Zechariah 9:6 — Word Study
WLCוְיָשַׁ֥ב מַמְזֵ֖ר בְּאַשְׁדּ֑וֹד וְהִכְרַתִּ֖י גְּא֥וֹן פְּלִשְׁתִּֽים׃
BSAA mixed racemamzêr [foreigner, bastard] will occupyyâshab■ [dwell in, live in] AshdodʼAshdôwd [a powerful Philistine city] and I will cut offkârath■ [destroy, wipe out] the pridegâʼôwn [excellency, majesty] of the PhilistinesPᵉlishtîy [a people from the region of Philistia, immigrants from other places]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וְיָשַׁ֥ב | and it will dwell | Verb, Qal, sequential perfect third person masculine singular |
| מַמְזֵ֖ר | a mixed population | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| בְּאַשְׁדּ֑וֹד | in Ashdod | Preposition, noun proper |
| וְהִכְרַתִּ֖י | and I will cut off | Verb, Hiphil, sequential perfect first person common singular |
| גְּא֥וֹן | [the] pride of | Noun common, masculine singular construct |
| פְּלִשְׁתִּֽים׃ | [the] Philistines | Noun gentilic, masculine plural absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | A mixed race will occupy Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines. |
| KJV | And a bastard shall dwell in Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines. |
| ASV | And a bastard shall dwell in Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines. |
| YLT | And dwelt hath a foreigner in Ashdod, And I have cut off the excellency of the Philistines. |
| WEB | Foreigners will dwell in Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines. |
| BBE | And a mixed people will be living in Ashdod, and I will have the pride of the Philistines cut off. |
The translations agree on the meaning of מַמְזֵר as a mixed population — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence is built around two main clauses, with the second clause expanding on the action taken against the Philistines.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectמַמְזֵר
verbיָשַׁב
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 9:6
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 Prophecy Against Philistiagenerated
Zechariah 9:6 is part of a prophecy that addresses the downfall of Philistine cities, specifically Ashdod. The passage indicates that a mixed population will take residence in Ashdod, signifying a shift in power dynamics. This is set against the backdrop of God's judgment on the Philistines, who were known for their pride and conflict with Israel, as seen in the surrounding verses.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ecclesiastes 2:18–21 | I hated all for which I had toiled under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who comes after me. |
| 2 | Ecclesiastes 6:2 | God gives a man riches, wealth, and honor, so that he lacks nothing his heart desires; but God does not allow him to enjoy them. Instead, a stranger will enjoy them. This is futile and a grievous affliction. |
| 3 | Amos 1:8 | I will cut off the ruler of Ashdod and the one who wields the scepter in Ashkelon. I will turn My hand against Ekron, and the remnant of the Philistines will perish,” says the Lord GOD. |
| 4 | Isaiah 2:12–17 | For the Day of the LORD of Hosts will come against all the proud and lofty, against all that is exalted— it will be humbled— |
| 5 | Isaiah 23:9 | The LORD of Hosts planned it, to defile all its glorious beauty, to disgrace all the renowned of the earth. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 9 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — מַמְזֵר, mam.Zergenerated
The word מַמְזֵר (mamzer) refers to a mixed population, often used to describe individuals born of a Jewish parent and a non-Jewish parent, or those born out of wedlock. It carries implications of being an outsider or alienated from the community.
The parsing indicates it is a masculine singular noun, suggesting a specific group rather than a general term. This reflects the social and cultural implications of mixed heritage in ancient Israelite society.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The translations generally agree on the meaning of מַמְזֵר as a mixed population.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The verse is structured around two main clauses: the first describes the occupation of Ashdod by a mixed race, and the second announces God's intention to cut off the pride of the Philistines. The verb יָשַׁ֥ב (will dwell) serves as the main action in the first clause, while הִכְרַתִּ֖י (I will cut off) is the main action in the second.
The sentence flows from the subject of the first clause, מַמְזֵר, to the verb, indicating a clear and direct statement about the future state of Ashdod.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, מַמְזֵר is rendered as ἀλλογενεῖς (allogeneis), which means 'foreigners' or 'of another kind.' This choice emphasizes the concept of otherness and separation from the native Philistine population.
The use of ἀλλογενεῖς suggests a broader interpretation of the inhabitants of Ashdod, focusing on their foreign status rather than simply their mixed lineage.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Zechariah 9:6 states that a mixed race will dwell in Ashdod, a significant Philistine city, and God will remove the pride of the Philistines. This verse highlights a change in the population of Ashdod and God's judgment on the Philistines.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
This indicates a significant demographic change in Ashdod, suggesting that people of different backgrounds will live there, which may imply a loss of Philistine dominance.
This reflects God's judgment against the Philistines for their arrogance and opposition to Israel, indicating that their power and pride will be diminished.
Ashdod is a major Philistine city, and its occupation by a mixed race signifies a shift in power and the fulfillment of God's judgment against the Philistines.
This verse is part of a series of prophecies that address the fate of various nations, emphasizing God's sovereignty and the eventual restoration of Israel.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What does it mean for a community to be mixed, and how can that impact the culture and identity of a place?
- In what ways might pride lead to downfall, as seen in the fate of the Philistines?
- How can we apply the lessons from this prophecy about demographics and power shifts to our own lives or communities?
- What does this verse teach us about God's judgment and His plans for different nations?
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Zechariah 9:6 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAnd a bastard shall dwell in Ashdod,.... Some (p) take "mamzer", the word for "bastard", to be the name of a people that should dwell in Ashdod; this is the same place with Azotus, Acts 8:40 and was
Read John Gill on Zechariah 9 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd a bastard shall dwell in Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines. And a bastard shall dwell in Ashdod - "bastard," not the rightful heir; vile and low men such as are bastards (Deuteronomy 23:2).
Read Robert Jamieson on Zechariah 9 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleA bastard; some say Alexander the Great was by Olympia’ s confession declared to be a bastard, and that he is here pointed at; but I think rather strangers, who have no right of inheritance, yet did dwell here, are meant, called bastards because not the rightful heirs, but intruders. Ashdod; Azotus, now a strong town, a city of the Philistines, but still of the same temper with the rest against the Jews, and now, as before, , must suffer with them. I will cut off the pride of the Philistines, in these strong cities did the Philistines glory, and boast themselves as having been too hard for the Jews, even at their first coming to Canaan, who could not take their cities from them; but now the…
Read Matthew Poole on Zechariah 9 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsZechariah 9:6 And a bastard shall dwell in Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.Ver. 6. But a bastard shall dwell at Ashdod] Perhaps he meaneth Alexander; who was a bastard, by his mother Olympia’ s confession. The Greek here hath αλλογενης, a stranger, an alien, or one of another generation, as the Greeks under Alexander, and afterwards the Jews under the Maccabees. Whence the Chaldee turns this text thus; The house of Israel shall dwell in Ashdod, and shall be there as strangers which have no father. In the Acts we find that the Jews were scattered up and down Palestine, and some found at Azotus, or Ashdod, Acts 8:40. And I will cut off the pride of the Philistines]…
Read John Trapp on Zechariah 9 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(6) A bastard.—i.e., a mixed race. It was a special point in Alexander’s policy to break up nationalities, and to fuse different peoples.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Zechariah 9 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 6. A bastard shall dwell in Ashdod] This character would suit Alexander very well, who most certainly was a bastard; for his mother Olympia said that Jupiter Ammon entered her apartment in the shape of a dragon, and begat Alexander! Could her husband Philip believe this? The word signifies a stranger.
Read AdamClarke on Zechariah 9 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges6. a bastard] The word only occurs here and in Deuteronomy 23:2 (3, Heb.). There it is probably used of one born of incest or adultery. (Speaker’s Commentary, Vol. I. pt. ii. p. 884.) Here perhaps it is employed rather as a term of contempt, “a mixed and ignoble race” (a bastard race, R. V. margin), than in its strictly literal sense. The LXX. who render ἐκπορνῆς in Deut. have here ἀλλογενής.
Read Cambridge on Zechariah 9 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleAnd a bastard shall dwell at Ashdod - o The “mamzer” was one born unlawfully, whether out of marriage, or in forbidden marriage, or in adultery .
Read Albert Barnes 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
A mixed race will occupy Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.
Foreigners will dwell in Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.
A mixed race will occupy Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.
A mongrel people will live in Ashdod, for I will greatly humiliate the Philistines.
Tyndale line
And a bastard shall dwell in Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.
And a bastard shall dwell in Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.
And a bastard shall dwell in Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.
And a bastard shall dwell in Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.
And the stranger shall dwell in Ashdod, and I wil cut off the pride of the Philistims.
Strictly literal
And a bastard shall dwell in Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines;
And dwelt hath a foreigner in Ashdod, And I have cut off the excellency of the Philistines.
“And a foreigner has dwelt in Ashdod, || And I have cut off the excellence of the Philistines.
And aliens shall dwell in Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.
Strangers will make their homes in Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.
From the Latin
And the divider shall sit in Azotus, and I will destroy the pride of the Philistines.
Simplified
Mixed-race people will live in Ashdod, and I will wipe out the Philistine's pride.
And a mixed people will be living in Ashdod, and I will have the pride of the Philistines cut off.
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 and the Septuagint both agree on the wording of this verse, with all words matched. This consistency indicates a shared understanding of the prophecy's implications regarding the inhabitants of Ashdod and the fate of the Philistines.
וְיָשַׁ֥ב מַמְזֵ֖ר בְּאַשְׁדּ֑וֹד וְהִכְרַתִּ֖י גְּא֥וֹן פְּלִשְׁתִּֽים׃
6 of the 6 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 9:6
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.
יָשַׁב (yashab) is a Hebrew verb meaning to sit, remain, or dwell. It encompasses a range of actions from simply sitting down to more complex ideas like establishing a home or causing a place to be inhabited. The entries indicate various forms, including Qal (to sit), Niphal (to be inhabited), and Hiphil (to cause to dwell). There is an Aramaic equivalent, יְתִב (ye.tiv), meaning 'to dwell'.
יָשַׁב 1090 vb. sit, remain, dwell
Qal
sit
sit, sit down
sit down
sit = be set (as a jewel)
remain, stay, tarry
with special emphasis of qualifying phr.
dwell, have one’s abode
of a land or city, sit, abide, seated in its place, fig. for be inhabited
Niph. be inhabited, of land
Pi. and they shall set their encampments in thee
Hiph.
cause to sit
cause to abide
cause to dwell
cause cities to be inhabited
marry (prop. give a dwelling to)
Hoph. and ye be made to dwell alone in the midst of the land
base
H3427 יָשַׁב sit, remain, dwell
3427 yashab yaw-shab'
a primitive root; properly, to sit down (specifically as
judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to
remain; causatively, to settle, to marry:--(make to)
abide(-ing), continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-ing), ease
self, endure, establish, X fail, habitation, haunt, (make to)
inhabit(-ant), make to keep (house), lurking, X marry(-ing),
(bring again to) place, remain, return, seat, set(- tle),
(down-)sit(-down, still, -ting down, -ting (place) -uate),
take, tarry.
יָשַׁב (ya.shav) — to dwell.
1) to dwell, remain, sit, abide
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to sit, sit down
1a2) to be set
1a3) to remain, stay
1a4) to dwell, have one's abode
1b) (Niphal) to be inhabited
1c) (Piel) to set, place
1d) (Hiphil)
1d1) to cause to sit
1d2) to cause to abide, set
1d3) to cause to dwell
1d4) to cause (cities) to be inhabited
1d5) to marry (give an dwelling to)
1e) (Hophal)
1e1) to be inhabited
1e2) to make to dwell
Aramaic equivalent: ye.tiv (יְתִב "to dwell" H3488)
Conj | V-Qal-Perf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential perfect third person masculine singularHc/Vqq3ms
dwel:
(1) In the Old Testament "dwell" is a translation of 9 words, of which by far the most frequent is yashabh, "to sit down," translated "dwell" over 400 times (Ge 4:20; Jos 20:4; 1Ch 17:1,4,5, etc.); also very frequently "sit," and sometimes "abide," "inhabit," "remain." Another word often rendered "dwell" is shakhan or shakhen ("to settle down"), from which is derived the rabbinic word shekhinah (literally, "that which dwells"), the light on the mercy-seat which symbolized the Divine presence (Ex 25:8, etc.). In order to avoid appearing to localize the Divine Being, wherever God is said to "dwell" in a place, the Targum renders that He "causes His Shekinah to dwell"…
Dwell
Tents were in primitive times the common dwellings of men. Houses were afterwards built, the walls of which were frequently of mud (Job 24:16; Matt. 6:19, 20) or of sun-dried bricks.
God “dwells in light” (1 Tim. 6:16; 1 John 1:7), in heaven (Ps. 123:1), in his church (Ps. 9:11; 1 John 4:12). Christ dwelt on earth in the days of his humiliation (John 1:14). He now dwells in the hearts of his people (Eph.…
מַמְזֵר (mamzer) refers to a bastard, specifically a child of incest or an illegitimate child. It can also denote a mixed population, particularly one born of a Jewish father and a non-Jewish mother, or vice versa. The term is built from a root meaning to alienate, suggesting a sense of being an outsider.
מַמְזֵר n.m. bastard, specif. child of incest
lit. bastard
perh. fig. coll., of mixed population
base
H4464 מַמְזֵר bastard, specif. child of incest . lit. bastard
. perh. fig. coll., of mixed population
4464 mamzer mam-zare'
from an unused root meaning to alienate; a mongrel, i.e. born
of a Jewish father and a heathen mother:--bastard.
מַמְזֵר (mam.zer) — bastard.
1) bastard, child of incest, illegitimate child
1a) bastard
1b) mixed population (fig.)
1c) born of a Jewish father and a heathen mother or visa versa
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
אַשְׁדּוֹד (Ashdod) refers to a major Philistine city located on the Mediterranean Sea, west of Jerusalem. The name is derived from a root meaning 'ravager' or 'powerful.' It appears in various contexts in the Old Testament, highlighting its significance in ancient Palestine.
אַשְׁדּוֹד n.pr.loc. Ashdod
base
H795 אַשְׁדּוֹד Ashdod
795 'Ashdowd ash-dode'
from 7703; ravager; Ashdod, a place in Palestine:--Ahdod.
see HEBREW for 07703
אַשְׁדּוֹד (ash.dod) — Ashdod.
§ Ashdod = "powerful"
a major Philistine city on the Mediterranean Sea west from Jerusalem, modern Esdud
Prep | N-proper — Preposition · noun properHR/Npl
ash'-dod ('ashdodh; Azotos; modern Esdud): One of the five chief cities of the Philistines. The name means stronghold or fortress, and its strength may be inferred by the fact that Psammetik I, of Egypt, besieged it for many years (Herodotus says 29). Some of the Anakim were found there in the days of Joshua (Jos 11:22), and the inhabitants were too strong for the Israelites at that time. It was among the towns assigned to Judah, but was not occupied by her (Jos 13:3; 15:46,47). It was still independent in the days of Samuel, when, after the defeat of the Israelites, the ark was taken to the house of Dagon in Ashdod (1Sa 5:1,2). We have no account of its being occupied even by David, although he defeated the Philistines many…
Ashdod
Stronghold, a Philistine city (Josh. 15:47), about midway between Gaza and Joppa, and 3 miles from the Mediterranean. It was one of the chief seats of the worship of Dagon (1 Sam. 5:5). It belonged to the tribe of Judah (Josh. 15:47), but it never came into their actual possession. It was an important city, as it stood on the highroad from Egypt to Palestine, and hence was strongly fortified (2 Chr. 26:6; Isa. 20:1). Uzziah took it, but fifty years after his death it was taken by the Assyrians (B.C. 758). According to Sargon’s record, it was captured by him in B.C. 711. The only reference to it in the New…
One of the five chief cities of the Philistines, assigned to the tribe of Judah, but never conquered by them, Jos 13:3; 15:47; 1Sa 5:1; 6:17; Ne 4:7. Here stood the temple of Dagon; and hither the ark was first brought, after the fatal battle at Ebenezer, 1Sa 5:1. It was called by the Greeks Azotus. And belonged to Judea in the time of Christ. Here Philip preached the gospel, Ac 8:40. At the present day, it is a miserable village, still called Esdud.
effusion; inclination; theft
כָּרַת (karath) is a Hebrew verb meaning to cut off, cut down, or make a covenant. It encompasses a range of actions from physically cutting to forming alliances, often implying destruction or elimination. The verb appears in various forms, indicating different nuances such as being cut off or destroyed. Notably, it can also refer to the act of making a covenant, which traditionally involved cutting flesh.
כָּרַת 291 vb. cut off, cut down
Qal
cut off
cut down
hew, timber
cut, or make a covenant
Niph.
be cut off
be cut down
be chewed between the teeth
be cut off, in a more general sense fail
Pual
be cut off
be cut down
Hiph.
cut off, flattering lips
cut off, destroy the life of
cut down, destroy, cities
take away
permit to perish
base
H3772 כָּרַת cut off, cut down .. cut off
. cut down
. hew, timber
. cut, or make a covenant
. . be cut off
. be cut down
. be chewed between the teeth
. be cut off, in a more general sense fail
.. be cut off
. be cut down
. . cut off, flattering lips
. cut off, destroy the life of
. cut down, destroy, cities
. take away
. permit to perish
3772 karath kaw-rath'
a primitive root; to cut (off, down or asunder); by
implication, to destroy or consume; specifically, to covenant
(i.e. make an alliance or bargain, originally by cutting flesh
and passing between the pieces):--be chewed, be
con-(feder-)ate, covenant, cut (down, off), destroy, fail,
feller, be freed, hew (down), make a league ((covenant)), X
lose, perish, X utterly, X want.
כָּרַת (ka.rat) — to cut: cut.
: cut/fell
1) to cut, cut off, cut down, cut off a body part, cut out, eliminate, kill, cut a covenant
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to cut off
1a1a) to cut off a body part, behead
1a2) to cut down
1a3) to hew
1a4) to cut or make a covenant
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be cut off
1b2) to be cut down
1b3) to be chewed
1b4) to be cut off, fail
1c) (Pual)
1c1) to be cut off
1c2) to be cut down
1d) (Hiphil)
1d1) to cut off
1d2) to cut off, destroy
1d3) to cut down, destroy
1d4) to take away
1d5) to permit to perish
1e) (Hophal) cut off
כָּרַת (ka.rat) — to cut: make(covenant).
: make(covenant)
1) to cut, cut off, cut down, cut off a body part, cut out, eliminate, kill, cut a covenant
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to cut off
1a1a) to cut off a body part, behead
1a2) to cut down
1a3) to hew
1a4) to cut or make a covenant
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be cut off
1b2) to be cut down
1b3) to be chewed
1b4) to be cut off, fail
Conj | V-Hiphil-Perf-1cs — Verb · Hiphil · sequential perfect first person common singularHc/Vhq1cs
גָּאוֹן (ga'own) refers to exaltation, majesty, and excellence, but can also imply pride in a negative sense. It is derived from the root associated with arrogance and includes connotations of both divine and national majesty, as well as references to the Jordan. The entries consistently highlight these meanings without significant disagreement.
גָּאוֹן n.m. exaltation
exaltation, majesty, excellence
pride (bad sense)
base
H1347 גָּאוֹן exaltation . exaltation, majesty, excellence
. pride (bad sense)
1347 ga'own gaw-ohn'
from 1342; the same as 1346:--arrogancy, excellency(-lent),
majesty, pomp, pride, proud, swelling.
see HEBREW for 01342
see HEBREW for 01346
גָּאוֹן (ga.on) — pride.
1) exaltation, majesty, pride
1a) majesty, exaltation, excellence
1a1) of nations
1a2) of God
1a3) of the Jordan
1b) pride, arrogance (bad sense)
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular constructHNcmsc
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…
The Hebrew word פְּלִשְׁתִּי (*pelishtiy*) means 'Philistine' and refers to an inhabitant of Philistia, with roots indicating they are descendants of Mizraim who immigrated from Caphtor. It is derived from the lemma for Philistia, פְּלֶ֫שֶׁת (*peleshet*), and is first mentioned in Genesis 10:14.
פְּלִשְׁתִּי 288 adj.gent. Philistine
base
H6430 פְּלִשְׁתִּי Philistine
6430 Plishtiy pel-ish-tee'
patrial from 6429; a Pelishtite or inhabitant of
Pelesheth:--Philistine.
see HEBREW for 06429
פְּלִשְׁתִּי (pe.lish.ti) — Philistine.
Philistine = "immigrants"
an inhabitant of Philistia; descendants of Mizraim who immigrated from Caphtor (Crete?) to the western seacoast of Canaan
Another spelling of pe.le.shet (פְּלֶ֫שֶׁת "Philistia" H6429)
פְּלִשְׁתִּי (pe.lish.ti) — Philistine.
A Philistine living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.10.14;
son of: Casluhim (H3695)
§ Philistine = "immigrants"
an inhabitant of Philistia; descendants of Mizraim who immigrated from Caphtor (Crete?) to the western seacoast of Canaan
פְּלִשְׁתִּי (pe.lish.ti) — (Sea of the) Philistines.
Philistine = "immigrants"
an inhabitant of Philistia; descendants of Mizraim who immigrated from Caphtor (Crete?) to the western seacoast of Canaan
Another name of ga.dol (גָּדוֹל "Great( Sea)" H1419J)
Ngmpa — Noun gentilic · masculine plural absoluteHNgmpa
fi-lis'-tinz, fil'-is-tinz, fil'-is-tinz (pelishtim; Phulistieim, allophuloi):
I. OLD TESTAMENT NOTICES
1. Race and Origin
2. Religion
3. Individual Philistines Mentioned
4. Title of Ruler and Circumcision
5. History in the Old Testament to Death of Saul
6. History Continued to Time of Ahaz
7. Later Notices
II. MONUMENTAL NOTICES
1. Palestinian Excavations
2. Egyptian Monuments
3. Assyrian Texts
III. THE CRETAN THEORY
1. Cherethim and Kretes
2. Caphtor and Keft
IV. DAVID'S GUARDS
1. The "Cherethi" and the "Pelethi" Not Mercenaries
2. Meaning of These Terms
3. Native Hebrews
4. Review
LITERATURE
I. Old Testament Notices.
1. Race and Origin:
The Philistines were an uncircumcised people inhabiting the shore plain between Gezer and Gaza in Southwestern Palestine (see PHILISTIA). The name Palestine itself (Hebrew pelesheth) refers to their country. The word means "migrants," and they came from another country. They…
Philistines
(Gen. 10:14, R.V.; but in A.V., “Philistim”), a tribe allied to the Phoenicians. They were a branch of the primitive race which spread over the whole district of the Lebanon and the valley of the Jordan, and Crete and other Mediterranean islands. Some suppose them to have been a branch of the Rephaim (2 Sam. 21:16-22). In the time of Abraham they inhabited the south-west of Judea, Abimelech of Gerar being their king (Gen. 21:32, 34; 26:1). They are, however, not noticed among the Canaanitish tribes mentioned in the Pentateuch. They are spoken of by Amos (9:7) and Jeremiah (47:4) as from Caphtor, i.e., probably Crete, or, as some think, the Delta of Egypt. In the whole record from Exodus to Samuel they are…
(immigrants), The origin of the Philistines is nowhere expressly stated in the Bible; but as the prophets describe them as "the Philistines-from Caphtor," (Amos 9:7) and "the remnant of the maritime district of Caphtor" (Jeremiah 47:4) it is prima facie probable that they were the Caphtorim which came out of Caphtor" who expelled the Avim from their territory and occupied it; in their place, (2:23) and that these again were the Caphtorim mentioned in the Mosaic genealogical table among the descendants of Mizraim. (Genesis 10:14) It has been generally assumed that Caphtor represents Crete, and that the Philistines migrated from that island, either directly or through Egypt, into Palestine. But the name Caphtor is more probably…
A celebrated people, who inhabited the southern seacoast of Canaan, which from them took the name of Philistia, Ps 60:8 108:9, or Palestine. They seem originally to have migrated form Egypt to Caphtor, by which some understand Crete, and others with the ancients Cappadocia, Ge 10:14, and thence to have passed over to Palestine under the name of Caphtorim, where they drove out the Avim, who dwelt from Hazerim to Azzah, that is, Gaza, and swelt in their stead, De 2:23. The country they inhabited lay between the higher land of Judea and the Mediterranean, and was in the main a level and fertile territory. It resembles our own western prairies; and bears splendid crops year after year, though miserably cultivated and never manured.