Zechariah 9:3 — Word Study
WLCוַתִּ֥בֶן צֹ֛ר מָצ֖וֹר לָ֑הּ וַתִּצְבָּר־ כֶּ֙סֶף֙ כֶּֽעָפָ֔ר וְחָר֖וּץ כְּטִ֥יט חוּצֽוֹת׃
BSATyreTsôr [a major Phoenician city] has builtbânâh▸ [established, constructed] a fortressmâtsôwr [stronghold, place of entrenchment] she has heaped uptsâbar▸ [gathered, piled] silverkeçeph [money, wealth] like dustʻâphâr [dry earth, clay] and goldchărûwts [fine gold, something sharp] like the dirtṭîyṭ [mud, mire] of the streetschûwts [outside, outdoors, public ways]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וַתִּ֥בֶן | and it built | Verb, Qal, sequential imperfect third person feminine singular |
| צֹ֛ר | Tyre | Noun proper |
| מָצ֖וֹר | a fortification | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| לָ֑הּ | for itself | Preposition, suffix |
| וַתִּצְבָּר־ | and it heaped up | Verb, Qal, sequential imperfect third person feminine singular |
| כֶּ֙סֶף֙ | silver | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| כֶּֽעָפָ֔ר | like dust | Preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| וְחָר֖וּץ | and gold | Conjunction, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| כְּטִ֥יט | like [the] mud of | Preposition, noun common masculine singular construct |
| חוּצֽוֹת׃ | [the] streets | Noun common, feminine plural absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Tyre has built herself a fortress; she has heaped up silver like dust, and gold like the dirt of the streets. |
| KJV | And Tyrus did build herself a strong hold, and heaped up silver as the dust, and fine gold as the mire of the streets. |
| ASV | And Tyre did build herself a stronghold, and heaped up silver as the dust, and fine gold as the mire of the streets. |
| YLT | And Tyre doth build a bulwark to herself, And doth heap silver as dust, And gold as mire of out-places. |
| WEB | Tyre built herself a stronghold, and heaped up silver like the dust, and fine gold like the mire of the streets. |
| BBE | And Tyre made for herself a strong place, and got together silver like dust and the best gold like the earth of the streets. |
Where they part company is מָצוֹר — see How Translations Differ.
The main clause is followed by two comparative phrases, illustrating the extent of Tyre's wealth.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectצֹר
verbבָּנָה
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
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 — Zechariah 9:3
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 — Prophecy Against Tyregenerated
Zechariah 9:3 addresses the city of Tyre, highlighting its self-built defenses and immense wealth. Despite its strength and riches, the prophecy warns of impending judgment, as seen in the following verses. Tyre's prosperity does not shield it from divine retribution, a theme echoed throughout the prophetic literature.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joshua 19:29 | The border then turned back toward Ramah as far as the fortified city of Tyre, turned toward Hosah, and came out at the Sea in the region of Achzib, |
| 2 | 2 Samuel 24:7 | They went toward the fortress of Tyre and all the cities of the Hivites and Canaanites. Finally, they went on to the Negev of Judah, to Beersheba. |
| 3 | 1 Kings 10:27 | The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as abundant as sycamore in the foothills. |
| 4 | Job 22:24 | and consign your gold to the dust and the gold of Ophir to the stones of the ravines, |
| 5 | Job 27:16 | Though he heaps up silver like dust and piles up a wardrobe like clay, |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 8 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — צֹר, Tzorgenerated
The Hebrew word צֹר (tzor) refers specifically to Tyre, a major city known for its strategic location and commercial wealth. This proper noun is significant in biblical history, representing not just a geographical location but also a center of trade and influence in the ancient world.
Tyre is often depicted in the Bible as a powerful city, and its mention here sets the stage for the prophecy's focus on its fate. The parsing as a noun proper indicates its unique identity, while its root meaning, associated with 'rock', suggests stability and strength, which will soon be challenged.
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 finite verb וַתִּ֥בֶן (va.Ti.ven), meaning 'and it built', governs the main clause, with two actions described: building a fortress and heaping up wealth. The structure emphasizes Tyre's self-sufficiency and ambition.
The sentence unfolds with a series of phrases detailing Tyre's actions: first, the construction of a stronghold, followed by the accumulation of silver and gold. This sequential structure highlights the city's efforts to secure itself materially and militarily.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates וַתִּ֥בֶן as ᾠκοδόμησεν (oikodomēsen), meaning 'it built'. This choice reflects a direct correspondence to the Hebrew, emphasizing Tyre's act of construction.
The translation of מָצוֹר as ὀξυρώματα indicates a focus on the fortification aspect, aligning with the Hebrew's connotation of a stronghold while also suggesting a sense of urgency in Tyre's defenses.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Zechariah 9:3 describes how Tyre built a fortress for itself and accumulated wealth in the form of silver and gold. The comparison of silver to dust and gold to mud illustrates the vastness of its riches, but the subsequent verses warn of judgment despite this prosperity.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
This indicates Tyre's efforts to secure itself against threats, showcasing its strength and independence.
This simile emphasizes the abundance of wealth Tyre possessed, suggesting that silver was so plentiful it was as common as dust.
The prophecy serves as a warning that despite Tyre's wealth and defenses, it is not immune to divine judgment.
It reflects the theme of God's sovereignty over nations, illustrating that human strength and wealth cannot protect against His plans.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What are some ways we try to build our own fortresses in life, and how do they compare to trusting in God?
- How can we recognize the abundance we have, even when it feels insignificant?
- In what ways do we see wealth being used for security in our lives today?
- What lessons can we learn from Tyre's fate about the fleeting nature of material wealth?
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Zechariah 9:3 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAnd Tyrus did build herself a strong hold,.... Tyre was built upon a rock, and was a strong fortress itself, from whence it had its name; and, besides its natural defence, it had a wall one hundred
Read John Gill on Zechariah 9 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd Tyrus did build herself a strong hold, and heaped up silver as the dust, and fine gold as the mire of the streets. And Tyrus did build herself a strong hold.
Read Robert Jamieson on Zechariah 9 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleTyrus; which was naturally a strong hold, situate on a great rock in the sea. Did build herself a strong hold; fortified herself mightily, and then thought herself impregnable. Heaped up silver; gathered treasure, and laid it up, so that there was no end of it. As the dust: it is a proverbial speech, and speaks the very rich stores of their gold and silver, by which they might buy their peace, or maintain their war. So that here is wisdom, strength, and treasure, the master sinews of war, yet all these cannot profit them in the day of their calamities approaching.
Read Matthew Poole on Zechariah 9 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsZechariah 9:3 And Tyrus did build herself a strong hold, and heaped up silver as the dust, and fine gold as the mire of the streets.Ver. 3. And Tyrus did build herself a stronghold] Thor did build herself Matsor; an elegance not to be translated (such as are many in the Old Testament, but especially in Isaiah). It is as if it should be said, A stronghold (such as Tyre, which was naturally fortified) did build itself a stronghold, sc. by the industry and diligence of men; so that she might seem impregnable; yet all should not do. Alexander, after seven months’ siege, took it, and destroyed it. And heaped up silver as dust] Pulverizavit argentum quasi pulverem. She had money enough (by means…
Read John Trapp on Zechariah 9 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 3. And Tyrus did build herself] The rock on which Tyre was built was strongly fortified; and that she had abundance of riches has been already seen, Ezekiel 28:1, &c.
Read AdamClarke on Zechariah 9 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges3. a strong hold] There is a paronomasia, or play on the words ‘Tyre’ and ‘stronghold,’ in the Hebrew. The reference is to the strongly fortified position of Tyre, which when Alexander attacked it “was situated on an island, nearly half a mile from the mainland. It was completely surrounded by prodigious walls, the loftiest portion of which on the side fronting the mainland reached a height not less than 150 feet; and notwithstanding his persevering efforts he could not have succeeded in his attempt, if the harbour of Tyre to the north had not been blockaded by the Cyprians, and that to the south by the Phœnicians, thus affording an opportunity to Alexander for uniting the island to the…
Read Cambridge on Zechariah 9 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleAnd Tyre did build herself a stronghold - She built it for herself, not for God, and trusted to it, not to God, and so its strength brought her the greater fall. The words in Hebrew express yet more.
Read Albert Barnes on Zechariah 9 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the BibleTHE FINAL TRIUMPH OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD, Zechariah 9:1 to Zechariah 14:21.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Zechariah 9 →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
Tyre has built herself a fortress; she has heaped up silver like dust, and gold like the dirt of the streets.
Tyre built herself a stronghold, and heaped up silver like the dust, and fine gold like the mire of the streets.
Tyre has built herself a fortress; she has heaped up silver like dust, and gold like the dirt of the streets.
Tyre built herself a fortification and piled up silver like dust and gold like the mud of the streets!
Tyndale line
And Tyrus did build herself a strong hold, and heaped up silver as the dust, and fine gold as the mire of the streets.
And Tyre did build herself a stronghold, and heaped up silver as the dust, and fine gold as the mire of the streets.
And Tyre did build herself a strong hold, and heaped up silver as the dust, and fine gold as the mire of the streets.
And Tyre built herself a strong hold, and amassed silver as the dust, and fine gold as the mire of the streets.
For Tyrus did build her selfe a strong holde, and heaped vp siluer as the dust, and golde as the myre of the streetes.
Strictly literal
And Tyre hath built herself a stronghold, and hath heaped up silver as the dust, and fine gold as the mire of the streets.
And Tyre doth build a bulwark to herself, And doth heap silver as dust, And gold as mire of out-places.
And Tyre builds a bulwark for herself, || And heaps silver as dust, || And gold as mire of out-places.
And though Tyre have built herself a strong-hold, and heaped up silver as the dust, and fine gold as the mire of the streets:
Tyre has built herself a stronghold and heaped up silver like dust and refined gold like mud in the streets.
From the Latin
And Tyre hath built herself a strong hold, and heaped together silver as earth, and gold as the mire of the streets.
Simplified
The people of Tyre built a fortress, and piled up silver like dust and gold like the dirt of the street.
And Tyre made for herself a strong place, and got together silver like dust and the best gold like the earth of the streets.
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.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text states that Tyre built a fortress and accumulated silver and gold, describing silver as like dust and gold as like the dirt of the streets. The Septuagint agrees with the Masoretic Text in terms of the overall meaning and structure, as all ten words correspond in a word-by-word manner, although the specific word order and articles may differ due to translation choices. There are no significant differences in the core message between these witnesses.
וַתִּ֥בֶן צֹ֛ר מָצ֖וֹר לָ֑הּ וַתִּצְבָּר־ כֶּ֙סֶף֙ כֶּֽעָפָ֔ר וְחָר֖וּץ כְּטִ֥יט חוּצֽוֹת׃
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.
Lexicons — every word in Zechariah 9:3
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.
The Hebrew word בָּנָה (banah) means "to build" and encompasses various forms such as rebuilding, establishing, and making permanent. It can refer to physical construction, like building a house or family, as well as metaphorical uses, such as the establishment of restored exiles. The entries indicate that it can also imply being built up, particularly in the context of a childless wife becoming a mother.
בָּנָה 373 vb. build
Qal build
Niph.
be built
be rebuilt
(fig.) of restored exiles, = established
established, made permanent
base
H1129 בָּנָה build .build
.. . be built
. be rebuilt
. . (fig.) of restored exiles, = established
. established, made permanent
1129 banah baw-naw'
a primitive root; to build (literally and
figuratively):--(begin to) build(-er), obtain children, make,
repair, set (up), X surely.
בָּנָה (ba.nah) — to build.
1) to build, rebuild, establish, cause to continue
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to build, rebuild
1a2) to build a house (ie, establish a family)
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be built
1b2) to be rebuilt
1b3) established (of restored exiles) (fig.)
1b4) established (made permanent)
1b5) to be built up (of childless wife becoming the mother of a family through the children of a concubine)
Aramaic equivalent: be.nah (בְּנָה "to build" H1124)
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3fs — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person feminine singularHc/Vqw3fs
צֹר (tsor) refers to Tyre, a well-known Phoenician city located on the Mediterranean coast. The word is associated with the meaning of 'rock' and is linked to the Hebrew word for rock, צור (tsur). The entries consistently identify it as a proper noun and a significant location in ancient Palestine.
צֹר, צוֹר n.pr.loc. Tyre, famous Phoenician city
base
H6865 צֹר, צוֹר Tyre, famous Phoenician city
6865 Tsor tsore
or Tsowr {tsore}; the same as 6864; a rock; Tsor, a place in
Palestine:--Tyre, Tyrus.
see HEBREW for 06864
צֹר (tsor) — Tyre.
§ Tyre or Tyrus = "a rock"
the Phoenician city on the Mediterranean coast
N-proper — Noun properHNpl
tir (tsowr. tsor, "rock"' Turos, "Tyrus"; modern Sur):
1. Physical Features:
The most noted of the Phoenician cities situated on the coast, lat. 33ø 17 minutes, about 20 miles South of Sidon and about 35 North of Carmel. The date of its foundation is uncertain, but it was later than that of Sidon. It is mentioned in the travels of the Egyptian Mohar, dating probably from the 14th century BC, and in the Tell el-Amarna Letters of about the same period. Herodotus describes the temple of Hercules at Tyre and says it was built 2,300 years before his time, which would carry back the beginning of the city to more than 2700 BC. It was a double city, one part on an island, a short distance from the shore, and the other on the mainland opposite. The island city had two harbors, connected by a canal, one looking North and the other South. The island was rocky and the city was fortitled on the land…
Tyre
A rock, now es-Sur; an ancient Phoenician city, about 23 miles, in a direct line, north of Acre, and 20 south of Sidon. Sidon was the oldest Phoenician city, but Tyre had a longer and more illustrious history. The commerce of the whole world was gathered into the warehouses of Tyre. “Tyrian merchants were the first who ventured to navigate the Mediterranean waters; and they founded their colonies on the coasts and neighbouring islands of the AEgean Sea, in Greece, on the northern coast of Africa, at Carthage and other places, in Sicily and Corsica, in Spain at Tartessus, and even beyond the pillars of Hercules at Gadeira (Cadiz)” (Driver’s Isaiah). In the time of David a friendly alliance was entered into between the Hebrews and the Tyrians, who were long ruled over by their native kings (2 Sam. 5:11;
(a rock), a celebrated commercial city of Phoenicia, on the coast of the Mediterranean. Its Hebrew name, Tzor , signifies a rock; which well agrees with the site of Sur , the modern town, on a rocky peninsula, formerly an island. There is no doubt that, previous to the siege of the city by Alexander the Great, Tyre was situated on an island; but, according to the tradition of the inhabitants, there was a city on the mainland before there was a city on the island; and the tradition receives some color from the name of Palaetyrus, or Old Tyre, which was borne in Greek times by a city on the continent, thirty stadia to the south. Notices in the Bible . --In the Bible Tyre is named for the first time in the of Joshua, ch. (Joshua 19:29) where it is adverted to as a fortified city (in the Authorized Version "the strong city") in…
Tyrus, strength; rock; sharp
מָצוֹר (matsowr) refers to a siege or an enclosure used during a siege, such as a rampart or fortification. It can denote both the physical structures associated with besieging and the abstract concept of distress. The word is built from a root meaning to hem in, indicating confinement or defense.
מָצוֹר n.[m.] siege-enclosure, siege, entrenchment
base
H4692 מָצוֹר siege-enclosure, siege, entrenchment
4692 matsowr maw-tsore'
or matsuwr {maw-tsoor'}; from 6696; something hemming in,
i.e. (objectively) a mound (of besiegers), (abstractly) a
siege, (figuratively) distress; or (subjectively) a
fastness:--besieged, bulwark, defence, fenced, fortress,
siege, strong (hold), tower.
see HEBREW for 06696
מָצוֹר (ma.tsor) — siege.
1) siege-enclosure, siege, entrenchment, siege works
1a) siege
1b) enclosure, siege-works, rampart
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
הָ (ha) — her.
Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 3rd person feminine singular
HR/Sp3fs — Preposition · suffixHR/Sp3fs
צָבַר (tsabar) is a primitive root meaning to heap up or gather together. It covers actions like piling up grain, dust, or silver. The entries consistently reflect this meaning without significant disagreement.
[צָבַר] vb. heap up
base
H6651 [צָבַר] heap up
6651 tsabar tsaw-bar'
a primitive root; to aggregate:--gather (together), heap
(up), lay up.
צָבַר (tsa.var) — to heap.
1) (Qal) to heap up, pile up
1a) of grain, dust, silver
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3fs — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person feminine singularHc/Vqw3fs
כֶּ֫סֶף (ke.seph) refers to silver and money, derived from a root meaning 'to be pale.' It encompasses various aspects of silver, including its use as a metal, ornament, and a measure of wealth or value. The term appears in contexts related to payment and price, indicating its significance in transactions.
כֶּ֫סֶף 402 n.m. silver, money
= silver ore, raw silver
silver as bright, shining
silver, as wealth
silver as spoil of war
silver as merchandise
silver as costly gift
silver as material
silver as measure of weight and value
among vbs. and phr.
base
H3701 כֶּ֫סֶף silver, money
3701 keceph keh'-sef
from 3700; silver (from its pale color); by implication,
money:--money, price, silver(-ling).
see HEBREW for 03700
כֶּ֫סֶף (ke.seph) — silver: money.
: money/payment/silver
1) silver, money
1a) silver
1a1) as metal
1a2) as ornament
1a3) as colour
1b) money, shekels, talents
כֶּ֫סֶף (ke.seph) — silver: price.
: price
1) silver, money
1a) silver
1a1) as metal
1a2) as ornament
1a3) as colour
1b) money, shekels, talents
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
sil'-ver (keceph; argurion, arguros): Silver was known in the earliest historic times. Specimens of early Egyptian and Babylonian silver work testify to the skill of the ancient silversmiths. In Palestine, silver objects have been found antedating the occupation of the land by the Hebrews. This metal was used for making all kinds of ornamental objects. In the mound of Gezer were found bowls, vases, ladles, hairpins, rings and bracelets of silver. The rings and settings for scarabs or seals were commonly of this metal. The first mention of silver in the Bible is in Ge 13:2, where it says that Abraham was rich in cattle, in silver and gold. At that time it was commonly used in exchange in the form of bars or other shapes. Coins of that metal were of a much later date (Ge 20:16…
Silver
Used for a great variety of purposes, as may be judged from the frequent references to it in Scripture. It first appears in commerce in Gen. 13:2; 23:15, 16. It was largely employed for making vessels for the sanctuary in the wilderness (Ex. 26:19; 27:17; Num. 7:13, 19; 10:2). There is no record of its having been found in Syria or Palestine. It was brought in large quantities by foreign merchants from abroad, from Spain and India and other countries probably.
In very early times silver was used for ornaments, (Genesis 24:53) and for vessels of various kinds. Images for idolatrous worship were made of silver or overlaid with it, (Exodus 20:23; Hosea 13:2); Habb 2:19 Bar. 6:39, and the manufacture of silver shrines for Diana was a trade in Ephesus. (Acts 19:24) But its chief use was as a medium of exchange, and throughout the Old Testament we find "silver" used for money, like the French argent . Silver was brought to Solomon from Arabia, (2 Chronicles 9:14) and from Tarshish, (2 Chronicles 9:21) which supplied the markets…
One of the precious metals and the one most commonly used as coin among all nations. It is first mentioned in Scripture in the history of Abraham, Ge 13:2 20:16 23:16, and was used in constricting the tabernacle, Ex 26:19,32, and afterwards the temple, 1Ch 29:4. In employing it as a medium of trade, the ancient Hebrews weighed it out, instead of having coins. In the times of the New Testament there were coins. See SHEKEL, and MONEY.
עָפָר (aphar) refers to dry earth or dust, encompassing meanings such as powder, ashes, and rubbish. It is derived from a root meaning to be dry and is used in various contexts, including clay and mortar. The entries consistently highlight its association with loose earth and debris.
עָפָר n.m. dry earth, dust
base
H6083 עָפָר dry earth, dust
6083 `aphar aw-fawr'
from 6080; dust (as powdered or gray); hence, clay, earth,
mud:--ashes, dust, earth, ground, morter, powder, rubbish.
see HEBREW for 06080
עָפָר (a.phar) — dust.
1) dry earth, dust, powder, ashes, earth, ground, mortar, rubbish
1a) dry or loose earth
1b) debris
1c) mortar
1d) ore
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHRd/Ncmsa
dust (`aphar; koniortos, chous): Small particles of earth. The word has several figurative and symbolic meanings:
(1) Dust being the material out of which God is said to have formed man (Ge 2:7), it became a symbol of man's frailty (Ps 103:14, "For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust"; compare Ge 18:27; Job 4:19, etc.), and of his mortality (Ge 3:19, "Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return"; compare Job 34:15; Ps 104:29; Ec 3:20…
Dust
Storms of sand and dust sometimes overtake Eastern travellers. They are very dreadful, many perishing under them. Jehovah threatens to bring on the land of Israel, as a punishment for forsaking him, a rain of “powder and dust” (Deut. 28:24).
To cast dust on the head was a sign of mourning (Josh. 7:6); and to sit in dust, of extreme affliction (Isa. 47:1). “Dust” is used to denote the grave (Job 7:21). “To shake off the dust from one’s feet” against another is to renounce all future intercourse with him (Matt. 10:14; Acts 13:51). To “lick the dust” is a sign of…
[MOURNING]
Jos 7:6. Dust or ashes put upon the head was a sign of mourning; sitting in the dust, a sign of affliction, La 3:29 Isa 47:1. "Dust" is also put for the grave, Ge 3:19 Job 7:21. It signifies a multitude, Ge 13:16, and a low and mean condition, 1Sa 2:8. We have two remarkable instances of casting dust recorded in Scripture, and they seem to illustrate a practice common in Asia: those who demanded justice against a criminal were accustomed to throw dust upon him, signifying that he deserved to be cast into the grave.…
The Hebrew word חָרוּץ (*charuwts*) is derived from a root meaning to incise or be incisive. It encompasses a range of meanings including sharp, diligent, strict decision, trench, and gold, with specific references in the Old Testament such as in Job 4:14 and Daniel 9:25. The lexicons agree on these meanings without significant disagreement.
חָרוּץ adj. sharp, diligent
base
חָרוּץ n.[m.] strict decision, only Jo 4:14, 14
ref
חָרוּץ n.[m.] trench, moat—only in Dn 9:25
ref
חָרוּץ n.m. gold, poet.
base
H2742a חָרוּץ sharp, diligent H2742b חָרוּץ strict decision H2742c חָרוּץ trench, moat H2742d חָרוּץ gold poet.
2742 charuwts khaw-roots'
or charuts {khaw-roots'}; passive participle of 2782;
properly, incised or (active) incisive; hence (as noun
masculine or feminine) a trench (as dug), gold (as mined), a
threshing-sledge (having sharp teeth); (figuratively)
determination; also eager:--decision, diligent, (fine) gold,
pointed things, sharp, threshing instrument, wall.
see HEBREW for 02782
חָרוּץ (cha.ruts) — sharp.
adj
sharp-pointed, sharp, diligent
חָרוּץ (cha.ruts) — decision.
strict decision, decision
חָרוּץ (cha.ruts) — trench.
trench, moat, ditch
חָרוּץ (cha.ruts) — gold.
gold (poetical)
Conj | N-ms — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular absoluteHC/Ncmsa
gold (zahabh; chrusos):
1. Terms:
No metal has been more frequently mentioned in Old Testament writings than gold, and none has had more terms applied to it. Among these terms the one most used is zahabh. The Arabic equivalent, dhahab, is still the common name for gold throughout Palestine, Syria and Egypt. With zahabh frequently occur other words which, translated, mean "pure" (Ex 25:11), "refined" (1Ch 28:18), "finest" (1Ki 10:18), "beaten" (1Ki 10:17), "Ophir" (Ps 45:9).
Other terms occurring are: paz, "fine gold" (Job 28:17;
Gold
(1.) Heb. zahab, so called from its yellow colour (Ex. 25:11; 1 Chr. 28:18; 2 Chr. 3:5).
(2.) Heb. segor, from its compactness, or as being enclosed or treasured up; thus precious or “fine gold” (1 Kings 6:20; 7:49).
Gold was known from the very earliest times. (Genesis 2:11) It was at first used chiefly for ornaments, etc. (Genesis 24:22) Coined money was not known to the ancients till a comparatively late period; and on the Egyptian tombs gold is represented as being weighed in rings for commercial purposes. Comp. (Genesis 43:21) Gold was extremely abundant in ancient times, (1 Chronicles 22:14; 2 Chronicles 1:15; 9:9; Daniel 3:1; Nahum 2:9) but this did not depreciate its value, because of the enormous quantities consumed by…
A well-known valuable metal, found in many parts of the world, and obtained anciently in Ophir, Job 28:16; Parvaim, 2Ch 3:6; Sheba, and Raamah, Eze 27:22. Job alludes to gold in various forms, Job 22:24 28:15-19. Abraham was rich in it, and female ornaments were early made of it, Ge 13:2 24:22,35. It is spoken of throughout Scripture; and the use of it among and ancient Hebrews, in its native and mixed state, and for the same purposes as at present, was very common. The Ark of the Covenant was overlaid with pure gold; the mercy seat, the vessels and utensils belonging to the tabernacle, and those also of the house of…
טִיט (tiyt) refers to mud, mire, or clay, and is derived from a root that suggests stickiness. It can also figuratively denote calamity. The term appears in various contexts, including poetic uses for clay. There is an Aramaic equivalent, טִין (tin), meaning 'common.'
טִיט n.m. mud, mire, clay
base
H2916 טִיט mud, mire, clay
2916 tiyt teet
from an unused root meaning apparently to be sticky (rath.
perb. a demon. from 2894, through the idea of dirt to be swept
away); mud or clay; figuratively, calamity:--clay, dirt, mire.
see HEBREW for 02894
טִיט (tit) — mud.
1) mud, clay, mire, damp dirt
1a) mud, mire
1b) clay (poetical)
Aramaic equivalent: tin (טִין "common" H2917)
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular constructHR/Ncmsc
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.
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…
חוּץ (chuwts) refers to the concept of being outside or outward, often associated with streets or highways. It is derived from a root meaning to sever, indicating separation by a wall. The term covers various contexts, including outdoors and fields.
חוּץ n.[m.] the outside, sts., esp. in pl., spec. a street
base
H2351 חוּץ
2351 chuwts khoots
or (shortened) chuts {khoots}; (both forms feminine in the
plural) from an unused root meaning to sever; properly,
separate by a wall, i.e. outside, outdoors:--abroad, field,
forth, highway, more, out(-side, -ward), street, without.
חוּץ (chuts) — outside.
outside, outward, street, the outside
N-mp — Noun common · feminine plural absoluteHNcfpa
In the towns and cities of Palestine, are supposed to have been comparatively narrow and ill graded, on account of the unevenness of their sites, and the little use of wheel-carriages. They were wider, however, than in many modern cities, Lu 14:21, and terminated in large public areas around the gates, Ne 8:1. Josephus says that those of Jerusalem were paved. They were named, like our own streets, Ac 9:11, and often resembled the bazaars of modern eastern cities, the shops of the same kind being in the same street and giving it its name, as the bakers’ street, Ne 3:31,32; Jer 37:21, and the valley of the cheesemongers.…