Mixing of, with other fabrics forbidden Le 19:19; De 22:11

→ Fleece of Jud 6:37

→ First fleece of, belonged to the priests De 18:4

head your on you [is] like Carmel and [the] hair of head your [is] like purple wool [the] king [is] bound by the tresses
מֶ֖לֶךְMe.lekh [the] king H4428 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
2,526× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a king or royal person, like King David or King Saul. It can also describe something related to a king, like the King's Valley in Genesis. The Bible often uses this word to talk about the rulers of Israel.
Tyndale gloss
King's
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word מֶ֫לֶךְ (*melek*) means 'king.' It is derived from a root that suggests royalty. The term appears in various contexts, including references to specific kings and locations, such as the 'King's Highway' in Numbers 20:17 and the 'King's Valley' in Genesis 14:17. The lexicons note its Aramaic equivalent and mention its use in the context of individuals like Hammelech in Jeremiah.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מֶ֫לֶךְ 2513 n.m. king

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4428 מֶ֫לֶךְ king

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4428 melek meh'-lek

from 4427; a king:--king, royal.

see HEBREW for 04427

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — king.

1) king

Aramaic equivalent: me.lekh (מֶ֫לֶךְ "king" H4430)

הַמֶּלֶךְ (me.lekh) — `the king`.

'the king' or a name, Hammelech in KJV of Jer.36.26; 38.6- a man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at Jer.36.26;

father of: Jerahmeel (H3396I) and Malchijah (H4441H); also translated "the king";

§ A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at Jer.36.26;

father of: Jerahmeel (H3396I) and Malchijah (H4441H); also translated "the king";

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — King's.

King's (Highway) (Num.20.17)

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — King's.

Another name of she.lach (שֶׁ֫לַח "Shelah" H7975A)

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — Milcom.

Another name of mo.lekh (מֹ֫לֶךְ "Molech" H4432)

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — King's.

King's (Valley) (Gen.14.17)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcmsa — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

King

Is in Scripture very generally used to denote one invested with authority, whether extensive or limited. There were thirty-one kings in Canaan (Josh. 12:9, 24), whom Joshua subdued. Adonibezek subdued seventy kings (Judg. 1:7). In the New Testament the Roman emperor is spoken of as a king (1 Pet. 2:13, 17); and Herod Antipas, who was only a tetrarch, is also called a king (Matt. 14:9; Mark 6:22).

This title is applied to God (1 Tim. 1:17), and to Christ, the Son of God (1 Tim. 6:15, 16;

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Called KING OF KINGS Ezr 7:12; Eze 26:7; Da 2:37

→ Divinely authorized De 17:15; 1Sa 9:16,17; 16:12; 1Ch 22:10; 2Ch 2:11,12; Pr 8:15; Da 2:21,37; 4:17; 5:20; Ho 8:4; 13:11

→ How chosen

By divine appointment, Saul 1Sa 10:1

head your on you [is] like Carmel and [the] hair of head your [is] like purple wool [the] king [is] bound by the tresses
אָס֥וּר'a.Sur [is] bound H631 Verb · Qal · participle (passive) masculine singular
72× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to bind or tie something, like when God made a covenant with the Israelites. It can also mean to prepare for battle or to be imprisoned. In different contexts, it involves joining or fastening things together, whether physically or metaphorically.
Tyndale gloss
to bind
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָסַר (asar) is a Hebrew verb meaning to tie or bind, with a range of applications including imprisonment and the figurative sense of obligation, such as oaths. It can also refer to preparing for battle or being taken prisoner. The entries indicate that it can be used in various forms, including Qal, Niphal, and Pual, each with slightly different nuances.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[אָסַר] vb. tie, bind, imprison

Qal

tie, bind, for security

tie, harness

bind, with cords

gird (rare & late)

begin the battle, make the attack

fig. of obligation of oath or vow

Niph. be bound, imprisoned

Pu. be taken prisoner

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H631 [אָסַר] tie, bind, imprison .. tie, bind, for security

. tie, harness

. bind, with cords

. gird (rare & late)

. begin the battle, make the attack

. fig. of obligation of oath or vow

. be bound, imprisoned

. be taken prisoner

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

631 'acar aw-sar'

a primitive root; to yoke or hitch; by analogy, to fasten in

any sense, to join battle:--bind, fast, gird, harness, hold,

keep, make ready, order, prepare, prison(-er), put in bonds,

set in array, tie.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָסַר (a.sar) — to bind.

1) to tie, bind, imprison

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to tie, bind

1a2) to tie, harness

1a3) to bind (with cords)

1a4) to gird (rare and late)

1a5) to begin the battle, make the attack

1a6) of obligation of oath (figurative)

1b) (Niphal) to be imprisoned, bound

1c) (Pual) to be taken prisoner

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVqsmsa — Verb · Qal · participle (passive) masculine singular
HVqsmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

See BIND.

head your on you [is] like Carmel and [the] hair of head your [is] like purple wool [the] king [is] bound by the tresses
בָּרְהָטִֽים׃ba.re.ha.Tim by the tresses H7298 Preposition · noun common masculine plural absolute
4× 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 lock of hair or a channel for water, like a gutter or trough. It is used to describe the temple's design in Ezekiel 40-42. The word is also used to describe a ringlet of hair.
Tyndale gloss
trough
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רַ֫הַט (rahat) refers to a trough, typically used for watering cattle, and also to a lock of hair, though the latter meaning is uncertain. The word is derived from a root suggesting hollowing out, and it conveys the idea of a channel or gutter. It appears in contexts related to both water collection and hair.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[רַ֫הַט] n.[m.] trough (where water is collected?);—for watering cattle

base

[רַ֫הַט] n.[m.] dub., lock of hair (?fr. flowing down);—pl. Ct 7:6.

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7298a רַ֫הַט trough (where water is collected?); for watering cattle H7298b רַ֫הַט dub., lock of hair (?fr. flowing down)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7298 rahat rah'-hat

from an unused root apparently meaning to hollow out; a

channel or watering-box; by resemblance a ringlet of hair (as

forming parallel lines):--gallery, gutter, trough.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רַ֫הַט (ra.hat) — trough.

trough, hollow

רַ֫הַט (ra.hat) — lock.

1) lock of hair

1a) meaning uncertain

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HRd/Ncmpa — Preposition · noun common masculine plural absolute
HRd/Ncmpa
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
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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